“Suit’s” Gabriel Macht Returns for Season 4
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“Bring Back Our Boys” Thousands gather at the Western Wall to pray for their release...
...hundreds of Atlantans joined Page in 3Prayer. U.S. REACTS TO NEW PALESTIAN “TERROR” GOVERNMENT PAGE 4
Dan Epstein Book Explores Impact of 1976 Baseball and America PAGE 8
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Israeli Pride
GOOD NEWS MADE IN THE JEWISH STATE THIS PAST WEEK China fast-tracks Israeli epilepsy treatment. Israel’s D-Pharm has obtained fast track status from China’s Food and Drug Administration for its epilepsy treatment, DP-VPA. D-Pharm is jointly developing the treatment in China with its local partner, Jiangsu NHWA. DP-VPA has completed a first Phase II clinical trial. Israel is one of the first to get a “connected” pacemaker. Israel, France and Germany are the first countries to adopt the new German Biotronik Etrinsa HF-T pacemaker, which sends text messages to doctors about the status of the patient. Surgeons implanted the device into an Israeli patient at Ashkelon’s Barzilai hospital.
Parkinson’s treatment passes safety trial. Israeli biotech Intec has announced that its Accordion Levodopa treatment for Parkinson’s disease has met all its safety trial endpoints. Phase 3 trials on Parkinson’s sufferers can now commence. Arabs and Iranians love Israeli books. Israeli, Arab, Iranian and international publishers have translated books by Israeli writers into Arabic and Persian – and have discovered a popular market. Akram Ahmadi, one of the executives of the Islam publishing house in Pakistan even gave a TV interview in support of the activity. US students graduate from Israeli medical school. Graduates from the 2014 Technion American Medical School in Haifa achieved exceptional results and
have subsequently been assigned residencies at top U.S. medical centers and University hospitals. “Making” the next generation of the Start-up Nation. Joanna Shebson interviews Dotan Tamir, co-founder of Israel’s Big Idea Summer Camp. The camp teaches 12-15 year-olds new technologies, including programming, graphic design, film production, mobile app design, computer game development and more. 7th-graders make water-filtering breakthrough using tires. A group of 13-year-old students from the Harel School in Lod has made a unique breakthrough in water-filtering technology by using ground pieces of rubber made from scrap car and truck tires. It can be used as a water-filtering solution for developing countries. A remote-controlled paper plane. Israeli Shai Goitein designed the PowerUp 3.0 – a tiny battery-powered propeller and rudder. Fold a paper plane, attach the propeller and you control the plane with your smartphone. Shai asked for $50,000 on kickstarter. He actually raised $1.2 million. Recharge your batteries with a coffee, tea or burger. Starbucks is installing Israeli-developed Powermats in USA coffee shops, for customers to charge compatible devices wirelessly. Rival chain Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is running a Powermat pilot in Los Angeles and McDonald’s are experimenting with them in Manhattan.
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
Over 50 Israeli executives visit Africa to foster business links. At least 50 Israeli executives are touring Africa in order to grow the Jewish state’s business presence. In Ghana, they followed up on agreements signed in 2011 and existing projects in agriculture, fisheries and other areas.
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Lady Gaga September concert. Lady Gaga is bringing her “artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball” to Tel Aviv’s Park Hayarkon on September 13. She previously performed in Israel in 2009.
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Jerusalem’s beach returns. For those that believe Jerusalem to be too far inland, an artificial beach has again been built at the First (Railway) Station. This year there is an 18-meter surfing simulator. Children’s events include kite building, wading pools, musical performances, theatrical shows and crafting. Israeli team wins medieval jousting semi-finals. An Israeli team took first and third place in a medieval knight-fighting tournament in the Austrian town of Hainburg. Israel competed against Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Argentina and Austria and now heads to the World Medieval Fighting Championship in Croatia. Tel Aviv Shabbat dinner sets new Guinness World Record. Tel Aviv hosted the largest ever Shabbat dinner when 2,226 participants (over double the previous record) gathered in a hangar at the city’s port to participate in the Friday night meal. The event was co-organized by Chabad and White City Shabbat. Sending a Torah scroll to the Moon? Tel Aviv-based “Torah on the Moon” wants to deposit Torah scrolls on the moon, in case something should happen to the Earth. The space capsule being designed must protect the sacred text from the moon’s harsh radiation and extreme temperature changes for at least 10,000 years. South Carolina license plates support Israel. Thanks to new legislation passed by South Carolina’s House of Representatives, special car license plates have the message: “South Carolina Stands With Israel.” The graphic on the plate shows flags of both Israel and South Carolina. Chabad of Charleston will front the cost. Israel Longhorn Project – Standing Up for Israel’s Farmers. Whereas Israel’s dairy cattle are the best in the world, its European beef cattle do not thrive in Israel’s environment. Robin Rosenblatt aims to re-invigorate Israel’s beef cattle industry by building a self-sustainable Israeli herd of 300 pure breed Texas Longhorns.
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Bring Back Our Boys
Hundreds from Atlanta Community Gather in Solidarity for Kidnapped Israeli Teens SPECIAL FOR THE AJT
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n Wednesday evening, June 18th, nearly 300 members of the Atlanta community gathered at Congregation Beth Tefillah in Sandy Springs for a mass unity and prayer service for the safe return of the three teenage Israeli boys who were kidnapped by Hamas on June 12.
upon stating that his office would officially call for the suspension of aid to the Palestinian Authority until the Israeli teenagers are returned home safely.
In his official letter, Mayor Paul stated, “Israel has taken many steps to negotiate in good faith with the Palestinian Authority. The kidnapping of these young men makes it clear that Israel does not have a viable partner at the table for peace.” He continued, “U.S. law states that the United States cannot give foreign assistance to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The Hamas, which is a predominant influence over the Palestinian AuGILAD SHAAR MAFTALI FRENKEL EYAL YIFRACH thority, is just that. I call upon AGE 16 AGE 16 AGE 16 our governing bodies to suspend aid until the three young Gilad Sha’er (16), Eyal Yifrah (19), Yeshiva students are safely returned and Naftali Frenkel (16), were reto the appropriate Israeli authorities.” turning home from their school in the Gush Etzion area of the West Bank Since the boys’ disappearance, when they were abducted by Hamas Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli security forces have launched a terrorists. widespread and exhaustive search operation – Operation Brother’s Keeper, which has resulted in hundreds of arrests and the confiscation of weapons and explosives hidden in Palestinian stockpiles. Since the beginning of the operation, IDF forces have detained nearly 240 suspects, 51 of whom are Palestinians who were released in the Gilad Shalit exchange in 2011.
Israel’s Deputy Consul General Ron Brummer and Mayor of Sandy Springs Rusty Paul
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul and Deputy Consul General of Israel Ron Brummer offered remarks at Wednesday’s event, organized by Chabad Israeli Center Atlanta. Said Deputy Consul General Brummer, “Israelis cannot and should not have to accept a reality where our children live under fear of such terror; where, as parents, we fear that our children may not return safely home after the school day.”
Solidarity event at Congregation Beth Tefillah
Mayor Paul expressed his outrage at the terrorist activity, and received cheers of support from attendees
Soon after the verification of Hamas’ involvement, terrorist organizations praised the attack and urged Palestinians to hamper the IDF’s efforts to locate the boys. Palestinians have celebrated by handing out candy and using #Three_”GiladShalits” and “Hebron_Uprising” on social media to laud the incident. Additionally, senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad officials have called for the kidnapping of more Israelis, with the insidious intention of trading them for convicted terrorists. To honor and support Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali, a campaign has been launched to tie three yellow ribbons around a tree. At a rally hosted by the Embassy of Israel in Washington last week, Representatives Ted Deutch and Eliot Engel, along with musician Tony Orlando and Ambassador Ron Dermer, tied ribbons around a tree at the Embassy. The goal continues to be increasing public awareness about the abduction of innocent Israeli boys by Hamas terrorists. Editor’s note: For additional information, please contact Dena Weiss, Director of Public Affairs, Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast, at (404) 487-6511 or at pr@atlanta.mfa.gov.il.
Thousands gather at the Western Wall to pray for their release... BY MICHELLE WINER STAFF WRITER
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n June 15, thousands assembled at the Western Wall to pray for the safe return of the three Israeli teenagers who were abducted by Hamas on June 12. Three days later, three-hundred members of the Atlanta community, including Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul and Deputy Consul General of Israel Ron Brummer, gathered at Congregation Beth Tefillah in Sandy Springs for a prayer service. Since the boys’ disappearance, individuals from all over the world have united to show their unwavering love and support for Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali. People throughout the world continue to honor these brave young men by participating in the Yellow Ribbons for Our Boys movement, which encourages people to tie three yellow ribbons around a tree. Through large gatherings and world-wide campaigns, communities from all over the world continue to send their thoughts and prayers to the boys and their families. Those wishing to pray for their speedy return and well-being may do so using their full Hebrew names: Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah, Gilad Michael ben Bat Galim and Eyal ben Iris Tshorah. PERSONAL CARE • RESPITE CARE • COMPANION CARE • MEDICAL CARE • HOME MANAGEMENT • DEMENTIA CARE
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ISRAEL
Reacting to the New Palestinian “Terror” Government CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION CALLS FOR PALESTINIAN AID CUTOFF By Harold Kirtz SPECIAL FOR THE AJT
participates as a member in the PA or exercises “undue influence” over it.
n June 2, the Palestinians announced a new government. Although this new government is the outcome of a reconciliation pact between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hamas, the cabinet is made up largely of nonpartisan professionals. This new government has said it will follow a peaceful program and is committed to international prin-
The administration, much to the consternation of the Israeli government, made the decision this past week that it would continue working with and funding the PA. The Israeli government has suspended its contact with the PA and participation in the peace negotiations, although, at least for the time being, security cooperation in the West Bank has not been affected. In addition, Israel
O
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (center) meets with the new Fatah-Hamas unity government Credit: Issam Rimawi/Flash90 ciples like the renunciation of violence and the recognition of Israel, although Hamas itself has not yet accepted those principles. The primary purpose of the pact is allegedly to organize elections in approximately six months. Congressional legislation calls for a cutoff of aid to this new Palestinian Authority (PA) if it fails to adhere to the Quartet principles, which are (1) recognizing Israel’s right to exist; (2) renouncing the use of violence; and (3) respecting previously signed agreements between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The legislation also calls for a cutoff of aid if an unreformed Hamas
has announced new settlement construction in response to the Palestinian moves, and the Palestinians are threatening to pursue their diplomatic initiative to isolate Israel at the UN and in other international forums. The Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, and the Union for Reform Judaism have recently issued statements expressing concern about the Hamas-Fatah agreement as a blow to prospects for getting back to negotiations. Before the administration made its decision, AJC called on the U.S. and European governments not to recognize the new
Palestinian government, while ADL urged a “pause” in funding, placing the burden on the PA to qualify to avoid a full cutoff under the legislation. The umbrella agency for community relations, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), has requested professionals in the community relations field to communicate to decision-makers and opinion-molders that Hamas (a) remains a terrorist organization committed to Israel’s destruction and (b) is an unacceptable partner as long as it does not embrace the Quartet’s principles, which, so far, it shows no signs of doing. According to Martin Raffel, VP of JCPA, the advice is also to urge the administration to carefully monitor the composition, policies, and actions of the new Palestinian government to make sure that it does not violate Congressional standards, and to continue to do everything the administration can to discourage Palestinian diplomatic initiatives intended to isolate Israel in the international community. In announcing additional construction, Israel’s housing minister, Uri Ariel, published bids for the construction of nearly 1,500 housing units in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, calling them “an appropriate Zionist response to the establishment of the Palestinian terror government.” He said he believed this would be “just the beginning.” The new units are scattered among seven Jewish communities in the West Bank. In addition, the authorities revived plans on Thursday for 1,800 more housing units. The New York Times reported that Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian official, said the Palestinians were carefully weighing their response, including preparing letters of complaint to the international bodies they joined in April, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
Weekly JNF Photo from Israel
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Together with the ministries of Defense and Agriculture, the National Road Company and relevant regional councils, JNF builds security and agricultural roads. These vital roads help to ensure safe passage for IDF soldiers as they go about their daily task of protecting lives in communities throughout Israel. They make a tremendous difference in the struggle to maintain a normal course of life since farmers, civilians and school children also use these roads as well. For more information, please go to www.jnf.org .
