Atlanta Jewish Times, VOL. XCVIII NO. 1, January 15, 2022 by Atlanta Jewish Times

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VOL. XCVIII NO. 1

JANUARY 15, 2022 | 13 SH'VAT 5782

Health & Wellness What's Jewish About Medical Marijuana

LEADING THE WAY

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THIS WEEK The Future of Health and Wellness The pandemic has disrupted and upended the way we do just about everything. In this issue, focused on health and wellness, we bring you the latest in vaccinations, exercise, anxiety, allergies, the future of meat and, last but not least, medical marijuana. Arthur Blank, the philanthropist and owner of the Atlanta Falcons football team, had never missed a single game in person until this week, when he contracted COVID-19. Blank is a major donor when it comes to healthcare in Atlanta, and now, as Bob Bahr reports, he is donating $12M to open a center in Atlanta devoted to supporting stutterers. Blank has also partnered with Bernie Marcus to tackle the rise of PTSD in combat veterans with a $40M initiative that is not slowing down despite the pandemic. The connection between our mental health and physical health has been another persistent theme, with the rate of anxiety increasing across the board. Chana Shapiro explores the mental health issue that have accompanied social distancing to find out if anxiety and depression symptoms

have gotten worse during the pandemic. Our community has adapted, responding to lockdowns with virtual events and postponements, but, as Dave Schechter reports, the pandemic has definitely taken a toll on Jewish life in Atlanta. While we look back, we are also looking forward from this difficult moment to the possibilities of the future. Bob Bahr investigates the futuristic world of cultivated meat that’s “grown” in labs and created using 3-D printers, and dives into the latest autism research taking place in Israel and the U.S., which is finding that medical marijuana may provide some relief for people on the autism spectrum. Finally, Robyn Spizman brings us the fascinating story of her late cousin, Mona Freedman Taft, a Jewish woman from Atlanta who took on the state of Georgia and won, allowing patients suffering from various medical conditions to use medical marijuana to alleviate their symptoms. Yet, as Rep. Mike Wilensky points out, it is still difficult to get legal access to cannabis oil in Georgia. Read on to find out what’s legal, what’s not and what’s Jewish about medical marijuana. ì

Cover Image: Researchers in Israel and the U.S. are finding that medical marijuana can help alleviate discomfort related to conditions like cancer and autism. But what’s Jewish about cannabis? Read on to find out.

CONTENTS NEWS �� 6 ISRAEL ��18 SPORTS ��20 OPINION ��22 BUSINESS ��26 THE LOWDOWN �� 27 HEALTH & WELLNESS �� 28 ART �� 42 DINING �� 44 CALENDAR �� 46 COMMUNITY �� 50 KEEPING IT KOSHER �� 52 BRAIN FOOD �� 53 OBITUARIES �� 54 CLOSING THOUGHTS �� 60 MARKETPLACE �� 62

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NEWS COVID-19’s Toll on Jewish Atlanta By Dave Schechter As COVID-19 continues to disrupt Jewish life in Atlanta, the effects of the spike in cases driven by the Omicron variant include: Neranenah postponed until next year the Michael Feinstein show scheduled for Jan. 13 at City Springs. Ahavath Achim Synagogue had hoped that the annual Eizenstat Lecture would allow at least limited in-person attendance, but the Jan. 24 conversation between Amb. Stuart Eizenstat and Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be virtual-only. Congregation Bet Haverim moved its Friday night Shab-

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bat services back to all-Zoom, at least through Jan. 21, and will reassess for Jan. 28 and moving forward. Temple Beth Tikvah advised its members on Dec. 27: “We strongly encourage our members to get vaccinated and boosted. However, if someone’s personal choice is not to do so, then we kindly request that for the next two weeks they refrain from coming into the synagogue building.” As indicators of the spread of COVID-19 have trended sharply upward, so have the demands on Jewish Family & Career Services. “The impact that we’re seeing right now is that our mental health demand continues to just skyrocket and we’re triaging the waiting list as fast as we can,” JF&CS CEO Terri Bonoff said, adding that COVID also has i n -

creased calls to its HAMSA (Helping Atlantans Manage Substance Abuse) program. JF&CS also has been forced to shift staff from its day programs for the developmentally disabled to replace ill care givers who work in its residential facilities. That, in turn, has led to a temporary shutdown of the day programs (which had resumed in September) and put a greater burden on the families of the young adults and adult participants. The Atlanta-based federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labels the community transmission risk of COVID-19 as “high” statewide and in the four core metro Atlanta counties — Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett. As of Jan. 11, cases in Georgia were running 224 percent ahead of the January 2021 peak, while hospitalizations were up 115 percent and deaths 26 percent, based on data from local, state and federal agencies. The increase in new cases was well in excess of January 2021 in the four counties: 440 percent in Gwinnett, 290 percent in DeKalb, 284 percent in Cobb and 209 percent in Fulton. The effects of the Omicron variant may be less severe than the “original” SARS-CoV-2 strain or the Delta variant — for those fully vaccinated, as the unvaccinated remain at greater risk — but researchers say it’s more easily transmissible and is responsible for u pw a r d s of 95 percent of new COVID cases in the country. A c cording to the Georgia Department of Public Health, as of Jan. 11, the state has recorded more than 1.57 million confirmed CO-

VID cases since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 97,500 hospitalizations and 26,589 deaths confirmed as linked to COVID. Even as some municipal governments reinstate rules relaxed several months ago and local school districts differ in their responses, the message at the state level remains unchanged. “I will absolutely not be implementing any measures that shutter businesses or divide the vaccinated from the unvaccinated or the masked from the unmasked. It is time to trust our citizens to do what’s right for themselves and their families,” Gov. Brian Kemp said Dec. 29. Kemp authorized a call-up of National Guard personnel to assist at COVID testing sites and in hospitals straining from increased patient loads. Kemp also directed that $100 million — funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act — be spent to hire nurses, doctors and other health care professionals on short-term contracts. Georgia will be bidding against other states that are experiencing similar personnel shortages. A check of the job site indeed.com found staffing agencies listing pay ranging from $3,100 to $5,000 per week for registered nurses interested in work in Georgia. When the Fulton County Board of Health compared new cases reported in the first two weeks of December with the second two weeks, the increases measured 1,025 percent in Alpharetta (from 113 to 1,305), 984 percent in Sandy Springs, 830 percent in Roswell and 721 percent in Atlanta. DeKalb County reported that the largest increase in new cases during December alone and during a longer 12week period came from 30- to 39-yearolds. According to the CDC, 54.8 percent of the state population age 5 and older was fully vaccinated as of Jan. 9. Cobb County reported that 45.3 percent of its 5-andolder population was fully vaccinated, DeKalb County 38.7 percent, Gwinnett County 36.7 percent and Fulton County 35.4 percent, according to the CDC. (Statewide, and in all four counties, the percentage fully vaccinated increases as you move from the youngest to the oldest.) COVID-19 vaccines were administered in metro Atlanta beginning Dec. 16, 2020. Vaccination of people 65 and older began on Jan. 11, 2021. Georgians aged 16 and older became eligible on March 25. On May 10, the federal Food & Drug Administration authorized the vaccine for anyone 12 and older. On Nov. 3, the Pfizer

NEWS vaccine was made available for children 5 and older. Another metric is a census of hospital patients. According to the Georgia Geospatial Information Office, a datacollecting state agency, the number of COVID-positive patients in Georgia hospitals has increased sharply since Thanksgiving. As of Jan. 9, out of 17,093 patients hospitalized statewide, 27.9 percent were COVID-positive and another 2.7 percent were being “investigated” as possibly having COVID. Statewide, hospitals estimate that 70 percent of their COVID patients were unvaccinated. The CDC continues to stress that the unvaccinated are significantly more likely to die from COVID-related complications than those who have received a two-shot inoculation or who also have been administered a booster. Also being impacted is the ability of hospitals to handle incoming patients transported to emergency departments. The Georgia Coordinating Center, which was established following the 2019 flooding at Grady Memorial Hospital, reported that, as of Jan. 8, the emergency departments of many major hospitals in metro Atlanta were “severely overcrowded,”

Terri Bonoff said that demand for mental health services from JF&CS “continues to skyrocket.”

Gov. Brian Kemp has put Georgia in a bidding war with other states seeking to hire health care professionals.

Rich Walter said that the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta has emergency funds in reserve, should the crisis worsen.

with some listed as being unable to accept incoming ambulance traffic. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta established an emergency fund. More than $4.3 million was raised and, as of January, nearly $3.9 million has been allocated throughout the community. With the spread of the Omicron vari-

ant, the JFGA is hearing from Jewish organizations needing help to afford bulk purchases of KN-95 masks and COVID testing kits, items that are back in high demand and whose cost has been increasing. “The Federation also has been holding dollars in reserve with the uncertainty of the variants, etc.,” keeping a cushion should the COVID crisis con-

tinue or worsen, Rich Walter, Chief of Programs and Grantmaking, said. One issue that cannot be solved through the emergency fund but that is posing a challenge for several organizations is the need to offer competitive wages for frontline workers, “the new cost of doing business” that Walter said is a matter of concern to the Federation. ì

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Jewish Interests Under the Gold Dome By Dave Schechter Jewish Atlanta will be watching how the Georgia General Assembly handles numerous issues — including funding care of the elderly and disabled, countering anti-Semitism and the future of Buckhead — during the session that began Jan. 10 and is scheduled to adjourn March 31. The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta employs Rusty Paul — the president of iSquared Communications, Inc., as well as the mayor of Sandy Springs — to lobby legislators on behalf of the community. Topping a list of JFGA’s priorities is an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates for The William Breman Jewish Home, the skilled nursing facility operated by Jewish HomeLife, and updating reimbursements for at-home and community-based services, such as those provided by JHL’s The One Group. Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program, serves low-income families and individuals, as well as the disabled. “JHL must have support from the General Assembly to increase Medicaid reimbursement of our businesses so we can pay higher wages to recruit critically needed staff,” said Harley

Tabak, Jewish HomeLife’s president and CEO. “Unlike other companies, which can pass on higher labor costs to their customers, skilled nursing providers receive most of their revenue from Medicaid and Medicare, which pay for the majority of residents in our facilities.” The General Assembly last year allocated money received through the American Rescue Plan Act for a 10 percent increase in spending for at-home and community-based services. However, federal approval of that plan did not come until December, a delay that Paul said “has hurt providers, particularly in employee recruitment” and worsened staffing shortages that “are threatening not just quality of care, but in some areas, care at all.” Tabak acknowledged the impact. “Recruitment of all personnel at JHL has been very problematic for a variety of reasons, including individuals not wanting to work in our settings because of our COVID vaccine mandate, an historically low unemployment rate resulting in a shortage of people filling job openings, [and] competition for a limited labor pool, which is driving up wages,” he said. Jewish Family & Career Services also wants Medicaid reimbursements increased,

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Jewish groups in Atlanta are keeping a close eye on legislation under consideration during the current session of the Georgia General Assembly.

particularly for the services it offers as alternatives to institutional settings for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Gov. Brian Kemp directed that the $4.8 billion received through the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act be used for broadband expansion, water and sewer infrastructure, and mitigating the economic impact of the COVID pandemic. JF&CS would like greater access to federal funds. “I think Georgia can creatively work with the [Biden] administration so that community-based nonprofits can access federal dollars to deliver services in areas that would save the state money, keep people out of poverty, reduce food insecurity and expand [our] ability to address the significant mental health issues that are raging amidst these challenging times,” Terri Bonoff, CEO of JF&CS, said. On the latter issue, the Atlanta JournalConstitution reported that state staffers were drafting legislation to “attack chronic staffing shortages in the mental health field; compel insurance companies to provide comparable coverage for mental health as they do physical; and create a system of involuntary outpatient treatment for people who struggle to care for themselves.” Bonoff said, “We’d like to have a seat at the table in shaping the language” of mental health legislation. In this second year of the legislature’s two-year term, one measure that may get a second chance involves Georgia’s anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) law. The statute currently requires that any person or company contracting with the state for services valued at $1,000 or more pledge not to engage in boycotts of Israel. The legislature adjourned last year before the House could consider changes the Senate made to a bill that would raise that threshold to $100,000, thus reducing the number of contractors potentially affected. A federal judge in May 2021 rejected

a request to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the Georgia statute. U.S. District Court Judge Mark Cohen did not strike down the law but declared that it violates both free speech provisions in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Fourteenth Amendment due process protections. The Federation would like a reference to the BDS movement added to Georgia legal code, as well as adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism, which states: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” Critics contend that the definition could be used to stifle debate, particularly around the Israel-Palestinian issue. On education, JFGA wants legislators to create “uniform start and stop dates for public schools across counties, since truncated summer schedules are negatively affecting camp enrollment and ability to hire staff. This will help camps have certainty about the summer vacation window available to them.” Legislation to expand school vouchers is anticipated. Democratic state Rep. Mike Wilensky, the only Jewish member of the General Assembly, said that he would support expanding voucher eligibility so that special needs students can attend private schools, but otherwise, “We first need to get our public schools in order,” including upgrades in facilities and technical capabilities. Several Republicans have pitched abolishing the state income tax, which brings in $14 billion a year — about 30 percent of the state budget. It is unclear what impact that would have on the $100 million in tax credits that the state sets aside for donors to private school scholarships. JFGA’s non-profit ALEF Fund facilitates donations to Jewish day schools and preschools statewide. “We’ll be

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Rusty Paul, the Sandy Springs mayor, lobbies legislators on behalf of the Jewish community.

Jewish HomeLife CEO Harley Tabak says a Medicaid reimbursement increase is needed “to recruit critically needed staff.”

monitoring that initiative very closely,” Paul said. Legislators completed the post-Census congressional and legislative districts redistricting during a special session. County commission and school board redistricting will be taken up during the current session. Another closely watched issue will be legislation to permit a referendum on whether Buckhead will secede from the city, forming a new Buckhead City. House Speaker David Ralston, a Republican, told WABE public broadcasting in December: “Whichever di-

JF&CS CEO Terri Bonoff is hoping for increased Medicaid reimbursement and access to federal funds.

rection we go, we’re going to be setting a precedent for the next issue like this and where it may come up. So I think we have to be very careful and very deliberate and thoughtful. And I can tell you I’m analyzing both sides of the issue.” On another front, Wilensky said that he and Butch Miller, the Republican state Senate President Pro Tempore, will seek removal of Cynthia McKinney’s name from state roadways in DeKalb County. ast June, the former six-term Democratic congresswoman from Georgia posted

an image of the final piece being added to a puzzle that showed smoke billowing from the World Trade Center towers in New York City struck by hijacked airliners on Sept. 11, 2001. McKinney’s comment read: “The Final Rep. Mike Wilensky, the only Jewish member of Piece of the Puzthe General Assembly, zle . . .” The puzexpects a busy session zle pieces read: on numerous fronts. “Zionists did it.” The removal of her name will be part of legislation to name and rename roadways. Republicans hold a 103-77 edge over Democrats in the House, and a 34-22 advantage in the Senate. The election year session likely will see discussion of hot-button issues. “It’s always been the case that at the state level, that people use this second year [of the term] to make a statement of what they’re going to run on. And, due to the state of politics and the recent redistricting, it will be even worse than years prior,” Wilensky said.

Ralston told WABE that he believes Georgia should hold off on new abortion legislation until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on Mississippi’s law, which may come in May or June, after the General Assembly has adjourned. A federal district court blocked implementation of Georgia’s controversial 2019 law and, in September, a federal appellate court kept that action in place, pending SCOTUS action on the Mississippi case. Rep. Jan Jones, the second-ranking Republican in the state House, is promoting legislation to “ensure obscene materials have no place in public schools,” which critics say is aimed at books dealing with race and gender. There also may be hearings on how race is taught in public schools. Wilensky worries that a broadly written bill that limits subjects that might make children uncomfortable could impact Holocaust education. Exempting the Holocaust could be problematic, he said, “because that would call out the Jewish people and would be incredibly harmful.” Wilensky said that he will re-file legislation to require that “if your gun is not on your person it must be kept in a locked container.” He also voiced concern about legislation that would permit gun owners to carry concealed weapons without a permit, which “goes against everything a government should do to protect its citizens.” ì

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Johns Creek Responds to Anti-Semitic Incident By Jan Jaben-Eilon Anti-Semitic incidents come in all shapes and sizes. So do the responses to these hateful events. When swastikas and “heil Hitler” graffiti were scrawled in Pope High School and Lassiter High School in Cobb County during the High Holy Days, the Jewish community stood together, outraged at the initial reaction of the Cobb County Board of Education and several principals, who refrained from identifying the graffiti as anti-Semitic, calling it merely “hate speech.” More recently, when anti-Semitic language came up during an altercation between two female students at Taylor Road Middle School in Johns Creek, the response by both the school and the surrounding Jew-

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Taylor Road Middle School

ish community was more measured. According to Rabbi Michael Bernstein of Congregation Gesher L’Torah in Alpharetta, “it became clear to me that it was a localized incident between two students. It was more personal, rather than a faceless attack, and it was being handled well.”

However, the immediate response from some parents of students at Taylor Road echoed similar reactions in the Jewish community to previous anti-Semitic incidents. These parents wrote a petition stating that “it has been brought to our attention that students at this school are sharing Nazis [sic] symbols and actions against Jewish and Israeli students on a regular basis, on and off-campus, to a point that many parents are considering if this school is safe for our kids.” In urging members of the Jewish community to sign the petition, the organizers alleged that a JewishIsraeli girl was physically pushed by another girl and told to “go back to the gas chambers.” Bernstein told the AJT that it is “important to understand the context. These girls knew each other and were trying to be hurtful. The language escalated and something was captured in writing.” He acknowledged that “when it’s your own child involved, there’s no other way to respond than to take it to heart because you are protecting your child.” Unlike the Cobb school officials, however,

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“I don’t think this incident has been accurately characterized in all quarters,” said Rabbi Michael Bernstein of Congregation Gesher L’Torah in Alpharetta.

Taylor Road Middle School Principal Kelly Parker quickly wrote an email to the parents of his students: “As you know, I value transparent communication with our parents and community. Because of this, I wish to inform you of an incident that occurred at our school this week where anti-Semitic and racist speech was used, leading to a physical altercation between two female students. No one was injured physically, and all students involved have received appropriate consequences in accordance with the student code of conduct. “To say that I am extremely disappointed about this hateful incident is an understatement. I love this school and this community. Racism and anti-Semitic words are damaging and have no place at Taylor Road Middle School. Our school culture is one of inclusion. We embrace the diversity of our community and strive to provide a learning environment that is welcoming for all students. This matter only strengthens our resolve to communicate a message of tolerance. “Fortunately, we have student and parent diversity committees already in place to address issues just like this one. These groups help promote the diversity we feel is a great value to our school. Please take this opportunity to speak with your child about supporting all members of our school community.” Still, Bernstein contacted and met with the principal. “I wanted to see how the school was reacting.” He emphasized that “we can’t control what everyone will do. The school responded to the incident with students and parents, and I felt that was the appropriate way to handle it. My congregants felt it was handled well. We must stay vigilant against anti-Semitism, but how the school responds should be the main focus.”

Indeed, in a message to his congregants, Bernstein wrote: “I found the [school’s] response to be strong, proactive and with an understanding of how certain words hurt even beyond the intended targets. While rising anti-Semitism remains a troubling phenomenon and deserves everyone’s full attention, Taylor Road Middle School is an example of a place where words and acts that are hateful toward any person are addressed, and it is made clear that no student will be allowed to hurt others with racist or anti-Semitic language, whatever the circumstance. I hope that those who want to support the work against hatred will also find the school to be an ally and a resource in teaching the fundamental lessons of how to treat each other with kindness, respect and support.” Fulton County Zone 6 Superintendent Tim Corrigan and Chief Academic Officer Cliff Jones confirmed to the AJT that “an incident occurred where anti-Semitic and racist speech was used” and that the “students involved have received appropriate consequences in accordance with the student code of conduct.” They also referred to the student and parent diversity committees that “address issues just like this one,” although they said that they were unable to recall any such incidents in at least the last four years. Comparing the response of Johns Creek officials to the response of the Cobb County high school principals, Bernstein said, “It’s a very personal and fine line between something being ignored and something being handled appropriately. While anti-Semitism has and tragically will continue to require vigilance and, in some cases, pressure on the schools and districts, I don’t think this incident reflects such an example nor has it been accurately characterized in all quarters.” ì

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Savoy Automobile Museum Opens in Cartersville By Robyn Spizman Gerson The Savoy Automobile Museum, a world-class museum and showgrounds sitting on approximately 37 acres in Cartersville, Ga., opened its doors to the public in December. The new museum aims to present visitors with the storied history and fascinating diversity of the automobile. Whether you are a serious car collector, a weekend car enthusiast, or simply traveling from Detroit to Daytona, the Savoy aims to educate and entertain through changing exhibits, educational programs and engaging in-person experiences. Through the Savoy Collection, as well as the rotating galleries, the museum showcases cars of different makes, models and eras in a state-of-the-art environment. Cartersville is also home to Georgia Museums, Inc., the nonprofit organization that operates the Savoy and three additional museums, including Bartow History Museum, Booth Western Art Museum and Tellus Science Museum. At the Savoy, visitors will have the opportunity to appreciate the beauty and history of automobile design and manufacturing, with a range of vehicles and a special curated col-

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Today, there are upwards of 100 cars in the collection, the oldest being a 1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout.

lection of auto art. The museum got its name, appropriately enough, during a cleanup of the property, when a rusty 1954 Plymouth Savoy was uncovered on the grounds. The namesake Savoy automobile has been preserved and will be a part of the landscape. The campus consists of the museum, a storage building, showgrounds and an

outdoor pavilion — coming soon. The building, which is approximately 65,000 square feet, features a soaring great hall, four exhibition galleries, a stateof-the-art theater, extensive research library, café, two private dining rooms, a store, archives and administrative offices. The research library will welcome scheduled guests, and the theater, which

seats 297 and includes an ultra-4k video panel wall, and turntable stage for rotating vehicles, will be available for special events. The vehicle storage building (not open to the public) is Savoy’s on-site solution for storing vehicles for upcoming exhibitions and includes a detailing bay and maintenance facility. The showgrounds feature a lawn space for car shows, concerts, cruiseins, swap meets, car rallies and much more. The wellmanicured outdoor space will accommodate upwards

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The museum features a soaring great hall, four exhibition galleries, a theater, research library, café, a store, archives and administrative offices.

