No. 4 January 25 The Atlanta Jewish Times by Atlanta Jewish Times

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Israel

Israeli Pride

GOOD NEWS MADE IN THE JEWISH STATE THIS PAST WEEK ISRAELIS DISCOVER BREAST CANCER SIGNAL. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered protein S6K1, which – upon mutation – turns into a signal for cells to proliferate and cause breast cancer. The researchers are now working on reversing the mutation as a form of anticancer therapy. GAZA FARMERS ATTEND AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITION. Thirty farmers from Gaza were given permits to enter Israel in order to attend an agricultural exhibition. Ramadan Abu Naja from Gaza said, “We came here to learn about Israeli agriculture. We will take some of the types of produce that we like back with us into Gaza.” A SWISS BEDOUIN JEW SERVES IN THE IDF. Sgt. René Elhozayel’s Arab Bedouin father met his Jewish wife in Switzerland. Elhozayel’s grandfather had 39 wives, and most of her 5,600 extended family members in the Israel-

Arab city of Rahat served in the Israel Defense Forces. As a medic, Elhoyazel treats anyone from soldiers to illegal African migrants. CHAREDI WOMEN DEVELOP SPACESHIP MICROCHIP. Two ultra-Orthodox women, graduates of the Jerusalem College of Technology’s Lustig Institute, have helped develop a microchip for a space vehicle. Verisense – a leading Israeli semiconductor design company – ran the project for a defense industry company. ALVARION BRINGS WIFI TO ALASKA. Israel’s Alvarion is deploying its fast wireless broadband service in the Alaska North Slope, one of the harshest and most remote places on Earth. Alvarion’s rugged equipment will allow the 7,500 residents, including workers on the Alaskan oil rigs, to have fast access to the Internet.

THOSE IN THE JEWISH STATE LIVE LONG AND PROSPER. The latest life expectancy figures from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics show that Israelis have among the highest life expectancies on the planet, with an overall life expectancy of 81.7 years – two years more than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average. Israeli men normally reach 79.9 years, second-best only to the average of Swiss men. PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY TO MAKE NASDAQ LISTING. Israel’s Alcobra will be the first launch by an Israeli life sciences company on Nasdaq since 2010. Alcobra’s MG01CI ADHD medication is undergoing a Phase II clinical trial. It is a non-stimulant treatment, which makes it safer than Ritalin, and has far fewer side effects than Strattera. ARCHAEOLOGY DISCOVERIES ARE NOW ONLINE. Israel’s Antiquities Authority (IAA) has launched a new online Israel

Archaeological Archive. The project consolidates 30,000 Israeli websites and 30,000 antiquity sites. IAA deputy director Dr. Uzi Dahari called it “the largest and most important asset of the State of Israel.” “FILL THE VOID” WINS AT PALM SPRINGS. The Israeli movie “Fill the Void” was named Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The film portrays the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Tel Aviv and beat entries from 41 other countries. ISRAELI INFLATION HITS SIX-YEAR LOW. The year-end increase in the price index was 1.6 percent, well within government target projections of 1 to 3 percent. Predictions for 2013 remain low, at 1.8 percent. This list courtesy Michael Ordman and verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com.

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Cover story

How to Fight Anti-Semitism RABBI NESENOFF SPEAKS AT LOCAL CHABAD HOUSES BY John McCurdy

ments on Israel, she made her damning statement, obviously disturbing to her small audience.

Then, she sealed her fate by asserting that the Jewish people should “go home” to “Poland and Germany,” striking a nerve with not just Rabbi Nesenoff, but many others.

Managing Editor abbi David Nesenoff is quick to point out that antiSemitism is not to blame each and every time a Jew faces a problem.

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“Sometimes, a Jew can be wearing a yarmulke, driving down the Long Island Expressway in New York going 90 miles per hour, and the cop pulls him over,” the rabbi said, then cracked a grin. “And maybe it was the 90 miles per hour and not the yarmulke that got him pulled over.”

Once the story broke, the Nesenoff family sadly had to deal with The selfmany threats to made journalist their safety, and (and “recovering the rabbi was Conservative hounded by merabbi”-turneddia from across Chabadnik, as the globe. He he calls himself) consulted with was at Chabad former White Intown and then House Press Chabad of Cobb Secretary Ari last week for two Fleischer, faseparate speakmous author ing engageand activist Rabbi David Nesenoff (left) poses with ments on the Elie Wiesel and Rabbi Ari Sollish of Chabad Intown. same subject: Rabbi Abraham PHOTO/John McCurdy “How to Catch Shemtov so as an Anti-Semite.” to best prepare himself for his new role: that of Each time he shared with a capacity spokesperson for his people. crowd the story of his now-infamous 2010 encounter with former White House Press Corps member Helen Thomas, as well as the lesson he gleaned from the event and his own subsequent research:

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“The children of Israel and the land of Israel are one, and they exist because of one another and are connected. You cannot tear them apart.”

“I’m named David – Dovid – after my great-grandmother, who is buried in Babi Yar with tens of thousands of other Jews, not even a marked grave,” he said. “And I know we all could go through the stories of what we lost [in the Holocaust].”

During his recent presentations, Rabbi Nesenoff first recounted the events leading up to his moment of hashgacha pratis (“divine providence”). His then-17-year-old son Adam – well-connected in the capital and beyond – had secured passes for Jewish Heritage Week at the White House. The two, plus a friend of Adam, were there collecting snippets of video for a pro-Israel film project of the rabbi. While waiting for the festivities to start, they bumped into Thomas, the aged correspondent who covered every president from Eisenhower to Obama. When asked for any com-

That is how he distilled the aforementioned message, which he carries with him on his speaking tours today. He also teaches that it’s by “being and doing Jewish” that antiSemitism can most effectively be combated. “The IDF does their part – G-d bless them, they have to – but you can’t be with the IDF,” he said. “So you be the solider ‘doing Jewish.’ Each next level fights anti-Semitism.

“You know what the Hebrew name of the Iron Dome is?” he asked. “Kipat Barzel – the ‘steel kippah.’ When you’re fired at by these antiSemites, that’s how you stop it: You ‘put on Jewish.’” Editor’s note: See more from Rabbi David Nesenoff at his website, rabbilive.com, or by purchasing his new book, “David’s Harp,” available online.

AJT

from the editor

Almost Three Years Later… WE’RE STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS? BY Ron Feinberg Web Editor

A few of you might remember that he’s the guy who bumped into Helen Thomas a few years ago on the front lawn of the White House and that – more significantly – after they chatted, the veteran newswoman was toast. But for those of you still trying to recall the juicy details, here’s a little background that might jar your memory:

You would have thought Thomas – who covered nine presidents, beginning with JFK in the early 1960s – would have been better at preparing an apology, perhaps actually focusing on her anti-Semitic declaration that Israelis should “get the hell out of Palestine.” My guess is that’s exactly how she felt and that she never had any plans of backtracking from her beliefs. And, frankly, that’s okay. In fact, I found her fetid comments strangely refreshing.

Thomas had been quietly critical of Israel for years, even as she was working as an “objective” reporter for UPI, at the time one of the largest news Rabbi David Nesenoff organizations on It was June of the planet. Final2010 when Thomly, she had fessed as, the dean of the up and shown her true colors. Washington press corps and a columnist for Hearst, managed to put both feet in her mouth by suggesting that Jews in Israel should “go home” to Poland, Germany and America.

Caught a bit off-guard during a short interview outside the White House, Thomas told Rabbi Nesenoff that Israelis should “get the hell out of Palestine.” The rabbi then posted the taped interview on his website, RabbiLive.com, and the rest – as the saying goes – is history! The interview, only a minute or so long, went viral. Thomas was pretty quickly blasted by her colleagues, U.S. officials and politicians on both the left and the right for her, ahhh, candor. She eventually apologized – in a fashion. “I deeply regret my comments… regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians,” she said in a statement a week or so after sharing her thoughts on Israel. “They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance.”

Helen Thomas has a worldview that I find repellant. She also had a 60year career that had her rubbing shoulders with the country’s political elite, reporting and offering up opinions on events big and small that shaped our lives.

According to his Wikipedia page – and, yes, the rabbi has a Wikipedia page – he’s been i n t e r viewed by The New York Times, Fox News and CNN; written about the incident for The Washington Post; and been the featured speaker at oh-so many events.

Now, at 92, she’s mostly a fading memory. To fall back on a cliché: Out of sight, out of mind!

I understand the media feeding frenzy playing out over the summer of 2010. But the rabbi’s talks, like those this month in Atlanta, continue today.

“I understand the media feeding frenzy playing out over the summer of 2010. But the rabbi’s talks, like those this month in Atlanta, continue today.”

Meanwhile, Rabbi Nesenoff has turned his encounter on the White House lawn into a cottage industry.

My simple question: Why?

It was almost like one of those iconic Perry Mason episodes from the 1960s, when the suspect suddenly stands up in the courtroom and shouts their guilt to the jury. Instead of tiptoeing around the contentious political issues that had simmered in the Middle East for decades, dropping buzz words about bilateral talks and summits and the importance of a two-state solution, Thomas said what she really thought – kick the Jews out of Palestine. It’s a belief that Thomas in her dotage shares with thousands of academics here and in Europe, as well as angry, festering mobs across the Arab world; and naïve, idealistic liberals – hey, I’m sort of one of them, except on this issue – who think peace will come to the region once Israel is wiped off the map. Those are the facts, mostly, with a little editorializing on the side. If you’re still reading, let me take a moment to thank you for your indulgence before signing off with a final thought and a somewhat, admittedly, petulant question.

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abbi David Nesenoff was in Atlanta earlier this month, sharing his thoughts on a little event that became a huge story. Some of you might be scratching your noggins, trying to recall where you’ve heard the rabbi’s name.

AJT

according to arlene

Need Something? BUBBIE’S ON THE WAY! BY Arlene Appelrouth AJT Columnist

ne of the things I love about children is their honesty. They don’t consider if things are politically correct or if their comments are going to hurt anyone’s feelings. By nature, children speak the truth. Most are also self-centered and think that the world revolves around them, especially if they have had a nurturing mother ready to meet their needs. This quality gives them permission to tell people what they think and ask for what they want. Now, I don’t think I was a softie when it came to my own children. All in their 30s now, I’m sure each has stories about things they wanted as children that I refused to provide. Michelle wanted a doll, handmade in North Georgia, that came with a birth certificate. Jed begged for an Atari for a year before I gave in.

David, my baby (who is approaching his 35th birthday) was the easiest – until that summer at Camp Barney Medintz, when he got off the bus and announced he wanted to change school and attend the Hebrew Academy. But that’s another column. As for the next generation, the statement “If your mother says no, ask your grandmother” is something I first learned in a t-shirt shop. For my grandchildren, a more accurate slogan would be: “If you want something, call Bubbie.” One day recently, I received a call from my 3-year-old grandson, who lives in Toronto. He had something specific he hoped I could help him with. “Bubbie,” he began, sadness in his voice, “my favorite book got wrecked. It’s the Richard Scarry book you gave me. Do you think you could get me another one?” “How did it get wrecked?” I asked, imagining all the ways to destroy

a book. His answer appealed to the bibliophile in me. “I read it so much,” he explained, “all the pages are falling out. My brothers tried to put the pages back, but now everything is all mixed up. Do you think you can get another one?” Richard Scarry’s “What People Do All Day” is a classic. I have many memories of reading it to my children, and the illustrations are fabulous. Besides, there’s something wonderful about passing on the pleasures of reading from one generation to the next. I told him I would see what I could do to get him another one. All it took was going online. I checked Amazon.com as well as Amazon Canada. According to the website, the book would be delivered within six to ten business days. Thirty-six hours later, another grandson – brother to the aforementioned – called. He wanted to tell me what was going on. “We’re so excited,” he shouted. “Yisroel Meir [the younger brother] can’t stop jumping up and down. He’s so happy. Thank you so much.” There’s nothing like knowing your actions are appreciated. My grandsons were very happy, and so was I, knowing I was responsible (with some help from Richard Scarry). A Special Pizza Delivery

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The week before being asked to replace a book, I had a request that wasn’t quite so simple to handle.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

A family I know that belongs to my son’s congregation in Toronto went to another congregant’s wedding, which took place in Savannah, Ga. They made reservations which required changing planes in Washington, D.C. Inclement weather caused a delay, and the family – which includes four children ages seven and younger – missed the connecting flight.

Then, after the wedding, for some reason they had to drive their rental car to Atlanta and fly back to Toronto from here, instead of flying back from Savannah. The family eats only kosher food, and as they were driving on Interstate 75, the children let their parents know they were starving for pizza.

