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Meet Hank Johnson’s Last Hurdle
Congressman Hank Johnson sparked outrage in Jewish Atlanta and beyond this summer when he told a pro-BDS crowd in Philadelphia that the growth of Jewish settlements in the West Bank was like the spread of termites. But the Democrat spoke long after Georgia’s primaries, meaning that voters in the 4th District, covering parts of DeKalb, Gwinnett, Rockdale and Newton counties, were left with one alternative to a sixth Johnson term: Republican Victor Armendariz, a lifelong resident of the district who has never held elective office. “I get asked all the time, ‘Victor, you’re Hispanic, and you’re running against a Democrat.’ No, I’m an American, and we can do better,” he said. “Yeah, I am of Mexican descent, but if it wasn’t for this great country, I wouldn’t be here.” His ancestry also has a twist, Armendariz revealed in an interview with the AJT: Through paternal great-grandparents, he is descended from Spanish Jews. “My father taught us basic knowledge of Judaism just because he felt we should know our heritage. And he always referred to it as my people or our people.” Read more about his optimism and his realism on Page 16. ■
SPECIAL SHABBAT
The Shabbos Project is bigger than ever, with 1,500 women expected to prepare challah together at the Cobb Galleria, a Toco Hills block party Kiddush and a Hasidic trio for a Havdalah concert. Page 10
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OCTOBER 28, 2016 | 26 TISHREI 5777
$2.1M Grant to Launch Teen Initiative Atlanta’s Jewish community has received a five-year, $2.1 million grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation to become one of 10 cities in the Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Funder Collaborative. The new Atlanta Jewish Teen Initiative, focused on high-schoolers, is the latest effort to boost Jewish teen education and engagement throughout the community. AJTI is a collaboration among the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, the Marcus Jewish Community Center and the Atlanta Rabbinical Association. “We see this initiative as a shining example of how key partners can have a bigger collective impact than any individual agency can have alone,” Federation CEO and President Eric Robbins said. The initiative centers on pathways that enable teens to experience areas of interest through a Jewish lens. The pathways will be developed in the coming months for the 2017-18 school year. Possibilities include a spring break performing arts program with Jewish content at the Alliance Theatre and a summer seminar with lawyers on how Jewish values inform social justice issues. AJTI will operate independently, but the Marcus JCC will provide the organization and the managerial support to create and deliver engaging programs and to track and evaluate participation. “This is an exciting opportunity for us to collaborate with other agencies to even more significantly engage the next generation of Jewish Atlantans in an innovative way,” JCC CEO Jared Powers said. ARA will contribute experts in Jewish education and will enlist rabbis and other educators to recruit teen participants, serve as mentors and provide development for teen professionals.
HOME AGAIN
Atlanta native Jane Weitzman is visiting from Connecticut to share her story of charitable giving and Jews helping Jews with Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy. Page 19
Beyond the teen initiative, Federation has convened a NextGen group of Atlanta professionals working with young Jewish adults the past two years. A meeting at Pita Grille on Friday, Oct. 14, drew (visible, clockwise from left front) Rabbi Karmi Ingber, Ryan Kaplan, Rabbi Sam Shabman, Stacie Graff, Jackie Nix, Shira Rothman, Julie Katz, Gabrielle Adler, Adam Kofinas, Rabbi Hillel Konigsburg, Nathan Brodsky, Marcus Brodzki, Leah Fuhr, Dina Fuchs-Beresin, Evan Alberhasky, Jamie Perry and Rachel Kosberg. Also there were Seth Schatten, Tommy Bledsoe and Daniel Sperling. Federation is holding its Super Sunday phone-a-thon Sunday, Oct. 30, at the Davis Academy.
Federation will lead the local fundraising to match the $2.1 million grant. A local funder will provide half the match. “We are very excited about the opportunity to create breakthrough avenues for teens to really connect Jewishly, to see that Judaism has something relevant to say about their life and their world, so they want to engage,” said Lori Kagan Schwarz, who co-chaired the AJTI steering committee with Temple Rabbi Peter Berg, the ARA’s vice president. Jewish Atlanta has attempted various communitywide projects to engage post-b’nai mitzvah teens, perhaps most recently with the short-lived Tribe 360 in 2008, but AJTI has more money behind it. The San Francisco-based Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Funder Collaborative is composed of 15 national and local funders, including the Marcus
Foundation and the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. The collaborative began in 2013 after the release of the Jim Joseph Foundation report “Effective Strategies for Educating and Engaging Jewish Teens.” “This unique collaboration of national and local funders is a model with great promise for advancing Jewish teen education and engagement,” said Sara Allen, the newly appointed first director of the collaborative. “The lessons learned here can inform others’ investments in Jewish life and even the broader philanthropic arena as we increasingly recognize that collaboration is a means to achieve large-scale social change.” The other participating communities are Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego and San Francisco. ■
INSIDE Calendar �����������������������������������4 Candle Lighting ����������������������4 Israel News ������������������������������6 Local News �������������������������������9 Opinion ���������������������������������� 12 Decision ’16 ���������������������������� 15
Home ������������������������������������� 20 Education �������������������������������22 Obituaries ������������������������������26 Marketplace ��������������������������28 Arts ������������������������������������������29 Crossword ������������������������������ 31
Chanukah ART CONTEST
We’re looking for a festive Chanukah illustration for the cover of the Atlanta Jewish Times’ Dec. 23 issue. If you’re age 15 or under, send us your Chanukah-themed artwork by Friday, Dec. 9.
Size: 9.5 inches wide by 6 inches high Materials: Anything that shows up bold and bright, such as crayons, markers or cut paper. We suggest taping your artwork to cardboard to protect it. Do not fold artwork. Digitally produced art is accepted. Artwork may be submitted as JPEG or PDF file at atlantajewishtimes.com. To enter: All work must be received at the Atlanta Jewish Times office, 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, Atlanta, GA 30328 ATTN: Art Contest, or submitted through the website. (One entry per child, please.) All work must have an entry form attached on the back or filled out online: Deadline is 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Artwork may be picked up in January at 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, Atlanta, GA 30328 during regular business hours. There are four age categories: 6 and under, 7 to 9, 10 to 12, and 13 to 15.
GRAND PRIZE $50 Gift certificate to Binders. Winner’s art may be the cover of the Dec. 23 AJT.
FIRST PRIZES $25 Gift certificate to Binders for each category (total of 4)
Awards: Contest winners will be honored at a reception at Binders Art Supplies. Artwork may be reprinted in the Atlanta Jewish Times, posted online and publicly displayed at Binders.
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PARENT’S NAMES ONE ENTRY PER CHILD, PLEASE 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, Atlanta, GA 30328 www.atlantajewishtimes.com For additional entry forms call 404-883-2130 or look in future issues of the Jewish Times.
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Embrace the Many Ways To Be One Jewish People unaffiliated Jews of all ages. Marching together, we feel the togetherness but don’t have to abandon who we are beyond our shared commitment to LGBTQ pride and rights. It is powerfully cool to be a Jew at Atlanta Pride.
Taking Root By Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder rabbiruth@gmail.com
This approach to Jewish peoplehood is not SOJOURN’s alone. I saw it in action at the AIPAC annual gathering as well. While the issue that brought people together was different — it was Israel — the vibe was the same. Democrats, Republicans and independents came together without giving up those identities and affiliations. Throughout the event people noted publicly and privately how remarkable it was to see this diversity gathered in one room and to feel our collective strength. This is Jewish peoplehood. Trying to unite all Jews as one is a lofty but unreasonable goal. Despite my lifelong commitment to Judaism, my being a Reform female rabbi puts me outside some of the definitions of Jewish. When we push a singular definition of Judaism, it inevitably means that many Jews will be outside the definition. The AIPAC and SOJOURN model of Jewish peoplehood is one that allows us to embrace the complex, multifaceted meanings of Jewishness, be they religious, political, cultural or other. This model allows for the greatest range of potential engagement and connection, even if it means we don’t all come together in the same place at the same time for the same issues, causes or events. Even when we do not agree on everything, we can find places of overlap, and through those connections we can build common ground. If we let go of the unattainable vision of a singular unity, then Jewish peoplehood emerges as it always has, from the messiness and richness of our collective diversity. And that is a nonslogan style of Jewish peoplehood I can get behind. ■
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The old slogan about Jewish peoplehood, “We Are One,” was pithy but limited. It overlooked the complex messiness of the many ways of being Jewish. But diversity and unity don’t have to be at odds with each other. I’ve lived my whole life with both, and I’ve seen them in action here in Atlanta. I am passionate about the Jewish people and about diversity. Every aspect of my childhood was infused with Jewishness. I grew up in a strong secularJewish home and attended Orthodox day schools. The often-opposing visions of Judaism and how it ought to be expressed meant that I never thought complete unity was possible. At home, kashrut was a ridiculous relic. At school, it was an essential element. Unified? Not by a long shot. In my Jewish travels, many have tried to sell me on a singular vision of Judaism. And at various points I tried limiting myself to such visions of Jewishness, but they never stuck. Having studied in Orthodox, Conservative and Reform institutions, having eaten at Ashkenazi as well as Sephardi Shabbat tables, I know that there is not only more than one way to be Jewish, but that each way of being Jewish has something to contribute while also having limitations. My own Jewishness comes together from experiencing variety. I also push back the temptation to walk away from the concept of Jewish peoplehood. Anyone who has been at a baseball game or a rock concert knows that being part of something big can lift us up beyond ourselves. We know this as Jews. We prefer to pray in a minyan. We have a special blessing for seeing a large gathering of Jews. Jewish peoplehood is powerful stuff. I felt it most recently when I marched with hundreds of other Jews as part of SOJOURN’s contingent at the Atlanta Pride parade. Atlanta Jews march as a Jewish whole at Pride, but we are not a singular group. There are queer and straight Jews. People come as individuals; others arrive with groups. Some synagogues stand out with branded T-shirts. Others have their own banners. There are Orthodox, Reform, Conservative and
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CALENDAR THURSDAY, OCT. 27
Camp open house. The Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, holds an open house for families to learn about Camp Barney Medintz from 7 to 8 p.m. on the first day of registration for new campers. Free; summer@ campbarney.org or 678-812-3844.
FRIDAY, OCT. 28
Comedy. “Old Jews Telling Jokes” opens at 7:30 p.m. at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre, 117 N. Park Square, Marietta, and continues at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. Tickets start at $39.95; www.playhouseinfo.com or 844-448-7469. Shabbat in Italy. Chabad of North Fulton, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta, holds an Italian dinner at 7 p.m. after services at 6. Admission is $25 for adults and $18 for kids 5 and older; admin@chabadnf.org or 770-410-9000.
SUNDAY, OCT. 30
Super Sunday. Federation’s key phonea-thon of the 100-day Community Campaign runs from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Davis Academy Lower School, 8105 Roberts Drive, Sandy Springs. Register for shifts at jewishatlanta.org/ event/super-sunday-7, or contact Joel Abramson at jabramson@jewishatlanta.org or 678-222-3718. Film screening. Congregation Or Hadash, 7460 Trowbridge Road, Sandy Springs, at 10:30 a.m. shows “Above and Beyond,” the story of the birth of the Israeli air force, along with congregants Elizabeth Appley and Sara Ghitis sharing personal stories about two of the heroes in the documentary. Free; RSVP to communication@or-hadash.org. Pet blessing. The Marcus JCC holds a blessing of the pets, along with a 2-mile walk, a vendor fair and entertainment, at noon at Brook Run Park, 4770 N. Peachtree Road, Dunwoody. Free; 678812-4161 or atlantajcc.org. Registration for the dog walk, to fight canine cancer,
CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES
Bereshit Friday, Oct. 28, light candles at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, Shabbat ends at 7:25 p.m. Noach Friday, Nov. 4, light candles at 6:23 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, Shabbat ends at 7:19 p.m. Buckhead. Tickets are $18, including one drink; jelf.org or 770-396-3080.
Camp open house. The Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, holds an open house about Camp Barney Medintz from 1 to 2 p.m. Free; summer@campbarney.org or 678-812-3844.
ADL reception. The Anti-Defamation League holds a dessert reception and its Community of Respect Briefing with The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg and The Wall Street Journal’s Bret Stephens at 7 p.m. at the St. Regis Hotel, 88 W. Paces Ferry Road, Buckhead. Attendance is open to donors of at least $100 to the annual campaign; contact Jacki Beres at jberes@adl.org or 404-262-3470.
Safe Harbor discussion. A panel of experts, including child sex trafficking survivor Dorsey Jones and state Rep. Andy Welch, addresses the importance of passing state constitutional Amendment 2, providing support for sex trafficking victims, at 2 p.m. at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., Buckhead. Free; www.facebook.com/events/1782780965337165. Interfaith pet blessing. Clergy individually bless pets at Marietta Square, 87 N. Park Square, at 2 p.m. Free; www.facebook.com/events/1120429471339832. Bearing witness. Holocaust survivor Tosia Schneider tells her story at 3:30 p.m. at the Norcross Cultural Arts and Community Center, 10 College St., Norcross. Free; www.gwinnettpl.org.
TUESDAY, NOV. 1
Israel and Black Lives Matter. David Bernstein, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, discusses the need for Jews to re-engage with the civil rights movement at 7 p.m. at the Selig Center, 1440 Spring St., Midtown. Free; info@jcrcatlanta.org.
THURSDAY, NOV. 3
JELF happy hour. The Jewish Educational Loan Fund gathers young adults at 6:30 p.m. at the Tesla showroom at Lenox Square, 3393 Peachtree Road,
10 years ago Oct. 27, 2006 ■ Chabad of Alpharetta has broken ground on the first Jewish facility in the new city of Johns Creek. A women’s mikvah and pool area on the part of the property that crosses the line from Alpharetta. Two concerns: Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz still must raise $100,000 of the $500,000 cost, and the transition from Fulton County to Johns Creek on Dec. 1 brings a new set of zoning regulations and officials. ■ Gregg and Linda Brenner of Atlanta announce the 4 birth of a son, Max Gideon, on April 24, 2006.
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
MONDAY, NOV. 7
is $20 for adults and/or a fundraising commitment; tinyurl.com/z89stno.
Remember When
AJT
Free; appointments at redcrossblood. org with the sponsor code “jwv.”
SATURDAY, NOV. 5
Cancer fundraiser. Ian’s Friends Foundation honors Bernie and Billi Marcus at its 2016 Evening of Inspiration at 6:30 p.m. at the InterContinental Buckhead, 3315 Peachtree Road. Tickets are $250; www.iansfriendsfoundation.com or 404-946-9000. Book Festival opening. Kenny Loggins talks with Mara Davis about his children’s book, “Footloose,” and performs several songs at 8:15 at the opening night of the 25th Book Festival of Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, which continues through Nov. 20. Tickets, including a copy of the book, are $28 for JCC members, $33 for others and $75 for VIP access; www. atlantajcc.org/bookfestival.
