By Moses A. Wilds, Jr. Landlord-Tenant Mediator

The Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) is establishing a new Applicant Wait List Portal System to determine eligibility for participation in the HOC affordable housing programs. Applicants will complete one electronic application which will be used to determine their eligibility for all housing programs. Historically, HOC has had a separate wait list for each of its housing programs (i.e. Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher — formerly known as Section 8 — Project-based Voucher and Opportunity Housing). HOC will transition from its current lottery system to a new Applicant Wait List Portal System. The list opens for seniors and disabled people in late July and to the public in August. There will be kiosks at public libraries and HOC service centers to service those who need assistance.

Features of the new HOC Applicant Wait List Portal System:

• Applicants will complete one application, which can be used to determine their eligibility for all housing programs.
• Paper Applications will no longer be accepted. Applicants can only sign up via the agency website. The new wait list will be all electronic, allowing applicants to sign up and manage their applications online.
• The Wait List will be remain open indefinitely. Previously, HOC wait lists would close following a one- to two-week application period.
• Selection from the wait list will no longer be by lottery. Applicants will be matched with opportunities in the order they are received, based on household size, income and available openings across all HOC rental programs.
• Priority consideration will be given to applicants who are elderly and disabled. HOC has started to purge the old list of previous wait listed applicants. HOC has already attempted to contact all previous applicants on the wait list, but out of the many on the list, very few were reachable. If applicants have not yet received a phone call or information by mail they are encouraged to contact HOC right away to let them know that they are still interested in being waitlisted, and to update their contact information. Applicants who were on the wait list previously and who are current in communication with HOC will have priority over new applicants.

HOC will utilize an all-electronic application, with a new website dedicated solely for wait list applicants. Persons with internet access may apply from any connected device.

For persons who do not have access to the internet, kiosks will be available in Montgomery County Public Libraries and other selected sites. Application stations and trained personnel to assist applicants will be available inside all HOC offices. The office closest to Takoma Park is located at: 8421 Georgia Ave, 3rd Floor, Silver Spring, Md. 20910 (accessible via Metro Bus: S2, S4 and Ride-On Bus 28, 70, 71, 79).

Although applicants’ information will be archived in the electronic system for three years, failure to re-certify annually will result in an applicant’s name being removed from the waiting list.

There is no cost to apply for the HOC wait list. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age and there are no income restrictions for applicants. Montgomery County residency is not an application requirement but those who live, work or have notice of work in the county will have preference.

Applicants will be matched to an appropriate housing program based on the information provided in the on-line application such as household size, income, preferences and program availability.

If an applicant meets any qualification for assistance he/she will be contacted by HOC when they are selected. It is very important that applicants maintain accurate on-line contact information on their applications. For further information contact HOC at hrs@hocmc.org or 240-627-9400 or visit the HOC office nearest you.

This article appeared in the July 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

By Bob Guldin

In recent years, city planners around the country have begun paying attention to the ways art and artists can revitalize a neighborhood. In Maryland for example, nearby Hyattsville has launched an “arts district” with studios, galleries and performance spaces.

But few Takoma neighbors are aware of our own hidden arts district — the DC Arts Studios — where close to 100 artists paint, sculpt, work with computer graphics, dance, teach and form a creative community that has been thriving for over 30 years.

In a way, it’s not surprising that the DC Arts Studios are not more famous. They are tucked away in a large, rambling, yellow brick building at 6925 Willow Street, N.W. – one of several solid edifices built on that block by the Seventh Day Adventist Church early in the last century. As the church gradually moved its business and printing operations out of the city, other organizations moved in.

Douglas Development, a real estate company that also owns much of the surrounding property, bought the building, and DC Arts Studios has been renting from them since 1983. You can see what they’re all about at dcartsstudios. org or www.facebook.com/DcArtsStudios.

Art for the canvas and the stage

The Willow Street building houses not only studios for individual artists; it also contains arts organizations of all sizes and descriptions. If you enter from the street, you’ll immediately encounter TheLab.DC, a breakdancing school and program for kids and adults. Headed by Antonio Castillo, the Lab offers breaking not only as a dance form but as a competitive sport. “I founded the league,” says Castillo. “I’m the guy. I’ve been doing it for 19 years.” Castillo is about to take his team on its first tour this summer.

