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Inside: Education Special Section, Pages 14-24
PROTOTYPICAL
UF Hillel, Camp Living Wonders and Israeli know-how could ease life for people with disabilities. Page 15
INSPIRATIONAL
TECHNOLOGICAL
Meet the two rabbis coming to lead day schools with a commitment to individualized instruction. Pages 16, 17
Freed from competing on Shabbat, dozens of thirdto 12th-graders have won spots in the state Technology Fair. Page 18
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INSIDE
Calendar ���������������������������������� 2 Candle Lighting ����������������������3 Israel Pride ����������������������������� 4 Arts ������������������������������������������� 8 Health & Wellness ���������������� 9 Opinion ����������������������������������10 Sports ��������������������������������������13 Education �������������������������������14 Obituaries ����������������������������� 29 Crossword ����������������������������� 30 Cartoon ���������������������������������� 29 Marketplace ��������������������������31
VOL. XCI NO. 7
Full Senate Gets Hybrid Religious Bill
T
NO CHARITY
Former Israeli diplomat Yoram Ettinger makes the case for changing the perception and reality of the U.S.-Israeli financial relationship. Page 6
AFTER SCALIA
Randy Kessler looks at some of the court cases whose outcomes could change after the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Page 12
DECADES OF PALS
PAL, the Big Brother/Big Sister program at JF&CS, is celebrating 30 years of mentoring and the enduring friendships that have resulted. Page 25
Photos by Michael Jacobs
Peaceful Feelings
Congregation Beth Shalom Rabbi Mark Zimmerman (above right) joins Israeli singer Noa and her longtime collaborator, Gil Dor, onstage at Kennesaw State University during Noa’s benefit concert for the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies on Sunday night, Feb. 14. The acoustic show was a big hit for the more than 300 people in attendance, but an unknown number boycotted the performance over allegations Noa denied about her positions and actions promoting peace with the Palestinians. More photos and details, Page 8; column, Page 10
he Georgia Senate Rules Committee approved a hybrid of two religious liberty bills Tuesday, Feb. 16, sending what critics derided as a “frankenbill” to the full Senate with a recommendation for passage. The resulting legislation — folding Senate Bill 284, the First Amendment Defense Act, into House Bill 757, the Pastor Protection Act — has advanced further than any of the six other religious liberty bills this General Assembly session. H.B. 757 passed the House on Thursday, Feb. 11. In response to the Supreme Court’s legalization of same-sex marriage in June, it would protect any member of the clergy from being forced to officiate at a wedding or other religious rite in violation of his or her religious beliefs. The Anti-Defamation League, among others, has said the First Amendment makes such protection unnecessary. The amended legislation contains language that could be problematic for Jews. It would protect employees from being forced to work and businesses from being forced to operate on “either of the two rest days (Saturday or Sunday),” thus ignoring Shabbat’s Friday evening start. Part 2 of the legislation, the former S.B. 284, would protect people and faithbased organizations speaking or acting on a “sincerely held religious belief” that marriage should be between a man and a woman or that sex should occur only between such married couples. The bill thus protects not only businesses denying service to same-sex couples, but also, for example, those refusing to hire unwed mothers. ■