Southwest Jewish Congress

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,

05/14/2026

It is with extreme sadness we share the passing of one of our Inspiring Women, Mary Evans Sias. May her memory be for a blessing and she continue to live in the stories shared with family and friends.

View service details.

05/08/2026

What an incredible gift Thanks Giving Square Foundation and their visionary leader and our 2026 award recipient, Kyle Ogden, has given to our community! Seeing people from so many cultures, races, and religions come together for the National Day of Prayer was truly beautiful. 🩷🙏🩷

We are grateful Southwest Jewish Congress Board members Rosie Stromberg (who has been involved since its founding) and Kevin Bolton, incoming co-Presidents, Anita Tann Weinstein and Jeff Weiss and incoming Executive Director, Lorraine Rainey Friedman could be a part of this meaningful 50th Anniversary celebration.

05/07/2026

Richard Miles, you and Miles of Freedom continue to make a difference. Thank you for being a Man of Action!

When urgent needs go unmet, everything else gets harder.

Since 2019, MILES of Freedom has helped feed South Dallas through our partnership with the North Texas Food Bank. We provide free fresh produce, vegetables, and dry goods to anyone who needs them.

No zip code requirement. No income limit. No ID required.

Find us at the MLK Jr. Community Center (2922 MLK Jr Blvd, Dallas, TX 75215) every Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

05/06/2026

Cinco de Mayo this year was not your typical celebration 🎉 —it felt like connection in motion as SWJC covered a lot of ground— from two college campuses to a retirement community.

At UT Dallas, students gathered not just for music 🎶 and delicious food 🥘, but for something deeper: a sense of belonging with a Jewish American Heritage Month Celebration. Thanks to Abbii Cook, Helen Kalmans, and her team, for creating such a fantastic opportunity for their students to connect and learn about their Jewish classmates.

Then, we attended a film screening 🎥 and heard from 103-year-old Walter Levy, who shared his experience and incredible insights into a part of the Holocaust most people have never heard of. What an incredible legend he is… absolutely brilliant!

Finally, that evening, Susan Myers, Susie Salfield Avnery and Lorraine Rainey Friedman attended a Hillel Dedication at SMU. Thanks to Rabbi Heidi Cortez, and the support from the entire SMU community including the President, Dean and Provost (all of whom spoke at the event) this is not just a building, but a future hub for Jewish life, learning, and community on their campus. ✡️ It is a place where students can gather, celebrate, question, and grow together. It’s exciting to imagine the memories that will be made there, the traditions that will begin, and the doors that will open.🚪

05/01/2026

Please visit our website at www.SWJC.org to see celebratory videos for each award recipient and all the 200+ photos on our Events page! ❤️