Atlanta Jewish Times, VOL. XCVIII NO. 13, July 15, 2022 by Atlanta Jewish Times

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VOL. XCVIII NO. 13

JULY 15, 2022 | 16 TAMUZ 5782

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THIS WEEK PUBLISHER MICHAEL A. MORRIS michael@atljewishtimes.com

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EDITORIAL

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CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE ALLEN H. LIPIS BOB BAHR DAVE SCHECHTER DAVID OSTROWSKY DEBBIE DIAMOND JAN JABEN-EILON MARCIA CALLER JAFFE ROBYN SPIZMAN GERSON SAMANTHA STRELZER SUSANNE KATZ KARLICK

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NEWS AJT Named Best Jewish Newspaper in America By Bob Bahr The Atlanta Jewish Times won the grand prize at the 41st annual Simon Rockower Awards for General Excellence in Jewish journalism’s jury choice award for Best Jewish Newspaper in America. The award was announced June 27 and went to publisher Michael Morris and editor and managing publisher Kaylene Ladinsky during the American Jewish Press Association’s Simon Rockower Gala held at the Georgia Aquarium. The Atlanta Jewish Times website won second place for General Excellence in Jewish journalism’s jury choice award for Best Website. Ladinsky, who was the co-chair of this year’s AJPA conference and serves on the organization’s executive board was presented with the organization’s “Volunteer of the Year” award. AJT contributor Dave Schechter received a Rockower Award for his writing on politics and government for his story, “Schoen Reflects on His Trump Impeachment Role.” The Rockower Awards are considered among the most important honors in American Jewish journalism. They have often been described as the “Jewish Pulitzer Prizes.” Since 1979 they have recognized the best in writing and editing in local and national journalism as well as in the increasingly important category of online publications. The awards were a high point of the three-day newspaper conference, which was held at the CNN Omni Hotel prominently featured a number of Atlantans. The conference’s keynote speaker Pulitzer-Prize winner Bret Stephens, a columnist and editor of New York Times, engaged in a fascinating discussion of journalistic ethics with a Jewish twist. His partner in the discussion, modeled in part on the Talmudic dialogue called a chevruta, or study teammate, was Rabbi Joshua Heller, of Congregation B’nai Torah in Sandy Springs. Rabbi Heller is a prominent expert on Jewish law in the national Conservative movement. Ethics were also explored by Paul Wolpe, PhD. a nationally known scholar, and director of Emory University’s Center for Ethics. He was paired up with Jill Savitt, the President and CEO of Atlanta’s National Center for Civil and Human Rights. They discussed the role that human rights and Jewish identity that journalism plays in Judaism and our communities today.

6 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Atlanta Jewish Times poses with awards in hand at the AJPA's Simon Rockower Awards Gala. (Left to Right) Lou Ladinsky, Bob Bahr, Michael A. Morris, Kaylene Ladinsky, Jodi Danis, Sasha Heller, Lilli Jennison, Michal Bonell, Fran Putney, Daniel Elkind, Brenda Gelfand, Kyra Gooldman and Dave Schechter. // Credit Robert Garber

Michael A. Morris gives welcomes remarks to begin the American Jewish Press Associates's 2022 conference.

Kaylene Ladinsky introduces featured guest speakers Paul Wolpe PhD. and Jill Savitt.

Keith Pepper, owner and publisher of Atlanta Intown and The Reporter Newspapers and Janis Ware, publisher of The Atlanta Voice Also participating in the convention program was Greg Bluestein, political reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Allison Padilla-Goodman, the Vice President of the Southern Division of the ADL and Consul General of Israel, Anat Sultan-Dadon. Among the local news executives

Steve Levene, the founder and former publisher of the Springs Publishing LLC and David Rubinger, market president and publisher of the Atlanta Business Chronicle

who spoke were David Rubinger, market president and publisher of the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Janis Ware, publisher of The Atlanta Voice, Steve Levene, the founder and former publisher of the Springs Publishing LLC in Atlanta and Keith Pepper, owner and publisher of Atlanta Intown and The Reporter Newspa-

pers, who purchased the Reporter group from Levene in 2020. The AJT's Rockower award is an acknowledgment of a significant rebuilding and restructuring process over the past several years. It began when Michael Morris took over ownership of the paper in December 2014 and decided to

NEWS

Keynote speaker, Pulitzer Prize winner Bret Stephens, a columnist and editor at the New York Times.

Kaylene Ladinsky moderating a business breakout session titled Local community newspapers (Part I): Looking back at how we survived.

Greg Bluestein, political reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Rabbi Joshua Heller, of Congregation B’nai Torah in Sandy Springs and Bret Stephens, of the New York Times, engaged in a fascinating discussion of journalistic ethics.

move Ladinsky into the role of editor, after a series of ownership changes during the previous decade had resulted in a decline in readership. Today the newspaper’s monthly print readership has grown to about 150,000, and a robust readership of its website, which updates editorial content continuously each week. It also maintains the Atlanta Jewish Connector, a web-based resource of community events that provides weekly emailed updates to its subscriber base. The Atlanta Jewish Times also founded the Atlanta Jewish Life Festival in 2019. It is the city’s largest event promoting and celebrating the Atlanta Jewish community, Jewish life and Israel. Ladinsky, who first joined the paper in 2011, has editorial responsibility and guides the daily business operation of the publication, which began in 1925 as The Southern Israelite. She said she accepted the award not only on behalf of the paper’s staff and community of writers and contributors but on behalf of the wider community in Atlanta and elsewhere in the southeast that has so strongly supported the paper and its popular website, particularly during the recent pandemic.

“This award really belongs to all of them, too. Without the loyal supports of our readers, subscribers, contributors, advertisers and the entire community this award for Best Jewish Newspaper in America would not have been possible.” The AJT publishes a full color print edition, which includes a feature section keyed to a special topic, twice a month, as well as a series of special editions, including Guide to Jewish Atlanta, an annual Readers’ Choice Awards for Best of Jewish Atlanta and a colorful, glossy STYLE Magazine, which is a quarterly publication featuring Jewish Atlanta’s stylish simchas and celebrations. The recent growth of the AJT and the national recognition is even more remarkable since it comes at a time when the Jewish press, generally, has faced some challenging times. The business demands of publishing during a global pandemic and the steep decline of traditional print journalism have taken its toll on Jewish newspapers and publications. The New York Jewish Week, which had a forty-six-year history in the nation’s largest Jewish community, went out of business in January this year. It had shut down its print edition the pre-

vious July and had tried to make it as an online only publication. In Boston, The Jewish Advocate stopped printing too, and three years ago, two of Chicago’s Jewish newspapers folded. The New York Jewish Week was acquired by the nonprofit web publisher 70 Faces Media which was started by the Maimonides Foundation. The sale had the financial support of the New York Jewish Federation and a quartet of charitable foundations that have a strong interest in Jewish life. In addition to The New York Jewish Week, 70 Faces Media publishes the hundred-year archives of the Jewish Telegraphic Association, JTA, a daily website of breaking news and analysis and several web-based publications that are targeted to specific segments of the Jewish

Consul General of Israel, Anat Sultan-Dadon.

communities with an interest in Jewish parenting, food, youth and pop culture. Much of the writing, editing and design work is done remotely and the company is said to be making a determined effort to decentralize its New York operations and hire staff nationally. Still, as the convention in Atlanta demonstrated, Jewish newspapers continue to fill a crucial need in Jewish communities all over the country. The owner and publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times, Michael Morris, says that the paper is critical in bringing the community together. It remains strongly committed, he says, to a subscription-based printed format with wide availability throughout the metropolitan area. He stated, “We believe that our advertisers and our readers still want to hold a newspaper in their hands, have it as a physical presence in their homes, and use it as an important resource in their everyday life. So, the Atlanta Jewish Times remains committed to both its award winning online and printed formats.” Morris and Ladinsky echoed their appreciation to the local organizations that sponsored this year’s AJPA conference. Those included were Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Jewish Future Pledge, AEPi, Chabad of Fulton County, Israel Democracy Institute, Walton Press, Balloons Over Atlanta, Atlanta Braves, Georgia Aquarium, Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, Joan’s Florist, Button It Up, Morris Family Foundation, Billi Marcus Foundation, Atlanta Jewish Life Foundation and The Marcus Foundation. ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 7

NEWS

Former Highland Park Resident Shaken by Shooting By Jan Jaben-Eilon Subconsciously, Cliff Mazer thinks that he may have chosen to live in Sandy Springs when he moved to the Atlanta area in 1989 because it reminded him of Highland Park, Ill., where he had grown up. The two cities are both “leafy suburbs, affluent and a little bit Jewish,” Mazer said. His home is off Riverside Drive and its curves, with rocks on the side, are reminiscent of the city near Lake Michigan, north of Chicago. Mazer describes growing up in Highland Park as “idyllic, sheltered, a real cocoon, warm, family-oriented. It was a beautiful place, and the people weren’t too pretentious. Schools were and are excellent and the food was very good.” That American-as-apple-pie picture was shattered July 4 when a shooter rained death and horror from atop a building on a much-beloved annual Independence Day parade. Seven people were killed and dozens injured as parade participants and spectators scattered in fear.

A memorial to the victims of the July 4 shooting in downtown Highland Park, Ill., where visitors have been leaving flowers and personal notes. // Photograph by Jane Schechter

A few days later, Mazer, who also has a home in Sarasota, Fla., said he still felt “very shaken. I’ve seen a lot in my 68 years,” the Highland Park High School graduate recalled. He attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, which he also envisioned as a protected city,

feeling it “would never happen here.” In March 2021, 10 people were killed by a mass shooter in a supermarket in Boulder. For Mazer, “a sense of innocence was lost.” “I think for Highland Park people, whether there at the parade or part of

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the far-flung diaspora living elsewhere, there is clearly still a lingering, discombobulated, disbelieving, distraught posttraumatic effect occurring that in my generation’s terminology would be called ‘completely freaked out.’ Obviously, it will take a long time to come fully to

NEWS

“Training empowers people. Without training, it’s human nature to be paralyzed with fear and that’s the last thing we want to happen,” said Neil Rabinovitz, community security director at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.

Former Highland Park resident Cliff Mazer noted that “it will take a long time to come fully to terms with a tragedy like this.”

terms with a tragedy like this.” Mazer said he didn’t know anyone who was killed in the shooting, but he knows people who knew someone who had been shot. A week before the parade shooting, his high school held its 50th reunion. He didn’t attend due to a sinus infection, but everyone there had had a wonderful time, Mazer said, and they stay connected on social media. “As a psychologist, in relation to one’s inner/symbolic mental and emotional associations to safety, security and near idyllic childhood memories, I would call this a kind of psychological and emotional Pearl Harbor event. It hit us HPers [Highland Parkers], both Jewish and nonJewish, right to our very core.” Although authorities believe there was no antisemitic intent behind the shooting, several Jews were killed or injured. That is not surprising. According to a 2020 study of the metropolitan Chicago area by researchers from Brandeis University and the University of Chicago, about half of Highland Park’s 30,000 residents are Jewish. “If you lived there, you felt like 80 percent was Jewish,” said Mazer. “We used to joke that 80 percent of the high school class was Jewish and the rest were Italian.” He said that he had been talking about visiting Highland Park for a while and now “this makes me want to go back even more. Now it feels like a pilgrimage.” Despite any obvious Jewish target behind the Highland Park shooting, Neil Rabinovitz, community security director at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, said he anticipates that more members of the Jewish community will sign up for the security training he provides through the Secure Community Network, the official homeland security and safety initiative of the organized Jewish community in North America. In fact, Rabinovitz expects interest in the training to surge, just as it did in the wake of the hostage situation at Congregation

Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, where four people were taken hostage in a synagogue in January. That crisis ended without injury. Rabinovitz stresses that people “must get past the mindset that it couldn’t happen here.” Since January 2020, more than 2,700 people have been trained through the Secure Community Network in Atlanta, according to Rabinovitz. “We go into synagogues and train clergy, staff and members as well as counselors at overnight camps,” he said. “We want to train as many people as possible.” Rabinovitz explained that there are two types of training. The first is “be aware.” That is an introduction to situational awareness. “Be aware of any potential threats in your surroundings and, as soon as possible, notify someone before it becomes an imminent threat,” he said. The second type of training focuses on countering an active threat, otherwise known as an “active shooter,” because it usually involves a firearm. “The training gives participants a skill and knowledge to help them deal with the threat. It’s easy to become paralyzed by fear. The training gives them the tools and knowledge to know they must do something,” Rabinovitz said. In school active shooter trainings, students and staff are taught to run, hide and fight — in that order. “Training empowers people. Without training, it’s human nature to be paralyzed with fear and that’s the last thing we want to happen,” said Rabinovitz, who served as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 22 years. Still, he advises that the Jewish community not limit their training solely to potential attacks on their places of worship. “These are life skills,” he explained. “If something happens, think about where you should go. You could be out to dinner or shopping.” Or at a Fourth of July parade. ì

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Surfside Collapse Anniversary Connects Jewish World By Jan Jaben-Eilon One-year anniversaries of tragic events are always difficult. So it is for the families and friends of the 98 people killed in the middle-of-the-night partial collapse of the 12-story oceanfront condo building in Surfside, Fla., as well as for those who managed to survive one of the deadliest building disasters in the nation’s history. Several family members and friends of former Surfside residents are part of the Atlanta Jewish community. Some eagerly shared stories of their loved ones just days after the June 24, 2021, tragedy; others couldn’t speak of it then — nor can they today. The shock is still there. It has been a traumatic year. The building is gone, but investigations into the cause of the collapse continue, as do debates about what should be built on the property site. A memorial ceremony was held on the anniversary of the disaster. And just a day before the anniversary, a Florida judge approved a $1.2 billion settlement for families of those who were

Tzvi and Itty Ainsworth, pictured at a family celebration, were killed in the building collapse. They both had family and friends in Atlanta.

killed and for the owners of condos in the building. According to NPR, owners of the condo units will split proceeds of the sale of the land, totaling nearly $100 mil-

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lion. Families of the victims, as well as residents with injury and trauma claims, will split the nearly $1 billion, to be paid by a couple dozen defendants. The Florida judge said the amounts paid to individual families will vary. Hearings for families requesting claims are scheduled for Aug. 1. Besides its extraordinary death toll, the worldwide ripple effects of this tragedy were unique at least partly because of the high percentage of Jews impacted around the globe. Tzvi and Ingrid “Itty” Ainsworth, 68 and 66 years old respectively, were among the dead. Tzvi was from Australia; Ingrid was from Montreal, where the two had met, according to longtime friend Rabbi Yossi New, regional director of Chabad of Georgia and the founding rabbi of Beth Tefillah. Ingrid was also an aunt of Chabad of Cobb Rabbi Ephraim Silverman, who declined to speak to the AJT. The couple, who had moved to Florida about four years earlier, are survived by seven children, many grandchildren and numerous close friends. Also among the victims were Camp Judaea alumni Deborah Berezdivin, who was born in Puerto Rico, and Ilan Naibryf, originally from Argentina. Miriam Panitch, daughter of Atlanta criminal defense attorney and candidate for a seat in the Georgia General Assembly Esther Panitch, was a friend of the two. She had been staying in another part of the condo complex the night of the disaster. Miriam declined to speak to the AJT. Former Atlantan Sara Nir is also an Israeli native. She and her two children lived in a ground-floor condo at Champlain Towers South. Hearing unusual

noises, Nir and her children were able to escape the building. All three survived. The sister and brother-in-law of Atlantan Esther Lubel, who lived on the 10th floor of the ill-fated condo complex, also survived. Betty and Jimmy Coiffman had fortunately lived in the section of the building that didn’t collapse, although it was later demolished. Lubel told the AJT days after the collapse that she had awakened at 3 a.m. and saw the news about the 1:30 a.m. disaster on her phone screen. From that moment until 6 a.m., Lubel said she stayed on the phone with her eldest sister “to make sure she was okay.” According to Lubel, the Coiffmans were night owls and were just closing the blinds on their condo windows when they heard what sounded like a thunderstorm and the building shook. They put on their tennis shoes, got dressed and grabbed his wallet and her purse and fled. “They went down the cracking stairs to the second floor and then to the garage where cars were flipped and there was water and rubble,” said Lubel, who, along with her sisters, was born in Colombia. Rescuers helped them climb on top of cars and used a ladder to escape the crumbling building. “Our parents had been visiting until the Tuesday before the disaster,” said Lubel, who had also planned to visit at the time. “I have been nervous just thinking if something had happened to them,” she said. The Coiffmans had rented the furnished condo just two weeks before the collapse, to be near their daughter. Days before the one-year anniversary, Lubel was visiting her sister and brother-in-law in Florida. “This week has

NEWS

“I believe the fear will never go away,” said Atlantan Esther Lubel (center) of the aftereffects of the disaster.

been very difficult because they are reliving what happened last year. They are very nervous and have not been able to sleep well every night. The other night, it was thundering and since the noise is very similar to what they heard that

night, it wakes them up and startles them quite badly. I was very nervous that night as well, since I was with them and saw how they reacted, even a year later.” Lubel doesn’t know how the settlement will affect her family. Although

Esther Lubel (center) with sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Jimmy Coiffman, who found a new apartment away from the ocean.

they were renting their furnished condo, the family lost their personal effects. According to Lubel, “it took a while to find” a new apartment. One of the conditions was that the new apartment not be located near the ocean.