Giora Eiland, a former Israeli national security adviser, described Israel’s settlement announcement as “counterproductive.” I tend to agree with Eiland’s assessment. Israel has most of the cards currently. I am not disagreeing that Israel has a right to construct. But why the housing announcement now? Israel could afford to wait some months to see whether the new government is serious about accepting the Quartet’s conditions for reaching a peace agreement. No one is going anywhere; the present conflict is decades old. The Palestinians can either show they are serious about peace, or they can show that they are not really interested. Why not let them come forward seriously, or let them fall flat in front of the international community? Harold Kirtz is on the national board of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and is past president of JCRC of Atlanta.
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Why Mentor “MY PRIDE IN MY HOMETOWN AND COMMUNITY IS WHY I MENTOR” By Jason Sosnovsky SPECIAL FOR THE AJT
I
n today’s society, there may be no hotter term than “local.” It’s a label which engenders feelings of individuality, pride, and trust and encourages us to join, improve, and support our local communities whether they are neighborhood associations, youth sports leagues, or religious groups. My pride in my hometown and my local communities is why I mentor with PAL. But why do I focus on mentoring children over any other method of volunteering? I mentor because supporting the children in our local communities is, in my personal opinion, the most important objective that a community can undertake in order to strengthen itself for the future. Take me for example. When my fam-
ily immigrated to the United States from Russia in 1989, the Jewish community was instrumental in getting us settled. The initial support that we received helped us with a strong start on life in a foreign place and, in turn, helped provide an easier transition for a little boy who spoke no English. Now I’m back in Atlanta working as an attorney – a positive outcome of a Jewish community that supported me with youth groups, strong synagogues, and summer camps, and I’m mentoring because PAL gives me an opportunity to support children in Atlanta’s Jewish community. PAL focuses on developing a positive social relationship between a young child and an adult, and our role as PAL mentors is to leverage fun activities and events to form a trusted bond with our Little Pals. My Little
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PAL and I connect most strongly over sports. In finding this area of common passion, we have developed a trusting friendship, which in mentoring is the jumping-off point for helping a child feel comfortable sharing his thoughts with an adult and helping a mentor develop skills in that child. One of the skills that I focus on in my mentoring is my Little PAL’s willingness to open up Jason Sosnovsky and his little PAL. socially. My Little So, what are you waiting for? PAL is naturally a quiet guy – makMaybe you don’t know if you’d be a ing him almost a polar opposite of good mentor, which is a very fair wormy own chatty and loud personality. ry. Mentoring is a one-on-one experiHowever, over the last year, from our ence that takes energy, creativity, interactions and time spent together, and care, so it’s not something to be I know that while he may be quiet, taken lightly. But, I believe that most he’s thinking and has a lot to say. As of us can be good mentors for some we’ve developed our trust, my Little specific group. Whatever setting it is, Pal has opened up to me, and we’ve I expect that you are proud of some talked about school, summer camps, community – big or small – of which and his sports teams. My hope is that you are a part. It is our inherent namy presence and my friendship are ture to support our local communimaking him more comfortable with ties, and I encourage you to support the introduction of new people in his yours by mentoring. You’ll learn that life. you have it in you to be a good men While I hope that I am provid- tor. You’ll learn that you have good ing some sort of development in my advice to share. And, just as valuLittle PAL, I know that he is provid- able, you’ll learn that there’s always ing me with a real chance to learn something that you can learn. and grow. This reciprocal learning opportunity is one of the most exciting parts about mentoring. Mentor- Jason Sosnovsky is an attorney in the ing is truly a two-way street in which Real Estate Practice Group at Arnall both parties get something valuable Golden Gregory LLP. He has been a out of the experience. The greatest Big Pal since December 2012. lesson that I have learned from my PAL is a program of the Child & AdoLittle PAL is that connecting with lescent Services – Tools for Families new people takes a different amount division. For more, visit www.ytfl. of time and a different amount of en- org/pal. ergy for each unique relationship. I know that I didn’t begin mentoring with the intention of learning, but that is my naïveté shining through, because, as is more often true than not, any experience in life can be a learning one.
AJT
SPORTS
World Cup 2014: Why it Matters to Jews ISRAEL’S SOCCER DIASPORA By Alex Estroff SATFF WRITER
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t is the one time every four years that sports fans across the world are sent into a frenzy of jubilation and those apathetic to sport pretend to care – it is the World Cup. Everyone appears to be caught in the midst of World Cup hysteria, and why not? It is the month-long celebration of “The Beautiful Game” that offers an excuse to cut work and makes it socially acceptable to hug complete strangers (only when your team scores, though). And while Israel failed to qualify for this year’s tournament, that did not stifle the nation’s enthusiasm for it. In fact, Israelis bought over 12,000 tickets to the Brazilian games, which is the highest amount per capita for a country without a team representing them in the cup. The mass exodus to the World Cup by Israelis is hard to explain,
especially given the fact that the only Jews participating in the tournament are Colombian coach, Jose Peckerman and USA midfielder, Kyle Beckerman (Italian striker Mario Balotelli was raised by Jewish foster parents but he is not practicing). The only possible reason for all the thousands of Jews in Brazil this year is their sheer and ardent love for soccer. This love for the game, however, has been somewhat of an unreciprocated relationship for the Israeli faithful in the past. A few years after the country’s establishment in 1948, Israel was one of the founding members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), in which it competed in tournaments and attempted to qualify for the World
Cup every four years, which it successfully did in 1970 - Israel’s lone World Cup appearance. In 1974, the ArabIsraeli conflict was intensifying to new levels, causing the Arab nations within the AFC to refuse to compete against a Jewish state, leading to an exile from the confederation, sending Israel into a “soccer diaspora.” With no international affiliation, Israel was unable to even try for a World Cup bid. In 1991, though, after a stint in the Oceania Football Confederation, Israel became apart of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), where it belongs to this day. While it is better than no affiliation, Israel is at a severe competitive disadvantage within UEFA, as instead of playing
against equally matched teams in the AFC such as Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan, the Jewish state is forced to go up against some of the world’s elite teams like Germany, Spain, and England. Despite this disadvantage, Israelis and Jews across the world share a persevering love for the game. Perhaps this profound interest in the World Cup is rooted in the tournament’s unique ability to transcend international conflicts. Given Israel’s geopolitical standing, almost everything it does on the worldwide stage cannot help but be politicized. While the politics are still present, the World Cup offers somewhat of a respite from all the madness that usually accompanies everything Israelis do. During this month-long celebration of soccer, it does not matter where you are from or what you believe. The only loyalty that matters is for the “Beautiful Game,” which Jews across the world certainly have no shortage of.
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sports
Dan Epstein Book Explores Impact of 1976 on Baseball and America “What the 60’s were to America, the 70’s were to baseball…” SPECIAL FOR THE AJT
A
n American kid’s first major league baseball game is a rite of passage shared by millions of adolescents every year. From the shock of green seen through the tunnels leading to the stands to the sharp crack of bat meeting ball, it’s an experience that forms an often life-long affiliation with the sport. Writer Dan Epstein’s attraction to baseball began as a 10-year-old in the bicentennial celebration year of 1976 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. That attraction grew into a love for the game and its history, which in turn led to two popular books on the game in context to the decade he discovered it. His first book, “Big Hair and Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride through Baseball and America in the Swinging ‘70s,” was an overview of that calamitous era of change for the sport and country. The just released “Stars and Strikes: Baseball and America in the Bicentennial Summer of ’76,” is an informed and humorous chronicle on that auspicious year for baseball, the U.S.A. and Dan Epstein.
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
“I was a 10-year-old kid in Ann Arbor [Michigan] when I first got into baseball in 1976,” says Epstein. “Because the Tigers were so close, I saw my first major league ballgame at Tiger Stadium. There was a domino effect. I went to see the [movie] “The Bad News Bears” with some friends and completely freaked out at how great the film was. Afterwards, we went back to my friend’s house for his birthday party. As party favors, we got packs of baseball cards—these were the first baseball cards I owned.” After his father explained what all the numbers and statistics on the back of the cards meant, he gave Dan a copy of the book “The Boys of Summer,” Roger Kahn’s account of being a young beat reporter covering the great Brooklyn Dodgers teams of the 1950s. A few weeks later, The Epstein men went to Tiger Stadium to see a Tigers-Yankees game. “By that time I was off the deep end over baseball,” Epstein recalls. “Within a year, my friends were calling me the ‘Baseball Egghead’ because I memorized all information. By the time I was a teenager, baseball and music were my two main obsessions—and they still are.”
These obsessions with baseball and music helped Epstein carve out a niche and gain some acclaim as a 8 scholar and pop culture historian on a
decade most people associate with Pet Rocks, mood rings, disco, punk rock and the three unique individuals who held the office of President: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Georgia’s own Jimmy Carter. Epstein ties in these things as well as a love of funky music and such classic touchstones as outfielder Oscar Gambles’ immense Afro hairstyle and the Bermuda shorts worn as part of the Chicago White Sox uniforms and the impact each had on the national pastime. In 2000, the impetus behind the books came from a desire to re-explore the sport. “I really got back into read-
while on LSD—all of these things that you just could not imagine happening even five years earlier. In “Big Hair and Plastic Grass,” I wanted to trace how these changes happened. If a baseball player went into a coma in 1970 and woke up in 1979, the changes that happened in the sport would be mind blowing. “Big Hair and Plastic Grass” was a year-by-year look at what was happening in the sport in 300 pages.” The book was well received, with reviews lauding both Epstein’s scholarship and humorous writing style. ESPN.com’s review of “Big Hair and Plastic Grass” praised the book, saying: “What
otic celebrations taking place in ballparks and cities the year saw bustling riots in the north and the outbreak of a mysterious disease which came to be called Legionnaires’ disease. Epstein illustrates the year’s relevance by citing such films as Taxi Driver and Rocky in terms of illustrating the division and changes occurring in the nation; and such albums as the Eagles’ “Hotel California”, Peter Frampton’s “Frampton Comes Alive” and the first Ramones album as examples of America’s divided attitudes and tastes. For all the pop culture, however, the strength of “Stars and Strikes,” however, is Epstein’s examination of the players and owners –not just their struggles against each other, but also the truly eccentric and often baffling attitudes presented by some of the most unique characters the national pastime has ever seen. High on the list of the year’s eccentrics was Detroit pitcher Mark Fidrych. Nicknamed “The Bird” for his resemblance to “Sesame Street’s” Big Bird, Fidrych enthralled baseball fans in the 1976 season for both his winning ways and such on-the-mound antics as being his own groundskeeper and having conversations with the baseball.
