the
bserver
Jewish
Vol. 83 No. 6 • June 2018
www.jewishobservernashville.org
18 Sivan-17 Tamuz 5778
Transitions at Nashville Jewish Federation Executive director Mark Freedman retires Florida, where he was vice president of the American Friends ark S. Freedman, execof Tel Aviv University. Before utive director of the that, he was executive direcJewish Federation and tor for 13 years of the Jewish Jewish Foundation of Nashville Federation of San Antonio, and Middle Tennessee, will Texas. He has spent most of retire at the end of this month his career in Jewish communal after nearly seven years in Music service. City. During his time here, he’s In his April 2017 letter seen Jewish Nashville grow and informing Federation President blossom with new activities and Lisa Perlen of his plan to retire initiatives. Children learn at Mark S. Freedman this June 30, Freedman said it Akiva School, at Nashville’s has been an honor and privilege to serve five congregations and with PJ Library as executive director. books and events. Teens continue to Here are Freedman’s thoughts on his experience Israel firsthand with commuretirement and on his time in Nashville: nity supported Get Connected summer What are some of the highlights of trips. Our Partnership2Gether program your time as the Nashville Federation’s with our friends in Hadera-Eiron in Israel executive director? is stronger than ever. Adults young and The highlight has been the privilege old enjoy a host of service and social activof being able to work in a very extraorities. Jewish cultural events such as the dinary Jewish community. Leslie and I recent Violins of Hope programs abound were welcomed here very warmly (and in Nashville and attract community memwe) fit into the community. It has been bers. And to help maintain the communigratifying to be able to help this Jewish ty, the Life & Legacy program encourages community move forward. people to set up after-life gifts. What are some of your favorite Freedman and his wife, artist Leslie projects during your time in Nashville? J. Klein, arrived in Nashville in October The timing was very good for me to of 2011 and came to the Federation from Continued on page 8 By KATHY CARLSON
M
Eric Stillman chosen as next executive director
E
ric Stillman will serve as the Nashville and Middle as the next execuTennessee Jewish community tive director of the continues to grow.” Jewish Federation and Jewish Eric has served as federaFoundation of Nashville and tion executive director, most Middle Tennessee, Federation recently in Broward County, President Lisa Perlen has Florida, where he served for announced in a letter to the nine years, and previously in community. The Federation New Orleans, where he served board unanimously ratified its for six years and notably, during search committee’s recommenHurricane Katrina, when his dation and Eric’s contract at its community was scattered from Eric Stillman May meeting. He assumes his Houston to Nashville and new responsibilities on July 1. beyond. Eric has been working recently “Eric will be in Nashville for the in not-for-profit financial resource develJewish Federation annual meeting on opment outside of the Jewish community June 13 and looks forward to meeting but his heart is in Jewish communal proeach of you. Please join me in welcoming fessional work. Eric to the community,” Perlen said. As executive director of the New “Eric meets all of the essential charOrleans Federation, Eric was part of the acteristics sought for our next Executive intermediate federations group, which is Director,” she said. “He is an engaging the group to which the Jewish Federation visionary with organization savvy and a of Nashville and Middle Tennessee sense of and connection to the broadbelongs. He has participated in numerer North American and international ous missions to Israel and the Former Jewish world. Soviet Union. He has been invited to “He brings extensive experience speak at conferences and symposiums and from the world of Jewish philanthropy, is an active member of the Association and specifically Federation, to the job. of Fundraising Professionals. In his spare Eric is an excellent fit for where we time, Eric enjoys exploring new cuisines are now and where we will be going and Pilates. •
Adventure Park to open on JCC campus
L
ook up along the Percy Warner Boulevard fence line on the Gordon Jewish Community Center campus and you’ll see platforms in the trees connected by cable, wood, rope and zip lines. It’s the Adventure Park at Nashville, a new combination tree-top climbing and zip line experience, and it’s set to open at the Gordon JCC on June 9. The J has partnered with Outdoor Venture Group, LLC (Outdoor Venture), which has designed, built and operated aerial forest parks and ropes courses in the United States – including at other Jewish community centers – for the past 10 years. The Adventure Park is not one single aerial treetop trail but a variety of different, color-coded aerial trails of differing challenge levels – beginner through expert – that climbers select depending on their age or climbing experience, Outdoor Venture said in a news release announcing the opening. There are trails suitable for kids, teens, adults and groups, the release said. Trails consist of platforms installed in the trees Continued on page 14 A Publication of the
WWW.JEWISHNASHVILLE.ORG
Jewish Federation 82nd Annual Meeting on June 13 at 7 p.m.
J
oin us on Wednesday, June 13, at 7 p.m. at the Gordon JCC for the Jewish Federation of Nashville’s annual meeting, with dessert reception afterward. We’ll honor Mark Freedman as he retires and celebrate our outgoing leadership. Please RSVP to Barbara Schwarcz, barbara@ jewishnashville.org. •
Aerial trails like these are being installed at the Gordon Jewish Community Center. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF OUTDOOR VENTURE GROUP
Zip, sizzle and splash at Gordon JCC this summer, page 14
Jewish Family Service annual meeting set for June 21, page 15
Coupon Special Section, page 9