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INSIDE: CELEBRATE THE ARTS, PAGES 18-24 EXPOSED
CHAI TIME
Israeli dancers thrill the openingnight audience of a six-week festival. Page 20
‘DENIAL’
Ellen Filreis turns Jewish life into 18 assemblages of art in her new book. Page 21
The feature film of Deborah Lipstadt’s libel win is good, but reality is better. Page 24
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INSIDE Calendar �����������������������������������4 Candle Lighting ����������������������4 Israel News ������������������������������6 Opinion ���������������������������������� 10 Sukkot ������������������������������������ 13 Business ��������������������������������� 14 Food ���������������������������������������� 15 Simchas ����������������������������������25 Obituaries ������������������������������26 Marketplace ��������������������������28 Sports ��������������������������������������29 Crossword ������������������������������30
UNFORGETTABLE Mort and Edie Barr are Israelis now, but they won’t soon forget Atlanta. Page 8
UNDER THE STARS Every day of Sukkot you can find another event in another sukkah to celebrate the harvest festival. Page 13
FOOD NEWS Dreams of a schnitzel chain are fried, but kosher doughnuts are Sublime. Page 15
MR. PRESIDENT Sam Olens is poised to take over Kennesaw State, giving up any plans to run for governor in 2018. Page 16
VOL. XCI NO. 40
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OCTOBER 14, 2016 | 12 TISHREI 5777
Unity vs. Hurricane Matthew? ‘For Sure’ By R.M. Grossblatt Naftali Abramson, an Israeli singer who had flown with his family to Charleston to lead High Holiday services, found himself leading an outdoor community concert Saturday night, Oct. 8, joined by an Israeli cantor, Rabbi Meir Dorfman, who was supposed to be in Savannah. They and others who evacuated the coast to escape Hurricane Matthew found themselves singing and dancing 72 hours before Yom Kippur with members of Congregation Beth Jacob and Young Israel of Toco Hills at a unity kumzitz (outdoor gathering) in New Brittany. It was the highlight of a joint effort by the two Orthodox congregations to host Jews threatened by the hurricane. At 11 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, after Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Eli Lob, a teacher and director of NCSY in Savannah, called Beth Jacob Rabbi Ilan Feldman to ask whether the Atlanta community could help with a pending evacuation. “For sure,” Rabbi Feldman said. Rabbi Michael Davies of Congregation Dor Tikvah in Charleston called Rabbi Ariel and Michele Asa the next morning with the same request. “We had just hosted them in Charleston,” Rabbi Davies said. “For sure” was the response of over 90 families when Beth Jacob Executive Director Rabbi Yitzchok Tendler (along with Yonasan Gavant) and Young Israel Rabbi Adam Starr asked for hosts. Daniel and Rachel Wasserman hosted the Cohen family from Boca Raton, Fla., who came with a dog the Wassermans’ son fell in love with. Daniel Wasserman, who grew up in
Photos by R.M. Grossblatt
(From left) Rabbi Meir Dorfman of Israel via Savannah, Beth Jacob Rabbi Ilan Feldman, Young Israel Rabbi Adam Starr and Rabbi Michael Davies of Charleston dance up their own storm in response to Hurricane Matthew.
New Orleans, wasn’t there when Hurricane Katrina struck, but his parents and sister had to evacuate to Florida. He wanted to host during Matthew not just because his family had a similar experience, but also because it’s the way of the community to open homes here. Some evacuees with local ties arranged accommodations in Toco Hills, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. Traffic stopped others from reaching Atlanta. But those who arrived before Shabbat were welcomed with open arms. After Shabbat, the unity kumzitz was so powerful it threw Matthew back into the ocean. The outdoor concert was the idea of Jay Cinnamon, whose house guest was Abramson, an accomplished singer/musician who has produced several albums. Cinnamon proposed that the concert take place in the cul-de-sac on Parliament Point where he lives. “I thought he was crazy,” Rabbi Starr said, “but I went along with it.” The rabbi was glad he did, especially when all of the cantors who had led Rosh
Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael students join the kumzitz fun.
Hashanah services on the coast sang together. “All those voices from all those cities came together.” At the end of the kumzitz, which no one seemed to want to leave, Rabbi Starr shared a passage in Hebrew recited on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Translating in his own words, he said, “Allow us to make ourselves become one to serve You with a full heart, whether on LaVista Road or wherever we pray — in Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville, Miami. We are all one family, the House of Israel.” Speaking for the evacuees, Rabbi Davies said: “We were hoping for unity. It far exceeded our expectations.” ■