No. 27 July 5 Atlanta Jewish Times

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JONES: NOT JUST AN ACTOR

Schwartz to lead HIAS PAGE 4

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israel

Israeli Pride

GOOD NEWS MADE IN THE JEWISH STATE THIS PAST WEEK

SAFER BONE AUGMENTATION. Israel’s RegeneCure has developed an innovative synthetic membrane for those needing dental implants. Alternative animal tissue-derived collagen membranes risk being contaminated by pathogens; RegeneCure’s membrane degrades slowly, giving the natural bone more time to regenerate.

SWEET SEEDLESS ISRAELI PEPPERS AND MORE. At Fresh AgroMashov 2013, Israel’s Zeraim Gedera presented its seedless sweet pepper, “the Angello,” and its disease-resistant long-life seedless watermelon, “the Fascination.”

THAT’S A LOT OF BOTTLES! Israelis recycled more than 200 million 1.5-liter plastic bottles in 2012 – a 7 percent increase on the previous year. The total indicates that the average Israeli recycled 29 bottles over the course of the year.

ISRAELI WINS INTERNATIONAL CHESS TOURNAMENT. Chess grandmaster Boris Gelfand took first place in the Tal Memorial international competition in Moscow. Gelfand was undefeated on six points, ahead of the current top player Magnus Carlsen.

The previous world champion, Viswanathan Anand, came in ninth.

RECORD MONTH OF MAY FOR TOURISTS. May 2013 was a record-breaking month for tourism to Israel. The 336,000 visitor numbers made for a 5 percent increase compared to May 2012. The total for 2013 so far is also a record 1.4 million.

AIMING FOR THE MOON. Kfir Damari of Israel’s SpaceIL came to the downtown Jerusalem Startup Hub to make a presentation on his lunar exploration startup. His was Israel’s sole entrant in Google’s Lunar X competition, which offers a $30 million prize to whichever team’s craft can make it to the moon first.

CHICAGO WANTS ISRAELI WATER TECHNOLOGY. Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to purify his city’s water using new technologies developed by the University of Chicago with Ben-Gurion University.

SEEING THE JEWISH STATE IN A NEW LIGHT. Field of Vision, a new series by photographer Vardi Kahana, documents the people touched by Eye from Zion, an Israeli organization that provides free ocular medical treatment to needy populations around the world.

ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO UZBEKISTAN IS A WOMAN. Carmela Shamir will soon begin her term as Israeli ambassador in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, making her the first female Israeli envoy to serve in a Muslim country. Another woman, Hagit Mualem, will serve as the deputy ambassador in the Israeli embassy in Tashkent.

UK PARAPLEGIC MEETS REWALK INVENTORS. Claire Lomas, the young British paraplegic woman who completed the London marathon wearing an Israeli invention that enabled her to walk, visited the Jewish state to meet the Argo Medical team behind the technology.

RUSSIA’S BOLSHOI OPERA MAKES FIRST VISIT TO ISRAEL. For the first time, the Israeli Opera is hosting Moscow’s Bolshoi Opera House, one of the world’s leading opera houses and the biggest in Russia. The Bolshoi musicians will be performing Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, “Yevgeny Onegin” – perhaps the most “Russian” opera of all time.

START-UPS PRIORITIZE GIVING TO CHARITY. Israel’s OurCrowd is the first venture capital funding organization to insist its portfolio companies donate a portion of equity to a charitable foundation. Start-ups allocate shares to the non-profit Tmura; if the start-up is taken-over, Tmura gives 90 percent of the share value to charitable projects.

ISRAELI PILOT FLIES NEW BOEING TO TEL AVIV. Lufthansa’s First Officer, Israeli Yaniv Emanuel, flew the airline’s new Boeing 747-8 from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv. The first arrival of the world’s longest commercial plane also marked the improvements to Ben Gurion airport to satisfy aviation regulations.

daughter of Pakistani immigrants to the U.S., was smitten by the natural beauty, history and modern achievements that came into vivid focus on a helicopter tour of the Jewish State.

BRINGING ARCHAEOLOGY TO LIFE. Israeli startup Architip’s app will show either informative text or an image of what a site used to look like, when a smartphone is held up to the landscape. Point it at a faded mosaic, and Architip displays it in full color, with all its drawings intact.

FOUR SYRIAN CHILDREN TREATED IN ISRAEL. A 16-year-old boy suffering from gunshot wounds, a 13-year-old girl and two boys aged 9 and 15 are the latest Syrian casualties to be taken to Israel hospitals. In total, Israel has treated more than 100 Syrians.

ALCOHOL ADDICTION? FORGET IT. Researchers in Israel and San Francisco have been able to switch off a memory pathway in the brains of rats responsible for alcohol dependency.

Tests on humans are expected soon; the results may also lead to the treatment of nicotine craving.

This list courtesy Michael Ordman and verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com.

“THIS IS THE LAND…” On her first visit to Israel recently, Dr. Qanta Ahmed saw the country “as G-d sees it.” The Muslim physician, and

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

NETANYA IS THE COOLEST! Netanya is the only large town in Israel that preserved its original cliffs instead of cutting them down to the sea level.

As a result, Netanya’s homes are built at 40 to 50 feet above the sea level, endowing the city with a lovely cooling breeze most days of the summer.

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AJT

news

Local to Lead HIAS

KSU President Explores Israel

DALE SCHWARTZ ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY special for the AJT

D

ale Schwartz of Atlanta has been elected chairman of the board of Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), the global Jewish nonprofit that protects refugees.

Schwartz, an immigration lawyer, will succeed Marc Silberberg of New York City. He is the 22nd community leader elected to chair the agency since its founding in the 1880s. His initial term is for one year.

“HIAS is in my blood, part of my DNA,” Schwartz said.

“Not just because HIAS brought to America three of my grandparents and helped them establish new lives here, but because of the millions of other people – Jews and non-Jews – whom HIAS has rescued or resettled. To be a part of that effort – even in a small way – is both an honor and a precious gift from above.”

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

treasure trove of HIAS archives that document our work helping 4.5 million people over more than 130 years; and continuing our role as a leading advocate for the dignity of refugees and immigrants everywhere.”

Schwartz was born in Columbus, Ga. and grew up in the Bronx. His family later moved to Winder, Ga., where he attended high school.

Dale Schwartz

Schwartz also praised Silberberg.

“I am grateful to my predecessor, Marc Silberberg, who in the last year has led deep, thoughtful, and strategic deliberations between the HIAS board, staff and other stakeholders.

We no longer just resettle refugees in the United States and elsewhere; we now provide direct assistance to refugees in camps and urban areas in remote sites such as Kenya, Uganda and Latin America, to name but a few.”

Schwartz said such work has been part of the organization for more than a decade, but that now it’s all part of HIAS’ mission, implementation and branding.

“Among my near-term goals,” Schwarz said, “ are increasing the awareness of our transition to a ‘new HIAS’; obtaining increased resources and funding for our lifesaving programs in 14 countries on five conti4 nents; preserving and indexing the

PAPP IS PART OF AJC DELEGATION

A member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Georgia, Schwartz attended Vanderbilt University and The George Washington University and earned his bachelor’s and law degrees at the University of Georgia, where he was an editor of the Georgia Law Review.

Currently a principal of Dale M. Schwartz & Associates, LLP, he also is adjunct professor of immigration law at Emory University School of Law and has been on the board of HIAS since 1981. Among other honors, Schwartz received the Abe Goldstein Young Leadership Award from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, on whose board he served for a number of years and for whom he served as Project Renewal cochairman.

Schwartz is married to Susan Ellis Schwartz; they are the parents of three married daughters and have nine grandchildren and attend Temple Sinai in Sandy Springs.

The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society is the global Jewish nonprofit organization that protects refugees – including women and children, and ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities – whose lives are in danger for being who they are. Visit HIAS.org to learn more.

special for the AJT

A

delegation of presidents and chancellors from top U.S. universities, including Kennesaw State President Daniel Papp, traveled to Israel on June 30 for a weeklong exploration of opportunities for bilateral academic partnerships and collaboration through an educational seminar conducted by Project Interchange, an institute of AJC (American Jewish Committee).

rael’s world-class research and educational innovation attests to its role as a global player.”

The program marks Project Interchange’s seventh-annual flagship seminar for university presidents.

Previous Project Interchange seminars for university presidents have

The delegation visited Israeli universities such as Tel Aviv UniverKSU President Daniel Papp sity, the Technion and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, for a series of meetings on relevant areas including brain science, environmental sustainability, biotech, diversity and women’s leadership. resulted in numerous instances of The group learned about state-of-the collaboration between participant art research initiatives and ground- universities and their Israeli counbreaking innovation in the Jewish terparts; for example, the joint CorState as well as unique academia- nell-Technion technology/science to-industry technology transfer that campus, in part a result of a PI semihas contributed to a reputation as nar chaired by Cornell President Dathe “Start-Up Nation.” vid Skorton in 2010, broke ground on The seminar was designed by New York’s Roosevelt Island in 2012 Project Interchange in consultation and launched its first beta class. with the participating university presidents and chancellors and has offered broad exposure to the complex issues facing Israel and the region. The delegation met with senior government, academic and civil society leaders across the Israeli social and political spectrum and traveled to the West Bank to meet with Palestinian leaders.

“We are tremendously pleased to host this impressive delegation of American university leaders for their first of hopefully many trips to Israel,” said Project Interchange Executive Director Sam Witkin prior to the group’s departure. “The world-class research and educational facilities at Israeli universities and colleges, a number of which [have been] visited during the program, provide a fitting setting for great minds to share information, discuss research partnerships, and explore opportunities for mutually-beneficial cooperation. Is-

Also, following his seminar in 2012, Louis Agnese, president of the University of the Incarnate Word, returned to Israel in February 2013 to consult and collaborate with the Sackler School of Medicine in order to create a medical school at UIW. And in March 2013, University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman, who co-chaired a PI seminar in 2008, signed a three-year, $1 million partnership with Ben Gurion University to develop renewable energy technology projects.

Project Interchange, a non-profit educational institute of AJC (American Jewish Committee), develops and conducts educational seminars in Israel for current and emerging United States and international leaders. For more information and a full listing of this year’s participating university presidents, visit projectinterchange. org.

