Spring 2020
STYLE Jewish Atlanta’ Atlanta ’ s Stylish Simchas and Celebrations
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Editor’s Letter
Celebrate in Style
Even in difficult times we find a way to mark the milestones in our lives. The AJT has reinvigorated a blast from the past, STYLE Magazine, where Jewish Atlanta’s Stylish Simchas and Celebrations captures the excitement of our community and shares it with our readers. Providing hope for the future, you can read in this issue about innovative weddings and b’nai mitzvah that pop with color and emotion, unusual themes or heartbreaking circumstances. Party planners and vendors, such as a Balloons Over Atlanta and Atlanta Fever share tips on preparing for your auspicious event. You can learn about the zoo’s new kosher kitchen and read about the meaning behind the ketubah, the traditional marriage contract, and the variety of texts used by today’s couples. We share the story of a nearly century-old Torah passed between generations and you can recapture the experience of a bar mitzvah in Berlin. Discover how a group of adults prepare for the coming-of-age ritual they never had in their youth. What about the non-traditional b’nai mitzvah of the Jewish Kids Groups, which is independent of the typical synagogue ceremony? We recall how Atlanta well-known hospitality providers – a caterer and a restaurateur, respectively – celebrated a 40th birthday. While one bride shares the struggle to walk down the aisle, another teaches it’s never too late to tie the knot – the second time around. Whether you participate in the hora or enjoy Temple Sinai’s to-berescheduled “Dancing with the Sinai Stars,” there’ll be much to celebrate this spring. So, get your dancing shoes ready. Keep those emails, cards and letters coming., we love to hear from you.
Kaylene
Kaylene Ladinsky Managing Publisher & Editor
STYLE Cover photo by The Decisive Moment Wedding Photojournalism//
Amy Koplin and Tom Miller’s wedding on Jan. 11, 2020
PUBLISHER
MICHAEL A. MORRIS michael@atljewishtimes.com
MANAGING PUBLISHER & EDITOR
KAYLENE LADINSKY kaylene@atljewishtimes.com
JODI DANIS Executive Assistant
jodi@atljewishtimes.com
EDITORIAL
RONI ROBBINS Associate Editor
roni@atljewishtimes.com
PAULA BAROFF Staff Writer
eddie@atljewishtimes.com
STYLE Magazine
Jewish Atlanta’s Stylish Simchas and Celebrations
LEAH R. HARRISON Contributor & Proofreader leah@atljewishtimes.com
Contributors This Week ALLEN H. LIPIS ALYSON POLLACK BOB BAHR CATHY SCHWARTZ MARCIA CALLER JAFFE MATRINE TARTOUR MIREILLE NATURMAN ADVERTISING
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brenda@atljewishtimes.com
Spring 2020
STYLE Simchas and Celebra tions Jewish Atlanta ’ s Stylish
MICHAL BONELL Senior Account Manager
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SHERI OKUN Account Manager
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CREATIVE & MEDIA
LILLI JENNISON Creative & Media Designer lilli@atljewishtimes.com
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AMY SEIDNER
Community Events and PR Manager amy@atljewishtimes.com Intern
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The Atlanta Jewish Times is printed in Georgia and is an equal opportunity employer. The opinions expressed in the Atlanta Jewish Times do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, Ga. POSTMASTER send address changes to Atlanta Jewish Times 270 Carpenter Drive Suite 320, Atlanta Ga 30328. Established 1925 as The Southern Israelite www.atlantajewishtimes.com ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES (ISSN# 0892-33451) IS PUBLISHED BY SOUTHERN ISRAELITE, LLC © 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES Printed by Walton Press Inc. MEMBER Conexx: America Israel Business Connector American Jewish Press Association Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce Please send all photos, stories and editorial content to: submissions@atljewishtimes.com
CONTENTS WEDDING 14
SIMCHA 26
MITZVAH 36 14 Defying the Odds, Bride Walks Down the Aisle 16 The 5 Questions for Planning a Jewish Wedding 18 Spring Hall is ‘A Rainbow of Opportunity’ 20 Love is Lovelier Second Time Around 22 The Ketubah: Ritual Contract of Love? 26 The Rubensteins Elevate Cheer, Color 28 Purple Extravaganza for Sam’s 40th 30 Let’s Get This Party Started 32 Sinai’s Dazzling Dancing Duos
34 Zoo Opens Major Kosher Event Facility 36 Reed’s Red Hot Simcha 38 Creative Themes Key to B’nai Mitzvah Style 40 Generations of B’nai Mitzvah Use Family Torah 42 A Bar Mitzvah in Berlin 44 A Second Chance at B’nai Mitzvah 46 Jewish Kids Groups Celebrates Joint B’nai Mitzvah 50 Advertisers Directory 54 Marketplace 11 • STYLE MAGAZINE
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Defying the Odds, Bride Walks Down the Aisle
WEDDING
By Paula Baroff
Amy Koplin never thought she’d walk down the aisle after an accident left her with serious injuries. But on Jan. 11, she defied the odds. “She wanted me and my husband to walk halfway down by ourselves and then wait for her,” said Amy’s mother Charlene. “She wanted a moment for herself. She came down by herself halfway and we took her the rest of the way.” The way Amy wanted to walk down the aisle was a nobrainer for her. “I knew I wanted that one moment that I walked by myself. … I just thought kind of standing on my own would be something special for me.” Six years ago, Amy was hit by a bus in Chicago, leaving her feet crushed. It was unclear whether she’d ever be able to
walk again. Her bones healed, but Amy remained in excruciating pain months later, her mother said. She was diagnosed with a condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, or CRPS. This disease causes extreme pain in her feet from the accident along with other issues such as swelling and discoloration. This disease, which is still being studied, means that medical visits and pain are a regular part of Amy’s daily life. “They say on a scale of 1 to 10 it’s worse than amputation,” Charlene said. “She’s been through ketamine infusions, spinal stimulators. She’s been through the gamut.” Walking down the aisle was not easy, Amy said. Though she smiled joyously through the wedding and reception, behind the scenes she was struggling.
She had to take multiple breaks throughout the night. “This disease is called an invisible illness and also a suicide disease,” Amy said. “No one knows about it. It’s the most painful disease ever but no one will actually believe that, because everyone looks fine.” This makes it difficult for her to be an advocate for CRPS, she said. She hoped her wedding would open people’s eyes to how scary CRPS is. “I shouldn’t have even found love,” Amy said. “It’s very rare for someone with my disease to find someone who understands so much.” That moment when Amy stood and walked down the aisle was poignant for Charlene. “I can’t describe what it was like. So many things had come true,” she said, her voice full of emotion. “It went by too fast. I just kept thinking how beautiful she was and how far she had come.
She still has her struggles. People think by looking at her ‘oh, she’s beautiful and there must not be anything wrong with her.’ It’s called an invisible disease. But she suffers.” Amy even got some backlash for sitting under the chuppah rather than standing from people who don’t understand CRPS, but she didn’t want to collapse in the middle of the ceremony. She said: “I can’t stand for more than 10 or 15 minutes or I’ll fall. And I did not want people to see that.” There were no heels involved in this wedding; instead, Amy wore sneakers all night. She took multiple breaks when she felt she needed to rest, and at some points she had to fan herself because her dress was so heavy. There was a time when she had to lie on the ground and put her feet up on the wall.
The Decisive Moment Wedding Photojournalism//Amy walked on her own part of the way, and her mother and father walked her the rest of the way down the aisle.
ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
STYLE MAGAZINE • 14
One of the other diseases she has, called mast cell activation, causes a response similar to an allergic reaction and her body temperature to run hot. “It’s why I wanted sleeves on my dress because I was so embarrassed if I activated that night how I’d look,” Amy said. She emphasizes the importance of spreading awareness about CRPS, because with this “invisible illness” also comes a stigma and an ignorance around what people with the conditions suffer through. “You can see the pictures, how happy I am, I’m surrounded by my best friends. People did not show up who I thought were my friends and that was really hurtful,” Amy said. As an advocate for CRPS, Amy has discovered who her true friends are. “There is a community out there of people who do understand. It’s just about finding those people and keeping those people around.” She met her husband, Tom Miller, at a friend’s engagement party in Chicago. “There he was, like, dancing on a couch, and I’m not in heels and I didn’t look cute,” she said. But the two of them connected and fell in love. Charlene described Tom as very patient. “I knew from the moment I met him that he was going to be her husband,” she said. CRPS makes it difficult to be in a relationship with the other person, as “it’s a lot for the other person to put up with,” Charlene said. “It’s a lot. He is a good man. He loves her. That’s true love.” The wedding theme was “a sky full of stars,” inspired by another wedding Amy had seen. “Everything about this wedding was perfect,” she said. “If [my wedding] could be my sky full of stars that would be my dream.” Amy said she is very artistic, which makes having CRPS even more challenging for her as she can’t physically do all the creative things she would like. Luckily her wedding planner, Amy Ackerman, and her designer, Jim White, understood exactly what she wanted and pulled off her dream. With lights
1
2
3
4
5
1 The happy couple kisses at their wedding reception. 2 Amy’s wedding theme was “a sky full of stars.”
3 In lieu of heels, Amy’s wedding party wore sneakers. 4 Charlene and Amy hug before the wedding.
5 Amy and Tom got married on Jan. 11, 2020.
coming down from the ceiling, the wedding was “just magical,” Charlene said. Of her daughter, Charlene
said, “She’s had a lot of ups and downs. We wanted to make her wedding really special, not only because she’s my only daugh-
ter but because she’s come a long way. Because I really never thought she’d walk again but she walked down the aisle.” ì 15 • STYLE MAGAZINE
ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
1
2 3
1 Photo by Gandy Photographers// A traditional hora at the
Leff-Shapiro wedding.
2 Photo by Gandy Photographers// Bride and groom share
their first cup of wine under the chuppah at the LeffShapiro wedding.
3 Photo by Shayna Image// Rabbi Ilan Feldman reads the ketubah under the chuppah at the Ledger-Freedman wedding.
The 5 Questions for Planning a Jewish Wedding
By Alyson Pollack
Your daughter (or son) has just gotten engaged and wedding plans need to be made. Oy vey! So much to do, but where do you start? First, relax, take a deep breath, and enjoy the mazel before the planning begins. PlanATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
STYLE MAGAZINE • 16
ning a wedding – or any other large simcha – can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t need to be. In fact, it’s a lot like eating an elephant – just one bite at a time. And of course, remember that for the family, it’s a joyous occasion, not a job. Start with those magic
“question words” you learned in elementary school: who, what, where, when, why, and how, and let them help guide you through the process.