Looking back over the year, Lubel believes the worst aspect of the experience for her family has been the psychological part. “I believe the fear will never go away. I am just thankful to HaShem that they made it out alive,” she said. ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 11

NEWS

Law Enforcement Delegation Visits Israel By Robert Garber A 16-member delegation composed of police chiefs, command staff, sheriffs and other law enforcement officials mostly from Georgia has returned from Israel after participating in the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange’s (GILEE) 29th annual peer-topeer executive training program. Criminologist Robert Friedmann, originally from Israel, accompanied the police leaders on their trip. Friedmann established GILEE as part of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University in 1992. Originally, the program’s purpose was to unite local and Israeli police in an exchange of strategies aimed at increasing anti-terrorism efforts ahead of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. While Olympic security continued to be a focus for GILEE for several years afterwards, the program shifted over time to focus more on community policy, leadership and enhancement of public safety. Similarly, the program has expanded in scope — now encompassing 30 states in the U.S. and 30 countries globally. Executive law enforcement training programs, like the one the Georgia delegates participated in, make up around 290 of the over 590 programs GILEE has carried out to date. These training programs don’t focus on tactical training but instead are, as Friedmann said, “based on peer-to-peer training — how to manage a business.” Viewing police chiefs as CEOs of companies providing public services led to a focus on logistics, intelligence and investigations. According to Friedmann, a large part of the benefit of the exchange program was that police from different countries could be inspired by strategies used by others, without being forced to adopt them exactly. One example was the use of cameras. Former Atlanta Police Chief George Turner (then deputy chief) was impressed by the number of cameras in Jerusalem and their distribution across the city, wanting to emulate the system in Atlanta. Years later, Friedmann received a call from an Israeli delegation that wanted to visit Atlanta to see how the city used its cameras. “Wait a minute,” he said, “we got those cameras from you!” As it turns out, however, the system set up by Turner included a mix of public and private cameras — something that had not yet been attempted in Jerusalem, where all the system’s cameras were public. The program also focuses heavily 12 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

The delegation stands at the foot of the monument at the 9/11 Living Memorial Plaza in Ramot, Jerusalem.

On display: The delegation members get to see various vehicles used by the Israeli police in the field.

The delegation poses by the Menorah Statue outside of the Knesset.

on community outreach. “There is a lot of police-to-police exchange,” said Friedmann. “We try to do more than that.” He described how, in a previous program, delegates visiting archaeological sites in the city of Akko complained to him, saying, “Why go below ground and look at stones, why not go above ground and meet with people?” So that’s what they did. Delegates in a later program got to witness discussions between Akko’s chief rabbi and the imam of one of the city’s most important mosques. This past June, the delegation met with a ritual leader of the Druze community, a religious/ethnic

minority in Israel. “We learned a lot about community policing, how they are able to bridge the gap between multiple cultures and religions, in a very careful way,” said Chief Celeste Murphy, who led the delegation. Currently chief of police for the Chattanooga TN Police Department and former deputy chief of the Atlanta Police Department, Murphy had previously participated in the program in 2017. “It shows they have a compassion for the people they serve, and that’s a lesson that we could of course refresh on,” she said. Murphy also noted the technologi-

cal advancements, such as using drones alongside or instead of first responders in various scenarios, as well as general strategies to be more productive and effective, especially when dealing with personnel shortages. She had high praise for the program: “It broadens your leadership scope, and I came back with a lot of projects for myself that I’d like to install here in my police department.” Both Friedmann and Murphy noted the importance of the program in exposing participants to global police practices, and both the differences and similarities with their own. “In Israel it’s a centralized

NEWS

The delegation poses with Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, a ritual leader of the Druze community (bottom row, middle).

police, so if you go from the north to the south it’s the same uniform, same protocol, same functions,” said Friedmann. “Here you have 18,000 agencies that are dressed differently, run differently and budgeted differently, so they looked at issues of communication in a certain sense somewhat enviously — yet policing is policing, and that’s what they focus on.” Murphy emphasized how vital this was: “This program should definitely continue because it takes us out of the mindset of what we’re always doing, it gives us a different perspective, it teaches us that although we’re miles apart, we’re experiencing the same issues, the same concerns, the same problems.” While it’s difficult to measure the specific impacts of the program, both the expansion of various programs and responses from both the participants and the community point to its vitality. Exchanges between Israel and Georgia continue, including between the nations’ forensic labs, between their bomb technicians and in local courses, such as a re-

cent one that put a focus on alternatives to deadly force (a strategy Murphy noted as a vital part of the recent Israel trip as well). On the response side, Friedmann has continued to collect evaluations from participants, months after completing the program, which have contained nothing but praise. “For thirty years, we have consistently had evaluations that fly through the roof, I mean, on a one to five scale we consistently get eight, nine and ten — people just do that,” he said. “I’m a great believer in partnerships and one of the problems with the old policing system is that it doesn’t always partner with the constituency that they serve,” Friedmann explained. “I think that the difference I see is the attempt to reach out and have an impact on the Jewish community because of the experience they had in the GILEE program … [Situations] where the police were not exactly friendly to the Jewish community. That has changed 180 degrees.” ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 13

NEWS

ADL Names New Regional Director By Dave Schechter Eytan Davidson believes that his family history and professional resume will serve him well as he becomes Southeast regional director of the AntiDefamation League, leading that organization’s efforts in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee. “It was in many ways the perfect opportunity,” Davidson told the AJT. “It let me continue to fight for justice in a way that was not just a furthering of a career but very personal to me as well.” Effective July 18, Davidson succeeds Allison Padilla-Goodman, who will assume full-time duties as vice president of ADL’s Southern division, which encompasses five regional offices, and serve on ADL’s national leadership team. Davidson most recently has been the vice president for communications and policy at Purpose Built Communities, an Atlanta-based national organization focused on breaking the intergenerational cycle of urban poverty. He

Eytan Davidson served as the first vice president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta and on the boards of Jewish Kids Groups, the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival (now called Neranenah), and Limmud Atlanta & Southeast.

previously served as communications director for Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., and began his career working on the mayor-

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Allison Padilla-Goodman, who will assume full-time duties as vice president of ADL’s Southern division.

al campaign and in the administration of then-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Locally, Davidson served as the first vice president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta and on the boards of Jewish Kids Groups, the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival (now called Neranenah), and Limmud Atlanta & Southeast. “I have worked in public service. I have worked for non-profit organizations that are trying to improve conditions in neighborhoods so that people can achieve greater racial equity, health outcomes, and upward economic mobility,” the 45-year-old New York native said. “At the same time, as somebody who has now lived in the South for almost 15 years, coming from New York, I’ve had to work hard to not only maintain a Jewish identity but connect my family to a Jewish community, in an intentional way. Looking at what has been happening in our country and in our politics, it feels like now is the time to bring my skills into this world and work with the ADL to battle antisemitism and bigotry.” Davidson’s appointment was reported first by the Saporta Report. The ADL reported earlier this year that the number of antisemitic incidents nationally increased 34 percent in 2021, compared with 2020, and increased 74 percent in its four-state Southeast region. A 133 percent increase was reported in Georgia, with 49 reported incidents in 2021, compared with 21 the year

before. “I think continuing to focus on forging and strengthening partnerships with other organizations and institutions is going to be critical because this is an all-hands-on-deck moment,” not just in fighting antisemitism but also other forms of bigotry, Davidson said. “I also see a big part of the job is trying to bring some unity, some consensus around what is not acceptable. People have gotten way too comfortable seeing symbols of hate and hateful rhetoric,” he said. Growing up, Davidson heard about the effect of such symbols and rhetoric from the stories of his grandparents. His mother’s parents both survived the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz before meeting at a displaced persons camp in Freiberg, Germany. His father’s parents were children when they fled antisemitism and pogroms in Poland and Ukraine. “These stories have been part of my life since the very beginning. In 2019, I went to Poland for the first time, with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs [through its Frank Family Leadership Institute for Emerging Leaders], and to Auschwitz, where both of my grandparents had been prisoners,” Davidson said. “One can imagine that the impact that trip had on me was profound, what it took for them to survive in those conditions and in that place, it made me feel like I had to do more and whatever I could … For me the fight for social justice is not something abstract, but something I feel like everybody has to do in their own way. Thinking about my own family history, I have certain skills that can be helpful.” In a statement, Padilla-Goodman said, “I am thrilled to bring Eytan to our team and to entrust this region’s important work to his great leadership. Eytan is a strong, community-rooted leader who will lead the Southeast in fighting hatred and bigotry in a crucial time. We have important work to do to ensure the future of democracy, the rooting out of hatred and extremism, and the building of communities of allies and advocates moving forward— and Eytan is a key leader in helping us get there.” Davidson and his wife Monique are the parents of two teenagers and are members of Congregation Bet Haverim. Davidson also is a guitarist, music producer, and founding member of “Her Majesty’s Request,” a band that performs covers of British rock and pop tunes. ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 15

POLITICS Jewish Candidates Insist Gibes Are Not Personal By Dave Schechter Esther Panitch and Peter Korman insist that there is nothing personal in their gibes at each other on social media. It’s just politics, they say, namely the opportunity to represent House District 51 — which takes in most of Roswell, northeast Sandy Springs and a section of Johns Creek — in the Georgia General Assembly. Both Panitch, the Democratic candidate, and Korman, the Republican, are Jewish. The Nov. 8 election will ensure that at least one Jewish legislator serves among 179 in the House and 56 in the Senate. Korman messaged a writer for the AJT on April 7, saying that if Panitch won her primary, “the Jewish Times may have a particularly interesting campaign season.” Panitch won the May 24 Democratic primary, while Korman ran unopposed. The campaign has been punctuated by barbed online exchanges, particularly on Twitter. Take Friday, June 17, for example. Korman objected when a Georgia State University professor suggested, by way of a cartoon, that the head of the state Republican Party was an “***hole.” Panitch, an attorney, replied, “Good to hear from you, but spare me the fake outrage when you regularly tweet ‘Brandon,’” a name used by some Republicans as a derisive reference to President Joe Biden. Referring to the GSU professor, Korman, an information technology executive, wrote: “No, Esther, that’s just inci-

Peter Korman, the Republican candidate, is an information technology executive and a member of Chabad of North Fulton.

Esther Panitch, the Democratic candidate for House District 51, is an attorney who specializes in federal criminal defense and family law cases, representing sexual assault victims.

vility, ugly and far beneath the level of dignity and decorum we should require from educators and ambassadors of our Public institutions. @SonnyPerdue [University of Georgia System chancellor] can and should lead our public school administrators to be better than this.” The back-and-forth continued. Korman: “We both have the right to free speech. We have the right to do a lot of things. Is it [the professor’s comment] helpful? Does it cast a poor light on our institutions or com-

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Economic concerns have topped Korman’s list of priorities, particularly the impact of housing costs on young homebuyers and senior citizens.

munities? That’s judgment and leadership. Questions for personal moral compass, not our courts. But you be you.” Panitch: “Peter, are you trying to lecture me about judgment and leadership? You shill for TRUMP. He lacks character, judgment and leadership qualities aside from authoritarian, narcissistic and cultish ones. I’ll be me who is working to save democracy from what Trump did to it.” Korman: “I’m not careless with allegations. Nor am I a shill. Accuracy is important. We should resist ‘bearing false witness.’ Wish more had the strength to resist as well.” Late that afternoon, Korman concluded by wishing Panitch “Good Shabbos,” to which she replied, “And Shabbat Shalom to you, too.” The District 51 seat opened up when incumbent Democratic Rep. Josh McLaurin opted to run for the state Senate. McLaurin defeated Jewish Republican Alex Kaufman in 2018 and 2020. Korman, 61, grew up in Roslyn, N.Y., on Long Island. He and his wife, Stefanie, were members of Temple Emanu-El, a Reform congregation in Atlanta. An introduction in 2008 to Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz and “an enthusiastic, non-judgmental embrace” by Chabad of North Fulton prompted a shift to “this caring community,” Korman said. Panitch, 50, grew up in North Miami Beach, Fla. She and her husband, Roger, are members of Congregation B’nai Torah, where he has served as congregation president. The two candidates have never met, but Korman said that “Esther and I share concentric circles of people who know us, who know both of us,” both in Atlanta and in the Miami Beach area, where Korman’s wife, Stefanie, also was raised. The Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta (JCRC) hopes to arrange a debate between Panitch and Korman, whose Twitter exchanges suggest that it would be a lively affair. Among other things, the two disagree about aspects of the 2020 election and the events of Jan. 6, 2021, on Capitol Hill. On June 23, Panitch posted: “Spare me the pearl clutching. You have yet to put forth FACTS to help #HD51, only bs conspiracies. GA rejected your pals Perdue, Hice, & Evans & looks like the feds will have their way with Shafer, who tried to overthrow democracy. You are too extreme for us, Peter. #gapol.” [U.S. Sen. David Perdue was trounced in the Republi-

POLITICS

Panitch (center) grew up in North Miami Beach, Fla., and is a member of Congregation B’nai Torah.

Panitch (left) campaigning with state Sen. Jen Jordan, Democratic attorney general candidate; Stacey Abrams, Democratic gubernatorial candidate; state Sen. Sally Harrell and state Rep. Shea Roberts.

Korman has also campaigned on education and school curricula, saying, “Political indoctrination and sexual indoctrination and gender identity indoctrination, I don’t believe has a place in our schools.”

can gubernatorial primary by Gov. Brian Kemp. U.S. Rep. Jody Hice lost his primary bid against Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Jake Evans was defeated in the 6th congressional district Republican primary runoff. The U.S. Justice Department has subpoenaed Georgia Republican Party chair David Shafer in connection with efforts to organize a slate of replacement Electoral College electors in a bid to overturn the 2020 presidential election.] Korman informed his Twitter followers: “For the record, I’ve muted this ‘mean girl’ on my feed. She and her #tinymob of twitter trolls are uncivil, enjoy mud slinging, and don’t value either truth or accuracy. She rejected early calls for #civility. Her behavior is unproductive for our North Fulton neighbors.” Asked about the exchanges, Panitch said, “What is going on is that I have seen outright misinformation and election lies being put out as truth and I feel an obligation to call it out when I see it. Maybe things get a little much and I’m working on that. It’s not personal.” For his part, Korman said, “When she won her primary I sent her a note congratulating her. But the moment I made a comment about civility, accuracy, leadership, and setting an example, Esther of course now was in a different mode.” Panitch had a different view, saying, “He actually reached out privately and was nice and then disparaged me on Twitter.” Korman, who grew up playing ice hockey, resisted comparing politics to a contact sport. “It doesn’t need to be nasty. I implore people to be respectful and civil and accurate so we’re not making allegations that aren’t unsupportable,” he said. Panitch was a debater in high school and, as an attorney, she specializes in federal criminal defense and family law cases, representing sexual assault victims. The candidates differed widely in their responses when asked to identify three priority issues. Panitch said that democracy must be supported by rejecting lies about the 2020 election and the failed attempts to replace Georgia’s electors. In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling against a constitutional right to abortion, she cited the defense of personal privacy in such matters as abortion, gay rights and same-sex marriage. She also pointed to infrastructure as an important issue for District 51. “We can’t lose sight of the incredible role that the state

legislatures will play on the larger issues. The Supreme Court has made the state legislatures ground zero for elections and privacy issues nationwide,” Panitch said. Economic concerns topped Korman’s list, particularly the impact of housing costs on young homebuyers and senior citizens. He cited public safety and the challenges faced by police dealing with crimes committed by people with mental health issues and those with more predatory intent. Korman also referred to “what we’re doing in the classrooms

to forward student achievement,” naming education and the curriculum an “umbrella issue.” “The issue of bringing in active civics as a replacement for history is a big issue,” Korman said. “We’re not teaching CRT [critical race theory] in our schools but we are having these perverted corrupted interpretations of CRT in the classrooms,” he said. “Political indoctrination and sexual indoctrination and gender identity indoctrination, I don’t believe has a place in our schools.” ì

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 17

ISRAEL PRIDE

NEWS FROM OUR JEWISH HOME

Isaiah Arkin, biological chemistry professor at Hebrew University // courtesy of Hebrew University

Israeli drug candidate reduced COVID count by 93 percent Scientists in Israel say their new drug candidate for COVID shows “great promise,” after it reduced the virus count in hamsters by 93 percent. The drug works by sabotaging the virus’s attempts to create a hospitable environment for it to thrive and draws on two decades of research at the Hebrew University.

