TJHS Holds 45th Annual Gathering in Richardson
Current and past presidents of TJHS met for Shabbat dinner and services at Congregation Beth Torah in Richardson at the start of the TJHS 45th Annual Gathering. Courtesy: Sheldon Lippman
By Sheldon Lippman
The Texas Jewish Historical Society (TJHS) held its 45th Annual Gathering, April 12-14, 2024, in Richardson, Texas. TJHS collaborated with the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas in developing the presentations for the Annual Gathering.
Events started on Friday evening, April 12, with a Shabbat dinner and services at Congregation Beth Torah in Richardson. Presentations on Saturday, April 13, were held at the Hilton Richardson Dallas, included ongoing research on Jewish war veterans and liberators at the Ackerman Center with Research Professor Debra Pfister, and graduate student and researcher Marshall Coleman.
Jo Reingold with the National Jewish War Veterans Auxiliary talked about JWA history. Felicia Williamson spoke about the collections from the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum where she is director of library and archives TJHS board member, and author Hollace Weiner told the story of the Kokoteck sisters who arrived in Fort Worth, Texas from war-torn Germany, and Hy Penn, board member of TJHS and the Houston Holocaust Museum told the harrowing survival stories of his parents and grandmother.
Ed Stone and Ivan Edelman from Dallas, Texas, representing Tau Delta Phi fraternity, presented TJHS with a generous donation from the fraternity’s alumni to the Rabbi Jimmy Kessler Educational Outreach Fund. Rabbi Kessler was the founder and first TJHS president and a member of the fraternity when attending the University of Texas at Austin.
Penn once again took center stage as the after-dinner entertainment on Saturday evening where he presented a history of Jewish magicians weaved with his own magic show with audience participation. The Annual Gathering concluded on Sunday morning with a presentation by Nils Roemer, dean of Arts, Humanities, and Technology, and director of the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies at UT Dallas; the State of the Society speech by TJHS President Joan Linares; and the installation of new TJHS officers and board members.
The newly elected TJHS officers for 2024-2025 are President Joan Linares (Baytown); First Vice-President Susan Novick (El Paso); Second Vice-PresidenJules Frapart (Austin); Third Vice-President Amy Milstein (Frisco); Recording Secretary John Campbell (Austin); Corresponding Secretary Bonnie Cohen (Hutto); Treasurer Ben Rosenberg (Sugar Land); Historian/Archivist Sally Drayer; (Dallas); and Parliamentarian Vickie Vogel (Austin).
The newly elected Board of Trustees for a two-year term (2024-2026) are Jeff Aresty (Waco), Shana Bauman (Mont Belvieu), Gayle Cannon (Austin), Anita Feigenbaum (College Station), Lynda Furgatch (Brownsville), Michael Furgatch (Brownsville), Sonny Gerber (Houston), Jan Siegel Hart (Temple), Lila Katz (Tyler), Jeff Levine (Cedar Park), Marilyn Lippman (Dallas), Jane Manaster (Dallas), Hy Penn (Houston), Paula Stein (Houston), David Vogel (Austin), Hollace Weiner (Fort Worth), and Joyce Wormser (Pearland).
Latest Posts
Two Community Assistance Programs, HFLA and The Change Reaction, Connect to Help Austin Residents Achieve Financial Stability
Heidi and Robbie Kandalis received support through Hebrew Free Loan of Austin to keep their business afloat. Photo courtesy of Heidi Kandalis. Last Fall, the HFLA inbox received a fortuitous message. An administrator from the Change Reaction, a Los Angeles based...
Cantor Abby Gostein Brings a Lifetime of Jewish Music Making to Her New Ordained Role
Cantor Abby Gostein. Photo courtesy of Temple Beth Shalom. Temple Beth Shalom celebrates, along with the Greater Austin Jewish community, the ordination of Cantor Abby Gostein in May 2021 from the Academy of Jewish Religion, California. Serving Temple Beth Shalom...
ADL to Honor Laura and Morris Gottesman with Torch of Liberty Award
Morris and Laura Gottesman. Photo credit: Kerry Lorhmer. ADL Austin is honoring Laura and Morris Gottesman with the Torch of Liberty Award November 17th at the 2021 ADL Golden Door Awards Dinner. The Torch of Liberty Award is given annually to members of the Austin...
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Fitness
Swimming
Tennis & Pickleball
More Sports
EDUCATION
Jewish Culture & Education
Early Childhood Program Preschool
After School & Childcare
Camps
ARTS & CULTURE
Literary Arts
Visual Arts
Theatre & Film
Dance
COUNSELING & SUPPORT
Jewish Family Service
Counseling & Groups
Case Management
References & Resources
Copyright Shalom Austin 2023. Privacy Policy.