She took a leave of absence in 1997 to complete Jewish Stars in Texas, had a publishing contract within a month, and never went back to journalism.  Jewish Stars in Texas, now in its 3^rd printing and available in paperback, profiles trailblazing Lone Star rabbis.  

Hollace went on to edit Lone Stars of David: The Jews of Texas, a coffee-table book from Brandeis University Press and the Texas Jewish Historical Society. Published in Feb. 2007, the anthology quickly went into a 2^nd printing. It won the Deolece Parmelee Award from the Texas Historical Foundation. It was among the books featured at the Texas Book Festival in Austin, Nov. 4, 2007.

Hollace's next book, Jewish "Junior League": The Rise and Demise of the Fort Worth Council of Jewish Women, traced the growth and collapse of Fort Worth's most prestigious Jewish women's group. The book, published by TAMU Press in 2008, originated as Hollace's Master's thesis from the University of Texas at Arlington.

A popular anthology, Grace & Gumption: Stories of Fort Worth Women, from TCU Press, includes a chapter Hollace wrote about Amelia Rosenstein, the colorful teacher who ran Fort Worth's Americanization School. The book’s sequel, Grace & Gumption: The Cookbook, published in 2010, includes Hollace's essay, "Let My People Eat."

Hollace has spent the last couple of years researching and writing the centennial history of Fort Worth's oldest country club. The book, titled River Crest Country Club, the First 100 Years, is slated for publication this fall. It will be sold through the country club and be distributed to archives and reference libraries that specialize in Fort Worth history and golf history.

Another of Hollace's historical essays, “Whistling ‘Dixie’ While Humming ‘Ha’Tikvah,’” was published in the winter 2007 issue of American Jewish History, the journal of the American Jewish Historical Society. Most recently, the 2009 issue of Southern Jewish History published Hollace’s analysis of “Grassroots Reactions to the [1903] Kishinev Pogrom in Fort Worth and Atlanta.”

A past president of the Southern Jewish Historical Society and the Association for Women Journalists, Hollace has won research grants from the Jewish Women’s Archive in Brookline, Mass., the Southern Jewish Historical Society, the Texas Jewish Historical Society, and the American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati. She keeps her sanity and stays in shape by working out with Team Ridglea Master Swim Team. 

Hollace lives in Fort Worth with her husband, Bruce, a children's dentist and a graduate of Virginia Military Institute. They have two grown children, who live in New York and Virginia, and three grandchildren.

For interviews or to arrange for Hollace Weiner to speak to your group email hollacew@att.net

Upcoming Speaking Engagements

Gainesville, TX., 10:30 am, October 15, 2011. Morton Museum
"Gainesville's United Hebrew Congregation (1881-1922) and its Relevance Today." Speech at fall meeting of the Texas Jewish Historical Society describing the rise and dissolution of Gainesville's cattle-era congregation.  Registration, $75. Contact: vvogel@cvctx.com

Fort Worth, 10 am, April 4, 2012
Beth-El Congregation, 4900 Briarhaven Road, Ft Worth. Hollace will take members of the Alliance of the Fort Worth District Dental Society on a tour of the synagogue and also talk about her books, which will be for sale in the Judaica Shop

Previous Speaking Engagements

March 8, 2010
Fort Worth Museum of Science & History
Montgomery Street, Fort Worth

“Grace & Gumption: Stories of Fort Worth Women." Hollace delivers a ten-minute impersonation of Amelia Rosenstein, longtime dean of the erstwhile Americanization School. Also on the program are two or three other characters-come-to-life from the popular book Grace & Gumption: Stories of Fort Worth Women. Program is sponsored by the Auxiliary to the Museum.

March 5, 2010
Texas State Historical Association annual conference
10:30 a.m.  Marriott Quorum Hotel, Dallas
Preston Trail II room
“The Babe, the Ladies, and the Gentleman's Game of Golf,” is Hollace’s topic. It is part of a panel titled, “Bending and Extending Boundaries from the Rodeo Arena to the Greens.” One-day registration at the conference is $40.

