Atlanta Jewish Times, Vol. XCI No. 2, January 15, 2016

Atlanta VOL. XCI NO. 2

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JANUARY 15, 2016 | 5 SHEVAT 5776

Jewish Music Festival Sure to Roll

By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com

INSIDE Calendar �����������������������������������4 Candle Lighting ����������������������4 Israel �����������������������������������������8 Opinion ���������������������������������� 10 Camps �������������������������������������22 Home ��������������������������������������26 Business ���������������������������������28 Simchas ����������������������������������29 Obituaries ������������������������������29 Crossword ������������������������������30 Cartoon ����������������������������������� 31 Marketplace �������������������������� 31

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ewish music won’t be the only thing riding into town this March for the seventh annual Atlanta Jewish Music Festival: As AJMF stretches to a third weekend, it also will stretch across the region with a bus service to connect communities to the festivities.

Headlining the 2016 edition of the festival are A-WA, three Israeli sisters who combine Yemenite folk with electronic dance music, and Jaffa Road, a Toronto group that mixes Jewish roots, jazz,

Let the Games Begin

One of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz, Thomas Buergenthal, is coming to help Am Yisrael Chai mark the 71st anniversary of the camp’s liberation. Page 6

Now that the Georgia General Assembly is in session, you’ll have to look hard to find the Jewish lawmakers. Page 14

STRONG BUSINESS

Powerlady Fitness’ Becky Brown is thriving by providing a needed service in Toco Hills: a place where women can work out while meeting the rules of modesty. Page 28

AJMF7 features 16 events from March 10 to 27 with a broad range of local, national and international artists.

Festivities kick off at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs with New Yorkbased jazz group the Hadar Noiberg Trio and close with a teen battle of the bands at the 595 North Event Center (apply by Jan. 30 to compete). In between the festival brings to the stage such acts as Soulfarm, Andrew & Polly, FSQ, Joe Buchanan, and an array of local artists, including Sammy Rosenbaum and Klezmer Local 42. ■ • See the full schedule, plus Gottschalk’s thoughts, Page 21

Israel Spares Consulate

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SURVIVAL STORY

SELECT CLUB

Indian, Arabic, electronica and dub. They will perform at AJMF’s marquee event Saturday, March 26, a Purim party at Terminal West in West Midtown.

“Our signature Spring Festival will once again be bigger and better as we expand from two to three weekends and increase programming by over 50 percent,” said Russell Gottschalk, the founder and executive director. “We’re blessed by the incredible support of both the Jewish Atlanta and Atlanta arts communities.

Backing from these communities enables AJMF to thrive while solidifying Atlanta as the Jewish cultural hub of the South.”

Photos by David R. Cohen

Preschoolers celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Ahava Early Learning Center at Ahavath Achim Synagogue on Wednesday, Jan. 6. The preschool, which was operating out of the Buckhead synagogue’s basement during the renovations, now has access to a range of equipment and facilities. Look for more photos of what Ahava offers in our education special section Jan. 22.

he Israeli Consulate General to the Southeast has avoided the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ ax.

The ministry announced Wednesday, Jan. 6, that it would close the consulates in Philadelphia and Marseilles, France, the embassies in Belarus and El Salvador, and a roving ambassadorship to the Caribbean. But the list spared Atlanta and San Francisco, both of which were targeted in a draft budget Aug. 6.

“We are very happy that the Consulate General of Israel in the Southeast will remain open,” Ambassador Judith Varnai Shorer, who became consul general just days before the summer budget announcement, said in a statement Jan. 7.

“We believe it is a wise decision for many reasons. The Consulate General is a vital location for the six states in our region.

The growing Jewish, African-American, Hispanic and evangelical communities are a consistent source of support for Israel, and the economic impact the Southeast region and Israel are creating together is extremely significant.”

Atlanta’s consulate serves Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. In addition to Atlanta and San Francisco and the embassy in Washington, Israel plans to maintain missions in New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Houston and Los Angeles. ■ • Shorer deserves praise, Page 10

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JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

OPENING IDEAS

Golden-Heart Problem

He doesn’t seem to understand that he has cast his lot with the outcasts, and by virtue of association he is now considered one of them.

As a mother of a young man, I know I can no longer meddle and plan his play dates. So instead I’m a helpless bystander, troubled and brooding, as my child wends his way along this slippery slope.

Shared Spirit

By Rachel Stein rachels83@gmail.com

Don’t get me wrong. I am proud that Jake is sensitive to the downtrodden. If not for him, many of these boys would have no one to call a friend. Is this not the answer to my prayer from so long ago, that he use his talents to achieve his potential? What parent wouldn’t shep nachas from a child with a golden heart?

Yet I’m worried about him, and these sleepless nights are taking a toll. He’s a perfectly normal boy and should be included with the regular guys, enjoying the benefits of a wholesome social life.

Is it healthy for him not to have regular friends? And what if some of the social issues of these misfits rub off on him?

Writing about this issue is therapeutic, and it just gave me an idea. I think I will reach out to some of Jake’s teachers. The next time kids are paired up or a group project is assigned, let them maneuver the students (i.e., my child) advantageously. Additionally, I can call Jake’s NCSY adviser with the same request. I can only hope that these strategic moves will help the situation.

Are there any parents out there who have ever encountered this dilemma and have wisdom to share?

I am open to listening. Now that my baby is grown, I would appreciate an invigorating night’s sleep.

But perhaps, in the midst of my tossing and turning, I should offer a prayer to the One Above who knows and sees all: After all, G-d is our father and certainly wants the best for all of His children.

Dear Readers, Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Please send your responses by Monday, Jan. 18, for inclusion in the next column. ■

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

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hen that cuddly bundle was first placed in my arms, I dreamt the dream of all parents: that my precious child should grow to become a wonderful person and a wonderful Jew, that he should fulfill his potential and use his G-dgiven strengths for that purpose, and that I should merit to stand at his side and guide him along his way.

My heart was full as I gazed in wonder at the precious life that had entered my world.

The wheels of time spun forward, and my little Jake is now a strapping teenager. Those whispered prayers of long ago have been realized, to my delight. Jake has grown into a young man who is a source of pride to me and my husband.

He is bright, kind, respectful and fun to be with.

But there is one concern troubling me as I watch his development.

Jake has a golden heart. He loves everyone indiscriminately and enjoys spending time with all members of his peer group.

Because of his benevolent nature, he often spends time with guys who have social issues and are therefore pariahs.

“Mom, this is Ben,” he’ll say by way of introduction, and my radar is immediately activated: This boy clearly has issues. Yet Ben after Ben enters my home, toted along by my open-hearted son.

And here is where my worry button gets pushed.

When Jake was younger, despite his keeping company with social misfits, ordinary guys would include him in their groups. But now that they’ve reached an age when appearances and peers mean everything, he is clearly being excluded from regular socialization. The cool guys no longer swing by, nor do they call him or invite him to join their outings.

Consequently, once the blanket of night snugly covers the world and most people are leisurely enjoying their well-earned sleep, yours truly is tossing and turning, worried about the status and the murky future of her beloved son.

When I suggest that Jake call Dave or Sam, two of his former “regular” friends, he shrugs and innocently asks me why. On the occasions when he has humored me, Jake’s end of the conversation indicated that they had other plans. Umm.

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LOCAL NEWS

Remember When

10 Years Ago Jan. 13, 2006 ■ American ORT and Women’s American ORT, the U.S. branches of the global Jewish vocational education organization, announced Jan. 9 that the two groups will merge to form an as-yet-unnamed organization. “By uniting our organizations and speaking with one more powerful voice, ORT will not only operate more efficiently, but we will have a stronger presence in the United States,” said American ORT President Joe Cohen of Atlanta, a member of Congregation Or VeShalom.

■ Dr. Joshua Levine and Rita Koplin of New York announce the birth of their son Benjamin Zvi Levine on Aug. 5, 2005, in New Orleans.

25 Years Ago Jan. 11, 1991 ■ Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters would like to offer more Jewish content to the 225,000 metro homes it reaches, but the majority of the Jewish community is not tuned in. AIB, which broadcasts religious programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week, defines religion broadly enough to encompass Rosh Hashanah

services at Temple Kol Emeth and church league baseball games. Congregation Beth Tefillah Rabbi Yossi New, who has given lectures on AIB, says few Jews are watching.

■ The bat mitzvah ceremony for cousins Leanne Sue Abrams, daughter of Cathy and Denis Abrams of Atlanta, and Nicole Abrams, daughter of Riva and Keith Abrams of Atlanta, will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at B’nai Torah Synagogue.

50 Years Ago Jan. 14, 1966 ■ The World Jewish Congress has announced that the survey of Jewish communities by its Institute of Jewish Affairs put the global Jewish population at 13,887,000. The vast majority of them — 10,885,000 — live in three countries: the United States, 5,612,000; the Soviet Union, 3,000,000; and Israel, 2,273,000. The rest are scattered through almost 100 nations.

■ Joe J. Lipsey, 77, of Thomaston, a retired merchant and World War I Navy veteran, died Dec. 30 in Jacksonville. Funeral services were held Jan. 3 with Rabbi A.I. Rosenberg and Cantor Zvi Katz officiating. Interment was in Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah.

CALENDAR THURSDAY, JAN. 14

Jewish perspectives on fertility. Rabbis Elana Perry and Analia Bortz address Jewish spiritual approaches to fertility, Jewish legal issues and Jewish rituals at the monthly meeting of Wo/Men’s Infertility Support Havurah at 7 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs. Free; www.wishatlanta.org.

Festival preview. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and Atlanta Jewish Music Festival provide looks at their lineups, offer special ticket deals and enjoy tunes from DJ Mike Zarin at a youngadult preview party at Aisle 5, 1123 Euclid Ave., Atlanta. Doors open at 6:30; music starts at 7. Admission is free; www.atlantajmf.org or ajff.org.

FRIDAY, JAN. 15

MLK Shabbat. Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs, holds a special service honoring Martin Luther King Jr. with music of freedom at 6:30 p.m. Free; templesinaiatlanta.org.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

Interfaith service. Congregation B’nai Israel, 1633 Highway 54 East, Fayetteville, welcomes Arlene Presser and new Fayetteville Mayor Ed Johnson for a service honoring Martin Luther King Jr. at 7:30 p.m. Free; bnai-israel.net.

MLK Shabbat. Ebenezer Baptist Church Senior Pastor Raphael Warnock speaks during 8 p.m. services at The Temple, 1589 Peachtree St., Midtown. Free; the-temple.org.

SATURDAY, JAN. 16

Civil rights Torah study. Temple Sinai holds Torah study at 9 a.m. and Shabbat services at 10 at the National Center 4 for Civil and Human Rights, 100 Ivan

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Allen Jr. Blvd., downtown, instead of at the synagogue. People may tour the center after services. Free; templesinaiatlanta.org.

SUNDAY, JAN. 17

Holocaust memories. Paula Gris is the next survivor to speak at 2 p.m. in the Bearing Witness series at the Breman Museum, 1440 Spring St., Midtown.

Free; thebreman.org.

Israel Ride info session. Learn about the ride, being held Nov. 8 to 15, at 6:30 p.m. at Performance Bicycle, 1471 Northeast Expressway, Atlanta. Free; www.israelride.org/events or sam@ friendsofarava.org.

TUESDAY, JAN. 19

Transportation talk. Conexx: America Israel Business Connector holds an Israel Innovation Impact program on intelligent transportation systems at 8 a.m. at UPS, 55 Glenlake Parkway, Sandy Springs. Admission is $20 for Conexx members or $35 for nonmembers; www.conexx.org or 404-843-9426.

Women’s event. Congregation Beth Tefillah, 5065 High Point Road, Sandy Springs, celebrates women’s shared journeys through creative expression with wine, dessert, music and the creation of an art wall for the new mikvah at 7:30 p.m. Admission, for women only, is $18; admin@bethtefillah.org.

THURSDAY, JAN. 21

Book talk. Israeli journalist Eldad Beck, author of the new “Germany, at Odds,” speaks at 7 p.m. at Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs. Free.

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES

Parshah Bo Friday, Jan. 15, light candles at 5:33 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 16, Shabbat ends at 6:32 p.m.

Parshah Beshalach Friday, Jan. 22, light candles at 5:40 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 23, Shabbat ends at 6:38 p.m.

SATURDAY, JAN. 23

PAL fundraiser. Volunteers in Action hosts Havinagala, a benefit for Atlanta’s only Jewish Big Brother/Big Sister program, from 8 to 11 p.m. at Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave., Midtown. Tickets are $55 in advance or $60 at the door; www.havinagala.org.

SUNDAY, JAN. 24

Tu B’Shevat planting. Trees Atlanta holds a tree planting from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Atlanta’s Kirkwood neighborhood, starting at the corner of Delano Drive and Rocky Ford Road. Free; register by Jan. 20 at form.jotform. com/53273964351964.

Israel Bonds brunch. Israel Defense Forces 1st Sgt. Izzy Ezagui is the speaker, and Elise and Gary Meyer are the honorees at Congregation Or VeShalom, 1681 North Druid Hills Road, Brookhaven, at 10:30 a.m. The cost is $40; 404-857-1065.

Archaeology lecture. University of North Carolina professor Jodi Magness delivers a lecture on “Samson in Stone: New Discoveries in the Ancient Synagogue in Israel’s Galilee” at 3 p.m. in the Oxford Presentation Room of Emory University’s Oxford Road Building.

Free; mesas.emory.edu/home.

“Pure vs. Degenerate.” A concert at 5 p.m. presented by the Atlanta Opera at the Breman Museum, 1440 Spring St., Midtown, explores the Nazi war on Jewish and other music by pairing accepted and banned pieces, with commentary by two children of survivors, Atlanta Opera Music Director Arthur Fagan and Holocaust music scholar Laurence Sherr. A reception at 4 p.m. precedes the concert. Tickets are $49 for Breman members and $59 for nonmembers or $117 for the three-concert series ($147 for non-Breman members); thebreman.org or 6780222-3700.

Jazz concert. The Turtle Island Quartet performs at the Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 for JCC members and $35 for nonmembers; www.atlantajcc.org/boxoffice or 678-812-4002.

MONDAY, JAN. 25

Music workshop. The Turtle Island Quartet holds a workshop called “Find Your Groove” at 10 a.m. at the Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, to help students from sixth grade through college explore rhythm in classical and popular forms. Free with a ticket from the Jan. 24 Turtle Island concert or $10 with a student ID; www.atlantajcc.org/ boxoffice or 678-812-4002.

