Atlanta Jewish Times, Vol. XCI No. 1, January 8, 2016 by Atlanta Jewish Times

Atlanta VOL. XCI NO. 1

WWW.ATLANTAJEWISHTIMES.COM

JANUARY 8, 2016 | 27 TEVET 5776

Film Festival Builds Foundation to Grow By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

INSIDE Calendar �� 3 Candle Lighting �� 3 Israel ��4 Local News �� 5 Business ��9 Opinion �� 10 Arts �� 13 Obituaries ��27 Crossword ��30 New Moon Meditations ��30 Cartoon �� 31 Marketplace �� 31

ENCHANTED

David N. Weiss prepares to share his trek from “Shrek 2” to observant Judaism. Page 7

WALK ON

Now under the ownership of the third generation of the Shemaria family, Bennie’s Shoes keeps strolling along as the place for shoe repair in Atlanta. Page 9

year ago the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival approached the opening of public ticket sales as a newly independent nonprofit running the second-largest Jewish film festival in the world. Now it’s No. 1 and nearing the start of sales Sunday, Jan. 10, with more than a year of independence behind it. “We never in a conscious way were chasing the title of No. 1 Jewish film festival,” Executive Director Kenny Blank said. “We’re proud to have the bragging rights. That came about as a nice secondary benefit. We were just producing the best festival we could for our community.” Aside from one new venue, SCADshow, and bigger theaters at some continuing locations, audiences shouldn’t notice many changes during the 16th festival, which runs from Jan. 26 to Feb. 17. Perhaps the biggest adjustment has come for donors. The festival overhauled a system of sponsorship levels and benefits that treated individual and corporate supporters the same. The change led to the opening-night gala being open only to festival sponsors and patrons. The public still can buy tickets to see the opening-night film, “Remember,” but can’t get passes to the party. Blank said only 30 to 40 of those passes were sold last year. Overall, he said, about 5,000 more festival tickets are available this year, but

Real-life couple Bryan Greenberg and Jamie Chung star in “Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong,” the ACCESS Night film at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. See a review on Page 22, part of this week’s special festival preview on Pages 13 to 26.

that’s a response to demand, not an effort to pad last year’s total audience of more than 38,600 to remain No. 1. Instead of holding on to bragging rights, the festival organization has focused during its first full year apart from the American Jewish Committee on creating a strategic plan, charting sustainable growth, developing a long-term business model, and staffing up with fulltime communications and community engagement employees, Blank said. The festival experimented with yearround programming, such as holding September screenings of the documentary “Rosenwald” and Germany’s nominee for this year’s Oscars, “Labyrinth of Lies.” But Blank intends for the programming

Quake Rattles Jews

IN MEMORIAM

Atlanta’s Jewish community lost many prominent members recently, including Gene Asher, the Jewish Georgian’s founder, and Phil Levetan, husband of former DeKalb CEO Liane Levetan. Page 27

to expand beyond a traditional night at the movies with speakers, workshops and other events that meet the mission of creating community dialogue and building bridges of understanding. The festival’s independence has opened opportunities to apply for cultural grants and seek National Endowment for the Arts funding at a higher level, but many of those applications will have to wait until the festival has two or three years of independent financial data. “Beyond grant opportunities, I think for a lot of current funders, not advocates but true cultural entrepreneurs, it changes the optics,” he said, with independence making the festival a more appealing recipient of donations. ■

Bnei Menashe community member Nakhon Hoakip and his mother, Leah, who live in Imphal, examine damaged buildings Jan. 4.

6.7-magnitude earthquake that struck India early Monday, Jan. 4, caused extensive property damage to the country’s Bnei Menashe community. Nine people died and 90 others were hurt in the quake 18 miles from Imphal in the state of Manipur, near Myanmar and Bangladesh, about 4:30 a.m. local time Monday. “Buildings shook violently,” said Tzvi Khaute, one of

the Bnei Menashe. “Thank G-d no one among the Bnei Menashe was injured or killed.” A 2005 ruling by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate found that the Bnei Menashe descend from the lost tribe of Manasseh and are eligible to make aliyah, as 3,000 have. About 700 of the 7,000 Bnei Menashe left in India await permission to make aliyah this year, said support organization Shavei Israel. ■

AJT

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

CALENDAR CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES

Parshah Vaera Friday, Jan. 8, light candles at 5:27 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, Shabbat ends at 6:26 p.m. Parshah Bo Friday, Jan. 15, light candles at 5:33 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, Shabbat ends at 6:32 p.m.

Interfaith scholar weekend. Vanderbilt University’s Amy-Jill Levine opens a weekend of study and worship with Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, and Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church, 805 Mount Vernon Highway, both in Sandy Springs, with a reception at Sinai at 5:45 p.m., followed by services. Levine also appears at 9 a.m. Saturday at Sinai and 9 and 10:10 a.m. Sunday at Holy Innocents’. Free except for dinner after Friday services, which is $18; templesinaiatlanta.org.

SUNDAY, JAN. 10

Genealogy project. My Family Story, a six-session project of Beit Hatfutsot, the Museum of the Jewish People, working with the Breman Museum and Congregation Shearith Israel, begins at 9:30 a.m. at Shearith Israel, 1180 University Drive, Morningside. The project, for children ages 11 to 15, continues Jan. 31, Feb. 28, March 13 and 27, and April 17. Free, but registration is limited to 30 children; thebreman.org. Mahjong. Congregation Etz Chaim, 1190 Indian Hills Parkway, East Cobb, holds a mahjong tournament to benefit the synagogue’s preschool. Players sign in at 12:45 p.m.; play begins at 1. First, second and third places win cash prizes. Registration is $30; etzchaim.net/ mahjonggtournament. Health program. The Greater Atlanta Hadassah Ketura Group and Jewish Family & Career Services sponsor Ketura’s sixth annual L’Chaim program, “A Vibrant New You,” at 1:30 p.m. at JF&CS, 4549 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. Panelists are Belinda Ossip, a holistic health practitioner for the JF&CS Health Power Initiative; Carol Berg, a Yoga Alliance practitioner and instructor; and Debbi Dooley, a JF&CS case manager. Admission is $10; 770442-2854 or sfparks@emory.edu. Office warming. InterfaithFamily/ Atlanta hangs a mezuzah and holds a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. to show the public its new office space at Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave., Midtown, on the eighth floor.

Free; www.facebook.com/events/ 443631345828307. Teen expo. The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and Marcus JCC hold an expo for Jewish summer experiences and offer free snacks and bowling from 2 to 4 p.m. at Stars and Strikes, 8767 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs; www.jewishatlanta.org. Jazz concert. The Andy Statman Trio performs at 7 p.m. at the Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Tickets are $28 for JCC members, $35 for nonmembers; www.atlantajcc.org/ boxoffice or 678-812-4002.

MONDAY, JAN. 11

Metulla Hadassah meeting. Itzhak Brook, a Georgetown pediatrics professor and veteran of the Six-Day and Yom Kippur wars, speaks at the Hadassah chapter’s opening meeting at 1 p.m. at the Milton Branch of the Fulton County Library, 855 Mayfield Road. Free; friends and associates are welcome.

TUESDAY, JAN. 12

Educational inspiration. Chaya Mushka Children’s House, 5065 High Point Road, Sandy Springs, holds a special screening of “Beyond Measure,” a film about innovation in education, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free; register at beyondmeasurefilm.com.

THURSDAY, JAN. 14

Jewish perspectives on fertility. Rabbis Elana Perry and Analia Bortz address Jewish spiritual approaches to fertility, Jewish legal issues and Jewish rituals during the monthly meeting of Wo/Men’s Infertility Support Havurah at 7 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs. Free; www. wishatlanta.org. Festival preview. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and Atlanta Jewish Music Festival provide looks at their lineups, offer special ticket deals and enjoy tunes from DJ Mike Zarin at a youngadult preview party at Aisle 5, 1123 Euclid Ave., Atlanta. Doors open at 6:30; music starts at 7. Admission is free; www.atlantajmf.org or ajff.org.

Send items for the calendar to submissions@atljewishtimes.com. Find more events at atlantajewishtimes.com/events-calendar.

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

FRIDAY, JAN. 8

AJT 3

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

ISRAEL NEWS

Israel Pride: Good News From Our Jewish Home Archaeology by the horns. The Israel Antiquities Authority on Christmas Eve unearthed a marble statue of a ram near a Christian church that dates to the Byzantine period in an excavation at Caesarea Harbor National Park. Treatment for migraines. Petah Tikvah-based Teva Pharmaceutical is partnering with Japan’s Heptares to develop small-molecule calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists discovered by Heptares for the treatment of migraines. Migraines affect 36 million people in the United States and 10 percent of people worldwide. Brain link to diabetic foot ulcers. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University have discovered that sufferers of diabetic foot ulcers frequently also have substantially impaired cognitive function. Systemic vascular changes affect the whole body, including the feet, heart and brain. The researchers propose new treatment strategies. An app to lower your stress level. Tel Aviv-based startup Eco-Fusion has developed Serenita, an app that measures and can lower your stress

level. Cover your smartphone lens with a finger to measure heart rate, blood flow and respiration. Serenita’s five-minute personalized breathing exercise then visibly reduces stress.

Free hands-free smartphone. Israel’s Sesame Enable is giving away its specially designed smartphone to those who have limited or no use of their hands. Co-sponsors of the initiative are Israel’s organization for the disabled, Beit Issie Shapiro, and Google. Where Jews and Arabs work side by side. Close to 350 businesses and factories operate in the Mishur Adumim Industrial Park near Maale Adumim. Some are Jewish-owned; some are Arab-owned. Most have Jews and Arabs working together. Lifesaver at crossing from Gaza. A merchant from Gaza suffered a heart attack at the Erez Crossing into Israel. An Israeli customs officer who had paramedic training began resuscitation using a defibrillator. Magen David Adom paramedics transported the merchant to a hospital, where he underwent catheterization and regained consciousness.

Beer for Germany. Herzl Beer of Jerusalem has been chosen to make a joint Israeli-German beer to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot — Germany’s, and perhaps the world’s, first beer purity law. The brew will be introduced at the Munich Jewish Museum in April. Jerusalem is 11th best. Jerusalem scored 84.715 out of 100 to earn 11th place in Conde Nast Traveler’s “Best Cities of the World.” The cities were selected from 128,000 comments of Conde Nast readers. Liberia thankful for Israel. Liberian Senate President Armah Zolu Jallah is making the first visit to Israel by any head of his country’s legislature. He thanked Israel for its help in wiping out the Ebola virus in Liberia. Israel sent mobile clinics and medical experts who trained Liberian medics.

Monkeying around with tools. For the first time, a scientific study by Itai Roffman of the University of Haifa has observed bonobos making and using tools to search for food. One of the primates even fashioned a spear from the branches of a tree and used it to threaten Roffman.

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

Finding the lowest prices. The Israeli app Pricez is helping the hundreds of thousands of people who have downloaded it to save money by directing them to the stores where the products they need are the cheapest. It uses

AJT 4

location data and the database that Israeli stores must by law update automatically from their cash registers. Revolutionary mobility scooter. “Be like everyone else” is the motto of Israel’s Moving Life, the developer of the Atto, the world’s first trans-folding freedom scooter. The scooter folds into a trolley to wheel around or put into a car or plane. Music in a Jerusalem cave. A special event took place at Zedekiah’s Cave (also known as King Solomon’s Quarry) in Jerusalem. Hundreds of Jerusalem residents and visitors were treated to Israeli pianist Gil Shohat and singer Nurit Galron as the melodies of Chopin reverberated from the stone walls. Walking with vets. Stock in Yokneambased ReWalk Robotics is soaring after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that is procuring thousands of the company’s $70,000 walking systems for wounded troops. Surprising miss. She didn’t win Miss Universe, but Avigail Alfatov (Miss Israel) has won Israel’s Youth Fencing Championship seven times and hopes to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She works in computer security with the Israeli air force. Compiled courtesy of verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com, Israel21c.org and other news sources.

Israel Photo of the Week

Photo by Mark Neiman, Government Press Office

Class President

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin reads “Aaron and the Purple Pencil” to children in the Hadas Kindergarten in central Tel Aviv on Sunday, Jan. 3. Rivlin’s visit aimed to offer the children reassurance two days after an Israeli Arab killed two Israelis and wounded at least eight others in a shooting on Dizengoff Street.

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

LOCAL NEWS

Remember When

Atlanta

PUBLISHER MICHAEL A. MORRIS

michael@atljewishtimes.com

BUSINESS OFFICE Business Manager

KAYLENE LADINSKY

kaylene@atljewishtimes.com

ADVERTISING

Senior Account Manager

JULIE BENVENISTE julie@atljewishtimes.com Senior Account Manager

BRENDA GELFAND

brenda@atljewishtimes.com Sales Assistant

SARAH SKINNER

sarah@atljewishtimes.com

MARKETING

Marketing & Communications Director

STACY LAVICTOIRE stacy@atljewishtimes.com

EDITORIAL Editor

MICHAEL JACOBS

mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com Associate Editor

DAVID R. COHEN

david@atljewishtimes.com

Contributors This Week STEPHEN M. FLATOW YONI GLATT JORDAN GORFINKEL R.M. GROSSBLATT LEAH R. HARRISON MARCIA CALLER JAFFE TOVA NORMAN LOGAN C. RITCHIE DAVE SCHECHTER TERRY SEGAL

10 Years Ago Jan. 6, 2006 ■ Israel Defense Forces Sgt. Jonathan Schulman, who made aliyah in 2004 after graduating from the University of Georgia, Dunwoody High School and Greenfield Hebrew Academy, is visiting family and friends in Atlanta for a month and speaking in support of Friends of the IDF, which paid for his trip. “My message around here is that it’s a privilege for me to serve in the IDF, to be a Jew who is responsible for the protection of Jews around the world,” he said.

ing the Chabad Club at Life Chiropractic College, monthly Rap With the Rab sessions, and adult education classes at the Cobb Jewish Community Center. Rabbis Yossi New and Yossi Lerman will staff the branch until a full-time rabbi arrives immediately after Passover. ■ Terri and David Cohen of Atlanta announce the birth of a son, Austin Chad, on Dec. 1.

■ The bar mitzvah ceremony of Montgomery Goldman of Columbus, son of Michael and Carla Goldman, was held Saturday, Nov. 5, at Shearith Israel Synagogue in Columbus.

50 Years Ago Jan. 7, 1966 ■ Gert Frobe, who played the title role in the James Bond movie “Goldfinger,” might be prosecuted as a former Nazi Party member under the Israeli law against Nazis and their aides if he goes to Israel, Ministry of Justice sources say. The Israeli government banned “Goldfinger” after Frobe admitted that he had been a member of the Nazi Party.

25 Years Ago Jan. 4, 1991 ■ Chabad of Georgia has announced the opening of a Chabad of Cobb County branch, an outgrowth of programs Chabad has offered in the county the past few years, includ-

■ Mr. and Mrs. William J. Schankerman of Grand Rapids, Mich., announce the engagement of their daughter, Morene Lois Schankerman, to Arthur Evan Solomon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip H. Solomon of Atlanta. A Feb. 4 wedding is planned.

Do you ever stop thinking about what the future holds for your child?

CREATIVE SERVICES Creative Design

DARA DRAWDY

CIRCULATION

Circulation Coordinator

The Academy Classroom

ELIZABETH FRIEDLY

efriedly@atljewishtimes.com

The Atlanta Jewish Times is printed in Georgia and is an equal opportunity employer. The opinions expressed in the Atlanta Jewish Times do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper. Periodicals Postage Paid at Atlanta, Ga. POSTMASTER send address changes to The Atlanta Jewish Times 270 Carpenter Drive Suite 320, Atlanta Ga 30328. Established 1925 as The Southern Israelite Phone: (404) 883-2130 www.atlantajewishtimes.com THE ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES (ISSN# 0892-33451) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY SOUTHERN ISRAELITE, LLC 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, Atlanta, GA 30328 © 2016 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES Printed by Gannett Publishing Services MEMBER Conexx: America Israel Business Connector American Jewish Press Association Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce Please send all photos, stories and editorial content to: submissions@atljewishtimes.com

Neither do we. At the American Hebrew Academy, a one-of-a-kind boarding high school experience awaits your child. An academically rigorous environment where Jewish identity is nurtured, the Academy opens the doors to your child’s future. It’s everything a high school should be, and some things you never dreamed it could be. What doors can we open for your teenager? Learn more at www.americanhebrewacademy.org or call (336) 217-7070. Now accepting applications for 2016-2017.