Who: You can’t plan a wedding alone; it takes a team. What vendors do you need? Some
of the more common ones are: wedding planner, clergy, venue, catering (unless the venue provides it), music, flowers, décor, photography, video. Do you need a babysitting service, sound and lighting, or others? Do you have a first choice, and are they available on your
ley harvest] is counted. There are also dates when a wedding is especially auspicious such as Rosh Chodesh or during Chanukah. Best to check with the rabbi on these dates, since part of it depends on your level of observance and custom.
Why: Jewish weddings are steeped in tradition, and while some of the steps in planning are common to both Jewish and nonJewish weddings, the customs of a Jewish wedding are special and bind us together as both a religion and a community, regardless of ones level of observance. Photo by Gandy Photographers// The groom places the veil on his bride during the bedeken at the
Newman-Kaplan wedding.
selected date? What if they’re not? Good vendors book early, so check with your preferred choices as soon as you have a date. Unfortunately, we’ve all seen those occasional horror stories on the news about someone who has gone out of business. While there’s no foolproof way to avoid this, don’t underestimate the value of getting referrals and checking references. Having a trusted team working together toward a common goal is essential. The “who” question also involves your guest list. Who will be invited, and who is likely to attend? It’s never too early to start compiling a list and consulting with the machatonim (in-laws) and of course with the bride and groom, on their lists. There’s no doubt that weddings can be expensive, so it’s best to be realistic with your guest list based on your budget.
When: Pick a date, or maybe just a month or time of year when the wedding will take place. Is the rabbi available? Are you having a lot of out of town guests? If so, consider a long holiday weekend. If you are thinking about a wedding around Feb. 14, watch out, as certain flowers could be harder to come by and more expensive. Also remember that there are some days on the Jewish calendar when weddings are prohibited such as Shabbat, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, or between Passover and Shavuot, when the omer [the beginning of the ancient bar-
How: Planning and preparing for a Jewish wedding can seem like an overwhelming and stressful exercise, but with the right attitude, expectations and planning, it doesn’t need to be. Starting as soon as possible, engaging the right vendor team, and focusing on what’s important will take the burden off your shoulders and allow you to be a guest at your own event. Mazel Tov on your simcha, and remember that planning can indeed make perfect! ì Alyson Pollack is an event planner at Planning Makes Perfect.
What: Yes, it’s a wedding, but what type of wedding? Will it be a formal, black-tie affair, a more casual rustic party, or maybe even a destination beach wedding? It’s never too early to think about your choice of theme. Weddings come in all types and sizes, and as a planner, I’ve handled Jewish black-tie events at swank Buckhead hotels to more casual ones on a Colorado mountainside, and just about everything in between. There’s no right or wrong answer, and this is an opportunity to express your – or better yet, the bride and groom’s – personality and style.
Where: Venue choice often dovetails with the “when” question. If the location is important enough, you may need to be flexible about the date. Know your needs. Will the venue be able to hold all the anticipated guests? If it’s an Orthodox wedding, are the facilities large enough for a tisch (groom’s reception), bedeken (veiling) and yichud (seclusion)? Are these areas located near each other, or will your guests be walking all over the venue? 17 • STYLE MAGAZINE
ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
Spring Hall is ‘A Rainbow of Opportunity’
An example of a Jewish wedding that used Spring Hall’s “grand decor” package.
By Paula Baroff
Eti Lazarian’s 5-year-old daughter came up with the name Spring Hall when the event venue opened in the spring of 2016. With an event ballroom, an Atlanta Kosher Commissioncertified kitchen and individual touches such as a crystal table and LED bar, the idea behind the project was to design a venue that would fill the need for a beautiful event location that was also affordable. “Our specialty is to cooperate and to see their vision and bring it to life,” Lazarian said. “You feel like when you go there, ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
STYLE MAGAZINE • 18
there’s something magical about this place. I can’t explain it. It looks like a Russian, European style ballroom.” Lazarian fell in love with Spring Hall the moment she visited and recognized a potential for an elegant venue with columns and high ceilings that would give people the opportunity to have gorgeous and unique events without the exorbitant cost. “You either have the really inexpensive places, which are like the clubhouse, or the synagogue. … Then you have the hotels, which are gorgeous, but you have to pay with your mortgage payment and a kidney.”
At this bat mitzvah, Spring Hall turned the ballroom into a chapel.
She also wanted to make sure that clients have the freedom for their event to match their vision. “You can use your own catering, your own vendors for alcohol. Our specialty really is being frugal, helping people create the most amazing event possible for a fraction of what it costs.” Often, venues will require that clients use their services for decorations, catering and vendors, Lazarian said. Spring Hall doesn’t require that but offers those services as well if the clients choose them. “We can be as involved or not involved as you want,” she said. “We have amazing chefs, an incredible designer. It’s super cre-
ative, what my designer does, other people will charge $16,000 to do. ... It’s an in-house package; you can get everything, a full design package up to the last candle and flower.” If they choose, clients are able to bring in their own vendors and decorations. “Our specialty is working with the client from start to finish and to hold their hand and make sure they get whatever they need, if they want that,” Lazarian said. As an Israeli, she admires the more unique weddings and b’nai mitzvah parties that are common there. “People are so creative, doing incredible things. They bring a Moroccan
DJ and build a whole tent.” She wanted to replicate that creativity and openness at Spring Hall. The first thing Lazarian did when she acquired Spring Hall, before she opened the doors to clients, was call in a rabbi to see what needed to be done to create a kosher kitchen. It’s now part of the core package for Jewish events. Lazarian described an event she went to at a hotel, where they were charging $1,000 just to open the kosher kitchen. “That’s ridiculous. The kitchen is already there,” she said. For most events, Spring Hall uses
real glassware. For kosher events where disposable cutlery is necessary, being environmentally conscious is a priority and the social hall limits the use of materials such as straws. Spring Hall is available for all levels of Jewish observance. Along with the availability of kosher food, “We do separate weddings for women and men, mechitzah in the middle. We understand that need,” she said. Lazarian said she loves all of the Jewish events she’s done. “I can’t choose! I did an incredible event for the Atlanta Schol-
Eti Lazarian operates Spring Hall and plans to expand it soon.
ars Kollel, which I loved. I did an incredible event for Chabad of Gwinnett,” she said. “What I loved is they had a huge committee and put everybody in charge of something. Everybody that did something just did it perfectly. No hiccups, everybody knew what they were doing. We helped them if they needed help, but it was just incredible.” The flexibility of Spring Hall has allowed it to be the choice of a diverse clientele, along with the Jewish events. They’ve done Korean, Latino, Moroccan, Guinean, Ethiopian, Pakistani, and Indian events. “This is the beauty of Spring Hall; it is a rainbow of opportunity.” Lazarian travels often and picks up ideas from around the world. “The crystal table from Italy is a special crystal table nobody has. It’s gorgeous,” she said. It comes at no extra cost – everything is included in the core package. “We’re very conscious about spending money in the right direction. … We want people to remember your event. What’s memorable? The food, the DJ, and of course, the place.”
When Lazarian speaks about Spring Hall it’s obvious how deeply she cares for it. “Spring Hall is my sweetheart, my pride and joy. Every time someone comes to have an event, they see the love. We treat everybody like royalty,” she said. The other day Spring Hall hosted a wedding in which the groom was having difficulty tying his bowtie. In the middle of the event, the Spring Hall general manager ran to Burlington and got him a bowtie that was already tied. “We love our clients,” Lazarian said. “I’m there for every event, enjoying every event. I’m living and breathing this. It’s my everything.” The venue plans to expand soon. It expects to open a Mediterranean restaurant next door that will eventually be available for catering, and Spring Hall will be creating an outdoor space in the near future: “I understand the importance of the Jewish wedding to get married outside under the sky. We’re working on it. We will have it. We don’t have a date yet but it’s coming soon.” ì
Chabad of Gwinnett held their 18th anniversary gala at Spring Hall.
This crystal table, which comes with the decor package, was ordered from Italy. 19 • STYLE MAGAZINE
ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
Photos by Chuck Roberston Photography// Added Touch Catering prepared a colorful and exquisite menu for the dining table. The Appel home provided an eclectic traditional backdrop with 19th and 20th century paintings.
Love Is Lovelier Second Time Around
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Weddings come in all varieties, and one of the latest trends is “good things come in small packages,” instead of entertaining 500 of your closest acquaintances. Andrea Appel met Joel Rapowitz on Match.com, and they married 19 months later – two weeks before her 50th birthday. Andrea, the coordinator of Jewish Family & Career Services’ PAL Program, is a native Atlantan. Joel, from Rochester, N.Y., works at Citibank. Divorced, with both feet on the ground, they wanted a warm, small gathering for the nuptials ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
STYLE MAGAZINE • 20
at the Dunwoody home of Andrea’s parents Judy and Sam Appel. “We wanted our family there because they are ‘forever,’” Andrea said. “We both agreed that there was no need to fulfill social obligations. And my mom is like the Jewish Martha Stewart. We knew she would handle all the details. She is a perfectionist and experienced ‘entertainer.’ We put it all in her hands.”
The Wedding Rabbi Ephraim Silverman of Chabad of Cobb performed the service under the tallit of Joel’s grandfather’ as the chuppah was
held up by Joel’s two children, Sam and Laurie Rapowitz on one side; and Andrea’s niece and nephew, Hannah and Aaron Appel, on the other. To accompany the couple down the aisle, Andrea chose the Etta James melody “At Andrea and Joel met on Match.com and marLast!” performed ried 19 months later. by an Atlanta Symphony Orchestra violinist. Andrea said, “We ple holding hands.” Looking on weren’t ‘walked’ down the aisle were 17 guests. After the cereby anyone. We entered as a cou- mony, the violinist Allison James
3 1 2
1 Andrea wore Canadian designer Wayne Clark’s navy silk strapless gown with trumpet skirt and grosgrain lattice detail in back.
2 Rabbi Ephraim Silverman of Chabad of Cobb performed the service while the younger generation held the tallit chuppah. 3 Sam Appel, father of the bride, mother of the bride Judy Appel, the Jewish Martha Stewart, pose with Andrea and new son-in-law Joel.
