Atlanta Jewish Times, Vol. XCI No. 46, November 25, 2016 by Atlanta Jewish Times

Atlanta VOL. XCI NO. 46

WWW.ATLANTAJEWISHTIMES.COM NOVEMBER 25, 2016 | 24 CHESHVAN 5777

Wildfire Battle Relies on Ramah Darom By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com

Forward Finds ATL

It took a global health crisis and a portrayal by an Oscar-winning actress for the Forward finally to find room on its annual Forward 50 for a pair of Atlanta residents. It’s rare for the New York-based national Jewish newspaper to notice anyone south of Washington and north of Miami on its annual list of “Jews who have impacted American life,” so we’ll overlook that both of the Atlantans happen to be transplants from New York who work along a short stretch of Clifton Road: • Emory University history professor Deborah Lipstadt, who has been a multimedia star this fall while promoting “Denial,” Hollywood’s version of her court fight against Holocaust denier David Irving, complete with English actress Rachel Weisz doing her best to match Lipstadt’s Queens accent. • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Thomas Frieden, who bounced back from criticism of his handling of the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak with a forceful response to Zika, including arguing for Congress to approve President Barack Obama’s request for $1.9 billion in emergency funding to fight the mosquito-borne virus. As a Dixie bonus, Harry Swimmer, who at 86 runs a therapeutic horseback riding center outside Charlotte, also made the 50. ■

BREMAN AT 20

The Breman Museum is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a sold-out gala honoring Jarvin Levison on Dec. 3 and an exhibit peeking into Jewish Atlanta’s private art collections. Pages 16-18

Firefighters from across the nation have converged on Camp Ramah Darom in Rabun County as their base to battle the wildfires scorching North Georgia. Ramah is giving about 200 wildland firefighters food and lodging while they battle the Rough Ridge and Rock Mountain wildfires north and west of the camp. Opening bunks to the firefighting crews was just the right thing to do, Ramah Darom CEO Fred Levick said. “We just thought, ‘Hey, there’s a fire here and people coming out who need a place to stay,’ ” Levick told the AJT. “Where are people going to find a place to stay in Rabun County? We’ve got a place that has 700 beds and a kitchen and a full-time chef. It’s something we can do to help instead of just sitting there with our hands behind our backs.” The Rock Mountain fire began Nov. 9 along Tallulah River Road several miles north of the camp and has spread to more than 12,000 acres, mostly by burning fallen leaves. The fire is believed to be intentional, and the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office is searching for the culprit. As of Monday, Nov. 21, 434 people, 23 fire engines and five helicopters were fighting the fire. Two bulldozers and a tractor plow were clearing fire breaks. The fire doesn’t pose an imminent threat to Ramah, but Levick said the situation could change at any time. On Nov. 18 the Rabun County Office of Emergency Management issued a pre-evacuation notice for areas directly north of the camp, including the road Ramah sits on, Patterson Gap. Part of Patterson Gap Road northeast of Ramah was closed Nov. 22.

SO THANKFUL

With our favorite secular holiday, Thanksgiving, upon us, we take time to get to know and give thanks for a couple of the people who make Jewish Atlanta such a special place. Pages 22-24

A helicopter at Ramah Darom is one of five fighting the fires in North Georgia.

To fight the fires, the U.S. Forest Service set up a center for operations at Clayton City Hall on Nov. 14. Wildland firefighters traveled from as far away as Denver and Oregon. Many had planned to sleep in tents or cars. So Levick asked Ramah Darom General Manager Anthony Franklin to reach out to Mike Mazarky, the director of the Rabun County Office of Emergency Management, and to offer food and lodging to firefighters. “They had no expectations of having a bed to sleep in or showers,” Levick said. “Some of them came down from fighting a fire in North Carolina, and they’ve been sleeping in tents. It feels good for us that we’re able to do something constructive to really take care of these heroic people, and it helps keep our minds off the fire.” For Amanda Grubb, the base camp manager handling logistics at the Ramah site, the Rock Mountain wildfire is her fifth of the year. She said fire season typically runs from May to September, so fires this late are unusual. Grubb, who is from Denver, said this is the first time the firefighters have set up at a summer camp.

“Everybody has been so friendly and so caring,” she said. “People are usually nice, but it is different here. The camp and the whole community has been so welcoming, loving and supportive.” Clayton’s appreciation for the firefighters has included paying for all their meals in town, Grubb said. Volunteers from Clayton and a few from the Atlanta area made their way to Ramah the weekend of Nov. 18 to help cook and serve food. Jewish women attending a retreat that ended Nov. 15 pitched in to help feed the firefighters. The Forest Service and Ramah said more volunteers are not needed now. In an email to Ramah Darom families, staff and alumni Nov. 16, Levick asked for prayers for the safety of those in the Clayton area and for rain. By Nov. 21, Rabun had not seen rain for 45 days, and it had been 101 days since the area received more than half an inch of rain. “Right now we just know there’s a fire out there, and it’s a concern,” Levick said. “We’ve done everything we can to try and protect ourselves in case the fire starts to encroach on our property. Hopefully it won’t.” ■

INSIDE Calendar ��4 Candle Lighting ��4 Israel News ��6 Local News ��7 Opinion �� 10 Health & Wellness �� 14

Business ��25 Sports ��26 Obituaries ��27 Marketplace ��28 Arts ��29 Crossword �� 31

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MA TOVU

Breaking the Golden Rule ciated, begins with my own sense of what I want and what I find meaningful, not with the specific need of the other. A fine line separates the kindness we do for others from the kindness we do for others that is really for ourselves. As a rabbinic student, I served a small congregation. When one of our

Taking Root By Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder rabbiruth@gmail.com

youngest members became terminally ill, my instinct was to reach out and help in every way I could. The family had other ideas. They were angry at G-d. Given the connection to G-d I represented, they wanted little to do with me and asked me to leave them alone. I wanted to give to them, but that was not the kindness they sought. I felt uncomfortable not doing anything. But it was better that I, rather than they, was uncomfortable. In this case, by acting in true kindness, my own need to take action was left unmet, but their need was fulfilled. Recognizing that your neighbor has needs that are distinct from your own is its own form of kindness, a recognition of the full humanity of the other. There is a kindness in any nice action but greater kindness still in listening and finding out what the other needs. It is not easy to do. Our best default is usually our own point of view. Recognizing that the other is not like you is itself a profound kindness and often a stretch. Seeing the individuality of the other, and acting generously nonetheless, builds a connection across difference. Most of the time when we treat others as we ourselves want to be treated, we don’t mess things up, and we add to the positive balance in the world. We let someone in line amid traffic, we hold a door for the person behind us, we bring a meal to a sick friend — these are good things, and we can all do them more. Recognizing that the other is indeed other but equally worthy is by no means as easy as abiding by the Golden Rule, but sometimes we need to break the rule to make the world a better place. ■

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

“You know, you really messed me up by teaching me v’ahavta l’reecha kamocha,” my son said to me on his first visit home from college. The phrase is usually translated as “You should love your neighbor as you love yourself.” According to the ancient Rabbi Akiva, this is one of the most important precepts of the Torah. It is the Jewish version of the Golden Rule. So when my children were young, we added these words to our nightly recitation of the Shema. My hope was to have the day conclude with two essential forms of reflection: a consideration of how we treat others and a consideration of how we relate to the divine. After all, the relationship between people and the relationship between people and the divine are the twin pillars on which Judaism stands. How could this have messed my kid up? He explained that he had taken the teaching to heart and tried to live up to the intention. “But I run into trouble when I treat other people the way I want to be treated. They don’t want to be treated the way I want to be treated. They want to be treated the way they want to be treated.” The difference, though subtle, is critical. “For example,” he said, “when I am upset, I really appreciate a good hug. So when my friends are upset, I treat them like I would want to be treated. But I’ve gotten into trouble doing that, because it is not what they want. They don’t need what I need; they need what they need.” Part of my son’s experience was the inevitable outcome of growing up and into more sophisticated forms of empathy. The toddler who used to have to think hard when asked if he would like his sister to take a toy from him just as he had done to her had become a man with a generous heart and spirit capable of thinking well beyond his own experience and needs. But his observation speaks to a deeper truth about the complexity of kindness. Doing for others what they need is hard. I often fall short, defaulting to my own point of reference. Most weeks I make challah, and I usually make more than my family needs so I can give some away. I recognize that this kindness, though usually appre-

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Contributors This Week RABBI RUTH ABUSCH-MAGDER MARITA ANDERSON ARLENE APPELROUTH RABBI DAVID GEFFEN YONI GLATT • JORDAN GORFINKEL R.M. GROSSBLATT RACHEL FAYNE GRUSHKIN MARCIA CALLER JAFFE LOU LADINSKY • VICKI LEOPOLD RABBI JOSHUA LESSER LOGAN C. RITCHIE CADY SCHULMAN ELI SPERLING PATRICE WORTHY SOPHIE ZELONY

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NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

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POSTMASTER send address changes to The Atlanta Jewish Times 270 Carpenter Drive Suite 320, Atlanta Ga 30328. Established 1925 as The Southern Israelite Phone: (404) 883-2130 www.atlantajewishtimes.com 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

Feeding firefighters. Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road, shows appreciation to DeKalb County firefighters by bringing them desserts and thank-you cards. Meet at the shul at 11 a.m., then go to Fire Station 1; 404-3151417 or leslie@yith.org.

MONDAY, NOV. 28

Lewis speech. Rep. John Lewis, who just won the National Book Award for the third book in his graphic memoir trilogy, “March,” speaks at the Davis Academy Lower School, 8105 Roberts Drive, Sandy Springs, at 7:30 p.m. Free; RSVP at www.davisacademy.org.

TUESDAY, NOV. 29

Giving Tuesday. The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, 1440 Spring St., Midtown, needs volunteers to call donors in two-hour shifts from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4 to 8 p.m. Free; www. jewishatlanta.org or 404-873-1661.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30

Teens and the law. The Weber Wellness Community Speakers Series features former DeKalb District Attorney J. Tom Morgan discussing Georgia law and teenagers at 7 p.m. at the school, 6751 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. A copy of Morgan’s “Ignorance Is No Defense: A Teenager’s Guide to Georgia Law” costs $15 at the event. Free; bit.ly/2giaAAl.

THURSDAY, DEC. 1

Rosh Chodesh. Jewish studies teacher Chaya Lieberman leads a Women of Weber session called “Heroines & Hanukkah: A Picture and a Thousand Words” at 8 a.m. at the Weber School, 6751 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. Free; RSVP to bit.ly/2fPkGav.

FRIDAY, DEC. 2

Shabbat in the Highlands. After services at 7 p.m. at Chabad Intown, 928

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES

Chaya Sarah Friday, Nov. 25, light candles at 5:11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, Shabbat ends at 6:09 p.m. Toledot Friday, Dec. 2, light candles at 5:10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, Shabbat ends at 6:09 p.m. Ponce de Leon Ave., Midtown, YJP Atlanta holds dinners in homes in Virginia-Highland at 8 before everyone gathers for scotch and desserts at another home at 10. Free; RSVP at YJPAtlanta. org or 404-931-6449.

SATURDAY, DEC. 3

Sweet 16. Hadassah’s Etz Aviv Group celebrates its 16th year with a gala honoring Rachel Schonberger, the national chair of the Hadassah Medical Organization, at 7 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 895 Cobb Place Blvd., Kennesaw. Tickets are $30; send checks payable to Etz Aviv Hadassah to Judy Bart, 320 Coleraine Place, Roswell, GA 30075, or call her at 770-645-8257 for details. Sushi and comedy. Chabad of North Fulton, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Johns Creek, follows Havdalah at 7:30 p.m. with all-you-can-eat sushi and comedy by Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz. Tickets are $15; chabadnf.org or 770-410-9000.

SUNDAY, DEC. 4

Alembik Lecture. Psychologist Lisa Miller speaks about the science and power of spirituality at 10 a.m. at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs. Free; templesinaiatlanta.org or 404-252-3073. Widows and orphans benefit. Violinist Boris Savchuk performs to raise money for the Tzarkei Naomi Fund at 2 p.m. at the Selig Center, 1440 Spring St., Midtown. Tickets are $18 each, $28 per cou-

ple or $10 for seniors; tzarkeinaomi@ aol.com or 404-735-3342. Children’s benefit. The Tower of Talent fundraising concert for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is at 4:30 p.m. at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Cumberland area. Tickets are $35 to $100; www.choa.org/toweroftalent. Menorah lighting. Congregation B’nai Israel holds a Chanukah celebration in downtown Fayetteville at 5 p.m. Free; bnai-israel.net or 678-817-7162. Couples game night. The Kehilla of Sandy Springs, 5075 Roswell Road, provides board games and a nacho bar from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is $25 per couple; www.facebook.com/ events/1808086789405228. Churchill and the Jews. Congregation Or Hadash Rabbi Analia Bortz speaks at the Winston Churchill Society of Georgia’s annual observance of Churchill’s birthday about the British leader’s relationship with the Jewish people at McCormick & Schmick’s, 600 Ashford Parkway, Dunwoody. Dinner is at 6 p.m. after a cocktail hour with a cash bar at 5. Tickets are $65 for society members, $75 for others; chap_pub@ bellsouth.net. Chanukah toy drive. CTeen Cares collects and wraps toys from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the CTeen Intown Lounge, 928 Ponce de Leon Ave., Midtown. Free; to

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

Remember When

10 years ago Nov. 24, 2006 ■ Even as Qassam rockets fell on Sderot from the Gaza Strip, the focus of Jewish leaders at the United Jewish Communities and Federations of North America General Assembly in Los Angeles was not on the Palestinians, but on the Iranians. Both Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran for this summer’s war between Israel and Hezbollah. ■ The bar mitzvah ceremony of Samuel Feldman of Atlanta, son of Robin Feldman, was held Saturday, Nov. 4, at Ahavath Achim Synagogue. 25 Years Ago Nov. 29, 1991 ■ After wandering around Cobb County for the better

part of 10 years, Temple Kol Emeth is finally establishing some roots. The Reform congregation’s first building, a 14,000-square-foot structure at Old Canton and Sewell Mill roads in East Cobb, is ready to be occupied. ■ Ellen and Scott Italiaander of Dunwoody announce the birth of a son, Joseph Lang, on Oct. 15. 50 Years Ago Nov. 25, 1966 ■ The Atlanta Jewish Welfare Fund board of directors has approved the allocation of money from the 1966 Campaign to 60 agencies, including $225,625 spread among 10 local and regional agencies. The 1966 Campaign raised $942,500 from 5,340 contributors, the third-largest amount raised since the Welfare Fund was organized in 1936. ■ Mr. and Mrs. George Kross of Miami Beach announce the engagement of their daughter, Judith Ann Kross, to Jack M. Epstein, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Epstein of Atlanta.

