Atlanta Jewish Times, Vol. XCI No. 21, May 27, 2016 by Atlanta Jewish Times

INSIDE: EAGLE STAR PREVIEW, PAGES 15-18 GIVING LESSONS

JUNE 3–5, 2016 ∙ AGES 0–5 TICKETS

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RISING PORT

Anita Zucker just want ed to be a schoolteach er; now she’s the phil anthropic “Bill Gates of South Carolina.” Page 15

With a deeper river, Savannah is well equipped to become the key hub for Israeli trade. Page 16

SHINING BRIGHT

Energiya is bring ing utility-scale solar power, plus elementary education, to South Georgia. Page 18

Atlanta

INSIDE Calendar ��4 Candle Lighting �� 5 Israel News ��8 Sports ��9 Opinion �� 10 Food �� 12 Business �� 15 Education �� 19 Arts ��26 Cartoon ��28 Obituaries ��29 Crossword ��30

VOL. XCI NO. 21

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MAY 27, 2016 | 19 IYAR 5776

FUTURE FLAVORS

From kosher barbecue to bagel eating, get a taste for the food festivals ahead. Page 12

YOUNG WINNER

An AJA fifth-grader and Shearith Israel member’s fam ily history project is taking her to Israel. Page 19

COMMUNITY GEM

Beth Jacob’s reconstruction of its sanctuary aims for comfort amid grandeur. Page 22

BEST FRIENDS

Melissa Fay Greene talks about her latest book, “Under dogs,” the story of the healing power of canine love. Page 29

Looking to the Future Photo by Michael Jacobs

Sending messages from the top of their mortarboards while waiting to process onto the Ferst Center stage for their graduation May 22 are Weber School Class of 2016 members (from left) Zoe Aaron (University of Michigan), Cassidy Aronin (her initials), Jessica Bachner (University of Pennsylvania) and Brooke Berman (Tulane University). Full coverage, Page 21

Survey Will Say, ‘I Am Jewish Atlanta’

he Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta is undertaking a survey to learn not only how many people are in Jewish Atlanta, but what they want and need from communal organizations. The results will update the 2006 community study, which put the area’s Jewish population at 120,000, but with a focus on quality more than quantity. “It’s all about finding ways to really service the community,” said Matt Bronf man, who co-chaired Federation’s com munity study committee. So instead of finding the Jews, mar

ket research firm Melior Group is bring ing Jewish Atlantans to the survey. From June 6 to 30, anyone 15 or older in metro Atlanta who identifies as Jewish or lives in a Jewish household is invited to take the survey at www.IamJewishATL. com. The full survey will take about 20 minutes, although shorter versions will be served to younger participants and to mobile devices. (Text JEWISHATL to 41411 to get the survey sent to your phone.) The goal is to get at least 2,500 re spondents, said Renee Kutner, Federa tion’s vice president of marketing. Using

60,000 “#IamJewishATL” postcards, syn agogues, schools and other communal organizations are promoting the survey because, Kutner said, “we’re not the ones who primarily will benefit from this.” In addition to getting their voices heard, survey takers will be entered in a drawing for $500 and $250 gift cards. Melior has spent months research ing the market and will supplement the online survey with 250 phone interviews. By September, Melior should report its findings to Federation, including a solid estimate of Jewish Atlanta’s size. ■

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MA TOVU

Daily Do-Over

t was not until my now-collegeage son was in grade school that I learned about the concept of the do-over. He was in our tiny back yard with some friends playing baseball with one of those oversized orange plastic bats. Some thing had gone wrong, and he and his friends were discussing — OK, arguing — about the possibility of a do-over. The idea of a do-over was at once so enticing and completely ridiculous. If only it were possible, I would go back and do over that era before there was conditioner and my hair was either locked in braids or all “Bride of Frankenstein.” But, sadly, those days are long gone, and, wish as I might, I am stuck without the ability to do it over. Yet Judaism offers us a model of spirituality in which the do-over is front and center. Traditionally, upon waking, Jews are meant to recite the Modeh Ani prayer, the core of which says that I am grateful before You, G-d, that in Your compassion You have returned to me my soul. When I use the prayer to wake my children, I add a verse thanking the Creator for placing these particular children in my life. Modeh Ani has for the most part been for me a prayer of gratitude. But after the recent Jewish Family & Career Services luncheon, I began to think of it as a do-over prayer. One of the main speakers at the luncheon was Eric Miller, the program director of HAMSA, who spoke of being clean for nearly eight years and broke it down by days. The possibility of falling off the path is not a distant one, he reminded us, but close at hand — it could come today, it could come tomorrow. Listening to him brought to mind the words of the Modeh Ani. The Torah relates that in the beginning, G-d blew into the first being nishmat chayim.

That phrase, often translated as the breath of life, can also be understood

Taking Root By Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder

as the soul. It is a variation of neshama, which we are grateful to G-d for returning to us. While we cannot go back and do over the past, each day the divine source breathes our neshama into us and miraculously allows us to begin anew. Recently I embarked on a new ap proach to living more healthfully. This is no easy task. While I have found ways to make it work for me, some days are more faithful to my new vi sion than others. Changing who I am is an ongoing process. There are days — sometimes several in a row — that don’t go as planned. So I am grateful for the re newed chance each day to try again. Judaism believes in teshuvah, the ability to turn around our lives and make different choices. It is a process that involves recognizing when we have not lived up to expectation and choosing to move forward on a differ ent path. We all have room for improve ment in the way we treat ourselves, the way we engage with others and the way we act in the world. How precious then, the daily op portunity for the do-over. ■ Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder teaches classes on parenting as well as Jewish food. She works for Be’chol Lashon, an organization dedicated to celebrating the diversity of the Jewish people. She lives in Sandy Springs with her husband, David “Dr. D.” Abusch-Magder, and is mom to two teens. You can find her on Facebook and @rabbiruth on Twitter.

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Lag B’Omer. Congregation Anshi S’fard, 1324 N. Highland Ave., VirginiaHighland, holds a bonfire and barbecue at 5:30 p.m. Free; info@anshisfard.org. Lag B’Omer. Chabad of North Fulton holds a cookout and picnic with mu sic from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Pavilions 1C and 1D at Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek. Free, with a suggested donation of $18 per family; admin@chabadnf.org or 770-410-9000.

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Contributors This Week

RUTH ABUSCH-MAGDER • BOB BAHR PAULA BAROFF YONI GLATT • JORDAN GORFINKEL R.M. GROSSBLATT LEAH R. HARRISON ZACH ITZKOVITZ

Lag B’Omer. Congregation Ariel, 5237 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, celebrates with pony rides, music, a bonfire and food for sale from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free; www.congariel.org. Lag B’Omer. The Kehilla of Sandy Springs holds a cookout and musical jam at the Ingber home (email info@ thekehilla.org for the address) from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for children at the door; www.thekehilla.org/lag-bomer. Meditation class. Congregation Bet Haverim, 2074 LaVista Road, Toco Hills, holds a three-session introductory course on meditation at 6 p.m. today, June 2 and June 9. Attendance at the first class is required. Tuition is $45 for all three sessions or $18 per class; con gregationbethaverim.org.

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MAY 27 ▪ 2016

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THE ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES (ISSN# 0892-33451) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY SOUTHERN ISRAELITE, LLC 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, Atlanta, GA 30328 © 2016 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES Printed by Walton Press Inc. MEMBER Conexx: America Israel Business Connector American Jewish Press Association Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce Please send all photos, stories and editorial content to: submissions@atljewishtimes.com

Lag B’Omer. Chabad of Cobb holds a barbecue and picnic with games and music from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at East Cobb Park, 3322 Roswell Road. Admis sion is $12 per adult, $6 per child or $36 per family; www.chabadofcobb.com or 770-565-4412, ext. 300. Adoption and fostering. Wo/Men’s

Infertility Support Havurah and Jew ish Family & Career Services’ Cradle of Love present three speakers — adop tion consultant and counselor Michelle Lambert and Temple Sinai members and parents Phil and Betty Klein — on these alternative methods of creating a family at 7 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs. Free; www.wishatlanta.org. Jewish Heritage Night. The Atlanta Braves celebrate the Jewish community during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:10 p.m. at Turner Field downtown. Tickets, including a Chip per Jones replica jersey and a chance to parade around the field before the game, range from $26 to $41; 404-6141327 or rick.coller@braves.com.

FRIDAY, MAY 27

Sober Shabbat. Jewish Family & Ca reer Services’ HAMSA invites people in recovery and their family and friends to Temple Beth Tikvah, 9955 Coleman Road, Roswell, for dinner and fellow ship at 6:30 p.m., followed by services. Free; RSVP to Eric Miller at emiller@ jfcs-atlanta.org or 770-677-9318.

MONDAY, MAY 30

Kosher Day with the Braves. The At lanta Kashruth Commission sponsors the annual Jewish community gath ering with kosher food for sale at the Atlanta Braves’ game against the San Francisco Giants at 1 p.m. at Turner Field downtown. Tickets are $10 ($8 each for groups of four or more); 404634-4063 or akc@kosheratlanta.org.

TUESDAY, MAY 31

Babyccino. The mom-and-tot classes at Chabad of North Fulton, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta, focus

Remember When

10 Years Ago May 26, 2006 ■ Rabbi Loren Sykes, the director of Camp Ramah Darom, got a surprising phone call a few weeks ago: He was one of three educators in North America chosen from more than 90 nominees to receive the Covenant Award, which honors Jewish educators for innovation in their field. Each win ner gets $25,000, and his institution receives $5,000. Rabbi Sykes will be recognized at the United Jewish Communities General Assembly in Los Angeles in November. ■ Hal and Jill Leitman of Roswell announce the birth of their son, Jarrett Benjamin, on Nov. 16. 25 Years Ago May 24, 1991 ■ Congregation Mickve Israel in Savannah is looking for a few Jewish goodwill ambassadors. The historic Reform temple is leading a Jewish heritage tour of China from June 9 to 23, with high hopes of advancing the unofficial rela tionship between the Chinese and Jewish peoples. Mickve

on creation each Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. through June 21. This week’s topic is fish and birds. The cost is $12 per class or $80 for the series; j1sinasohn@aol. com or www.chabadnf.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 2

Eagle Star Awards. Conexx: America Israel Business Connector holds its awards gala at 6 p.m. at Twelve Atlantic Station, 361 17th St., Midtown. Tickets are $125; www.eaglestargala.com. Business networking. Sid Kirschner, the chief philanthropy officer at Pied mont Healthcare, speaks at the inau gural meeting of YAD, a networking group for young Atlanta profession als, at 6:30 p.m. at the William Breman Jewish Home, 3150 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. Free; ahahn@wbjhome.org or bit.ly/1TngsJ5. Bachelorette’s wisdom. Andi Dorf man, who starred on Season 10 of “The Bachelorette,” speaks with radio personality Jeff Dauler about her new book, “It’s Not Okay: Turning Heart break Into Happily Never After,” at 7:30 p.m. at Big Sky Buckhead, 3201 Cains Hill Place, Atlanta. Free; RSVP request ed via atlantajcc.org/bookfestival or 678-812-4002. As of Yet show. As of Yet, Ahavath Achim Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal’s blues band, performs its last show at Steve’s Live Music, 234 Hilderbrand Drive, Sandy Springs, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance online and $10 at the door; www.steveslivemusic.com.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3

Carlebach service. Chabad of Cobb, 4450 Lower Roswell Road, East Cobb, holds its first Carlebach-style Friday

Israel Rabbi Arnold Mark Belzer is an authority on ChineseJewish history as the East Coast director of the Sino-Judaic Institute. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Edward M. Canter of Atlanta announce the engagement of their daughter, R. Nikki Canter, to Steven Alan Krasnoff, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Krasnoff of Atlanta. A fall wedding is planned in Atlanta. 50 Years Ago May 27, 1966 ■ The Hebrew Academy of Atlanta had its annual mem bership meeting Thursday evening, May 19, in the school auditorium, and Dr. Larry Bregman installed the new slate of officers. Henry Birnbrey, the president for 1966-67, has been vice president of the Atlanta Chapter of the Zionist Organization of America and chairman of the Atlanta Zion ist Youth Commission and has been active in the Bureau of Jewish Education and the Southern Zionist Youth Commis sion. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Katz invite relatives and friends to the bar mitzvah of their son Gerald at 8:45 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at Shearith Israel Synagogue.

CALENDAR CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES

Behar Friday, May 27, light candles at 8:23 p.m. Saturday, May 28, Shabbat ends at 9:24 p.m. Bechukotai Friday, June 3, light candles at 8:27 p.m. Saturday, June 4, Shabbat ends at 9:29 p.m.

Corrections & Clarifications

• An article about ZipLine Hilton Head on May 13 incorrectly described the ownership of the business. Roger Freedman is the sole owner, while his wife, Pam Freedman, is in charge of marketing. • The reporting on the Republican primary for the 11th Congressional District in the May 20 issue improperly classified Hayden Collins as the leading challenger to incumbent Barry Loudermilk. That label was based on the AJT editor’s famil iarity with Collins from a previous job and not on any objective measure, such as polling numbers or fundraising; in fact, Daniel Cowan is the only candidate other than Loudermilk who raised a substantial amount of money before the May 24 primary (for which voting was completed after this issue went to press). Regard less, once the AJT decided for reasons of space and time to profile only one of the four challengers to Loudermilk, the newspaper should have sent a candidate ques tionnaire to the other men on the ballot (Cowan, Billy Davis and William Llop) to give them a chance to introduce themselves to our readers. While the AJT stands by the quality of the candidate interviews we published for the 11th District, the overall coverage did not meet our standards.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5

Pre-Shavuot women’s event. The Chabad of North Fulton Women’s Circle holds a walk on the Greenway, starting at the Kimball Bridge Road en trance in Alpharetta, at 9:30 a.m., then meets for refreshments and a floral workshop led by Joan Rubenstein at the Chabad campus, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta, at 11. The cost is $10, with RSVP requested by May 26; ad min@chabadnf.org or 770-410-9000. Pool day. The Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, invites the com munity to Dunwoody Pool Day at the J from noon to 2 p.m. Free; 678-812-4161 or rabbi.glusman@atlantajcc.org. Israeli documentary. To mark Yom Yerushalayim, Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road, screens “Me konen: The Journey of an African Jew,” the story of African-Israeli Mekonen Abebe, at 5 p.m. Free; www.yith.org/ event/mekonenfilmscreening.

MONDAY, JUNE 6

Shared society discussion. Moham mad Darawshe of Givat Haviva, a non profit organization working toward a cohesive Israeli society, speaks at a New Israel Fund event called “Bridg ing Gaps in Tense Times” at 7:30 p.m. at Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mount

Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs. Free; RSVP to bit.ly/24TUn73, mordy@nif. org or 212-613-4426.

TUESDAY, JUNE 7

Babyccino. The mom-and-tot classes at Chabad of North Fulton, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta, focus on creation each Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. through June 21. This week’s topic is animals. The cost is $12; j1sinasohn@ aol.com or www.chabadnf.org. Federation meeting. The Jewish Fed eration of Greater Atlanta holds its an nual meeting, including awards and an appearance by incoming CEO Eric Robbins, at 5:30 p.m. at the Selig Center, 1440 Spring St., Midtown. Free; www. jewishatlanta.org. Pre-Shavuot bake sale. The Congre gation Beth Jacob Sisterhood sells gourmet cakes, pies and nondairy cheesecakes from New York bakeries in Heritage Hall, 1855 LaVista Road, Toco Hills, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The sale continues from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday. For more information, call Jodi Wittenberg at 678-677-9492.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8

Rolling the dice. Greater Atlanta Ha dassah’s Ketura Group hosts the dice game Bunco at 7:15 p.m. at the home of Arlene Glass. Bring a snack or sweet to share if you’d like; drinks are provided. Entrance is $10, payable at the door; mslcaras@comcast.net.

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

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

night service with Yaacov Gothard at 7 p.m. Free; www.chabadofcobb.com or 404-252-8777.

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LOCAL NEWS

Photos by David R. Cohen

Outgoing ACCESS Atlanta Co-Chair Gabby Leon (right) and 2016 Co-Chair Lindsey Fenton welcome around 75 young professionals to 103 West. The event began with a cocktail hour.

Entrepreneur’s Night co-chairs Samantha Lennon (left) and Arielle Eisenberg introduce Marlins President David Samson to the crowd.

ACCESS Goes off Record With David Samson

merican Jewish Committee’s ACCESS young professionals group held its 26th annual En trepreneur’s Night on Tuesday, May 17, in Buckhead at 103 West with speaker David Samson, the president of the Mi ami Marlins. Samson’s comments were off the record, but he gave advice about building and developing relationships in business. Speakers at ACCESS Entrepre neur’s Night have traditionally been Jewish Atlantans, but Samson, who

lives in Miami, was invited to speak by event co-chair Arielle Eisenberg, who shares a family connection. It turned out to be interesting timing: Earlier on May 17, the Atlanta Braves announced the firing of Manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose previous managerial job ended with his firing by the Marlins in 2010. ACCESS Atlanta is the original AC CESS chapter, launching in 1990. AJC’s young professional wing now has 10 locations in the United States and one in Israel. ■

David Samson delivers off-the-record remarks at Entrepreneur’s Night. The Miami Marlins president gave advice to young professionals on building and developing relationships in business and shared a few anecdotes from his career.