AJT

from the publisher

Missed Opportunity

AJC’S CROSSWORD GAFFE AND THE AFTERMATH

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

A

s some of you may know, on June 28, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) ran its daily crossword puzzle, which it purchases from Tribune Media Services (Tribune). Sadly, instead of being entertaining, the puzzle contained an anti-Semitic clue/answer: The clue for 32-down was: “Shylock, e.g.,” and the answer was “Jew.” Now, if the answer must be “Jew,” there are many better examples to be used as a clue. Shylock was not even a real Jew! Shylock was a fictional character created by Shakespeare and based upon the most outrageous negative, anti-Semitic stereotypes of that era.

Why not use Moses, Einstein, Spielberg or Jesus (if you want to be tricky) as the example? To choose one of the most despicable Jewish characters in literary history as the example is highly offensive.

Although I never intended to blow this out of proportion, on the morning of July 2 I thought that I should at least call the publisher of the AJC, Amy Glennon, to get the paper’s side of the story. At first, I was told the publisher was in a meeting, and her assistant informed me that an apology was already printed on Page 2 of the July 2 edition. Thus, I immediately went out and purchased the AJC to find the apology.

What I saw on Page 2 was a small box (reprinted here) with the title “A note to our readers” that the AJC claims is their “apology.”

As you can see, it is very clear that “Tribune Media Services, which provides the puzzle, apologizes.” In contrast, it is equally clear that the AJC did not actually apologize. In fact, the AJC merely tried to shift the entire blame to Tribune.

In fact, the first sentence of the non-apology makes it look like the puzzle ran in the L.A. Times on June 28 – not in the AJC. Further, the AJC does not even indicate what the clue/answer specifically were or why an apology was in order in “A note to our readers.”

Not pleased with the apology hoax, I started to become really

concerned about this issue. I had already received calls from our AJT readers complaining about the AJC’s puzzle, so I though that I would call Bill Nigut, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League for the Southeast, who gave me some more background and provided some additional correspondence.

Apparently, after the puzzle was published, the ADL sent a letter voicing its concerns to Tribune. Tribune quickly issued a press release and letter to the ADL, apologizing for the incident, and on June 30, many newspapers ran a press release apologizing for the puzzle.

Interestingly, the AJC did not run such an apology on that day – the only attempt was on July 2, and it was deficient.

Nigut also stated for the record that “the AJC owes a genuine apology to our community, and I am disappointed by them.” He raised the great point that “this was a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness and explain why [the character of] Shylock is so offensive.”

We both agree that the AJC had an excellent opportunity to educate people on this matter and open a dialogue in the community but instead chose to shift the blame in hopes of avoiding

the issue.

At that point, I called Glennon back, but was referred to Drue Miller, the AJC’s Director of Marketing and Media Relations (i.e., “spin doctor”).

I asked Miller to read “A note to our readers” with me, then I asked her why there was such a strong distinction between the Tribune’s position and the AJC’s.

Specifically, why was it published that “Tribune Media Services, which provides the puzzle, apologizes,” yet nowhere does it state that the AJC apologizes. Miller responded:

“I don’t know.”

I asked why there was no formal apology, and again Miller indicated that she could not answer that question, but would find out from someone and call me back.

Later, I finally received a call from the AJC publisher Glennon. I asked her the same simple question: Why did Tribune clearly apologize, but not the AJC? She too could not answer that question. Instead, she said something even more absurd, claiming that “the purpose of ‘A note to our readers’ on Page 2 is to inform the readers about what happened.”

In my opinion, this was a com-

pletely disingenuous answer when you consider that the “note” on Page 2 did not admit that the puzzle was in the AJC; did not indicate what the words were; did not explain why it was offensive; and did not explain who was offended! How can that be informative?

I next asked Glennon who wrote the note, to which she answered, “Not sure who wrote it, it went through several people.”

Not happy with Glennon’s responses, I pushed ahead and asked why the AJC simply shifted all of the blame to Tribune, maintaining that everything is fine because the Tribune already gave a true, formal apology, unlike the AJC. To bring this point home: Consider the husband who stays out late with friends, has a little too much to drink and forgets to tell his wife that he will be going out after work. When the husband comes home, the wife is furious and waiting at the door. The husband proudly announces, “It was my friends’ idea to go out drinking, and they all apologize.”

We know that the wife would never accept such an apology from other people as being a true sign of regret and remorse form the husband, and the same holds true here – the AJC needs to accept their own responsibility and apologize. Instead of trying to shift blame, the AJC should show some remorse; at this point, they should be more ashamed of the way they tried to blame others than for the original offense. And what’s more, the AJC missed a wonderful opportunity to educate people about this topic.

I certainly understand that everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is that we should learn from those mistakes. The AJC should have used this situation to open a dialogue so that we can all learn from what happened.

After all, isn’t educating the ignorant much more important than the formalized apology anyway? What do you think?

Let us know your thoughts!

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

By CLIFF WEISS

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AJT

CHANA’s CORNER

And How Was Your Week?

SOME WEEKS ARE BETTER – OR WORSE – THAN OTHERS

By Chana Shapiro AJT COLUMNIST

M

onday morning, I was driving, minding my own business. That’s what I shouldn’t have been doing because the other motorists were pointing and honking.

Sure enough, I looked out my rearview mirror and was startled – terrified – to see a huge cloud of white smoke spewing from my car. I pulled over, trying to determine if the car was about to blow up or merely melt.

A man stopped to see if I needed help.

At the same time, two men doing yard work ran over. My three saviors watched in appreciative silence as the billowing smoke dissipated. One of them, speaking for the group, explained that I had too much oil in my car. Another one opened the hood and did three oil stick immersions to prove his point.

In spite of my protestations, he wiped the oil on his work pants between tests – the new black oil stains blended perfectly with the existing ones on his outfit. I kept my mouth shut.

“Is my car going to explode?” I asked.

They assured me that it would not.

“Can I drive it home?”

“Yes, but why do you have so much oil, anyway?”

“It was a mistake,” I lied.

Actually, it was no mistake. Just that morning my husband had decided that my car needed several more quarts of oil. He was guilty of overoiling, all right, but – loyal, saintly spouse that I am, I refused to narc on him. He’d hear from me soon enough.

After all this, I decided to let my car rest at home for a couple of days.

It’s old; maybe it would leak oil and

correct itself, I thought. But I was clearly conflicted.

I decided to take a long walk; in fact, it would do me good to walk to and from the supermarket and drug store. It was hot, and the load was heavy, but I rejoiced in the knowledge that I was finally doing something to combat my osteopenia and detoxify my body by sweating profusely.

In fact, I became a regular walking machine over the next two days.

I even enhanced my performance by donning a backpack, which enabled me to collect and carry valuable discarded items I found as I strolled. It’s amazing how many still-useful things people throw away, and I rescued each and every one.

Thursday morning, I weighed myself. I was confident that I’d lost two or three pounds from all the walking and lifting, but I realized that my scale was broken and I’d have to buy a new one.

The proof? It showed that I’d lost nary an ounce. But that was just the beginning.

A neighbor knocked on our door with some bad news.

“It looks like your fig tree died.”

That beautiful tree, a paradigm of fig tree perfection, showed an abundance of sprouts and was expected to produce a bumper crop of fruit this year. Our friend Gilbert, who planted it for us and knows loads about the subject, claimed that this particular arboreal specimen was indeed superior to most others of its breed.

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Thus, upon hearing of its impending demise, I called Gilbert for help.

He and I performed various Herculean tasks, trying to save the tree, but to no avail. We cut off several healthy branches and planted them nearby, hoping that someday they would replicate the excellence of their ancestor, but I was worried.

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We dragged the moribund tree, now sawed into pitiful pieces, and bundled it at the curb. Looking at my late plant, I sensed that a karmic pattern was emerging, and it wasn’t a good one.

Last night, the phone rang. It was late, and I was about to hop into bed, get cozy with a sleazy mystery and a bag of junk food and then slowly fall into tranquil dreamland…but it was not to be.

Our daughter, Sara, reported that her family had just opened their water bill. It was for $6,000.

We reviewed various scenarios: some nefarious, others accidental, others just plain terrifying. I have a friend who experienced something similar, resulting in one of those exposé shows where the utility company was brought to its knees. But that took two years to acquire justice, during which her water was shut off, and Sara’s family is the type that wouldn’t do well without drinking or bathing for two years.

Sara and her husband saw this as a difficult, but rectifiable, problem, but I knew the truth. When I finally fell asleep, I dreamt of Clark Howard hauling buckets up a steep hill from a well dug by Ralph Nader and his Raiders. And the week wasn’t over yet.

I worked on this column very early this morning, determined to complete most of it before starting to cook for Shabbat. I wanted to finish both writing and cooking because I had to be at the MJCCA by 1:30, when our granddaughter was performing in a play at drama camp. I intended to stay to greet the director, meet the other campers and join in the Shabbat oneg program.

And I succeeded: The majority of my column was written by ten o’clock, and I saved it – or I thought I did. I don’t know what happened, but only the first paragraph, written and saved yesterday, remained. So here I sit, an hour before Shabbat, recreating this column.

The irony isn’t lost on me. Losing my work and having to rewrite it fits the week’s pattern to a “T,” a perfectly stressful ending to a perfectly stressful week.

I believe that the Almighty is in control of everything, including my week of misfortune. I‘m counting on Him to rest on the Sabbath, as usual.

He’s been so very busy with me all week – we both need a break.

Chana Shapiro expects next week to be a whole lot better than the last one. Ever the optimist, she expects her car to run without spewing a cloud in its wake, the planted fig branches to take root, the scale to accurately reveal a weight adjustment, Sara’s water bill to be rectified and this rewritten column to appear in its entirety. If there’s only one paragraph, you’ll know she was wrong.

PUBLISHER CLIFF WEISS

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from the editor

Cruising the Inner Passage of Alaska NATURAL BEAUTY AND WAITING FOR A MINYAN

BY RON FEINBERG web editor

I

were six and needed only four more Jews.

t’s funny the sorts of things you notice when traveling. In Alaska, all you need do to see something beautiful and transcendent is open your eyes; the state bills itself as The Last Frontier and, if anything, the slogan is an understatement.

Can you say awkward?

Once again, we waited, and then waited some more. Finally, lacking the required number to hold a proper service, we instead opted to say kiddush and the Hamotzi.

