Atlanta Jewish Times, Vol. XCIII No. 7, February 16, 2018 by Atlanta Jewish Times

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FEBRUARY 16, 2018 | 1 ADAR 5778

Education, Pages 16-28 See Page 2 for more information. Voting closes on March 1, 2018.

This week’s special focus on education includes STAR students, a dip into coexistence with the Arava Institute, a program in Israel literacy for high-schoolers, Four Questions with ORT Atlanta’s Veronica Beskin, Temple Emanu-El’s Backpack

Buddies, Atlanta Jewish Academy’s play by and for women and girls, the Walker School’s Holocaust exhibit, the individuality of Jewish education, a BBYOer’s mission to Ukraine, and Temple Sinai’s Kabbalah scholar in residence.

Survivor Ben Hirsch Dies

Benjamin Hirsch, who escaped Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport after Kristallnacht and played a crucial role in ensuring that his adopted home of Atlanta would never forget the Holocaust, died Sunday, Feb. 11, at age 85. Hirsch was 6 years old when he and four siblings fled Germany for France in 1938 and was 9 when the five of them arrived in Atlanta in 1941. As an adult, he was a stalwart of the Orthodox community in the Toco Hills area, serving as the president of Congregation Beth Jacob and Yeshiva Atlanta High School. But he acknowledged in the first of two memoirs he published, “Hearing a Different Drummer,” that he fell away from the practice of Judaism in his post-bar-mitzvah years, only to realize what he was losing while he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. His return to the faith proved crucial to Jewish Atlanta as well as him personally. Hirsch designed the Memorial to the Six Million, paid for, built and maintained at Greenwood Cemetery by the Holocaust survivor organization EternalLife Hemshech. Some 30 years later, he designed the Holocaust exhibit at the Breman Museum. ■ • Full obituary, Page 34

Davis Dog-Day Afternoon

Storytime with Davis Academy kindergartners proves relaxing for Gloria, a Canine Assistants dog in training at roughly 2 years old. The children read to the dogs, helping the canines learn to stay calm in public situations, during a schoolwide celebration of menschlichkeit to help mark Davis’ 25th anniversary Monday, Feb. 5. See the story and more photos, Page 16.

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INSIDE Candle Lighting �� 4 Purim ��6 Israel News ��7 Opinion ��10 Arts �� 30 Obituaries ��34 Marketplace ��36 Sports ��37 Crossword ��39

DEVASTATION

Volunteers back from Puerto Rico describe the destruction and the ongoing recovery needs almost five months after Hurricane Maria left most of the U.S. island without power, food or water. Pages 14-15

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Wise Hearts And Sanctuaries by showing up in a healing profession as a clinical psychologist. Eger likens her book to the challah her mother used to make for Friday night, braided with three strands: her story of survival, her story of healing and the stories of the people she has

Light & Bones By Marita Anderson

helped. She integrates her whole life into her work with patients as she helps them shift from a place of victimhood to a place of freedom. She does this by tending to the pain of her patients’ trauma and reframing their questions to “What now?” From Eger’s perspective, suffering is universal, and her most common diagnosis of people she treats is not PTSD or depression, but hunger: “Hunger for the freedom to embrace life and to really know and be ourselves.” Her work is focused on helping people walk out of the prison of the mind, from trauma to triumph, from the mindset of survivor to “thriver.” When I finished reading Eger’s book, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I thought of her again as I read a line from the parshah for Feb. 17, in which G-d says, “And they shall make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell in their midst” (Exodus 25:8). What does it mean for G-d to live in our midst? Perhaps the answer is not about building physical structures, but about the sanctuaries we construct within ourselves. I do not know why human cruelty exists and why terrible things happen to undeserving people. I do know that every day I encounter people with wise hearts whose offering to the world comes from a place of trust and love. People who embrace life in the aftermath of trauma, wobbly as their inner sanctuaries might feel at times. People who give, who show up, who take responsibility for themselves and others, and who search for meaning. May we know the strength and power of the sacred dwelling spaces within. May we keep answering ayecha (Where are you?) with hineni (Here I am). May we learn from the wise hearts in our midst how to choose to be free. ■

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

In my work as a chaplain and as a person out in the world, I sometimes encounter vulnerable people who are survivors of abuse, abandonment and human cruelty. Their inevitable questions rise up: “Why did this happen to me? Why did this person do that to me?” The only answer I am able to give is “You don’t deserve this. No one deserves this.” Beyond that, I do not know. When working with clergy of other faiths, I notice that their theology on suffering has somewhat coherent responses. My Buddhist mentor offers dharma on suffering as a universal experience that is caused by attachment. My Christian peers offer theological explanations that have to do with sin and redemption. We sometimes chuckle that Jews don’t try to explain suffering; we just accept it as part of life and deal with it. I wrestle with “Why?” and “How?” as part of my work because what people really want to know is why G-d let them suffer. I want to know too. I carry a small card in my notebook with the Hebrew word aicha (How?) on one side and ayecha (Where are you?) on the other. It is the same word with different vowel placements, expressing different sides of the same essential question. How did G-d let this happen? And where in the world was G-d? In the past few years I have made more of an effort to put myself in the same room with Holocaust survivors because I know our time with firsthand witnesses is becoming more precious. It is up to our generation to hear their testimony, as we will be partially responsible for how history remembers them and those whose voices were silenced. I always try to ask, as gently as possible, how they managed to live after the nightmare of war and degradation because I want to understand their resilience. Recently, I had the privilege of reading the narrative of a Holocaust survivor who transcends the grip of fear and turns toward the world with clarity and wisdom as a daily choice. Dr. Edith Eva Eger’s newly published book, “The Choice: Embrace the Possible,” is one of the most powerful accounts by a person who has struggled her whole life with the questions “Why?” and “How?” and has responded

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Relationship seminar. Rabbi Eliyahu and Dena Schusterman lead a class on what keeps couples together at 8 p.m. today and Thursday, Feb. 22, at Intown Jewish Academy, 928 Ponce de Leon Ave., Poncey-Highland. Admission is $36 for the two sessions; 404-898-0434 or www.intownjewishacademy.org.

FRIDAY, FEB. 16

Pre-Shabbat concert and dinner. The Marcus JCC’s Rabbi Brian Glusman leads a family concert at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner, then Kabbalat Shabbat services at 7:30 at Congregation Shearith Israel, 1180 University Drive, Morningside. Free; www.facebook. com/events/1334299946675135.

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House concert. Sarah Potenza, who appeared on “The Voice,” performs at the

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FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Closing night. The 18th Atlanta Jewish Film Festival concludes with “The Last Suit” at 7 p.m., followed by a dessert reception, at the Cobb Energy Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. Tickets are $36; ajff.org.

Contributors This Week MARITA ANDERSON BOB BAHR JACOB BUSCH RABBI DANIEL DORSCH RACHEL FAYNE YONI GLATT JORDAN GORFINKEL YAACOV NOAH GOTHARD ELI GRAY LEAH R. HARRISON MARCIA CALLER JAFFE REBECCA MCCARTHY LOGAN C. RITCHIE MINDY RUBENSTEIN DAVE SCHECHTER SHAINDLE SCHMUCKLER CHANA SHAPIRO DUANE STORK Creative Design

Edgewise. Anti-Defamation League Regional Director Allison Padilla-Goodman speaks about anti-Semitism at 10:30 a.m. at the Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Free for members, $5 for others; www.atlantajcc.org/ knowledgewise or 678-812-4070.

POSTMASTER send address changes to The Atlanta Jewish Times 270 Carpenter Drive Suite 320, Atlanta Ga 30328. Established 1925 as The Southern Israelite Phone: (404) 883-2130 www.atlantajewishtimes.com THE ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES (ISSN# 0892-33451) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY SOUTHERN ISRAELITE, LLC 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, Atlanta, GA 30328 © 2018 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES Printed by Walton Press Inc. MEMBER Conexx: America Israel Business Connector American Jewish Press Association Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce Please send all photos, stories and editorial content to: submissions@atljewishtimes.com

Noa at services. Israeli singer-songwriter and New Israel Fund board member Achinoam Nini speaks about social justice during Shabbat services at 6:30 p.m. at Congregation Or Hadash, 7460 Trowbridge Road, Sandy Springs. Free; bit.ly/2EiX2Uq.

SATURDAY, FEB. 17

Terumah Friday, Feb. 16, light candles at 6:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, Shabbat ends at 7:01 p.m. Tetzaveh Friday, Feb. 23, light candles at 6:11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, Shabbat ends at 7:07 p.m.

Corrections & Clarifications

The recent PBS documentary series on the Vietnam War was written and directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. An article about a panel discussion at Temple Sinai in the Feb. 9 issue failed to mention Novick. home of Jane and Mitch Durham after a barbecue dinner to benefit the Or VeShalom Sisterhood. Tickets are $100; RSVP to arogetib@gmail.com. Special Friends Havdalah. Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, marks Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month, starting with the creation of spice bags at 7 p.m. Free; 678-595-4854 (Janice Nodvin) or www.bnaitorah.org. Noa concert. Israeli singer-songwriter Achinoam Nini performs at the Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40 for JCC members, $55 for others; www.atlantajcc.org/ pldb-live/noa-37564 or 678-812-4002. Y-Studs concert. The Yeshiva University a cappella group performs at Motzei Shabbat at 9 p.m. at Congregation Ariel, 5237 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for ages 3 to 12, and free for those under 3; shuloffice@congariel.org. For the trees. The Cohen Brothers Band provides the music for Havdalah as YJP Atlanta samples the fruits of Israel, ko-

sher wine and kosher cheese at Chabad Intown, 928 Ponce de Leon Ave, Poncey-Highland. Tickets are $5; register at www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-cheesehavdallah-tickets-41575700038.

SUNDAY, FEB. 18

Bagels and Torah. The Atlanta Scholars Kollel Morningside center at Anshi, 1324 N. Highland Ave., holds its monthly Lox ’N Learning session at 10 a.m. Free; info@anshisfard.org. Medical marijuana. Family physician Zachary Cohen sets the record straight for a Hadassah Greater Atlanta health professionals event at 1 p.m. at Congregation Or Hadash, 7460 Trowbridge Road, Sandy Springs. A $7 donation is requested; viviang.hadassah@gmail or www.hadassah.org/atlanta. Film screening. Congregation Beth Shalom, 5303 Winters Chapel Road, Dunwoody, shows the documentary “Praying With Lior” at 7 p.m. Free; RSVP to www.bethshalom.net/event/ cbs-mini-movie-festival3.html.

TUESDAY, FEB. 20

Book talk. Alpharetta author Tal Tsfa-

Find more events and submit items for our online and print calendars at the Atlanta Jewish Connector, www.atlantajewishconnector.com.

Remember When

10 Years Ago Feb. 15, 2008 ■ Jewish Atlanta will get a taste of something different on March 1 and 2 with the launch of Limmud Atlanta + Southeast at Oglethorpe University, where participants will face a plethora of choices for learning across denominational lines. Eric Robbins, the executive director of Camp Twin Lakes, and Jodi Mansbach, the founder of Jewish Arts & Culture, are the co-chairs of the event. ■ The bar mitzvah ceremony of Andrew Bennett Kahn of Marietta, son of Joel and Jean Kahn, was held Saturday, Nov. 3, at Temple Kehillat Chaim. 25 Years Ago Feb. 12, 1993 ■ The number of anti-Semitic incidents in the Southeast was almost unchanged in 1992 compared with 1991, dropping from 51 to 50, but the nature of the incidents concerns the Anti-Defamation League, which reported the data in its annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents. Most of the South-

eastern incidents were written or spoken harassment attacks, indicating that anti-Semites are becoming bolder, the ADL said. ■ Terry and Linda Aronoff of Smyrna announce the birth of a daughter, Leah Marian, on Jan. 17. 50 Years Ago Rabbi Harry Epstein is Feb. 16, 1968 being honored March 1 to ■ Ahavath Achim Congrega3, 1968, for 40 years on the tion will hold an anniversary bimah at Ahavath Achim. celebration March 1, 2 and 3 in recognition of Rabbi Harry Epstein’s 40 years of spiritual leadership of the synagogue. Dr. Max Arzt, the vice chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, will deliver the sermons at Friday night and Saturday morning services March 1 and 2. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Charles Zimmerman of Atlanta announce the engagement of daughter Nancy Ann to Harvey Paul Berman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Berman.

CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21

ing Adar talent show for people 12 and older at Motzei Shabbat at 8 p.m. Free, with a suggested $10 donation; www. yith.org or 770-312-6723 (Ilana Weismark) to participate.

SUNDAY, FEB. 25

Babyccino. The program for babies up to 2½ years old and their mothers explores holidays at 10:30 a.m. at Chabad of North Fulton, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta. Free; RSVP to hs@ chabadnf.org or 770-410-9000.

Wheelchair basketball. American Friends of Israel Sport Center for the Disabled holds an exhibition at 10:30 a.m. at the Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Free; www.afiscd. org/champions-for-life.

Book talk. Bobbi Kornblit speaks about her new novel, “Red Carpet Rivals,” at 11 a.m. at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs. Free; www.templesinaiatlanta.org or 404-252-3073.

Hunger Walk/Run. At least 20 teams operating under the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta umbrella are participating in the Atlanta Community Food Bank fundraiser at Georgia State Stadium, 755 Hank Aaron Drive, downtown, with activities and registration at noon and the 5K at 2 p.m. Register or donate at bit.ly/2Dvw5fI.

Spa for the Soul. New York image consultant Jessica Myhr leads a discussion over a dairy dinner at 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth Tefillah, 5065 High Point Road, Sandy Springs. Admission is $25; www.bethtefillah.org/form/spafor-the-soul.html.

THURSDAY, FEB. 22

Edgewise. Brown Forman rep Kyle Rivera speaks about the history of Jack Daniel’s and leads a whiskey tasting at 10:30 a.m. at the Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Free for members, $5 for others; www.atlantajcc.org/ knowledgewise or 678-812-4070. Ecology in the city. Urban Ecology Center Executive Director Ken Leinbach speaks about the book “Urban Ecology: A Natural Way to Transform Kids, Parks, Cities and the World” at 7 p.m. at the Carter Presidential Library, 441 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta. Free; www. jimmycarterlibrary.gov/events. Chevra Kadisha dinner. David Zinner of Kavod v’Nichum speaks on “Touching the Face of G-d — Understanding Tahara” at the communitywide meal marking the yahrzeit of Moses at 6 p.m. at Congregation Or VeShalom, 1681 N. Druid Hills Road, Brookhaven. Free; RSVP to rebareneekay@aol.com.

FRIDAY, FEB. 23

Women’s Shabbaton. The Jewish Women’s Connection of Atlanta holds a weekend of rejuvenation featuring Adrienne Gold and starting this evening and concluding Saturday evening at the Holiday Inn, 909 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell. Registration is $279; www.jwcatlanta.org/events.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

Talent show. Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road, holds its fundrais-

Mitzvah expo. Atlanta Party Connection holds its Bar & Bat Mitzvah Expo from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Hotel at Avalon, 9000 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta. Free; www.atlantamitzvahconnection. com/free-parent-pre-registration. Bearing witness. Hungarian Holocaust survivor Henry Friedman speaks at the Breman Museum, 1440 Spring St., Midtown, at 2 p.m. Free; thebreman.org or 678-222-3700. Israeli minorities. AJC ACCESS Atlanta and Reservists on Duty present five Israeli minority speakers at 6 p.m. at Taco Mac, 5600 Roswell Road, Suite M-003, Sandy Springs. Admission is $10; bit.ly/2BnFW4U.

MONDAY, FEB. 26

Infertility support. Therapist Ashley Marx facilitates a Jewish Fertility Foundation support group in Toco Hills at 7:30 p.m. Free; www.jewishfertilityfoundation.org/support to RSVP and get location.

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

Job fair. Jewish Family & Career Services, 4549 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, holds a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for people who can provide direct support to people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Apply at www.jfcsatl.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

ny signs copies of his young-adult book, “Sophie,” at 6 p.m. and talks about the book at 8 at Crema Espresso Gourmet, 2458 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody. Free; www.sophie-book.com.

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PURIM CALENDAR 2018 Purim begins Wednesday night, Feb. 28, and ends Thursday night, March 1. In addition to traditional readings of the Megillat Esther, the following are some options to celebrate.

SUNDAY, FEB. 18

Hamantaschen bake-off. CTeenJR at Chabad of North Fulton, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta, bakes at 6:15 p.m. Free; rabbihertz@chabadnf.org.

TUESDAY, FEB. 20

Holiday prep. Bena holds a pre-holiday program for women with Esther Pransky at 8:15 p.m. at Congregation Beth Jacob, 1855 LaVista Road, Toco Hills. Free; www.atlantakollel.org/event_detail. php?event=354 or 404-321-4085.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21

Lunch and learn. Rabbi Adam Starr leads an exploration of the megillah at noon at Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road. Free (fee for lunch); order food at www.yith.org/lunchnlearn.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

Hamantaschen party. The Sixth Point provides all the ingredients for adults to make triangular treats, plus a photo booth to test their costumes, at 3 p.m. at

the Levy home, 2884 Parkridge Drive, Brookhaven. Admission is $8 in advance or $10 at the door; thesixthpoint. org/event/make-hamentashen-party. Young adult party. Marcus JCC Young Adults and partners hold a costume party at 8 p.m. at Orpheus Brewing, 1440 Dutch Valley Place, Midtown. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door; bit.ly/2EXWiky or 678-812-3861.

