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Friday March 28, 2008

Faces

by suzan berns

Parlez-vous francais?

Valerie Jonas of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay reports that two East Bay men found that they share a heritage when they met by chance at the Federation’s Tri-Valley/Tri-City Film Festival earlier this month. French-born volunteer ticket-taker Leon Malmed of Pleasanton heard a couple speaking French, so he welcomed them in his native language. A bit of shmoozing turned up the fact that Vermont Leon of Livermore — the other guy — and Malmed grew up in the same region of France, were separated from their families about the same time and survived the Holocaust. Now, decades later, they live just 10 miles apart! In February, Malmed and his wife, Patricia Malmed, returned to France where he was a guest speaker at a Holocaust memorial dedication.

Hagafen ... in Korea?

Hagafen Cellars wines were served for the inauguration of South Korea’s president Lee Myung-bak at the Blue House, the executive office and president’s official residence. Why? According to the Napa winery’s Ernie Weir, a South Korean wine importer visiting Hagafen was impressed that the wines had been served at least 18 times at our White House, and that the winemakers had a long-lasting connection to the Israeli government.

Pesach plugs

Judy Musante of Jewish Community Information & Referral says the free web and warm-line resource has a plethora of information about Passover, including the Four Questions (Dr. Seuss-style), the top 10 places to hide the afikomen (David Letterman-style), Passover songs, and even basic information such as where to find foods, hagaddahs and community seders (plus much more). Contact JCIR at (415) 775-4545, info@JewishNfo.org or www.jholidays.org.

And don’t forget to look for a Jewish Community Relations Council Freedom Seder near you: on the Peninsula on March 30, in Marin on April 14, and in San Francisco on April 25. Details at www.jcrc.org.

Short shorts …

Stanford University School of Medicine’s Paul Auerbach was named a “Hero of Emergency Medicine” by the American College of Emergency Physicians for his leadership in the development and interaction in the fields of wilderness medicine and emergency medicine ... Susan Wolfe of Palo Alto has been named to the board of Jewish Family & Life ... Sue Matiel, executive director of Hillel of Silicon Valley, writes that the organization was honored with a Hillel Visions and Values Award by the group’s national organization... Tatyana Dunavetsky, formerly with Congregation Emanu-El in S.F., is the new director of finance and administration at JCRC ... Fran Danoff is the new outreach coordinator for Friendship Circle, the Jewish Community Center, Sonoma County’s program for seniors. She will focus on programs for older adults beyond Santa Rosa. Contact her at Frand@jccsoco.org.

A personal note

Like many, I’ve known the late Janet Schultz and her husband, Al, as great supporters of Jewish life. But I have other special memories. Their oldest daughter, Phyllis Hatfield, was one of my closest friends growing up in Akron, Ohio. Janet frequently shlepped us around in the back of the family’s spacious modified Checker cab, which had two extra “jump” seats, taking us to United Synagogue Youth (USY) and other teen social activities. Later, Janet and I were enrolled in the same English Lit class at Akron University, where she delighted the professor with her studiousness in contrast to her 19-year-old classmates. May her memory be a blessing.

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