There were a couple of handmade signs that, in Hebrew, offered a hearty hello to travelers. We even spotted a few mezuzot on the doorposts of several jewelry stores – after asking a sales clerk about the mezuzah at the front of her store and getting a puzzled look and shrug, the manager of the shop stepped forward and explained that the owner was Jewish.

Still, I gathered that if there were other Jews about, they were probably in one of the ship’s restaurants, enjoying a Shabbat feast of lobster and shrimp…

Meanwhile, Wendy and I had a small mission to accomplish for our rabbi. He asked that we bring back a stone to place on the grave of a man who recently died; no, not a gravestone, but a pebble of some sort.

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Of course, nature pretty much trumps everything else in this part of the world, but there are a few cities and villages – Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan – that offer up bits of civilization and tchotchkes if you’re cruising the Inside Passage. It was in these places that my wife Wendy and I came across some reminders recently of the Jewish community.

But, at the risk of sounding cynical, I fear these little touches of Judaica and yiddishkeit have little to do with Judaism and lots to do with marketing and attracting the attention of Jewish shoppers. It’s a ploy, apparently, that works.

8

Well, actually, we were still only four, six short of a minyan – the young woman was a Seventh Day Adventist, and the guy was, well, “nothing,” he said.

It was about then that Lorraine showed up. She was a full-fledged, card-carrying Jew from Sydney, Australia.

Wendy Feinberg reaches out to touch a mezuzah she spotted on the doorpost of a jewelry store in Ketchikan, Alaska. The owner of the shop is Jewish and places mezuzot at the entrances of all his stores.

The man, a member of our congre- Turns out she was Jewish and gation, had been planning a trip to knew exactly what we needed. Small Alaska with his family, and the rabbi world! thought a stone from Alaska might A few days later, as we were cruisoffer a measure of comfort for the being between Ketchikan and Victoria, reaved. we found ourselves somewhere wa We stumbled across a little shop tery and cosmically mountainous. on a side street in Skagway, a ram- Shabbat was nearing, and the folks shackle affair that spilled across a at Norwegian Cruise Line announced dusty lot and was filled with shiny there would be a short service in the rocks, unpolished stones and boul- ship’s chapel. ders. After sorting through a small Wendy, my daughter Lauren, sonmountain of stuff, we attempted to in-law Josh and I, all spiffy in our explain to the store’s clerk what we Friday night best, went looking for were hoping to find. a minyan and found a vacant room, She smiled and I’m pretty sure, a dozen chairs, two challahs and a just like in cartoon strips, I saw a bottle of Manischewitz. We sat and light bulb click on over her head. waited…and then waited some more.

“Oh,” she said, “you want a stone for a grave.”

After a bit, a young couple showed up and joined our chavurah. Now we

Oops; did I actually say that with my “outside voice”?

Anyway, Lorraine joined us as we made the blessing over the challah.

Then we did what Jews do when first meeting – we played Jewish geography. Lorraine knew absolutely no one from metro Atlanta, and we knew only one person living in Sydney: the former executive director of our shul, Alan Glazerman.

That would be the same man, Lorraine announced, that until very recently was the executive director of her synagogue in Sydney.

I did mention it was a small world, right?

Why Atlanta Is Unaffiliated

HINT: IT’S A “NEW YORK STATE OF MIND”

BY RABBI PATRICK ALEPH AJT COLUMNIST

A

ccording to the last Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta survey, two-thirds of Jewish Atlanta is unaffiliated, and only half of the Jewish community attends Jewish communal events. In fact, being Jewish is “very important” to only 56 percent of the Atlanta Jewish population.

A lot of people, including myself, look at these alarming statistics and feel a sense of low self-esteem. We spend a tremendous amount of time trying to figure out how to get Jewish people involved in the Jewish community.

We ask ourselves, “Why the apathy? Why doesn’t the Jewish community understand the importance of Jewish institutions?”

This is a topic, I fear, that will never go away.

So…what do I think is Jewish Atlanta’s issue? Well, to borrow a line from Jewish songster Billy Joel, this city is suffering from “a New York state of mind.”

Fully 70 percent of Jewish Atlanta is from somewhere else, and the majority of these new folks come from some pretty Jewish areas: New York and New Jersey. That fact might lead one to think this population would be “super Jewish,” but here’s the catch: Of that “new-to-Atlanta” Jewish community, 80 percent doesn’t affiliate. To put it bluntly, the Jewish folks who move to Atlanta are not looking for Jewish community. It’s that simple to understand!

Now, I’m not suggesting that this population is running away from the Jewish community, but they are certainly not running toward it. Of course, this is certainly not true of everyone; plenty of people from somewhere else who move here do join our community as active participants and often as Jewish innovators.

But that is a small minority.

So…what do we do about this?

Well, typically, we create programming. If Jewish folks are not

going to traditional Shabbat services, the answer is to create a new kind of service.

Are people in their 20s and 30s not being served? Create more events, and make sure they are free. This is being done to some degree, and it does work, but it only engages a fraction of the Jewish community.

Thus, perhaps a better question than “how do we get people to go into a room and be Jewish?” is to ask ourselves, “what are people doing at home, Jewish or not?”

Keep in mind that fundamentally, Judaism is a religion of the home and the family. While we measure our success based on warm bodies in seats at events, a better measure is the long-term impact of home-based Jewish learning – fond memories of Jewish moments and a connection to something transcendent.

Of course, the problem with this model of Jewish communal engagement is that it is almost impossible to measure. We can track ticket sales, we can count donations to Jewish organizations and we can add up synagogue memberships.

What is harder but truly a much better measure of our success as a community is a mother teaching her children how to light Shabbat candles, or a grandfather singing Yiddish folk songs from his youth.

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In my experience, people who are actively engaged in Jewish communal life are the people who have deep and fulfilling memories of this kind of Judaism.

Now, I’m not at all sure how we achieve the goal of fostering a Judaism of the home – perhaps at the expense of the community model of Jewish life – but I’m certainly open to suggestions.

Rabbi Patrick Aleph was ordained by Rabbinical Seminary International and is the founder of Punk Torah (punktorah.org). In his next column, he explores whether the future of Judaism rests on fear and what concert promoters can teach us about making Judaism matter.

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AJT

new take on torah

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AJT

community

New Officers, Board Members for AICCSE NEUMAN ELECTED CHAIRMAN

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of Williams Benator & Libby as treasurer.

Other elected officers include Benjamin Fink of Berman Fink Van Horn as chairman-elect; Jonathan Zucker of The InterTech Group as vice chairman; Tal Cohen of My Seed Tech Fund as vice chairman; Jonathan Minnen of Smith Gambrell & Russell as secretary; and Steve Horn

“We are honored to continue to attract such outstanding individuals to the leadership of our organization,” said current AICC president Tom Glaser, who will retire in September after 22 years of service. “Their commitment strengthens our reputation in the area’s business community

SPECIAL FOR THE AJT he American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Region, based in Atlanta, announces its newly elected officers and board members for the 2013-2014 year. Joel Neuman of The Coca-Cola Company has been elected as chairman of the organization.

Last week, the Chamber announced Shai Robkin as its new president and chief professional officer as of August 1. Also, newly joining the Chamber’s Executive Committee is David Schulman of Greenberg Traurig.

and with organizations and companies that do major business with Israel.”

New members of AICC’s Board of Directors include Eric Gabbai (Grant Thornton), Bruce Kopkin (IBM), Ramesh Barasia (TAB North Atlanta), Yuri Eliezer (Merchant & Gould), Morris Ellison (Womble Carlyle), Paul Gianneschi (Hatch Medical), Carl Johnston (Fisher Broyles), Darrie Schlesinger (AXA Advisors), Galit Levitin (Ballard Spahr), Adam Feinberg (UPS), Itay Parness (Gammasonic) and Yoav Zilber (Clariter).

Joel Neuman

Israeli Air Force Receives First C-130J Super Hercules MARIETTA CEREMONY INTRODUCES “SHIMSHON”

tract with the U.S. government.

Upon delivery, this aircraft will move into a modification program and receive Israeli-unique systems.

SPECIAL FOR THE AJT

L

ockheed Martin delivered the State of Israel’s first C-130J Super Hercules airlifter during a ceremony on June 26 at its Aeronautics Company’s production facility in Marietta. This is the first of three C-130Js currently on order for the Israeli Air Force (IAF), which has operated legacy C-130s since 1971.

“Today is a great milestone in the Israel-U.S. military relationship,” said Opher Aviran, Consul General of Israel to the Southeast. “The production of the C-130J Super Hercules at Lockheed’s Marietta production facility is a prime example of the $3.1 billion of U.S. foreign aid to Israel being directly reinvested into the American economy.”

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Maj. Gen. Yaacov Ayish, Israeli Defense and Armed Forces Attaché to the U.S. and Canada, and Aharon Marmarosh, director of Israel’s Ministry of Defense Mission to the United States, were present to receive the aircraft at the ceremony.

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The IAF has bestowed the nickname “Shimshon” on its C-130Js – the term, Hebrew for “Samson,” hearkens to a judge and leader for the people of Israel. Samson’s mother called him Shimshon – which is derived from the Hebrew word for “sun” – because she felt he was destined to be as bright and mighty as the sun and would deliver the Jewish people from their enemies.

“Israel’s new C-130J builds on the tradition of its predecessors and offers the IAF unique capabilities that are not only proven, but without equal,” said George Shultz, vice president and general manager, C-130

An in-country delivery for this C130J is scheduled for spring 2014.

Representatives of the Israeli government were on-hand in Marietta on June 26 for Lockheed Martin’s delivery of the first of three C-130J Super Hercules airlifters. programs at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. “With its glass cockpit and modern digital avionics, the C-130J has proven it performs in all environments: hot, cold, dirt and sand. Shimshon will serve the IAF as the C-130 always has – anywhere, anytime.”

Schultz also spoke about the history of the C-130 with the IAF, noting the famous mission in Entebbe, Uganda, when Israeli forces saved Jewish hostages.

“America celebrated its Bicentennial on July 4, 1976. Israel also celebrated that day; that morning, Israeli citizens learned the Israeli Defense Force had successfully carried out one of the most daring missions in history,” he said. “One-hundred and five Jewish people and Israeli citizens held hostage in Uganda by terrorists had been liberated. And they were coming home.”