SUNDAY, FEB. 25

Purim PaloozAA. Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., holds a carnival from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a megillah reading in between, including games, live music, a dessert buffet and food trucks at lunchtime. Admission is $10 per person or $18 per family; form. jotform.com/60544925801960.

munity parade leaves from the Toco Hill Shopping Center near Pike Nurseries at 11 a.m. and ends at Congregation Beth Jacob, 1855 LaVista Road, where a carnival starts at noon. Free for the parade; bethjacobatlanta.org/Purim. Carnival. Congregation Beth Shalom, 5303 Winters Chapel Road, Dunwoody, holds a carnival at 11:30 a.m. Admission, including lunch, is $12 until Feb. 20 or $15 at the door; www.bethshalom. net/event/purim-carnival1.html. Hamantaschen bake-off. Chabad of Peachtree City holds an event for women and girls at the Lew home, 219 Kelvington Way, Peachtree City, at 7 p.m. Free (donations appreciated); RSVP to www.chabadsouthside.com, shternie@ chabadsouthside.com or 678-595-9277.

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

Purim Palooza. Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs, holds a family megillah reading at 9:30 a.m., followed by a carnival. Game wristbands are $15 for ages 2 to 5 and $20 for 6 and up through Feb. 21, then $5 more; www. templesinaiatlanta.org.

Intown family party. The Atlanta Scholars Kollel, Jewish Kids Groups, PJ Library and the Marcus JCC hold a celebration at 5:15 p.m. at Anshi, 1324 N. Highland Ave., Morningside. Free; ask@atlantakollel.org or 404-951-1026.

Parade and carnival. The annual com-

Lunch and learn. Rabbi Adam Starr leads an exploration of the megillah at noon at Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road. Free (fee for lunch); order food at www.yith.org/lunchnlearn.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

Celebration. Congregation Beth Shalom, 5303 Winters Chapel Road, Dunwoody, provides a dairy dinner at 5:30 p.m., a children’s megillah reading and costume parade at 6:15, and a spiel and full megillah reading at 7. Free; www. bethshalom.net or 770-399-5300.

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

“American Ninja Warrior” party. Chabad Intown, 928 Ponce de Leon Ave., Poncey-Highland, provides a buffet dinner, ninja warrior parkour activities and a stunt show in addition to a megillah reading at 5:45 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $10 for children; chabadintown.org/ninja-warrior.

Young professionals’ party. YJP Atlanta holds a ’90s-themed party with an open bar at 7:30 p.m. at its new property, 730 Ponce de Leon Place, PonceyHighland. Tickets are $10 (early bird) or $15; www.eventbrite.com/e/90s-purimparty-tickets-42759339335.

THURSDAY, MARCH 1

Mishloach manot. Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road, works with One Good Deed to distribute food baskets to the elderly at 10:30 a.m. Free; www.yith.org.

African celebration. Chabad of Peachtree City, 632 Dogwood Trail, Tyrone, holds an African-themed Purim party with a megillah reading, juice bar, African buffet, drum circle and crafts at 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children older than 6 until Feb. 22, then $5 more per person; RSVP at www.chabadsouthside.com. Festive meal. Anshi Rabbi Mayer Freedman and his family hold a Purim feast from 4 p.m. until about 6:30 at 1113 University Drive, Morningside. Free; mayerfreedman@atlantakollel.org. Dance-off. Meir Kay joins Congregation Beth Tefillah, 5065 High Point Road, Sandy Springs, for a dance party at 5 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults and $12 for children 3 to 11 through Feb. 24, then $25 and $18; www.bethtefillah. org/form/purim-dance-off-2018.html. Masquerade and party. Chabad of North Fulton, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta, holds a celebration with crafts and a megillah reading. Free (nominal charge for pizza); www. chabadnf.org or 770-410-9000. Pancake party. Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road, holds a pancake pajama party with a pancake bar and other food, PJ Library fun, juggler Todd Key, and adult trivia at 5:30 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults and $10 for kids for YITH members, $25 and $12 for nonmembers (children under 2 free); www.yith.org or 404-315-1417. Feast and comedy show. Chabad of North Fulton, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta, celebrates Purim with adults at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $25; www.chabadnf.org/purimadult or 770410-9000.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

Purim off Ponce. SOJOURN honors Judy Marx and Billy Planer at its annual fundraising costume ball at 7:30 p.m. at The Temple, 1589 Peachtree St., Midtown. Tickets are $100; www. sojourngsd.org/pop2018.

SUNDAY, MARCH 4

Family celebration. The Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, holds a carnival, a costume parade and a concert at 10 a.m. Free; bit.ly/2EmetUd or 678-812-4161. Cookie swap. The Marcus JCC invites families to dress in costumes and bring hamantaschen with creative flavors to Candler Park, 585 Candler Park Drive, Atlanta, at 3 p.m. Free; atlantajcc.org.

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ISRAEL NEWS

Women of the Wall Keep Challenging Barriers By Leah R. Harrison lharrison@atljewishtimes.com

Photos by Leah R. Harrison

Lesley Sachs, wearing a Women of the Wall tallit, says that when American Jews show support, including buying such tallitot, “it gives us the strength to carry on.”

the Jewish people. Advocacy from the Diaspora helped secure a Conservative presence at the Robinson’s Arch area in 2000, and a platform for egalitarian prayer was built in 2013. Still, 40 Women of the Wall were arrested between 2011 and 2013. Sachs was arrested for the fourth time in 2013, charged under a law allowing a

Smile

for changes in Israel beyond the Wall, Sachs said. Israelis are unaccustomed to having choices about lifecycle celebrations, and the ability to make those decisions “is something we learned from you,” she said. “This is a present that we received from the Jews of North America.” Another gift came directly from Georgia. After visiting Atlanta with a group of officers, the new police chief at the Wall went to Sachs’ office, accompanied by an entourage that had arrested her so many times. He had met with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, he said, and “they nearly ate me alive.” He said he gained an understanding of the importance of the issue to the Jewish people and would not arrest her. “That is to show that you have the power,” Sachs said, “and what we are asking you to do is to use it. Because, whereas Netanyahu really doesn’t care about Women of the Wall, … he does still care about you and about what you think and about how and where you are there with Israel.” ■

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FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

When Lesley Sachs was a child who made aliyah from South Africa via England at age 5, a low chain served as the divider between the equal-sized men’s and women’s sections at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Now in her 10th year as the executive director of Women of the Wall, Sachs said a 7-foot-high wall divides the men from the women at the Kotel Plaza, and the men’s section is more than twice the size of the women’s area. New modesty rules are enforced for women, who are forbidden to chant or sing, lest they distract the men at prayer. “Things changed, and we weren’t there to fight it … until Women of the Wall experienced, for the first time, true violence the first time they went to pray 29 years ago,” Sachs said at Congregation Shearith Israel on Wednesday, Jan. 31. She spoke the next night at Congregation Etz Chaim. Sachs showed a brief video of the harassment, at times escalating to physical altercations, encountered by members of Women of the Wall when they make their monthly Rosh Chodesh pilgrimage in tallitot and kippot with Torah scrolls to pray at the wall. Erica Hruby, the new executive director of the Center for Israel Education, said she once had the privilege to pray with Women of the Wall. “While it was not pleasant,” she said, it was “an incredibly moving opportunity” that remains close to her heart. Rabbi Loren Filson Lapidus of The Temple said she has shared those 7 a.m. Rosh Chodesh struggles at the Kotel. “They are harassed. They are assaulted. They are arrested, all in pursuit of the simple goal of egalitarianism,” Rabbi Lapidus said. “For all of us that envision Israel as a state that is a home for all Jews, the Kotel is the symbol of how far we still have to go.” Sachs said it’s worth enduring the ordeal “to retain Israel as a strong democracy.” The Wall has been under the authority of Israel’s Ministry of Religion since 1967, and the ministry established the Western Wall Heritage Foundation in 1988 to “cultivate, develop and preserve the Kotel and its tunnels.” Also in 1988, Women of the Wall was created as a way for Modern Orthodox, Conservative and Reform women to fight for gender equality in freely and openly worshipping as they wish at the one of the holiest sites to

fine or six months in jail “for not observing according to the custom of the place, and in a way that can offend the feelings of others.” Photos of women in prayer shawls being led away inspired protests in the United States. A judge ruled that Women of the Wall prayed within halacha and under the promises of gender equality and religious freedom in the Declaration of Independence. The case will go to the Supreme Court. Jan. 31, 2016, when the government announced an agreement to build an enlarged egalitarian prayer space near Robinson’s Arch and to widen the governance of the Kotel, was one of the happiest days of Sachs’ life, outside childbirth. But the Netanyahu government canceled the deal in June 2017. Sachs said the issue is political, not religious. “The ultra-Orthodox put pressure on the prime minister, and he reneged on his promise … that there will be a place for every Jew at the Western Wall.” The issues of gender equality and religious freedom can be a catalyst

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ISRAEL NEWS

Israel Pride: Good News From Our Jewish Home Owls for Peace. What started in 1982 as an experiment in rodent control on farms has turned into a cross-border solution that is helping Israel’s relations with neighbors. Instead of relying on toxic rodent-killing chemicals, farmers in northern Israel started using barn owls, which like to prey on rodents in agricultural fields and are comfortable living close to people. The approach has succeeded, spreading across much of Israel and into the Palestinian territories and Jordan and bringing together Arab and Jewish scientists. In January, researchers met in Jordan to see barn owl nest boxes in the field and hatch plans for similar efforts in Egypt, Greece, Tunisia and Morocco. Wolf Prize winners. The 2018 Wolf Prize laureates were announced Monday, Feb. 12, at an event hosted by President Reuven Rivlin at his residence in Jerusalem. The five awards, worth a total of $500,000, are divided among nine winners from the United States, Canada, Japan, Hungary and the United Kingdom: Paul McCartney and Adam Fischer for music, Gene Robinson for agriculture, Omar Yaghi and Makoto

year for Gal Gadot on the big screen, another Israeli star is heading for the spotlight on Broadway. Singer and actress Shiri Maimon will play Roxie Hart in “Chicago” in September. She will follow Liza Minnelli, Brooke Shields and Melanie Griffith in the long-running Broadway hit. Other noteworthy Israeli appearances on Broadway include Chaim Topol as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” and Dudu Fisher as Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables.”

Israel Photo of the Week

Caesarea Toga Party Photo by Assaf Peretz, Israel Antiquities Authority

Excavation work continues on a Roman mosaic of three men in togas in the Caesarea National Park. The mosaic, which dates from the second or third century CE and features a lengthy but damaged Greek inscription, covers about 35 square yards. It was found beneath an opulent building dating back 1,500 years to the Byzantine era.

Fujita for chemistry, Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard for physics, and Alexander Beilinson and Vladimir Drinfeld for mathematics. Rivlin will present the prizes at the end of May. Cyber superpower. Israel is a leader in cybersecurity and a desired partner for collaboration worldwide, former CIA

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Director David Petraeus said at the annual CyberTech conference in Tel Aviv on Jan. 30. “Israel is a small country in all aspects, but it is a cyber superpower,” he said, adding that collaboration between the countries reached “new heights." The event brought together 15,000 people from 80 countries. All that jazz. After an action-packed

Jewish Breakfast Club

Eco beach. A pier formerly used for transporting oil will be transformed into an environmental tourist attraction on the coast of Eilat. A 218-yard stretch of shoreline adjacent to the port city’s Dolphin Reef was turned over to the municipality by the Eilat Ashkelon Pipe Co. for development as an ecological beach with an environmental education center. An old pier at the site will be renovated to include a marine garden, wind chimes and a natural climbing structure. Compiled courtesy of verygoodnewsisrael. blogspot.com, israel21c.org, timesofisrael. com and other sources.

Luncheon

Wednesday, March 8 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Greenberg Traurig LLP 3333 Piedmont Rd NE #2500 • Atlanta

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

The JBC is also an opportunity to network and connect with fellow business leaders in the community before and after the program.

Find out the challenges and goals our very own Jewish Millennials are facing. (Millennials are the rising generation born from 1978-1998).

The Jewish Breakfast Club luncheon on March 8, 2018 will be dedicated to honoring the recent winners of the Atlanta Jewish Times’ “40 under 40”. Everyone attending will have an opportunity to meet these leaders and participate in a panel discussion.

Past speakers include Bernie Marcus, Georgia Tech men’s basketball coach Josh Pastner, Atlanta Falcons minority owner Ed Mendel, Doug Ross chairman of Birthright Israel’s Atlanta Regional Council and former CEO of Caribou Coffee Michael Coles and many more.

JBC

Jewish Breakfast Club

All food and drinks are AKC certified kosher.

ISRAEL NEWS

Today in Israeli History Items provided by the Center for Israel Education (www.israeled.org), where you can find more details. Feb. 16, 1932: Aharon Appelfeld, an Israeli author and professor, is born near Czernowitz, Ukraine (then part of Romania). Feb. 17, 1948: The U.S. State Department prepares a memorandum for Secretary of State George Marshall and President Harry Truman seeking nonimplementation of U.N. Resolution 181, calling for the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. Feb. 18, 1577: Jews in Safed, the largest Jewish community in Ottoman Palestine in the 16th century, deliver a petition to the Ottoman sultan to seek

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Moshe Sharett, shown on a 1966 stamp, chaired a meeting Feb. 19, 1936, on how to deal with British opposition to Zionist population growth.

protection from extortion, robberies and violence by local officials. Feb. 19, 1936: Zionist leaders debate how to confront proposed British restrictions on Jewish land purchases in Palestine. Feb. 20, 1957: In a nationally televised radio and television address to the American people, President Dwight Eisenhower discusses the tense situation in the Middle East in the aftermath of the October 1956 Suez war. Feb. 21, 1852: Pope Pius IX writes to Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany to protest the grand duke’s decision to grant levels of emancipation to Jews. The pope expressed the need to keep Catholics separate from “the infidels.” Feb. 22, 1914: An important moment in Israel’s nation-building comes when the Kuratorium (board of trustees) of the Technion, then under construction in Haifa, reverses its decision of October 1913 and decides that Hebrew, not German, will be the language of instruction at the school.

OPINION

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Our View

Iranian Face-Off

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Israel teetered on the brink of a long-anticipated war along its northern border for a few hours Saturday, Feb. 10, but even though most of the destruction involved Israel and Syria, no one should have any doubts about the real source of the trouble: Iran. It was Iran that, for reasons unknown, chose to fly a drone from Syria into Israeli airspace and started the temporary tempest. Israel not only shot down the drone, but also launched strikes against the suspected Iranian command-and-control center operating the plane from southern Syria. The Syrians, whether feeling protective of their Iranian allies or just itching for an excuse to target the Israeli air force after it conducted thousands of reconnaissance missions and a few airstrikes in Syria during its seven-year civil war, launched a barrage of anti-aircraft fire at the Israeli planes. One F-16I fighter-bomber was shot down and crashed in northern Israel, injuring the pilot and navigator. Israel quickly recovered from the deflated sense of air supremacy and launched attacks directly on Syrian air defenses. An Israeli military spokesman estimated that within an hour of the F-16 crash, Syria lost one-third to one-half of its air defense system. Fortunately, all sides seemed to accept a rapid de-escalation. Syrian leader Bashar Assad has more than enough internal fighting to keep him busy, and Israel’s strikes after the F-16 was shot down reminded him that a war with the Jewish state could doom his prospects of remining in power. Russia, whose military presence in the Middle East is a long-term problem, possibly was beneficial in this instance because it maintains communication with both militaries and has the power to compel them to settle down. But Syria isn’t a real threat to Israel, which has shown it has the military and intelligence assets to handle Assad and whatever other internal power might arise there. Iran, however, is another story. Iran has tens of thousands of troops in Syria, along with allied militias, and the use of the drone Feb. 10 may indicate an increasing willingness to open a military front on Israel’s border. Any fighting south from Syria by Iran would no doubt be coordinated with attacks from Lebanon by the Iranian-funded Hezbollah, which is believed to have stockpiled 150,000 missiles and rockets since battling Israel to a stalemate in 2006. It hasn’t found an excuse to launch those missile at Israel — yet. One of the ironies of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal is that an agreement defended by President Barack Obama as the only alternative to an Israeli-Iranian war could be making such a war more likely. The $100 billion or so the deal freed up for Iran has enabled it to become more aggressive around the Middle East, including its support for Hezbollah and its own deployment of troops in Syria. The Iranian regime’s failure to spend that money at home to improve living conditions has powered domestic unrest that also provides motivation to engage in a war that could unite the nation in patriotic fervor. It’s therefore crucial for the United States to keep stating its full support for Israel’s right to self-defense and to make clear that Iran will face fresh sanctions 10 if it goes to war against the region’s closest U.S. ally. ■

