A magical afternoon is planned for Temple Israel’s Annual Gala, an event that includes a deluxe luncheon and entertainment from Philadelphia magician Mike Miller.

 Miller, a past president of the Society of American Magicians, says the show will delight all ages, from five to 105, and will feature significant audience participation. He has performed at Atlantic City casinos, including Caesar’s, Showboat, and Tropicana, and before sports organizations such as the Philadelphia Eagles and 76ers.

 To see Miller in action, go to www.mikemillersmagic.com.

 Linda and Jonathan Longman, members of Temple Israel, attended Miller’s show at Massanutten Resort in Virginia last summer.

 “He was an excellent magician!” the Longmans say. “So wonderfully unusual were some of his tricks that we could not begin to conjure a way in which he could do many of these feats of magic. It was a truly memorable show that kept us entertained and feeling a sense of wonderment well after it was over.”

 Norman Soroko, Temple Israel’s president, says, “The past five spring galas under my watch have been most successful. I’m confident that this year’s event will be an even bigger hit.”

 Tickets are $54 each. Sponsorships are also available: 

• Houdini – $7,500 (with 12 free tickets)

• Elphaba and Glinda – $5,000 (10 tickets)

• Penn and Teller – $2,500 (8 tickets)

• Harry Potter – $1,000 (6 tickets)

• Merlin – $750 (5 tickets)

• Wizard – $500 (4 tickets)

• Sorcerer – $250 (2 tickets)

Don’t let this opportunity disappear. To purchase tickets, make sponsorships, or for any questions, contact Temple Israel’s office at 757-489-4550 or templeisraelva1954@gmail.com. 

With the help of Artist in Residence Jordan Gorfinkel – “Gorf” to his many (and soon to be more) fans – Temple Israel will present a weekend in November of doing just that.  And who could be more qualified to talk about superpowers and superheroes than Gorf himself?

 Jordan Gorfinkel was an editor at DC Comics for nearly a decade, during which he managed the Batman franchise, producing more than 2,000 stories, as well as two highly successful movies, The Dark Knight Rises and Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn).  He’s also a comic book artist in his own right, an animation and multi-media entertainment producer, and an a cappella singer – most notably with the groups Beat’achon and Kol Zimra.  And he’s an author – he’s the creator of the Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel, as well as the Esther Graphic Novel.

 These days, Gorf uses his superhero expertise to draw Jewish people together for a Scholar in Residence experience (although he prefers ‘Artist in Residence’), culminating in his Jewish Cartoon Workshop with the inspirational message: MAKE JUDAISM YOUR SUPERPOWER! “I’m so excited to be joining the Temple Israel community,” says Gorf. “Together, we’re going to make Judaism and Israel your superpower through engaging Shabbat presentations, an eye-popping multimedia experience, and the kind of Batman-style creativity and excitement that brings Jewish scholarship and tradition to life. This is a one-of-a-kind weekend!”

The events, which are open to the community, include:

• Saturday, November 15, 9:30 am
Gorf will speak at Temple Israel’s Shabbat morning service about the connection between superheroes in comic books and the Torah. 

• Saturday, November 15, 7 pm
Following Havdalah, Gorf will offer a multimedia presentation, using Marvel and other film clips, on how pop culture icons affirm Jewish values.

• Sunday, November 16, 10 am
Gorf will guide participants to create their own Jewish-themed cartoons. This workshop is open to all ages, and no drawing skill is required. And there’s brunch.

RSVP for all events by calling the Temple office at 757-489-4550.