Jewish Deaf Tidbits |
Susan B. Stone, President of Camp Ramah has announced that Marla C. Berkowitz, president and cofounder of the Jewish Deaf Resource Center, Inc. in New York City, has been appointed as Director of the Kesher Programs for Jewish Deaf at Camp Ramah in the Poconos. Berkowitz becomes the first Deaf person to direct the program which provides educational and recreational programming to Jewish families with one or more deaf members and traditional overnight Jewish camp designed to meet the needs of deaf boys and girls. The first Deaf graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary with a Master's in Jewish Education, she also serves on the board of the Jewish Deaf Congress. "My dream is to have a career that would enable me to work in the greater Jewish community on a full-time basis," she says, "Serving as Director of the Kesher Programs is helping me fulfill that dream." She will commute to the camp's Jenkintown, Pennsylvania offices during the winter.
Summer Dates For Kesher Program
Camp Ramah in the Poconos announces its 4th annual Kesher Camper Program for Jewish Deaf Youth ages 9 -15 years an overnight Jewish camping experience in Lake
Como, PA.
This year's program will be from Tuesday, July 23 to Thursday, August 1, 2002. It is a 10-day Jewish camp experience under the directorship of a trained Jewish Deaf Educator. Campers will enjoy full use of all Ramah facilities and partially integrated programming with hearing campers. Trained Deaf counselors and American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters will ensure that the campers have a fully accessible communication environment. The tuition is $1500 per camper. Please note that the costs reflect a uniquely qualified and specialist staff. If you are interested, but may need some financial assistance, please contact us! Scholarships are available.
For more information, contact: Marla C. Berkowitz, Kesher Program Director Camp Ramah in the Poconos The Pavilion, Suite 734 Jenkintown, PA 19046. Call 215-885-2637 TTY, 215-885-8556 Voice, 215-885-8905 FAX, or E-mail: MARLAB @ RAMAHPOCONOS.ORG
'Where Do Jewish Deaf Go?' Workshop
Marla Berkowitz is scheduled to moderate an
"interactive dialogue workshop, "'Finding a Spiritual Home: Where Do Jewish Deaf Go?' at College of the Holy Cross in
Worcester, Massachusetts on February 24th with dairy lunch to follow. Targeted at Rabbis and hearing individuals in the Jewish community to learn how to ensure better access for Deaf community members as well as Jewish Deaf individuals to strategies how to become more
informed and interpreters, questions such as the following will be addressed: Where do Jewish Deaf go to in this
secular society; why do large numbers of Jewish Deaf remain unaffiliated with synagogues and local Jewish
Deaf organizations; who will keep the Jewish Deaf flame burning on behalf of the Jewish Deaf community? Continuing education credit is available. For information, contact Judy Fask at (508) 793-3038 TTY or e-mail to
jfask@ holycross.edu
Deaf German Painter
The Frankfurter Allgemeine in Frankfurt, Germany, reported in a recent article that Richard Liebermann who
was born in 1900 was a deaf Jewish painter who converted to Catholicism. He painted a number of pictures
including a portrait of Albert Einstein and also a portrait of Max Liebermann (not related). Although he was banned
from exhibiting and working in 1933, he worked as an art teacher in 1936 at a Jewish institution in Herrlingen where
Jewish citizens were preparing to emigrate to Palestine. After the Night of Broken Glass, the nocturnal pogrom of
1938, Liebermann was imprisoned in Dachau's concentration camp and then taken to the Gurs internment camp
in 1940. He kept a folder with photos of his paintings even during his years of deportation. His mother and one
brother were murdered but Liebermann and his brother Paul and sister Gertrude were released under unclassified circumstances in 1943. They hid in a French monastery where Liebermann spent the last years of the war.
He later lived on occasional commissions and a small indemnity pension. Liebermann's paintings were on display at the Edwin Scharff Museum in Neu-Ulm until February 3rd. Liebermann died 35 years ago.
