ESTATE OF ALVIN SHAPIRO,
DECEASED Late of Lower Merion Twp., PA.

LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same, and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment without
delay, to Teresa D. Shapiro, Executrix,
c/o Gary A. Zlotnick, Esq., Zarwin Baum
DeVito Kaplan Schaer & Toddy, PC,
One Commerce Sq., 2005 Market St.,
16th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103 or to
their attorneys,
Gary A. Zlotnick, Esq.

Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer &
Toddy, PC
One Commerce Sq.

2005 Market St., 16th Fl.

Philadelphia, PA 19103
BUSINESS / LEGAL DIRECTORIES
ESTATE OF ANA ANDRUSIER,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION CTA
on the above Estate have been grant-
ed to the undersigned, who request
all persons having claims or demands
against the estate of the decedent to
make known the same and all persons
indebted to the decedent to make pay-
ment without delay to BARRY L. KLEIN,
ADMINISTRATOR CTA, c/o Robert J.

Stern, Esq., Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300,
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004,
Or to his Attorney:
ROBERT J. STERN
ROBERT J. STERN LAW, LLC
Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
ESTATE OF ANNE JOSEPHINE
UIGLEY, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on
the above Estate have been granted
to the undersigned, who request all
persons having claims or demands
against the estate of the decedent to
make known the same and all persons
indebted to the decedent to make pay-
ment without delay to JOHN
UIGLEY, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Daniella A.

Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place,
Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to his Attorney:
DANIELLA A. HORN
KLENK LAW, LLC
2202 Delancey Place
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Attention All
Community Organizations
If you would like to update your listing in the
Baltimore Jewish Times
2023-2024 GUIDE TO
JEWISH LIFE
ESTATE OF ANNEMARIE SERPICO,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to the
decedent to make payment without de-
lay to AMY MARIE CIANCI and DANIEL
SERPICO, ADMINISTRATORS, c/o
John Yanoshak, Esq., 17 E. Front St.,
P.O. Box 626, Media, PA 19063,
Or to their Attorney:
JOHN YANOSHAK
KAO LAW ASSOCIATES
17 E. Front St.

P.O. Box 626
Media, PA 19063
$5 JE WISH
LIFE Guide to
2 2022-2023
022-2023 Baltimore Guide to Jewish
Life please contact
Jewish Exponent
Editor Andy Gotlieb at
editor@jewishexponent.com 2022-2023
jewishexponent.com ESTATE OF ANTHONY D. DEVLIN,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment without
delay to ROSANNE M. DEVLIN and
DENNIS J. DEVLIN, EXECUTORS, c/o
Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey
Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to their Attorney:
DANIELLA A. HORN
KLENK LAW, LLC
2202 Delancey Place
Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF BARBARA L. VERDI a/k/a
BARBARA LEE VERDI, DECEASED.

Late of Lower Moreland Township,
34 FEBRUARY 23, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
Montgomery County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION CTA
on the above Estate have been granted
to the undersigned, who request all per-
sons having claims or demands against
the estate of the decedent to make
known the same and all persons indebt-
ed to the decedent to make payment
without delay to RICHARD M. SAND,
ADMINISTRATOR CTA, c/o Howard M.

Soloman, Esq., 1760 Market St., Ste.

404, Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to his Attorney:
HOWARD M. SOLOMAN
1760 Market St., Ste. 404
Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF BARBARA WALLEY
SCHAFF aka BARBARA SCHAFF aka
BARBARA W. SCHAFF, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia, PA.

Letters Testamentary on the above estate
have been granted to the undersigned.

