Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 64, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 1, 2010 Page: 8 of 24
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8 I April 1,2010
TEXAS JEWISH POST & SINCE 1947
Sinai Cafe offers
Tbrah learning in a
congenial atmosphere
By Deb Siiverthorn
Chaverim I'chaim, friends for
life — that is the legacy of the Jew-
ish Federation of Greater Dallas Teen
Tour to Israel. Former travel-mates
Gavin Kam and Dan Lewin (now
Rabbi Lewin) host Sinai Cafe on
Wednesday nights from 7 to 8:45 at
the Fruhman Conference Center at
the Aaron Family JCC.
Sinai Cafe, a division of the
Maayan Chai Foundation, provides
networking, Torah learning and a
social atmosphere for all members
of the community Founded last year
by Kam, Rabbi and Yael Lewin and
another friend, Shane Stein, Maayan
Chai is a nonprofit organization that
provides Jewish learning experienc-
es, programs, business networking
opportunities and custom-tailored
one-on-one advice for those want-
ing to deepen their connection to
Judaism. "We met through a Federa-
tion program 21 years ago and today
were holding classes at the JCC,"
Kam said. "That's the magic of com-
munity. A lifecycle of friendship and
the hashgacha (divine providence)
that allows us to give back is beauti-
ful."
Kam, a graduate of J.J. Pearce,
and Rabbi Lewin, of The Greenhill
School, returned from Israel as close
friends. That relationship grew as the
two attended the University of Texas
at Austin together, lived as room-
mates, were "brothers" in the Sigma
Alpha Mu fraternity and, after grad-
uation, traveled throughout Europe.
While Rabbi Lewin studied at the
Mayanot Chabad Yeshiva in Jerusa-
lem and received ordination from the
Rabbinical College of America, Kam
worked at JP Morgan in New York,
where he became enthralled with the
community of Rebbetzin Esther Jun-
greis and her organization, Hineni.
Friday night dinners and services on
the Upper East Side made an impact.
Upon his return to Dallas, while sell-
ing tickets to a DATA (Dallas Area
Torah Association) speaker series
event featuring Rebbetzin Jungreis,
he was introduced to his future wife,
Annie.
Photos: Submitted by Maayan Chai Foundation
Then-high school students Danny Lewin (left) and Gavin Kam first met on the
1990 Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas Teen Tour to Israel.
In 2009 Kam traveled to Bing-
hamton, N.Y, where Rabbi and Yael
Lewin spent three years directing an
off-campus Chabad Center, provid-
ing students and community mem-
bers with classes and programs. At a
"Sushi Shabbos," Kam participated
in a Shabbat to remember, one that
he wanted to recreate back in Dallas.
"I knew Rabbi Lewin had some-
thing special and it was something
he and Yael should have been doing
at 'home,"' Kam said. "Dallas' Jewish
community continues to grow and
the opportunities that Rabbi Lewin
had to offer were something I want-
ed to make happen. In just these first
few months, we've reached so many
people eager to study. Now, the sky's
the limit."
"People in their 20s and in their
70s are learning together; the range
is incredible," said Stein, who con-
tinues the childhood connection; he
was once a classmate of Annie Kam,
then Bogart, at Akiba Academy.
"Rabbi Lewin always has an answer
and he never hears a 'dumb' ques-
tion. He cares so deeply. This is the
time for this kind of program."
"The best learning takes place
with good conversation, good food
and a comfortable environment,"
said Rabbi Lewin, who also writes
curricula that are distributed world-
wide for the Jewish Learning Insti-
tute (JLI) Torah studies division and
teaches online university courses
for the Michigan Jewish Institute.
"Bringing together all these elements
doesn't compromise study, it en-
hances it."
"Sinai Cafe is outgoing and pro-
vides lessons in applying Torah
to our everyday lives," said Benji
Gershon, a devotee and now board
member of Maayan Chai. "There is
no agenda. There is no Orthodox,
Conservative or Reform. There are
just Jews learning about themselves,
each other, who we are and where we
come from."
"Rabbi Lewin has a gift of con-
necting with people one on one and
is a true educator," Kam said. "He is
the facilitator in this interactive ef-
fort which provides learning, time to
digest the materials and time, both
before and after the learning, to so-
cialize."
"I was looking for something
deeper, I wanted more Judaism,"
said attendee Karen Zeitman. "This
program is filling a void and I am ex-
cited about the intensity of the learn-
Please join us Apri for our annua bm Hashoah,
olocaust Remembrance Day; which wi include
a special tribute to E liott D n, Museum Director.
Yom Hashoah, Holocaust
Remembrance Day
7 p.m., Sunday, April 1 1
• • •
Congregation Shearith Israel
9401 Douglas Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75225
Elliott passed away on March 3, 2010. But he would not want
our shared grief to be the lasting memory of his legacy;
For 57 years of his too-short life, Elly believed in moving
mountains. And the mountain he devoted most of his life to
moving was indifference.
With all his heart, Elly believed in teaching every generation
of school children and aduits—hundreds of thousands over his
professional life—the moral and ethical response to prejudice,
hatred and indifference for the benefit of all humanity.
"A different world cannot be built by indifferent people," Elly
was fond of saying.
Elly moved mountains on a daily basis by transforming
bystanders into "Upstanders"—people who stand up to bigotry,
ignominy and apathy in its various forms.
Elly taught us life-changing lessons on how to respond to the
hateful acts of intolerance, persecution and prejudice that gave
rise to the Holocaust, in the belief that all of us—especially our
school children—can prevent them tomorrow.
His passion,, scholarship and booming voice made it impossible
for his audiences to be indifferent. Elly was the ultimate
Upstander.
And, so we grieve the loss of Elly Diin, and we extend our
deepest sympathies to his family.
And, we ask you to join us in honoring Elly's memory—and in
building upon his legacy—by becoming an Upstander today.
Upstanders can move mountains. This is the legacy of Elliott Dlin
DALLAS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND TOLERANCE
History that moves jouForward
The Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust, and to teaching the moral and ethical response to prejudice,
hatred and indifference, for the benefit of all humanity. For more information, visit ®«;dallasholcaustmuseum.org. And please, visit us at 2 1 1 N. Record Street, Suite 100, Dallas, 75202.
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Wisch, Rene. Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 64, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 1, 2010, newspaper, April 1, 2010; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth188286/m1/8/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .