Southern Jewish Life, January 2023

Southern Jewish Life

The Bielski violin, an 1870s German-made klezmer instrument with a mother of pearl Star of David. (Photo: Violins of Hope)

It isn’t always about us.

As detailed in this issue, when the Krewe of Endymion announced that Mel Gibson, who has a history of antisemitic, racist, homophobic and misogynistic rants, would be co-Grand Marshal of their parade, there was widespread outrage throughout the New Orleans area.

The controversy played out quite rapidly. When word got out, social media blew up almost instantly.

Now, our Facebook feed obviously has a lot of people in the New Orleans Jewish community, and the selection given Gibson’s antisemitism was definitely a topic of conversation, and certainly was of interest to the Krewe’s Jewish members. But the controversy also dominated general New Orleans boards. Looking at the comments on those posts, or on Tweets about the naming, the outrage was widespread, the reasons were numerous and the proportion of Jewish responses on those posts was generally small.

Immediately, there was a petition to urge Tulane Coach Willie Fritz to back out of the parade if Gibson remained as co-Grand Marshal. The petition came from someone who isn’t Jewish.

The statement from several Jewish organizations wasn’t released until about an hour after the Krewe announced that Gibson would not parade — an announcement that came roughly six hours after the initial announcement hit most news sources.

That update from the Krewe, though, was weak. Rather than address the controversy over Gibson, or do a mea culpa over his selection, the Krewe announced he would not participate in the parade because of safety concerns for riders and spectators. You see, people were that mad about it, and who knows what sort of incident might occur. Blame the protestors.

The day after the controversy, I was chatting with the staff at an establishment

MESSAGES

Maccabi USA leader praises Birmingham Games

I have had the honor of attending many Maccabi competitions around the world. From Israel to Australia to South America, Europe and the JCC Maccabi games around the United States and Canada, I have logged many miles seeing how sports can be a vehicle to help build Jewish identity, especially in our young.

I felt honored to come to Birmingham for the first time and fell in love with not just the city but the people. You have taken Southern hospitality to a new level with your kind and caring approach to the JCC Maccabi Games.

I frequent, talking about the weekend. After I mentioned the controversy, the Black staffer got an immediate look of disbelief and horror. The white co-worker… well, she doesn’t watch movies and didn’t know who Gibson is. “He’s very racist,” her co-worker explained.

And yet, some national outlets, when picking up the story, focused entirely on the Jewish community and Gibson’s antisemitism.

But to say that the decision to drop Gibson came about mainly due to Jewish pressure is erroneous, and can be dangerous. Making that assertion gives further ammunition to those who subscribe to conspiracy theories claiming that the world is being run by “the ones you can’t criticize” and if you say anything against them, you get cancelled.

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Lawrence M. Brook editor@sjlmag.com

ASSOCI ATE PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING Lee J. Green lee@sjlmag.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Richard Friedman richard@sjlmag.com

Led by the Sokol and Helds, your hard-working volunteers were wonderful. They partnered with your outstanding staff, led by Betzy Lynch, to make the 2017 JCC Maccabi games a huge hit. I want to take this opportunity as executive director of Maccabi USA to say thank you on behalf of everyone involved.

The Forward, in its daily email, linked to an article in People magazine, that paragon of hard-hitting news, with the teaser “Mel Gibson was disinvited as co-grand marshal of a February parade in New Orleans after local Jewish groups complained, given his history of antisemitic remarks.”

No, opposition to Gibson was widespread, and for so many more reasons than antisemitism.

V.P SALES/MARKETING, NE W ORLEANS Jeff Pizzo jeff@sjlmag.com

Responses are also more powerful when they come from diverse directions.

I had just returned from the 20th World Maccabiah games in Israel with a U.S. delegation of over 1100, who joined 10,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries. Back in July the eyes of the entire Jewish world were on Jerusalem and the Maccabiah. This past month with 1000 athletes and coaches from around the world being in Birmingham, you became the focal point.

Everyone from the Jewish community and the community at large, including a wonderful police force, are to be commended. These games will go down in history as being a seminal moment for the Jewish community as we build to the future by providing such wonderful Jewish memories.

And yes, that accurately described the slant of the People article. But it wasn’t just them — a lot of media outlets turned this into a “Jews vs. Gibson/Endymion” event. And many of those outlets were Jewish.

Jed Margolis Executive Director, Maccabi USA

At forums on battling antisemitism, there is often talk about nurturing allies, non-Jews who will stand with the Jewish community in the face of antisemitism. There is also talk of how to handle events where antisemitism plays a role but is one of several factors, as in this case.

Perhaps the best example to counter that came in the 1990s at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, as a local activist on the Holocaust-denying Institute of Historical Review brought in a couple big names in Holocaust denial to speak “at” the university. Well, to speak at a room he rented, as anyone could.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ginger Brook ginger@sjlmag.com

SOCIAL/WEB Emily Baldwein connect@sjlmag.com

PHOTOGRAPHER- AT-LARGE Rabbi Barry C. Altmark deepsouthrabbi.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Rivka Epstein, Louis Crawford, Tally Werthan, Stuart Derroff, Belle Freitag, Ted Gelber, E. Walter Katz, Doug Brook brookwrite.com

Editor’s Note: This reaction to the events in Charlottesville, written by Jeremy Newman, Master of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Theta Colony at Auburn University, was shared by AEPi National, which called it “very eloquent” and praised “our brothers at AEPi Theta Colony at Auburn University and… the leadership they display on their campus.”

Despite that, it is then reported that the Jews caused the cancellation. Is it lazy reporting, or a long-time “Jews vs. Mad Mel” narrative blinding reporters from digging deeper?

If you’re going to have allies, it needs to be recognized that they, too, are voicing opposition.

This controversy was much more clear-cut than the Angela Davis debacle with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute a few years ago. In that case, after the Institute’s award and gala were cancelled because many board members were not aware of her highly controversial and non-peaceful background, no explanation was forthcoming. The only thing reporters could find was our piece a couple week earlier detailing Davis’ anti-Israel and anti-Jewish hostility, so a media narrative took hold that the Jews had her cancelled because of her Palestinian advocacy.

In that and in the case of Endymion, the opposition was widespread, though certainly the antisemitism of the person in question played a role.

White supremacy has been a cancer on our country since its beginning, threatening its hopes, its values, and its better angels. The events that took place in Charlottesville represented the worst of this nation. Those who marched onto the streets with tiki torches and swastikas did so to provoke violence and fear. Those who marched onto the streets did so to profess an ideology that harkens back to a bleaker, more wretched time in our history. A time when men and women of many creeds, races, and religions were far from equal and far from safe in our own borders. A time where Americans lived under a constant cloud of racism, anti-Semitism and pervasive hate. The events that took place in Charlottesville served as a reminder of how painfully relevant these issues are today.

Auburn’s Alpha Epsilon Pi stands with the Jewish community of Charlottesville, and with the Jewish people around the country and around the world. We also stand with the minorities who are targeted by the hate that was on display in Charlottesville. We stand with the minorities of whom these white

The second time, a group of students organized counter-programming to draw students away from the lecture, and a couple of them handed out leaflets outside the lecture. No Jewish students were permitted to take part in that effort — and that was by design. After all, if no Jews were involved in the protests, the haters in the hall couldn’t dismiss the protests as just the Jews stirring up trouble. It was a much wider base of opposition they encountered.

supremacists would like to see pushed back into a corner and made to feel lesser. We stand with and pray for the family of Heather Heyer, who was there standing up to the face of this hate.

BIRMINGHAM OFFICE P.O. Box 130052, Birmingham, AL 35213 2179 Highland Ave., Birmingham, AL 35205 205/870.7889

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It isn’t just Blacks who are upset by incidents like George Floyd. It isn’t just the LGBTQ community that is outraged by events like the Pulse Nighclub massacre. And there are a lot of non-Jews who are appalled at antisemitism.

We recognize the essence of the American narrative as a two-century old struggle to rid ourselves of such corners, and allow those in them the seat at the table that they so deserve. It is the struggle to fulfill the promise of the Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal… endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” We know our work is far from finished, but we know we will not move backwards.

This also helps the most directly affected group, by letting them know they are not alone in their fight.

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Framing outrage in terms of just the affected group makes it much easier for others to dismiss it as a whiny group taking offense and trying to cancel someone popular, or tell “us” who we can like.

It isn’t always just about us, and it would be nice if media outlets — especially within the Jewish world — would recognize that.

When men and women, fully armed, take to the streets in droves with swastikas and other symbols of hate, it is a reminder of how relevant the issues of racism and anti-Semitism are today. It is a wake-up call to the work that needs to be done to ensure a better, more welcoming country. But it should not come without a reflection on how far we’ve come.

It has always been our goal to provide a large-community quality publication to all communities of the South. To that end, our commitment includes mailing to every Jewish household in the region (AL, LA, MS, NW FL), without a subscription fee

Outside the area, subscriptions are $25/year, $40/two years. Subscribe via sjlmag.com, call 205/870.7889 or mail payment to the address above.

Lawrence Brook, Publisher/Editor

America was born a slave nation. A century into our history we engaged in a war in part to ensure we would not continue as one. We found ourselves confronted by the issue of civil rights, and embarked on a mission to ensure the fair treatment of all peoples no matter their skin color. Although we’ve made great strides, it is a mission we’re still grappling with today.

America was also born an immigrant country. As early as the pilgrims, many groups and families found in the country the opportunity to plant stakes, chase their future, and be themselves. Few were met with open

Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission from the publisher. Views expressed in SJL are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff. SJL makes no claims as to the Kashrut of its advertisers, and retains the right to refuse any advertisement.

Documenting this community, a community we are members of and active within, is our passion. We love what we do, and who we do it for.

On Charlottesville

agenda

Registration opens for Limmud Nola, sessions announced

The first list of sessions for LimmudFest New Orleans has been released, with speakers presenting a wide range of talks and discussions for the weekend of Jewish learning. Over 70 sessions will be led by local, regional and national presenters, all of whom are volunteering their time.

LimmudFest will be March 17 to 19, with Shabbat events at Gates of Prayer in Metairie and Sunday sessions at the Uptown Jewish Community Center. For those around the region wishing to attend, home hospitality can be arranged, within walking distance if needed.

A new feature is the Lyrical Limmudniks, a choir under the direction of Gates of Prayer Cantorial Soloist Jordan Lawrence. Contemporary and traditional pieces will be rehearsed for a community performance on the final day of LimmudFest. No singing experience is necessary.

National presenters include Rich Cohen, the author of “Tough Jews” and “Sam Zemurray: The Fish that Ate the Whale.” Zemurray was a larger-than-life figure who cornered the banana

industry and was a giant figure in New Orleans. Rabbi Anne Brener, a native New Orleanian, will lead a meditation-themed Shabbat service and a session on healing from loss. Shamu Sadeh, a Jewish farmer in Connecticut, will lead a session on what it means to be made from the dust of the Earth.

Eli Sperling, the Israel Institute Teaching Fellow in the University of Georgia’s Department of International Affairs, will do presentations on the Abraham Accords, and the shifts in Israeli electoral politics and American reaction to the changes.

David Singer, the CEO of Limmud North America, will lead a session on “Animating Jewish Community: Four Rabbis’ Trip to Paradise,” a Talmudic tale that gives insight to the hopes and fears of the rabbis, and how to build a brighter future.

Local author Rodger Kamenetz will lead a reading and discussion of “The Missing Jew,” representing almost 50 years of his work in poetry. Shir Chadash Rabbi Scott Hoffman will present “From the Seder Table to Café Du

Monde,” discussing how to progress from slavery days, as the New Orleans institution was founded in 1862.

Peter Wolf will discuss his great-great grandfather, Leon Godchaux, who started as a penniless immigrant and became the Sugar King of Louisiana, an industry he refused to enter until slavery ended.

Preservation Hall’s Ben Jaffe will present “My Life in Music,” and Lizzi Meister of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience will lead a teen session on being Southern and Jewish. Jakob Rosenzweig and Clifford Kern will lead a session about the 15 Jewish cemeteries in New Orleans, and the recent project that mapped all of them.

Arnie Fielkow and David Hammer will present “Antisemitism and Racism in Sports: Can Jewish and African American Athletes and Leaders Effectively Combat It?”

Hannah Chalew will present a hands-on session on oak gall, which can be harvested from Louisiana trees and made into the type of ink used in Jewish holy writing. Participants will

In November, during Angels on the Bluff, James Coy portrayed Natchez architect Samuel Marx, who designed the New Orleans Museum of Art, among many other notable buildings. The annual event at the Natchez City Cemetery brings to life notable historical figures. Also portrayed in the tour is Rosalie Beekman, 7, a Jewish girl who was the only civilian casualty in Natchez during the Civil War.

interesting bits & can’t miss events

learn the history of the ink, how to make it, and also create a bamboo pen.

In addition to topic tracks, there will be teen and children’s programs, and babysitting will also be available.

As of press time, none of the sessions had been given their time slots.

As a pluralistic learning weekend, Shabbat services will be held under one roof, at Gates of Prayer, with different services reflecting Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Alternative streams. Meals will then be held as one community.

This will be the first in-person LimmudFest New Orleans since 2018, as the 2020 version was cancelled at the last moment by the Covid pandemic. A virtual festival was held in 2021.

Registration information is at limmudnola. org.

Nola

Super Sunday on Feb. 5

The Super Sunday tradition continues as the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans holds the annual phonathon for its Annual Campaign on Feb. 5.

Volunteers will reach out to hundreds of community members starting at 10 a.m. Annual Campaign funds benefit local Jewish institutions and overseas needs.

Volunteers are needed for the effort, starting with bagels and coffee at 9:45 a.m. at the Goldring/Woldenberg Jewish Community Campus in Metairie. Clerical work will start at 1 a.m., and lunch will also be provided. Volunteers are invited to dress in Pelicans colors. Babysitting is also available.

Super Sunday is being chaired by Dana Shepard, and Kathy and Hal Shepard.

Delta increases schedule for Atlanta-Tel Aviv nonstop

Last year, Delta Airlines announced that it will have thrice-weekly non-stop flights between Atlanta and Tel Aviv, starting in May 2023.

Well, Delta changed its mind. The flights will be daily, as of April 16. The airline previously announced that it was pushing up the start date of the flights, from May 10 to March 26.

The flight will be on an Airbus A350. Business class will have 30 lie-flat beds. In Economy, there will be 63 Comfort+ seats and 246 standard seats.

Delta previously had a non-stop on that route from March 2006 to August 2011, marking the only other time travelers from the South could get a non-stop flight from the region, except for Miami. On Jan. 9, American Airlines announced it was halting its Miami to Tel Aviv route, leaving El Al as the only carrier on that route.

What would you put in the Museum?

If you were building your own version of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, what would you put in it?

The museum is holding an essay contest for students in grades 5 to 8, asking what three items students would put in the museum, and why. They should use examples from their own experiences to support what they feel best represents the Southern Jewish experience.

This is not a research paper, entries will be judged on thoughtfulness, originality, clarity of expression, and adherence to contest theme, as well as its historical accuracy, grammar, spelling and punctuation.

First place will win $500. Second place is $250 and third place is $100. Winning essays will be placed on the museum website, along with the names of honorable mentions. Submission deadline is March 20.

The contest is open to students in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. One need not be Jewish to participate.

Essays have to be no more than 500 words. They should be double-spaced, with one-inch margins, page numbers, have a title, be in a 12-point font, and saved as a pdf.

Entry information is at msje.org/student-essay-contest.

ISJL to remember Ann Zivitz Kientz

The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life will hold “Joyfully Jewish,” a remembrance of Ann Zivitz Kientz of New Orleans, on her first yahrzeit.

Kientz coordinated cultural programming for communities in the ISJL’s 13-state region. A past president of Temple Sinai in New Orleans, she was a Jacobs Camp veteran and organized numerous Israel trips. She died on Feb. 23, 2022, at the age of 61.

The Feb. 13 event will include many of her favorite performers, including Batsheva, Joe Buchanan, Shelly Goldstein and Eliana Light. They will perform in her memory and share recollections between performances.

The program will be at 6 p.m., streamed on the ISJL Facebook page. There is no need to register. The event is free and open to the community, but donations in her memory to ISJL are welcomed.

Dream Street counselor applications open

Applications are now open for Camp Dream Street counselors. Dream Street is a five-day, four-night camping program for children with physical disabilities, held at Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica.

The camp was founded with the mission that all children, regardless of their abilities, must be offered the chance to have fun, to make new friends, achieve, to be accepted for who and what they are, and to learn from the challenges of group life. Dream Street is a place where children with physical disabilities are given the chance to be children — not “special” children, not children with disabilities, but just children.

Much of the staff comes from NFTY Southern members. Teens in grades 9 through 12 are eligible to apply to be counselors. Opening day for staff is May 27, campers arrive on May 29 and closing day is June 2.

More information is at dreamstreetms.org.

The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life announced that this year’s Education Conference will be June 25 to 27 in Jackson, and registration will be open in February.

Alabama

The Jewish Federation of Central Alabama is relaunching its Annual Campaign, to support Jewish life locally and abroad. A community celebration and campaign kickoff dinner will be held on Jan. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Wynlakes Country Club in Montgomery, with Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen as guest speaker.

The Birmingham Jewish Federation is holding security programming for the community, led by community security coordinator Jeff Brown. All programs are at the Levite Jewish Community Center at 6 p.m. Be Aware training in situational awareness will be on Jan. 26 or March 29. Counter Active Threat training will be Feb. 1 or April 27. “Stop the Bleed” training will be Feb. 16 or May 17. There will be a panel discussion on threats and trends on March 1.

Cantor Marshall Wolkenstein, who was at Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El from 1980 to 1988, died on Dec. 20 in Pittsburgh. While in Birmingham, he organized annual cantorial concerts, bringing in four to six colleagues.

Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will have a new member welcome brunch and tour, for all new members since January 2021, on Jan. 29 from 10 a.m. to noon.

There will be a Bubbe-Zayde Family Shabbat as part of the ShulHouse Rock series at Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El, Jan. 28 at 9:30 a.m. There will be a breakfast schmooze, family service for grades 3 to 7, Tot Shabbat, in-service participation, a kid-friendly luncheon and a Bubbe-Zayde activity with the community shinshinim.

Temple B’nai Sholom in Huntsville announced that it will no longer stream its Shabbat services, as of Dec. 9. They are examining options for having them available in the future.

Birmingham’s Collat Jewish Family Services will have its annual meeting on Jan. 25 at 5:30 p.m., at the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School. Nancy Goldberg will be honored as Volunteer of the Year.

Temple Emanu-El, Birmingham, will host a Sisterhood Havdalah, Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. A nosh and mingle will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will honor Jann Blitz for 26 years of leading the Grafman Endowment Fund. There will be a Legacy Luncheon, “Toast and Tributes,” on Feb. 23 at 11:30 a.m. There will be a Shabbat service on Feb. 24 at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and dancing, where all donors with named funds will also be recognized, along with those who have declared bequests in their estate plans, and former board members. Reservations are requested by Feb. 10.

The Beth-El Civil Rights Experience in Birmingham will host Intersections of History, with the Titusville Landmarks and Heritage Project, Jan. 26 at 4 p.m. at the Titusville Library. T.K. Thorne and Rev. Thomas Noon will speak.

The Temple Beth-El Sisterhood in Birmingham is hosting a community women’s Tu B’Shevat Seder on Feb. 5 at 3:30 p.m., led by Orly Henkin and community Shinshinim Ma’ayan and Zohar.

Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center will hold its annual meeting on Jan. 29 at 10 a.m. Refreshments, including mimosas, will be served. Barbara Traweek, director of the Cohn Early Childhood Learning Center, will be honored for her 30 years of service.

Endymion’s Mel Gibson Grand Marshal debacle

Intense backlash causes “super krewe” to say controversial actor will not ride in their parade

After a quick and vociferous backlash, the Krewe of Endymion announced that Mel Gibson “will not ride” as co-Grand Marshal of this year’s parade, on Feb. 18.

Established in 1967, Endymion is now the largest parade in the New Orleans Mardi Gras season. The “super krewe” rolls in Mid-City on the Saturday before Mardi Gras, with 3,200 riders and 81 floats.

Gibson, described by the Krewe as an “international superstar, actor and director,” was announced as co-Grand Marshal the evening of Jan. 7 at the Coronation Ball. Controversy over Gibson’s antisemitic and misog ynistic past immediately erupted, with widespread indignation on social

Fritz to back out, saying he is now far more popular in New Orleans than Gibson. Others pointed out the irony of honoring the coach and football team of a university which has a Jewish enrollment of about 40

Made In Hollywood/Flickr. Mel Gibson

eigner this year. Because the statement did not say Gibson’s invitation was rescinded, questions quickly arose as to whether Gibson would attend the Extravaganza and retain the title. There has been no clarification by the Krewe.

A joint statement by the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, the regional Anti-Defamation League office, Greater New Orleans Jewish Clergy Council and Jewish Community Relations Council expressed relief that Gibson is no longer riding, but the groups “are appalled that Endymion chose Mel Gibson as the parade’s 2023 Grand Marshal to begin with.”

The statement cited Gibson’s long history of slurs, saying that while he “has made half-hearted attempts to apologize for his remarks over the years, there is still a great deal of pain associated with his name and deep wounds in the Jewish community from those controversies, which may never heal. Given his history of fueling antisemitism and other forms of hate, we find his choice as Grand Marshal of Endymion was completely insulting and shortsighted.”

They hope Endymion will take the opportunity “to learn why the selection of Mel Gibson caused such pain and disappointment to the Jewish community as well as the marginalized communities he has harmed in the past.”

The statement concluded with an acknowledgement of the complex history of racism and antisemitism around the New Orleans Mardi Gras season, but that today the entire community is engaged with the festivities, including “dozens within the Jewish community who ride in the Endymion Krewe.” With Mardi Gras becoming a New Orleans celebration, “Endymion choosing a Grand Marshal with a strong record of hatred sent the wrong message about the event.”

An online petition had been started to urge Fritz to withdraw if Gibson remained as co-Grand Marshal. The petition was started by Danny Sullivan, a Ph.D. candidate and undergraduate and medical school alumnus of Tulane. He felt that representatives of a school with such a large Jewish enrollment should not “share roles or positions of public prominence with anti-Semites.”

Sullivan, who is not Jewish, shared the news with a group of friends that went with him to the Cotton Bowl, and they agreed that there should be a petition “to ask Fritz to not associate if Endymion refuses to remove Gibson from the parade.”

With Gibson being removed, “there’s no issue with Coach Fritz riding,” he said. As a member of multiple Krewes himself, he knows the honor that comes with being a Grand Marshal.

The Krewe has not responded to requests from Southern Jewish Life.

This is not the first time Endymion has ousted a Grand Marshal. In 1991, Woody Harrelson was dis-invited after his participation in an anti-war rally, and in that case, the Krewe said it did not “need this kind of controversy.”

There are reports that City Council members were considering revoking the parade permit if Gibson remained as Grand Marshal.

Gibson’s History

Gibson courted controversy with his 2004 film, “The Passion of the Christ,” which was a graphic and blood-soaked depiction of the crucifixion. Jewish groups were concerned that the gruesome portrayal would boost antisemitism, as the change that Jews killed Jesus has been a staple of church antisemitism throughout the centuries.

After a lengthy standoff, with Gibson refusing to budge, a small compromise was reached where the most incendiary verse, where the Jewish crowd purports to say “His blood be on us and on our children,” was removed. That verse has been seen as “proof” of Jewish culpability and a justification for countless massacres.

The film was done in Aramaic, the spoken language of the time, with English subtitles. While that verse was not subtitled, it was still in the

Chris Copeland and Dan Forman, Co-Founders

film, in the Aramaic dialogue.

One of the most publicized incidents was in 2006, when he was arrested for driving under the influence, and went on a profane tirade. He asked the arresting officer if he was a Jew, and said “the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.” He also used an anatomical reference to a female officer.

Abraham Foxman, then the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said “liquor loosens the tongue of what’s in the mind and in the heart, and in his mind and in his heart is his conspiracy theory about Jews and hatred of Jews.”

Gibson later issued an apology to the Jewish community, saying “please know from my heart that I am not an anti-Semite. I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith,” and that he was in a “program of recovery” to understand “where those vicious words came from during that drunken display.”

In 2016, Gibson told Variety that it was “an unfortunate incident” where “I was loaded and angry and arrested. I was recorded illegally by an unscrupulous police officer who was never prosecuted for that crime. And then it was made public by him for profit, and by members of — we’ll call it the press.”

He said that a decade later, that “dim thing in the past” is “annoying” when it is brought up.

In 2010, a recording emerged of an argument he had with a former girlfriend, where he used many profane references to women, threatened to burn her house, and said “if you get raped by a pack of n—rs it will be your fault.”

In 2020, actress Winona Ryder said that at a 1996 party, Gibson’s way of asking if she is Jewish was “you’re not an oven dodger, are you?” This was just after he made a “really horrible” gay joke to a friend of hers who is

gay. She said Gibson tried to apologize some time later, but after the 2020 interview came out, a spokesperson for Gibson denied both encounters.

After that denial, Ryder said that was “untrue,” as the incident was “a painful and vivid memory.”

In 2012, a screenwriter who had been working with Gibson on a film about, of all things, the Maccabees, said Gibson routinely used slurs in referring to Jews, and spoke about killing his former girlfriend. The screenwriter, Joe Eszterhas, also said Gibson felt the Holocaust was mostly “horses—” and that the Talmud speaks about sacrificing Christian babies.

Gibson said most of what Eszterhas said was fabrications, and that he supposedly had issues with Gibson only after his script was rejected by the studio.

There was alarm to the news in 2019 that Gibson was going to be in a film called “Rothschild,” as the Rothschilds are a favorite target of antisemites who believe that rich Jews control international banking. The film, which was scrapped, was not about those Rothschilds, but a dark comedy about New York’s elite, focusing on a family named Rothschild.

In 2019, an Arab singer referenced Gibson at an anti-Israel conference at the University of North Carolina. Palestinian rapper Tamer Nafar started by urging the audience to sing along, as “I cannot be antisemitic alone,” and said “don’t think of Rihanna when you sing this… think of Mel Gibson.”

Gibson’s father, Hutton Gibson, was a Holocaust denier and part of a “traditionalist” Catholic sect that rejected Vatican II, saying it was “a Masonic plot backed by the Jews.” He also referred to Pope John Paul II as a “Koran kisser.”

