Shabbaton Weekend In Toronto, Canada
   Over the August 28-30th weekend, Toronto Jewish Association of the Deaf (TJAD) hosted its first Shabbaton Weekend at a hotel which was attended by over 80 people. This event which had Rabbi Chaim Kakon and Rabbi David Rabinowitz from Baltimore, MD participating, thanks to funding through the United Jewish Appeal Federation as part of Israel's 50th Anniversary. Martyn Wayne reports that "we had great workshops, children's programming, entertainments and a great opportunity to learn more about our Jewish roots. We had people coming in from the U.S.A. mostly from NYC, Halifax (Nova Scotia), and Montreal". TJAD is planning a Retreat Weekend in Niagara-on-the-Lake over the November 6-8th weekend to explore ways for TJAD's future.

Two Deaf Actresses Appear On PBS
   Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is scheduled to show three deaf actresses in an episode of 'The Puzzle Place on or around December 4th. The episode, titled 'I'm Talking to You', includes Academy-winning actress Marlee Matlin and deaf teenagers Sheena McFeeley and Mario Lovitch. Both Matlin and Lovitch are Jewish. According to the program description on the website for the Deaf Entertainment Foundation (DEF) of Beverly Hills, CA, "Syke is frustrated because one girl at the Play Center seems to be monopolizing the Shoot the Hoops game. He can't get a turn at the game because the girl keeps ignoring him. He returns later with Kiki and finds the same girl and her friend still playing. Kiki confronts the girls and discovers that they're both hearing impaired. Jane (Sheena McFeeley) and Wendy (Mario Lovitch) didn't realize Skye wanted to play the game because they didn't hear him talking to them. Back at the Puzzle Place, Syke and Kiki use the Weebus to reach deaf actress and Academy Award winner, Marlee Matlin, who teaches them about hearing disabilities, lip reading, and sign language, Jane and Wendy, portrayed by two hearing impaired young actors, also helped the kids understand about the degree of deafness and the differences in abilities to speak within the deaf community. Check your local TV listing for the exact day and time.

Gabrielle Petroff's Bat Mitzvah
   Over one hundred people attended a Sabbath service at Temple Beth Torah (TBT) in Philadelphia where Gabrielle 'Gabbi' Petroff had her bat mitzvah on Saturday, August 22nd. Lore Rosenthal interpreted the ceremony as Petroff led the congregation in the 'Bar'chu' with both voice and signs in Hebrew and English. She may have been nervous because it was the first time she used her voice in such a large gathering. Her regular interpreter, Karen Beth Staller, who had interpreted Petroff's TBT religious school classes, was also present but Petroff had requested Staller not 'work' on this special day but be able to enjoy this moment in Gabbi's life as a proud spectator! First, Petroff voiced in Hebrew, then asked the congregation to join her in English which she signed and voiced. Her parents was also given the honor of reading parts of the Torah. It was an emotional ceremony and it was reported in several publications. Petroff transferred last year from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf to Baldi Middle School in northeast Pennsylvania and some of her classmates also learned sign language and attended the bat mitzvah ceremony. She worked last summer volunteering her time at the Lawncrest Recreation Center's day camp. In her bat mitzvah speech, Petroff talks about good and bad people, rules for people to follow, laws and punishments which she says are our "blessings and curses." She says that "Temple Beth Torah welcoming Deaf children into the Congregation is a righteous act," and that the choice of a blessing or a curse is "especially relevant to my life, because I have often wondered, is it a blessing to be deaf or is it a curse?" She has decided to make it a blessing and explains that she has "two cultures in which I live. I feel I am lucky to live in both [deaf and hearing]! communities. God gave me all these blessings."
    JDCC applauds Temple Beth Torah for their commitment to providing an interpreter for Petroff's classes for the past three years.

HIGH HOLIDAY AND SUKKOT HIGHLIGHTS

JDCC Activities
   Over 30 people attended an informal creative Rosh Hashana service in Burbank on September 21st. Among the participants: actress Marlee Matlin, Jackie Roth and actor Bernard Bragg. Bragg had the participants laugh as he "interpreted into Sign language" the sounds of  the shofar blown by Alan Rich. David Rosenbaum led participants who took turns in reading from the prayer book. A group discussion followed focusing on "What JDCC Can Do For You?" where participants offered to help organize future JDCC events including the upcoming Chanukah party.