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

Find more events at atlantajewishtimes.com/events-calendar.

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Contributors This Week RABBI RICHARD BAROFF YONI GLATT JORDAN GORFINKEL RUSSELL GOTTSCHALK LEAH R. HARRISON MARCIA CALLER JAFFE KEVIN MADIGAN RUSSELL MOSKOWITZ TOVA NORMAN • TIFFANY PARKS LOGAN C. RITCHIE DAVE SCHECHTER • AL SHAMS CHANA SHAPIRO SARAH SKINNER RACHEL STEIN

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No other camp is filled with as much amazement and fun as this one.

Camp week includes animal encounters, behind the scenes experiences, opportunities to meet animal care team and explore the aquarium.

For more info, go to georgiaaquarium.org.

WEEKS: JUNE 6 - JULY 25 (MEMBER PRICING AVAILABLE) Georgia Aquarium is a not-for-profit organization, inspiring awareness and conservation of aquatic animals.

PLAN YOUR NEXT EVENT AT GEORGIA AQUARIUM WITH KOSHER CATERING FROM WOLFGANG PUCK.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

CONTACT INFORMATION GENERAL OFFICE 404.883.2130 KAYLENE@ATLJEWISHTIMES.COM

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LOCAL NEWS

Why We Remember

Auschwitz survivor says the goal is to prevent genocide for any group

By Tova Norman

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homas Buergenthal, one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz, will speak in the Atlanta area Sunday, Jan. 24.

The event, organized by Am Yisrael Chai, is titled “Courage and Compassion: A Lucky Child Survives Auschwitz.” It commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27, the date Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated by Soviet troops.

Buergenthal details his experiences from his birth in Czechoslovakia in 1934 to his parents’ fleeing to Poland, and his time in a ghetto, a labor camp and Auschwitz in his book, “A Lucky Child,” published in 2009.

After immigrating to America in 1951, Buergenthal became a human rights lawyer and law professor. In the 1980s he taught at Emory University and served as the director of the human rights program at the Carter Center.

From 2000 to 2010, Buergenthal served as a judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Currently, he is a professor at the George Washington University School of Law. People who attend the Jan. 24 event will have the opportunity not only to hear Buergenthal’s story, but also to explore an exhibit curated by Am Yisrael Chai titled “Confronting Auschwitz.”

The exhibit tells the story of the death camp and highlights Atlanta survivors of Auschwitz.

Buergenthal spoke to the Atlanta Jewish Times in advance of his Atlanta visit.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

AJT: I think sometimes for us, for people who are in this next generation, the past seems so far. We think we are so much more advanced now. The more Holocaust books I read, the more I realize that your life was very similar to mine now.

Buergenthal: And also you have the great advantage of living in the United States, because in many countries Jews even today have to always be concerned. So if you grow up as a young Jewish child in the United States, the notion that there is something dangerous in being a Jew is something that doesn’t exist, but in other countries it’s always still there. It hangs over people.

I have three sons, and it was always a wonder to me to see how they were growing up without the slightest fear 6 that we all had. So you’re lucky.

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But I should tell you, at the same time, I’m not somebody who walks around worried that there is going to be another Holocaust. If anything, on the contrary, but I just think the reason to remember the Holocaust is to make sure it doesn’t happen again, elsewhere for other people, for Jews, it’s important. What happened there is a tremendous tragedy for humankind as a whole, not just for Jews. Just imagine all the wonderful people that were lost in the Holocaust. Imagine how many Einsteins died, how many Nobel Prize winners died in the Holocaust. So it’s an important historical event, not only for Jews.

AJT: So do you think we can make sure the Holocaust doesn’t happen again?

Buergenthal: Yes, but one has to be alert. These remembrances, I don’t view them only as remembering the Jews who perished in the Holocaust, but also in their memory we have to make sure it doesn’t happen again to other people. I always think of my father; what would he want me to do?

My father died in the Holocaust. Would he just want me to remember him as a good father, or would he also want me to make sure that I at least contributed in one way or another to making sure that this doesn’t happen again?

AJT: You have so much experience.

Now people are thinking about all of the injustices around the world, particularly the refugees coming from Syria.

Buergenthal: When I see those children and the refugees, I see myself because we were running away from Czechoslovakia to Poland on the roads and the German tanks were coming in.

The refugees now compared to us are treated humanely. We knew we were going to be killed. But I have trouble seeing these pictures of the refugee children. I was 5 years old when it all started. And you see these children, their eyes. … You can’t be a mother or father without seeing the tragedy that these people are facing regardless of what their background is.

AJT: It’s interesting because you also faced that tragedy, and the world didn’t react. Now most of the world is reacting in some way, or at least wanting to do something. Do you see or feel the change?

Buergenthal: There is a change

definitely in some countries, not in others. … People are much more aware than they were of our suffering. Of course it helps to have television. It helps to have computThomas Buergenthal ers, email, all is one of the youngest survivors of those things which show the of Auschwitz. world immediately what’s happening. In our day, people didn’t know until liberation most of the time. These modern advantages that we have are immensely valuable for human rights protection. … You turn on the television and see what’s happening any place in the world in real time. We didn’t have that. Probably more people could have been saved if we’d had those advances.

AJT: One of the things people say about you is that you have the ability to see the bad and the good. Do you think it’s true?

Buergenthal: Wouldn’t it be terrible if I only saw the bad after surviving? And what would I do with the rest of my life? You know, I’ve had a very good life. I had a bad life until I was 12 years old, but since then I’ve had a wonderful life. All the things I’ve done — fortunately my mother survived for a number of long years, and now with my children, my family. I’ve been very lucky with my jobs. I had a wonderful life. One has to feel that one is living a happy life and that life is not bad. What happened to us is just a small piece of one’s life. And one shouldn’t dwell on it, other than to tell the story, which I think one has an obligation to do.

AJT: Why do you think people should be obligated to tell their story?

Buergenthal: If you think of the Holocaust only in terms of 6 million, it doesn’t mean anything. Who can imagine the murder of 6 million people and what it meant? But if every one of us who had an experience — and

Above: Thomas Buergenthal pays a visit to Auschwitz.

Below: Thomas Buergenthal says he had a rough life until age 12 but has had a good life since, including the fact that his mother survived the Holocaust with him.

everyone’s experience is a little bit different — if we tell the story, then the Holocaust takes on the meaning that it has for us who suffered in it. So many people never talked to their children or grandchildren; it’s terrible. You should tell them what it was like so that they see the Holocaust in terms of what actually happened.

AJT: What’s our next step in our obligation to continue to remember the Holocaust?

Buergenthal: We should remember the Holocaust, but not only in the way we remember a dead cemetery, but to remember making sure that this doesn’t happen again, and not only to Jews. Otherwise, you establish a memorial, and then you just forget everything that’s happened, and then we will build new memorials any place in the world after they have another genocide going on, and nothing will change. We have to make sure that we contribute to helping so it doesn’t happen again. ■

Who: Auschwitz survivor Thomas Buergenthal What: Am Yisrael Chai Holocaust commemoration Where: Westin Atlanta Perimeter North, 7 Concourse Parkway, Sandy Springs When: Sunday, Jan. 24, at 6:30 p.m. for the “Confronting Auschwitz” exhibit and at 7 p.m. for the speaker Admission: Free; RSVP required to courageandcompassion.eventbrite.com Information: www.amyisraelchaiatlanta.org

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Historians Rebuff BDS

The American Historical Association, holding its annual meeting in downtown Atlanta, voted 111-50 against a resolution accusing Israel of restricting Palestinian academic activities in Gaza and the West Bank.

The vote Saturday, Jan. 9, was seen as a defeat for the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, which had backed the resolution amid the efforts of some academic organizations to single out and disparage Israel.

The American Jewish Committee praised the AHA decision.

“AHA members rebuffed the efforts of BDS activists to exploit American academic groups to single out Israel for condemnation,” AJC CEO David Harris said. “Israeli-Palestinian peace can only be achieved in bilateral talks between the parties, not by anti-Israel activists trying to win over scholarly groups in the U.S.” AJC Atlanta Director Dov Wilker added that the vote reflected the strength of an academic organization that knows it should focus on research and not politics.

AHA members opposed to the resolution had argued that, in calling on the group “to monitor” Israeli action regarding Palestinian educational

institutions, the measure contravened the organization’s constitution and mission.

The resolution was sponsored by Historians Against the War, a group formed in 2003 in response to U.S. military action in Iraq.

Guilty Pleas in Bid Fraud

An ongoing federal investigation into bid rigging at real estate foreclosure auctions led to guilty pleas from two men, one of whom is Jewish, on Monday, Jan. 4.

Ira Eisenberg and Paul Chen pleaded guilty in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public auctions in Georgia. They and others agreed not to bid against one another and conspired to defraud mortgage holders and homeowners.

“These individuals unlawfully rigged home foreclosure auctions and then used payoffs and private side auctions to divide among themselves money that should have gone to mortgage holders and homeowners,” said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Together with our FBI colleagues, the division will bring to justice unscrupulous investors who scheme to rob unsuspecting mortgage

holders and homeowners.”

Chen admitted to participating in the conspiracy in Fulton County from as early as February 2009 until at least March 2010, and Eisenberg admitted to participating from as early as August 2009 until at least February 2011.

Chen also operated the conspiracies in DeKalb County.

Chen and Eisenberg are the 11th and 12th people charged in the investigation. Other Jewish real estate investors pleaded guilty previously.

Hadassah Installs Boards

December was installation season for Greater Atlanta Hadassah groups.

The Ketura Group held its installation of officers and board members at the Sandy Springs Diner on Thursday, Dec. 3. Rita Loventhal, a past president of Ketura and current major gifts chair for the Greater Atlanta Chapter and Southeastern Region, led the ceremony, during which Amy Jampol was installed for her second year as president.

The Metulla Group chose the eighth day of Chanukah, Sunday, Dec. 13, for its installation, viewing the holiday of rededication as the perfect time to reaffirm a commitment to Hadassah and Israel. After Michele WeinerMerbaum completed her two years as

group president, Nancy Schwartz was installed in the position by her daughter, Mindy Cohen, the president of the Birmingham Hadassah Chapter.

More information about Greater Atlanta Hadassah, celebrating its centennial this year, and its groups is available at www.hadassah.org/atlanta.

The 2016 officers and board for Hadassah’s Ketura Group are (back row from left) Fran Redisch, Joan Solomon, Harriet Trackman, Marcy Caras, Maxine Schein, Debra Sharker, Helen Ehrlich, Arlene Glass and Sheila Parks and (front row from left) Helene Jacoby, Amy Jampol, Rita Goldstein and Suzy Wilner. Not pictured are Judith Cohen and Viv Kurland.

The 2016 officers and board for Hadassah’s Metulla Group are (from left) Sharyn Lazarnick, Ruth Berg, Livia Sklar, Nancy Schwartz, Lynne Levinson, Anita Otero, Judy Packler and Sydelle Silberman.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

LOCAL NEWS

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ISRAEL NEWS

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Adult Stem Cells Slow ALS in Hadassah Trial

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they were getting the stem-cell treatment, a Phase 2 double-blind study using the Hadassah protocol is running at the Mayo Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital and University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center.

ALS affects an estimated 30,000 people in the United States and 450,000 worldwide.

“I am optimistic that within the foreseeable future, we may provide a treatment to ALS patients that can slow down or stop the progression. I believe we are in the early stages of something new and revolutionary with this harvested stem-cell infusion therapy,” Karussis said. “While this is absolutely by no means a cure, it is the first step in a long process in that direction. I see this treatment as being potentially one of the major future tools to treat degenerative diseases of the brain and spinal cord in general.”

Hadassah President Ellen Hershkin said her organization is eager to continue Karussis’ work against ALS and other neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases, including multiple sclerosis.

Chaim Lebovits, the president of BrainStorm, based in Hackensack, N.J., and Petach Tikvah, said Hadassah will test different doses to improve the therapy’s “spectacular results.” ■

Mission to Israel

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tlanta’s Conservative synagogues are joining with Conservative congregations throughout North America for a solidarity mission to Israel on Sunday, Feb. 14.

The trip comes in response to the surge in terrorist violence in Israel since the High Holidays.

The seemingly individual acts of terrorism, usually by young Arabs armed with knives or using vehicles to run over Israelis, drew wide media attention when they began but have drawn less international coverage as the attacks have been seen as normal.

But the attacks often result in Israeli injuries and sometimes in deaths.

The Conservative movement wants to make the point that Israel remains a safe tourist destination, and all of the local Conservative congregations have endorsed the mission.

Israel Tour Connection has planned a packed solidarity itinerary to reach those who have been harmed and share concern and support.

The mission will depart on Feb. 14 and will give participants the option to return Thursday night, Feb. 18 (Friday arrival in Atlanta), or Saturday night, Feb. 20 (Sunday arrival in Atlanta).

Land-only prices for the trip are $1,595 for the Thursday return and $1,995 for the Saturday return.

The mission’s activities include: • Meeting with Israel Defense Forces personnel to learn about security.

• Visiting a kibbutz near Gaza.

• Learning more about East Jerusalem and its residents.

• Briefly touring the Jewish Quarter of the Old City.

• Meeting with representatives of Masorti (Conservative) congregations.

• Visiting the Knesset to discuss Jewish religious pluralism in Israel.

You do not have to be part of the Conservative movement to join the mission. To get more information, including a detailed itinerary, contact any of the Conservative congregational rabbis in the Atlanta area. ■

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

ISRAEL NEWS

Israel Pride: Good News From Our Jewish Home New town for Druze. For the first time since 1948, Israel has approved plans for the establishment of a new Druze town in northern Israel. The town will be in the Lower Galilee near Tiberias and will be close to centers of employment.

Joint China-Israel university. The Technion has laid the cornerstone for a research center in the southern Chinese city of Shantou. The Guangdong Technion Israel Institute of Technology will provide bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral courses in chemical engineering, materials engineering and biotechnology engineering.

Protection for the pope. The Ugandan government used the Israeli-made Skystar 180 surveillance balloon system to monitor Pope Francis on his recent visit to Uganda. The system also was used to protect the recent U.N. climate conference in Paris.

Aid for flood-stricken Paraguay. Israel is providing food and assistance kits to Paraguayans affected by massive flooding of the Paraguay River from El Niño

storms during December. The flooding has displaced 100,000 people in Asuncion.

