Occupation: Book group coordinator, Jewish Community Library Home: San Francisco Achievement: The author, editor and former librarian is writing a memoir, titled “My Grandmother’s Suitcase,” about how the family’s secret Jewish heritage informs the story of his mother being kidnapped in 1933 by her father and taken from France to the U.S.  Read More

Occupation: Perfomer Home: San Francisco Achievement: The international star founded the Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival in 1975.  He’ll display his love for his Russian heritage in a free performance from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Redwood City’s downtown Courthouse Square.   Read More

Occupation Improv teacher Home Sausalito Achievement The leader of an improvisaton class at San Francisco’s Jewish Home inspires elderly residents who attend the bi-weekly “Esther Weintraub Comedy Clinic” (named for a late resident). Through creating spontaneous stories and songs, they find new ways to connect. Read More

Aug. 29 will mark three years since Hurricane Katrina struck. The resulting death, devastation and destruction have been ranked near the sinking of the Titanic as one of the worst human-error-attributable tragedies ever. To give voice to those still being affected in the Gulf Region, local poets and artists created a poetry anthology called “Words Upon the Waters: A Response by San Francisco Bay Area Artists in Support of Hurricane Katrina Survivors.” Read More