Atlanta Jewish Times, VOL. 99 NO. 2, January 31, 2024 by Atlanta Jewish Times

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NEWS Antisemitism Definition Bill Passes on Third Try By Dave Schechter The third time was the charm for those wanting Georgia to define antisemitism. On Jan. 25, the Georgia Senate and then the House passed a bill that added to the state code a reference to the definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. Because the legislation, known as House Bill 30, last year stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee, that is where its 2024 journey began. This time, the measure unanimously cleared the committee and then the full Senate 44-6. Back in the House, a sizable contingent of supporters from Atlanta’s Jewish community cheered from the gallery as Republican Speaker Jon Burns announced the result, 129-5. Standing in the center aisle on the House floor, a beaming Jewish Democratic Rep. Esther Panitch hugged the bill’s chief sponsor, Republican Rep. John Carson. Gov. Brian Kemp has scheduled a bill signing for the afternoon of Jan. 31 at the state capitol. After passage, Kemp said that the bill “builds on our commitment to protect Georgians from criminal acts, including those based on hate.” The IHRA definition reads: “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.” The IHRA definition has been controversial less for that wording than 11 accompanying examples of antisemitism, particularly several that deal with Israel — among them accusing Jews outside of Israel of dual loyalty, comparing Israel to Nazis, calling Israel “racist,” “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination,” and applying standards to Israel “not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.” Efforts to pass similar legislation fell short in 2022 and 2023. Throughout three years of debate, opponents — including members of both legislative chambers and some members of the Jewish community — contended that those examples could be used to stifle speech critical of Israel. Proponents, claiming support from major Jewish communal organizations, consistently asserted that the IHRA defini-

6 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Jewish Democratic Rep. Esther Panitch receives congratulations on the House floor after passage of the antisemitism definition bill // Photos Provided by Esther Panitch

Republican Sen. John F. Kennedy is interviewed upon passage of HB30 // Photo Credit: Chip Koplin

(From left) Republican Rep. John Carson, Republican Sen. John F. Kennedy, and Democratic Rep. Esther Panitch.

tion would be a tool employed by prosecutors to determine if a crime was motivated by anti-Jewish hostility and by state agencies to assess cases of discrimination. Georgia joins 33 states that have adopted the IHRA definition via legislation, resolutions, executive orders, or proclamations. More than 40 countries (including the United States, per an executive order by then-President Donald Trump) and 1,100 non-governmental institutions also have adopted the IHRA definition. “I hope this law never needs to be applied but am very confident it will do what it is intended to do, with some training of state prosecutors and investigators,” Panitch, who represents a north Fulton County district and co-sponsored HB 30, told the AJT. The bill’s chief Senate sponsor, Monroe County Republican Sen. John F. Kennedy, told colleagues how an effigy of a Jew was hung from sign outside a synagogue in Macon and decried anti-Jewish flyers had been distributed in the Atlanta area and elsewhere in the state. “This legislation is not about stifling free speech. Nor is it about the government stopping someone from simply sharing their views. It is about safeguard-

ing the dignity and the safety of our Jewish friends and neighbors,” Kennedy said. Before voting “no,” Gwinnett County Democratic Sen. Nikki Merritt said, “The First Amendment guarantees our rights as citizens to criticize any government, foreign and domestic. Does our Constitution not mean anything?” Before not voting, Democratic Sen. Sally Harrell, whose district includes Dunwoody and sections of Sandy Springs, said, “If we’re going to define antisemitism in the law, then there’s a lot of other groups that experience racism, and that they should also have definitions and explanations of what racism looks like.” Harrell did not cast a vote and was listed in the roll as having been excused from voting. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, of Stone Mountain, invoked the 1958 bombing of The Temple and Jewish support of both the civil rights movement and women’s rights. “The Jewish community stood hand-in-hand with us,” Butler said. “Today, I return their favor and stand with them.” Those voting “yes” included Republican Sen. Ed Setzler, from Acworth, whose maneuverings effectively killed the bill in 2023. Questioned by the Atlanta Journal-

Jewish Democratic Rep. Esther Panitch and Republican Rep. John Carson, chief sponsor of the antisemitism definition bill, on the House floor, awaiting results of the vote.

Constitution, Setzler declined to explain his change. When the bill reached the House, Carson, whose district covers northeast Cobb and southeast Cherokee counties, declared, “Folks, it’s time to get this done.” In an exchange with Henry County Democratic Rep. El-Mahdi Holly, who voted “no,” Carson said that by passing the bill, “Georgia stands with our friends in the Jewish community.” Holly replied, “I wish that was true of Palestinians as well.” DeKalb County Democratic Rep. Becky Evans, another “no” vote, said that she was “concerned that the charge of antisemitism will be leveled against folks who speak out against the human rights abuses of Israel, especially students and professors on college campuses.” Burns voiced irritation that 28 representatives did not vote, while another 18 were listed as excused, reminding members that House rules require them to vote. “We are elected to vote on challenging issues. It is hypocritical for an elected official to ask people to vote when they won’t vote themselves. Definitely not profiles in courage,” Panitch said. The legislation’s three-year saga be-

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Democratic Rep. Esther Panitch speaks at a news conference, flanked by Republican House Speaker Jon Burns (left) and Republican Rep. John Carson (right).

gan with a 2022 bill co-sponsored by Carson and then-Rep. Mike Wilensky, a Jewish Democrat. “This is an important moment for Georgia,” said Dov Wilker, regional director of the American Jewish Committee in Atlanta. “It offers common-sense guidance to help people understand what is antisemitism, so that they are better

equipped to recognize it when it happens and help fight it. It does nothing to inhibit free speech and, in fact, distinguishes between legitimate criticism of Israel and attacks that are antisemitism in disguise.” Organizations (including Jewish Voice for Peace) joined under the name, “The Say No to HB 30 Coalition,” issued a statement that they remain opposed to HB

House Bill 30 unanimously cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee and then the full Senate, 44-6.

30 and are “gravely concerned about the bill’s manipulation of antisemitism at the expense of Georgians’ First Amendment rights by labeling criticism of Israel and Zionism as antisemitic.” Adopting the IHRA definition would

not prevent the distribution of anti-Jewish flyers, but a separate bill currently before the state Senate would enhance penalties for such activity under the state’s RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act. ì

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Atlantans Rally to Support Boycotted Ali’s Cookies By Marcia Caller Jaffe Sabras Nofar and Sagi Shablis were living the sweet life, owning and operating the Decatur/Emory Ali’s Cookies, until Oct. 7 when the world dealt with the shockwaves of the attack on Israel by Hamas. When the Shablis’ displayed an Israeli flag in the store, they did not expect the backlash and eventual boycott by those who stopped patronizing them. Nofar said, “Oct. 7, 2023, that is a day that I am sure everyone will remember as Black Saturday. For me, and for every other Jew and Israeli, these horrors, this reality, is so hard to explain and to cope with, to know that my people suffered and still are, is heartbreaking. Since that day, the store hasn’t been the same.” She originally thought that it was a coincidence, but as time went by, no matter what they did, reduced sales totals lingered and deepened. Red flags included the business’s social media pages being “unfollowed” or potential customers entering the store and seeing the flag,

Nofar believes that posting the Israeli flag over the TV started the negativity.

making a sour face, then heading out the door. Nofar noted that some nice folks did ask about their families in Israel and

expressed concern. Nofar posted the upsetting situation on social media, specifically Facebook’s

Nofar Shablis is a new “warrior” who is standing up to her store’s “boycott” near the Emory University campus.

Jewish Women of Atlanta, and found reposts of support swiftly and demonstratively followed.

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Ali’s Cookies, located at 1561 North Decatur Road, has dealt with pro-Palestinian protesters after the store owners decided to display an Israeli flag in the store.

Ali’s has two flavors of vegan cookies and six flavors of gluten-free cookies. They sell 12 different flavors of ice cream, milkshakes, soft drinks, and coffee.

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“I will order more cookies immediately,” one post read. “I will order Ali’s Cookies for my party this weekend,” read another. “I don’t need cookies, but I’ll donate what I can.” “I will send cookies to all my clients now.” “I live in Chattanooga, can you ship?” “My brother-in-law visiting from Israel just bought 17 cookies.” “Am Yisroel Chai, every occasion needs cookies!” “I’m sharing to all my connections.” Of note, this particular Ali’s Cookies is not AKC Kosher certified. Also note that there are two other Ali’s Cookies locations, East Cobb and Dunwoody, not owned by Nofar and Sagi Shablis. A newer statement elucidated that Emory location’s cookies are Kosher “style.” Nofar clarified, “All of our products are Kosher, the only thing that is not Kosher are the marshmallows (on the S’mores cookie and the Ali’s Monster cookie). We also open on Shabbat, so we don’t have a Kosher certification because of it.” The couple both served in the IDF. Nofar went to Bar Ilan University to attain a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration/ management, before earning an MBA in admin-

istration and management from the University of Haifa. They arrived in the U.S. in 2021 and bought the store in 2022. The couple has two children. In terms of choosing the cookie business, Nofar said, “I started baking when I became a mom, during COVID, working from home. I discovered that I could bake really well, and succeeded in all kinds of different things, cakes, cookies, challah, muffins, cupcakes, pizza, pizza muffins, bread, and buns." Ali’s Cookies has 34 different flavors of cookies, and cookie cakes, 12”, 16”, 18” and full sheets. They have two flavors of vegan cookies and six flavors of glutenfree cookies. They also have 12 different flavors of ice cream, milkshakes, soft drinks, and coffee. Nofar concluded, “On Jan. 9, I thought it may be good to share our situation with the Jewish community on Facebook. The responsiveness and love from there warms our hearts. We’re so grateful for each one of the communities, and so happy to be part of this wonderful group! When we decided to move here, Ali’s Cookies was just right for us.” Delivery is available through Door Dash, Uber Eats, and Chow Now. Ali’s Cookies is located at 1561 N. Decatur Road. (404)377-2547 ì

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Holocaust Survivor Count Drops as Needs Remain By Dave Schechter A new estimate puts the number of Jewish Holocaust survivors in the United States at 38,400 — down from 50,000 two years ago and 109,900 in 2003. A report released Jan. 23 by the Claims Conference, the organization that negotiates with Germany for reparations, estimated that — as of August 2023 — there were 245,000 Jewish survivors worldwide, nearly two-thirds fewer than 20 years ago. The Global Demographic Report on Jewish Holocaust Survivors was released in advance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27. The Claims Conference acknowledges that its estimate may be toward the low end of a range, as some survivors choose not to be identified and others may not consider themselves to be survivors. According to the report, the U.S. accounted for 15.7 percent of the survivor population. Spread across more than 90 countries, 48.8 percent lived in Israel, 18.1 percent in North America, 17.5 percent in Western Europe, 11.8 percent in countries of the former Soviet Union, 2.5 percent in Eastern Europe, and the remainder in Oceania, South America and the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. In raw numbers, the U.S. trailed only Israel, home to 119,000 Jewish survivors. Of those in the U.S., 90 percent lived in 10 states, led by nearly 40 percent in New York, followed by California with 16 percent. In descending order, the others were Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Michigan. A fraction live in Georgia. Jewish Family & Career Services Atlanta estimates that more than 230 survivors live in the state, mostly in the Atlanta area, though there may be others not known to the agency. Its database lists 177 survivors who receive services through JF&CS and another 57 others who engage with JF&CS programming. The median age of Jewish survivors worldwide is 86 years old. They range in age from 77 to 112, with 20 percent older than 90. Some 95 percent are “child survivors,” born between 1928 and 1946 (a small number were in utero in 1945 and born the next year). An estimated 61 percent are female and 39 percent male. “The data we have amassed not only tells us how many and where survivors are, it clearly indicates that most survivors are at a period of life where their

10 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

A report released Jan. 23 by the Claims Conference, the organization that negotiates reparations with Germany, estimated that, as of August 2023, there were 245,000 Jewish survivors worldwide — nearly two-thirds fewer than in 2003.

need for care and services is growing. Now is the time to double down on our attention on this waning population,” Gideon Taylor, president of the Claims Conference, said in a statement. Since its founding in 1951, the Claims Conference has negotiated more than $90 billion in compensation from Germany for suffering and losses resulting from Nazi oppression. The recipients have been Jews persecuted in Europe, the former Soviet Union, and parts of North Africa occupied by the Nazis or their Axis allies. Atlanta native Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat has served since 2008 as Special Negotiator for the Claims Conference. In a June 2023 statement, he said, “I am inspired that, as shown by the extraordinary results we have achieved this year, so many decades after the end of World War II, far from waning, the German government and its people continue to feel a deep responsibility to provide additional care to Holocaust survivors . . . Every negotiation is a near-last opportunity to ensure survivors of the Holocaust are receiving some measure of justice and a chance at the dignity that was taken from them in their youth. It will never be enough until the last survivor has taken their last breath.” There is no official definition of a Holocaust survivor. Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial and museum in Israel, refers to “Jews who lived for any amount of time under Nazi domination, direct or indirect, and survived . . . From a larger perspective, other destitute Jewish refugees who escaped their countries fleeing the invading German army, including those who spent years and, in many cases, died deep in the Soviet Union, may also be considered Holocaust survivors.” The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. “honors

as survivors any persons, Jewish or nonJewish, who were displaced, persecuted, or discriminated against due to the racial, religious, ethnic, social, and political policies of the Nazis and their collaborators between 1933 and 1945. In addition to former inmates of concentration camps, ghettos and prisons, this definition includes, among others, people who were refugees or were in hiding.” For 2024, the Claims Conference negotiated $435 million in direct compensation and $888 million for home health care services. The latter supports more than 300 social service agencies worldwide, among them JF&CS Atlanta, which assists survivors with home care, house cleaning, meal delivery, transportation, medical equipment and adult daycare, medical and dental care, and prescriptions. The Claims Conference estimated that 47 percent of survivors alive today were born in the former Soviet Union. Amy Neuman, program manager of Holocaust survivor services, said that 86 percent of its clients in Georgia are from the former Soviet Union. Outside of Georgia, JF&CS manages grant programs for the Claims Conference in a 10-state region: South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and sections of Florida and Texas. The region accounts for another 104 survivors. South Florida is not part of the region, but other areas of the state are included.

Showing Support Even as the survivor population declines, the demand for services has remained steady or in some places increased, as survivors who previously did not need help are now enrolled. Additionally, the cost of providing these services

Amy Neuman, program manager of Holocaust survivor services.

continues to increase. That is reflected in Claims Conference allocations for 2024: $3.22 million to support JF&CS in Georgia, an increase of more than one-third since 2022, and $3.83 million in the 10-state region, double the amount two years ago. Consistent with its mission, to allow survivors to remain in their homes as long as possible, the Claims Conference requires that 88 percent of its funds be used for home services. Neuman credited the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s Holocaust Survivor Support Fund with helping to fill the gaps. “Without the [fund], we could not provide all the home care assistance necessary to keep survivors living safely and comfortably at home and we would not be able to provide hardly any non-home care services,” Neuman said. “In addition to the huge need for home care, which keeps increasing every year while the costs increase also, more survivors need transportation help as they no longer drive and more survivors need food support as inflation and, specifically, the rising cost of food has made it more difficult for survivors to purchase enough food and healthy foods,” she said. “As you can imagine, medical costs and prescription assistance also go up as people age. With the average age of a survivor being 86, there are a lot of medicalrelated expenses. Dental care is simply not affordable to most survivors. It’s very expensive and few survivors have dental insurance. Medicaid doesn’t cover 99 percent of dental needs . . . only services in catastrophic cases, i.e., a car accident necessitates immediate dental surgery.” Cherie Aviv, a major force in creating the fund in 2016, continues to chair the effort. “The Atlanta Jewish community truly has rallied around this initiative," she said. In calendar year 2023, the

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(Left) Stuart Eizenstat, pictured at the 34th annual Eizenstat Lecture with John Meacham, has served since 2008 as Special Negotiator for the Claims Conference // Photo Credit: Chris Savas Photography

Holocaust Survivor Support Fund allocated some $1.4 million, primarily to JF&CS Atlanta, as well as Jewish HomeLife. Some $500,000 went to pay for services in Georgia, $200,000 to the 10-state region, and $700,000 to meet un-funded home care needs. Money is raised through individual donations and from family foundations and major philanthropies. Roughly one-third of U.S. survivors live below the federal poverty line, an estimate that has remained constant for a decade or more. Neuman said that more than half of its clients in Georgia and in the 10-state region are on Medicaid, the federal-state program that funds health care for low-income individuals, and 45 to 50 percent also receive food stamps. KAVOD (Hebrew for “honor” or “respect”), an organization founded in 2015 as a small-scale effort, still provides such help as grocery cards to individual survivors, but has grown and today helps fund services in 40 communities, including Atlanta. Through a partnership with the Seed The Dream Foundation, KAVOD SHEF (Survivors of the Holocaust Emergency Fund) since 2019 has provided $23 million nationally in emergency funds for dental, vision, and medical care; food; transportation; home care, and to mitigate crises with utility payments, home repairs, and rent. “We have a community obligation to care for these survivors. They lived a very dark period of history,” Aviv said. “Today, our job is to take care of them as a community, to ensure that they live their final days with dignity and care.” An individual donation of even $18, which can pay for a home-delivered meal — food being an emotional issue for many who experienced hunger during the Holocaust — is as important to the effort as larger amounts from foundations, Aviv said. A link to donate can be found on the Federation website jewishatlanta. org. JF&CS asks that anyone who knows of Holocaust survivors in Georgia needing assistance call 770-6779382 and for those in the 10-state region call 770-6779360 or go through the website jfcsatl.org. ì

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Public Officials Break Bread with Jewish Community By Dave Schechter Brent Cox is a Republican member of the Georgia House of Representatives, an evangelical Christian who calls supporting Israel a “core value” of his faith. So, it was natural that Cox, whose district includes north Forsyth and Hall counties, would be among four dozen state legislators, judges and prosecutors, and county and local elected officeholders, who Jan. 12 broke bread with members of Temple Emanu-El and attended a Shabbat service. This was the second year that the American Jewish Committee has brought together public officials with the Jewish community. Last year’s inaugural event was held at Congregation B’nai Torah. In addition to Temple Emanu-El, the outreach this year was expanded to include invitations to services Jan. 12 at Temple Beth Israel in Macon, Jan. 13 at Adas Yeshurun Synagogue in Augusta, and Jan. 27 at Congregation Mickve Israel in Savannah. Such “soft” lobbying can be as effective as button-holing a legislator in the hallways at the state capitol. “It provides a more intimate experience for the elected officials to engage with members of the Jewish community,” said Dov Wilker, regional director of the AJC in Atlanta. “It also provides them a glimpse into the Jewish community, an opportunity to be part of a Jewish worship experience, to be at a synagogue, which most have not been to. It’s not just about issue, of antisemitism or Israel, but of the collective Jewish experience.” Indeed, many state legislators, particularly among the Republicans, represent districts with relatively few Jewish constituents and, as such, may have little direct exposure to the Jewish community.

All of the elected officials and dignitaries in attendance were invited onstage.

Jaimie Chausmer, Temple Emanu-El board member, speaks during the Jan. 12 Shabbat service.

All members of the 180-seat state House and the 56-seat Senate were invited to attend the services. Jews make up an estimated 1.2 percent of the Georgia population but an even smaller fraction of the

Temple Emanu-El Rabbi Spike Anderson addresses the crowd at the Shabbat service on Jan. 12.

General Assembly. At a time when the Jewish community is reeling from public expressions of anti-Israel and/or anti-Jewish sentiment, stemming from Israel’s war against

Hamas in Gaza, the effort to pass a bill defining antisemitism was a topic of conversation at numerous tables during the pre-service dinner. This year’s General Assembly ses-

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Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch

sion, which began Jan. 8, will be the third effort to place into the state code a reference to the definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. A year ago, a bill that overwhelmingly passed the House was withdrawn when members of the Senate attempted to amend wording already accepted by some two dozen states, 30 countries (including the U.S. government) and 1,100 organizations globally. The IHRA definition reads: “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.” The definition is controversial less for that wording than 11 accompanying examples of antisemitism. Several deal with Israel, including accusing Jews outside of Israel of dual loyalty, comparing Israel to Nazis, calling Israel “racist,” “denying the Jewish people their right to selfdetermination,” and applying standards to Israel “not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.” Critics contend that those examples could be used to suppress debate about Israel. In her pre-dinner remarks, Jewish Democratic state Rep. Esther Panitch, who represents a north Fulton County district, told how the event originated with the idea to invite small groups of legislators to her home for Shabbat dinner following her election in November 2022. Panitch’s co-host again this year was Republican state Rep. Todd Jones, who represents a district that includes south Forsyth and north Fulton counties, and whose mother is Jewish.

