SAD NEWS — Kenny Hilton, the caretaker for The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah’s Rose Hill Cemetery, died Sunday, Dec. 17, following a brief struggle with cancer. Jeanne Kort Adler, the congregation’s executive director, reports that Hilton was a second generation caretaker of Rose Hill and worked in the cemetery and funeral industry for 38 years, most of which he spent at Rose Hill. She said he was known for the care and professionalism he brought to work each and every day. “His loss will be felt throughout the B’nai Jehudah family,” she continued. An email to B’nai Jehudah members noted that Hilton worked as an employee of the congregation longer than any other person on staff. Rabbi Nemitoff said he “was there for hundreds — if not thousands — of B’nai Jehudah families, as we mourned and buried those whom we cherished. With quiet dignity and professionalism, he was there to help us perform the final act of chesed (loving kindness) for our loved ones.” The funeral was expected to be held at 1:30 p.m. today (Thursday, Dec. 22) at Louis Memorial Chapel. A complete obituary may be found at www.louismemorialchapel.com.
MEETING DIGNATARIES — As members of the international press corps in Israel, our own Sybil Kaplan and her husband, Barry, were invited to the Foreign Ministry for an evening of appetizers and schmoozing. They met Israel’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon, who hosted the evening along with Deputy Director General for Cultural and Scientific Affairs Raphael Gamzou. They also had a chance to talk with diplomats from Sri Lanka, Honduras, Kenya, Argentina, Phillipines, Mexico and China. They even spoke to a man from Moscow, who took the time to learn Hebrew before he came to Israel. Kaplan said “it isn’t often that one gets invited to a social evening at the Foreign Ministry, so we were eager to attend.” By reading her notes, it sounds like the Kaplans were not disappointed.
IF I WERE A RICH MAN — As I hum the song I’m happy to report that “Fiddler on the Roof,” the Broadway smash and Tony Award winning musical that has captured the hearts of people all over the world, will be on stage two nights in January at Johnson County Community College.
The production will be presented at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, and at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, at the Carlsen Center’s Yardley Hall. Tickets, which are $50 and $40, are available at the college box office at 913-469-4445 or on line at jccc.edu/TheSeries.
Audiences will see Jerome Robbins’ original Broadway direction and choreography, starring veteran actor John Preece in the role of Tevye. Preece has performed in “Fiddler on the Roof” more than 3,400 times. More than 1,700 of those appearances were in the role of Tevye. This production marks Preece’s 10th national tour of “Fiddler on the Roof.”