Faces

By Suzan Berns | March 13, 2008

The proverbial apple

Here’s proof that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (at least in the case of this Marin family). David Shreibman — aka Kid David — is demonstrating his skills with his break-dancing team in Japan, Italy and elsewhere in the world, while his big brother Jesse Shreibman is on a European tour with the band the Makai (he’s the drummer). The two are the sons of Barbara Shreibman, who was a jazz and ballet dancer, and Rabbi Henry Shreibman, who did a 20-year stint as a mime. P.S. If you’ve been to a Warriors game, you’ve seen Kid David doing his stuff during breaks in the action.

Big doings for agencies

The S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation and Jewish Vocational Service both have big events on the April calendar. JCF’s Women’s Alliance’s Power of One is April 8 at the Hilton San Francisco on O’Farrell Street. Joelle Steefel of San Francisco will be awarded the Judith Chapman Women’s Leadership Award and Dear Abby (Jeanne Phillips) is the keynote speaker. Chairs include overall chair Sophie Ross (San Francisco) and regional chairs Debbie Stadtner and Jennifer Wolfe (Marin); Debbie Kaplan (North Peninsula); Steffie Finkelstein (San Francisco); Amy Albert and Karen Rau (South Peninsula); Rebecca Litwin (Business Leadership Council); Alla Alperin (Russian Division); and Sharon Goldstein (Young Adults).

JVS’ 16th Annual Strictly Business is April 9 at the San Francisco Marriott on Fourth Street. Event co-chairs are Lawrence Baer, Warren Hellman and Lisa Stevens. JVS board member Judith Weil is one of the “Employee of the Year Award” co-chairs.

Short shorts …

Regina Waldman of Tiburon will testify at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva on Tuesday, March 18. A founder and chair of JIMENA (Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa), Waldman was a Jewish refugee from Libya. Nomi Deutsch of Berkeley is the new director of JIMENA … KQED Forum’s Michael Krasny (“Off Mike”) and Daniel Handler (“A Series of Unfortunate Events”) are among the San Francisco Library laureates who will host conversation salons at the library’s “Noir in the City” Annual Laureates Dinner on April 18 … Mary and David Rabb of San Rafael are co-chairs of the Marin Symphony’s annual gala, slated for April 12 at the Mill Valley Community Center … San Francisco metal artist Rebecca Fox has 25 wall sculptures on display at the SFMOMA’s Artists Gallery at Fort Mason in San Francisco through April 11.

Janina Nadaner has joined Jewish Family & Children’s Services as the new clinical director at Parents Place in San Francisco. She will also head up the agency’s new Center for Special Needs … In Sonoma County, Karen Gould reports that Melissa Bloom is the new executive director of Santa Rosa’s Congregation Beth Ami … Barbara Scharf writes that the Jewish Community Center, Sonoma County has hired Fran Danoff as outreach coordinator for Friendship Circle, a program for seniors.

Congregation Sha’ar Zahav’s first-ever cantor is Sharon Bernstein, former cantor at San Francisco’s Congregation Beth Sholom. Noted Rabbi Camille Angel, “It’s kind of a paradigm shift. We’re Reform, she was invested at JTS [the Conservative rabbinical school], she’s straight and married.”

Interesting factoid

Earl Raab, who headed the Jewish Community Relations Council for many years, originally came to San Francisco as a journalist to research a story for Commentary magazine on the Bay Area’s unique Jewish community.

This columnist can be reached at [email protected].

Suzan Berns