CALENDAR volunteer a teen or donate toys, contact Rabbi Ari Sollish at rabbiari@chabadintown.org or 404-898-0434. Inaugural poet. Richard Blanco, the inaugural poet for President Barack Obama, reads his work at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs, at 7:30 p.m. after a wine and cheese reception at 7. Free but $15 donation suggested; templesinaiatlanta.org or 404-252-3073.

MONDAY, DEC. 5

Art opening. The first part of “Atlanta Collects,” an exhibit of art from private collections in Jewish Atlanta, opens at the Breman Museum, 1440 Spring St., Midtown, as part of the celebration of the Breman’s 20th anniversary. On display until Feb. 26 are works created from the 18th through the 20th centuries; art made after 2000 goes on display March 12. Museum admission is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 for students and educators, $4 for ages 3 to 6; www.thebreman.org or 678-222-3700. Rosh Chodesh series. “Simple Truths,” a monthly study program for women led by Dena Schusterman and Leah Sollish, begins at 7:30 p.m. at a private home. The fee is $59; RSVP at www. intownjewishacademy.org or 404-8980434.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7

Gun violence screening. Interfaith Community Initiatives and the Arthur M. Blank Foundation hold a screening of “Newtown” in the Hendrix-Chenault Theater at the Lovett School, 4075 W. Paces Ferry Road, Buckhead, at 6:45 p.m., followed by a discussion with director Kim Snyder at 8:15. Free; RSVP by Nov. 30 at conta.cc/2f1MRU2.

THURSDAY, DEC. 8

Candle making. The Sixth Point lets adults make their own sets of rolled beeswax Chanukah candles in dozens of colors at 7:30 p.m. at the Ashford Park Community Building, 2980 Redding Road, Brookhaven. Candles are $5 per set; thesixthpoint.org/event/causemama-not-hard-candle-now-2016.

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

SATURDAY, DEC. 10

AIDS awareness service. Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., Buckhead, and Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal welcome the pastor and members of the spiritual music department at Virginia-Highland Church for a special Havdalah service of healing, memory and advocacy at 6:30 p.m. Free; www.facebook.com/ events/228548340892413.

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ISRAEL NEWS

Changing the Kibbutz Movement By Eli Sperling Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin was founded in the northern region of Eretz Yisrael on Nov. 25, 1938. Part of a greater facet of Zionist development, the kibbutz movement began in 1909, helping serve the settlement and agricultural needs of Zionist pioneers. Established as fully communal settlements based on socialist, egalitarian values, kibbutzim are an iconic aspect of Israeli culture and society. They have produced some of Israel’s most influential musicians, writers, academics and artists. Today, with around 400 residents, Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin, true to its pioneering roots, produces agricultural goods such as wheat, dates and citrus fruit. But the community draws the bulk of its revenue from a privately managed plastics factory housed on the kibbutz. Representative of a greater trend amongst kibbutzim, Kfar Ruppin has privatized all its industries, adapting to a changing and generally more privatized economy in Israel as a whole. According to a University of Haifa

Today in Israeli History

bers’ jobs would not have been reflected in their financial compensation, which was uniform for every kibbutz member, dishwashers and doctors alike. While kibbutzim still maintain a strong presence in Israel, and many of them have thriving, wealth-producing industries, like many aspects of Members of Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin build a protective fence around their community in 1938. Israeli society, they are changstudy, only a quarter of Israel’s kibbuting to adapt to a new economy zim are still operating as fully equal, and a more globally minded Israel. cooperative communities. EmphasizFor further reading: ing new, private industries on the kib• Bolton-Fasman, Judy. “Voices butzim and opening opportunities From the Children’s House.” Tablet, for kibbutz members to work outside Nov. 4, 2016, www.tabletmag.com/ jobs, many of these communities have jewish-life-and-religion/216532/voiceschanged the core communal principles from-the-childrens-house. on which they were founded. • Palgi, Michal, and Shulamit ReinToday, with many kibbutz mem- harz. “One Hundred Years of Kibbutz bers receiving salaries from these Life: A Century of Crises and Reinvenprivatized industries or outside jobs, tion.” New Brunswick, N.J.: Transacthe rising cost of living in Israel has put tion, 2011. ■ a strain on these communities. This growing norm is far removed Eli Sperling is an Israel specialist from the old model. Historically, each and assistant program coordinator for kibbutz member would have his or her the Center for Israel Education (www.isliving expenses fully covered. Mem- raeled.org).

Items provided by the Center for Israel Education (www.israeled.org), where you can find more details. Nov. 25, 1938: Kibbutz Kfar (Village) Ruppin is founded in the framework of the Tower and Stockade movement in Zionism, which took place primarily between 1936 and 1939. Nov. 26, 1949: Folk rock singersongwriter Shlomo Artzi is born on Moshav Alonei Abba, near Haifa. Nov. 27, 1914: The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is founded with the merger of the Central Relief Committee and the American Jewish Relief Committee. Nov. 28, 1945: The Land Transfer Committee Report reveals that Arabs willingly sold land to Jews in the early 1940s despite a British prohibition. Nov. 29, 1947: The U.N. General Assembly passes Resolution 181 by a vote of 33-13 with 10 abstentions. The resolution recommends separate Arab and Jewish states under an economic union. Nov. 30, 1947: Violence breaks out between Jews and Arabs in the British Mandate of Palestine. Dec. 1, 1973: Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion (born David Gruen), dies at the Tel HashomerSheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv at 87.

Israel Pride: Good News From Our Jewish Home Big bond buys. Norman Radow, the honoree at Israel Bonds’ annual Atlanta dinner Nov. 7, received deserved applause when he announced during his speech at the dinner that he was buying $1 million in bonds. The night before, however, one of the world’s richest men went even further. Berkshire Hathaway head Warren Buffett held an Omaha event where each attendee pledged to buy at least $1 million in bonds. Buffett alone invested $5 million, and the total sold was $60 million.

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

Regenerating liver function. Jerusalem-based BiolineRX, in conjunction with Ben-Gurion University, Hadassah Medical Center and Novartis, has developed a novel treatment, BL-1220, to restore liver function in patients with liver disease and injury. Pomegranate oil to protect the brain. Jerusalem-based Granalix has launched GranaGard, a food supplement that prevented neurodegeneration diseases in clinical tests. GranaGard is a pomegranate seed oil emulsion with 80 percent punicic acid, one of the strongest natural antioxidants.

6 A CT scan revolution. General Electric’s

Haifa engineering team was a major player in developing the Revolution CT (computed tomography) scanner. It exposes patients to only 20 percent of the radiation of previous models, and the scan takes less than a second. The first Israeli Revolution has been installed at Sheba Medical Center, near Tel Aviv. IDF field hospitals best in the world. Israel is the first country to earn the World Health Organization’s highest ranking for its military field hospital unit. It received Type 3 designation, along with some additional “specialized care” recognitions, which technically made it a Type 3-plus. Jewish-Druze academy. Sixty cadets are studying at the first joint JewishDruze military academy, which opened in the Druze town of Daliyat al-Karmel, near Haifa. Deputy Regional Cooperation Minister Ayoob Kara said both communities “sanctify the values of life, democracy, freedom of expression, religion and movement, and this is what our sons are fighting for.” Nanotech development with Germany. Israel and Germany have set up a three-year, 30-million-euro ($32 mil-

Photo by Aviram Valdman

Israel Photo of the Week

Special Shabbat Rations

Approximately 400 Jewish mothers visiting Israel from around the world on Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project Momentum trips, along with 100 Israeli women, participated in the global Shabbat Project on Thursday, Nov. 10, with a Great Big Challah Bake in Jerusalem for the benefit of Israel Defense Forces soldiers. They baked about 1,000 challah loaves for Israeli soldiers in two hours.

lion) plan to promote joint nanotechnology initiatives and are calling on companies and entities in both countries to submit proposals for funding for projects in this field.

the cornerstone for the $364 million, 173-acre Jerusalem Gateway. It will include nine 36-floor skyscrapers, hotels, and 753,000 square meters of leisure and cultural spaces.

Jerusalem gets down to business. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz have laid

Compiled courtesy of Only Good News From Israel, verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot. com and other sources.

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LOCAL NEWS

Violinist to Play First Notes for Widows, Orphans By R.M. Grossblatt

Boris Savchuk is a regular visitor to Atlanta.

call from a recent widow who wanted to donate her husband’s clothing. In a flood of tears, the woman shared that she was going to lose her home. Bogart and her husband helped raise money for her. Bogart launched Tzarkei Naomi to have a formal fundraising organization for such situations. Devorah Caplan of Sephinta Zarka

Kenya, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Britain, the United States and Ukraine. His Borisviolin.com has logged more than 100,000 visitors from 37 countries, and his music was used in two wedding episodes of HBO’s “Sex and the City.” Bogart hopes that the Tzarkei Naomi kickoff will be a source of joy for attendees as well as a way to raise awareness for the needs of her organization. A dessert reception with Savchuk will follow the performance. ■

Who: Violinist Boris Savchuk What: Tzarkei Naomi Fund benefit concert Where: Selig Center, 1440 Spring St., Midtown When: 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 Tickets: $18 each, $28 per couple, $10 for seniors; tzarkeinaomi@aol.com or 404-735-3342

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

Israeli violinist Boris Savchuk is giving a benefit concert Sunday, Dec. 4, to kick off the Tzarkei Naomi Fund, a Jewish nondenominational organization supporting widows and orphans. Savchuk, a child of Holocaust survivors, plays everything from klezmer, Yiddish and hasidic to romantic, Latin and jazz music. Although he’s working on his 11th CD and tours Europe and the United States, Savchuk looks for ways to give back to the community. He has played for Berman Commons and Temima High School. Several years ago, after performing for Temima in a historic hall without handicap access, Savchuk asked to be taken to the homes of those who couldn’t attend and played for them. Named for the widow Naomi in the Book of Ruth, Tzarkei Naomi fulfills the directive in the Torah to take care of widows and orphans. Tzarkei Naomi was started by artist Laura Bogart. For several years she was a board member of an Atlanta committee distributing food for the needy. Three years ago, she received a phone

Music, who represents Savchuk worldwide, approached Bogart when she heard of her appeal for the fund. Caplan knew that about a year ago Savchuk played for widows in Crown Heights and was certain he would be interested in helping raise awareness of the Tzarkei Naomi Fund in Atlanta. “Boris cares about people, about connecting with others personally and through his music,” Caplan said. Savchuk has performed in Israel,

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LOCAL NEWS

Toco Hills Sparkles During Shabbat Project By R.M. Grossblatt

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

Congregation Beth Jacob Rabbi Ilan Feldman introduced the global Shabbat Project to his congregants Friday morning, Nov. 11. In an online video, he said we have kept Shabbat a secret for a long time, but it’s time to let it out on the streets. “If you have a jewel, you want to wear it,” he said. Along with an estimated 1 million Jews celebrating the Shabbat Project worldwide, I wanted to wear that jewel. So after I lighted candles Friday night, I walked on LaVista Road. It was a crisp fall night, hopping with people moving in all directions. “Are you going to Torah Day School?” asked a friend passing by. She was on her way to Netzach Yisrael, the Iranian congregation, which was sponsoring a fiesta Shabbat dinner at Torah Day School of Atlanta. My daughter was headed to a young professionals Shabbat celebration at Young Israel of Toco Hills. I had reservations at Ner Hamizrach, the Sephardic congregation, which was presenting its first dinner in honor of

Photos by Eli Gray

Rabbi Mayer Freedman leads Havdalah prayers at Simply Tsfat’s Shabbat Project concert at Congregation Ariel on Saturday night, Nov. 12.

the Shabbat Project. At Ner Hamizrach, the tables were covered in shiny black cloths with designer black-and-white napkins. Each table held a platter of baked salmon floating in a creamy, pareve sauce. People at my table passed the fish along with bowls of spicy carrots, purple cabbage, corn salad and other delicacies traditionally served in Sephardic homes as the first course on Shabbat. After savoring those appetizers, I filled my plate at a buffet with two kinds of chicken, two kinds of rice, steamed veggies, pasta and salads. The ruach (spirit) and camaraderie were even more delicious than the excellent food. Walking from table to table, I greeted friends with “Shabbat

shalom.” Some responded with “Good Shabbos,” the greeting I use in my Ashkenazi shul. Back at my table, I sat near a man who belted out Shabbat zemirot (songs) in Sephardi melodies. Next to me, a young couple from Gwinnett bounced a baby on their laps. They were staying in the area to observe Shabbat and shared their plans to move to the neighborhood. I remembered that over 40 years ago, I moved with my own young family to Toco Hills to be able to walk to synagogue on Shabbat. The baby smiled at me. “She likes you,” said the father. I replied that she probably knows I’m a grandmother. A grandmother who wasn’t going to miss the next action that evening: a community kumzitz in a home on Biltmore Drive. Even before I walked into the Adelmans’ spacious house, I heard singing. Inside, about 100 people from all over the neighborhood gathered for an oneg Shabbat. A young woman held monthold twins, one nestled in each arm. A young man in polka-dot pajama pants said he had walked over from Emory Hillel’s Shabbat pajama party. Dozens of other men in varied attire — suits, shirtsleeves, streimels, black hats and kippot — sang and linked arms around the long dining room table. Their faces were as bright as the candles I lighted at home. Their voices rose to the high ceiling as they swayed to the rhythm of Shabbat. Among the men were the three members of Simply Tsfat, a hasidic Israeli-American group that performed a Havdalah concert the next night at Congregation Ariel in Dunwoody. Saturday morning brought a major highlight of the Shabbat Project in Toco Hills. After Shabbat services, members of congregations in the community and their guests, along with high school and college students, met after services in the front parking lot of Congregation Beth Jacob for a block party Kiddush luncheon. Early that morning, Sybil Goldstein, the event coordinator at Beth Ja-

Simply Tsfat, which spent Shabbat in Toco Hills, closes the Atlanta observance of the Shabbat Project with a concert at Congregation Ariel in Dunwoody.