Ashers Honored for Helping AJC Build Bridges

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

ews need to stay on the same page when it comes to the sacredness of U.S.-Israeli relations and victory in a war of values, American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris told a crowd of 375 at the renovated Atlanta History Center on Wednesday night, May 18. The occasion was AJC Atlanta’s annual Selig Distinguished Service Award dinner, honoring Spring and Tom Asher. “We have emerged as the world’s foremost global Jewish nongovern mental organization,” said Harris, once described by Shimon Peres as the “foreign minister of the Jewish people.” He complimented Atlanta’s multigenerational engagement and recognized partnerships with India, Japan and Canada, whose consuls general joined Israeli Consul General Judith Varnai Shorer at the dinner. Harris joked about America’s new political players: a non-Jewish 6 presidential candidate (Donald Trump)

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with Jewish grandchildren, a Jewish candidate (Bernie Sanders) with nonJewish grandchildren and a non-Jewish

Jaffe’s Jewish Jive By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

candidate (Hillary Clinton) whose grandchildren are undetermined. Praising the Ashers, AJC Atlanta President Greg Averbuch said: “This year we celebrate 110 years of Ameri can Jewish Committee as a bridge builder and global Jewish advocate. This speaks very true of the Ashers, who have been deeply involved since the 1970s and are very active not only in the local Jewish community, but have impacted the greater Atlanta com munity.” Presenting the award was Steve Selig, a past chapter president, whose parents, Caroline Massell Selig and

sidering the Ashers’ charm and commit ment. Playwright Alfred Uhry, a child hood friend of Tom’s in Druid Hills, boasted about his Standard Club backhand. Tom spoke about his grandfather Jacob Elsas, who was aban doned by his father in Germany, “worked Photo by Paula Gould harder to get farther,” Steve Selig (center) presents the award named for his parents to Spring and Tom Asher. moved to the United Simon S. Selig Jr., spent their lives States as a peddler strengthening academic, cultural and joined the Union Army, which and civic institutions while build brought him to the South. He made his ing bridges of understanding among way to Atlanta, where he contributed people of all races and religions. to the Hebrew orphans home and Selig, as convivial as ever, quipped helped Georgia Tech provide college about George Burns and Yogi Berra for the disabled. Tom has nurtured and concluded that “dignity is not such philanthropy. possessing honors but deserving He also mentioned his Uncle Fritz, them” when comparing the Ashers to who was executed as a conspirator in dependable pillars on a porch. the attempted overthrow of Hitler. An upbeat video started with a The Ashers — he from the South, roundtable of family and friends con she from the North — met at Cornell

LOCAL NEWS

Photos by Marcia Caller Jaffe

Honoree relatives (from left) Jake Elsas, Hugh Asher, Joey Asher, Johanna Asher and Ben Asher attend the AJC award dinner.

Rabbi Peter Berg (right) of The Temple poses with Alan and Renay Levenson.

Jon (second from left) and Debbie Neese (right) help AJC Atlanta work on international friendships by visiting with Canadian Consul General Louise Blaise (left) and Indian Consul General Nagash Singh and his wife, Pradya.

more than 56 years ago. Spring Asher, known for coaching public speaking, said in advance, “To be honored by AJC is something really special, but to be acknowledged by the Selig Award, considering what that family has meant to the city, is all the more meaningful.” Spring said she and Tom have been active with AJC since the late 1950s and traveled to Germany and Israel with the organization. “With offices all around the world, AJC has the know-how to better understand anti-Semitism and how to combat it,” she said. “As a result, it has been one of the world’s most important voices for human dignity.” ■

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

(From left) Marcia Goldman, Murray Goldman, Wayne Lazarus and Raye Coplin enjoy the cocktail hour at the start of the event.

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ISRAEL NEWS

Israel Pride: Good News From Our Jewish Home Success for diabetes treatment. Oramed Pharmaceuticals, based in Gi vat Ram, has reported success in the Phase IIb study of its insulin capsule. Oramed said the trial marked the first time an oral solution showed a signifi cant drop in blood sugar at night. Oral insulin thus could replace injected, delayed-release insulin. Living on the edge. Ben Gurion Univer sity and Weizmann Institute research ers have shown that learning processes can make the brain operate at peak performance in processing sensory in formation, but at the risk of hallucina tions. The finding provides medical evi dence of the thin line between genius and madness. Mayo’s startup initiative. The Mayo Clinic is launching the Mayo Clinic Israeli Startups project to encourage collaboration between startup health care companies in Israel and the Min nesota-based clinic to help get medical technologies to the public sooner and to bring them to the United States. Leno stands up for United Hatzalah. Comedian and former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno donated a $36,000 am

Letters To The Editor Extremists Are On Palestinian Side

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

It was refreshing to see some clar ity from The New York Times’ Jodi Rudoren and to contrast it with the alternative reality of J Street’s Jeremy Ben-Ami (“J Street Head, Reporter Fear for Israel’s Future,” “Our View: J Street Fantasy,” May 20). The core issue in the Arab-Israeli conflict is Palestinian and broader Arab refusal to accept a permanent Israel be hind any boundaries. Every Palestinian leader, including Mahmoud Abbas, has made it clear that a Palestinian state in the West Bank will not end the conflict but will only be used as a springboard for further attacks on Israel. A cursory examination of state ments by Palestinian leaders and of Palestinian media confirms this. See www.pmw.org for example. Yet anoth er generation of Palestinians is being indoctrinated for endless conflict in the belief that Israel can be dismantled step by step. 8 Unfortunately, none of this is re

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bucycle to United Hatzalah at a con cert to support the Israeli emergency medical service. Leno made a separate appeal to the 1,300 members of the au dience and raised another $50,000. Fifth for men’s life expectancy. Israel ranks fifth in the world for the average life expectancy of men at 80.6 years, trailing Switzerland, Iceland, Australia and Sweden. Israeli women’s life ex pectancy ranks ninth at 84.3 years. Google contribution to disabilities initiative. Google is granting $700,000 to Tikkun Olam Makers, an Israeli ini tiative to produce technology to help people with disabilities. TOM’s 120 prototypes include a bionic hand and a walker that helps people climb stairs.

$10 million for hospitals’ humanitarian efforts. The Helmsley Charitable Trust has donated $10 million to the Poriah hospital in Tiberias and Ziv Medical Center in Safed to subsidize their treatment of people wounded in Syria’s civil war. Another beneficiary is the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, where surgeons from Save a Child’s Heart operate on overseas children. Water for the Taj Mahal. Because of Herzliya-based water treatment com pany Aqwise, visitors to India’s Taj Ma hal have drinking water. The Taj Mahal is in Agra, a city with about 2 million people. Aqwise helped build a water treatment plant, designed to treat more than 42 million gallons per day, supply ing drinking water to the entire city.

A keyboard for your eyes. Cancer char ity Ezer Mizion, which operates 58 centers in 31 cities across Israel, and Israeli-founded startup Click2Speak are piloting an on-screen keyboard operated by eye-tracking. The goal is a low-cost, multilingual, easy-to-use key board for people with impaired motor skills but high cognitive ability, such as Click2Speak co-founder Gal Sont, diag nosed with ALS in 2009.

Netanya’s new hotel. Visitors to Netan ya can stay at Accor’s luxurious MGal lery by Softel hotel. Rebranded from the David Tower Hotel on King David Street, the MGallery has a spa, heated indoor swimming pool, restaurants and bar, and beautiful views of the Mediterranean. Accor plans to open another Netanya hotel next year.

flected in mainstream media. Abbas can talk of Jews’ “filthy feet desecrating the Temple Mount” and praise murder ers as “martyrs” yet be called “mod erate,” while Israeli leaders who are doves by comparison are described as “hard-line” or even “extremist.” The public incitement to violence by Palestinian leaders simply never makes it to NPR or The New York Times. It is tragic when groups like J Street try to undercut support for Is rael while ignoring unwavering Pal estinian intransigence. Can you name any other conflict where the side that is repeatedly attacked and denied the right to exist is pressured by its own people to make ever-more-one-sided concessions to enemies dedicated to their destruction? Rather than undercut Israel, Jews should expose Palestinian incitement and rejectionism. They should call for Palestinian leaders to be held responsible for their actions. They should tell the history of Arab-initiated wars — and tell the history of Jewish refugees from Arab lands and the plight of Jews under Arab and Ottoman rule. It is indeed strange that France

will host yet another empty parley on the Arab-Israeli conflict on June 3, the day after the 75th anniversary of the Farhud — the massacre of over 180 Jews in Baghdad in 1941, which marked the beginning of the end of Iraq’s an cient Jewish community. — Doron Lubinsky, Sandy Springs

Coldplay’s Israeli-made video. The

Ben-Ami Disconnected From Reality

Jeremy Ben-Ami is, indeed, out of touch with reality. He is also neither pro-Israel nor an advocate of a “fair deal for the Palestinians.” His placing the blame for the lack of a resolution of the conflict on Prime Minister Ben jamin Netanyahu’s shoulders while ignoring Palestinian intransigence is unconscionable. Ben-Ami ignores the fact that the Arabs who today call themselves Palestinians could have had a state, bloodlessly, in 1947 if the Arab states neighboring Israel had not gone to war, resulting in hundreds of thousands of Arabs fleeing the area, as well as a com parable number of Jews being expelled from their homes in Muslim countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Israel did not say, “The expelled Jews will be kept in transit camps un

video for “Up & Up” from Coldplay’s new album, “A Head Full of Dreams,” was directed by Israelis Vania Hey mann and Gal Muggia. Lead singer Chris Martin raved about the directors on Beats 1 radio and said, “It’s one of the best videos people have made.” Uber challenge. Tel Aviv-based ridehailing service Gett, operating in 60 cit ies worldwide, including New York, has raised $300 million from Volkswagen. Did you try kosher-for-Passover beer? Bryan Meadan produces gluten-free beer from chickpeas and buckwheat all year. For Passover the Israeli brought out a date ale that was certified kosher for Passover by Badatz Beit Yosef. Proof of Bene Israel’s ancestry. Re searchers in the USA and at Tel Aviv University have produced genetic proof of the Jewish roots of the Bene Israel community from western India. Some 70,000 Bene Israel have made aliyah. They always considered them selves descendants of 14 Jews who were shipwrecked on the Indian shore. Compiled courtesy of verygoodnewsisrael. blogspot.com and other news sources. til the Muslim countries compensate them for the homes and businesses they had to leave behind.” The dis placed Jews were welcomed, absorbed and uplifted in their new home. In contrast, the fleeing Arabs be came the only refugee group that pass es refugee status from one generation to the next. Their descendants are de nied citizenship in most Muslim coun tries as well as being restricted from working in many professional occu pations. Their leaders insist that they remain refugees until Israel gives them the homes their forebears fled in 1948. Mahmoud Abbas does not intend to grant them citizenship in any Pal estinian state that may eventually be established. Do the refugees who today are fleeing Islamic State and the Syrian civil war fear being trapped in a similar refugee limbo for generations? Has the world’s acceptance of the Palestinians’ right to violently resist the occupation (ignoring their leaders’ repeated refus als to negotiate on Israel’s many peace proposals) emboldened the Muslim states to encourage and fund terrorism and enabled the jihadi attacks on New York, London, Brussels, Madrid, etc.? — Toby F. Block, Atlanta

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SPORTS

Synagogue Softball League Results, Schedule May 22 Results

Sinai 16, Ahavath Achim 12 Temple 10, Or VeShalom 3 Beth Tefillah 18, Ariel 14 Dor Tamid 13, B’nai Torah 4 Chabad 7, Gesher L’Torah 6 Gesher L’Torah 6, Young Israel 5 Beth Tikvah 13, Emanu-El 2 Beth Tikvah 12, Beth Jacob 10 Young Israel 9, Etz Chaim 6 Chabad 10, Etz Chaim 9 Or Hadash 23, Beth Jacob 6 Or Hadash 16, Emanu-El 8 Beth Shalom 15, Sinai 2 9 Beth Tikvah 2 17, Sinai 2 8 DTEC 2 11, Kol Emeth 7 Kol Emeth 27, B’nai Torah 2 16 Beth Tikvah 2 11, Temple 2 2 Beth Shalom 5, Temple 2 3

East Roswell Park 12:15 - Ariel vs. Beth Tefillah | Sinai vs. B’nai Torah 1:30 - Ariel vs. B’nai Torah | Beth Tefillah vs. Sinai 2:45 - Dor Tamid vs. Ahavath Achim | Temple vs. Or VeShalom 4:00 - Ahavath Achim vs. Temple | Dor Tamid vs. Or VeShalom 5:30 - Temple 2 vs. B’nai Torah 2 | DTEC2 vs. Sinai 2 6:45 – DTEC2 vs. B’nai Torah 2 | Temple 2 vs. Sinai 2

Gorst, Gold All-ACC

Georgia Tech junior pitchers Bran don Gold and Matthew Gorst have been named to the All-ACC baseball second team. The Jewish former high school teammates have formed an impressive 1-2 punch for the Jackets this season as a starter-closer combo. Gold was 7-3 as Tech’s Friday night starter with a 2.55 ERA and a team-high 71 strikeouts. Coming out of the bullpen, Gorst was 1-1 with 11 saves and an ERA of 0.49. Georgia Tech (35-20) dropped out of the Top 25 with two losses to Bos ton College to close the regular season. Tech was scheduled to face the Eagles again in the opening round of the ACC Tournament in Durham, N.C., on Tues day, May 24, in a game that ended after the AJT went to press.

Blatt Visits Davis

While the Cleveland Cava liers were strug gling in the NBA Eastern Confer ence finals after sweeping the At lanta Hawks out of the playoffs in the second David Blatt meets with round, their for Davis Academy middleschoolers May 19. mer head coach was visiting the Davis Academy on Thursday, May 19. Israeli-American David Blatt, who was fired at midseason after coaching Lebron James and the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals last year in his first season, spoke to Davis sixth- and seventh-grad ers in Sandy Springs.

June 5 Games

Terrell Mill Park 3:30 - Chabad vs. Young Israel | Emanu-El vs. Gesher L’Torah 4:45 – Kol Emeth vs. Beth Tikvah 2 | Etz Chaim vs. Beth Jacob 6:00 - Beth Tikvah 2 vs. Beth Sha lom | Beth Tikvah vs. Or Hadash

AMSSL Standings - Week 1 Wins

Losses

Temple

Sinai

Dor Tamid

Beth Tefillah

B’nai Torah

Ariel

Ahavath Achim

Or Veshalom

B Division

1 Wins

Losses

Chabad

Beth Tikvah

Or Hadash

Young Israel

Gesher L’Torah

Etz Chaim

Emanu-El

Beth Jacob

C Division

2 Wins

Losses

Beth Tikvah 2

Beth Shalom

Dor Tamid/ Etz Chaim 2

Kol Emeth

B’nai Torah 2

Sinai 2

Temple 2

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

A Division

AJT 9

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

OPINION

Our View

Who Are You?

