Jewish Herald-Voice (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 24, 2014 Page: 2 of 20
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Jewish Herald-Voice
April 24, 2014
D
Outstanding Teacher Awards to be presented
The Jewish Federation of Greater
Houston has named Mindeleah Poliak
(Robert M. Beren Academy) and Richard
Preble (Congregation Jewish Community
North) the 2014 recipients of the Irving L.
Samuels Outstanding Teacher Awards for
Judaic Studies. These two outstanding ed-
ucators will be honored at two Teacher Ap-
preciation Evenings: at 7:30 p.m., on May
15 at RMBA, honoring Poliak, and at 7:30
p.m., on May 28 at CJCN, honoring Rick
Preble.
“The entire community is invited to
come together and express gratitude for
all of our Jewish educators and these two
award recipients. These teachers are ex-
emplary in how they bring their passion
to the classroom and are able to instill en-
thusiasm for learning in their students. It
is gratifying to see our community come
together to recognize the hard work and
dedication of our wonderful teachers and
to honor our Irving L. Samuels Outstand-
ing Teacher Award winners,” said Lisa
Klein of the Federation.
The awards honor outstanding Jew-
ish educators in the greater Houston area
whose current primary role is classroom
teaching in Judaic subject matter.
Each honoree will receive $1,500 to be
used toward attending a Jewish education-
al program of the recipient’s choice that
will enhance their professional skills as
a teacher of Judaic subject matter. An ad-
ditional $300 stipend will be awarded for
the discretionary purchase of educational
materials by each honoree. Each honoree’s
name will be engraved on a plaque to hang
in their school and also will be engraved
on a permanent plaque at the Federation.
Award funds are made possible by
proceeds from the Irving L. Samuels
REMEMBRANCE
Z A C H O R
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOUSTON
Please join us for a community-wide
YOM HASHOAH OBSERVANCE
Sunday, April 27, 2014
3:00 p.m.
Congregation Beth Yeshurun
4525 Beechnut, Houston, TX 77096
Watch the service live at
www.bethyeshurun.org
Please join us in the observance of Yom Hashoah, a day of remembrance for the
6,000,000 Jewish people who lost their lives during the Holocaust. During this
annual commemoration, we will pay our respects to those who perished, honor
those who survived and pray for a future free of hatred and prejudice.
Coordinated by the Yom Hashoah Steering Committee
and Holocaust Museum Houston
Funding for this service was generously provided by:
The Morgan Family Endowment Fund
Special thanks to:
UNITED U Igfe^td-Voice
Official Airline of Holocaust Museum Houston
For more information, please call Tamara Savage:
713-942-8000, ext. 104
HOW TO REACH THE JHV
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subscribe@jhvonline.com
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Tai
Arts............
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Community Calendar . . .
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Community........
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Editorial.........
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Food and Dining......
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Health..........
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In other words ......
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Marketplace.......
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Obituaries.........
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On Campus........
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Schools..........
... 12
Simchas..........
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Sports..........
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Teens ...........
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Up Close.........
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Outstanding Teacher Award Fund of the
Houston Jewish Community Founda-
tion. This award has been established
as a loving tribute in Samuels’ memory
by his wife, Elsie* and his children,
Irene Loots* Vic and Bobbi, Tom* and
Mary* Mitch, and Rabbi Robert and
Annette Samuels.
Poliak and Preble also will receive The
Grinspoon Awards for Excellence in Jew-
ish Education, presented by the Harold
Grinspoon Foundation. This award come
with a $500 cash prize, plus consideration
for the Grinspoon North American awards,
which will be given to six people chosen
from the local teacher award winners from
the United States and Canada. The North
American Awards will recognize educa-
tors who demonstrate innovative tech-
niques and methods in their teaching and
comes with an additional $3,600 to be used
for professional development.
Originally from Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, Poliak attended The Hebrew
Academy of Montreal, where she won first
place in the International Bible Contest.
She attended Jerusalem College for Wom-
en and graduated from Stern Collage for
Women at Yeshiva University with a B.A,
in Jewish studies and teaching diploma.
While a student there, she won the award
for Excellence in Hebrew Literature & Lan-
guage. She ran educational programs in
Melbourne, Australia, during her summers
and became assistant director of admis-
sions at Yeshiva University.
When she married in 1983, she moved
to Houston, teaching at Torah Day School
for 10 years. After the birth of her twin
sons, Tani and Yoni, she became educa-
tional director and principal of the UOS
Talmud Torah, as well as program director
at UOS. She home-schooled two students
for seven years and then went to teach at
Beren Academy to the present time. She
also was the director of the Melton School
at the ERJCC where she continues to
teach.