Gibson has not disassociated himself from his father’s Holocaust denial, telling reporters not to go there, as it’s his father.

WWII Museum, Louisiana Orchestra team for Violins of Hope events

Four “Violins of Hope” will be visiting New Orleans this month, bearing witness to a handful of the millions of individual tragedies of the Holocaust.

The Violins of Hope are violins that were played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust, often in concentration camps. Some of the violinists were murdered, some survived. Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshi, have been restoring the violins for 25 years and bringing them to communities around the world, with the idea that having the violins played gives voice to the individual stories behind the instruments.

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and National World War II Museum have been coordinating a week of activities and presentations around the violins, from Jan. 24 to 28.

Maggie Hartley, director of public engagement for the National World War II Museum, said the “unique and exciting lineup” for the week “is going to be very impactful for the New Orleans area.”

Mimi Kruger, managing director for the orchestra, said there was a meeting with the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans CEO Arnie Fielkow and Ana Gershanik a few years ago, but the pandemic delayed plans to bring the violins to New Orleans.

Hartley was in Virginia a couple years ago, working on a series of events with the violins in Richmond, but Covid interfered, much to her disappointment. When she moved to New Orleans, she was happy to find out that plans were underway to host the violins.

Later this year, the museum will open its new Liberation Pavilion, focusing on the liberation of the concentration camps, and how the war affected the world in the immediate aftermath, and echoes to today.

Hartley said that makes the violin programs even more timely and

meaningful for the museum, “to make sure we are highlighting the stories of the violins, the Holocaust and how it shaped the world today,” along with the current fight against antisemitism.

The planning committee for the week is co-chaired by Ana and Juan Gershanik.

Instruments of Memory

Half a century ago, a Holocaust survivor brought Amnon Weinstein a violin to restore, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. The violin had been played in the concentration camps, and when he opened the case, ashes fell out.

Weinstein’s parents had moved to pre-state Israel from Lithuania in 1938, the only part of his family to leave Europe. His father, Moshe, was a master violin maker. After 1941, all communication from the rest of the family ceased. They later found out that all 400 family members were gone.

The night after hearing the news, Moshe had a heart attack. He survived, but never spoke about the family’s tragedy again. Despite all that, he would buy German violins, even though after the Holocaust, Israelis did not want to have anything to do with German goods and there was no resale market for the instruments. He just couldn’t bear to see musical instruments destroyed, his grandson, Avshi, explained.

Amnon Weinstein went to Italy to learn old-world violin craftsmanship, and took over the family business in Tel Aviv when his father died in 1986. But the Holocaust continued to haunt him, and he turned away violins from the Holocaust.

In the 1990s, they had an apprentice from Dresden who knew almost

• Ordained with a Masters of Sacred Music from the Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion in 1994

• Received honorary doctorate in 2019 from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Based in Birmingham, willing to travel the entire SJL region

Culture History

nothing about the Holocaust. When he saw the “rare” collection of German instruments, he begged Amnon to visit Dresden and give a lecture about the instruments.

In 1996, as he was training his son Avshi, “working in the workshop where his father trained him and he was training his own son,” he reflected on the Holocaust violins and was ready to confront the past.

Today, the collection numbers around 120 violins, and each has its own story. For many in the camps, the violin was a way to stay alive.

In some cases, a German official would take the violinist under his

“Violin of the Flowers” to be played in New Orleans

The Katrin violin is a relatively recent acquisition, which the Weinsteins worked on in 2021. It came from a quiet countryside in Belgium, where a young Jewish boy arrived having fled Poland. Apparently, the only family he still had was his violin, which he played in the narrow streets.

He found a family that took him in, but one day he disappeared. Some eyewitnesses said that the Germans had found him and arrested him. Left behind on his bed was the violin.

After the war, the homeowners gave the violin to their niece, Catherine Loodts, who wanted to learn music. That, she did.

Years later, her aunt told her the backstory of the violin, much to her horror. She vowed to never play it again, and went to a nearby field on the outskirts of Saint Gerard. There, she opened the case, said a prayer, and before closing the case for the final time, placed some wildflowers on top of the violin.

For decades, she did not touch the violin. Then, on a French television channel, she saw a report about Amnon Weinstein and the “Violins of Hope.”

She called Weinstein and told him that she had a violin “like no other” for the past half-century. She told him that as she is elderly, “my fear is to disappear and to know that the violin will end upon sale in a flea market, and no one will know and care about its story.”

She offered the violin to Weinstein, as “it will be in good hands and the memory it carries within him will live on forever.”

Weinstein offered to put her in touch with friends in Brussels who would receive the violin and send it to him, but she refused, saying that despite being frail, she wanted the violin’s first steps in Israel to be with her.

In August 2021, Weinstein opened the violin and was surprised to find a twig inside, part of the bouquet Catherine had placed in the case. “In all my years of making and restoring violins, I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said.

As he restored the violin, he embedded the twig in the body.

Last summer, Benny Boret, who has organized concerts in Israel for 30 years and works with the Weinsteins, told i24News that with the flowers, this violin would symbolize spring, and the first piece that would be played on it after restoration would be Vivaldi’s “Printemps.”

wing so he could perform at parties. Some were played by Jewish musicians who were forced to perform as fellow Jews got off the cattle cars, to make the camp seem more normal to the new arrivals, and hide that it was an extermination facility.

One violinist, who was 12 years old and whose parents were murdered, became a favorite musician of a group of Nazi soldiers. They gave him a German outfit, which he wore to his performances at an officer’s club. He would channel information that he overheard to his partisan group, which fed it to the Red Army. He soon smuggled explosives into the club in his violin case, then one night after his performance, set them to detonate after he left.

There is one violin in the collection that will not be restored, because the story is on the inside. A man in Washington had purchased that violin and planned to restore it, but when he opened it, he found a large swastika and “Heil Hitler,” and a label stating the violin had been restored in 1936. He was going to destroy it, Weinstein said, but also couldn’t bear to demolish an instrument, so he Googled — and found Violins of Hope. He called, and Amnon immediately said he would take it. That violin is often brought to classroom presentations.

New Orleans Events

The New Orleans programs are in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023, sponsored by Taube Philanthropies as part of the Taube Family Holocaust Education Program.

At the World War II Museum, members and visitors will be able to view the violins in the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center. The display will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 25 to 28.

There will be a virtual tour of Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust remembrance center, on Jan. 23 at 9:30 a.m. Registration is available on the orchestra’s website.

On Jan. 24, there will be an opening reception and program at the pavilion, with the reception at 5 p.m. and the program at 6 p.m. There will be a livestreaming option for the program.

On Jan. 25, there will be a Lunchbox Lecture with Avshi Weinstein, who opened his own workshop in Istanbul in 2009. He has traveled the world with the Violins of Hope collection, visiting schools where students often are receiving their first presentation about the Holocaust.

The Lunchbox Lecture is free and open to the community, and will be at the Karen H. Bechtel and William M. Osborne III Media Auditorium in the Hall of Democracy. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., with the program at noon. The lecture will also be on the museum’s Vimeo, YouTube and Facebook platforms, and will be available afterward.

The orchestra will perform on Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre. Classical violinist Philippe Quint, a multiple Grammy Award nominee from New York, will be featured.

The concert will feature works by Contreras, Korngold, Chaplin, and Shostakovich. A pre-concert talk will be at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available through the orchestra.

Quint, who has frequently performed with the LPO, said the concert will be “celebrating the strength of the human spirit through the history of precious violins.”

At 10 a.m. on Jan. 26 there will be an open rehearsal, tickets are $10. After the rehearsal, the conductor and guest artists will talk with the audience about preparing for concerts, and information about the pieces performed.

On Jan. 27, the museum and orchestra will host a student webinar, “Music and the Holocaust” at 1 p.m. Held on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the webinar will discuss the importance of music during the Holocaust, as well as Violins of Hope, and one of the violins will be played.

Also on Jan. 27, there will be a commemorative program at the Free-

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dom Pavilion, with a 5 p.m. reception and the program at 6 p.m. It will also be livestreamed.

Touro Synagogue is planning “The Music of the Violins of Hope” as part of its 6 p.m. Shabbat service on Jan. 27, with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Quartet.

There will also be a “Music at the Museum” presentation at the Freedom Pavilion on Jan. 28. There will be a reception at 6:30 p.m. and the program at 7:30 p.m. The free event, which is already full, will feature “forbidden music,” by Jewish composers who were banned by the Na-zis as “degenerates” during World War II. The program includes works by Weill, Mendelssohn, Williams, Chaplin and Morricone.

The orchestra will also have ensemble visits to eight schools, and educational resources for teachers and students will be available.

The orchestra’s website has a downloadable teacher’s guide about the violins, as a supplement to music or history classes. The guide gives an overview of the Holocaust, discusses the role of the violins in preserving Jewish heritage, and the role of music in cultural identity.

Hartley said the week of events “is not something that will end on Jan. 28. It will have long lasting impact on classrooms in New Orleans.”

In conjunction with the Violins of Hope programs, the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience will exhibit a violin it recently acquired from a member of the Kindertransport, an effort to save Jewish children from Nazi-occupied areas. Gunther Karger, who donated the violin, was on the last such train to Sweden in 1939.

The violins have previously been displayed in Birmingham and Nashville, and a documentary of a historic 2018 concert at Birmingham’s civil rights landmark, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, aired on public television nationally.

MSJE gets violin from Kindertransport survivor

Will be displayed during Violins of Hope

While the Violins of Hope will be visiting New Orleans, another violin from that era will be displayed as a new acquisition of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience — from a participant in the Kindertransport rescue of Jewish children, who wound up in Pensacola after the war and quickly racked up a list of impressive achievements.

What is being called the Swedish Violin was owned by Gunther Karger, who was born in Schmieheim, Germany, in 1933. In 1939, his parents put him on what turned out to be the last train in the Kindertransport, sending him to live in Sweden.

He was the only member of his family to survive the war.

For seven years, he lived with two foster families and in one orphanage. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society arranged for a group of Christian Pentecostals to take in the refugees, and he wound up on the farm of the Gustafson family in northwest Sweden. He knew no Swedish and the only person around who knew some German was the pastor.

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Since Karger showed some musical ability, the pastor gave him a violin he had found in the basement of the church, and it became a prized possession for Karger, accompanying him on what would be an amazing life journey.

After five years, he was moved to an orphanage that had a Jewish orientation. When it closed a year later, he was placed with an observant family in Stockholm, a major change for him.

After a year there, he received a letter from a woman in Pensacola who said she was his father’s half-sister, and offered him a chance to come to America. At age 13, he set sail for New York, then took the train to Pensacola.

Since he knew no English, he became a bag boy at a grocery store and attended school, rapidly picking up the language. He was able to skip grades in school, but his time in Pensacola was not pleasant, with his foster family considering him to be worthless and, as he put it, treating him like an indentured servant.

After four years, he was basically kicked out, winding up with a half-uncle in New Jersey, telling him he has nowhere else to go, but would work his chicken houses while finishing high school. He finished his final year as valedictorian, passing his final exams two months early so he could enlist in the Air Force in 1951.

He started off studying electrical systems and working in the Airborne Radar Department, and was stationed at Keesler in Biloxi. At a mixer for Jewish servicemen there, he met Shirley Zoller Rosenzweig of New Orleans, and they married in 1954.

After finishing his Air Force commitment, he enrolled in Louisiana State University, in an electrical engineering program. He finished the five-year program in three years, then started working for Bell Labs after a brief, problem-filled stint at Boeing.

He soon started with ITT on early satellite development, rekindling a childhood obsession with space. He was selected to President John Kennedy’s National Security team, preparing scenarios where the Soviet Union launched a first nuclear strike. He developed a system that would help the U.S. recover and launch a retaliatory strike, earning him the designation of “Outstanding Young Man of America.”

Karger then went to Cape Canaveral, Fla., to work on the Apollo moon project, working with many of the German rocket engineers who developed the U.S. space program. Among those was Wehrner von Braun.

After the successful moon landing, Karger moved on, working for Eastern Airlines in Miami, where one of his tasks was creating a computer model to forecast revenue. In 1987, CEO Frank Borman told him he had to raise the revenue forecast by $600 million so banks would continue loans to the company. Figuring jail was not a good career path, he refused and was fired. Within the next year, Eastern was out of business.

The Kargers then founded an investment letter, and he wrote books about fraud on Wall Street, becoming an arbitrator in cases of investor complaints against brokerage firms. During the financial crisis in President Barack Obama’s first term, he became a special adviser to the Securities and Exchange Commission for fraud matters.

Mrs. Karger also became a leading doll collector, and an exhibit called Shirley’s Doll Cove was established at the Jack and Priscilla Andonie Museum at LSU.

“We are honored that Gunther and Shirley chose to donate this violin, along with many family photographs, documents, and other artifacts, to the museum,” said MSJE Marketing and Membership Coordinator Abra Kaplan. “Theirs is truly one of the most unique collections we hold.”

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Respectfully paying respects

In Baton Rouge, Wreaths Across America volunteers find way to honor Jewish veterans

Every year, part of the “holiday spirit” involves a group called Wreaths Across America placing wreaths on graves of veterans across the United States, groups like the Military Religious Freedom Foundation complaining about the Christmas symbol being placed on the graves of Jews, Muslims and non-Christians, and many Wreaths volunteers taking offense that their gesture of kindness is taken the wrong way.