Men and boys dance at Congregation Ariel during the Simply Tsfat concert.

cob, and Lydia Schloss, co-owner of the Spicy Peach, directed volunteers in that front parking lot, where 700 seats were set up at 60 tables, connecting one end of the parking lot to the other. By 11:30 a.m. most of those seats were filled. Rabbi Emanuel Feldman, visiting from Israel, recited Kiddush before we sat down to the first course of sushi and fresh veggies. Buffets held main entrees of chicken and side dishes whose aromas filled the air. I sat next to some of the women from Beth Jacob’s Kiddush committee, who said they prepared 60 trays of fresh vegetables and 60 trays of cookies. “Try the tomatoes. They’re really delicious,” one of them said. I did, and they were. Although the day started out cool and hazy, the sun peeked out from the clouds and added to the warmth of the gathering. So did the singing and dancing led by Simply Tsfat. It was the second year that Beth Jacob, in substantial partnership with Young Israel and with support from other synagogues and institutions in the area, sponsored the block party as part of the Shabbat Project. Beth Jacob’s administrative staff and dozens of volunteers worked to make the Kiddush luncheon a success. Even the children at Beth Jacob preschool prepared for the event, decorating white boxes to hold plates, napkins and utensils for each table. I lifted the white tablecloth and spotted our table’s box, decorated with a colorful picture by a preschooler and the Hebrew words “Shabbat Shalom.” It truly was a Shabbat shalom in Toco Hills, a jewel that sparkled in the sunlight. ■

LOCAL NEWS

Above: Photo by Emily Goodstein, OneTable

The initiative for Shabbat dinners provides funding for up to 10 people in their 20s and 30s to connect and talk. Left: Photo courtesy of Repair the World

The combination of Shabbat dinner and dialogue proves effective during Repair the World’s Turning the Tables dinner Nov. 11 at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

By Rachel Fayne Gruskin Jewish millennials are feeling political divisions and tensions after the election, but several organizations are making it easier for Jews in their 20s and 30s to come together in a traditional way — over the Shabbat table. Moishe House, OneTable, Repair the World and the Schusterman Foundation are working together on what is being called the Airbnb for Shabbat in Atlanta. They have curated a social dining platform that provides an opportunity for post-college and pre-family adults to host one another for the most sacred day of the week, Shabbat. Shabbat dinner provides the opportunity to restore human connections frayed and torn by politics. “Shabbat dinner has always offered an opportunity for meaningful conversation, personal connection and relaxation after a full and intense week,” said Aliza Kline, the founding executive director of OneTable. “Now, more than ever, we want to ensure that young people can access and personalize Shabbat dinner in a way that allows them to build community and feel a sense of belonging regardless of background and experience.” Not sure how to begin a conversation? Repair the World has developed a conversation guide designed to help.

Do you cook or cater? OneTable works with on-demand services such as Instacart and Seamless that will bring you everything you need if you’d like to host others. OneTable focuses on what has been called “noshpitality” — ending the week with intention and giving young people a less traditional way to host. Maybe you don’t want to host, you’re not sure what to do if someone comes but doesn’t RSVP, or you want to host but lack the money. OneTable’s site will help you find a dinner, give you some answers about how to handle uncomfortable situations and even pay for the dinner. Anyone who applies to host is eligible for a nourishment credit that can be redeemed online. You can receive up to $150 for a table or an average of $15 per person. The project is helping millennials not only recover from the election, but also rediscover or find Jewish community. Talia Kula, 25, hosted a post-election Shabbat dinner in New York and said: “The Shabbat was wonderful. … As you might imagine, it has been a hard week for many of us, and it was really great to be able to come together as a community.” Information on how to sign up to host or join a Shabbat dinner is available at onetable.org/conversation. ■

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

‘Airbnb of Shabbat’ To Ease Political Tension

OPINION

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

Our View

Burqa Bill

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

Georgia just dodged a PR bullet, and advocates of religious liberty legislation should take notice. Rep. Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine) submitted House Bill 3 on Monday, Nov. 14, for the 2017 session. It proposed amending Georgia’s 1951 anti-masking law, which undermined the Klan by forcing its members to reveal their faces in public. Spencer’s bill would have made three changes: • Added “or she” so a person would be guilty of a misdemeanor when “he or she” violated the statute. • Defined “upon any public way or property,” the area covered by the law, to include driving a vehicle on a public road. • Specified that you can’t conceal your face in a state-issued photo ID. Within two days, the bill was being derided nationwide as a proposed burqa ban, though it did not mention religion, let alone Islam, and didn’t extend the reach or application of the anti-masking law except to make explicit what any court would have inferred: that the law applies to women as well as men. H.B. 3 would have done almost nothing. Under a 1990 Georgia Supreme Court ruling, the anti-masking law applies only when conduct is meant to provoke a fear of intimidation, threats or violence. Michael Perry, an Emory University constitutional law professor, told The Associated Press that Muslim women would have been safe. He also said the law applies to women without the “she.” As for photo IDs, the Department of Driver Services already requires the entire face to be visible. H.B. 3 was useless. Spencer, however, plans to withdraw it not for its pointlessness, but for “the visceral reaction” it sparked. The American Civil Liberties Union’s national office called the bill “despicable.” The head of the Georgia chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations called it a “slap in the face of Georgia Muslims.” Senate President Pro Tem David Shafer (R-Duluth) led Georgia politicians on both sides of the aisle in attacking the legislation. He told The Atlanta JournalConstitution, “Too many people on both sides of the religious freedom debate only want to protect freedom when it comes to their own beliefs.” Again, this is a bill that may very well have been intended to restrict women in burqas — an offensive goal worth opposing — but likely would have done nothing. And it caused national outrage within days. That’s our political atmosphere. People are watching like hawks for any sign of bias, discrimination or prejudice. No one will be able to slip such measures into law; that’s a good thing. People also are believing the worst in elected officials. There’s no nuance, no benefit of the doubt. Just wait until the next round of religious liberty legislation. Regardless of intent or practical effect, any such bill is sure to be portrayed around the nation as bigoted, anti-LGBTQ, perhaps anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish. Passage would be sure to bring boycotts. No possible but unlikely benefit from any religious liberty proposal would be worth the cost. Please, General Assembly, spare us the embarrass10 ment this session. ■

Cartoon by Dave Granlund, Politicalcartoons.com

Progressive Lessons From Israel Any time the New Israel Fund comes to Atlanta, ers) take toward extremism opens new opportunities count on controversy. for organizing,” LenkinThe NIF meeting held ski said, drawing on the Monday night, Nov. 14, experience of seven years caused some rumbling of Likud-led Israeli governEditor’s Notebook and grumbling because of ments. She drew parallels By Michael Jacobs its location: the offices of between the strengthening mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com the Jewish Federation of of the “extreme right wing” Greater Atlanta in the Selig in the Israeli Cabinet after Center in Midtown. last year’s elections and Those who see NIF as an anti-Israel organizathe emerging makeup of the Trump administration. tion for providing grants to nonprofit groups that She and Heyd said Israeli progressives are familcriticize Israel’s failure to live up to its own ideals iar with the shock American liberals felt this month couldn’t understand why Federation would welcome and the split between the densely populated media NIF. Shai Robkin, who chairs NIF’s Atlanta council, centers and the peripheral areas struggling in a globolstered those complaints when he thanked Federa- balized economy. Election results in both countries tion CEO Eric Robbins and Chairman Joel Marks for burst the bubbles liberals were living in. enthusiastically embracing NIF. Heyd said Americans have come to the realizaBut neither Robbins nor Marks was part of the tion she and her fellow Israeli progressives faced 20 modest crowd that heard Ronit Heyd, the director of months ago: “We don’t really know everything.” NIF’s Israeli operations arm, Shantil, and Libby LenAmong the lessons Heyd and Lenkinski offered: kinski, NIF’s vice president for public engagement. • Reach out to and build coalitions with the Federation is serving as a community resource by working class. That means not dismissing people making meeting space available, but that service who voted differently as ignorant or bigoted. should not be interpreted as an endorsement. • Promote a broad agenda, and accept as allies Like NIF or not, it has a significant role in Israel on specific issues people who are your strident foes and significant support in Atlanta, and NIF deserves in other areas. SHAS, a conservative religious party, to have people hear about its “business of making helped NIF weaken legislation related to nonprofit the impossible possible,” as Robkin described it. groups’ transparency on foreign funding. The community also deserves to see the long• Celebrate successes — examples in Israel delayed debate I’ve promised over NIF and criticism include increased funding for the Arab sector and of Israel. It hasn’t happened, but I hope we’ll be able the strong turnout for the Jerusalem Pride Parade — to arrange something in the spring. while criticizing failures and bad policy decisions. On Nov. 14, however, a discussion envisioned • Build up from the local level. A simple program as an update on NIF’s efforts to develop the next such as Peace of Cake — a grassroots effort to bake generation of progressive Israeli leaders became cakes for Arab construction workers to make them instead, thanks to Donald Trump’s electoral victory feel welcome — can spread nationwide. six nights earlier, a seminar on how U.S. progressives The message I heard was that progressives plancan regroup and grow as the dedicated opposition. ning four years of angry rejectionism are making a “Every step that they (government right-wingmistake if the goal is a better society, not politics. ■

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OPINION

An Open Letter to Our Jewish Community

at some point there may not be such a luxury of patience). On this spectrum there are two kinds of moral courage needed. We need to speak courageously about the dangers of this presidency, and we must have courage creating opportunities for divergent perspectives to speak together in our Jewish homes. On one hand, Donald Trump’s erratic nature, his bigotry and incitement, his opportunism, and the people he is considering for appointments have created fear and danger. For Jews, the comparison to other authoritarian eras increases our anxiety, intensifying the urgency to resist and the fear of significant consequences. While many Jews are out front in issuing the call to address the many forms of bigotry and discrimination, few of us are hearing the prophetic call in our own homes. If we fear for the safety of different at-risk groups of people, how can we be silent? On the other hand, a quarter of Jews voted for Trump. They not only share Shabbat in our synagogues and the locker rooms of our community centers, but many also generously underwrite and support the programs and institutions from which we benefit. This is where it becomes challenging to navigate, but we have to reckon

that this group is a part of our community and needs to be engaged with curiosity, openness and civility. We must hold out the goal of shalom bayit (peace in the home) alongside moral courage. This peace is not an uneasy quiet, but the hard work of being in a community. How do we make space to bridge the gap between those who feel grief and fear and those who express relief and celebration? How do we have peace if we fear that even broaching the conversation will cause Trump-supporting members of our institutions to walk with their money, risking losing our communal creature comforts or worse, our jobs and our institutions? Do we shy away because this evokes the ways that we might be complicit and guilty of hypocrisy? Or are we also silent because we have to reckon with our cognitive dissonance that these people are incredibly generous and at times righteous with how they support the community? Can they be both deplorable and laudable? What about those who voted for Trump because of their alienation or because they earnestly believed that he was the best choice for Jews or because they decided to vote with their bank accounts or their party? While I have strong feelings about the actions I need to take against racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, sexism, and discrimination against people with disabilities and against LGBT people, I also know that we must interact respectfully and civilly with our entire community. This is important so we can learn from one another, refine our positions and build common ground. Together, we can move forward or become clear about where we stand. At the same time, our leaders must not suppress or be suppressed in their roles as prophetic guides. It is a challenge.