Author, Dan Epstein
ing about baseball history,” he explains. “The switch clicked on again and I just wanted to read as much as I could. I really wanted to read a book about the 1970s, because that was my decade and it seemed so different than the other decades I was reading about, but there was very little out there on it. Eventually, I decided to write “Big Hair and Plastic Grass.” If nobody else will, I’ll cover it. “One of the reasons it’s been relatively untouched by baseball historians is that it’s a very complicated decade in the sport, Epstein continues. “A lot of things change about the game that are dissonant with the [documentarian] Ken Burns kind of sepia-toned narrative, where baseball is pure and an expression of our higher selves. It’s a decade where what’s happening in the rest of America really starts influencing the game. You see black players wearing Afros and expressing their personalities the way black players had not been doing. Players of all colors were speaking their minds to the press and engaging in contract disputes. Things like [Pittsburgh Pirate] Dock Ellis pitching a no-hitter
the 1960s were to America, the 1970s were to baseball, and Dan Epstein has finally given us the swinging book the ‘70s deserve.” As successful as the book was, the author still felt it was incomplete. “While I was writing the first book,” he explains, “the chapter on the 1976 season was the most difficult to finish. I felt there was so much that year that was important to the game and so much that was hilarious in terms of anecdotes and interesting in terms of the characters involved that it was hard to shoe horn it in to about 20 pages. I felt it deserved a book all its own. So even before “Big Hair and Plastic Grass” came out, I thought if the book did well, the next book would be on 1976.” Although the focus is on one season, Epstein picked a year that was a microcosm of a tumultuous decade. “Stars and Strikes” covers such important developments as the end of the Reserve Clause which bound a player to a team for his entire playing career and opened the door to lucrative free agent contracts. Along with the patri-
Epstein calls Fidrych, “emblematic of the whole celebratory spirit of the Bicentennial. Being a kid in Michigan, we were the first to get on the ‘Birdmania’ train and that was incredibly exciting. The timing of his arrival is really important. He shows up after there was all this talk about the owners locking the players out of Spring training, the players’ victory in overturning the reserve clause. The sports media played up the angle of the ‘disloyal, greedy player.’ So to have a guy like Mark Fidrych show up—who is happy just to be there and is radiating this joy on the mound—people just fell in love with him. Along with his eccentricities, there was something just so pure about him. There was a feeling that he would almost pitch for free. He never pitched a complete season after that, yet he burned so brightly that one year.” It was not only the players who stood out for their strange behavior. Among the owners that season were such world-class eccentrics as Oakland’s Charles O. Finley, New York’s George Steinbrenner, master showman Bill Veeck of the Chicago White Sox and Atlanta’s own Ted Turner. Not before and not since has such a
collection of independent minds gathered for owner’s meetings.
fan was wrapped up in the Brooklyn Dodgers.”
A combination of businessman and court jester, Turner had just purchased the Braves for $10 million to be paid off in $1 million installments over a decade. His lack of knowledge about the game didn’t stop him from arranging promotions ranging from ostrich races and pushing the ball around the field with his nose.
Although Epstein’s grandparents came from Eastern Europe and immigrated to such heavily Jewish neighborhoods as the Lower East Side and Brownsville, his father is not observant, nor is he. “I’ve always been Jewish culturally,” he states, “feeling a big connection with the JewishAmerican experience. Being raised on Mel Brooks and Woody Allen had something to do with that. I’ve always identified culturally as being a Jewish-American.”
“He’s somewhat of a visionary,” Epstein declares. “At a time when nobody was televising their games on a regular basis, he understands that the Braves will be this great vehicle to grow his TV station. What he ended up doing with WTCG (Watch This Channel Grow), set in motion what we have today with the MLB package and every team having its own cable deal. At the time, that went against baseball’s conventional wisdom that if you put all your games on TV, no one would come out to the ball park. As much as the Braves are a key component in his television investment, he really liked the idea of owning a team and palling around with the players. He didn’t get the boundaries that are in place between an owner and his team.” Epstein was born in New York City, and after his parents relocated to Ann Arbor when he was two years old, he spent his early childhood in Michigan and later lived in Chicago and Los Angeles. He attended college at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie N.Y., and now resides in southern California. He claims the Tigers and Chicago Cubs as his favorite teams “My father was the quintessential homesick New York Jew,” says Epstein. He basically spent the ‘70s in Ann Arbor watching TV shows like “The Odd Couple” and “Kojak,” as well as Woody Allen and Mel Brooks’ films and everything else that was based in New York. His father moved back to New York and Epstein calls the city “my second home.” He uses the New York connection to explain the Jewish affinity for the national pastime. “To some degree, there have been more Jewish stars than in any other sport,” says Epstein. “So naturally, Jews would be drawn to that sport. But, I also think the Dodgers had a lot to do with that. When they were in Brooklyn, they were in such a heavily Jewish area. My dad was such a Brooklyn Dodger fan, and it seems so much of his experience as a Jewish kid who was a baseball
While he’s written on music, sports and pop culture for publications ranging from the Los Angeles Times, USA Today to Guitar World, one of Epstein’s favorite outlets is the venerable Daily Forward, the New York Jewish newspaper known by its readers as the “Forvitz.” He became involved with the publication through his college newspaper editor, Adam Langer, who ended up as the “Forvitz” culture editor. “When I told my dad about it,” says Epstein, “he thought it was the greatest thing. He said ‘your grandparents would be so proud of you right now.’ My grandmother never really understood what it is I do for a living, but if she were alive to see what I do for the Forward, she’d get it.” Along with articles on music, sports, and book reviews, Epstein puts together playlists of rock and roll songs that might be thought of as appropriate for holidays like Purim. “It’s fun and also an opportunity for me to learn a little more about that aspect of my heritage,” he explains, “so I enjoy it from that level.” Although he claims not to have an idea yet of what his next book project might be, Epstein is sure it will follow the same basic pop-culture exploration of the subject. “I have a couple of things in mind: music book idea and a sports idea,” he says. “Whatever I do will have an element of cultural history and context because I believe it’s important to music or baseball.” Dan Epstein is an award-winning journalist. His latest book, Stars and Strikes: Baseball and America in the Bicentennial Summer of ‘76 was recently released. He does his best writing in his bathrobe. You can contact him at dockfidrych@gmail.com
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Kosherology Travel
The Shul on the Beach Old Orchard Beach, Maine By Alex Idov AJT CONTRIBUTOR Sung to the tune of ‘Tradition’ from “Fiddler on the Roof”: A shul that’s on the beach. It seems the strangest sight. It sits there on the beach, it sits there day and night. What does this mean? This shul that’s on the beach. Where did it come from and how does it survive...persistence! persistence!...
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orry for my little song, but an Orthodox shul sitting on the beach in a small bygone beach town is truly one of the strangest sights I have ever encountered. Last summer, my father and I took a highly memorable road trip to New England (will hopefully have some more about that with Kosherology Travel). We traveled to Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and saw many stunningly beautiful and interesting places. My father and I had to agree though, that the most interesting place we visited was Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and the little, old, white shul that sits on the sand.
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While planning out our trip and trying to figure out where we could spend Shabbos in or near Maine (as that is where we were hoping to be, per our itinerary), I ran across a website which brought to my attention Congregation Beth Israel of Old Orchard Beach. Looked promising – after mentioning to someone we met in Rhode Island that we were hoping to go to Old Orchard
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Beach for Shabbos and were trying to get in contact with someone there who could help us make our plans (where could we stay? is there a minyan? is this a crazy idea? etc.), we were put in touch with Eber Weinstein. Who is Eber Weinstein, you ask. Eber Weinstein, and his brother Neil are the sole forces behind Congregation Beth Israel. Having grown up visiting Old Orchard Beach during their summer vacations and having a close connection to the shul (their great-grandfather helped purchase the land the shul sits on), the Weinstein brothers decided to permanently move to Old Orchard Beach and keep their shul operating for all Jews in need of a shul, whether locals or visitors. As it turns out, this bygone beach town of Old Orchard Beach was once a popular getaway for Jewish families, going all the way back to the 1800’s. In its heyday, Old Orchard Beach had three kosher hotels, a kosher baker, a kosher butcher, and even until fairly recently: a kosher French fry shop which attracted Jewish visitors who traveled from as far as Boston just to get these delicious boardwalk fries. Congregation Beth Israel was constructed around 1917 by a French carpenter and its design resembles that of a ship (only upside down.) It has served as the beach’s center for those seeking traditional Orthodox services ever since and at one point in time, there was standing room only on Shabbos. In the 1960’s, when airfare and other means of travel started becoming more affordable, visitors
stopped coming to Old Orchard Beach, much like that which happened to the Catskills. The glory days of Jewish Old Orchard Beach was no longer. The shul has since been sitting on the seven-mile stretch of Old Orchard Beach, surrounded by a dozen old seaside beach motels, nonkosher restaurants and bars, souvenir/ t-shirt shops, and a good old fashioned amusement park and arcade by the boardwalk (the good old games I remember from arcades when I was a kid.) There is no pulpit rabbi of the shul, but rather all services are led by Eber and visitors to the shul. When we were there, we were fortunate to have a minyan for every service on Shabbos. Also visiting Old Orchard Beach this same weekend were a couple from Boston, a couple from Baltimore, two teenaged kids from New York, and a family from Montreal who had no idea there was a shul in the beach town they decided to visit over Shabbos. All of these visitors had a hand in adding to the unique Shabbos atmosphere and many helped with leading davening. I even led Shabbos morning shacharis for the first time since my bar mitzvah, as well as Maariv motzei Shabbos (following Shabbos). After Shabbos my father and I took a walk down to the boardwalk arcade and to the pier, which was bustling with nightlife activity. As we left Old Orchard Beach (or OOB, as its abbreviated on the sweatshirt I bought from a souvenir shop) we left with visions of a wonder-
ful, memorable shabbos, the town in its vibrant past with tons of Jewish families enjoying themselves while strolling along the boardwalk, and a hope to return to this gem in the near future. Alex Idov is a kosher, food blogger who runs the award-winning site ‘Kosherology’ and a regular contributing food columnist to The Five Towns Jewish Home magazine, LA Jewish Home magazine, and the Atlanta Jewish Times. He is currently studying for his bachelor’s degree in Culinary Sustainability & Hospitality at Kennesaw State University. Visit ‘Kosherology’ at www.exploretheworldofkosher.com and like ‘Kosherology’ on Facebook.