4
4 Andrea’s favorite touches were the white iced shortbread cookies with a gold “R” and two wedding bands for guest takeaways.
played “Fly Me to the Moon” as the couple’s honeymoon was a cruise out of New Orleans to the Western Caribbean. Andrea recalled, “The most meaningful part of the rabbi’s talk was the reminder of how fragile life and relationships can be.”
Then she selected my Manolo Blahnik shoes. “I had to pinch myself during the signing of the ketubah. I was nervous and excited. I found [married] the love of my life two weeks before my 50th birthday. There is always hope!”
The Bride
The Details
Andrea wore a stunningly intricate, yet simple navy silk strapless gown by Canadian designer, Wayne Clark, exclusive in Atlanta to Susan Lee dress shop. It had a trumpet skirt with grosgrain lattice detail in the back. Andrea said, “Mom went to Susan Lee and picked out five dresses, and I chose ‘the one.’
“Food glorious food” Mom Judy selected Sandra Bank of Added Touch Catering to set and fill the elegant dining room table. The menu was: roasted pear salad topped with parsnip frites; smashed new potatoes; butternut ravioli with cashew nuts and brown butter topped with roasted squash; a magnificent
vegetable platter with eggplant, roasted red onions and Brussels sprouts; grilled salmon fillets alternated with red and orange beets; and fried chicken (“for the Yankees”) plus desserts. The wedding cake was by Sandra Carling and especially sentimental because it was the exact same banana cake recipe with raspberry filling and butter cream icing that she had prepared for Andrea’s sweet sixteen party. Judy, a long-standing professional interior designer, said, “Andrea’s favorite was the iced shortbread cookies wrapped in Saran with an edible gold ‘R.’ The wedding cake was a work of art. We used my antique Italian porcelain and pewter serving
pieces collected over the years. I prepared the bridal bouquet of simple blush roses. Our home’s décor is eclectic traditional with 19th and 20th century paintings, which served as a romantic backdrop.” Judy, whom Andrea says “has the best opinions on everything,” wore a long Donna Karan black dress with a brooch of yellow diamonds, citrine and peridot that she had made as an art piece. In the Appel family’s style, Scout, a schnauzer-poodle and Baby, a rat terrier, watched from the sidelines as the well-wishes flowed for the new Rapowitz husband and wife. They did the wedding “their way,” small and tasteful. ì 21 • STYLE MAGAZINE
ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
The Ketubah: Ritual Contract of Love?
Traditional ketubot are in Aramaic. Modern versions include English and relevant text personalized for the bride and groom.
By Roni Robbins
The text of the traditional ketubah marriage contract is anything but romantic, reminding married couples of the what-ifs common in the modern-day prenup. But most who stand under the chuppah these days very much in love see the ketubah as a symbolic and spiritual ritual to be honored as a standard Jewish wedding practice passed down through the generations much like the stomping of the glass, the unveiling and the exchanging of rings. “The ketubah is an ancient traditional contract to remind a couple marrying of the prenuptial outcome,” said Rabbi Michael Broyde, an Emory University law professor known as an expert on Jewish law. “It basically outlines what happens when there’s a death or divorce.” It’s the agreement “that spells out what the wife is entitled to in the case of death or divorce. The ketubah comes from that model. For the last 1,000 years Jews don’t get divorced unless both parties agree.” While the traditional docuATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
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ment remains the standard at Jewish weddings, more liberal Jews have found ways to personalize the text, much like vows, and there is a recent move to make the text more egalitarian even among Conservative Jews and consider changing the text to make it more relevant to today. To understand why some want to see the ketubah evolve, consider the meaning behind the standard Jewish pre-marriage contract. Broyde summed up the basic content as: “how a husband and wife are to treat each other in a proper, meaningful way during marriage, each to conduct themselves as expected. If there’s a divorce, the husband pays the wife a fixed sum as a settlement. The ketubah governs the financial ending of the marriage.” In fact, the traditional ketubah still calls for a husband to pay his wife “200 zuz and 200 zekukim of silver” upon dissolution of the marriage. It’s an ancient monetary system that has never been updated, said Broyde, who has written about the value
and significance of the ketubah in America. “It lost its basic premise. It’s much more ceremonial than legal. It becomes a ritual activity that commemorates the way things were.” That’s why ketubot have become so focused on the artistry of the piece instead of the wording, Broyde said.
The Personal Touch According to Ritualwell, a Reconstructing Judaism website, “Throughout the ages, ketubot have been illuminated and calligraphed, becoming significant as Jewish art. Today, all manner of egalitarian ketubot are written. Some dispense with the financial and legal aspects, focusing more on the emotional and spiritual sides of the relationship. Others maintain the rabbis’ concern with the practical, but define mutual obligations for each spouse.” Reconstructionist Rabbi Malka Packer-Monroe is director of
18Doors Atlanta, a nonprofit that empowers and supports couples and families in interfaith relationships. If they are not comfortable writing their own ketubah text, Packer-Monroe refers them to various resources such as ketubah.com for some standards, along with specialized ones for interfaith or humanistic couples, she said. They can buy from the site or change the text, in essence creating vows to hold each other responsible, she said. Some use the ketbuah as a basis and write additional vows. Packer-Monroe challenges some of the practices associa t e d with the
The Sephardic ketubah shows the creativity of the rabbis to protect women’s rights, said Rabbi Hayyim Kassorla.
Photo by Victoria Huff Photography// Evan Staley signs his ketubah before his wedding at 550
She also has issues with the traditional ketubah text. “No one is acquiring another person as in the original ketubah text. At the time, ketubot were progressive. I call them the original pre-nup.” But 2,000 years later, the ketubah should Micah Jennison signs her ketubah with fiancé Evan reflect what Staley alongside Rabbi Steve Lebow before their interthe couple is faith ceremony. like together, she said. 2,000-year-old ketubah. In the tra“I want to teach the history ditional “heteronormative” Jewish and value [of the ketubah] and wedding, two witnesses to the kehow can we make it more meantubah need to be men age 13 and older, not related to the couple. “I ingful. It’s how I see Reconstrucwork with couples who are egali- tionist Judaism. The past has a tarian. As someone who does not voice, not a veto. We look at the strictly follow halachah (Jewish purpose and how we can make it law), part of the ketubah process reflect who we are today.” Some questions she poses to is finding people who will hold couples about what to include in the couple to the statements they their ketubah: What do you hope co-created, sometimes the wedding marriage will be like? What do party, other times key people or you want to hold in your heart? their closest friends.”
Trackside in Lawrenceville.
What things are difficult? What are you making a commitment to? “This gives room for more creativity,” she said. “One couple not only wrote the text but created their own artwork.” Packer-Monroe also encourages couples to read their ketubah text every year on their anniversary to remind themselves what they promised. In all the weddings she’s officiated, only one chose not to have a ketubah, she said. “They think it’s a meaningful document, a piece of artwork. This is a document of their marriage that is publicly displayed in their home. I think a lot of people are interested in doing what’s been done traditionally in their family” even if they may not
The Conservative movement is considering more egalitarian text, said Rabbi Joshua Heller.
follow other family traditions. They tend to also break the glass and have some form of a chuppah, she said.
Equal Rights in Marriage Recently, the Conservative movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards approved new language for an egalitarian ketubah, according to committee member Rabbi Joshua Heller of Congregation B’nai Torah, a Conservative synagogue in Sandy Springs. “The ketubah is a document that goes back well over 2,000 years. It was one of the first attempts to protect the rights of women in a male-dominated society,” he said. But times have changed. Recent discussions have focused on having parallel language for the groom, Heller said. “Increasingly, couples are looking for language of the ketubah to reflect their own personal intentions as they enter the marriage.” Many Conservative Jews will recommend Aramaic for the traditional ketubah, with additional 23 • STYLE MAGAZINE
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language to offer greater protections for the bride in case of divorce, he said. Others will use a traditional ketubah and add a separate document, in English, with the increased protection. Others are more comfortable with egalitarian or more creative ketubot, Heller said. “When only one party is Jewish or parties are not a male and female, a lot of conversations might evolve.” In Israel, a ketubah may specify more practical matters such as who pays for the apartment or who buys the car. “You see today’s couples exploring how much to customize based on their religious approach.” Whether the resulting ketubot are “kosher” depends on who you consult, he said. Diverse streams of Judaism have different norms about what’s acceptable. “In the Orthodox world, the guard rails are very high. In Reform or Reconstructionist, there might be much more flexibility. Part of the diversity of Judaism is that there are very different approaches,” he said. “What I usually counsel couples is: something old and something new. I encourage, if they’re using a traditional text in Aramaic, choose an English text that is more personalized. Choose language that reflects things you are bringing to your marriage.” In this way, the ketubah captures the spirit of their own relationship as well as the letter of the law, Heller said. “The idea is that the traditional ketubah is a starting point instead of an end.” In other words, there are certain basic criteria that need to be met and the rest is personalized creativity to address the couple’s spiritual needs, he explained.
hardic ketubah. Its first part mirrors the traditional ketubah with Aramaic, but more Hebrew names are mentioned than just the bride and groom, sometimes including two or three generations of a family, especially influential family members, Kassorla said. What makes it difficult to have a traditional Sephardic text is there are a lot of “interesting” abbreviations not all rabbis will be able to decipher that were intended to safeguard the modesty of the couple, he said. The abbreviations may stand for the beauty, intelligence or knowledge of the couple. The challenge is the rabbi needs to understand the language to accurately use the ketubah, Kassorla said. “It has to be done tactfully and in the proper way or you have a document of no use; it has not really fulfilled the requirement of getting married with a ketubah.” The second part of the Sephardic ketubah mentions what happens if the groom doesn’t honor his wife. It also sets out further stipulations for the groom: In some Sephardic ketubot, he cannot have another wife and cannot travel without his wife’s permission, Kassorla explained. It’s based on the enactments in Castile, Aragon and Granada in Spain. The ketubah also shows the creativity of Sephardic rabbis to offer more protections in the marriage for the woman, Kassorla said. “The rabbis felt it was the operative time to protect the bride.” In addition to the two traditional witnesses, it was customary for almost everyone in the family to sign the ketubah as an act of honor, he said.
Revival in Sephardic Tradition And then there are those returning to tradition, particularly in the Sephardic community. Rabbi Hayyim Kassorla, on sabbatical from Congregation Or VeShalom, said he’s seen an increase in requests for the traditional SepATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
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Rabbi Malka Packer-Monroe challenges the standard male-dominated ketubah and the traditions that surround it.