All persons having claims against or
indebted to the estate should make
claims known or forward payment to,
Joshua Lester Schaff, Executor, c/o
Edgar R. Einhorn, Esq., 7 N. Columbus
Blvd., Unit 243, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

ESTATE OF BLANCHE GORDON,
DECEASED Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted
to the decedent to make payment
without delay to BARRY GORDON,
EXECUTOR, c/o Don F. Marshall, Esq.,
P.O. Box 70, Newtown, PA 18940,
Or to his Attorney:
DON F. MARSHALL
STUCKERT AND YATES
P.O. Box 70
Newtown, PA 18940
ESTATE OF BRYAN McKIE,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on
the above Estate have been granted
to the undersigned, who request all
persons having claims or demands
against the estate of the decedent to
make known the same and all persons
indebted to the decedent to make pay-
ment without delay to CAROL MCKIE,
ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Kristen L.

Behrens, Esq., 1500 Market St., Ste.

3500E, Philadelphia, PA 19102,
Or to her Attorney:
KRISTEN L. BEHRENS
DILWORTH PAXSON, LLP
1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E
Philadelphia, PA 19102
ESTATE OF CARMEN EMILIA
SARDINAS, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to the
decedent to make payment without de-
lay to NANCY RIVERA, EXECUTRIX,
c/o Jodi L. Griffi s, Esq., 815 Fayette St.,
Ste. 200, Conshohocken, PA 19428,
Or to her Attorney:
JODI L. GRIFFIS
815 Fayette St., Ste. 200
Conshohocken, PA 19428
ESTATE OF DONTE LAMONTE
WALLACE, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted
to the decedent to make payment
without delay to SIERRA WALLACE,
ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Joseph D.

Rutala, Esq., 1500 JFK Blvd., Ste.

1203, Philadelphia, PA 19102,
Or to her Attorney:
JOSEPH D. RUTALA
RUTALA LAW GROUP, PLLC
1500 JFK Blvd., Ste. 1203
Philadelphia, PA 19102
ESTATE OF EDMUND A.

SCHWEITZER, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment without
delay to ANITA TIMMINS, EXECUTRIX,
c/o Michael H. VanBuskirk, Esq., 6510
Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19128,
Or to her Attorney:
MICHAEL H. VanBUSKIRK
6510 Ridge Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19128
ESTATE OF FRANK AARON WADE
a/k/a FRANK WADE, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted
to the decedent to make payment
without delay to DANIEL COLEMAN,
ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Benj amin L.

Jerner, Esq., 5401 Wissahickon Ave.,
Philadelphia, PA 19144,
Or to his Attorney:
BENJAMIN L. JERNER
JERNER LAW GROUP, P.C.

5401 Wissahickon Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19144
ESTATE OF GARY IRONS,
DECEASED. LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment with-
out delay to CONCHETTA PARK,
ADMINISTRATOR, 250 N. Columbus
Blvd. Apt 1101, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Or to her Attorney:
David H. Lipow
O’Brien, Belland & Bushinsky, LLC
509 S. Lenola Rd
Building 6
Moorestown, NJ 08057
ESTATE OF HARRIET W. GARDINER,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on
the above Estate have been granted
to the undersigned, who request all
persons having claims or demands
against the estate of the decedent to
make known the same and all per-
sons indebted to the decedent to make
payment without delay to LAURINA
BLAY, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Daniella
A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place,
Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to her Attorney:
DANIELLA A. HORN
KLENK LAW, LLC
2202 Delancey Place
Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF IRENE R. KEARNEY
Late of Philadelphia, LETTERS OF
ADMINISTRATION on the above
Estate have been granted to the un-
dersigned, who requests all persons as
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment without
delay to:
Irene H. Brice
or to their attorney:
Michael Wolinsky, Esquire
1015 Chestnut Street, Suite 414
Philadelphia, PA 19107
ESTATE OF JAMES E. McCLELLAND,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to the
decedent to make payment without de-
lay to LYNN H. MILLER, EXECUTRIX,
604 S. Washington Square, Apt. 2616,
Philadelphia, PA 19106-4130,
Or to her Attorney:
LAWRENCE F. MEEHAN
604 S. Washington Square,
2602 Philadelphia, PA 19106-4130
ESTATE OF JEAN ROBBINS,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on
the above Estate have been granted
to the undersigned, who request all
persons having claims or demands
against the estate of the decedent to
make known the same and all per-
sons indebted to the decedent to
make payment without delay to BRIAN
JEFFREY ROBBINS and KYLE E.

