wish famili
Ten • 300 =1 Record
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor
I
n Janie Shallop's Temple Israel kindergarten class
(at right), the students — 10 boys — love to read.
This isn't unusual, considering the fact that "at
Temple Israel we promote literacy to help Our children
become good readers," Shallop says.
"Our classrooms are filled with many opportunities
to encourage the love of reading."
What is unusual is just how much these boys love to
read. The boys enjoy it so much, they "decided to chal-
lenge themselves to beat the number of books read in
previous years, which was 210," Shallop says.
This week, a new record was established. The 10
boys read their 300th book.
Looking for a few good stories? Here are some of the
favorites of this reading bunch.
Noah Beletskiy, the son of Erika and Andy Beletskiy
of West Bloomfield, liked I Love You Stinky Face by
Lisa McCourt.
Zachary Cantor, whose parents are Lori and
Kenneth Cantor of West Bloomfield, liked Disgusting
by Gill Davies.
Stephen Friedland, son of Tammi
and Mark Friedland of West
Bloomfield, liked The Day of the Bad
Haircut by Lava Moore.
Aaroniaskowitz, whose parents are
Kelly and Mitchell Laskowitz of West
Bloomfield, said his favorite was EEK'
CREAK! Snicker, Sneak by Rhonda
Gowler Greene.
Corey Lesson, son of Lauren and
Randy Lesson of West Bloomfield,
likes We All Sing with the Same Voice
by J. Phillip Miller and Shepard M.
Greene.
Andrew Miller, son of Debbie and
Eric Miller of West Bloomfield, rec-
ommends Underwear by Mary Elise
Mansell.
Jacob Provizer, the son of Kari and Jeffrey Provizer of
Farmington Hills, says his favorite is The Bookstore
Burglar by Barbara Maitland.
Gilad Rozin, whose parents are Cindy and Izak
Rozin of West Bloomfield, likes Q Pootle 5 by Nick
Buttersworth.
.
Bradley Silverman, the son of Alan Silverman and
Susan Merkle of West Bloomfield, likes Parts by Ted
Arnold.
Ian Smith, the son of Donna and Ira Smith of
Farmington Hills, liked Give the Dog a Bone by Steven
Kellogg. ❑
TELL 1VE WHY
The Sad Spirit
The only man to be convicted of treason after making a patriotic film,
Robert Goldstein vanished literally — in history.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor
Q: I was reading an book about
film history. Of course nothing
could ever match, in scope and
influence, The Birth of a Nation.
I'm wondering if there's a Jewish
connection to the movie?
A: There's a very interesting, and
tragic, Jewish connection, as a mat-
ter of fact — one that ends in an
extraordinary mystery.
In the early part of the century,
Robert Goldstein owned a popular
costume-supply house in Los
Angeles, to which many filmmakers
turned for period clothing to use in
their movies.
Among those who worked with
Goldstein was D.W. Griffiths, who
was looking for authentic attire to
use in his Birth ofA Nation. A
Southern view of the Civil War,
Birth ofA Nation so captivated the
country that even president
Woodrow Wilson labeled it "history
shot with electricity."
After completing work on Birth of
a Nation, Goldstein decided to try
his own hand at filmmaking. Soon
after America entered World War I
in 1917, Goldstein released The
Spirit of '76, a costly (more than $48
million in today's currency) docu-
mentary about the American
Revolution.
During the Revolution, Americans
fought to get away from the British.
In World War I, however, the two
were Allies.
President Wilson's new Espionage
Act prohibited any activity or
remark that might create discord in
the armed forces. The Spirit of '76
was considered such an act, so when
the film was released, President
Wilson insisted it be confiscated.
Wilson seemed to find further
‘`proof" of Goldstein's crimes in his
background: he was a Jewish immi-
grant from Germany, with which
America was now at war. Goldstein
was promptly arrested for espionage.
He was tried, convicted and jailed,
becoming the first and only
American ever jailed for making a
patriotic film.
More intelligent Americans quick-
ly tired of the witch hunt. After
Wilson, constantly on the attack
against "subversive" forces in the
United States, died, the country
voted a Republican in office, which
ushered in Prohibition (Wilson had
declared alcohol a "German" and
un-American" pasttime and made it
illegal to take a drink) and brought a
commutation to Goldstein's sen-
tence.
There's absolutely no evidence that
Goldstein ever committed any act of
espionage; in fact, most would argue
that a film about the American
Revolution is a very patriotic film.
.
"
Additionally, apparently everyone
back then seems to have overlooked
the right to free speech.
Goldstein eventually was released
from prison and wrote a book about.
his trials, published in 1927.
Just a few years later, Goldstein
was, for reasons unknown, back in
Germany. By now, he was penniless.
As Hitler came to power, Goldstein
was even seen begging for money —
a mere $9 — so he could renew his
American passport.
What happened to Robert
Goldstein remains a mystery.
According to some sources, he was
eventually shipped back to the
United States where he was said to
have died, in obscurity, in New York
City. Some insist he was sent to a
Nazi death camp where, like so
many others, he was murdered.
Q: My daughter loves Top 40
songs, and her favorite these days is
"This Love" by Maroon 5. She lis-
tens to it over and over. The lead
singer is named Adam Levine. I'm
wondering if he's Jewish?
A: Yes, Levine is Jewish. The lead
singer, and often guitarist, as well,
for Maroon 5, Levine is from
California. There, he formed a
TELL ME WHY on page 32
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2004
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