Southern Jewish Life, Deep South, March 2022

Southern Jewish Life P.O. Box 130052 Birmingham, AL 35213

Volume 32 Issue 3

March 2022

Southern Jewish Life

2

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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A Flower for Hadar

Hadar Cohen will never marry, have children or comfort her parents in their old ages. She was a heroic, 19-year-old Border Policewoman stationed at the Damascus Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem when she was murdered by terrorists, February 3rd of 2016. She and a partner had confronted two suspicious men and, in the ensuing gunfight, Hadar took down a bomb-laden terrorist. In the final seconds of her life, she also managed to save the life of her fellow Border Policewoman but gave up her life in doing so. No one can accurately estimate how many lives and injuries Hadar prevented by her heroic actions.

The firm policy of Israelis is to not honor individuals who commit heroic acts. They say that every life is precious, every martyr is a hero. They cannot honor just one out of the thousands that they have lost in the long struggle to establish a homeland for all of us.

When you travel around Israel, you’ll find almost no sites designated as tributes to individuals. It was truly astonishing when, two years ago, the City of Jerusalem decided to pay tribute to Hadar and another Policewoman, Hadas Malka, by putting their names on the steps down into the Damascus Gate. This has now been formally done and the Cohen family is comforted to know that in the memories of many thousands, worldwide, Hadar will not be forgotten.

We should not forget either. Alongside the cup of wine for Eliyahu, the cup of water for Miriam and the seder plate, I ask you to pay tribute to her heroism by placing a single flower on your seder table in her name and telling her story to the attendees, particularly the children.

In our home, we make this the 5th question, “Who was Hadar Cohen?” The flower is in her name but it represents all of those incredibly brave soldiers and civilians we have lost in Israel.

We suggest that you use this poignant letter as a reading, in explanation of the inclusion of the flower on your Seder table. It was written by Jewish author Naomi Ragen as a tribute to the heroism of Hadar Cohen. https://www.naomiragen.com/my-dear-hadar/

May G-d bless you all and may G-d bless the State of Israel.

The Conn Family, Birmingham Alabama 4 March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

shalom y’all The late Paul Harvey used to refer to news about the news business as “shop talk.” Well, even though there is no shortage of topics to discuss (Palestinian activists trying to hijack sympathy for Ukraine, Amnesty International coming out as full-blown antisemitic, among many others), there is also a lot of shop talk to tell you about.

First, the long-anticipated new magazine is here. Delayed for two years by Covid, the preview issue of Israel InSight is now available online and in print.

The new magazine is primarily for Christian friends of Israel, but is written to be accessible to supporters of Israel from all backgrounds. We will be highlighting stories that aren’t routinely covered, about amazing things U.S. groups are doing in Israel, what Israel is doing around the world, tangible creative ways to support Israel, state initiatives to back Israel, and what is happening on college campuses.

We will also highlight the revolution that has been taking place in relations between Christians and Jews, including many initiatives that the Jewish community needs to know about. For example, the National Religious Broadcasters convention isn’t usually on the radar of Jewish media. But this month was my fourth time attending.

This year, the NRB board adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism. The largest organization of evangelical Christian broadcasters made the fight against antisemitism a priority.

Every year, there is a breakfast honoring Israel at NRB, and while the keynote speaker, Johnnie Moore, president of the Congress of Christian Leaders, said it is usually an Israel pep rally, this year it was also to enlist Christians around the nation to fight antisemitism

SJL Online: sjlmag.com Southern Jewish Life is an independent Jewish periodical. Articles and columns do not necessarily reflect the views of any Jewish institutions, agencies or congregations in our region.

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commentary

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 JCCaMaccabi games around theis United States and get their elected officials to adopt the promising student who interested in jourand Canada, I have logged many miles seeing how nalism, sports can be a vehicle to help build Jewish IHRA definition. who would have an internship with all identity, especially in our young.

He said Christians who love Israel and love three of our publications. The student would the Jewish people must to know for actual work stories mutual interest, with I felt honored to come to get Birmingham the first timeon and fell inoflove with not just the cityguidJews, no You other agenda friendship. ” ance and level mentoring by kind Wright, but the“with people. have takenthan Southern hospitality to a new with your and myself, caring and While there are those who have a our Associate Editor Richard Friedman, who approach to the certainly JCC Maccabi Games. conversionary agenda, some of whom were worked at the Birmingham News before he Led by theinSokol and Expo, Helds,ityour were wonderful. They partnered exhibiting the NRB is byhard-working no means volunteers was the long-time director of the Birmingham with your outstanding staff, led by Betzy Lynch, to make the 2017 JCC Maccabi games a huge hit. universal, and the genuine love of so many Jewish Federation.

IChristians, want to take this opportunity as executive director of Maccabi USA to say thank you on behalf without ulterior motives, is someWe feel this is a groundbreaking initiative ofthing everyone that isinvolved. slow to be recognized in much of that can become a national model for all the Jewish We’re here World to educate.

I had just community. returned from the 20th Maccabiah gamesofinethnic Israel with a U.S. delegation of manner media, bringing different canwho readjoined our piece onJewish our new website, overYou 1100, 10,000 athletes from communities 80 countries. Back in July the eyeslearning of the entire together through more IsraelInSightMagazine.com subscribe Jewish world were on Jerusalem(and and the Maccabiah.

This each past month about other. with 1000 athletes and there!), from and that piece alsobeing distributed by coaches around thewas world in Birmingham, youare became the focal point.

We currently raising funds to provide a the international Jewish News Syndicate. stipend and underwrite associated costs, inEveryone from the Jewish community and the community at large, including a wonderful Second, over the last three years we have cluding participation in conferences and travel police force, are to be commended. These games will go down in history as being a seminal developed a relationship with the historic experiences. moment for the Jewish community as we build to the future by providing such wonderful Jewish Black weekly, the Birmingham Times. We get We welcome your thoughts about our two memories. together every so often (on Zoom, most re- new initatives, and let us know if you are interJed Margolis cently) and share stories that are of mutual in- ested in backing either (or both).

Executive Director, Maccabi USA terest to both readerships.

A few months ago, As we move past the Covid doldrums of the I was on an ethnic media panel with Birming- past two years, it is an exciting time of possiham Times Executive Editor Barnett Wright at supremacists bilities for our publications, we appreciate would like to seeand pushed back On Charlottesville Auburn University. youra continued into corner andsupport. made to feel lesser. We stand For the last year or so, our teams have been with and pray for the family of Heather Heyer, Editor’s Note: an This reactionnew to the eventstoinfurther developing exciting project who was there standing up to the face of this Charlottesville, written by Jeremy Newman, the relationship. We are working with Miles hate.

Master of athe Alpha Epsilon Theta Colony College, Historically BlackPiCollege, to identify Lawrence Brook, Publisher/Editor We recognize the essence of the American at Auburn University, was shared by AEPi narrative as a two-century old struggle to rid National, which called it “very eloquent” and ourselves of such corners, and allow those in praised “our brothers at AEPi Theta Colony at them the seat at the table that they so deserve.

Auburn University and… the leadership they It is the struggle to fulfill the promise of the display on their campus.”

Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal… endowed by their Creator with White supremacy has been a cancer on certain unalienable rights.” We know our work our country since its beginning, threatening is far from finished, but we know we will not its hopes, its values, and its better angels. move backwards.

The events that took place in Charlottesville When men and women, fully armed, take represented the worst of this nation. Those to the streets in droves with swastikas and who marched onto the streets with tiki torches other symbols of hate, it is a reminder of how and swastikas did so to provoke violence and relevant the issues of racism and anti-Semitism fear. Those who marched onto the streets did are today.

It is a wake-up call to the work that so to profess an ideology that harkens back to needs to be done to ensure a better, more a bleaker, more wretched time in our history. welcoming country.

But it should not come A time when men and women of many creeds, without a reflection on how far we’ve come. races, and religions were far from equal and far America was born a slave nation. A century from safe in our own borders. A time where into our history we engaged in a war in part Americans lived under a constant cloud of to ensure we would not continue as one. We racism, anti-Semitism and pervasive hate. The events that took place in Charlottesville served found ourselves confronted by the issue of civil rights, and embarked on a mission to ensure as a reminder of how painfully relevant these thetreatment memberoflevel of $60no ormatter higher,their theAtfair all peoples issues are today. receive extended access to an skin color. Although we’ve made great strides, Auburn’s Alpha Epsilon Pi stands with the it is a mission we’re stillof grappling on-demand library PBS with today.

Jewish community of Charlottesville, and

Join WYES Today!

with the Jewish people around the country and around thewyes.org/passport 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 6 March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

programming, current America was alsoincluding born an immigrant and past seasons ofpilgrims, PBS shows, country.

As early as the many groups and families found in the country the plus local documentaries opportunity to plant stakes, chase their future,

by WYES. and cooking shows pproduced and be themselves. Few were met with open

January March2021 2022

Southern Jewish Life PUBLISHER/EDITOR Lawrence M. Brook editor@sjlmag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING Lee J. Green lee@sjlmag.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Richard Friedman richard@sjlmag.com V.P. SALES/MARKETING, NEW ORLEANS Jeff Pizzo jeff@sjlmag.com 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 BIRMINGHAM OFFICE P.O. Box 130052, Birmingham, AL 35213 2179 Highland Ave., Birmingham, AL 35205 205/870.7889 NEW ORLEANS OFFICE 3747 West Esplanade, 3rd Floor Metairie, LA 70002 504/249-6875 TOLL-FREE 888/613.YALL(9255) ADVERTISING Advertising inquiries to 205/870.7889 for Lee Green, lee@sjlmag.com Jeff Pizzo, jeff@sjlmag.com Media kit, rates available upon request SUBSCRIPTIONS It has always been our goal to provide a large-community quality publication to all communities of the South.

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agenda interesting bits & can’t miss events

On Feb. 25, B’nai Israel in Pensacola inaugurated monthly themed Shabbats with kosher dishes from around the world. The February dinner was Moroccan, with March being Persian dishes.

Louisiana’s Jewish Endowment Foundation tops $100 million in assets The Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana announced that it has surpassed $100 million in total assets, according to preliminary 2021 year-end numbers that are still subject to audit.

Executive Director Bobby Garon and Board President Morton Katz made the announcement on March 14, saying that despite Covid and the annual disbursements from donor and JEF funds, “our portfolio has benefited tremendously from our generous fundholders as well as a robust market.”

They credit the ongoing generosity of community members, and especially the influence of Sandy Levy, who retired at the end of 2018 after serving as executive director for 27 years. They noted that much of the current success comes from those she cultivated during her time leading the agency. “We are both amazed and inspired by Sandy’s legacy in our community and can only hope that our work today will benefit our community for generations to come.”

When Levy began her tenure, JEF assets were around $10 million. They were $60 million when she retired.

The JEF was established in 1967 with assets of $100,000. The JEF serves as the community savings account and rainy-day fund. Income from assets can be used to benefit a wide range of charitable efforts in the community and worldwide.

It became a literal rainy day fund following Katrina, when JEF funds were integral to community recovery. Over the past year, JEF has also helped with needs in response to Covid and Hurricane Ida. “Our partners at JEF have truly risen to the challenge of navigating both crisis and long-term planning alike, and we congratulate them on this incredible achievement,” said Jewish Federation CEO Arnie Fielkow and Jewish Federation Board Chair Brian Katz.

The Foundation board recently adopted a new mission statement, that the agency “ensures a secure future and an enduring legacy by serving as an essential resource for Jewish and non-Jewish philanthropy.”

JEF has a range of funds, from unrestricted to donor advised to designated. They also administer grant programs, the Goldring Jewish Summer Camp Experience for first-time campers throughout the region, the RoseMary and Saul Brooks Fund for Jewish Youth Engagement for Jewish campers from small Louisiana communities, B’nai Maimonides funds for B’nai Mitzvah to establish, and a Young Philanthropist Program.

In 2009, they established Create a Jewish Legacy, a partnership with

area agencies and synagogues to boost endowment funds by encouraging members to leave legacy gifts in their estates, or through other charitable arrangements.

On April 24, JEF will hold its Annual Event at the Audubon Tea Room.

Postponed from March 6 due to Omicron, the event will include the presentation of the Tzedakah Award to Joyce and Sidney Pulitzer, the Young Family Award for Professional Excellence to Charles (Rusty) Levy III, and the Helen A. Mervis Jewish Community Professional Award to Caitrin Gladow. The patron party will be at 6:30 p.m., and the dinner will be at 7 p.m.

No, that’s not a Purim costume, that really is her crown. Miss Louisiana USA, KT Scannell, visited Temple Shalom in Lafayette and played Vashti in the Purim Shpiel. A native of Denham Springs, she is a senior at Mississippi College.

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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agenda Supporting community growth is about providing The Birmingham Jewish Federation will kick off its Annual Campaign with a celebratory evening at Knesseth Israel, April 10 at 5 p.m.

This will be the first community event for the Federation since Covid began. There will be a special menu curated by Rosalyn Bloomston and entertainment by Six13. Registration is $18.

financial solutions and guidance that people and businesses can trust.

That’s what Valley is all about.

Unity Spiritual Center of Panama City has found a new home in downtown Panama City. The congregation suffered significant damage in Hurricane Michael in 2018, and in January 2019 began meeting at B’nai Israel, and will be finishing their time at B’nai Israel later this month.

Let us help you reach your goals!

Knesseth Israel in Birmingham will hold a mini-estate sale, April 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and April 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Items include Jewish and other religious books, Judaica items, furniture, chandeliers, lamps, fiction and nonfiction books, toys, accessories, housewares, linens, home decor, electronics, artwork, dishes and flatware, vintage items, dolls, glassware, barware, kitchen and bath, and more.

Visit one of our branches: 1904 1st Avenue North Birmingham 92 Euclid Avenue Crestline

Temple Beth-El in Birmingham will have a luncheon honoring Sarah Metzger, who resigned as youth director and music specialist in January, following the April 2 Shabbat service.

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The next Shabbat Hilicha, Shabbat hike for Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham, will be on March 26 at 10:30 a.m., meeting at the Frankfurt Drive entrance to Red Mountain Park.

Temple Beth El in Pensacola will hold its annual Jazz Shabbat on April 1 at 8 p.m. At 6 p.m. there is a patron’s concert and dinner, and reservations are $54 per person. The evening will feature the Klezmateers, and the service is free and open to the community.

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There will be a virtual presentation for My Tree in Israel, hosted by Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El, on March 24 at noon. The initiative allows one to adopt an olive tree in Israel, and receive six private-branded bottles of olive oil following the November harvest.

Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will hold Mitzvah Day on April 10, with a wide range of projects available.

We have the wines to toast your Simchas!

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Temple Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach will be hosting Maj. Elliott Chodoff of the Israeli Defense Forces Reserves, March 31 at 7 p.m.

Chodoff is a political and military-strategic analyst specializing in the Middle East conflict and the global war on terrorists. He is the founder and Director of Strategy and Tactics of Israel Strategic Solutions, a think tank, and military training project. An educator for over 35 years, Elliot has lectured to a wide range of audiences and programs in Israel and abroad. His talk is free and open to the public.

CJFS CARES, the dementia respite program at Collat Jewish Family Services, is back in-person and accepting new participants for Tuesdays and Thursdays. The program in Cahaba Heights provides four hours per day of cognitive, social and physical engagement for people with memory/movement disorders. CARES also offers two weekly virtual caregiver support groups that are free and open to all. For information, email Program Director Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org, or call (205) 960-3411.

Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center has relaunched Senior Matinees, Mondays at 1:30 p.m., starting with half an hour of socializing before showtime.

Hadassah Shreveport will have Hadassah Shabbat on March 25 at 6 p.m. at B’nai Zion.

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

Chabad on 30A, a new initiative of Chabad Emerald Coast, will hold its second program on April 3 at 5 p.m., “A Jewish Deli Experience,” continued on page 20

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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As “rabbi season” gets into full swing, the Unified Jewish Congregation of Baton Rouge has hired Rabbi Sarah Smiley to be the first leader of the newly-merged congregation, and Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El is welcoming Rabbi Steven Henkin.

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Smiley is a veteran of URJ Goldman Union Camp and an alumna of Indiana University. She was ordained in 2010 and started her rabbinic career as rabbi of Ohio State University Hillel. She has since served congregations in Westfield, N.J., and Overland Park, Kans.

Currently, she is treasurer of the Rabbinic Association of Greater Kansas City, on the CCAR convention planning committee and the Clergy Advocacy Board of Planned Parenthood.

She will begin on July 1, accompanied by her husband, Rabbi Josh Leighton, and their daughter, Eliana.

The Unified congregation officially merged on Jan. 1 after a multi-year process. Since the summer of 2020, the two congregations had interim rabbis in anticipation of the possible merger, with Rabbi Teri Appleby at Beth Shalom and Rabbi Batsheva Appel at B’nai Israel.

Henkin is a Chicago native who went to the University of Minnesota.

He pursued a master’s in Jewish studies at Emory University, and was ordained at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles.

He started as director of congregational learning at B’nai Tzedek in Potomac, Md., then realized he preferred the pulpit life. In 2017, he became rabbi at Agudath Achim in Savannah, Ga. He will start at Beth-El in July, succeeding Interim Rabbi Hillel Norry.

He will be accompanied by wife Orly, and children Dinah, who just had her Bat Mitzvah, and Noah.

Searches continue at a few other congregations in the region. Rabbi Josh Pernick of Beth Israel in Metairie is leaving in early May to take a new position in New Haven, Conn. At Shir Chadash in Metairie, Rabbi Deborah Silver is leaving, and will be honored on June 12 with “A Very English Tea with a New Orleans Flavor.” And in Dothan, a rabbinic search is underway as Cantor Neil Schwartz will be stepping down this summer.

Rabbi Eric Berk of Temple B’nai Sholom in Huntsville announced he will be taking the pulpit at Sha’aray Shalom in Hingham, Mass.

Shreveport scholar weekend rescheduled

The Shreveport scholar-in-residence weekend with Ben Zion (Benzy) Kogen has been rescheduled for the weekend of April 8. Coordinated by the Jewish Federation of North Louisiana and originally scheduled for January, the weekend was postponed during the Omicron outbreak.

Founder and creator of “Your Shabbat Guest,” a program of enhanced Shabbat celebration, learning and growth, Kogen is a master educator who has devoted himself to the building of communities and the enhancement of Jewish life. He is a faculty member of the Melton School for Adult Jewish Studies, and serves in leadership with Camp Ramah in California.

On April 8, he will speak on “Living up to the Image of God” at B’nai Zion at 6 p.m.

On April 9, he will address “Using B’rakhot (Blessings) to navigate a closer relationship with God” during the 10 a.m. service at Agudath Achim, and hold a Lunch and Learn around 1 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. at Agudath Achim he will lead a session on the influence of the early rabbis on contemporary Jewish life.

On April 10 at 10 a.m. there will be a family-friendly program, “Using the lens of memory to better understand Jewish history,” for grades 6 and up, at B’nai Zion.

Members of B’nai Israel in Monroe have also been invited to participate in the weekend.

Looking Back and Leading Forward

New Orleans Section of National Council of Jewish Women celebrating 125 years of service

By Barbara Kaplinsky and SJL staff Child advocacy and assisting students, greeting and helping immigrants, advocating for women’s issues and social justice, promoting volunteerism and voting, and simply having fun.

That’s all in 45,655 days’ work for the New Orleans Section of the National Council of Jewish Women.

The Section is celebrating its 125th anniversary with “Looking Back and Leading Forward with a Salute to Angel Ball” on April 9 at the Higgins Hotel. A patron’s party will begin at 6 p.m., with a signature drink.

Dinner and dancing to the music of the Wise Guys will follow at 7 p.m.

The gala pays homage to the Angel Balls, which were held for almost 40 years.

Though the Angel Balls may now be a memory, one thing that hasn’t changed is the Section’s commitment to being a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who work to turn progressive ideals into action.

President Gail Pesses said NCJW in New Orleans has lasted 125 years “because of the quality of its mission. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW-GNO strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children and families and by safeguarding individual rights and

freedoms.”

The organization began with Hannah Solomon in Chicago, who then approached women in other communities to form their own Sections.

New Orleans was one of the first, with 17 women forming the Section in 1897 and electing Hattie Wolff as the first president.

Aside from innovative programming, the New Orleans Section would make its mark nationally as the only one to provide three national presidents — Ida Friend from 1926 to 1932, Gladys Cahn from 1955 to 1959 and Joan Bronk from 1990 to 1993.

After starting off with giving housekeeping lessons to immigrants, in 1903 the New Orleans Section began awarding academic scholarships to Jewish children, a program that continues as the Irma Isaacson Scholarship Fund. Lunches and truancy support for public school children were provided and new immigrants were taught English.

Helping children throughout the community has always been a priority of NCJW-GNO. During the war and early post-war years, NCJW-GNO volunteers were deeply involved with smoothing the way for the flood of refugees into this country. They met them at the docks, at all hours of the

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community day or night, providing them with food, lodging and transportation.

According to past president Sara Stone (z”l), “Council” members met every boat. During these years, the Port and Dock Committee’s job was to greet Jewish passengers as they disembarked. They escorted them to the correct agency people, assisted them with luggage, interpreted for them and saw them into the cars that would drive them on to their next steps.

Stone recalled that one had to be asked to be able to work the dock, “and the sights on the day of the ship’s arrival will remain with me always. I remember a row of women sitting on their suitcases. Like all the passengers, they wore layers and layers of clothes, but you could still see numbers from the concentration camps tattooed on their arms. Many looked older than they probably were.

“Years later, when I volunteered at the Anne Frank exhibit in New Orleans, I discovered by chance the kind of impact our work had had on the people we served. Tours of the exhibit for school children included talks by Holocaust On the cover: The NCJW centennial streetcar, and the installation of Joan Bronk as Section president.

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

survivors, and I happened to overhear a talk by a woman who had come to New Orleans under the Displaced Persons Act. I walked into the room just as she was telling the children that after being processed on the dock, she was taken to the JCC where she was greeted by some “ladies” from the Council of Jewish Women who offered her food on tables covered with white cloths. ‘White tablecloths!’ the women said. She had not seen a sight like that in years — and had thought she never would again. It had meant her return to dignity. Those of us who worked with NCJW-GNO’s Service to the Foreign Born during those years never forgot the experience either.

“This was our shining hour,” Stone said.

During the 1940s, NCJW-GNO supplied funds and volunteers to the Charity Hospital Pediatric Recreation Program. It promoted child literacy through the “Magic Tree,” with its volunteer storytellers in public libraries. It then became a television show on WDSU in 1951, and evolved into “Let’s Tell a Story” which became the number one children’s show on the station, as well as one of the first shows broadcast in color.

NCJW-GNO also tackled juvenile delinquency during World War II through its “Teen

The Magic Tree 1956, with Walter Isaacson, Margie Bissinger and Allan Bissinger Town” recreation program for area teenagers, which led to the formation of New Orleans Recreation Department.

NCJW-GNO also established programs at the JCC for senior citizens. Project Learn provided adult literacy programs. Project Reach spon-

community sored a teacher’s aid program for neurologically challenged children.

According to Celia Katz, who served as president from 1964 to 1966, they were most proud of the creation of Magicland, an enrichment experiment for disadvantaged preschoolers which served as a predecessor to Head Start. She also boasted of “Enduring Heritage,” a joint effort of NCJW-GNO, Hadassah and Brandeis in the field of Jewish Education.