The new museum aims to present visitors with the storied history of the automobile.

of 1,000 vehicles; the landscaping replicates the contours of a Concours d’ Elegance, a highly distinguished car show. Today, there are upwards of 100 cars in the collection (and growing), with the oldest vehicle being a 1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout. Each vehicle in the permanent collection is valuable in its own way, whether it is a rare find or has a significant story. The museum is located at 3 Savoy Lane, Cartersville, GA 30120. For more information, visit savoymuseum.org. ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 13

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Tabak Announces Retirement from Jewish HomeLife By Dave Schechter Jewish HomeLife announced on Jan. 10 that Harley Tabak, its president and CEO, will retire at the end of this year. Tabak, who has led JHL since December 2004, will be succeeded in April by Jeff Gopen, currently the chief operating officer. Tabak, 67, will remain as CEO Emeritus, working on such projects as renovations at the Jewish Tower and Zaban Tower, which are expected to begin in the spring. Jeff Berman, chair of JHL’s board, said in a statement: “Harley’s leadership has been instrumental in making Jewish HomeLife one of Metro Atlanta’s leading senior care providers. Jewish HomeLife will go from strength to strength — from Harley’s two decades of leadership to Jeffrey Gopen, who was recruited to Jewish HomeLife in a national search as part of our long-term succession planning more than five years ago.” Beginning in 1951 with The William Breman Jewish Home, Jewish HomeLife has grown to include the Aviv Rehabilitation Center, Berman Commons, The

“

Cohen Home, The Zaban Tower, The Jewish Tower, The One Group, JHL Medical Services and Weinstein Hospice. Following his graduation from George Washington University with a master’s degree in long-term health administration, Tabak entered the field in 1979, as administrator of a nursing home in Manassas, Va. Where four decades ago the industry was primarily nursing homes, “The biggest change is that there are so many more options available to older adults as they age, which I think is a good thing,” he told the AJT. Without question, the COVID-19 pandemic made the past two years “the most challenging of my career,” Tabak said, adding, “That first year especially was a nightmare.” There were COVID outbreaks, affecting both staff and residents, at the Berman Commons assisted living residence in March 2020 and at the Breman Home skilled nursing facility in October 2020. “There hasn’t been a pandemic in over 100 years. None of us have gone through this before,” Tabak said. “When

Harley Tabak is known as the “singing CEO” because of the traditional Jewish songs and American folk classics that he performs for residents.

it started, it felt like I was fighting a war without weapons, literally. My number one priority was how do I protect my staff from getting infected and my residents from getting infected.” Those weapons included personal protective equipment, which was difficult to find and expensive to obtain. Jewish HomeLife was fortunate that a resi-

dent’s son was an executive of a medical supply company in China and was able to secure the necessary items. “I was literally on the phone in the middle of the night with a guy in China,” Tabak said. JHL began vaccinating staff and residents in December 2020. In a 2021 Rosh Hashanah message published in the AJT, Tabak said: “The

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Tabak will be succeeded by Jeff Gopen.

day we had our first vaccine clinic at Jewish HomeLife was one I will never forget. The hope emanating from our staff and residents was palpable. Watching our staff applaud and cheer as each of their colleagues was immunized … Seeing the residents from the Jewish and Zaban Towers waiting hours in line for a chance at normalcy … Going floor to floor with the pharmacists and nurses at the William Breman Jewish Home to vaccinate the remaining residents, knowing that had this vaccine been available months earlier others might have lived.” Tabak told the AJT that, along the way, “We’ve done some smart things,” one of which was to mandate that all staff be vaccinated. “The challenge of recruiting staff continues,” he said. “COVID has made it even more of a challenge because people now have a much greater appreciation for the work that we do in our field, but employees understandably recognize that they put themselves in a greater risk.” Tabak has been known as the “singing CEO” because of the traditional Jewish songs and American folk classics that he performs for residents of JHL’s facilities — examples of which can be found on YouTube — a practice throughout his career. Noting that for 20 years he also was the volunteer cantor at Congregation Ner Shalom in Woodbridge, Va., where his family were members, Tabak joked that he is popular “with non-paying audiences.” In a 2015 interview with Gracie Bond Staples of the Atlanta Journal-Constitu-

tion, Tabak likened himself to the “scene in ‘Animal House’ in which John Belushi takes the guitar from the man singing to women on the stairwell and smashes it. I’m the guy singing that music.” Staples wrote: “Although he’s never fancied himself a professional singer, Harley Tabak has been singing for nearly his entire life, beginning at age 7 in his temple choir and continuing, as a way to attract women, in high school and college … The night he met his wife, Terri, he sang ‘If I Were a Carpenter’ for her. She was smitten. He was, too, and that very night he asked her to marry him. Terri said yes.” Married in 1976, the couple has a son in Honolulu who is a pediatric surgeon and military officer (and, with his wife, is the father of the Tabaks’ two grandchildren) and a daughter who is an actor in New York City. In retirement, “Aside from spending more time with my beautiful wife, who remarkably says that she enjoys being with me,” Tabak is looking forward to spending more time outdoors, particularly hiking. Growing up, he intended to be either a doctor or a rabbi. “I ended up doing what in my mind is somewhat of a combination of both. The care of older people is sacred work. I really believe that. I have been doing something that’s very meaningful to the Jewish tradition. I consider it Tikkun Olam, the healing of the world. There’s a lot of broken minds and bodies that need healing and that’s what I consider my profession to be,” Tabak said, “It’s been a privilege.” ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 15

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New Book Recalls the Complicated History of Jews and Race By Jan Jaben-Eilon Before there was Ancestor.com and MyHeritage.com, Blanche Moses, a Jewish heiress from New York, eagerly collected records to construct her family tree. But she hit a blank trying to research her maternal grandmother and great uncle, who she assumed were of Sephardic background. Using family heirlooms, however, Moses discovered that these ancestors actually began their lives as poor, Christian slaves in Barbados; their father was considered the “wealthiest Jew” on the island. On Jan. 30, at 2 p.m., Laura Arnold Leibman, a professor of English and Humanities at Reed College in Portland, Ore., will bring the amazing story of this multi-racial family to Atlantans, for free, via Zoom. Leibman will share her own exceptional story, about uncovering the history of the Moses family while researching and writing “Once We Were Slaves: The Extraordinary Journey of a MultiRacial Jewish Family,” recently published by Oxford University Press. Sponsors of

the presentation include the Jewish Genealogical Society of Georgia, a 30-yearold organization that joined the Breman Museum in 2003, and the Atlanta Jews of Color Council. As Leibman explained, the story of the Moses family recalls the “largely forgotten population of mixed African and Jewish ancestry that constituted as much as 10 percent of the Jewish communities in which the older siblings lived” in the West Indies. And it underscores the fluidity of race, as well as the role of religion in racial shifts in the 19th century. “What struck me as special about this story was that it allowed an entry point for people to learn how complicated and interesting early Jewish life was,” Leibman told the AJT. “Race worked really differently in the early 19th century. Race was a lot more fluid than we assumed.” In the Dutch colony of Suriname, for example, “someone could be categorized as white if the parents were married,” even if one had owned the other as a slave. “That was different from Barbados,

“People were racially ambiguous” in 19th century America, said Laura Arnold Leibman, professor of English and Humanities at Reed College.

where you couldn’t change your race,” said Leibman. Moses’s grandmother, Sarah Bran-

don Moses, who was born in 1798 and died in 1829, eventually married the son of a wealthy Jewish businessman, and

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“As a genealogist, I was astounded at Leibman’s research,” said Peggy Freedman, a founder of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Georgia.

both she and her children were categorized as white in the 1820 New York census. Her brother Isaac eventually joined her as a member of Philadelphia’s thriving Jewish community. “People were racially ambiguous” in those days, Leibman explained. Racial definitions often depended on where a person lived, including in which U.S. state they resided. “History such as this has the potential to help us realize the early history of the U.S. and across the Americas,” Leibman added. Like Moses, Leibman explores history and ancestry through objects, not just documents. “Objects hold emotional memories,” she said. “That’s what is wonderful about objects. It’s different from looking at records in Ancestry.com.”

Leibman said that she hopes this story will help her audience with “their own family history.” That’s partly why the Jewish Genealogical Society of Georgia (JGSG) wanted to bring Leibman to Atlanta. “As a genealogist, I was astounded at Leibman’s research,” said Peggy Freedman, one of the founders of JGSG, and its coordinator. “We learn how New World Jews struggled with their identity in their times. I know Jews of color in Atlanta have a lot of interest in this topic, but anyone interested in history, race relations and genealogy” will be fascinated by Leibman’s research. According to Freedman, “It’s shocking material, but important for us to know where we came from, where we are and, hopefully, where we are going to.” ì

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NEWS FROM OUR JEWISH HOME

A team of scientists at Ben-Gurion University was able to teach goldfish how to operate vehicles. // Reuters/Ronen Zvulun United Hatzalah volunteer EMTs Dudu Sivoni, Daniel Ashush and Aharon Kahane // (Credit: United Hatzalah)

Blankets To the Rescue On Jan. 3, United Hatzalah volunteers from Ashdod drove around the city and distributed warm blankets to the homeless. The volunteers partnered with Esther Ben Ezra, a staff person at the Ashdod Port Authority, as well as numerous other donors in order to make the operation possible. The specially selected warm and comfortable

Today in Israeli History Jan. 15, 2014: A flag-raising ceremony at the Geneva headquarters of the European Organization for Nuclear Research marks Israel’s status as the 21st full member of CERN, known for the world’s largest particle accelerator. The slain soldiers from the Convoy of 35 were buried on Mount Herzl after the War of Independence.

Jan. 16, 1948: All 35 Haganah soldiers in a convoy bringing supplies to the blockaded Gush Etzion settlements are killed in fighting with Arab troops. The Convoy of 35 traveled by foot after motorized relief efforts failed. Jan. 17, 1986: Spain becomes the last Western European nation to open formal diplomatic relations with Israel, a condition for Spain to join the European Community, the precursor to the European Union. Jan. 18, 1906: Forty women, chosen from a pool of 400 applicants, begin studying painting, drawing and tapestry at the new Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts in Jerusalem. The school seeks a visual expression for Jewish independence. 18 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

blankets were collected by United Hatzalah volunteers and then distributed via ambulance around the city. The volunteers drove around and whenever they found a homeless person, they gave them one of the blankets to help keep them warm throughout the cold winter months. The operation will continue throughout the next few days and will attempt to reach all of the homeless in the city who are in need of extra blankets.

Jan. 19, 1990: Arthur Goldberg, a former U.S. Supreme Court justice, dies in Washington at 81. As U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, he helped draft and push through Security Council Resolution 242 after the SixDay War. Jan. 20, 2014: Israel signs a security cooperation accord with Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic with a Sunni Muslim majority. The agreement builds on pacts covering telecommunications, technology and science.

BILU pioneers work the fields of Moshava Gedera in 1910.

Jan. 21, 1882: BILU, whose name comes from an Isaiah verse meaning “House of Jacob, let us go,” is founded by 30 students in Kharkov, Ukraine. BILU sets the groundwork for the First Aliyah of Jews to the Land of Israel. Jan. 22, 1979: Ali Hassan Salameh, the chief of operations for Black September, the Palestinian group responsible for 11 Israeli deaths in the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, is killed by a Mossad car bomb in Beirut.

Israeli Team Trains Goldfish to Drive Goldfish are capable of navigating on land, Israeli researchers have found, after training the fish to drive. According to Reuters, the team at BenGurion University developed an FOV — a fish-operated vehicle. The robotic car is fitted with lidar, a remote sensing technology that uses pulsed laser light to collect data on the vehicle’s ground location and the fish’s whereabouts inside a mounted water tank.

Jan. 23, 1922: Tuviah Samuel Friedman, a Holocaust survivor involved in the search for Adolf Eichmann, is born in Radom, Poland. After World War II, he devotes his life to hunting for Nazis, often by himself. Jan. 24, 1965: Syrian police arrest businessman Kamel Amin Tha’abet at his Damascus home and charge him with espionage. Tha’abet is actually successful Mossad agent Eli Cohen, who is publicly hanged May 18, 1965. Jan. 25, 1956: Abba Eban, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, and John Foster Dulles, the U.S. secretary of state, discuss a $50 million arms sale, but President Dwight Eisenhower decides that Israel receives enough weaponry from France and Britain. Chaim Weizmann wrote in 1919 that “the whole tragedy of my people” had only recently become apparent to him.

Jan. 26, 1919: Chaim Weizmann writes to Gen. Arthur Money, who heads Palestine’s British military administration, to make the Zionist case. The letter warns of “a terrible catastrophe” for Jews without a homeland. Jan. 27, 2006: The first U.N.-recognized International Holocaust Remembrance Day is held on the 61st anniversary of Auschwitz’s

A computer, camera, electric motors and omni-wheels gave the fish control of the vehicle. “Surprisingly, it doesn’t take the fish a long time to learn how to drive the vehicle. They’re confused at first. They don’t know what’s going on but they’re very quick to realize that there is a correlation between their movement and the movement of the machine that they’re in,” said researcher Shachar Givon. Six goldfish, each receiving around 10 driving lessons, took part in the study. Each time one of them reached a target set by the researchers, it was rewarded with food. And some goldfish are better drivers than others. “There were very good fish that were doing excellent and there were mediocre fish that showed control of the vehicle but were less proficient in driving it,” said biology professor and neuroscientist Ronen Segev. Showing that a fish has the cognitive capability to navigate outside its natural environment can expand scientific knowledge of the essential navigation skills of animals. “We humans think of ourselves as very special and many think of fish as primitive but this is not correct,” said Segev. “There are other very important and very smart creatures.”

liberation, in part to “reaffirm our unfaltering resolve to prevent the recurrence of such crimes.”

An 1806 painting depicts Napoleon emancipating the Jews across his empire.

Jan. 28, 1790: The National Assembly of revolutionary France decides to give citizenship to Sephardi Jews, who are well assimilated. Ashkenazim, France’s Jewish majority, are not emancipated until September 1791. Jan. 29, 2004: Israel frees more than 430 Arab prisoners to win the release of an Israeli businessman abducted in Dubai in October 2000 and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah and killed in captivity. Jan. 30, 1958: Countering Soviet efforts in the Middle East, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles says the United States is committed to the defense of the Baghdad Pact’s Muslim-majority states: Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Turkey. Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.

ISRAEL NEWS Israelis Getting Armed with Fourth COVID Shot By Jan Jaben-Eilon First it was Israeli medical workers offering their arms for a second booster shot to test whether there would be any bad side effects and, just as importantly, any measurable benefits. Almost immediately, the results encouraged Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to endorse the fourth inoculation of all medical workers and anyone over 60, plus immunocompromised Israelis. Thousands instantly signed up. According to Magen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the American Red Cross, Israel is the first country to begin administering a fourth round of the vaccine. Epidemiologists in the United States are watching carefully. So is the rest of the world, if the attendance at an international press conference held by the Israeli Ministry of Health on Jan. 10 is any indication. Nearly 200 scientists and members of the press from around the world participated in the virtual meeting, including Croatia, Russia, Turkmenistan, France, the U.K., Germany, Rwanda, Brazil, the Netherlands and Mexico. Although there were a range of accents, the questions mostly focused on the latest COVID-19 variant, Omicron, and its rampant spread through the world’s population. The new variant, said Asher Salmon, head of the international relations department of the Ministry of Health, is doubling “nearly three times as quickly as previous variants.” Although Omicron appears to be a milder variant, impacting the upper respiratory system rather than the lower lungs, “if one in five people need hospitals, the hospitals will be overwhelmed.” Salmon stressed that Israel is not offering the fourth shot to just anyone. He expressed concern about giving the second booster without more studies. “Usually there are clinical trials, but that would take a few years,” he said. “We are dealing with an emergency situation,” and that’s why the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has approved “emergency authorization” for COVID shots. Preliminary results from an Israeli study at the Sheba Medical Center indicated that a fourth vaccine dose produced a fivefold increase in the level of antibodies. But Salmon believes that in two to three weeks there will be “more substantial studies” of the effectiveness and need for the fourth shot. Those results will, of course, be shared with the rest of the world, he said. So far, there is “little data to support a fourth vaccine” in the U.S., said Harry Heiman, clinical associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences at Georgia State University. He believes that people who have received the first

two primary shots, as well as the booster, “have strong protection against hospitalization” due to infection by Omicron. “The cellular level response is still intact.” Rather than fourth shots, Heiman is more focused on protecting the more than 30 percent of Americans who have not been vaccinated at all and the more than 75 percent who have not received their boosters. “If we look at the people being hospitalized or dying, it’s overwhelmingly those who aren’t vaccinated,” he said. The same is true in Israel. That’s why Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is also emphasizing vaccinations. In his Jan. 2 address about the fourth vaccine, he noted that “recent mortality in Israel has been among the lowest in the world. In Britain, mortality per capita is 50 times greater. In Germany it is 100 times as great. In the U.S., it is 130 times greater than in the State of Israel.” Israel has a younger population than the U.S. and it is mostly the youth who have not received vaccinations. Overall, close to 65 percent of Israelis have been vaccinated twice, with about 46 percent receiving three shots, according to the government. It’s too early to get statistics on how many have received the fourth shot. But there are government predictions that as many as 40 percent of Israelis will become infected with Omicron, even as the Delta variant continues to spread as well. The country is logging its highest number of new cases a day, nearly every day. But that statistic is becoming nearly irrelevant both in Israel and the U.S. because an increasing number of people are using in-home antigen tests, and if they aren’t going to the hospital, those positive results aren’t being collected. Israeli media has reported that at least two Israeli embassies and one consulate around the world have had to close due to COVID outbreaks. That has not been the case here in Atlanta. Anat Sultan-Dadon, consul general to the Southeast United States, told the AJT that the consulate “is committed to remaining open and fully working throughout the pandemic, while making the necessary adaptations in order to ensure the health and safety of our employees during this unique situation. These adaptations have included holding meetings remotely, alternating work from the office/from home when deemed necessary and the provision of consular services via mail where possible.” Sultan-Dadon, who started her four-year term in Atlanta just months before the pandemic outbreak, added, “I am pleased to say that all employees have been fully vaccinated and hope that this, too, will help ensure their safety during this pandemic, as well as help ensure the continued work of the consulate.”

In two to three weeks, Israel will have more substantial studies of the fourth vaccine, said Asher Salmon, head of the international relations department of the Ministry of Health.

“If we look at the people being hospitalized or dying, it’s overwhelmingly those who aren’t vaccinated,” said Harry Heiman, clinical associate professor at Georgia State University.

Both Heiman and Salmon emphasize that vaccines are not the only tool to use against COVID. “We need to have a longerterm game plan,” said Heiman, which includes high-quality masks in public settings and better ventilation systems. “We should approach this less reactively and more proactively, which includes using all tools available,” he said. Heiman also said that Americans

Anat Sultan-Dadon, consul general to the Southeast United States, said that the consulate “is committed to remaining open and fully working throughout the pandemic.”