Cartoon by Yaakov Kirschen, Dry Bones

Justice Pursued Against Nazis Christoph Rueckel barely seems to fit into the will forget what Jews experienced at the hands of the room he uses at Baker Donelson’s Buckhead office, Nazis and their collaborators in Poland and other whether he’s reclining or leaning over his desk. occupied countries. He’s well above 6 feet tall with a sturdy build, But the cases of Groening and Hanning, as well but it’s the presence he projects as he talks about as the forthcoming prosecution of two SS guards his legal mission that fills the space. The German from the Stutthof concentration camp, demonstrate has practiced law for 42 that each person bears years, but the past several responsibility for such years he has been on a race crimes. The classic defensEditor’s Notebook against time to bring Nazi es of “I was just following By Michael Jacobs war criminals to justice. orders” and “I didn’t know” mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com He’s not dealing with aren’t valid amid atrocities. Adolf Eichmann types. Sitting in his Atlanta As far as we know, all office during a three-day the men who pulled the visit this month, Rueckel levers on the Nazi death machine are dead. But the said the murder and attempted-murder cases against cases Rueckel is working might be more important the Stutthof guards are simple if not easy. in the endless effort to ensure “never again” means The two men, both in their 90s, don’t deny something. He’s helping connect prosecutors with they were guards at the camp, where some 65,000 co-plaintiffs against the gears in that death machine: people died. The testimony of people such as a New the guards, accountants and others who ensured York client of Rueckel’s will demonstrate the deadly, that nothing slowed down the Final Solution during sadistic conditions, and any other Stutthof survivors World War II, then went home and lived the next or relatives of the camp’s victims should contact the seven decades as if nothing bad had happened. lawyer at christoph.rueckel@rueckelcoll.com to add Rueckel helped convict two Auschwitz SS cogs to that evidence. in 2015 and 2016: accountant Oskar Groening, whose (Rueckel said his client survived Stutthof only ghoulish work involved processing the property because he overheard two guards talking about the seized from camp prisoners, and guard Reinhold need for labor in Germany late in the war, and he Hanning, who died before he could serve prison risked being shot by speaking to the guards and time. Groening, 96, is seeking a pardon to avoid his volunteering for the assignment.) four-year sentence, although he is healthy. The key to a conviction, Rueckel said, will be The punishment is not the point, however, nor establishing that the guards had to see what was is the worthwhile effort to add to the record of Nazi happening at Stutthof and thus shared culpabilatrocities. We can never have too much testimony ity through their failure to do anything other than about the Holocaust to remind the generations to continue with their duties. come that it happened, but court cases aren’t necesThe same holds for a few other potential prossary to record that evidence. ecutions involving Majdanek, Auschwitz and Babi As seen in the documentary “116 Cameras,” Yar, for which Rueckel also is looking for survivors shown at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and or the relatives of victims. The elderly culprits might streaming online via The New York Times, innovanever serve time in prison, but they will forever be tive efforts are being made to ensure that no one rightfully known as murderers. ■

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OPINION

Blessing the Memory of Immigrant Forebears Fannie Greenzeig was a tough cookie. As a 12-year-old in the spring of 1905, she hid with her father, Solomon, under a load of hay while Polish troops stabbed at the pile with pitchforks before allowing the wagon to cross into Germany. Her mother, Dora, and her younger sister, Alice, remained in Poland (then part of the Russian Empire). Solomon had just enough money to book passage in steerage — nine days in the bowels of the steamship SS Bremen — from Germany to America, where presumably better times awaited. As the lowest class of passengers, Solomon and Fannie were ferried from the dock at Hoboken, N.J., to Ellis Island, where, in view of the Statue of Liberty, they were sprayed with disinfectant, inspected for diseases, particularly of the eyes, and questioned by immigration agents. Arriving in New York in early April, too late to enroll in school, Fannie went to work in a shop owned by relatives that produced hairpieces. After three months, she was paid $3

a week. She never resumed a formal education. When Dora and Alice emigrated in 1907, the reunited family lived not among the Jewish masses in the Lower East Side of Manhattan (though Fan-

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

nie thought the movie “Hester Street” did a good job depicting that life), but in apartments farther uptown. Fannie cut hair for several decades, in beauty shops but also in the homes of some of the wealthiest women in New York (an experience that left her with no desire to watch the British drama “Upstairs, Downstairs”). She enjoyed drinking scotch and liked a good liverwurst or smoked fish. She smoked cigarettes for 65 years, until she was 80, when a longtime friend’s admonishment put an end to that habit, and she lived another decade after that. Fannie was the kind of woman

who took no guff from anybody. I loved her, but my great-aunt scared me a little, too. She appeared as sturdy as Alice, my paternal grandmother, seemed frail. My father was 11 years old when his father died. Fannie helped raise him, and my father greatly respected the sacrifices she made. We called her Fayi, as my father had since childhood, when he could not pronounce “Fannie.” Not until her late 70s did she stop cutting our hair during visits to our home in suburban Chicago. Her voice is embedded in my memory, but I also have a tape of an interview she did at age 86, with my father and my youngest brother, when she lived in a home for the Jewish aged in the Bronx. My search for that cassette was prompted by derisive references to chain migration in the immigration policy debate. Heightened interest among Jews in how their families came to the United States has been a benefit of this fractious discourse. Fannie spoke fondly of her childhood in Poland, where she was a “country kid” who enjoyed fishing

and going to school (in a one-room schoolhouse, where the teacher asked students to warn her if troops or police came so that she could throw her notebook of revolutionary writings into the stove). As for coming to New York and going to work, “Well, it wasn’t too good,” Fannie said matter-of-factly. “After all, I was young.” I also reread the transcript of interviews that my wife conducted with her paternal grandmother, Rose (“Call me Sugie”), who arrived in Chicago in February 1922 after emigrating (in steerage) with her parents as a 9-year-old from the Ukrainian village of Narodychi. Like Fannie, Rose went to work early — after school at age 13, in a mattress plant opened by her father, and after graduating high school, for a corset company. In time, Rose, her husband and their son (my father-in-law) grew that family mattress business. They never met, but I imagine that Fayi and Sugie would have had quite the conversation about their immigrant experiences and the foundations that they helped build for our lives today. ■

I recently took my first visit to the Coca-Cola world headquarters in Midtown. After living here for a year and a half, I now feel like an official Atlantan. On the surface, the Coca-Cola HQ seems like a stable, fun, fairly posh place to work. As you might imagine, there are unlimited free soft drinks and Coke Freestyle machines on nearly every corridor. There are a dozen food hubs in the cafeteria, along with a pool table and an Xbox in the staff lounge. However, as you travel through the headquarters, what you discover, if you’ll forgive the pun, is that Coca-Cola is doing anything but “coastering.” Rather, like all American institutions living in the 21st century, it seems that even the great Coca-Cola finds itself in the middle of a paradigm shift. Over the past few decades, like a great many things in our society, our consumption habits for soft drinks have changed. As Americans, we are consuming fewer carbonated beverages in favor of less carbonated, more healthful options.

Some brands and longtime staples, such as Diet Coke, are aging and not appealing to the millennial generation. As such, Coca-Cola expends a great deal of resources and effort

From the ARA By Rabbi Daniel Dorsch

rebranding and rethinking the way that it does beverages. You may have noticed, for example, that many of Coca-Cola’s newest acquisitions, such as the Honest Tea label, are noncarbonated. Another of Coke’s newest additions to its beverage line is called Fairlife Milk, which is lower in sugar than regular milk and lactose-free (read: Jewish-friendly). If you’ve gone to the grocery store in the past several weeks, you’ve probably also seen that the Diet Coke can has gotten a face-lift. It now comes in four varieties with exciting names like Feisty Cherry (instead of Diet Cherry

Coke) and resembles a sparkling beverage can, which is much more popular among millennials. There is much, I believe, that those of us working in the Jewish community can learn from the creative, soul-searching work that is taking place at Coca-Cola. In Atlanta, we are quite blessed to live in a demographically rich Jewish community. However, despite the number of Jews living in Atlanta, like Coke, we are in the middle of a great change in consumption habits. And it is quite clear that Jews of my generation are less likely to buy what we are currently selling. Thankfully, on the synagogue front as with Coca-Cola, I can tell you that my Atlanta Rabbinical Association colleagues and I are hardly “coastering.” Rather, we are quite engaged in the juggling act of creating meaningful Jewish experiences for folks at every age and every stage of life.

When we think about institutional change, sometimes the answer we seek is as simple as a slight tweak or a technical solution: taking a Diet Coke, putting it in a new can and adding a twist. We add new tunes to services, public space programs, etc., to keep up. However, in other instances, we recognize that we must rethink our traditional, institutional frameworks and examine people’s shifting consumption habits. How, for example, as society becomes more aware of Jews living with “all abilities,” do we make the extra effort to include Jews with disabilities our community? Further still: How do we adapt to the ever-changing makeup of the modern Jewish family? To paraphrase the oft-quoted Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook HaCohen, it must be that we “take the old and make it new and take the new and make it sacred.” I firmly believe that synagogues, and Atlanta’s rich Jewish institutional life, have a tremendous amount to offer Jews here in Atlanta. We just have to get you to take a drink. ■ Rabbi Daniel Dorsch is the senior rabbi at Congregation Etz Chaim.

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Changing Habits Are the Real Thing

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OPINION

Federation Mission Builds Bridges to Jewish Future By Michael A. Morris michael@atljewishtimes.com Almost 70 leaders of Atlanta Jewish organizations went to Israel on a mission of learning, understanding and relationship building around Tu B’Shevat. The group was part of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s Front Porch initiative. Goals included strengthening Atlanta community partnerships, creating a “living bridge” between Atlanta and Israeli communities, and harvesting concrete ideas to bring back to our own Front Porch. The group was a diverse cross-section of the community. Participants included 15 pulpit rabbis from every denomination in our community. Large organizations such as the Marcus JCC and Jewish Family & Career Services were represented, as were smaller organizations such as the community mikvah (MACoM), Limmud, the Jewish Fertility Foundation and InterfaithFamily/Atlanta. In most instances, the executive director (or rabbi) and the lay president both attended. As diverse as the group was, the itinerary was equally wide-ranging. Speakers were not from the Knesset or well-established organizations.

Participants in the Federation leadership mission visit Gush Etzion.

Examples included a refugee from Sudan, a young entrepreneur raising money for an invention, a Palestinian in the West Bank who illegally built the first school in his Arab village so his children could learn to read and write, a kibbutznik on the border with Gaza, and a cardiologist/colonel who is part of an IDF mobile field hospital that was deployed in Haiti and Nepal (the unit is now recognized by the World Health Organization as the best in the world, evaluated by peers in 83 countries). The institutions visited were also off the beaten track: the Taglit Innovation Center at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange; the Chicago Community Center in Lod, which runs day programs for Jewish and Arab children;

Bina, the only secular (and socialaction-oriented) yeshiva in Israel; the Israeli Gar Youth Center, which is the only organization in Israel focused on serving LGBT youth; and the Belz Hasidic Dynasty Synagogue in Jerusalem, which hosts 8,000 to 10,000 people on Shabbat. While diversity was a core component, Avraham Infeld shed light on the prospect of bringing us together and succinctly summed it up in his introductory comments. Modernity has fractured the Jewish people. Today, some of us still practice our religion in a way that we perceive it has been practiced for over a thousand years, with no regard to modern times. Today, some of us have

chosen to assimilate, partially assimilate or partially assimilate part of our lives. Today, some of us have chosen a new form of Jewish religious identity, such as Reform Judaism or Modern Orthodoxy. Finally, today, some of us are Zionists in Israel, Zionists in the Diaspora or not Zionists at all. Modernity has caused more internal conflict than any external threat. The result is that Judaism has more voices than ever before in our history. The question becomes “What keeps us together?” Avraham would argue that what we have in common is more important than our differences, such as shared values, common enemies, an ancient language, core beliefs, tradition, trust, and, the most important, a shared communal memory. Being a people (rather than just a religion) will ultimately tip the scale in bringing us together rather than tearing us apart. Eric Robbins told the group that success is already evident. We attended, we were present and in the moment, and we were not torn asunder by difficult conversations. Bridges are being built within the Atlanta community and to Israel. No other Federation community is having these discussions. ■

HIAS, JF&CS Helped Settle Jewish Refugees Here

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Almost 30 years have passed since my parents emigrated from Iran to Atlanta to escape persecution. They were among countless Jewish refugees who resettled in the area with the help of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. This is the first installment of a series exploring Jewish refugees’ HIAS-aided immigration to Atlanta in the early 1990s and their thoughts on HIAS help to nonJewish immigrants today. I spoke with HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield and Jewish Family & Career Services CEO Rick Aranson. From 1990 to 1999, HIAS helped settle 2,176 refugees in Atlanta through JF&CS. All but 52 were Jews from the former Soviet Union; the rest were Jewish and Baha’i refugees from Iran. The largest years were 1991, with as many as 518 refugees, and 1993, with 405. Since the resettlement of Jewish refugees in the ’90s, HIAS has not had an opportunity to follow up with the 12 group. “It’s really sad,” Hetfield said,

“because it was a successful population in terms of the ultimate level of

Commentary By Sarah Moosazadeh sarah@atljewishtimes.com

success that it had, and even more so if you look at the second generation.” The number of refugees HIAS resettled locally dwindled to seven in 2006 but had an uptick in 2008 with an increase in the number of Iranian arrivals after the agency decided to accept other populations, such as Iraqis, Burmese, Bhutanese and Eritreans. HIAS serves as a direct link between the State and Homeland Security departments for the resettlement of refugees, decides which communities the refugees will go to, provides funding to those communities as well as training and monitoring. HIAS assists refugees with housing, food and services in their first few

months in the United States. Yet HIAS had to overcome Jewish refugees’ expectations in the 1990s. “They were highly educated,” Hetfield said, “which doesn’t make resettlement necessarily easier, and with high education comes high expectations.” JF&CS encountered the large wave of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union at that time. The organization met with the immigrants after they arrived from temporary locations and connected them to community resources. JF&CS also used anchor families, which are groups of Jews who helped refugees acclimate to society. In most cases, the Jewish immigrants who arrived in Atlanta had established lives and careers in their native countries, but their expertise, credentials and/or certifications did not transfer to the United States. “You may have had someone who was certified as a nurse, doctor or lawyer in their country of origin but certainly did not have that certification here and almost had to start from Ground Zero,” Aranson said.

JF&CS closed its resettlement services around 2009, Aranson said, because it did not have the expertise. “Our agency strives to focus on services where we can be best in class and felt that there were other providers that had deeper connections to other communities people were being resettled from,” he said. JF&CS maintains some components of the resettlement process, such as SOAR, which helps people who have been resettled for many years but may still need support. But while many Jewish immigrants have assimilated into the broader community, others have chosen their own paths. The Bukharian community, for example, has its own synagogue in Norcross, as do Iranians in Toco Hills. Moreover, many of them have mixed feelings about the entrance of non-Jewish immigrants fleeing from the same Muslim regimes that persecuted them decades ago. I aim to capture some of those individual stories in the weeks to come. ■

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LOCAL NEWS

Arno, Frantz Are Top Two at Power of One By Sarah Moosazadeh sarah@atljewishtimes.com More than 300 guests gathered to honor 27 people from Atlanta’s Jewish organizations who have demonstrated empathy to people with disabilities at the fourth annual Power of One reception Sunday, Feb. 11. This year’s program drew 100 more attendees than last year, filling every seat at the Selig Center. Eric Robbins, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, highlighted the importance of honoring people who help Atlanta become a more welcoming, more inclu-

sive community. “We don’t gather that often, and I wish we gathered more often, but if we are going to gather for something, let’s make it this.” The event is the centerpiece of the Jewish Abilities Alliance’s observance of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month. JAA committee member Eren Niederhoffer spoke about his experience growing up with autism in Jewish Atlanta. “I didn’t always feel included in the Jewish community because of my difficulty with socializing and communicating … but as I got older I was able to participate in more and more Jewish groups, such as The Sixth Point and

Moishe House,” he said. “Thanks to the JAA, I can contribute to my community and be a part of the tribe.” JAA committee chair Ina Enoch recognized Sheryl Arno for her specialneeds advocacy the past 25 years and her role in forming the JAA. “What the JAA has done and is able to do, I have never seen in my many years,” Arno said. “The Federation’s willingness to be open and push this forward and the support that we have received has been extraordinary.” She added, “I think that our thoughts about people with disabilities have certainly changed over the years, and I am very proud to say that Atlanta

is doing more than most cities.” In addition to honoring representatives of synagogues and other agencies, the JAA presented the Robyn Berger Emerging Leader Award, recognizing people who have dedicated their careers to helping people with special needs, to Abby Frantz for her work as the community services day coordinator at Jewish Family & Career Services’ IndependenceWORKS. “I hope that I continue to promote inclusion,” Frantz said, “and as much as this award means to me, making inclusion something that needs no award and is just part of everyday life is important.” ■

Photo by Sarah Moosazadeh

Elana Pollack watches as Ian Brown receives an award from his sister, Haley Brown, for his kindness toward children at Camp Judaea.

Power of One Honorees • Ahavath Achim Synagogue: Shelley Kaplan • Atlanta Jewish Academy: Edye Cohen • Camp Barney Medintz: Bobby Newman • Camp Coleman: Karen Greenspan • Camp Judaea: Ian Brown • Camp Ramah Darom: Allison Davis • Congregation Beth Shalom: Terrie and Alan Bryan

Photo by Jon Marks Photography

Ross Boardman (Robyn Berger’s grandson), Lisa Boardman (Robyn’s daughter), Eric Berger (Robyn’s son) and Lori Berger (Robyn’s daughter) join Robyn Berger Award winner Abby Frantz.

Gena Boyle looks on as Jaime Russo and Sheryl Arno embrace after Ina Enoch praises Arno for her work to promote inclusivity in the community.

