C ommunity / mazel tovs
ENGAGEMEN T
MARRIAGE SILBER-ROGERS
GREENBAUM-MILLSPAUGH Thelma and Ralph Silber and Mary and Stephen
Rogers announce the engagement of their children,
Frederick Robert Silber and Blaire Haley Rogers.

Fred graduated from Pennsylvania State
University with a bachelor’s degree in business
administration and marketing. Blaire gradu-
ated Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree
in interior design.

Fred and Blaire live in Colorado and are
planning a 2020 summer wedding.

Sari and Roy Greenbaum of Bucks County announce the marriage of their
daughter, Erica Samantha Greenbaum, to Philip Stephen Millspaugh, son of
Kathleen and Mark Millspaugh of Niskayuna, New York.

Erica is a graduate of the University of Rochester with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in American Sign Language. She also obtained a Bachelor of Science
degree in nursing from the University of Rochester School of Nursing and is a
certified registered nurse. She is a circulating nurse in the operating room in
Highland Hospital in Rochester, New York.

Philip is a graduate of the State University
of New York-Binghamton with bachelor’s
degrees in biology and music. Phil earned a
doctorate in veterinary medicine at Cornell
University and is a practicing veterinarian and
partner at Farmington Veterinary Hospital in
Farmington, New York.

Sharing in the couple’s happiness are Erica’s
sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law, Nicole
Greenbaum and Adam Zell, and Philip’s
brother and sister-in-law, Andrew and Diana
Millspaugh, and brother Robert Millspaugh,
and sister Emma Millspaugh.

BAT MITZVAH
ROWLAND Olivia Z. Rowland, daughter of Elizabeth and
Paul Roland of Philadelphia, was Bat Mitzvahed
on March 2.

She is the granddaughter of Jim and Mary
Ann Roland and Richard and Joanne Cohen;
niece of Aaron, Liana and Paul; and big sister
of Harper.

COMMUNITYBRIEFS Synagogue Honors Rabbi’s 30 Years
CONGREGATIONS OF SHAARE Shamayim will
present its first annual Etz Chaim Award to Rabbi
Reuben Israel Abraham in tribute to his 30 years of
service in Northeast Philadelphia.

A tribute luncheon is planned on March 31 at the
synagogue and will feature
violinist Claudia Pellegrini.

Abraham was the
rabbi of Adath Tikvah-
Montefiore in Northeast
Philadelphia for 10 years
and Congregations of Ner
Zedek for nearly 19 years
before it merged with
Shaare Shamayim.

He also served as Ner
Zedek’s cantor for more
than 10 years. Abraham served as a rabbi chaplain with
the Holy Redeemer Health System for more than 25
years in acute and elder care.

His career also includes 25 years of Navy service as
both a supply corps officer and as a Jewish chaplain.

He was promoted to a commander in 2010 and retired
from the Navy two years later.

Local Author a Finalist for 2018 Nebula Award
Philadelphia writer Aliza Greenblatt was announced
as a finalist for a 2018 Nebula Award in the short story
category for her work “And Yet.”
The Nebula Awards recognize the best works of
science fiction and fantasy and are chosen by members
of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

JEWISHEXPONENT.COM The John Lennon Songwriting contest began in
“And Yet” was published by Uncanny Magazine in
1997 and is open to both amateurs and profession-
March 2018.

als, who
compete in 12 categories.

Greenblatt, who writes as A.T. Greenblatt, is “a
Judges for the most recent contest included
mechanical engineer by day and a writer by night,”
George Clinton,
Bob Weir, Fergie of the Black Eyed
according to Uncanny.

Peas and Natasha Bedingfield.

Book Published About South Jersey
Cantor to Release Second Jewish Rock CD
Jewish Farming in the 19th Century
The Stockton University-affiliated South Jersey Temple Sholom in Broomall Cantor Jamie Marx will
Culture & History Center (SJCHC) released Migdal release his second CD of Jewish rock music, Restless
Zophim, a revised version of Moses Klein’s 1889 book Heart, at 7:30 p.m. on March 30 at the School of Rock.

about the trials and tribulations Jewish farmers had
Marx, who was
in South Jersey in the 19th century.

profiled by the
The book notes that Jewish immigrants to the Jewish Exponent
United States were escaping the regime of the Russian in September 2017,
czar, but faced similar discriminatory experiences in released his first CD,
ghettos here, which made farming appealing.

In Pursuit, that year.

The second half of the book is supplemented with
The cantor has
20 additional accounts of the farming colonies of long been a fan of
Alliance, Rosenhayn and Carmel; those accounts date rock music and
from 1882 to 1907.

believes it fits in well
with Jewish music.

Bala Cynwyd Resident Wins 2018
“I felt that there was room to interpret the
John Lennon Songwriting Contest
liturgy and the emotions that our prayers reflect
Children’s performer Mama Mac (real name Amy through hard rock in a way that was authentic and
Elkins) won the grand prize in the children’s category meaningful and true to the text,” Marx said in the
of the 2018 John Lennon Songwriting Contest for her 2017 interview.

son “BFF (Best Friends Forever).”
For his senior recital while at cantorial school
Bala Cynwyd resident Elkins wrote the song, at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of
which features her 13-year-old daughter, Lila Knight, Religion, he arranged a traditional setting of
on vocal. Husband Mike Elkins directed and pro- hazzanut from the Rosh Hashanah liturgy and
duced a music video starring Lila and dance team wrote it as a duet for voice and electric guitar rather
members from First Position Dance Arts.

than a piano accompaniment. l
JEWISH EXPONENT
MARCH 21, 2019
31