“should focus on getting friends and neighbors vaccinated and boosted.” In both countries, the changing guidelines have resulted in confusion. On Jan. 9, the Israeli Ministry of Health’s hotline for answering citizens’ questions collapsed under heavy demand. Salmon acknowledged that government policies related to the pandemic have had to be modified at times. “It’s trial and error. We have to learn,” he said. ì

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SPORTS The NBA’s Next Jewish Jordan It started in February 1999, coincidentally, 23 years ago. Sports Illustrated ran one of its precious few stories on a high David Ostrowsky school athlete, in this case, Tamir Goodman, the redheaded hoops prodigy out of Talmudical Academy, a small Jewish day school in Pikesville, Md. In the profile, writer Michael Bamberger innocently referred to Goodman, who had recently made an oral commitment to attend the University of Maryland on a basketball scholarship in fall 2000 and was considered a top 25 prospect nationally, as the “Jewish Jordan.” While it may have been a fitting moniker at the time, the “Jewish Jordan” label soon proved to be more of a curse than a blessing for the 17-year-old from the Orthodox community of Upper Park Heights, in the northwest corner of Baltimore. “I’m a very simple person. I don’t like a lot of noise. I never asked to be called the Jewish Jordan and [for] all that media attention,” Goodman acknowledges today, from Israel, where he is a father of five. Indeed, once the four-page spread on the “Jewish Jordan” found its way into living rooms and dentist offices across America, Goodman’s fame skyrocketed. Major television networks started airing stories. Hordes of fans started mobbing him for autographs after games. By October, Jerry Seinfeld was doing a “Jewish Jordan” skit on “Saturday Night Live.” There were Friday evenings when Tamir and his father would walk into shul to find camera crews camped out. The hoopla surrounding Goodman grew so intense, so suffocating, that, by the end of his junior year at Talmudical

Ryan Turell is a 22-two-year-old senior guard for Yeshiva who many believe has a shot at the NBA this June. 20 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Academy, the school essentially asked him to leave. It simply didn’t have the infrastructure (i.e., the gym space) to handle the crush of fans and reporters hovering around the 6’3”, 150-lb. point guard. And so, Goodman finished his high school career by enrolling in, of all places, Takoma Academy, a SeventhDay Adventist Christian high school. Akin to Talmudical Academy, Takoma didn’t schedule games on Saturdays, making it a perfect

fit for Goodman, even if he was the school’s only Jew. While Takoma was perfectly accommodating, Maryland, and ultimately Towson, to which he transferred after his freshman year in College Park, were not. By December 2001, Goodman, who was raised by Holocaust survivors, bolted to Israel, where he began playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv, the first of seven Israeli teams that he would represent before retiring at 27, following a debilitating leg injury. There would be no Jewish Jordan. At least not one in the NBA. But now, nearly a quarter-century later, the “Jewish Jordan” discussion has resurfaced with the ascension of Ryan Turell, Yeshiva University’s slick combo guard, who has a killer outside jumper and an outside chance of getting drafted into the NBA this summer. While the media scrutiny and fanfare surrounding Turell in Washington Heights has not been quite as extraordinary as that which accompanied Goodman in the late '90s, Turrell’s emergence as the best Division-III player in the country (back in November he dropped 51 points on Manhattanville) has rekindled the debate over whether there could ever be an Orthodox Jewish player in the NBA. From the perspective of some American sports fans, the concept of a “Jewish Jordan” seems like a great oxymoron: How could a highly observant Jew, one who could not take the court on Shabbat, play in the NBA, whose slate of games regularly consists of Friday night and Saturday afternoon tipoffs? It’s a valid question, considering that it relates to not just the professional ranks, but college, too. Even in regard to Division I hoops, both Goodman and Turell have faced a similar predicament. While Goodman had his well-publicized struggles in college (“When I was coming up it was like, ‘Ok, what are you doing? This is never going to happen. This is impossible. How are you ever going to get a scholarship? Who’s ever going to accommodate you?’”), Turell also found his devotion to Judaism to be problematic when he was getting recruited by D-I schools. “When I was getting recruited, I was going to go to Army,” explains Turell, whose Yeshiva Maccabees team last month snapped a 50-game win streak but still appear in the running for a national title. “We had a conversation with a bunch of people and we called the rabbi up there. He said it would be really, really difficult to stay a

religious Jew, almost impossible.” After getting similar vibes from other schools, including Stanford, where he was promised a preferred walk-on spot, Turell enrolled at Yeshiva. With Turell holding down its backcourt (he has already been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Player of the Week twice this year), YU’s emergence as a D-III powerhouse has garnered considerable national attention with such mainstream outlets as the Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and espn.com having run stories. “I expected us at Yeshiva to succeed,” adds Turell. “I didn’t expect this kind of love with all the coverage. It’s a blessing, something I thank God for every day.” In the D-III landscape, Turell is the proverbial big fish in a small pond. Night in and night out, he’s YU’s leading scorer and NBA teams have taken notice of the team’s standout floor in general. While it’s a tall order for a small school ballplayer to make the jump to the NBA (currently Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat is the only player with such a background, and he later transferred to Michigan), it remains a distinct possibility that Turell could get some love from the league later this year. “I know for sure that there’s a lot of interest in him [Turell] at the NBA level just from some of the contacts who I know at the NBA that have been in touch with me,” says Goodman. Yet, it’s undeniable that had Turell, the active “Jewish Jordan,” gone to a bigtime athletic school, there would have been more exposure on nationally televised Saturday afternoon games. Any regrets not going down that road? “I love the decision I made,” Turell responds without hesitation. “I don’t regret it for a second. Hopefully it inspires kids to choose religion and stay religious. They don’t have to go to a D-I place. They can come to Yeshiva and still succeed.” Thus far, Turell’s basketball journey has mirrored Goodman’s in the sense that both did not compromise their devotion to Judaism for the sake of playing on a bigger stage. And, much like his protégé of sorts, Goodman, who is currently an entrepreneur and runs basketball camps in Israel, believes unequivocally that he himself made the right decision a couple decades earlier. “I have no regrets. I feel so blessed. I got to live out my dream, play professionally, play on a full scholarship without playing on Shabbat. That was my goal.” Since maturing into adulthood, Goodman has pursued his professional career with a greater purpose: to show the world at large that Judaism and athletics constitute a

SPORTS an Orthodox hoopster. With his ubiquitous kippah and killer crossover, Goodman stood out, and on more than one occasion was referred to as a “Jewish faggot.” In both organized competition and pick-up games, opponents would question his head covering and make comments about kosher food. For many observers, who did not necessarily have anti-Semitic leanings, he was still this object of great curiosity, a freak of nature. How can a Jew be so gifted at basketball? Unbeknownst to many sports fans, there have actually been quite a few Jewish NBA players. While there is only one currently in the league (Deni Avdija, of the Washington Wizards), the league has been graced by the likes of Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes, Omri Casspi and Ernie Grunfeld, among others. But never one who identifies as Orthodox. That is where Turell, who started After committing to the University of Maryland, Tamir Goodman ultimately decided to enroll in nearby Towson wearing a kippah as a seUniversity, where he was assured that there could be a nior at Valley Torah High healthy balance between Judaism and basketball. School, enters the picture. “This is something beautiful partnership. I definitely embrace,” says Turell, who is “Back in the day it was almost seen as very interested in pursuing a career in real impossible,” the original “Jewish Jordan” estate if this basketball gig doesn’t work out. recalls. “The world is in a place where it is “I have a goal in mind and I’m not just trymuch more accepting. I just love seeing ing to do it for myself. I’m trying to do it for what’s going on. It’s almost like, ‘Why can’t all the Jews around the world that want to you be a proud Jewish person and reach make it.” your dreams in basketball?’ We’re seeing it In a sense, there is not as much presin figure skating. We’re seeing it in running. sure on Turell as there was on Goodman. We’re seeing it in the music world. We’re While the spotlight was beaming exclusively seeing it everywhere now. on the latter’s individual accomplishments, “That’s always been my thought pro- Turell’s story has drawn national attention cess — Judaism is always about uniting the because his team is historically great. physical with the spiritual. There’s no con“I am extremely proud [of Yeshiva],” flict. It’s just nice to see it out there now. says Goodman, who, admittedly, has no per“Serving God and bettering the world sonal relationship with Turell. “On so many through physical sport is a very special levels what they are doing is so extremely way to live. Judaism is not running away special and I think it’s going to have a very from the world, but it’s about uplifting the positive impact for many years to come. world and finding God in everything we are He [Turell] is in a phenomenal program. He involved in throughout the day. If God gives has a great strong family behind him and us a talent in basketball, or whatever it is, great coaching staff. He’s doing all the right it’s our job to uplift and enhance the world things.” through it as much as possible.” Any advice for the next “Jewish JorBack in the '90s, when Goodman dan”? was coming of age on the Baltimore play“Never let society dictate what you can ground courts, it wasn’t always easy being or cannot accomplish.” ì

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From The Mansions' Kitchen to YOU!

OPINION Breaking Down the Pledge of Allegiance

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“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and jus-

tice for all.” That is how mornings began at Wayne Thomas Elementary School, in Highland Park, Ill., in the early 1960s. The words we learned by rote. Their meaning was left to be worked out later. We were Cold War children, tucked into bed at night by parents who heard constant warnings about the existential threat posed by a belligerent empire capable of exacting harm even from the darkness of space. My mother considers those 13 days in October 1962, when the United States and the Soviet Union came perilously close to war over the latter’s placement of nuclear-armed missiles in Cuba, the scariest in her 93 years. In Des Moines, Iowa, where my mother grew up, it was 1:31 p.m. on Dec. 7, 1941, when John Daly delivered this bulletin on the CBS radio network: “The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by air, President Roosevelt has just announced. The attack also was made on all military and naval activities on the principal island of Oahu.” She remembers the next day, when 81 percent of Americans, some 108 million people, heard Roosevelt call Dec. 7 “a date which will live in infamy,” and ask Congress for a declaration of war against Japan. For much of my generation the first historical marker in our lives is Nov. 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Walter Cronkite reported the news on CBS at 2:38 p.m. Central. With maybe 30 minutes left in the school day, an announcement over the speaker in our classroom told us that the president, who looked more like our fathers than our grandfathers, was dead. The next three days were spent glued to the black-and-white images on television (maybe 5 percent of Americans owned color sets), until Kennedy was buried Nov. 25 on a hillside at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Some dates become a shorthand for history. April 4, 1968, Rev. Martin Luther

King Jr. assassinated in Memphis. June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assassinated in Los Angeles. July 20, 1969, humans first set foot on the moon. Sept. 11, 2001, the terror attacks referred to as 9/11. Other events stand out, though their dates are less immediately recalled. Many Jewish Americans may not recognize Oct. 27, 2018, but they certainly remember that sickening feeling when they learned that a gunman had massacred 11 worshippers that Shabbat morning at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. I wonder whether Jan. 6, 2021, will become such a shorthand reference. Thinking about the Pledge of Allegiance, the self-styled patriots who stormed the halls, offices and chambers of Congress that day — and those who cheered them on — had their own interpretation of “and to the republic for which it stands.” As they saw it, disdain for the election results — certified in Georgia after recounts by hand and machine — justified the violence that disrupted and delayed, but failed to prevent the elected representatives of the republic from performing their Constitutional duty to count the Electoral College ballots and certify the election of the president and vice-president. The words “under God” were absent when the pledge was written in 1892. Congress inserted them after “one nation” in 1954, for reasons more political than religious: to differentiate the United States from the godless Communist world. (In case you did not know, the original salute during the pledge called for a right arm extended upward, palm down. By the 1930s, its resemblance to those favored by the Nazis and Italian fascists was obvious. In December 1942, Congress decreed that the proper salute be placement of the right hand over the heart.) Some people argue that the severity of the schisms in America today call into question whether these United States are indeed “indivisible.” Others contend that the Jan. 6 insurrection posed as grave a domestic threat as the republic has experienced since the Civil War. And even as today’s schoolchildren recite the Pledge of Allegiance, Americans remain at loggerheads over the meaning of its most important phrase — “with liberty and justice for all” — and how to apply that standard. That debate has only intensified since my days at Wayne Thomas Elementary School and shows no sign of abating. ì

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OPINION

Letters to the Editor The AJT welcomes your letters. If you would like your letter to be published, please write 200 words or less, include your name, phone number and email, and send it to editor@atljewishtimes.com.

Letter to the editor,

Thanks so much Atlanta Jewish Times for your lovely article highlighting the 2021 winners of the annual “She’s a Maccabee” contest, run by the Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta. We are so proud of these women and the contribution they make to the Atlanta Jewish community. This contest is just one facet of JIFLA’s mission of improving the lives of Jewish women in Atlanta via interest-free lending. JIFLA’s Women’s Empowerment Fund makes loans for uses ranging from basic needs such as paying rent and buying food to helping pay for a professional certification to improve household income. Our goal is to help Jewish women and families thrive! Wishing our community a 2022 where we are all Maccabees, fighting in ways big and small to ensure a safe, healthy and prosperous year for all. Laura Kahn, Co-President & Board Chair Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta

24 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Letter to the editor,

It is now long past the time that the well-known national Democrats, including those in the US Congress, put the kibosh on the dishonest political strategy of many conservative Republicans of calling Democrats names such as “socialists,” “Marxists,” and “communists” when not a single Democrat is a true socialist. This can be done by honestly educating and informing the public on what a true socialist does and does not believe. This red baiting by Republicans reminds me so much of what Joe McCarthy and McCarthyism did. In actuality, there is more truth in the claim that many of today’s Republicans in Congress are Scrooge-like “Survival-of-the-Fittest” Social Darwinists. Sincerely, Stewart B. Epstein P.S. I am a retired college professor of Sociology and Social Work who taught at West Virginia University, Slippery Rock University, and SUNY-Brockport. I am also a volunteer for and with an organization called “Times Up Now” which fights against “Sexual Harassment” in all parts of our society.

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BUSINESS Arthur Blank Contracts COVID-19 By Bob Bahr The Atlanta Falcons announced on Jan. 9 that Arthur Blank, the Atlanta philanthropist and owner of the team, had tested positive for COVID-19 and would miss the Falcons’ regular-season finale against the New Orleans Saints. In a short statement, the team said Blank was “doing well and is in great spirits, experiencing only mild symptoms at this time.” According to the team’s statement, this was the first game that the 79-year-old had missed attending in-person since becoming owner. Blank, who made his fortune as a cofounder of The Home Depot, is fully vaccinated and has received a booster shot, according to the statement. Five years ago, he was successfully treated for prostate cancer. In addition to being an active NFL team owner, Blank also owns the Atlanta United professional soccer team. Much of his recent philanthropic work has concentrated on the Westside of Atlanta, home to MercedesBenz stadium, where both of his teams play.

Andy N. Siegel CPCU, CIC, AAI Sheldon Berch

Until Jan. 9, owner Arthur Blank had never missed a chance to cheer on the Falcons in person.

Blank is also a major benefactor of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and has allowed the stadium to be used as a vaccination site. In August 2021, it was announced that the Falcons were the first of the NFL’s 32 teams to be fully vaccinated. According to the latest statistics from the NFL, over 94 percent of the league’s players have been vaccinated and nearly 100 percent of the staff have had their shots. Nonetheless, 58 players have tested positive over the latest two-week period ending in December, along with some 50 members of the staff.

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Gersh Promotes Sylvee Legge to Agent Sandy Springs native Sylvee Legge has been promoted to agent at the Gersh Agency. Legge entered the agency via its mailroom in 2018 and swiftly climbed the ranks. Most recently, she worked under agent Tara Kromer, and is the first trainee in Gersh history to be promoted internally from the New York division of the department. “We are thrilled to announce Sylvee’s very well-deserved promotion to agent. She has an unstoppable work ethic with great taste; and not only does she add value to our production department, but cross-departmentally to Gersh as a whole,” said agency co-president David Gersh. “We are excited for her future and proud to have her as an integral part of our expansion in New York.” Legge has already cultivated an impressive roster of talent at Gersh, this year signing clients including Roger Horrocks — the cinematographer behind the 2021 Best Documentary Feature Oscar winner, “My Octopus Teacher” — and production designer Will Hughes-Jones, who recently received his first Emmy nomination for his work on Shonda Rhimes’s hit Netflix series “Bridgerton.” Legge also works with clients of Gersh’s Commercial and Music Video Department, including production designer R. Tyler Evans — who has collaborated with the likes of Lizzo, Ariana Grande and Cardi B — as well as emerging cinematographer Sade Ndya. The latter

Sylvee Legge is the first trainee in Gersh history to be promoted internally from the NY division. // Photo courtesy of Gersh

graced the cover of the Los Angeles Times this year, with a profile spotlighting her contributions to diversifying Hollywood. Ndya was one of 10 BIPOC filmmakers selected to shoot a project for Lena Waithe, Hillman Grad Production and Indeed, as part of their Rising Voices initiative, unveiled at the Tribeca Film Festival this year. Prior to her position in New York, Legge graduated from The Epstein School and the Galloway School in Atlanta and the Tisch College of the Arts at New York University, where she majored in film and drama. Her parents, Janie Cohen-Legge and Jerry Legge, are longtime members of Congregation B’nai Torah.

Barry Flink Is New COO

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Barry Flink has been named CEO of Alumni Direct LLC.

Barry Flink, a Brookhaven-based management professional for over 40 years, has been named chief operating

officer of Alumni Direct LLC, based in Boca Raton, Fla. Starting operations two years ago, this company is providing connectivity solutions for alumni of selected universities, company alumni associations and nonprofit organizations, including civic clubs, fraternities and sororities. Flink is CEO of La Grange Hospitality LLC and executive vice president of Flex HR Inc. He also serves on the advisory board of Departures magazine, the national lifestyle and hospitality magazine. He served for 31 years on the board of the Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business, chaired several subcommittees and was an executive in residence for seven years. A native of LaGrange, Ga., he and his wife, Vicki, just celebrated their 48th anniversary.

The Lowdown I Bet You Didn’t Know …

Matt Bronfman

Matt Bronfman, originally from Overland Park, Kan., is the CEO of Atlanta-based real estate investment and management company Jamestown. He joined the firm in 1998, and under his leadership, Jamestown has grown its portfolio of assets in the U.S. and expanded into Latin America and Europe. Bronfman has led the acquisition, redevelopment and oversight for over $20 billion in projects, including Ponce City Market, Buckhead Village and the Westside Provisions District in Atlanta, as well as Chelsea Market and Industry City in New York City. Bronfman currently serves as board chair of the Atlanta Jewish Federation and has been active in many other local and national charitable organizations, including the Weber School, Piedmont Park Conservancy and the Jewish Funders Network. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including New York Observer’s 100 Most Powerful People in New York Real Estate, Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Most Admired CEOs, and Atlanta Magazine’s Top 500 Most Powerful Leaders. Bronfman graduated from Tufts University and Northwestern Law School. He and his wife, Ronit Walker, have three kids who they hope will return to Atlanta someday. Learn more about Bronfman and his favorite jogging partner below.

What was the best advice your father gave you? “Stability is more important than ability.” That, like a lot of parental wisdom, took me a long time to appreciate. My most exotic vacation was … I have had some great vacations, but generally would rather be up at my house on Lake Rabun with family and friends than just about anywhere else. If they made a movie of your life, who would you choose to play the lead? I am told I look like Tony Goldwyn and/or the comedian Jon Stewart. So, it sort of depends upon whether it’s a drama or a comedy. If I had one more talent, it would be … I have studied both Spanish and German, and my language skills are just terrible. Because we have a large German business, I occasionally receive letters in German, and I have to turn to my wife and her Yiddish skills to help decipher them. My most unusual job was … I was a history major in college and a lawyer who never expected to be where I am today, and so I will say my current position. I honestly find myself thinking at times, “how did I get here?” What’s your guilty pleasure? Going for morning runs with my dog. I like to run alone, and this is pretty much the only time when I don’t answer phone calls and can really disconnect. My favorite meal at Ponce City Market is … So many great options and many more coming, but probably Botiwalla Salad. My favorite Netflix series is … I recently watched the “Last Dance” on Michael Jordan and the Bulls, which, as someone living in Chicago in the early '90s, was particularly great. One quirky thing is … I have an electric bike I ride to work as often as possible. I’m reading … “Empire of Pain” on the Sackler Family. My last fashion disaster was … Luckily, Jamestown has so many great retail tenants, and so hopefully I avoid fashion disasters. But just last week, I underdressed for a holiday party by not wearing a sports coat. The last time I danced was … Every wedding and bar or bat mitzvah party, but unfortunately, I am a little young as a parent to be attending many of the former and too old to be attending many of the latter. The last time I cried was … I am still a sucker for “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and so: every holiday season. My kids say I’m too … Controlling — but I am working on it!