Our inability to sit and address such complexities is part of why the Jewish community is suffering. When there is this kind of silence, we project into the unknown. Our fears grow. While there may be consequences, silence and hiding have their consequences too. They are not spiritually healthy for us as individuals, as leaders or as a community. More than ever, the Jewish community needs to learn how to handle difficult conversations. With the selection of Steve Bannon as Trump’s special adviser and the uptick in antiSemitic incidents, we are faced with acting on moral courage for our own well-being and survival. It is imperative that we find the way to speak and act courageously and to do so without belittling and demeaning others. Challenging conversations are uncomfortable by nature, but we have to remember that discomfort and disrespect are different. It is the only way to have true connections with people with whom you profoundly disagree. If we cannot even speak about bigotry openly, how are we going to take even more important steps? Shouldn’t we be guided by the example of our own Rabbi Jacob Rothschild z”l? He navigated segregation and integration with moral courage and respect. Aren’t those the footsteps we want to follow? Despite the Temple bombing, he remained vocal and increased his activism, working both outside the synagogue and within it. Swayed by neither contempt nor praise, he followed his own compass — and engaged his opposition with respect. Atlanta, we can do this. We must act as if we have no choice but moral courage, because without it now, one day soon we might not. ■

good guy. He said the attacks on Bannon are a shonda. The American Jewish community, especially in Atlanta, is a diverse group with a wide range of political beliefs and passions. The saying “Give me two Jews and I’ll show you three opinions” applies not only to my own household, but also to our fellow Atlantans. I am one of the voices on the left that feel Bannon is worthy of disdain and our collective disgust. He may be a nice guy in private, but his public voice is hateful and filled with misinformation and outright lies. Tikkun olam is

not possible with him in the mix. Marcus’ assertion that attacks on Bannon are meant to undermine the Trump administration is partly correct. I will do anything in my power to prevent the president-elect from giving airtime to divisive hate speech, whether it comes from his Twitter account or his political appointments. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. America did not vote for hate. Disaffected blue-collar workers in the Rust Belt elected Trump by the narrowest of margins. We have to live with this nightmare for four years, but we will

not acquiesce to hate, misogyny, bigotry, lies and right-wing propaganda. Jews, more than any other minority, need to defend the rights of immigrants, the poor, the weak and the marginalized by speaking truth to power. Bannon is all the horrible things we on the left perceive him to be. We know because he has told us so. Defending him is indefensible. So again, Bernie (Marcus, not Sanders), thanks for all you do. You are one of Atlanta’s shining stars. Please do not sully your reputation by supporting a hatemonger. — Daniel Shapiro, Sandy Springs 11

ing what kind of moral courage we need to have in a Trump presidency. There is a spectrum of morally courageous action. We have to encourage our communities to act with courage and patience with people (though

Advice for Bernie Marcus

Bernie Marcus and the Marcus Foundation are beloved in Atlanta and are champions for Jewish causes and charities. Thanks for the JCC and aquarium. We are all grateful for the good work the Marcus family does through direct giving and the foundation. That said, Marcus, a board member of the Republican Jewish Coalition, whose stepson owns this newspaper, sent out a defense of Steve Bannon, the chairman of Breitbart, on RJC letterhead. He described Bannon as a passionate Zionist and implied that he’s a

Guest Column By Rabbi Joshua Lesser

Rabbi Joshua Lesser is the spiritual leader of Congregation Bet Haverim.

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

Throughout the presidential election, I thought about the need for moral courage. Moral courage is taking the risk to do what is morally right despite possible inconvenience or adverse consequences. Some of the most enduring childhood lessons I received from my Atlanta Jewish day school education were the teachings about moral courage. The most uplifting and indelible messages about the Holocaust were about the Jews and righteous gentiles who took powerful risks to live with integrity and save the lives of others. They faced persecution, violence and death. When I was young, I wondered what I would do if faced with such a situation. What are our youth learning from us at this moment? Silence? As the rabbi of an LGBT-founded community, moral courage has become a regular spiritual practice, whether I have wanted it to be or not. Over nearly two decades, I have faced death threats, public ridicule, communal jokes and rumors, discrimination, and alienation. There are times when moral courage is a necessity. But those experiences have allowed me to face discomfort, fear and danger and surpass them so that I can take risks on behalf of others who face discrimination. At times, I have to remind myself that the ease of speaking up has taken me nearly 25 years to cultivate. There are times I feel challenged. My stance on Israel often angers people on the right of me and deeply disappoints people on the left of me. At times I feel paralyzed by the threat of being seen as illegitimate as a rabbi, regardless of my position. Remembering this helps me cultivate compassion for those who are wonder-

OPINION

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

Seeing Thanksgiving As a Sanctuary in Time

As we prepare to gather in our homes for Thanksgiving, I have heard from several friends who are filled with anxiety about their time with family members who hold different opinions of what is best for our country. This year, the holiday stress is not just about family dysfunction and old hurts. The recent election has intensified many of our family dynamics with what feel like dire consequences. We have all been reminded about ways to engage in respectful dialogue with people whose ideas and opinions are different. We also have heard encouragement to engage in conversation with those who made political choices different from our own so that we may learn to understand them. The reality is that it takes a great deal of energy to self-regulate and to cope with our worries. The combination of outrage, confusion and angst does not bode well for civil discourse and often ends in a fight. What if we approached this Thanksgiving with a little more selfcare and focus on gratitude, which is what the holiday is ultimately about? It does not have to be about giving up the fight for what we believe in, but about creating a sanctuary in time. Think of it as Shabbat, or an intentional turning away from the world in order to turn inward. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel described Shabbat as “a realm of time where the goal is not to have but to be, not to own but to give, not to control but to share, not to subdue but to be in accord.” I have always thought of the word sanctuary in relation to the synagogue, where kids noisily run in and out while older congregants try to slow them down with cheek pinches and pats on the head. The synagogue’s sanctuary is a space that fills with music and singing, shared words of gratitude and grief, and a momentary waving away of loneliness. The sanctuary is a safe space, but it takes effort and intention to keep it that way. That effort becomes more apparent in times of uncertainty and fear, as political passions intensify and people

feel morally obligated to express their distress. We do not have much immediate control over the state of our government affairs, but we do have some control over the tone we set in our homes. By setting an intention to create a temporary sanctuary in our homes for the holidays, we could put aside our

Guest Column By Marita Anderson

worst versions of the world. Parker Palmer, a Quaker educator, articulates the necessity for sanctuaries in our lives, where we can find space to regain our bearings, reclaim our souls and heal our wounds so that we can return to the task of healing of the world. “It’s not merely about finding shelter from the storm,” he says. “It’s about spiritual survival.” Personally, I like the idea of family projects as ways to build common ground. I remember one year my motherin-law took the idea of a family project to a whole new level when she put all her guests to work splitting and stacking wood in Vermont for local families that needed help. We spent the day in the cold, cracking jokes and carrying one another’s loads. No one complained. One of the benefits of family projects is that we rally around values that remind us about our shared responsibilities and help us channel our energies by creating some good for its own sake. Working together often exposes clumsiness and presents ample opportunity to laugh at ourselves, and we can all use a little more laughter. Finally, please offer an invitation and a sense of belonging to friends who may not have family to be with. The holidays have a cruel way of highlighting loneliness, but we can turn it into an occasion to reconnect with friends. May we all come home to a sanctuary in time, to heal, to laugh and to go back out into the world with renewed strength to deal with reality and fight the good fight. ■

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Orthodox Rabbis Innovate in Israel Israel has hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Orthodox rabbis. Some serve congregations. Some head yeshivot. Some teach. Some just study. The Orthodox rabbinic phenomenon that I would like to describe has three faces to it. Since August, the Ramban synagogue in the Katamon section of Jerusalem, led by Rabbi Benny Lau, has a rabbanit, Karmit Feintuch. She has been educational director at the Migdal Oz seminary since 2008. Rabbi Lau said, “Rabbanit Feintuch will deal with all aspects of the spiritual life of the community and the connection between women and men and G-d.” This is a dramatic step forward, but it demonstrates what is happening in Israel. Women are studying in yeshivot set up for them. They become experts in Talmud and in halacha. Some find communities and schools where they can teach. Others desire to serve as rabbanits. Even in Israel, they are getting a chance. There is an emphasis in many Orthodox communities to integrate female spiritual leadership. There are Orthodox women who want their rights. They want to pass the Torah on Shabbat and dance with it on Simchat Torah. For Orthodoxy in Israel, it is a fascinating development. Who knows where it will lead? Rabbi Lau in his spiritual, pragmatic approach said, “Karmit Feintuch is going to help our community grow bigger, sweeter and more beautiful fruit, and that is why we hired her.” Another group of Orthodox rabbis is called Tzohar. This grouping was created almost 25 years ago to answer the needs of Israelis — some religious, others not. The ineffectiveness of the state rabbinate of Israel to make mitzvot meaningful generated a response. Tzohar rabbis are listed in the communities where they lived. Couples planning to get married have someone to speak to about the meaning of Jewish marriage. The rabbi meets with the couple five to 10 times, explaining the responsibilities of the husband and wife. They discuss the spiritual meaning of the intimate relationships between husband and wife. The couple learns what creating a family means and why it is so important to do so. Special time is given to the explanation of the wedding ceremony, so that this most important religious

act has deeper meaning. Each of the prayers used at the wedding is discussed, as is every symbolic act, such as a bride walking around the groom, the ring ceremony, the ketubah and the breaking of the glass. The Tzohar rabbis are committed to filling the wedding experience with meaning. The Tzohar rabbi conducts the marriage ceremony and frequently becomes the couple’s rabbi — some-

Guest Column By Rabbi David Geffen

times in a synagogue, sometimes on a personal basis. The official rabbinate of Israel, led by the Ashkenazi and Sephardi chief rabbis, is underwritten by the taxes of Israelis. From the beginning of the state, a bureaucratic rabbinate system was created to deal with marriages, conversions, divorces, kashrut and other aspects of Jewish religious life.

The rabbis in this system are for the most part experts in halacha, but their sensitivities to the Jewish religion are minimal. They are paid a salary to run the offices that deal with religious matters. Frequently, they are bureaucratic and indifferent to Judaism other than enforcing halacha. Every couple preparing to marry in Israel must get the approval of the department of religion because there is no civil marriage. This confirmation of the right to marry involves proving you are Jewish by showing your parents’ ketubah or a conversion certificate. In addition, you have to bring witnesses who have known the individuals for many years and who can testify that the bride and groom are Jewish. The Israeli rabbinate is powerful. In terms of conversion and divorce, only certain rabbis are on the “list.” Because Ivanka Trump was converted by the noted Rabbi Haskell Lookstein of New York, she would have problems in religious circles in Israel. The official Israeli rabbinate refuses to accept Rabbi Lookstein’s converts. Who knows why?

Divorce in Israel is also handled by the rabbinate, but it is possible to hire lawyers, conversant in Jewish marriage law, to argue the divorce rights of clients. A recent Israeli movie called “Get” (a Jewish divorce) demonstrates the lack of concern at times of the rabbis making the decision to permit ending a marriage Jewishly. Recently, the rabbinate demonstrated innovation by taking away the American passport of an Orthodox Jew who refused to influence his son in America to give his daughter-in-law in Israel a Jewish divorce. Jewish law in this instance labels the woman an agunah, one who can never marry Jewishly because technically she is still married. The Orthodox rabbis in some organizations are making the case that Israel is no longer Jewish — it is just democratic. They protest those whom they see as destroying the religious aspect of Israeli society. No one knows what the future will be. At least certain Orthodox rabbis are trying their best to make the Jewish religion more meaningful for Israeli citizens. ■

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

OPINION

HEALTH & WELLNESS Free JScreen Available

Through the end of 2016, the National Gaucher Foundation is working with Emory-based JScreen to provide testing for more than 100 genetic diseases at no out-of-pocket expense. The National Gaucher Foundation will cover any costs for the spit test and for follow-up genetic counseling that are not covered by insurance. The usual cost of the screen is $149. To take advantage of the offer, which is open to people ages 18 to 45, sign up for the genetic spit test at www. gaucherdisease.org/screening instead of the usual jscreen.org. The National Gaucher Foundation is promoting the testing with its Spit Happens campaign (youtu.be/PriBOuH_TAs). One in 10 Ashkenazi Jews carries the gene for Gaucher disease.

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Hadassah Greater Atlanta hosted surgeon Joshua Schroeder from the Hadassah Medical Organization in Jerusalem, who spoke at a dessert reception at Congregation Or Hadash on Monday night, Nov. 14. Schroeder is an expert in spinal robotics and the use of stem cells to speed healing. As the lead surgeon in multidisciplinary spine surgeries, he operates at Hadas- Joshua Schroeder sah’s Ein Kerem talks during the and Mount Scopus Hadassah dessert reception. campuses. He stressed the importance of doing robotic surgery, which he said is the future of surgery because of its precision. “Robots are able to peel a grape. Their dexterity far outmatches a human’s,” Schroeder said. He also said orthopedic surgery involves radiation exposure to the operating room staff, surgeons and patients. Robotic surgery diminishes that occupational health risk for the staff. Schroeder said he flew to the Republic of Georgia on Yom Kippur eve to bring back a severely injured mother and child involved in an automobile accident. He operated on the mother at Ein Kerem, and she and the child and other family members are recovering. Sybil Ginsburg, who chaired the event with Marni Hoffman, described Schroeder as “hamish and youthful” and said he graciously answered a lot of questions from the audience. Also at the event was Marcie Natan, the immediate past president of National Hadassah. She spoke of her

friendship with Schroeder’s mother, Barbara Sofer, and lauded the beautiful and efficient new Hadassah hospital tower in Israel.

Grady Honors New Moms

Jewish Atlanta entrepreneur Sara Blakely hosted a baby shower for new and expectant mothers Friday, Nov. 18, at Grady Memorial Hospital. The event also celebrated the Spanx founder’s new book, “The Belly Art Project,” whose proceeds support efforts to ensure safe and healthy births throughout the world. “I am thrilled to celebrate motherhood with the launch of my newest labor of love, ‘The Belly Art Project.’ Access to medical care is critical to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy and birth for both mothers The Sara Blakely Foundation and babies. Grady fills that role for supported the Grady baby shower with thousands of new a $100,000 grant. and growing families every year,” Blakely said. “As an organization committed to empowering women, we are proud to add to the incredible support these mothers are receiving and help them celebrate this special time.” Nearly 90 new and expectant mothers participated in the celebration, during which Blakely talked about her experiences as a mother of four young children. Mothers received gifts including a combination baby stroller/car seat underwritten by a $100,000 donation from the Sara Blakely Foundation, which will sponsor two Grady baby showers in 2017. “Friday afternoon’s event was a wonderful celebration of all that motherhood can and should be. It was also an important reminder to the women attending that they are not alone,” said Renay Blumenthal, the president of the Grady Health Foundation. “Whether a mother and baby are here because they needed the services of our neonatal intensive care unit or after experiencing a normal birth, we are committed to providing a safe, caring environment that gives them the best possible chance for a healthy start.” More than 3,000 babies were delivered last year at Grady, which has a Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit. “The Belly Art Project” features celebrity and everyday women whose pregnant bellies have been transformed into “billboards of hope.”