AJT
Kosherology Travel
Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour
“think ‘Willy Wonka’…minus the oompa-loompas” By Alex Idov AJT CONTRIBUTOR
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ummer is just around the corner...the days are growing longer and the weather is starting to grow warmer and warmer...and when the weather is warm, it’s time to break out that favorite summer treat – ice cream. Or better yet...travel to the source of one of the world’s favorite ice creams – Ben & Jerry’s.
of ice cream (the flavor of the day I went with was mint-chocolate chip) and if you don’t care for the featured flavor, they always have a back-up option for you. Also in the flavo-room, you get to see a real Ben & Jerry’s food scientist and culinary artist developing new flavors for Ben & Jerry’s
(talk about a cool job – literally). The guided portion of the tour ends there, and then you are free to explore the B&J‘s awesome gift shop and their famed flavor graveyard, where you can pay your respects to retired flavors (they have tombstones and all.)
Editor’s note: Ben & Jerry’s is under the Hashgacha (kosher supervision) of the Chof-K. The factory is located at 1281 Waterbury-Stowe Rd Waterbury, VT 05676
The Ben & Jerry’s Factory is located in the beautiful countryside of Waterbury, Vermont (5 1/2 hours from the N.Y. metro area- [without traffic]) and is a ‘must-do’ summer activity for every ice cream enthusiast. The Ben & Jerry’s Factory tour is a fun and educational 30 minute guided tour around the real factory... think ‘Willy Wonka’, only minus the oompa-loompas and crazy tour guide. The price for admission is $4 for an adult, $3 for senior citizens, and kids 12 and under are free...which is pretty awesome considering that the tour includes a free scoop of the day (and a scoop of ice cream alone at a B&J shop costs around the same price).
Every part of the production process is cool to watch. Of course, the most exciting part of the tour is the final visit of the guided portion of the tour – the flavo-room. In the flavoroom, you get to sample a fresh batch
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After purchasing your tickets (and waiting in line a little while – not too long), the tour begins with meeting your tour guide who proceeds to take you to the ‘Cow over the Moon’ theatre where you are shown a short film on what makes Ben & Jerry’s, well Ben & Jerry’s. From there you go to a glass enclosed mezzanine where you look down into the actual factory where all of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in the U.S. is made (no pictures allowed there, hence no pictures). Thankfully, I was at the factory on a day that there was ice cream production scheduled, so I actually got to see them packaging the ice cream, as they had already finished mixing the batch that day.
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The Weinstein Center for Adult Day Services to Close This Month HEALTH, SAFETY OF ITS MEMBERS WAS KEY DECISION FACTOR alex estroff staff writer
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he Weinstein Center for Adult Day Services, located on the MJCCA campus, has issued a notice to the families who benefit from their services, informing them that the center will be closing at month’s end. The decision to do so was the final product of a careful analysis of the Weinstein Center that was a year in the making. According to Chief Executive Officer Gail Luxenberg, this analysis, as mentioned in their published yearly strategic plan, was carried out by the board of the MJCCA. Various factors were considered before coming to the ultimate conclusion that the most viable option was to close the center. The primary influence on the board’s rationale was that the center, initially started as a recreational facility, simply was not equipped to properly care for its members, many of which suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia. Because the center is not a true medical facility, it is severely restricted in the services it could provide to its members, most of whom require special treatment and care. Luxenberg emphasized that although the staff at the Weinstein Center is second to none as far as caring for the members, they are not experts at providing the specific medical service that many of these people need. Although not a factor taken into consideration by the board, Jews have come to represent only a small minority of the population at the Weinstein Center. Despite the small population, the Jewish members and their families saw the Weinstein Center as an invaluable service that is irreplaceable. Howard Friedman, who has a family member who regularly goes to the Weinstein Center, called it a “Life-saving program,” claiming that it, “allows people with disabilities to receive care, gives them socialization, and gives the caregivers time
off.” As the only kosher facility of its kind in Atlanta, Friedman thought the center was the best adult day service center in the city for him and his family. From the great staff to the outstanding services the center provided, Friedman states, “people say it has saved their life.” In a letter sent out to each of the affected families, the MJCCA stated that they, “are committed to helping all the participants find a supportive setting.” The letter also explains that a case management team has been hired to assist each member personally to decide on the best possible option moving forward. Representatives from other adult day services have also been invited to come meet the families and discuss what services they can provide for them. The MJCCA is striving to ensure an easy transition for each family as well as each staff member. The staff members are receiving additional training and assistance with finding a new job. Though many people’s initial thought, when informed of the center’s closing, was that it must have been due to lack of funds, Luxenberg reassured that it was not a matter of finances. The health and safety of the seniors carried far more weight in coming to the ultimate decision. Luxeneberg also added that no decision was made until the board was confident that each member could be relocated. The MJCCA began the Weinstein Center in 1982 and then brought it to its current location in Zaban Park in 1987. Since its formation, the center has offered social, recreational, and educational services to elderly members of the community who require special assistance and nursing. At this point in time, it is uncertain what the space in Zaban Park will be used for once the center is gone.
SPECIAL FOR THE AJT
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ndrea Howard, an Atlanta resident who is studying at the United States Naval Academy, is among the 14 cadets and midshipmen from the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy chosen by the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation (AJCF) to participate in the Center’s American Service Academies Program. Through participating in the program, the cadets and midshipmen will learn how to examine history, become ambassadors of ethical behavior, and take responsibility for upholding these values as future military leaders. Howard, who is majoring in Arabic and political science, aspires to become a submarine officer and wants to transfer into the foreign area officer community. Her main interest is combatting racial tension and generating food security strategies in the Middle East. Howard says, “Dehumanization and blind obedience still threaten the military, and genocide can still result from a breakdown of military leadership. For this reason, current and future U.S. Armed Forces members must study the Holocaust. While the public may utter the words ‘Never Again,’ the responsibility for upholding this promise ultimately falls to people in uniform with the power to back it.” Cadets and midshipmen began orientation in Washington, D.C. and visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. On June 1, students arrived in New York City and attended additional training at the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust—before going on to Poland for two weeks. During this focused preparation, participants will learn about the Holocaust and contemporary moral and ethical matters, meet with historians and staff members from the two museums, take part
in workshops on military leadership, hear survivor testimony, and tour the institutions. While in Poland, the participants will learn first-hand about the rich, vibrant life of Jews in pre-war Poland, especially in the town of Oświęcim (Auschwitz). Each student will meet with Polish and American leaders, visit historic Jewish sites, attend workshops with Holocaust survivors and historians, and visit and attend seminars at the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps, among other activities. The immersive program in Oświęcim will help future military leaders understand what can happen in the absence of open and democratic governance, the ongoing relevance of the Holocaust to their work, and inspire and empower them to share their insights and understanding with others. This program has been supported in part by The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Inc. and Joan Felder in memory of Marvin Felder. About The Auschwitz Jewish Center The Auschwitz Jewish Center is operated by the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust from the Museum’s New York City campus. The Center opened its doors in 2000 and joined with the Museum in 2006. Located just three kilometers from the Auschwitz– Birkenau death camps, the Center provides a place for individuals and groups from around the world to pray, study, and learn about the vibrancy of Jewish culture before the war, and memorialize victims of the Holocaust. The only Jewish presence in the vicinity of Auschwitz, the Center’s facilities include Oświęcim’s only surviving synagogue. Editor’s note: For more, contact Betsy Aldredge (646) 437-4337; baldredge@ mjhnyc.org or Abby R. Spilka (646) 437-4333; aspilka@mjhnyc.org
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HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR PENSION CHANGES: INCOME LIMIT RAISEDPENSION & OPEN GHETTOS HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR CHANGES:
ClaimsINCOME Conference recent negotiations with the& German government have resulted in LIMIT RAISED OPEN GHETTOS two significant changes to the Article 2 Fund, which issues monthly pensions to eligible Claims survivors: Conference recent negotiations with the German government have resulted Holocaust in two significant changes to the Article 2 Fund, which issues monthly pensions to
Income Limit Raisedsurvivors: eligible Holocaust Through negotiations, applicants for payments from the Article 2 Fund are allowed income limit Raised a higher annual net income (now $25,000 for residents of the U.S.) to meet the income Through negotiations, applicants for payments from the Article 2 Fund are allowed eligibility requirement for this(now monthly pension. There are a higher annual net income $25,000 for residents of numerous the U.S.) totypes meet of thepayments that income are not eligibility included in calculationforofthis income; thepension. list of excluded included requirement monthly There arepayments numerousistypes in the criteria found at www.claimscon.org/article2. of detailed paymentseligibility that are not included in calculation of income; the list of excluded payments is included in the detailed eligibility criteria found at www.claimscon.
Survivors who believe that they may be eligible for Article 2 Fund payments and did not org/article2. previously apply due to the income limit should apply immediately. If you have applied in Survivors who believe that they may be eligible for Article 2 Fund payments and the past but were not eligible for payment due to the income limit, please contact the Claims did not previously apply due to the income limit should apply immediately. If you Conference to re-open have applied in theyour past case. but were not eligible for payment due to the income limit, please contact the Claims Conference to re-open your case.
Eligibility is also determined by persecution-related and other criteria. Information about Eligibilityisisatalso determined by persecution-related and other criteria. Information the program www.claimscon.org/article2. about the program is at www.claimscon.org/article2.
Open Ghettos open ghettos Jews who lived in certain “open ghettos” for at least 3 months may now be eligible for Jews who lived in certain “open ghettos” for at least 3 months may now be eligible Article 2 Fund 2payments. If you If believe you may eligible, pleaseplease apply.apply. for Article Fund payments. you believe yoube may be eligible, To receive payments, applicants mustmust meet all program criteria. Eligibility information and To receive payments, applicants meet all program criteria. Eligibility information and are at www.claimscon.org/article2. applications are applications at www.claimscon.org/article2.
For more information, contact: For more information, contact: Claims Conference Claims Conference 13591359 Broadway, Room NewYork, York, NY 10018 Broadway, Room 2000, 2000, New NY 10018 646-536-9100 Email: info@claimscon.org www.claimscon.org 646-536-9100 Email: info@claimscon.org www.claimscon.org Claims Conferencehas hasan anOmbudsman. Ombudsman. To To contact ce of of thethe Ombudsman, please emailemail TheThe Claims Conference contactthe theOffi Office Ombudsman, please Ombudsman@claimscon.org or write to The Ombudsman, PO Box 585, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113 Ombudsman@claimscon.org or write to The Ombudsman, PO Box 585, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
Andrea Howard Joins Intensive Holocaust Learning Program
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And the Needy Shall Always be Within Your Gates HELPING YOUR FELLOW JEW IS A MITZVAH ABOVE ALL ELSE
BY EUGEN SCHOENFELD AJT Contributor
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ost Jewish families in my shtetl began preparing for the Shabbat on Thursday, which was also the day when the poor and the needy came to our home for a nedovoh (a handout), so that they too would have enough money to purchase meat, wine, and challah – the three essential items necessary for making a festive Shabbat meal. Starting Thursday morning, into the early afternoon, as I remember it, there was a stream of people who came for a meager donation distributed by my mother. She was ready for them.
