In the midst of preparing for the New Year, I was strangely offended by a request for forgiveness. You see, as the New Year approaches, it is up to each of us to really think about things we have done that may have in some way hurt someone, and we are to go to each particular individual and actually ask for their forgiveness.

There is a formula we use to ask for such forgiveness. “If by action/inaction, speech/silence, presence/absence, I have in any way offended you, I ask your forgiveness. May you have happiness, love, peace, joy and prosperity and may our friendship strengthen in the year ahead.”

A “friend” made such a request for forgiveness. The words did not offend me. The words are good and holy words … words that can and should lead to forgiveness and peace. The problem is that those words were not delivered in person, or by phone or by the U.S. Postal Service. No, those words were sent to me via e-mail … and those very same words were sent to a huge number of other people. In fact, the e-mail heading wasn’t even addressed with my or anyone else’s name. It simply began “Dear Friend.”

Years ago, I became a Bar Mitzvah. I gave the usual “Today I am a man” speech. I was now responsible for my own actions, my own prayers. I was now responsible for fulfilling my obligations to G-d, to my people, to other beings and to the world.

Much of it was ritualistic, but nonetheless, still of great import. But, my first task as a member of the adult community was to acknowledge every single gift by writing a “Thank You” note. I was the youngest son of a Rabbi who had been the leader of a congregation for more years than some of you have been alive, so there were no less than 1,000 cards to write. And, I was taught that you don’t wait three or six months to write those cards. You do it as quickly as possible. That is your responsibility and each note of thanks should be personal in nature.

I remember one gift … a Cross Pen. It was gorgeous and in the card I wrote something along the lines of, “I want to thank you so much for the beautiful pen. It is the best pen I have ever owned. It is so great that I will not take it to school with me. Instead, I will only use it at home for special things, things like writing this “Thank You” note to you for your thoughtfulness, which I so greatly appreciate. And, I want you to know I am going to use this pen to write each and every one of the “Thank You” notes that I need to send out for all the presents I received on the occasion of my Bar Mitzvah.” The family I sent this note to was so touched that they not only sent me a letter thanking me for the “Thank You” note, but they called and told my parents how much they enjoyed the personal touch.

When my parents hung up from that phone call, they came to me and told me I had done a very adult thing. I had taken a gift given to me and used it to make the giver happy. G-d gives us so many gifts. Let’s get personal and make His gifts count.

With blessings,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach. He also works in the field of Professional Chaplaincy with several healthcare providers in the area, including L’Chaim Jewish Hospice, Sunrise Health and Rehab Center, Park Summit, Advocate Home Health Services, St. John’s Health and St. Anthony’s Rehab Hospital.

By Scott Morganroth

The FAU Owls may have a new coach, but, through five games into the 2012 regular season, the results still haven’t changed.

FAU is 1-4 and 0-2 in the Sun Belt Conference. This weekend, the good news is FAU didn’t lose. The bad news is they didn’t win. In other words, they were off and have had time to practice and regroup as they approach the final seven games, realizing that the Owls lone win was against an FCS school in Wagner College on August 31.

The Owls most recent defeat occurred on Sept. 28 against North Texas, dropping a 20-14 decision at FAU Stadium. FAU led in a category that you don’t want to lead in as the Owls had a 3-1 edge in turnovers.

FAU QB Graham Wilbert had two interceptions and the Owls lost a fumble. FAU trailed North Texas 10-0 at halftime. Wilbert was 21-34-142 yards and also had eight carries and scored a rushing touchdown. Running back Damian Fortner had 17 carries for 63 yards and one touchdown.

North Texas gained 307 yards in total offense in 60 plays while FAU utilized 71 plays for 301 yards.

When the game was over, Coach Carl Pelini said he planned to review the film and find out what went wrong and what it will take to fix the Owls’ problems.

“It’s the same thing, we just don’t know how to win,” Pelini said. “We don’t know how to win as a football team or as a football program. When the game is on the line, we couldn’t get over the hump. When the score is 0-0, we make mistakes over and over again. We didn’t convert in the red zone, made mistakes defensively, gave up the wrong big play. When we’re down 17-0, we start to play until it gets close again, then the pressure is on us again and we don’t perform. That’s what we have to learn as a football program and that’s to perform when the pressure is on.”

Next up for FAU is a pair of Sun Belt Conference road games. On Saturday, the Owls face the University of Louisiana Monroe on Oct. 13 followed by an Oct. 20 contest against the University of South Alabama.