Restoration of the Kishon River. As part of the ongoing rehabilitation of the once highly polluted Kishon River, about 290 million gallons of water are being pumped annually into the basin to restore the river’s flow. High-quality fresh water is being used, encouraging native Israeli flora and fauna to return and flourish.

Safe surface for European playgrounds. Pashut Yarok (“Simply Green” in Hebrew) is exporting shock pads — plastic foam safety surfaces for children’s playgrounds — to countries in the European Union. The shock pads are installed under synthetic grass to absorb the force if a child falls.

Successful trials for prostate cancer therapy. A prostate cancer therapy (laser plus TOOKAD Soluble) invented at the Weizmann Institute completed Phase 3 trials on 480 patients in Latin America and Europe and was approved

by Mexico’s health authority. Minimal

side effects were associated with the high cure rates.

Tamara Salem and Barak Kirschner, also offers a dress.

Pain relief. Israeli and U.S. trials of the Israeli-developed hyperbaric (highpressure) oxygen therapy reported relief for all 48 sufferers of fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition. Dr. Shai Efrati, the lead author of the study at the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, noted that his own mother suffers from fibromyalgia.

Israeli-designed dairy for South Sudan. Tel Aviv-based Alef Bet Planners is designing a $150 million dairy project in South Sudan, where milk production is low. The Israeli cowshed model has been used in Vietnam, China, the United States, Russia and India.

Deaf father inspires startup. Zeev Gruber got the idea for his Caesarea-based startup, VocaVu, when he no longer could tolerate the noise of his deaf dad’s radio. VocaVu transforms speech from radio and TV into text you can read on a smartphone. It also displays content relevant to the broadcast.

One shirt 24 ways. Clothing startup Morf has sent the fashion world into a spin with a patented shirt that can be worn up to 24 ways. Morf raised 524 percent of its crowdfunding goal, attracting $131,089 from 1,788 backers. It should at least provide for some extra space in the suitcase. Morf, started by

Netflix in Israel. Streaming service Netflix is now available in Israel, one of 130 countries the American service expanded to this month. The service will be only in English and Arabic initially, with packages costing approximately $8 to $12 per month.

Genesis for Perlman. Israeli violinist Itzhak Perlman has been awarded this year’s Genesis Prize, the “Jewish Nobel,” to add to his recent U.S. Medal of Freedom. Perlman intends to use his $1 million prize for projects to assist people with disabilities and to develop young musicians with special talent.

Compiled courtesy of verygoodnewsisrael. blogspot.com and other news sources.

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OPINION

Our View

Win for Atlanta

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JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

ednesday, Jan. 6, brought great news to start 2016: The Israeli Consulate General to the Southeast is remaining in Atlanta.

For five months, since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government issued a draft budget calling for the closure of the consulate, we had fretted about the fate of the diplomatic mission, which connects six Southeastern states to Israel.

The threat to the consulate came at a vulnerable time. Not only was the consulate going through a transition, but before the final budget was passed Nov. 19, the chief executives of Federation and the Marcus Jewish Community Center had announced their exits. As a result, community leaders who might have rallied to support the Israeli diplomats had pressing local concerns to distract them, and, at least publicly, Jewish Atlanta was largely silent.

We have stated the many ways the Atlanta consulate has proved its worth, from facilitating political and business connections to supporting a growing Israeli population to lobbying state lawmakers to stand with Israel and against the anti-Semitic regime in Iran. But, as hard as it is to believe, the Atlanta Jewish Times doesn’t have a direct line to the prime minister.

Fortunately, the consul general, Ambassador Judith Varnai Shorer, does.

Shorer, officially on the job less than a week when the draft budget was released, has a longtime, personal relationship with Netanyahu. She has been in the diplomatic corps long enough not to worry about damaging her career by getting out of line.

She’s the rare Israeli diplomat who arrived here with ambassadorial rank. Her immediate predecessor, Opher Aviran, achieved that status late in his five years in Atlanta. His predecessor, Reda Mansour, had served as the ambassador to Ecuador before becoming consul general here, but he did not carry the official rank in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

When the consulate was threatened, Shorer took action. She turned her office into a clearinghouse for messages of protest to the prime minister. She rallied the support of Southeastern elected officials. When she joined Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on a mission to Israel in August, she went straight to Netanyahu and told him it would be a mistake to abandon Atlanta.

Shorer didn’t have to stand up for the consulate.

She had no close ties or deep commitments here. She and her husband and daughter hadn’t settled in yet.

She could have used her face time with Netanyahu in late August to ask for a reassignment.

We don’t know what happened behind the scenes to save the consulate. Perhaps Knesset member Michael Oren, a former ambassador to the United States who expressed support for the consulate before an appearance in October, nudged Netanyahu. Perhaps the prime minister never intended to shutter the local mission but just needed the cover of additional U.S. targets (San Francisco also was on the initial chopping block) before proceeding with longtime plans to close Philadelphia. Perhaps some political heavy hitters in the Southeast made persuasive arguments.

But we know Shorer succeeded in her first big challenge as consul general, and we’re grateful for 10 her efforts. ■

AJT

A Glimpse Into Interfaith Worship

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He argued that a Jewish newspaper should he Aleinu prayer celebrates being Jewish in contrast to all the goyim out there, so it made view interfaith worship critically. He mentioned the an interesting focal point for Vanderbilt dangers of interfaith friendship leading to interfaith University religion professor Amy-Jill Levine as marriage. He also worried about Jews joining in she spoke to a Temple Sinai sanctuary packed with Christian prayers in front of a crucifix and wonChristians as well as Jews on Friday night, Jan. 8. dered whether the Jewish liturgy would be watered While addressing in less than 15 minutes the down to avoid offense. Would the Shema, declaring mistakes Jews and Christians make about each other, that we are the chosen people, even be recited?

Levine delved into a prayer that I can speak has been a source of Jewishonly about the Christian tension for centuries.

Friday service, but Editor’s Notebook I’ve interviewed Levine by it was not watered

By Michael Jacobs phone and email and once on down. All the usual mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com the radio show the AJT used to Reform prayers were have on Joe Weber’s WMLB-AM, though I’ve never met her in person. She’s a colleague and friend of my brother, Andrew, who like Levine is a scholar of the New Testament and early Christianity.

I was happy to hear Levine was coming to town for a scholarly weekend and was intrigued by the circumstances: She was speaking at services at Temple Sinai on Friday and Saturday, then at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church on Sunday. Members of the neighboring congregations in Sandy Springs were encouraged to attend all the sessions.

Bringing Christians to a synagogue for services isn’t unusual; it happens all around Atlanta every week for simchas. I suspect it’s less common for Jews in significant numbers to attend Christian services, but Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta was packed last February for The Temple’s traditional Presidents Day visit to Martin Luther King’s former pulpit.

When I previewed Levine’s visit for our Dec. 25 issue, I was just sharing details of a nice interfaith event, with no deeper meaning than perhaps our general acceptance in Atlanta a century after Leo Frank’s lynching. So I was caught off guard when one of my favorite behind-the-scenes constructive critics emailed his concerns.

there, including the Shema and Aleinu.

It appeared that Christians sang along with Englishlanguage songs and prayers and happily watched when Hebrew was involved. My guess is that the Jews at the Episcopal service Sunday sang along with prayers about G-d (many of them close translations of Jewish prayers) and listened quietly when Jesus came into play, but I welcome comments from anyone who was there.

Levine on Friday night was dynamic and brilliant, educational and entertaining. If you ever get a chance to see her kick off her shoes and teach, whether about history or religion, ours or theirs, it’s worth putting aside concerns about the venue.

Her brief Aleinu discourse offered at least one answer to the skeptics. The messianic vision of that core part of our liturgy involves all the world’s people recognizing and worshipping G-d, but it doesn’t say anything about their becoming Jewish. Part of our ultimate mission as the chosen people isn’t to create 7 billion converts to Judaism but to help guide all those people to G-d’s message and mission.

Bringing those who aren’t Jewish into our services works toward that goal, and if the price is paying a return visit, so be it. ■

OPINION

Judaism and Islam: Similar but Divergent (in effect, holy war) is found only in the Bible, principally in the Book of Joshua. It is restricted to the seven Canaanite peoples living in the land of Israel who must be destroyed as part of the conquest.

For Muslims, jihad (holy war) was the means to carve out a massive caliphate in the Middle Ages. Although jihad as an internal struggle against

Guest Column

By Rabbi Richard Baroff

the evil does exist, many Islamists today practice jihad as an external holy war. (Medieval Christians also practiced holy war.) No form of Judaism advocates herem as holy war today.

The current jihadi threat to Israel, the United States and Europe is the product of the doctrine of medieval Islamic holy war.

What went wrong? Judaism and Christianity were transformed by the Enlightenment (roughly 1650 to 1800), a reaction to the religious wars between Protestants and Catholics in the 1500s and 1600s. Christianity separated politics and science from religion in a way Islam never did. Judaism experienced an enlightenment, Haskalah, a little latter (1780s to 1880s).

In the 19th century a few Islamic scholars tried to create a Muslim enlightenment related to the Salafist movement. It largely backfired, leading to the Muslim Brotherhood and other forms of political Islam that advocate jihad. In Indonesia, however, this impulse did lead to a movement for Islamic rationalism and tolerance.

The fact that Islam did not transform itself since 1800 in accordance with modernity explains the appeal of Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Hamas, Boko Haram, the Taliban and many other extremist groups.

Many leaders in the world of Islam want such a transformation.

We should want it too. Such a change would go a long way toward securing peace for Israel and security for the West. The future of humanity depends on those leaders’ success. ■ Rabbi Richard Baroff leads Guardians of the Torah.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

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e live in an age of fear, mostly of Islamic extremism. We look for common ground with the majority of Muslims, who are peaceful and want to quietly fit into modern society. Given that Islam shares much in common with Judaism, one must sadly ask: Why isn’t the world doing better than it is?

There is no doubt Muhammad was inspired by his contact with Judaism and Christianity. It also is clear that he patterned his new religion, Islam, after Judaism.

He received the series of Quranic revelations from Gabriel (Jibril), an archangel in rabbinic lore.

Daily prayer was fixed at five times a day, compared with three times for Jews. Like the Jew, the Muslim was to face Jerusalem in prayer, although that later was changed to Mecca.

Jews within the tiny land of Eretz Yisrael were to make a pilgrimage, the chag, to Jerusalem’s Temple three times a year: Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. Muslims worldwide were required to make a pilgrimage, the hajj, to Mecca once in a lifetime if possible.

The Quran contains many of the narratives and figures found within the Hebrew Scriptures, albeit in altered form. Both faiths trace their lineage back to Abraham/Ibrihim, as do Christians. That is why the great religions of the Western world — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — are referred to as the Abrahamic faiths.

Prophecy, the defining characteristic of biblical religion, is central to Islam. Moses/Musa and Jesus/Isa are important prophets to Muslims. Muhammad is “the seal of the prophets.”

The oneness of G-d is proclaimed in both the Shema (“the Lord is one”) and the Shahada (“There is no G-d but Allah”). In both religions this one G-d is creator, revealer and redeemer.

Both Judaism and Islam affirm that a covenant exists between G-d and those who follow the divine will.

The idea of shariah follows the philosophy of halachah: G-d’s will takes the form primarily of law. Both Islamic legislation and the rabbis developed complex traditions of legal interpretation. Shariah under extremists (e.g., the Taliban) is a form of totalitarian political control. There is, of course, no such role for halachah in any Jewish community.

For Jews, the doctrine of herem

AJT 11

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OPINION

Frat Brother in Congress

Lubel hosts gathering for Tennessee’s Cohen

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ho drives around Washington in a black 1986 Cadillac?

If you guessed Congressman Steven Cohen of Tennessee, you would be correct. A Democrat, Cohen has represented a Memphisarea district for nine years after serving 24 years in the Tennessee Senate.

Lawyer Alan Lubel hosted Cohen, his Vanderbilt ZBT fraternity brother, in his Sandy Springs home Monday, Jan. 4. Call it a meet-and-greet quasi-fundraiser, but Cohen was affable, approachable, quick-witted and informative.

“What makes Cohen unique is that he is the only non-African-American congressman to represent a predominantly black constituency,” Lubel said. A fourth-generation Memphian, Cohen has dedicated his life to local and national politics as a progressive Democrat.

“How do you define that?” I asked.

Cohen said, “My emphasis is on civil rights, women’s issues and not being stuck in the past.”

As a congressman, Cohen will be a superdelegate to this year’s Democratic National Convention, where he plans to support Hillary Clinton.

“One of my best friends was Julian Bond. Since I am one of the few real drivers (contrasted to those who live in their office and shower at the gym) in D.C., I used to chauffeur him around and laugh about us being the opposite of ‘Driving Miss Daisy,’ ” Cohen said.

He said he hopes that Bond, who died in August, will receive the Medal of Freedom posthumously.

Knowing his audience, Cohen brought out his Yiddish expressions for the night, but one can imagine the

Alan Lubel and Lisa RinzlerLubel welcome Congressman Steve Cohen (right) to Sandy Springs.

Jaffe’s Jewish Jive

By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

challenges he faces at home when he is challenged by African-American candidates who think one of their own should represent the 9th Congressional District. Cohen, who in 2010 easily defeated Memphis’ first black mayor, Willie Herenton, in the Democratic primary, joked: “Guess who’s coming to Congress? Me.” Cohen’s successes as a state lawmaker included the establishment of the lottery in Tennessee to raise billions for education, the creation of a Holocaust commission, and an innovative animal welfare law that allows damages (capped at $5,000) for the pain and suffering of a pet cat or dog.

Lubel included some conservative Republicans among the invited guests.

No one challenged Cohen’s comments, but I saw some flinches and bitten tongues.

On Israel, Cohen said: “Of course I am a friend of Israel; what Jew isn’t?

I have visited Black Muslim mosques, and most African-Americans relate well to Palestinians as being enslaved.

I believe in a two-state solution. Arabs do support black politicians; we know that. I play both ends and support AIPAC and J Street.”

It should be noted that although Cohen sent a letter to President Barack Obama to request certain safeguards in the Iran nuclear deal, he eventually supported the agreement.

“There are Jewish issues beyond Israel,” he said. “What about tolerance for human rights? Gay rights? Desire for justice and knowledge? Striving for independence?”

Dr. Marshall Abes asked about Tennessee water as a resource for Georgia downstream. Cohen said: “Yes, water, like plastics in the ‘Graduate’ movie, is the hot topic. I’ll look into it, but I drink it straight.”