Julanne Isaacson, president of NCJW-GNO from 1958 to 1960 and executive director of Jewish Family Service for decades, credited NCJW-GNO with providing her the skills that served her well in later in her career.

“New members were convinced to join NCJW-GNO based on acquiring new skills, learning about innovative ways of approaching social problems to find things that work, and its record of advocating for social justice,” Isaacson said.

In the 1970s, NCJW-GNO provided a drop-in center for seniors, and information and referral services in five disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Volunteers and funding were provided not only for counseling and job placement for people upon release from prison, but also temporary care for children threatened with abuse or neglect.

Changing Schedules Also launched in the 1970s was NCJW-GNO’s Moonlighters Program for working professionals who were unable to participate in daytime activities or volunteer during the day. The first president was Barbara Greenberg, from 1973 to 75.

“When I went to my first meeting at the home of Jane Buchsbaum, I was impressed with the level of intelligence and commitment of the women and the professionalism of the organization,” Greenberg said.

New Orleans had the first such group in the country, so Greenberg was invited to travel the region and encourage them to start similar groups.

According to Kathy Shepard, the most memorable experience of her Moonlighters presidency from 1990 to 1992 was a visit to a battered women’s shelter where Moonlighters worked to provide enrichment to the residents as well as a respite from their own childcare duties. On this night, the women were treated to makeovers.

“The results went far beyond the ‘skin-deep’ outcome we expected,” Shepard said. “The increase in self-esteem by the women was visible as they spoke of their hopes and plans for the future.”

One of the main contributions during Eddy Rosen’s presidency was the implementation of a priority study focus- Susan Tramontana, Fox 8 Defenders director, ing Section activities with Babs Isaacson and Lois Shepard on children and youth.

According to Rosen, the community benefitted from numerous services that were established during this period. This included Parkway Partners Lifeline, seminars for grandparents, relocation of elderly residents of Delta Towers, participation in adolescent Girls Study and getting the “Zoomobile” on the road.

Many NCJW-GNO programs have endured over the years, as they

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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community remain relevant and meet new community needs that fall within the Section’s mission and reflect its Jewish values.

One of the most visible is FOX 8 Defenders. Established by Babs Isaacson in 1995, it started at WDSU-TV (Channel 6) as “6 On Your Side Problem Solvers.” In 2010, it migrated to Fox 8. Volunteers take calls from individuals with consumer problems that seem impossible to fix. The team then works on getting the situations resolved, weeding out fraud or just smoothing things that fall through bureaucratic cracks.

The Section also partners with the New Orleans Family Justice Center, a coalition which works to end family violence, child abuse, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking through prevention and a coordinated response.

Support is also given to groups such as Girls on the Run, NOLA4WOMEN and Court Watch Nola.

Apocalypse

Southern Jewish Life Case In Point

Southern Jewish Life exists for one overarching purpose: To provide independent Jewish journalism to Jewish communities in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and NW Florida. Having such a publication keeps all of us better informed, more closely connected with one another and more deeply engaged.

Our 31-year track record of award-winning reporting has demonstrated this time and time again.

Our role in informing our communities about important issues was again highlighted through our coverage of the Nazi salute controversy at Birmingham’s Mountain Brook High School, which has a sizable number of Jewish students.

We were out front, providing comprehensive coverage and staying on top of an evolving story, especially as some national outlets had misleading, oversimplified coverage. Our stories became widely circulated, both nationally and internationally, and to date our coverage of this saga has received more than 150,000 views.

(That’s not a typo!)

It is Southern Jewish Life’s coverage and the wide circulation of our stories that has played a role in what many hope will be serious introspection by the school system when it comes to diversity and, in particular, the discomfort many Jewish students have felt over the years.

This is what independent journalism is all about and why it is important.

As the issues facing our four state region become more complex, it is crucial that our magazine continues to thrive so that we can provide the kind of coverage the current times demand.

You can help us by becoming a donor to Southern Jewish Life magazine. In addition to the revenue we receive from advertising, more and more individual donors have stepped forward to provide contributions that have allowed us not only to continue our work but to expand our efforts as we continue to provide the magazine free to Jewish households throughout the region.

If you value our magazine and the role we play, please consider becoming a Southern Jewish Life supporter. To contribute send a check to SJL, P.O. Box 130052, Birmingham, AL 35213, or go to https://sjlmag.com/contribute/ (Donations to Southern Jewish Life are not tax-deductible.)

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

In her second year as president, Shelley Farber guided NCJW-GNO through its most challenging time ever — a post Katrina apocalypse.

“On August 29, 2005, our world as we knew it in New Orleans dramatically changed,” Farber said. “As I watched the city I love flood, I also worried about all the members of the Greater New Orleans Section and where and how they were doing.”

Once certain areas of the city opened up, the NCJW-GNO financial secretary was able to retrieve the computers from the NCJW-GNO office.

Email blasts were sent, as well as snail mail to find members scattered throughout the country.

“The first of our services to open up was ‘Six on your Side’ (The precursor to Fox 8 Defenders) and was it ever needed,” Farber said. “With the help of modern technology, we held our first executive committee meeting in December 2005. A lot of the members had damage from Katrina but all truly stepped up to the plate for the benefit of the Section.”

The hallmark of Susan Kierr’s presidency from 2015 to 2017 was intergenerational participation by bringing in young, vibrant future leaders.

It relied on a leadership training program designed by Madalyn Schenk, called NCJW Way. An intensive yearlong seminar for women new to NCJW-GNO, it led to inspiring future board leaders who became staunch members of the public affairs efforts of NCJW-GNO. During the presidency of Barbara Kaplinsky from 2017 to 2019, the NCJW-GNO Public Affairs effort was fortified. This emphasis on social justice resulted in the formation of “Engaging New Voices and Voters,” a voter registration, education and turnout coalition, that to date has registered more than 10,000 new voters. During this period, NCJW-GNO actively supported the passage of a law that gave formerly incarcerated persons the right to register to vote, and the local Section was recognized with the national “Champions for Social Change” award.

In April 2020, while Covid was spreading throughout New Orleans and the world, NCJW-GNO was forced to pivot to “Zoomland.” This new technology enabled NCJW-GNO to reach far beyond what it had traditionally been able to achieve. According to Susan Hess, who served as president from 2019 through 2021, NCJW-GNO initiated a series of monthly webinars around subjects such as antisemitism and feminism.

“These Zoom presentations reached many hundreds of viewers around the world on topics such as traditional forms of antisemitism, blood libels, conspiracy theories, white supremacy, and Zionism as the new form of antisemitism,” Hess said. “Also using Zoom, we presented a Women’s Issues webinar series touching on the history of feminism, women’s health issues, and women and employment.”

Pesses says that while she is delighted with all that has been accomplished over the past 125 years, NCJW-GNO is “not resting on its laurels.”

“I look forward to what my term holds and to all that we will accomplish for the benefit of our community over the next 125 years,” she said.

community JCRS honors three MVPs at Jewish Roots of Sports gala Every sports league names Most Valuable Players, and three MVPs will be honored at the Jewish Roots of Sports gala held by Jewish Children’s Regional Service.

At the March 27 gala, Gayle Baer, Alan Krilov and Mark Sands will be honored for their roles with the regional agency. The event will be at the Sheraton New Orleans at 6 p.m., and will also be available for streaming online.

For well over two decades, Baer and Sands have co-chaired the JCRS Special Needs Committee. During this time, the committee evolved from funding children in residential placement, boarding schools, and psychiatric facilities to funding outpatient treatment and specialized educational settings for Jewish families and children dealing with developmental disabilities including autism, complex learning disorders, psychiatric and neurobehavioral problems, and medical issues requiring specialized care.

Also since the mid-1990s, Krilov has been instrumental in conceiving and establishing outreach programs and services for JCRS clients that keep them in touch with the agency and their Jewish identities.

Once Krilov conceptualized the needs of the children and youth served

by JCRS, he initiated and began funding the JCRS Hanukkah Gift Program and additional holiday outreach programs for students and clients across the seven-state service region. He joined the JCRS Board in 1998 and since 2019, he has served as a JCRS vice president.

A businessman by training, and for four decades a sales director with Mary Kay cosmetics, Krilov has been involved in many initiatives to make the Crescent City community a better place to live for everyone, along with serving the Jewish community on a local and national basis.

For decades, Krilov has been an active member and supporter of Chabad, across Greater New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, as well as Congregation Beth Israel in Metairie. He has served on the board of Slater Torah Academy for 20 years, as a community Bikur Cholim volunteer for 10 years, and previously, 10 years on the Willowwood/Woldenberg Village board.

A Memphis native, Baer did her undergraduate work at Stephen’s College in Columbia, Mo., and her master’s degree and Ph.D. at Auburn.

In 1984, Baer began her professional career at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans as assistant director of inpatient services, answering consultations and working with children and families on a multidisciplinary rehabilitation unit for brain trauma and chronic illnesses. She moved into private practice in 1988. Currently, Baer is practicing in Metairie, specializing in treatment for anxiety, depression, ADHD, learning disorders and autism.

Sands has been involved with JCRS since 1990. His training in pediatrics has been very relevant to his role on the Case Committee, now known as the Special Needs Committee.

A native of Detroit, Sands attended the University of Michigan as an undergraduate and received his medical training at Wayne State Univer-

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community

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sity School of Medicine. He trained in pediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, and completed his child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine followed by his adult psychiatry residency.

Since moving to New Orleans in 1988, he has served as director of consultation-liaison services and director of psychiatry at Children’s Hospital.

For the past 25 years, Sands has been medical director of Mercy Family Center, retiring last year. For many years, he has consulted to Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans, the counselors and staff at Jewish Community Day School, St. George’s Episcopal School and Holy Rosary Academy.

He is a past president of the Louisiana Council of Child Psychiatry and a former member of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Children.

Ned Goldberg, JCRS executive director emeritus, will also be inducted into the JCRS Hall of Fame.

In addition to honoring the MVPs, the evening will celebrate the great achievements of Jewish athletes and professionals from across the U.S. Sports celebrities such as Mississippi State University Athletic Director John Cohen, WNBA player and former president Donna Orender and Ed Hersh are participating in person, along with a special video message from MLB Hall of Fame inductee Ken Griffey, Jr., and video presentations

by U.S. Olympian Kerri Strug, and pro basketball player and author Dan Grunfeld.

The Gala, co-chaired by Barbara Kaplinsky, Carole Cukell Neff and Sue Singer, will also feature a seated three-course dinner, music, and a silent auction focused on sports memorabilia, once-in-a-lifetime vacations, and sporting experiences. All proceeds from the event will support the needs-based scholarship programs and services of JCRS for Jewish children throughout the Mid-South. Major sponsors include The Gayle Benson Automotive Family of Dealerships, the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust and Mrs. Betty Kohn.

Bama Jewish Alumni Weekend planned for April 29

Registration is now open for the University of Alabama Jewish Alumni Weekend, April 29 to May 1.

The weekend will begin on April 29 with a 5:30 p.m. Shabbat dinner at Bloom Hillel, followed by an opening reception at the Bryant Museum.

On April 30, there will be an 8 a.m. breakfast at the President’s Mansion with President Stuart Bell. Morning options include a campus tour with Capstone Men and Women, campus updates in Ferguson Theater, or a private tour of campus facilities. The options will also be available in the afternoon.

Lunch options include Lakeside, an alumni member lunch and tour of ZBT, and open houses at AEPi and SAM. The evening will include small group dinners “by the decades.” A late night event at the Wheelhouse Sports Pub starts at 8:30 p.m.

A farewell brunch will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on May 1 at Bloom Hillel.

Reservations are $100 per person, $175 per couple. Hotel blocks are available at Hotel Capstone, Comfort Inn and Suites, and Residence Inn. Several local families also have rentals available.

Do you have a business that could use more business?

