IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL — Next month the School of Education of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem plans to honor the memory of the late Professor Seymour Fox. While Fox never lived in the Kansas City area, he is related to all of the Leskys in the area, who “are very proud of his achievements.”
In recognition of the defining influence Professor Fox had on the Hebrew University’s School of Education, as well as on educational policy in Israel as a whole and on Jewish education in Israel and the United States, the School of Education of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will be renamed the Seymour Fox School of Education. The dedication will take place on March 14.
Fox was so proud of his Lesky heritage that any time he traveled, he always looked for other Leskys in the phone book. He was successful in finding Leskys that are related all over the country and the world including Australia, according to Laurel Rogovein, one of the many Leskys living in the area.
FRIEDA’S HEAVENLY CHALLAH — Over the years The Chronicle published more than one article about Frieda’s Heavenly Challah, but when Ray Davidson, the man behind the challah, passed away in 2015, I assumed the challah was no more. Then I read in The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah’s February Bulletin that Frieda’s Heavenly Challahs are still being made to order by volunteer Amy Bryan and benefit B’nai Jehudah’s preschool.
Here’s a little history. In 1997 after Davidson’s wife, Frieda, passed away, he found her recipe for challah. Having experience as a caterer, he decided to try making her challah recipe and it turned out great. Being retired, he then decided to honor his late wife by making challah every week and donating his time and all profits. He continued that tradition when he moved to the Kansas City area in 2006 to be near family. Soon after he met Bryant, who would braid the challah for him. Over the years there were several “worthy causes” for the profits from Frieda’s Heavenly Challahs, among them the preschool at B’nai Jehudah.
Today Bryant, and Ray’s friends, are still producing Frieda’s Heavenly Challahs. Several sizes and varieties are available including ceremonial challah for special occasions. Orders may be placed by contacting Amy Bryant at or Bill Shapiro at . Challahs are made every Wednesday.
SOUPER BOWL — Our friends at Panera Bread and its customers are partnering with the Salvation Army in each of our Kansas and Missouri markets to donate soup! For every cup or bowl of soup purchased on Monday, Feb. 22, at any of its 34 locations, Panera will donate the same to the Salvation Army!
JEWISH BILLIONAIRE DAVID RUBINSTEIN DONATES $18.5M TO REPAIR LINCOLN MEMORIAL (JTA) — Billionaire businessman and philanthropist David Rubenstein has donated $18.5 million to repair and restore the Lincoln Memorial.
The donation from Rubenstein, the co-CEO of The Carlyle Group, to the National Park Foundation’s Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks was announced on Monday, President’s Day. In the past few years, he has given tens of millions of dollars to fix national parks and historical institutions.
His most recent gift will allow the National Park Service to repair damaged brick and marble masonry and clean the memorial; conserve the Jules Guerin murals located above the memorial’s inscriptions; create approximately 15,000 square feet of functional space including exhibit, education and research areas; and add an elevator to improve accessibility, the park service said in a statement.
“These improvements will hopefully enable more people to better understand and appreciate Abraham Lincoln’s remarkable leadership during one of the most trying periods in American history,” Rubenstein said in the statement. “I am humbled to be a part of honoring this great man and preserving this iconic memorial for future generations.”
His donations over the past several years for parks and institutions total over $35 million. They went to the Washington Monument, George Washington’s home in Mount Vernon, the Robert E. Lee Memorial and the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial.
Rubenstein, 66, of Bethesda, Maryland, is worth $2.3 billion, according to Forbes magazine. The Carlyle Group is a global alternative asset manager based in Washington, D.C.