• Congregation B’nai Torah: Evan Nodvin • Congregation Dor Tamid: Rabbi Jordan Ottenstein and Glenn and Rachel Moscoso • Congregation Etz Chaim: Berna Levine • Congregation Gesher L’Torah: Rachel Pozin • Congregation Or Hadash: Brittany Pollock • Davis Academy: Stacey Prusak • Epstein School: Stephanie Wachtel • Friendship Circle: Daniel Stern • Jewish Family & Career Services: Abby Frantz • Jewish Home Life Communities: Shari Bayer • Jewish Kids Groups: Dave Nelson • JIFLA: Joyce and Ramie Tritt, Arin and Lorne Tritt, Tova and Shawn Tritt, Erica and Jordan Tritt, and Carly and David Siegel • Moishe House: Ariana Feiner • The Temple: Jenna Swartzberg • Temple Emanu-El: Jessica Hankin • Temple Kehillat Chaim: Andrew Duffy • Temple Sinai: Stacey Geer

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

• Marcus JCC: Amanda Westheimer

• Torah Day School: Malka Landman • Weber School: Harry Goldfein

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NATIONAL NEWS

Photo by Morris Maslia

Near Corozal, power and telephone poles and lines remain down nearly 50 days after Hurricane Maria struck Sept. 20. Photo taken by a colleague and provided by Morris Maslia

A landslide near Moca is typical of conditions across Puerto Rico after Photo by Morris Maslia Hurricane Maria Ashford Presbyterian Children’s Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico’s uprooted trees and capital, shows extensive wind and water damage from Hurricane Maria. destroyedvegetation.

Photo by Morris Maslia

Between Ciales and Manti, Morris Maslia takes a sample from the water supply flowing out of the side of the mountain.

Maslia Witnesses Devastation in Puerto Rico By Sarah Moosazadeh sarah@atljewishtimes.com Much of Puerto Rico remains devastated and faces problems with supplies of power, food and fresh water almost five months after Hurricane Maria swept across the island at Category 4 strength. The storm killed more than 100 Puerto Ricans, who are American citizens, and the lingering unhealthy con-

ditions are suspected of killing hundreds more. Atlantan Morris Maslia, then an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spent almost a month working on relief efforts in Puerto Rico. He was allowed to speak about what he saw there only after retiring from the CDC in December. “You could not understand the

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devastation and the issues of daily life by just flying over the island,” Maslia said, “unless you got in a car and drove to talk to people, went to the clinics or to a restaurant at night without any traffic lights and everything was pitch dark.” Maslia worked in Puerto Rico from Oct. 23 to Nov. 20 alongside other volunteers in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Support Functions and National Incident Management System to create a database of supplies the islanders needed, such as clean water and generators. Other governmental and nongovernmental organizations, such as the the Environmental Protection Agency and the Red Cross were involved in the relief efforts, but Maslia said that if the situation had occurred anywhere else in the United States, the citizens would not have put up with it. Maslia’s team worked 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, to analyze the commonwealth’s health care system and verify what health clinics and hospitals needed. Once Maslia and his team determined what provisions were needed, such as food and vaccines, they provided a list to the assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, which maintained contact with FEMA. “People in Puerto Rico were so glad to see us. We would go into these mountainous communities, and they would offer us water, knowing they had a limited supply,” Maslia said. “They were delightful to visit … and appreciated any contact from people from the mainland coming to help them.” But Maslia found it difficult to reach communities in mountainous regions. “Part of the issue was that

you did not have exact coordinates, so you could not locate where the clinics were,” he said. “Some of the roads were not passable, and we had to return to San Juan before dark because by November most of the traffic lights were still not working.” Maslia’s group found a lack of drinking water and a shortage of uninterruptible electrical power. Maslia said a lot of the places had their own generators, but they were not meant to run 24/7 or to keep going for 90 days or more. “In case of an emergency, the hardest thing is the transition from the response to the recovery,” he said. “It was very depressing to see that after such a long period of time, a good portion of the island still did not have running water. There isn’t a portion of the island that isn’t devastated.” Maslia said many Puerto Ricans, including translators, helped the volunteers as they traveled from one community to another. “They were extremely helpful and wanted to do anything they could, such as getting information from community members as to what they needed and made the logistics much easier.” Maslia, a Congregation Or VeShalom member, is now retired from the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. He is a research environmentalist and has a background in water resources and environmental sciences. He said the most memorable experience he is taking from Puerto Rico is the people’s resilience. “They really believe they are going to come back from this and recover,” Maslia said. “I won’t forget how friendly they were in the face of adversity, and, contrary to what may have been said on the news, there was absolutely no crime. … I never felt I was in danger or feared for my life.” ■

NATIONAL NEWS

Photo by Ryan Vizzions

After a long day of rebuilding farms, Puerto Rican musician John Rodriguez Jr. and his nine-piece band perform for City Winery volunteers and locals.

City Winery Atlanta Sends Mission to Island Eighteen team members from City Winery Atlanta joined 107 others from City Winery locations across the United States to help farmers in the middle of Puerto Rico continue to rebuild Jan. 29 to Feb. 1. The mission was the brainchild of Jewish City Winery founder Michael Dorf, who went with employees to Puerto Rico in lieu of the organization’s annual business retreat because he is a practitioner of tikkun olam (repairing the world). The recovery work took place more than four months after Hurricane Maria struck Sept. 20 at Category 4 strength and destroyed 80 percent of the American island’s crops. The volunteers focused on four farms in the center of the commonwealth. The work ranged from rebuilding greenhouses to cutting up fallen trees and digging drainage ditches where the rain washed out roads. The group stayed in the capital, San Juan, and rode on buses for hours each day to get to and from the farms. “It’s still really, really bad down there,” said Jim Ethridge, the marketing director of City Winery Atlanta, who made the trip to Puerto Rico. “Some of the farmers told us that the work we did in those four days would have taken them six weeks to do. At another farm, they told us that the work we did

would have taken them six months.” Besides providing labor, City Winery Atlanta also delivered food, water and other supplies donated by Atlantaarea organizations. Among others, Big Green Egg donated hundreds of pounds of charcoal, Springer Mountain Farms contributed a pallet of water, and Medshare provided medical supplies. In true City Winery fashion, the climax of the trip involved a concert for locals on one of the farms featuring a nine-piece band led by John Rodriguez Jr. Because the power was still out in that part of the island, a generator provided electricity for the stage. “During the day we worked with these farmers side by side, and at night we brought them out for a fiesta,” Ethridge said. “So it was very cool to work with people, and then we all drank wine with them and listened to incredible music into the night in the tropical rain forest of Puerto Rico.” City Winery Atlanta, which opened in June 2016 at Ponce City Market, has many Jewish and Israeli artists and is the venue for opening night of the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival on Thursday, March 8, featuring new acoustic/klezmer groups Tsvey Brider and Beyond the Pale. City Winery has raised more than $160,000 for the farming community in Puerto Rico through the nonprofit Foundation for Puerto Rico. Further donations can be made at citywinery. com/puertorico. ■

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 • 1:30-4:30pm The Hotel at Avalon 9000 Avalon Boulevard Alpharetta

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com

Photos by Michael Jacobs except where noted

Rabbi Ron Segal answers a student’s question while Rabbis Joshua Heller, Alexandria Shuval-Weiner and Jonathan Crane listen.

Davis Middle School students carry donated car seats out of the gym to be transported to the Sandy Springs Police Department. Worth, a Service Assistants dog who will turn 2 in March, couldn’t be much more relaxed while listening to stories read by kindergartners. Worth, who is training with Jane Martin, was one of at least four dogs getting experience with children and school situations at Davis on Feb. 5.

Photo courtesy of the Davis Academy First-graders get guidance from an experienced hand in painting menschlichkeit values on a window.

Doing Good All Day at Davis

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

The Davis Academy continued the yearlong celebration of its 25th anniversary with a Day of Menschlichkeit on Monday, Feb. 5 (2/5). The mitzvot during the day of service included third-graders creating greeting cards for Jewish Family & Career Services clients, fourth-graders hearing from Davis parent Andy Lipman about life with cystic fibrosis, kindergartners reading to service dogs in training, first-graders and grandparents painting windows to display the characteristics of a mensch, and middle-schoolers planting a Daffodil Project garden. “We give back because we are blessed and because we know that the value of tzedek is one of the most important lessons that we can teach our students and families,” said Rabbi Micah Lapidus, the director of Jewish and Hebrew studies. “Students at the Davis Academy are making a difference with acts of tzedek and tikkun olam every day.” 16 The members of the Middle School

Leadership Training Institute presented five child car seats to the Sandy Springs Police Department. The money was raised during the school’s penny wars Jan. 22 to 31, and Rabbi Lapidus said the donation represented two of the school’s values: kehillah (community) and tzedek (justice). “We expected one car seat, and y’all gave us five,” Sandy Springs police Sgt. Sam Worsham said. “Y’all blew us away.” Feb. 5 marked the launch of another charitable drive, Soles4Souls, in which the PTO is collecting new and gently worn shoes through the Purim carnival March 2. Four rabbis — Ron Segal of Temple Sinai, Joshua Heller of Congregation B’nai Torah, Alexandria Shuval-Weiner of Temple Beth Tikvah and Jonathan Crane of the Emory Center for Ethics — spoke to Davis’ sixth- to eighth-graders, taking all questions from Rabbi Lapidus and the students. For example, Rabbi Heller said his favorite holiday is Yom Kippur, and

Rabbi Crane said his favorite Jewish food is kugel — “noodle, of course.” Rabbi Segal said his favorite place in Israel is the rooftop of Beit Shmuel, a hotel central to the Jerusalem campus of the Reform movement’s Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, which offers a view across the Old City. Rabbi Shuval-Weiner said she would be involved in animal rights advocacy or something environmental if she weren’t a rabbi. The four rabbis took very different paths to their profession. Rabbi Crane, the youngest of the four, said he was attracted to the job from a young age when he understood that a rabbi got paid to do things such as study Torah and teach. Rabbi Heller said that although he is at least the eighth generation of his family to enter the rabbinate, he didn’t want to be a rabbi and studied computer science in college. But he was active in Hillel in college and realized that helping Jews was what he wanted to do.

Rabbi Shuval-Weiner said she always loved synagogue, but she grew up when there weren’t female rabbis. She said people told her, “If only you were a little boy, you could grow up to be a rabbi.” She was ordained when she was 40. “We knew each other before we were rabbis,” Rabbi Segal said about Rabbi Shuval-Weiner. He said he grew up in a Jewish community in Texas that had only 35 families and was too small for a rabbi, so it wasn’t until he attended Jewish summer camp that the seed of the idea for him to be a rabbi was planted. The seed sprouted only after he tried a different career first. Rabbi Crane urged the students to consider leadership roles when they grow up, especially in politics. “There are too few Jews running for elected office in Georgia,” said Rabbi Crane, whose wife, Lindy Miller, is an announced candidate for the state Public Service Commission this year. ■

EDUCATION

North Springs Names Davis Alums as STARs

North Springs Charter High School has named two seniors as STAR students instead of one for the first time in its history with Georgia’s Student Teacher Achievement Recognition program, and both are alumni of the Davis Academy and members of Temple Emanu-El. Jared Matthew Coffsky and Eric Nathan Miller tied for the highest SAT score in one sitting in the North Springs Class of 2018: Each scored 1580, including a perfect 800 in math. Both are in the math/science magnet program, are 2018 National Merit Semifinalists, are in their second year of college math (applied combinatorics and differential equations) through Georgia Tech after taking AP calculus as 10th-graders and are co-presidents of the Spartan math team. They are active in North Springs’ Jewish Culture Club, as well as being members of the National Mathematics Honor Society and National Honor Society. Coffsky, 17, co-captain of the varsity tennis team and the son of Amy and Adam Coffsky, chose his calculus teacher and tennis coach, Rahim Ghassemian, as his STAR teacher. Ghassemian has been honored as North Springs’ STAR teacher three times in his 10 years teaching math at the school. He has a degree in metallurgical engineering from Iran’s Sharif University and undergraduate and master’s degrees in math education from Kennesaw State University, and he translates nonfiction books from English into Farsi. Miller, 18, the son of Mindi and Scott Miller, is the president of the Latin Club and gold medal winner in the National Latin Exam. He chose his Latin teacher, Thomas Henderson, as his STAR teacher. Henderson, who has a doctorate in Greek and Latin languages, ancient history, and classical art and archaeology from Florida State University, began the first middle school Latin program in Fulton County Schools at Sandy Springs Middle School before moving

Latin teacher Thomas Henderson is Eric Miller’s STAR teacher at North Springs.

to North Springs. His book on Greek history is being published this year. Coffsky, who has been a private math tutor since his sophomore year in high school and has volunteered with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk since middle school, plans to attend Georgia Tech and major in engineering or math. Miller, a 2018 UGA Ramsey Scholar and a 2017 Governors Honors finalist in math who is the president of EmanuEl’s youth club, is working on a paper for publication about prime numbers. He plans to major in computer science but hasn’t picked a college.

Student President Is STAR at AJA Atlanta Jewish Academy has named Maayan Schoen as its STAR student for the Class of 2018, and she chose Judaics teacher Rabbi Reuven Travis as her STAR teacher. The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition program honors the senior in the top 10 percent of the class who has the highest SAT score on a single test date. Schoen, who is the student government president, has been involved in bringing matzah to Jews in Azerbaijan and in leading anti-hunger efforts locally. She wrote and directed the AJA Upper School Chagiga play for girls this year, “The Might of Right” (see Page 22), and she recently wrote in the AJT about the Jewish outreach efforts by a Catholic science teacher at AJA, Catherine Brand.

It’s Never Too Early to Prepare for College. No matter the age of your high school son or daughter, now is the time to investigate the CollegeBridge approach to college preparation, selection, and application. Our approach will impact your child’s success in college and in life. Take the time to explore our website. Visit us at www.collegebridge.net

Rabbi Reuven Travis, a Dartmouth College alum who serves as the faculty adviser to the pro-Israel clubs at AJA, is Maayan Schoen’s STAR teacher.

Contact Steven W. Cook, PhD swc@collegebridge.net or 404.983.4573

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Calculus teacher and tennis coach Rahim Ghassemian is Jared Coffsky’s STAR teacher at North Springs.

EDUCATION

Arava Brings Stories Of Coexistence to Athens

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

By Rebecca McCarthy

Spending four months at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel’s Negev desert was life-changing for Tel Aviv native Rachel Szor. She met people from different religions and cultures, made friends from Jordan and Palestinian territories, and studied environmental problems for the entire Middle East, not just Israel. Palestinian Mahmood Al Ramahi’s decision to attend the institute didn’t sit well with his family. His grandfather was one of the estimated 700,000 Arabs who fled their homes in 1948. Al Ramahi learned at the institute that Israelis aren’t just settlers living illegally in the West Bank or soldiers at checkpoints harassing people. He got to know Israelis as people and friends. “Life is not as we live it,” he said. The two twentysomethings shared their stories with students at the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry on Friday, Feb. 9. The appearance was sandwiched between talks at Emory University and the Presbyterian Columbia Theological Seminary. UGA forestry professor Gary Grossman invited them to Athens, along with Ari Massefski, the university relations director for the Friends of the Arava Institute. The American nonprofit raises 80 percent of the institute’s operating budget, recruits students and raises public awareness. Grossman was in Israel last summer on a fellowship sponsored by Jewish National Fund and Media Watch International. Among other places, he visited Kibbutz Ketura, Arava’s home. The trip gave him ideas for collaborating on research and teaching at different universities, including the Arava Institute, which has a partnership with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. In the desert north of Eilat and almost three hours south of Jerusalem, the institute was founded in 1996 by people who believe “environmental issues transcend politics,” Massefski said. A third of the students studying the ecology of the desert at Arava are Jewish, a third are Arabs from the West Bank or Jordan, and a third are from outside the region. People from 47 countries have spent at least three months at the institute. Szor said her time in the Israeli army was the first time she was around different cultures and languages. She spent three months in a village trying

to learn Arabic before going to Kibbutz Ketura and the institute. Her roommate was a Palestinian woman. With the other students, “we built a community together,” Szor said. “To live together, it takes down walls, and you see the person.” She said the students came together over the environment and learned that “nature knows no borders.” Most memorable to Szor was the weekly peace-building seminar, a three-hour session when people could discuss whatever they wanted, including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. There was listening, not shouting. “We live in a world where we see only our story,” she said. “Because of Arava, the Middle East grew larger for me.” Al Ramahi was raised in a small village in Jordan and earned a degree in mechanical engineering. He came to the United States with an exchange program and worked at a McDonald’s in Hiawassee when he was 21. Growing up, he knew water scarcity: He watched his mother plan laundry day and schedule showers with his three brothers, sister and parents. When he was accepted at the institute, he was asked whether he would have a problem being with Israelis. He asked whether they would have a problem with him as a Palestinian. At Arava, “you learn to sit with each other and become comfortable enough to speak out,” Al Ramahi said. He felt comfortable enough to do an independent study at the institute, working on waste management issues, then earned a master’s in hydrology from an Israeli university. He spent a summer at Brandeis University before starting a doctoral program at the University of Szeged in Hungary, again concentrating on wastewater management. He hasn’t talked about Arava with his friends, but his family has been open to learning about his experience. Szor is considering what and where to study in college. She’s living in Haifa, where she’s reading history, doing medical clowning and thinking about her Arava experience. Her parents have been happy to hear about her time at the institute, though she said they weren’t in favor of her traveling to Jordan to see her new friends, some of the best she has had. She listened to her parents’ concerns. Then she went anyway. ■

EDUCATION

CIE Teen Institute To Boost Israel Literacy in a NAACCHHS school or any other religious education program to participate. Each participant will be required to create an Israel learning program for Rich Walter his or her community, synagogue or youth group. Projects can vary from a one-time educational program to an ongoing series and can be collaboratively devised and delivered. CIE and NAACCHHS staff, together with educators in the teens’ home communities, will mentor students in the creation and delivery of their projects. After the seminar, two educational webinar sessions will combine content knowledge with practical information to develop student projects. Once completed, all student projects will be shared on the CIE website so that other teens and educators can implement them. Thanks to a grant from an anonymous foundation, the highly subsidized program costs $100 per person. Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from Atlanta, although a travel stipend of up to $200 is available to each participant. The $100 price includes all program materials, lodging and kosher food. More information is available by visiting www.israeled.org/teens or contacting CIE Vice President of Curriculum and Outreach Rich Walter at rich. walter@israeled.org. ■

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

The Center for Israel Education and the Emory Institute for the Study of Modern Israel are launching an initiative to increase Israel literacy among Jewish teens in 10th and 11th grades and assist them in teaching others. The new Teen Israel Leadership Institute will combine an in-person weekend retreat April 13 to 15 at Emory University with distance learning and engaging projects. Partnering with CIE and ISMI on this endeavor are Emory Hillel and the North American Association of Community & Congregational Hebrew High Schools. NAACCHHS has 40 member schools engaging over 2,000 teens across the country. “Working with CIE and ISMI provides us with an excellent opportunity for students to participate in the Israel leadership seminar, which will result in deeper teen Israel involvement in their home communities,” NAACCHHS Director Shari Weinberger said. “These teens will be charged with putting together Israel programs and learning opportunities for their whole community, and we look forward to seeing the results of this ripple effect on Israel literacy.” The weekend retreat in Atlanta will cover a wide variety of topics, including Zionism, Israel’s foundations, contemporary challenges, Israeli culture and Israel’s political system. Primary source documents will be used in innovative ways throughout the seminar. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to tour Emory, engage in discussions with Emory students about Israel on campus and visit other sites of interest. Teens do not need to be enrolled

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

EDUCATION

QUESTIONS

By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com After working as the director of the Georgia Tech and Georgia State Hillels since 2015, Veronica Beskin moved outside the Perimeter in December to become the assistant director of ORT America’s Atlanta Region, based in Sandy Springs. Beskin, who replaced new Jewish National Fund employee Evan Alberhasky at the international educational agency, is No. 2 at ORT Atlanta to Regional Director Rachel Miller.