Today in Israeli History

An Arab effort in the 1960s aimed to divert water bound for the Jordan River to the Banias, but in 1967 Israel captured the Banias when it seized Syria’s portion of the Golan Heights.

July 15, 1965: The IDF’s chief of staff, Yitzhak Rabin, warns Lebanon and Syria they will face consequences if they move forward with an Arab League-backed effort to divert the sources of the Jordan River. July 16, 1926: Stef Wertheimer, one of Israel’s wealthiest citizens, is born in Kippenheim, Germany. He immigrates to Palestine in 1937 and founds Iscar Metalworking in 1952. Berkshire Hathaway eventually buys the company. July 17, 1906: Yitzchak Ben-Aharon is born in Bukovina, Romania. He helps found Kibbutz Givat Haim and lives there until his death in 2006. A labor activist and World War II veteran, he serves seven Knesset terms. July 18, 1290: King Edward I expels the approximately 4,000 Jews living in England, 18 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Isaiah Arkin, a biological chemistry professor, said that the approach his team is using has potential for new and emerging coronavirus variants, and for a broad range of viruses beyond COVID-19, including influenza, Zika, West Nile and hepatitis B. In an interview with The Times of Israel, Arkin said: “We infected hamsters, which are very good for testing COVID-19 responses, with the virus. We gave eight of them our oral drug candidate and gave eight of them a placebo. After four days we ‘sacrificed’ the animals and measured the amount of virus in their lungs. “We compared the virus count of those who took the drug to those who took the placebo, and found it was some 93% lower, which is a very impressive result,” he explained. “What we’re doing now is optimizing the compound and raising funds to complete pre-clinical studies in humans.” The research was conducted by an assessment team at the pharma research company Evotec, not by Arkin’s lab. It has not yet been peer-reviewed, though Arkin said that he hopes to start human trials for the coronavirus within a year. which had few Jews before the 11th century. Most go to France or Germany. England does not allow Jews to return until 1656. July 19, 1999: Stella Levy, who commanded the IDF Women’s Corps from 1964 to 1970, dies. During her military service she oversaw the transit camps for new immigrants. She briefly served in the Knesset in 1981. Abdullah I declares the independence of the Kingdom of Transjordan on May 25, 1946.

July 20, 1951: A Palestinian nationalist kills Jordan’s first king, Abdullah I, at the entrance to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. He is succeeded by a grandson, Hussein, who signs a treaty with Israel 43 years later. July 21, 1948: Philip Jessup, the acting U.S. representative to the United Nations, writes a seven-point memo declaring that the United States should refuse a U.N. request for temporary U.S. peacekeepers in Jerusalem. July 22, 1946: The Irgun bombs Jerusalem’s King David Hotel, the British headquarters in Palestine. Despite warnings, the hotel is not evacuated, and 91 people, including 41 Arabs and 17 Jews, are killed. July 23, 2002: On a 51-41 vote, the Knesset approves the Tal Law, an effort to address

UNC-Chapel Hill participants on the Huqoq dig, including Prof. Jodi Magness (back row, second from left). // Credit: Jim Haberman

Earliest depictions of biblical Deborah discovered Archeologists working at a dig in the Galilean town of Huqoq have uncovered the earliest known depictions of the biblical heroines Deborah and Yael, in mosaics that are thought to be nearly 1,600 years old. The find, announced by the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Prof. Jodi Magness, joins a growing collection the growing problem of Haredi yeshiva students avoiding military service. The Supreme Court rules the law unconstitutional in 2012. July 24, 2013: Rabbis Yitzhak Yosef (Sephardi) and David Lau (Ashkenazi) are elected Israel’s chief rabbis. Yosef’s father, Ovadia Yosef, was chief rabbi from 1973 to 1983. Lau’s father, Yisrael Meir Lau, was chief rabbi from 1993 to 2003.

Keren Leibovitch was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

July 25, 1973: Keren Leibovitch, who wins four gold medals swimming at the Paralympics in 2000 and 2004, is born in Hod Hasharon. She is paralyzed below the waist during IDF officer training at age 18. July 26, 1967: Yigal Allon presents a proposal for Israel’s retention of the Jordan Valley after the Six-Day War. The Allon Plan calls for settlements and military installations as a buffer against an attack from the east. July 27, 1955: Two Bulgarian MiG-15 fighter jets shoot down El Al Flight 402 en route from London to Israel after the Lock-

of ancient mosaics discovered over the past decade at the site of a former synagogue in the Lower Galilee. Magness, a professor of religious studies at the university, has overseen a team of students and archeologists excavating the area for more than 10 years. Excavations at the site restarted earlier this year after they were halted for close to three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mosaics depict the biblical story in the Book of Judges in which the prophetess Deborah told the Israelite military leader Barak to mobilize the troops of Naftali and Zevulun to fight against Canaan, whose forces were led by Sisera. Barak said he would only go to battle if Deborah joined him, and Deborah in turn prophesied that a woman would defeat Sisera’s army. Sisera, fleeing flooding, sought refuge in the tent of Yael, who drove a tent peg through his head, killing him. “This is the first depiction of this episode and the first time we’ve seen a depiction of the biblical heroines Deborah and Yael in ancient Jewish art,” Magness said. heed Constellation veers off course into Bulgarian airspace between Vienna and Istanbul. July 28, 1845: A two-week assembly in Frankfurt-am-Main ends after 31 Reform rabbis agree to remove all prayers calling for a return to Israel, reflecting their view that Judaism is a religion but not a nationality. July 29, 1849: Max Nordau, who leads the movement for Zionism’s “new Jew,” is born in Pest, Hungary. He drafts the Basel Plan, the blueprint adopted at the First Zionist Congress for a Jewish state in Palestine.

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin meets with silver medalist Yael Arad and bronze medalist Oren Smadja on Aug. 31, 1992, to celebrate their Olympic success. // By Ya’acov Sa’ar, Israeli Government Press Office

July 30, 1992: Tel Aviv native Yael Arad, 25, becomes the first Israeli to win an Olympic medal, taking the silver in judo in the halfmiddleweight (61-kilogram or 134-pound) class at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.

ISRAEL NEWS Don’t Be Surprised if the Election Ends in a Stalemate By Jan Jaben-Eilon Although it is way too soon to prognosticate about the potential turnout in Israel’s Nov. 1 election, a poll indicates that more than half of voters are glad that there will be a fifth election in just over three-and-a-half years. While that might be surprising — given the election fatigue noted in recent frequent elections — according to the June 2022 Israeli Voice Index prepared by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute, much of that enthusiasm comes from voters who support parties that have been in the opposition during the past year. In fact, 81 percent of those voters are satisfied with the decision to hold elections, compared with only 29 percent of voters who supported one of the eight parties that comprised the coalition just dispersed. When totaled, the IDI says that the share of Israelis who are satisfied with recent events in the Israeli legislature, the Knesset, is 51 percent compared with 42 percent who are not. The IDI noted that there was no significant difference on this issue between Jewish Israelis, of which 52 percent said they were satisfied, and Israeli Arabs, of which 48.5 percent said they were satisfied. While some 62.5 percent of those polled are sure or think that they will vote for the same party they voted for in the last election, their responses differed when the parties were in the opposition or were part of the governing coalition. But this will undoubtedly change as several of the parties — particularly some in the dissolved Knesset — may disappear or join forces with another party. Israeli news media has speculated that it will be a challenge for some of the coalition parties to surmount the required 3.25 percent of the votes cast to even make it into the next Knesset. Among those threatened include Yamina, the party of the most recent prime minister, Naftali Bennett, who announced that he will not run in the next elections. His number two, Ayelet Shaked, is reportedly struggling to build a new party after a couple of members in the last few months pulled out of the coalition. Another right-wing party in the recent coalition, New Hope, announced July 10 that it will run in the next election jointly with the Blue and White

Yair Lapid could remain the caretaker prime minister, even after the Nov. 1 elections, if a majority coalition government cannot be formed.

Party, headed by Defense Minister Benny Gantz. “Israel is in the biggest democratic, national and political crisis in its history,” said Gantz during the Sunday announcement. “Israeli society should no longer have to choose between the extremes.” Gantz and New Hope’s leader, Gideon Sa’ar, called for a centrist unity government. Yesh Atid, the party of current Prime Minister Yair Lapid, was already the second largest party in the last Knesset and is expected to gain strength in the next election. Problems will arise if Lapid intends to attract supporters of left-wing parties such as Labor and Meretz. If he does, he could be left with fewer parties with which to cobble together a coalition after the Nov. 1 election if those two parties aren’t able to overcome the needed electoral threshold of 3.25 percent. Another party in danger of elimination is the Islamist Ra’am Party, the first Israeli Arab party to join a coalition government. Current polls indicate that it just may overcome the 3.25 percent hurdle. It is unclear if the Israeli Arab population will reward or punish Ra’am for joining the governing coalition by either not voting at all or voting for the other Arab party, known as the Joint List. The biggest question facing Israel after the next election is whether a majority coalition of at least 61 members will be able to be formed at all. The recent coalition lost its majority in the past couple of months, resulting in the dissolution of the Knesset. According to the IDI survey, more than half of respondents believe that there is a low likelihood of a stable government being

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has decided to sit out the November elections.

formed after the elections, meaning that neither a right-wing coalition nor a center-left coalition could result from the vote. That has been the case after most of the recent elections, with the elector-

ate pretty much split in half. If that happens — again — Lapid will remain the caretaker prime minister and Israelis could be forced to the polling stations once more. ì

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SPORTS Ryan Mucatel Plans to Grow Falcons Fanbase Matt Ryan has left town and Tom Brady has returned to the NFC South. The Braves have revitalized their championshipdefending season and David Ostrowsky the Hawks are already starting to generate serious buzz with the free agent acquisition of budding star Dejounte Murray. Not to mention, the Georgia Bulldogs begin training camp in a matter of days. All of which would suggest that the Falcons (25-40 over the last four seasons) are fighting to stay relevant in the local market. But that’s not how Ryan Mucatel, the newly minted senior vice president of marketing communications for AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE), sees things. Mucatel, who joined AMBSE last August after a successful career as COO at New York-based Berk Communications, is well aware of the whimsical nature of pro sports, particularly

the NFL, and maintains a bullish outlook for the Falcons’ upcoming season — one that he hopes will culminate in the team’s first playoff appearance since January 2018. “We are at an incredibly optimistic point in the Falcons’ organization,” says Mucatel in a recent phone interview with the Atlanta Jewish Times. “We are focusing our energy on making sure that our fans know we’re determined to win right now. We have an incredible nucleus of young talent. We have a group of players that have been signed to long-term deals. We have an incredible coach [Arthur Smith], one of the best GMs [Terry Fontenot]. We have one of the highest-rated draft classes from this past year. This is the time for us to be optimistic and to be confident and to generate some energy back into our fanbase.” For the first time since the George W. Bush administration, Ryan won’t be under center for the Falcons. It’s undoubtedly a tall order to ask either veteran Marcus Mariota or rookie Desmond Ridder to take over for a franchise icon while endearing themselves to the masses. “Matt Ryan is a legend in Atlanta,” ac-

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Senior Vice President of Marketing Communications for AMB Sports and Entertainment Ryan Mucatel has big plans for elevating the Atlanta Falcons’ social media and digital presence this coming season while continuing to pursue brand opportunities for Atlanta United FC this summer.

knowledges Mucatel, whose chief marketing duties include the retail and game day presentation functions, not only for the Falcons but also for Atlanta United FC and Mercedes-Benz Stadium events. “It is definitely hard to lose a franchise quarterback like that. But the reality of it is that sports change, players change. For me and my team, this is an exciting opportunity for us to turn the page, talk about where we’re going, who is going to lead us hopefully to Super Bowls. We need to make sure that we are looking forward, just like Matt is on the [Indianapolis] Colts, and we wish him well.” Mucatel, a truly delightful and ambitious young man, is certainly looking forward. A visionary in every sense of the word, he is quarterbacking an organizationwide movement to generate cutting-edge digital and social media content that serves to engage a broader swath of fans, particularly those of a younger demographic, while also incorporating team sponsors. “Atlanta’s changing — it’s one of the fastest growing cities,” Mucatel is quick to point out. “While there’s a huge number of loyal, avid Falcons fans, there’s a lot of people that we have our eyes on to convert into Falcons fans. Sports are cyclical. There’s plenty of attention to go around.” It helps to have a glass palace like the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, one that will be hosting the College Football Playoff Semifinal (Peach Bowl) this December, as a backdrop for all events. “Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the crown jewel stadium, in my opinion, in the country, certainly in the Southeast,” Mucatel adds. “It is a marvel.” It’s also reasonably priced — everything from hotdogs to replica jerseys — which is a rarity in the NFL world and a reflection of Falcons owner Arthur Blank’s

commitment to fostering community. (Blank, a tireless community activist and philanthropist on both a regional and national level, recently hosted the inaugural Black Sports Business Symposium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and made a $50 million donation to Atlanta’s Shepherd Center, the largest grant earmarked for family housing for their organization.) In addition to sharing Blank’s core values of honesty, innovation and genuine empathy, Mucatel also has a strong Jewish background. He was an active member of the Sephardic Jewish Center of Canarsie while growing up in Brooklyn. And, during Ryan’s childhood in New York City, his father served as the treasurer for the Keter Zion Society of New York, a position that entailed ensuring that Sephardic Jewish families throughout Brooklyn had designated cemetery plots. This spring, following his daughter, Carly’s, bat mitzvah, the plan is to take her, his two older sons, Jake and Dylan, and his wife, Risa, to Israel for the first time. For the time being, however, Mucatel has his hands full with his new position. Accustomed to consulting, engaging customers, working cross-functionally and developing strategic plans through his prior work at Berk and a host of other marketing communications agencies, he is now charged with making executive decisions to optimize brand communications for the Falcons, United and Mercedes-Benz Stadium — all of which fall under the umbrella of AMB Sports and Entertainment, an organization that he is, quite simply, overjoyed to represent. “It’s a remarkably kind and caring group of people,” Mucatel said. “This has been the most rewarding 10 months of my life, professionally.” ì

SPORTS

Basketball Legend Lennie Rosenbluth Dies at 89

On June 18, University of North Carolina and Philadelphia Warriors basketball legend Lennie Rosenbluth passed away at the age of 89.

