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An Israeli company has a novel way to stop Zika-bearing mosquitoes: an airdrop of sterile males. Page 16
Atlantans are raising $23,000 to send crucial emergency medical equipment to Beit Shemesh. Page 14
FAMILY WAY
Audiologist Melissa Wikoff starts a business inspired by her grandfathers and aided by her husband. Page 19
Atlanta
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VOL. XCI NO. 29
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Photos by Eddie Samuels
Above: Members of the Toco Hills Jewish community make friends with the DeKalb police. Far left: Beth Jacob congregants join DeKalb police in listening to Sgt. D.J. Brown make roll-call announcements July 20. Left: “We respect and honor everything that you stand for,” Beth Jacob Rabbi Ilan Feldman tells DeKalb police officers.
TIGHT LIPS Michael Bloomberg had a lot to say about millennials and Coke but not about his pick for president. Page 6
OPEN MINDS Rabbi Ari Sollish is teaching a class to expose people to the Talmudic perspectives on hot election issues. Page 9
‘TERMITES’ CONTROL A DeKalb congressman apologizes for one anti-Israel remark but not others. Page 13
HOT GROWTH Peek into three back yards kept blooming all summer by their devoted owners. Page 24
JULY 29, 2016 | 23 TAMMUZ 5776
Beth Jacob Delivers Praise, Pizza to Police By Eddie Samuels Congregation Beth Jacob led dozens of Toco Hills residents to the DeKalb County police headquarters in Tucker on Wednesday, July 20 — not to protest, but to show support for officers about to go on patrol. The Jewish visit, a response to recent attacks on police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, took place in the meeting room where officers go through their daily roll call. After the announcements, Beth Jacob Rabbi Ilan Feldman briefly spoke to the officers. “We know every minute we’re keeping you here is a minute you’re not out there keeping us safe,” he said. “We deeply appreciate what you do for us day in and day out; we know that you put yourselves in the line of fire and at risk to keep us safe. We respect and honor everything that you stand for.”
Rabbi Feldman brought cards made by Beth Jacob preschoolers to express their gratitude. He also brought lunch. “It’s kosher pizza. We don’t know if it tastes better or worse because most of us have never had the other stuff,” Rabbi Feldman joked. The officers took questions from the visitors, and at the request of AJT columnist Chana Shapiro, newly promoted Sgt. T. Sharpe demonstrated the tools officers carry on duty. “This event means a lot,” said the precinct commander, Maj. T.S. Voss. “We’ve always worked well with the Jewish community. A lot of times we get special requests around Jewish holidays for extra patrol, which we try our best to honor. We’ve been to a number of community events with the local Jewish community, and they have always supported us.” The roll-call meetings always end with a prayer, and Rabbi Elimelech Gott lieb, the acting head of school at Torah
Day School of Atlanta, offered the following prayer from King David: “I will lift up my eyes to the heavens. From where does my salvation come? My salvation comes from the Lord, the Creator of the heaven and the earth. The Lord will stand by your right hand, the Lord will protect you from the dangers of the day and the night, and the Lord will protect your coming and your going, for now and forever.” “Our goal was just to express appreciation and respect,” Rabbi Feldman said. “We wanted to convey that message to our young people as well. It was surprisingly relaxed and very comfortable. The officers were clearly extremely pleased and made us feel very comfortable in their professional home. “It felt good to do something positive in a time when there is so little love expressed in public, and we need to express love and appreciation for all who serve the community.” ■
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MA TOVU
Fearlessly Facing That Narrow Bridge
Corrections & Clarifications
row bridge, I was acutely aware of the ability of fear to destroy. Having overcome the obstacles of the road, having walked in the rain, I had no way to reach the waterfall other than to go over that narrow bridge. Rav Nachman was right. It is pos-
Taking Root By Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder rabbiruth@gmail.com
sible to see the whole world as a narrow bridge. To let fear, consciously and more often unconsciously, shape what we do and how we think. Having no fear does not mean removing all danger, but it does mean that we do not let it control us. For even if the whole world is a narrow bridge that holds the potential of collapsing and falling, we push forward. We do not let fear get in our way. While the other members of my family contemplated what we should do, I began to slowly and painfully walk across, fortified by singing Rav Nachman’s refrain: not to have any fear at all. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Arriving at the other side, we met a local guide, who, upon hearing that we had driven to this place on our own, declared us adventurous. We only laughed, knowing that the hardest part had been not the road, but the narrow bridge. The waterfall was as perfect as promised: beautiful, clear, unspoiled and uncrowded. I luxuriated in the experience of this place and thanked G-d for its existence. I returned with more confidence. Singing still, I stole small glances at the deep gorge below. Back in the relative safety and familiarity of my life in Atlanta, I keep returning to that day in my mind, wondering about other narrow bridges and the fears that keep me from experiences on the other side — and hoping that I have the courage not to fear at all. ■
In the preview of the Hadassah National Convention and coverage of Hadassah Greater Atlanta’s centennial July 22, Renée Rosenheck’s name was misspelled. Also, her age was incorrect; she is in her 30s.
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Earlier this summer, while on vacation, I found myself standing at the foot of a very narrow bridge. The setting could not have been more wonderful. The beauty of the Costa Rican rain forest was accompanied by a vibrant live soundtrack of birds, monkeys and insects. It took over an hour of driving on unpaved, narrow, at times quite muddy roads to get to this particular spot. But the advice of the Israeli expat local had been that it was worth the trip because the waterfall at this location was exceptional. But between me and the waterfall was a very narrow bridge. My whole life, I have suffered from a fear of heights. As a child, I watched Toronto’s CN Tower go up and was so proud to live so close to what was then the world’s tallest building. And yet, when we would take visitors up to the tower, I would stay as close as I could to the center; the fear of heights overshadowed the majesty of the view or the awe of the engineering. As I grew up, I chose to admire the CN Tower only from afar, and I generally avoided high places. Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav famously said the whole world is a very narrow bridge, but the crux of the matter is not to be afraid, not to have any fear at all. Fear serves a profound purpose. It is in part what keeps us from doing stupid things. I was reminded of this point this summer as I listened to my teen report on what she had learned in her driver’s education class. The majority of the time in the classroom seemed devoted to instilling a healthy dose of fear in these future drivers by exposing them to the potentially horrific consequences of driving unsafely. I’m happy to report that justly fearful, my teen is committed to forgoing the use of a cellphone while driving. I only wish more Georgia drivers shared her fear. But standing at the edge of the nar-
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THE ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES (ISSN# 0892-33451) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY SOUTHERN ISRAELITE, LLC 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, Atlanta, GA 30328 © 2016 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES Printed by Walton Press Inc. MEMBER Conexx: America Israel Business Connector American Jewish Press Association Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce Please send all photos, stories and editorial content to: submissions@atljewishtimes.com
Israeli Scouts. The Tzofim Friendship Caravan is stopping for one night only, with 10 teens singing, dancing and entertaining in English, Hebrew and Yiddish at 7 p.m. at Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs. Tickets are $5, available only at the door; patpugrant50@gmail. com or 404-630-3204. Play premiere. Karen Wurl’s “Dispossessed,” a romantic comedy-fantasy set in a Yiddish theater in New York in 1928, has a preview performance at 8 p.m. before its premiere at 8 the next night as part of the Essential Theatre Play Festival at the West End Performing Arts Center, 945 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., Atlanta. Performances continue through Aug. 28. Tickets range from $10 to $25; www.essentialtheatre.com/play/dispossessed.
FRIDAY, JULY 29
Communitywide Shabbat service. Atlanta’s Reform congregations hold their annual joint service at 6:30 p.m. at Temple Beth Tikvah, 9955 Coleman Road, Roswell. Free. Bargainata sale. The National Council for Jewish Women’s Bargainata Thrift Boutique, 6600 Roswell Road, Suite D, Sandy Springs, marks merchandise off 50 percent today from noon to 5 p.m. and, coinciding with the sales tax holiday, Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.
SUNDAY, JULY 31
Cub Scout kickoff. Pack 1818 invites rising first- to fifth-graders and their families to sample Jewish Scouting with rock climbing and pizza at 11 a.m. at LifeTime Fitness Alpharetta, 855 North Point Parkway. Admission is $15 per climber and $2 for nonclimbers who want pizza; RSVP to jfsimmerman@gmail.com.
CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES
Pinchas Friday, July 29, light candles at 8:22 p.m. Saturday, July 30, Shabbat ends at 9:20 p.m. Matot-Masei Friday, Aug. 5, light candles at 8:16 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, Shabbat ends at 9:13 p.m.
MONDAY, AUG. 1
Monster art. The Breman Museum, 1440 Spring St., Midtown, welcomes children ages 3 to 6 for a series of openhouse art lessons between 10 a.m. and noon in the “Where the Wild Things Are” exhibit. This week’s lesson is about using pastels. Free for Breman members. For nonmembers, two children are free with each paid $12 adult admission; www.thebreman.org or 678-222-3700.
TUESDAY, AUG. 2
Jewish-Latino dinner. American Jewish Committee Atlanta, ACCESS and GALEO hold the annual Charla and Challah Program with a discussion on Latino and Jewish perspectives on the elections at 6:30 p.m. at the Selig Center, 1440 Spring St., Midtown. Registration is $5; www.ajcatlanta.org.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3
AJC discussion. American Jewish Committee, 3525 Piedmont Road, Building 6, Buckhead, holds an AJC University breakfast discussion with AJC’s director of national and legislative affairs, Richard Foltin, at 8 a.m. Entry is $5; bit. ly/2anLGQR.
SUNDAY, AUG. 7
Blood drive. Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., Buckhead, plays host to a citywide blood drive co-sponsored by Jewish War Veterans Post 112, Congregation Shearith Israel and Fulton Lodge No. 216 F&AM
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Make an appointment at redcrossblood.org, sponsor code JWV, or just walk in. Back to shul celebration. Congregation Shearith Israel, 1180 University Drive, Morningside, welcomes Rabbi Ari Kaiman and offers lunch and Atlanta Jewish Music Festival entertainment from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free; shearithisrael. com.
MONDAY, AUG. 8
Monster art. The Breman Museum, 1440 Spring St., Midtown, welcomes children ages 3 to 6 for a series of openhouse art lessons between 10 a.m. and noon in the “Where the Wild Things Are” exhibit. This week’s lesson is about using oil pastel art to scratch out a monster. Free for Breman members. For nonmembers, two children are free with each paid $12 adult admission; www.thebreman.org or 678-222-3700. After-school opening. The Club J afterschool program for pre-kindergartners through fifth-graders at the Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, opens for the school year today and runs through May 30. It is available from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and provides transportation from 11 schools. Register at www.atlantajcc.org/clubj, or call 678-812-3899.
FRIDAY, AUG. 12
Installation. Union for Reform Judaism President Rabbi Rick Jacobs helps
Send items for the calendar to submissions@atljewishtimes.com. Find more events at atlantajewishtimes.com/events-calendar.
Remember When
10 years ago July 28, 2006 ■ A “We Stand With Israel” rally, organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta in support of Israel during its war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, drew 5,000 to Ahavath Achim Synagogue. The speakers included Gov. Sonny Perdue and his Democratic challenger, Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor. ■ Stephen and Barbara Safran of Dunwoody announce the engagement of their daughter, Abby, to Steven Schlom, son of Charles and Myrna Rosen and Jeffrey and Kathleen Schlom of Potomac, Md. 25 Years Ago Aug. 2, 1991 ■ An Atlanta Jewish Community Center program is uniting inner-city youths with Jewish seniors. The JCC-orga-
nized get-togethers enable Jewish elders to share experiences with students from Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School at Piedmont Park over lunch. ■ Brian Samuel Saripkin of Atlanta, the son of Elaine Saripkin, will celebrate his bar mitzvah Saturday, Aug. 10, at B’nai Torah Synagogue. Brian is the grandson of Harry and Rose Saripkin of Atlanta and Rose and the late Sam Silverman of Memphis. 50 Years Ago July 29, 1966 ■ Atlanta Hadassah, founded at a meeting of 18 women in November 1916, has begun the celebration of its golden jubilee year. The organization will play host to a seminar Aug. 1 to 3 at which Rose Dorfman of Long Island Hadassah will deliver the keynote address. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Kopitsky of Chattanooga announce the birth of their son, Neil Joseph. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Abelson.