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

AJT: You worked with Hillel the past few years. What made you decide to explore this opportunity? Beskin: I’m passionate about education and the Jewish community. I’m also excited about the opportunity to make an impact on ORT programs through local fundraising events and activities that reach a broader audience in our Atlanta community. As ORT con-

tinues to focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, I look forward to establishing partnerships with institutions such Veronica Beskin as Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as with companies in the high-tech Atlanta community in the future. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Hillel at Texas A&M, Georgia State University and Georgia Tech over the past few years, and I will always support the work Hillel promotes across our college campuses. AJT: What are you most excited about in this new position? Beskin: ORT raises money for global ORT programs. In my new role, I’ll focus on fundraising by offering many different kinds of events. It’s also very exciting to develop our Next Gen programming for Jewish professionals

With ORT Atlanta’s Veronica Beskin ages 30 to 45 in our area, and I want everyone to meet ORT students from around the world who will visit Atlanta. A number of fun and engaging programs have already been planned for 2018 — like our ORT Atlanta Facebook page for updates on our events. AJT: What do you think some of your biggest challenges will be? Beskin: Bringing the ORT mission to more people is a challenge, as is securing major gifts. It depends on outreach. Younger generations in Atlanta are either not familiar with ORT, or they know it as their mother or father’s ORT. ORT has changed its educational initiatives to keep up with the hightech advances of the 21st century, and we’d like people to know more about us and how our programs give ORT graduates knowledge and skills relevant to today’s employment market. With a good education, you can accomplish anything, and ORT provides a solid foundation. I plan to share ORT’s mis-

sion and goals with as many people in our Jewish community as possible and ask them to get involved. AJT: What makes ORT different from some of the other Jewish organizations in Atlanta? Beskin: We have a global scope, both in terms of our schools and programs in 37 countries, and in terms of our international seminars that bring educators and students together from different countries for specialized and unique learning experiences. As a Jewish organization, all our programs are infused with the spirit of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and Jewish values. In addition to STEM, students are taught about the importance of giving back to their communities, about the virtues of caring and compassion, and the concept of determination: setting goals and reaching for them. ORT graduates make a difference in their communities, and this is part of the ORT concept of “educating for life.” ■

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

EDUCATION

Beth Shalom Packs Food for Hungry Kids By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com A Dunwoody couple is feeding 50 Kingsley Charter Elementary School students every weekend with the help of volunteers, charitable giving and Congregation Beth Shalom. After a long career with Ford took their family across the country, Ronald and Samra Robbins settled in Savannah, where they helped grow Backpack Buddies, a program that provides weekend meals, snacks and drinks to elementary school students in need. The Robbinses cultivated Backpack Buddies so that it served 2,000 children in Savannah through 32 churches, synagogues and other groups. The native Atlantans moved to Dunwoody in July and kick-started Backpack Buddies at Kingsley, a Title I elementary school. Students qualify for Backpack Buddies at the recommendation of the school counselors and principal. Each student accepts a backpack at the start, and it is filled up each Friday with a weekend’s worth of food. To receive food again, the child must return the backpack. According to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, 23 percent of Georgia children live in food-insecure homes. Congregation B’nai Torah member Rose Haber plans to continue volunteering with Backpack Buddies and wants to see the program expand within metro Atlanta. “The thought of children going hungry is disturbing. Kids are at the bottom of the totem pole, so to speak. We have to make sure they have food to grow and learn and contribute to society,” she said. Each Wednesday volunteers gather at Beth Shalom to pack groceries. On Feb. 7, members of Ahavath Achim Synagogue, Temple Beth Tikvah, B’nai Torah and Beth Shalom organized 150 meals in less than 30 minutes. While Ronald Robbins and Rabbi Mark Zimmerman discussed where to

Ronald and Samra Robbins grew the Backpack Buddies program in Savannah before moving to Dunwoody last year.

store more food and how to maintain health standards, volunteers doublechecked the food baskets. The room buzzed with energy. Jack Haber, who helps weekly, nev-

er had time to volunteer before he retired from CNN. Not only is he packing groceries for Backpack Buddies, but he also is dedicated to adding dental care. “After making calls to Colgate and other manufacturers, you’d be surprised how people will give,” he said. “Backpack Buddies was an awesome idea that afforded us opportunity to do good works in the community and to help families out in a very meaningful way,” Rabbi Zimmerman said. “It has been such a wonderful feeling to see all the good we can do when we come together and to see so many people getting involved each and every week.” ■

Rabbi Mark Zimmerman and others pack groceries for meal donations at Congregation Beth Shalom on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

Ronald and Samra Robbins hope to expand Backpack Buddies to all 100 students in need at Kingsley Elementary as well as other Title I schools. Food is donated through community members and the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Backpack Buddies thrives on donations and volunteers. To get involved, contact Samra Robbins at 912-272-6245.

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Helping Backpack Buddies

EDUCATION

Photos by Sarah Moosazadeh

Chaya (11th-grader Rachel Rodbell, back row) lives at the whim of a Nazi-supporter classmate, Frania (11th-grader Shani Kadosh), who decides to hide Chaya before the Nazis deport her.

AJA Immortalizes Holocaust Survivors By Sarah Moosazadeh sarah@atljewishtimes.com

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Women of all ages gathered for this year’s Atlanta Jewish Academy Upper School Chagiga play, “The Might of Right,” which recounts stories of bravery relayed by community Holocaust survivors. The musical production premiered Sunday, Feb. 4, with tea and desserts before the show, then had another performance the next day. As the lights dimmed, audience members were taken back to Nazi-era Poland, where Bubby Chaya, played by freshman Kira Mermelstein, recounted her tale of survival to her grandson Chaim, played by sophomore Rotem Kadosh. The play is based on survivor accounts, including those of Paula Gris and Regine Rosenfelder, and highlights the courage of righteous people who hid Jews from the Nazis during World War II. “If the war had been even one day

longer, we may not have these same stories to tell. Every day that these heroes survived was another miracle,” Gris told AJA senior Maayan Schoen, who wrote and directed the play. “I was inspired by Jewish leader and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to title our play ‘The Might of Right,’ ” Schoen said. “We immortalize his quote on a plaque which reads, ‘We have returned to the land of our fathers, not by the right of might, but by the might of right.’ ” Schoen recognized the importance of telling a Polish-set Holocaust story even as Poland was enacting a law denying Polish culpability in Nazi crimes. “We are living in a day when the world hardly bats an eyelash at Poland’s criminalization of the term ‘Polish death camps,’ ” she said. “Our play is set in Poland. … For many of us, this production is our first step in embracing the responsibility we have today for tomorrow, and through our medium, we are taking ownership over it.” ■

EDUCATION

Spruill Arts Summer Camps May 29 - August 3

Bubby Chaya (ninth-grader Kira Mermelstein) tells her story of survival in Nazi-era Poland to her grandson (10th-grader Rotem Kadosh).

Helga Kishazi (12th-grader Aviva Fine), Roza (10th-grader Chava Blanks) and Mrs. Kishazi (11th-grader Talya Wittenberg) rely on one another for courage to keep the girls safe in hiding.

Creative Arts Camps, Ages 5-6 Visual & Performing Arts Camps, Ages 7-10 Studio Arts Camps, Ages 11-14

9:30am-3pm Before & After Care Register at spruillarts.org Playwright/director Maayan Schoen poses with Belgian Holocaust survivors Regine Rosenfelder, her cousin Lucy Carson, and Regineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister, Suzy Tibor. Schoen interviewed Rosenfelder as research for the play.

FEBRUARY 16 â&#x2013;Ş 2018

Twelfth-grader Maayan Schoen takes time for a photo with child Holocaust survivor Paula Gris after the musical production.

EDUCATION

Walker School Studies KSU Holocaust Exhibit The Walker School in Marietta played host from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2 to “Never Forget: An Introduction to the Holocaust,” a traveling exhibit from Kennesaw State University’s Museum of History and Holocaust Education. The exhibit tells the difficult story of the Holocaust for fifth- and sixthgraders and asks nine important questions, including “What was Jewish life like before the Holocaust?” and “How did people fight back?” “Never Forget” features Norbert Friedman, who survived 11 camps and came to Atlanta after the Holocaust. The exhibit encourages students to learn to be upstanders, not bystanders. “I realized that no matter who you are, you should be kind and willing to help anyone,” sixth-grader Riley Light wrote after viewing the exhibit. The Walker Middle School English department used “Never Forget” as a teaching tool for a new Holocaust unit in sixth grade. After exploring the exhibit and answering questions, students had a Socratic seminar in which they discussed the questions with their

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For For more more information information andand to enroll to enroll youryour child, child, contact contact Nancy Nancy Seifert Seifert Gorod, Gorod, Director Director of Congregational of Congregational Learning: Learning: 404.503.9906 404.503.9906 or ngorod@shearithisrael.com or ngorod@shearithisrael.com

Photo courtesy of the Walker School

Walker School students tour the traveling “Never Again” exhibit during its recent stop at the Marietta private school.

classmates and posed their own. Students will read “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” and historical fiction set during the Holocaust. “I thought the story was very sad but also interesting to hear what someone had to say about the war and what it was like to be there,” student Ava Rosenberry wrote. “I wish that more people wouldn’t judge someone by their appearance or religion.” ■

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EDUCATION

Individualization Needed Within Jewish Education According to this approach, one of my children is dubbed “the loyalist,” another “the enthusiast,” another “the helper,” and with the youngest I’m not quite sure yet. As they get older, it’s such a joy to see them develop their own personalities and character traits.

Guest Column By Mindy Rubenstein

But to recognize this, I first had to know myself. As “the individualist,” I’m learning how to remain creative and passionate, but with more consistency and planning. With my oldest two, I wasn’t as aware of the differences in the beginning because in many ways I saw them mostly as an extension of myself. It takes self-awareness as a parent and an ego that’s in check to start to more fully see your children as individuals and to help them grow into who they are meant to be.

One mistake some educators make is to generalize in the classroom, to teach students as a unit rather than as individuals. Parents may do the same at home, trying to reward or provide consequences in a standard formula. One should educate each child according to his or her current ability level and individual personality, our sages tell us, teaching only that which will be most likely to resonate with each particular child, at each particular stage of his or her education. It’s not an easy task. When they get older, if the education they receive is in line with who they are, they will more likely choose a path that’s true to them, so it’s fundamental to their foundation. I have discovered just how crucial it is for my children to receive a Jewish education. When we started on this journey over a decade ago, we thought a school could be one-size-fits-all for our children. But that has proved not to be the case. And simply sending them to Jewish schools isn’t enough. My husband and I are tasked with educating them

at home in middos (character traits), teaching them and modeling for them what it means to be a mensch, and paying attention to what makes them unique. It is our role as parents to recognize their strengths, to help them develop the qualities that make each of them special, and to partner with their teachers and administrators to ensure they are getting the education that best suits them. That relationship is crucial: Teachers should understand you are there to support them, you trust in their abilities, and you want to answer any questions they may have about your child. As I have learned the hard way along this journey, recognizing my own challenges and strengths and striving to grow have been crucial aspects to addressing the gifts and weaknesses of my children. A little help from personality profiles like the Enneagram, along with a mindset of growth, can be life-changing. ■ Former Atlanta resident Mindy Rubenstein lives in Norfolk, Va.

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Recently I discovered the Enneagram, a personality profile that groups people into one of nine categories. There are various books and websites devoted to testing, profiling and selfimprovement based on this approach. I was even surprised to learn it is discussed by some respected Jewish sources. Author Shaindy Perl’s “Out of the Box,” published by Israeli Bookshop, is due out before Pesach and discusses the Jewish approach to the Enneagram and how we can use it for personal growth and to understand ourselves, our spouses, our children and others in an effort to use personality traits. As Mishlei/Proverbs 22:6 says, we should “educate a child according to his way.” As I strive to appropriately educate each of my four children in his or her way, as well as in the classroom — I teach middle-schoolers — it helps to understand their unique personalities, including their motivations, perceived weaknesses and potential areas of growth.

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EDUCATION

BBYO Trip to Ukraine Shows Judaism Is Special

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

“I wonder what will happen on your Jewish haj. Where will you go, who will you meet, how will it change you?” Joy Sisisky asks in a 2014 Eli Talk. As a part of BBYO’s first Ambassadors to Ukraine trip, I and 13 other Jewish leaders from across North America joined our brothers and sisters in Active Jewish Teens (BBYO’s partner in the former Soviet Union) at their fourth annual International Conference and pondered these questions throughout a momentous, formative, awe-inspiring week — our Jewish haj — from Nov. 13 to 20. I initially decided to travel across the world to support my growth and development as a leader in BBYO and to experience a community I was unfamiliar with. “Is there even that much of a Jewish community in Ukraine?” I wondered. “What’s there that’s so special?” Afterward, I realized my original intentions for traveling across the world were only a part of a much bigger, more detailed picture; there is so much that is special in the Jewish com-

munity of the former Soviet Union. Gratitude took on a new meaning for me in the context of this trip. Our first exposure to the Jewish community in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, was making marzipan candies with 4- and Jake Busch (third from left) poses with the other Ambassadors to Ukraine participants.

Guest Column By Jacob Busch

5-year-olds at the Halom JCC. We then had the chance to visit with a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor, Lidiya Korotina, who became a military translator during World War II. She welcomed us into her home and shared her love for the Jewish community of Kiev with us. She stressed the importance of Jews everywhere taking care of each other and that a community built upon understanding and faith in one another was vital to the continuation of strong, connected world Jewry. I was so grateful for the repeated displays of understanding and

welcoming that I received while in Ukraine. The next day in Kiev, at the Hesed Welfare Center, which helps support Lidiya and other elderly Jews in the city, we danced with others serviced by the center. They were so excited to dance with us, and we were overjoyed to share in such a special moment with them. Later, at Babi Yar, where over 100,000 Jews were murdered by Nazi Einsatzgruppen, we honored the memory of the victims by reading poems and singing songs of love and peace. We remembered the horrific atrocities committed, and we prepared to celebrate the resurgence of Jewish life in Ukraine. AJT’s International Conference would be the site of this celebration, and it convened the next day. We traveled with the Lo Domim Teen Club from Kiev to Kharkov, Ukraine, for IC. On arrival, it became obvious that the language barrier dividing me from most of my peers at the conference would be overcome by acceptance and understanding — that same acceptance and understanding that I felt in Lidiya’s home, at Halom and Hesed, is what I would feel throughout the weekend at IC. The renaissance of Jewish life in the FSU was epitomized in the passion and joy I saw in over 400 Jewish teens gathered as one. It cannot be properly expressed through words. It was a lifechanging experience. The four days we spent together were filled with laughter, pride, singing and dancing. With no background in the Russian language, it was difficult to take part in most programming. However, never did I feel like I was being ignored or forgotten; on the contrary, multiple peers in my learning group made a concerted effort to translate for me, even when it was difficult for them to do. They comforted me in a situation where I was natu-

rally uncomfortable. My gratitude to them cannot be properly expressed. The most impactful and memorable moment of the entire weekend came on Friday night during a Shabbat oneg celebration. Music transcended the language barrier that existed in that small room, and we sung our hearts out to tunes both in English and Russian. We all left that singalong feeling unified and inspired. Our love for one another shone through in our shared appreciation for music. So I know what happened on my Jewish haj to Ukraine. I traveled to Kiev and Kharkov, met with the young and old of the community, made some of my greatest friends in just a few days, and witnessed firsthand the unbounded resurgence of Jewish life in the FSU. But how did it change me? First and foremost, I now understand what it means to be an ambassador for the global Jewish community. Through this experience, I have realized that being an ambassador begins with learning from others. I did not go to Ukraine to lead; I went to represent BBYO on a much larger, more important stage. I went to interact with the renaissance of an entire community that just decades before was decimated by genocide. I am coming back to my community to share stories of endless joy and learning that I was fortunate enough to experience at AJT IC 2017. Judaism is practiced and observed in so many different ways around the world, and no matter how it is done, it is beautiful and special. In BBYO, we have the opportunity to engage with so many different people through these unique experiences, and I will encourage my peers in Atlanta and around the country to take advantage of these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. ■ Jacob Busch lives in Atlanta and is a member of Greater Atlanta Region BBYO.