ROBBINS, ADMINISTRATORS, c/o
Adam S. Bernick, Esq., 2047 Locust
St., Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to their Attorney:
ADAM S. BERNICK
LAW OFFICE OF FAYE RIVA COHEN,
PC 2047 Locust St.

Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF JoANN M. PALMA a/k/a
JO-ANN M. PALMA, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted
to the decedent to make payment
without delay to ANTHONY CIMINI,
EXECUTOR, c/o John Philip Crampton,
Esq., 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E,
Philadelphia, PA 19102,
Or to his Attorney:
JOHN PHILIP CRAMPTON
DILWORTH PAXSON LLP
1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E
Philadelphia, PA 19102
ESTATE OF JOEY WAI HO MAK,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to the
decedent to make payment without de-
lay to LISA MAK, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o
Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey
Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to her Attorney:
DANIELLA A. HORN
KLENK LAW, LLC
2202 Delancey Place
Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF JOSEPHINE WADDY,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia, PA. Letters of
Administration on the above estate
have been granted to the undersigned.

All persons having claims against or
indebted to the estate should make
claims known or forward payment to,
Valj ean W. Smith, Administratrix, c/o
Hope Bosniak, Esq., Dessen, Moses
& Rossitto, 600 Easton Rd., Willow
Grove, PA 19090.

ESTATE OF KATHERINE WATTS
LEWIS, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment with-
out delay to WALTER E. LEWIS, JR.,
EXECUTOR, c/o Adam S. Bernick,
Esq., 2047 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA
19103, Or to his Attorney:
ADAM S. BERNICK
LAW OFFICE OF FAYE RIVA COHEN,
PC 2047 Locust St.

Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF KATHLEEN ETRI
BURNETT, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known



the same and all persons indebted
to the decedent to make payment
without delay to MARIE L. HOLDER,
ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Angela D.

Giampolo, Esq., 1221 Locust St., Ste.

202, Philadelphia, PA 19107,
Or to her Attorney:
ANGELA D. GIAMPOLO
GIAMPOLO LAW GROUP, LLC
1221 Locust St., Ste. 202
Philadelphia, PA 19107
ESTATE OF MARIA KING,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted
to the undersigned, who request all
persons having claims or demands
against the estate of the decedent to
make known the same and all per-
sons indebted to the decedent to make
payment without delay to TRACEY
HAMILTON, EXECUTRIX, c/o Daniella
A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place,
Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to her Attorney:
DANIELLA A. HORN
KLENK LAW, LLC
2202 Delancey Place
Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF MARY M. WRIGHT,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted
to the decedent to make payment
without delay to GLADYS BAKER,
ADMINISTRATRIX, 6911 Ardleigh St.,
Philadelphia, PA 19119,
Or to her Attorney:
MARK J. DAVIS
CONNOR ELDER LAW
644 Germantown Pike, Ste. 2-C
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444
ESTATE OF MELODY THERESA DIAZ
a/k/a MELODY LICOLLI, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted
to the decedent to make payment
without delay to REINOL DIAZ, JR.,
ADMINISTRATOR, 4714 Edgemont
St., Philadelphia, PA 19137,
Or to his Attorney:
JOSEPH J. CONSOLE
CONSOLE MATISON, LLP
1 W. Third St., Ste. 204
Media, PA 19063
ESTATE OF MYRNA SHURE a/k/a
MYRNA BETH SHURE, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment without
delay to WARREN JAY KAUFFMAN,
EXECUTOR, 1650 Market St., Ste.

Arts Continued from page 23
professor Steven Ross, who provide a fuller picture
of Southern California’s history of both surfi ng and
Nazism, and their unfortunate overlap. As Duane
wrote in a 2019 New York Times article, that overlap
runs deep — the fi rst commercially made surfb oards
made in California are thought to be the “Swastika
model,” sold in the 1930s by the Pacifi c Systems
Homes company, which also made prefab houses.