Castillo is pleased that his classes attract all kinds of young people – girls, boys, black, white, Jewish, Hispanic. “We try to do competitions that are accepting and friendly,” he says. “A lot of kids have studied martial arts, but they don’t have free expression. That’s what they learn here.”

Also part of the DC Arts community: Knock on Wood, a tap dancing studio and school for kids and adults, and Art Options, a church-related group which offers art therapy to people with disabilities. Topping it off, though not part of DC Arts, is the thriving and prestigious Washington National Opera, which performs at the Kennedy Center and which has a full floor for its workshops, props and costumes at Willow Street.

Working together

The heart of the DC Arts Studios, however, is the working artists. At any given time, between 70 and 80 artists are renting studio space, which generally involves becoming part of the artists’ community as well. Currently, the studios are almost full to capacity … though the website shows two possible vacancies in case you’re interested.

The studios have a gallery on the first floor, which exhibits work of artist-members. It is open regularly to the public from noon to 2 p.m. on Sundays, which overlaps with the nearby Farmers Market.

We went on a tour of the studios, led by interim director Becky Borlan and Board Member and Treasurer Juliet Morey, and found lots of friendly artists at work and ready to chat about their unconventional workspace.

The range of artists is wide and broad. Some have shown their work nationally, and others are just getting started. They include painters, illustrators, costume designers, photographers, metalworkers, video and sound engineers, screen printers and muralists.

“We help artists get exposure. I’ve seen many artists move up.” —Kristina Bialock

People spoke about the friendships and sense of community the artists have forged, the reasonable rents, the 24- hour access, and the way colleagues are often available to lend a hand, a tool, or a critical eye.

George Koch, a painter who started DC Arts Studios in 1979, explains that unlike other Eastern cities, Washington never had a big industrial base that could be recycled into artists’ studios. So over the years, artists have had a real problem finding or creating studios, or finding landlords who would rent to them.

That’s why Koch organized a cooperative organization of artists. “I found if I had 40 artists together, it gave me some bargaining power with the landlords. Plus, it enabled the artists to manage the building themselves.” The organization – it started out as “a.salon.ltd” – had its first studio space in Georgetown. There it cooperated with the Corcoran School, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and other downtown arts programs.

But as rental space in central DC became more expensive and hard to find, the DC Arts Studios moved to Takoma, attracted by the Metro access and the funky neighborhood feel.

Koch says, “When we moved in, we had to do a major buildout, dealing with industrial equipment, building spaces for studios.” (The Willow Street building still has old conveyor belts tucked away in corners.)

Kristina Bialock, who was the director of the studios for the last three years, says that they add a lot to Takoma Park. “Remember, there are 80 artists who shop and dine in Takoma Park.”

“We also work closely with Laura Barclay (of Main Street Takoma) in December and May; we put on pre-holiday shows and participate in ArtHop, a city-sponsored invitation to the public to visit many artists.”

Bialock notes that Douglas Jamal, the senior head of Douglas Development, “gave us a great deal on the space for 35 years.” But, she says, “The rent is gradually escalating to more of a market rent. It will inevitably go up.” But the studios do have a five-year lease, which keeps things stable for the immediate future.

DC Arts Studios are a good value for the artists, Bialock says. “We try to offer below-market rates for commercial space. There’s a shortage of what we offer; there’s not much studio space in the city. For $200 to $1,000 a month, we offer a mailing address, a place to meet clients. And we help artists get exposure – we have open studio events. I’ve seen many artists move up.”

Bialock says the studios plan to increase their gallery space, and sponsor more wine and cheese receptions in the coming months.

This article appeared in the July 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

By Virginia Myers

“A picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is worth a thousand pictures.”

So says Takoma Park Police Chief Alan Goldberg, who told the Newsletter the department is purchasing 34 or 35 body-worn cameras for police officers, and expects to start using them this month. The cameras, bundled with 30 new replacement tasers, are a $50,000 item in the police department’s FY2016 budget.

Each camera is a one-piece device worn at sternum-height, and is activated when an officer taps it. Goldberg is convinced that they will make policing in Takoma Park safer for everyone. “[A camera] reduces the use of force because when people know they are being recorded they tend to not act so silly,” says Goldberg, referring to aggressive behavior from people encountering police officers. “It helps us.”