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EDUCATION

Scholar Aims to Restore Kabbalah to Mainstream By Bob Bahr Daniel Matt recently completed his 12-volume translation of and commentary on the Zohar, one of the fundamental texts of Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism. The project, which took 18 years, is one of the great achievements of modern Jewish scholarship. He will be the scholar in residence at Temple Sinai on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23 and 24. I spoke with him about the theme of his visit, “Restoring Kabbalah to Mainstream Judaism.” Matt: What I am trying to do is reimagine G-d. The mystics are always asking what kind of G-d makes sense for us today, and I am trying to do that as well. What I am suggesting is that we don’t need to look at G-d as someone up there in the sky running the universe. Rather, it is more accurate to speak of G-d as an energy — an energy that animates all of existence. For the mystics, G-d is the oneness that embraces everything. Occasionally, we can get a sense of that oneness by gazing at something wonderful in nature or falling in love. After all, what is falling in love but developing a connection of someone who is separate from you? The mystics try to expand on that by trying to connect G-d with all of existence.

AJT: How is mysticism relevant to modern life? Matt: I think there is an ethical component to mysticism. We owe it to ourselves Daniel Matt’s “The to reach out to Zohar: The Pritzker others, to be open Edition” will be to that divine light released as an e-book set Tuesday, Feb. 20. in people, to respect that flow of divine energy that is everywhere in the universe. We need to open ourselves up to the divine image in other human beings. In a sense, the mystical kabbalist brings us back to some of the earliest, simplest formulations of Judaism. Right at the beginning of Genesis, we are told that human beings were created in the image of G-d; the kabbalist takes that very seriously. AJT: Interest in mysticism in the modern world, particularly Jewish Kabbalah, seems to be at an all-time high. Why do you think that is? Matt: I think some people realize

the material world, which is attractive and significant, may not be the ultimate purpose for our being here. There are two things that make Kabbalah unique. One is that it doesn’t require you to leave the material world in order to find G-d. The challenge of Kabbalah is to find G-d in the world, in human relationships. Kabbalah ask us to search for what the mystics call looking for divine sparks. Look for the divine sparks in the material world. You don’t leave the material world; you try to penetrate the outer layer of existence. Also, it’s based entirely on the Bible, on the Torah, and that is so foundational. AJT: What do you think Kabbalah contributes to mainstream Judaism? Matt: There are three great contributions that Kabbalah makes. One is

that G-d is ultimately infinite. Actually, the only correct name for G-d is infinity. The second thing is that it balances the masculine, the patriarchal description of G-d, with the feminine, what is called the Shekhinah, the feminine half of G-d. The goal of Judaism, according to Kabbalah, is to unite the Divine Couple. How do we unite them? We act virtuously. We act ethically by performing the mitzvot. If you do a mitzvah, you are stimulating the Divine Union. The third thing that is related to that is the kabbalistic notion that G-d needs us. G-d is somehow incomplete without our active participation. The mystics insist that G-d needs us to transform the world. G-d can’t do that on His own. G-d needs us to help in that, and that is a very powerful and revolutionary idea. ■

Who: Daniel Matt What: Scholar-in-residence weekend on Kabbalah Where: Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs When: 10 a.m. discussion and 6:30 p.m. service Friday, Feb. 23; 9 a.m. Torah study and 7 p.m. lecture and dessert reception Saturday, Feb. 24 Registration: $10 for members and $15 for others for the Saturday night event, free for everything else; www.templesinaiatlanta.org

AJT: What advice would you give to someone who might want to become a modern mystic? Matt: One is to go slowly. We often think it is best to read straight through a book, but for the mystic, the best approach is to read a little bit and meditate. Put a book like the Zohar aside and let the words work their way through your mind without looking at the word on the page. Include some silence, some meditation every so often as you proceed. Finally, to do it in a group or with a friend or with a teacher.

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

AJT: Does reimagining G-d mean that you have ignore what science says about the world? Matt: What I am really trying to say is that we ought to be humble enough and honest enough to learn from both approaches. Science and religion can each teach one another something. Religion can teach science to appreciate a sense of wonder, and science can teach religion that dogmas can be questioned and dogmas can be updated. The way science progresses is to constantly prove itself wrong. Religious thinkers are often hesitant to admit that some formulation might be incorrect.

EDUCATION Spring Into JumpSpark

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JumpSpark, the Atlanta Jewish Teen Initiative’s intensive, interestbased programming, is registering ninth- to 12th-graders for six sessions in March and April: • JumpSpark Music, in partnership with the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival, offers events, speakers and performances geared to musicians, music lovers and potential college music majors from March 11 to 15. Register at bit. ly/JumpSparkMusic318. • JumpSpark Farm-to-Table, from March 12 to 16, explores the culinary arts through tours and tastings, farm visits, cooking classes, an immersive simulation to understand the role of food in various social climates, and volunteer time with Project Open Hand. Register at bit.ly/JumpSparkFood18. • JumpSpark Documentary Film, from April 2 to 5, covers visual storytelling with Atlanta production company Forage Films. Participants will make documentaries and learn camera basics, direction and editing. Register at bit.ly/JumpSparkDocFilm18. • JumpSpark eSports, from April 2 to 5, offers project-based learning experiences in the fast-growing industry and exploration of such career paths as game design, journalism, shoutcasting, social media marketing, web development and tournament organizing. Register at bit.ly/JumpSparkEsports18. • JumpSpark Social Justice, in partnership with Etgar 36 and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights from April 2 to 5, explores the parallels between Jewish history and the civil rights movement while discussing modern activism. The week includes an overnight trip to Alabama. Register at bit.ly/JumpSparkSocJust18. • JumpSpark Theater Bootcamp, from April 2 to 5, offers workshops in acting technique, musical theater dance, makeup and costume design, and set design and includes a field

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trip to a professional show and a final showcase performance. Register at bit. ly/JumpSparkSocJust18. The fee for each intensive is $199.

DAR Good Citizen Riverwood International Charter School senior Atara Zibitt is the 2017 Good Citizen of the Sandy Springs chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The chapter recognition advances Zibitt in the national Good Citizen Award and Scholarship Contest, created in 1934, recognizes high school seniors who demonstrate dependability, service, leadership and patriotism, as recognized by their teachers and peers. Zibitt wrote a compelling essay on the topic “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It: How Has America Advanced the Cause of Freedom in the Rest of the World?” Zibitt, headed to the University of Georgia, is active in the Riverwood choral department and Model United Nations and spends six days a week rowing for the St. Andrew Rowing Club. “I generally strive to be a good peer, student, teammate, daughter, sister and mentor; however, I realize now that I may have overlooked what it means to really be a good citizen,” she said.

Atara Zibitt accepts the Good Citizen Award from Patricia Bradford, regent of DAR’s Sandy Springs chapter, joined by Riverwood representatives (from left) Joshua Williams of the social studies department, Principal Charles Gardner and Choral Music Director Michael Dauterman.

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New CEO Plans Growth For The Sixth Point Monique Arar, the newly named CEO of The Sixth Point, is determined to continue the popularity of the organization by building communities and engaging young professional Jews with events and opportunities. The AJT spoke to Arar and her predecessor, founder Michelle Krebs Levy, about the future for the independent, nondenominational, nonprofit organization for Jews in their 20s and 30s. AJT: What will you be doing? Arar: I will be working with our board of directors and committee members in creating meaningful opportunities for young professionals to explore their Jewish identity — whether that’s through programs, a sense of community belonging or leadership opportunities. I will be ensuring that we reach out to as many people as possible in the greater Atlanta area and working to ensure that we have the funds necessary to make the greatest impact. Long story short, being CEO of an organization such as The Sixth Point means doing a bit of everything — meeting people in the community, building and strengthening organizational relationships, getting our constituents involved and fostering leadership opportunities, and lastly designing, marketing and running programs and ensuring that The Sixth Point has the resources to make it all happen. AJT: Did you have any prior involvement with the organization? Arar: I heard about The Sixth Point shortly after moving to Atlanta in the summer of 2016 and immediately fell in love with the organization. I reallyappreciated the unique, fun programs, the warmth of its participants, and was especially impressed with the charismatic professionalism of its organizational leadership — namely, Michelle Levy. In addition to being a very involved participant, I served as a member of its strategic committee. Levy: I’m thrilled that Monique shares my passion for the work that The Sixth Point is doing, and I am excited to see the organization grow and evolve under her leadership. AJT: What’s your background? Have you held any positions that will inform your work at Sixth Point? Arar: I am originally from Bexley,

Ohio, and, despite being fairly nomadic after college, have found a way to be involved with the Jewish community my entire life. I was president of my The Sixth Point’s new CEO, Monique BBYO chapter and Arar, has extensive was recognized experience in Jewish for an award for communal service. my work in community enhancement from Miami University Hillel. After college, I worked for Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach in Boca Raton, Fla., as a JCSC fellow, engaging new students and designing programs. I then became the Hillel director in Las Vegas, serving at UNLV and expanding our program to serve several other colleges in the area. After Las Vegas, I moved to San Francisco, where I was the program coordinator for JIMENA: Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa, while also living and leading programs in the San Francisco Moishe House. On top of all that, I have 10 years of Hebrew school teaching experience. AJT: What are your long-terms plans for The Sixth Point? Arar: I want to ensure its success. I will work hard to ensure that we increase the organization’s participant base and the number of opportunities to engage our constituents, as well as the impact that we have on their lives and their connection to Jewish identity, all while building our organizational budget so that we can continue to grow. AJT: Any events coming up? Arar: We will be hosting our annual make-your-own-hamantaschen party for Purim on Feb. 24 and our community Passover seder on March 31. … For more information, please join our mailing list or check out our website (TheSixthPoint.org) and our Facebook page (facebook.com/thesixthpoint). AJT: What should people know about The Sixth Point? Arar and Levy: The Sixth Point is really unique in that the people who participate are there to make friends and build community. We are a very welcoming, nonjudgmental group that is excited about ensuring that everyone in our midst has a great time and leaves with a new friend. ■

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A Book Better Than the Rabbi’s Sermon By Chana Shapiro cshapiro@atljewishtimes.com

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

I was skeptical when I heard about Sarah and Steven Levy’s book, “The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary.” The cumbersome title didn’t help, and the claim that contemporary Jews, including the young and the assimilated, can relate to every Torah portion that is read in the synagogue on Shabbat, week after week, didn’t fill me with optimism. Boy, was I wrong. When I received a copy of the book, I turned to the table of contents. We were starting the Book of Exodus in synagogue that week, so it made sense to see how the book dealt with Exodus’ first portion, Shemot. These were the topics the Levys chose for us to discuss from that section: “name-calling,” “growing up” and “courage of conviction.” I was intrigued. For the next two months my husband and I followed the suggestions of the authors. We brought their book to our Shabbat table, each meal with a different group of guests (all ages and

Steven and Sarah Levy and their five children made aliyah from Atlanta more than three years ago.

all backgrounds), and we opened the book at just the right time. What’s the right time? It can be when there’s a lull in the conversation or when talk of current events becomes hot and heavy or when we get into what we can’t stand about other Jews. Rashi to the rescue. So who is Rashi? Born in medieval France, he is considered the primary commentator on the Torah. His whole name is Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (“Rashi” comes from the Hebrew ini-

tials of his name, resh, shin and yud). The Levys use Rashi’s brilliance to generate lively discussions about our own lives. Selections of his insightful and often surprising ideas, translated into terse, clear and straightforward English, illuminate and explain interesting points and ask revealing questions about phrases and words in the Torah portion. For each Shabbat meal, the Levys select and summarize a single Rashi comment. They then pose three provocative questions that bring Rashi’s insight to the present day. After the presenter at the table reads a short selection from the Torah portion, followed by its Rashi comment (this takes only a minute or two), the fun begins. Over the weeks, our guests have been led to talk about tenacity, clothing, resentment, gender roles, miracles, Mr. Rogers’ philosophy, money and countless family issues. Our discussions rarely stuck to the specific question, and on a couple of occasions we were so engrossed in meandering in, out and around the first question that we never moved on to the second or third. Here’s one example from a Torah portion that comes toward the end of Exodus. The Torah portion Vayakel mentions the appointment of two people, Bezalel and Oholiab, who supervise the construction of the Tabernacle the Jews use after they leave Egypt and wander in the desert. Rashi points out that these two people who are to supervise the work come from very different backgrounds. The Levys’ questions, picking up the theme of differing backgrounds: • What do you know about your own family’s lineage? • How did your forebears or others face challenges? • Do you believe everyone has equal opportunities today? People opened up. We heard amazing family stories that were startling, amusing and heartbreaking. There were anecdotes of resenting or embracing neighborhoods, schools and work with people unlike ourselves. Interestingly, the third question, which easily could have provoked argument, produced thoughtful interchange instead. Sarah and Steven Levy spent countless hours writing this book. It’s organized to be useful at the three Shabbat meals: the Friday night dinner, the Shabbat lunch and the lateafternoon Shabbat “third meal.”

To that end, they provide three selections from the weekly Torah portion — one for each meal — and each selection is followed by a related Rashi commentary. Then we get the three provocative Levy questions. Bonus: At every meal we and our guests reviewed a small piece of Torah, and we learned a little Rashi. Not only have we used the Rashi discussion book at our own Shabbat meals, but on two occasions we brought it with us when we went elsewhere. It always moved the conversations somewhere interesting and worthwhile. Most of the people with whom we shared this book had never studied Rashi, certainly never with members of their family, and had not related the Torah portion to their own experiences. Even when my husband and I sat at home, just the two of us on a Friday night, we spent several hours using and enjoying the book together. Sarah Levy is a licensed neuropsychologist who lectures and works with children and families. Steven Levy is a lawyer and director of a real estate investment fund. Former Atlantans, they made aliyah and now live with their children in Israel. In the preface, the Levys write about themselves, their work process and their goals. In the introduction, we learn about Rashi, his life and times, and his remarkable commentaries. These sections are great reading themselves. The Jewish Publication Society is known to many for sending Jewish books to young readers at no cost; however, the variety and depth of the books it produces for all ages, especially for the lay reader, is mind-boggling. All of this makes one proud and grateful to be part of our long Jewish history of sages, searchers of truth, provocative writers, brilliant teachers, thoughtful readers and unabashed talkers, doesn’t it? ■

The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary By Sarah and Steven Levy Jewish Publication Society, 216 pages, $19.95

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ARTS

Israeli Humanizes Greek God in ‘The Followers’ By Rachel Fayne

AJT: The show is based on Dionysus, the god of wine and ecstasy. You’re Orthodox, so did doing a show about one of many gods conflict at all with your own beliefs? Nahari: It’s a question I definitely struggled with at first. I’m playing a different kind of god, so I had to think about what it really means to play that. I realized I didn’t need to play what I thought of traditionally as a god; I just needed to play a human being. It’s about playing the character with some humanity and thinking about that. I tried to ask myself questions about what the character needed. His mother died, and he wants her back just like any other child would. I wanted to bring to light what Dionysus’ true beliefs are and what it means to follow those beliefs. The thing I’m most proud of about his character is the humanity I played him with. AJT: Can you describe more of the plot of the show? Nahari: We combine puppetry, physical theater, dance and opera to tell the story. Dionysus performs a series of miracles and gets vengeance in very tragic ways. All the while, his followers are questioning what he’s doing. It’s a story of the abuse of power

Photo courtesy of StunGun Photography

“The Followers” combines dance, opera, puppetry and physical theater to tell the story of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and ecstasy.

and what it really means to have blind faith. I’m enormously excited about this show. AJT: You still currently live in Israel. How were you able to be a part of this show in Atlanta? Nahari: I’ve worked with Michael Haverty, one of the artistic directors at 7 Stages, on other projects, and Margaret Baldwin is a professor of acting and theater at Kennesaw (State) University. They created this play together, and over a period of four years Margaret would do a pilot of the play for her students. Each time she got a different reaction from her audience, but over that period of time she was able to get a good amount of feedback. Michael then saw a taped piece of a show I did in Israel, and with the help of the Israeli Consulate and some Israeli colleagues, Michael was able to get me here for the show. The Israeli Consulate (director) for art, Yael Nehushstai, was very important in the process. I look at this finished play as the closure of that process.

