| July, 2017

HAPPENINGS

Posted on 06 July 2017 by LeslieM

Old Town Untapped

Friday, July 7, 6 to 9 p.m.

Bailey Contemporary Arts (BACA)

41 NE 1 St.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

This will be a night filled with free craft beer samples from Pompano’s own breweries, live music, food trucks, art and more. Located in the heart of Downtown Pompano Beach, this event will take place outside. It is held on the first Friday of every month. For more information, call 954-786-7824.

Superhero Splash Bash

Friday July 7, 6 to 10 p.m.

Quiet Waters Park (Splash Adventure)

401 S. Powerline Rd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Splash to your heart’s content and wear your superhero swimsuit. There may be superhero photo opps, games, a movie, an obstacle course, a bounce house, prizes and more. No matter what, it will be plenty of fun and a great way to beat the summer heat. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call 954-357-5100 or visit www.Broward.org/Parks. Also on July 21 & Aug. 4

Historic Butler House Tours

Saturday, July 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

380 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Enjoy a free guided tour of the Historic Butler House. There will be free tours every Saturday through the month of July.For more information, visit www.deerfieldbeachhistorical-society.com or call 954-429-0378.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Saturday, July 8, 9 a.m. to noon

Central City Campus

401 SW 4 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Deerfield Beach residents, with a photo I.D. and/or utility bill as proof of residency, will be able to dispose of hazardous waste. For more information, visit www.deerfieldbeach.com/hhw.

Social Catalyst Jerry’s After Hours Art Show

Saturday, July 8, 6 to 8 p.m.

Jerry’s Artarama Deerfield Beach

242 S. Federal Hwy.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Jerry’s Artarama Deerfield Beach is having an After Hours Art Show & Party. “Social Catalyst” is a Community Group Art Exhibition! Free beer & wine. Music by Robert Brantley of Jolt Radio. Featuring Artwork by Brandy Lynn Magill, Tristina Dietz Elmes, Frances Tyler, Stephanie Leyden, Lauraly Atria, Kayla O’Keefe, Stacey Coon, Emmanuel Gonzales, Niko Yulis, Chy Walton, Bhavna Bhen, Sophia Vigne, Jean Marc, Cesca Veo, Spoke, Gigi Ritch, Florencia Clement de Grandprey, Galen Todd Traxler, Ben Hicks, Christopher Ian Macfarlane, Ivan Roque, Gregory Dirr, Lady Larva, Kelcie McQuaid, CHNK, Dominic Mattioli and John English. A select group of local artists will be Live Painting during the event. Jerry’s will be inviting special guests from arts & cultural organizations to offer insight on other community art exhibitions & opportunities happening throughout the year. For more information, email KelcieMcQuaid@gmail.com.

Save The Date:Music Under The Stars

Friday, July 14, 7 to 9 p.m.

Pompano Beach Great Lawn

Intersection of Atlantic Blvd & Pompano Beach Blvd.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Join the City of Pompano Beach for an evening of music and entertainment under the stars. This will take place every second Friday of the month. The band for this month is the top 40 band On the Roxx. For more information, call 954-786-4111.

DB Woman’s Club meets

Wednesday, July 19, 7 p.m.

910 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

The speaker for the evening division of the Woman’s Club of Deerfield Beach will be Mr. Ralph Krugler, Historian from the Hillsboro Lighthouse organization. He will provide us with information about the history of the lighthouse, as well as the barefoot mailman, along with other interesting facts about the current lighthouse. For more information, call 954- 421-4700.

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CLERGY CORNER: The Buck Stops Here

Posted on 06 July 2017 by LeslieM

There is a very moving episode in the Talmud about a man named Elazar Ben Dordaya. This man lived his life with an uninhibited desire to fulfill all of his promiscuous cravings, leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit. He was an addict of the worst kind.

In one particular encounter, the Talmud describes his travel to a distant land when he became aware of a woman he had not yet visited.

After paying a fortune for her services, she sighed and said, “As this breath will not return to its place, so too will Elazar Ben Dordaya never be received in repentance.”

She basically said to him … ‘Elazar, you are doomed… you have a one way ticket to hell!’

Shaken by her statement, the Talmud relates, Ben Dordaya panicked and searched for a way to redeem his life.

He sat between two mountains and hills and said, “Mountains and hills, request mercy for me.”

They couldn’t help him. There was silence.

He said, “Heavens and earth, request mercy for me.”

There was silence. They couldn’t help him.

He said, “Sun and moon … stars and constellations, request mercy for me.”

There was silence. They couldn’t help him.

The Talmud continues the story.

He then said, “This matter depends solely on me.”

He put his head between his knees and began to tremble from crying and remorse until he died. A heavenly voice came out and declared, “Rebbi Elazar Ben Dordaya is ready to enter the world-to-come.”

What does this story mean? Why is he asking mercy from mountains, stars, the sun and the moon? What did Elazar Ben Dordaya seek to achieve by turning to the heaven and earth, stars and constellations, mountains and hills for help? How are they going to assist him in repairing his promiscuous addiction?