Officers, who tested them out in a pilot program last year, are in favor of the cameras, too, says Goldberg. “It reduces the complaints [against officers] for two reasons,” says Goldberg. “The officer knows he’s being recorded so he’s accountable, but so does the public. You can really see the change in demeanor when they know they’re being recorded.”

Montgomery County Police are also donning the cameras, in a 100-officer pilot program.

Interest in police-worn body cameras has risen since recent events involving unarmed black men dying in confrontations with police officers. The deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Eric Garner in Staten Island and, closer to home, Freddie Gray in Baltimore are still reverberating around the nation. Goldberg points out that while bystander cameras capture some of these events, the whole picture is still missing. Bodyworn cameras could help address that.

“If they’d worn body cameras in Ferguson, ‘Hands up don’t shoot’ wouldn’t have happened,” says Goldberg, referring to the investigation’s failure to prove that 18-year-old Michael Brown had his hands up in surrender before he was shot by a police officer, as was originally reported. The meme persists, however, as a protest against police brutality and racism in some law enforcement communities.

Sensitive details

While he is in favor of adopting the cameras, Goldberg also says they present some tricky challenges. Issues such as who can access the video, how long it is kept, and how it is redacted (altered to protect identities of bystanders and others) are sensitive. Archiving and indexing are labor-intensive — it takes a full minute to redact just one frame of video, says Goldberg.

A Montgomery County commission is working to establish a policy that municipalities could adopt. Meanwhile, Goldberg expects that the body cameras will be treated similarly to the way car-mounted cameras are treated now. That footage is loaded to a secure server, but it is available to the state’s attorney and defense attorneys. It is unavailable to anyone not a party to the case, he says. For traffic stops, footage is typically held for 30 days before it is destroyed. Civil case footage can be kept for three years, but felonies vary depending on documentation, and can be held as long as 75 years.

These details affect average citizens as well as accused criminals. Goldberg uses the example of a resident who holds a grudge against a neighbor, finds unflattering footage of the neighbor and posts it for the public to see. More seriously, many police calls involve mental illness – there are calls to suicidal behavior and overdoses, for example. “Sometimes we see people at their worst,” says Goldberg.

Still, he says, the cameras are expected to improve police work in the city. “There is a chilling effect as soon as you tell someone you’re being recorded, there’s a total change in attitude,” he says. “It’s a lot less confrontational.”

“It protects the officer, it protects the public and it keeps us from having to use force.”

This article appeared in the July 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Violent crime has decreased in Takoma Park over the last year, according to the annual Crime report released in late May. Overall crime, however, has increased, due in large part to a spike in vehicle related thefts.

Violent crime

Statistics comparing 2014 to 2013 show one homicide in 2014, and one in 2013 – in other words, no change. There were 35 robberies in 2014, down by one from the 36 robberies in 2013. There were 17 assaults in 2014, down from 20 in 2013. There was one additional rape reported in 2014 for a total of three – though one of the rapes reported 2014 actually occurred the year before.

Property crime

Overall, there was a 26 percent increase in “Part 1 Crime,” which includes homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft. Property crime shows the most dramatic increase, with larceny in the lead. Larceny – when one person takes the personal goods of another, for example a purse snatching or theft from auto – went up 42 percent, by far the largest increase across the types of crimes committed in Takoma Park last year. Incidents went from 302 in 2013 to 430 in 2014.

Among those larcenies were 216 thefts from auto and thefts of auto parts.

Auto theft went up 26 percent, from 42 incidents to 53. Burglaries – which reflect breaking into a home with the intent to steal property – stayed the same, at 125 incidents.

Takoma Park Police Chief alan Golberg says the police campaign to urge victims of thefts from auto to report crimes was “very effective,” and the higher number of crimes recorded could be attributed to increased reporting in 2014. He also says that many of the thefts from auto involved unlocked cars.

Where are the crimes committed?

The annual Crime report breaks down Part 1 crime by ward, and shows that Ward 6 experienced the highest amount of crime – 27 percent of all crime reported in Takoma Park. It is followed by Ward 3, at 23 percent, and Ward 1, at 20 percent. Ward 2 had 13 percent of the city’s crime; Ward 5, 9 percent; and Ward 4 had the lowest, at 8 percent.