Sign Language Is Not English
Susan Gershowitz continues to help her high school students present a musical show. In a recent article
'Language of the deaf' by Jen Waters that appeared in The Washington Times, Gershowitz's high school students at
Quince Orchard High School present a show called "Music In Motion" to try to make music relevant to the deaf
community. The students learn to dance and sign the lyrics to about 29 songs, such as "Help" by the
Beatles Gershowitz teaches American Sign Language at the school as well as about 80 hearing high school students
at Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland. "I feel like I prepare the students to communicate
with any deaf person they meet," she says. She has used American Sign Language since about age 18. She has
enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome, which means the channel connecting the inner ear and cranial space
has become larger than normal, causing hearing loss. "A hearing loss was first detected when I was 7 from a school
hearing test ... My hearing deteriorated until I lost all my hearing completely I speak [verbally] because I heard
speech for so many years and then wore two hearing aids after becoming deaf. So I have always been able to
at least hear my own voice to monitor it. Why I still speak so well is really a mystery." Gershowitz says English is
different fromAmerican Sign Language, which has its own grammar and syntax. "In English you would say, The book
is on the chair,"' she says. "In American Sign Language, you would say, 'Book chair on."' For information on
Gershowttz's classes, she can be contacted at gershow@ erols.com
Hillel Appoints Director At Gallaudet
In a recent announcement, Rebecca Pepkowitz has been appointed as Program Director for Hillel at Gallaudet
University located in Washington, DC. Pepkowitz, a graduate of Brandeis University, received a Master's Degree in
Education of Deaf and Hearing Impaired Students from Columbia University Teachers College, and a Certificate
of Advanced Studies in Education from John Hopkins University. She taught at Ma'alot Seminary for Women,
Coppin State College, the Community Colleges of Baltimore County and John Hopkins University. Due to limited funding, Hillel had a part-time professional at
Gallaudet for several years in the 1980's. In its role as primary link to the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, had a community meeting at Gallaudet in May,
2000. Among those attending was Harriet and Greg Friedman, members of Washington Society for the Deaf, representatives from Gallaudet and community advocates
on behalf of the deaf. This meeting resulted in formal recognition of Hillel by the Gallaudet Office of Campus Ministry and the establishment of Hillel at Gallaudet as a Soref
Campus by Hillel International. Hillel at Gallaudet will work to strengthen the Jewish life, commitment and identity of
this select and Jewishly - vulnerable group of young people. An opening reception of Hillel at Gallaudet was
to be held in January.
Sign Language for Chumash Words
Rabbi Shmuel Goldstein teaches American Sign Language (ASL) to hearing students as a fun way to teach
high frequency words in Chumash. "The signing that I presently use is for teaming a list of high frequency words
as they appear in Chumash", Goldstein explains, "They are not learning complete sentences but rather simple
key words. I have found this highly effective in having many of the students in the primary grades to retain these
words as a part of kinesthetic learning. I highly recommend the Michigan State University's site that shows a
great visual dictionary of practically any word you would need. The web address is
http://commtechiab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/ If you have more specific questions, please
contact me at rsagoldstein@aol.com
Beth Torah of the Deaf's Celebrates Its 25th Year
Beth Torah of the Deaf celebrated its 25th Annual Melava
Malka in Brooklyn, N.Y. on February 23rd. Award winners are: Interpreter of the Year Shalom
Lependort, and Guest of Honor were Rabbi and Mrs. Tzvi Fried.
Gallaudet Student to Appear in TV Show
Shoshannah Stern, a junior at Gallaudet University majoring in English, appears as a guest star on an episode
of "Off Centre," on Warner Bros., an unconventional buddy comedy program, on Sunday, March 3 at 9 p.m. The title
is "Hear No Evil, See No Package."
The "Off Centre" cast includes "American Pie" and "American Pie Two" stars Eddie Kaye Thomas as Mike and John Cho as Chau. It also stars Sean Maguire as Euan, Lauren Stamile as Liz, and Jason George as Status. Shoshannah will play the role of Rebecca, a co-worker and friend of Liz and love interest of Euan.
Shoshannah got a part on the show by a stroke of luck. Warner Bros. was searching for a deaf woman to play the role of Rebecca and was referred to Gallaudet's Theatre Arts Department by the National Theatre of the Deaf. WB then contacted Shoshannah with an audition notice and after the audition, she was signed for the role.