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On Wednesday, mother prepared a stack of coins and as the needy arrived she doled out to each person his allotted portion – his weekly gift. The amount varied depending on the person’s need, which was determined by the recipients’ family size. Most who came were regulars, which led me to assume that there was an unwritten rule among the needy that defined a person’s territory and household to which he had legitimate access. Moreover, watching mother’s interaction with the needy made it apparent that the giving and receiving of the dole followed a certain ritual that at least gave the process a social aura, rather than begging. (Let me hasten to add I do not wish to use the term begging nor shnoring or shnorers, for they are demeaning terms.) The ritual made the process easier both for the receiver and for the giver. Each person arrived at a certain time, thereby eliminating the possible discomfort, and perhaps the shame, that would result from the face to face confrontation of two needy persons. No one came before ten in the morning because, prior to that time, mother was at the market buying the chickens, vegetables, and all the necessary items for the Sabbath meal.
When the needy persons arrived, they would come to the kitchen, which was the center of all daily activity. Of course, their first act was 14 wishing good morning and then they
waited. Since most of them had a long standing relationship with my mother, they both knew why they were there. Nonetheless, to maintain the illusion of a social nature, the interaction began with chit-chat. Mother would inquire about his family’s health, frequently about the health of a certain family member who was known to be sickly. Sometimes other topics of interest were discussed, such as forthcoming simchas, and only then would she quietly approach him and stealthily give him his allotted money, wishing him a good Sabbath as he left. And so, the procession of the needy continued all morning into early afternoon. But this was not the sum total of tzedokoh as performed by my family. Each fall, after a discussion between my parents, they committed themselves to help a yeshivah-bocher, namely a young student without means who came from an outlying village to study in the local yeshivoth. Many of them were from poor families and relied on the generosity of the city families. We lacked the space to give him a place to sleep, as all three of us, my brother, sister, and myself, slept in one room, but we could and did provide him with two of his daily meals – including Shabbat. This was known as “essen taygs:” the days of eating. The young scholar came for lunch and dinner at certain times, and sat at the dinner table with us and was served food together with the family. Each year, the community arranged for another person to become part of our family’s table. And of course there were monies given to various kuppas- charitable associations that supported various causes. For instance, there was the kuppath cholim, the association who helped the indigent sick, the hevrah kadisha, the association that helped with the ritual of purifying and burying the dead, the many yeshivoth who were in constant need, collections for special community projects, and, of course, there were many shlichim, representatives of various schools who were collecting mostly for schools in Israel. But my father also had his special project –
supporting the Hebrew Gymnasium, which he and seven other Zionists started, and where my brother and sister and I attended school. It was a Zionist parochial school where most subjects were taught in Hebrew. Involvement with the Jewish community and the giving of tzedokoh was not unique to my family; it was a part of the Jewish way of life. Most Jews in the community taxed themselves and gave tzedokoh. The reason why my mother was involved in tzedokoh was simple – she accepted this dictum: “all Jews are responsible for each other.” She came from a home in which doing charitable work was important. She was well versed in the requirement of Jewish wives described in the book of Proverbs. Tzedokoh, helping the poor, is a sine qua non in Jewish life. We recognize the existence of inequalities in life; we are told “the poor shall never cease to exist in your land, which is why [G-d tells us] ‘I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land.’” This command is repeated many times in the Torah. For instance, we are also told, “if there is a needy person among you… do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs….” These commandments not only led to the development of empathy for those who lack the basic needs of life, but it also made it our duty to alleviate the suffering of those who are a part of us. After all, we Jews are a single collective, hence Hillel taught; “if I am not for myself who am I?” Our sages used an organismic analogy to explain the responsibility that we have for each other’s welfare. When we allay other Jews’ suffering we ipso facto help our own self. Jews, the sages tell us, are intrinsically tied to each other, and we comprise an organic unity. Israel, the sages tell us, can be compared to a hand that consists of five separated and yet integrated fingers. Hence, the sages ask: “If one finger gets infected and is in pain, does not the whole hand suffer?” It follows that
when one Jew suffers it is felt by all other Jews. The primary reason why we should help each other is founded primarily on intrinsic moral reasons – that is, that the act of helping others is good unto itself. Of course, moral reasoning is not an adequate motive for all people who ask: what do I get out of it? In short, many, if not most, people in general will ask, “what are my rewards for helping the poor?” For them, the sages also propose extrinsic motives. Those who will give tzedokoh will also be rewarded with a longer life span, with a better and happier life, with admission to the Gan Eyden (paradise) after death, and with the assurance of meriting a portion in Olam Habah, a place in the Messianic World. Participating in and solving the needs of Jews does not exempt us from participating in and solving the problems of the larger community, of which we are also a part. Our ancient sage Mar Samuel of Nehardea proclaimed that Jews living in the Diaspora are part of and bound to the larger community and country. But as Jews, we also have unique needs. Each Shabbat we bless those who make it possible for the poor to participate in and enjoy the Shabbat, those who give candles for light, wine for Kiddush and havdalah and, of course, the means to make the Shabbat festive. It really doesn’t matter whether we give tzedokoh for extrinsic or intrinsic reasons. What is important is that involvement with the Jewish community, “betzochey tzibur,” facilitates the survival of Judaism and the Jewish people, and that is a need above all others. Eugen Schoenfeld is a professor and chair emeritus at Georgia State University and a survivor of the Holocaust.
AJT
Shaindle’s Shpeil
Strut This Way… A Walk on the Wild Side AJT CONTRIBUTOR
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don’t remember going on many family trips when I was little. My family, for most of our lives, would drive up to the mountains to spend the summer at the bungalow colony in Highland Mills, New York. The car would be packed to the hilt with everything, except the always maligned kitchen sink, we could possibly need to survive and indeed thrive during our summer vacation. Beginning at around the age of six or seven, the trunk which contained my stuff for camp was included in this mix. My dad z”l would drive, starting out early on a morning. Our first and only stop was The Red Apple Rest, which was about half way between the Bronx and Highland Mills. My little sister Joycie would sit in the front with my mom, smooshed against the front right door and open window. Somehow she managed to convince my mom z”l that she suffered from a much more severe case of car sickness than I did. So my middle sister and I would be crammed into the back seat along with pillows, blankets, linens, pots, pans, and anything else that could not fit in the trunk of our car. Maggie sat on the extreme left, smooshed against the back door and the open left window, while I sat on the right, smooshed against the door and the open right window, directly in back of the baby, Joycie. There was this one time when Joycie got car sick before my dad could stop the car. My mother made her lean out the window as not to soil dad’s car. Think about it. Do you have the visual yet? There was this one time we all packed into dad’s car, making the long, arduous two-day drive down to Florida for vacation. We would stop at a motel about half way between New York and Miami. My mom had her list of accommodations the motel must offer. First and foremost, it could not face the road. To this very day we don’t know why. Second, it had to have a pool, and third, all five of us had to sleep in one room. Then there was the time we drove to Patuxent River, Md. to visit my married cousin. We had to go over what at the time seemed like the highest bridge in the world. My dad
was terrified of heights. I, too, am very fearful of heights. When he realized how high the bridge was he became paralyzed with fear, and after a quick Chinese fire drill, his fifteen year old daughter was driving. Dad taught me to drive in his green pick-up truck, which he kept at the bungalow colony, when I was a mere 14-years-old. I must admit, the very first time I sat behind the wheel and drove down that steep hill, I knew I would be addicted to driving; it was the feeling of such power, such control.
What do you say, you don’t believe in ghosts? You would if you had been there with us. Finally, we sent my middle sister, Maggie, my mom’s favorite, downstairs to our mom to deliver the news that we were not staying in this house. We always used the fact that Maggie was her favorite to our advantage. We were happy to have a messenger. Our large crocodile tears convinced our parents we would have to leave, and off we went to the nearest hotel, which did not boast an attic, a dimly lit staircase or ghosts.
safe until placed in or on their final resting place. Try to imagine yourself calmly driving on the highway, listening to the Comedy station when out of the corner of your right eye you suddenly spot what you think are two owls in the truck passing you one lane over. You don’t remember drinking too much, you don’t recall anyone suggesting a quick stay at the nearest mental institution, you blink once, twice and say to yourself “Self, this is just not happening, you must have imagined the whole thing.” Self, however, does not respond!
Since those early days, my sisters and I have been blessed with some incredible travel experiences. We’ve been to countries other than our own. We’ve met people who in small and large ways enhanced or changed our lives. “Strut this Way,” were the words emblazoned in oversized white letters on these huge green banners displayed around the beautiful gardens in the Opry hotel in Nashville, Tenn. We braced ourselves and got ready to hit the wild side.
The gun and knife show was another very popular event. I would be remiss in not mentioning the number of duck calls we heard. It seems these little instruments are very popular with children and adults. Is it any wonder that the stars of Duck Dynasty are millionaires? Think what you’d like, there is no truth to the rumor that I am the DD’s biggest fan.
Now back to the trip.
After switching to the inside lane, and staring straight ahead so as not to see the water. All I can remember of that vacation was the purple indentations my fingernails made on the palms of my hands, and the taste of blood from my chewed up cheek. This one time we had what should have been the most exciting vacation ever when we drove up to Canada to visit relatives. I remember the excitement we all felt walking under the Niagara Falls in the yellow raincoats, boots and rain hats we were all given by our guide. It was spectacular. But then, we drove to our relatives, who graciously opened their home to us for what should have been three nights. Their home, as I recall, was beautiful. A large, so it seemed to the girl who lived in a Bronx apartment, two-story stone home with dormer windows situated in the attic. When it was time for bed, my two sisters and I were led to the attic which was converted into a large bedroom/ playroom. Walking up the steps that led to the attic, my sisters and I kept eyeing each other, our eyes shouting ‘Help!’ We remember that the staircase had one light which shined just enough light to make it very spooky. Our Canadian cousin led the way. When she opened the door to the attic/bedroom, the door creaked. OK, maybe it didn’t, but our imaginations were in overdrive and we were fast approaching what felt like the door of no return. Our cousin said goodnight, as we ever so slowly, climbed into our beds. She shut the door, the room turned blindingly dark. Within seconds, all three of us were in my bed, and crying. We were terrified of the ghosts which inhabited the attic.
My husband and I like to take mini vacations once or twice a year. This trip, Nashville was our destination. Our first planned stop was The Grand Ol’ Opry. The site of the Opry was the size of 10 football fields, perhaps 20. We parked, hiked over to the Opry hotel, spotted the “Strut This Way” banner, and being citizens who follow directions, strutted ourselves right into middle-America. The hotel, which is the size of a city with 3,800 rooms, was host to a number of conventions taking place President’s Day weekend, which oddly enough was also Valentine’s Day. Trust me when I say we did not stay at this hotel. Instead, we found a lovely boutique hotel sans conventions or conventioneers. The conventions taking place at this aforementioned hotel included the largest antique show I have ever experienced, and I have been to a few. Elvis was quite popular, as were paintings of bears, ducks and deer. The wild turkey enthusiasts were very visible, and dressed to kill; by that I mean almost everyone was wearing camouflage. There was a long line waiting for the taxidermists. I personally witnessed two owls perched on sticks proudly displayed by their owners as they headed back to their truck or van where the owls would be kept
The Fainting Goats association was the final straw! Go ahead Google Fainting Goats, don’t be shy. You will discover way more than you thought you ever needed to know. A lovely lady wearing a pink satin football type jacket, with large white lettering and a goat lying on its side, were emblazoned on the back of her jacket, was kind enough to explain how fainting goats are part of the American history. Poor things. Finally, we trekked over to the Grand Ol’ Opry. It was worth the wait, the hike, and was more than I could have imagined. So much tradition, a place filled with class. This little mini vacation turned out to be a mind expander in so many ways. Fortunately we now all have air conditioning in our cars, so worrying about becoming car sick is not as large and looming an issue as it once was on my mini vacations with my mom, dad, and sisters. Best of all, I am the proud recipient of a valid driver’s license. Shaindle and her husband love the time spent together on these mini vacations, away from all the hub-bub of Roswell, Georgia. Shaindle wishes everyone a meaningful Shabbat.