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

ne of the most common questions out-oftowners ask the AJT is some variation of “How many Jews live in Atlanta?” For a long time, we haven’t been able to offer a definitive answer. All anyone can say is that when the Jewish Fed eration of Greater Atlanta conducted a community survey 10 years ago, it found 120,000 Jews (in house holds with 150,000 people — a rarely mentioned re flection of the high rate of interfaith marriage). If the local Jewish population has grown at the same rate as the overall population, we total perhaps 135,000 now. The exact number doesn’t mean much. In terms of what we can do as a community, there’s no prac tical difference between 125,000 and 145,000. The number of synagogues is the same. The money raised by Federation is the same. The educational opportu nities afforded by day schools and the summer expe riences offered by camps are the same. The community’s national position is the same. The growth discovered in 2006 gave Atlanta the ninth-largest Jewish metro population in the United States and the 10th-largest in North America, and we’re not moving up or down. The No. 8 Jewish metro area, the San Francisco Bay region, has almost 100,000 more Jews than Atlan ta, while No. 10 San Diego hasn’t reached the 90,000 mark yet. (All of these numbers are just estimates.) That brings us to Federation’s forthcoming com munity survey. Rather than repeat the methodology of a decade ago to produce a comparable number and answer the question about the size of our community, Federation has opted for quality over quantity. The goal is to learn the character of the commu nity: who we are, where we are, how we’re involved with Judaism and Jewish institutions, what services we use, and what services we need but can’t find (ei ther because they don’t exist or because people don’t know about them). The numbers aren’t irrelevant, of course. If 40,000 people are members of synagogues, it’s worth knowing whether they represent a third of the Jews or a quarter. The answer might lead to different ap proaches by organizations to connect with people. An individual synagogue’s building and clerical capacities don’t change based on how many people aren’t members, however; whether that synagogue has its fill of members reflects how well it meets the needs of its immediate community. If this survey is successful, our synagogues, as well as communal organizations from Federation to the Marcus Jewish Community Center to Jewish Interest Free Loan of At lanta, will know whether they are meeting the needs and how they must adjust to do a better job. That’s where we all come in. If you care about optimizing our Jewish community, now and in the future, set aside 20 minutes between June 6 and 30 to take the online survey at www.IamJewishATL.com. Get the rest of your family to take it. Nudge and nag your friends to take it. The findings that come out will be only as good as the data going in, and the more, the merrier. By the fall, we might not be sure how many of us are here, 10 but we’ll have a good idea of who we are. ■

AJT

Cartoon by Rick McKee, The Augusta Chronicle

Christian Disgust in Judicial Race

of court for sending an email to beg out of jury duty. s I write this, it’s Election Day in Georgia. Republican and Democratic primaries and • “Suspended,” Bridges’ inaccurate way of bring nonpartisan elections are being held for ing up Lopez’s nomination for a federal judgeship. members of Congress, state legislators, judges, and Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) blocked the nomination other state and local officials. from being debated or voted on during the session. In the jackpot of 2016 elections, it’s our second Lopez has never been suspended from the bench. chance to play with the electronic voting machines. • “Remove from office,” which reads like an accu The first was the SEC Primary on March 1 to pick the sation but is just a hope that voters will reject Lopez. presidential nominees. Never having held Up next for many of us will office, Bridges has be runoffs July 26 for the May 24 never been removed. Editor’s Notebook primaries and nonpartisan elec For a judicial By Michael Jacobs tions because Georgia requires a election, that list ap majority to win an election. proaches or crosses mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com National Election Day on a number of lines. Nov. 8 won’t necessarily end the But it would be a voting for the year. If a third-par forgettable piece of ty candidate prevents anyone from winning a major politics if not for the final item on the list, Bridges’ ity for a local or state office, a runoff will be held closing argument: “Christian” — yes for him, no for Dec. 6. If that happens in a congressional election Lopez, who is Jewish and a member of The Temple. or Sen. Johnny Isakson’s run for re-election, we’ll go In 2016 in metro Atlanta, a candidate for judge into electoral overtime and vote again Jan. 10. tried to win over voters by resorting to religious But no matter how many times Georgians go to bigotry, if not outright anti-Semitism. the polls, we’re unlikely to see campaign literature as “We weren’t trying to offend anybody, especially vile as the mailer DeKalb County judicial candidate in the Jewish population,” Bridges told The Daily Roderick Bridges sent out in the final week of his Report after he came under criticism. race to unseat State Court Judge Dax Lopez. Lopez wanted nothing to do with Bridges’ In a “tale of the tape” comparison between the excuse-filled apology. Sadly, it’s not the first time this men, Bridges presented a list of attributes that was year a political opponent used religion against him. both confusing and misleading: In January, amid anti-immigration lobbying for • “Experience,” which could be experience in Georgia’s U.S. senators to halt Lopez’s nomination DeKalb courtrooms or experience playing pinochle. to the U.S. District Court, a blogger wrote that while (It’s actually experience on the bench, but it’s a Traf he couldn’t understand rejecting Jesus, he wasn’t fic Court seat for Bridges.) questioning the sincerity of Lopez’s conversion to • “Politic” (not politics), with the accusation Judaism as a young man. Wink wink, nod nod. that Lopez, who has been a Republican, “claims he’s I’m not supposed to root in elections, but I am Obama’s boy in South DeKalb,” while Bridges denies today. I hope that by the time you read this, Lopez being a politician at all. will have won. He’s a good man, and his opponent has shown such bad judgment and ugly bias that he • “Arrest attorney,” a reference to an incident two years ago when Lopez held a lawyer in contempt should never judge the guilt or innocence of others. ■

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

OPINION

Remembering Our Fallen on Memorial Day holiday, originally known as Decora tion Day, was created in 1868. In 1968, four federal holidays — Washington’s

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

Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day — were moved to Mondays, creating three-day week ends. (Congress later returned Veter ans Day to its original Nov. 11 date.) Popular culture has made Memo rial Day the unofficial start of sum mer. For many students it is the first Monday of summer vacation. Swim ming pools open. Stores advertise sales. All of which obscures Memorial Day’s meaning. Israel recently observed Yom HaZikaron, its Memorial Day, when a siren brings the country to a halt, liter ally, for a minute of reflection. Israel is a small country, and because military service is compulsory for most men

and women, any divide between its military and civilians is blurred. American Jews can mark Memori al Day by reflecting on their own who fought and died for the United States. Francis Salvador, a Sephardic Jew who emigrated from England and became a plantation owner and legis lator in South Carolina, was the first Jew to die in the Revolutionary War, a militia man killed by Cherokees allied with the British. During the Civil War, when some 7,000 Jews wore Union blue and 3,000 Confederate gray, 600 died. Jews were less than 3 percent of the U.S. population but 5 percent of the American Expeditionary Forces deployed “over there” in World War I. Of the 250,000 Jewish troops, 3,530 were killed. During World War II, an estimat ed 550,000 Jewish men and women — roughly 11 percent of all American Jews, who were 3.6 percent of the U.S. population — were in uniform. Of those, 11,000 died, 7,000 of them in combat. An estimated 150,000 American Jews served during the Korean War. A reliable figure for the number killed in

that conflict is not easily found. Of an estimated 30,000 American Jews in uniform who served in the Vietnam War, some 270 were killed. Their names are etched into the black granite of the Vietnam Veterans Me morial in Washington. At least 50 Jewish men and wom en have died in the Iraq and Afghani stan wars of the past 15 years. These Jewish sons and daughters can be remembered by reading 37 profiles of “Our Fallen” published in 2011 by the Forward and 13 more in an update published last year. Another presentation is on the website of the National Museum of American Jewish Military History. “I think people are surprised to learn that Jews serve in the military in America because people think that any Jew interested in serving in the mili tary is going to serve in the IDF,” Bev erly Wolfer-Nerenberg, whose brother, Army Maj. Stuart Wolfer, was killed in Iraq, told the Forward. “I think that people overlook the fact that Jews liv ing in this country are patriotic and do have a sense of duty and gratitude and are grateful for what this country has given to us over the years.” ■

was an early mystic who supposedly was one of the founders of Kabbalah. In response to Hadrian’s harsh rules, he and his son hid in a cave, where G-d created a spring that quenched their thirst and a carob tree for sustenance. His students, carrying bows and arrows to disguise themselves as hunters, gathered in the cave to study. After Bar Yochai died on Lag B’Omer, his followers decreed that his yahrzeit should be a festive day. In 1939, shortly after the Hun garians replaced the Czech regime in Munkacs and as a German ally instituted harsh anti-Semitic laws, my primary commitment in Judaism was turning from religion to Zion ism. I joined my friends in the Betar movement, based on Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s ideology emphasizing militancy. My Lag B’Omer hero shifted from Bar Yochai to Bar Kochba, who, with Rabbi Akiva’s support, led the last great Jewish uprising against Hadrian. Each Lag B’Omer was celebrated by the students of my school, the He brew Gymnasium, with a traditional outing in a forest. Each class had its own destination. Carrying backpacks

with food and drink, we spent the day meandering about in the beautiful Carpathian foothills until midafter noon, when all classes gathered in a particular clearing. Our first task in the clearing was the building of the medurah, a tra ditional bonfire. We gathered fallen trees, branches, anything that would burn. Slowly the wood was piled high, and the ritual began. The graduating class officially turned over the school leadership to the next class, and it was time to kindle the bonfire. Night began to fall, and as the fire began flickering, we quietly and languorously sang the Hebrew song “Meduroth Hidliku,” calling for dancing and rejoicing as the flames rose. The graduating class formed the first circle, and, as the space permitted, everyone joined in a rousing horah. As the fire abated, we gathered by class and marched to the city. Outside the main street we formed our lines, raised our blue-and-white class flags, and, in spite of raging anti-Semitism, marched into the city singing “Am 11 Yisrael Chai” — Israel lives forever. ■

Lag B’Omer in Munkacs

t the second Pesach seder, traditional Jews, as most of us were in my shtetl, Munkacs, begin the Torah-prescribed ritual of counting the Omer. And, like so many hukim, the prescriptions and proscrip tions in the Torah, the text offers no reason. We Jews observe the hukim because at Mount Sinai we proclaimed, “Naase v’nishmah” — we will listen and perform. Our ancient sages sometimes tried to give meaning to such ordinances in the midrashim. The first mystery is the name Omer. Technically, an omer was a measure of volume; it was the amount of barley Jews brought as a sacrifice in the Temple on Shavuot as part of the bikurim (the first fruit offering). But that sacrifice was practiced only after the Jews settled the land and tilled the soil; that Temple practice does not explain why we were com manded to count the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot. These 49 days, sans Shabbat,

Rosh Chodesh and the 33rd day of the count, involve restrictions associated with mourners: no music, no enter tainment, no weddings, and no hair cutting or beard trimming. But Lag B’Omer, the 33rd day, is a festive day;

One Man’s Opinion By Eugen Schoenfeld

all restrictions are eliminated. Lag B’Omer is the yahrtzeit of Bar Yochai, who defied Roman Emperor Hadrian’s (117-138 C.E.) harsh decrees against studying and observing the To rah. Even today, thousands of religious Jews, especially Mizrachi Jews, descend on Merom, where Bar Yochai is buried, to express intense joy. We schoolchildren in Munkacs celebrated this day by creating min iature bows and arrows and shooting them in a field. Who was Bar Yochai, and why the bows and arrows? Shimon bar Yochai

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

emorial Day is set aside to remember the men and women who died serving in the U.S. armed forces. At a time when the divide between America’s military and its civilian population is wider than at any point in the nation’s history, the day’s purpose risks neglect and apathy. Fewer than 0.5 percent of Americans serve in the military, the smallest share since the period be tween World War I and World War II. Jews, who are about 2 percent of the American population, are by one estimate 0.33 percent of those now in uniform — several thousand men and women at most. Another estimate suggests upward of 10,000, but not all Jews in the military list a religion. The number of Americans in uniform has declined steadily since 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War. Fewer Americans know anyone in uniform. For most civilians, the volunteer military is out of sight and out of mind. Memorial Day this year falls on May 30, which was its date when the

AJT

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FOOD

Food Festivals Heat Up With Weather

he end of the school year and the arrival of summer weather also mean it’s a time for outdoor eating and cooking, from backyard grills to park picnics (or both during Lag B’Omer events Thursday, May 26). The Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Kashruth Commission, for example, are bringing Kosher Day back to Turner Field on Memorial Day, May 30, during an afternoon game against the San Francisco Giants. Tickets are $10 or $8 each for four or more; the kosher meals are extra. Visit kosheratlanta.org/Kosher%20Day. htm for details and tickets. The season for outdoor eating also is the time of year for food festivals, at least before and after the peak of the summer heat. The details are still being finalized, but Chabad of Georgia confirms that Ko sher Food & Wine Atlanta, which made its debut in late August last year, will return. The story is the same for Steak Shap iro’s Atlanta Eats Live, which will be back

Food That Rocks founder Dale DeSena shows off a special guitar on the music stage at the festival at Hammond Park.

Jewish Atlantans pitching in to make the first Food That Rocks a success include (second row from left) Mark Cohen, Dale Schwartz, Dale DeSena, Ed Gerson, Robyn Spizman Gerson and Mike Weinroth and (front row from left) Myron Smith, Susan Schwartz, Jane Cohen, Jonathan Silver, Marcia Caller Jaffe and Julie Silver.

Noshfest Is Back

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

After skipping 2015, Temple Kol Emeth is bringing Noshfest back to the East Cobb synagogue’s grounds Labor Day weekend. Noshfest will serve a mixture of Jewish foods and culture, Judaica and other craft vendors, games and chil dren’s activities, and music Sunday and Monday, Sept. 4 and 5. A new feature of the festival is a bagel-eating contest, in which partici pants will be challenged to eat as many bagels as they can in a fixed period. Those with less competitive stom achs can count on foods served in past years, such as potato knishes, hot dogs, matzah ball soup, fried green tomatoes, hamantashen, rugelach and corned beef sandwiches. Be on the lookout for new food items. Kol Emeth also will offer tours of its building at 1415 Old Canton Road. Parking will be across the street at Eastminster Presbyterian Church. For more information, visit www. noshfest.com.

Fire Up The Kosher Grills

Atlanta’s only kosher barbecue competition returns this year just as fall arrives and is signing up teams to compete. 12 The fourth annual Atlanta Kosher

AJT

this fall for the fourth year. The date hasn’t been set, but the heavily Jewish Atlanta Eats organization expects more than 50 restaurants to participate, along with live music. The first taste of local food festivals for or by Atlanta Jews came Saturday, May 14, in Sandy Springs with the debut of Food That Rocks: Party With a Pur pose, led by Dale DeSena, the founder and CEO of Taste of Atlanta (which makes its annual return Oct. 21 to 23). Held at Hammond Park, the first Food That Rocks featured food, wine, beer and cocktail samples from more than 25 restaurants. The money raised benefited Temple Sinai-based Second Helpings Atlanta, Ian’s Friends Foundation and the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance. Myron Smith of Second Helpings Atlanta served as an honorary co-chair of the event, along with Ian Yagoda of Ian’s Friends Foundation, Lin Koperwas and Gavin Perkins.

Familiar Jewish foods are available at Temple Kol Emeth’s own Nosh Street Eatery.

BBQ Competition takes place Sunday, Sept. 25, almost a month earlier than last year in the secular calendar be cause the High Holidays are late this year. Teams can register now at the atlantakosherbbq.com and practice all summer, according to the event presenter, the Atlanta lodges of the Hebrew Order of David International, which took over the contest from Con gregation B’nai Torah in 2015. “We grew exponentially in at tendance and team participation last year,” said Jody Pollack, the president of HOD Lodge Shimshon and the event committee chairman. “With a continu ing interest in food events and barbe cue cooking and increased awareness of our event, we expect to be bigger. With more sponsors and attendees, we’ll be able to make greater contribu tions to the charities supported by our four metro Atlanta lodges.” The competition drew a record 25 teams and more than 5,000 eaters in 2015, the festival’s first year at Brook

Run Park in Dunwoody, and the event is keeping that location. Kosher barbecue competitions in the United States have grown in popu larity in recent years as Jewish commu nities have embraced the preparation and taste of barbecue that follows the rules of kashrut. “Kosher meat is saltier than non kosher meat, and contestants need to take that into account when prepar ing the sauces and rubs that they use to season their meat,” said Pollack, who has competed across the Southeast. “And, of course, the laws of kashrut prohibit the mixing of meat and dairy products. You don’t have to be Jewish to enter, but you need to follow the rules to the letter.” Other cities that host kosher bar becue contests include Birmingham, Memphis, Charlotte, Chicago, San An tonio, Las Vegas, Kansas City and Cleve land. Most competitions rely on volun teers, in-kind donations and sponsor ship dollars.

Beef ribs are among the items teams will prepare and serve to the judges at the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Competition on Sept. 25 at Brook Run Park.

Food That Rocks packs people into tents at Hammond Park on May 14.

Last year’s Atlanta event raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity and brought in donations of nonper ishable food and winter clothing. Teams are judged on beef ribs, beef brisket, chicken and beans, as well as their booth presentations. All competi tors receive the same grills and cuts of meat but have their choice of season ings. Aside from the soaking and salting of the meat to make it kosher, the bar becue competition involves the twist of its timing around Shabbat. Teams prepare their entries under rabbinic supervision, provided by the Atlanta Kashruth Commission, on Thursday night, Sept. 22, and the meat is locked in a refrigerated truck, to be delivered to the teams Saturday night after Shab bat. Smokers are lighted around mid night, and cooking takes place through out the night. “For the competitors, it’s a really festive night,” Pollack said. “There’s a spirit of camaraderie and shared ad venture, although you only share so much.” Attendees get to taste samples of what the competitors submit to the judges, as long as supplies last. Addi tional kosher food will be available for purchase. The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival will provide entertainment, and there will be activities and attractions for children. ■

FOOD

Photos by David R. Cohen

If you can find it, a visit to Hoboken is well worth the trip.

Better Know a Bagel: Hoboken Bread & Bagel By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com

Atmosphere Open the doors at Hoboken and you’ll most likely be greeted by the shop’s owners as if you’re a regular, even if it’s your first time there. Hoboken does have a steady stream of regulars because the hus band-and-wife owners have run the deli for more than 20 years. Anne, one of the owners, said, “We’ve been here so long, we’re the only neighborhood place left in the neighborhood.” Inside, you can easily convince yourself that you’ve stepped into a real New York deli because the cramped quarters offer only enough space for a few tables and a deli counter. Still, this one-of-a-kind shop offers ample charm and just enough room to sit down for a tasty bagel. Verdict: Bagels The bagels at Hoboken aren’t au thentic New York style. They are dif ferent from any I’ve had in Atlanta. In credibly light, fluffy and full of flavor, these bagels are baked in house and come in about 15 varieties, including garlic, everything, sun-dried tomato and pumpernickel.