Among those notable by their presence was Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is prosecuting former President Donald Trump for alleged interference in the 2022 election. Cox told the AJT that he was confident that the third time would be the charm for proponents of the IHRA definition, that a bill would clear the House and Senate and reach the desk of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Cox visited Israel this past summer, leaving barely a month before the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks on kibbutzim, towns, and a music festival in southern Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 240 kidnapped (of whom, at this writing, more than 130 remain hostages in Gaza). Learning of the attacks “felt like someone had just ripped part of my heart out,” he said. Cox spoke about his visit to the city of Sderot and how he later learned that several of the Israeli police he met there were killed in the Oct. 7 attacks. He spoke with pride of visiting bomb shelters constructed by the Jewish National Fund with assistance from the multi-campus Free Chapel Church, where he is a member. At the close of the service, Rabbi Spike Anderson offered a blessing for the legislators and other public officials gathered at the bimah: “May you each be open to receiving the very best of who and what you are, and who and what you can be; both from your family and your ancestors; your education and your community; your past, your destiny, your dreams. May you live up to your full potential in what you are doing to better this country, to better this society and to better this world.” ì To watch the program in full, visit www.facebook.com/TEAtlanta/videos

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 13

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Program Addresses Sex Trafficking Awareness By Debbie Diamond The Internet and social media have become the top recruitment tools for sex traffickers throughout Georgia, according to a panel of experts working to stop sexual exploitation. At a recent event held at Congregation Etz Chaim in East Cobb, sponsored by 2myPlace and the Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking, a panel of experts from organizations throughout Georgia working to stop sex trafficking discussed the online perils facing youth today. Traci Hurley, from the Stephanie K. Blank Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, indicated that online grooming has become the top recruitment tool for sex traffickers, a sentiment echoed by the other panelists. “The traffickers use deception, and they will appear to be the same age as the child they are targeting. These offenders use victims’ social networking sites to gain information about their likes and dislikes,” said Hurley. Most often, the trafficker will initially appear to be a child or teen around the

Misty Dean (right), executive and marketing director of 2myPlace, welcomes the esteemed group of panelists. (From left) Veronica McDaniel of Freest, Naeshia McDowell of Children’s Advocacy Center, Traci Hurley of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Faythe Kadona of Street Grace, and Janice Johnson, a survivor leader at Her Song.

victim’s age. They will attempt to befriend the child and quickly move the back-andforth banter to include content of a sexual nature. The perpetrators often target vulnerable children whose parents may be at work during the day and are less able to monitor their children’s time online. The CDC reports that youth aged 11 through 14 spend an average of nearly nine hours a day

in front of a screen. According to Faythe Kadona of Street Grace, one of the pioneering organizations in combatting the sexual exploitation of minors, “One in three girls and one in five boys report unwanted online sexual solicitation.” The Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia (CACGA) is an umbrella organiza-

tion that provides oversight, technical assistance, and training to a network of 49 advocacy groups who support survivors of what is termed “commercial exploitation of children.” In 2023, the organization received 547 referrals through their website and 154 calls. All told, they served 748 youth throughout the state of Georgia last year. Naeshia McDowell pointed out that the county with the highest trafficking last year was Richmond County, including Augusta, and the second highest was Fulton County. “Clearly, the metro Atlanta area is not the only place this crime is taking place. It is not just an Atlanta issue,” McDowell emphasized. Building protective factors into a child’s life is essential, said all of the panelists. “Many of the teens do not have healthy coping skills. Some come from homes where they have been abused or lived in a constant state of panic,” said Johnson, a residential manager at Her Song, which provides long-term housing and support and is part of the Tim Tebow Foundation. A survivor herself, Johnson explained the impact a strong network of supportive adults can have on children and teens.

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NEWS “Forty to 50 million people are being should not accept friend requests or talk trafficked globally on any given day. And to people online if they have not met them the average age of someone being trafficked in person. They should also not meet anyis 12 to 14 years old,” said Veronica McDan- one in person if they have met them only iel, a teacher at the Atlanta International online. Parents should check the setting School and the founder and executive di- on their children’s phones to be certain they are not automatically rector of FREEST. The orgarevealing their location or nization activates schools, other private information. students, and educators, Passwords need to be set and equips them with the on phones and computers tools needed to promote and kept private so people education and student accannot access personal intivism to prevent human formation. trafficking. “As the name of our Building protective program implies, people factors into the lives of are either not aware or in children is a deterrent for denial that sex trafficking sexual exploitation and exists in their neighbortrafficking. Resilience, Cindee Sapoznik, CEO hoods. In 2016, I learned of safety planning, a sense of and founder of 2myPlace, organized the event and the high incidence of traffaith or spirituality, connecpanel discussion. ficking throughout Atlanta tion to a community, and an ability to recognize healthy and unhealthy and began volunteering as a life coach at a relationships were cited by the panelists as residential healing home, helping women critical. An understanding of basic life skills who had escaped from sexual exploitation and safety planning for possible scenarios build trust, confidence, and self-esteem. youth may encounter are also important That same year, I launched 2myPlace to help teens and young adults build confielements to deter exploitation. Hurley recommended parents point dence, manage stress and anger, and unout healthy and unhealthy situations to derstand the dynamics of sexual exploitatheir children when watching television or tion. In 2021, I joined the Rotary Club to a movie, talking or discussing the news. She End Human Trafficking, and what I have advised asking questions about their online learned along this journey has been very presence that would be asked in real-world eye-opening,” said Cindee Sapoznik, CEO scenarios – questions like “who are you talk- and founder of 2myPlace. If trafficking or exploitation is susing to?” or “where does this person live”? In terms of appropriate ages for technology pected or to receive support services, please access, Hurley recommended eighth grade contact CACGA hotline at 866-363-4842. For more information, 2myplace may for a phone and 16 years old for social media access but cautioned that parents know be reached at www.2myPlace.org. Street Grace may be reached at www.streetgrace. their child’s maturity level best. Panelists agreed that parents must be org, CACGA at www.cacga.org, Children’s ready to responsibly monitor the technol- Healthcare at www.choa.org/medicalogy in their home before granting access to services/child-protection-advocacy-center, their children. Rules need to be established FREEST at www.freestinternational.org, and consequences enacted for breaking the and the Rotary Club to End Human Trafsafety parameters agreed upon. Children ficking at www.endhtrotaryclub.org. ì

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NEWS

Bookstore Controversy Erupts Over Gaza War By Dave Schechter Charis Books & More, the oldest independent feminist bookstore in the South, is the target of criticism by women who say the Atlanta institution has rebuffed their concerns about its pro-Palestine position and programming. The women, most but not all Jewish, also are dissatisfied with the response from Agnes Scott College to appeals that Charis — the college’s bookstore partner — demonstrate a more even-handed position toward Israel. Charis Books & More opened in November 1974 on Moreland Avenue, in Atlanta’s Little Five Points district, and moved in 2019 to a house in Decatur owned by Agnes Scott College. The name Charis (pronounced KA-riss), comes from a Greek word for “grace, kindness, and life” and also translates as “gift.” According to the store’s website, Charis Books and Charis Circle, its nonprofit programming arm, “provide the only local, dedicated, feminist gathering space, open 7 days a week, and program more than 270 events a year dedicated to encouraging the expression of diverse and marginalized voices, working for social justice, and fostering sustainable feminist communities.” Charis has been open about its proPalestine stance. A Nov. 9 Instagram post read: “As booksellers and as people, Charis stands with Palestine and joins the demand for an immediate ceasefire, cutting all military support to Israel, and lifting the siege on Gaza.” The comment section ran the gamut from impassioned support to outrage and denunciation. Programming, particularly a Dec. 9 event, is at the root of the controversy. A participant’s online promotion read: “A group of parents and educators will offer stories and maps to guide a conversation for kids about Palestine, colonization, and liberation and how kids and families can take action in their own communities. Geared toward ages 6-12 but all ages are welcome." A graphic advertising “Let’s Talk About Palestine! An Interactive Workshop For Kids and Their Families” included the logos of Charis Books and the Charis Circle. Notes taken by women who attended the event were shared with the AJT. According to one notetaker, after reading from a book titled, “Baba, What Does My Name Mean? A Journey to Palestine,” a speaker displayed a map and told the children, “You may hear some people

16 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

A controversy has erupted after Charis Books & More hosted a pro-Palestine event for children.

E.R. Anderson, executive director of Charis Circle, the programming arm of Charis Books & More.

violence on Oct. 7, to bear witness to their calling Palestine, Israel.” That speaker told the children that trauma and lift up their stories. It’s not on Oct. 7 people from Gaza: “broke down hosted by a formal organization, but by lothe wall, they killed mostly soldiers Israe- cal parents who are looking for a space to li and some Israelis coming out of a mu- be together, reflect and share stories.” When a second email, sent Dec. 13, sic festival . . . They also kidnapped 220 did not receive reply, she sent a third on Israelis,” according to the notes. Dec. 15, this time [Israeli auincluding E.R. Anthorities report derson, executive that on Oct. 7, director of Charis 1,200 people were Circle. “While we’d murdered (includwelcome partnering 360 at the Suship on this event, pernova music we are just a group festival) and that of parents request240 (Israelis and ing a private rental foreign nationals) for our gathering,” were kidnapped. Botstein wrote. As of this writAnderson reing, 136 remain plied on Jan. 9. “I am hostages in Gaza, sorry that it took me though some have a while to get back been confirmed as to you. December is dead.] Lauren Hunt Wattenmaker indeed a very busy A second speaker likened Palestinians “chased out time. We don’t rent our space for private of their homes” 75 years ago to European events. Thank you for reaching out about settlers who forced the Muskogee tribe this vigil for victims of sexual violence. We are continuing to talk to organizations off land in Georgia nearly 200 years ago. A notetaker wrote: “I am not sure and people in our community with whom where to begin to describe how I was feel- we already have deep relational ties about ing in witnessing this . . . the brutal mas- how Charis can support the larger consacre, rapes, mutilation, beheading of versations about grief, sexual violence, 1200+ innocent people and children is re- and the disproportionate harm done to duced to this. The subtle teaching when women and children during war,” he said. Botstein told the AJT that the reit comes to the land of Israel, it is called Palestine . . . and Israel = bad people not sponse left her thinking “I do feel like they really don’t want to support an Iswelcomed in Palestine.” Danielle Botstein emailed Charis on raeli or Jewish event. They don’t want to Dec. 10 “to inquire about availability and support us." Another Jewish woman, who asked cost for a Sunday afternoon/evening event in January to hold a vigil to support the to be identified only by the initial “N,” also women in Israel who experienced sexual emailed Anderson, including a link to the

New York Times investigation into the Oct. 7 sexual assaults. Anderson replied that he already had responded to Botstein. “N” replied to Anderson, “I don’t know Danielle Botstein, but if he/she/ they want to collaborate, that would be great. Perhaps we can include women and stories from victims of sexual violence from Sudan as well, as they are also victims of radical violent Jihadists. Maybe have two separate events? What do you think?” At this writing, the AJT has not received a response to questions posed in multiple emails to Charis Books and Charis Circle, including Anderson by name, nor to telephone messages left for Anderson. Those queries included Charis’ policies on use of the facility, its willingness to host a vigil such as Botstein proposed, and what Jewish organizations and individuals Charis consults on these subjects. Efforts to contact two speakers in the Dec. 9 program were also unsuccessful. Women who spoke with the AJT also questioned what responsibility Agnes Scott College bears for programming at its “Charis at Agnes Scott College” the bookstore partner. Four days before the Dec. 9 event, Liat Oren emailed her concerns to Agnes Scott College. “This is nothing short of indoctrination, manipulating impressionable kids with problematic ideas and sowing seeds of hatred. The juxtaposition of ‘colonization’ with Palestine falsely paints Jews as colonizers, ignoring their indigenous ties,” Oren wrote. “Promoting ‘liberation’ in this context seems to endorse terrorist actions for Palestinian freedom, reminiscent of the appalling acts demonstrated on 10/7. The term ‘liberation’ is directly linked to the alarm-

NEWS ing phrase ‘from the river to the sea,’ ad- ones in the future, having thoroughly reviewed all related materials.” vocating harm to Jews. After receiving a similar response “Instructing children on ‘taking acfrom Bowser, Laution’ not only fosren Hunt Watters and cultivates tenmaker replied: hatred but [is] also “Thank you for shamelessly maexplaining this is nipulative [of] their an event not sponvulnerable minds sored by Charis. . . . This planned However, I expect lesson for children you and others not only neglects copied here in their protection leadership roles but significantly at the college hold undermines the the widely acceptcultivation of esed notion that a sential values like donation of space peace, love, honor, — considered an respect, sharing, in-kind donation and the developLiat Oren — is in fact an enment of a construcdorsement or sponsorship of that event. tive and responsible role in society.” Rachel Bowser, vice president for I would further expect that Charis will academic affairs and dean of the college, proactively offer their space to Zionist wrote back Dec. 6 to Oren, saying “We and Israel-supporting organizations in value our surrounding community and the community.” Wattenmaker told the AJT that she genuinely understand how difficult it is to navigate all that is happening in these was left with the impression that college administrators “do challenging times. not want to get Per our conversainvolved even in a tion with Charis reactive manner to management, we supporting or ofunderstand that fering a space for this is not a Charis families, women, sponsored event. anyone in the comRather, Charis munity to grieve Books has had a over the events long tradition of of Oct. 7 and the offering commuevents after Oct. 7." nity space to many Agnes Scott organizations or College did not digroups as a serrectly answer quesvice … the post you tions emailed by shared included the AJT but providunfortunate marDanielle Botstein ed this statement: keting that gave the impression it is an official Charis “Charis is an independent bookstore that leases a building across from our main event. It is not.” Oren wrote back to Bowser: “Thank campus. It sells a variety of items that inyou for responding to my concerns and clude Agnes Scott-branded apparel and investigating the details of the event with accessories. As Charis Books is managed the owner of Charis’s store. Unfortu- by its own group, Agnes Scott has no innately, I must convey my disappointment volvement in the oversight or decision in informing you that your partner and making of Charis Books, its practices or tenant have not been forthright, feign- platforms.” Botstein still hopes that Charis will ing ignorance and providing misleading information. Over the past few days, agree to host a vigil on behalf of women several individuals have inquired about murdered and sexually assaulted on Oct. the event, and each received responses 7, “It would just open up a sense to me suggesting strong endorsement from the that we are being listened to and that store, claiming that they wouldn’t host our side is being considered, that Jewthe event if they didn’t fully support it. ish women are victims and fall into the Additionally, another response implied group of women that they claim to repthat the store not only supports the cur- resent, that they claim to work for social rent event but would endorse similar justice for.” ì

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Tanenblatt and Selig Ignite Coalition Lunch By Marcia Caller Jaffe The Buckhead Coalition’s 34th Annual Lunch convened the pinnacle of Atlanta city and Buckhead community’s politicians, public servants, C-suiters, and other movers and shakers to the St Regis Hotel’s Grand Ballroom on Jan. 25. Greeting the powerhouse crowd of 192, Buckhead Coalition President and CEO Jim Durrett touted Buckhead’s advances in unity and safety. Durrett said, “The Buckhead Coalition advocates for our community’s connection to a larger community in a unique public/ private partnership in areas like safety, road conditions, new zoning and future growth.” Coalition Chairman Eric Tanenblatt (featured in the Atlanta Jewish Times, Jan. 25, 2023, “Taneblatt Tapped for Top Buckhead Post”) then began his remarks, noting that Buckhead’s population of 107,000 is larger than some U.S. cities like Seattle, Portland, and Austin, and all but six cities statewide. He stated, “Coming out of COVID, we had higher crime rates; and the Coali-

Buckhead Coalition Chairman Eric Tanenblatt addressed the crowd.

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lice precinct in the Buckhead Village. Buckhead now leads in overall crime reduction with a debt of gratitude to ‘the people in blue’ and the new Safety Alliance initiated by Councilwoman Mary Norwood.” He was particularly pleased with the results of new quarterly meetings with Buckhead neighborhoods. Tanenblatt recognized 11 newly inducted Coalition members. Real estate magnate and prominent Jewish community leader, Steve Selig, Selig Enterprises, delivered an impactful invocation that started with a joke about a rabbi’s approach to brevity only when forced to. On a more serious note, he expressed his gratitude for being part of the Buckhead community – with an emphasis on “community” versus “city” in deference to the unpopular attempt to establish cityhood. Selig’s pleas were to keep hate out of workplaces and homes, and erase racism and antisemitism. “Gratitude for just being alive,” he prayed for no senseless violence in Israel, Ukraine, or any country. And concluded, “Let us have the humility to admit our mistakes, with resilience and kindness – what really counts in peoples’ lives.” After recognizing the legacy of Sam Massell, the late Atlanta mayor and Coalition CEO, Durrett introduced current Mayor Andre Dickens, who received multiple rousing rounds of applause and standing ovations. Durrett praised

Dickens’ ability to listen and focus on partnerships in areas like housing and infrastructure. Mayor Dickens then began by recognizing “the world’s best city council, judges, sheriffs, and police.” He proceeded to share strides on how, when he took over coming out of COVID, he had to prioritize public safety where “daily, people hounded him about rapes, homicides, carjackings, street racing, rowdy bars and clubs. Now at the end of 2023, homicides in the city are down 21 percent, 37 percent in Buckhead, rapes down 50 percent. Motor vehicle theft is still elevated. Shoplifting is moving in the right direction. We want business owners and mothers alike to not worry about crime or even just going to a city park.” Dickens then moved onto progress in reducing homelessness by stating that every month 200 new people enter into that system with thinly stretched resources. He announced an immediate allotment of $7.7 million for additional housing. He continued, “I just spoke to Governor Kemp who praised the Buckhead CID’s work in road improvements like paving West Paces Ferry.” A Georgia Tech graduate, Dickens referred to himself as “a goofy engineer in understanding how things like potholes work, and in the unique upcoming HUB400 park.” Dickens ended, “Know that the Coalition has my support.” Remarks were made by Speaker of

NEWS

Mona Sunshine, Honorary Consul General to Turkey, Steve Selig, and Maria Saporta chatted in the pre-function reception. Selig later delivered the event’s invocation.

Lorem ipsum

Attorneys Sam Olens and Linda Klein flank Sheffield Hayes, Atlanta History Center CEO.

the Georgia House of Representatives Jon Burns who has held various public service roles since 2004. He boasted about Georgia being the best state in which to do business for 10 years in a row, with a $16 billion budget surplus. He stated, “Buckhead has the highest reduction in crime … and we will support the [controversial] police training center, which should not be politicized … I’m used to seeing tall pine trees growing up on a family farm and now seeing these tall Buckhead buildings … the Georgia House will be a steady hand and will not walk away from doing what is right. We are here for future generations.” The Buckhead Coalition, founded in 1988, is a private nonprofit organization of 125 members with annual dues of $7,500.ì

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Volunteers Deliver Mural, Supplies & Hope to Israel By Debbie Diamond Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa received a customized mural from the Atlanta Jewish community earlier this month, created by more than 200 participants during Paintfest at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, an event sponsored by the Atlanta Israel Coalition (IAC) in conjunction with the Foundation for Hospital Art. This past December, in a large ballroom filled with long tables, colorful paints, and an assortment of brushes, participants painted beautiful canvases that would be hand-delivered by a contingent of IAC volunteers to a 2,000-bed fortified underground emergency hospital at Rambam Health Care Campus. During the event, other canvases were also painted that would be distributed to children’s hospitals throughout the United States. In other rooms on the opposite side of the building, children and adults were busy at craft stations creating cards, painting rocks with inspirational messages, and making jewelry that would be delivered

20 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Hurewitz family works on three canvasses during Paintfest at the MJCCA.

during the same visit to Israel by IAC. On Jan. 14, at a ceremony held at Rambam, five IAC volunteers, led by Ex-

ecutive Director Cheryl Dorchinsky, and hospital staff members hung the mural in the hospital space, which was previously a hospital parking lot. The hospital space became fully operational in October in case of an attack by Hezbollah and other terrorist groups on Israel’s northern borders. Rambam is the only levelone trauma center in northern Israel. According to Rambam staff members, the art helps brighten and beautify what might otherwise be a drab space. In a Facebook post, the hospital thanked AIC for their support and help in creating greater awareness of the hospital and its needs. Following the ceremony, the group of five – Dorchinsky, Tovah Shraga, Monica Ellis, Sara Boucchechter, and Rachel Nerenbaum – traveled throughout Israel, delivering an assortment of donated clothing and supplies, including sleeping bags, thermals, socks, jackets, hats, hand warmers, face masks, snacks, and overthe-counter medications. Packed in several suitcases that had also been donated by members of the Atlanta Jewish community, the donations were appreciated by IDF soldiers and Israeli citizens alike. “We are so grateful for the generosity shown by our supporters throughout Atlanta. We were incredibly moved by the reactions of those who received the items. The cards especially touched the hearts of the soldiers, and one group near the Western Wall even asked for an extra card for a friend who was off duty that

Scott Feight, executive director of Foundation for Hospital Art, during presentation with (from left) Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern U.S. Anat Sultan-Dadon and Cheryl Dorchinsky, executive director of Atlanta Israel Coalition.

day,” said Dorchinsky. According to Dorchinsky, being in Israel – speaking with, showing support, and crying with many of the people they encountered – illustrated the love and bond between Jews worldwide. “We wanted to affirm that they are not alone in this battle. We hoped to express the unity and connection we all have with them,” she said. The group set up several events at hotels throughout Israel, enabling displaced Israelis to participate in craftand jewelry-making. A big surprise for the contingent was running into Emily Hand, one of the young hostages who had been released by Hamas, at one of the hotels. The group recognized her immediately and gave her a Beanie baby, chocolate, coloring books, and scented markers. The outreach was extended to several grassroots organizations throughout Israel. The AIC group packed items for IDF soldiers at Thank Israeli Soldiers; prepared vegan meals for troops at Tel Aviv’s J17 restaurant and, in one case, arranged for meals to be provided for a fallen soldier’s shiva; visited and shared snacks and supplies with lone soldiers at Michael Levin Base in Jerusalem; and delivered new clothing to evacuees through Eran’s Angels in Tel Aviv. Through their work, AIC established strong connections with many grassroots organizations in Israel, laying the groundwork for providing future sup-

NEWS

(From left) Sigal Amsalem, manager of donor relations and communications at International Friends Associations of Rambam Health Care Campus and Cheryl Dorchinsky pose in front of mural at presentation event.

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DAY CAMP The AIC volunteers in Israel, Rachel Nerenbaum, Cheryl Dorchinsky, Tovah Shraga, Sara Boucchechter Fabian, and Monica Ellis show off Atlanta's contribution on the hospital wall.

