Double duty
Rabbi Stephen Pearce of San Francisco’s Congregation Emanu-El linked his invocation at Jewish Vocational Services’ annual Strictly Business Luncheon with the Olympic torch relay, which began during the event. Pearce noted that one of the awardees was James Bakheit, a refugee from Sudan, and that the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, was being protested on the S.F. streets that day. Pearce planned to join his congregants at the protest after the lunch. More than 1,200 people attended the JVS event, which also honored Christine Zhen, Matthew Shultz and Shiela Smith.
Repairing the world
Congregation Rodef Sholom’s Cantor David Margules and assistant education director Claire Mikowski led a group of 28 teens and adults to New Orleans earlier this month for a post-Katrina rebuilding mission. The group took along nearly $15,000 that they had raised to purchase new appliances and to donate to grassroots organizations in New Orleans. At Shabbat services April 11, the day they returned, Howard Rachelson described an overwhelmingly positive week in which the good feelings far outweighed the hard work of drywalling. Others joining the team were Evi Rachelson, Howard’s wife, and their son Gadiel Rachelson, plus Dan Shiner and his daughter Tia Shiner, who were on their second rebuilding trip — they went to Mississippi with the congregation in 2006.
About a week prior, three more congregants were roofing in New Orleans. Ken King and Joanne and Steve Saxe joined a rebuilding mission from Marin Interfaith Council. King is also a second-timer — he was part of the 2006 Mississippi trip.
Moving on
Kerin Lieberman of Corte Madera, associate director of the Bureau of Jewish Education, has announced that she will retire at the end of June. She’s been at the BJE for an amazing 34 years! … Sally Wieder, former longtime librarian at Hillel at Stanford who is responsible for growing the collection from a mere 600 books to 6,000, is moving to Boston to be closer to her grandkids and daughter … Temple Isaiah education director Debbie Enelow is retiring May 31 after 11 years. She’ll be honored at services May 2.
Short shorts …
Judi Levitan, formerly of San Rafael (now L.A.), writes that her son Bob Levitan played an arrogant waiter on the April 15 episode of “According to Jim.” Hank Levitan of San Rafael is Bob’s dad … Sarah Liron of Orinda was one of 30 participants from North America and Israel who hiked from the northern tip of Israel to the Sea of Galilee on the first Heschel Hazon Hike Bishvil Yisrael to benefit the Heschel Center for Tel Aviv-based Environmental Learning and Leadership and New York-based Hazon … Paul Schwarzbart of San Rafael will read from his book “Breaking the Silence: Reminiscences of a Hidden Child” at Book Passage in Corte Madera on April 27 at 4 p.m.
Larry Sholin of San Rafael will receive the 2008 Department of Labor Exceptional Service Impact Award, given to employees who have at least 20 years of service for the group, writes Orah Sholin. He’ll receive the award in Washington, D.C. on April 30 … Shannon Stein, a Los Altos attorney, has been named the Santa Clara County Barrister of the Year for 2008 … Congregation Beth Am’s Jean Wolman was named to the Peninsula Interfaith Action board. She’ll be honored May 2 as Beth Am’s Local Hero at the PIA Community Heroes luncheon.