Page 11 - Jewish News_January-2021

FEDERATION NEWS January 2021 11A

Mayim Bialik to appear at Jewish Federation event

By Gayle Guynup
ayim Bialik, distinguished Speaking about her roles on Blos- action. The Pomegranate pin is worn For more information on the Lion
actress, author and neuro- som and The Big Bang Theory, Mayim as a symbol of a woman’s commitment of Judah/Pomegranate event, contact
Mscientist, will be the key- said, “It is always a blessing to be an to honoring the mitzvot of tzedakah Gisele Pintchuck at 941.706.0029 or
note speaker at the 2021 virtual Lion employed actor, and sometimes that and gemilut chasadim (righteousness gpintchuck@jfedsrq.org or. For reser-
of Judah/Pomegranate event, hosted by means people will know you for one of and loving kindness). This year’s event vations, visit jfedsrq.org/events.
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota- the characters you are hired to play. I will be moderated by Simone Knego.
Manatee, on Tuesday, January 12 at love the women I have gotten to play
7:00 p.m. and I can’t wait to play this next char- MAR200947A
Mayim was born on December acter, Kat, who is also pretty iconic!”
12, 1975, in San Diego, California, to Mayim is also a prolific writer, a
Jewish immigrants Barry and Beverly process which she describes as “a dif-
Bialik. She attended UCLA, where, ferent way of expressing yourself.”
in 2000, she earned her bachelor’s de- “As a trained neuroscientist who
gree in Neuroscience, with minors in had to write a 300-page thesis, writing
Lion of Judah
Hebrew and Jewish Studies. She lat- comes naturally to me. Both of my par-
er returned to school and earned her ents were English teachers, and they
& Pomegranate
doctorate in Neuroscience, also from were both very good writers, so that
UCLA. Her dissertation was an inves- was a skill I was encouraged to hone Tidewell Hospice
tigation of hypothalamic activity in from a very early age. I wrote a book
patients with Prader-Willi syndrome. about my family’s experience with is committed to meeting the spiritual and
E
VENT
Mayim started her attachment parenting physical needs of our patients and families.
career as a child ac- called Beyond the Sling.
tress in the late 1980s. I also wrote a vegan As a certified Jewish Hospice, Tidewell offers:
Monday, January 12 • 7:30pm EST
“I always loved family cookbook before • Mezuzah and Shabbat candles
performing in school I wrote Girling Up and
• Spiritual consultation with Rabbi
special guest
plays and I felt com- Boying Up, which were via zoom
Mayim Bialik
fortable in front of both New York Times on request
the camera,” she said. bestsellers. Girling Up • Hebrew Bible and prayer book
Actress, author and neuroscientist
“Growing up in a tra- and Boying Up com-
ditional Jewish family, bined my neuroscience Many of Tidewell’s services are funded by donors.
moderated by
there was a significant background with my Visit tidewellfoundation.org to donate or learn more.
presentational element observational tenden-
Simone Knego
to a lot of our holi- cies and my experience www.tidewell.org • 941-552-7500 • 855-Tidewell
days and even the way Mayim Bialik as someone who has
we read from the Torah. My parents both gone through puberty and is now
looked up children’s agents in the Yel- the mother of a tween and teen boy!
0
low Pages when I was 11 years old. I also wrote for years for the Jewish
That was 1986 and they literally typed website kveller.com as well as for syn-
a letter on a typewriter and mailed it dicated outlets. I still write for the JTA
to all the agents. The agents who were and I also wrote a screenplay called As $
interested met with me and I chose one Sick as They Made Us, which I plan UP TO 1 0 0
and started auditioning,” she said. to direct next year. So, I really do like
Some of her earliest roles includ- writing and I also like acting,” she said. SAVE
ed guest appearances on The Facts of She is also excited about her new
Life and Beauty and the Beast. Other podcast, Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown.
appearances included three episodes Mayim says that so many of us receive
of MacGyver, and in the film Beaches, little education or incorrect informa- on all BelleLuxe hardwood and LuxeCraft
Coupon must be presented at
playing Bette Midler’s character as a tion about what mental health looks luxury vinyl plank flooring!* * time of purchase. Expires 1/30/21.
young girl. Her first big break, howev- like, what to look out for, how to cope
er, came as the lead in the series Blos- and how to be there for others who are 18-MONTH
som, a role she played from 1991-1995. struggling. “I have decided to be very LIFETIME
After a variety of other roles, May- vulnerable and share my mental health INSTALLATION FINANCING
im joined the cast of The Big Bang The- struggles as well as welcome experts *ON APPROVED CREDIT
ory in 2010 as Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, in the field and individuals – some of GUARANTEE
Minimum gift of $1,800 (Pomegranate) or $5,000 (Lion of Judah)
a neurobiologist. Her performance whom are celebrity friends – to dis-
toward the development efforts of the Jewish Federation of
in the show earned her Emmy Award cuss their own struggles. The idea is
Sarasota-Manatee is required.
nominations from 2012 through 2015 to teach people more about mind-body
for outstanding supporting actress in a syndrome and the ways the body can
To learn more about the Lion of Judah and Pomegranate,
comedy series. indicate mental health challenges. The
please contact Ilene Fox at 941.343.2111 or ifox@jfedsrq.org.
Mayim says a lot of her time since purpose of this podcast is to reduce the
her work on The Big Bang Theory has stigma surrounding mental health and
been spent in quarantine. “It has been a provide information in an entertaining
real adjustment not going to my place way from someone I hope people trust G. Fried Sarasota | 941-584-8158
of work where I went for almost 10 so that we can understand ourselves 5990 South Tamiami Trail | Sarasota, FL 34231
years every day, but I have spent some better and heal together,” she said. M-F 9:30am-6pm | Sat 9:30am-5pm | Sun Closed
great time with my kids and my cats. I The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-
started a mental health podcast, which Manatee’s Lion of Judah/Pomegranate GREEN
SMALL
will be launching soon and is called event is an annual celebration of the G. Fried Tampa | 813-642-7100 AWARD 2018
BUSINESS
BUSINESS
OF THE YEAR
OF THE YEAR
AWARD 2018
Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown (bialik- Federation’s Lion of Judah and Pome- 231 Brandon Town Center Dr. | Brandon, FL 33511 LONGBOAT KEY
LONGBOAT KEY
CHAMBER
CHAMBER
breakdown.com). It’s all about men- granate donors, who make an annual M-F 9:30am-7pm | Sat 9:30am-5pm | Sun 12-4pm
tal health and mental wellness. And I gift of $5,000 and $1,800 (or more)
started work on producing and starring respectively.
in the American version of the BBC Once designated a Lion, women
show Miranda, which we are making can wear the internationally recog- Your Source For Fine Flooring Since 1930
for Fox. It is called Call me Kat, and nized Lion pin, which signifies sister- GFriedFA.com
I’m producing it with Jim Parsons from hood and connectedness, philanthropy
The Big Bang Theory,” she said. and power, Jewish values and social
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