By David Ostrowsky On June 18, University of North Carolina basketball legend Lennie Rosenbluth passed away at the age of 89. The university announced his death but did not provide a cause. Rosenbluth, a member of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in Israel and the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Commack, N.Y., guided the UNC Tar Heels to a perfect 32-0 record during the 1956-57 season — one that culminated in a 54-53 tripleovertime win over Wilt Chamberlain’s Kansas Jayhawks. In the national title game Rosenbluth scored 20 points before fouling out late in regulation. In UNC’s first-ever championship season, he averaged 28 points per game (still the school’s record) and, in doing so, edged Chamberlain for the Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year award. After graduating from Chapel Hill in spring 1957, the 6-foot-5 forward enjoyed a brief stint in the NBA for the Philadelphia Warriors before becoming an American history teacher and basketball coach. Before Sandy Koufax emerged as a Hall of Fame pitcher, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency referred to Rosenbluth, a 2003 inductee in the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, as arguably the “preeminent Jewish athlete in the United

States.” This was hardly hyperbole. Although he never lived up to his potential in the NBA (it wasn’t so easy playing behind future Hall-of-Famer Paul Arizin while making only $5,000 per year) Rosenbluth cemented his legacy as one of the premier college basketball players of his generation, garnering recognition as an all-Atlantic Coast Conference honoree in each of his three seasons at UNC. His No. 10 is one of only eight uniforms retired by UNC, along with those of Phil Ford, Michael Jordan, Antawn Jamison, Tyler Hansbrough, Jack Cobb, George Glamack and James Worthy. Born and raised in the Bronx, N.Y., during the Great Depression, Rosenbluth became an inspiration to the Jewish community with his dominant play in the summer leagues in the Catskill Mountains and later his outstanding career at UNC, where he scored 2,047 points, the most ever by a UNC player who appeared in only three seasons. After living in Florida for most of his adulthood, the retired hoops star moved to the Chapel Hill area just over a decade ago and became a regular fixture at UNC games. He is survived by his second wife, Dianne Stabler, whom he married in 2011, following the passing of his first wife, Helen; a daughter, Elizabeth; a son, Steven and grandchildren from his first marriage. ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 21

SPORTS

Father, Son Open Contender eSports in Cobb Six weeks ago, Dr. Mitch Tepper and son Jeremy opened Contender eSports for competitive video gaming at Cumberland Crossing. Marcia The facility is Caller Jaffe equipped with 35 professional gaming PC stations, eight Nintendo Switches, five Xbox Series Xs, two private party rooms, and access to hundreds of games. In addition to being open daily for hourly play, they also provide structures for leagues, tournaments, a youth academy, birthday parties, summer camps, and after school scholastic esports programs. Mitch Tepper, confined to a wheelchair, has a master’s in public health from Yale and a PhD in human sexuality education from the University of Pennsylvania, works as a sexuality educator and coach. At age 19, Tepper was injured in a diving accident resulting in paralysis from the neck down, which forever changed his life. Thus, a component of this new venture dovetailed while writing a grant for United Spinal Association Atlanta to start the first adaptive esports program in Georgia. Although United Spinal Atlanta’s program is a separate entity from Contender eSports, the Teppers house all of their adaptive equipment and host adaptive esports clinics. Jeremy, age 22, fit in well after exploring other career options. He decided he would rather manage an esports franchise than become an editor for someone else. It took the Teppers just one year to open after signing the franchise agreement. The location, off I-75 and just a few miles north of Buckhead, can comfortably accommodate 50-60 gamers with a total capacity of 99. Customers of all ages, some as young as six years old, try their hand at Call of Duty, APEX Legends, Valorant, Super Smash Bros, and Fortnite as popular games. When asked why gamers don’t just play from home, Mitch said, "People come at first because of our pro-gaming PCs that would cost thousands to build at home. However, people stay because we provide a community to meet other gamers and compete. Playing together in person is a very different and much more engaging experience than playing online.” The basic membership is $15 month22 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Mitchell and Jeremy Tepper make a solid team by sticking in their own lanes of expertise.

Customers of all ages and genders, ranging from 6 to 35+, try their hand at Call of Duty, APEX Legends, Valorant, Super Smash Bros, and Fortnite as the most popular games.

Contender can comfortably accommodate 50-60 gamers with a total capacity of 99.

ly and includes five hours of playtime; additional hours are at a discounted rate of $7. The fee for non-members is $10/ hour, but additional hours are discounted. Weekend day passes are available. Contender eSports has two private party rooms for rent for 10-20 guests. Party packages include food, drinks, decorations, party gifts, and three hours of game time. A dedicated staffer is included to assure everything runs smoothly. In terms of the intricacies of a family business, Mitch says, “Jeremy and I stay in our own lanes. I take care of the finances and focus on creating relationships within the industry. Jeremy manages all aspects of the store including employees, social media, keeping the computers and games up to date, scheduling daily events, and building relation-

ships with the various gaming communities in Atlanta and Cobb County. “ Jeremy works full time at Contender. He was in the last graduating class of Yeshiva Atlanta, and after graduating from Georgia State University with a major in film and a minor in computer science, he continued his education at the Georgia Film Academy. He completed certification in film production just as the pandemic started and the entire film industry shut down. Jeremy said, “I was at a loss until we found this franchise and the Film Academy started offering classes in esports production. I’ve had a love for gaming my whole life and with such a unique opportunity, I decided to take the class to learn more about the esports world and get involved!” The Teppers work with schools of-

fering appreciation weeks with student discounts, or if schools have an esports program, they offer space for their players to compete outside of school hours. They also offer an academy program where they build a team to practice regularly and play in local leagues against other schools. When asked about the parental decision to pull kids away from screen time, how much is too much? Mitch, a therapist, said, “It would be great if there was a definitive answer to that question! Many parents assume playing video games is bad, but there is a growing body of research demonstrating positive outcomes from gaming. More high schools and universities are focusing on scholastic esports to advance STEM programs.” ì

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EQ UA L HOUSING OPPOR T UNI T Y

OPINION Horror in a Place Once Called Home This is Jewish life in America. On Monday, my journalist daughter texted to make sure I knew about a gunman firing on Dave Schechter the Fourth of From Where I Sit July parade in Highland Park, Ill. Just as she did to alert us on Oct. 27, 2018, when a gunman massacred 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. I lived in Highland Park from ages four to nine, until we moved to Glencoe, one town to the south. I am familiar with the streets that formed the parade route, including Central Avenue, where most of the spectators congregated. I went to nursery school at a Conservative congregation in Highland Park, before starting public school in kindergarten. After moving, we joined a Reform congregation in Glencoe. Years later, after leaving for another Reform congregation, my parents also held a membership in that Conservative shul. After my daughter’s text, my first thought was to check on my mother and sister, who live in downtown Chicago. In good weather, they like to drive to the Chicago Botanic Garden, located on the road that divides Glencoe from Highland Park. It turned out that they had visited the garden the day before. My sister volunteers with the American Red Cross and was dispatched to Highland Park on the Fourth and on subsequent days. My second thought was grounded in an awareness that Highland Park has a significant Jewish population; perhaps 30 percent, maybe more, of its 30,000 residents. This is a city where the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band takes part in the Fourth of July parade. Prosecutors say that the 21-year-old man now charged with seven counts of first-degree murder has confessed to the shootings. On a downtown rooftop, police recovered 83 shell casings, three ammunition magazines and a legally-purchased semi-automatic rifle. The Pittsburgh gunman announced his intention to kill Jews. With Highland Park, speculation on social media, particularly by Jewish commentators, focused on that possible motive, but at this writing it seems less certain. The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force spokesperson said July 5: “We have no information to suggest at this point it was racially motivated, motivated by religion, or any other protected status.”

In one sense, it does not matter whether the shooter targeted Jews. Even if the intention was to kill as many people as possible — regardless of their religion, race, ethnicity or other characteristics — Jews were killed and Jews were wounded. Incidents in recent years — Pittsburgh, Poway, Monsey, Jersey City, etc. — have conditioned the Jewish community to assume an antisemitic motive, particularly where there is a significant Jewish presence. It was reported that in April the accused had entered the Chabad shul in downtown Highland Park and was watched carefully until he left. That same month, on Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Remembrance Day, antisemitic flyers turned up in driveways in Highland Park and other nearby suburbs. “To have this kind of garbage, disgusting statements thrown on peoples’ driveways — on today of all days — is particularly painful,” Highland Park’s mayor said. For residents of this suburb along Lake Michigan, 27 miles north of Chicago, the date of July 4 now is attached not to a celebration, but to an act of terror. Healthcare consultant and journalist Michael Millenson, a friend of my late father, wrote in the Forward about how he and his wife escaped the gunfire. “We are grateful to be alive, but we are haunted forever by what we saw and what we heard,” Millenson said. My third thought was prompted by comments on Twitter from Jewish journalists, academics, activists and professionals, who form what is referred to informally as #JTwitter. This tragedy prompted a national exercise of “Jewish geography,” the game that ultimately confirms that there are fewer than six degrees of separation between any two Jews in this country. As if to prove the point, as the names of the dead became known, one was a woman a couple of my siblings had known decades ago, from the youth group at the Glencoe synagogue, where, as an adult, she was the events and b’nei mitzvah coordinator. In the aftermath of the Tree of Life killings, I wrote about Jewish Atlantans with ties to Pittsburgh and the Squirrel Hill neighborhood. Numerous Jews I follow on social media mentioned ties to Highland Park. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the number of us who lived in Highland Park at some point in our lives,” I posted on Twitter. We all come from somewhere. When such horror is visited on a community we once called home, maybe we feel what we feel just a bit more acutely. Such is the case with Highland Park, a city I have not lived in for many years, but which still gives rise to countless childhood memories. ì

OPINION

I Have Been Attacked and Defamed for Visiting Israel By Samantha Strelzer My name is Samantha Strelzer, and I am the President of the Rollins Student Government Association at the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University. I recently went on a Taglit-Birthright trip to Israel, and since that time, I have been the victim of a harassment and defamation campaign both online and offline. I know that this is sadly an all too common occurrence, and that across the country, students who dare to express a pro-Israel point of view or visit the Holy Land are ostracized on campus. But I have decided to fight back, because spreading lies and hate to score political points is simply unacceptable. My chief attacker is actually a fellow board member at Rollins, who did not even have the decency to engage me in conversation before she began to assault and demean my character in public. First, she falsely accused the State of Israel of a number of crimes, including apartheid and genocide. Then, building off those false and inflammatory accusations, she went on to claim that I, an American Jewish student of public health on a week-long educational trip to the region, am actually a “direct contributor to this apartheid and killing of indigenous people.” My fellow student accused me of “promoting war and genocide,” and of “support for colonial murderers;” she labeled me a “hypocrite and coward,” with “crumbling morals and a weak moral compass;” and she called for me to lose my position as an elected student leader. Fortunately, her ridiculous comments are all too easily disproved, and the lies she repeatedly tells herself and others reveal only the underlying contempt that she has for the Jewish State, and the antisemitic tendency she is modeling by trying to hold all Jews accountable for Israel’s imagined sins. As students of social science, we are trained to look at the facts, and this person’s lazy repetitions of lies about Israel are so absurd that they are hardly worth debunking. But just in case my fellow students are not aware of the facts behind some of those inaccurate distortions, here they are in brief summary. This person accuses Israel of apartheid, which involves “inhumane acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group of persons over any other ra-

Emory University

cial group of persons and systematically oppressing them.” Aside from the fact that the conflict in Israel has never been about race, there are dozens of reasons why Israel is not an apartheid state; for example, Israeli Arab citizens have full and equal rights, and serve in the highest levels of every branch of government, including the Supreme Court and Knesset. The next accusation, that Israel is committing genocide is also utterly ridiculous. Genocidal acts are “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such.” Since 1967, the Palestinian Arab population has actually increased by 387 percent. I humbly suggest that my fellow student retake all of her statistics courses before she makes any more such claims. Her claims that Jews are not indigenous to the land of Israel, and are colonialist occupiers, are just historically wrong. But that’s about the State of Israel. What this person is doing to me is antisemitic, and I am calling it out. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in federallyassisted programs and activities, on the basis of race, color, or national origin. While Title VI does not include religion, discrimination against Jews may give rise to a violation if it is based on race or national origin. Under Executive Order 13899, when evaluating potential Title VI claims, the government uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. Per the IHRA definition, it is antisemitic to, among other things, deny the Jewish people

their right to self-determination, engage in blood libels, apply a double standard by requiring of the Jewish state behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation, or to hold Jews (like me) collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel. Over the last several years, my state of Georgia has had hundreds of reported incidents of antisemitism, and likely many times that number of unreported events. On campus and off, these incidents have ranged from swastikas and other antisemitic displays in public places; multiple instances of harassment and hostile workplace environments with explicit antisemitism (i.e. celebrating Hitler’s birthday, antisemitic name-calling, etc.); and multiple bomb threats (not to mention hate mail) directed at Jewish schools, organizations and houses of worship. Somehow, very few people — and even fewer

people in positions of authority — seem to know about these stories. It is time to change that by speaking out. For the record, I have never done anything to hurt or demean anyone, and, in fact, I long for the day when there is lasting peace in the region. What my attacker sadly does not understand is that you can be pro-Israel without being anti“Palestine”; more important, she must learn that you can be pro-Palestine without being antisemitic. In the meantime, I will not be stepping down, I will in fact be stepping up and speaking out for all those facing harassment and discrimination on campus because of who they are. I can only hope that others in leadership positions, both on campus and off, stand with me. ì Samantha Strelzer is the student body president at the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University.

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OPINION

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

Disclamer to our readers: This section of the newspaper is a forum for our community to share thoughts, concerns and opinions as open letters to the community or directly to the newspaper. As a letter to the editor, we proof for spelling and grammatical errors only. We do not edit nor vet the information the letter contains. The individual signing the letter is accountable for what they share.

Letter to the editor,

Emory University and Atlanta, the home of Deborah Lipstadt, U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor Antisemitism and Dorot Professor of Jewish Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies, is embroiled in accusations of virulent antisemitism. As detailed in Algemeiner, Samantha Strelzer, the President of the Student Government Association of the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, is facing a vitriolic antisemitic campaign of Jew hating harassment because she traveled to Israel and supports the only Jewish country on earth, Israel. As a Jewish student who supports Israel, Strelzer is being subjected by an unnamed but obviously infamously well-known antisemite on campus to endless faux Goebbels accusations of supporting genocide, killing, murder, apartheid. Obviously Special Envoy and Professor Lipstadt did not have to leave Emory to be awash in virulent antisemitism. It is both sad and ironic that in Atlanta, which views Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as its favorite son, his wisdom and prescience is apparently not inculcated at Emory. Clearly Ms. Strelzer is a victim of precisely the antisemitism Dr. King warned the world about at Cambridge shortly before his death: “When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews; you’re talking antisemitism.” Richard Sherman, Margate, Fla.

Looking back, the decades after World War II will be remembered as the time America precipitously cast aside its physical, social, cultural, economic, political and legal moorings. The healthy behavior of Americans has declined steadily. Our people sat idly by while cigarettes laid countless innocent citizens to rest due to lung cancer. We watched our cities get overrun with drugs smuggled in from south of the border. We did little to recognize, roll-back or stop the opioid crisis within our health care system. We have encouraged and blithely participated in unhealthy eating habits, sedentary living and vaping. We have performed below the level of other industrialized nations in infant and maternal mortality rates. We twiddled our thumbs at the outset of and throughout a decimating national pandemic. We have embraced all manner of personal freedom addictions as normal: social media, pornography, drug and alcohol, on-line shopping and debt financing, to name just a few. We have justified and promoted a cavalier attitude toward marriage, a precipitous decline in childbirth and an outpouring of teenage pregnancy. We have demonstrated a flippant acceptance of divorce and callous disregard for fatherhood and the orphans of divorce. We have seen decades of declining school test scores and grade inflation, school bullying, withdrawal of parents from parent/teacher interactions and supervision of homework, burgeoning college debt coupled with an inability of students to finish college and the normalization of active shooter events in the classroom. We have presided over a decline in religious freedom and an increase in revelations of ecclesiastic pedophilia across a wide range of denominations. We watched passively as employers outsourced jobs overseas and developed an unhealthy balance of trade. We watched with indifference the decline of organized labor and the rise of on-the-job exploitation of the workforce. We embraced usurious interest rates on consumer debt, a return to robber baron-style corporate monopoly in virtually all major industries, conversion from a credit-only economy to a debit-only economy, and skyrocketing city, state and national debt financing. We sat motionless as our infrastructure crumbled, bankruptcies exploded and the wealth gap and poverty indicators soared. We have witnessed an epidemic of fraud and dishonest business advertising in every sector of the economy. We took off our corrective lenses while Congress turned into an aristocracy, the presidency into an autocracy and the Supreme Court into an oligarchy. We disputed the integrity of state election results and the honesty of thousands of state election workers and attempted an insurrection and assassination in the halls of Congress. We threw away reason and non-partisanship and married ourselves to conspiracy theories, populist demagoguery, the disappearance of newspapers, far right and far left sedition and a resurgence of overt racism. We have seen a long-running decline of trust in government and political parties, low election turnouts especially in local elections, withdrawal from fraternal and charity organization affiliation and participation and withdrawal from church attendance. After the Vietnam imbroglio, we forgot how to register our concerns about American militarism and followed both Democrat and Republican presidents into dozens of unnecessary military campaigns abroad without a peep of resistance. In our law enforcement and justice worlds, we have accepted police murders, rampant Hollywood sexual assault, sexual harassment in workplaces and rape in the military. We have witnessed the failure of corrections facilities to correct behavior, justice systems to find truth and provide justice and an increase in all manner of violent crime. We have adopted a slap-on-the-wrist approach to white collar crime, as demonstrated by the lack of punishment of corporate felons responsible for the 2008 Great Recession. And yet, every 4th of July, we party with puffed out chests thinking we are the most patriotic and successful generation of people ever to live on planet earth. Kimball Shinkoskey, Woods Cross, Utah

Note: You can read more about Strelzer story on page 25.