SUNDAY, NOV. 6
Blood drive. A citywide blood drive cosponsored by Jewish War Veterans Post 112 and intown synagogues takes place at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., Buckhead, from 9 a.m. to noon. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged.
Israel Bonds gala. Norman Radow receives the Star of David Award and Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon speaks at Israel Bonds Atlanta’s dinner at 6 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt, 3300 Peachtree Road, Buckhead. Tickets are $160 (people 35 and under may make a $100 bond investment instead); conta.cc/2dWMQQp or 404-857-1063.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9
JBC lunch edition. Bernie Marcus is the speaker at a lunch session of the Jewish Breakfast Club the day after Election Day at 11:30 a.m. at Greenberg Traurig, 3333 Piedmont Road, Suite 2500, Buckhead. Admission is $20 and is limited to AJT subscribers (atlantajewishtimes. com.subscription); registration is due by Nov. 4 at www.atlantajewishtimes. com/event/jbc-berniemarcus. AJC dinner. Georgia-Pacific CEO Jim Hanan receives the American Jewish Committee’s National Human Relations Award during a gala at 6 p.m. at the St. Regis Atlanta, 88 W. Paces Ferry Road, Buckhead. Tickets are $300; www.ajcatlanta.org.
THURSDAY, NOV. 10
Infertility support. The Jewish Fertility Foundation’s Wo/Men’s Infertility Support Havurah resumes monthly meetings with a kosher wine tasting at 6 p.m. at MACoM, 700-A Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs. Free; RSVP at www.jewishfertilityfoundation.org.
FRIDAY, NOV. 11
Veterans Day observance. The Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, and the Weinstein School hold a morning of songs and prayers to honor veterans of all faiths at 10 a.m. Free; rabbi.glusman@ atlantajcc.org or 678-812-4161.
Send items for the calendar to submissions@atljewishtimes.com. Find more events at atlantajewishtimes.com/events-calendar.
25 Years Ago Nov. 1, 1991 ■ Seventh-grader Elie Neufeld, son of Greenfield Hebrew Academy Principal Rabbi Jay Neufeld, got a souvenir the hard way at Game 4 of the World Series between the Braves and Twins: A ball hit by David Justice during batting practice struck Elie in the eye. After a quick visit to Georgia Baptist Hospital, the Neufelds were in their seats for the whole game (a win) and got a baseball signed by the whole team. ■ The bat mitzvah ceremony of Melissa Shea Bloom of Stone Mountain, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Myron Bloom, will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at The Temple.
50 Years Ago Oct. 28, 1966 ■ Israeli S.Y. Agnon’s designation as this year’s recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, along with Swedish-Jewish poet Nelly Sachs, represents much more than the formal recognition of the stature of his writing. It connotes the overdue, formal acceptance of an accumulation of renowned Hebrew and Yiddish literature, despite the difficulty in finding English translations of Agnon’s work. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harry Shulman of Atlanta announce the engagement of daughter Sandra Dee Shulman to James William Weinberg, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene A. Weinberg of Atlanta.
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ISRAEL NEWS
Israel Pride: Good News From Our Jewish Home Patent for innovation in oral treatment. Intec, based in Jerusalem, has received a European patent for its Accordion oral treatment delivery system. Designed to improve the efficacy and safety of any oral treatment, Accordion uses an efficient gastric retention and specific release mechanism. Intec has incorporated Accordion into its Parkinson’s, insomnia and gastric ulcer treatments.
A decade of IDF bone marrow donations. It has been 10 years since the Ezer Mizion bone marrow registration booth became an integral part of the Israel Defense Forces recruiting station. Since then, 1,100 IDF soldiers have donated stem cells to cancer patients worldwide.
An easier thyroid cancer test. RosettaGX Reveal, the thyroid cancer diagnostic test of Rosetta Genomics, which has offices in Rehovot, can now be performed from a sample on the ThinPrep slides popular with clinicians. Previously, the sample had to come from a thyroid fine needle aspirate biopsy.
An African-American in the IDF. Avi Rosenblum, 23, was born to AfricanAmerican Christian parents in the United States and adopted by Jewish parents in California. He was raised as a Jew, had a bar mitzvah and is now a lone soldier in the Israel Defense Forces. He was motivated to join the IDF by the legacy of a cousin, Yochanan Hilberg, an Israeli naval commando killed in Lebanon, and he hopes to join the same unit.
Dispelling myths about celiac disease. A team of Tel Aviv University researchers has analyzed the medical records of 10,000 Israeli teenagers with celiac disease. The findings show no evidence of clinicians’ belief that sufferers are likely to be underweight or below average height.
Indian troops “as good as the IDF.” The Israel Defense Forces are the standard for professionalism and valor. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in praising his country’s Special Forces paratroopers after operations against terrorists, said the Indian troops were as good as the IDF.
Pakistan Israel Alliance. Noor Dahri, a Pakistani Muslim Zionist, launched the Pakistan Israel Alliance at the Glasgow Friends of Israel Conference in Scotland. The PIA seeks to build bridges between Pakistanis and Israelis and between Muslims and Jews.
be the world’s smartest building. The 34,000-square-meter research-and-development center in Petah Tikvah will contain thousands of smart sensors to control security, lighting, climate, recycling, parking, presentations, restaurants and coffee for 2,500 employees.
Earthquake-proof desks for Taiwan. Israel has donated 117 tables that provide shelter during earthquakes to schools in Tainan, Taiwan, which was struck by an earthquake this year. The tables were designed by an Israeli student and his teacher at Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design.
Heat-resistant apricots. Scientists at the Rishon LeTzion-based Agricultural Research Organization (known as the Volcani Institute) have identified a genetic mechanism in apricots that controls temperature sensitivity. Starting with apricots, they are developing crops that thrive in temperatures where previously they couldn’t grow.
Israeli bees OK. While global honeybee populations have declined, Israeli bees are holding steady. Reasons include Israeli research into colony collapse disorder, a boost to bee immune systems, the development of nectar-rich plants, Israeli Honey Board support for beekeepers, the eradication of varroa mites and the planting of 100,000 seedlings to give bees a varied diet. The world’s smartest building. Intel Israel is building what it claims will
A giraffe ate my lulav. Melanie Lidman from the Times of Israel Lulav and Etrog African Delivery Service tried to take a selfie while holding the four species at the Giraffe Center near Nairobi, Kenya. As she was grinning, a giraffe deftly plucked out the myrtle and willow branches. Compiled courtesy of Only Good News From Israel, verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot. com and other sources.
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
UNESCO at It Again
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A week after the executive board of UNESCO approved a resolution that largely ignores Jewish and Christian ties to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall while accusing the “occupying power” Israel of restricting Muslim worship, another UNESCO body was expected to pass a resolution treating Judaism’s holiest site as only Muslim. The World Heritage Committee of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was scheduled to vote Wednesday, Oct. 25, on “Old City of Jerusalem and Its Walls,” which uses only “Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif” to refer to the Temple Mount and defines it strictly as “a Muslim holy site of worship.” Unlike the resolution passed by a different committee Oct. 13 and approved by the executive board Oct. 18, the new resolution excludes any acknowledgment of Jewish or Christian connections to the holy sites. The Times of Israel reported that Israeli diplomats hope to get such language added to the resolution before it is enacted. The resolution has two improvements over what passed earlier in October: It does not refer to Israel as “the occupying power,” and it does not put
quotation marks around Western Wall. UNESCO’s director-general has criticized both resolutions. In a letter to Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who cut off all cooperation with UNESCO in response to the first resolution, Irina Bokova promised to fight efforts to spread anti-Semitism or to delegitimize Israel, “including those drawing on partial or distorted visions of culture and history.” The first resolution received wide condemnation from Israeli leaders, Jewish leaders and Christian leaders. One popular response to emphasize that more than Jewish history was being ignored involved a rewrite of Mathew 21:12: “And Jesus went into the temple of G-d, Al-Aqsa Mosque/ Al-Haram Al-Sharif, and cast out all them that sold and bought in Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves.” The 21 nations voting on the new resolution are Finland, Poland, Portugal, Croatia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Peru, Cuba, Jamaica, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Angola and Tanzania. ■
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
ISRAEL NEWS
Terrorism Poses Persistent Global, Domestic Threat Terrorism expert Robbie Friedmann explained the threat of domestic and international terrorism to about 140 students at Senior University of Greater Atlanta on Wednesday, Oct. 19. Friedmann is a professor emeritus of criminal justice at Georgia State University and is the founding director of the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange, a frequent target of the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement because it brings together Israeli police with officers from the United States and other nations. Terrorism is defined as the use of violence to achieve political objectives. Friedmann gave an overview of events in the Middle East going back 100 years when the British and French established spheres of influence under the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916. They wanted then, and still need today, the oil from the region. Britain and France established states with artificial boundaries, such as Syria, Iraq and Jordan. Those countries now are embroiled in violence.
Robbie Friedmann is scheduled to appear at the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center with Jason Gewirtz, talking about Gewirtz’s “Israel’s Edge,” at noon Sunday, Nov. 20.
The Muslim Brotherhood began in Egypt and was a reaction in part to colonial activities but mostly idealized Islamic control. It remains active and is the forerunner of Al-Qaida, Hamas and Islamic State. The Syrian civil war to date has caused an estimated 600,000 deaths
and many more injuries, with millions of refugees fleeing to Jordan, Turkey and Europe. While the United Nations routinely condemns Israel, it has not intervened successfully in the brutal 5-year-old Syrian conflict. Outlining different kinds of terrorists, Friedmann drew a distinction between those who commit suicidal attacks and those who direct them. The latter have a political and religious agenda to spread Islam through radical means and to dominate the Western world, subduing Christians and Jews. Killing is used in the service of this cause and must be identified as such. Moderate Muslims must become more engaged in coping with the threat of the radicals, Friedmann said. He emphasized that the United States and other Western nations are not at war with the religion of Islam, but change and reform must emerge from within the Muslim community. Discussing an ongoing mass Muslim migration that began decades ago, Friedmann noted the changing demographics in Europe. There are 2 million Muslims in London, which has elected its first Muslim mayor, a London-born
son of Pakistani immigrants. Members of the second and third generations of immigrant families often are the ones who become terrorists, activated in mosques with radical imams or online by propaganda from magazines such as Inspire and Dabiq or by violent video recruitment messages. Many of those immigrants have traveled to fight in Syria and returned to Europe or the United States. Some of these terrorists are directed by others, and some are merely inspired and act on their own. Those lone-wolf attacks inspired by terrorist organizations are hard to prevent, Friedmann said. It is also not possible to vet people whose offspring may grow up to become radicalized. Hence, open borders endanger citizens of Western countries. It will take generations to deal with the threat and activities of jihadists. It is not productive to overreact or to be Islamophobic, Friedmann said. Rather, it is important to be watchful, and if you see something, say something to authorities. ■
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
By Gail K. Ripans
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ISRAEL NEWS
The Answer on Campus: Liberal Zionist Education In “Offense Not Defense” (Oct. 6), the Center for Israel Education’s Rich Walter explores the role of memory in Jewish tradition and challenges the way the community develops programs as aggressive and defensive forms of Israel advocacy created to oppose those who challenge Israel’s legitimacy, including many on the far left. “For all the emphasis placed on memory, Jewish educational settings do little to ground our students in Jewish history,” Walter writes. “This is especially true in teaching about Zionism and Israel.” This unfortunate truth is particularly painful for liberal Zionists, who come from a long tradition of education on the existential connection between Jews and Israel. From our youth movements, schools and years on kibbutzim or other dynamic parts of Israeli society, we build a base of knowledge and love for Israel that serve as sources of meaning for us and as clear explanations of why we, as liberals, should defend the Jewish state. When looking at campus organizing today, we share much of the dismay described by Walter. But we
also know that this diagnosis can be addressed by rooting Israel and Zionist education on campus in the proven lessons of liberal Zionism and thus developing stronger and deeper Israel
Guest Column By Shai Robkin
advocates for Israel’s next phase. What, specifically, should be done to re-establish liberal Zionist education on campuses? Promote campus education on Israel and liberalism, with a focus on programming by peer educators. Teach students about the many Zionist leaders who have been committed to progressive values, and demonstrate how engagement with Israel can be an expression of core social justice values. The topics covered should include the Israeli Declaration of Independence, classic progressive Zionist writings, Jewish settlement in pre-state Israel, and examples of cooperative relations between Jews and Arabs. Moreover, students should be
Beyond Jewish Schools By Rich Walter
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
In “Offense Not Defense” (Oct. 6), I wrote that Jewish educational organizations should rethink and prioritize Israel and Jewish history in their curricula. Global events, demographic trends and Jewish tradition necessitate that we emphasize teaching about Israeli to increase knowledge and combat anti-Israel and anti-Semitic efforts. This need is not confined to the Jewish community. UNESCO has passed a resolution denying a Jewish connection to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This highly political move highlights the need for accurate and effective Israel education across cultural and religious lines. Simultaneous to the UNESCO decision, Center for Israel Education President Ken Stein and I had the opportunity to represent CIE at the annual Georgia Council for the Social Studies conference in Athens on Oct. 13 and 14. In two sessions, one on the Arab-Israeli conflict and the other on the history of Israel, CIE provided valuable source 8 materials, themes and strategies for
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dealing with Israel and the conflict. Unlike our usual audiences, most of the more than 70 participants in our seminars at GCSS were non-Jews who educate non-Jewish students in public and private schools across the state. Georgia social studies standards incorporate Israel and the Middle East in some form in fifth and seventh grades and in high school courses on world geography and world history. The teachers who joined our sessions were eager to deepen their knowledge and access CIE resources, underscoring the need to expand Israel education efforts into non-Jewish communities. When it comes to Israel, the ArabIsraeli conflict and the Middle East, parents should be aware of what is taught and which sources are used. Ensuring that the teaching of Israel in public and private, religious and secular institutions is accurate and apolitical should lie at the center of efforts to combat delegitimizing campaigns like the UNESCO decision against Israel. ■ Rich Walter is CIE’s associate director for Israel education (www.israeled.org).
taught to explore the competing narratives of Israelis and Palestinians in a respectful and empathetic fashion. Showcase Israeli and Palestinian activists seeking peace, justice and reconciliation. These “activists in residence” will teach students, through deep discussion of their activism, about an alternative to conflict. At the same time, engagement with these activists will encourage progressive students to see Israelis as a source of inspiration and partners in a global movement for social justice. Provide a variety of opportunities for students who want to add experiential learning on today’s Israel. Americans, Israelis and Palestinians should work together for peace, justice and reconciliation. Activities would include direct action, educational exchanges, advocacy, and volunteering for Israeli and Palestinian social justice organizations, as well as other intensive social justice volunteering and educational programs in Israel. One excellent example is the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies (arava.org), which brings together Israeli Jews and Arabs, Palestinians, Jordanians, and others under the banner of “Nature Knows No Borders.”