Ward 6 also had the most robberies – 12 incidents, representing 34 percent of all robberies in the city. Ward 3 was next at 10 robberies, or 29 percent. Ward 6 carried the most assaults as well: eight, or 47 percent. Next in assaults was Ward 2 with three, or 18 percent.

Larcenies were highest in Ward 6, too: 117 incidents, for 27 percent of larcenies in the city. Ward 1 had 101 larcenies, and Ward 3 had 97.

The police department also identifies “hot spots” where crime occurs most frequently. These areas are clustered along Takoma Park’s borders and around the commercial areas at Takoma Langley Crossroads, along the New Hampshire avenue corridor and in Old Town.

Who is committing these crimes?

More than half of the arrests made in Takoma Park in 2014 – 56 percent – were for controlled dangerous substances – i.e., illegal drugs. The rest are recorded as arrests for “uniform crime,” which includes the Part 1 crimes listed above. Juveniles were the subjects of 16 percent of all ar- rests; adults made up 84 percent of arrests.

Through the efforts of the department’s Special assignment Team to address gang violence and activity, and through investigations, police know that approximately 40 percent of the subjects either contacted or arrested in 2014 were connected to a specific criminal street gang. That means police are getting to these gangs: Through current and past investigative and enforcement efforts, gang-related incidents and crime in Takoma Park are at a five year low.

Especially important arrests included three drug busts: one on Cole avenue involving 10 arrests, $6,000 seized and forfeited, and a plea to distribution of controlled dangerous substances; one on Trescott avenue for seven arrests and one felony plea to possession with intent to distribute; and one on the Houston av- enue corridor for 17 arrests and multiple guilty convictions on auto theft, con- trolled dangerous substance, handgun of- fense and warrant services.

The report also describes in detail several notable incidents, including

• The assault of and robbery from a sex worker at gunpoint at a hotel on New Hampshire avenue
• The arrest of a man in possession of cocaine and ecstasy – in amounts indicating an intent to distribute – at a spot where families had gathered to watch the city’s Fourth of July fireworks
• a routine traffic stop that resulted in the arrest of a gang member for sexual assault of a minor
• Two burglaries that investigators linked through blood found at the scenes
• The rescue of a woman being held against her will in a hotel room by a man who was in possession of PCP, and who turned out to be a convicted murderer.

Cell phones, borders, body cams and Narcan

Chief Goldberg noted that the most “in demand” items among thieves continue to be electronics, computers and cell phones. He also pointed out a pattern to crime in 2014: detectives linked a small group of criminals, affiliated with a street gang quartered outside the City of Takoma Park, to at least 19 of the city’s more serious crimes. Squelching gang crime continues to be a priority in the department. To address crime that travels across the many borders in the Takoma Park area, the chief also highlighted Takoma Park’s increased cooperation with other jurisdictions. “Criminals operate regardless of borders and jurisdictions,” he wrote in his report. “The ability to interoperate and have situational awareness with our neighboring jurisdictions is critical.” Using emergent technologies such as advanced radio communication and data analytics, the different police departments in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Takoma Park have been better able to address crimes of all sorts by working together. “Our crime analyst and officers are able to view real time and historical crime data from our neighboring jurisdictions as well as communicate with our allied agencies via radio directly,” wrote Goldberg. “This cross border communication remains one of my highest priorities.”

A newer program puts to use a different tool: Naloxone spray, also known as “Narcan.” The substance is best known for reducing the effects of heroin overdose, and is part of the Maryland Opioid Overdose Prevention Plan. Designed to reduce unintentional, life-threatening poisonings related to the ingestion of opioids, including not just heroin but prescription analgesics like Fentanyl, the plan helps prevent deaths by restoring breathing. Fifteen members of the police department have been trained to use Naloxone.

The chief, who delivered a preliminary crime report to the City Council in april while the nation was still reeling from the deaths of unarmed black men in police custody, also addressed the sensitive issue of police reform. He noted high marks for the Takoma Park Police Department’s officers on resident surveys, but said in his report, “We cannot sit on our laurels, and must continue to build partnerships and trust with our constituents.” To that end, the department has begun a body-worn camera pilot program as well as a Police Explorer Program for young people participating in the city’s summer jobs program in the coming fiscal year. That program is designed to promote strong understanding and support between police and the community.

