Atlanta Jewish Times, No. 34, September 11, 2015 by Atlanta Jewish Times

Atlanta VOL. XC NO. 34

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 | 27 ELUL 5775

L’Shana Tova 5776

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LOCAL NEWS

The Atlanta Scholars Kollel rallies the community around a pigskinthemed message of unity. Page 4

PAPAL ENVOY

By special invitation, Atlanta BBYO leader David Hoffman visits the Vatican for a summit on climate change. Page 8

BELOVED BIDEN

The “Hatikvah”-singing vice president gets a warm welcome at Ahavath Achim Synagogue and provides a strong defense of the Iran deal. Page 16

ATL’S GIFT TO NOLA Temple Sinai product Alexis Pinsky is leading youngadult outreach as a rabbi in her college home, New Orleans. Page 18

JUST PEACHY

Three women’s touch makes the Spicy Peach a special mix of gifts and kosher groceries in Toco Hills. Page 22

Horowitz Leaving Federation

ichael Horowitz announced Tuesday, Sept. 8, that he is resigning as the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, effective in February. Horowitz has held Federation’s top job four years. He filled the vacancy left when Steve Rakitt became the CEO of the Greater Washington Federation. Horowitz did not disclose exact plans for post-Federation life, only that he and wife Barbara will “pursue the many dreams and opportunities that were put on hold” when he was hired Sept. 7, 2011. He had been a philanthropist and Federation lay leader in Detroit before taking the Atlanta job. “Michael has been a dedicated, inspirational and successful president and CEO over the past four years,” Federation Chairman Howard Feinsand said in an email announcement. “Our Federation is a much stronger organization thanks to his leadership and passion for our causes.” A past Federation chairman, Gerry Benjamin, will lead the search for Horowitz’s successor after the Jewish holidays. Horowitz agreed to stay until February to assist the search and smooth the transition, Feinsand said. Two of Jewish Atlanta’s most prominent communal institutions now are looking for leaders at the same time. Marcus Jewish Community Center CEO Gail Luxenberg resigned in early August. ■

INDEX Local News 3 Remember When 5 Calendar 6 Candle Lighting 6 Opinion 10 Israel 14 Rosh Hashanah 24 Arts 73 Education 76 Business 79 Home 80 Obituaries 82 Crossword 85 Marketplace 86

Corrections & Clarifications An article about the Weber School’s new softball team in the Sept. 4 issue had the wrong day school Remy Zimmerman attended before high school. She went to the Epstein School.

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SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

HUDDLE UP

On the cover: Asked to create an illustration for the Rosh Hashanah edition, I expressed that my goal was to create a graphic image that did not include the traditional apple, honey and shofar. The inspiration for the cover came from the photographs I had recently taken of the yahrzeit memorial board that is part of the renovations at Congregation B’nai Torah. Through the application of a series of Photoshop tools, I created a composite image using the primary elements of the sculpture by artist Jerry Siegel. The panels illustrate a passage in Pirkei Avot: “Shimon the Righteous was among the last surviving members of the Great Assembly. He used to say, ‘The world stands on three things: Torah, prayer and deeds of lovingkindness.’ ” The panel I found most inspiring depicts Hebrew letters cascading from the Torah. Rabbi Joshua Heller explained that the letters illustrate the words of the Torah as they spread to enlighten the world. L’shana tova. — Eric Bern

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LOCAL NEWS

Even Jets Fans Crave Togetherness

Kollel speaker explains need for unity By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

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abbi Mordechai Blecher, a native of Australia now living close to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, doesn’t care for the New York Jets or the NFL in general, so attending a late-season Jets game in cold weather with free tickets gave him plenty of time to ponder one of the universe’s great questions: Why does anyone root for the Jets? More important, as Rabbi Blecher explained during the Atlanta Scholars Kollel’s annual networking event, he recognized that Jets fans and other football fans who prefer a stadium with 90,000 of their closest friends over the comfort, ease and cheap beer of a living room sofa in front of a highdef big screen are expressing a basic human need for togetherness. “We all want to feel part of this great unity,” Rabbi Blecher told about 500 people at the unity-themed event Wednesday night, Sept. 2, at Atlanta Jewish Academy. “We just want to encourage people to be better connected,” said Rabbi David Silverman, the kollel’s dean. Rabbi Blecher said the need for connection and oneness stems from the act of creation, which separated us from G-d and left us with the intense desire to regain unity with the Creator. The same effect came from Eve’s formation from Adam — a resulting yearning for men and women to reunite. He said the Torah starts with the second Hebrew letter, bet, in the word Bereshit to show that universal division and present us with the task of pulling the world together by moving from bet, representing 2, to aleph, representing 1. “That’s why we are here on this planet,” Rabbi Blecher said. “We are

Photos by Michael Jacobs

Top: Rabbi Mordechai Blecher explains why football fans spend exorbitant amounts of money to gather together in miserable weather instead of watching games in the comfort of their own homes. Middle: Rabbi Moshe Hiller (No. 9) and other members of the Atlanta Scholars Kollel team huddle up to show unity in a fun introductory segment before the speaker at the annual networking event Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Atlanta Jewish Academy. Left: Rabbi David Silverman, the dean of the Atlanta Scholars Kollel, plays referee, blowing a whistle to break up the ASK huddles.

here to assemble that jigsaw puzzle.” He said unity explains Hillel’s famous statement that the Torah is all commentary except for the lesson “That which is hateful unto you, don’t do unto your friend.” “Friend” shouldn’t be interpreted narrowly, Rabbi Blecher said, but in the broad sense that G-d is our ultimate friend and any fellow human can be our friend and our own soul should be our friend. He said Judaism is all about the unity of G-d, people and self. If everyone would consider whether words and actions are pulling us together or pushing us apart, Rabbi Blecher said, we would have a different world, a world of joy and pleasure. Even, perhaps, for Jets fans. ■

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LOCAL NEWS Atlanta

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Remember When 10 Years Ago Sept. 9, 2005

■ Four teenagers were charged with second-degree damage to property and terroristic threats and acts in connection with the anti-Semitic defacing of a Jewish home in Lawrenceville. Only one of the four was old enough to be treated as an adult under Georgia law.

America, said, “We can only give supervision to a product that we know the ingredients and have access to.” ■ Jennifer and Erin Hirsekorn, twin daughters of Rick and Alyse Hirsekorn of Marietta, will celebrate their b’not mitzvah Saturday, Sept. 22, at Etz Chaim Synagogue. 50 Years Ago Sept. 10, 1965

25 Years Ago Sept. 14, 1990

■ Odhams Press Ltd. acted swiftly to remove from its Concise English Dictionary slurring definitions of Jews. After a letter from The Glasgow Jewish Times protesting the use of synonyms “extortionist, bargainer and moneylender” in its definition of Jews, and “to cheat and outwit” in its use as a verb, several thousand copies of the dictionaries were amended, as were all unbound copies in stock at the publishing plant.

■ Certified as kosher for 55 years, Coca-Cola recently lost the confidence of the world’s leading kosher supervision agency, the Orthodox Union. Because of limited access to all processing plants, Rabbi Emanuel Holzer, the chairman of the Kashruth Committee of the Rabbinical Council of

■ Sheryl Ann Kessler, daughter of Mrs. David Moses Kessler of Atlanta and the late Mr. Kessler, married Stephen Gary Bush, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bush of New Port Richey, Fla., on Aug. 23 at the Ahavath Achim Synagogue. Rabbi Harry H. Epstein officiated.

■ Gregory and Jan Jay of Dunwoody announce the birth of their daughter, Rachel Esther, on March 8, 2005.

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Contributors This Week

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Last summer, no one was expecting Operation Protective Edge. But when rockets started flying, Magen David Adom paramedics were ready to rescue injured Israelis every day thanks to donors like you. As we welcome the new year with reports of continued sporadic rocket fire, we don’t know when the next major attack will come, but we do know now is the time to prepare.

Help provide MDA with medical supplies for the next emergency and make a gift today. Thank you and shanah tovah. AFMDA Southeast Region 3300 PGA Blvd., Suite 970 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 561.835.0510 • southeast@afmda.org

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CALENDAR THURSDAY, SEPT. 10

Israeli film lecture. Israeli director Eran Riklis, artist in residence at Emory University, speaks on the topic “Of Conflict and Optimism: My Personal Cinematic Voyage” at 7:30 p.m. in the Carlos Museum reception hall. Free; filmstudies.emory.edu/home/events/ film-series/eran-riklis-residency.html. Pre-Rosh Hashanah party. New youngadult group Tribe Atlanta kicks off the year with games, snacks and drink specials at 8 p.m. at Lost Dog Tavern, 3182 Roswell Road, Buckhead. Admission is $5 in advance, $10 at the door; thekehillaorg.shulcloud.com/tribeatlanta.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 11

Spirited Shabbat. The Marcus Jewish Community Center and the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival join Congregation Shearith Israel, 1180 University Drive, Atlanta, at 6:30 p.m. for Shabbat Ruach, a casual, musical celebration featuring Rabbi Brian Glusman, Michael Levine and Drew Cohen. Free; shearithisrael.com.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 12

Comedy show. Lenny Marcus performs adults-only standup comedy at the Marcus Jewish Community Center, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 to $25; www. atlantajcc.org/interior-pages/arts-andculture-theater-productions or 678812-4002.

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES

7/27/15 11:44 AM

THURSDAY, SEPT. 24

Torah discussion. YJP Midtown Atlanta talks about learning to forgive those who hurt you most. The event at Chabad Intown, 928 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, includes cocktails and light snacks. Schmoozing starts at 7:30, discussion at 8:15; www.yjpmidtownatlanta.com or 404-898-0434.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 27

Sushi and scotch in the sukkah. YJP Midtown Atlanta gathers at 9 p.m. at the Schusterman sukkah, 928 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, for sushi, scotch or other cocktails, and socializing on the first night of Sukkot. Free; www.yjpmidtownatlanta.com or 404-898-0434. Gathering your key documents. Jewish Home Life Communities presents Part 1 of “Preparing Your Top Drawer File,” a program providing information and tools to create your own file of important medical, legal and financial documents to ensure that your care preferences are followed, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the William Breman Jewish Home, 3150 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. Free; RSVP to 404-351-8412 or JewishHomeLife.org.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 19

Sukkot open house. Berman Commons, 2026 Womack Road, Dunwoody, invites the public for food and fun from 2 to 4 p.m. Free; RSVP to 678-222-7500 or info@bermancommons.org.

Oscar contender. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival presents a special screening of “Labyrinth of Lies,” Germany’s submission for best foreign language film for next year’s Academy Awards, at 8 p.m. at the newly renovated SCADshow, 173 14th St., Midtown. The film is based on the true story of how a prosecutor in the 1950s exposed the atrocities at Auschwitz and the postwar German conspiracy to cover them up. Tickets are $13 ($10 for students with ID); ajff.org.

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Parshah Nitzavim Friday, Sept. 11, light candles at 7:32 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, Shabbat ends at 8:26 p.m. Arlington Rosh Hashanah Memorial Park at 7:29 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, light candles Rabbi Kook’s impact. Rabbi Don SeeSanDy SPRingS Monday, Sept. 14, light candles after 8:23 p.m. man leads a panel discussion on the Tuesday, Sept. 15, holiday ends at 8:22 p.m. work of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook 404-255-0750 ArlingtonMemorialPark.com Parshah Vayelech to mark his 80th yahrzeit at 8 p.m. at Friday, Sept. 18, light candles at 7:22 p.m. the New Toco Shul, 2003 LaVista Road, Saturday, Sept. 19, Shabbat ends at 8:16 p.m. Toco Hills. Dinner is included. Free; Yom Kippur RSVP to newtocoshul@gmail.com. M1726_0437_ArlingtonMP_PNT_Comm_4-44x11-75_C.indd 1 Tuesday, Sept. 22, light candles at 7:17 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, holiday ends at 8:10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16

Documentary screening. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and American Jewish Committee present a screening of “Rosenwald,” about Sears leader and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, at 7:30 p.m. at Landmark Midtown Arts Cinema, 931 Monroe Drive, Atlanta. Filmmaker Aviva Kempner, Atlanta Daily World Publisher Emerita M. Alexis Scott and Atlanta City Council member Michael Bond discuss the film afterward. Tickets are $13; ajff.org.

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SUNDAY, SEPT. 20

Baseball mitzvah. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival presents the documentary “Havana Curveball,” about an American bar mitzvah who donates baseball gear to youth players in Cuba, at 1:30 p.m. at the Marcus Jewish Community Center, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Tickets are $13 ($10 for JCC members); ajff.org or www.havanacurveball.info/screenings.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30

THURSDAY, OCT. 1

Sushi in the sukkah. Learn how to roll your own sushi while socializing with YITH Young Professionals at 8 p.m. at the sukkah at Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road. Admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the door; www. yith.org or 404-315-1417.

SATURDAY, OCT. 10

Film and friendship. Greater Atlanta Hadassah’s Ketura Group shows “Serial (Bad) Weddings” and serves dessert in Alpharetta at 7:15 p.m. The fee is $12 ($6 for prospective members); RSVP by Sept. 28 to rsvp2mffried@gmail.com or 770-442-2854.

SUNDAY, OCT. 11

Walk to fight cancer. Relay for Life of Ruach, the only American Cancer So-

ciety Relay for Life held on a Sunday, begins at 1 p.m. and ends at 8 at North Springs Charter High School, 7447 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. Sign up at www.RelayForLife.org/ruachga.

SUNDAY, OCT. 18

Super Sunday. Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta holds its phoneathon for the Community Campaign from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; www.jewishatlanta. org/supersunday or 678-222-3721.

‘Ambassador of Dance’ Performs

Israeli dancer Ido Tadmor, who has performed worldwide as Israel’s “ambassador of dance” during a threedecade career, takes the stage at the Woodruff Arts Center’s Black Box Theatre for one show only in the closing hours of 5775. Tadmor, who began Ido Tadmor is working with dance his studies at the Bat students at Kennesaw State. Dor Dance School in 1982, has worked as a dancer, singer, choreographer and competition judge. He won the Landau Prize in 2011 for lifetime achievement, was appointed the Israeli Ballet’s artistic director in 2013, and performed a solo show at the Jewish Diaspora Museum to honor Israeli President Shimon Peres in 2014. He is working on a performance piece with students from the dance department at Kennesaw State University. On Saturday, Sept. 12, Tadmor performs a free show at 4 p.m. at the Woodruff Memorial Arts Building, 1280 Peachtree St., Midtown. The program includes three original works, followed by a discussion. Seats are limited. RSVP by calling 404-487-6503.

Send items for the calendar to submissions@atljewishtimes.com.

A people who have been around as long as we have know a thing or two about bringing in the new year. We know that it’s not only about celebration. It’s about reflecting on our past year and resolving to be kinder and more generous in the coming one. And here’s a sure way to do that— by making an impact through a gift to Federation. You’ll be caring for Jews wherever they’re in need. Helping thousands to connect to their Jewish identity. Sweetening the new year for our entire global Jewish community. Please give as generously as you can. You’ll make 5776 very sweet indeed!

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LOCAL NEWS

BBYO Director Visits Vatican to Save Earth Hoffman one of 100 invited to climate conference By April Basler abasler@atljewishtimes.com

he pope’s call for a global response to worldwide environmental problems led to Atlanta’s David Hoffman joining 99 other young adults in Rome to search for solutions. Hoffman, the environmentally conscious BBYO director at the Marcus Jewish Community Center, was selected to attend an interfaith panel in Rome to discuss climate change in late June. He attended the 100-person climate change convergence the week before he left for BBYO’s summer kallah, where he applied what he learned in Rome to enhance teens’ knowledge of climate change and teach them about spirituality in nature. The convergence was planned as a response to Pope Francis’ May encyclical on climate change, which was written not just for Catholics, but for people of all religions. The meeting, put on by GreenFaith, an interfaith coalition for the environment, was the first

of its kind. Emerging leaders ages 19 to vergence through Google, that’s when 40 from 20 religions and 40 countries I realized that I was so lucky to have came together to discuss how they can discovered this, let alone that I got to come,” Hoffman said. counter climate change. Every night during “Many things have the convergence, a difto change course, but it is ferent faith group led a we human beings above worship service. Hoffman all who need to change. experienced worship inWe lack an awareness of volving Islam, Hinduism, our common origin, of our Catholicism, indigenous mutual belonging, and of cultures and more. a future to be shared with During the first full everyone,” the pope wrote day of the convergence, in his encyclical. “This baparticipants marched sic awareness would enable David Hoffman through Rome into the the development of new Vatican with representatives convictions, attitudes and forms of life. A great cultural, spiritual from environmental organizations and educational challenge stands be- while the pope gave his weekly blessfore us, and it will demand that we set ing, called the Angelus, to a crowd of 30,000 people. During the march, parout on the long path of renewal.” Hoffman learned about the all- ticipants held banners and signs callexpense-paid trip to Rome through a ing for climate action, as well as a large Google search and was one of the hand- depiction of Mother Earth, among other items. ful of Jews invited to attend. The pope called out to the mem“When I realized that I couldn’t find anybody else who just happened bers of the climate change convergence upon the organization and the con- during his address.

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

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“It was at that moment when the pope called us out that I realized how fortunate I was and how much impact we’ve had,” Hoffman said. “That was really incredible.” Over five days, Hoffman participated in breakout sessions by religion, region and profession. In plenary sessions, he also heard from people who have taken direct action to deal with climate change issues and from people who have been directly affected by climate change. Hoffman created a personal action plan at the end of the convergence about what he can do to combat climate change. “I got to put what I learned in action immediately and see the successes and challenges that I was going to face,” he said. “I can’t even explain how happy it makes me to see that the goals that I set have already started to come to fruition.” At the BBYO summer kallah, Hoffman taught teens using his action plan and the pope’s encyclical, seen through a Jewish lens. Hoffman facilitated discussions and led brainstorming sessions that resulted in the teens writing a motion for reusable water bottles to be included in every BBYO packing list and to turn off lights when leaving rooms at all BBYO events. The motion was passed at the BBYO August executive conference, helping conserve energy and reduce waste for 18,000 Jewish teens around the world. Hoffman made strong friendships with the other convergence attendees, and he continues to communicate with them on an active Facebook group. He learned a great deal in Rome, especially from his new friends from around the globe. “I learned that regardless of where we come from or what we believe, all over the world, all different faiths, that every tradition emphasizes care for the earth, and it is our responsibility to take action,” Hoffman said. “That is a universal belief, and I had no idea because I was only focusing on the Jewish perspective.” He encourages others to take steps for the environment and take action against climate change and said it’s not too late to make a difference. “If everybody took what they were passionate about and good at and in just a little way used that to take care of the earth, however they see their talent fitting in, then that would make a change.” ■

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SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

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OPINION

Our View

School Baptism

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

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Georgia high school football coach recently bulldozed through the line separating church and state in public schools, a disappointing but not surprising occurrence in 2015. What’s aggravating about the incident is that it has become the latest evidence of a mythical war on Christianity. One of the assistant coaches at Villa Rica High School decided in August it would be a good idea to have his baptism on the football field between the end of school and the start of practice and to invite the team to join him. As a result, 18 players and the coach were baptized by First Baptist Church of Villa Rica Pastor Kevin Williams while cheerleaders and community members rooted them on. We’re all for teenagers finding and committing to faith. We don’t have a problem with students organizing faith-based clubs and meeting on school property before school, after school or during lunch to talk about religion and religious culture. We’ve celebrated such clubs for Jewish students. But it’s amazing that any school employee would fail to recognize the difference between off-hours, student-led clubs and a mass religious ceremony organized by a man paid by the taxpayers to hold a position of authority over a large group of students. It’s absurd to defend this event as voluntary. The coach is in a coercive position with his players, who depend on his good graces for playing time and other favors. Teens also are subject to severe peer pressure, and a mass baptism makes the pressure as public as possible. In addition, it’s a violation of parental rights for any student younger than 18 to be allowed to participate in such a religious event without permission. When the Carroll County school system finishes its investigation, the coach should be suspended if not fired. He’ll have plenty of time to practice his faith. Unfortunately, many will rally around the coach if he is punished, as they have at Villa Rica football games. Demonstrations have made the dominant local view clear: The baptism was a beautiful thing. If the courts think otherwise, well, the coach, pastor and others answer to a higher authority. To those in Georgia’s Protestant majority who have convinced themselves they are being persecuted, any negative response to the baptism is evidence, joining the supposed war on Christmas and the rare prosecutions of business owners who want to exercise their G-d-given right to discriminate. We don’t know why people feel a need to see themselves as victims. But here’s some guidance: A 17-year-old wearing a kippah while waiting for public transit with a few friends is beaten into a coma by three strangers simply for being Jewish, as happened Sept. 5 in Manchester, England. That’s religion-based discrimination and hatred. A coach and 18 teen players participate in a foundational religious ceremony on school property, and not only does no one think to stop them, but people cheer them on. Even if the school system later tells them they shouldn’t have done that and shouldn’t do it again, they aren’t being oppressed. And they can always participate in the inevitable supermassive baptism on church property in the weeks ahead. ■

Greatest Newspaper Ever

buying more ads. We aim for a 50-50 mix between hat was the headline used by the editor of a newspaper I worked for during the Clinton ad- ads and editorial content, so this 88-page newspaper has roughly 44 pages of actual words and photos — ministration: “Greatest newspaper ever.” news, events, opinions and entertainment — comTwo decades later, I don’t have any clue about pared with 32 pages, ads included, in a normal issue. the editorial content of that historic edition. I’m That’s pretty great. fairly certain it wasn’t even the greatest issue of The The point isn’t Washington Times, let alone the to gloat or to bore greatest newspaper ever pubyou with numbers. lished anywhere. Editor’s Notebook It’s to thank you. But the editor, Wes Pruden, By Michael Jacobs Owner/Publishwasn’t touting anything we had mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com er Michael Morris written. He was celebrating the and I took up the ads. It was the day after Thanks90-year-old mantle giving, known as Black Friday for retailers and usually producing the thickest issue of this newspaper in January in the belief that the community needed and wanted it. All of us, not least of the year for daily newspapers. In the case of the our dedicated sales account managers, have worked Times, then less than 15 years old and not exactly a hard to produce a paper you can be proud of, and magnet for advertisers, it was the biggest issue ever. we’ve received enough positive comments to make a The AJT issue you’re reading is not the greatest hardened, cynical newsman like me blush. ever or the greatest this year. Coming so soon after But the proof comes when you open your walour Leo Frank, synagogue and Katrina issues, I’m lets, both to subscribe (only $65 a year — such a not sure it’s even the greatest in the past month. deal!) and to advertise. This week’s issue is the stronBut at 88 pages, it is the biggest issue of the 34 gest evidence yet that we’re making progress and the we’ve published in 2015, and that’s something the community is buying in. whole community should celebrate. I believe that advertisers get their money’s First, a couple of qualifiers. The Rosh Hashanah worth in the awareness and business they gain from issue is traditionally the biggest issue of the year for being in front of our readers, but it’s worth remema Jewish newspaper, rivaled only by Passover and bering that everyone in our community benefits Chanukah, and the High Holiday page counts were from advertisers’ investment in the AJT. The more well into the triple digits at the AJT’s business peak. ads we sell, the more space we have to write about But that peak was back in the 1990s. Last year, and for Jewish Atlanta. So in addition to advertising we published 56 pages at Rosh Hashanah. It just so and subscribing, you can boost the AJT, your comhappens that our standard issue this year has been munity newspaper, by supporting our advertisers. 32 pages, so we’ve added an entire week’s worth of With help from all of you, we can make 40 or 48 newspaper to get to 88 pages from last year’s 56. or 56 pages a normal week, and the Rosh Hashanah Just as encouraging, we’re up 24 pages from the 5777 issue will be so big that we’ll laugh at the idea 64-page Passover issue five months ago. We’re able to publish more pages because you’re that we started 5776 with the greatest paper ever. ■

OPINION

My Woodward Family experience is graduation from sixth grade. Graduates sing and perform, receive awards and distinctions, and listen to an inspirational address by Mr. Vincent (yes, I have the pictures). Each student is given the opportunity to reflect on eight years at Woodward. At the age of 12 or 13 these children have spent more than half their lifetime at this home called Woodward Academy, and their stories reflect their understanding, their sad goodbyes and

Publisher’s Letter By Michael A. Morris michael@atljewishtimes.com

their cautious optimism. Having attended three of these graduations for my daughters, I can attest to there not being a dry eye in the audience. These were not final goodbyes. Woodward continues through high school. At this point, sports dominate parental involvement. For Lydia and a friend from Camp Barney, Samantha Freedman, it is volleyball. Several times a week Belinda (or Ken Freedman) keeps score, and I, well, you guessed, take photographs. They are two of five seniors on the varsity team. A few weeks ago Lydia’s senior year began, and I received an email inviting me to the first day of her last year. For me, it was especially poignant. This will be the last year that one of my daughters attends Woodward. A chapter in my life and that of my children is coming to an end. (My youngest daughter, Hannah, is in 10th grade at Weber. She did attend Woodward briefly but will graduate from Weber, as did her sister Alex.) At the end of this year, after 18 years, the family of teachers, administrators, coaches, other parents and my children’s friends will vanish. It will be an emotional year. It will be a year filled with the last of many traditions. I will always look back fondly at Woodward as new chapters like college, work and new families wait around the corner. Ben, my hat is off to you. Your commitment to Woodward has spanned almost 60 years. You graduated in 1961 (Georgia Military Academy at the time), and you are just retiring as board chair. Thank you for your commitment, and thank you for sharing your family with mine. ■

The future is in your hands. Meet Spencer Brasch, a student at Yeshiva University. On a pre-med track, Spencer is an Honors student pursuing a dual major in biology and music, who also finds time to compete on YU’s NCAA Division I fencing team. His commitment to Torah study is actualized as he delves into shiur with distinguished Roshei Yeshiva in our world class Beit Midrash. Individual attention and career planning are important to him, so Spencer chose Yeshiva University because it enables him to balance his academic goals with his religious commitment. This is the essence of Torah U’Madda and what sets YU apart. Picture yourself at YU. #NowhereButHere

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SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

want to reflect on an organization I have been intimately involved in for two decades, and Rosh Hashanah is the perfect time for reflection. I recently attended a dinner for the outgoing chairman of Woodward Academy. Ben Johnson had been the board chair for 33 years, quite the accomplishment and commitment. My eldest daughter, Jacqueline, began Woodward pre-kindergarten in 1998. I remember touring the school for the first time. The principal, Lee Vincent, walked us around campus, and something impressed me. As we wandered from classroom to classroom, every student was excited to see Mr. Vincent visit. In many instances, three or four students approached Mr. Vincent to ask him a question or attempt to drag him back to their desks to show what they were doing or creating. When Lee Vincent addressed each child by name and knew what kind of project each was working on, I became a Woodward parent. In Woodward’s elementary school, parents are encouraged to participate in many programs, often weekly and certainly monthly. I found myself on campus several times a month, usually with a camera, snapping pictures of all the students doing all the crazy things kids do from kindergarten through sixth grade. By the time my youngest at Woodward, Lydia, was in sixth grade, I had been mistaken for the school photographer (there wasn’t one) at least a dozen times. I loved my participation in my kids’ school and have the pictures to prove it. My wife, Belinda, was also involved weekly. In one of her first commitments, she signed up with her friend Donna Goldberg to decorate the school for the winter holidays. They were presented all the Christmas decorations that needed to be hung around the school. As you can imagine, there was not one Chanukah decoration. I do not want to tally how much Harry Goldberg and I spent on Chanukah decorations for Woodward through the years, but I am proud to say there is something to show for it. In the last few years I was involved in the elementary school, Father Christmas wandered from class to class with a menorah in hand and offered Chanukah stories and a game of dreidel. One of the more impactful moments in Woodward’s elementary

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OPINION

My Grandfather’s Legacy: Be a Mensch

y paternal grandfather, Reb Leyzer Yaakov, was not a Chassid. He didn’t follow any rabbi, nor was he a scholar. His father, my great-grandfather Rabbi Naftuli Schoenfeld, had everything his son lacked. He was ordained — he had smicha — and was a scholar. He wrote and published sefarim (religious books). Unfortunately, he was not a pulpit rabbi. He had to work for a living as an itinerant salesman of all kinds of religious books. On Sundays he would pack his wagon and travel to smaller towns to display his wares, then return to Munkacs for Shabbat. A distant relative browsing in a secondhand bookstore in Jerusalem years ago came across one of his books, Kissey Rachamin (“The Seat of Mercy”), published in 1863 in Munkacs. I consider it the greatest family treasure, my only object of family heritage after the Holocaust. Returning to Munkacs after the war, I found nothing. I mourned the loss of the gold Elgin watch my grandfa-

THE

ther bought during his sojourn in the United States and gave to me in 1938 as my bar mitzvah present. A few years ago while celebrating Chanukah, I gave my book to my eldest grandson, now a few months shy of 40, with the instruction that he be the guardian of this family treasure. Alas, my great-grandfather was

One Man’s Opinion By Eugen Schoenfeld

robbed and murdered on the road as he plied his trade, and my grandfather was orphaned at 8. As he grew up and married, he eked out a living as a purveyor of onions. My grandfather left his family and traveled to the United States, hoping to earn enough money to open a bookstore. As he settled in New York, he became a cigar roller for four years — not an occupation that would give him skills he could use in Munkacs. He did

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save enough money for his son Henryk, my father, to open a bookstore that with time became successful. My father built a home in the back of my grandfather’s courtyard. Quite often on Shabbat I would join my grandfather for services. He was a member of Chevrey Tenach, a small, beautifully decorated synagogue. He didn’t sit at the Eastern Wall but had a far better seat. He sat in front of the bimah, where the Torah was read, and right behind the chazzan and across from the holy ark. He was a well-respected member of his synagogue and blessed with many good friends. Grandfather wasn’t a particularly learned man beyond rudimentary knowledge of the Shulchan Aruch, the book of Jewish ritual laws and customs. He was a devout Jew, keeping the commandments, but he was a proster Yid, a simple Jew. In a town dominated by Chasidic Jews, he belonged to a fellowship of Jews devoted to the knowledge of the prophets. I never discussed Torah or Talmudic wisdom with him, yet he left me a great ideological legacy, most likely one from his father. Deportment with other people was important to him. In his view, relationships with other people were as important as Torah. He repeated to me: “Naftuli, zei a mensch!” He died when I was 15 and did not elaborate on what he meant by being a mensch. I believe that to him being a mensch meant something more than what a simple translation would convey; it is more than being a human. The closest I can come is to be a trustworthy human, the kind who personifies the dictum in Deuteronomy 6:18 to be one who does that “which is good and right in the eyes of G-d.” My grandfather went one step further by instructing me not only to be a mensch, but to be an eidler mensch, a caring and an empathetic human being. I’ll never forget the event that exemplified he was an eidler mensch. He was in his mid-60s and retired. To have something to do, he spent a few hours a day in our store and would visit a friend, the owner of a hardware store, for a daily chat. One day, after his stop in his friend’s store, he brought home an old, heavy metal wash stand. The white paint on the stand was chipped in many places, and it displayed many small scratches and dings. My grandmother was beside herself: “Why did you buy this? What will I do with this monstrosity?” “When I saw it,” my grandfather

said, “I knew that no one will buy it. I didn’t want my friend to suffer a loss, so I bought it.” His great pleasure was to place a table in the courtyard before the holidays, especially before Purim, Pesach and Yom Kippur, with rows of coins, and he greeted all those who came to collect more than their weekly nedovoh (handout). They never left without a chat and a few encouraging words. My grandfather placed interpersonal relationship, bein adam l’chavyroh, above the man-G-d relationship, bein adam lamakom. The poor need encouragement far more than does G-d. By his deeds, he taught me that a caring and empathetic relationship is more significant to create a better world than a man’s relationship with G-d, as important as that is. Of course, given my background and my Holocaust experiences, I developed a propensity for social justice. I am committed to Isaiah and to Micah’s evolutionary and critical teaching about Jewish moral life. I sought the answer to the question raised by the prophets: How do we bring about the ideal human world, a world without war and fear? Is it through the appeasement of G-d or through our own deeds, our relationship to one another? I chose the latter. I call the prophets’ perspective evolutionary because they realized that the quality of human life can be achieved only through moral life and not through prayer and sacrifices. The ancient religion was theocentric, in which G-d was the alpha and omega and all things existed by His will alone. The prophets introduced the primacy of an ethnocentric belief to serve humanity. The central issue was the improvement of life on earth and not salvation. The prophets taught us that the foundation for the good society is “to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly before G-d.” Later, Rabbi Hillel reinforced this idea and taught us another ethnocentric ideal: We can achieve an ideal social life by loving our neighbors and practicing humility, as he did. I have often wondered: What is this humility that G-d wants us to develop? The answer is the renunciation of egocentrism. Perhaps humility is the process by which we become menschen. It is the quality of caring for others and seeing the value of others as human beings. Perhaps it is what my grandfather tried to instill into me. ■

OPINION

A Rabbi Somewhere May Offer These Words about whom it is said. If your intent is to defame, it does not matter whether what you say is the truth. You are forbidden to repeat such remarks when you hear them. You

From Where I Sit By Dave Schechter dschechter@atljewishtimes.com

also are advised to either ask the speaker to cease or to remove yourself from that person’s presence. That might include turning off the television or radio or closing out of a website. For example, Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, has cancer. I read online and even have heard aloud wishes that his death come quickly because he is an enemy of the Jewish people and of Israel. I will not use this pulpit to discuss the truth or falsehood of that statement. You can read his books and study his words and actions and form your own opinions. That said, Mr. Carter’s opinions about Israel are not the totality of the man, nor are any of us defined solely by our opinions on a particular subject. Mr. Carter is a man of faith who has devoted himself to public service in the military, in politics and in private life. Keep in mind his humanity — and that of other people about whom you are tempted to offer an opinion. Would you, in similar circumstances, want words considered lashon hara spoken about yourself or someone close to you? We are beginning a new year, 5776 on the Jewish calendar. In our deeds and in our words, let us dip the apple into the honey and be mindful of that which tastes sweet on our tongue, rather than that which is foul. L’shana tova tikvateinu. ■ Dave Schechter is a veteran journalist whose career includes writing and producing reports from Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East.