American Hebrew Academy

The International Jewish College Prep Boarding School

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

CONTACT INFORMATION GENERAL OFFICE 404.883.2130 KAYLENE@ATLJEWISHTIMES.COM

AJT 5

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

LOCAL NEWS

Anshi Rabbi Engages Jews Wherever They Are By Leah R. Harrison

here’s a young new rabbi in town at Atlanta’s oldest Orthodox synagogue. Rabbi Mayer Freedman, his wife, Shani, and their four children arrived during the summer at the behest of the Atlanta Scholars Kollel to make inroads at Congregation Anshi S’fard in the Morningside/VirginiaHighland area. The purpose, Rabbi Freedman said, is “to create Jewish programming and increase the Jewish presence” in the Va-Hi area. That’s apparently not an easy task. Anshi has experienced a lot of transition in spiritual leadership since the death of the highly regarded Rabbi Nathan Katz in 1998 after almost half a century of service to the congregation and the intown community. The congregants still make frequent fond references to Rabbi Katz. The Freedmans bring fresh ideas to the established post, such as Anshi S’fard’s new monthly Torah trivia game, “Good Shabbos, Atlanta!” The game show officially launched Dec. 5 and returns Saturday morning, Jan.

Rabbi Mayer Freedman and his dietitian wife, Shani, have four children.

9, at 10:45 at the synagogue at 1324 N. Highland Ave. Originally from Baltimore, where Rabbi Freedman studied at Ner Israel Rabbinical College, the Freedmans lived in Jerusalem while he attended a program at the Jerusalem Kollel for training Orthodox rabbis and communal leaders in outreach to the entire Jewish community. After his ordination and completion of the three-year program, Rabbi

Freedman was placed in a synagogue in Phoenix, and the family traded one desert environment for another. As an associate rabbi in Arizona, Rabbi Freedman also taught at a day school and conducted outreach, in addition to directing the Greater Phoenix Vaad HaKashruth, a kosher supervisory agency. When the opportunity arose to be the rabbi at Anshi S’fard, the Freed mans brought their talents and their family to Georgia. Rabbi Freedman said his personal goal is “to engage Jews wherever they are. Services? Great. Come to a social event? Great. Lunch? Great. Wherever Jews are in their journey, we’re trying to connect with them on that level. “It’s not all or nothing. You don’t have to come to everything to be involved. Join us for whatever helps you feel connected.” The congregation has a mehitzah, “but the synagogue is open,” Rabbi Freedman said. “Anshi is an Orthodox synagogue, but the goal is to make sure that all Jews are welcome and should feel comfortable.” Shani, a registered dietitian and

teacher in Arizona, made the transition here by continuing to teach the same course for Maricopa Community Colleges online. In addition to raising four children, she and a partner have a twice-weekly play group while she seeks a clinical dietitian opportunity in Atlanta. While the climate here is colder than in Phoenix, the family is finding the community to be warm. Arriving intown just a few weeks after Rabbi Melvin and Lenore Sirner, the Freedmans happen to live in the same complex as Congregation Shearith Israel’s rabbi and his wife. Because Shabbat services begin at the same time at the neighboring congregations, the two rabbis often end up walking together on Saturday mornings to their respective synagogues. A little bit later, their wives often end up walking on the same schedule as well. Asked how things are going, Rabbi Freedman said: “Very well. There’s a lot of Jewish stuff going on here. I see a very active and involved Jewish community that’s looking for ways to connect to their Judaism. I appreciate and am very encouraged by that.” ■

Dr. Seth Yellin

, lASER & AESTHETICS CENTER

Expert. Artisan. Educator.

“My patient’s happiness is what matters most.” Dr. Yellin

→ → → →

Before

After

Over 20 years of cosmetic facial surgery experience Over 10,000 facial cosmetic procedures performed Impeccable safety record Top facial plastic surgeon, Guide to America’s Top Plastic Surgeons, Consumer Research Council (2011-present) → Trained at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. → Former Chief, Facial Plastic Surgery, Emory Healthcare (1999-2011) ... and member of Congregation Or Hadash, accomplished drummer and chef.

Dr. Yellin’s patient on whom he performed complete facial rejuvenation: injectable facial volume, upper eyelid blepharoplasty, lower eyelid tightening, a lower face and neck lift and CO2 laser skin resurfacing.

Call today to schedule a personalized consultation

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

770-425-7575

AJT 6

Marietta Facial Plastic Surgery, Laser & Aesthetics Center

111 Marble Mill Road NW, Marietta, GA 30060 www. MariettaFacialPlastics.com In partnership with Marietta Dermatology Associates Serving Greater Atlanta since 1970

Seth A. Yellin, MD, FACS Founder and Director

$50 OFF Any Service Performed by Dr. Yellin

LOCAL NEWS

Enchanted Journey

‘Shrek 2’ screenwriter will trace his trek back to observant Judaism By R.M. Grossblatt

well,” he said. As a sensitive teenager, without answers, that situation probriving in my car, I was laughing ably made him an easy target for misout loud to a tape of screenwrit- sionaries. er David N. Weiss speaking at a In high school where he was one Torah Day School of Atlanta of only seven Jews (in a class scholarship brunch in Deof 600), Weiss had mostly cember 2005. non-Jewish friends. At 18 he But the tape was in the worked in a bakery, and afmiddle, so I pushed the reter work one Christmas eve, wind button and waited to while delivering leftover hear the beginning. That pies, he stopped at the home didn’t happen because I reof his friend Howard. wound the tape too far. That evening for several None of this may be relhours, Howard’s brother-inDavid N. Weiss evant unless you also have a law, a youth minister, spoke 15-year-old car. But because to Weiss about G-d. “I didn’t know I was I wanted to hear more, I rewound the searching for G-d,” Weiss said. Only at tape with my finger, pushed the shiny the end of their conversation did the brown strip through and heard most of minister bring up the name Jesus and the speech. It was worth it. ask Weiss to say a prayer accepting Weiss, known for “All Dogs Go to Jesus as his savior and the Christian Heaven,” “Jimmy Neutron,” “Rugrats’ faith. Hanukah,” the two “Smurfs” movies Weiss was willing to give Christiand “Shrek 2,” tells a fascinating story, anity a try. and he makes me laugh and sometimes The budding screenwriter became cry. Now, along with everyone else a youth worker and for many years in Atlanta, I have the chance to be in- used his interest in media and his spired by him again. sense of humor to warm up the crowd On Thursday, Jan. 14, Weiss is at Presbyterian youth group meetings. speaking at Chabad Intown about “A He attended Pepperdine University, a Shrek of a Trek,” his journey in life. The Christian college, where one of his proevent, sponsored by Robert and Susan fessors encouraged him to apply to film Freeman, begins with a dessert recep- school. Weiss said he was accepted into tion at 7:30 p.m., and the talk will in- the University of Southern California’s clude time for questions and answers. film school, which sought students In a telephone interview from his with a “strong point of view,” when he Los Angeles office, Weiss said he plans wrote that his desire was to use film to to share more than his tale of becom- promote the most powerful message to ing a youth leader for a Presbyterian him at the time, the Gospel. church and eventually returning to his How Weiss returned to his roots as roots as an observant Jew. He wants to an observant Jew is an amazing story. share how his connection to Judaism Equally amazing is that in the 10 years has given him “incredible stability and since I first heard him speak, his career confidence” in a Hollywood “filled with has soared, including his current work uncertainty.” on the sequel to Disney’s “Enchanted,” Weiss’ journey began in Ventura, titled “Disenchanted.” That’s the adCalif. As young as 10 years old, he was dition to his speech: sharing practical putting on shows. He knocked on doors tips on how to connect to Jewish wisto sell tickets, used a sheet for a cur- dom to become more successful in pertain in a neighbor’s living room, and sonal and professional life. performed before a packed audience, “It’s all about the audience,” he donating his earnings to the Humane said. “I only want to help them find a Society. path to enhance their journey.” ■ Even as a youngster, his heart was Who: David N. Weiss in the right place. But he was troubled Where: Intown Jewish Academy, 928 by questions such as: “Why are we Ponce de Leon Ave., Midtown here?,” and “What happens after life?” When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14 Although Weiss celebrated becomTickets: $12 in advance, $18 at the ing a bar mitzvah in a Reform temple, door; intownjewishacademy.org or he knew little about Judaism. “I find rabbiari@chabadintown.org that a lot of Jews don’t know the Bible

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

AJT 7

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

LOCAL NEWS

Courts Lag Years Behind Tech’s Assault on Privacy By Leah R. Harrison

rivacy is a broad topic, and many of the complexities that have arisen around the issue are only now being decided by the courts. So how do we define “The Right to Privacy in an Age Where There Is No Privacy”? On Dec. 9, addressing that question in the third segment of Congregation Shearith Israel’s Scholars and Authors Series, lawyer Don Samuel noted that the term “privacy” doesn’t appear in the Constitution, but scores of Supreme Court decisions, including some written by conservative Justices Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, rely on the right to privacy. The roots of privacy have been derived over time, Samuel said, from: • The Third Amendment’s right not to have soldiers quartered in your home. • The Fourth Amendment’s right to insist that police have warrants before they conduct any search and seizure. • The First Amendment’s rights of association and of practice of religion. A right we consider to be basic and inalienable has evolved through

Photo by Leah R. Harrison

Don Samuel talks about the Supreme Court’s pro-privacy-rights ruling in the case of the United States v. Jones.

years of adjudication and interpretation, Samuel said, but given the speed at which technology is developing, the courts have fallen far behind society. Samuel said one concept of privacy “is that there are certain things that we insist that we have, that we own ourselves and are not to be taken by other people” or the government or companies, such as the rights not to have other people acquire information about us, not to be physically surveilled, not to have our private information shared, not to have our phone

FREE W EEK *

*Vi

a sit

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

AJT 8

s ail

jcc .

org

l /camps for ful

t de

calls recorded or intercepted, and not to have our mail and email read, as well as the rights to be left alone, to associate with people of our choosing, to use contraception and to get an abortion. Secrecy and privacy are related, Samuel said. “The right to privacy can be considered in terms of information not being acquired from you (secrecy), and the second part of the right is not to have the information that you give or is acquired lawfully shared (privacy).” Every day we give out information about ourselves with the expectation that it will not be shared. We file tax returns with the civil division of the Internal Revenue Service and have the right not to have those returns shared with the criminal division. We sign Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act forms outlining our health privacy rights. Social Security information may not be shared. Grand jury investigations are private. In light of all that is restricted, the courts are struggling to define what information government or companies may take without our consent. The Fourth Amendment raises the issue of defining reasonable searches and seizures and probable cause for warrants, and Samuel said court decisions ultimately are based on what the community expects and what society will tolerate. Samuel described United States v. Jones, a case he had before the Supreme Court. His client, a suspected drug dealer, was tailed by law enforcement without a warrant. When that surveillance yielded nothing, a GPS device was mounted under his car. The first court-decided question regarding Antoine Jones’ right to privacy is that there is no expectation of privacy on public roads. Drivers can be seen by other people, by law enforcement and by surveillance cameras. But Jones was surveilled 24/7 through the GPS device — new consumer technology in 2004 — resulting in over 2,000 pages of data across 28 days. Is that kind of search legal, or is it a search at all? Is it reasonable? Pivotal was a case from the 1970s. In Smith v. Maryland it was determined not to be an invasion of privacy for the government and law enforcement to track the phone numbers you call and the numbers that call you because you give that information to the phone company. If you share informa-

tion, there is no expectation of privacy. Scalia applied that thinking to Jones, saying, “If there is no invasion of privacy for one day, there’s no invasion of privacy for a hundred days.” Justice Elena Kagan referenced surveillance cameras and said there is no expectation of privacy in public. Chief Justice John Roberts, however, took issue that the “search” was initiated without the permission of a judge and with no restrictions ever. The argument expanded to the slippery slope of allowing the monitoring of the public movement of any citizen, at any time, for any length of time. Technology makes that possible. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg asked what would happen to all the data collected on everyone. The Supreme Court had to decide what to do when a proven drug dealer claimed the right to privacy, a right not expressed in the Constitution, in a case of new technology. Samuel said the argument focused on Fourth Amendment rights and assurance “that the government makes limited use of whatever information they are acquiring.” In the end, all nine justices ruled in favor of Jones’ right to privacy, saying that putting a GPS device on the drug dealer’s car was a violation. “It was a monumentally important decision when it comes to the right to privacy,” Samuel said. The Supreme Court has not taken up a case on the collection of cellphone data, for which consumers have no expectation of privacy. But in 2011 law enforcement made 1.3 million requests for caller location, and every court approved the use of these cellphone records. The implications are huge because the United States now has more cellphones than people, Samuel said. He said cases typically take six or seven years to reach the Supreme Court, which then keeps writing decisions on old technology. The courts just can’t keep up and have yet to write volumes of privacy decisions. Samuel said each person must decide how much personal information he or she is willing to share, but, by owning cellphones, we have abdicated many of our privacy rights. The question that remains is how much information we as a people are willing to let the government seize from service providers to conduct investigations of any sort. ■

The free Congregation Shearith Israel Scholars and Authors Series continues Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m. with Joshua Levs talking about his book on parental rights, “All In,” at the synagogue at 1180 University Drive, Morningside.

BUSINESS

Sole of Good Service

Bennie’s Shoes remains true to craft while adapting to a century of change By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

Photos by Logan C. Ritchie

The staff at Bennie’s includes (from left) store managers Matthew Green and Golden Thornton, coowners Mark Shemaria and Brian Shemaria, and salesman Rob Cali.

Shoemaker Bennie Shemaria, grandfather to Mark and Brian, arrived in the United States from the island of Rhodes in 1909. He helped start Sephardic Congregation Or VeShalom in Brookhaven and opened his shop, initially focusing on shoe repairs. The full-service shoe business was handed down to his sons, then to their sons. Mark started working at the store in the 1970s before he could drive a car, and he joined in ownership with his father in 1986. Brian became his partner is 2009. Stephanie Rosenberg, the office manager for more than 20 years, is Brian’s sister. One store manager, Golden “Goldie” Thornton, has been around for 37 years; the other, Matthew Green, is a cousin-in-law of the Shemarias and holds a 33-year record at Bennie’s. Sales guy “Rob From Cobb” Cali has been with Bennie’s for 20 years. And don’t forget Gary Campbell, a 42-year employee who is the “best shine man in Atlanta,” according to Brian. Shoe repair drives the business these days, helping Bennie’s attract politicians such as Gov. Nathan Deal and Congressman John Lewis, who is practically a member of the family. Mark said: “Shoe repair is what we do best of any shop in Atlanta. It means everything to us.” With the movie and television industry booming in Atlanta, Bennie’s is reaping the rewards. Alterations, shoe repair, stretching and building (for actors short in stature) are among the recent jobs for such performers as Ben Stiller, Justin Timberlake, Michael Douglas, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe and the cast of “The Walking Dead.” As for advice for new entrepreneurs, Brian and Mark agree: Customer relations is everything. Roll up your sleeves and give good service. ■

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

ennie’s Shoes, snuggled into a busy Buckhead shopping center at Sidney Marcus Boulevard and Piedmont Avenue, is known for legendary customer service. In fact, hotels and top-notch restaurants across Atlanta recommend Bennie’s for shoe repair, shoeshines and a spanking-new pair of leather-soled shoes. Since 1909, Bennie’s has fit Atlanta men for shoes one foot at a time. Two suburban outposts, in Marietta and Norcross, served customers for 33 years. In 2008, the stock market tanked and the economy changed, said cousin-owners Mark and Brian Shemaria. The retail business changed, and Bennie’s took advantage of getting out of those suburban leases without penalty. Bennie’s consolidated merchandise and machinery at the Buckhead store. Customers continue to drive into Atlanta from Roswell, Marietta and Duluth to have shoes repaired. “This store is an institution. Just like everyone knows The Varsity downtown, everyone knows we are in this Buckhead location. They want to come to the (original) store,” Brian said. (The store has moved a few times over more than a century but has stayed in Atlanta.) Bennie’s biggest business challenge today is the constant battle against manufacturers that sell their shoes in stores, in outlets and online. Years ago, Mark said, competition was limited to other shoe stores like Nordstrom. For example, Bennie’s lists a pair of shoes on the Amazon.com marketplace. If another retailer is selling the same product for a lower price, Amazon alerts Brian. He can choose whether to drop the price. Occasionally Brian receives a call from a manufacturer to remove a product from Amazon. “Mark and I have good relationships with manufacturers,” Brian said. “We worked for those relationships. If we are told to get offline, we do it.” Relationships make this company. “Mark is my partner, first cousin, brother,” Brian said. “You cannot find any two partners in business together that care about each other like we do.”