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What: “The Followers: A Retelling of the Bacchae” Where: 7 Stages Theatre, 1105 Euclid Ave., Little Five Points When: Through Sunday, Feb. 25 Tickets: $22 or $25 for adults, $15 for students, $18 for military personnel and seniors; www.7stages.org or 404-523-7647

AJT: How were you involved in the Israeli theater before doing the show here in Atlanta? Nahari: Well, the show I was doing that Michael Haverty saw a recording of was called “Amassan Show,” which translated means “nose one nowhere”

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and is a play on words in Hebrew. It was a show about a clown in white face paint that I produced and directed. I’ve also done work with 7 Stages in the past. I’ve done clown workshops there, and I’m working with Emory University to do a master class and workshops in physical theater. I’ve been a part of so many shows in a lot of ways, though. I’ve created many shows. I work as a composer in orchestras, and I teach regularly in Israel as well. I teach at a

AJT: How have you enjoyed your time in Atlanta, and what are your plans upon returning to Israel? Nahari: Oh, I really like Atlanta. I would love to stay here and work if I had the opportunity. Since being here, I’ve attended Chabad Intown regularly. I go to synagogue on Fridays and Saturdays, and I have specifically really liked getting to know Rabbi Schusterman better at the Chabad. He’s a great guy. I’ll likely go back to Israel after the show, though. I’d love to open up a Jewish theater that combines beit midrash with art. Art is endless, just like the Torah, and this is the beauty between the two subjects. I see myself as a creator, and I just want to keep creating. ■

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Tel Aviv native Ofir Nahari combines his talents as an actor, a composer and a choreographer in his newest show at 7 Stages Theatre in Little Five Points. Nahari spoke at the theater about his work with 7 Stages and provided an inside look at the show, “The Followers: A Retelling of the Bacchae,” based on the ancient classic by Euripides.

circus school called Sandciel and Nissan Nativ in Tel Aviv, an acting school where I actually graduated from myself.

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ARTS

Rosefsky’s Art Preserves Family, Personal History Flora Rosefsky hovers motherly over each of her works, matched by her knowledge of the detail of what she was thinking when she created it. Mastering interpretive art for 55 years, she embodies family sentiment, recycling, pastel drawings and the celebration of Judaism. These handcrafted statements have her unique stamp and can include checks from 1935, her own ketubah, trimmed family photographs, and an array of symbolized birds that dance in flight, conveying layered meanings reflecting her Hebrew name, Zipporah. “I favor collage and mixed materials, where, like Henri Matisse, I enjoy ‘drawing with scissors’ without the benefit of pen or pencil,” Rosefsky said. “I cut directly into color, using a variety of papers or recycled family glossy photographs. For mixed materials, I scavenge through local antique shops like Kudzu, where found objects like vinyl 45 records, vintage linens and leather journals support new work.”

for greeting cards. I was a very active volunteer in my former JCC which asked to have a solo show of my work. I looked to my Jewish faith as the inspiration to generate ideas for the art,

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

which to this day, continues to give me compelling viewpoints. I lean toward Judaic creations because it brings me tremendous joy to transpose ideas into something one can see, feel and share the beauty and depth of the meaning of Judaism in a tangible, everlasting way.

windows. If I can’t wait for the creative muse to appear, then I will do a series of drawings or paper cutout exercises or wade through a book. As a place where other artists also have studio spaces, we respect each other’s need for privacy to concentrate, yet there are times when we give each other moral support. “How long to create a piece?” Seventy-six years! A lifetime of experience, education, ability and imagination to create work, which can turn out to be quite wonderful after a short time or not so great even after a longer period of time. So there is no right answer here.

Jaffe: You lean toward Judaic creations? Rosefsky: I strongly identify my core spirituality and philosophy of life with many of the tenets that revolve around the mystery of the Jewish calendar and the beauty of our traditions. Initially my art centered on family Jewish life cycle or celebrations, in a folk-like illustrative genre, and then 32 moved to illustrating Jewish holidays

Jaffe: What happens at your studio? How long does it take to create a piece? Rosefsky: My studio is a refurbished car repair shop in Decatur. It’s a special work space with many art books and boxes of collage ephemera (found papers), fabrics and mixed materials. WABE radio is turned on. The shower curtain “door” may be ajar. Light streams in from oversized

Jaffe: What do you consider your most special work? Rosefsky: If I had to pick one, a large piece titled “Schach No. 2,” a collage with mixed materials that is currently on view at the Different Trains Gallery in Decatur. I used my father-in-law’s ephemera letters, papers, stamps, current newspaper clippings to create a textured sukkah roof exploring the temporary nature

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Jaffe: Were you artistic as a child? Any formal art training? Rosefsky: A nursery school teacher’s report read, “Flora is a happy child and loves to draw!” I became very interested in art in high school in Long Island — was always on the decoration committees. I did not pursue art as a major in college but majored in elementary education to develop curricula for gifted students, which was a new idea for public schools. My first formal art training came as a mother of four young children in Upstate New York, when I enrolled in a graduate extension program for public school art teachers. The professor called me the “civilian,” since I was the only nonart teacher. Soon after, I enrolled in art classes at Binghamton University before having my own studio. At that point, I began calling myself an artist.

Jaffe: Who are the other artists you collect? Rosefsky: Many of my collected works manifest vibrant color, some abstract and some storytelling. In the 1980s, a studio visit spurred a connection with Olga Friedman, a Russian émigré in Ithaca, N.Y. She was a brilliantly talented artist from Leningrad when there was a big movement to free Soviet Jewry. Her large pastel selfportrait holding a jar filled with paintbrushes and another one of her works, “Alphabet Life,” two large, black-andwhite woodcut pages, are part of my collection, where they continue to inspire me 30 years after we met. Other art includes Victor Vasarely’s interactive “Folklore Participations No. 1” and the ultimate toy, a sculpture over 5 feet tall, “Rollie,” similar to the work of Rube Goldberg. Collecting visual art, from museum gift shops, galleries, family and friends who are artists, enriches everyday life. If you find something you love that speaks to you, don’t worry if it will fit in a particular décor or if the colors match; you will find a good home for the work.

A of our physical houses. Jaffe: What does the future look like? What’s next on your to-do list? Rosefsky: I will continue to explore the themes of Sukkot, a Jewish festival that strongly resonates with me, while also continuing to work on art projects with ART+ACTIVISM and the Women’s Caucus for Art, where visual art becomes a vehicle for raising consciousness on important issues such as sex and human trafficking. I am also interested in promoting appreciation for those of various faiths and traditions, conducting more interfaith art workshops, and developing Judaic art education projects for families and children. And I would love to illustrate a book. To encapsulate her frivolity, a large, off-the-wall, black-and-white piece over her master bed traces the words “One man’s witch is another man’s fairy.” Rosefsky is Atlanta’s artistic muse and good fairy. ■

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ARTS

C B

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Photos by Duane Stork

A: Flora Rosefsky discovered Olga Friedman, a Russian émigré, and was struck by her selfportrait. “I knew I had to have it,” she says. B: “Family Portrait” features such ephemera as photocopies, checks and other found papers from Flora Rosefsky’s father-in-law, who she says “never threw anything away.” C: The Rube Goldberg-esque sculpture “Rollie,” which is over 5 feet tall, is the ultimate toy. Flora Rosefsky enjoys collecting visual art from museum gift shops and galleries. D: Flora Rosefsky wraps herself in the memory quilt she made from her father’s shirts. In the background is Olga Friedman’s black-and-white block print reflecting her sadness, “Alphabet Life.” E: Victor Vasarely’s “Folklore Participations No. 1” is interactive. F: This self-portrait includes some of the bird imagery Flora Rosefsky uses to express her Hebrew name, Zipporah. G: A Moroccan tea kettle fronts an early Rosefsky work, “High Spirits.” H: Dan Cohen, Flora Rosefsky’s sonin-law, composed this collage of Gen. George Patton from plastic toy soldiers. I: Even the brush and paper are part of this sculpture by Serey Andrews, a clay instructor who bartered work with Flora Rosefsky.

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OBITUARIES

Memorial Architect Benjamin Hirsch Dies at 85 Benjamin Hirsch, 85, who designed the memorial where he and other Atlantans mourned family lost in the Holocaust, died Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. “He lived until he died,” Hirsch’s widow, Jacqueline, said in an interview, adding that it was good he didn’t linger because he had suffered enough in life. That suffering began in his native Frankfurt, Germany. His father was taken during Kristallnacht in 1938, and his mother then sent her five oldest children, including 6-year-old Ben, to France on the Kindertransport. Those five made it to America in 1941. Ben grew up in Atlanta from age 9. His father died at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, and his mother and two youngest siblings, Werner and Roselene, who were infants and unable to travel with the other five in 1938, were killed at Auschwitz. It wasn’t until Hirsch returned to Germany while serving with the U.S. Army during the Korean War that he confirmed the fate of his little brother and sister from a family friend.

Hirsch’s Army service, the core of his first memoir, “Hearing a Different Drummer,” helped him realize that in falling away from Jewish practice in the Benjamin Hirsch years after becoming a bar mitzvah, “I was giving up the Judaism that my parents and brother and sister were killed for.” He became a leader in Atlanta’s Orthodox community, serving as the president of Congregation Beth Jacob and Yeshiva Atlanta High School. His military service made him eligible for the G.I. Bill, which he used to study architecture at Georgia Tech. He was about two years into his career when he saw a meeting notice in The Southern Israelite in October 1964 about a Holocaust memorial. Hirsch went to the meeting and decided the planned 6-foot-wide, white-marble tombstone was not good enough. He persuaded the leaders of Eter-

Elaine Feig 89, Atlanta

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Elaine Meyer Feig passed away peacefully early morning Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. Elaine was born to Melvin and Amy Meyer in Far Rockaway, Long Island, N.Y., on April 15, 1928. She moved to Atlanta in 1954 with her then-husband, Raymond Feig. Elaine was an ardent gardener, an avid reader, a businesswoman and a tennis player and had a thirst for travel. For many years, her shop in Buckhead, Eclectic Eye, was a favorite for those seeking the unusual gift of unique jewelry or custom framed art. She was a president of the Temple Sisterhood and was involved in other volunteer endeavors. Her high energy level, along with her love of tennis and travel and her outgoing personality, contributed to her busy social life. Her family thanks the staff of the William Breman Jewish Home and Weinstein Hospice and is grateful for the loving care she was provided. She is survived by daughter Bonnie Feig Cook (Billy Golinsky), son Danny

nal-Life Hemshech to build something that would make a lasting statement. The Memorial to the Six Million was dedicated at Greenwood Cemetery six months later. Costing $8,500 — only $2,000 more than the tombstone plan — the memorial won a national design award in 1968, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 and remains the site of Jewish Atlanta’s annual Yom HaShoah ceremony. “Everyone will miss Ben’s talent, his wisdom, his gentle humor and his commitment to our community,” Hemshech President Karen Lansky Edlin said. “Ben was a giant among men, a dear friend, a treasure and an inspiration to generations of schoolchildren.” Hirsch told the AJT in 2015 that after the 1965 dedication, he went home, looked in the mirror and said, “You’re 32 years old. You’ve accomplished everything you wanted. What are you going to do now?” He did plenty more. His architecture included the Zaban Chapel at Camp Barney Medintz, an expansion of

Beth Jacob, many other synagogues, the Holocaust exhibit at the Breman Museum, and his home on Burton Drive, for which he was also the contractor. In addition to his wife, whom he married in March 1959, Hirsch is survived by four children, Shoshanah Selavan, Adina Hirsch, Michal Apelbaum and Raphael Hirsch; 23 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. He also leaves two autobiographies: “Drummer,” published in 2000, and the prequel “Home Is Where You Find It,” published in 2006. His third memoir should be published this year. “He was a good person, a humble person, an honest person,” who could tolerate anything but injustice, his widow said. “His life mattered.” Sign the online guestbook at dresslerjewishfunerals.com. The funeral was Tuesday, Feb. 13, at Crest Lawn Memorial Park. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Breman Museum, Eternal-Life Hemshech or the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund at Congregation Beth Jacob. ■

(Lori) Feig-Sandoval and daughter Laurie (Jim) Borer; five grandchildren, Michal (Jordan) Nodel, Maayan Cook (Andy Levison), Andrew Borer, Cory Feig-Sandoval and Jamie Borer; and great-granddaughters Zoe and Lior Nodel. Sign the online guestbook at dresslerjewishfunerals.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Weinstein Hospice (www.weinsteinhospice. com), the William Breman Jewish Home (www.wbjh.org), A Hand Up Atlanta (ahandupatlanta.org) or the charity of your choice. Graveside services were held at Crest Lawn Memorial Park on Monday, Feb. 12. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Arnold Goldberg 90, Point Clear, Ala.

Arnold Ira Goldberg passed away Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, in Point Clear, Ala., at the age of 90. Born Nov. 26, 1927, in Savannah, the son of immigrant parents from Eastern Europe and the youngest of three children, Arnold received a degree in mechani-

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OBITUARIES cal engineering from Georgia Tech and was a lifelong supporter. An Eagle Scout and a decades-long adult volunteer and leader in Boy Scouts, Arnold was awarded the Silver Beaver distinguished service award. He was a member of The Temple and served on the Cherokee County grand jury as the foreman for many years. Arnold was self-employed as a manufacturer’s representative most of his life and lived his adult life in Atlanta and Woodstock. Arnold was predeceased by his loving wife, Nancy Lois Nathan Goldberg, originally of Davis Island, Tampa, Fla., and is survived by his three sons, Eric Goldberg of Raleigh, N.C., and his wife, Debra Goldberg, Alan Goldberg of Point Clear, and Michael Goldberg of Tybee Island and his wife, Debra Goldberg; by seven grandchildren, Anna Rachel Spitzer and Gretchen Dunlap, Lexie Goldberg, Avi Goldberg, Sharon Rose Goldtzvik, Micah Goldberg Crown, and Asa Goldberg; and five great-grandchildren, Anna Grace and Noah Spitzer, Skyler Kade Goldberg, and Annabelle and Nathan Dunlap. Funeral services took place graveside at Arlington Memorial Park on Thursday, Feb. 8, with Rabbi David Spinrad officiating. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Boy Scouts of America.

John Hirsch 80, Atlanta

John Hirsch, age 80, of Atlanta died Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. John was proud to be a lifelong Atlantan. He attended Northside High School and went on to receive his bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania. After serving in the U.S. Army, John worked in real estate. He is survived by his loving wife, Nancy Hirsch; sons Kenny (Marina) Hirsch and Steve (Sharon) Hirsch; daughters Jan (Keith) Liscio and Cathy Hirsch; and grandchildren Benjamin, Gregory, Anthony, Matthew and Katie Hirsch and Juliana and Patrick Liscio. Please sign the online guestbook at dresslerjewishfunerals.com. The funeral service was held at Friday, Feb. 9, at The Temple. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Temple, Temple Sinai and the William Breman Jewish Home. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Metal Co. Gia attended Girls’ High School, then became the first in her family to attend college, with two years at Agnes Scott and then two years at the University of Iowa, where she completed her bachelor’s degree. She married Sol Spielberg on Jan. 9, 1949, and they shared 63 years of marriage until his death in 2012. In 2014 she moved to Maryland to be closer to family. Gia became an amazing stay-at-home mom and volunteer extraordinaire after her husband established his CPA business. She lived a life full of kindness, activism and engagement, informed by her escape from Nazism and gratitude for the new life she found in America. She was the president of the DeKalb County League of Women Voters, the vice president of the National Council of Jewish Women, an active member of Hadassah and the president of the Briarcliff High School PTA. She worked on multiple local political campaigns, served on the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals for 14 years, was an active board member of Partnership for Community Action for 13 years, and was a volunteer with the Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. She spoke out for civil rights, campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment, worked to advance educational reforms and economic opportunity, and fought for sensible land use for neighborhoods. A refugee herself, she was always welcoming to others, especially to those who may otherwise have been overlooked. She loved to travel and had a wealth of knowledge about world geography. She was an original environmentalist — forgoing a dryer, spearheading recycling drives, and never throwing anything away that might be repurposed or reused. She was a gracious host and fiercely loyal to family and friends. She reveled in being a grandmother: Her excitement to get to New Jersey quickly to help take care of her first grandchild earned her a speeding ticket in North Carolina, but it didn’t slow her down, and her enthusiasm for the next seven grandchildren never waned. She valued hard work and had a big heart, and she lived her long life with appreciation, resiliency and quiet strength. Sign the online guestbook at dresslerjewishfunerals.com. Funeral services were held Wednesday, Feb. 7, at Crest Lawn Memorial Park. Donations may be made to the Breman Museum and the League of Women Voters of Georgia Education Fund. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Richard Mirman 84, of Akron, Ohio

Gisela Spielberg 91, Kensington, Md.

Gisela “Gia” Diana Meyer Spielberg, 91, died Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018. Survivors include her beloved children and their spouses, David and Jacqueline Spielberg, Josh and Nita Spielberg, Anne Spielberg and Tom Armstrong, and Debbie Spielberg and Tom Block; her adored grandchildren, Lela and Adam, Benjamin and Kate, Hannah, Michael, Adela, Michelle, Dalya, and Mollie; and her sister, Erica Rockstroh. Born in Berlin, Gia escaped Nazi Germany in April 1939 at age 12 with her younger sister on the Kindertransport to England. She lived there until August 1940, when she was reunited with her parents, who separately escaped Germany, and her family emigrated to the United States on the last passenger ship allowed to cross the Atlantic during the war that was not sunk by the Germans. Shortly thereafter, her family settled in Atlanta, where her father started the Southern Obituaries in the AJT are written and paid for by the families; contact Associate Publisher Kaylene Ladinsky at kaylene@atljewishtimes.com or 404-883-2130, ext. 100, for details about submission, rates and payments. Death notices, which provide basic details, are free and run as space is available; send submissions to editor@ atljewishtimes.com.