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

New Venue, Same Good for Tower of Talent By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com

Where: Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Cumberland area When: 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 Tickets: $35 to $100; www.choa.org/ toweroftalent Some of Atlanta’s most talented children will perform for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

through music.” Woodruff said: “The Tower of Talent is a win-win. The financial benefit to CHOA is the most direct reason for the concert, but behind the scenes, wonderful and equally amazing empowerment happens as young people get the benefit of knowing their dedication to music is actually being used

for good — as a force to bring positive change in a world that so desperately needs the healing power of music.” Robyn Spizman Gerson, the coordinator for the Tower of Talent, said Michael and Anne Greenbaum are “true gems. They have selflessly strived to brighten the lives of others and provide services that brighten the lives of

those in need. I am honored to support this cause, which has become one of the hottest holiday tickets in town. I can promise the Tower of Talent is going to be a star-studded, jaw-dropping, celebrity-filled event with protégé kids. Our goal this year is to collectively break a million dollars in 100 percent donations, and we are right on track.” ■

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s anniversary concert takes its tikkun olam and talent to a new venue, the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. In its third year, this world-class concert Sunday, Dec. 4, features some of the most talented child performers in Atlanta. A citywide casting call drew outstanding performers, singers and musicians ages 8 to 18 to handle music from Beethoven to Broadway and beyond. The concert’s classical music was inspired by musicologist and piano teacher Warren Woodruff and his popular book, “Dr. Fuddle and the Gold Baton.” The concert has soared under the direction of Lynn Stallings, the executive director of the Atlanta Workshop Players. Some of the kids appearing in the show were patients at Children’s Healthcare, but it’s common for talented young performers to want to help other children live their dreams out loud. The idea was initiated and fully funded by benefactor Michael Greenbaum, owner of Tower Beer, Wine & Spirits, who is dedicated to a legacy of support for medically fragile children. “My father taught me the importance of giving, and this is something I want to pass on, not only to my children, but also to my employees at Tower,” he said. “Over the past year we have been volunteering at least once a month with our Tower Lights program all over Atlanta, and our grand finale is this upcoming fundraiser. “Supporting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is especially near and dear to my heart because of my three young grandchildren. Even though they are happy and healthy, it has reminded me of the importance of good health care for children, who really are the future.” Melisa Morrow, Children’s Healthcare’s development officer, said: “Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is a not-for-profit and relies on community donations such as Michael Greenbaum’s generous donation to support unfunded projects. His generosity continues to fund our music therapy program, which empowers the children and their families through unique musical experiences to achieve optimal well-being. Children who receive these services in the hospital are presented with alternative ways to manage pain, express emotions, improve physical/ cognitive activity and relate to others

What: Tower of Talent

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LOCAL NEWS

Archiving Jewish Atlanta

Breman celebrates two decades of collecting and presenting community’s story By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtmes.com

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

The path of the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum began with S. Jarvin Levison, the honoree of the museum’s sold-out 20th anniversary gala Saturday night, Dec. 3. A lawyer who earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from Emory University, Levison has spent most of his life in Atlanta. His first job out of law school was with Arnall Golden Gregory. Soft-spoken and engaging, Levison recounted the museum’s roots in the early 1980s. “I was a bit more involved before (Elinor and Bill) Breman,” said Levison, describing Bill Breman as extremely charitable, kind and generous. Gerald Cohen, who was the president of the Atlanta Jewish Federation in 1983, asked Levison to chair a committee to explore the type of museum the Atlanta Jewish community would support. At the time, the Schatten Gallery at Emory housed “Jews and Georgians: A Meeting of Cultures, 1733-1983.” The exhibit was derived from memorabilia and artifacts from Jewish families, businesses and synagogues. At its close, it was clear that Atlanta needed a permanent display to preserve the Southern Jewish experience. Jane Leavey, the curator of “Jews and Georgians,” joined the search committee with Levison and eventually became the director of the Breman. “After the Emory exhibit, I worked with David Sarnat and others on a committee. We traveled to Jewish museums on the East Coast to see what other people were doing and figure out what we could support in Atlanta,” Levison said. Sarnat at the time was Federation’s executive director. “Shortly after, Jane Leavey became lead contact with the Federation,” he said. Together, the pair developed a plan to start the Cuba Family Archives for Southern History, which contains thousands of photographs, manuscripts, records and oral histories of the Jewish community. The project was made possible by a grant from the National Historic Records and Publications Commission. A three-person staff, including archivist Sandy Berman, worked in a closet at the Atlanta Jewish Community 16 Center, then located at 1745 Peachtree

Clarinetist Allan Vache, who played with Benny Goodman, brings down the house while bandleader Joe Gransden plays the trumpet during the Molly Blank Concert Series’ tribute to Goodman in May.

Breman Museum Executive Director Aaron Berger hangs out with a big bird at the Wildest Party of the Year, a museum benefit in April 2015.

St. on the border of Buckhead and Midtown. In addition to the archive, they developed an oral history, special exhibitions and educational programming. In the mid-1980s, the JCC was also home to Federation and the Holocaust Resource Center. Staff members diligently collected materials, including the personal documents of Rabbi Harry Epstein, longtime spiritual leader of Ahavath Achim Synagogue. Around 1990, Breman offered to put up money for an expansion of the exhibits in the hope of creating a museum. The Bremans were newly married — the second marriage for both — and Levison was Bill Breman’s trusted adviser and attorney. “In my recollection, Bill Breman told David Sarnat he’d put up $1 million (for) Federation. David suggested that money was necessary to support the developing program under Jane Leavey, and Bill agreed. The idea within the Federation leadership was to add a second story onto Peachtree, but it couldn’t be done,” Levison said. Sarnat persuaded Breman to donate $2 million. In accordance with a Selig family donation of an old warehouse, 1440 Spring St. opened to accommodate Federation and the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. The Breman opened in June 1996 as the Summer Olympics descended upon Atlanta. The first exhibition was dedicated to the Israeli Olympic team members killed in Munich during the 1972 Olympics.

This scale replica of “Atlanta Rising From the Ashes,” a statue the Rich family gave to the city, was kept in the department store’s corporate offices and was part of the “18 Artifacts” exhibit of Atlanta’s Jewish history.

A stained-glass window from the Washington Street location of Ahavath Achim Synagogue is part of the Breman collection and was on display with the “18 Artifacts” exhibit.

In 1999 the Breman received a grant from the Georgia Historic Records Preservation Commission that enabled the museum to collect items including meeting minutes from the Hebrew Ladies’ Benevolent Society and the papers of Rabbi Isaac Marcuson, revered counselor of Temple Beth Israel in Macon. “The basic goal is to preserve the history of the Jewish community. No other institution is doing that,” art collector Lois Blonder said. The effort has gotten notice: The Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries named the Breman its Institution of the Year in January. Leavey stayed with the Breman for 15 years until her retirement in 2011. Aaron Berger, her successor, celebrates his fifth anniversary this month. “You know the High; you know the Center for Civil and Human Rights. But when you say Jewish museum, you don’t know what to expect. In reality we are all three of those institutions,” Berger said. He said the latest fundraising push will address the museum’s strategic plan. “What is the future of the Breman? The reality is that 20 years in we have hit capacity in this building. We have

hit capacity with our school tours. We have hit capacity with our programming and our events,” Berger said. “Are we looking at relocating, or are we renovating what we have?” The latest Historic Jewish Atlanta Tour — a series run by the Breman — sold out less than 24 hours after its announcement. The museum’s popular events include the “Bearing Witness” presentations by Holocaust survivors and the Molly Blank Concert Series. The Breman’s two permanent collections are “Creating Community: The Jews of Atlanta” and “Absence of Humanity: The Holocaust Years.” “Atlanta Collects,” showcasing Jewish-owned private collections in Atlanta, makes its public debut Monday, Dec. 5. The Breman also hosts programming around metro Atlanta. Berger said that working outside the museum’s walls in libraries, synagogues, other museums and schools expands accessibility. “We are not going to require you to come to Midtown to experience the Breman,” he said. “In this city with 6 million residents, getting anywhere on a Sunday afternoon is nearly impossible. We combat that by bringing the programming to you.” ■

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LOCAL NEWS

Spotlight on a Key Breman Quartet

Elinor Breman, Founder Elinor Breman was born in Chattanooga and moved to Atlanta in 1940. She has been a member of The Temple for 66 years, living intown in neighborhoods including Garden Hills and Buckhead. A real estate agent and art enthusiast, she studied at Atlanta Col-

lege of Art (later merged with SCAD). In the early 1990s she met Bill Breman. After they were engaged, Elinor was introduced to Jarvin Levison. She recalled working together on the founding of the museum but floundering about what to call it. “I’m the one who said it should be called a museum,” she said, “not just a center.” Opening night, June 23, 1996, Elinor was due onstage for the ribbon cutting. The party was busy with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and speeches when the air conditioning broke. It was hot, and Elinor was a nervous wreck. Bill’s family had traveled from around the world, including Israel. Jane Leavey “tracked me down in the ladies room, where I was hiding, and gave me a Coke,” she laughed. She has consulted with the Breman since before her husband’s death in 2000. “His legacy must be carried on. Not only was the museum a jewel, but so was Bill. He was quiet, conservative, unselfish. He was hands-on, not just a donor,” Breman said. “We felt like the museum was our baby. “As Jarvin and I said to each other, we will worry about the museum till we die. We want people to take advantage of it.” S. Jarvin Levison, Visionary S. Jarvin Levison, an Emory-educated lawyer, has lived in Atlanta most of his life. Described by friends as wise and shy, Levison was involved with the Breman from the beginning. Lois Blonder said his loyalty and involvement are unmatched. Levison was first general counsel

to the Atlanta Jewish Federation. “The museum has expanded enormously in 20 years. It is now established as a significant institution in Atlanta for both the Jewish and general community. Its archives and exhibits are appealing and important to all,” Levison said. Lisa Brill, Collector When Lisa and Ron Brill moved to Atlanta in 1979, they began collecting kaleidoscopes. Soon their collections moved into paper art in the form of large wall pieces and sculptures. “We got into collecting glass when we needed to fill a corner space in the bedroom,” she said. After she looked for the perfect piece for a year, something in a Florida gallery caught her eye. “We met the gallery owner and learned about it. We still have the piece,” she said. The couple displayed 20 to 30 glass pieces of their personal collection at the High Museum years ago. The Brills’ sons, Matt and Jonathan, grew up surrounded by art in their bedrooms and bathrooms, in addition to the main living areas. “The boys’ friends would ask, ‘Mrs. B., what’s new?’ It was always interesting to see appreciation coming from the kids,” she said. Today all the Brills collect. Matt collects photography — a great medium to grow with — and Jonathan loves guitars. “We all have the collection addiction,” she said. “In the scope of life, it’s art. We can all appreciate it.” ■

Aaron Berger

Elinor Breman

S. Jarvin Levison

Lisa Brill

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

Aaron Berger, Executive Director Aaron Berger hails from Chicago and attended the College of Charleston, but he has called Georgia home since 1999. He worked as the director of two museums before joining the Breman. “I’ve made Atlanta home,” he said about living in Sandy Springs with his partner and spoiled dog. Berger eats, breathes and sleeps the museum. He said the Breman takes up an enormous amount of his life, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. In the months before opening “Atlanta Collects,” Berger spent countless hours recruiting, confirming and visiting collectors’ homes. “Never in my professional career have I been so exhilarated and exhausted at the same time. The quality and quantity of ‘Atlanta Collects’ is extraordinary,” he said. Elinor Breman said, “Aaron and the other people who work there do it because they love the museum and want to see it bloom.” “He’s a fine man,” 20th anniversary honoree Jarvin Levison said. “He is bringing exhibitions that appeal to the Jewish community and the general population.” In December, Berger celebrates five years as the museum director.

LOCAL NEWS

The first of two parts of “Atlanta Collects” is scheduled to run from Dec. 5 to Feb. 26.

Breman Will Take Visitors Inside Private Collections By Logan C. Ritchie lritchie@atljewishtimes.com

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NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

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The William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum opens “Atlanta Collects,” an exhibit of privately owned works, on Monday, Dec. 5. Collected by Jewish art enthusiasts around metro Atlanta, “Atlanta Collects” features Edgar Degas, Wassily Kandinsky, Pablo Picasso, Edouard Manet, Marsden Hartley, Mary Cassatt, Andrew Wyeth, and, notably, a piece by Georg Schobel from 1901 that survived the Holocaust and was smuggled out of Europe. The idea for the exhibit came from Aaron Berger, the Breman’s executive director, and was so popular among collectors contributing works that it is being presented in two shows. The exhibition will feature paintings, sculptures, glass and nontraditional art from different periods to show the wide array of holdings in private collections. The first installment, on display until Feb. 26, features art from the 1800s to the end of the 20th century. The second installment runs March 12 to June 11 with art created after 2000. “It has been fascinating to see the level of knowledge from some of these collectors. They are beyond any Ph.D. or art historian that I’ve met. Their aspect of collecting is humbling,” Berger said. Berger, along with an appointed committee, visited homes across the city. The art lovers, collectors and museum supporters on that committee are Lois Blonder, Lisa Brill, Laura Dinerman, Judith Taylor, Ellen Holland and Pearlann Horowitz.