Advertise in Southern Jewish Life Call Lee Green, (205) 870-7889 In New Orleans, Call Jeff Pizzo, (504) 432-2561 16

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

community Making Mikvah Progress

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Progress is being made at the Oscar J. Tolmas Louisiana Community Mikvah (above), as the project’s mikvah consultant was on hand on March 14 to oversee the pouring of concrete for the well that will hold the rain water that gets mixed with tap water to create living waters for immersion.

The mikvah is intended for the entire community. The mikvah’s board members represent the Conservative, Chabad, Orthodox and Reform congregations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

The mikvah is being constructed in a freestanding building behind Shir Chadash in Metairie. Fundraising for the $1 million project is ongoing, and contributions to the project are made through the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana.

The plan is to have the mikvah completed this summer.

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Meanwhile, in Mobile, the new mikvah at Chabad of Mobile (right) underwent its inspection on March 8, and is now approved. Rainwater is already being collected for use.

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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NewSouth Books also tells the region’s Jewish stories

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

Montgomery’s Suzanne La Rosa loves a good story. So it’s only fitting that her life is a story unto itself.

After all, it’s not often that you meet an Italian Catholic woman, who grew up in a Jewish neighborhood in New York City, and who would wind up moving to the Deep South to co-found a mission-driven publishing company, NewSouth Books, that, among its offerings, would feature a series of Jewish-themed books for adults and children.

In fact, it was that New York upbringing in the 1960s and 1970s that instilled in La Rosa an appreciation for Jews and Judaism that has played a role in her publishing career.

“I grew up in a Jewish world in New York City — a Jewish community where my closest friends were Jews. So these stories resonate with me,” she explained. Photo courtesy Montgomery Advertiser “At NewSouth Books we’ve published Suzanne La Rosa and Randall books that conjure up for me many peo- Williams. ple I knew who were first generation Jews and we’ve shared stories that reflect their culture and language. As I read the words of those books I am carried back immediately to my growing up years.”

La Rosa, who uses Jewish terms such as “mitzvah” and “shul” and “shlemiel” so naturally that you tend to forget she’s not Jewish, speaks with passion and pride regarding NewSouth’s commitment to tell Jewish stories.

Diverse Array In a recent Zoom chat, this warm and engaging transplant rattled off

community a diverse array of Jewishly significant books that the Montgomery-based publishing company has produced.

Publishing such books fits perfectly with the mission of the company La Rosa co-founded 22 years ago with her partner in business and life, Alabama native Randall Williams. “We are interested in telling the stories of others, particularly those who have been marginalized or whose voices have been scattered,” said La Rosa.

“Our mission is to publish books that foster awareness of racial, ethnic, religious and political identities. We look for books that ultimately address topics relevant to these goals,” she added. “Part of the rationale for us publishing Jewish-themed books is that these stories, particularly in the South, have not been adequately told.”

Though NewSouth publishes nationally and has readers from all regions of the country and beyond, the South is the company’s primary marketplace.

As a result of NewSouth’s Jewish offerings and her familiarity and comfort with the Jewish community, La Rosa and NewSouth have be-

Some NewSouth Jewish titles Here are some of NewSouth’s adult and children’s books with Jewish themes, with summaries taken from New South’s descriptions: “L’Chaim and Lamentations” by Craig Darch. This is a collection of seven, richly layered stories that tackle not only the question of what it means to be Jewish but also what it means to be human, exploring universal themes of companionship and loneliness, faith and perseverance.

“From Brooklyn to the Olympics: The Hall of Fame Career of Auburn University Track Coach Mel Rosen” by Craig Darch. This book follows legendary Auburn University track coach Mel Rosen from the streets of Brooklyn during the 1930s and ‘40s to his selection as head coach for United States track and field for the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.

“Matzo Frogs” by Sally Rosenthal. When kind-hearted Minnie spills the matzo ball soup she was making for Shabbat dinner, the frogs who live in a nearby pond spring into action. They decide to save Minnie’s Shabbat by making a new pot of soup while she is out — a mitzvah from one neighbor to another.

“Alef-Bet: A Hebrew Alphabet Book” by Michelle Edwards. This book is a child’s introduction to modern Hebrew; but more than that, it is a joyous portrait of a very special family. Its heroine, Gabi, shares in the activities of five-year-olds everywhere; she dances, she pretends, she dresses up, she helps with the baby.

“Chicken Man” by Michelle Edwards. Rody is in charge of the chicken coop on the kibbutz where he lives in Israel’s Jezreel Valley.

He loves his job so much and makes the work seem so delightful that everyone wants a chance to tend the brood.

“Shlemiel Crooks” by Anna Olswanger. This is a charming folktale story about Reb Elias and the thieves who try to steal his Passover wine. Based on a true story, Shlemiel Crooks is an imaginative introduction for young children to the history of Passover.

“Greenhorn” by Anna Olswanger. This is a story of a young Holocaust survivor who arrives at a New York yeshiva in 1946 where he will study and live. His only possession is a small box that he never lets out of his sight.

“Golemito” by Ilan Stavans. This is the story of how a couple of Jewish boys in Mexico City confront bullying by creating a Golem, the mythical creature of Jewish folklore.

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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community come well-connected in the Jewish world.

The widely-acclaimed PJ Library initiative, which provides free age-appropriate Jewish books to Jewish children, has sent out NewSouth’s books over the years.

La Rosa also has brought NewSouth authors to JCCs, Federations, synagogues and other Jewish venues.

Her company’s Jewish-themed books sell well, according to LaRosa, and often well-received by readers who aren’t Jewish because of the universal messages they convey.

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An Educated Eye La Rosa was asked how she and Williams determine which books to publish.

“We get a lot of submissions, books with Jewish content and others. The process of selecting a book to publish has become intuitive. I guess you can say we’ve developed an educated eye,” La Rosa explained.

“We can spot the ones where the proposal is intrinsically interesting, the voice is strong, the writer has good credentials, and the overall presentation is superior to what we typically receive. We are always looking for that one — it’s like cream rising to the top.”

NewSouth also is the publisher of the recent book “Behind the Magic Curtain: Secrets, Spies, and Unsung White Allies” by Birmingham’s T. K. Thorne. The fascinating book recounts the significant and multi-faceted ways that Birmingham’s small Jewish community helped advance the cause of civil rights for African-Americans.

NewSouth author roars for Maus When Anna Olswanger learned that the book “Maus” had been banned by the McMinn County Board of Education in Tennessee, she decided to make her own Holocaust novel for children, “Greenhorn,” available as a Goodreads giveaway.

Olswanger hopes that her book “will find its way into the hands of young readers who may never have heard of the Holocaust, or even met a Jew,” she explains. As a native Tennessean, this offer has special meaning for her.

Thorne, who is Jewish, described La Rosa and Williams as “passionate professionals who want to give the world important, overlooked and meaningful stories.”

While Thorne’s comment captures the essence of NewSouth Books, the publishing house also, of course, is a business striving to be profitable. In that regard it is succeeding.

“We have been on sound financial footing for 5 to 10 years,” said La Rosa. “I am not worried about keeping the lights on. We pay our authors and put money back into the business.”

She and Williams also have become wealthy — not financially, but in another sense.

“We have become wealthy in terms of relationships — these are real signs of success. It comes down to our relationships with our authors. We value these people who are interesting, talented, and have something to say.”

“My Broken Doll” at Red Mountain Theatre Baleigh Nelson, a theater major at Samford University and intern at the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center, selected “My Broken Doll” to be the play to produce as her senior project.

It will be performed at Red Mountain Theatre on April 9 at 2:30 p.m. She has previously brought the production to schools in her hometown of Rome, Ga., to spread Holocaust awareness.

Based on the book “My Broken Doll: A Memoir of Survival of the Vichy Regime” by Beatrice

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

>> Agenda

Karp as told to Deborah Pappenheimer, “My Broken Doll” follows the life of Beatrice (Bea) Karp during the Holocaust — life before World War II, the deportation of her family, life in concentration camps, rescue by the French OSE, being hidden in convents and her eventual settlement in the United States.

A question and answer session will follow the free performance. Registration is required, and masks will be required. continued from page 8

with pastrami, corned beef, rye bread and Dr. Sherron Goldstein will lead a session on Brown. Location is given upon making a res- making matzah toffee, April 20 at 5 p.m. at ervation.

Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham.

On April 12 at 6 p.m., Friends of the Cabildo in New Orleans will have “The Jews of New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta” as part of its member lecture series. The presentation will be on Zoom and is free for members, $10 for non-members. The presentation is by Emily Ford and Barry Stiefel, who in 2012 published a book by the same name.

Jacksonville State University will have its annual Holocaust remembrance program on April 5 at 7 p.m. in Merrill Hall Auditorium. Eli Pinhas, whose father escaped to Italy during the Holocaust and whose mother escaped the Thessaloniki Ghetto to join the Greek Resistance, will speak. The winners of the JSU annual Holocaust writing contest will also be recognized.

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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community Birmingham Jewish community Strategic Plan unveiled The Birmingham Jewish community should increase the quality of Jewish programming and education, collaborate more across institutions and unify community fundraising.

But having one central campus for a majority of the city’s Jewish institutions and congregations is not a popular idea.

Those are some of the takeaways from the Birmingham Jewish Federation Strategic Plan, which was approved by the board in February and presented to the community in a forum on March 14 at Temple Emanu-El. Chaired by Joel Piassick and Layne Held, the strategic plan builds on the report from the Roadmap, a next-generation study that was released in 2019, just before Danny Cohn became the new Federation CEO. The strategic plan process included interviews with professional leadership, rabbis, leaders of agencies and institutions, major donors, board members, lay leaders and young adult representatives. There were also focus groups and a community survey that attracted 557 responses.

Piassick said the plan is “aspirational” in setting goals, with details to be worked out with community leaders and the various institutions.

“The focus will be on success,” he said, and he and Lisa Engel will oversee the implementation.

David Kaplan of Panoramic Strategy presented the report, saying “integration, stronger partnerships and collaboration are critical to accelerating and amplifying the impact on our entire Jewish community.”

The mission set forth for the community is “one community empowering Jewish journeys, driven by tradition, innovation and sustainability,” while the Federation is to “ensure a vibrant, inclusive Jewish community

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

in Birmingham connected to Jews in Israel and around the world.”

Kaplan said the Roadmap “had a lot that was right, and we were able to build on it by listening to you and the entire community.” The Roadmap leaders “were courageous and spurred us to be here tonight.”

The plan “acknowledges the interdependence of this community” and is about “the change we want to see as a community.”

The plan outlines three priorities — increasing engagement and inclusion, aligning organizations to be more efficient in delivering services, and expanding ways to be philanthropic to create sustainable funding streams for the community.

The plan also includes four goals. First, a reorganization and realignment of community organizations to increase the quality of Jewish programming through a unified service and delivery model.

Another goal is to create Jewish engagement for a lifetime of seamless transitions, through social, volunteering, learning and leadership programming.

Focusing on the use of finite community resources will also be examined, in five community priority areas — fighting antisemitism and increasing security; Jewish education “from cradle to grave”; social services and emergency needs; Jewish culture, identity and outreach; and connections to Israel.

The fourth goal is to unify community fundraising, both in Federation funding and Foundation legacy gifts.

The report included several community proposals. While there certainly is an interest in helping the greater Birmingham community, the study showed a preference for ensuring that Jewish community priorities

community are met, with the realization that in doing so, the general community also benefits.

The study also calls for integrating community philanthropy under the Federation and Foundation umbrellas, with professional development leaders working for the interests of all organizations and institutions.

There is also a call for integrating the community institutions, which would operate under one structure but retain their names and identities as a “House of Brands.” The Federation would have an operations board and the Foundation would have an assets board, and a committee structure would have closer oversight of the agencies.