Hoboken’s lox bagel is authentic and tasty.

Hoboken’s New York-style lox ba gel is fresh and not too filling, but you also can’t go wrong with one of their egg bagel sandwiches. In addition, the deli offers a wide selection of housemade muffins, croissants and pastries. Verdict: Spreads Not much variety among the house-made spreads at Hoboken, but its regular cream cheese is excellent. The shop also offers veggie, green olive and smoked salmon schmears. Hoboken also has a wide selection of authentic New York-style deli sand wiches. Verdict: Overall A hidden local gem. I highly rec ommend Hoboken Bagel for hot coffee and a morning nosh. From the friendly owners and regulars to the delicious bagels and pastries, this shop is well worth the drive to Marietta. Verdict: Next time: Bagel Boys Cafe in San dy Springs ■ Previous Ratings • Brooklyn Bagel Bakery & Deli: 5/5 • Art’s Bagels & More: 4.5/5 • The New Broadway Cafe: 4/5 • Bagelicious: 4/5 • Soho Bakery and Deli: 4/5 • Goldberg’s Bagel Co.: 4/5 • Sunny’s Bagel & Deli: 3.5/5 • The General Muir: 3.5/5 • Brooklyn Water Bagel: 3/5

Serving Atlanta for Over 65 Years! • Enjoy the Lowest Prices Around! • Incredible Selection, including those Hard to Find Items • Expertise in Wine Selection and Pairing • Party and Event Planning • Good Old Fashioned Customer Service

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

ot too long ago, I found myself deep in Marietta after some early morning errands on a Sunday. It was there that I stumbled across one of Atlanta’s best-kept bagel secrets, Hoboken Bread and Bagel. Blink and you’ll miss this small shop, located at the end of a tiny strip mall in an industrial area off Sandy Plains Road. But if you make it inside, you’ll find a shop with lots of character and great bagels to boot. So how does Hoboken stack up to Atlanta’s best? Find out in this week’s edition of Better Know a Bagel.

BUCKHEAD: 2161 Piedmont Road Atlanta, GA 30324 | 404-881-0902

DORAVILLE: 5877 Buford Hwy Doraville, GA 30340 | 770-458-3272

AJT 13

Best of Jewish Atlanta

Just as Federation is launching a survey to find out who we are in Jewish Atlanta, the Atlanta Jewish Times is kicking off a survey to find some of our favorite people, places and things. This is an unscientific survey, and, although we’re calling it Best of Jewish Atlanta, we’re not claiming that the winners are the best at what they do. We’ll leave it to you, our readers, to judge whether they’re the best, the most popular or just the best known. We want this to be fun, not a source of bitterness. We have listed nominees for each category, but you are welcome to write in your own pick. If you don’t have an opinion on a category, just skip it; we ask that you vote for at least half the categories if you submit a ballot. MEDIA PERSONALITY  Matt Chernoff  Mara Davis  Holly Firfer  Steak Shapiro  Larry Wachs  Bert Weiss  Other: _________ ELECTED OFFICIAL (CURRENT)  Andy Bauman  Mike Bodker  Michele Henson  Philip Goldstein  Sam Olens  Renee Unterman  Other: _________ ELECTED OFFICIAL (FORMER)  Mitchell Kaye  Liane Levetan  Elliott Levitas  Kevin Levitas  Sam Massell  Other: _________ JUDGE  Mike Jacobs  Dax Lopez  Stephen Schuster  Marvin Shoob  Wendy Shoob  Other: _________

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

MUSICIAN OR BAND  Joe Alterman  Baal Shem Tones  Paz  Sammy Rosenbaum  Zale  Other: _________

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BAGEL  Art’s Bagels  Bagelicious  Broadway Cafe  Brooklyn Bagel Bakery  Goldbergs  Other: _________ SLEEPAWAY CAMP  Barney Medintz  Blue Star  Coleman  Living Wonders  Ramah Darom  Other: _________ DAY SCHOOL  Atlanta Jewish Academy  Davis Academy  Epstein School  Temima  Torah Day School  Weber School  Other: _________ NON-JEWISH PRIVATE SCHOOL  Galloway  Pace  Paideia  Walker  Westminster  Woodward  Other: _________ PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL  Dunwoody  Grady  North Springs  Riverwood  Walton  Other: _________

FESTIVAL  Atlanta Jewish Film Festival  Atlanta Jewish Music Festival  Book Festival of the Marcus JCC  Kosher BBQ Competition  Or VeShalom Chanukah  Bazaar  Other: _________ KOSHER RESTAURANT  Broadway Cafe  Chai Peking  Fuego Mundo  Pita Grille  Pita Palace  Other: _________ JEWISH-OWNED NONKOSHER RESTAURANT  Bagelicious  The General Muir  Napoli Pizza  Reel Seafood  Souper Jenny  Yalla  Other: _________ KOSHER CATERER  Added Touch  Avenue K  Dolce Catering  For All Occasions and More  Kosher Gourmet  Spicy Peach  Other: _________

KOSHER GROCERY SHOPPING  Dunwoody Kroger  Fountain Oaks Kroger  Spicy Peach  Toco Hills Kroger  Toco Hills Publix  Other:

LOCAL NONPROFIT  Breman Museum  Jewish Federation  Jewish Home Life Communities  JF&CS  Marcus JCC  Other: _________

KOSHER TREATS  Ali’s Cookies  Alon’s  Bruster’s  Krispy Kreme  Menchie’s  Other: _________

SIMCHA VENUE  Atlanta History Center  Georgia Aquarium  Grand Hyatt  Wyndham Atlanta Galleria  InterContinental Buckhead  Westin Atlanta Perimeter  Other: _________

COFFEE SHOP  Crema  Dancing Goats  Dunkin’ Donuts  Krispy Kreme  Octane  Starbucks  Other: _________ SPORTS OWNER/COACH  Sara Blakely  Arthur Blank  Steve Koonin  Josh Pastner  Tony Ressler  Other: _________

NEIGHBORHOOD  Buckhead  Dunwoody  East Cobb  Sandy Springs  South Atlanta  Toco Hills  Virginia-Highland  Other: _________

LOCAL/REGIONAL AFFILIATE OF NATIONAL NONPROFIT  ADL  AIPAC  AJC  FIDF  Hadassah  Israel Bonds  JNF  ORT  Other: _________

You can vote online at atlantajewishtimes.com or fill out this ballot and mail it or bring it to our offices:

Atlanta Jewish Times Attn.: Best of Jewish Atlanta Suite 320 • 270 Carpenter Dr NE • Atlanta, GA 30328 The deadline for ballots is Friday, June 10, at 5 p.m.

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

BUSINESS

Conexx’s Eagles Landing Soon

outheastern and Israeli business leaders will gather at Atlantic Sta tion in Midtown at 6 p.m. Thurs day, June 2, for the annual Eagle Star Awards, hosted by Conexx: America Israel Business Connector. Former CBS News anchor Jane Robelot is the emcee for the ceremony, at which Conexx will recognize a com munity partner (the Tennessee Depart ment of Economic and Community De velopment), an Israeli company (TIBA Parking), a deal (Energiya Global), a U.S.

company (the Georgia Ports Authority) and an academic partner (Mark Cohen and Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Man agement). The night also includes a raffle for a $4,500 Israeli travel experience ($50 a ticket, although they’re less as part of ticket packages). Boasting a network of more than 600 members, Conexx serves as a liai son between Israel and six Southeast ern states. The awards recognize the build ing of Israeli business connections and revenue in global and local markets. While some of the deals resulted from

trade missions to Israel, Conexx works to forge relationships outside trips. One Southern gem, Anita Zucker, is receiving the Tom Glaser Leadership Award for her role in binational eco nomic development. Zucker exempli fies a long-term commitment to higher education, business, economic devel opment and government. In this four-page pullout sec tion focusing on Zucker and the other award winners, you’ll read about so lar energy, parking (a hot-button issue for Atlantans), Vanderbilt University’s commitment to Israeli startups and more. ■

Tom Glaser Award: Anita Zucker By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

nita Zucker, a schoolteacherturned-billionaire, is as ground ed and philanthropic as she could be. Of course, her fortune didn’t ap pear overnight. She and her late hus band, Jerry Zucker, built a family em pire from the ground up, starting in the early 1980s. When Zucker speaks about her husband, her fond memories make it sound as if he died just months ago. Her Southern lilt gently describes his drive, intelligence and generosity. Married for nearly 40 years, the Zuckers were high school sweethearts in Charleston, S.C. They went to the University of Florida; she then earned a master’s degree from the University of North Florida while he earned a mas ter’s degree in electrical engineering. Jerry’s passion for science and technology led to his first invention, a high school project that became part of the first lunar landing module. While he began to build a global business em pire with the InterTech Group — now a conglomerate focusing on specialty chemicals, commercial real estate, and manufacturing and aerospace parts production — she was teaching public school. Eventually she joined the ranks at InterTech, but she maintained a pas sion for education. Zucker’s zeal continues today. Her philanthropic contributions can be seen at universities across the South east. In 2014 she was lovingly referred to as “the Bill Gates of South Carolina” by Charleston City Paper. In a speech, Zucker said of her giv ing: “We were building a foundation

Originally a schoolteacher, Anita Zucker has maintained her passion for education as a philanthropist.

and would eventually discover success in business, and that success would un veil opportunities to improve the lives of others, through giving and commu nity service. So over the years as our businesses grew, so did our opportu nity to give back.” Jerry died of cancer in 2008 and left Anita at the helm. Because she worked with him at InterTech as the di rector of community development, she was knowledgeable about the compa ny culture. She said the most challeng ing part of taking over was learning the finances. “I wanted his insights because he knew how to handle the business,” Zucker said. For some time before his death, Jerry taught Anita everything he knew about their fortune and the companies they owned together. In addition to global manufactur ing, the family has stakes in sports, entertainment, leisure and real estate businesses. “When he was diagnosed, he worked with me and helped me to gain understanding” of the businesses, Zucker said. “I learned about dealing

with finances. The most important thing was working with the talent that we have: How was I going to work with associates, gain their respect and keep them on board?” She now runs InterTech with her son, Jonathan, and a group of trusted advisers. Whip-smart, Zucker has a finger on exactly where products are made and where they’re headed. In Atlanta the InterTech manufacturing plant produces aerospace and automotive parts, such as insulation for the wheel wells of an airplane and blankets for the cab of an 18-wheeler truck. InterTech holds contracts with the Department of Defense and commer cial industries alike. “It’s not what I ever thought I would be doing,” Zucker said with a laugh. “I was a teacher in the beginnings of my life. Was I able to adjust to leadership? Yes. I had led large organizations in our community and nonprofits, including the Charleston Chamber of Commerce with 3,000 members.” Zucker said she is honored and humbled to be the recipient of the Tom Glaser Leadership Award. Jerry was a founding member of Conexx (formerly the American Israel Chamber of Com merce in the Southeast), and Anita re called his contributions to the board and the organization. “The organization has come a long way. My late husband was born in Israel, so the organization’s work with Israel is important to us. We care deeply about Israel and what’s happen ing with respect to the Startup-Nation, patents, medicine and medical break throughs,” she said. The South Carolina-Israel Collabo ration, supported by Conexx and Inter Tech, showcases talent in the fields of

What: Eagle Star Awards Where: Twelve Atlantic Station, 361 17th St., Midtown When: 6 p.m. Thursday, June 2 Tickets: $125 for admission only, $165 for admission and one raffle ticket, or $275 for admission and five raffle tickets; www. eaglestargala.com or 404-8439426, ext. 106

biomedical, sustainable systems, trans portation, defense and health informa tion technology. An Israel mission in late January created relationships in jewelry manu facturing, neuroscience, and medical and dental technology. Mission partici pants attended a cybertech conference in Tel Aviv. “It is so exciting to be involved at that level,” Zucker said. “The group who traveled with us not only learned about amazing things from a medical perspective, but everyone got (cultural) highlights, including visiting the Old City of Jerusalem. To me, it’s such an important part of the history of Israel and religion in general.” With family in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, she hopes to return to Israel again this year. “Personally, I’m always in a growth mode, always learning and try ing to find opportunities to extend my knowledge and abilities.” Zucker’s advice to those who in herit a business: “Find a good mentor or adviser you can trust — someone who understands business but will share ideas and help you.” ■ More About Zucker • The Zucker family donated millions to the University of Florida and The Citadel, as well as endless volunteer hours to many education foundations in South Carolina. • Anita Zucker was named Best Philanthropist by Charleston City Paper from 2010 to 2015. The 2016 award went to satirist Stephen Colbert. • She also has received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, and the Charleston Jewish Federation’s inaugural Light Unto the Nations Award. • Both Anita and Jerry were the children of Holocaust survivors.

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

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www.atlantajewishtimes.com

BUSINESS

U.S. Company: Georgia Ports Authority By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

mports from Israel into the Port of Savannah are rising steadily. ZIM America, an Israeli-owned international shipping company, op erates out of the Port of Savannah in coordination with the Georgia Ports Authority. ZIM was the fifth-largest container carrier for the Georgia Ports Authority during 2015. The company handled 315,792 TEUs (20-foot-equiva lent units, the measure of the capacity of a container ship) and accounted for 8.4 percent of total Georgia Ports Au thority business. Griff Lynch, the current chief op erating officer and incoming executive director at the Ports Authority, said ZIM’s relationship with the Port of Sa vannah dates back as far as 1972. In the past 20 years, ZIM’s volume at the Port of Savannah grew nearly 190 percent, a 5.5 percent compound annual growth rate. That growth continues. In 2015, the trade grew 23 percent as exports in creased 22 percent (28,895 TEUs) while imports increased 24 percent (30,200

TEUs). ZIM was also the first carrier to call on the Port of Savannah’s Garden City Terminal with a vessel over 10,000TEU capacity in March 2015. Because of its relationship with the state of Israel, the Georgia Ports Au thority is receiving the Eagle Star U.S. Company of the Year Award for dem onstrating a sustained commitment to a strategic partnership with Israel. The Georgia Ports Authority en courages international shipping busi ness by working with a broad coalition of business leaders, economic develop ment teams, chambers of commerce and elected officials to enable opportu nities for growth. The authority extends the reach of domestic industries to international markets, from Volkswagens built in Chattanooga to the farm and forest products grown in Georgia. On the horizon is the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. By deepen ing the Savannah River to 47 feet at av erage low water, SHEP will enable the port to more efficiently serve the larger vessels expected to call in greater num bers after the expansion of the Panama

Photo by Stephen B. Morton, Georgia Ports Authority

The Port of Savannah’s Garden City Terminal is adding four ship-to-shore cranes this year and four in 2018.