Blonder has years of involvement with the Breman and has served on the board since its inception. “I have a strong commitment to the purpose and the mission of the museum. From the educational aspect and the thousands of students educated in the Holocaust gallery, I see the museum as a one-of-akind in the area.” Several pieces of Blonder’s ceramics collection are part of “Atlanta Collects.” Collector Brill, whose college majors included art history but who claims that the talent stops at her wrists, was recruited by Dinerman. “Laura said there’s a new project, and it’s up your alley. I met with Aaron and heard about project, and it is up my alley.” Brill called “Atlanta Collects” courageous. “Atlanta Collects” curator William Eiland is the director of the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia. “It is about the collecting patterns of the individuals and the works that best represent their interests, their passions, their knowledge,” he said. “I’m interested in all kinds of art, and I was gratified by the quality and quantity of works available from Jewish collectors.” The sold-out 20th anniversary gala at the Breman on Saturday night, Dec. 3, includes a sneak peek at the exhibit. Honoree Jarvin Levison, a founder of the Midtown museum, plans to speak about the beginnings of the institution at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. Public access to “Atlanta Collects” comes with museum admission. ■

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LOCAL NEWS

Interfaith Cooperation Stands on Higher Ground The first Friendship Luncheon of Interfaith Community Initiatives provided perhaps one final time for the Higher Ground Group to come together in public. The interfaith clergy group, convened by the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta in 2010, ended its work in early 2015. One of the four members, the Rev. Joe Roberts of Ebenezer Baptist Church, died in February 2015, leaving Rabbi Alvin Sugarman of The Temple, the Rev. Joanna Adams of First Presbyterian Church and Imam Plemon El-Amin of the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam (since named to the national Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council) to hold a reunion panel discussion at the Twelve Hotel at Atlantic Station with moderator Alicia Philipp. “We have one common soul and one common creator, and we are all genuinely brothers and sisters,” said Rabbi Sugarman, who said Higher Ground was like a “Saturday Night Live” sketch that just wouldn’t end.

Photo by Nassar Madyun

The three surviving members of the Higher Ground Group — Rabbi Alvin Sugarman (second from left), the Rev. Joanna Adams and Imam Plemon El-Amin — talk with Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta President Alicia Philipp (left) during the first Friendship Luncheon of Interfaith Community Initiatives.

The event was a Jewish comingout party in some ways for ICI under the leadership of Judy Marx, the organization’s first executive director. The crowd of more than 200 people included tables for The Temple and Temple Sinai, and other Jewish organizations involved in outreach and interfaith work, such as the Anti-Defamation League, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Jewish Family & Career Services, and American Jewish Committee, were represented. Rabbi Ellen Nemhauser, who works with the Center for Israel Education and is a veteran of the World Pilgrims trips associated with ICI, led the

pre-meal blessings. “We need a lot more reaching across boundaries,” said the Rev. Angela Harrington Rice, an executive producer for Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters and ICI’s board president, who added that ICI wants “more than your contributions. We want your involvement.” She got it from the Higher Ground Group. “The danger here is that we’re preaching to the choir,” Rabbi Sugarman said. Speaking at a time when Donald Trump’s presidential victory was unthinkable to most in the room, Rabbi

Sugarman said Trump’s campaign bore the invisible stain of racism and should have used the motto “Make America White Again.” He also complained about the bad rap Islam has received in the United States. “Human beings are better than that,” Adams said. “Our country is better than that.” El-Amin joined the others in promoting the value of conversations with people who are different, but he warned about confusion and divisions that can arise from the different terminology various religions use to describe similar ideas. Adams’ proposed solution: Don’t just talk; take action. Find problems in the community, and work together to solve them, she said, crediting Rabbi Sugarman with educating her on the concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world). Rabbi Sugarman cited a phrase in Genesis to help guide their efforts: “Be thou a blessing.” “Isn’t that what we’re all about as human beings?” he said. “Isn’t that our job description?” ■

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com

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LOCAL NEWS Zalik Is Top Entrepreneur

GreenSky CEO David Zalik was named the EY U.S. entrepreneur of the year in financial services at a gala awards ceremony Saturday night, Nov. 19, in Palm Springs, Calif. Zalik, a Sandy Springs resident and Epstein School parent, sold computers to fellow students at Auburn University, then sold that business, MicroTech, in 1996. He launched Outweb, a consulting firm for business process automation, in 1999. He started GreenSky, which provides business-to-business online payment solutions, in 2006. GreenSky’s technology analyzes data gathered from Social Security and credit bureaus to make real-time credit decisions for small businesses. Approved customers can access the funds within 10 seconds. Since 2012 GreenSky has increased revenue by 400 percent and grown from 50 workers to an expected 800 by the end of 2016. Zalik was named the Southeast regional winner in June.

ater for the 2017 festival, being held Jan. 24 to Feb. 15. Joining the festival’s longtime anchor theater, Lefont Sandy Springs, is Regal Perimeter Pointe, next to the Sandy Springs MARTA station and easily accessible from the Perimeter and Ga. 400. Regal’s Avalon, a 2016 festival venue, will not be part of the festival. As in 2016, the 2017 festival will open at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre and close at the Woodruff Arts Center’s Atlanta Symphony Hall. Also remaining in the festival are Georgia Theatre Co.’s Merchants Walk location in East Cobb, Regal’s Tara Cinemas at Cheshire Bridge and LaVista roads, and Regal’s Atlantic Station site. SCADshow, a first-time venue that had some parking issues in 2016, will not be included in 2017. Instead, the festival will have a five-day run at the Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Auditorium, another sizable intown space. The festival lineup will be announced and tickets will go on sale in mid-January.

than Leshnoff Zohar & Symphony No. 2 ‘Inner Space.’ ” Distributed by Naxos of America, the recording features the orchestra, chorus, Music Director Robert Spano, Director of Choruses Norman Mackenzie, soprano Jessica Rivera and baritone Nmon Ford. The piece’s 11 movements draw on Leshnoff’s religious faith and belief about music’s rare ability to transport us to places that would otherwise be impossible to go. The authentic Jewish mystical schools outline in great length the spiritual architecture of the universe and its interaction with G-d and mankind. Leshnoff draws his inspiration within those systems. These works are part of Leshnoff’s 10-piece multiyear meta-project, which parallels the fundamental building blocks of Jewish spiritual thought. The digital release is available for download on iTunes, and the physical recording can be ordered at www.aso. org/asomedia or Amazon.com.

Film Festival Sets Venues

Jewish Spiritual Symphony

Atlanta Women in Israel

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra on Friday, Nov. 18, released its eighth recording on its ASO Media label, “Jona-

Two groups of Atlanta women have recently traveled to Israel. Fourteen representatives of the

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival has added a second Sandy Springs location and dropped its Alpharetta the-

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Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta visited the fund’s Israeli grantees from Nov. 10 to 17. You can relive the trip at jwfatlanta.org/israeltrip. Overlapping with that philanthropic mission was the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project Momentum trip of 46 Atlanta-area Jewish mothers from Nov. 13 to 23. “This project is part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen Israel’s relationship with Diaspora communities around the world,” said Dvir Kahana, the director-general of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. “We are extremely proud of our strategic partnership with the JWRP. We share the vision of empowering Jewish women worldwide as leaders of the next generation with the ability and drive to raise children who are proud of their identity and strongly connected to Israel.” Momentum trips, which stretch from the mystical city of Safed to Masada, encompass everything from Jewish values to contemporary society. “Our philosophy from the beginning has always been: Inspire a woman, you inspire a family. Inspire enough families, you can change a community. Inspire enough communities, you can change the world,” said Lori Palatnik, the JWRP’s founding director.

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LOCAL NEWS

By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com Working with one of the “Lost Boys” of South Sudan’s long war of independence from Sudan brought out the Jewish mother in Harriet Levin Millan. The author of “How Fast Can You Run” said her instinct was to bring Michael Majok Kuch home with her to cook for him as if he were one of her children — and as if she could sense the void in him from not seeing his mother for more than 20 years, from the time he fled a military attack on his village in what is now South Sudan when he was 5 years old in 1988 and had that question from his mother ringing in his head: “How fast can you run?” Millan and Kuch talked about the novel she wrote about his life during the second-to-last event of the 25th Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 20. After escaping what Millan called “the swamps of hell” near his native Juet, Kuch walked across East Africa to reach a refugee camp in Kenya. He was granted political asylum in the United States and settled in Philadelphia, as did two of his brothers, a sister and a cousin. Only later did he learn that his mother was in the same refugee camp and remained five years after he left. “You have to appreciate what America has to offer,” Kuch said. His mother and two other siblings received asylum in Australia, where they still live in Brisbane. Kuch visited his mother in 2008 and hasn’t seen her since then. Working with Kuch was a writer’s dream, Millan said. They sat together all day and talked while she took notes, then she went home and wrote it all up, and they would argue as friends over the results. The book is a novel because the identities of some people had to be hidden, but Millan said the incidents in the story are all real. Even the cover photo is real, showing a 13-year-old (not Kuch) searching the swamps for his mother. Millan and Kuch were interviewed by Derreck Kayongo, the CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and himself a former refugee from Uganda who said Kuch’s story felt familiar. The plight of refugees is one of the crucial lessons in “How Fast,” Millan said, emphasizing that there are 65 million refugees in the world today. She’s

upset at the idea that the United States would close its doors to those people in need. “The refugee is the hero of our times. The refugee is beautiful,” she said. “We should be worshipping them, not refusing to let them into our land.” Millan said she doesn’t like using the term “Lost Boys” to refer to the generation driven out or swept into the civil war that pitted the Muslim, largely Arab north of Sudan against the Christian and animist, African south. She noted that Kuch’s mother and grandmother had to walk 1,000 miles to safety just as he did, so it wasn’t just the boys who were lost. And Kuch is lost no more. As an

Michael Majok Kuch acknowledges that “in Africa, leaders tend to overstay in power,” but he’s optimistic about South Sudan’s future.

Author Harriet Levin Millan and moderator Derreck Kayongo listen while Michael Majok Kuch reads from “How Fast Can You Run.”

educated adult, he returned to his homeland when it was voting in 2010 on independence, which it achieved in 2011. He serves as the director of research and policy in South Sudan’s Office of the President and hopes to be

part of the post-revolutionary generation that overcomes the new nation’s challenges. “I had a good life in America,” he said, “but I had an obligation to go back and be the seed of a new country.” ■

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

South Sudan Refugee Lost and Found

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LOCAL NEWS

We’re Thankful For: Sarah Kalins By Vicki Leopold

Sarah Kalins, 29, is my neighbor, my friend and my inspiration. Sometimes life, being life, gets difficult, and I am just too tired or too bothered. Then I think of Sarah, and I plow on. Sarah was born in El Salvador. She was adopted by Karen and Jeff Kalins at age 4 months, weighing 9 pounds, failing and ill. The Kalinses know little of her background except that she was born premature and suffered from oxygen deprivation at birth and was thought to be both deaf and blind. After reading her chart, a pediatrician advised the Kalinses against adopting the tiny girl, but Jeff and Karen persisted. “This was something we thought we could do,” Jeff said. He is a chiropractor, and he and Karen have devoted their lives to healing and wellness. “We worried that she was sick and could die without someone to love and care for her.” Sarah became the couple’s second adopted child. They had adopted a son, Ethan, also from El Salvador.

Sarah Kalins enjoys Shabbat with parents Jeff and Karen.

When Sarah was 9 months old, the Kalinses adopted another girl, this time from Georgia. Sarah was so small that she looked the same size as their younger daughter, Rachel. Karen laughs that people would ask whether her Hispanic-looking daughter and her Caucasian-looking daughter were twins. Her answer: Yes, but from different dads. Karen ever since has used a car

Vicki Leopold interviews Sarah Kalins with sign language.

license plate that states simply: “Adopt 3.” Sarah entered early intervention services at 18 months old. She received many services to assist with her development. When her physical therapist suggested that it might be time to order a wheelchair, Karen, who never shies away from a challenge, said, “Let’s try her on a walker first.” Little Sarah ran down the hall

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with the walker. “So much for the wheelchair,” Karen said. Starting at age 4, Sarah rode a bus an hour and a half each way between Fayetteville and Atlanta every school day to attend the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf. She made that trip from 1991 until 2007. After school, Sarah attended a vocational program called Reach that had recently begun in Fayette County. She was the first person hired from the program. She began her part-time job in 2008 at Zaxby’s in Fayetteville. Sarah receives Social Security disability and is not required to work, but Sarah said: “I love to work, and I communicate by writing with customers. I explain to them that I cannot hear. Sometimes deaf customers come in, and they order with their phones by typing up what they want. I like my job.” On Friday nights at Congregation B’nai Israel, Sarah can usually be found giving congregants hugs and thumbsup. She is animated, well-groomed, kind and helpful. Her smile is warm and welcoming. She pitches in to help with onegs and waves to everyone she knows. She loves to laugh and joke and enjoys people-watching. Several months ago Zaxby’s awarded Sarah an Employee of the Year commendation for outstanding work. When her dad announced the news at B’nai Israel, the whole congregation clapped, and Sarah beamed. Asked to reflect on being Jewish, Sarah said she loves it. She loves the holidays, the synagogue and the people. She loves challah, latkes, and bagels and lox. She is always concerned about and committed to Israel. While she has not traveled to Israel, Sarah explained in

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Sarah wears the medal she won for tying for second in a competition at the Haven Hills Therapeutic Riding Center in Fairburn in 2009.

velopmental challenges. She said it is hard work because some of the children with lots of behavioral problems are difficult. She stays focused and patient and is happy that she can help. Jeff and Karen are proud of Sarah’s computer skills and research abilities, which she uses to learn about people and places. Like many young adults, Sarah uses social media to socialize, especially with other deaf people. She attends “Deaf Night” in Fayette County and Atlanta, during which adults meet and mingle. Sarah has met men online, but what she would like is to meet a nice Jewish deaf guy. Anyone know anybody? ■