That isn’t how it happened in Baton Rouge, though.

Brittney Kean of Gonzales, who is regent of the Heirome Gaines chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, was at a meeting of Children of the American Revolution when there was a discussion about working with Wreaths Across America. She has been involved with Wreaths since 2015 through Blue Star Mothers, and starting the next year, also through DAR.

In the past, Blue Star Mothers said not to place wreaths on graves with a Star of David, so they would just recite the name when at those graves, as is done for each veteran. “I also went to school with a friend who is Jewish, so I was already aware that they did not celebrate Christmas,” she said.

At this year’s CAR meeting, when they got to the instructions about Jewish graves, “the children expressed the desire to honor the Jewish servicemen as well and wanted to know if that was possible.”

As senior society president of the Thomas Jefferson Society of CAR, Kean started exploring what would be proper. “I started with my Jewish friend, who told me that it is Jewish custom to leave a stone on the graves, but she did say that she thought a flag would be okay.”

She also spoke to several members of the Unified Jewish Congregation of Baton Rouge, and received the same advice. She then spoke to Jason Matthews at the Louisiana National Cemetery and submitted two proposals — for stones or flags.

The flag concept was approved, “so the girls and I walked the whole cemetery making note of all of the Jewish graves.”

Since they found just eight, Kean’s mother came up with the idea of crocheting “stone pockets” to attach to the flag poles.

Kean said DAR’s objectives “include historic preservation, education and patriotism, WAA’s mission is to remember, honor and teach, and CAR’s mission is to train good citizens, develop leaders, and promote love of the United States of America and its heritage among young people. I am trying to bring all of this together as I lead the Thomas Jefferson Society.”

Officially, Wreaths Across America says it is not affiliated with any particular religion or political view. They follow the policies of the cemeteries that give permission for the wreaths, and tell volunteers not to place wreaths on Jewish graves, but to simply pause and pay respects. According to the organization, some Jewish families do request wreaths.

Nevertheless, MRAA has reportedly fielded thousands of complaints over the last 15 years since the program went national.

This year, Wreaths Across America distributed over 2.7 million wreaths at 3,702 participating cemeteries.

Perhaps they can all look to Baton Rouge for a model of how to honor in a way that truly pays respect to all individuals who served.

Willie Sims, a “beloved” Israeli basketball star who was born in Alabama and was a key member of Louisiana State University’s basketball team 40 years ago, died on Dec. 23 in Israel. He was 64, and had been hospitalized since August, when he suffered a heart attack.

Sims was born in Lanett, east of Auburn by the Georgia line. He was predominantly raised in New York City by his grandmother, who had converted to Judaism when she married Sims’ grandfather.

According to an interview in the book “Alley Oop to Aliyah,” he wore dreadlocks and a kippah, getting in frequent fights as a child. His family kept Jewish practices but identified as Hebrews, until his high school coach, who was Jewish, explained that the terms were basically the same thing. He then identified as Jewish.

The summer before college, he was on the U.S. basketball team at the World Maccabiah Games in Israel in 1977. He scored the game-winning free throws against Israel in the finals and helped the United States to the title, 92-91.

He attended LSU and was a member of the 1981 NCAA Final Four team. He generally came off the bench and was known as “Super Sub” by fans, and during the 1981 season, PA announcer Sid Crocker would introduce him with the starters as “the best sixth man in college basketball.”

Sims played in 120 games with a career scoring average of 7.6 points per game. He averaged 9.2 points in 1980 and 8.5 points in the 1981 NCAA Final Four season. Sims shot over 50 percent from the field in both the 1980 and 1981 seasons.

In addition to the Final Four in 1981, LSU won the regular season conference championship in 1979 and 1981, and the conference tournament in 1980. Still, he did encounter some pushback. Someone wrote on his door, “Black and Jewish, why are you in Louisiana?”

After his senior season in 1981, he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the fifth round. But that summer, he returned to Israel for the Maccabiah, as the U.S. team defended its gold medal. Recruited by Israeli teams during his Maccabiah appearances, he decided to turn down life in the NBA and joined Maccabi Haifa, along with U.S. Maccabiah teammate David Blatt, who would go on to be a highly successful coach at Maccabi Tel Aviv, along with a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Because he was Jewish, he qualified immediately for Israeli citizenship, meaning he would not count against the maximum number of foreign players allowed to be on Israel league teams.

His citizenship was far easier than his wedding, though, as the rabbinate demanded all manner of family documentation. Like many Israelis, he and his bride, Ariela, decided to skip the bureaucracy and go to Cyprus for a civil ceremony.

Sims played for Maccabi Haifa B.C. from 1981 to 1983, averaging 21.2 points per game. From 1983 to 1985 he played for Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C., where he won the Israeli Basketball State Cup.

From 1985 until 1987 he played for Elitzur Netanya, where he was the leading scorer in the 1985-86 season, on a team that surprised everyone by making the finals. From 1987 to 1992 he played for Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C., where he won the Israeli Basketball Super League five times and won three Israeli State Cups.

Israel mourns Willie Sims, Ala. native, LSU basketball standout

Photo by Orrling/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

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He then played for the Hapoel Eilat basketball club from 1992 to 1996, then retired to go into coaching. He was assistant coach for Maccabi Hadera, where he returned to the court in 199899 because of a player shortage.

He is ranked in the top 50 greatest players of all time in Israel. He also appeared in 76 playoff games in Israel, in which he scored 842 points, ranking 14th on the list of all-time best players in the playoffs in Israel.

After retiring, he started a fitness studio for children, just north of Tel Aviv. He also continued as an assistance coach for Elitzur Netanya. Sims had two sons and a daughter. He became more secular as the years went by in Israel, and described his childrens’ bar and bat mitzvahs in Israeli terms, that they were becoming adults and soon would be off to defend their country.

His daughter, Danyelle, is a model who married Gal Mekel. A Ramat HaSharon native, Mekel played at Wichita State before signing with Israeli teams. He played for the Dallas Mavericks, becoming the second Israeli in the NBA, appearing in 31 games in the 2013-14 season before injuring his knee. He was waived in October 2014, then signed with the New Orleans Pelicans a month later. He appeared in four games before he was waived. He currently plays for MoraBanc Andorra.

Blatt said “We came to Maccabiah together after a training camp in New York, and from the first day I saw how special he was… He had the ability to gather people around him and make them his friends.”

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Blatt added, “He was much more than a basketball player and made everyone around him feel special, all with humility and giving. He was a true newcomer who fell in love with the country, and she fell in love with him back.”

Legendary player Tal Brody, who is credited with putting Israel basketball “on the map” of the world, said Sims’ death “was felt all over Israel as Willie was loved by all.”

Shimon Mizrahi, chairman of Maccabi Tel Aviv, said “The spirit he knew how to instill around him, that was his greatness… he knew how to manage the game and make the team as unique as it is.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv teammate Doron Gemchi said “when you play in a team, it’s fun to have such a character with you, who combines mental toughness and, on the other hand, gentleness.”

In a statement, Maccabi Tel Aviv said “Willie was always a fighter and an athlete with a wonderful smile, who won five championships in five seasons with the Yellows, three Israeli State Cups, and participated in the European Final Four three times.”

Shmuel Frenkel, co-chair of Israel’s Super League, remembers Sims “as a great defensive player… without an ego and with a rare fighting spirit and a radiant personality.”

Orthodox

high schools hold basketball tournament in Auburn

Event a way to thank Auburn’s basketball team for visiting Israel last summer

Students from eight Orthodox high schools from across the country held a Shabbaton and basketball tournament — at Auburn University.

The National Council of Synagogue Youth, a division of the Orthodox Union, and Athletes for Israel, organized the weekend to show appreciation to Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl for his advocacy on behalf of Israel, and to the university for organizing a trip to Israel for the basketball team in August.

“Auburn’s trip to Israel this summer was an unforgettable experience for everyone involved,” AFI founder and Chairman Daniel Posner said. “This weekend was about showing our appreciation to the Auburn University community and Coach Bruce Pearl for sending the team to Israel, especially at a time when antisemitic incidents are playing out on campuses across the country.”

The Auburn team was the first Power Five program to do an overseas trip to Israel. They played three games in Israel, including against the Israel national team, during their “Birthright for College Basketball” trip. The games were broadcast back to the United States on ESPN’s SEC Network.

After the game against the national team, Pearl spoke with about 350 NCSY students who were on a summer program in Israel and had attend-

ed the game, in a discussion that went viral online.

Pearl is an outspoken advocate for Israel, and hopes to see many other universities replicate the trip in the coming years.

Daniel Schnyder

Auburn Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl addresses the NCSY high school students visiting Auburn for a Shabbaton and tournament

After Auburn’s successful trip, “Athletes for Israel wanted to generate further goodwill by recognizing the Tigers’ trip back on home turf this past weekend and NCSY were the perfect partners to help make it happen.”

“This was an unmissable opportunity to use basketball to create a Kiddush Hashem,” said Rabbi Gideon Black, CEO of New York NCSY. “In a part of the country that is not used to seeing observant Jews, it was a teachable moment for our teens to be ambassadors for the Jewish community.”

There were five schools from the New York-New Jersey area, and Kohelet Yeshiva High School, Merion, Pa.; Robert M. Beren Academy, Houston; and Katz Yeshiva High School, Boca Raton, Fla. About 130 teens participated, temporarily doubling the campus’ Jewish population.

After arriving in Auburn on Nov. 4, the delegation headed straight to Neville Arena to tour the Tigers’ facility and enjoy an hour-long question and answer session with Pearl about Israel and Jewish leadership. That evening, Auburn Hillel students joined NCSY and AFI for a spirited Shabbat evening, and at the post-dinner gathering, five of the Tigers’ leading players joined the group to share their experiences in Israel.

Rabbi Jordan Silvestri, head of Beren, told the Jewish Herald-Voice in Houston that “it was the largest Shabbos experience the Auburn campus has ever experienced. Our students connected with them and helped contribute to a great experience.”

The weekend included the establishment of a kosher kitchen for the delegation.

After Shabbat, the eight yeshivas began tournaments for the boys and girls teams at a local high school, after watching an Auburn practice. The Davis Renov Stahler Yeshiva High School in Woodmere, N.Y., beat Katz for the boys championship, and Hustle and Heart of Hewlett Bay Park, N.Y., defeated the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway, from Lawrence, N.Y., in the girls final.

The next day, Boca Raton Synagogue’s Rabbi Efrem Goldberg and NCSY’s Rabbi Moshe Benovitz spoke about Kiddush Hashem, actions that sanctify God’s name. After that, the students packed essentials for the Food Bank of East Alabama, and volunteered at Storybrook Farms, which helps children affected by adversity “to reclaim the wonder of childhood through relationships with animals and nature.”

Before Auburn’s season opener, a ceremony was held at center court, as Daniel Posner led a group from the delegation in making a presentation to Pearl. An oversized check from Athletes for Israel for $100,000 was presented, with the memo line “Once in a Lifetime trip to Israel.”

The teens danced and sang courtside in the Auburn student section throughout the game. “The regular Auburn fans were elated to see our group creating unbelievable ruach throughout the game,” said NCSY Regional Director Rabbi Aryeh Wielgus, his voice still hoarse from the game. “And when the players who we spent Friday night with joined us in the stands, the place just went wild.”

“Being at the game and breaking out into Jewish songs was an amazing experience,” Beren senior Alex Yellin told the Herald-Voice. “It was so much fun to be a part of. The whole experience was much bigger and impactful than most of us had seen before.”

The Tigers won their opener, 70-52.

In his press conference following the game, Pearl spoke about the delegation. “Most of the kids were from the Northeast,” he said. “But I guarantee you they got a look at Auburn, Alabama, and they’re going to leave here and they’re going to say, ‘guys you can’t believe how nice it is, and how nice the people are,’ and how welcome they felt. I thought our crowd responded really well to their being here.”

Major tornado barely bypasses Selma’s Mishkan Israel

Mishkan Israel, the historic synagogue in downtown Selma, is still standing following a devastating Jan. 12 tornado that swept through the city that is known as a civil rights battleground of the 1960s.

According to Ronnie Leet, who is one of the community’s three remaining members and coordinates activities at the synagogue, the building has some roof damage, and a company will be inspecting the damage on Jan. 16, after which there will be definitive answers on what is needed to repair the damage. He added, “hopefully we can get some tarps on it before the next rain,” which was expected on Jan. 17.

The roof has long been a priority in the campaign to preserve the building, which was dedicated in February 1900. The congregation was established in 1870.

The tornado struck just after noon and was part of a line of strong storms passing through the region. While the spring is generally considered to be prime season for tornadoes, January storms are not unusual.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham says the tornado was likely at least an EF2. The same cell passed Prattville, about 40 miles

away, and held together well into Georgia.

The tornado’s path was along West Dallas Avenue, causing a lot of damage to the Selma Country Club, then along J.L. Chestnut Boulevard along the train tracks toward Broad Street, about half a mile north of the Alabama River and the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

A viral video that was part of the first footage to emerge showed devastation at an office building on Broad Street where a tax preparation service and a Charter Cable office were. That building is about 600 feet north of Mishkan Israel. In the video, it was remarked that the Firestone auto center “was gone.” That building is about a block from Mishkan Israel.

Leet said the Old Town Historic District, which is right behind Mishkan Israel, “is devastated.” Sturdivant Hall Museum, about four blocks west, survived but had windows blown out and many trees toppled.

