Community calendar for Eastside Messenger

Hadassah "High Tea" in Berwick
On Sunday, February 3, at 2 p.m., Hadassah will be holding a Chai Tea serving "High Tea" kosher snacks at a home in Berwick.

The program will honor new life members and offer a talk about the tradition of hats and what part they play in Jewish women's practices. There will also be opportunities to try on and purchase hats, including a $25 gift certificate for hats as a door prize. Ten percent of  profit on hats sold during the event will be donated to Hadassah. Acceptable payments for the hats are check or cash (no credit cards).

To RSVP, mail a check for $18 to the Hadassah office before January 28. Please make checks payable to Hadassah and mail to Hadassah, 2700 East Main Street, Suite 106, Columbus, Ohio 43209.

Hadassah is the Women's Zionist Organization of America. For information about the Chai Tea or Hadassah membership, please contact Arlene at the Hadassah office at 235-8111 or visit www.columbus.hadassah.org.  

Bexley Library to celebrate Mozart's birthday
Everyone is invited to Bexley Public Library's Sunday, Jan. 27 musical celebration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 252nd birthday. The main program will take place at 3 p.m. in the library auditorium when soprano Megan Bell and pianist Jiung Yoon will perform Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate, the aria Vorrei Spiegarvi, O Dio!, and the Piano Sonata no. 8 (K.310).

Prior to the  program, at 2 p.m. in the library lobby, Merry Pruitt will perform Mozart's piano music. Cake and punch will be served at both events.

Reynoldsburg Parent to Parent workshop on adolescence
The Reynoldsburg school district will offer a free Parent to Parent workshop on facing the issues of adolescence, Feb. 5, 12, 19 and 26, from 7-9 p.m., at Reynoldsburg High School, 6699 E. Livingston Ave., room 401.

The workshop covers such issues as trust, consequences, alcohol and other drug use, safety, personal values and the Internet.

To register call 501-4000.

"Gypsy Music" by Ensemble Caprice at Capital University
Early Music in Columbus will present Ensemble Caprice in "Gypsy Music," with music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. at Capital University's Mees Hall. There will be a pre-concert lecture at 7:30.

The concert will feature pieces from the country now known as Slovakia, by composers influenced by the gypsy music they heard while traveling through Europe.

Tickets are $25 general admission, $20 for seniors and $10 for students and can be purchased at the door or ordered through Ticketmaster, CAPA box offices or by calling 861-4569.

Meeting on Whitehall parks plan
There will be a town meeting at Whitehall Community Park activities building Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. for a park study presentation from Edsall and Associates.  This will also give community members a chance to share input about what they would like to see in the future for all Whitehall parks.

K of C fish fry dinners at St. Pius X
The Knights of Columbus, Father Andrew Hohman Council 5253, will be sponsoring the St. Pius X's annual fish fry dinners Fridays, Feb. 8 and 22, and March 7 from 5-7 p.m. in the school cafeteria, 1061 Waggoner Road, Reynoldsburg.

Dinner will include adult portions of fried or baked Icelandic white cod, cole slaw, applesauce, fries, hush puppies, macaroni and cheese, dessert and hot or cold beverages.
The price is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for children. All proceeds will benefit St. Pius X Parish.  Reservations are not required.   
 
Oasis faith community meets Sundays in Reynoldsburg
The Oasis, a faith community of the United Church of Christ, meets Sunday evenings at Panera Bread at Taylor Square (I-70 & State Route 256) in Reynoldsburg.  6 - 6:45 p.m. is a time for study and discussion on a variety of topics related to faith & spirituality.

From 7 -7:45 participants experience a variety of spiritual tools and traditions to find what nurtures your own spirit.  

For information visit www.TheOasisUCC.com or call 581-8914.

BRAVO celebrates Bexley Education Foundation's 25th
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Bexley Education Foundation will hold BRAVO!, a casual evening of fun, food and camaraderie featuring a silent auction, raffle and artwork created by Bexley students on Feb. 23, from 7:30-11 p.m., at Germain Cadillac and Germain Mercedes-Benz at Easton, 4200 Morse Crossing.

Now in its eighteenth year, BRAVO! supports the Bexley Education Foundation's mission of providing support for classroom and district-wide programs that encourage Bexley students to "reach for the stars," according to BRAVO! Co-chair Karen Shore Meyer.

BRAVO! offers an evening of casual conversation and tasty treats from some of Columbus's finest restaurants. A cash bar will also be available. There will also be a  wide array of interesting offerings at a silent auction.