The 1960s surfer icon Miki Dora was known to have
painted a swastika on at least one of his boards.

Duane cites arguments that claim early surfers,
who wanted to be seen as a rebellious subculture,
used the swastika only to irk members of mainstream
society. But Duane argues back that their antisemitism
was part of a clear culture of racism in the largely
white surfer community.

“I’ve heard all the predictable excuses for this
stuff , like that the swastika was an ancient Sanskrit
symbol,” he wrote in The Times. “Putting a swastika
on something to anger people means you know that
it angers them and very likely why.”
In his movie, Greene also speaks with Jewish
surfers, both his classmates at USC and Jewish
surfi ng legends like Shaun Tomson and Israel “Izzy”
Paskowitz. Paskowitz shares a story of encountering a
surfer with a swastika spray-painted on his surfb oard
— which his father, the famous surfer Dorian “Doc”
Paskowitz, destroyed out of anger.

“Right as I was about to graduate, we had the
fi rst screening of our fi lm, in our school’s theater,”
Greene said. “We drew a packed crowd, and it was
so rewarding and such a great sign of confi rmation
about the fi lm’s message and connectivity with our
audience. We saw people crying, people smiling at
1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to his Attorney:
WARREN J. KAUFFMAN
WHITE AND WILLIAMS LLP
1650 Market St., Ste. 1800
Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF PATRICIA ANN
PAOLOCA, DECEASED.

Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment with-
out delay to ALISHA P. PAOLOCA,
ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Howard M.

Soloman, Esq., 1760 Market St., Ste.

404, Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to her Attorney:
HOWARD M. SOLOMAN
1760 Market St., Ste. 404
Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF PATRICIA J. BROWN,
DECEASED. LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment with-
out delay to ARCELIE WILLIAMS,
ADMINISTRATOR, 6735 AKRON ST,
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19149
Or to her Attorney:
David H. Lipow
O’Brien, Belland & Bushinsky, LLC
509 S. Lenola Rd
Building 6
Moorestown, NJ 08057
GIAMPOLO LAW GROUP, LLC
1221 Locust St., Ste. 202
Philadelphia, PA 19107
ESTATE OF PHYLLIS ANN ALLEN,
DECEASED. Late of Lower Merion Township,
Montgomery County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on
the above Estate have been granted
to the undersigned, who request all
persons having claims or demands
against the estate of the decedent to
make known the same and all per-
sons indebted to the decedent to make
payment without delay to JEFFREY
ALLEN, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Adam
S. Bernick, Esq., 2047 Locust St.,
Philadelphia, PA 19103,
Or to his Attorney:
ADAM S. BERNICK
LAW OFFICE OF ADAM S. BERNICK
2047 Locust St.

Philadelphia, PA 19103
ESTATE OF REGINA A. GORMLEY,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment with-
out delay to ROBERT J. GORMLEY,
ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Fritz & Bianculli,
LLC, Esquires, 1515 Market St., Ste.

1801, Philadelphia, PA 19102,
Or to his Attorney:
FRITZ & BIANCULLI, LLC
1515 Market St., Ste. 1801
Philadelphia, PA 19102
ESTATE OF RANDALL G. VALE,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted
to the decedent to make payment
without delay to RANDALL J. VALE,
ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Angela D.

Giampolo, Esq., 1221 Locust St., Ste.

202, Philadelphia, PA 19107,
Or to his Attorney:
ANGELA D. GIAMPOLO
the end, with the way our fi lm ends with a hopeful
tone and message for the future.”
That hopeful message is where Tomson comes in.

A former pro surfer and now a motivational speaker,
Tomson reached the pinnacle of the sport by winning
the 1977 World Surf League championship. He won
19 major professional surfi ng events in total and
is a member of both the Southern California and
International Jewish Sports Halls of Fame.