AJT 9

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

OPINION

Our View

Je Suis Charlie

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

AJT 10

e have reached the anniversary of the terrorist attacks that briefly united France beneath a forest of “Je Suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) and “Je Suis Juif” (I am a Jew) signs. On Jan. 7, 2015, two gunmen charged into the offices of the satirical, anti-religion magazine Charlie Hebdo and slaughtered 11 people, then executed a police officer during their getaway. By the time they and a third Islamist terrorist were stopped two days later, another police officer had been killed in Paris, and four Jews had been slain at a kosher supermarket. As many as 4 million people marched in France on Jan. 11, as did thousands in Atlanta, against the violence and hatred and in support of the French principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. Prime Minister Manuel Valls typified French defiance, declaring that France would not be France without its Jews. Alas, the past 12 months have proved that the beautiful moment of unity was fleeting. If Valls was right, France is significantly less French today: More than 7,900 French Jews made aliyah in 2015, according to the Jewish Agency for Israel. It was the second consecutive year that France was the top source of immigrants to Israel, and while Israel was strengthened and served its essential function as a haven, it was a sad commentary on the decaying situation for Jews in France. Still, the increase from 2014’s 7,200 olim (immigrants) from France was far less dramatic than predictions immediately after the January attacks of at least 10,000 making aliyah. If only all of French society showed as much backbone and constancy as those Jews who refused to be driven from their homes. Instead, as the documentary “Je Suis Charlie” shows, French media and Christian leaders began turning on Charlie Hebdo within weeks, and the idea persists that the magazine was asking for it by lampooning Islamic extremism and depicting Muhammad. (The AJT is sponsoring the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival’s “Je Suis Charlie” screenings Feb. 4 and 5.) Sure enough, Charlie Hebdo is being criticized for its issue marking the anniversary of the slaughter. The cover depicts a blood-spattered G-d with an AK-47 beneath a headline meaning “One year after, the killer is still on the run.” It’s an offensive, outrageous statement blaming organized, warring religions for the violence. And it’s exactly the kind of thing Charlie Hebdo did before Jan. 7, 2015, and should keep doing to defy terrorists and those who think freedom of speech is secondary to an imagined freedom not to be offended. Remember that in liberte, egalite, fraternite, liberty comes first, and nothing is more essential to liberty than the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press and the freedom of (or from) religion. Thus, we’re proud that Yonathan Arfi, the vice president of CRIF, the umbrella group for France’s Jewish communities, told The Wall Street Journal: “It’s natural that Charlie Hebdo decided to not retreat. If they had, the terrorists would be seen as the winners.” Intolerance and outrage about a harmless cartoon — G-d, after all, can defend Himself — are the hallmarks of al-Qaida and Islamic State. We who value a free society must have thicker skins. ■

The Film’s the Thing

I entertained (or educated or forced to think)? his first issue of 2016 brings the AJT preview Take Stephen Spielberg as an example. of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, back for its He can deliver endlessly entertaining movies 16th year and its first since seizing the title of such as “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Jaws” and “Close the world’s largest Jewish film festival (even though San Francisco, the original Jewish film festival, keeps Encounters of the Third Kind” and moving films with deep messages such as “Saving Private Ryan” using the “world’s largest” claim in its PR). Information starting on Page 13 should help you and “Schindler’s List.” He also has produced some spectacular failures. select films to see. This issue focuses on the special “Empire of the Sun” events: opening night; closing and “A.I.: Artificial night; ACCESS Night, targeting Intelligence” are the American Jewish Committee’s Editor’s Notebook technically excellent young professional group; and and beautiful to look appearances by Israeli musician By Michael Jacobs at, but all the pretty David Broza at the two screenmjacobs@atljewishtimes.com pictures are wasted ings of his “East Jerusalem West when the stories Jerusalem” documentary. You’ll drown in insufferalso find brief descriptions of all able, heavy-handed efforts to convey big ideas. If you 77 festival films and a full festival schedule. never listen to anything else I say, please don’t waste This is not a comprehensive guide to the 23-day a minute of your life watching “A.I.,” which might be festival, whose own program guide runs to more my least favorite film. than 150 pages. It’s just a start to get you ready for At the other end of the pretension spectrum are the opening of ticket sales at noon Sunday, Jan. 10. We’ll have more festival features before opening “1941” and “The Money Pit,” two comedies that aim to do nothing more than entertain. night Jan. 26, as well as coverage of festival highSpielberg directed “1941,” and it’s considered lights in February. And we’ll have lots of movie reone of his great flops. But there are far worse ways to views, some of which you can find online right now. waste two hours than watching John Belushi as Capt. We’re hoping that you, our readers and community Wild Bill Kelso; it’s good, dumb fun. members, will chip in with reviews and reactions at “The Money Pit,” which Spielberg executive-proatlantajewishtimes.com as you see festival films. duced, lacks any fun despite featuring Tom Hanks in Reviews by their nature are subjective, and no his comedy days. More important, it’s a pathetic attwo people will respond the same way to a movie. So tempt to remake a wonderful Cary Grant-Myrna Loy the point isn’t to tell you whether you’ll like a film, comedy, “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House,” but to give you some idea of what the film attempts and no one remaking a classic deserves mercy. and how well it succeeds. So when you read my reviews, keep in mind There’s no point in trying to place every film that I enjoy “1941,” hate “A.I.” with irrational pason some absolute scale running from, say, “Gigli” or “Plan 9 From Outer Space” to “Citizen Kane” or “Law- sion, always watch “The Last of the Mohicans” and “Watchmen” if I stumble upon them on cable, and rence of Arabia.” It’s much more fun and valuable to would rather see anything from Billy Wilder, Stanley judge a movie on two basic questions: How well did Kubrick or John Ford than any Spielberg film. ■ the film live up to its makers’ own pretensions? Was

OPINION

Judeo-Christian Meaning standing equation of Americanism with Protestantism was antiquated; all three religions were integral to the American landscape,” Professor Wendy L. Wall of the State University of New York at Binghamton wrote in an essay titled “Symbol of Unity, Symbol of Pluralism: The ‘Interfaith Idea’ in Wartime and Cold War America.”

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

(The NCCJ in 1934 created National Brotherhood Week, which lasted into the 1980s and was lampooned in the 1960s in a song by mathematician, songwriter and humorist Tom Lehrer.) The NCCJ pamphlet titled “Why We Fight” described World War II as a “war of ideas between Totalitarian Dictatorship and the Essentials in our Judeo-Christian tradition.” America had become a nation “nurtured by three ennobling traditions (‘culture groups’): Protestantism, Catholicism and Judaism,” historian Jonathan Sarna wrote in his book “American Judaism: A History.” The message was carried to the battlefields. By one estimate, military chaplains distributed more than 8 million pieces of NCCJ literature to American GIs during World War II. Postwar, Judeo-Christian values were invoked in a good-vs.-evil Cold War against “godless communism.” Today, Judeo-Christian is used (abused) by some politicians and pundits to define peoples or faiths outside this supposed American mainstream. The phrase has become exclusionary in a country created as inclusionary. The best values of Judaism, as I know them, and the best values of Christianity, as I understand them, are not exclusionary. These values encourage peoples of many faiths to engage and work together with the goal of improving the human condition. As the presidential campaign moves southward, into a region where religion supposedly holds greater sway, we’ll hear more about JudeoChristian values. We who put the Jew into JudeoChristian should seek the noblest aspects of that idea and be wary of its use to divide or exclude. ■

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

e may be the Jew in “JudeoChristian,” but the more I consider that term, the less certain I am what it means. The phrase seems particularly popular with Christians, who must feel that Jewish values — about which Jews cannot agree — are in sync with Christian values — about which Christians cannot agree. I rarely hear Jews use the phrase. Politicians and pundits are fond of saying that this country was founded on Judeo-Christian values. One presidential wannabe suggested (and later had second thoughts about) creating a federal agency to promote Judeo-Christian values to people in other countries who are neither Jewish nor Christian. A few months ago, while researching an article on Jewish-Catholic relations, I came across the World War II campaign that popularized the term. In the early 1800s missionaries used the term in reference to Jews who had converted Christianity. The term evolved to suggest a common heritage for Jews and Christians, presumably in those places and in those periods when the latter were not persecuting the former. Richard Rubenstein, an American Jewish educator known for his writings on “Holocaust theology,” told German theologians in 1963 that “for almost 2,000 years an honest Judeo-Christian encounter was all but impossible in Europe. … Only in modern times has a beginning been made toward real communication. … A tolerated Judaism can never achieve real encounter with Christianity.” In the years before World War II, Judeo-Christian became a slogan to unite Americans behind shared values. At the center of this effort was the National Conference of Christians and Jews (known since the 1990s as the National Conference for Community and Justice), founded in 1927 with the goal of “bringing diverse people together to address interfaith divisions.” Whatever divisions existed (such as Christian bigotry toward Jews and Protestant-Catholic animosity), JudeoChristian was a banner to counter prejudice (including anti-Semitism) and promote interfaith harmony. The NCCJ deployed trios of rabbis, priests and ministers at presentations. “This association of individuals who had not previously been seen in public bore a clear message: the long-

AJT 11

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

OPINION

Message to Historians: Some Students Are Terrorists

ore than a dozen Arab students at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem have been arrested for planning suicide bombings and other attacks, Israel’s Shin Bet security service revealed at the end of December. The news came little more than a week before the opening of the conference of America’s largest organization of historians. During its meeting in Atlanta, the American Historical Association will consider a resolution condemning the Israeli police for supposedly violating the rights of students at Al-Quds and other Arab universities by “invading” their campuses. Shin Bet announced it had recently captured 25 Hamas terrorists, of whom the majority are students at Al-Quds in the predominantly Arab Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Dis. Elsewhere in the neighborhood, Israeli security forces uncovered what they called “a makeshift laboratory” that was being used “to create the explosives necessary for the attacks.” The leader of the terror cell was

a 24-year-old Al-Quds student named Ahmad Jamal Mousa Azzam. He’s a resident of Qalqilya, which is, by the way, under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Azzam is just one of the

Guest Column By Stephen M. Flatow

numerous terrorists who operate with impunity in the PA-run territories. After learning from his Hamas terror bosses “how to create explosive belts and vests, as well as improvised explosive devices,” Azzam set about recruiting fellow students, an effort that met with considerable success. Apparently some of the students about whom the American Historical Association members are so worried have something on their minds other than exams and varsity soccer. The students “assisted (Azzam) in every aspect of the plot, from renting apartments to use as laboratories to purchasing the chemicals and materi-

als necessary to create the explosives, as well as volunteering to act as suicide bombers in the planned attacks,” Shin Bet said. Azzam was one busy fellow: The Israelis captured a second terror cell he had organized in between pop quizzes and frat parties. Based in Bethlehem, “some of its members also came from Al-Quds University,” according to Shin Bet. Issa Nasser Issa Shoka, a 19-year-old Al-Quds student, “agreed to carry out a suicide bombing and also to help Azzam transfer money between the West Bank and Gaza.” When the American Historical Association convenes its annual meeting at the Hilton downtown Thursday, Jan. 7, its members will debate a resolution that condemns Israel for supposedly “impeding instruction at Palestinian institutions of higher learning.” The

resolution claims that Israel’s security forces “routinely invade campuses in Jerusalem and the West Bank.” Life in Israel involves concerns that don’t affect Americans. We don’t have to worry about students at our universities strapping on suicide vests to carry out mass murder. But Israelis do have that worry. My daughter, Alisa, a Brandeis junior visiting Israel, was a victim of a Palestinian suicide bomber. That is why the Israeli security forces sometimes have to “invade” (that is, enter) Arab campuses. Because, as the recent news demonstrates, sometimes terrorists hide amid the chalkboards. ■ Stephen M. Flatow, a lawyer in New Jersey, is the father of Alisa Flatow, who was murdered in an Iranian-sponsored Palestinian terrorist attack in 1995.

Write to Us The Atlanta Jewish Times welcomes your letters in response to articles we run and in regard to issues of interest to our Jewish community. Letters should be no more than 400 words. Longer opinion pieces may be considered for use as guest columns. Submit letters at atlantajewishtimes.com or email them to mjacobs@ atljewishtimes.com. Include your town or city of residence (for publication) and a phone number (not for publication) for verification purposes.

Schedule your next Event at the Newly Renovated Wyndham Atlanta Galleria.

Three Elegant Ballrooms From a lavish signature affair to smaller, intimate gatherings, we can accommodate every wish for your special event. Schedule your tour today with our professional Event Planner Dana Cates at dcates@wyndham.com.

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

→ 10 Million Dollar Renovation - Just completed!! → Complimentary parking & shuttle → Conveniently located just off 285

AJT 12

6345 Powers Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30339 (770) 955-1700 www.wyndhamatlantahotel.com

FILM FESTIVAL

By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

he growth of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival the past 15 years to become Atlanta’s largest film festival has helped improve the quality of films and thus increase the festival’s appeal. It’s a positive spiral that hasn’t been hurt by the AJFF’s status since last year as the largest Jewish film festival in the world. “I think probably because it’s the biggest in the world there are probably more filmmakers who will try” to get into the festival, said Judy Marx, who with Gabe Wardell heads the film evaluation committee. She said that because the festival takes more than 70 films — it has 51 features and 26 shorts this year — some filmmakers who are working outside the box will submit to Atlanta while not bothering with festivals that show a third as many movies. “One of the benefits of having that title of world’s largest is that (filmmakers) start with us,” festival Executive Director Kenny Blank said. “It allows us to secure premieres of major titles,” whether those are world, North American, U.S., Southeast or Atlanta premieres. Blank said the festival gets about 100 blind submissions a year and perhaps 500 that staffers have researched and recruited to apply to the festival. “Most of these films we get, they’re not tagged as for a Jewish audience,” he said. The festival staff looks for a variety of subjects and genres. “Finding the Jewish essence of some of these films is an art form.” Marx said a film’s fit for the festival’s mission has supplanted quality as the first topic of conversation for the evaluation committee because plenty of submissions are good. “If it didn’t feel like a fit, that was almost all it took to not include it,” she said. “A bunch that they submitted just didn’t meet the mission. It wasn’t Jewish or didn’t tell the story in a Jewish way.” What makes a Jewish film is always a tricky issue, said Max Leventhal, who became the festival chairman this year after serving on and chairing the film evaluation committee in recent years. Films made in or about Israel are easy. For others, sometimes a Jewish approach or topic of Jewish interest, such as genocide, is enough, while

sometimes a Jewish character outside a religious or cultural context is not. Blank acknowledged that the process is subjective. “I think if a film is good, it has wide cultural appeal beyond the Jewish lens,” Leventhal said. “I would hope a lot of our films transcend that. These are high-quality films people wouldn’t get to see otherwise.” He said the mainstream focus on sequels and blockbusters has made it tougher for independent films to find screens. As a result, films the festival couldn’t have gotten 10 years ago now are available. That’s an important if perhaps secondary role for the festival, Blank said: providing a place for challenging, unconventional, arthouse-type films in a city without many screens devoted to movies outside the mainstream. He said he’s part of the audience for those films: people “looking for a different experience, who don’t want plots spoon-fed to them and ending tied up in a bow.” He said “Tikkun” and “Mountain” from Israel, “Song of Songs” from Ukraine, and “Demon” from Poland are examples of the kinds of films that only the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival can show here. In addition to the festival’s size, its place on the calendar is an asset, Blank said. Hollywood usually doesn’t make major releases in January and February because the audience shrinks after the holidays, creating an opening in the entertainment schedule and availability at the movie theaters that work with the festival. Meanwhile, the Oscar season — beginning with nominations Jan. 14, 12 days before the festival, and ending with the awards show Feb. 28, 11 days after — creates an interest in prestige films, some of which, such as opening night’s “Remember,” come to Atlanta fresh off premieres at big international festivals, including Toronto. Still, the key is the festival’s ability to curate the right mix of films and the audience experience, something Leventhal said is a festival strength. “A great film is easy. A lousy film is easy. But some films require champions. You have to give voice to both sides, make sure both viewpoints are brought to the table and reported,” he said. “It fills me with great pride when a strong minority voice persuades a majority that a film should be in the festival.” ■