Tickets for BRAVO! can be purchased in advance for $50 per person or at the door, subject to availability, for $60. Patron donations, which includes mentions in BRAVO! publicity, are $75 a person. A portion of the admission fee is tax deductible.

For information, contact the BEF office at 338-2093.

Eastland Performing Arts stages "Little Shop of Horrors"
The Eastland Performing Arts Program's Black Box Theatre will stage the musical "Little Shop of Horrors" Jan. 24 and 25 at 3 and 7 p.m. at Reynoldsburg High School, 6699 E. Livingston Ave.

The comedy, with a score by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, tells the story of a schnook at a skid row flower shop who creates a new plant to impress his girlfriend, only to see it grow and devour everyone in sight.

The audience will be seated on the stage with the performers in the black box theater. Tickets are free but only a limited number will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parent seminar on school suspensions & expulsions
"Stupid Stuff Kids Do To Get Suspended/Expelled From School" is the topic of a parent seminar at Brookwood Presbyterian Church, 2685 E. Livingston Ave. on Jan. 20 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.   

The seminar is designed to help parents deal with the behaviors, understand the behaviors and find supportive services in the public schools.  

Glenn Byers, LISW, will present information about behavioral issues and intervention.  Byers is an experienced social worker who has counseled youth with behavioral problems and worked in child welfare in the foster care system.

Ellen Wristen, an attorney, will present information about alternative placement opportunities, special needs interventions, and special education issues as they apply to student with behavioral issues, suspensions and expulsions.

To register for the seminar or for additional information, call the church office at 614-235-3451.  The cost of the seminar is $5.00 per person with scholarship assistance available for those in need.    

Ohio Historical Society Echoes in Time Theatre
The Ohio Historical Center's Echoes in Time Theatre will be presenting "Salmon P. Chase, A Man of Complexity," and Conflict in January, "The Woman Behind the Man: The President's First Lady" in February and "Saints Preserve Us! The Irish in America" in March.

All shows take place twice each Thursday evening at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the Discovery Theatre, and are free with admission to the Ohio Historical Center.

In "Salmon P. Chase, A Man of Complexity and Conflict," Richard Schuricht, of Buckeye Lake, portrays the Ohio politician who in the Civil War era served as Ohio's governor and senator, Lincoln's treasury secretary, and finally as chief justice of the Supreme Court. The presentation will be Jan. 24 and Jan. 31.

For "The Woman Behind the Man: The President's First Lady," on Feb. 7, Feb. 14, Feb. 21, Feb. 28, Betty Meneer of Columbus plays Mrs. Oscar E. Bland, wife of Judge Bland. As a dear friend of First Lady Florence Harding, Mrs. Bland will share her joys and concerns about President and Mrs. Harding.

The Ohio Historical Center is located at I-71 and 17th Avenue. It is one of 59 historic museums and sites operated by the Ohio Historical Society, a nonprofit organization that serves as the state's partner in preserving and interpreting Ohio's history, archaeology and natural history.
To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Sean O'Shaugnessy tells his story of leaving Ireland with his young bride in "Saints Preserve Us! The Irish In America," on March 5, 12, 19 and 26. Learn about their journey across the Atlantic and the reality of coming to America, the land of golden opportunity. Sean will be performed by Mike Follin of Chesterville, Ohio.

Admission to the Ohio Historical Center is $7/adults, $3/students and free for OHS members and children 5 years of age and under. For more information, visit www.ohiohistory.org or call 297-2300 or 800-686-6124. The Ohio Historical Center is located at I-71 and 17th Avenue.

Bexley City Council meetings at Cassingham school complex
The Jan. 22 Bexley City Council and committee meetings will be held in the community room at the Cassingham Complex, to the left of the main entrance. Meetings are being relocated to provide access to handicapped residents who cannot reach the second-floor city hall chambers.
    
Knights of Columbus free-throw contest, spaghetti dinner
The Knights of Columbus Council 5253 of St Pius X Catholic Church, 1061 Waggoner Road, Reynoldsburg, will sponsor a youth basketball free throw competition Jan. 26 at the school gym, for boys and girls ages 10 to 14. Registration begins at 7 p.m.

Participants are required to furnish proof of age and parental consent. For entry forms and information, contact Scott Harris at 740-927-1672.

An all you can eat spaghetti dinner will be served Jan. 26 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Cost is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children. Carry-out meals are $5. Proceeds benefit religious vocations.