The future is in your hands. Meet Lee Sahar, a current student at Yeshiva University. Pursuing degrees in Accounting and Finance, this summer Lee interned at the New York accounting firm Cohn-Reznick. A member of YU’s Business Leadership and Finance clubs, Lee also enjoys tutoring fellow students, and participates in a mentorship program through Deloitte. Career preparation is very important to Lee. She chose Yeshiva University because it enables her to balance academic goals with her religious commitment, offering her the dual curriculum in Jewish and General studies. This is the essence of Torah U’Madda and what sets YU apart. Picture yourself at YU. #NowhereButHere

www.yu.edu | 212.960.5277 | yuadmit@yu.edu

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SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

ood yontif. I am humbled by the challenges before me. Looking over this sanctuary, the first is to remember your names, as some of you visit just once or twice a year. I see that most of you dressed up for the occasion. It’s not necessary. God is more interested in how you look on the inside. How’s that for slipping in a message? In a little while, our treasurer will deliver what is commonly referred to as a schnorr. She will remind you that, as the commercial says, membership has its privileges. One of those is paying your dues. This congregation is a living entity, one that needs to pay its mortgage, the electricity and gas bills, the heating and air-conditioning bills, its teachers and its staff. If your child can tell me during our bar mitzvah tutoring about the family ski trip to Colorado, please don’t say that you can’t afford to pay your dues. My next challenge is to select a subject for this sermon. Many rabbis choose the High Holidays to speak about Israel, and this year that means talking about Iran, President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu. I won’t be one of those rabbis. I am less concerned about what opinions you hold than that your life as a Jew plays a role in how those opinions are formed. I am concerned, however, that you speak respectfully — in person and online — when you discuss such issues. We may well be the people of the book, but many comments I read on Twitter, Facebook and elsewhere online are better suited for a bathroom wall. Think twice before you label someone a self-hating Jew or suggest that their loyalties are misplaced. Judaism considers disparaging talk about another person to be a sin. Such speech is lashon hara, which in Hebrew means “evil tongue.” The Talmud tells us that lashon hara injures three people: the speaker, the person who hears it and the person

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ISRAEL NEWS

Israel Pride: Good News From Our Jewish Home Fashion sense. Israel is home to one of the five most influential fashion schools in the world, Shenkar College’s fashion design department in Ramat Gan, according to Business of Fashion. The magazine rated Shenkar the 11thbest fashion school overall. Never lose your keys again. Herzliyabased Pixie Technology has developed a Location of Things platform that builds on the Internet of Things. Stick Pixie points to your valued objects (keys, wallet, sunglasses), and you can find them any time with a smartphone app. Pixie can alert you if you leave home without those items. Israeli help for Gaza farmers. Farmers in Nahal Oz are giving advice to farmers in Khan Younis in Gaza. The Gazans are seeking new varieties of potatoes suitable for foods such as chips. Aid for refugees in Europe. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is too small to absorb any of the Syrian refugees flooding Europe, IsraAID Director Shachar Zahavi has announced a campaign to help with the thousands of refugees. IsraAID is offering Greece the experience of a program that helped the Bulgarian Red Cross last year with an influx of Syrian refugees. Water technology for Nigeria. Israel is working with Nigeria on the manufacture of irrigation equipment, management of water resources, monitoring of water accessibility, production of a water quality safety plan, and devel-

opment of educational and management techniques. Nigeria is trying to improve the efficiency of its irrigationsupported farming. An app to detect ADHD. Researchers at IBM Israel have developed a prototype application to detect attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. Subjects trace an imaginary rectangle 10 times, and the app analyzes the hand movements. ADHD sufferers have difficulty with continuous motor activity. Leukemia-HIV link. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have discovered similarities between leukemia and HIV. Dr. Ran Taube is convinced his team’s discovery will help find a clinical solution to prevent HIV infection and destroy the virus. Calming children with autism. Israel’s Association for Children at Risk has developed an Autism and Resiliency Program aimed at soothing the frayed nerves of Israeli children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The program relieved trauma during Operation Protective Edge last year and is being adapted to everyday needs. Startup capital coming. U.S. venture capital fund 500 Startups is opening an Israeli office and plans to invest up to $250,000 in each of 10 to 20 Israeli startup companies in the next year to add to the 10 Israeli investments the fund has already made. Two Israelis on MIT’s list. Two Israelis have earned spots on MIT’s 35 Innova-

tors Under 35 list for 2015. Cigall Kadoch, 30, holds a doctorate from Stanford, where her expertise is in cancer research. Gilad Evrony, 33, of Harvard Medical School made a discovery advancing research into brain disorders. Village for special-needs integration. Land has been approved for a rural town integrating 50 Israeli families with dozens of high-functioning special-needs adults. The community will employ the special-needs adults alongside other workers in local services and in agricultural tourism. Drone delivery. Kobi Shikar, a student at Shenkar School of Engineering and Design in Ramat Gan, has conceived of a one-wheeled robotic delivery drone that uses GPS to navigate and facial recognition software to recognize recipients. Record school population. Israel opened the school year Tuesday, Sept. 1,

with 2,191,004 students, almost 50,000 more than a year earlier. Educational improvements this year include smaller first-grade classes, an additional assistant in each kindergarten class, new tools for special-needs children, and an advanced math program. Intel bonuses for women. Intel, Israel’s biggest high-tech employer, is doubling the bonus for employees who recruit new female workers to the company. Dolphin rescued at Acre beach. An exhausted dolphin surprised swimmers at an Acre beach when it was found on the rocks. Lifeguards, the district veterinarian, naval police and the Shavei Zion diving club helped rescue the dolphin and transport it for medical treatment by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Compiled courtesy of verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com, Globes and other news sources.

Israel Photo of the Week

Big-Screen Perspective

sraeli filmmaker Eran Riklis is interviewed by Bob Bahr during the Atlanta opening weekend of his film “A Borrowed Identity” at the UA Tara Cinemas 4. Riklis is completing a three-week period as an artist in residence at Emory University with a free lecture on the topic “Of Conflict and Optimism: My Personal Cinematic Voyage” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Carlos Museum.

minyans go back in time — y’know, God…creation of the world… groups of Jews praying together. But let’s just start at the beginning…of this New Year!

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Join us for minyans -- an untraditional approach to our High Holiday tradition. Interactive, with fewer prayers, more perspective. Inspiring stories, Q&A, & more.

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minyans is free. (Contributions? Sure!) After services, chill…join us for lunch (optional) at a host family in the hood, they like guests. Ba-na-nas? Longshot. Apples? Dipped in honey…yes, please.

PLEASE

SIMCHAS

Wedding Wien-Feder

Share Your Simchas

The Atlanta Jewish Times wants the entire community to join in the joy of those special lifecycle moments in your life, so we happily run your birth, b’nai mitzvah, engagement, wedding, and milestone birthday and anniversary announcements free of charge. Submit your simcha announcements through our all-new website at atlantajewishtimes.com/submit-a-simcha, or email your information with a high-resolution photograph to editor@atljewishtimes.com.

The future is now. Visit today. Women’s Open House and Israel Fair Sunday, November 15, 2015 Stern College for Women Sy Syms School of Business Beren Campus Men’s Open House and Israel Fair Sunday, November 22, 2015 Yeshiva College Sy Syms School of Business Wilf Campus RSVP at www.yu.edu/open-house

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arol Anne Wien and Charles Edward Feder were married Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Atlanta in an intimate ceremony officiated by Rabbi Judith Beiner. Jonah Katz, the bride’s grandson, a student at the Epstein School, was the ring bearer. The couple first met in 1962 when the bride, the former Carol Anne Rosenberg, then 16 years old, was a high school student in Batavia, N.Y., and the groom was 18 and bound for college. After going their separate ways for more than three decades, the couple reunited in 1998. Their marriage was the fulfillment of a Photo by Bobi Dimond, Creative Photography vow made by Mr. Feder in 1965: “Someday I will marry you.” Ms. Wien, 69, is an instructor at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Emory University and previously taught at Georgia Perimeter College and the Art Institute of Atlanta. She attended Syracuse University and graduated from the University of Miami. She also received two master’s degrees from Florida International University, one in art education and the other in special education; holds a degree in interior design technology from Miami Dade College, and is the author of “The Great American Log Cabin Quilt Book.” She is the daughter of Mary Lewis Rosenberg and the late Dr. Charles Alan Rosenberg of Boca Raton, Fla. The bride’s father had a distinguished career as a physician, medical researcher and administrator, having served as assistant chief medical director for policy and planning for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and as professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Miami School of Medicine. The bride’s mother retired as a special education teacher for the New York State School for the Blind. Mr. Feder, 71, recently retired from the practice of law, where he focused primarily on commercial real estate and affordable housing. He also worked as a Detroit city planner and assistant professor of sociology at Wilberforce University and Wilmington College. Before moving to Atlanta from Michigan, he was an active participant in electoral politics, community organization, urban economic development and affordable housing in furtherance of his interest in civil and human rights. Among his most treasured experiences was participation in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. He holds a bachelor’s from Michigan State University, a master’s from Purdue University and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School. Mr. Feder is the son of Trudy Feder of Encinitas, Calif., and the late Joseph Feder. His parents founded and operated a successful retail lighting business in Albany, N.Y., before retiring to California. The bride’s two children, Joshua (Nicole) Wien and Sydney (Howard) Katz, live in Atlanta, as do her four grandchildren, Madeline and Alex Wien and Jonah and Caroline Katz. The groom’s son, Robert Feder, lives in Detroit. ■

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vcuy vbak L’Shana Tova 5776

LOCAL NEWS

Biden’s Wait Goes On

Vice president defends the Iran deal, delays a presidential decision at AA By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

Wishing you a sweet and happy New Year!

A proud affiliate of:

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Wishing you a sweet New Year. L'Shana Tovah

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Congregation Anshi S''fard, the little shul with the heart, invites you to join us for High Holiday Services. No tickets required.

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whole soul to this endeavor, it would not be appropriate.” Biden said he will not decide based on the other people in the race, his ability to raise money and or his opportunity to build a campaign organization. “Can I do it? Can my family undertake what is an arduous commitment that we’d be proud to undertake under normal circumstances? But the honest-toG-d answer is I just don’t know.” Biden said he doesn’t know wheth-

ice President Joe Biden kept a crowd of more than 1,000 people waiting at Ahavath Achim Synagogue on Thursday night, Sept. 3. They had to wait for his arrival. The 27th Fran Eizenstat and Eizenstat Family Annual Lecture was scheduled for 7:30, and despite having to park remotely, take shuttle buses and pass through several layers of security, most reached their seats by 7. An announcement at 7:35 said the program would begin shortly, but Biden didn’t walk onto the bimah until 8:15. Lecture sponsor Stuart Eizenstat blamed a National Security Council meeting. They had to wait for him to address the Iran nuclear deal. Biden’s roughly onehour speech focused on foreign policy, but it took him half an hour to reach the issue that has dominated discussion in the Jewish community. Finally, they had to wait to learn whether it was a stump speech for a presidential campaign. Biden talked about his vision for the United States for the rest of the 21st century but didn’t say anything about his plans Photos by Michael Jacobs until Eizenstat asked him after the speech. Top: Vice President Joe Biden delivers the Fran The answer did not Eizenstat and Eizenstat Family Annual Lecture at settle the question of Ahavath Achim Synagogue on Thursday, Sept. 3. Bottom: After introducing him as “the 47th president whether the 72-year-old of the United States,” Stuart Eizenstat welcomes Democrat will challenge Vice President Joe Biden to the lectern. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders for the presidential nomination, but it provided the er he can make a decision in time to most emotional moments of the night. run. Democratic debates start in Octo“The most relevant factor in my ber. The Iowa caucuses are Feb. 1. decision is whether my family and I Eizenstat, who introduced Biden have the emotional energy to run,” said as “the 47th president of the United Biden, whose son Beau died of brain States” (Barack Obama is the 44th), said cancer at age 46 on May 30. “Some America needs his friend to remain might think that is not appropriate. involved regardless of his decision beBut unless I can go to my party and cause of the knowledge and experience the American people and say that I am he displayed throughout his speech. able to devote my whole heart and my Saying that W.B. Yeats’ phrase for

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LOCAL NEWS not be fast or easy, “the scourge” of the Islamic State will be destroyed. Biden emphasized that the United States no longer faces an existential threat, but he acknowledged the same is not true for Israel, which could be destroyed by a nuclear-armed Iran. He argued that the Iran deal is vital because it dramatically reduces the risk of Iran developing such weapons. Biden said he takes a back seat to no one in his commitment to Israel,

and he was the administration skeptic throughout the negotiations. But “there is no better deal that could be had.” He said Iran’s nuclear program will be delayed at least a decade, and if Iran ever moves toward a bomb, the United States will have better intelligence with which to apply all of the same options available now. Biden said he understands the view that the Iranian regime is too vile for any deal. He just wishes opponents

were honest with themselves that they wouldn’t accept any deal. He also said the U.S.-Israel relationship will not suffer lasting harm from the disagreement over Iran and that the allies will soon be working on enhancements to Israel’s defense. Biden said Israel has no greater friend in the United States than Obama. “This president has done more to advance Israel’s security than any president in history.” ■

A Most Jewish Catholic

Vice President Joe Biden’s appearance at Ahavath Achim Synagogue wasn’t all about foreign policy and domestic politics. Wearing a kippah, he had time for some Judaism during his 90 minutes on the bimah. When Biden asked him for a kippah, Stuart Eizenstat said, he answered, “You’ve been to synagogue so much, there must be one from your bar mitzvah.” Eizenstat noted that Biden had been asked to speak at the funeral of Jewish New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who had called Biden “the only Catholic Jew.” Biden appeared to sing along with “Hatikvah” when Mindy Margolis performed the Israeli national anthem. After his question-and-answer session with Eizenstat, the vice president took a couple of minutes to explain that he’s the only Irish Catholic father to have his dream come true by seeing his daughter marry a Jewish surgeon. She signed her ketubah in a rectory, he said, and the wedding took place under a chuppah in a Catholic church with a priest and a rabbi. Biden said he asked his daughter to use his favorite hymn for the recessional. Instead, he got the “Hora.” Connecting the vice president’s appearance to the forthcoming High Holidays, Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal called Biden an ongoing example that people can make a difference in the world and secure their place in the Book of Life. “It is in our hands to make a difference,” Rabbi Rosenthal said. In presenting a mezuzah to Biden after his speech, Rabbi Neil Sandler said that despite disagreements within the Jewish community over the Iran deal and other issues, “all of us agree that you have been a tremendous exemplar to us.” Eizenstat said: “Joe Biden, you are a mensch.”

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the Easter Rising in Ireland in 1916, “a terrible beauty is born,” is more applicable to the world a century later, the Irish Catholic vice president said the world is at an inflection point full of more changes and more challenges than at any time since World War II. “We are on the cusp of a genuine resurgence if we seize the opportunity,” Biden said. He said North America has the resources to be the world’s energy epicenter for the rest of the 21st century, and the United States has the most capable fighting force in world history to go with the most skilled, most productive workforce in the world. If the United States makes the necessary investments in education and infrastructure and earns the world’s respect by recommitting to being a “shining city on a hill,” America will lead the world to new heights of peace and prosperity, Biden said. The vice president said the United States will never hesitate to use its power when necessary, but “not every problem in the world is about us.” The United States will help friends in areas such as the Middle East but won’t do all the fighting for them. For example, he said, while the effort will

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LOCAL NEWS

New Rabbi Finds Home in New Orleans By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

twentysomething Atlanta native is getting her start as a rabbi by reaching out to young adults in a city she loves, but it’s not Atlanta. Instead, Reform Rabbi Alexis Pinsky is back in New Orleans, where she attended Tulane University and which she fell in love with in her teens while brother Michael was a Tulane student.

“Something takes ahold of you here,” said Rabbi Pinsky, who was ordained in the spring, five years after graduating from Tulane in three years with a degree in psychology and Jewish studies. “It worked out perfectly that I was able to come back.” It worked out in part because, 10 years after Hurricane Katrina, the Jewish population in the New Orleans area has reached 10,300, about 800 more than before the storm. Most newcom-

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ers are in their 20s, 30s and 40s and ish experiences to people in the Jewish slow to affiliate with synagogues in community.” She’s developing programming as their new home. Congregation Gates of Prayer, one she meets with young adults, and she’s of four synagogues in suburban Me- happy to have the support of her new congregation in getting her tairie, responded by adding peers involved in Jewish life. a second rabbi to focus on Rabbi Pinsky said she young-adult outreach. met Rabbi Loewy while she “This is a new position was in rabbinical school that was created specificaland got to know him and ly for us to be able to have the Gates of Prayer coma younger rabbi who would munity better when she be able to relate to younger visited three years ago for a components of our Jewish Shavuot program and when community,” said Rabbi Rabbi Loewy led a confirRobert Loewy, who has led mation class on a trip to Gates of Prayer for more Rabbi Alexis Pinsky New York two years ago. than 30 years. Those kids are high school seniors He said a major part of Rabbi Pinsky’s job is to engage couples and sin- now. When she was their age, Rabbi gles in their 20s and 30s where they are Pinsky said, she didn’t know she would living. She said that means extending be a rabbi, but she was on that path. At Tulane, Rabbi Pinsky taught Gates of Prayer’s reach beyond the synagogue and into the city so “a variety religious school with the two Uptown of people can come and do something Reform congregations and led Reform services at Hillel. She realized that she Jewish-oriented in an accessible way.” She might hold a Shabbat gather- loved to teach and wanted a pulpit. “Everything totally came together ing at a downtown art gallery one week and at an Uptown location the next. in college” to lead her to the rabbinate, She’s organizing a Rosh Hashanah she said. The daughter of Debbie and Richwine-and-cheese event at City Park. “There are so many young people ard Pinsky and younger sister of Mark to reach out to,” she said. “There is so Pinsky, who like her parents is still in much young life,” combining people the Atlanta area, and Michael Pinsky, who moved to the city directly, drawn who is finishing a urology residency at by the opportunity to help rebuild a Tulane, Rabbi Pinsky grew up at Temgreat city, and those who attended Tu- ple Sinai in Sandy Springs. She said Sinai Rabbi Brad Levlane and either stayed after graduation or, like Rabbi Pinsky, managed to find enberg, who was the first freshly ordained rabbi she got to know, became a their way back. “My goal at this point isn’t to have role model while she was at Riverwood people connect with a specific syna- International Charter School and regogue, just connect with Judaism,” said mains a valuable mentor and friend. “At this point, I’m really living out Rabbi Pinsky, emphasizing that her efforts aren’t in competition with the two what I want to do” by teaching, creatReform congregations in Uptown New ing an exciting community and engagOrleans, Temple Sinai and Touro Syna- ing with Judaism, Rabbi Pinsky said. gogue. “It’s just bringing positive Jew- “This is great.” ■

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LOCAL NEWS

Justice, Justice, Too Many Can’t Find By Kevin Madigan kmadigan@atljewishtimes.com

vide a holistic representation for the whole client. Can we find them services, medication? Are they going to lose ow does the criminal justice their housing?” system affect minority groups? She derided the lack of funding That was the question raised and said the government is good at beduring a panel discussion Thursday, ing reactive but not proactive. Gideon’s Aug. 27, hosted by the American Jew- Promise is looking for ways to support ish Committee’s ACCESS young profes- people with mental health and subsionals group and the Georgia Associa- stance abuse issues. tion of Latino Elected Officials. “We need counselors to help conThe New York Times says 1,000 vince our clients to get the help they people have been killed by police since need, and from whom,” Askia said. the events in Ferguson, Mo., a year ago. Georgia House Minority Leader “That gives you an idea of the scope of Stacey Abrams (D-Atlanta) said Medwhat we face,” said moderator Kent Al- icaid expansion would go a long way exander, a former AJC president. toward addressing mental health probOne problem is criminal repre- lems by expanding health coverage sentation, he to uninsured said. “If you’re minorities. indigent and The federal Afyou don’t have fordable Care money, you Act gave states don’t have the option to rights. It’s hard expand Medto believe.” icaid at federal Pa n e l i s t expense for Photo courtesy of Rusky Productions Ilham Askia, several years, Decatur police Lt. Jennifer Ross (left) and legal a co-founder with the states defense organization Gideon’s Promise co-founder of defense later picking Ilham Askia listen to immigration lawyer Mark reform orgaup a small perNewman, who says the media overplay crime by nization Gide- immigrants and ignore crime against immigrants. centage of the on’s Promise, cost. Georgia has devoted opted against the expansion. her career to defending those rights. “Every person in this room is rep“What would have happened to those resented by a state legislator. Demandindividuals had they survived? They ing Medicaid expansion is not a partiwould have been arrested, processed san issue,” Abrams said. and probably given a public defender,” Immigration lawyer Mark NewAskia said. “Yes, those deaths are tragic, man, who has a Cuban mother, said the but there are tens of thousands being national media misrepresent Hispanarrested every day. What happens after ics in crime reporting. “When you folthey’re arrested? We never talk about low these incidents in the media, what that conveyor belt, that processing of gets much more play is those situations people, but think about the lives that where the Hispanic is the perpetrator. are losing their liberties in the system.” There is very little coverage involving Decatur police Lt. Jennifer Ross Hispanic victims.” echoed that concern. “It’s a like a Abrams said the legislature should hamster wheel, or you’re in the drive- do more to fix problems in the system, through lane for fast food. It’s like but the public needs to step up and speed dating. You get five minutes to speak out. “Politicians are like 15-yearmeet the client in the hallway, and then old girls: We respond to money, peer you rush into court.” pressure and attention,” she said. “UnShe said not all expectations can til we are held accountable, the issues be met. “We are not the Band-Aids for don’t change. It’s like what happened every social problem. That has to come in Ferguson, where more than 100 bills from social change. We can’t moderate were filed following Michael Brown’s every neighborhood dispute, but there murder, but only two of them made it is a benefit to mediating between peo- through the legislature. That’s because ple rather than arresting them.” even though people were very unhappy Mental health plays a part as well. and righteously indignant, they did not Askia said one in three of her clients hold the legislature accountable for suffers from mental illness. “We pro- making the necessary changes.” ■

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LOCAL NEWS

Atlanta’s Jewish Moms Gather Online, in Person By Mindy Rubenstein mrubenstein@atljewishtimes.com

n online group connecting local Jewish moms has topped 1,100 members since it began in 2011. The group spans the spectrum of religious observance and bridges the invisible gap that can occur in the real world. Because, after all, a Jewish mom is a Jewish mom. As the Facebook group’s cover photo touts, “We don’t do calm.” The questions and posts on the Jewish Moms of Atlanta page run the gamut of what Jewish moms may want to know, from seeking a mohel to making carpool connections to repurposing furniture. Business Tuesday gives members of the group the opportunity to promote their businesses each week, and the group has a business directory members can access. Other files for the group include baby sitters and nannies, lists of activities for children, and part-time job postings. “The group has grown exponentially, especially the last three or

four months,” JMOA orsaid group coganizers also founder Keri served kosher Kaufmann, wine and rewho lives in freshments, inBuckhead. “It’s cluding wraps, really just word cheese, olives of mouth.” and brownies. What startThe food, which ed with a couple was pas and moms keeps cholov Yisrael, growing as was provided people connect by the Spicy their friends, Peach, a kosaid co-founder sher specialty Nicole Wiesen, store; the wine Jewish Moms of Atlanta co-founders Nicole who lives in came from KoWiesen (left) and Keri Kaufmann Toco Hills. The sher Gourmet. moderators Wiesen said spend an hour or two each day manag- she wanted to make sure that everying and updating the online group. one who attended could partake, even Not everything is done online. though many of the moms do not adDuring a recent JMOA event at the Loft here to strict kosher standards. in Lenox Square, about 35 women gathThe women in the group are ered to shop and schmooze. The store spread from Atlanta to Alpharetta and offered attendees 40 percent off, and Sandy Springs to Kennesaw. the event was held after the mall closed According to its site: “The intent of so the women could shop in relative this group is to provide a place where peace in quiet. Jewish moms in Atlanta can feel a sense

of community … your source for fun activities around town, your own ‘coffee talk’ about, well, almost anything (especially mommy stuff), and a place to ask questions or share great ideas!” Kaufman said they want to include all affiliations intown and around the outskirts. “Atlanta is a huge city, and we wanted to bring everybody together to talk about one purpose — to talk about being a Jewish mom.” The most common question is about brit milah. Women also discuss the Jewish holidays, arrange play dates and meetings, and make recommendations for things like music lessons and after-school activities. Even on controversial topics, such as vaccinations, everyone gives a thoughtful response. “I can count on one hand the number of times I have had to moderate,” Kaufmann said. The Facebook group is listed as “secret,” so women must be added by a friend or request membership through a message to the moderators. They also can email jewishmomsofatlanta@ gmail.com. ■

L’Shana Tova!

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Ahavath Achim Synagogue A dynamic, egalitarian, Conservative congregation that inspires our members to forge strong connections with God, Jewish life, Israel and our community.

Ahavath Achim Synagogue | 600 Peachtree Battle Avenue, NW | Atlanta, GA 30327 | 404.355.5222 | aasynagogue.org

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LOCAL NEWS

Spicing Up the South

Spicy Peach brings pizzazz to kosher shopping By R.M. Grossblatt

Photos by R.M. Grossblatt

couple from Sandy Springs packing their car with groceries in the Kroger Toco Hills parking lot recently were asked why they were shopping so far from home. “We come for Spicy Peach,” the wife said. They aren’t the only ones. Customers looking for unique kosher groceries drive from across the metro area to shop at the Spicy Peach, which opened a year and a half ago under Atlanta Kashruth Commission supervision. Others travel from Savannah, Birmingham, Charleston, Charlotte and Nashville to shop at the specialty store. Walking into the Spicy Peach is like visiting a food museum. Shelves are stocked with canned and packaged foods from Israel and around the world. Customers are treated to a huge display of kosher cheeses, a fresh salad bar and the taste of soft ice cream. The store is packed with such items as gluten-free challah and apple pie and a famous schmaltz herring from Brooklyn.

Top left: The Spicy Peach is owned by (from left) Jodi Wittenberg, Tzippy Teller and Lydia Schloss. Right: The store has a reputation for good customer service from employees such as Ben Pepper. Bottom left: Yochanon Goldman, shopping with his daughter, says the Spicy Peach helps keep him in the Atlanta area.

Unlike most kosher groceries, the Spicy Peach is owned by women: Lydia Schloss, Jodi Wittenberg, and Tzippy Teller, Schloss’ daughter. Schloss described all of them as foodies. Schloss has catered the past 30 years. In the 1980s she and her hus-

band, Rabbi Norman Schloss, owned Norm’s Place, a kosher fleisig restaurant off Briarcliff and LaVista roads. Also off LaVista was Return to Eden, owned by Wittenberg’s parents while she was attending the Hebrew Academy. Later she and her husband, Josh, bought and ran the health food store, but they gave it up about eight years ago. Around the time Wittenberg was selling kosher cheeses out of her ga-

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rage, Schloss was packaging candy trays and marketing them on consignment. Neither business was booming, so Teller suggested that Wittenberg, her Congregation Beth Jacob Sisterhood co-president, speak to her mother about opening a store. The idea for a specialty kosher grocery was born, and Teller became the youngest partner. To brand themselves, they connected to Georgia and added pizzazz by calling themselves the Spicy Peach. The owners realized many people have trouble spelling spicy. So on a snow day in January 2014, when customers had to walk to the store to celebrate its opening, the owners wore black T-shirts emblazoned with the message “How Do You Spell Spicy?” But as playful as they might be, the three women are serious about making their business work. They place special orders for customers and are constantly on the lookout for new products. For Rosh Hashanah, they offer sheva minim (seven species) ideas (symbolic foods eaten on the first night), gift baskets and hostess gifts, and unusual products including Ricki’s baked goods from Memphis and silan (date honey). With an Israeli chef, they cater Rosh Hashanah meals, b’nai mitzvah parties, weddings and other occasions from Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael’s kitchens. When the Spicy Peach opened, Kroger sent over a delegation to see what was going on. Schloss assured them that the stores weren’t competitors because the Spicy Peach was mostly stocking different items. In fact, if the Spicy Peach doesn’t carry an item, the owners often refer customers to Kroger and other local establishments. With their goodwill ethics, creativity and hard work, Schloss, Wittenberg and Teller continue to attract regular customers from all over. Yochanon Goldman, a Sandy Springs resident who has lived in metro Atlanta for two years and was shopping at the store on a Monday in August, said, “Without Spicy Peach, I’d be ready to move back to New York.” ■

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Eric Lichtblau The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler’s Men Thursday, October 1, 2015 J 8:00 pm

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

For the first time, once-secret government records and interviews tell the full story not only of the Nazi scientists brought to America, but also of the German spies and con men who followed them and lived for decades as ordinary citizens.