CALENDAR Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs, install Rabbi Sam Shabman at a 6:30 p.m. service. A dinner, free with reservation, follows; templesinai. wufoo.com/forms/z1rmdc1j1dvpllw. Weekend at Barney. Camp Barney Medintz holds a special weekend for adults ages 21 to 35 to enjoy the North Georgia mountains from Friday to Sunday. The $99 fee includes cabin accommodations, kosher meals and entertainment, with registration due Aug. 5; www.atlantajcc.org/pldb-live/ young-adult-weekend-32211.
SUNDAY, AUG. 14
Olympic documentary. The short film “The Nazi Olympics: Berlin 1936” screens at 1 p.m. at the “Anne Frank in the World: 1929-1945” exhibit, 5920 Roswell Road, Suite A-209, Sandy Springs. Free; holocaust.georgia.gov. Picnic. Congregation Ner Tamid holds a 10th anniversary barbecue from 1 to 3 p.m. at Swift-Cantrell Park, 3140 Old U.S. Highway 41, Kennesaw. Details: 678264-8574 or events@mynertamid.org.
MONDAY, AUG. 15
Monster art. The Breman Museum, 1440 Spring St., Midtown, welcomes children ages 3 to 6 for the last of its open-house art lessons from 10 a.m. to noon in the “Where the Wild Things Are” exhibit. Free for members. For nonmembers, two children are free with each paid $12 adult admission; www.thebreman.org or 678-222-3700. JNF golf. Jewish National Fund honors Alan Lubel, a past Southeast Region copresident, at the ninth annual Sam P. Alterman Memorial Golf Tournament at the Standard Club, 6230 Abbots Bridge Road, Johns Creek, starting with registration and lunch at 1 p.m. Entry is $300 per player or $200 for those under age 25; jnf.org/golf2016 or 404-2368990, ext. 852 (Marcy Friedland).
Falcons forecast. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank addresses the Atlanta Press Club over lunch at noon at the Commerce Club, 191 Peachtree St., 49th floor, downtown. Tickets are $30; info@atlpressclub.org or 404-577-7377.
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 17
Hate crimes discussion. The AntiDefamation League holds a panel discussion on “Hate Crimes: Political Rhetoric, Reality and Action” after light refreshments at 6:30 p.m. at Alston & Bird, 1201 W. Peachtree St., Midtown. Free; atlanta.adl.org/event/hatecrimespanel or 404-262-3470.
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LOCAL NEWS
Bloomberg’s Philanthropy Extends to Politics By Benjamin Kweskin
Photos by Chris Savas/Bloomberg
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg had people in every state ready to support his potential presidential bid in March, but even though the public wanted someone genuine, the “real megillah,” as a candidate, the billionaire chose not to run because all polling showed that it was impossible to receive even half the vote. Instead, Bloomberg told the capacity crowd at Ahavath Achim Synagogue on Tuesday night, July 19, for the 28th Fran Eizenstat and Eizenstat Family Annual Lecture, the best he could do was prevent either Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton from winning an electoral majority and force the decision into the U.S. House in January. He decided that outcome wasn’t good for the country. Unlike previous Eizenstat lecturers, from Elie Wiesel to Bill and Hillary Clinton to last year’s speaker, Vice President Joe Biden, the three-term New York mayor, philanthropist and entrepreneur didn’t deliver a prepared speech. Instead, he had a conversation with the lecture’s sponsor and host,
Left: Stuart Eizenstat (left) welcomes Michael Bloomberg to Ahavath Achim Synagogue on July 19. Right: Ahavath Achim Rabbi Neil Sandler calls for more respect in political debates.
Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat. Born in Massachusetts to a working-class Jewish family, Bloomberg is one of the 10 wealthiest people in the world, with an estimated net worth of $47 billion. In 1981 he founded the business media group Bloomberg L.P., which currently employs nearly 2,000 people in 73 countries. After serving as mayor from 2001 to 2013, he has focused on philanthropy, supporting public health, arts and culture, the environment, and education. He also is the U.N. secretary-general’s special envoy for cities and climate change. Although he was a Republican when he served as mayor, Bloomberg
is now an independent seen as too liberal for most Republicans and was expected to endorse Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. In welcoming the crowd to his synagogue and the lecture, Rabbi Neil Sandler asked for a moment of silence before delivering a d’var Torah about gun violence and political intolerance. Offering an anecdote from Talmudic Rabbis Hillel and Shammai, Rabbi Sandler said that though they argued passionately, they respected each other, as we should do today. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed also spoke before the wide-ranging Bloomberg-Eizenstat conversation. He spoke
about Bloomberg’s professional and philanthropic contributions and called this “very special man” a “friend and mentor.” Asked about values to start the discussion, Bloomberg, 74, said his hardworking parents donated to the NAACP when he was a boy. When his father was asked why he gave to the African-American organization, he replied, “Because discrimination against anybody is discrimination against everybody.” Still, Bloomberg took a swipe at millennials, drawing applause from the largely over-50 crowd. He said America’s youngest and largest work-
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ing generation is “too coddled,” and he added, “On micro-aggressions, yeah, they’re micro.” Even though college graduates are entering the workforce with more debt than ever, Bloomberg advised that prospective employees “should not take the jobs that will pay you the most, but what will teach you the most.” He said he learned many ethics and important guidelines in his business career, especially during his stint at Salomon Brothers, and he has tried to replicate those good practices. “My job as a manager is to have people work together and to give recognition and respect.” Such principles often have been more important than experience for Bloomberg, who founded Bloomberg News with no media background and was elected mayor in his first political campaign. Bloomberg cited successes in his 12 years as mayor in the aftermath of 9/11: Crime fell by nearly one-third, pollution and carbon emissions decreased, and the quality of public education increased. He said there will always be a few rotten apples in the 35,000-strong New York Police Department, but the force succeeds overall largely because its ethnic and religious diversity mirrors the city’s population. In his philanthropy, Bloomberg has given billions to programs involving such efforts as smoking cessation, gun control, maternal health, traffic safety and the environment. “Climate change is real,” he said, scoffing at unnamed members of Congress, mostly from his own party, for denying its existence and its long-term effects. Turning to “contemporary political issues,” Bloomberg said that though we live in the “age of terrorism,” an American is more likely to be struck by lightning than to be injured in a terrorist attack. He said Syria is experiencing genocide, and he indicated that the United States and other wealthy countries should act more altruistically and practically in dealing with the refugees from Syria and its neighbors. To round out the conversation, Eizenstat reminded Bloomberg that Atlanta is home to Coca-Cola’s headquarters. Bloomberg rose to the challenge. “Yep. Obesity will kill more people than smoking in the next 100 years. This is why” he ordered a ban on the sale of sodas and other sugary beverages larger than 16 ounces (an action a New York appellate court decided was unconstitutional). ■
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
LOCAL NEWS
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LOCAL NEWS
Photo by David R. Cohen
Ahavath Achim Director of Engagement Gabrielle Adler (left) and program associate Lindsey Grossman welcome people to the AAspire event they planned with Young Adult Director Leah Fuhr.
Photo by David R. Cohen
Cari Steckel, Arielle Fine, Amy Strauss and Lisa Lebovitz enjoy the AAspire event at Whitehall Tavern before carpooling to the lecture.
Photo courtesy of Dan Israel Jewish Atlantans and veteran Republican National Convention attendees Dan Israel (left) and Eric Tanenblatt (second from right) join others representing Georgia at the Cleveland convention. Israel, who supported Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the Georgia primary March 1, served as a delegate for Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
The Fun Side of Politics
AJT 8
As we head into August with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump confirmed as their parties’ presidential nominees, we can expect the rhetoric to heat up. The tough talk by the candidates and their campaign surrogates is bound to trickle down and make it ever tougher to have civil conversations among people with different perspectives. But Ahavath Achim Synagogue’s AAspire young adult group proved that politics could still be an educational party when it gathered at the Whitehall Tavern for a “Think or Drink” session before the annual Eizenstat Lecture at the Buckhead synagogue Tuesday night, July 19. Neither the drinking nor the thinking, featuring a conversation
between former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and host Stuart Eizenstat, was strictly political, but people were eager to hear why Bloomberg chose not to run for president (which he discussed) and what he thought of the race now (which he avoided). At the same time Bloomberg spoke in Buckhead, the Republican National Convention was officially nominating Donald Trump in Cleveland. For the fourth consecutive presidential election, Jewish Atlantan Dan Israel was a delegate at the Republican convention. Israel said he left Cleveland confident that Trump will win in November; he had his doubts when he arrived. You can read more of Israel’s post-convention thoughts at AtlantaJewishTimes.com. ■
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LOCAL NEWS
Chabad Intown Offers Talmudic Election Perspective It’s easy to get lost in the tumult of election-year politics. Shouting, namecalling and attacking often overshadow any actual conversation or debate, regardless of creed or party. Factoring Jewish ideals into the issues is not often a priority, but Chabad Intown Rabbi Ari Sollish said it should be. Rabbi Sollish will lead a six-part class on Judaism and some of the leading controversies of this election season. The goal of “Election 2016: Jewish Wisdom on the Ballot” is not to embrace one party’s stance on an issue or to call out a specific candidate, but to illustrate what a number of Jewish classical sources say. Those sources often stem from the Talmud but also are drawn from the Torah. “Given the rhetoric and animosity of the debates that take place, the idea was to offer a course where politics are left aside, and the issues that people are facing are front and center,” Rabbi Sollish said. “The course is not about telling people how to vote, but about presenting Jewish wisdom on the issues that are being debated on traditional media, as well as on social media.” The six sessions will address gun control, immigration, the mysticism behind political choices, income inequality, wealth and leadership, and taxation. Rabbi Sollish shared some of the perspectives that will be relevant to the first topic, gun control. “We get into the legal issues, the Second Amendment, Supreme Court rulings. We get into these issues to set the stage for a Jewish debate on the topic. When we bring in Talmudic sources, it shifts the conversation away from the typical talking points.” He added: “Everyone has the talking points down. The debate points are well known, but our goal is to bring a new perspective. We want to allow people to draw their own conclusions, but we’ll be framing the issue in a fresh way.” The course is eligible for continuing legal education credits for lawyers. Rabbi Sollish wants to make it clear that this course should not be taken as the one correct Jewish approach to the issues. Instead, it will be a discussion drawing on ancient Jewish sources. The course is intended to foster respectful examination of the issues and to allow participants to discuss them in
an open and curious manner. Participants should come prepared to look at the issues from a new vantage point and to be open to new conclusions. “Jewish debate is very different from a lot of the debate that we see today,” Rabbi Sollish said. “Jewish debate has always been about discovering truth rather than about being right. Hillel and Shammai, two of the greatest sages of the Talmud, established a
tradition of debating each other. It says in Pirkei Avot, ‘A dispute that is for the sake of heaven will endure forever.’ ” ■
What: “Election 2016: Jewish Wisdom on the Ballot” Where: Intown Jewish Academy, 928 Ponce de Leon Ave., Midtown When: Noon to 1:15 p.m. Mondays, Aug. 15, 22 and 29 and Sept. 12, 19 and 26, or 8 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Aug. 16, 23 and 30 and Sept. 13, 20 and 27 Registration: $50; intownjewishacademy.org/education/events or 404-898-0434
Rabbi Ari Sollish will lead two sessions of the six-part “Election 2016” course.