Generally, the ketubah is not hung on a wall in a Sephardic home, but kept in a place with important documents. “The rabbis were afraid if there was a difference of opinion, the man would steal it off the wall and claim they never married.” The exception is among converts to Christianity, derogatively called Marranos, who displayed their artful ketubot in its secret language as an allegiance to their Jewish heritage in the face of persecution. Through the artistry, the creativity, as if a portrait or painting, it ensured the ketubah did not raise any concern about a Jewish connection, he said. Instead of 200 zuz and 200 zekukim of silver, Sephardic raise denominations revolving around the number six, such as 666 or 6,666 to symbolize the sixth day of creation when the first bride and groom, Adam and Eve, were created, Kassorla said. “It’s considered a significant honor to raise an amount to protect the bride.” Sometimes it’s not an amount, but a promise of real estate owned by family being given to the bride in case there’s a need or a husband passes away, to take care of her needs and rights. “Rights and responsibilities are taken very seriously.”
Prenuptial Agreement Traditional Jews have a prenuptial agreement separate from the ketubah to ensure the groom gives a get, Jewish divorce, and does not leave his wife agunah, literally chained, unable to remarry. The prenuptial is enforceable in a court of law, Kassorla said. In Conservative circles, there’s a clause added to the ketubah to protect the wife in the same way. In 1953, The Rabbinical Assembly and the Jewish Theological Seminary accepted an additional clause in the ketubah proposed by rabbi and Talmudic scholar Saul Lieberman, Ritualwell states. The purpose of the clause was to help solve the problem of agunot.
“The bride and groom agree to recognize the authority of the Bet Din of the Rabbinical Assembly and the Jewish Theological Seminary to summon either party at the request of the other to enable the party so requesting to live in accordance with the Torah.” In more recent years, there’s been a move to a separate document, the T’nai B’kiddushin (condition of the betrothal), ensuring neither bride nor groom hold up the other in a Jewish divorce, Heller said. The document also provides the grounds of a legal annulment, invalidating the wedding ceremony if either party doesn’t comply, he said. The purpose: If you bring a ketubah into family court to force compliance with the marriage contract, it’s not likely to be successful, but a separate legal document with more powerful language might be more effective, Heller explained. “The separate document is easier to enforce and more powerful and provides some more teeth to a couple who doesn’t comply.” Of course, this type of document only applies for couples affiliated with the Conservative movement. Orthodox are stricter in their approach to the get, and Reform may not require a get for remarriage. Secular prenuptial agreements have grown in popularity in the last 30 years, Broyde said. “With the secular divorce rate so high, it’s not ridiculous to ponder the possibility of divorce when you get married.” So much for a romantic wedding tradition that’s been passed down generation to generation. ì
Rabbi Michael Broyde said the traditional ketubah is not a legal document, but a ritual and symbolic item.
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The Rubensteins Elevate Cheer, Color
SIMCHA
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Native South Africans Gayle and Brian Rubenstein wrote the play book on doing the groundwork, learning a business and putting their combining sechel (common sense) into building the successful Balloons Over Atlanta, which now encompasses 11 full-time employees and three trucks. “After we came here from Johannesburg, we flew all over the country to observe the art of balloons, attend conventions, became an expert by teaching, and bought this business in 1979, which we expanded,” Gayle said. Brian runs the administrative end while Gayle heads the marketing and design. Both are known to work seven days a
week for 10-hour days. “I love what I do. We have broken into the Jewish market, which was basically untouched, as well as the corporate side. We design for b’nai mitzvah, baby namings, showers, gift baskets, birthdays and grand openings, you name it,” Gayle said. Both Gayle and Brian are CBAs (Certified Balloon Artists). Backing up, it is interesting to note that balloons were invented by Michael Faraday in 1824 in the lab as part of a scientific experiment. Basically, they are flexible bags that are filled with gas. Consumers know balloons for their low density and for providing color and creativity for a reasonable “bang for the buck.” Balloons Over At-
lanta also sells the helium tanks, an element at the bottom of the chemistry chart, for medical use, to car dealers and apartments. A few months ago, when there was a helium shortage and outlets like Dollar Tree were not able to sell balloons, Balloons Over Atlanta had plenty of supply. The company has an impressive corporate roster of clients coming out of their event design group, which can also provide tents, curtains, backdrops, props, signage and tables. Balloons Over Atlanta’s clients include Chick-fil-A, UPS, PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM, Turner, NASCAR, Georgia Tech, University of Georgia, Morehouse College and the Buckhead Business Association, to name a few. “We do a lot of work with
schools and recently got up at 5 a.m. to set up at Spelman College,” Gayle said. “We have a lot of repeat business. Many people go online and fill out a request form, and we are able to respond quickly. We get 10 to 20 requests per day. They also did a very clever design for PJ Library with all their graphics and characters where the kids could color in their own ideas surrounded by big books and tzedakah boxes. And remember, after all the designs are set up; we have to be there to take it all down.” A particularly creative corporate design that this journalist witnessed included centerpieces for a Spanx luncheon with 50 tables. Foam core and styrene were used to compose upsidedown legs, high heels and stock-
What fun to hoist the bat mitzvah to pop this Balloons Over Atlanta ceiling display!
Gayle and Brian Rubenstein are Certified Balloon Artists and form a mighty workaholic team.
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1
2 3 1 Balloons Over Atlanta is known for its primary color designs at this annual event. 2 Balloons Over Atlanta shows its artistic design talent in this creation. 3 Gayle Rubenstein said that the recent trend in arches is more toward organic design and away from uniformity.
4 Balloons Over Atlanta designs for an extensive list of corporate customers like this Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame décor.
ings as fiery red and very suggestive centerpieces. Gayle notes that the business is always changing, aligning with her ability to keep up with trends. “In past years, customers wanted balloons and columns to all be organized in the exact size, which was tedious. Today it is much more organic by enjoying different sizes. Trendy balloons in chrome, shiny balls and huge orbs all work well in filling a high ceiling room – much cheaper than fresh flowers would be.” Some of the most
unusual designs they have done are Indian first birthday ceremonies, and the mandrap (similar to a chuppah) for Indian marriage ceremonies with elaborate drapes and beads. A full-time designer is responsible for the artwork. Balloons Over Atlanta’s slogan is “we take you higher.” The next time we are buoyed by balloons for events like the Peachtree Road Race or the Atlanta Pride Parade, you can bet that the Rubensteins are the wind behind it. ì
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Purple Extravaganza for Sam’s 40th Photos by Jack Parada Photography// Samatha welcomes guests under a purple cascade of balloons.
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Samantha “Sam” Schoenbaum is “hospitality royalty,” earning her affinity for the color purple. She is the daughter of Sandra and Clive Bank of Added Touch Catering, and daughterin-law of restaurateur Ray (and Susan) Schoenbaum. So Sam was in a prime spot for celebrating a 40th birthday milestone this past summer at a Friday lunch at the Ray’s On the River Grand Pavilion. A group of 60 of Sam’s friends and family entered through a cascaded garland of purple balloons (Let’s Celebrate) into a floral fantasy of more lavender and lilac shades to enjoy her specially selected ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
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menu topped by seafood towers. Sam, a mother of three, ages 4, 8 and 11, said, “I do look at turning 40 as a big landmark. And yes, everything was purple from head to toe. I loved the live music, guitar and saxophone, which took it all to the next level.” Guests were greeted with bubbles in a champagne flute filled with crème de cassis and guest seating spots noted on an attached purple place card. Inside was cold brewed coffee, lavender skinny lemonade, raspberry iced tea, and purple straws. White trays were stacked with glace paper bags full of nuts and purple grapes, to extend the theme. Sandra Bank did the plan-
ning, décor, florals and dessert while Ray’s prepared the appetizers and lunch. The highboys were covered in fluffy purple textured petals by Valerie Levin’s Cover Ups. Everything else was served on crisp white, except the purple personalized napkins. Food was passed on large wooden boards beginning with tomato bruschetta and goat cheese balls. Nine family-style tables anchored a seared tuna platter with sauces, french fries and ketchup, chopped salad, gem baby lettuce salad, grilled asparagus and a bread basket with butter. Nine Ray’s servers made a dramatic entrance, walking in concurrently to live music with dry ice seafood towers. “We are
foodies,” Sam said. “All we do is eat! Yet Waffle House is our favorite family spot.” Mom Sandra did not disappoint, with a dessert extravaganza composed of purple-lilac meringue Pavlova, purple marshmallows and lavender cream with blueberries and blackberries, fresh plums, “Happy Birthday Sam” in meringue letters and large candy displays with “Purple Baggies to Go.” One of the most novel areas was lipstick reader Jan Levie of Handy Entertainment, who had guests pick out a lipstick and blot on a keep sake card. “It was so cool,” Sam said. “She read our fortune based on the blot. It was actually very emotional for some people hearing her predictions
1
2
3
1 The room setup featured personalized purple napkins.
4
2 A glowing 40-year-old Samantha wore a garland of purple-toned flowers.
5
3 Sam gets a hug from parents Clive and Sandra Bank.
4 The photo booth shows Sam in the center surrounded by friends.
5 Sam blows out the candles on her elaborate meringue Pavlova dessert. There were candies on both sides. Mom Sandra prepared the desserts and flowers.
about life.” The photo booth with frame and boxwood wall was joyful as well. Specialty furniture was by Collection Event Furnishings. Outdoor lounging areas had personalized purple cushions “S A M 40” in white script. The entrance table was loaded with an abundance of purple flowers.
Upon leaving, guests were encouraged to select from the blooms to make their own bouquets to enjoy at home. “Mother makes all our simchas special,” Sam said. “She is incredible, and I am fortunate to have her as a mom, caterer and best friend.” ì 29 • STYLE MAGAZINE
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Let’s Get This Party Started!
The snowball dance at the b’nai mitzvah of Adam and Ethan Greenstein.
By Cathy Schwartz
When you think about your upcoming mitzvah and how to make sure it is fun and memo-
rable, it all begins with the initial planning for your event. While your decisions regarding the venue, decor, caterer, photographer and other vendors are important,
Friends of bar mitzvah Elias Kremer partying it up.
Elias shows off his dance moves.
nothing has a greater impact on the overall success of your event than your choice of entertainment. Think of it as the heart and soul of your party. Having an entertainment company with the right experience with mitzvahs is critical to ensuring the party has great energy from beginning to end.