My friends, what he was really saying is this, “Heaven and earth, my addictions, my problems, they are not my fault. They are the fault of my environment, my surroundings, my neighborhood. I blame heaven and earth. I grew up with no friends, no good support system; I was ridiculed. My heaven and earth, my surroundings, were cursed. Of course, I can’t be a good husband … I can’t be a good wife … It’s not my fault. I can’t be a mensch. Of course, I am an addict.”

There was silence.

Then he tried, “Mountains and valleys, ‘Harim Vegvaot.” [Harim also means Horim, parents; Gevaot are mountains, referring to our matriarchs, “Migvaot Ashureynu.”] “It’s not my fault; I had a dysfunctional home, terrible parents, and an awful upbringing. Yes, my father was a gambler and an alcoholic whom my mother was dependent. What do you want from me?”

There was silence.

And then he said, “Kochavim Umazalot — stars and constellations, sun and moon, help me. Some people say, ‘I don’t have a good karma, I have no mazal — no luck.’ Look at my astrological signs and you will see that I am prone to all bad things. My brother, he has a great job; he has good life. If I were like him, things would have been different. I would be such an understanding husband, a mature human being, a happy person, a calm person, a committed person, but my Karma really did me in. My zodiac ruined me!”

But again there was silence.

You know why? Because I am responsible for my life and my decisions. Because the buck stops here. I may have endured serious challenges, but I have the power of my divine soul to choose a good path in life. I cannot blame other people and situations. Happiness, goodness, kindness is my choice in life. I have the choice not to be dictated by fear and addiction, but rather by the desire to do the right thing.”

So the end of the story is that Elazar Ben Dordaya gave out a tremendous cry and he said, “This is my fault; this matter is not dependent on anybody else, not my environment, not my school, not my teachers, not my parents, not my karma. It’s me.

He gave such a scream that his soul left him, and a heavenly voice came out and said, “Elazar Ben Dordaya, no more will your name be Elazar Ben Dordaya, but Rabbi Elazar Ben Dordaya. You are now a Rabbi, a teacher. He has taught you and I, and all people, a lesson that no matter how hopeless a situation may be, I can change it, by taking responsibility for my life.

Rabbi Tzvi Dechter is the director of Chabad of North Broward Beaches, located in the Venetian Isle Shopping Center at 2025 E. Sample Rd. in Lighthouse Point. For all upcoming events, please visit www.JewishLHP.com.

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Everything’s Coming Up Rosen: What is the truth?

Posted on 06 July 2017 by LeslieM

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

On its surface, “truthfulness” seems like an open and shut case; but, in many instances, it’s too “open.” There are some scientific facts that are — so far — undeniably true. Until further notice, the earth IS round. And, yes, you either appeared at the XYZ train station at 10 a.m. last Tuesday or you didn’t. These kinds of truths seem non-negotiable.

But there are truths subject to a nuanced “interpretation,” which raises the question … Did you really intend to say that horrible thing about me? Yes, I can prove you said it — that is the truth, even after you tell me that you didn’t mean it. But the fact that you said it is a truth.

Escalating this to another level … There are too many legitimate “your truths” and “my truths.” I see this as being particularly in play as I teach my memoir writing class – and note how memory can distort events.

Mother: “My (now) 40-year-old son played hooky half of his high school senior year.”

Son: “Mom! That’s not true. I was studying in the library all that time.”

This hot issue of TRUTH can be really wiggly, but certainly needs to have some parameters where two parties can agree when irrefutable facts can be shown to exist. This is as important in a free society as healthcare, infrastructure, immigration issues, global warming and the rest. We may need a Secretary of Truth to — oops, wait a minute — sounds kind of like what our Judicial System takes on in instances of significance. And then it becomes matters of “opinion.” But, opinion does not equate to truth.

So, even as I ponder the smoldering discrepancies regarding “ truth” that seem to be tearing our country apart, and, in recognition of this symbolic week, I am tossed back two plus centuries with these famous words ringing in my ears : “We hold these truths to be self evident…” from our venerated Declaration of Independence.

Even these original truths considered to be “self evident” have evolved: “All men are created equal…” This includes both men and women, as well as people of all races and sexual preferences, a “truth” which somehow eluded our founding fathers … “and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among those are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Again, the years have expanded the meaning of each of those three entities to the point where they have been dissected and analyzed, and debated, in a sense diminishing their power as agents of “truth,” as in “What is life? When does it begin? Does it include the ‘right’ to healthcare? Does ‘Liberty’ include the right to be secure in the color of your skin? Does the pursuit of ‘Happiness’ include allowing corruption and assorted other anti-social behaviors in the name of that pursuit?”

Even “self evident” truth comes to a dead end as it becomes nitpicked and, in the end, “intent” is thought to be one of the best signifiers of truth and, there again, we can all think of many contrary angles to that. So, we will forever have “your” truth and “my” truth and “the” truth.

And here’s one of the truths we have come to revere: “Truth will set you free.” (Unless it lands you in jail).

I hope you had a good July 4th holiday – and that IS the truth.

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