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
By Eddie Samuels
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OPINION
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Our View
Reed Says No
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed deserves praise and respect for being clear when Black Lives Matter and ATLisReady leaders demanded that he cut off cooperation between Atlanta and Israeli law enforcement. Reed simply said no. “There was a demand that I stop allowing the Atlanta Police Department to train with the Israeli Police Department. I’m not going to do that,” Reed told reporters about the meeting he held Monday, July 18. “I happen to believe that the Israeli Police Department has some of the best counterterrorism techniques in the world, and it benefits our Police Department.” We commend Reed for his determination to do what is in the best interests of his police and his citizens — ensure that officers receive the best training possible — and for his steadfast support of Israel in the face of offensive efforts to connect America’s racial issues to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It’s important to understand that Reed’s no-hesitation decision didn’t happen by chance. First, it reflects the value of the expertise Israel shares around the world in areas from cybersecurity to water. For law enforcement, the most important of several training programs happens to be based only half a mile from Atlanta City Hall: the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange, founded by Robbie Friedmann at Georgia State University. In a quarter-century, more than 1,350 public safety and law enforcement officers have graduated from GILEE’s training exchange programs, and more than 25,000 people have attended security briefings, seminars and workshops organized by GILEE. The information and expertise at those briefings are incomparable. Cutting off Atlanta police from such knowledge would make citizens less safe. Still, politicians don’t always make the best decisions when facing intense pressure, as the Black Lives Matter protests have applied in July. It says something about Reed’s character that he resisted the pressure, but it also says something about successful efforts over the years to educate Reed about Israel. Reed has been involved with American Jewish Committee programs for more than a decade, including the Black-Jewish Coalition. He first traveled to Israel 10 years ago this summer on an AJC Project Interchange trip (financed, we’re proud to say, by AJT owner and Publisher Michael Morris and Belinda Morris). As he told the AJT at the time, he had his eyes opened to the beauty and value of Israel. It was not Reed’s last visit. Last year he participated in a business mission of 33 Georgians organized by Conexx, the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the state Economic Development Department, and he made a point to visit Atlanta’s Israeli sister city, Ra’anana. Reed is a prime example of AJC’s efforts to recognize up-and-coming leaders for travel to and education about Israel, including the Palestinian conflict. Project Interchange participants have time behind closed doors with Palestinians to get their perspective, so, unlike those protesters making demands, Reed has direct knowledge of Palestinian grievances. The mayor also is proof that Israel has a great story to tell. The more people who hear that story and 10 visit the nation, the more friends Israel wins. ■
AJT
Cartoon by Marian Kemensky, Slovakia
Fighting Fascism With Facts We weren’t dealing with a blowhard billionaire Much of the debate over Republican presidenwith scary potential, however. We had a bona fide tial nominee Donald Trump involves parallels to the neo-Nazi, former Klan leader David Duke, running rise of fascist leaders. I lost track of the number of for the Louisiana Legislature within 10 miles of our times I saw tweets and Facebook posts during his office in 1989. nomination acceptance speech along the lines of We argued whether to cover Duke aggressively “This speech was better in the original German.” Yeah, and that comment was funnier when Mol- and hammer home the idea that he was a force of evil or to ignore him and thus deny him some ly Ivins made it about a Pat Buchanan speech more legitimacy (as well than two decades ago — and I’m as the chance to sure the joke goes back much furrally voters against ther. One of the wonders of the Editor’s Notebook the Tulane out-ofsocial media age is that we all get By Michael Jacobs towners telling them to show off how clever we think mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com what to do). we are (as opposed to the good We took a old days, when only newspaper middle path, reportcolumnists and standup comediing on student ans had that pleasure). involvement in the campaign but not covering Duke I think the idea of Trump as some sort of directly. Duke won a seat in the state House, as he new-age Hitler or, more realistically, an American would have done if we’d never written a word about Putin is overblown, in part because, unlike the evil dictators of modern history, he shows no evidence of him or devoted every issue for months to him. Two years later, Duke reached a runoff for hard-core beliefs about anything and because such governor before losing soundly to a felon, Edwin dictators arise only in places going through crisis Edwards, as people chose a crook over a racist hatewhile lacking any real foundation in democracy. monger. In the ensuing quarter-century, Duke has But I’m all for people arguing out the evidence stopped trying to pretend that his neo-Nazism was a and the implications in the AJT and other media. youthful indiscretion, and now he’s running for the Elections are all about projections and possibiliU.S. Senate in Louisiana. ties, and we’d be failing in our responsibilities if we He won’t win, although in a crowded field for an waited until Nov. 9 to talk about what a candidate’s open seat he could again squirm his way into a runideas will mean the next four years. off by aping Trump’s talking points. The point is that A contrary viewpoint says Trump gains legitiignoring Duke didn’t stop his political charge in 1991; macy when people analyze his proposals and factdetailed, factual coverage of his record did the trick. check his speeches. Taking him seriously makes him Now he’s nothing more than a carnival freak show. a serious candidate. If the media had treated him So if you think Trump poses a real threat of like a joke last summer and ignored him instead of American fascism, don’t be silent or hysterical. Hit giving him free TV time as political entertainment, him with facts and dispassionate analysis. And Hillhis campaign would have faded away as quickly as ary Clinton might want to consider reprinting the Jim Gilmore’s. bumper stickers that worked so well for Edwards in It’s a debate I participated in as a college sopho1991: “Vote for the crook. It’s important.” ■ more on the Tulane University student newspaper.
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Exile and Our Dreams of Israel
This is the first of a four-part series examining the Jewish people’s eternal longing for Israel. Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the month of Av, is just around the corner. This day was designated by the rabbis as a national day of mourning. While historically it was the day when the Romans destroyed the second Temple, it became a symbolic representation of the culmination of historic Jewish tragedies. We designated this day as the date when both Temples, that of Herod (70 C.E.) and that of Solomon (587 B.C.E.), were destroyed. Supposedly, it was also the day in 1492 when the Catholic Inquisition supported a royal decree that commanded the expulsion of Jews from Spain. All of these events were followed by the exile of Jews from their homeland. Being forced to live outside Israel had a great impact on exiles’ perception and definition of their homeland. With each subsequent exile, a new image of Israel was created, and a new idea of what Israel is or should be as a former homeland. Let me review these tragedies and the relationships. The first such tragedy occurred when Israel, the northern Jewish kingdom, was defeated by the Assyrian armies during the expansion of their empire. In 742 B.C.E., Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, defeated Israel and enslaved its population. Israel’s people were carried into exile and dispersed throughout the kingdom. These 10 tribes are considered lost tribes because they integrated into the various societies into which they were dispersed. To keep their memory alive, many legends were constructed about them; for example, they are described as red-haired giants who lived in isolation in an unknown area beyond the legendary river Sambatyon. In reality, however, they intermarried and integrated, and most likely their descendants are Muslims in various Middle East countries. Less than 200 years later in 578 B.C.E., Judaea, the southern Jewish kingdom, was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who took the Jews, at least the scholars and leaders, into captivity in a Babylonian city by the rivers. They stayed as captives but maintained their identity and their hope to return to their land of origin, to Israel. In Babylon, Jews developed a dual identity: They adjusted their lives so they simultaneously could be Babylonians and Jews. They accepted the rule
of the Babylonians as legitimate and were taught to submit to the law of the land: Dine de malchuta dine, the law of the land is the law. All the while, Israel was maintained as the land of their ancestors,
One Man’s Opinion By Eugen Schoenfeld
their legitimate abode, the place into which all Jews from the four corners of the world would be brought back. This perspective became the model for Jewish belief in lands outside Israel. There was one additional perspective rooted in the Torah’s tocheychah, namely the warning about forthcoming punishment. In the biblical collection of verses named the Kinot (Lamentations), assumed to be written by the prophet Jeremiah, the author proclaims that Judaea was destroyed because of its sins, because the Jews rejected G-d’s teachings. The lamentations end with a ray of hope: If we call G-d and repent, He
will bring us back to the land and restore our lives. This is the eternal promise of G-d, one that each year we invoke on Passover, that regardless of our subjugation in lands that are not ours, G-d will redeem us. This seems to have been the view of the Jews exiled into Babylon. Two Psalms depict the mood, the hopes and the vision of those exiles. In Psalm 137, for instance, the poet tells us: “We sat at the banks of the Babylonian rivers, crying as we remembered Zion. We tried to sing the poems of Zion, but how can we do this on foreign soil, for it is more likely that I will forget my right arm than forget Jerusalem.” But amid the sadness, Psalm 126 tells us that it will be like a dream to us when G-d returns us to Zion. We will be filled with laughter and joyful songs as nations declare that the Lord has done great things for them. During 70 years of exile, the Judeans developed a modus vivendi in a foreign land. Fundamental was separation from the native population through the centrality of the synagogue, where they could maintain communal existence and worship. It also was the place where we reinforced
the belief that only Israel, especially Jerusalem and the Temple, held the properties to bring us close to G-d. It was this new form of worship where cultism began its demise among Jews, but still, for the sake of security, we adhered to it. While we believed that G-d fills the world, nevertheless His throne rests directly above Jerusalem with the city as his footstool. Babylon may have become our semipermanent residence, within which we flourished economically and intellectually, but Israel remained our spiritual home. Jewish life in Babylon was in many ways equal, if not superior, to that in Israel. Jews in Babylon had a great degree of political and legal autonomy under their nasi (prince). The exiles developed three academies — Sura, Pumbedita and Nehardea — seats of learning and birthplace of the Babylonian Talmud. But the Jews maintained emotional ties to Israel. In their prayers, they expressed a yearning for that miraculous period for which all Jews hoped: the time of the Messiah, when all Jews would be reunited in Israel. ■ Next week: The differences between the northern and southern kingdoms.
