Dr. RABBI HORWITZ — Rabbi Danny Horwitz, formerly of Congregation Ohev Sholom, recently earned his doctor of Jewish studies from the Spertus Institute of Jewish Learning and Leadership in Chicago. Rabbi Horwitz said he was in the program for a long time but it was only after leaving K.C. in 2004 that he started working more diligently to complete it. “My doctoral project was a curriculum in Jewish mysticism, something I taught a good deal about both at Ohev and in my Melton classes both in K.C. and in Houston.” In addition to teaching Melton classes, the Conservative rabbi also works part-time at Congregation Beth Yeshurun in Houston and travels as a scholar in residence. The rest of the family keeps busy as well. Daughter Sarit is completing her third year of rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary and an internship at Yale Hillel; she has been hired for a congregational internship at B’nai Jeshurun on the Upper West Side for next year. Son Shaye is scheduled to graduate from the University of Houston this summer with a degree in math/computer science. Daughter Eliana is in Israel on the NATIV program this year. Tobi Cooper, Rabbi Horwitz’s wife, continues to work in her family business, Houston Pecan Co. (www.houstonpecan.com) and is chair of the local Holocaust Survivors/Descendants group.
QUALITY HILL CELEBRATES MUSIC OF CAROLE KING — Quality Hill Playhouse embraces the music of the Baby Boomer era with its latest production, “You’ve Got a Friend,” opening April 19. The title song of the concert-style revue, written by Carole King, was a hit for both King and James Taylor on their respective 1971 albums “Tapestry” and “Mud Slide Slim.” It is fitting that the revue prominently features music by both artists, with nearly half of the first act devoted to Taylor (“Fire and Rain,” “Sweet Baby James,” “Carolina In My Mind,” “Shower the People”) and more than half of the second act devoted to King (“Up on the Roof,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” “It’s Too Late,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”). Additional hits from the singer-songwriter era included in the production are “Blowin’ in the Wind” (Bob Dylan), “American Pie” (Don McLean) and “Puff the Magic Dragon” (Peter, Paul and Mary). “You’ve Got a Friend: Music That Raised the Baby Boomers” runs through May 19 at Quality Hill Playhouse, 303 W. 10th Street, Kansas City, Mo. For tickets, call 816-421-1700. To purchase tickets online or for more information, visit www.QualityHillPlayhouse.com.
MFM MARCH — Those of you who get a bad taste in your mouth every time you hear the names Fred Phelps or the Westboro Baptist Church come up may be interested in learning about the sixth annual Million “Fag” March. The rally will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the Gage Park Amphitheater in Topeka. The event will take place just blocks from the home of Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church. According to organizer Chris Love, the primary goal of the march is to “turn the tables, using the very same rights and laws as the WBC.” Love says the event expresses a message of tolerance and acceptance of all people; a message that the group hopes will spread beyond Topeka. “We won’t just be there for the WBC,” Love added. “In fact, it tends to be as much about community and fun as it is about the church.” Details can be found at http://www.themfm.com.
HAPPY VOLUNTEER MONTH! — Next week, April 21-27, is National Volunteer Week. Our Jewish community is blessed to have a load of wonderful volunteers, many of whom have been busy working on events just these past two weeks. National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s also about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. So next week don’t forget to take a minute to thank all the volunteers you know for the hard work they do!
