Faces

An extraordinary ordination

Steve Bauman, president of the World Union for Progressive Jews (and of the Albert L. Schultz JCC in Palo Alto), met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently. Following the meeting, German newspapers expressed the chancellor's "joy at the fact that on the 14th September in the new synagogue in Dresden, the Abraham Geiger Kolleg (Germany's only rabbinic seminary) at the University of Potsdam would ordain the first three rabbis since 1942 in Germany."




The sweet smell of ... challah

If it's Friday at the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay, it's homemade challah day — delivered in person by baker extraordinaire Jerry Wagner. "When the email goes out announcing the challah has arrived, the only question is 'raisins or not?'" notes the federation's marketing director, Arlene Burbank. Leah Wagner, of the federation's foundation, says her dad considers kneading and baking the bread a form of personal therapy. The federation folk consider it delicious.




Happy parenting

New author Brenda Bercun shared space with former presidential candidate George McGovern to announce her speaking gig at Book Passage. Bercun has written two new books of advice for parents — "I'm Going to be a Big Sister" and "I'm Going to be a Big Brother." A Larkspur resident and a member of Congregation Rodef Sholom, Bercun is a mom, a younger sister and a clinical nurse specialist in child and family mental health, so she's had lots of experience with sibling rivalry. The books include an original musical CD, with music written by her son Ross Bercun and sung by Dillan Arrick of Congregation Emanu-El. Check out her Web site, www.yournextbaby.com, for tips and information.




Singing praises

Congregation Beth Am paid tribute to retiring Cantor Kay Greenwald on Friday, May 5 for 14 years of service. When she joined the synagogue in 1993, she became the first woman member of the clergy there. Among her many contributions, she introduced the spring musical production "Be a Jewish Star," which has become an annual event. Before being a full-time cantor, Greenwald sang opera around the world. Cantor Lauren Bandman will succeed her in July.




Short shorts

Rose Martin of San Francisco, in Israel participating in a Hadassah Leadership Mission, was at the dedication of Beit Ar-El, the Center for Young Judaea in Jerusalem. The center moved to a new location after four decades on Mount Scopus ... Contra Costa Jewish Day School's Dean Goldfein and Karla Smith were presenters at the annual Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education Assembly in Boston in March. The school has been recognized nationally for academic excellence and community relations ...

Joni Block is two months into a new job at Israel Venture Network, a philanthropy network of high-tech entrepreneurs and executives from Israel and the U.S. She was formerly at the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation ... Chuck Siegel, owner of Charles Chocolates, which got its start at the San Francisco JCC, opened a chocolate boutique in S.F.'s Laurel Village in May ... Kim Sobel has returned to the Bay Area after six years in New York City to launch and manage the Bay Area office of Rogen International ... U.C. Berkeley's new Blum Center, established to pursue sustainable solutions to problems facing the world's poor, was launched with $15 million in start-up funding from Richard Blum.




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