By Sharon Wisch-Ray
sharonw@texasjewishpost.com

It seems like it was just yesterday when hundreds of Volunteer Center constituents gathered last October at the Omni Hotel at the Big Hearts of Fort Worth breakfast Award. The TJP, along with Junior League of Tarrant County and Donna Arp Weitzman, were the honorees at the early morning breakfast.
Now, armed with a new name VolunteerNow, two distinguished members of the Fort Worth Jewish Community will be honored at this year’s fête, at noon, Tuesday, Oct. 27 at the Omni.
VolunteerNow will honor Joan Katz and Rozanne Rosenthal with the VolunteerNow Lifetime Achievement Award for their community leadership, volunteerism and collective legacy of impact on the Fort Worth community.
Joan is a civic leader, engaged volunteer and active philanthropist in Fort Worth who leads from the heart and her passion for her family, community and service to others.
Accomplished in breast cancer education and advocacy, she herself is a four-time cancer survivor. Joan is the co-founder of Susan G. Komen Greater Fort Worth with her friend, college roommate and fellow Big Hearts of Fort Worth honoree, Rozanne Rosenthal. Together they helped grow this affiliate from a start-up nonprofit into a leader in Tarrant County breast cancer education and support services.
Since 1992, Susan G. Komen Greater Fort Worth has raised over $22 million with more than $18 million in local programs and $4 million in national research grants. They also grew the signature Komen Race for the Cure from the first Tarrant County race of 1,800 participants to an annual event attracting many thousands. In addition, Joan is very involved with the Joan Katz Breast Center at Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth Hospital.
Her impact on the community extends to other causes that are personal to her, including The Gladney Center for Adoption, Trinity Valley School, Junior League of Fort Worth, Cook Children’s Medical Center, Jewel Charity, El Tesoro de la Vida, Beth-El Congregation and The Learning Center of North Texas. She has been honored both individually and with her husband for her community service work by the Fort Worth Metro Chapter of the Association for Fundraising Professionals with the Ketchum Award for Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser.
Joan is also a past honoree of the Outstanding Women of Fort Worth award. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. She serves others with a message of hope.
Rozanne K. Rosenthal, an educator and Fort Worth civic leader, has devoted much of her life to community building, philanthropy and volunteerism.
She is active in a number of nonprofit organizations including Susan G. Komen Greater Fort Worth, Jewel Charity, Trinity Valley School, Baylor All Saints Hospital at Fort Worth, Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Beth-El Congregation and Fort Worth Modern Art Museum. Rozanne has been honored for her leadership and volunteerism, including the 1998 Unsung Hero Award awarded by Mitsubishi and PBS.
She chartered Susan G. Komen Greater Fort Worth in May 1992 in honor of her friend and fellow Big Hearts of Fort Worth honoree, four-time cancer survivor Joan Katz. Together they helped grow this affiliate from a startup nonprofit into a leader in Tarrant County breast cancer education and support services. Since 1992, Susan G. Komen Greater Fort Worth has raised over $22 million with more than $18 million in local programs and $4 million in national research grants. They also grew the signature Komen Race for the Cure from the first Tarrant County race of 1,800 participants to an annual event attracting many thousands.
In 1995, the National Susan G. Komen awarded her with its Outstanding Volunteer award. Among her other honors is the Elizabeth B. and W. A. Moncrief, Sr. Award, which she shares with her husband, presented by the All Saints Health Foundation, and the Legacy of Giving Award presented to the Rosenthal Family by the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County.
Rozanne is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, College of Education, and is an active alumna and supporter of the University. Of her many accomplishments, activities and jobs, she is most proud of her family — husband Billy, her children and her grandchildren, who both support and inspire her.
Co-chairs for the event are Hilda McDuff and Sharon Stufflebeme. Scott Murray will serve as master of ceremonies. For more information about the luncheon, visit www.volnow.org.

TCU to hold Gates of Chai Lecture Series

On Thursday, Nov. 5, TCU will welcome Bishop Brian Farrell and Rabbi David Rosen for the 18th Annual Gates of Chai Lectureship. The program is called “Celebrating 50 Years of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue: In honor of the anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions.”
Bishop Brian Farrell is the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. He previously served as director of the Novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ in Connecticut. He was awarded a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1981 and began work in the Secretariat of State in the Vatican in October of the same year.
In 2002, he was appointed Titular Bishop of the titular see of Abitinae and Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. He was ordained a bishop in 2003 by Pope John Paul II.
Rabbi David Rosen is international director of Interreligious Affairs of the American Jewish Committee and its Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding.
Former Chief Rabbi of Ireland and a past chairman of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations (a broad-based coalition of Jewish organizations representing world Jewry to other religions), he serves on the leadership of various international interreligious bodies.
Rabbi Rosen received a papal Knighthood in 2005 for his contribution to Jewish-Catholic reconciliation and in 2010 he was made a Commander of the British Empire by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II for his work promoting interfaith understanding and cooperation.
The evening will be moderated by Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
The program is sponsored by the Gates of Chai Lectureship in Contemporary Judaism.