Atlanta Jewish Times, VOL. 99 NO. 5, March 15, 2024

Atlanta Jewish Life Festival

March Mitzvah Madness

We’ve expanded our warm welcome.

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To learn more and to schedule a personal tour, contact us today at (404) 905-2444 , CanterburyCourt.org/Welcome, or scan the QR code.

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AJLF Brings ‘Mitzvah Madness’ to Aquarium

By Sasha Heller

It was a “maddeningly” good time at the Georgia Aquarium on March 3 at the fifth annual Atlanta Jewish Life Festival as thousands of community members poured into the Ocean Ballroom to enjoy a Kids Zone with children’s activities, listen to live music, meet with community partners, tour the aquarium, nosh on Kosher delicacies, and celebrate their Jewishness together.

Themed “Mitzvah Madness,” as a nod to the NCAA basketball “March Madness” postseason tournament, this year’s festival featured a Hoop Shoot Contest. After several hundred attendees -- competing in four age groups -- completed the opening round, the top 12 scorers advanced to the championship for a final showdown. Each of the 12 championship contestants received Atlanta Hawks basketballs autographed by team mascot Harry the Hawk. The top three scorers also received cash prizes equaling; first place got $300, second place $200 and third place recieved $100.

Jonathan Kuttner notched the top score overall with 83 and took home first place; Akiva Shuster (72) finished in second place and David Minkowicz (67) came in third place.

Hosted by the Atlanta Jewish Times, the AJLF connects the extended Atlanta Jewish community with local Jewish organizations, assisted living facilities, schools, and camps while offering a selection of kosher delicacies and an assortment of local Jewish entertainers.

AJT owner Michael Morris thanked the community for their support and said the outsized gathering of people served as a testament to the resilience of the Jewish people and the connectedness of the Atlanta Jewish community.

"My heart is always filled to the brim as I look out on a room full of Jewish friends, family, business associates, aquantinces, and people I have yet to befriend," said Morris. "Even with the trials of war, hostages, and rampant antisemitism, to see the community come together for food, fun, music and laughter is a powerful sight and counters our enemies’ initiatives."

The Kids Zone offered face painting, caricature, and henna tattoo artists as well as a chance to meet with representatives from area camps and children’s programs. Also on hand were local artisans displaying their original works of art in the AJLF Shuk – the Artist Market includ-

ed Pollwood Creations, Barbara Fisher, Cohn Creations, and Oy Toys.

The festival also featured a Nosh Pit,

where attendees could grab a quick bite to keep their bellies full. Vendors included Formaggio Mio, Nur Kosher Kitchen,

The lineup of entertainers featured:

Kosher Kreations, Mitzvah House, and Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Toco Hills.

The top three scorers standing in the middle of the back row beside Rabbi Werbin are third place David Minkowicz, first place Jonathan Kuttner, second place Akiva Shuster. The top 12 scorers in the Hoop Shoot Contest won Atlanta Hawks basketballs autographed by team mascot Harry the Hawk.

Atlanta Hawks mascot Harry the Hawk has a special greeting for Atlanta Jewish Times owner and publisher Michael Morris

Children (and adults) could get their likenesses drawn by Mark Mandel of BIGhead Cartoons. Congregation Bet Haverim Chorus

The Atlanta Jewish Boys Choir

Henna Art by EnRapturing Entertainment

Amp’d Entertainment; Atlanta Jewish Boys Choir; Rabbi Jake; Bet Haverim Chorus; Boy Scout Troop/Cub Scout Pack 1818; Scott Glazer; As of Yet; and Ruby the Clown strolled the festival, handing out smiles along the way.

Event vendors also included Lipsey Mountain Spring Water, which provided hydration stations throughout the ballroom, and delicious cotton candy creations from Cotton Cravings.

Presenting sponsors for the 2024 event include: Georgia Aquarium, Morris Family Foundation, and The Marcus Foundation; Platinum sponsor -- Billi Marcus Foundation; Diamond sponsors -- Lipsey Mountain Spring Water; Gold

Community Partners

sponsors -- Northside Hospital, Kroger, Arthur Blank Foundation, Atlanta Jewish Connector, Balloons Over Atlanta, and AMP’D Entertainment; Silver sponsors -- Button It Up, In the City Camps, RoughDraft Atlanta, Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care; Mensch sponsors -- Discover DeKalb Convention Center and Visitors Bureau, Renewal by Anderson, WABE; Friends of the Festival -- Israel Bonds, McKendrick’s Steak House, The Epstein School, Woodward Academy, Laser Babes.

Morris then shared a special nod to next year's celebration. " If you missed this year’s festival, I hope you will take the opportunity to experience it for yourself next year." ì

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival; Alpha Epsilon Pi; Am Yisrael Chai; Atlanta Israel Coalition; B’nai B’rith Atlanta/Jewish War Veterans; Chabad of North Fulton; Chabad Intown; Congregation Beth Shalom; Congregation B’nai Torah; Friends of Israel Defense Forces; GA Commission on the Holocaust; Hadassah Greater Atlanta; Hebrew Order of David; Hillels of Georgia; Israeli American Council; Israeli Consulate to the Southeast; Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta; Making Jewish Places; JumpSpark; Shinshinim; Jewish Abilities Atlanta; Gap Year/Root One; Hunger Walk; Jewish Education Collaborative; PJ Library; Jewish Fertility Foundation; Jewish National Fund-USA/Alexander; Muss High School in Israel; Jewish Family & Career Services; Jewish Interest-Free Loan Association of Georgia; JScreen – Emory University; Kaplan Mitchell Retreat Center; Kesher Torah; Kibbitz & Konnect; L’dor V’dor Judaica; Mitzvah House; Museum of History and Holocaust Education; ORT Atlanta; Repair the World; Shearith Israel; Simon Wiesenthal Center; SOJOURN; Temple Sinai; The Breman Museum; The Temple; The Weber School.

Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop No. 1818 presented the colors.

AJLF Community partner Jewish Kids Group

The Atlanta Hawks dancers pose with Harry the Hawk for a picture with fans.

JNF Dinner: ‘They Seek to Destroy, We Build’

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

The theme of the annual Jewish National Fund Breakfast for Dinner Event was an uplifted testament to Jewish resilience and the good works of the organization.

A crowd of 500 gathered at the Atlanta History Center Overlook Ballroom on Sunday evening, Feb. 25, helping to establish a new record for attendance at the event.

Mark Kopkin, JNF President Atlanta Board of Directors, shared his appreciation and excitement, saying, “We were thinking we could never exceed the 287 mark a few years back, then last year was 400, and tonight, we topped that! Importantly, 100 of those are first timers and represent more geographical diversity.”

Also, at the top of the program, Kopkin introduced the parents of slain Lone Soldier Rose Lubin, who then offered the Prayer for the State of Israel. Kopkin announced that since the recent passing of Gladys Hirsch, this annual event would be named The Gladys and Jack Hirsch Breakfast for Israel.

Keynote speaker, Rick Krosnick, chief development officer, JNF-USA, who began his speech with a review of JNF history dating back to 1901, stated, “We

repurchased our homeland from the Ottoman Turkish Empire.” He showed a compelling slide of what a barren Tel Aviv looked like in 1903 when land was

selling acre by acre.

He announced that, post-Oct. 7, JNF took immediate action. “We had operations centers, vans, busses … 15,000 were

The evening’s honoree siblings were Mark Kaufman, Karen Kaufman Senft, and Jeff Kaufman

Aviva Postenik poses between two Atlantans, Ronnie Amrani and Romy Karin, who participate in the Scouts for Israel program.

moved out of the Gaza Envelope … no one told us to do it. We just did it! JNF takes risks others won’t.”

Meanwhile he saluted the volunteers who stood with recognition, and who traveled to Israel to help with farms and repairing the landscape, “While others seek to destroy, we build!”

Adam Ginsberg, 33, member of the JNF-Atlanta Board of Directors, delivered meaningful statistics in real time. Since Oct. 7, 16,600 rockets have been launched, which translates to 1.3 rockets per day during his entire lifetime. He spoke of recent Jew hatred and pledged that his generation would “keep the torch burning brightly.”

Event chair Robin Feldman introduced honorees, Kaufman siblings Mark, Jeff, and Karen Kaufman Senft, who rotated to share how their parents left a legacy of giving, starting with the first scholarships to high school in Israel and continuing through donating a bomb shelter, and purchasing a fire engine. Father, George, led family pride starting with the Blue Box. Jeff stated, “JNF is

a good steward in all our values.” They evoked the memory of late brother, Richard, who was a philanthropic mensch, and concluded reciting, “Ldor V’Dor,” in unison.

Atlanta Executive Director, JNF-USA, Beth Gluck, evoked the emotion donors feel when they contribute to the right fit for them. She said, “I see the emotion on your faces. So what? What’s next? Act on what works for you.” She spoke of an Atlanta couple who donated to a horseback riding therapy for PTSD patients. Gluck announced that a representative from Red Mountain Therapy would be available for one-on-one meetings after the event. Stella Galanti sang the “Star Spangled Banner,” and Yulie Maimon lead the “Hatikvah.”

The theme of the program was “Livnot B’yahad,” a strategic initiative to rebuild communities in the Israel Envelope to honor the memory of those lost, and to rebuild a beautiful haven for those returning, while increasing the population in this critical region to show the world the unity of the Jewish people. ì

JNF-Atlanta Executive Director Beth Gluck charged donors to find projects to support that connect with them emotionally.

Keynote speaker, Rick Krosnick, Chief Development Officer, JNF-USA, rallied, “They seek to destroy, we build!”

Representing the younger “gal power” generation, Taryn Solomon, Arin Tritt, and Elana Street, came to support JNF.

Kaplan Documents JNF Mission to Israel

Atlantan Alan Kaplan penned a firsthand account of his recent volunteer mission to Israel with Jewish National FundUSA. Follow along as Kaplan details the group’s eight-day itinerary -- including four days of volunteer work -- beginning with an introduction written the day before leaving for Israel.

In 75 short years, Israel and the Jewish people have built a first world country. But we never imagined an overland invasion. This trip is different. Our first three trips were celebrations of Israel and the Jewish people. From the ashes we have created a country that is the envy of the world … Israel is start up nation. It is one of the happiest countries in the world. Israelis believe that they are on a mission. After 2,000 years we are in our homeland. I am not afraid, but I have a feeling of unease. I have never been to a war zone before. We are not touring. We are volunteering. One day, we will pick fruit. You see, many of the fruit pickers were from Gaza and Thailand. They are all gone. Most of the men are in the army. The crops must be saved. One day, we will

prepare gifts for the soldiers.

Do I want to go? Absolutely yes. It is my duty and my obligation to help my fellow Jews. It is my time to give back, and I look forward to it.

Day One

We arrive at David Ben Gurion Airport. While our plane is full, the airport is eerily quiet. As we enter the immigration hall, we are met by the pictures of the hostages. The pictures are everywhere.

These pictures remind us why we came … What do we notice as we drive into Tel Aviv? Tel Aviv is a beautiful city, and it appears normal. High rises are going up everywhere. When we arrive at our hotel, we are met by a happy site. Hundreds of people are walking on the beach … Families are together and strolling in the good weather. But the war and the hostages are foremost on our minds. Placards for the hostages are on every conceivable location. But we feel safe, totally safe wandering around the city.

Day Four

Our JNF volunteer trip starts today. Alarm at 5:30. Breakfast at 6. On the bus by 6:50. Our guide warns us about missile sirens. While we are on the bus, we need to behave like we are in a plane. Put our heads down and stay still. In the Gaza envelope, we have 15 seconds to respond to an attack. Not enough time to exit the bus and find a shelter. Thankfully, there are no sirens.

We are traveling to a farm in the Gaza envelope. We are just a few kilometers from the border. In the distance, we hear the ominous boom of cannon fire. The war is nearby, but for some reason we feel very safe. The border is secure.

The farm is located in an area called Sokeda. The farmer informs us that he has employed as many as 16 Thais. After Oct. 7, all of them save one went back to Thailand … Today, we are picking lemons --100 untrained elderly volunteers are tasked with picking the lemons. Most of us have not only never seen a lemon tree, much less worked on a farm. The trees are filled with thorns. We are provided with gloves and long T-shirts. If we don’t pick the lemons, the fear is that they will rot on the trees. We all accept the challenge, and we enthusiastically attack the trees. Pick the big lemons and only the yellow ones. I can say with great pride

that in just a few hours we picked seven tons of lemons, and they are beautiful. To celebrate our accomplishment, we eat lunch sitting under the lemon trees on picnic blankets and plastic buckets that were used for lemon collecting.

Our next stop is Alexander Muss High School. We are given a quick tour of the facility and then on to our next job. We are building gift boxes for the soldiers. Now none of us have ever worked in an Amazon fulfillment center, but we begin. We build the boxes, and we add stickers and then we join a giant condo line around the gym where each box is filled with coffee, candy, cookies, cards, and even honey. Later on in the week, we will deliver the care packages to the IDF.

Our final stop is the tragic site of the Nova music festival. Over 350 Israelis and people from all over the world were murdered by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7. Scores were also taken hostage. On the street, you can see the black remains of burnt cars. A makeshift memorial to each of the victims is heart rendering. Each memorial sports a picture of the victim along with an Israeli flag. One large billboard displays all of the hostages as well as the murdered. One woman points out the picture of her son. Spontaneous singing of “Hatikvah” rings out over the field along with constant recitations of the Mourners Kaddish. Contrast to the beautiful setting of red poppies, a pall of sadness blankets the field. Israeli Defense Forces are also present to pay their respects. In the background, we hear the roar of Israeli artillery. We pray for the release of the hostages and the souls of the dead.

Day Five

Once again alarm at 5:30. Breakfast at 6. On the bus by 7. We head south again to Kibbutz Gvulot. Once we arrived, our group was assigned many different jobs.

Volunteers picked seven tons of lemons at Sokeda.

Site of the Supernova music festival massacre.

This kibbutz was not directly impacted by the Oct. 7 attacks, but many of the residents left and have only recently returned. Much work needs to be done. Some picked grapefruit, some weeded and created gardens. I was assigned to a painting group where we restored a historic building on the property -- 10 of us who had never painted much of anything before jumped at the chance. Along with us was a local Israeli who traveled to assist …

But the absolute highlight of the day was a barbeque at an R and R center for IDF soldiers called the A team. At the A Team, there are food stands and drinks all prepared by local Israelis. We presented our gifts to the soldiers and thanked them for their sacrifices. Then the Specials in Uniform band put on a concert. Specials in Uniform is composed of differently abled members of the IDF. After their concert, the highlight of the night was Shlomo Lipman -- an incredible talent. He sang, “We Are the World,” and followed that with his rendition of the “Aleinu.” When he completed his set with “Hatikvah,” there was not a dry eye in the house.

Day Eight

Today, touring began with an emotional visit to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. You are greeted by a large poster showing all of the remaining hostages. A giant Shabbat table is set for all of the hostages, those still in captivity and those returned. A demonstration of the rancid

bread and water shows the diet for the captured. Hostage families are providing their testimony, and there is even a model of the tunnels that you can traverse to understand the feelings of intense claustrophobia and fear.

After that visit, we … went to Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem – site of one of the fiercest battles of the Six Day War in 1967 … As part of the project, JNF has commissioned a Wall of Honor. You can honor someone you love or just admire with a plaque on this wall. This is “a tribute to the heroism and courage of soldiers, who throughout our history, served protecting the lives of others while risking their own.” Barbara and I dedicated a plaque to our fathers, Homer Gordon and Marvin Kaplan. They were both heroes and it brings great comfort to their families that they now have a place in Jerusalem … No visit to Israel is complete without an emotional visit to the Western Wall. On this occasion we witnessed the moving sight of hundreds of Israeli soldiers standing in front of the wall and declaring their loyalty and devotion to the IDF. We understood the sacrifice that these men choose to embrace. I tried to greet every soldier as they entered the plaza and there were hundreds of them. This was a perfect ending to our trip. I can think of no better way to say goodbye to our shared homeland. Israel needs us now. Please visit. ì

Compiled by AJT Staff

(From left) Alon Wald joins Barbara and Alan Kaplan at the Wall of Honor in front of the plaque dedicated to the Kaplans’ fathers, Homer Gordon and Marvin Kaplan.

Alan greets IDF soldiers while visiting the Western Wall.

Presenting gifts to IDF soldiers at barbeque.

Soup Sells Out For ‘Zaidie’ Cause

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

For a perfectly planned and executed event on Feb. 25, Jenny Levison, a.k.a. “Souper Jenny,” aligned the sunny Sunday weather and 24 soup stations to raise money for her cherished Zaidie Project among her spacious garden and parking lot.

Starting at noon at the Souper Jenny location on Huff Road, Levison was manning the entrance station with her golden ladle and a handmade “Welcome” sign. Around 300 prepaid tickets allowed guests to sample the soups, beer, bread, and brownies with the benefit proceeds totaling approximately $10,000.

Levison told the AJT, “What a gorgeous day to have ‘sold out’ at our 300 limit and add a nice increase to our annual charity budget that allows us to donate 800 to 1,000 quarts of soup per week.” The “sell out” part was literal, as on the Wednesday prior, social media lit up with folks trying to buy scarce tickets.

As an extra bonus, fans got to slap their knees and toe tap to two local bands, Peach Jam and Cheap Seats, who

also donated their time and musicality. One fan commented, “How did she manage to find two bands with all Jewish members?”

Between band sets, Levison presented the Golden Ladle Award to the top three chef soup preparers. Peanut Chili took home third place; Thai Basil Chick-

en captured second place; and the overall first-place winner was Dill Pickle Soup. Souper Jenny manager Keith Yaeger, along with wife theatrical director

The Peach Jam played several favorites like, “Tequila Sunrise,” and “Take a Load Off Annie.”

Souper Jenny greeted all ticket holders at the entrance.

and educator Mira Hirsch, were pleased with the turnout, and said, “Many factors came together in this united effort. Our staff is totally volunteering. The beer, brownies, and bread (Alon’s) were all donated along with the 24 soup stations.”

Some of the other favorite soup offerings were: Tomato Feta, Vegetarian Lasagna, Winter Veggie, Creamy Lemon Salmon with Fried Leeks, Cream of Mushroom, and Red Miso Squash. Chef Jonathan Butler was dolling out slabs of homemade, hormone-free Banner Butter made from “happy cows.” Not all ladlers were chefs, as illustrated by Jenny’s older brother, Mike, being a good sport dishing out the Vegetarian Lasagna Soup.

