Jewish Deaf Tidbits |
Avromi Freilich recently graduated from a one year course at the Jewish Deaf Association (JDA) in London, England. Also enrolled in his fourth year studying speech and language therapy at City University, Freilich, 30, is father of four children and oversees Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue's elderly care program and also plans to have synagogue events interpreted in sign language. He recently interpreted the speeches of the rabbi and the bat mitzvah girl who s hearing who had deaf grandparents. "It was so moving," he says, "It made the simcha..." Sue Cipin, JDA executive director says "Avromi has put his heart and soul into it. Being associated with a reverend who is able to communicate with deaf people and who has learned about their needs means so much to the JDA, whose members are often totally excluded from religious life because they cannot understand the proceedings". Freilich says "Communicating with deaf people will be a significant part of my work so I thought it was important to converse in sign language." JDA recently had its second signed Shabbat service at Finchley.
Two Interpreters Work At Ohio Temple
Lori Henderson and Mark Howdieshell were recently mentioned in an article in the Cleveland Jewish News for their work in interpreting services at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple. "We must be synonymous, simultaneous and beautiful," says Howdieshell explains. "There is such an interconnectedness between culture and language," Henderson elaborates, "An interpreter is always simultaneously mediating between the two." In addition to representing the speaker's ideas with their hands, an interpreter tries to convey the nuance of the speech intonation, emotion and the personality of the speaker. Prayer is difficult to interpret, says
Howdieshell, citing the first line of the Shema, "Hear, O Israel," as a perfect example. "Using the sign
for 'hearing' may not be accurate for a deaf person," he explains. "A better choice would be signing 'pay attention' or even 'wake up.' And in the last line, 'the Lord is One,' one is also open to interpretation." Because services are conducted in Hebrew and English, an interpreter has to be acutely aware of linguistic differences as they take in the "source language" and translate it into the "target language." Even translating English into American Sign Language
(ASL) can be daunting. The vocabulary of prayer is replete with abstract words such as "consecrate" and "sovereign." It can take numerous signs, they explain, to convey the meaning of a single complex word. Even a simpler word, Israel, has two signs - one for the country and a different one when its meaning is "the Jewish people." Lack of standardization is also a problem for an interpreter at a Jewish service. "In the American deaf community there are no standard signs for holidays like Shemini Atzeret and Lag
b'Omer," says Henderson. "In Israel, they use a different sign for Yom Kippur than we do in America. One of the only reference books which shows signs for Jewish vocabulary was not printed in America; it's from Britain." The learning curve for signing a Jewish service was a bit steeper for Howdieshell than it was for Henderson. South Euclid native Henderson is Jewish by birth and attended Park Synagogue. A member of Fairmount Temple, she speaks Hebrew and has taught religious-school classes. Howdieshell has also interpreted at B'nai Jeshurun religious school and Akron Hebrew School; Henderson has translated occasionally at Park Synagogue and for several Orthodox services. Fairmount Temple senior Rabbi Howard Ruben says that when a sign language interpreter is working, he feels it enhances the service even for those in the congregation who hear. "Signing adds a completely different dimension that I, as a service leader, find delightful," says Ruben. "We imagine our words are heard in only one way, but watching them translated is revealing."
Seminar To Help Parents Deal With Prejudice
A London, England publication reported that the Jewish Deaf Association held a seminar to help parents of deaf children deal with prejudice at school and university. "This is a rarely discussed topic but one which needs to be aired so that parents can tackle prejudice at an early age and be prepared for it when the need arises, if or when it does" says spokesman Mira Goldberg. The seminar was held in early October at JDCA's community center in North
Finchley.
JDRC To Host Workshops
Jewish Deaf Resource Center (JDRC) and Congregation B'nai Jeshurun is welcoming Deaf, Deaf-Blind, children of Deaf adults and sign language interpreters to participate in their 2002-2003 workshop series 'Jewish Literacy: Rituals & Celebrations'. Scheduled for May 2003 are 'Bar and Bat Mitzvah' and 'Birth Ceremonies and Funerals'. Kosher lunch is included in the registration fee. It will be presented at Congregation B'nai
Jeshurun, 257 West 88th Street in New York City by Marla Berkowitz, Jewish Deaf Educator; Naomi
Brunnlehrman, Hebrew to ASL interpreter; and Carole Lazorisak. For information, e-mail JDRC at
jdrc501c3@aol.com, 212-396-9672 TTY, 212-452-2766 FAX, 914-7614755 Voice or write to
JDRC, 215 East 77th Street, New York, NY 10021.