(From left) AIC volunteers Sara Boucchechter Fabian, Tovah Shraga, and Cheryl Dorchinsky bring in supplies for distribution to lone soldiers at the Michael Levin Base in Jerusalem.

port from abroad. On Feb. 2, another mural painted by participants during Paintfest will be presented to the office of the Consulate General of Israel in Atlanta. Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States, Anat Sultan-Dadon, attended the December event, where she first learned about the mural that had been designed specifically for her office. During the painting event, Sultan-Dadon thanked AIC and all who attended for the “beauti-

ful gesture” and remarked, “AIC has big dreams and always figures out a way to make things happen.” Atlanta Israel Coalition fosters a non-partisan, multi-faith collective effort to amplify pro-Israel voices. Through programming that educates, enlightens, and inspires, the group works to combat misinformation that fuels anti-Zionism and antisemitism. The organization is currently planning another volunteer mission in Israel.ì

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Superstar Choir Brings Holiday Cheer By Debbie Diamond Jewish Family & Career Services (JF&CS) Superstar Choir dazzled their audiences at two performances held this month at the IndependenceWORKS building on the JF&CS campus in Dunwoody. Despite being postponed from December until Jan. 11, due to unforeseen circumstances, the holiday shows raised the spirits of all involved, whether singer or adoring fan. In fact, the postponement gave the choir additional time to practice and a reason to celebrate the holiday season a bit longer. The list of songs performed included, “Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Let It Snow,” and “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” Comprised of clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to a JF&CS spokesperson, the choir performed in the morning for JF&CS staff, followed by an afternoon performance for family members and invited guests. The standing-room only shows, and the enthusiasm of both the singers and audience members, told a story of pride and positivity from all who participated, said Terri Bonoff, CEO of the organization. The sentiment was best expressed by choir member, Lauren, when she said, “I love to do anything that includes singing because when I sing it makes me feel happy.” “The Superstar Choir’s performance was amazing, and it was especially heartwarming for us to see our daughter, Carla, participate since she is nonverbal. And sing she did! She added her notes, laughed, and smiled, all while having a wonderful time. This is what inclusion is all about,” said parent Bruce Lindemann. The inspiration for the choir came from Abby Frantz, community access program manager of JF&CS. She reached out to community volunteer and leader Cherie Aviv months earlier to ask about creating a choir program. Equally excited about the prospect, Aviv promised to lend her support and help make the program a reality. The name, “Superstar Choir,” was chosen by the pair since they consider each member a superstar who continually creates magic moments and brings joy to all. “The choir is so meaningful to our clients. Many participants communicate and learn in various ways. With this program, they came together as a group, with each person bringing their special talents. Together, they sang as one and brought happiness to others. Music is ac-

22 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Superstar Choir members and volunteers

Choir members (from left) Kelly, Arlene, Lauren, and Beth with their flowers post-performance.

cessible to everyone and has the ability to bring us together as a community,” said Frantz. To make the special event happen, a dynamic team of community volunteers were recruited by Aviv, who herself served as the choir manager. Singers Andrew Hamby, Michele Fox, and Carol Schemo came on board as choir directors. One of Atlanta’s most popular, well-regarded pianists, Richard Siegel, agreed to play as the choir’s accompanist. Frantz and her committed staff organized the logistics and took care of the many details involved. With all hands-on deck, the JF&CS Superstar Choir grew to 30 choir members (25 clients and 5 JF&CS staff). Ham-

by, Fox and Schemo picked out the songs and rehearsed with the choir twice a week, celebrating each moment and note sung by the choir. Siegel created digital music files for rehearsals and played live music at the performances. Frantz and her staff conducted the auditions, made songbooks, arranged rehearsal times, assisted with picture day, and attended to details. And each step along the way brought smiles to singers and volunteers. “One of my favorite moments was picture day,” said Aviv. “As a keepsake, we gave each choir member a picture of them in their choir robe. The members were so excited. They wore their best clothes, had their hair done, wore make-

Ellen and Bruce Lindemann with their daughter, Carla.

up, put on jewelry, gave us their biggest smile, and beamed with joy. Eric Bern of Headshot Studio Atlanta brought out the best in each person, which proudly resonated in the photo.” Choir director Schemo pointed out the love and enthusiasm experienced by choir members and volunteers that began on the first day of rehearsals, carrying through to the last performance. “The Superstar Choir is a testament to teamwork, a pure love of music, and a goal of performing,” she said. The Superstar Choir program was generously sponsored by Cherie and Gary Aviv and Jewish Abilities Atlanta of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.ì

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NEWS FROM OUR JEWISH HOME

Keren Foster, a Beit Shemesh EMT, saved a neighbor’s daughter with an EpiPen // Photo Credit: United Hatzalah

Beit Shemesh EMT Saves Neighbor’s Toddler Keren Foster, a Ramat Beith Shemesh EMT, was at home cooking food for her children who were scheduled to re-

Today in Israeli History

Actress Hanna Rovina stars in the premiere of “The Dybbuk” in Moscow.

Jan. 31, 1922: The Hebrew version of “The Dybbuk, or Between Two Worlds” begins a successful run at Moscow’s Habimah Theater. Translated from Yiddish by Hayim Nachman Bialik, the play stars Hanna Rovina as a woman possessed. Feb. 1, 1979: Two weeks after the shah fled, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Iran after 15 years in exile. He guides Iran’s transformation into an Islamic republic and ends decades of close military and economic ties with Israel. Feb. 2, 1915: Abba Eban is born in South Africa. He plays a crucial role in the passage of the U.N. partition plan for Palestine and serves as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations and United States, a Knesset member, and the foreign minister. Feb. 3, 1919: A World Zionist Organization delegation makes the case for a Jewish homeland in Palestine to the Paris Peace Conference. The delegation accepts the proposed British Mandate but asks that it support Jewish immigration. 24 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

turn home from school shortly, when she received the alert notifying her of the emergency taking place near her location. Without wasting a moment, Keren turned off the stove and rushed over to the given address, just a few short blocks from her home. Keren arrived at the address just 90 seconds later and ran up the stairs into the apartment where she found the panicking mother holding her young daughter. “The girl looked like she had a very severe reaction that was affecting both her skin and her breathing,” Keren said after the incident was over. “The girl had a bad rash and was very swollen, especially around the mouth. She was alert but lethargic. As I was pulling out an EpiPen from my kit, the mother showed me that she had a number of them inside the house and gave me one to use. I injected the girl with the EpiPen provided and the girl’s situation began to stabilize. The mother, however, needed a lot of help to calm down after such a stressful incident.” Compiled by AJT Staff Feb. 4, 1997: Two CH-53 Yasur helicopters collide at night over northern Israel while ferrying troops and munitions to southern Lebanon, killing all 73 military personnel on board: Bedouin, Druze and Jews, secular and religious. Feb. 5, 1890: Zichron Ya’akov educator Ze’ev Yavetz takes students to plant trees on Tu B’Shevat, the birthday of the trees, starting a tradition in the Land of Israel that the Jewish National Fund and teachers unions adopt in 1908.

Ariel Sharon casts his ballot in his winning campaign for Israeli prime minister Feb. 6, 2001.

Feb. 6, 2001: Israelis vote directly for their prime minister for the third and last time, and the only time without also electing the Knesset. Likud’s Ariel Sharon wins with more than 62% of the vote against Labor incumbent Ehud Barak. Feb. 7, 1999: Jordan’s King Hussein, the second Arab leader to sign a peace treaty with Israel, dies of complications from nonHodgkin’s lymphoma at 63. He became king at 18 in 1953 after the assassination of Abdullah I, his grandfather.

The International Jerusalem Winner Marathon will be held on Friday, March 8, for the 13th time, with the participation of tens of thousands of runners from all corners of the country and around the

world. The Jerusalem Municipality has decided to hold the traditional marathon as planned, as a tribute to the IDF, security forces, and rescue teams, aiming to strengthen social resilience during the ongoing war on the southern and northern fronts. The marathon’s continuation will allow thousands of runners who have trained for months for the Jerusalem Marathon and other races worldwide to continue their training and achieve their sports goals set before the war. “The State of Israel is in the middle of a justified struggle like no other. The strength of a society is measured by its ability to continue daily life in the face of challenges, alongside support for its dedicated and heroic soldiers on the front lines. The residents of Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel, are excited and proud to contribute, even in a small way, to the collective spirit and the boost of national morale, dedicating the Jerusalem Marathon events to the heroes of Israel,” said Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. Compiled by AJT Staff

Feb. 8, 2005: Israel’s Ariel Sharon, the Palestinian Authority’s Mahmoud Abbas, Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and Jordan’s King Abdullah II close a summit in Sharm elSheikh, Egypt, by declaring the end of the Second Intifada.

Feb. 12, 1994: The Winter Olympics open in Lillehammer, Norway, with an Israeli team for the first time. It consists of figure skater Michael “Misha” Shmerkin, who finishes 16th. He was part of the wave of exSoviet immigration.

The 13th Jerusalem Marathon will take place on March 8 // Photo Credit: SportPhotography

13th Jerusalem Winner Marathon set for March 8

British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald reiterated his nation’s commitment to Jewish settlement in Palestine.

The Jerusalem Post’s Feb. 10, 1994, issue reports on the signing of the Cairo Agreement the day before.

Feb. 9, 1994: Five months after signing the Oslo Accords’ Declaration of Principles, Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat meet in Cairo and sign an agreement on Palestinian self-rule and security cooperation in Gaza and Jericho. Feb. 10, 1913: Charles Winters is born in Massachusetts. Winters, who runs a Caribbean air transport service, purchases and helps secretly deliver three surplus U.S. B-17s, Israel’s only heavy bombers in the War of Independence. Feb. 11, 1995: The American Jewish Committee replaces its 1950 policy statement on Israel-Diaspora relations, which emphasized the independence of the U.S. and Israeli Jewish communities, with an approach focusing on interdependence.

Feb. 13, 1931: In a letter to Chaim Weizmann, British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald disavows the threats posed in Palestine by the 1930 Passfield White Paper, which calls for restricting Jewish immigration and land purchases. Feb. 14, 1896: Theodor Herzl’s “Der Judenstaat” (“The Jewish State”) is first published in Vienna with a run of 500 copies. The pamphlet calls for Jews to organize themselves to gain a territory and eventually a state. Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.

KKL-JNF Partner for Ceremonial Tree Plantings Towards Tu B’Shvat, a touching tree-planting day was held at the Raim parking lot, along with the grieving families who lost their loved ones in the Nova Festival massacre on Oct. 7. As part of a special operation for the renewal of the surrounding of Israel, the devastated area will once again turn green with hundreds of new trees in memory of the 364 victims of the tragedy. From destruction to rebirth: the mourning families who lost their loved ones in the Nova Festival Oct. 7 returned to the site. Together with KKL-JNF (Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund) workers, they planted new trees in memory of the 364 victims who were murdered during the event. Among the participating families were: Ricarda Luk, the mother of Shani Luk, who was kidnapped from the festival in Raim and murdered in Gaza; Yona Adam, the mother of Mapal Adam, who was killed in the festival in Raim; Yoram Yehudai, the father of Ron Yehudai, who was murdered in the Nova Festival while hiding in a truck; and Sharon Gratziani, the sister of Ma’or Gratziani, who was killed in the festival in Raim. As recalled, on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 6:22, sirens began to sound at the festival site. A few minutes later, the decision was made to close the festival, and police began evacuating the large crowd from the venue. Meanwhile, Hamas terrorists penetrated Israeli territory. The terrorists reached the festival site in vans and paragliding gear, firing at participants in the party with Kalashnikovs, RPG rockets, and throwing hand grenades towards them. Many participants were killed. The area was destroyed and set on fire, causing extensive damage. Now, KKL-JNF is working on its recovery and the overall recovery of the surrounding of Israel. KKL-JNF Chairman, Ifat Ovadia Lusky, stated: “On Oct. 7, the State of Israel experienced one of its darkest days since its establishment. The Re’im Campground, which was a vibrant place with hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, turned into a scene of a terrible massacre. The pain of the grieving families is the pain of the entire Israeli people, and we stand with them throughout the way. The history of the people of Israel is not just a history of disturbances but a history of resilience. On Tu B’Shvat, we convey a message of renewal and hope – we will rise from the dust and grow new lives in Re’im and all-around Israel. In every generation, we face challenges, and this time, too, we will recover and cultivate new lives. All KKL-JNF employees are enlisted in the national mission, and KKL-JNF will be at the forefront of reducing the pain here. Together, we will prevail." Mirav and Doron Mader, who came to plant a tree in memory of their son, Shahak Yosef Mader, 26, said: “Everything is reversible. Shahak is a brother to five other siblings, a student at Ben-Gurion University studying hotel and tourism management, an outstanding student, and a fighter in the Nahal Brigade. Today, we came to plant a tree in his memory, hoping to see the tree, strong and flourishing, take root in the ground. Twelve years ago, we adopted two children of Doron’s sister, and since then, we are a close family, and everything connects." Nurit Shalom, whose son, Ram, was murdered in the Nova Festival, said: “My beloved son, Ram, was murdered in the festival on Oct. 7, a child who loved life, loved every person, and was cheerful. We returned from the United States two days before the festival, and he told me that he had been to a festival called Nova in the United States

ISRAEL

Ram Shalom’s parents with KKL-JNF chairwoman Ifat Ovadia Luskey // Photo Credit: Yossi Ifargan/KKL-JNF Archive

Ofek Arviv tree planting // Photo Credit: Yossi Ifergan/KKL-JNF Archive

and that there is a similar one in Israel, and he is going there, but he did not return. Today, I came to the planting ceremony, to plant a eucalyptus seedling in his memory through KKL-JNF, which conducted a moving tribute to

tears. Thank you to KKL-JNF for the amazing initiative and tribute; I have no words to thank them."ì Compiled by AJT Staff

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BUSINESS Repair the World MLK Day MendenFreiman Welcomes Emmaline Michael

Repair the World Atlanta partnered with NCJW for their Mitzvah Marathon to pack post-abortion care and hygiene kits that will be donated to Planned Parenthood.

Repair the World volunteers joined the Historic Westside Garden as they turned two compost bins, cleared several garden beds, and prepared the garden for spring.

Jewish Book Award Winners Announced

Emmaline Michael has joined MendenFreiman as an associate in its Real Estate & Secured Lending and Business Law practices.

“Kibbitz & Nosh: When We All Met at Dubrow’s Cafeteria,” by Marcia Bricker Halperin, won the Food Writing & Cookbooks Jane and Stuart Weitzman Family Award.

The Jewish Book Council has announced the winners for the 73rd National Jewish Book Awards, North America’s longest-running awards program in the field of Jewish literature. Select winners include: * “Time’s Echo: The Second World War, the Holocaust, and the Music of Remembrance,” by Jeremy Eichler (Alfred A. Knopf) - winner of the Jewish Book of the Year Award Everett Family Foundation Award, the History Gerrard and Ella Berman Memorial Award and the Holocaust Award in Memory of Ernest W. Michel * “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store,” by James McBride (Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House) - winner of the JJ Greenberg Memorial Award in Fiction and 26 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

the Book Club The Miller Family Award in Memory of Helen Dunn Weinstein and June Keit Miller * “Kibbitz & Nosh: When We All Met at Dubrow’s Cafeteria,” by Marcia Bricker Halperin (Cornell University Press) winner of the Food Writing & Cookbooks Jane and Stuart Weitzman Family Award * “Happily: A Personal History-with Fairy Tales,” by Sabrina Orah Mark (Penguin Random House) - winner of the Autobiography & Memoir The Krauss Family Award in Memory of Simon & Shulamith (Sofi) Goldberg. To see the full list of winners, visit www.jewishbookcouncil.org/pb-daily/73rdnational-jewish-book-award-winners. Compiled by AJT Staff

MendenFreiman LLP, a respected law firm specializing in business law and estate planning, proudly announces the addition of Emmaline Michael as an associate in its Real Estate & Secured Lending and Business Law practice areas. Michael’s areas of focus include general corporate counsel representation, entity structuring and corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, capital investments, and financing. Emmaline began her legal career with MendenFreiman as a summer associate in the firm’s business law practice area. Her dedication and exceptional performance during this period left an indelible mark, making her return as a full-time associate a natural and welcomed progression. While attending the University of Georgia School of Law, Emmaline made significant contributions to the University of Georgia’s Business Law Clinic. There, she represented small businesses, nonprofits, start-ups, and entrepreneurs, providing guidance

in business entity formation, contract drafting and review, and assistance with regulatory navigation. Her involvement in the clinic underscores her commitment to supporting the growth and legal health of businesses at various stages of development. Lance G. Einstein, co-managing partner of MendenFreiman, remarks, “Emmaline’s addition to our team is a significant step in our ongoing efforts to internally develop legal talent and provide dynamic and comprehensive legal services. Her approach to legal representation aligns perfectly with our firm’s mission to offer strategic and personalized legal solutions. We are thrilled to have her on board and are confident that she will make significant contributions to the success of our clients and the firm.” MendenFreiman invites its clients and the legal community to join in welcoming Emmaline Michael to the firm. Compiled by AJT Staff

BUSINESS

Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Grosses $737K

Steinway piano: A 1927 Model M Steinway ebony baby grand piano was the top achiever of the two days. It featured the maker’s mark and serial number (#559154) to the metal plate ($27,225).

German music box: Circa 1890 German coin-op music-box (or polyphon), likely made by Paul Ehrlich, having a Renaissance Revival upright walnut and burl veneer case in two pieces ($8,470).

A 2002 Steinway ebony baby grand piano with a tufted bench played a sweet tune for $27,225, an oil on panel late night riverbank scene by Aert Van Der Neer (Dutch, 1603-1677) went for $16,940, and a 19th century five-panel Scottish hunt scene by English artist R. R. Cole finished at $10,890 in Ahlers & Ogletree’s two-day Signature Estates & Collections auction held Jan. 11-12. The auction was held online and live in the Ahlers & Ogletree gallery located at 1788 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard NW in Atlanta. The Jan. 11 session featured fine art, furniture, and decorative arts from England and the Americas, including seven Tiffany Studios lamps, plus more than 60 lots of silver by Tiffany, Gorham, and Reed & Barton, and

other wonderful objects. Session 2, on Jan. 12, also featured a selection of fine art, furniture, and decorative arts from Europe, to include seven lots of Royal Copenhagen Flora Danica china, collections of Baccarat and Steuben crystal, and Russian enamel and silver objects from an important collection. The two days combined totaled 598 lots and the auction overall grossed $737,374. To learn more about Ahlers & Ogletree and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auction events, please visit www.aandoauctions.com. Updates are posted often. You can follow Ahlers & Ogletree via social media on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Compiled by AJT Staff

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BUSINESS

JScreen Genetic Screening Awareness Week Feb. 4-10 JScreen, a national non-profit public health initiative dedicated to preventing genetic diseases, announces the fifth annual Jewish Genetic Screening Awareness Week (JGSAW), which takes place from Feb. 4-10. Initiated in 2020 with organizational partners across the nation, JGSAW serves to educate the community about the importance of screening for genetic diseases and to raise awareness about testing resources. The goal of JGSAW is to help ensure the health of individuals and their future families through education and genetic testing. Now in its 11th year, JScreen makes genetic testing simple, accessible, and affordable with its easy-to-use at-home saliva kits. Many people are familiar with JScreen’s reproductive testing that gives prospective parents a deep understanding of their risk of having a child with a genetic disease. If a couple’s risk is elevated, genetic counselors privately address their results by phone or video teleconference and provide options to help them plan for the health of their future children. JScreen’s cancer genetic test is

Genetic Screening Awareness Week features powerful events, timely information, and resources to raise awareness of the importance of genetic screening.

a newer addition and alerts a person to their risk for hereditary cancer so they can be proactive about their own health. By providing convenient at-home access

to cutting-edge genetic testing technology, patient education and genetic counseling services, JScreen strives to prevent devastating genetic diseases and ensure a

healthy future for all. People can learn more and register for testing at www.jscreen.org. Compiled by AJT Staff

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BUSINESS

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Israel Bonds Southeast Region Executive Director Brad Young speaks with keynote speaker Beit Issie Shapiro Executive Director Ahmir Lerner // Photo Credit: Jenni Girtman

On Jan. 21, more than 150 people gathered for the annual brunch hosted by Israel Bonds Atlanta and Congregation Or VeShalom. The event brought in approximately $1.2 million in indications of interest in Israel Bonds investments. Attendees heard from guest speaker Ahmir Lerner, executive director of Beit Issie Shapiro — Israel’s leading developer and provider of innovative therapists and state-of-the-art services for children and adults across a range of disabilities, serving over half a million people annually. Lerner spoke about how the war in Israel has affected people with disabilities.