Israel ordered its C-130Js through a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) con-

While Israel is the newest member of the C-130J worldwide operator family, this Super Hercules has the distinction of being one of 290 C130Js that contributed to the worldwide fleet’s first 1 million flight hours.

Shimshon’s test flight hours were included in this tally, which spans the C-130J’s first flight on April 5, 1996 through April 30, 2013.

C-130Js currently are deployed in two combat theaters, where they operate at a very high tempo efficiently and reliably.

AJT

community

New Testing for Potentially Blinding Genetic Disease MAK GENE IDENTIFICATION HELPS AVOID RP SPECIAL FOR THE AJT

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ore than two decades ago, then-AJT editor Vida Goldgar (of blessed memory) shared with readers the story of Dr. Theodore Hersh, an Emory clinician who suffered from the Jewish genetic disease of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an inherited eye condition that usually starts with loss of peripheral vision and night blindness but can progress to a complete loss of vision.

While the honored physician eventually retired from the University’s healthcare system due to his worsening sight, he still serves today as a professor emeritus and founder of supplement manufacturer Thione.

And meanwhile, scientists at the University of Iowa under the direction of Dr. Edwin Stone, professor of ophthalmology, have made a critical gene discovery in the avoidance of RP.

to be carriers of a MAK mutation, making MAKassociated RP the most common cause of inherited blindness in this population. Iowa scientists estimate that one-third of all RP among Jewish people in the United States is caused by this common mutation.

While the disease can be caused by mutations in any of more than 100 different genes, some of which have not yet been discovered, this gene – known as MAK – is of particular importance to people of Jewish ancestry. Initially identified in a single individual with RP, confirmatory studies of 1,800 additional families identified 21 additional affected individuals, all of whom reported Jewish ancestry.

Fortunately, a relatively inexpensive genetic test can determine whether someone Dr. Theodore Hersh is affected with MAK-associated RP. The test can also be used to iden Further screening of unaffected tify asymptomatic carriers of the individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish an- gene who would be at risk of having cestry revealed one out of 55 people

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& WEISS,

an affected child if they married another carrier, and work is underway to develop gene therapy for the early phases of this disease and stem cell therapy for the later stages.

The Iowa team’s goal is to identify every individual in the United States affected with MAK-associated RP so that they will be eligible to enroll in trials of these therapies as soon as they become available. If you have a Jewish friend or relative with RP, please encourage them to seek genetic testing for the Jewish MAK mutation. Jewish couples of child-bearing age with a family history of retinal degeneration may also wish to be tested.

Doctors can find information about the genetic test for MAK and other causes of Jewish retinal disease by visiting the website of the Carver Non-Profit Genetic Testing Laboratory at the University of Iowa (carverlab.org).

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AJT

arts & life

Kosher Movies: Brothers (2009) LIGHT FROM DARKNESS

BY Rabbi Herbert Cohen AJT Contributor

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have read many times about post-traumatic stress syndrome as it relates to soldiers coming home after serving in combat, and I understand it intellectually, but it is something very far from my personal experience.

In conversations with my son-inlaw – one of the few Orthodox Jews who served in the Marines – he gave me some idea of what soldiers face in battle. Although stationed in Kuwait and not in an active battle theater, he described the training he received for combat, which focused on learning how to kill efficiently.

And now, after watching “Brothers” – a powerful drama about the aftermath of military service – I have an even better understanding of the daily stress of those who serve in battle and how service in the thick

of combat can change lives for many years afterward.

The film focuses on Sam Cahill, a solid family man and a Marine captain about to leave on his fourth tour of duty. Married to his high school sweetheart, Grace, and the father of two beautiful daughters, his parting is fraught with a quiet anxiety as family members take leave of one another.

Sam was a star high school athlete and student who never quit or backed away from a tough assignment. His brother, Tommy, in contrast, avoided responsibility at all costs. We first meet the latter as he leaves jail after serving time for armed robbery, and he arrives just in time to bid farewell

to Sam as he embarks for Afghanistan in October of 2007.

News soon arrives back Stateside that Sam’s helicopter has crashed, killing all of the Marines aboard; in truth, though, Sam and his childhood friend Joe Willis have been taken captive in a remote mountain village. From this point, the film alternates scenes of Sam’s brutal incarceration with scenes of his family back home, who mourn for Sam and at the same time try to reconstruct their lives without him.

Tommy becomes an anchor to Grace and the children, who see in him a hint of their father and husband. The former convict and his friends even redecorate the family

kitchen to give Grace an emotional lift, and a bond develops between Grace, her girls and Tommy as they genuinely mourn for Sam while at the same time create isolated moments of happiness to make the present bearable.

Meanwhile, Sam and Joe are tortured brutally, both physically and mentally, and Sam eventually commits an unspeakable act that goes against his very nature. The psychic residue of that act remains with him when he is rescued and returns home, where his adjustment to normality is even further complicated and involves his relationship with many family members who realize that something has changed within him.

Sam is no longer the person he once was and may be unstable psychologically; the film approaches his adjustment in a complex way, and we observe how a friend’s minor gesture can evoke major emotional reactions in Sam. When it comes to such troubling times, Jewish tradition always guides us to focus on the light. Our sages tell us the cycle of the moon reminds us that when all is dark, light will come – the bad will not last forever, and the new moon will appear shortly, signaling that happiness and healing can begin.

Thus, the Jewish message is one of hope, that after tragedy will come joy and redemption, while in “Brothers,” the response is not so clear.

Still, it is evident that love between husband and wife can be the bedrock of a new beginning.

Moreover, when Sam in a moment of lucidity says that in spite of what he has gone through, he should be so happy that he is alive, we realize that he is on a road to recovery.

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Appreciating the gifts we have in the present allows us to have a healthy future.

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Rabbi Cohen, former principal of Yeshiva Atlanta, now resides in Beit Shemesh, Israel. Visit koshermovies. com for more of his Torah-themed film reviews.

AJT

arts & life

JEWS MAKING NEWS RECOGNIZING HIGH ACHIEVERS Compiled by Elizabeth Friedly

Jones: Not Just an Actor

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egardless of your size, shape, color or creed, the world is your dance floor in Rashida Jones’ music video directorial debut. In shooting the hidden-camera video for singer Sara Bareilles’ new track, “Brave.” the “Parks and Recreation” star and her team went as far as building fake trash cans to conceal the camera while filming a series of “brave” dancers getting their groove on throughout L.A. Of course, that’s not the only video from Jones to make a splash as of late. To highlight another type of bravery, the star joined her father, entertainer and cancer survivor Quincy Jones, to create a PSA for Stand Up to Cancer. Along with the Prostate Cancer Foundation, father and daughter are motivating men to visit their doctor and take preventative measures.

The Harvard graduate clearly has no intention of limiting herself. She continues building a resume behind the camera with her screenwriting debut, “Celeste & Jesse Forever,” and also recently launched a comic book series, “Frenemy of the State.” And naturally, she’ll be reprising her role as Ann Perkins when “P&R” comes back in September for its sixth season.

Jones, born to an African American father and an Ashkenazi Jewish mother, was raised in Reform Judaism and attended Hebrew school but was not bat mitzvahed. During her time at Harvard, she chose theater over law after becoming disillusioned with the legal process.

Fisher Says “No Thanks”

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ost actors and actresses dream of getting the big lead – unless, of course, you’re Isla Fisher. In fact, she’s actively turning the roles down. The Australian actress of “Wedding Crashers” and “Confessions of a Shopaholic” fame shocked fans and news sources alike when she announced her self-imposed hiatus from the spotlight.

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Fisher explained that the commitments inherent in leading a film were not worth missing out on parenting her young children – she currently has two daughters, both under the age of 6, with fellow actor Sasha Baron Cohen. Even so, she has been taking the time to promote her films, “The Great Gatsby” and “Now You See Me.”

Long before “Bored” or “Shopaholic,” Fisher wed Cohen in 2004 and subsequently converted to Judaism. She completed the conversion in 2007 and took the Hebrew name Ayala. Shortly thereafter, she gave birth to her daughters, Olive and Elula Lottie Miriam.

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That being said, the actress is all-ears for a feature-length incarnation of her short-lived HBO series, “Bored to Death.” The detective dramedy, which starred Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson, was cancelled after three seasons, but creator Jonathan Ames has already begun work on the film.

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AJT

arts & life

Steve’s Live Music Celebrates One-Year Anniversary Q & A WITH STEVE GROSSMAN

By Sara Kaplan

Editorial Intern

A

fter one year in its cozy Hilderbrand Drive confines, Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs is gaining serious momentum with fantastic acts every night.

The Atlanta Jewish Times caught up with the man himself, Steve Grossman, to talk successes, challenges and the love for music that ties it all together.

Atlanta Jewish Times: We know it’s been really exciting for you to celebrate your one-year anniversary at Steve’s Live Music. What has been your favorite part of this journey?

And what keeps you coming back for more every day?

Steve Grossman: It’s all about the music.

One of the things Atlanta is missing is live music venues. When I talk to musicians, they’re starving – not financially – but they’re just starving for places to play. A lot of them have moved to Nashville or Austin, where there are lots of music venues.

All these cities have all these venues, and people can go out any night of the week to any of as many as 50 or 60 venues in a town and hear live music.

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

In Atlanta, the culture is just not there; the culture is still sports-oriented. Unless it’s something at Philips Arena, which is still live music but also what I’d consider an “event” as opposed to going out to hear something new in art form.

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So what keeps me going is that I want these musicians to have a place to play. We started with five nights a week, running five shows a week, and we’re now running 12 shows a week. Every different genre is trying to find a place to play, and new artists need a place to be heard, so that’s what drives me right now.

AJT: Your venue may not be Philips, but you’ve done so well. What have

been some advantages and the challenges that you have faced in this past year with your location and venue?

SG: The plus of my venue is the location is perfect because there is nothing in Sandy Springs like it. There really isn’t a venue in Sandy Springs as diverse as this venue.

The challenge is that there hasn’t been this type of cultural form of art in Sandy Springs. So, as much as it’s needed, the desire for people to come isn’t there yet.

In other words, they like the idea of having a live music venue in Sandy Springs, but I think the most common line is, “We’re so excited to have a venue in Sandy Springs and we’re so excited for you, we’re going to try and get out there someday.” So, they’re thrilled that we’re here, but it takes time to change a culture.