The Zadie (Yiddish for “grandfather”) Project is a nonprofit feeding Atlanta’s hungry children, families, and seniors, so named for Jenny’s recently deceased father, Jarvin, who motivated her to cook and get involved in the community. It’s his turkey chili recipe that is still the most popular soup in the chain.

The Project turned eight years old in December 2023.

Fan Lisa Banov, with her mother, Betty Mislow, came to see the bass player in Cheap Seats and said, “I love Souper Jenny and her commitment to worthwhile causes and charities.”

Scott Jolles mentioned that he was into the bands, while wife Karen liked the Thai Chicken Cauliflower soup. Rick Swerdlin sang the praises of singer Tracy Holzer as “the best.”

The first band, Cheap Seats, featured female drummer Mindy Grossman, who told the AJT that she was happy to return as percussionist, having recovered from a car accident in which she suffered a severed thumb and other broken bones. The second band, Peach Jam, rolled through favorites like “Tequila Sunrise,” “Take a Load Off Annie,” “The Boxer,” “Send Me Dead Flowers,” “Ride Sally Ride,” and “Layla.” Vocalist

and harmonica player Holzer brought up son Justin, the sound engineer, for a special father-son duet. ì

Rick Swerdlin, Karen and Scott Jolles were fans of the bands and soups.

Jenny handed out Golden Ladle awards to the top three soups.

Jenny’s older brother, Mike, was a soup server.

Three generations of the bands’ fans: Amanda Winton, Betty Mislow, and Lisa Banov.

Keith Yaeger and Mira Hirsch were happy that the overall effort and volunteering was so united.

Cheap Seats’ drummer Mindy Grossman posed with Billy Balser, guitar and vocals.

Federation Raises $12M for Israel War Relief

By Bob Bahr

The Atlanta Jewish community has raised over $12.4 million over the past five months to assist Israel after the terrorist attacks of Oct. 7.

The fundraising effort is detailed in a 22-page report released this month by the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. The emergency financial campaign is in response to what the Federation’s Chief Executive Officer Eric Robbins sees as a crisis that affects everyone. It has helped to transform the executive into not only the community’s fund-raising leader but also someone who is committed to healing the community’s pain.

“Every day is hard,” Robbins said. “But you wake up and you say, I’ve got to be there for the community. Like, I often call myself the chief healing officer right now, but I’m not even sure that we’re at a stage of healing. We might still be at a stage of processing or responding to the trauma.”

The multi-million-dollar campaign in Atlanta is part of a broad-based effort by Federations in the United States

and Canada that has so far raised nearly $800 million for 472 relief organizations in Israel. The money has gone to support relief efforts in four primary areas to assist the nearly 240,000 Israelis who have

been displaced or evacuated from their homes in the Negev and in Northern Israel. It has bolstered lifeline services such as food, clothing, and housing assistance for nearly half of that total who do not

know when they will be able to return home.

It has also assisted hospitals and other medical facilities with direct care for more than a million people including

Federation President and CEO Eric Robbins moderates a discussion of last month’s trip to Israel by 14 rabbis who visited Israel with him.

those many individuals in Israel who are coping with the loss, injury or kidnapping of family members or friends. Finally, the Federation’s funds are helping to ensure a resilient economy and the rebuilding of Israel’s society.

The Atlanta Federation has primarily focused its local relief effort in Israel in the Yokneam-Megiddo region in the Lower Gallilee, about 25 miles southeast of Israel’s port city of Haifa. The area, which supports high tech manufacturing and agriculture, is a center for the resettling of Jews from Ethiopia and has recently seen several hundred evacuees from the community of Nahul Oz, which was devastated by the attack by Hamas in October.

According to Susie Mackler, the Peoplehood Manager for the Atlanta Federation, the support here has played an important role in rebuilding a sense of community.

“Our people-to-people partnership is more important than ever now that our community in Yokneam-Megiddo has been impacted by the events of Oct. 7. They have all been touched by this war, sending family members, sending children and husbands to defend Israel, volunteering in so many ways to help each other.”

The Federation, says Robbins, also has a job to do in support of those in Atlanta, who struggle to come to terms with what he describes as “Israel’s nightmare.”

“Our mission is to help in every way we can with the needs of the Jewish people in Israel, but we also need to give our community here a place to gather and to be together and to understand all that’s happening in Israel.”

Three days after the October attack,

the Federation mobilized the community and attracted four thousand supporters of Israel to a rally in Sandy Springs, and the following month was part of the March for Israel in Washington, D.C. that brought 300,000 to the nation’s capital for the largest such event in American history.

Last month, Robbins led a group of 22 Atlanta leaders, including 14 local rabbis who visited Israel to experience firsthand, the emotional impact of the terrorist attack on Israel. He described it as a “very challenging trip” that was “tremendously hard” to experience, personally. But he sees it as one of the highlights of his career of service to the Atlanta’s Jewish community.

“Being there with such a diversity of leaders from our community gave us all an opportunity to process the experience together. It was comforting and it strengthened my optimism about the future for this community because we helped each other through it. We came back connected and we came back ready to lead the Atlanta community collectively as we deal with this ongoing crisis that affects us so deeply. So, it was a tremendous trip.”

But he emphasizes that, for all the money that has been raised and all the good that has been accomplished, the work of healing the impact of the events of Oct. 7 on the world and on Atlanta has only just begun.

“I think that we’re going to have to continue to give people the opportunity to come together,” Robbins emphasizes, “and mourn Israel and, mourn the losses that Israel has had. But also, to stand by Israel as this war continues.” ì

An Atlanta Jewish Federation community rally in October to support Israel attracted over 4,000.

AJFF Closing Night was a Nod to Nostalgia

By Bob Bahr

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival wound up its 24th annual edition with a film that echoed an earlier, simpler era in popular entertainment. The film, “Shari and Lamb Chop,” chronicled the life and times of the Jewish-American ventriloquist and puppeteer, Shari Lewis. She started her career in the early days of black and white television with a sidekick that was originally little more than a large sock with a pair of buttons for eyes.

Her big break, which came just over 70 years ago, was a simpler and more innocent time in entertainment. Television had only three national networks when she got her start, and movie going was a strong habit that sometimes meant attending a local movie theater two or three times a week.

Today, those movie theaters that aren’t in reorganization under the bankruptcy laws are just barely hanging on. Only at festivals like Atlanta’s Jewish film extravaganza does the occasion of once, twice, or even daily moviegoing survive.

This year’s run of 40 feature films and documentaries, and four programs of shorts, once again gave Atlanta audiences the experience that a young Shari Lewis might have remembered from her

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teens in the 1940s and early 1950s.

For Kenny Blank, whose long run as executive and artistic director of the festival has made him, according to a recently published list, one of the most in-

fluential Atlantans, the steady stream of ticket buyers was confirmation that theatergoing was not yet dead in America.

“We saw a really unprecedented surge in demand for tickets. This year we

Shari Lewis and her puppet, Lamb Chop, started her career in an earlier, simpler era of the entertainment business.

Kenny Blank, left, with the late Shari Lewis’ daughter, Mallory, and the Lamb Chop puppet at AJFF Closing night // Photo Credit: Eric Burkard

saw really packed movie houses. If you were in the lobby at the theater, there was just a buzz of excitement that reminded me of the magic of the festival before the pandemic. And I think that we are back in a big way, and that people were ready to come together and experience these films in the fest, in the traditional festival setting.”

But that was not to say that the present-day world of entertainment would be easily recognized by Shari Lewis. She died in 1998, just five years after Amazon was founded and a year after Netflix was incorporated and long before the two streaming giants have helped lead the public to the transformation of movie going.

So, in a nod to changing tastes, the AJFF added a week or so of 17 encores of its 40 theatrical films for people who didn’t mind missing all the excitement and added perks of a reserved theater seat.

Blank believes they were only experiencing part of what has made the AJFF, over its long history, a not-to-be-missed Atlanta experience.

“I think we found a really great balance and a really strong new model by having the inclusive experience first,” Blank said. “We have a shared collective experience of a theater, with access to the filmmakers, the film artists, the conversation, the Q&A. It’s a unique experience that can only come from being together at the at the movie theater.”

But the importance of theatrical viewing, Blank emphasized, was not just in the added dimension it brings to the appreciation and understanding of the film. The festival setting, through a

shared experience, also offers a way audiences can appreciate one another better. This was particularly important this year as the community was roiled by the war in Gaza and the white-hot political temperature in both Israel and the United States.

“I think the events in Israel really sort of amplified the spirit of the film festival, which is about bringing the community together to arrive in a safe space to tackle challenging topics, to have catharsis, to process world events, but also just to have, yeah, that sense of connection to our Jewish community, to one another, to remind us about our shared humanity.”

Seventeen of the 40 films in the festival were either made in Israel or had Israeli themes. Many of the top prize winners at the festival were from the Jewish state. Four of the seven Jury Awards for film artistry went to Israeli films or films with Israel as a background. The best narrative film prize went to the Israeli film, “Seven Blessings,” about the family secrets that sometimes entwine a wedding that brings together two families in Israel.

Even though war may be raging in the outside world, there was, according to Blank, an opportunity at the AJFF this year to reflect in a darkened theater.

“This latest crisis in Israel,” Blank concluded, “was another moment where we had to rise to meet that moment and remind the community that, through film, through storytelling, through uplifting Israeli filmmakers, there was an opportunity to respond in this particular time.” ì

Israeli films made a strong showing at this year’s festival. “Seven Blessings” from Israel won the Jury Award for best narrative film.

‘Grow a Legacy’ Plants for the Future

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

“As my fathers planted for me, so do I plant for my children,” was the theme for the Atlanta Jewish Foundation’s Grow a Legacy event held on Feb. 29 at the newly renovated Ahavath Achim Synagogue.

Co-chair Evan Toporek told the AJT during the preprogram reception, “The folks here tonight have made pledges and believe in giving; and Atlanta especially has done a great job of creating a Jewish future.”

Cathy Selig said, “I recently set up a Donor Advisory Fund for my four young adult grandchildren who are now learning the importance of giving back.”

Senior Ahavath Achim Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal kicked off the program reflecting on his recent trip to Israel which ranged from nightmarish scenes to hope and pride. Most perceptively, he spoke of the relationship Israelis have with the Jews of North America by saying, “The support we have sent over is unbelievable. And they are worried about us here. What they hear about antisemitism

on campus … we are showing them how connected we are and encircling them with feelings of confidence.”

Toporek, along with wife, Lisa, and

co-chairs, Caren and Michael Merlin, detailed why givers are being honored as the protectors of the present and future in making helping others a priority. He

stated, “In conjunction with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Atlanta has 600 local donors with $43.5 million pledged in letter of intent.”

Mike Leven showed his legacy of learning about giving early on in Boston with the Blue Box.

Evan Toporek posed with Lindsay Kopecky and Lisa Toporek during the reception.

Cathy Selig, Gregg and Beth Paradies believe in legacy giving.

Representatives Kathy Sarlson and Tamra Dolin from the Grinspoon Foundation built on the wonderful PJ Library, rolled out many years ago, and proceeded to share life events “that they actually stood up for.” Getting arrested for protesting for the release of the Jews in the Soviet Union was an example. “Grinspoon has connections to 900 Jewish organizations with 40,000 commitments with a future value of $1.6 billion.”

Local stand-up comedienne Amanda Marks served as the transition emcee and cracked her inimitable jokes along the way.

“Have you ever seen a Jewish woman as tall as me? How about a Jewish man?”

Next up was attorney Ted Blum who spoke of this recent book, “Calculated Risks,” about traveling through his family’s circuitous path to America, recounting, “Always remember the power of storytelling. Our roots keep us real.”

Local author, restaurateur, and actress Jenny Levison, owner of Souper Jenny, spoke of her Zaidie Project, established in 1999, and named for her father, Jarvin, who passed way just 13 weeks ago.

Levison said, of her father, “He hosted ‘Ask Zadie’ dinners alone with his grandchildren with no subject off topic. Even at 95, he cooked the food himself with 10 different dishes … most importantly granting them each $5,000 to research and discuss their own causes.”

She acknowledged her son, Jonah, in the audience, now 20 years old and who

began these dinners at age 5; and closed, “Dad, we will not let you down.”

A Kosher Touch served his recipe -and Souper Jenny’s most popular soup -turkey chili at that night’s buffet.

Last in the trilogy of speakers, Mike Leven, the founder of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, and inspired by the spirit of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates as pledged givers, spoke of the importance of giving to protect future generations. With his Bostonian inflection, Leven shared from his childhood walking to the Orthodox shul with his grandfather and how on Nov. 29, 1947, they made an exception to Sabbath observance by celebrating on the radio the establishment of the State of Israel. He also explained the moral, if not legal, pledge of 50 percent of assets to the future, so that children know this promise.

Leven set up emails to 20,000 Jewish youths to make their own pledge and review it every five years. He held up an old-fashioned Blue Box to show the discipline he learned early on about giving. He closed by referring to 15th century Rabbi Arami who likened the connection between G-d and the Jewish people to silver threads. He stated, “Why silver? If neglected, it tarnishes. We must stay active and proud as Jewish Americans -- not American Jews!”

Atlanta Jewish Foundation Vice President Lindsay Kopecky presented the organization award to The Torah Day School for its $1 million in pledges. ì

Comedienne Amanda Marks kept things moving smoothly with laughs in between.

Souper Jenny Levison shared her recently deceased father’s unwavering example for giving,

Rose Lubin's Father Seeks Georgia Senate Seat

By Dave Schechter

David Lubin’s earliest lessons in politics came from his maternal grandfather, Melvin Lapides, who ran Little Lap’s, a dry good store in Osceola, Ark., and was active in Democratic party politics.

Lapides once bought an old milk truck, slapped campaign posters on the side, and mounted speakers on its roof. He would take his grandchildren on board and drive around town, the children yelling out campaign slogans.

Lubin grew up in West Memphis, Ark., and across the Mississippi River in Memphis, Tenn. His father, Nathan Lubin, also was active in politics. In those years, a young politician named Bill Clinton was elected as Arkansas’ attorney general and governor, and then President of the United States. “As a kid I went on this path of watching a politician going from the very beginning up to the presidency. Our family kind of rode that ride with him,” Lubin said.

Though he did not foresee himself entering politics, “There’s always been this drive in me to be active, to be involved,” he said.

Two events, one personal and the other

political, changed Lubin’s mind on seeking public office and now the 47-year-old general contractor is challenging incumbent state Sen. Sally Harrell for the Democratic nomination in Georgia’s 40th Senate district.

On Nov. 6, 2023, the eldest of his five children, 20-year-old Rose Ida Lubin, a 2021 graduate of Dunwoody High School, was stabbed to death in the Old City of Jerusalem, where she was serving in the Israel Defense Forces border police.

The tragedy reverberated from the Jewish community in Atlanta to Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, where she was laid to rest. Clinton was among those who called to express condolences.

Then came the Jan. 25 votes in the Georgia House and Senate on House Bill 30, legislation that would add to the state code a reference to the definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Lubin had contacted Democratic Rep. Esther Panitch, the lone Jewish voice in the General Assembly, offering his help in the effort to pass the bill, which had fallen short of approval the previous two years.

This time HB 30 cleared the House and moved to the Senate.

In a Senate floor speech — “off the cuff” and admittedly “not one of my best,” she later acknowledged — Harrell expressed reservations about the legislation and alluded to Rose Lubin’s death.

To the surprise of Jewish Atlantans watching from the Senate gallery — Lubin among them — and the disappointment of many in the community, Harrell abstained, technically being listed as excused from the vote.

Lubin met with Harrell in the days following the vote. “I wasn’t angry initially. I’m still not angry at her, but it made me pause for a moment and understand the significance of what had happened,” he said.

Lubin had four children, including Rose, from a previous marriage when he and Stephanie Keating married in 2017 and the couple later added a fifth to their family. They live in Dunwoody and are members of Congregation Ariel.

David and Stephanie understood that through the tragedy of Rose’s death they had a voice that could be exercised publicly. The controversy over House Bill 30 “sparked a fire in me,” he said, deciding “that I can do better, that in the Senate our district needs something better.”

So, at the state capitol on March 6, he filed the papers necessary to be a candidate. The Democratic primary is May 21.

The University of Georgia graduate calls himself a “pragmatic Democrat,” seeking to represent what he calls a “blue-purple” district. Lubin knows that he will have to reach voters beyond the Jewish community. “What people want is someone representing them who understands some of the

key parts of their life,” he said.

Which explains his top issue priority — transportation. “It impacts my district probably more than anywhere in the state,” Lubin said, citing the effect that backups on Interstate 285 have on Dunwoody, Chamblee, Doraville, Tucker, and other parts of District 40. Economic productivity is lost and the health (physical and mental) of motorists is imperiled.

Lubin said that congestion forces him to leave his office in Tucker — where he is president of Diversified Construction of Georgia, a business he founded in 2001 — an hour and a half early to pick up one of his children from the Marcus Jewish Community Center in Dunwoody.

A major reason for the problems on I-285, he said, are the 18-wheel, tractor-trailer trucks for whom the interstate highways are major arteries.

One solution, Lubin said, would be investment in the construction of additional intermodal freight transport sites, particularly utilizing rail, to bypass I-285, which also would benefit truckers who lose precious time navigating the clogged highway. At present, there are two dozen intermodal locations in Georgia, with about a half dozen in Atlanta.

Of the roughly 193,000 residents of District 40, in the range of 7 to 10 percent are thought to be Jewish.

The community is “struggling,” he said, with incidents of antisemitism that began well before the Oct. 7 Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel but have spiked in recent months. “As American Jews, that is the biggest challenge that we face and when we have leaders that can’t get on our side, we’ve got to do something about this.”

Lubin wants the Jewish community to have more than one voice among the 180 members of the House and 56 of the Senate. “I think it’s necessary. We’re a critical part of the state and we need to be represented. We need our voice to be heard,” he said.