26 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

OPINION Letter to the editor, Let’s put party politics aside. Whether one party is better for Israel or whether one party is better for our economy is a matter of opinion. As Jews, we have more pressing, urgent issues right now — issues that are based on actual facts and not opinions, issues where Jews across the religious spectrum (miraculously) agree. Our first amendment right to practice our religion is under serious threat. Let’s look at the abortion issue to explain the nature of this threat. Until a baby takes its first breath, Jewish law considers it to be part of a woman’s body. According to Jewish law, it is permissible and sometimes even obligatory to terminate a pregnancy when it poses a danger to a mother’s physical or mental health. The Supreme Court decision now makes it impossible in many states for a pregnant Jewish woman whose life is endangered by her pregnancy to legally terminate her pregnancy, contradicting Jewish practice. What ever happened to the separation of church and state? Did the judges honestly set aside their religious beliefs when making this decision? Will there be no end to this? Will the ability of patients, male or female, to make other medical decisions with their doctors be restricted in the future? What about birth control? What about circumcision? What about kosher slaughtering? Will all these and others be outlawed in the future, as they already are in some countries? In addition, any candidate who is opposed to regulating automatic rifles is also a threat to our lives, both as Americans and especially as Jews. All Americans go to grocery stores, shopping malls and theaters — favorite venues for shooters with automatic rifles. But another favorite venue is synagogues and other Jewish institutions. Yes, sadly, we have armed guards but, as we saw in Buffalo, when faced with automatic rifles, they are no match. This is an urgent plea to all Jewish voters to focus on the facts and examine the position of every political candidate individually, regardless of political affiliation. Does the candidate support or oppose a woman’s right to choose? Does the candidate support or oppose automatic rifle restrictions? Let’s put party politics aside and let the answers to these vital, fundamental questions take top priority in the upcoming election. Marilyn Gootman, Athens

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PETS

Jewish Atlanta Pets of 2022 Winners

Our seventh-annual pet issue is finally here. We received 41 submissions, including a wide variety of dogs and cats, as well as a 37-year-old Yellow Naped Amazon Parrot. The first place winner went to Richard and Monica Maslia's 3-year-old Great Dane, Gracie Jane. Gracie Jane is seen festively celebrating Chanukah in her winning photo. In second place was Athena, a surprise to our Senior Account Manager, Brenda Gelfand. Third place went to Eric Ciavardini’s 2-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever, Minnie. Minnie is seen wearing a bandana that reads, “Loved a Latke.” Cara Ginsberg Lubin’s 7-year-old poodles, Larry and Freckles, grace our cover this week. They are seen in their photo sporting “bark mitzvah” bandanas. Check out all of the submissions and see what’s special and unique about each one!

1st Place

2nd Place Athena

3-year-old Persian Cat

Brenda Gelfand - AJT Senior Account Manager Athena loves basking in the sunlight.

Gracie Jane 3-year-old Great Dane

Richard and Monica Maslia of Buckhead Gracie Jane recently was named a “top model” for a small business out of Ontario, California where she models collars, necklaces, clothes and matching mom/ dog daughter clothes!

3rd Place Minnie

2-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever

Eric Ciavardini of Dunwoody Minnie stole the show at her people’s wedding and loves visiting her Nanny and friends at The Jewish Tower.

COVER WINNER

Larry and Freckles 7-year-old Parti Poodles

Cara Ginsberg Lubin of Vinings Larry and Freckles Lubin are brother and sister. They love to dress up and celebrate the holidays. They were excited to celebrate their sister’s bat mitzvah.

28 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

PETS Toby-Tov

5-year-old Snowshoe Manx

Destiny Wallis of Toco Hills He is a pro at making eye contact, and he is very fast (he can turn "on a dime.") He also loves the iPad.

Archie

2-year-old Schnoodle

Amanda Budd of John's Creek Archie shows his love by leaning his whole body against you.

Enzo

Toby

11-month-old Shishon; Bichon/Shi Tzu mix

13 year-old Shih Tzu

Thea and Gavin Cohen of Sandy Springs

Kara Barron of Toco Hills

Enzo is our sweet, cuddly pup

Goes to bed (human bed) when he is tired.

Teddy

5-year-old Maltese

Joyce Banner of Brookhaven A highly intelligent, sweet, playful, loyal and handsome pooch who knows he's the boss.

Spike

13 year-old Shih Tzu

Amanda Kraun of Sandy Springs Spike can open plastic water bottles all by himself!

Moxie

4-year-old Miniature Dachshund

Tater Tot and Tilly 3-year-old Terrier Mixes

Wendy Marx of Sandy Springs Moxie is a diva and carries her Chewy Vuitton purse with her from room to room!

Karen Levy of Buckhead Tater Tot makes the funniest noises. Especially when he's hungry! Tilly just spins around when she's happy and she always has one ear up. ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 29

PETS Bentley

1-year-old Cavapoo

Gidget

Cathy Manne of Sandy Springs

5-year-old Jack Russell and Cattle Dog

Blythe Alpern of Grant Park

He’s a good digger, a good eater of all Jewish food leftovers (and the cat's food) and Birdie's wrestling buddy.

She can tell the difference between all toys, no matter what state they are in.

Lily

Boba

4-year-old Goldendoodle

Rebecca Seidel of Sandy Springs

4-year-old Goldendoodle

Lauren Olens of Chamblee

Lily speaks when we ask her to.

A giant lap dog who loves cuddling, playing fetch and doing anything for a treat.

Rizzo and Geogia 4-year-old Shepherd mix and 11-year-old Golden mix

George

Shari Perkins of Roswell

37-year-old Yellow Naped Amazon Parrot

Bea Grossman of Historic Norcross

Rizzo and Georgia love going for car rides! Rizzo is so tall that he can even stick his head out of the sunroom!

He talks & barks (pitch perfect dog imitation). He can predict rain. He loves pizza, spaghetti & challah.

Avery

Charlie and Sukee 11-year-old Lowchen and 1-year-old Lowchen

Susan Goldman of Johns Creek

Charlie rolls the ball to you with his tongue. Sukee is still learning to be cool! 30 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Boomer

6-year-old Australian Labradoodle

2-year-old Shnoodle, Schnauzer/Poodle mix

Lauren Becker of Toco Hills

Karen Paz & Roy Cranman of Sandy Springs

Avery’s ability to sleep “upside down” in interesting positions never ceases to amaze me.

He carries around his baby blanket, which he also likes to hide under and jump and catch in the air!

PETS Wilbur

Bexley

1-year-old Lab and Great Pyrenees mix

1-year-old Mutt

Danna Tresser of Peachtree Corners

Malkie Fuchs of Johns Creek

Bexley was rescued from a high kill shelter. She's around a year old and is the sweetest most laid back dog! She our failed foster!

He is a goofy, cuddly and loving service dog in training. He loves visiting the Cohen Home!

Piper

1.5-year-old Lab

Rosie

Mike Toltzis of Brookhaven

2-year-old Labradoodle

Simonie Levy of Sandy Springs

The sweetest and most funloving pup!

Relay races in the pool with her humans!

Maddie “Mad Dog”

Strudel

7-year-old Jack Russell Terrier

9-year-old Morkie (Maltese Yorkie)

Jenny and Jonny Mopper of Dunwoody

Lola Rucket of Morningside

Maddie loves to play ball, but hates to bring it back to us!

Cute and sometimes annoying.

Wrigley

2-year-old Goldendoodle

Marla Gold of Sandy Springs Wrigley loves chasing balls, swimming in the pool and going on long walks.

Lily and Breaker

15-month-old German shorthair pointer and 4-year-old English Labrador Retriever

Amy Rosenberg of Dunwoody Lily can jump onto a table! Breaker can stand on his hind legs and beg for a treat. ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 31

PETS Maple

Marley

9-year-old Lab/Shepherd/ Beagle/Boxer

3-year-old Rottweiler

Lesli Greenberg of Sandy Springs

Audrey Helfman of Roswell

Marley is the epitome of “cool.” Looks like he’s going to eat you but will lick you to death.

Carries the newspaper in from driveway — it’s a skill, not a trick!

Beau and Virginia 4-year-old Black Lab and FoxRed Lab

Hershey

Shelly Katz of Johns Creek

5-year-old mix of Lab, mastiff, etc.

Marni Bekerman of Dunwoody

Beau and Virginia are the sweetest dogs. They LOVE to run and swim! Virginia loves kisses and Beau loves hugs!

Midnight

Hershey loves his little human siblings — 20 months and 3 years. He gives them lots of kisses.

Benny and Sophie

14-year-old black cat

Greg Roques of Dunwoody

14- and 3-year-old Toy Poodle and Shih Tzu

Comes to cuddle with our baby daughter when he hears her playing each morning before daycare.

Stacey Levy of Sandy Springs We adopted Benny during COVID and despite their huge age difference, he brought out the puppy in Sophie!

Jaden

6-year-old cat

2-year-old Italian Bolognese

Sue and Bob Levy of Peachtree Corners Mo gets along with every dog and is referred to as “The Mayor” by all the neighbors.

32 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Jonathan Paz of Brookhaven Plays the the keyboard with me.

PETS

Staff Pets

Lexi Lulu

2-year-old Schnoodle

Stacey Davis of Dunwoody Lexi loves the Jewish Holidays because she gets to eat all of the brisket and noodle kugle that falls from the table!

Mushu

14.5-year-old Golden, Collie, St. Bernard Mix

Michael Morris Owner and Publisher He is gentle and kind to everyone.

Buddy

Lovely Lilly

2-year-old Golden Retriever

2-year-old Imperial Shih Tzu

Paul Jennison of North Georgia Mountains

Kaylene Ladinsky Managing Publisher and Editor

He lays his snoot on his people’s lap. He knows humans can’t resist that.

She is loved by all that meet her. Sweet, kind and very cuddly. Lilly is 6.2 lbs. and she loves to travel, watch movies and play with her sister Bella.

Bagel

Schnitzel

2-year-old Schnoodle

3-year-old Shih Tzu / Beagle

Jennifer Snow of Toco Hills

Lilli Jennison Creative Director

She has been our hiking adventure companion since 10 weeks old. She is highly attentive and follows our lead without chasing or wadering, we hardly ever use a leash.

Bagel is the best snuggler! His favorite junk food is chips. His favorite toy is a stuffed avocado.

Lucy, Murphy & Scooter

Munchie

12-, 8- and 5-year-old mixes

Patty Small of Vinings We actually have three rescues that each have very different personalities. They rescued us! We just provided the home!

Squeeks

4-year-old Tabby

Jodi Danis Business Manager

She loves sunshine, bugs and racing up and down the stairs as fast as felinely possible.

16-year-old Boxer / Hound Mix

Michal Bonnell Senior Account Manager & Team Leader She loves her family and is a fierce protector. At her senior age, Munchie still enjoys playing rough with her dad and snuggling with mom. ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 33

PETS

Atlanta’s Dog Rescue Leaders Put Empathy into Practice By Debbie Diamond As a child, Lara Weinblatt experienced the healing power of animals firsthand. Now she believes it is her job to rescue them. Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 10, she recounted the story of how therapy dogs visited her at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta-Egleston Hospital to lift her spirits and keep her company during hospital stays. Her own family pets helped her deal with anxiety and the insecurity she felt during childhood, and she never forgot how all these special creatures made her feel better. In 2014, after years of volunteering for other rescues, Weinblatt paid tribute to all the animals who had impacted her life by founding Orphan Annie Rescue, a no-kill rescue group in Atlanta that saves dogs from all over the state. New York native and serial entrepreneur Jennifer Siegel jumped into saving puppies when she volunteered at Fulton County Animal Control and met a tiny puppy that had been found in a trash can. The mother was nowhere to be found, and the puppy needed to be nursed around the clock. With no one available to manage his special needs, Siegel took the puppy home, quickly figured out how to bottle feed him and thus began her eight-year commitment to fostering puppies and providing for their every need. Bosley’s Place, which is named after Siegel’s first bottle-fed puppy, was officially licensed a year later, in March 2015, and is dedicated exclusively to rescuing homeless and orphaned neonatal puppies. So far, Siegel has managed to bottle- or tube-feed close to 1,300 puppies. “We are proud that our survival rate is 87 percent,” said Siegel. “Even with all the businesses I’ve started, rescuing puppies is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had.” Lauri Frenkel’s diagnosis of PTSD and severe anxiety led her to adopt her first rescue dog, Teddy, a Great Pyrenees. It also set her on the path to launching her rescue, A Pet’s Purpose. Operating under the motto, “Rescuing People, One Dog at a Time,” Frenkel stresses how meaningful these words are to her. “The dogs I have rescued have saved me and their humans as much, if not more, than we have saved them,” she said. Her rescue focuses exclusively on saving and placing assistance animals for emotional support, therapy and service needs. Weinblatt, Siegel and Frenkel all share a calling to save animals based

34 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Bosley, the namesake of Bosley’s Place, launched by Jennifer Siegel.

Orphan Annie Rescue’s Lara Weinblatt with her dog Nigel, a hairless terrier.

Mollie, a therapy dog adopted from A Pet’s Purpose, visits with students at the University of Georgia.

Thank you note from an Orphan Annie adopter.

Lauri Frenkel with her dog, Teddy.

on their own personal experiences. Collectively, all three rescues have managed to provide safe shelter for thousands of animals that would have otherwise suffered or died without their interventions. Though each rescue is decidedly different in scope, mission and focus, what they have in common is a profound commitment to saving lives, helping others and organizing resources and people. Orphan Annie Rescue places adoptable animals into “great forever homes where they are safe for life,” said Weinblatt. “We will take back a dog for any reason at any point, though we strive for lifetime placements. We have even helped previous adopters with vet bills when needed.” The rescue has approximately 20 volunteers, including fosters, who keep the dogs in their homes until a perfect forever home is located. Most of the dogs come from the Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter, located in Lavonia, Ga. Like

many rural shelters, they have many healthy, highly adoptable dogs who need homes, but not enough adopters or rescues. Orphan Annie hosts many healthy dogs, as well as those with medical needs such as heartworm. In addition, the rescue takes in owner- and breeder-surrendered dogs, saving approximately 200 dogs each year. “We like to partner with other rescues as well, so we can ensure more dogs are safe and find their forever homes,” Weinblatt said. Recognized as the only rescue in the U.S. with an exclusive focus on orphaned newborns, Bosley’s Place meets a critical need in the animal welfare community. As the primary bottle feeder and caregiver of the puppies, Siegel admits she sleeps only a few hours at a time. “Most of the puppies require round-the-clock feeding, and I’ll admit the pace can be exhausting at times,” she said. Asked about her transition from corporate America to the rescue world, Sie-

gel says, “I am paid in puppy kisses.” With the same energy that made her a successful entrepreneur, Siegel set up Bosley’s Place with a system to ensure that placements last a lifetime. “All who apply for our puppies are invited to an interview. A ‘meet-and-greet’ with the whole family is then scheduled, followed by a home inspection. We talk to our adopters about positive reinforcement and ask that they have at least a couple of training sessions with one of our recommended trainers. With these parameters in place, we have less than a one percent return rate,” said Siegel. The goal in placing Bosley’s Place puppies is to create positive, loving relationships that last a lifetime. Many Atlantans know Bosley’s Place for its puppy parties, held at its facility on South Cobb Drive in Smyrna. Though closed throughout most of the pandemic, the rescue is slowly opening up for parties on a limited basis. For $450, guests may play with puppies to their heart’s content

PETS

Siegel bottle-feeding a puppy at Bosley’s Place.