Canal. Vessels in this class, which are already calling on Savannah, will be able to do so with heavier loads and greater scheduling flexibility once the deepening is complete. The Ports Authority this year is purchasing four new ship-to-shore cranes for Savannah, which will bring the total number of electric-powered container cranes to 26, the most of any single terminal in the United States. On the ground, the Ports Authority opened a $27 million project featuring a multilane truck gate to help Savan nah’s Garden City Terminal avoid con gestion while completing 10,000 truck moves per day. Next up, the Georgia De partment of Transportation is opening

the Jimmy Deloach Parkway extension before the summer to provide a direct truck route between Interstate 95 and Garden City Terminal. These reliable, cost-effective trans portation solutions create momentum for Georgia’s ports to become load cen ters for trade in the entire Southeast and beyond. Savannah has been the fastestgrowing major U.S. port for a decade, and there’s no slowing down in sight. As ship sizes grow and SHEP takes ad vantage of the Panama Canal expan sion, industry running through Savan nah is expected to double in size. The Georgia Ports Authority will be there to make it happen. ■

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

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BUSINESS

Community Partner: Tennessee Economic Development Department By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

hen Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam led state officials, local leaders and their spouses on a business trip to Israel, his goal was to strengthen ties between his state and Israel. “The state of Tennessee is strong in health care. We went over to see if there are some potential partnerships or in vestments that could benefit the state long term,” Haslam said. Conexx facilitated the trip, which included Commissioner Randy Boyd and International Director Leslee Alex ander from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Devel opment. Alexander oversees bilateral trade activities, including inbound and outbound missions. “Working closely with Conexx helped forge a relationship with Isra el,” Alexander said. “Their connectivity to the Israeli ecosystem and mutual re spect is strong.” The delegation was composed

of 18 leaders from Tennessee known as the startup-nation due businesses, including highto the enormous amount of en tech biomedical companies, trepreneurial activity happening doctors and members of the here, and we have formed a lot of Jewish community. The group relationships that can be mutu held meetings with a variety ally beneficial,” Haslam said. of stakeholders and the Israeli Instrumental in maintain Chamber of Commerce. ing the state-to-state relation Haslam and Boyd met with ship is the Jewish Federation of Israeli Prime Minister Benja Nashville and Middle Tennessee. min Netanyahu, rang the bell Well-traveled Federation mem at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange bers made mission guests feel at Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (right) visits the Rambam and met with representatives ease. Health Care Campus in Haifa and its director of medical from Israeli government. Alexander said, “When you and research development, Karl Skorecki, last summer. “Hundreds of relationships travel, you never are sure what were started from this trip,” Alexander Tennessee. The mission and relation culture will be like. There was an open ship outcomes symbolize a step in this ness and friendliness of the Israeli peo said. One outcome is the relationship direction. It shows investment in Israel ple and communities, and it was well Tennessee officials formed with the and vice versa,” Alexander said. received by the group. The trip was lifeIn early June, the LaunchTN 3686 changing for so many people.” Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Re search and Development Foundation, annual accelerator conference is ex Israel holds a special place in the pected to host Israeli companies along hearts of those who visit, she added. whom delegates will visit in 2016. The Tennessee Department of Eco with startup companies from the “We heard real, candid stories. It was nomic and Community Development Southeast. The two-day conference is intimate. And that’s rare for a 30-per “began exploration of the Israeli busi held in Nashville son group.” “This is a great chance to tell the ness system a couple years ago. The Alexander plans to attend and ac governor’s intent was to establish a Tennessee story to Israeli businesses cept the Eagle Star Award on behalf of strong relationship between Israel and large and small. Israel has become Boyd and the state of Tennessee. ■

By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

“W

elcome to Atlantic Sta tion. Please take your ticket and proceed.” If you have parked underground at At lantic Station — as you might for the Eagle Star Awards — you have come in contact with TIBA Parking Systems. Israeli-based TIBA develops and manufactures hardware and software for parking access and revenue control systems. The company has 29 years of experience in barcode technology, de sign and production. Its U.S. base is in Tucker. It is a cor porate member of Afcon Holdings and Shlomo Group Holdings, both traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. TIBA landed a $500 million deal with Israeli private equity fund Tene Investment Funds last fall and is using the money for research into new prod ucts and the enhancement of existing products and services. “This strategic business step ac celerates TIBA’s tremendous potential that was built with our existing part

ners,” CEO Erez Ezra said. “TIBA is a leading global player in the in ternational mar ketplace and will play a major role in shaping the industry in the Michael Bigbee years to come.” Conexx identified TIBA as its Is raeli Company of the Year because of its innovative spirit, job creation, rev enue stream and strong leadership. TIBA’s CEO for the Americas, Mi chael Bigbee, could not be reached for comment, but he wrote on trade website WeAreParking.org: “With cars becoming fully connected, meaning they will be able to beacon their unique identity, the only entry and exit mech anisms required will be small radio antennas — truly a gateless system. Payment can be effected upon exit via a Bluetooth-connected mobile phone app from the driver’s pocket, communi cating via the car to the exit antenna.” Today, take your ticket to the gate; tomorrow, just drive right through. ■

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

Israeli Company: TIBA Parking Systems

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BUSINESS

Innovative Academic Partnership: Owen School By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

rofessor Mark Cohen’s students engage in a yearlong study of Israeli business practices, cul ture and product ideas. At Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, these M.B.A. candidates experience global business by Skype, then by plane. Each autumn Cohen matches small groups of graduate business stu dents with Israeli companies looking to expand their market, develop part nerships, obtain financing or enhance strategic positioning. Cohen has a long list of companies — more than his students can serve. To kick off the course, students read “Start-Up Nation” by Dan Senor and attend guest lectures by Israelis living in Nashville. Students begin to research. By the spring semester, they engage online with the Israeli companies as consul tants, advising how their products or ideas can be marketed in the United States. “Entrepreneurs are tech innova tors, but they don’t know if a product or service has a viable market in the U.S. They need guidance on how it’s priced, as well as gaining channels for direct consumer or industry,” Cohen said.

Vanderbilt’s Mark Cohen says his graduate business students and Israeli startup companies benefit from his exchange program.

Cohen, the students and several Vanderbilt staffers then travel to Israel during spring break. Students meet with their client companies and other emerging and established Israeli companies, multi national corporations with Israeli re search and development centers, and venture capital firms. Back on campus in Nashville, the students continue their project work and present recommendations to their client companies via Skype. This year Conexx’s Eagle Star com mittee introduced a category to recog nize higher education institutions and their support of Israeli companies. The

award spotlights U.S.-Israeli collabora tion of hands-on student and faculty engagement with a goal to inspire busi ness leadership. Cohen and the Owen Graduate School of Management are the recipi ents. Cohen is committed to familiar izing graduate students with the StartUp Nation. He believes that the boom ing health care industry in Nashville, Vanderbilt’s high-caliber students and Israel’s technology companies make the perfect cocktail for success. “Nashville is a hot town right now. Most people see Nashville as music and great restaurants. But the most valu

able asset Nashville has is the health care industry. As the state capital we have a strong basis in government and education, but health care is huge,” he said. Cohen said Nashville-based hos pital management companies manage over 60 percent of the for-profit hospi tal beds in America. The city is home to companies that focus on community health care systems, data and informa tion technology. Globally, health care companies with headquarters in Nashville gen erate more than $70 billion in an nual revenue and employ more than 400,000 people. “Israelis have no idea about Nash ville, so I educate them about the num ber of opportunities in health care here. It is a huge, untapped market for Israeli entrepreneurs,” Cohen said. To date, more than 75 students and 19 Israeli companies have participated in the exchange program. Some students followed up with independent study work for their cli ent companies, and Israeli entrepre neurs approached Vanderbilt to better understand U.S. markets as they devel op their business strategies. Cohen said the feedback from stu dents is that the experience is the best way to learn about global markets, business in a different culture and the behavioral science behind business. ■

Deal: Energiya Global Capital, Georgia Power By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

hen Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal visited Israel on a trade mission to spark busi ness connections, a light bulb went off over Yosef Abramowitz’s head. It was a solar-powered light bulb, of course. Abramowitz is the CEO of Ener giya Global Capital, an international solar development company that se cured a $30 million, 17.68-megawatt solar deal with Georgia Power to build the first utility-scale solar project in southeastern Georgia. His expertise is in identifying global markets and bringing solar energy to untapped ar eas, such as Africa. Based in Jerusalem, Energiya Global engaged Energiya USA CEO Da vid Herskovits to develop the Georgia project from the ground up. Together, 18 the divisions created and executed a

AJT

Energiya USA CEO David Herskovits (left) and Energiya Global Capital CEO Yosef Abramowitz are working on a bright idea for utility-scale solar energy in the Southeast.

20-year power agreement with Georgia Power for a 79-acre solar field in Glynn County. Project Glynn completed construc tion in the first quarter this year.

“He’s a development genius,” Abramowitz said of Herskovits. “Amer ica wasn’t even in our sights, but he sealed the deal.” He added: “After Governor Deal’s visit we got enthusiastic support for investing in Georgia and for bringing technology. It was one of the warm est receptions we received around the world, and I think it is grounded in the strong Jewish community. We heard nothing but appreciation for coming to jump-start the solar industry.” Solar energy is in its infancy in Georgia. Herskovits has set his sights on developing similar projects across multiple markets. He said Project Glynn is the first of a dozen utility-scale solar projects that Energiya USA plans to launch in the Southeast. “The state of Georgia and the Brunswick and Glynn County Develop ment Authority have provided service and support throughout the project development that is incomparable to

what we have seen elsewhere to date,” Herskovits said. Up next for Energiya is the launch of a STEM (science, technology, en gineering, math) education program with Glynn County students called Solar Rollers. The day after Energiya leaders accept the Eagle Star Deal of the Year award from Conexx on June 2, they will depart for Brunswick for the Solar Rollers launch. Herskovits said the Conexx award combines his passion for green renew able energy and his love of Israel. “We are truly honored to receive the Deal of the Year award from an organization as impactful on U.S.-Israeli business re lationships as Conexx.” Norrie McKenzie, Georgia Power’s vice president of renewable develop ment, said, “With a shared commit ment to innovative, clean energy solu tions, our customers will benefit from this partnership today and in the fu ture.” ■

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EDUCATION

AJA Prepares for More Than 60 Graduates Outgoing Head of School Rabbi Pinchos Hecht also will address the Class of 2016. The AJA graduates’ plans in clude gap years in Israel at Emunah V’Omanut, Derech Etz Chaim, Machon Ma’ayan, Midreshet Harova, Nish mat, Orayta, Tiferet, Yeshivat Shaarei Mevaseret Zion and Yeshiva Temimei Darech, as well as service in the Israel Defense Forces. The Class of 2016 has accepted admission to the following universi ties: Brandeis University, Florida State University, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, New York University, Stern College for Women at Yeshiva University, the University of Maryland, the University of Miami, Washington University in St. Louis and Yeshiva Uni versity. AJA’s Junior High will hold its eighth-grade commencement the next day at 6:30 p.m. in the same location as the Upper School graduation. The ceremony will include a stu dent presentation on the theme “It is not your responsibility to complete the task, yet you are not free to withdraw from it,” drawn from Pirkei Avot. ■

Student Wins Israel Trip

tlanta Jewish Academy fifthgrader and Congregation Shearith Israel member Noa Rudisch has been named one of 40 worldwide finalists in the Manuel Hirsch Grosskopf International Com petition on family history, sponsored by Beit Hatfutsot, the Museum of the Jewish People. Shearith Israel worked with the Breman Museum to offer Beit Hat futsot’s My Family Story curriculum. About two dozen children ages 10 to 15 participated in the Atlanta pilot of a program that’s 20 years old. A grant from the Covenant Foun dation enabled Beit Hatfutsot to offer the six-week program. At age 10, Noa is one of the young est finalists among more than 20,000 students from 12 countries. Through My Family Story, chil dren learn about genealogical re search, then dig into their own fam ily histories. The curriculum includes information on interviewing, the use of historical artifacts, and writing and presentation techniques. The program culminates in art projects reflecting each family’s story. Noa created a short animated film about her family, including a timeline

of both parents’ families that ex tends back to the late 1800s. She learned about what happened to her mother’s fam ily during the Ho locaust and dis covered that her Noa Rudisch father’s ancestors emigrated from Kedainiai, Lithuania, to the United Kingdom. “This project was really fun,” Noa said. “I liked studying family trees and family photos and contacting people I usually don’t see very often. It was easier because I go to a Jewish school, so I already knew a lot about Jewish things that other kids might not. I also worked on AJA’s Immigration Project in fourth grade, so I had done an inter view like this before when I asked my mom about immigrating with her fam ily from Latvia when she was little.” Noa and her mother are leaving Sunday, June 5, for a 10-day visit to Is rael, including the international award ceremony in Tel Aviv. Noa said the part of the trip she’s most looking forward to, however, is spending time with her extended family. ■

Photos by Harold Alan Photographers

The Atlanta Jewish Academy Upper School graduates are Jacob Adler, Dean Alkalay, Adam Alsberg, Adam Arbiser, Oryah Bunder, Jesse Cann, Aharon Davidson, Maia Dori, Avraham Greene, Rachel Kahen, Michelle Khandadash, Batel Man, Ariel Mordoch, Nicole Nooriel, Dauren Parker, Eleanor Parker, Avi Rappoport, Rachel Rosenberg, Greg Shapiro, Daniella Sokol, Shira Solomon, Abigail Stein and Gilbert Vayner. This year’s eighth-grade graduates of the Atlanta Jewish Academy Junior High are Joshua Benjamin Anderson, Joseph Max Arbiser, Helena Asherian, Adina Yocheved Bader, Ariel Joshua Cann, Elizabeth Carolyn Decker, Aden Dori, Eliana Leah Dosetareh, Ariel S. Feingold, Natan Baruch Friedman, Kody Paul Gabay, Gabriel Gadelov, Talya Gartner, Emanuel Joshua Glinsky, Eliana Goldin, Max Evan Goldstein, Ephraim Harel Herer, Eliana Devora Horwitz, Henry Elliot Hyman, Gavriella Jutan, Rotem Rachel Kadosh, Jacob Solomon Kassel, Noam Laufer, Aidyn Maya Levin, Jaren Gustav Linowes, Ethan Judah Linsider, Zechariah Dean Mainzer, Aliza Moosai, Chana Rivka Pechenik, Jordan Joseph Port, Sela Zahava Ratner, Arielle Rivkah Roth, Leead Noam Ze’ev Silverstone, Ariel Max Slomka, Hannah Rebecca Solomon, Hannah Faye Solon, Sarah Solon, Sophie Pearl Steinberg and Joseph Daniel Vogel.

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MAY 27 ▪ 2016

avid Bockman will deliver the keynote address when Atlanta Jewish Academy holds its Upper School graduation at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 31, at the academy’s Northland Drive campus in Sandy Springs. Bockman, the managing direc tor and head of ultra-high net worth resources for Morgan Stanley, will be introduced by graduating senior Mi chelle Khandadash. The AJA Upper School’s valedicto rian is Abigail Stein, a National Merit commended scholar, STAR student and recipient of a Georgia Certificate of Merit. Abby has been a member of the National Honor Society, co-president of the Student Council and yearbook staff member. She played varsity vol leyball and was frequently involved in the Upper School’s musical theater productions. Salutatorian Greg Shapiro also is an athlete and served as vice president of the Student Council and as a peer leader. Daniella Sokol, Abby’s co-presi dent on the Student Council, will in troduce the commencement. Aharon Davidson will deliver the d’var Torah.

AJT 19

torah Fun BEHAR 5776

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EDUCATION

In memory of HaRav Shmuel Ben Tzvi

HaShem tells the Jewish people that the land in Israel shall rest every 7th year (shmita). During the shmita, the people may not sow the field, prune the vineyard or pick the grapes. The produce of that year is ownerless, for all to eat. Every 50th year is yovel and the laws are the same as the shmita year. In addition, the land goes back to its original owners. HaShem says if the people perform His laws and decrees they will be able to stay in the land. HaShem also gives His “promise” that if His laws are followed, the crops in the 6th year will provide enough food until after the shmita year. The laws of buying back a person’s land are given. The Jewish people are to help other Jews who need food or other items. One Jew can not charge another Jew interest. HaShem states we are not to make idols and are to keep His Shabbats and to have awe of His Temple.

WORD FIND

Can you discover the Secret Message? Find and circle the bold, italicized words from the Torah summary in the Word Find. Write the unused Word Find letters in the spaces below to spell the Secret Message. Have fun!

A H

O O D K

P C

S G R A P

A H

S W E

U M H A V

A Y R A W R A

Y R

Y O V

T M

Which one is different? Hint: Prohibitions to the land during the shmita year

WATER PLANT

FERTILIZE

PLOW

PRUNE

HARVEST

CROSSWORD Complete the crossword by translating each Hebrew

A E

C R O P

E M S

A Y

_____ ________ ____ __ _ _____ ____

gematria

Hint: This permits debts to be collected during the ‫שמיטה‬ ‫ה‬ ‫כא‬ ‫ב‬ ‫פ‬ ‫ת‬ ‫ק‬ ‫ח‬ year.

ACROSS 1. ‫( כסף‬25:51) 4. ‫( ירא‬25:43) 5. ‫( אבן‬26:1) 6. ‫( אלילם‬26:1)

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

AJT 20

+‫א‬

–‫נ‬

– ‫שצח‬

÷‫ג‬

x‫ג‬

+‫ק‬

x‫י‬ ‫פ‬

‫א ב ג ד ה ו ז ח ט י כ ל מ נ ס ע פ צ ק ר ש ת‬

K A R

SECRET MESSAGE

word into English. Use the parsha reference for help. 1

N A L

spot the difference

H O R

DOWN 2. ‫( שנה‬25:10) 3. ‫( עיר‬25:29) 4. ‫( שדה‬25:34) 7. ‫( שבע‬25:8)

400 300 200 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

WORD CMRLESAB

(scramble)

LEWKEY

YHOL

DSDUKIH

LHAAAHDV

SUASFM

DLNCEAS

Hint: Shabbat

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Check your answers at: www.thefamousabba.com/behar

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EDUCATION

Above: Zoe Aaron takes a Class of 2016 selfie after all of the diplomas have been distributed. Below: Newly minted Weber School graduates flip their tassels to show their status.

The Weber School Class of 2016 consists of Zoe Aaron, Rebecca Adler, Cassidy Aronin, Michael Asher, Jessica Bachner, Naomi Balaban, Brooke Berman, Abigail Blum, David Borukhov, Avi Botwinick, Dotan Brown, Lillian Brown, Zachary Chase, Roni Dombek, Emily Duner, Lonnie Edlin, Reanna Edlin, Jacob Euster, Ross Falkenstein, Zahava Feldstein, Gregory Fish, Avery Frank, Meredith Galanti, Sydney Gelman, Jordan Gold, Ilana Gorod, Max Harris, Ron Heart, Samuel Italiaander, Joshua Jacobson, Noah Jones, Alexander Osterman-Kaye, Michael Levin, Idan Livnat, Rebecca Meline, Sarah Nelkin, Samantha Nozick, Rafael Oquendo, Benjamin Perlow, Kyle Rabinowitz, Jansen Redler, Marni Rein, Emma Rinzler, Max Rubanenko, Samantha Schiff, Samantha Shapiro, David Shoshan, Eric Silver, Ashley Spector, Benjamin Stinar, Adele Stolovitz, Karin Videlefsky, Cody Wertheimer, Daniel Whitesides, Bailee Yoels and Remy Zimmerman.