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
OPINION
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OPINION
A Cabin, a Lake and 4 Awards If you are fortunate, there is a place away from the routine stresses of life where you feel particularly at ease. For me, such a place is a cabin in the woods beside a lake in central Maine. My father’s mother and aunt began the fourgeneration tradition some 70 years ago. It is “literally a tinsmith’s cabin, hardly touched by time, made of the leftover materials of a century ago,” my brother says. Paddling a kayak on the lake, I feel time slow almost to a stop. Dad treasured vacations at the cabin during his working years and summer months there in retirement. “Put the wood in the water,” Dad would command when we shared a canoe. He enjoyed the view through the trees as the sun set across the lake. He read, everything from newspapers to Jewish texts, and wrote. My father was passionate about Judaism and journalism, the profession he shared with his oldest child. So it felt fitting to be in Maine when I was informed of having been
honored with four Rockower Awards by the American Jewish Press Association: three for columns and articles for the Atlanta Jewish Times and one for an article published in the Forward. Dad would have gotten a kick out of my being honored by the AJPA. For
From Where I Sit By Dave Schechter dschechter@atljewishtimes.com
some years he carried in his wallet a card identifying him as working for an AJPA member newspaper, though I have no idea how he obtained the card. Of course, I appreciate the recognition by the AJPA, but without the assistance and contributions of others, these honors would have been unlikely. My wife, Audrey, and my brother John, the rabbi, read everything I write before it is filed — not only the final versions, but also drafts along the way. On more than one occasion, they have made suggestions that strengthened a column or article or found errors I
would have been embarrassed to leave uncorrected. Audrey introduced me to Norbert Friedman, whose story became the opening segment of an article about a future without Holocaust survivors. It is Friedman and others who are generous with their time and patient with my questions who make possible the kind of articles to which readers (and apparently contest judges) respond positively. A Rockower Award is flattering, but when a writer the caliber of playwright and Atlanta native Alfred Uhry praises your work (an examination of the legacy of the Leo Frank lynching on its centennial), that is just as gratifying. AJT owner and Publisher Michael Morris and Editor Michael Jacobs have given me the opportunity to write this column every other week and the space in print and online to write articles of several thousand words on such topics as Holocaust survivors, Leo Frank, relations between Catholics and Jews, and the challenges facing the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. The AJPA says that of approximately 60 Jewish newspapers in the
United States, perhaps half are owned independently, and half are operated by communal organizations. The AJT is one of the former, and that benefits Atlanta’s Jewish community. In communities with independent voices, readers have access to journalism that not only reports on events, but also delves into issues, that offers not only the viewpoint of its owner, but also a diversity of viewpoints representing the diversity of thought in the Jewish world. That is the kind of journalism my father appreciated. Throughout my career, which began as a 13-year-old writing for a mimeographed school newspaper, he shared the perspective of his experience (as I try to do now with our daughter, a third-generation journalist). In the middle of that lake in Maine, I lifted my paddle from the water, and as the kayak drifted with the tide, I thanked my father. Later, as I locked up the cabin and began the drive home to Atlanta, I took a last look at the lake and the woods and hoped I could retain some of the ease I find there. ■
Israelis Show Amazing Legislative Restraint
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
Israel has come under fire for what is being touted as a dangerous shift to the right. Critics have focused on recent bills passed by the Knesset, in particular the MK expulsion law, an amendment to the Basic Law of the Knesset that enables the ouster of a member of the Knesset by a vote of 90 of 120 members. I opposed this initiative as potentially damaging to Israel’s constitutional foundations, to its image abroad and to the standing of its Arab minority. The expulsion bill is an aberration that turns the Israeli parliament, a political body, into investigator, judge and jury. The law is also unnecessary because there are plenty of mechanisms to censure errant MKs. But it is important to put this law — and other denunciations of Israel’s democracy — into perspective. First, because the law requires a three-quarters majority, including the signatures of 10 members of the opposition, it will be almost impossible to implement. Like many other recent legislative initiatives, it is a populist 12 gambit designed primarily to win
AJT
votes — and headlines. Second, one must consider the bill’s origins. In February, a delegation of the Arab Balad Party met with the families of 10 dead terrorists whose
Guest Column By Yohanan Plesner plesner@idi.org.il
bodies were being held by Israeli authorities. When the MKs stood in a moment of silence to honor the memory of “martyrs,” a firestorm erupted. The ill-conceived bill to suspend (and later expel) offensive MKs was born out of public outrage over the action of the Arab MKs. That the bill is designed to target a specific minority group is disgraceful. But the emotions that produced it are understandable. When one realizes that the legislation was born of a desire to expel Arab MKs not because the Knesset is antiArab, but because certain Arab MKs have made inciting statements against Israel, celebrated terrorism and ma-
ligned the Israeli army, one recognizes that this is a moderate reaction. Some international perspective is in order. Let’s look at Europe. We are all horrified by the terror attacks in France and Germany. However, when measured per capita, the number of attacks in these countries is negligible compared with what Israel endures. Just since September, there have been 156 stabbing attacks (including 76 attempted attacks), 98 shootings, 46 vehicular (ramming) attacks and one vehicle (bus) bombing, according to the Israel Security Agency. All of Western Europe has had 12 terrorist attacks since September. Yet France has announced a state of emergency and launched a nationwide crackdown on terrorism at a real cost to civil liberties. In December, the Front National party won 28 percent of the vote in the first round of the regional elections. Far-right politicians are on the march across the continent. Populism, racism and xenophobia are on the rise. One recent study by a research fellow on behalf of the European Parliament indicates these far-right parties could win 37 percent of the seats in the Euro-
pean Parliament in the next election, potentially giving them the keys to power in the European Union. Holland’s main far-right party, Party for Freedom, is gaining popularity on its anti-immigration policy. In 2015, Denmark’s anti-immigration, anti-Brussels Danish People’s Party made a surprisingly strong showing in the elections, scoring 21 percent. The platform: anti-foreigner, anti-Islamic and nationalistic. Europe’s extremism is nothing in comparison with the Middle East. Turkey’s democratic future was thrown into doubt when President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan responded to the failed coup by firing more than 20,000 teachers and dismissing all 1,500 of the country’s university deans. Liberal democracy is in crisis everywhere. We in Israel have our share of problems. Our democracy is far from perfect, and it is under massive pressures — both external and internal. But all in all, if we look at the world around us, I would have to say that Israel is doing rather well. ■ Yohanan Plesner is the president of the Israel Democracy Institute.
LOCAL NEWS
By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com
Congressman Hank Johnson apologized Monday, July 25, after seeming to call Israeli settlers “termites.” Speaking in Philadelphia that day at a roundtable discussion called “Progressive for Palestine: Is the US Ready to Rethink Policy on Israel?” Johnson criticized Israeli seizures of Palestinian land since 1948. He said the expanding occupation is “like termites can get into a residence and eat it up before you know that you’ve been eaten up and you fall in on yourself.” As word of the Lithonia Democrat’s comments spread, including a Washington Free Beacon report headlined “Congressman: Jewish Settlers Are Like Termites,” the Anti-Defamation League tweeted: “This is an offensive and unhelpful characterization. Demonization, dehumanization of settlers doesn’t advance peace.” Johnson’s office issued a statement complaining about the Free Beacon headline and explaining that his comparison “was referring to the corrosive process, not the people.” The ADL later acknowledged the 4th District congressman’s tweeted apology for his “poor choice of words.” “Corrosive settlement policies undermine the ability of all citizens in the region to enjoy healthy, peaceful lives in safe communities. We must work to promote policies that support a twostate solution and encourage trust between both sides,” Johnson said in the statement clarifying his remarks. But the focus on one word overshadowed 35 minutes of anti-Israel comments Johnson made to more than 50 people at an anti-Israel event sponsored by two organizations that promote the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement: the American Friends Service Committee and the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation. The event was held in connection with the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. “He’s clearly missing the point about the importance of a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians,” American Jewish Committee Atlanta Regional Director Dov Wilker said. Wilker noted that Johnson never attributed any responsibility to the Palestinians, never mentioned incitement by Palestinian leaders and never spoke against terrorist attacks on Israelis.
Johnson was first elected in 2006 with the support of Jews angry at Rep. Cynthia McKinney for her record of antiIsrael and anti-SeRep. Hank Johnson mitic comments. In an interview with the AJT at the time, Johnson said he ran because of his frustration at McKinney’s job performance and the way other members of the Congressional Black Caucus treated her as a joke. Endorsed by J Street, he is running for a sixth term in November against Republican Victor Armendariz. But his appearance Monday fit a pattern of pro-Palestinian and antiIsrael activities in recent years. He was one of 19 members of the House who signed a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry in June 2015 that accused the Israeli military of abusing Palestinian children. In February, Johnson wrote a letter to Kerry, signed by 10 congressional colleagues, seeking an investigation into whether possible rights abuses by Israel and Egypt justified cutting off aid to their security forces. During Monday’s event, Johnson said he was “in Palestine” for four or five days in May with other congressmen for the first time since a J Street trip in 2013. He emphasized that his only time in Israel was at the airport. His office said he was prevented from visiting Gaza during the May trip. “The difference and the tension and the sense of hopelessness among the people of Palestine and the lack of care and concern on behalf of the people of Israel has just gone up,” he said Monday. “You can feel it; you can see it.” He accused Israeli settlers of snatching Palestinian homes and raising “Jewish flags” above them if they’re left vacant for even one night. He said Israeli training has turned U.S. police into an occupation force. And he blamed Israel for Islamist terrorism: “Why is it that we here in America continue to proceed down this path which has caused so many people around the world, particularly in the Middle East, to turn against us, and how can we exclude the possibility that all of the terrorism that is directed at us has its genesis in the failure to treat this situation in the way that humanity would demand that we do?” ■
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
Rep. Johnson Sorry For Termite-Settler Remark
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JOIN US FOR
The Jewish Breakfast Club with featured speaker DR. ROBERT FRIEDMANN Dr. Robert R. Friedmann is director of the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange and Professor Emeritus of Criminal Justice at Georgia State University. Specializing in International terrorism and Incitement
Wednesday, August 10th 7:30 am – 9 am 7:30 am Reception • 8:00 am Program
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JULY 29 ▪ 2016
Jewish Breakfast Club
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Kosher dietary laws observed.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Former Atlantan Arie Pelta (right) is the only physician volunteering as an EMT with United Hatzalah in the Beit Shemesh area.
Atlanta Answers Beit Shemesh’s Call By R.M. Grossblatt
At 3 a.m. in Ramat Beit Shemesh, physician Arie Pelta receives an emergency call on number 1221. “I have chest pain,” whispers a man on the line. Within 90 seconds, Pelta, a volunteer for United Hatzalah, is by his side. United Hatzalah, the rescue organization Eli Beer started in Israel 25 years ago, has more than 3,000 volunteers who have gone through eight months of training to be emergency medical technicians. Beit Shemesh, a rapidly growing city of more than 100,000 residents, has many EMTs, but Pelta is the only physician volunteer in the area. He can administer drugs and, if necessary, insert a tube into a patient’s throat to facilitate breathing or drug administration. But Pelta, a former Atlanta resident who made aliyah in July 23, 2013, is limited because he doesn’t have a 12-lead cardiac monitor, known as a Lifepak. “When calling 911 in Atlanta, every paramedic walks in with a Lifepak,” Pelta said. He explained that this portable EKG machine monitors the rhythm of the heart, gives lifesaving shocks, measures blood pressure and oxygen levels, and “verifies the correct placement of the endotracheal tube after intubation.” Only one paramedic on one ambulance provided for all of Beit Shemesh by Magen David Adom, Israel’s equivalent of the Red Cross, carries a Lifepak. Pelta traces his lineage to ancestors who fled Spain during the Inquisition and settled in Poland, then suffered through pogroms and escaped to America during the Holocaust. Some of his relatives made it to Israel. He also wanted to make aliyah and made it a prerequisite before marriage, a goal he and his wife and children fulfilled when they left Atlanta three years ago. Now he and his wife hike the mountains near Beit Shemesh, where
David defeated Goliath. Although he made more money in Atlanta than he does working five jobs in Israel, the surgeon said Israel is where he wants to be. “We’re in the right place without question.” He said Israel is experiencing a “population explosion” through aliyah. “It causes housing shortages connected to supply and demand, which ties in with medical problems.” He and his family live in Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef, a Beit Shemesh suburb where many Americans, including other former Atlantans, reside. The nearest hospital is over 40 minutes away, so Pelta’s services are crucial. “Someone with chest pains could die on the way to the hospital,” he said. As David overcame Goliath, Pelta is trying to overcome adversity. “When someone calls (with a medical emergency), I don’t have the proper monitor.” Remembering the fundraising of Atlanta Friends of United Hatzalah, Pelta contacted Brian and Suzanne Spaner. In 2011 the Spaners and others in Atlanta, including Pelta, raised $100,000 for a Hatzalah ambutractor and several ambucycles in Safed. Now the doctor asked the Spaners whether they could help raise the money for a Lifepak in Beit Shemesh. Pelta wrote to them in an email that he was “surprised that this equipment is not already available for the largest aliyah city in Israel.” The Spaners contacted Beer and his team and found out that the cost of a Lifepak is $23,000. They asked Beer to set up a website (israelrescue.org/ lifepakbeitshemesh) to help raise money for the lifesaving effort. More than $13,000 has been raised through the site, and an anonymous Congregation Beth Jacob family has made a matching pledge. Pelta recently saved the life of a 90 year-old man. Now he’s calling on the worldwide Jewish community to help United Hatzalah save more lives in Beit Shemesh. ■
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JULY 29 â–ª 2016
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Mosquitoes With Zika Targeted From the Air
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com
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Scientists are scrambling to stop Zika, but Israeli startup Senecio may have found a high-tech key to lock down the virus: an aerial attack on the mosquitoes that carry it. “Mosquitoes are the biggest-killing animal of anything in the world” because of the diseases they spread, from malaria to yellow fever to dengue, said Ralph Breslauer, a former Atlantan who is a board member of Senecio. Other than malaria, he said, the diseases are carried by one species, Aedes aegypti, which isn’t native to most of the countries it threatens, including Brazil and the United States. But those mosquitoes are hard to eradicate because they develop resistance to chemical treatments. In Brazil, where Zika has caused a surge in microcephaly in babies and has scared many athletes away from the Olympics starting Aug. 5, all the anti-mosquito chemicals are useless, Breslauer said. An approach that gets around chemical immunity and prevents collateral damage to insects such as butterflies and bees is called a sterile insect technique: the introduction of sterile males into the environment to compete with fertile males for breeding. “The beauty of a sterile mosquito is the male mosquito only has one job in life. It’s like a smart bomb,” Breslauer said, noting that the male mosquitoes don’t even bite. Mosquitoes live two to three weeks, with each female laying 100 to 200 eggs, Breslauer said. A concentrated application of 10 to 100 sterile males for every regular male once or twice a week results in a meaningful reduction in the population within a month. There’s a big problem, though: Unlike sturdier insects such as fruit flies, mosquitoes have always been too delicate to survive being released from an airplane; the wind speeds rip them apart. And you can’t efficiently spread hundreds of thousands or millions of mosquitoes from the ground. Senecio and its American partner, Virginia-based Dynamic Aviation, in September demonstrated breakthrough technologies that enable airdrops of sterile mosquitoes. That test came five months after the companies began working together. Their partnership won a grant from the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation.