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SPORTS Josh Cohen Joins Atlanta United S i n c e its inaugural 2017 season, Atlanta United has enjoyed great stability at arguably the most critical position on the pitch, as Brad David Ostrowsky Guzan has been the franchise’s only starting goaltender. But given Guzan’s age – he turns 40 this September – and recent injuryriddled history, there have been questions surrounding the veteran goalie’s future in Atlanta, prompting the team to find his potential heir apparent this offseason: Josh Cohen. On Dec. 14, Atlanta made its first marquee move in free agency by signing Cohen after the 31-year-old native of Mountain View, California, helped propel Maccabi Haifa to a trio of Israeli Premier League titles while also being named Footballer of the Year following the 202021 season. The contract runs through the 2025 MLS season with an option for 2026. Atlanta initially reached out to Cohen back in 2022; however, he soon got injured while playing in Haifa and the preliminary contract talks stalled before resuming this past summer. “Josh is someone with a unique career path who has backed himself at every step of his journey,” Atlanta United Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said in a team-issued press release. “He has shown the ability to compete at the highest level in the UEFA Europa League and Champions League. We are pleased to welcome Josh to the club and look forward to him coming in and competing within our goalkeeping group.” It is uncertain when Cohen will assume starting duties for an Atlanta United team that looks to build on securing last season’s Eastern Conference’s No. 6 seed in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs; it is certain, however, that Atlanta is getting a player who has delivered on the international stage. After goaltending for Sacramento Republic in the USL Championship from 2018-2019, Cohen played in 161 matches across all competitions for Maccabi Haifa, a four-year span that included not just the three Israeli Premier League championships but also appearances in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 UEFA Champions League playoffs. Wins and accolades aside, the Mac30 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

After playing several years overseas in Israel, Josh Cohen is excited to live out his dream of playing in the MLS this spring // Photo Credit: Atlanta United

cabi Haifa experience marked an unforgettable chapter of his soccer journey simply because of his new homeland – one in which, most notably among other unique features, random strangers would openly invite him into their homes for festive meals. “My time in Israel was pretty amazing,” explained Cohen when speaking to the AJT while trying to settle into his new apartment in Atlanta and get familiar with, among other areas, East Cobb, Sandy Springs, Grant Park, and Midtown through running errands. “It was very much a bit of a culture shock at first. I had been to Israel as a teenager, visited with my family on vacation but never actually lived there. “There’s so much unknown and it’s trying to expand your comfort zone because there’s so much that’s new that’s outside of your comfort zone. Being a little uncomfortable at first and slowly expanding that comfort zone. It [Israel] was really an experience that I think for me just broadened my horizons a lot. I knew a little bit of what to expect but I never really lived it. I like to think that I’m much more comfortable being open to new experiences, trying new things, and being willing to expand my comfort zone.” Now, Atlanta represents a step

outside his comfort zone. While living stateside, Cohen primarily resided in California (he would return home for at most three weeks when he was playing in Israel) and, other than a quick layover at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, never set foot in his current hometown. When he arrived during the holiday season, one of his first real touristy activities was checking out an Atlanta Falcons game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The venue, which of course will double as his new soccer home later this spring, did not disappoint. “It’s exciting to be here in Atlanta. Super nice stadium,” remarked Cohen, whose first MBS experience on Dec. 24 (Atlanta coasted to a 29-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts) marked the Falcons’ final victory of 2023. “I really liked how there were seemingly a bunch of local food options within the stadium. That was really cool. I walked around about half the stadium just looking at the different food options. They had everything from burritos to a hibachi grill type place and then your standard stadium fare. “The stadium’s really nice. You can tell that it’s new and modern and really well set up.” Cohen would know. As an ever-dil-

igent student-athlete who studied mechanical engineering at the University of California, San Diego, Cohen aspired to follow in the footsteps of his parents, both retired engineers. But it was also at UC San Diego that Cohen started 52 games over his four-year collegiate run, during which he posted 22 individual shutouts, good for third-most in program history, and started contemplating playing Major League Soccer. A decade later, those lofty plans have come to fruition. “I always view soccer as my first career and I want to do it as long as I’m able to do it at the level that I want to,” reasoned Cohen, who has maintained many contacts in the tech world for when the day comes that pro soccer is no longer a feasible option. “My second career will be some form of engineering, at least that’s my plan, because that’s something that I do also enjoy. It’s something that I’ve tried to at least a little bit, keep up with, trying to read things here and there so I don’t entirely lose that skill set.” But for now, the focus is on the 2024 MLS regular season, which for Cohen and his United teammates kicks off on Feb. 24 against the reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew; two weeks later is their home opener against the New England Revolution on March 9.ì

SPORTS

Jewish NFL Owners, Players Leave Playoff Footprints By David Ostrowsky For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 2023 NFL season will not go down as the most successful one in the nearly threedecade era of the Glazer family’s ownership. That would either be 2002 (the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl) or the 2020 COVID year when the Bucs, quarterbacked by Tom Brady, won it all again. But this past year – the first of the post-Brady era – may go down as the most impressive. After the surefire Hall of Fame quarterback retired last winter, the Bucs, who have been owned by the Glazers since the mid-'90s, were not expected to pose much of a threat to the Atlanta Falcons in claiming the NFC South title in 2023, let alone make a Super Bowl run. And yet, despite the naysayers, Tampa was crowned division champs for the third consecutive year before upsetting the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round and sitting two games away from Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. Ultimately, it was in the NFC Divisional round that Tampa’s season ground to a halt with a 31-23 loss to the upstart Detroit Lions. “We fought. Obviously, anything short of the Super Bowl is a disappointment,” said Tampa’s soft-spoken head coach Todd Bowles minutes after his team nearly pulled off a big-time road upset at thunderous Ford Field in Detroit. “We didn’t come in to make noise, we came in to get to the Super Bowl, so from that standpoint it’s a disappointment. I’m very proud of the guys, the way they fought all year long, the things they dealt with, the injuries they fought through, the young guys stepping up, the older guys playing above anything they could ever do. Today was our day to go home. “It’s great that they bought in with each other and we wrote our own narrative for the most part. We refused to be the worst team in football because that’s not what we were going to be.” In spite of the pundits giving them nary a chance during this transition year . . . and most of football-crazed America rooting for the championship-starved Lions in this playoff matchup, this year’s Bucs team remained gritty and scrappy – just like Malcolm Glazer, the late patriarch of the family who purchased the franchise back in 1995 for a then-record $192 million. (Today, the team is worth well over $1 billion.) Glazer’s rags to riches story began in World War II, when, as the fifth of seven children of Lithuanian Jewish immigrants, he left school as a 15-year-old to

For nearly 30 years, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been under the stewardship of the Glazer family (pictured, from left): Joel Glazer, Kevin Glazer, Edward Glazer, Avram Glazer, Darcie Glazer Kassewitz and Bryan Glazer). This year, the team defied all expectations in reaching the NFC Divisional Playoffs // Photo Courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers

work at his family’s watch parts shop in Upstate New York after his father passed away. After running a successful watch and jewelry concession at an Air Force base in Geneva, N.Y., Malcolm began dabbling in equities before ultimately amassing a fortune in commercial real estate, junk bonds, and distressed businesses. Ever since Malcolm died in 2014, Tampa has been run by his six children, Bryan, Edward, Avram, Kevin, Joel, and Darcie, who also serves as president of the Glazer Vision Foundation, which over the past decade has provided eye exams and prescription glasses to children in need throughout the greater Tampa area. Back in March 2020, the Glazers – a family that presided over the construction of Raymond James Stadium, a host of multiple Super Bowls -- took a considerable gamble by inking a then-42-yearold Brady to a fully guaranteed two-year, $50 million deal. Nearly three years later, when Brady left the game for good, the Glazers once again rolled the dice on its next quarterback, Baker Mayfield, by signing the former No.1 overall pickturned-journeyman to a one-year “proveit” deal. Mayfield, in turn, finished 2023 with career highs in touchdown passes (28) and passing yards (4,044) while quarterbacking the Bucs a round further than Brady was able to lead them a year ago. “He [Mayfield] did a heck of a job,” emphasized Bowles, whose 2022 promotion to head coach was largely driven by owner/co-chairman Bryan Glazer. “He didn’t take over for Tom. Tom retired and Baker became a new quarterback on a new team with a new offensive coordi-

nator. He took over for himself. We built it differently, we ran it differently, it was run differently around him and again, we can’t compare Baker to Tom. Tom is Mount Rushmore. Tom is off on his own. We started a new system with new guys and new energy and Baker carved his own mark. I’m proud of him for that.” Mayfield, meanwhile, remains eternally grateful to the Glazer family for giving him one more chance to revive his career – and possibly land a highly lucrative new contract in either Tampa or elsewhere this offseason. “Obviously, who knows how it’s going to play out, but I can’t say enough about this organization for the opportunity they gave me this year, and so I'm just thankful,” said Mayfield after his team’s playoff exit. “Hoping it works out.” As for this year’s surprising run, engineered by the Glazer-led front office, Mayfield commented, “From day one – [Buccaneers Head] Coach [Todd] Bowles said it, nobody is going to give us a chance, from the preseason rankings to when I got picked up, and nobody was going to give us a chance. . . . We weren’t supposed to be here by anybody’s opinion, but we believed in each other, and we got here. We fought, and scratched and clawed, and somehow got here. So, obviously when you don’t win it all it’s always a disappointing season, but this group can be proud of a lot that we did this year.”

The Heart of Jewish Lion

The Buccaneers, who went 1-1 against the Falcons and won five of their

final six regular season games, ran into a Lions team that wasn’t going to be denied in its deepest postseason run since 1992 and one that has captivated the Motor City, if not the entire state of Michigan. It’s also a Lions team that has a Jewish representation as tight end Anthony Firkser, a Falcon in 2022, came over as a back-up tight end for the home stretch of the regular season. In fact, late in this NFC Divisional Playoff game, when Detroit tight end Brock Wright went down with a forearm injury, Firsker’s number was called (NBC color analyst Cris Collinsworth quickly pointed out Firkser’s alma mater, Harvard) and the tight end, who was originally brought in as a practice squad player and recently elevated to the active roster, saw his first postseason action since January 2020. “It’s been awesome as soon as I got here,” said Firkser after Detroit advanced to the NFC Championship game in front of an electrified home crowd generating, what he considers, the loudest gameday environment he’s ever witnessed. “The whole organization here has been great. It’s been a great environment, seeing how hard these guys work here. Getting these wins has been huge. Detroit fans have been awesome. “I’ve only been here since middle of this year, so it’s kind of new to me, but hearing it from these guys, hearing it from Coach [Dan] Campbell who’s been here for three years, where they started and where they’re at now, it’s been awesome to be a part of this and to have some success here and have the fans behind us like this has been great.” ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 31

OPINION For Israeli Cousins, Time Stopped on Oct. 7 This column was filed on Jan. 29 — or, as my Israeli cousins know it, day 115. On day 112, one of them wrote Dave Schechter on Facebook From Where I Sit (translated from Hebrew): “Our lives stopped on the 7th of October. Time is frozen and we are not yet [at] the day after. And despite this I know that everything has its time and things will happen. There is time for everything except one thing, those whose lives hang by a thread.” I knew little about these cousins before Oct. 7, before 10 names on my family tree became victims of the Hamas-led terror attack on Kibbutz Be’eri, one target among kibbutzim, towns, and a music festival in an area Israelis call “the Gaza envelope.” Within two weeks, the bodies of two

men and a woman — residents of Be’eri, people roughly my age — were identified. Absent from their funerals were seven other family members who had been kidnapped and were being held hostage in Gaza. Six of the seven — women and children representing three generations — were released on Nov. 25. A 39-year-old (his birthday was on day 116) husband and father of two children remains one of 136 hostages. The Facebook post continued: “Tal is still there and like many others — men, women, children, young and old — they don’t have time. Every second that passes is [an] eternity. Every minute that passes their lives are in danger. Every day that passes, we hear about those who will never return, [as if they were] left to die there and the heart is broken over and over.” I am grateful for the contact I have with several of the Israelis cousins, but from a distance of several thousand miles, I would not pretend to comprehend the grief, fear, and anxiety these people have experienced.

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The character in the boy’s drawing is praying: “How I wish that my father will return.”

The Facebook post ended with this request: “Take 136 seconds, one second for each and every one who is still there and do nothing. Don’t even close your eyes, just look at what’s in front of you on the wall or anything. Put on a timer and do nothing. To me it feels like an eternity. It’s not easy. I keep thinking, how much time has passed? When will it end? They have been there for 112 days like this.” I have been to a few Jewish gatherings lately and, while I continue to hear discussion of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, I hear less about the hostages than I did one month ago or two months ago. Rabbi Spike Anderson at Temple Emanu-El in Sandy Springs was experiencing something similar. At the Jan. 12 Shabbat service that hosted state legislators and other public officials, he observed: " . . . in the beginning of early October, getting the hostages back was always part of the conversation. A ceasefire and getting the hostages back. Getting Hamas and getting the hostages back. Well, part of our frustration is that the hostages actually seem to have disappeared from the conversation. “Why aren’t they first? Why isn’t everything we say, ‘Tell Hamas to let go of the hostages and then we will . . . Or tell the international community to put pressure on to get the hostages back and then we will . . . Tell the Red Cross to get to the hostages, to get them medicine and check on them and then we will . . . ‘ But that’s become secondary, tertiary, marginalized, or has disappeared from the conversation,” he said from the pulpit.

That is why, he continued, the rabbis at Temple Emanu-El decided that during “every single service we are going to have a prayer for our hostages to be returned so that, perhaps we are affecting some sort of divine outcome, but certainly we’ll keep it in our minds and our hearts, the forefront of our intention, that our thoughts and actions and attitudes and advocacy should be to get these hostages back.” During a conversation a couple of weeks later, Anderson said that the decision was motivated by a feeling that, in the media — and among Jews — “the hostages were being talked about less and less and we thought it was incumbent on all of us to recommit to keeping the hostages front and center.” Accompanying the cousin’s Facebook post was a drawing by Tal’s eightyear-old son — who endured 50 days in captivity before he was released along with his mother, younger sister (who turned four without her father), and grandmother, as well as a great aunt and her daughter. The character in the boy’s drawing is praying: “How I wish that my father will return.” The Talmud (Sanhedrin 37a) says, “Whoever saves a single life is considered by scripture to have saved the world." For an eight-year-old, that one life is at the center of his world. For the rest of us, those 136 lives must remain front and center in the conversation.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 kaylene@atljewishtimes.com.

Letter to the editor,

Georgia HB 30, including the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism, will not advance the fight against Jew-hatred. Actions like the 250,000-strong outpouring against hatred of Jews and in defense of Israel’s right to exist, held in Washington, D.C. Nov. 14 in the wake of Hamas’ murderous October 7 pogrom, point in the right direction. We need to and can reach out to workers of all backgrounds, young people, and others to discuss, debate and win people to join this historic struggle to combat Jew-hatred. Laws that can be used to criminalize free speech, no matter how repugnant the views, should be rejected. And all intentions aside, trying to get this bill passed miseducates those who want to fight Jew-hatred, by wrongly looking to the capitalist governments --- be they in Washington or Atlanta, as the solution. Those who issue threats and carry out acts of violence against Jews can be charged and tried under existing laws. However, “hate-crime” laws will inevitably be used against working people and others, including those fighting Jew-hatred. We all must fight to defend constitutional rights, which workers and unions need more and more as the capitalist crisis deepens and the class struggle grows. Lisa Potash, Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. Congress in the 5th CD; participant in Nov. 14 rally in Washington, D.C.

Letter to the editor,

For over a century all so often esteemed jurists in Europe get together to persecute and condemn Jews. (“ICOJ Rules Some Claims of Israel Committing Genocide ‘Plausible’”). In 1894, an esteemed group of French military jurists condemned Alfred Dreyfus to Devil’s Island. From 1934-1945, many esteemed German jurists including Roland Freisler in the People’s Court and other Nazi courts condemned thousands of Jews to death for “volk treason.” In the late 1940s and early 1950s, esteemed jurists in Stalinist Russia sentenced hundreds of Jews to death in antisemitic show trials. Now, seventeen Roland Freisler wannabes at an esteemed court in Holland rule against the Jewish people of Israel with “genocide” being the politically correct “volk treason” of our time. When it comes to esteemed European judiciaries and the persecution of Jews ...from France to Germany to Russia to Holland, ... Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose. Richard Sherman, Margate, Fla.

Letter to the editor,

America’s Future is in the Primaries. You can do something about it. As we approach the primaries, the choice we make will shape the future of our nation. I urge fellow citizens to consider Nikki Haley as a transformative leader who can bring about positive change. Voting for Haley not only removes stale leadership from the presidential race but signifies a departure from conventional politics, paving the way for a fresh and dynamic perspective. Age becomes a defining factor. Haley’s youth is an asset that ensures independence from puppetry by advisors; Haley’s vigor and autonomy promise a leader unswayed by political machinations. Furthermore, Haley emerges as the lesser of two evils when compared to the alternative. Her youth, combined with a commitment to open communication, sets her apart. Haley engages in unscripted town hall sessions, providing an opportunity for direct interaction with the people. This transparency and accessibility underscore her dedication to genuine communication, a trait sorely needed in our political landscape. Crucially, Haley possesses the foreign policy expertise to navigate the complexities of global affairs and keep America safe. In a world facing numerous challenges, having a leader with a nuanced understanding of international relations is paramount. 34 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Disclamer to our readers: This section of the newspaper is a forum for our community to share thoughts, concerns and opinions as open letters to the community or directly to the newspaper. As a letter to the editor, we proof for spelling and grammatical errors only. We do not edit nor vet the information the letter contains. The individual signing the letter is accountable for what they share. Beyond her qualifications, Haley’s work ethic is unparalleled, outshine her opponents. As a former governor, she boasts a remarkable record – job creation, tough measures on illegal immigration, increased government transparency, prudent fiscal policies that ended frivolous spending, and tax cuts that stimulated economic growth. This track record exemplifies her commitment to tangible results and responsible governance. In essence, Nikki Haley offers a refreshing departure from the status quo. She embodies the qualities needed in a leader for the 21st century – youth, independence, transparency, and a proven record of effective governance. Let’s unite in supporting Nikki Haley as she represents the transformative choice, we need to shape a brighter and more promising future for America. Michele Noma, Atlanta

Letter to the editor,

Boers of South Africa Stand with Israel Boers for Israel condemns the case brought by South Africa to the International Court of Justice accusing the state of Israel of genocide. We recognize that Israel’s current military action is as a result of the heinous attack on Israel that occurred on October 7, 2023. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families affected by this tragic event. As an organization representing the Afrikaans people of South Africa, we express unwavering support for the State of Israel and its ongoing efforts to combat terrorism. Israel has long faced the threat of terrorism, and we stand firmly behind its right to defend itself against those who seek to harm innocent civilians. Boers for Israel recognizes the complexities of the region and supports Israel’s efforts to maintain its security and safeguard the well-being of its citizens. In this spirit of solidarity, we affirm our opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state. We believe in the right of Israel to exist within secure and recognized borders, and we reject any initiatives that may compromise its sovereignty and security. Boers for Israel also emphasizes the dangers posed by extremist groups such as Hamas, who are a Jihadi movement on the same level as ISIS. We denounce the use of civilians as human shields by such groups, a reprehensible tactic that endangers innocent lives and undermines efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region. Furthermore, we express concern over the network of tunnels beneath Gaza, which has been exploited by terrorist organizations for illicit activities. The construction and use of these tunnels contribute to instability in the region and pose a direct threat to the safety and security of both Israeli and Palestinian populations. Boers for Israel calls for international support in recognizing and addressing the challenges faced by Israel in its pursuit of peace and security. Israel is a model for those worldwide who support the idea of ethnocrats. Together, we stand united against terrorism and advocate for a just and lasting resolution to the complex issues in the Middle East. We are ashamed, as South Africans, that our own government is putting its support behind terrorism and against the righteous and just State of Israel. We have been, for many years, attempting to bring the attention of the world to an actual genocide going on, the white genocide going on in South Africa. We therefore feel it is hypocritical for South Africa to speak about genocide when its government is involved in committing a genocide of their own, by failing to stop violent attacks against white South Africans. Boers for Israel: Chairperson: Willem Petzer, Treasurer: Johan Taljaard, PR: Tollie Maritz, Director: Dan Otto, Security: Jakes Steenkamp, Head of Entertainment: Piet Oelofse, Head of Fundraising: Kobus Rabe

OPINION Letter to the editor,

Jewish Community Grateful for Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy. Last week’s rapid journey and passage of HB 30, “the antisemitism” bill was a very emotional experience for the many Jewish Georgians in the Capitol building lobbying to support the legislation. It was very rewarding to see the strong turnout from the Jewish community, as well as seeing overwhelming bipartisan support from members of both chambers, as well as from our constitutional officers. Many in the Jewish community were aware of our House “dream team,” Representatives Esther Panich and John Carson, and their support will always be remembered. There were many other legislators that spoke publicly in support of the bill as well as dozens of dedicated organizations and individuals. But I am writing today to make sure that all understand that our champion in the Georgia State Senate was Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy of Macon. The overwhelming support of HB 30 would not have been possible without his support. He and his staff worked tirelessly for the last 4 months to make sure that the Senators on both sides of the aisle understood the importance of this legislation, and “that if not now, when?” Jewish Georgians will be forever grateful for his support. He supported Macon Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar and Temple Beth Israel this summer following the disgusting display of hatred from Neo-Nazis in Macon and Warner Robins. He also attended Shabbat services with his staff and spent time hearing from the congregation members. As a native of Macon, a friend of and former neighbor of Senator Kennedy, this is especially rewarding to me. It is not common for such a high-ranking legislator to spearhead legislation and work so hard to get it across the finish line. I hope that all Jewish Georgians and those that oppose hate reach out to Senator Kennedy and the other legislators that supported this legislation. They need to hear from us. Chip Koplin, Atlanta

Letter to the editor,

I agree. The lives of Palestinians in Gaza should not be put under threat. This means that: Hamas should stop putting its command centers in hospitals and storing munitions near hospitals. Hamas should stop stealing humanitarian supplies provided for the people by Israel or other countries. Hamas and other terrorist groups should stop committing double war crimes by firing missiles at Israeli population centers from Gazan population centers. Hamas should stop urging young children to seek martyrdom by killing Jews. It should also stop running Summer Camps where teenagers are given weapons and taught to use them. Hamas should stop storing missiles under UNRWA schools. UNRWA should stop teaching Palestinian children to hate Jews. In fact, it’s time for Arab countries to correct their great sin against the Palestinians – condemning the descendants of those who fled Arab-initiated violence against the Jews in the 1940’s to perennial refugee limbo, saying the Palestine refugees would remain under UNRWA aegis until Israel could be forced to take them in. (The Arab assumption was that Israel, as a democracy, would have to grant citizenship to the “refugees” who could then vote to remove every vestige of Jewish law and culture from Israel’s law books). A full 99.5% of today’s 6,000,000 Palestine refugees were born in UNRWA camps. In contrast, renascent Israel long ago absorbed and uplifted Mizrachi Jews driven from their homes in the Muslim countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Their descendants comprise the majority of Israel’s current Jewish population. The world should be urging Hamas to lay down its arms and release all remaining hostages. The US, EU, and Arab countries in the Abraham Accords should begin the process of demilitarizing Gaza and deradicalizing the Palestinians, who should be made to realize that it will take time for them to finally achieve real Statehood, in a Palestinian state that will be Israel’s neighbor, not her replacement. Toby F. Block, Atlanta