Lara Weinblatt as a child with therapy dogs at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Siegel got into rescuing animals after meeting a puppy named Bosley that had been found in a trash can.

and participate in an art or craft project. Corporate events are also held on- or offsite. All funds raised go to the rescue. “The puppies benefit from the socialization and the rescue benefits from the support of the community,” Siegel said. Bosley’s Place also hosts puppy yoga sessions and wine events. Bosley’s Birthday Bash, held every year in November, is attended by many in the rescue community, including volunteers, transporters, fosters, animal control officers and supporters. A Pet’s Purpose founder Lauri Frenkel and her family live on a large farm surrounded by dogs, horses, rabbits, goats, chickens and pigs — all animals that they have saved from an uncertain or grim future. This love for animals and her own experience with her beloved Great Pyrenees, Teddy, led her to launch A Pet’s Purpose three years ago. Working with her daughter, Melanie, she identifies shelter dogs, owner-surrenders and former breeder’s dogs and puppies that have the potential to be good emotional support, therapy or service animals. In general, according to Frenkel, the qualities they look for in the animals they place include a low to medium energy level, a calm temperament, enjoyment in engaging with people, friendliness with other dogs and a non-aggressive demeanor. The qualities required for an emotional support dog are different than those needed for a highly trained service dog. “An emotional support dog has a high EQ and is able to readily comfort their person. A therapy dog is trained to

go into public settings to bring comfort and joy to people at hospitals, nursing homes, schools, colleges and airports. And a service dog will be trained for a specific job assisting one person with a visual impairment, PTSD, seizures or allergies, among other conditions recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Frenkel explained. Frenkel wants to be certain that each dog saved by A Pet’s Purpose will be as happy in their new home as their adopter. To meet this goal, each dog spends at least two weeks in her home or in a foster home after vetting, so they can be properly assessed for the best job and home placement. For example, if a foster dog is prone to becoming carsick, they will not be placed as a therapy animal, which would need to be transported frequently to hospitals or other facilities. Frenkel keeps a list of people who have requested one of her assistance dogs and the type of help required. She also reaches out to other rescues to find good matches for those on her list. A Pet’s Purpose requires that adopters employ the service of a professional trainer for all service and therapy dogs adopted. Frenkel encourages the training of the emotional support dogs, but does not require it. To date, A Pet’s Purpose has saved more than 200 dogs. Successful placements include River, a therapy dog at Hirsch Academy, who is the school director’s dog; Cookie, a Goldendoodle now serving as a seizure-alert service dog for a former police officer and Zoe,

a three-legged shepherd mix lovingly called a tripod dog, who visits with college students on campus during exams

or other high-stress times. Perhaps the most heartwarming case, according to Frenkel, was the placement of Rosie, a golden retriever mix, who was adopted by a family whose mother had metastatic breast cancer. The young mother of three wanted an emotional support dog to comfort her and her family as they went through treatment. Though the mother passed away shortly after the adoption was finalized, her husband and daughters have found continuing love and support as they raise the dog they had picked out with their mother. Animal shelters are overcrowded again in 2022 due to COVID, increased evictions, inflation and the economy. In June, the new DeKalb County animal shelter was closed due to overcrowding. Against this backdrop, rescue leaders like Frenkel, Siegel and Weinblatt continue to save lives and provide much-needed homes for dogs. With the continued support of the community, their work can continue. To foster, contribute, adopt or schedule a mitzvah project, please contact www.orphanannierescue.org, www. bosleysplace.com or lauri@apetspurpose.org. ì

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PETS

Designer Doodles Keep Breeders Busy By Bob Bahr The demand for pandemic pets, particularly for highly fashionable purebreds and designer dogs created through crossbreeding, remains strong. During the early months of the pandemic, demand often outpaced supply, with puppies being adopted to fight loneliness and isolation. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, one out of every five American households has adopted a new pet during the pandemic. That adds up to over 23 million new homes for animals. But, even with the relaxation of restrictions, some owners are willing to pay big money for the dog of their dreams. They can still expect to pay between $2,500 to $5,000 for the most desirable designer crossbred dogs, including labradoodles, goldendoodles, cavapoos and cockapoos — breeds created through crossing poodles with Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, Cavalier King Charles spaniels and cocker spaniels, respectively. The doodles have created a strong following because of their intelligence, liveliness, good humor and, in many cases, irresistible good looks and personality. They’re a common sight along the Atlanta BeltLine and in the city’s parks. In some American cities, these designer breeds are so common that a backlash has developed against the apparent lack of variety among those out for a stroll with their pets. The doodle craze is particularly distressing to Debra Berger, the Georgia representative of the U.S. Humane Society. She laments that the popularity of the mixed breeds has kept people away from local animal shelters, which, she maintains, are “bursting at the seams.” In the past month, for example, Fulton County Animal Control has taken in over 600 animals. Despite record demand for adoptions during the first year of the pandemic, most shelters, according to Berger, have sizable inventories. “My biggest concern about fashionable dogs is that some people purchase a dog based on trends and marketing messages. And when people purchase dogs that were intentionally bred and sold for profit, other healthy and adoptable dogs remain homeless and may be euthanized,” she told the AJT.

36 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Sales of designer doodles remain strong despite some known issues.

Pets from an animal shelter can be adopted at a fraction of the cost of designer-bred animals.

Even the man originally responsible for launching the labradoodle trend regrets it. Wally Conron, who worked as a breeder at the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia, told a local podcast there that he had “opened a Pandora’s Box and released a Frankenstein monster.” In 1989, Conron was hoping to create a guide dog for a woman in Hawaii whose husband was allergic to longhaired animals. He crossed a male poo-

dle with a female Labrador to produce a dog that became a longtime devoted companion. But, as Conron told Psychology Today magazine, he regrets setting off the doodle boom. “People ask me, ‘Aren’t you proud of yourself?’ I tell them: ‘No! Not in the slightest.’ I’ve done so much harm to pure breeding and made many charlatans quite rich,” he said. “I wonder, in my retirement, whether we bred a designer dog — or a disaster!”

Overbreeding, and the changes in an animal’s physical and psychological make-up caused by the genetic mutations that accompany it, has long troubled many breeders. The personality changes that have occurred in cocker spaniels over the years, for example, or the breathing issues common in today’s fashionable and expensive English and French bulldogs, or hip dysplasia in German shepherds are just three of the more common problems that breeders

PETS

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The U.S. Humane Society’s Debra Berger with Sadie, the dog she adopted from a public shelter.

have had to contend with over the years. Problems can multiply when socalled puppy mills and backyard breeders are involved in sales to individuals and pet stores. Berger, the Human Society’s representative, points out that some of the worst examples of breeding abuse in recent years have occurred in Georgia. “For our organization, this is the crux of the matter. As a breed becomes more popular — like doodles — puppy mills tend to increase the output of that breed, creating many unhealthy puppies and worse, keeping their parents in horribly cruel conditions,” she said. Even the best goldendoodles are prone to hip dysplasia and, according to a comprehensive study published in the National Institute of Health’s Library of Medicine, Australian Labradoodles have

a genetic disposition for retinal or oculoskeletal dysplasia, an eye disease. And the main selling points of the breed — that it won’t cause allergies and that it doesn’t shed — have been called into question, says Berger. “Doodles have been marketed as hypoallergenic,” she explained. “But there’s no guarantee that any dog is hypoallergenic. Doodles generally don’t shed, but people can still be allergic to their dander.” Still, none of this has made much of a dent in the popularity of the designer breeds. The Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, a leading insurer of dogs, estimates that, as a group, the designer doodles would place fourth in America as the most frequently insured dogs, just behind Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and French bulldogs. ì

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 37

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Attorney Marc Morrison Transports Pets in Style By Marcia Caller Jaffe Attorney Marc Morrison has had his fair share of challenging clients. He once had to move four Pomeranians from Mauritius to the Bahamas — a journey involving four countries, five days and a good friend who happened to be a pilot. Another time it was a tortoise that Morrison had to relocate from New York to England for an actor in “Harry Potter.” Most of the clients he serves at his whiteglove pet transport company, Animal Land Pet Movers, are dogs and cats, but he has also shipped snakes, exotic birds and even a tiger. Morrison transitioned to his new career after noticing that pet ownership — and the desire to pamper — seemed to be rising, all while Americans continued to relocate. “Atlanta is home to the busiest airport in the world, and at the time no one was doing pet relocation,” Morrison recalled recently. “I saw a need, and as it was around the birth of the internet, I was able to leverage Search Engine Opti-

Marc Morrison practiced law for 12 years before starting his pet transport company.

Cats are a bit more difficult to transport than dogs because of their temperament.

Morrison recommends getting pets used to sleeping in a kennel before a flight.

mization to launch into a real business.” Morrison, who grew up in Birmingham, Ala., attended Brandeis University, followed by Emory Law School. He practiced law for 12 years before he arrived at his epiphany. “Interestingly enough, I had a client who was in the pet industry,”

he said. “I’m a huge pet lover and have always had pets growing up. When I graduated law school, I had three dogs and up to very recently had around three pets at any given time.” Animal Land currently has seven employees and does 85 percent of its busi-

ness internationally. Pricing is based on the volume of the kennel and the length of the journey. Consequently, shipping a Great Dane is several times more expensive than a chihuahua, though travel to EU countries is generally less expensive than to Australia or New Zealand, for

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PETS

SIMCHA SPOTLIGHT

Have something to celebrate? Share your simchas with us! Morrison recommends only driving if taking a family pet on vacation.

Animal Land has transported pets from Ethiopia, Hawaii and Mauritius in very complicated routes.

example. The company remains busy throughout the year, but summer is the busiest time, when most people relocate prior to the school year. During the summer, Animal Land will transport over 100 pets per month. “We are a ‘white-glove’ service and will do anything the client requests to accomplish the relocation,” Morrison says. “This often involves getting import permits, transportation to and from the airports, as well as customs clearance and quarantine fees, if applicable. The vast majority of pets fly in cargo so there is no one who travels with them. Only a small percentage of our moves originate in Atlanta, so we don’t meet the pets ahead of time. However, we give all of our clients detailed instructions and recommendations about how to make move day as smooth as possible.” In terms of transportation modes, Morrison almost always prefers air travel. “Driving is actually much more expensive. We will absolutely do so if that is what the clients want and have done a couple of coast-to-coast trips. Trains don’t allow pets, and private jets are prohibitively expensive,” he said. Animal Land has had their share of incidents. “We have had one or two pets run away but we found them, thank goodness,” Morrison recalled. “We have

had a couple of other challenging moves, including moving 19 pets from Portland, Ore., to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and 17 pets from Kauai, Hawaii to Santa Fe, N.M.” Morrison says that the most difficult clients are cats, due to their temperament. “Some of the bigger dogs will not fit on all aircraft,” he said, “logistically they are more difficult to get where they may need to go.” Though he thinks all airlines are safe, Morrison feels that KLM and Lufthansa are better at handling pets. Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Africa and England all have detailed rules and regulations that need to be followed in a particular order, so Morrison views them as the most difficult. He doesn’t recommend bringing the family pet along to your next destination. “Honestly, unless you are driving, we don’t recommend you take your pet on vacation,” he counseled. “However, our best advice is to get your pet accustomed to the travel kennel … having them sleep in it for a bit and then taking them for rides around town. Anything you can do to make the actual move day less stressful is recommended.” Morrison and his wife, Katherine, have two college-aged daughters and attend Chabad at Emory. ì

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

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 39

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Keep Your Pets Safe and Cool This Summer By Robert Garber The sun is out, which means it’s time to get your sunscreen on, grab your pets and head outside! But while you might be looking forward to spending some well-deserved time with your furry little friends, it’s important to make sure they’re staying safe as well. Overheating can be a serious issue, and this summer is promising to be one of the hottest on record. Heat stroke, one of the most common causes of veterinary visits in the summertime, is one condition to look out for. “When you see one [case of heat stroke], you’re gonna see two or three,” warns Dr. Jay Empel, veterinarian at Vernon Woods Animal Hospital in Atlanta. “It’s the time of year for it, and it’s terrible, but you’re going to see it.” He cautions pet owners to look out for the warning signs. Dogs and cats typically expel heat through panting and drooling, and a little through the pads in their feet. If you see your pet excessively panting or salivating, finding it difficult to breathe or having tremors, a rapid heart rate or diarrhea, they may be experiencing heat stroke. “Those are the things that if you’re out in the sun and you see happening, you need to get into shade, you need to spray them off with cold water or wrap them in a cold compress,” said Empel. While many pet owners will shave their dogs during the summer, Empel cautions heavily against this. “If you clip them a little shorter, that’s fine, but the hair coat acts as insulation, so it actually protects them to some degree,” he says. Shaving longer-haired breeds can actually put them at increased risk for this

40 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

like peanut, bacon and cheese, as well as “pupsiclez” from Pooch Ice Pops. The team at Hollywood Feed also recommends cooling contraptions, such as mats and special beds, as well as trying to incorporate a more water-based diet to encourage your pet to drink more water than they would otherwise consume. Still, Empel notes, “The most important things are to have fresh water, shade outside and if it’s humid conditions try not to walk during the heat of the day.” ì

Tips to Keep Pets Cool During the Summer:

The Clean Dog pet store in Inman Park has a wide selection of products to help keep your pet cool this summer, from chilly bones and cooling vests to doggie ice cream.

reason. Other breeds are also at risk during the summer. “The brachycephalic breeds,” notes Empel, “like bulldogs and pugs and certain cats. Their face is smushed in, so their nasal area doesn’t

breathe as well. They have more problems, so I say anything over 85 degrees you gotta be careful if you’re not in shade.” Keeping your dogs in a car, even with the windows rolled down, can also be extremely dangerous. According to Empel, “The temperature of the car can jump 25 degrees in ten minutes, so it’s already 110 degrees if it’s 85 degrees outside, and your dog will have a heat stroke if that happens.” Lastly, he notes that, even if you walk your pets at night, you should walk them on the sidewalk, not the pavement. “If you’re walking on the pavement, you need to put your bare hand or your bare foot on the hot asphalt before you walk your dog because it can blister their feet.” Plenty of stores are selling products to help beat the heat. The Clean Dog pet store and spa in Inman Park had a wide selection of products on sale this weekend, including cooling vests and bandanas. There was also a wide variety of lactose-free ice cream (just add water) from Hoggin’ Dogs, featuring flavors

Take Water with You Physical activity is important, but so is keeping them hydrated. Whenever you take your pup outside to play, whether it is the park or the backyard, keeping a bowl of water out is essential so that they can replenish fluids when necessary. Incorporate More Water into Their Diet Your pet does not have to drink only water to get their daily water intake. Incorporating a more waterbased diet can encourage your pet to consume more water than they would otherwise. For dogs, mixing their kibble with water is an easy way for them to increase their water intake. When water is added to dry food, the kibble expands and releases the smell within, which can increase your dog’s interest. Safety First DON’T leave your dog in your car when you run into a store in the summer! Either leave the air conditioning on in your car, go to a dog-friendly retailer or don’t bring your dog with you when you run errands. Time Your Walks Take your dog on walks in the early morning or late evening when the heat of the day has passed. When you walk your dog, make sure the pavement isn’t too hot for their feet! Avoid going out in the heat of the day, usually between noon and 3 p.m. Cooling Contraptions There are special beds and mats made for keeping your dog cool for sale, but a wet towel laid on the ground would work well indoors or outdoors to cool your dog off on a hot day! You can also wet a bandanna and tie it around your dog’s neck.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 41

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Israeli Survey Studies 2K Endangered Reptile Species By Sasha Heller A new study conducted by researchers from Tel Aviv University and Ben Gurion University of the Negev found that one-fifth, or 21 percent, of known reptile species currently face extinction. The assessment will enable the research team to determine the conservation needs for the roughly 2,000 species of reptiles in crisis. According to the study, around onethird of reptiles living in forest areas are threatened, as are approximately one-sixth of reptiles living in the desert. The study also found that 58 percent of all turtles and half of all crocodiles are threatened. The comprehensive study was the first of its kind, according to the research team, and was led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), including more than 50 researchers from across the globe. The study, which was published in the journal Nature, featured input from conservationists and researchers such as Prof. Shai Meiri of Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, and Dr. Uri Roll of Ben Gurion University of the Negev. The IUCN is assessing the threat of extinction posed to several different types of species. According to their system, each species of flora and fauna is ranked on a five-point scale. The ranking serves to help researchers identify the most threatened species so that they can plan conservation attempts with the aid of government regulation. The IUCN has spent the previous two decades researching threatened species, having coordinated with field experts from various environments. The IUCN has previously published similar conservation reports on amphibians, as well as birds and mammals. “In general, the state of reptiles in the world is bad,” said Meiri. “It’s worse than that of birds and mammals, though not as bad as that of the amphibians. And of course there are a lot of nuances. We see that turtles are in a worse position than lizards and snakes, but that may be because we know more about turtles. Perhaps if we knew more about snakes, we would see that they, too, are in big trouble. Either way, the biggest threat to reptiles is the destruction of their habitats due to agriculture,

42 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Ophiomorus latastii was one of the threatened species of snakes included in the Israeli study.