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sign language that she hopes to make the trip one day. She’s already a world traveler. “I love to see the people, the museums, and the beautiful scenery and cities,” she said. “I love to eat the foods of each country. It is just so wonderful and special to see this.” Sarah and her parents visit the synagogues in each country they visit, and she is amazed at how beautiful and big some of them are. The most beautiful one she has seen is in Florence. Sarah also has traveled to France, Ireland twice, Spain, Scotland, Mexico, and her homeland, El Salvador, twice. During this interview in the summer, Sarah was preparing for a trip to Sweden, Denmark and Russia and had researched a synagogue in Copenhagen she wanted her parents to visit. Sarah also has enjoyed Jewish events in Atlanta, including the Jewish Film Festival, Chabad challah bakes and trips to the Breman Museum. Sarah especially enjoyed the film festival when it showed a movie about deaf Israeli high school students. It was easy for her to follow the story. While Sarah enjoys and participates in all the holidays, her favorite is Chanukah because her family gets together and invites friends over to celebrate with good food and gifts. Her two little nephews come over, and her mother makes latkes from scratch. While Sarah is proud of being Jewish, she also takes pride in being a descendant of the Maya. She said she has a particular birthmark on her back that is typical only of the Maya. Her parents took her to El Salvador when she and her sister and brother were young. They traveled with other children adopted from there. She saw volcanoes and Mayan ruins and remembers that the people were short, like her. In addition to traveling, socializing and working, Sarah makes time for volunteer work. She helps the teachers of young children at Fayetteville’s Joseph Sams School, which serves children with intellectual, physical or de-

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LOCAL NEWS

We’re Thankful For: Josiah Benator

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

By Rabbi David Geffen

Alvin Sugarman and I conducted Shabbat services. The year 1950 was momentous At the Scout hut, we met once a for me and subsequently for many week for troop business and brought in other young men. That year Congre- many new Scouts in those early years. gations Or VeShalom and Shearith Frequently, we played Capture the Flag Israel founded Boy Scout Troop 73. Jo- with enthusiasm and breakneck speed siah Benator, a World War II veteran even though it was dark. who made Eagle Scout during his teen Those were giddy, glorious days years, became the scoutmaster. He has for Shearith Israel, OVS and some held that title with Troop 73 ever since. Ahavath Achim boys. With the state of Hundreds of young men like my- Israel struggling to survive, we sang self have experienced the special care, “Hatikva” whenever we could in a concern and guidance of “Mr. Benator,” meaningful manner. as we all have called him. For the earliest Scouts in the troop, Born in Atone memory lanta in 1922 to sticks with us. an Or VeShalom Mr. Benator family, Benator was not satisfied grew up during that he was an the Depression Eagle Scout; he and joined a wanted to earn Scout troop at more “palms” by the Jewish Educompleting adcational Alliance ditional merit in the 1930s. badges. When He quickly bewe went to the came not only Bert Adams Boy the head of the Scout camp in troop, but also the summer, he the assistant went with us. scoutmaster and That first Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Area Council then the scoutsummer he Josiah Benator receives the Whitney M. Young master. worked on the Jr. Service Award from the Atlanta Area Council When he Indian lore merof the Boy Scouts of America in October. was drafted into it badge. To comthe Army toward the end of World War plete the requirements, he had to parII, he had to give up Scouting for a few ticipate in the Indian Pageant held on years. After the war he earned an en- a Thursday night. As that event began, gineering degree at Georgia Tech and Mr. Benator, with his face and body went to work for the Scripto Pencil Co. painted and wearing a loin cloth and He first returned to Scouting at an- one feather in his hair, danced with other Atlanta Jewish troop. In 1950, Joe I. real excitement. We cheered him on Zimmerman persuaded Shearith Israel loudly: He was more than a scoutmasand OVS to form Troop 73 and selected ter; he was a vibrant Boy Scout leader. Benator as scoutmaster. Shearith Israel In 2009 he was designated by provided a hut in a small building on AARP’s magazine as one of the great sethe property the congregation had just niors in the nation. I wrote about him bought on University Drive. in The Jerusalem Post, and he appeared My late father, lawyer Louis Gef- in a picture with Judge Stephen Schusfen, handled all the legal matters pro ter, who was one of his Scouts and is bono, as he had in 1929 for Shearith one of my cousins. Israel’s building on Washington Street. In October, the Atlanta Area CounI was privileged to be one of the cil of the Boy Scouts recognized him initial Scouts in the troop. Harvey with its Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Charvin was the first to earn the Eagle Award. badge. We also had Rabbi Alvin SugarWhat a great man Josiah Benator man as an active member. is. We proudly give him the Boy Scout Josiah Benator is a devoted Jew. He salute and wish him many more propermitted me to go on Shabbat camp- ductive and healthy years with his ing trips, but I was free from any du- wife of seven decades, Birdie, and all ties until Shabbat was over. He brought his children, grandchildren and greatprayer books to all those hikes, and grandchildren. ■

BUSINESS

Should Israel Fear Bursting Tech Bubble? Israel has received much global acclaim in recent years for its booming tech industry, and many international tech giants, including Google, Intel and Facebook, have jumped to acquire a stake in the Start-Up Nation. So it was no surprise that on a five-day business mission to Israel this month with Conexx: America Israel Business Connector, we met with more than 100 startups and innovators across the country. But an encounter with a hotel bartender who eagerly told me about his own startup as I decompressed from a long day of listening to elevator pitches left me wondering whether there are more bubbles in the Start-Up Nation than just the ones in my beer. So I asked a few members of the Conexx delegation who work in the financial sector for their thoughts on the topic. Here’s what they had to say: • “Nobody really knows if there’s a bubble until after the fact. I know there’s a lot of excitement around Israeli tech right now, and we’ll probably see the top companies come to the forefront over the next few years, but it’s hard to call. I think there’s a real energy around Israeli tech in the past couple of years that has picked up even stronger of late. Some companies will probably not make it, but others will literally take off.” — Dexter Caffey, founder, Caffey Investment Group

to be funded, and only a small portion of those that get funded will succeed. This is healthy and is the same thing happening in the United States. There are many factors that go into making a successful company, and, of course,

Greg Kirsch

there’s always the possibility that certain tech sectors will become too hot and may burst.” — Greg Kirsch, partner and head of intellectual property, Smith, Gambrell & Russell • “The culture here in Israel has been the Start-Up Nation, and they have had tremendous success. As one success brings another success, everybody wants to get on the bandwagon. So there is tremendous breakthrough innovation happening in Israel, but for every one of those, there’s probably 12 deals that will go nowhere. You have to be careful because it is a bit of a Wild West. Every deal is not Mobileye or CyberArk that have billions of dollars in capital value eventually. People try, and people fail, and investors try, and investors fail.” — Mark Spiegel, senior vice president, UBS Global Asset Management

Dexter Caffey (left) Mark Spiegel

• “The bubble of 2000-2001 is still fresh on the mind of most investors, such that they still remember the lessons learned from that era. While there are thousands of startups in Israel, only a small portion are likely going

Tech bubble or not, Israel may be the only country in the world where tomorrow’s next tech millionaire could be serving you an ice-cold beer, and that’s pretty cool. ■

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

SPORTS

Becky Arbiv signs her letter of intent.

Weber Pole Vaulter Signs With Duke Bill Goldberg (right) faces down Brock Lesnar in a WWE pay-per-view event Nov. 20.

12 Years Later, Goldberg Wins Again By Lou Ladinsky Jewish wrestling icon Bill Goldberg made a triumphant return to the WWE on Sunday night, Nov. 20, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto after a 12year absence from the squared circle. Goldberg, a former WCW and WWE world heavyweight champion, as well as a former Atlanta Falcon and Georgia Bulldog, went up against Brock Lesnar, also a former WWE world heavyweight champion and a former UFC heavyweight champ. The two last met at Wrestlemania 20 in Madison Square Garden in New York in 2004. Thanks to information readily available online, wrestling fans were well aware in advance that the 2004 match would be the final WWE contest for Goldberg and Lesnar. Goldberg was pursuing other ventures, while Brock was going to try out for the Minnesota Vikings. Both contestants received negative reactions from the audience, and what could have been an amazing encounter turned into a dull affair. Goldberg won the 2004 match, something Lesnar had to live with the next 12 years. Fast-forward to May this year when Goldberg was announced as the

pre-order bonus for the “WWE 2K17” video game. Lesnar was featured on the cover of that game, which enabled fans to stage a virtual rematch between the two combatants. Fantasy turned into reality when promo tours for “WWE 2K17” resulted in verbal exchanges between the two wrestlers and lured Goldberg into granting Lesnar a rematch at the Survivor Series pay-per-view event in Toronto. Goldberg said he wanted to be a superhero again for all the kids out there and to give his wife and 10-year-old son the opportunity to see him wrestle for the first time. Another Jewish wrestling figure, Paul Heyman, the advocate and mouthpiece for Lesnar the past 14 years, set the stage for the mega-event in Toronto with his exemplary oratory skills. On several occasions he pleaded with Goldberg not to fight Lesnar. The past few years Lesnar, known as the “Beast Incarnate,” has steamrolled through the WWE competition, leaving a wake of destruction. Not to be intimidated, Goldberg did not back down from the challenge. Several days before the event Sunday night, Heyman was all over social

media, assuring all that his Beast would destroy Goldberg in under two minutes and leave him unrecognizable to his wife and son. The smart bet was on Lesnar, and the overall odds on Goldberg winning were low. But Heyman was wrong in his prediction. During Goldberg’s ring entrance, the Goldberg chants were deafening, and in 84 seconds Goldberg ran through Lesnar like a runaway freight train, annihilating his opponent and conquering the Beast. He hit Lesnar with two spears, which left the Beast reeling, and followed with his signature Jack Hammer for the decisive pin. It was quite a performance by a man who had not competed in the ring for 12 years. The question that remains to be answered: Who’s next for Goldberg? Or was this a one-time return to the ring? On a side note, my son Bradley Rudy won his first JV wrestling match the same weekend for the Walton High Raiders. While the high school mat is vastly different from the sports entertainment world of the WWE, one can only wonder whether chants of “Rudy” will one day fill the air of WWE arenas. ■

Rose

Weber School senior Becky Arbiv has signed a national letter of intent to attend Duke University as a member of the Blue Devils track and field team. Arbiv is one of the top high school pole vaulters in the nation after finishing first in the state and third in the nation over the summer. She will be the third Weber student-athlete to play for an NCAA Division I team, after 2016 graduate Michael Asher, who plays baseball at The Citadel, and 2006 graduate David Tillem, who played tennis at Georgetown.

The Marcus JCC’s championship eighthgrade basketball team includes (from left) Reece Rosen, Zach Knight, Isaac Jaye, Coach Karl Altmann, Grant Miller, Coach Alex Knight, Eli Minsk, Logan Spector and Andrew Altmann. Not pictured is Jordan Shoob.

JCC Basketball Team Wins Church League

Eighth-grade boys representing the Marcus Jewish Community Center won a fall metro-area church league by going undefeated for the season. Zak Elfenbein, the assistant director of youth sports at the Marcus JCC, entered the select team into the eightteam league, which included Sandy Springs United Methodist Church and St. Jude Catholic Church.

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OBITUARIES

Frank Horovitz 90, Marietta

Frank Horovitz, age 90, died Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, in Marietta. Frank was born in Pawtucket, R.I., to Sarah and Harry Horovitz on Jan. 12, 1926. He was a first-generation American, and he served proudly in the U.S. Navy during World War II on a destroyer escort in the North Africa campaign. At the end of the war, as the only Jewish crew member on his ship, he was asked to accept the surrender of a Nazi submarine. Frank was a chief medical technologist for all his career at the Osteopathic and Kent County hospitals in Rhode Island. He was loved by all he touched over his many years. His first wife, Frances Horovitz, preceded him in death in 1986. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Maxine Torman Horovitz of Providence, R.I. Frank is also survived by his children, Steven Horovitz of Marietta and Linda Cohen of Amherst, Mass., as well as their spouses, Linda Horovitz and Kenneth Cohen. Frank had five grandchildren and their spouses: Eric Horovitz, Shelly and Evan Eisenstadt, Jared Horovitz, Dara Cohen and Barry Wohl, and Leah and Brian Evangelista. He also had two great-grandchildren, Layla Wohl and Lacy Eisenstadt. A graveside service was held in Warwick, R.I., at Lincoln Park Cemetery, where Frank was laid to rest next to his first wife, Frances. Donations may be made to Weinstein Hospice. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Death Notices

Darlene Resnick Thompson Andrews, 62, of Flowery Branch, wife of Scott Andrews, mother of Sloan Thompson and daughter of Melvin Resnick, on Nov. 15. Dora Bernstein, 89, on Oct. 27. Robert Ellenoff of Atlanta, father of Steve Ellenoff, on Nov. 20. Arthur Seymour Kanfer, 93, of Dunwoody, Temple member and husband of Jackie Kanfer, on Nov. 13. Stephen Posner of Cumming, father of Temple Kol Emeth member Kim Bell, on Nov. 19.

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Poster, Dates Announced for Music Festival Georgia State University graduate student Andy Glen has designed the winning poster concept for the eighth annual Atlanta Jewish Music Festival spring fest, which will be held March 2 to 19. The featured artists and full lineup for AJMF8 will be announced in early January. Glen’s poster design was chosen out of more than 40 concepts created by Georgia State students. It features an eye-catching woman with long, flowing blue hair and dress who is holding a shofar in front of a bright yellow light. “Andy’s poster was chosen as the top concept by our marketing committee of board members and community volunteers,” festival Executive Director Russell Gottschalk said. “Unlike previous years, Andy’s concept was unanimously preferred by all committee members. There were other designs that were enjoyed and appreciated, but Andy’s design was liked by all.” It was the sixth year for the festival’s poster design contest at Georgia State. Students were given a color palate and asked to design a custom poster. The winning design will be incorporated throughout the AJMF website, social media and marketing materials. Unlike the design entered for the contest, the final poster will reflect the actual spring fest lineup. Previous winning posters can be seen at atlantajmf.org/ourstory. ■

Andy Glen, a graduate student at Georgia State University, created the winning design for the poster for the eighth Atlanta Jewish Music Festival spring fest.