JCC events

The Leo Yassenoff Jewish Community Center, at 1125 College Ave., has provided the following announcements. Information is available at www.columbusjcc.org.

New Horizons 60+ activities
The New Horizons 60+ group for active senior adults is planning a variety of activities in the upcoming weeks:

•Celebrating January Birthdays. On Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 11:15 a.m., the Clintonville Jazz Company will help the group celebrate everyone with a birthday in January.
•Having Lively Discussions. Every Monday at 11 a.m., the New Horizons group gathers to discuss current events, local issues, stories - and even share a joke or two. In addition, at least once a month the Yiddish speakers in the group gather for a meeting - conducted entirely in Yiddish. The next meeting will be held on Feb. 20 at Creekside. (Contact Ann Rubin at 614-231-5838 for more info.)

•Exercising and Dancing. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, there are a variety of exercise and gentle movement classes to help fight the wintertime blahs. Chair Fit is held both days at 11 a.m., to help seniors improve their flexibility, strength, and circulation - all while sitting in a chair. Or, if a little more energy fits your style, Forever Fit classes are held both days at 8 a.m., and incorporate stretching, strength training, and low-impact aerobics designed especially for seniors. (Both classes are taught by Gail Rosenblum.)

If your back aches and you just want to learn how to stretch it properly with the gentle movements of Yoga, each Tuesday, from 12 to 12:45 p.m., Beth McCullough teaches a Lunchtime Yoga for the Back class. But if you've "gotta dance," then the Line Dancing class, taught by Mary Bova-Ervin each Tuesday from 1 to 2 p.m., is definitely something you should try. The fee per dancer is $4, and remember to wear comfortable dancing shoes or sneakers.

•Attending the theater. On Wednesday, Feb. 6, the New Horizons group will be attending Catco's The Drawer Boy. The outing, which departs the JCC at 10:15 a.m. for Capitol Theater at the Riffe Center downtown, is $17 for JCC members and $19 for nonmembers, and includes breakfast at the JCC at 9:15 a.m., the show, and transportation.

In addition, the group will be attending BalletMet's LoveStruck: Ravel to Sinatra on Friday, Feb. 8. The outing, which departs the JCC at 9:45 a.m. for Capitol Theater at the Riffe Center downtown, is $17 for JCC members and $19 for nonmembers, and includes breakfast at the JCC at 9 a.m., the show, and transportation. RSVPs are a must for both performances.

•Eating Kosher lunches.  Every Monday through Friday at noon, the JCC, through LifeCare Alliance, offers the only Kosher lunch in town for adults 60 and over for a nominal donation of $1.25 per meal. Register one day in advance, please.

And remember, you don't have to be a JCC member, nor do you have to be Jewish, to enjoy the camaraderie and the fun. For more information and to make reservations, contact Debbie Vinocur, JCC New Horizons program director, at (614) 559-6214 or dvinocur@columbusjcc.org, or visit the JCC website at www.columbusjcc.org.

Magic Mountain field trip on day off school Jan. 21
School is out for area students on Monday, Jan. 21, and parents searching for activities for their children can sign them up for a field trip to Magic Mountain offered by the JCC, followed by an afternoon of swimming in the JCC's indoor pool.

School's Out Days are open to all area children in kindergarten through sixth grade, incuding the Columbus Jewish Day School. The JCC will have a bus picking children up at the day school at 8:15 a.m. to go to the JCC, and dropping them back off at 4 p.m.

The fee for the program is $50 per day for JCC members and $70 per day for non-members, and includes transportation. (Fulltime Kinderclub members pay only $20.) A discount of $5 off for the second child, and an additional $3 for the third (or more) child also is available. All participants much have a JCC Emergency Contact form on file, which may be requested by sending an e-mail to Sue Vail at svail@columbusjcc.org.

For information, contact John Weaver at 559-6266 or jweaver@columbusjcc.org, or visit the JST4KIDS page on the JCC website at www.columbusjcc.org.

Guitar lessons offered for kids, adults
The Jewish Community Center is offering guitar lessons, taught by Steven Loeb, on Tuesdays beginning Jan. 22, running through March 11. Classes, which are by appointment and last for 30 minutes, are open to children (at least in the second grade) through adults.

Students will learn the basics of guitar tuning, reading music, and other guitar skills. Students also must provide their own guitar.

The fee is $250 for JCC members and $270 for nonmembers. To register, or for information, contact John Weaver at 559-6266 or jweaver@columbusjcc.org, or visit the JCC website at www.columbusjcc.org.

