Meeting Minutes: December 19, 2005

Minutes of December 19, 2005 Meeting at St Vincent De Paul University, Boynton Beach

Present: Ethan Allen, Marilyn Altschule, Linda Anton, Debbie Bergson, Steven Bergson, Ben Bolton, Kathy Boyes, Sandy G. Breger, Barbara Cooper, Muriel Efron, Heidi Estrin, Phyllis Gutmann, Harriet Kaplan, Lester Kaplan, Sue Kirshner, Wilma Kosow, Cindy Krueger, Diane Malakoff, Charles Meyers, John J. O'Toole, Art Quinn, Arlene Robert, Rabbi Tobias Rothenberg, Sara Schandelson, Stephanie Schoenberger, Edith Sherman, Idell Shore, Miriam Shulman, Donna Smith, Arlene Stein, Ruth Weiner, Marci Wiseman, Lee Wixman

I. Heidi opened the meeting with Ha Motzi and by welcoming everyone and thanking Art Quinn for such wonderful and delicious hospitality.

II. SFAJL Business:

BLOG: Sunshine State Safranim - A Blog is an online newsletter/journal. Heidi encourages all SFAJL to interact and participate in our Blog with reviews, comments and other appropriate information. Our Blog can be found at www.sfajl.blogspot.com and all are welcome to visit!

WEST COAST AJL (Linda Kruger from Temple Shalom of Naples - www.naplestemple.org) has invited us to meet with them on either March 2 or March 9 - Heidi is polling for the better date, please let her know. Naples is about 1 1/2 hours away -we could meet at a central location such as Sawgrass Mills and carpool from there.

JEWISH TREASURES AT ST PAULS : Art thoughtfully prepared a bibliography (which he distributed) of a sample of newly acquired items of Jewish interest now available at SVDP Library. The purpose of the collection is to meet Jewish related course requirements for Seminary students. 15% (11,000 vols) are in Spanish, including such titles as: El Diario de Ana Frank, by Anne Frank; El Shabbat: Su Significado para el Hombre de Hoy, by Abraham Joshua Heschel, El Librio Judio del Por Que, by Alfred Kolatch and many more!

III. Kathy Boyes of the Palm Beach County Library Association (AND System!), along with colleague Donna Smith for the Green Acres County Library, presented information about the Association which is open to all librarians, media specialists, school information centers and anyone else might be interested. Its purpose is to promote professional growth of its members, cooperation, good PR for library matters and to promote books, authors, events and the READ TOGETHER Campaign. The Association has been dormant for some time, but has bee re-activated and even was able to offer a $500.00 scholarship to a student currently working towards an MLS. The Association offers workshops on Google vs. Electronic Database, Blogs and has partnered with the County school district to offer what is available through their own website. Upcoming events include: January 23 Brown Bag discussion on Wi-Fi @ 12:30, Main Library on Summit; January 30 unveiling of new READ TOGETHER title @ City Place; March 23 READ TOGETEHR Palm Beach County Program. There is a $10.00 Membership fee to join the Association and all are welcome!

Marilyn Altshule of Mahrwood Press gave a brief, impromptu presentation on some new titles available for children in Hebrew, English and Spanish, details of which can be found at www.mahrwoodpress.com.

IV Guest Speaker Steve Bergson from Toronto AJL maintains that Jewish Comics (graphic novels) should be included as a format in our libraries and gave a detailed and explicit presentation on the history, past, present and future of this unique genre and educational/information tool.

V YOUR News included:

Marci Wiseman of CAJE-Miami presented two great resources: The JGirl's Guide, by Penina Adelman, Ali Feldman and Shulamit Reinharz which is a wonderful resource for programming for Girls and their mothers, ages 10 and up and available at www.jewishlights.com ; and The Judaism in Pictures Kit which is a collection developed for the Early Childhood classroom and features photos of young children participating in Jewish ceremonies. Produced by the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, this kit includes hard-to-find egalitarian scenarios and comes with a cd of texts and sources for you to copy and reproduce. Now available exclusively through the Miami CAJE at an introductory price of $59.95 (plus $5.95 s/h) this is a MUST HAVE for early childhood classrooms! Contact Marci at marciwiseman@caje-miami.org

Heidi Estrin presented a book, not of Jewish content, but by a local author, Saltwater Adventure in Florida Keys, now available, contact Heidi.

Contributions to the Joe Coller Memorial Scholarship Fund (Joe was the 27 yr old son of fellow AJL member Robin Coller, who was recently and tragically killed in a car accident) can be mailed c/o Coller & Rockman PA, 8500 SW 92nd St, Ste 106, Miami FL 33156.

Fellow AJL Member (from the West Coast Florida chapter) Miriam Miller's husband, Seymour passed away, Contributions can be made to AJL's Doris Orenstein Fund

Sandy Gottesman Breger of the Temple Beth Tikvah library in Lake Worth asked for support in offering information about library computerization.

Arlene Stein announced the publication of her 3rd book called, My Eye of the Apple, letters between her and her parents between 1953-1957. Information on how to obtain this book and/or to bring Arlene to your institution for a presentation is forthcoming.

Meeting Adjourned at 2:15 pm.