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EDUCATION Report: More Students Switching to Jewish Day Schools A new report released by Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, representing 110 schools across North America, shows increased inquiries from public and private school students interested in mid-year transfers into Jewish day schools and yeshivas. The primary reasons are wanting their children to be in a Jewish environment, fear of antisemitism, and disappointment with how their current schools are handling the Israel-Hamas war. “In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, the landscape of Jewish day schools and yeshivas in North America has experienced significant shifts,” according to the report. Additionally, the data shows how Jewish day schools welcomed more than 1,000 temporary Israeli students fleeing from war, attending to their academic and mental health and wellness needs. It also suggests potential for enrollment increases in the next school year starting summer of 2024. “The war in Israel is impacting en-

A new report from Prizmah shows an increase in inquiries from public and independent school families and enrollment from temporary Israeli students.

rollment in Jewish day schools and families,” said Paul Bernstein, CEO of Prizmah. “Parents of public and private school students are turning towards Jewish day

schools out of a desire for their children to benefit from all that makes Jewish day schools great -- an excellent education, a warm, nurturing Jewish environment,

and protection from antisemitism they might experience elsewhere. The best defense against antisemitism and hostility to Israel is to nurture strong, confident,

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EDUCATION

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SUMMER DAY PROGRAMS June–July 2024 | Ages 2–17 “In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, the landscape of Jewish day schools and yeshivas in North America has experienced significant shifts,” according to the report.

knowledgeable Jewish youth, and Jewish day schools answer that need.” Covering the period from the start of the war in October 2023 to Dec. 8, 2023, the report presents a snapshot of the responses from 110 schools in the United States and Canada. Three important trends are apparent in the study: Thirty-nine percent of schools reported inquiries and or enrollment from public school students interested in transferring mid-year. Top reasons schools reported that public school transfer families provided for transferring are: * Wanting their child(ren) to be in a Jewish environment (73%) * Fear of antisemitism in school or community (68%) * Response from their current school around the war in Israel (32%) Twenty percent of schools reported receiving inquiries and or enrollment from independent school students interested in transferring midyear. Top reasons schools reported that independent school transfer families provided for transferring are: * Wanting their child(ren) to be in a Jewish environment (80%) * Response from their current school around the war in Israel (50%)

* Fear of antisemitism in school or community (40%) Ninety-five percent of schools reported receiving inquiries and/or enrollment from temporary Israeli students interested in attending a Jewish day school on a short-term basis, and more than 1,000 temporary Israeli students were hosted in the schools that responded to the survey. Most schools reported that their temporary Israeli students needed English Language Learning (ELL) or English as a Second Language (ESL) support, as well mental health support as is often needed for students fleeing their country due to war. As the report highlights, “These schools, with a strong emphasis on fostering a connection to Israel, play a pivotal role in the development of the culture and identity of the broader Jewish community. The findings in this report reveal that in times of crisis, schools consistently maintained their commitment to cultivating positive connections with Israel, underscoring the Jewish day school community’s unwavering support for and dedication to Israelis, which has lasting generational and communal impacts.”ì

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EDUCATION

Play and Learn with Neurodiversity Options E a s t Cobb resident Noach Pawliger recently initiated Niflaot, The Jewish Exceptional Learners Initiative, to serve as an “acMarcia tion tank” to Caller Jaffe support families, educators, schools, and students to address Jewish children with learning challenges. Neurodiversity includes those on the autism spectrum and much more. With heightened awareness of those with special needs, theaters, museums, and a wide swath of entertainment experiences are making accommodations for the neurodiverse to participate in the mainstream. These accommodations might include headphones to cancel noise, softened lights, and less busy entry times for reduced commotion. Recent academic

The Georgia Aquarium offers sensory times, headphones, and other accommodations, with some specifically focused on autism.

studies show that one in every five children has a learning and attention-related disorder. It’s forecasted in the coming decade that the number will magnify to one in three. Sometimes, this population is stigmatized as the “kids who can’t sit still

or follow directions.” Also of note, one in six U.S. veterans fall in this category. Pawliger recommends nature as the best resource. “The Chattahoochee and Dunwoody Nature Centers are very ‘hands on’ both

The Sloomoo Institute in Buckhead is an example of a venue that accommodates neurodiversity for both visitors and staff.

in and outdoor. Chattahoochee has times when they bring the animals out, hiking trails, and access to the river. Get these kids outside … even if it’s rainy, put on boots and get in the mud -- the ultimate sensory experience. Nature is a safe ha-

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CONNECTING LEARNING TO LIFE AT

EVERY LEVEL Pawliger touts being in nature as one of the most grounding experiences and recommends Chattahoochee Nature Center.

ven and expands the mind … healthy for the music and limiting ticket availability social and emotion well being.” to cater to an audience with heightened Pawliger also recommends Lego sensitivities. We also offer noise cancelexhibits and local hero Scott Gross’s Su- ing headphones and nose plugs to guests perclub with Friday hikes for kids. Also, a who may be craving more quiet and less Jewish mom with two neurodiverse chil- scent stimulation. It was important to us dren has formed Community Bugs with from day one to create spaces that people “parties” and creative meetups. of all ages and abilities could enjoy -A nationwide nonprofit group, Kul- and we know from having hosted over a ture City, is aligned with many of Atlanta million diverse visitors that we’ve made venues like the Michael Carlos Museum good on that promise.” at Emory University which has a sensory Sara Schiller, fellow Sloomoo coroom, hands out free bags with “fidgets” founder and co-CEO, has a daughter and noodles, toys, and (with a rare genetic disheadphones to make the order, Angelman’s Synexperience seamless for drome) who is not able preschoolers, toddlers, to do activities for daily and teens. Kulture City living on her own and is uses resources to effect “incredibly joyful.” change and advance Schiller stated, sensory needs in 1,000 “Through her, I have venues in six countries. learned to truly appreciSome even have weightate and celebrate those ed laptops and verbal cue who think and process cards. in different ways. It has Another popular, made me a better person Noah Pawliger is a local Jewish-owned, relatively and, I believe, it makes expert, parent, and resource new addition to Buckfor a better working enin the Jewish education head is the Sloomoo Invironment when you neurodiversity space. stitute where kids can include team members who represent literally dig in and relish in goo, make neurodiversity. We’re not just committed fragrant slime, and even get it dumped to inclusion on the experiential side -- but full body from above (while wearing pro- we’re also proactively hiring people who tective hooded plastic gear). They also are neurodiverse to power our team.” have a company philosophy of “walking Sloomoo’s goal is a 10 percent neurothe walk” with neurodiversity advance- diverse work force by 2025. ment. Other venues that cater to this popKaren Robinovitz, Sloomoo co- ulation include Atlanta Dance Central founder and co-CEO said, “Inclusivity is with physio jazz programs, Center for the foundation of what Sloomoo Insti- Puppetry Arts, The Children’s Museum, tute is all about. We designed every space Chuck E. Cheese, Georgia Aquarium, Telwith that in mind, from ADA accessibil- lus Science Museum, Zoo Atlanta, Chasity throughout our venues, to offering tain Horse Park, some AMC Theatres, iFly special sensory hours that tailor the ex- Indoor Skydiving, Lekoteck, and North perience by turning down the volume on Metro Martial Arts.ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 39

EDUCATION

Little Hands, Big Impact on MLK Day of Service By: Ali Garfinkel The phrase, “I have a dream,” means many things to many different people. To most, it reflects Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech more than 60 years ago in Washington, D.C. A speech that foreshadowed a future of peace, love, and equality. But to the youngest generation, they subconsciously say this phrase not yet knowing the heavy load it bears. Regardless, many community members now more than ever feel the need to unite and connect, teaching all generations, even the ones just learning to walk, the importance of dreaming, hoping, believing and -- with action -- achieving. On Monday, Jan. 15, Nurture Atlanta hosted a very special MLK Family Day of Service at The Davis Academy in partnership with Repair the World, PJ Library, The Epstein School, Weinstein School PTO, Schiff School PTO, Temple Sinai PTO, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta Gather Grants. The MLK Day of Service showcased the robust Jewish ecosystem that exists in Atlanta. Not only were many organizations able to come together and partner, but they were also able to promote these organizations through mitzvah projects that support the local community. The beneficiaries of these acts of kindness include, but are not limited to, Jewish Homelife, Creating Connected Communities, Helping Mama’s, and North Fulton Community Charities. More than 110 families, amounting to over 300 people, gathered to perform acts of service and teach pre-school aged children specifically the importance of a mitzvah. Teaching these little minds that one can feel a sense of accomplishment and reward by packaging a snack bag for someone who might be hungry or creating toy packs for children who do not have access to crayons and coloring books will be a lasting and memorable experience. These are simple, but impactful, acts that tons of tiny hands worked on throughout the day. This event also filled an important need in the community as there are very few opportunities for young children to participate in hands-on service projects. Parents, as well as organizational volunteers, were in awe of what the MLK Day of Service truly accomplished. Tamar Levy, mother of two preschool aged girls, founder of That Peach Mommy, an online resource for parents with young children, and a PJ Library parent connector, shared her perspective 40 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Volunteers make “smile bags” for Creating Connected Communities // Photos Courtesy of Nurture Atlanta

Davis student, Sophia, volunteering and helping children pack diapers

Students also took time to create meaningful art.

Temple Sinai PTO with children assembling play packs.

on attending and representing PJ Library at this event. “I was so grateful to be able to spend our morning with the Atlanta Jewish

community. As a mom, former educator, and someone who plays an active role in our Jewish community, I was proud to see everyone come together for this mean-

ingful day. At one point, I stood in the Davis Academy gym and looked around. There were young families everywhere. Smiling, happy to help and working

EDUCATION

By and Beyond the Education.

Participants made snack bags for Repair the World.

8105 Roberts Drive, Atlanta, GA 30350 | 770-671-0085 | davisacademy.org/admissions

Toddlers play with goodies in the up-cycled sensory bins.

together to give back to those in need. I look forward to participating in this day in the future with my two girls.” Along with mitzvah projects, the day also included a special story time with local author Gabby Spatt (coauthor Candance Bazeman), who read her book, “Shabbat and Sunday Dinner.” And an Atlanta event is not complete without music and movement from Taryn Rioseco, founder of Here We Grow, singing and playing instruments to a packed theater of kids dancing and jumping around. Event organizers were pleased with how the day of service turned out. They were able to expand this program to include additional partners with the generous support of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s Organizational Gather Grant program. A huge thank you goes out to the hosts at Nurture Atlanta and The Davis Academy, who ensured this program exceeded all expectations and offered a more hands-on experience for families, to learn and give back. ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 41

EDUCATION

MJCCA Preschools Recognized for Excellence The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) recently announced both The Weinstein School (Dunwoody campus) and The Sunshine School (Marietta campus) have earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children. This recognition solidifies the MJCCA’s status as a national leader in delivering high-quality care and education for Georgia’s youngest learners. “We are immensely proud and honored to receive this accolade for our educational programs. This achievement reflects the unwavering commitment and hard work of our staff, the exceptional quality of the preschool curriculums, and the unparalleled support from our dedicated parents,” said Kim Sucan, director of MJCCA Preschools. “Achieving this milestone emphasizes our continuous commitment to delivering superior education in the Metro Atlanta area for young learners.” In the 30 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality ear-

42 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

MJCCA Preschools recently earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

ly childhood education. More than 6,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC—less than 10 percent of all childcare centers, preschools, and kindergartens nationally achieve this recognition. “NAEYC-accredited programs have committed to a process that takes time, energy, and dedication to complete,” states Alissa Mwenelupembe, senior director early learning program accredita-

MJCCA Preschools are among the top in the nation by earning accreditation, highlighting high-quality care and education for Georgia’s youngest learners.

tion. “Both The Weinstein School and The Sunshine School have demonstrated their commitment to young children and their families.” To earn NAEYC Accreditation, The Weinstein School and The Sunshine School went through an extensive selfstudy process, followed by an on-site visit by NAEYC assessors to verify and ensure that the program met each of the 10 pro-

gram standards, and hundreds of corresponding individual criteria. MJCCA Preschools are a place where children develop a love of learning and families find a community that lasts a lifetime. To learn more about the MJCCA Preschool programs, please visit www.atlantajcc.org/our-programs/preschools/ì Compiled by AJT Staff

EDUCATION

Weber Students Campaign to Fight Blood Cancer

Debbie Diamond

Take 14 motivated teenagers, two committed teen leaders, and a deserving non-profit that needs funding. Next, turn over the reins to the group and

watch them soar! Teen Rams Against Cancer, formed by students at The Weber School, are quickly moving the needle for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), already raising close to half their goal of $65,000. LLS funds research, advocacy, and support for patients with blood cancer and their families. The program, known as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign, began earlier this month. The seven-week fundraiser will continue for another three weeks before closing on Feb. 24. Jillian Smith and Marion Kogon, the campaign leaders for the school’s team, have high hopes as they work to meet their goal. “We are reaching out to corporations for larger donations, and each of the team members has sent emails to 50 of their contacts. We are also posting links on social media, like Instagram and Facebook. We hope to reach our goal over the next several weeks,” said Kogon. Smith pointed out that she first learned about the organization when a close friend of her mother’s was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. When asked to co-lead the fundraising efforts this year, she eagerly accepted. “For every $2,000 our team raises, LLS enters our team into a raffle to win $500. So far, we have won $500 since one of our tickets was pulled by LLS. We are moving forward to reach our goal of $65,000 and hope everyone will help us get there. Blood cancers can be deadly, and we are working to help find a cure,” shared Smith. The fundraising campaign runs at high schools in 75 cities throughout the United States. According to program organizers, the teens gain networking, financial planning, and public speaking skills from their experiences. At Weber, the team members meet regularly through inperson sessions, Zoom, and a group chat. Britton Ryan, the campaign development manager for LLS, has worked with

Teen Rams Against Cancer, pictured in a group shot, are dedicated to reaching their goal of $65,000.

Marion Kogon and Jillian Smith raise funds at Congregation Or VeShalom’s Annual Bazaar.

Weber teens for the past two years. “Every year, I am impressed with the teenagers from Weber. They set high standards for themselves and connect deeply to our mission at LLS. Jillian, Marion, and the team members are go-getters who ex-

Jillian Smith and Marion Kogon at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta during a ribbon-making event.

plore every opportunity to reach the goals they have set. They want to excel, and their passion can be seen in the funds they raised only two weeks into the campaign. Atlanta is the third largest campaign in the LLS network for the country. Last

year, participating Atlanta schools raised more than $2 million. Donations help fund research, find a cure, and support patients and their families. Donations may be made at https://events.lls.org/ga/ svoyatlanta24/tramsagain.ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 43

CAMP What’s New This Year at Jewish Overnight Camps With surveys showing that kids who attend overnight Jewish camps stay more strongly connected and engaged with Judaism, it’s Fran Putney understandable why parents value the Jewish camp experience and why the camps prioritize additions and improvements to their facilities and programs. For Georgia’s Jewish kids, families have several camp choices in the region. Here’s a taste of what campers can look forward to this summer.

Camp Barney Medintz is constructing a brand new 30-bed adult housing facility to attract the best camp staff.

Thanks to capital campaign funding, no camper cabin at Camp Barney will be more than nine years old.

Camp Barney Medintz campers not only navigate the beauty of Lake Wendy, they also discover lifelong friendships, independence, self-confidence, and a deepened Jewish identity.

Camp Coleman is expanding its popular circus arts program.

Camp Barney Medintz A program of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, Camp Barney Medintz is the largest of the Jewish overnight camps in Georgia, and situated on 500 acres in North Georgia. As part of a $36 million JCC capital campaign, Camp Barney received $9.7 million for facility and structural improvements that include: rebuilding and renovating camper cabins, rebuilding bathhouses, constructing a 30-bed adult housing building, and improving infrastructure. According to Camp Barney Executive Director Danny Herz, by the time camp begins this summer, no camper will live in a cabin more than nine years old. “For a camp that’s been around 61 years, that’s an incredible commitment to updating facilities and making sure we take care of children. We want to give them a fantastic programmatic experience, a fantastic Jewish and spiritual experience, but we also want them to feel taken care of, and that includes the physical space.” The new adult housing building is a unique asset that Herz says addresses “how to care for staff, how we can attract and retain fantastic professionals who are able to give us their summer to impact young Jewish people at camp.” Additionally, a new one-day Discovery Day program for pre-camp age kids is being introduced for children who have completed kindergarten. On Sunday morning, June 23, these young campers will board a bus at the Marcus JCC and get a taste of camp life at Camp Barney with activities and lunch in the dining hall before returning in the afternoon. 44 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Coleman Quest is an outdoor adventure program that is expanding for rising fifth- and sixth graders this summer.

Camp Coleman According to URJ Camp Coleman Director Amy Smyler McFarland, campers can look forward to a number of new and exciting things this summer, including an expansion of the camp’s outdoor adventure program called Coleman Quest. A 12- day experience designed for

According to Camp Coleman Director Amy Smyler McFarland, Quest campers seek to push beyond their limits and expand their comfort zone.

seventh- to eighth graders, the program will be in its third year, and this summer Coleman will launch Quest Jr., a sevenday program for rising fifth- to sixth graders. Says McFarland, “Grounded in the phrase Chazak v’Amatz (Be strong and courageous), Quest campers seek to push beyond their limits and expand their

comfort zone both above ground and below. Activities in and out of camp help campers develop an awareness of who they are, what they can do, and who they can become.” Additionally, Camp Coleman, which is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism and also located in the north Georgia mountains near Cleveland, Ga.,

CAMP

In 2023, Camp Ramah Darom hosted Israeli staff members.

Camp Blue Star is adding solar panels atop its HeRo Amphitheater that will further its “greening” program.

A pair of campers enjoy Ramah Lake.

Pickleball will now be a regular elective activity at Blue Star in North Carolina.

is expanding its circus arts program to include aerial silks. It’s also reworking the daily schedule to include Chofesh (free time) every day.

Camp Ramah Darom On its list of physical improvements, Camp Ramah Darom, situated on 128 acres in North Georgia, reports that its tennis courts are being updated to accommodate pickleball, now the fastest growing sport in the nation. It is also in the process of raising money to rejuvenate its waterfront to include new docks and a blob tower, water slides, and more kayaks and canoes for campers to enjoy. This summer, Ramah Darom plans to expand on the success of its 2023 Ramah Bamah musical theater program, in which campers staged a production of “Into the Woods.” For two weeks campers rehearsed and learned how Judaism interacts with musical theater. This year, 13 campers are already signed up for the theater program. Teens entering eighth and ninth grades are encouraged to apply. Ramah Darom recently announced a new professional development initiative for returning summer staff to lever-

age camp experience toward their career path. La’a lot Ramah (Level Up) Fellows will receive individualized career coaching, work with field experts to sharpen their professional skills, and create innovative staff programs.

Blue Star Camps Located in Hendersonville, N.C., Blue Star Camps is making camper health and well-being a priority and is continuing to expand its mental health care approach with three licensed clinicians onsite. Drew Fidler, senior director for the Center for Adolescent Wellness, who works with organizations such as BBYO, will help with training at Blue Star. According to Blue Star Camp Director Seth Herschthal, “We’re expanding the team and bringing our mental health care protocols, policies and procedures up to date. It’s pretty exciting.” Blue Star is continuing its “greening” efforts with the installation of solar panels on top of its HeRo Amphitheater, which will power the center of camp where many programs take place, as well as powering the electrically heated pool. In addition, Blue Star is updating cabins

and building out the mountain biking trail network that serves different biker levels. With the building of a third campsite that includes a shelter, padded floor, and a campfire pit, all campers will go on an overnight camping trip at least once, says Herschthal. Finally, the pickleball program, featuring a new stand-alone pickleball court, will now be an actual elective activity with an instructor.

Camp Judaea Described as a small, Israel-centered camp community, Camp Judaea is situated in Hendersonville, N.C. According to Camp Director Lori Zeligman, campers will be offered a new adventure when its low ropes course, featuring a bridge over the creek and a new seating area, is ready. CJ Lake is getting new amenities with upgraded docks by the inflatables with wood decking and benches and the addition of a new AquaGlide trampoline.

Israeli Staff Many of the camps are wondering whether they will be able to add the enriching presence of Israeli counselors

and staff as usual. A Camp Judaea newsletter to families reiterated its commitment to educating campers and deepening its commitment to Israel and stated that it is dedicated to having a delegation of Israeli staff and plans for the Tsofim Friendship Caravan to visit camp. Ramah Darom’s Director Anna Serviansky told the AJT: “It may be that we have a slightly smaller delegation of Israeli counselors, but the ruach (spirit) they bring will be the same! We have always had strong Israel education programming, and we will be taking a close look at lesson plans to make sure that we incorporate recent events into discussions when appropriate for older campers and staff.” While Camp Barney had 40 Israeli staff members last year, Director Danny Herz realizes that number is likely to be fewer this summer with many now serving in the Israeli military or reserves. “That has to be their priority,” said Herz. “We support them.”ì [Note: By press time, URJ affiliated 6 Points Sports Academy in North Carolina could not be reached for an update. Visit https://6pointssports. org/ for more information.]