Reported by Marcia Caller Jaffe

HEALTH & WELLNESS A Jewish Woman Legalized Medical Marijuana in GA Marijuana and its use for various medical conditions is still a complicated and often misunderstood subject. We’d love to believe that we’ve Robyn Spizman made progress Gerson in this arena, yet conflicting claims abound, and even the laws change dramatically depending on the state in which you live. If you grew up in Atlanta, you may recognize the name Mona Freedman (Taft), my 5-ft., 2-inch, petite, high-heeled cousin, who was adored by everyone who knew her. Growing up in Northwest Atlanta and attending Northside High School, Mona was your all-around likeable personality who livened up a room whenever she entered it. None of us could have imagined that Mona would ultimately take on Georgia’s state legislature and go down in history

Medical marijuana has recently been prescribed for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

as a medical marijuana activist and lobbyist who is credited with getting the first law for the legal use of medical marijuana (in certain circumstances) passed. The year was 1980. Mona had made a promise to her 32-year-old husband, Harris, and shared his dying wish, which was finally granted. Harris Taft was a musi-

cian and songwriter. Early on in their marriage, Harris was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In those days, the side effects from treatment were hard, if not impossible, to manage. After facing cancer for nine years and receiving debilitating chemotherapy, Harris made it clear that he would no longer endure the treatments he needed, which left him

unable to sleep and feeling weaker. Following another round of therapy, a nurse shared with Mona that she had heard that marijuana might help with the nausea. After one joint, Harris slept soundly, his first full night’s sleep in six months. Tragically, a few days later, in June 1979, he passed away. Before Harris died, he made his wife promise to tell others how

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HEALTH & WELLNESS much peace it ultimately brought him. Mona, not one to wait for progress, took matters into her own hands. She taught herself how to lobby, who to pursue and took it upon herself to take on the Georgia legislature. She traveled to Georgia’s capitol — then known as one of the most conservative legislatures in the South — and began to lobby legislators for a bill that would make it legal for cancer patients to use marijuana. Nothing about this was easy. Mona was told that she was crazy to take this on, that it couldn’t be done in one year — and certainly not in Georgia. At first, her efforts Due to lawsuits, medical marijuana manufacturing in Georgia is at a standstill and, due were smeared as a way of flooding the to federal law, there’s no way to get the oil legally over state lines. streets with drugs. 1979 was an election year, so a lot was at stake as Mona enstill illegal, and the only thing now that law so we can get this vital medicine to tered the fray of the political landscape. in southern medical and political circles is legal is using medical cannabis oil with Georgians who desperately need it.” She set out to draft a bill that would allow that marijuana can be an important tool Wilensky added, “Everyone says a prescription. However, the issue right in the battle against cancer patients like now is there have been lawsuits filed re- they want this to move forward since cancer and glauher late husband garding the licenses, so at this time there this is vital for the Georgians who do coma.” to access medical is no manufacturing happening in Geor- desperately need this medication. I filed Mona created marijuana. gia and no way to get the oil legally over a bill last year to add Ulcerative Colitis to a music scholarship Thanks to her state lines because of federal law. Even the list of diseases that the cannabis oil in Harris’s name at persistence, passion though the licenses have been given, they can be prescribed for [Crohn’s is already Georgia State Uniand persuasive efcan’t move forward yet. The Regulated In- listed] and it passed in the House, but not versity and devoted forts, the Georgia dustries Committee and Georgia Legisla- the Senate. It is a challenging issue we’re the remainder of Senate passed the ture must go back in and figure out what working on, but we need to get it going as her life to keeping bill with a 50-0 vote. they’ll do with the licenses and adjust the soon as possible.” ì his memory alive, Next, the House though she, too, passed it, 158-6, and passed away too Governor George soon. Busbee promised to So what is the sign it into law. status of medical A 1980 armarijuana in Georticle described the Mona Taft promised her late husband that she would fight for the right of gia today? scene: “After the cancer patients and others to legally According to votes were counted, access medical marijuana treatment. Georgia State Rep. Sen. Paul C. Broun, D. – Athens, hugged Mona Taft. They Mike Wilensky, who represents Georwept, ‘You know,’ said Broun, ‘my wife gia’s 79th State House District in North just died of cancer.’ That such a law could DeKalb County and serves on the Regulated Industries be passed on the Committee — the first try in Georgia, committee responlegislators agreed, sible for all reguwas a testament to lated business and the perseverance industries, includand determination ing medical mariof Mona Taft, who juana — “A couple lobbied more than If buying or selling a home of years ago a bill half the members passed to legalize of the legislature is one of your resolutions, THC cannabis oil for up to an hour give us a call and we will put in Georgia, and reeach, beginning the cently 6 licenses day after her husour 41 years of experience to were given to allow band’s death. ‘That work for you! the manufacturwoman is a tiger,’ ing of marijuana Gov. Busbee told plants for the proaides after Mrs. Rep. Mike Wilensky, who serves on the duction of THC oil. Taft visited his ofRegulated Industries Committee, said that recently “6 licenses were given to To get this THC oil fice early in the sesROBIN BLASS LAUREN BLASS SOLOMON allow the manufacturing of marijuana REALTOR® REALTOR® you need a medical sion. But if the new 404-403-6561 C | 770-394-2131 O 770-789-4464 C | 770-394-2131 O plants for the production of THC oil.” prescription from a law is a testament Robin.Blass@HarryNorman.com Lauren.Blass@HarryNorman.com www.RobinBlass.com www.RobinBlass.com to the power of a determined lobbyist, it doctor. The growing of marijuana, except The Atlanta Perimeter Office | 4848 Ashford Dunwoody Road | Dunwoody, GA 30338 also is evidence of increasing realization for the companies with the licenses, is

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Autism Researchers See Promise in Medical Marijuana

Research in the United States and Israel points to the potential use of medical marijuana compounds in the treatment of autism.

According to research published this October in the scientific journal Translational Psychiatry, some forms of medical marijuana may offer Bob Bahr effective treatment for autism in children. The study, authored by a group of seven medical experts at Israel’s Tel Aviv University, was led by Dr. Daniel Offen of the university’s medical research center and Shani Poleg, a PhD candidate in neuroscience there. The research, which was carried out on an animal model, successfully treated autism with medical marijuana or cannabis oil. “This treatment improves both behavioral and biochemical parameters of autism,” said Dr. Offen in a release from Tel Aviv University. “There is a great deal of misinformation on the subject of medicinal cannabis and autism,” Offen continued, “and Shani Poleg’s project represents pioneering basic research with regard to treating autism with cannabis oil.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, one out of every 44 children is estimated to have an autism spectrum disorder. Some children can have repetitive and extreme reaction to light and sound, which can trigger emotional meltdowns and rage. In extreme cases, some children never learn to speak or speak only a few words. Social interactions can become very difficult. In children, most symptoms of depres30 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

sion, anxiety or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are treated with medications such as Ritalin or a combination of antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, but there is no FDA-approved treatment for what causes autism and there is no cure. According to the Israeli researchers, the lab work was done on animals genetically modified to exhibit the symptoms of autism. The animals responded positively when they were treated with oil derived from marijuana or cannabis. “We saw that cannabis oil has a favorable effect on compulsive and anxious behaviors in model animals,” said Poleg, the Israeli researcher. “According to the prevailing theory, autism involves overarousal of the brain, which causes compulsive behavior. In the lab, in addition to the behavioral results, we saw a significant decrease in the concentration of the arousing neurotransmitter glutamate in the spinal fluid, which can explain the reduction in behavioral symptoms.” Unlike the U.S., where marijuana and the oil derived from it are still classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic under federal law, therefore inhibiting its use in medical research, the Israeli government formally legalized medical marijuana in 1999 and has since partially decriminalized its recreational use. In 2020, Israel’s medical marijuana patient list numbered 70,000. Now, the country has become the world’s largest importer of legal medical marijuana buds. But medical experts caution that it might be too early for parents in America to get their hopes up. Dr. Nathan Call, director of clinical operations at the Marcus Autism Center, points out that there is still much we don’t know about the condition; even less is known

The director of clinical operations at the Marcus Autism Center urges caution in trying out new medicines that have not been thoroughly studied.

Daniel Offen is the lead researcher in a laboratory study of autism and the use of cannabis oil at Tel Aviv University.

about the chemical components of medical marijuana. “It’s too early for anyone to recommend that as a validated, well-studied type of a substance. What I tell families when they ask a question about the use of cannabidiol is that it is not well-studied and that we don’t have the same kinds of clear-cut outcomes as we do for other medications or other approaches.” Nonetheless, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the acceptance of medical marijuana in the U.S. is changing. In 2021, 36 states, including Georgia and four territories, allow for the medical use of cannabis products. Georgia specifically allows the use of products derived from marijuana for medical use only in limited situations. Products must have low concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient that produces marijuana’s euphoric effect or high. The substance can, however, contain significant amounts of cannabidiol, or CBD. Laws to allow the non-medical or recreational use of cannabis by adults have been approved in 18 states, two territories and the District of Columbia. Researchers at the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at the University of California in San Diego are involved in a study of how CBD could affect the brains of children with autism. The lead researcher in the study, Dr. Doris Trauner, is a pediatric neurologist and distinguished professor of neurosciences and pediatrics at the university. She told CNN last month that CBD use is being studied for its effect on two neurotransmitters. The first is serotonin, which is thought to regulate mood and has a large effect on brain development

in early childhood, and the second is dopamine, which can reinforce behavior when we receive a reward. “CBD, among many other things, does have effects on the serotonin system, with increasing availability of serotonin,” she added, “that may be helping in terms of social interaction in particular.” In New York City, at the Montefiore Health System, which includes the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a similar study is underway. It involves children and adolescents with autism being treated with another cannabinoid, cannabidivarin (CBDV). Dr. Eric Hollander, the director of the Autism and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Spectrum program at Montefiore, told CNN that compounds derived from marijuana show promise in treating autism. They can calm explosive behavior, temper tantrums, rage or self-injury by directly affecting communication in the brain. “I think CBDV can play an important role in autism. It can decrease the excitation neurons and increase inhibition.” Despite the lack of extensive research and the federal government’s unwillingness to change the classification of marijuana as a dangerous drug with no medical benefits, Dr. Call, at the Marcus Center, admits that families are always interested in trying something new. “I can tell you that there are a lot of desperate families out there. And again, I work a lot with individuals with really significant and severe forms of challenging behavior like aggression or self-injury. And when you’re a caregiver of a child who is hurting you every day or hurting themselves every day, you’re willing to try a lot of things to try to make your life a little bit better.” ì

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Are Anxiety and Depression Getting Worse? The National Institutes of Health (NIH) noted a rise in anxiety diagnoses from 2020 to 2021. It describes anxiety as “intense and uncontrolChana Shapiro lable feelings that interfere with daily activities, and they often go hand in hand with depression.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims that about one out of every ten American adults experience depression at some point in their lives, and the percentage is increasing. Depression is defined as “a sad mood that prevents normal functioning and can last for a long time. Depression can happen at any age in any type of person.” David, an Atlanta musician, experienced years of headaches, vertigo and tinnitus (persistent ringing in the ears) until bouts of anxiety affected his work. In his late 20s, he was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder and tried cognitive be-

32 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

havioral therapy (CBT). According to the National Institute for Stress, Anxiety and Depression (NISAD), “CBT focuses on an individual’s anxiety triggers, and helps the person learn to respond to these triggers without feeling anxious.” Eventually, David was diagnosed with oscillopsia, a chronic ocular disorder. “Finding out what was wrong and getting help with therapy and meds started me on an aggressive path to functioning again,” he says. But then COVID happened. “In 2020, COVID decreased work assignments and limited my ability to get out and stay busy. I had more anxiety and bouts of depression. With good meds and meditation based on the teachings of a Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron, I’m better, but I still worry about the future.” In October, the peer-reviewed medical journal Nature Medicine stated, “Lockdowns, social isolation, economic stress and other consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic caused millions of additional anxiety and depression cases in 2020.” Adding to the pandemic and growing social unrest, on Nov. 10 of this year, the PBS Newshour reported widespread demon-

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) noted a rise in anxiety diagnoses from 2020 to 2021.

During 2020, Atlanta therapists were strations addressing “climate anxiety and fear of a climate apocalypse, as either a impacted by COVID-19 and issues related direct or indirect result of anthropogenic to it, which added to client stress. Jewish Family & Career Services is ofclimate change.” This fear would seem to increase anxiety, especially among young ten a bellwether of social change. Judy Spira, a clinical social worker who works for people. Atlanta dentist Stanley Eisenberg re- the organization’s Shalom Bayit Program ports that, since the start of the pandemic, and does general counseling, said that her his practice has seen a significant rise in clients cross demographic lines, ages, culbroken teeth, TMJ and TMD (temporo- tural backgrounds and “presenting probmanibaular joint disfunction/disorder), re- lems.” Shalom Bayit offers counseling supsulting from bruxism or teeth-grinding. An port and guidance for individuals facing NIH survey found that “almost half the re- physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and sponding dentists reported an increase in for those who have experienced abuse in bruxism, TMJ and TMD, and almost half of the past. Spira notes, “The panthe patients reported more demic has affected everyfrequent migraines and/or one greatly. My caseload headaches, due to psychohas increased, and there is social distress during the more stress and anxiety.” COVID-19 pandemic.” She adds that JFCS has Rose, an educator in added more staff and has Atlanta, on the other hand, responded to requests “in was not adversely affected a comprehensive manner. by the pandemic. “I sufJFCS has really risen to the fer from social anxiety,” issues and responded to she explained, “so having the many emergent situafewer social situations Judy Spira, a clinical social tions, as well as to the onduring the pandemic has worker at Shalom Bayit, said, “The pandemic has going needs of the Atlanta been a relief. Also, being affected everyone greatly.” community with a multiexhausted and feeling overwhelmed contribute to and lead to plicity of therapeutic modalities. JFCS has my anxiety and depression, and with the a staff of very talented, creative, caring and slowed-down pace of pandemic life, it was conscientious therapists, working in the most responsible, intelligent, compassioneasier for me to cope. “I have not used meds. I have found ate and professional manner.” Dr. Deborah Fernhoff, an Atlanta clinthat being creative helps lift my mood, and I have also turned to meditation for many ical psychologist, notes, “During COVID I years. Now, because of therapy, I have been have ‘seen’ patients throughout the countrying to integrate the suffering parts of my try because of more lenient practice rules life into the meditation. I started a medita- that allow sessions on Zoom. After the tion group because I find that we humans first couple of months, therapists’ volume do things more strongly in groups, that we mushroomed. We soon realized ‘shelter in need each other for strength and inspira- place’ would be around for a long time. “COVID served as an enzyme for what tion.”

HEALTH & WELLNESS received cancer diagnoses, experienced family deaths, dealt with the difficulties of arranging funerals and without the comforts of traditional shivas and visitations. Loneliness is the scourge of old age, and it is painful to be the last one standing. The conflict between the vaccinated and anti-vaxxers resulted in some families not AARP magazine noted that adults of all ages “had a speaking to each other," decrease in physical activity because we were locked in, and there was a significant drop in mental health.” Fernhoff continued. “Many people had was already going on. Anxious people be- time to reflect on their life experiences and came more so, and it exacerbated ongoing more opportunity to seek psychotherapy. I depression, loneliness and marital strife. polled my patients, and the vast majority Extroversive personalities, who recharge (99 percent) prefer to stay on Zoom, even their batteries by interaction with other if I go back to my office. The silver lining people, suffered more than introversive is how adaptable, flexible and inventive people, who recharge with solitude. Early human beings are. Although we have lost in 2020, anxieties centered around the vi- something in not being together in one rus and possible contamination, and some room, we are also learning to use Zoom itpatients asked to be medicated. Some anxi- self as a therapeutic tool.” Target and Walmart report increased ety and sadness were normal responses to lack of control and how our world had sales of coloring books, worry beads and changed. Meanwhile, during COVID, people fidget devices and spinners — for both

adults and children. The spinner became popular in April 2020, as the pandemic began to spread. Catherine Hettinger invented the device in the 1990s to soothe and entertain children who had ADHD and autism. Scott McCoskery could never sit still at meetings, “I always had something to occupy me, like a little top or cool little knife. In the spring of 2014, during a typical conference room meeting, I wrote down ‘purpose-built device to keep hands busy, quiet, discreet, interesting, modular, mechanical, cool materials, always with you, customizable.’ Eventually, I created something that would spin and be a simple demonstration of some basic laws of rotational physics.” And the much-copied Torqbar fidget spinner was born. In Nov. 2021, the Huffington Post reported that Britain’s red public payphone boxes were to be removed, but government telecommunications regulator Ofcom declared them to be a “lifeline” for highly anxious people. Ofcom will retain 5,000 call boxes in areas with poor mobile coverage, phone booths in areas considered accident or suicide hotspots, and any other phone boxes that have had more than 52 calls made from them in the past 12 months. Ofcom said that almost 150,000 calls to

emergency government services were made from phone boxes from May 2019 to May 2020, and 45,000 calls were made to other helplines. “A public phone can be the lifeline at a time of personal stress or great need,” said director Selina Chadha. AARP magazine notes that adults of all ages “had a decrease in physical activity because we were locked in, and there was a significant drop in mental health.” Its survey of 3,000 adults in the U.S. who became less active during lockdown reported higher levels of depression, stress and loneliness, affecting cognition, quality of sleep and anxiety. Loneliness and sedentary lifestyle severely exacerbate suffering, they report. Recent studies at the Cleveland Health Clinic and Stanford University Clinic suggest that we tend to grow more fearful and anxious as we grow older. Studies claim that adolescents concentrate more on positive than negative experiences, but as we age, we focus more on protection (of our family, religion or country, for example), and we watch out for potential threats more than opportunities for novel experiences. So, because we are influenced by the things we choose to pay attention to, the Cleveland Health Clinic asks, “Is it a good idea to watch the news 24/7?” ì

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Future of Meat By Bob Bahr The next innovation in food technology is not the protein source that comes from factory farms or commercial feed lots, nor is it a meat substitute concocted from a slurry of vegan pea protein, soy, canola oil and vitamin supplements, formed into breakfast patties that mimic sausage and sold in a package with a Kosher hechsher. No, what is coming, perhaps even before the end of this year, is genuine animal protein, grown in a large-scale laboratory, from animal cells that have never seen the inside or the outside of a slaughterhouse. In Emeryville, Calif., a $50-million, 54,009-square-foot plant produces what’s called cultivated or lab-grown meat at a competitive price. Upside Foods has perfected this process over the last six years and is now ready to start producing 400,000 lbs. of their first product, chicken, once the Food and Drug Administration gives it the ok. Some predict that approval could come before the end of 2022. The Chief Operating Officer of

MeaTech 3D’s “Cultured Steak Vision” for producing lab-grown meat.

the new company, Amy Chen, told the San Francisco Chronicle that “it’s not a dream. It’s not science fiction. It’s reality today.” Upside Foods, which has raised investment funds from some heavy hitters like Bill Gates and Sir Richard Branson, see it as something that might lead to better health and a lighter impact on the environment than big meat producers like Cargill and Tyson Foods. Although the California firm is the

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There’s not a cow in sight at this new $50-million-dollar plant in California, which can produce 400,000 lbs. a year.

first cultivated meat company in the 100 million people in the U.S. now deworld, others are not too far behind. scribe themselves that way. It's also posThere's Most Meat, founded by a scien- sible that the growth of meat substitutes may also help to tist who created the simplify the obserfirst lab-produced vance of kashrut. beef burger eight A study by Deyears ago. And in loitte projected that 2020, an American the growth of plantcompany, Eat Just, based products and produced a batch of other meat substilab-grown chicken tutes could put the nuggets that were value of the indusapproved for sale in An Israeli firm grew this nearly try at $85 billion by Singapore. 4-oz. steak in a lab. 2030. Last month, More conventional plant-based meat the Israeli firm MeaTech 3D created what’s been described as the largest steak products are also gaining acceptance. ever grown in a lab. Its 4-oz. filet is said McDonald’s unveiled its first plant-based to be real muscle and fat cells taken from burger, the McPlant, in the U.K. and Ireanimals, combined with stem cells and land this month. The fast-food menu alwhat are called “bio-inks" and printed on ready features a Spicy Veggie One wrap and Veggie Dippers, while the burger a 3-D printer. MeaTech CEO Sharon Fima told comes with slices of cheese made from pea protein. The Guardian that McDonald’s the company was tested the new committed to proburger in at least ducing meat that eight American lowas competitively cations and apparpriced and full-flaently sold enough vored. for Wall Street fi“The breaknancial analysts through is the culto project that the mination of over fast-food chain was one year’s effort in planning a major our cellular biology Beyond Meat’s burger is one of the stars of the future of meat. expansion of its and high-throughput tissue engineering process as weak as plant-based options. You could see McPlant burgers in as our precision bioprinting technology. We believe we have placed ourselves at the many as 700 U.S. locations in February forefront of the race to develop high-end, and March, with a national marketing push to all 13,500 locations later this year. cell-based meat products,” Fima said. Last summer, Beyond Meat, the supOne of the factors driving the sudden interest in alternative meat products plier of the McDonald’s plant-based burgis the rise of what one study called “flex- er, announced that it would be expandtarians,” people who still eat some meat ing its offerings of plant-based chicken, but are interested in buying products which it has been producing for the past that imitate animal proteins while being 9 years. Its new Beyond Meat Tenders are kinder to the environment. An estimated made from — what else? — fava beans. ì

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Blank Donates $12M For Atlanta Stuttering Center By Bob Bahr Arthur Blank is doubling down on his commitment to support those who struggle with stuttering in their everyday speech. The Atlanta philanthropist has announced that he is donating $12.25 million through his family foundation to establish an Atlanta branch of the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research, headquartered at the University of Texas at Austin. The new gift, which was made public in mid-December, comes in addition to an initial legacy grant of $20 million, made in 2020, to establish the Texas stuttering center. The initiative is a personal one. In making the announcement, Blank pointed out that he has been challenged by stuttering all his life and that the condition has affected his family for several generations. It is estimated that at least 3 million Americans struggle to improve their fluency, including President Biden. “Stuttering has no bounds and no bias,” Blank commented, “it impacts people of all ages and from all walks of life. I’m thrilled to see this center come to life and be able to serve the people of Atlanta and this region.” For the next several years, the new local facility will be located on Chantilly Drive, not far from the new hospital being built by Children’s Health Care of Atlanta and Emory University with a donation from Blank. It is just off I-85 and North Druid Hills Road, where the stuttering center will be permanently housed beginning in 2025. Blank, who cofounded The Home Depot, has personally worked with staff at the stuttering center in Texas, and his brother, Michael, is said to be working with the founder of the program, Courtney Byrd, a speech pathologist who has developed a unique treatment model for stuttering that emphasizes self-acceptance and communication skills. It’s an approach that Blank first learned from his mother, who was widowed when his father died while he was a teen. According to Byrd, Blank’s mother, Molly, never let him feel sorry for himself when he struggled with his stuttering. “He remembers living in an apartment with his mom and his brother after his dad died and just thinking about the impact that stuttering was having. The difference-maker for him then, he feels, is that his mom would tell him, it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks, what you have to say is important. And that’s really the heart of our program. We empower children and adults to understand that even though they stutter when they talk, that should never stop them, because what they have to say is important.” Byrd and the professionals she has helped to train work with children and adults on accepting stuttering as a part of the communication process and then moving beyond, to understand how to better communicate and advocate for themselves. According to Kia Johnson, the director of the new stuttering center in Atlanta, the program teaches that what a person has to say is valuable. “I want every kid, teen and adult who stutters to know that what they have to say is important. I want them to know that we have resources to help support that message, that we can help walk them through every step of the way to get to the point where they can tell themselves, yes, no matter what environment I’m in, what I have to say is important.” The opening of the Atlanta center promises to be just the beginning of an ambitious expansion of the program through satellite centers across the country and around the world. According to the Blank Foundation, a summer camp

The Blank stuttering clinic will eventually be housed at the Arthur Blank Children’s Hospital being built by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Arthur Blank, with actress Emily Blunt and fitness expert Don Saladino, at a New York gala honoring his work to promote stuttering therapies in 2017.

program, which has been pioneered in Texas, is also to be launched in several countries throughout Europe, Africa and East Asia, to reach out to the estimated 60 million people in the world who stutter. The Atlanta Falcons football team owner has had a longstanding interest in supporting education and research to better understand the causes of stuttering and find possible treatments. Four years ago, he was honored by the American Institute of Stuttering, whose work he has also supported in Atlanta. The 2017 gala in New York received a message of support from then-former Vice President Biden, who has commented on how he has struggled with stuttering all his life.