Tennis lessons for ages 3-5
The Jewish Community Center is offering a Mighty Mite Tennis program for children ages three to five years in a seven-week program beginning Jan. 28 and running through March 17. The classes, which will be held from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m., will be taught by JCC Tennis Pro Pam Lippy in the JCC gymnasium at 1125 College Ave.

Children will learn basic tennis and motor skills that lead to playing on "short" courses with foam balls, small racquets and other junior-sized equipment. Children of all skill levels are welcome.

Registration deadline is  Jan. 23. Early Bird Fee is $70 (add $10 after the registration deadline). Wilson Pee-Wee racquets are available for $20.

Another six-week session will begin April 7. Sign-up for both programs is $125.

For information, contact Jeanna Brownlee, JCC Director of Sports and Wellness, at 559-6274 or jbrownlee@columbusjcc.org.

Gallery Players to perform  Sondheim's "Forum"
Gallery Players, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus' theatre group, has announced a change in its upcoming show schedule. Instead of the previously scheduled "South Pacific," the company will present Stephen Sondheim's "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum."

The musical is a comedy in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful, but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom.

"We made the switch in the schedule due to a variety of reasons, most importantly, that there currently is a renewed interest in Stephen Sondheim's work," said Jared Saltman, JCC Cultural Arts director. "Those auditioning for 'South Pacific' expressed more of an interest in auditioning for 'Forum,' when given a choice between the two."
Sondheim is receiving renewed attention due to a Broadway revival and a film version of "Sweeney Todd."

"Forum" has a script by Larry Gelbart, known for creating the television show "M*A*S*H" and the screenplay for "Tootsie."

The show schedule will follow the previous one, set for Saturday, Feb. 23, March 1 and 8, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 24, March 2 and 9, at 2:30 p.m.; Thursday, Feb. 28 and March 6, at 7:30 p.m.

All season ticket holders' ticket purchases will be honored at the newly scheduled show.

The other show remaining in the schedule is "Brooklyn Boy," May 17-June 1, with auditions March 16-18.

"Brooklyn Boy," a drama written by Donald Margulies, is a story about what happens when the marginally successful writing career of middle-aged author Eric Weiss begins to take off with the publication of his novel.

Tickets for individual shows are $12 for JCC members, $18 for nonmembers, $10 for senior members, $16 for senior non-members, $8 for students, and $10 per ticket for groups of 10 or more.

Those interested in making contributions to support the theater may become a JCC Patron of the Arts. Patron levels are $100 (with the patron receiving two tickets to one show), $250 (four tickets to one show), $500 (two subscriptions) and $1,000 (four subscriptions).

For information on season subscriptions or becoming a JCC Patron of the Arts, visit the Gallery Players website at jccgalleryplayers.org, or call 559-6248.

Summer camp brochure to go online for early registration
On Feb. 1, the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Greater Columbus' Summer Camp brochure will be made available online, with registrations beginning Feb. 8.
Rachel Fox, JCC camping services director, stressed that fees are remaining the same as they were for the 2007 season.

JCC Summer Camps, accredited by the American Camping Association, offer camping options for ages 3 to 25. The variety of programs include an early childhood camp, traditional day camps and intensive specialty camps, such as Circus Camp, Theatre Camp, Art Camp and Sports Camp.

A special needs camp also is offered for children, youth and adults. Daily swimming lessons also are included for all campers (excluding Specialty Camps). In addition, a registered nurse or an American Red Cross certified first aid provider is at each of the three camp sites during all hours of camp operation.

The JCC offers flexible enrollment options to meet the needs of busy families, and transportation and extended childcare also are offered. A sibling discount also is available.

For information, contact Fox at 559-6253 or rfox@columbusjcc.org.

Kids can audition for "Willie Wonka"
The Children, Youth and Camping department of the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Greater Columbus will hold auditions for this spring's presentation of "Willy Wonka" Auditions Feb. 4 and 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

"Every child who auditions will be given a part," said Rachel Fox, director of the Children, Youth and Camping department. "This will be a great opportunity for kids who are interested in theater to learn more about acting."

Students in the 2nd through 12th grades are invited to audition for placement in the show.

Rehearsals will begin Feb. 13, and be held every Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., and Monday and Wednesday, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., through April 9.

Performances are scheduled for Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m.; Friday, April 11 at 10:30 a.m.; and Sunday, April 13, at 1 and 5 p.m.

For information, visit the JCC website at www.columbusjcc.org, or contact Rachel Fox at 559-6253 or rfox@columbusjcc.org.

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