Tulsa, Okla, Jan. 16, 2009.
Quarterly meeting, Texas Jewish Historical Society in conjunction with Tulsa Jewish Genealogical Society. “Let My People Eat,” illustrated talk focusing on Fort Worth’s community Passover Seder for the troops in 1942.  Location:  Schusterman Jewish Community Center, 1900 block E. 71st Street, Tulsa, Okla., 74136

New Orleans, LA: Nov. 1, 2009.
Southern Jewish Historical Society annual meeting; Moderator and commentator for panel on “Different Jewish Responses to the Challenge of Civil Rights.” Presented at Jones Hall, Tulane University

Longview, TX: Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007, 10 a.m. to noon.
Temple Emanu-El, 1205 Eden Dr., Longview, Texas. The East Texas Jewish community celebrates its 70th anniversary with a weekend reunion. The book-and-author session Saturday morning features Hollace Weiner and Jan Statman, a contributor to “Lone Stars of David” and the

Georgetown, TX:  Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007, 1 pm, at Sun City in the atrium and meeting rooms of the Activity Center Bldg.  Hollace Weiner talks about "Lone Stars of David." Jack Gerrick, past president of Texas Jewish Historical Society, discusses a traveling photo exhibit about Jews in Texas.  Free to public.

Austin, TX: Texas Book Festival, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2007, 2 p.m., State Capitol Building; Hollace Weiner and Rabbi Ken Roseman give an illustrated talk about “Lone Stars of David: The Jews of Texas” followed by Q&A.  Book sales and signings.   
Info:  www.texasbookfestival.org or  (512) 477-4055.  

Fort Worth, TX.  Sat., Nov. 10, 2007. 2:30 to 3:30  p.m. Mass book signing by all 15 writers and editors of the new anthology “Grace & Gumption: Stories of Fort Worth Women.” Hollace's chapter is about Amelia Rosenstein, Livia Levine, Ann Bogart, and the local Americanization School. Barnes & Noble at University Drive shopping center

Fort Worth, TX: Wed., Nov. 14, 2007, 12 noon, Daytimers Luncheon Meeting at Beth-El Congregation, 4900 Briarhaven Rd; box lunch at noon with program at 12:30. Hollace Weiner joins two fellow writers—Katie Sherrod and Carol Roark—talking about "Grace & Gumption” a new anthology about Fort Worth Women. 

Click the image at right to purchase the book.

Fort Worth, TX: Thurs., Nov. 18, 2007, Tarrant County Historical Society dinner meeting at Beth-El Congregation, 4900 Briarhaven Rd., Fort Worth;   6 p.m. building tours; 7 p.m. dinner; 7:30 speaker. Hollace Weiner discusses Fort Worth’s Jewish History. The evening is co-sponsored by the Fort Worth Jewish Archives and the Beth-El Archives.
Info: Susie Pritchett, spritchett@tarrantcounty.com

Fort Worth, TX: Sun., Feb. 17,  7 PM, Mickey Goldman Spaghetti Supper, Beth-El Cong., 4900 Briarhaven Rd.  Hollace is receiving an award from Men of Reform Judaism for her leadership at Beth-El, including writing the congregation's centennial history and saving artifacts from the congregation’s 1920s temple. She plans to give an illustrated talk about the stained-glass windows, the limestone frieze, the menorahs, the marble ark, and other historic artifacts moved from the old Beth-El to the new. Info: 817-332-7141.  No charge. Donations for dinner accepted. 

Fort Worth, TX: Sat., Mar. 15, 1-3 PM, Women's History Month Celebration, auditorium, downtown public library, 500 W. 3rd St.   Grace & Gumption: Stories of Fort Worth Women. Hollace and several other contributors to this anthology dress up like the women they wrote about and perform five-minute monologues.  This dramatization, which includes a chorus-line dancer, an artist, and a journalist, is not to be missed. 
Info: Betty Shankle, senior librarian/archivist.
   
Plano, TX: Sun., April 13,10 AM, Congregation Nishmat Am, 2113 W. Springcreek Pkwy. “Deep in the Heart of Texas Jewry," an illustrated talk about the Jewish diaspora across Texas. Book sales and signings. Free. Open to the public.  
Info: 972-618-2200.