Biden once wrote in an article in People that he worked on his vocal fluency by reading poetry, but he admits that it made life much tougher. “I spent so much time reading poetry — Emerson and Yeats,” he wrote, but even in my small, boy’s prep school, I got nailed in Latin class with the nickname Joe Impedimenta. You get so desperate, you’re so embarrassed.” It’s something that Byrd knows all too well from her clinical work. “What resonates the most with Arthur and with the Foundation is the work that we do to free the spirit. Our goal is to free the inner person so that we can each live our lives to the fullest.” ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 35

HEALTH & WELLNESS

How to Reduce Painful Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps can be a sudden and excruciating experience.

By Robyn Spizman Gerson If you have even gotten muscle cramps, particularly in your leg or foot, you’ll be eager to learn how to stop or prevent them from happening. To say they are painful is an understatement, according to the sufferers who know them all too well. Muscle cramps can be a middleof-the-night (or any time for that matter) excruciating experience. They can stop you in your tracks or wake you from the deepest sleep. Neurologist David P. Williams, of the Laureate Medical Group, says, “Muscle cramps are involuntary contractions that occur suddenly and often with enough force to move affected joints into awkward positions. They can affect any muscle or group of muscles in the

body, and most people experience them at some time of their life. They occur most commonly in the legs and feet and can either arise because of dysfunction of the muscle itself or the nerve that innervates that muscle. In most cases they are benign but can be associated with a number of conditions like dehydration or electrolyte imbalance, muscle overuse from exercise, certain medications like diuretics, or a number of neurological conditions that involve problems with the motor nerves like peripheral neuropathy. Pinching of nerves resulting from spinal disease or positioning limbs in inappropriate postures can also lead to cramps.” “Treating a cramp acutely when it occurs mostly involves forcefully stretching the affected muscle,” Wil-

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David P. Williams is a neurologist at Laureate Medical Group.

Eva Arkin is a gynecologist at Premier Care for Women.

liams added. “For example, a calf cramp that results in the ankle and foot being pointed downward, one would reduce by flexing the foot the opposite direction, pulling the forefoot upwards. Doing this rapidly will significantly reduce the duration of the cramp as well as the muscle discomfort that often lingers afterwards. Because the causes of cramps are varied and not always identifiable, it is harder to make general recommendations about prevention. Staying hydrated and regular stretching exercises of the affected muscles are helpful. If someone begins to experience loss of strength or sensation in an area of the body where they frequently experience cramps, they should seek consultation by a neurologist.” Eva Arkin, a gynecologist at Premier Care for Women, said, “Muscle cramps — everyone has gotten them. They can be very painful and are due to involuntary muscle spasms. Some can last just a few seconds to several minutes. Some people have them frequently and some have them sporadically. Most of us get a leg cramp due to no specific reason other than occasional dehydration or overuse of a certain muscle group. When there are no specific medical issues that would contribute to the leg cramps or muscle spasms, the cause usually is due to too much exercise, stress, dehydration or a restriction in blood supply (sitting in an unusual position for a long time). For the occasional leg cramp, usually walking around to increase and improve circulation can help along with either heat or ice and increasing one’s fluid intake for

better hydration. Occasionally, an acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help as well.” “Pregnant women are especially susceptible to leg cramps due to changes in the blood supply and some leg swelling due to water retention,” Arkin added. “The key to improving the reoccurrence of leg cramps and muscle spasms is good circulation with moderate exercise and improved hydration. A good stretching program before and after an intense exercise program is ideal as well to reduce the nighttime leg cramps.” However, “If the leg cramps are persistent, and affect one leg worse than another, then seek the advice of a healthcare professional to rule out a medical cause. Pain in the leg can signal a blood clot or other circulatory issues and that should be evaluated if symptoms of leg pain exist along with any swelling or redness to the skin. Certain medications can also cause leg cramps, and you should get the advice of your physician before stopping a medication or changing it. Medical issues such as cardiovascular disease and liver disease and diabetes should be evaluated in someone who suffers from frequent unrelenting leg or muscle spasms. Most leg cramps and muscle spasms can be avoided by better hydration, walking around and stretching. Massaging the area can help along with applying heat (or cold).” While muscle cramps have a reputation for sometimes baffling experts, Arkin’s best advice is “to hydrate well and stretch every day (if not twice a day). You don’t have to live with leg cramps.” ì

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Secret to Raising Allergy-Free Kids We’ve all heard stories of children sent off to elementary school with EpiPens and airlines not serving peanuts if even a single pasMarcia senger is allerCaller Jaffe gic. Now, a new generation of parents is on a mission to raise allergyfree children with the help of the latest scientific research. Local expert Zoe Glade advises these parents on the best ways to expose their children to allergens early on and prevent allergies later in life. “Our women-founded company has a mission to help create the next generation of allergy-free children,” she said. “With over one million feedings, we gently expose 16 food allergens daily to help train a baby’s growing tummy to support tolerance.” Glade begins with the fact that over 6 million children in the U.S. currently suffer from some type of food allergy. “Food allergies, nearly doubling in the past decade, are not just genetic,” she said. “Two out of three kids who have a food allergy don’t have a parent with one. This means the environment plays a big role. We can correlate the increase of food allergies to old guidelines telling parents to delay food introduction. New guidelines from the AAP and the USDA now state to introduce food allergens early and often.” Early is around the time complementary foods begin at four to six months. Unlike Crohn’s disease, for example, allergy research shows that the Jewish population does not have a disproportionate rate of food allergy. Interesting-

Zoe Glade recommends early and consistent introduction to potential allergens starting at approximately 4 to 6 months.

ly, rates of food allergies among young adults in Israel are lower than those reported for western countries. (Lai Nachshon led a team that tested eggs, tree nuts, sesame and milk on this population.) According to Glade, the top nine food allergens in the U.S. are milk, eggs, wheat, sesame, tree nuts, soy, fish, shellfish and peanuts. There is, however, a correlation between allergies and severe eczema (atopic dermatitis/dry skin), so a pediatrician should be consulted about the best way to start introducing babies to solids. When contrasting homemade and commercial baby food, Glade noted, “Homemade baby food is generally more nutritious than commercially processed food if it is fresh and made from whole foods and nothing else. But, rest assured, both jarred and homemade baby food can be perfectly healthy options to give your little one. One reminder about homemade food is to be sure to include all types of diverse foods. Your baby may be loving pears, but it’s imperative to expose new foods daily.” In terms of using organic products,

Studies show that young adults in Israel have lower rates of food allergies.

Glade said that, nutritionally, they are about the same as non-organic products, which may be exposed to pesticides and antibiotics. She maintains that there is not yet a concrete study proving that organic foods lead to healthier children. The best plan is to introduce a variety of new foods slowly, said Glade. “Parents can certainly try to introduce common allergens on their own. However, studies have shown that it’s challenging for parents to get all nine common allergens into the diet on a consistent basis. At SpoonfulONE, we always say ‘there is no wrong way to introduce allergens.’ The risk is in delay. You can go one-at-atime or all-in. It’s really based on parents’ comfort level.” Glade, who grew up in Virginia, has over 17 years of experience leading mar-

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keting and ecommerce efforts at Fortune 50 companies like Coca-Cola, The Home Depot and high-growth startups like Spanx. At SpoonfulONE, she works with a team of leading experts, pediatricians, allergists and food scientists on a product that comes in various age-appropriate forms, from “Mix-ins” to “Puffs” and “Oat Crackers.” Glade’s biggest takeaway is that raising allergy-free children is about more than just introduction. “Like all training, success comes with consistency,” she said. “We recommend feeding diverse food allergens every day for at least one year to help stop a food allergy before it starts. This is not always easy for parents. SpoonfulONE is a safe solution to maintain diet diversity with products that grow with your baby.” ì

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DWolbe@aag.com NMLS# 9392 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). American Advisors Group (AAG) is headquartered at 18200 Von Karman Ave., Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92612. AAG conducts business in GA (residential Mortgage Licensee #22849). AAG is an equal housing lender. These materials are not from HUD or FHA and were not approved by HUD or a government agency. For full legal disclosure, please visit: www.americanadvisorsgroup.com/disclosure. 38 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Marcus and Blank Foundations Aid Veterans with PTSD By Bob Bahr A year after Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank came together for their most ambitious joint philanthropic venture in years, their project to aid military veterans with PTSD is on target for a rapid expansion. The $40 million project, announced last February, will help veterans with related physical and neurological injuries. It has been a personal project for Marcus, who served in the Air National Guard for four years and whose older brother fought in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. “If we properly heal and transition our veterans,” he said, “we’ll heal our nation.” Marcus Ruzek, a senior program director at the Atlanta-based Marcus Foundation, said that the additional support came at a time when the program was in danger of slowing due to the impact of the COVID pandemic. Hospitals curtailed much of their traditional case load and Ruzek feared that the program’s momentum would stall. “Because of COVID, we were able to adapt as best we could by doing some things virtual. But having the financial runway from Bernie and from Arthur really allowed the network to continue to grow and evolve, whereas had we not had that backing, it wouldn’t have happened.” Ruzek, who served as a captain in the Army’s Special Forces (Green Beret) before coming to the Marcus Foundation in 2014, underscores how crucial treatment like this has been for fellow service members who often give up hope of dealing with service-related psychological trauma. “Veteran suicide is an epidemic in this country, and that’s really always been what has driven this program. We have between 20 and 30 veterans committing suicide every day in this country. There’s been a 33 percent rise in that rate since the COVID pandemic began. More service members have committed suicide than have died in recent combat. And that’s appalling.” The national PTSD program is run through what is called the Avalon Network of the Gary Sinise Foundation. It’s named after the legendary English isle where the mythological King Arthur was taken to heal after battle. Sinise played Lt. Dan Taylor in the 1994 Academy Award-winning film “Forrest Gump.” The experience of playing Taylor, whose severe wounds left him wheelchairbound and psychologically damaged, was a life-altering experience for the Hollywood actor. It eventually led Sinise to set up a foundation that has partnered with Marcus and Blank. “We’ve found the perfect partner in the Gary Sinise Foundation to scale this idea into a national network,” Blank said last year. “It will provide cutting-edge care and improve the quality of life for our nation’s heroes in one of the most critical times in our history.” The program is headquartered at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health at the University of Colorado. So far, six clinical programs have been set up in brain injury centers around the country, as well as nine non-clinical mental wellness programs focused on post-traumatic recovery. All of those centers are now at academic institutions like the University of North Carolina and Tulane University in New Orleans. The only non-academic setting is at Atlanta’s Shepherd Center, which has worked with Bernie Marcus to lay the groundwork for the project since 2007. Today, Jackie Breitenstein, the center’s program manager for the initiative, says they provide three weeks of free

Actor Gary Sinise has joined Bernie Marcus to address PTSD in vets.

treatment, as well as free housing and free airline flights for veterans across the country. “We are able to serve active duty or separated service members from across the country who have brain injuries and then any co-occurring conditions that go along with that. That may be anxiety. It may be post-traumatic stress. It may be depression to the co-occurrence of those together.” But the program at Shepherd is relatively small and the COVID pandemic has restricted expansion for now. At present there are 20 veterans in the outpatient program and 10 more inpatients for the 21-day program, which is

Last year, in partnership with Bernie Marcus, Arthur Blank donated $20 million to fund a new PTSD program.

almost four times the number they were able to serve only a few years ago. The result of the work, according to Breitenstein, is far larger than the statistics at just one center would indicate. “If it wasn’t for this program, many of our vets wouldn’t be here. There are children now who have a father for generations to come. There are family members who have their loved one with them. Our veterans are able to go back and really live a life of purpose and that same desire to give. And that would never have been possible without the funds from Bernie and Arthur on their behalf.” ì

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She was liberated by the British on April 15, 1945 at Bergen-Belsen.

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www.daffodilproject.net ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 39

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Dr. Duke’s Recipe for Healthy Family Traditions By Marcia Caller Jaffe Bruce Feiler, in his bestselling book “The Secrets of Happy Families,” cites Emory psychology professor Marshall P. Duke’s research and personal experience in empowering more resilient children through family traditions. Duke’s body of work outlines specifics like the ritual of Shabbat dinners, reoccurring family vacation spots and passing on age-appropriate stories of overcoming the ups and downs of life. “Family stories about a ‘wayward uncle’ or thriving after economic troubles or a pandemic, teach lessons,” Duke said. “All families have these ‘lessons’ and they are often transmitted by grandparents. Because some family stories are too painful, some elders keep these behind protective ‘walls of silence.’ Often fragmentary, such stories need to be told at the right age, of course. Children who develop an ‘intergenerational self’ based on stories they have heard about their ancestors are less likely to get involved in drugs and crime. Not only do children develop a sense of ownership of their family narratives, but they also develop a responsibility for carrying and transmitting them.” Duke delineates three common “shapes” when it comes to family narratives: Ascending: “When your grandparents came here, they had nothing and rose up, etc.” Descending: “Our family used to be well off, but then things happened — the dotcom bubble broke, a tragic event and now …” Oscillating (best case): “There are good times and bad times in our family story. We overcame those we could change and have

40 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Professor Duke believes the mind has many levels that reveal human nature and spirit.

learned to accept those we could not….” Duke is a proponent of personal agency. “We learn that we can affect our world by hearing how people important to us have done so,” he said. “Even when we never knew our grandparents or great-grandparents, we develop ownership of their stories; their stories guide our lives through their behaviors and values. We often develop the sense that we actually experienced what they did.” Citing his own family experience, Duke recalled, “I feel nostalgic about the smell of Nathan’s hotdogs at Coney Island, and I ‘remember’ what it was like on Ellis Island in 1904, even though I was never in either place.” In terms of the recent pandemic, Duke said that “Children woke up one day and the world changed. Things were ok yesterday, now they are not.” He recommends that families keep records of what happened during the pandemic because they will ultimately become part of future family stories of adversity and resilience.

Duke with his family at their 42nd annual Thanksgiving gathering in Hilton Head.

“Other generations have dealt with stress — 9/11, polio, the Spanish flu — and came out of it,” he continued. “Look at the miracle of the vaccine. In the pandemic, some good things also happened via Zoom — rising above, like ‘attending’ sad as well as happy events from across the world: being at funerals, weddings and b’nai mitzvot; joining and supporting people at shiva gatherings; establishing virtual Shabbatot or even a ‘Cocktails with Cousins hour,’ allowing us to be with loved ones, even if only virtually. The story is this: ‘We are living this history. We will get through it! Our family has done it before, and we will do it again.’” At this juncture in his career, Duke is thinking about writing a book that draws on the understanding of human behavior he’s gained over 52 years of watching the field of psychology evolve. For example, why do people do what they do? Duke believes in multicausality. “Think of the mind as a building with

many levels,” he said, “a biological/neuroscience floor, a behavioral floor, a family level, a cultural floor, etc.” He has come to believe that there will never be a single explanation for behavior. “I want to focus on multicausality; family influence is surely high on the list.” In mid-2022, Duke will retire from his full-time position at Emory and segue into part-time counseling, to “scale down to what is needed.” Outside of work, Duke plays folk guitar, especially “old folk” music from the '50s, '60s and '70s, that is, when he and his wife, Sara, are not planning activities for their nine grandchildren. Daughter Sharon Estroff lovingly recalled, “Thanks to my father’s work on the importance of ritual and traditions, my childhood, and later my own children’s childhoods, were always bursting with tradition! As a kid, I used to roll my eyes about all the traditions, but as an adult and mom of four, they are among my most cherished possessions.” ì

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Local Author Highlights History of Women’s Exercise Not every inspired by barre to create the Bar Method; first-time au- Hinda Miller, who was one of the inventors thor has her of the sports bra; Lisa Lyon, a bodybuilding book reviewed pioneer; and California-based aerobics in the New trailblazer Gilda Marx, who invented the York Times. contemporary leotard. Friedman also menBut Atlanta nations Lucille Roberts, who started womentive Danielle only gyms in New York. As Friedman reFriedman said lates, Roberts was born in Soviet Tajikistan she is “very, and later immigrated to the United States Jan Jaben-Eilon very grateful” with her family because of anti-Semitism. It wasn’t just women who helped the for the review that came out Dec. 21, just weeks ahead of fledgling female exercise movement, though. the release of her book, “Let’s Get Physical: Friedman notes that Jewish hairstylist Vidal How Women Discovered Exercise and Re- Sassoon created haircuts that “made it easier for women to exercise. They facilitated moveshaped the World,” on Jan. 4. “I believe that this is an important sto- ment,” she said. Friedman said she ry that needs to be told always knew she wantand I want as many peoed to be a writer. English ple as possible to read classes at Walton High it,” she said, explaining School were her favorher reaction to the reite. When she decided to view. She also told the write this book, she took AJT that the Times purit very seriously. “I knew chased first-time rights as a former book edito excerpt her book. tor, nailing the proposal According to a was important,” she review in Publishers said. “Besides, I needed Weekly, “Friedman takes a road map. I had some a jaunt through the histheories, but I wanted tory of women’s fitness to keep an open mind. in her astute and entertaining debut … This “My takeaway is that women’s fitness I went into the project has progressed a lot,” said author with big questions. It zippy history is bursting Danielle Friedman. // Credit: Lindsay was fun and fascinating with energy.” May for Classic Kids Photography. to get closer to answers The 40-year-old the more research I did.” journalist, who origiFriedman’s biggest surprise was findnally launched her writing career as a nonfiction book editor at Penguin im- ing out just “how relatively recently, vigorprints Hudson Street Press and Plume ous, strenuous exercise became acceptable before working as a senior editor at NBC to women.” Indeed, in the first half of the News Digital and The Daily Beast, grew 20th century, women were warned that up in East Cobb. She had her baby-nam- their uteruses would literally fall out if they ing and bat mitzvah at Congregation Etz exercised. “Women who came of age post Title IX feel like women always had access” Chaim. Friedman’s book grew out of a 2018 fea- to exercise, she said, referring to the 1972 ture story she wrote about the “secret sexual amendment to the Higher Education Act history” of working out for New York maga- that prohibited sex discrimination — inzine’s The Cut, which ended up going viral. cluding pregnancy, sexual orientation and In researching the article, which pursued gender identity — in any educational prothe origins of the barre workout, she was gram receiving federal financial assistance. "My takeaway is that women’s fitness amazed to discover its remarkable origins has progressed a lot,” Friedman said. In the and role in feminist history. Friedman was also surprised at how introduction to her enlightening and enmany of the pioneers of women’s physi- tertaining book, she wrote that she learned cal fitness were Jewish. “It kept coming up that “because of systemic inequality and again and again,” she said. She shared the discrimination, exercise is not a right but a story of Lotte Berk, who created the barre privilege in this country.… Just as the rich routine in 1959 to help women improve often get richer, the fit often get fitter, while their sex lives and strengthen their bodies. the poor get sicker.” She also noted that “this book tells the “Her story is interesting. She was a German dancer who had to flee the Nazis in the story of how America transformed from 1930s and went to London,” said Friedman. a nation where women saw vigorous exThen there’s Burr Leonard, who was ercise as ‘unfeminine’ to the world we live

A native of East Cobb, Friedman now lives in New York City. She and her father, Dr. Richard Friedman, ran Peachtree Road races together.

in today, where so many consider physical activity as a way of life.” “I really loved every aspect of working on this project,” Friedman said, even doing most of the writing during quarantine in New York City, where she now lives. “This topic was so much fun to research. And almost everyone was excited to talk to me.” Her only frustration was not being able to

get an interview with actress Jane Fonda, who created exercise videos for women to use at home. However, Friedman quoted extensively from Fonda’s writing and spoke with many in Fonda’s circle. Friedman said she’d definitely like to write another book on women’s history. “Some under-recognized chapter of women, probably relating to health and body.” ì

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 41

ART ‘Tootsie’ the Musical Plays Gender-Bending for Laughs

Bob Bahr

Forty years after Dustin Hoffman starred in the film “Tootsie,” one of the biggest hits of his career, a musical comedy loosely based on the film is coming to the Fox

Theater on Jan. 25. It’s the first national tour for the hit show, which was nominated for 11 Tony Awards after it opened on Broadway in April 2019. Its successful eight-month run ended just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down many productions. But, since October, when this new touring production was first launched in Buffalo, it’s been presenting eight shows a week in city after city without slowing for the virus. Steve Brustien, who left his home in Great Neck, N.Y. for rehearsals just after Labor Day, credits the producers and their abundance of caution for keeping the show up and running over the last four months. “We have a COVID officer on site with us the entire time. We have 22 cast members and a production crew of 25. We get tested anywhere between two and four times per week. We’re always wearing masks, even when we’re backstage at the theater, waiting to go on. I’ve actually been guilty of running out for my curtain call with my mask on, which gave a little chuckle to the rest of the cast. But we’re very, very serious about handling those issues.” This is the 61-year-old Brustien’s first major role. He grew up in Great Neck’s Jewish community, was an active member of Temple Beth-El there, dabbled in local theater for years, but ultimately chose a career on Wall Street. Now he’s left all that behind

“Tootsie” was nominated for 11 Tony Awards when it originally debuted on Broadway in 2019.

for a year of traveling from city to city on a tour that ends in California in June. Brustien plays Stan Fields, the manager of actor Michael Dorsey, the role originated by Hoffman. In the musical, Dorsey is a New York actor who has developed a reputation for being difficult to work with. Determined to land a role in a new Broadway show no matter what, he takes on a new identity as a woman, Dorothy Michaels. As Dorothy, he wins the lead in the show, “Juliet’s Nurse,” but what he doesn’t realize is how others will see his gender swap and how being a woman will change how he sees himself as a man. He gets his big break, and then the fun begins. The production uses the challenges he faces as a woman as opportunities for jokes. Dramatist Robert Horn won a Tony for his adaptation of the film into a fast-paced, broad comedy that’s short on logic and long on laughs. Brustien’s role as the star’s manager was originated by Sydney Pollack, who made a rare on-screen appearance while doubling as the film’s director. Hoffman’s gender-bending antics in the film 40 years ago are generally seen as old-hat today. One of the show’s biggest

Steve Brustien plays the agent of an actor who lands a Broadway role by posing as a woman.

