The real thing

Olivia Hornstein of San Rafael uncovered a totally intact oil lamp from the Maccabean era at Tel Maresha, a dig site in Israel, while fellow diggers just found shards. The 13-year-old was there celebrating her bat mitzvah on Masada with her sister Rose Hornstein, mom and dad Cynthia Pepper and Val Hornstein, and a group of other bar/bat mitzvah families from around the country. The pottery find, which experts say is the real thing and not a plant to excite tourists as they suspected, is being examined by archaeologist and will end up in a museum, reports Val Hornstein.

If you know Suzie, part two

At the Susan Gathering last month at Neptune’s Palace (for women named Susan or some derivative), first-time attendee Susan Graubard Archuletta of Berkeley told the group that when she lived in Mendocino she was a part of the All Susan Marching Band, composed of 40 Susans (plus a few sons-of-Susans thrown in). They marched every year in the July 4 parade and all played “If You Know Suzie” on the kazoo when they reached the judges’ station. Other “Susans” included Susan Rothenberg of San Francisco (a co-founder of the event); Susan Libitzky of Kensington and Susan Schwartz of San Rafael, both past gathering chairs; and author Susan RoAne of Greenbrae, who told the group about her upcoming book, “Face to Face: How to Reclaim a Personal Touch in a Digital World.” P.S. Maybe there will be kazoos at next year’s event!

We won, let’s eat!

Sherry Rowen of Danville writes that charity is “fun, and it brings friends together.” At the Contra Costa JCC gala last year, she and her husband, Harvey Rowen, along with Sandy and Steven Wolfe of Lafayette, bought a great auction item — a dinner party for 12. They invited Julie and Ronnie Ovadia of Lafayette, Arlene and Larry Kaufman of Oakland, Betsy Pottruck of Alamo and Lance Gershen of Walnut Creek to join them for a seven-course feast catered by chef Cindy Gershen at Boundary Oaks Country Club.

Short shorts …

The Jewish Home’s Rabbi Sheldon Marder will receive the Association of Jewish Aging Services “Mentor of the Year” award for his longtime commitment to mentoring others at the group’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., in March. The Home’s Kol Haneshama, which trains people to provide end-of-life services to residents and their families, will also be recognized … Tiburon resident Don Linker‘s photographs of “Faces of India” are on display at the Osher Marin JCC through February … San Rafael’s David Fankushen was named “Volunteer of the Year” by the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin at the group’s annual Heart of Marin lunch in January. He was recognized for his years of providing medical care to the homeless and poor at Ritter Center clinic in San Rafael.

The music of East Bay chazzan Richard Kaplan was featured in the TV show “House” on Super Tuesday. The show opened with a Chassidic wedding with sounds from Kaplan’s recording “Life of the Worlds” in the background. Kaplan is the cantor at Temple Beth Abraham in Oakland.

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