When I got the call asking if I

could recommend someone they could hire to pick up a kosher pizza and take it to them at the Atlanta airport, I offered to help. The family had hosted my husband and me last summer when we went to Toronto for our youngest grandson’s upsherin (a ritual haircut that many religious Jewish boys get when they are age 3), and I figured delivering a pizza would be a great way to say thank you. It turned into an adventurous afternoon; the family didn’t know international flights from Atlanta now leave at Terminal F. In order to check in for their Air Canada flight, they had to go to the new Maynard Jackson Lobby. But I was able to provide that information, get the pizza and meet the family right at the terminal. As the father drove back to return the rental car at Hartsfield, I secured a gate pass so as to serve as surrogate Bubbie and help with the four children. When we went through security, as required, I took off my shoes. “Why aren’t you wearing any socks?” I was asked by one of the children. “You’re supposed to wear socks.” I didn’t know whether she was speaking from a religious perspective, or this was a family rule. I told her that I had been in such a hurry to bring her some pizza that I’d left home as fast as I could. Afterwards, I wondered why I felt it necessary to provide a preschooler an excuse for my behavior. Once we got to the gate, I opened the box of pizza I had purchased at Broadway Café. It was kosher, as required, but after two hours, it was cold.

The 6-year-old took a bite.

“Our pizza is better in Toronto,” he informed me. Sorry to have disappointed him, I thankfully had brought something else that would please all of the children. The candy from Kosher Gourmet made everyone happy. Arlene Appelrouth earned a degree in news-editorial journalism from the University of Florida and her career as a writer and journalist spans a 50-year period; she currently studies memoir writing while working on her first book.

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Abraham Had a Spear, Yaakov Had a Sword and Arrow… WHAT DOES THE TORAH SAY ABOUT GUNS?

BY Rabbi Shlomo Pinkus For the Atlanta Jewish Times

enjoy the AJT very much, but I am greatly perplexed by the article “Gun Control is a Jewish Value” [by Harold Kirtz, Dec. 28 edition]. The article shows a great lack of understanding of Jewish ideals and morals on the writer’s behalf. He is correct that there is a commandment both for the Jewish people and for the rest of the world “thou shall not murder.” There is even a verse in the Torah stating that if a body is found outside of the city, all surrounding cities must measure which city is closest to try to determine who was responsible for that person’s death. The Torah assumes that the city did not give the person a proper sendoff, and the cities’ leaders must, as a whole, bring an offering to repent for the person’s death. But at the same time, there is an equal commandment which basically states that if a person comes to murder you, you should wake up early and kill him first. That verse says a lot about the Torah’s view on life and death.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

First, there is a clear distinction that “murder” and “killing” are two very different and separate acts. A court has the power to kill; a soldier in battle kills; and a person is clearly told not to hesitate but to “kill him first.” And who does the Torah tell them to kill? The murderer – a person who takes innocent life unjustifiably. The Torah does not say to harm, injure or maim him; it says that when a person tries to take an innocent life, Hashem is handing over to you (or the court) the keys to life and death and – not giving permission – but commanding you to kill that other person. The cited article itself asserted that “every citizen must do their utmost to prevent it,” speaking of murder. That is true, but the way to do that is by following the Torah, not by creating a false sense of safety.

The Torah puts the right to de8 fend oneself in each of our hands,

not in the hands of courts or government. Even Moshe Rabbeinu went out and killed the Egyptian who was attacking another Jew, and there is no recourse mentioned in the Torah for this; it was his duty to defend. Life is precious, and we should do everything we can to protect it. That is why I do not understand how we should defend ourselves by disarming and making ourselves defenseless. Examining the Book and the Bill The Torah says many things, some of which throughout history have seemed controversial. For example, the Torah says that “a man should not lay with another man,” that you should “not cook the calf in the mother’s milk” and that “thou shall not murder.”

“If you had taken better care of your fellow man, he would still be here.” The Torah doesn’t tell us to take away knives, guns or other weapons; it says that if you want to prevent murder, be nicer. Care for one another as if you were family because you are, and – above all – protect yourself. The U.S. government and the citizens of this great nation feel the same way. The aforementioned article claims that “The Second Amendment was never written with the intention for everyone to own guns,” but that’s missing the point entirely. The Second Amendment was written very clearly written: It guarantees our right to “a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state,” and also that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

“Life is precious, and we should do everything we can to protect it. That is why I do not understand how we should defend ourselves by disarming and making ourselves defenseless.”

But the Torah is not just a book – it’s the book, the eternal laws given down by Hashem himself as a blueprint for the world. Thus, all of its commandments are also eternal, and that’s why it says those things are not allowed.

However you may feel and whatever you may think, there will always be a physical want for certain men to be with men; meat and milk will always be delicious; and there will always, under any and all circumstances, be murder in this world. Nothing any of us do will ever change that.

T h e whole purpose is to protect our rights from the government becoming too strong and taking them away. The idea of having a weapon for hunting or self-protection was never questioned and did not need to be mentioned. The Founding Fathers of both the Jewish nation and the American nation would both own a guns if they were alive today. Abraham had a spear, Yaakov had a sword and arrow and the prophets not only carried daggers but even used them to kill when necessary.

The only thing that we can change is the way in which we treat ourselves.

So your idea to disarm American citizens is obviously not a Jewish idea, and it is clearly not an American one either.

Consider: The city that is closest to a body is held accountable not because they murdered him. What they are liable for is not taking proper care of him. This tells us:

What Is the Answer?

Chicago has some of the strictest

gun laws in the nation, yet it makes the top 10 list of U.S. cities with the most murders. Meanwhile, Texas – which has very lenient gun laws – ranks in the bottom half of U.S. states with the highest murder rate. And across the pond, England may have fewer guns and therefore fewer murders by guns, but the amount of stabbings and other forms of murder are much higher. We all want a safe environment, a place where our children can come and go without fear. No one wants another incident, but at the same time, how many of these incidents were caused by normal gun owners? There is nothing wrong with owning a weapon – and that means any kind of weapon, according to the Torah – and that is the “Jewish value.” All this considered, I believe that “Gun Control is a Jewish Value” was a product of fear and not logic. But the question remains: How do we prevent this from happening again? We can’t just follow part of the Torah; we must follow all of it. We must follow when it tells us to “love your neighbor like yourself” and not to “place a stumbling block.” These are the precepts for peace. This is how you prevent murder in your cities. As the Torah said: You measure, and if he is closest to your city, your city is held accountable for his death because you did not take care of him. So take care of one another and make yourself responsible for each other. These incidents – like that at Sandy Hook Elementary – happen when people fall through the cracks, when no one is paying attention. Whether you carry a weapon or not is your right as a Jew and as an American. And no matter how many weapons we add or take away, the situation will not improve until we open our eyes, our ears and our hearts to one another. Rabbi Shlomo Pinkus is a rabbinic field representative for the Atlanta Kashruth Commission.

AJT

if you ask me

Op-ed: My Truth About Islam EGYPT SUCCUMBS TO RADICALISM’S HOLD

For the Atlanta Jewish Times In the Jan. 18 edition of the AJT, Sherief Medhat continued his story of awakening by telling of his experience in the Egyptian Army during the 2011-12 revolution. In this third and final part of an ongoing series, the author explains how his birth nation was lost to Muslim radicals in the second half of last year…

began to notice lots of Freedom and Justice Party supporters among us in the service, and all were talking freely about how “the Muslim Brotherhood is best for Egypt.” Their message to me was: “How dare you, or any other nonreligious liberal, open your mouth?” I was threatened with all manner of humiliations, and for no reason except that I said my opinion freely! Meanwhile, my suspicions of the army and the Brotherhood working together were confirmed when, in August 2012, President Morsi asked Mohamed Hussein Tantawy (head of the armed forces) and Sami Awan (army chief of staff) to resign. Their resignations weren’t actually the issue; it was the fact that they had not faced what most of the former ministers during Mubarak’s regime had: financial corruption convictions resulting in jail time. Morsi allowing Tantawy and Awan to resign clearly provided for their “safe exit.” That told me that if there was corruption, then these two particular army men were indeed part of it. A few months later – November 2012 – Morsi forced Egypt’s attorney general to resign and quickly replaced him. It was apparent that the Brotherhood wanted a supreme legal authority on their side, and so Morsi – as part of his dismissal of the former attorney general – granted himself unlimited power to “protect” the nation by ensuring there would be no judicial oversight or review of his actions. Thankfully, such a tyrannical move did not go unnoticed. All members of liberal and secular groups walked out of the Constituent Assembly (which is the committee assigned to create the new constitu-

But in response, organized and armed fanatic Islamists – some belonging to the Brotherhood, others simply victims of brainwashing – assaulted those protesters. Of course, the Brotherhood denied supplying or organizing this assault.

What is the purpose of a religion if it’s just a source of hatred and chaos? What do the Islamists want from this world?

Editor’s note: Sherief Medhat is a dentist living in Smyrna, Ga. and originally from Cairo, Egypt. As part of his quest for greater understanding, he visited Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in 2012.

On Dec. 8, Morsi did relent and rescinded his declaration, but by then the Constituent Assembly was composed mainly of Islamists anyway, so it was their chance to pass a constitution that they would prefer. After they did, a referendum was held – from Dec. 15 to 22 – and came back with a result of 64 percent approval. At this point, many had to be pondered the question: “Is Morsi really separate from the Brotherhood, as he promised he would be after he won the presidency?” I think the answer to that is that Morsi is just an image – a puppet – just as Ahmadinejad is in Iran. Indeed, the way I see it, Egypt is going through the same process that Iran went through starting 1979. What makes me say so? Consider that whenever a major political issue arises, you find men not officially part of the administration – like Mohamed Badie, General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood; or Kahirat El Shater, former Deputy Guide of the Brotherhood – speaking to the media and holding press conferences. (El Shater, by the way, was the MB’s candidate for the presidential election before disqualification by the election commission. What’s really shocking and weird is that his personal bodyguard is a member of Kataeb el-Qassam, a branch of Hamas!) At last, I have concluded that Islam is just a tool to brainwash people and win votes. In my personal experience, I have been humiliated and assaulted both psychologically and physically only because I am a liberal free-thinker who isn’t convinced that a non-Muslim would go to hell automatically and despite any good deeds in life. I have been called the worst names ever when I’ve expressed that I want to give Judaism or Christianity a second thought. I don’t agree with Islam and probably never will. But there will always be unanswered questions:

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

BY Sherief Medhat

tion), and hundreds protested Morsi and his dealings at the presidential palace.

AJT

if you ask me

Absolutism vs. Relativism RECONCILING RELIGION, PART I by Eugen Schoenfeld AJT Contributor

This is the first in a series exploring Jewish religious laws and their importance today.

am a bibliophile; books are my treasure. My love affair with books began at an early age, even before my bar mitzvah.

Perhaps the desire for dialectic thinking is in my blood – my father was not just an avid reader, but the owner of a bookstore, and my greatgrandfather was a writer and publisher of religious texts. Regardless, books and learning seem to be a heritage handed down to me. Since I grew up in an Orthodox family with an emphasis on religious education, it is not surprising that the first book I coveted was a special siddur (prayer book) titled “Hakol Boh” (“Everything in It”). Indeed, this prayer book was quite inclusive: In addition to the daily, Sabbath, and holiday prayers, it also included the weekday Torah readings, the Megillah for Purim, the Book of the Maccabees and portions of the Talmud pertaining to holidays. Most intriguing, though, was the list of the teryag mitzvot, the 613 commandments, of which there were 248 lavs (laws of abstention) and 365 mitzvot assey (laws of performance) The observance of these laws was considered by Orthodox Jews as the sine qua non of being Jewish.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

Of course, there were additional laws and customs that we observed as well, and we were also subject to the specific methods of observing them, which were specified in the “Shulchan Aruch,” (literally, “set table”), written and compiled by Yosef Karo in 1563.