42 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

challenges is how to remain relevant to a contemporary audience that approaches gender and sexual identity with much greater fluidity and understanding. Fans of the television show “Jeopardy!”, for example, are well aware that one of its recent top all-time winners is a transgender woman. Trans actors and actresses today achieve greater recognition for their roles. Last year, a trans woman was nominated for a top award at the primetime Emmys. Nonetheless, the show’s broad comedy gets a big boost from the lively music and lyrics, written by David Yazbek, who has also successfully adapted the recent Broadway hit “The Band’s Visit” from the original Israeli film. Yazbek’s clever work, which was also nominated for a Tony, is likely to make audiences forget how easily we now accept men in skirts. Particularly when, as Brustien puts it, we’re laughing too hard to give it a second thought. “It’s just a perfect time for this type of show. We’re going through a difficult time. People just want to go to the theater and

The musical comedy is loosely based on the 1982 blockbuster film, starring Dustin Hoffman.

be entertained and get their mind off everyday life. And that’s what this show provides. It gives you a chance to smile and laugh and laugh some more.” In its review of the original Broadway production, Variety called the adaptation “old-fashioned and proud of it — and it’s a surefire crowd-pleaser.” If you attend “Tootsie,” remember to wear your mask; the Fox Theater requires it. The popular venue, which dates back to the late 1920s, has installed a new ultraviolet air filtration system that is said to remove germs and viruses. It also claims to be the only theater in the state to meet the stringent sanitation requirements established by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council. ì

Dramatist Robert Horn and composer and lyricist David Yazbek have created a fast-moving, tuneful comedy.

ART

Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story’ Grapples with History By Bob Bahr Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” released last month to nearly unanimous critical acclaim, is officially a box office flop. The remake of the 1957 Broadway hit, which officially opened in theaters around the country on Dec. 10, recorded dismal ticket sales during the holiday season. By year’s end, the film, which was developed over a three-year period and cost $100 million to produce — and tens of millions more to market — had brought in only about $36.5 million in ticket sales worldwide. That’s in sharp contrast to a very different film, “Spiderman: No Way Home,” which reportedly brought in over $1.05 billion following its Dec. 17 debut. Industry observers blamed the box office slump on a variety of factors, including the lack of a bankable film star in the largely talented cast of young actors; the uptick in COVID infections that began about the same time, keeping older audiences at home; and the film’s inability to fully capitalize on the magic of Spielberg’s name. Nonetheless, the film resonates with the emotional power that has marked Spielberg’s finest work. In his retelling of this classic, he has brought into focus the very personal story of two young people caught up in a cycle of violence they can’t control. At the same time, this major work conveys in no uncertain terms the implications of the dangers that such violence poses to our society, then and now. Perhaps the greater tragedy, though, is that, in the first month of its release, the film has yet to find a larger audience. It was a much different story in

early October 1961, when the first film version of the play opened at the Rivoli Theater in New York City’s Times Square. The film was what was then called a roadshow release, meaning that, just like in the theater, audiences reserved tickets in advance for screenings limited to afternoon and evening performances, with an upscale atmosphere and an intermission between acts. Tickets were sold for $3, roughly six times what an average movie admission cost. Still, those first performances in New York were sold out until the early spring. Even then, cutting out the coupon in your local newspaper and mailing it in with your check didn’t always guarantee you a seat. Over its three-year distribution window in the early 1960s, the film — which cost $7 million to make — grossed $55 million, which today would be over $500 million. It also won 10 Academy Awards. (The film’s soundtrack was ranked by Billboard Magazine as the number one album in America for 54 weeks, a record that has yet to be broken.) It was yet another milestone for the record-setting production, which brought to life a musical unlike anything Broadway had ever seen. In its complex and heavily orchestrated score by composer Leonard Bernstein and its often-poignant lyrics, written by a young Stephen Sondheim, it seemed to reach beyond established Broadway traditions toward forms often reserved for modern opera. In its book, by Arthur Laurents (born Arthur Levine, in Brooklyn), the stage play borrowed heavily from Shakespeare’s tragic romance of Romeo and Juliet, transposed to what were then the decaying slums of the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The ancient family rivalries between Shakespeare’s Montagues and Capulets were replaced with the savage contests of will between two teen gangs, the

Sharks and the Jets. Their struggle for control of the streets, as envisaged by choreographer Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Rabinowitz, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side), entangles two lovers from opposing sides — the Puerto Rican Maria and the Polish Tony — that leads to death and despair. Yet, despite the tragedy of the source material and all its allusions to American culture of the 1950s, it is, as many have noted, essentially a love story, lifted by melody and song. For Andrea Most, a professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Toronto, it is also a uniquely American love story. “To champion romantic love, even romantic love thwarted by violence,” Most writes in “Theatrical Liberalism,” “to insist that romantic love is the redemptive force that can break down the barriers of prejudice, lies at the heart of what makes this version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ so distinctly an American musical of the 1950s.” How, then, is this star-crossed tale of love, which plays out so strongly in the 1961 film version, updated 60 years later to reflect a very different America? In Spielberg’s version, which has been shaped by screenwriter Tony Kushner, there are other issues to highlight. For one, there’s a new emphasis on ethnicity and the concerns of ethnic migration. Guns are more prominent and their role in everyday violence gets more attention. The divide between neighbors, so much a part of the 1950s drama, now alludes to the political divide that cleaves America. The 1950s musical reflected the artistic sensibilities of four urban Jews who saw love as the answer to much of what afflicted us then. In the new film, Kushner

Natalie Wood played Maria in the 1961 film version of the play.

and Spielberg have crafted a much darker and more politically nuanced drama. But if the financial statistics of the last month are any measure, audiences aren’t buying it. In the theater where I watched the film on a Tuesday afternoon, soon after it opened, only a half-dozen seats were filled. What’s missing in Spielberg’s film is the shock of a new kind of musical, so much a part of the original production, and a new kind of theatrical lyricism that made audiences scramble for tickets. The weight of history is heavy, and it’s obviously presented a major challenge to the creators of this production. ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 43

DINING Todd Ginsberg’s Tasty Take on Italian-American Fare There is nothing remotely “dirty” or “rascally” about the menu at the Dirty Rascal, a new red-sauce, Italian-American restaurant launching in Marcia Buckhead. Caller Jaffe James Beard Fo u n d a t i o n semifinalist and Atlanta cuisine scene darling chef Todd Ginsberg added the new concept to his portfolio of eateries, which already includes the General Muir, Yalla, Fred’s Meat & Bread and Wood’s Chapel BBQ. It’s just that “rascal” is what the New Jersey-raised chef was often called as a child for his pranks and shenanigans. The restaurant officially opened in January, after an extended few weeks for friends and family, with dinner five nights a week. Inside the stylish, new Thompson Buckhead Hotel, Dirty Rascal has its own entrance, with outdoor seating for 30 and interior seating space for 120. The ceiling and wood paneling, designed by Studio 11, swirl in a walnut-like grain. “To me, the space should remind you of a modern look into the ‘old school’ world of an American Italian restaurant,” Ginsberg said. “It should also compliment the feel of the Thompson Buckhead and vice-versa.” The bar is glamour reminiscent of the Sinatra/Jerry Vale era featured on the playlist. One can visualize a heavy-lidded Dean Martin sipping something at the bar. The extensive wine list leans toward Italy and California. A stationary drink cart offers cognac, grappa and limoncello. Creative martinis abound. Citywide, restaurants are experiencing

some glitches with staffing and the COVID conundrum. At Dirty Rascal, Ginsberg employs around 30, including management. “There has been a severe shortage of finding restaurant staff over the past two years,” he explained. “Being under the Hyatt umbrella James Beard Foundation semifinalist Dirty Rascal’s interior was designed by Studio 11 and and chef Todd Ginsberg hovers looks out onto East Paces Ferry Road. has made it a over Italian-American creations at bit easier to hire his new restaurant, Dirty Rascal. people, with their HR program and all the benefits an industry leader can offer.” Although the hotel charges a $39 valet fee, Dirty Rascal charges $10, and there is plenty of street parking nearby. We parked on Maple, carefully avoiding fire The salad course starred the Flounder Francese with lemon The tiramisu is served scooped hydrants, and Caesar and gorgonzola salads zest and eggplant Parmigiana from a large trifle bowl. hoofed it easily. with candied walnuts and pears. enhance the entrée course. Inside, we When asked why he took the Italian fawned over the salad course, especially Italian cheese made from unskimmed cow’s the gorgonzola salad with pears, candied milk ($15.95). The Caesar was super crunchy route, Ginsberg mused, “I went to Italy for my pecans and grapes with a rich, buttery, salty and fresh, with loads of finely shredded honeymoon and to eat great Italian foods. cheese ($16.75). The fennel & citrus salad There were some steps of service over there that I really loved and brought back with me. sounds like a good choice for next time. Entrée-wise, we split the flounder Hopefully, we can implement some of it at Francese, which came as thick double filets Dirty Rascal. As far as the food goes, that was ($32.50), as well as sides of broccolini and gar- all in New York City.” Ginsberg noted that his mother was a lic ($10) and eggplant Parmigiana ($14.75). We were intrigued by the “Fettucine Con Fungi” traditional matzo ball/brisket cook who al($34), a morel pasta with hand cut tagliatelle, ternated meatballs and spaghetti with lasamaitake mushrooms and a heavy hand of gna. He also credits his first job at a Virginia Parmesan Reggiano, and resolved to try it Beach restaurant with his obsession with Italian cuisine and pasta. next time. Wonder if mom realizes her influence For dessert we went with the tiramisu, which was prominently displayed in a large on Ginsberg, who looks back at the food of trifle bowl in the center of the dining room. his youth for inspiration? Well, that and Other dessert choices included panna cotta extremely high-end ingredients, soft lighting, warm wood, semicircular booths, red and cheesecake. Every dinner guest receives the anti- leather, distressed mirrors and oh, those pasti, which can vary from warm mozzarella chandeliers! Dirty Rascal is located at 415 East Paces and pickled vegetables to rosettes of cured Ferry Rd. NE, (470-600-3500). ì meats.

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44 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Make a Fresh Philanthropic Start Leave a Jewish legacy. Begin 2022 with an intention to leave a legacy that expresses your highest Jewish values. Through legacy giving programs like LIFE & LEGACY® and the Jewish Future Pledge™, our trusted philanthropic advisors can help you make a commitment that will not only enrich Jewish life but also your heart. Philanthropy is what we do- we know the ins and outs of tax and estate planning and charitable tax planning. Contact Atlanta Jewish Foundation to ensure your assets are distributed to the charities and organizations you care most about. Your family will thank you, as will generations to come.

Let’s start a conversation with you and your family. Reach out to foundation@jewishatlanta.org or call Jori Mendel at 404-951-6900.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 45

CALENDAR SATURDAY, JANUARY 15 AJFF Kicks Off 2022 — All day to whet your appetite for the upcoming Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. This specially curated collection of new shorts is another perfect opportunity to try out the Virtual Cinema before the festival begins. This week’s film is “No Limits.” Get the link by visiting https://bit. ly/3GdF9SZ until Jan. 18.

Story Time with Rabbi Jordan — 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. Join Rabbi Jordan from Congregation Dor Tamid for Story Time on Facebook. Visit https://bit. ly/3xfpywO to get the link. Kabbalah & Coffee — 9:30 to 11 a.m. Discuss, explore, and journey through the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. No prior Kabbalistic experience required. Remember: The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup and Kabbalah in your “kop” (“head” in Yiddish)! Get the Zoom link by visiting https://bit. ly/2UJtM2w.

Saturday Tot Shabbat — 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. Join Congregation Etz Chaim for

JANUARY 15-31 Tot Shabbat. Join other families with young children and sing songs, tell Torah stories, create crafts and enjoy challah. Find out more at https://bit. ly/3zP0UEk.

make Atlanta beautiful! Join us as we spend the afternoon prepping and planting trees in honor of the Jewish holiday of Tu B’Shvat. Sign up to volunteer at https://bit.ly/3eWg2rM.

MLK Day Jewish Social Justice Summit 2022 — 6 to 7 p.m. Atlanta Jews of Color Council (AJOCC) welcomes you to celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. This engaging session focuses on building capacity for productive dialogue across lines of difference. We respect these differences because they make us stronger. Visit https://bit. ly/3qhaUDT to register for the Zoom link.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16 Southeastern Region HELLO GORGEOUS! — 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Please join Hadassah Southeastern to attend this exciting one-hour virtual tour and behind-the-scenes glimpse of Barbra Streisand’s extraordinary life! The exhibit is organized by Bernard Museum, Temple Emanu-El. Register at https://bit.ly/3pRcr4d.

Tu B’Shvat Tree Planting - IJA Mitzvah Day — 1 to 4 p.m. It’s the “Birthday of Trees.” Join Intown Jewish Academy, JCAN-Georgia, GIPL and Trees Atlanta and let’s plant some new ones and

Find more events and submit items for our online and print calendars at:

www.atlantajewishconnector.com

Calendar sponsored by the Atlanta Jewish Connector, an initiative of the AJT. In order to be considered for the print edition, please submit events three to four weeks in advance. Contact community relations director Diana Cole for more information at Diana@atljewishtimes.com. 46 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

tory and trajectory of this fascinating approach. Register by visiting https:// bit.ly/3FiYBgu.

Judaism: The Soundtrack — 7:30 to 9 p.m. An Evening of Chasidic Song and the Soul Stories It Tells. Experience the profound beauty, inspiration and depth of Chabad music. Join us for Judaism: The Soundtrack, featuring Chasidic melodies, fascinating narratives and motivational messages woven together into an enjoyable musical introduction to the transformative voice of your very own soul. Visit https://bit.ly/3zmfmVW to register.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19

MONDAY, JANUARY 17 How to Think Like a Chasidic Master — 8 to 9 p.m. Over the last three centuries the Chasidic movement has spawned a revolution in Judaism. Join acclaimed spiritual guide Mrs. Nomi Freeman as Intown Jewish Academy travels through time to visit Chasidic legends such as the Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, Reb Elimelech of Lizensk, Reb Zushe of Anipoli and the Alter Rebbe, to reveal the mindsets of these great masters. Visit https://bit.ly/3miTCVF to register.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 18 A Case for the Revival of Neo-Hasidut and the Irrationally Spiritual Zoom Only Class — 7 to 8 p.m. Sometimes, when we lean into the irrational and impossible, we find an incredible, mystical and awe-inspiring way of experiencing the world around us. Join Temple Emanu-El and find out the his-

AJFF Kicks Off 2022 — Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, we’re doing something unprecedented: a FREE SHORT FILM EVERY WEEK in the Virtual Cinema. This specially curated collection of new shorts is another perfect opportunity to try out the Virtual Cinema before the festival begins. This week’s film is “Two Sides of Survival.” Get the link for this film by visiting https://bit. ly/3qJqhFe until January 25. A Case for the Revival of Neo-Hasidut and the Irrationally Spiritual InPerson Only Class — 12 to 1 p.m. It’s time to awaken the spirit, and the Hasidim of old knew just how to do that. Sometimes, when we lean into the irrational and impossible, we find an incredible, mystical and awe-inspiring way of experiencing the world around us. Join Temple Emanu-El and find out the history and trajectory of this fascinating approach. Visit https://bit. ly/3sEusVB to register.

Fertility Buddy Veteran — 12 p.m. Jewish Fertility Foundation is looking for

more awesome male and female veterans of infertility to volunteer. Visit https://bit.ly/3t18ZGi to register.

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES Torah Reading: Yitro Friday, January 21, 2022, light candles at 5:39 p.m. Saturday, January 22, 2022, Shabbat ends at 6:38 p.m. Torah Reading: Mishpatim Friday, January 28, 2022, light candles at 5:46 p.m. Saturday, January 29, 2022, Shabbat ends at 6:44 p.m.

L’Chaim Tu B’shvat: New Year for Trees Wine Toast — 5:30 to 7 p.m. Join 70 Facets Spiritual Jewelry and celebrate. Let’s “drink” grapes and wear our own personal Tree of Life necklace to keep close to heart for inspiration. Register at https://bit.ly/3HFzu8x.

for this fun 5K or 1 mile Run/Walk event. Tu B’shvat is an environmental holiday and spiritual reminder of renewal. Let’s get out there to enrich our bodies, minds and souls together as a connected community. Activities include planting, music and postrun snacks. Register at https://bit. ly/3pR4U5t.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 23 Re-Discovering the Land of Israel with the Atlanta Israel Coalition — 9 to 10:30 a.m. A virtual tour of Israel with tour guide David Sussman. Ever hear of the Bahai faith? Well, they are the world’s newest monotheistic religion. Their holy place happens to be in Israel, too. Not Jerusalem, but Haifa. We will meet them, their holy place and so much more as we travel to Haifa on this tour. Visit https://bit.ly/2XS4XTG to register. Kabbalah & Coffee — 9:30 to 11 a.m. Discuss, explore and journey through the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. This ongoing class through Intown Jewish Academy probes the esoteric through a unique program of English text-based study. No prior Kabbalistic experience required. Remember: The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup and Kabbalah in your “kop” (“head” in Yiddish)! Get the Zoom link by visiting https://bit.ly/2UJtM2w.

Tu B’shvat Festival — 2 to 4 p.m. Join Congregation Ohr HaTorah and the Jewish Fertility Foundation for a fun day of microgreen growing, pickling, scavenger hunting, making bracelets and garden cooking. Visit https://bit. ly/3HB7d2Q to register.

Faith and Fortitude — 7 to 8:30 p.m. In commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Am Yisrael Chai presents a powerful and unforgettable event: Keynote Holocaust Survivor speaker Ella Blumenthal was born in Warsaw, Poland on Aug. 15, 1921. She is a survivor of Majdanek, Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, from which she was liberated by the British on April 15, 1945. Visit https://bit. ly/3qTgpZs to get the Zoom link.

MONDAY, JANUARY 24

Tu B’shvat Run-Walk — 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Join Congregation Beth Shalom

Senior Week Virtual Museum Tours — 2 to 3 p.m. Join MJCCA, Jewish HomeLife, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and Jewish Family & Career

Services as we visit a special museum from the warmth of our homes! Tour Krakow, Poland. Licensed tour guide Anna Maria Baryła will take you on a journey through the city’s legendary Kazimierz district, the best-preserved historic Jewish Quarter in Europe. Kazimierz (the Jewish Quarter) served as the center of Jewish life in Kraków for over 500 years until World War II. Visit https://bit.ly/3e3mrAI to get the Zoom link. Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture: Antony Blinken — 6 to 8 p.m. The 32nd Annual Fran Eizenstat and Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture at Ahavath Achim Synagogue Series presents … Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Visit https://bit.ly/3sfeUar for more information.

Is There Room for Jesus Under the Chuppah? — 8 to 9 p.m. The term “Jewish interfaith wedding” means different things to different people. If you’re planning for your Jew-ish wedding, it’s important to decide as a couple what this means to you and to find an officiant that can accommodate your vision. Join 18Doors’ Rabbi Alex Greenbaum to hear his many ideas to consider for your ceremony, Visit https://bit.ly/3sb5i0t to learn more. How to Think Like a Chasidic Master — 8 to 9 p.m. Over the last three centuries the Chasidic movement has spawned a revolution in Judaism, breathing new soul into an ancient faith. Join acclaimed spiritual guide Mrs. Nomi

Freeman as Intown Jewish Academy travels through time to visit Chasidic legends such as the Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, Reb Elimelech of Lizensk, Reb Zushe of Anipoli and the Alter Rebbe to reveal the mindsets of these great masters. Visit https://bit.ly/3miTCVF to register.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25 ORT/Art and the City – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The ORT/Art and the City (Atlanta) virtual auction is an online art auction, featuring one-of-a-kind art created by emerging and nationally recognized artists, individually selected and sponsored by local art collectors. Participating artists were challenged to produce an original piece, reflecting on what is important, influential, central or vital to them with the theme in mind. Visit https://bit.ly/3J2do1w to bid on the auction.