FAU returns home to face Troy University on Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. Three important games will dictate where this program goes and the direction of its first year head coach.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

With Disney hype and Tim Burton’s return to artistic roots, Frankenweenie is a can’t-miss family movie in glorious black & white. With the Collector’s Edition of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Burton presented his first version of Frankenweenie, a short subject starring Daniel Stern and Shelley Duvall.

Dog lovers loved the short subject, a delightful story about a lonely boy and his dog. Presenting the Mary Shelley narrative based upon James Whale’s Boris Karloff adaptation, this film transitions from heartbreak to life appreciation. This new version of Frankenweenie presents many of the key scenes from the short subject, but the scope is much broader, perhaps too broad because the finale presents an over-the-top ending that mashes the James Whale classic with the Japanese giant monster movies that spawned Godzilla and Gamera. However, the title character is a sweetheart and the film makes a great family matinee.

As certain as the turning of the Earth and the Seminole Hurricane football rivalry in October, The Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) begins its 27th season next week. Despite costcutting measures, FLIFF will return to a sense of glamour not seen in South Florida in years.

Opening Night Gala, sponsored by Entre Nous, will be held on Oct. 19 at The Village at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale starting 7:30 p.m. Independent filmmakers will be in attendance, as well as celebs like Dabney Coleman and James Caan. Most recently seen as an aging racketeer on Boardwalk Empire, Coleman made a career in the 1980s as the quintessential male chauvinist pig. Caan worked with John Wayne in El Dorado and was the hot-tempered Sonny Corleone in The Godfather series. Caan’s resume has lived up to his original promise from the 1960s.

Local actress Bailee Madison is expected also to walk the red carpet this evening. On Oct. 21, Bailee will receive her Star on the Horizon Award at the Sunrise Civic Center in conjunction with a screening of her new movie, Cowgirls ‘n Angels, which also features veteran actor James Cromwell and Twilight heartthrob Jackson Rathbone.

Locally, FLIFF returns to Muvico Pompano for its second year. Monster mavens will be excited to know that George Romero’s original Night of the Living Dead will be exclusively screened and remastered in 3D on Halloween weekend. For more information, visit www.fliff.com.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t need to eat or drink for weeks or even months? Imagine you were so strong you could carry hundreds of pounds of cargo without requiring one gallon of gasoline, without producing one drop of sweat!

Do you know who I am yet? I will provide more clues! I am long-legged, awkward and ugly. I don’t have the need for liquids for long periods of time because I have three 5-gallon stomachs. I don’t have the need for food for long periods of time because I have this hideous hump of fat on my back that stores energy I need for when I don’t have any food at all.

It may look like I hold my head up high out of arrogance, but in reality, I’m just trying to see out from underneath my big ol’ bushy Andy Rooney eyebrows. Those eyebrows, by the way, are my only eye protection from the bright sun’s harmful rays. I also hold my head up high because it’s easier for me to breathe with my nose up in the air so I don’t have to smell myself. I am not blessed with the pleasant aroma of a cool mountain breeze. In other words, I stink!

And sometimes, when I’m breathing, it may sound as if I am suffering from an advanced stage of emphysema, but in reality, I’m just spitting and snorting because of yet another imperfection. I am ill-tempered.

One of my rewards for being what and who God created me to be was to be classified as unclean. Thank you very much. At least that meant some people wouldn’t eat me, but after carrying people to war, giving them the hair off my back, milk to drink and working so hard they call me the ship of the desert, I would like a little respect.

I am camel. Hear me snort.

I hope you enjoy a good laugh as I describe myself, how the world looks at me and how I look back at the world, but the truth is we may have a lot in common you and me, providing you’re the person God created you to be.

Like you, I think it would be nice to be valued by the world for being who God created me to be, for doing what God created me to do, but it’s obviously more important to be valued by God. Unlike you, I am among the ironies of the Bible. In the Old Testament, when someone owned many camels, it was a sign of wealth and privilege. In the New Testament, Jesus uses me as an example when he says it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 8). How ironic is that? I can’t speak from the perspective of a rich person. I don’t have material possessions. I don’t have money to give to the poor, but I’ve given everything I have. The weight on my back has never been my own. It’s always been everybody else’s. These are words Jesus himself might speak.

So make do with what you’ve been given and give back what you can. If a smelly camel can have a unique Godly purpose on Earth then what greater significance does God hold for you? Be who God created you to be. Hold your head up high and let the whole world wonder why! You might even get a little respect. All things are possible with God!

Come this weekend to Saturday @ six or Sunday morning at 8:30 or 11 a.m. The message is “The Camel and Me” based on Mark 10.