Pro-Israel activism on campus succeeds only when it demonstrates that “progressive” and “pro-Israel” are not in conflict. This is the central vision of the educational programs developed by the Third Narrative (thirdnarrative.org): When it comes to this conflict, the truth resides in a gray area where advocates on either side typically don’t like to venture. To help negate the perceived contradiction between concern for Israel and progressive identity, the Third Narrative offers safe spaces to engage on issues of Israel and her Palestinian neighbors from a nuanced, “warts and all” perspective. Additionally, progressive education and engagement of Jewish and non-Jewish students help counteract growing hostility to Israel among millennials and communities of color. If we want to effectively confront the efforts of those who support boycott, divestment and sanctions and address the growing disinterest and antipathy toward Israel among young Jews, who will be making their marks on the world in the future one way or the other, we must speak in a language that speaks to them. Only the language of liberal Zionism can do that. ■
Today in Israeli History
Nov. 1, 1965: Elections are held for the sixth Knesset after a split between David Ben-Gurion, who resigned as prime minister in June 1963, and his chosen successor, Levi Eshkol. The Alignment, a merger of Mapai and Ahdut Ha’Avoda, wins 45 seats to keep Eshkol prime minister; Ben-Gurion’s breakaway Rafi wins 10 seats. Nov. 2, 1917: British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour sends a letter to Lord Rothschild, the head of the British Zionist Federation, declaring the British government’s support for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” Nov. 3, 1878: The city of Petah Tikvah (Gateway of Hope) is established by a group of religious Jews who want to leave Jerusalem to establish an agricultural moshav. They buy land near the Yarkon River from a Greek owner after failing to get Ottoman permission to purchase their preferred site near Jericho.
Items provided by the Center for Israel Education (www.israeled.org), where you can find more details. Oct. 28, 1910: Degania Alef is established by the Sea of Galilee as the first kibbutz in Israel by 10 men and two women known as the Hadera Commune. The idea for a communally operated agricultural settlement in the land of Israel had been part of Zionist ideology in some circles since the 19th century. Oct. 29, 1973: At the end of the Yom Kippur War, after several miscommunications, the first Egyptian-Israeli military talks between generals commence at 1 a.m. in Israeli-controlled territory 101 kilometers (63 miles) from Cairo. Oct. 30, 1991: The Soviet Union and the United States convene the Madrid Middle East peace conference, using a two-track approach for bilateral and multilateral talks. Oct. 31, 1917: As part of the British advance north toward Damascus during World War I, the Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade overtakes the Turkish defenders and captures Be’er Sheva.
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LOCAL NEWS
SOJOURN Is Celebrated Despite Sukkah Surprise A harsh wind blew Friday morning, Oct. 21, as approximately 50 Jewish community leaders and members of the LGBTQ+ community and their parents, allies and friends joined SOJOURN for breakfast and a program in the Congregation Shearith Israel sukkah. Shearith Israel Rabbi Ari Kaiman welcomed the crowd and spoke of the significance of meeting in the sukkah as the wind caused it to shake, creating a feeling of vulnerability and danger reminiscent of what the Jews experienced while wandering in the desert. He also talked about the word sojourn, meaning to dwell and to be. Congregation Bet Haverim Rabbi Joshua Lesser, founder of the Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity, spoke of the feeling of tikkun (healing) from being at Shearith, the synagogue of his youth, where he “experienced the joy of his Jewish identity and learning and living.” He said he couldn’t fully be who he was in that building as a child, “but now to be able to be whole in this mo-
Photos by Leah R. Harrison
SOJOURN President Leanne Rubenstein and Executive Director Rebecca Stapel-Wax welcome people to the Shearith Israel sukkah.
ment here is truly a blessing.” He said the sense of wholeness and repair is what SOJOURN helps to foster, creating communities where people and their families can be whole. As the group began an exercise to heighten sensitivity to issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community, SOJOURN President Leanne Rubenstein rose to acknowledge a sense of weatherinduced anxiety and asked the group to relocate to the Shearith social hall so no one would experience fear or a threat to personal safety. That move proved to be wise when the wind toppled the sukkah a few minutes later.
Inside, supportive parents told how SOJOURN had helped their families and enriched their lives. One mother said, “He threw this on me the day he left for college, and I didn’t have time to process it.” She added that she adores her son, and she is proud of him as he works to figure things out and move forward. The mother of a 16-year-old gay son said she is grateful for the support from the SOJOURN Parents Group, and she said that help is in line with Jewish values and universal rights. Others detailed the support in place at the Weber School and Davis Academy, where students are treated with dignity and provided a place to feel comfortable and safe. The event emphasized the importance of bringing the community together to provide a support system through SOJOURN, especially in relation to the high rate of suicide. Rubenstein said the suicide rate in the lesbian and gay community is four times the rate among the general population, and the rate among transgender people is eight times the general rate. One parent wrote a letter saying
The wind Oct. 21 leaves the Shearith Israel sukkah in a shambles.
SOJOURN Education Director Robbie Medwed works to keep copies of the new LGBTQ Guide to Jewish Atlanta from blowing away.
that “SOJOURN saved my child,” and Rubenstein added a reminder: “To have saved a life is to have saved the world.” All were asked to support the work SOJOURN does in the region and to help expand continuing education, as well as LGBTQ+ youth programming and leadership retreats. ■
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
By Leah R. Harrison lharrison@atljewishtimes.com
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LOCAL NEWS
1,500 Challahs Just the Start for Shabbos Project By Tova Norman
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
When Jill Mainzer’s family realized they had booked a trip to visit relatives during the Shabbos Project, they decided to reschedule their trip. “We’re definitely looking forward to it,” said Mainzer, who participated with the Atlanta Scholars Kollel and the Congregation Ariel community last year. She compared the weekend to a shabbaton: “There was just a very lively, festive atmosphere about the whole thing.” The Shabbos Project started in South Africa in 2013. Rabbi Warren Goldstein, the current chief rabbi of South Africa, asked South African Jews to observe Shabbat in the traditional sense for one week, all together, during Parshah Lech Lecha. Last year more than 900 cities in 85 countries participated. “It’s a global movement of uniting Jews around one Shabbos every year,” said Rabbi Netanel Friedman of the Atlanta Scholars Kollel. “When people heard about it all over the world, they said, ‘I want to try that.’ ” Native South Africans and current Atlantans Robyn Regenbaum of Ariel and Brian Gordon of Congregation Beth Tefillah brought the idea to their synagogues. “We saw the success there, and we thought, ‘Why could this not be successful here?’ ” Gordon said. “This is like a brand name that everyone would feel that they can relate to. … It took away the concept that you have to be observant to celebrate Shabbat.” The model for the weekend is the same in cities around the world. Begin Thursday night with a giant challah bake for women, observe Shabbat with the community and end the weekend with a Havdalah concert. While individual shuls have plans to celebrate Shabbat in their own way, the Great Big Challah Bake and the Havdalah concert, featuring the IsraeliAmerican band Simply Tsfat, are for the entire Atlanta Jewish community, with information and tickets available at atlanta.theshabbosprojectusa.org. The Saturday night concert will be at Atlanta Jewish Academy, 5200 Northland Drive, Sandy Springs Tickets are $15 and $10. Last year the challah bake had over 600 participants, packing the gym at the Marcus Jewish Community Center. This year Chabad of Georgia and the Jewish Women’s Connection of At10 lanta are joining forces in the hope of
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Photo by R.M. Grossblatt
Women packed the Marcus JCC for the 2015 Great Big Challah Bake. Organizers hope to more than double the attendance Nov. 10.
attracting more than 1,500 women. “People are excited that people are working together that usually don’t and that everyone is coming together,” said Dassie New of Chabad of Georgia. The collaboration is what the Shabbos Project is all about, said Regenbaum, who is chairing the challah bake event, as she has each year it has been in Atlanta. “To me, this is a community event,” she said, explaining that she hopes women from all Jewish backgrounds will attend and participate in the project in their own way. “I just want women to come be with all women from all walks of life — from the left to the middle and the right — and experience what it is like to make challah, what the meaning of making challah is, and take it home and maybe have a Friday night dinner.” The Great Big Challah Bake will take place at the Cobb Galleria at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, when women will gather to make their own loaves to take home and bake. Similar events will occur around the world that day. Tickets are $18. “For women, the thought of coming together in a room and knowing that everywhere in the world a lot of Jewish women in every city in every country are baking challah right now gives you a certain feeling of being unified not just with the Jewish women in Atlanta, but with every Jewish woman on the planet,” New said. While the dough rises, before it is braided, the women will hear about the power of the Jewish woman and the mitzvah of making challah. “That you’re unified through that mitzvah is very powerful,” New said. “Everyone is tapping into their Judaism through this mitzvah at that moment. The knowledge of that is what makes
women want to be there.” After participating the first year, Mainzer returned last year with her daughter because she had such a great experience. They are signed up for Nov. 10. “The knowledge that it’s going on all over the world and that you are all doing it together at the same time for the same reason, it just elevates the whole experience,” Mainzer said. Rabbi Friedman is coordinating Shabbos Project programing with Ariel as the home base. Ariel members are inviting guests to celebrate Shabbat with their community and kollel rabbis. The idea is that people who “don’t do it every week come and experience a traditional Shabbos once in a year,” Rabbi Friedman said, and the hope is that when they leave, “they feel united with Jews around the world in their Judaism and that they should feel connected to Shabbos in their life.” On Friday night, Nov. 11, kollel rabbis will have dinner at the homes of Ariel families with their guests. Options Saturday morning will include a traditional service, a learners service and group discussions led by kollel rabbis, followed by a community lunch. “People walked away really, really inspired,” Rabbi Friedman said of last year’s participants. “No matter what stage they are at in terms of their Jewish practice, I would really encourage people to give it a try,” Mainzer said. “The whole Ariel community makes it just really open and warm and fun and accessible. You just feel like you want to be part of it.” In Toco Hills, the community will come together in conjunction with the Shabbos Project with a block party (www.shabbatblockparty.com) — a free Shabbat Kiddush lunch served in
the Congregation Beth Jacob parking lot from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and open to the entire Jewish community. “It’s a public way for people to come together and celebrate Shabbos,” said Rabbi Yitzchok Tendler, the executive director at Beth Jacob, who is coordinating the event with the help of schools and shuls around Toco Hills. The block party lunch drew more than 500 people last year. The hope is that it will be bigger Nov. 12 and will encourage a sense of community among all Jews in the area. The Havdalah concert band, Simply Tsfat, will spend Shabbat in Toco Hills and participate in the party. While many block party attendees are already Shabbat-observant, Rabbi Tendler said he hopes participants will get a deeper sense of community based in the shared value of Shabbat. “We should focus on shared values as much as possible in order to increase cooperation and collaboration among various groups of Jews,” he said. At Beth Tefillah, the Shabbat celebration will feature award-winning speaker and author Kivi Bernhard, a community Friday night dinner (tickets are $30 for adults and $18 for ages 3 to 11) and Saturday lunch, and a variety of programs Shabbat morning and afternoon (bit.ly/2e33Tjs). Bernhard will speak at the Friday dinner and on Saturday morning from 10 to 11. Programming for children of all ages, focusing on the theme of the Shabbos Project, will be provided throughout the weekend. “We try to make it a very open event to anyone who is interested in attending,” Gordon said. “It’s aimed at really uniting us as a people and looking at our commonalities rather than our differences.” Chabad of Georgia Rabbi Isser New said the challah bake can be a beginning to Shabbat observance, either through an organized program or on your own. “Every single person can be a part of it at whatever level if this Shabbos you decide to take on any aspect of Shabbos, whatever it is,” he said. “It’s an energy in the entire world, and everybody has the opportunity to tap into it at whatever level.” Rabbi Friedman said he hopes the Shabbos Project will have a lasting impact on participants. “Hopefully, Shabbos becomes something people want to be involved in,” he said. “Shabbos should be the great unifier of the Jewish people.” ■
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LOCAL NEWS
Bet Haverim Celebrating 18 Years With Lesser Since becoming Congregation Bet Haverim’s spiritual leader in 1999, Joshua Lesser has made a mark on the Reconstructionist synagogue and beyond. Membership at Bet Haverim has risen 300 percent, and the congregation has become a model for inclusivity while ending decades of wandering through private houses and rented spaces by moving into its own building in Toco Hills in 2015. The synagogue’s religious school had fewer than 40 students in 1999; now it has more than 125. Meanwhile, Rabbi Lesser has been named one of the most influential rabbis in North America. Bet Haverim will honor Rabbi Lesser for his 18th year with the congregation and celebrate its 30th anniversary Wednesday, Nov. 2, with a reception at Gallery 874 in West Midtown. “I’m so happy to see that Bet Haverim will be celebrating both its 30th anniversary and their amazing rabbi’s 18th year,” said Glenda Minkin, the honorary event chair and a Bet Haverim associate member. “Rabbi
Photo by Leah R. Harrison
Rabbi Joshua Lesser, speaking Oct. 21 during a SOJOURN event at the synagogue where he grew up, Shearith Israel, will be honored by the congregation he leads, Bet Haverim, on Nov. 2.
Lesser has devoted his life and his work to welcoming all, to acknowledging all, especially those for whom other doors are closed. The continuing growth of Bet Haverim is a tribute to Rabbi Lesser’s open doors.” Rabbi Lesser helped Bet Haverim, founded in June 1986, transition from a synagogue primarily serving gay men and lesbians to one open to all Jews and their loved ones. Since 1999, many synagogues that
exclusively served the LGBTQ community across the nation have closed or merged with other synagogues. “I love that we’re celebrating our 30th year and my 18th year at the same time,” Rabbi Lesser said. “Because places like Bet Haverim existed, it gave me courage to take the steps to becoming a rabbi at a time when there were much fewer gay and lesbian people taking that risk. For me, what’s most meaningful is that I’m an Atlantan. Part of what I’ve hoped to do is not only to add to the well-being of a synagogue, but to the well-being of the city that nurtured me.” Rabbi Lesser grew up in Toco Hills, was a member of Congregation Shearith Israel, and attended Greenfield Hebrew Academy, Yeshiva Atlanta and Paideia. He was ordained in 1999 after studying at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, Pa., and returned to Atlanta that year. In 2001, he founded the Rainbow Center, which became SOJOURN: Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity. The organization received a Rainmaker Award in 2010.
