Outstanding alumna
Mazel tov to Abby Michelson Porth, who has been named B’nai B’rith Girls’ “Anita Perlman Distinguished Alumna.” The award is given annually to a former BBGer who embodies the qualities valued by its namesake — sisterhood, tzedakah, loyalty and compassion. Porth, who was a member of BBG #1 in San Francisco, will be honored at BBYO’s international convention Feb. 20 in Los Angeles, where she will address the 700-plus teen attendees.
Porth has served as associate director of the S.F.-based Jewish Community Relations Council for 12 years. Under her leadership, JCRC recently launched a communitywide Year of Civil Discourse, an initiative designed to elevate the level of Jewish community conversation on controversial matters.
“BBYO introduced me to Jews whose observance and beliefs were different from my own, and taught me to appreciate and learn from the diversity,” Porth noted. Among many other activities, she is an officer of the San Francisco Interfaith Council and the San Francisco FAITHS Leadership Group.
P.S. The young Abby Michelson met BBYO’s then–Grand Aleph Godol (the group’s top teen leader) Jason Porth at an international meeting.
Rebbe with a cause
In fact, Rabbi Ted Feldman has many causes. He will be honored for his lifelong commitment to creating unity in the community, and for the last five years as spiritual leader of Petaluma’s B’nai Israel Jewish Center, at a celebration-fundraiser on March 12 at the Petaluma Women’s Club. The goal of “Rebbe with a Cause” is to raise $15,000 to help Feldman’s vision for the congregation become a reality, according to committee members Leslee Lauritzen and Glenn Lurie. Before joining the congregation, Feldman served for 10 years as executive director of Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the East Bay and earlier as executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region. To participate in the rebbe’s cause, contact the congregation.
Short shorts
Zev Hymowitz of San Francisco returned from a four-month volunteer gig in Israel where he worked with Eshel, the Association for Planning and Development of Services for the Elderly, on two joint projects with JCD-Israel. It was “a true homecoming experience,” he wrote, noting he was director of JDC-Israel in the 1980s … New development officers at the Jewish Home include Lynn Sagramoso, foundation and corporate grants, and Ellen Berger, annual giving and special events, reports Sherie Koshover. In addition, Gail Green, who served for many years in the Home’s activities and volunteer departments, has returned to run the gift shop … Rabbi Ben-Tzion Welton of Vaad HaKashrus of Northern California (the group that provides kosher certification and supervision) celebrated his 60th birthday on Shabbat with a “sumptuous Kiddush of cakes, pastries and the works,” according to Chabad of the East Bay … Jonathan Bernstein, former ADL executive director, has been appointed by state Attorney General Kamala Harris to her transition team’s civil rights enforcement “Smart on Crime” working group, where he’ll prepare a report on hate crimes … Finally, remembering Judy Resnick, the first Jewish American (and female) astronaut: Resnick is one of the two women you saw in the many photos of the Challenger crew on the 25th anniversary of the space shuttle’s explosion last month. She grew up in Akron, Ohio and went to Hebrew and Sunday school at conservative Congregation Beth El. (Her dad sang in the choir.) Her first space adventure was a on the maiden voyage of the space shuttle Discovery, where she was a mission specialist.
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