Tomson, born in Durban, South Africa, also
had a surfi ng experience tied to his bar mitzvah
that would prove foundational. Tomson’s
father took him on a surfi ng trip to Hawaii,
which Tomson called “the Mount Everest
of surfi ng.”
“For me, it was a total representation of what a
bar mitzvah is — it’s coming into manhood,” Tomson
said. “And here I was, a young boy paddling out in a
25-foot surf in Hawaii, which was a moment for me
that changed my life. I came back to South Africa,
and my career and my role in surfi ng changed after
that bar mitzvah present.”
Tomson said he has faced antisemitism before
outside of the sport — he was called a “Jew boy” by
a fellow member of South Africa’s army as a teenager
— but never as a member of the surfi ng community in
the 1970s onward.

“While it’s not an excuse, I think there’s just a lot
of ignorance,” Tomson said. “When I say ignorance,
perhaps it wasn’t actually directed at Jews, it was
more just blatant stupidity, and a lack of awareness
of what actually happened in the Holocaust.”
There weren’t many Jewish surfers in South Africa
when Tomson grew up, but he said he feels a direct
link between his identities as a Jew and as a surfer.

“When you’re out in the ocean, there’s certainly
ESTATE OF STANLEY DOBREN,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia, PA.

Letters Testamentary on the above estate have
been granted to the undersigned. All
persons having claims against or in-
debted to the estate should make claims
known or forward payment to, Janice
Wigman, Executrix, 140 Meetinghouse
Road, Hatboro, PA 19040.

ESTATE OF TERESA M. SUAREZ-
SEMOLA a/k/a TERESA M. SEMOLA,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment with-
out delay to MARTIN A. SEMOLA,
EXECUTOR, c/o Paul L. Feldman,
Esq., 820 Homestead Rd., Jenkintown,
PA 19046,
Or to his Attorney:
PAUL L. FELDMAN
FELDMAN & FELDMAN, LLP
820 Homestead Rd.

Jenkintown, PA 19046
ESTATE OF THEODORE PEOPLES,
JR. a/k/a THEODORE PEOPLES,
DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA
LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the
above Estate have been granted to the
undersigned, who request all persons
having claims or demands against the
estate of the decedent to make known
the same and all persons indebted to
the decedent to make payment with-
out delay to CYNTHIA G. PEOPLES,
EXECUTRIX, c/o Jay E. Kivitz, Esq.,
7901 Ogontz Ave., Philadelphia, PA
19150, Or to her Attorney:
JAY E. KIVITZ
KIVITZ & KIVITZ, P.C.

7901 Ogontz Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19150
a spiritual and a religious connectivity there,
which is totally aligned with Jewish values,”
he said.

No experience exemplifi es this connection more
powerfully than the tragic death of Tomson’s son,
Matthew, who died in 2006 at the age of 15 as a
result of a schoolyard “choking game” gone wrong.

Tomson tells the story in the documentary.

Tomson explained that his particular expertise is tube
riding — the picturesque but challenging technique
of riding inside a tunnel-like wave. Two hours before
Tomson’s son died, he called his father to share an
essay he had written about how in tube riding, “the light
shines ahead.” Just hours later, Tomson received the
devastating news.

“So when I was trying to make sense of the world
and my life, and why God had done this to me, I went
back to my old shul,” Tomson said. “The old shul
where I’d had my bar mitzvah. And I look at that lamp
of everlasting light that represents the hope and faith
of Judaism. And I thought of the words that my son
wrote, ‘the light shines ahead.’ And I realized that
Judaism’s about hope.”
The fi lm ends on that hopeful tone: The last scene
features a group of Jewish surfers at a beach in
Malibu, reciting the Shema prayer in the water,
before hitting the waves as the sun begins to set. In
the last shot, the group sits down to a Shabbat meal
on the beach.

“Surfi ng can be seen as a microcosm for issues like
that and I think we would be doing our sport a great
disservice if we ignored our own signs of darkness,”
Greene said. “I think that by making a fi lm like this,
we can dispel ignorance and divisiveness, and
instead promote inclusivity, community and equality
for all surfers and all people.” ■
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 35