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
BY SHAINDLE SCHMUCKLER
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AJT
LIFESTYLE
How I Spoiled My Southern, Jewish Dog TALES OF A DOG OWNER’S MISSTEPS By Cliff Mazer, Ph.D. SPECIAL FOR THE AJT
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s a clinical psychologist and marriage therapist you get to see and deal with all kinds of interesting family problems and relationship issues. Early in my career, I saw a young Jewish couple who claimed their biggest problem was conflict over what kind of dog food to feed their Schnauzer Skippy. I helped them to negotiate their dietary differences but thought to myself at the time, “is that really such a big deal?” Well, apparently it is for some people and now almost thirty years later I can better appreciate how our pet problems often mirror and reflect issues we may struggle with as individuals and as parents of human beings. Let’s face it. When people refer to their dogs, cats, and colorful squawking parrots as “family members” they really mean it. So okay, that’s my professional side talking...personally, I’m a prime example of “do as I say and not as I do” and if you don’t believe me just ask any of my three twenty-something sons, their lovely girlfriends or their five cohabitating canines. By outing myself as a case study in “doggie don’ts,” I’m taking a conscious, albeit self-deprecating step in the direction of what I usually encourage my clients to do - to aspire toward total transparency and emotional honesty right down to the well, “bone”. Here’s my dog story:
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
Recently I added a black Labrador to my empty nest in Sandy Springs. Everybody who knows me gave me
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the following explicit warning: “Don’t turn your new dog into a spoiled brat or food whore. Don’t give her human food scraps. She will be just fine with dry dog food.” Even my sister in Colorado opined, “You’re not a Jewish mother. You’re a dog owner. Try to remember that.” Of course I nodded… with mock sincerity. I know what I’m doing, I thought. I’ve got a Ph.D. However, maybe they felt obligated to tell me this for a good reason.
being beaten senseless with a Ninja Turtle backpack. I won’t elaborate any further other than to mention the time Simon, the sneaky and illtempered mini-dachshund, levitated using some unknown form of power yoga or extraterrestrial technology and deftly nabbed a filet mignon off a dining room table. The point is I probably should have known better after all these years of dog ownership. Did I mention that I specialize in eating disorders?
One of my former dogs, Lucy the dachshund waddled like a contestant on “Biggest Loser” and looked more like a stuffed sausage or rump roast than something that was bred to hunt badgers. Hana, my Scottish Terrier and co-therapist in San Francisco would go out at night and beg Italian meatballs off the kitchen staff at the pizza place next door. I had to retire her from active duty in my private practice due to her non-stop farting during my psychotherapy sessions. Worse yet was Huck the Chow puppy who went rogue during an Epstein school carpool pick-up, attacking all of the kids in the back of the Chevy Suburban for their leftover Lunchables and kashrut after-school snacks.
After I got Harmony the Black Lab from the Labrador Rescue people, I easily rationalized giving her small bits of string cheese and an occasional bite of black forest ham due to her emaciated physical condition. She was a true rescue dog barely rescued from a kill shelter in Alabama. I don’t know why but Alabama is like the canine equivalent of Auschwitz. Dogs disappear there in droves and are never seen again. So, I immediately felt sorry for Harmony and I didn’t listen to reason. Now I know better. Her sweetness and gentle nature belies her supreme cunning. I already detailed on my Facebook page the incident several weeks ago in which she stole my chicken breast from Kroger, took it upstairs to one of my kids’ bedrooms, ate it like a ferocious shewolf and then hid the remains under a dresser by pushing it with her nose. I know this for a fact because I saw it with my own eyes and could hardly believe it.
I’ve never seen a small dog lock onto a juice box before (or since) and then refuse to let go even as it was
I guess in retrospect I was still in deep new dog owner denial. By the way, Harmony lies about her food crimes like a seasoned psychopath. Her soft eyes, cocked head and happy, slightly-drooling smile show absolutely no sign of the conduct disorder and character issues lurking within. I want to believe her. I really do. But then this just happened today. Around dinner time I fed Harmony her “dog food only” meal. Then I decided to grill myself some turkey burgers on the backyard barbie. I thought I heard her sigh when I put down her food bowl full
of Iams Premium dry bits. The quick furtive glance she gave me seemed to say, “Um, what’s this?” or “Hey, how about some rotisserie chicken, chopped liver, or lamb gravy, baby?” Of course I wrote it off as just my imagination or free-floating Jewish guilt. I proceeded to season my turkey patties and flame-broiled them to perfection. Unfortunately, when they were done I put them on a large serving platter on my granite kitchen counter thinking to myself, “I need to keep in mind this dog is no dachshund. Sure, she has those long beautiful Labrador legs and amazing sense of smell but surely she could NEVER get up THIS high to nab these burgers while I go plug in my cell phone upstairs…right?” Again, Harmony looked at me with her radiant angelic face and seemed to say, “Certainly not!” Well, guess what? Two or three minutes later I heard a big crash and when I yelled her name and screamed, “What was that?!” (as if she would answer me…duh), all I saw was a black blur as she went bounding out of the kitchen area while smacking her lips. By the time I got there all that was left was a broken plate from Target. The pound and a half of grilled turkey burgers was gone like a bad magic trick. I didn’t even get a T-shirt. Now I don’t know if I will ever trust her again. I would say I feel violated but I know a lot of this is my fault as I clearly enabled her doggie narcissism, inappropriate sense of entitlement, and foodie-like sensibility. Maybe I should go to a 12-step program but I don’t know which one is best suited for dog owners who spoil their pets rotten and then pay the price in poo and/or pooches who are picky eaters. Hell, with all the garlic powder, monterey steak seasoning, and liquid smoke I put on those burgers I’ll be lucky if I don’t end up scrubbing carpets all night. Perhaps I should just consider it an act of helicopter puppy parenting penance.Still, I’m crazy about her and hope she likes the seasonal tasting menu and food pairing experience I’m currently working on for her. For more stories from Cliff Mazer, Ph.D. check out his web blog at http://captaincliff.wordpress.com.
AJT
muscle matters
Osteoporosis: Fear of the Unknown THE MORE WE KNOW, THE LESS WE FEAR
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oss of bone mineral density and osteopenia or osteoporosis is a legitimate fear among adults today. In the area of health, we are typically afraid of what we don’t know. From my experience, no other relatively common condition provokes as much worry, concern and hand-wringing than an osteoporosis diagnosis. In a recent survey of women with osteoporosis only 33% of women had taken steps to prevent it (and the majority of these women felt prevention meant taking calcium supplements), while 91% wish they had known how to take preventative action, and that almost all the participants in the survey (97%), said that all women should take action. Like most things, once we get more informed about a particular fear or worry, it lessens to a large degree. Osteoporosis is again, no different. The good news is that The Exercise Coach’s approach of combining proper nutrition and Right Intensity Training has yielded some great results. Fear no more. Some Background on Bones What is the skeletal system, and more importantly, how do we protect ourselves from the dangers of osteoporosis? With the skeletal system being the foundation of the body and with bones being the foundation of the skeletal system, it’s important to know how bones maintain their integrity. First, know that bones are constantly being remodeled. They are in a constant state of breaking down and rebuilding themselves. Specifically, osteoclasts break down and eliminate old bone while osteoblasts lay down new bone which is made up of collagen (protein). Hormones are then responsible for laying down calcium to ‘calcify’ or harden the bone. The main reason behind diminished bone mineral density is a decrease in sex-hormone production.* It’s hormones that are responsible for the balance between osteoclast (breakdown) and osteoblast (buildup) functions in the body. Specifically for women, estrogen slows down osteoclast activity, which then slows down
the breakdown process. Progesterone and androgens (anabolic and estrogen precursors) stimulate new bone formation (osteoblasts). Basically, it’s a cyclic process of bones breaking down and building back up. Then, hormones play a crucial role in our body’s ability to maintain bone mineral density. Now, peak bone mass occurs between the ages of 2030. Peak bone mass means the bone itself is becoming denser and harder. As bone becomes denser and harder it weighs more. This should be kept in mind when people are looking for an ideal weight to maintain. Peak bone mass correlates directly with peak sex-hormone production (estrogen and progesterone). Therefore, as sex-hormone production decreases, so too does bone mineral density. As such, it’s normal for women to have less bone mineral density post-menopause or as we age, than pre-menopause or when we are in our twenties. There are two different classifications of Osteoporosis: Senile Osteoporosis: the gradual loss of hormones and the consequent loss of bone mass seen in normal aging. Menopausal Osteoporosis: comes from accelerated loss or hormones occurring around menopause. Notice the commonality of the loss of hormones for both types of osteoporosis. Now that we have the background on bone taken care of, let’s talk about causes. Other than the normal decrease in hormone production, what contributes to low bone mass? Other than genetics, there are two main contributing factors for the loss of bone mineral density: poor nutrition and loss or lack of muscle quality. Poor Nutrition With the advent of dietary guidelines and the pervasiveness of the low-fat way of life, many people have resorted to caloric restriction and at
least minimizing, if not eliminating, a lot of protein from their diet. As we referenced above, protein is a primary component in collagen formation and fat is crucial to proper hormone regulation. If these two building blocks of bone formation are being restricted, it’s natural to see a decrease in those things found in our bodies. Another unknowing side-effect is the belief that a healthy weight is one we had in high school or college. This way of thinking has increased the belief in the falsehood that caloric restriction and movement quantity is the best way to attain and maintain a specific weight. Loss/Lack of Muscle Quality As people’s dependence on “moving more” in order to achieve a certain weight has grown, (and by moving more I’m referring to increased aerobic activity or cardio), it has also led to the belief that certain activities
such as walking and running promote increased bone mineral density. However, there are two problems with this way of thinking. First, experts in the field such as Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., author of Strong Women, Strong Bones, says, “No study has ever shown that a middle-aged or older woman can increase her bone density by taking up walking.” So what can we do to prevent or rebuild our bone mineral density? First, nutrition is key. We have to make sure we provide our body with the necessary raw materials to build new bones. This includes quality protein consumption and foods that are rich in nutrients such as green, leafy vegetables. Next, we need to improve muscle quality. There is no question that a link exists between Right Intensity Exercise, muscle mass, and higher bone density. Editor’s note: For more, contact one of their two Atlanta locations: Buckhead: 458 East Paces Ferry Rd. 404-848-1550 or Johns Creek: 9925 Haynes Bridge Rd. 770-212-9568 or online at www.exercisecoach.com.
