Temple Beth Israel Sisterhood Meeting

Thursday, June 8, 11:30 a.m.

Temple Beth Israel

201 S. Military Tr.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

The Sisterhood of Temple Beth Israel will host the last meeting of the season. Lunch will be served and you pay at the door. Cantor Irvin Bell will present a musical program. For more information, call Minerva at 954-427-9902 or Gerda at 954-427-5743.

Summer Lovin’ Full Moon Beach Yoga Series

Thursday, June 8, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

North of Deerfield Pier

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

The 1st of three full moon beach yoga classes of the series. Together we will set our intention, raise our vibration, build community & spread love to all! All levels and ages welcome; no prior yoga experience is necessary! Bring a large blanket or towel, water & good vibes. Additional dates for the series:Sunday, Aug. 6, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, July 9, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Flow & Glow) $10 per class/ 3 classes for $25 (must pay in advance online or at the 1st class). For more information, message Sand Angel Yoga at www.facebook.com/sandangelyoga/.

Special Olympics Trading Card Day

Friday, June 9, 3 to 6 p.m.

TD Bank

1011 S. Federal Hwy.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

TD Bank will host its annual Special Olympics Trading Card Day in Broward County, Florida. Come out and meet Special Olympic athletes participating in this year’s games.

Full Moon Stand Up Paddle Tour

Friday, June 9, 7 to 10 p.m.

Island Water Sports

1985 NE 2 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Easy and casual Full Moon Paddle in Deerfield Beach’s Waterways. Enjoy making new friends and cruise through multi-million dollar neighborhoods, and see why South Florida is called the “Venice of America.” Full Moon Paddles fill up quickly, so register in advance. Tickets are available at www.islandcamps.com. For more information and questions about the weather for your trip, call 954-427-4929. Glow in the dark necklaces/navigation lights are provided. The duration is 1.5 hours. Difficulty level is easy paddle/endurance moderate. The distance is 3.5 miles, and SUP boards, instruction and tour guide is included. $30.00 if renting a board/ $10 if bringing your own.

Wing Warrior Cook-Off and Music Festival

Saturday, June 10, Noon to 6 p.m.

Oveta McKeithen Recreational Complex

445 SW 2 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 3344

Free event to come out, taste, judge and vote for the People’s Choice Wing Champion! Enjoy tasty wings, music, cold beverages (available for purchase), crafts and vendors booths. Kids’ Zone includes water slides, bounce houses and more. For more information, visit www.deerfield-beach.com/1494/Wing-Warrior-Cook-Off or call 954-480-4429.

“The Writer, The Actor & The Director”

Friday, June 16, 7:30 p.m.

Ali Cultural Arts

353 MLK Blvd.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

The Pompano Beach CRA, The Historic Ali Cultural Arts Center and Ashanti Cultural Arts are proud to present “The Writer, The Actor & The Director – The Big Screen Panel Discussion” featuring Jaden Piner from the Academy Award-winning film Moonlight; Jacqueline McKinley-Lee, a television writer of eight different sitcoms and two dramas, and Jeffrey Battie, rising director. Discussion moderated by nationally ranked poet Eccentrich Richardson. $10; with Meet-n-Greet Reception (at 7 p.m), $20. For more information, visit www.aliarts.org or call 954-786-7876.

Save The Date:Mizner Park Downtown Drive Car Show

Sunday, June 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mizner Park

327 Plaza Real.

Boca Raton, FL 33432

Celebrate Father’s Day at Mizner Park with a showcase of antique, classic, and European sport & exotic cars. Also free Father’s Day Concert starting at 7 p.m. at the Mizner Park Amphitheater. Free admission and garage parking.

A study was conducted to measure the resiliency of young students. Researchers were curious to learn how a child would respond to increasingly difficult tasks based upon whether the child’s behavior or innate ability is praised.

Children who were praised for their innate ability, such as affirming that they did well because they are smart, bore unexpected results: This common method of encouragement actually caused many children to shy away from more difficult tasks. Since the value was placed on “being smart,” they skipped on more challenging tasks because they didn’t know if they were capable; so why risk it by trying something and possibly failing and losing the status of being “smart.”

Conversely, children who had their behavior praised yielded opposite results. Many in this participating group welcomed the next challenge. They had nothing to prove, or more accurately, to lose. If they failed, it wasn’t attached to their personhood — their capability. Instead of believing they weren’t smart enough, they believed with more effort they could be successful.