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

Festival Grows Into Starring Arthouse Role

AJT 13

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

FILM FESTIVAL

Broza: ‘Jerusalem’ Film Puts Israelis in ‘Finest Light’ By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com

sraeli musician David Broza will appear Saturday night, Jan. 30, for two Atlanta Jewish Film Festival screenings of the documentary “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem,” about the making of his new album of the same name. He chatted with the AJT about his music and his motivation for producing a film about Israelis and Palestinians making peace through music. AJT: What was your inspiration for this film? Broza: I was making an album called “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem,” and when I got everybody together to make the album happen, I came up with the idea to film it. So I hired a production company, and we shot over eight days and eight nights in Jerusalem. AJT: It’s been over a year since the film was released. Have you seen any change in Jerusalem since then? Broza: So, the film is still not distributed at large. We are on the festival circuit now through 2016, and wherever it has been, the reaction was phenomenal. It was way more than I expected. As it turns out, though, recent events in the Middle East haven’t been very positive, and things have escalated, so the film becomes all the more a ray of light. AJT: Are you happy with the way Israelis were portrayed in this film? Broza: If the film hadn’t shown what was going on outside the studio during the recording of the album, we

would have been fools, and I’m no fool. I work in the worst possible conditions, and I try to shed a positive light on the good side of humanity. To not show what was going on in real time, are you really that afraid to expose the actual fact that there are a lot of wrongdoings in Israel and in Palestine, which makes this life very difficult for those who seek peace? Why would you be afraid to show it? Why hide it under the rug? Let’s face it, and let’s fix it. If anything, this film puts Israelis and Israel in the finest light of all. AJT: You are one of the only Israeli musicians reaching across and working with Palestinian artists. Have you ever been worried that it would affect your popularity? Broza: I don’t think it does because I don’t just work with Palestinians. I work with anyone who wants to play music. I don’t bring politics into my life, but my life as it is has a political aspect to it. When it comes to me working with the Palestinian settlements, they live in a reality that they are very much aware of, and they need to be shown that they are part of Israeli society. AJT: This film begins and ends with some shocking imagery of Israelis marching through the Arab quarter on Jerusalem Day. Do you think it was a fair representation of the situation? Broza: First of all, I didn’t direct or edit this film, although I’m certainly the one who funded it. The director and editor were very right in showing the first minute and last minute as a troubled picture, and I think that

David Broza performs with the Jerusalem YMCA choir in a scene from “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem.”

those people who are walking through the Muslim Quarter on Jerusalem Day, if they would just sit and talk about it, they would come to their senses. You don’t have to call death on the Arabs A like they did. It’s unacceptable.

thought he was probably supporting the BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions). But I called him anyway, and he immediately said yes. That was the most beautiful initial call I had, and that’s when everything fell into place.

AJT: Let’s talk about the music. Did you really record the 14 tracks in only eight days? Broza: Absolutely. The only reason I recorded it in eight days is because I told everyone a week, and they said I was crazy, so we added another day. Everything that you hear on the album is all live and done in one take.

AJT: Speaking of BDS, your album has cover songs of BDS supporters Roger Waters and Elvis Costello. What was behind the decision to include those songs? Broza: First of all, I don’t think Elvis Costello is pro-BDS. When he canceled his show, it was because his wife didn’t want him to perform in Israel. He’s never come out with any statements that are pro-BDS. Roger Waters, however, not only has, but he’s put lots of money and talk into it. I think he is mistaken, and I disagree with him. He’s completely wrong, but it doesn’t take away from the music. I’m not saluting Roger Waters. On the contrary, I’m singing it in a way that actually defies his boycott along with Palestinian musicians. The BDS can’t stop us. ■

TASTE of TASTE A

GOOD of LIFE GOOD LIFE

AJT: How did you get Steve Earle to produce this album? Broza: Steve Earle and I met because of my previous album based on Townes Van Zandt poetry. Steve was a close friend of Townes’, and we became friends. When I was about ready to do “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem,” my manager suggested I try to get Steve Earle. I said absolutely not because I

Indulge yourself in to our crispy thin dosas or scrumptious curries. We have something to satisfy all tastebuds!

AJT 14

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

MOUTH WATERING INDIAN VEGETARIAN CUISINE

Open 7 days a week • Hours: 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM

Lunch Buffet everyday: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm Take-out lunch buffet available 2179 Lawrenceville Hwy. #A • Decatur, GA 30033

(678) 393 3131 Madras Mantra_Atl Jewish Times Ad 10_15.indd 1

(404) 636 4400

www.MadrasMantra.com • MadrasMantra@gmail.com 10/14/15 4:36 PM

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

FILM FESTIVAL

Portrayal of Israelis Hits Sour Notes

Broza’s film is strong in the studio but slips on the streets

ouldn’t it be great if Israelis and Palestinians could sort out all their differences through music? That’s the prevailing thought behind David Broza’s film project “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem,” which is showing twice Thursday night, Jan. 30, at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, with Broza performing after each screening. The film chronicles the famed Israeli musician’s attempt to record an album in a small studio in East Jerusalem over eight days with a diverse mix of Israeli and Palestinian musicians. The most compelling part of the film has to be the collaboration of the artists who join to make music just steps from the conflict in the streets below. Broza employs an all-star cast of musicians, including American recording artist Steve Earle, who produced the album; Israeli Arab singer Mira Awad; Haitian-American recording artist Wyclef Jean, who co-wrote the album’s title track with Broza; and Arab hip-hop duo G-Town from the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem. Despite a feel-good premise and some amazing footage of an animated Earle working in the studio with Broza and company, “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem” may be hard pressed to find a receptive audience for its message at the film festival. It’s not that the message of peace through music isn’t a good one; it’s terrific. The problem is how Broza and the film’s director, Erez Miller, present Israel and its people as the instigators in the Israeli-Arab conflict. Pro-Israel audiences will undoubtedly have trouble watching Broza’s attempt to convert them to his point of view. The trouble starts just two minutes into the film when right-wing Israelis are shown gathering for Jerusalem Day with flags proudly flying. Israeli soldiers and police in riot gear are shown overseeing the proceedings. On the other side, Arabs with Palestinian flags are shown being watched by an overbearing police force. Conflict escalates, and Israeli police are shown running toward areas of possible trouble. Broza and his Palestinian cameraman, Issa Freij, are then shown amid the chaos and escape to Freij’s rooftop in the Old City. With sirens blaring

in the distance, the two men ponder whether a group of Arab and Israeli musicians from different backgrounds can record an album in eight days and think only about the music. What follows is a remarkable look into the eight-day recording of the album, which features a mix of cover songs and originals written by Broza. An interesting side note is that Broza chose to include cover tracks on his album from Roger Waters, an active advocate for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel, and Elvis Costello, who hasn’t been to Israel since canceling a concert amid BDS pressure in 2010.

Broza has publicly opposed the BDS movement. All in all, Broza’s first film is an incredibly watchable testament to the power of music. Fans of Broza’s, Earle’s and Israeli music in general will enjoy the film. Throughout “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem,” Broza maintains that he does not wish to get political and that the project is only about peace and music. That no doubt was his original motivation for the film, but unfortunately Broza, who has been an outspoken advocate of peace throughout his 40year career, lets his own political views cloud the film.

David Broza sits on Palestinian filmmaker Issa Freij’s rooftop in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem in a scene from “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem.”

One of the film’s final shots shows a group of nationalistic Israelis in the Old City’s Muslim Quarter on Jerusalem Day, shouting, “Death to the Arabs,” as Broza and Freij look on in shock. The solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict is a bit more complicated than just picking up musical instruments and jamming out, but Broza should be applauded for his musical efforts. ■

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com

AJT 15

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE TUESDAY, JAN. 26

Opening Night Gala 5 p.m., Cobb Energy Centre Remember 7:30 p.m., Cobb Energy Centre

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27

Censored voices 7:10 p.m., Merchants Walk

Song of Songs 7:50 p.m., Merchants Walk Wedding Doll 7:50 p.m., SCADshow The Three Hikers 7:55 p.m., Regal Avalon

THURSDAY, JAN. 28

Wedding Doll 11:45 a.m., Regal Avalon

The Law 11:50 a.m., Merchants Walk A Grain of Truth 12:15 p.m., SCADshow Every Face Has a Name 2:10 p.m., Merchants Walk The Venice Ghetto 2:20 p.m., Regal Avalon ACCESS Night Party 6 p.m., SCADshow Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong 8 p.m., SCADshow Wedding Doll 7 p.m., Merchants Walk The Kind Words 7:45 p.m., Regal Avalon The Grüninger File 7:50 p.m., Merchants Walk

FRIDAY, JAN. 29

Time to Say Goodbye 4:35 p.m., SCADshow

Shorts Program 1 1 p.m., Regal Avalon

In Line for Anne Frank 4:40 p.m., Merchants Walk

The Kind Words 1:40 p.m., SCADshow

Persona Non Grata 7:10 p.m., SCADshow

The Three Hikers 2:25 p.m., Merchants Walk

Tikkun 7:15 p.m., Merchants Walk

Time to Say Goodbye 2:35 p.m., Merchants Walk

Look at Us Now, Mother! 7:30 p.m., Regal Avalon

SATURDAY, JAN. 30

The People vs. Fritz Bauer 7:35 p.m., Merchants Walk

East Jerusalem West Jerusalem 7 p.m., Merchants Walk

Children of Giant 1:30 p.m., Merchants Walk

Time to Say Goodbye 7:10 p.m., Merchants Walk

Persona Non Grata 7 p.m., Merchants Walk

East Jerusalem West Jerusalem 8:45 p.m., SCADshow

Look at Us Now, Mother! 7:10 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

To Life! 7 p.m., Regal Avalon

Atomic Falafel 9:20 p.m., Regal Avalon The Midnight Orchestra 9:25 p.m., Merchants Walk To Life! 9:40 p.m., Merchants Walk

SUNDAY, JAN. 31

Sabena Hijacking 11 a.m., SCADshow

Fire Birds 11:10 a.m., Regal Avalon What Our Fathers Did 11:10 a.m., Merchants Walk Breakfast at Ina’s 11:25 a.m., Merchants Walk Fire Birds 1:40 p.m., Merchants Walk

Breakfast at Ina’s 11 a.m., Regal Avalon

The People vs. Fritz Bauer 1:45 p.m., Regal Avalon

Look at Us Now, Mother! 11:15 a.m., SCADshow

Atomic Falafel 1:50 p.m., SCADshow Rock in the Red Zone 1:55 p.m., Merchants Walk

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

AJT

Mountain 12:10 p.m., Merchants Walk

Shorts Program 1 4:20 p.m., Merchants Walk Atomic Falafel Noon, Merchants Walk

Children of Giant 4:20 p.m., Regal Avalon

MONDAY, FEB. 1

Sabena Hijacking 7:50 p.m., Merchants Walk Demon 8 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

Sabena Hijacking 1:30 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station Rabin in His Own Words 2:35 p.m., Merchants Walk Marathon Man 7 p.m., Merchants Walk Rabin, the Last Day 7 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station Natasha 7:50 p.m., Merchants Walk The People vs. Fritz Bauer 7:50 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

Morgenthau 11:40 a.m., Merchants Walk To Life! 11:50 a.m., Merchants Walk Time to Say Goodbye 11:50 a.m., Regal Atlantic Station A Grain of Truth 2:05 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station The Law 2:10 p.m., Merchants Walk

THURSDAY, FEB. 4

The Venice Ghetto Noon, Merchants Walk

Naked Among Wolves 12:20 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

JeruZalem 2:15 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

Naked Among Wolves 1:45 p.m., Merchants Walk

The Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer 2:20 p.m., Merchants Walk

Shorts Program 2 6:50 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

TUESDAY, FEB. 2

SATURDAY, FEB. 6

Wedding Doll 7 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

Look at Us Now, Mother! 11:30 a.m., Merchants Walk

Time to Say Goodbye 7 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Persona Non Grata 1 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

That Daughter’s Crazy 7:10 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

The Grüninger File 2:05 p.m., Merchants Walk

A Grain of Truth 8 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

The Law 6:50 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station Rabin, the Last Day 7 p.m., Merchants Walk The Pracht Inn 7:50 p.m., Merchants Walk Fire Birds 7:50 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong 9:10 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3

The Kind Words 11:50 a.m., Merchants Walk

The People vs. Fritz Bauer 9:15 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs Je Suis Charlie 7:10 p.m., Merchants Walk Natasha 7:40 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station A Grain of Truth 8 p.m., Merchants Walk The Grüninger File 9 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

FRIDAY, FEB. 5

Je Suis Charlie 11:30 a.m., Regal Atlantic Station

The Midnight Orchestra 9:15 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station JeruZalem 9:25 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

SUNDAY, FEB. 7

Singing in the Dark 11 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs By Sidney Lumet 11 a.m., Regal Atlantic Station The Kind Words 11:10 a.m., Regal Atlantic Station

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

The Front 7:20 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs Shorts Program 2 11:15 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Tikkun 7:30 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Morgenthau 1:20 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Rabin in His Own Words 8 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

What Our Fathers Did 1:35 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

The Front 11:30 a.m., UA Tara Cinemas

That Daughter’s Crazy 1:55 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station East LA Interchange 2:05 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station The Grüninger File 4 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs To Life! 4:05 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station Shorts Program 3 4:10 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs Song of Songs 4:15 p.m., Regal Atlantic Station

MONDAY, FEB. 8

Marathon Man 1:30 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs By Sidney Lumet 7 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs Mountain 7:50 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10

The Pracht Inn 11:35 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs Carvalho’s Journey 2 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs By Sidney Lumet 2:10 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas The Midnight Orchestra 7 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs The Three Hikers 7:40 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas Vita Activa: The Spirit of Hannah Arendt 7:50 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

THURSDAY, FEB. 11

FRIDAY, FEB. 12

Rabin, the Last Day 11:30 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Every Face Has a Name 1:20 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas The Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer 1:25 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Surviving Skokie 11:50 a.m., UA Tara Cinemas Shorts Program 4 1:45 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

To Step Forward Myself and Our Boys 1:35 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Fire Birds 11:50 a.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Sabena Hijacking 3:25 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Demon 2:05 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Shorts Program 3 2:25 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

The Pracht Inn 3:30 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Surviving Skokie 3:50 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Shorts Program 4 3:40 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

To Step Forward Myself and Our Boys 4:05 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Sabena Hijacking 2:45 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs Flory’s Flame 2:55 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

SATURDAY, FEB. 13

Atomic Falafel 7 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Surviving Skokie 5:55 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas East LA Interchange 5:55 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

To Life! 7 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Fire Birds 9:20 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Natasha 2:40 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

A Grain of Truth 9:25 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas Atomic Falafel 9:30 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Children of Giant 4:30 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas Persona Non Grata 7:15 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Naked Among Wolves 8 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

TUESDAY, FEB. 16

The Venice Ghetto 6:05 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs His Wife’s Lover 7:50 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

SUNDAY, FEB. 14

The People vs. Fritz Bauer 11:30 a.m., UA Tara Cinemas Look at Us Now, Mother! 11:55 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs Vita Activa: The Spirit of Hannah Arendt 2:05 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas Tikkun 2:10 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Naked Among Wolves 11 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs Carvalho’s Journey 11:10 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

