December 2004 Issue No. 10 Federation: 940-6001 L ’ Chaim! Email: [email protected] News & “Chailights” of The Greater Altoona Jewish Community CELEBRATING HANUKKAH SUPER BOWL Uno’s set to welcome annual party The sixth annual Super Bowl party, sponsored in part by the Altoona Jewish Federation, will take place at Uno Chicago Grill on Plank Road in Altoona. The game is set for Sunday, Feb. 6 with kickoff at 6:20 p.m. Jason Kivitz will begin his traditional Super Bowl poll beginning at 5:30. Since both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles have a chance to be in the game, Super Bowl fever is already high, and Federation officials moved swiftly to secure an appropriate venue. “The Super Bowl party has become a The Altoona Jewish Community School held a Hanukkah celebration on fixture on our calendar,” executive director Sunday, Dec. 12. Among the students lighting candles are, from left: Robert Bill Wallen said. “It’s an event everybody Marlowe, Jacob Marlowe, Jimmy Holliday, Meredith Brumbaugh and in the community, from grandparents to the kids, has enjoyed.” Arielle Port. Wallen thanked Greg Morris, owner of Uno Chicago Grill, for his hospitality not FILM FESTIVAL only for this event but for many Federation programs over the years. Cost for the party/buffet will be $10 for March bonus includes Exodus adults. Kids 12 and younger will eat free. “This will be our best year remembers that the film “stimu - Uno’s is closing off two rooms for the yet,” predicts committee chair lated a whole generation of party and is bringing in two large screen Michael Tomor. “Not only do we American Jews to identify with TVs, in addition to the four TVs already in have four great films in February, the State of Israel.” The commit - place, to insure excellent visibility of the but we’ve also decided that the tee feels that Exodus needs to be game. The menu will feature appetizers, time is right to show Exodus .” seen by our younger generations. salads, haddock, seven kinds of pizza, There will be a special show - The festival begins on desserts and drinks. ing on Sunday afternoon March 6 Thursday, Feb. 3. For a complete RSVPs can be made by calling the of the 1960 classic about the lineup, please see page 3 and Federation office at 940-6001. Get in soon birth of the State of Israel. look for the Film Festival brochure that — a crowd of 100-plus is expected. Committee member Joe Silverman will be sent in January. Page 2 News & “Chailights” of The Greater Altoona Jewish Community L ’ Chaim! EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT Around the community By Bill Wallen Comings and goings Joel Chorny will leave on January the Oakland VA Hospital in Pittsburgh Welcome to new members of our 6 to spend a semester abroad in Greece. after a long illness. community! Andy Siegel has joined the Luke was the long-time custodian sports department of WTAJ-TV. Look Mazel Tov at Agudath Achim and later at the for him on camera covering events all Yasher Koach to Andy Gurman, Jewish Memorial Center. over the region. He is originally from who was installed as president of the Philadelphia area. Andy and his Pennsylvania Region of the Union of Thank you wife Michelle are newlyweds and Reform Judaism at their biennial in Special thanks to Greg Morris for reside in Altoona. Dan Keene is anoth - November. his hospitality at the Hampton Inn, er new staff member at WTAJ, where he Congratulations to Irv and Steve which hosted Judy and Fred Meisel works as a videographer. He currently Seltzer, who celebrated 50 years of during both of their visits here. Greg resides in Indiana and is engaged to “helping people communicate better” at has also provided complimentary rooms Lisa Shellhammer . He has joined Phonepower. for other presenters at Jewish events in Temple Beth Israel, and we hope he’ll A great job was done at the the community. be moving here in the near future. Hollidaysburg School’s production of Special thanks to Elliott Bilofsky The Temple also welcomes The Music Man by Gareth Kafka, who for sponsoring the Chanukiah at Cynthia and Perry Vanderglas and played the lead (Henry Hill), Sarah Lakemont Park as part of the annual daughters Ruth and Samantha of Lipitz, who sang and danced, Michal Holiday Lights display. Tyrone and Carol and Marvin Chorny, who played a town lady and Kudos to The Altoona Hospital for Goldberg of State College as new Brittany Thaler, who was the student continuing to have the only public members. The Goldbergs had lived in director. Hanukkiah lighting ceremony in the Montreal prior to moving to our area. To the Altoona Cuve, led by major - Altoona area. The rabbis alternate offi - Dr. Goldberg is a professor of Business ity owner Chuck Greenberg . The