In stepping forward to serve his community, Lubin sees himself as honoring the memory of his daughter. “That is what I taught Rose and what she taught me,” he said. ì

David Lubin will challenge State Sen. Sally Harrell to represent Georgia’s 40th Senate district // Photo provided by David Lubin

David Lubin sees himself as honoring the memory of his daughter, Rose Lubin

David Lubin pictured with his wife, Stephanie // Photo provided by David Lubin

Local Grassroots Group Raises $25K for Hatzalah

By Chana Shapiro

United Hatzalah is the all-volunteer Israeli organization that responds within minutes to any medical emergency -- for free. Hatzalah responded to almost 100,000 calls throughout Israel in 2023, often serving as first responders on site in crisis situations.

Hatzalah depends on financial support from Jews all over the world. Raising money for this life-saving organization was the goal of a group of Atlantans who sponsored an event that was meaningful and enjoyable enough to generate, through ticket sales, a significant financial contribution to Hatzalah. The event was a Benny Friedman Am Yisrael Chai concert (‘Am Yisrael Chai’ is Hebrew for ‘the Jewish People lives’).

Friedman is a popular American Jewish singer. Professionally trained in voice, he rose to fame in the Orthodox music scene, and he now performs for Jews of all backgrounds and ages. Singing both in Hebrew and English, Friedman tours extensively. His current rousing 2024 Am Yisrael Chai Tour with a six-piece band, accompanied by well-known Jewish singer, Moshe Tischler, helps communities around the U.S. raise money for Israel.

The concert took place at the Atlanta Jewish Academy theater on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 11. It was advertised on the popular social media platform, WhatsApp, and in fliers and posters all over Atlanta; once the flyer for the concert was shared via WhatsApp, the venue sold out in under 48 hours.

Many families pledged more than the ticket prices, like the Neil and Sara Davis family, who, upon getting news of the concert, immediately pledged $1,000, giving the fundraising from ticket sales a powerful boost when their donation was

announced at the concert. During the concert, another donor challenged others to make contributions which, when totaled, would match his $5,000 gift. Individual donations from the audience met the challenge within minutes, and more spontaneous donations followed. A screen on stage recorded donations as they came in, and by the concert’s end, a grand total of $25,334 was raised for Hatzalah.

The concert was sponsored by a group who wanted to bring Friedman to Atlanta in person and to use ticket sales for his show to support Israel. Four event sponsors -- Chabad of Georgia, the Holland Family, Erica and Randall Katz and Family, and Carol and Ian Ratner and Family -- covered the costs of the Am Yisrael Chai concert itself, and the money from the ticket sales was donated to United Hatzalah.

Tickets were priced at levels meant to include everyone. The VIP section tickets sold for $72; however, general admission was $18, $10 for kids, $7 for a third (or more) child in a family. More than 650 Jews and community members came together for the concert and sang along with their Israeli brothers and sisters in mind. As one of the concert committee members put it,

tend. An affordable, family-friendly, afternoon concert of Jewish music would check all the boxes, and still give everyone time to go home to watch the Super Bowl.

Carol contacted Hillary Holland next. Judah, her husband, Randall Katz, and Ian Ratner had worked with Magen David Adom to raise money for two ambulances in Israel after Oct. 7. Holland agreed to be a sponsor and suggested the charity, either Hatzalah or ZAKA (the Hebrew acronym for Israel’s volunteer Disaster Victim Identification organization that provides a rapid response to mass casualty disasters.)

“K’ish echad b’lev echad,” meaning Atlantans at the concert were “like one person with one heart.”

In addition to the four sponsoring families, a number of people were eager to join the “Benny team.” Jonny Farazmand, Chaim Zippel, Avremel Chazanow, Shmuel Lokshin, Alexa Szegedi, and Mendel Ehrenreich helped in myriad ways to make the complex event run smoothly. Rabbi Levitt, Atlanta Jewish Academy headmaster, went out of his way to help, aided by staff members Franeen Sarif, Breit Katz, Scott Forbus, Patrick Fenderson, and the AJA marketing team. Beaux Balloons donated festive balloon arches.

Amazingly, the concert came together in a few weeks. It began when Chaim Zippel, Benny Friedman’s tour director, contacted Atlantan Ian Ratner, who loved the concert idea. Although Ian couldn’t personally devote time to managing the tour visit, his wife, Carol, agreed to take the leadership role. She subsequently identified a small group to cover the concert costs. Zippel suggested four available dates, the only afternoon date being the day of the Super Bowl. One of the objectives of the program was to be inclusive of children, so the afternoon of Super Bowl Sunday was chosen.

Carol quickly contacted Rabbi Levitt, principal of Atlanta Jewish Academy, about a community opportunity to support Israel at AJA, and they met the next morning. Carol then called Erica Katz to ask if she and her husband, Randall, would help sponsor the concert. The request was for $5,000; Carol figured that four generous donors could cover the Benny Friedman concert cost and still have a cushion for expenses. All ticket sales would be donated to an Israeli charity. Randall Katz had talked to the Ratners about bringing musician Eitan Katz to AJA a few years ago, so Carol hoped Benny Friedman would be of interest, too. Carol’s daughter, Alexa Szegedi, said her kids would love the concert, and they were certain that hundreds of other Atlanta families with children would at-

Fortuitously, the Ratners had recently heard Eli Beer, founder of United Hatzalah of Israel, and president of the U.S.-based Friends of United Hatzalah, at a synagogue in Bal Harbor, Fla., and they also met a rep from Hatzalah at a Shabbat meal in Miami, so they favored Hatzalah. Ian Ratner called Rabbi Isser New to get his input. Rabbi New and Chabad of Georgia wanted to be involved, too. Mendel Ehrenreich offered to help with artwork and posters. The next day, Rabbi Levitt worked out the details of the school being available for an afternoon concert on Jan.11. Soon, another Israel supporter, Avremel Chazanow, told Ian that he and a team wanted to help. Carol asked her daughter, Alexa, to join them; the group was now ready to have their first Zoom meeting about the concert.

A few weeks later, on the afternoon of Feb. 11, with all the pieces in place, the concert was a reality, and two hours of family entertainment and fund-raising for Hatzalah took place at AJA. Preceding the performance, Chabad Rabbi Isser New led the crowd in the recitation of Psalm 121, relevant to the current situation in Israel. Gavy Friedson, the deputy director of International Operations at Hatzalah United, spoke movingly about Hatzalah’s mission, and Rabbi Dr. Mark Goldfeder, director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, presented an award to State Rep. Esther Panitch, who co- sponsored HB 30, the “Antisemitism Bill,” which was signed by Governor Brian Kemp on Jan. 31.

The concert ended joyously with everyone on their feet singing and dancing along to Benny Friedman and Moshe Tischler’s medley of Jewish favorites, including, “Hinei Ma Tov” and “Moshiach.”

Carol Ratner sums up the experience of spearheading the event, “The opportunity to bring Benny Friedman to Atlanta as part of his Am Yisrael Chai tour was presented to us by a friend of a friend. We love Jewish music and jumped on the opportunity. It was important to us to make the concert family-affordable and raise money for Israel.” ì

A group of local grassroots supporters organized a benefit concert on Feb. 11 featuring singer Benny Friedman that raised $25,000 for United Hatzalah.

TAU Researchers Mark Alzheimer’s Achievement

A team of researchers from the laboratory of Prof. Inna Slutsky from the Faculty of Medicine and the Segol School of Neuroscience at TAU has discovered a method with the potential for early detection of Alzheimer’s during sleep or anesthesia in the pre-symptomatic stage,

Today in Israeli History

March 15, 1972: Jordan’s King Hussein proposes a Jordanian-Palestinian federation encompassing the West Bank and Jordan under his monarchy, with a regional capital in East Jerusalem and the national capital in Amman.

March 16, 1722: Berlin’s Jewish community is reorganized under a new constitution after Prussian authorities issue statutes regulating the community. The Aeltesten Reglement reinforces Jewish communal autonomy.

March 17, 1921: Meir Amit, who builds the Mossad into a renowned intelligence agency, is born in Tiberias. A career soldier who joins the Haganah at 15, he is appointed to head the Mossad in 1963 and stays until 1969.

The shortages caused by the OPEC embargo led some people to run out of gas, such as this man standing in line with a gas can in Portland, Oregon, in December 1973. // By David Falconer via U.S. National Archives

March 18, 1974: OPEC lifts the oil embargo it had placed on the United States in the fall of 1973 as punishment for resupplying Israel during the Yom Kippur War. The

NEWS FROM OUR JEWISH HOME ISRAEL PRIDE

between 10-20 years before the onset of dementia symptoms.

The researchers found a variety of methods that were found to be effective in preventing abnormal brain activity and subsequent cognitive impairment in in an animal model of Alzheimer’s disease, including Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which is a well-known method used in the treatment of Parkinson’s and epilepsy.

“In the study, we discovered a connection between the abnormal activity in the hippocampus and a small nucleus called the nucleus reuniens, which connects the thalamus to the hippocampus. Using DBS to suppress this nucleus inhibited the epileptic activity during anesthesia and prevented memory loss after it. Moreover, DBS treatment during the pre-symptomatic phase prevented memory loss in Alzheimer’s animal model during the symptomatic phase,” said Prof. Slutsky from Tel Aviv University (TAU). “We hope to start clinical trials in humans in the future,” she added.

embargo quadrupled gasoline prices and produced long lines at U.S. gas stations.

March 19, 1999: Playwright Hanoch Levin’s final play, “Requiem,” makes its debut at the Cameri Theatre of Tel Aviv. The play is based on three short stories by Anton Chekhov. Levin dies of bone cancer at 56 later in 1999.

March 20, 1917: Yigael Yadin is born in Jerusalem. After becoming the second IDF chief of staff in 1949, he retires in 1952 and turns to archaeology. His excavations include Masada, Hatzor, Megiddo and the Dead Sea caves.

March 21, 2013: U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a broadcast address to 600 university students in Jerusalem. He pleads for a two-state solution with the Palestinians while declaring that “Israel is not going anywhere.”

March 22, 1988: The Knesset repeals a British Mandate-era law banning sex between people of the same gender and thereby legalizes homosexuality in Israel. The repeal is the culmination of a 10-year legal struggle.

The Israel Premier–Tech Cycling Team recorded an historic win in Rwanda recently

// Photo Credit: Israel Premier–Tech

Israel Premier–Tech Cycling Team Secures Historic Win

The Israel Premier–Tech Cycling Team made history in Rwanda with an exceptional victory at the Tour of Rwanda, as Itamar Einhorn claimed a significant win in the second stage of the race.

Aharon Megged was a member of the Academy of Hebrew Language and the literary editor for multiple publications.

March 23, 2016: Aharon Megged, who won almost every literary prize in Israel, dies in Tel Aviv at age 95. He wrote 35 books, as well as plays, skits and articles, and nurtured such writers as A.B. Yehoshua.

March 24, 1993: Ezer Weizman, a founder of the Israel Air Force and nephew of Israel’s first president, Chaim Weizmann, is elected the state’s seventh president on a 66-53 vote in the Knesset. He serves until July 2000.

March 25, 2019: A rocket destroys a house in Mishmeret, so the IDF bombs suspected Gaza military locations. Thirty rockets then are fired from Gaza into southern Israel. Egypt brokers a cease-fire to prevent an all-out war.

March 26, 2017: Vice President Mike Pence lays out the Trump administration’s Israel-related goals at the AIPAC Policy Conference. They include the U.S. Embassy’s move to Jerusalem and a comprehensive peace plan.

March 27, 1839: A mob attacks the Jewish district of the Iranian city of Mashhad. The rioters kill 30 to 40 Jews, burn the synagogue, loot homes and abduct children. Nearly 2,400 Jews are forced to convert to Islam.

This victory not only marks a milestone for Einhorn but also for Israeli cycling as a whole, being the first time an Israeli champion has triumphed in this prestigious event.

Covering 130 kilometers and conquering three challenging climbs, Einhorn showcased his prowess and determination as he surged ahead in the final sprint, leaving his closest competitors trailing behind.

Reflecting on his remarkable achievement, Einhorn expressed his elation, stating, “This is undoubtedly a great victory. I’m thrilled to have handled the climbs so well, a result of hard work in preparation for this season. The breakaway initially worried us, but once we closed it and I tackled those climbs, all that was left was to gear up for the sprint. It was incredibly fast, but truthfully? I felt like I had no real challengers in this sprint. I’m glad I proved it. There’s no better way to start the season. I’m ecstatic!”

Compiled by AJT Staff

March 28, 2002: Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah presents what becomes known as the Arab Peace Initiative in Beirut. The plan features two states along pre-1967 lines and normal relations between all Arab countries and Israel.

March 29, 1967: Writer Yitzhak Dov Berkowitz, who translated the work of his father-in-law, Sholem Aleichem, into Hebrew, dies at 82. In his own writing, he mixed tradition and modernity and helped bring realism to Hebrew.

March 30, 1976: Protests over the planned government seizure of Arab land in the Galilee turn into deadly riots that are commemorated annually as Land Day, the first widespread Arab demonstrations in Israel.

Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.

Prof. Inna Slutsky from the Faculty of Medicine and the Segol School of Neuroscience at TAU // Photo

Credit: Jonathan Bloom

Hanoch Levin (right) works with Oded Kotler on the play “The Patriot” in 1982. // Dan Hadani Collection, National Library of Israel, CC BY 4.0

Israeli police officers arrest a young rioter in an Arab village in the Galilee on March 30, 1976. // National Photo Collection of Israel

Sarna Discusses ‘Tsunami of Hate’ After Oct. 7

By Bob Bahr

While academics of the American Jewish experience are still sifting through the aftermath of the events of Oct. 7, one prominent historian believes what happened on that day in Israel was an important turning point in the lives of American Jews.

Professor Jonathan Sarna, the distinguished historian at Brandeis University, says that the attack by Hamas on several communities in Southern Israel that killed nearly 1,200 Israeli civilians and military personnel demolished longstanding assumptions.

He told an online audience earlier this month that one had to go back to Russia in March of 1881 when Czar Alexander II was assassinated to find a single day that has so punctuated longstanding Jewish hopes and assumptions about political change.

“We thought the mass murder, rape and kidnaping of innocent Jews, which is something many of us remember hearing about in Russian pogroms was all in the past. Well, that myth of security, I think, was shattered on Oct. 7. And that’s particularly true in Israel, although for different reasons. I think it’s true in other respects here … in the United States.”

In his hour-long lecture, Professor Sarna, who is often considered the dean of contemporary American Jewish historians, pointed out one of the first casualties of the successful surprise attack by Palestinian terrorists was the belief that over the years Jews and Palestinians had developed a common desire for peace.

He said that among those who were mired on Oct. 7 was Vivian Silver, the 74-year-old Israeli peace activist from Canada who lived in the Be’eri kibbutz near the Gaza border. She was the director of the Arab Jewish Center for Empowerment, Equality and Co-operation, but it made little difference when the kibbutz came under attack.

“Witnesses to those attacks were traumatized,” Professor Sarna said. They will never forget the unspeakable crimes against innocent civilians that they watched on that day. Those images are seared into their consciousness. It’s going to be much harder in the years ahead to persuade either them or any other Israeli that joint ventures for peace represent a realistic path forward.”

In America, in the aftermath of the attacks, Sarna pointed out, another casualty was the widespread belief that

the threat of antisemitism that had been on the rise here was a phenomenon that was fueled mostly by conservative rightwing extremism. What has emerged in the months since the attacks is what he described as a “tsunami of hate,” particularly from the progressive left on college campuses against Jews in America.

“The latest Jewish Review of Books has a piece from someone who reports that he had given an interview in which he talked about how the danger was antisemitism from the right. He gave that interview on October the 4th and after October the 7th, he asked the magazine not to run the interview, and he redid it because, he realized, that it no longer was true.”

Professor Sarna’s host for this searing critique of relationships between Jews and non-Jews was Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin, who launched his new Wisdom Without Walls website with Professor Sarna’s lecture.

Salkin, who was rabbi at The Temple more than a decade ago and now lives in South Florida, has recently published his own analysis of the changes in Jewish life since the Hamas attack. In his book, “Tikkun Ha'Am - Repairing Our People,” he writes that, despite all of the heartbreak and disillusionment that the attacks created, he believes that Jews, in their grief, have come closer together.

“October 7 has, at least temporarily, set aside the typical divisions of Jews. Religious, secular, affiliated, unaffiliated, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, various flavors of Orthodoxy, Renewal,

Culturally Jewish, just Jewish’ —in the wake of October 7, it no longer matters. The heart of the Jewish people has never been more broken, but, paradoxically,

the Jewish people have never been more whole.”

Likewise, Professor Sarna, who has published 30 volumes on American Jewish life and is the chief historian of the National Museum of Jewish History, takes a long view of the Jewish past, which shows that adversity, which is the theme of the holiday of Purim next month, has often created a new sense of purpose in Jewish communal life.

“There may well be a kind of Jewish revival that we will look back upon as a response to these events, Sarna hopefully predicted. “First of all, bouts of antisemitism going all the way back to ancient Persia have spurred revivals. According to the Midrash, in the wake of Hayman, Jews rediscovered Judaism, and the rabbis really were making a very profound point about the impact of antisemitism on Jewish identity.”

Professor Jonathan Sarna’s conversation with Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin is available at https://religionnews.com/2024/01/11/ antisemitism-america-sarna/ and at www.wisdomwithoutwalls.com ì

Professor Jonathan Sarna is often considered the dean of American Jewish historians.

Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin’s new book, “Tikkun Ha'Am - Repairing Our People,” came out just weeks after the Oct. 7 attacks.

SPORTS

Weber Wrestling Looks to Build on Success

David Ostrowsky

When the state-of-the-art Eitan Force Athletic Complex, replete with a gymnasium, practice spaces, classrooms, and a wellness center, opens this August, all teams at The Weber School stand to benefit. Certainly, none more so than the wrestling team, a promising eight-person squad that sent four juniors to Regionals and one to States this past winter.

Coached by Rebecca McCullough, whose day job is the school’s director of creative services, Weber’s wrestling team looks forward to building on this year’s success by not only training in a firstclass facility but also hosting meets. And judging by this year’s performances, Weber may have quite a bit to showcase in their spanking new home.

In a sense, the development of the wrestling program mirrors that of the school’s athletic facilities. The school has had a wrestling program since 2003, but at times it has been beset with ongoing coaching turnover and other logistical issues. Meanwhile, many Weber teams, not just wrestling, have often had to shuttle to and from off-campus practices and training sessions with there being no central fieldhouse that can house everyone. But in a half year, the ecosystem of Weber athletics will be vastly different –just in time for a senior-heavy wrestling team to take the mat.