Bereavement Support Group — 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Grief and loss of loved ones bring about complicated and mixed emotions. This support group aims to foster a safe and healthy environment to process these feelings and support people in mourning. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3q2IX2w. A Case for the Revival of Neo-Hasidut and the Irrationally Spiritual Zoom Only Class — 7 to 8 p.m. It’s time to awaken the spirit, and the Hasidim of old knew just how to do that. Sometimes, when we lean into the irrational and impossible, we find an incredible, mystical, and awe-inspiring way of experiencing the world around us. Join Temple Emanu-El and find out the history and trajectory of this fascinating approach. Register by visiting https://bit.ly/3FiYBgu.

Meditation from Sinai — 8 to 9:30 p.m. Mindful awareness and divine spirituality to help you think, feel and live more deeply. An uplifting, new sixpart series with Rabbi Ari Sollish from Intown Jewish Academy. Register at https://bit.ly/32qJK5g. ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 47

young children and sing songs, tell Torah stories, create crafts and enjoy challah. Find out more at https://bit. ly/3zP0UEk.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26 AJFF Kicks Off 2022 — All day to whet your appetite for the upcoming Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, we’re doing something unprecedented: a FREE SHORT FILM EVERY WEEK in the Virtual Cinema. This specially curated collection of new shorts is another perfect opportunity to try out the Virtual Cinema before the festival begins. This week’s film is “The Day Before Creation.” Get the link for this film by visiting https://bit.ly/3qQUeTR until Feb. 1. ORT/Art and the City — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit https://bit.ly/3J2do1w to bid on the auction. A Case for the Revival of Neo-Hasidut and the Irrationally Spiritual InPerson Only Class — 12 to 1 p.m. It’s time to awaken the spirit, and the Hasidim of old knew just how to do that. Sometimes, when we lean into the irrational and impossible, we find an incredible, mystical and awe-inspiring way of experiencing the world around us. The Neo-Hasidic approach to Judaism welcomes all levels of observance and is accessible to all genders. Join Temple Emanu-El and find out the history and trajectory of this fascinating approach. Visit https://bit.ly/3sEusVB to register.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27 Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta Quarterly Impact Forum — 9 to 10:30 a.m. Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta 20212022 quarterly impact forum. Visit https://bit.ly/3p14Rno to learn more. ORT/Art and the City — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit https://bit.ly/3J2do1w to bid on the auction. JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Night — 7 to 9 p.m. Created by Federation Innovation in collaboration with dozens of community 48 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

partners, JEDI Night will provide a community gathering space for stories to be shared, mentalities to be shifted and philanthropic dollars to be directed to Jewish ATL’s visionary leaders piloting our community’s JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) efforts. Register before Jan. 26 at 5 p.m. by visiting https://bit.ly/323FRDh. Meditation from Sinai — 8 to 9:30 p.m. Mindful awareness and divine spirituality to help you think, feel, and live more deeply. An uplifting, new sixpart series with Rabbi Ari Sollish from Intown Jewish Academy. Register at https://bit.ly/32qJK5g.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28 ORT/Art and the City — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit https://bit.ly/3J2do1w to bid on the auction. Senior Week Virtual Museum Tours — 2 to 3 p.m. Join MJCCA, Jewish HomeLife, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, and Jewish Family & Career Services as we visit a special museum from the warmth of our homes! The Jewish Museum is an art museum and repository of cultural artifacts, housed at 1109 Fifth Avenue, in the former Felix M. Warburg House, along Museum Mile on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City. Visit https://bit. ly/3GJk6r8 to get the Zoom link.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29 Story Time with Rabbi Jordan — 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. Join Rabbi Jordan from Congregation Dor Tamid for Story Time on Facebook. Visit https://bit. ly/3xfpywO to get the link. ORT/Art and the City — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit https://bit.ly/3J2do1w to bid on the auction. Saturday Tot Shabbat — 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. Join Congregation Etz Chaim for Tot Shabbat. Join other families with

Tot Shabbat and Kiddush Lunch — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join Congregation Beth Shalom every Shabbat at 11 a.m. for an interactive Tot Shabbat where we sing, play and engage in fun activities, followed by a wonderful Shabbat Kiddush lunch together. Visit https://bit. ly/3rZrU3J to get more information. JFCS Atlanta Havinagala — 7 to 10 p.m. The 32nd annual Havinagala is the largest Jewish young adult fundraiser in Atlanta, raising crucial funds for The PAL Program of JF&CS, Atlanta’s only Jewish Big Brother/Big Sister program. It’s a party for PAL! Visit https:// bit.ly/3saPFWN to purchase tickets.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 30 Kabbalah & Coffee — 9:30 to 11 a.m. Discuss, explore and journey through the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. This ongoing class through Intown Jewish Academy probes the esoteric through a unique program of English text-based study. No prior Kabbalistic experience required. Remember: The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup and Kabbalah in your “kop” (“head” in Yiddish)! Get the Zoom link by visiting https://bit.ly/2UJtM2w. ORT/Art and the City — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit https://bit.ly/3J2do1w to bid on the auction.

Couples and Conversation: Building a Life Together as an Interfaith* Couple — 12 p.m. Being part of an interfaith/Jew-ish/multi-faith/however-you-define-yourself couple can be challenging, but you don’t need to find the answers alone. This workshop offers a safe environment to work on creating your religious/cultural lives together. It is intended for seriously dating, engaged and newly married Jewish/interfaith couples who live in the Atlanta area. Will be facilitated by Rabbi Malka Packer-Monroe, Director of 18Doors Atlanta. Register at https:// bit.ly/30Ic0Q3.

The A.R.T of Empowering Health — 1 to 2:30 p.m. Join Northside Cancer Institute, Emory Winship Cancer Institute, JScreen/Emory University and Hadassah Medical Organization, in collaboration with Hadassah Greater Atlanta in a virtual conversation of The A.R.T. of Empowering Health. Awareness, Research & Treatment Cancer Prevention, Education & Resilience. To register visit https://bit.ly/3sdvpDS. Laura Leibman, “Once We Were Slaves” — 2 to 3:30 p.m. The Jewish Genealogical Society of Georgia presents Professor Laura Leibman speaking about her book, “Once We Were Slaves: The Extraordinary Journey of a Multiracial Jewish Family.” Join the Atlanta Jews of Color Council and the Breman Museum and receive the Zoom link by visiting https://bit.ly/3q8yDFU.

MONDAY, JANUARY 31 ORT/Art and the City — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit https://bit.ly/3J2do1w to bid on the auction. Is There Room for Jesus/Muhammed/ Buddha/Brahma/etc. in Your Jewish Interfaith Home? (Online) — 8 to 9 p.m. How do you negotiate which religious and/or cultural traditions you have in your home? What symbols and cultural objects from each of your traditions are present? What do we do when a practice, symbol or object is important to one partner but uncomfortable for the other? Join 18Doors’ Rabbi Alex Greenbaum and other interfaith couples for a nonjudgmental discussion of these and other common questions. Whether you’re just moving in together or you’ve been living with your partner for years, Rabbi Alex will be sure to have relevant insight and advice. Register at https:// bit.ly/32dwbWW. How to Think Like a Chasidic Master — 8 to 9 p.m. Over the last three centuries the Chasidic movement has spawned a revolution in Judaism, breathing new soul into an ancient faith. And is it possible for us to learn to think like them? Join acclaimed spiritual guide Mrs. Nomi Freeman as Intown Jewish Academy travels through time to visit Chasidic legends such as the Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, Reb Elimelech of Lizensk, Reb Zushe of Anipoli and the Alter Rebbe and reveal the mindsets of these great masters. Visit https://bit.ly/3miTCVF to register.

CONNECTOR CHATTER Directory Spotlight www.atlantajewishconnector.com

Congregation B’nai Torah Preschool

Congregation Etz Chaim Preschool

In conversation with Ilana Burstein, early childhood education director How long has your organization been in Atlanta? Congregation B’nai Torah Preschool has been serving our community for 30 years.

In conversation with Debbie Deutsch, director of education How long has your organization been in Atlanta? 47 years. How do you cater to the younger members of the community? We have a dynamic preschool with an active parent community. We hold Tot Shabbat services on both Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. We serve young families’ educational needs through our growing religious school. We have consistently enjoyed a thriving youth department and young adults programs. We are also proud to have recently launched our Team Shabbat Program. How does your organization help the community? We work closely with Jewish Family & Career Services, and partner with other Jewish and secular organizations doing the sacred work of helping others in our community.

How do you cater to the younger members of the community? Our preschool provides an environment in which children learn through hands-on exploration and purposeful play. Learning is fun and engaging, and Jewish values and traditions are fostered. Children are guided along their individual paths enabling them to reach their full potential. We strive to strengthen each child’s own sense of self and respect for others. The goal of B’nai Torah Preschool is to ensure that our students leave our preschool with a foundation for and love of learning. How does your organization help the community? Congregation B’nai Torah Preschool serves the community by providing an allencompassing Jewish experience for the entire family. We are a center for Jewish learning and connection for families with preschoolers. Our families are engaged with one another and our school, which strengthens our larger community now and in the future.

Actor’s Express In conversation with Ali White, marketing director How long has your organization been in Atlanta? Since its founding in 1988, Actor’s Express has become the preeminent hub for dynamic, provocative and consistently outstanding theatre in Atlanta, presenting work that sparks personal transformations and catalyzes community conversations. A longtime home for the LGBTQIA+ community in Atlanta, we are committed to ensuring that all people are welcome in our space. Taking the lead on COVID safety protocols and enacting strong public facing Anti-Racist and Anti-Bias principles has created a diverse, inclusive, safe and brave space for artists and audiences to return two now that the shutdown has end. How do you cater to the younger members of the community? Actor’s Express is dedicated to producing modern American theater, recent Broadway hits and big musicals, like “Rent,” “Rocky Horror” and “Heathers: The Musical” are popular with young audiences and give our theatre a great base of energetic supporters. The Intern Company at Actor’s Express is one of the most rigorous and successful programs of its kind in Atlanta. It is designed to bridge the gap between the educational and professional phases of early career artists. In residence for a full calendar year, interns work intensively in their areas of expertise while learning the ins and outs of how a professional theater operates. Many of our alumni have gone on to work at other theaters, in film and on television shows, some of which have been produced right here in Atlanta. How does your organization help the community? At Actor’s Express we bring the community together to experience the power of collective catharsis. Our productions entertain and entrance but also serve as a focal point to build empathy and allow patrons to experience new perspectives and ideas. From an exploration of groupthink and an unjust justice system in “The Crucible,” to a family struggling to honor a patriarch’s legacy in the hilariously scandalous “Bad Jews,” the theatre is a place where the social issues of the day can be explored together. As we plan our 35th season, this commitment to community building will drive every decision we make as we strive to serve as a nexus bringing together the best Atlanta has to offer. ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 49

COMMUNITY A Sterling Collection’s Silver Linings

Intricate Indonesian table and chairs.

Silver cases for head and arm tefillin boxes.

Heavily decorated trinket box from Austria.

Small Havdalah spice boxes with moving parts.

Antique crystal and silver perfume bottle.

Antique American demitasse set.

Dreidels from Russia and the IDF.

bread baskets,” Schwab explains, “and others would be made for candy or chocolate dishes or to serve cake. Personally, I love the miniatures best, but I also own examples of larger copies.” Some of the rarest small pieces in the Schwabs’ collection are an English traveling nutmeg grater; a French vinaigrette container, which was worn centuries ago around one’s neck to mask odors from ubiquitous sewage and garbage; a Dutch mustard jar which held the once-expensive commodity; and an eight-piece 18th century American demitasse set, still in pristine condition. A mahogany breakfront displays an ancient silver and crystal French perfume bottle, ornate Dutch Havdalah spice boxes with moving parts, an Austrian trinket box for jewelry, coins or keys and a miniscule, filigreed set of a table, chairs and benches, purchased by a relative in postwar Indonesia. Across the room, a large glass case holds three antique Russian Jewish ritual wedding rings, which open and hold a pinch of spice.

Schwab’s late husband, Edward, purchased several sets of silver boxes made to hold tefillin, and at an auction, acquired a sterling silver circumcision clamp. Schwab takes out three silver dreidels. “Two are very, very old,” she says, “and the tiniest one is from the Israeli army.” Among pieces of Yemenite silverwork are a filigree spice box and tzedakah box. “The flexibility of the purest silver, which is soft, allows artisans to create intricate items,” she explains, “and the addition of alloys to the silver makes pieces more durable, so the amount of alloy makes something stronger and therefore less fragile.” This is evident from the sturdy Dutch sample baskets, as opposed to intentionally decorative creations like the Indonesian table-andchairs set. Schwab claims that the purest silver is Japanese and Mexican, with Dutch, for instance, being less pure. The purity of silver is determined by a numeric scale, with 1,000 as the highest. Pure silver gets a 999 rating. In

order for silver to be classified as sterling, it must be at least 92.5 pure, thus rated at 925. That means 92.5 percent pure silver and the rest alloy, which can include zinc, copper or nickel. While the United States and most of the world enforce a strict standard of sterling silver at 92.5 percent silver to 7.5 percent copper or other alloys, other countries have their own standards. For instance, the French silver standard for sterling is 95 percent, or rated at 9.50. When asked if she would sell or trade any of her treasures, Schwab responds, “Edward and I had a double purpose in our purchases. First, to build a substantial collection of handmade silver objects that we love and treasure, and second, to locate valuable pieces to sell to other collectors. We traveled in Europe and Israel, spent many hours at antique markets and auctions, and we found some exceptional things on eBay. We always did a lot of research and continued to learn more. Our expertise and discernment grew as our collections grew.” ì

Malka Schwab collects silver miniatures.

By Chana Shapiro There’s an enticing sense of discovery as one approaches the home of Malka Schwab. The long driveway runs past an elaborately gated front entrance and continues to the hedged parking area in the back. Schwab cheerfully greets visitors at the bright blue door, which opens to an art-filled sitting room. The house is a gallery of signed Chagall prints, antique etchings, Jewish ritual objects, a village of handmade polychrome ceramic cottages, Chinese chests and chairs, luxurious oriental carpets, exotic plants and, in wall alcoves, vases of Middle Eastern blown glass. It is the home of an aesthete. The elegant dining room stars Schwab’s trove of silver miniatures, some quite tiny, which span time periods, cultures and geographic regions. “I no longer actively collect as I used to when my husband, Edward, was alive,” Schwab says. “I still look at auction websites for unusual handmade silver pieces that are intricate and diminutive, but I don’t bid on them. I’m interested in the handwork and individuality of each one, along with its value in silver quality, provenance and rarity. In the past, when I found something compelling and culturally interesting, I would focus my collecting on that genre. My husband and I each had our own special interests.” An example of her genre-specific collecting is a glass case filled with small, decoratively pierced silver baskets from the Netherlands. Schwab explains that these are high-quality samples that European silversmiths displayed in their shops. Customers would order replicas in a size that suited their needs. “Some would be duplicated as 50 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

COMMUNITY

Bat Mitzvah Announcements

SIMCHA SPOTLIGHT

Ayelet Hearshen

Allie Rainbow

Rabbi Joshua and Carrie Hearshen are overjoyed to share their simcha as their daughter, Ayelet Nomi, became a bat mitzvah Oct. 23, the 17th of Cheshvan, her Hebrew birthday. Ayelet was one of the first b’not mitzvah to read from the Torah and have an aliyah at Congregation Or VeShalom. Ayelet and her family recently moved to Atlanta during the pandemic, where they’ve been welcomed with open arms. Ayelet is a student at AJA and has been a camper at Ramah Darom for the past five years. Sharing in the joy are Ayelet’s Bubby and Zayde, Nancy and Joel Hearshen, her grandparents, Ellen and Ken Apsel, her aunt and uncle and cousins from Michigan and numerous friends from Tampa, Atlanta and Camp Ramah. Ayelet loves acting, reading and drawing, being creative and spending time with her baby sister, Galit.

Allie Rainbow celebrated her bat mitzvah on Jan. 8 at Congregation Beth Shalom. She is a seventh grader at The Davis Academy. She is a member of the J Dance Company at the JCC, where she also plays flag football, and is a member of the Davis basketball team. She is the daughter of Jennifer and Harris Rainbow of Dunwoody, Ga. She is the granddaughter of Lynn and Glenn Rainbow of Marietta, Ga. and Shelley and Steve Kruger of Macon, Ga., and the great-granddaughter of Renee Arogeti of Atlanta, Ga. and Melvin Kruger of Macon. She is also the great-granddaughter of the late Alvin and Margie Greenberg of Atlanta, the late Harold and Irene Rainbow of Columbus, Ga., the late Beverly Kruger of Macon and the late Raymond Arogeti of Atlanta. For her bat mitzvah project, Allie will be collecting funds to support the mission of The Loom School in Decatur, where her cousin Patton is a student. Allie and her family will be collecting funds to support this school, which serves a variety of students with special needs.

Have something to celebrate? Births, B’nai Mitzvah, Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries, Special Birthdays and more ... Share it with your community with free AJT simcha announcements. Send info to submissions@atljewishtimes.com submissions@atljewishtimes.com..

AN EVENING OF JAZZ WITH JOE ALTERMAN

Alterman is one fine, first-class entertainer.

Saturday, February 5 • 8:00 pm Atlanta native and pianist Alterman returns to the MJCCA with his trio for ONE NIGHT ONLY for a dazzling evening of swinging jazz.

—Dick Cavett

Tickets $24-32 | For the health and safety of all of our guests, attendees must wear masks at all MJCCA events.

PRESENTING SPONSOR Greenberg Traurig

GOLD SPONSORS Classic Tents and Events The Fagin/Danz Family Lisa and Ron Brill Charitable Trust

Marriott Atlanta Perimeter Center Barbara and Ed Mendel Standard Press

SILVER SPONSORS The Eva and George Stern Family The Zaban Foundation

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Atlanta Jewish Times Sheryl S. Blechner

Helen Marie Stern Fund The Hyman Foundation Marcy Louza and Mike Kenig Northside Hospital

BRONZE SPONSORS Atlanta Jewish Foundation Jewish Home Life Communities

Kaplan Orthodontics Piedmont National Family Foundation Publix Super Markets Charities

IN-KIND/MEDIA SPONSORS Sribd Wells Fargo The Wollner Group/ Keller Williams Realty

A Cappella Books Atlanta Intown Atlanta Magazine

Atlanta Senior Life The Breman Museum A Kosher Touch Reporter Newspapers

MJCCA | 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338 | 678.812.4000 | M/MJCCAarts | atlantajcc.org/arts

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 51

KEEPING IT KOSHER

JEWISH JOKE

Wontons That Wow! Cooking and Prep: 20 m Serves: 4 Contains: Gluten, Wheat and Nuts Preference: Parve Difficulty: Easy Source: My Kosher Category: Appetizers

Want the wow without the work? Then you want the wonton! This recipe is so easy and versatile. You can use whatever fish you have in the house and spare toppings. Plus- all the ingredients can be found in your local-even out of town- market! The hard wonton on the bottom with the soft, creamy avocado on top gives it an instant burst of flavor that is sure to please regardless of what else you put on top.

Main ingredients small square wontons vegetable oil kani (or ahi tuna/salmon if you prefer) avocado spicy mayo sweet sushi sauce optional- onion crunchies, sesame seeds, scallions

Start Cooking Prepare the Wonton Skins Heat 1 inch of oil in a skillet until it gets hot and starts to bubble a bit. Place 3-4 wontons in the oil, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry each side for 1-2 minutes. Let dry on paper towel.

To Serve Chop kani and toss in spicy mayo. Place on wonton. Place cubed or sliced avocado on top (or you can mix it with the kani if you prefer). Drizzle sweet sushi sauce on top. Add optional toppings. Voila! It’s that easy and it’s a wow! Submitted by Rachel Miller 52 | JANUARY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

The Hearing Aid Maurice was showing off. He said to his friend Sam, "I bought a hearing aid yesterday. It cost me $2,000." Sam said, "That's expensive, isn't it?" Maurice replied, "Yes, but it is state of the art." "What kind is it?" Sam asked. "A quarter to twelve," said Maurice. From: Oy! The Ultimate Book of Jewish Jokes by David Minkoff

YIDDISH WORD kochleffel n. A person who stirs up trouble; a meddler, busy body. lit., a cooking spoon or ladle. “They say he’s a superhero, but that Spiderman is just a kochleffel.”

