Celebrating Sara at 90
When Sara Levi retired from a career at Joseph Magnin, she put her retail skills to work at the Berkeley Richmond JCC, creating a shop that offered clothing at low cost to JCC members. Gracing it all was an exotic purple and gold embroidered dress — her wedding gown and a symbol of her Ladino heritage. Later, she donated the gown, which was made in Turkey, to the Magnes Museum.
On Sara’s 90th birthday, the sisterhood of Berkeley’s Congregation Beth Israel (where Sara has been a longtime member) gave her a festive Ladino-themed party at the Magnes. Sondra Markowitz, sisterhood president, offered a heartfelt tribute. Beth Israel’s Rabbi Yair Sugarman, toting his baby on his shoulders, as well as Sara’s sons Carl and Werner Wiklander were among the crowd of 120 who were moved to tears when performer Judy Frankel sang “Hatikvah” in Ladino.
For Ladino enthusiasts, the party was a preview of more to come. The Magnes will open a new exhibit, “Sephardic Horizons,” in September.
Repairing the world through science …
It’s not an advertising slogan. It was the challenge given to Jewish day school students by the Weizmann Institute of Science. Budding scientists recognized for their creative projects that go toward tikkun olam — repairing the world — include: Nate Gelman and Elena Idell of Brandeis Hillel Day School; Jody Davis, Annessa Kernberg, Natasha Miller, Hila Peretz, Jessica Pollack, Samantha Strauss and David Zucker of the Jewish Community High School of the Bay; and Veronica Ferdman and Rachel Halper of Kehilla Jewish High School.
Rabbis, rabbis everywhere …
Rabbi David Teitelbaum got the gathering started. Rabbi Brian Lurie emceed, Rabbi Shelly Lewis offered greetings and Rabbi Michael Barenbaum was one of three honorees. The occasion: the annual Rabbi Malcolm Sparer Jerusalem Day Luncheon sponsored by the Board of Rabbis of Northern California. In his remarks, Lewis, president of the group, touchingly dedicated the day to three members of the rabbinic community who died earlier this year: Rabbi Herbert Morris, rabbi emeritus of Beth Israel Judea, community chaplain Rabbi Robert Kaiser and Rebbitzin Helen Raiskin of Peninsula Temple Sholom. Also addressing the gathering were a few non-rabbis — honoree Adele Corvin, outgoing president of the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation, and for honored agency Sinai Memorial Chapel, Gene Kaufman and Peter Samuels, Sinai executive director and president respectively.
Short shorts …
There are a number of new faces in Peninsula organizations. Stephanie Brown has moved from Seattle to join New Bridges as director of the group’s annual Jewish street festival … Zvi Weiss is moving from proud parent to director of the early childhood education and family education program of T’enna Preschool at Albert L. Schultz JCC. He was most recently at San Francisco’s Congregation Beth Sholom … Lori L. Abramson, formerly with Oakland’s Temple Sinai, is the new head of school at San Jose’s Yavneh Day School, according to Susan Ellenberg, Yavneh president.
Liora Gelman of Cupertino is participating in American Jewish Committee’s fellows program. A Georgetown University student, she is among 18 college students worldwide selected for the leadership development program for college students committed to Jewish activism.
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Suzan Berns is a Bay Area-based freelance writer. She can be reached at [email protected].