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Births, B’nai Mitzvah, Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries, Special Birthdays Have something to celebrate? Share it with your community with free AJT simcha announcements. Submit them at atlantajewishtimes.com, or email them to submissions@atljewishtimes.com.

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Teen Reprises Role in Parton Christmas Story By Cady Schulman cschulman@atljewishtimes.com Dylan Rowen was 9 years old when he decided he wanted to be an actor. Five years later, the high school freshman has appeared in numerous television shows and TV movies. His latest project, Dolly Parton’s “Christmas Coat of Many Colors: Circle of Love,” premieres at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, on NBC. Dylan reprises his role of Parton’s brother Denver, which he first played in last year’s “Coat of Many Colors.” Playing Denver Parton has been Dylan’s favorite role. “It was such an amazing character to play,” Dylan said. “Everyone who worked with me was so nice.” He’s also a big Dolly Parton fan, so getting to work with her was a dream come true. “It was like my own personal slice of heaven,” Dylan said. “She brought the whole movie together. She’s a liv-

Dylan Rowen is appearing in his second TV movie as Dolly Parton’s brother.

ing legend.” While the first Christmas movie was about Parton’s humble upbringing, the sequel focuses on a devastating event that challenges the Parton family, living in the mountains of Tennessee. A Christmas miracle, however, draws the family closer than ever. Dylan decided he wanted to pursue acting after watching Chris Farley perform on “Saturday Night Live.” Rather than brush it off as a childhood dream, his father, Erik, started look-

ing for acting opportunities on casting websites. “My husband just ran with it and tried to find all sorts of different things,” said Dylan’s mother, Stacey. The audition process is time-consuming. Dylan must memorize scripts — sometimes 10 pages long — then have a coach videotape him for submission. But his hard work has paid off. Dylan has landed roles in “Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda” and “Olaf’s Quest,” as well as several shorts. Dylan spent five weeks last year and again this year filming each Dolly Parton movie on a farm in Covington. Watching her child prepare for scenes is special for Stacey Rowen, who is on set every day with her son. “It’s a lot of preparation for each scene, getting him prepared,” she said. “He’s very self-motivated. If I give him a suggestion, he’ll say, ‘Mom, I’m the actor. I’m not going to do that. I’m going to do it like this.’ He does it his way, and

it turns out better.” Last year Dylan was in the middle of preparing for his bar mitzvah celebration during filming, so he spent his downtime studying his Torah portion, something that made his mother laugh. “It was just the irony that we were doing a scene in the church, and he was studying for his bar mitzvah,” she said. Dylan and his family went to Dollywood for the movie’s premiere, and the 14-year-old got to walk the red carpet for the second time. Last year he traveled to Los Angeles for the Parton movie premiere. “It was very interesting,” Dylan said of walking the red carpet the first time. “I liked it a lot.” Stacey Rowen said it was a rare experience watching reporters from media outlets, including international media, interview her son. “It was wild watching it as a parent, watching him walk the red carpet and all the media in his face,” she said. “It was really cool. It was surreal.” ■

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

Jewish Polar Bear Leads Live ‘Octonauts’ By Patrice Worthy

emotional.

“Octonauts,” a popular children’s series, is coming to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre for a live performance Tuesday, Nov. 22. The cast submerges kids in an undersea adventure to protect the ocean under the leadership of Captain Barnacles, played by Daniel Jared Hersh. Hersh began performing as a child and cultivated his talents throughout high school. The California native is a graduate of the American Music and Drama Academy with a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater. His stage credits include “The Producers”; “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”; “The Diary of Anne Frank”; and “Forever Plaid.” Hersh describes himself as awkwardly charming, and he is carving a niche with quirky roles. He spoke with the AJT about the challenges of playing a polar bear in “Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure.”

AJT: How did you land the role of Captain Barnacles? Hersh: I got a message they were looking for actors shorter than 5-foot-6 with singing experience, puppeteering experience and experience working with kids. I have all that experience, and a week later I found out I was asked to audition.

AJT: How did you get started in musical theater? Hersh: I grew up in Southern California in Thousand Oaks. There I was enrolled in children’s community theater. I started singing in high school, and from there I got a B.F.A. in college 30 musical theater.

You won’t see Daniel Jared Hersh’s face in his role as the polar bear Captain Barnacles.

AJT: Many of your roles have been a bit quirky. How do you choose your roles? Hersh: I like to pick roles I can put my own spin on. I like to bring quirkiness to the roles that I play. I think the quirkiest role I played was Seymour in “Little Shop of Horrors.” AJT: You also took the role of Peter in “The Diary of Anne Frank.” That is a very somber story. Why did you choose that role? Hersh: I was actually lucky to get it. I knew the person directing it and told her I would love to do the show because I’m Jewish and it was close to me. My grandparents were in the Holocaust, and one of my grandparents was in Auschwitz. The director told me she was going to judge me twice as hard because we were friends. I got to go to the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust. It was an amazing experience and very

AJT: How did you prepare for the role? Hersh: “Octonauts” is a British cartoon that airs on Disney Junior. There are eight different animals that travel underwater. It encourages kids to learn about marine life. Captain Barnacles is a polar bear, and he’s very paternal. I wear a full body costume with a character head. I watched at least one season of it on Netflix and got the voice down. AJT: What do you love about doing a live kids show? Hersh: When the curtain comes up, I’m the first character the kids see. They see me, and they start screaming. On opening night, it was overwhelming. We’ve had kids do a mosh pit toward the end of the show. My favorite song is the song when I’m introducing all the characters. There is a scene with

“Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure” is the first live version of the British children’s series.

UV black lights where the fish really look like they’re swimming. It’s a really fun show with a lot of substance, and even parents can enjoy it. AJT: How has the experience been on your first national tour? Hersh: We’re in over 60 cities, and it’s a new city every day. We see a lot of cool places, and the experiences have been one of a kind. ■ What: “Octonauts Live” Where: Cobb Energy Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Cumberland area When: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29 Tickets: $30.50 to $60.50; bit. ly/1SHrk13 or 800-745-3000

Life and Change Go On I recently went to Temple EmanuEl to celebrate the bat mitzvah of Emma Perlstein. Emma’s grandmother Bobbi and I became friends when our children were in preschool. Emma’s father, Josh, had read from the Torah for the first time in the same sanctuary, as had two of my children. Just being there brought a flood of memories. I walked around the building, looking for the framed, handwritten document listing charter members of the temple. Listed first in the left column: “Daniel and Arlene Appelrouth.” I read through the list, noting how many were divorced or dead or had left Atlanta. The document was from 1979, when Roswell resident Don Restler recognized the need for a new place for High Holiday services. Temple EmanuEl was created. Thirty-seven years later I thought about the growth and change in the temple and how different my life is. I thought about how my husband, Dan, conducted services for almost six months when the fledgling congregation met in a bank in Dunwoody before founding Rabbi Donald Tam took the helm as spiritual leader. I also thought about a Brandeis women’s book review I attended where I met Diana Blank. She and her husband, Arthur, were new to Atlanta and in search of a temple where they could make a difference. I remembered the groundbreaking and the excitement of watching the building become a reality. It was my first experience being active in synagogue life, and the pride lasted for years until temple politics hit me with cold reality. Synagogues, I learned, were complicated places because they weren’t only about spirituality and lifecycles. I was thinking about all these things as I walked into the sanctuary where Dan was High Holiday cantor for years. I wished Dan were sitting beside me as the service began. I couldn’t help but be curious about what he would have thought about how the Friday night service had changed. The cantor played a guitar, reminding me of what we used to call hootenannies. The energy invited lively, joyous singing, like campers during Shabbat at Barney Medintz, where my children loved spending time each summer and where I was fortunate to spend a week every summer while

Dan volunteered as camp doctor. At camp one session our youngest son, David, shared a cabin with three or four boys from Hebrew Academy. Their discussions about Jewish history piqued his interest, and he asked to transfer from public school to the day school. He wanted to broaden his understanding about Jewish history. Saying yes changed the course of

CROSSWORD

“Ultimate Power”

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

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According To Arlene

By Arlene Appelrouth

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ACROSS 1. Mufasa’s son 6. Michal’s dad 10. John Snow’s oldest brother 14. Oldest brother of 69-Across 15. Wife of Gustav (Mahler) 16. Wowed, by a miracle 17. Mel of song 18. A challah is one 19. Fitting rooms for people named Aryeh? 20. Rolling Stones song or Paddy Chayefsky character in “Marty” 22. Overseer on a flight from TLV to EWR 24. Merlin’s a part of his legend 27. Boteach’s old pop star pal 31. Neighbor of Isr. 32. Slippery Eilat dweller 34. Troop group Lewis Black performed for: Abbr. 35. Not a rabbi 36. Observe (as the Sabbath) 38. Hockey movie with main character Doug Glatt 40. Provide with uzis, again 42. Power above all … the italicized folk in this puzzle 45. Co-star of Shatner and Kelley 47. “And G-d ___” 48. Lubavitch landmark 51. ___ ledodi 52. Michael on Michaels’ “Saturday Night Live” 54. The world isn’t even this old, from a literal Bible interpretation 56. Haifa to Damascus dir. 57. Carrie and Cujo’s creator 59. Cleveland’s savior 61. Theologian’s subj. 62. One not quick to give tzedakah 64. Tel Aviv-___ 67. Goes to the Garden of Eden, perhaps

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aappelrouth@atljewishtimes.com

my son’s life and the trajectory of the Appelrouth family. David’s love for Jewish history led him into a relationship with kollel Rabbi David Silverman. Rabbi Silverman’s influence, coupled with David’s enthusiasm, sparked David’s desire to travel to Israel and learn in a yeshiva. He decided on an Orthodox life. Wordsworth said, “The child is father to the man.” David, my child, not only was father to himself, but also in a way was father to his father, who followed in his son’s footsteps and became an Orthodox man. If Dan were alive today, I’m certain he would have been with me at Emma’s bat mitzvah. We would have talked about what a beautiful building Emanu-El has and how it has grown since we moved away years ago. Saturday night, the celebration of Emma’s bat mitzvah continued. The party at the Biltmore was first class. The entertainment, provided by a DJ who came with two professional dancers, had the place rocking for hours. Dan and I loved to dance together. At the simchas in Toco Hills, we had become accustomed to the separate dancing of the Orthodox world. At this not-Orthodox party, I wasn’t sure how I would feel when the music started. I was glad to move onto the dance floor for the first line dance. Who needed a partner? Once I got up, I never sat down. I danced with my son Jed. Several of Emma’s friends also invited me to be their partner. And I found myself dancing with the professional dancers, the man and the woman, as I let myself go and had the best time I’ve had since losing my husband. My life isn’t what I would have predicted or chosen. But I have a rich history here and, like Atlanta, have been through a lot of growth and change. ■

www.atlantajewishtimes.com

39. “Scent ___ Woman” (Brest film) 41. Freudian topic 43. Specialty 44. Biblical no-nos 45. YU helpers 46. One that might help Marvel’s Scott Lang 49. Brian of ambient music, who is a big 13-Down supporter DOWN 50. Goodman of “Dancing with 1. Moshav performance the Stars” 2. U.N. working-conditions 53. Robbed (a Bank Leumi) agcy. that has condemned 55. Possible item for 27-Down Israel at times 3. Notable yeshiva, with “The” 58. Projection on a Kosher 4. Holy high place, in the Torah Lamp 60. Prepare a shank bone for 5. Brooklyn’s O or J a seder, perhaps 6. Baba follower 62. Shabbat dinner, e.g. 7. Ahava ingredient 8. Matthew’s “The Producers” 63. ___ of Man (World War II Jewish refugee site) co-star 64. Kosher Himalayan animal 9. Shawarma wraps 65. “Yo te ___” (Ani ohev 10. Notable Navi scholar otach) 11. Behind, to the Hebrew 66. Half a kosher requirement Free Loan Society 68. Moses displays it when 12. Savage or Kingsley seeing the Golden Calf 13. Org. supported by Roger 70. It’s equal to 6 Waters 21. Three-time Red Auerbach 71. See 73-Across 72. Bob Iger’s “animated” Trophy recipient Popovich company, on the NYSE 23. Squirrel nosh 24. Pose, like many a sage 25. “Jewish” bread 26. Fan of Spock 27. River LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Phoenix, e.g. B E A S T G A L I L W A R 14 15 16 (sadly) A D I E U O S A M A I R A 17 18 19 28. Eli Roth kind N I S A N N I S S A N F A T 20 21 22 23 N A N U D E E D S E T H of film 24 25 26 27 L E N R E G A L 29. Blade or 28 29 30 31 32 33 L O U L O V E S L U L A V S Marc Roberge’s 34 35 36 D A N C E I S T O A M O K band 37 38 39 40 41 42 R L S A B O O U I U S E 30. Wilpon’s 43 44 45 46 47 48 O U S T M A R C S E S O S NLE team 49 50 51 T O F E E L A T E F I L A H 33. Give a 52 53 E S A L E U S S bound Torah 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 S L A S H P E N S S R S 62 63 64 65 66 some slack H O D K E E P A K I P P A H 67 68 69 37. Big Apple O G R E S O R A T E A N I 70 71 72 order S E N L O R D E N O M A D 69. Yishai’s son 73. Awful African ruler, with 71-Down 74. Mountains in Borat’s land 75. Home of the founder of Chabad 76. RKO’s ape 77. Brazil’s soccer legend 78. Priscilla’s husband

NOVEMBER 25 ▪ 2016

CLOSING THOUGHTS

NOVEMBER 25 â&#x2013;ª 2016