He also served as a founding board member and the first Jewish president of the Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta and was co-chair of Georgians Against Discrimination. After a shooter killed 49 others at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub over the summer, Rabbi Lesser organized and led a “We Are Orlando” vigil at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights downtown. “As a congregant and a personal friend of Rabbi Josh, I am incredibly proud of what he has accomplished over the past 18 years,” said Shoshana Ben-Yoar, Bet Haverim’s president. “I think that his social action and commitment to our synagogue and social justice have greatly enriched all of our lives, and I’m superexcited to celebrate him. He’s an incredible person, community member and spiritual leader.” ■ What: L’Chaim, Bet Haverim’s celebration of Rabbi Joshua Lesser Where: Gallery 874, 874 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd., West Midtown When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2 Tickets: $118; www. congregationbethaverim.org/lchaim
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com
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OPINION
Our View
An Ugly Choice for President
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
The debates are over, early voting is underway, and the time to make a choice for president of the United States has arrived. For many people, the choice is a no-brainer, either because they believe so deeply in their candidate or, far more often, because they are so horrified by the other major-party candidate. We are among the many Americans despondent at deciding between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. But first we must address the other two candidates on the ballot: the Libertarian Party’s Gary Johnson and the Green Party’s Jill Stein. (We’ll skip the 17 registered write-in candidates whose votes will be counted.) We do not accept the argument that this is a binary election — that if you don’t vote for Clinton, you effectively are voting for Trump and vice versa. You are never wrong to vote your conscience, even if that means voting for a candidate who can’t win. To limit yourself to the two major-party candidates is to endorse a continuation of the system that gave us the two most disliked nominees in modern American political history. It would have been nice to consider endorsing Johnson. He has a successful record as an entrepreneurial businessman. He has eight years of executive political experience as a governor, albeit of lightly populated New Mexico. He has an experienced running mate in William Weld, a former governor and federal prosecutor. But even as he was trying to talk his way into the presidential debates, Johnson proved that he wasn’t ready for prime time with his ignorance of foreign affairs. The reality is that the Libertarian Party’s belief in global disengagement might be appealing after an extended period of war, but neither the United States nor the world could risk the resulting void. The epitaph on Johnson’s political tombstone will likely read “What’s Aleppo?” But the question for Stein is simply “What?” She rarely has made sense, which is a shame for a Jewish candidate (even one who professes to be a nonbeliever) who holds the soon-to-be-broken record for most votes received by a woman in a U.S. presidential general election. Aside from the many holes in her platform, her anti-Israel positions push 12 her beyond the pale.
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Cartoon by Daryl Cagle, CagleCartoons.com
The only justification for casting a vote for Stein is to protest the absence of climate change from the presidential debates. For most of us, the choice comes down to Trump or Clinton, and it’s a choice we hate. It’s also a choice that is more complicated than many people want it to be. Trump’s negatives include his lack of political experience, which has shown up in his poorly run campaign. (A presidential campaign is not just an effort to persuade Americans to vote for you; it’s also an extended dress rehearsal, lasting more than a third as long as a presidential term, to demonstrate the administrative and organizational competency and leadership necessary to serve as the nation’s chief executive.) He has been crude, rude and lewd with an alarming ignorance of the Constitution, public policy and foreign affairs. He has found ways to offend just about every group possible. He has turned serious policy concerns — illegal immigration, jihadist terrorism — into jokes with solutions ranging from irrational (building the wall) to unAmerican (barring Muslim immigrants and visitors based on their religion). He has misled voters about his history and about the records of his opponents every step of the campaign. He has been secretive about his business dealings and refused to release his tax returns. He has no ideology or commitment to coherent policies. He believes only in himself and his ability to make everything great. Which might be reassuring if he had a better record as
a businessman rather than someone who has used tax rules, bankruptcy laws and civil courts to the detriment of investors and vendors throughout his career. And his refusal to accept the legitimacy of the election outcome if he loses is unprecedented and dangerous. In other words, he’s a candidate who would have no chance against just about any Democrat other than Clinton, who is the epitome of a political establishment few Americans like or respect. Despite the claims of supporters who seem to be trying to convince themselves as well as others, Clinton is not the most qualified candidate in history. Her résumé of eight years as a junior senator and four years as secretary of state, backed up by a failed, secretive health reform effort during her eight years as first lady (a job we doubt would have been a presidential qualification for Nancy Reagan or Laura Bush) with no political CEO experience (mayor, governor, president), arguably made her the least qualified of the four major Democratic candidates this year. She is dismissive of those who disagree with her and just as resistant to apologizing for mistakes and attempting to change her ways as Trump. She is tone-deaf as a politician and seems lacking in empathy while carrying herself with an air of entitlement. She doesn’t seem to have any trouble stretching the truth or personalizing political fights. She hasn’t just stood by her man through his affairs and unwanted sexual advances over the years; she has trashed the other women. Despite her government experience, she doesn’t seem to have any
deep-set political beliefs other than her determination to be the first female president. And she can’t shake the stink of corruption, whether it’s turning $1,000 into $100,000 in cattle futures in her days as Arkansas first lady or managing in 15 years of post-White House life to rise from being broke to being worth well over $100 million even though she was in public service or running for president for all but two years of that time while Bill Clinton was supposedly selflessly running a foundation for global good at no salary. You might look at Donald Trump and see a monster: a racist, a misogynist, a bigot, a narcissist, a liar, a crook, even a fascist. You might view Hillary Clinton as a horror: an entitled egotist, an elitist, a narcissist, a liar, a crook, even a socialist. But please keep in mind that your friends and acquaintances choosing the other candidate aren’t voting for the terrible person you’re voting against. The people in Jewish Atlanta voting for Trump aren’t voting for the fascist bully feared by so many. They’re voting for the wheeler-dealer who has repeatedly bounced back from adversity to become more successful and more famous, who is known for a quality image, who says what he thinks and doesn’t play political games. And the people in Jewish Atlanta voting for Clinton aren’t voting for the lying crook despised by so many. They’re voting for the policy wonk, the experienced government leader, the woman who was a partner to a governor and a president and has bounced back from personal embarrassment and overcome a quarter-century of sustained efforts to take her down. To achieve the reconciliation this country will need beginning Nov. 9, we must accept that our fellow citizens, with few exceptions, are acting with the best of intentions for this nation. Regardless of how extreme we may see the contrast between the candidates, we must not dismiss their voters as fools or deplorables. In short, we must be better in all ways than the candidates the Republicans and Democrats have given us. Remember, this election is only for four years. As desperate as the situation may seem, as vital as this choice may feel, we won’t have to wait long to correct any mistake. ■
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OPINION
Beware the Target on the First Amendment ing in the way of restricting sales online or at gun shows, nor are the justices preventing broader use of background checks or an effort to define and ban “assault weapons.”
Editor’s Notebook By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com
Gun laws are a legislative problem, and there’s no sign of Congress or any state legislature enacting anything undermining the Second Amendment. Unfortunately, part of the Bill of Rights is in peril from both major-party candidates: some of our most fundamental rights in the First Amendment. Trump threatens the freedom of the press — particularly to those of us in the media who are Jewish. The Anti-Defamation League released a study Oct. 19 on anti-Semitic hate hurled at journalists on Twitter and found that more than 2.6 million tweets containing anti-Semitic language were sent between Aug. 1, 2015,
and July 31, 2016. Those tweets scrolled through Twitter users’ feeds an estimated 10 billion times in that year, contributing to the ugly normalization of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel extremism on social media. The real numbers are likely much worse because the ADL’s keyword methodology didn’t catch all the coded language and images. Out of 313 million Twitter accounts, the ADL focused on 50,000 journalists and found that they — actually, just 800 of them — received more than 19,000 of the anti-Semitic tweets, most originating from just 1,600 accounts. And most of those accounts either identified themselves as Trump supporters or were part of the alt-right movement, which Trump, intentionally or not, has unleashed. The 10 most targeted journalists, all of them Jewish, received 83 percent of the anti-Semitic tweets. All of that reflects the intimidation and incitement journalists could expect if Trump, who has expressed hatred for the press, is elected. Trump also offers a legal danger through his goal to overturn American
libel law to put the burden of proof on the defendant. As scary as Trump would be for freedom of the press, however, Clinton would be just as frightening for freedom of speech. It took her less than a minute at the third debate to attack the Citizens United decision, which at its core is not about the rights of corporations or the amount of money in elections but about freedom of political speech — the most fundamental form of free speech in a democratic system. Clinton is not alone in her dislike for Citizens United, but while most of those opponents are motivated by a belief in campaign finance reform, I suspect Clinton of wanting to rein in the First Amendment just as she wants “common-sense” limits on the Second Amendment. It’s too much to expect an actual advocate of open government to rise to the pinnacle of American politics, but I’m hopeful that a true believer in the First Amendment will emerge from the next generation of politicians. Ultimately, nothing is more important to America’s future. ■
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
Much has been made during the presidential campaign about the Second Amendment. Donald Trump presents himself as the National Rifle Association’s best friend and wants us to believe that Hillary Clinton aims to seize all our guns. Clinton wants us to see her as the hero of common sense, picking Supreme Court justices to protect us from guns, while she portrays Trump’s America the Wild West on full auto. It’s all nonsense. To judge from Clinton’s vow to pick justices who will represent the people and stand up to the powerful — which is the role of the Supreme Court only if you define “the powerful” as elected officials — you’d think that we’re just a liberal justice or two from preventing massacres like Sandy Hook, San Bernardino and Orlando. Two problems with that narrative: • No gun control measures proposed since Sandy Hook would have prevented any mass shooting. • The Supreme Court isn’t stand-
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OPINION
Advice From a Girl Who Wishes She Could Vote
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
What makes people decide to vote? I haven’t been able to get that question out of my mind since I joined my dad on a business trip to Europe this summer. In Berlin I had the pleasure of meeting two very different men who had one thing in common: Each chose not to vote on an important decision for his native country. One of the men was born and raised in London and moved to Israel 13 years ago. The Brexit vote had just occurred, and though he was still a British citizen, he said he didn’t vote because he didn’t feel that he should help make such an important decision for a country he loves but doesn’t live in. The other man is from New York but splits his time between the United States and Israel. He said he doesn’t plan to vote in the U.S. presidential election because he doesn’t live in New York full time and doesn’t care much for either candidate. Despite the differences between the man from London and the man from New York, they both felt that they shouldn’t contribute to a big decision regarding their homelands by using their privilege to vote. At 14, I am too young to vote in our national elections, but during every presidential election, my school gives us the opportunity to vote in a mock election. Everyone votes on the same day at different times, and the winner is announced at the end of the day. Four years ago, it was the ObamaRomney election. My sister and I both had dentist appointments the day of the election, and when we arrived at school, we were told that our classes had already voted. We had a choice: Vote or return to our classes so that we wouldn’t miss any more schoolwork. We debated whether it was worth it; after all, we were only two people. But we concluded that the presidential election comes around only every four years, so we were eager to vote. My sister and I both voted for Barack Obama and returned to class. At the end of that school day, the counts were released, and President Obama won by one vote. If my sister and I had passed up the opportunity to vote, Mitt Romney would have become 14 the presidential winner of our school.
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We were astonished by the news and couldn’t believe we had even questioned whether our vote counted. I remember this story every time I question whether my voice counts and whether every vote matters. One other thing this summer
Guest Column By Morgen Cohen
reminded me of is how every voice can make a difference. I was required to read three books this summer, and I chose “I Am Malala” for one of them. I learned that in countries like Pakistan, women are underprivileged and underappreciated. Pakistani women don’t have the right to vote (and because Pakistan is such a conflictfilled country, it is sometimes difficult for men to vote). If all those women could vote, I’m certain it would make a difference in how they are treated and whether their country would become freer and more inclusive. After finishing “I Am Malala,” I realize that the privilege we have in my country is something many countries don’t allow. Voting in Pakistan is a struggle; voting in the United States or England is a privilege open to all (once we reach a certain age). This makes me think back to the two men I met in Berlin and how they didn’t feel that they should contribute to big decisions. If you are given the special and, in some countries, rare opportunity to have a say in the future of your birthplace, why not seize it? I am too young to vote, but if I could, I wouldn’t think twice about it. Some decisions — like who will be the leader of a country or, in the example of England, the very future of a country — are too important to sit out. So here is a request from this 14-year-old girl who wishes she could vote: Even if you feel it’s not your place to contribute to a big decision, if you have the right to vote, please take advantage of it. Every decision matters, and every voice counts. Even mine. ■ Morgan Cohen is an eighth-grader at the Epstein School.