Like most Jews in my shtetl, I too accepted the absolutist view of the mitzvot. We believed such a perspective on the Torah and its laws was fundamental to Judaism, as it represents our contract with G-d: “You shall be my people and I your G-d.” Jewish lore tells us that the Jewish people assumed this heavenly yoke (the contract of obedience) and, with it, our unquestioning belief in and submission to Torah mi-Sinai,

the Torah given at Sinai. So not only do we submit ourselves to observe the Ten Commandments, but to all the laws in the Torah. Moreover, we accept with a solemn faith that the laws of the Torah are absolute, immutable and eternal. After all, the people who stood at Mt. Sinai were not only those who were liberated from Egypt, but all the eternal Jewry: The sum total of Jews past, present and future stood at Mount Sinai and in unison declared na’aseh v’nishmah, “we shall do [obey] and we shall listen.” Some Things, You Never Understand Although Judaism is committed to wisdom, understanding and knowledge – chchmoh, binoh v’daat, the motto now declared by the Lubavitcher Chasidim – and while most Talmudic discourses on laws are founded on deductive reasoning, there are nonetheless many Torah laws that demand adherence to them by faith alone. Some simply defy logic and reason. For instance: According to custom and law, when buying a suit of clothes, it has to be free of shatnez – that is, that neither in the woven cloth itself nor in the construction of the suit were two different natural materials (like wool and cotton) combined. Such laws, for which reason is not given, are designated in Hebrew as chukim, ordinances instituted by G-d for reasons only He knows. Nonetheless, these laws are to be obeyed equally to mishpatim, laws for which reason is given and hence are more likely to be perceived as legitimate. Among the chukim are the laws of kashrut, which govern which animals are considered clean and fit for consumption. We are left to wonder why crickets and grasshoppers are fit to eat while rabbits are not, and why fish with scales and fins like carp are edible while catfish are not. Thus, the response to questions concerning the origins of kashrut is best expressed in Yiddish: Freygt nit kayne shaaless.

“Don’t ask questions.”

As a child, I was told not to forget

our promise to G-d “to obey and to listen,” and since these laws were ordained by G-d, they are to be adhered to just as eternal Jewry promised at Mt. Sinai. Reasonable But Not Quite Right And yet, in spite of all the legends associated with the giving of the laws at the mountain, I began to challenge the legitimacy of the chukim by the time I entered my mid-teens. I came to see that some religious dicta and decrees by fiat were contrary to the ideals of rationality and to modernity. Then, when I came to the United States after my liberation from the concentration camps, I found a great demand for a rational understanding of the Torah and Talmudic laws. It was not in vogue to accept or observe laws that were not based on rationality. To illustrate this trend and how it affected me: On one occasion, a friend was asked by some Christian acquaintances for his explanation of kashrut. He responded that it was based on ancient principles of health – a rational explanation based on the relationship between food and physical fitness. I see why he said this; consider how much more acceptable a healthbased explanation is to people of other faiths. Instead of admitting that the reason for the chukim is unknown, that the laws most likely are non-functional remnants of ancient taboos related to totemic practice (as anthropologists, including Freud, suggest), one comes off as a reasonable individual appropriately concerned with self-preservation. Indeed, many of the legitimating rationales given for the chukim are rooted in their association with bodily benefits. For example, the monthly female baptism (mikvah) is frequently accounted for with disease-prevention-based reasoning; many claim it as a deterrent for cervical cancer, but according to the law, the process ritually purifies a woman and makes her clean for sexual purposes – purely a religious requirement. A similar claim is set forth for the benefit of circumcision. It is argued that the body part can be kept clean-

er and thus healthier for having undergone the ritual, but in reality, the same results can be achieved with hygiene as maintained to today’s standards. And finally, while it is quite true that abstaining from eating pork will reduce or even eliminate the chance of being affected by Trichinella spiralis – a very serious and dangerous parasite – that fact has nothing to do with the commandment to not eat said meat. Unending Discussion I do not wish to convey the idea that disagreements and conflict between the world of religion and the secular world have recently emerged, nor that such divergences originate solely in the discrepancy between modern science and faith. Indeed, there were those in the Middle Ages who argued that Jews were spared from the effects of the Black Plague because of their obedience to hygienic laws. But this is far from the truth; in reality, the true reason is unknown, and Jews obeyed the laws simply because religion commanded it. Of course, we can still wonder whether observance and health are related, since the Torah clearly states “you shall live through them [the mitzvot].” At the same time, we must realize that the great separation of religion and the material world lies in the former’s perception of absolutism, which is in reality a power struggle. I suppose this struggle began between religion and magic and thus preceded the famous conflict between Jan Huss and Galileo with the Vatican. In fact, the Talmud can be seen as an attempt to find ways to bring a degree of co-existence between ancient chukim and the inevitable changes that are the result in the economic modes of production. But that is the topic of my next essay… Eugen Schoenfeld is a professor and chair emeritus at Georgia State University and a Holocaust survivor.

AJT

edenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s garden

Oh, for the Love of a B+! BEING MORE THAN A NUMBER BY EDEN FARBER AJT Columnist

Some generations fought for womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suffrage or other civil rights; future ones may have to fight for the environment or the economy. Whatever it is theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re fighting for, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have leaders, strength and the tools to go about it. However, right now, I worry that my generationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strength is depleted.

tem. These are people who generally make amazing contributions to the world, are brilliantly insightful, or wear smiles that light up the hallways. What does it mean to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;strongâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;smartâ&#x20AC;? if the only thing you are on paper is â&#x20AC;&#x153;B+â&#x20AC;?? Apparently, not much. So thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it? We fold to the power of letters and numbers? We say to ourselves, our friends or our parents: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sorry, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think about the coming elections, I have pre-calculus work,â&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;I really want to go to my little sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday party, but if I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ace this next

â&#x20AC;&#x153;How can an assignment or assessment mean more than a human being? When did teenagers start believing more in their homework than themselves?â&#x20AC;?

You see, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve both witnessed and experienced the low self-esteem and lack of interest in the world from when I began attending standard schools. It seems that many people in the school system are a little bit industrialized from spending all their days there. The world as a larger entity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one without grading rubrics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is often frightening to students. As long as you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t push against the walls of your little bubble, it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pop on you. But, at the same time, this reliance presents danger to the students. As we begin to depend more on this system, we lose our grip on reality and what actually matters in the grand scheme of, well, the world.

This all sort of hit me last week, the last one of the grading term in my school. Within that one week, I watched helplessly as some of my best friends (or even acquaintances I just pass in the halls) cried and begged teachers for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;re-count.â&#x20AC;? Please, give me back that point, round that decimal, add that plus sign, they beg â&#x20AC;&#x201C; their dignity so far from the equation. Some of the people I know to be strongest had fallen before the sys-

chemistry test, my grade will drop to a low â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; instead of a high â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it into the Honors Roll.â&#x20AC;? Or, even worse, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t slept more than two hours a night in a week, but this literature paper is more important.â&#x20AC;? What does it mean that these assignments are more important than the world, friends, family or even oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s self? How can an assignment or assessment mean more than a human being? When did teenagers start believing more in their homework than themselves?

subjective. A â&#x20AC;&#x153;good jobâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;good collegeâ&#x20AC;? for someone is different than that of someone else. Everyone has different aspirations and capabilities; no one can be measured by their peers. So why are we all on the same track? And not just on it, but breaking our teeth over it? It means that we have lost our individuality in the system and lost our mental health in trying to find it. Instead of learning for the sake of learning, or planning the future in anticipation of what we can achieve with our lives, we are feeding a system â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one that was supposed to feed us. I fear so greatly that the exceptional and brilliant human beings of my generation will be crushed by a culture of numbers and systematized future occupations, that people will

identify less and less with a name and more and more with a number. I fear that when it is our time to paint the canvas that is our world, it will not be creativity that dictates it, but rules and regulations. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s put an end to this systematic industrialization of human beings, and let our generation break the door down and finally see the sunlight of an open world. Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eden Farber, 15, was recognized in the Jewish Heritage National Poetry Contest of 2010 and has published op-eds and poetry in Modern Hippie Magazine and the NY Jewish Weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fresh Ink for Teens section.

Because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had enough gefilte fish.

Of course, no one notices the disconnect between their importance as human beings and the importance of their schoolwork. Throughout our whole time in school, all weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been told is this: We do the work to get good grades, to get into a good college, to get a good job, to support a good family and send our children to good schools. Good, good, good. However, all these evaluations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that these things are â&#x20AC;&#x153;goodâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are

JANUARY 25 â&#x2013;Ş 2013

very new generation brings with it new talents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; artists, politicians, pop culture symbols, thinkers and philosophers, rioters and rebels, innovators and inventors. And while one generation takes the lead and makes their contributions, another begins to look around, understand their world and determine what there will be for them to do.

AJT

business & finance

Buckhead Coalition Celebrates 25th Anniversary MASSELL AND COALITION IMPROVE COMMUNITY, CITY BY AL SHAMS

AJT Contributor

limited to 100, and the waiting list is long. Some might consider this an exclusive group – and it is. However, it is well to note that the coalition receives no public funding; all expenditures are made with the members’ personal monies.

Those two friends were Sam Massell and Charles Loudermilk, and the Buckhead Coalition was their joint vision.

All efforts are exclusively devoted to the common good and are not self-serving. Participants’ only reward is the satisfaction of having helped to make Buckhead an attractive place to live, work and visit.

wenty-five years ago, two good friends with a vision thought they could bring together a select group of private, concerned citizens whose hard work and personal financial commitment could benefit those living and working in the Buckhead area.

Loudermilk had the original idea for the Coalition and quickly enlisted 12 other civic-minded Buckhead residents to serve as founding members. To find a full-time president, the group conducted a search, the result of which was Massell being offered the position. And in that role, Massell – Atlanta’s mayor from 1970 to 1974 and the city’s first and so far only Jewish mayor – has served ever since. Early on, Sam’s friends had a dim view of the organization’s viability and advised him to secure a threeyear contract. Loudermilk, the Coalition’s founder, also not sure of success, only wanted the responsibility of a one-year contract. They settled on a two-year contract, which – to this day – has yet to be drafted. The founding mission was to establish a collective of concerned citizens to supplement the actions of local government. The belief was that city governments were struggling to meet some of their citizen’s needs and that a group of high-profile residents could provide some assistance. That vision has been validated many times during the past 25 years.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

Making Buckhead Better

The bulk of the organization’s funding comes from member dues, which are $6,250 per year. Membership – which has diversified over the years to embrace women as well as people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds – includes business leaders, local professionals and other concerned citizens, and comprises a list of names most readers would recognize.

The total number of members is

switched paths to practice law at the onset of the Great Depression. The elder Massell always had a passion for state and local politics, and Sam would join his dad and attend local political rallies, thereby meeting some of the giants of the day (including Eugene Talmadge, Ellis Arnall, Ivan Allen, William Hartsfield and Richard Russell among many others). At his father’s side, Massell gained an insight into politics, the art of effectively dealing with people and, most importantly, the concept of community service. He believes, as his dad did, in the old adage:

Among some of the most notable initiatives undertaken by the Coalition in the past quartercentury are: • Raising $400,000 from membership to fund a renovation of the Atlanta International School. • Raising another $400,000 from membership to fund construction of the Carl E. Sanders Buckhead YMCA. • Working to persuade the State to use a portion of Georgia Interstate 400 tolls to fund construction of a Georgia 400/I-85 connector. • Placing 60 heart defibrillators in public areas, i.e., churches, hotels and office buildings. • During the recent recession, purchasing two full-page ads in the Wall Street Journal to alert readers to attractive lease rates in Buckhead. • Installing a network of free-standing 911 emergency telephones. • Putting forth $50,000 for information that lead to the arrest and conviction of an individual in the case of a local murder. • Working closely with city government to help educate residents on the wisdom of completing Georgia 400 through Buckhead. • Donating bike racks to assist area police. • Encouraging local government to repair broken street lights and traffic signs and to fill roadway potholes. • Successfully lobbying MARTA to operate a daily bus, The Peach, between Buckhead, Midtown and Downtown, making for the first time in 33 years a patron could travel this route without making a transfer. • Publishing a major annual community directory, “The Buckhead

Those to whom much is given, much is expected.

