CELEBRATING BIRTHDAY 102 — We are hearing more and more about centenarians living very healthy and happy lives. One of those centenarians is Gertrude Stern, who will celebrate her 102nd birthday on Feb. 27. We’re told she’s healthy, active, alert and vibrant. She even attends an exercise class twice a week and volunteers at a nearby church sewing once a week. Her family says she is “truly a marvel.” Enjoy your day, Gertrude!
VANDERSLICE FUNDRAISER — Art patrons par excellence Margaret and Jerry Nerman are honorary chairmen for The Vanderslice Committee of the Kansas City Art Institute’s Palette and Palate fundraising event set for June 2. The event will be held at the country estate of Dennis Hennessy, co-owner and co-artistic director of the New Theatre Restaurant. Jewish committee members include Joni Weiner, who is serving as co-chair of the silent auction. The evening’s theme is based on fine art and fine cuisine. Funds from the event will be used to support the oldest building on the college campus, Vanderslice Hall, which is listed on the national Register of Historic Places. For more information about the committee or the fundraiser, visit www.kcai.edu/vanderslice.
JWI PURIM STUDY GUIDE — Jewish Women International (JWI) has released the first in a series of study guides related to Women, Relationships and Jewish Text. “Rethinking Purim” is designed to spark new conversations about relationships by offering a fresh look at old texts. The guides are a project of JWI’s Clergy Task Force on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community, a group of prominent clergy committed to promoting Jewish responses and resources that end violence against women. Three more guides will be released in the coming year, each relating to a Jewish holiday. The guide is available for download, free of charge, at www.jwi.org/purim.
GOLDENBERG DUO FREE RECITALS — The brother and sister team of Susan and William Goldenberg will present a series of free recitals in March. Susan is a violinist with the KC Symphony. William is distinguished professor of piano at Northern Illinois University. They will present works by Handel, Rachmaninoff, Oscar Peterson, Gershwin, Grieg and Asian composers.
Tuesday, March 13, 7:30 p.m. at Grant Hall on the UMKC campus. For information call 816-235-2900 or visit umkc.edu.
Thursday, March 14, noon at Spencer Museum of Art-Central Court at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Call 785-864-4710 or visit www.spencerart.ku.edu.
Wednesday, March 15, 12:15 p.m. at Visitation Parish. Call 816-753-7422 or visit www.visitation.org.
Monday, March 19, 2:30 p.m. at Baker University School of Music in Baldwin City, Kan. Call 785-594-6451 or visit www.bakeru.edu.
Wednesday, March 21, 7 p.m. at Kansas City, Kan., Public Library. Call 913-551-3280 or visit www.kckpl.lib.ks.us.
CNN’S JERUSALEM BUREAU — I got a couple of calls last week asking if CNN fired all its Jewish employees in its Jerusalem Bureau. I checked with the editor of JTA New & Features, our national news service. He said it was not true and sent me to CNN’s webpage. This story is dated Feb. 11.
“In response to inaccurate reports, CNN has strongly denied since Friday (Feb. 10) rumors that it no longer employs Israeli Jews in its Jerusalem bureau.
The company has said:
‘CNN has recently reviewed its worldwide operations, an exercise we do regularly to ensure operational and technological efficiency in everything we do. As part of this exercise, we have reorganized the CNN bureau in Jerusalem.’
To counter misinformation reported on various websites, the company has confirmed:
‘CNN currently has seven employees working in CNN’s Jerusalem bureau, four of whom are Jewish. There is no basis in fact for these reports.’
‘Some website reports also state that CNN’s Jerusalem bureau chief is Arab, which is also untrue.’
‘CNN strongly rejects any suggestion that the reorganization in the Jerusalem bureau is in any way based on the small number of contract employees concerned being Israeli, particularly given CNN’s long history of working with locals in the region.’ ”