Paul Heller inquired about gun control. Cohen said: “It’s probably impossible to stop all the meshuganas, but we have to try. I myself have a gun and license to carry. America seems to be behind Europe on this phenomenon.”

Cohen said he had polio as a child and learned how to overcome obstacles. He now regrets not marrying and having the blessing of a family. “I’ll leave my button collection to Lubel.”

In closing Cohen said: “I am a friend of Elie Wiesel and, like him, do not believe that we can accept despair as an answer. I have hope for Middle

Photos by Marcia Caller Jaffe

Alan Lubel introduces Steve Cohen to a crowd not entirely aligned with the Tennessee congressman’s progressive politics.

East peace and a collegial Congress.”

(To that end, he complimented new House Speaker Paul Ryan.)

“What does America have?” Cohen said. “Legal drugs, a defense industry and intellectual property. That is our new reality.” ■

A First-Timer’s Dip Into the Mikvah

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JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

alm, surrounded by water and totally alone. You reflect, you pray, you let the waters soothe and cleanse, revive and renew. You walk out a new person, lighter and more in touch with yourself.

My first experience with the mikvah happened just a few weeks ago after the opening of the Metro Atlanta Community Mikvah, or MACoM, an independent, nondenominational facility on the campus of Congregation B’nai Torah in Sandy Springs.

12 MACoM offers a beautiful experi-

AJT

Guest Column

By Sarah Skinner sarah@atljewishtimes.com

ence. The prayers are etched in gold lettering on the tiles that line the mikvah, giving one the impression of being almost wrapped up in them. The volunteers are cheerful and knowledgeable, very helpful to a first-timer like myself, and the water is clear and warm.

The mikvah is connected to two nice changing rooms to ensure complete privacy and allow for a more intimate and personal experience. The volunteers, however, are just around the corner to help you with anything you need.

Many of the volunteers also are donors to the project, each having particular reasons for support and a vested interest in the community’s enjoyment of the new facility.

“This is the first nondenominational mikvah open to the Atlanta

Jewish community,” said one volunteer and donor, Adrian Boyer. “It’s an opportunity to unite people from all sects of Judaism — to renew and refresh themselves during a new cycle in their lives.”

There are many reasons, personal and religious, to go to the mikvah, making it a sanctuary and a place of revitalization. It is MACoM’s accessibility, however, with the painstaking effort to be a place of openness and acceptance, that makes it a unique and important addition to the nontraditional Jewish community in Atlanta. ■

AJT

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JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

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LOCAL NEWS

Legislature Lacks a Minyan

Georgia assembly session opens with a single Jew in each chamber

By Dave Schechter dschechter@atljewishtimes.com

W

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

hen he was a member of the state Senate, David Adelman annually spoke to students at Jewish day schools.

“I vividly recall one year when a young student raised her hand and declared that she did not think Jews were permitted to run for office in Georgia until she met me,” said the Democrat, who served from 2003 to 2010 in the General Assembly’s upper chamber.

Georgia has its highest-ranking Jewish elected official ever in secondterm Attorney General Sam Olens.

Otherwise, with only two Jewish members left in the Georgia legislature, day school students might start to wonder.

Jewish representation in the legislature predates Georgia’s ratification of the U.S. Constitution on Jan. 2, 1788.

Pennsylvania native David Emanuel fought with the Burke County militia in the Revolutionary War. He entered the legislature in 1783, served as a delegate to the constitutional conventions, as president of the Senate and as acting governor for eight months in 1801. Historians consider him Jewish, though he became a Presbyterian.

Abraham Simons of Wilkes County, a captain in the Revolutionary War, was elected to the legislature in 1804.

Simons is remembered for being buried — as requested — standing up, in uniform and holding his musket (so that he could shoot the devil). His widow married the Rev. Jesse Mercer, who used the wealth Simons amassed as a businessman to establish Mercer University, a Baptist institution in Macon.

Raphael Moses practiced law in Columbus and pioneered the commercial growing and sales of peaches.

A slaveholder, Moses advocated for secession from the Union and held the rank of major as a commissary officer for the Confederate army. Elected to the House after the Civil War, the Democrat chaired the Judiciary Committee and was a critic of Reconstruction.

“I feel it an honor to be of a race whom persecution cannot crush, whom prejudice has in vain endeavored to subdue,” Moses told a newspaper in 1878, responding to critics.

Jews make up about 1.3 percent of Georgia’s population. When the General Assembly gaveled into session Monday, Jan. 11, with 180 House members 14 and 56 senators, its two Jewish lawmak-

AJT

ers — Rep. Michele Henson, D-Stone Mountain/District 86, and Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford/District 45 — formed about 0.8 percent of the total.

The 40-day session promises controversy, including another attempt to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and consideration of a measure that would mirror the proposed federal First Amendment Defense Act to shield Georgians who decline on religious grounds to provide services to same-sex marriages.

The docket could include immigration, transportation funding, public education funding, casino gambling, college affordability and the Confederate monument at Stone Mountain.

Henson, who took office in 1991, is the longest-serving woman in the House and the senior member of the DeKalb County delegation.

The new year marks the start of Unterman’s 26th year in public service.

She was the mayor of Loganville and a Gwinnett County commissioner before being elected in 1998 to the Georgia House and in 2002 to the Senate.

Last session, two Jews served in the House, but Mike Jacobs, a Brookhaven Republican, exchanged the legislative branch for the judiciary after Gov. Nathan Deal appointed him to the State Court for DeKalb.

“I will miss” Jacobs, Henson said.

“Mike and I argued a lot, especially on DeKalb politics — very, very much. I like him, but I don’t like his politics. I like him as a judge. Mike will be a great judge.”

Jacobs responded in kind. “As the only two Jewish legislators in the House, Michele and I shared a bond that transcended any differences of opinion we may have had from time to time. Michele is a good friend.”

Jacobs served in the House from 2005 to 2015. He was elected as a Democrat but in 2007 joined the Republicans. After narrowly winning in 2004, he easily won re-election four times.

The end of Jacobs’ legislative tenure was notable. In the Judiciary Committee he amended the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which had passed the Senate, to prevent “discrimination on any ground prohibited by federal, state or local law,” leading to the measure being tabled and incurring the wrath of conservative commentators.

“It ebbs and flows,” Jacobs said of Jewish representation. “Right now we are at or near a low-water mark. I think

Photo by Kevin Fund via Wikimedia Commons

Current and former Jewish lawmakers say they have found a welcoming environment at the Georgia Capitol; they just haven’t found many fellow Jews interested in making the time commitment.

the challenges with regard to legislative service are the same for everybody.

It does require you to give up approximately three months of your life every year and to put your business obligations and professional obligations and sometimes family obligations on hold, and that’s a very difficult thing to ask any citizen to do. It’s a great honor to serve in the General Assembly and be the voice of your community in the legislative body of the state, but by the same token it requires considerable sacrifice.”

Georgia legislators are paid $17,341 a year plus $173 in per diem during the legislative session.

Tom Baxter is a longtime observer of Georgia politics, for many years with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and more recently with Saporta Report.

“In the past, a number of Jewish legislators, such as Elliott Levitas, Sidney Marcus and Cathey Steinberg, have had notable careers. Jews have never been a large presence at the legislature, but they have certainly not been invisible,” Baxter said. “As a generality, I’d say all the things which have caused white Democrats to diminish so rapidly — the conversion of white conservatives to the GOP, the increase in African-American Democratic candidates, and the impact of reapportionment and redistricting — have also affected Jewish representation. However, there have been Jewish Republicans; Mitch Kaye certainly cut a wide swath.”

Kaye, a Cobb County Republican who served in the House from 1993 to

2003, offered a partisan perspective.

“Why so few Jews and probably declining? The majority of Jews are left of center. With the GOP growth — when I came into office, it was a one-party state, Democrat; now it is one-party GOP — there are less opportunities for Democrats,” Kaye said. “If you look at our congressional delegation, it is either Republican or black.

The white Democrat is a dying breed in the South. This is also the case in the legislature, but not as dramatic. There are still white liberal Democrats in the metro area, but few white Democrats in the rural areas. The ones I served with either got beat by a Republican or changed parties. So the growth of Jewish legislators should — should — be on the GOP side or not at all.”

Looking back on his House time, Kaye said: “I have found that gentiles respect Jews who respect their Judaism.

At legislative dinners at the Governor’s Mansion, the staff bent over backwards to accommodate my Jewish dietary observances. In fact, my personal journey towards greater Jewish observance and education was spurred on by my many religious Christian colleagues.”

He said he and his Christian colleagues would talk about biblical stories and principles, and Kaye found he lacked the depth of knowledge. So he learned and grew in his observance.

“A number of legislators have Jewish ancestors. One religious Christian was even halachically Jewish, and we joked about him counting towards a minyan. More than a few rural legis-

LOCAL NEWS

Renee Unterman, a Buford Republican, is the only Jewish member of the state Senate.

lators had very positive stories of how their grandparents were helped during the Depression and other hard times by a local friendly Jewish merchant and often naming their children after these Jewish friends,” Kaye said, citing a Democratic majority leader with whom he served, Larry Cohen Walker Jr. Kevin Levitas, the son of former Democratic Congressman Elliott Levitas, who also served in the state House, represented District 82 in the House as a Democrat from 2007 to 2011.

“I served as a Jewish, urban-county lawyer-businessman, and among my closest friends were farmers from more rural parts of the state. I enjoyed my service on the Agriculture Committee perhaps more than any others,” Levitas said. “My areas of interest were broad (agriculture, crime, transportation, science and technology, etc.) but not focused on any subject area that I would consider different from my nonJewish colleagues. In other words, differences in background were neither a barrier to friendships nor a dividing line between the kinds of legislation on which we focused.”

More than 200 Jews serve in some 40 state legislatures, including Idaho, Alaska and Hawaii, representing a larger percentage of the 5,400 state legislators nationwide than the portion of Jews in the general population.

The vast majority, perhaps as high as 90 percent, are Democrats.

Jeff Wice, the director of the National Association of Jewish Legislators, said two concerns are most common among Jewish legislators: sensitivity to anti-Semitism and the defense of Israel. In rural states with smaller Jewish populations, a Jewish legislator may be expected to be the expert on Israel in the eyes of gentile colleagues.

“Our No. 1 issue right now is the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, sanctions movement and to deal with that on a no-one-size-fits-all basis, whether we want to promote Israel trade, do nothing, or oppose bad legislation and

Michele Henson, a Stone Mountain Democrat, is the only Jewish member of the state House.

David Adelman served as a state senator until he was named U.S. ambassador to Singapore.

resolutions harmful to Israel,” Wice said. Several states have passed measures opposing the BDS movement.

Wice said Henson and Unterman have been active in the NAJL. As to the relatively small number of Jews in the Georgia legislature, Unterman said: “Historically, whether they’re Jewish or women or whatever, the South has always lagged behind.

It’s not coincidence; it’s historical.”

Unterman has represented District 45, home to more than 181,000 in northern Gwinnett, since 2003.

“If you want to make social change or cultural change, you have to be in the majority party,” she said. “You can’t do anything” in the minority party, a lesson she learned as a Republican in a Democratic-dominated state House.

Today, Republicans control both chambers and the governor’s office.

Unterman is a Jew by choice; she was raised Catholic. She described her conversion to Judaism as rigorous and adhering to Orthodox tradition and law, including a year of study, testing by a panel of rabbis and visits to a mikvah.

“I believe in G-d and consider myself very conservative and very religious,” she said. Unterman recalled that she and her ex-husband were involved in the early days of Temple Beth David in Snellville.

She has since remarried and attends church with her husband.

During a 2011 Senate debate over legislation that allowed local governments to hold referendums on Sunday liquor sales, Christian opponents cited a need to protect their Sabbath.

“I’m Jewish; mine is Friday and Saturday,” Unterman said.

With degrees in nursing from Georgia State University and social work from the University of Georgia, she chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and is vice chair of the Appropriations Committee.

Combating child sex trafficking is a major Unterman priority. She credits

Continued on the next page

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

Mike Jacobs’ appointment to the State Court in DeKalb County ended his time as a state representative last year.

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www.atlantajewishtimes.com

LOCAL NEWS

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Ahavath Achim Synagogue and The Temple for their support. The Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta also has been active on the issue.

“I am completely indebted to them, and if I had not had those Jewish ties, I don’t think the issue of sex trafficking would be as advanced as it is,” said Unterman, who hopes that voters this year approve a constitutional amendment the legislature passed last spring to require the adult entertainment industry to finance therapeutic treatment for sex-trafficking victims.

“The issue is very personal, very, very personal to me,” Unterman said.

She told how some years ago she returned home distraught from a visit to Angela’s House in Palmetto, the first safe house in Georgia for girls escaping sex trafficking. Witnessing her emotions, her son Zac urged her to use her legislative influence on the issue.

He took his life not long after, and Unterman said his memory remains an inspiration to her.

She also has advocated for requiring insurance companies to help pay to treat children with autism, and she voted in favor of the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act last year before the measure stalled in the House.

Dating to her time as mayor, “the defense of Israel and the right of Israel to be the homeland of the Jewish people … and to exist peacefully” have been important issues for her, Unterman said.

Henson is beginning her 26th year in the legislature. The Quincy, Mass., native earned a degree in sociology from the University of Miami and moved to Atlanta in 1978.

District borders are redrawn in Georgia every 10 years, most recently in 2012. Henson said that the odd shape of District 86 is the result of gerrymandering by Republicans. It extends from Stone Mountain, where Henson lives, to near Northlake Mall, along the way encompassing five exits on Interstate 285. With an estimated 57,660 residents, the district is the sixth most populous in the House. Its population is 61.3 percent black, 27 percent white, 6.4 percent Asian and 3.5 percent Hispanic.

When you are in the minority — in Henson’s case, as a Democrat in a chamber that’s two-thirds Republican — you seek achievement when and where you can, she said. “You stand up for what you believe, and you put your efforts into what you feel you can have some success with. … You don’t go and get upset by things that aren’t of great import or that you aren’t going to be able to effect any change. You have to 16 choose and pick your battles.”

AJT

As to how being Jewish affects her legislative outlook, Henson said: “I think I want to be more inclusive at times. I look at the inclusiveness of all religions.

We were all immigrants. I have a more liberal view regarding that, a more liberal view toward people practicing religion and practicing their different religions. I feel that we should accept people, not discriminate against people, but that also extends beyond religion.”