Sam Massell Guidebook,” now in its 18th year, with eight awards and ad revenue contributions going to local nonprofits totaling $110,500 to date • Creating the Buckhead Community Improvement District, which has raised more than $38 million from self-imposed member properties, plus State and Federal grants for the Peachtree Boulevard project and other traffic-related improvements Product of Good Leadership Many believe that the Coalition’s great success is due to the quality of its membership, its executive staff and the cooperative, helpful and nonconfrontational approach it has taken in dealing with local government and others. In that respect, Massell has been the ideal person to serve and lead all these years. In meeting with Sam personally, one is quickly impressed by his warm, gracious, cordial and sincere manner. No wonder he was so successful in public, business and civic life. A life-long resident of Atlanta, he attended public schools in DeKalb and later the University of Georgia, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory and Atlanta Law School. He holds many academic degrees and numerous honorary degrees. His father – an active real estate developer in the 1920s and 1930s –

That philosophy has guided a long career. Massell spent 20 years as a highly regarded realtor – becoming a charter member of the Million Dollar Club – and on three separate occasions won the Cates Trophy for creating the “Outstanding Transaction of the Year.” Also while active in real estate, he became involved in civic work and eventually politics. From there, he served 22 years in elected office, first on the Mountain Park City Council, then on the Atlanta Executive committee, then as president of the Board of Alderman and finally as mayor from 1970 to 1974. His administration was credited with establishing MARTA and developing the OMNI Coliseum and Woodruff Park, among other notable accomplishments. Then, after his time in public service, Massell entered the tourism industry as owner and operator of a Buckhead-based travel agency. Thirteen successful years later, he accepted the position of President of the Buckhead Coalition in 1988. Space does not allow us the freedom to list Massell’s many honors, accomplishments and awards during his lifetime; needless to say, they are considerable. Our readers, young and old alike, can learn much from his lifetime of public and civic service. Al Shams is a Sandy Springs resident a former CPA and an investment professional with more than 35 years industry experience.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

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health & wellness

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“A World Without Cancer”

Raw and Living Foods to Heal the Body RE-THINKING HOW YOU LOOK AT FOOD BY BRENDA COBB For the Atlanta Jewish Times

isease doesn’t have to be incurable, hopeless or terminal, even if the doctor says so.

In 1999, I was diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer. The doctors gave me less than a year to live if I didn’t go through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. I refused all the treatments because my own family members had faced cancer with traditional treatments, and their cancers had either come back or the treatments killed them. I was determined to find a natural way to help my body heal itself. During my quest, I discovered the living and raw foods lifestyle. In

six months, I was cancer-free, not to mention my allergies and psoriasis cleared up. Even better, my arthritis went away and my energy increased. I never had heartburn or acid reflux again. My gray hair even turned back to its original color! I was so thrilled with my results that I wanted to tell everyone, so I founded the Living Foods Institute to teach others how to heal themselves naturally. After helping tens of thousands of people restore their health, I have discovered that the body is capable of healing most anything if a person is willing to cleanse and detoxify, heal emotional wounds and eat the right foods. I love watching people transform right before my eyes. The right protocol heals even the most advanced cancers, diabetes, heart disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, skin

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issues, migraine headaches, viral diseases and much more. The body was created to heal itself and it will when given what it needs. During the year I’ll be writing several columns for the Atlanta Jewish Times, wherein I’ll teach you a little about raw and living foods nutrition and how you can achieve optimum health naturally. I will also include a delicious quick and easy recipe. Let’s get started achieving better health, and let’s do it right now!

and you’re in business.

Take the simple approach and just eat an apple or stalk of celery. Or, blend the two together in a Vita-Mix blender to create a delicious smoothie. Scoop out avocado flesh and eat it with a spoon, or even make a yummy guacamole; eat a raw carrot, or create a delicious carrot salad. The possibilities are endless! Think of all the different ways to enjoy Mother Nature’s bounty. Eat her goodies straight off the tree, no cooking needed. You won’t heat up the kitchen, and you’ll save on utilities. Who could ask for more?

As we get started, this is a key to remember: When you cook food, you kill it. Heat destroys enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Organic raw Brenda Cobb Editor’s note: Brenfruits, vegetables, da Cobb is author of nuts, seeds and liv“The Living Foods ing sprouted foods Lifestyle” and founder of The Livsupply the best nutrition, enzymes, ing Foods Institute, an educational vitamins and minerals in their comcenter and therapy spa in Atlanta plete and most nourishing form. offering healthy lifestyle courses on It’s so easy to eat raw and living nutrition, cleansing, healing, antifoods – just go to the organic pro- aging, detoxification and relaxation. duce section in your local grocery or For more information, call (404) 524health food store, fill your cart with a 4488 or (800) 844-9876 or visit livingvariety of fresh vegetables and fruits, foodsinstitute.com.

Recipe: Apple Coconut Sprout Smoothie Ingredients 2 apples 1 cup sunflower sprouts 2 stalks celery 1 Tbs. raw coconut oil 2 cups water Directions 1. Seed the apples. 2. Put all the ingredients in the VitaMix machine. 3. Blend until creamy.

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healtH & wellness

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;A World Without Cancerâ&#x20AC;?

CareMinders Home Care of Dunwoody and Sandy Springs CARING FOR MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT BY SALLIE W. BOYLES

For the Atlanta Jewish Times

meaning commitments.â&#x20AC;? As a result, the elderly often suffer from social isolation.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The loss of a social support network creates stress that increases the likelihood of an elderly individual developing depression,â&#x20AC;? said Dr. Joseph Berger, a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and director of North S i n c e Atlanta being acPsychiattive and ric Serinvolved is vices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integral to important good health, that carea lifestyle givers help that makes the elderly time for remain acpeople and tive and enpleasures gaged in life outside by offering the home activities in should be their comencouraged munity. Bea Blass, longtime client of CareMinders Home in the se â&#x20AC;&#x153;The nior popula- Care of Dunwoody, enjoying her weekly bridge game; effort can be with caregiver Mary Koffie. tion. e x t r e m e ly PHOTO/courtesy Judy Landey Neverthebeneficial, less, the especially aging proin terms of enhancing the quality of cess can cause changes, like mobility life for the care recipient. Therefore, difficulties and driving challenges, geriatric caregivers must be wellwhich decrease oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability and detrained and knowledgeable about sire to participate. working with elderly patients.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seniors begin to relinquish their And in addition to exercising and outside interests for the simple reaeating well, seniors are encouraged son that they must rely on others,â&#x20AC;? to spend time with others they enjoy said Lisa Reisman, a nurse practibeing around and to talk about their tioner and owner of CareMinders fears and concerns with peers, who Home Care of Sandy Springs and are likely experiencing similar cirDunwoody. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In many instances, cumstances. theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll refrain from asking for a ride because they do not want to be a In order to help her clients mainnuisance to anyone. Additionally, tain a positive outlook, as well as family members and friends gener- combat depression, Reisman reveals ally have every intention of spend- that community involvement is one ing time with the older loved ones in of the highest priorities in the care their lives, but other priorities and that her CareMinders agency gives. challenges interfere with such well- â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new interest or a

lifelong passion, a pleasurable activity away from home can make all the difference in an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outlook,â&#x20AC;? said Reisman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Accordingly, our caregivers gain tremendous satisfaction from facilitating such opportunities. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re onhand to assist as needed, but often itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a matter of being present and giving companionship.â&#x20AC;? CareMinders clients and their caregivers can be spotted all over the city â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at grocery stores, community centers, places of worship, shopping malls, local exercise programs and even hospitals, where theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re visiting friends. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By keeping our care recipients happy, the extended family is happier and less anxious,â&#x20AC;? said Reisman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And we definitely provide relief and peace of mind to loved ones, who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always manage an outing.â&#x20AC;? Medical professionals and caregivers agree that individuals of all ages are more likely to thrive when meaningful people and activities are part of each day. As Benjamin Franklin famously said:

the

assisted living and memory care

Meet Fred Glusman Distinctively Kosher Kashruth Supervisor/Chaplain

As a longtime leader at The Carlton, Fred provides expertise in The Jewish culture. As the community Kashruth he oversees the Kosher menus and food preparation. In his role as Chaplain he plans traditional holiday observance and offers spiritual, education and support to residentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, families and staff.

Interesting Facts About Fred:

r .BSSJFE GPS ZFBST UP (MPSJB BOE IBT married grown children and 9 grandchildren r "TTPDJBUFE XJUI UIJT "TTJTUFE -JWJOH building since 1997 r &YFDVUJWF %JSFDUPS PG i$POHSFHBUJPO #FUI +BDPCu "UMBOUB GPS ZFBST r 4FSWFE JO UIF 64 "SNZ BOE TFSWFE as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Acting Chaplainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; during Service r 'PVOEFE A$POHSFHBUJPO i&U[ $IBJNu JO )VOUTWJMMF BOE TFSWFE BT -BZ 3BCCJ r 1SFTJEFOU PG A"MBCBNB 4UBUF "TTPDJBUJPO PG # OBJ # SJUI m r .FNCFS PG A&MEFS $PNNJÄ¨FF PG +' $4

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing!â&#x20AC;? Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: For more information about caring for seniors, contact Lisa M. Reisman of CareMinders Home Care of Sandy Springs and Dunwoody at (770) 551-9533 or caremindersdunwoody.com.

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great benefit of living in metro Atlanta is the sheer variety of activities available to all ages. Depending upon individual interests and talents, seniors can easily fill their days and evenings with continuing education classes, charitable and social events, hobbies, cultural arts exhibits, worship services and much more.

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Ortho that Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Make You Say â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh No!â&#x20AC;? DR. KATZ AND INNOVATIVE ORTHODONTICS BY john mccurdy managing editor

iven the choice between the standard orthodontic experience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; painful, drawn-out treatment and loads of visits to a dingy office â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and that offered by Dr. Wendy Katz at Innovative Orthodontics, the decision is clear. A more efficient course of care and fewer but more pleasant visits to the doc are easy sells to kids and adults alike. Dr. Katz sees patients of all ages at her East Cobb office and not only straightens out teeth; she also gives folks a reason to smile. Entertainment abounds for the youngsters (a TV at every chair, plus a gaming area with Xbox and Playstation), and adults love how quickly results come about.

How? Innovative Ortho features SureSmile technology, which utilizes 3D computer modeling and custommade arch wires to ensure accurate diagnostics, spot-on precision and a quick turnaround. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The most important thing for the patient â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the clincher â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to wear your braces for as long,â&#x20AC;? Dr. Katz explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m finishing up cases now in almost half the time that I used to, and I have more operability and more precision. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing the best work of my career now with the help of this software.â&#x20AC;? The Atlanta Jewish Times got a chance to speak with the doctor about her approach, the benefits of technology to her field and the rewards of her profession. Atlanta Jewish Times: So how did you get into orthodontics?

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AJT: Tell me a bit about your business model. From what I understand, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t charge a patient until the braces are put on their teeth. WK: Right; we have complimentary new patient appointments. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather people come in and have me take a look to see if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready than wish Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d seen someone earlier. Some orthodontists do charge for that first new patient exam, but we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t; I just have a different philosophy from other doctors in the area. And with orthodontics, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a procedure that can be over in a day or an hour; so we tend to charge a â&#x20AC;&#x153;case fee,â&#x20AC;? which generally incorporates the time itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to take to get the job done, provided the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to cooperate.

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Dr. Wendy J. Katz, DDS any anesthesia, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have shots, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any of that. We want it to be fun. But whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so amazing about our practice is that 40 percent of our patients are adults. AJT: On that topic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; how are you able to meet the needs of both child and adult patients, and whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the difference between seeing one versus the other for you?

We might charge something up front, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for the hardware that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be utilizing throughout the whole treatment. So you can think of it more as though like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re renting something; youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to get started by paying for the hardware, and then you get set up on a monthly payment schedule.

WK: I enjoy the kids. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re entertaining and fun to work with. But the adults are great to work with, too, because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re compliant; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here because they want to be here, not because their parents are paying for it. So if you ask them to wear a rubber band, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also guaranteed that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to wear theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re rubber bands.

AJT: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also heard that your office is true to its name in that the layout is quite â&#x20AC;&#x153;innovative.â&#x20AC;?

But [regardless], itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the relationship between doctor and patient that makes treatment so much fun. With kids, you see them mature and develop over the course of the years that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing them; they really develop that self-esteem, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a wonderful gift.

It just kind of has stuck, and I like it like that. We do have one private treatment room for people who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be in an open room, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never had anyone choose that. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing this for so long â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been practicing for 28 years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m used to the open bay.

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So this was a way to combine both things I had passion for. Then, I decided to specialize â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I did general work before going back to school for a two-year program.

WK: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an open-bay concept. In pediatric orthodontics, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not that unusual; I think originally it was done so that kids could see the other kids, and they would get comfortable and not scared because they can see whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on in the room.

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Dr. Wendy Katz: I went into dentistry because I loved the sciences â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in high school, I wanted to take extra science courses, and in college, I took all that I could. I also used to sew, do crafts, macramĂŠ, beading, all sorts of handiwork.

We have fun. And I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have

I love what I do and I look forward to going to work every day. To me, orthodontics is very, very, rewarding. Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: Visit innovative-orthodontics.com or call (770) 952-5255 for more info or to schedule a visit to Innovative Orthodontics (1229 Johnson Ferry Rd., Ste. 100).