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ROSH HASHANAH

Immersed in a Dream

he coming of a new year always carries a sense of optimism and hope; how especially true does that feel for MACoM (Metro Atlanta Community Mikvah) this Rosh Hashanah? After much dreaming, planning and generous community support, we are just two months away from opening our doors. MACoM is an independent, pluralistic mikvah whose goal is to provide a safe, warm and welcoming ritual space for all who enter, no matter their identity, background, affiliation or purpose. Our name comes from a line in Genesis, “Let the waters be gathered to a single place (macom),” and this is indeed how we envision this mikvah: as a gathering point for the various streams of the Atlanta Jewish community. MACoM will be not just a place for many kinds of people, but also a place for many kinds of experiences. Some will come to MACoM for a customary immersion, as when converting to Judaism, before a wedding, after a woman’s monthly cycle, or before Shabbat or other Jewish holidays. Others will visit our mikvah to mark an important lifecycle moment, like a milestone birthday or becoming a bar or bat mitzvah. Still others will turn toward this mikvah as a source of comfort and healing when facing a

difficult life situation. MACoM is dedicated to promoting the use of mikvah in all these varied contexts and will have a full range of

Guest Column By Abby Horowitz MACoM Executive Director

resources — including trained guides and a liturgy bank — to help people have meaningful ritual encounters. Immersions are just one facet of what we’ll do at MACoM. We’ll have an array of educational programs, from classes in writing your own liturgy to traditional text study to a panel about the role of mikvah in Season 3 of “Orange Is the New Black.” MACoM will be a place not just for immersion, but also for in-depth study, cultural exploration and spiritual growth. We hope you’ll join us for our community ribbon-cutting Sunday, Nov. 15, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Or visit us at www.atlantamikvah.org to schedule an immersion, sign up to become a volunteer mikvah guide, or learn more about getting involved. May this year bring sweetness and blessings to our endeavors as we set out to be a macom kadosh (holy space) for Jewish Atlanta. Shana tova. ■

Looking to Support Youth

he mission of SOJOURN: Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity is to promote understanding, acceptance and inclusion of individuals across the entire spectrum of gender and sexual orientation through education, outreach and advocacy. Most of our programs, reaching 3,000 people in the past year, were in larger groups. Over 5776, we plan to increase our work with more youth by creating a leadership program that will culminate in an interfaith youth retreat at Camp Ramah Darom next fall. The Welcoming Communities Project has been so successful here in Atlanta, in Birmingham and in the other Southern cities we have consulted with. An expansion to more cities will enhance lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusion practices

within Jewish organizations in our unique Southeast region. With the advent of marriage equality, there are opportunities to highlight other significant issues, such as gender/transgender experiences (violence, discrimination, health care

Guest Column By Rebecca Stapel-Wax SOJOURN Executive Director

access). There is also important legislation to create a hate-crimes bill and to resume the fight against the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This past spring our Jewish community was pivotal in stopping that discriminatory legislation, and it is likely we will have to work together again to keep it gone for good. ■

ROSH HASHANAH

Intown Havurah Shifts Service to First Day By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

for a third year persuaded Rabbi Crane to move the service to the first day. When planning the community avurah is defined as an inti- gathering, Rabbi Crane spoke with a mate group of like-minded core group of havurah members and Jews who assemble for the pur- asked them what the most important poses of facilitating Shabbat and holi- aspects of Rosh Hashanah services are. day prayer services, sharing commu“Certain values and experiences nal and lifecycle events, and learning. rose to the top: interactive, kid- and Atlanta Havurah, with more than family-friendly, engaging, egalitarian,” 100 members, is hosting its third annu- he said. “I took pieces of each to weave al Rosh Hashanah together a service Service: Havurah that draws from Style on Monday, the four channels Sept. 14, in Decaof mainstream tur. Judaism: Reform, Meeting in Reconstructionist, intown neighborConservative and hoods, includOrthodox.” ing Candler Park, Rabbi Crane Winnona Park created a mahzor and Oakhurst, Rabbi Jonathan Crane, an Emory ethicist (prayer book) that Atlanta Havurah by day, leads the Atlanta Havurah service. pulls together all has grown rapidly types of Judaism since its first Havdalah potluck more “to honor traditional liturgy with crethan seven years ago. What started ative and interpretive liturgy,” he said. as several families getting together “It incorporates my own appreciation monthly is a treasured community in of Judaism and diverse ways in engagwhich the young and old are at home. ing in community celebrations. Also, A cross-section of Jewish life is my vision of what being a rabbi means: evident in a havurah this size. Some to open up to all Jews regardless of members are “nonsynagogue people,” their upbringing.” while others belong to Shearith Israel The mahzor and service are de(Conservative) or Bet Haverim (Recon- signed to invite Jews of all stripes to structionist) and work or volunteer encounter the liturgy, text and themes with Ahavath Achim (Conservative). of the High Holidays. With the help of Many work in the Jewish commu- a leadership team, Rabbi Crane created nity as shop owners, religious school a service that is engaging and inteldirectors and educators. The havurah lectually stimulating for adults, offers complements Jewish life. educational opportunities for children, The past two years the group or- and brings together Torah and Rosh ganized a second-day Rosh Hashanah Hashanah celebrations. service in Decatur. In 2013, 100 people “My goal is to teach, engage and attended the service, followed by a pot- empower you in Jewish knowledge and luck lunch. In 2014, attendance grew to competency,” he said. “It is imperative 180 people praying, singing, learning to offer diverse ways for Jews to find and socializing. community and engage in liturgical Rabbi Jonathan Crane, the Schin- celebration of holidays.” ■ azi junior scholar of bioethics and Jew- More High Holiday options, Page 54 ish thought at Emory University’s CenWhat: Rosh Hashanah Service: Havurah ter for Ethics, is a havurah member and Style the spiritual leader of the service. Where: Decatur Recreation Center, 231 “People could not speak highly Sycamore St., Decatur enough of the experience after the first year,” he said. “They loved the sense of When: 9:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14 community and doing something new.” Tickets: $25 for adults, $18 for Two factors influenced the timing: children (nearly sold out at press time); www.eventbrite.com/e/3rdSecond-day services seemed logical beannual-rosh-hashanah-havurah-stylecause havurah members spent the first tickets-17773901217 day with family, and Rabbi Crane was More: Babysitting and children’s services under contract for High Holidays at a are available by age group. A potluck synagogue outside Atlanta. lunch follows services. Enthusiasm and a call to try again

Photos (Broadway cast): Joan Marcus and Chris Callis

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The Fox Theatre FoxTheatre.org/JerseyBoys 855-285-8499 Groups (10+) Save! Call: 404-881-2000

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

October 6-11 AJT 25

ROSH HASHANAH

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Reform Prayer Book Arrives for Holidays By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com A new guest is appearing in pews across metro Atlanta synagogues: “Mishkan HaNefesh,” the Reform movement’s new mahzor (holiday prayer book), published in time for this year’s High Holidays. Piloted in 2011 by the CCAR Press, “Mishkan HaNefesh” (“Sanctuary of the Soul”) is replacing the well-known “Gates of Repentance” mahzor, originally published in 1978. Unlike the onevolume “Gates of Repentance,” “Mishkan HaNefesh” comes in a two-volume set: gold for Rosh Hashanah and silver for Yom Kippur. The new mahzor is more inclusive and progressive and allows rabbis to pick and choose prayers, concepts and commentaries that fit their congregations. According to the Central Conference of American Rabbis, congregations that use the siddur (prayer book) “Mishkan T’filah,” which rolled out in 2007, want a mahzor that serves as a companion in the same style. Today’s

Jews, CCAR says, feel disconnected from prayer and from theological and ideological concepts that do not seem consistent with a contemporary sensibility. In response, “Mishkan HaNefesh” offers updated translations, essays, commentaries and poetry. About half the local Reform synagogues are using “Mishkan HaNefesh” this year. Temple Beth David in Snellville participated in the pilot program for “Mishkan HaNefesh” in 2013 and 2014 and is completing a three-year transition to the mahzor. “I like it because it incorporates more traditional elements. There has been an improvement in language and content,” Rabbi Robert Kirzner said. “I tried to introduce variation to experience different aspects of ‘Mishkan HaNefesh’ to figure out what works for our congregation and what we like.” The mahzor’s two-page-spread format reflects a traditional path on the right page and a creative approach on the left. Traditional texts and translations appear on white pages, alternative approaches are on gray pages, and

study and reflection pages are in blue. Rabbis thus can choose a combination of prayers and other materials to suit their congregations. The format also offers freedom to change the service from one year to the next. To cover the cost of about $45 per set, Beth David members were asked to purchase their own prayer books. “Given our size, to invest in the number of books required is beyond our ability,” Rabbi Kirzner said. Temple Sinai in Sandy Springs has introduced “Mishkan HaNefesh” with an adult education miniseries. Communications Director Kathy Powell said the three-part series addresses the layout and flow of the mahzor. A donation from the children of George and Eva Stern, founding members of Temple Sinai, covered the cost of 1,700 mahzor sets. George Stern was also a longtime board member and was involved with the ritual committee. Sinai Senior Rabbi Ron Segal serves as vice president of the CCAR board of trustees and was instrumental in developing the mahzor. Senior Rabbi Peter Berg of The Temple in Midtown served on the editorial board for “Mishkan HaNefesh.” He said it was a seven-year project near to his heart. “It’s a beautiful, inspiring, meaningful prayer book. It has an integrated theology, and there is something for you regardless of where you are on the theological spectrum. Like choose your own adventure, you can find new and exciting things every time you open it up,” Rabbi Berg said. “The prayer book also has neat innovations; instead of sounding the shofar in one place, we spread it out over three different places in the service.” ■

Photos courtesy Temple Sinai

Top: Rabbi Ron Segal leads one of three classes held by Temple Sinai to introduce the new Reform mahzor. Second down: The new Reform mahzor, “Mishkan HaNefesh,” comes in two volumes, gold for Rosh Hashanah and silver for Yom Kippur. Third Photo: Temple Sinai has 1,700 copies of the mahzor — 3,400 books — thanks to a donation from the children of George and Eva Stern. Bottom: Bunzl Family Cantorial Chair Beth Schafer sits with one of the workers supplied by Jewish Family & Career Services to unpack and label the new mahzors.

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

5 Things to Know About ‘Mishkan HaNefesh’

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1. A digital version is expected to roll out in 2016. 2. More than 300 congregation and chavurot tested the mahzor from 2011 to 2014. Their feedback was crucial to the 2015 version. 3. Feminist and LGBTQ-friendly terms are included in prayers. For example, instead of “bride and groom,” “Mishkan HaNefesh” uses “the couple.” 4. Original artwork by Joel Shapiro is found throughout. His woodcuts are abstract, primal and up for interpretation. 5. Individuals are encouraged to explore and interpret freely before, during and after the holiday.

ROSH HASHANAH

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Food Sustains Family Memories to Atlanta in 1992. Irene knew her husband was aging, and she would need support from her daughter, Lisa Schwartz Gordon. Lisa was thrilled to have her parents move to Atlanta, and they bought a house within walking distance in Dunwoody. Although Abe has passed away, Irene continues to prepare Rosh Ha-

Enrichment for Life By Jeff Taratoot jefft@acahomecare.com

shanah dinner. Her favorite is matzah ball soup, which she got from a cookbook with a copyright date of 1947. When describing her mom’s soup, Lisa says, “The smell is just delicious and fills the entire house.” I too have been blessed by HaShem. When I was growing up, my mom, Bunnie, was a gifted cook. For the past 20-plus years, my wife, Esther, has prepared the family Rosh Hashanah meals. Esther sets the most beautiful table, with a crisp white tablecloth my grandmother made, each plate decorated with a whole fresh red apple, a side of honey, with yellow and white flowers, all served on fine china that is used only for the High Holidays. For me, the food and table represent new beginnings and a feeling that tonight is different, as well as a return to what matters in life: family and friends, life, and our Creator.

1 cup onion soup mix 2 large onions, sliced Water Sear the brisket on all sides on a cook top or stove. Pour water on the sides of the brisket in a pan (brisket should not be completely covered). Pour onion soup mix on the dry top of the brisket. Add the onions on top of the onion soup mix. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes until the onions are brown. Cover with foil and bake for 2½ hours. Slice and serve. Serves 15 to 18 people. Apple-Raisin Challah From Dianne Barron 1 cup warm water Pinch of sugar 2 tablespoons dry yeast ½ cup vegetable oil 3 eggs ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2½ teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 5-6 cups bread flour 2½ cups apples cut into ½-inch chunks Raisins Mixture of cinnamon and sugar

Mix the warm water with a pinch of sugar and the yeast and let sit until the yeast begins to bubble (about 5 minutes). Add to the yeast mixture the vegetable oil, 2 eggs, ½ cup sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Add the bread flour and mix until the dough is smooth but not dry. Shape into a ball, place in an oiled metal mixing bowl and cover with a warm towel. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size. For the filling, mix the apples with a light coating of sugar and cinnamon. Heat the raisins in the microwave for a few seconds in a bowl with your favorite liquor, then add to the apples. When the dough has risen, roll it out until it is approximately 1 inch in thickness. Press the apple-raisin mixture across the top of the dough. Turn it on itself to create a round form for the holidays. Place on a cookie tray lined with parchment paper or in a 10-inch spring-form pan. Mix the remaining egg and sugar and spread over the surface of the challah. Sprinkle cinnamon and coarse sugar on top if desired. Let rise until doubled, 1 to 1½ hours. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. ■ Irene Schwartz’s soup recipe, Page 72

Jeff Taratoot is the owner of A Caring Approach Home Care. Sweet Noodle Kugel From Lisa Berger Boardman 8-ounce package of wide noodles 4 eggs well beaten 1 cup cottage cheese Juice and grated rind of one lemon ¼ pound melted butter ½ cup sugar or sugar substitute 1 jar apricot preserves Cook and drain the noodles. Combine all the other ingredients except the preserves and mix with the noodles. Spray a casserole pan and place half the noodle mixture in it. Cover with the apricot preserves. Top with the remaining noodle mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Brisket From Robyn Crook Regenbaum 5-to-7-pound brisket

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

his Rosh Hashanah is bittersweet for native Atlantan Lisa Berger Boardman. Lisa grew up in the Emory area, attended Briarcliff High School and was active in BBG. In June, Lisa lost her mother, Robyn. As Rosh Hashanah approaches, Lisa is pleased that her mom spent time teaching her to cook. Robyn, being a very hands-on and loving mom, instilled the importance and value of family and spending the holidays together. Lisa describes the food as “always decadent and plentiful, and the memories are engraved in my mind for a lifetime.” Lisa knows Mom will be looking down and smiling as she makes sweet kugel for the High Holidays. Lisa will continue the tradition of being with her own husband and family, as well as her father, Marty; her sister, Lori; and maybe even her brother, Eric, who now lives in Philadelphia. When Robyn Crook Regenbaum was growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, her mother, Mona, taught her that community service was vital for the Jewish community to thrive. Years later, after she moved to Atlanta in 1994, married Allan and had three children, she became involved. Robyn has served on the board of the Atlanta Scholars Kollel, hosted many dinners of honor for Greenfield Hebrew Academy and Yeshiva Atlanta, served as Sisterhood president at Congregation Ariel, and is on the board for Jewish Women’s Connection of Atlanta. But Robyn’s priority has always been her family. When asked about the holidays, Robyn said they are her “passion. I like to plan my menus a full month before the holidays, and we typically host 20 to 25 people both nights of Rosh Hashanah as well as Sukkot, when Allan and Shawn (the youngest son) build our sukkah in the back yard.” Out of all the dishes Robyn prepares, brisket is her favorite because the recipe was handed down from her grandmother to her mother to her. Robyn’s mother died in 2014, and when Robyn prepares brisket, she does not mind sharing that happy tears flow as she thinks of her mom, family and friends in Atlanta and South Africa. Irene and Abe Schwartz moved from Paddock Hills in Cincinnati

AJT 27

ROSH HASHANAH

Donna and Michael Coles and Their Family Wish all of Our Friends a Happy and Most Importantly Healthy New Year

L’shana Tova Best wishes for a happy, healthy and fulfilling new year. May you be inscribed for blessing in the Book of Life!

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Temple Beth Tikvah 9955 Coleman Road Roswell, GA

AJT 28

770-642—0434 www.bethtikvah.com

Family Favorites For Holiday Feasts

he following recipes were collected by the AJT’s Marcia Caller Jaffe from caterers and other elite Atlanta-area cooks. Chopped Herring From Annette Marcus Catering 8 ounce jar of herring in onions, not cream sauce ½ medium apple, peeled and cored ½ medium onion 2 hard-boiled eggs 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ¼ cup white vinegar ½ to 1 slice rye bread Discard the onions from the herring, and place the herring in a colander. Run cold water over the fish. Drain well and pat the herring dry. Process the herring, apple, onion and eggs until coarsely chopped. Add sugar, oil, vinegar and rye bread, and process quickly until just blended. Taste for seasoning. Chill well and serve with rye bread or crackers. Makes about 2 cups. Chick Peas With Baby Spinach From Suzanne Hanein 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon cumin 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock or water 1 16-ounce bag baby spinach Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, tomato paste and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and the tomato paste has turned a darker color. Add the chickpeas and the stock or water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, stirring until each addition of spinach wilts. Add salt to taste and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add lots of freshly ground pepper, taste, adjust salt and cayenne, and serve. Another way to make this dish is to blanch the spinach separately in salted boiling water for 10 to 20 seconds, then transfer to a bowl of ice water, drain and squeeze dry. Add to the chickpeas as above, but stir together for only 2 to 3 minutes.

This dish can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated, but when you reheat, you’ll want to add a little more liquid. It can sit on top of the stove for a few hours. Beer Brisket From Susan Hart Sandler, who says this recipe is “my children’s favorite” 5 pounds whole boneless brisket 2 teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 onions (sliced) 4 ribs celery (cut in chunks) 1 bottle chili sauce ¼ cup water 1 can beer (room temperature) Place the beef in a roaster, fat side up, and season with salt and pepper. Put onions, celery and chili sauce over the beef. Add water to the bottom of the pan. Roast uncovered at 325 degrees, basting often, until brown, then cover. Continue baking 3 more hours, then pour beer over and cook for 1½ hours more or until tender. May be made a day ahead. Slice, then add water if needed when rewarming in beef gravy from roasting. If you make it a day ahead, place in the refrigerator overnight. It is easier to slice when cold. Then reheat before serving. Elke’s Baked Curry Chicken From Ellen Sontag 1 chicken, cut in eighths, cleaned, skinned, with all fat removed and discarded 2 Vidalia onions, sliced vertically as wedges, resliced, and resliced Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the onions into a foil lasagna pan, place the chicken pieces atop the onion, seal with aluminum foil, and put the pan into the preheated oven. For the sauce: 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced into ½-inch cubes Dried currants Golden raisins Black raisins Dry sherry (modest amount) Dry white wine (generous) Rice vinegar (just a splash) Honey Organic Sucanat raw cane sugar or brown sugar Curry powder Cinnamon Freshly ground black pepper Shelled pistachios While the chicken is baking for

ROSH HASHANAH

Hot Fruit Compote From Annette Marcus Catering 16 ounces pitted dried prunes 16 ounces dried apricots 1 large can pineapple chunks with juice (can use light sugar) 1 can cherry pie filling (can use light sugar) 1 cup sherry ½ cup toasted coconut, optional Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 2-quart oven-proof casserole and set it aside. Lightly combine the prunes and apricots and place then into the casserole. Pour the pineapple chunks and juice over the dried fruit. Lightly spread the contents of the cherry pie filling over all the fruit. Pour 1 cup of dry sherry over all. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes until bubbly and the dried fruit is soft. Top with toasted coconut if desired. Enjoy warm or chilled, over ice cream or yogurt, or alongside sliced cake. Carrot Ring From Susan Hart Sandler because “I am not a tzimmes lover” 2 cups carrots (grated) 1 cup margarine ½ cup brown sugar (packed) 1 egg, beaten 3 tablespoons orange juice 1½ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cinnamon Grate the carrots. Cream the margarine and sugar, and combine them with the egg, juice and dry ingredients. Blend in the grated carrots and place the mixture into an ungreased mold/ Bundt pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. For a carrot crunch cake, add ½ cup ground nuts before baking. Easy Apple Dump Crunch From Sherry Habif 4 cans water-packed apples, drained, or 6 large red delicious apples, peeled, seeded and sliced

Parve Duncan Hines spice cake mix ¾ cup light-brown sugar 2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts 1 stick parve margarine Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the apples in a 3-quart casserole sprayed with vegetable spray. Sprinkle the apples with the brown sugar. Sprinkle the cake mix on top. Put the chopped nuts over the cake mix. The mixture should fill the casserole. Melt the margarine and drizzle it evenly over the mixture in the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes until bubbly and the cake appears baked on top. Can be made earlier in the day and slightly warmed for serving. Serve with sweetened parve Coffee Rich whipped cream, parve soy ice cream or parve rice cream. Serves 10 to 12. Easy Peach Cobbler From Susan Lieberman Caller 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup sugar ¾ cup juice such as cranberry-grape 1 stick parve margarine 2 bags frozen fruit (peaches and blueberries or mixed berries) Cinnamon and additional sugar, mixed Melt margarine in a 9-by-12-inch baking dish. Mix the flour, sugar and juice, then pour the melted margarine

into the mixture. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and arrange the frozen fruit on top. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar that have been mixed together. Bake at 375 degrees for an hour. Can be served with parve ice cream or whipping cream. Honey Cake From Barbara Nathan 4 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 pound honey ½ cup warm water

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Scant tablespoon instant coffee (optional) ½ cup oil 12-ounce jar of strawberry preserves 3½ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon allspice Dash cinnamon ½ cup chopped nuts Mix the ingredients in order. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour in a greased pan. You can use 2 loaf pans or a tube pan; loaf pans are better. ■

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30 to 35 minutes, combine the liquid ingredients, honey, sugar, apple, dry ingredients and spices, and puree with an electric stir stick. Add the raisins and currants and mix. Pour the textured sauce over the chicken. Make sure that it is evenly spread over all the pieces, then sprinkle with the pistachios. Bake for approximately 30 more minutes until golden brown but not dry. Prepare white, basmati, jasmine or brown rice (4 cups cooked). When ready, sprinkle with slivered almonds, fresh orange peel cut in slivers, and a dusting of white sugar.

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AJT 29

ROSH HASHANAH

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Fiction: Asher, Mr. Wang and the Pomegranate By R.M. Grossblatt

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

AJT 30

sher grabbed his shofar from the shelf and practiced blowing it. The screechy sound hurt his ears. He put his mouth to the end of the ram’s horn and blew harder. This time only air came out. After two weeks of practicing shofar with his grandfather, Asher still couldn’t blow the right sounds. And now he didn’t even have a pomegranate to eat on the first night of Rosh Hashanah. “How can we have Rosh Hashanah without a pomegranate?” Asher asked his mother. Mrs. Levy, in her shiny black tap shoes, was setting the table with their best china. “We have apples to dip in honey for a sweet new year,” said Mrs. Levy, handing her son a golden fruit. Asher put it back. “Why are you tap dancing?” “I need to practice,” answered his mother. “Besides, it makes me happy.” “Well, I’m not happy that we don’t have a pomegranate,” said Asher. His mother hopped, shuffled and tapped from the dining room to the kitchen and dipped a spoon into a pot of black-eyed peas boiling on the stove. “Black-eyed peas are almost as good as a pomegranate,” she said. She blew on them, tasted a little and offered some to Asher. Asher shook his head and turned away. “But a pomegranate has 613 seeds like the mitzvahs in the Torah,” said Asher. “We can’t taste it and say, ‘May our merits increase like the seeds of a pomegranate.’ ” “I tried to find one,” said Mrs. Levy, “but the supermarket didn’t have any.” “How about the fruit stand?” said Asher. “None.” “The farmers market?” he asked. “I’m sorry, Asher,” said his mother, kissing him on the top of his head. “I’d like a pomegranate too, but I couldn’t find one anywhere.” Then she hopped, shuffled and tapped back to the dining room to finish setting the table. Asher flung open the screen door and walked outside to think. He sat in the wicker rocker and looked up at the sky. The sun was moving toward the west. Rosh Hashanah was coming, and his family didn’t have a pomegranate. The smell of jasmine tickled his nose, and tiny beads of perspiration popped out on his forehead. Although

it was September and still warm in the South, few pomegranates grew here. The supermarket didn’t have any. The fruit stand didn’t have any. Even the farmers market didn’t have pomegranates. Where could Asher find a pomegranate before sunset? Suddenly, he remembered Mr. Wang’s Oriental Market around the corner. He never wanted to go inside. Strange-looking plants grew in the window. Asher didn’t think they had pomegranates, but he had to try. He hopped on his bike and placed the shofar in his basket. Maybe if he kept the shofar with him, he would remember what his grandfather had said about pursing his lips to blow the right sounds. But first he had to find a pomegranate. “Mom,” he called through the screen door, “I’m riding my bike.” “Come back soon,” she said. “It’s almost sundown, and your father wants to be on time for shul.” Asher sped down the sidewalk and around the corner to Mr. Wang’s store. As he parked his bike, he could see the plants with tangled roots in the window. With the shofar under his arm, Asher took a deep breath and walked inside. Chinese herbs were growing in glass containers everywhere. Their roots looked like octopus tentacles, and their strong, sweet smell made Asher’s eyes tear. He almost turned and walked out, but the shofar under his arm reminded him that his family needed a pomegranate for the new year. Asher practiced pursing his lips as his grandfather had taught him and walked straight to the back of the store, where he found fruits and vegetables. Some he knew, but others were different from the ones in the supermarket. “Help you, son?” asked a man, cutting open a honeydew melon that looked like a cantaloupe inside. That must be Mr. Wang, thought Asher. “Just looking,” he answered. “Look at nice Chinese melon,” said Mr. Wang. “No, thank you,” said Asher, who spotted something else nearby. “What’s in that crate?” “Opo,” said Mr. Wang, putting the green squash in Asher’s hand. “Oh,” said Asher. “I thought it was the fruit I was looking for that hadn’t ripened yet.” Asher put his head down,

pursed his lips, and shifted the shofar under his arm. “Ah, ha,” said Mr. Wang. “Look in basket near opo.” “It’s empty,” Asher said. “Look again,” said Mr. Wang. Asher moved closer and tilted the basket. At the bottom, something leathery and red rolled toward him. “A pomegranate!” Asher exclaimed, catching the fruit for Rosh Hashanah. “Last one,” said Mr. Wang. “Please, may I buy it?” Asher asked, putting his hand in his pocket. “Sure,” said Mr. Wang. But when Asher took his hand out of his pocket, all he had was a Rosh Ha-

that sound, although he had heard it when his grandfather practiced with him and when the rabbi blew it in shul. But he really wanted to taste the juicy pomegranate on Rosh Hashanah and count the seeds. Asher looked out the window and saw the sun sinking lower in the sky. His parents would be waiting. So Asher put the tip of the shofar to his mouth and pursed his lips. Like before, a screech came out, then only air. He pursed his lips and tried again. This time, clear deep sounds burst forth. TEKIAH, SHEVARIM, TERUAH, TEKIAH — a long sound, then several short, quick notes, and another long one — just like his grandfather had

Photo by Johannrela via Flickr

Pomegranates are traditional for Rosh Hashanah.

shanah card from his teacher. “I forgot my money,” he said. “Can you hold it for me?” “Very valuable fruit; maybe someone else wants to buy it,” said Mr. Wang. “What can you give me for it?” “A New Year’s card?” asked Asher. “Too early,” said Mr. Wang. “Chinese new year comes between January and February. Is that ram’s horn under your arm?” Asher didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t give up his shofar for a pomegranate. The shofar was much more valuable. Besides, his grandfather had given it to him. Mr. Wang shook his head. “Don’t want ram’s horn for pomegranate, son — not fair deal. Just blow it for me. Like to hear special sound.” Asher didn’t know if he could make

made. Mr. Wang clapped his hands together and bowed slightly. “Thank you, son, for beautiful sound.” Then he gave Asher the plump pomegranate. “And thank you, sir, for the beautiful pomegranate.” Asher pedaled home as fast as he could. His mother was standing on the porch in her new dress, looking up and down the street. “Where were you?” she asked. “It’s almost Rosh Hashanah.” With one hand behind his back, Asher hopped, shuffled and tapped toward his mother. Then he handed her the fruit. “A pomegranate!” said his mother. “Yes, a pomegranate!” said Asher. “And wait till you hear me blow shofar.” ■

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AJT 31

ROSH HASHANAH

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Imagining a New Beginning

lmost a decade ago, Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue wrote a piece titled “For a New Beginning.” With the approach of Rosh Hashanah, that title grabbed my attention; after I read it, the content even more so: In out-of-the-way places of the heart, Where your thoughts never think to wander, This beginning has been quietly forming, Waiting until you were ready to emerge. For a long time it has watched your desire, Feeling the emptiness growing inside you, Noticing how you willed yourself on, Still unable to leave what you had outgrown. It watched you play with the seduction of safety And the gray promises that sameness whispered, Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent, Wondered would you always live

like this. Then the delight, when your courage kindled, And out you stepped onto new ground, Your eyes young again with energy and dream,

Guest Column By Rabbi Ron Segal Temple Sinai

A path of plenitude opening before you. Though your destination is not yet clear You can trust the promise of this opening, Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning That is at one with your life’s desire. Awaken your spirit to adventure; Hold nothing back, learn to find

ease in risk; Soon you will be home in a new rhythm, For your soul senses the world that awaits you. The author captures the personal challenges that seem to impede our change and growth — the inertia¸ anxiety and repeated promises that grudgingly find us each new year in a place of emotional and spiritual familiarity. But he also enables us to envision, quite beautifully and meaningfully, the potential blessings that await us, if only we will open ourselves to new possibilities. The Days of Awe provide us with the ideal frame in which to begin