Henson said she has attended services at Shema Yisrael: The Open Synagogue. “My Judaism is in the culture, my identity. My heritage goes way, way back. I’ve never considered not being Jewish, not standing up for my faith.”

Henson said she has experienced overt anti-Semitism not from her legislative colleagues, but from a less secular element.

“Only from the preachers that come in and the chaplains,” Henson said. “We have a chaplain every morning. Some of them have made me very uncomfortable” with heavily Christian messages. On occasion she has complained to the speaker of the House, asking chaplains to recognize that legislators represent a diverse population.

“I can tell you that I never experienced anti-Semitism during my four years in the House. To the contrary, I felt both welcomed and supported as a Jew,” Levitas said. He singled out Rep. Joe Wilkinson, R-Atlanta, and former Sen. Don Balfour, R-Snellville, as being particularly supportive of Israel on such measures as divesting state funds from Iranian investments.

“I recall one Yom Kippur being shocked to see Sen. Balfour attending services at The Temple. He was a large man, so he would have stood out anyway, but unlike most of us, he was laser-focused on the rabbi’s sermon,” Levitas said. “My sense was that Jews are considered by many to be G-d’s chosen people, and like many Southern Jews before me, I sensed that non-Jews welcome Jews as people of G-d.”

Adelman likewise was proud to be a Jewish member of the legislature.

“Serving in the state legislature is consistent with Jewish values which emphasize community engagement and repairing the world. I am truly grateful for the support the Jewish community provided to me during my career in Georgia politics. I loved every day of service under the Gold Dome, and I sincerely hope the Jewish community was proud of my service,” said Adelman, who left when the U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination by President Barack Obama to be the U.S. ambassador to Singapore.

Adelman appreciated not being

JCRCA Preview Features Education, Health Care

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he Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta will preview the legislative session and examine some significant issues that fall under the state’s Sen. Nan Orrock purview during its annual meeting Tuesday, Jan. 19.

Sen. Nan Orrock, D-Atlanta, who has served in the state Senate since 2007 after 10 terms in the House, is due to provide an overview of the session, whose 40 legislative days are expected to stretch into April. (The General Assembly tends to start slowly, which is why a meeting eight days after the opening gavel still works as a preview.)

Also scheduled to speak are Mindy

Binderman, the executive director of the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students, who will address early childhood education and intergenerational poverty; Shelley Rose, the senior associate director of the AntiDefamation League’s Southeastern Region, who will talk about hate crimes legislation, something the ADL is pushing nationwide but Georgia lacks; and Harry Heiman from the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine, who will discuss health care policy and Georgia’s decision not to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Elizabeth Appley, the JCRCA’s immediate past president and a longtime Capitol lobbyist, will moderate the discussion. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at Congregation Or Hadash, 7460 Trowbridge Road, Sandy Springs. ■

alone in the legislature. “Liane Levetan and I were in the Senate together for a few years, and I will never forget sitting a few seats away from her in a year when we were in session during Pesach. We shared kosher-for-Passover food and had some great conversations with our colleagues about the meaning of Passover.”

Adelman, who now works in New York as an international trade lawyer focused on Asia, said he was sorry to learn that the number of Jewish legislators has dwindled.

Why is Henson now the lone Jew in the House?

“They don’t run,” she said of her fellow Jews. Henson could not explain the phenomenon in general but suggested that a place such as Sandy Springs, with a significant Jewish population, is well represented by non-Jews.

Levitas speculated that Jews choose community service as their path to serve others and that “Jews make the same calculation that many others do who have served or are thinking of serving, which is that it is very difficult to balance family, work and service in the General Assembly.”

Levetan, a Democrat who served from 2002 to 2004 in the state Senate after serving from 1993 to 2000 as DeKalb County CEO, said a passion for particular issues is necessary, along with the ability to raise the money to campaign and an understanding of the sacrifice of time involved in the job.

To anyone from the Jewish community seeking her advice about run-

ning for the legislature, Levetan said: “I would ask them first what they have been involved in in the community, in the Jewish community as well as the secular community. Do they have children so they understand education? Do they have the time to put into it? Have they ever been involved in local government, and do they think they have the ability to raise money, to put on an educated campaign — I mean informing constituents of what your platform is?”

Looking to the future, she said, “we’ve got to educate our young people.

Our millennials, who seem to be very involved, they need to look at public service and select something that they’re interested in.”

“In a more general sense, without belaboring the issue because I’m no longer involved in policy matters,” Jacobs said, “your life experiences as a Jew and the sensibilities of the Jewish community can have an impact on your views of much broader policy issues.”

He offered advice to any Jews considering a run for the legislature: “While balancing legislative service with the other demands of life can be difficult, it will forever be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The privilege of speaking on behalf of your community in a legislative body is one of the greatest privileges that a person can be afforded. It would be my hope that any member of the Jewish community who is thinking about running give it a try, and hopefully some time soon Rep. Henson will have a fellow traveler (in the House) once again.” ■

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

LOCAL NEWS

Coming Home

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t almost the same time Sunday, June 10, two important organizations in Jewish Atlanta celebrated their new homes by installing mezuzot.

At Ponce City Market in Midtown, InterfaithFamily/Atlanta (www.InterfaithFamily.com/Atlanta) had a party to introduce its first office space to scores of supporters. Along with food, drink and swag, IFF/Atlanta director Rabbi Malka Packer and project manager Laurel Snyder welcomed the crowd with music from the Pussywillows, thanks to the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival.

Before leading the crowd in the Shehecheyanu and the blessing for the mezuzah, placed at the entrance to IFF’s small office, Rabbi Packer cited the support of the Marcus and Leven foundations and the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and thanked her parents for surprising her by traveling to Atlanta for the event.

“We chose PCM because it is well within our price range, it’s an amazingly cool and hip space, we are above great stores and a fabulous food court, and we have access to all kinds of cool rooms like the meditation room, the green room with picnic tables, conference rooms and the secret room that

looks like the inside of Jeanie’s bottle,” Rabbi Packer said later. The one catch is that because she’s on the road a lot, people should make an appointment (MalkaP@interfaithfamily.com) before popping up to the eighth floor to visit.

Shared space isn’t an issue for the Chabad Israeli Center Atlanta, which celebrated its new building in Brookhaven under the leadership of Rabbi Mendy Gurary by installing mezuzot throughout the synagogue, offices and classrooms.

The ceremony included the official naming of the synagogue as Beit Reuven, in memory of Reuven Manoah of the Crown Group, whose family made the key donation for the facility.

Ron Manoah installed the mezuzah at the synagogue entrance.

The event began with remarks

by Rabbi Yochanan Gurary, the chief rabbi of Holon, Israel; Rabbi Yossi New, the director of Chabad of Georgia and spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Tefillah; and Ambassador Judith Varnai Shorer, Israel’s consul general to the Southeast.

The Chabad Israeli Center holds daily morning prayer services and Shabbat services and will add Mincha and Maariv services in the near future.

Find details at www.cicatlanta.com. ■

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D A. Rabbis Yochanan Gurary and Yossi New stand at the entrance to the new home of the Chabad Israeli Center Atlanta at the start of the mezuzah ceremony Jan. 10.

B. Ron Manoah installs the mezuzah at the entrance to Beit Reuven, newly named for his father.

C. Ron Manoah listens as Beit Reuven spiritual leader Rabbi Mendy Gurary speaks during the dedication ceremony Jan. 10.

D. Rabbi Mendy Gurary and Ron Manoah are joined by Rabbi Yossi New, Rabbi Yochanan Gurary and other rabbinic colleagues Jan. 10.

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E. Rebecca Hoelting Short, a national InterfaithFamily board member, installs the mezuzah Jan. 10 at the office of IFF/Atlanta on the eighth floor of Ponce City Market.

F. The IFF/Atlanta office is compact but comes with the use of common areas and specialized spaces around the eighth floor at Ponce City Market.

G. Laurel Snyder, IFF/Atlanta’s project manager, plays the role of traffic cop during the festivities.

H. People including surprise visitor Andrea Packer (right), Rabbi Malka Packer’s mother, join in the prayer to bless the mezuzah.

I. The Pussywillows (Hannah Zale and Carly Gibson) perform at the IFF/Atlanta party.

J. Rabbi Malka Packer, the director of IFF/Atlanta, welcomes the crowd the office warming ceremony Jan. 10.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

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SHEMA

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DOWN 1. Seven (12:15) 3. Four (12:41) 5. Lost (10:7)

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• Great-grandfather of Yitzchak, father-in-law of Sarah, and father of Terach.

• Mother of Gershom and Eliezer, daughter-in-law of Levi, and daughter of Yitro

GENEALOGY

I was known as Rebbi or Rebbi HaKadosh. I was friendly with the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. I was the major compiler of the Mishna.

WHO AM I?

ACROSS 2. Ten (12:6) 3. Spring (13:4) 4. Few (12:4) 5. Sign (13:16) 6. Blood (12:22)

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Complete the crossword by translating each English word into Hebrew. Use the parsha reference for help.

CROSSWORD

Courage: Stand up for what you believe in, even if others disagree with you.

good trait OF THE MONTH

(Hint: Mezuzah)

OIGDLAAN

(scramble)

J L E N L I A S T

T C A R O S E F P

S W S M V H N H A L

L E A V E E T G T C

M Y H R P I G V D S

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© 2015 The Famous Abba

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Find the bold italic words on this sheet.

The unused letters spell a secret message!

WORD FIND

Pharoah’s servants advised to let the Jews leave as “Egypt is lost.” Pharoah refused to let them go, so HaShem brought locusts all over Egypt. Pharoah admitted he sinned and asked Moshe and Aharon to pray for him. HaShem hardened Pharoah’s heart again and then HaShem brought darkness upon Egypt for 3 days, but for the Jews there was light. HaShem gave the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh and the Passover offering that the Jews were to begin to follow at that time in Egypt. HaShem also said to place blood on the doorposts and to eat matzos and bitter herbs. The Jews were to eat the Passover offering in a hurry and not leave any left over. HaShem established the holiday of Passover for all time. Leavened foods were forbidden for 7 days. At midnight, HaShem brought the last plague upon every firstborn in Egypt, except the Jewish households that He skipped over. Pharoah arose and told the Jews to leave. The Jews left with their Egypt and vessels and garments from the Egypt. The Jews are commanded to remember the leaving of Egypt and to wear tefillin.

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TEN PLAGUES

TEN COMMANDMENTS

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‫א ב ג ד ה ו ז ח ט י כ ל מ נ ס ע פ צ ק ר ש ת‬

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The first mitzvah given to the Jewish people:

gematria

• A classmate couldn’t name the 10 plagues.

• The principal showed up late for the class trip.

Can you judge these situations favorably?

LEAVING EGYPT

SALE OF YOSEF

you be the judge

SEA OF REEDS

GOLDEN CALF

spot the difference

Which one is different? (Hint: The Book of Shemot)

Are the following statements true of false?

• The Shemoneh Esreh originally had 19 blessings • There are 2 blessings before the Shema on Shabbat • Water always requires a blesing before drinking

blessings

• Preparing the Passover offering. (12:3) • The Jews’ and Egyptians’ houses during the plague of darkness. (10:21)

Act out these scenes with friends and family:

PARSHA SKIT ideas

SUPER SHABBat SHEET

PTOOOSRD

WORD CMRLESAB

CANDLELIGHTING IN JERUSALEM 4:17 P.M.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

EDUCATION www.atlantajewishtimes.com

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JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

ARTS

AJFF Reviews: Women Go On Sentimental Journeys

By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

Breakfast at Ina’s Food films are certainly au courant — last year’s “Deli Man,” Bradley Cooper’s recent “Burnt” and “The Hundred Foot Journey.” Ina Pinkney of “Breakfast at Ina’s” is not exactly Helen Mirren, but she is a spitfire inspiration, a dynamo of a woman who lives life her way.

Like all gourmet entrepreneurs, she was driven by flawless customer service, staff motivation, independence, and perfection of cuisine.

This documentary cinematically fast-forwards through the last 30 days before the closing of Ina’s after three decades as a Chicago comfort food eatery.

Ina, a Brooklyn native who had polio as a child, was reared to have adult thoughts because playground folly was not in the cards.

She has a way with words and emotion, but the years have caused her post-polio limp to make restaurant work too difficult. The breakfast queen presides over the dining room with a sign declaring “No Cell Phone Allowed at Ina’s.”

Originally a baker, Ina is frank but fair. Hers is a tough Brooklyn exterior with a marshmallow inside. As customers come to say goodbye, the tears flow.

Ina, who never had children, shocks us with the circumstances surrounding her only marriage. She was smitten with love at first sight by a black man during civil rights tensions, but Ina’s parents severed ties after their initial meeting. It did not mirror Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn’s meeting with Sidney Poitier.

Maybe too much of a marshmallow, she sends her jobless husband alone on a yacht for a year to see the world before the divorce announcement.

Ina forges on with omelets, fried chicken and waffles. Local Chicago food critics espouse grand accolades.

She laughs as she reminisces that the first time she had lasagna outside her kosher family home, she “didn’t die.”

“Breakfast at Ina’s” is worth the 50 minutes to find out how she raised the money to open the restaurant. She is one smart cookie, a la Gloria Steinem.

As George Bernard Shaw said, “There is no love more sincere than the love of 20 food.”

AJT

Flory’s Flame Schmaltzy, yes; meaningful, yes.

The Atlanta premiere documentary “Flory’s Flame” traces the ancestry of 90-year-old Flory Jagoda, who takes us back to the Jewish exile from Spain in the 15th century via her Ladino tunes Flory Jagoda in combination with the whole mishpachah accompanying on mandolins, guitars or whatever they can find.

Flory calls her instrument a harmonica; it’s what we call an accordion.

Flory’s family immigrated to Yugoslavia, where they socialized with Muslim neighbors. She was a raving beauty who along with 300 other brides found her U.S. soldier, Harry. As he tells it, he thought he was having a date with a local gal when he spotted the Jewish prayer book in Flory’s living room. “I felt I’d struck gold,” he says.

Flory had a wedding gown fashioned out of parachute fabric — beautiful nonetheless. The photos along the journey are authentic and juxtaposed with maps of the expulsion from Spain.

The physical and spiritual beauty of Flory is the backbone of the film as she raises her children (now adults) with tunes of the old country. They are all charismatic and beat to her strum as the central aura.

The highlight comes when the king of Spain invites them back to perform and apologizes for the way the Jews were treated during the Inquisition.

