Dancing with Jewish Stars

DANCING with the Jewish Stars, with a theme this second year of the Revenge of the Polka, was March 13 at Congregation B’nai Israel and what a show of talent it was, led by Fagie Benstein, chairman.

The St. Ursula Academy dance troupe opened the show with a fabulous performance that set the toe-tapping mood for the evening, which was attended by 250 supporters.

Emcee Cantor Jamie Gloth kept the spirit going for the intergenerational and intercongregational event. Rabbi Moshe Saks got in on the act and dressed as “Rabbi Moshe E. Presley.”

Between performances, folks kibbitzed, shopped the silent auction, and noshed. The auction raised nearly $4,000 which certainly brought a smile to the face of congregational president Michael Podolsky.

The Stein Family Tap Dancers — Howard, Dagmar, Cory, and Sean Stein — gave a delightful performance.

Couples performed a variety of dance routines: Ann and Howard Rosenberg, swing; Irina Zaurov and Priscilla D’Anniballe, flamenco; high school juniors Lindsay Scheinbach, the United Synagogue Youth president, and Eli Kaufman, vice president, hip-hop; Hedva and Buzz Romanoff, rumba; Ellen Federman and Steve Federman, polka, and a special performance by Sharon Russell Aloni and Alan Brenner, Argentinian tango.

The CBI Sisterhood Dancing Queen Rocketts, in vintage hats and red T-shirts, did a hora variation featuring Luann Garber, Sharon Hoicowitz, Ann Rosenberg, Anne Bauer, Shirley Gerber, Sue Kale, Gail Kwait, Michelle Kart, Cheryl Rothschild, Judy Scheinbach, Rhoda Miller, Judy Weinberg, and Mrs. Benstein.

Gold medals were presented to dance participants. The evening ended with the community hora, featuring representatives from Temple Shomer Emunim, Etz Chayim, Hadassah, ORT (Organization for Rehabilitation and Training), and the United Jewish Council and its agencies.

-Toledo Blade