Valedictorian Avi Botwinick advises his classmates to try new things.

Faculty speaker Caroline Campbell hugs Meredith Galanti in front of Marni Rein (not visible) after the two graduating seniors introduced her.

Avery Frank shares a laugh with the class while delivering the d’var Torah.

Salutatorian Jessica Bachner strikes a pose after receiving her diploma from Principal Shlaina Van Dyke.

Lillian Brown takes a peek at the crowd during the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Weber Grads Follow History Into Future

he Weber School sent the 56 members of the Class of 2016 into the world to write their own stories with the preface of the history of Mount Sinai, Alexander Hamilton, and four years in the hallways and stairways of the Sandy Springs school. “In life, things are not going to be how they used to be,” math teacher Caroline Campbell advised in her fac ulty address to the graduates Sunday morning, May 22, at Georgia Tech’s Ferst Center for the Arts. That was not a warning so much as a statement of fact. Campbell said she planned to be a pharmacist when she graduated from

high school eight years ago, but after one semester at the University of Geor gia, she was on a different path. “Plans are a good thing,” she said, “but change is even better.” She took the class through some examples in its collective history at the Weber School, such as escaping lunch duty and creating a softball team. Salutatorian Jessica Bachner and d’var Torah speaker Avery Frank also took their classmates through memo ries of the past four years. Among the memories, the mini mum of 138,240 steps Frank calculated that they all took just going up and down the four flights of stairs during their time at the school. For comparison, she said Mount Sinai is only 7,497 feet high.

Just as the Jewish people are taught at the end of this week’s Torah portion, Behar, to admire but not worship lead ers such as Moses, so Frank urged her classmates to follow the examples of the teachers, parents and others who served as role models through high school and to become role models to others. “It is now our duty to remember these people, these Moseses, and to keep them relevant and vivid as we continue our journeys and educa tions,” she said. Everyone excels at something, valedictorian Avi Botwinick said. “Find what makes you happy, and excel at it.” Striving to excel is the key to the fi nal history lesson Head of School Rab bi Ed Harwitz taught the class, combin

ing the wisdom of Pirkei Avot and the musical “Hamilton.” He said “Hamilton” raises an im portant question: “Who will be the one who will tell your story?” Pirkei Avot answers that we ac quire our own good name and tell our own story through our own merit, Rab bi Harwitz said. “We have the ability to write that story.” he told the crowd. “Education enables us to build a personal Torah, the content of that story,” and provides the wisdom to apply that story and to translate it into righteous action “that more often than not changes the world for the better.” “We are proud of you,” Rabbi Har witz said, “but we are also counting on you, for history has its eyes on you.” ■ 21 MAY 27 ▪ 2016

By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

AJT

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

LOCAL NEWS

Beth Jacob Rebuilds for Intimate Grandeur By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

AJT 22

ongregation Beth Jacob is spend ing Shabbat in Heritage Hall instead of its historic sanctuary this summer, but the transformation taking place in the Toco Hills shul is more than physical. Rabbi Ilan Feldman said the plan ning for the renovations on the build ing, which opened in 1962, sparked a congregational conversation about spiritual renewal and led to a yearlong focus on spiritual building blocks after the celebration of the building’s 50th birthday. And now that the congregation is gathering for services in the tighter space of the synagogue social hall, people are enjoying a more intimate feeling from worship, said Michael Cenker, who is leading the renovation project for Beth Jacob. He can be seen in weekly video updates on the prog ress at www.bjrenovationproject.org. After years of planning and fund raising so that Beth Jacob had enough cash and pledges to cover Phase 1, con struction began in the second week of May. Early work included asbestos abatement in the lobby ceiling and the sanctuary floor, leading to the sight of a bare, plaster-and-mesh ceiling out side plastic-sealed sanctuary doors for Erev Shabbat on May 20. The renovation project is a re sponse to certain mechanical needs, such as the replacement of a heat ing and air-conditioning system that proved it was nearing the end by filling the sanctuary with smoke May 7, as well as the desires of the congregation for improvements, Rabbi Feldman said. “We want to maintain the magnifi cence that the space has always had,” Cenker said. “It begs to be brought into the 21st century from that aspect but not lose the same appeal and same grandeur and awesomeness.” He praised general contractor Humphries and Co. and architect San dy Cooper for understanding and em bracing the challenges from the start. Cenker said the sanctuary is icon ic, but it also reflects the building style of the 1950s and the 1960s in its sloped seating. That slope has long been a source of congregant complaints, Rabbi Feldman said, and some people even brought artificial floors to provide level surfaces for the frequent standing. The theater effect came from an era when the cantor was the focus of

Photos by Michael Jacobs

The mechitza erected in Heritage Hall divides 55 seats for women from 135 for men.

the service, but that has changed in American Orthodoxy, Rabbi Feldman said. “The seating now is arranged so the hazzan comes from the congrega tion instead of performing to the con gregation.” To increase comfort and shift the feeling of the shul from observation to participation, the floor under the pews is being raised to the level of the outer ring, making people in the front 28 inches closer to the level of the pulpit. “We wanted to have less of a throne room effect,” Rabbi Feldman said. The seating — which might be pews or individual seats, a decision Cenker said is overdue — is being ad justed so that the curving isn’t quite circular. Everyone will look eastward while also facing the ark, and the seat ing capacity will be reduced slightly. Space behind the seats will accommo date the big crowds of the High Holi days. Space in the center will accom modate a chuppah for weddings. The arrangement will maintain the benefits of a circle, in which no one is in the front or the back, Rabbi Feldman said. “That has really defined our community, which has a sense of unity and cohesiveness, and we’ve re ally, thank G-d, avoided the elitism that sometimes exists in certain communi ties. … The sanctuary reflects the values of the community.” The growth in that community, leading to multiple services in differ ent parts of the building each Saturday, inspired one of the more noticeable changes: The bifold doors entering the sanctuary are being replaced with two sets of glass doors that will act as a sound lock. When one set is open, the other set is sealed shut, keeping out noise from the lobby. That change will work with im

The lobby shows the early signs of the renovations, but because the front entrance is being closed, congregants will enter the building just outside Heritage Hall instead.

proved acoustics in the sanctuary, re sulting from the level floor and from the installation of woodwork at that bottom of the barrel of windows above the bimah. The angled woodwork will keep the sound at the level of the con gregants. A special feature of the renova tion comes from the inspiration of the Kotel: Congregants are writing prayers and messages on pieces of paper that will be sealed inside one of the walls. “In a house that’s devoted to prayer, we’ll actually have prayers em bedded in the wall,” Rabbi Feldman said. A new high-tech mechitza is a response to complaints from women over the years about the circular seat ing exposing them to the view of men, Rabbi Feldman said. “That’s been one of the most challenging, perplexing physical problems.” The solution uses mesh and an gled lighting but no glass to create a divider that acts like a two-way mirror, Cenker said, enabling the women to see through it but reflecting the wayward gaze of any man. The congregants thus will be able to focus on a new ark that will main tain the style of the original one. The ark will be grander and have a wider opening, providing easier access to and better display of the Torahs, Rabbi Feld man said. The new ark is designed to work with the replacement of the sanctu ary’s large windows, the core of the project’s Phase 2. That phase is an un scheduled necessity, Rabbi Feldman said, awaiting the fundraising to pay for it. A more modern window system will still allow in lots of natural light and maintain the magnificence that

Rabbi Feldman said helps make the sanctuary special. From sunrise to sun set, “the time of day is reflected very much inside.” Rabbi Yitzchok Tendler, Beth Ja cob’s executive director, said he is con fident that Phase 2, which also includes some cosmetic changes to the lobby, will follow soon after Phase 1 — per haps without any break. That would mean the High Holidays would not be back in the sanctuary as now planned, but Rabbi Tendler said the inconve nience will be worth it to return to the completed sanctuary. The new windows will be the grand finale of the project, Rabbi Feld man said. “This synagogue is actually an iconic structure. It’s a unique shape, and it’s really been a symbol of the growth and resurgence of Orthodoxy in the Southeast, and those windows are designed really to replicate concep tually the 12 windows of the Temple in Jerusalem, and there the whole idea was that light radiates out from the Temple to the rest of the world,” Rabbi Feldman said. “The redesign of the windows will be such that at night the building will actually appear like a jewel, radiat ing light outwards through the colors that will be superimposed on the win dows, so it will really be kind of a bril liant thing. And of course natural light comes in, but when those windows are done, this really will be just a very dra matic demonstration of the centrality of a synagogue around which an entire community is built.” In the meantime, Cenker said, four months of intimate services in Heri tage Hall will train the congregation for the improved experience amid the new sanctuary’s magnificence. ■

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EDUCATION

Rabbi to Deliver Prescription for New Judaism By Bob Bahr

the moment, and it works for some people, is that we are tinkering with the old rabbinic model.” He derides the notion that the modern nation of Israel has become the starting point for a new sense of religious identity. For younger Jews, particularly those under 40, he sees a significant decline in interest in Israel as the center of the Jewish world. “Israel was going to be our new G-d,” he said. “In a sense, we made a fetish out of Israel. People are disap pointed if not angered by the theocracy that operates within the democracy of Israel. I think people here in the United States find it very troubling.” Rabbi Shapiro has his own actionoriented prescription for change called Judaism Next. “Judaism calls for revolution, or it calls for nothing at all,” he wrote in his manifesto for Judaism Next. “Let us teach our children to invent the future and not preserve a frozen and roman ticized past.” Rabbi Shapiro, a graduate of the Reform movement’s Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion who was a pulpit rabbi for 20 years,

is a prolific writer. He lectures widely, including most recently in Poland, and has written over a dozen books on Jew ish thought and practice. He also holds a doctorate in Judaic studies from Union Graduate School. He directs the One River Founda tion in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and is an adjunct professor of religious studies at Middle Tennessee State University. According to a brochure about the program, he offers Judaism Next — rooted in the prophets, Jewish wisdom literature and the creative application of mitzvot — not to win people over to his way of thinking, but to spark fellow Jews to imagine their own visions for Judaism. ■ Who: Rabbi Rami Shapiro What: Shabbaton on Judaism Next Where: Lily Garden Wellness Center and Chapel, 941 Pecks Mill Creek Road, Dahlonega When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 3, and 9:30 a.m. Saturday, June 4 Cost: $50 for all of Shabbat, $36 for Saturday only; www.tiferetolam.com/ upcoming-programs

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MAY 27 ▪ 2016

or most of his four decades as a rabbi and prolific thinker of all things Jewish, Rami Shapiro has been counseling change in American Judaism. But it was the release of the landmark study of American Jews in 2013 by the Pew Research Center that confirmed his view that Judaism must create a new, modern, radically differ ent path for itself. Several results in the study were particularly depressing. Although 69 percent of American Jews were proud to be Jewish, 22 percent of all American Jews had abandoned Judaism. Having a good sense of humor was considered more important than Jewish obser vance as a component of Jewish iden tity. For Rabbi Shapiro, the results are nothing to laugh about. What he bluntly suggests is that the Pew study confirms his belief that the all-powerful, supernatural deity of the old rabbinic tradition has become a casualty of the Holocaust. “G-d should have saved us,” he said in an interview, “but He didn’t.”

R a b b i Shapiro will share his thoughts about the fu ture of Juda ism during a Shabbaton on June 3 and 4 at Congrega tion Shalom B’Harim in Rabbi Rami Shapiro Dahlonega at the invitation of the congregation’s rabbi, Mitch Cohen. “The murder of six million mostly good-doing Jews,” Rabbi Shapiro has written, “overwhelmed the rabbinic narrative. This is why it is easier to build a Holocaust memorial today than a Jewish library. This is why Never For get rather than Shema Yisrael is now the true ‘watchword’ of the Jewish people.” Rabbi Shapiro’s conclusion is ex treme. “I think for the vast majority of Jews, G-d is dead, and the Judaism that is represented by that notion of G-d is dead, and we haven’t invested in what’s next,” he said. “What we are doing at

AJT 23

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LOCAL NEWS

30 Years, $10 Million

Cheryl Kramer and Arlene Turry attend the Breman Home Auxiliary luncheon.

Breman Auxiliary celebrates success, service By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

crowd of almost 250 filled a beautiful floral room at the In terContinental Buckhead on Monday, May 9, to mark the 30th anni versary of the Auxiliary of the William Breman Jewish Home. The auxiliary is an organization of over 1,000 members who volunteer their time, energy and resources to fos ter a caring environment for residents of Jewish Home Life Communities. Cherie Aviv and Brooke Blasberg, the auxiliary board co-chairs, offered inspirational talks about the good work of the volunteers and how the funds are best used. An upbeat, balloon-filled video showed a sample of the activities and parties the auxiliary sponsors for residents. Over 30 years, Aviv said, the auxil iary has raised “in the neighborhood of $10 million.” Stephen Merlin, the board chair man of Jewish Home Life Communi ties, made a touching tribute, saying: “Volunteers don’t get paid because they are worthless. They don’t get paid be cause they are priceless.” The following were recognized:

4 A

Photo by Eric Bern

Brooke Blasberg and Cherie Aviv are the co-chairs of the William Breman Jewish Home Auxiliary.

Photos by Marcia Caller Jaffe

Cookie Aftergut (left) enjoys lunch with Sharon Westerman.

• Auxiliary Volunteers of the Year — Nancy Banks, Linda Diamond, Ann Kay and Fran Scher. • Auxiliary Lifetime Service Award — Barbara Ordover. “We are quite proud of our ac complishments,” Aviv said. “We host multiple activities for residents of Jew ish Home Life Communities, such as the Chanukah party, Sweethearts Ball, Magical Evening, Purim Bingo and more. The auxiliary is also engaged in fundraising and social events, such as Auxiliary Annual Game Day, The Gala and The Directory. “I have been honored to be at the helm of this dynamic group and carry on a tradition of excellence in place for

QUESTIONS

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

fter six years as the executive director of Young Israel of Toco Hills, Eliana Leader has been hired as the retreat center director for Camp Ramah Darom in Clayton. She is married to Atlanta native Yoni Kaplan and has a daughter, Aria. She answered the AJT’s Four Questions. AJT: What are you the most excit ed about in your new position? Leader: I am very excited for the opportunity to play a major leadership role with an organization that is look ing to invest in the future of the whole Jewish community. Ramah Darom’s vision is to provide exceptional experi ences in Jewish living and learning for individuals of all ages and for families and communities near and far. It is a dream job for me to be guiding Ramah Darom’s efforts to craft such meaning ful experiences through its year-round 24 retreat center. We are living in a time

AJT

in which the needs and desires of the Jewish community are changing sig nificantly, both locally and nationally. How we define “affiliation” is changing radically. Those organizations that pro vide engaging and fully immersive Jew ish experiences, such as those offered at Ramah Darom, are primed to play a major role in building Jewish identity and communal participation. AJT: Why did you decide to make the switch from YITH to Ramah? Leader: It was difficult for me to leave my work at YITH, as I was serv ing an extraordinary community, but when the opportunity arose for me to take a leadership role in building Ra mah Darom into a regional and nation al center for engaging Jews in meaning ful Jewish experiences, I couldn’t pass it by. I was blessed to have the privilege of working with Rabbi Starr and the YITH leadership for almost seven years as it transformed from a small, starter-

Sally Kaplan (left) and Sherry Habif share dessert recipes in the “Just Desserts” book.

Gladys Herkes poses with volunteer Carol Rubin.

over 30 years. Working with our mem bers, along with providing residents so cial opportunities, has been an incred ibly rewarding experience.” Blasberg said: “The auxiliary is a very special place and has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. My grandmother volunteered at the home for many years, and now I do. I am fortunate to receive back from the auxiliary and residents much more than I give.” Virginia Saul, an officer from the first auxiliary slate, said: “I never thought this would grow like it has. And it’s remarkable that the younger millennials are sharing the work.”