Here’s the thing: God says to commit our plans to Him, so bending to His will not (try) to force God to bend to ours. And we’re also challenged to live a life worthy of our calling. Both these things present us with real challenges and dangers. Yet, this group of graduates has grown up in a world where everyone from first place to last receives a trophy; expectations such as driving or having a summer job have diminished and failure is the worst possible thing, ever! In essence, we constantly affirm, “You are special and you deserve to be treated like royalty.”

Yet, at the same time, we struggle to grasp why a staggering percentage of graduates leave the church … why so few commit to their decision to follow Jesus that they made at age 7.

The root of the issue is identity. The call to follow Jesus is the exact opposite of what they’ve been taught to believe about themselves. We’ve missed the opportunity to pour into them that they have a God that created them, cares for them, adopted them and will never leave them. This message has been replaced with participation ribbons.

But, it’s not too late. God is a patient and loving God who desires all to come to Him. We need not to lose hope, but cling to it.

Here are three things your graduate can do to live the life worthy of their calling.

1. Allow your graduate to experience failure. They have been protected from the discomfort of failure and now are woefully unprepared not only for the real world, but God’s call. This summer is the perfect time for graduates to experience failure and recognize it’s not that bad. Learning how to fail is essential to trying what’s destined to fail without divine intervention, but they’ll never know all that God has for them if they are too scared to try.

2. Help your graduate commit their plans to the Lord. Set aside some intentional time with your graduate to study the Word. Stop asking them what they want to be or where they want to go to college. Challenge them to discover how God has specifically gifted them, in this given context, to live wholly for God and then seek His guidance for the best course to fulfill that role.

3. Remind your graduates of their identity in Christ. Teachers, coaches, mentors, etc., are important figures in your graduates’ life; but, if you value worldly identities: status, power, image and wealth identity, the efforts of the others’ voices will quickly be drowned out. Whether wealthy or not, or somewhere in the middle, don’t miss the opportunity to teach on identity and stewardship.

Join me in praying for your graduates, that they shake off any identities keeping them from following God’s risky and challenging plan for their life; that they allow the Spirit to remind them; that they are fearfully and wonderfully made, a child of His, able to do all things through Christ who straightens them.

C.J. Wetzler is the NextGen pastor at The Church at Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments he can be reached at cj@dfb.church.

Sales Tax Holiday
June 2 through June 4th
For the more information click the link below.

Tax Information Publication: 2017 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday

For the Season Forecast Report, please click the link below:

2017 Hurricane Report by Philip J. Klotzbach and Michael M. Bell; In Memory of William M. Gray

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach High School senior Taletrius “TJ” Bradley was just days from graduation when his life was cut short in a tragic single-car accident on Sunday morning.

Bradley, 19, was driving a 2017 red Corvette that his mother had rented for her son so he could attend the Plantation High School prom in style.

Early Sunday morning, Bradley lost control of the vehicle, which flipped, and both he and his passenger, Demetrius Palmer, were ejected from the front seat of the vehicle off State Road 7 and Sunrise Boulevard.

Bradley, a wide receiver for the Bucks (10-3) who lost in the state Class 5A semifinals to the eventual state champion, Miami Southridge, died Tuesday morning from brain injuries he had suffered in the crash. Palmer, 17, a standout defensive back of the Bucks football team, is in critical condition at Broward Health Medical Center, according to Deerfield Beach head coach Jevon Glenn.

“It’s really hard to see life kind of be snatched away really at the beginning for him,” said Glenn, who added that Bradley dropped off his prom date and picked Palmer up just prior to the accident. Bradley has just received test scores that would have qualified him for college and was closing in on a decision, according to Glenn.

Glenn told the Miami Herald on Tuesday that Palmer was “not in the clear yet.”

“He’s showing signs of progress,” Glenn said. “He’s got some head injuries, but they’re continuing to do brain scans and so far they’ve been coming back good. But obviously with all the swelling and things they’re going to keep him sedated so they can keep monitoring him. They’re monitoring him and he’s got movement,” Glenn said. “We’re just really waiting on him to wake up and come out of it.”

Pompano Junior lifeguard meeting

There will be a mandatory parents meeting for those interested in being part of the Pompano Beach Junior Lifeguard program June 1 at the Civic Center, 1801 NE 6 St., Pompano Beach.

The meeting, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., will take place in the large auditorium, immediately behind the reception area.

Among the items that will be discussed include a complete itinerary of the summer program, along with information regarding uniform, competition dates, social events, and other rules and regulations. The coaching staff and administrative personnel will also be present.