[But] that was the first year. Now people are starting to show up, and the numbers are growing pretty quickly right now at the one-year anniversary. We’re starting to sell out almost every Saturday night now, and weeknights are starting to fill in.

It’s very exciting to watch the growth.

AJT: So you spoke a little about the diversity amongst your acts, and the AJT actually covered Troika Balalaika’s appearance as well as Occidental Gypsy’s gig. You seem to pull in a variety of sounds.

SG: For the most part, these groups find me now. For the first month, no one knew I existed. Now, for every act that I book, I have at least four other acts that I don’t have room for.

I have at least 1,000 people now that are trying to play here who haven’t even been able to get in the door.

The first year had 500 musicians that wanted to play here. There’s that many musicians out there that need a place to play. I can’t do too many more acts in a week than the

12 I already have!

AJT: Tell us a little about the thinking behind some of the community partnerships you undertook this past year, such as with the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival (AJMF) and their Jazz Night back in March.

and it’s almost like going back to camp. We have guitars, banjos…it’s like stepping back in time around the camp fire.

And that’s going on while, at the same time, we have people on the deck picking bluegrass and old time music or Irish music. So it becomes like a “hootenanny” night because you can play anything you want in terms of traditional music or singing.

Also after the first year, we’re just getting bigger acts now, bigger names are calling me – like Randall Bramblett, who is one of the great songwriters of our day, calls me and says, “Hey, I want to play here.”

SG: I’ve been partners with the AJMF since it started. I’ve been on the board for all these years. And actually, before the Festival started, I had my own local Jewish Music Festival here for two years in Atlanta to spotlight all the local Jewish artists.

I’ve always been involved in all types of culture, but obviously I have a love of Jewish music as well. So it worked out really well that Russell [Gottschalk, founder and director of AJMF] was doing a music festival, Thursday night became the Jazz Night, and this was the perfect location.

AJT: Let’s talk future. What’s in store for Year Two at Steve’s Live Music?

SG: We just announced that Wednesday nights are “Songwriter’s Showcase,” which is basically just a chance to get more people heard on Wednesday nights.

On Tuesday nights, we have our “hootenanny” night for people who just want to come and sing folk songs, anything from the ’40s all the way up to the ’70s and ’80s. Whether it’s Simon & Garfunkel or Woody Guthrie, we have someone who leads folk songs and you can just come in

So it’s really exciting to hear, but you also need to get the new songwriters up there because there could be a 14-year-old new artist who comes up and plays and blows everyone away.

That’s what really keeps me going, is watching this fresh talent and people bringing new fresh ideas in and it’s great.

AJT: What do you think Steve’s will be like five years down the road?

SG: Well, hopefully it’s right here in this room packed every night. We’re not looking to do any major expansions or anything.

The beauty of this place is that it’s just a 120-seat venue. People, wherever they’re sitting, have a good view of the stage, and it’s a great chance to see good art up close.

Editor’s note: For more on Steve’s Live Music – including a full schedule and menu – or to buy tickets, visit steveslivemusic.com.

AJT

TELL & KVELL

BIRTH

Zachary Dermer Schulman

J

eremy and Monica Schulman of Dunwoody announce the birth of their son, Zachary Dermer, on June 13, 2013. He weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces and was 20 inches long.

Zachary has two brothers, Joshua, 8, and Jordan, 6, as well as a sister, Ariella, 4. He is the grandson of Alan and Rose Anne Schulman and Liza and Michal Gilzenrat, all of Atlanta. He is the great-grandson of Tonia Ulman of Atlanta, who is a major part of the lives of her great-grandchildren and grandchildren.

A brit milah was performed by Rabbi Shmuel Koshkerman at Congregation Ariel on June 20 with Rabbi Binyomin Friedman officiating. Zachary was given the Hebrew name Zacharia Moshe in honor of paternal great-grandmother Donia Gilzenrat and paternal great-grandfather Max Gilzenrat and in commemoration of his birthdate (6/13, as in 613 mitzvot).

WEDDING

Liebergesell-Glatzer

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The bride is the daughter of Dr. Matthias and Astrid Liebergesell of Pennsylvania and the granddaughter of Mahmoud and Ellen Mohtadi and the late Karl and Erika Liebergesell, all of Germany.

Michael is employed as a Certified Public Accountant and Dania is a Case Manager.

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The groom is the son of Larry and Judy Glatzer of Bethlehem, Ga. and the grandson of the late Morris and Hannah Bernhardt and the late Marvin and Ruth Glatzer, all of whom lived in Atlanta.

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ichael Benjamin Glatzer and Dania Liebergesell of Virginia were married on May 10, 2013 in Annapolis, Md. Following the private immediate-family ceremony was a dinner at Carrol’s Creek Restaurant, which overlooks the Annapolis City Marina.

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AJT

education

TDSA Graduates First-Ever Second-Generation Student “MOSHE YITZY” WAS MADE FOR TORAH DAY

By Leslee Morris

For the Atlanta Jewish Times

I

t was a memorable moment when Moshe Yitzchak Estreicher received his diploma recently from Torah Day School of Atlanta. There wasn’t any wild yelling or applause, but those in the know realized an important milestone had been met.

You see, “Moshe Yitzy” is the first child of a TDSA alumna to graduate from the school. And, even better, everyone involved has connections to Atlanta.

Moshe Yitzy was born and bred here. So, too, were his parents, Rabbi Naphtali and Rivkah Estreicher. Additionally, both sets of grandparents live in Atlanta and are valued and well-known educators in the Jewish day school community.

Ruby Grossblatt, Moshe Yitzy’s grandmother and former TDSA teacher, was amazed when it was brought to her attention that her grandson was the first child of an alum to graduate.

“Time just goes by so fast,” she said. “I taught at TDSA for nine years in its early days. There were only four teachers at the school when my daughter Rivkah attended.”

As Grossblatt detailed the his-

tory of the school, it was clear her memories were clear and fresh.

She and her husband, Gerry, of blessed memory, were early supporters of TDSA. They not only sent their daughter to a brand new school but also offered their wisdom and strength and were honored for their service at TDSA’s Dinner of Honor in 2004.

to school with their children. I feel like a pseudo-grandmother to many of them.”

Susan Krohn, who has been a teacher at TDSA since its opening in 1985, said that seeing the children of former students makes her feel “old.”

“Our alums also come back to TDSA as teachers,” she added. “Clearly, their memories of their From left to right, Rabbi Naphtali Estreicher, Moshe Yitzchak Estreicher school experience are and Rivkah Estreicher – father, son and mother, all Torah Day graduates. positive and sweet enough that they of School. “What that says to me is Moshe Yitzy’s other grandparents, that the alumni feel that Torah Day want to come ‘home’ and be involved.”

Rabbi Daniel and Bluma Estreicher, School is a good school and they want In the overall scheme of things, are also major players at TDSA. their kids to be a part of it.”

Torah Day School is still in its in“Rabbi E,” as he is affectionately fancy. The oldest graduates are in

There are several other alumni known, is famous among the Yeshiva their early 30s, many with young and who send their children to Torah Day Atlanta crowd, and “Morah” Bluma has possibly taught every child in the School, and it’s a pleasure for some of growing families. Their career choicToco Hills neighborhood at Congre- the more senior teachers and admin- es are varied, including the fields of istrators to work with second-genera- law, education, medicine, dentistry, gation Beth Jacob’s preschool. tion students. Leslee Morris, TDSA’s writing and science.

The Estreichers were honored in admissions director, former parent So it seems everything at TDSA the past as well, as TDSA’s Grandand board member, has worked at is moving in the right direction, and parents of the Year. the school for more than 16 years.

Moshe Yitzy’s noteworthy gradua“It’s wonderful to be a part of a “It’s just such a treat to see the stu- tion is just one more positive happenschool where the second generation dents return,” she said. “I love see- ing that administrators, teachers, of children is graduating,” said Rabbi ing my children’s friends come in students and alumni can cheer.

Joshua Einzig, TDSA’s new Head

New Leadership at TDSA RABBI EINZIG NAMED HEAD OF SCHOOL

By Leslee Morris

For the Atlanta Jewish Times

R

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

abbi Joshua Einzig, a national leader in day school education, has been named the Head of School at Torah Day School of Atlanta, where he will replace Rabbi Naphtali Hoff.

The appointment became effective on July 1.

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Rabbi Einzig has extensive experience in the field of Jewish education – he served as the Head of School at both the Westchester Day School in Mamoroneck, N.Y. and the H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy in St. Louis, Mo.

“Rabbi Einzig emerged as the candidate most qualified for this position after an extensive search,” Dr. Allen Lipis, TDSA’s Board of Trustees President, wrote in announcing Einzig’s appointment. He then added that the Search Committee “specifically sought out an educational leader who could guide faculty to the next level of excellence.”

Rabbi Einzig received his semicha from Yeshiva University in Washington Heights, New York. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yeshiva University and a master’s degree in school psychology from City College of New York.

Known and praised for his strong people skills and love of children, Rabbi Einzig has also demonstrated a strong commitment to faculty development, thorough knowledge of classroom education and curriculum development.

Torah Day School is SAIS/SACSaccredited, a member of AAAIS and Torah Umesorah and was recognized as a 2008 United States Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

Rabbi Joshua Einzig

education

A Journey Worth Making

RIVERWOOD VALEDICTORIAN’S GRANDPARENTS TRAVEL FROM ISRAEL

Valuable Additions at Yeshiva Atlanta

NEW BOARD MEMBERS ANNOUNCED

special for the AJT

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special for the AJT

any grandparents will joyfully make the trek to attend their grandchildren’s graduation, but the grandparents of Riverwood International Charter School valedictorian Ariel Pinsky may have traveled the farthest of any in the young lady’s class. Dani and Miriam Franco, the parents of Pinsky’s mother Ronit, flew from Tel Aviv to be present at the Cobb Energy Center on May 24 and hear their granddaughter, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Israel, give her valedictory from the stage.

Yeshiva Atlanta announces that the following individuals have joined the school’s Board of Trustees: •

Keenan Davis is a 2007 alumnus of Yeshiva Atlanta and graduate of the University of Virginia.

