Friday, December 7, 2007

Berwick, Ohio. Kriss Galloway reports on events this week at Jewish Community Center

John Manning's guest on the morning show was Kriss Galloway, manager of marketing and communications for the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus.


Galloway reported that the comedy Mazel and Shlimazel opens tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Roth-Resler Theater at the JCC of Greater Columbus, 1125 College Ave.

The production is being directed by Laurie Alexander. Adapted by Shawn Hartley from the tale by Isaac Bashevis Singer, the musical is a classic tale of good versus evil as Mazel, the spirit of good luck, and his entourage of Lucky Charms, face off against Shlimazel, the spirit of bad luck, and his henchmen, the Jinxes. This lighthearted Chanukah treat – perfect for the entire family – is complete with a quirky Queen, a strong-minded princess, a fake dragon, a loveable lion, and a poor peasant boy who teaches the lesson that it’s never too late to be great and that if we do our best, we make our own mazel.

Performances are scheduled for:
· Saturday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m.
· Sunday, December 9 at 2:30 p.m.
· Thursday, December 13 at 7:30 p.m.
· Saturday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m.
· Sunday, December 16 at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $12 for JCC members, $16 for nonmembers, $10 for senior members, $14 for senior nonmembers, $6 for children or students, and $8 per ticket for groups of 10 or more.

To purchase tickets or for more information on the Gallery Players’ season, call (614) 559-6248 or visit www.jccgalleryplayers.org.

The JCC of Greater Columbus, in conjunction with Beth Jacob Congregation, will be giving away compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) on Sunday, Dec. 9, while supplies last.

The giveaway is underwritten by a grant from the Melvyn Palius Environmental Protection Fund of the Columbus Jewish Foundation.

Galloway quoted Carol Folkerth, JCC Executive Director who said “The goal of this giveaway is to promote environmentally friendly living and educate the community about what each of us can do to help save our world." Galloway also provided a quote from Beth Jacob's Rabbi Napthali Weisz: "Because Chanukah is the Festival of Lights, we thought that giving away CFLs was a wonderful connection between the lights of Chanukah and the mitzvah of Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world.”

Similar giveaways have taken place in various cities throughout the nation – most notably in Atlanta, which has developed an entire study guide.

The guide notes that a 13-watt CFL requires less electricity than a 60 watt lightbulb, and therefore promotes:
Clean city air and clean water cycle by reducing the nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide created at power plants.
A more peaceful world by helping to reduce oil production needed for electric power generation.
A stabilized climate by reducing carbon dioxide created by burning fuel while generating electricity.
Getting a nuclear genie back in the bottle by not buying 658kWh of nuclear-generated electricity.
A safe food chain by preventing 73 milligrams of mercury from entering the biosphere by reducing the amount of coal needed to produce electricity.
Bountiful land by leaving an approximately 1.6 square foot patch of West Virginia forest undisturbed by mountaintop removal for coal mining.
A gift for the future by leaving 4 gallons of petroleum and 11,500 cubic feet of natural gas in the ground.

“This is just the sort of initiative that Melvyn Palius would have embraced,” said Jackie Jacobs, executive director of the Columbus Jewish Foundation. “The energy-saving project is a perfect kaddish for him because the Foundation is honoring his testamentary instructions to use his legacy to protect the environment.”

Palius also was an avid skier and proud member of the National Ski Patrol and the Central Ohio Hiking Club. A nature enthusiast since his youth, he loved hiking, traveling, photography, reading and was deeply committed to ecological preservation, conservation, wildlife protection, amateur archeology, historical societies, and protecting the rights and civil liberties of the underdog. Palius passed away in 2004 at the age of 83.

Kriss Galloway then reminded listeners that the JCC has a Judaica Gallery, where listeners can find gifts that are elegant or perhaps funky piece, maybe a modestly-priced gift, or a museum-quality collector's piece, or just something that is pleasing.

There is Judaica for everyone over a wide price range: Jewish arts and crafts, ritual items, Israeli and Yiddish posters, gifts, jewelry, and more. This season's feature: Chanukah Dreidel by Yossi Steinberg. Yossi Steinberg is a contemporary Israeli artist who uses hand painted acrylic resin in combination with silver or gold-plated wire to create beautiful Judaic art. He also incorporates beads and Judaic symbols. His style is whimsical yet rich in color and composition. All of his items are original designs. Yossi creates and works in Tel-Aviv, Israel.

Gallery Players, the JCC’s community theater group, will hold auditions for South Pacific on Sunday, Dec. 16, from 4 to 6 p.m., and Monday, Dec. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. There are roles for 20 men, ranging in age from 20 to 60; nine women ranging in age from 20 to 35; one 35 to 50-year-old character woman; one 17-year-old girl, and two children, a girl (8 to 11 years old) and a boy (6 to 8 years old).  “A handful of roles are of Polynesian decent, so actors of ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to audition,” said Jared Saltman, JCC Cultural Arts director. “Singing and acting is required of all roles, and most roles must be able to dance.”  Those intending on auditioning should wear comfortable clothes for dancing, as well as bring their resume, photo, and at least 16 bars of music for their audition song. A pianist will be provided for the auditions. Eight performances will be staged from Feb. 23 through March 9.

The production will be directed by Pam Hill. Gallery Players, started in 1948, is the oldest community theater group in Central Ohio.

For more information, visit the Gallery Players website at www.jccgalleryplayers.org, or call (614) 559-6248.