Senecio CEO Hanan Lepek (left) and board member Ralph Breslauer attend September’s test flight with Dynamic Aviation in Virginia. The pod beneath the airplane behind them is crucial for protecting the mosquitoes.
“Working together on the BIRD project has been a great exercise in cooperation and communication between the two companies and between our two countries,” Senecio CEO Hanan Lepek said in an announcement of the successful September test. Dynamic Aviation provides the flying experience with sterile insect releases, while Senecio brings the technology to store the mosquitoes and to release them into slower air with constant acceleration, Breslauer said. The solutions have earned five patents. Senecio resolved its storage problem by chilling the containers to slow the mosquitoes and using a modular system that could deliver 14 million insects per flight. The release issue required Israeli aeronautical engineering and mathematical modeling, Breslauer said. “It really was a very specific aeronautical design of the pod we attached under the aircraft.” Senecio doesn’t breed the mosquitoes. Instead, the startup wants to be the industry standard for distributing others’ sterile mosquitoes, either by contracting directly (with Dynamic Aviation) or by licensing technologies. Senecio has two contracts, one in South America and one in Africa, to demonstrate in September its ability. Senecio aims to make airdrops of sterile mosquitoes cost the same as chemical spraying. Breslauer said a citywide operation could cost millions of dollars; Senecio’s share would be 10 percent to 15 percent of that. The Obama administration seeks congressional approval for $1.9 billion to fight Zika, including mosquito control. But Breslauer said he’s concerned that the United States isn’t taking Zika seriously enough. “Don’t wait until this thing” gets out of control, he said. “Let’s get something done in advance here.” ■
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Signs of the Zika virus can remain in the blood for twice as long as scientists thought, and the virus can be transmitted by any kind of sexual conduct, according to updated guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the Olympics in Brazil less than two weeks away. The CDC had advised that pregnant women who showed possible Zika symptoms — headache, fever, body aches — could be tested for the virus only within a week. The new guidance, issued Monday, July 25, says a Zika-specific test is useful for up to 14 days after symptoms or possible exposure. “Expanding the use of the Zikaspecific test could provide more women with Zika virus infection a definite diagnosis and help direct medical evaluation and care,” said the CDC, which also provided new care recommendations for infected pregnant women. The recent news that a man was infected with the virus through sex with a woman led CDC scientists to expand their views on transmission, including advice that pregnant women never have unprotected sex with anyone who lives in or travels to a place where Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carry Zika. As of July 14, 400 pregnant women in the United States and 378 in U.S. territories had evidence of Zika infection, the CDC said, and more than 1,400 people had been infected in the United States. No case has resulted from a mosquito bite in the United States. But the CDC is helping Utah investigate a case in which an elderly man was infected while traveling, then died back home in Utah in June and had 100,000 times the amount of virus in his blood as has been found in typical patients. Then a caregiver also was found to be infected, and public health officials don’t know how. “We were able to quarantine, for the most part, individuals with Ebola,” Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital infectious disease physician Mitchell Blass says in a video about Zika (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EKr8xPt6fD4). “I don’t think we have any control over the migratory habits of the Aedes mosquito, and that’s the big problem.” He warned of the Olympics’ chance to “bring this virus to the United States and make it one in which we are not seeing just travel-related illness, but we are also seeing locally acquired illness.” ■
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
Zika Threat Lingers For Moms-to-Be
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Massage Therapist Heals Mind and Body By Benjamin Kweskin Becca Holohan is a certified, licensed massage therapist at Full Compass Massage in Decatur who moved to Atlanta in 2011. Trained at the Asheville School of Massage and Yoga, she focuses on postural alignment and myofascial release. Her massage approach highlights the relationship with all connective tissue in the body and releases long-held tension created by daily habits and posture. She also is a yoga teacher in gentle Vinyasa and trauma-sensitive yoga. A graduate of Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., Holohan said her education in American studies and American social history, focusing on systems of oppression and historical movements, gives her the tools to deal with a diverse clientele. She is involved with programs at Congregation Bet Haverim and with SOJOURN. She is part of Limmud and an informal Rosh Chodesh group. She was the founding after-school community director at Jewish Kids Group. She talked about massage therapy and her work’s Jewish connections.
simply relaxation and spa-type environments. That can be true, but it can be, more importantly, therapeutic mentally and emotionally and can connect you to more than many initially realize.
Becca Holohan sees a social justice aspect in the therapy she provides.
AJT: Tell us a bit about your general health and wellness outlook. Holohan: In general, I want to help people with body awareness so people can become reconnected with body and mind. For example, when I was socially and politically active in college, some of my classmates and colleagues were limited in dealing with others due to their past experiences in discrimination and prejudice. … Massages are often stigmatized as
AJT: What drew you to these issues? Holohan: In summer 2009 I began doing yoga while living in Savannah. I went to a studio whose motto was “just show up,” and that was really appealing. Our instructor had recently lost her father to a drunk-driving incident, and yoga was a healing process for her grief. It was at that point that I began seeing yoga and massage therapy could be used to process emotions as well as help your body. In fact, during one class, which was a three-hour hipopening session, toward the end of it everyone was crying because we realized the connections that were made. Your body is extremely connected to your mind and overall state of being. AJT: What are some resources people can easily access? Holohan: Everyone can benefit from moving your body and becom-
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
It has been 10 years since our daughter, sister, and friend, Laura, has walked on this earth.
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Laura R. Rosenthal 1988-2006
For many of us, not a day passes without a reminder of her caring, her kindness, her friendship, and style. Laura was a student at the Epstein School for 10 years, and Epstein was very special in her life. She thrived each day from the love her teachers and fellow students shared… After Laura’s sudden and tragic death, her family and friends came together and created Leah’s Pond, a Biblical and Science Garden at the Epstein School. Leah’s Pond is used by the students throughout the school year to promote learning about the eco-system, water quality, and more. The pond has tadpoles, fish, and even turtles, to serve as a gentle reminder about the circle of life. There is also a vegetable garden for the students to enjoy. Make it a point to visit Leah’s Pond whenever you are at Epstein.
Tributes in Laura’s memory toward Leah’s Pond can be made online at: www.epsteinatlanta.org or via check to: Leah’s Pond c/o Epstein School 335 Colewood Way, NW• Sandy Springs, GA 30328
ing more aware and paying attention even to just your breath. Overall exercise, walks and yoga are great. Also, both King of Pops Yoga in the Park and Herbalista Health Fair are free, and I highly recommend them. For those interested, some yoga studios have discounted classes for beginners. While I am not a nutritionist, I personally follow the 80/20 rule: If you eat healthy 80 percent of the time, your body can handle the rest. AJT: What are some of the main benefits you’ve seen in your clients? Holohan: Reduction of physical pain. My work is focused on therapy, so it’s crucial that clients feel calmer and more relaxed. But it’s also good for their bodies; oftentimes, people need emotional relief as well. This can help change your posture for the better. AJT: How has your work informed your life in general? Holohan: I had my own health crisis in 2013, brought on by stress, and realized certain food sensitivities negatively affected me. I ate somewhat poorly and didn’t think of my body, but I learned to cook and drastically changed my diet, which in turn changed my whole body. I cut out carbs, sugars and processed foods. My body was able to heal in part through change in diet, yoga and massage. Additionally, I changed my mental being and began to more realistically and comfortably balance and schedule my day. For instance, I asked myself fundamental questions: How many clients can or should I see in a day? How can I best pace myself? I cleaned house in general: When I physically felt better, my mind felt better, and vice versa. AJT: How has your Jewish identity informed your work? Holohan: The work feels very spiritual for me. If I was drawing only from my own well, I would not be serving people to the best of my ability. I can’t force someone’s body to change; they also have to be willing. There is a divine presence between and among myself and the client. The concept of tikkun olam fits here well, and this is one of my contributions toward that goal. I’m reading a book called “Jewish Dharma” about an Orthodox Jewish woman who combines Judaism and Zen Buddhism after her father passes away, and it’s incredible. I also teach a monthly class at Congregation Bet Haverim called “Shalom Yoga,” which focuses on how we pray with our body. ■
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Family Rings True at Peachtree Hearing Losing the ability to communicate is a frightening prospect, and audiologist Melissa Wikoff knows firsthand the challenges that come with hearing loss. She grew up with two grandfathers who suffered hearing loss as veterans of World War II. “Their hearing aids would always generate feedback,” Wikoff said. “I would hug them and hear their hearing aids whistling. I remember calling them, and the hearing aid would ring, and they would have to put someone else on the phone. I got into the field because I knew it shouldn’t have to be like that.” Her East Cobb business, Peachtree Hearing, is establishing itself as a fullservice audiology boutique. Wikoff aims to address all aspects of hearing loss and to provide the finest care possible. As a full-service practice, Peachtree Hearing doesn’t need to send patients to different places for tests and services. “From the moment I started studying, I knew that I wanted to do something different,” Wikoff said. “I’ve seen a lack in full-service testing. There’s a big influx of big-box stores, and you can go get a hearing aid there, but they don’t treat you like a member of their family.” Wikoff graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in speech and hearing sciences before earning her doctor of audiology degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She also has studied in Belize, Spain and California. She runs the business with the help of her husband, Josh, an Atlanta native. Now in the technology and software industry, he grew up as a member of Congregation Etz Chaim, participated in BBYO, lived in Israel and served in the Israel Defense Forces. “We want it to feel like a spa or a boutique,” he said. “We don’t want it to feel like you’re walking into a cold doctor’s office. People should come in and feel comfortable and not have to worry about getting their hearing checked. A huge percentage of the population has hearing loss. Not everyone does something about it, but it’s not something that should be stigmatized.” The Wikoffs are involved in proIsrael events, including the Friends of the IDF, and Melissa Wikoff makes free visits to the William Breman Jewish Home to help the residents with any hearing issues.
There’s a stigma attached to hearing aids, she said, and the process of losing hearing and seeing an audiologist can be frightening. “No one wants to come see me. We don’t want it to feel scary and clinical.” It’s evident when looking around her office that the aim is to be inviting, from the colorful artwork to the cappuccino machine to the baby-blue booth where hearing tests are conducted. Wikoff acknowledges some challenges in the recent opening of her practice. “In school they teach you all about being an audiologist,” she said. “They don’t teach you anything about being a business owner. I never took a single business class.”
Some of her days are filled with clients, she said, but others see her working more as a business owner on tasks such as marketing. Her priority is to grow her clientele, Wikoff said. “My goal is to make hearing not so scary and cold and not such a mystery. I want to get people hearing better.” ■
Melissa Wikoff says it’s important to provide a full-service audiology center.
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
By Eddie Samuels
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The pediatrician you choose for your kids matters. More Atlanta moms are discovering the unique, team-based 360Care™ designed to keep your kids well. Jonathan D. Winner, MD William Robert Smith, Jr., MD Sally J. Marcus, MD Allison B. Hill, MD Amy J. Hardin, MD Jeffrey C. Hopkins, MD Lindsay B. Green, MD
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Pavilion Pharmacy Personalizes Medicine By Carol Gelman
Natalie Metzig, MD Tiji Philip, MD Adele Goodloe, MD Sara Dorsey, MSN, CPNP Maureen Shifflett, MSN, CPNP Amanda Brantley, MSN, CPNP
Sandy Springs, 404.256.2688 | Woodstock, 770.928.0016 NorthsidePediatrics.com
A pharmacy that mixes prescription medications for patients, rather than just distribute drugs manufactured at a factory, might sound like an old-fashioned concept, but Pavilion Compounding Pharmacy in Buckhead offers the newest technology and formulations to create custom treatments. Jewish community member Brad Cherson, a registered pharmacist, has owned Pavilion (www.pavilioncompounding.com) for more than 20 years, during which time the pharmacy has thrived on word of mouth despite being tucked out of sight at 3193 Howell Mill Road. Compounding medicines involves the mixing, assembling, altering and packaging of a medical product in accordance with a physician’s prescription. Pavilion uses sterile compounding rooms and equipment to formulate custom medications and dosages. Besides pills, the medications can be delivered as creams to be rubbed on the skin, lozenges placed under the tongue, pellet implants, suppositories, delayedrelease capsules and injectables. “We are all unique, and many times standard medications fail to fit the mold of our individual needs. Why not tailor-make medications accordingly?” Cherson said. “A patient using a compounded product can receive the exact amount of medication needed instead of being locked into strengths made professionally.”