He is a Corps Member in the metro Atlanta region of Teach for America and currently teaches high school chemistry, biology and forensic science.

Though Pinsky did not grow up in Israel, she has spent each of her summers there with her family. Her mother immigrated from Israel to the U.S. about 20 years ago and has since acquired her citizenship, while her father is a natural-born American citizen.

•

Sheila Jutan is a YA alumna who recently returned to Atlanta after spending five years in Beijing with her family.

Her eldest child will enter YA as a ninth-grader this fall.

•

Leanne Kaplan moved to Atlanta from Memphis in 2002. She was the YA representative to the Jacobson Leadership Institute this past year and currently has two sons attending the Greenfield Hebrew Academy.

•

Hillel Y. Levin is also a GHA parent as well as an executive board member of Young Israel of Toco Hills and a tenured professor of law at the University of Georgia, where he teaches courses on education law and policy, constitutional law, legislation, administrative law and civil procedure.

•

Dr. David Westerman is the parent of four GHA and YA graduates. He is a former YA board member and was very involved in transitioning the school’s “brand” from Yeshiva High School to Yeshiva Atlanta. He is also the founding president of Congregation Beth Tefillah.

•

Leah Wolf was the deputy head master in charge of the Hebrew department at King David High School in Johannesburg, South Africa. In Atlanta, Leah taught Hebrew at Yeshiva Atlanta a number of years ago and also served as head of the Hebrew Language program at the Davis Academy.

In her speech, Pinsky highlighted the Hebrew word hatzlacha (“success”) and spoke of the true meaning of success in life and how each person shapes their personal vision for success based on their own talents, skills and aspirations. She also shared strong Jewish values and reflected on each individual’s process of finding the balance between selfishness and selflessness, which allows us to focus on ourselves while also taking an active role in issues that are bigger than ourselves.

Pinsky says she sees herself living in Israel at some point, whether for graduate school, study abroad programs or when finished with her education. In the short term, she will be attending the University of Georgia next fall on the Zell Miller/ HOPE scholarship.

TOP : Riverwood graduate Ariel Pinsky gives her valedictory speech at the Cobb Energy Center on May 24.

ABOVE: From left to right, Dani Franco, Riverwood valedictorian Ariel Pinsky and Miriam Franco – grandfather, granddaughter and grandmother

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

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AJT

what’s happening

Congregation Ariel Sisterhood Bracha Party, thanking Hashem for His bounty. Mon., July 8, 8 p.m. Free, sponsorships available. Private residence. abunder@gmail.com.

Edgewise Speaker Series: Maxine Taylor, best-selling author and Georgia’s first licensed astrologer presents “You Are Fabulous - Deal With It.” Thurs., July 11, 10:30 a.m.

Free for members, $5 non-members.

MJCCA’s Zaban Park. lilly.mahana@ atlantajcc.org.

Wed., July 10

Fri., July 12

Mon., July 8

Commemorating Georgia’s Jewish Beginnings, AJC freelancer Carolyn Wildes Cunningham discussing early Jewish settlers of Savannah; cosponsored by the Breman Museum and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Georgia. Wed., July 10, 6 p.m. $15 (free for Museum members). The Breman Museum. (678) 222-3700.

Thurs., July 11

Teen Community Service at the Weinstein Center, join TCS for day of social, recreational and educational activities with older adults; teens earn four community service hours.

Thurs., July 11, 10 a.m. Pre-registration required. MJCCA’s Zaban Park. amy.helman-darley@atlantajcc.org.

Dive into Shabbat, celebrate Shabbat at the MJCCA’s outdoor pool. Fri., July 12, 5 p.m. Free, open to the community; bring your own picnic or purchase from Goodfriend’s Grill. brian. glusman@atlantajcc.org.

Friday Night Fever: Mediterranean Madness with falafel and Israeli cocktails following services. Fri., July 12, 7 p.m. Congregation Beth Tefillah. (404) 843-2464.

Avenue Jew, A Puppet Shabbat, family-friendly services created by Kehillah members. Fri., July 12, 7:30 p.m. Temple Kehillat Chaim. michaelsobel@yahoo.com.

Sat., July 13

From Noah to Tnuvah, discussion with guest speaker Yossi Wolfson on Jewish teachings, sustainable food and plant-based diets. Sat., July 13, 12:30 p.m. Congregation Or Hadash.

(404) 250-3338.

Sun., July 14

Secrets of the Lost Temple, lecture with Rabbi Sender Lustig. Sun., July 14, 9:40 a.m. Chabad of Ga. (404) 843-2464 ext. 102.

Kosher Poker Tour, the premier Jewish poker tournament circuit makes a stop in Atlanta. Sun., July 14, 1 p.m. Congregation Dor Tamid. (770) 378-2037.

parents and grandparents/free. The Breman Museum. llebovitz@jfga.org.

Mon., July 22

Summer Driver’s Ed at the MJCCA; includes class time and driving time.

Week-long session begins Mon., July 22, 9 a.m. See atlantajcc.org for pricing and specifics. stacie.graff@atlantajcc.org.

Tues., July 23

Mah Jongg Bootcamp with Mah Jongg Central coach Michelle Frizzell. Tues., July 23, 1 p.m. $36/Museum member, $50/non-member. The Breman Museum. thebreman.org.

Thurs., July 25 Thurs., July 18

Edgewise Speaker Series: Chana Shapiro, AJT columnist presents on a variety of humorous subjects. Thurs., July 18, 10:30 a.m. Free for members, $5 non-members. MJCCA’s Zaban Park. lilly.mahana@atlantajcc.org.

Fri., July 19

Summer SAT Boot Camp at the MJCCA. First mock test Fri., July 19, 10 a.m.; group classes, Monday through Thursday until Aug. 1, begin after; successive mock tests each Friday.

See atlantajcc.org for pricing and more specifics. Zaban Park. stacie. graff@atlantajcc.org.

Teen Community Service at Books for Africa, join TCS for sorting and boxing donations; teens will earn two community service hours. Fri., July 19, 10 a.m. Pre-registration required. Books for Africa on Olympic Industrial Dr. amy.helman-darley@ atlantajcc.org.

Sat., July 20

Fifth-Annual Pirates of Lanier Poker Run, fun for the whole family benefiting various children’s organizations in Georgia. Sat., July 20, 9 a.m. Lake Lanier. (770) 594-9969 or lanierpartners.org.

Edgewise Speaker Series: Dr. Milton Tabor, former assistant educational director of American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees of Michigan presents on “Union: Necessity or Obsolete in Today’s Economy?”. Thurs., July 25, 10:30 a.m. Free for members, $5 non-members. MJCCA’s Zaban Park. lilly.mahana@atlantajcc.org.

Fri., July 26

Dive into Shabbat, celebrate Shabbat at the MJCCA’s outdoor pool; special farewell blessing for MJCCA athletes participating in the JCC Maccabi Games. Fri., July 26, 5 p.m.

Free, open to the community; bring your own picnic or purchase from Goodfriend’s Grill. brian.glusman@ atlantajcc.org.

All Atlanta URJ Shabbat - Rock and Roll Style with guest speaker Rabbi Rick Jacobs, URJ President. Fri., July 26, 8 p.m. Temple Kol Emeth.

(770) 973-3533.

Sun., July 28

How to Lead a Shabbos Table, lecture with Rabbi Isser New. Sun., July 28, 9:40 a.m. Chabad of Ga. (404) 8432464 ext. 102.

Mon., July 29

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Sun., July 21

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Ketura Hadassah Summer Splash, pool party and kosher hamburgers and hot dogs. Sun., July 21, 12 p.m. $10 couvert, bring a pareve side dish or dessert to share. Private residence. ebfrank619@gmail.com.

Summer Driver’s Ed at the MJCCA; includes class time and driving time.

Week-long session begins Mon., July 22, 9 a.m. See atlantajcc.org for pricing and specifics. stacie.graff@atlantajcc.org.

Sun., Aug. 4 Game On @ the Breman with the PJ Library, experience the Museum and the new Project Mah Jongg exhibit as a family. Sun., July 21, 2 p.m. Kids 6 & up/$6, ages 3 to 6/$2, under age 3,

Doubles Pickleball Tournament, for players of all ages and skill levels; register as single or pair; prizes awarded. Sun., Aug. 4, 10 a.m. $15/ member, $25/non-member. MJCCA’s

lilly.mahana@atlan-

Celebrate the New Year with OVS and the PJ Library, event featuring storytime, art projects, kosher snacks, shofar blowing and more. Sun., Aug. 4, 10:30 a.m. Congregation Or VeShalom. (404) 633-1737.

Teen Community Service at MedShare International, sorting and packaging supplies; teens will earn three community service hours. Sun., Aug. 4, 1 p.m. Pre-registration required. MedShare on Clifton Springs Rd. amy.helman-darley@atlantajcc. org.

Tues., Aug. 6

National Jewish Retreat, five days of learning and discovery with master Torah teachers. Tues., Aug. 6 through Sun., Aug. 11. Hilton of Alexandria, Va. jretreat.com.

Wed. Aug. 7

Have a BLAST at the MJCCA, listen to Rabbi Brian Glusman sound the shofar each morning leading up to Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 4). First day Wed., Aug. 7, 11 a.m. Zaban Park. rabbi. glusman@atlantajcc.org.

Fri., Aug. 9

Dive into Shabbat, celebrate Shabbat at the MJCCA’s outdoor pool; special welcome for families of the Davis Academy. Fri., Aug. 9, 5 p.m.

Free, open to the community; bring your own picnic or purchase from Goodfriend’s Grill. brian.glusman@ atlantajcc.org.

Sun., Aug. 11

BBYO Kickoff at the Braves Game, for 9th- through 12th-graders. Sun., Aug. 11, 12 p.m. $30 includes ticket, lunch and transportation to and from the game; pre-register at atlantajcc. org/bbyo by Aug. 6. Meet at MJCCA’s Zaban Park. laura.ross@atlantajcc. org.

Wed., Aug. 14

Eat, Play, Mahj, mah jongg open game day and special tour of the Breman Museum’s new exhibit, Project Mah Jongg. Wed., Aug. 14, 10:30 a.m. $36/ Museum member, $50/non-member; reservations required. The Breman Museum. gsanders@thebreman.org.

