POP ART
SUKKAH CHAG SAMEACH!
The “Pop Art Rabbi” puts a colorful spin
on the sukkah.

OCTOBER 1, 2020 / 13 TISHREI 5781
PAGE 18
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM — WHAT IT MEANS TO BE JEWISH IN PHILADELPHIA —
$1.00 LOCAL
Tribe 12 Gets New
Board Members
Changes in board
represent transition
in organization.

Page 4
LOCAL Damage from Oak
Hill Fire Lingers
Four months later,
residents struggle
with the aftermath.

Page 6
LOCAL State Senator Says
Fight Against
Bigotry Is Failing
Leaders discuss
growing problem
of hatred.

Page 8
Volume 133
Number 25
Published Weekly Since 1887
FELS CEO
to Retire
After Nearly
50 Years
JESSE BERNSTEIN | JE STAFF
MADDY MALIS IS going to walk out of
the Federation Early Learning Services
offi ce on Oct. 9 with her head held high,
just as she’s done for nearly 50 years. Th e
only diff erence will be that she’ll step onto
Jamison Avenue as a retiree.

Malis, 68, joined FELS as a preschool
teacher in 1971, predating the name
“FELS” by decades (it was still Federation
Day Care Services then). Moving from
teaching to administration, and from
administration to leadership, Malis
became CEO of the sprawling day care
network — which sprawled even more
under her leadership — in 1999.

“I am grateful to the entire FELS
community for such a long and rewarding
career,” Malis wrote in a memo to staff ,
who were notifi ed of Malis’ decision to
retire about six months ago. “Our work
has not only benefi ted the families we
serve; our contributions have had a
notable impact on the early education
community in our region and throughout
A Jordanian press photo shows the aircraft that were blown up by the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine on Sept. 12, 1970.

Public domain photo from Wikimedia Commons
Hijacking Survivor Refl ects
A Half-Century After Ordeal
SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
JERRY BERKOWITZ KNEW there
was something suspicious about the man
boarding his plane.

On Sept. 6, 1970, the Philadelphia
native had stepped off his return fl ight
from Israel for some fresh air during a
stopover in Frankfurt, Germany, when he
noticed the fi gure. He considered asking
the fl ight staff to question him, since
there had been a string of hijackings
throughout the summer, but ultimately
decided against it.

He rejoined his wife, Rivke Berkowitz,
and their 2-year-old daughter Talia on
the plane. Shortly aft er takeoff , he saw the
man and a woman running down the aisle
See FELS, Page 12
See Hijacking, Page 13
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