Volunteer Carol Rubin said, “My grandmother, mother and aunt were all residents, and I understand what a wonderful community it is and how people are treated with dignity.” Each attendee was given a copy of “Just Desserts,” a compilation of recipes of cakes, pies, cookies, bars and breads such as Faye Seigel’s Cow Cookies, April Weiner’s Gluten-Free Tiramisu and chef Sherry Habif’s Hazelnut Mousse secrets. It was no time to be counting calo ries. The bottom line in supporting the auxiliary and Jewish Home Life resi dents, Staci Brill said, is to “take care of the people who took care of us.” ■

With Camp Ramah’s Eliana Leader type shul in a house into a vibrant con gregation with a state-of-the-art facil ity. Rabbi Starr has been, and remains, a great mentor to me. He empowered me to develop as a Jewish communal leader and inspired me to want to play a greater role in creating opportunities for others to participate in the richness of Jewish life and community. When I started volunteering with Limmud At lanta + Southeast and attended my first LimmudFest, which is held every Labor Day weekend at Ramah Darom, I fell in love with Ramah Darom’s beautiful campus and its mission. It is a dream opportunity for me. AJT: How do you hope to grow the Ramah retreat center and programs? Leader: I am inheriting an extraor dinary facility with an outstanding reputation for hachnasat orchim (wel coming guests), a strong and successful set of year-round programs, and a loyal family of Ramahniks. My focus will be

on expanding the breadth and depth of immersive experiential programs that are offered at Ramah Darom. AJT: What are your long-term goals for the center? Leader: My overarching and longterms goals are twofold: first, to ensure that every person, family or group that visits the retreat center at Ramah Da rom enjoys an exceptional experience, and, second, to develop programs, ei ther in house or in partnership with other Jewish organizations, that will fuel a love for Judaism and engage par ticipants in an enriching Jewish experi ence. When guests leave our facility, I want them to feel part of a greater Ra mah Darom family. Having personally experienced this at LimmudFest and at Passover at Ramah Darom, two of the programs offered annually, I know what it feels like, and I want to share those types of experiences with Jews from all walks of life. ■

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LOCAL NEWS

Interfaith Coalition Targets Abusers’ Gun Access

everal Atlanta-area clergy mem bers signed a letter to Congress advocating legislation to close loopholes in gun laws as part of Jew ish Women International’s Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The letter was one piece of a call to action Wednesday, May 18. The ini tiative, called the National Faith Call-in Day, included the letter to Congress, as well as phone calls, emails and tweets to senators and representatives by oth er JWI members and the public. According to JWI, the Atlanta cler gy members who signed the letter are

Rabbi Scott Colbert of Temple EmanuEl, Rabbi Lydia Medwin of The Temple and Cantor Barbara Margulis of Tem ple Kehillat Chaim. The focus was on legislation that would prohibit people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence against dating partners from owning or accessing guns — specifically, H.R. 3130, the Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abusers Act, and S. 1520, the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Vic tims Act. The JWI initiative was a response to a perceived flaw in federal gun law that allows people convicted of misde meanor stalking or domestic violence against a dating partner to access guns

Abrams Makes Move

Amanda Abrams is leaving the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta to join the Marcus Jewish Community Center. Abrams, who as Federation’s se nior vice president of strategy, plan ning and impact has shared man agement responsibilities with Chief Financial Officer Sheila Katz Cohen in the absence of a CEO, is taking the position of chief program officer at the Marcus JCC. She’ll thus be working under one new CEO, Jared Powers, instead of an other, Eric Robbins, who starts at Fed eration in August. Her last day at the Selig Center is June 15. Her departure leaves Robbins with multiple senior leadership positions to fill, including a replacement for Chief Development Officer Michael Balaban, who left in December to become the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Bro ward County, Fla.

DeKalb Thanks Chaplains

Former Congregation Shearith Israel Rabbi Hillel Norry was among some 80 volunteer DeKalb County Jail chaplains honored at a ceremony hosted by DeKalb Sheriff Jeff Mann on Thursday, May 12. “Our volunteers are chaplains from all faiths, counselors and educa tors who give unselfishly of their time and talents to help inmates cope with being incarcerated while they await their court dates,” Mann said. “We are truly fortunate to have them as mem Tenth Series Jubilee Bonds ($25,000 minimum) for 10 Years

Among the honored chaplains surrounding Sheriff Jeff Mann (third from right) are (from left) William Churchill, Patricia Bloch, Rabbi Hillel Norry, Curtis Crocker Jr., Furqan Muhammad and Ephraim Espinosa.

bers of our team.” Rabbi Norry left Shearith Israel at the end of June 2015.

Goldbergs at the Battery Kosher food inside the new Sun Trust Park might be a once-a-year occa sion for the Atlanta Braves, as it is now at Turner Field, but a familiar nosh will never be far away. Goldbergs will have an outlet in the Battery, the mixed-used project Brookhaven-based Fuqua Development is building around the new stadium in Cobb County. Fuqua and the Braves made that announcement Friday, May 20, while also revealing other tenants in the development, including the act ing Wahlberg brothers’ hamburger chain, Wahlburgers. The stadium and Phase 1 of the Battery are due to open next spring.

mon sense.” JWI’s focus on interfaith efforts to combat domestic violence led to the development of the coalition in 2007. According to JWI, the coalition is cru cial to women’s safety and progress be cause many women turn to clergy and faith organizations in times of distress. The coalition combines 36 faith or ganizations, according to the press re lease, and 500 clergy members and na tional faith-based organizations signed the letter to Congress. The coalition meets twice a month to discuss legislation, advocacy and congressional educational events. The gun law loophole is one of many wom en’s issues being addressed. ■

legally, according to a press release from the women’s organization. “The law’s narrow definition of intimate partner relationships leaves a dangerous loophole,” JWI CEO Lori Weinstein said in the press release, explaining that the law prohibits gun access or ownership for a person con victed of domestic violence against a spouse but not against someone a per son is dating. That is a problem, according to JWI leadership, as a large proportion of domestic gun violence victims are dat ing partners rather than spouses. “A woman is not safe when her abuser has access to guns,” Weinstein said. “It’s not controversial; it’s com rah Lipstadt and two others for courage and vision in the service of humanity. The recognition came at a lun cheon May 5 in New York. The other honorees were Samia Sleman, 15, who received the Voice of Conscience Award for advocating international recogni tion of the genocide Islamic State is perpetrating against her Yazidi minor ity in Iraq, and Lauren Bush Lauren, who received the Women’s Leadership Award for founding FEED. Lipstadt, the Dorot professor of modern Jewish and Holocaust studies at Emory, received the AJC Jewish Lead ership Award for being a “champion of the Jewish people and the rights and dignity of all people, guardian of his torical truth and memory.” The award adds that “your great dedication and ceaseless efforts inspire us all.” Lipstadt is one of the top experts on Holocaust denial and modern anti-

Photo by Ellen Dubin Photography

Deborah Lipstadt addresses the AJC awards luncheon May 5.

Semitism. Among her books are “His tory on Trial: My Day in Court With David Irving” and “Denying the Holo caust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory.” Lipstadt expressed gratitude to AJC, which provided financial and staff resources from the beginning of her successful five-year fight against a libel lawsuit filed in London by Irving, a Ho locaust denier. That saga is the subject of a feature film, “Denial,” being released this year with Rachel Weisz portraying Lipstadt.

Mazel Tov Sarah Saltzman on your Graduation from North Springs Charter High School. We are so proud of you! Keep shining! You make the world a brighter place!

AJC Honors Lipstadt The American Jewish Committee Women’s Leadership Board has hon ored Emory University professor Debo

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By Paula Baroff

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ARTS

Bachelorette Dorfman Indifferent Toward Ex

actually do not watch reality TV, but this one I admit to. We Atlan tans were wholeheartedly rooting for Andi Dorfman (Season 18 of “The Bachelor,” Season 10 of “The Bach elorette”) to find love and show that our Southern gal, then an assistant district attorney in Fulton County, had the brains, spunk and beauty to pull it off. Although this native Atlantan’s engagement fell by the wayside, Dorfman triumphs in the message of her new memoir, “It’s Not Okay: Turning Heart break Into Happily Never After.” She’s helping launch the book with a Marcus Jewish Community Center-sponsored appearance with Star 94.1 morning radio host Jeff Dauler on Thursday night, June 2, in Buckhead. Share in our interview. Jaffe: Andi, the book ends with you at the Atlanta airport, telling your mother goodbye as you head for the Big Apple. You have been in New York how long and doing what? Dorfman: First of all, let me say I miss hearing Southern accents like yours. I have been here 14 months. Just about every day (prior to the last two months) I have concentrated on the book — journaling the breakup,

Dorfman: No, I won’t generalize like that. There are a lot of great guys here. They are very driven and are not inclined to settle. That’s a good thing.

writing the proposal, working with agents, getting bids from publishers. It has been very fulfilling to see the book finally come to fruition. My girlfriends encouraged me to write it.

Jaffe: In the book you refer to your ex-fiancé as “Number 26,” thus stripping him of his name. Do you feel bitterness toward him? Dorfman: Actually, I am not in a state of animosity. I am indifferent, which is the opposite of love. I’m at peace and look back 14 months as further proof that things do pass from those bad moments.

Jaffe’s Jewish Jive By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

Jaffe: What’s your endgame? Do you want another reality show? Dorfman: I think I’ve had enough of reality TV. My ideal gig would be using my law degree as a media legal consultant or a roundtable talk show on world and current issues, some thing like “The View.” Jaffe: I found your book as a soothing reassurance to those who have gone through a breakup or any sort of a bad time — a how-to guide to get through it. Dorfman: Yes, I talk about using these past failures as stepping-stones. If something doesn’t work out the way we hoped, we have to ask, “What did I learn from this? What do I need in a relationship?” And there is no Mr. Perfect, but we have to gain from the

Photo by Nomi Ellenson

Andi Dorfman says she would like to be a media legal consultant or a panelist on a show like “The View.”

collective experiences. Jaffe: How is the dating culture in New York City? Dorfman: There is certainly a higher quantity of eligibles — not so sure about the quality (laughing). I find it encouraging that singles here aren’t considered ripe until the 30s when we start looking for a more last ing situation. Jaffe: Do you find that young men these days are disrespectful toward the opposite sex? Maybe we Jewish moth ers have coddled them a bit?

Jaffe: What happens from here? Will you return to Atlanta? Dorfman: I head out on my book tour. Atlanta, L.A. and several appear ances in New York. I have been back to Atlanta many times — for Mother’s Day, a wedding, etc. And I have to get my BBQ fix! ■ Who: “Bachelorette” star Andi Dorfman What: Page From the Book Festival of the Marcus JCC discussion about her new memoir Where: Big Sky Buckhead, 3201 Cains Hill Place When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 2 Tickets: Admission, including light hors d’oeuvres, is free, but RSVPs are requested through www.atlantajcc. org/bookfestival or 678-812-4002

Stein’s ‘Life Support’ Revisits Special Mitzvah By R.M. Grossblatt

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

here’s a Jewish saying that if a person visits someone who’s sick, the visitor takes away 1/60 of the person’s illness. So if 60 people visit a sick person, does that mean the person will recover? That’s difficult to answer, but bikur cholim (visiting the sick) is an important mitzvah. In “Life Support,” her recently released book on this topic, AJT col umnist Rachel Stein shares her expe riences as co-founder of Bikur Cholim of Atlanta, the experiences of her vol unteers and her own encounters as a Jewish chaplain. In a moving introduction, Stein, who has written eight children’s books, tells about her childhood from age 4 when her father died and her mother carried on. Growing up without a fa ther was difficult, and she also lacked grandparents. So Stein sought out the elderly: “I found the elderly to be cute, 26 fun people who twinkled when they

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laughed and exuded unconditional love.” She also was driven to visit the ill and at 14 volunteered in a cancer hos pital, “drawing immense satisfaction from bringing sunshine into the pa tients’ days.” When her mother became ill, Stein was 25 and married with children with another on the way. Two hours away from her mother’s home in Philadel phia, she hoped to visit her often, but the drive was too much for her. Then a special friend named Elaine offered to take her every week. That lasted for a month, enabling Stein to be there on the day her mother died. “How can I ever repay you for what you did for me?” she asked Elaine. “When someone needs help, you be there for them,” Elaine said, “and that’s how you will repay me.” It’s obvious from reading “Life Support” that Stein has repaid Elaine many times.

She and Michele Asa started Bikur Cholim of Atlanta in the merit of Dan ny Miller, a 34-year-old father who had battled cancer since he was 14. Changing some names for priva cy, Stein shares remarkable stories of volunteers and those they visit in her vibrant, easy-to-read style. The stories are vignettes, short but powerful. In the second part of the book, Stein opens a window on what it’s like to intern as a chaplain in a children’s hospital. She shares the good times and the challenges. Some stories are so sad; others are uplifting and amusing. Stein, an observant Jew, comforts and prays with everyone, mostly nonJews, invoking the name of G-d. In an afterword, Stein tells of the privilege of being touched by pa tients and families. “I feel humbled,” she writes, “to have the opportunity to walk alongside these extraordinary individuals and to continue watching their suns rise ever higher, even as they pant to the finish line.”

At the end of the book, Stein’s husband, Rabbi Reuven Stein of the At lanta Kashruth Commission, includes a Bikur Cholim Halachic Appendix, which gives sources for the mitzvah of visiting the sick and tells how a person can fulfill it. ■

Life Support: Stories of My Chaplaincy and Bikur Cholim Rounds By Rachel Stein Israel Bookshop, 213 pages, $22.95

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ARTS

Above: Dale Shields and Gary Silver say the Goodman concert was the best of the three shows in the Molly Blank Series. Left top: Concert hosts Jeannette and Michael Zukor enjoy the big band music. Left bottom: Jane Zwig (left) and Deanne Whitlock (right) pose with concert hosts Marilyn and Sam Eckstein.

Photos by Marcia Caller Jaffe

Clarinetist Allan Vache, who played with Benny Goodman, brings down the house with bandleader Joe Gransden on trumpet.

Breman Swings With Music of Clarinet King

he last show of this year’s Molly Blank Jewish Concert Series charmed a full house Sunday, May 15, at the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum in tribute to the “King of Swing,” Benny Goodman. Goodman was a clarinetist who toured the country, played Carnegie Hall in 1938 and died in 1986 at age 77. During an era of segregation, he led one of the first well-known integrated jazz groups. Goodman, the ninth of 12 chil dren, grew up impoverished while his father shoveled lard in Chicago. When Goodman was 14 and able to make

money playing music, he bought his father a newsstand. The 18 musicians at the Breman had the audience clapping and tapping their toes as Goodman’s most beloved

Jaffe’s Jewish Jive By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

music was woven into biographical anecdotes and historical bits. Breman Executive Director Aaron Berger kicked off the concert by rec ognizing it as a part of the Atlanta Jazz Festival and the “31 Days of Jazz.”

Atlanta favorite Joe Gransden, on trumpet and vocals, welcomed star clarinetist Allan Vache, who played with Goodman in 1980. The special numbers included dueling musicians on “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen” and the more sentimental “Our Love Is Here to Stay” and the “Jersey Bounce.” A birthday tribute was made to Eleanor Breman (who was not in attendance) as the donor of the 7-foot Steinway piano Georgia State Univer sity music professor Geoff Haydon used to play “I’ll Be Seeing You.” “All my life I have loved Bennie Goodman’s music,” Deanne Whitlock said. Concert host Marilyn Eckstein

said: “I loved the concert because the band was so warm. They really seemed to be having a good time themselves. The imported clarinetist, Allan Vache, was terrific. The program was infor mative and entertaining.” Fan Howard Rothman said: “I’m excited about tonight. Unfortunately, the younger generation does not ap preciate big band music like we do.” Another concert host, Jeannette Zukor, said, “I thought tonight’s jazz music was particularly special.” Gransden, a wonderful bandlead er, bowed to his musicians and said, “How ’bout them bones?” — a refer ence to trombones. It was all we could do to not dance in the aisles. ■

Israelis, Alterman to Play at Jazz Festival Photo by Shahar Livny

Photo by Zohar Ralt

TATRAN has played together since 2011.

Player,” a national Israeli competition featuring musicians of all instruments. He attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston on a scholarship and studied with jazz drummer Billy Hart, with whom he then began to perform live. The Assaf Kehati Trio performs on the festival’s International Stage at 1:30 p.m.

Israeli guitarist Assaf Kehati, based in Boston, performs as part of a trio at the Atlanta festival.

