By Janis Fontaine
The recent run of The World Goes ’Round at the Kravis Center’s Rinker Playhouse did more than entertain. It also raised money for Metropolitan Community Church of the Palm Beaches and Joy MCC in Orlando. Both groups received checks of almost $2,800 from MNM Productions.
Both faith communities are dedicated to serving their local LGBTQ communities in the aftermath of last June’s massacre at Pulse in Orlando.
The World Goes ’Round was the fourth major musical produced by partners Michael Lifshitz and Marcie Gorman-Althof of MNM Productions in the last two years. The not-for-profit theater, founded in 2014, has three shows planned for the summer of 2017: Monty Python’s Spamalot (May 17-June 4), Company (July 21-Aug. 6) and La Cage Aux Folles (Oct. 6-22), all at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.
For more information, call 722-4258 or visit www.southfloridatheatre.org/mnm-productions.
For more information about the Metropolitan Community Church, at 4857 Northlake Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens, call 775-5900 or visit www.mccpalmbeach.org.
B’nai Torah Congregation sends supplies to Haiti
The devastation of Hurricane Matthew on Haiti inspired B’nai Torah Congregation, a large Conservative synagogue in Boca Raton, and Hands on Tzedakah, a Boca-based charity, to open their hearts and wallets.
In only a few days, the two groups raised and gathered more than $200,000 in donations of critical supplies, as well as cash contributions of $30,000, which was matched by HOT and used to purchase additional supplies.
More than 150 volunteers spent a day unloading cars and sorting, boxing, taping and shrink-wrapping the $200,000 plus in supplies. About 1,000 people made donations.
For more information about relief to Haiti, call Summer Faerman, B’nai Torah TLC director, at 305-1228, or email summer.faerman@bnai-torah.org.
CROS Ministries’ walk raises $23,000 to fight hunger
CROS Ministries held its End Hunger Walk 5K, a 3.1-mile walk on Flagler Drive, on Oct. 1 to raise money for its hunger programs and increase awareness about hunger in our community. Despite rainy weather, 170 walkers turned out and helped raise pledges of more than $23,000.
CROS Ministries serves hungry people in Palm Beach and Martin counties. Its programs include seven community food pantries; the Caring Kitchen, a hot meal and social services program; summer camp; a weekend food program for children; and gleaning, a food recovery program.
Volunteers are needed. For more information, call 233-9009 or visit www.crosministries.org.
Food drive a success
For the 23rd consecutive year, Congregation B’nai Israel’s Kantor Family Center collected food during the Jewish High Holy Days to donate to the Palm Beach County Food Bank, which supports more than 140 partner agencies with food, programs and services.
The members collected more than 10,000 pounds of food, which will be distributed by Feed My Community, Jacobson Family Food Pantry of Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services, CROS Ministries, Boca Helping Hands and more.
Congregation B’nai Israel is at 2200 Yamato Road, Boca Raton. For more information about the food drive, contact Cindy or Greg Jacob at 487-7355 or email gejcadj@aol.com. For more information on CBI, visit www.cbiboca.org or call 241-8118.
Meeting for all faiths
The Interfaith Café meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 17 at the South County Civic Center, 16700 Jog Road, Delray Beach. Volunteers are needed to help keep this interfaith dialogue going. From clerical work to designing programs, there are many ways you can help. Contact Jane at jane@aurorasvoice.org.
An Advent retreat
Join the congregation of St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church for an evening retreat Nov. 30 in Harris Hall at the church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. This retreat will usher in the Advent season with prayer, dinner and small group discussions. A candlelight labyrinth walk follows. A donation of $10 is requested to cover the cost of the meal and other supplies. RSVP required to anitasherman561@gmail.com.
Local rabbis chosen
for elite program
Boca Raton Rabbis Josh Broide and Dan Levin recently returned from their first summer residency in Jerusalem as part of Shalom Hartman Institute’s sixth Rabbinic Leadership Initiative.
The Shalom Hartman Institute does research and education that immerses an elite group of rabbis in the highest levels of Jewish learning.
These two South County rabbis underwent a rigorous selection process by the institute.
Levin, a senior rabbi at (Reform) Temple Beth El of Boca Raton, and Broide, a practicing Orthodox rabbi who serves as the director of community engagement at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, were honored to have been chosen for this three-year intensive fellowship program.
Levin and Broide will join 26 other RLI rabbis from around the country who will engage in webinars, study, small group elective courses and local projects.
For more information on the Shalom Hartman Institute or the RLI, visit www.hartman.org.il.
Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at janisfontaine@outlook.com.
Comments