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Shopping for Medications Online? ISRAELPHARM IS THE JEWISH STATE’S NO. 1 ONLINE PHARMACY

t’s common knowledge that, over the past 10 years, Canadian pharmacies have served as an alternative to the high price of purchasing medications in the U.S. However, not all are aware that Israel has also entered this market during the last five years and has been providing quality medications while also offering the consumer substantial savings.

Towards the end of the last decade, though, Kaye saw an opportunity to compete with Canadian online pharmacies and thus expanded

Israelpharm also complies with all the laws of pharmacy in the State of Israel, and every package is double verified to make sure that patients receive the highest level of care. Further, Saul is available via email to answer any and all inquiries regarding pharmacy and medications. his business. At the same time, he also partnered with Stuart Forman, who has marketed Israelpharm successfully and subsequently made aliyah himself. Kaye and Forman have led their company to become the largest Israeli internet pharmacy. They pride themselves that they are able to employ immigrants from various countries around the world and operate based on a simple philosophy:

“Israelpharm offers only quality

medications at substantially reduced prices.” Such a motto has helped win over more than 2500 active customers. It should be noted that while other online pharmacies offer medications manufactured in third-world countries, Israelpharm does not; all medications offered by Israelpharm are approved by the ministry of health in Israel, and most brand medications are manufactured by the same phar-

Editor’s note: For more information, go to israelpharm.com or call tollfree at (866) 456-3768. The FDA allows the importation of medications for personal use and has published guidelines on making smart choices when using an internet pharmacy. Israelpharm proudly complies with all the online pharmacy recommendations made by the FDA.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

Of the pharmacies based in the Jewish State, many have come and gone, but Israelpharm has remained a solid choice for those ordering drugs online. Founded by Saul Kaye, an Australian trained pharmacist who made aliyah more than 15 years ago, the company began as a single location in a small mall in Jerusalem serving the local community.

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hether it’s losing 10 pounds to get in shape for a wedding or losing 100 pounds to save your life, weight loss isn’t easy.

then go over with the client his or her goals, make recommendations about diet and exercise and offer vitamin supplements and an appetite suppressant.

That’s why Dr. Susan Wheatley opened the Medi Weightloss Clinic. As a medical doctor, she noticed many of her patients were looking for a service that would help them safely lose weight, and the run-ofthe-mill local options didn’t seem to be enough.

Follow-up visits are short, lasting around 10 minutes, and include optional vitamin B6 and B12 injections for energy as well as weight measurements.

“Medi Weightloss has been around for nine years, they’re FDA approved and they offer professional medical guidance,” said Dr. Wheatley. She opened a Johns Creek branch in mid-February 2012 to offer locals a healthy and professional way of dropping weight and keeping it off without resorting to fad diets or invasive surgery. “We have physicians, nurse practitioners and nutritionists on staff,” Dr. Wheatley explained. “And, in addition to the physical aspects of weight loss, we stress nutrition and education.” “Weight loss isn’t just about weight,” added Julie Ward, the Johns Creek office manager. “It’s about emotion, and this process changes people’s lives.” People in the Medi Weightloss program average about three to five pounds lost per week, which amounts to approximately 20 pounds a month. A client’s first visit lasts two hours and entails an intense examination and medical history review. A full physical, EKG, blood work and a weight and BMI measurement are necessary; a nurse practitioner will

“With our Tanita scale, we can measure not just how much weight you’ve lost, but how much was water weight and how much was fat,” said Dr. Wheatley. All records are kept electronically, so clients can follow their progress on the website, and the records can be sent to a primary care physician or cardiologist who can then determine when to lower medications that control cholesterol or blood pressure. And that’s the real advantage of the Medi Weightloss process: By losing weight, you lower blood pressure, bad cholesterol and your risk of heart disease or stroke. “You have a five-fold risk of stroke if you’re overweight,” said Dr. Wheatley. Beyond the focus on diet, physiology and nutrition, Medi Weightloss is committed to seeing you keep the weight off. The clinic focuses on education and teaching you to live a healthy lifestyle which includes exercise and appropriate portion sizes. “Our biggest goal is for patients to maintain weight loss, so that after a year they’ve kept it off,” said Dawnelle Steding, nurse practitioner at the Johns Creek location.

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Is the Yearly Physical Exam Really Necessary? PREVENTION VS. REACTION BY Dr. Brian Nadolne For the Atlanta Jewish Times

as a year passed already? It may be time for that annual doctor’s visit again!

If you’re one of the lucky ones who don’t get sick often, you may in fact see your doctor only once a year. “Forget it,” you think. “I’m healthy. Who needs a physical?” Some may think that physical exams are not necessary, that they are a waste of time and money. Maybe those doctors are just recommending annual exams to drum up business, they hypothesize. It is a tough economy, after all!

you and your doctor the opportunity to begin this process. In this extended appointment, you and your doctor have the chance to plan a blueprint for health for the rest of the year. And the yearly visit is just the beginning. We have the opportunity to affect lives, to help patients create change and to be there for patients in their time of need. As physicians, we have a passion for healing, listening to patients and attending to their concerns.

We must not miss the opportunity to take a preventive moment at each and every visit, regardless of how mundane or inconsequential it may seem. The Others are firm belandscape of medicine lievers in seeing their Dr. Brian Nadolne is changing, and it is doctor at least once a changing rapidly; we year. The visit gives a have to be creative in chance to make sure all is working how we practice so as to get the most well. The answer to whether or not you out of each visit.

I know it sounds dramatic, but sadly, I have seen patients face the latter alternatives too many times. I am a firm believer in preventive care; it’s easier than you think and actually saves us all time and money in the long run. As a doctor, I would rather use our time in the exam room to chat about how to achieve and maintain optimal health than labor on another current illness. Chances are, with the proper plan, we can actually reduce your medications rather than prescribe more.

The annual physical exam gives

Make an appointment, build a relationship with your doctor and make sure that you have a blueprint for health. Take control of your future, and become a partner with your doctor so that the two of you can work to attain and maintain your health. If you use the time with your physician to start planning for the coming years by committing to getting healthy, you can stop reacting to disease. Then, once and for all, you will feel great about the time you spend with your physician. So go ahead and start: Make that appointment for your annual physical!

Editor’s note: Brian K. Nadolne, MD, FAAFP is a family physician in Marietta, Ga. He is the current president-elect of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, chair of Family Medicine at Northside Hospital, and medical director of Nadolne Family Medicine & Preventive Care.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

need an annual check-up lies in your philosophy: Do you want to prevent illness, or do you want to react to illness once it occurs? Would you rather keep that cholesterol and blood pressure down, or deal with the aftermath of a heart attack? Would you rather endure cancer screenings, or go through treatment for later stage cancer?

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

community

Not the Same Old Scholar-inResidence RABBI LAWRENCE HOFFMAN AT TEMPLE SINAI, FEB. 1-3 From Temple Sinai

For the Atlanta Jewish Times

ack when the information highway was a dusty footpath that led to the public library, people craved “truths.” They sought out books and experts who could tell them what they should believe. But that’s no longer the case, says Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, Temple Sinai 2013 Scholarin-Residence. “Now with the Internet, we are super-saturated with truths,” he explained. “So if a scholar comes in and announces, ‘Here are 10 more truths,’ people will say, ‘Who needs this when I can just look it up?!’”

changed. Assimilation, a 50-percent intermarriage rate and fading historical memory have led to a lack of ethnicity and, with it, an erosion of identity. Rabbi Hoffman does not bemoan, but rather embraces, these and other transformations. He uses them as a jumping-off point for new ways to be Jewish. Indeed, as co-founder of the “Synagogue 3000” initiative, Rabbi Hoffman is passionate about the subject of tomorrow’s synagogue. “How can the synagogue engage those who have not only chosen it but others who have not yet found their way there?” he wondered.

One response he offers is a vision of the synagogue of the future as an “intentional community” that Rabbi Hoffman – profes- Rabbi Lawrence focuses on helping people find meaning. Hoffman sor of liturgy, worship and ritual at Hebrew Union College in New York – prefers to initiThe Move Toward Meaning ate a Jewish conversation with his audiences that helps add meaning to their lives. To build that synagogue – the one “We’re used to talking about tik- where each individual can find his or kun olam, and we love study and her own significance in Torah – Rabcharity,” he said. “I’m in favor of all bi Hoffman believes modern Jews of that, but I try to open the door to have to start thinking and talking serious religious questions Jews tend seriously about religion. to shy away from these days.” “This doesn’t come easily to Jews from Eastern Europe, many of whom came to this country as atheists and Kiddush Cup is Half Full socialists,” he admitted. The reasons for the shift in attitude about Jewish life are among the topics Rabbi Hoffman will address during the weekend of Feb. 1 to 3 at Temple Sinai. One explanation for the change is that we are living in a period when cultural and ethnic differences no longer define what we believe or how we pray. “For most of American history until the recent past, we have been ethnic to our core,” explained the rabbi. “That ethnicity drove us to the synagogue, which was the only place we could satisfy the need to be understood as Jews. It was only in a Jewish milieu that we felt really comfortable.” It was also in that familiar setting that people could indulge their nostalgia for the old country and a simpler past. But today, all that has

Congregation Kehillat HaShem’s New Torah

ongregation Kehillat HaShem dedicated their pre-Holocaust Torah scroll on Jan. 12. The scroll, originating from Poland, is certified by Sofer Itzhak Weiner of Staten Island. This Torah weathered the Hurricane Sandy and was shipped to Kehillat HaShem’s Rabbi Jeffery Feinstein during the height of the storm. The Johns Creek-area congregation obtained the Torah when two congregations in New York merged last year. Several members of the congregation generously donated toward the purchase of this scroll, but further donations are still needed. Zev Goering of Nashville, Tenn., who builds bimahs and arks for Chabad houses throughout the United

States, has agreed to build an ark for the congregation. Congregation Kehillat HaShem is a Modern synagogue is Johns Creek; contact rabbi@rabbiatlanta.com for more information.

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It does, however, make sense in America today, where religion is a high priority for many people and is part of the national dialogue. Rabbi Hoffman looks forward to opportunities throughout the coming Scholar-in-Residence weekend to guide congregants and members of the community into these and other areas of thought and discovery. “The scholar-in-residence I’m trying to represent is not about dispensing truths,” he said. “It’s about exploring the new world in which we all live and the ways we can find significant insights into life in the midst of our busy lives.” Editor’s note: Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, author and speaker, will serve as Temple Sinai’s Scholar in Residence for the weekend of Feb. 1 to 3. Visit templesinaiatlanta.org to RSVP or for more information.

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arts & life

The Acrobuffos: The Art of Clowning BIG APPLE CIRCUS COMES TO ATLANTA BY Elizabeth Friedly

and she went to Princeton University,” Bloom laughs, referring to their contrasting education backgrounds.

Befitting of their unconventional lifestyle, the couple met in Afghanistan in 2003 while teaching circus skills to children. The pair continues to be involved in volunteer efforts in post-conflict zones as a part of the “Social Circus” movement. Related projects include Mobile Mini Circus for Children in Afghanistan and a program in Egypt with Plan Inter-

Assistant editor

added with a soft, rounded gut, a bouncy bottom and two curly wigs, the world’s only two half-masked clowns in circus transform their athletic figures each night for the sake of comedy.

American actors in the cast. Big Apple searched the globe and only the top-tier performers were ultimately selected. “The Oscar award-winners of the circus come to perform here. A lot of people don’t know that,” says Bloom. “The slack-wire hand bouncing performance, he’s the only guy in the world who can do all those tricks.” The Acrobuffos’ unique halfmasked approach harkens back to

“The contortionists, right at the opening of the circus said, ‘You guys look like the dancers. Where are the clowns?’” Seth Bloom recalls. He and his wife, Christina Gelsone, make up clowning duo the Acrobuffos, currently performing their act “Madame and Monsieur” for Big Apple Circus (coming to Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Feb. 1 through 18). The name is an amalgamation of the two words “acrobats” and “buffoons” – the two spirits behind the Acrobuffos’ slapstick performances. These aren’t your hired birthday clowns slapping on red noses between cake and ice cream; what we may take for granted as light-hearted comedy, Gelsone and Bloom treat as an art form. In total, their current piece took roughly five years to develop and perfect. Not only did Bloom and Gelsone personally construct their “Madame” and “Monsieur” characters, costumes and all, but Bloom created each mask by hand.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

Of course, while there is serious training and skill behind each act, the end goal is always to get people laughing.