In Line for Anne Frank 2 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Mountain 7:40 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

The Law 11 a.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Flory’s Flame 6:50 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Song of Songs 11:15 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

The Midnight Orchestra 11:50 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

The Three Hikers 11:50 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Persona Non Grata 11:10 a.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Rabin in His Own Words 2:20 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Demon 9:10 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

The Law 7:10 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

TUESDAY, FEB. 9

Mountain 11:50 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

MONDAY, FEB. 15

Censored Voices 11 a.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

The Midnight Orchestra 7:50 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Vita Activa: The Spirit of Hannah Arendt 11:50 a.m., UA Tara Cinemas

The Kind Words 7:50 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

Song of Songs 8:10 p.m., UA Tara Cinemas

The Three Hikers 7:40 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

Closing Night In Search of Israel Cuisine 7 p.m., Woodruff Arts Center Wedding Doll 8 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

Censored Voices 2:25 p.m., Lefont Sandy Springs

AJT

Day of encores; schedule TBA 17

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

FILM FESTIVAL

The Venues

he Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is returning to familiar places this year, with one addition and a few upgrades. The big addition to the venue lineup is SCADshow, the former 14th Street Playhouse upgraded by the Savannah College of Art and Design. SCADshow (173 14th St., Midtown) got a tryout Sept. 19 with the festival’s special screening of “Labyrinth of Lies,” Germany’s entry for the foreign-language Oscar at next month’s Academy Awards. The theater, which seats 375, was

a big hit, and it figures to be one of the stars of the festival’s opening week. Among other screenings, SCADshow will play host to the ACCESS Night party and showing of “Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong” on Thursday, Jan. 28, and one of two showings of David Broza’s “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem” documentary with a post-film performance by Broza on Saturday, Jan. 30. “SCAD has done a beautiful job of reinventing the space,” festival Executive Director Kenny Blank said. “It’s a beautiful, sexy space.” The main upgrade will come closing night Feb. 16, when “In Search of Israeli Cuisine” will be shown at the

The 2016 Films

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

hese are the 77 films showing at the 16th Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. Visit atlantajewishtimes. com to find reviews of many of these films and to add your own opinions. Feature Narratives Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong — Two Americans in Hong Kong are drawn to each other despite being involved in serious relationships. USA Atomic Falafel — A falafel truck, a nuclear inspector, an online friendship and Farsi hip-hop are all that stand in the way of a nuclear war between Israel and Iran in this farce. Israel Demon — A foreigner moving into a Polish farmhouse to marry his fiancée shows increasingly bizarre behavior as a dybbuk possesses him. Poland Fire Birds — The investigation of a Holocaust survivor’s slaying in Tel Aviv reveals secrets about the victim, the culprit and the police detective in this dark comedy. Israel The Front — A bookie (played by Woody Allen) serves as the front for writers who can’t work because of the 1950s Hollywood black list in this comedy back for its 40th anniversary. USA A Grain of Truth — Murders in a small Polish city raise the specter of the blood libel. Poland The Grüninger File — A Swiss border policeman risks everything to smuggle in Jews from Austria in 1938 in the true story of Paul Grüninger. Austria, Germany, Switzerland His Wife’s Lover — This musical farce, marking its 85th anniversary, is a battle of the sexes straight from the Yiddish stage. USA JeruZalem — Two American girls’ dream trip to Jerusalem turns into a nightmare when a gate to hell opens on Yom Kippur, unleashing a plague worse than zombies. Israel 18 The Kind Words — After their

AJT

mother dies, three siblings in Jerusalem set out on a quest through France to find their biological father. Israel The Law — Holocaust survivor Simone Veil leads the charge to legalize abortion in France in the 1970s in this biopic. France Marathon Man — Marking its 40th anniversary is this Dustin Hoffman-Laurence Olivier classic about running, dentistry, hidden war criminals and Nazi loot. USA The Midnight Orchestra — A Jewish musician who fled Morocco in 1973 returns to learn about his late father and put the band back together. Morocco Mountain — A lonely Orthodox housewife living on the Mount of Olives discovers that the cemetery next door becomes a center of prostitution at night, and she can’t stay away. Israel Naked Among Wolves — The arrival of a child hidden in a suitcase shakes up plans for an uprising of Buchenwald prisoners in March 1945. Germany Natasha — The daughter of a Russian mail-order bride seduces her new teenage cousin in Toronto’s Russian Jewish community. Canada The People vs. Fritz Bauer — Facing obstacles from his fellow West Germans, a Jewish prosecutor slips crucial intelligence about Adolf Eichmann to Israel. Germany Persona Non Grata — This biopic tells the story of Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who saved thousands of Jews from the Nazis. Japan The Pracht Inn — Holocaust survivors in Jerusalem in the 1960s share a hostel and a struggle against grief and loneliness while facing the strict rules of their innkeeper. Israel Rabin, the Last Day — Amos Gitai does his best Oliver Stone impression in making this docudrama about the

Woodruff Arts Center’s Symphony Hall (1280 Peachtree St., Midtown) instead of its Rich Auditorium, a change that Blank said will roughly double the audience capacity. Blank said those new venues, combined with upgrades at other locations and clever operational engineering by Associate Director Brad Pilcher, will add about 5,000 seats to the total festival capacity this year. Part of the expanded capacity comes from running at three venues at the same time, something the festival never attempted in its first 15 years. As it has the past two years, the festival will open Jan. 26 at the Cobb Ener-

gy Performing Arts Centre (2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Cumberland area), providing the capacity for more than 2,000 people to watch “Remember.” The other venues, back from last year: • Lefont Sandy Springs, 5920 Roswell Road. • Georgia Theater Co.’s Merchants Walk Cinemas, 1301 Johnson Ferry Road, East Cobb. • Regal Cinemas Atlantic Station 18, 261 19th St., Midtown. • Regal Cinemas Avalon 12, 3950 First St., Alpharetta. • United Artists Tara Cinemas 4, 2345 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta. ■

assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Israel Remember — A recently widowed Auschwitz survivor, suffering from dementia but following the instructions of a fellow survivor at a nursing home, sets out to find and kill the camp officer who killed their families. Canada Singing in the Dark — Back for its 60th anniversary, one of the earliest U.S. films about the Holocaust tells about a survivor who arrives in America with a great voice and no memory of what happened in Europe. USA Song of Songs — After escaping his shtetl to become a doctor, a boy returns in the hope of winning the heart of his childhood sweetheart. Ukraine Tikkun — The lives of a yeshiva student and his shochet father spiral out of control after extraordinary medical efforts save the son from a perhaps divinely decreed death. Israel Time to Say Goodbye — A comingof-age comedy involves an impending bar mitzvah celebration, a possible circumcision and crush on a teacher. Germany To Life! — A Holocaust survivor who was a cabaret singer finds a reason to live in a new friendship with a young man battling his own demons in Berlin. Germany Wedding Doll — A young woman with a disability seeks love and independence at a toilet paper factory in the Negev. Israel

Carvalho’s Journey — Sephardic photographer Solomon Nunes Carvalho travels 2,400 miles through the 19th-century Western frontier, surviving with help from American Indians and Brigham Young. USA Censored Voices — Kibbutzniks listen to long-censored recordings made in 1967 by Amos Oz and others about their thoughts on serving in the SixDay War. Israel Children of Giant — The behindthe-scenes story of the making of the 1956 film “Giant” explores racial divisions, discrimination and the immigrant experience. USA East Jerusalem West Jerusalem — Israeli musician David Broza records his latest album with Palestinians in East Jerusalem to send a message of peace. Israel East LA Interchange — A neighborhood that once had the largest Jewish population on the West Coast has transformed into a predominantly Hispanic, largely immigrant area. USA Every Face Has a Name — Holocaust survivors view newsreel footage of their arrival at a refugee waystation in Malmo, Sweden, in 1945 in a film whose message is as much about the current refugee crisis as the problems of the past. Sweden Flory’s Flame — Sarajevo-born Flory Jagoda, who came to America and escaped the Holocaust, is a dominant force in keeping traditional Sephardic music alive. Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Spain, USA In Line for Anne Frank — Visitors from around the world at Anne Frank’s hiding place in Amsterdam talk about what her story means to them. Netherlands In Search of Israeli Cuisine — Chef Michael Solomonov takes a three-week journey into what makes Israeli food

Feature Documentaries Breakfast at Ina’s — Chicago’s “breakfast queen,” Ina Pinkney, reaches the end of her restaurant career. USA By Sidney Lumet — Based on an interview just before his death in 2011, this movie tells the story of the filmmaker behind such classics as “12 Angry Men,” “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Network.” USA

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

and Israelis themselves. USA Je Suis Charlie — The slaughter at the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 sparks this tribute and exploration of free speech. France Look at Us Now, Mother! — A Jewish woman and her mother go through therapy together to work on their frayed relationship. USA Morgenthau — Three generations of New York’s Morgenthau family fight genocide abroad and corruption and street crime at home. USA The Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer — Female translators skirt the line between professional and romantic while helping the Yiddish author reach English-language audiences. Israel Rabin in His Own Words — Interviews, home movies and documents enable Yitzhak Rabin to tell his life story 20 years after his assassination. Israel Rock in the Red Zone — A young music scene thrives in Sderot, the town that has faced a decade of rocket fire from Gaza. Israel, USA Sabena Hijacking: My Version — Interviews with participants, including Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak, and re-enactments bring to life a 1972 hijacking and rescue. Israel Surviving Skokie — Filmmaker Eli Adler and his Holocaust survivor father, Jack Adler, reflect on the neo-Nazi march through Skokie, Ill., in 1977 and the family members lost in the death camps and ghettos. USA, Poland That Daughter’s Crazy — Richard Pryor’s Jewish daughter, comedian Rain Pryor, discusses her search for her own identity. USA The Three Hikers — Three American backpackers reflect on their ordeal as suspected spies held by Iran for two years after accidentally crossing the border in 2009. USA The Venice Ghetto, 500 Years of Life — Fictional characters and animation are used to recount the history of the Venice Ghetto, established in March 2016. France, Italy Vita Activa: The Spirit of Hannah Arendt — The life and influence of the political theorist known for the phrase “the banality of evil” are explored. Canada, Israel What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy — The sons of two Nazi war criminals confront their family legacies in different ways. United Kingdom Shorts Double Feature Our Boys — The abduction and murder of three Israeli teens in June 2014 leads to war in Gaza and a surge in anti-Semitism in Europe. Israel, USA

To Step Forward Myself — Alex Singer, who made aliyah after college and was killed in fighting in Lebanon, is recalled through his letters and interviews with loved ones. Israel, USA Program 1 And Then, Violence — A law student lives in constant fear amid rising anti-Semitism in Paris. France Bacon & G-d’s Wrath — A 90-yearold woman tries bacon for the first time after losing her Jewish faith on the Internet. Canada Curt Lowens: A Life of Changes — A man recounts his Holocaust survival. USA Kapunka — An Israeli farmer tries to get around shmita laws by signing over his land to a Thai worker. Israel The Little Dictator — A downtrodden professor must address a gathering of in-laws after a facial-hair mishap. Israel Wandering Rabbi — An Institute of Southern Jewish Life rabbi travels through Mississippi to help small Jewish communities survive. USA Program 2 800 Jews From Our Town — Polish students uncover the history of what happened to the Jewish residents of their hometown during World War II. Poland

Etoile — Animation tells the story of a Jewish girl and her dog living in harmony with Muslim neighbors in Morocco until anti-Semitism surges. Israel In Our Eyes — A student film explores words related to tolerance. USA Josef and Aimée — Two Jewish orphans and a talking caterpillar try to stay connected while hiding from the Nazis in southern France. Canada A Tale of Slander — Puppets play out a story of lashon hara while searching for a good kosher meal in Jewish Eastern Europe. Israel Zone A — A boy in Tel Aviv finds that his home is a battlefield between his parents while it also serves as a shelter from Iraqi Scud attacks in 1991. Israel Program 3 The Divorce — A rabbi forces a couple to hold a divorce party before approving their split. United Kingdom In the Footsteps of Regina Jonas — American denominations’ first female rabbis travel to Germany to learn about the original female rabbi, ordained in Berlin on the eve of World War II. Czech Republic, Germany Jerry-atric: One Comic’s 77-Year Climb to the Top of the Bottom — Jerry Farber and friends trace the Atlanta co-

median’s life and career. USA Nazi Boots — A Polish Holocaust survivor recalls the loss of her family. United Kingdom Si Minor — Music crosses the line dividing Arab residents of Nablus from an Israeli soldier standing watch. Israel Within Thy Walls — Stop-action animation depicts the pre-Shabbat hubbub in Jerusalem. Israel Program 4 Blue Like Me: The Art of Siona Benjamin — A woman from India’s Jewish community works in blue to create art about religion, mythology and pop culture. India, USA Dear G-d — A guard answers the written requests a woman leaves in the Western Wall. Israel Holy City — An animated vigilante rabbi trying to rid Jerusalem of immodesty gets his comeuppance. Israel Showfolk — Show-business veterans recall their careers from their Hollywood retirement home. USA The Train — Eli Wallach, in his last film, shares a story of Holocaust survival and its lessons about life and family. USA Wiener Blut — The Strauss waltz provides the soundtrack for an animated journey into Croatia’s fall into Nazism. Croatia ■

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

FILM FESTIVAL

AJT 19

FILM FESTIVAL

A Tasty Closing Night By Tova Norman

A modern thriller about the stories we tell our friends, the secrets we tell our lovers, and the lies we tell ourselves. “Breathtaking, raw and blistering…Disgraced packs the punch and power that won it the Pulitzer Prize.” —Associated Press

By AyAd AKhtAr // DirecTeD By SuSAn V. Booth

Winnheer of t rize P r e z t i ul f o r Dr A

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

WArD tony mAin e no ePl Ay t S e for B w as $20 o l s a s t ticke

AJT 20

January 27–February 14, 2016

Series on the Alliance Stage

Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

Tickets @ 404.733.5000 alliancetheatre.org/disgraced

he closing night at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival will give the audience a chance to experience Israel in a way unlike any other. “In Search of Israeli Cuisine” takes viewers on a food tour of Israel with renowned chef Michael Solomonov, author of the cookbook “Zahav,” which shares the name of his flagship restaurant in Philadelphia. In the documentary, Solomonov is the food guide on a three-week tour of Israel. “The interesting thing is I think I know a good amount about Israel and a good amount about food in general,” said Solomonov, an Israeli chef who grew up in America but has traveled to Israel for most of his life. Still, “most of the places that we went were places that I’d never even heard of.” Audience members visit some of the most renowned chefs, cooks and restaurants in Israel; shop at markets around the country; explore tomato farms, goat farms and wineries; and see cheese made in caves. “It’s just really fascinating to me, the diversity,” Solomonov said. Along their journey, the chef and his crew ended up in places they didn’t plan to go, such as a Druze village where they met four generations of people pressing olives into oil. “It was just amazing, absolutely amazing,” Solomonov said. Festival planners said this film will end the festival in a great way. “For closing night, we always want to end on a high note, a celebratory tone,” said Kenny Blank, the executive director of the festival. He said the terrific documentary explores the many foods, ethnicities and cultures that define Israeli cuisine. “The food is not only fascinating, but it makes you want to rush out and taste it.” That’s why, instead of the usual dessert reception, closing night features a sampling of Israeli cuisine and recipes from the film, prepared by the festival’s restaurant partners. Judy Marx, co-chair of the festival’s film evaluation committee, agreed that festival planners always want to close on a celebratory note, and they thought “In Search of Israeli Cuisine,” along with the opportunity to meet Solomonov, would accomplish that goal. She added that the film shows how far Israel has come. The film is not just about food. It’s about the identity of the people and trying to answer the question of what makes something or someone Israeli.

Michael Solomonov samples some Israeli spices in “In Search of Israeli Cuisine.”

