Capi Peck is usually working behind the scenes. But on Dec. 8, the chef, restaurateur and city director was at the forefront as the grand honoree of the Jewish Federation of Arkansas at Bridging Worlds: the 15th annual Jane B. Mendel Tikkun Olam ("Repairing the Worlds") Awards. The event, co-chaired by Martha and Charles Alman, took place in the William Grant Still Ballroom of Little Rock's Robinson Center.
Rebekah Scallet, mistress of ceremonies, welcomed guests. Martha Alman -- standing in for the ailing Silvana Berlinski, federation president -- provided an overview of the federation and its mission. Community rabbis offered a ha motzi, or the blessing of the bread, before a buffet dinner that offered a wide variety of kosher dishes and delicacies. The rabbis also performed the lighting of the Hanukkah candles.
Marianne Tettlebaum, outgoing federation executive director, introduced and oversaw the awards ceremony, which also recognized a host of other honorees for their work in the Jewish community: Tracy Carlock, Ati'Day Yisroel Childhood Center; Daniel Girone, Congregation Agudath Achim; Meg Goldenberg Marion, Congregation B'Nai Israel; Jodi and Rick Prohofsky, Congregation Etz Chaim in Bentonville; Millie Baron, Congregation House of Israel in Hot Springs; Hanna Liebermann and Rebecca Levin, Hendrix Hillel in Conway; Noah Bradshaw, Hillel at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; Debbie Kagan Brady, Jewish Federation; Marvin Schwartz, Lubavitch of Arkansas; Stanley Rest, Temple Shalom in Fayetteville; and Selina and Lynn Rosen, United Hebrew Congregation in Fort Smith.
Highlighting the program were two songs -- "The Journey" and "Classified Top Secret," the stories of Jewish war veterans Derek Mumford and Gene Weinstein, respectively. Both songs were written and performed by Steve Dean and Don Goodman of Nashville, Tenn.-based Operation Song, in which Peck is involved; the organization empowers veterans, active duty military people and their families to tell their stories via songwriting.
Introduced by Vice Mayor Kathy Webb and given her award, Peck vowed not to cry during her acceptance speech. "I am truly truly humbled and grateful," she said before giving acknowledgments and thank-yous and offering words of inspiration.
High Profile on 12/23/2018