Bloom’s love of entertaining began in high school, when he started juggling and never looked back. Realizing he could either continue within the world of academics or pursue clowning in earnest, Bloom applied and was accepted to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He went on to study at Dell’Arte International in California before earning his master’s in theater in London. “The joke between Christina and I is that I went to three clown colleges,

ferent countries. From the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland to Belgium and the Netherlands, Bloom has observed that no two audiences are alike. Such a variety of experience has proved to be invaluable. “We’ve learned what’s funny across the board,” says Bloom. “We’re adding little jokes throughout the show that we didn’t have when we first started, so we’re getting funnier every day.” Gelsone and Bloom spend most of their time overseas, making only infrequent trips to the U.S. Over time, Bloom has come to appreciate the different attitudes towards circus in countries besides his own – Europe stands out in particular. “You go on dates to the circus [in Europe]. It’s kind of a high art form there. Then you come to America, and the circus is kind of for the kids,” says Bloom.

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the Italian tradition known as commedia dell’arte. Deemed one of the first professional forms of theater, masked actors would perform, outdoors on temporary stages.

Gelsone and Bloom continued to work together professionally for years before taking the plunge into a romantic Gelsone and partnership; it Bloom use the wasn’t until 2007 masks to further that Gelsone and Bloom stretches before a distance their act Bloom married performance. from reality. They while traveling in do not speak, usChina. Bloom cites ing only nonsense noises and movetheir “common language” as what ment to communicate. brought them together. “We’ve been able to get away And it’s that language of comedy with outrageous comedy…things we that the two use to communicate in might not normally be able to get the “Madame and Monsieur” skits away with in clown makeup. People of Big Apple’s “Legendarium.” The see us as cartoons, they don’t see us show invokes the “legend of the cir- as human,” says Bloom. cus,” or a circus from the past. Bloom specifically cites productions of the He describes performing as “Mon18th and 19th century; audience sieur” as something akin to slipping members are seated an intimate 50 on a second skin. The process is fafeet away from the acts, performed miliar to him, as the Acrobuffos have spent years mastering characters inside a sawdust ring. and traveling the world. “Legendarium” features artists from all over the world; in fact, They have performed “Madame Bloom and Gelsone are the only two and Monsieur” in no less than 15 dif-

One of the Acrobuffos’ most memorable performances took place across the globe. “Madame and Monsieur” was part of a circus competition in the center of China, where for 10 nights they performed to a ring of 3,000 people, many of whom had little experience with clowns. “Every time we went onstage, the laughter in there was pummeling us from all sides,” says Bloom. “That is a rare thing to have happen, to have a stadium full, laughing every night. It was amazing.” One night during the competition, Bloom pulled a young boy onstage, as is their tradition with audience members. The conditions were hot as the boy mimicked Bloom, spraying water from between his teeth. All of a sudden, Bloom dumped the entire bottle over the boy’s head. “He had such a good time. He started jumping up and down. The audience was cracking up, because it wasn’t planned.” As silent performers, there is no such thing as a language barrier. Bloom agrees some things are universal – fun with water, Monsieur getting knocked down and Madame bouncing on her bottom. No matter your politics, upbringing, age or gender – it seems there are certain things we can all agree on. These are the moments that drive the Acrobuffos to continue clowning, all these years later.

AJT

arts & life

Israeli Violinist Vadim Gluzman Makes Atlanta Symphony Debut BRUCH’S “VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 1,” AS DONE BY A MASTER AJT Contributor

iolinist Vadim Gluzman, acknowledged as one of the leading violinists in the world, made his debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra on Jan. 24. Those who missed out are lucky in that there is another chance to see him – he will perform Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with the ASO again on Jan. 26. An Israeli citizen, Gluzman appears regularly with major international orchestras, including the Israel Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, London Philharmonic, London Symphony and San Francisco Symphony. Additionally, he has worked with the world’s most respected conductors, including Michael Tilson Thomas, Itzhak Perlman and Andrew Litton, to name just a few.

Now an Israeli citizen, Gluzman has homes in both a town near Netanya as well as in Chicago. He describes Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 – the piece he will be playing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra – as a “romantic masterpiece.”

geous beauty”, highlighting the artist’s “...integrity and lack of flashiness for its own sake.”

Gluzman credits his “incredible” education – which includes years of lessons with teachers Zakhar Bron in Riga, Latvia and Dorothy DeLay at The Juilliard School in New York – with helping to shape his love of music and the violin. And his relationship with Isaac Stern, established shortly after making aliyah to Israel, is particularly meaningful to him.

According to Gluzman, he first played the Concerto at the age of 13 and plays it now on his 1690 “exLeopold Auer” Stradivarius, on loan to him for the past 15 years from the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

The ASO’s performance will open with Japanese guest conductor Kazushi Ono leading the Orchestra in the Overture to Weber’s Euryanthe and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3, “Scottish.”

It all began with a little chutzpah, or maybe bashert, that landed a 16-year-old Gluzman at the Jerusalem Music Centre two weeks after his arrival in Israel. He heard that Stern would be listening to young musicians, so he arrived, violin in hand, to request an appointment.

The Washington Post has praised Gluzman’s rendition of Bruch’s concerto as “a thoughtful reading that is almost insouciant about its outra-

ed my hands were made for a violin. Why a violin and not a piano or cello, I’ll never know.” The Foundation of a Virtuoso

Music lovers have one more chance to catch Vadim Gluzman Still, he is disarm“I had no idea with the ASO: Sat., Jan. 26 (see ingly humble when about the protocol inasked about his un- atlantasymphony.org for tickets). volved in setting up a PHOTO/Marco Borggreve mistakable talent specific time,” Gluz– particularly so for man remembers. “As someone who has received the 2011 the receptionist began explaining Diapason d’Or de l’Année, one of the that I would not be able to meet with French recording industry’s most him, who should walk in the office prestigious awards, as well as the but Mr. Stern.” Henryk Szeryng Foundation Career Stern agreed to give him five minAward. utes – which turned into two hours Gluzman began his music studies – and Gluzman found in Stern a at age 7 in the former U.S.S.R. (now lifelong mentor. He not only helped Ukraine), where he was born. The Gluzman obtain scholarships and son of two musicians, he explains violins through the America-Israel that as a young child, he would Cultural Foundation, but he also watch other children arrive for music provided him with direction. lessons each day, only to decide after a short while that it was his turn to Today, Gluzman credits Stern play – a choice that has led to two of with pushing him to continually his lifelong passions, music and per- move outside of his comfort zone and emphasizing that one should never forming. be satisfied with oneself. Gluzman’s “Once I expressed an interest in respect and adoration for Stern conperforming, my mother took me to tinues to influence him even today. a school for special and gifted children,” he recounts. “They put me through a rigorous series of entrance Piece and Player Inextricably exams, including an inspection of my Linked hands. It was there that they decid-

“This piece launched my career and was the piece I played when I won the Szeryng Award in Monte Carlo in 1994,” he says. “I also won the Diapason d’Or for this piece, so I guess you could say the concerto is part of my DNA by now.”

Christopher Fifield, Bruch’s biographer, described Gluzman’s interpretation as “quite the finest performance I have ever heard.”

Editor’s note: Gluzman will perform at 8 p.m. on Sat., Jan. 26 at Atlanta Symphony Hall at Woodruff Arts Center. For tickets, visit atlantasymphony.org or ticketmaster.com, call (404) 733-5000 or come by the Woodruff Arts Center.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

BY Debbie Diamond

AJT

arts & life

Kosher Movies: 3:10 to Yuma (2007) APPRECIATION BETWEEN FATHERS AND SONS BY RABBI HERBERT COHEN AJT Contributor

recently taught a poem, “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden, to my 11th-grade English class. The poem is about the relationship between fathers and sons – how a son finally understands how much his father did for him while raising him from boy to man. He remembers how hard his father worked to maintain his household and that “no one ever thanked him.” He acknowledges that he was unaware of his father’s love for him, which was expressed in taking care of the daily needs of his family: “What did I know, what did I know of love’s austere and lonely offices?” These lines resonate in many films that show the complex relationship between fathers and sons, many of which reveal the son not appreciating his father until the father has passed away. Among them is “3:10 to Yuma,” which depicts the story of Dan Evans, a poor rancher and veteran of the Civil War, who is struggling to keep his land as people attempt to buy it off him to then sell to the railroad at exorbitant profit. When two men set his barn on fire, he resolves to make things right; but his son, William, has little hope that his father can do this. When Dan tells his son that he will understand when he walks in his shoes, his son bitterly responds, “I ain’t never walking in your shoes.” William sees his father as weak and incapable of fixing anything. He does not see inner courage, only outer trembling.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

Dan is pained by his son’s low estimation of him and will do anything to be a hero in his eyes – even escort Ben Wade, a notorious bank robber and murderer, to federal court in Yuma, where he will probably be hanged.

For a payment of $200 (a huge sum in those days) from the railroad company, Dan puts his life on the line to save his farm and to redeem himself and his family. By bringing Ben Wade to Yuma for trial when nobody else would, he wants to accomplish a feat that would impress and draw the admiration of his son. As for the conclusion, Dan gets Ben Wade to the train to Yuma, but

with tragic consequences. The Bible tells us that the commandment of honoring parents is rewarded with long life. A parent of a student I teach recently complained to me about his teenage son, who almost never speaks to him. My friend said, “I wish he was an adult already. Then we could talk to one another normally.” He also told me that even though he often told his son that he loved him, his son never told him “I love

you, Dad.” He had no doubt that his son loved him, but he wanted his son to have long life; it weighed on his mind that his son didn’t seem to understand how meaningful it would be if he would be more forthcoming with expressions of parental appreciation and affection. To the father, expressing love verbally was a way to honor one’s parents and for his son to receive the reward of long life. Obviously, my friend was per-

GOING OUT OF TOWN?

plexed that his son was not taking advantage of this spiritual opportunity; moreover, he was fearful that he would no longer be living in this world when his son finally wanted to verbally express his love. “3:10 to Yuma” has a lot to say about father-son relationships. It reminds us of just how much fathers want to be good role models for their sons, and how satisfying it can be to a parent when children express appreciation and love. A parent-child dynamic may be rooted in love, but the roots have to be watered for that love to flourish. Rabbi Cohen, former principal of Yeshiva Atlanta, now resides in Beit Shemesh, Israel. Visit koshermovies. com for more of his Torah-themed film reviews.

arts & life

“My Awkward Sexual Adventure”

At the same time, though, the title leaves many questions unanswered. Is this an honest look at a man’s personal struggle? Is it a non-stop romp, flowing from one sex gag to the next? Is it something you would see on a date with your significant other? The answer to all of the above (given you belong to the targeted age 18 to 54 bracket) is yes. This film is, at its heart, a well-intentioned romcom that sets itself apart in a couple of ways.

Editor’s note: Visit ajff.org for a full schedule of Atlanta Jewish Film Festival movies.

He pauses, looks into the camera: “So there you are.” Pomus was born Jerome Solon Felder, the son of poor Jewish immigrants. He contracted polio as a young child and was bound to a wheelchair, but in his adult years still supplied the swing behind Elvis’s hits. At times a heartbreakingly intimate portrayal, “AKA” owes much of its emotional punch to revealing excerpts from Doc’s journals, as read by none other than musician Lou Reed. These provided a portrait of someone very human: His later years spent almost entirely in his apartment, latching onto a life of gambling and “dial-a-steak” delivery service.

Directed by Peter Miller and Will Hechter and edited by Amy Linton, the documentary is clearly in good hands. Miller worked on “Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story” and received an Academy Award nomination for his short “The Internationale.” While detailing Doc’s own victories and hardships, the film also allows us a snapshot of the music industry. This offers an all-too-rare perspective on the process behind the curtain as well as the men responsible for their generation’s most popular melodies. But above all, we learn from “AKA” that to know Doc was to love him. He was an artist’s artist, and G ATLA just as his community neverINOVER stopped caring for him, he never stopped caring for them. YEARS N

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A NT

It’s in the individual performanc-

But for those who liked “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Knocked Up” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” prepare to laugh until you cry and walk out of the theatre with your heart warmed.

“AKA: Doc Pomus” is the documentary on this man’s life and career. Early on in the film, singer Ben E. King comments, “You gotta live something to be able to sing something. He [Doc] lived a lot of the blues.”

The film is at its most poignant when explaining the creation and meaning behind Doc’s “Save the Last Dance for Me,” a story well worth the price of admission on its own. Unfortunately, the filmmakers’ use of the tune is a little overzealous, thereby lessening some of its impact. Even so, it makes for a wonderfully charming end-credit sequence.