Grant Expands B’nai Torah’s Inclusiveness

he High Holidays provide an opportunity for Congregation B’nai Torah members and guests to reflect on the Conservative Sandy

“The Orthodox Synagogue for ALL Jews”

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again. By examining our actions, considering the current state of our relationships, and reflecting upon the ways in which we have treated ourselves throughout this past year, we can seek to repair the places that are injured and thus unfurl ourselves into a new beginning and a new year that is at one with our truest selves. O’Donohue’s language is compelling and powerful. When we are honest with ourselves and others, “your soul senses the world that awaits you.” Rabbi Brad Levenberg, Rabbi Elana Perry, Rabbi Phil Kranz and Bunzl Family Cantorial Chair Beth Schafer join me in extending wishes for a shana tova u’metuka u’shleima — a good, sweet and peaceful 5776. ■

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Springs synagogue’s efforts to enact its commitment to inclusion. That work — apparent in renovations that have, for example, widened the sanctuary aisles, built ramps behind the ark and the central bimah, lowered the table for reading the Torah, installed a loop system for the hearingimpaired in the sanctuary and the beit midrash, and added signs with Braille as well as English and Hebrew — has been enhanced through B’nai Torah’s membership in the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s Ruderman Inclusion Action Community. B’nai Torah is one of 16 congregations selected and the only one south of Washington, D.C., and east of Texas. The congregation applied to share the benefits of a grant United Synagogue received from the Ruderman Family Foundation in August 2014. Rabbi Eytan Kenter said the 16 congregations are learning from and encouraging one another to do more to make all feel welcome. Being part of the national group has provided a certain level of accountability, he said. “We want to be a place where we celebrate those things that make us different,” Rabbi Kenter said. The grant runs through November. The members of the action community will discuss the grant during the United Synagogue biennial outside Chicago in mid-November. Rabbi Kenter said the hope is that Ruderman will renew the grant, “but we’ll continue anyway.” ■

ROSH HASHANAH

Time to Celebrate The World’s Birthday means they are not going to hide as Adam did, and they reply to G-d with a willing response, saying: “I am here. I am aware of Your presence, and I am ready to respond to the divine call.” On Rosh Hashanah we will also come to shul to hear the blasts of

Guest Column By Rabbi Mark Zimmerman Congregation Beth Shalom

the shofar. And when we hear these ancient notes, we are supposed to feel that same impact of G-d calling out to each of us. As Maimonides explains, the shofar is imploring us: “Awake, O you sleepers, from your slumber!” It is time to be stirred from your complacency. Another year has passed, and you have more work to do before your time on this earth ends. Our shabbatot, our holidays, our sacred texts, our schools and synagogues are all here to awaken the Jewish soul to the untapped potential that lies within us to lead a more divine, spiritually connected life. We are fortunate to have so many ways at our disposal to deepen that connection over the course of the coming year if we just listen and respond to G-d’s call. A Hasidic disciple once asked his master: “Rebbe, where is G-d to be found?” And the rebbe answered, “G-d is found wherever he is allowed in.” The possibility to live a meaningful and spiritual life is right there for the asking. We only have to decide to take a step and open that door in our lives. Once we say hineni to ourselves and embrace that spiritual potential within each one of us, our existence will blossom with deeper and more profound meaning. We accepted the Torah at Sinai and made a covenant with G-d not as individuals, but as a community. So my prayer this Rosh Hashanah is that we do not cut ourselves off from that community and that we do all we can to ensure that the story of the Jewish people continues to unfold for many generations to come. As we begin the new year, let us ask ourselves: Where are we? And let each of us respond not only in our hearts, but in our actions: Hineni — here I am. ■

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

n just a few days we will enter our synagogues on Rosh Hashanah and recite, “Hayom harat olam”: “Today is the birthday of the world.” What does it mean to see Rosh Hashanah as the world’s birthday? Well, I don’t believe it literally means that only 5,776 years ago the big bang exploded our universe into existence. That idea hasn’t made much sense since we discovered that the physical universe is billions of years old. But hayom harat olam may very well mean that it was precisely that many years ago when we began to forge a relationship with the Creator and contemplate the meaning and purpose of our existence. When we celebrate our own birthday or that of our children, it beckons us to think back over the years that have passed and to wonder what life will be like, what we will be like, when future birthdays come back around to greet us. Those are exactly the kinds of questions we are supposed to think about when we celebrate the world’s birthday. On Rosh Hashanah, however, we not only ponder what we will be like, but also contemplate what the world will be like and what part we can play in perfecting G-d’s creation and shaping a better world for all of humanity. Our troubled world is greatly in need of healing today. And our community, too often plagued by divisiveness, is in need of healing as well. When we read the story of creation in the Book of Genesis, the first question G-d asks Adam in the Garden of Eden is “Ayeka?” “Where are you?” Adam runs away from that question as he is trying in vain to hide from G-d’s probing presence. The author Leonard Fein explains: “If G-d knows all, then why did G-d have to ask Adam, ‘Where are you?’ ” Fein answers: “The question is a spiritual one, and the answer must be spiritual, too. It was asked not just of Adam, but of each of us, every day. Where are you? Where is your spiritual life?” Later in the Torah, G-d calls upon Abraham and Moses, and it is then that we learn a much better response for when G-d is searching you out: “Hineni” — “Here I am.” What does it mean when Abraham and Moses answer hineni? It

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ROSH HASHANAH

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s we prepare to begin a new year, everyone at Federation would like to extend our best wishes for a healthy, happy and peaceful shana tova. While most of us have used the expression, I am reminded each year that this greeting is an abbreviation for the phrase l’shana tova tikatev v’taihatem, which translates to “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year,” an aspiration extended to each of you and to our entire Jewish people. This past year has seen many challenges. The global rise in anti-Semitism is sadly a reality. We have seen many challenges in Europe, and we recount the terrorism that targeted Jews in Paris, as well as many documented attacks on Jewish individuals throughout France and much of the continent. Anti-Israel sentiment around the world and on our college campuses has grown increasingly more aggressive, moving beyond differences of political opinion and opposition to the

policies of the Israeli government. Dialogue takes on traditional anti-Jewish stereotypes and continues to find a welcoming audience among many. Fortunately, as a people with a strong Jewish homeland with enlightened supporters, we have the resources to push back, respond and prepare for these uncertain times.

Guest Column By Michael Horowitz Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta President and CEO

The proposed agreement with Iran has created challenges not expected. I am not referring to the deal itself or the pros and cons being debated. The concerns I raise relate to how the debate has so divided the Jewish community, along with unacceptable rhetoric from both sides. Healing that divide must be one of our primary agenda items in this new year. While the international arena

provided many topics for our headlines, the challenges we face every day continue. Will future generations be connected to Jewish life and the Jewish future? Will we be wise enough, warm enough and welcoming enough to make sure that choosing Jewish life and being part of the Jewish community have meaning to the majority of families, which are now created with one Jewish spouse and a partner from another religious background? At Federation, we seek to address these issues every day while making sure we never forget our most fundamental obligations to take care of those in need, those who confront life’s many obstacles daily. We are proud of the many accomplishments we achieved this past year. Once again, our committed donors, lay leaders, volunteers and professionals assessed needs, raised funds and determined how to allocate always-limited resources to our local and global partners and affiliates who deliver services and programs that meet the needs of our community in Atlanta and around the world.

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We helped care for Jews in need by: • Supporting financial independence with loans to almost 100 families in Atlanta and support to almost 300 families in distress in Israel. • Serving more than 11,000 elderly in Atlanta with wellness programs and 168,000 impoverished elderly in Russia and Eastern Europe. • Providing more than 300 at-risk children with after-school care in Yokneam-Megiddo. • Offering inclusion programs for thousands of people with special needs and inclusion services in preschools and supplementary schools. • Supporting almost 400 clients and providing another 400-plus emergency critical interventions. We helped build a strong Jewish future by: • Supporting education for over 2000 children in Jewish day schools and over 3,000 children in synagogue religious schools in Atlanta and in Minsk, Belarus. • Training hundreds of future and current Jewish community leaders in Atlanta, Minsk and Israel. • Serving 7,000-plus young adults and helping to send 1,470 kids to Jewish camp in Atlanta, Israel and Minsk. • Providing communitywide security, evaluation and lobbying services. • Providing over 300 Atlanta kids the opportunity to attend a Jewish overnight camp for the first time. We have many goals for the new year. We are planning a new community study, our first since 2006. We are working diligently to address the needs of teens whose journey from b’nai mitzvah through college often results in departing from Jewish life, and we continue to address identified needs that are not yet funded for the aging and those requiring basic human services and financial assistance. Rosh Hashanah coincides with the launch of our 2016 Community Campaign. While that campaign is the means by which we meet the needs I’ve mentioned and so many more, it is also an opportunity to ensure and strengthen our community today and in the future, to participate and make your impact. It is an opportunity to help thousands of people in Atlanta, in Israel and around the world who will never be able to say thank you for all of the good you’ve done. So on their behalf, let me thank you for all that you do. L’shana tova. ■

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ROSH HASHANAH

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Business Builds Ties Between U.S., Israel Brevity, The Soul Of S Fundraising

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

hana tova u’metuka from Conexx: America Israel Business Connector. As we turn to welcome a new year, it is traditional that we reflect on the year that has passed. Conexx is the premier America-Israel business connector. We’re a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization creating opportunities for Israeli businesses in the United States and for American businesses in Israel. With our powerful member-driven network, we provide businesses with access to groundbreaking technologies, companies and partners in the Southeast, Israel and beyond. There have been many significant and positive changes at Conexx. Over the past year our organization has worked hard to develop a new strategic plan that will help continue our path of growth and expansion. We are working even harder to engage our members and supporters and to be a strong presence in the entire Southeast. We’ve expanded our staff, created

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new and exciting programming, and improved upon our existing programs. But more important, we are continuing to strengthen the ties between our region and Israel through business. The past year has been a difficult

Guest Column By Guy Tessler Conexx: America Israel Business Connector President one for Israel. And while there are other organizations that defend and promote Israel, there is none that supports Israel the way that Conexx does. Over the past year Conexx has been proud to organize and lead business and economic missions to Israel. This past March, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed joined our cybersecurity mission, and the governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam, was just in Israel to discuss economic partnerships on a Conexxled mission. In addition, our South Carolina-Is-

rael Collaboration is looking forward to its fifth annual mission to Israel. We are constantly in touch with Israeli and U.S. businesses, institutions and leaders looking to expand or looking for partners or new technology. Our programming always focuses on Israel and the business and economic opportunities available there. It is not only our job to help create connections for these individuals, but also our great pleasure. All of these missions, programs and connections not only support Israel, but also actually have real, tangible results, from job creation and economic development to simply a greater awareness of Israel. As we approach the High Holidays, we hope for a peaceful and prosperous year for both Israel and the United States. Conexx will continue to strive to create opportunities for Israeli and U.S. businesses throughout Atlanta, the Southeast, Israel and beyond. Please join us in our mission to support Israel in a way you never thought possible. Chag sameach. ■

y esteemed and dedicated colleagues in these pages are going to wish you a healthy, happy and sweet new year. I do too, as genuinely and as passionately as they. — Jay Tenenbaum, region director, ORT America P.S. My Guest Column brevity is by By Jay Tenenbaum necessity. ORT America ReWhile we chergional Director ish each and every one of our supporters, and we let them know that every day, we still have so much work to do. So few Atlantans really understand what ORT does. It’s simple: ORT is the Jewish organization serving the world’s educational needs since 1880. Right now, there are 300,000 young people at risk in the more than 60 countries we serve, whose schools require me to help raise the money to give them a great education and a better future. Often, it is a future unavailable to them without ORT. Our recently adopted Atlanta project, the Hodayot Youth Village, is perhaps the best example of a school filled with young people who, without us, might be caught in a cycle of poverty or, worse, be relegated to the streets. It’s ironic at the High Holidays, as we pray to be inscribed in the Book of Life, that many of our students turn to us to provide a book in their life. I owe the hundreds, maybe thousands, of fundraisers who have worked for ORT before me my admiration and my equal dedication to our cause. I’ll not allow our schools to flounder because they are underfunded — and together with my board, my donors and my prospects like you, we will make it a happy and, as an organization, a healthy new year. L’shana tova. ■

ROSH HASHANAH

It’s Time to Seek And Grant Forgiveness

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nities to forgive others. I am reminded of a story I heard once about the woman who refused to purchase a German car because she could not forgive the Germans for the

Guest Column By Rabbi Erin Boxt Temple Kol Emeth

Holocaust. There are probably plenty of members of our community who still hold grudges for sins of the past. I do not fault them. I just hope they are able to one day forgive and move on. The truth is that without giving forgiveness, we are not truly able to experience the fullness of the High Holiday period. We are commanded to seek out, ask forgiveness and give forgiveness. As hard as this may be for many of us, it is just something we must do. The month of Elul seems shorter than other months because of the sheer magnitude of what we are preparing for. Before the month gets away from us, though, and we are faced with the moment of true repentance, we must continue our preparation, no matter how difficult it may seem — including seeking out, asking for forgiveness and forgiving others. With the High Holidays quickly approaching, let each of us shout out hineini, “I am here.” I am ready to forgive. I am ready to ask for forgiveness. I am ready to begin the new year with a fresh slate. ■

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Have you asked yourself these questions? 1. What have I done since last Rosh Hashanah of which I can say “That was a really good thing I did.”? If nothing, I still have time. 2. What did I do since last Rosh Hashanah to offend any person ? How can I make amends? ... not only ask forgiveness. 3. Did anyone really offend me since last Rosh Hashanah? How really important was it that I should remain offended and, by doing so, make my own life less enjoyable? Would it not be better if I just voluntarily forgave the other party and, by so doing, feel relief myself? 4. What can I do to improve myself this coming year to make it more enjoyable for others as well as myself? 5. What good things have I been putting off doing that I can do before the end of this traumatic year to make it better? 6. Have I carefully looked at my budget and resolved the very most I can give to worthwhile charities without having to do without anything of great importance?... maybe forego some impulse buying? What can I do right now to catch up? 7. Have I made it a practice to do some kind act or meaningful kindness each day? 8. Have I often and meaningfully told my family members each day how much I love and care for them? If not, I must start to do so. This 91 year old wishes all of you a Year full of Opportuni�ies to be Happy and to make others Happy to the maximum extent possible.

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very year, when we prepare for the High Holiday period, we find ourselves thinking about everything that has happened in the previous year. The month of Elul allows us to prepare ourselves. From the first day of Elul, we seek ways to forgive and be forgiven. It is during this month that we recite special prayers of forgiveness, Selichot. In asking for forgiveness, we are reminded that true forgiveness can be given only when we forgive first. For Jews, it is just as important to forgive others as it is to ask others for forgiveness. On Erev Yom Kippur, just before the words of Kol Nidre are chanted, we have a short but very important prayer. The translation of the prayer is “For transgressions against G-d, the Day of Atonement atones; but for transgressions of one human being against another, the Day of Atonement does not atone until they have made peace with one another.” It may seem so easy to ask for forgiveness. For many of us, this period of Selichot affords us the opportunity to right those wrongs. What about the sins we did not know we committed? Should we just throw out a blanket “I’m sorry” and hope that everyone will just forgive us? This may seem petty, but there are many people who struggle every day with the knowledge they have wronged others. Giving forgiveness, however, is often incredibly difficult. As Jews, our history is filled with plenty of opportu-

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ROSH HASHANAH

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s we approach the High Holidays, we can’t help but think about the key issues of the day for the Jewish people. Obviously, the issues of Iran, Israel’s security, the anti-Israel sentiment on campus, and, of course, global antiSemitism are matters of immediate and deep concern. While there have been some steps to address the serious challenge of antiSemitism both internationally and within the United States, including the stirring rejection of anti-Jewish hate by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and some other world leaders, the anti-Semitic incidents and violence worldwide during this year seem unparalleled in the past decade. These are big issues to address and will require a comprehensive set of actions through policy enactment, education, advocacy and more. It can feel overwhelming. Where does one person start? As we prepare for the Days of Awe, 7:53 AM we are instructed to think about how we have missed the mark. What actions have we taken that have hurt others? Were there times we did not act when we should have? What words have we spoken that we want to take back? This is one place to begin. ADL education programs emphasize the concept of the pyramid of hate. The words used in our living rooms, our workplaces, on the floors of Congress and in the news have consequences. They directly affect our ability to sustain a society that ensures dignity and equality for all. Bigoted rhetoric and words laced with prejudice are building blocks for the pyramid of hate. Biased behaviors build on one another, becoming ever more threatening and dangerous toward the top of the pyramid. At the base is bias: stereotyping, insensitive remarks, belittling jokes and noninclusive language. It sets the foundation for a second, more complex and more damaging layer: individual acts of prejudice, including bullying, slurs and dehumanization. The next level of the pyramid is discrimination: institutional acts that prevent people from being treated fairly in employment, housing, economics or public services.

When this is allowed to go unchallenged, it can sanction bias-motivated violence, including hate crimes like the tragic shootings in Charleston earlier this summer. In the most extreme cases if left unchecked, the top of the pyramid of hate is genocide. Just like any pyramid, the lower levels support the upper levels. Bias, prejudice and discrimination — par-

Guest Column By Mark Moskowitz Anti-Defamation League Southeast Regional Director ticularly touted by those with a loud megaphone and cheering crowd — all contribute to an atmosphere that enables hate crimes and other hate-fueled violence. The most recent hate crime in Charleston is just one of too many. But in fact there is a hate crime roughly every 90 minutes in the United States today. That is why ADL in August announced a new initiative, #50StatesAgainstHate, to strengthen hate crimes laws around the country and safeguard communities vulnerable to hate-fueled attacks. We are working with a broad coalition of partners to get the ball rolling. Laws alone, however, cannot cure the disease of hate. To do that, we need to change the conversation. We would not suggest that any one person’s words caused this tragedy; the perpetrator did that. But rhetorical excesses by many of us give rise to a climate in which prejudice, discrimi-nation and hate-fueled violence can take root. So think about your words, and pledge that in 5776 you will do more to counter the types of speech and behavior that allow the pyramid of hate to flourish. ADL is available for you and your congregation as a resource. We can provide your adult groups with a speaker on global anti-Semitism and assist your educators, school-age children and parents through our Confronting Anti-Semitism and Words to Action programs. We wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful new year. ■

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L’Shana Tova

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ROSH HASHANAH

Path of Teshuva Follows Divine Plan

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ondering past misdeeds, we may be embarrassed, bewildered or motivated to change, but try as we might, it is impossible to reach back through time and change anything. Yet that is exactly what the Talmud says is within every penitent’s grasp. Teshuva repentance can reach back and turn misdeeds into mitzvos. How can this be? Let’s illustrate. A man named Adam is an inveterate liar. One day he realizes that he can no longer maintain the complex web of lies he has spun. Adam is overwhelmed by life and feels he is about to collapse. Or Adam is overcome by moral disgust with himself and his incessant lying. He realizes that he is totally unreliable and has disappointed all of those around him. Or Adam is holding his newborn baby, and his heart is suddenly filled with fear. What if G-d were to punish him for his sins by taking away that which is precious to him? For any of the above reasons and many others, Adam may be motivated to repent. Making changes for whatever reasons will certainly have salutary effects on Adam’s life. They will remove pressure and negativity from his life and help him repair relationships. However, as great a mitzvah as this form of teshuva repentance might be, it still cannot reach back and change past misdeeds into mitzvos. Adam’s teshuva cannot change the past because it is fear-based. Although important, and maybe even indispensable, Adam has only reached Teshuva Level One. What lies ahead is Teshuva Level Two, or love-based teshuva. Love-based teshuva generally follows the fearbased teshuva described above. One brings one’s life in line with G-d’s will. In Adam’s case, he starts to live honestly. As time passes, relationships are repaired, and a positive self-image begins to form where none previously existed. With the passage of time, or perhaps suddenly out of the blue, it may one day dawn on Adam that G-d controls the world. G-d created it with a plan, and that plan is being played out before his very eyes. At this point Adam understands that G-d’s will is directed toward

absolute goodness and truth. He wants to merge with the flow of life and synchronize his actions to the divine spiritual energy that infuses all of existence. He resolves to correct his wrongdoing because he realizes that lying is antagonistic to world development and perfection.

Guest Column By Rabbi Binyomin Friedman Congregation Ariel

Invariably, the penitent is suffused with joy at having connected to such profound truth. Then something exquisite happens. All of the past actions that brought about this level of understanding, even the sins, now take on a positive light. It is those very same wrongdoings that aroused the thoughts of repentance and motivated him to achieve oneness with G-d. From every past misdeed, he now derives lessons. All past humiliations become ascents. The sins become meritorious deeds. When we look at the Torah, we see that the story of mankind is one long teshuva drama. The Torah opens with Adam and Eve living blissfully in the Garden of Eden. By the end of the second chapter, they have been banished from the garden because of their sin. The rest of the book, and of history, is the struggle to return to Eden. Did it just happen to turn out that way? If so, why did G-d let it happen? We are forced to conclude that this is G-d’s plan. Through sin and failure, we come to appreciate G-d in this world and align ourselves with Him. As it is with the individual, so it is with the nation of Israel, and so it is with the world in total. When our misdeeds motivate us to initiate the path of return, we have begun the trek toward the goal of life, which is reclaiming our oneness with G-d. Our past deeds become mitzvos, and we find our lives whole and in a state of purposeful connection to our source: a lofty and exciting goal to focus on at the special time of year. ■ This article is based on the teachings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook as presented in a book titled “The Art of Teshuva.”

ROSH HASHANAH

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A Year of Unprecedented Growth with special needs an opportunity to learn, grow and succeed through sports, theater and social opportunities. Our inclusion program enables children to learn and play, side by side with their typically developing peers, through inclusive preschools, camps and recreational programming. Our new transitions program, which helps

Guest Column By Douglas Kuniansky Marcus Jewish Community Center Board Chair

young adults with autism develop independence by learning social and life skills, has made a significant impact on 27 individuals and their families in its first year. Our BBYO program continues to receive national recognition and is now the largest in the country with more than 2,800 active teens involved. More than 900 young adults have formed friendships and made connections within the Jewish community

through our vibrant sports leagues and social outings. Last year we entertained and educated 10,000 people during the 23rd edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA,one of the South’s most comprehensive and widely respected literary arts festivals, and this year’s lineup promises to be just as diverse and entertaining. We brought our programming intown, hosting Lisa F. Brill Institute for Jewish Learning classes at The Temple and Emory University and for the first time holding our popular performing arts camp on the campus of Emory. Thanks in large part to the generosity of our capital campaign donors, this past year we renovated and enhanced our Zaban Park campus and Camp Barney Medintz. Our outdoor pools were enhanced with new decking, tiling, and shade coverings that were no doubt appreciated by many families during the hot summer months. The parents of our preschoolers are raving about the Weinstein School’s new, dedicated infant and toddler wing with state-of-the-art classrooms.

We continue to improve our fitness facilities and add classes that appeal to a variety of ages and abilities. In addition to recent enhancements to our fitness center and locker rooms, we opened an indoor cycling studio this summer that is home to an exciting lineup of fun yet motivating classes. Through our small group fitness classes, combined with the amenities of our 52-acre campus, the MJCCA has something to appeal to practically every fitness level and interest. Those are but a few of the highlights of this outstanding agency. But we all know none of this would be possible without the hard work and support of our staff, volunteers, donors, members and vibrant community. During the coming year, we plan to continue to strengthen the services and programs we offer while adding programs that will enhance the lives of our community. We hope we can continue to be the thread that ties us all together, turning everyday minutes into Jewish moments that are remembered for a lifetime. Thank you for your support of the MJCCA. L’shana tova! ■

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s we celebrate the new year and move into the Days of Awe, we reflect on the year that has passed and look forward to the opportunities ahead. The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta has been a vital part of the Atlanta Jewish community for more than 100 years, and I am proud to say that it continues to be, impacting the lives of more than 55,000 participants and 12,000 members this past year. What is really important is the lives we are touching, the connections we are making, and the positive impact we have on generations of Atlanta families. There is much to be proud of this past year. More than 2,000 children experienced the excitement of Jewish camping at MJCCA summer day camps, and more than 1,340 campers met lifelong friends at Camp Barney Medintz and our new overnight camp, Adamah Adventures. Our Blonder Family Department for Special Needs continues to break down barriers and give children

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We Must Choose: Light or Darkness

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mong the stories in the news recently was the killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe by American dentist Walter Palmer. Palmer lured the lion outside its legally protected habitat, shot it with a crossbow, and stalked the maimed lion for 40 hours until finally gunning it down, skinning it and beheading it. Animal rights advocates were rightly horrified, and their protests didn’t fall on deaf ears. Tzar baaley chayim, causing unnecessary pain to animals, is one of the 7 Laws of Noah that the Torah says are incumbent upon all mankind to observe. But are animal rights the same as human rights, as some animal rights advocates proclaim? Of course not. So what is it that distinguishes us from the rest of G-d’s creatures? For me, it’s the ability to choose. Making choices is what makes us most human. As the Torah (Deuteronomy 11:26) teaches: “R’ey, Anochi noteyn lifneychem hayom, b’racha uklala” (“See, I have set before today a blessing and a curse”). The Torah (Deuteronomy 30:19) later implores us: “Uvacharta bachayim” (“Therefore, choose life”). What does it mean to choose life, to choose blessings or curses? Can we choose to be blessed with a healthy baby or a happy marriage? And who would choose to contract a terrible illness or die? What is the Torah saying to us when it calls upon us to choose? Choose what? We can’t always choose what will happen to us, much of which is simply out of our control. But we can choose how we will respond to what happens to us and, in so doing, bring blessings or curses into our lives. Let me illustrate with the story of two members of a former congregation. The first suffered a serious stroke that left him paralyzed on his left side. He cried to me that he could no longer write — something he loved to do — because he was left-handed. This was before the widespread use of computers and voice-recognition software. I suggested he try using his right hand to type. I assured him that with

time and training he could do it. But he assured me he couldn’t. And he was right. He died three years later and never wrote another word, never left his wheelchair, and sat embittered in his den, angry at G-d, angry at his wife

Guest Column By Rabbi Mark Hillel Kunis Congregation Shaarei Shamayim

for having died years earlier, angry at his friends for not coming to visit him more often to listen to his groaning and complaining. “See, I have set before you today a blessing and a curse” — light and darkness. He chose darkness and lived his remaining years embittered, cursing the night. My other congregant was sprayed with a strong chemical in his paint factory that left him blind in both eyes. If anyone had reason to curse the darkness, he did. He had to retire from the business he created and loved, and this formerly very independent man needed constant attention. But in becoming blind, he came to realize the ways in which blind people in our society experienced discrimination: how difficult it was to access many buildings, to ride on city buses, to get the attention of people in stores and restaurants. He noticed how many laws designed to help the disabled were poorly enforced. Rather than sit in darkness, he went out into the light and became a champion for human rights for the blind and deaf and disabled. He sat on one commission after another at the city, regional and state levels. He became a common figure in the halls of Congress. “See, I have set before you today a blessing and a curse” — light and darkness. He chose light and saw more than many of us who are sighted see. “Today” means today and every day G-d sets this choice before each one of us. Who doesn’t hurt somewhere? Who doesn’t have a reason to com-

www.atlantajewishtimes.com plain about something? We may not choose to be in pain, but we can choose how we respond to our pain. We can allow our aches and complaints to overwhelm us and drown us in darkness — or we can look beyond our hurts, see our circumstances as opportunities for the growth of our souls, and channel the energy we would spend in complaining and crying into ways to benefit ourselves and others. It’s a choice, and it’s ours to make.

In Dr. Viktor Frankl’s book “Man’s Search for Meaning,” he describes how he was marched into a Gestapo courtroom with everything away from him — his family, his home, his freedom. They had shaved his head and stripped his clothing off his body. He stood before the Nazi high command under the glaring lights, being interrogated and falsely accused. He was destitute — a helpless pawn in the hands of brutal, sadistic men. He had done nothing to deserve his fate. He had been given no choice in being brought to this miserable point in his life. He had nothing. But that wasn’t exactly true. For he suddenly realized there was one thing no one could take from him: his own attitude. He could choose whether to be bitter or hopeful. He could choose whether to surrender or fight. He could choose whether to give up or to go on. Dr. Frankl chose to affirm life and struggle against his burdens — and in so doing he never gave in to the darkness. He lived where others perished. My friends, Rosh Hashanah is upon us. It’s time to begin to seriously think about our choices. “See, I have set before you today a blessing and a curse” — light and darkness. Today we have a choice. Like Viktor Frankl and the blind man, the Torah implores us: “Bacharta bachayim.” Let us always choose to live in the light and choose life. Amen! ■

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We can choose how we will respond to what happens to us and bring blessings or curses into our lives.

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“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”

G ETTY I MAG ES / K EYSTO N E-F R AN C E

A LB E R T E I N S TE I N

We are proud to continue our more than 60-year commitment to medical education through a landmark joint venture with Montefiore Health System, moving the Albert Einstein College of Medicine forward with excellence—another important step toward SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

building a stronger Yeshiva University. Learn more at www.yu.edu/movingforward.

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ROSH HASHANAH

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A Year of Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice were able to provide over $100,000 in grants to 15 beneficiary organizations in Atlanta and Israel. What an impactful, sweeter difference we plan to make in the lives of many Jewish women and girls just in time for this Jewish new year! Through our collective grant making, this forthcoming year will be

Guest Column By Lisa Freedman Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta Trustee a better one for: • Women in Atlanta seeking lastdollar loans to obtain postsecondary degrees to improve the lives of themselves and their families. • Women in Israel trying desperately to obtain a get from an abusive husband. • School-age girls in Atlanta learning to be effective, assertive leaders without the fear of being called “bossy.”

