community review www.jewishharrisburg.org
June 23, 2017 | 29 sivan, 5777| Vol. 92; No. 132 Published by The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg | Greater Harrisburg’s Jewish Newspaper
Celebration for Jean and Corinne For over thirty years the Greater Harrisburg JCC’s Brenner Family Early Learning Center has had the pleasure of having Pre-K Teachers Jean Chernicoff and Corinne Killien educating, loving, caring for, hugging and helping hundreds possibly even thousands of our children grow into school age students; and this August 2017, these two amazing women are retiring from their teaching careers. This is a bittersweet announcement, as they have truly touched so many lives in fact have had multiple generations over their years. OnThursday, June 8, we celebrated the meaningful impact they have had in the ongoing success of our Early Learning Center. Jean and Corinne received proclamations from the House and Senate. The ELC teachers strutted their stuff and did a fashion show with all the fun and zany costumes they wore over the years. Leslie Ocko created an amazing video and the
Pre-K room was dedicated to them in their honor. Under Jean and Corinne’s tenure as Pre-K teachers, the Early Learning Center grew to become one of the premier preschools in central Pennsylvania. Our children learned beginning reading skills, enhanced Jewish Holidays, core skills in all academic areas, strong socialization skills & how to become good peers. We all will treasure the artwork, the journals, the weekly progress reporting and stories our children tell for many years to come. Their lessons will be everlasting. We all wish Jean and Corinne and wish them the best of luck in their new endeavors. Although they are leaving the Federation as full-time employees, they will always remain part of the Federation family and leave an indelible mark on our Brenner Family Early Learning Center.
Kol Haneshama Held Its Second Annual Concert Upon entering the Mary Sachs Auditorium on May 21, attendees could appreciate the soothing sounds of Kol Haneshama, the Harrisburg Jewish Chorus. Songs like Shalom Rav, Kol Dodi, and more were performed by the group. Melissa Kline, one of the region’s most accomplished young singers and actresses performed two songs adding to the experience of the evening. She sang I can Cook Too (On the Town – Leonard Bernstein) and The Man That Got Away (A Star is Born – Ira Gershwin & Harold Arlen). Melissa has received three Hershey Theatre Apollo Awards (five nominations) and the AMC National Association of Teachers of Singing Award.
“I’ve gone to their concerts in the past and always appreciate a delightful display of Jewish music,” Federation President and CEO, Jenn Ross said “It’s a pleasure to hear them sing.” Bruce Bayuk (z”l) who passed away earlier this year was honored at the Sunday afternoon concert with an empty chair on stage next to a music stand. This was the Second Annual concert to honor Janet Frankel Staub (z”l), the founder of Kol Haneshama. Described as a talented and bright woman, Janet assembled the chorus as a gift to the world that would continue to live on. “I’m happy to see new faces and the actualization of Janet’s dream,” Longtime friend of Janet, Myra Sacks said. Janet recruited many of the current members, like David Spector, to complete her vision. “I came from a musical background. My father played instruments and my mother was in a choir. I did chorus, band, played the guitar, and sang in shul,” David Spector said. Kol HaNeshama director, Marina Cherepinsky, was also recruited by Janet. She has a distinguished career as a performer in her native Russia, and in Central Pennsylvania as a choral and instrumental music educator and choral director. The mixed voices acapella chorus is an activity of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg. They perform music composed in a variety of styles with Jewish texts taken from traditional liturgical and contemporary sources. The chorus provides the opportunity for adult singers to come together to enrich artistic life in South Central Pennsylvania by performing and promoting Jewish music in all its different forms. Now in its third season, the chorus performs at area synagogues, colleges, senior center events, and community Continued on page 7