My Feminist Roots In third grade I was the new girl at my Reform Jewish day school. I was short and chubby and had bright, rosy cheeks. During my first prayer service I sat quietly and listened to the contemporary and exotic Reform melodies. I had gone to a Conservative school while learning most of the prayers, so when I heard a familiar tune, I joined in enthusiastically. Quickly, I realized I was making a fool of myself by singing the wrong words. I was singing “modah ani lefanaich” while everyone else sang “modeh ani lefanecha.” Modeh Ani is a prayer traditionally said while waking up to thank G-d for returning our souls to our bodies. My mother, a Reform rabbi, had always woken me up singing these words, but she had changed the male-oriented, traditional words (lefanecha) to the feminine (lefanaich), so that the praise came from a female and was received by a female G-d. At the time I was unaware of my thoughtful upbringing and confused as to why my version of Modeh Ani could not be found in the prayer book. My mother went to an Orthodox day school where Judaism and feminism did not coexist; in fact, feminism didn’t really exist at all. She was constantly pushing boundaries; as a fourth-grader she questioned why two of Jacob’s wives weren’t considered among the Jewish matriarchs. She continued to ask questions and challenge the status quo, and 25 years later, already a mother of two, she was ordained a rabbi. She wanted to give me all the opportunities that she had fought so hard for; from the get-go, she raised me as a Jewish feminist. For my bat mitzvah I was given my own set of beautiful tefillin (traditionally worn only by Jewish men). I also bought the perfect, sparkly white dress and got my hair done exactly like the magazine cutout I brought to the salon. My thick, curly hair was put through hours of manipulation. First it was cut, then blow-dried, then straightened, then curled again. The morning of my bat mitzvah, I was unwilling to put on the half of the tefillin meant to go on my head. They would not only negate the hours of work put into my locks, but also ruin my bat mitzvah photos and therefore
my life. There was no arguing with my 13-year-old logic, especially not 10 minutes before the service. I led services with only half the tefillin set on, satisfying my femininity while expressing my religious commitment. By the way, the photos are great. Now I’m a slightly more open-
Guest Column By Aliza Abusch-Magder
minded version of myself, but I still apply tefillin rosh (the part that goes on my head) begrudgingly, not wanting to mess up my hair. There are parts of my mother’s Jewish feminist identity I have adopted and made mine, applying them with praise and love. There are also parts that I have thoughtfully and generally politely rejected. My mother struggled her whole life to bring her love of Judaism and her expectation of gender equality together. I was raised on the foundation she worked tirelessly to build. In my first week of third grade and 10 minutes before my bat mitzvah, I was not particularly thankful for this foundation, but it’s something I’ve grown to appreciate and love. I grew up with a Jewish feminist path not only as an option, but as the only thing I knew. When I was sitting in that service in third grade, embarrassed that I was singing the “wrong” words, I had no idea it was because my mother was raising me as a Jewish feminist. When I pushed back against my mother, insisting that tefillin had to work with my sense of beauty, I did not know I was creating my own Jewish feminist identity. Now I know that this is such a blessing in my life. I was given a deep spiritual connection that wasn’t compromised by oppression, and I have embraced this identity. My mother struggled so that I could have this identity, and now I want to work to sustain it for future generations. ■ Aliza Abusch-Magder is a sophomore at the Weber School. This column first appeared on the website of the Jewish Women’s Archive, where she is writing a monthly post as a Rising Voices Fellow.
DECISION ’16
Our Mirror Moment If we were all to undertake Al Chet, the confessional prayer repeated several times on Yom Kippur, and confess the sins of our nation, some transgressions would be hard to ignore. Using the formulation of this ancient prayer, the sins for which we would seek pardon and atonement might include: • For the sin of failing to create
Guest Column By Seth Cohen
inclusive and safe communities for all our citizens. • For the sin of failing to provide excellent educational opportunities for all our children. • For the sin of turning a blind eye to the racial prejudice that pervades our society. • For the sin of focusing too greatly on imprisonment rather than empowerment. • For the sin of responding to those in need with apathy rather than with empathy. • For the sin of using faith to divide us, not unite us. Fortunately, elections provide these collective moments to take an important look in the mirror and acknowledge these harsh statements (and others that we might identify, depending on our perspectives and politics). Aside from the pounding of chests, there is a moment to make deeper, more heartfelt promises to do better in the year ahead on all these transgressions and many more. Rather than sit in front of a throne of divine judgment, in elections we serve as our own judge and jury, collectively choosing how we will inscribe our nation and ourselves in the books of life and history for the year ahead. Will we strive to do better? Will we commit to repairing our world? In this mirror moment of history, do we like what we see? And if not, how will we change? What personal responsibility will we take in effecting that change? One thing is certain: We won’t need to wait until next Yom Kippur to find out. ■ Seth Cohen is a senior director of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. This column first appeared online at The Times of Israel.
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
This month Jews around the world paused for reflection and atonement on Yom Kippur. I always value this day of introspection — to consider the wrongs I have wrought and the transgressions I intentionally and unintentionally committed and to ask for forgiveness as well as fortitude for the year ahead. It is, in many ways, a mirror moment that provides an opportunity to look at myself and ask those hard questions: Could I have done better? How? The answer is always yes, and the challenge of the how for the coming year is always redoubled. But this year, even while immersed in my personal penitence, it was hard not to think of where the United States is as a nation and what necessitates atonement on a personal and collective level. What have we done, individually and collectively, that has caused pain to others? What have we done that has fostered ill will and division within and among our communities? What words have we used that have caused shame or fear? What hardships of others have we turned away from, saying it is their issue, not our issue, and intentionally forfeited our responsibility to provide common cause? Aside from the pervasive, rancorous (and increasingly rancid) political gamesmanship, this election also seems like a solemn mirror moment for the American body politic. Confronted with a nation and a world filled with challenges and opportunities, both of which increasingly have disparate impacts on individuals and communities, we need to ask ourselves: Can we do better? Can we right the wrongs of our past by striving to be better in the future (in whatever ways “better” can be defined)? As with our personal lives, a national mirror moment requires looking long and hard at ourselves. It is not merely about the decisions and actions of the past year. It is about the decisions and actions of the past that predicated this year and created the foundation of our failings as well as our successes (and sometimes, paradoxically, both at the same time). As an individual, sometimes the consequences of our actions can appear quite linear and deductive; in terms of national policy and wellbeing, they are rarely that simple.
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DECISION ’16
Armendariz Optimistic Election Will Be Interesting By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
Two of the world’s biggest soccer rivals are Barcelona, led by Lionel Messi, and Real Madrid, led by Cristiano Ronaldo. Those teams have battled for dominance in Europe as well as Spain while fans have argued over which star striker is the best player in the world. Victor Armendariz, who plays soccer for the Atlanta Silverbacks, loves both Spanish teams. It’s the kind of unexpected, compromise position that typifies Ar mendariz’s long-shot campaign to unseat five-term Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson in the 4th District. He’s an athlete who thinks he stays young by playing sports even though he struggles to top 5-foot-2. He’s a soccer player who fell in love with hockey (he’s still heartbroken the Thrashers left) while watching a cousin play in Mexico, then at age 16 picked up the street version, which he sees as soccer with sticks and inline skates. He’s the son of a Mexican immigrant and is a Republican who is concerned about illegal immigration but wants a solution that doesn’t involve deporting 11 million people. Armendariz’s father came to Georgia on a student visa and stayed after he met and fell in love with Armendariz’s mother, producing a marriage that has lasted more than 50 years. He was born and raised in DeKalb County and lives in Chamblee. Noting that his father didn’t know English when he arrived and had to work jobs washing dishes, busing tables and cleaning hospital beds but retired as a company’s chief financial officer, Armendariz said, “I grew up watching the American dream.” The only child he and wife Renata have is the four-legged kind, a Korean Jindo dog named Duchess, but Ar mendariz has two sisters who live in the area and a brother in Orlando. When he was 5, he lost a 7-yearold brother to leukemia, which added to his trouble in 2010 when he learned that the pain he’d been feeling in his lower abdomen was caused by a cancerous tumor that had grown like a tree into his upper abdomen and metastasized behind his stomach. He said the hardest part was telling his parents. “When I got diagnosed, I waited 24 hours before I told my parents, and if I could have gotten away 16 with not telling them, I would have. But
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“It’s no secret the GOP is not totally on board with my candidacy,” Victor Armendariz says, “and the reason is that they don’t think Hank’s going to lose.”
the wrath from them would have been worse.” Even for a naturally optimistic person like Armendariz, cancer brought some dark moments, but he recovered and has been free of the disease for almost five years. “It gives you faith, I think, and faith in people,” Armendariz said. He has a marketing degree from Georgia State University and recently left a 16-year position as director of media for an Atlanta company so he could concentrate on his campaign, which has taken him to every part of the four-county district so he could talk with voters, something he said Johnson rarely does. Armendariz spent two hours with the AJT on his 47th birthday Sept. 28 at an Oak Grove pizza place to share his story of how an immigrant’s son hopes to make his way to Congress. This is his second bid to unseat Johnson. In 2010, he was the fourth and last Republican to qualify for the primary. Having become involved with the FairTax movement, an effort to replace the federal income tax with a national sales tax to target consumption instead of production, Armendariz was frustrated that no one else was talking about taxes. He said he surprised himself by not finishing last. He also took note that Johnson, facing a couple of Democratic primary challengers as well as
the Republican hopefuls, didn’t attend any debates. To Armendariz, Johnson is typical of career politicians: making the same promises every couple of years, then disappearing and failing to deliver until it’s time to run for re-election. That’s not how the nation’s founders envisioned the system, he said. “We’ve gotten to where we just let people go, and it’s both sides, it’s Democrats and Republicans. We get people who are just way too comfortable in their Washington lives.” Residents of the 4th District, whose unemployment rate is about 16 percent, hardly see their congressman because, since unseating Cynthia McKinney with the support of a Jewish community angry at her anti-Israel and anti-Semitic comments, he hasn’t felt challenged, Armendariz said. “One of the things I’m promising every voter in District 4 that I come in contact with is that if you give me the honor of representing you, even if it’s for one term, every month we’ll have a town hall. Because if you can’t reach and touch your representative, then how are they representing you?” Armendariz said he chose to run for Congress instead of local government because he can effect the biggest change in Washington, in part by helping shift power back to the state. Just electing a Republican Mexican-American from the 4th District would cause shockwaves at the U.S. Capitol, he said.
“It’s about sending a message and how we can make a difference,” he said. His decision to try again against Johnson predated the congressman’s offensive appearance before a group supporting the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement at the start of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July. But “I became a lot more known really quickly when he made that comment” about termites, Armendariz said. He mentioned an elderly Jewish woman who volunteered to take his campaign cards around the neighborhood and the warm reception he received from a longtime Democrat at a networking event at Congregation Beth Shalom. “That in a weird way is the kind of gift Mr. Johnson gave me to get my name out there.” He said he likes Johnson personally, but voters should judge the congressman by his actions, not by his later apologies. “It wasn’t mis-scheduling that put him in front of that anti-Israel group,” Armendariz said. “He felt comfortable going there.” He said it is important for the United States to stand with Israel and against violence, although everything should be on the table for negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. But even if the pro-Israel vote moves from Johnson to him, the optimistic Armendariz is under no illusions about the odds against a little-known Republican defeating an entrenched Democrat in Georgia’s 4th District. “I don’t kid myself. It’s a long, hard road,” he said, adding that he does expect a close race and that he’ll be happy if he can get more voters to talk about a tax overhaul and more to think about people and policies rather than party labels. His campaign depends in part on voters caring as little about those labels as Armendariz claims to. His policy positions don’t align perfectly with the GOP platform, and he’s no one’s vision of a conservative ideologue. No Republican has ever campaigned so hard in Democratic parts of the 4th District, he said, excited about the “wonderful conversations” he has had outside a Sam’s Club in Lithonia and a Golden Corral in Decatur. In addition to the economy, he said voters told him their concerns are education — he would like to shut down the Education Department and push all the money and decisions back to the state and local levels — and the
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high arrest rate for black youths — he envisions an expansion of community policing and the development of more activities for teens. “I have been very humbled by the number of people who have said to me, ‘Victor, I have never voted for a Republican before, but I have never met one like you.’ … We’ll see what happens, but hopefully some good will come of it,” Armendariz said. He said he began to turn to the Republican Party in college when he was repelled by the aggressive attitudes of students promoting progressive causes. After college, he didn’t appreciate assumptions that he was a Democrat just because of his ethnicity. The Republicans he met were more open to discussion and didn’t seem to mind if he rejected some policies while accepting others. He still didn’t consider himself a Democrat or Republican until the issue of a better tax system led him to the Republicans. “If you truly cared about people, then you would get down to the nuts and bolts of what would really help people,” he said. “You help people by helping the economy, getting things out of the way. It pushed me away from the progressive side because I think government just gets in the way.”
Taxes are the dominant message in his campaign, and Armendariz said that if he’s elected, he’ll talk about the switch to a tax on consumption every day in Washington. “A consumption tax takes people at poverty level or lower off the tax rolls,” he said, adding that money leads to power. “The IRS is the most powerful agency, and it shouldn’t be.” He added, “A consumption tax would be biggest transfer of power from the federal government to the people.” The tax proposals of presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and not their party affiliations, personalities or other policies are decisive in his choice to vote for Trump, despite his less-than-flattering depiction of Mexican immigrants. With three branches of government, Armendariz said, he’s confident that Trump’s excesses would be reined in. “You vote where your heart tells you for president, but the president is a figurehead. You can’t pick up the phone and call the president,” Armendariz said. He said that fixing taxes would correct many of the nation’s problems, including illegal immigration, because
the economy would grow and offer more good jobs and more mobility. “We have a lot of illegals here that are hardworking people,” Armendariz said. “Now I don’t think Americans have a problem with hardworking illegals here and coming up with a workers’ permit plan, which is something I would propose if I made it to Congress, to deal with the ones who are here. Now that’s not counting the ones who are committing crimes here.” His optimism extends to the immigration debate. He said he believes that even people who voice adamant opposition to amnesty and insist on rounding up and deporting illegal immigrants would go along with a plan that allowed the noncriminal immigrants to stay and become productive, recognized members of society — as long as the first step is to seal the border against further illegal entry. “To me, immigration is also a security issue. Look what Israel puts up with on a constant basis,” with bombings, rockets and other terrorist attacks, Armendariz said. “We don’t want that here. … We have to protect the homeland.” He said it’s not feasible or humane to deport more than 11 million people.