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 45

CAMP

Local Seniors Sharpen Musical Skills at Camp By Marcia Caller Jaffe Toss out the bunk beds and bug juice for two “senior” men who head to their respective camps to focus on improving their musical acumen. Roy Cranman (guitar) and Tracy Holzer (harmonica) periodically return to camp like homing pigeons as they seek out expert teachers and peer interaction. Cranman has been to six sessions of Guitar Workshop Plus, beginning in 2018, for five days each session. Four times the trek was to Nashville and twice to San Diego. Anywhere from 30 to 60 campers pay $1,800 to $2,500 per session, respectively. He stated, “Instructions are for specific genres or instruments (rock, country, blues, acoustic, drums, voice, bass) plus electives. Seminars range from music theory to gear. There are nightly performances -- some by instructors, some by famous guest artists, and two nights by the students.” Cranman added that the instructors are often college music professors with

Holzer (right) improved his harmonica skills at camp and is shown here with a fellow camper who came from Seattle.

degrees and/or years of performance experience.

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Be creative.

Roy Cranman (center) performs with his band Georgia Peach Jam in 2023.

“Last summer’s featured guest was Nathan East, Eric Clapton’s bass player, and one of the most recorded living bassists.” In 2018, Cranman was placed in a group with both beginners and highly skilled guitarists. He said, “Our instructor (a New York City public school teacher) was awesome. He catered to the differing skill levels and kept everyone engaged. He provided great insight into playing and theory. Many things he said then didn’t make sense to me until several years later. The better players took me under their wings. I performed one song with our class and was scared to death but got through it. Stage fright is now a thing of the past.” Camp was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID. Being disappointed, several campers started bi-weekly Zoom calls and formed their own camp in Atlanta with Cranman serving as volunteer manager. Their band, The Georgia Peach Jam, had nine “campers” and was held at Congregation Emanu-El. “Even though the Guitar Workshop Plus camp resumed in 2022, everyone had so much fun in Atlanta, that they insisted on repeating in 2022 and 2023 at Congregation B’nai Torah. [The] 2024 dates have already been reserved … from a Jewish perspective, it’s pretty cool to see a rabbi from L.A. come here to play Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd songs. Camp has provided me with music education, improved skills, and many

new friends, and the confidence to start a band with local friends.” Are You Experienced? Meanwhile, Holzer’s Harmonica Experience Camp is held every May and September in Clarksdale, Miss., in the Shack Up Inn, a remodeled cotton ginning facility. The cost is $1,350 and includes lodging. The camp runs for six days with the last featuring a performance for each student. Each camper has his or her own 10-hole, diatonic harmonica. Holzer had been playing the harmonica for 10-plus years and got much more focused during the pandemic. Holzer recalled his experiences at the camp, saying, “With 20 participants and four instructors, the camp facility was very cool with the old cotton gins and memorabilia. The camp was all music during the day, and nights had a full band that we jammed with in the bar at the Inn. The bar was a full-blown stage with lots of kitsch!!!” The group had free time at night and on Saturday before performances. That left time to see Clarksdale, home of the Delta Blues music scene. Holzer confirmed, “It’s known for being the ‘Crossroads’ at Highway 61 where Robert Johnson made his pact with the devil. He disappeared one day, as the legend goes, and returned as the greatest blues musician in the world!” His four instructors were all professional musicians and excellent teachers.

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Holzer’s music camp was held at an historic cotton gin with fun memorabilia.

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Tracy Holzer’s camp venue, the Shack Up Inn, had a kitschy stage for campers’ performances. Tracy is at the mic in the center.

ESA CAMP

EPSTEIN SUMMER ADVENTURE JUNE 3–28, 2024

Around the campfire playing songs. Roy Cranman (right) plays as Rabbi Joshua Katzan warms his hands.

The days were very busy, but relaxed, he said. Classes started at 10 a.m., after yoga class at 9. Holzer said, “At 4, the band would crank up, and we would have a jam session and cocktails until dinner at 7. After dinner, we were back jamming. On the last day, we all got to pick a song and per-

form for the group and bar crowd.” Holzer concluded, “My skill level improved exponentially. Having been, basically ‘self-taught,’ there were so many things that I just had little or no idea how to do. I had taken many online courses and video lessons, but to have professional instruction live was a game changer.”ì

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CAMP

Study Shows Summer Camp Improves Mental Health With a rise in mental health affecting today’s youth, a new study, conducted in collaboration with the American Camp Association and researchers at Foundation for Jewish Camp, delved into the heart of what makes summer camp run: it’s staff and furthermore, what staff need to feel supported in a camp environment. The study offers valuable insights with potential relevance applicable to many types of summer camps and communities and uncovers the profound impact that well-being has on both campers and staff. Every year, around 26 million American children attend summer camps, and about 1.5 million young adults and adults work at these camps. This study, published in in The Journal of Youth Development, found key insights that revealed actionable takeaways for camp leadership, offering a blueprint for creating positive and successful camp experiences. It also found investing in the well-being of staff leads to better outcomes for all. “The mental health and well-being

Collaborative research has shown that participation in summer camp can improve the mental health of both campers and staff.

of youth and young adults is a persistent concern in our current world,” Nila Rosen, director, learning & research at Foundation for Jewish Camp, said. “Camps are a reflection of this complexity. Our research shows how to ensure that camps are supportive and thriving

spaces for staff and campers.” This research demonstrates how experiences of individuals in a group can impact others and emphasizes the importance of supporting staff and group leaders so they can create environments that foster growth and connection. These

lessons extend to any organization or community seeking to enhance the wellbeing of its members. For more information, visit www. jewishcamp.org.ì Compiled by AJT Staff

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WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO BUILD A STRONGER ISRAEL THROUGH ALIYAH ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 49

Pages 50-55 include content provided by the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. 50 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

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Atlanta Jewish Film Festival 2024 FILM SCHEDULE

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DINING The Alden is ‘Star’ of Local Culinary Scene By Marcia Caller Jaffe Foodies, queue up! Jewish chef/owner Jared Hucks grew up in Brookhaven, which is the launch pad for his worldwide, decade-long gastronomic journey to land in 2018 at The Alden in Chamblee at the Parkview on Peachtree complex. The Alden is “all the buzz” now that it received a mention in the 2023 Michelin Guide, the “universal top shelf endorsement.” Note that the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau paid seven figures to put Atlanta in the guide. After that inauguration, it was up to very discerning reviewers to make the recommendations. On our Sunday night visit, we found that each dish had a story and artistic presentation with attention to the smallest details and a variety of flavors where the server points out how to get the most out of the experience. “Make sure you try the sauce on the sides to get the full taste of the Buddha’s Hand pulp before getting into the tiny pumpkin pebbles,” and that’s before even getting to the centerpiece Wakame seared kingfish. Actually, our favorite fish was the jerk golden tilefish with blood orange segments, zucchini, sugar snaps, and long beans. Considering the primo ingredients, an entree price point of $36 is fair. To note Hucks’ culinary “chops,” he graduated from The French Culinary Institute and embarked on an adventure around the world where he cooked at some of the most heralded restaurants, including Guillaume at Bennelong in the Sydney Opera House, the three Michelin star Arzak, in San Sebastian, Spain, and at the No. 1-rated restaurant in the world, NOMA, in Denmark. Using his middle name, Alden, he opened The Alden to be an amalgamation of these international culinary experiences. Since opening, Chef Hucks has gained his own following, with guests experiencing the seven-course tasting menu, gathering around his Chef’s Counter privy to the theatrical experience for $148 per person or $179 including wine pairings. The Alden offers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and pescatarian tasting menus as requested. Then, there’s the ever changing a la carte menu with around 13 choices (not including dessert) that highlights seafood fished in Georgia waters and an array of fresh, locally grown produce and proteins, and our favorites, butter56 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Chef-owner Jared Hucks trained worldwide to land in his hometown, Chamblee, with The Alden.

A server holds the Wakame seared kingfish (left) and jerk golden tilefish with blood oranges.

Two complicated dishes were the butternut squash (rear) and the parsnip tortellini with parmesan froth.

The Alden Caesar salad with rolled white boquerones and huauzontle was a table favorite.

The Alden has banquette seating, tabletops, high “boys” and a wonderful booth in the rear.

nut squash “Bolognese” (no meat) potato gnocchi, smoked ricotta, and Brussels sprouts ($28) -- melt in the mouth marinara base, and parsnip tortellini with broccoli rabe, frothy emulsion parmesan, and pomegranate seeds over brown butter. We started with an artisan lettuce Caesar salad ($18) with squares of seasoned focaccia, hemp hearts, boquerones (white anchovies decoratively rolled), and huuazontle, an Aztec wild herb. To sample more sensations, we went for the sherry vinaigrette and the traditional thicker egg-based Caesar dressings on the side. There’s an extensive libations menu. Backing up, Hucks was drawn to restaurant work while spending a sum-

mer during college working at the family owned La Strada Restaurant in Marietta. After graduating high school, his love for alpine sports and the outdoors drew him to Colorado, where he worked at several restaurants, working his way up to sous chef at LaTour and Vail’s Cascade Resort & Spa. In New York, he worked for the Pellegrino family in their highly acclaimed Baldoria Restaurant. With that culinary foundation, Hucks returned to Vail, where he was chef de cuisine at the four diamond, Chaps Grill and Chophouse. Some of his noteworthy stops were Latin, Central and South America, New Zealand, then onto Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, learning about people and cul-

tures. Hucks was then recruited by the Baan Rim Pa to become head chef at Da Maurizio Restaurant in Phuket. Then, a trip to Italy for training in the kitchen of Zi Peppe Restaurant outside of Rome, to crown off working in the three-Michelin Star restaurant in Spain. Another special family nugget is that Hucks’ brother, Rob Stern, is an acclaimed Miami glass artist who designed The Alden’s fixtures, and other special unique touches at the rear of the dining room. Also, Hucks and his dad built the planters on the patio. The Alden is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, with an expansive patio for dining al fresco. 5070 Peachtree Blvd. 678-395-6982.ì

Chai Style Office

Diane commissioned Shanequa Gay to design and install this entire wall decor over a two-week span.

Chai Style Office: Alexander’s ‘Art of Art’ and Medicine

Marcia Caller Jaffe

Dr. Diane Alexander grew up in Portland, Ore., shaped by a close-knit family and immersed in music, ballet, and art classes, and where her artistic inclina-

tions were nurtured. While playing the cello became a significant part of her life, including in the Yale Symphony Orchestra, she explored her talents through diverse art classes and music festivals. She recalled, “This upbringing laid the foundation for my lifelong commitment to artistic expression and the seamless integration of that into my medical practice where plastic surgery, in itself, is an art. It’s why I’m so passionate about it as a fusion of medical knowledge, technical skill, precision, and artistry. Drawing from my musical background, I understand the importance of harmony, balance, and nuanced expression. Each patient is a canvas of transformation.” Bringing in artists to her Artisan Beau-

té Spas, like Todd Murphy and Radcliffe Bailey, aligns with Alexander’s own resonation with beauty and harmony. Another captivating addition is that of her artist daughter, Kayla, who constructed an outsized, 300-pound, 10’ x 4’ plaster sculpture. Diane explained, “Kayla casted my hands and arms, my niece’s torso, and another friend’s legs and combined them to arrive at this remarkable female plaster body.” Take the rare art office tour of two Alexander locations. Jaffe: How did you get interested in collecting art? Alexander: That journey traces back to the late ‘80s when my husband, Kent, and I discovered Southern folk art, particularly the enchanting works of Howard Finster. This exploration led us to “pick” art directly from the artists’ homes across the South, adding profound meaning to connecting with the creators. Our encounters with artists like Mose Tolliver, Charlie Lucas, Cybele Gibson, and Lonnie Holley became cherished adventures, forming the foundation of our eclectic art collection. Continuing this tradition, we’ve befriended incredible artists like the late Todd Murphy, Shanequa Gay, and Joseph

Guay. Our collection is diverse, spanning folk and outsider art, photography, and contemporary works mainly by Georgia artists, reflecting our ongoing support for the local community. Jaffe: Radcliffe Bailey, who just recently passed away, is a showpiece in many local collections. You found him early on? Alexander: I was introduced to Radcliffe through Todd Murphy. I discovered not only an extraordinary artist, but a remarkably kind, humble and gracious person. Meeting the person behind the art added significantly to my appreciation of his work. Radcliffe’s art, with its symbolism, and complex layers, textures, and historical depth, goes beyond visual appeal. Each piece becomes a captivating narrative, inviting contemplation. It’s devastating to the art community to have lost both Radcliffe and Todd at such young ages. Jaffe: What particularly spoke to you about Murphy? Alexander: Our connection with Todd spans 25 years and began when I fell in love with his dress paintings in several homes. Drawn to his magic, I arranged a studio visit for me, Kent, and our daughter, Kayla.

This marked the genesis of a close friendship. I admire how he transformed ordinary objects into art where the simple became magical. Beyond being a celebrated artist, Todd became Kayla’s mentor, a relationship that flourished over the years. He helped her pick her portfolio to gain admission to The Art Institute of Chicago. I vividly recall a poignant moment when Todd sat on the floor with Kayla, then eight, and praised her color schemes! Todd’s kindness and generosity are unmatched. His spirit lives on through the artwork at our home and spas. I’m fortunate to share this with patients. Jaffe: Kayla’s pieces are mind-blowing. Alexander: Kayla’s journey as a fine artist has been intertwined with our artistic environment and my professional career. Growing up surrounded by art, from Finster’s whimsical Coke bottle to the mesmerizing works of Todd Murphy, likely helped tap into her innate talent. As Kayla’s artistic journey began, grade schoolteachers pulled us aside to kvell over her gift. High school proved pivotal as she flourished under the guidance of Chris Greenway at Woodward. Kayla’s curiosity extended to my work as a plastic surgeon,

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 57

CHAI STYLE when she studied my anatomy and surgical textbooks! That likely enhanced the accuracy of her technical portraiture skills. The daily interaction with Kayla’s incredible artwork in the practice and spas adds an extra layer of pride and joy to my professional life. Jaffe: Do you tie art into travels? Alexander: The integration of art into travel has become an inseparable part of our adventures. Whether navigating airport security with a human-sized leather sculpture from Turkey during our honeymoon or pursuing an intricate, unique rug/tapestry by Christiaan Lieverse in the Netherlands, each artwork is a tangible reminder of our explorations both at home and abroad. Jaffe: How does art blend with medicine? Alexander: As my career in plastic surgery progressed over the last 23 years, my focus has shifted toward facial rejuvenation. This passion extends to non-invasive aesthetic services and led to the establishment of Artisan Beauté Buckhead, followed by the Westside location. As a plastic surgeon, I blend the roles of physician, surgeon, and artist. Tissues serve as my canvas, and sutures act as my paintbrush. Plastic surgery represents the perfect fusion of scientific knowledge, technical skill, and artistic expression, engaging both sides of my brain —the left as a physician, the right as an enhancer of beauty. Artisan Plastic Surgery and the two Artisan Beauté Med Spas, designed as art galleries and medical facilities, stand as a testament to my passion for crafting nurturing, healing spaces. My approach to Above: This gigantic triptych panel, “Bird Room,” by Todd Murphy is the centerpiece of Alexander’s Buckhead Spa entrance. Right: Daughter, Kayla Alexander, who trained at the Chicago Institute of Art, fashioned this huge, 300-pound plaster sculpture for the Westside location. The back lighting enhances its dramatic effect. Kayla’s piece is 10’ x 4’. Below: While a student at Woodward Academy, Kayla composed this treatment of John Lennon from 600 pages of his biography. Left: Diane tracked down this unique tapestry rug, “Achillea,” by Christiaan Lieverse in the Netherlands.

58 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

CHAI STYLE plastic surgery and aesthetics is centered on helping people feel beautiful, vibrant, and healthy inside and out, with the integration of artwork enhancing this transformative process. Recently, we introduced wellness services at the spas, addressing patients’ needs to heal from the inside out and outside in. This encompasses weight and hormone optimization, IV therapies, and peptides, embracing a comprehensive approach to surgery, aesthetics, and well-being. Jaffe: Do you have room for more pieces? Alexander: When I run out of space for art, I might just have to open a new spa! Jaffe: Last word … If you could wake up tomorrow and have one new piece, it would be: Alexander: We just went to the Mark Rothko exhibit in Paris … I could only dream of having one of his pieces!ì

Above: Plastic surgeon Diane Alexander designed this seating area in the Buckhead waiting room to include this photo of a woman by Gregory Colbert and (right) an eclectic multi-layered piece by Ebony Patterson noting rebirth and rejuvenation, the joy of celebration with bees and pearls. Below: Basket of straw: Lekha Singh, untitled, “Women Bearing Weight,” series is from the Trotta-Bono contemporary gallery. A petite Dr. Diane Alexander scales a ledge to admire “Peace of Mind” by local, self-taught artist Vando who is known for his Neo-Expressionism in vibrant clashing colors and vowel free words // Photos by Howard Mendel

Tabitha Soren’s “Kiss Goodnight,” from Jackson Fine Art, is in the Westside location.

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Hurewitz Earns Eagle Scout Status Ian Hurewitz earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts of America, on Dec. 28, 2023. He is a member of Troop 1818 out of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta and his community service project consisted of improving and beautifying an area behind his synagogue, Congregation B’nai Torah, in Sandy Springs. This large task (nearly 140 hours of planning and executing) involved emptying and demolishing an old storage shed, creating a base layer of pavers, sand, and a wooden base, constructing a newer shed, creating a rubber mulch path, and planting gardenia bushes that surround the shed. Throughout his scouting career, Hurewitz has earned 55 merit badges (but only 21 are required), several awards, and enjoys helping younger scouts reach rank requirements. He is an outstanding student in his junior year at Wheeler High School in Marietta. Outside of scouts, he leads youth religious services regularly at his synagogue, plays the bassoon in Wind Ensemble, and creates 3D animations on his computer. He is the son of Amy and Kevin Hurewitz, of Marietta, grandson of Rosanne and Harry Lutz, of Dunwoody, and Bernice Hurewitz, of Marietta. 60 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

THE JEWISH FOOD EVENT OF THE YEAR! Sunday, February 25, 2024 • 1:00 - 5:00 pm

’

Bring your friends and enjoy a delicious afternoon of learning and sharing the love of Jewish food and foodways.

The Jewish Table

ing, n r a le f o e v lo a Building e. f li r o f s ip h s d n and frie

ba bka to za

Sponsored by: Congregation Shearith Israel • Gather Grants program of JFGA Limmud Southeast

Epic Babka session with Alon Balshan of Alon’s

Keynote speakers: the authors of Kugels & Collards

Make your own Middle Eastern spice mix with Tal Baum, owner of Aziza and Rina

PLUS: Pickle making • Food truck • Secrets of Kosher BBQ • Cookbook exchange • and more! Location: Congregation Shearith Israel • 1180 University Drive NE, Atlanta, GA

Congregation Shearith Israel

Limmud Atlanta & Southeast

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR! FULL & HALF-DAY OPTIONS | AGES 6 WEEKS - TRANSITIONAL K Dunwoody | East Cobb | Sandy Springs

ATLANTAJCC.ORG/PRESCHOOL PRESCHOOL@ATLANTAJCC.ORG

WN O N PE O

Where Expert Healthcare Takes Flight.

ith a name inspired by the Monarch butterflies that call our Legacy Gardens home, Monarch Pavilion is the beautiful new four-floor neighborhood for all of Canterbury Court’s healthcare services. Featuring Assisted Living and Memory Support as well as Skilled Nursing, residents of all faiths receive the healthcare they need with the warm, person-centered approach Canterbury Court is known for.

To learn more and to schedule a personal tour, contact us today at 404-905-2444, visit 3750 Peachtree Road, N.E. | Atlanta, GA 30319 CanterburyCourt.org/ExpertCare, or scan the QR code. CanterburyCourt.org | ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 61

CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 1-14 Knit and Crochet Group - 1 to 3 p.m. Join Dor Tamid and crochet and knit beanies for premature babies from home. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3VY3R1j.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1 Emory Jazz Fest 2024 - The annual Emory Jazz Fest brings world-class jazz to the community with master classes, artist demonstrations, and concerts featuring acclaimed guitarist Bobby Broom, pianist Gary Motley, bassist Kenny Davis, drummer Kobie Watkins, and the Emory Big Band under the direction of Randy Hunter. Find out more at https://bit.ly/41YYsuP.

Torah Study with Rabbi Dorsch - 10 a.m. Join Rabbi Dorsch from Congregation Etz Chaim for one of the many Torah Study classes being offered. Find out where at https://bit.ly/45kiCk4. Brain Health Bootcamp – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Join a fun, social class to strengthen your mind and body to stay sharp! With age serving as the greatest risk factor for cognitive impairment or memory loss, JF&CS is taking action with the Brain Health Bootcamp. The first of its kind in Atlanta, it is designed to provide memory enhancement techniques through cognitive stimulation, physical exercise, education, and socialization. Join by visiting https://bit.ly/3tPwMs3.

Emory Jazz Fest 2024 - The annual Emory Jazz Fest brings world-class jazz to the community with master classes, artist demonstrations, and concerts featuring acclaimed guitarist Bobby Broom, pianist Gary Motley, bassist Kenny Davis, drummer Kobie Watkins, and the Emory Big Band under the direction of Randy Hunter. Find out more at https://bit.ly/41YYsuP.

Tot Shabbat at Etz Chaim - 5 to 6:30 p.m. Etz Chaim Preschool invites you to our monthly Tot Shabbat on Fridays. Bring your own dairy or pareve dinner, and join us for songs, dances, crafts, and fun! Find out more at https://bit.ly/3sQ5nsK.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Mazal Tots: Baby and Me - 9:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Welcoming a new addition to your family is a joyous occasion, and finding a supportive community to share the journey makes it even more special. Introducing Mazal Tots, a unique gathering designed to foster connections, provide resources, and celebrate the beautiful journey of parenthood. With dedicated age-specific sections, Temple Emanu-El caters to the needs of families with infants (0-5 months), movers and groovers (6-17 months), and toddlers (18 months yrs), creating an inclusive space for all. Find out more at https://bit.ly/41FaLw8.