• Low income women receiving technological training to qualify for higher-paying jobs. • Young Israeli women provided the tools, skills and strategies to secure more meaningful jobs in the Israel Defense Forces. • Teenage and college students in Atlanta and at the University of Georgia empowered to make healthy relationship choices against dating violence and sexual assault. • Middle and high school girls afforded pre-college career counseling and scholastic excellence programs in science, math and technology. And that’s just to name a few of the groups of women and girls whose lives we hope to touch for the better in a meaningful and sustainable way this year. Right now, as we work to kick off our next grant cycle, we are planning an event open to all Jewish women in the community at no cost. Please join us on Monday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m. at the Selig Center for our educational seminar, “Take Your Seat at the Table: A Jewish Woman’s Guide to Financial

Empowerment and Protection.” This is a tremendous opportunity not only to learn more about the importance of engaging in the financial planning for you and your family, but also to learn more about the JWFA and our diverse and dynamic group of women serving as trustees. To learn more about the JWFA, the educational seminar Oct. 26, or any of the grants referenced above, please reach out to our executive director, Rachel Wasserman, at 678222-3716, and check us out at www. jewishatlanta.org/jwfa. The JWFA is a proud philanthropic partner of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. On behalf of the JWFA’s approximately 90 female trustees, we wish all in our greater Atlanta Jewish community a shana tova u’metuka. In 5776, may we see a world where all women and girls in the Jewish community are ensured a healthy and supportive environment and with equal opportunity for achievement. And may we take all opportunities to do our part to help make it happen. ■

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“S

ugar and spice and everything nice” is what many say little girls are made of. And “a sweet new year” is what we all wish one another at the onset of Rosh Hashanah. Of course, we know there is so much more to girls than sugar and spice. And, unfortunately, for many this year will not always be so sweet. But what if you could be a part of something that strives to help Jewish women and girls reach their full potential and live sweeter lives? That is the mission of the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta through effective grant making, advocacy and education. Our mantra is to “Invest in Solutions, Collaborate for Success and Ignite Social Change!” Through participation in the JWFA, trustees are empowered to be leaders, philanthropists and decisionmakers. The JWFA recently completed its 2014-2015 grant cycle, in which we

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ROSH HASHANAH

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No Life Is Perfect

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

n the month of Elul, we blow the shofar every day in many communities as an invitation to the serious business of introspection and self-analysis before Rosh Hashanah arrives. We think of the year we have just lived, and we are perhaps consumed with self-doubt and regret. Maybe we, or one of our loved ones, experienced a crisis, or we lost important people in our lives. Many of us were confronted with a loss of income, a rise in debt or a different

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type of life stressor. As our stress rises with the tone of the shofar, we wonder what we should do to dispel these feelings and how we can summon the positive thoughts we need to face the year to come. It is the last thing on our minds to be grateful, but that is exactly what the rabbis in the Talmud suggest. Gratitude, they argue, is one of the most powerful responses we can show.

This is why gratitude is one of the most basic tenants of Judaism. That is why Yehudi, Hebrew for Jew, comes from the root of the word that means thanks. Life is never perfect. It may seem

Guest Column By Rabbi Hayyim Kassorla Congregation Or VeShalom

as if other people’s lives are perfect as we watch “reality shows” and video snippets that feature celebrities, friends and even family enjoying life, seemingly without a care in the world. We open Facebook and find our friends taking a trip around the world, riding around in their new car, or celebrating their just-married son or daughter in a grand ceremony. Compared with those lives, what is ours? We look at our imperfect life and find little to be grateful for. Even when everything seems all right in our own lives, we know the true measure of the frustration, fear, angst and loss we feel every day. But that is the point, isn’t it? We don’t show our pain to others, and they don’t show their pain to us: The vacationing friend you envy may be traveling to get over a loss; that new car may be the result of a traffic accident; and that grand marriage ceremony may have put your friend in debt. But it is only their happiness we see. Is that a bad thing? No life is perfect, but we must be grateful for what he have and show that gratefulness on a daily basis. Too often we overlook the blessings in our own lives and focus only on the negative. This is why gratefulness is so important and is the basis of a healthy outlook for Rosh Hashanah. If we take a moment to thank G-d for the good things in our lives, we realize how precious and wonderful life can be. Through those thanks, we learn to be thankful. The rabbis in the Talmud state that as long as one is alive, there is no room for complaint. We must force ourselves to look at the positive when we say a prayer of thanks, and through that prayer, we must see beyond our own selfish take on the world. My wife often says to our children, “You can complain that roses have thorns, or you can rejoice that

thorn bushes have roses.” A prayer of gratitude can alter our attitudes in powerful ways, and G-d has provided us, literally, with thousands of ways in which to express that gratitude. Our prayer book during the year and especially on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is filled with expressions of thanks — from the most basic Modeh Ani prayer thanking G-d for one more day of life to expressions of thanks for surviving a dangerous trip or a difficult childbirth. But not every thank-you is directed to G-d. We must also thank those who have brought us the beauty of life in its many forms. Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik (1853-1918), even when he was world-famous in the Jewish world, would stand in honor of his first-grade teacher, who taught him the Hebrew

“

Life is so precious and so beautiful that even a moment of life is a thing to be grateful for. alphabet. How many of us remember our first-grade teachers? Likewise, we are instructed to stand up for our parents, to honor them and to treat them with respect for the lives they have given us — even if our relationship with our parents wasn’t the best. Life is so precious and so beautiful that even a moment of life is a thing to be grateful for. So as you look back over the year that was, think about how, even in the most difficult of times, you were blessed — and give thanks. I take this opportunity on behalf of Congregation Or VeShalom to extend to all in the community best wishes of shana tova. May it be a good year for us and for Israel. May we all be healthy and robust for many years to come. And may I express my personal thanks to G-d and to the congregants and friends of Congregation Or VeShalom, now commemorating our 101st anniversary serving Atlanta’s community, for the privilege of teaching Torah in all its wondrous ways and applications. Amen. ■

ROSH HASHANA

Photographer Eric Bern

Celebrate The Hidden Blessings

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

y wife, Caryn, and I recently traveled to Israel on a learning trip to search for answers and thank HaShem for blessing us and our family during a turbulent time. The learning that we did at Aish HaTorah, as well as in Safed, taught us that while HaShem gives us many challenges, these challenges are typically opportunities that help us grow and gain strength. The past three years of our lives were spent fighting for an important piece of my world: the building that housed my photography business in Sandy Springs. To say that it was a disruptive time in the lives of my family and me is an understatement. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I just did not recognize it at time. After making peace with the city, I was fortunate enough to find the perfect property a couple blocks down the street from my old location, which allowed me to rebuild what I had lost. Many months have gone by, and I have a newfound sense of accomplishment and a new direction in my business that is incredibly satisfying. This entire experience has strengthened our faith that G-d is intimately involved in both in the smaller details and the bigger picture of our lives. He gives us the freedom to make good choices with the challenges that are presented to us. I am thankful that I was given the strength to make it through a difficult time as well as to create an even better place to create my art as a result. In keeping with the message of Rosh Hashanah, I wish to publicly thank all of you who were so supportive during this time. With gratitude to HaShem for giving us life and for enabling us to recognize life’s beauty through its challenges, l’shana tova! ■ — Eric Bern

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ROSH HASHANAH

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A Fresh Start

ach year as fall arrives, there is a feeling of renewal as the Jewish year begins. As we celebrate Rosh Hashanah with family, friends, wonderful food, song, prayer and the shofar, we also remember that this is a time for renewing our commitment to better ourselves and improve our relationships. As we exclaim, “Shana tova u’metuka,” let this also be a call to us to remember the importance and benefits of focusing on improving our health, increasing our happiness and joy through bettering our relationships, learning something new or expanding what we know, and enhancing lives through professional and personal growth. As people, we are happy and excited for all the future holds and promises but must also Guest Column remember to reflect and By David Abusch-Magder commit to growth. The Epstein School Head of School After we say the blessings and enjoy spending time around the table with our loved ones, eating apples with honey, pomegranates, and a delicious, freshly baked loaf of challah, let us all focus on what we can do to better ourselves, our local and global community, and the world around us. Can you imagine how wonderful it would be and what an impact we could make if everyone in the world did this and committed to a course of action? As a new member of this community, I look forward to growing personally and professionally with all of you. This year I am sure will be full of exciting firsts for me and for our school. During this season, we often have a chance to reflect on visions of what a more perfect world might look like. I wish you success in striving toward that vision and hope you have a meaningful, enjoyable High Holiday season. Shana tova u’metuka — a happy and sweet new year! ■

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Celebrating a Century Of Hadassah in Atlanta

s we approach the sweetest time in the Jewish calendar, we reflect on the past year: the ups, the downs, what we might have done differently, etc. However, as with all new beginnings — and, yes, Rosh Hashanah is a new beginning — we focus on what we will do. Perhaps it will be spending more time with family, volunteering within our communities or taking classes. Whatever your personal goal is, go for it. Greater Atlanta Hadassah, too, has a goal this year as we celebrate our 100th year in Atlanta. Our goal is for each member of the Guest Column community to know just how Hadassah has impactBy Paula S. Zucker ed your life. Greater Atlanta Hadassah It is the first to identify President genetic markers that help treat cystic fibrosis among Jews and Palestinians. It has created a treatment for ALS that is helping researchers around the world. It is treating all who come through its hospital doors with dignity, respect and kindness — no matter whether they are Israeli, Arab, Jew, Palestinian or Christian. Hadassah Hospital continues to be a bridge to peace. You might think that Hadassah is just a hospital or does great medical research; it is that and so much more. Greater Atlanta Hadassah’s actions within the Atlanta community have benefited many. Our Check It Out! program has gone into public and private schools for more than 25 years, educating over 35,000 young women on the importance of breast self-exams. The Chesed student awards event held each spring has celebrated young people of distinction for 24 years. Hadassah has been at the forefront of advocating for stem cell research in the United States, equality in medical research for women, and making ourselves heard in every voting district because we have a voice and we use it to better our communities. Finally, it is part of a nationwide network of women so that no matter where you go in the United States, there is Hadassah creating instant family — the most important unit in Judaism, our family. To each of you and your families, l’shana tova tikatevu; may you be inscribed in the Book of Life and have a very sweet year. ■

ROSH HASHANAH

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The Happiest Days of the Year aspect of our soul and connect us to our spiritual essence. What we are doing on Yom Kippur is not torturing ourselves, but bringing out our true, deeper nature. We are judged positively on Yom Kippur because we are seen as the holy and righteous spiritual beings that we truly are. The joy of the day is to recognize

Guest Column By Rabbi Karmi Ingber The Kehilla

that everything negative you may have done throughout the year was not the real you. The externalities and craziness of the mundane world derailed you; on Yom Kippur you are bringing out your true values. This idea can be understood in the literal translation of Yom Kippur. We have grown accustomed to translate it as the Day of Atonement, but kippur means to wipe something away. Unfortunately, if you called Yom Kippur the Day of Great Wiping, you certainly

wouldn’t sell tickets to synagogue (BTW, services at the Kehilla are free). So what is the difference between atoning and wiping away? When you have a garment that is soiled with filth and the dirt has permeated every fiber of the cloth, you need to purge the grime by soaking and bleaching it. However, when you wash dirt off your skin, you wipe it away because it has not pervaded your being; it is just on the outside. Yom Kippur is the statement that the negativity you created throughout the year was not the real you; it was on the outside, in the external dimension. One day a year you get to touch the inner dimension, the authentic self. And when you do that, the dirt is wiped away, and you are clean and pure. What could be a happier experience? However, we need to work to get there. We must prepare ourselves to reach that inner state by removing the negative external habits and modes of thinking we have fallen into. Now is the time to contemplate the way we have been and the way we want to be. The preparatory month of Elul before Rosh Hashanah is the astrological sign Virgo (the virgin), representing the idea that we can make our relation-

ships brand new. We can start again like newlyweds in our connection with G-d and with people. Let’s not sleep through the process, but rather yearn to express who we are and start by practically accepting one improved behavior to help get us there. The wake-up call of the shofar will soon be upon us and break down the external walls to arouse our inner selves. Then for 10 more days we can peel away the outer layers and uncover our deepest essence. And on that day we will shine radiantly — the happiest day of the year. ■

KSU Literacy Program

Kennesaw State University’s College of Continuing and Professional Education is launching a literacy program for senior citizens at the Ridenour Apartments in Kennesaw. The Ridenour serves people 55 and older. The free literacy program will meet Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon. The program is named for Esther Romanoff Kazer, one of the first Jewish principals in Miami-Dade County and an advocate for school desegregation. For more information, contact Assistant Dean Michelle Girage at mgirage1@kennesaw.edu or 470-578-3100.

L ’Shana Tovah Wishing You a Sweet New Year You have a place with us for the High Holy Days. Come meet our people, our clergy & our staff.

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ould you consider Yom Kippur a happy day? Not eating, not drinking, not washing and spending the entire day in synagogue usually are not the definition of a good ol’ time. Yet the Talmud reveals that Yom Kippur is actually the happiest day of the year. So if our experience is not that way, we may be missing the point. Yom Kippur is called the “ultimate Shabbat” (Shabbat Shabbaton) in the Torah. The word Shabbat is rooted in the word shab, which means to desist and to return. On Shabbat when we desist from work, we are able to return to our higher selves, our true essence. On Yom Kippur there is a double desisting. We desist from work and from physicality. However, there is a misunderstanding about the lack of physicality on this special day. It’s not because we are sad, but because we are so joyous. The mystics explain that the five physical abstentions we maintain on Yom Kippur parallel the five parts of the soul; each physical abstention is imbued with the power to jar another

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ROSH HASHANAH

Think of Auschwitz

aving been to Auschwitz this summer, one’s head and heart are overstuffed with bewilderment and unfathomable shock. As we absorb what we have seen and sort out what we have felt, we are rendered numb by the staggering, unspeakable depravity. The evil of the place mocks the visitor who struggles to grasp what is before him. The whole crushes our soul; the parts baffle our reason. We are forever transformed, witnesses to ultimate villainy in the abode of the ultimately demonic. We are pummeled with searing lessons, moral caveats that slip conveniently into clichés about “man’s inhumanity to man” and that “evil prevails when good people do nothing.” Guest Column The profound becomes By Rabbi Shalom Lewis trite in the blood-soaked Congregation Etz Chaim earth and the shadow of “Arbeit macht frei.” We are not the first in this struggle to downsize the monstrous. Dismissal is tempting as we pass the rusted barbed wire and head to our cushy bus. Behind us we leave a restaurant, a gift shop, a restroom that casts us into paradox. The banality of evil defined. What is the takeaway from the acres of slaughter and resurrection? Are we tourists or mourners? I share the following for 5776, a lesson from purgatory. When we are caught in the rain without an umbrella. When the waiter is slow. When we have a bad hair day. Think of Auschwitz. When we can’t find a parking space. When there is a stain on our tux. When we lose cable for hours. Think of Auschwitz. When we have no legroom on a plane. When there is a bad line call. When our flowers are devoured by rabbits. Think of Auschwitz. When our nail chips. When our roof leaks. When a shoelace snaps. Think of Auschwitz. When we get our landscaping bill. When we get our Visa bill. When we get our dental bill. Think of Auschwitz. When our steak is tough. When our Coke is flat. When we are stuck in traffic. Think of Auschwitz. When the show is sold out. When the maid calls in sick. When the wrong sofa is delivered. Think of Auschwitz. When our hotel room is small. When our newspaper is wet. When the coupon has expired. Think of Auschwitz. When our back aches, our feet hurt, our hair thins. Think of Auschwitz. As we enter a new year and life flings its serendipity at us, as we begin to mumble and grumble, let us calmly step back and think of Auschwitz. ■

L’Shana Tova

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Changing Jewish Lives

Witness the remarkable behavior of

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Don’t miss one of Atlanta’s most prestigious fundraising events: Aqua Vino — a celebration of food and wine, all with an ocean view. Proceeds benefit conservation efforts for sea otters – one of the aquatic world’s most charismatic creatures. And plenty of fascinating creatures from the non-profit and fundraising world will be there too. Along with 200 wines. And 30 restaurants. Save the date. You’ll be part of an evening that’s truly remarkable.

Georgia Aquarium is a not for profit organization inspiring awareness and conservation of aquatic animals.

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any families are one sickness, one accident or one missed payment from financial disaster. So many Jewish families in Atlanta, our neighbors and friends, live paycheck to paycheck. JIFLA provides interestfree loans to Jewish families in need. Our mission is to help families maintain or achieve financial stability. Guest Column Our goal is to stop the down- By Karolyn Benger ward financial Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta spiral before it begins. An Director interest-free loan can make the difference between getting through a difficult time and going under. JIFLA stands on the cliff, pulling families away from the edge. Scott, a father of two, works hard to provide for his family. When his car broke down, the repairs cost over $2,000. He didn’t have the money but couldn’t get to work without his car. Without his job, Scott couldn’t pay his mortgage and would lose his house. JIFLAgave him an interest-free loan, preventing that downward spiral. The next day his car was out of the shop, and Scott was back at work. Lisa was nine months’ pregnant when her divorce was final. Her exhusband got the house, and Lisa needed money for a security deposit for an apartment and help with expenses for six weeks until she could return to work. An interest-free loan kept Lisa and her baby from being homeless. The Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta opened in 2010 and has been growing. We are partners with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta and several family philanthropic foundations. We offer loans for families facing financial crisis and have a specialized Women in Crisis fund for single women in challenging situations. We achieved a 40 percent increase in loans last year alone. Please visit www.jifla.org to learn more, and like us on Facebook to raise awareness of Jewish financial assistance. Contact us at 470-268-5665 or freeloan@jifla.org. Interest-free loans. It’s that simple. ■

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Start the Year Right

he following are some of the High Holiday options for people who aren’t synagogue members or are looking for options at no or low cost. Rosh Hashanah starts Sunday night, Sept. 13, and concludes Tuesday night, Sept. 15. Yom Kippur runs from Tuesday evening, Sept. 22, to Wednesday night, Sept. 23. The Sixth Point The Sixth Point celebrates the new year with its free, adults-only alternative to services, Rosh in the Park, from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 13 outside the Hammond Park Community Building, 6005 Glenridge Drive, Sandy Springs. The event is more spiritual than religious, featuring discussions about the holiday, reflections on the past year, intentions for the coming year, and apples and honey. Options are available for Erev Rosh Hashanah dinner afterward. Visit thesixthpoint.org for details.

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Chabad Intown Chabad Intown, 928 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, offers three sets of free High Holiday services open to all: traditional services blended with contemporary messages and led by Rabbi

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Eliyahu Schusterman; learners services led by Rabbi Ari Sollish; and family and children’s services. A buffet Kiddush follows daytime Rosh Hashanah services. Reservations are requested through atl18love.org or 404-898-0434. Traditional Rosh Hashanah services are at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13, 9:30 a.m. Sept. 14 and 15, and 8:15 p.m. Sept. 14. Learners services are at 10 a.m. Sept. 14 and 15. The children’s program runs from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 14 and 11:30 to 12:30 Sept. 15, with a family service from 11:15 to 11:45 both days. Tashlich is at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Piedmont Park Gazebo, followed by a procession to the Beltline at the Ponce overpass for a shofar blowing at 6:15. For Yom Kippur, Kol Nidre starts at 7:15 p.m. Sept. 22. The traditional morning service begins at 9:30 Sept. 23, while the learners service is at 10. The children’s program is 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with the family service from noon to 12:30. Yizkor is at 1 p.m. and Mincha at 5:45. YJP Midtown Atlanta Chabad Intown’s Young Jewish Professionals group offers a free, 45-minute slackers service, including apples and honey and the shofar, at

6:45 p.m. Sept. 14 at Chabad Intown, 928 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta. Attendees may stay for traditional second-night Rosh Hashanah services at 8:15. More information is available at www.yjpmidtownatlanta.com or 404-898-0434. Brookhaven Bayit Brookhaven Bayit, the new youngadult group housed at Sephardic Congregation Or VeShalom, 1681 North Druid Hills Road, Brookhaven, holds a free, alternative Rosh Hashanah service led by Bayit@OVS director Sim Pearl from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Sept. 14. RSVP to sim@orveshalom.org. Congregation Beth Jacob All High Holiday services at Orthodox Congregation Beth Jacob, 1855 LaVista Road, Toco Hills, are free and require no tickets. Evening Rosh Hashanah services in the main sanctuary and the kollel are at 7:30 Sept. 13 and 7:15 Sept. 14 and 15. Shacharit is at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 14 and 15, with the Torah service in the main sanctuary at 9:30, followed by the sermon at 10, and shofar blowing and Mussaf at 10:30. For Yom Kippur, Kol Nidre is at 7:05 p.m. Sept. 22. Services Sept. 23 start at 8:30 a.m.; Neilah is at 6:25 p.m. Visit www.bethjacobatlanta.org/yamimnoraim for more information. Beth Jacob also offers learners minyans under the leadership of Matt Lewis, followed by lunch during Rosh Hashanah, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 14 and 15 and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 23. For more information, email HighHolidayMinyans@yahoo. com, visit www.Facebook.com/HighHolidayMinyans, or call 404-633-0551.

Road. For Yom Kippur, Kol Nidre starts at 8 p.m. Sept. 22. The morning service Sept. 23 is at 10, with a meditation service at 3 p.m., Yizkor at 4:15 and Neilah at 5:30. Sign language interpretation is offered for Erev Rosh Hashanah and Kol Nidre. Children’s services Sept. 14 and Sept. 23 start at 10:15 a.m. For more information, including child care, visit congregationbethaverim.org/HighHolidaysCentral, or call 404-315-6446. Congregation Kehillat HaShem Rabbi Jeffery Feinstein offers free services using the Reform “Gates of Repentance” mahzor at Brookdale, 1000 Applewood Drive, Roswell. Rosh Hashanah services are at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13 and 10 a.m. Sept. 14. Yom Kippur services are at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sept. 23, with Yizkor at approximately 4:30 p.m. and Neilah at about 5 p.m. For more information, contact Rabbi Feinstein at www.rabbiatlanta.com or 770-218-8094. Congregation Ner Tamid Reform Congregation Ner Tamid, 1349 Old Highway 41, Suite 220, Marietta, welcomes nonmembers to High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah services are at 7 p.m. Sept. 13 and 10 a.m. Sept. 14. Yom Kippur services are at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22 and at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 23, with Yizkor at 4 p.m. Tickets, good for all services, are $108; visit www.mynertamid.info.

Shema Yisrael Shema Yisrael: The Open Synagogue holds services open to all at Unity Church, 3597 Parkway Lane, Norcross. Bob Bahr, Eugen Schoenfeld and Cantor Herb Cole lead the services, set for 7 p.m. Sept. 13 and Sept. 22 and 11 a.m. Sept. 14 and Sept. 23. Tickets are $65, covering all of the High Holidays, and reservations are required through www.shemaweb.org.

Young Israel of Toco Hills Orthodox Young Israel of Toco Hills offers free seating in its new building at 2056 LaVista Road for the High Holidays, although nonmembers may reserve specific seats for $72 each. Rosh Hashanah services are at 7:25 p.m. Sept. 13, 14 and 15 and 7:15 and 8:30 a.m. Sept. 14 and 15. Tashlich is at 5:45 p.m. Sept. 14; meet at the home of Rabbi Adam Starr, 1682 Rosemont Place. For Yom Kippur, Kol Nidre starts at 7:20 p.m. Sept. 22. Morning services are at 8:30, with Yizkor no earlier than 11 a.m. Mincha is at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.yith.org, or call 404315-1417.

Congregation Bet Haverim Reconstructionist Congregation Bet Haverim allows free, ticketless admission to all High Holiday services at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 1790 LaVista Road, Toco Hills. Erev Rosh Hashanah is at 8 p.m. Sept. 13. Morning services Sept. 14 and 15 are at 10. Tashlich is at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at W.D. Thompson Park, 1760 Mason Mill

Atlanta Havurah The Atlanta Havurah’s third-annual Rosh Hashanah Service: Havurah Style moves to the first day at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 14 at the Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore St., under Rabbi Jonathan Crane. Tickets are $25 for adults and $18 for children; www.eventbrite. com/e/3rd-annual-rosh-hashanah-havurah-style-tickets-17773901217. ■

ROSH HASHANAH

A Defining Moment For Global Jewish Advocacy which ultimately led to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Vatican and the state of Israel. Global Jewish advocacy means we engage with diplomats throughout the year. We don’t just discuss the

Guest Column By Greg Averbuch American Jewish Committee Atlanta Chapter President

and Dov Wilker AJC Atlanta Regional Director

relationship their countries have with Israel, but also the situation of their Jewish communities and what their governments are doing to protect them, as well as the best practices we have in the United States that can be shared with their governments. Global Jewish advocacy means that the Jewish community will celebrate our freedom from slavery in ancient Egypt and relate it to the oppression undergone by the black community with a joint Passover seder in the spring. Global Jewish advocacy means strengthening relationships and developing new partnerships with other minority communities: Asian, Baptist, Indian, Latino, Mormon and Muslim (just to name a few). And global Jewish advocacy enables the training and education of the next generation of leaders through programs like ACCESS (American Jewish Committee’s young professional program). AJC combines a passion for bridge building with experiences in advocacy and traveling the world with unparalleled access to diplomats, government officials, and ethnic and faith leaders, all for the purpose of making a tangible difference. As we look forward to 5776 and beyond, consider how you can benefit from the most relevant information, engage with the most effective programming and relationship-building, and develop skills to make you an effective advocate for the Jewish community and Israel when such advocacy is more important than ever. ■

Double Dip. It’s 5776. SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

s the debate over the Iran deal rages on in Congress, Israel continues to be targeted by the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, and anti-Semitic incidents in Europe multiply, the question naturally arises: What can I — one person in the Southeastern United States — do to help? First of all, you can focus on each issue individually. You can contact your senators and representatives in Congress and encourage them to oppose the deal. You can share your outrage about the rise of BDS and anti-Semitism. You can discuss with your friends and neighbors the role that Israel plays in the region and the positive impact it has. But what if you looked at your responses and saw the connection among all three issues? How would you proceed then? You might very well engage in global Jewish advocacy, a strategy that has been developing over more than a century. It includes Israel advocacy. For example, Cactus, a supermarket chain in Europe, just began a boycott of produce from Israel that originated in the West Bank, and the Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers chose to support the BDS movement and urge cutting off aid to Israel. Clearly we must advocate opposition to such moves. But advocacy for Israel isn’t enough. We must stand up for Jewish communities in the Diaspora, raise our voices on Jewish issues worldwide, cement relationships with other minority communities and condemn anti-Semitism wherever it exists. That is global Jewish advocacy. Global Jewish advocacy provides the opportunity to connect with religious and ethnic leaders in the United States and around the world about our similarities and differences. That is why on Oct. 28 the Jewish community of Atlanta will join with the Archdiocese of Atlanta to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the landmark document that inaugurated historic changes in the Catholic Church’s relations with other faiths. One of the key points of the document is its condemnation of anti-Semitism,

Go Ahead.

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Less Selfish, More Selfless

s we prepare for the holidays, I think it is important that we have a clear understanding of what we hope to accomplish during the upcoming months. There are so many different prayers, customs and rituals that it is easy to get caught up in the details and lose sight of the big picture and real Guest Column meaning of these important days. By Rabbi Ephraim Silverman One of the most imChabad of Cobb portant ideas in Judaism is the famous statement of Hillel. Hillel explained that the essence of Torah is the quality of our relationships with others, and the rest of Judaism is commentary. I believe the same can be said of the holidays. The spiritual growth and closeness to G-d we hope to feel this month should help us become a little less selfish and a little more selfless. If, after the holidays, we have become more sensitive and attuned to the needs of others, then we can be confident that we have not lost sight of the main theme. This is an easy way to measure the true success of our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur experience. Unity has always been the key to salvation for our people and is of tremendous significance in current times, when we Jews of the Diaspora need to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Israel. I would like to take this opportunity to wish the entire Jewish community a happy and sweet new year. ■

The Time Is Now

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

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he time is now. We’ve gathered ’round. So bring all your gifts and bring all your burdens with you. No need to hide. Arms open wide. We gather as One. To make a Makom Kadosh (a holy place). We come to tell. We come to hear. We come to teach. We come to learn. We come to grow. And so we say. The time is now. Sing to the One. G-d’s presence is here, Shechina. You will dwell among us. We’ll make this space a Holy Place, so separate, so Guest Column whole. Rejoice every soul who By Rabbi Alexandria enters here. Shuval-Weiner — Debbie Friedman z”l Temple Beth Tikvah and Tamara R. Cohen The time is now for us to gather as a community, to transform the walls and the pews of the sanctuary into holy space with our presence, with our prayers. On the Yamim Nora’im, these 10 Days of Awe-someness, we are called to enter the liminal space of time and existence to reflect, examine, dream and do the difficult work to attempt to realign who we are with whom we wish to be. The shofar calls out to us, calling us out: Ayeka? Where are you? And we stand in response — the time of opening has arrived for our hearts, minds and souls! We must not look away! For who among us does not have regrets? Who doesn’t pray for the opportunity to right a wrong? Release the pain; make peace where there has been brokenness. And so we are afforded the opportunity to respond, “Yes! I am here, and I am ready” to face what these days have to offer and to work them hard. In responding to the call, may the Holy One dwell among us, offering us the support we each need to turn from our old habits and patterns and forge new pathways. Paths of teshuvah, paths of shalom, bringing us home to our higher selves. The time is now! May this new year of 5776 be a year of blessing and growth for each one of us! Shana tova; may it be an awe-some new year! ■

ROSH HASHANAH

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

Sanders to Visit Atlanta

A Double Heart Thus, the double bet in Deuteronomy is taken to mean “with your two hearts.” It is explained in the Talmud, B’rachot 9:5, one should bless the evil just as one blesses the good. For it is

Guest Column By Rabbi Jeffery Feinstein Kehillat HaShem

written, “You shall love the Eternal

your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your being.” “With all your heart (double bet)” means “with your two inclinations.” It is precisely because of this commandment that I believe we continue to fail in our love of G-d. We forget to love G-d with our two hearts. As long as we continue to fall short in our portion of the quid pro quo, Moshieach will remain hidden from us, and the promise of a world renewed will remain elusive. May each of us remember our two hearts in the coming year. L’shana tova. ■

L’Shana Tovah

THE EPSTEIN SCHOOL

from The Epstein School

Solomon Schechter School of Atlanta

May you be inscribed for a good year. THE EPSTEIN SCHOOL Solomon Schechter School of Atlanta

335 COLEWOOD WAY NW | SANDY SPRINGS, GA 30328-2956 | EPSTEINATLANTA.ORG

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

udaism begins with a quid pro quo. If you do this, you will get this. It continues to enumerate all the wonders given to us on the banks of the Jordan as we prepare to cross over into the promised land. Moses tells us of the seven species — wheat, barley, grape, fig, pomegranate, olive oil and honey — that will be laid at our feet. What wonders and bounty are presented to us, but what do we have to do? What is the quid pro quo? The answer is given in Parsha V’etchanan. All G-d asks of us is to love Him. Each of us is intimately familiar with Deuteronomy 6:5, the V’ahavtah. We are to love G-d with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our might. In retrospect, we are certainly getting the better side of the deal. The scales were and have always been tipped generously in our favor. Yet we have never been able to keep our side of the bargain. There is a part of Parsha V’etchanan, specifically the V’ahavtah, that says to love G-d with all your heart. Yet, true to the nature of Jewish text, there is a problem. Normally, the word for heart is lev, spelled lamedbet. But in the Torah scroll, in this particular commandment, it is written lamed-bet-bet. Grammatically, it is hard to explain. We could chalk it up to an early scribe’s carelessness, but that would be too easy. Besides, there are no mistakes in the Torah. Of all the words, why does lev get a double portion of bet? Our tradition indicates that every human has two inclinations: yetzer hatov (the good inclination) and yetzer hara (the bad inclination). The former guides us to do mitzvot and help others. The latter drives our lust, malice and cravings. As much as these things are opposites, though, they are also partners. Our evil inclination is not necessarily something we want to get rid of. It is powerful in its ability to motivate us and give us passion. Once we find our fire, we can channel it into the yetzer tov and accomplish that much more in terms of serving G-d, ourselves and others.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Socialist who is making an anti-establishment run for the Democratic presidential nomination, will make his first campaign stop in Atlanta at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at 200 Peachtree St., downtown Atlanta. The minimum contribution to attend the meet-and-greet with the Jewish candidate is $50. Doors open at 5 p.m. To register, visit secure.berniesanders.com/page/ contribute/atlanta-reception. The latest poll from New Hampshire gives Sanders an 11-point lead over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, although the lead slips to 9 percentage points if Vice President Joe Biden is in the race. In Iowa, Clinton leads Sanders 11 points.