The question was posed whether the royals understood the Ladino-styled Spanish. The answer: “Yes, but it’s like you listening to old Shakespeare.”

The music sounds mostly Spanish (Mi Madre) laced with Yiddish. The themes are basic — “Don’t Fall in Love Under the Moonlight” and “How to Greet Your Father-in-Law.” The countdown, “eight candles, seven candles, six candles,” was a bit basic and when repeated became more like “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.”

“Flory’s Flame” tells us about love of family. As Flory mentors other master musicians in America, a Russian artist says, “Flory reminds us of tunes from the ancient Temple … masterful in style, a born bard and minstrel.”

We should all be that beautiful and razor-sharp at 90. ■

Photo by Michael Jacobs

Youth and Talent

Several of the winners in the Atlanta Jewish Times Chanukah Art Contest, along with parents and siblings, pose with their pictures during a reception celebrating all the entries at Binders Art Supplies and Frames on Dec. 20. We at the AJT want to thank all the young artists who entered the contest and encourage more to give it a try next year. For those who entered but didn’t make it to the reception, you can get your $5 gift card at the Binders in the Piedmont Peachtree Crossing Shopping Center, and you can pick up your artwork during normal business hours at the AJT offices, 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, Sandy Springs. ■

Wouk’s Greatness Lurks In the Background

By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

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f we asked all AJT readers to list the great Jewish-American male writers of the 20th century, some names would appear almost every time: Philip Roth; Saul Bellow; Bernard Malamud; Isaac Bashevis Singer; Chaim Potok; Isaac Asimov; E.L. Doctorow.

I suspect Herman Wouk often would be forgotten, even though his novels also thrived as plays, movies, and two epic TV miniseries, “Winds of War” and “War and Remembrance.”

“The Caine Mutiny” is in the conversation for best World War II movie, best U.S. Navy movie, best courtroom drama, best fictional Jewish lawyer and best Humphrey Bogart performance.

The writer deserves credit for bringing those elements together, but he seems to be overlooked if not forgotten.

“Sailor and Fiddler,” the 100-yearold Wouk’s autobiography, reveals his ability to melt into the background as the key to his genius. I’m not sure any great writer ever worked so hard to make work seem so effortless.

Wouk spent years on books such as “Marjorie Morningstar,” “Youngblood Hawke,” and his historical Israel novels, “The Hope” and “The Glory.” He had some books in progress for more than a decade as he started and stopped amid distractions. But his books don’t show the struggle behind them.

His autobiography — well under 200 pages for 100 years that saw him rubbing shoulders with celebrities and earning the cover of Time magazine — is a remarkable work of humility.

He doesn’t think the details of his life are too interesting. He doesn’t have axes to grind. He doesn’t have skeletons to clear out of the closet.

The one tragedy he and his wife of more than 60 years experienced was the drowning of a 4-year-old son. Wouk shares the incident, makes clear he has never gotten over it, then moves on without wallowing in guilt or self-pity.

His book is in two parts. The sailor half deals with life through his Navy service and the start of his writing career. The fiddler half turns more to his love of Israel and his great mission to write the epic story of the Holocaust in the context of all of World War II. Wouk accomplishes in this smooth volume exactly what I think he intended, offering a glimpse at the writing process and a taste of his faith and Zionism. He delivers an entertaining memoir without making it too much about himself but in the process reveals a great deal about his character.

I came away admiring not only the writer, but also the man. ■ Sailor and Fiddler

By Herman Wouk Simon & Schuster, 160 pages, $20

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

ARTS

What a Long, Strange Trip It’ll Be true for many of us, including myself.

There are also some parallels for the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival, which

Guest Column

By Russell Gottschalk

started as a passion project developed by a small group of volunteers in 2009 and has since grown to a year-round Jewish music presenter engaging over 10,000 fans annually.

With this growth, like any Jewish nonprofit, we have experienced some unique challenges and opportunities.

There’s also some truth when comparing these lyrics with the story of Atlanta. We’re a city that was burned down and freaks out over snow. We may be a city too busy to

3 Long AJMF Weekends

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he seventh Atlanta Jewish Music Festival runs from March 10 to 27, the first time the spring festival has covered three weekends: • March 10, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Hadar Noiberg Trio at Steve’s Live Music, 234 Hilderbrand Drive, Sandy Springs, $10 for one show, $20 for both.

• March 11, 6:30 p.m., Shabbat services with the Hadar Noiberg Trio at Congregation Or Hadash, 7460 Trowbridge Road, Sandy Springs, free.

• March 12, doors at 4:30 p.m., music at 5, Joe Buchanan at the Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody, free.

• March 13, noon, Hunger Walk/ Run entertainment with the AJMF AllStars featuring Sammy Rosenbaum at Turner Field, 755 Hank Aaron Drive, Atlanta, $25 to $35 for event registration.

• March 13, doors at 7 p.m., music at 7:30, Klezmer Local 42 at Congregation Beth Shalom, 5303 Winters Chapel Road, Dunwoody, free.

• March 18, 6:30 p.m., Ruach Shabbat featuring Temple Beth Tikvah musicians at Beth Tikvah, 9955 Coleman Road, Roswell, free.

• March 18, 7:30 p.m., Chant Shabbat featuring Gayanne Geurin, Will Robertson and Sunmoon Pie at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., Buckhead, free.

• March 19, 10 a.m., Chant Shabbat featuring Gayanne Geurin, Will Robertson and Sunmoon Pie at Congrega-

tion Bet Haverim, 2074 LaVista Road, Toco Hills, free.

• March 19, 5:30 and 7 p.m., Andrew & Polly at Venkman’s, 740 Ralph McGill Blvd., Atlanta, free • March 20, 10 a.m., Andrew & Polly at the Atlanta Purim concert at the Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, free.

• March 20, doors at 6 p.m., music at 7, Soulfarm at Kehilla Fest at Atlanta Jewish Academy, 5200 Northland Drive, Sandy Springs, $36.

• March 22, doors at 9 p.m., music at 10, AJMF House of Peace featuring FSQ at Aisle 5, 1123 Euclid Ave., Atlanta, $5 in advance, $10 at the door, for 18 and older.

• March 24, 7:30 p.m., Music at the Mikvah featuring Aviva Chernick and Aaron Lightstone at MACoM, 700-A Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, $10.

• March 25, doors at 8 p.m., service at 8:30, The Well featuring Rabbi David Spinrad and Sammy Rosenbaum at The Temple, 1589 Peachtree St., Midtown, free, for young adults.

• March 26, doors at 8 p.m., music at 9, Purim party featuring A-WA and Jaffa Road at Terminal West, 887 W. Marietta St., West Midtown, $20 in advance, $25 at the door, for 18 and older.

• March 27, doors at 1 p.m., music at 1:30, teen battle of the bands at 595 North Event Center, 595 North Ave., Midtown, free. ■

hate, but I would also argue that at times we’re too segregated to love.

Despite our difficulties, I think the culture and creativity embodied by our community make this city one of the best places to live. However, I’m a rare native in Jewish Atlanta, which is attracting more immigrant job seekers from around the South each year.

So in the spirit of adventurous travel, AJMF’s growth and elevating Jewish Atlanta, I am thrilled to announce the establishment of AJMF’s first-ever regional busing program supporting AJMF7 (March 10 to 27).

We have dedicated funding to subsidize 20- to 50-person buses from congregations, community centers and other gathering spots outside Atlanta and Georgia to and from any of our AJMF7 programs.

This addition will benefit AJMF and deepen the connections between Atlanta and other Jewish communities, as well as the connections within the groups traveling to AJMF7. It’s a potential win-win-win, but the funding is limited, so reach out soon if you’re interested in joining the fun.

Here’s our game plan:

We cover transportation costs to/ from the venue (if you’re coming for the day) or to/from Atlanta (if you’re coming for the weekend). We also become your personal AJMF7 concierge, connecting you to homes where you can stay, the AJMF hotel at a discounted rate, kosher vendors and more.

You get the crew together. Check out our lineup and pick the event(s) you want to attend. Buy tickets if necessary and reach out to info@atlantajmf.org to start lining up the details.

This is an experiment for us, and we thank you in advance for considering participation in this community building effort. We’re the only Jewish music festival in the South, and with our sibling Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, the biggest Jewish film festival on the planet, we’re proud to contribute to Jewish Atlanta’s stake as the cultural hub of the South.

AJMF’s light is shinin’, and we’re grateful for the journey. So whether you pack your bags or travel light, we hope to see you in Atlanta in March. ■ Russell Gottschalk is the executive director of the AJMF.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

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had the pleasure of spending time with Ami Yares and Sagol 59 (the Promised Land) last month between their two sets in Atlanta with the Weber School and Congregation Or Hadash. I listened to their new album before their arrival but knew very little about the origination of the project that covers Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia classics in Hebrew.

I was particularly curious about the origination story and development process because my dad was a huge Deadhead. When he passed, my mom chose these lyrics for the inside cover of his memorial booklet: “Sometimes the light’s all shinin’ on me; other times I can barely see.

Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip it’s been.”

This spoke deeply to their decades-long marriage and I’m sure rings

AJT 21

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

CAMPS

Etgar 36 All Grown Up

Self-funding educational travel organization reaches 1,200 people a year

By Kevin Madigan kmadigan@atljewishtimes.com

ger program now than just this little startup 13 years ago. It just seemed natural to get the word out to a wider audience about what we are.

W

hat began as a one-man operation to expose Jewish teens to a bit of travel and some fresh ideas 13 years ago has grown into a successful venture that helps scores of teens and adults expand their horizons.

Etgar 36 is a recipient of the Mintz Family Foundation Award for Creative Jewish Education and in 2008 was named one of the nation’s most innovative Jewish nonprofits by the Slingshot Guide.

The program for teens is celebrating reaching its teen years with a bar mitzvah party Saturday night, Jan. 30, hosted by founder and director Billy Planer. The event will include the premiere screening of a documentary on Etgar 36 and a panel discussion involving some of the people who speak to participants on the trips.

Planer spoke to the Atlanta Jewish Times about the celebration and his organization.

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AJT 22

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Etgar 36 founder Billy Planer speaks to a group of teens visiting the King Historic District in downtown Atlanta.

AJT: Why are you throwing a party?

Planer: We’re celebrating that the program has grown from a small startup to really becoming something that impacts 1,200 people a year who come on our journeys. How we’re contributing to moving the world further along, teaching people the history of political activism and developing that and their American Jewish identity, and getting them to talk to each other — people who they might disagree with. It’s really about showing off that we’ve grown to this point where we are a much big-

AC ADEMICS CREATIVE SPORTS

ESA CAMP

AJT: What did you envision when you started?

Planer: I have to be honest: I didn’t envision where we are now. When I was a youth director at the Ahavath Achim Synagogue in the ’90s, I started taking the youth group on a yearly Disney World trip, and I was thinking we could and should have a better, deeper, smarter program with the teenagers.

I decided we should go to a different city every year, where we engaged in the history and culture and the sights and issues of each city. I realized that’s where my passion was. That first summer trip in 2003 was when this really started.

Congressman John Lewis speaks to Etgar 36 participants outside the U.S. Capitol.

AJT: What does the name Etgar 36 stand for?

Planer: Etgar is the Hebrew word for challenge, and 36 is the double chai of being Jewish and American, so it’s the challenge of melding identities into one unified person.

AJT: How do you fund all this?

Planer: It’s programmatic funding. We cover our own costs through the trips. I thought I would have to go the traditional route of going to funders and foundations, but I realized with the same amount of time and effort to cultivate funders and foundational support, I could sell trips during the winter. Now we run 30 to 40 trips in the Southeast during the winter, all the way from fifth-graders at day school to empty-nesters to every group in between — interracial groups, interreligious groups. We’re not your typical Jewish nonprofit educational venture where you’re funded by people. We get zero funding from foundations or Federations or things like that.

AJT: What do you get out of it personally?

Planer: In this world it’s very easy to become cynical and frustrated about where we are politically and with the slow pace of change and involvement

Etgar 36’s 36-day and 22-day summer trips include the Grand Canyon.

of people in changing the world. I wake and realize I’m doing something about that. It is really a wonderful, phenomenal feeling, knowing I’m doing my little piece to help move us forward by engaging people in the political process and letting them be empowered to create a change, with travel, history, politics and political discourse, and bridging the gap. One of the fundamental philosophies of the program is that we are all connected, so what impacts you impacts me. It’s amazing to be able to do what your passion is and what speaks to you and make a living doing that. What could be better? ■

What: Etgar 36 bar mitzvah celebration Who: Director Billy Planer Where: Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., Buckhead When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30 Information: 404-456-6605 or etgar36@etgar.org

CAMPS

Reinvigorated Museum Keeps Learning Fun

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n a rainy Sunday afternoon my 5-year-old twin boys and I explored the new and improved Children’s Museum of Atlanta. Excited to see the changes, we charged into the lobby and past the gift shop.

Some classics remain. Fundamentally Food guides little ones through the process of purchasing food, from grower to grocer. The Publix-sponsored area features a climbable tractor, a conveyor belt for fruits and vegetables, a farmers market, and a diner.

New is Gateway to the World.

Climb to the spinning globe, investigate manipulable tables of the continents, creep through the mazelike climber and design a rocket. My pre-K boys loved crawling in and under the tables of maps.

Head to the second floor as your steps make piano music. Step Into Sci-

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JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

By Logan C. Ritchie

ence features a science bar with handson demonstrations, a build-your-ownrobotics game and an examination of the human body on iPads. This area targets 4-yearolds and up.

The circulatory and digestive systems were hits. The old ball system is improved by Gateway to the World offering new is a winning, spinning entry points addition to the and less conChildren’s Museum. fusion on how the system and gravity work together.

The Children’s Museum examines, from a kid’s viewpoint, arts, culture, geography, health, wellness, literacy and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).

The hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and closed Wednesday.

Admission is $14.95, regardless of age. ■

.

Editor’s note: Sometimes you need an alternative to camp for your kids. Here’s a look at one of those options in Atlanta.

AJT 23

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

CAMPS

JCC Adds Day Camps in East Cobb, Johns Creek

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he Marcus Jewish Community Center is expanding north and west with its day camps for the summer of 2016.