Kabbalat Panim and Kabbalat Shalom Shabbat Service - 5:45 to 8 p.m. Once a month at Congregation Dor Tamid will gather for a Kabbalat Panim, an Oneg Shabbat before services at 5:45 p.m. We will then move to the sanctuary to welcome in Shabbat together at 6:15 p.m. Learn more at https://bit. ly/3QgXaHw.

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 Diana Cole for more information at Diana@atljewishtimes.com. 62 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Kabbalah and Coffee - 10 to 11 a.m. Discuss, explore, and journey with Intown Jewish Academy through the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. This ongoing class probes the esoteric through a unique program of English text-based study. No prior Kabbalistic experience required. Learn more at https://bit. ly/3V3sfiE.

Kabbalah Café – 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. Fuel up your week with the transformative teachings of Kabbalah as you enjoy a gourmet hot breakfast and coffee bar. You’ll study text-based spiritual wisdom that gives you practical guidance to living a healthy and empowered life. Join Beth Tefillah by visiting https://bit.ly/3Ak2BfX.

Melton at Etz Chaim: “OMG Can You Believe? - 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Explore the BIG questions surrounding God with Rabbi Dan Dorsch at Congregation Etz Chaim for this Brill Institute/Melton School class. Register at https://bit.ly/48dTzQn.

Inclusivity in Motion: An Afternoon with Full Radius Dance - 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Jewish Abilities Atlanta and the MJCCA’s Blonder Family Department for Special Needs invite you to celebrate Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month by experiencing a selection of powerful dance works from Full Radius Dance. Following the performance, Full Radius dancers will offer insight and a demonstration explaining the intricacies and philosophy behind physically integrated dance. RSVP at https://bit. ly/3Hb7evY.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5 Jeff’s Place Café – 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Need a place to host your Monday-morning business meeting? Looking to meet a friend for breakfast and coffee? Craving some bagels and lox before heading into the office? Come to Chabad Intown and find out more at https:// bit.ly/3IRgve6.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9 CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES Torah Reading: Yitro Friday, February 2 Shevat 23, 5784 Light Candles at: 5:51 PM

Powerful Tools for Caregivers - 10 to 11:30 a.m. This program from AgeWell Atlanta helps family caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, learn different ways to communicate, and increase ability to make tough decisions. Interactive lessons, discussions, and brainstorming will help you use the tools and put them into action for your life. Classes consist of six in-person sessions held once a week. Register at https://bit.ly/3RXf1E2.

Saturday, February 3 Shevat 24, 5784 Shabbat Ends: 6:48 PM Torah Reading: Mishpatim Friday, February 9 Shevat 30, 5784 Light Candles at: 5:58 PM Saturday, February 10 Adar I 1, 5784 Shabbat Ends: 6:55 PM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

Ancient Wisdom For Your Life - 8 to 9 p.m. A weekly journey into the Torah’s relevance with Chabad of North Fulton. Find out more at https://bit. ly/41Aol45.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6 Jewish Women’s Torah and Tea – 8 to 9 p.m. Weekly women’s in-depth and fascinating exploration of the chassidus book of Tanya. Register at https:// bit.ly/3TlT4ja.

Emory@Shearith - The Shtetl: An Anatomy - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Congregation Shearith Israel’s Emory@ Shearith series continues with a free morning program with Dr. Eric Goldstein, Associate Professor in Emory’s Department of History and Institute for Jewish Studies, presenting on the topic “The Shtetl: An Anatomy.” Coffee and cookies will be served. Register at https://bit.ly/3vuqxxQ. Jewish Women’s Torah and Tea - 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. Join the Jewish Women’s Circle of Decatur for a weekly discussion on the Parsha and contemporary Jewish issues. Find out more at https:// bit.ly/3T8oR4B.

NCJW/ATL Repro Shabbat - 8 a.m. Reproductive Freedom is a Jewish Value. Our communities should be places where anyone who has, or may ever, terminate a pregnancy feels loved, welcomed, and supported. They should be places where people understand what our tradition teaches about these issues. And they should be places where we understand the importance of fighting for reproductive health, rights, and justice for everyone. Join NCJW for the weekend by visiting https://bit.ly/3Hg8Pkp.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10 Torah Study with Rabbi Dorsch - 10 a.m. Join Rabbi Dorsch from Congregation Etz Chaim for one of the many Torah Study classes being offered. Find out where at https://bit.ly/45kiCk4.

Knit and Crochet Group - 1 to 3 p.m. Join Dor Tamid and crochet and knit beanies for premature babies from home. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3VY3R1j.

Gan Katan -10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Congregation Or Hadash is thrilled to introduce a monthly drop-off preschool program at Machon Hadash this year! The program is designed for 3-5-yearolds and is taught by a wonderful, warm, experienced Jewish preschool teacher. After the children finish up each week, we invite parents and kids to stay for child-friendly snacks and schmooze, and for kiddush lunch, too. All are welcome - you do not need to be a member of Or Hadash. Register at https://bit.ly/3KtkKxb. Havdalah and Concert with The Mamalehs - 7:30 to 9 p.m. Get a sitter – The Mamalehs are coming to Or Hadash! Join us for an evening of musical joy and beauty with Atlanta’s favorite Jewish trio, as we escort the Sabbath Queen on her way and sing ourselves into the week ahead. RSVP at https:// bit.ly/3TUgtZb.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8

Shalom in the Home: Sibling Rivalry - 8 to 9 p.m. Join parenting coach and founder of Here We Grow, Taryn Rioseco, as she helps us navigate sibling relationships in order to create more peace in the home. Register with Nurture and Davis Academy at https://bit. ly/3HbZ9XZ.

Brain Health Bootcamp – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Join a fun, social class to strengthen your mind and body to stay sharp! With age serving as the greatest risk factor for cognitive impairment or memory loss, JF&CS is taking action with the Brain Health Bootcamp. The first of its kind in Atlanta, it is designed to provide memory enhancement techniques through cognitive stimulation, physical exercise, education, and socialization. Join by visiting https://bit.ly/3tPwMs3.

St. Olaf Choir - 8 to 10 p.m. The St. Olaf Choir, conducted by Anton Armstrong, will perform at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory University during its 2024 Winter Tour. For more than a century, the St. Olaf Choir has set the gold standard for choral singing, performing for millions around the world. Composed of 75 mixed voices, the St. Olaf Choir is hailed as one of the nation’s premier a cappella ensembles, renowned for its artistry and beauty of sound. Purchase tickets at https://bit.ly/490hTG1.

Mazal Tots: Baby and Me - 9:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Welcoming a new addition to your family is a joyous occasion, and finding a supportive community to share the journey makes it even more special. Introducing Mazal Tots, a unique gathering designed to foster connections, provide resources, and celebrate the beautiful journey of parenthood. With dedicated age-specific sections, Temple Emanu-El caters to the needs of families with infants (0-5 months), movers and groovers (6-17 months), and toddlers (18 months yrs), creating an inclusive space for all. Find out more at https://bit.ly/41FaLw8. ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 63

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14

64 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Bubbles and Giggles - 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Step into the enchanting world of ‘Bubbles & Giggles’ – a mesmerizing bubble show designed specifically for preschool-age families at Davis Academy! Join our bubbly host, Anastasia, as we embark on a whimsical journey filled with magical bubbles of all shapes and sizes. Watch in awe as the air comes alive with shimmering rainbows and floating wonders, captivating the imagination of your little ones. Join Nurture and PJ Library by registering at https://bit.ly/4aQX3u9.

Irena’s Vow - 2:20 p.m. In this gripping wartime drama, based on a true story, a strong-willed Catholic housemaid risks her life to save Polish Jews from the Nazi war machine, in an unforgettable tale of personal sacrifice, courage, and compassion. Get Tickets at https://bit.ly/3RTJilW. Ancient Wisdom For Your Life - 8 to 9 p.m. A weekly journey into the Torah’s relevance with Chabad of North Fulton. Find out more at https://bit. ly/41Aol45.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12 Jeff’s Place Café – 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Need a place to host your Monday-morning business meeting? Looking to meet a friend for breakfast and coffee? Craving some bagels and lox before heading into the office? Come to Chabad Intown and find out more at https:// bit.ly/3IRgve6. Powerful Tools for Caregivers - 10 to 11:30 a.m. This program from AgeWell Atlanta helps family caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, learn different ways to communicate, and increase ability to make tough decisions. Interactive lessons, discussions, and brainstorming will help you use the tools and put them into action for your life. Classes consist of six in-person sessions held once a week. Register at https://bit.ly/3RXf1E2.

Irena’s Vow - 7:30 p.m. In this gripping wartime drama, based on a true story, a strong-willed Catholic housemaid risks her life to save Polish Jews from the Nazi war machine, in an unforgettable tale of personal sacrifice, courage, and compassion. Get Tickets at https://bit.ly/3u5oGPD.

Jewish Women’s Torah and Tea – 8 to 9 p.m. Weekly women’s in-depth and fascinating exploration of the chassidus book of Tanya. Register at https:// bit.ly/3TlT4ja.

Emory@Shearith: Guest Lecturer Eric Goldstein - 7:30 to 9 p.m. Dr. Eric Goldstein, Associate Professor in Emory’s Department of History and Institute for Jewish Studies, will present a three-part lecture series titled “Where do Jews fit into America’s racial and ethnic mix?” based on his book The Price of Whiteness: Jews, Race, and American Identity. Purchase sessions at https://bit.ly/4aMlFnT.

Jewish Women’s Torah and Tea - 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. Join the Jewish Women’s Circle of Decatur for a weekly discussion on the Parsha and contemporary Jewish issues. Find out more at https:// bit.ly/3T8oR4B.

Less Than Kosher - 8 p.m. In this snappy, Toronto-set musical comedy, a wayward singer’s life takes a divinely uproarious turn when she lands a cantor gig in her family’s synagogue, sparking self-discovery, family mishigas, and unholy chaos. Purchase Tickets at https://bit.ly/3vEgK8C.

It’s a fact. Now more than ever, access to safe abortion is a life and death situation. Reproductive freedom is a Jewish value, and a strong commitment to reproductive health and abortion rights is a belief deeply rooted in our ancient texts. Next weekend is National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW)’s 4th annual Repro Shabbat, when Parshat Mishpatim (Exodus Chapter 21-23) will be read. This parsha includes verses that form the basis for Judaism’s teachings on abortion. NCJW sections around the country are taking the lead to educate our communities on the important issues of reproductive health and access, reproductive rights, and reproductive justice. NCJW Atlanta Section thanks the clergy leaders in and around metro Atlanta who have signed NCJW’s Rabbis/Clergy for Repro pledge. This program is co-sponsored by The Rabbinical Assembly, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, and the American Conference of Cantors.

We are proud that more than 50 clergy leaders in and around metro Atlanta have signed NCJW’s Rabbis/Clergy for Repro Pledge, committing to teach and preach about this crucial healthcare issue and acknowledging the broad community support for abortion access. CONSERVATIVE • Congregation Ahavath Achim – Rabbi Sam Blustin, Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal, Rabbi Neil Sandler (Emeritus) • Congregation Beth Shalom – Rabbi Mark Zimmerman • Congregation B’nai Torah – Rabbi Elizabeth Breit, Rabbi Joshua Heller, Rabbi Hillel Konigsburg • Congregation Etz Chaim – Rabbi Daniel Dorsch • Congregation Gesher L’Torah – Rabbi Michael Bernstein • Congregation Or Hadash – Rabbi Lauren Henderson • Congregation Shearith Israel – Rabbi David Helfand, Rabbi Ari Kaiman RECONSTRUCTIONIST • Congregation Bet Haverim – Rabbi Michael Rothbaum REFORM • Congregation Dor Tamid – Rabbi Jordan Ottenstein • Temple Beth Tikvah – Rabbi Alexandria Shuval-Weiner • Temple Emanu-El – Rabbi Spike Anderson, Rabbi Max Miller, Rabbi Rachael Klein Miller • Temple Kol Emeth – Rabbi Pamela Gottfried • Temple Sinai – Rabbi Philip Krantz (Emeritus), Rabbi Brad Levenberg, Rabbi Ron Segal, Cantorial Chair Beth Schafer, Rabbi Natan Trief, Rabbi Sam Trief • The Temple – Rabbi Peter Berg, Cantor Deborah Hartman (Emerita), Rabbi Loren Filson Lapidus, Rabbi Lydia Medwin, Rabbi Steven Rau, Cantor Tracey Scher, Rabbi Alvin Sugarman (Emeritus)

COMMUNITY RABBIS • Rabbi Michele Selvin Coffsky • Rabbi Lauren Cohn • Rabbi Amanda Flaks • Rabbi Joshua Lesser • Rabbi Dan Medwin • Rabbi Scott Sperling ORGANIZATIONS • 18Doors Atlanta – Rabbi Malka Packer-Monroe • Be’Chol Lashon – Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder • Emory University – Rabbi Jordan Braunig, Rabbi Jonathan Crane, Darshanit Miriam Udel • Hillels of Georgia – Rabbi Larry Sernovitz • Jewish Family & Career Services – Rabbi Judith Beiner • Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta – Rabbi Elana Perry, Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez • Ma’alot – Rabbi Ariel Root Wolpe • Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta – Rabbi Brian Glusman OUTSIDE METRO ATLANTA • Temple Beth Tefilloh (Brunswick) – Rabbi Rachael Bregman • Congregation Beth Israel (Fayetteville) – Rabbi Ellen Nemhauser • Congregation Children of Israel (Augusta) – Rabbi Robert Klensin • Community Rabbi (Augusta) — Rabbi Seth Oppenheimer

Our Mission: National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. christineh@ncjwatlanta.org • www.ncjwatlanta.org • 404-843-9600

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 65

OY VEY

JEWISH JOKE

OY VEY! HAVE I GOT A PROBLEM... Dear Rachel, years. Our paths and we’ve been friends for over fifty I have a childhood friend, Karen, between us. I emget ever d , and I thought nothing coul have veered, but we’ve stayed close attended each still we Yet, ained staunchly Reform. braced Orthodoxy while Karen rem of our children s ding wed bar and bas mitzvahs and other’s weddings and celebrated the love and care Our es. Stat in different parts of the together. It didn’t matter that we lived ver. fore ble ght it would remain intracta for each other were rich, and I thou with her and give her died, I jumped on a plane to be mot A few years ago, when Karen’s her support. lost my precious my family. In a fleeting moment, I Then, one year ago, tragedy struck indescribable, and was y ed into my heart. The agon daughter, and a gaping hole was carv only did I have to Not ng. tiful children were left reeli a shattered husband and three beau grandchildren. ess herl mot up my son-in-law and my bear my grief, but I needed to hold To my surd. pene hap a message about what had In the middle of shiva, I sent Karen ’t have the didn I But us. and the silence was thundero prise, I didn’t hear back from her, h the teac and n ldre dchi to fill a void for my gran mind space to focus on Karen; I had wife and mother. family to cope without their beloved I received a courage to move forward. One day, the and A year passed, filled with pain ? visit to by e com in my area, and could she text from Karen that she would be felt raw and nd wou my and ectiveness peeled away, Like onion skin, the layers of self-prot

exposed. this? ing happened? What do I do with Now she communicates, as if noth in touch after been n’t that I felt hurt that she had After some introspection, I replied I would be looked knew I chosen different paths, and Amy died. She replied, “We’ve both ounded by your surr be ld up during shiva. You wou at through hooded eyes if I showed addition, we are In y. mal ano e in and be viewed as an Orthodox family, and I would com r of Trump favo in e wer you the last time we spoke, clearly on different wavelengths, as and focus on e mov can we e. It is my sincere hope that whereas I wanted him out of offic differences.” on our commonalities instead of our so many e from the friend I had cherished for cam sage I could hardly believe this mes it is time and er answ an rve aps her text doesn’t dese years. Rachel, should I respond? Perh . to call a hiatus to our relationship I await your thoughts, Sandy

Dear Sandy, That is unbearably painful. Not only does your friend fail to apologize for her lack of support during your time of grief, but she justifies it in a self-centered, distant manner. I assume that your friendship will never be able to return to the level of intimacy that you once shared. Karen let you down in a deep way at a time when you were in desperate need. And if you can’t count on your close friend when you’re suffering, then perhaps the friendship is not authentic. Would you consider writing the following response? “Karen, we’ve shared a lifelong friendship, a friendship I’ve always treasured. I came to you during your time of mourning and always thought that our friendship transcended external barriers.” This message can either open or close the door, depending on Karen's reaction. Is it possible that she was experiencing something challenging in her own life at the same time as your tragedy happened? I am not saying that it is impossible to regenerate your friendship. But that will only be possible if there is open communication on both sides and a lot of compassion and empathy. I believe it’s always worth trying to salvage a relationship. And sometimes, following reconciliation, the bond becomes even stronger than it was before. Wishing you the best, Rachel

Atlanta Jewish Times Advice Column Got a problem? Email Rachel at oyvey@atljewishtimes.com 250 words or less describing your problem. We want to hear from you and get helpful suggestions for your situation at the same time! Identifying details will be changed upon request. 66 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

18 Children Max was talking to Louie and said, “Did you know I’m one of 18 children?” Louie said, “No, I did not. Why do you think your parents had so many kids?” Max replied, “It’s probably because my mother was hard of hearing. When mom and dad went to bed each night, dad would ask, ‘Do you want to go sleep or what?’ And mom would say, ‘What?’”

YIDDISH WORD Neo-shanda n. Insults for today’s world. “It’s become hard for me to know when Greta is insulting me because I’m not up to date on her neo-shanda taunts.” In traditional Yiddish, the number of words for various complaints is only rivaled by the number of insult words. But following the principle that the more you’ve got, the more you’ve got to complain about, new insult words are sorely needed. From the Yiddish shanda, meaning “shame” or “disgrace.”

BRAIN FOOD

On a Plane

ACROSS

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

21 24

22 26

36 42

47 51

52 55

44 48

35 39

53 57

58 65

1. Great Rabbi Baba 5. Great artist Chagall 9. Major zionist org. 14. Hazeh or Haba 15. It intersects Utica and E. 49th st. in Brooklyn 16. Org. often at odds with 9-Across 17. Disappointing sign at the shochet for those wanting pastrami or lox? 19. Ice cream serving 20. Yid alternative 21. Big burden 23. Hamas rival, for short 24. Zilch 26. Holding it in Risk is impressive 28. Moses made one from Egypt as a young man? 33. CWS and CHI sports org. 34. Indonesia’s ___ Islands 35. Arrive, as darkness 37. Johnson who directed the lowest ranked Star Wars movie by fans (“The Last Jedi”) 39. Poem by King David 42. Sliced meat, familiarly 43. Movie where 54-Down has “...a very particular set of skills” 45. Innocent, simple one 47. Legendary Brooks 48. Something to take at Sy

13. Guitarist’s gadget 18. Mysterious emanations from the fridge, at times 22. Jewish org. for teens 25. Most common crossword fish 27. Fired 28. David’s oldest brother 29. Current King of Wakanda 30. Indian flatbreads 31. Grocery-cart contents 32. Scrabble pieces 33. He played a Rocky foe 36. Nada 38. Cardinal’s home 40. Edinburgh girl 41. Pfeiffer who played The Wasp 44. Name in TV ratings 46. “Help” signal fired from a gun 49. Sch. in eastern Virginia 50. Get away 51. Delighted 54. See 43-Across 55. The only place the Jews ever colonized, per Bill Maher (for short) 56. Male elk 58. Today’s Thailand 60. Change in Chihuahua 61. Dances like Hines or Teicher 62. Sore for sight eyes? 64. “Her ways ___ ways of pleasantness” (Prov. 3:17) 66. Total

Syms? 52. Guarding ___ (1994 MacLaine film) 53. Fake 54. Bathroom scale meas. 57. Director Besson and former NBA champ Longley 59. Blows, as a volcano 63. Itty bits 65. Ideal place for kissing the Torah, perhaps? 67. You might not have one in the world 68. Ageless Rudd 69. Behold 70. ___ David 71. Palindromic Swiss River 72. One spoonful, perhaps

DOWN

1. Big name in electronics 2. “Vera” lead-in 3. Bit of facial hair 4. Protected, as from disease 5. Post-spat activity 6. MPEG alternative 7. Vegas alternative 8. Courvoisier or Remy Martin 9. They celebrate Chanukah in summer 10. Ltd. alt. 11. Groucho’s cigar, e.g. 12. Illegal mil. status

Traditional Family Solution 1

G M

A M

N O N

N G

23 29 33

M O

30 34

38 42

S M A

O O

58 63 66

D A

R O O

S L

R O

A M

H O D

D G

A M E

O W

A M

61 65 68

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 67

OBITUARIES

Daniel Marc Bassen

Susie Bross Gerchicoff

In loving memory–Daniel Marc Bassen, born Nov. 29, 1972, in New York, passed away on Jan. 9, 2024, at the age of 51, in Dunwoody, Ga. He is survived by his twin sons, Ethan and Wyatt, former spouse, Robin, and parents Ira and Sandy Bassen; and lovingly remembered by his family and friends. Dan, a business graduate of Emory University, was fun, witty, and thoughtful, and a dedicated sales professional, a devoted father and a dear, dear friend, who leaves behind a legacy of warmth and kindness. Rest in peace, Danny–may your memory be a blessing. In honor of Dan’s avid love for the outdoors, donations may be made to the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy or a charity of your choice.

It is with a heavy heart that the family of Susie Bross Gerchicoff announces her passing on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Marietta, Ga., peacefully in her sleep. The West Hartford, Conn., native and longtime Atlanta resident was the treasured wife of Shawn Gerchicoff. Adored mother of Bonnie Gerchicoff (San Diego). She is also survived by her father Gene, twin sister Melanie (Bross Newman) and her brothers Rick (Janet Tousley) and Jeff (Kerry Desmond), her in-laws Myra & Barry Gerchicoff & brother-in-law Jason. She was predeceased by her mother Ann Bross (née Sarfaty). Susie was a beautiful, honest, and outspoken woman with the most radiant smile; who was passionate about anyone and anything that she loved; always having left an indelible mark on the many lives she touched. The family would like to express their gratitude to her doctors, nurses, and medical technicians for the kind and loving care she received throughout her illness at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. Susie adored her dogs Barkley and Cassie. If you wish to make a charitable contribution in Susie’s name, please think of the ASPCA to save and rescue animals. There will be a Celebration of Life Saturday, April 13. Arrangements by Dressler’s, 770-451-4999.