Preble, born in Chicago, lives with his
family in Houston. He attended Northwest-
ern University and, when he is not teach-
ing religious school, has worked in sales
his entire professional life. He has been a
member of Congregation Jewish Commu-
nity North since 1980. He strongly advo-
cates the following description of Judaism
and the Jewish holiday cycle: “They tried
to kill us. They failed. Let’s eat.”
Prior Samuels award recipients in-
clude liana Giveon, Rina Erlichman, Dr. Ir-
ving Rothman, Alan Rusonik, Judy Stein,
Rhoda Nichaman, Marsha Schneider*
Hana Karny, Devora Urkowitz* Blanche
Abramovitz* Rabbi Dov Nimchinsky,
Elaine Lupovitch, Hava Wolf, Carol Levin,
Judy Maislos, Vered Gadot, Ellen Heffler,
Rabbi Todd Doctor, Carrie Keith, Rivka
Fishman, Charlotte Roth, Laurie Levy,
Harris Pikus* Cantor Diane Dorf, Michael
Duke, Elisa Goldstein, Pat Rose, David
Wizig and Debbie Wizig.
The entire community is invited to
attend the award ceremonies for Poliak
and Preble. For information about the
Teacher Appreciation Evenings, contact
Lisa Klein at 713-729-7000, ext. 330, or
lklein@houstonjewish.org.
Hndicates of blessed memory
□
Pomegranate Seeds of Hope
event to feature pastry cnef
Women of the Jewish Federation of
Greater Houston’s Pomegranate Soci-
ety will gather for their annual Seeds
of Hope event at 7 p.m., on May 7 at the
home of Mindy Mitzner. The event chairs
are Debbie Goldgar and Elise Newman.
Pomegranate Society chairs are Sharon
Kagan and Susan Farb Morris.
The annual Seeds of Hope thank-you
event is an opportunity for the Federa-
tion to thank the Pomegranate Society
members for their generous contribu-
tions that help Jews in Houston, Israel
and around the world. At the event,
Pomegranates will have the opportunity
to mingle and hear from celebrated pas-
try chef and cookbook author Fany Ger-
son.
Gerson’s writing has been featured
in The New York Times, Gourmet, Fine
Cooking, Time Out, New York Magazine
and Edible Manhattan. Her cookbooks
include “My Sweet Mexico.” She is the
founder of La Newyorkina.
“I am looking forward to spending
time with an amazing group of Jewish
women and hopefully learning how to
create some special desserts,” Newman
said. “The Pomegranate Society gives
women an opportunity to make a mean-
ingful gift to the Federation Annual Cam-
paign, which funds a broad spectrum of
projects in Houston, throughout Israel
and in countries all over the world.”
The Pomegranate Society currently
includes a roster of more than 175 women
from across the community. Membership
requires an annual minimum gift to the
Jewish Federation Annual Campaign.
“The needs have never been greater,
both in Israel and here at home. For those
who can, it is a blessing to be able to con-
tribute and the Seeds of Hope event is a
great opportunity to say thank you,” Gold-
gar said. “It will be a fun evening with
friends and great food - a perfect Jewish
event!”
For information about the Pomegran-
ate Society and Women’s Philanthropy,
contact Women’s Philanthropy director,
Meredith Segal, at 713-729-7000, ext. 306,
or msegal@houstonjewish.org.
To RSVP for the Seeds of Hope
event, contact Connie Johnson at
cjohnson@houstonjewish.org or
713-729-7000, ext. 312. □
being jewish matters
When there are Jews in
crisis anywhere in the world,
the Jewish Federation of
Greater Houston responds.
As the situation deteriorated
in the Ukraine this spring,
the Federation acted quickly
to ensure the Ukraine’s
impoverished and isolated
elderly Jews, and its at-risk children and families, receive
uninterrupted welfare services from our partner agency,
the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
So far, the Federation has collected $32,515 and is still
accepting gifts, which it will match dollar for dollar.
Thanks to your generosity, together we will provide the
Ukrainian Jewish community with at least $65,030 to
support their basic needs including food, medicine and fuel.
Visit www.houstonjewish.org/ukraine to make a donation.
Jewish Federation
■ » J OF GREATER HOUSTON
www.houstonjewish.org
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Samuels, Jeanne F. Jewish Herald-Voice (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 24, 2014, newspaper, April 24, 2014; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth544067/m1/2/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .