by Suzan Berns
25 excellent years
When Rabbi Doug Kahn walked into the monthly staff meeting of the Jewish Community Relations Council, where he’s the executive director, he was more than a little surprised to see his wife and son, Ellen and Joey Kahn, in the room. The exact words from the articulate Kahn, who is rarely at a loss, were, “What the hell … no way!” The occasion was a celebration of Kahn’s 25 years at the JCRC, of which there has never been a dull or boring moment, he says. Celebrating with the Kahns were the JCRC staff and lay leaders Michael Futterman, past president; Rosalind Jekowsky, vice president; and Linda Frank, treasurer; and Rabbi Marvin Goodman, S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation Rabbi-in-Residence.
Thank you from the Terminator
At the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Luncheon last week at the Golden Gate Club at the Presidio, Barbara Kaufman presented the five teen winners — including Allison Hoffman, 18, of Los Altos — with certificates from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. When Kaufman, who is director of his San Francisco office, read the citation on one aloud, the 80-plus attendees were impressed (and surprised) to learn that it was absolutely not formulaic. It was directed specifically to the winner, mentioning her community service project and the difference that project — and that teen —had made in the world. Hoffman, the only winner from the Bay Area, was honored for creating Youth Action for Darfur (YADA), a coalition of high school students working to stop the genocide in Darfur. The award, given for the first time this year by the Helen Diller Family Foundation of the JCF’s Jewish Community Endowment Fund, honored five California teens for exceptional community service and leadership in helping to repair the world.
In keeping with the concept of accomplished young people at the Diller Teen Tikkun Award event, Joe Bernstein and Aaron Wasserman, both of Marin, produced a video highlighting the five winners that was shown at the luncheon before returning to their sophomore years at college.
Short shorts …
Richard Goldman will be honored by the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society when he receives the group’s first Green Champion Award at its annual benefit gala on Sept. 26. The award was established to recognize leadership, innovation and achievement in sustainability, environmentalism and conservation of habitat and the planet’s biodiversity … Des Tuck of Menlo Park was awarded a sixth degree black belt by the All-Japan Karate-do Federation Goju Kai in Osaka, Japan. He is one of only 11 people in the world outside of Japan to hold the ranking from this organization.
Dan Kurtzman, former Washington correspondent for JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency) and former intern at j. has published two books: “How to Win a Fight with a Conservative” and “How to Win a Fight with a Liberal.” Kurtzman, who lives in San Francisco, is currently the editor of About.com’s Political Humor Web site (http://politicalhumor.about.com) … Michael Sweet of San Francisco is a new member of the San Francisco Human Rights Council … Former S.F. resident Avner Even-Zohar’s piece on NPR about gays in the military was chosen “best of the week” program. To hear it, visit Even-Zohar’s Web site at www.captainavner.com/rich_text.html … Carolyn Metz has been named interim program director of the Osher Marin JCC; Deborah Burg-Schnirman is acting director of early childhood education; and Debbie Tuttle is camp, teen and family director
This columnist can be reached at faces@jweekly.com.
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California