51, Dunwoody

Victor Brown 91, Atlanta

Victor Brown passed away at 91 on Jan. 7, 2024, after a brief respiratory illness. He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1933 as a first generation American, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants Benjmain and Faye Brownstein. Moving with his family to New Orleans, Louisiana in the height of the Great Depression and growing up in the era of the Second World War, his curious mind led him to initially obtain a master’s degree in physics from Indiana University before graduating medical school at Louisiana State University and pursuing a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology in New Orleans. He practiced medicine in the city for over 50 years, often providing care to underserved communities. He was a devoted member of the Jewish Community of New Orleans, and in his later life led groups for Torah Study. After Hurricane Katrina, he relocated to Atlanta surrounded by his loving extended family. As a parent he was ever-patient, extraordinarily giving, and always mindful of guiding his children while still accepting their independence. As a friend, he was witty, charming, and would place the needs of others over his own. As a member of the community, he was a contrarian scholar who was tolerant of all and sought to keep the peace. He is survived by his many children, grandchildren, wife, and caregivers.

Sonya Zoss Ferst 73 Atlanta

Sonya Zoss Ferst passed away Jan. 24, 2024, after a prolonged illness. She was born and raised in Atlanta. Her deceased husband, Harold Ferst, and she are survived by their children: Shaun Ferst and Cindy Ferst. Her parents, Betsy and Joe Zoss had three other daughters: Linda Zoss Kaden Clark (19402022), Susan Zoss Rapaport and Margie Zoss Wells.

68 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

69, Marietta

Marilyn Solomon Gottlieb 93, Atlanta

Marilyn Solomon Gottlieb (Solomon) was born on May 8, 1930, in Atlanta, Ga., and she passed away in Denver, Colo., on Jan. 21, 2024. She graduated from Girls High of Atlanta in 1948 and was married to her sweetheart, Paul Gottlieb, the same year. In the last couple of years, she moved from her home state of Georgia, where she lived her entire life in Atlanta and Dalton, to Colorado to be close to family and make new friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Bessie and Julius Solomon, her husband, Paul Gottlieb, her two daughters, Ellen Cotterill and Alexis Harris, and her great-grandson, Ira Gene Beck, as well as her sister, Lillian Solomon Taylor, her brother, Gerald Solomon, and her twin brother, Stanley Solomon. She worked for several decades at Rollins Inc. She volunteered for years at local libraries and was given a special award for her service. She also become a bowling champion, volunteered with the Jewish War Veterans, gardened, and participated in multiple book clubs. Marilyn loved books, dogs, and broccoli. Most of all she loved people. She radiated love and acceptance, and those who were blessed to have known her loved her in return. She was a friend to all, young and old, near, and far. Her contagious smile brightened every room she entered and left all feeling welcome in her presence. Her family and friends have been blessed to have known her and will miss her greatly. She is survived by her daughter, Marlane (Steve) Beck, and grandchildren, Miriam (Chris) Buckley, Melody (Joe) Caulfield, Scott (Rachele) Beck, Natalie (Jon Travis) Beck, and Chris Harris, plus eight great-grandchildren and two very adorable great-greatgranddaughters. Graveside funeral services were held at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at Crest Lawn Memorial Park, 2000 Marietta Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Kavod, 820 S. Monaco Pkwy, Suite #234, Denver, CO 80224, or Congregation Gesher L’Torah, 4320 Kimball Bridge Rd, Alpharetta, GA 30022. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

OBITUARIES

Abe Grabia

Arlene Kaye Jacobson

Abe Grabia was born on Dec. 22, 1925, and passed away on Jan. 15, 2024. He was born in Brzesko-Nowe Poland to Zelik and Perla of blessed memory. Abe emigrated to the United States in the late 1940’s and lived in the New York metro area. He was a concentration camp survivor. Despite many hardships during years of forced labor and bearing witness to horrible acts he managed to move on. Abe married the love of his life, Selma, and raised a family. He worked for many years with Atlanta Suburbia, a residential developer, with his good friends and fellow survivors, Alex and Ben Gross. Abe is survived by his two sons, Leonard and Steven, his daughters-in-law, Joanne and Cheryl, and his two maternal grandchildren, Josh (Susanna) and Brian. The funeral was on Wednesday, Jan. 17, graveside at Arlington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Eternal Life Hemshech for restorative work on the memorial to the 6 million at Greenwood Cemetery.

Arlene Kaye Jacobson, long-time Atlanta resident, small business owner and yarn artisan, died of a brief illness on Jan. 14, 2024. She was 78 years old. Arlene was born on Feb. 22, 1945, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Esther and Mortie Kaye, both blessed memories. She later moved to Savannah, Ga., where she graduated from H.V. Jenkins High School. Arlene moved to Atlanta shortly thereafter where she met her husband of 50 years, Milton Jacobson, also of blessed memory. In 1974, she opened her business, Needle Nook Atlanta, and built a following of knitters who have been customers for the 50 years its doors have been open. Her love of the beach led her to Hilton Head Island every summer, where family gatherings became more prominent as the years went on. She and her husband were avid shag dancers and members of ShagAtlana. Her personal and professional endeavors resulted in friendships that lasted a lifetime. Survivors include her daughters, Lori (Joel) London and DeAnne (Ken) Jacobson, both of Atlanta; grandchildren, Sarah Kaye London and Max London; sister, Phyllis Kaye (Stanley) Magrill, sister-in-law, Loretta Jacobson; and brother, Barry (Cindy) Kaye. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Toco Hills Community Alliance, https://tocohillsalliance.org/donate/. A memorial service was held 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 17, at Dressler’s Chapel in Chamblee, Ga. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999. Sign the online guestbook at dresslerjewishfunerals. com.

99, Atlanta

78, Atlanta

Harriet Isenberg 76, Atlanta

Harriet Isenberg was born in Atlanta on Oct. 25, 1948, to Seraphina Taylor and Jack Cohen, and died on Jan. 3, 2024. She grew up on Canterbury Road in Buckhead, a house that was always open to and hosted friends and family members from around the world and widely referred to as the Canterbury Hilton. The Cohen family were active members of Ahavath Achim Synagogue. Like all of the Cohen children she worked at Jack’s Pharmacy which later became Jack’s Apothecary, last located across the street from what was then Crawford Long Hospital. Harriet attended Rock Springs elementary school and graduated from North Fulton High School. She attended Cambridge College in Boston before obtaining a degree in business from Ft. Lauderdale University. She attended Atlanta Law School at night while working full-time and was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1985. Harriet married Joel Isenberg in June 1970. She had two children, Ryan, born in 1974, and Lillie, born in 1978. She worked as a teacher, banker, real estate broker, worked in the private security industry, lawyer, and was later General Counsel of Globe Security, then one of the world’s largest private security contractors. In 1989 she entered private practice with her second husband, Melvin L. Hewitt, Jr. For nearly 35 years she helped her business clients collect money owed to them as if it were her own. She was a long-time member of the Commercial Law League of America, and a charter member, and almost the forever chair of, the Creditor’s Rights Section of the State Bar of Georgia. During her tenure she worked tirelessly to establish laws favorable to her clients in both the courts of appeal and the legislature. In her leisure time, Harriet cherished time with her family locally and would travel any distance to spend time with relatives across the United States and around the globe. She enjoyed attending theater performances, live music events, hosting and attending parties for family and friends, traveling the world, and had a remarkable zest for life which she was fortunate enough to maintain until the very end. She is survived by her children, Lillie Biggs, Ryan Isenberg (Jennifer), William Hewitt (Laura), and Samantha Hyrcak (John), grandchildren, Jackson Isenberg, Iris Biggs, Karsen Isenberg, Parker Hewitt, Eleanor Hewitt, Sydney Lyons, Dean Coppage, and Mariah Coppage, and great-granddaughter Maliah Awosika. She is also survived by her siblings Hedda Cohen Schwartz (Sheldon), Annette Cohen Pallowick (Bill), and Michael Cohen (Jayne Wallace), nieces and nephews, Allison, Amy, and Nicole Feinberg, Erik Pallowick (Shelly), and Geoff Cohen (Wendy), and stepmother Mary Cohen. She was predeceased by her parents Seraphina Taylor Cohen and Jack Cohen and her childhood caregiver Rosalee Williams.

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www.DresslerJewishFunerals.com ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 69

OBITUARIES

Lester I. Miller

Barbara Sylvia Philipson

Lester I. Miller passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving wife and children on Dec. 20, 2023. Lester was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on March 24, 1932. He began working at a very early age and ended up in Chattanooga, Tenn., living with his older brother. He applied for and got a job at Zep Manufacturing where he worked for his mentor, Erwin Zaban, for many years. He was an entrepreneur and went into several businesses in St. Louis. He retired from business in 2000 after selling his successful plastics business, Contico International. He is survived by his wife, Judy Zaban Miller, and his children, Bill Miller (Lisa), Barbara Miller, Bobbi Barton (Jeff), Betsy Gleijeses, Beth Miller, Bridget Gregory (Lee), Brandi Miller, and grandchildren, David Miller, Caroline A. Miller, Caroline V. Miller, Harrison Barton, Alexa Barton, Cooper Barton, Rosalba Gleijeses, Caterina Gleijeses, Alex Gregory, Ellen Gregory, Grace Miller, and three great-grandchildren. A private burial was held in St. Louis, Mo. Donations may be made to Weinstein Hospice, 3150 Howell Mill Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30327, or the Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (GADRC) at Emory Brain Health Center, 12 Executive Park Drive, NE, Atlanta, GA 30329. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999

Barbara (Blima) Sylvia Philipson (nee Roth), a Brooklyn, N.Y., native, ardent traveler, lifelong learner, and beloved ESL teacher, passed away suddenly on Jan. 10, 2024, at the age of 82. Barbara is survived by her former husband, Howard M. Philipson (Pauline), her children, David E. Philipson (Elaine), Dr. Jessica L. Fine, and Jodi Philipson Stone (Andrew), her grandchildren, Julie Ptak (John), Tori Snyder (Brian), R. Satcher Stone, and Gabriel Stone, her great-grandson, Owen Snyder, and her nephew, Barry Rich (Rhonda). Barbara was preceded in death by her mother, Sadie Roth (nee Kornheiser), father, Jacob Menasha Roth, and sister Rosalyn Rich (nee Roth). We’d be remiss not to honor her devoted friend, John Canada, who offered companionship and comfort in her final years of life. Barbara received her undergraduate degree from The College of St. Rose and earned her master’s degree in English as a Second Language from State University of New York at Albany. She then spent six years teaching high school French and Spanish followed by 20 years of teaching ESL to visiting physicians at Albany Medical Center and College. She was deeply admired and much loved by her students, many of whom became lifelong friends. Barbara spent the last years of her life in Johns Creek, Ga., well watched over by her daughter and the wonderful staff at Tapestry House Memory Care. A graveside service was held on Jan. 14 at Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Flushing, N.Y. Memorial contributions to Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center are appreciated: www.alzheimers.emory.edu. Dressler›s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

91, Atlanta

Michael Oberdorfer 69, Suwanee

Michael Oberdorfer, “Mike”, age 69, passed away peacefully after a brief illness on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. He is survived by his mother, Saralyn (Bonowitz) Oberdorfer, his sisters, Julie (Oberdorfer) Leibel (Steven) and Robin (Oberdorfer) Kottman (Stacy), and nieces and nephews, Lauren Leibel, Michelle Leibel, Jonathan Leibel, Jaclyn Kottman Hittner (Stephen), Ryan Kottman, and Joel Kottman. Mike was preceded in death by his father, Eugene Oberdorfer II, and grandparents, Donald, and Dorothy (Bayersdorfer) Oberdorfer, and Joe and Faye (Conway) Bonowitz. Mike’s positivity and “never met a stranger” personality endeared him to many people throughout his life. Mike thrived as a resident at Annandale Village in Suwanee, Ga., a wonderful community for developmentally disabled adults, forging friendships with villagers and staff. An avid radio fan, lifelong Atlanta history buff, and aspiring disc jockey, Mike was a fun-loving soul who never passed up an opportunity for announcing events, singing in the Annandale Choir, and taking advantage of every field trip, class, and learning opportunity. Through his optimism and dedication, Mike showed that everyone, despite their differences, deserves to be empowered, uplifted, and loved. Celebration of Life was held in his memory on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Annandale Village, 3500 Annandale Lane, Suwanee, GA, 30024 with a reception following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Annandale Village, (www.annandale.org).

70 | JANUARY 31, 2024 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

82, Johns Creek

Frances Gillman Saperstein 96, Atlanta

rances Gillman Saperstein, age 96, passed away on Jan. 9, 2024. Frances was born on Dec. 28, 1927, at the original Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Ga. She was the second of four children born to Sol and Rebecca Bock Gillman. Frances graduated from Girls High and remained friends with many of her classmates throughout her life. For over 50 years she was married to the love of her life, Mendel Saperstein. Both Atlanta natives, they had three children, Joy, Jill and Jan. Through the years, Frances served as a room mother, Girl Scout leader, a member of Hadassah and a lifelong member of the Ahavath Achim Synagogue. As a volunteer, she typed many books and documents for the Braille Association. Her needlework skills were such that she was chosen to needlepoint a Torah cover for the A.A. Synagogue’s Centennial Celebration. After raising her children, Frances embarked on a successful career as an Executive Assistant within the First National Bank of Atlanta, where she was promoted to the top Executive Assistant role, serving as a trusted confidant to the Chairman of the Bank. Having earned that position of trust she stayed at the top of her profession for years, serving future CEO’s and Presidents of First National’s many successor banks. Most important to Frances was her family, and she especially loved being a grandmother. She is survived by her two daughters, Joy (Richard) Salenfriend and Jill (David) Brown, and son, Jan (Lynn) Saperstein; grandchildren, Kelsey and Eddie Womeldorf, Hilary and Marc Goldberg, Alex Brown, and Raleigh and Brent Wasser; great-grandchildren, Mabry Womeldorf, Jake Goldberg, Harrison Goldberg, June Wasser, and Reese Goldberg. She was predeceased by her husband, Mendel Saperstein, grandson, Tyler Brown, sister, Sibyl Gillman, and brothers, Bernard Gillman and Alan Gillman. Contributions in honor of France’s memory can be made to the William Breman Jewish Home, the Weinstein Hospice, the Braille Institute, or to a charity of one’s choice. Frances leaves behind a legacy of kindness, friendship, and love of family. She will be deeply missed. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

OBITUARIES

Joel Stepakoff

Terry Tenenbaum

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Joel Stepakoff at the age of 82 in Dunwoody, Ga., on Jan. 14, 2024. Joel was a devoted fan of the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox, and he cherished watching Sunday football games. His love extended to his family, scratch-offs, and traveling. Preceded in death by his brother, Gerald, and his parents, Gertrude and Samuel, Joel is survived by his forever prom date, Elaine, his children Jeffrey (Amy), Michael (Tara), and Scott (Jody), as well as his grandchildren, Ruthie, Joey, David, Rachel, Sophie, Charlotte, Eli, Griffin, and Libby. Originally from Hartford, Conn., Joel met his future wife, Elaine, during junior year of high school, and they married in 1962, raising three boys. Relocating to Atlanta, Ga., in 1969 for a career opportunity, Joel spent most of his professional life as the VP of National Accounts for Berkline Furniture Company. In his leisure time, he enjoyed playing basketball at the Jewish Center and golfing at renowned courses worldwide. Joel and Elaine were avid travelers, exploring diverse cultures and cuisines. Known for his unwavering support, Joel was always there for those who needed him. After retirement, he became an active member of the North Atlanta Men’s Club, engaging in poker games with friends and enjoying canasta and Mahjong with Elaine and their social circle. Cruises, trying new restaurants, and proudly discussing his sons were among his favorite activities. Memorial donations in Joel’s honor can be made to the Winship Cancer Center, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, or Temple Emanu-El. Joel Stepakoff leaves behind a legacy of love and vibrant memories in Dunwoody, Ga. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Terry Tenenbaum, age 75, died peacefully at home surrounded by family on Jan. 9, 2024. Terry is survived by his wife of 51 years, Jan Myers Tenenbaum; children and children-in-law, Stacy (Adam) Blaiss and David (Gina) Tenenbaum; sisters, Susan (Bill) Usdan and Carol (Beverly Moser) Tenenbaum; sister-in-law, Debra (Fred Spring) Tenenbaum; grandchildren: Shane, Jared, Ari, and Sophia, who brought so much nachas to their “Papa Zayde;” and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family. Terry was preceded in death by his brother, Allen Tenenbaum. A native of Atlanta, born to Sol and Fay Tenenbaum z”l in 1948, Terry was in the first kindergarten class of the Hebrew Academy and went on to graduate from Grady High School. After college at the University of Florida, he moved back to Atlanta and met Jan on a blind date. Once married, Terry worked with his father at the family grocery store, Great Savings; a few years later, his brother Allen z”l joined the business as well. Terry worked at Great Savings until it closed in 2004, the last known Jewishowned “mom and pop” grocery store in Atlanta, many of which had once dotted the Atlanta landscape in earlier years. Terry enjoyed working in the kosher department at the Dunwoody Kroger in his later years. Terry’s Jewish faith played a central role in his life, and he was a founding member of Congregation Ariel in Dunwoody, which opened its doors in 1993 in a small, rented home. Now a thriving congregation, Terry was an integral member for 30 years, serving as gabbai for many years in the early days. The Ariel community holds a very special place in both Terry and Jan’s heart, and their love and support as Terry’s health declined meant so much to the Tenenbaum family. The Tenenbaum family also extends our most heartfelt gratitude to Koya, Sokona, Tina, and TeeTee for their care, kindness, and support during Terry’s last few months. Sign up online guest book at www.dresslerjewishfunerals.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Congregation Ariel or the Weinstein Hospice. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta (770) 451-4999.

82, Dunwoody

75, Atlanta

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.

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CLOSING THOUGHTS Losing Weight is My Biggest Failure In 2006, I kept a daily diary of my weight loss for nearly one year and lost 21 pounds. Now 18 years later, I weigh more than back then. The reaAllen H. Lipis son: I love to eat The Bottom Line food that is fattening. Once again, I am focused on losing the weight I have carried on my body for decades. I can tell you some of the daily thoughts I had back then. I am convinced that the mental attitude I had about eating did make a difference whether I succeeded or failed, not just day by day, but moment by moment. Here are just a few of them: Day 1: I lay in bed for two hours thinking about it. Do I really want to make this commitment? There are a lot of new possibilities, a chance for me to live my word, a chance to wear old suits, some never worn; a chance to be the person I fantasize about. It’s a chance to be like the 20-year-old swimmers I saw yesterday at Emory University. Every swimmer there was slim, trim, and in great physical shape. Day 2: Water is one main key to good dieting. It makes up most of your body weight, so losing liquid in exercise or urinating can produce fast, though short-term, results. Funny, I need to drink a lot of water to lose a lot of weight. Day 8: No one cares what I ate yesterday. It was so important at the time. When I look at the chocolate cake or the piece of candy or the ice cream at the moment, it seems so critical to have it then. But later it is only a memory. Looking back, the food seems so impersonal – it was food I could have eaten or passed up. Yet, at the time it was critical to eat.

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Day 20: This morning I put on a pair of pants I could not wear three weeks ago because I was too fat. I think I am getting a little ahead of myself in terms of wearing smaller-sized clothing in my closet, but it did feel good to put the pants on and find that I could actually wear them without the waist hurting me. Day 23: Every day is a new day for weight loss. Treat every day independently

of the past, regardless of your successes or failures. Treat each day as though it was the start of a new diet, without the baggage of having failed before. Why does the past have to influence my attitude about dieting today? Day 30: Yesterday, I knew I was in trouble. Why should I read the scale and admit it openly? The answer is that failing to admit it, I don’t have the possibility of changing. The admission of a breakdown provides me with the opening to change back to a rigorous weight loss program. It presents the opportunity to see my problem, cut my losses, start anew, create a solution, and get back on the weight loss plan quickly. Day 37: Is losing weight really worth it? Is being thin or just thinner worth the price? In fact, I don’t know how useful losing 30 or more pounds will really change me. It is what I make of it - what I say about it. Day 74: I’m staying in Hershey, Penn., so the hotel provides Hershey bars to all guests. I’m not hungry now, but I could eat something. I thought about that Hershey bar as soon as I received it. It was free. In fact, I have two of them, one from another guest who passed it up. I haven’t reached the point yet of passing up free Hershey bars. The Hershey bars are in my briefcase. I know they’re there. Unfortunately, I can’t get the thought out of my mind. The candy bar is immediately available. I could eat it. No one will know. I love chocolate and this is the chocolate capital of the world. I like this Hershey bar. It is almost talking to me … or am I talking to it? It beckons me based on my memory of how satisfying chocolate can be. In the past, the temptation would have been overwhelming. I would have eaten both candy bars within half an hour of going to my hotel room. At least I can say I’ve been here for over an hour without touching them. And I have plenty of room for dessert. The Bottom Line: No one is here with me to offer me a Hershey bar, no one is suggesting I eat it, no one really knows I have a candy bar right now. And yet, the Hershey bars talk to me across a 40-year history. It has a silent conversation that I have created inside myself. The Hershey bar stands for all the temptations I face in living up to my health program. It presents a picture of how easily I can dupe myself, how easily I can rationalize eating stupidly.ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JANUARY 31, 2024 | 73

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