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
Let There Be Light: Congregation Beth Israel Opens Renovated Transitional Sanctuary
New Ner Tamid made of recovered stained glass at Congregation Beth Israel. Credit: Laura Corman By Jake Cohen Almost two years since the arson that rendered the sanctuary at Congregation Beth Israel unusable, CBI has a brand-new space to gather, worship, and celebrate...
Bestselling Jewish Cookbook Author Takes a Seat at the Table with Women’s Philanthropy
Adeena Sussman. Courtesy: Adeena Sussman On Thursday, October 26, 2023, at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin, Shalom Austin Women's Philanthropy will host its signature event, Mosaic to celebrate the power of women in the Austin Jewish community. With the leadership...
Shabbat & Pizza Picnic Infuses Life into Dell JCC
Families gather for Shabbat & Pizza Picnic at Dell JCC. Credit: Rachel Stern By Rachel Jamail Shalom Families is Shalom Austin’s umbrella group that facilitates and supports social and educational events for parents and children in Austin and surrounding areas....
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.