Inside: Camp Special Section, Pages 17-24 INCLUSIVE
Camp Ramah Darom’s Tikvah program, entering its second year, fully embraces special needs campers. Page 18
ATHLETIC
For the sports star or wannabe athlete in many kids, 6 Points Sports Academy lights up the Jewish scoreboard. Page 20
MUSICAL
Judaic Mosaic is getting in tune with expansion and keeping the beat in Baltimore as well as Atlanta this summer. Page 22
Atlanta INSIDE
Calendar ���������������������������������� 8 Candle Lighting ��������������������� 9 Opinion ����������������������������������10 Education �������������������������������14 Israel News ��������������������������� 25 Arts ����������������������������������������� 26 History ���������������������������������� 28 Sports ������������������������������������� 30 Business ���������������������������������31 Home ������������������������������������� 34 Obituaries ����������������������������� 36 Crossword ����������������������������� 38
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WWW.ATLANTAJEWISHTIMES.COM
Wrapped in Mitzvot
RABBI E’S HONOR
Words, hugs and Oreos pay tribute to the Estreichers at Beth Jacob. Page 4
MILLENNIAL ASK
Approaching age 30, the Atlanta Scholars Kollel celebrates learning by a younger generation. Page 14
NAZARETH TECH
Alpha Omega’s co-founder dreams of an Israel where her children want to stay. Page 32
ARTISTIC VIEW
The only thing as stunning as the panorama from Donna and Michael Coles’ high-rise is the art inside. Page 34
MARCH 11, 2016 | 1 ADAR II 5776
Photos by Duane Stork
Chabad Intown’s first Big Wrap draws scores of men to the Selig Center in Midtown on Wednesday morning, May 2, to lay tefillin, pray, offer tzedakah, learn some Torah from Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman, gain some insight into living Jewishly in a non-Jewish world from Doug Ross, and, of course, eat. More, Page 13
Atlanta Innovation Honored Nationally
F
our of the 50 most innovative Jewish organizations in North America are based in Atlanta, according to the 2016 Slingshot Guide. Days before the start of its seventh spring festival, the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival joined two-time honorees Jewish Kids Groups, JScreen and SOJOURN, Slingshot revealed Monday, March 7. In adding the AJMF, the guide cites its expansion into a year-round, regional force working with partners and leading the charge on the South’s Jewish cultural scene. One evaluator wrote that the organization “is truly meeting a population where they are and giving them a positive, creative outlet for expression.” The four very different Atlanta nonprofit groups on the list were selected from more than 230 nominees that were
evaluated from June through December. The Slingshot Foundation began recognizing Jewish innovation and judging organizations’ impact and leadership in 2005 in an effort to help funders add creative, effective recipients to their giving. “Slingshot is the stamp of approval for innovation in the Jewish world. Jewish Kids Groups is honored to be selected,” said JKG’s founder and executive director, Ana Robbins. She, SOJOURN’s Rebecca StapelWax and the AJMF’s Russell Gottschalk were among the 25 nonprofit innovators the AJT recognized in July. “These organizations and projects are being run by passionate and dedicated professionals whose tireless efforts are making the Jewish world a better place for everyone,” Slingshot Executive
Director Stefanie Rhodes wrote. Among Slingshot’s reasons for keeping the three repeat honorees on the list: • JKG’s “disruptive innovation” is changing Jewish education by making it fun, interactive and relevant for children and parents and in the process is connecting with interfaith families. • JScreen has tested more than 4,000 people in less than three years to see whether they carry genetic diseases, using partnerships with organizations old (Hadassah) and new (Moishe House). • SOJOURN does more work in suicide prevention than any other Jewish LGBTQ organization in the United States and has been instrumental in blocking religious liberty legislation so far. • SOJOURN off Ponce, Page 6 • JKG’s UpStart upshot, Page 24