In addition to the JCC’s main Zaban Park campus in Dunwoody and a continuing satellite operation at Emory University, the center will operate at two Reform synagogues: Temple Kol Emeth in East Cobb, which is the home of the JCC’s Sunshine School preschool center, and Congregation Dor Tamid in Johns Creek, where the arrival of the camps (announced in September) is part of a broader programming partnership.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring the MJCCA’s stellar camp experience to other parts of metro Atlanta, making our camps even more accessible,” said Meryl Rindsberg, the director of the Marcus JCC’s day camps.

The Marcus JCC also offers free bus transportation from 23 locations around the metro area.

Online registration opened Sunday, Jan. 10, for returning campers and begins at 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, for new campers.

Dor Tamid’s 10-acre campus will

(From left) Jacob H., Graham S. and David F. take a break from the summer camp games.

offer the traditional Camp Isidore Alterman camp; such specialty camps as Welcome to Hogwarts, Lego Robotics and Creative Chefs; and the Lynne & Howard Halpern Drama Camp.

Campers at the North Fulton location will make weekly trips to Zaban Park campus and to the nearby Standard Club, where they will be able to swim, ride horses and enjoy other amenities.

The offerings at Kol Emeth will include the Lynne & Howard Halpern Drama Camp and such specialty camps as Legoland, Welcome to Hogwarts, Junk Art and Science Discovery.

Besides adding the locations, the JCC’s day camp program is expanding its hours with the new Camp Late Nights. The program starts when the

atlanta jewish times

Spring into Education This week's special camp section is the first of five issues this winter emphasizing learning.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

Don’t miss these upcoming issues:

AJT 24

Jan. 22 Education/Preschool Feb. 12 Camp Feb. 19 Education March 11 Camp

To advertise call, 404-883-2130.

To suggest a story that fits the educational theme, contact Editor Michael Jacobs at mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com or 404-883-2130, ext. 104.

normal camp day ends, running from 4 to 8 p.m., and includes dinner.

E a c h Camp Late Night will feature a theme: Wet and Wild, which involves Slip ’N Slides, water balHannah R. (left) and Melissa R. are ready loons and pool to save the world as games; Karadouble Wonder Women. oke and Movie Night; Rec Games & Inflatables; or Talent Show.

Camp Late Night is in addition to extended care available before and after the regular camp hours.

Bumper boats are being added to the lake at Zaban Park to provide a fun activity on hot days.

Altogether the Marcus JCC offers more than 100 options for children from ages 5 to 14, including the Barbara & Sanford Orkin Teen Camps, performing arts camps, Sherry & Harry Maziar Sports Camps, and the Gesher Hebrew immersion camp.

The Hebrew immersion camp is expanding to accommodate rising kindergartners through third-graders.

Other popular returning camps include American Ninja Warrior, Atlanta Hawks basketball and Atlanta Hawks cheerleading.

The Halpern Drama Camp, being held at all four camp locations, will culminate this year in performances of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” or “Seussical.”

Traditional Camp Isidore Alter-

Photos courtesy of the Marcus JCC

(From left) Ethan B., Avi S., Ben R. and Ryan C. are ready for soccer last summer at Zaban Park.

man serves children entering prekindergarten through sixth grade next fall. The ages for other camps vary.

Among the new offerings this year: • Cirque, offering rising third- to eighth-graders the chance to try circus acrobatics. Instruction will focus on developing coordination and aerial awareness while building strength and flexibility.

• So You Think You Can Dance for rising kindergartners to eighthgraders, focusing on developing and strengthening dance skills and teaching the art of performance.

• Comic Camp for rising third- to sixth-graders to explore the world of comics under the leadership of Jordan Gorfinkel, the cartoonist for the Atlanta Jewish Times, who managed the Batman comic franchise.

• Minion Madness for rising firstand second-graders to explore the lives of the Minion characters, learn their banana language, create Minion crafts, cook Minion-themed recipes and play Minion games.

• Zombie Invasion for rising thirdto sixth-graders to learn how to survive a zombie apocalypse.

For information about the various day camp offerings, call 678-812-4004, or visit www.atlantajcc.org/camps. ■

Standard Club Aces Kid-Friendly Facilities

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he Standard Club may be best known for its 18-hole championship golf course, but day campers at the Marcus Jewish Community Center’s operations at Congregation Dor Tamid don’t need to aspire to be the next Tiger Woods or Jordan Spieth to have fun during their weekly visits to the nearby country club in Johns Creek.

The traditionally Jewish club boasts an array of kid-centric amenities.

Two pools at the club, one Junior

Olympic size and the other a wading pool for toddlers, are open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. A sand volleyball court and large playground sit next to the pools.

The amenities include a premium tennis facility that features eight clay courts, four hard courts and four indoor courts. A full range of youth and junior tennis camps and clinics are held regularly.

Part of the fitness center, an indoor half-court basketball gym could keep kids shooting for hours. ■

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

CAMPS

Federation Offers Helping Hand to Campers Jewish camp is fun, but it also has soul.

Jewish camp is packed with action: boating, basketball, filmmaking, rock climbing, cooking, archery, painting, drama and dance.

Kids participate in such activities while celebrating the values of independence, friendship, community, fairness, diversity, giving back, inclusion and heritage.

At Jewish camp, ruach (spirit) is part of every activity, from arts and crafts to baseball, allowing campers to explore their connection to Judaism in a meaningful way while having a great summer.

Camp learning is effective because campers don’t feel as if they’re being taught.

Songs and activities are often tied to intrinsic Jewish values. A color war, for example, is more than “red vs. blue.”

Teams may be based on Jewish historical leaders or places in Israel. This approach leads to an immersive Jewish summer experience.

The impact lasts far beyond the summer. The immersive experience of overnight camp helps children think

creatively, become more innovative and flexible, and listen and communicate more effectively. Camp activities emphasize independence, communication, problem solving, collaboration and leadership — all critical skills for future success.

Campers hang out with strong Jewish role models. Staff members inspire confidence and independence, guiding children to hone their skills, build self-esteem, and discover interests and talents.

Studies show that children who go to Jewish camp are more likely to become adults who value their heritage, are engaged in their communities, support causes and take on leadership roles throughout their lives.

To help more kids go to camp, Federation offers grants and scholarships, including the following: • First-Year One Happy Camper incentive grants. Overnight campers can receive up to $1,000 off their first summer at camp. Grants are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and are not based on financial need.

Jewish day school students are not eligible for One Happy Camper. Other

summer experiences may apply. Visit www.atlantajewishcamp.org for a full list of approved programs.

• Second-Year One Happy Camper incentive grants. Atlanta campers who received a One Happy Camper grant for summer 2015 may be eligible to receive a second-year incentive grant of up to $500. To apply for the second-year grant, complete the One Happy Camper application, which includes questions to determine eligibility. A family’s combined household adjusted gross income must be less than $160,000.

• Needs-based scholarship. Federation’s Camp Scholarship Program helps families in metro Atlanta with the cost of camp tuition. Scholarships are based on financial need and are awarded by a committee as a part of an anonymous review and allocation process. All applications and inquiries are confidential. The Camp Scholarship Program is funded by individual donors, grants from charitable foundations and Federation’s annual campaign.

To apply or get more information, visit www.atlantajewishcamp.org. The application deadline is Jan. 30. ■

No ww ith mo re s 404.531.0801 www.ramahdarom.org

ess ion s in

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JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

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ttendance at Jewish overnight camp is a top indicator of future Jewish connection. Research from the Foundation for Jewish Camp found that as adults, alumni of Jewish overnight summer camps are: • 55 percent more likely to feel very emotionally attached to Israel.

• 45 percent more likely to attend synagogue at least once a month.

• 25 percent more likely to report that most or all of their close friends are Jewish.

• 30 percent more likely to donate to a Jewish Federation.

Because the impact of overnight Jewish camp is immediate and lasting, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta is helping more kids get that experience.

In May 2013, Federation’s executive committee unanimously approved taking “an active role in the long term promotion of and funding of Jewish overnight summer camp in order to double the number of children in Atlanta attending a Jewish overnight summer camp by 2022.”

Federation started by raising awareness: What exactly is camp?

AJT 25

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French Country Style in Redesigned Ranch

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

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onna and Joel Freedman bought a 1950s ranch that had been redone and was featured on the cover of Country Home magazine, and they took off with interior designer Susan Kolowich.

“We kept the original flooring but changed most everything else to achieve a transitional country French feel,” Joel said.

The house is tastefully stylish but does not shy away from making a statement. It is curated with confident Parisian flourishes and a lush backyard scene.

Designer Kolowich, former owner of C’est Moi, said: “The Freedmans were great to work with because they had traveled and collected so much and were open to ideas. We flip-flopped the dining room with the living room and opened up the kitchen space. My job was to come up with creative solutions and coordinate the drapes, lighting, colors and furnishings. Joel drives the bus, and Donna reads the road map. They are just wonderful people.”

Take the tour with us.

Jaffe: These giant vintage French posters pop with olive and crimson with a bold Parisian flair.

Joel: I love this Cappiello where the woman is offering breath mints since she is an ever-so-delicate smoker.

The one going upstairs we found in Cannes, France, promoting liquor. So lighthearted and original.

Jaffe: Why did you choose to put this clock in the entrance?

Joel: It has an interesting story.

It’s a Mora longcase clock, circa 1850, from a province in Sweden, acquired at A. Tyner Antiques in Peachtree Hills.

The clocks were made by farmers in this particular region during a period of drought, so they adapted to clock making to supplement their income.

Jaffe: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a chandelier quite like this. What were your thoughts in the breakfast room?

Joel: It is centered around a 19thcentury oak fireplace from a North Georgia farmhouse, but it’s really an eclectic blend in here. This painting by Shen Hai, a Chinese art student, is opposite the folk-art “Chicken” by Madison Latimer from the Piedmont Arts Festival and a painting on barnwood

by Penny Dobson. The Hungarian chandelier is from the Big Chandelier, but I personally added these touches of glass beads and strawberries, grapes and leaves.

Jaffe: You are world travelers.

How does that fit into your decor?

Donna: That’s a grand question.

The seltzer bottles are from Buenos Aires, the water pitcher from Istanbul.

We have traveled extensively — Europe, China, India, South America, Israel, Russia — and we pick up something from each trip. Interestingly, we just returned from Rivne, Ukraine, where my mother was honored as a child in hiding during the Holocaust.

In her town, 17,000 Jews, including her family, were killed in a three-day massacre.

Jaffe: What pieces do you treasure that were passed down from family?

Donna: The American oak dining breakfront was my grandmother’s. Joel tends to detail, and the 1912 wind-up phonograph has his grandmother’s 26 records ready to play.

AJT

Chai-Style Homes

By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

Jaffe: The kitchen is reminiscent of something out of the French Laundry, the California mecca of cuisine.

Do you do a lot of entertaining?

Donna: Yes, our kids came home for Thanksgiving, and we hosted 30.

This is the heart of the house. We knocked out walls and opened up the expanse in here. The kitchen cabinet is actually a bookcase from a Connecticut schoolhouse circa 1910. We love to cook. I make a flavorful paella.

Jaffe: How would you describe the art in the family room?

Joel: Donna surprised me with this Rena Chastain many years ago after I was enchanted by the artist’s use of color. We found the large painting at an arts festival and were both immediately taken in by the unusual inspiration of vintage photos from the ’30s and ’40s as a starting point to craft the pastel silhouetted images.

Jaffe: You added this screened porch? The fountain has the feel of an intimate Italian courtyard.

Joel: Yes, we started with a slate floor, and the ceiling was constructed

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B by a Russian craftsman in the tongueand-groove technique where each individual slat is hand-wedged. The table is custom-made out of galvanized steel by a Scott Antique Market vendor. The basket tray on the wall is from a North Carolina tobacco leaf farm. It is my favorite space in the house, a place to totally unwind.

Jaffe: Your pool area is nothing short of spectacular.

Joel: We wanted a retreat in the middle of the city, an enclave in these old trees. It’s like a private park. The pool has a dark finish to provide a lake effect. The salt water retains heat, and the water is relatively warm. We hosted the 30-year Emory Law School

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reunion back here, and it was a perfect event space. That reveals my age, I guess. The courtyard with the koi pond is hidden off to the side.

Jaffe: It must be fun to have such a hands-on artistic spouse.

Donna: Yes, he comes in handy.

He designed this jigsaw wall of family portraits in the hall and most recently hand-painted my antique mahjong tiles where the characters had faded.

Jaffe: I’ve heard just about everything. But the truth is my mahjong tiles need brushing up too, Joel. How about it? ■

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Photos by Duane Stork

A. Joel and Donna Freedman stand in their “hall of relatives,” featuring family photos intricately arranged by Joel.

B. A 1912 wind-up phonograph sits under an original Cappiello poster featuring breath mints for use after smoking.

C. The dining room features Donna Freedman’s grandmother’s American oak breakfront.

D. This Mora longcase clock represents the backup plan for Swedish farmers in a drought-stricken area around 1850.

E. The breakfast room includes a 19th-century oak fireplace, Madison Latimer’s folk-art “Chicken” painting and a Hungarian jeweled chandelier.

F. The heart of the Freedman home is the open French kitchen with a cabinet bookcase from a Connecticut schoolhouse.

G. The cozy family room features Rena Chastain’s pastel of 1930 photo images on right.

H. Emory Law School held a 30th reunion in the bucolic back yard.

I. The screened porch has a customized, galvanized-steel table on a slate floor beneath a tongue-and-groove ceiling.

J. The Freedmans’ dark-finished saltwater pool casts a lake effect.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

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BUSINESS

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

Powerlady Gives Toco Hills Women a Lift

By Rachel Stein

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estled snugly in the heart of Toco Hills is a storefront enterprise that has served the community since 1992. Catering to women ages 17 to 90, Powerlady Fitness is a place where members feel comfortable and motivated to reach their health and fitness goals.

“If you could encapsulate PLF in one word,” I asked several regular attendees, “what comes to mind?” The responses included “empowering,” “exhilarating,” “fun” and “comfortable.”

Each word was punctuated with a smile.

Powerlady Fitness is a blessing for the Jewish community, enabling Orthodox women to exercise freely within the boundaries of requisite modesty.

Yet the varied clientele, representing all segments, religions and cultures of the community, shows the desire of many women to have a private, comfortable space to work out. The abundance and variety of classes and friendly atmosphere make Powerlady Fitness more than just a gym.

Becky Brown, the owner and manager of this enterprise, shared an inside glimpse at what makes her gym a place where people want to keep coming back.

AJT: How did you start?

Brown: Since college, I have always wanted to own a gym that was female-focused. I started working at Ladies Workout Express in 1996 as a

Galanti Now Part of CLA

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

Accounting and consulting firm Galanti & Co. became part of professional services firm CliftonLarsonAllen on Jan. 1.

