Southwest Jewish Congress

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Southwest Jewish Congress

We are dedicated to educating the public on Israel and the Middle East and celebrating cultural and interfaith diversity in the community.

SWJC is committed to educating, empowering, and elevating our community through impactful programs, dynamic events, and grants that advance social justice, foster understanding of Israel & the Middle East, and celebrate cultural and interfaith diversity.

06/19/2026

What a fabulous Juneteenth celebration today at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum! Thank you, Mary Pat for bringing us all together for such a meaningful day:
🌟 Met and heard the story of Dale Long, a Living Legend, who survived the Birmingham bombings in 1963 and dedicated his life to civil rights and making a difference for Black Americans and racial equality, interviewed by the inspiring Executive Director of Project Unity, Charlene Edwards.
💪 heard of the incredibly impactful life of Juanita Craft from Patricia Perez, and
♥️ got to spend the day with our amazing co-Presidents Anita Tann Weinstein and Jeff Weiss and our wonderful new Board member, Sandy Washington.

At SWJC, we see Juneteenth as a powerful reminder that freedom, once delayed, must still be honored, protected, and celebrated. It marks not just the end of slavery in the United States, but invites all of us to reflect on our shared history, recognize the ongoing journey toward equality, and commit to building a future rooted in dignity and justice for everyone.

The truth is that Juneteenth is both a celebration of liberation 🎉 and a call to action 📣 to continue the work of ensuring that freedom truly reaches all.

06/15/2026

At Project Unity Collab Lab today with VP of Programming, Helen Kalmans. Fabulous opportunity to connect, engage and build bridges! ❤️

06/14/2026

Join us for an important and timely training. SWJC in partnership with Congregation Beth Torah is hosting an ADL training Wednesday, June 24th at 7pm to build your communication skills to handle tough conversations. You don’t want to miss this one! RSVP to [email protected] for location and details!

06/07/2026

❤️ Thank you to everyone who attended our SWJC Annual Meeting last Monday. It was inspiring to hear from our past (Susan Myers and Susie Salfield Avnery) and future leaders (Jeff Weiss, Anita Tann Weinstein and Lorraine Rainey Friedman) about the power of Building Bridges through our community!
❤️ The sold out crowd was in for a real treat with a delicious dinner from May Dragon and our incredible panel of QC Stone, Jin-Ya Huang and Larry Goldstein, who spoke about “Building Bridges through Food.”
❤️ We invite you to join us as we make a difference here in DFW… and beyond.

❤️ Thank you to our new Board Member, QC Stone and Sam Chu for this wonderful video.

06/03/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us Monday for such an inspiring and energizing SWJC Annual Meeting. The excitement in the room was undeniable, and it was wonderful to gather with so many people who share a passion for strengthening our community.

It was a bittersweet moment to say “goodbye” to Susan Myers, who has been with SWJC from the very beginning and served as our Executive Director for the past decade. She and Susie Salfield Avnery, who stepped down as President of the Board after nine years, both received awards of Appreciation and Gratitude for their dedicated leadership and service to the organization. Susie also received a special honor, the Mel Meyers “Spirit of Life” award (the second person to ever receive this honor — alongside Cindy Ray) as someone making a lasting impact within the organization. 🌟

At the meeting, we welcomed our new board members, congratulated our new Co-Presidents of the Board, Anita Tann Weinstein and Jeff Weiss and introduced our new Executive Director, Lorraine Rainey Friedman. Their leadership, vision, and commitment will help guide us as we continue our mission of building bridges throughout our community and creating a stronger, more connected city (and beyond).

A special thank you to our incredible panelists, QC Stone, Jin-Ya Huang and Larry Goldstein, who spoke so authentically and beautifully from the heart about the power of food to make a difference in people’s lives and to bring people together. From Break Bread, Break Borders to Serving Hope to Catering by Larry — their stories reminded us that some of the most meaningful connections are built around shared meals, shared experiences, and shared humanity. 🫶

As we look ahead, we are filled with excitement and optimism for what the future holds. Together, we have an incredible opportunity to deepen connections, foster understanding, and create lasting impact across our community.

Thank you for being part of this journey. We can't wait to see what we can accomplish together. ❤️

05/29/2026

As Jewish American Heritage Month comes to an end, we had to share this adorable video. Even Sesame Street loves Matzo Ball Soup — which leads to our shameless plug to join us THIS COMING MONDAY, June 1st for our SWJC Annual Meeting where the topic for our panel is “The Power of Food to Build Bridges!”