“I think that’s actually the premise of the film,” Solomonov said. “It’s about the people that make up Israel, told through food.” As you explore with Solomonov, you can’t help but wonder how he translates this trip into his own version of Israeli cuisine at Zahav. “There’s a mind-set that you have with such rich diversity, such varying gastronomies, that make up this cuisine that you can sort of pull from,” he said. “And that’s the basis of what we do at the restaurant.” A 2011 James Beard Award winner as the best chef in the Mid-Atlantic, Solomonov has been credited by food critics with defining Israeli cuisine in America at a time when Israeli cuisine is a growing culinary trend. It’s not a credit he’s willing to accept. “I’m not that person,” he said. “I’m just the person cooking that food.” That was a sentiment expressed by many of the Israelis Solomonov interviewed on his journey. In a country with such a short history, is anyone ready to claim to be the person who defines Israeli cuisine? “Everybody says what Israeli food isn’t, but they’re all doing it almost in unison,” Solomonov said. But he said there is an Israeli cuisine. “Israel is a country, and there is food cooked there.” The cuisine is a conglomerate of the all of the cultures that make up the population of the tiny country. “The food is a metaphor for the people,” he said. And maybe a place to find some common ground. “In general, food is less about contrast. It’s more about commonality,” he said. “Everybody agrees on good food. “ On Feb. 16, attendees of closing night — which has moved from the Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Auditorium to its Symphony Hall, roughly doubling capacity — will have the opportunity to decide when they search for Israeli cuisine along with Solomonov. “Food travels, and food never stays the same, ever,” he said. “The history of food is that it’s always moving.” ■

FILM FESTIVAL

7 Documentary Picks Reveal Form’s Evolution By Leah R. Harrison

“D

Bob Bahr

Matthew Bernstein

an evolution in documentaries as well, as it paints an unsavory picture of characters and events just before the assassination in November 1995. This work falls into the more heavy-handed documentary category, in which director Amos Gitai takes and maintains a strong stance. What is purportedly a campaign rally for Benjamin Netanyahu is instead shown as a violent protest, with Netanyahu preaching Zionism and speaking against a government that is leading the people astray. Some in the crowd call for “death to Rabin” while others set fire to his image. Regarding the portrayal of Netanyahu, Bahr said the film is “not so much a documentary as it is an indictment” for incitement to violence and complicity. “Sabena Hijacking: My Version” re-enacts the terrifying and exhilarating events of the 1972 hijacking of Sabena Flight 971 en route from Vienna to Tel Aviv and the subsequent rescue. The story is enhanced through passenger testimonies and newfound recordings of the plane’s pilot, in addition to an interview with the sole surviving female hijacker from the Palestinian group Black September. According to Bernstein, “Sabena” is a crowd-pleasing, feel-good story, “Censored Voices,” winner of the Israeli Academy Award for best documentary, is a look at Israeli soldiers who fought in the Six-Day War. Men who were interviewed within three weeks of Israel’s victory over Arab forces listen and react to the recordings nearly half a century later, revealing startling and sobering insights into the price of war and raising the question of whether there ever is a decisive victor. “By Sidney Lumet,” recapping the 50-year career of the filmmaker, who died in 2011, is the final documentary best bet. Film clips and interviews with Lumet are used to illustrate how he exposed his audience to the humanity of even the most distasteful of his characters in iconic films including “Serpico,” “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Network.” ■

1. Can earn up to 3% or more tax free over 20 years

2. Self completing

if you become disabled before age 65

3. Multiplies for your family should you die prematurely

4. Can provide a lifetime income tax-free at retirement

5. AND PROVIDE LONG TERM CARE PROTECTION!!

404-725-4841

myfriendmayer@gmail.com

SENIOR CONSULTANTS GROUP, INC Mayer Smith CLU ChFC LUTCF, Pres. Do Something Good for Somebody Today

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

ocumentary films have changed and are much more important in the world today,” Bob Bahr said at the second of the two Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Best Bets events Sunday, Jan. 3, at Temple Sinai. His co-host, Emory film professor Matthew Bernstein, said: “Documentaries have become a different type of business since Michael Moore showed you could make over $200 million from a documentary. He changed the perception of documentaries in America.” Bernstein and Bahr detailed different documentary styles, such as classic, which relies on simple production and a smart interviewer, as in the case of their first documentary pick, “What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy.” Narrator Phillipe Sands, a human rights lawyer, interrogates the sons of two high-ranking Nazi officials, allowing them to reveal themselves and their vastly different attitudes about their lineage through their answers, facial expressions and reactions to his questions. Bernstein said it is “a film that is very much about dealing with history, inherited history, and in these two different men, the process of acceptance of a past that is very uncomfortable. And the persistence of denial.” Bahr contrasted the classic style with the use of re-enactment in “The Three Hikers,” which re-creates events related to Iran’s 2009 capture and 26-month imprisonment of three social advocacy workers along a blurry Kurdistan border, then lets the detainees retell events and interviews their families and human rights authorities. Two best bets are about Yitzhak Rabin. Through a painstaking assemblage of recordings, tapes, home movies, letters and interviews, the assassinated prime minister tells his own life story in “Rabin in His Own Words.” It brings us through the events leading up to the 1993 Oslo Accords. That agreement included the highly contentious withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Amid chants from crowds that “Rabin is a traitor,” Rabin speaks of the need to realize that “peace is made with enemies … sometimes very cruel enemies.” To complete the Rabin picture, Bahr and Bernstein recommend also seeing “Rabin, the Last Day.” This lengthy yet worthwhile film represents

The Ideal Savings Plan For Those Ages 18 to 55

AJT 21

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

FILM FESTIVAL

Shoah Memories Never Die; Nazis Do By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

he Atlanta Jewish Film Festival takes on a real Hollywood feel opening night with “Remember,” which stars two Academy Award winners under the direction of an Oscar nominee. The film premiered in the fall at two of the world’s most prestigious film festivals, Toronto and Venice, and is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release Feb. 12, 2½ weeks after the Jewish Film Festival gives the movie its local debut Jan. 26 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. With Christopher Plummer (winner of a supporting actor Oscar in 2012 for “Beginners”) and Martin Landau (supporting actor Oscar in 1994 for “Ed Wood”) in front of the cameras and Atom Egoyan (nominated for directing and screenwriting Oscars for 1997’s “The Sweet Hereafter”) behind them, “Remember” has the star power to take the big opening-night stage. “We’re trying to find something that may not be the best film of the festival, but the film that will have the broadest appeal and set the right tone,”

AJT 22

festival Executive Director Kenny Blank said. “It will definitely have people talking at the end.” It also establishes a few festival plot lines involving aging Holocaust survivors, hidden Nazis and the ways subsequent generations handle what their fathers did in World War II. Plummer plays Zev Gutman, an Auschwitz survivor suffering from dementia so that each time he falls asleep, he loses his short-term memory, including the recent death of his wife. He doesn’t look like a candidate to go on a manhunt or commit a revenge killing, but that’s exactly the mission given to him by a fellow survivor and resident of a New York nursing home. That Auschwitz survivor, Max Rosenbaum (Landau), writes a letter reminding Zev of his recent past and providing step-by-step instructions of how to seek out the four German immigrants in Canada and the United States who could be the Nazi prison guard responsible for killing both of their families. Zev is hardly the image of a great Nazi-hunter; he at times seems to be little more than a puppet whose strings are being pulled by his friend Max.

But as you’d expect, Plummer plays the part perfectly, including the bewilderment every time he wakes up in a strange place without his wife and the mix of fear and determination each time he confronts a candidate for the missing Nazi. As he has done for decades, Landau makes the most of limited screen time. It’s unfortunate he and Plummer don’t have more scenes together, but Plummer’s extended scene with the adult son (played by Dean Norris from “Breaking Bad”) of one of his suspects is a strong substitute. Norris’ character admires his late father’s Nazi past but wants to learn more about his life. At the same time, while Zev searches for the Nazi guard after walking away from his nursing home, his son searches for Zev. The quests converge at an isolated house in a scene reminiscent in place and suspense of the climax of another Landau film, “North by Northwest.” “Remember” is not of the same caliber as that Alfred Hitchcock classic, but it has enough twists to reward viewers who let the top-notch acting carry them away and don’t try to see the surprises coming. ■

Love Hong Kong; Don’t Fret About ‘Tomorrow’ By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

ou won’t see a more visually rewarding movie at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival this year than “Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong,” whose two scheduled screenings include ACCESS Night at the renovated SCADshow theater in Midtown. The city of Hong Kong is the beautiful star and the one character sure to requite love in a tale of two beautiful people who might be perfect for each other and seem to be thrown together by fate twice — except for the sticky issue of the significant others in their lives. Perhaps reflecting their real-life romance, stars Bryan Greenberg and Jamie Chung share a casual chemistry that makes you want them to push past the awkwardness of their chance meetings in the middle of Hong Kong, the city where their characters, Josh and Ruby, have chosen to live and work. Writer-director Emily Ting has some fun playing against expectations: It’s Josh, the New Yorker, who knows Hong Kong inside and out and can speak Cantonese after living in the city for a decade, while Ruby, a California girl one generation removed from Hong Kong, doesn’t speak the language, know the food or music, or ever seem quite confident that she knows where she’s going. Ting can’t resist some stereotypes — Josh is a Jewish banker, Ruby had dreams of being the next Vera Wang — but she has fun with them: Josh just wants to be a writer and responds to a few hours with Ruby by quitting the financial high life; Ruby, a toy designer, finds that cheap Chinese counterfeits are ripping off her product line. As long as you don’t think about his girlfriend and her boyfriend, even though we’re constantly reminded about them, and as long as you don’t worry about any deep questions involving interfaith relationships, you can have fun with Josh and Ruby as they explore the city. And if the ethics of their situation get to you, as they did to me, just enjoy the film as a first-class travelogue of a fantastic city. ■

FILM FESTIVAL

Get Your Tickets

ickets to the 16th Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, which runs from Jan. 26 to Feb. 17, go on sale to the general public at noon Sunday, Jan. 10. Festival sponsors and patrons may use their passes to reserve tickets for specific screenings before that day and, to get their first choices, are advised to do so online at ajff.org/passes or through 678-701-6107. If this year is like past incarnations of the world’s biggest Jewish film festival, more than half the tickets will be gone by Jan. 11, and screenings for the most popular movies will sell out within days. Standby lists will be created onsite for sellouts. You must sign up for the list in person at the venue on the day of the screening, and if any seats are open at show time, the festival will fill them from the list. Even if you miss a film because it sells out, all is not lost. The last day of the festival, Feb. 17, will be devoted to encore showings of some of the most popular movies. Those screenings will be announced during the festival. The quickest, cheapest way to buy

tickets is online at ajff.org/films. You also can call 678-701-6104, but you’ll pay a fee of $2.50 per ticket order by phone. The final option is to buy tickets at the box office at festival venues, where sales begin one hour before a locale’s first festival screening of the day throughout the festival. Tickets are $18 for four events: • Opening night Jan. 26 (for the screening of “Remember” only; the preshow gala is open only to festival sponsors and patrons). • The ACCESS Night screening Jan. 28 of “Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong,” which includes a pre-film party. • The two screenings Jan. 30 of “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem,” which will be followed by performances by David Broza. • Closing night Feb. 16, when a tasting will follow “In Search of Israeli Cuisine.” Tickets are $13 for other screenings after 4 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend shows; $11 for people 65 and older, children 12 and under, and students with valid IDs; and $9 for weekday matinees. ■

Est. 1989

Voted Top 10 Salons in Atlanta!!

Bring this ad and experience the bliss of a complimentary 60 min European Facial with the purchase of a color service. Book your appointment today and let our experts introduce you the secret to ageless skin...

770.993.0058 | www.josephandfriends.com Sandy Springs • Roswell • Johns Creek • Milton • Cumming valid until March 31st

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

Exclusive Promotion:

AJT 23

FILM FESTIVAL

EY D I E KO O N I N G ROU P “The Team Friends Recommend” EYDIE KOONIN 404.697.8215 eydiekoonin@atlantafinehomes.com

KERI GREENWALD 404.307.6000 kerigreenwald@atlantafinehomes.com

MIKE TOLTZIS 404.376.9135 miketoltzis@atlantafinehomes.com

AT L A N TA F I N E H O M E S . C O M

4 0 4 . 2 3 7. 5 0 0 0

Join us for an Open House! Upcoming Dates: January 10th

January 28th

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

quench

AJT 24

my thirst for answers.

Inspiring students from 1 8 months to 8th grade springmont.com • 404.252.3910

7 Narrative Picks: Thrills, Tears and Laughs

ob Bahr and Matthew Bernstein offered several dozen people a sneak peek at the top narrative films in this year’s Atlanta Jewish Film Festival during their first Best Bets session Dec. 20 at Temple Sinai. Over bags of popcorn, the two film experts listed seven must-see movies: • “Wedding Doll,” starring Moran Rosenblatt, seen last year in “Apples From the Desert,” tells the story of a radiant young woman with a slight mental disability who dreams of love and independence from her divorced mother, who herself is torn between guilt and desire. “Films like this don’t usually get made,” Bahr said, calling it “a work of art.” • “A Grain of Truth” is a Polish murder mystery set in a town with a historical obsession with the Jewish blood libel. Calling the story a Polish “Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” Bernstein said the film is “fantastic” and “totally absorbing.” • Following the example of “Dr. Strangelove,” “Atomic Falafel” is a pure farce about Israel and Iran on

the brink of nuclear war while adults behave badly and teens try to save the day. “What Jews do best is laugh at themselves and others,” Bahr said. • Similar to Oscar hopeful “Labyrinth of Lies,” “The People vs. Fritz Bauer” tells the true story of a German prosecutor trying to find Nazi war criminals despite obstacles from his own government. • The key to “Mountain,” which shows the interior journey of an unhappy Orthodox housewife living on the Mount of Olives, is not to leave before the final five minutes, Bahr said. • Like “A Grain of Truth,” “Fire Birds” is a murder mystery, although set amid the culture of Holocaust survivors in Israel. Unlike “Grain,” it is unexpectedly funny, Bernstein said. “This one has a special place in my heart.” • “Remember,” being shown opening night only, is the story of Auschwitz survivors (played by Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau) seeking revenge before they die. “We see older people in a way we generally don’t see them,” as men of action, Bahr said. ■

AJT

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

FILM FESTIVAL

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

From the Negev to Jerusalem and Beyond Pick your path through the festival’s Israeli options By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

ne of the key roles of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is to provide a window into Israeli life and culture, so it’s no surprise that more than a third of the 77 films this year are from Israel or deal with the nation. But what if you have a job, a family or other responsibilities that prevent you from devoting yourself to the cinema for three weeks in the middle of winter? How do you chart a logical course through your Israeli film options? Here are a few suggested approaches: • Go for laughs. Amid relentless terrorist attacks, the news out of Israel these days can be depressing, so why not grab every chance to smile? Start with the one outright farce in the festival, “Atomic Falafel,” because once you can laugh about nuclear armageddon between Israel and Iran, you can find humor anywhere. That includes pho-

ny Holocaust survivors and murder mysteries, so “Fire Birds” is the perfect next step. “The Kind Words” — France, North Africa and three siblings searching for Dad — complete the feature side of the comedy cycle, but don’t forget the shorts. The first shorts program offers two comic gems: “Kapunka,” in which a farmer’s bid to skirt the shmita laws leads to the Middle East’s largest Buddhist temple popping up on his land overnight; and “The Little Dictator,” in which a browbeaten professor of totalitarianism makes his grandmother-in-law, a Holocaust survivor, happy with a surprising bit of facial hair. • Stick with the shorts. Each of the four shorts programs features six films and runs less than an hour and a half, so they’re a good way to get a nice slice of Israeli cinematic life. In addition to “Kapunka” and “The Little Dictator,” Shorts Program 2 offers “Zone A,” about a boy facing the dual crises of his parents’ marital breakup and Scuds flying from Iraq in 1991; “Etoile,” which presents Israel as a little Moroccan Jew-

THE SONENSHINE TEAM Atlanta’s Favorite Real Estate Team

DEBBIE SONENSHINE STAR NEWMAN KATIE GALLOW Top 1% of Coldwell Banker Internationally Certified Negotiator, Luxury, New Homes and Corporate Relocation Specialist #1 Sales Associate in Sandy Springs Office Voted Favorite Jewish Realtor in AJT, Best of Jewish Atlanta