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THE EPSTEIN SCHOOL

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ROSH HASHANAH

Embracing Tradition, Advancing Innovation

L’Shana Tovah

hat an exciting new year at Weber! As I talk with students and teachers, drop by classes, and visit with parents in the carpool line, I think often about a teaching from the Talmud: “Education only exists when there is innovation.” The rabbinic charge may seem surprising, given that Jewish education is an enterprise rooted in tradition. However, as this quote suggests, educational innovation is the core of Jewish educational tradition. Jewish schools must foster dynamic teaching and learning environments where students cultivate the skills and values they need for a lifetime. As we begin our 19th year, the educational innovation envisioned by our rabbis is alive and thriving at the Weber School. From the start of the school year, innovative teaching and learning have been expressed through a renewed sense of collaboration and creativity. Our faculty’s professionalism and dedication, along with the strong student voices that typify the best of Weber, are expressed powerfully inside and outside the classroom. The Weber School continues to expand and develop new educational initiatives to meet our mission as a 21st-century Jewish high school: • An expanded academic and leadership team, including a dean’s office geared to addressing student needs and interests and providing a range of enrichment and support. • New, student-driven courses, including expanded AP offerings and new options in science, math, social

Tip-Top Tik SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Photo by Stan Schnitzer

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Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Closed Sunday

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obin Lewis joins Rabbis Mario Karpuj and Analia Bortz last month in examining Congregation Or Hadash’s first Sephardic tik, a special Israeli-made case, like a mini-ark, to hold the Sandy Springs congregation’s heavy Egyptian/Iraqi Torah. The tik was introduced during services Saturday, Aug. 29.

studies and literature. • An interdisciplinary approach to Jewish and general studies, including new honors-level courses in philosophy, literature, astronomy and advanced Jewish literature, featuring

Guest Column By Rabbi Ed Harwitz The Weber School Head of School

our senior-year Capstone Project with Honors Diploma. • A pre-professional fine and performing arts and music program featuring visual arts and ceramics courses, the Weber chorus, a jazzrock ensemble, dance (beginner and advanced levels), and fall and spring theater productions. • An expanded athletics program, including new softball and swim teams, plus co-ed intramural sports and fitness options such as yoga, weight training, ultimate Frisbee, dance team, and instructional swim and golf. • The Etgar (Challenge) program, which offers co-curricular avenues for student Jewish identity development. • PRISM (Pro-Israel Student Movement), a student-initiated program promoting Israel education. Throughout the coming year, we hope that you will join us for community events that showcase the innovation at Weber and celebrate the impact of our students and graduates within the North American Jewish community and in the larger world. L’shana tova — best wishes for a happy and healthy 5776! ■

ROSH HASHANAH

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

We Must Learn to Disagree Civilly

re we are losing our ability to talk civilly to each other as a nation and in our own Jewish community and congregation about Israel and other issues? The stakes are high. Civil discourse is the essence of democracy and of a healthy community. We are witnessing a toxic time when issues play out with all-too-raw and unthinking emotion. It is disturbing when forums about health care, gun control and immigration routinely result in name-calling, interruption of speakers and vilification of those with whom we disagree. Regardless of our personal politics, we should be troubled by the tone and tenor of debate in America, especially within the Jewish community with regard to the Iran deal. We should be alarmed when the president feels it necessary to weigh in during a national webcast to Jewish organizations to call the attacks on Congressman Jerrold Nadler of New

York “appalling” and reject the notion of equivalence between the virulence of the assaults on Jewish supporters of the deal and the suggestions of disloyalty by the deal’s Jewish opponents, as The New York Times reported Aug. 29. I believe we face a landmark moment in America, in Israel and in our

Guest Column By Rabbi Harvey J. Winokur Temple Kehillat Chaim

Jewish community. Our sages taught that it was sinat chinam (causeless hatred) that brought about the destruction of the Temple. That type of hatred is present in our midst. It is time to lift our voices in a call for civil discourse and ethical disagreement. On the eve of Sept. 13, we will fill the sanctuaries for the High Holidays. Members who support the deal will pray alongside those who do not. If the

harsh judgments and rhetoric continue between Washington and Jerusalem and our American Jewish community, we will be deprived of the deep commonality that binds us together. Calling those who oppose the deal “warmongers” shuts shown constructive debate; calling those who support the deal “enablers of a second Holocaust” ends thoughtful discourse. With such significant stakes, thoughtful debate is not only warranted, but also essential. That is what our tradition calls a machloket l’shem shamayim, a debate for the sake of heaven. Our Jewish Federation ended its silence on the Iran nuclear deal Tuesday, Aug. 18, announcing its support for renegotiating the agreement rather than ratifying it as is. But Federation acknowledged that it “cannot be assumed to represent the views and opinions of the entire Atlanta Jewish Community,” clearly a nod to the intensely disparate views within our community. The Central Conference of American Rabbis, the organization

that represents almost 2,000 Reform rabbis, acknowledged the acrimony accompanying the debate by ending its statement on the Iran deal with the following: The CCAR “believes in vigorous debate but that discourse must be civil and constructive. … There must be an open and welcoming tent as we continue to debate not only the future of this agreement, but also the very nature of what it means to be pro-Israel. Our Movement is deeply pro-Israel, though we express that core conviction in many different ways. No one should be compelled to defend his or her Zionism or support for Israel as we express legitimate views, both pro and con, about this most difficult issue.” Recognizing the disparity within the Reform movement, the CCAR chose not to take a formal stand on the deal. As we reflect on our actions over the past year during the coming Days of Awe, may we resolve that we can disagree, but in doing so we can act in a civil and respectful manner to each other. Ken yehi ratson — may this reflect the will of the Eternal. ■

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ROSH HASHANAH

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

Choose Life!

call to heaven and earth today to bear witness. I have placed the choice before you for life or death, blessings or curses; choose life. (Devarim 30:19) Why does the Torah feel the need to instruct us to choose life over death?

Can there be a more obvious choice? The Torah’s wisdom here has become clear because we live in a time that is experiencing a culture devoted to death. Fundamentalism has corrupted the essence and purpose of

religion. At its heart, religion is a gift to mankind from our Creator to support life. Fundamentalism, with its corrupted and distorted reading of texts, worships a culture that celebrates death and despair. This disease has even infected some in our own home. The idea that failure to conform to one’s religious dictates or beliefs justifies murder has led to the deaths of a 16-year-old girl and members of an innocent family of Israeli Arabs. Our holy Torah repeatedly admonishes us never to return to the idolatry and culture of Egypt, with its vast resources devoted to death. Our culture is one of lovingkindness. But this nightmare is real, and it is a fact that we must acknowledge and address now. How did we get here, we who know that the Torah commands us to choose life? It all starts with confusion and ignorance, accompanied by a lack of leadership. When leaders are ignorant and sheltered, they cannot lead. When politicians choose to obscure the truth and haven’t the courage to denounce evil, it will live and grow. Possibly the most important of the 13 requests in the Amidah is the first, Atah Chonen. We ask G-d to grant us wisdom. Our rabbis teach us, “Without wisdom, where is differentiation?” Without discernment, one cannot differentiate between what is true and what is false, what is G-d’s will and what is not, what is holy and what is profane, what leads to life vs. what leads to death. Today, our leaders are blind to the obvious. They lack the courage and fortitude to act to right what is wrong, leading to denial and distortion of

reality. Evil is tolerated, murderers are freedom fighters, rogue regimes get a pass, the guilty are guiltless, and the hated and despised are blamed. The world’s treatment of Israel is the proof. As Alan Dershowitz wrote for Newsmax, “Any objective person with an open mind, open eyes, and an open

Guest Column By Rabbi Pinchos Hecht Atlanta Jewish Academy Head of School

heart must see the double standard being applied to the nation-state of the Jewish people. Many doing so are the grandchildren of those who lethally applied a double standard to the Jews of Europe in the 1930s and 1940s.” The so-called civilized world is at it again, this time with our own American administration and its apologists leading the way. The murderous Iranian regime is legitimized; Israel and the Jews are once again the villains. However, our mission and purpose, given to us by the Holy One, are constant. We must glorify His name and make His presence known to mankind. We were and continue to be charged to “make the one and only invisible G-d visible to all of mankind.” This can be achieved only by living meaningful, purposeful and loving lives that model our G-d’s attributes. Our rabbis teach us that just as the Creator grants love and goodness, deserved or not, so, too, must we. Thrice daily, we recite, “He who blesses His chosen people of Israel with peace.” We are a people of peace and thereby able to bring peace to a world that desperately needs it.

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Time to invest in yourself. There’s still time to attend GPC this Fall. Learn more at gpc.edu/apply. If you’re already accepted but haven’t enrolled, visit gpc.edu/secondhalf.

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ROSH HASHANAH

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

Open the Tent Flaps

arlier this year a Jewish organization formerly known as the Jewish Outreach Institute rebranded itself as Big Tent Judaism. Its tagline, “to engage, support and welcome all those who would cast their lot with the Jewish people,” perfectly expresses my Rosh Hashanah hope for 5776. Jewish Atlanta, open wide your tent flaps! For the thousands in our sprawling metro area who feel an affinity, even a love, for Judaism and the particular and occasionally meshuggenah ways of the Jewish people, let me say that Limmud Atlanta + Southeast is a tent with flaps wide open. Limmud, the Hebrew word for learning, is a challenging name to wrap your tongue around: FYI, it’s pronounced lee-MOOD. Mainly we are proud that our Limmud tent is huge and growing. Limmud Atlanta is part of the international grassroots Limmud movement that flourishes in more than 81 nations and is not tied to any dogma or denomination. As you read this, more than 330 Jews of all ages, beliefs, nonbeliefs, affiliations and nonaffiliations will have just spent four days at Limmud Atlanta’s signature Labor Day weekend event, LimmudFest, held annually at Camp Ramah Darom in the North Georgia mountains. Our weekend was planned entirely by volunteers, most under the age of 40. We who love Limmud call ourselves Limmudniks. We spent sundown on Friday to lunch on Monday opening our tent flaps and our minds to create an intentional community ranging in age from infants and mil-

lennials to boomers and ninetysomethings. In addition to metro Atlantans, we welcomed people from Miami, Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Jerusalem.

Guest Column By Nina Rubin Limmud Atlanta + Southeast Board Chair

Many of us are affiliated up the wazoo. Some belong to synagogues, send our kids to Jewish day schools and summer camp, and observe Shab-

bat in some measure, and many of us keep kosher. Other of us self-describe as cultural Jews; some of us call ourselves agnostics or spiritual or “just Jewish.” But all of us are united in the belief that we are better learning and living together. Across the weekend we celebrated Shabbat as one community, choosing from a variety of minyans — traditional, egalitarian and renewal. We studied Torah, took hikes, debated respectfully about Israel, schmoozed on Camp Ramah’s wide and wonderful porch, and chose from 95 learning sessions. We also ran a day camp for kids ages 5 to 12 and a Gan for preschoolers. Opening our tent flaps for 3½ days

meant being willing to accept some tensions about belief and observance. Camp Ramah, which has an eruv and provides kashrut supervision, makes it possible for all to share a halachic Shabbat. Unlike a typical synagogue service where everyone sings the same melody, sits, stands and bends at the same time, at Limmud we are NOT always on the same page. We respect differences. We agree to disagree. Our tent has room for all who are tolerant and curious and want to deepen their Judaism. For 5776, take the next step on that journey with Limmud Atlanta + Southeast. We need your time, talent and creativity. Learn more at www.limmudse.org. ■

The only preschool through 12th grade Jewish day school in Atlanta

From the AJA Family to Yours Wishing you a Happy, Healthy, Sweet New Year 5776

We must champion love for all of mankind and bring light to a world of darkness. We must be a people and religion whose every path is full of sweetness and love, whose every road leads to lasting peace. This High Holiday season, I pray for leaders with discernment and recommit myself to making the invisible, our one and only G-d, visible throughout the world. Join me in committing to live with purpose, meaning, love for all mankind and creation, and the pursuit of true peace for all. Choose life! ■

 www.atljewishacademy.org 404.843.9900 For more information about our school, or to schedule a tour, contact Bonnie Cook bcook@atljewishacademy.org

Critical Minds

Compassionate Hearts Committed Leaders

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Choose Life! continued

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ROSH HASHANAH

HOD Wishes You a Sweet, Joyous, BBQ-Filled Year

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ince 1904, the Hebrew Order of David has served communities around the world. Now in its 17th year in North America, it has grown to include four lodges in Atlanta, which also houses its headquarters, and has thriving lodges in Toronto, Boca Raton and Dallas. Toward the end of the year, we are excited about the opening of a lodge in Houston. The HOD, as it is known, is composed of a global network of likeminded Jewish men working together to improve the lives of others in their communities. Its members, all volunteers, work mainly within their local communities and support projects around the world through their international network. To name a few local and ongoing Atlanta projects, the HOD has recently been raising funds for its 10th annual Rosh Hashanah Appeal, which through the vehicle of Jewish Family & Career Services helps support Jewish families in need during Rosh Hashanah. This fundraiser positively affects the lives of over 100 families each year, equating to hundreds of individuals. On Sept. 2, promoted by its Toco Hills chapter, Lodge Magen David, the HOD hosted the annual Atlanta Scholars Kollel networking event at Atlanta Jewish Academy, drawing around 500 enthusiastic members of Atlanta’s Jewish community. Between October and April, members and oftentimes their families will get to provide and serve meals for needy couples at the Zaban shelter at The Temple on Peachtree Street. On Oct. 18, the HOD will host the third annual Kosher BBQ Competition, a project it has assumed from Congregation B’nai Torah. This year’s event for the whole family and community has close to 30 teams already competing, with many coming from out of town to try to win the prizes and have some good oldfashioned BBQing fun. There will be entertainment for kids and adults, live music, vendor

stands, kosher food, and projects to attract over 3,000 attendees. Visit www. theatlantakosherbbq.com to find more

Guest Column By Anthony Naturman Hebrew Order of David Lodge Carmel President information, such as fielding a team, becoming a sponsor and supporting this year’s beneficiaries. The venue is Brook Run Park in Dunwoody. In addition to community services, charitable events and formal meetings, there is also a social aspect for HOD members. Lodges host various social events each year that include wives and family members. Bonds are formed, and here in the United States it’s becoming generational as well. Belonging to a brotherhood of fellow Jewish men, all with the same goals of serving the community and caring for each other, is a concept that has proved extremely successful, and these committed men have proved time and again that they are a force to be reckoned with. Membership is open to Jewish men over the age of 21 who are nominated by a current member. The HOD’s motto is “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself” — ve’ahavta lere’acha kamocha — and in that vein the body of work carried out by the members makes an impact on communities in the United States, England, Israel and South Africa, where its roots began 111 years ago. Atlanta’s lodges are Bezalel in East Cobb, Carmel in Sandy Springs, Magen David in Toco Hills and Shimshon in the Alpharetta/Johns Creek vicinity. To find out more about the HOD or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.hodnorthamerica.org, or email scribe@hodusa.org. On behalf of Lodge Carmel and the Hebrew Order of David International, l’shana tova — a very sweet, prosperous and happy year to the Atlanta Jewish community. ■

ROSH HASHANAH

JF&CS Is Changing To Stay the Same our campus. This is more than just a capital improvement project; it is a way for us to ensure our physical space matches the quality of services we are providing.

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Guest Column By Rick Aranson Jewish Family & Career Services CEO Tools for Independence (TFI) WORKS will move from a small space in an office park into an 8,300-squarefoot addition on our campus. We will build a private clinical practice within the walls of JF&CS that will include state-of-the-art soundproofing and a separate entry to ensure privacy. We will create a gathering space to connect our services to one another and to the community. Our staff members are caring and compassionate professionals deeply committed to service. Each of the 30,000 people whom we impact every year benefits from the hard work and dedication of our amazing staff. I am humbled by their commitment to our mission. We could not do what we do without the support of a very active board that helps us with strategic decisionmaking and who will, together with our staff and community stakeholders, set the future course of the organization. Our volunteers are our hands, our hearts and our minds through many different areas of the organization, enabling us to do the important work that is so critical to our community. As we look to the new year, there are a lot of new beginnings, and yet we know how far we have come as an organization. We owe so much to Gary Miller for his visionary leadership and the many contributions he has made to make JF&CS a vital and dynamic community agency. A culture of caring for our clients and our community and the hard work of our dedicated staff, volunteers and board have established this agency as the go-to resource for so many. We see opportunity in the changes ahead, and we count on the individual and collective voices of our community to be the guidance for our future. L’shana tova. ■

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osh Hashanah is a time for reflection. Thinking over this past year, we all can recall changes in our families, in our work environment, even within ourselves. How we adapt to change, face its challenges, embrace its opportunities, and discover meaningful ways to translate what may be different to what is healthy and positive are measures of our success as individuals and as a caring community. At Jewish Family & Career Services, change has been a theme for the year. We welcomed several new directors, a new chief program officer, an enhanced role for our chief financial officer, a new board president and executive committee, and, for the first time in 24 years, a new chief executive officer. After being JF&CS’ chief operating officer for the past 11 years, I am both excited and honored to lead this amazing organization as its CEO. In the next several months, you will start to see changes as we craft our strategic plan and work to adapt to shifting needs and trends in the community. But what is not changing is our fundamental mission and our role as a safety net for those in need, regardless of age, faith or culture. JF&CS is in a unique position to be a bridge between the Jewish community and the broader community. Our diversity is a point of pride. We demonstrate our impact as that community bridge in defining tikkun olam as healing — not just the Jewish community, but also the entire community. This message of inclusiveness enables us to have the best talents and partnerships to achieve our ambitious goals for JF&CS and its clients. We have recognized we can accomplish more by working in deeper collaboration with other organizations in the Jewish community and the broader community. We believe by doing so we can best support the community that relies on us so heavily. One example of a recent collaboration of which we are very proud is our new home for adults with developmental disabilities at Camp Twin Lakes. Working together, JF&CS and Camp Twin Lakes will enable our clients to live, work and integrate with the Twin Lakes community. In the next several months, we will begin construction to complete

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Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year

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osh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is the most awe-inspiring time of the year. It is when we look back on all that we have done the past year and plan and pray for all we hope to achieve in the year 5776. As we begin this year, Jewish National Fund has big plans to continue to make a tangible and lasting difference in the lives of all the people of Israel by expanding on our missions to grow communities, find water solutions and improve security. In Israel’s northern and western Galilee, JNF is confronting the challenges of a beautiful area that has experienced acute social and economic problems. We’ve recognized the great potential, and with the government of Israel, municipalities, youth organizations, community leaders, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL), Nefesh B’Nefesh, the OR Movement, the Reut Institute and the Rashi Foundation, we have launched the Go North initiative. Go North aims to attract and retain 300,000 new residents to the Galilee and invigorate the region with an increase in tourism, education, economic development, youth leadership and housing. The Central Arava, a remote, arid region in southern Israel, is inhabited by just under 4,000 people —pioneers scattered through seven communities who contend with the harsh desert climate. Despite an average yearly rainfall of only 1 inch, 500 farming families produce 60 percent of Israel’s fresh vegetable exports and 10 percent of its cut flower exports. JNF is helping this isolated area increase its population by developing the infrastructure to attract and support new residents. Such initiatives include upgrading reservoirs and building a state-of-the-art medical facility and a rescue and command center. Physicians are moving to the area to staff the new medical center, and bed-and-breakfasts are drawing adventurous tourists from around the world who crave unique and magical desert stays. For three decades, JNF has been at the forefront of water management and conservation in Israel, increasing the country’s total water supply by 12 percent and helping Israel become a leader in water recycling. JNF’s network of 250 recycled water reservoirs provides almost half the water

used for agriculture in Israel, saving enough fresh water to meet the needs of 4.4 million people a year. With JNF’s assistance, more than 85 percent of the sewage water in Israel is recycled and reused, the highest

Guest Column By Beth Gluck Jewish National Fund Southeast Regional Director

rate in the world. To put that into context, Spain comes in a distant second, reusing 17 percent of its waste water; the United States reuses 5 percent. With a global water crisis upon us and Israel having gone from waterdeprived to water-abundant, JNF is launching of a series of water summits, beginning in October. At each summit, keynote speaker Seth M. Siegel, author of the soon-tobe-released book “Let There Be Water: Israel’s Solution for a Water-Starved World,” will discuss global water issues and Israel’s successes in water governance, infrastructure and technology. In addition, a panel of regional experts will confer on local challenges, and breakout sessions will bring participants together to formulate plans to meet long-term water needs. Special in Uniform is an innovative program that aims to integrate youth with disabilities into the Israel Defense Forces and to assist in preparing them for careers after their army service. The IDF does more than ensure the security of Israel, as it also provides those who serve with valuable professional and social life skills. This program goes beyond IDF bases, helping its graduates integrate into the workforce and Israeli society in meaningful ways. This partnership with JNF will expand programming across the country, giving hundreds more the same opportunity. As we enter 5776, we look to move closer to achieving our vision — a $1 billion road map for the next decade — which will continue to build a prosperous future for the land of Israel and its people. Whether you are a donor, a volunteer or a board member, we realize that it is only with your partnership and support that we can continue to meet and exceed these goals. On behalf of Jewish National Fund, we wish you a happy, healthy and sweet new year. ■

ROSH HASHANAH

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10 Days of Awe human relationships. So the Yamim Nora’im are less schizophrenic than it would seem. As we examine ourselves in the honest light of the Yamim Nora’im, we should call to mind this passage often

Guest Column By Rabbi Robert P. Kirzner Temple Beth David

associated with Yom Kippur: “For

transgressions against G-d, the Day of Atonement atones; but for transgressions of one human being against another, the Day of Atonement does not atone until they have made peace with each other” (Mishnah, Tractate Yoma 8:9). It is not all up to G-d. We bear the burden of seeking and granting forgiveness from one another. Only then can we fully appreciate and experience the awe that the High Holidays offer. May we each find the awe in the coming Yamim Nora’im. May we all enjoy a shana tova u’metukah, a happy and sweet new year! ■

DeKalb County State Court Judge Dax Lopez, the Jewish Latino Republican nominated by President Barack Obama to the federal bench, has resigned from the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sept. 4. The sheriffs in Cobb and Gwinnett counties and anti-illegal-immigration activists have declared opposition to Lopez’s U.S. District Court nomination because of his GALEO membership. Lopez’s nomination awaits action in the U.S. Senate, which has not been quick to act on Obama judicial nominees. The president nominated Lopez at the end of July and said he would be Georgia’s first Latino to hold a lifetime appointment on the federal bench. ■

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

When we think of the High Holidays, we do so in two different ways. The first is Rosh Hashanah. Most of us think of this festival as our New Year’s celebration. After all, we greet each other with “Shana tova!” — “A good year!” We dip apples in honey to reflect our hope for a sweet new year. But the full greeting is “Shana tova tikateivu!” — “May we be inscribed for a good year!” The implication clearly is that there is much more going on than a simple holiday celebration. The second is Yom Kippur. We would all agree that this observance is far more solemn than the first. The atmosphere is more sober. We fast. We symbolically strike our chests as an expression of knowing we can be better than we have been. We spend an entire day in prayer and introspection. At the end of the day we greet each other by saying, “G’mar chatima tova.” Literally, it means “May the signature be a good one.” The High Holidays are known by another term. We refer to the entire 10 days beginning with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur as the Yamim Nora’im, which is commonly translated as Days of Awe. In the strictest sense of the word, they are indeed filled with a sense of awe. The dictionary defines awe as “a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.” This definition could not give us a better insight as to the nature of these 10 days. They are indeed days filled with reverence and fear, and we wonder at G-d’s creation and at our relationship with G-d. Our fear comes in many forms, but perhaps none so appropriate to the season as the fear that comes from not knowing the future. The rabbinic sages tell us to repent one day before our death. The implication is clear. The 10 Days of Awe remind us of this. These awe-filled days compel us to acknowledge G-d’s gift to us with the creation of the world and, because the act of creation fills us with wonder, to look intensely at ourselves in terms of our relationships with G-d and with our fellow human beings. We set aside 10 days to renew our sense of awe in the world around us and to renew our sense of awe in our

Lopez Quits GALEO

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ROSH HASHANAH

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From the New World to the New South

s we look ahead to a new year, it is always good to know whence we came and take pride in the contributions made by those before us. Just five months after James Oglethorpe established the colony of Georgia in 1733, the first Jews arrived in Savannah. Many of them were fleeing great poverty in London and seeking opportunities to prosper, while others had suffered as a result of the Spanish Inquisition and were seeking freedom to practice their faith without fear. For the 42 Jews aboard the William and Sarah, the New World promised hope. By 1735, these families established Congregation Mickve Israel — the third in America — which still prospers today. The Nunes, Sheftall and Minis families helped establish a religious footprint that is still visible over 280 years later. During the 1840s, Jews from around the world began immigrating to Albany, Ga. By 1854, just four immigrants banded together to found the United Hebrew Society of Albany to establish a cemetery and house of worship. At the turn of the century, Jews prospered in Albany financially, spiritually and politically. This led to

Samuel B. Brown becoming president of the country club, alderman and mayor in 1901 and 1902. After the Revolutionary and Civil wars, Atlanta became the symbol of

Guest Column By Aaron Berger William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum Executive Director

civil rights like Rabbi Jacob Rothschild all added to the tapestry that is Atlanta’s history. From the 1970s to today, the Jewish population has grown nearly tenfold. Today we have a vibrant and evolving Jewish presence with new communities like Dahlonega, where Jewish life is just beginning with the establishment of a congregation, Shalom B’harim, that enjoys a diverse membership of people living through-

out the North Georgia mountains. On behalf of the Breman Museum, Cuba Family Archives for Southern Jewish History, the largest repository for Southern Jewish history, and the Lilian and A.J. Weinberg Center for Holocaust Education, we wish you a happy, healthy and sweet new year. ■

For example, our new spiritual leader, Rabbi Melvin Sirner, will lead Shearith Israel into the new year, inserting his take on this special time. We are honored to have him with us. True to tradition, our congregants will also continue to participate heavily in our services, from simply opening the ark to blowing the shofar. The shofar is both a call to celebrate G-d and the special relationship with humanity, and a call for repentance. It is representative of both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — a coronation and a time for reflection. On a recent Sunday, my three young children came home from our Machaneh Shai program (children’s education) and were playing a game where they were sounding the shofar. They had just heard it blown that morning during a family program. A thought of mine was how did

simply blowing the shofar inspire an imaginary game that went on for an hour? Were other children doing the same? Perhaps this little, seemingly unimportant event exemplifies the significance of this time of year for Jews. No matter the level of observance, Jews everywhere are called to celebrate the High Holidays in some way. Even the tradition of the shofar made an impression on my children, and I’m sure they don’t fully grasp the true meaning. On behalf of our professional staff, our board of trustees, and our entire membership, Congregation Shearith Israel wishes you a joyous and meaningful Rosh Hashanah and a Yom Kippur filled with both celebration and thoughtful reflection. L’shana tova tikateiv veteichateim. May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year. ■

Photo courtesy of the Savannah Jewish Archives at the Cuba Family Archives for Southern Jewish History, Breman Museum A delivery truck makes its rounds for Feinberg’s Furniture in Thomasville in 1919.

the New South and offered Jews new economic possibilities. In the 1870s, there were approximately 500 Jews living in Atlanta. That number had grown by only 16,000 100 years later. That said, the contributions of Jews during that time were significant. Merchants like Morris Rich, who established what would one day become the great Rich’s department store; philanthropist Harold Hirsch, who aided Jews worldwide; and advocates for

A Peaceful New Year

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

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ust like every synagogue in our great city, across the country, in Israel and around the world, preparations for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are well under way. Our shared experience of the High Holidays is a tremendous time of family, joy, thought, prayer and reflection. Jews everywhere will celebrate in much the same way. It’s a powerful commonality that we share as part of the larger Jewish community. At Congregation Shearith Israel, we are looking forward to hosting our members and guests as we welcome the new year. We’ll see old friends, regular members, new members and individuals just looking for a place to belong, even if only for a few hours. We hope that each of our attendees

will find what they are looking for on these holiest of days. The new year often affords the opportunity to consider doing things differently.

Guest Column By Josh D’Agostino Congregation Shearith Israel President

For us, it is a tremendous time of change at Congregation Shearith Israel, and we are embracing it. We have new leadership with new ideas, new energy and noticeable dedication at both the professional and lay levels. Additionally, it is a time to preserve the most celebrated traditions of more than 110 years of existence.

ROSH HASHANAH

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The Force Awakens: A High Holiday Message you use your divine influence and get us out of this?” Han Solo • We stir the sleeper from his slumber. “Hey, you awake?” Princess Leia • We embrace our humanity. “It is against my programming to impersonate a deity.” C-3PO • We drop the pretenses. “Help me take this mask off.” Darth Vader

Guest Column By Rabbi Micah Lapidus The Davis Academy Director of Jewish & Hebrew Studies

• We dedicate ourselves to living more perfect lives. “That’s the last mistake you’ll ever make.” Luke Skywalker • We celebrate our connection to the Jewish people. “Wonderful, we are now a part of the tribe.” C-3PO • We contemplate our place in the universe. “It appears you are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor.” C-3PO • We try to purify our hearts, souls

and minds. “Beware anger, fear, aggression, the Dark Side are they.” Yoda • We embrace our limited perspective. “Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” Obiwan Kenobi • We explore our untapped potential. “Let’s see what this piece of junk can do.” Han Solo • We try to get unstuck. “Well, looks like I’m stuck here. Trouble is, I don’t know where here is.” Princess Leia • We seek to understand what G-d requires of us. “What is thy bidding, my master?” Darth Vader • We strive to connect with G-d. “I’m locked on to the strongest power source.” Lando Calrissian “Greetings, exalted one, allow me to introduce myself.” Luke Skywalker • We try to see ourselves and our world more clearly. “You’ll pay the price for your lack of vision.” The Emperor • We imagine how we might appear in G-d’s eyes. “He is most displeased with your apparent lack of effort.” Darth Vader • We contemplate the theology of reward and punishment. “You serve your

master well and you will be rewarded.” Luke Skywalker • We listen to the yearning of our hearts. “I wonder if your feelings on this matter are clear.” The Emperor • We reach out to loved ones. “I can save him. I can turn him back to the good side. I have to try.” Luke Skywalker • We remember and ask G-d to remember. “It is the name of your true self. You’ve only forgotten.” Luke Skywalker • We fight our spiritual battles. “I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate.” Luke Skywalker • We strip away the veneer. “Your overconfidence is your weakness.” Luke Skywalker • We let ourselves be vulnerable. “You are unwise to lower your defenses.” Darth Vader • We reveal our truest selves. “You cannot hide forever.” Darth Vader • We acknowledge life’s detours. “I got a little sidetracked. It’s not my fault.” Han Solo L’shana tova! May the Force awaken within all of us in 5776! ■

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

ach day during the month of Elul at the Davis Academy, dozens of students gather to blow the shofar during morning announcements. The shofar, more than any other symbol of the High Holidays, reminds us all of Judaism’s ever-relevant call to “awaken.” As it turns out, like so much within Judaism, the theme of awakening speaks to broader cultural themes. As one of the cultural highlights of 5776 will surely be the much-anticipated “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” here is undeniable proof that an earlier “Star Wars” classic, “Return of the Jedi” (or “Teshuvah of the Jedi”) is actually all about the High Holidays. Rather than offer a traditional Rosh Hashanah message, I share these thoughts with you: • We count the days until Rosh Hashanah. “Proceed with the countdown.” • We experience an uncanny sense of familiarity. “Here we go again.” C-3PO • We phone in favors. “Why don’t

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ROSH HASHANAH

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Returning a Warm Welcome With Enthusiasm

he coming of each new year marks a time for both reflection and anticipation. Looking back on 5775 and forward to 5776, we have much to appreciate and celebrate. I knew that arriving as the

new consul general of Israel to the Southeast would be a challenging experience — and I am always up for a challenge. When my family and I arrived in Atlanta in July, we were welcomed with open arms in the spirit of

5776

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Wishing You and Your Family a Sweet New Year.