As an example, the study says the programming strengths of Federation, the Levite Jewish Community Center and the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School can be leveraged to a seamless education platform over many life stages.

Kaplan said the idea isn’t to get rid of any organizations or institutions, but to combine and streamline how they operate.

In addition, the synagogues are “critical partners” in what the community does and are part of the overall conversation.

Another proposal includes the “right-sizing” of community real estate, while acknowledging that the idea of establishing a single community campus is not popular.

The proposal talks about selling and/or partnering to right-size facilities to deliver the highest quality services, because of a belief in the community that there is too much real estate for a community of Birmingham’s size, and leverage existing space to organizations that might want a presence at existing institutions. There is also a mention of a possible satellite facility to deliver services in other areas of the city if needed.

Another proposal is outreach to key demographics, engaging Jewish singles, young families and interfaith families, as well as services and social needs for seniors. The plan mentions expanding Shalom Birmingham and ensuring clear entry points to the Jewish community.

Federation proposals include creating Jewish engagement for a lifetime through connection, volunteering, learning and leadership.

The Federation is seen as “the tide to raise all boats,” and the plan calls for moving toward a unified giving model. “When you know where you want to go, raising the dollars is a whole lot easier, but only if you have the infrastructure to make it happen,” Kaplan said.

“We have the opportunity to really think big,” Kaplan said, and “invest in the future of the community.”

In the next 90 days, institutions will create Memorandums of Understanding on principles of how to work together. Some of the proposals have a 12-month timeline for implementation, others will take a lot longer.

After the first two phases of implementation, there are additional areas for the community to consider. One is developing a coordinated local volunteering effort that matches community needs with the desires of possible volunteers, in the Jewish community and beyond. Several communities have implemented such programs, including the Nashville Jewish community.

Another future emphasis is the expansion of services for older adults through Collat Jewish Family Services.

The plan also recommends a community planning function, to ensure a vision continues beyond short and medium term planning.

There is also a call for a “shared services” center for back office functions that would consolidate such operations for institutions and congregations, resulting in a community-wide cost savings.

Piassick said the study is “a recognition by our community of the need to change and make sure we have a sustainable Jewish community for the future.”

Engel told those at the forum that “we need each of you to create the momentum to carry this plan forward.”

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community

ADL resumes Torch of Liberty events Rabbi Edward Cohn and Michael Smith are honorees After a three-year Covid hiatus, the Anti-Defamation League’s South Central region will honor Rabbi Edward Cohn and Michael Smith with the A.I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award, and will celebrate Jill Israel for her distinguished service to the region.

“Words cannot adequately convey the profound, positive impact that Rabbi Cohn and Michael Smith have made to the betterment of our community,” said Irving Warshauer, ADL South Central regional board chair.

“We are privileged to honor these leaders, both of whom embody ADL’s mission to secure justice and fair treatment to all.”

The cocktail reception will be on May 11 at 6 p.m., at the home of Calvin and Frances Fayard, Jr. The event is not a seated dinner. ADL policy is that those attending in-person events must be fully vaccinated.

After Cohn arrived in New Orleans to become senior rabbi at Temple Sinai in 1987, he reestablished the Human Relations Committee, motivated by the rabbis in his hometown advocating for equal justice in the 1960s. He made social and prophetic justice a central component of his rabbinate. He served as the New Orleans HRC Chair for 5 years, then vice chair for several years, and thereafter agreed to remain ex-officio on the board. During his tenure, the HRC was responsible for moving the Liberty Monument, taking on sexual harassment in the workplace and racial discrimination in the community, and promoting LGBTQ+ rights.

He chaired the New Orleans Holocaust Memorial Project, is a past president of the Southwest Association of Reform Rabbis and served as an ethics consultant for MSNBC. In 2014 Cohn was honored with the Urban League’s Living Legend Award and the Weiss Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

In 2001 he became just the third Jewish board member of the historic HBCU From top: Rabbi Edward Xavier University of New Orleans in al- Cohn, Michael Smith and most a century.

Jill Israel Since retiring in 2016, he has been rabbi emeritus at Sinai and serves B’nai Israel in Hattiesburg.

As general manager for Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, Smith uses his expertise in the hospitality and tourism industry to personally support myriad diversity and inclusion initiatives and mentor a diverse team of executives and associates who he encourages to make an impact in the community they serve. His civic engagement includes LGBTQ+ advocacy, arts and culture, education, and religious programming.

Smith’s work with the UNCF helped to raise more than $10 million, keeping more than 1,400 students in school and ensuring uninterrupted education to the students of Xavier and Dillard universities. After receiving an honorary doctorate from Dillard University, he concluded 2017 as the Jay A. Pritzker Award recipient, attaining the title of “Hyatt Hotels General Manager of the Year.”

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

community In 2018, he made his debut as co-executive producer for the Emmy-winning documentary, “Making 300: Celebrating New Orleans Icon Leah Chase.” In 2019, he received the prestigious Loving Cup Award, which has been awarded since 1901 to men and women who have worked unselfishly for the community without expectation of public recognition or material reward.

The ADL office stated that Israel is being honored for her “leadership and commitment to ADL’s mission year after year as a champion and driver for the delivery of critical anti-bias and anti-bullying educational programming, as well as the work helping to solidify the Region’s financial well-being.”

She started serving on the regional board in 2007, and was instrumental in creating ADL’s thirteen-year partnership with Entergy, which has provided anti-bias tools and resources to hundreds of thousands of students and educators throughout the South Central Region. She has served as Unity Through Understanding Day co-chair and Education Committee cochair, is currently co-chair of the Development Committee, and a member of the Region’s Executive Committee, the National Commission, and ADL’s Global Advisory Council. She is a past recipient of ADL’s Barney Mintz Leadership Award.

Israel is incoming chair of the Touro Infirmary Governing Board, treasurer of the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana, coordinator for Project Reyacha at Touro Synagogue.

In 2020, she was the co-recipient of Avodah’s Partners in Justice Award and the recipient of Touro Synagogue’s Shep Shushan Award.

“We are thrilled to bring our community back together for the first time since 2019 to celebrate the far-reaching impact both Rabbi Cohn and Michael Smith have had on our community,” says Lindsay Friedmann, ADL South Central regional director. “We are deeply indebted to Jill Israel for her longstanding commitment to ensuring that ADL’s work is felt throughout our three-state region.”

The Torch of Liberty Award was established in 1967, and in 1995 was named for A.I. Botnick, who headed the ADL regional office for 28 years, including during the civil rights era, when he was on the Ku Klux Klan’s hit list.

Reservations start at $250, with several sponsorship levels available.

At the event, Bob Brickman and Sandy Levy will present the award to Rabbi Edward Cohn.

Chris Robertson and Joel Vilmenay will present the award to Michael Smith.

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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community Shlicha Yarden Shiri recounts journey from Intelligence Corps to Pensacola

By Jerry Gordon During Shabbat Kiddush at B’nai Israel Synagogue in Pensacola on Feb. 12, Jewish Agency Shlicha Yarden Shiri spoke about her family background, life changing moments and experiences following her service in the Israeli Intelligence Corps, and her future plans.

Yarden is in her first year as a shlicha, an emissary assigned by the Jewish Agency to this small Jewish community in Northwest Florida.

Her arrival was delayed because of the Covid-19 outbreak and travel restrictions between Israel and the United States. Through the auspices of the Pensacola Jewish Federation and backed by generous donors, the Jewish community has hosted shlichim since 2001.

The Jewish Agency requires that the community provide an apartment and car to enable shlichim to function independently. In addition, host families play an integral volunteer role as family away from their homes in Israel. The history of Pensacola and its relationships with the Jewish Agency shlichim have been excellent with many returning for periodic visits.

A tragic exception was the loss of beloved

shlicha Michal Elboim, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a boating accident in 2008.

B’nai Israel maintains a small memorial garden and a portrait of her in the social hall.

Yarden’s family background is Mizrahi on both parents’ sides. Their families fled Iraq for Israel 70 years ago. She remarked that when introduced in Israel, because of her fair complexion, she is often considered as Ashkenazi instead of Mizrahi.

She grew up as the only child in a family of women, with her mother and aunt. Shabbat dinners were a major weekly event with a large assortment of Mizrahi dishes and pastries. The family moved from Tel Aviv to Ashkelon in her teens, and she remarked it was like “moving from the left to the right,” a reference to the threat of rocket attack from Gaza that weighed heavily on the dominant views of the security-minded community.

Her mother sought out entry for her into a “gifted program” as a teen, with courses in STEM subjects like chemistry, physics and mathematics, which in Yarden’s case led to computer programming, a skill sought by the

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Yarden Shiri is interviewed by Jerry Gordon at B’nai Israel in Pensacola Intelligence Corps. In her case it also meant pre-selection upon entry into the Israel Defense Forces, a steppingstone for future entrepreneurs in Israel’s high-tech industries. While serving in the Intelligence Corps, Yarden also attended college courses.

However, her future development took a different course when she was offered a Jerusalem Fellowship by the Jewish Agency, which led her to consideration for the Shlicha assignment to Pensacola. Because of the Covid-19 travel restrictions, Yarden’s arrival was delayed for a

community year. Through her Café Israel monthly programs providing information about Israeli life and customs, and leading classes in both introductory and advanced Hebrew courses, she developed a positive assessment of the small Jewish community in Northwest Florida.

She speaks fondly of finding a Jewish community in Northwest Florida, and a community at large, that is supportive of Israel. Yarden noted that contrasted with the experiences of her shlichim colleagues elsewhere in larger U.S. Jewish communities, where support for Israel was lacking. That was especially noticeable among young Jewish millennials during the Gaza rocket war with Israel during the May 2021 Operation Guardian of the Walls.

Given her discussions with B’nai Israel’s new dynamic Rabbi David Cohen-Henriquez, she has found a personal quest to deepen her Jewish life, something denied her in Israel — she is taking instruction leading to her Bat Mitzvah.

Yarden’s ultimate objective is to become an Israeli diplomat, which requires several years of training for entry into the Foreign Ministry and assignment to various foreign posts.

Jerry Gordon is a former president of B’nai Israel Pensacola and former producer and co-host of Israel News Talk Radio-Beyond the Matrix program.

Birmingham’s Beth-El hosts Selma history tour The Social Action Committee at Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El is organizing a day trip to Selma, to explore the community’s Jewish and civil rights histories.

The bus tour will leave Birmingham at 8 a.m. on April 25, returning that evening, and the trip is open to the entire community. Space is limited, a vegetarian lunch is included and reservations are $70.

A knowledgeable tour guide will lead the trip, which starts with a visit to Miskhan Israel, the community’s 120-year-old synagogue building, for a meeting with members of a community that has dwindled to three people.

There will also be visits to the Jackson Foundation and Museum, the Old Depot Museum, and

By The River Center for Humanity. The Jackson home is where civil rights leaders stayed, and there was a time when everyone woke up in the morning, and Martin Luther King was praying in one corner of the living room, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was praying in another corner, and a few others were praying in the dining room, each in their own tradition.

Stops at Old Live Oak cemetery, which is the “newer” Jewish cemetery; the Harmony Club, a historically Jewish institution; and the Edmund Pettus Bridge are also on the schedule.

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community “Fiddler” means so much to Jewish actress playing Hodel

By Lee J. Green The tradition returns to Birmingham on March 31, and being a part of the “Fiddler on the Roof ” family has been such an important, emotional, affirming, experience for Jewish actress Ruthy Froch.

“This show means so much to so many people,” said Froch, who plays Hodel in the critically acclaimed Broadway revival, running through April 3 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. “Being in ‘Fiddler’ has deepened my Jewish learning and pride. The story may have taken place 100 years ago, but it is so relevant today and it is so deeply rooted in what I believe.”

Froch grew up going to an Orthodox synagogue in Calabasas, a city about 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles. She said her family was involved in the Jewish community and Froch had her Bat Mitzvah in Israel.