Sun., Aug. 18

45th Annual High Holyday Mitzvot Auction & Brunch. Sun., Aug. 18, 10:30 a.m. Congregation Or VeShalom. (404) 633-1737.

BBYO Connect Kickoff Pool Party, for 6th- through 8th-graders. Sun., Aug. 18, 4 p.m. $10 by Aug. 12, $15 after.

MJCCA’s Zaban Park. stacie.graff@ atlantajcc.org.

Thurs., Aug. 22

Teen Community Service at Hammond Glen Senior Community, join TCS for an afternoon of fun and bingo with assisted living home residents; teens will earn one-and-a-half community service hours. Pre-registration required. Thurs., Aug. 22, 7:30 p.m. Hammond Glen on Hammond Glen Dr. amy.helman-darley@atlantajcc.org.

Fri., Aug. 23

Dive Into Shabbat - Intown, the MJCCA’s poolside Shabbat celebration at a new location, featuring the Congregation Bet Haverim Chorus. Fri., Aug. 23, 5 p.m. Free, open to the community. Emory Student Activity and Academic Center. rabbi.glusman@ atlantajcc.org.

Camp Barney Medintz 50th Anniversary Celebration, weekend festivities begin with a traditional camp-style Shabbat dinner in the dining hall followed by Shabbat services in the Zaban Chapel. Fri., Aug. 23 to 25. $150/ weekend, $80/Saturday only, $50/ child Saturday. Camp Barney. (678) 812-4000.

Mon., Aug. 26

Sweeten the New Year - Dunwoody, MJCCA family program featuring froyo, songs, activities, crafts and prizes for kids. Mon., Aug. 26, 6 p.m.

Attendance free and open to all; 20 percent discount on purchases. Yogli Mogli at 2090 Dunwoody Club Drive. rabbi.glusman@atlantajcc.org.

Wed., Aug. 28

Soul Trip to New York, Chabad of Georgia rabbis lead the way on visits to important Jewish sites. Wed., Aug. 28. New York City. More information and RSVP at chabadga/soultrip2013.

Sweeten the New Year - East Cobb, MJCCA family program featuring froyo, songs, activities, crafts and prizes for kids. Mon., Aug. 26, 6 p.m.

Attendance free and open to all; 20 percent discount on purchases. Yogli Mogli at 1255 Johnson Ferry Road. rabbi.glusman@atlantajcc.org.

Sun., Sept. 1

Nibble and Noshfest, two-day festival providing visitors with tastes of Jewish and other ethnic foods in sample-size portions; includes community vendors, entertainment and children’s activities. Begins Sun., Sept. 1, 11 a.m. and continues on Mon., Sept. 2 until 4 p.m. Admission is donation of two canned goods for Must Ministries. Temple Kol Emeth. noshfest.com.

Improv on the Rocks with Just a Twist of Jewish, improv night at Noshfest featuring Red Door Playhouse Adult Improv Group. Sun., Sept. 1, 7:30 p.m. $15. Temple Kol Emeth. noshfest.com.

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Zaban Park. tajcc.org.

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AJT

MATZAH BALL SOUP FOR THE SOUL

Celebrating Personal Victories NO MATTER THE MAGNITUDE

BY RACHEL LAVICTOIRE AJT Columnist

T

his past semester, I got a B- in my Introduction to Psychology course. Even if I’m not too pleased with the grade, I think many of you could easily list some reasons why I should be okay with the effort.

For example: “Well, it’s a difficult class;” or “It was during your spring semester;” or perhaps the classic line, “You worked really hard at it.”

But what’s interesting is that I may not be persuaded, no matter how true your statements. I very well may continue on with the frustrating feeling that I could have done better.

The truth is that personal victories are often the most difficult to celebrate. We can easily congratulate friends and family for even the smallest of successes, yet we tend to believe that the same rules simply don’t apply to our own lives. We’re often left reminding ourselves, “I could have done better.”

In this week’s Torah portion, Matot-Masei, G-d outlines the borders of the Promised Land. He begins with the southern extremities, explaining: “Your southernmost corner shall be from the desert of Zin along Edom, and the southern border shall be from

the edge of the Sea of Salt to the east (Numbers 34:3).”

G-d continues in this way for roughly 10 verses, thoroughly proclaiming the exact amount of land that would be given to the Israelites. Obviously, the details of the Promised Land are something to celebrate; but, going back to my personal anecdote above, I believe the pronouncement could have been a moment of disappointment for the Children of Israel.

In the same way that we tend to tell ourselves, “I could have done better,” it’s very likely that the Israelites were thinking, “Well, it could have been more.”

In fact, I think that G-d anticipat-

Shabbat Candle Lighting Times shabbat blessings Blessing for the Candles Baruch Arah A-do-nai,El-o-hei-nu Melech Haolam Asher Kid-shanu b’mitzvotav V’zivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of time and space.

You hallow us with Your mitzvot and command us to kindle the lights of Shabbat.

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Blessing for the Wine Baruch Atah A-do-nai, El-o-hei-nu Meelech Haolam, Borei p’ri hagafen

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Praise to You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

Blessing for the Bread (Challah) Baruch Atah A-do-nai, El-o-hei-nu Melech haolam, Hamotzi Lechem min haaretz.

Our Praise to You Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.

Friday, July 5, 2013 Light Candles at: 8:34 p.m.

Shabbat, July 6, 2013 Shabbat Ends: 10:04 p.m.

Friday, July 12, 2013 Light Candles at: 8:32 p.m.

Shabbat, July 13, 2013 Shabbat Ends: 9:33 p.m.

Friday, July 19, 2013 Light Candles at: 8:29 p.m.

Shabbat, July 20, 2013 Shabbat Ends: 9:29 p.m.

something; and every time I chose to stay in on a Friday or Saturday night to study, I accomplished something. And my decisions that led me to make more than 300 notecards and 40 pages of outlined notes, those were all accomplishments.

“G-d wants us all to recognize the smaller pieces of our lives.”

After all, the outlining of the land bans them from bordering areas. For example, with regards to the southern border, surely it’s exciting that the Israelites would receive land north from the edge of the Sea of Salt to the east – but it’s also sad that they would not be given land south of that line.

ed this sort of behavior, as the Torah takes a sort of “pre-emptive strike”

against such a negative way of thinking. In the chapter that precedes the allotting of the land, the journey of the Israelites is outlined step-by-step.

It begins by recalling: “They journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day following the Passover sacrifice, the children of Israel left triumphantly before the eyes of all the Egyptians (Numbers 33:3).”

It continues, then, to list all 42 journeys of the Israelites, finally concluding with: “They journeyed from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho (Numbers 33:48).”

Why, we might ask, did G-d spend the time detailing what the Israelites had already done?

Because, I presume, He wanted them to recognize their smaller victories. See, each of our own successes and accomplishments are actually made up of several smaller ones.

I received a B- in Introduction to Psychology. Whether or not I consider that end-product a success or a failure is irrelevant – I have hundreds of smaller victories to celebrate.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, when I got my tired self out of bed to walk to class, I accomplished

G-d wants us all to recognize the smaller pieces of our lives. He wanted the Israelites to remember each of their journeys, no matter how trivial and insignificant. I know that, even after reading bits of the Torah, I personally don’t remember each of these points, each a triumph:

“They journeyed from Mount Shepher and camped in Haradah. They journeyed from Haradah and camped in Makheloth. They journeyed from Makheloth and camped in Tahath (Numbers 33:24-26).”

The chapter goes on an on like this, listing the Israelites’ journeys in a matter-of-fact way, as a reminder of each step it took for the Israelites to make it to the promised land. And it is only after the 42 journeys and the explanation of the allotment of land per family, that G-d says to Moses: “Command the children of Israel and say to them, When you arrive in the land of Canaan, this is the land which shall fall to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to its borders (Numbers 34:2).”

It’s in this way that G-d prepares the Israelites for their somewhat confined gift: by honoring each decision and each step the Israelites took to reach their goal so that they may be proud of what they’ve done and, therefore, unconditionally proud of the land they are about to receive.

Rachel LaVictoire (rlavictoire@wustl.edu) is a graduate of the Davis Academy and Westminster High School, recipient of the prestigious Nemerov Writing and Thomas H. Elliott Merit scholarships at Washington University in St. Louis and an active member of Temple Emanu-El and the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta.

She was recently named to the board of St. Louis Hillel.

AJT

may their memories be a blessing

Asher Benator

82, OF ATLANTA

Asher Benator, 82, died on June 29, 2013 after an amazing and fulfilled life.

In Hebrew, Asher means “happy” or “blessing,” and that fully exemplifies the man. He loved everyone that he met, and everyone that met Asher loved him. He was born in Atlanta on April 2, 1931 to Isaac and Marie Benator, of blessed memory. He is also predeceased by his brothers, Morris and Max Benator, of blessed memory. He is survived by his loving wife of 59-and-ahalf years, Grace Levy Benator, who he always said was his “love at first sight” and the best thing that he ever did. Asher is also survived by “the best family in the world,” including children Michael (Carol) Benator, Michelle (Craig) Rich and Sam (Ann) Benator; grandchildren Ryan (Jennifer) Benator, Keith (Melanie) Benator, Gabriel and Julie Rich and Jason and Asher Benator; great-granddaughter, Lily Benator; sister, Alice (Nathan) Spielberg; brother, John (Leslie) Benator; sisters-in-law, Sylvia and Zelda Benator and Denise Solomon; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Asher led a very active and giving life. Many that knew him said that he would give you the shirt off of his back and that he never said “no.” In 1949, Asher was the State of Georgia Golden Gloves boxing champ. He graduated from Georgia State in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and then served as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Upon his return, for more than 30 years, Asher and two brothers and two cousins ran several grocery stores in Atlanta. Because he could never said “no,” Asher was active in many charitable organizations – past president of his beloved synagogue, Congregation Or VeShalom, Bedford Pines Boys Club, Men’s ORT of Atlanta and Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta; chairman of Israel Bonds for the State of Georgia; commander of Jewish War Veterans Post 112; board member of Butler Street YMCA; Man of the Year for B’nai B’rith and ORT; Southeast Region Israel Bonds Award of Honor; and Lifetime Achievement Award-winner for Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. Asher supported his family through the grocery business but – consistent with his personality – also excelled in business through real estate, hospitality services and stock investments with many cherished and talented partners. A wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend to all, Asher’s life was full of so many cherished family celebrations, travels and memories. An online guestbook is available at edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Congregation Or VeShalom, orveshalom.org, 1681 N. Druid Hills Road, Atlanta, GA 30319; the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Mill Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338, atlantajcc.org; or the charity of your choice. Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. on Mon., July 1, 2013 at Arlington Memorial Park, officiated by Rabbi Hayyim Kassorla. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