He also said that once the border is secure and immigrants are out of hiding, he could see talk turning to a path to citizenship, but he denies that should be considered amnesty. The hard-liners will come around, he said, because “Americans inherently want to help people.” Not everything is a surprise with Armendariz, however. Asked to choose between Messi and Ronaldo, he gave the edge to Messi, who like him is an undersized striker who can drop into the central midfield to create opportunities for his teammates. “I think Messi is a little bit more humble on the field in his demeanor, and sometimes Ronaldo can get a little too into himself,” Armendariz said. He’ll have to wait until Tuesday, Nov. 8, to see whether voters give him a similar edge over Johnson. “When people ask me why I am wasting my time, well, I am all of 5-foot2 if I’m wearing the right shoes, and I’ve been told all my life that ‘Oh, you can’t ride that bike’ or ‘You can’t this.’ If I’d listened to them, I would have had a pretty rough life,” Armendariz said. “So I believe in the American spirit. If you see a problem, set your mind to it and see if you can make a difference. And that’s what I’m doing.” ■
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
DECISION ’16
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OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
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LOCAL NEWS
Jews Urged to Rejoin Fight for Civil Rights By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com David Bernstein understands the shock and anger in the Jewish community after the Movement for Black Lives blasted Israel in an extensive policy platform released this summer, but he disagrees with those, such as Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, who want to disavow Black Lives Matter until it reverses course. Instead, Bernstein, who became the president and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs in January, said in a column this month for New York Jewish Week and in an interview with the AJT, that the platform proves it is time for the Jewish community to re-engage in the civil rights movement. The platform “brought home our detachment from people and causes we were once a part of. We’re going to pay a price for that,” said Bernstein, who will talk about Black Lives Matter and Jewish involvement in the new civil rights movement in Atlanta on Tuesday, Nov. 1. He said the Jewish community must re-engage in social movements such as “civil rights 2.0” and the fight for criminal justice reform to “help make America a better place and help shape the movement moving forward on issues that we care about.” Bernstein acknowledged that it can be tough for the Jewish community to connect with a new set of black leaders in those movements, but “if you search, you will find; that’s my experience. When you go to the table and build your own coalitions, you find the partners to work with.” The former head of the David Project, a campus Israel advocacy organization, is making his first visit to Atlanta since assuming the leadership of JCPA, which is the national umbrella for local Jewish community relations councils. “When I travel the country … I’m always on the hunt for amazing ideas, and I see them in almost every community I go to,” Bernstein said. “So my job and the job of our team is to identify those ideas, develop them into models, raise money around them and try to scale them up around the country.” The basic philosophy of community relations has proved itself over seven decades as an effective way to support Israel and the Jewish community and can be the most effective antidote to the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and
sanctions movement, Bernstein said. “The Jewish community is forced to look outward as well as inward and to reassess our relationships with partners and potential David Bernstein partners in our communities,” he said. Bernstein is trying to tighten the focus of JCPA, which is working on a strategic plan built on providing more support to JCRCs, such as staff training and sharing of ideas; advocating nationally on fewer issues, including civil rights and Israel 50 years after the SixDay War; and pushing for Jewish Federations to restore funding for JCRCs. “The conditions that existed when most Federations cut back on JCRCs are no longer the same. We’re facing delegitimization of Israel,” he said. Under recession pressures, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta was the first Federation to cut all funding to its local JCRC, and Bernstein said he plans to meet with Federation officials about changing that situation. His visit also will include a meeting with supporters of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta and an invitation-only workshop on civility in discussions about Israel. “If the Jewish community can’t be civil with each other, it’s hard to be civil with the outside world,” Bernstein said. “Too often, shrill voices on Israel make it impossible to talk to each other and wrestle with their own perspective. That shrill tone can really turn off younger Jews in particular and make us weaker, not stronger, on Israel.” An Israel advocate since his days at Ohio State in the late 1980s, Bernstein said it’s important to embrace the complexity of Israel’s position in the Middle East. “There’s a right way to talk to Jews and non-Jews about Israel. It doesn’t work to promote a simplistic narrative when talking to young Jews, and it doesn’t work to promote a simplistic narrative to non-Jews.” ■ Who: JCPA CEO David Bernstein What: Black Lives Matter discussion Where: Selig Center, 1440 Spring St., Midtown When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1 Cost: Free; RSVP to info@jcrcatlanta.org
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LOCAL NEWS
Atlanta Native Returns With Charitable Lessons By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com
Retired businesswoman Jane Weitzman spends much of her time and money supporting a range of charitable causes, but nothing is more important to her than helping Jews in need. “I believe we’re responsible for our fellow Jews,” Weitzman said in a phone interview from her home in Greenwich, Conn. “Over the centuries Jews have taken care of each other, and I believe that’s why we survived.” Weitzman, who grew up in Northeast Atlanta, attended Ahavath Achim Synagogue and graduated from Emory with a degree in humanities, is returning to her hometown for a few days in mid-November for “The Sole of Philanthropy,” the Women’s Philanthropy Fall Event for the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. “Federation is very important to me,” she said. “The causes the Federation gives to are very important to me,” such as the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Weitzman serves on the JDC board because the organiza-
tion provides critical, often life-saving aid to Jews overseas. This year she established the Fellowship for Global Leaders with the JDC Jane Weitzman and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Under the program, 15 Reform rabbinical, cantorial and education students will study a special curriculum and visit the 70 countries where the JDC operates over the next five years. Weitzman, who built the retail side of the business for her shoe designer husband, Stuart Weitzman, retired after the Jones Group bought the company in 2012. While her husband continues to work for the global brand, she has traveled extensively to talk about philanthropy. Women’s philanthropy organizations particularly appeal to Weitzman because, she said, “women are the ones who make things happen.” For example, they can help teach b’nai mitzvah students about the value of mitzvah projects that benefit fellow Jews.
Her presentation in Atlanta, where she still has family and where she visits every year or two, will focus on the importance of philanthropy, particularly Jewish philanthropy. Beyond Jewish Federations and the JDC, Weitzman’s charitable causes include organizations fighting breast and ovarian cancer — she lost her mother to breast cancer — and the trust board of Boston Children’s Hospital. She also is on the board of 70 Faces Media, the parent company of the Jewish news wire service JTA, of which she has been a longtime supporter. Weitzman said it’s important to have a Jewish wire service to provide a balanced view of Israel and distribute Jewish stories that no one outside the Jewish press writes. The timing of her Atlanta visit also
could prove lucky: A big fan of Southern writers such as William Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor and a former buyer for a bookstore in Boston, Weitzman is the president of the Jewish Book Council, and she’ll be in Atlanta during the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center. She said she hopes her schedule allows her to catch an event or two. “I’ve loved to read my whole life,” she said, adding that she reads at least a book a week. “It’s a passion of mine, and I’m thrilled to be able to help promote the reading of Jewish books.” The Jewish Book Council fits with her vision of Jews helping Jews. Weitzman said books provide a Jewish link to the many Jews who lack formal community affiliation. “Our culture becomes even more important.” ■
What: Federation Women’s Philanthropy Fall Event Who: Jane Weitzman Where: Spring Hall, 7130 Buford Highway, Doraville When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 Tickets: $72 ($54 for women 36 and under); open to women who contribute at least $365 as individuals or $730 as households to the 2017 Community Campaign RSVP: By Nov. 1 to JewishAtlanta.org/WPfallevent, dpenza@jewishatlanta.org or 678-222-3702 (Dakota Penza)
NOVEMBER 19, 2016 • 7:30PM
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OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
A Special Celebration Honoring Bobby Harris’ 25 Years as URJ Camp Coleman Director
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Star Collector Spans Globe and Decades Joyce Lowenstein is one of the doyennes of Atlanta’s art and antiques scene, and sometimes behind the scenes. A spry 90, Joyce is anticipating walking across the stage to receive her degree in art history from Georgia State in 2017. One of the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center’s long-standing vendors at the Ainsworth-Noah showroom, Lowenstein has filled her Midtown condo with important, colorful and varied art that tells stories of her travels to England, France, Italy, Hungary, Argentina, South Africa, Israel, New England and Miami, along with some important folk art bought locally. Her flat is polished, livable, tactile and certainly not static.
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Jaffe: You have the eye for selecting fine art. Lowenstein: I know what I like. Things that are diverse. I am attracted to new concepts and willing to look at anything. My accountant says I should be done with collecting, but you know how that is. For the business, I bought mostly antique furniture, accessories and art from the 1800s through the early 1900s. But for myself, I chose primarily pieces from the art deco and art nouveau periods. And I also love contemporary art. On buying trips, I scoured the countryside and cities, chose and paid for pieces that my shipper would later pick up for my container to Atlanta. Sometimes I was already home and thought about objects I had not bought but wanted. I would then buy them over the phone, and they always made it onto the ship. Jaffe: Was your family artistic? Lowenstein: My mother was born in 1896 in Fremont, Neb., and young ladies of that day learned how to do fine things like play piano and paint. The tall vase in the Japanese aesthetic style and the elk mug were hand-painted by my mother, so they are sentimental treasures. More recently, my daughter, Penny Preville, is a designer of fine jewelry in New York, and my cousin in Tampa, Peter Stilton, is a well-known artist. He did my painting “Piano on Wheels.”
Jaffe: And you painted this wonderful pear still life. How did you get started? 20 Lowenstein: I started at age 19
AJT
by buying antique books in markets. Years later, I became an interior designer and owned an antique shop in Great Neck, N.Y. After my late husband, Larry, and I moved to Atlanta, I made buying trips to England for the ADAC showroom — at first just what I could fit in my luggage, and later large shipments in containers from all over.
Chai-Style Homes By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com
It has been a wonderful experience, looking back. It’s all about the people I met along the way. Through the years, the dealers and collectors I met while on buying trips became close friends, and I’ve visited their homes, and some have come here. One of my favorite trips was to visit Keith Skeel, an antique dealer in London and New York, at his home, Villa Libert, northeast of Cape Town, South Africa. Jaffe: You use the word “diverse.” Examples? Lowenstein: The pale pink calla lilies by Andy Warhol I found in an art store basement. The whimsical, reversible metal cat from contemporary Israeli artist David Gerstein I found while visiting my daughter and grandchildren in Jerusalem. The original Picasso poster in the foyer was a gift. The photograph of the staircase is André Kertész’s “Ches Mondrian.” The life-size bronze of the young girl is by the late English sculptor Judith Holmes Drewry, which I bought in London. The “window frame” folk art painting is by Mary Klein. The graceful Puiforcat tea set I just fell in love with, and also love the colorful striped English Carlton ware china from the 1920s and ’30s. The picture over the buffet is by Hungarian modernist Hugo Scheiber, which I purchased from friend and Atlanta designer Bill Stewart. The Sonia Delaunay lithograph in the dining room was bought in the south of France on our 20th wedding anniversary. The funky glass peanut container is from my antique shop in Great Neck. Definitely a mixture of styles and periods. Jaffe: You have designed for some important clients. Any good stories
A
B come to mind? Lowenstein: I was redecorating offices for the Emory theology department and had purchased Robert Motherwell’s “Paris Suite” from the publisher. But the budget was hit, and they were unable to buy them. The lithographs remained forgotten in their original box under my bed for years. Now, they happily grace my living room walls. Jaffe: You possess the vision to be creative and forward-thinking. Lowenstein: I just like everything. For example, the silver-leafed buffet in the dining room with the fun man and woman legs was designed by John Oetgen after I had seen a buffet of an unusual design in a magazine that cost $50,000. Everyone is intrigued by the 19th century Spelter Orientalist period sculpture by Louis Hottot. Robed and turbaned, the reclining woman becomes an elegant nude when undressed. A great conversation piece at parties! I bought it in an antique shop
in England (painted white), so I had it restored here to what I thought were the original colors. Jaffe: What advice would you give to younger folks about building a collection? Lowenstein: Have a discussion with the artist and see if you can negotiate and/or buy on time. Some of my pieces, I sent the artist a small check every month. Jaffe: Why now take the time out to get a degree? Lowenstein: I want to satisfy only myself (laughing), but I didn’t know it would be this difficult. Around World War II, I got married and reared a family. Then I ran three businesses. Who had the time? This week I have a field trip. Jaffe: I already have my outfit selected to cheer as you walk across the graduation stage. Joyce, you prove that it’s never too late. ■
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Photo by Marcia Caller Jaffe
Joyce Lowenstein restored the white 19th century Spelter orientalist sculpture by Louis Hottot, which becomes an elegant nude when the heavy dress and turban are removed. “It’s a great conversation piece,” she says.
C
D
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H
I Photos by Laurie Sermos
A: Joyce Lowenstein’s den includes a glass peanut bowl (far left) from her antique shop in Great Neck, N.Y.; a Miro (top left) from the “Osaka” series with pink tones instead of his traditional primary colors; Janet Munro’s folk painting (lower left) of a dream, inspired by Salvador Dali; “Pears” (center), Lowenstein’s own oil creation; an Andy Warhol lithograph (right) from “Floral Suite,” which she found
in an art store basement while having tea in New York; and a work by David Hockney (far right), her favorite artist, whose work reminds her of her hometown, Miami. B: Colorful reversible metal felines are by Israeli artist David Gerstein in the manner of Botero (left) and Van Gogh (which reverses to Brach). C: Joyce Lowenstein relaxes by one of her favorite paintings, found in London, which she says “reminded me of Popeye and Olive Oyl.” Elements of Robert Motherwell’s “Paris Suite” are on both sides of the large painting, while a red glass Daum bowl called “Phedre” sits on the glass coffee table. D: Joyce Lowenstein stands with “Nanny,” a bronze statue by Judith Holmes Drewry cast in the artist’s own British foundry. Lowenstein found this piece in a London apartment she rented on a buying trip. E: Lucite shelves house work created by Joyce Lowenstein’s mother and sister, as well as Daum glass. Puiforcat tea service sits on the table. F: The art on the dining room wall is (from left) Sonia Delaunay, Anne Vacarro, and (top) an oil from Buenos Aires and a charming piece Joyce Lowenstein picked up at a shop across from the Louvre in Paris. G: The silver-leafed buffet with whimsical man and woman legs is the design of Atlantan John Oetgen. The painting is by Hungarian modernist Hugo Scheiber and was purchased from one of Atlanta’s top designers, Bill Stewart. H: In the background is a windowpane painting by Mary Klein above Carlton Ware pottery. In the foreground, an African wood statue stands in front of a painting by Franz Kleinholz. I: A signed Picasso poster crowns the entrance foyer.
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
F
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EDUCATION
Molly Yoels and Hershel Greenblat attend the Shabbat luncheon at Weber.
Dory Profis and Zack Miller get to know each other.
Holocaust Survivors Celebrate at Weber
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
By Cherie Aviv
AJT 22
Local Holocaust survivors had asked for an event with young Jewish adults, and they got their wish Sept. 9. The Weber School, Jewish Family & Career Services, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s Holocaust Survivor Support Fund held an intergenerational Shabbat luncheon for Weber students and survivors. “This luncheon event demonstrated the importance and value of bringing people of different generations together,” JF&CS CEO Rick Aranson said. “Despite fundamentally different upbringings, the older folks and younger ones were able to come together to find common ground, celebrate Shabbat and learn from one another.” The survivor group was greeted by students from Weber’s “Process of Hate” class. Survivors and students then paired off and began their journey to learn more about each other. “Meeting with the Holocaust survivors and talking to them about them — and not about the Holocaust — was incredibly special,” said Rachel Hayut, a senior at Weber. “I feel very grateful that I was able to be a part of this experience. The survivor I sat next to is such a remarkable woman, and I’m very happy I was able to connect with her. I’ll never forget her or that day.” The luncheon began with welcoming words from leaders from JF&CS and Weber. Soon the room was filled with Shabbat and Yiddish songs led by Drew Cohen, Weber’s music program director, who played his guitar. One survivor was so moved that he asked to sing a Yiddish song solo to the group. After the music program, female students and survivors said the blessing over the candles, and male survivors and students recited blessings over the grape juice and challah. “Being able to experience a Shabbat meal with Holocaust survivors was a memorable and extraordinary expe-
rience that I will always remember,” said Aaron Gordon, a junior. “The Holocaust survivor sitting next to me took such pride in his Judaism and especially his Yiddish songs. It warmed my heart when he got up to sing in front of the whole group.” After lunch, students sang Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah.” “I think it was fantastic and such an honor meeting with such bright, friendly young adults who are Jewish,” survivor Hershel Greenblat said. “For a few hours it makes you feel young.” “The entire program, coordinated by staff at JF&CS, Weber and HSSF, was simply amazing. I was pleased survivors and students were given this rare opportunity to connect and build relationships,” said Rabbi Edward Harwitz, Weber’s head of school. JF&CS has identified more than 230 survivors in the community, said Amy Neuman, the program manager of Holocaust services at JF&CS. “For those who are able, being part of an active social group like this program is very important. The event was extra special because the survivors requested a program specifically with this age group.” JF&CS provides programming, reparation assistance, case management and financial assistance to survivors. Jewish Home Life Communities provides residential care options. The HSSF initiative is a collaboration of six Jewish entities under the auspices of Federation. It was created a year ago to raise money to meet the needs of survivors in greater Atlanta. “Creating this fund is indicative of what we do at Federation: caring for people in need and supporting local agencies through HSSF to provide services,” Federation President and CEO Eric Robbins said. ■ Cherie Aviv chairs the Holocaust Survivor Support Fund (JewishAtlanta. org/holocaustsurvivorsupportfund). To learn more about the fund, contact Susan Moray at smoray@jewishatlanta.org.
