3 Jewish Studies minors graduate from SMU; Glauben receives honorary doctorate

SMU held commencement Saturday, Aug. 15. Among the graduates were three students who earned minors in Jewish Studies. Max Glauben was conferred an honorary doctorate.
Diana Miller was born in San Antonio but raised in Dallas. She graduated with a BA in History from Dedman College and an additional minor in Human Rights. She participated in the SMU-in-Oxford Program, and plans to apply to graduate programs in history where she would like to focus broadly on Canadian history and, more specifically, on the history of the Hudson’s Bay Company and Red River Colony. She served as an intern for Temple Emanu-El’s Library and Archives, where she helped catalogue and identify the synagogue’s vast collection of historically significant documents and objects.
Marlo Weisberg grew up in Charleston, West Virginia, where she graduated from Charleston Catholic High School and won awards for figure skating, public service and academic achievement. Selected to attend SMU as a Hunt Leadership Scholar on the basis of her extraordinary leadership, community involvement and potential for future success, Marlo graduated from SMU’s Cox School of Business with a BBA in Accounting. She will continue at Cox this year to earn an MS in Accounting. Upon graduation in 2021, she will join the multinational professional services network KPMG as an audit associate. In addition to serving as Hillel president, Marlo’s illustrious career at SMU earned her five awards: Most Outstanding Senior, Junior, and Sophomore at Tri Delta Sorority, Tri Delta Sarah Ida Shaw Award for High Honors, and the SMU Decima chapter’s Mortar Board for scholarship, service and leadership.
Jordan Williams hails from Gig Harbor, Washington, and is now a financial analyst at Solera. He is also the CEO and co-founder of Inlite Digital, a startup company offering solutions for small businesses looking to increase the effectiveness of their digital presence. He graduated with a double major in Finance, Magna Cum Laude, from SMU’s Cox School of Business and in Religious Studies from Dedman College. He spent a semester at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem through the Institute for Study Abroad Diversity & Coexistence program, and served as treasurer of AEPi, vice president of both Hillel and Men’s Club Soccer, SMU Abroad Peer Advisor, and editor of both The Globetrotter newsletter and the Mustangs on the Move blog. Jordan also received the Harvey Paul Alper Award for Outstanding Work in an Eastern Religion.
In addition, SMU Jewish Studies proudly celebrated Max Glauben’s heroism and witness. Mazal Tov on his degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa “for his exceptional and extensive work combating intolerance and keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive.”

Tiferet Israel to hold online gala auction

The links are open for two more days for Tiferet Israel Congregation’s online gala auction featuring treasures from the Texas Jewish Arts Association. Tiferet Israel, celebrating 130 years strong, has long through its Hillcrest/Royal Lane facility, and many programs, appreciated and supported Jewish arts and many facets of DFW’s Jewish community and the 2020 auction allows the community a chance to support the congregation.
“The pandemic has altered our lives, and the way in which we do business, and so we’ve adjusted how we raise funds,” said Tiferet Board President Shirley Rovinsky. “Tiferet Israel is a congregation of 200 warm and welcoming families who annually help support organizations benefiting children and women’s needs, veteran’s mental health and others. We appreciate the community’s support to our own programs and to help us continue in our chesed and tzedakah efforts to help those around us.”
More than 500 items are available for bid, through 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28. Two dozen artists, associated with the Texas Jewish Arts Association, have donated jewelry, pottery and glass art items which join antiques, electronics, virtual fitness classes, toys, music classes, interior design services, gift cards, a four-day holiday at a Park City, Utah condo and more available for bid at http://tiferet.cbo.io.