#1 Team Coldwell Banker Atlanta

Debbie Sells Houses

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

Country French Home Located on Over 2.5 Private Acres

AJT 26

• Looking For a Soccer Field Backyard? This is It!! • Custom Moldings, Heart of Pine Floors & Beams and Custom Solid Doors • Charming Chef’s Kitchen with Stainless Appliances, Huge Island, Beams & Fireplace • Gorgeous Southern Back Porch to Enjoy the View of Private Yard • Master on Main Suite with Study and Luxurious Bath w/ Frameless Shower

Sandy Springs $1,875,000

• Terrace Level with Bedroom, Full Bath, Playroom, Media Room, Gym or Whatever You Want! • Studio Located Over 3-Car Garage- Perfect for Artist, Office or Yoga • Large Gunite Pool & Large Flat Grassy Area Makes Entertaining So Easy! Room for Tennis or Soccer Field! • Spitzmiller and Norris Architect & Robert Fields Premier Builder- Built to Last! • Heards Ferry/ Ridgeview/Riverwood

direct 404.250.5311 office 404.252.4908

Debbie@SonenshineTeam.com | www.SonenshineTeam.com ©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Operated By a Subsidiary of NRT LLC.

ish girl’s refuge from anti-Semitism in the early 1960s; and “A Tale of Slander,” which is Israeli-made but takes place in the lost world of East European shtetls and has a funny, salty finale. Program 3 brings “Within Thy Walls,” a weird, wild, cheerful glimpse at the rush to prepare for Shabbat in Jerusalem, and “Si Minor,” a more serious look at the potential for music to cross the IsraeliPalestinian divide in Nablus. Program 4’s contributions are “Dear G-d,” in which a guard at the Western Wall attempts to fulfill a woman’s requests to a higher power, and “Holy City,” which has a wicked take on Jerusalem’s response to a rabbi’s vigilante efforts to enforce modesty standards. • Listen to the music. “Si Minor,” the longest part of Shorts Program 3, shows an Israeli soldier drawn to Palestinian musicians, and David Broza’s “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem” plays a similarly hopeful note about the power of music to open eyes to the potential for peace. The short “Dear G-d” includes the woman’s sad realization that no one has ever dedicated a song to her and the guard’s epic effort to correct that oversight. “Atomic Falafel” solves that pesky threat of nuclear war in part through Farsi hip-hop, performed by a German actress playing an Iranian teen. “Rock in the Red Zone” reveals the powerful music scene that has developed under rocket fire in the town of Sderot near the Gaza border. • Explore Orthodoxy in unorthodox ways. Israeli society has struggled in recent years with how to integrate the Haredim fully into the responsibilities of citizenship, from military or national service to employment. Several films explore the uncertainty about the ultra-Orthodox, including “Mountain,” in which a wife isolated with her children in a house alongside a cemetery on the Mount of Olives dives into an unexpected nightlife; “Tikkun,” in which saving a life accelerates a cycle of self-doubt for a kosher butcher and his son, a yeshiva boy; and “Holy City.” • Go to the toilet. “Tikkun” is about Haredi life in Jerusalem; “Wedding Doll” addresses secular life in the Negev. They could be different worlds, but both of those worlds include time sitting on the porcelain throne. In “Tikkun,” the father who fears he thwarted G-d’s will by saving his son has dramatic, horrific hallucinations while on the toilet. In “Wedding Doll,” those solitary moments are crucial for the central factory, which produces rolls of toilet

paper, and an important scene occurs when the factory owner’s son is stuck in a stall without a roll. • Observe the anniversary. Two films, one a documentary and the other an Oliver Stone-style, conspiracy-minded docudrama, address the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin 20 years ago last November. It’s best to start with “Rabin in His Own Words” to see what all the fuss was about regarding the Israeli leader who signed the Oslo Accords, then move on to Amos Gitai’s “Rabin, the Last Day.” • Face the elephant in the room. The Israeli-Arab conflict isn’t a dominant theme in this year’s Israeli offerings, but it’s unavoidable. In addition to the Rabin films, you shouldn’t miss “Censored Voices,” which features interviews of kibbutzniks right after they fought in the Six-Day War, and “Sabena Hijacking: My Version,” which brings more political leaders into the discussion about a 1972 act of terrorism. “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem” and “Si Minor” provide musical glimpses across the Green Line, while “Rock in the Red Zone” offers the Israeli perspective of life under attack. “Our Boys” recalls the abduction and killing of three Israeli teens hitchhiking home, leading soon after to war in Gaza in 2014. “To Step Forward Myself” is one American’s story of making aliyah and serving and dying with the army. • Look nervously eastward. If Iran is Israel’s biggest threat, two films can feed the fear. One is “Atomic Falafel.” The other is “Three Hikers,” a documentary about American backpackers, one of whom was Jewish with Israeli ties, who strayed across the border into Iran in 2009 and wound up being held as spies for 26 months. • Follow Mali Levi. The Israeli actress stars in “Atomic Falafel” and has a major supporting role in “Fire Birds.” • And now for something completely different. Three of the most interesting Israeli films don’t fit naturally with anything else, so why not weave them together? “Wedding Doll” is a warm look at a young woman with a mental disability who strives for love and independence amid the stark, beautiful backdrop of the Negev. The key to “JeruZalem” is the “z” and the belief that one of three doors to hell opens in the holy city. And after everything else, a nice nosh and “In Search of Israeli Cuisine” seem like a good way to close the exploration of Israeli film as well as the festival itself. ■

OBITUARIES

87, Atlanta

Former sportswriter, life insurance agent, author and state boxing champion Eugene S. “Gene” Asher, 87, died Monday, Dec. 28, 2015. He was an Atlanta Constitution sportswriter in the 1950s and Atlanta Journal sports prep editor in the 1960s. A frequent guest on radio and TV talk shows, Asher shared information and opinions about teams and players. After the birth of his third child, David Baron Asher, who died in 2010, Asher wanted to earn more money to provide for his family. He said he’d do anything except sell insurance. Yet life insurance became his next career. Within his first year he made the Million Dollar Round Table, and over time he became a Lifetime Member of

the MDRT. However, his love for writing never died. Upon retiring in 1990, he founded the Jewish Georgian newspaper and single-handedly sold the ads and called upon friends to help him write articles. In the late ’90s he began writing a monthly column for Georgia Trend magazine on former local sports figures and Atlantans of notoriety. In 2005, a compilation of many of those articles was published in his book, “Legends: Georgians Who Lived Impossible Dreams.” A retired colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, Asher served as a rifle platoon leader in the Korean War and was honored with two Purple Hearts. As well as fighting for his country, he fought in the boxing ring. He was a four-time city of Atlanta boxing champion and became the 1949 Georgia state lightweight Golden Gloves champion. Years later, Asher taught boxing at the Atlanta Jewish Community Center and founded the Fathers and Daughters Club of Atlanta. Asher was born May 5, 1928, to Baron Hirsch Asher and Erna Fromme Asher. He is survived by daughters Laurie Lynn Asher and Susan Kay Asher; their mother, Dell Spector Asher; cousins Jeffrey C. Asher and JoAnn Asher Rubin; nieces Karen Everett Sukloff and Marybeth Asher-Lawson; and nephews Barry Benator, Gene Benator and Ron Asher. Asher is buried at Crest Lawn Memorial Park.

Gail Rochelle Beier 68, Lawrenceville

Gail Rochelle Beier, 68, of Lawrenceville passed away peacefully Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015. She was born in New York, N.Y., to Jessie and Irving Lefer, both of blessed memory. Gail worked for Jewish Family & Career Services for nine years before working for DeKalb County Work Force Development another nine years. She was an active participant with the Suwanee Good Timers and a member of Congregation Dor Tamid. Gail was preceded in death by her husband of 30 years, Richard. She is survived by her niece, Renee; two nephews, Jayson and Glenn; and

her dear friend and neighbor, Carol Guillory. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Graveside services were held Wednesday, Dec. 30, at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs with Rabbi Judith Beiner officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.

Phyllis Freedman 87, Atlanta

Phyllis Blonder Freedman, “Grandma Phyllis,” age 87, of Atlanta passed away Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015. Survivors include her loving husband of 69 years, Jack I. Freedman; son and daughter-in-law Doug and Genie Freedman of Atlanta; daughter and son-in-law Dr. Ed and Robyn Spizman Gerson of Atlanta; grandchildren Jaime and Justin Spizman, Ali and Marc Garfinkel, Michelle and Jeff Gerson, Dr. Lee and Alicia Gerson, and Randi Gerson; great-grandchildren Dani and Bella Spizman, Jack Gerson, and Scott Gerson; her devoted sister-in-law, Lois Blonder; and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Pauline and Irving Blonder, and a brother, Gerald “Jerry” Blonder, of blessed memory. A beloved and tireless community volunteer and well-known leader for causes throughout Atlanta, Phyllis Freedman was a remarkable woman filled with determination and dedication. She left a loving legacy with her devotion to making a difference, her love of her family, and her good-natured, kind ways. Her motto was “She tried,” yet her family emphatically concludes she succeeded on every front possible. Her leadership was far-reaching as she mentored and touched everyone who knew her. She was chair of the Women’s Division of Federation, president of the Atlanta Chapter of the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee, and National Women’s Division chairwoman of the Council of Jewish Federations. She was president of Jewish Family & Career Services and co-chair of Israel Expo and was honored by B’nai B’rith when, as a couple, Phyllis and Jack received the Distinguished Service Award of B’nai B’rith and were honorees for Israel Bonds. That was the short list. Her love of reading and Atlanta led her to become a tour gal and then work for Esther Levine’s Book Atlanta company, escorting well-known authors visiting Atlanta. Phyllis’ former Yankee spirit and her gracious Southern hospitality promoted Atlanta as the finest city on Earth. Phyllis moved to Atlanta after she was fixed up with Jack (her Honey) on a blind date in 1946 orchestrated by Frieda Cohen (Jack’s sister) and her Aunt Florence Rachelson. She and her Honey married a year later. It was an orchestrated marriage like a symphony of two hearts and minds from the beginning as they tirelessly worked to impact the Atlanta Jewish community and endless causes from Atlanta to Israel. Over the past three years, Phyllis has been a familiar face visiting her husband at the Jewish Home, hardly ever missing a day. Phyllis Freedman was an icon and a woman of valor and honor. She will be deeply and dearly missed. The family is grateful to her devoted caregiver, Rose Howell, and to Bettye Storne for

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

Eugene Asher

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

AJT 27

OBITUARIES her weekly sunshine. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the William Breman Jewish Home, Weinstein Hospice, the Marcus Jewish Community Center’s Blonder Family Department for Special Needs, or JF&CS. Funeral services were held at Ahavath Achim Synagogue on Sunday, Jan. 3, with interment at Arlington Memorial Park. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.

Lala Greene 73, Atlanta

Lala Myers Greene passed away early Saturday morning, Dec. 26, 2015, in Atlanta in her home with her loving husband of 53 years by her side. She was 73 years old. Lala was born in Atlanta on Oct. 12, 1942, to Frank and Elizabeth Myers. She spent her early years growing up in the same home as her maternal grandparents, Bert and Honey Lilienthal; an aunt and uncle, Lala and Frank Lesser; a cousin, Lainy Goldstein; and a sister, Nancy Woodruff. She graduated Northside High School in 1960 and headed off to Ohio State University to begin her college career, but fate had other plans. The summer after her freshman year, still only 18 years old, she met Jack Greene in Atlanta. Jack had recently moved to Atlanta after being deployed by the Army to Fort Gordon in Augusta from his home in Spring Valley, N.Y. It was love at first sight, and within eight months they were engaged and married. Together they built a life and a family. Lala worked side by side with Jack as they built many successful businesses together, but her true calling was her role as a mother to her two children, David and Ann, and later their spouses, Kerry and Michael, whom she loved as her own. She then used this same innate capacity for love and nurturance as a grandmother, or “Saffi,” to her seven grandchildren: Benjamin, Avi, Rose, Aaron, Elie, Dov and Yoni. Lala loved being with her family most of all, and they with her. The family especially enjoyed their many summers together in Maine. Lala had the rare gift of being able to see the good in every person and cherish each day. Although Lala was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February 2011, she never allowed the disease to define her life or tarnish her outlook. She continued to be the most compassionate, kind, grateful, optimistic, humble and strong person in the lives of her family, friends and even strangers whom she had just met. Although she was the one battling the disease, she remained everyone else’s beacon of light and hope. Lala is survived by her husband, Jack Greene; her father, Frank Myers (Elizabeth z”l); her sister, Nancy Woodruff (Scott); her children, David and Kerry Greene and Ann and Michael Karlin; and her grandchildren, Benjamin, Rose and Dov Karlin and Avi, Aaron, Elie and Yoni Greene. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. The funeral was held Sunday, Dec. 27, at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs. In lieu of flowers, please remember Lala with donations to Weinstein Hospice or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.

William Kaplan 84, Atlanta

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

William (Bill) Kaplan, 84, of Atlanta passed away Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016. Mr. Kaplan was a longtime member of Congregation Shearith Israel. Survivors include his nieces, Terry (Randy) Nordin of Dunwoody, Susan (Rick) Linkwald of Johns Creek and Sandra Levin of Atlanta; nephews Steven (Sue) Kaplan and Lee Kaplan of Texas; brother Cecil (Ester) Kornreich of the Bronx, N.Y.; sister Judy (Richard) Abraham of Canton, Conn.; brother Ivan (Bernice) Kornreich of New York; sister-in-law Adele Kaplan of Napa, Calif.; great-niece Rebecca (Michael) Landis of Dunwoody; great-niece Erica Linkwald of Australia; and greatnephew Bill (Rachel) Linkwald of Atlanta. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Contributions may be made to Congregation Shearith Israel or the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer. Graveside services were held at Crest Lawn Memorial Park with Rabbi Melvin Sirner officiating on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Arrangements by Dressler’s 28 Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.

AJT

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

Simon Phillip Levetan 91, Atlanta

Simon Phillip (Phil) Levetan, age 91, died Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, surrounded by his family. He was a native Atlantan, born April 12, 1924, to Joseph and Rebecca Boss Levetan at Georgia Baptist Hospital. He was co-owner of his family’s scrap metal business, Dixie Iron and Metal Co. When the business was sold to a recycling company, he remained with the new owners for many years. Mr. Levetan graduated from Boys’ High School and received a B.A. and an M.A. from Atlanta Law School. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, where he maintained the electrical and mechanical systems of B-29 airplanes in Saipan. He was a lifetime member of Ahavath Achim Synagogue and member of Congregation Beth Jacob. His greatest pleasure was coordinating the weekly lunchand-learn sessions for Chabad with Rabbi Yossi New for more than 25 years. In addition, he was a member of the Jewish War Veterans and a life member of the Elks 78 organization. Mr. Levetan was the silent partner and driving force behind the many accomplishments of his wife, Liane, throughout their 61-year marriage. He worked out at the gym several times a week with his brother and best friend, Robert (Bob), up until the last few weeks of his life. He is survived by his wife, Liane Levetan; his two daughters, Claresa Levetan, M.D., and Penny Levetan Reiff of Philadelphia; four grandchildren, Alison and Julie Reiff and Nathan and Rachel Hochberger, all of Philadelphia; a brother, Robert (Bob) Levetan; a sister-in-law, Gail Raab; and numerous loving nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. A graveside service was held Monday, Jan. 4, at Crest Lawn Memorial Park. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.