Asking College Questions By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com The college admissions process is more daunting and competitive than ever. So how should parents and students decide what schools to apply to and which to attend? In the first of a three-part series led by Emory professor and Center for Israel Education President Ken Stein, parents and students gathered to talk about the college application process. The session, held at the Weber School on Oct. 5 was designed to encourage students to think outside the box when planning for college. Stein said parents and students often don’t do enough research before committing to a school. Among the important questions: • Are there enough faculty members in your chosen major? • How many upper-level courses are available in that major? • Will a first-year class like “Intro to Physics” have 40 students or 400? • Are there adequate internship opportunities near the institution? Universities in smaller towns may have
fewer options than a place like Northwestern in Chicago. “What do you want out of college?” Stein asked the group. “It’s up to you to choose a university where your dreams and aspirations will be fulfilled.” Maddie Monahan, assistant dean of admissions at Emory, spoke about what institutions seek in applicants. “The college admissions process has changed a lot in the last 20 years,” she said. “What we look for now, besides test scores and GPA, is engagement. Is an applicant excited and involved? Do they get it?” Asked how Jewish groups such as USY, NFTY and BBYO are viewed on an application, Monahan said all organizations are taken into consideration, with an emphasis on leadership roles. The next session in the series, hosted by CIE and the Emory Institute for the Study of Modern Israel, will take place in February and focus on the campus atmosphere and problems such as anti-Semitism and the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. Part 3 in March will discuss strategies for reacting and engaging with peers and professors on Israel. ■
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OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
EDUCATION
AJT 23
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How Important Is Jewish Student Life to You? Seniors, the time has come to apply to college. What aspects of prospective colleges have you researched? Perhaps some of these factors: academic life, including your primary major of interest, average class size, student-faculty relationships and special programs; campus life, including the distance from home, academic facilities, athletics (especially top football teams in the South) and housing choices; and the student body, including undergraduate enrollment, the academic ability of the students and the acceptance rate to graduate schools. Of course, parents are concerned about the financial aspects of college, including the availability of financial aid — both need-based and merit scholarships. For Jewish students, another major factor is Jewish life at the college. If college is an environment for exploration, are you, the student, ready to explore your Judaism? Let me share a story from my experiences.
I was riding on New York’s subway, and a young man next to me was dressed Jewishly (black hat, black suit) right after we got on the train in a heavily Jewish area of Brooklyn.
The Admissions Game By Dr. Mark L. Fisher drmarkfisher@yahoo.com
I introduced myself, including my Atlanta residence, and the gentleman told me he had graduated from a college in Atlanta. I asked where, and he said Emory. I continued: Were you active in Hillel or Chabad? Did you go to a synagogue in Toco Hills? “No way, never,” he said. Yet after graduation he became an observant Jew. I thought to myself that he wasted four years of his Jewish life by not taking any Judaic courses at Emory or going to any Shabbat services. Let’s find out how important Jewish matters are to you.
Every student has different concerns about Jewish aspects of college and attaches different degrees of importance to them. Decide whether each of the following areas is very important, important, mildly important or not important to you. A good idea would be to discuss the results with your family. Jewish organizations: • Hillel, Chabad. • Group representing your stream of Judaism. • Pro-Israel action group. • Jewish fraternity or sorority. • Kosher meal plan. Courses and programs: • Jewish history. • Hebrew. • Modern Israel. • Holocaust studies. • Junior year or gap year in Israel. Community: • Size of Jewish community. • Local synagogue. • Hospitality for Shabbat and holidays. • Sukkah. • Passover seder. • Jewish Federation interested in
college life. • Hebrew school teaching opportunities. Jewish students: • Number of Jewish men. • Number of Jewish women. • Number of students who observe Shabbat. • Active Jewish student body. • Absence of substantial BDS group. • Little or no anti-Semitism. Religious services: • Friday night. • Saturday morning. • Havdalah. • Daily minyan. • High Holidays. • Festivals. I have presented workshops on college admissions and Jewish concerns at synagogues and to youth groups around the country. If you’re interested, call me at 404-964-4544. ■ Mark Fisher is a college and career consultant at Fisher Educational Consultants (www.fishereductionalconsultants. com) and a consultant for the College Planning Institute (www.GotoCPI.com).
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EDUCATION of loving, On this panicked ride where I yearn for release. I can feel the growing heat, No matter the depths of defeat, The fire within, for the country I love, will never be beat. Rebecca Lewyn (left) and Jolie Abadi show their Creative Communication poetry certificates with teacher Anna Mogilevsky Lefkoff.
Student Poets Honored
Blankets ice the concrete lane Whose cold frame standstill agleam Eyes the beauty of recurring rain Nothing ever stays the same
Bronfman Applications Peri Barnard won Weber’s Poetry Out Loud competition.
Isabel Berlin finished second in Weber’s Poetry Out Loud competition.
Shrubs wrap the concrete lane Whose wounds fill with fowl pests Feels the writhing in his mane Nothing ever can stay the same But somewhere along the concrete lane My footsteps come across a body asleep I gaze at its corpse and my heart fills with pain Nothing could ever stay the same Jolie’s poem is “What Happened to Peace?”: The windy morning, as quiet as can be, Yet something took a turn inside of me. A soaring surrender I wish I would see. The ground shook, And I sunk like an anchor, On my trip to the bottom of the ocean. My vision was blurred as I searched for an answer. The darkness consumes us, where should we look? A second ringing in my ears. A second in time to fear and react. The cries for help bring never ending tears. My mind went blank, and my body went stun. Do I look back or do I run? Why must this happen here? On the round Earth where I yearn for peace, Will we ever get off this carousel of hostility? Where the children are sobbing instead
Applications are being accepted until Jan. 4 for the 31st annual Bronf man Fellowship, open to self-identified Jewish students who will be high school seniors in the fall of 2017. The fellowship will select 26 teenagers, who will take a free, five-week study trip to Israel next summer, which includes time spent with a parallel group of Israeli students. Programming for the fellows continues with two rigorous seminars during the school year. Fellows also are asked to plan and lead Jewish or social action projects at home. “My father, Edgar M. Bronfman, placed enormous faith in young people’s ability to see the world not just as it is, but as it ought to be,” said Adam R.
Bronfman, the president of the Samuel Bronfman Foundation. “He believed that young people energized by their Judaism were best equipped to both shape a Jewish renaissance and improve the world.” More than half of Bronfman Fellows go on to attend Ivy League universities. The more than 1,100 alumni of the program in North America and Israel include seven Rhodes Scholars, 18 Fulbright Scholars, 29 Wexner Fellows and 22 Dorot Fellows. The alumni include authors Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket) and Jonathan Safran Foer, who is appearing at the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center on Wednesday night, Nov. 9. “We seek to increase communication between young people across the Jewish spectrum, including fostering bonds between Jews in North America and Israel,” foundation Executive Director Becky Voorwinde, said. “This program serves as a creative force that has inspired some of our best Jewish young adults to become creative leaders in their communities.” Applications are available at bronfman.org. Prior Jewish education is not required. Students are chosen based on merit alone.
Zachary Reisman finished third in Weber’s Poetry Out Loud competition.
Poetry Reciters as Well
At the Weber School, students in the “Reading the World” classes of Michael Bennett, Holly Chesser and Leigh Herman recently competed before a packed audience for the school title in the national high school poetry reciting competition Poetry Out Loud. Sophomore Peri Barnard won at the school level to advance to the metro Atlanta regional competition at the Atlanta History Center in February. Students in Poetry Out Loud choose poems from an online anthology, memorize them and recite them for a panel of judges, whose evaluation is based on the performance and accuracy of the memorization. Weber’s competition began at the classroom level. English teachers worked with students on analyzing and understanding their chosen poems, and drama teacher Fhena Lewis worked with them on recitation. Teacher and peer judges selected the students who moved on to the schoollevel competition.
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
Two Atlanta Jewish Academy eighth-graders, Jolie Abadi and Rebecca Lewyn, recently learned that their entries in the Creative Communication poetry contest were selected for publication in the anthology “A Celebration of Poets!” Rebecca’s poem is “The Concrete Lane”: My footsteps mark the concrete lane Whose scarred faces lay agape Seasons of ruined fronds will shame Nothing will ever stay the same
Tenth-graders Isabel Berlin and Zachary Reisman finished second and third, respectively, at the school level. Honorable mentions went to fellow sophomores Micah Abramson, Aliza Abusch-Magder, Anna Rose Barrack, Samuel Bronfman, Evan Esworthy, Sarah Lewyn, Ruthie Stolovitz and Sloane Warner. Senior Mattie Rosen, sophomore Sammi Seiden and junior Rosa Brown emceed the competition.
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OBITUARIES
Barbara Baxt Elkins Park, Pa.
Barbara Joyce Baxt (nee Lewis) of Elkins Park, Pa., formerly of Atlanta, passed away after a courageous fight surrounded by family Monday, Oct. 10, 2016. She was the beloved wife of Ronald Adelman; loving mother of Aimee Baxt, Marny Baxt and son-in-law Dory Chaefsky; dear parent to Terry Adelman (and fiancée Amy Braksator) and Bryan Adelman; devoted sister of Marsha Fingeret (Steven) and sister-in-law Merle Salkin (Stanton); and doting grandmother to Julia Chaefsky, who will always remember her loving kisses. She is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was the epitome of elegance, energy and fashion flair. We will always remember her, especially for her caring and thoughtful ways, delicious cooking, and attention to detail. Contributions in Barbara’s memory may be made to the Melanoma Research Foundation (www.melanoma.org).
Edward Isenberg 86, Atlanta
Edward Isenberg, age 86, of Atlanta, formerly of West Hartford, Conn., died Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016. Edward worked for many years in the Hartford area in association management with his brothers and enjoyed singing, attending car shows and being a grandfather. Survivors include his loving wife of 50 years, Aileen Isenberg; son and daughter-in-law Richard Isenberg and Holly Sternberg of Atlanta; daughter and son-inlaw Lisa Isenberg and Paolo Trapanese; brothers Charles Isenberg and Matthew Isenberg of Connecticut; and grandchildren Ellie, Samuel and Jacob. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association in Edward’s name. A graveside service was held Sunday, Oct. 23, at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
Matthew Michniewicz 15, Milton
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
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Matthew Steven Michniewicz, 15, of Milton died Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016. He was a kind, sweet and loving young man who loved to swim, go to amusement parks and play on his iPad. Matthew was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Milt Strasser. Surviving are his parents, Brian and Susan Michniewicz; a brother, Tyler Michniewicz; a sister, Alyssa Michniewicz; his maternal grandmother, Barbara Strasser; his paternal grandmother, Kathy Michniewicz; his paternal grandfather, Robert Michniewicz; uncles Eric Strasser, David Strasser (and his wife, Amira Strasser) and Andrew Strasser; aunts Jennifer Michniewicz (and her husband, John White) and Amanda Michniewicz; and cousins Jessica Strasser, Maria Strasser, Noah Strasser and Greg Totaro. Funeral services were conducted Thursday, Oct. 20, at H.M. Patterson & Son Arlington Chapel in Sandy Springs. Rabbi Harvey Winokur officiated. Interment followed at Arlington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cure Childhood Cancer, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, or Make-a-Wish Georgia.
Edith Smith 94, Atlanta
Edith Yudelson Smith, 94, of Atlanta passed away Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016. She was born in Atlanta to the late Sol and Anne Spielberger Yudelson, both of blessed memory. She is survived by her two children, Richard L. Smith (Kathy) of Atlanta and Janet C. Smith (Alison Harvey) of Arlington, Mass.; two sisters, Frances Kuniansky of Atlanta and Shirley Mosinger of St. Louis; and two brothers, Harold Yudelson of Atlanta and Julian Yudelson of Rochester, N.Y. She is also
OBITUARIES survived by four grandchildren, Lisa Smith (Adam), Jeffrey Smith, Joshua Smith and Allison Fisher (David); and six great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Bernard L. Smith, as well as her brothers-in-law, Harold Mosinger and Harry Kuniansky; her sisters-in-law, Jane Yudelson and BJ Yudelson; and her grandson-inlaw, Daniel Selmonosky, all of blessed memory. The family gratefully acknowledges the loving and attentive care given by BJ Jones, Florence Welmaker, Rose Steward and the staff of the Renaissance on Peachtree. Edith studied art at Washington University in St. Louis and at the University of Georgia. She was very close to her immediate and extended family. She enjoyed spending time with many lifelong and new friends. She was an accomplished bridge player, loved music and had a wonderful sense of humor. Throughout her life she also enjoyed painting, knitting and needlepoint. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to USO and the William Breman Jewish Home. A graveside service was due to be held Wednesday, Oct. 26, at Greenwood Cemetery with Rabbi Neil Sandler officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
David Steinberg 76, Atlanta
David Lewis Steinberg, M.D., born in Pittsburgh on July 18, 1940, passed away Tuesday evening, Oct. 18, 2016, at the age of 76. He graduated from Washington & Jefferson College and was a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed his cardiology fellowship at Emory University Hospital and practiced cardiology and internal medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Sandy Springs. He was devoted to helping and caring for his patients. It has been said that David was the most trusted, the most adored and the most loved doctor. He enjoyed playing golf, experiencing fine food and wine, spending time with his family, and caring for his dogs. He was a loving, loyal and kind husband, father and friend. Survivors include his wife, Susan Steinberg; a sister, Helen Hasenfeld; children Jill Bhan and her husband, Vikram, and Lauren Silberman and her husband, Keith; stepdaughter Jennifer Hall and her husband, Blake; grandchildren Jay Bhan and Andrew and Kira Silberman; step-grandchildren Caroline, Virginia and Richard Hall; and his beloved dog, Tweety Bird. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Atlanta Humane Society, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, or the American Heart Association. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. A memorial was held Sunday, Oct. 23. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
Death Notices
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
Julian Bermann, 49, of Atlanta on Oct. 21. Karen Beth Kaplansky, 63, of Sandy Springs on Oct. 17. Enya Kleyman of Atlanta on Oct. 18.