BRAIN FOOD

Sleepy Time Classics

ACROSS

By: Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com Difficulty Level: Medium 1

20 22

15 18 21

30 36

40 42

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1. Slightly open 5. Impressive digs, perhaps 9. Relaxing locations 13. ___ Bora, Afghan region 14. Crooks’ alter egos 15. “Perry Mason” creator Stanley Gardner 16. 1982 classic by Stan and Jan Berenstain 18. Freeway, for instance 19. Dangerous trip for a leader 20. Not quite bite 21. Diploma word of honor 22. 1947 classic by Margaret Wise Moon 26. “Got milk?” response, perhaps 27. Most insignificant 28. Create an original website 31. Loughlin who didn’t have the best 2020 32. 1949 armistice locale: Abbr. 35. 1982 classic by Sandra Boynton, with “The” 39. Suppositions 40. Beer option 41. Negate 42. Do ghostly work 44. Windy City team, on scoreboards 46. 2002 modern classic by Kate

Banks 51. Suggestions 52. Bath 53. Cruella de ___ 55. A.C.L.U. part: Abbr. 56. Apt Jewish location for 16, 22, 35, and 46-Across? 59. Big name in plastic? 60. Where “Flaming” drinks were a craze in 90’s TV 61. Port near the Red Sea 62. “Esq.” user, briefly 63. Bad eye sight? 64. “The Thin Red Line” star Sean

21. Prim and proper 23. The writing on the wall in Daniel, e.g. 24. “Daily Planet” logo 25. “Poh” 28. Type of graphics 29. “That’s rough, buddy” 30. Like many a politician, stereotypically 31. Get-rich-quick method that rarely works 33. Lay down new grass 34. Early Hollywood studio 36. Gorilla and Krazy 37. Minute 38. Engaged DOWN 43. Where most members of the 1. Cause of overtime lost tribes were led? 2. Mah-___ (tile game) 44. Big name in Scientology 3. “Star Wars” droid, casually 45. Spud of NBA fame 4. Cheerleader’s shout 46. Ancestor of Noach 5. Sephardic cousin of Yiddish 47. Put a restriction on 6. Kosher striped animal 48. Chase who was often booed at 7. Quite a ways away 8. Sound made while shaking one’s Citi Field 49. Avoid artfully head 50. Mermaid 9. Medical fluids 54. “24” actress Mary ___ Rajskub 10. Marketing 56. Bennett and Bibi 11. Avis alternative 57. Scribble 12. Kind of car 58. Genre of Israel’s Black 17. Root canal prefix

“Kosher Carols” SOLUTION 1

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O Y

38 43

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A M A E

N G

33 35

G H

D O O R

A M E

D O

H L

S L

A L

O U U

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18 21

A W A

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68 71

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 53

OBITUARIES

Dr. Ronald Jay Berlin

Arthur Charles Feinstein

72, Atlanta

79, Atlanta

Dr. Ronald Jay Berlin passed away of an extended illness, on Dec. 29, in Atlanta, Ga. Ron was born in Merrick, N.Y. to Melvin and Shirley Berlin on Dec. 11, 1949. He went to high school at Sanford H. Calhoun in Merrick and graduated in 1967. He went on to earn a degree in psychology from Colgate University and then earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Syracuse University. He worked as a family practice psychologist in Atlanta for 25 years. He enjoyed participating in disability advocacy work, traveling and playing power wheelchair soccer for the Shepherd Strikers. He was also involved with the National MS Society and a longtime member of The Temple in Atlanta. He is survived by his daughters, Arielle McKee and Melanie Berlin of Atlanta, stepson Patrick Grossa of Lake Worth, Fla., his sister, Caryl Raudt, of Ponte Vedra, Fla., and his four grandchildren. Due to the COVID resurgence, a private funeral service was held on Jan. 2, with Rabbi Samuel Kaye of The Temple officiating. Memorial donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in Ron’s name. Please visit www.dresslerjewishfunerals.com for the Zoom link and to sign the online guestbook. Arrangements by Dressler’s Funeral Home, 770-451-4999.

Selma Goldberg Burke 97, Atlanta

Selma Goldberg Burke died on Dec. 25, 2021. She was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Daniel Burke. She is survived by her children: Pam and Robby Brown, Robin and Steve Bennett, Joel Burke, and Leland Burke and Gerard Ryan; grandchildren: Eryn Brown and Scott Sonneborn, Alison and Paul Friduss, Jessica and Jonathan Ginburg, Melanie and Max Blinder, Jacob and Grace Bennett; nine great-grandchildren; and sister Barbara Baker. Selma was an accomplished artist and a woman who will be remembered for her humor, warmth and sincerity. Sign an online guestbook at dresslerjewishfunerals.com. A graveside service was held Dec. 26, 2021, at Crest Lawn Memorial Park, with Rabbi Ilan Feldman officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Beth Jacob Synagogue’s Rabbi Charity Fund, The Cohen Home via Jewish HomeLife or the charity of your choice. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, (770) 451-4999.

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Arthur Charles Feinstein, M.D., F.A.C.S., was a prominent general and oncological Atlanta surgeon who, during his career, prolonged the lives of hundreds of individuals and one silverback gorilla at Zoo Atlanta. Feinstein passed away Dec. 14, 2021, in Atlanta, Ga. The son of David and Rose Feinstein (both deceased), Arthur (Art) Feinstein was born on Sept. 18, 1942, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He moved with his parents and sister Susan to Atlanta in 1953. At the age of four, Art declared to his mother and father that he wanted to be a doctor. He never wavered. After graduating from Druid Hills High School in 1960, he attended Emory University pre-med. His education continued at the Medical College of Georgia, where he received his M.D. in 1968, followed by a year’s internship at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y. He did not go alone. He married Jeannie Maslia, daughter of Henry and Stella Maslia of Atlanta, in June 1968. After his four-year surgical residency at the Medical College of Georgia ended in 1969, he joined the medical practice of Dr. Pendegrast in the W.W. Orr Building on Peachtree Street. He later co-established Atlanta Surgical Associates, affiliated with Crawford Long Hospital. Dr. Feinstein balanced his professional life with his family life to spend time with his wife and two children, Scott and Cari, supporting their school and extracurricular activities. When time permitted, they explored the world. His profession wasn’t the only passion of his to require capable hands. Dr. Feinstein’s skills in photography, woodcarving, drawing, painting and computer-aided design were outstanding — enough to earn him an “art” show in a Blue Ridge gallery. A voracious nonfiction reader, his creations were often inspired by nature and wildlife. His interests encouraged him to volunteer at the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta, where he conducted tours. An unexpected challenge came when he was asked to perform surgery on an ailing silverback gorilla. Knowing the physiology and biology of the silverback were similar to humans, Dr. Feinstein stepped in, and the surgery was successful. After retiring from private practice, he was an attending surgeon at Atlanta’s VA Medical Center, where he trained surgical residents in the art of saving lives. Dr. Feinstein is survived by his wife, Jeannie, children Scott Michael Feinstein, Cari Michelle DeHass and Brian DeHass, sister Susan Feinstein Hawkins and Jim Hawkins, grandchildren Grace Dyan Feinstein and Emerson Rose DeHass, extended family and friends who miss him already. Please send donations to either Zoo Atlanta (https://give.zooatlanta.org/donate) or the Georgia Aquarium (https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/donations).

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OBITUARIES

Harriet Zaban Eisner 93, Sarasota, Fla.

She has been the definition of “Steel Magnolia.” A gentle southern woman with a charming way of engaging people, all the while with knowledge of the world we all could envy. She taught the importance of bringing smiles to the faces of others as a daily mantra … and for her, her words and actions were always delivered with a sparkle in her blue eyes. Her art soothed and refreshed, scenes that were abstract but so familiar at the same time. She is a gift that will stay in the hearts of those who knew and loved her deeply. When Harriet was a child, she knew that she wanted to be an artist. She pursued her passion over decades. She gained a master’s degree, taught school, visited museums around the world, read voraciously and painted from her heart. Her works were intended to express herself, not to sell. But her works can now be found in galleries, homes of collectors and have always been exhibited proudly as galleries in her own children’s homes. More than her love of art was her love of her family and those who were important in her life. Her family focus was an integral part of who she was — from her parents (Hank and Lil Zaban), her beloved brother (Harry Zaban), and her many dear Zaban cousins in Atlanta and California. She was married to the love of her life, Murray, with whom she lived the kind of 50-year romance that movies are made of. They raised three children, Jolie, Alan and Dean, with love, inspiration, creativity, curiosity and kindness. Over the last three decades, she became “Carit” to her grandchildren Matthew, Sarah, Joe and Mia, who she engaged, inspired, and ignited. She died peacefully at her home in Sarasota, Fla. on Dec. 29, 2021. The graveside service was held on Jan. 2 in her hometown of Atlanta, Ga., at Arlington Memorial Park, where she was laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Murray. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

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Bernie Eisenstein 75, Atlanta

Bernie Eisenstein died Dec. 20, 2021, in Atlanta. He was born on June 20, 1946, in Vancouver, B.C., to Marion and Israel Eisenstein. Bernie graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and completed the course in Hotel and Restaurant Management at Cornell University. He worked in Montreal at The Queen Elizabeth Hotel and at the Dan Hotel in Israel. Bernie moved to Atlanta in 1971 to manage the Spaghetti Emporium in Underground Atlanta and enjoyed a successful career in the restaurant and food distribution business. He made many contributions to his community. Most noteworthy was his volunteer service as Deputy Sheriff in both Cobb and Fulton counties. At the top of his volunteer accomplishments was the founding and implementation of a holiday party for Atlanta’s Special Citizens for almost 50 years. Bernie leaves his wife, Susan, his children, Steven (Lynne), Caren (Eric Adler) and Richard (Diane), six grandchildren (Seth, Elly, Marin, Stella and Jacob Adler and Zoe Eisenstein) and his brother, Nathan, of Victoria, B.C. He was a member of Temple Sinai, the Jewish Community Center and North Atlanta Men’s Club. Donations in Bernie’s memory may be made to Temple Sinai or the charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770.451.4999.

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www.DresslerJewishFunerals.com ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 55

OBITUARIES

Jonathan Goldstein 74, Carrollton

Jonathan Goldstein, of Brookline, formally of Carrollton, Ga., passed away peacefully on Jan. 3. Jonathan was born in Boston on March 24, 1947. The son of the late David Goldstein and Miriam Goldstein Sargon, both of Brookline, Mass. Jonathan was an East Asian Studies graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, a professor of East Asian Studies at the University of West Georgia from 1981 until 2013, and a research associate at Harvard University’s Fairbanks Center for Chinese Studies since 1985. Funeral services were graveside at Temple Emeth Memorial Park, 776 Baker Street, West Roxbury, Mass., on Jan. 4. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sargon/ Goldstein Scholarship Fund, Boys Town Jerusalem, PMB 6250, One Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10117-3490.

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96, Atlanta

Leon Goldstein was born in Atlanta to Abe and Ruby Goldstein on Oct. 15, 1925. After serving in the navy and going to Emory University, he met his wife, Betty Cohen Goldstein, z”l, and they were married for 68 years and had four children: Bobby, Steven, Gail and Janet. Leon worked in the family business, Prior Tire Company, until he retired in 1999. He always said, “I failed in retirement,” and took pride in his work as a mediator at the Justice Center of Atlanta. He was involved in B’nai Brith, the ADL and Ahavath Achim Synagogue. He was known for his kindness and optimistic attitude. He was an avid reader of academic nonfiction and shared deep conversations with his grandchildren. He was best known for his daily responses to “how ya’ doing?” NEVER BETTER. His best Never Better times were when he was with family and dear friends. He loved being with his wife Betty. He loved travelling with “The Bums” childhood friends, going to the lake house and to Hilton Head with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In his later life, he enjoyed breakfast with his new friends at The Piedmont and sitting on the bench at Chastain Park with Marilyn Landau. Leon Goldstein is survived by children, Bobby (Liz) Goldstein, Steven (Karen) Goldstein, Gail (Lyons) Heyman, Janet (Sam, z”l, Richard Friedman) Schatten and grandchildren Jared (Amanda) Heyman, Adam (Kim) Goldstein, Mindy (Lou Metcalf) Goldstein, Sherri (James) Nighbert, Scott Heyman, Jeff (Kimary) Schatten, Blair (Zack) Beasley, Alan Schatten, Carly (Roy) Godzanker, Todd Schatten, Michael (Yani) Schatten, sister, Betty Ann Shusterman, sister-in-law, Harriet Miller, and 11 great-grandchildren and many nephews and nieces. Graveside services took place Jan. 9 at Arlington Memorial Park, Sandy Springs, and is viewable via Zoom link posted by Dressler’s for those who prefer to attend virtually. Leon’s children and family appreciate your love and care during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to AA Synagogue, ADL [Anti-Defamation League] and Weinstein Hospice. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

OBITUARIES

Mary E. Stewart Goldstein

Jerome (“Jerry”) M. Jacobs

89, Statesboro

87, Atlanta

Mary E. Stewart Goldstein was born June 25, 1932, in Statesboro, Ga., and died Jan. 1. After graduating in Statesboro, she moved to Atlanta and met Herbert Goldstein. She claimed that she “chased Herbert until he caught her.” They married in 1954 and had been married 63 years when Herbert passed in 2017. For years, she worked side-by-side with Herbert in the store, “Goldstein’s,” on the Square in Downtown Marietta. Her smile always lit up the room when someone she loved entered. She was generous, an avid reader and very knowledgeable. Mary enjoyed classic movies and “I Love Lucy.” She loved to laugh at jokes! Keeping a kosher home was imperative to her. Her family was her life! A devoted mother and wife. Mary and Herbert had four children who survive them: Susan Goldstein, Paula Goldstein Shea, Philip M. Goldstein (Elise) and Jacob Goldstein (Lily), eight grandchildren: Rachel Dodd (Eric), Joshua Avren (Meredith), Jonathan Avren, Nathan Shea (Sonja), Daniel Shea, Joseph Goldstein, David Goldstein and Matthew Goldstein; seven great-grandchildren: Amber Brooks, Donovan Brooks, Brooklyn Avren, Deacon Avren, Avren Dodd, William Dodd, and Atreyu Avren; her brother, Donald Eugene Stewart (Ann), and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased in 2017 by her brother, Johnny Albert Stewart (Charlotte) of Quantico, Va. Services were held at Greenwood Cemetery with Rabbi Rosenthal officiating. Friends and guests may visit the family virtually, Wednesday and Thursday, beginning at 6:30 p.m,, with virtual minyan at 7 p.m. See Dressler’s website for virtual funeral and minyan details: www.dresslerjewishfunerals.com. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770451-4999.

Obituaries in the AJT are written and paid for by the families; contact Editor and Managing Publisher Kaylene Ladinsky at kaylene@atljewishtimes.com or 404-883-2130, ext. 100, for details about submission, rates and payments. Death notices, which provide basic details, are free and run as space is available; send submissions to editor@atljewishtimes.com.

Jerry Jacobs died peacefully on Dec. 25, 2021, in Atlanta, Ga., with his wife and family at his side. Jerry grew up in the Bronx, N.Y., and early on discovered his love for baseball. He enjoyed going to games at Yankee Stadium, Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds. He watched many of the greatest players of all time, including Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Willie Mays and countless other great players. His love of the sport continued throughout his lifetime and he enjoyed going to games with his sons and grandchildren. After serving in the United States Army for two years, he returned home and enrolled in the New York University School of Business in Accounts and Finance, obtaining a degree in 1959. While living in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. with his wife, Harriet, and two sons, Richard and Michael, he attended Marist College and earned two master’s degrees in Business and Systems Analysis. He worked for 25 years as a systems analyst and programmer for IBM in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He spent many wonderful years at the IBM Country Club for leisure activities. Jerry enjoyed swimming, bowling, bicycling and photography. He coached his sons’ baseball teams for several seasons. But reading was his most enjoyed activity, scanning all fiction, historical novels, newspapers, journals and technical material. He strongly believed in education and continued learning. Jerry and his family participated in activities at Temple Beth El in Poughkeepsie and at Congregation Dor Tamid in Johns Creek, Ga. He and his wife were fortunate to travel to Europe, Israel and in the United States, always taking photographs of the sights and historical scenes. Survivors are his wife of 61 years, Harriet, son, Richard, and his wife, Brooke; son, Michael, and his wife, Judi; and six wonderful grandchildren: Chandler, Brianna, Max, Meredith, Cal and Sara. Services honoring his memory were held at Congregation Dor Tamid on Dec. 26, 2021, Johns Creek, Ga., and interment at Arlington Cemetery in Atlanta. Donations may be made to Congregation Dor Tamid, Johns Creek, Ga.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 57

OBITUARIES

Darren Kaplan 49, Atlanta

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All deaths are endings, all deaths are losses. But we pray they occur in the fullness of our years. Darren has left us many years too soon and our hearts are broken. He leaves a loving wife, Amara, too young to be a widow. He leaves two daughters, Ava and Anya, far too young to expect loss. He leaves a sister, Neely, who expected to always have a sibling. And he leaves parents, Marcia and Richard, experienced in loss, but with no way to process the loss of this child. Darren packed a lot of goodness into his limited years. Perhaps he did 100 years of good deeds in his 49 years. But that does not seem an adequate reason for taking him so soon. Darren was a natural nurturer — he always tried to help people. He so gently cared for Amara when she struggled long and hard with cancer. He has been a kind and involved father, spending time with his daughters and with their activities, insisting on attending despite work pressures that also demanded his time. We hope there is some grand eternal plan that required an unusually brilliant, fine and kind man in heaven to perform important worldchanging events. But perhaps we should also acknowledge that we on earth have lost a dearly loved man: a man we admired and respected. A man who sweetened the world. May he rest in peace. (Written by his Aunt Robin) Darren is also survived by his brother-in-law, Aaron Pusateri, niece and nephew, Tessa and Brody Pusateri, in-laws, James Chisholm and Jayma Dodson, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He is predeceased by his grandparents, Joseph and Ida Kaplan, Milton and Sylvia Manis and uncle, Neil Kaplan. Darren owned CLIX Portrait Studios in Atlanta, Ga. Darren loved and was very active playing in and developing Atlanta soccer programs. With his incredible memory he was also an excellent trivia player. Donations can be made in Darren’s name to Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mount Vernon Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30328. Please sign guestbook at www.dresslerjewishfunerals.com. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Sally Steele Metzger 92, Denver, Colo.

Sally Steele Metzger passed away peacefully on Dec. 29, 2021, surrounded by her children. Sally was a Denver native, daughter of Morris and Florence Price, a graduate of North High and attended University of Denver. She enjoyed a long and fruitful career, including a 25-year tenure at Rose Medical Center, where she served as the hospital’s public relations director. Sally loved to use her skills as a people-person to make an impact, including serving as a board member of the American Jewish Committee and Jewish Family Services and generously contributing to other nonprofit organizations throughout Denver. Sally also shined as a singer and actress in lead roles for musicals, including “Pajama Game,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Pal Joey,” “Carnival” and “Fiddler on the Roof” at Denver’s famed Bonfils Theater and the Third Eye Theater. For more than 20 years she performed on stage across Denver and her voice and presence will never be forgotten. She loved to sing and entertain, and family and friends will always remember her renditions of “A Bushel and a Peck” and “Sunrise, Sunset.” Sally is survived by her children and grandchildren, all of whom brought her a great sense of pride; children Shelley Steele Gaynes (Bruce Gaynes) and Craig Steele (Nancy Steele); grandchildren Carley Gaynes (Matthew Blass), Jonathan Gaynes, Melanie Gaynes, Dylan Steele (Camden Mobley) and Laura Steele (Michelle Collar) and by her new great-grandchild, Eleanor Collar Steele. Sally will be deeply missed by her family. A memorial service was held on Dec. 31, 2021, at Feldman Mortuary in Denver, conducted by Rabbi Steven Kaye, followed by a private burial at Mount Nebo Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sally Steele Metzger Passover Fund at Jewish Family Services of Denver (select Food Pantry as the donation designation) or to the JFS fund of your choice.

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 15, 2022 | 59

CLOSING THOUGHTS Judaism Caribbean Style

Rabbi Ruth

On any given week in Atlanta, there are converts who come before rabbis and answer this question. But this was not Atlanta and no ordinary com-

munity. We were in Barranquilla, Colombia, a port city on the Caribbean coast, and this congregation Nehranana, unlike most, is made up almost exclusively of those who have chosen Judaism. While there is a historic Jewish congregation in Barranquilla, with a rabbi and a nice building, Nehranana is modest and without regular rabbinic leadership. Its members come from all walks of life and they are drawn by the power of Jewish observance and community. I first visited the community three years ago when our family was on vacation in Colombia. My friend Rabbi Juan Mejia,

a Colombian who lives in the U.S., had visited them and had many members taking his online Spanish language Jewish classes. So we planned a night in Barranquilla. We were blown away by the passion for Judaism we encountered. Returning to Barranquilla with Rabbi Mejia just before Thanksgiving, I was surprised to see so many familiar faces among those who came to the beit din. Without regular rabbinic leadership or access to Jewish resources, many had been waiting years to make their membership in the Jewish people official. As they answered our questions we heard again and again about journeys that started with religious Christianity that eventually did not sit right. Some passed through Messianic churches, but that too was not the fit they were looking for. For most, finding Nehranana felt like coming home. For many of them, long before they found the community, they found each other and the joy of Shabbat. Even before they fully understood the meaning of mitzvot, they understood the power of coming

together, lighting candles, and sharing a meal. One woman took the Hebrew name Ruth because her mother-in-law, a mother to ten, had chosen to come and live with her and like her biblical namesake there was true love in the connection the women shared. A man chose the name Joseph because in his life he has been a seer of justice and suffered for speaking the truth. To a one, they affirmed the principles of Jewish life and their connection to the Jewish people. Before I left Atlanta, I had shared a request for Judaic items that they might be able to use. Congregation B’nei Torah, in the process of closing down their gift shop, donated 20 new tallitot and several individuals shared family heirlooms. As the members of Nehranana unpacked these items, there were whoops of joy and not a few tears. Not only did these items fill a practical need but to this isolated congregation, it was a sign of connection with Am Yisrael. After the beit din, we went to the beach and 19 people immersed in the living waters and emerged as Jews. That evening,

we welcomed Shabbat with singing and dancing and a fried food course after the dessert, because that is the Colombian way. When Shabbat was over, we gathered for one final celebration. There were three married couples among those who came to the beit din, and each of them had to be remarried in a Jewish ceremony. In true Nehranana style, everyone was invited to watch six people stand under the huppah exchange rings and smash glasses. Then we danced the hora and salsa, ate well, and listened to a Mariachi band until the wee hours of the night ì

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