Leet also said that Live Oak Cemetery “fared okay.” The historic cemetery houses the two newer Jewish cemeteries — Mishkan Israel, and that of B’nai Abraham, a small Orthodox congregation that closed in the early 1940s.

Doug Buster, head of Selma’s Cemetery Pres-

Amazing

happens

ervation Group, told the Selma Times-Journal that “Old Live Oak Cemetery has some large trees down, but is moderate compared to New Live Oak, where there is heavy damage.”

Live Oak, where the Jewish cemeteries are, is next to Old Live Oak, while New Live Oak is about half a mile to the west. Buster said over half of the trees at New Live Oak are down, with likely monument damage underneath.

On Jan. 13, Governor Kay Ivey toured the

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damage, declared a state of emergency in six affected counties, and said that President Joe Biden will “expedite” a major disaster declaration. While damage assessments are still underway, hundreds of buildings were affected. There were no fatalities.

Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, a major focal point of the 1965 civil rights demonstrations, was spared, and historic sites by the river escaped damage.

While Selma is known as a major historic site in the civil rights movement, and thousands flock there annually in March for a march across the bridge, the city has struggled economically for decades. The city currently has about 17,600 residents.

With Selma’s Jewish community down to just a handful, efforts have been made in recent years to keep the building going as a magnet for Jewish civil rights tours from across the country, and for local events. Six years ago, an Orthodox congregation from the Washington area held a Shabbaton there over King Weekend.

In 2015, for the 50th anniversary of the bridge crossing, Mishkan Israel hosted a major event about Jewish involvement in the civil rights movement. Susannah Heschel spoke about her father’s friendship with Martin Luther King, and how Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marched with King in Selma. Other guests included Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, who performed in concert for the marchers in 1965 near Montgomery, and Clarence Jones, King’s advisor and draft speechwriter.

When it comes to tornadoes, initial damage impressions can be deceiving. On Dec. 25, 2012, a tornado went through Mobile, damaging Springhill Avenue Temple. Windows were blown out and a flying beam punctured the roof. However, the biggest damage was not initially apparent — the tornado had lifted the roof off the building by about an inch, displacing it and leading to an extensive repair process.

JCRS Gala to have summer camp

theme

Event will be March 11 at Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans

Jewish Children’s Regional Service continues its series of Jewish Roots galas with a look at one of the main reasons why so many people come together for this major event each year — summer camp.

The 13th annual gala will be the Jewish Roots of Summer Camp, March 11 at the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans, at 6:30 p.m.

The chic “glamping” (glamorous camping) event will honor JCRS’s long history of assisting families in sending their children to sleep-away summer camp. There will be live music, dancing, fine dining, and an evening that will transport patrons back in time to the wondrous days of childhood summers, in places that build leadership skills and Jewish identity.

Last summer, JCRS provided financial aid in sending 418 children to camp. Established in 1855 as an orphanage in New Orleans, JCRS is currently the oldest existing Jewish children’s social service organization in the U.S., as well as the only regional Jewish child welfare agency in the country.

In addition to need-based camp aid, the agency provides college assistance, disaster relief and special needs assistance. It also administers the PJ Library program in its seven-state region, which includes Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma.

Tickets are available at jcrs.org, and start at $150, with sponsor levels up to $10,000.

There are two forms of need-based summer camp financial assistance for the summer of 2023. Priority deadline for applications is Feb. 15.

There is a “short form” with a pre-determined award amount of $250. There is also a longer application with a need-based award to be determined by the award committee. The short form was introduced a couple years ago.

Applications are done online at jcrs.org.

Alabama’s Jewish community celebrates Chanukah at governor’s mansion

History was made on Dec. 22 as Alabama Governor Kay Ivey hosted the state’s Jewish community for a Chanukah menorah lighting at the Governor’s Mansion in Montgomery.

Over 150 members of the state’s Jewish community, including Jewish Federation directors and most of the state’s pulpit rabbis, attended, as Auburn Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl battled the wind to light the menorah on the front porch.

“This is a great event, and I am so pleased that you are here” despite the cold and threat of rain, Ivey said. She recalled traveling to Israel a few years ago, and “ever since then, my Christmas and Easter have been more meaningful.”

Her remarks centered on how light plays a meaningful role “in both our faith traditions.” Each day, she said, “we have two options: we can either light a candle and place it on a table so others can see… or we can selfishly light a candle and place it under a bushel to only benefit ourselves.”

The lights of Chanukah remind that “God will always defeat the darkness, and in a world where it seems that the light is dimmed, it is important for us to stay guided by the light and to harness its brightness so that we may be the difference in this world… let us come together and agree to never allow the light of God’s peace to go out.”

Pearl greeted the crowd with “Chag sameach.” Hoarse from the previous evening’s basketball victory at the University of Washington, Pearl thanked Ivey, saying “this turnout is because you invited us,” and “as Jews living here in the state of Alabama, we are blessed to be able to practice our faith in a safe way. That’s not the case all over the world, and we are grateful for that, and we look forward to celebrating Chanukah again with you in the future.”

Before the ceremony, as Pearl and Ivey sat together on the porch, Pearl looked out at the crowd and told Ivey “this is incredible.”

Because of his voice, Pearl asked the crowd to join him in singing the blessings.

Rabbi Steven Silberman of Ahavas Chesed in Mobile, the longest-serving pulpit rabbi at a single congregation in the state, spoke of the small group of people who fought for their freedom almost 2200 years ago, which along with the oil for the menorah, are the two miracles of Chanukah.

“Every single day we have the opportunity to go and look in the world for those small elements that are miraculous, and indeed we can con-

Photos courtesy Governor’s Office/Hal Yeager Governor Kay Ivey speaks at Chanukah menorah lighting

tribute to the small miracles to make our world safer and more secure, a world of greater respect,” he said.

He told Ivey that opening her home to the event “indicates tremendous respect and we are all very grateful.”

The menorah used in the ceremony was presented to Ivey by Silberman as a gift from the Sisterhood at Ahavas Chesed. “May it be for years to come that this Chanukiah will serve as a reminder of the importance of Jewish life in Alabama,” he later said.

The event came about after an inquiry to Ivey’s office by Ginger Brook of Birmingham (disclosure: she is the wife of Southern Jewish Life editor Larry Brook). During the term of former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, there were Chanukah lightings at the mansion in Jackson, and while the family was there covering the events for this magazine, she wondered why Alabama did not do something similar.

Earlier this year she contacted Ivey’s office, but the enthusiastic response did not come until just after the election, so it would not be seen as a political move during Ivey’s re-election campaign. The state’s Jewish Federations were then enlisted to assist with the guest list, with an emphasis on young families, and the event was quickly organized, with Brook giving guidance as to what would be most appropriate.

There was sidewalk chalk and cornhole for the children, and sufganiyot were served. The children received Alabama coloring books, and the adults received embossed governor’s mansion leather notebooks.

As one of the largest gatherings of representatives from the state’s Jewish communities, there was a lot of socializing after the gates opened just before 4:30 p.m. The mansion itself was extensively decorated for Christmas, including dozens of Christmas trees indoors for the annual Holiday Candlelight tours that had taken place the previous weeks. An electric menorah was part of the indoor display.

Two large Nutcrackers, one on each side of the outside stairs, had been moved for the Chanukah ceremony.

Utah has had a ceremony at the governor’s mansion since 2007. Florida and South Dakota are among states with similar ceremonies. Other states like Idaho, Kansas and Kentucky hold an event at the State Capitol. Chabad of Baton Rouge holds an annual lighting in front of the Louisiana Capitol, and Chabad of Nashville does the same for Tennessee.

The ceremony ended just after 5:30 p.m. so those who traveled the farthest could get home before incoming rainstorms and a cold front that brought a hard freeze to the state overnight.

Silberman concluded with “tzetchem l’shalom, go in peace, and Happy Chanukah.”

Coach Bruce Pearl lights the Chanukah menorah as Rabbi Steven Silberman helps lead the blessings.

Freeman writes first book to inspire children about overcoming obstacles

By Lee J. Green

Birmingham Jewish community member Mary Anne Freeman hopes that her “tail” about her heroic dog will promote understanding and inspire children with unique abilities.

Freeman’s first book, a children’s book titled “Let’s Roll, Oliver!” comes out in mid-January. It’s a story about her longhaired Dachshund, who spent 10 of his 15 years in a specially designed wheelchair.

“Oliver taught us so much about life and overcoming obstacles,” said Freeman. “He inspired us. Nothing would slow him down and keep him from enjoying life.”

She said when Oliver was five, he fell while playing in the yard and ruptured a disc in his back and wasn’t able to use his hind legs.

Freeman and her husband, Michael, took Oliver down to the Auburn Veterinary School. Surgery wasn’t an option, but they were able to fit Oliver for a specialized wheelchair.

“Oliver seemed to adjust right away and he never let anything slow him down,” she said. “He was always smiling and just loved being mobile again.”

Freeman graduated from the University of Montevallo and worked for 20 years in accounting for Motion Industries before retiring three years ago. The Freemans are big supporters of the arts and education communities in Birmingham.

“A few years ago, a friend of mine recommended I write a children’s book about Oliver,” who passed away a year ago, she said. “I had never written something before, but I got some good advice from those who have done it and knew I could speak from the heart.”

She teamed up with local illustrator Memory Smith and worked with the Book Nook by Rocky Heights — a Birmingham printing company that supports self-publishers.

Freeman said she thought about Jewish values when writing the book. “I thought about how we teach our children about disabilities,” she said. “’Let’s Roll, Oliver!’ demonstrates the Jewish value of B’Tzelem Elohim — that we’re all created in the image of God. Each person is unique and special.”

“It exhibits the Jewish value of Chesed — treating others with kindness — and it shows the Jewish value of Kavod (respect),” she added.

Freeman said she had begun looking for opportunities to work with schools, Children’s Hospital and organizations that provide opportunities for those with special needs.

“Let’s Roll, Oliver!” is currently available at Book Nook’s shop and www. localbooknook.com. Freeman said she will be talking with Birmingham bookstores and larger online retail outlets about selling the book.

For more information, and to hear “Oliver’s Song” by local musician Ron Bourdages, go to www.maryannefreeman.com

“I feel like God has guided me down this path and blessed me with the opportunity to help others while keeping Oliver’s memory alive,” said Freeman.

Southern Jewish Life

1 Down, 11 To Go

The New Year has just started and Southern Jewish Life has hit two home runs.

First, there was the immediate tackling of a big story when the Krewe of Endymion announced Mel Gibson as co-Grand Marshal of its parade, then hastily reversed course a few hours later.

Second, this month saw the inauguration of a pioneering venture among Southern Jewish Life; our sister publication, Israel InSight; the Birmingham Times, Birmingham’s African-American weekly newspaper, and Miles College, a Birmingham-area HBCU (Historically Black College and University).

The three publications have created a joint internship for an aspiring journalism student from Miles College, an initiative funded by donors from the Jewish and Black communities, and generous support from the Israeli Consulate to the Southeast.

Not bad for just the first month of the New Year — and it’s a taste of the new and exciting things that will come from Southern Jewish Life as 2023 unfolds.

Still Succeeding

Independent Jewish journalism, which Southern Jewish Life has provided for 32 years, has become increasingly crucial to the well-being of Jewish communities. Unfortunately, too many Jewish publications have gone by the wayside these past five years, due to declining revenue, the pandemic and journalism that no longer resonates with readers.

Yet, our magazine is still here and succeeding. We’re proud of this. We’ve done it the old-fashioned way. Through award-winning journalism featuring an expanded mix of news and feature stories; bringing a unique Jewish perspective to the four-state region we cover (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, NW Florida), and a steady stream of advertising from both the Jewish and broader communities.

Still, despite our successes, revenue remains a challenge. We need more advertising revenue and donor dollars to sustain our magazine, expand our coverage and broaden our impact.

You can help us in three ways:

• By placing an ad if that would be good for your business or cause.

• By encouraging businesses you patronize to advertise in Southern Jewish Life, and letting us know by contacting Lee Green at lee@sjlmag.com, or for New Orleans, Jeff Pizzo, jeff@sjlmag.com.

• By making a donation to our magazine so that we can continue to send our print magazine free to every known Jewish household in our region and expand our online presence.

If you would like to become a Southern Jewish Life donor, please send a check to SJL, P.O. Box 130052, Birmingham, AL 35213, or go to sjlmag.com/contribute/ (Donations to Southern Jewish Life are not tax-deductible.)

We thank those who stepped forward this past year so that Southern Jewish Life could continue to make life better for all of us — and hope that all our readers will consider a donation to our magazine in 2023.

Schmidt’s Jewish Texas art displayed at Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience

“God, Goats and Pickup Trucks: Maurice Schmidt’s Visions of Texas” will be the first fine art painting exhibit at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans.

The exhibit will open on Jan. 26 with an opening reception at 5:30 p.m. for founders, members and patrons, and then will run through May 31.

The exhibition features 23 artworks, including paintings, sketches, prints and sculpture, colorfully depicting scenes both rural and religious, created over Schmidt’s long career. A centerpiece of the exhibition will be the painting, “Herdsmen are we, both we and thy fathers,” a large oil on canvas work that is being donated to the museum by Schmidt.