AJT 27
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Kitchen of Memories Serves Fine Dining By Rena Gray Welcome to Ina’s Kitchen, the backdrop against which Ina Pinkney spent over 30 years feeding the people of Chicago heart, mind and stomach. The last of Pinkney’s entrepreneurial enterprises, Ina’s Kitchen closed in 2013, but not without consolation: She left her beloved patrons a little piece of herself and her unbeatable cooking in the form of her book, “Ina’s Kitchen: Memories and Recipes From the Breakfast Queen.” Featuring vibrant, larger-than-life photographs of her signature dishes, “Ina’s Kitchen” is more cookbook than narrative. Sprinkled among 39 of her
popular recipes are snippets from Pinkney’s memories as well as life advice. Also spotlighted are her iconic Ina Pinkney will salt and pepper appear at 11:30 a.m. shakers and glimpsSunday, Nov. 13, es of the restauafter a screening rant’s interior. of “Breakfast at Pinkney has Ina’s” at 10. been quoted as equating the cycle of life to baking a cake, and the format of her book is no different. Chapters are titled “Ingredients,” “Cooking,” “Clean Up” and so on as she weaves in stories of her difficul-
ties with polio as a child, the opposition she faced in choosing a marriage partner, her ambition to run an eating establishment on her own terms and the challenges of doing so. Pinkney — whose story is told in the documentary “Breakfast at Ina’s,” which won the Audience Award for best documentary at the 2016 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and will show before her appearance at the Book Festival — has fed celebrities and appeared on television, working hard to create and maintain her good image. “I created a recipe for living that dream,” she writes. “Mine was more than counting money, schmoozing the customers, or having my name on the
door. It was about creating an experience that respected the customer, the staff, the food, and me.” One emotion missing from Pinkney’s accounts is regret. She offers no apologies and incorporates roadblocks into her arsenal of life experience. She provides a list of “Plan B’s,” a few glimpses into the reality of the restaurant business. If you like food and reminiscence, this book is a win-win. By the time you reach the end, you’ll feel like one of Pinkney’s own. ■ Ina’s Kitchen By Ina Pinkney Agate Midway, 224 pages, $19.95
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Exploring ‘Modern’ Life Before Holocaust By Leah R. Harrison lharrison@atljewishtimes.com Before her appearance Friday, Nov. 11, at the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center, “Modern Girls” author Jennifer S. Brown took time to answer a few questions about her intentions in writing her debut novel. AJT: From the feel of living on the Lower East Side to the acceptance of smoking and drinking during pregnancy, you captured the essence of life in 1935. What informed your writing with such specific detail? Brown: My research was really broad. I did a ton of reading. I read a lot of books that were actually written in the 1920s and ’30s. … I also read sources like the Forward, which had a column called the Bintel Brief. It was an advice column in the Yiddish paper that was primarily immigrants sending in questions on assimilation, religion — questions of just getting along. … So I was able to read these old letters, and it really gave a sense of what people were like. I went to the Tenement Museum in New York to walk through the old apartments to see what it would have looked like when they came here. I spent a lot of time at the New York Public Library … and found an Englishwritten socialist newspaper from the exact dates. I rented movies that were made in the 1930s, and that showed the smoking and the drinking. … I bought a whole bunch of magazines on eBay from the 1930s, and there were often references to — they wouldn’t say “pregnant,” but they would say “women in a condition.” And also just talking to people, so
Jennifer S. Brown is appearing at the Book Festival at noon Friday, Nov. 11.
the detail came from all over. AJT: So you enjoyed writing historical fiction? Is research part of the allure for you? Brown: Absolutely! I absolutely loved the research. When I’m writing, I put way more detail in, and then I just take out what isn’t necessary. The research to me is so exciting and occasionally very, very frustrating when there’s that one fact you can’t find. The reason I knew about Camp Eden is because it’s where my own grandparents met. I could not find any information on it specifically, and I thought I was going to have to make it up. I was so happy a few months later when I found this New Leader newspaper that wrote about Camp Eden. … I used so many different sources, and it all came together. I am absolutely enamored now with historical fiction and am really going to continue in that direction. AJT: Why did you set the book in 1935? Brown: I had heard some stories about women and pregnancy, and when I first heard about a woman hav-
ing an abortion in the 1930s, I was very surprised. I started researching it, and I found that abortions during the Depression were very, very common. During the Depression, if you were a single woman and you were supporting your parents, if you got pregnant, you couldn’t have the baby and still support the family. Women were delaying marriage because, once you got married, jobs were for husbands. So I started thinking about the unplanned pregnancy, and originally I only thought about it in terms of Dottie, and the reason I didn’t want to set the story today is because today, at least where I live outside of Boston, single mothers are all around us. … But in 1935, if you’re a 19-year-old girl and you’re not married and pregnant, the stakes are very, very high. So I wanted a time when the stakes were very high. The feminist angle is something that is very near and dear to me, and there is nothing subtle about that when you’re dealing with a book about unplanned pregnancy. It was very, very important to me to have everyone make a decision that was right for her. That was something that meant a lot to me. One answer is not right for every individual, and I feel very strongly about that. It’s about personal choice. Another reason I wanted to do the 1930s is I feel like so much of Jewish life, my upbringing in a very Jewish area of Miami Beach, was really dominated by the shadow of the Holocaust. I was intrigued by the idea of how interesting it would be to have characters who don’t have that. So that sort of played in my mind too, the idea of having it in their future as opposed to dominating their lives right then. We know what’s at stake for them, but they don’t know.
AJT: So you weren’t trying to make a point about American apathy toward the developing situation of Hitler’s rise to power in Europe? Brown: I would say there was American apathy on a higher level. The people who knew what was going on were at a higher level, and they were apathetic. I think at a lower level there was ignorance. People just didn’t know. If it wasn’t in the papers or on the radio, how would you get your news? And that was Willie’s motivation for wanting to go to Europe to report, because he suspected. He knew the foreign journalists had already been expelled, and he knew there was more to the story. AJT: Were you purposeful with your technique of using each day of the one month the book covers as a kind of date and time stamp, instead of using chapters? Brown: Yes, I used the brief time frame and the daily date update to relay the sense of urgency created by Dottie’s situation. AJT: In this brief one month of time, do you feel Dottie and Rose’s relationship evolves from mother-daughter to a more adult level where they are more like friends and peers? Brown: I feel strongly that that’s universal. I think when you hit certain stages in life you start to appreciate the past and what your parents have done so much more. … You start to feel a lot more empathy, and I think that brings you a lot closer. And you find a nostalgia for things that, in the moment, you couldn’t wait to get away from. ■ Modern Girls By Jennifer S. Brown New American Library, 366 pages, $15
Review: A Beautiful Beach Bequest By Alisa Haber
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
Named as an Indie Next Great Read for November, “Inheriting Edith” has earned a respectable place on any bookshelf, nightstand or cozy couch. With the weather turning cooler, Atlanta author Zoe Fishman serves up just the right mix of beach read-meetsknitted afghan. As a hardworking single mom in New York, Maggie Sheets unexpectedly finds herself as the beneficiary of an amazing estate in Sag Harbor. The only 30 caveat: The house comes with the dead
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woman’s aging mother, Edith. These unlikely roommates soon realize that they have a lot to learn from each other. It is the suicide of Edith’s daughter, Liza, that brings these two together. Bipolar, lesbian, famous author Liza is a larger-than-life character whose presence is felt throughout, even though she dies before the narration begins. Yet she is not the star, and neither is the young Maggie, with her sexy cutoffs and disheveled tank tops. Edith is the one you want to get to know, the one you want to sit next to with a cup
of coffee and ask all about the past. Fishman’s book raises the important question of what happens to buried secrets when a person has Alzheimer’s. Edith knows she doesn’t have much time and must decide now if she should bare all while she can. What sets this book apart from many other Alzheimer’s novels and memoirs, such as “Bettyville,” is that we see the diagnosis from Edith’s perspective. Not just the forgetting, but the remembering, which can be equally painful. As Edith searches for her own forgiveness, Maggie is pulled along for
the ride, discovering herself in the process. The icing on the cake may be that Fishman, who will appear at the Book Festival of Marcus Jewish Community Center at noon Monday, Nov. 7, is not just a superb local author, but also a teacher at the Decatur Writers Studio and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Curl up with one of her four novels or attend one of her classes; we will all be beneficiaries. ■ Inheriting Edith By Zoe Fishman William Morrow, 320 pages, $15.99
Never Give Up Hope When Fighting Cancer Today is a good day. Today is a great day. Today is a very happy day. When I began this journey, I had a very hard time writing about it. I had to deliver terrible news to the people whom I love the most. It was heartbreaking for me. Going public with so much confidential information was not easy for me either. However, over time I learned to let people in. While I still do not share every private or painful moment of this journey, I’ve realized that by opening myself up, I have been enveloped in a warm embrace of love, concern and more support than I could have dreamed of. I think that allowing others to experience this journey by my side has given me the courage to continue fighting. When I was initially diagnosed with cancer last Oct. 31, I was given a diagnosis of Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I wasn’t given very long to live. At 34 years old with two small children and a loving husband, my life was coming to an end. I realized how in an instant life could be taken away. I constantly worried: • “Are my precious children going to lose their mother?” • “Am I going to see my little boy graduate from preschool?” • “Will I ever wave goodbye to Hallie (and chase the bus down) when she boards the bus bound for Camp Barney?” I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t give up; how could I leave my children on this planet without me? After many tests and a visit to Johns Hopkins, my diagnosis was changed to a Stage 4 appendiceal cancer that metastasized to the liver. Still not good, but there was hope. After five rounds of an intense chemotherapy regimen, I was a candidate for surgery. Back in March, I underwent a complex surgery that removed more than half my liver, a third of my colon, and my appendix and gallbladder. I was more frightened than I have ever been in my life. It was a tough time, but I survived to tell the tale, although I admit I do have many moments when my breath catches in my
throat and I’m amazed that I am alive. It’s a funny thing, that even in the midst of a terrifying situation, one can find hope to cling to — the craving for life, the silent promise to live. The human spirit is determinately resilient. Recently before chemo we met with my oncologist to go over results
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from a scan I had. The chemo shrank the spot on the liver. An interventional radiologist is going to ablate the spot via an MRIguided procedure. I will undergo a few more rounds of chemo, then (G-d willing) will be able to say I am tumorfree. If you are able to take anything away from my story, let it be two important things: • Never underestimate the power of a second opinion. We were told it would take months for us to get into Johns Hopkins (if we got in at all). It took us days. We worked hard. We did not stop. My family and friends used every connection they could come up with. They tirelessly worked the phones day and night. They won. • Let others in. Support is important. I am the kind of person who likes to do everything myself. I don’t like accepting help, and it has been hard. That being said, support is crucial. Today I feel as if there is light at the end of the tunnel. Although I know I’m not in the clear and I do constantly think about my cancer coming back, I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to fight. I am working hard to build mental resilience while gaining a new perspective on life. I am overwhelmed with immense gratefulness for my life and gratitude for my family, friends and this wonderful community. The short and sweet is we will meet with the interventional radiologist, who is going to perform the ablation in the next few weeks. Until then I am still undergoing chemotherapy. Lots of love and gratitude, Emily ■
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(Hoffman) 27. “___ Goodbye to Hollywood” (Joel) 28. Zadora who made her Broadway debut in “Fiddler on the Roof” 29. Gave harsh mussar 31. Made like Isaac’s eyes 32. Scott Feldman’s baseball team 34. Gary on Carol Mendelsohn’s “CSI: NY” 38. Airy tzitzit material 41. Actress Graynor 42. King David and King George: Abbr. 45. “In days ___” 47. Bird seed feeder DOWN 1. Zac Efron or James Franco 48. Maltreat 2. Former Mets and Yankees 49. Makes like those found in 17-, 30- and 47-Across pitcher with a Jewishand 11- and 29-Down sounding name 50. Least bound (in Egypt) 3. Gardner and Haddad 4. Like some Maccabi fans 54. Daughter of David 5. Law that might not go over 57. Shoot, like Annie Leibovitz well with Jews 58. Like southern Israel 6. Mouth 60. Naot part 7. Help Mickey Cohen on a 61. Son of Seth job 62. U.S. version of Israel’s 8. Gland that could get Mispar Zehut removed at Mount Sinai 64. Book before Jer. Hospital 65. Solo’s son Kylo ___ 9. Meir and others 10. Kiddush Lavana locale? LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 11. Six-Day War 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 C R O C C R A T E L E V Y hero 14 15 16 H E R O R U B I N E L L E 17 18 19 12. Ending A S A H A L O N G T I A S 20 21 22 prayer R O S E N B E R G A B A D I 23 24 25 13. Short T W I N E T E L L Y 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Shabbat rest E A T S O U A R K 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 F R I E D M A N A M E L I A 18. Like 40 41 42 43 E O N S E R U P T R A F T Shayetet 13 44 45 46 47 S U T T O N S C H W A R T Z 22. Exodus 48 49 50 51 S T S R D S S E E 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 24. Schlock O A S I S D O P E S 59 60 61 62 63 64 magazine W E I S S G O L D S T E I N 65 66 67 content A L L O Y T A C O E L S A 68 69 70 26. “Steal I B E G C E A S E E C H O 71 72 73 E R R E D R E A P N A T E ___ Book” 31 56. Kirk’s Enterprise letters 59. They might be short term in Jerusalem over Passover 63. “B’vadai!” 64. Personal struggles, or another name for this puzzle 66. Nahariya to Karmiel dir. 67. Fixate on Michal Meron’s work 68. Where to work on a jewfro 69. Az Yashir Sea 70. Much more famous ski locale than Hermon 71. Lock that could be used for a shaytl
OCTOBER 28 ▪ 2016
CLOSING THOUGHTS
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OCTOBER 28 â–ª 2016