We have an exciting evening planned with 🎉 the installation of six new Board members,
🎉 new co-Presidents Anita Tann Weinstein and Jeff Weiss and
🎉 our new Executive Director, Lorraine Rainey Friedman, and
🙌 the retirement of Susan Myers after 17 years of service and leadership to SWJC, 🏆 and celebration and award for Susie Salfield Avnery, stepping down as President after nine years of dedicated leadership!

We have 15 seats left! Hope you grab one! Email [email protected] to reserve your spot today! ❤️

05/26/2026

Have you sent in your RSVP?!? It’s less than one week away! 😳 You don’t want to miss this special celebration — SWJC’s Annual Meeting June 1, 2026, from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. for a delicious buffet dinner and an evening of celebration, reflection, and new beginnings.🎉

This year’s gathering marks an important moment in our organization’s journey as we:
🩷 recognize our Executive Director, Susan Myers, as she steps down after 17 years of dedicated leadership
🎉 celebrate nine years of Susie Salfield Avnery as our President
🫡 honor those Board members who have served for years and are retiring.

Together, we’ll also look ahead to an exciting new chapter for SWJC as we:
👏 welcome our co-Presidents, Anita Weinstein and Jeff Weiss
🙌 install six new Board members and our incoming executive Director, Lorraine Friedman.

Enjoy a dinner buffet, engage in a thoughtful panel discussion about the “Power of Food to Build Bridges,” and take time to reconnect with familiar faces while welcoming new ones into our community.

Admission is free for members and $20 for non-members. Limited seating, so please RSVP at [email protected] today. We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful evening as we move into our next chapter at SWJC. ❤️

05/19/2026

We invite you to join SWJC for our Annual Meeting June 1, 2026, from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. for a delicious buffet dinner and a special evening of celebration, reflection, and new beginnings.

This year’s gathering marks an important moment in our organization’s journey as we:
🩷 recognize our Executive Director, Susan Myers, as she steps down after 17 years of dedicated leadership
🎉 celebrate nine years of Susie Salfield Avnery as our President
🫡 honor those Board members who have served for years and are retiring.

Together, we’ll also look ahead to an exciting new chapter for SWJC as we:
👏 welcome our co-Presidents, Anita Weinstein and Jeff Weiss
🙌 install six new Board members and our incoming executive Director, Lorraine Friedman.

Enjoy a dinner buffet, engage in a thoughtful panel discussion about the “Power of Food to Build Bridges,” and take time to reconnect with familiar faces while welcoming new ones into our community.

Admission is free for members and $20 for non-members. Limited seating, so please RSVP at [email protected] today. We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful evening as we move into our next chapter at SWJC. ❤️

05/18/2026

We had an incredible time at our Welcome “Meet & Greet” Brunch and mini-retreat for our new and current Board members! It was a day filled with connection, learning, and plenty of laughter. 🤩

From diving into the mission and vision of the organization to engaging in team-building exercises, the day gave everyone a chance to better understand not only the work ahead, but each other.

We played team building games like “human bingo” to get to know random facts about each other. In another exercise that demonstrates how people work under pressure, one group embraced a lighthearted “c’est la vie” approach being imaginative and creative (with laughter filling their room), while another jumped into action, assigning roles and strategizing for survival—showcasing the diverse strengths and styles that make our Board so dynamic. 💪

Then, Helen Kalmans, our VP of Programming, gave us a preview of coming attractions, including our Annual Meeting, June 1st! Finally, we wrapped up the day with a powerful reflection: each person sharing one word to describe whatSWJC means to them. The responses were thoughtful, inspiring, and a reminder of the shared purpose that brings us all together.

It was truly an amazing, feel-good day that left everyone more connected, more energized, 💥 and even more invested in each other and the organization. We’re all excited for what’s ahead in the next chapter of SWJC with Anita Tann Weinstein and Jeff Weiss as incoming co-Presidents and Lorraine Rainey Friedman as our new Executive Director! ❤️

05/15/2026

We had a wonderful time celebrating Susan Myers at her SWJC Board Retirement luncheon today. So many heartfelt tributes were shared, recognizing the meaningful impact she’s made in our community and the lasting legacy she leaves behind. She is truly cherished by all who have had the privilege of knowing and working with her. 🥰

Celebrating with Board members: Susie Salfield Avnery, Cindy Ray, Anita Tann Weinstein, Pearl Garza Fracchia, Helen Kalmans, Lorraine Rainey Friedman, Harry Ploss and Jeff Weiss,

Address

10440 N Central Expwy
Dallas, TX
75231

Telephone

+12143610018

Website

http://www.swjc.org/

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