The Alternative Press

WESTFIELD, N J — Dr. Dorothy and Gerry Cantor of Westfield will be honored at the 16th Annual United Jewish Appeal Benefit Concert on at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. A community dessert reception will take place first at 2 p.m.

A stockbroker with Merrill Lynch in Short Hills, Gerry Cantor twice served as president of Jewish Federation of Central NJ and was the first lay president of the Interfaith Council for the Homeless of Union County, which was honored with a Presidential Points-of-Light Recognition from President George H.W. Bush. He also received the Prudential National Pacesetter Award in Volunteerism. A voting delegate and committee chair of the Jewish Agency Assembly in Israel for over 20 years, he is co-chair of the Ness Fund, which supports economic development in the Negev region of Israel, and a past president of the Board of Trustees of Rutgers University Hillel. In his spare time, he is an actor and member of the Screen Actors Guild/AFTRA.

Chair-elect of the Board of Trustees of Rutgers University, Dorothy Cantor is a psychologist with a private practice in Westfield and president of the American Psychological Foundation. She was recently inducted into the Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni as a graduate of its Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. The 105th president of the American Psychological Association (APA), Dr. Cantor is a past president of the New Jersey Psychological Association and a co-founder of Women in Psychology for Legislative Action, a national PAC. Author of Finding Your Voice, and What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?, she has appeared as an expert on countless television shows.

The concert itself will consist of an eclectic mix of musical traditions when the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and guest solo clarinetist David Krakauer perform. Musical selections will include Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland, Clarinet Concerto by Mozart, traditional tune Synagogue Wail and traditional tune Der Heyser Bulgar.

Performing under Conductor Stefan Sanderling, Krakauer is both one of the world’s leading exponents of klezmer music and a major voice in classical music. He recently toured extensively with multi-genre super-group Abraham Inc., which he co-leads with funk legend Fred Wesley and hip-hop renegade Socalled.

Krakauer is in demand worldwide as a guest soloist with such ensembles as Emerson, Orion and Kronos string quartets. His discography includes six CDs under his own name plus collaborations with such icons as the Klezmatics and violinist Itzak Perlman. His unique sound can be heard as soloist in Danny Elfman's score for the film Taking Woodstock and throughout The Tango Lesson.

This concert will benefit the work of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, which encompasses Essex, Morris, Sussex, Union, and parts of Somerset County. Through its network of 27 local and 4 overseas partners, the Federation creates a safety net for the Jewish and larger community in Greater MetroWest, Israel and in 70 countries around the world by providing family crisis and mental health counseling; vocational counseling, supportive services for seniors, people of all ages with disabilities and women in abusive relationships; and advocacy on important public policy issues and assaults on Israel’s legitimacy.

The NJSO, now in its 90th season, annually presents classical, pops and family subscription concerts, as well as summer parks performances, special concerts and events. The NJSO brings the symphonic-music experience to more than 150,000 people each year and reaches thousands more through radio broadcasts.

Tickets to this event are $20 to $88. For tickets, call 973-624-3713 or visit njsymphony.org/uja. For more information, visit http://www.jfedgmw.org/concert or call 973-929-2969.