It is also interesting to note that City Council added $10,000 to the recently approved budget for an outside consultant to evaluate police and community engagement – an attempt to identify what Takoma Park does well, and what lessons the city can learn from cities confronting racial conflict.

This article appeared in the June 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Takoma Park Emergency Preparedness Committee

Takoma Park is officially a Tree City. So we all know what summer storms can mean: downed trees, downed power lines and no electricity, sometimes for days.

But storms also bring hazards that have nothing to do with the tree canopy. And while many of Takoma Park’s nature lovers run to their front porches at the first rumble of thunder, ready to watch in wonder as lightning paints the sky – don’t do it. That beautiful summer storm can also be dangerous.

Here’s how you can stay safe.

Be prepared

• Secure outdoor objects that can blow away or cause damage – otherwise that lawn chair, or the empty kiddy pool may wind up half a block away.
• Postpone/halt outdoor activities. The Takoma Park Recreation Department carefully monitors Doppler radar and other weather reports to keep outdoor events and activities safe, clearing playing fields in case of lightning, for example. If you’re not sure whether your outdoor activity is going to be canceled, call the department’s inclement weather hotline, 301- 891-7101 ext. 5605.
• Get inside a home, building, or hard-top automobile (not a convertible); although you can be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.
• Contrary to popular belief, rubbersoled shoes and rubber tires provide no protection from lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal.
• Close windows and secure outside doors. If your house has outside window shutters, make sure these are secured. Close window blinds, shades or curtains.
• Unplug any electronic equipment well before the storm arrives. (Yes, this includes cell phone, computer and other chargers!) A fried modem or router can put you off the internet for days.
• Unplug appliances and other electrical items, and turn off air conditioners. Power surges from lightning can cause serious damage. No AC means it will be very hot in the house – but that is better than cool, drenched and in danger.

Once the storm has arrived

• Avoid contact with corded phones and devices including those plugged into electric outlets for recharging. Cordless and wireless phones not connected to wall outlets are OK to use.
• Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords.
• Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes and do not do laundry. Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity.
• Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
• Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls.
• Avoid natural lightning rods such as a tall, isolated tree in an open area.
• Avoid hilltops, open fields, the beach or a boat on the water.
• Avoid isolated sheds or other small structures in open areas. Instead, take shelter in a sturdy building.
• Avoid contact with anything metal— lawn tractors, farm equipment, motorcycles, golf carts, golf clubs and bicycles.
• If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.

This article appeared in the June 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

By Gina Mathias

More than 200 households – representing a full 4 percent of the city’s single family homes – have signed up for Takoma Park’s Neighborhood Energy Challenge, and are working towards their Green Home Certification since the Challenge launched earlier this year. That’s real progress, and it is only the beginning. Here are some of the other accomplishments the city has chalked up as it works toward winning the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a $5 million grant that could boost Takoma Park’s energy profile even higher.

• The first data submission to the Georgetown University Energy Prize (GUEP) team was completed. It establishes the city’s baseline, which is what Takoma Park will be judged against for the next two years. Data will be shared at takomaparkmd.gov/sustainability once it is evaluated and approved by the GUEP team.
• Two out of the six City Councilmembers have had an energy audit as of May 18: Council-members Tim Male (Ward 2) and Kate Stewart (Ward 3). Wonder who will get Green Home Certified first?
• Neighborhood Energy Challenge teams have formed in every ward, but not all neighborhoods have signed up yet for a chance at the $2,000 prize. That prize will go to the neighborhood with the most participation and homes (including rentals!) getting Green Home Certified, with actual energy savings to show for it. Want to start or join a team? Email ginam@ takomaparkmd.gov. Teams that have formed include: Hodges Heights; Sycamore-Beech-Woodland; New Hampshire Gardens North of Jackson and New Hampshire Gardens South of Jackson; East Long Branch Sligo (between the creeks) and West Long Branch Sligo; Elm Avenue (segments); South of Forest Park; Allegheny-Westmoreland Area; and PoplarGude-Cockerille.
• Between Pepco, Washington Gas, City of Takoma Park and Montgomery County, there are more than $3,580 in rebates available for individual homeowners. Get yours before the money is gone! Email ginam@takomaparkmd.gov for details.