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JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
SPECIAL FOR THE AJT
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AJT
book review
Two Books, One Rebbe & A Million Lessons Learned “I felt like I was engrossed in a personally relevant conversation…” By rabbi Ira Bedzow
sidus than a typical biography. Yet, there are also some very funny parts, such as when he recounts the time when Rabbi Soloveitchik tells Rabbi Menachem Mendel, after picking him up from jail when he was arrested for creating a public disturbance, that he can now be a rebbe since he has done his time in prison, like all the Chabad rebbes before him.
SPECIAL FOR THE AJT
G
reatness is rarely experienced and even more rarely can it be communicated to others after the fact. Yet two authors were able to do just that. This speaks not only to the eloquence of each author but also to the multifaceted and complex subject about which both authors wrote – namely, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe. There is a concept in the realm of Jewish dietary law that helps to explain how these books were efficacious in communicating their shared message. Flavor does not transfer with the same intensity through multiple transmissions (i.e. from a pot to its contents to the bowl in which the contents are ladled), except if it
is sharp (charif). While the idea that potency weakens through numerous iterations is obvious in food science,
WEISS MEDIATION Effective & Efficient
Cliff Weiss has been mediating cases for seventeen years. His combination of compassion, patience and logic, along with twenty-four years of representing governmental agencies, small businesses, Fortune 500 Companies, as well as individual consumers, provides a broad range of knowledge and experience, which enhances his ability to mediate cases. Eleven years of judicial experience as State Administrative Hearing Officer for the Georgia State Health Planning Agency and the Georgia Department of Community Health, during which time he presided over trials, adjudicated verdicts, and entered orders regarding new institutional health services requested to be provided by doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare systems, provides the judicial insight that makes him so effective.
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
The skills he has honed teaching courses as an Adjunct Professor of Law and working as Chief Counsel for Emory University Student Legal Services enable him to explain difficult situations to clients and convince them to consider all options.
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Take control of your litigation. Let Cliff Weiss mediate your case. 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328 Office Phone: 678-785-8883 ▪ Cell Phone:770-317-1767 cmweiss@foxandweiss.com ▪ cmweiss@atljewishtimes.com
such is also the case with respect to the ability of great leaders to influence subsequent generations. Many leaders have influenced millions, yet their followers have not been able to communicate their messages over time. The exception is the Lubavitcher Rebbe, whose message has been carried by his Chabad chasidim with ever strengthening vitality. My Rebbe, written by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, provides background to the Chabad movement and its philosophy as well as an intellectual biography of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Though Rabbi Steinsaltz is a Chabad chasid (hence the title My Rebbe), he does not give a personal account of his relationship with the Rebbe. Rather, he tries to show his readers the Rebbe’s broader vision. He calls his book “a biography of the Rebbe’s mission and the movement that he built,” and in doing so he provides context for the far-ranging and diverse initiatives that the Rebbe started in his lifetime. He shows how the Rebbe was not an individual with followers but the leader of a movement that started generations before him and will continue for generations afterwards. Through historical accounts, anecdotes, and explanations of various themes in Chabad philosophy, Rabbi Steinsaltz paints a much larger and more colorful picture of Chabad chas-
Rebbe, written by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, tells a more personal story. The author begins by telling us that while he is not a chasid, his family has been close to the Rebbe for generations (his father was the Rebbe’s accountant). He also uses other people’s personal stories to drive his book forward. Vignettes introduce new concepts and are used to clarify ideas. For example, rather than explain the idea of yechidus (personal one-onone meetings with the Rebbe), Rabbi Telushkin makes us flies on the wall of a number of different yechidusen (meetings) so that we can come to understand their importance vicariously. Also, instead of telling us how the Rebbe changed the world, he lets world leaders tell us how the Rebbe influenced them. The book covers a lot of ground and exposes its readers to the enormity of the Rebbe’s accomplishments, but, as I turned the pages, I felt like I was engrossed in a personally relevant conversation, not like I was reading about another person’s life. The biggest testament to the profound impact these two books had on me is that after reading them, when I went about my daily routine, I continuously recalled either a story or a concept that I read, which would then make me re-evaluate my own choices and decisions in my life. I was influenced sharply by the lessons that these books conveyed – or rather by the lessons that the Rebbe transferred through them. Editor’s note: For more please contact Ira Bedzow at ira@theaspencenter. org
AJT
arts & entertainment
Jew Making News
simchas
compiled by michelle winer
Bar Mitzvah
Paul Rudd to Star in Upcoming Comedy, “They Came Together”
Brandon Robert Levin
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irected by David Wain, “They Came Together” is a subversive romantic comedy. The film, a parody of American romantic comedies, debuts in theaters on June 27. The spoof stars Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd. Rudd plays Joel, a corporate executive for Candy Systems and Research, a large candy store chain. Joel is assigned the task of shutting down Upper Sweet Side, a small sweet shop owned by Molly (Poehler). Despite the initial animosity that the two share for one another, the pair fall in love. Unlike the classic fairytale love story, the couple’s path to true love is disturbed by some harrowing obstacles. Paul Stephen Rudd was born in Passaic, New Jersey to Michael, a historical tour guide who was formerly the vice president of Trans World Airlines, and Gloria, a sales manager at the television station KSMO-TV. Rudd’s parents are descendant from Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Russia and Poland. The family’s original surname was Rudnitzky, but was later changed by his grandfather to “Rudd.” When he was of age, Rudd had a bar mitzvah. Before becoming an actor, Rudd worked as a bar/bat mitzvah DJ.
“Suit’s” Gabriel Macht Returns for Season 4
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SA Network drama, “Suits,” returned to television on June 11 for its fourth season. Set in a fictional New York City law firm, the series follows a brilliant college-dropout, Mike Ross, who finds himself working with one of the best lawyer’s in New York City, Harvey Specter.
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azel Tov to Brandon Robert Levin on becoming a Bar Mitzvah. The ceremony was held at Congregation Beth Shalom on June 14. Brandon will be going into eighth grade at North Gwinnett Middle School. He is the son of Glenn and Alyson Levin of Sugar Hill, Ga. He is the grandson of Guy and Susan Rappaport of Suwanee, Ga as well as Joyce Levine of Selden, N.Y. Brandon has one younger brother, Alex, 10. For his mitzvah project, Brandon elected to raise money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
A Taste of Persia
1814 Peachtree St Atlanta, GA 30309
Shabbat - Holiday - Special Event Lunch - Dinner - Banquet
Come and enjoy Sufi’s platters!
It is a great way to share and taste a variety of our delicious kabobs and rice dishes.
Gabriel Macht was born in The Bronx, New York to Suzanne Victoria Pulier, a museum curator and archivist, and actor Stephen Macht. His parents are both Ashkenazi Jews. His father works as a Jewish chaplain- presiding over weddings, bar mitzvahs, funerals, and other significant life events, including his grandson’s bar mitzvah. Gabriel’s sister, Julie, is a former attorney who is now director of development for a Jewish children’s camp.
Delivery Available Through
For Larger catering orders call: 404.888.9699 www.SufisAtlanta.com
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
Gabriel Macht plays the suave and successful Harvey Specter. Because of his law firm’s policy, Harvey must hire a Harvard-educated lawyer as an associate. Despite not receiving a college degree nor attending Harvard, Mike uses his legal knowledge and profound memory recall to prove to Harvey that he is the best candidate for the job and is awarded the position. The series focuses on Mike and Harvey as they try cases for the firm while maintaining Mike’s secret.
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AJT
what’s happening
Ongoing in June (check dates)
The
Family Business Since 1991
Your GO TO Specialists for all YOUR REAL ESTATE Needs
RE/MAX AROUND ATLANTA David Shapiro Jon Shapiro DShapiro@remax.net JonShapiro@mindspring.com 404-252-7500 404-845-3065 404-845-3050 www.jonshapiro.com
advice on ways to protect yourself. Summer Gymnastics Classes at the Sponsored by Renaissance. Please MJCCA. Tues., Wed., and Thur., from RSVP to (770) 395-1340. 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the MJCCA. The Wed., July 9 event is open to boys and girls, aged Kabbalah & Cocktails. The Kehilla 2-10. Each class is tailored to ability in Sandy Springs Presents “Return level and will help your child prog- to Zion: Body and Soul A Kabbalisress from basic to more intermediate tic Understanding of Israel’s Past, and advanced skills in a safe and fun Present, and Future.” The Kehilla environment. For more, call (678) invites you to an evening of delicious 812-4046; atlantajcc.org/gymnastics Italian dinner and a fascinating lecSummer Dance Classes at the MJC- ture by Rabbi Karmi Ingber. Event CA. Tues., Wed., and Thur., from takes place on July 9 at 7 p.m at The 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. at the MJCCA. The Kehilla. Cost: $12 members/$15 nonevent is open to boys & girls aged members. RSVP Required via www. 3-5. Dances will include: jazz, hip thekehilla.org or email: kehilla.athop, ballet and tap. For more, call lanta@gmail.com or by phone: (404) (678) 812-4049; atlantajcc.org/dance 913-6131 Sun., June 29 Bet Haverim is pleased to offer a workshop for family caregivers presented by geriatric social worker Nancy Kriseman. The workshop will focus on teaching caregivers how to set limits and develop realistic expectations, so they don’t neglect themselves as they take care of their loved ones. This workshop and book signing will take place on June 29 from 10-11:30 a.m., at Congregation Or VeShalom. Please RSVP at congregationbethaverim.org.
Sat., July 12 Ethiopian Reggae in Atlanta. Israel’s leading World-Reggae band, Zvuloon Dub System to perform at The Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points on July 12 at 8:30 p.m. The eightpiece band sings in English and Amharic with some of the cream of Israeli underground musicians. Ticket prices are $15 in advance/$17.50 day of show. For more, contact Garrett Baker garrett@flipswitchpr.com; (812) 339-1816.
Sun., July 13
Ketura Hadassah Social Splash Planned. Greater Atlanta Hadassah’s Ketura Group is hosting its second annual Social Splash pool party and cookout on July 13, from 12-4 p.m. Kosher hot dogs, burgers and condiments provided. Cost: $10 per person, $5 for prospective members, plus a kosher non-dairy parve dish to share. Members and guests are welcome-no children. For more, and to RSVP by July 2, contact Esther Low at (770) 977-8259 or mitzva@ Tuesdays in July, Sundays in August bellsouth.net. (check dates) Mon., June 30 Atlanta welcomes The Israel Scout Friendship Caravan. Come to this special community performance by Caravan Assif. Celebrate Israel with an upbeat and creative musical show by talented teens from Israel on June 30 at 7 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El. Cost: $5 a person or $10 a family. For more, contact Pat at patpugrant@ aol.com or (678) 880-7170 or visit www.israelscouts.org
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
Judaism…more than just a bagel. “A Taste of Judaism” explores Jewish spirituality, values and community. Light supper will be served at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the community. Tues: July 15, 22, 29, from 7–9 p.m. at Temple Sinai; Instructor: Rabbi Brad Levenberg. Sun: August 3, 10, 10-11:30 a.m. at MJCCA; Instructor: Rabbi Brian Glusman. For more, contact Laurie.finklestein@atlantajcc.org; (678) 812-3723; www.atlantajcc.org/brill
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Tues., July 8 Spotting Scams Survival Strategies. On Tues., July 8 at 7 p.m., Lara Schilling, ESQ; CPA, CSA from Financial Innovations will educate on the warning signs and provide
Ongoing
Volunteer tutoring opportunity with the Atlanta Jewish Coalition for Literacy. Minimum: 30 minutes one-onone per week, beginning in fall. Nine metro-area elementary schools. For more, call (404) 843-9600. Drug abuse help. Narconon Drug Addiction Counseling would like to remind families that the use of addicting drugs is on the rise, take steps to protect your family from drug use. If you know anyone who is struggling with drug addiction get them the help they need. Call for a free brochure on the signs of addiction for all drugs (800) 431-1754 or visit DrugAbuseSolution.com.