Honored to write for the camel,

Rev. Dr. Dennis Andrews

Reverend Andrews is Minister at Community Presbyterian Church of Deerfield Beach (Steeple on the Beach) located five blocks south of Hillsboro on AIA. See more @ www.communitych.org or on Facebook.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Set in upper bourgeois New Jersey, The Oranges focuses on the Walling and Ostroff families. It’s narrated by the depressing Vanessa Walling (Alia Shawkat), who explains how she worked hard in college only to end up in her parents’ home. David (Hugh Laurie) and Paige Walling (Catherine Keener) are financially- stable people, who are actively involved in their community.

As part of the neighborhood ritual, David jogs with Terry Ostroff (Oliver Platt) three times a week. Careerdriven Carol Ostroff (Allison Janney) is concerned about her party girl daughter Nina (Leighton Meester), who used to be Vanessa’s BFF(Best Friend Forever).

In their high school days, Nina seduced a boy that Vanessa was infatuated with. The young women’s relationship is further strained when Nina seduces Vanessa’s father, David Ostroff, on Thanksgiving Day.

The Oranges details how much life can happen between Thanksgiving holidays until Christmas time. Based on the scenery, one expects a dramatic film dealing with the holiday season, much like Christmas in Connecticut or Miracle on 34th Street.

Unlike the warmth one felt from actors like Maureen O’Hara, Donna Reed and Edmund Gwen in the old days, the characters who inhabit The Oranges are hollow individuals. This is not to say that Laurie, Janney, Platt and Keener do not give good performances; it is that writers Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss wrote such shallow characters.

When the climatic scenes arrive, they feel flat and, at times, repetitious. It is only the comic timing between Keener, Platt, Janney and Laurie that force a few welltimed chuckles. That is too bad, because the ending actually has something important to say about family, friendship and the passage of time.

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

When a long-time young friend called me recently to announce that her 24-year marriage is over, I started to think (again) about marriage. I often think about marriage in the abstract. It is perhaps the most enduring social institution we have, and seems to exist in all cultures and since as long ago as Adam and Eve, who incidentally, probably never had “the (commitment) papers.”

And yet, statistics are showing that marriage is waning. A Google search on marriage discloses some amazing statistics on who is more likely to be divorced and at what point in the marriage. It’s no secret that we are stretching over the 50-50 mark for such enduring liaisons.

I have just celebrated 58 years in a state of matrimony. And without divulging any of the personal details, suffice it to say, it’s been good and not-so, which is probably a metaphor for all that life offers. And we’re still hangin’ in!

People experiencing what they call “love” in its earliest stages “are the luckiest people in the world,” to usurp a wellknown lyric. All the juices are flowing; the heart, indeed, pitter-patters, there is a measurably high happiness scale and the pure physicality of the emotion produces endorphins that heighten one’s sense of well-being. The condition has often been described as akin to taking an opiate. Folks who are living in that state of euphoria – and it can happen at any age cannot conceive of its ever ending or changing.

The truth is that the feeling does not last forever and lucky that it doesn’t, because it affects even the brain and one’s ability to focus. And thus, the good Lord giveth and taketh. Eventually, those affected by “the love bug” marry, cohabit or move on, as reality closes in on them. Married reality is laundry, bills, kids, exhaustion, in-laws, disagreements about watching football, whose turn it is to cook or babysit, being too often too tired for sex, the acceptance that one of you loves mountains and the other loves a penthouse in the city. And finally, the chance that one of you is more needy than the other, a condition that can be cementing or entrapping. And despite all the print dedicated to “25 ways to spark up your marriage,” for many, it becomes the “same old, same old” and most anything looks better than that.

And so it is that many people are ready to bale at the first glitch in their dream-bubble. Their expectations, although often reasonable, are, in actuality, not realistic and they, therefore, become disappointed, hurt, angry, enraged and so on down the line of toxic emotions, instead of learning to readjust their expectations.

We all see people in many states of coupling and uncoupling: married, or merely living together, or being together only at intervals, or commuting to be together, or living alone and loving it, or living alone and hating it, or contemplating one or a combination of the above. It is obvious that one size does not fit all. The world is in seismic transition in all areas of human commerce and I do wonder what marriage will look like in 2054 – my 100th anniversary.

Today, I want you to think out of the box. Why out of the box? Well, I guess it’s because we deal with so many boxes. For instance, who among us [Jews] doesn’t have memories of the blue and white pushkas, the Tzedakah Boxes? And everyone knows that giving charity is a holy mitzvah. How about the boxes that fulfill the Mitzvah of Donning the Tefillin? One box is to be inscribed between your eyes and one box is to be bound upon your arm … and, inside both of these boxes are holy words…

Even at the end of our days on Earth, we still have one last box to deal with … our casket, which will hold the holy vessel, the cask that held our spirit, our neshama, inside during our lifetime.