“We will have two vendors attend in case athletes wish to purchase swim suits, goggles, caps, and other swimming-related paraphernalia,” said Pompano Beach Junior Lifeguard Association President Nemia L. Schulte. “We encourage all Juniors and Grommets to attend this meeting so that they can try on the shirts, rash guards, swim suits, etc. to ensure proper fitting.”

For more information on the program, contact Schulte at nemia2000@aol.com.

By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

With less than expected box office revenue and mixed reviews from mainstream movie critics, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales still took the box office crown for Memorial Day Weekend. Yet, according to a popular critical website, RottenTomatoes.com, the paying public likes this fifth Pirate movie more than critics getting a free screening.

Dead Men Tell No Tales features a young Henry Turner locating his father, Will Turner, (Orlando Bloom) who is the current cursed Captain of the Flying Dutchman, the ship that ferries souls to Fiddler’s Green. The son claims that if he can locate the Trident of Poseidon, he can free his father from his curse. The barnacle-faced Will Turner rejects such an offer, especially if it means involving Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp).

A decade passes and a grown Henry (Brenton Thwaites) is still searching for the Trident of Poseidon. His ship is raided by the ghostly Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), a ghost with a score to settle with Captain Jack. A pirate on hard times yet again, Sparrow has become a landlubber with a dry-docked crew. Henry and Jack eventually meet in prison, where they encounter Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario-Davis), an astronomer who is accused of witchcraft.

The plot unfurls like a lapping wave as Jack, Carina and Henry confront Captain Salazar. Eventually, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) enters the scene in search of his own treasure. Along the way, sea battles, sword battles and zombie sharks add spice to this film.

If this is the final Pirates of the Caribbean film, this Disney franchise closes on a high note. While not slowing down story momentum, this fifth installment answers lingering questions from the previous four movies. While the climax bogs down with too much reliance on computerized special effects, there is enough creative visualization in the earlier scenes to hold one’s interest in the movie.

It is the colorful character interactions that drive this motion picture. The bickering between Jack and Barbossa is as refreshing as the new kids, Carina and Henry.

Captain Salazar is the best antagonist since Davy Jones, who makes an effective cameo that might drive a sixth movie, if there is one.

With Baywatch bombing at the box office, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales has proven to be the most sea-worthy movie on the big screen. For those interested in more realistic drama, keep your eyes peeled for Megan Levy, a true story of an American Marine in Iraq who develops a special relationship with a combat dog.

Deerfield Beach

May 16: A man reported his Ford pickup truck stolen from his driveway at 430 SE 4 St.

May 16: A man said that three people grabbed him from behind, stole his cell phone and fled the area. The incident was reported at 1271 SW 9 Ave.

May 16: A man was arrested for domestic violence after hitting his wife at 4384 NW 9 Ave.

May 16: A man reported that while he was making a delivery at 199 W. Hillsboro Blvd., two men stole four cases of beer valued at $100.

May 16: A woman reported that someone broke into her apartment at 3261 SW 1 St.

Lighthouse Point

May 3: Security camera showed that the victim paid for gas and accidentally dropped his wallet. Then someone picked up the wallet and left the store at 3900 N. Federal Hwy. The wallet contained five credit cards, $350 in cash, a driver’s license. The total loss was $431.

May 3: The victim reported a gold and diamond ring valued at $10,000 was stolen from a vehicle at 3700 N. Federal Hwy.

May 4: Someone stole a 64-quart cooler off a boat that was docked behind 3801 NE 31 Ave. The loss was $400.

Textile Transformations

Thursday, June 1, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

The Boca Museum Art School

801 W. Palmetto Park Rd.

Boca Raton, FL 33486

Five-week evening class. For more information, call 561-392-2503.

Spring Gala 2017

Presented by Florida Classical Ballet Company

Saturday, June 3 to Sunday, June 4, 5 p.m. & 8 p.m.

The Pompano Beach Cultural Center

50 SW 1 Ave.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Enjoy masterworks of classical ballet performed by renowned artists under the direction of the famous ballet mistress and choreographer Magaly Suarez. Excerpts from four of the world’s most beloved ballets, including:

Bayadera Suite – Choreography by Marius Petipa – Music by Ludwig Minkus

Majisimo – Choreography by Jorge Garcia – Music by Jules Massenet

Don Quixote Grand Pas de deux – Choreography by Marius Petipa

Swan Lake – Choreography by Marius Petipa – Music by Tchaikovsky

Tickets are $45. For tickets, visit www.ccpompano.org or call 954-839-9578.