“We’re excited to be the firm that introduces CLA to the Atlanta area,” Galanti & Co. managing partner Randy Galanti said in an announcement about his firm, which was founded in 1978. “We take pride in what we do — embracing a team approach with attentiveness to our clients’ unique needs — and our clients have repaid us with their trust and loyalty.”

Galanti’s team of 20-plus people establishes an Atlanta presence for CLA and continues to serve local and national clients.

CLA offers integrated wealth advisory, outsourcing and public accounting capabilities. Galanti & Co. and CLA share a commitment to help people 28 reach their dreams.

AJT

part-time job to supplement my fulltime job. I loved it so much that I stayed even after I was making enough in my full-time job to make ends meet. After a few months of working at the front desk, I got certified to teach and train and took over the club in 2003.

the following areas: nutrition, fitness according to individual levels, beginners programs and transitioning into more advanced workouts. I look forward to an awesome year.

AJT: Why a ladies gym?

Brown: I like the idea of a femalefocused space because of the unspoken support, community feel and programs specific to female needs.

AJT: Do certain rewarding moments stand out?

Brown: If someone comes in consistently and does the work, positive changes will occur over time. It may not show up on the scale since muscle weighs more than fat, but it will show up in inches. So don’t get discouraged.

Exercise and strength training will definitely help you lose fatty tissue and gain muscle weight. Partnering with women as they achieve their goals and feel better about themselves is very gratifying.

There was one lady I worked with twice a week. Over a few weeks I noticed her strength and confidence growing. We measured after two months. Upon seeing the results, her eyes filled.

“Because I’m taking care of myself,” she shared, “it is rippling into my family life. The dynamics between my husband and I and my children have changed for the better.”

She was happy about the inches “Our message is clear: We’re here to help,” said Jen Leary, CLA’s managing partner of office. “We are a growing professional services firm today because we’ve listened closely to our clients and responded by building teams with the capabilities to serve their evolving needs.”

CLA has nearly 4,000 employees in more than 90 U.S. locations.

Awards for Goldstein The Society for Color and Appearance in Dentistry recently presented its E.B. Clark Award to Ronald E. Goldstein of Atlanta dental practice Goldstein, Garber and Salama.

The award recognizes leadership and contributions in research, education, and the application of color science and art in the dental profession.

Goldstein is the author of the first complete textbook on esthetic dentist-

Powerlady Fitness owner Becky Brown has built a popular business out of what started for her as a part-time job.

but felt greater joy from the improvements in her family life.

Seeing the amount of members who have been with us for years is very satisfying. In a lot of gyms people come and go, but we have members who have been with us for up to a decade, if not longer. Many people who move away from our area have shared that the gym is one of the things they will miss the most.

We care that members come to the gym and want them to get the most out of their time here.

AJT: What is your vision for 2016?

Brown: The focus for 2016 is to grow our group training program, add in more education for the members, and to provide programs that appeal to different groups, like moms, seniors and anyone in between. Regarding education, I’d like to provide training in ry, “Esthetics in Dentistry,” published in six languages, and he wrote the consumer book “Change Your Smile,” now in 12 languages.

“I am grateful to have received this award from SCAD, a society whom I respect so much. It means a lot to me as well as to my team at Goldstein, Garber and Salama,” Goldstein said. “Dentistry is my passion, and I am appreciative to be recognized for my work within the profession.”

Goldstein, David Garber and Maurice Salama also were recently recognized as leaders in continuing education by Dentistry Today. The magazine’s 18th annual directory, published in the December issue, spotlights the many professional educators leading the way in continuing education.

In September 2014, the team was featured on the cover of Dentistry Today for educational legacy and innovative clinical approaches to dentistry.

Several longtime members shared their feelings about Powerlady: • Renee — “Having an all-ladies gym five minutes away is an incredible gift in my life. The atmosphere and camaraderie is like a magnet, drawing me in almost every day. Sometimes I enter those doors feeling burdened or stressed, but I always leave in a better frame of mind.”

• Karen — “You forge a personal relationship with the owner, the instructors and all the ladies you work out with on a regular basis. There’s a close-knit flavor that makes PLF a pleasurable experience.”

• Sarah — “There is a mutual respect between members. Barriers of culture and class are nonexistent, and everyone just gets along.”

• Rachel — “PLF offers regular challenges just to up the ante and increase the fun of coming. Some have focused on healthy habits, taking particular classes or increasing your workout. Names of participants are entered in a raffle to win prizes, and it adds a little perk to the routine.”

• Naomi — “It’s a self-esteem booster. When I first joined, there were so many things I couldn’t do. As my physical strength and coordination increases, I feel more confidence in other areas of my life, as well.” ■

New No. 2 at Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium has promoted one of its original employees, Joe Handy, to chief operating officer and executive vice president.

The aquarium announced Dec. 30 that Handy was replacing Mark Schafer, who stepped down for personal reasons a little more than a year after being promoted from chief financial officer to COO to replace David Kimmel. Schafer remains a consultant to the aquarium.

“We thank Mark for his excellent service and understand his decision to move on,” CEO Mike Leven said. “I’m confident Joe’s leadership will help us grow our nonprofit’s mission and reach over the next 10 years. … He understands the value of Bernie and Billi Marcus’ gift to the city, and he’s passionate about sharing our cutting-edge research and educational programs with our millions of guests.”

SIMCHAS

Engagement Himmelstein-Hoffman

Michael and Karen Himmelstein of Atlanta announce the engagement of their daughter, Laura Amy, to Shaun Eric Hoffman, son of Alan and Rita Hoffman of Toronto.

The future bride earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business in 2009 and her master’s degree from Tel Aviv University in public policy in 2011. She is a business development consultant at Similar Web in Tel Aviv. She is the granddaughter of Harry and Bettye Baer of Atlanta and Harold and the late Ellen Himmelstein of Boynton Beach, Fla. The future groom graduated from the University of Toronto in 2007 with a degree in international relations and Middle East studies. He earned his master’s in Jewish studies from the Spertus Institute in Chicago. He is the Entwine Israel regional manager for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Jerusalem. He is the grandson of Eva and the late David Klein and the late Irving and Sylvia Hoffman.

A fall 2016 wedding is planned in Israel.

OBITUARIES

Arthur Garrick 79, Johns Creek

GARRICK, Arthur Abraham. Cherished father, father-in-law, grandfather, brother, husband of 27 years, uncle, boyfriend and friend. Arthur was born Nov. 1, 1936, and passed away Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, at 79 years old.

Arthur is survived by his daughter, Nadine Raidbard (Stephen); his son, Dustin Garrick (Heather); a brother, Burton Garrick; a sister, Ruth Ollins (Bob); his ex-wife, Hannah Garrick; and his girlfriend, Rita Mirchin. Arthur relished being a grandfather to Amaya and Mikayla Raidbard and Skylar and Conrad Garrick.

A native New Yorker, Arthur and Hannah raised their family in Sandy Springs. Arthur had a 40-year career in the textile industry. He held executive positions in Chicago, Los Angeles, Pennsylvania and Texas before settling in 1976 in Atlanta, where he was an industrial engineer at Nantucket Industries in Cartersville. He enjoyed traveling the world and visited Africa, Israel, Europe, Asia and Central America. He was an avid golfer and tennis player. He captained ALTA tennis teams and attended all sporting events in which his kids participated. Arthur was a resident of the Cohen Home when he passed away from a stroke after suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Georgia chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association and the Cohen Home. The funeral service was held Thursday, Jan. 7, at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.

Addie Myers Addie Bachman Myers, 84, of Atlanta and formerly of Albany, N.Y., passed away Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 after a very brief illness.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, William L. (Bill) Myers, and a son, Mason Myers, of blessed memory. Survivors include her sons Michael Myers (Beverly) of Moorestown, N.J., Dean Myers (Felice) of Marietta, and E. Jay Myers of King of Prussia, Pa.; grandchildren Jeffrey (Leslie), Phyllis, Jake, Max, Alana, Lucy and James; and sister Ruth Weinberg.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, www.armhc.org or 678-704-8082. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Funeral services were held Friday, Jan. 8, at Temple Beth Tikvah, Roswell. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.

JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

84, Atlanta

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CLOSING THOUGHTS OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

Down Snow Mountain

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JANUARY 15 ▪ 2016

lummeting straight down Snow Mountain in a six-person inner tube at approximately 1,000 mph, I had a single overarching thought: There was an outside chance I would live to write about it. I lived, and I’m writing.

It all started with a lofty (yet occasionally misguided) plan to spend more time trying new things. To be sure, I would occasionally do laundry, but the majority of my life would henceforth be devoted to challenging activities.

There would be two phases. The first would require optimism, diligence and scheduling. Easy enough.

Phase 1 opened a world of newness. Formerly a high school teacher, I began to assist in an elementary school. After years of writing columns and magazine stories, I co-wrote a book.

Previously eschewing all forms of physical exertion, I joined a gym.

I bade a teary goodbye to my ancient cellphone and said hello to apps and texting. Content with instant coffee in the past, I boldly purchased a French press.

You may think I felt fulfilled by the novelty of Phase 1, but soon I was itching for Phase 2. It was time for the hard stuff.

To begin, I invited people who spoke only Hebrew to lunch. My secret weapon was my husband, but I tried to use him sparingly. This was partially successful, and we did break bread with some interesting folks.

Well, they seemed interesting, but I’m not sure because I may have missed random crucial parts of the conversation, and I got into hot water when I confused the words for noodles, umbrellas and mushrooms, which sound maddeningly alike in Hebrew. There were moments when my inability to correctly affix masculine and feminine verb endings caused a bit of confusion, but our guests’ guffaws cleared the air.

With that moderate success behind me, I decided to tackle an even harder challenge: to publicly experience personal danger and as a result make my grandchildren proud of me.

“What would you like to do during winter vacation?” I asked them.

“Anything we want?”

“As long as it doesn’t break the bank, and as long as we won’t hate 30 each other when it’s over.”

AJT

“Let’s go to Snow Mountain!” they decided. I agreed.

After many long hours on the Internet and phone, trying to make reservations for a perfect date and entry time, and after finally securing tickets, and after having them canceled twice because of the wrong kind of weather (too hot and too rainy), and after successfully rescheduling the adventure,

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we made our way to Stone Mountain Park, where fake snow covered a fake mountain.

We were early, so we spent an hour in the engineered-snow field. We built a snowman and threw snowballs at a target. Fun but lame.

It was Snow Mountain itself, looming high and menacingly above us, that would test my strength and bravery.

Nearing the entrance, we got the full impact of the men, women and children hurtling earthward in gigantic inner tubes. There was a warning, too: No one with a heart condition or taking blood pressure meds was allowed to plunge. If one wasn’t scared before, this would fix that.

A few of the people balked before getting into the rubber containers, but most of them boldly climbed in and allowed themselves to be pushed over the edge by teenagers cleverly wearing ear plugs. Only we lambs fully heard the screams as the tubes raced down.

Vowing to give tzedakah upon a successful fall-bump-and-slide, I joined my daughter, the kids and two strangers who were as terrified as I was. The inner tube was now fully populated. A smiling teen dragged us to the edge. One big shove, and down we went.

When we landed, it took me a while to recover. The two strangers limped away as the members of Team Bubbe pulled me out.

“Wasn’t that fun?” one asked.

“I know you loved it!” another declared.

“Let’s go again!” opined a third.

“It was great!” I lied, feeling extremely brave and strong (see above), fully aware that there are many hard things in life we should do but only once. ■

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successor 28. What Rabbi David Einhorn wanted to do to slavery 30. “The Pianist,” e.g.

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35. Shabbat garb more common in America than Israel 37. Spiritual teacher Dass 39. James Franco’s degree from Columbia U. 40. Hasidim and the Amish, from afar 41. A Maccabee brother 45. One kind of Russian antiSemitism 46. ___ Steakhouse (kosher Japanese eatery in Tel Aviv) 47. Deliver Salk’s vaccine 48. Act like Itai Kriss with his instrument 49. Practice routine for some DOWN IDF soldiers 1. Shtreimel makers 51. “Red ___ baby” (one 2. Gland that can give you subset of 20th century Jews) shpilkes 3. Make like Hollywood toward 53. Contents of Solomon’s mines Robert Downey Jr.’s career 56. “Or sweareth an oath after “Iron Man” to bind his soul with ___” 4. Anoint, old style (Numbers 30:2) 5. Brouhahas 58. Something given by the 6. Grant played by Ed Asner Schusterman Foundation 7. Write Hebrew from left to 60. Resh Lakish, e.g. right, e.g.

62. Jews may check them for 8. Howard and Isaac 9. Souvenir from an Alex Clare blood 63. Belonging to a particular concert, perhaps tribe 10. Cry by Ross in a classic 66. Never, to Freud “Friends” couch scene 11. Hotly debated Jewish crisis 12. Arab maps LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 often do it to the 1 A 2 S 3 H 4 E 5 R R I C O S N I P 14 15 16 word “Israel” C H O S E A D A R E U R O 18 19 13. Wipes away, 17H A M S A S E R E T S A R 20 21 22 23 as sin A R I E L S H A R O N A N T 18. Subject of 24 25 26 27 T E E N A I L A R C the Mishnah 28 29 30 31 32 33 C O D M E G A H I T known as 34 35 36 37 38 39 D E T E R K N E E W A D E Nezikin 40 41 42 43 44 R A H A R I E L L A R O E (damages) 45 46 47 48 49 I S E E U S E D B U I L D 22. Sang 50 51 52 A C T P E A N U T S “The Lonely 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 R E M M R S O I N K Goatherd” from 60 61 62 63 64 65 Ernest Lehman’s U Z I A R Y E H K A P L A N 66 67 68 69 “The Sound of H A Z E Y O G I M I A M I 70 71 72 Music” A L A N P A N I C O R A L 73 74 75 24. Eshkol’s H A L F N O N O S N A R K spies long ago 61. One of the original hosts of Barbara Walters’ “The View” 63. Massive Jewish compendium 64. Hold it with your palm in your palm 65. Tech giant once criticized for electronic maps that did not include Israel 67. Followed the Chasidic practice of devekut 68. Oklahoma city whose first Jews came from Holland in the 19th century 69. Like Pinchas 70. Looks after a kever 71. Israel’s 1 and 6, e.g.

72. Kind of Zionism popular on many college campuses

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