“The [past] season is one where we’re building,” said McCullough, who also serves as Weber’s JV girls volleyball coach. “One of the best things that we’ve been able to do is – as we brag about the successes of the team – it gets out there to the school that wrestling is a sport where you can succeed and you can medal and you can bring home trophies. And because it’s very individual, it depends on you.”

A year ago, when Weber director of athletics Riley Clark approached McCullough about taking the reins of the wrestling program, McCullough recalled how much her son, Matthew, now a sophomore at Vanderbilt, enjoyed the sport when he participated for one season as a freshman last decade. Realizing just how inclusive the sport can be for student athletes of different backgrounds, personalities, and skill sets, she was more than

ready to invest considerable time and energy toward shepherding the fledgling program along.

“It’s a great sport for kids at Weber who may not necessarily see a lot of field time or court time or things like that because they’re working with such a deep roster in basketball or soccer,” explained McCullough, who, as a faculty coach, is ably supported by her two incredibly dedicated and knowledgeable community coaches, Chris Hilton and Tim Bozeman. “For me personally, I have seen especially how welcoming the sport [wrestling] is for kids on the spectrum, how welcoming it is for kids who are just not the loud ones. I just think it’s lovely to have a sport that really embraces so many different kinds of personalities.

“I think wrestling is one of the rare sports that really takes care of its team members emotionally and physically. It’s such an individual and team sport.”

Much like tennis matches and track and field meets, wrestling meets are Grand Central busy with a string of individual bouts playing out under the larger umbrella of team competition.

“Wrestling is a very intense sport because of the quick matches, there’s a lot to keep up with [in terms of] technicalities,” added McCullough, who is quick to mention that she would love to see Weber one day also have a female wrestling team. “You can be winning in points and then suddenly you lose because you get pinned. I just didn’t realize how into it I was.

“The sport itself, there is so much going on all the time, especially as you get to tournaments. There are a lot of mov-

ing parts to wrestling that I really enjoy.”

This winter, undoubtedly a transitional season for Weber wrestling, the squad’s core group of juniors who began when they were freshmen and hope to culminate their high school careers by reaching States next winter (Ilan Berman, Israel “Rael” Glusman, Elliott Levine, Ami Weismark) made life easier for their first-year head coach by taking the initiative to organize off-season workouts at wrestling gyms, spreading awareness of the program throughout the Weber student body, and checking in on their underclassmen teammates who were wrestling newbies (Jay Berkman, Max Kaufman, Aaron Jason Shenk, and Scott Silverman) anytime someone was shelved with an injury or illness. Indeed, such comity among wrestlers in different grades is a defining characteristic of the sport at the high school level as many teams don’t have separate JV and Varsity units.

In addition to the team camaraderie, the parental support was invaluable to McCullough as she navigated through her first year of coaching high school wrestling, whether that meant tracking meets online, helping her wrestlers properly manage their weight (the program doesn’t believe in “cutting weight”), or learning the ropes of scoring meets. Noted Rebecca, “I’ve never met a more dedicated group of parents than wrestling parents.”

But, of course, it’s the wrestlers themselves, who through their unflagging dedication and perseverance, made this past season, one that truthfully

didn’t begin in earnest until after the holidays, a great success.

“Being part of the Weber wrestling team is fantastic,” said Weismark, who placed first at the King’s Ridge Invitational and second at GHSA 1A Area 6 Championships. “We’re a close-knit group, and this past season was a highlight, with a strong squad with a solid foundation in wrestling and immense potential to lead the team in the future. I’m passionate about expanding the wrestling program at Weber because I truly believe in the sport’s ability to shape boys into men and instill a life philosophy that breeds success. My ambition for the team is to see everyone qualify for the state championships next year. I’m particularly excited about the new gym, which will enable us to host duals and tournaments right in front of our school.”

Added Glusman, who placed second at King’s Ridge Invitational and fourth at GHSA, “At Weber, wrestling is not just about the physical effort on the mat, but also about the dedication and hard work off the mat. This past season has been remarkable, with every team member showing significant technical and mental improvement. As our program grows, we hope to introduce more students to this incredible sport. Our coaches have been phenomenal, pushing us to excel while supporting us every step of the way. We’re extremely grateful for their guidance. As a team, our ultimate goal is to be the best version of ourselves and to strive for a state title. With the progress we’ve made and the support we have, I believe we’re on the right path.” ì

The 2023-24 Weber School wrestling team, supported by community coaches Tim Bozeman and Chris Hilton, is looking forward to further success next winter // Photo Credit: Rebecca McCullough

Buium Bro’s Star for Univ. of Denver Hockey

By David Ostrowsky

For the past year, the Hughes brothers (Jack, Quinn, and Luke) have been all the rage in the Jewish sports world. The supremely talented siblings – Jack and Luke play for the New Jersey Devils while Quinn skates for the cross-continent Vancouver Canucks – highlight the steadily increasing number of Jewish NHL players. It’s a burgeoning list that will likely soon include another set of brothers, Shai and Zeev Buium, both of whom star for the national title-contending University of Denver Pioneers.

In 2022, Shai, at the time a freshman and a year removed from being drafted by the Detroit Red Wings, anchored Denver’s blue line in its successful pursuit of a Frozen Four championship. Now, two years later, he and his freshman baby brother/fellow defenseman, Zeev, have the hockey-mad school gunning for its second title in three years.

“We feel really good about our team – where we’re at right now and the process that we’ve followed this entire year,” remarked Zeev, when speaking to the Atlanta Jewish Times earlier this month in the waning days of the regular season. “We’ve been through a lot of adversity this year; we’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs. It’s kind of nothing we haven’t been through. I think for our team, we are ready for anything that gets thrown at us or any team that we play. We’re really excited and ready to get this home stretch going.”

The younger Buium’s rise to prominence in the college hockey world – he’s widely expected to go in the first round in June’s NHL draft – is equal parts remarkable and improbable. The son of Israeli immigrants who married in Israel after serving in the army before settling in Southern California, Zeev entered this season as the second youngest player in NCAA hockey behind only Boston University phenom Macklin Celebrini. And yet, as of March 4, with just two games remaining in the regular season, the San Diego native had 41 points on the season, ranking fifth among all freshmen and first for all defensemen in the nation in scoring. For good measure, this stat line does not include his three goals and pair of assists in seven games for the U.S. in this winter’s World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. In other words, that his freshman season began before his 18th birthday has hardly fazed him.

“It [age] is not something I think about too much,” said Zeev, who before

In what has not even been a complete first

for himself as one of the country’s

Denver enjoyed a two-year run in the United States National Team Development Program that culminated with a gold medal at the 2023 U18 World Championship, following a couple years at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Minnesota.

“I knew I was going to come in this year, and I knew that I was going to have an important role to fill. For me, it’s just following that process that we have here, following my process and continuing to grow every day and do whatever I can to help the team win.”

Denver’s won a lot this winter. After last year’s promising 30-win team was upset in the first round of the NCAA tourney, the Pioneers entered the final weekend of the 2023-24 season with a 238-3 record and hoping to break a tie with Michigan for all-time NCAA Division I championships by capturing their 10th next month. And it’s not a stretch to say that Zeev is one of the prime catalysts behind Denver’s run. While Zeev, at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, lacks the size of his big brother, he is a similarly heady skater who has a polished and well-rounded game in all three zones coupled with deft puck handling skills.

When reflecting on his journey to college hockey stardom, Zeev is quick to

credit not just Shai, but his other older brother, Ben, who also played hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, for showing him tough love during their days playing roller hockey in their cul-de-sac neighborhood.

“They beat up on me a lot and definitely toughened me up,” recalled Zeev. “All those times we played mini sticks in the garage or basement or played roller hockey outside, they were always hard on me. They wanted what was best for me. I was really lucky to have really good brothers who looked after me and people I could look up to and mentor me. They’re both amazing. Obviously, having Shai here, too, is huge and an honor.”

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Zeev’s story isn’t that he has posted such remarkable numbers as the secondyoungest skater in all of college hockey or that he followed in the footsteps of Shai by enrolling in Denver, but rather that he has wholeheartedly embraced his role of championing ice hockey in his ancestral land.

“When we first went there [Israel], I don’t think they knew what ice hockey was,” said Zeev, whose family habitually visited relatives every summer in Israel prior to the pandemic. “Over the years, it

seems that it’s developing and getting a bigger name for itself. I hope my brother and I and the Jewish hockey players of the world are inspiring a little bit, seeing that we can play hockey and it’s definitely doable. Hopefully, over the next couple years it develops even more and becomes a real thing. I’m really excited to see what happens with that.”

Zeev’s hockey odyssey has taken him all over the country – from San Diego to Faribault, Minn., to Plymouth, Mich., and now to Denver. Whenever he leaves college, there will be a new outpost in North America to call home. But despite all his comings and goings, he has retained a soft spot for Israel.

“It’s awesome. I love going there. It’s just alive,” said Zeev. “The people there are great. It feels like home when we go there. All our family’s there. It’s awesome just to connect with them. Every time we go back there, it could be four years later, so everyone looks different. For me, to catch up with them, to see them one summer – with the time differences and everything, we go years without talking to any of our family members – it goes all back to normal. I take advantage of every opportunity that I get to go there and be with my family.” ì

season in college hockey, Denver’s Zeev Buium (No. 28) has made a name

elite defensemen // Photo Credit: Clarkson Creative/University of Denver

An Uncomfortable Question for the Seder Table

“I am very grateful. So much deep-felt thanks from the bottom of my heart. If you have money - donate money. If you have timedonate time. If you are smart and knowledgeabledonate that. Tomorrow, any of us could need help. I wish for you that you will get back more than you put in.”

Much of the audience that came to the closing night film at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (a documentary about ventriloquist and puppeteer Shari Lewis) was, as the phrase goes, of a certain age.

Afterward, as men filed in and out of a restroom, I heard a snippet of conversation.

“We had three channels,” one fellow said.

“We only had two in Savannah,” the other said.

Then they shared a common boyhood memory, choosing up sides for pick-up games of baseball and playing until it was dark out and time to go home.

“No umpires. If we had an argument, we had a do-over,” one of them said.

“Kids don’t have do-overs anymore,” the other lamented.

Life rarely offers the opportunity for a do-over (and that includes elections).

No doubt you can think back to decisions made or not-made (the non-decision decision concept familiar to political science majors), words spoken or not spoken, actions taken or not taken — and wonder where life would have taken you if you had taken the other fork in the road.

There are genres of literature and television programs based on “what if.” What if this or that leader had not been assassinated? What if this or that side had won the war rather than been defeated? What if the victor had been more magnanimous in dealing with the vanquished?

(though the Israeli government believes that upwards of 30 may no longer be alive).

The massive weekly protests by Israelis against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, opposing his proposed “reform” of the judicial system, probably would have continued and, perhaps, brought down the government and put the country on the path to elections.

Antisemitism no doubt would still percolate above and below the surface of society, but we likely would not be experiencing the global spike in anti-Israel zealotry — which too often has crossed a line from opposition of a government to threatening the lives and livelihoods of Jewish individuals because they are Jewish, irrespective of their opinions on the Israel-Palestinian question.

But Oct. 7 did happen.

There are no do-overs.

So, the families of the hostages — including the one I am attached to, as a leaf on a branch on the opposite side of a family tree — live a kind of “Groundhog Day” hell in which every day is Oct. 7.

The families of Israelis killed on Oct. 7 and those killed since continue to grieve.

Most of the geography known as the Gaza strip has been reduced to rubble. Some two million Palestinians have been displaced from homes that no longer exist.

An interesting question was raised at a recent forum with Atlanta rabbis and communal leaders returned from a week-long trip to Israel.

One of the rabbis asked: While we grieve for the Israelis killed on and since Oct. 7, can we not grieve in some fashion for the lost lives of Palestinians — even if we believe that the war, or some part of the war, was necessary?

Miriam Rose

Israeli Recipient of Basic Needs Assistance Post-October 7th

Or, in current terms: What if the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Southern Israel had not happened?

The underlying issues between Israelis and the Palestinians would have remained as they were on Oct. 6, and, yes, Hamas probably would have continued to fire rockets into Israel.

It also seems fair, though, to suggest that not only would the 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals slaughtered on Oct. 7 still be alive, but so would some 20,000 or more residents of Gaza, the low end of the estimated death toll in Israel’s retaliation against Hamas.

And — as of March 11 — 134 kidnapped men, women, and children would not be suffering through a 157th day as captives

Judging by the reaction of the audience at a local synagogue, some in the room felt capable of grieving for all of the lives lost, while others reserve that emotion solely for Israelis.

A friend reminded me that during the Seder, when we spill the 10 drops of wine, it is to recognize, if not to mourn, the lives lost when — as the Haggadah tells it — G-d visited 10 plagues on the Egyptians, who had so embittered the lives of the Israelites, afflicting not only the taskmasters but every man, woman, and child in the kingdom.

We are about six weeks away from Passover.

When it comes time to spill the 10 drops of wine, I imagine that the rabbi’s uncomfortable question might be raised at some Seder tables. ì

OPINION

Letters to the Editor

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

Letter to the Editor,

Here is some world news that made it over top of the Rockies and slid down the ski slopes into Utah.

World class propaganda demon Benjamin Netanyahu says if he doesn’t invade Rafah in southern Gaza, he will lose the war. Funny, in a real democracy a leader is happy with 51% of the pie, but a dictator must have 99.9% to feel secure.

America has its troubles with narcissists, too. Our fascination with selfies has hit a new low with Jennifer Lopez’s full-length movie about her own love life.

Now we know Mr. Trump has five Supreme Court justices in his pocket, and Biden has four. Justice has descended to a game of caveman clubs and wooly mammoth meat cooked over an open fire.

Voters think their personal finances would be better off if Trump beats Biden. So, a man liable for large scale business fraud is the guy to get families to a good place financially?

With all this crazy political stuff going on, NASA’s Artemis moon landing program seems more like an ED treatment for politicians than a necessary expenditure of taxpayer funds. Moon exploration makes it look like America is expanding rather than contracting.

Kimball Shinkoskey, Woods Cross, Utah

Disclamer to our readers:

This section of the newspaper is a forum for our community to share thoughts, concerns and opinions as open letters to the community or directly to the newspaper.

As a letter to the editor, we proof for spelling and grammatical errors only. We do not edit nor vet the information the letter contains. The individual signing the letter is accountable for what they share.

Letter to the Editor,

Unbelievable but true: a bill has passed the Georgia Senate that would use tax dollars to display “America First” on Ga. license plates, a slogan with historically antisemitic overtones. Since the 1940’s, the name “America First” has been used by organizations promoting antisemitism, religious intolerance, fascism, Nazism, and white supremacy.

During the presidential election of 1944, the America First Party ran on a platform that included calls for Jews to be sterilized and deported. Around the same time, an organization called America First Inc. made a patent for a weapon called “Kike Killer” that was designed to murder Jews in America. The America First Committee, an anti-war group formed in 1940, faced controversy because of its support by fringe hate organizations and antisemitic, fascist-leaning members like Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh, and aviator Laura Ingalls. At an America First Committee rally, Lindbergh said that the US should “defend the white race against foreign invasion.” Ingalls used pro-Nazi rhetoric and straight-armed Nazi salutes on her America First speaking tour. And of course, Donald Trump revived the dog-whistle slogan during his presidential campaign.

The sponsor of Georgia’s “America First” bill (SB 507) is Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega), who said the America First slogan on specialty license plates was “patriotic.” His cluelessness, along with the 34 other Senators who voted for the bill, would be bad enough if they didn’t also use McCarthy-era rhetoric to strong-arm the bill’s passage.

Sen. Gooch said, “If you’re not a patriot and you’re not for unity in this country and supporting what’s good for our nation, hit the red button (to vote no) … If you want to put our nation first and make America a priority, hit the green button.” Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs), who opposed SB 507, ironically suggested changing “America First” to “Donald Trump First’’ instead. In response, Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) said, “Are you American? Or are you a communist infiltrator?”

This bill still requires passage in the House and a signature from Gov. Kemp to become law. Georgians can contact their lawmakers to insure a quick death to this shameful bill that is the opposite of putting our nation first.

Caroline Stover, Atlanta, Ga.

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RECEPTIONIST

The Atlanta Jewish Times has an immediate full-time opening for a dependable and organized individual to assist with front office tasks including circulation and subscription development. Responsibilities include customer service; answering phone calls and greeting visitors; handling subscription renewals and development; compiling and posting events online and in print; generating Excel reports; assisting in community engagement projects; and supporting staff with misc. tasks as needed. Direct knowledge of the Atlanta Jewish community a plus. $15-$20 per hour.

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Atlanta Jewish Times has an immediate, in-office FULL TIME opening for an experienced administrative professional. Must be a quick learner who is highly organized, able to multitask in a fast-paced environment, and provide support at the executive level. Duties include assisting the company’s owner and president in day-to-day tasks; meetings; spreadsheets; maintaining calendars and scheduling appointments; handling phone calls and correspondence; in various projects and community events as needed.

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Hutter Named Israel Bonds’ New Chairman

Development Corporation for Israel/ Israel Bonds announced that Andrew M. Hutter, MD, has been elected as the National and International Chairman of its Board of Directors, while Howard L. Goldstein has completed his term as chairman.

Dr. Hutter has been involved with Israel Bonds for more than 20 years and has led various committees during that time. An orthopedic surgeon based in metro New Jersey, he served as chairman of that region’s Israel Bonds’ Medical Division and then as general chairman of the metro New Jersey campaign. He later co-founded the national Medical Division of Israel Bonds and has led many medical delegations to Israel on behalf of the organization. Nationally, he has served on the Israel Bonds’ Board of Directors for 15 years, most recently as vice chairman and treasurer of the board.

“Dr. Hutter has played a central role in expanding the impact of Israel Bonds by spearheading creative initiatives and

and CEO of Israel Bonds. “At the same time, we have the utmost gratitude for Howard Goldstein, whose inspired leadership ensured that Israel Bonds rose up to meet challenges and seize opportunities at a series of defining moments — especially during the COVID global pandemic and the war this past year.”

“Israel Bonds is the most powerful and significant way to connect the Diaspora to the State of Israel and its people,” Hutter said. “Especially at a time like the present, anything positive we can communicate about Israel, and any step we can take to create connections to Israel, is essential. These ways in which we stand for Israel are equally as important as the financial support that Israel Bonds secures for the building and development of Israel’s economy. I am honored and humbled to take up the mantle from Howard in leading this crucial mission.”

