Jewish
Deaf Tidbits |
Birnbaum Signs Contract With Hamilton Relay
Hamilton Relay, Inc. has signed a contract with
Birnbaum Interpreting Services (BIS) of Silver Spring, MD for the joint
provision of Video Relay Service. "Hamilton is thrilled to announce its
partnership with BIS," said Dixie Ziegler, Director of Hamilton Relay
Service. 'The combination of Hamilton's experience in the provision of
Telecommunications Relay Service and BIS' unique knowledge and abilities
in the management and employment of interpreters will result in an
outstanding Video Relay Service product"
Video Relay Service (VRS) allows signers to use video equipment and high speed internet access to communicate with voice telephone users. The customer makes a VRS call by connecting to a website. An operator at the relay center responds and places a voice call, and the caller uses sign language or sign language and speech to communicate with the VRS operator, who in turn interprets the call to the standard telephone user and vice versa.
David S. Birnbaum, founder and CEO of BIS said, "VRS has been a long time
dream of mine. I had visions of this many years ago, but the technology
was not there. Now, our partnership with Hamilton Relay Service has made my
dream come true! My strong background and involvement in the Deaf and Hard
of Hearing Community is now coupled with Hamilton's many years of
experience in providing premier telecommunication computers, networking,
and internet services. I look forward to a long lasting partnership with
Hamilton!" Hamilton Video Relay (HIP VRS) will be available this summer at
www.hipvrs.com. For more information
contract Hamilton Relay Service, P.O. Box 285, Aurora, NE 68818,
800/618-4781 (TTY/Voice),
relay@hamilton.net
Finkle And Sela Honored By GUAR
At Gallaudet University's 34th annual Charter
Day Luncheon and Awards Program on April New York, received the Gallaudet
U sociation (GUAR) Outstanding you
Dr. Israel Sela of Israel received the LCCF Edward Miner Gallaudet Award
posthumously. The GUAA is also sponsored pre-Charter Day presentations in
which Joshua Finkle talked about Community Activism. Finkle is co-owner of
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Interpreting Services Inc. (DHIS), an
interpreting agency in New York City. Sela was the American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee's country director for Hungary and the son of Deaf
parents. An expert in sign language, he implemented innovative programs
for Deaf Holocaust survivors and other Jews. He died November 12 in
Jerusalem last year after a four year battle with cancer. He was 60.
Shoshannah Stern To Star In ABC Drama
A new program, 'Threat Matrix', set to begin
this Fall, will have a Deaf character played by Shoshannah Stern. ABC
describes the program, "Our nation is a target. AI-Qaeda and other deadly
enemies are determined to destroy our way of life. An attack could come at
any time, from anywhere around the globe. Against this rising threat, the
Homeland Security Agency has created a highly specialized, elite task
force trained and equipped to counter anyone or anything that threatens
our nation. The head of this super secret team is Special Agent John Kilmer.
He reports only to the President and has authority to call upon the
technical skills, firepower, and specialist agents of the FBI, CIA and NSA_"
Stern, an English major at Gallaudet University, is on a temporary leave
of absence from her studies. She will play the role of Holly Brodeen, a
computer expert. The show is scheduled to air Thursdays at 8 p.m.
Deaf Artists Book Wins
Award
A landmark anthology on Deaf artists by Deborah M. Sonnenstrahl has
received the Ben Franklin Award for Excellence in Publishing in the
Teaching/Academic/Educational category. Deaf Artists n America: Colonial
to Contemporary is the first ever collection of Deaf artists and their
work and preserves the unique and significant contributions these artists
have made to the art world. Sonnenstrahl is a Gallaudet University
Professor Emeritus who taught Art History and Museum Studies for 32 years.
Deaf Artists In America: Colonial to Contemporary, 7x10 Hb.; 236 Color
Images, 77 B&W, 448 pages, ISBN: 1i8121-050-7, $64.95.