TBS Services
   Temple Beth Solomon of the Deaf (TBS) in Arleta, CA had High Holy Day services this year. Elaine Aikins and Peter Robinson were cantors signing and singing "the words and melodies to everyone's eyes and ears", Bess Hyman reports, "Their dual Shofar blowers, James Kalivoda and Peter Robinson made us really feel a part of it all, especially at the close of the Yom Kippur service when we actually felt the sound of the Shofar by holding balloons in our hands. James is a 14 year old post-bar mitzvah student of Temple Beth Solomon. The community discussion during the Yom Kippur break was led by Dr. Charles Katz, and attended by almost 50 of the worshippers who ranged from their early 20's to 101 years of age. The topic was 'Religion/Spirituality, Which Do I Feel?' The discussion ran overtime!"... "The new student Rabbi Bruce Raft has already incorporated signed prayers into his services".

Illinois Services At CBS
   Nona Balk with Congregation Bene Shalom in Skokie, IL says that "Our High Holidays were wonderful and inspiring as well. Our signing choir did a great job interpreting the service. Also our wonderful soloist sang beautifully for the hearing members. It was a full house at all the services. Rabbi Goldhamer gave very interesting sermons which we all enjoyed them. Once again we had a big drum for the deaf members to feel when the shofar is blown. Two different persons blew the shofar and they did a fantastic job, we were so inspired by their performance."
    Children from the Sunday school at Congregation Bene Shalom decorated the Sukkah. "We were just delighted that it didn't rain that week," says Nona Balk, "so the decorations remained safe in the Sukkah. The Sukkot service was delightful as always and many deaf and hearing children came with their parents. Rabbi Goldhamer told a delightful story to the congregation. We walked around the Sukkot. The children were taught how to wave the Lulav and the Esrog together."

Services At Fremont, CA
   EJ Cohen reports that at Temple Beth Torah in Fremont, "...we had 19 deaf adults and 4 deaf children at services, and it was beautiful for me to see us all together in prayer. I was also touched by the amount of hearing people in the temple who signed along with the Shema and oseh shalom..."

New York City Participation At Temple
   Maria Berkowitz reports that all High Holy Days services at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun (BJ) was interpreted this year. "We are very excited that several members of the Deaf community paid annual dues and became new members of BJ in addition to those of us who were already members who renewed our annual memberships. The number of Deaf congregants at BJ continues to grow. Our members include congregants from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Westchester." Berkowitz was asked to present the D'var Torah during morning Torah service on Yom Kippur. A printed transcript of her d'var torah will appear in the next issue of JDCC News.

JCCAD- Florida
   Alex Fleischman of Jewish Community Center Association of the Deaf in Florida reports that High Holiday services were well attended by over 100 people. Layreader was Cecil Weinstock. Each person read a part of the sop vices. "We.even had at least ten hearing people who also took part." Interpreter was Glenn Ashton. Breaking the fast dinner was held at Chez Max Restaurant.

Jewish Discussion On The Internet
   Alisa Shkolnik shares her experience of interpreting High Holiday services for the first time recently. She says that she "really crave the input of my peers..." She is hoping that others may also be interested in getting together for a conference to discuss topics of interpreting specifically in a Jewish setting (anything from services to community lectures, Hebrew school/Sunday school to theater and entertainment with Jewish topics). She also announced that on Sunday, August 11th, a new Jewish Community Center's Association of the Deaf was formed in Columbus, OH. They plan to have interpreted Shabbat services on the first Friday of each month once the federation agrees to fund the cost of interpreters.

Kay Leads Services In Rochester
   David Kay shares his experience of leading High Holiday services at RIT/NTID in Rochester, NY. "Despite some efforts at advanced planning, the interpreting situation was not what had been hoped... Although I always sign for myself when I speak, I also ended up having to TRY to sign while singing in Hebrew." Yom Kippur, he shares, was better. But Kay points out the interpreters were still "not skilled or knowledgeable in Jewish liturgy... they worked very hard - especially one who was there most of the day..." He is making suggestions on how they can improve on their efforts next year.