Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Community Art Exhibit

"Diversity in Community" Exhibit
Opening Reception
January 19th, 3-5pm
St. John's Lutheran Church
Old York Rd. & Melrose Ave.
Melrose Park

“Diversity in Community” Juried Exhibition
(collaborative show)
January 19-February 09

Cheltenham Center for the Arts and St. John’s Lutheran Church of Melrose Park, collaborative juried art exhibit highlighting the diversity in the Cheltenham area.

Exhibit to be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Old York Road & Melrose Ave., Melrose Park, PA

Cheltenham Center for the Arts nurtures the creative spirit of the community through instruction in the visual and dramatic arts, exhibitions and theater performances Home of the Cheltenham Clay Guild, Print Guild, ACX, MamaCita and Action Arts Theater.

Office/Gallery Hours:
Mon, Wed & Fri: 9am-5pm
Tue, Thur: 9am-8pm
Sat.: 9am-1pm

Cheltenham Art Center439 Ashbourne Rd.Cheltenham, PA 19012Phone: (215) 379-4660Fax: (215) 663-1946Email: info@cheltenhamarts.org

Community Health Needs

Next PUMI Event
This Saturday
January 19
10 until 2

Addressing Our Community’s Health Needs

Many people living in urban and suburban
communities cannot afford health insurance and therefore go without the necessary medical care that they need. Some of these people are children and many are older adults.
At the next PUMI workshop we will learn of things that our churches might do and of ministries
already providing medical care to the uninsured.

Nevi White, from Jefferson Health Systems
Community Partnership Division will lead our discussion.

The workshop is FREE!
There will be a $5 charge for lunch.

All are welcome!!!

The First Presbyterian Church in Germantown
35 West Chelten Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144
215-843-8811

Preventing Gun Violence

"Preventing Gun Violence-Things Everyone Can Do to Protect their Loved Ones and their Communities"


On Saturday, January 19, 2008, the Germantown Jewish Centre presents a program open to the community regarding the prevention of gun violence. The keynote presentation, begins at 12:45 PM in the Charry Sanctuary, and is entitled: "Preventing Gun Violence-Things Everyone Can Do to Protect their Loved Ones and their Communities."

The speaker will be Diane Edbril, Executive Director of CeaseFire PA. While this program will be presented from a Jewish perspective, the issues we face are universal to all Americans.

The program will be held at the Germantown Jewish Centre located at 400 West Ellet Street at Lincoln Drive in Mt. Airy. It is open to the public and community members of all faiths, races and cultures are encouraged to join the Centre in learning about these critical issues our country is now facing. No reservations are needed; however, if you know in advance that you will be attending, please R.S.V.P. to the Centre at (215) 844-1507, ext 0.

The Ralph Granger Memorial honors Ralph Granger, a respected and well-loved former custodian of the Germantown Jewish Centre. Mr. Granger was a Christian African-American who was known for his dignity,
and his dedication and love for the Centre. During his lifetime, he served as a role model to the Germantown Jewish Centre's community for valuing and respecting differences in others. The Granger Memorial continues
to pay tribute to his memory, while focusing on current social issues pertinent to the larger communities in which we live.

The keynote speaker, Diane Edbril, is the Executive Director of CeaseFire PA. Edbril is a graduate of the Rockefeller College of Public Policy at the State University of New York at Albany, and earned her Juris Doctor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. She spent nine years practicing criminal law in NYC, half that time as an assistant district attorney, before relocating to Pennsylvania. As an Assistant District Attorney Diane gained invaluable insight into the causes and fallout of gun violence, which formed the basis for her interest in the field of gun policy. She is one of the founders of CeaseFire PA, and has been on staff with the organization since 2002.

Please join us for an informative presentation. For more information or directions, please contact the Germantown Jewish Centre office at (215) 844-1507, ext. 0.
# # #

Rachel GrossExecutive DirectorGermantown Jewish Centre400 West Ellet StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19119tel: 215.844.1507, x12fax: 215.844.8309 director@germantownjewishcentre.org

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

A Day On Not Off #4

Sunday and Monday as part of the MLK Day of Service projects.

An effort to clean, paint and improve two Germantown institutions!

Fitler School and Happy Hollow Recreation Center.

We need your help as a volunteer but if you cannot join us, I hope that you will send a contribution to pay for materials and supplies.

On Sunday, January 20, 2008, we will descend on Fitler School (corner of Knox and Seymour Streets), 9am - 2pm.

