Last month, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas’s Women’s Philanthropy Division hosted a luncheon for their Pomegranate and Lions of Judah Societies, where the women connected as a community and celebrated their Jewish joy. For event co-chair Elizabeth Bracken, who grew up in Dallas, being involved in the Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy Division is simple: “it is my hope that Jewish Dallas remains the strong, vibrant community that shaped me—for my kids, for their kids, and for generations to come,” she explained in her remarks.
The luncheon featured a powerful conversation between moderator, Alana Newhouse, the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Tablet Magazine, and guest speaker, Zibby Owens, the Editor of On Being Jewish Now and Founder and CEO of Zibby Media. The pair discussed how Zibby’s public support for Israel led to a wave of hate after the October 7 attacks, primarily from the literary community, which she had worked to nurture and support. This negative experience inspired her to start collecting the thoughts and words of others about what it means to be Jewish today.
Emphasizing how important it is to celebrate our identity, both in Jewish and non-Jewish spaces, Zibby reminded the room that even when facing challenges, it’s essential to share our voices through personal and authentic stories, and she reinforced the importance of serving the Jewish community and being the change we want to see.