Pharmacist Brad Cherson has owned Pavilion Compounding Pharmacy for more than 20 years.
Cherson, involved with compounding since 1994, prides himself on providing personal consultations to meet the needs of each patient. Special formulations include dyefree, preservative-free, alcohol-free and sugar-free forms of medications. Many compounds are specialized medication combinations or forms that are not otherwise commercially available. Topical skin products, for example, combine ingredients to address eczema, acne, psoriasis, wound care, burns and more. Pavilion also offers regular prescribed medications, as well as bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Specialized formulations include bioidentical tears for people suffering from dry-eye syndrome. Bioidentical medications have the same molecular structure as compounds produced by a person’s body, so that the patient experiences fewer side effects and better response. Applications include ear, nose and throat ailments, allergies, pain management, anti-aging, wounds, and end-of-life suffering. Even epilepsy medication for pets can be personalized. ■
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
Prostate Cancer Expert Joins Northside Center
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Daniel Shasha, the medical director of the radiation oncology program at Northside Hospital Cancer Institute and a world-renowned prostate cancer specialist, has joined Northside Radiation Oncology Consultants. The move expands NROC’s treatment and diagnosis programs. Shasha specializes in organ conservation and the preservation of sexual and urinary functions while defeating prostate cancer, which is diagnosed in one in seven U.S. men each year. He is an expert in prostate brachytherapy (the implantation of radioactive seeds) and conformal radiation treatment of prostate cancer. “It’s an honor for us to have Dr.
Shasha work collaboratively with our team of radiation therapy specialists,” said NROC’s Nancy Wiggers, who chairs Northside Hospital Cancer Institute’s radiation oncology department. “Our patients will have a national leader in prostate health.” More cases of cancer are diagnosed and treated at Northside each year than at any other Georgia hospital. Shasha, who is certified by the American Board of Radiology, has more than 20 years of practice expertise in the radiation management of prostate cancer. He has treated more than 4,000 prostate cancer patients and performed over 3,700 radioactive seed implantations. ■
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Interfaith Group Unites to Aid MedShare In concert with incoming Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta CEO Eric Robbins’ charge to build community and unite through action around social justice issues, 50 people from various faiths and backgrounds came together at the MedShare Atlanta headquarters June 12 to learn about the organization and to sort and package donated medical supplies to fill a container to be shipped abroad. Lois Frank and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta coordinated the interfaith effort. Jewish community members joined representatives from Compassionate Atlanta, Interfaith Community Initiatives/ World Pilgrims, Sisters United, and three Muslim entities: Ismaili Community Center, Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam and Clarkston Community of Refugees. Upon arrival, all were encouraged to have lunch quickly, out of deference to the soon-to-arrive Muslims who would not be eating because of the daily Ramadan fast. The assembled group was then educated about the purpose, partners and work of MedShare.
Photos by Leah R. Harrison Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta board member Lois Frank strategizes with World Pilgrims Program Director Jan Swanson.
MedShare Chief Development Officer Susan Blair Brandt shows the group a map of the 97 countries that receive medical supplies.
With a tagline of “Improving the quality of life of people and our planet,” MedShare takes a multipronged approach to medical and humanitarian aid, waste reduction, and resource sharing. MedShare has sent an estimated $157 million in medical supplies to 97 countries in 1,325 shipments to date, and its 19,000 volunteers in three regions collect and redistribute some of the 5.9 million tons of excess durable medical supplies Health Care Without Harm estimates are generated in the United States annually. To further streamline and reduce waste, over the past 17 years MedShare has created a detailed ordering, storage
and supply system so that countries can order and receive only the items they need. Though the barrels of unused surgical supplies, damaged shipping boxes of products and other equipment are donated, every 40-foot container (valued between $125,000 and $175,000) costs $43,000 to assemble and ship. That money comes from thousands of individual donors, partners including King & Spalding and Buckhead Church, and such benefactors as the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, Halyard Health, the UPS Foundation, Covidien, World Vision and Henry Schein. Susan Blair Brandt, MedShare’s
chief development officer, said the organization helps level the playing field by meeting the need for basic health care around the world. That isn’t always easy: MedShare ships to war-torn regions and conflict zones and often has to partner with local agencies on the ground to take the supplies to their final destination. “It pleases my heart to see so many different people, different races, different ethnicities, different religions, all coming together to work,” Brandt said of the interfaith group. Frank expressed a “deep satisfaction in our work at MedShare” through “participating in a fast-moving, purposeful project.” She added, “Meeting and working side by side with a diverse, committed cadre of other faith communities was enriching.” In two hours, the team packaged 2,480 pounds of products, including gauze and needles, surgical gloves and gowns, sponges, catheters, electro-surgical knives, and cable and lead wire systems that would have gone to waste. The 211 boxes were bound for Ethiopia, Guatemala, Ecuador, Nigeria, Uganda, Ivory Coast and Ghana. ■
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
By Leah R. Harrison
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Taylor Chiropractic Puts Fresh Faces Forward By Eddie Samuels
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
Twins Craig and Cliff Taylor have done almost everything together all their lives, so naturally while they were playing lacrosse together and rooming together at Indiana University, they suffered back injuries together. Their shared pain led to their opening a business together, Taylor Chiropractic (www.thetaylordocs.com). Growing up in a Jewish household in the Atlanta area as the children of a
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doctor, they knew they planned to go into medicine. After suffering a couple of herniated discs, Craig gained a greater appreciation for chiropractic medicine and sought a career in that field. “I did the standard stuff,” he said. “I went to the medical doctors, to the physical therapist, and I never went to a chiropractor. As a last resort, I finally went to a chiropractor, and I haven’t had pain since. That was an ongoing thing for close to four years.” Cliff, however, initially stuck to
his plan to go into dentistry. “I was fully committed to going to dental school. I applied, took the DAT,” he said. “I got into one school, but after shadowing a couple dentists — maybe it was just the dentists that I shadowed — it wasn’t for me.” Getting relief from Cliff Taylor turned from dentistry to After their col- herniated discs drew Craig Taylor to chiropractic. chiropractic medicine. lege injuries, the “We treat each other like famtwins transferred to the University of Georgia and studied ily, but it’s easier to yell at each other biology. They then received their chi- because we’re not random business partners,” he said. “We always know ropractic degrees from Life University. The two of them had a plan, al- the other will get over it, but I think it’s though, looking back, they’re not clear definitely easier to get frustrated with whether there was even a conversation. one another because we’re family.” Since their Buckhead business It was just understood that the two opened in September, the brothers would work together. have had a clear plan to create a new “There’s something to be said for environment for chiropractic care. doing it with your brother,” Craig said. Many offices, they said, focus on That’s not to say that working with family is free of challenges. Cliff made getting patients in and out as quickly it clear that sometimes arguments end as possible, usually spending less than up between two brothers rather than 15 minutes with each person. The Taylors, however, are focused on providing between two business partners. a friendly face with the care they give. The brothers said chiropractic has gained a false reputation for being curative rather than preventive. “The nervous system controls the entire body,” Cliff said. “We’d love to get all of our patients on maintenance-type care. There’s a misconception that if you’re not in pain, you don’t have to see a chiropractor; 80 percent of nerve interference causes no pain.” Part of their mission as owners of a new practice is to demonstrate that there is more to medicine than prescriptions and surgeries. “Thank G-d for medications and surgeries, but we know sometimes there are better ways to do things than popping pills every day,” Cliff said. Craig and Cliff are no strangers to Jewish Atlanta. As children, they spent a lot of time at the Marcus Jewish Community Center, and they were members of AEPi at the University of Georgia. They support the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and want to be more active in the community. The biggest goal for the twins as their practice expands is education. They said patients often walk out of a chiropractor’s office feeling better but unsure of what was done or how to prevent similar issues. The Taylors want to ensure that when patients leave, they understand how they were treated. ■
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Mindful Parenting Nurtures Child, Mom wrote “Nurture the Wow,” a book that raises an important, often overlooked question: What does Judaism have to say about living a spiritually awakened life while also tending to the never-ending needs of small children? For years, my first thought when
Guest Column By Marita Anderson
I woke was not about inspiration but about the throbbing pain in my neck from being scrunched over the side of the bed during another night of sleep with an uninvited, sweaty child. Rabbi Ruttenberg reminds us that, for thousands of years, men who were not intimately involved in child care wrote books on Jewish tradition and law. The Babylonian Talmud, for example, is a compilation of writing on subjects of enormous variety pertaining to the real and hypothetical questions of daily life. But it has little to offer on children: tantrums, midnight waking, refusal to nap or comfort for an inconsolable child. “For most of history, the people who were raising children weren’t writing books,” Rabbi Ruttenberg writes. She poses a challenge: “What would the Talmud look like if we were writing it today?” In other words, how could our experience as parents influence our spiritual and religious life? What can we glean from our rich tradition to help us stay spiritually connected in the thick of the parenting fog? Rabbi Ruttenberg’s book is engaging, at times self-deprecating and funny, and at other times deeply poignant. It is not a book on how to parent our children, but a contemplation on how to parent our souls while engaged in the hardest, most intense work of our lives, accompanied by a love so fierce and intense that it makes us crazy. “Nurture the Wow” asks us to think of parenting as a spiritual practice. That means forgiving ourselves for the mistakes made today so that we can try again and again. ■
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JULY 29 ▪ 2016
A few years ago, during what I remember as a difficult time in my life, I began learning meditation with the hope of calming my panicked mind. What brought me to my knees was not any particular crisis, but the daily monotony of taking care of three small children. I was exhausted, frustrated and afraid of my own feelings. Life does not stop to make room for parenting. It just keeps barreling forward with all of its commitments, ambitions, needs and unexpected events. It forces us to keep stretching our hearts and our energies beyond what we thought was imaginable. Each student in my meditation class was given the task of choosing one simple activity to perform mindfully as beginner’s practice. Some picked brushing their teeth; others chose putting on their shoes with purpose. I focused my efforts on reading bedtime stories to my youngest child with engaged awareness. The mind-numbing, nightly repetition of “Goodnight Moon” and “Big Red Barn” was an activity I could have done in my sleep. And I often did. Having to awaken to the experience and read my children’s favorite books as if pronouncing each word for the first time was life-changing. The transformation made me realize how many daily tasks I did on autopilot and how much more joy I could squeeze out of life if I only woke up to it. Meditation in itself is not a panacea for all of life’s challenges, but it has become an indispensible tool in my ability to turn down the background noise of my own mind, making room for awe and delight in simplicity. Mindfulness is not a new-age concept, and Judaism has much wisdom to offer on the subject of intentional prayer and spiritual awakening. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote: “Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement. … Get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.” Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg recently
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HOME
Summer Gardens Ripe for Relaxation “Appreciating the plant kingdom is a path to the love of G-d,” Aish.com says. Wasn’t Adam given mankind’s first mission, to tend a garden? We recite blessings over inhaling the aroma of flowers and trees. Maimonides teaches us to focus on the wonder of creation and what one seed can do to transform into beauty. Visit with three Jewish backyard enthusiasts who believe that, like plants, people with strong roots below ground show the most strength and have the most fun doing it.
Oft-Toured Wonder
Joel Adler, a retired oral surgeon, discovered his green thumb at age 7 in Mississippi when he helped plant a victory garden to send produce to U.S. troops overseas. Adler, who does “a little bit of everything,” is modest when applying science and effort to one of Buckhead’s most frequently toured gardens. Brandeis, the Atlanta Botanical Garden Tour, the Connoisseurs Tour and Art in the Garden have brought hundreds of admirers through the garden. Adler, often a night gardener, invests about 15 hours a week in the garden, which was initially co-designed with landscape architect Dottie Myers. It’s hard to absorb it all on one visit. There are so many areas of interest: row upon row of vegetables and unusual flora.