TATRAN, another jazz trio, imme diately follows on the International Stage at 3:30 p.m. The Tel Aviv trio formed in 2011 with Tamuz Dekel on guitar, Offir Benjaminov on bass and Dan Mayo on drums. TATRAN’s music lacks vocals, but the eccentric sounds and intricate ballads the trio produces place listen ers on a foreign planet that seems fa

miliar, as when dreams synthesize memories and emotions to create new realities. The three Israelis recorded their first studio album, “Shvat,” in 2014. Last November they released a live album, “Soul Ghosts,” which mixes five new songs with tracks from “Shvat.” TATRAN released an animated short film, “Glance,” directed and ani mated by artist Shahaf Ram, in May 2015. Alterman, a jazz pianist and Ep stein School alumnus who is based in New York, is scheduled to play with his own trio on the Local Stage at 4:30 p.m. the same day. The Atlanta Jazz Festival is in Pied 27 mont Park and is free to all. ■ MAY 27 ▪ 2016

wo Israeli bands and a local Jew ish star are performing on the final day of the three-day Atlanta Jazz Festival. The Assaf Kehati Trio, TATRAN and Joe Alterman are taking the stage Sunday afternoon, May 29. The Assaf Kehati Trio features Bos ton-based Israeli jazz guitarist Assaf Kehati, who is known for traditional swing and three-piece jazz. Kehati started developing his jazz palate at age 20, when he transcribed artists such as Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, Keith Jarrett and the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Paul Desmond. He attended the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Tel Aviv and finished third in “The Jazz

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ARTS

Big Lessons in ‘The Big Short’ By Al Shams

his year’s Oscar winner for best adapted screenplay, “The Big Short” has been available on DVD since mid-March, and I have seen it three times. Friends have asked me as an investment professional to explain various aspects of the movie. The Great Recession affected all aspects of the financial world and cre ated great social disruption. “The Big Short” focuses on a single aspect: the decline in the value of mortgage secu rities and how three astute speculators profited from the decline. In general, the film shows how those three unrelated oddball invest ment managers in 2006 and 2007 came to believe that the mortgage process was corrupted, that a bubble was brew ing, and that they could profit from a general decline in housing prices. Before 2008, it was commonly believed that homes were a sacred in

vestment for most Americans and that a major nationwide decline in housing prices was unlikely. While I am not an expert in mort gage securities or housing, I do believe I have a good background in finance and insight into the movie. Some of the movie’s key points: • In the 1970s, investment banks created mortgage-backed securities, which increased capital in the hous ing industry and provided attractive products for investors. These securities were liquid, carried high investment ratings and offered compelling yields. • As is often the case on Wall Street, a good idea became too popular, which led to abuses, greed and lax standards. • As the demand for the securities grew, some fraudulent and criminal ac tions permeated the system, especially in the area of applications. • Various financial data were false and never verified. Many participants knew of the false data but were profit

ing so much from the process that they were reluctant to sound the alarm. • The rating system was compro mised when investment bankers se lected the ratings agencies and were compensated by issuers. If the desired ratings were not received, that rating agent likely would not be selected in the future. • Many people were seduced by the prospect of quick profits from flipping homes. Many flippers ended up with mortgages on multiple homes with out the ability to hold them through a downturn — hence, foreclosures. Astute investors make sure they can hold assets through a downturn before making an investment. • Many financially naïve people, desperate to own a home and to profit from rising home prices, submitted false applications and suffered from the ensuing downturn. As an example of the housing problems, the movie depicts an adult

entertainer in Miami who owned five properties, each with two mortgages. The three speculators approached some well-known investment banks to assist them in shorting mortgage secu rities. The investment banks, believing that a decline in mortgage securities was unlikely, took the other side of the trade and put their capital at risk. Ultimately, the investment banks suffered huge losses, and the specula tors had gains worth five to 15 times the capital they put at risk. I enjoyed the movie and felt it was a good summary of how these three groups identified the housing bubble and profited when it burst. The nation al housing price decline had huge im plications for other parts of the econo my and required unprecedented action by the government and regulators. ■

included fanciful images of the Near East in the novels he wrote to address his perpetual indebtedness. And he seemed to relish the anti-Semitic invec tive thrown at him by political enemies. But Cesarani shows that Disraeli identified with Judaism only as a pre cursor to Christianity — that is, he presented Christianity as perfected Ju daism. He seems never to have looked back after his highly assimilated father converted the family over a dispute with his synagogue. He supported the privileges of the Church of England and did nothing to advance Jewish po litical rights. He showed no interest in the problems of Jews near or far, nor did he even bother to admire Jerusalem

while traveling around the Mediterra nean as a young man. Most damaging to his legacy, Dis raeli perpetuated negative stereotypes and declared that “the racial question is the key to world history.” His nov els perpetuated the idea of powerful Jewish cabals manipulating history and served anti-Semitic propaganda. Sadly, the man Cesarani depicts would have felt no connection to the millions slaughtered when the Nazis ran amok with his own beliefs. ■

Al Shams is a Sandy Springs resident, a former CPA and an investment professional with over 36 years’ experience.

The ‘Old Jew’ Who Wasn’t By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

enjamin Disraeli has a unique place in history: He is the only person born Jewish to serve as the British prime minister. But given that he was baptized at age 12, should he be considered a Jew ish politician? Indeed, as historian David Cesarani wonders in his sharp biography of the first earl of Beacons field, should Disraeli have a place in Yale’s “Jewish Live” biographical series, of which this book is a part? Cesarani, who died in October, draws a thorough, fair but less-thanflattering portrait of Disraeli. The biog

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raphy provides all the details of a long political career, showing how he large ly created the modern British Conser vative Party; charmed Queen Victoria, who considered him her favorite prime minister; won the Suez Canal for Brit ain while stifling Russian expansion ism; drove crazy his top rival for Vic torian political pre-eminence, William Gladstone; and won the admiration of his German peer Otto von Bismarck, who called him der alte Jude (the old Jew). Disraeli was friends with Eng land’s best-known Victorian Jews, the Rothschilds and Montefiores, at a time when they fought for and eventually won full political rights for Jews. He

Disraeli: The Novel Politician By David Cesarani Yale University Press, 304 pages, $25

Author Greene Happily Goes to the Dogs

life and inspired her to create a service ward-winning Atlanta author Melissa Fay Greene’s new book, dog academy more open to people “The Underdogs: Children, with disabilities, including children. Dogs, and the Power of Unconditional That happened in 1998, about a thou Love,” is a celebration of dogs and the sand dogs ago. lifesaving joy they bring to children and families struggling with disabili Jaffe: You describe an adopted ties, isolation and despair. Published May 17, the book is the subject of Jaffe’s Jewish Jive Greene’s appearance Thurs day night, May 19, at the By Marcia Caller Jaffe Marcus Jewish Community mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com Center. Known for best sellers “Praying for Sheet child from Russia rock,” “The Temple with fetal alcohol Bombing,” and one of spectrum disor my all-time favor der. ites, “There Is No Me Greene: Rabbi Without You,” Greene Harvey Winokur again shows her and his wife, Don ability to captivate nie Winokur, of us with masterful Roswell adopted a stories. toddler from Rus Surrounded sia who became by three of her own so disruptive and rescued dogs in her Photo by Alyssa Kapnik Samuel oppositional that living room in Druid Author Melissa Fay Greene has the family grew Hills, Greene sat three rescue dogs at home. desperate for help; down for a refreshing 4 Paws accepted them as clients, and and revealing interview. their lives were transformed by Chan Jaffe: Dogs are all over media with cer, a rescued golden retriever. current research about their intelli Jaffe: Dog trainers in “The Under gence and our love of them. Why this dogs” refer to the Lassie Myth. topic for you now? Greene: Many of us grew up Greene: It’s a hot topic because watching “Lassie,” a miracle-working science is revolutionizing what most fictional dog character. At 4 Paws, 20th century and many 21st century trainers warn families against the experts believed about dogs, which Lassie Myth so that they will not was that they had no capacity for expect the impossible. And yet, as I thought or emotion. Current research describe in the book, many of the dogs validates the hearts and minds of dogs perform Lassie-like miracles for chil and other animals. Of course, animal dren with special needs; meanwhile, lovers knew this already, but now cutting-edge scientists are kind of prominent scientists have come to giving Lassie a second look. respect the intelligence and sensitiv ity of many species. I first published a Jaffe: Your last book, “No Bik portion of the book in The New York ing in the House Without a Helmet,” Times Magazine in 2012. described your family of nine children: four by birth and five by adoption Jaffe: The book extols a heroine, Karen Shirk, who took action. Can you from Bulgaria and Ethiopia. Are you empty nesting now? expound on this? Greene: Not yet! While all of our Greene: Karen Shirk, afflicted kids are either grown or in college, last with a neuromuscular disease in her year we brought over the older brother 20s, found herself bedridden for years. of two of our sons from Ethiopia on All the service dog agencies told her an F-1 student visa. He’s 22, going to she was too disabled to qualify for a school and living with us. He’s a won service dog. Her nurse encouraged her derful young man who has grown very to find her own dog and seek a trainer. attached to our family. ■ This dog, Ben, brought Karen back to

OBITUARIES

M. Alan Lipsey 88, Atlanta

M. Alan Lipsey, age 88, of Atlanta died Tuesday, May 17, 2016. He was born and raised in Thomasville. He was a graduate of Thomasville High School and attended Emory University. He was in the family business in Thomasville before moving his family to Atlanta, where he had a long career as a financial adviser. He was a longtime member of The Temple, where he was the chairman of the usher committee. In Thomasville he was an active member of the Elks Club and Exchange Club. He was predeceased by his loving wife of 60 years, Joan Forman Lipsey, and his parents, Anna Kolesky Lipsey and David Lipsey, of blessed memory. Survivors include daughter Patricia Lipsey; daughter and son-in-law Susan and Alan Wish neff; son and daughter-in-law Michael and Caren Cook Lipsey; son and daughterin-law Mark and Susan Lipsey; grandchildren Anna Wishneff, Samuel Wishneff, Jacob Lipsey and Alexandra Lipsey; step-grandchildren Alyson, Drew and Caylan; nieces Rhyan Kime and Regan Gross; and nephew Daniel Forman. The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at the Cohen Home, Bre man Jewish Home, Weinstein Hospice and Kadan Home Health Care. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Temple, the American Cancer Society, Weinstein Hospice, Jewish Home Life Communities or a charity of your choice. A graveside service was held Friday, May 20, at Arlington Memorial Park with Rabbi Lauren Lapidus officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Death Notices

Michelle Block, a Temple member, wife of Bret Block, and mother of Simon Block and Isabelle Block. Donna Nash Burel, 62, of Lawrenceville, a Temple member and wife of Ste phen Burel, on May 21. Patricia Stewart Mendel, 83, of Atlanta, a member of Ahavath Achim Syna gogue, daughter of Ruth Rosenblum, and mother of Cathy Shavin, Paul Mendel and Hal Mendel, on May 17.

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

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CLOSING THOUGHTS OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

The Butcher’s Calendar

MAY 27 ▪ 2016

f you are squeamish, this tale is NOT for you. If you feel a mashgi ach or the work he is charged with is too sacred to tell tales about, this tale is NOT for you. If you know you are a prude, this tale is NOT for you. If you are a minor, this tale is NOT for you. If you have a limited sense of hu mor, this tale is not for you. If you hap pen to be a mashgiach or are married to one, this tale is absolutely not for you. By the way, tsum suff (in the end), upon retiring from his butcher store, Dad (z”l) and Mom (z”l) relocated to Delray Beach, Fla., where my dad became a mashgiach. Mom and Dad were set up on what can only be considered a very blind date by his brother, who had ar rived in America a few years earlier. It was 1938. Hitler was on the move. My mom was dispatched to save my dad by marrying him and bringing him to America. As an American citizen since 1925, she was able to travel to Poland, marry my dad and bring him back to America. In their case, it was a blind date made in heaven. He was a new groom with no work experience and no clue as to how he was going to support his new bride and the family they planned to have. Mom, on the other hand, had arrived in America at the age of 15, become a citizen, gone to school and upon grad uation become gainfully employed. As you probably guessed, Mom would support them until Dad’s life was no longer in turmoil. They moved in with his in-laws. Mom’s married sister and her daugh ter, Mom’s unmarried sister, Mom, Dad, and Mamma and Pappa (my grandparents) all lived in this apart ment, which boasted one tiny bath room. As you can imagine, this was not my parent’s picture-perfect mode of living and did not support wedded bliss. Under my mom’s tutelage, and the fact that my dad was a quick study, he learned enough English so he was able to find work at a vegetable stand, and just as quick as the wind in a storm, they were in their own apartment. As he became more proficient (and I use this word loosely) in the English language and how to function in his new world, he apprenticed and learned the kosher butcher trade. 30 He joined the butchers union and

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with a cousin opened his first kosher butcher shop. They worked long hours during the week, closing on Shabbat. Soon, they were able to move their shop from the Bronx to an emerging neighborhood in Jackson Heights, Queens, with many young families. Here they made a name for them selves.

CROSSWORD 2

Most of the women did not work and would visit the store, looking for inspirational marital and cooking advice from my dad. Everyone in the neighborhood knew him and loved him. His very special friend and bodyguard, Stanley the cop, ensured the shop was free of vandalism. On Fridays, Stanley made the Shabbat meat deliveries. Stanley also looked out for Gene and myself by reminding us to move our car to the correct side of the street on the days the street cleaners would be coming by. Dad loved his work and loved interacting with his customers — the ones he loved (the young ones) and the ones who drove him crazy (the older ones). Let’s get to the reason for this missive. The following is my dad’s famous mashgiach tale. The mashgiach’s visits to my dad’s butcher store made my dad feel a little edgy. My dad just did not like this guy. “First of all, he smells, he always wants free meat, and he sticks his hand out” (for money under the table). The mashgiach would always go to the back of the store to daven. One day my dad devised a brilliant plan and hung up a couple of girlie calendars on the east wall of the room in the back, knowing the mashgiach would go back to daven. Needless to say, the poor guy came running out to the front, his long coat flying in back of him, flailing his hands, one of which held the prayer book, yelling words not to be repeated at my dad and my cousin, my dad’s partner. A new mashgiach was assigned to my dad’s store. And so it goes. ■

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ACROSS 1. Miss Universe winner Mor or dancer Schenfeld 5. She can show you any verse in the Bible 9. “As you teach, you learn,” e.g. 14. Barbra’s “Funny Girl” co-star 15. Rebbi Nachman’s land 16. Sin city 17. Like Kerri Strug 18. Tense of the Torah 19. Right-wing party that merged with Likud 20. Founder of Bais Yaakov 23. Abbi’s “Broad City” comic partner 24. Saul feels it for David, at times 25. Kvetch 27. Former team of Farmar 28. Org. where one might learn Torah and have a dip 31. With 39-Across, author of the “New Studies” parsha series 34. Einstein had a good one or two 36. Written, e.g. 38. Sacha Baron Cohen show 39. See 31-Across 42. Other first name for Rabbi Moshe Sofer 45. Sharon Osbourne, ___ Levy 46. “Hashomer ___ anochi?” 50. Historic judge 52. Hellenistic or Hasmonean 54. Make like manna after a day (other than Shabbat) 55. Many preparing for a yr. in Israel 56. McGraw who was a Met with Art Shamsky 58. A Lannister on Weiss’ “Game of Thrones” 60. Significant 19th century Hasidic leader (and miracle worker, according to some) 65. Jonathan showcased it 66. Show with Rachel Berry 67. Like Jonah, at times

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By Shaindle Schmuckler shaindle@atljewishtimes.com

“Torah Greats”

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

Shaindle’s Shpiel

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32. Common quadruped in Israel 33. Singer Ofra 35. Range for Dianna Agron 37. Made like Israel in 1948 40. Where a Hebrew slave might have shown his devotion to his master? 41. Israel, compared with most other Middle East countries 42. Alts. to Israel Bonds 43. Wouk and Melville 44. Rebellious son in II DOWN Samuel 1. “Moses in Egypt” 47. Color of the flag Rahab composer hung outside her inn 2. Like a shish kabob 48. Most inviting Shabbat 3. Make like Kohelet in house Ecclesiastes 49. Say Kol Nidre, say 4. Nazi “race” 51. Feeling on Tisha B’Av 5. Eats at a seder 53. It includes the Ziegler 6. Apple not used by Sch. of Rabbinic Studies Orthodox Jews on Rosh 57. Meir who taught at a Hashanah 7. His children were notable Folks Schule 59. Israeli earth Torah scholars 61. Actress Skye 8. Future Einstein resident 9. Rav who was the head of 62. Rap Dr. and Smith’s role in Weintraub’s “The Karate the Sura Academy 10. “And plentifully rewarded Kid” 63. “Everybody gonna move the proud ___” (Psalms their ___” (Kiss) 31:23) 11. Gland that might kick into 64. Bruce and Kravitz, for short gear on a Segen’s mission 65. Contend, like Yuri 12. Kosher “kissing” aquarium fish (generally not Foreman eaten) LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 13. MDA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 C A T S M A S A D A W A S volunteer 14 15 16 I C E E O R A T E S I S T 21. Uris novel, 17 18 19 C P R T H E M U S I C M A N with “The” 20 21 22 I N E S R O O K I E 22. One 23 24 25 26 27 28 requiring more 29O K A P I S 30 S T S 31 I E R S O A R M O O A N D E S R tzedakah 32 33 34 35 S C H O O L O F R O C K 26. Possible 36 37 38 39 40 41 O H S W E S A R T T O A order from 42 43 44 I N T H E H E I G H T S Kagan 45 46 47 48 49 C A P O S A L S E A T S 29. The 50 51 52 53 R A N A V I H E S T O N I Negev’s is often 54 55 56 A R E S S T E N T C dry 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 A B A T H E K I N G A N D I 30. Many a 64 65 66 D I D E E R I E R P O O R Mercedes in 67 68 69 T R E N D Y O N C E A C E Israel 68. Ideal hole for Morgan Pressel or Dinah Shore 69. Scripture says it’s guarded by two cherubs 70. He played Malph on “Happy Days” 71. Namesakes of a Salinger girl 72. Some characters in “An American Tail” 73. Chip in for an Adelson establishment?

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