The Desert tiger snake is another threatened species studied by researchers. // Credit: Times of Israel

The cylindrical skink, an endangered reptile.

An Egyptian mastigure, currenty facing extinction.

deforestation and urban development, and less because of direct hunting, which mainly affects turtles and crocodiles. We created detailed maps of these threats.” Meiri said, for example, that if a particular species is highly threatened in Israel’s Arava desert, but not in the rest of its habitat range that may span the entire Arabian Peninsula, then globally it is not considered a threatened species. The new assessments, for more than 10,000 species of reptiles, will allow re-

searchers to understand their conservation needs and hopefully enable the team to find intelligent solutions. Invasive species also present a major threat and the danger of climate change remains uncertain. While comprehensive extinctionrisk assessments have been available for birds, mammals and amphibians for years, reptiles have been largely neglected in the field until now, the authors of the international study said. Despite the study’s global scope, there is still much to be done, according

to Roll. “This is important work that forms the initial basis for risk assessment among various reptiles around the world, but is certainly not the end of the story,” he said. “We still lack a lot of information about the various risks facing reptiles. For example, climate change is expected to have significant effects on reptiles. The current assessment that has just been published does not yet include these future threats in its reptile risk assessments. We have a lot of work ahead of us." ì

PETS

Paint Your Pet’s Uniqueness

One owner’s unique treatment of a hound in cobalt blue.

Here is one interpretation of a yellow cat wearing a patterned tie.

One artist showed his dog’s distinctive brows and quizzical energy.

The instructor does a rudimentary personalized sketch for each student to build upon.

By Marcia Caller Jaffe If Andy Warhol were to create a portrait of your labradoodle pup, Siamese cat, ferret, or golden boa constrictor, would that be the painting of your dreams? The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta is offering a class, “Pop Art Your Pet,” this August to arrive at one’s own pet’s visage. Pam Morton explained, “We chose pets as the subject matter because people LOVE their fur babies; and animals of any kind make great art subjects. According to the instructor, animals in addition to cats and dogs, have included birds, lizards, and even a baby giraffe!” When the student painter registers on the MJCCA website, atlantajcc.arts, they are instructed to email Pam Morton (arts@atlantajcc.org), director of the arts at the MJCCA, a photo of their pet (only one pet per photo). All photos are then sent to the instructor, Aleigha Reott, aka “Ms. Pink,” who will sketch your pet on a 16” x 20” canvas. On the day of the event, Reott starts by having the artists select their paint colors, discusses their placement and offers different paintbrush techniques that will resemble fur or, who knows, maybe even scales. According to Morton, you don’t have to be innately talented to arrive at a wonderful painting. Reott, the instructor, stated, “The best way to start is to look at the picture as a puzzle, and color in the pieces to get to the desired result. The artists will discuss with me how they can make their painting their own with unique personalized touches. It’s a fun class with open dialogue. The goal is for everyone to have a good time, be creative,

Instructor Aleigha Reott (left) poses with proud students showing off their unique pet creations. Hers is a tortoise.

and leave feeling proud of their work.” Actually, Reott starts with a pet photo that she sketches onto the canvas for the student. Since she does this freehand, no one has to buy an app or program to get a quality end result that is not “cookie cutter.” Morton explained, “Hopefully we will all be using bright colors; however, everyone’s unique pet’s image should all produce different results!” The registration fee covers the 16”x20” canvas, paint, brushes and guided instruction. Acrylic paint is used, but there are other embellishments that the painter can take advantage of: glitter markers, beads and rhinestones.

The event is two hours long and the student /artist will leave with a completed painting. The MJCCA offers two classes this session, one for young adults in their 20s and 30s, and one for teens. An adult class will be added later in the fall. Instructor Reott received her MA Ed with concentration in textiles and BFA in metalsmithing from East Carolina University. She taught elementary school art in the public school system in North Carolina and in the Marietta school system. She has her own studio in Marietta, Doodle Art Studio, where she offers classes and workshops for children and adults. She teaches multiple mediums, including

drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, sculpture, metalsmithing, design, clay, and mixed media and will be teaching all of the MJCCA's preschool and youth art classes this fall. They include, “We Heart Art,” “Meet the Masters,” “Takin’ It to the Streets: Street Art Workshop,” and “Clay Your Way: Air-Dry Clay Studio.” The MJCCA wants to limit class size to around 12 to allow for personal instruction. The first class for young adults is August 4 from 7–9 p.m.; the second is August 25 from 7–9 p.m. Fees: Members: $45; Community: $60 includes all supplies. Classes won’t be Zoomed to allow for in-person instruction. ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 43

SENIOR LIVING Jewish Tower Renovation Approved by HUD By Susanne Katz Karlick The Jewish Tower in Atlanta, a 200-apartment independent living facility that provides affordable housing to seniors, is getting a facelift. Jewish HomeLife, which owns and manages the Tower, says that upgrades will focus on major systems and infrastructure overhauls, including new wiring, plumbing, air, heating and cooling systems, as well as apartment renovations. All units will also get updated floors, bathrooms and kitchens. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which subsidizes rent at the Tower, requires that the renovation project be completed within two years. Common areas of the building, which are not covered by the HUD loan, will be renovated in the second phase of this two-part project using funds Jewish HomeLife plans to raise independently. During remodeling, residents will be temporarily relocated to vacant apartments while their individual units are under construction. (Jewish HomeLife will be moving each resident’s belongings when it is their turn.) The 60-unit Zaban Tower, Jewish HomeLife’s other independent living community, is a HUDsubsidized building that will also be getting some updates. Both the Jewish and Zaban Towers received the National Community of Quality award in 2021 for outstanding

The Jewish Tower in Atlanta, a 200-apartment independent living facility that provides affordable housing to seniors, is getting a facelift.

management and were among a select few to receive recognition and approval for HUD funding in 2022. The award to

the Jewish Tower was presented at the annual meeting of the National Affordable Housing Management Association in

Washington, D.C., in March. The Zaban Tower won the same award shortly after this meeting.

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• Hourly and Live In Caregivers • Driving to Errands/Appointments • Exercise/Social Activities/Mind Stimulation • Meal Planning/Preparation/Cleanup • Light Housekeeping/Laundry Rent at the Tower is subsidized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). “HUD determines who qualifies and for how much of a subsidy,” says Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Shari Bayer.

Jewish HomeLife’s president and CEO, Jeffrey A. Gopen, said that the “renovation, the first in over 40 years, will ensure The Tower’s sustainability … making it possible for us to support future generations for decades to come.”

Jewish HomeLife’s president and CEO, Jeffrey A. Gopen, says that “Jewish HomeLife is committed to fulfilling our mission of caring for older adults regardless of their ability to pay. This renovation, the first in over 40 years, will ensure The Tower’s sustainability for seniors who want to age in place, making it possible for us to support future generations for decades to come.” Prior to 2019, when the Jewish Tower became part of Jewish HomeLife, the building was owned and managed independently, offering affordable housing to older adults with low to moderate incomes. With so many seniors outliving their retirement savings, having a highquality, affordable option can provide peace of mind to older adults and their families. To qualify for residency, applicants must be at least 62 years old and meet HUD’s income limits, which vary by community. To qualify for the Zaban Tower, income must not exceed $33,750 per year. At the Jewish Tower, residents applying for a HUD subsidy must not exceed $54,000 per year in income. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Shari Bayer explained the

qualifying process: “HUD determines who qualifies and for how much of a subsidy. The application is all HUD required documents. Once it is determined that the prospective resident has all the documents completed and additional documentation attached, the Tower’s staff enters their information into a HUD database to submit for verification.” The Tower is a high-rise that shares the same campus as The William Breman Jewish Home. The two communities, referred to as The Towers, share common staff and joint activities, providing social opportunities for the residents who live in both communities. Residents can access discounted home care services through Eckstein Home Care and primary care services through the primary care clinic in the Zaban Tower lobby. Stephen Berman, former chair of Jewish HomeLife and former Jewish Tower Board chair, explains why this a perfect choice to age in place. “Our founders had the foresight to locate on a campus where residents could get additional support if ever needed. Our proximity to The William Breman Jewish Home makes it a perfect option to age in place.” ì

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SENIOR LIVING

Dignifying Death: The Holy Role of Women By Marcia Caller Jaffe Pulling back the curtain on one of Judaism’s most private and honorable portions of Jewish life, the Chevra Kadisha (holy society) performs anonymously, with great reverence. Noting Gemara Shabbat 127a, "The fruits of which a man (in this case woman) enjoys in this world while the principal remains to enjoy in the world to come: … accompanying the dead to the grave …” Teams of Atlanta women serve through their synagogues without acknowledgment, some even from the family of the deceased. Men have their own Holy Society and aren’t addressed here. The central tahara ceremony consists of washing, purifying and spiritually dressing the body in a shroud, placing it in the coffin and protecting it from desecration from things like dirt or jewelry. If one is buried in her tallis, one corner is removed. Prayers and psalms are recited. Note that this role is separate from the Shomrim, who sit with the body. Judith, who has participated at both Etz Chaim and B’nai Torah, said, “This is a very holy

Chevra Kadisha members report on the solemnity and dignity of the process.

‘hands on’ experience, very intimate. No chit-chatting, done with gentleness and kind expressions. It’s akin to shoveling dirt on the grave. No ‘thank yous.’ It’s the right thing to do and it’s between you and G-d.” Drawn by a friend’s passion, Susan, of Temple Emanu-El, recalled that she was a bit shy at first, but observing, she saw the beauty and eased her way into the experience. She said that she might

get a call to come a few hours ahead of time, then segue into an activity like Mahjong. “No one knew the difference when I arrived to play. It wasn’t something I would share. I helped bathe the body ... we all worked together quietly without discussing roles. We knew the steps that take place coming naturally after doing it awhile. It has definitely made me think more about the transition from living into the unknown.” An-

other source stated that she observed a friend in the Holy Society leave an event dressed in an evening gown, to return some 90 minutes later to resume the party unexplained. Denise, “rosh” (head) of the women’s Chevra Kadisha at Congregation Shearith Israel, served in the medical field for many years. She also studied at the Gamliel Institute, a center for study, training and advocacy concerning Jewish

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SENIOR LIVING

Women lovingly place the body into the coffin after purification.

end-of-life practices. “Women support their Jewish communities in a variety of ways; being a part of a Chevra Kadisha is yet another timehonored way to serve,” she said. “Thirtyfive years ago I was invited to join Chevra Kadisha in performing a tahara on a deceased congregant. As a practicing nursemidwife, I intuitively felt this was midwifing at the other end of the arc of life. I was keenly aware of feeling privileged to assist in this transition. Since then, I have become more active in our Chevra Kadisha. Our synagogue’s women’s society has 20 active members (equivalent to the men’s group). Down to the last member, we feel that this is a unique and important way to support our community through this age-old mitzvah.” Gail, of Ahavath Achim Synagogue, who began in 1975, recalled, “I started with much trepidation about my mental ability to do it, but I found it to be one of my most meaningful experiences. Imagine having the opportunity to make sure someone truly will ‘rest in peace.’ It was bonding with the deceased as we cleaned and prepared, dressed the body in a white shroud and placed it lovingly into the coffin saying appropriate prayers. Tahara is the last mitzvah you can do before the burial. It is a service of love and caring with the only expectation being that the deceased looks angelic and is comfortable at rest.”

Delcy, a Chevra Kadisha coordinator at Ahavath Achim who describes her service as life altering, said, “This ‘Act of Lovingkindness’ is filled with tradition, respect, dignity and compassion. I was approached 30 years ago and felt compelled to say ‘yes’ to expand my horizon in Jewish traditions. I came to the U.S. as a teenager from Egypt without the opportunity to learn much about Judaism. Being a member of Chevra Kadisha has developed my self-growth and allowed me to face my own mortality. As an aside, I was working for a hospice and felt this experience advanced life’s natural culmination. ... Life should not end in mediocrity, but rather with a sense of dignity! This act of ‘lovingkindness’ is a declaration of caring for one another as Jews by performing the final act; getting them ready for their next journey. “ The whole subject strikes a powerful emotional chord. A local professional relayed, “My maternal grandmother died in the Lodz Ghetto in 1944, shortly after my mother turned 15. There was no one else. She performed tahara on her own mother.” In terms of the initial shock value, Judith mused, “It’s startling at first, but like a surgeon, you get used to it, knowing the extent of the good deed.” After the tahara, some participants report bonding moments to air feelings. “We have cried and smiled together.” ì

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SENIOR LIVING

Women Rabbis Celebrate 50 Years of Service

The first women rabbis ordained by denomination: (left to right) Sara Hurwitz, Orthodox, 2009; Sandy Sasso, Reconstructionist, 1974; Amy Eilberg, Conservative, 1985; Sally Priesand, Reform, 1972.

By Bob Bahr When the 1972 graduating class of Hebrew Union College’s rabbinic program gathered for their ordination in Cincinnati, Ohio, the 25 men were joined — for the first time in American Jewish history — by a female colleague, Sally Priesand. At first, Priesand’s efforts to become a rabbi were not welcomed by the school, which tried to steer her into a career as a Jewish educator. But with the strong support of Rabbi Nelson Glueck, the distinguished president of the Reform seminary, she became the school’s first female rabbinic graduate on June 8, 1972. Now, 50 years later, the 75-year-old rabbi is retired and living in New Jersey. She has been the subject of numerous special appearances and a historical exhibit at the museum of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. This year, she also delivered the ordination address to the ten new rabbis in the 2022 graduating class at the denomination’s Cincinnati campus, six of them women. In her address, Priesand singled out the importance of rituals like rabbinic ordination in creating meaning in contemporary Jewish life. “Not through social justice alone do we make that covenant come alive, but also through our rituals, those acts that shape the personality of our people, that communicate tradition, that unify us, that make all of life holy.” The sentiment was echoed by Rabbi 48 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

In 1972, Reform Rabbi Sally Priesand became the first woman rabbi to be ordained in America.

