faces

Happy 100!

Berthold Herpe, a survivor of Dachau who settled in the Sunset District via Shanghai, turns 100 on Nov. 7, reports his granddaughter Dena Kline of San Francisco. Among his friends, “Bertholde has always been considered the ‘leader of the pack,’ delivering speeches, well wishes, jokes and encouraging a chicken dance or two at parties,” she says. He has lived in San Francisco for 62 years, was a baker at the Fairmont Hotel (among other places) and, after becoming a U.S. citizen, offered his garage as the site for the neighborhood’s polling place.

A special thanks

On opening day at the new Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life, Koret Foundation President Tad Taube received a thank you that may have meant more to him than the standing ovation he received earlier this month,  when the Pacific Research Institute presented him with its Champions of Liberty Award, writes Susan Wolfe, Koret Foundation director of Grantmaking Programs and Communications. Amid the festivities, a woman Taube had never met before came up to him and said simply, “I’m Karen. Thank you!” 

Family thespians

Former San Franciscan Lee Wilkof originated the role of Seymour in the Broadway production of “Little Shop of Horrors,” and now he’s giving the cast of the Jewish Community High School of the Bay tips on the show — its fall production — writes San Franciscan Todd Wilkof, Lee’s brother. Lee is in town playing the Wizard in “Wicked.” His niece Sophia Wilkof,  a junior at JCHS (and Todd’s daughter), is playing Seymour’s love interest, Audrey, in the play. You can catch the production at JCHS from Nov. 10 to 12.

Short shorts …

Daniel Ruth, CEO of the Jewish Home, announced that long-time staffer Sherie Koshover is the Home’s new Chief Advancement Officer. She will head the new Organizational Advancement Department, created through the merging of the Home’s communications and development departments … In the last Faces column, Rachel Marder’s mom — Rabbi Janet Marder — was noted, but not her dad. He is Rabbi Sheldon Marder, spiritual director at the Jewish Home … Kevin Isaac Wick, a student at San Jose State, announces that a new Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter is receiving its charter on the campus this month.

Andrea Fleekop, director of education at Fremont’s Temple Beth Torah, was granted the title of “Reform Jewish Educator” by a commission made up of representatives of Reform organizations. To receive the prestigious title, individuals must fulfill stringent academic requirements in education, administration and Judaic studies and have three years of experience as a full-time Jewish leader in a Reform congregation.

Ron Blatman of San Francisco was the creator, executive producer and producer of “Saving the Bay,” a four-part series on the history of the San Francisco Bay. It was narrated by Robert Redford and aired on KQED where the premiere show Oct. 8 was the highest-rated PBS show in the country. It’s airing on Thursdays at 9 p.m. through Nov. 12 on KTEH. Blair Gershkow of San Rafael was the editor and Rob Weiss of Redwood City was coordinating producer. This is Blatman’s first foray into filmmaking — his background is in real estate finance and development. For information on the series, visit http://www.savingthebay.org.

Finally … Maybe the best Simchat Torah e-mail announcement ever, from Congregation Ner Sholom in Cotati. On the subject line of the email — “I Give to You and You Give to Me: Lulav, Lulav.”