AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 27

O

ne year ago, the 
community lost a 
beloved mentor and 
past president of JHSM (Jewish 
Historical Society of Michigan): 
Judith Levin Cantor. Almost 
immediately, Judy Cantor’s 
niece, Peggy Daitch, and the 
leadership of JHSM began a 
search for an appropriate and 
unique tribute to launch the 
Judith Levin Cantor Legacy 
Fund.
They hit on an interesting 
connection between George 
and Ira Gershwin and the 
University of Michigan. The 
Gershwins’ grand-nephew, 
Todd Gershwin (son of 
Marc George Gershwin) is a 
U-M alumnus. He initiated 
a partnership between the 
Gershwin estate and U-M’s 
School of Music, Theatre & 
Dance, to create critical editions 
of Gershwin compositions and 
offer a variety of courses and 
musical performances. The 
Gershwin Initiative, which 
also holds dozens of Gershwin 
scores, was born.
“This is just the kind of local 
connection to Jewish history 

Judy Cantor would have loved,” 
said Jeannie Weiner, JHSM 
president. “Making a program 
out of it was a very easy 
decision.”
The hottest ticket in town is 
scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 10, 
from 2-4 p.m. at Congregation 
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield as 
JHSM presents, “Fascinating 
Rhythm: An Afternoon of 
Gershwin,” a spellbinding mix 
of music and remarks.
At the keyboard will be 
Bay City resident Kevin Cole, 
internationally regarded as 
the foremost interpreter of 
Gershwin compositions. One 
reviewer has raved, “When 
Cole sits down at the piano, you 
would swear Gershwin himself 
was at the work.” Cole has 
had a distinguished career as 
a music director and arranger. 
He is a graduate of Interlochen 
Arts Academy.
Cole will be joined by 
three Gershwin Initiative 
faculty: Associate Professor of 
Musicology Mark Clague, who 
serves as the critical editions’ 
editor-in-chief, as well as 
managing editor Andrew S. 

Kohler and soprano Caroline 
Helton, a clinical associate 
professor of music. Several 
students are also slated to 
perform.
Composer-pianist George 
Gershwin (born Jacob 
Gershwine) and lyricist 
Ira Gershwin (born Israel 
Gershovitz) together and 
separately created some of 
20th-century America’s most 
memorable music. “They 
were known for innovative, 
genre-bending melodies and 
clever wordplay,” said JHSM’s 
executive director, Catherine 
Cangany, PhD. “We are 
anticipating a high-energy 
afternoon of music and history.”
Sponsorships and tickets 
are available. Sponsorship 
donations begin at $180 and are 
earmarked for the Judith Levin 
Cantor Legacy Fund for future 
outstanding programs. Tickets 
are on sale for $100 (JHSM 
members), $118 (nonmembers) 
and $36 (students).
For more information or to 
register, visit www.jhsmichigan.
org/calendar or call (248) 915-
0114. 

The Hottest Ticket in Town

Join JHSM for ‘Fascinating Rhythm’ — a Gershwin concert.

‘Springboard to 
Success’ 

A free four-week program 
for Metro Detroit women 
who have been out of the 
workforce and need to learn 
basic computer skills, essen-
tial for many employment 
opportunities, as well as job 
search skills, will have an 
informational meeting on 
Sept. 7 at Gesher Human 
Services, 29699 Southfield 
Road, Southfield. 
The program, Springboard 
to Success, combines the 
nonprofit’s successful 
Women to Work program, 
which has helped thousands 
of women obtain work since 
the 1980s, with Gesher’s 
Computer Basics Class for 
job seekers. Springboard to 
Success will begin on Sept. 
12 and run on Tuesdays 
and Thursdays from 9 a.m. 
to noon, ending on Oct. 5. 
For more information go to 
www.geshermi.org/women-
towork.
“With inflation so high, we 
know that many moms are 
now thinking about going 
back into the workforce this 
school year to help their 
family’s budget,” explained 
Employment Specialist 
Judy Richmond, who is the 
Women to Work coordinator. 
“There can be many obsta-
cles to a woman getting 
appropriate employment, 
especially when their chil-
dren are young, and we are 
able to provide the vital skills 
they need to land a job that 
works for them, whether 
it is full-time, part-time or 
remote.”
The program is completely 
free. For more information, 
reach out to class coordina-
tor Judy Richmond by calling 
(248) 233-4232 or emailing 
jrichmond@geshermi.org. 