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Southern hospitality. This warm, easygoing atmosphere has set the tone for me as I begin to meet with Jewish organizations, Christian supporters, and political, business and cultural leaders throughout the region. Being in Atlanta now for a little more than a month, there are some things I know to be absolutely true. I believe that Atlanta and the Southeast are the most pro-Israel areas in the United States. Here, both Jews and Christians support Israel with unrelenting enthusiasm. This has propelled me to work enthusiastically and with high hopes for successful collaborations and relationships. The Southeast is on the cutting edge for many endeavors. Already, I’ve been honored to take part in an impressive event that highlighted the best in both cybersecurity and hightech advancements in Israel and the United States. The Cybersecurity Forum With Israel and the American Southeast, held at Georgia Tech, brought together lawmakers, business leaders, investors and researchers from Israel, Washington, D.C., and the Southeast. In partnership with the Israeli government and the global law firm Baker Donelson, the event aimed for companies and institutions to discover new partners, craft strategies for collective action, and ensure they remain informed of upcoming challenges. I was also delighted to recently accompany the governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam, on his trade mission to Israel. After this mission, we anticipate even more new partnerships that will be mutually beneficial for Israel and Tennessee.

Looking forward to the coming Jewish year, we have great expectations. As always, the consulate is working hard both to keep the community informed and to share the best of Israeli innovation and culture with

Guest Column By Ambassador Judith Varnai Shorer Consul General of Israel to the Southeast

the people of the Southeastern United States. We are mindful, however, that Israel faces serious national security challenges in the coming year. The impending vote on the Iran deal in the U.S. government has taken over headlines and prompted endless discussions and debates since its announcement in July. Iran continues its efforts to acquire military nuclear capabilities and remains the chief sponsor of the terrorist organizations Hezbollah and Hamas. Without the great friendship of the American people, it will be difficult to meet these strategic challenges. This summer we saw the departure of former Consul General Opher Aviran and his wife, Talyah, after five years of diligent work uniting Israel and the Southeast community. We will continue to honor his enthusiasm in the years ahead. As the year draws to a close, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the unwavering support of the Jewish community of Atlanta to the people and state of Israel. On behalf of the Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast, we wish you a happy and prosperous new year, and we look forward to working with you in 5776. ■

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Coleman Spirit Can Last All Year Long

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friends back home and persuade them to give Coleman a try. 4. Give your parents the biggest hug ever when you see them and thank them for sacrificing so much to

Guest Column By Bobby Harris Camp Coleman Director

be able to send you to camp. 5. Write a thank-you note to any organizations, such as your temple and the Jewish Federation of Greater

Atlanta, that helped your family send you to camp. In 2015, our local Federation enabled 525 children to experience the magic and joy of Jewish summer camp. Special thanks to chairs Mark Silberman and Joel Arogeti for their efforts in building local support for camp. 6. Write a blog post about your camp experience to put on your temple website or to send to Camp Coleman to post on our website. 7. Since you know them, lead the Motzi and Birkat Hamazon at home or at your temple whenever you have a meal. 8. Stay connected with your camp friends old and new.

9. Keep in mind and practice Coleman’s four core Jewish values every day and in everything you do — kavod (respect), chesed (kindness), shalom (peace and wholeness) and kehillah (community). 10. Go on the Coleman website (coleman.urjcamps.org), get the apple brown Betty recipe, and make it for your family on Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah. It’s true that it is impossible to replicate the 24/7 immersive environment of Coleman, but these 10 recommendations can serve as a bridge to transition from summer 2015 to 2016 and to build an even stronger Jewish community in 5776. ■

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s we near the end of our summer at camp, our oldest campers are customarily given time to speak at services and reflect on their days as a Coleman camper coming to an end. It is an intense moment for them as they begin to understand the preciousness of time and more deeply understand that there are certain milestones we go through only once or a few times and do not experience again — the bar or bat mitzvah is perhaps the first encounter with this feeling, and their final year as a camper, in many cases, affects them even more profoundly. The camp environment lends itself to creating these memorable experiences because it exists in a place unique in time and geographic space. Throughout the year, most of our campers live in residential suburban neighborhoods far from the mountainous forest and rural countryside where we live at Coleman. Campers spend the majority of their year — 10 or 11 months — living in a particular neighborhood and attending a particular school. Their summer pilgrimage to the North Georgia mountains of Coleman therefore becomes a unique and special experience — the place where they can mark and internalize their growth from year to year. The final Shabbat service of this summer included the Ten Commandments, and it provided us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on how we might take the wonderful magic of Jewish living at Camp Coleman and bring a little of it into our lives at home for the next 10 or 11 months. Rabbi Bradd Boxman, who has spent 29 years at Jewish summer camps and leads a congregation in Parkland, Fla., offered the following “10 Ways to Feel Closer to Camp All Year Long.” This Rosh Hashanah is a great time to rededicate ourselves to this effort. 1. Start counting the days until Coleman 2016. For those completing 10th grade, count the days to particiCOFFEE pate in Coleman/NFTY Israel Adventure. 2. Get involved in your temple youth group or junior youth group back home. Attend any Coleman reunions. If you’re in NFTY, go to as many regional conventions as you can. 3. Talk about camp with your

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The Common Table

s we celebrate the new year, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta wishes all a sweet and happy new year: l’shana tova tikatevu. The JCRCA provides a common table for the Atlanta Jewish community, bringing together Jewish organizations, synagogues and individuals for social justice issues. The JCRCA builds consensus and advocates for causes consistent with Jewish values. We host the Social Action Council, which brings together social action chairs from synagogues to support cooperative social action/social justice efforts. The Holocaust Community Council brings together the groups that commemorate the Holocaust to share information, develop a common calendar and support cooperation. Through lectures, townhall meetings, the Hunger Seder and other programs, we focus on our social justice priorities to fight discrimination, protect vulnerable populations, educate the community, and support the continuity and security of Israel. Working Toward Civil Dialogue We are all aware of the increasing polarization in our community, manifested by vitriol in the debate over the Iran pact and recent controversies regarding invited honorees, speakers and funding. Passionate disagreements are part of our religious heritage. We continually argue and refine 5,000-year-old laws to maintain their relevance. However, disagreement does not mean we should abandon the respect and understanding that are the hallmark of a strong community. We must reverse recent trends and actively learn from the other voices in our debates. We must learn to share our views with respect and candor. The JCRCA began an initiative that seeks to support civil debate and increase engagement despite disagreements. On Sunday, Aug. 9, the JCRCA hosted 37 Jewish community leaders from synagogues, Jewish organizations and distinguished opinion leaders in a program focused on meaningful discussion of our shared support for Israel. Led by Rabbi Melissa Weintraub of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs’ Resetting the Table initiative, we spent the day emphasizing meaningful engagement on opposing views. This was a first step toward addressing the threat to our community that stems

from disagreements over Israel. We will continue moving forward. Advocacy for Tikkun Olam The JCRCA is also a committed advocacy group, and we engage with elected officials at the state and federal levels to pursue our goals of a better, more just world. In January we adopted a legislative agenda to increase access to health care, fight sex traffick-

Guest Column By Noah Appley Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta Administrator

and Harvey Rickles JCRCA President

ing of minors, and reduce hunger. In June we celebrated when the governor signed legislation achieving one of those goals, the enactment of the safe harbor law, which protects children who are victims of sex trafficking. We are also proud of our work fighting the “religious freedom” legislation intended to legalize discrimination against the LGBT community. Our email campaign helped prevent the passage of this onerous legislation. We still have much to do with our Cover Georgia coalition fighting to eliminate the Medicaid coverage gap. Educating the Community The JCRCA is proud that our work extends beyond the Jewish community. Next month, at our fourth Georgia Council for the Social Studies teachers convention, we will be featured speakers discussing Judaism, Israel and the Middle East to social studies teachers from across Georgia. As GCSS exhibitors, we will continue a program that has distributed thousands of textbooks to social studies teachers to enrich their understanding of these subjects. Moving Forward Together In this season of forgiveness and regeneration, we hope that our community will move forward without rancor or attacks. Let us commit to respect speakers with whom we disagree and not to challenge their loyalty to Israel or Judaism because they have different opinions. We look forward to working with you to strengthen the unity of our community and to serve the common good here, in Israel and throughout the world. ■

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year

Partnerships Teach Society Lessons

riting from Israel (attending the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism’s 15th annual counterterrorism conference) on the eve of the new year of 5776, I actually reflect on the Haggadah, which says: “In every generation they rise up against us to destroy us.” Regardless of one’s position on the Iran deal, it is hard to ignore the truism of this saying, as seen with the constant Iranian threats to annihilate Israel and similar threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaida, Islamic State, scores of other nonstate organizations, and even Arab countries that have peace treaties with Israel (Egypt and Jordan). These threats were part of Jewish communal existence the past 2,000 years and are now directed against the Jewish state, expressed in vile rhetoric, military preparations, terrorist acts, and the political BDS movement, which is working incessantly to undermine Israel’s moral right to exist. Against these odds Israel has made remarkable and unparalleled achievements and continues to do so with vigorous energy, know-how and determination. Israel has a political system that renders it ungovernable, and tremendous and valuable resources are wasted on internal political feuds and lack of unity even under times of war. Yet the people’s strong spirit of living beyond surviving is evident in every aspect of life in Israel. From science to medicine, from industry to culture, from agriculture to art, and from R&D to export, Israel wants to play at the center of the world and not merely on the cusp of it. In many metrics Israel is an amazing success story. Israelis would want nothing more than being in the news for all these and not for terrorist acts, security tensions, threats of war and actual war. Indeed, this proactive spirit is evident and is perhaps worthy of acknowledging. Even as the Middle East is decaying and disintegrating, Israel is seeking not only to protect itself, but also to forge new alliances — some unfathomable until now (Saudi Arabia). Being proactive is important not only against military threats and terrorism, but also against crime. It is not merely the opposite of being pas-

sive. Rather, being proactive means a concentrated effort at understanding what and how a problem is created and therefore focusing on minimizing the likelihood of the problem from developing in the first place. To a large extent, this is the role of public health agencies, and for the

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past 20 to 25 years police agencies have adopted this approach, albeit with variable success. The Israel Police is undergoing a leadership crisis after the forced resignation of several top commanders because of sexual abuse and corruption and is still leaderless because the new commissioner-designate became embroiled in a major public controversy. Yet the organization is strong enough to weather this storm and come out even stronger. Israel has one national police force charged with fighting crime and handling terrorism. Its officers are well trained as versatile public servants and are dedicated and capable. The Israel Police has accumulated professional and organizational knowledge to make it one of the best police forces around the world. It works in partnerships with many sister agencies in many countries, and it has a great deal to contribute to better policing and is eager to do so. GILEE is proud to play a role in bringing law enforcement agencies into closer partnerships — not only between Israel and other agencies, but with many countries and many states. The lessons of strong partnerships can and should be adapted from police practice to civil society. Partnerships offer an effective way not only to serve citizens better, but also to display fortitude and resoluteness against threats. Perhaps just as important, being proactive through building partnerships also provides a moral compass that reinforces our well-being and sends a message to those who wish us harm that we are more than ready not to be taken for granted. With best wishes for a shana tova. May it truly be a good year. ■

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An Education in College Debt

hana tova from the volunteers and staff of the Jewish Educational Loan Fund. In our 126th year serving Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, JELF enters 5776 with a renewed commitment to our mission of helping Jewish students in need meet the financial challenges of higher education through interest-free loans. Our work is rooted in the teachings of Torah, and the help we provide to Jewish students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as professional certifications, is

in keeping with one of our most cherished Jewish traditions: education. During this calendar year, JELF will grant interest-free loans totaling more than $800,000 to approximately 250 students. By most standards, this

Guest Column By Rob Rickles Jewish Educational Loan Fund Board President

is an impressive accomplishment. After all, in some cases JELF is the only

thing standing between applicants and their ability to pursue education. While we take satisfaction in helping these students, the need this year will total nearly $1 million, leaving students to find other sources to fill the gap. Regrettably, to stay in school, many students and their families will max out credit cards. Like so many other organizations serving the Jewish and secular communities, JELF’s ability to meet the needs of our constituents depends upon securing the resources to do so. Recognizing that the increasing costs of education are putting more pressure on middle-class families, we

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Happy New Year, filled with good health, happiness, peace and prosperity!

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have stepped up our efforts to promote our work and to attract new supporters. No longer do we refer to JELF as “the best-kept secret in town.” We are grateful to so many generous individuals, corporations and Jewish agencies. Many supporters are attracted to our focus on education, while others like our “hand up” rather than “handout” approach. Still others are inspired by the fact that their donations will be recycled for decades to come as students repay loans after graduation and those repayments are turned into loans for new applicants. It doesn’t hurt that JELF boasts a 99 percent repayment rate, a result that would delight any private lender. In the new year, JELF will work on many fronts to serve the needs of Jewish students and their families. We invite you to join us as a volunteer, donor or JELF champion within organizations in which you are involved. Please visit us at www. jelf.org, like us on Facebook, or give us a call at 770-396-3080 to learn more about JELF’s work and how you can help Jewish students in need in 5776. Shana tova. ■

Matzah Ball Soup

From Irene Schwartz 5-to-6-pound chicken 1 onion, cut lengthwise in quarters 2 carrots, cut lengthwise 2 parsnips, cut lengthwise 2 celery stalks, cut lengthwise 1 tablespoon salt For matzah balls: 4 egg whites ½ cup matzah meal 2 teaspoons dried onions ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon dried parsley ¼ teaspoon white pepper Put the chicken in a pot with cold water. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Add the onion, carrots, parsnips and celery stalks. Add the salt. Cover and simmer about an hour until the chicken is tender. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl, mix the matzah meal, dried onions, cinnamon, dried parsley and white pepper. Pour in the egg whites and mix. Let sit 15 minutes. Form walnut-size balls, using a mixture of water and oil to lubricate your hands. Drop the balls into boiling salted water. Cover the pot and simmer 30 minutes. Remove from burner and let stand 30 minutes. Add to the soup.

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ARTS

Songs, Tears Carry 1 Man on 100-Year Journey • Cole Porter’s “You’re the Tops” was written about Berlin. • Berlin worked with Ethel Merman, Flo Ziegfeld and all the greats, but he made a sour face when Elvis gyrated to his song “White Christmas.” • After the assassination of JFK, Berlin lost his lust for life and became a recluse. Felder’s show ended with Berlin in his wheelchair, describing how carolers under his window annoyed him. He tearfully told the audience that he wrote songs “for love, for country, but most of all for you.” One fun fact about Felder: He is married to Kim Campbell, the only woman to serve as prime minister of Canada. Fan Virginia Saul raved: “I thought he was amazing. It says a lot for our community to sponsor an event like this.” ■

‘circle’ ’cause Jews couldn’t write their names. Wop meant ‘without papers.’ ” • Berlin’s first wife died as a newlywed after contracting typhus in Cuba on their honeymoon. • His second wife, 15 years his junior, was the heiress to the Comstock Load. Her family disowned her for marrying a “Jewish singing waiter”

Jaffe’s Jewish Jive By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

outside their social circle. Subsequently, his father-in-law lost the largest amount of any individual on Black Tuesday; only then did he buddy up to Berlin. • Berlin acclimated to having money. As he told his daughter, “Rather than get your mother to economize, it’s easier to just make more money.” • Berlin lost his only son, Irving Jr., on Christmas Day; he had three daughters. He composed music through sorrow and romance and as gifts to others. • Berlin went on the road for years, raising $10 million as a loyal American for war relief. He also funded the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. • His proudest moment was receiving the Presidential Medal of Merit from Harry Truman. • He had 232 Top 10 hits, including music from the Broadway musical “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Alexander’s Rag Time Band,” “Easter Parade,” “A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody,” and “G-d Bless America,” for which he rejected the notion of replacing our national anthem.

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Photos by Affordable Photography

Top: The hosts for the one-night show are Judy Zaban Miller and Lester Miller. Bottom: Beth Arogeti, who chairs the Women’s Philanthropy Campaign, and Joel Arogeti, who chairs the Jewish Camping Task Force, attend the show.

w L’Shana Tova Wishing Michael Morris and his staff at the Atlanta Jewish Times continued success for the coming New Year! Lynne & Howard Halpern

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

n late Sunday afternoon, Aug. 30, a standing-room crowd of some 800 were thrilled by Canadian Hershey Felder’s stunning one-man, two-hour show about the amazing life of Irving Berlin. To kick off the 2016 Community Campaign of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Judy Zaban Miller and Lester Miller sponsored Felder, whom they persuaded to come to the Buckhead Theatre after seeing him in Los Angeles. “Judy had to give him a klopp in the head and arm twist to convince him,” Lester joked. Federation President and CEO Michael Horowitz thanked the crowd and the hundreds of volunteers who raise money for Federation to help Jews and non-Jews throughout the world. Felder, a major musical talent and composer who was a scholar in residence at Harvard, has performed on Broadway and portrayed Gershwin, List, Chopin, Bernstein and Beethoven, among others. Felder sang and talked through Berlin’s remarkable life — a life of loss and triumph told through music. Felder commanded the stage every riveting second, including asking the audience to sing along. Granted, it was an older crowd, but eyes were misty. Rogers and Hammerstein and Bacharach and David were brilliant combos, but Berlin was both the lyricist and songwriter. Among the pearls Felder shared about Berlin’s century-long life: • Berlin, a Russian immigrant, left his home in Brooklyn at age 11 to make his way as a paper boy and singing waiter. “Back then, we didn’t care who called who what. Kike was Yiddish for

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ARTS

3 Rabbis, 3 Redheads and the 2 Worlds of Josh Stein By Vi Kary E. Fins

n the past, if someone had offered me a novel about people in the Orthodox community, I probably wouldn’t have been interested. Living a secular life, my knowledge of traditional Judaism is incomplete. I learned to respect the joys of Shabbat and the holidays from my former in-laws; however, I was not wellacquainted with the standards guiding the Orthodox community. I also had a bit of naiveté about the people who live this life. In my mind, they suppress temptations. Spouses don’t stray. Rabbis don’t prevaricate. Synagogue boards and committees don’t engage in political machinations. Along comes “Fruitfly Rabbi,” from local authors Chana Shapiro (an AJT columnist) and Meta Miller, and imagine my surprise. Entertaining? Yes. Readable? Very. And, for me, informative.

From the “Fruitfly” characters and situations, I recalled many improbable synagogue anecdotes (OK, gossip) related to me by friends and family over the years. I’m the kind of reader who needs to care about the characters in a book, and I found myself invested in the choices and experiences of our hero, Josh. I was intrigued by the motivations that compelled his boss, Rabbi Ephraim Halperin, a rabbinic icon, to pursue questionable actions. I sympathized with Josh’s family and wondered why he was attracted to the three very different young women in his life. From my understanding of human nature, I appreciate Josh’s journey from the world of science to the world of religious observance. I have to admit

that I enjoyed watching Josh struggle with the obstacles along the way. “Fruitfly Rabbi” is a fast-moving, can’t-put-itdown page-turner, with several plot lines cleverly intertwined. I especially like the humor, intrigue and remarkable characters accompanying Josh on his odyssey. Even though it seems that the male characters are central, I was pleased that the women are more important in shaping the various situational outcomes. The congregational secretary, Serena, uses private information prudently. Sheila Small, the board president’s wife, is an excellent tactician. Bunny Halperin, the senior rabbi’s wife, reveals more depth than is initially expected, and Josh’s girlfriends — I’ll leave the fun of those revelations for you.

And then there’s Rabbi Mordechai Goldschmidt, Josh’s mentor and moral compass. Goldschmidt uses his insight into Josh’s essence to guide him, sometimes at the 11th hour. Shapiro and Miller say they are working on their next “Fruitfly Rabbi” novel. I hope Rabbi Goldschmidt sticks around because Josh needs him. I’m so glad that the authors included a comprehensive glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish words and phrases. It has been too many decades since I lived with my Yiddish- and Ladino-speaking grandparents. I now know the meaning of mechitzah and the probable spelling of tchachkas. ■ Fruitfly Rabbi By Chana Shapiro and Meta Miller Leftwrite Books, 320 pages, $15.99 Available online and at Tall Tales Books, Judaica Corner, ModernTribe and And Thou Shalt Read

Israel’s Different Beats

Music evolves to match changing society By Benjamin Kweskin

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

n the mid-1960s, Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, refused to allow the Beatles to perform in Israel so as not to corrupt the youth. It’s hard to imagine he would have allowed Elton John, Ozzy Osborne, Lady Gaga, Madonna or Rhianna, all of whom have recently performed in Israel. A dozen young people gathered in the spacious living room at Moishe House Decatur on Monday, Aug. 24, happy to see their friends and to fill their bellies with falafel, baba ganoush, tahini, Israeli salad, and a special drink mix of Tito’s vodka and pomegranate juice — a Tel Aviv staple introduced by the evening’s presenter, Eli Sperling. An Israel specialist and assistant project coordinator at the Institute for the Study of Modern Israel at Emory University, Sperling conveyed how Israeli music has changed and been affected by fluid political and demographic realities the past 70 years. Moishe House provides an open and energetic Jewish community for young adults, who create home-based Jewish experiences for the community 74 through learning, tikkun olam, social

AJT

programs, and celebrations of Jewish culture and holidays. Sperling provided several songs picked to represent changes in Israeli culture, from pre-state to today. They represented different time periods, socio-political realities, racial tensions, and political and ideological expressions. He said the pre-state yishuv (Jewish community) focused on building a “new Jew” through political and cultural cohesion focused on molding a “new Hebrew culture” for the immigrants, mostly Ashkenazi Jews from Europe. The first song Sperling presented, “Kinneret” (Sea of Galilee) by the poetess Rachel, spoke to the strong connection to the land. But the romantic melody was offset by the second song, “Shir Betar” (Song of Betar), a militaristic march highlighting strength and renewal. Both songs, representing the two main conflicting political streams of Zionism, were hits. From 1950 to 1952, Sperling said, nearly 1 million Mizrahim (Jews from Muslim-majority countries) arrived in Israel, causing a huge demographic change. Israel’s cultural and political dynamics began to shift. Many of the new immigrants were Middle Eastern Jews: They spoke Arabic, Farsi and

Turkish and listened to Middle Eastern music. Essentially, Mizrahim represented the “culture of the enemy” because of Israel’s lack of regional recognition. By the 1970s, Mizrahim Photo by Benjamin Kweskin Speaking at Moishe House Decatur, made up nearly half of Israel’s Eli Sperling addresses the connection Jewish population but did not between politics and music in Israel. feel equally represented culpopular in Israel. turally and politically, and ecoThe first of two hip-hop songs nomic disparities were abundant. To Sperling played was “Tikva” (Hope) by show the dual Israeli realities, Sperling Subliminal and the Shadow, a Mizrahi played a ’70s hit by Miri Aloni, “Shir duo raised in underprivileged neighL’Shalom” (Song for Peace). The mesborhoods. The song references the daisage spoke to an external peace with ly struggles and realities of Israelis. In Israel’s neighbors while neglecting to stark contrast, Mooki D’s “Kulam Meaddress the internal woes of Israel’s dabrim al Shalom” (Everyone’s Talking underclass. About Peace), performed by a middleAs a counter, Sperling played the counterculture band Ha’Brera class Israeli, is friendlier and lighter. The last song — a crowd favorite Ha’Tivit’s hit “Yeladim zeh Simcha” — was performed by the new trio A-wa, (Children Are Happiness), a satire three Yemenite-Israeli sisters whose aimed at the elite’s assumption that Arabic song, “Habib Galbi” (My Love, Mizrahim were there only to make My Heart), is infused with an uptempo, babies and were content to do menial hip-hop dance beat. The song epitomizwork. es the convergence of the music of the Sperling reiterated that music in first generation with the music of the Israel, like everywhere else, is a refleccurrent generation. tion of the population — its diverse culThe new Israeli music to a large tures, ideologies and political realities. degree has successfully combined the Mirroring American culture to a deold and new, Western and Eastern. ■ gree, hip-hop has become increasingly

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ARTS

Hannah Fleshel Lights the Way to Share a Mommy

spiring authors are often told, “Write what you know.” What about aspiring teachers? According to Hannah Fleshel, a preschool teacher at Congregation Beth Jacob, “Teach what you know.” That was the advice Fleshel and her husband received from Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg, zt”l, at Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore. Morah Hannah, as her students call her, combined both messages, writing and teaching what she knows, to complete her first children’s book, “Sharing Mommy’s Love,” illustrated by Racheli Edelstein and published last spring by Israel Bookshop. The book is distributed in America, Israel, Europe, Australia and Africa. It covers the universal theme of what happens when a baby joins a family. Written in the first person by a toddler named Asher, the book starts with the words “One Shabbos my whole life changed.” It changed because his parents left him at his aunt and uncle’s house while they went to the hospital for the birth of a baby who they told Asher would make him very happy. But he didn’t feel happy. He liked having just the three of them, and he especially liked their Friday night routine. That routine is disrupted the next Friday night when his mother can’t read him a story because the baby keeps crying. “Stop crying already, Baby,” Asher yells. What happens next is that Asher’s mother gives the baby a pacifier, puts her arm around her son and focuses his attention on the extra light from the Shabbat candles. Morah Hannah didn’t intend to become an author. She was inspired by an education course based on a book by Jane Nelson titled “Positive Discipline.” “I loved the concepts,” she said, particularly using a lighted candle to help children accept a new sibling. “I realized that I light candles every Friday night,” Fleshel said, and that the technique could be a valuable teaching tool for all Jewish children.

Sharing Mommy’s Love By Hannah Fleshel Illustrated by Racheli Edelstein

their heritage. Fleshel is a writer, teacher and devoted mother. She asked the publisher to wait until she gave birth to decide

Israel Bookshop Publications, 24 pages, $10.95

whether the baby in the story would be a girl or a boy. That enabled Fleshel to use the book to help her own children accept their new baby sister. ■

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Shofar Blast Restarts Chabad Era at Tech By Kevin Madigan kmadigan@atljewishtimes.com

he sound of a shofar kicked off the party Sunday afternoon, Aug. 30, to celebrate the opening of the Chabad house at Georgia Tech. Blowing the shofar was Rabbi Shlomo Sharfstein, who hosted the lively event and runs the center with his wife, Shifra. “This is a momentous, exciting occasion for all of us,” Rabbi Sharfstein said. “Chabad is going to become a driving force on campus, an advocate for Jewish life. We are marking the beginning of new and uncontrollable growth.” It wasn’t always so. Philip Cuba, who attended Georgia Tech in the late 1960s, said Jewish students had nowhere to congregate on campus at the time. “Even when my sonin-law went here 15 years ago, there was nothing. Although we had a Jewish fraternity, we had nothing to guide us on our spiritual journey. Now, in just four short years, what the rabbi and Shifra have been able to do is truly incredible. That they have chosen to dedicate their lives to this is a blessing to all of us.” Venezuelan student Anat Revai was reluctant to apply to Georgia Tech after a family friend told her there was little activity for Jews at the Midtown institute, but she gave it a try anyway. “I still don’t know why, but it was the right choice,” she said. “The same year I came, the rabbi started a Jewish house.” Looking around the new digs, Revai said: “I couldn’t be happier. So many people are here!” The new house, which also serves Georgia State, replaces a smaller center nearby that was operated by the Sharfsteins until recently. “Once the Sharfsteins came, the whole campus changed,” Tech graduate Stefanie Pous said. “My whole experience changed. It turned from being a

big, uninviting school into something totally relatable that I felt at home with. I definitely gained a sense of belonging.” Rabbi Menachem Schmidt, the president of Chabad on Campus International, told the guests to “remember the task at hand: We should all work together to make this a great success and make the world a better place, each of us in our own way.” ■

Photos by Kevin Madigan

Top: The Chabad center at 471 10th St. in Midtown offers a gathering place for the Jewish communities of Georgia Tech and Georgia State. Middle: Rabbi Shlomo Sharfstein sounds the shofar to celebrate the opening of the new Chabad house. Bottom: The Chabad house is also the Sharfstein house, including Shifra Sharfstein and the youngest of her four children.