Alexandra Shuval-Weiner, the senior the possibility of becoming a member of rabbi at Temple Beth Tikvah. In 2008, the clergy. Another 18 years would pass before she was ordained in front of the same open ark in Cincinnati’s historic Pine she finally entered the seminary. By the time she finally became Street Temple where a rabbi, Shuval-Weiner Rabbi Priesand stood had been married for in the 1970s. Today, almost a decade and a Shuval-Weiner vividly half and was raising five remembers that first children. moment of becoming Today, as she bea rabbi. gins her eighth year at “That moment Temple Beth Tikvah, of my ordination was the rabbi believes that profoundly spiritual. the material experiI can’t even find the ence of nurturing a right words. I could family and that of feel the electricity litguiding the life of a erally going through growing synagogue me. I was standing complement one anbefore an open ark other. and I remember be“Sally Opened Doors,” a children’s “Much like when ing blessed with the book about Priesand, was written by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, the we are raising our priestly benediction, first woman rabbi ordained by the young and engaging but I didn’t hear the Reconstructionist movement. in that audacious rewords through my ears. I literally felt the words in my cells. sponsibility, I think of the journey of the It was such a profound and miraculous Jewish people, the journey of humanity, really,” she said, which is “largely a manimoment,” she recalled. Reaching that moment in her spiri- festation of what it means to raise a hutual life had been a lengthy and circu- man being. And I try and bring that to my itous journey for Shuval-Weiner, who rabbinate.” Shuval-Weiner currently serves as had been raised in a traditionally observant home and had attended a Conserva- the first female president of the Atlanta tive synagogue where the ordination of Rabbinical Association and, in 2020, was women was unheard of. It was only as an the chairperson for the national convenadult, after she had embarked on a career tion of the Central Conference of Amerias a Jewish educator in a Reform temple, ca Rabbis — the world’s largest rabbinic that Shuval-Weiner first became aware of association — about half of whose mem-

Rabbi Alexandra Shuval-Weiner of Temple Beth Tikvah followed a long and winding path to the rabbinate.

bers are women. There are now over 1,200 female rabbis representing almost all branches of Judaism. Two female rabbis who serve the community in Atlanta were ordained by the Open Orthodox seminary Yeshivat Maharat in the Bronx, New York. One is Miriam Udel, who was recently tapped to head the Tam Center for Jewish Studies at Emory University; the second, Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez, works with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. In Savannah, a third female Orthodox rabbi is set to become the spiritual leader of a Conservative synagogue this summer. For those women leading the way in the rabbinate, life has not always been easy. Pioneers like Priesand often faced a hostile professional environment. (Priesand was the last in her class to get a job offer.) For seven years, she served as an assistant rabbi at Manhattan’s Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, a socially and politically liberal congregation in Greenwich Village. She finally became the senior rabbi at a congregation not far from the New Jersey shore, where she remained for 25 years. Her example continues to inspire new generations of Jewish youth. Last month, a children’s book, “Sally Opened Doors: The Story of the First Woman Rabbi,” was published. Aimed at first- and second-grade students, the third book by Sandy Sasso about courageous women from Jewish history tells the story of how Priesand opened doors for women to participate fully in Jewish life. ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 49

SENIOR LIVING

Senior Jam Band Makes Joyful Music By Marcia Caller Jaffe Teresa and Ross Friedman met at a wedding back in the mid-1970s. She was told by the bride to bring her guitar because “a guy is coming from Chicago with his banjo.” Ross was told by the groom about “some chick coming with her guitar, and to bring his banjo.” They played music the night they met and performed at that couple’s rehearsal dinner. “We played music that night and pretty much every day in between,” Teresa said, after decades of marriage. Fifteen years ago, the couple formed their band, Bitsyland, with which they perform at retirement homes, farmer’s markets, parties and other gatherings. Prior to the pandemic, the pair was putting on about 50 shows a year. Other than the Friedmans, the group consists of a bass player and another guitar player. They all sing. Ross plays guitar and banjo, and Teresa alternates between guitar, mandolin and fiddle. Ross usually sings lead and Teresa focuses on harmony. Their repertoire mostly consists of songs from the 60s and 70s. “We sing tunes that we both like,” Teresa said. “We don’t call it practicing; we just play music and enjoy it. If a song suits us, we play it again the next day. Some of my favorite songs to sing are from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. I also enjoy singing songs like Bobby Darin’s ‘Dream Lover.’ Ross especially enjoys ‘Country Roads,’ ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ and ‘The Boxer.’ If we don’t like a song, we don’t sing it!” Bitsyland can be found in familiar venues around town, including Chastain Park playground, in front of the City Springs municipal building by the rocking chairs and at the Sandy Springs Farmer’s Market. They like to do popup concerts where adults and kids gather around in unabashed joy, doing Irish jigs, toe tapping, knee-slapping and good oldfashioned crooning along. “For the past several years we have enjoyed popup concerts,” Teresa said. “One of us will say, ‘Wanna go play some music?’ And off we go! We usually go to a public park or venue and play music for anyone who cares to listen and those who just pass by. Quite often people thank us for the music, tell us that we made their day, give us a thumbs-up or a smile! That’s all the reward and encouragement we need. We love when kids — or adults — dance or sing along.” In addition to performances, the group gets together several times a week 50 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Ross and Teresa Friedman (right) are regular performers at City Springs. Edwin Hall (left) on banjo, Ross on guitar and Teresa on mandolin.

The talented couple finds beauty in music.

to jam with friends. Some are “song jams” and some are “fiddle jams,” where old-time fiddle tunes are played. They also have family jams — “famjams” — where the family gathers and plays music together. The adult Friedman kids play various instruments and sing. Even their young grandchildren play percussion in jams. “We love when people come together to see what they can add to the music,” Teresa said. “It becomes a joyful sound

Ross and Teresa Friedman met through music, which has remained foundational in their family.

and a beautiful connection among people.” Both Ross and Teresa are retired teachers who brought their guitars into the classroom to engage students in singing. “Ross had all of his high school students singing along in his English and Shakespeare classrooms,” Teresa recalled. “I often played for Shabbat B’yachad (welcoming the Sabbath) since I was teaching at The Epstein School. I enjoyed teaching many of my students

the ukulele in our Ukulele Club. We sang and played ‘random acts of music’ around the school. Music is for sharing. Music is a gift. How wonderful it has been to play music to lift people’s spirits! We have played hundreds of gigs at retirement homes over the years. We see our audiences enjoying the music, clapping hands, smiling and remembering an old song and singing along. We are never sure who has enjoyed the time more, us or them." ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES JULY 15, 2022 | 51

SENIOR LIVING

Hiring a Senior Living Placement Consultant By Robyn Spizman Gerson Whether time allows for a carefully planned senior transition or it’s a sudden event and a loved one needs a place to rehab or even live, a professional consulting company can assist you in making the transition easy and informative. In a conversation with Best Nest Senior Advisors, Cindy Richards and colleague Rob Stearns bring their combined total of over 35 years of hands-on senior living experience and expertise to find the best fit for families. Richards, a Certified Senior Living Advisor, has almost three decades providing guidance and placement within senior living communities. The company’s mission is to positively impact the quality of life for today’s seniors one relationship at a time. Stearns knows first-hand how important the transition can be. His beloved mother began suffering from dementia in 2014, and Rob was her primary caretaker. After his mom passed in 2021, he decided to dedicate his life to helping other families. He chaired the Walk to End Alzheimer’s for the past three years and teamed up with Richards at Best Nest Senior Advisors to help other families. Richards explains, “A senior living placement company is considered senior living real estate brokers that are experts saving hours of research, time and money. They simplify the search and decision making based on their personal experience knowing the ins and outs of buildings based upon a family’s budget, demographics, lifestyle and interests to ensure a smooth move and transition.” Stearns added, “By bringing a referral company in early, you benefit from their knowledge and experience to find

Rob Stearns and Cindy Richards of Best Nest Senior Advisors are experts in senior living placement.

Rob Stearns with his beloved mother Barbara (Bubsie) Stearns, who passed away in 2021, seen here in better days at her senior living center’s prom in Sarasota.

the best solutions for your family before crisis mode. Choose a concierge company that will hand hold you throughout the entire process.”

tion process, helping to vet the various communities and find the best options. From setting up introductory zooms, meetings and more, they will negotiate the best value proposition and make sure you ask the relevant questions. Many referral companies also provide families with a list of vetted resources pertaining to seniors and next steps with home care, hospice, real estate, movers, VA benefits etc. How do I select the right one? Try to find a Certified Senior Advisor who specializes in gerontology and knows the ins and outs of how to navigate the process. Is this a month-to-month lease? Is there a yearly increase? How do the levels of

Questions Best Nest Advises You to Ask: Why should I use a referral service? Selecting the appropriate senior living options for loved ones can be a giant maze. You always want an advocate to represent your best interests to navigate the obstacles including each individual’s personal challenges. What services will they provide? A good local referral company will hold your hand throughout the entire selec-

care work? When will my parents have to leave? There are two licenses in Georgia for assisted living -- one is a Personal Care License, and the other is an Assisted Living License. This will determine whether they can age in place or have to leave if their level of care gets too high, such as if they become a two-person assist. What can I expect to pay? Referral companies are available at no cost to the family as they are compensated by the communities once a new resident moves in. How do they select which properties to partner with? Details such as which companies have the best ownership, management team, care level, activities, least amount of turnover and even food are all factors in choosing the best fit. Most referral companies are not only a resource for senior living communities, but can offer advice on a range of related services from moving to hospice. Richards shared, “Moving is hard at any age, but as a senior it can be a huge setback in health. There are three levels in senior living [communities]: Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care, and a good referral company will help determine the best living environment. Stearns added, “A placement company’s job is to guide you through the process and help place your loved one in an ideal environment where they can thrive, by assessing the situation with their many years of experience. I only wish I had known about them when I started out as I could have avoided some costly mistakes with my mom.” ì www.bestnestsenioradvisors.com

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CALENDAR

FRIDAY, JULY 15 The Incredible Book Eating Boy — At the Alliance Theater at various times through Aug. 14, this new musical celebrates the joy of reading and the insatiable appetite for knowledge. Inspired by award-winning children’s book author Oliver Jeffers’s hilarious book, “The Incredible Book Eating Boy” promises to leave you full! Visit https://bit.ly/3P9R2xg for more information.

Dive into Shabbat at the MJCCA! — 5 to 7 p.m. Celebrate Shabbat at the JCC. Open swim and activities at 5 p.m., followed by songs and blessings with Rabbi G at 6 p.m. Bring your own food and purchase drinks from the snack bar. Open to all! For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3LA21xz.

JUNE 15-29

Temple Beth Tikvah Friday Night Services — 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Join services online or in person. Visit https://bit. ly/35XKJeJ for more information.

SATURDAY, JULY 16 Temple Beth Tikvah Saturday Services — 10 to 11:30 a.m. Join services online or in person. Visit https://bit. ly/3BbaS5n for more information.

SUNDAY, JULY 17 Kabbalah & Coffee — 9:30 to 11 a.m. A weekly study series with Rabbi Ari Sollish. Discuss, explore, and journey through the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. For more information, visit https://bit. ly/3LP4o11

www.atlantajewishconnector.com

Calendar sponsored by the Atlanta Jewish Connector, an initiative of the AJT. In order to be considered for the print edition, please submit events three to four weeks in advance. Contact Administrative Coordinator Kyra Goldman for more information at Kyra@atljewishtimes.com.

Brain Health Bootcamp — 1 to 3 p.m. New virtual Brain Health Bootcamp every Tuesday will combine gentle physical exercise, including yoga and exercises to help reduce stress and anxiety, along with a full hour of brain exercises done in a non-stress and engaging way of learning. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3sr94RP.

Hillel Tour D’ Ice Cream — 2 to 3 p.m. Join Hillels of Georgia every Tuesday this summer. RSVP on the Hillel Hive. Visit https://bit.ly/3PcOVIQ for information.

Tot Shabbat — 10 a.m. Join TBT for a Tot Shabbat! Singing, Shabbat blessings, crafts, snacks and friendship. Visit https://bit.ly/3RlLPnJ for more information.

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

54 | JULY 15, 2022 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

TUESDAY, JULY 19

Cub Scout Meet and Greet: Preserve w/ the Pack! — 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Cub Scout Pack 1818, “Jewish Scouting with a Twist,” will have a scavenger hunt, outdoor nature activities and games, a family-friendly hike and snacks and surprises on hand at the Blue Heron nature preserve. There are also opportunities for a guided nature walk and scouting badges for those who wish, in the afternoon. Meet our pack members and new and prospective Scouts as you learn what Jewish Cub Scouting is all about! For more information, go to https://bit.ly/3c0zJAt.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20 Torah Study — 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Join Rabbi Jordan each Wednesday either on Zoom or in-person at Congregation Dor Tamid and continue an indepth look at the Book of Leviticus. For more information, visit https://bit. ly/3srZsGj.

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES Torah Reading: Balak Friday, July 15 (Tamuz 16 5782) light candles at 8:31 p.m. Saturday, July 16 (Tamuz 17, 5782) Shabbat ends 9:31 p.m. Torah Reading: Pinchas Friday, July 22, (Tamuz 23, 5782) light candles at 8:27 p.m. Saturday, July 23, (Tamuz 24, 5782) Shabbat ends at 9:27 p.m.

Significant Others of Addicts Support Group — 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Join Sally Anderson, MS, LPC for a free weekly support group for spouses, partners and/or significant others of those struggling with addiction. Visit https:// bit.ly/3B5bABf for more information.

Torah Reading: Matot-Massei Friday, July 29, (Av 1, 5782) light candles at 8:22 p.m. Saturday, July 30, (Av 2, 5782) Shabbat ends at 9:21 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 21 Knit and Crochet Group — 1 to 3 p.m. Join Dor Tamid on Zoom to socialize and crochet and knit beanies for premature babies from home. For more information, visit https://bit. ly/34Ru9wp.

Sisterhood Book Club — 8 to 9 p.m. The selection for July is “The Last Rose of Shanghai” by Weina Dai Randel. Rubisa, Carrie Hearshen will lead the discussion on Zoom. Visit https://bit. ly/3bQzEPv for details.

FRIDAY, JULY 22 Avalon Nights Live — 6 to 8 p.m. Kick back and groove to the tunes all season long. Unwind after a long week with live music in The Plaza every Friday. Visit https://bit.ly/3ap0u0Y for details.

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MONDAY, JULY 25 SATURDAY, JULY 23 Theme Shabbat: Camp Havdalah with HZ — 7 to 8 p.m. Join Congregation Gesher L’Torah in the Kramer Sanctuary or livestream the service to your virtual sanctuary on the GLTV App or GLT StreamSpot home page. Visit https://bit.ly/3yhndnm for details.

In Your Time — 12 to 1:30 p.m. This is an open-ended process group for femaleidentified singles in their late-twenties to mid-thirties to work on developing an acceptance practice and learning how to embrace where we are in life. Cost is $35 a session. See https://bit. ly/3b95YwV for more information.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27 Jewish Women’s Torah and Tea — 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. Join the Jewish Women’s Circle of Decatur for a weekly discussion on the Parsha and contemporary Jewish issues. Find out more by visiting https://bit.ly/3RhGZbf.

TUESDAY, JULY 26

SUNDAY, JULY 24 Join GLT Mah Jong! — 1 to 3 p.m. You do not need to be a Congregation Gesher L’Torah member to join. Visit https:// bit.ly/3kyHbnm for details.

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FRIDAY, JULY 29

Uncoupling: Divorce Support Group in Atlanta — 5:30 to 7 p.m. A bi-monthly group providing support and resources and a safe place to process and share experiences related to divorce and separation. Open to men and women of mixed ages. $35 per session. For more information, visit https://bit. ly/3y96TH9.

The

Jewish Insights Series — 8 to 9 p.m. A weekly Zoom with discussion on a pertinent topic from the Torah’s weekly portion. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3699PaI.

SOJOURN’s Drawing from the Well — 12 to 1 p.m. an inclusive weekly meetup for LGBTQ+ Jews and allies. For more information, visit https://bit. ly/3gxpD

THURSDAY, JULY 28 Jewish Spirituality and Mysticism — 8 p.m. A weekly class on Jewish spirituality, mysticism and how to apply it to your personal growth in a meaningful way taught by Rabby Hirshy. Visit https://bit.ly/3suZDkg for more information.

SATURDAY, JULY 30 Splish Splash Shabbat — 12 to 1 p.m. Join Etz Chaim for Kiddush lunch, followed by water play! Visit https://bit. ly/3OT0PYy for more information.

AN INITIATIVE OF ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

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