H eadlines
Trial their lines, occasionally helped
with pronunciation by the
presiding judge.

Goldilocks, not guilty.

Unlike the rest of the roles,
The mock trial was a joint this actress was playing her-
project between the Perelman self, in a way: It was none
Jewish Day School and the other than Marjorie “Midge”
Rendell Center for Civics and Rendell, who’s been a judge at
Civic Engagement.

the U.S. Court of Appeals for
Founded four years ago, the 3rd Circuit since 1997.

the Rendell Center encourages
The judge founded the
students to indulge their civic Rendell Center with her ex-hus-
and legal curiosity from a very band, former Pennsylvania Gov.

young age; the participants in Ed Rendell, four years ago. Back
these proceedings were part when she was Pennsylania’s
of Pam Frank’s second-grade first lady, she said, her primary
class. The students, who had focus was civic education for
been practicing their scripted young children.

lines in the weeks leading up
“I really thought that if
to the trial, served as wit- we teach the children, when
nesses, jurors, prosecutors, they’re young, the values of cit-
bailiffs, defense attorneys and, izenship and about our democ-
of course, Goldilocks, played racy, maybe we wouldn’t have
by Shoshanna Goodman.

to convince them to vote when
At one point, Goodman they turn 18,” she said.

The students smile with U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Rendell.

Jesse Bernstein
said she felt she wasn’t getting
At the mock trial, Rendell
a fair trial. “I feel like they just kept the proceedings moving
want me to be in jail,” she said. along from the bench, flanked
This was the second year on each side by empty chairs
The literature-based mock trial programs provides a dynamic
Perelman did a mock trial with that would typically seat her
the Rendell Center.

colleagues during an appeal.

interactive opportunity for students to ... gain a deeper understanding of
“They learned a lot about She also sat with the jurors
the judicial system, about how during their deliberations, the U.S. judicial system and constitutional principles while also developing
to problem-solve,” Frank said. out of the room while the
skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening.”
“It’s important to teach them team of prosecutors chanted,
high-level thinking skills.”
“Guilty! Guilty!”
BETH SPECKER
A few parents watched
After the jurors returned a
Beth Specker, executive
from the back of the court- not guilty verdict, Goldilocks and hollered as the prosecu-
Following the end of the
room as their children read and her defense team whooped tion resumed its chanting. Q&A and the morning ses- director of the Rendell Center,
Rendell thanked the jury, and sion, members of the prosecu- visited the school in the weeks
explained the deliberations to tion team remained indignant, leading up to the trial.

“The literature-based mock
the irate prosecution team.

yelling, “Objection!” into a
trial programs provides a
“They took it very seriously. microphone.

They came up with arguments
There was no question the dynamic interactive opportu-
nity for students to ... gain a
pro or con as to whether she students were engaged.

had permission or not,” she
“The study of civics is a deeper understanding of the
said. “Did she know what she critical part of Perelman’s U.S. judicial system and con-
was doing was wrong? Did elementar y
educationa l stitutional principles while also
that matter? I mean, all these experience, which led to the developing skills in reading,
ideas were floating back and development of the Specter writing, speaking and listen-
forth.” Family Civics curriculum,” ing,” she said via email. “The
She also explained how said Perelman Head of School experience takes students into
Goldilocks may still find Judy Groner in an email. the gray areas of democratic
by Jan
herself in civil court, poten- “This program is integrated deliberation, creating an arena
Bostwick 300+
AMERICAN MAR. 15, 16, 17
tially liable for breaking Papa into social studies and liter- in which each student can form
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Regarding “juvy,” Rendell said, amplified their understand- jbernstein@jewishexponent.com;
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“It’s not prison, but it’s not great.” ing of American law.”
215-832-0740 Continued from Page 1
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F TAY-SACHS
R F R E E E E
H eadlines
Imam express ideas, words, speech,
opinion and thoughts as afforded
to me and protected by the First
amendment of the United States
Constitution. And I reject any
campaign or attempt that depicts
me as an extremist or a bigot.”
The mosque itself has been
the target of intolerance since
its 1989 founding. In 2015, a
severed pig’s head was left out-
side of its door, which prompted
support from members of the
Jewish community. l
Continued from Page 1
jbernstein@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740
Al-Aqsa Islamic Society
broadcasts delivered in Arabic
and other languages.

“Al-Aqsa Islamic Society
rejects anti-Semitism in any
form,” wrote Chukri Khorchid,
secretary of the Board of
Trustees, and Imam Mohamed
Shehata, in a statement respond-
ing to the release of the video.

“We are shocked and outraged
to learn that one of our guest
speakers said reprehensible
anti-Jewish remarks on the floor
of Al-Aqsa. This in no way rep-
resents our beliefs or policies.

We condemn this action and will
make sure that this never hap-
pens again. We expect that all
guest speakers will respect and
uphold our policy that hatred
against any group of people or
religion will not be tolerated.”
Abouhatab’s sermons were
streamed live on the Al-Aqsa
Islamic Society’s YouTube
channel. In one video, he
tells assembled worshippers,
“Remember how Menachem
Begin, that Polish crook,
would stand next to a preg-
nant woman, and would make
bets whether it is a boy or a
girl. He would make bets, while
the woman was still alive! Then
he would slit her belly open,
while she was still alive, to see
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e-mail: ntsad@aol.com;
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■ Screening for other
Jewish Genetic Diseases
also available.

This message is sponsored by a friend of
Nat’l Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases
Association of Delaware Valley
Screenshot via Google Street View
whether it is a boy or a girl. Just
like that. This happened. This
happened.” He also said that the qualities
of nobility, morals and dignity
had been conferred upon Muslims
exclusively, then studiously cop-
ied by Jews. Abouhatab made
reference numerous times to the
“Jewish media” as “nefarious” or
some variation thereof.

The mosque has worked as
a community leader in inter-
faith dialogue with a number
of local organizations, includ-
ing the ADL and the City of
Philadelphia. They have par-
ticipated in solidarity events
such as the 2017 “Stand
Against Hate” rally orga-
nized by Jewish Federation
of Greater Philadelphia and
have also, since 2003, orga-
nized an annual Peacewalk,
which welcomes a variety of
religious groups.

On March 11, the ADL
released a statement condemning
Abouhatab’s remarks as “viru-
lently anti-Jewish hate” that “pro-
moted age-old falsehoods about
Jewish control of the media,
finance and government.” The
statement thanked the Islamic
Society for its “quick response” to
the release of the videos.

“We look forward to learning
more from our friends at Al-Aqsa
about how these troubling events
occurred, and we will continue to
work closely with Al-Aqsa’s lead-
ership to ensure that something
like this never happens again,” the
statement read.

As for how Abouhatab came
to be invited to speak on multiple
occasions, Nancy Baron-Baer, exec-
utive director of the Philadelphia
ADL said, “We’re having discus-
sions on that going forward. We’ve
certainly made them aware of the
fact that it was not a one-time
speaking engagement.”
In a statement, Abouhatab
denied that anything he said
was anti-Semitic, though The
Philadelphia Inquirer reported
the MEMRI’s translations were
accurate. “I am not against any religion
and what was attributed to me
is completely false. I do not pro-
mote hate, nor do I insight [sic]
violence. The religion of Islam
calls me to living peacefully
alongside others who share dif-
ferent faiths, and to never trans-
gress against the rights of others,
while always speaking the words
of truth when need be and under
the shade of the law,” he wrote.

“I firmly stand by my right to
JEWISH EXPONENT
MARCH 14, 2019
15