Page 46   Friday, June 1, 2012 Community Currents

Upcoming events… second term as chairman of the National Conference * * * for Soviet Jewry. JDA (Jewish Diabetes Association) will hold a A TIME, an organization for couples experienc- JDA Run for Diabetes 5K/10K for Women on Au- ing infertility, is holding its bi-annual medical con- * * * gust 5 in Rockland Lake State Park to help spread ference this coming Sunday at Lander College, locat- The Young of Avenue K will host “Cover- awareness and raise much-needed funds for the or- ed at 227 West 60th Street in . age Of The Iran Threat: What We Can Do For Is- ganization. The full-day conference will bring together hun- rael’s Security” on Monday, June 11, at 8 p.m. Eli To sponsor and/or receive a registration packet, dreds of Jewish couples, dozens of medical special- Ovits, TIP Israel’s Director of Communications, The call 718-303-5955, Sunday-Thursday from 8 a.m.-2 ists, and rabbinic experts trained in this fi eld. In ad- , is the guest speaker. The program is p.m., or e-mail [email protected]. dition to the many lectures and workshops, lunch free; refreshments will be served. The shul is locat- will be served and attendees will have the opportu- ed at 2818 Avenue K in . In recent news… nity to meet with different exhibitors, representing fertility centers and pharmacies. * * * Group Commemorates Holocaust The keynote addresses will be given by Drs. Owen The Jewish Community Council of Marine Park In Bardejov, Slovakia Davis and Peter Schlegel of the Center for Reproduc- will host as its scholar-in-resi- tive Medicine at Cornell University, Dr. Richard Scott dence on Shabbos Parshas Shelach, June 15-16. His An international group of 130 travelers, including of RMA NJ, and Dr. Lawrence Grunfeld of RMA NY. fi rst address, “Reaching Upward and Searching Out- Holocaust survivors and their families, came togeth- Rabbi Tzvi Flaum, ruchani and pro- ward,” will take place following the Friday night seu- er in Bardejov, Slovakia on May 14-17 for an historic fessor of Judaic Studies at Touro’s Lander College dah, at 9:15 p.m. at Khal Bais Mordechai (3301 Av- gathering commemorating the 70th anniversary of the for Women and a rabbinical consultant for TIME, enue P). On Shabbos morning, at Khal Bnei deportation of the town’s Jewish population in 1942. will give the rabbinic address. (3523 Avenue S), Rabbi Krohn wil speak on “Tefi llah Visitors, ranging in age from 2 to 87, traveled Advance registration is required. For more infor- – Making a Connection.” On Shabbos afternoon, at from six countries – Australia, Canada, England, Is- mation or to register, call 718-686-8912, ext. 205, e- 4:30 p.m., he will speak to women on chinuch, “Pass- rael, Mexico and the USA. For some it was a home- mail [email protected], or visit www.atime.org. ing the Flame From Generation to Generation” at coming, for others a chance to meet relatives for the Khilah Marine Park (3605 Quentin Road). Finally, fi rst time or to see a place they had only heard of in * * * at 6:15 p.m. at Khal Tiferes Avrohom (4012 Avenue family reminiscences. Local government offi cials, Ohel Children’s Home & Family Services, Ameri- P), Rabbi Krohn will speak on “iPod, iPad, iPhone – clergy, townspeople and student groups welcomed care and Senior Care will host a free seminar on From Self-Involvement to Self-Improvement.” the guests and joined them in a number of the pub- Tuesday, June 5, entitled “You’re Getting Older – lic activities. Now What?” * * * Highlighting the commemoration was a Solidar- Speakers include Fran Silverman, LCSW of Beth & Torah Vodaath will hold its ity March on Tuesday, May 15, that began at the Israel Hospital; Pinny Heller of Senior Care; Harri- 93rd annual dinner on Sunday, June 17, at The Pal- Train Station – the ’ fi nal departure place from et Blank, LCSW of OHEL; and Lawrence Gabe, Esq. ace in Brooklyn. “Where Legendary Leadership Be- Bardejov – and ended in the historical heart of this of Jankoff and Gabe. gins” is the theme of the evening, as the yeshiva fo- town, which had been a thriving Jewish communi- The seminar starts at 7 p.m. at Mercaz Hasim- cuses on the role it has played in the development ty of over 3,000 prior to World War II. Roughly 500 cha at 1898 Bay Avenue in Brooklyn. Call 718-972- of over the last 100 years. people participated in the walk, which closed down 9338 for more information. Rav Yitzchok Scheiner will receive the Kesser Bardejov’s main street for the fi rst time in the city’s Torah Award. in Kaminetz in Israel, a history, according to local police records. * * * chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and a close talmid In addition, an overfl ow crowd attended a cere- Professor Richard Stone, chairman of the Con- of Rav Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz, zt”l, Rav Schein- mony in the Old , and 140 people crowd- ference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Or- er will be traveling to America specifi cally to accept ed into the Town Hall’s Government Chamber for a ganizations, will be awarded an Honorary Doctor of this award and help the yeshiva during these diffi - special reception with the mayor, who welcomed vis- Laws Degree at the 