ciating annually. This year, Rabbi Administration at Penn State. They Curve recently were awarded as the top Schuman led the service. have two grown children. promotional franchise in all of minor- Agudath Achim Congregation wel - league baseball. Greenberg was honored comes Sharon Van Blerkom Smith in May at the annual Israel Bonds din - La’Chaim anniversary and son Robby as new members. ner in Altoona. This marks the 10th issue of Sharon grew up in Altoona and now La’Chaim, which is published twice a teaches at Penn State Altoona. She is Passing of a friend year. the daughter of the former Diane To the family of Luke Merrbach , We continue to welcome feedback Adelman . who passed away earlier this month in and contributions from the community. Best wishes to Dr. Kathleen McSharry , who will be leaving our area in March for an exciting new posi - Folk artist to sing at PSU Altoona tion at Brown University. Kathleen was instrumental in bringing Judy Meisel to n Program set for She is a musician, our area. She is the co-author of the January 23. vocalist and linguist (she is curriculum guide for “Tak for Alt,” fluent in seven languages which she presented at the Celebrate Through the sponsor - including Yiddish). Diversity program teacher training in ship of the Institutional She specializes in October. Equity and Diversity Russian, Eastern European Bon voyage to friends visiting Program, Izolde and traditional Jewish folk Florida for all or some of the winter Traktenberg and her trio music as well as the music months – Ethel Fried, Mendel and of Ireland. will be featured at an Honey Covitch, Morris Levine, Irene Traktenberg The program is free Newborn, Ed and Harriett Hand, Interfaith Coffeehouse on and open to the whole com - Jerry and Janet Wayne, Helen Rosch, Sunday Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. in the Slep munity. Join us for Izolde and sample and Henry and Maxine Weinberg. Student Center at Penn State Altoona. coffees and European desserts sup - Adam Schneider left for Fort Izolde was born in Moldavia and plied by some of our bakers. Bragg on December 14 for a month and escaped anti-Semitism there through For more information, call the will then be deployed to Iraq. May he aliyah to Israel with her family. Federation office at 940-6001. be kept safe under the sheltering wings of the Schinah. L ’ Chaim! News & “Chailights” of The Greater Altoona Jewish Community Page 3 Calendar of events January 9 Altoona Jewish Community School resumes at Agudath Achim Congregation. Open House & Brunch 10 a.m.-noon. January 13, 20, 27 Interfaith series: Women of Genesis 7-9 p.m. YWCA Altoona January 23 Interfaith coffeehouse featuring Izolde, folk singer 7:30-9 p.m. Penn State Altoona Slep Student Center January 25 Tu B’Shevat A scene from “Gloomy Sunday,” which will be shown February 24 as part January 26 Federation Board of the Federation’s annual Film Festival. meeting 6:30 p.m., Temple Beth Israel February 6 Family Super Bowl Party 2005 FILM FESTIVAL 5:30 p.m. Pizzeria Uno Chicago Grill March 25 Purim March 27 Purim Carnival 10 a.m. JMC 6th annual film series April 23 Passover begins at sundown May 5 Yom Ha Shoach May 13 Confirmation 8 p.m. Temple Beth Israel cued up for February May 15 Final day of Sunday School, Maccabean Games, 10 a.m., JMC. February 3: Taking Sides – 108 min - Shlomi little time to develop his own per - utes , English (made in Germany 2001). sonality. But when one of his teachers Based on fact, Taking Sides dramaticizes detects an extraordinary gift Shlomi never Upcoming B’nai Mitzvah the post-WWII investigation of Wilhelm knew he had, aided by the power of first April 16 Alex Primack 10 a.m. Furtwangler, brilliant Berlin Philharmonic love, Shlomi breaks out of his timid shell, Temple Beth Israel conductor and accused Nazi collaborator. discovering his own independence and May 28 Asher Kline 9:30 a.m. Taking Sides is a thought-provoking potential. Contains adult language. Agudath Achim Congregation exploration of the artist’s social responsi - February 24: Gloomy Sunday – 114 June 4 Allison Cohen 9:30 a.m. bility, and more broadly, of the difficult minutes , German/English subtitles (made Agudath Achim Congregation choice between disloyalty and complicity in Germany 1999). A hit song during the that anyone must make when living under 1930s, “Gloomy Sunday” is the inspira - June 11 Dana Holliday 10 a.m. an evil regime. It features strong acting tion for this marvelous film, a love story Temple Beth Israel and beautiful music. with a twist. Gloomy Sunday flashes back February 10: Marjorie Morningstar – from the 1990s to the early 1930s in 125 minutes , English (made in United Budapest, where three people are caught States 1957).