Oh, and there is another box that we have in our faith. In fact, it is the box, the hut, that we build for Sukkoth.

On Sukkoth many eat in a box, many sleep in a box, and, barring severe weather, will make the Kiddush and the Hamotzi in a box, a hut, a Sukkah. Rabbi Edythe Held Menscher recently wrote about a documentary film called, “G-d In The Box,” where a film crew took a portable studio, a box if you will, all over the country and asked people to step inside the box.

Now, if you are claustrophobic, being inside a box might not be such a good thing, so you might need to concentrate on a subject that would really occupy your mind … and, sure enough, the filmmaker asked just such a question. He asked, “What does G-d mean to you?” and “What does G-d look like?”

The studio, the box they went into, contained paper and pencil and a huge mirror; so each person had to take a good hard look at themselves.

Really looking at ourselves is not such an easy thing to do. Just ask those who spent Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur in honest self-reflection.

The funny thing is, as Rabbi Mencher points out, at the end of “G-d in The Box,” there are a series of photos of synagogues

of churches and of mosques because our Houses of Worship can be likened to a box, a box where we explore what G-d means to us and what G-d wants from us.

I was trying to figure out how to end this article. I went to the cupboard and took out a box of cereal and I noticed a very simple, yet very true thing. If I didn’t open up the box, I would never be nourished by the cereal inside. So, too, the Synagogue, my friends, so, too, the Sukkah … being in the box is a great way to quiet yourself down and focus on holy and G-dly things, but just thinking about things, just praying for things, is not enough. Let us have the saichel, the good common sense, to think out of the box and may it nourish us, our family, our friends and our community and let us say, Amen.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

By Gary Curreri

Sophomore quarterback Trystan Lago passed for 183 yards and three touchdowns as visiting Highlands Christian Academy defeated Coral Springs Christian Academy, 26-20, at Mullins Park in the ‘Annual Battle of the Sword’ gridiron clash last Friday night.

Lago was 13 for 24 passing and found senior wideout Kyle Audet five times for 98 yards and three scores as the Knights (2-3, 1-1 in District 7-2A) won their fifth consecutive game in the series. Senior Arelious Burns added 16 carries for 158 yards and one TD in the winning effort.

Coral Springs Christian (0- 1, 2-2) won the first six meetings between the two schools beginning in 2002 with a 43- 27 victory. Highlands won last year’s game, 48-7.

“It’s been a great rivalry and tradition,” said Highlands Christian Academy Athletic Director Jim Good. “The winning team gets to keep the sword for the school year. The theme verse on the plaque reads: “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17).”

Ely downs unbeaten Monarch

Blanche Ely’s James Butler ran for 125 yards and one TD, while quarterback Nelson Irvin accounted for scores both in the air and on the ground as the Tigers (4-1, 2-0) ended Monarch’s hopes for an undefeated season in winning the District 14-7A contest, 20-14 last Friday night. Ely (4-1, 2-0) overcame three fumbles as they rolled to 257 yards on the ground. Irvin had an 11-yard scoring toss and added a 5-yard scoring run in the winning effort.

Monarch fell to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in District play with the loss.

Bucks pound visiting Douglas

Deerfield Beach’s Brandon Powell made his presence felt on the first play from scrimmage as the Bucks grounded visiting Douglas, 49-7, on Friday night.

Powell, a junior running back, scored on a 68-yard touchdown run on the Bucks first play from scrimmage to set the tone. Powell finished the first half with 183 rushing yards and three touchdowns en route to a 214-yard effort for the night. He also had scoring runs of 60 and 49 yards.

Teammate Aeron McNeal added 171 yards on the ground and two touchdowns of 10 and 42 yards for the Bucks, who improved to 1-3 overall and 1- 1 in the District 11-8A race. Douglas fell to 1-4 overall with its fourth consecutive loss and 0-2 in the District.

Golfing & Giving

The local chapter of Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) GOLF RALLY FOR A CURE is planning its fifth annual golf event fundraiser to help protect the women in our lives against cancer.

This fun and exciting golf outing on Sunday, Oct. 21 at Deer Creek Golf Club in Deerfield Beach, welcomes all levels of players – women and men – and offers great prizes, too.

Entry fee is $95 and includes golf, range balls, tips and dinner. There will be a 1:15 p.m. stroke play shotgun start. All proceeds will benefit The Women’s Imaging Center of the Memorial Foundation to support breast and ovarian cancer research, screenings and treatment.