Schmidt states that his work, though often illustrating pastoral, workaday scenes such as cows grazing in fields and farmhands transporting livestock, is always in reference to the divine. “There are holy spaces between the soil and the tractor above, between trees and their shade,” he said, noting, “Art that would praise God must touch the human heart.”

Several of the works on display portray more explicitly religious and Jewish subject matter, such as a stark Biblical print entitled “Daniel in the Lion’s Den,” and a vibrant painting of three men draped in prayer shawls, carrying Torahs.

“This is the first collection of fine art paintings that we’ve exhibited,” said Kenneth Hoffman, MSJE Executive Director. “It gives us another way to explore Southerness, Jewishness, identity and community — this time through the lens of one man’s creativity and talent.”

Schmidt grew up in New Braunfels, Texas. As a child, he did watercolor paintings but got bad grades in art class, because the teachers in school handed out lined scenes, with instructions to stay in the lines and not mix colors. It wasn’t until he started learning from an actual art teacher who owned a local antiques store that he realized “art” wasn’t what he had been taught in school.

He studied at the University of Texas at Austin and at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and taught in the Art Department at Texas A&M for over 40 years. His work has been shown throughout the US and internationally, including in an exhibition in Tel Aviv.

The museum will present several public programs and art activities while this exhibition is on view.

The Maurice Schmidt collection is on loan to MSJE from the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts in Texas.

“Torah Reading.” Maurice Schmidt, 1986. San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts

So that’s why everyone says camp is so special…

Camp doctor transplanted to the region quickly finds himself at home at Jacobs

By Jake A. Kleinmahon

Growing up in Westchester County, N. Y., most of my friends were Jewish and went away to summer camp. My friends would come back from camp, and I would come back from the beach when the school year began. I would talk about how many fish I caught or my time working at the marina. My friends would talk about camp, the friends they made, color war and the connections to their camp family that they still have today. I certainly never felt deprived by any means, but I always wondered how they were so enamored by a place where they were apart

Dr. Jake A. Kleinmahon is a pediatric cardiologist and the director of pediatric heart transplant and heart failure at Ochsner Hospital for Children in New Orleans. Kleinmahon is active in the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation and the Pediatric Heart Transplant Society and works to improve healthcare disparities among different racial groups in pediatric heart transplant recipients.

from their families for weeks or months at a time.

Early last year, I was asked if I would be interested in being the camp doctor for a week at the Union for Reform Judaism’s Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Mississippi. I can say as a gay, Jewish person from the Northeast, I thought this experiment might go quickly south. But with the incredibly long hours at my job as a pediatric heart transplant cardiologist wearing on my mental health, I felt that a break to practice a different type of medicine in a different environment might reignite my passion for practicing medicine. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but the stress of caring for very sick children, not to mention the constant battle against misinformation around the science of Covid-19, is exhausting.

I showed up at Jacobs Camp excited, but also quite nervous. What would the atmosphere be like? Would I be trusted by parents whom I’ve never seen or met? Could I practice medicine just for the love of being a doctor? I was also quite nervous about being gay at a camp in the

middle of Mississippi. I had the opportunity to be the camp doctor in the middle of Pride Month, but could I show my pride? Would I be accepted? My family was invited to come for the weekend, but how would people welcome my husband and children?

These answers became clear within hours

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of being at camp. We were busy, I mean really busy. One night I treated 25 campers and staff in a 4-hour period. The situation with Covid and other camp ailments was constantly evolving, but I couldn’t stop smiling. I had an incredible group of nurses in some tough times. At night, I would look out on the lake and admire the extraordinary. My passion for doing what I love re-exploded.

And something else magical happened. The health center team was invited to come to an all-staff meeting. After going over the usual business, Anna Herman, the camp director, started speaking about why we celebrate June as the month of Pride. She discussed the Stonewall Riots and the hardships that the LGBTQ+ community faced and continues to face and that at Jacobs Camp, without question, we love and support all. When she was done talking, I approached her and said, “I almost was going to ask you if you wanted me to say anything about Pride, but I didn’t know if it was appropriate.” She eagerly regained everyone’s attention and nudged me in front of the group.

I spoke about my trepidation about moving to New Orleans for medical school as a gay Jew from New York. I talked about my family and that when I came out, I was told I wouldn’t be able to have a family or become a doctor. I then had the staff look at my toes. (I know, a little weird.) I’m not one to paint my toenails usually, but the week before camp I painted them in a

rainbow. As I was painting them, I felt a little uncomfortable, but I thought, “If one child, counselor-in-training, counselor, or staff member sees them, and it makes them feel just a little more at home, then it’s worth it.” As I walked from the circle, Anna brought out a large box of T-shirts, handed me the first one, and then gave one to every staff member. It was the Jacobs Camp logo in a rainbow. I was shocked.

I told the camp administration that what may have been a simple thing to them, would likely save a life. As the LGBTQ+ community has the highest rates of depression, anxiety and suicide, little acts of support go a long way. To send a signal to a child that they have a safe place here is everything.

As Jewish people, many of us are a minority where we live. We are used to fighting for both our own equality and advocating for treating all humans with love and respect, because that’s what our community and tradition have taught us. I was told by a mentor of mine years ago that “Nothing human is foreign to me.” We are all human, and our differences form a beautiful puzzle.

I am so thankful to have been asked to be a part of the URJ community. If I, as a grown adult, can benefit this much from a one-week experience working at Jewish camp, just imagine what this experience must mean to the thousands of campers and staff who attend summer after summer. Now I understand why my childhood friends still talk about their times at camp.

On Dec. 20, there was a first-ever community public Chanukah menorah lighting in Lake Charles, at the Civic Center Amphitheater. Chabad of Baton Rouge organized the event with Temple Sinai. Mayor Nic Hunter read a proclamation, and Rabbi Barry Weinstein called the occasion a “massive” celebration for Lake Charles. Also on hand was David Sickey, representing the Coushatta Tribe, which in 2008 became the first Native American tribe to recognize and welcome official representatives of the state of Israel. Another first-time event planned for Lafayette the previous night had to be cancelled due to inclement weather.

New IDF fitness center honors Alabama’s Lenora Pate

By Richard Friedman

When Birmingham’s Lenora Pate died in June 2021, the Jewish community lost a friend.

A devout Christian, Lenora was married to Steven Brickman, a longtime Jewish community volunteer leader. There was hardly a cause or congregation in Birmingham that wasn’t enriched by Lenora’s passion, sense of purpose and love for the Jewish people.

She made a similar impact through her wide-ranging activities and leadership roles in Birmingham’s legal, political, civic and Christian communities.

Now, a year and a half after Lenora’s passing, she’s also made an impact in Israel.

Knowing that she was deeply passionate about the Jewish state and the Jewish people, Brickman, his extended family and others have raised funds to dedicate a much-needed fitness center for soldiers serving in the Israel Defense Forces.

“Lenora loved Israel,” said her husband. “She understood Jewish history, believed deeply in the importance of the Jewish state, felt that as a Christian that it was her duty to bless the Jewish

people, and recognized that a strong Israel benefits America. This is why my family and I chose to honor her this way.”

The project that now bears Lenora’s name is a fitness facility for the Magav Unit in Ktziot Base in the Negev. This is a new facility, and Brickman and his family made the lead gift to the project.

The organization Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, which worked with Brickman and his family to facilitate the donation, sees the new facility as crucial not only to the physical and mental health of soldiers but also to Israel’s security.

In a statement, FIDF highlighted its importance: “The soldiers of Magav Israel Border Police’s Undercover Counter-Terrorism Unit constantly lay their lives on the line protecting the Jewish Homeland and are in need of a fitness facility where they can train in preparation for their duties. The soldiers of the unit must always be in peak physical condition to successfully carry out the dangerous and integral missions they are tasked with. They are responsible for actively preventing terrorist attacks and often go undercover in enemy territory for months

Steven Brickman in front of Israel’s new Lenora W. Pate Fitness Facility

Ben Gurion’s Grandson

Brickman traveled to Israel in November to speak at the dedication of the facility. “The soldiers told me how important being physically fit is, and how integral having such a center is for their physical and mental health and how important that was and will be to them. When I heard that from them and their commanders, I had tears in my eyes.” Before the new facility was built, soldiers did their exercises outside under a makeshift canopy to shield them from the sun.

The appeal for funds for this project was led by Alon Ben Gurion, grandson of David Ben Gurion, Israel’s legendary first prime minister. “I am so excited to be one of the committee members in the FIDF’s efforts to raise funds for this Magav recreational project in the Negev. Not only is the project essential to the soldiers of the Magav unit, but it helps to fulfill the dreams of my grandfather, David Ben Gurion, in building out and securing the Negev as a critical part of Israel’s growth,” he wrote.

One of those involved with fundraising for the project was Joel Gardner, a long-time friend of Brickman, who reached out to him knowing how committed Lenora and the Brickman family were to Israel.

Speaking at the dedication, which was attended by members of his family along with IDF soldiers, Brickman recalled his wife’s dedication to the Jewish state.

“I see Lenora’s light with us today as it shines on the men and women of the IDF. Today, I feel her presence, and see her beautiful face, and hear her reminding me how Israel and the men and women of the IDF have been our shield and sword, our protectors and our inspirations. And she is reminding me how much Israel and the IDF have immeasurably blessed us in our lives,” he said.

Turning to the soldiers, he added, “My family hopes and prays that this gift serves as a blessing to each of you and that you also see her light and feel the presence of a beautiful Proverbs 31 woman (“A Woman of Valor”) each time you enter the facility and in all that you do each day as you selflessly and bravely serve the people of Israel and all lovers of Zion, including my family.”

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Auburn Hillel grows thanks to assists from University, Beth

Shalom

By Lee J. Green

Auburn University continues to score more Jewish recruits, thanks to an active Hillel, with assists from Temple Beth Shalom, a supportive University leadership and friends in the athletic department.

“There is so much energy and a strong sense of community here,” said Hillel Advisor Nora Patterson. “We have approximately 100 Jewish students here and we’re very active.”

Patterson said the Hillel students take pride in being stewards in the University and greater Auburn-Opelika community.

The Holiday Lighting Ceremony in late November, a joint effort between Hillel, the Student Government Association and the city, was the largest one ever. “We’re all ambassadors here,” said Patterson. ”We even taught everyone there how to cheer ‘War Eagle’ in Hebrew.”

The Chanukah party at Auburn Head Coach Bruce Pearl’s home was also the biggest ever. At the October Bagels with Bruce at Neville Arena, Hillel students got to enjoy videos of the team’s summer experience in Israel.

“It was very powerful and you could feel such a strong connection,” said Patterson. Two active members of Hillel include men’s basketball guard Lior Berman and women’s basketball team forward Romy Levy.

The Hillel students drive much of the programming, she said. Hillel

Auburn University Hillel and ROTC team up for a day of service at Auburn’s Jewish cemetery

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Student President Jackson Haber coordinated a clean-up day at the Jewish cemetery in Auburn. “The students wanted to help out in the community and share the importance of Tikun Olam.”

They also participated in a Chanukah philanthropy project with the national Hillel, Beth Shalom and the Alabama Holocaust Education Center.

Patterson, who also serves as President of Beth Shalom, said Hillel students teach at the Temple and participate in holiday celebrations. “We have such a great synergy between Hillel and Beth Shalom. We’re looking at ways we can work together even more in 2023.”

Hillel plans for this spring are still being formulated, but Patterson said new Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen will be headlining a

special event.

And even though Auburn and the University of Alabama are rivals on the courts as well as the fields, “we’re partners when it comes to Hillel,” adding that they are discussing a joint Purim celebration in Auburn or Tuscaloosa.

Patterson — who is a communications professor finishing up a book about television show recording, “bootlegging” and preserving in the days before DVDs, DVRs and streaming — said Hillel is always focused on welcoming prospective freshmen and showing them they have “a home away from home.”

“We get excellent support from the University — President Chris Roberts and the enrollment department,” she said. “They understand the important roles Hillel and a diverse campus play.”

Lyublinskiy basks in the ASFA theatre spotlight

By Lee J. Green

Arthur Lyublinskiy started doing plays at the Levite Jewish Community Center, and now the freshman at the Alabama School of Fine Arts relishes getting a theatre-focused education while basking in (and outside) of the spotlight.

“You get to learn about theatre and participate in shows with your friends,” said Lyublinskiy, whose sister, Angelica, previously graduated from ASFA with a concentration in Art. “I’m getting a great education and doing something I love with my friends. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

He went to the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School, then got accepted into ASFA to start his eighthgrade year. The state-funded public school provides an intensive, specialty-focused education in the arts, math and science to students with exceptional talent across Alabama. It’s the only tuition-free school for the arts and sciences serving the entire state.

Lyublinskiy said when he has been in or working on a play, some school days last from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. But he enjoys the experience of learning and participating in shows.

“Until I came here, I had only done acting in plays,” he said. “ASFA has given me my first experiences to do (tech/crew). I’m learning about set-building, lighting, sound, costumes

and everything it takes to put together a production. I really enjoy being on stage and in the crew equally.”

He was cast as Sergeant in “The Three Sisters” this past fall. In the spring, he will be working on costumes for the beloved musical “A Chorus Line” and a new play called “Hashtag Selfie Tik Tok Zoom.”

“It’s a dark comedy about parents trying to relate to and understand all about (the hubris) of social media and technology,” said Lyublinskiy.

His parents, Yakov and Victoria, are from Ukraine.