Playing off Personalities Atlanta Fever Entertainment goes to considerable lengths to learn about our clients and their overall personalities. Needs and preferences vary from client to client. At Atlanta Fever Entertainment, we put great thought into the best team for each client and their family. We include the MC and DJ as part of the creative team, and they are involved throughout the planning process. This creates a relationship between the MC, DJ and client, and ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
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allows the MC and DJ to learn about the client, their ideal party and their likes and dislikes. If the guest of honor is shy, we pick a team that will make them feel at ease and comfortable. On the flip side, if we have a guest of honor that loves the spotlight, we select the team best able to play off of that energy.
Setting the Mood Through this planning process, we focus on the client’s vision of their event to develop a customized package that will set the best party environment. Atlanta Fever Entertainment offers many options to set the mood, including, but not limited to, choices for dance floor lighting, up lights around the room, lightup dance platforms, large LED TVs, rear-projection screens, live simulcast, color fog machines,
Keeping the Party Hopping
Photos by Laura Tarquino, Vosamo Photography// After making her grand entrance, Ayla Marks sprays fog
to create the perfect ambiance.
live musicians, custom gobos, and so much more. These elements can be combined in different ways to create the perfect atmosphere.
Choosing the Right Music After selecting the optimal package for your event, the next important decision is your choice of music. As most people know, not everyone has the same taste in music. What you might listen to and enjoy when you are alone or hanging out with friends doesn’t necessarily equate to getting people on the dance floor. This is where the expertise of your entertainment company is so important. Atlanta Fever Entertainment’s MCs and DJs have collectively handled thousands of mitzvahs. They keep up on current music and trends, while maintaining a broad music library to ensure all clients and guests are having a good time. Our clients often ask for suggestions of music that will work for their ideal party. Because Atlanta Fever Entertainment has music expertise, we are able to guide our clients and help them choose what best suits their needs and add their own personal touch to the music. Our DJs and MCs know how to read the crowd and adjust the music selection to generate energy and bring the guests onto the dance floor. Our teams are trained to keep the energy high throughout the event and they know how to engage even the most reluctant guests to get them on the dance floor. It is important to keep in mind
that the clients and their families set the tone for their event. If you want guests to dance, then you need to dance. ì
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Sinai’s Dazzling Dancing Duos
Dancing with the Stars contestants flanked by event co-chairs Mindi Sard and Debbie Pinsky are Julie Peretz, Erica Aronin, David Kusiel, Jamah Maman, Milt Crane, and Gail Cohn. Not pictured: Keith Greenwald and Matt Bernes.
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Dancing with the Sinai Stars will reprise its version of the television sensation at Temple Sinai, after being postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It promises to be a fun evening of performing, food and drinks. This particular fundraiser was done four years in a row, starting in 2010, but took a break for the last six years. The upcoming show to be rescheduled is the 10th anniversary of the original production. The TV show “Dancing with the Stars” has been a popular phenomenon spanning all ages of contestants and viewers for 28 seasons over 15 years. There’s something relatable, given the opportunity and right circumstances, that makes one imagine dancing the cha-cha in sequined fringe or paso doble in a matador outfit. “The crowd will be entertained by eight dancing pairs who will wow the audience,” said Shelly Dresdner, Sinai’s associate executive director. “Each dancer from our congregation has been paired with a professional dancer from Daza Dance studio and has been perfecting “moves” for months. They are excited to dance in the friendly competition for a good cause.” Votes will be for sale for any particular dancer for $10 each. ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
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Awards will be given for judges’ choice (based on talent at the event) and voters’ choice (based on individual votes). One dancing couple wins for each of the categories. Judges are scheduled to be Bunzl Family Cantorial Chair Beth Schafer; Debbie Kuniansky, one of the original event chairs; and comedian Todd Parker. Mindi Sard and Debbie Pinsky are event co-chairs. The participants are all members of Temple Sinai, four men and four women. All the women will be dancing with the same male instructor, and all of the men will be dancing with the same female instructor. Dancer Gail Cohn said, “I am the oldest female at 77, by far. One of my rabbis, Brad Levenberg, asked me to participate and I seldom-to-never tell him ‘no.’ Also, after the loss of one of my sons, David, two years ago, I was looking for an outlet to produce those positive endorphins. Growing up, I loved to tap dance, and it made me happy. So I thought going back to a form of dance was a great idea. Going to Daza Dance is fun and lifts my spirits.” Cohn has been practicing twice a week. She will perform swing, though she had originally considered the waltz. Family members thought she still had the energy to do something
A dashing 89-year-old Milton Crane trains with professional Valentina for his bossa nova-style dance.
faster, so she took their sugges- and email my friends to buy tions. She picked the song “Hey tickets to vote!” Baby” because it was popular Other contestants are: Jawhen she was in college and is mah Maman, Julie Perez, Erica still played by the University of Aronin, Matt Bernes, Keith GreGeorgia marching band at foot- enwald, and David Kusiel. Berball games. “It has a longstand- nes, at 32, is the youngest. ing nostalgia for me.” The event will be open to Her custom-made dress will all at a later date. Included in the be selected with guidance from ticket price will be an open bar her instructor Maxi. When asked about her level of competitiveness compared to the other contestants, Cohn said, “My goal is to compete against myself by doing the best choreography for my dance. “Ultimately I realize that my body isn’t as young as it used to be and I feel a tad nervous about dancing for an auGail Cohn practices with her instructor dience.” Maximiliano Panesi. She is the oldest female The oldest dancing competitor. contestant, charismatic Milton Crane, 89, defies all se- and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Sponnior age logic. To up the pace, he sorships are available with perks will perform a rumba-like wave such as reserved seating, parking number with professional Valen- passes and votes. tina from Chile. Dresdner said, “Temple SiCrane said, “Valentina is nai is dedicated to providing the very talented. We have com- best in Jewish programming, edpleted about nine lessons with ucation and outreach. As an essix more to go. My motivation sential component of this year’s was, ‘If not now, when? The rab- operating budget, Dancing with bis did it, why can’t I?’ the Sinai Stars offsets these ef“It’s great exercise and in- forts. We have a very optimistic spires posture awareness. Now goal and feel confident that we I have to buy my dancing shoes will achieve it!” ì
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Zoo Opens Major Kosher Event Facility 1
By Bob Bahr
Late last month Zoo Atlanta opened Savanna Hall, a $55 million special events facility at the entrance to the zoo. The building, which was originally constructed in 1921, once housed the old Atlanta Cyclorama showing the 1864 Battle of Atlanta. The almost century-old structure with its imposing granite façade has been totally transformed into a four-story, 25,000-square-foot state-of-theart facility with a wide variety of options for hosting meetings, parties and catered simchas. Significantly, the facility features a 1,500-square-foot fully equipped kosher kitchen under the supervision of the Atlanta Kosher Commission with catering by Proof of the Pudding. On a recent tour, we discussed the new building with Raymond King, the zoo’s president and CEO. AJT: How did the newly repurposed building become the city’s latest kosher special events ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
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center? King: It’s something I’m most proud about in this facility. I’m happy to have lots of friends in the Jewish community. And when they heard we were building this facility, they asked, “So is there a kosher kitchen?” And in all honesty, we had not thought about that. But it became quite clear that there are just not enough options for kosher events in the city. And so we added the separate kosher kitchen at a time that our costs were way over our budget. We added significant cost because we thought it was a real need in the community. AJT: And what has been the response? King: We’ve already got a pretty robust pipeline. And that’s particularly gratifying because we couldn’t get people in the building until two months ago because of construction. We’ve already got weddings booked and bar mitzvahs. We have booked probably three or four different kosher events. We’ve got a lot more we’re talking to. And frankly,
that’s before we’ve done a lot of the outreach we need to do. I just think a lot of people don’t even realize it’s an option yet. This facility can accommodate anything from a small dinner party for 25 people to a large cocktail party for 750 people. And that’s not all. Our Savanna Vista is out in the middle of the animal habitat next to our large building. It can host a kosher cocktail party for 70 people in a building that has a thatched roof. It’s literally an event surrounded by wildlife. You also can have an event in the Zambezi Elephant Care Center nearby, which is where the animals spend the evening and where they’re cared for. And you can see how they’re cared for. We just hope our new Savanna Hall complex helps build more connections between our guests and wildlife. That’s why we exist today; beyond just getting to know our animals here at the zoo, they can look out those windows and go “wow!” AJT: Among your most prominent donors are Bernie
Marcus and Arthur Blank. What has been their involvement in this project? King: They both gave gifts of $2 million or more. They were some of our highest level donors. And they shared our excitement about the opportunity. And those weren’t the first gifts they’ve made. They’ve both got a long history of supporting the zoo. Arthur Blank was actually an honorary chair of this campaign and has been a loyal friend to us for many years. But they’ve both been great. And I think they enjoyed seeing the commitment we were making to the Jewish community as well.
AJT: And how important is the support of the community from the standpoint of contributions and underwriting opportunities? King: We could not do this without the public philanthropic community, like the Blank and Marcus family foundations and The Kendeda Fund. We’re proud that we earn about 90 percent of our operating budget, which is very high for a cultural insti-
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1 The new Savanna Hall special events building adjoins a new African Savanna animal habitat.
2 The circular grand ballroom can accommodate about 700 guests. 3 Raymond King has overseen the six-year process of rebuilding the new Zoo Atlanta facility. 4 The new kosher special events facility is the focus of a new entrance plaza for Zoo Atlanta.
tution. But it’s a very capital-intensive business. By the time we rebuild the zoo, it’ll be time to start over again. And you know, we can’t do that off the admissions price and the membership fees we receive. That takes the
generosity of the cultural and the philanthropic community. And again, we just raised the millions of dollars it took to build this, with 13 of those gifts being a million dollars or more. And in all honesty, it was by far
the easiest money I’ve ever raised. And it’s because everyone saw the power of this opportunity, particularly because of the way it has impacted the city, from Buckhead, where the Atlanta History Center now houses the Atlanta
Cyclorama, to Grant Park, with the historic Oakland Cemetery and the Atlanta Zoo. And thus, we hope to see that support continue as we move on to the next phase of the transformation of the zoo. ì 35 • STYLE MAGAZINE
ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
Reed’s Red Hot Simcha
MITZVAH By Marcia Caller Jaffe
After Reed Aaronson returned from Israel, where he experienced his spiritual bar mitzvah ceremony, parents Tara and Richard assembled the potent team of Added Touch Catering and event planner Isabel Bryan to execute his November 2019 party. With five children, this was the Aaronsons’ third bar mitzvah. Reed became a bar mitzvah at the Western Wall, Tara Aaronson recounted. “It was a beautiful and emotional time of homecoming and family reflection. Reed is a bit of an ‘old soul.’ He understood the solemnity and importance of the occasion, and although his friends were not there, he requested that each child be sent an announcement of his bar mitzvah details with the party invitation. He also asked that everyone in his entire Lovett seventh-grade class be in-
cluded, which made my heart glad … but gave us some welcomed challenge!” The Atlanta party hosted 180 children and 100 adults. Meredith O’Brien, Added Touch’s event producer, recalled, “When designing the menu, we really wanted to play up their theme of ‘R U Ready to Party?’ We spent a lot of time working with them and planner Bryan to develop unique and delicious food stations.