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
Jaffe: What are your more unusual things? Adler: I grow Emerald Isle eggplants that are green when ripe. I once called Harrods of London (known for its eccentric British gardening department) to see if they would sell them if I shipped to England. It seems the public is not used to anything besides the dark-purple skin, though these are equally delicious. Have you ever had Clemson spineless okra? My unique Harry Lauders walking stick (named for a British entertainer in World War I who had a crooked cane) beechnut tree is even more architectural in the winter with its exposed branches. The Wolf Eyes dogwood is striking. We have Brandywine heirloom tomatoes in yellow and red, cucumbers, artichokes, squash, potatoes, 24 pole beans, Tibetan hydrangeas, rare
AJT
orange-tinged irises, and several types of lilies. This rose bush was selected by my daughter 38 years ago. My wife, Toni, makes wonderful squash casseroles, which we freeze and enjoy year-round. The most unusual tomato here was acquired from the University of Florida — had to make a donation to get it — reputed to be among the best tasting. I’ll let you know in a month or so.
Chai-Style Gardens By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com
Jaffe: Tell us about your statuary. Adler: My native bottle brush or horse chestnut tree, Aesculus parviflora, sits in front of the concrete eagle. Adler in German means eagle. This two-piece marble sculpture is by Henry Grady’s grandson Grady Black. I collect Sibley sculpture as her theme is cascading water lilies … usually in someone’s hair. Jaffe: What advice would you give to others? Adler: Plant the right plant in the right spot. Don’t just grow to grow. Grow to know what they need. Jaffe: I see your sense of frivolity. Adler: I cherish my signs: “Garden of Weedin’ ”; the compost heap reads, “Rot Damnit!”; and the best, “Gardening: The art of destroying weeds and bugs to grow flowers and crops for animals and birds to eat.” On the giant frog statue, when we have a tour, I play music with speakers hidden behind the violin to the tune of “I’m in Love With a Big Blue Frog.” And look at my “raised flower bed.” (Laughing) It’s an authentic metal head- and foot-board bed frame. I left with a cucumber and goodbye quote Joel offered from Cicero from more than 2,000 years ago: “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
Vinings Garden of Eden
Leon Sokolic, a self-taught gardener, looks out on a scenic lake in his Vinings preserve among fruit trees and their protective netting. When I visited Leon, he was tinkering with his
A 1929 British Small Arms motorcycle. Jaffe: What’s your motivation for planting? Sokolic: I just like to watch things grow. Jaffe: What are your biggest successes and failures? Sokolic: I grew a 1.5-pound beefsteak tomato and a 30-inch cucumber. Biggest failure: Hmm, kiwis never gave fruit. Also, I’ve been watching this male persimmon tree produce nothing. I didn’t know that persimmons have males and females, so now I will plant a girlfriend for it. Jaffe: You have several types of figs. Sokolic: My favorite is Brown Turkey and two other types of green, eaten raw and great for jam. Jaffe: How do the loquats thrive? Sokolic: Loquats are grown in tropical weather on trees. Very difficult to grow in the South because the cold temperatures freeze the young fruits. I place a tent over the tree with heat in the winter. I often read about plants on the Internet to learn what to do and not do. My blueberry and blackberry bushes are quite delicious.
Jaffe: The lake is so peaceful. Sokolic: I call it a big pond. It’s half an acre and collects rain runoff. Jaffe: What advice would you give to other gardeners? Sokolic: It’s called trial and error. I always admire a man of few words.
Private Golf and Swimming
Golfers Bonnie and Moe Negrin installed five holes in their backyard putting green — one for each grandchild. Now a sixth is on the way. Each hole bears the name of a grandchild. “The sand trap especially has helped with our short game,” Bonnie said. “The best part is that when not in use, we load it up with 30-year-old yellow toy trucks for the grandkids to play in a sandbox. That’s double duty.” The Negrin oasis is filled with rhododendrons and roses. The hot pinks make a wonderful contrast with the apple-green lounge furniture. The rock structures were brought in from Arkansas on a flatbed truck by a farmer who placed them himself. The pool has a black-bottom finish by Pebble Tec. It’s a luscious, inviting aquamarine connection of pond sections. ■
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HOME
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A: Joel Adler has a thriving summer vegetable garden behind another frog statue. B: Joel Adler sits with his cat, Oreo, in a custom-made chair by Walt Meyers. Adler says, “Every garden needs a cat.” C: The Adler goldfish pond features a trademark Sibley sculpture with cascading lilies. D: During tours of the Adler garden, “I’m in Love With a Big Blue Frog” plays behind this metal sculpture of a violin-playing frog. E: Berries are ready for picking in the Sokolic back yard. F: The Sokolic orchard features rows of persimmon and loquat trees. G: Bonnie Negrin sharpens her golf short game with backyard holes named for her grandchildren and a bunker that doubles as a sandbox for those children. H: Leon Sokolic says this half-acre backyard pond collects rain runoff. I: The Negrins’ black-bottom pool features hand-laid stones from Arkansas. J: Leon Sokolic shows his favorite variety of fig, Brown Turkey.
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OBITUARIES
Harold Kendall 95, Naples, Fla. Harold Kendall died peacefully surrounded by his family in Naples, Fla., on Sunday, July 17, 2016, at the age of 95. Harold is survived by his wife of 63 years, Carole Zanditon Kendall of Marco Island, Fla.; daughters Nancy (Alan) Freedman and Shelly Kendall Tumen; and grandchildren Stephanie Freedman, Nikki Freedman, Jack Tumen and Liza Tumen. Survivors also include niece Elaine (Craig) Marsa, nephew Sheldon Wall, greatnephews Mathew and Ryan, and great-niece Amy. He was preceded in death by Rose and Morris Kendall and his sister, Pearl Wall, all of blessed memory.
Harold was born June 14, 1921, in Chelsea, Mass., to Rose and Morris Kendall. Harold was a staff sergeant during World War II, serving as an airborne communication specialist. After his time in the armed services, he worked with his father, who owned a women’s coat manufacturing company in Boston. He continued to work in the clothing business and more recently in industrial supplies. He was proud to be the first honorary life member of the Marco Island Police Foundation and was an active member in the community. Always the people person, Harold was loved and respected throughout his lifetime. His hobbies were golf and fishing, and he loved to ride horses in his early days. He was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather and uncle and will be deeply missed. May his memory be a blessing. The family requests donations be made to the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island and/or the Marco Island Police Foundation to honor his memory.
Stephen Kutner
82, Atlanta Your Stephen Saul Kutner, M.D., of Atlanta, who died Thursday, July 21, 2016, was GO TO born in Far Rockaway, N.Y., on April 6, 1934, to Herman and Hannah Kutner. Specialists He attended Far Rockaway High School and went to New York University on a swimming scholarship while working two outside jobs, including one as a for all cabana boy. As an undergraduate, Kutner studied engineering (B.S., mechanical YOUR engineering and electrical engineering), and he later worked for a subsidiary of REAL Rand Corp. He was on active duty in the Navy and was awarded a medical degree ESTATE from Vanderbilt University in 1965. From 1969 to 1999, Kutner practiced ophthalmology at Georgia Baptist HospiNeeds tal and at his private practice, Georgia Eye Clinic. He was a proud member of the RE/MAX AROUND ATLANTA David Shapiro Jon Shapiro DShapiro@remax.net JonShapiro@mindspring.com 404-252-7500 404-845-3065 404-845-3050 www.jonshapiro.com
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
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Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons. He served in the Army and Air Force as a reservist for decades. However, after a medical mission to Ethiopia in 1987, Kutner found a second calling in global medical charity. He founded Project Vision, which restored eyesight to thousands of people in need in Israel and Romania. Kutner built on Project Vision to create Jewish Healthcare International, a global philanthropic network that brought vital medicine, supplies and expertise to the elderly, impoverished and disabled in numerous countries, including Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Israel, Cuba, Haiti and Ethiopia. Outside medicine and philanthropy, Kutner was a beloved participant in his local synagogue, Congregation Or Hadash; an enthusiastic angler; a lover of classical music; and an unstoppable wisecracker, particularly with his grandchildren. Kutner is survived by his wife, Jeanney; his sons, Rob and David Kutner; daughters-in-law Sheryl and Calley; grandchildren Miller, Allee Belle, Sasha and Jeremy; brother Lee; and nieces and nephews Janet Kutner Simmons and Ian Simmons, Scott and Linda Kutner, and Matthew Kutner. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. The family asks that donations be made to Congregation Or Hadash or to Steve Kutner’s latest charitable project at the following address: Jewish Agency for Israel, Project TEN, c/o Abe Wassenberger, 4619 Wilmslow Road, Baltimore, MD 21210-5708. A graveside service was held Sunday, July 24, at Arlington Memorial Park with Rabbis Mario Karpuj and Analia Bortz officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
Herman Robert Rosenthal 96, Atlanta
Herman Robert Rosenthal, age 96, died Tuesday, July 19, 2016. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Arlene Rosenthal Gill and Ed Gill; his brother and sister-in-law, Morris and Joanne Rosenthal; grandsons Ira (Lee) Rosenthal and Richard (Paige) Graiser and Ryan, Robert and David Gill; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Herman was preceded in death by his wife, Selma; a daughter, Estelle Graiser; a son-in-law, Sheldon Graiser; and a grandson, Eric Graiser. Herman will best be remembered as a family man, a war hero and an entrepreneur. Those wishing to may make contributions to the Eric Graiser Scholarship Fund c/o Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., Atlanta, GA 30327. A graveside service was held Wednesday, July 20, at Greenwood Cemetery. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
OBITUARIES
Myron G. Schultz Myron G. Schultz, M.D., D.V.M., D.C.M.T., F.A.C.P., a distinguished scientist and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention epidemiologist in the Global Disease Detection Operation Center, passed away peacefully Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, with his loving family by his side. He graduated with honors from the Bronx High School of Science, Cornell Veterinary Medical College, Albany Medical College (part of Union University in Albany, N.Y.), and the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. He was a fellow of the American College of Physicians. He began his career in the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital in Boston, followed by training as an officer in the Epidemic Intelligence Service Program at the CDC and training in infectious diseases at New York University’s Cornell/Bellevue division. At the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, he was awarded a diploma in clinical tropical medicine before he returned to the CDC as the founder and director of parasitic diseases in the division of epidemiology. Dr. Schultz subsequently created the Parasitic Disease Drug Service, which coordinated the release of orphan drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of tropical, parasitic and rare diseases dispensed to physicians in the United States. He was considered an expert on many diseases, including malaria, giardiasis, cysticercosis and pneumocystis carinii. He led the first international symposium on Guinea worm and discovered the first case of babesiosis in humans in the United States. In his role with the Parasitic Disease Drug Service, Dr. Schwartz helped identify the AIDS epidemic in the United States in August 1981. The service provided the drug pentamidine to treat cases of pneumocystis pneumonia and spotted an unusual cluster of those cases among young men in what the doctor later called the opening salvo of the epidemic. He also developed an important resource for travelers when he launched a brochure called Health Information for International Travel, now known as the Yellow Book, to advise about overseas health risks. Dr. Schultz participated in over 130 field investigations, and his work took him to more than 40 countries. He authored over 100 medical articles that were published in journals, including JAMA and The Lancet. He was a consultant to the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, and Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and to numerous foreign health ministries. Among his many prestigious awards were the Frederick Murgatroyd Award (London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene), the Bailey Ashford Medal Award (American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene), the U.S. Public Health Service Meritorious Medal of Honor (1978 and 1994), and the Watson Medal of Excellence for Lifetime Achievement, the highest award given at the CDC. He was a prolific writer of medical history with many contributions to journals, including regular contributions to Emerging Infectious Diseases. He enjoyed working with students and sharing his knowledge. Throughout his career, he trained numerous EIS officers at CDC and participated on the adjunct teaching staff at Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University. “Recognized worldwide for his intelligence, erudition and compassion. He is both an almanac and encyclopedia of Epidemiology of Tropical Diseases. His personal attributes were integrity, strong sense of service, focused intensity, dedication, rare quality of leadership and quiet unpreposing nature,” according to his nomination for the Bailey Ashford Award. Dr. Schultz was a talented, award-winning artist. He loved classical literature, classical music, sailing and especially playing checkers with his grandchildren. He was an active and devoted member of Congregation Beth Jacob and the Atlanta Scholars Kollel. As a loving father of his three children, he encouraged them to choose their own paths and took pride in their lives and their own accomplishments. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Selma; daughters Naomi and family and the family of the late Malka Ida; son Joseph Schultz, M.D. (Jocelyn); sister Faith Zubasky (Alvin); 13 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Myron Schultz was buried Feb. 21, 2016, at Crest Lawn Memorial Park. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
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FOOD
How Many Bagels Can You Eat? If the sight of Joey Chestnut and other Coney Island heroes inhaling Nathan’s hot dogs on the Fourth of July has inspired you to dream of competitive eating, Temple Kol Emeth has a chance for you to take a bite out of that bagel. In fact, you can bite, chew and swallow as many bagels as possible in five minutes to win $500 and set a record for the Southeast and beyond. The first Southeastern Bagel Eating Contest is a featured event at this year’s Noshfest, which returns to the Kol Emeth parking lot this Labor Day weekend after skipping 2015. “We were looking for something new and exciting to bring to Noshfest this year,” said Lon Goodman, the festi-
val’s co-chairman. The festival will feature food, music and other family fun on Sunday and Monday, Sept. 4 and 5. The contest should be simple: Participants will face a big bowl of whole plain bagels from contest co-sponsor Bagelicious and a pitcher of water. No silverware or condiments. No lox or cream cheese. No fancy bagel flavors. A contestant may bite into the bagels, tear them up, dunk them in water — any approach is fine as long as the entire bagel is consumed and stays down through the award ceremony the afternoon of Sept. 4. The National Bagel Association held what it called the first Bagel Boss National Bagel Eating Contest on Feb. 7 on Long Island, N.Y., and 33-year-old
Keith Tuzzolino won the title and a $500 prize for finishing five bagels in five minutes. The prize is the same for what appears to be the first such eating The bagel-eating contest will add to Noshfest’s contest outside mix of food, entertainment and crafts. New York. The deadline to enter is midnight The entry fee is $20, but each conFriday, Aug. 12. Get more details and an testant gets a $20 gift certificate for use at Bagelicious. Participation is capped entry form at www.noshfest.com. And if things don’t go so well, don’t at 15 people age 18 or older, so the odds of walking away $500 richer, if more than a few carbs heavier, are good.