Bert Lewyn 92, Atlanta

Bert Lewyn, 92, died Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, at his Buckhead home, surrounded by his loving family and caregivers. Born Dagobert Lewin to Leopold and Johanna Wolff Lewin in Berlin on April 2, 1923, Bert’s early years presaged a life of perseverance and achievement in the face of daunting odds. The Gestapo deported his parents and enslaved Bert in a Berlin weapons factory on March 27, 1942, when Bert was 18. In 1943, when the Nazis deported all Jewish factory workers, Bert managed to avoid capture, and he began a 2½-year journey of survival described in “On the Run in Nazi Berlin,” a book he would co-author many years later with his daughter-in-law Beverly Saltzman Lewyn. “On the Run” has since sold over 10,000 copies and has been published in a German translation. Bert’s story has also been chronicled in numerous publications, including The Jerusalem Post, several German publications, and “Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow” by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. At the war’s end, having learned that nearly all his family had been murdered by the Nazis, Bert lived in a displaced persons camp in Feldafing, Germany, for four years. The highlight of his time in the camp was his travel to Sweden as a metalworking instructor for ORT at the invitation of the king of Sweden. Bert was finally able to begin his postwar life when Rabbi Tobias and Mrs. Geffen of Atlanta, his great-aunt and -uncle, sponsored his immigration to Atlanta in 1949. Bert moved in with Rabbi and Mrs. Geffen and found both a wife and a job with the Geffens’ help. Bert married Esther Sloan of Atlanta on Dec. 23, 1951, and took a job with a local metalworking company while attending English classes at Commercial High at night. Seven months later, he enrolled at Georgia Tech. Subsequently, Bert started his own woodworking machinery business with no office, no contacts, no money, no parents, no mentors or other role models, and barely any English skills. He called on potential customers all across the South, leaving Esther on Sunday evenings and returning on Fridays. He drove 200,000 miles a year, determined to provide his wife and family a secure future. His company, Lewyn Machinery, finally made a tiny profit just about the time the first of his five children, Andrea,

OBITUARIES was born in 1955. His Herculean efforts building Lewyn Machinery Co. began to pay off as his company and his family grew over the next decade. The company emerged as one of the largest woodworking machinery importers in the United States. During this time Bert and Esther welcomed four more children: Lawrence, Marc, Cindy and Michael. Bert’s determination to build a business was matched only by his quick wit and relationship-building skills. He persuaded machinery manufacturers from England, Italy, Japan, Taiwan and even Germany to hire him to represent them in the United States and similarly counted as customers some of the largest American furniture makers. His most lasting business achievement was as a co-founder of the Woodworking Machinery Importers Association of America (WMIA), which established the largest international woodworking trade show in the Western Hemisphere, held every two years at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Bert will be most remembered for the love he had for Esther, his children and his grandchildren, the admiration and love of his friends, the respect his business colleagues had for him, his dry wit, and his fierce love and defense of the Jewish people and of Israel. Bert was predeceased by his parents, Johanna and Leopold Lewin, and is survived by his loving wife, Esther Sloan Lewyn; daughters Andrea Lewyn Krakovsky and Cindy Lewyn; sons Lawrence, Marc and Michael Lewyn; son-in-law Ed Krakovsky; daughter-in-law Beverly Saltzman Lewyn; and grandchildren Jake and Sloan Krakovsky and Alexandra, Rachel, Sarah and Rebecca Lewyn. A memorial service for Bert was held at The Temple on Tuesday, Jan. 5, with Rabbi Peter Berg and Rabbi Ilan Feldman officiating. Interment followed at Arlington Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust or to a charity of one’s choice.

Irwin Weiner 84, Marietta

Irwin Weiner, Oct. 6, 1931, to Dec. 30, 2015. There will never be another Irwin Weiner. He lived a full life and was loved by many. He deeply loved his wife, Lynne, who spent over 47 years by his side, running his home, raising his children, and making sure that he and the family always had what they needed. Irwin adored his daughters, Julie Weiner and Mindi Biscoglia, and was very proud of everything they have accomplished. He loved and was grateful for his son-in-law, Benjie Biscoglia, and his beautiful grandchildren, Joey and Alex, who were the rays of sunshine in Irwin’s elder years. Irwin is also survived by his sister, Sherry Forman, as well as other relatives and longtime friends whom he considered family. He truly will be missed, but his memory will always be alive and provide smiles to all who knew him. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Graveside services were held Sunday, Jan. 3, at Greenwood Cemetery with Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor Irwin’s memory by making a donation to WellStar Community Hospice-Tranquility at Kennesaw Mountain or another charitable organization. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.

www.atlantajewishtimes.com held Tuesday, Jan. 5, at Arlington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Temple Beth Tikvah, Roswell, and Weinstein Hospice, Atlanta. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.

Death Notices

William Alperin of St. Petersburg, Fla., father of Michael Bray and Charlene Fuller, on Dec. 21. Oscar Alter of Canton on Dec. 17. Lorraine Arnold, 70, of Atlanta, Congregation Or Hadash member, partner of Robert Isenberg, mother of David Arnold and Jaime Arnold Goldberg, stepmother of Jason Isenberg, and sister of Lewis Moss, on Dec. 28. Buddy Baras of Chattanooga, Tenn., father of Temple Sinai member Randy Baras, Jeff Baras and Lisa Stark, on Dec. 25. Erwin Becker of Atlanta on Dec. 18. Janet Breiner, 93, of Canton, mother of Joel Breiner and Wendy Barnes, on Dec. 26. Steven Cohen, 63, of Atlanta, husband of Smadar Moosaei and father of Benson Cohen and Andrew Cohen, on Dec. 23. Mendel Gerzon of Atlanta on Dec. 24. Robert Greenberg of Marietta, brother of Richard Greene, on Dec. 19. Lea Katz, 96, of Stroudsburg, Pa., mother of Temple Kol Emeth member Caron Manley, on Dec. 24. Jordan Krebs, 85, of Conyers, father of Brian Krebs and Randi Russell, on Dec. 17. Frederick Levy, 79, of Woodstock, Congregation Beth Shalom member and father of Jill Levy and Jay Levy, on Jan. 4. Herbert Mendel of Atlanta, father of Lance Mendel, Steve Mendel and Brian Mendel, on Dec. 31. Marilyn Myerson, 92, of Atlanta, mother of Temple Sinai member Lorie Lewis, on Dec. 26. Irina Pedan of Norcross on Dec. 24. Sarabelle Rudick, 96, of Atlanta, mother of Arthur Rudick, on Jan. 4. Suzanne Weens of Atlanta on Dec. 27.

Ruth Zeidman Ruth Mendelson Zeidman of Atlanta, formerly of Philadelphia, died Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016. Ruth was born in Philadelphia and came to Atlanta in 1990. She was very active at Temple Beth Tikvah, where she founded the gift shop and the senior lunch and learn. She was a docent at the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum and a recipient of the Woman of the Year award from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. She was preceded in death by loving husband Joe Zeidman and son Harris Mitchell Simons. She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Robert (Adele) Toltzis and David (Christy) Toltzis, all of Sandy Springs; sister Frances Fagen, Tarzana, Calif.; grandchildren Haley Toltzis Rattray (Rajiv), Andrew Toltzis and Mike Toltzis; great-grandchild Marley Rattray; niece and nephews Dr. Neil (Frani) Fagen, Tarzana, Calif., Paul (Artis) Fagen, Hollywood, Calif., and Sheila (Arnie) Greenfield, Chicago; and many extended family around the country. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Graveside services were

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

Atlanta

AJT 29

CLOSING THOUGHTS OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

Vessel of Abundance

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

osh Chodesh Shevat begins at sundown Sunday, Jan. 10. Each month on the Hebrew calendar offers us guidance for how to live our lives, according to the Sefir Yetzirah (Book of Formation). Shevat’s Zodiac sign is Aquarius, Hebrew letter tzadi, ruling planet Saturn, tribe Asher, sense taste, and controlling organ stomach. Our task this month is to move away from self-serving desires and use our divine abilities as a bridge between the higher spiritual realms and the lower material domain. Tu B’Shevat, the 15th day of Shevat, marks the full moon and is the new year of the trees. We are similar to these trees, with some parts hidden and some revealed. We have roots at our foundation, beneath the surface, as well as spiritual souls, like a Tree of Life, that are not observable. Like tree trunks, our physical bodies are visible, and we reach upward and outward with our branches. As we mature, we bear fruit. Rather than just hoard our bounty, we learn to share with others to help feed the hungers of the world. Aquarius is an air sign, represented by the water carrier. The constellation in the sky suggests the figure of man on the right and on the left, the vessel from which he spills overflowing water. The month of Aquarius is associated with abundance and bliss. We’re intended to hone our unique gifts and pour them over the universe in an act of sharing. The positive traits of Aquarians include being quick-witted, deep thinkers who enjoy the company of likeminded people. They are bequeathed with natural intelligence, are frequently at the helm of causes, and are loved by many. They are innovative, creative intellectuals who are unconventional in their approach to life. Humphrey Bogart and Oprah Winfrey are famous Aquarians. The negative aspects of this sign include that Aquarians seem to be in love with love itself. Often, they are emotionally disconnected from others and can appear aloof. Many are lonely and fearful of giving up their freedom. They seem to travel their own path and can exhibit a dark nature or humor. We must look within ourselves to 30 balance these energies.

AJT

The letter is tzadi, related to tzadik (righteous one). The qualities represent those for whom justice is valued. Saturn is the ruling planet. If Aquarius is the funnel in which spirituality is drawn down from the heavens to the earth, Saturn offers the structure that expands the knowledge into spiritual teachings that become the actions of those realizing the soul’s

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

CROSSWORD “Den Men”

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

28 34

30 37

36 41

62 67

23 27

44 49

ACROSS 1. Brother of Gad 6. Rodriguez in Steven Levitan’s “Modern Family” 10. Make like a mohel 14. Decided on schnitzel over cholent, e.g. 15. Doubled month 16. Foreign currency often exchanged in Israel 17. Hanging hand 18. Like the Negev 19. Ruler in “Fiddler on the Roof” 20. Minister of defense during the 1982 Lebanon War 23. Insect for Paul Rudd 24. Many a gap-year student in Israel 25. Need a refuah 26. “Joan of ___,” 1999 Leelee Sobieski role 28. Gefilte fish alternative to carp 30. Like Abrams’ “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” 34. What strong security can do 37. Slapper Seinfeld might cause 39. Walk through the Jordan 40. “Go, Maccabi!” 41. Sister to those in this puzzle? 44. Some kosher caviar 45. “___ the Light,” Mandy Moore song in “Tangled” 47. Like a hand-me-down pair of tefillin 48. What some Jews hope to do over the green line 50. Bamba ingredient 52. What Garfield and Goldlum do 53. Classic alt-rock band whose only show in Israel was in 1995 54. Sara, to Bibi 56. Sound that epitomizes treif 60. Arm of Israel 62. Great 20th century lion Rav and author? 66. What can be visible in the distance from the Pico-

52 54

53 60

Dr. Terry Segal tsegal@atljewishtimes.com

purpose. The tribe is Asher, to which Joshua gave the fertile land of Galilee. With abundant rainfall and a cooler climate, the tribe prospered, primarily from the olive oil that came from that region. This speaks to using the gifts we have to create abundance. Taste is the featured sense. It is customary to try a new fruit this month or eat from the Seven Species, abundant in Israel during biblical times. These foods are wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates (honey). We are not allowed to eat the first fruit on trees for three years. The fourth year’s fruit is for G-d, then we may eat from them during the fifth year. How much sweeter the taste when we have exercised self-control and discipline. The stomach, the controlling organ, digests the food that has been consumed. In Chinese medicine, the stomach is not a single organ. It is paired with the spleen and is part of a five-organ system that digests, eliminates and regulates important functions in the body and affects emotional states. This process mirrors the importance of using each of our skills and combining them with others for a desired positive effect. Meditation focus: Awaken from wintry slumber in the darkness and imagine the light of our ancestors shining down upon you. The water carrier collects the sustenance of the Jewish people and tips it over. See yourself as a vessel, waiting to be filled with that light and wisdom of the ages. Receive it. Taste the sweetness of life, digest its meaning, excrete the waste that doesn’t serve a purpose, and pay attention to the holiness that is present with us all of the time. ■

New Moon Meditations

35. “___ on Down the Road” (song in Lumet’s “The Wiz”) 36. Mystical 16th century rabbi 37. Paul Stanley’s band 38. Golda Meir ___ Mabovitch 42. In a ___ (working the same job six days a week) 43. Airer of the anti-Israel show “Quantico” 46. Sderot to Beit Shemesh dir. 49. Society in the days of King Solomon, perhaps 51. She played Ulla in 2005’s “The Producers” 52. Make like a child at a seder 54. Shia’s “Transformers” DOWN co-star 1. 1 2. Perform hachnasat orchim, 55. Kind of charger? (for short) essentially 57. Comic Glazer of “Broad 3. Chabibi, in the U.S. City” 4. The Torah, to Judaism 58. Former Tel Aviv Mayor 5. Unlike many a Chagall in Mordechai people’s homes 59. Amar’e Stoudamire was 6. Great rabbinic vintner one, once 7. Like the Olympic performance of Sarah Hughes 60. “Oy, we’re in trouble” 8. Quarterback Derek on Mark 61. Avodah ___ 63. Title character in a Davis’ team Spielberg film 9. Cookie that has an OU-D 64. “The motto,” according to but isn’t technically dairy 10. Prepare a Shabbat table a 2011 song by Drake 11. Style of prayer started by 65. Equipment for 37-Down 67. 2003 Jon Favreau directed 36-Down family film 12. Hezbollah funder 13. Haifa has one 21. Like “Eicha” 22. Be a nudnik LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 27. Like new IDF 1 D 2 A 3 R T O U R S R A S H A 14 15 16 soldiers E M O A U R A E O L I O S 17 18 19 29. Moshav A M P J I N G L E B E L L S 20 21 22 23 southwest of D O E G S T E W S V E E Jerusalem 24 25 26 27 28 O T B I N A B E S T 30. Vulcan 29 30 31 32 33 A W A Y I N A M A N G E R mind ___ 34 35 36 37 L E B A N E S E R E S T S 31. Slippery 38 39 40 41 42 D I N M I A I D A T U E swimmer 43 44 45 46 A L O H A A P O S T A T E 32. Baal, e.g. 47 48 49 R U N R U D O L P H R U N 33. Started a 50 51 52 53 A G A T S A drive, like Corey S A M E 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Pavin U S A O F A G E T O V E 61 62 63 65 34. IV item from S I L E N T N I G H 64T M E L 66 67 68 Magen David D O O R S E T S H A L V A 69 70 71 Adom I N Y A N A S N E R N O A Robertson area 68. Berra elected to the Hall of Fame the same year as Koufax 69. City that seems overrun with Jews in late January 70. Kind of law 71. Dershowitz of note 72. What IDF soldiers are trained not to do in tense situations 73. Balak of Chukas-Balak, e.g. 74. Like bread on Passover, e.g. 75. Like some Lewis Black comments

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

MARKETPLACE FINANCIAL SERVICES

EVENT SERVICES

COMPUTER SERVICES

Spice up your party with TEMPORARY AIRBRUSH TATTOOS!!!

fakakta computer? I’ll drive to you!

When it comes to finding your perfect home, it’s important to have options. The same is true when deciding on your mortgage. That’s why we offer a wide variety of mortgage options to fit your particular needs:

• • • •

Purchases and Refinances Conventional, FHA, & VA Jumbo Loans with no PMI 100% Financing for Doctors

Jay Givarz

Senior Mortgage Banker

678-522-2343

jay.givarz@lionbank.com NMLS# 203728

GENERATOR SERVICES

→ Desktop & Laptop Repair → Home/Business Networking → Performance Upgrades → Apple Device Support → Virus/Spyware Removal Fast Appointment Scheduling Reasonable Rates All Services Guaranteed

MITZVAH, BIRTHDAY & CORPORATE EVENTS

404-954-1004

Face and Body Painting Beauty Makeup • Body Makeup

damon.carp@gmail.com

404-816-0989 404-693-0012

bodyworksatlanta@aol.com

makeupartistryatlanta.com icancoverupanything.com CAREGIVER/NURSE Caring hands and loving heart in the comforts of your own home. Dependable/honest. Excellent References. Please call 678-427-4135

CAREGIVER/NURSE CNA Caregiver for the sick and elderly 24 hour care, dependable, good references Call Geraldine Brown – 770-712-8638

Power up. Technology should simplify.™

I T S O LU T I O N S

IT SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

877.256.4426

www.dontsweatitsolutions.com

Visit our website

Generator Sales & Service, Inc. www.perkinselectric.com

770-251-9765

24/7 Power Protection Hands Free Operation | Professional Installation

www.AtlantaJewishTimes.com

for More of What You Need.

FOLLOW THE ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES ONLINE.

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016

GENERATORS 24/7 POWER PROTECTION

AJT 31

AJT

JANUARY 8 ▪ 2016