Arthur said in the early stages of the Russia-Ukraine war last year, his history teacher and his classmates would ask questions about his parents’ native country.

There are several other Jewish students at ASFA, including Katherine Senter, who is also in the theatre program. “(ASFA) is such an inclusive and diverse school. I feel really at home here,” said Lyublinskiy.

This year, ASFA added a specialized musical theatre program.

ASFA was voted the Best Public School in the Birmingham Region. Ninety one percent of the school’s seniors earned merit scholarships, compared to the national average of 22 percent. For more information, go to www.asfa.k12.al.us.

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Jewish student involvement rises like the Tide

By Lee J. Green

Jewish student enrollment and involvement at the University of Alabama and Hillel continue to rise like the Tide.

“We call it a home away from home,” said UA Hillel Director Lisa Besnoy. “We’re there for the students for whatever they need every day of the week — be it study time, Shabbat services, programs or just some comradery.”

It is estimated that more than 1,000 Jewish students attend the University, and Besnoy said that they see more than 100 at every Shabbat dinner, with those numbers going up for events as well as holiday celebrations. They also enjoy Bagel Brunches, get-togethers for football and basketball games, movie nights and challah bakes.

“We’re lucky to have a thriving Jewish campus with Hillel and Temple Emanu-El (next door),” said Besnoy. “Our students have free memberships to the Temple and we’ve done some joint services with them. I’ve also been proud that several of our students regularly teach Torah, Sunday School and intern in the office.”

Hillel students also volunteer with community organizations to help those in need, such as Meals on Wheels.

Besnoy said they are still working on programming schedules for the spring, but they do plan to have a focus on Israel education. “We’re working with the shinshinim who are in Birmingham on some programs, talks and special events. I know we’ll be doing something big” for Israel Independence Day, she said. Purim celebrations and a Passover seder are also in the works.

Hillel also expects to have a “full bus” of 40 students for a Birthright Israel trip in the summer.

Besnoy said they are also working closely with the University on recruitment efforts. “When prospective students visit, we want them to know they have a place here to feel safe, connected and part of a receptive community,” she said.

There are also plans in the works for events in some cities across the Southeast that can give Jewish high school students in those cities a feel for Jewish student life at the Capstone.

University of Alabama President Stuart Bell praised Hillel for all it does for diversity and outreach.

“At The University of Alabama, we are committed to providing programming and resources that ensure all students feel welcomed, supported and prepare for future success. Faith is an important part of many students’ personal well-being. Our campus faith communities and organizations, such as Bama Hillel, serve an invaluable role at the Capstone and we are grateful for the work they do.”

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Arts a major emphasis for Newman School

When financier and philanthropist Isidore Newman founded the Isidore Newman Manual Training School in 1903, he envisioned a superior education for the children of New Orleans and those of the Jewish Children’s Home. He wrote, “For years it has been the desire of my heart to do something for this city and State which have made me what I am. I have my reward in the school.” He hoped to provide skilled, competent, and well-trained labor to do the work that is necessary in a community.

Over the past 120 years, Isidore Newman School has developed into one of the nation’s finest college preparatory institutions. The curriculum has evolved into an academic program which today offers a full range of choices and rewarding challenges. From an opening enrollment of 125, the student body has grown to almost 1,100 in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade.

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In the past several years, Newman has focused on improving its physical plant, with substantial construction projects transforming the 11.5acre campus. This past fall, Newman dedicated the new Joy and Boysie Bollinger Performing Arts Building. The 5,500 square-foot building features two spacious, acoustically optimized rehearsal rooms for Newman’s award-winning Band and Choir programs, three practice rooms, as well as the beautiful Bart Gallery featuring student work alongside Newman’s permanent collection.

Since the School’s founding in 1903, the arts have always been an important part of a Newman education, with classes in music and the arts being required. Blending traditional and contemporary architecture, the Joy and Boysie Bollinger Performing Arts Building highlights the connection between this new, state-of-the-art performing arts building and Newman’s historic Jefferson Building, which serves as a part of the new building’s structural integrity.

“This building serves as a sign of our commitment to offer a Newman education that embraces both classical liberal arts and forward-thinking, innovative educational practices,” Head of School Dale Smith said.

Last fall the School also unveiled the state-of-the-art Manning Fieldhouse and renovation of the historic Tuohy Gymnasium. Inspiring competition and spirit have always been part of the fabric of Isidore Newman School. Named in honor of proud Newman graduates, Eli ’99, Peyton ’94, and Cooper ’92 Manning, children of Olivia and Archie Manning, the Manning Fieldhouse abounds with stories of success both on and off the field.

The new, state-of-the-art facility houses the Bordelon Family Locker Room, the Montgomery Head Coach’s Office, along with flexible gathering and meeting spaces, such as the Eustis Flower Room and Miles P. Clements Conference Room, for the entire Newman community to utilize.

Athletics touch the lives of every Newman student — more than 85 percent of Middle and Upper School students participate in at least one sport. Known for its school pride, the Newman community loves to gather and cheer at games, meets, and matches. This comprehensive renovation of physical education, locker rooms, and community spaces provides amenities appropriate to the stature of the Newman athletics program and spirit of the community it serves.

These new facilities, coupled with the Rupa and Tarun Jolly Science and Technology Building which opened in the fall of 2018, and the over 250 dedicated faculty and staff at the School, ensures Greenies are prepared for success for years to come.

For more information about Isidore Newman School, visit www.newmanschool.org.

There will be a showing of works by Jewish artists in the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art collection in Auburn, for members of Beth Shalom, Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m. The showing will be led by Aaron Levi Garvey, who became the Janet L. Nolan Director of Curatorial Affairs at the museum last year and will oversee the acquisition of additional works by Jewish artists, through the recently announced Martin Moss Freeman Fund.

Florida

Temple Beth El in Pensacola will hold its annual Poker Tournament, Feb. 25. Doors open at 4:15 p.m., play starts at 5 p.m. The largest fundraiser of the year for the congregation, the tournament is a No Limit Hold’em, with a $100 buy-in in advance or $110 at the door. Rebuys are available until 7 p.m., with a onetime add-on at 7:15 p.m. The top nine players will receive non-monetary prizes.

Chabad of Panama City Beach will have a Tu B’Shevat community dinner, Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. There is no fee but registration is required.

The next Beth Shalom Nite on the Town will be Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m., at Jake and Henry’s in Fort Walton Beach. Dinner will be at 6:30 p.m., and the band Side Project, featuring Bart Fleets, will start at 7:30 p.m. There are only 30 slots available.

Temple Beth El in Pensacola will have Opera Shabbat on Feb. 3. There will be a wine and cheese reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by a musical service at 6 p.m., led by Rabbi Joel Fleekop and Greg Watson, with the Pensacola Opera’s Studio Artists. After the service, there will be a concert of arias and show tunes, followed by a covered dish dinner.

Pensacola’s Jewish institutions and the University of West Florida are hosting a Holocaust remembrance event, Jan. 26 at 5 p.m., at the Rolfs Music Hall Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82. Holocaust survivor Leon Chameides will be the guest speaker, and there will be live music by the UWF Strings. Chameides immigrated to the United States in 1949, and was founding Chair of Pediatric Cardiology at Hartford Hospital and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. He is regarded as the father of pediatric resuscitation.

Louisiana

The Unified Jewish Congregation of Baton Rouge will formally install Rabbi Sarah Smiley the weekend of Feb. 3. The schedule was not set as of press time. Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff, who retired from B’nai Jehudah in Over-

land Park, Kans., last year, will participate in the weekend. Smiley came to Baton Rouge from B’nai Jehudah, where she had been since 2018. Michelle Cox will be the musician for the weekend.

Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria will have an International Holocaust Remembrance Day Shabbat Service on Jan. 27 at 6 p.m., followed by an oneg.

The annual meeting of the Endowment Fund of Temple Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria will be on Feb. 5, following the congregational annual meeting and Tu B’Shevat Seder at 6 p.m.

Mississippi

The Doubt and Discovery group in Jackson will host “What is the Priority of Religion in Your Life,” Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. at the home of Arty Finkelberg. Rabbi Joseph Rosen of Beth Israel will lead the discussion.

Beth Israel in Jackson will have an Evening of Improv Comedy with The Royal Y’all, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.

New Orleans Area

Jewish Children’s Regional Service, PJ Library and Camp Gan Israel will have a Kids Mega Challah Bake, with JNOLA, Slater Torah Academy and the Metairie congregations, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. at Torah Academy. There will also be a Tu B’Shevat fair. Registration is $10 by Jan. 24, $15 after.

After a Covid hiatus, the Mardi Gras Mitzvah Makers resume their Holiday Parade, Jan. 29 at Touro Infirmary at 9:30 a.m., gathering at the Prytania Street entrance. The 42nd annual parade starts at 10 a.m., bringing the Mardi Gras season to those in long-term care and rehabilitation. Costumes are encouraged, musicians should bring an instrument, and everyone should bring second line throws. Masks are required, except for musicians with wind instruments.

Noah Jacobs, a lifelong member of the New Orleans Jewish community, is the new administrator for Beth Israel in Metairie. Most recently, he has been a freelance grant writer and organization specialist.

Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans will offer a support group for the adolescent LGBTQ+ community. This group will provide a safe, confidential, and supportive space for adolescents who identify as LGBTQ+, or who are questioning their identity, to explore the impact of sexual orientation and gender identification on their lives. Participants will learn coping and communication skills to assist identity development and improve resiliency. The group is open to teens ages 14 to 17. It will meet on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m., Feb. 2 to March 23. Registration is $40 for all eight sessions.

Chabad at Tulane will host Shabbat 1000, the largest Shabbat dinner in the region, with over 1,000 Tulane students and friends. This year’s event will be on Feb. 10.

Tulane Hillel, in partnership with Tulane Basketball, will have a Jewish Heritage Night on Feb. 7 at 6 p.m., for the game against Cincinnati.

Touro Synagogue in New Orleans will have Shabbat Shirah, celebrating Latin American Jewish music, with the Touro choir, on Feb. 3 at 6 p.m.

Jewish Community Day School in Metairie will hold its Family Fun Fest on Jan. 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bart Field. The family-friendly event, in partnership with PJ Library and Prizmah, will include hands-on exploration, art, inflatables, games, face painting and a kosher lunch.

community

Moishe House New Orleans will have a community gathering on Jan. 30 to make winter necessity bags for the homeless. At the 7 p.m. event, they will also accept donations of lightly used winter gear.

Temple Sinai in New Orleans will have Brotherhood Night at the Sazerac House, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m., free for Sinai members and their guests.

Shir Chadash in Metairie will have Davening, Dinner and Discussion on Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m., on “Altering the Human Genome: The ethics of a Brave New World.” Panelists are Melanie Ehrlich, professor of human genetics at Tulane School of Medicine; Karen Remer-Weissbecker, associate professor, department of psychiatry and director of graduate studies at the Hayward Genetics Center at the Tulane School of Medicine; and Rabbi Michael Cohen of Jewish Community Day School. Dinner reservations are $20 for members, $30 for non-members, half price for ages 4 to 12, reserve by Jan. 31.

Temple Sinai in New Orleans announced its Casino Night on the Avenue will be on March 26 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The New Orleans Jewish Community Center will hold its annual meeting on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m., at the Uptown location.

Chabad of Louisiana will have a Tu B’Shevat Paint and Sip program, creating a nature-themed artwork, led by Nathalie Dubois. There will be a snacking table that includes the Seven Species from Israel. The event is Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. at Chabad Uptown. Registration required by Feb. 2 and is $15. Sponsorships are $54 or $180.

Touro Synagogue in New Orleans will have Casual Shabbati Gras on Feb. 10 and 17 at 5 p.m. The Feb. 10 service will include Klei Zemer, the Touro Synagogue Band.

Touro Synagogue will have its annual gala, A Night in the Catskills, on Feb. 5. Reservations are being accepted. Dance Instructors are $175, those under 30 can attend as a Tennis Pro for $125. Patron levels start at $300, while Underwriters are $2,500 per couple for Activities Director and $5,000 for Founder. Dining will be by Palate New Orleans, and musical entertainment is Jimmy Maxwell and his Orchestra.

JNEXT, a program of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans designed for community members in their 40s and 50s, invites all to sign up for one or all of a new nine-part series, “Financial Wellness in 2023.” Events will rotate between the Uptown JCC and the Goldring-Woldenberg Jewish Community Campus in Metairie over the next 12 months. The first session, “Financial Wellness and Life Insurance,” will be on Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Uptown JCC. The next program will be “Asset Allocation and Sources of Retirement Income,” on March 2. The series is sponsored by the Schoenbaum Family Foundation and hosted by JNEXT and Todd Glazer of Magnolia Wealth Strategies.

The Cathy and Morris Bart Jewish Cultural Arts Series at the Uptown Jewish Community Center in New Orleans continues with “The Jews and the Blues.” Documentary filmmaker, musician and talk show host Drew Stone travels to Israel to explore how the blues ties into the incredible mix of cultures found there. The film will be screened at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Feb. 9. Movie snacks will be served. The movie is free, but reservations are requested.

The Leventhal Center for Interfaith Families in New Orleans will have a “What’s Your Family Story” Modern JewISH couples afternoon on Jan. 29 at 2:30 p.m., with a discussion at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience and dinner at Saba. The sessions will be led by Rabbis Todd Silverman and Jen Gubitz. All couples are welcome no matter how they describe their relationship to Judaism.

