'Sound and Fury', a documentary in which Deaf actress Jackie Roth was coordinating producer, explores one family's ongoing struggle for identity in the 'world of the deaf'. This film, first shown at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, depicts a family battle over the cochlear implant for Heather. Some of her family members celebrate the implant as a long overdue cure for deafness while others fear it will destroy their cherished sign language and way of life. Heather's two brothers and her parents, Peter and Nita Artinian are all deaf. Peter is an outspoken leader of the anti-implant Deaf community on Long Island, and his world is turned upside down by his daughter's desire to hear. Peter and Nita suspend their long-standing opposition to the implant, but they discover that implanted deaf children are often mainstreamed into the hearing world. They become afraid that with an implant their daughter would reject American Sign Language and Deaf culture. The family conflict escalates when Peter's hearing brother and his wife learn that their new born child is deaf and decide to implant him. The battle reaches a heated climax as the hearing members of this extraordinary family fight for Heather's right to be part of the hearing world, while deaf family members fight to pre serve her deaf identity.

'TWELFTH NIGHT' Signed And Spoken
    The Philadelphia Inquirer, in its September 23, 2000 edition, reported that 'The Twelfth Night' at Prince Music Theater is the first local production cast with Deaf and hearing actors combining American Sign Language and spoken text. But witnessing history is not the only reason a theatergoer might want to attend this unusual production: the reporter writes that "It's worth going to simply because it is good theater - an evocative and entertaining presentation of Shakespeare's familiar comedy." Although new to Philadelphia, this method of presentation has been employed for many years by the National Theatre for the Deaf. Director Novak explains that they spent 18 months translating 'Twelfth Night' into ASL. The Deaf actors were: Monique Holt as Maria, Peter Cook as Feste, Dennis Webster as Sir Toby Belch and Alek Fried man as Auguecheek. Jackie Roth also appeared as Olivia "with a recklessness that makes her portrayal especially appealing." 

Birthright Israel Trips For Deaf 
    Young Judaea and Hadassah are coordinating the Gesher 2001 program which offers three 10-day trips to Israel for visually impaired, hearing impaired, or physically challenged Jewish students and young adults between the ages of 18 and 26. Each trip consists of historical tours and hikes, panel discussions with Israelis of many backgrounds, recreational, cultural and educational programs. Gesher 2001, as an approved birthright Israel trip, covers roundtrip airfare and ten days of educational programming in Israel. Any Jewish youth, aged 18-26 (post high-school), who has never been to Israel on a peer-group educational program, can apply. Birthright Israel is the most extensive philanthropic Jewish outreach program ever to target Jewish young adults. Birthright Israel's mission is to present lifelong Jewish values to Jewish young adults worldwide through a first educational peer-group trip to Israel. YOUNG JUDAEA, the Zionist Youth Movement Sponsored by Hadassah, has been operating Israel pro grams for the past 50 years. They are operating Gesher 2001 with experts in Israel who plan trips for disabled travelers. Gesher programs will include: A wheelchair accessible bus, American Sign Language interpreters, and sighted guides. They plan to have these trips from January 1-11, 2001. For more information and to apply, con tact Caren Heller at phone: 212-303-4587, fax: 212-303 7411, or email to gesher@youngjudaea.org

Texas Recognizes 'Small Employer Of The Year'
    Barbara and Sidney Ander of Compu-TTY, Inc., located in Fort Worth, Texas were the recipients of Texas' "Small Employer of the Year" award presented by the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities on October 11th. The Committee believes this is the first award given by a Governor's office in the United States to a Deaf-owned company. 

Sign Language Instructor Sought 
    Judi Davidsohn, Director of Teen Services at the JCC On The Palisades in Tenafly, New Jersey, is looking for an  instructor to teach a teen American Sign Language class once a week. She can be reached at 201-569-7900 or via e-mail at TeenDir@ aol.com

Organizing Support For Israel 
    Sara Gubits Kohn and Rabbi Eleizer Lederfeind coordinated a rally to show support for Israel as the country undergoes a serious crisis. The rally was held at the Israel Consulate in New York City on Thursday October 12th. 

Tennis For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing
    Howard Myers is a lawyer in Wisconsin who has been playing tennis for over 50 years. He has taught tennis to inner city children for many years and is active with the Wisconsin Tennis Association. Myers, observing how important tennis was to a Deaf tennis player, suggested that a tennis program be offered to Deaf and Hard of Hearing children living in the Manitowoc area. Myers then approached the Wisconsin Tennis Association and received limited funding from them and the Midwest section of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), for over 18 Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, ages 7-17, who attended a basic tennis program designed by Myers twice a week during the summer of 1999. With the success of the Manitowoc program, Myers approached the Wisconsin School for the Deaf in Delavan Wisconsin, offering to conduct clinics for the students. Under the umbrella of the Wisconsin Tennis Association and the Midwest section of the USTA over 150 children, ages 6-18, were also introduced to tennis in day clinics. The interest of the students encouraged Myers and he approached the director of the Wisconsin Lions Camp and suggested that a similar program be offered to approximately 400 Deaf and Hard of Hearing children who would be attending the camp during the following summer. The idea was accepted and for three weeks during the summer with a staff of five instructors, some of them volunteers, a full-fledged tennis program was provided to Deaf and Hard of hearing children ages 6 to 17. The Wisconsin Tennis Association provided a limited financial grant for this program. Following this experience four tennis clinics for Deaf and hard of hearing children was conducted in the Milwaukee area with help from the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Brookfield, the Waukesha Tennis Club and the Wisconsin Tennis Association. In Myers' opinion tennis has given many of these children new found confidence, adding to their self es teem, fun and an opportunity to socialize and interact with other children. Howard Myers can be reached at 6243 N. Berkeley Blvd., Whitefish Bay, WI 53217, by phone at 414-962-0565 or e- mail to ematlast@execpc.com

 Oliver! Encores 
    Joshua Ari Soudakoff, the eldest son of JDCC president Sharon Ann Dror, was invited to perform one 'Oliver!' scene titled 'Where is Love' during actress Nanette Fabray's 80th birthday benefit held at the Pasadena Playhouse on Mon day, October 2nd. At the 2000 Theatre LA Ovation Awards Ceremony on Monday, October 31st, Deaf West's Oliver! production was awarded three awards for Best Director for Musical, Choreographer, and Best Musical for an Intimate Theatre. Deaf West also won two more awards, Best Writing for New Translation/Adaption and Best Play for an Intimate Theatre for it's 'A Street Car Desire' production. 