For more information and to register for Golf Rally for a Cure Event, please go to www.ewgafortlauderdale.com register no later than Oct. 10.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Gran Torino was presented as Clint Eastwood’s swan song as an actor. After staying behind the scenes directing J. Edgar,” “Hereafter” and “Invictus, Eastwood must have felt the call of Thespis for Trouble with the Curve.

There are shades of the actor’s iconic past in this role, but Trouble with the Curve is Eastwood’s sweetest movie in 32 years, since the release of Bronco Billy.

As Gus, Eastwood portrays a veteran baseball scout who is suffering from either macular degeneration or glaucoma. He is too stubborn to get his eyes tested. Since he is unable to use a computer, Gus fears future unemployment.

Enter Mickey (the adorable Amy Adams), Gus’ estranged daughter who happens to be a hot shot lawyer on the verge of a partnership with a law firm. She is recruited by family friend Pete Klein (John Goodman) to help scout a hot shot recruit who cares more about future endorsement deals than improving his batting stance.

With all these character motivations in place, Trouble with the Curve takes its sweet time to reach a conclusion that will be satisfactory for these unsatisfied characters. Much like his character in Million Dollar Baby, Eastwood’s Gus dispenses Trouble with the Curve valuable life lessons about America’s Past Time.

While Eastwood is top billed, Trouble with the Curve is really Amy Adams’ motion picture. She is a tomboy without losing any femininity and holds her own on the big screen with the iconic movie star and veteran actors in small roles – Bob Gunton, Matthew Lillard, Robert Patrick and Justin Timberlake.

It is the fine ensemble cast that elevates this film. Without Eastwood and Adams, Trouble with the Curve would just be another made-for-television drama on the Hallmark Channel.

That said, this motion picture is unlike anything on the big screen these days. In contrast to the finale of Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood is given a more iconic exit for his screen image; and it is worth it to hear the soulful Ray Charles and the Raelettes sing “You are my Sunshine” during the closing credits.

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach football coach Alan Jackson said before last Thursday’s District 11-8A opener against Taravella that his team was still learning and trying to find out who they were.

With a talented group of juniors and underclassmen, Jackson’s team battled back twice from double-digit deficits only to fall 42-35 in overtime. While they found out a little bit more about themselves, this year’s team is still searching for its first victory of the year after three losses.

“We are still young and have a lot of juniors on this team,” said Jackson, who is in his second year at the school. The Bucks are coming off back-toback losing seasons and failed to make the postseason last year. “Our 2014 team should be pretty good.”

Trailing 14-0 after Taravella scored on its first two possessions of the game, Deerfield Beach roared back with 18 unanswered points to take an 18-14 halftime lead as Aeron McNeal scored on a 35-yard run and Kris Rosales added a 40-yard field goal to pull within 14-10 with 10:20 remaining in the second quarter.

McNeal finished the game with 11 carries for 172 yards.

DeerfieldBeach(0-3,0-0) took its first lead of the game on a 9- yard scoring pass from Levin to Justin Morgan before Humphries scored twice to stake the Trojans to a 28-18 lead.

The Bucks opened the fourth quarter scoring 17 points to jump back in front following a safety and Brandon Powell caught back-to-back, 22 yard TD passes from Levin to grab a 35-28 lead with 4:36 left in the game.

Taravella tied the game at 35-35 with 2:02 remaining on an 8-yard TD pass from Jerome to Robert Miller and won it in overtime on another Jerome TD pass.

“They are coming along,” Jackson said. “I am pleased with what we are doing. We are motivated. They wanted to make the playoffs this year. The 2014 kids wanted to make a statement this year. They don’t want to wait. That’s our motto. Let’s not wait until we are seniors; let’s do it now. That’s the kind of model we are in this year.”

Jackson said, despite the team’s record, there is more continuity this year because they have been in the system for a year. He believes they can still make the playoffs.

“We want to do the now,” Jackson said. “We have to be better now and can’t wait until later. We need to mature a little bit more. We have to cut down on all of the small, little mistakes and get tougher up front and offensively. We have two great backs, but we have to be consistent.”

Jackson said the team is counting on juniors Brandon Powell, LaJavious Thompson and senior Mike Gilbert, as well as junior Tyler Sayles, senior Royus Amos and Orlando transfer senior Aaron Williams.

Tigers roar, roll past Cougars

Blanche Ely’s Nelson Ervin passed for 227 yards and five touchdowns as Blanche Ely cruised past Coconut Creek, 55-6, in the District 14-7A opener on Friday night. The Tigers (3-1, 1-0) took an early 28-0 lead behind the efforts of Ervin, who completed three touchdown passes in the opening period. Running back James Butler added two first half scores as the Tigers took a 49-6 lead into halftime.