Deerfield Beach Class of 2017 Graduation

Sunday, June 4, 9 a.m.

Nova Southeastern University, Don Taft University Center

3301 College Ave.

Davie, FL 33314

To participate in the celebration you MUST already have a ticket. Parking fee of $7 per vehicle. Strollers not allowed inside the arena. No balloons, no seat saving and disabled seating is limited. Doors open one hour prior to the ceremony.

Cool Threads: Printmaking on Fabric

Tuesday, June 6 to Friday June 9, 1 to 4 p.m.

Boca Museum Art School

801 W. Palmetto Park Rd.

Boca Raton, FL 33486

Teen workshop. Learn how to design and print on fabric using tie-dye, stamping and stenciling. Discover how to carve original stamps and stencils to print on fabric. Combine a variety of techniques to create your own personalized fabric wall hanging, tote bag or other fabric items. For more information, call 561-392-2503.

Temple Beth Israel Sisterhood meeting

Thursday, June 8, 11:30 a.m.

Temple Beth Israel

201 S. Military Tr.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Last meeting of the season. Lunch will be served. Pay at the door. Cantor Irvin Bell will present a musical program. For more information, call Minerva at 954-427-9902 or Gerda at 954-427-5743.

Save the Date: Wing Warrior Cook-Off and Music Festival

Saturday, June 10, Noon to 6 p.m.

Oveta McKeithen Recreational Complex

445 SW 2 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 3344

Free event to come out, taste, judge and vote for the People’s Choice Wing Champion! Enjoy tasty wings, music, cold beverages (available for purchase), crafts and vendors booths. Kids’ Zone includes water slides, bounce houses and more. For more information, visit www.deerfield-beach.com/1494/Wing-Warrior-Cook-Off or call 954-480-4429.

Was there Torah before Torah was given? It says in Zohar (Teruma) that G-d looked into the Torah and created the world. What does that mean? There are many stories in Torah that imply that, indeed, there was a Torah before the Torah was given:

• Noach bringing in different number of kosher animals … How did he know which were kosher?

• Avrohom, our forefather, fed his visiting angels matzo as part of their meal. It was Pesach. Isn’t Exodus an event that happened some 700 years later? What was he celebrating? They hadn’t rushed out of Egypt yet.

• Jacob put on Tefillin. In a very curious manner, the Torah tells us a story how he created spots on branches, and the Zohar says it was his way of putting on Tefillin.

• The famous Yeshiva that Jacob studied in on his way to his uncle was the Yeshiva of Shem and Ever, Noah’s sons. Were they studying the Talmud?

• Yehuda went before his family to build Yeshiva in Egypt. What did they study in his Yeshiva?

King David gives up an opportunity to kill Saul when he is chasing him. He says “the primordial analogy says, “Bad comes from bad people” … “See, I’m not bad.” With that, he refers to Torah. What does that mean? The Torah does not speak as an analogy. It speaks of fact, stories, laws, history, morals, etc. — very factually. And why primordial? Primordial means the first, preceding. Kabbalistically referring to the Being that always was — G-d. The Torah is an example or analogy for G-d.

What is an analogy? When trying to explain a topic which may be out of reach to the listeners, one will clothe his thought in a tangible example. When trying to explain a complicated mathematical equation, one may try with a simpler one first to give a handle with which to use. G-d is not relatable to the human creation. The Torah is the means which he provided us to then identify with Him.

The Talmud tells us it was heard in the Heavenly abode, lucky is the one who comes here with his Torah. The Torah that we study is material. The life of the world to come is holy and spiritual. How would bringing our material world Torah to the holy higher spheres help or be meritorious and anyway?

The answer is that the Torah we study here is an analogy for higher levels. If we have our Torah with us, we have an analogy with what to be able to understand higher and deeper levels. With each level that we advance, we enter another truth. But we also enter another analogy for an even higher truth. So the ultimate truth, permeating all planes, all levels, clothes itself in different analogies throughout that journey. When we understand the Torah on the first level we’ve understood and grasped the truth there. When we come to the second level, that first one is now only an example. When we reach the third level, the second level becomes only an analogy with which to understand the third. And so on and so forth. It’s the same with the Torah.