Compiled by AJT Staff demonstrating his visionary leadership. We are excited to see what new frontiers are ahead for Israel Bonds during his time as chairman,” said Dani Naveh, President

Berman Honored by Jewish Aging Services

Longtime Jewish HomeLife lay leader, volunteer, and advocate Candy Berman received the Trustee of the Year Award from the Association of Jewish Aging Services (AJAS.)

An Atlanta-based philanthropist and owner/principal of Candy Berman & Associates, Berman’s involvement in Jewish HomeLife, a member organization with AJAS, spans more than two decades. During her time with the organization, Berman has shown transformational leadership, unparalleled commitment, and made remarkable contributions to the mission of Jewish HomeLife. She currently serves as Board Vice Chair of Jewish HomeLife and will assume the role of Board Chair

in July 2024.

“Candy’s unwavering dedication to the residents and staff of Jewish HomeLife, boundless leadership, and philanthropic endeavors make her an exceptional candidate for this esteemed recognition,” said Jewish HomeLife President & CEO Jeffrey A. Gopen. “She’s been a beacon of inspiration and support from senior leadership to the day-to-day care team, consistently enriching the lives of our residents and our entire organization. Her dedication to our mission of honoring our fathers and mothers is exemplified by her remarkable contributions, spanning leadership, philanthropy, and a tireless pursuit of innovation in the senior care industry.”

The Trustee of the Year award is given annually to an outstanding Board Member or Trustee from an AJAS member organization who, according to the organization, has “demonstrated a significant contribution by enriching the lives and well-being of Jewish elderly, displayed a personal commitment to the life of the organization and provided outstanding leadership to the organization and the community at large.”

Compiled by AJT Staff

Kaye, Lembeck Named to Top 50 Super Lawyers in GA

Alyson Lembeck

Amy Kaye and Alyson Lembeck of Kaye, Lembeck, Hitt & French Family Law (klhffamilylaw.com) were recently named to the 2024 Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Georgia by Super Lawyers, a Thompson Reuters rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Kaye was also named 2024 Top 100 Super Lawyers in Georgia.

Kaye, Lembeck, Hitt & French Family Law specializes in all aspects of family law including divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, spousal support, equitable division of assets and liabilities, modification, marital agreements including prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, paternity actions, grandparents’ rights, separation agreements, mediation, and arbitration.

Kaye received a B.A. cum laude in eco-

Amy Kaye

nomics from The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a J.D. cum laude from The University of Georgia College of Law.  She is married to former State Rep. Mitchell Kaye, and together they have three married children and four grandchildren and are members of Chabad of Cobb.  In her spare time, Amy can often be found on the golf course or tennis court.

Alyson received a B.A. (Valedictorian) from The University of Florida and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law. She is married to Gabe Lembeck, and together they have three children and two rescued Basset Hounds and are members of Congregation Ariel.  Alyson is an avid Peloton rider and loves to spend time outdoors during her spare time.

Compiled

Andrew M. Hutter is the new Israel Bonds’ new National and International Chairman of the Board // Photo Courtesy of Israel Bonds

Candy Berman was named Trustee of the Year by the Association of Jewish Aging Services.

Hadassah Launches Petition to ‘End the Silence’

Hadassah, the largest Zionist women’s organization in America, recently launched a global campaign under the title, “End the Silence.” The purpose is to unite people around the world to speak out against the weaponization of sexual violence by Hamas and other organizations in different countries against women of all creeds, races, nationalities, and political beliefs.

“As leaders of a humanitarian organization, our Hadassah members in Atlanta, over 3,000 strong, are personally destroyed by the evidence of how Hamas used rape and other acts of brutal sexual violence during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel,” said Simone Wilker, Zionist Affairs Chair of the Greater Atlanta Hadassah Chapter. “How can anyone justify these sexual war crimes? What if this were your mother, daughter, sister, or grandchild who was assaulted? Could we, not just women but men, too, simply stand by and do nothing?”

“We are outraged that these war crimes have been ‘justified,’ denied, and even celebrated by some,” said Hadassah Greater Atlanta President Nancy Schwartz.

Hadassah is coordinating this campaign with a petition entitled #EndTheSilence. Hadassah is requesting that everyone, anyone, both men and women, sign this petition. The goal is to gather at least 100,000 signatures. Post it on social media. Ask everyone to sign it. Who is not against sexual violence?

Go to www.Hadassah.org to add your name to the petition and to read about Hadassah’s work.

Compiled by AJT Staff

FJC Co-Founders Awarded for Excellence

Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) announces that its co-founders, Elisa Spungen Bildner and Robert “Rob” Bildner, have been awarded the distinguished Hedley S Dimock Award by the American Camp Association (ACA). This accolade recognizes outstanding individual contributions to the camping field.

The couple were honored for their extraordinary leadership, generous philanthropy, and significant impact on the field through the establishment of FJC, which now supports more than 300 nonprofit day and overnight camps serving over 180,000 campers and young adults each summer.

work has been instrumental in advancing camp on the Jewish community’s educational and philanthropic agendas.

Foundation for Jewish Camp cofounders Elisa Spungen Bildner and Robert “Rob” Bildner have been awarded the distinguished Hadley S Dimock Award by the American Camp Association.

In 1998, Elisa and Rob established the Foundation for Jewish Camp with a mission to unify and galvanize the field and transform Jewish summer experiences Together, as co-founders and co-chairs of FJC’s Board of Trustees, Elisa and Rob’s

“We are extremely honored that the ACA has awarded us the Hedley S Dimock Award. Elisa and I began our journey to create the Foundation for Jewish Camp 25 years ago. Despite many headwinds and challenges, we were fortunate to gain so many advocates, friends, and supporters over the years. FJC has made an enormous impact on the field of Jewish camp, campers, their families, and the Jewish community,” said Robert Bildner.

“We proudly accept this special recognition of our commitment to the transformative power of camp experiences and the positive impact our work can have on shaping the lives of young Jewish individuals within the broader community.”

Compiled by AJT Staff

(From left) Lynn Owens, advocate; Simone Wilker, GHA Zionist Affairs Chair, hold signs of support for the petition.

The 5784 Purim Gazette

Professor Essie Fresser

The Atlanta Jewish Times welcomes guest editor, Professor Essie Fresser, who has magnanimously agreed to halt her world travels in order to oversee this year’s Purim Gazette. Having recently returned from a sabbatical year in Tasmania, where she adopted an orphaned Tasmanian Devil, Fresser currently writes a popular column for the online weekly, “Two Jews, Three Shuls,” which discusses current events in the Jewish world. Her 2023 interviews with Jewish leaders about Americans’ views on Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, “You’re So Not United,” have been widely referenced in rabbi’s sermons, on TikTok, and on several late-night TV shows with guest Adam Sandler.

Thumb Wrestling for Hamantaschen

The Dean of the Atlanta Scholars Kollel, Rabbi Dave Silvershoes, will compete in a high-stakes contest on Purim, as he vies for the grand prize of six dozen assorted hamantaschen. He will represent Atlanta in the 2024 Thumb Wrestling Championship (TWC) in Las Vegas, Nevada, home of the famous kosher pastry chef, Fanny Pacque, who will bake the prize. Silvershoes was meaningfully shaking his lulav on Sukkot when his thumbs were spotted by scout, Hy Drojan, who claims, “The guy’s a natural! He has double-jointed thumbs, a rarity among Ashkenazi Jews. I convinced him to represent Atlanta at the TWC.” Rain or shine, Silvershoes practices every afternoon after Mincha at a table outside

the Spicy Peach. Silvershoes’ expertise at the niche sport was the subject of a “Sixty Minutes” interview with Leslie Stahl, who admitted that “I’d never met a thumb-wrestling rabbi, but now I’m a big fan.” Asked if he plans to go pro, Silvershoes candidly states, as he massages his pollex with Tiger Balm, “Winning the grand prize of six dozen assorted hamantaschen is my immediate goal. After that, we’ll see, because I don’t know how many good thumb years I have left.” Standing nearby, Stahl immediately interjects, “To a hundred and twenty!” Drojan has the last word, “Join us in Las Vegas when our man Silvershoes wins six dozen assorted hamantaschen.” A celebratory parade down Peachtree Road is planned.

Peacocks Invade Marcus Jewish Community Center

Just as teacher Gezunta Greps was about to start her Melton class at the MJCCA, an irritating, high-pitched squawking was heard in the hallway. Quick-thinking Greps, while her students sheltered in place, rushed to investigate the strange noise. Four pickleball players, who also heard the din, were already on the scene, using their racquets to chase the screeching peacocks from the area. There were no further Melton interruptions from the peacocks, which were last seen carousing on a soccer field.

The peacocks and peahens had apparently escaped from cages in Moishe Pippick’s Traveling Bird Show trailer as it traveled along Tilly Mill Road. Distraught owner Pippick moaned, “Peacocks ain’t cheap, ya know, and them peacocks always steal the show when they fan their

feathers.” He is offering two front row seat tickets to his upcoming bird show at Berman Commons, where the trailer was heading. Dunwoody police chief, Billy Grogger, who claims to have a soft spot for peacocks, vowed to corral the fowl in time for the show.

Family-friendly Film

A new film, based on a book of short stories by Yiddish author, Shalom Yall, tells the gripping tale of a hapless auto mechanic and his daughters. The play, “Piddler Under the Hood,” resonates with both catchy and poignant tunes, including “Transmission,” “Do You Love My Carburetor?”, and “Far From the Garage I Love.” The large cast, including three actors who claim to know what a catalytic converter is, will begin rehearsals April 1. There is early buzz in the fashion indus-

try about artistically stained dungarees making their way to the runways of European couture spring shows in Italy and France. The Home Depot, which closely monitors street do-it-yourself trends, has already expanded its corps of auto parts experts in anticipation of the expected groundswell of folks who—inspired by the movie—will try to fix their own cars and fail. Hand-stained onesies and coffee mugs proclaiming “I’m a Piddler” will be on sale at select theaters.

For Book Lovers

Mel Lon Balle

Our book reviewer, Mel Lon Balle, chooses his favorite books for your Purim reading pleasure. Here are his top choices, with brief story synopses.

Withering Heights: Slow disintegration threatens a wooden balcony in a Lower East Side synagogue

The Red Badge of Porridge: Shirt stains reveal a son’s secret drinking of Mom’s refrigerated beet borscht

Arranging All The Little Pieces: Chef Mark Bittman discusses winning antipasto platters

The Stronger: A comparison of different kinds of onions

Silent Springs: A poor couple in Poland replaces their sagging feather bed

War and Peas: A son fights hard to eliminate canned vegetables from family meals

Lady Chatterley’s Louvres: A duchess leaves custom window treatments when selling her London home

The Bubble: A compilation of five books about bath time rituals

The Old Man and the C: Elderly gentleman praises his favorite essential vitamin

Feast of Eden: A retelling of the Biblical apple story, through Eve’s eyes

The Ketchup in the Rye: Deli owner tells tales of customers misusing condiments

Gone with the Wand: Broadway actress describes playing the Good Witch Glinda during a blackout

The Habbit: Biography of a second grader who consistently misspells words

The Count of Crisco: Nutritionist lists caloric reasons not to use the lard substitute

One Hundred Years of Attitude: Four generations of the Schwartz family exhibit sarcasm and bad manners

Aquarium Offers New Hamantaschen Fillings

Noted Celebrity Chef Wolfpack Puck encourages visitors to celebrate Purim at the Georgia Aquarium Coastline Café by trying the traditional three-sided holiday pastry with several of his new fillings. Puck affirms, “Naturally, I discussed all my new recipes with my boss, Bernie Marcus, who is a well-known hamantaschen connoisseur, and, may I add, an all-round swell guy.” Puck, who’s known to favor Southern food, says his favorite new hamantaschen filling is fried okra, but he adds that for meat lovers, he’s

created a liver-and-onion option as well as an open-face triangular cookie with a sweet-and-sour meatball on top. When asked about his unconventional hamantaschen fillings, Puck answered matterof-factly, “Truthfully, Bernie and I aren’t crazy about prunes or poppy seeds, so we considered alternatives. We both love my new sardine filling, a nod to our location here at the aquarium.” While there, visitors may also order the sour pickle taco or schmaltz herring wrap, the popular aquarium restaurant staples.

Fran Drescher Moves to Atlanta

After exhibiting bargaining expertise at the recent SAG-AFTRA strike, Fran Drescher earned the admiration of Americans everywhere, who believe she can prevail in dealing with Iran, Russia, and China. As a result of her lauded abilities, Drescher is entering this year’s presidential race. “I’ve proven my negotiation chops,” Drescher says, “Iran can’t be any tougher than the movie studio heads.” Her chutzpah, goodluck plushie toy, and New York accent

bode well for her chances, according to polls, citing millions of voters who are sick and tired of “the same-old, same-old” candidates. When she heard that Elton John’s combined condos on Peachtree Road were on the market, Drescher jumped at the chance to spend $6 million from her war chest and move to Atlanta. “I’m counting on the Jewish vote,” Drescher stated, planning ahead. “Matisyahu has already agreed to sing at my inauguration.”

HOLIDAY FLAVORS

Moroccan Charoset (with an apple for good measure!)

By Debbie Diamond

Ingredients:

2 lbs. organic Medjool dates (can find at Costco and Trader Joe’s)

1 Honey Crisp or Red Delicious apple

1/2 cup sweet red kosher wine (Manischewitz or Mogen David)

Few shakes of cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Cut open dates and remove pits. Cut each date into quarters.

Peel apple and cut into small pieces.

Using food processor, pulse about 1/4 of the dates with part of apple and wine. Continue adding dates, pieces of apple and wine until desired consistency. You will want mixture to be dense and some chunkiness for texture.

If stand mixer becomes stuck because of density of mixture, add a little more wine and peeled apple chunks. If too much liquid, cut back on amount of wine added. If needed, remove processed mixture and place in bowl. Keep processing more of the dates, apple and wine, and continue adding to mixture in bowl.

Once all the ingredients have been processed, add cinnamon.

If desired, add chopped walnuts and mix thoroughly. In the case of a nut allergy, this recipe is delicious without nuts. You may also make using other kinds of nuts, such as pistachios or pecans.

Enjoy!

Chicken Marbella (Sephardic Chicken)

16 pieces, 10 or more portions

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives

1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice

6 bay leaves

1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed

1/4 cup dried oregano

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 chickens (2 1/2 pounds each), quartered

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley or fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

3. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon the marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with the brown sugar and pour the white wine around them.

4. Bake, basting frequently with the pan juices, until the thigh pieces yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice when pricked with a fork, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

5. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with the parsley or cilantro. Pass the remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.

Note: To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in the cooking juices before transferring the pieces to a serving platter. If the chicken has been covered and refrigerated, reheat it in the juices, then allow it to come to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juice over the chicken. This is a cheap and healthy dish!

Boneless Short Rib in a Cherry Au Jus

A special recipe comes from Farmers & Fishermen Purveyors just in time for the holiday. Combining dried cherries and wine, this flavorful recipe is both delicious and sure to brighten any meal. The sweetness of the cherries creates a fragrant dish that is irresistible and will be a family favorite for years to come.

Ingredients:

Farmers and Fishermen Black Angus USDA Choice Chuck Flap 4 to 5 pounds

3 cups beef stock

½ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons each

1 large onion

6 cloves garlic

Fresh thyme sprigs

Fresh rosemary sprigs

½ cup chopped parsley

3 carrots diced large

2 stalks celery diced large

1 can Coca-Cola

¼ teaspoon of cinnamon

¼ cup sugar

1 1/2 cup dried pitted cherry

1 cup Manischewitz or Mogen David cherry or blackberry wine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large roasting pan add olive oil and get medium high heat

Season the beef with a rub of salt and pepper and sear all sides Remove and set aside.

In same roasting pan as the drippings and olive oil, add onion, celery, carrots and garlic and sear till brown but not caramelized.

Add all liquids and dried cherries.

Reduce heat to medium low.

Combine all and set meat in liquid, and place in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Flip meat and cook an additional hour, but at 325 degrees.

Lower oven to 275 and cook an additional 2 hours untill liquid has reduced by half.

Let cool, then remove meat and place on cutting board and slice and shred the softened meat.

Plate and ladle the cherry au jus over the top Serve with fresh parsley on top as garnish.

HOLIDAY FLAVORS

Two Sides of the Same Seder Plate

The Jewish community prides itself on being united as we strive to see our similarities instead of our differences.

However, the community is distinctly divided into two groups, depending on where their lineage hails from -- Ashkenazi Jews from Central and Eastern Europe and Sephardic Jews from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa.

And when it comes to Passover, the two groups differ on one significant rule: whether or not to allow kitniyot (rice, corn, millet, dried beans and lentils, peas, green beans, soybeans, peanuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and mustard). Sephardic Jews allow consumption of kitniyot on Passover, while Ashkenazi Jews do not.

Sephardic Jewish seders differ from Ashkenazi seders in other ways as well. Sephardic Jews do not recite a blessing over the second or fourth cups of wine, while Ashkenazi Jews do. And some Sephardic Jews choose to end Passover with a final celebration called a mimouna, which is in honor of Rabbi Maimon, father of the Jewish sage, Maimonides. Compiled by AJT Staff

SEDER PLATE

*Sephardic Jews add three pieces of matzah to the plate

Happy Passover

The Passover seder plate contains karpas, charoset, maror, hazeret, zeroa, and beitzah.

Beitzah: egg

Zeroa: shank bone

Charoset: sweet, fruitbased paste

Karpas: a green vegetable

Maror: bitter herb

Hazeret: second bitter herb

SENIOR LIVING

Slavaticki Makes Yiddish Fun

Marcia Caller Jaffe

Senior facility The Holbrook Decatur sponsored an entertaining series of Yiddish language and culture classes with Rabbi Avremi Slavaticki, Chabad Decatur, who just happens to be from Belgium and a native Yiddish speaker.

He said, “I didn’t learn English until I was 16, and it’s my fourth language! I grew up thinking that Yiddish was the ‘normal’ language.’ As if it’s not confusing enough to learn a new language, and not just the basics, ‘Oy,’ and ‘Nu?’”     Slavaticki is teaching both the Russian and Polish dialects, the former being from the former Soviet Union, and the latter hailing from Galitziana and Hungary. Slavaticki grew up in a Yiddish

school and still speaks to his siblings in Yiddish. He is also fluent in Flemish, but Hebrew was spoken at home.