AJT
MATZAH BALL SOUP FOR THE SOUL
Parshat Chukat: Change is Healthy and Natural our mode of change and innovation is the correcting of mistakes AJT CONTRIBUTOR
W
e are always changing. “We,” as in me and you, as in individual people, are introspective –constantly searching for areas within ourselves that need improvement and striving to make those changes. “We,” as a construct of our smaller communities – our close family, friends, maybe even a neighborhood – are interactive, and are therefore always growing our relationships and changing as needed. Finally, “we,” as a general “we” of human beings, are innovative –tirelessly pursuing new ideas and ways of navigating through our world. In each of these ways, we’re changing. But specifically, we’re changing as a means of adapting. We recognize that something isn’t right, or even just isn’t as right as it could be, and we adjust and reconsider, and then maybe later we’ll adjust again. And what’s at the forefront of all this revision is that, quite plainly, there has to be something to revise—we have to make a mistake, and even continue to make mistakes. The Israelites’ actions in this week’s Torah portion, Chukat, stood at the intersection of improvement and error. Still en route to the Promised Land, the Israelites grew tired and hungry. They cried out to G-d and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in this desert, for there is no bread and no water, and we are disgusted with this rotten bread” (Numbers 21:5). At that point, G-d sent venomous snakes to kill the Israelites. Many of them did die, but short after the Israelites begged Moses to talk to G-d on their behalf: “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that He remove the snakes from us.” (21:7). This story may sound remarkably familiar, and rightfully so. Only a few weeks ago (in terms of the actual reading of the Torah), the Israelites pulled a similar stunt. When Israelite spies returned from scouting the
Promised Land only to report that the land was unconquerable, the Israelites called out, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this desert.” (14:2). G-d, angry about the Israelite’s betrayal, threatened to kill them all. Moses, acting entirely on his own accord, spoke with G-d, asking, “Please forgive the iniquity of this nation in accordance with your abounding kindness, as You have borne this people from Egypt until now” (14:19). A few weeks ago, the Israelites weren’t apologetic. They’d been ungrateful, rude, and disloyal; and they didn’t’ even realized it. In this week’s parshah, we see that they made progress. They still acted wrongly towards G-d, still been just as ungrateful as before; but this time they realized it. They approached Moses this time to help them, and in the end, G-d once again showed mercy and forgave them. Now, no one enjoys making mistakes. Whether it’s public or private, life changing or insignificant – it doesn’t matter. Making a mistake is simply not fun. However, we really ought to consider the alternative: what would happen had we not made the mistake? We’re inclined to answer that things would be great. After all, if we’re never messing things up, then we’ll never experience guilt or regret; we’ll never be scolded or looked down upon; and obviously would simply live, and live happily and perfectly. Unfortunately, this isn’t so. To live a life without mistakes is to live a life that’s risk-free and stagnant. As I pointed out earlier, our mode of change and innovation is the correcting of mistakes. Without one, we can’t have the other. Take for example the situation of the Israelites. Their mistake was speaking out against G-d, in both instances. The resulting change was that they developed a better understanding of how their relationship with G-d should be (though, as clearly exemplified by their second mistake, they still had further developing to do). Had they not spoken out, the feelings still would have existed. They would
have grown distant from G-d, resenting Him for what they perceived to be His negligence. Fortunately, and I want to emphasize here that it is in fact fortunate, they chose to take a risk and voice their anger with G-d. It was a mistake, as far as we commonly understand mistakes: it upset G-d, it was out of line, and it deserved punishment. But as a mistake, it perpetuated adaption and change across the Israelites. This week, we saw that change. The Israelites felt guilty for what they’d done—a clear sign that they’d grown more considerate in their relationship with G-d. We, in all senses of the word, are not perfect. And luckily, we will never be perfect. I’m not saying mistakes are things to be celebrated. Certainly they’re still embarrassing and frustrating, and still often bring harmful consequences; but they’re also not
something to be feared or ashamed of. Eventually, if you allow yourself, you can overcome your mistakes just as the Israelites did. The likelihood is that the people in your life will both support you and forgive you because, similar to G-d’s understanding of the Israelites, the people in your life know you’re not perfect. Rachel LaVictoire (rlavictoire@wustl. edu) is a graduate of the Davis Academy and Westminster High School, recipient of the prestigious Nemerov Writing and Thomas H. Elliott Merit scholarships at Washington University of St. Louis and an active member of Temple Emanu-El and the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. She was recently named to the board of St. Louis Hillel.
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An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned And Operated By NRT LLC.
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
BY RACHEL LAVICTOIRE
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JEWISH PUZZLER by David Benkof
Across 1. “Beyond Hitler’s ___: The Heroic Rescue of Bulgaria’s Jews” 6. Sequence not unlike lamed-mem-nunsamech 10. Dybbuks, essentially 14. Character in Larry Gelbart’s “M*A*S*H” 15. Report card for a student at Touro to be proud of 16. Kind of year with two Adars 17. Phrase repeated over and over in Ecclesiastes 3 (in music, “Turn, Turn, Turn”) 18. Mayor Barkat and director Bergman 19. Jason Flom’s record label 20. “But he does not ___ it so....” (Isaiah 10:7) 21. Professor Richard (“America at 1750: A Social Portrait) 23. Mishnaic tractate whose name means “testimonies” 25. Place to put the “schach” on a sukkah 26. Jewish Federation of Cape ___ 27. Org. whose slogan is “The Hebrew Word for Inclusive” 29. Brand used at night at Camp Ramah in Conover, Wisc. 32. “Cupcakes” director Fox 35. Polish-born Salomon involved with the American Revolution 36. Pennsylvania city where Ish Kabibble grew up 37. Ashkenazi side dish 40. Mamet’s “Glengarry ___ Ross” 41. Wild animal mentioned over 150 times in the Tanach 42. Treats like Spanish Jews in 1492
43. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), e.g. 44. Chutzpah 45. He played the snowman in “Frozen” 46. Name of Jerusalem’s “City of David” organization 48. Streisand’s name before she changed it 52. Tanach book with lots of lists of names 56. “She choked on ___ sandwich” (urban legend about Mama Cass’s death) 57. One kind of IDF transport 58. Response to a bad joke in the Borscht Belt 59. A golem’s is large 60. ___ Bryant Maslin (women’s wear pioneer) 61. Hank Greenberg is an American Jewish one 62. The ones to Auschwitz, controversially, were not bombed by the Allies 63. It carries Iditarod participant Jake Berkowitz 64. Nickname for Notre Dame fooball player Jacob Rosenthal 65. They are common ingredients in soups with kubbeh
ish day schools, typically) 6. Shalach ___ (Purim treats) 7. Bloom’s character in “The Producers,” essentially 8. They helped save the Jews of Denmark 9. Deli order, often “on rye” 10. Chuck Hagel: “If I go run for Senate in Israel, ___ that” 11. Common utensils at a kosher seder 12. What the Nazis did to roads with some Jewish headstones in Poland 13. Fight with Max Baer 21. Ein ___ (Artists’ colony near Haifa) 22. mchabon@___.com (Michael Cha-
bon’s E-mail address, apparently) 24. Ethiopian Jewish leader Bogale whose first name means “dove” 27. Harvey was on her variety show 28. Jamie-___ Sigler (actress on “The Sopranos”) 30. Esther was afraid of Ahasuerus’s 31. Tell one’s sins on Yom Kippur, slangily 32. Tests for some Montefiore docs 33. Connecticut university with Hebrew in its logo 34. Yiddish book of Bible stories 35. Seventh plague 36. Israel’s prime minister from
1999-2001 38. Russian firebrand of Jewish origin Zhirinovsky 39. Emulate haredi and Arab birthrates in Israel these days 44. Chabad’s Camp ___ Israel 45. Word with mask or chamber 47. Schlepped himself 48. Jack of vaudeville 49. “Not ___ of his head shall fall to the ground...” (I Sam. 14:45) 50. Prison where Eichmann died 51. Rahm Emanuel: In the Middle East, Mitt Romney “made ___ of being a tourist” 52. Grp. that makes Conservative movement legal decisions 53. What the “Mi Sheberach” prayer aims to do 54. Nazi sympathizer Chanel 55. Chabad of ___ (outpost in Luang Prabang since 2006) 59. Jew ___ (hairstyle for Gene Shalit or Art Garfunkel)
Last week’s answers
Down 1. “Rabbis and Wives” Yiddish author Chaim 2. G-___ (“An American Tail,” e.g.) 3. “Goodbye, Marc Chagall” 4. He co-wrote “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” 5. ___-K (youngest students in Jew-
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Blessing for the Candles Baruch Arah A-do-nai,El-o-hei-nu Melech Haolam Asher Kid-shanu b’mitzvotav V’zivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of time and space. You hallow us with Your mitzvot and command us to kindle the lights of Shabbat. Blessing for the Wine Baruch Atah A-do-nai, El-o-hei-nu Meelech Haolam, Borei p’ri hagafen Praise to You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Blessing for the Bread (Challah) Baruch Atah A-do-nai, El-o-hei-nu Melech haolam, Hamotzi Lechem min haaretz.
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Our Praise to You Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.
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Amy Cooper, M.D., MPH, MS Eva Montgomery-McGuire, M.D., FAAP 3939 Roswell Road Suite 300 Marietta GA 30062 770-578-2868
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OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY Caroline Gibbons, M.D. Jenifer Conde, M.D. 3939 Roswell Road Suite 300 Marietta, GA 30062 770-578-2875
FAMILY MEDICINE & GERIATRIC MEDICINE
Susan Staviss, M.D., FAAP 1523 Johnson Ferry Road Suite 150 Marietta GA 30062 770-509-1234
PULMONARY MEDICINE Mark Schlosberg, MD Jeffrey Michaelson, MD Folu Akinnusi, MD 3939 Roswell Road Suite 110 Marietta, GA 30062 770-422-1372
JUNE 27 ▪ 2014
Whitney Denton, M.D. Shravantika Reddy, M.D. 3939 Roswell Road Suite 240 Marietta, GA 30062 678-403-4660
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All practices accepting new patients and most insurance plans. 770-956-STAR
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