Jacob studying, putting on Tefillin, was not about the way we have it now. It was about the truth which Tefillin relates to us. Tefillin has a message — why black, why square, why these passages, why on your arms and your head? On one level, we can say it’s to bind us, our minds and our hearts, to G-d.

On a deeper level, we can say it is referring to two modes and methods of serving G-d and bringing out each one in its unique way. The arm one is bound, an active wording in the brocho. This refers to one’s emotions, which one does not have control over. They roam around; they react. One is not fully in control of them; therefore, we bind them as an active command to continuously ensure they are bound to the service of G-d. The mind one represents our intellect. We can control where our thoughts go. We allow them to develop as we choose. That’s why the Mitzvah is to have them on your head. It’s something you can control from the outset. So even though we speak of leather, paint, ink … we really refer to emotions, intellect, service of G-d — the same with all the other examples.

The actual story of the Torah is also the means to the deeper meaning behind it. There’s a story in the Talmud, of the sage Yonatan Ben Uziel, when he would study Torah, any bird that flew over him would burn [because he studied it at the level it was revealed on Mount Sinai].

Rabbi Mayor Schapiro, founder of Lublin yeshiva, explains two types of students. The first one would analyze the story asking what are the legal implications? Would he be liable to repay the bird? Was it a direct cause? Was it indirect? What stage of indirect was it, etc? The second student would look at him and say you missed the whole point. Although those are good questions, the point is the sanctity of the student of Hillel. The point is the holiness that he has attained. The story is only hinting to a much deeper reality.

When we study Torah, we need to be cognizant of this. We need to open our eyes to this duality that is within the Torah. It’s not about face value. It’s about what’s insinuated and being taught deeper. We need the simple understanding too. But we also need to open our eyes to the deeper realities of divine wisdom within. We need to recognize that these are all different words being used to express G-dliness. These are different clothing used to tell us of the divine reality.

The Torah being given changed nothing; it just gave us better expressions to be used for simplicity’s sake. We now put on real Tefillin and affect our emotional and intellectual service of G-d. The Torah is an analogy for the primordial being. Now go and study it.

Rabbi Tzvi Dechter is the Director of Chabad of the North Broward Beaches. For all upcoming events, please visit www.JewishLHP.com.

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

I try to impress upon my writing class the importance of focus.

“You must have a theme, a point of view, a message you want to convey,” I tell them.

For emphasis, I ask that they be able to verbally express in one or two sentences the premise of the writing. And so, with that acknowledgement, I want to thank some literary precedents for what I am about to do. There are times in one’s life when there is a necessity to set upon paper a “stream of consciousness” — random thoughts that have been a-haunting, thoughts that seemingly have no connection to each other, but that spring from an uninhibited authority that needs to punch itself out of the box.

Here’s how it goes, and welcome to today’s creepy innards of my secret brain — without attention to rules, sentence structure, consistency of tense or pronouns, or point of view, just as messy and random as thoughts tend to be:

Isn’t it interesting how people never stop learning … How once that diploma is in our hands, it means that the learning is actually about to commence, how we learn so much more out of school than within its confines, about new ideas, new ways of thinking, about how I had evaluated the character of a certain person and, then, how I have changed my mind about that person, and actually, how I thought about myself and find so many aspects of me that have changed? And — wow! How good it is to be flexible, to be able to change my mind, but on the other hand, does that make me unreliable? Is changing one’s mind a flaw or an asset? And are other people static in their character, or am I only shown what they want me to see, until some kind of crisis occurs and I am able to recognize more than what appears on the surface of their character?

And getting back to me – there I was semi-content about not riding my bike daily, as I had been doing all of my adult life, feeling insecure in my new setting after the move, interesting how people choose their activities. Not for me “working out” — gym classes, Pilates, Yoga, Body Balancing, Tai Chi, fitness machines, massages, — just give me two working feet for walking, a pool would be nice to do my exercises at my own pace and a bike, but then I didn’t have the bike because my 26 in. wheeler made me feel insecure as I got older, as people around me began to fall, increasing the coffers of the orthopedic community; and then, last week, my friend Maddy told me about the new bike she was about to order — choose any wheel size … any wheel size? Hmmm … maybe a smaller wheel will give me more confidence, and I did it and – OMG – what a difference. After three years, I am rolling again on 16 in. wheels. Life is good, isn’t it? Interesting how people never stop learning, especially about themselves — never thought I’d ride a bike again.

Conclusion? I am over my word limit. It’s Memorial Day and random thoughts about its meaning sneak into my brain. It is surely a concrete subject for another essay – just not for today.