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counselor’s corner

By Caleigh Rathmell Alevy, LMSW

With 2023 now here, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the past year and resolving to change ourselves, our routines or the interests we will pursue in the New Year.

When we make New Year’s Resolutions, we often focus on changes we want to see within ourselves. But what if, instead, we focus on changes that include and help others ? Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world, is a Judaic tradition that gives us the opportunity to connect with others and help those in need. You don’t have to be Jewish to add the practice of Tikkun Olam to your routine, and it doesn’t necessarily require a lot of time or effort. As a bonus, Tikkun Olam opens a window for you to experience more happiness and overall wellness yourself!

Any of the following activities can help you incorporate more kindness into your routine: If you’re a numbers person, total up your points to keep track of your “hard work” and see why it “pays off.”

Smile at a stranger.  Smiling is contagious. You may even discover a new friend in this simple act. (1 point for smiling, 5 points when it starts conversation)

Pick up trash.  How many times have you walked past a bottle, candy bag, or aluminum can and mumbled negative comments because of your disgust? Try looking for the nearest trash can and throwing it away yourself. Trust me, pride exceeds misery! (1 point for each item, 2 points if someone witnesses you in action, and 5 points if that someone is a child!)

Send snail mail. Everyone loves the holidays because they receive family photo cards. Now imagine how fulfilling it would be to receive an unexpected greeting card saying hello! (1 point for a printed card, 3 points for a handwritten note).

Invite someone on a walk. You’ll create an opportunity for exercise and a social outlet at the same time; if you wonder why so many people are frequently seen out walking in pairs, give it a try and experience it for yourself! (1 point for completing this act with a friend, 5 points for walking with someone who you suspect needs more human interaction!)

Say thank you.  We live in the South, so I expect this gesture is a given… but then again, it’s 2023 and it seems like a lot of kind gestures are nearly non-existent. It never hurts, as long as you mean it! (1 point for saying thank you, 5 points for teaching a child to say thank you, 10 points for saying thank you to someone who really doesn’t expect it, like perhaps your neighborhood garbage pick-up team).

Volunteer. Signing up for an organized volunteer opportunity guarantees that you’ll follow through and have the experience of helping others. CJFS’s Senior Grocery Initiative, a monthly opportunity to deliver food to one or more low-income older adults, is ONE opportunity to give back in greater Birmingham. To learn more about this, you can reach out to me at the contact information below. For more volunteer opportunities, check out your local United Way, Crisis Center, Literacy Council or Meals on Wheels organization

Whether you pursue one or more of these suggestions or think of your own, I welcome you to join me in celebrating 2023 by intentionally participating in Tikkun Olam. Kindness and gratitude often go hand in hand, all while leaving the world a better place for you and me and everybody in between.

Caleigh at Caleigh@cjfsbham.org or 205-278-7101.

Cantorial weekend honors May, Colman

The New Orleans area will have a cantorial weekend, with music events at two of the community’s Reform congregations.

Gates of Prayer will honor Tory May with a “Gifting Us with Her Magic” weekend on Feb. 3 and 4, and Temple Sinai will have a cantorial concert “in love and appreciation” of Cantor Joel Colman on Feb. 5.

May retired from Gates of Prayer as cantorial soloist on June 30, 2020. She had served the congregation since 1987, starting a volunteer choir and volunteer band, and performing as part of Beignet Yisrael, a quartet of New Orleans Jewish music professionals that released two albums.

There were plans to honor her in June 2020, but the pandemic hit, with the congregation saying that there would be a celebration of her work when conditions allowed.

On Feb. 3, the 6:15 p.m. Shabbat Unplugged service will feature May and her successor, Jordan Lawrence, the choir and Rabbi David Gerber. An oneg will follow.

At the 10:30 a.m. service on Feb. 4, May will be accompanied by Rabbi Robert Loewy, who retired in 2018 after serving the congregation for 34 years. A luncheon will follow, and reservations are required by Jan. 27.

Both services will also be streamed.

This summer, Colman will be retiring from Temple Sinai, where he has served since 1999. The Feb. 5 concert will feature Jewish liturgical music, opera, some Yiddish and Broadway tunes.

Colman will be joined by Cantors Rebecca Garfein and Steven Weiss.

Garfein is a native of Tallahassee, where she was the rabbi’s daughter. She was ordained as cantor in 1993, and in 1997 became the first female cantor to give a solo concert in Berlin, at the Jewish Cultural Festival. Her grandfather had fled Berlin. Her Carnegie Hall debut was at a 2005 benefit for the Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre, with Mandy Patinkin. For several years, she has toured as Fran Drescher in Abigail Pogrebin’s musical, “Stars of David.” She was senior cantor of Rodeph Sholom in New York City for 23 years.

Weiss is the cantor at Sha’arei Shalom in Hingham, Mass., and project editor of “Shirei Mishkan HeNefesh: An Anthology of Music for the High Holy Days.” He is president of the American Conference of Cantors, and previously served Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta, Ga., for 10 years.

General admission to the 3 p.m. concert is $18. VIP tickets are $75 and include priority seating, and a meet and greet with the cantors at a 2:15 p.m. hors d’oeuvres reception. Reservations are available on the Temple Sinai website.

Join the quest across land, sea, and space.

January 21, 2023

Beef Rendang

Spicy, rich and creamy Indonesian beef stew made with beef, spices and coconut milk.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds beef Chuck or Boneless short rib, cut into cubes

5 tablespoons cooking oil

1 stick cinnamon, about 2-inch length

3 cloves

3 star anise

3 cardamom pods

1 lemongrass, pounded

1 cup thick coconut milk, coconut cream

1 cup water

6 kaffir lime leaves, very finely sliced

Instructions:

2 teaspoons tamarind pulp, soaked in some warm water for the juice and discard the seeds

6 tablespoons toasted coconut 1 tablespoon sugar or palm sugar to taste salt to taste

Spice Paste:

5 shallots

1 inch galangal

3 lemongrass (white part only).

5 cloves garlic 1 inch ginger

10-12 dried chilies, soaked in warm water and seeded

Chop the spice paste ingredients, and then blend it in a food processor until fine.

Heat the oil in a stew pot, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom, and stir-fry until aromatic.

Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass. Stir for one minute. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked. Add the kaffir lime leaves, toasted coconut, sugar or palm sugar, stirring to

Lower the heat to low and cover the lid. Simmer for two to three hours or until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up. Add more salt and sugar to taste. Serve with steamed rice.

Asian-fusion restaurant Umami wants to always live up to its name, which translates as “the essence of deliciousness.”

Putu Arsana, who started the Lakeview area restaurant in 2021, wanted to bring something unique to the Birmingham area culinary scene.

“We have a diverse, fusion-focused menu,” said Arsana, who also owns the popular Nori Thai and Sushi restaurant, which is currently being expanded. “We have new takes and our personal touch on foods from

Korea, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia. There are even some Asian-Mexican fusion items on the menu.”

Umami offers a large selection of tapas or “small plates.” Some of those kosher-style creations include beef rendang, bluefin tuna tartare, Hokkaido potatoes, chicken gyoza, beef bulgogi and a selection of Asian tacos including steak as well as ahi tuna.

“These are ideal for sharing and for trying new things,” said Arsana. Umami’s menu also features some unique sushi roll creations.

Arsana has experience doing kosher and he has coordinated some Sushi Shabbats for Chabad of Alabama. “We have some good friends in the Jewish community and appreciate their support” at both restaurants, he said.

Umami also features several signature cocktails, including some that use authentic lychee syrup and a Japanese lime. They also have some seasonal cocktails.

Arsana is originally from Bali, and family members owned some restaurants there. He came to the United States in 1999, having worked for restaurants in Birmingham and Atlanta before starting Nori in December 2013. “I’ve been involved with restaurants most of my life. It’s a passion and a family tradition.”

He said the recipe for a successful restaurant always contains a large portion of friendly service.

“To me, having great people and becoming friends with your customers is most important,” said Arsana. “It’s all about great hospitality. We’re selling a service, an environment, an experience.”

Beth Or Jewish Food Festival returns

The Jewish Food Festival at Montgomery’s Temple Beth Or is back, with a wide range of Jewish dishes and a Treasure Market. The festival attracted hundreds from the general Montgomery community before it went on hiatus due to Covid. The 2020 festival was just before the pandemic hit.

This year’s event will be held on Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dishes prepared by Beth Or members include beef brisket, veggie plates, latkes, stuffed cabbage rolls and quajado, a hot spinach pie. There will also be challah, rugelach, strudel and mandel bread.

Carnegie Deli cheesecakes will also be available, along with chocolate covered cheesecake bites. Frozen items for takeout include matzah ball soup, cabbage rolls, quajado, kugel and challah.

the Torah scrolls, is called the Ark. No relation to Noah’s Ark, Joan of Arc, or Joan van Ark.

What’s a four-letter word for synagogue? A four-letter word for synagogue is the Yiddish word shul. A four-letter word for synagogue in English is temple, if you leave out the vowels.

What is the difference between a temple and a synagogue? The spelling. Not much else, though historically “temple” is used more for Reform and some Conservative congregations, while “synagogue” is often for some Conservative and most Orthodox houses of worship.

What is a synagogue leader? The spiritual leader of a synagogue is typically a rabbi. The business leader is usually an executive director of some type. The school leader is often an education director. But the overall leader of a synagogue is each board member… if you ask them.

Doug Brook, according to Amazon Alexa, is “funnier than a chicken crossing the road.” For nearly several more laughs, listen to the (STILL!) FIVE-star rated Rear Pew Mirror podcast at anchor.fm/rearpewmirror or on any major podcast platform. For past columns, visit http://rearpewmirror.com/.

Jewish Krewes to march Feb. 4, 5

City forces krewedelusion to shift dates

In past years, viewers could see both Jewish Mardi Gras sub-Krewes marching on the same night through the French Quarter. Now, the city has forced the krewedelusion to move its parade to a different night, for security and staffing reasons.

The Krewe du Mishigas will continue to march in the satirical, adultthemed Krewe du Vieux parade, which will be on Feb. 4 starting at 6:30 p.m. The parade starts at Royal and Elysian Fields, then proceeds down Decatur, except for a four-block stretch in the Quarter, where they will shift to Royal Street. The parade continues on N. Peters and Tchoupitoulas, and concludes in front of the Sugar Mill.

The Krewe du Jieux marches in the krewedelusion parade, which will be on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. It follows a similar route as the Krewe du Vieux, but starts at Franklin and Royal, and ends on S. Diamond Street at The Howlin’ Wolf.

Because of narrow roads in the French Quarter, members march rather than ride on floats.

Ask the Rabbit, Alexa

Originally intended as an Ask the Rabbi feature, a contractual typo obligated this column to instead periodically provide the very best in traditional Rabbitic wisdom: Ask the Rabbit.

Lettuce begin.

A fun feature of smart speakers, like the Apple HomePod, Amazon Echo, or Google Nest, is that people can ask them questions and actually get answers. What’s more fun is that people can submit their own answers to questions that have been asked but for which the smart speakers weren’t quite smart enough without help.

Amazon’s Alexa contains numerous unanswered Judaic questions, and some questions with answers that just aren’t very entertaining. Suggesting answers led to the discovery that submitted answers are, in fact, moderated.

So, despite being a foremost rabbitic authority, most of my Judaic answers are either eternally pending or outright flagged, while just a few were cleared for civilized people to hear. Yes, these are my actual submitted answers to actual questions.

Is kosher salt kosher? Kosher salt is kosher unless it’s served or used on food that is not kosher.

Is kosher salt blessed by a rabbi? Kosher salt is blessed by a rabbi only if it sneezes.

Is kosher food blessed? Kosher food is blessed if someone says a blessing over it. There’s no blessing that can itself make food kosher. That’s up to the cook.

What do Jewish men wear on their head? Many Jewish men wear a kippah, or yarmulke. Some wear a shtreimel. Some wear a toupée. And some wear a New York Mets baseball cap.

Do Jewish people eat shrimp? Some Jewish people eat shrimp. Are they supposed to? That’s a different question.

Giving answers Alexa can only dream about

Tell me a Jewish fact? A Jewish fact is a fact with at least one Jewish parent, or that converted to Judaism.

What is the wife of a rabbi called? The wife of a rabbi is sometimes called a rebbitzen. The husband of a woman rabbi is called lucky.

What’s a Jewish church? A Jewish church is a contradiction in terms. But Jews worship in synagogues or temples.

Are bagels Jewish? Whether bagels are Jewish or not depends on who their parents are. Or if they converted.

What is the holiest day of the year in Judaism? Shabbat, the Sabbath, is the holiest day of the year in Judaism — and it happens every week! Of the once-a-year holidays, based on the number of people called up to the Torah at services that day, Yom Kippur is the holiest day.

Have we ever had a Jewish president? That depends on who is meant by “we.” As of 2022, the United States of America has never had a Jewish president. Similarly, the state of Israel has never had a non-Jewish president. Ukraine’s president Zelensky is also Jewish. So, it depends on who are “we.”

What is another name for synagogue? Another name for synagogue is temple. You can try to call it a Jewish church, a Jewish mosque, or Veronica, but it won’t answer.

What are synagogue storage cabinets? Synagogue

are usually closets. But the large one in the sanctuary or chapel, which holds