“One of the customized stations was a salad bar with alcohol-infused salad dressings (margarita for the Southwestern salad, Cosmo for the USA salad, and ouza for the Greek salad). No one was getting a buzz, but they definitely gave the station a kick! It was really interactive, as we had live salad bartenders shaking up their dressings, fresh on the spot.” Added Touch CEO Sandra Bank echoed, “One of our
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1 Sandra Bank of Added Touch Catering originated the idea of an authentic chef pulling ramen noodles.
2 Reed poses between parents Richard and Tara. Not pictured: older brothers Cole and Alec and younger twin sisters Janey and Jolie.
3 The waving Chinese cats were a big hit with guests. 4 Dessert display was a super-stylized red and black dessert, candy bar and ice cream extravaganza.
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inspirations was a ramen station from our beloved Buford Highway. We had a chef making noodles live for guests, who then got to add their own broth and toppings. This was our first time doing this station on such a large-scale event, and it was a huge hit!” Although much of the food and design with golden, waving Chinese cats echoed an Asian theme, Bryan designed multiple stations where East Coast meets West Coast with Argentinean dishes, poke bowl bar, cauliflower-crust pizza and more following the passed steamed vegetable pot sticklers and spicy chicken stuffed into fortune cookies. The Stave Room, in the Armour-Ottley drive area, is a blank canvas. Master planner Byran, who operates out of New York and Atlanta, is known for being an out-of-the-box thinker.
Photos by Rebecca Enslein, The Studio B Photography// Isabel Bryan of BEE planning and design set up this grandiose display like a movie set.
Tara said, “The custom redcarpet entrance ‘Born to Party,’ was not a declaration of who Reed is as much as an invitation for all to celebrate. Looking at it just made you grin, and people were campaigning to keep it until the end!” The 3-foot-tall, free-standing letters for guests to sign became accent tables in Reed’s teenage room at home. The jaw-dropping Chinese noodle shop was revealed from behind drawn curtains with red Chinese lanterns and Lucky Buddha beer bottles filled with flowers, and tons of candles like a movie set. Dessert was an “Ice Cream Experience,” based upon a Neapolitan world. Bryan brought in a soft-serve vendor with three flavors. The theme was carried through in 10-foot-wide sections replete with coordinating draping, lighting and furnishings. “Sandra Bank finished the dream with artfully displayed toppings and sweets,” Tara said. “Ropes with jewelry store-styled
guards built anticipation until the dessert experience opened.” Favors were insulated water bottles that were custom handengraved on site. Button It Up also created a photo booth based on a New York model of mirrors, creating an infinity effect. And Todd Parker with Picture It This Way Productions created a comedic scripted movie. Tara’s advice to b’nai mitzvah families is to invest in hiring a planner. “I know what I do and do not like; but I was not prepared to take on the stress and enormity of overseeing the planning and producing of another large-scale event. I was attracted to Isabel because of the fantastic feedback about her style and immense creativity. Reed has a lot of interests and charms, but we were never looking to create a particular ‘theme.’ We were determined to make the event kidfocused.” The question now remains: How will the Aaronsons’ party for Reed’s younger twin sisters’ b’not mitzvah top his? ì
Vendors Planning, Design and Production: BEE (Best Event Ever) Isabel Bryan beemail411@gmail.com
Entertainment:
DJ Rhythm, Rhythm Entertainment info@rhythm-ent.com
Photography:
Rebecca Enslein The Studio B Photography becca@thestudiophotography.com
Videography/Film/Montage:
Todd Parker. Picture It This Way Productions toddeparker@icloud.com
Ice Cream:
Frozen Functions mc@frozenfunctions.com
Catering:
Added Touch Meredith@sandrasaddedtouch.com 37 • STYLE MAGAZINE
ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
Creative Themes Key to B’nai Mitzvah Style
By Mireille Naturman
Having a bar or bat mitzvah is cause for great celebration. What could be better than family coming together from in and out of town to enjoy a beautiful simcha? Of course that requires a lot of planning and preparation, because ultimately everyone, and especially the families, want to have great memories of these important milestones. As an event planner, it’s the personal touch I bring that provides that magic spark for all of my events. I feel very passion-
ate about each and every event and imagine what would be the choice for my own child. So many moms and dads ask, “How is my child’s bar or bat mitzvah going to be different than others?”
Out to the Ballgame I mean, how many times and ways can you make a baseball theme different? My answer is: pick a specific team, design a
logo in the team’s font but personalize it with your name and date. Customize T-shirts for the staff to wear with your logo or a cute phrase showcasing the theme. Host it in an actual stadium or bring the stadium to your venue with décor elements that really pop, like wrapping a dance floor to look like a baseball field.
Put on a Show One recent event had a Fire and Ice theme. Immediately I thought, how cool would it be to infuse the bat mitzvah girl’s logo into the ice sculpture, her holding a CO2 gun and spraying the crowd followed by spark fountains going off as she entered onto the stage to create that “Fire and Ice” show?
Food and Decor ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
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If you have a theme, you
have to follow through with it and it all starts with a logo which gets incorporated into the invitation design. Custom menu design and the way the food is being served is a great way of showcasing the theme. Imagine going to a sport-themed party and enjoying a fresh hot salted pretzel, or diving into piping hot funnel cake fries served in mini French fry carriers. People see with their eyes and so food and décor are my favorite parts as they tie everything together.
Under the Stars To me it’s the little details that make the biggest impact, like in my “Epic Night” camp theme, where the venue transformed into an elegant night under the stars. Kids made their own s’mores and guests received custom pajama pants as if they were spending the night under the stars. Guests were seated at tables named after national parks that the b’nai mitzvah
family had personally visited and spent their countless vacations. Try to make the b’nai mitzvah personal and meaningful. While every aspect plays a part in each event, what’s really important is the relationship that is formed with my clients from the get-go. This, I attribute to my degree in communications from the University of South Africa along with my experience being on the front lines for businesses I’ve worked for in the past, namely Chabad Intown, before starting my unique venture.
Fly the Friendly Skies As of yet I have not had anyone parachute in for their grand entrance, but someone did fly in. We had to get really creative when my client suggested a travel theme. What better way than to host such a party at The 57th Fighter Group Restaurant at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, and to top that, to have a showstopper, the bar mitzvah boy flying in on a biplane as his grand entrance? To complete this spectacular party, we gave neck pillows as parting gifts with a passport stamp logo. Every detail of the party was travelrelated, from globe cake pops to luggage tag Rice Krispies treats
with travel quotes. There are many moving parts, and my job is to be “the thread that brings it all together.” That phrase is coined from a client-friend who gave me the compliment. From venues to menus, logos to gobos, and decors to dance floors, none of this would be possible without the incredible team of creative vendors who assist in making everything possible. These relationships are what have really helped shape and grow my business. I am so grateful to have this wonderful bunch who understand teamwork and who give all of themselves. In an industry that has specialties, my focus is on b’nai mitzvahs, and my motto is “Do what you love and love what you do.” While I advocate for all the little nuances during any event, what really brings a priceless smile to me is when I see the expressions on the bar or bat mitzvah kid’s faces upon entering the room.
Here are some tips for families planning b'nai mitzvahs: • Make mental notes of those you have attended and what you loved and did not love, which will help you determine what you want.
estimate how many guests you envision including.
• Depending on how far out your event is, find a venue, reserve the DJ company and the photographer, as these three items book quickly. • Send out Save the Dates if your bar or bat mitzvah falls on a holiday weekend, that way guests can start considering their future travel plans.
• Talk about a theme or color scheme as you start the entire process.
• If using a planner, find one that suits your personality. It is vital that you choose the right person as you will be working with them for quite some time.
• Decide what type of service and party will be suitable for you and your children and
Mireille Naturman is an event planner with Unique Eventures.
• Create a realistic budget that you are comfortable with and educate yourself on the costs involved.
Remember, this is an important milestone, one that is to be enjoyed and remembered, Relax, keep calm and live in the moment. ì
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Generations of B’nai Mitzvah Use Family Torah
By Roni Robbins
Last month, a nearly century-old Sephardic Torah that has been used for five generations of b’nai mitzvah in one family was passed between two such celebrations. At one ceremony, three generations took turns chanting from it. One chanted from it for her own bat mitzvah 30 years earlier. The “Mizrahi Torah,” which was transported to Atlanta from Jacksonville, Fla., for the requested b’nai mitzvah, takes its moniker from the surname of the couple that bought it. Salim and Estrea Mizrahi, originally from Syria and Turkey, respectively, donated the scroll to the Jacksonville Jewish Center in 1923. They
bought it from a Sephardic synagogue in New York City, according to family history. As the story goes, Salim bought two train tickets from N.Y. to Jacksonville so the Torah would have its own seat next to him. Many of the family members have their own recollections of their connection with the family Torah. Traci Flome read from it at her bat mitzvah in 1989 at Congregation Etz Chaim and again at her son Noah’s bar mitzvah Feb. 15 at Congregation B’nai Torah. The next week, Feb. 22, it was used at her cousin’s bat mitzvah at Ahavath Achim Synagogue. “We have this symbol of Judaism that my great-great
grandparents I never met” gave to the family, Flome said. “I feel like it connects us with those who are no longer here. She admits, as a bat mitzvah, she may have agreed to read from this ancient Torah because it was so special to her mother’s family. But now as a mother herself, she has a different perspective. “It was special to my mom, but ultimately it became special for me. It gave so much more meaning” to her son’s recent bar mitzvah
experience, she said. In his d’var Torah, Noah said, “I believe that we can and should honor our parents and grandparents on a daily basis. One way I am honoring my great-great-grandparents today
Traci Flome with son Noah admiring the historic family Torah.