38th Annual Commencement cult economic times. itors back to Bardejov and gave each a certifi cate of Exercises of the Lander Colleges on Sunday, June Other honorees include Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Cy- participation and a fl ower, and had them sign the 10, at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. wiak, Mr. and Mrs. Moti Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Avru- city log book. On the historic Town Square, 400 peo- Stone is a lifelong Jewish activist. In the 1970s mi Haas, Mr. and Mrs. Moshe Dovid Stahl, and the ple crowded in to hear speeches from a representa- he lobbied for the Jackson-Vanik Amendment call- Class of 1987. The Yovel Class of 1962 will receive tive from President Ivan Gasparic and Mayor Boris ing for free emigration of Soviet Jews. He is a senior an award marking 50 years of devotion to the com- Hanuscak, as well as Bardejov Holocaust survivor leader at the Jewish Community Relations Council munity. And the Class of 1952 will celebrate 60 years Emil Fish, now a resident of Los Angeles, California. and spent 10 years as head of the Institute for Pub- of service to klal yisrael. The “7 Righteous of Bardejov” were honored, lic Affairs at the . Stone is a long- The deadline for journal ads is Sunday, June 10. and students solemnly read the names and number time board member of the Metropolitan Council on For further information, contact the yeshiva’s din- of family members of each family that had lived in Jewish Poverty, The Hebrew Loan Society and the ner offi ce at 718-941-8000 ext. 205 or dinner@torah- Bardejov prior to the 1942 deportations. (The 437 America-Israel Friendship League. He is also in his vodaath.org. family names represented one third of the town’s population at that time; Bardejov today is “a town without Jews.”) Seminars, local tours, and presen- Inspiring Book Hits The Market tations on genealogy and family history were also part of the multifaceted activities. We have always thought “our brain shapes us.” tions of the functions of var i ous brain regions, For additional information about the 70th Anni- A new book, The Woman Who Changed Her Brain she identi fi ed 19 unique learning dys functions. versary Commemoration and the Bardejov Jewish by Barbara Arrowsmith-Young, argues that the re- And after read ing the research of Mark Rosen- Preservation Committee, visit www.bardejov.org. verse is equally true. We can “shape our brains.” zweig who demonstrated that stim u la tion could (See pictures on page 47.) The book features stories of young boys and girls improve the brains of rats, she theo rized that a in who changed their brains and, as a re- per son could transform weak areas of the brain Intergenerational Shabbaton sult, no longer struggle with learning disabilities. through repeti tive and tar geted cogni tive exer- Imag ine having a brain that is capable and inca- cises. With much reading and an intuitive under- Seven local high school students from Kew Gar- pable at the same time. Grow- stand ing of the brain’s func- dens Hills and Hillcrest took part in a unique Shab- ing up, Arrowsmith-Young tion ing, she invented a series baton experience under the auspices of NCSY. The had severe learning disabil i- of cogni tive exercises to “fi x” group of teens, accompanied by a handful of NCSY ties. She lived in a world that her own brain. staff members, joined the Shabbos morning minyan was confus ing and incompre- Today, her program – ad- at Margaret Tietz Nursing & Rehabilitation Cen- hensi ble. She could not under- dressing learning problems ter and stayed for the communal Shabbos lunch. stand cause and effect, and so such as dyslexia, auditory pro- During the break between davening and the meal, felt buf feted by ran dom events, cessing, attention, non-verbal the students spent quality time interacting with the not being able to see the “why” learning, executive functioning, residents. With the lovely weather beckoning, many of things. She walked around and auditory and visual memo- took advantage of the outdoors to sit with residents in a fog, relying on her excel- ry – is being widely used in pub- in the gardens and get to know them on an individ- lent memory and her drive and lic and private schools in Can- ual basis. The seudah that followed was replete with deter mi nation to fi nd an an- ada and the U.S. spirited singing, divrei Torah, and trademark Shab- swer to what plagued her. The Arrowsmith Program is bos food by Chef Yossi and Eli. As a young psychology grad currently being offered at the student, frustrated with the following yeshivas: Bais Yaa- enor mous expendi ture of ener- kov of Boro Park, Beis Cha- gy required to work around her ya Mushka in Crown Heights, Material for Community prob lems, she came across the Eitz Chaim Schools in Toron- research of Russian neuropsy- to, Jewish Educational Center cholo gist Alexan der Luria. Dr. (JEC) in Elizabeth, NJ, Yeshi- Currents should be e-mailed to Luria had studied soldiers who va Degel Hatorah in Monsey, had suffered head wounds. Us- and Yeshiva Tiferes Torah in ing Luria’s detailed descrip- Lakewood. [email protected] Friday, June 1, 2012 THE JEWISH PRESS  Page 47 Community Currents

