Page 25 - Jewish News_November-2020

COMMUNITY FOCUS November 2020 25A

Temple Beth Israel awarded $55,000 multi-year grant Oklahoma’s “Carnegie Hall”

from Community Foundation of Sarasota County fter Aviva resident Ruth Lev- compelled to build its own library. The

enson watched a short video
nearby Carnegie Memorial Auditorium
Aintroducing Rabbi Jonathan is more popularly known as “Carnegie
R. Katz, the new Director of Spiritu- Hall.”
al Services for Aviva, she immediately Ruth eventually moved to Oklaho-
channel and Facebook. To learn more, rang him up. “When you mentioned ma City where she met and married its
visit www.tbi-lbk.org. you were taking your daughter Emma highly distinguished rabbi, Joseph Lev-
About the Community Foundation to FSU in a few days for her freshman enson. It turns out that Rabbi Levenson
of Sarasota County year, I had to be in touch,” she ex- attended Hebrew Union College-Jew-
The Community Foundation of Saraso-plained. “My stepson David is a pro- ish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati
ta County is a public charity founded fessor of religion there and you have to at the same time Rabbi Katz’s father
in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Es-meet him.” studied there for the rabbinate. Rabbi
tate Planning Council as a resource for Less than 24 hours later, Rabbi Levenson also led the same congrega-
caring individuals and the causes they Katz received a call from the profes- tion in Norfolk that Rabbi Jonathan R.
support, enabling them to make a char-sor who was eager to help the Katz Katz would serve 46 years later.
itable impact on the community. With family get Emma situated on campus In terms of Jewish geography, it
assets of $418 million in more than when they arrived in Tallahassee the certainly is a small world.
1,500 charitable funds, the Community following weekend. It turns out that
Foundation awarded grants and schol-David’s wife, a professor in FSU’s
arships totaling $21.5 million dollars medical school, is from Norfolk, Vir-
last year in the areas of education, the ginia, where Rabbi Katz had previous-
arts, health and human services, civ-ly served a congregation. They knew
ic engagement, animal welfare and people in common.
the environment. Since its founding, When Ruth told Rabbi Katz she
the Community Foundation has been was originally from Carnegie, Okla-
able to grant more than $274 million homa, the rabbi quickly asked, “Did
to area nonprofit organizations to our you have a Carnegie library?” As the
community thanks to the generosi-liaison for Tel Mond, Israel, the rabbi
ty of charitable individuals, families regularly meets with the liaisons of
and businesses. For more informa-other Sarasota Sister Cities. One of
tion, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call them, Dumfermline, Scotland, is the
941.955.3000. birthplace of Andrew Carnegie, whose

Need to reach the editor philanthropy had built nearly half of
America’s 3,500 public libraries by
of The Jewish News? 1919.
Ruth shared that there is a Carn-
Send an email to egie library in her hometown of less

jewishnews18@gmail.com. than 2,000 people located 90 miles
southwest of Oklahoma City, but not
because of Andrew Carnegie. Accord-
ing to her, the town’s original name of
Ruth Levenson holds a book celebrating her
Latham had been changed to Carnegie hometown of Carnegie, Oklahoma. Her parents
to attract the industrialist’s interest in came to the community from Eastern Europe in
1918 to manage a clothing/housewares store
building a library there. However, that
Make someone didn’t happen, so the community was ownership, the store remains in operation today.
with a relative. Though now under different
feel special “You never forget us”

This program is sponsored by
on their birthday The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee APA_20_JNF5x5_MECH.indd 1 8/13/20 1:04 PM
APA_20_JNF5x5_MECH.indd 1
8/13/20 1:04 PM
the food she received, “Thank you so
any JFCS of the Suncoast
Jewish clients, as well as
by making a donation Mlocal Holocaust survivors much for caring for us. You remember we are FED
us and never forget us. We love you.”
in their name. and others in Sarasota-Manatee, re-
ceived a delicious High Holy Day
meal made possible by JFCS and
The Jewish Federation of Saraso-
ta-Manatee.
Prepared by Aviva Chef Ignacio Enriching Jewish Hearts
Suarez, the New Year’s dinner includ-
ed matzoh ball soup, chopped liver,
brisket, tzimmes, honey cake, challah
and, of course, apples and honey. The
70 meals were delivered by JFCS staff our Federation strives to enrich Jewish hearts in our Sarasota-Manatee
members Pam Baron, Jan Alston, Anna Ycommunity — from life-changing trips to Israel for teens, community
Eckstein and a number of Senior Out- leaders and mothers and fathers to our Shapiro Teen Engagement Program
reach Services (SOS) volunteers. (STEP) to Gulf Coast Hillel and much more.
One Holocaust survivor in par-
ticular expressed deep gratitude for jfedsrq.org • 941.371.4546
Ruth and Lee Shafer were very pleased to
receive their special High Holy Day meal

I
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N
G
MOVING?
MOV
Call Bonnie at Or visit jfedsrq.org/tribute

941.343.2115 to donate
Be sure THE JEWISH NEWS follows you to your new home.
Send your new address to Bonnie at bsouther@jfedsrq.org or 941.371.4546 x0