Flome family preparing for Noah’s bar mitzvah last month at B’nai Torah.
is by reading from the Mizrahi Torah. … There is something so special about the fact that so many members of my family have all read from this Torah, including my mom at her bat mitzvah. Growing up in Turkey and Syria could not have been easy for my great-great-grandparents and I do not take for granted the Jewish life that I am able to live.” A week after his bar mitzATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
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Photos by Zach Porter, Revelry Photo House// Lori and Rick Harber with bat
mitzvah Laila at AA Synagogue. In front is sister Sofia.
vah, cousin Laila Harber read from the Torah at AA. “I loved the Torah because it was beautiful and different from any other Torah I’ve ever seen. And it was part of my family.” Her father Rick Harber wanted his children to read from the family Torah after having seen so many other family members read from it over the years. When Flome and Harber compared dates, they realized their simchas were a week apart and the wheels started turning. “It’s not every day you get to see a near 100-year-old Sephardic Torah, let alone read from it. Now add the ‘family’ dimension and you have something very rare and special, not only for Laila, but also for her younger sister Sofia. She, too, will read from this Torah in 2025. It’s meaningful that something like this has been in the family so long. And thanks to Salim and Estrea’s understanding of heritage and legacy, multiple generations have read from this magnificent Torah.” Harber realizes most At-
lanta Jews have not seen a Sephardic Torah. “It is something majestic to behold.” The Torah is different from what the Ashkenazi synagogues are accustomed to seeing and using. For starters, it stands up instead of laying flat on the shulchan (reading table). Even though Flome read from it as a bat mitzvah and saw it being brought into B’nai Torah for Noah’s bar mitzvah, when the ark opened, she and attendees were audibly stirred by the contrast between traditional Ashkenazi velvet-covered Torah scrolls with wooden handles and this velvet and silver metalencased scroll. “It overcame me.” Her mother Linda Weinroth, a founding member of Etz Chaim and longtime b’nai mitzvah tutor, recalls the scroll being used for her children’s b’nai mitzvah in 1986 and 1989 at the Conservative Marietta synagogue. She described the Torah as ornate and elaborate, purple velvet encrusted in silver. “When the ark at Etz Chaim was opened
more than three decades ago, it was gorgeous, such an awe-inspiring moment for those in attendance,” said Weinroth, who is also a former education director of Etz Chaim. Like her daughter, Weinroth read from the Torah at Noah’s bar mitzvah. Weinroth and her husband Michael drove to Jacksonville to get the Torah and brought it back to Atlanta for the bar mitzvah. It required special permission and legal documents to transport. The case was refurbished about 10 years ago. Etz Chaim Rabbi Emeritus Shalom Lewis said he’s seen Sephardic cases before in Israel and elsewhere that are typically very beautify and ornate. He believes Torah scrolls from North Africa or the Middle East had to be sturdier than those from Europe to survive in the drier climate, so they were encased with metal and wood instead of the cloth mantle of European scrolls, sufficient to protect the parchment and lettering. Reading from the Torah at
their b’nai mitzvah, for Traci and her brother Adam, was “a powerful moment for them and for us as a congregation, sharing in the history and in the family pride,” said Lewis, who knew four generation of the family. He was also was touched more recently at Noah’s bar mitzvah to be honored with an aliyah during the Torah service. He stood at Weinroth’s side as she read the Torah portion of the Ten Commandments. “It was deeply moving for me, but more so for the Weinroth and Flome family. “It shows the strength of Judaism. It shows the strength of tradition and reflects the pride the family has for where they come from and where they are going – the next generation of committed Jewish children. The descendant’s great-great grandparents had a vision and a hope in bringing this Torah into their community. And, wherever their spirits now reside, they know the Torah is still being read by family and Jews devoted to their faith.” ì
Noah Flome reads from the same Torah his mother used for her bat mitzvah.
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A Bar Mitzvah in Berlin
Noah Lipis puts on tefillin for the first time with his cantor.
By Allen H. Lipis
On Shabbos Feb. 1 a couple of weeks ago, I attended my grandson’s bar mitzvah in Berlin, Germany. Like any good Jewish family, the planning for the event began at least six months beforehand and I was asked to provide email addresses in the U.S. for dozens of families that my and daughter-in-law did not have. The event was quite similar to events we held for our children, with a Friday night dinner, Kiddush after the synagogue service on Saturday morning, a big party Saturday night, and a breakfast on Sunday morning before some of the guests left for home. There are about 12 synagogues in Berlin and the Jewish population continues to grow, estimated to be 30,000 Jews. The synagogue where the bar mitzvah took place was a Masorti synagogue associated with the Conservative movement. Fraenkelufer Synagogue was over 100 years old. The main part of the ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
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synagogue did not survive World War II, but the remaining part was capable of handling about 250 people, and the service was packed with standing-room only. Seventeen people came from the U.S., and another 40 or so came from Cologne, where my daughter-in-law’s parents live. When I asked one of them why so many friends from Cologne flew the one-hour flight to be at the bar mitzvah, the female friend of the family said to me, “Allen, you have so many bar and bat mitzvahs in Atlanta, but we have very few in Cologne. For us, a bar mitzvah is a very special event. We wouldn’t miss it.” The original plan was to hold a Friday night dinner at my son’s home, but the number of outof-town guests was so large that the plan was changed to hold it at a local hotel. Almost everyone drove to the event, although there were a few orthodox people who walked. While men and women could sit together at this synagogue for
the bar mitzvah, the men sat in one section apart from the women, who sat in another section just next to the men. The service was very traditional with a tallis and kippah for the men and the entire reading of the Torah. My grandson, Noah, was well prepared because he worked with a rabbi and his father, just as you might expect to happen here in Atlanta. He read his parashah and then the haftarah with perfection. After finishing, he was showered with candy that we brought from the U.S., a request from our daughter-in-law Mimi. The many small children there gobbled up the candy quickly, and then Noah read his speech from the bimah. The service concluded with Noah again leading the singing of “Anim Zmiros.” The Kiddush after the service was catered in the small social hall. The congregation is looking to raise several million dollars to rebuild the main synagogue, but German Jews are not as familiar
with financial support for the synagogue. The reason is that deductions from your salary go to the religious affiliation you designate, and the central Jewish Federation receives these salary deductions from the government, thereby reducing the need for strong fundraising activities. The party Saturday night was certainly among the best bar mitzvah parties I have ever attended. Held in an abandoned factory, the party took the entire top floor for about 170 people, with a band, a photographer, pinball machines, a boxing machine to hit as hard as you could to measure your strength, and several other items for children. The food was buffet, and kosher, with ice cream made with cream on a very cold plate, as well as crepes with chocolate or jellies. The Sunday morning breakfast was held at the office of our son Leo and his wife Mimi, who also has her business there. Their office was big enough to handle the large number of people. The entire weekend was
The party on the top floor of an old warehouse accommodated 120 guests.
elegant, very well organized with professional caterers. Berlin is a booming town with lots of construction going on. The city is modern but carries three types of building façades. The more opulent façade with colorful statues and exquisite designs are the buildings built before World War II; the buildings with straight façades were built after the war under the Russian occupation; and the more modern tall, glass buildings are the new Western Germany designs. All the buildings by code must connect to each other, giving the impression of a very dense city, and the code also requires most buildings to be at the same height. Taller than code buildings require special permission from the city. Because the buildings are dense, parking is a problem throughout the city, which is why public transportation is used by most everyone. There is an elaborate bus and train system, and a $3 Eurail Pass for the day will allow you to move from bus to train for the single fare. Taxis are plentiful, and so are small rental cars and bikes. You leave the rental car wherever you get out as long as you find a legitimate parking spot. The next renter calls a central number and is told where to find the closest rental car or bike. You enter your credit card in the vehicle with the passcode given
from your phone call, and off you go. The car tracks the amount of time you spend in the vehicle and you are charged by the minute. It’s a terrific idea in a dense city. For those in the U.S. who refuse to visit Germany for what it did under Nazism, I can only say that there are many memorials and exhibits about the Holocaust and the treatment of the Jews during that time period. The most recognized one right near the Brandenburg Gate is a large, almost complete city block of various concrete forms, some 4 by 8 feet and others of varying heights. There are several hundred of these blocks with nothing written on them, and they stand as a memorial to the various concentration camps and for the people killed in them. We also visited a new Masorti Jewish school, partly organized by our daughter-in-law and several other parents. The school is opened for its second year, with three classrooms, one for first and second grades, one for third and fourth grades, and one for fifth and sixth grades. With 20 students to begin with, the school is likely to double in size for next year. The structure of the school is based on allowing children to learn at their own pace, an approach more conducive to seeing learning as fun, but putting an extra burden on teachers. The children are learn-
Noah’s bar mitzvah took place in the Fraenkelufer Synagogue in Berlin.
ing German, English and Hebrew. In addition, there will be a Moishe House attracting Jews from 20 to 35 years in the same building for the coming year. Because funds for the teachers comes from the government, fundraising is not as critical as in the U.S. and therefore, a school board is not typical. For this Jewish school, the concept of a school board had to be sold; parents and community leaders had to be persuaded to accept their responsibility, and bylaws had to be created. However, with growth, the school will need funds to add classrooms and a permanent administration, so fundraising now is inevitable. One afternoon, a group of us went ice skating at an outdoor rink. For a few euros, you can ice skate all day on a small oval rink about 200 by 100 feet. The outer rink surrounding the smaller rink is a quarter-mile-track that is certainly Olympic-sized. With several hundred people ice skating when I was there, there was still plenty of room to handle much more. The rink is up all winter; the ice is about one foot thick and the rinks are professionally maintained. The rink closes in about April when
the weather warms up to a point that the ice begins to melt, making it difficult to ice skate. It is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and get significant exercise without a great expense. Whenever people ask me why my son is living in Berlin, I tell them that he married a wonderful woman who is a child of Holocaust survivors. Her family returned to Germany from Argentina and some survived concentration camps. The family could not get into the U.S.; they spoke German and Spanish, and some of their family survived in Europe. In many ways, raising a Jewish child in Berlin has advantages because of the ability to enjoy a major city, enjoy bakeries and international restaurants almost everywhere, and see firsthand a large variety of ethnic cultures. There is police protection at every synagogue and Jewish event, and there is a very strong commitment from the German government that anti-Semitism will be dealt with harshly. Whenever I am asked the question of why Jews are living in Germany, I answer, “The Nazis are gone, and the Jews are coming back.” ì 43 • STYLE MAGAZINE
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A Second Chance at B’nai Mitzvah
B’nai mitzvah class students include Lance England, Susan Shapiro McCarthy, Galina Barshay, Jay Schwartz, Helen Ehrlich, Lynn Johannesen, Marisa Gerertz, Steve Caras. The class is led by Rabbi Daniel Dorsch.