Younger and/or more sensitive moviegoers beware, though, as nearly every laugh comes with profanity, innuendo, explicit references or a combination of the three. It’s nothing we haven’t heard or seen in each and every of Judd Apatow’s works, but it’s still worth a reminder: While the AJFF is for everyone, “My Awkward Sexual Adventure” probably is not.

hether or not you are familiar with the name, as long as you’re a fan of music, you’ve probably heard Doc Pomus’ work. From Elvis, to Ray Charles, to Bob Dylan, countless musicians sought this great Buddha of a man, the eternally cool Doctor of the blues.

REG

Plot-wise, nothing that you see here is new. Sad-sap accountant Jordan (Jonas Chernick) gets stood up by his girlfriend Rachel (Sarah Manninen) at the airport terminal as the two are supposed to leave for a romantic vacation to Niagara Falls. While the two are “on a break,” the former travels to Toronto, where he meets a perfect example of the stripper-with-a-heart-of-gold trope, Julia (Emily Hampshire), who sets in motion the process of self-discovery.

And the way he plays “Luke Skywalker” to Hampshire’s “Yoda” – a running joke throughout – is endearing and hilarious. Not to mention, Manninen is a terrific “evil ex,” and supporting man Vik Sahay (in the role of best-bud Dandak) deadpans his way to the viewer’s funnybone as well as any better-known comedian.

Assistant editor

The film flows naturally between interviews, photo illustrations, recorded performances and even tapes of Doc himself. A variety of engaging interviews from family, colleagues, artists and admirers keep the narrative moving along at a lively pace.

I TA L I A N

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

ou certainly can’t accuse them of falseadvertising this one. “My Awkward Sexual Adventure” is just that: awkward, sexual and – very much so – an adventure.

BY Elizabeth Friedly

IN E

MANAGING editor

es of these actors, as well as their onscreen chemistry, that the film truly shines. Chernick is both completely believable and riotous in the role of pitiful loser (a part which, without his charm, might otherwise seem old-hat).

BY JOHN MCCURDY

AJFF FILM REVIEW

“AKA: Doc Pomus”

SE R V

AJT

alfredosatlanta.com

AJT

MATZAH BALL SOUP FOR THE SOUL

Faith in the Face of Facts RECONCILING TORAH MIRACLES WITH SCIENCE BY RACHEL LAVICTOIRE AJT Columnist

cademia and religion have been feuding for centuries, and still I find them difficult to reconcile. Obviously, the conflict is not so violent as it was in the past; we don’t punish people for studying science or for discovering realities that diverge from religious beliefs, but many people still struggle with it. How can I believe in G-d’s creation of the earth when there are fossils to support evolution? How do I even imagine a man living inside the belly of a whale and surviving? I would feel ignorant for blindly believing in these events, but at the same time disloyal for writing them off as mere stories. I’m taking my second religion class this semester – it’s called “The Introduction to Jewish Civilization.” As it has no prerequisite of being Jewish, we are instructed not to use “I” or “we,” nor to get emotionally invested in academic debate. I find that detachment to be quite difficult and concealed an eye-roll at the sight of the first slide: “The Hebrew Bible.” I understand the purpose of using secular names like “Hebrew Bible”

and Pentateuch during class time, but it also creates somewhat of an internal conflict for me. I grew up with a Reform Jewish education. Mitzvah was interchangeable with “good deed,” and tzedakah with “charity.” I was told – year after year, class after class – that Hashem gave the Torah to Moshe on Mt. Sinai, and as a result, I feel emotionally connected with those words specifically. A book called “Pentateuch” seems as foreign and secular to me as “Catcher in the Rye” does. I can talk about the Pentateuch academically – its authorship, historical context and various interpretations – but when I step back and remember that it is Torah, I immediately feel the need to retract prior comments about its validity. Maybe it’s the definitions (“Pentateuch” simply means “five books,” while Torah means “law”). Just a change in title shifts entirely the weight of this ancient text, but what about everything else? Who wrote it? When was it written? Was it meant literally? Who can be trusted to interpret it? Who can be

Shabbat Candle Lighting Times shabbat blessings Blessing for the Candles Baruch Arah A-do-nai,El-o-hei-nu Melech Haolam Asher Kid-shanu b’mitzvotav V’zivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of time and space. You hallow us with Your mitzvot and command us to kindle the lights of Shabbat.

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

Blessing for the Wine Baruch Atah A-do-nai, El-o-hei-nu Meelech Haolam, Borei p’ri hagafen

Praise to You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Blessing for the Bread (Challah) Baruch Atah A-do-nai, El-o-hei-nu Melech haolam, Hamotzi Lechem min haaretz. Our Praise to You Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.

Friday, January 25, 2013 Light Candles at: 5:42 pm Shabbat, January 26, 2012 Shabbat Ends: 6:40 pm Friday, February 1, 2013 Light Candles at: 5:49 pm Shabbat, February 2, 2012 Shabbat Ends: 6:47 pm Friday, February 8, 2013 Light Candles at: 5:56 pm Shabbat, February 9, 2012 Shabbat Ends: 6:53 pm

Friday, February 15, 2013 Light Candles at: 6:03 pm Shabbat, February 16, 2012 Shabbat Ends: 7:00 pm

trusted to translate it? The questions are endless.

will wreak for you today (Exodus 14:13).”

On that first day of class, my professor, Martin Jacobs, did ask if we thought the authorship of “The Hebrew Bible” affected its meaning. I raised my hand and answered:

Then, following G-d’s instructions, Moses raised his staff and parted the sea. The chase continued through the aisle in the water, but G-d sent the sea crashing down on the Egyptians and drowned them.

“I don’t think it does. The reality is that some people find meaning in the Torah, and others don’t. Those who do have faith in it and therefore will always find a way to rationalize factual evidence. If one day it’s proven that the Torah is just a combination of different sources, then Jews will find a way to fit that into their belief system.” I don’t know if that’s logical, right or even very Jewish of me to say, but it’s how I’m getting by right now. I say all of this because this week’s Torah portion, Beshalach, includes a defining moment in Judaism: the crossing of the Red Sea. It’s a story – for lack of a better word – that all Jews know and in which all Jews can find meaning, but it is also one that only a few Jews truly believe happened. In the previous parshah, G-d sends down the 10th plague, Pharaoh allows the Israelites to leave and thus begins Beshalach: “It came to pass when Pharaoh let the people go, that G-d did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines for it was near, because G-d said, Lest the people reconsider when they see war and return to Egypt (Exodus 13:17).” G-d led the Israelites with a cloud during the day and with a pillar of fire by night. Then, after instructing Moses to set up camp by the sea, G-d said: “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue [the Israelites], and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and through his entire force, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord and they did so (Exodus 14:4).” And so the story follows that Pharaoh regretted freeing his slaves and chased after them. When the Egyptians drew near, the Israelites became frightened and Moses cried out to them, “Don’t be afraid! Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that He

The next two lines read:

“On that day, the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dying on the seashore. And Israel saw the great hand, which the Lord had used upon the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in Moses, His servant (Exodus 14:30-31).” Thus, it’s written that on that day G-d played a direct role in the lives of the Israelites, and it was because of this miracle, this defiance of all things rational and reasonable, that they “feared the Lord and they believed in the Lord.” Herein lays the academic and religious conflict. Academia says the Red Sea did not part – in fact, a storm of controversy arose 10 years ago when the Los Angeles Times printed an article about Rabbi David Wolpe, who told 2,200 Conservative congregants: “The truth is that virtually every modern archeologist who has investigated the story of the Exodus, with very few exceptions, agrees that the way the Bible describes the Exodus is not the way it happened, if it happened at all.” Rationally, I agree with the archeologists; a man cannot raise a stick and part water. However, something within me finds it impossible to say with certainty that Hashem did not part the Red Sea, save the Israelites and promise to watch over them and all their future generations.

But I guess that’s what faith is.

Rachel LaVictoire (rlavictoire@wustl. edu) is a graduate of the Davis Academy and Westminster High School, recipient of the prestigious Nemerov Writing and Thomas H. Elliott Merit scholarships at Washington University of St. Louis and an active member of Temple Emanu-El and the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta.

AJT

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Parashat Beshalach RESPOND TO DIFFICULTY WITH DETERMINATION

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BY rabbi Loren Lapidus The Temple and the Atlanta Rabbinical Association

This is, according to the parenting books, a very normal response. She is trying to assert her autonomy and learning to ask for what she wants and needs. While we, her parents, are quick to respond to her needs, we do not always agree with her as to her wants, hence the tears.

and are still developing an ever-increasing faith in G-d â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there remains plenty to learn in this portion about responding to adversity. At this early stage in their nationhood, each time our ancestors faced something they did not understand, felt fear or uncertainty, they chose to respond with panicked and angry challenges to Moses and G-d. But over time, our ancestors developed a better sense of resilience and a better relationship with G-d. The panicked â&#x20AC;&#x153;tantrumsâ&#x20AC;? eventually subsided as trust in Moses and G-d increased.

With time, she will start to respond a little more rationallyâ&#x20AC;Śso the books say! This weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Torah portion introduces us to our ancestors who, new to freedom from slavery, exhibit behavior that is a little like a toddlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The Israelites leave Egypt and, in the act of crossing the Red Sea, begin to create a national identity and experience. They are starting to assert their autonomy and find their way. On four different occasions in Parashat Beshalach, we see the Israelites respond negatively to adverse circumstances. At the shores of the Sea, they panic because the waters have not yet parted; after crossing into the wilderness, they complain because the water is bitter; they grumble because there is no meat; and finally, they cry out because of a lack of water. Each time, they lash out at Moses, suggesting they were better off staying in Egypt. Moses, in return, cries out to G-d, and G-d responds through Moses to show that the people have not been abandoned, to reassure them and to provide for their needs. While we can give the Israelites some slack â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they are new to freedom and Mosesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; leadership, after all,

daughter)?

Now, just as our ancestors had to, each of us when faced with challenging circumstances has to make a choice about how we will respond. Will we complain the minute we do not have exactly what we want, like the Israelites in this parsha (or my

When we are faced with uncertainty, will we panic? If we face dire circumstances, will we respond with a challenge to Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s authority? This Torah portion is a reminder that we should make a choice to live out the best within us in the face of challenges. It is tempting to come apart, to wring our hands and ask â&#x20AC;&#x153;why me?â&#x20AC;? And, at times of serious circumstances, there needs to be space for that emotional response. The next step, though, is to recognize our blessings: the blessings of family and friends, of community and of faith. With time, we can gain perspective and seek meaning and connection to others. When we reach within ourselves and respond with faith and courage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; when we share trust beyond ourselves â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we utilize our strength and develop our resilience. Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: Rabbi Loren Filson Lapidus serves The Temple and is a member of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association.

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s the mother of a 20-monthold toddler, I often find myself faced with unexpected tears the minute my daughter is told she cannot have the thing for which she has asked. Whether it is an orange or my iPhone, there are times when her desires are not met, and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like any toddler â&#x20AC;&#x201C; she often responds by crying.

AJT

what’s happening

Fri., Jan. 25

Etz Chaim Shabbat Dinner & Tu B’Shevat Seder, after service; celebrating our love for Israel and the environment. Fri., Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m. Congregation Etz Chaim. Register at etzchaim.net/lilmodereg.aspx. Chabad Shabbat Dinner & Seder, featuring Kabbalistic and ecological teachings, three courses, including wine and fruits. Fri., Jan. 25, 6:30 p.m. $20/adults, $10/children 3 to 10. Discounted until Jan. 18. Chabad Israeli Center Atlanta. Register at cicatlanta.com. Contact, office@cicatlanta.com Sat., Jan. 26 Family Concert, Mr. Greg’s Musical Madness. Sat., Jan. 26, 11 a.m. $10/ person. The Punchline Comedy Club. Tickets at punchline.com. Tu B’Shevat Seder, family-friendly seder; taste some new fruits and sing songs. Sat., Jan. 26, 5:30 p.m. Congregation Shearith Israel. Register online or email ysmith@shearithisrael.com or RabbiLesack@shearithisrael.com. MLK Jr. Program, including a reading of the “I Have a Dream” speech and a chorus performance by the Morehouse College Choraliers. Sat., Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m. Free. Greenfield Hebrew Academy. RSVP to mlk@ ghacademy.org. Family Movie Night, showing “The Lorax,” in support of CSI Youth with pizza, drinks and snacks for sale. Sat., Jan. 26. Congregation Shearith Israel. RSVP to marill@mindspring. com Sun., Jan. 27 Tu B’shevat Tree Planting, with Trees Atlanta. Tools and gloves provided. Sun., Jan. 27, 9:30 a.m. 897 St. Charles Ave. For info, (404) 982-0659 or mlewin@agnesscott.edu

JANUARY 25 ▪ 2013

Jewish War Veterans Lunch, buffet with guest speaker Representative Tom Price. Prepayment required, mailed by check. Sun., Jan. 27, 10 a.m. $8.50/person. More information at jwvga.org. Israel Trip Info Meeting, for upcoming MJCCA trip, June 12-25. Sun., Jan. 27, 12 p.m. Zaban Park. Information and application forms via (678) 8124161 or brian.glusman@atlantajcc. org.