“That was a very moving, emotional experience,” she said. “I really connected with Israel and the tradition.”

Froch said she started dancing when she was three years old and remembers doing plays starting in elementary school. “My parents were very supportive of my love for performing and I think I knew in high school this is what I wanted to do with my life,” she said.

Froch would go on to graduate from New York University with a major in Musical Theatre and a minor in Production. She would go on to act in some off-Broadway shows, lead educational workshops and even created her own web series.

In 2017, Froch played the role of Margot in another production that connected her to her Jewishness and her family – “The Diary of Anne Frank,” for a regional, professional theatre in Hartford.

“My dad’s father was a Holocaust survivor,” she said. “He survived the camps and made it to America. Grandpa passed away when I was 12, but I’ll always remember him and his stories.”

Almost a year after finishing “Anne Frank,” Froch found out about the touring Broadway production and knew she had to audition. “I really feel so lucky to experience this,” said Froch.

“Hodel was the only role I auditioned for,” she said. “Hodel is a feminist. She is a woman’s hero. While Tzeitel asks her father for permission to marry for love, Hodel tells her father she is doing it. She’s a role model. In the show, Hodel finds her voice and through being in ‘Fiddler,’ I’ve really found my voice.”

During the show’s pandemic hiatus, Froch took and taught some acting classes while also producing more online blog content. “It was difficult, but I think it invigorated why I love theatre and why I could never leave it,” she said. Last summer, “when they asked me if I would return, I cried tears of joy. I think everyone was crying at the table read. Every day during the time we were away from the show, ‘Tradition’ was playing in my head.”

Froch said most of the cast and crew aren’t Jewish and “they have gotten to learn a lot about our cultures and traditions. We have really developed a spiritual and family connection.”

The current “Fiddler” traveling Broadway production, based on the 2015 Broadway revival, differs somewhat from the production that debuted on Broadway in 1964.

“This ‘Fiddler’ is rooted in Orthodox life,” said Froch. The choreography has also changed so that “the dances pay homage to (original choreographer Jerome Robbins), but there is more passion and earthiness than before.”

That is thanks to Hofesh Shechter, a 46-year-old Israeli dancer, who was selected by Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher to re-imagine the choreography.

The beloved theatrical classic from Tony-winner Joseph Stein with Pulitzer Prize-winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Hamrick was the first 28

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

community musical in history to surpass 3,000 performances.

Froch said by the time the current revival production comes to Birmingham, they will have surpassed 600 performances.

“I really love being on tour and experiencing so many places I’ve never been to,” said Froch, who added that although this is her first trip to the Magic City, she has a friend and former NYU classmate who works with Red Mountain Theatre. “Every night there’s always something new and there are so many moments that make me realize how grateful I am to be in this show.”

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The event will be at 5:30 p.m. at The Farrell, a new venue in downtown Homewood. Co-sponsors are Total on 1st and Medical Properties Trust.

Suzanne and Howard Bearman, daughters Sheri Krell and Michelle Bearman-Wolnek and sons-in-law Jimmy Krell and Seth Wolnek will be honored for their leadership, volunteer and professional roles.

The program will include a jazz trio, with drinks and appetizers. A magician will be performing throughout the evening.

Event tickets are $100. There is a virtual option to attend online and receive an Event Package with cocktails and other goodies.

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The Mobile Area Jewish Federation, Springhill Avenue Temple and Ahavas Chesed worked with area churches and nonprofits to host author Mark Oppenheimer at a Jan. 26 program at St. Ignatius Church to speak about his new book, “Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood.” After the event, the sponsors donated $1,400 to the New Light Congregation in Pittsburgh to help rebuild and heal their congregation.

Event co-sponsors also included Spring Hill Presbyterian Church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Christ Church Cathedral, Mobile Christian-Jewish Dialogue, Dr. Norman H. McCrummen III, Dauphin Way United Methodist Church, Dauphin Way Baptist Church, Ashland Place United Methodist Church, The Israel Team Advocates International, Gulf Coast Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education, Andrew Gould and May Orenstein.

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

B&A Warehouse remains popular Simcha space across from Railroad Park The B in Birmingham’s B&A Warehouse could stand for “B’nai.”

Birmingham’s popular Simcha space located across the street from Railroad Park has hosted many B’nai Mitzvah, as well as Jewish weddings and other celebrations, since opening as an event space in 1999.

“The great thing about the B&A is that it is an open canvas, so people can really personalize the space to fit it with their celebration,” said B&A Warehouse Marketing Director Haley Roebuck.

They hosted the Bat Mitzvah celebration of Violet Levine, daughter of Rob and Emily, on March 5. Themed “Under the Night Sky,” it featured balloon walls with moons and stars, along with a fiesta-style, sugar-free menu. More than 175 people attended the event.

“We’re starting to see some larger events being scheduled and rescheduled,” said Roebuck, adding that they can host up to 800 people for a reception-style event. “We can really do anything,” said Roebuck. “We’re very versatile and accommodating.”

Recently, the B&A introduced a new, larger stage, among other internal enhancements.

She said 2021 saw an increase in the number of events the B&A team catered off-site, including the Magic City Acceptance Center’s Open House and an appreciation event for McWane Center employees. The B&A also catered a few events at Railroad Park across the street.

Chef Deborah Thomas specializes in Southern cuisine, but Roebuck said they are happy to do customized menus including kosher-style and even family recipes. They also can accommodate those who keep strict kosher and need meals brought into the facility.

“That’s one reason why the ‘food stations’ are so popular,” said Roebuck. “You can select what you want and go kosher-style.”

Classic Wine Company supplies for celebrations Classic Wine Company continues to see the fruits of its labors, with business expanding at the Homewood shop.

“We’re providing wine for more events and our (events/tastings) have been well-attended,” said Owner Josh Terrell. “We’ve added some new suppliers so we can continue to expand our inventory.”

Tony Meyer opened the Homewood store in 1988 and its SoHo Square

simchas

location is its third. After working for more than four years as a wine buyer for Hop City, Terrell purchased Classic Wine Company in 2017.

Terrell said Classic Wine offers a good selection of kosher-for-Passover wines and a few made in Israel. Terrell said they have 800 separate wines in the store but have access to more than 6,000 wines that they can usually get in within a few days.

He also said that 80 percent of the wines sold at Classic Wine Company are natural wines, where no pesticides were sprayed on the vineyards.

“We have wines from around the world at all price points,” he said.

“Wine is so diverse. Not only are there so many different styles and varying flavor profiles within those styles, but you have wines such as Chardonnays that can be drier or sweeter, red or white.”

Terrell said that for spring, rose’ wines tend to be more popular, followed by crisp whites in the summer.

Classic Wine has free tastings every Friday and monthly Somm School events customers can register for. Those educational events feature different wine makers each month and include foods from local restaurants and caterers that pair well with the wines. The next event is April 5.

Terrell said they have expanded and enhanced their patio seating area and a tasting event on the first Friday of March was held outdoors.

“We’re very passionate about wine,” said Terrell. “I enjoy sharing some of my knowledge and learning more as well.”

He adds, “I want this to be an educational store — an immersive experience and a fun place to visit.”

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Opening this summer, Avenue D to be a celebration destination Avenue D will become a street of dreams when the new Lakeview area events space opens up in early summer.

“We were actually looking for a location to use for a real estate business and we just fell in love with this space,” said Laura Turner, who co-owns Avenue D with her partner Chuck Riley. “Chuck’s son is getting married and we were looking for a nice but affordable place in this area. This just felt right and we set out to make the dream a reality.”

Avenue D is the original name for 4th Avenue South in Birmingham.

The space includes 3,500 square feet downstairs for celebrations, with some VIP rooms upstairs. Its 2,500-square-foot outdoor venue space will include a lush garden and has a view of historic Sloss Furnaces.

“We’ve designed the space to really fit with the area,” said Turner. “It’s open and airy with art deco finishes. It has exposed brick and an industrial feel that really speaks to what Birmingham is all about.”

She said simcha hosts can “customize the space to really make it your own.” Avenue D can provide a high-end AV system for presentations and to virtually include those who cannot make the event in person. About 250 can be hosted reception-style.

Turner said hosts can rent the space for a flat fee and bring in all their own vendors, or Avenue D can provide event planning and vendor-coordination services for an additional cost.

She said they are happy to discuss schedules with those interested in the space and they will update the progress on their Facebook page as well as their website, www.avenuedbham.net.

“We’re excited about being up and running soon,” said Turner. “We welcome all types of events from weddings to Bar-Bat Mitzvahs to arts events to corporate team building to fundraisers. We want to be there for the community.”

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

Vulcan Park and Museum can’t keep its enthusiasm about its latest exhibition bottled up.

Last month they opened “Birmingham Bottling: Soft Drinks in the Magic City,” which runs through next January. Those involved in celebrations at Vulcan Park and visitors to the museum can discover the collection of classic bottles and stories from companies such as Coca-Cola Bottling Company, United and Buffalo Rock.

“Birmingham Bottling” tells the comprehensive story of Birmingham’s soft drink history, complete with the inventors, innovators, marketeers, visionaries, workers and methods that made Birmingham the center of bottling innovation and one of the most important markets in the world.

In addition to the Linn-Henley Gallery exhibit, Vulcan Park and Museum has partnered with local agencies and organizations to provide programming throughout the year, including virtual lectures, a soda science event, bottling memorabilia day and a series of beverage tours.

Vulcan Park and Museum has hosted many events for those in the Jewish community over the years. The museum space can accommodate 250 people standing, but an additional 500 people can be in the overlook and the Kiwanis Centennial Plaza for a celebration.

The most recent simcha was the wedding of Devon Cantwell and Daniel Chavez-Yenter on Nov. 7. For more information on visiting and hosting an event at Vulcan Park and Museum, go to www.visitvulcan.com.

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Repairs to Metairie eruv completed Campaign raising funds for project, maintenance The completion of the New Orleans eruv last July was a mixed blessing for Shabbat-observant families in the area.

Because one may not carry items outside of their private domains into public areas, such as streets and sidewalks, on Shabbat, an eruv makes a wall around a neighborhood to make it one large private space, enabling one to carry things, push baby strollers and so forth.

The long-awaited eruv encircling Uptown was approved last July — but an examination done at the same time showed that the 10-year-old eruv in Metairie encircling the Jewish institutions along West Esplanade and the surrounding neighborhoods was no longer kosher.

Figuring out what to do about it and making the necessary repairs would take until early February, at which time the Metairie eruv was deemed kosher again.

In a webinar on Feb. 3, Rabbi Stephen Belsky explained what happened, and the lengthy process needed to reestablish the eruv.

To turn a neighborhood of private homes into one large private space, Belsky explained, it is necessary to turn it into “one big happy family with a shared courtyard” by putting some kind of fence or wall around it.

A wall has doorways and windows, so “the minimum theoretical structure that could count as a wall to surround the neighborhood is the form of a doorway,” two vertical elements with a horizontal element over it, he said. “The key to making an eruv in the sense of a perimeter is using this minimal structure of a wall to surround the area.” That perimeter must completely surround the area, without any gaps.

Much of the Metairie eruv had used levees as a wall, especially on the

lakeside boundary, because “the levee is literally a wall.”

Rabbi Josh Pernick of Beth Israel said reconfiguring the eruv “has been an extended process.”

Fortunately for the city, but unfortunately for the eruv, there has been recent work to shore up the levees. Now, the slope of the levees is too shallow to serve as a wall, because “it has to have a minimum slope or steepness, and it doesn’t have that.” An entirely new route had to be established for the northern boundary.

After determining that the levee repairs made them no longer usable for the eruv, “Belsky came in to chart out a route for the northern boundary and then the entire boundary when we realized there were problems beyond the northern boundary,” Pernick said.