The best way to start participating in this drive to save energy is to get a Comprehensive Energy Audit of your home. The city will even reimburse you the $100 cost! For a list of preferred contractors, go to http://tinyurl. com/preferredcontractors.

This article appeared in the June 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

By Jim Jarboe

As of April 30, 2015, the Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department and the personnel of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service assigned to the station have responded to 208 fire related incidents in 2015. The department addressed or assisted with 1,040 rescue or ambulance-related incidents for a total of 1,248. Totals for 2014 were 206 and 899, representing and increase of 143 incidents.

During the month of April 2015, the Takoma Park volunteers put in a total of 1,672.5 hours of standby time at the station, compared to 1,307.5 in April 2014, an increase of 1,150.5 hours.

Maryland fire deaths

The Maryland State Fire Marshal Office reported as of May 15, 26 people have died in fires in 2015, compared to 31 in 2014.

Smokers Be Alert!

• To prevent a deadly cigarette fire, you must be alert. You won’t be alert if you are sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs that make you drowsy or have consumed alcohol.
• Never smoke in bed. You should have a working smoke alarm in your bedroom.
• The risk of dying in a home structure fire caused by smoking materials rises with age.
• One out of four fatal victims of smoking material fire is not the smoker whose cigarette started the fire. If you are a smoker, consider smoking outside.

Fire Station Clean-Up

On Sunday, May 3 members of the Takoma Park VFD put on their work gloves to spruce up the front of the station at the main entrance. They weeded, planted and mulched.

A special thanks to the following, starting with the project leader FF/ EMT Kevin Tighe, Chief Tom Musgrove, EMT Leslie deLeon, EMT Jorge Alfaro, FF/EMT Adam Bearne and EMT Anthony Zarrella.

This article appeared in the June 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here

For its summer selection the Friends of the Takoma Park Maryland Library bi-monthly book group will discuss the novel “Cloudstreet” by the Australian author Tim Winton on July 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Center Hydrangea Room.

Published in 1993, “Cloudstreet” has become one of the bestloved novels among the Australian public. The novel, which occurs from 1943 to 1963, tells the story of two families, the Lambs and the Pickles, who live in the same house in a suburb of Perth. Winton uses the contrasting approaches to life by the two families to explore how humans struggle to find meaning in life.

“‘Cloudstreet’ was my way to express the importance of all the relationships I had throughout my life in Western Australia,” Winton has said. “As some of you may have picked up from the setting, I love water; the beach, the rivers and the lakes.”

Winton is a prolific writer, having authored 13 novels and four collections of short stories. He has also written books for children as well as several works of nonfiction. Winton has been shortlisted twice for the Booker award and has won the Miles Franklin award (one of Australia’s top literary prizes) a record four times.

Beginning this fall, and continuing in winter, the Friends will hold a lecture and a series of discussions on “Daniel Deronda” by George Eliot.

First published in 1876, “Daniel Deronda” was the last novel Eliot completed and the only one set in the contemporary Victorian society of her day. According to Wikipedia its mixture of social satire and moral searching, along with a sympathetic rendering of Jewish proto-Zionist and Kaballistic ideas, has made it a controversial final statement of one of the greatest of Victorian novelists.

“Few [readers] had a problem, upon its publication, with its portrayal of yearning and repression in the English upper class,” writes the Guardian’s book blog. But as Eliot’s lover, George Henry Lewes, had predicted, “The Jewish element seems to me to satisfy nobody.” The book “took on what was a highly unusual contemporary theme: the position of Jews in British and European society and their likely prospects. The eponymous hero is an idealistic young aristocrat who comes to the rescue of a young Jewish woman and in his attempts to help her find her family is drawn steadily deeper into the Jewish community and the ferment of early Zionist politics.”

“For those today who find Zionism difficult to understand, Eliot’s depiction of its origins is evocative and powerful,” the Guardian also writes. “[The character] Mordecai both describes and embodies the wandering Jew, forever an alien in a foreign land, never at home, ‘a people who kept and enlarged their spiritual store at the very time when they were hunted with a hatred so fierce as the forest fires that chase the wild beast from its covert.’”

All are welcome to attend the Friends’ book discussions. Contact the Library for announcements of meeting dates and locations for “Daniel Deronda.” Copies of the selections by George Eliot and Tim Winton are available for borrowing.

This article appeared in the June 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.