Deaf Israelis To Get Discount On FAX Rates
According to a bill recently approved for a first reading by the Knesset labor and Social Affairs Committee in Israel, a bill sponsored by MK Shaul Yahalom (national Religious Party) and opposed by the Finance Ministry would extend discount to Deaf Israelis on telephone calls made via fax machines. The Finance Ministry did not oppose another provision in the same bill to close-caption primetime television news broadcasts.
Jewish Gallaudet Junior Completes Internship
Shifra-Sophia Gold, one of two junior students at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. that were recipients of the American Association of People with Disabilities
(AAPD)'s new Congressional Internship Program last summer. Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation funded these eight-week internships. Gold, who hails from Seattle, WA interned in the office of Senator Paul Wellstone (Democrat-Minnesota). Internship recipients are selected based on a written application and personal interview. Gold, an international relations major, has worked as a deaf-blind interpreter and as a teacher's assistant and counselor at Camp Kesher in
Pennsylvania. "Sophie was one of the most enthusiastic interns that we have ever had," said Jeffrey
Levensaler, deputy chief of staff for Sen. Wellstone's office. "I think that it was a great experience for the staff to interact with Sophie and gain some awareness of deaf culture as well as for Sophie to learn what skills are needed to work on the Hill." Access to interpreters was available to Gold for most major meetings and when she accompanied Wellstone for a day to get a true sense of what the senator's workday is like. Daily communication issues were addressed through instant messaging, and an additional TTY was installed in the intern area. "Sophie was a joy to have in our office," said
Levensaler. "Her enormous enthusiasm and inquisitive nature made the summer interesting for everyone who worked with her. Gold was equally enthusiastic about what she received from the hectic pace interning in a senator's office. "The AAPD internship helped me learn about how the system actually works in the real world," said Gold. "I personally felt that I grew a lot from the experience each day I worked in the office and outside of the office. The internship overall opened my eyes to many more opportunities to seek. In other words, this internship helped me understand more about my major. I believe strongly that the more internship experiences I get
for my major, I will be able to use them as tools for the future." Senator Paul Wellstone was tragically killed in a plane crash recently.
Philadelphia Celebrates 95th Year
The Philadelphia Hebrew Association of the Deaf, Inc. celebrated its 95th anniversary banquet at the Doubletree Hotel in Philadelphia on Saturday, October 19th. One hundred and thirty five people were in attendance. Chaired by Ellen Schreck with Jean Gershman as mistress of ceremonies. Guest speaker was Marc
Drolsbaugh, counselor at Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PSD) and long-time son of member Sherry
Drolsbaugh. Also in attendance was Dr. Harvey Corson, great nephew of Rose Olanoff and current superintendent of the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, CT and Steve Brenner representing Jewish Deaf Congress.
Interpreted Service In North Berkeley
Kehilla Synagogue in North Berkeley, CA. offers interpreted service, Northbrae Chapel welcomes members of the Jewish Deaf Community to a Jewish Renewal Shabbat service. For more information, call 510-527-5452 Voice or email
Info@ Kehillasynagogue.org
Jewish Sign Language Videos
Cerformedia has released a new video, 'Jewish Sign Language'. Designed for hearing viewers, the video features three people - Mira Forster who signs while Galit Malka and Stephen Scott sings songs to music of Ose Shalom, Hava
Nagila, Artza Alinu, Siman Tov and recite Hebrew prayers. For more information, visit Cerformedia's website at
www.cerformedia.com or call 866-843-7446 Voice, e-mail
info@ cerformedia.com or write to PO Box 356 Champlain, NY 12919-0356.
CSUN Plan Israel Trip
Adam Stein, program director of Hillel at California State University, Northridge
(CSUN) who runs and recruits students for the Hillel Birthright Israel Trip at
CSUN, says they are organizing a trip for Deaf and hard of hearing students this year. Birthright is a free 10 day trip to Israel for anyone under 26 years old who have never visited Israel on an organized peer trip. For info, contact Stein at
adam@csunhillel.org
Matlin Designs Holiday Card
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation "Hope For The Holidays" holiday card was designed by Marlee
Matlin. This card was available for the year of 2000. It is no longer available. This is a rare item that is very hard to find anymore. You can find this on
Ebay.