Barnes & Noble Bookfair, supporting GAH Metulla Group; children’s events including book readings, crafts, scavenger hunts and more; adults’ events featuring authors Erin Farwell and Robert Thibault to fol28 low. Sun., Jan. 27, 12 p.m. The Fo-

rum on Peachtree Parkway. spure@ aol.com. Mahjong Tournament, benefitting Etz Chaim Preschool. Bring your 2012 Mahjong card; prizes awarded; beginners seminar available. Sun., Jan. 27, 12:45 p.m. $25/person. Congregation Etz Chaim. etzchaim.net/ preschool_events_registration.aspx. L’Chaim Program: “Being Centered,” four panelists share their insights, includes breakout sessions on personal well-being topics. Sun., Jan. 27, 1:30 p.m. $10/person. The Carlton in Sandy Springs. RSVP to ebfrank619@gmail.com. “Bearing Witness” Series, “Unforgettable Stories from the Holocaust” featuring Helen Fromowitz Weingarten, Auschwitz survivor and concert from The Atlanta Boy Choir/Fletcher Wolfe. Sun., Jan. 27, 2 p.m. $12/ adults, $8/seniors, $6/students. Breman Museum. (678) 222-3700. Chosen Food, “Cuisine, Culture and American Jewish Identity,” new exhibit opening. Sun., Jan. 27. The Breman Museum. (678) 222-3700. Beta Israel Exhibit, “Ethiopian Jews and the Promised Land,” features 100 photographs by photojournalist Ilan Ossendryver. Opens Sun., Jan. 27 (runs through April 21). $5/person, free for kids under 12 or members. Oglethorpe University Museum of Art. museum.oglethorpe.edu. TDSA’s Main Event, “Cirque du Simcha,” honoring Josh and Jodi Wittenberg and Susan Krohn and featuring dessert reception, auction, entertainment and more. Sun., Jan. 27, 6:30 p.m. Le Fais Do-Do. tdsamainevent. com. Mon., Jan. 28 Declare Your Freedom Rally, Allies of Israel, a pro-Israel student organization will hold a pro-America and proIsrael rally. Dr. Daniel Pipes will be the keynote speaker. Mon., Jan. 28, 12 p.m. University of New Orleans. cvaldary@gmail.com. The Baal Shem Tones Concert, live music at the MJCCA. Mon., Jan. 28, 5 p.m. Free. Goodfriends Grill at Zaban Park. For more info, email brian. glusman@atlantajcc.org Tues., Jan. 29 Positive Discipline Series, sponsored by CDT & MJCCA, solutions to common parenting challenges with educator Tanner Figa. Tues., Jan. 29, 7 p.m. $79/members, $85/couple (members), or $80/non-members, $90/couples (non-members). Congregation Dor Tamid. For info, (678) 812-3727 or ilana.schlam@atlantajcc.org.

Israel Bonds invites you to an evening featuring Pinchas Landau, Israeli Economic and Political Analyst. Tues., Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m. Congregation Gesher L’Torah. (770) 777-4009. Wed., Jan. 30 Israel’s Economy: Prospects for 2013, American Israel Chamber of Commerce special Breakfast Briefing with economist Pinchas Landau. Wed., Jan. 30, 7:30 a.m. $15/AICC members, $20/non-members. Sutherland in Atlanta. aiccse.org. Fri., Feb. 1 Scholar-in-Residence Weekend with Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, speaking on “Judaism for Busy Lives.” Begins with Shabbat service on Fri., Feb. 1, 6:30 p.m., with more events on Sat. and Sun. Temple Sinai. templesinaiatlanta.org. Sat., Feb. 2 Pianist Yefim Bronfman Concert, celebrating Schwartz Center’s 10th anniversary. Sat., Feb. 2, 8 p.m. Emory Schwartz Center for the Arts. For tickets, visit arts.emory.edu/bronfman. Sun., Feb. 3 Blood Drive, make a donation appointment. Walk-ins welcome but appointments have priority. Sun., Feb. 3, 9 a.m. Ahavath Achim Synagogue. Make appointments at redcrossblood.org. Congregation Dor Tamid Adult Enrichment Program, nine-week series with different speakers each week on varying social and Jewish topics. First session Sun., Feb. 3, 9:30 a.m. The Monarch School. lindadickson1@ gmail.com or (678) 777-7099. Wed., Feb. 6 Moving Atlanta to Higher Ground, how religion inspires positive change, interfaith panel event sponsored by Georgia State University Department of Religious Studies, with Rabbi Alvin Sugarman, Rev. Joanna Adams, Imam Plemon El-Amin and Rev. Joseph Roberts. Wed., Feb. 6, 5 p.m. Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University. (404) 9493777. MDE Open House, school for special needs students, individual attention. Wed., Feb. 6, 7 p.m. The Motivation, Dedication, Excellence School in Marietta. RSVP by Feb. 1 to (770) 977-9457 or (770) 971-4633. Fri., Feb. 8 Splash into Shabbat, at MJCCA’s indoor pool; children will meet the swim teachers, play games and cre-

ate a Shabbat craft. Fri., Feb. 8, 5 p.m. Free. MJCCA’s Zaban Park. brian.glusman@atlantajcc.org. CDT Fourth Grade Shabbat Dinner, all fourth grade students and parents with clergy. Bring side item of vegetable, dessert or drink. Fri., Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m. Congregation Dor Tamid. RSVP by Feb. 6 to religiousschool@ dortamid.com. Sat., Feb. 9 Scout Shabbat, Saturday morning services and a celebration of Scoutmaster Josiah V. Benator’s 78 years of scouting. Sat., Feb. 9, 9:15 a.m. Congregation Or VeShalom. jvbenator@juno.com. Havdalah for the Sole with the MJCCA and the Total Health Fitness Department; an evening of foot massage, fun, and friends. Sat., Feb. 9, 7 p.m. $30/person. Treat Your Feet on Buford Highway. lora.sommer@ atlantajcc.org. Gala Dinner & Auction with honorees Nava & Ron Alkalay, Sherry Kornheiser, Cobb County Commissioner Bob Ott and Hollee & Steven Parker. Sat., Feb. 9. Chabad of Cobb. (770) 565-4412. Sun., Feb. 10 Arts and Crafts Fair, 10 percent of all purchases donated to Hadassah. Sun., Feb. 10, 12 p.m. Decatur Market and Gallery. For info, (404) 3250340 or mtscopushadassah@aol.com. Etz Aviv Hadassah’s Crazy Hats and Gloves Brunch, prizes for the wildest attire. Sun., Feb. 10, 12:30 p.m. $10 couvert. Private residence. (770) 3167076. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Expo, resource connecting parents with vendors. Sun., Feb. 10, 1 p.m. Alpharetta Marriott. Info at atlantapartyconnection.com. “God’s Children” Film Viewing, purchase tickets for sold-out movie with the Ketura Group of Greater Atlanta Hadassah. Sun., Feb. 10, 8 p.m. $12/ person. LeFont Theater. For info or tickets, email sfparks@emory.edu. Ongoing “Living with Integrity,” Navigating Everyday Ethical Dilemmas, the new JLI course. Six weeks beginning the final week of January. Various metro Chabad houses. myJLI.com. Dunwoody Sunday Cycle, bike ride for all ages (10+) and abilities. First Sunday of each month, 2:30 p.m. Meet in front of Bruster’s in Dunwoody Village Parking Lot. dr_barbara@bellsouth.net or (770) 604-3803.

AJT

MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

Suzette Cohen

Yvonne Tillem

Suzette Felsberg Cohen, 54, of Alpharetta, died Sat.. Jan. 12, 2013. Mrs. Cohen was a social worker employed by the Atlanta Area Psychological Associates and an active Jewish educator, but her main emphasis and source of much pride was raising her three sons. In addition to serving as lead teacher at Temple Kol Emeth, she also was lead teacher at Gesher L’Torah in Alpharetta. Mrs. Cohen graduated from Georgia State University with a B.A. degree in urban life and also received a M.A. in Judaic education from the Siegal College of Jewish Studies. She was a member of Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta and Shalom B’Harim, where her husband serves as spiritual leader, in Dahlonega. Survivors include her husband, Mitchell of Alpharetta; sons, Dr. Zachary, Jordan and Eric Cohen; mother, Mrs. Rose Sowadsky of Alpharetta; sister, Jeanine (Zvi) Bekerman of Atlanta; brother, David (Jennifer) Felsberg of Atlanta; mother-in-law, Roslyn Cohen of Alpharetta; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Howie and Deborah Cohen of Alpharetta and Sandra Cohen-Goldberg and Jack Goldberg of Savannah; nieces, Elana Frank of Israel, Arielle Furman and Carey Felsberg of Atlanta, and Lainey and Rachel Cohen of Alpharetta; and nephews, Daniel Bekerman and Noah Felsberg of Atlanta. She is loved and will be greatly missed by all whose lives she touched and the people she transformed. An online guestbook is available at edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Kfar Hasadim (contact Mitch for information) or to the Temple Kol Emeth Adult Education Fund. Services were officiated by Rabbi Steven Lebow at 1 p.m. on Mon., Jan. 14 at Temple Kol Emeth, 1415 Old Canton Rd., Marietta, GA 30062. Burial followed at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

Yvonne Slesinger Tillem passed away on Sun., Jan. 13, 2013 at home in the presence of her loving family after a long illness and struggle of life. She showed great courage and bravery. Yvonne was born and raised in Bishopville, S.C. to Morris and Anna Michalove Slesinger, of blessed memory. She was also predeceased by her brother, Paul Slesinger, who lived in Charleston, S.C.; and sister, Rita Goldstein, who lived in Atlanta. Yvonne graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1958 and was a licensed pharmacist. She was a devoted mother and grandmother who was willing to give of herself to her family. In addition to love, she also taught them to be good, kind and respected children and grandchildren. Surviving are her husband, Jerry Tillem; two daughters, Michelle and Wendi (Lloyd Wynn) Tillem; grandchildren, Ethan and Arden Frank; sister and brother-in-law, Marilyn and William Hartman of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews. Yvonne and Jerry would have been married for 54 years this March. She was not only Jerry’s partner in life but was also very instrumental in getting their family business started. Yvonne prided herself in helping anyone she could and will be truly missed by her loving family and all who knew her. An online guestbook is available at edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mt. Vernon Hwy., Atlanta, GA 30328, bnaitorah.org; or the MS Society of Georgia, 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite E101, Atlanta, GA 30338, nationalmssociety.org. Graveside service were held at 11 a.m. on Tues., Jan. 15, 2013 at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs with Rabbi Joshua Heller officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

54, OF ALPHARETTA

WIFE OF JERRY TILLEM

Michael Falck 57, OF ATLANTA

Michael Falck, 57, of Atlanta, passed away on Sun., Jan. 14, 2013. Born in Baltimore, Md., his family relocated to Atlanta in 1964. As chief operating officer of A1 Traffic Schools, he addressed the Georgia State Legislature and successfully lobbied them to resoundingly defeat online traffic school availability, thereby preserving the integrity of classroom traffic school education. Michael is survived by his parents, Audrey and Allan; his brothers, Barry (and his wife Susan) and Kenneth; his niece and nephew, Molly and Ryan; and numerous cousins. An online guestbook is available at edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to PAL Program (Atlanta’s only “Jewish Big Brother/Big Sister” program) through Jewish Family & Career Services, 4549 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta, GA 30338, yourtoolsforliving.org. Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. on Tues., Jan. 15, 2013 at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs with Rabbi Bradley Levenberg officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

Dean Smith

Dean Smith, age 20 – beloved son of Lauren and Neville Smith; younger brother of Jarren; grandson of Vivienne and the late Sidney Frame and Beryl and Solly Smith; nephew of Mark and Julian Frame and Selwyn and Michael Smith – passed away tragically on Sun., Jan. 13, 2013. Dean was a warm, charismatic and lovable person whose energy and passion for life was infectious. Dean will be sorely missed by both immediate family and extended family in South Africa and his many friends. Sign online guest book at edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Congregation Beth Tefillah, 5065 High Point Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30342. A graveside service was held Wed., Jan. 16, 2013 at 2 p.m. at Arlington Memorial Park with Rabbi Yossi New officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

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