He explains, “My Israeli father didn’t speak Yiddish, so we had some Hebrew infiltration, while my grandmother spoke Russian Yiddish. Hebrew is more

practical while Yiddish is dying.”

The series is made doubly interesting by learning about the rabbi’s native Belgium. Located in the Flemish region, Antwerp is the fourth largest city in Belgium with a population of around a half million with 18,000 Jews. Antwerp is best

known for its role in the diamond industry which leads to about half the population being of immigrant origins. Its history dates to the Middle Ages, and it’s known for being a thriving seaport with fine arts. Dutch, German, and French are all spoken there.

Half of the class at Holbrook Decatur was comprised of residents and half from the community at-large.

Slavaticki took the class on a cultural tour and stated, “Remember, Yiddish was only a spoken language for its first 200 years. Then, they discovered a makser (prayer book) in Germany with the Yiddish language’s earliest writings around 1272. And prior to the Holocaust, there may have been 12 million Yiddish speakers, which then tragically diminished by six million. Before that, in World War I, there was an entire culture with songs and literature. Yiddish has very long words, when they added the vowels from the alphabet … like my own name has six additional letters.”

Slavaticki kept the class involved with language drills by category, like expressions that are curses - not just any curse, only health curses. Other categories included conjugating verbs, naming body parts, how to speak to your doctor, useful greetings, and “question” words. Fun was made of why Jews were so engulfed in elaborate curses.

Slavaticki’s choices were: “I hope you get sick and remember it”; “No doctor should help you”; “May you crawl on all fours”; “You should become yellow and green”; “Curse you rooted in Cholera”; “May you beat your head on the wall”; And wait, “He should break his left hand, his right foot.”

“Zol er tsubrekhn a linke hant un a

rek fus!” one student yelled out, “Is that worse than breaking the right hand, and left foot? What were they thinking? What suffering!”

One of the most advanced students, Reeva Katter Hersch, recalled that she grew up in Chicago in a family who spoke Yiddish. “My mother was one of 10 siblings. We sometimes mixed Yiddish in with our English unknowingly, like ‘I need to biggel (iron) my skirt.’”

Many of the common words used affectionately, like gevalt are difficult to define literally.  Rabbi Slavaticki took a stab at it, “Gevalt means, ‘No way’, it’s scary, maybe a flood is coming!’”

Then, there are the melodies. The modest rabbi has a stirring and evocative singing voice. His best tune was, “Mein Shtele Belz,” about Jews new to the U.S., yearning for their Jewish life back home in Bessarabia, written in 1928 for the play, “Ghetto Song,” as tribute to singer Isa Kremer. “That’s it!” exclaimed Slavaticki,” From Belz to Holbrook!”

Alex Hoff, community relations manager said, “Holbrook Decatur is proud to have a vibrant Jewish population. On the whole, we are always looking for ways to intellectually enrich the lives of our residents and believe it’s essential to offer them inspiring opportunities to embrace lifelong learning and growth.” ì

BEGINS WITH A FIRST STEP.

A beautiful setting? Great conversations? Enhanced vitality? New passions?

Phyllis Stallman enjoyed the class about conjugating verbs.

Alex Hoff (center) strives to bring enriching classes to Holbrook’s residents.

Decatur Chabad Rabbi Slavaticki shared his background in Belgium and learning English at age 16 as his fourth language.

Daughter of Holocaust Survivors Opens Clinic

When

Barbara Lopes Cardozo retired from a long and distinguished career as a psychiatrist working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, she chose not to continue her practice of traditional medicine, she became an acupuncturist.

She was drawn to the practice of healing that goes back over 2,000 years in Asia by her own experience. For her, the practice of inserting small needles at specific points in the body to stimulate the natural healing process was astonishing.

“Some time ago, I had some serious health issues, and nothing was working for the pain that I was having,” Cardozo said, “so I tried acupuncture and it worked, like magic. Acupuncture may not work for everyone, but it has been

shown to be effective in relieving lower back pain and in my own field of psychiatry, it can help to lessen anxiety and depression.”

There are said to be more than 400

acupuncture points located along 20 lines or meridians that run through the body. Depending on the diagnosis, acupuncturists insert small, very thin needles along these meridians and stimulate

the points during a treatment that usually lasts about an hour. According to studies by the National Institutes of Health, acupuncture, either as a standalone therapy or in combination with conven-

Acupuncture works by stimulating the body using small thin needles.

There are over 400 separate points in the human body that are targeted in acupuncture treatments.

Bob Bahr

tional treatment has been shown to be effective in almost three dozen physical conditions, particularly in disorders that are related to the muscular and skeletal systems such as fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and arthritis.

The Federal government founded the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in 1998 as part of the National Institute of Health for training, scientific research and to broaden the understanding and acceptance of medical alternatives. A number of prestigious medical centers around the country, including the one at Emory University, have started acupuncture programs.

Dr. Cardozo practices the Japanese form of acupuncture that developed from its Chinese origins over more than 1,500 years. The needles that are used are thinner, but sharper. Needles tend to be inserted closer to the surface of the skin than the Chinese practice which created a gentler needling with less discomfort to the patient.

Interest in what are called complementary and alternative medicine has been growing in recent years. Increasingly, patients who are dissatisfied with the results they are receiving from traditional drug therapies are trying a variety of what had once been considered ineffective. Starting about 50 years ago, practices like massage, meditation and mindfulness, yoga, and Ayurveda, which originated in India, and reiki, which has its origins in Japan, have increasingly been accepted.

In some cases, acupuncture treatment can be covered by Medicare or other health insurance plans. Recent statistics indicate that as many as one-third of all Americans have sampled at least one form of these alternative treatments.

While public attitude may be chang-

ing, medical doctors have been hesitant to combine these kinds of treatments with more traditional medical practice.

“I look at both sides,” Cardozo said. “I’m a medical doctor, but I’m also very interested in knowing that alternative medicine can also be useful. I think it depends very much on the type of diseases that you have. And sure, certain things work very well, you know, with Western medicine and for other things it just doesn’t work at all or not very well. And so, I think, it’s very good to combine different methods for short term conditions.”

It is perhaps not surprising that Dr. Cardozo has decided to establish a practice based on science from Asia. She has lived and worked in a number of countries. She grew up in Holland, to parents who had survived the Holocaust by successfully hiding from the Nazis. Her grandfather and great-grandfather were rabbis and leading religious figures before Holland was invaded by German troops during World War II.

She was a founding member of the Dutch branch of Doctors Without Borders, an organization that was awarded a Nobel Prize in medicine for its working to help countries recover from various natural disasters.

At the CDC, she founded their mental health program that is used in humanitarian rescue programs in countries like Peru, Colombia, and Israel. She has also worked on mental health promos in warring nations such as Kosovo.

In addition to work at her practice in Decatur, she volunteers to provide clinical psychiatric service at Grady Hospital, and she supervises Emory University’s psychiatric program for medical residents at the Clarkston Community Health Center in Clarkston, Ga. ì

Dr. Barbara Lopes Cardozo was, for many years, a psychiatrist working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SENIOR LIVING

Retired Men ‘Take a Hike’

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

Label them “alta hikers,” not “alta cockers.”

Three decades in the making is a mere blip for this distinguished group of retired professionals who hit the trails, rain or shine, every Monday for a stimulating hike.

According to founding member Shia Elson, it all started when a group of OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) participants decided to take a walk after class. This eventually turned into a more formal, planned hike every Monday for the stalwart members of the RMHG, Retired Men’s Hiking Group.

Initially, there were 15-20 participants. As the years advanced and the men aged, some of them separated from the group and became walkers. Currently, in addition to the RMHG, there are several walking groups: The Slow, The Very Slow, and The Very, Very Slow.

Retired pediatrician,Dr. Mike Levine serves as point person for the RMHG, whose group size varies from week to

week – as few as four or as many as a dozen participants. The trails are challenging in the moderately difficult class.

Levine explains, “Some hikers have

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• Walking and exercise

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Companion Care

• Meal planning and preparation

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• Reminders of medication, events, birthdays and more

• Other personalized services

been in the group for as many as 10 years, others have recently joined. We meet every Monday morning and hike in the rain or in weather down to 10 degrees. Only thunder and lightning prevent us from hiking.”

Maintaining a healthy outlook to plow ahead, many group members have had knee or hip replacements, back surgery, or cancer, but keep showing up for treks. One longtime member, George Cohen, is a volunteer with the National Park Service and keeps the members apprised of changes in trails or temporary closures.

Levine stated, “We are fortunate to live in the Atlanta area where there are so many National Recreation Areas nearby. There are five within a 15-minute drive of Sandy Springs, and the group hikes them in a rotation that is easy to remember. GIVES – Gold Branch, Island Ford, Vickery Creek, East Palisades, and Sope Creek. So, if someone misses a week he knows where to meet up with the group by following the acronym.”

The men come together because of a love of the outdoors, their desire for exercise and physical fitness, camaraderie, and an escape from the turmoil in the world. They enjoy the clean air of the woods and the beauty of north Georgia and the Chattahoochee River.

In addition to Cohen and Levine, some outstanding loyal members are Dr. Jerry Blumenthal, Al Finfer, software engineer, Mike Weiser, CPA, and Sandy Schwartz, internist.

The average hike is 3.5 to 4 miles and takes 90 minutes to two hours. Hik-

ing boots, a hiking stick and water are advised. The group welcomes new hikers. Interested? Contact Mike Levine at levinemk@aol.com.

The enthusiastic and varied members expressed their motivations:

Mike Levine (89): I love the camaraderie and the beauty of nature. When I wake up in the morning, I am stiff and have aches and pains. These disappear after about a half-mile of hiking and by the end of the hike, I am totally rejuvenated.

George Cohen (83): We benefit from the wisdom of our elders, and we get free medical advice. It’s an opportunity to discuss the world’s problems with experienced people and we just love to walk and talk.

Sandy Schwartz (84): The hike is exhilarating and challenging. The views, being together and the camaraderie of the group, which includes people with physical disabilities, are added joys. The different concerns and conversations make me look forward to every Monday.

Rene Tapia (85): I am in perfect health. I take no medicine. I intend to live another 5 to 10 years. I attribute it all to the exercise. I walk on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday no matter the weather, and I look forward to every Monday’s hike. There is nothing better to do for my health.

Al Finfer (85): Walking in the woods gives us peace and tranquility. We discuss the world’s problems. I have been discussing the world’s problems for 20 years -- obviously we didn’t do a good job since the problems have gotten worse. ì

(From left) Hikers Al Finfer, Sandy Schwartz, Jerry Blumenthal, George Cohen, Rene Tapia, and Mike Levine

Royak Aims to Tackle Alzheimer’s via Vaccine

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

Yona Royak-Czesler, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology and a member of the Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, came to Emory University in 2022. Her research involves development of potential therapies to diseases that involve accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS.

Her aim is to devise a vaccine that will prevent or even clear these accumulations and deliver it via gene therapy. Royak said, “This research is still very preliminary and so far, we are able to ‘cure’ mice that have a similar pathology, and even in the case of these mice, we need to administer the therapy early in the course of the disease. Thus, some of my projects involve optimizing the therapy as well as optimizing the route of delivery.”

The media is consumed with cutting edge potential cures, against which Royak cautions, “Because the field of Alzheimer’s research is lacking Earth-shuttering discoveries of magic drugs, journalists tend to jump preclinical studies that have potential, and it goes viral, way before there is solid evidence.”

She added that it’s believed that the culprit is a small protein Amyloid beta that forms aggregates in the brain, which leads to a chain of toxic processes, that result in the death of brain cells, and as a result, in brain organ failure. This process is lengthy and possibly starts way before the symptoms appear, 20-30 years prior. This means that a search for better diagnostics, blood biomarkers, and imaging is crucial in predicting who will get the disease. There is also discussion of proteins other than Amyloid as additional targets. One of Royak’s projects, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is examining the role these proteins play in cell culture and mouse models.

Recently on CBS, “60 Minutes” (Jan. 14, 2024), a West Virginia physician showed procedures which looked very hopeful where he tediously routed the bad plaque. Royak commented, “Focused ultrasound approach, combined with antibody treatment, showed some benefits, but the study was done in three patients, so it’s early to make any solid conclusions.”

Alzheimer’s afflicts more than six million Americans aged 65 and older. The disease causes patients to slowly lose the ability to handle daily tasks. Beyond memory loss and confusion, they have difficulty with navigation, grocery shopping, bill paying, self-care, motivation, balance and, in late stages, walking and swallowing.

Royak explains, “Current treatment options are limited. Some people see temporary improvement in cognitive function and memory using medications, but these don’t stop the disease from progressing. The cost in unpaid dementia caregiving by family and friends was valued by the Alzheimer’s Association at $256.7 billion in 2020. Age is the biggest risk factor of Alzheimer’s disease, and the chances to have it as we age are growing exponentially.”

Nevertheless, Royak has observed “superagers,” in their 90s to 100s, who have no symptoms. Researchers look for reasons these people are “protected,” genetically and environmentally. So far, only education, healthy heart, healthy weight, and physical activity correlate with better outcomes.

As interesting personal history, Yona was born to a

family of refuseniks in Bendery, Moldova, a small town which was predominantly Jewish at the turn of the 20th century. When the USSR invaded Bessarabia and annexed Moldova in 1940, and after World War II, it was a mix of Russians, Ukrainians, Moldavians, Jews, and others.

She elaborated, “Life in Moldova was very similar to life in any of the other Soviet republics behind the Iron Curtain – poor, simple, with limited to no access to the first world comforts or information.”

Her parents studied Hebrew and celebrated Jewish holidays; but it was illegal, and they were persecuted. In

1988, with Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms and the further fall of the Soviet Union, the family left for Israel. She went to high school in Haifa, served 2.5 years in IDF, completed undergraduate and graduate studies in Technion, and received a PhD in neuroscience in 2002 when she immigrated to the U.S. to pursue her postdoctoral fellowship at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville.

After a faculty position at the University of Florida Department of Neuroscience, she joined Emory where she mentors undergraduate and graduate students, and post docs. ì

DINING

Peach State Pizza Sweeps East Cobb

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

With a flair for business and a good sugo, native Atlantan brothers Michael and David Cohen opened Peach State Pizza in January with vital skills that they bring to the table.

David said, “We were fortunate to find a great location at Avenue East Cobb. As for the name, we wanted it to reflect the local community and highlight locally sourced ingredients for our pizza toppings,” referring to the fresh vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Partnering with ZSpace interior design and RCR Construction, the goal was to create an inviting space accented with Southern charm. Starting the process in 2021, selecting the right location, and navigating COVID slowed the well thought out launch a bit.

Peach State has an open dining room, wood ceilings, a variety of splashy chandeliers, live edge wood tables, peach crates over the full bar, and themed art on the walls. In front of the oven is a large window showcasing the pizza-making process as part of the customer experience. Guests see into the kitchen to watch bakers prepping pies and “working them” in the wood fire oven. The restaurant has space for about 135 guests with 95 in the interior. An inside/outside bar with a retractable window is part of the back patio and sits adjacent to the center’s new courtyard. The courtyard is one of the new upgrades/renovations of the center and features a stage with a large screen for events, a fire pit, a lawn, and plenty of comfortable outdoor seating. On a Saturday night, we saw a swath of families having a convivial time.

Peach State employs about 30 fulltime and 10 part-time associates. Their

most popular menu items are:

Heirloom Tomato Pie (tomato basil fondue, house made fresh mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, fresh basil); Butternut Squash Pie (butternut squash, caramelized onions, fire roasted mushrooms, fontina, with a collard green and pecan pesto); Pimento Cheese Grit Fritters, and freshly made lemonades. Roasted veggies are a good accompaniment and are also offered as a “sammy” for $12. The poached pear arugula salad ($13) is a good beginning as is the anchovy-less caesar salad ($10) which was light on the dressing, but replete with fresh shaved parmesan. Specialty pizzas are around $16, sized for two people. A build-your-own pie starts at $12.

Peach State has an extensive libation menu. Michael said. “Cocktails reflect our Southern style with drinks like

Front Porch Swing (Bustletown Vodka, fresh-pressed hibiscus ginger lemonade, Pimm’s). We also have 16 beers on tap, many locally sourced (Sweetwater, Terrapin, Creature Comforts, New Realm, Wild Leap, a few taps rotate seasonally.” Some of the curated wines include: Pet Nat Ercole  – Italy; Orin Swift Blank Stare Sauvignon Blanc – California; and Château d’Oupia Les Hérétiques – France.

David is a pizza restaurant veteran of 15-plus years and held roles of increasing responsibility from entry level to general manager of a high-volume location. Michael has spent his career of 20-plus years at various Atlanta-based corporate headquarters with a specialty in supply chain and transportation. His experience in starting up new operations has helped forge this new concept.

Now at Peach State, David, as the general manager/operator of the restaurant, is able to leverage his operational knowledge from his many years in the restaurant industry. Michael utilizes his

project management skills to help the team stay organized through an almost three-year process to develop the concept and bring it to life. Currently, David oversees the management team which consists of the head chef, kitchen manager, bar manager, and service manager and the day-to-day operations. Michael pitches in with operational support, finance, accounting, and IT management.

Michael and David are lifelong members of Ahavath Achim synagogue, and both attended North Springs High School. Michael completed his bachelors and MBA at Georgia Tech, and David attended Oglethorpe University. David currently resides in East Cobb with wife, Julie, and two children. Michael lives in Sandy Springs with his wife, Avital, and three kids. The brothers play tennis together on their neighborhood ALTA team.

Check out the menu which is well beyond “just another pizza place.” Peach State is at 4475 Roswell Road. Free parking out front. 678-403-8404. ì

The open serving station gives guests a view of the bakers working the oven.

Brothers, David and Michael Cohen, started in 2021 to arrive at just the right location, menu and design.

David presents some of the salads: caesar and poached pear.

The Farm Pizza features foraged mushrooms, green garlic, and basil pistou.

The roasted vegetables make for a great side or sandwich.

Simcha Announcements

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Wedding Announcement

Hotz-Siegel

We are thrilled to announce the marriage of Liat Hotz, daughter of Joey and Carla Hotz, to David Siegel, son of Dawn and Michael Siegel, all of Atlanta. The two were married on Nov. 5, 2023, in a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Grant Hill Farms in Commerce, Ga., with the chuppah being officiated by Rabbi Feldman.