Understanding 'Deaf Emotions' 
    In the Sunday, September 3rd edition of Los Angeles Times, an article describes the camping experiences of several students at Brotherhood-Sisterhood Camp, a workshop aimed at breaking down the barriers of racism, sexism, homophobia and anti-Semitism. Sponsored by the National Conference for Community and Justice, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry and racism in America, the weeklong excursion brought more than 200 L.A.-area high school students. Joseph Nazarian was born deaf and has spent his life feeling excluded from certain circles. Through camp, Joseph finally felt like all his emotions were understood by others. "People sometimes say I'm deaf and mute," Nazarian's mother interpreted through sign language. "But I'm not mute. I can talk in different ways. I've been taking speech classes all my life. It was important for me to express my inner feelings honestly so that people can understand deaf culture, become interested and open up communication." Open lines of communication has been the aim of the National Conference since the early 1950s when the organization began taking busloads of high schoolers to camp to discuss their differences and likenesses. 

Zimmer Reaches Another Goal
    Heidi Zimmer, who has climbed mountains before, is part of a group traveling from Portland, Oregon to New York, New York - a trek that is taking ten weeks. She is known as the Deaf Core Ridger. 

Jewish Deaf Fundraiser 
    In the Jewish Deaf Congress' ongoing fundraising efforts, comedian and teacher Ken Glickman presented his 'DEAFology 101 A Comedy Presentation' in the MSSD Theatre Malz at Gallaudet University in Washington DC on Saturday, October 14th. Dressed in his white lab coat and black reading glasses, Glickman presented his ir reverent and side-splittingly funny take on the world through the eyes of a deaf person. Considering himself an "Equal-Opportunity" comedian, Professor Glick pokes fun at both the deaf and hearing worlds. 

Lexington Is In The News 
    Students' standardized test scores at the Lexington School for the Deaf in New York have risen since a pro gram called "Mediated Learning Experience," begun at the school nine years ago. Lexington is the only school in the United States teaching the learning method developed by Reuven Feuerstein. Feuerstein, an Israeli psychologist, first used his learning theory to show that children held in concentration camps during World War II and later labeled mentally retarded were not retarded, but like many deaf children had been deprived of a normal learning environment. Oscar Cohen, the Executive Director of the School, is a CODA and will retire at the end of the current school year after a 35-year career at Lexington.

Trivia: Jewish Deaf Lightweight Boxer? 
    Joe Hertzberg, aka : Deaf-mute lightweight, fought under the name "Dummy Jordan" and was the number one contender during the 1910's for several years. He came from Chicago, Illinois and was forced to quit after fighting from 1913-1915 due to family pressure. But he boxed again for two years between 1917-1918 and then quit again for good.

Our Way Guests, the Cohens To Be Honored 
    The New York Marriot Marquis will be the locale of a December 4th dinner honoring Our Way & Yachad guests of honors. Sally and Joel Cohen of Livingston, New Jersey are a deaf couple who are very active in the deaf and hearing community. They have leadership positions in the Jewish Deaf and Hearing Impaired Council of New Jersey. They are always very supportive of OUR WAY.

The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow 
    The National Theatre of the Deaf's (NTD) fall 2000 tour presented the famed 1819 Washington Inning classical tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The role of the "Queen of Horror" was performed by Zelda Rubinstein. Rubinstein is best known for her role as the Medium in Poltergeist I, II and III and her appearances on Tales from the Crypt and Picket Fences. For further information, contact NTD at info@ ntd.org or visit its website at www.ntd.org

Deaf School 'Apple Festival' 
    Long Island's 'Newsday' reported on Friday October 6th that Phil Aronson, vice-president of the alumni association for the Mill Neck School for the Deaf, has not missed the school's annual 'Apple Festival' since he was 3 years old which was 36 years ago! Aronson says the event "is a pleasant get-together for old friends to become re united." More than 100,000 pounds of ripe, crisp apples are consumed at the event -- Red and Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Cortland, Empire and Greening. Some 5,000 pounds of cheese, 2,000 pounds of fudge, 3,000 pies, 4,000 boxes of strudel, 10,000 bratwursts, 10,000 ham burgers and 10,000 cans of soda are there to be sold at the School's 43rd annual Fall Harvest Festival which will draw 50,000 people who are coming from all over the country to the Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf in Mill Neck, Long Island. In addition to being a teacher assistant at the Mill Neck Manor School, Aronson, who has a bachelor's degree in science, is the Junior National Association for the Deaf adviser and an assistant coach for the school's varsity basketball team. He also runs a bowling clinic for Deaf children and is a baseball umpire for high schools in Nassau
County. Jewish Deaf Congress And World Organization of Jewish Deaf's Convention Dates Their convention will be held at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. on August 13-29, 2001. The theme is Celebrating the Wonders of Judaism. Chairpersons are Deborah Sonnenstrahl and Steve Brenner. Brenner can be reached at SteveB1003@aol.com for more information.

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