member of the choir. Music was always very important to Phyllis – she was an accomplished pianist as a child, a choir member at her temple and an avid Atlanta Symphony attendee. Until a year ago, Phyllis was walking two miles or swimming a mile every day, and she had a very active social life with numerous friends and family members. She will be missed by everyone who knew her. She is predeceased by her parents; her beloved husband, Max; and her brother, Richard Rosenberg. Phyllis is survived by her sons, James (Elaine) of Atlanta and William (Barbara Simmons) of Wilmington; her grandchildren, Olivia (fiancé William Arnold) of New York, Eleanor of Atlanta and St. Louis, Mo. and Theodore of Atlanta and Cambridge, Mass.; her sister-in-law, Susan Rosenberg of Haifa, Israel; and numerous close nieces, nephews and cousins. An online guestbook is available at edressler.com. Contributions may be made to Temple Emanu-El, 1580 Spalding Dr., Atlanta, GA 30350, templeemanuelatlanta.org; or Jewish Family & Career Services of Atlanta, Inc., 4549 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta, GA 30338, jfcs-atlanta. org. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. on Tues., July 2 at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs with Rabbi Joseph Prass officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

Bertram Carl Smokler 82, OF MARIETTA

Bertram Carl Smokler died peacefully in his home surrounded by his wife and four daughters on Sat., June 22, 2013. Bert was born on Aug. 20, 1930, in Revere, Mass. He married Jeanne Avarbock of Belmont, Mass. on January 19, 1952. After settling in South Florida, Bert and Jeanne raised four daughters while Bert earned an MBA at the University of Miami and worked in sales and management for John Hancock Life Insurance Company until he retired in 1990. He and Jeanne moved to Marietta in 1993. This year, they celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; his four daughters, Norma Lindsay (Brunswick, Ga.), Lisa Landwirth (Tampa, Fla.), Sandra Smokler (Encino, Calif.) and Pam Chanin (Mariett); and brother, Melvin Smokler (California). Bert adored his eight grandchildren, Nicholas, Katherine, Rebecca, Sarah, Max, Matthew, Joey and Jennifer. Sign online guest book at edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Weinstein Hospice. A graveside service was held at 10:30 a.m. on Sun., June 23, 2013 at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs. Rabbi Fred Greene officiated. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

Phyllis Levine Phyllis Levine, 85, of Atlanta, after a year-long fight with pancreatic cancer and congestive heart failure, died peacefully at Hospice Atlanta on Sat., June 29, 2013. Phyllis was born on July 13, 1927 in Cleveland, Ohio to U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Abraham M. Rosenberg and Minnie Stashower Rosenberg. Phyllis grew up in Cleveland Heights and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1948. She subsequently obtained a master’s degree in psychology from Case Western University. She married Max Levine of Nashville, Tenn. in 1953.

Phyllis worked as a social worker at Jewish Family Services in Cleveland until her first son, James, was born in 1956. Her second son, William, was born in 1959. After Max’s employer was acquired by Hercules, Inc., the family was transferred to Covington, Va. in 1961. Phyllis helped start the first mental health clinic in Covington and worked part-time there as a social worker. In 1967, Max was transferred to Raleigh, N.C., where he headed one of the first research laboratories to be located at the nearby Research Triangle Park. While in Raleigh, Phyllis was employed as a counselor for married students at NC State University. Max was transferred to Wilmington, Del. in 1974, and then to Atlanta in 1978.

For more than 15 years, Phyllis was employed as a social worker at Jewish Family Services in Atlanta. Phyllis and Max were early members of Temple Emanu-El in Dunwoody, where Phyllis served as a vice president and as a

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

85, OF ATLANTA

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JEWISH PUZZLER

by David Benkof

Across 1. Former Yeshiva University President Norman 5. He’s also known as Abu Mazen 10. Father of France?

14. Location of the Jewish newspaper “The American Israelite” 15. Grind (one’s teeth) 16. Flight from Egypt?

17. Philanthropist Fox and others 18. Dugout, for example 19. Rocker Recht (“Salaam”) 20. The Land of Israel, said another way 23. You can have one on Tu B’shvat 24. Farthest 28. Bath scrubber 32. Fran Drescher TV role 33. Network for Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” 36. Co-founder of “Lilith Magazine” 39. ___-Sang-Ruby Union Institute 41. Get taken for ___ 42. “Buzz off, fly!”

43. Shylock, famously 46. Some Toronto Jewish Tribune workers (abbr.)

47. Capital of Ghana 48. Like the sun on Friday while work is still permitted 50. Tractate about the Sabbatical year 53. Playwright Simon and namesakes 57. “God Bless America” composer 61. Jerry Herman composition

64. “Pick ___ of Cotton” 65. “The Road Taken” author Jaffe 66. Presents a kashya 67. “Second generation” Japanese 68. Affirm with confidence 69. ___ River (what the Brooklyn Bridge spans) 70. ___ Louis (home of Kohn’s Killer Pastrami) 71. Like the Negev

cover their hair 27. Greenhorns 29. Elliptical 30. There was a famous one at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory 31. ___ Malkeinu (“Our Father, Our King” prayer) 33. Deep, deep sleeps 34. Composer Ernest

35. To this day 37. Arith. process 38. Middling grades 40. With the most chutzpah 44. Israeli politico Lapid 45. French human rights crusader Cassin 49. Lands, in Livorno

Down 1. Emulates Syria in the SixDay War 2. “Tortoise Wins by ___” (Bugs Bunny movie) 3. Imitated Marcel Marceau 4. First to play Tevye 5. Arm of the U.N., e.g.

6. ___ Brith Canada 7. Herems 8. “Don’t be ___ loser!”

9. Beit ___ (Northern Israeli city) 10. Itzhak and Rhea 11. Samuel’s mentor 12. Reform social justice office in D.C. 13. Scandinavian meat 21. Passover shankbone 22. Pulitzer-winning Ferber 25. “Fiddler ___ Roof” 26. One option for married Orthodox women who wish to

51. Boesky and Reitman 52. Bone in the leg 54. Gershwin’s “The Man ___” 55. Kind of notes 56. Drum part 58. Rabbi Judah Ha-___ (editor of the Mishnah) 59. “Glengarry ___ Ross” (Mamet play) 60. ___ T’Shuvah (L.A. Jewish recovery center) 61. Wild West 62. Palindromic Judean king name 63. Tzipi Livni and others (abbr.)

Last week’s answers

Chess Puzzle of the Week

by Jon Hochberg

Challenge: White to move: Checkmate in 3 moves

LAST PUZZLE’S SOLUTION. 1)Kd3, h7 2)Ra1#

Jon Hochberg is a chess instructor who has been teaching in the Atlanta area for the last 6 years.

Currently, Jon runs after school chess programs at several Atlanta schools. He always welcomes new students, and enjoys working with children who have no prior chess knowledge. Jon can be reached at Jonhochberg@gmail.com to schedule private lessons.

R ...CREATE you . ..

WEBSITE ANd

...CoNNECT ThE doTS. ez2BSocial develops your Wordpress website or optimize your existing site so customers can find you.

We’ll also setup and optimize, other social sites where your customers are - manage them if you like and help drive customer awareness for your business.

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Other Services:

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Video production, photography, graphic design for brochures, custom magazines (print and digital) and other print products.

ez2BSocial 678.358.7858

THE MARKETPLACE REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE

404-883-2130

COMPUTER

Imagine if the Georgia Dome was a flooring store. That’s us.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Over 1 Million Sq. Ft. of First Quality Tile, Wood & Stone Flooring Roswell - Atlanta - Southlake - Kennesaw

ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS

www.flooranddecoroutlets.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Sales & Service on All Operators & garage doors

Broken Spring Repair ● Remote and key pad installation Sell and install New garage doors and garage Openers

404-859-8000

www.onestopgaragerepair.com EmAil: info@onestopgaragerepair.com licensed and insured

WE’LL HELP YOU...

CrEatE YOUr WEbsitE aND CONNECt tHE DOts.

ez2BSocial will create and manage your online marketing from websites to videos and Groupons to Facebook Promotions. www.ez2bsocial.com

ez2BSocial 678.358.7858

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JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Complete repair serViCe

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WellStar Medical Group Proudly serving East Cobb

AlleRGy & ASTHmA Grace chiang, m.d.

3939 Roswell Road | Suite 200 marietta, GA 30062 770-333-2027

cARdiovASculAR medicine mindy Gentry, m.d. michael Hardee, m.d.

Harvey Sacks, m.d.

1010 Johnson Ferry Road marietta, GA 30068 770-321-3490

endocRinoloGy Sona Patel, m.d.

Reshma Shah, m.d.

3939 Roswell Road Suite 110 marietta, GA 30062 678-403-4300

FAmily medicine & GeRiATRic medicine

JUNE 28 ▪ 2013

Whitney denton, m.d.

Shravantika Reddy, m.d.

3939 Roswell Road | Suite 240 marietta, GA 30062 678-403-4660

FAmily medicine And inTeRnAl medicine — PediATRicS Waldon Garriss, m.d., mS, FAAP, FAcP mitzi Rubin, m.d., FAAFP megan Bowles, m.d Travis Bowles, m.d.

3939 Roswell Road | Suite 200 marietta, GA 30062 770-973-2272

PediATRicS

Amy cooper, m.d., mPH, mS eva montgomery-mcGuire, m.d., FAAP 3939 Roswell Road marietta GA 30062 770-578-2868

PediATRicS Susan Staviss, m.d., FAAP 1523 Johnson Ferry Road | Suite 150 marietta GA 30062 770-509-1234

PulmonARy medicine morohunfolu Akinnusi, m.d. mark Schlosberg, m.d.

3939 Roswell Road | Suite 110 marietta, GA 30062 770-422-1372

All practices accepting new patients and most insurance plans.

770-956-STAR H wellstar.org

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