Metairie has a lot of existing infrastructure to use as an eruv, Belsky said, from fences around individual homes to the wall along Interstate 10.

Where there isn’t such a structure, “other structures can be walls if you look at them in the right way.”

Utility poles with power lines on top can be viewed as a series of doors.

If poles in a series have the wire running directly over the top of the poles, “you have a series of archways, a series of door frames.”

But when the wires aren’t directly over, “then we have to do work.” If

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Shen Yun’s unique artistic vision expands theatrical experience into a multi-dimensional, deeply moving journey. Featuring one of the world’s most ancient and richest dance systems—classical Chinese dance—along with dynamic animated backdrops and all-original orchestral works, Shen Yun opens a portal to a civilization of enchanting beauty and enlightening wisdom.

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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community the wire runs along the side of the pole, a grey conduit — basically a PVC pipe — is attached to the pole, directly underneath the wire. About 150 30-foot conduits were used in the project.

Naturally, all this requires coordination — and permission — from utility companies.

Belsky said that when power lines are installed, it isn’t done with an eye on making things easy to establish an eruv. In cases where lines are held a few feet to the side of a pole, the grey conduits have to be bent so they met up directly underneath the wire.

That was another issue with the Metairie eruv. Because of soil settling, many utility poles lean over time, and that has led to many spots of the old eruv being out of alignment between the wire and the conduits.

“West Esplanade is pretty complicated because utility poles lean over to an unfortunate degree,” he said, too far over to serve as a vertical structure for an eruv.

In areas where there are no power lines to use, “we have to use our own wire,” Belsky said. With the assistance of Entergy, they went around putting up string attached to the top of conduits. Even fishing line is acceptable, Belsky said. Much of the eruv near Girard Playground uses this method.

Belsky said the northeastern section was one of the most complicated to do, and there is a lot of zig-zagging because the utility lines run north and south, and there isn’t east-west infrastructure to parallel the lake. At first, they weren’t sure they could come up with a solution that would include Shir Chadash and the Goldring/Woldenberg Jewish Community Campus.

Because of various issues, there are a few Shabbat-observant households next to but not inside the eruv. In some cases, one side of a street is

within the eruv while the other side is out.

Permission was needed not just from utility companies. When a household fence was being used, or if a new wire had to be strung along someone’s property, they needed to ask the homeowners for permission. Most were fine with it, but not everyone.

Pernick said they tried to minimize the number of people they asked for permission. He noted that Entergy was very supportive, as was Jefferson Parish Councilwoman Jennifer Van Vrancken, who “understands eruv and wants there to be an eruv here.”

Pernick said “Mikvah and eruv are two core infrastructures for Jewish communities to function,” so when it was determined that repairs were needed for the eruv, Beth Israel decided that it would front the expense of the repairs. “We wanted to move this project forward without delaying for reasons like that,” he said.

Beth Israel President Harold Pesses said “we consider this to be the Metairie community eruv… It’s not just a Beth Israel project.”

The project cost about $20,000 in materials, labor, truck and lift rental, and the installation is a two-person job. A fundraising campaign is underway, and Pernick said they would like to see households in the eruv contribute a minimum of $180, though “every bit helps.”

While $20,000 “is a significant amount,” he noted that Atlanta has been reconstructing its eruv, at a cost of $100,000.

The Atlanta eruv was deemed kosher on Feb. 4, with a ceremony at the junction in front of Pig-N-Chik BBQ. In addition to the fundraising, Beth Israel is coordinating volunteers to check the eruv for gaps or breaks before each Shabbat and holiday.

The bottom line is that Metairie “is a place where you can live as an observant family,” Pernick said.

For Manny,

MENDING HIS

HEART

was a very sensitive issue.

Manny was born with a congenital heart defect requiring several surgeries, which is fairly common. What’s unique is that Manny has sensory sensitivities that can cause stress, anxiety and overwhelming feelings. Through Children’s of Alabama’s Sensory Pathway, Manny’s Child Life Specialist, Noelle, was able to help him cope with the stress and scary feelings about his surgery. She was with him every step of the way, making the experience less stressful for him.

Manny Tetralogy of Fallot Patient

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

To learn more visit ChildrensAL.org/heart

community

NECHAMA continues Ida response

Groups from the National Council of Synagogue Youth have been among those assisting NECHAMA Jewish Response to Disaster in its efforts following Hurricane Ida. They set up a long-term response in partnership with International Orthodox Christian Charities, with support from Jewish Federations of North America and United Way of St. Charles. Based in St. Charles Parish, they have coordinated 421 volunteers and over 4,200 hours of volunteer time, assisting 65 homeowners with clearing damage and debris.

ISJL Virtual Vacations gets Miss. honor The Jackson-based Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life was honored at the annual meeting of the Mississippi Historical Society in Hattiesburg on March 10 and 11, receiving an Award of Merit for the ISJL Virtual Vacation series of webinars.

The Mississippi Historical Society, founded in 1858, encourages outstanding work in interpreting, teaching, and preserving Mississippi history. Several episodes of the ISJL Virtual Vacation have highlighted the complicated and important stories of Mississippi’s past, always striving to add nuance and depth to these historic explorations.

Led by ISJL Director of Heritage and Interpretation Nora Katz, the interactive digital events feature museums, historic sites, scholars, chefs, and more from across the South. The series was made possible by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council, through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

All episodes of the series are available on the ISJL’s webpage at www.isjl. org/virtual-vacation.

“I am deeply honored by this vote of confidence from my colleagues at the Mississippi Historical Society,” says Katz, who continues to produce new episodes. “The ISJL Virtual Vacation has been a meaningful way for the ISJL to connect our regional and national audience to Mississippi’s rich Jewish history, and I look forward to continuing to share nuanced and engaging Mississippi stories in future episodes.”

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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community Continuing to March in Selma

YOU'LL FIND MORE THAN A COLLEGE ON

the hilltop YOU’LL FIND A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY.

BSC

Photo courtesy Rabbi Scott Kramer

Birmingham-Southern College

bsc.edu

Historical echoes: Rev. William Barber II holds a Torah while standing with Susannah Heschel and Rev. Jesse Jackson at the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee on March 6, commemorating “Bloody Sunday” in 1965. Behind them are Rabbi Scott Kramer of Agudath IsraelEtz Ahayem in Montgomery, who brought the scroll from his congregation, and Rabbi Danny Wise. At the conclusion of the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, father of Susannah Heschel, marched with Martin Luther King, and Rabbi Maurice Eisendrath carried a Torah. Also at the event were Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and National Council of Jewish Women CEO Sheila Katz.

Atlanta agency handles claims for Holocaust survivor home care in region A report by The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, the organization that annually negotiates with Germany for Holocaust reparations, estimates that just 50,000 Holocaust survivors remain in the United States.

The report also shows that most of the survivors reside in New York, Florida and California, according to a spokesman for the agency, often referred to as the Claims Conference.

Jewish Family and Career Services in Atlanta estimates that more than 300 survivors live in Georgia, most in the Atlanta area, according to Amy Neuman, program manager of Holocaust Survivor Services, Aviv Older Adult Services for JF&CS. The Claims Conference this year is allocating $2.1 million to support the myriad services that JF&CS provides for survivors in the Atlanta area, which include home care, house cleaning, meal delivery, transportation, medical equipment and adult daycare, along with help paying for medical and dental care and prescriptions.

JF&CS also will receive $1.9 million to pay home care claims in a 10-state region where it manages grant programs for the Claims Conference. The region includes Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and sections of Florida and Texas.

The Claims Conference announced March 2 that $720 million was being allocated to 300 social welfare organizations globally. In 2021, $653 million was allocated globally. JF&CS has been a recipient for a decade or more.

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

New Orleans

Bywater Brew Pub

Spring Dining Guide

3000 Royal Street (at Montegut) (504) 766-8118

M Bistro

Southern Jewish Life

921 Canal Street, New Orleans inside the Ritz-Carlton

A full-scale brewery, bar and restaurant serving Cajun/ Vietnamese/Gastropub food. Locally owned and operated by Nahum Laventhal, our space also features art from local artists!

M bistro’s menu is an indigenous approach to the preparation of the finest meats, seafood and produce from growers in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.

Kosher Cajun

Galatoire’s

3519 Severn Avenue, Metairie (504) 888-2010

209 Bourbon Street (504) 525-2021

Kosher Cajun New York Deli & Grocery has authentic New York specialties — all Kosher certified. Enjoy classic eats like Reubens and matzah ball soup, plus kosher grocery staples too.

The grand dame of New Orleans’ time-honored restaurants, Galatoire’s is a 106-year-old, James Beard award winning restaurant located in the heart of the French Quarter.

Acropolis on Freret

Galatoire’s 33 Bar and Steak

4510 Freret Street (504) 309-0069

Acropolis On Freret features only the best, freshest and most authentic dishes from the Mediterranean region. Our newest menu item, the Falafel Burger! This burger is made up of a falafel cake and packed with flavor.

215 Bourbon St. (504) 335-3932

The premier destination in the Vieux Carré for enjoying the finest cocktails and traditional steakhouse fare. Galatoire’s “33” Bar & Steak is New Orleans’ next great tradition in a restored historic building that begins a new chapter in Galatoire’s storied history.

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

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Southern Jewish Life

Spring Dining Guide

L’Auberge Baton Rouge

777 L’Auberge Ave. Baton Rouge lbatonrouge.com

Homewood Classic Wine Co. 1831 28th Avenue So., Ste 110, (205) 871-9463

Limitless flavors await at L’Auberge Baton Rouge. Choose from our four dining experiences to satisfy your cravings — Red Lotus, 18 Steak, Bon Temps Buffet, and Stadium Sports Bar and Grill.

A wine retail shop and wine bar in the heart of Homewood, with wines from all over the world and at all price points. Wine tastings held every Friday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and come see the new outdoor patio.

Karam’s

Taj India

715 18th Street North, Birmingham (205) 538-5084

2226 Highland Avenue, Birmingham (205) 939-3805

Birmingham’s first Halal restaurant, serving a range of authentic Mediterranean classics and American staples, including baba ganoush, falafel, hummus, shwarma, specialty sandwiches and lamb dishes.

Taj India, Birmingham’s original Tandoori Grill and Curry House, will remain in its current location near Beth-El and Emanu-El, serving authentic Indian dishes with a lunch buffet and extensive dinner menu.

Juniper

Bistro V

3811 Clairmont Avenue South, Birmingham (205) 777-3112

Let the party be gin at Juniper, serving craft cocktails and innovative plates, many of which are vegan, in a cozy and elegant space. The lush outdoor courtyard is reminiscent of Victorian gin palaces.

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Baton Rouge, Birmingham

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

521 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia (205) 823-1505

Located in Vestavia, Bistro V serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, with a menu that includes fresh seafood and local and organic meats and vegetables, much of it with a New Orleans nod.

counselor’s corner a monthly feature from Collat Jewish Family Services

Building Your Resilience

By LaBrena Friend, LMSW We hear a lot about resilience these days, and for good reason. If you’re human, your life will include emotional challenges and setbacks — and for many people, the pandemic is now an ongoing contributing factor.

In my social work practice at CJFS, I recently met a client whose life has included more than a fair share of emotional trauma. She suffered the death of a child and the suicide death of another loved one, as well as her own substance abuse and related emotional, spiritual and financial issues.

And yet, my strongest impression of this new client was her incredible resilience. In more than a decade of sobriety, she has assembled an array of tools and supports that have enabled her to remain sober and rebuild her life. For her, these include a 12-step recovery program and her faith, as well as the help of a therapist and a supportive community.

The tools that worked for this person might not be the exact same ones that would work for you or me as we face our own stresses and emotional challenges. The important thing is to develop tools and habits that make it easier for us to bounce back from a setback — so that if we realize we are growing too stressed, too sad, too anxious or too overwhelmed, we’re able to address those issues effectively and recover. Below are some tools that can help just about anyone become more resilient: Actively manage stress: Notice when your stress levels are beyond what you consider normal and put a name on it. By acknowledging the problem, you’ll be better equipped to implement the tools that will help.

