Oprah’s favorites
Patty Stanton of Mill Valley and Sherri Franklin of San Francisco were big winners in Oprah’s annual “favorite things” show. Stanton is a volunteer at Muttville, the nonprofit Franklin founded that rescues “senior” dogs. Stanton, who adopted her Shih Tzu mix, Frankie, from Muttville, nominated Franklin as someone “who has made a difference in my life,” she said.
When the show invited both women to appear, they figured they’d go for it (even though they had to pay their own airfare) because maybe they could plug Muttville on national TV. They had no idea it would be a giveaway show. Franklin and Stanton gave most of their loot, including diamond drop earrings and Oprah’s favorite face cream, to an online auction (which closed on Dec. 6) to raise money to help pay vet bills for their pups so they’re in good shape for adoption.
“The best part,” says Stanton, about the publicity they’ve received as a result, “is that we’ve been flooded with adoption applications.”
You can learn more about Muttville and read the full story at www.muttville.org. P.S. Stanton and Frankie volunteer at the Jewish Home and grace the cover of the Home’s Jewish Senior Living. Check it out at www.jhsf.org.
Thanksgiving haiku
Mill Valley’s Lyssa Friedman wasn’t on Oprah, but her haiku on the subject of Thanksgiving was included in the Marin Independent Journal’s group of “our favorite entries.” She wrote: Most bow heads in thanks. But I seek enlightenment: What is a giblet?
Moving and shaking
Loren Basch has been named interim executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region … Susan Wolfe, the Koret Foundation’s director of grantmaking and communications, has taken a new position with the Hoover Institution, where she will work on program development … Brian Levin is the new area director–Western region in the Israel Advocacy and Education Department for the Jewish National Fund … Josh Block, son of Rabbi Richard Block, formerly of Palo Alto’s Congregation Beth Am, has joined Lanny Davis to set up the Davis-Block LLC, a firm that will “operate at the nexus of policy, politics and public affairs,” according to Politico online magazine. Block was formerly the spokesperson for AIPAC … Shulie Eisen, daughter of Arnie Eisen, formerly of Stanford University, was named American Jewish World Service’s first presidential fellow … Nancy Drapin-Reichlyn is the new executive director of Tiburon’s Congregaton Kol Shofar. She has served as executive director of Congregation Sherith Israel for 10 years … David S. Cohen heads the Bay Area office of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science as new executive director.
Short shorts …
Two Akron, Ohio, announcements: Mazel tov to Akron native and longtime San Mateo resident Sylvia Friedman Aftel, who celebrates her century birthday in December, and Rabbi David Horowitz, rabbi emeritus of Temple Israel in Akron, who has been named president of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) … The family of the late Rabbi Chanan Feld is gathering brit stories and pictures. “We know that through his work he touched and was touched by thousands,” writes Rachel Feld. “It would mean so much to make your story be a part of our story.” Contact the family at [email protected] … For a great (and now late) Chanukah present, Bay Area Jewish Healing Center suggests an afternoon at the theater Jan. 30 to see the award-winning Broadway musical “Next to Normal.” Order tickets at www.next2normal.eventbrite.com.