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Those looking for that “second act,” discovering deeper meaning in their Judaism later in life, are now well on their way in pursuit of an adult b’nai mitzvah. “This is my first time running an adult b’nai mitzvah program,” said Daniel Dorsch, senior rabbi of Congregation Etz Chaim. “As a group, we began our journey nearly two years ago. In many ways for me, this journey of learning together has been as profoundly meaningful for me as it has been for my students. I’ve enjoyed watching them grow Jewishly and appreciate the quality time that I’ve gotTeacher Beverly Barnhard coaches two of the students in the b’nai mitzvah class independently during the week. She says older students start at their own level and then build skills.
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ten to spend with them throughout the process.” The group of 20, with varying motivations, meet with Dorsch on Sundays and may choose throughout the week to hire an ancillary tutor – maybe even by FaceTime. Many participants are either Jews by choice, grew up in traditional homes where women did not become b’nai mitzvah, or grew up in Jewishly secular homes. Still others had a nominal bar or bat mitzvah experience and were looking to engage with deeper learning. The main curriculum is the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School at the Marcus JCC. Over half of the enrollees use the appropriate Melton material relating to Jewish theology to enhance b’nai mitzvah study. The majority of the class is female. At different times, Rabbi Dorsch has offered additional classes on the b’nai mitzvah track, with each student signing up according to individual needs. These have included a reading crash course for Hebrew decoding, an informal group led by Dorsch that gathered to discuss the meaning of the prayers, and a trope class for those reading Torah for the first time. Student Allison Barchichat said, “In preparing for my bat mitzvah, it’s VERY hard to learn this as an adult, starting from the ground up, learning the Hebrew alphabet. I have attended services for years but have always followed along ‘by ear.’ My children are approaching bar mitzvah, and when this opportunity came up, I couldn’t say ‘no.’ I am supported by my best
Allison Barchichat, Etz Chaim’s financial administrator, said she decided to participate in the class in advance of her sons’ b’nai mitzvah.
Student Lynne Goldman Johannesen is proud to achieve this important accomplishment with the support of her non-Jewish husband of 40 years.
friend, who is also in the class. We are learning Torah portions, and it is tough!” Beverly Barnhard, who began teaching at Etz Chaim in 1992, said, “These students are very courageous and ambitious. I give them a tremendous amount of credit for stepping up and joining the class. They will walk away with great satisfaction, joy, a true sense of accomplishment, and most of all, a feeling that they have found their place as a member of the Jewish people.” Barnhard spends one to two hours a week with the two students she tutors through the class. Susan Shapiro McCarthy, herself an educator and counselor, said, “Beverly is very patient and motivational, both wonderful qualities for this experience.” When asked about coaching older students, Barnhard said, “Everybody starts at the beginning and moves up from there. It’s a building of skills.” Student Lynne Goldman Johannesen said, “My husband, who is not Jewish, and I just celebrated our 40th anniversary. He has always been sup-
portive of my Judaism and how our two sons were raised. When Rabbi Dorsch offered this class, it was my opportunity to become more educated and ‘Jewishly’ spiritual. My husband is as excited and proud as I am for this important accomplishment.” Her teacher is Linda Weinroth, retired education director at Etz Chaim. “Hundreds of students went through our program, two of whom were Johannesen’s sons. She approached me about teaching her to read Hebrew to participate comfortably in services and being well-prepared in the adult b’nai mitzvah class. For her, it was a meaningful challenge and commitment. For me, it was a pleasure to work with her toward achieving her goals. She is a teacher’s dream student. It’s not harder to work with adult students because this is a choice that they made, not a choice that a child’s parents made. The motivations are so different. “ Dorsch said the timing is appropriate for the celebration. “The completion of our $4.3 million Renewal 2020 campaign, which includes the renovation of our Hammer-Tritt Social Hall and Radow Sanctuary, is scheduled to take place shortly before the b’nai mitzvah celebration. I can think of no greater way to highlight the end of this process than a celebration to mark the renewal and rededication of ourselves to Jewish life.” The Shabbat ceremony is slated for April 25. ì
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David Baker is raised in the chair during the traditional hora following his bar mitzvah.
Front row: Autumn Pollack, Heather Markowitz, Leah Wolf and Emma Davis. Back row: Teacher Josh Fishbach, Max Rothman, Leo Rose and Orr Shalev, assistant teacher.
By Martine Tartour
ness of his roots,” explained Kate, his mother, ... “we were looking for something different, a Judaism that emphasizes human values, not necessarily religious values.” On stage, the boys wore ties, while some girls opted to wear tallitot. In front of them were 200 cheerful faces of parents, family members and friends. The buffet and music were ready. The ceremony followed JKG’s guiding principle and motto: Jewish education should be “fun and ridiculously cool!” Following their speeches, the b’nai mitzvah students led the Havdalah, the service that separates Shabbat from the rest of the week. Symbolically, they too are separating themselves from childhood to enter adulthood, said Ana Robbins, JKG executive director. They understand that they are now responsible for their actions and Jewish learning. Next, each one was hoisted up on chairs, surrounded by their family and friends doing the hora; no way to avoid the tradition! At the heart of this organization is Robbins, who grew up at and still attends Congregation
Jewish Kids Groups Celebrates Joint B’nai Mitzvah
For the third year, Jewish Kids Groups, Atlanta’s independent Sunday and afterschool program, held its unique b’nai mitzvah ceremony. It was a big day for David Buchacz – his bar mitzvah – but he didn’t read his parashah in front of a rabbi and an audience of congregants in tallitot. On Sunday, March 8, at The William Breman Jewish Home, he celebrated his bar mitzvah in a joint ceremony with nine
other boys and girls. The merry band of friends kidded around on the stage. There was laughter here and there; the mood was festive. The children have been preparing for two years for this joyous moment. They have participated in community service together and chose a personal project related to Judaism, which they presented that day. David’s parents are not religious; only one was born Jewish. “But it was important for us to raise David with a deep aware-
In a joint speech, Autumn and Emma described their experiences at the JKG.
ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
STYLE MAGAZINE • 46
Shearith Israel. But as an adult, she realized that not all kids have the kind of access to Judaism that she did if they go to secular schools. And she was sorry that “they will never have an opportunity to wear a yarmulke, to cook hamantaschen for Purim, or to sing ‘Hava Nagila.’ All Jewish children in Atlanta should have easy access to Jewish education that is meaningful and resonates with them.” Today, JKG has locations in the Old Fourth Ward, Morningside, Dunwoody and two sites in
The b’nai mitzvah had an attentive audien
Brookhaven. Five years ago, the JKG concept of the collective b’nai mitzvah was born. “It is a coming-of-age celebration meant to reflect the Jewish experience of these kids and family,” Robbins claims. The program takes place over two years. In the first year, students bring the Jewish values they learn into the real world through a series of community service trips with their friends. They visit places such as the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Rebecca’s Tent homeless women’s shelter at Shearith Israel, and others. In the second year, each student chooses a personal interest project to pursue from six months to a year. “They get up out of their seats, move around, and get their hands dirty,” Robbins said enthusiastically. They showcased their final projects March 8 with presentation boards, computers or music to back up their works. David described how he volunteered for six months with middle school children from refugee families. Leo Rose impressed the audience with his work on the impact of Jews on comic book heroes. There was an emotional moment when Max Rothman, finishing his speech about Jewish agriculture, received his father’s tallit. Then it was Leah Wolf’s turn to talk about eating ethically, and as vegetarian, how she tries to tie her choice with Jewish values. JKG also offered a group ceremony the day before, on Shabbat, but Leah chose to celebrate her bat mitzvah on March 8 “so that my grandparents, who are very religious, can come.” Leah recently announced that after this collective moment, she wanted to commit to a traditional bat mitzvah “alone,” with a rabbi and Torah reading. Rebecca and David, her parents, are not religious at all, but “we respect her desire,” Rebecca said. “It’s a path that Leah decided on her own, and certainly not lured by a lavish feast or mountains of gifts. It’s a wonderful thing about maturity. And for sure, JKG greatly has been contributing to this very beautiful path.” ì
nce of more than 200 friends and family.
Rub elbows with the rays and schmooze with sea life in our Oceans Ballroom. With two large observation windows, your simcha will be as unique as the gathering itself. And, guests will love the carefully curated cuisine served from the kosher kitchens of Wolfgang Puck Catering. Mazel Tov! Email booking@georgiaaquarium.org, visit georgiaaquarium.org/amazingevents or call 404.581.4126.
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SAVE THE DATE MORE INFORMATION COMING Join the AJT for a Community Discussion About the 2020 Election from a Jewish Perspective.
Jewish Breakfast Club
Luncheon
Thursday, April 23 • 11:30 am to 1 pm City Springs Performing Arts Center
1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 A Panel of Local Political Experts will discuss what Jewish Voters Should Keep in Mind.
Greg Bluestein: Political Reporter for the Atlanta JournalConstitution
Kerwin Swint: Author, Commentator and Director, School of Government and International Affairs
Chuck Berk: Local Chair of the Republican Jewish Committee
Valerie Habif: Co-founder of Jewish Democratic Women’s Salon
Moderator: Dave Schechter, 30 years at CNN in positions ranging from Jerusalem Bureau Producer to Senior National Editor. Dave now works as a freelance writer covering all matters from politics to Jewish life for the Atlanta Jewish Times.
JBC
Jewish Breakfast Club
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Past speakers include Bernie Marcus, Georgia Tech men’s basketbnall coach Josh Pastner, Atlanta Falcons minority owner Ed Mendel, Doug Ross chairman of Birthright Israel’s Atlanta Regional Council and former CEO of Caribou Coffee Michael Coles and many more.
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