worry: The entry form promises an EMS vehicle will be available. ■
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CLOSING THOUGHTS OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING
The Children in Europe Are Starving!
JULY 29 ▪ 2016
Are you wondering why, when I was just a wee little girl living in the Bronx, wearing plaid pleated skirts with suspenders and sweet hankies pinned to my blouse, my two sisters and I were always encouraged by our mom (z”l) to be sure to finish all the food on our plates? Allow me the pleasure of helping you out. The rationale was that the children in Europe were starving. Bet you never would have guessed on your own. We did worry just where and what exactly was this Europe that would have its children starve unless we ate all the food provided to us. However, we were fundamentally an obedient threesome, and because we did not want children starving, we ate and ate. Well, I did anyway. My sisters seemed to possess the gene enabling control over their food consumption. Obviously, I waited in the wrong line when this gene was being distributed. I can’t be sure, but I do believe Weight Watchers has often been referred to as Shaindle’s little helpers. You have to understand, though: For many years I wasn’t just eating for me; I was eating for the children who were starving in Europe. Although I never could figure out the logic of this declaration, I was not taking any chances on being the one responsible for those poor, sweet children starving. Let us all stop and think this through together. When you were growing up, which one of you wonderful readers thought it wise to dare question your mom if she told you to eat everything on your plate because — well you know the rest? I was a fairly well-behaved, happy little girl; I just was not an angelic child. I must admit that I tried my best to push my parents’ buttons (of course, pushing buttons was not even an expression when I was growing up). How would I have been described? “She is such an ackshen” (stubborn) would have been fairly accurate. The only reason I am still alive, 30 with all my limbs where they were
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intended to be, is clearly because I was so darned adorable. I actually never questioned this mysterious eating custom, not when I could hear those three beautiful words “Ess mein kiend” (Eat, my child) rather than be the cause of a famine.
CROSSWORD
“Exodus Cinema”
By Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com Difficulty Level: Manageable
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ACROSS 1. Lauder of note 6. Game played by some Jews against Moses 11. Begot 16. No kosher animal grows one 17. Jewish agricultural group, with 31-Down 18. Love, to Luigi Luzzatti 19. Movie about Moses’ relationship with Pharaoh? 21. Citron cousins 22. What Stan Lee’s Daredevil can’t do 23. Fanning in Abrams’ “Super 8” 25. A schlemiel lacks it 26. Unlike Eilat roads, ever 29. Country with the least 33-Across, according to the ADL 32. Rocky where Mickey Goldmill dies 33. ___-Semitism 34. Movie about Hebrew slaves becoming the children of Israel? 38. Dreidel, e.g. 39. Author R.L. 40. Like products of 1-Across in the rain 41. Some competitions for Dudi Sela 43. Colorado NHL team Colby Cohen played for, to fans 44. Girl with an ironic name in Crystal’s “Monsters Inc.” 45. Movie about the Jews by the Red Sea? 51. Letters that connect many Jews 52. ___ Ma’amin 53. The tribes of Reuben and Gad, on a map 55. Like many Jewish men in Crown Heights 59. Feverish states that might bring one to a terem 61. Teen-___ (NFTY member) 62. Movie about what the Jews might have said while G-d fed and protected them in the desert? 65. How many feel on Purim 66. Try to win over a shiduch date 67. She, at the Great Roman Synagogue 68. One of Remembrance or Atonement 69. David may have played one 70. Some Maccabi players the day after a game, perhaps 72. ___ Ezra 74. Witch locale in Samuel
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I wanted so much to ask who these children were. How did they get fed if I was the one eating the food? Was I actually eating their food? Even creepier. Never did I dare ask: So how exactly does this work, Mommy? I took it on faith. Wouldn’t you if you did not have to watch those calories (or points, as the case may be). Let’s be clear about something: My mommy did not create this bubbeh meysah (fairy tale). Everyone I knew was furiously consuming food so that the children in Europe would not starve. Given that my dad was a kosher butcher, we ate well. We did not have a garden and did not grow our own fruits and vegetables. I can’t imagine where in our neighborhood we could have created a working garden. We did, however, have Breakstone’s wooden cream cheese boxes, which we filled with soil and placed on our windowsills. We would plant simple things, work the dirt in those boxes and cross our fingers. Fortunately, the grocery store was just across the street, and the fruit and vegetable market was just down the street. Eventually, we no longer heard my mom make this declaration — well, at least I didn’t. I suspect my mom felt I was taking this eating for the starving children far too seriously. My heart hurts because I know nothing has changed, except for the fact I am aware that no matter how much or how little I eat, it won’t feed the children who are starving. Am I right, or am I right? ■
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76. Movie about what happened on the 15th of Nisan? 82. Made like Rachel (regarding her father’s idols) 83. Joseph’s is in Shechem 84. Yitzchak’s dad, once 85. Broke in the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo residents 86. ___ Chayil 87. Disney princess who sang Randy Newman tunes
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DOWN 1. IDT is seven hours ahead of it 2. “Shecket” 3. End of Shabbat? 4. Animals that chew their cud and have split hooves — and antlers 5. Repeated Hannah Senesh work 6. Major music publisher that once controlled Maroon 5’s copyrights 7. She makes a giant when she’s in the middle of goth? 8. Bancroft married to Mel Brooks 9. 60, to Moses 10. Clarke who has a much bigger “Game of Thrones” role than Ania Bukstein 11. Abe (Vigoda) in “The Godfather” 12. Make like David as Sanders 13. Where Elie Wiesel was born 14. King Solomon, e.g. 15. Bashert, e.g. 20. Draws nigh, as to the Holy of Holies 24. Infinity idea, in Kabbalah 26. “Let ___” (hit for Idina Menzel) 27. Drug lord interviewed by Sean Penn (with El) 1 2 3 4 5 28. Arab country S E P T R home to less than 14 15 A L U M I 100 Jews 17 18 M I T Z M E 30. Canadian city 20 21 whose first Jewish 23U S O 24 U L settler was Moses E H U D S 28 29 Bilsky L A T E S T 32 31. See 17-Across F A R 35 35. Like a lulav M A F I 38 39 40 that forms a S E C T T 42 43 90-degree angle I N K C E 36. Where Arthur 48 49 S H E A R S Miller’s works are 53 A L L O T performed 57 N L A W I 37. Jewish scholar 60 in 300 C.E. S C E N E 63 42. Kate of the R E N A S
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ISRAEL NEWS
Israel Pride: Good News From Our Jewish Home
More positive trials in ALS treatment. Phase 2 U.S. trials of a single dose of Nurown, a stem-cell treatment from Petah Tikvah’s Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics, on 48 patients suffering from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) showed over 90 percent efficacy with no adverse effects. Multidose trials can now take place. Cream to heal wounds. Biotreat 21 of Bat Yam has invented what it calls a miracle cream that can regrow damaged skin by working with the immune system. Initial trials have erased scars and even healed severe diabetic ulcers. The cream is also anti-inflammatory and antiseptic, and it kills pain. Dream deal. Petah Tikvah-based startup DreaMed Diabetes has secured a $3.3 million investment from a group led by Roman Abramovich, the owner of England’s Chelsea soccer team. The money will help DreaMed develop Advisor, a platform that learns the best insulin treatment plan for each patient through algorithms and fuzzy logic. Outreach award for neuroscience. The Federation of European Neuroscience Societies awarded the EDAB-FENS Brain Awareness Week Excellence Award for 2016 to the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. FENS President Monica di Luca praised the university for the ways it combines neuroscience research with the arts. Technology training for all. In 2003 nonprofit organization Machshava Tova opened a tech room for low-income Ethiopian children in Jerusalem. Today it has 12 centers spanning the country, providing 30,000 children, teenagers, job seekers and specialneeds people with computer literacy skills, regardless of ethnicity. The first Israeli-Palestinian mall. Israeli developer Rami Levy is building the first Israeli-Palestinian mall along
the road between Jerusalem and Ramallah. His existing shopping centers and supermarkets in Judaea and Samaria have become points of friendly interaction between Jews and Arabs. Renewed ties with Guinea. Israel has renewed diplomatic relations with the Republic of Guinea, severed in 1967 after the Six-Day War. The West African state has 10.5 million citizens, over 85 percent of whom are Muslim. Saving the planet a bite at a time. Tel Aviv startup SuperMeat is developing a method for bioengineering cultured “meat” from animal cells. The product’s tagline: “Real meat, without harming animals.” Vegan company CEO Koby Barak says its “meat” will be kosher and vegan-friendly, will prevent world hunger, and will stop global warming. Planning the new Uganda. The Ugandan government has chosen Tzamir Architects and City Planning of Tirat HaCarmel to plan the massive reconstruction of the African country’s infrastructure. The work includes the building of a new international airport. Israel recently marked the 40th anniversary of the successful raid on Uganda’s Entebbe airport to free hostages from a Palestinian skyjacking. Bon jour. The largest summer aliyah flight of new immigrants from France arrived July 20 with 206 olim (immigrants). The newcomers were met by Natan Sharansky, the head of the Jewish Agency for Israel, who danced with his new countrymen. Virginia trade mission to Israel. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe led a twoday marketing and trade mission to Israel, where he announced an agreement between Virginia Tech and Gan Yavne’s TESSA Dairy Machinery to bring the Israeli company’s Mini Dairy to the university and help grow Virginia’s dairy fermentation industry. Betting on Britain. Israeli online gaming company 888 and British casino operator Rank are considering a joint bid to buy British bookmaker William Hill, which has a market value triple that of either of the possible bidders. Last year 888 rejected a buyout by William Hill. Compiled courtesy of verygoodnewsisrael. blogspot.com and other news sources.
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Stepping up. Three foreign volunteers on the archaeological dig at Tel-Hazor, north of the Sea of Galilee, have found the feet and other parts of a life-size limestone Egyptian statue of a man from the second millennium B.C.E. That statue and a sphinx fragment found at the site three years ago are the only monumental Egyptian statues found in the Levant from that era.
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