The farm venue was magnificent and was perfect for this adventure-filled, fun loving and outdoorsy duo. May their lives always be filled with much love, health, nachas, and many great adventures!

Thanks to our superb vendors: Alexa Spathelf - Alexa Eve Events; Eli Brafman -EB Catering; David Diener –Atlanta Artistic Weddings; Su-Lin Timberman – Florals by Su-Lin/Epting Events; Theresea Stone – makeup artist; Dalton for Hair; Party Express; Daniel Wenger –Chuppah Singer; Jamie Bouchard - Grant Hill Farms.

CALENDAR

MARCH 15 – MARCH 24

Alefbet Preschool Silent Auction - The Alefbet Preschool is an invitingly warm preschool where the children are engaged in rich and creative learning opportunities, where our educators nurture every child, where we build each child’s sense of self, and where children receive strong and enduring Jewish values. Bid on incredible items and help support a great cause! We have everything from experiences to gift cards. Our auction will run to March 24th, so don’t wait and bid today! See the Auction at https://bit. ly/3V5H325.

MARCH 18 – APRIL 1

The Tasting Card - JF&CS is excited to announce the return of The Tasting Card, a discount card to all your favorite restaurants, caterers, and specialty foods around the Metro-Atlanta area. The Tasting Card benefits the Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Services (IDDS) of Jewish Family & Career Services (JF&CS). We provide supportive programming to adults with disabilities so they may live fulfilling lives as independently as possible while supporting their families and caregivers. Purchase at https://bit. ly/49AYmMM.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

Tot Shabbat - 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tot Shabbat at Congregation Dor Tamid is a Shabbat Program geared for children to laugh, meet new children, make new friends, and explore the wonders of Judaism in an exciting fun way! The service is filled with songs, prayers, blessings, stories, snacks, and a place where a kid can be a kid when they pray to God. RSVP at https:// bit.ly/3rBmduN.

Pink Shabbat - 7:30 p.m. Join Congregation Dor Tamid for Pink Shabbat. For Breast and Ovarian Cancer Awareness. Don’t forget to wear Pink! Learn more at https://bit.ly/432ohug.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

Water Drop Dash 5K and Fun Run - 7 to 10 a.m. The 12th Annual Water Drop Dash 5K is a FLAT and FAST course along the banks of the beautiful Chattahoochee River in Roswell, Georgia! In conjunction with EPA’s WaterSense Fix a Leak Week, the run and post-race water festival encourage metro Atlanta residents to check their plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems and conserve water. All proceeds from the Water Drop Dash support water conservation education. Sign up at https://bit.ly/3P1YKvH.

MARCH 15-30

Adult Havdalah Purim Carnival - 8 to 11 p.m. All the fun of a kids carnival... but without the kids. Pop-a-Shot, Ringo, Plinko, food, bev, door prizes and games. Costumes aren’t required at Congregation Or Hadash, but STRONGLY encouraged. There will be no Megillah reading at this Erev St. Patrick’s Day event. RSVP at https://bit.ly/48H5RR1.

Into the Woods Jr.- Jerry’s Habima

Theatre - 8:30 p.m. Into the Woods Jr. is a whimsically enticing adventure, weaving together the stories of some of your favorite storybook characters including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, a cunning Wolf, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and a Baker and his Wife who have been cursed by a Witch. Their journeys intertwine as they embark on their magical adventures into the woods in search of their happily ever-afters. Purchase Tickets at https://bit.ly/3uuu6nN.

Sisterhood Shabbat- 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Join Congregation OrVe Shalom for a Sisterhood Shabbat. To participate visit https://bit.ly/48GI5EO.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17

Kabbalah and Calisthenics - 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Join Chabad Intown for a Kabbalah & Calisthenics women’s only class, designed to nurture both your body and soul. Led by experienced instructors, this class will be a unique blend of fitness and spiritual growth. Our Pound fit classes are music-driven and drumming-inspired workouts, led by KaToya Sumners, while yoga will be taught by the skilled Reyzel Deitsch. Register at https://bit. ly/3wMi2i8.

Steam Sunday - 10 to 11:30 a.m. Families with children in PreK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade are invited to join us at Epstein for a Purim themed STEAM event! Register at https://bit.ly/3UZ3pSK.

PJ Library Purim Grandparent Program - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. All children ages 2-10 and their Grandparents are invited for a fun morning of hands-on activities to celebrate Purim. Join the fun at https:// bit.ly/49PGzRM.

Tot Shabbat - 11 to 11:45 a.m. Join Rabbi Lauren from Congregation Or Hadash and families of kids ages 0-4 for Tot Shabbat, a magical, musical, playful gathering celebrating Shabbat together. We’ll tell stories, sing prayers and songs, move our bodies, and revel in the wonder of togetherness and love. Stick around for kiddush lunch to follow! Find out more at https:// bit.ly/3SI4o8k.

32nd Annual Atlanta Purim Parade & Festival – 12 to 3:30 p.m. Don’t miss Atlanta’s most well-loved tradition for over 30 years – Beth Jacob's Atlanta Purim Parade & Festival on Lavista Road! The fun starts with a parade with costumed marchers and decorated floats traveling down Lavista Road from Houston Mill, culminating in an outdoor festival on Beth Jacob’s outdoor campus. Enjoy carnival rides, food trucks, music, entertainment, and so much more! Learn more at https://bit.ly/49Sb7T5.

Into the Woods Jr.- Jerry’s Habima Theatre – 1 and 6 p.m. Into the Woods Jr. is a whimsically enticing adventure, weaving together the stories of some of your favorite storybook characters including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, a cunning Wolf, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and a Baker and his Wife who have been cursed by a Witch. Their journeys intertwine as they embark on their magical adventures into the woods in search of their happily ever-afters. Purchase Tickets at https://bit.ly/3uuu6nN.

Bake It Forward Hamantash Bake - 2 to 3:30 p.m. Bake with the residents at Berman Commons, little bakers get ready! Family Hamantash Bake with the residents at Berman Commons. Make and shape delicious treats for you to enjoy and share. Register with the Mitzvah House at https://bit.ly/4a1B2rk.

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES

Torah Reading: Pekudei

Friday, March 15 Adar II 5, 5784 Light Candles at: 7:28 PM

Saturday, March 16 Adar II 6, 5784 Shabbat Ends: 8:23 PM

Torah Reading: Vayikra

Friday, March 22 Adar II 12, 5784 Light Candles at: 7:33 PM

Saturday, March 23 Adar II 13, 5784 Shabbat Ends: 8:29 PM

Torah Reading: Tzav

Friday, March 29 Adar II 19, 5784 Light Candles at: 7:38 PM

Saturday, March 30 Adar II 20, 5784 Shabbat Ends: 8:35 PM

Temple Chamber Players Concert Series - 3 to 5 p.m. The Temple is one of Atlanta’s most historic institutions with the most innovative production capability— making it the perfect setting for timeless classical chamber repertoire dynamically reimagined in a new series bringing together the city’s finest artists with renowned international instrumentalists in a visually stunning space. Purchase Tickets at https://bit.ly/49uCzX8.

Braid and Bake with the Challah Prince - 4:30 p.m. Idan Chabasov was born and raised in Tel Aviv and has always been an artist. Idan’s mission is to bring art into the baking world and demonstrate the beauty of every piece of challah. Join Congregation B’nai Torah and purchase tickets at https://bit. ly/3wCPGXO.

An Evening with the Bill Charlap Trio – 7 p.m. The season crescendos with An Evening with the Bill Charlap Trio. Piano virtuoso and Grammy-Award-Winner Bill Charlap will lead an unforgettable night of music, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of all who attend. Purchase tickets with Neranenah Concert & Culture Series at https://bit.ly/3T2ikJg.

MONDAY, MARCH 18

Jewish Women’s Inspirational Night - 7 to 9 p.m. Join Chabad of North Fulton for our annual women’s evening with great food, drinks, and inspiration. Get more information at https://bit.ly/42Y4bBE.

“Singing the Land: Hebrew Music and Early Zionism in America” Book Launch w/ author Dr. Eli Sperling7:00 - 8:15 p.m. All are welcome to attend the book launch of Dr. Eli Sperling, Israel Institute Teaching Fellow at the University of Georgia. "Singing the Land" offers a new take on the rise of Zionism in the U.S. focused on music and culture. Light refreshments will be served afterward. RSVP at https://bit.ly/3v0AMdn.

Mocha Mondays at Etz Chaim - 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. Monthly, coffee, and breakfast with the rabbi, accompanied by the Talmud’s greatest hits! Learn more at https:// bit.ly/42AZc9S.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

How To Avoid Swindlers, Scams, And Schemes - 1 to 3 p.m. Protect yourself and your loved ones. Each year, thousands of consumers fall victim to fraudulent schemes or con games, losing anywhere from a few dollars to thousands. Con artists are skilled at preying on both our fears and our best instincts: we want to help someone in a jam, we don’t want to get someone into trouble, we want to be able to provide for our families. Join the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, AgeWell Atlanta, and Jewish HomeLife by registering at https://bit.ly/3v8vqg9.

Shining A Light on The Transition to High School - 7 to 9 p.m. Are you nervous about your child’s transition to high school? Let us help support you and your teen through the process. Join JumpSpark, Atlanta’s Jewish teen initiative, and our community partners for an evening of information sharing, resource collection and connection with fellow parents of 7th to 9th grade students. Participants will leave with a toolkit of resources that will help guide them and their teens through the transition and help alleviate undue stress on their families. Register at https://bit.ly/3V5HsS9.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

ACT Session - 12 to 2 p.m. Gathering for JWFA’s 5th cohort of the Agents of Change Training (ACT) program. Learn more at https://bit.ly/45RyhYE.

Discover Surprises Hidden in Your Roots- Genealogy - 7 to 9 p.m. Learn how to research your family tree and discover your roots with Congregation Etz Chaim. Register at https://bit.ly/3SWAWKQ.

MJCCA Book Festival Presents Brett Gelman - 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Enter the wonderfully weird, always uncomfortable, side-splittingly funny world of The Terrifying Realm of the Possible, where your worst fears of who you are or might become are always just around the corner. In these masterful short stories from the singular mind of the actor and comedian Brett Gelman, you’ll meet five individuals, each navigating a uniquely strange stage of life. Purchase Tickets at https:// bit.ly/3uZCewE.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

Shabbat, Me, & Rabbi G - 5 to 5:30 p.m. Join us in the JCC lobby for this fun monthly Shabbat celebration with Rabbi G! Children will enjoy Shabbat songs, blessings, challah, and grape juice with their friends. All are welcome to this free and open event! Learn more at https://bit. ly/3sknPdh.

Sephardic Heritage Erev Shabbat - 5:30 to 8 p.m. This special Erev Shabbat includes songs before candle-lighting with Ladino singer and author Sara Aroeste, Erev Shabbat Services, and dinner immediately following services. Featuring recipes by Sephardic Chef Susan Barocas and prepared by Chef Alex. Register at Congregation Or Ve Shalom at https://bit. ly/3TlUhGM.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

Savor Kiddush - 8:45 a.m. Join Congregation Or VeShalom for Kiddush following Saturday morning services on March 23. Kiddush will feature recipes by Susan Barocas and prepared by Chef Alex. RSVP at https://bit.ly/3uXXR0f.

Susan Barocas Cooking Class - 6 to 7:30 p.m. Join Susan Barocas for a cooking class at Congregation Or VeShalom. Stay for evening services and Megillah reading at 7:30 pm. Sign up at https://bit. ly/48I1Ls5.

Purim Shpiel & Megillah Reading - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. We have adjusted the start time for this family and adult friendly event. This Or Hadash mashup of the Megillah reading and Academy Award level performances by our Or Hadash Purim Shpiel Players is not to be missed. We promise to hit every note. Please RSVP at https://bit.ly/48POzl6 so we have the right number of hamentashen.

Purim Celebration and Wild West Casino Night - 6:30 to 9:30 p m. Join Congregation Dor Tamid for a Purim Celebration and Wild West Casino Night. Pay for drinks and gambling chips. Learn more at https://bit.ly/4a0J9og.

Jeff’s Place Sober Purim! - 7 to 10 p.m. It’s Jewish Halloween! Come dressed in your costumes, enjoy eclectic mocktails, music, food, and refreshments, and, of course, hamentashen. Chabad Intown encourages sober and sober-curious members of the community to join us! Kid-friendly. All ages and backgrounds are invited. RSVP at https://bit.ly/49zTW90.

Purim at Etz Chaim 2024 - 8:30 p.m. Join us at Etz Chaim for Purim and Stand with Israel! Register at https://bit.ly/3TrEUg8.

Purim at the Disco - 9:30 p.m. Join the YJP community at Upstairs Atlanta for an incredible evening celebrating Jewish Unity and LIFE! It’s the Costume Party of the year with hundreds of young Jewish adults. Get out your disco shoes, pull out those bell bottoms, and join for an unforgettable Purim 2024! Sign up at https:// bit.ly/3Tk6WtH.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24

CDT Blood Drive - 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Join Congregation Dor Tamid and save lives by giving blood. Learn more at https://bit. ly/49EOotY.

Purim at Etz Chaim 2024 - 9:15 a.m. Join us at Etz Chaim for Purim and Stand with Israel! RSVP at https://bit.ly/3TrEUg8.

Purim Carnival With a Cause - 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Purim is about celebrating, and also about doing for others. In addition to fun and exciting carnival games and activities, Temple Emanu-El will have mitzvah stations for children of all ages to bring awareness to issues of hunger and social justice in our community. At 10 am we will have a sensory-friendly version. The main event starts at 10:30 am. Find out more at https://bit.ly/3wOc944.

Purim PaloozAA - 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Join Ahavath Achim Synagogue for our annual Purim PaloozAA—It’s going to be a carnival of fun! Put on your best costume and gather for games, crafts, prizes, and treats! Attractions include a dunk tank, inflatable obstacle course, bounce house, balloon twisting demonstration, games galore, and more! Learn more at https:// bit.ly/49QT13Q.

Chabad Intown: Purim Carnival- 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join the Greater Intown Jewish Community for an incredible Purim Carnival Celebration! The festivities begin with the Megillah reading, followed by non-stop fun at our Purim Carnival. Indulge in delicious pizza, freshly popped popcorn, bounce around in our exciting bounce house, marvel at the talents of our balloon artist, get creative with face painting, and enjoy a variety of carnival games. Don’t forget to dress up for the occasion – it’s fun for the whole family! Learn more at https://bit.ly/3v5yhq7.

GLT and IAC Purim Carnival Trunk Spectacular - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Join Congregation Gesher L’Torah and IAC for a GLT and IAC Purim Carnival Trunk Spectacular. There will be lots of Surprises that will “WOW” you! 25 Amazing themed trunks. Filled with Carnival Games, Food, and Drinks. Get the early bird price at https://bit.ly/4328hZx.

Queen Esther’s Purim Tea Party - 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. You’re officially invited to Queen Esther’s Royal Purim Tea Party! Meet real life enchanting princesses while sipping tea and eating cookies and hamantaschen, hear the Megillah and create beautiful Purim themed crafts. Royal tea for little kings and queens awaits! Mitzvah House awaits your RSVP at https://bit.ly/49X7hrK.

B’Yachad Nenatzeach Purim Carnival

- 11:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Join Us for Congregation Etz Chaim Youth Department’s PURIM CARNIVAL. Come early for a quieter, less crowded experience. Festivities include a children’s costume contest with prizes, carnival games, inflatables, a balloon artist, Israeli food for purchase, popcorn and more! Purchase bracelets at https://bit.ly/3wHJmhE.

Purim at the Stadium - 4 to 5 p.m. Join Chabad of Gwinnett for Purim at the Stadium. Halftime Entertainment for the whole family. Find out more at https://bit. ly/4a0kkbT.

Purim Carnival - 4 to 6 p.m. Join Congregation Or Hadash for our beloved annual Purim carnival! We’ll have games, face painting, prizes, snacks, home-baked hamantaschen, and lots of fun. Costumes strongly encouraged -- the lovely, the silly, and the outrageous. Register in advance at https://bit.ly/3Pag0Pg.

Bureka Bakeoff - 4 to 7 p.m. Enter Congregation Or Ve Shalom’s first ever Bureka Bakeoff! A maximum of 12 individuals or teams will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. We can’t wait to taste the entries. Register at https://bit.ly/4321JtP.

Purim Celebration - 4 to 7 p.m. Celebrate Purim at Congregation Or Ve Shalom with Gaga (Israeli dodge ball), a video game truck including Just Dance, PJ Library Stories and Songs, inflatable slide and more. Food will be available for purchase. Register at https://bit.ly/438xyRU.

Israel is coming to Gainesville this Purim - 4:30 p.m. Join Chabad of Hall County for a lively Purim party that has something for everyone. Delicious Israeli Dinner. Taste The Wines Of Israel. Hear The Megilah. Crafts For Kids. Photos at The Western Wall. Come In Costume. Now, when our people are hurting, more than ever, let us celebrate TOGETHER on the holiday that celebrates the victory of the Jewish people against their oppressive enemies. Register at https://bit. ly/4c2kDEY.

Comedy Show with Benji Lovitt - 6 to 10 p.m. A night of laughter, delicious food, and Purim festivities with Chabad Intown. Purchase tickets at https://bit. ly/3wEhJ9o.

MONDAY, MARCH 25

Torah Study: Blue Ridge - 12 to 1 p.m. Join Rabbis Yossi New, Chaim & Mrs. Chayala Markovits for Torah Study: Blue Ridge! Initiated in 2005 by brothers Hirsch (OBM) and Richard Bressler together with Rabbi Yossi New, Rabbi at Congregation Beth Tefillah in Sandy Springs, GA, this Torah Study has been the longest consistent Jewish activity in North Georgia. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3IlnFXr.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26

Temima Musical Production “Where Heaven Touches Earth” - 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Join Temima High School for their annual production. Purchase tickets at https://bit.ly/3Tlamwe.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27

Mah Jongg at Temple Beth Tikvah - 1 to 3 p.m. Mah Jongg at Temple Beth Tikvah. Bring your card and come for games, a nosh and friendship. Register at https:// bit.ly/3vZLrFj.