Move your body: Many of us have been hunkered down in isolation for much of the past two years, and that can affect both physical and mental health. Even if you’re in quarantine, move around your living space. Any amount of exercise will help you feel more in control and relaxed.

Experience the outdoors: Go for a walk or a run. If that isn’t possible, step out on your balcony or open the window.

Sleep: Sleep naturally restores our minds and bodies, and without enough of it, our thinking can become muddled. For some people, establishing a strict sleep schedule can help.

Watch for negative means of coping: If you’re sleeping too much, abusing drugs or alcohol or engaging in other self-harming behavior, seek help before this behavior leads to other problems.

Consider how you can help others: These months of isolation have interrupted the everyday interactions through which we normally support the mental health of others – the smiles and friendly hugs, the casual chats and encouragement. Remember, you can still write a note, text or email someone who might need a boost — and the phone still works!

Maintain your social ties: It’s easy to lose touch with other people when so many normal gatherings have been suspended. If your regular worship service or club meeting is no longer meeting, reach out to some of the people you miss and find a way to reconnect.

Consider therapy: A professional counselor may be able to help you identify sources of stress and develop simple strategies for addressing them.

CJFS offers individual and group counseling for people of all ages — in person, by phone or via video apps such as FaceTime and Zoom. Insurance is accepted. To learn more, contact Clinical Director Marcy Morgenbesser, marcy@cjfsbham.org or (205) 879-3438.

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

41

community Remembering Gary Cohen through tennis, Hadassah

By Lee J. Green

SUPPORT QUALITY, INDEPENDENT, ORIGINAL SOUTHERN JEWISH JOURNALISM Visit supportSJL.com to contribute

Tennis, Israel, Hadassah and helping others have played very important roles for the Cohen family.

Mindy Cohen said they knew a perfect way to honor Gary Cohen’s memory would be to bring everything together for a special event.

On May 1, Pinetree Country Club in Birmingham will host The Gary Cohen Memorial Tennis Mixer, benefitting Hadassah Medical Organization.

“Tennis has always been a big part of our lives,” said Cohen. “Gary played in college (at Rutgers University) and he has taught tennis. This was a lifelong passion of his. Our sons Jared and Seth played club at the University of Alabama. It was something we shared together… along with our Zionism. We thought this would be a fun way to honor his memory and to help Hadassah help others in need.”

The mixer costs $50 to enter and includes tennis play for all levels, cardio tennis, box lunches, cocktails and prizes. Donations can also be made to Hadassah, with the proceeds raised going toward the purchase of orthopedic supplies for Hadassah Hospital.

Gary’s brother, Brad, was an orthopedic surgeon in south Florida.

Gary was a doctor who specialized in rehabilitative medicine for the VA Hospital in Tuscaloosa. They both were among the victims of the tragic Champlain Towers collapse near Miami Beach last June.

Their great aunt and uncle played prominent roles with Hadassah and Israel. Herman Shulman was an attorney who was involved in the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Rebecca was a nurse who would go on to become Hadassah’s national president. Their son, Paul, was credited with starting the Israeli Navy.

“Gary and I met on an airplane going to Israel in 1986,” said Mindy.

“We were both on the same tour” when Gary was in medical school and she was in graduate school. “We’ve traveled over there several times and Seth competed in the World Maccabiah Games a few years ago.”

She will be working the Maccabiah Games in Israel this summer, and Hadassah Hospital will honor the Cohen brothers by including their names on a memorial wall.

Mindy Cohen is a past president of Hadassah Birmingham and the current vice president in charge of programming. She also serves as an area vice president of the regional Hadassah board.

Those participating in the Gary Cohen Memorial Tennis Mixer are asked to register by April 22. “Players and fans are welcome. You can come out to support the cause and have a good time, even if you don’t play tennis,” she said. “It is our hope that this can become an annual event.”

Virtual Vacation explores musical theatre The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life’s next Virtual Vacation will explore what is Southern and Jewish about contemporary musical theatre.

On March 29 at 11 a.m., there will be an online conversation with Tatiana Wechsler, a musical theatre actor and Yiddish performer with roots in Atlanta. She is the first woman to play the role of Curly in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!,” and she will be making her Broadway debut in the new musical “Mr. Saturday Night” starring Billy Crystal.

The program will include a discussion about growing up Jewish in Atlanta, the role of musical theatre in Wechsler’s life, and the importance of celebrating Black and Jewish joy through song.

The program will be on the ISJL Facebook page, then on demand on the Virtual Vacation website.

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

43

CONTACT US

2901 CROWNE RIDGE DRIVE BIRMINGHAM, AL 35243 205.970.0344 OVERTONVILLAGE@CROWNEAPARTMENTS.COM

Karam’s

Hummus recipe

715 18th St. No. Birmingham (205) 538.5084 order.online

Cooked chickpeas: Soak them ahead of time and let them boil until they become soft and creamy.

CONTACT US

5050 CAHABA RIVER ROAD BIRMINGHAM, AL 35243 205.203.4606 CAHABARIVER@CROWNEAPARTMENTS.COM

Mix in 1/3 cup of Tahini sauce Extra-virgin olive oil: Blend two tablespoons of olive oil into the dip and serve it with an extra drizzle on top.

Add fresh-squeezed lemon juice.

Add two roasted garlic cloves for a carmelized taste.

Five tablespoons of water to give it a delectable light, fluffy texture ½ teaspoon sea salt Blend everything well and serve.

Kaman’s

By Lee J. Green Owners of Birmingham’s first 100 percent halal restaurant, whose head chef also worked in Israel, said they have a fondness for the foods found in the Middle East and kinship to those who keep kosher.

“Visiting Israel was the first time I had been outside of America and it was such a blessed opportunity,” said Karam’s Restaurant co-owner Abrahim Alshoja. “I really loved learning about the culture and the people.

The food was really amazing and you could really taste the quality in the kosher.”

Alshoja is from Memphis and after graduating in 2017, he came to Birmingham to help his cousin Anwar Omar with some of his businesses.

Other family members worked at a halal restaurant in Memphis called Casablanca, so they got together with Alshoja’s brother, Saber, and chef Mohammed Aflawair, who worked in Israel for a few years, to plan Birmingham’s first halal restaurant. They opened Karam’s on Jan. 17 at 715 18th Street North, across from the Alabama Power headquarters.

“We knew we wanted to be in downtown Birmingham and a part of the diverse food scene going on here,” said Alshoja. “We also wanted to have the finest quality food we loved from the countries (we and our families) came from,” including Jordan, Morocco, Yemen, Egypt and even the United States.

So while the menu contains Mediterranean dishes including shawarma, baba ghanoush (roasted eggplant), falafel, hummus, Moroccan soup, spanakopita, Greek salad, kabobs and gyros, it also includes grilled continued on page 45 44

March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

community >> Rear Pew

continued from page 46

On St. Purim’s Day, during the chanting of the Book of Esther, not only is Haman’s name drowned out by noise, everything in the neighborhood is drowned out by the annual parade for St. Patrick.

St. Purim’s Day can seem overwhelming for some. However, once one recovers from the double hangover caused by the double mitzvah of double drinking on St. Purim’s Day, there is still nearly a month before everyone’s together again, this time breaking matzah and painting Seder Eggs on this year’s next non-annual crossover: Passover Sunday.

Doug Brook’s culinary skills would make producing green Hamentaschen easy, but that’s the basis of CDC restrictions in his kitchen and not specific to St Purim’s Day. For almost several more laughs, listen to the five-star rated Rear Pew Mirror podcast at anchor.fm/rearpewmirror or on any major podcast platform. For exclusive online content, follow facebook.com/ rearpewmirror. For past columns, visit http://rearpewmirror.com/.

Movie Night

About 80 attended an outdoor Jewish Family Movie Night at the Levite Jewish Community Center on March 5, for the screening of “An American Tail.” Community Engagement Director Katie Hausman Grace and junior board member Eli Foree led the group in Havdalah before the screening.

>> Kaman’s

continued from page 44

salmon, hamburgers and chicken strips.

“It is our hope to introduce people to some foods that might be new to them and educate them as well as offer some items that are staples of American cuisine.”

Halal is an Arabic word meaning “permissible.” Products receiving this certification must be from an acceptable source such as cow or chicken, and be humanely slaughtered according to Islamic law. Pork, as in kosher law, is not deemed permissible.

Karam’s opens Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. They do dine-in, carry-out and delivery with Door Dash. Alshoja said they hope to expand into doing more catering and expanding the menu.

“We’ve been very pleased with the response thus far and we’ll continue to build upon that,” he said. “Birmingham has really embraced us and we have such an outstanding food scene here.”

The Latest News… www.sjlmag.com March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life

45

rear pew mirror • doug brook

St. Purim’s Day

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R

In the latest sign of divine “everyone better start getting along, don’t make me come down there,” this March 17 brings a crossover holiday so rare that nary a mention has been found in the Talmud, nor come out of the Vatican.

Granted, Purim and St. Patrick’s Day combined still represent only part of the world’s populace, but everyone learning how to get along (again?) has to start somewhere. As Nick Saban would probably not bother telling you, there’s no such thing as a 20-point touchdown.

Purim and St. Patrick’s Day are an unexpectedly well-aligned merger, more so than many institutional conglomerates. So, for anyone who can’t tell their Mordechai from Mardi Gras, on St. Purim’s Day there’s no need to. St. Purim’s Day brings together the best of both bashes, into a mega-festival that could shut down many bars and liquor stores due to running out of inventory.

A rabbi in the Talmud, Rava, famously said that on Purim one’s supposed to drink until they can no longer tell the difference between Mordechai (the good guy) and Haman (the bad guy). Unlike contemporary society where people’s inability to tell the difference between who’s good and bad leads many to drink.

Similar to Rava’s ruling, St. Patrick’s Day is a one-day break from Lent’s restriction on alcohol, letting observers drink as if they’re only partway through foregoing it for 40 days and 40 nights. (Because they are.)

Why all the celebrating? St. Purim’s Day celebrates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland along with the not killing of all the Jews in Persia. Specifically, it honors both the day St. Patrick died and the day after Haman’s plot to wipe out the Jews in Persia was itself wiped out. Both events happened in the fifth century – C.E. and B.C.E., respectively.

St. Purim’s Day owes much to Roman roots. St. Patrick was Romano-British. The onset of costumes and Baking green general masquerade on Purim is often connected to Carnival — a pre-Lent hamantaschen occurrence which started in Rome and through more of Europe. Bead as two drinking spread collectors today might recognize this holidays collide tradition in one of its modern manifestations: Mardi Gras.

Speaking of costumes, on all other Purim nights people wear all manner of costumes and masks. But on St. Purim’s Day night, people wear masquerade attire in various shades of green.

St Purim’s Day features three-cornered Hamantaschen which are made green, and such that the corners appear to be the shape of clover leaves.

It’s said that Queen Esther was a vegetarian while in the king’s palace, so she could keep kosher while there, and so some eat a vegetarian diet this one time each year in her honor. March 17 is the one day during Lent where eating meat is allowed, to whatever extent people abstained from it for Lent.

So, regarding St. Purim’s Day, Rav Shrodinger says that one should both abstain from eating meat and, at the same time, indulge in eating meat.

St. Purim’s Day has two primary symbols based on the number three.

The shamrock has three leaves, and Hamantaschen has three corners. A shamrock is often worn in one’s hat, and Hamantaschen is an homage to the notoriously unfashionable hat worn by Haman. Contrary to popular rumor, which originated later in this sentence, St. Purim’s Day is not a day for eating shamrocks or wearing Hamantaschen. continued on previous page

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March 2022 • Southern Jewish Life