EDUCATION

Chabad’s Campus Work Takes on Crimson Hue By Kevin Madigan kmadigan@atljewishtimes.com

in their life. They are searching; they are looking for meaning,” the rabbi said. “If they want to further their Juabbi Kussi Lipskier has been daism, we’ll give them answers so they around a bit. He ran an orphan- can know what it is.” age in Ukraine and escorted He wants to create more Jewish backpacking Jewish kids around Brazil. awareness and pride on campus and He led Birthright have stutrips to Israel and dents “not held posts in farbe embarflung places such rassed that as Guatemala, they’re JewThailand and Moish, to have rocco. this energy That’s a lot around and to cram in before available for age 27. them.” His latest Tu s c a stop? The Univerloosa itself sity of Alabama at has an interTuscaloosa, where esting Jewish he and his wife of history. A less than a year, small group Rosie, have just of German opened a Chabad and Hungarhouse near the ian Jews first main campus. migrated This time there after At the University of Alabama, Rabbi Kussi he is staying put. the Civil and Rosie Lipskier have launched one of 19 Chabad on Campus centers opening this fall. “This is for life; War, Rabbi it’s long-term,” he Lipskier said. said, and he’s thrilled about his new One of them was Bernard Friedman, home. “It’s awesome. The Southern who started out as a teenage peddler hospitality thing is so true. I found ev- and became a dry-goods merchant, real eryone to be very open and kind.” estate investor, alderman and advocate The Lipskiers plan to provide a for public education in the city during comfortable, open and traditional envi- the 19th century. Friedman Hall at the ronment for Jewish students at the new university is named after his family. Chabad center, which joins Hillel in Temple Emanu-El, Tuscaloosa’s providing services to Jewish students first and only synagogue, was founded at Alabama. in 1903. “What I’d like to accomplish is creRabbi Lipskier’s biggest challenge ating a home for Jews in the city, a place is monetary. “There is an umbrella orfor students to come and experience Ju- ganization (Chabad-Lubavitch), but daism,” Rabbi Lipskier said. we are independent. We have to raise The Emory University alumnus money for all the costs of the home. also wants to help students make the Otherwise, it’s just getting out there transition from home to college. “It’s and spreading the word.” hard for them to leave home. Some He said the couple left some skepstruggle with that. We will give them tics in New York when they moved to 100 percent support — emotional, psy- Alabama. “Friends in New York asked chological, whatever they need. That’s us, ‘Do you think you can reach every why we are here. We can discuss it and Jewish kid on campus?’ I said yes, abshow them where to go. So first their solutely. I think that’s doable. I don’t physical needs, then their spiritual think it’s really a challenge; it just needs.” needs to be done. It’s an atomic reacThe Lipskiers are establishing tion: This person reaches another perShabbat services and meals on Fridays son. Have kids help. and Saturdays, weekly Torah classes, “So far, the response has been lunch-and-learn sessions, and pro- amazing. After just a week here, I had grams on Jewish holidays. 26 kids in my home. I could never have “What I love about dealing with imagined that. If it keeps growing, I students is that it’s such a pivotal time might have to look for a bigger place.” ■

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www.atlantajewishtimes.com

EDUCATION

Why I Teach This is the story of how I fell in love with math, then grew to hate it, then finally came to love it again. I started loving math at a young age when my mother taught me to count in English and Spanish. When I was in kindergarten, I used to watch a math-related show called “Square One TV” that introduced me to concepts that were far beyond me: fractions, square roots, algebra, the Fibonacci sequence, infinity. It fascinated me, and I soaked it all up like a sponge. Once I started school, things really took off. Math was like an infinite fountain, and I was thirsty. The ones who lifted me up to that fountain so I could drink were my teachers. I was lucky to have teachers every year who encouraged me, challenged me, inspired me, fostered and cemented my love of learning. The one who inspired me most was Mrs. Poss, my teacher for ninthgrade honors Algebra II and 11th-grade honors analysis, as well as the organizer of the math team. Every day I looked forward to her class (even though I occasionally resented how much she made me work). Mrs. Poss loved math. You could see it in her eyes. You could hear it in her voice. You could feel it in the air. She floated around the room as she led us through uncharted territory in our minds — and nobody got left behind because just as Mrs. Poss loved math,

so too did she love her students. Her classroom was where we knew we were welcome, where we knew we could grow, where we knew we could succeed. I remember coming to her one day in ninth grade, convinced that I had figured out how to divide by zero. Rather than brush me off and say, “No, that’s impossible,” as it would have been easy for her to do, she smiled and said, “Show me.”

Guest Column By Bill Shillito

When I made my argument (which, for the math nerds, basically involved looking at the slope of a line that gets more and more vertical), she smiled even more brightly and said, “Congratulations. You just discovered limits. You should look into calculus. I bet you’d love it.” There were two results. First, I went to the library and checked out “Calculus Made Easy,” and as predicted, I loved it. But more important, that moment was when I first thought: “I want to become a math teacher.” I graduated high school and entered college as an applied math major, excited to take my love of math to new heights. But when I went to class, something felt different. Something was wrong — very wrong.

I was no longer in a warm, inviting classroom with teachers who taught, but in a cold, stoic lecture hall with professors who, well, professed. There was no excitement. There was no beauty. There was no passion. There were only formulas not to forget, calculations to carry out, exams that were exhausting instead of exhilarating. The worst part is that I believed it was my fault, that I wasn’t good at math after all. I hated math. I ended up switching majors to international affairs and Japanese, which, while somewhat interesting, never brought me that same joy as I trudged through the remainder of my four years. Once I graduated from college, I applied for jobs because that’s what you’re supposed to do. But as I went from cube farm to cube farm, I knew something was missing. I came to work, clocked in, got done whatever the boss told me to do, clocked out, went home, and did it all over again the next day. Nothing I was doing gave me any sense of purpose. I was just a cog in a wheel. As a result, these jobs didn’t last long, whether that was a voluntary decision or an involuntary one. At some point, while I was particularly frustrated with my job search, I came across a tutoring center that was looking for a math tutor, and I decided to give it a shot. When I began my first session with a couple of students who were addled by algebra, something inside me clicked that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

I was in my element. I was excited. I was happy. I was falling in love with math again, but this time from a new perspective. Now I was the guide, helping my students forge paths, cross bridges, maneuver mazes and climb to new heights. I remembered hearing my teachers talk about that fabled “light-bulb moment.” Well, that moment was real. And it was addictive. I had to have more. There was nothing that had ever been as fulfilling as getting to know my students and guiding them from “huh?” to “aha!” With every student who came by my table, I realized more and more that this was what I wanted to do — no, what I was meant to do. From that point on, I focused myself in earnest toward that dream I had once had: “I want to become a math teacher.” And here I am. It has been a tough journey, and I almost lost sight of my path. But now that I’ve rediscovered the path, I’m going to follow it wherever it takes me. More important, I’m going to help my students find their own paths, and I’ll do everything I can to help them along the way. So why do I teach? Because I want to be for my students what my teachers were for me. I want to encourage them, to challenge them, to inspire them and cement in them a love of learning that will last a lifetime. ■ Bill Shillito teaches math at Atlanta Jewish Academy.

AJA Partners With Civil Rights Center

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

tlanta Jewish Academy has formed an affiliate partnership with the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Rabbi Pinchos Hecht, AJA’s head of school, said the partnership “reinforces our shared beliefs and hopes for the home we build together and the world we seek to perfect.” Donations from A.J. Robinson and Nicole Ellerine, the parents of AJA alumni, helped make the partnership possible. The new relationship enables frequent visits to the center at Centennial Olympic Park downtown by AJA students and teachers and their families. The school took advantage by arranging a trip to the center for all AJA faculty during the planning week before 78 the school year started.

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“The most powerful activity was the lunch counter,” Associate Head of School Paul Oberman said. “Sitting at the counter with closed eyes — sharing the experience of the lunch counter protesters, hearing the abuse and catcalls as the hatred escalated, having my counter shake with the blows being delivered — was incredibly powerful.” Rabbi Asher Yablok, the dean of Judaic studies at AJA’s Upper School, and John Wilson, the curriculum coordinator, said it was heartbreaking to listen to a speech delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. on how he hoped to be remembered. AJA teachers plan to incorporate their experiences into the curriculum and bring students to the museum. Rabbi Reuven Travis, who teaches history and Judaics at the Upper

School, said he looks forward to citing King as an example of “the difference that one person can make to the world.” Sally Stanhope, who teaches humanities, pointed to “the importance of teaching our children gratitude for their rights and privileges.” “We all have something to take back,” Judaic studies teacher Lisa Marks said. “We all want to convey our passion to the students.” ■

Photos by Leah Braunstein Levy

Atlanta Jewish Academy Junior High science teacher Suzanne Sears explores the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Rabbi Reuven Travis, who teaches history and Judaics at the AJA Upper School, examines a timeline of the civil rights movement.

Wilkins’ HR Success Gains Global Acclaim By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

cent college graduates. Waiting a year to become eligible for a raise can seem like a lifetime to a 21-year-old, he said. ongregation B’nai Torah member But the typical response to that impaBradford Wilkins said he earned tience is to tell millennials to get on a spot among Workforce maga- board with the way a company has zine’s 25 Game Changers for 2015 by always done things or get out, “and finding a sweet spot as both a human they’re getting out.” resources practitioner and an industry Wilkins said it makes more sense thought leader. to meet them in the middle than to The magazine recognition, mark- drive them away. At the same time, ing Wilkins as one of the top 25 HR pro- experience is overrated, especially in fessionals under age 40 in the world, technical fields, he said. “The world is came a few months after he was pro- changing so quickly that there’s very moted in March to vice president of few professions that operate the same talent management after 10 years.” and HR services at Instead of hirAlpharetta’s Adcap ing based on old Network Systems, experience, Adcap where he built talhas developed apent management prentice programs, from scratch startincluding the only ing in March 2013. no-experience en“I got into HR try-level Cisco enbecause I like to gineering job in the Bradford Wilkins is vice president help people becountry, Wilkins of talent management for Adcap. come successful,” said. By emphasizsaid Wilkins, a University of Maryland ing capabilities rather than specific graduate who just married Marissa experience or education, the programs Shams. “I measure happiness in how I enable Adcap to develop exactly the talhelp other people.” ent it needs internally. The focus is on a He can measure success in the results-oriented workforce. recent results of Adcap, a business-toNew employees have the opportubusiness technology solutions com- nity to earn raises quarterly instead of pany founded in 2002. The company’s annually, so they get quicker positive revenue increased from $24 million feedback and rewards, leading to more in 2012 to $52 million last year, even happiness even with lower pay increaswhile payroll declined by 15 percent, es on an annualized basis, Wilkins said. Wilkins said. Most of Adcap’s clients The apprentices learn from mentors are in Georgia, including the Technical who are vested in the new employees’ College System of Georgia, the Weather success with financial incentives. Channel and Popeyes. “Anything like this program is imFor the second consecutive year, possible without drivers for success,” Adcap was named Atlanta’s No. 1 he said. overall small or medium business to The emphasis on internal training work for June 30 at the Atlanta’s Best is in part a recognition of the limitaand Brightest Companies to Work For tions of college, Wilkins said. awards ceremony. “A college degree demonstrates “Bradford’s success building pro- the capacity to do what you don’t want grams to identify, develop and promote to do when you don’t want to do it,” he talent at our company has propelled said, adding that most of the knowlus to national attention as a leading edge being taught in college is readily Cisco solution integrator and a Best accessible from books or even YouTube. Place to Work in Atlanta,” Adcap PresiCollege grades don’t say much, he dent Matt Waring said in announcing said, because “nobody except for you Wilkins’ promotion in March. knows what you need for an A. That’s A key innovation Wilkins has where the college system is broken.” introduced at Adcap is an old idea, In addition to helping create a apprenticeship, modified to fit the work environment where employees technology market and the needs and are treated like adults but have fun like attitudes of millennial employees. kids, Wilkins is in demand as a speaker One HR problem to address, within the HR industry. He talks at conWilkins said, is the impatience of references about once a month. ■

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BUSINESS

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HOME OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

Art Is Anything and Everything in Smyrna Home

enowned folk artist Elayne Goodman’s pointelle work is displayed around a quote — “Art Is Everything, Art Is Anything, Art Is Something, Art Is My Thing” — in the home of Smyrna’s cultural doyenne, Ellie Wolf. The house is built on the land of the original Aunt Fanny’s Cabin, and Wolf, who represented many up-and-coming and well-known designers (Christian Dior), knows her way around style. Wolf’s extensive collections range from Mississippi folk to the boldness of Rio de Janeiro, combined with European artists blending magically with local wood sculptor Michael Gilmartin. Glass, wood, watercolor, stained glass — all come to roost in southeastern Cobb County. Jaffe: Why Smyrna? Wolf: After living in various Atlanta locations and nearing retirement, I wanted to be part of a developing community. Smyrna is now a vibrant city of 50,000. Jaffe: Did your love of art begin with fashion? Wolf: My first passion was collecting paperweights. As an accessories representative, I developed a special relationship with designer Patrick Kelly. He designed hats, belts and dresses for me, which I eventually donated to a permanent collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art.

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Jaffe: How did you develop an affinity for Mississippi art, which is so in contrast to your South American and European collection? Wolf: I met Elayne Goodman (fifth-generation resident of Columbus, Miss.). Her creativity combines everyday objects such as dice, coins, pickup sticks, buttons, chess pieces and spools of thread in intertwining detail. One of my fondest memories is my daughter driving me to Mississippi on Mother’s Day to select this large piece based around a Nubian bust. She reconstructs everyday objects such as vinegar jars and globes into unique collectibles with vibrant personality. Also, Maurice Cook (who did all the pieces on this vertical wall) is from Birmingham, Miss.; “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” is so compelling. This is a depic80 tion of his white clapboard country

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church, which now serves as his studio. I don’t care if an artist is famous. If something strikes me emotionally or sets a peaceful mood, then I buy what I like. I bought a Lino Tagliapietra glass before I knew who he was. My favorite Brazilian artist is Ney Cardoso (mostly impressionistic beach

Wolf: I am a fan and friend of local wood furniture designer Michael Gilmartin. In addition to this chair, which is a hand-carved marine fir plywood rocker, Michael also made the master bedroom desk out of fused stained glass from the windows of the original St. Joseph’s Hospital. His works of art are in the permanent collections

can (born as Ben Rosenberg in 1884 in Kamenets-Podolsk) known as a true subject painter of modern still lifes in the ’50s and ’60s. Jaffe: What’s next for you? Wolf: I will always admire talented people. I am looking for ways to bring culture to the forefront in Smyrna. A

Chai-Style Homes By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

and water scenes). He was a cubist who only painted while listening to Brazilian music, so you can see that happiness emerge. He didn’t speak English, nor I Portuguese, but we perfectly communicated. I collect American glassblower Hank Murta Adams, who is known for his head sculptures “who wear their nerves outside their bodies.” He also floats industrial debris scraps inside. The orange illusion oil in the entrance with the modern dancing figures is by Ricardo Siccuro. In the (American) Fernandez piece, you see the red trout jumping around Japanese script, blending a variety of cultures. Around the main fireplace is a Phyllis Sloane watercolor — a not-sosubtle tribute to Rembrandt — and Livio Seguso, still living in Murano, who did “Three Variations” in pink glass on the fireplace. Don’t attempt to lift them — deceptively heavy. Jaffe: Have you bought any impulse-driven eclectic pieces? Wolf: Ambling though Venice, I found this porcelain nun with her black crow. I became obsessed and had to remap my steps through the canals to claim her. I have some junk shop treasures like this 8-foot lamp, where I had to make a huge shade to fit. And this beige chair is from a 1970 yard sale. The ornate white chair is called “A Thrown for the Very Special” by Mary Lou Higgins. In Thailand I bought this teak/silk elephant daybed that had to be shipped in a gigantic container, so we filled it with huge sculptures. In those days, it cost next to nothing. Jaffe: Do you collect any local artists?

A of many museums, including the High Museum of Atlanta, Brooklyn Museum and the Mint Museum. The glass sculpture over the kitchen fireplace is by the head of the pottery department at Callanwolde, Glenn Dair. Jaffe: What’s the most unusual thing you B have? Wolf: The Ivan Bailey quartz is a forged metal city. We can open the little trapdoor here and pull out Superman as a baby. Gilmartin did the base. Jaffe: Totally crazy. Do you have any Jewish artists? Wolf: My Ben Benn oils are quite collectible. … He was a Russian-Ameri-

city is often judged by what it produces artistically. Jaffe: Yes, Aunt Fanny’s would be proud sharing all of this! I remember the squash pudding, the creaking wood floors, and someone from Mississippi singing “This Little Light of Mine” on the piano. ■

HOME OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

F A: A Michael Gilmartin chair sits below a Glenn Dair sculpture above the fireplace, while folk artist Tubby Brown’s train, “Red, Ripe and Juicy,” features pecan-painted watermelons. B: Ricardo Siccuro painted “Orange Swirl Dancers.” C: Fifth-generation Mississippian Elayne Goodman’s pointelle technique surrounds Nubian busts and important words about art. D: Mary Lou Higgins’ “Throne Chair” presides beneath a watercolor, Louise August’s “Early Woman and Child.” E: Ellie Wolf poses with Hank Murta Adams’ “Moxie” head with floating metal debris. F: Michael Gilmartin built this desk around stained glass from the old St. Joseph’s Hospital. G: Work from Maurice Cook includes “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” and depictions of his hometown church, now his studio. H: This porcelain nun with a black crow became an obsession for Ellie Wolf in Venice. I: Jimenez’s oil “Brothel” brings life to the room. J: An overhead view of Ellie Wolf’s cream living room includes the Three Variations paperweights and a silk Thai elephant daybed.

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

Photos by Duane Stork

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OBITUARIES OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

Harold Cederbaum 94, Atlanta Atlanta Born ~ Atlanta Owned ~ Atlanta Managed

Wishing you a year full of peace & happiness! The Dressler Family

Harold Cederbaum, age 94, of Atlanta, formerly of Lake Worth, Fla., and Lynbrook, N.Y., died on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. Devoted to his family, he is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Donna and Arthur Salus of Berkeley Lake and Judi and Sam Ross of Jericho, N.Y.; a son and daughter-in-law, Kenneth and Sandra Cederbaum of Columbia, Md.; grandchildren Jason Ross (Shari), Steven Ross (Danica), Jeffrey Cederbaum, Alison Kaplan (Harris), Alan Salus (Talya) and Shelley Thiele (Joe); and great-grandchildren Evan, Mitchell, Grayson, Jake and Rose. He was preceded in death by his wife, Selma Cederbaum. Harold was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. He served as a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. His plane was shot down over Nazi Germany, making him a POW until the war ended. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Graveside services were held Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Greenwood Cemetery with Rabbi Ronald Bluming officiating. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Weinstein Hospice, 3150 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta GA 30327. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Lorna Immermann, 89, Sandy Springs

770.451.4999 www.JewishFuneralCare.com David Boring ■ Michael Braswell Licensed Funeral Directors

Edward Dressler

Lorna Immermann, 89, of Sandy Springs passed away Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015. She was born in Pretoria, South Africa, to Esther and Abraham Fasser, both of blessed memory. A beloved and multitalented woman who shared her love of music, books, entertaining and gardening with grace, Lorna was preceded in death by her loving husband of 59 years, Gerald. She is survived by her daughters, Eugene Cohn (Harold) and Lisa Hleap, and granddaughters Emmy and Sophie Cohn and Claudia Hleap. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Graveside services were held Friday, Sept. 4, at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs with Rabbi Joshua Heller officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Congregation B’nai Torah, www.bnaitorah.org, or Jewish National Fund, www. jnf.org. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Milton J. Krainin

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

97, Atlanta

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Dr. Milton J. Krainin passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Atlanta on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015, at 97. He practiced internal medicine for almost 40 years in Atlanta. A veteran of the Army Signal Corps, he earned a Bronze Star for service in World War II, serving both in Europe and the Pacific. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Esther, and was happily married for almost 60 years. A child of the Depression, his practical self-reliance made him more than proficient at carpentry, electrical repair, plumbing, masonry, gardening and ham radio. He will be hugely missed by his children, Edith and Jeff Clark, Frank and Jean Krainin, Marian and Vaughn Bishop, and Martin and Jackie Krainin, as well as his grandchildren, Michael and Tracie Clark, Emily and Jake Kurtzer, Laura Clark, Ian Bishop, and Jonathan, Mitchell and Ashley Krainin, and his great-granddaughter, Skyler. He was a great source of wisdom, intelligence and strength to all who knew him. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Graveside services were held Friday, Sept. 4, at Greenwood Cemetery with Rabbi Hayyim Kassorla officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Weizmann Institute of Science, www.weizmann-usa.org, or the American Heart Association, www.heart.org. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Death Notices

Carol Kauffmann, 72, of Pebble Beach, Calif., formerly of Atlanta, stepmother of Temple Sinai members Alan Kauffman and John Kauffmann, on Aug. 28. Vivian Ross, 83, of Sarasota, Fla., wife of Gerald Ross and mother of Temple Sinai member Helene Joseph, Steven Ross and Jayne Kaufman, on Aug. 29.

Wishing you

peace and happiness for the new year.

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SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

With the sounding of the Shofar, the High Holy Days are upon us. May your heart and mind fill with the joyful possibilities of the coming year as you gather with family and friends to celebrate our most sacred of holidays. L’Shanah Tovah from your local Dignity Memorial® professionals.

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CLOSING THOUGHTS OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

Mary Janes and Velvet Twirlers

n the realm of High Holiday colors, pink tickets were always worth the most. Beige tickets, not so much. Blue tickets were so last year. There were lots of children who attended our shul in the Bronx. Collecting the High Holiday tickets was our way of making a statement to G-d. It was all about recycling the cardboard tickets — OK, maybe not so much the recycling as the thrill of the collecting activity. The grown-ups would toss the tickets — who knew from keeping our environment and earth clean? — after showing them to the guard at the front door of the shul. We did not need a police officer with a gun; this guard was always an old guy, a yom tov (holiday) goy whose sole responsibility was checking the color of the High Holiday tickets. These were proof positive the person attending the service made the proper contribution to the shul. Some tickets were tossed onto the floor of the coat room, some in the

Start oﬀ the New Year Right!

bathroom wastebasket, some on the steps leading to the women’s section, and those in attendance who were environmentally ahead of the crowd would place them on the seat next to them. We would politely whisper “excuse me” as we wormed our way in and out of those very same seats; first upstairs in the women’s section, then downstairs in the men’s section,

Shaindle’s Shpiel By Shaindle Schmuckler shaindle@atljewishtimes.com

deftly pocketing those precious yom tov tickets. Again in service to G-d, keeping trash off the floor. An adult’s trash is a child’s precious treasure. White Mary Janes with lacey white socks were appropriate when we were one of the little kids. Black patent leather Mary Janes, again with the lacey white socks, were worn when we

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entered elementary school and could finally snicker at the little kids in their “baby” white Mary Jane shoes. Oh, and those fabulous, richly colored velvet or sateen dresses with enough fabric to twirl until we got so dizzy we looked drunk with a case of the happies, or when one of our moms walked out into the lobby of the shul where we were all performing for one another and gave us the look. That look, by the way, could kill the most ferocious terrorists. Mr. President, perhaps the mommy look should be our weapon of choice. Believe me, it works. The High Holidays, well, actually, all the holidays, were huge. Huge meals with our huge extended family, all of whom lived in our apartment building. We actually had a family member occupying apartments on almost every floor of our six-story apartment building. We were our own neighborhood. Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and, of course, we must include the pretend cousins, aunts and uncles, and their grandparents. Now that I mention it, we never occupied apartments on the lobby floor. Hmmm, wonder what that was all about? Perhaps it was because we all played in the lobby whenever it rained. It was a perfect setup for our imaginary king and queen and our royal court games. We walked to shul. It was only a few blocks from our apartment building on Prospect Avenue down to Tremont Avenue, where our shul was located. Dad, carrying his blue-velvet tallit bag with the gold trim, wearing his kippah under his hat, along with Papa (our grandfather) and the male cousins and uncles, always left before us. For years I thought this must be a religious practice of some sort, dads leading the way, the rest of us following soon afterward. Mom always wore her little round beige lace head covering with its sweet little grosgrain bow on top. If it was chilly, actually even if it wasn’t chilly, Mom wore her black Persian lamb coat or her mink stole. We are talking about a real fashionista. Although I went to Yiddishe shul (Jewish after-school school), we did not study prayer. Whatever we knew was what we heard and repeated phonetically from our elders. Therefore, I had no idea on earth what was going on.

However, watching the men on the bimah in the middle of the shul facing the ark, davening with such grace and such fervor, always gave me the chills and made me feel proud to be part of this special community. It was the sound of prayer, the melodies, the combined voices of men and women in their cries to a G-d they could not see but completely believed in. It made me want to believe. Today, I am still in awe of how deeply some feel when they are in their prayer mode. I am still completely mesmerized when I hear Kol Nidre. I still have huge meals for the family, all of whom live very near to me, so we almost are our own neighborhood, only covering a larger geographic area. My husband leaves before we do, carrying his black-and-gold tallit bag, wearing his kippah (but no hat) so he can get to shul early and ensure a good seat. We still dress in special outfits for shul. I wear my beloved black Mary Janes for grown-ups, with 4-inch heels. No socks! Some things, however, are different. Today we drive to shul at the Chabad center. There aren’t any colored tickets indicating the year and the amount of your donation. Our family does not all attend the same shul. Our four girls, their husbands and the 10 children among them all attend different synagogues and temples. One daughter and her children join me at Chabad. As a grown-up (no comments from the peanut gallery, please!) I have studied enough and heard enough so that I now have a somewhat clearer insight into the prayers. When I am asking for forgiveness, when I am touching my heart, I understand. I understand the world will always need our help, our forgiveness. The colors of the High Holidays, the children in their special, richly colored outfits, a few with Mary Janes, all playing outside or experiencing the holidays together at the children’s service, will one day look back and, I hope, be able to say, “We understand.” Thank you (ah shainem dank) to all my elders who paved the way to my adulthood. Most of all, I thank G-d for my four girls, all women of valor, for their constant support and unconditional love as I travel along life’s highway, experiencing all its twists, turns and recalculations. ■

CLOSING THOUGHTS OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

Achieving Balance On Libra’s Scales

CROSSWORD “Happy New Year”

Editor: Yoni GLatt (YoniGlatt@gmail.com ) Difficulty Level: Manageable

nus, enjoy beauty in all forms and take pride in their homes, but the challenge is to integrate the earthly material world with divine essence. The positive aspects of Libra are being level-headed, practical, diplomatic, logical, charming and engaging. Negative aspects include retreat from

New Moon Meditations Dr. Terry Segal tsegal@atljewishtimes.com

situations, unpredictable actions, shallowness and indecisiveness. The letter lamed, which means to learn or understand, is the only one that rises above the line. We take our cues from it as we rise above lower-level behaviors. We must stretch ourselves to join with HaShem. The letter is traced from the top down into the ground as Tishrei links summer to winter and things go underground. It is then traced upward in spring, when it blossoms at the top during the month of Nisan. The tribe is Ephraim, son of Joseph. Ephraim means “procreation” and suggests the union of male and female energies that give birth to new souls. The sense of touch, especially of the fingertips, is the connecting point, joining one to another and offering balance. The ruling organ is the gallbladder. In Western medicine it stores and excretes bile. In Eastern practice, the gallbladder governs the quality and length of sleep and controls judgment and decision-making ability. But it doesn’t act alone. The liver is responsible for planning. The heart oversees mental processes. The small intestine makes decisions clear, so the gallbladder can bring courage and ability to choose appropriate actions. All must function harmoniously to achieve balance, but it’s the integration of HaShem’s presence that deepens our wisdom and understanding. Meditation Focus: As you move through these holy days, identify thoughts and actions that have led you astray or estranged you from G-d. Distinguish each negative thought or action, illuminate it with G-d’s wisdom, choose a new positive action, and transform darkness into light. ■

ACROSS 1. Actress Bonet 5. Hits, like Greenberg 9. ___ ___ your request 14. Big simchas 15. Kind of Torah 16. Minim number 17. Partake in Magid at a seder 18. Beget 19. Rosh Hashana staple 20. Part I of the greeting 23. ___ up (say Vidui on Yom Kippur) 24. Weather woe 25. Take the wheel 27. Etrog Citron cover 30. George Burns, with his cigar 34. Shekel machine 37. Author Ayn 40. Life Is Beautiful country 41. They may be cast in a Sheldon Adelson building 42. Part III of the greeting 44. Casspi’s org. 45. (Pray) speedily 47. International teen letters 48. Sit out in Eilat 49. Eating a lamb’s head on Rosh Hashanah, e.g. 51. Observe (the Sabbath) 54. Reacted to the opening of the ark 57. Cook a Passover bone 61. Make a roof for a room 64. Part II of the greeting 67. Tosses 69. Like the Jews at Sinai 70. Angers 71. Batsheva’s first husband 72. Atlantic City attraction 73. Shalom to Luigi 74. Prophet who lived to 120

75. Where a 55-Down spoke 76. Possible cat toy DOWN 1. Rubs an Ahava bar 2. Rebecca’s view of Isaac 3. Figure out 4. Like Sisra when Yael killed him 5. Chris who plays on Micky Arison’s team 6. Solo for Dudu Fisher 7. Succah coverings, at times 8. ___ in (missed minyan) 9. Pre 9 Av item 10. Part of services during Rosh Hashanah 11. Plain ___ box 12. Days before 13. They emit from Han Solo’s blaster 21. Had some new fruit on the second night, e.g. 22. “___I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis, Jr.” 26. Arab leader 28. “Able was I ___ …” 29. Front or back home locale 31. Mendelssohn rival 32. Exile location in a well-known palindrome 33. Brewer Braun 34. First name? 35. Native American tent (alt. spelling) 36. Like Haman 38. Home letters for many American Jews 39. Kind of job 42. Ramat Gan to Petah Tikva, e.g.

43. Correct, to a pirate 46. Round new year’s item 50. Kosher animal whose horn could be made into a shofar 52. Koufax had a low one 53. Guiding principle 55. See 75-Across 56. Nosed (out) 58. Places in the heart 59. Shave a sheep 60. Mike who appeared in a Todd Phillips mega hit comedy 61. Chabibi 62. Currency used in Les Marais, Paris 63. Fashion icon Apfel 65. Sharpen 66. Notable role for Harold (Ramis) 68. Sarah or Leah

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

SEPTEMBER 11 ▪ 2015

osh Chodesh Tishrei begins on Rosh Hashanah, as always. There’s no blessing for this new month, but G-d blesses it on the last Shabbat of Elul. Even though it’s the seventh month, Tishrei is the head of the year. It begins the continual holidays of Rosh Hashanah, when we examine; Yom Kippur, when we atone; Sukkot, when we draw protection from above; and Simchat Torah, when we connect to joy. It’s a time of new beginnings. Adam, the first man, was created on the first day of Tishrei. We tackle Tishrei’s challenges through the Zodiac sign Libra, Hebrew letter lamed, tribe Ephraim, sense touch, and controlling organ gallbladder. The task is to shift our egos aside, reach up to connect to G-d’s wisdom, pull it through our minds, anchor it to our hearts, and send it flowing to our feet in action, moving through the world differently from the year before. The gates to higher dimensions open, and we have the chance to create our lives for blessing and abundance. The more we have, the more we have to give. The Book of Formation maps the structure of the universe in 22 frequencies coordinating to 22 letters of the aleph bet. Two letters each month align with a planet and Zodiac sign. Tishrei’s planet is Venus, associated with beauty, love and forgiveness. The phrase “love thy neighbor” is highlighted. Libra, an air sign, is represented by the scales of justice, on which we are judged during the 10 days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur for a year of good and bad decisions. Moznayim (scales) contains oznayim, or ears. We hear through the three arcs of the ear, with the inner third giving us balance. The ears are the funnels inward to binah, or the light within. We hear three distinct sounds of the shofar. There are three columns of energy: a left column that receives, a right that shares, and a center that balances what we receive and share. We strive to achieve equilibrium and balance ourselves in the new year. Librans are confronted with decision-making, as we all are. The battle ensues between the pure, authentic self and the personality, or the ego-driven self. Librans, ruled by Ve-

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