Fitler School principal, Mrs. Jones, is excited about our efforts to make her school glow. We will be joined by some of her teachers, parents and schoolkids. Breakfast and lunch will be served.

On Monday, January 21, 2008, we will be at it again, this time at the Happy Hollow Recreation Center (corner of Wayne Avenue and Logan Street), 9am - 2pm.

We will be joined by members of the Happy Hollow Advisory Council who are eager to get to work. Breakfast and lunch will again be served.

If you cannot help this year (or even if you can), please send a check, however large or small, to pay for the supplies and materials that are required. Checks should be made payable to "Village of Mt. Airy" a 501(c)3 non profit and sent to my office at 5219 Germantown Avenue. To date, we have raised only $200 (from Scott Engel and Dennis McCarthy, thanks!) which is significantly short of the $2,000 that we need to accomplish our service projects.

Many thanks to our community partners: Germantown Jewish Centre, Unitarian Society of Germantown, Trolley Car Diner & Deli and Neighborhood Interfaith Movement (NIM). Without them, three schools and four recreation centers would not have received a make over during the past five years! Any questions or to RSVP, please contact Ben Waxman at (215) 848-1133 x208 or brwaxman@gmail.com.

A Day On Not Off #3

*Brotherly Love Urban Youth Services*
5619 Germantown Ave., 2nd Floor
Phila., PA 19144

If you would like to participate please call (215) 438-9808 or email: youthbiz@bluys.org

A Day On Not Off #2

Making Philadelphia Safe
PhillyBlocks Town Meeting
Monday, January 21st, 9:30-Noon
Germantown High School, 40 E High St.

A Project of Martin Luther King's Day of Service

Main Speakers:
Ed Schwartz, Chair, Institute for the Study of Civic Values
Mayor Michael Nutter (Invited-Working Out Schedule)
Congressman Chaka Fattah
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey
Sandra Dungee Glenn, Chair, School Reform Commission
Anthony Murphy, Philadelphia Town Watch
Bilal Qayuum, Men United for a Better Philadelphia
Beth Grossman, District Attorney's Public Nuisance Task Force
Peter Solomon, Philadelphia Fight, Former Research Director, Probation Department
Harriet Spencer, Mayor's Office of Prisoner Reentry
Waheeda Shabazz, Philadelphia County Coalition for Prison
Donna Reed Miller, Chair, City Council Committee on Public Safety
State Senator Leanna Washington
State Representative John Myers State
Representative Cherelle Parker

Key Issues:
How do we reduce crime--especially crime that we see every day at specific locations in our neighborhoods? How do we reduce the number of people who commit crime--through effective probation and successful prisoner reentry?

Register Now: Make Philadelphia Safe Town Meeting Or call 215-238-1434

A Day On Not Off

Monday's MLK Day of Service


Are you sick and tired of being overrun with pests in your home and over-exposed to pesticides?

It’s not just your problem – a safe and secure home is an environmental justice issue.

We CAN do something about it!

Receive training in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and learn how to safely and effectively manage pests in your home and advocate for a healthy community.

  • Reduce Asthma
  • Protect your Family’s Health
  • Avoid Toxic Chemicals

When: MLK Day, Monday, January 21st from 8:45am to 1pm
Where: Germantown High School at Germantown Avenue and High Street (entrance on High St., room TBA)
How: Register for this workshop and service project by calling 215-843-5600 ext.105 or emailing aguarneri@nim-phila.org.


SIGN UP NOW and receive a kit with tools for less-toxic pest management and green cleaning products!

Environmental Justice: A Call to Action

Reaching a Milestone:
25th Annual Northwest Community
Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ
Stenton & Ogontz Avenues, Philadelphia
3:30 — 5:00
followed by fellowship and refreshments

Keynote Speaker: Rev. Dr. Stephen Ray
Associate Professor of African American Studies; Director, Urban Theological Institute; teaching a course in the Theology of Dr. King

Two Community Voices:
Highlighting Environmental Challenges that we can help meet
Rev. Jesse Brown, community activist
Dion Lerman, Environmental Health Program Specialist

Germantown High School Drumline
Settlement Music School Combined Choir
Mt. Airy COGIC Mime
Civil Rights Musical Jubilee, led by Tobie Hoffman

Looking Back: A Brief Retrospective
Stanley Diamond, co-founder of this Celebration in 1984
Certificates of Appreciation to the congregations who have hosted so far, including Germantown Jewish Centre, our host for 21 years

Information Tables Displaying
Environmental Justice Programs