May 13, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 25 Ridgewood Notes Veterans to begin Poppy Drive The American Legion Post in Ridgewood will distribute veteran made poppies throughout the village in May. Residents are asked to make a small donation and proudly wear a poppy. In all conflicts and wars, poppies are a reminder of the binding comradeship and remembrance veterans have for those who have fallen. On Monday, May 25, the Ridgewood American Legion Post 53 will hold a Memorial Day Service at 11 a.m. in Van Neste Square Park. All are invited. Tenor to perform at library Award winning operatic tenor Salvatore Chiarelli will perform at Ridgewood Library on May 17 at 3 p.m. The performance is part of the library’s Sunday Concert Series and is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Admission is free, however donations are always welcome. Chiarelli, a noted performer in the tri-state area, trained in Italy and New York City. He will be performing with special guest artist soprano Elga Jahannes and will perform such favorites as “O sole mio,” Arriverderci Roma,” “Moon River,” “If I Loved You,” and more. Unitarian Society presents opera and song On Saturday, May 16 at 8 p.m., soprano Kristen Plumley will perform an evening of opera and song at The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood. She will feature works by Handel, Schubert, Strauss, Lili Boulanger, Britten, and others. Accompanying her will be Michael Caldwell on piano. Plumley has portrayed Barbarina in “Le Nozze di Figaro” with New York City Opera, Norina in “Don Pasquale” and Zerlina in “Don Giovanni” with Virginia Opera, and Sophie in “Werther” with the Chautauqua Opera. On the concert stage she has performed a broad spectrum of works, including Mozart’s “Coronation Mass” and “Requiem,” Haydn’s “Mass in Time of War,” and Handel’s “Sing Unto God” with the New England Symphonic Ensemble at Carnegie Hall. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by calling (201) 444-6225. The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood is at 113 Cottage Place. Author to discuss brain disorders The Ridgewood Public Library will host Dr. Robert Melillo, a professor and researcher into children neurological disorders and offer copies of his book, “Disconnected Kids,” abut helping children with brain disorders on May 12 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. The book offers advice for coping with children who suffer from autism, Asperger’s syndrome, AD/HD, dyslexia and other disorders. Copies will be available at the library the day of the lecture. Job transition workshop offered The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood will be sponsoring a four session workshop for people in job transition beginning on Wednesday, May 13 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and continuing every Wednesday night through June 3. Bill Belknap, who has been a career coach for over 17 years, will be the facilitator. He will be covering the elements of a “killer resume,” developing a personal marketing plan, the secrets to a successful interview including “elevator pitch,” and the best and worst uses of the Internet in a job search. There will be a limited number of available slots so reservations are required. Call (201) 444-6225 to make a reservation. The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood is located at 113 Cottage Place in Ridgewood. League offers study of psalms The community is invited to a study session of some of the most stirring psalms immediately after services on Sunday, May 17, at 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel in Ridgewood. May 17 has been designated as the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism’s International Day of Study for the Psalms. Temple Israel’s study session and discussion will be led by synagogue congregants and admission is free. The Bible was the first of sacred texts to develop Jewish prayer, majestically presented in the Book of Psalms. This collection of poems – prayers of thanksgiving, petition, anguish, and comfort – is one of the world’s most celebrated works of literature. For three millennia, psalms have been integrated into liturgy, law, music, art, and literature. Jersey Jubilation to perform The Jersey Jubilation Handbell Choir was established in 2004 as a not-for-profit performance group whose purpose is to bring the unique sound of handbells to local audiences and to educate about the musical techniques involved. The 13 ringers are from Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Morris counties in New Jersey and New York City. The choir presents a wide variety of music including arrangements of sacred, classical, folk songs and spirituals and secular music in addition to original works for handbells. The choir rings five octaves of Whitechapel handbells and five octaves of Suzuki handchimes. The bells and rehearsal space are provided by the Ridgewood United Methodist Church. The choir’s program this spring is set for Friday, May The language and significance of the psalms often remains elusive and it is up to each generation to offer new interpretations. All are welcome to share their thoughts and interpretations, including close readings of the texts, analysis, dramatic inquiry, and personal insights into the words of the psalmist. Sisterhood of Temple Israel is a member of Women’s League of Conservative Judaism. Carla Vogel of Ridgewood is president of Sisterhood. Temple Israel and JCC is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue. For more information, call (201)444-9320, email to office@synagogue.org, or visit www.synagogue. org. Lifestyle session offered Those who are interested in learning how to take control and eat well, increase muscle mass, and have more energy, an overview session of the Transitions Lifestyle System will be held at West Side Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. To reserve a spot, call Dr. Anne Deatly 15 at 8 p.m. at the Ridgewood United Methodist Church at 100 Dayton St. The concert will include a classical arrangement of Vivaldi and two original pieces accompanied by flute. Other pieces include an arrangement of “Morning Has Broken,” which will be performed with James Wynne, organist at the Ridgewood United Methodist Church, on the synthesizer. The choir is under the direction of Christine Braden who has been ringing and directing handbells at the Ridgewood United Methodist Church for over 30 years. She is currently the chair of Area II of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. For additional information, contact Christine Braden (201) 447-2751, or visit online at www.jerseyjubilation.org. at (201) 612-8636. Transitions Lifestyle System is a program that involves exercise and a healthy diet of foods that have a low glycemic index. The glycemic index reflects the potential or degree that a particular food raises blood sugar levels. Designed by well-known nutritionist and author Dr. Shari Lieberman, the program educates participants about different types of foods and how to make choices for healthy eating not only to prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system and cancer, but also to target fat loss for healthy weight management. The overview session is free and open to the public. It will be held in room 307 at West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 South Monroe Street in Ridgewood. West Side Presbyterian Church is located at Varian Fry Way, 6 South Monroe Street in Ridgewood. Free parking is available in the lot directly across the street from the entrance to the sanctuary. For information on the church and its programs, go to www.westside.org or call (201) 6521966.