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Richard Hirsch Mirman, age 84, of Akron, Ohio, died Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. Survivors include his wife, Joanne Mirman; sons Neil and Randy (Lisa); daughter Andrea (David) Price; and granddaughters Alyson Mirman and Rebecca Price. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to WellStar Hospice Tranquility at Kennesaw Mountain. Graveside services were held Thursday, Feb. 8, at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

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SPORTS

Francombe Named Maccabi Games Director By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com

The 2019 JCC Maccabi Games in Atlanta are a year and a half away, but preparations have started for an event that is expected to bring 1,200 visiting and 300 local athletes ages 13 to 16 together in friendly athletic competition from July 28 to Aug. 2 next year. To oversee the planning and execution, the Marcus Jewish Community Center has hired Stacie Francombe as 2019 Maccabi Games director. It will be only the second time Atlanta has hosted since the annual Olympic-style games for North American Jewish teens were launched in 1982 in Memphis. After serving as a host in 2001, the Marcus JCC was selected to host in 2007 but had to withdraw because of financial problems. “Our vision is to take these games

Stacie Francombe, whose sports experience includes being a soccer mom at the international level, wants to bring a “wow factor” to the 2019 Maccabi Games in Atlanta.

to another level,” Francombe said. “We want the wow factor and to bring people to the city not just to experience the JCC, but to experience Jewish Atlanta as a whole and be inclusive all throughout the city.” She joins the JCC after working in sports media and television production for most of her career. In the late 1990s

she moved to Atlanta to work at CNN/ SI before shifting to TBS. Later, she started a video production company with her husband, Dave, focused on Jewish lifecycle events and nonprofits. In 2001, they produced a highlight video for the Maccabi Games. In 2006 she launched Get Married, a television show and website dedicated to wedding planning. She grew it into a national brand and sold it in 2011. She has three sons, Josh, Jake and Geordie. The older two are very involved in sports. Josh, her oldest, plays soccer for the Atlanta United under-16 team and the Welsh U16 national team. “I’ve got three children in this age group myself, and I’ve been active in their sporting lives,” Francombe said. “I have a huge passion for not just being a spectator, but participating and being a mom of kids that play sports. The Jewish community tied in with sports, tied

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in with planning and organizational aspects, really intrigued me about the position.” Amy Rubin and Libby Hertz are the co-chairs of the games. Detroit will also host in 2019. Long Beach and Orange County, Calif., are the two host sites for 2018. Birmingham, Ala., was one of the 2017 hosts. Over 1,000 Atlanta volunteers are necessary to support special events, host athletes and handle other tasks. Sponsors and donors are also needed. “There are so many people in this city who are so excited and have already begun donating financially,” Francombe said. “I think that the committees and volunteers are going to be so key in the success of this. There will be challenges, but I’m just excited to jump in, and I think that everyone that is a part of the leadership committee is just as excited.” ■

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CLOSING THOUGHTS

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Apply the Lessons of the Mishkan to All Creation

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

If the Hebrews in the desert had insisted on forming a union and a limited liability partnership before risking their stiff necks at the Mishkan construction site, their start-up could have been named High Priests HighPriced Mobile Creations. For in telling Moses, “Let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell within them,” G-d says four things: You are spiritual, you are materialistic, you are co-creative, and you are mobile. In the parshah Saturday, Feb. 17, Terumah, the Hebrews have been in the desert only a few months; most of them will never leave. The fact that our birth as a nation happens in the Sinai is both a warning and a blessing. When Moses sets up the completed Mishkan (sanctuary), the carrying staves remain in place, ready to move at a moment’s notice. The obvious meaning is never to get too attached to any particular place. When G-d’s protective cloud hovers over the camp, the Hebrews stop, and the Mishkan is reassembled. When the cloud moves in front of the camp, the Hebrews pack up and follow wherever G-d leads them until they trust Him enough to follow His commandments on their own. Our wanderings have continued through challenging opportunities to increase our faith while serving as a light unto the nations. Throughout our exiles, our nation’s birth outside the land of Israel has been a key to our survival: We survived a desert before we entered the Promised Land, so we knew we could survive anywhere. The Cherokees are not the only tribe to have walked a Trail of Tears. Our tribe has also experienced midwinter death marches. But our Jewish trails were accompanied by hope as well as despair, based on our miraculous existence before our land and based on G-d’s promise of redemption. This ultimate redemption could have happened during Holocaust victims’ walk to extermination; it could happen here and now. It perhaps needs only one person doing one extra act of kindness to create the critical mass and usher in the messianic era. Then that walk will be a walk of joy, of peace and of harmony. G-d’s ultimate goal for us, according to Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad and author of 38 the Tanya, is stated in Terumah. “They

shall make for Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell amidst them,” he writes, “is what man is all about; this is the purpose of His creation and the creation of all the words, higher and lower — that there be made for G-d a dwelling in the lower realms.” Like Buddhists and Hindus, we

Guest Column By Yaacov Noah Gothard

want to elevate ourselves, but we also want to take the whole world with us. While there are parallels between the story of the creation of the world (G-d’s temporary home for us) and the creation of the Mishkan (man’s temporary home for G-d), only one chapter of the Torah is devoted to the world’s creation, while 13 are devoted to fashioning the Mishkan and training the priests. Our job is seemingly 13 times more difficult than G-d’s. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes in his article “Two Narratives of Creation”: “It is not difficult for an infinite, omnipotent creator to make a home for humanity. What is difficult is for human beings, in their finitude and vulnerability, to make a home for G-d. Yet that is the purpose, not only of the Mishkan in particular, but of the Torah as a whole.” Think about it. G-d chose to occasionally bring his presence into a manmade, 20-cubit Holy of Holies. Our job is to transform the rest of the G-dmade world into a permanent home for His presence. We have mountains, oceans, deserts, villages, cities, boardrooms and jungles to purify beyond G-d’s mere 20 cubits — or do we? As Eli Touger points out, the ark of the covenant was 2.5 cubits long, yet when placed in the Holy of Holies, 10 cubits remained between the ark and each side of the Holy of Holies. In other words, the ark occupied no space. When we think of heaven, do we imagine G-d’s essence floating somewhere above North America? Couldn’t heaven just as easily be floating above South America? In actuality, heaven is above, below and in North America and South America at the same time. The Mishkan, created by man, teaches us that G-d exists in 20 cubits, 20 universes and outside creation simultaneously. True reality, G-d’s heavenly essence, exists everywhere.

“Why was man’s activity necessary?” Eli Touger asks in his article “A Dwelling Among Mortals.” “Because G-d’s intent is that the revelation of His Presence be internalized in the world, becoming part of the fabric of its existence. Were the revelation to come only from above, it would merely nullify worldliness. When G-d revealed Himself on Mount Sinai, the world ground to a standstill … no bird chirped … the mountain became holy and therefore, ‘all that ascend the mountain must die.’ When, however, G-d’s Presence was withdrawn from the mountain, the Jews were allowed to ascend it, for the fundamental nature of the mountain had not changed; it remained an ordinary mountain.” In the center of the Mishkan, atop the ark and emanating from a cloud of smoke between the embracing golden cherubim, G-d’s presence would descend in a cloud of protective smoke, from which He would speak to Moses. Moses would then relay G-d’s wisdom to Joshua, Aaron and the elders, who would then disseminate the divine knowledge to the entire people. The work of transforming every blade of grass, every grain of sand, every animal, every argument and every person to hold a refined awareness of G-d is too heavy for Moses or any one of us. That is why this week’s parshah begins: “Speak to the children of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering.” Love and gratitude inspire everyone to continue the struggle to create a dwelling place for G-d, not just so that He can abide in the Mishkan, but “so that I may dwell in them,” in the heart of each Jew, and eventually each person and sentient being, to transform the world from a lonely desert of egoist uncaring into a universal oasis of unconditional love. As stated in “The Answer to the Mother of All Questions” on Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s MeaningfulLife. com website, “The material world, in its natural state, is not an environment hospitable to G-d. If there is one common feature to all things material, it is their intrinsic egocentrism, their placement of the self as the foundation and purpose of existence. So to make our world a ‘home’ for G-d, we must transform its very nature.” Examples of such transformations include turning a piece of leather into a set of tefillin, giving a dollar

bill to charity and using our minds to study Torah. As much as we may dream of it in our youth, no one can change the entire world. Through His instructions on how to create a home for Him, G-d tells us it is unnecessary. The Garden of Eden exists. We wake up to it every day. The name for G-d as Creator, Elohim, has the same gematria as HaTeva, the Nature. We have become so detached from the glory of G-d’s creation and from our own divine nature that we forget that He entrusted us to be the caretakers not only of His garden, but also of His rivers, His plants, His soil and His animals. Our attempts to exploit nature for our benefit and comfort have resulted in the pollution of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. Our attempts to manipulate and change those around us for our selfish needs have resulted in ego battles, separation and isolation. Our external battles are reflections of our internal struggles between our animal souls and our divine souls. In Terumah, G-d is telling us not to look outside ourselves for gratification, but to look within, look deep inside the heart of the Mishkan to the Holy of Holies and to the cherubim, the golden angels, whose loving embrace demonstrates His love for us, our love for one another and our love for all parts of ourselves. If we unconditionally love ourselves and accept our human and divine natures, He will heal our relationships and planet while expanding His glory from the 20 cubits of the Holy of Holies to all creation. Bring the healing and transforming energy of the 2½-cubit ark into our 2½-inch hearts, offering generosity to the world, and we will feel a oneness with all creation and with G-d. “Make for me a sanctuary, and I will dwell amidst them.” May each of us take the unconditional love and respect we have been blessed to find in this community, and, with pride in our heritage and with freedom and power to add our gifts to the universal Mishkan, may we spread the light of wisdom, love and respect to all people and all species as we help reinstate G-d’s spirit into this physical Garden of Eden for which we are responsible. May we all see the flourishing and revitalization take place here, now and forever more. ■ Yaacov Gothard is a business owner who worships at Chabad of Cobb.

Not All Bathroom Stalls Are Created Equal Five people sharing one bathroom — two parents and their three girls. This was my life growing up. It was an acceptable way of life. No arguments, no whining or cries of “We need another bathroom.” It was your basic nonissue. Honestly, I did not know anyone who had more than one bathroom per family per apartment. I mean, really, why would I? Everyone I knew lived in an apartment. At Camp Kindervelt and at Camp Kinderring, where I spent all my summers, first as a camper and then as staff, we had two stalls for each bunk, filled with eight to 10 campers and two staff counselors. We took turns cleaning and polishing. The cleanest bathrooms received a banner announcing our win, which was displayed on the door of our bunk. At Public School 44 and PS 92, there were the mandated number of stalls in each of the bathrooms for boys and girls. Roosevelt High School, where I excelled each of my four years in socializing, also provided the mandated number of stalls. Unless we were on lockdown. No one had the chutzpah to think about how many stalls were in the nearest bathroom, nor how far we were from said bathroom. We were huddled under our desks or in a closet. There were two kinds of lockdowns. One to prepare for the Communist invasion and the atom bomb, the other to prepare for the invasion of the Fordham Baldies, our local teen gang of gangsters extraordinaire. Ah, but I digress. Let’s not lose our train of thought; let’s stick with the topic at hand. In this case the topic happens to be bathroom stalls. It seems to me, when it came to stalls, I always behaved like one of Pavlov’s dogs (remember them?), always waiting for the same stall to become unoccupied. I will divulge a secret that I’ve kept to myself and that I share only with you: I have preferences, and I do not appreciate someone else using my preferred stall. I never wished them ill; however, I did wish they would somehow disappear so I could pretend the stall was

reserved for my tushy. Wherever I am, I can sense which stall will afford me the most comfort. Of course, when a desperate situation presents itself, I have learned to be flexible. I was, and still am, one of the few people who always thank the staffers who keep my stall clean and filled with

CROSSWORD

By Shaindle Schmuckler shaindle@atljewishtimes.com

toilet paper. Toilet paper, now that could be a topic for TED Talks. I am grateful to the staff at the airport, my workplace and other water closets (strange way of saying bathrooms) I may frequent for their dedication to cleanliness. I feel I should make something very clear to you. I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong impression of me. I come from the Bronx. My needs are fairly simple. Bronx girls understand the difference between needs and wants. Wants are things we aspire to. I do not need a warm seat. I do not need a seat that knows how to put its own lid down. I do not need a seat that lights up at night. I don’t even need a soft seat, although this could easily become a need. I’ve learned the hard way that not all stalls are equal. I’ve entered a stall that seemed quite inviting, only to slam my elbows into the sides, or, after I shut the stall, my knees reach the door. Have you met me? I am not a tall person! Have you ever entered a stall and gotten comfortable, only to realize the absence of toilet paper? Seriously, who ya’ gonna call? Ghostbusters? That is when you must rely on the goodness of strangers, assuming there is a stranger in the stall next door who happens to be into being good. The answer to your question asking why I would spend my precious time sharing stall stories with you: Unlike the news we are subjected to every day, this shpiel will not give you heartburn. At least I hope not. ■

“President's Day”

By Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com Difficulty Level: Medium

21 24

36 42

51 57

ACROSS 1. The Indiana Jones movies, e.g. 5. Suez crisis general 10. ___ Major 14. (False) god of love 15. Memorable Mandy (Patinkin) role 16. Bad NBA team 17. Kabbalah follower Kutcher’s favorite president? 19. Stat Hank Greenberg leads all Jews in 20. Stat Ian Kinsler leads all Jews in 21. Common kosher animal that’s rarely eaten 22. In working order 24. Like one with the flu 26. The first lady’s favorite president? 28. Juicy tropical fruit 31. Campbell of “House of Cards” 32. Mars, to the Greeks 33. Prime minister shot serving his country in 1972, familiarly 36. ’90s Denver Broncos star 40. Ending for “cash” or “front” 41. Larry David’s (almost) “Fatwa” star Miranda’s favorite president? 43. Network of “Curb …” 44. Gadot uses one in film, at times 46. It’s worth about one25th of a shekel 47. Work by Judah Halevi 48. Boat in “Jaws” 50. What a dentist does, sometimes 52. Comic Stewart’s favorite president? 57. Play for a yutz 58. Grande of song

Shaindle’s Shpiel

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28. Bucket 29. Tri-State ___ 30. Rabin’s middle name? 34. Andes dwellers, once 35. Period before 0, in dates 37. Like many G-rated films 38. Famed victim of sibling rivalry 39. HaShoah and HaZikaron 41. Sophia who starred as “Judith” 42. Brit’s “Inc.” 45. Convertible, of a sort 47. Magnum and Jessica Jones, initially 49. “Mad Money” host Jim 51. Geddy Lee’s group DOWN 52. Gyllenhaal and Tapper 1. Adds a patch to an IDF 53. Deteriorate, in a way uniform, perhaps 2. One in a million, in Israel 54. What it might be difficult 3. Those saying lashon hara for the awkward to do 55. Shrek’s mishpacha 4. Volcano output 56. “It’s ___!” (“I give up!”) 5. What Jews do after 60. Ballpark figs. blessings on wine and 62. Part of Syria, in the challah 6. Moses displayed it at the Torah 63. Paul’s Kiss mate sin of the Golden Calf 66. Friday letters that 7. Moshe’s father-in-law precede “F” 8. Back then 67. Louis B. Mayer’s co. 9. Cobwebs may be a sign of it 10. Solve, as a mystery 11. The Lubavitcher ___ 12. “It’s ___ Rock and Roll to LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION Me” (Billy Joel) R A C Y V E S T H E I S T 13. An Israel A C R E O A H U E S T E E bond, e.g. T H E S E C R E T G A R D E N 18. As a E V A V A N E O D E sluggard would D A M S E L T H E G I V E R T R I P E S E I D O 23. Weeks E S P Y S E A L A D L I B between T H E L I T T L E P R I N C E Pesach and H A T E R I S N O G A T S Shavuot O L E O A T E L L E 25. Part of S T R A N G E R Y O M T O V UNLV T I E I A G O A B A 27. Cholent G R E E N E G G S A N D H A M ingredient, S C R A G A H E M P O M P W A R M S S T A Y S E A S sometimes 39 59. “As Time ___ By” 61. Wilt 64. TV’s Hoda 65. Where to see the presidents in this puz. 68. Falco who had her first film role in Allen’s “Bullets Over Broadway” 69. Antonym for “absorb” 70. FBI operative 71. Post (mishloach manot) 72. “Just as a man ___ up” (Deuteronomy 22:26) 73. Many a posted pic of Obama or Trump

14 17

44 47

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

CLOSING THOUGHTS

LOCAL NEWS

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Hitting the Carolina Slopes

More than 40 men and boys joined the Congregation Beth Jacob Men’s Club for its third annual ski trip Sunday, Jan. 28. In roughly 15 hours, the group traveled from Toco Hills to Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley, N.C., spent the day on the slopes and made it back to Atlanta. ■

Sholom Teller gives the North Carolina powder a positive review.

Photos by Eli Gray

FEBRUARY 16 ▪ 2018

Nati Gershon (left) and Yehuda Deutsch are ready for a day of snow and ice.

Dani Grossblatt takes the snowboarding route down the mountain.

Yehuda Deutsch (on skis) and Tzvi Cavalier (on a board) enjoy the slope.

Yehuda Deutsch (left) and Tzvi Cavalier head up the ski lift for another run.

The Beth Jacob group relaxes in the lodge after a day of skiing.