From left to right seated: Sima , Ruth Ann Mendel, Claudia Moss, Florence Harshman, Myra Benedikt, Gisela M. Kinast, Anita Shapiro, Amy Camardese. Standing Judy Roth, Michael Aleprete, Andy Lipkin, Richard Dorman, Sherri Pataki, William Evans, Bryan Rennie, Sam Kooperman, Yehuda Peled
The 4th Annual Lion of Judah program was held at Westminster College on Tuesday, September 21, 2010. Chaired by Myra Benedikt and Gisela M. Kinast, nine of the Lions from the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation traveled to neighboring New Wilmington, PA to meet with professors from a spectrum of disciplines who this past May visited the Western Galilee College in Akko, Israel for academic seminars with Israeli and American counterparts. The presidents of the two colleges met to explore opportunities for collaboration. As with the past Lion of Judah events, the program far surpassed the expectations of the participants.
The faculty panelists included Dr. Richard Dorman, President of Westminster College who welcomed the group and presided over the internet discussion with Dr. Gideon Fishman, President of Western Galilee College; Dr. William Evans, Professor of Counselor Education and Coordinator of the School Counseling Program in the Graduate Program, Dr Bryan Rennie, Professor of Religion and Classics, and Dr. Michael Aleprete, Asst. Professor of Political Science, Dr. Amy Camardese, Associate Professor of Education, and Dr. Sherri Pataki, Assistant Professor of Psychology. The panelists talked about their personal experiences in Israel as well as their academic pursuits and about how each of them had a personal revelatory moment while in Israel. Their stories were fascinating. The faculty also discussed research collaborations and future faculty and student exchanges, as well as distance learning opportunities to broaden religious, cultural, and social understanding. Senior psychology student Rachel Hoffman told the group about her experiences doing research at WGC. Dr. Jesse Mann, Dean of Academic Affairs, took the group on a campus tour.
The faculty and Lions were treated to lunch at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Dorman. Overlooking the idyllic Shenango Valley, Myra Benedikt and Andy Lipkin gave an update on the P2K initiative. Gisela Kinast thanked our hosts and discussed the importance of the Lions to the Annual Campaign and the future financial stability of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation.
Past Lion of Judah programs included touring Cleveland's Maltz Museum, having lunch with Maestro Randall Fleischer of the Youngstown Symphony Society, and working on a project with "Our Gang," a program of the Jewish Family Services for developmentally disabled adults.
For more information on becoming a Lion of Judah, the Annual Campaign or endowments, please contact Andy Lipkin or Debbi Grinstein at (330) 746-3251 or alipkin@jewishyoungstown.org or dgrinstein@jewishyoungstown.org.