8542 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 151, Pt. 6 May 3, 2005 IN RECOGNITION OF THE NORTH Jersey Avalanche, and acknowledge the suc- man who has made his mark as an accom- JERSEY AVALANCHE YOUTH cess they have achieved, and the pride that plished musician, actor, author, lecturer, and HOCKEY TEAM; WINNERS OF THE they bring to the people of the great state of activist. Throughout his life, Theodore has 2005 USA HOCKEY TIER I CHAM- New Jersey. been committed to arts awareness, human PIONSHIPS IN THE 12 & UNDER f rights, and Jewish activism, and his service to DIVISION TRIBUTE TO THE LATE DR. the Los Angeles community and the world has HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN NSIDIBE N. IKPE been truly remarkable. OF NEW JERSEY Theodore was born in 1924, in Vienna, Aus- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK tria. At the age of 13, Theodore and his par- OF FLORIDA Tuesday, May 3, 2005 ents fled Austria to avoid Nazi persecution. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES They eventually settled in Palestine, where Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today Theodore began to develop a deep respect for with great pride to honor a tremendous group Tuesday, May 3, 2005 Jewish tradition and the performing arts. He of young people from the great state of New Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is with Jersey, the North Jersey Avalanche PeeWee great pride—but with deep sorrow—that I rise soon began acting in the famous Habimah AAA youth hockey team. The Avalanche re- to pay tribute to the late Dr. Nsidibe N. Ikpe, Theater. After a few years of training, Theo- cently won the 2005 USA Hockey Youth Tier one of my community’s quiet unsung heroes. dore left for London, where he performed in I National Championship in the 12 & Under Di- On Saturday, May 7, 2005, he will be memori- small theatre productions. He eventually vision. The team skates out of the Ice House alized during a service to be held at Miami’s caught the attention of Sir Laurence Olivier in Hackensack, NJ, which lies in the heart of Glendale Missionary Baptist Church. and was cast as Mitch in ‘‘A Streetcar Named my congressional district, and happens to be Born on February 18, 1949 in the village of Desire.’’ the largest ice-skating facility in the Garden Ndiya, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, West Africa, After his initial success, Theodore went on State. he was the first son of Chief Nelson Ikpe and Led by head coach Glenn Carlough and as- Arit Akpan Uko. His genuine character as an to star in Broadway productions of ‘‘The sistant coach J.J. Picinic, the North Jersey Av- industrious youth paved the way to his becom- Sound of Music’’, ‘‘The Lark’’ and ‘‘The King alanche won the National Championship in ing one of the most accomplished profes- and I,’’ but he is most famous for his portrayal very convincing fashion. After cruising through sionals of Nigeria. of the character Tevye in ‘‘The Fiddler on the preliminary tournaments, the group of 17 Married to Helen Roberts of Nigeria in 1969, Roof,’’ a role he has played more than 2,000 youngsters, many of whom have been playing Dr. Ikpe immigrated to the United States to times. Theodore later branched into film, and hockey since they were toddlers, made their pursue higher education. He supported himself in 1959 he was nominated for a Best Sup- way to the Youth Tier I, 12 & Under Division with odd jobs and was soon employed by the porting Actor Academy Award for his role as Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska. In six Boy Scouts of America, where he won several the Southern Sheriff in ‘‘The Defiant Ones.’’ games of fierce competition, the Avalanche accolades. It was while he served as a custo- rose to the top, with an outstanding record of dian in a psychiatric hospital in Iowa that he In 1965, Theodore made his concert debut five wins and one loss, and scoring a total of was inspired by the work of the doctors there at the Carnegie Recital Hall, and in 1988 he 29 goals, while only allowing 11. and decided to pursue a career in medicine. won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of Har- On April 13, 2005, over 1,000 people were Entering Washburn University in Topeka, ris Newmark, an early immigrant pioneer of in attendance for the Championship game, in Kansas, he earned his Doctorate of Medicine the West Coast. In recognition of his inspira- which the North Jersey Avalanche took on the and completed his internship and residency at tional work on stage, Theodore will be hon- Los Angeles Hockey Club. The team hit the Westchester General Hospital in Des Moines, ored this spring with a star on the Hollywood ice strongly, scoring two goals in just the first Iowa. Afterwards, he established the Legion Walk of Fame. minute of the game. They maintained their in- Park Medical Center in Miami, and expanded tensity, as evidenced by the strong perform- his practice to three more community clinics in Off stage, Theodore has used his talents to ances of players like Charles Orzetti, who South Florida at which he treated over 50,000 advance causes near to his heart. During the scored two goals, including the game-winner. patients. It is this commitment that endeared Civil Rights Movement, he helped produce the Anchoring the team’s performance in the final him to our community, and it is with this re- album ‘‘Sing’’ for Freedom: Civil Rights Move- game was goalie Jonathan Drago, who faced membrance that he will be sorely missed as ment Songs. He has also dedicated himself to 27 shots and made 25 saves. The monu- one of our preeminent minority physicians. human rights movements around the world, mental effort put forth by all the team mem- Though a highly private individual, he virtually visiting and entertaining soldiers during the bers led the Avalanche to a decisive 8–2 vic- consecrated his professional life to public Yom Kippur War of 1973 and serving as a tory. service. In so doing, he symbolized everything board member of Amnesty International. Back The North Jersey Avalanche Tier I cham- that is good and noble about the spirit of ideal- home, Theodore has been president of the pion team is one of the 21 traveling hockey ism and optimism in serving his fellow man, Actors’ Equity Association and a member of teams based at the Ice House in Hackensack. particularly the downtrodden and less fortu- Built in 1997, the Ice House is widely regarded nate. President Carter’s National Council on the as one of the premier ice-skating facilities in The numerous accolades he received during Arts. the Nation. In addition to the thousands of his lifetime buttress the unequivocal testimony Throughout his life, Theodore has also young athletes who play in year-round leagues of the gratitude and respect he enjoyed from made serving the Jewish community a priority. and train in a variety of clinics, several Olym- the community. I am deeply privileged to have Most notably, he has been involved in the So- pic figure skaters practice at the Ice House enjoyed his friendship, and I now join our viet Jewry movement and has served as sen- routinely, including 2002 Gold Medalists Sarah community in remembering his giving spirit ior vice president in the American Jewish Con- Hughes, Elena Bereznaia and Anton and the magnificent works that emanated from gress. In the Los Angeles Jewish community, Sikharulidze. The Ice House’s athletic pro- his boundless heart. Theodore has collaborated with Rabbi David grams continue to train and accommodate f Northern New Jersey’s youth, teaching the im- Baron and cofounded Temple Shalom for the portance of physical fitness and upholding the TRIBUTE TO THEODORE BIKEL Arts in Los Angeles. values of good sportsmanship—values that Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the national champion Northern New Jersey HON. BRAD SHERMAN Theodore Bikel, an influential leader, a vision- Avalanche proudly uphold. OF CALIFORNIA ary artist, and a talented individual whose spir- Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my distin- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES it and activism have inspired our generation guished colleagues to join me in recognizing the tremendous achievements of the out- Tuesday, May 3, 2005 and will undoubtedly touch generations to standing group of young athletes who com- Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to come. prise the National Champion Northern New pay tribute to Theodore Bikel, a Renaissance

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