"Mad Dancers" Explore
Jewish Traditions
In a recent play called "Mad Dancers," Director Liz Lerman combined
dancing and narrative with meaningful gesture and movements to create a
visual exploration of Jewish traditions. The cast included both actors and
dancers, among them Fred Beam, founder of the Deaf male dance company the
Wild Zappers. The sign language interpreted play was at Theatre J, a
Jewish theatre in Washington, DC, and ran from April 29th through June 1.
For information about future interpreted plays at Theatre J call
202/777-3229 (Voice.)
Deaf Swindlers
Sentenced To Jail Time
Convicted swindler Gilda Seifried, age 65, begged not be sent to jail.
"Please don't separate us," she said. "I love him very much. He's the only
friend I have. Please give us another chance." Her son, Abraham "Avery"
Posner, 30, convicted with her in the same Internet fraud, also asked for
leniency, saying, "I want to apologize for what I did." The two admitted
to defrauding 119 people over the Internet, many of them low-income or
retired, but asked that they not have to serve any jail time because their
disability would leave them open to mistreatment or abuse in a prison.
Seifried's attorney, federal public defender Randi Chavis, and Posner's attorney, Richard Haley of Hauppauge, suggested that because of their clients' deafness and contrition it would be appropriate to sentence them to home detention or community service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Baker, the prosecutor in the case, disagreed, arguing that the two should not be treated differently because of their handicap and should receive 12 to 18 months in prison.
Calling it "one of the more difficult sentencings I have had," U.S.
District Judge Leonard Wexler sentenced the two to 3 months each in prison
and 3 years of supervised release, and ordered them to repay the victims.
"I'm very sympathetic to the plight they face in jail," Wexler said,
explaining why he was not giving the mother and son the
longer sentence their crimes normally call for. But he also said the two
had "set up a business of stealing ... and the public must know we will
not tolerate this." According to court records, the mother and son were
arrested by federal postal inspectors last year for mail fraud and
conspiracy after they had operated their swindle for a year out of a room
at the Marriott Hotel in Melville, NY. The two installed computers and
TTYs and then advertised what appeared to be bargain merchandise over eBay
and Yahoo. They collected the money but never sent any merchandise.
Jewish Event Blends Different
"Voices"
Every year in May, the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, CT holds
"Voices," a dinner to thank women who've made gifts to the women's
fund-raising campaign and a chance to hear a presentation by a prominent
Jewish woman. This year it was held on May 8 at the Emanuel Synagogue with
guest speaker Marlee Matlin, who at the age of 21 won the 1987 Oscar for
best actress in "Children of a Lesser God." Rabbi Danny Allen, executive
director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, estimates that 25
percent of funds raised for the Federation comes from the women's
campaign. Over 400 women listened as Marlee Matlin shared the triumphs and
challenges of "a nice Jewish girl from Morton Grove, IL who just happened
to be deaf." She recalled the reaction of movie critic Rex Reed after her
Oscar win. He said the award was a sympathy vote. Others expected she
would never find more parts. But Matlin grew up in a family that didn't
believe in limits. She said next to the dictionary definition for chutzpah
should be a picture of her parents.
After getting hooked on acting at a summer camp, Matlin pursued her career with the support of people like Henry Winkler and Whoopi Goldberg. Today she appears in films and television shows; last fall she published a children's novel, "Caution: Deaf Child Crossing," which has already sold 20,000 copies. "My life has been about making a difference," she said. "You have made a difference. Don't ever, ever stop." She commented on how appropriate the title "Voices" was for their work helping Jews in need. "Our voices are being heard," she said. "Listen to your heart. I will always listen to mine." Matlin has been visiting Jewish women's federations throughout the country because she feels Jewish causes "need much more support." Earlier in the day, Matlin also took the opportunity to visit the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford - it was her first time there-and talked with students. "It was very delightful," she said. "The kids were truly inspiring."