Temima Musical Production “Where Heaven Touches Earth” - 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Join Temima High School for their annual production. Purchase tickets at https://bit.ly/3Tlamwe.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

Spring Native Plant Sale - 4 to 7 p.m. Create the garden of your dreams at Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Spring Native Plant Sale! Horticulturists and local experts will be onsite to help you find the right plants to attract butterflies, pollinators, birds, and more, as well as herbs and veggies for your edible garden. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3wBvdm2.

Stand with Hillel 2024 - 6 to 8 p.m. This is not just an event; it’s a call to action. Jewish college students are on the frontlines battling the escalating violence and harassment our Jewish community faces today. The hate you see documented on the national news is happening on campuses here in Georgia. Join us in this moment to support our students and help us demonstrate our unwavering commitment to protect Jewish life on campus. Stand up at https://bit.ly/4c0i9qG.

FRIDAY, MARCH 29

Spring Native Plant Sale - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Create the garden of your dreams at Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Spring Native Plant Sale! Horticulturists and local experts will be onsite to help you find the right plants to attract butterflies, pollinators, birds, and more, as well as herbs and veggies for your edible garden. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3wBvdm2.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30

Spring Native Plant Sale - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Create the garden of your dreams at Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Spring Native Plant Sale! Horticulturists and local experts will be onsite to help you find the right plants to attract butterflies, pollinators, birds, and more, as well as herbs and veggies for your edible garden. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3wBvdm2.

Purim Off Ponce 2024: Lions, Unicorns, Bears OH MY - 8 to 11 p.m. Release your inner animal with SOJOURN at Purim Off Ponce 2023: Lions, Unicorns, Bears, OH MY! We’ll gather for a wild and wonderful night of celebration and giving back. Get more information at https:// bit.ly/3wEi8sq.

KEEPING IT KOSHER

Sweet and Salty Popcorn Balls

Ingredients

1 (3.5-ounce) bag microwave popcorn

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine

5 and 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1 cup mini pretzels, broken into pieces

1 cup colorful chocolate chips

Directions

1. Pop popcorn according to package directions. Set aside to cool.

2. In a large pot, melt margarine over low heat.

3. Add marshmallows, and cook, stirring regularly, until melted.

4. Remove any unpopped kernels from the popcorn, and stir popped popcorn into marshmallow mixture.

5. Add pretzel pieces, and stir in to combine.

6. Allow the mixture to cool. Add one cup of colorful chocolate chips.

7. Mix until well combined.

8. Shape popcorn into two inch balls. (If the mixture sticks to your hands, spray your hands lightly with nonstick cooking spray.)

Recipe by Faigy

Reiner

Source: Kosher.com

Finances

Maurice and Sadie were having a heated discussion about family finances.

Finally, Maurice exploded, “If it weren’t for my money, this house wouldn’t be here.”

Sadie replied, “Darling, if it weren’t for your money, I wouldn’t be here.”

YIDDISH WORD

Noshaholic

n. A person who can’t stop nibbling on food for virtually the entire day.

“Razzie is an inveterate noshaholic. That’s why he wears sweatpants with an elastic waistband.”

From the Yiddish nosh, meaning “nibble,” and alcoholic.

BRAIN FOOD

Cooking Competitions

By: Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com

Difficulty Level: Easy

ACROSS

1. Big group of ordained Jews, for short

4. Cow sound

7. Abraham had ten of them

13. European mountain

14. Many a digital file

15. John ___, iconic character in “The Breakfast Club”

16. One making edible dreidels?

18. Oscar winners Hunt and Mirren

19. Baseball star Turner

20. Not that bright

22. Mineo of “Exodus”

23. They don’t tell the truth

25. Babka vs. Kokosh and Meltaway vs. Streusel, e.g.?

29. Shemonah ___

30. Class for aliens, for short

31. “The King and I” country

32. Lion of the stars

34. Country of 10-Down, Abbr.

36. Affront, slangily

37. Where food is prepared in Gehinnom?

41. Aviv preceder

42. One cheering

43. “Avatar” actress Saldana

44. Ending for “buck” or “stink”

46. Beats in the ring, for short

48. Grabs hold of

FOLLOW :

52. Fight over the shish kebabs and pastrami burgers?

54. Hide, as loot

55. Take unfair advantage of

56. USD alternative in the Holy Land

58. Major or Minor in the sky

59. Monty Python notable

62. Understood a gemara or used an axe?

64. Evan with a cast on Broadway?

65. Musicians often have a good one

66. “Do I take that as ___?”

67. Dawn

68. Kfar Aza to Ofakim dir.

69. Do some stitching

DOWN

1. Maraca, essentially

2. Leachman of “Young Frankenstein”

3. Come into view

4. Speed limit meas.

5. Knesset member Forer or actor Fehr

6. Scranton sitcom, with “The”

7. “Frankly speaking,” initially

8. Witherspoon of “Walk the Line”

9. Isaac and Rebecca, to Rachel and Leah

10. City 450 miles northwest from Melbourne

11. Reality TV judge Goodman

12. Yearbook VIPs

17. Beloved star of 6-Down

21. Parsha often doubled with Matot

24. Place to put an award, maybe

26. One who trips a lot

27. It’s unwanted on Sukkot...even if we pray for it

28. Texting letters

33. Industrial Japanese city

35. Highlanders

37. Basil or sage, e.g.

38. Silver-tongued

39. Generally recognized

40. Get leftovers ready

41. Bar bill

45. Dominate the thoughts of

47. Pie portion

49. Seder portion

50. Ancient Jewish monk

51. Follow covertly

53. Watch again

57. All of gemara

59. John of “Star Trek” films

60. Israel’s Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yisrael Meir

61. Giant Tolkien creature

63. Settlers of Catan resource

OBITUARIES

Sylvia Frances Harris Andrews

91, Atlanta

Rachelle Golda Berliner

92, Atlanta

Sylvia Frances Harris Andrews was born on Nov. 26, 1932, in Brooklyn, N.Y. The daughter of Cecelia and William Harris, Sylvia was one of two children. She graduated from high school at the age of 16, then moved to Miami to attend nursing school at Jackson Memorial. After graduating from nursing school, Sylvia moved to Atlanta and started working at The Jewish Home. Shortly after arriving in Atlanta, she met Sanford (Sandy), her long-time husband and love of her life. They were married in 1954 and remained married for 47 years until his untimely passing in 2001. Sandy and Sylvia had three children, Wayne (1956), Jay (1960) and Jon (1968). Sylvia married Larry Usoff again in 2018 until Larry’s passing in 2021.

Sylvia was a nationally recognized healthcare professional, who was an RN and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Medical College of Georgia. Sylvia was the longtime Director of Nursing at The Jewish Home, where she lived out her final days. She also was Co-Principal with Sandy of the healthcare consulting firm Continuing Education Unlimited.

In addition to her three children, Sylvia leaves behind her daughters-in-law, Barbara Andrews and Alisa Andrews, grandchildren, Kimberly Andrews (deceased), Eli Andrews, Joshua Andrews, Tyler (Meghan) Andrews, Ryan Andrews (Maddie Grosoff), and Rachel Andrews, as well as great-grandchildren, Jack Andrews, Westley Andrews, Nora Andrews, and Ryan Andrews.

Graveside services were held on Friday, March 8, 2024, at Arlington Memorial Park.

Obituaries in the AJT are written and paid for by the families; contact Editor and Managing Publisher Kaylene Ladinsky at kaylene@atljewishtimes.com or 404-883-2130, ext. 100, for details about submission, rates and payments. Death notices, which provide basic details, are free and run as space is available; send submissions to editor@atljewishtimes.com.

Rachelle Golda Berliner was born the youngest child of the youngest child on Oct. 18, 1931, to Sara and Samuel Leaf in Atlanta, Ga. A devoted and caring daughter, sister, mother, aunt, and friend throughout life, Rachelle had a special place in her heart for children that are physically disabled. This motivated her to start Lynak Kennels breeding Shetland sheepdogs, trained to be companion animals which she placed with families. Rachelle’s love of the breed meant that she always had a companion animal of her own by her side until well into her 80s.

Later, she was instrumental in the founding of the equestrian assisted-riding therapy program that evolved into the Reece Center in Newnan, Ga. When life placed her in the workforce in the 1970s, she quickly evolved from executive assistant in retail management to executive underwriter in the insurance industry. In retirement, she offered her knowledge of the legal underpinnings of insurance policies to those who had issues with insurance claims. She was intensely spiritual and sought G-d through many avenues over the course of life. Rachelle was part of a large family, with cousins spread far and wide, and was active in organizing Jacobs family gatherings and reunions. “Aunt Shell” was a caring and trusted advisor to many nieces and nephews whether related by blood or by friendship.

She was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and never let a birthday or life event pass without a personal letter or handmade card. She was a devoted wife and partner to Sam Berliner (deceased), and they enjoyed many years together in Savannah. She returned to metro Atlanta thereafter to be nearer to family. She was predeceased by both her daughter and son-in-law, Paula and Kenneth Cohen. In recent years she was lovingly cared for by her son and daughter-in-law, Cary and Tammy Auerbach.

She is also survived by her son, Steve (Laura) Auerbach, and seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Interment was in Savannah, Ga., at Bonaventure Cemetery on Feb. 21, 2024. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Hebert Mendel

84, Atlanta

Hebert Mendel, age 84, of Atlanta died on March 2, 2024. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Marsha Mendel, children, Keith (Marni) Mendel, Lauren Pasco, Craig Mendel, Shellie (Alan) Golivesky, and Barbra (Phillip) Rosing; grandchildren, Paul and Darren Rosing and Devin and Grant Golivesky; beloved caregiver, Anieta Thomas, sister-inlaw, Joanne Mendel, and brother-in-law, Ronald (Sharon) Fink.

Herb was born and raised in Atlanta and a graduate of Grady High School. He earned a Business degree from Tulane and was a career stockbroker. He was devoted to his family, especially his grandchildren.

Graveside services were held at 3:00 pm, March 4th, at Arlington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Temple Emanu-El, the Georgia Eye Bank, and Weinstein Hospice. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Deane Austin Smigrod 99, Sandy Springs

Approaching a remarkable century of life, Deane Austin Smigrod, a woman of fervent faith, political acumen, and a passion for sports, passed away on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at Somerby Sandy Springs Senior Living near At lanta.

Born into a world vastly different from the one she left, Mrs. Smigrod’s 99 years were marked by her strong convictions, love for fam ily, and a zest for life that defied the constraints of age.

A life-long learner and advocate, she wove a rich tapestry of experiences from her early days in Columbia, S.C., to her impactful years in Greensboro, N.C.; Roslyn, N.Y.; and Sandy Springs, Ga.

Her story is a testament to the power of enduring love, intellectual curiosity, and the importance of staying connected in an ever-changing world.

Funeral services were held at 10 am, Sunday, March 10, 2024, at graveside in the Greensboro Hebrew Cemetery (2911 W. Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27403). Temple Emanuel Senior Rabbi Andy Koren officiated.

Mrs. Smigrod was born Feb. 17, 1925, in Columbia, S.C., to the late Arnold and Ro salie (Rosenberg) Austin. She graduated from Connecticut College for Women (now known as Connecticut College) with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English and from Long Island University with a Master of Arts (MA) in Political Science. She was also accepted into law school at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. – though chose not to attend.

Mrs. Smigrod was an avid golf and tennis enthusiast - and even when off the course and courts maintained her enjoyment through watching both sports on television. She continued to successfully compete in duplicate bridge after moving to Atlanta with the Atlanta Duplicate Bridge Center.

She had a love for politics and Fox News and was a member of the Greater Greensboro Republican Women’s Club. She was also a member of the North Metro Republican Women in Atlanta and was a member of an Atlanta Republican book club.

Her faith was of great importance to her as she was an active member of Temple Emanuel, and the Temple Emanuel Sisterhood in Greensboro – as well as the Greensboro Jewish Federation and was a life member of Hadassah.

She was a strong advocate for what she believed in and had a quick wit that was enjoyed by many.

Her proudest moments were those shared with her family – her husband, the late Seymour “Smig” Smigrod and her sons, Andrew Austin Smigrod and Daniel Lee Smigrod. She felt very blessed that they met and married such lovely, strong women – Lajla Nystad and Ann K. Moceyunas, respectively – and was happy her sons found love like she had experienced.

Although Andrew and his family live in Australia – the miles could not divide just how incredibly proud she was of her granddaughter, Emily and her husband, Ivan, and how much she adored her energetic great-grandson, Miles. She enjoyed using video chat and email to stay connected and involved in their lives.

Mrs. Smigrod’s only sibling, Maxine Stone, of Port Washington and Manhasset, N.Y., died Oct. 15, 2020.

Mrs. Smigrod is survived by Maxine’s daughter and son-in-law, Audrey and Jacob Kurland, and their children, Marshall, Rebecca, and Alex – as well as Maxine’s son and daughter-in-law, Charles Stone and Anne “Marianne” Zissu and their children, Ben and Hava Stone. Mrs. Smigrod is also survived by Marshall and Jackie Kurland’s children Sophie and Maddie Kurland.

Mrs. Smigrod loved to reminisce about how she met, married, and loved “Smig” for over 60 years - and how much joy and memories they shared with their families of birth, the family they created together and their many friends. Seymour Smigrod was a Captain in the US Army (Ranger) during World War II. He received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. The two first met while corresponding by mail during the war. “Smig” died July 3, 2008.

The family asks that any memorial donations be made to a charity chosen by the donor.  Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Murray Lewis Solomon

85, Columbus

Murray Lewis Solomon was born on May 16, 1938, in Keene, N.H. He was the son of Abe and Lil Solomon. Murray grew up in Atlanta and graduated from Emory University, where he met his wife, Celia Cohn.

Celia and Murray married on March 11, 1961. Murray had a 47-year career in Columbus as a Financial Advisor with Raymond James & Associates Inc.

Murray devoted his talents to his community serving on the Boards of Uptown Columbus Inc., United Way, Columbus Regional Foundation (Spring Harbor), Columbus Library, Columbus Technical College Foundation, and the Columbus Community Foundation. Murray was a proud member of the Rotary Club of Columbus, supporting their mission of service above self. Murray was a member of both Shearith Israel Synagogue and Temple Israel and two-term President of Columbus Jewish Federation.

He loved conversing with clients and friends, especially talking about the stock market. Stepping out of his Broadway office, taking strolls through Uptown Columbus, he was quick to greet those he met by name, offering a handshake and a smile. He missed his clients, his career and community after suffering a stroke and health setbacks soon after retirement.

Murray is survived by siblings, Michael (Sara) Solomon and Jennifer (Stephen) Walters, his wife, Celia, his children, Andy Solomon (Cristy) of Atlanta, Susan Meyer (Steve) of Charlotte, Julie Moradi (Dan) of Atlanta, his grandchildren: Jacob and Abigail Meyer, Leah, Liza, and Lauren Moradi, Micah, Asher, and Chason Solomon.

Murray will be missed by the scores of people whose lives he changed, and by the community he helped shape.

Contributions in his memory can be made to the Murray Solomon Scholarship Fund at Columbus Technical College or Shearith Israel and Temple Israel Synagogues.

CLOSING THOUGHTS A Mitzvah and a Swim Meet

Shaindle

Schmuckler

Shaindle’s Shpiel

The Bronx House was THE place for us kids to hang out. It was just a few blocks from our apartment building, a leisurely five-minute walk. Our neighborhood also boasted a Young Israel which was a little farther away, a mere 10-minute leisurely walk.

The Y.I., which is how we referred to the Young Israel Community Center, had limited options. It did offer us another cool place for Jewish teens to hang out. Y.I. sponsored dances for teens, classes of Jewish topics of interest, with a heavy emphasis on Israel and Mitzvah clubs. Y.I. distributed the famous Blue Boxes fundraiser. The money raised with these boxes was sent to Israel to purchase and plant trees.

The Bronx House, however, offered

all genres of music lessons. It had basketball courts, and all manner of clubs we could join. It also offered opportunities for community service options. The roller-skating rink was especially fun for us. As teens, the roller-skating rink was a place to be free, skate, and all the while, check out the cute boys while giggling like the silly girls we were.

In the school yard of our junior high school, located just feet away from our apartment building, were basketball courts. This was the preferred spot for some of us. These courts were where we would hone our basketball creds and practice the best ways to secure the interest of the cute boys.

Our high school had a great gym; however, it did not have a pool. There were a few high schools that had pools and perhaps swim teams, but we were unaware of them. Our high school was big on basketball, and cheerleaders. I wonder if I have ever mentioned the fact that I was captain. So much for self-bluster.

Gene was a major swimmer. His high school had a track team and swim team. When my four girls were grow-

ing up in Tampa, they were on the swim team. When we moved to Atlanta, they swam for Swim Atlanta. I never could understand how they managed not to have eye damage from all the chlorine. Move ahead a generation, and my granddaughter swims on the Centennial High School team. She’s inherited her Zaidie’s (grandpa) genes. I must admit she is quite good. (Just thought I would mention this for a little bit more self-bluster--as if I had anything to do with her skills!)

The swim meets are often too far or too late in the evening for me to attend and cheer the team on to victory. A few weeks ago, her meet was fairly close. By that I mean 30 minutes as the crow flies.

Upon arriving at the meet, which was being held in a rather large private school, I encountered one of the largest campuses I’ve seen since my days at LSU. I parked, and wandered the campus in the freezing cold for at least 15 minutes. I finally came upon the tennis building. I asked a couple of kids where the aquatics building was located, and just my luck, they were there for a tennis meet and were not students at the school. Oy!

Fortunately for me, one of the moms overheard my dilemma and offered to show me the direction I should take. She asked where I parked. I explained that, at this point, I had absolutely no idea!

And now we come to the crux of this shpiel.

She got her keys, suggested I get in her car, which was totally loaded with every luxury gadget ever imagined for a car, and this mom drove me around to the myriad of parking lots until I spotted my car. When we finally located the spot where I parked, she had me follow her to the aquatics center.

Why share this, you ask? What’s the big deal? Stop a moment and think! Our world, our country, has forgotten the value of kindness. The value of community; the value of respect for one another; the value of hello, or a smile in recognition of each other.

This mom of one of the tennis players who was competing in a statewide tennis meet is, in my humble opinion, a woman who has not forgotten the value of a mitzvah, the value of kindness.

She has not forgotten her humanity. ì

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