On May 14-17, 130 people commemorated the 70th anniversary of the depor- Over 200 people attended Lubavitch on the Palisades’s recent groundbreak- tation of the Jews of Bardejov, Slovakia, in 1942. (See article on page 46.) ing ceremony for a 10,000 square foot expansion of its facilities.

(L-R) Elana Prezant, Jeffrey Prezant, Rabbi Bardejov, Solvakia Town Square. Yitzchak Gershovitz, Michael Young, Rabbi Mor- dechai Shain, David Mintz, Mayor Peter Rustin, Aron Forem, and Dr. Lawrence Katz. (Photo credit: Rafael Dayan Photography)

The Bardejov, Slovakia Solidarity Walk on May 15 closed down the main street for the fi rst time in the city’s history. Bardejov, Slovakia Jewish Cemetery. (Photos courtesy of Corrie Siegel)

On Wednesday, May 16, the Aleh Foundation hosted is annual Awards Dinner, at the Museum Senator Richard Blumenthal together with Rabbi Yehoshua of Jewish Heritage, celebrating 28 years of service to disabled children. Among the honorees were and Freida Hecht of Beth Israel of Westport/Norwalk, Con- State Senator Dean G. Skelos, Dr. Jeffrey Wisoff, Jack and Violet Harounian, and Drs. necticut, pose at the Eighth Annual “Circle of Friends” Eve- Andrew and Violet Harounian. ning of Recognition, honoring 130 teenage volunteers. More than 300 people attended the gala dinner and Chinese auc- tion fund-raiser held at Beth Israel of Westport/Norwalk, CT. (Photo credit: Steve Laitman)

Standing (L-R): Aleh Foundation President Dr. Jeffrey Te- Standing (L-R): Jeffrey Tenenbaum; Dr. Alisa Kasachkoff; Dr. Galina Zaretsky, Humanitarian nenbaum, New York State Senators Dean G. Skelos and Mar- Awardee; Dr. Jeffrey Wisoff, Medical Leadership Awardee; Jack Harounian, an honoree; Nina tin Golden, and Rabbi Shlomo Braun, founder and director of Miner, Memorial Tribute Awardee; Leslie and Michael Kule, Estie and Rabbi Dr. Abadie; and the Aleh Foundation. Sitting (L-R): Naomi Mauer, publisher Zev Brenner. Sitting (L-R): Susan Settenbrino; Violet Harounian, Tribute Honoree; Chana Braun, of The Jewish Press and Aleh Foundation Tribute Chairper- Rabbi Shlomo Braun; and Jay Arthur Goldber, Journal Chairperson. son, and Shaindy and Dr. Michael Fuchs.