Southern Jewish Life
July 2016
Volume 26 Issue 7
Southern Jewish Life P.O. Box 130052 Birmingham, AL 35213 “Welcome Jerusalem” by Yaakov Agam, from the private collection of Pauline Witt, part of an Agam exhibit currently at AEIVA in Birmingham
shalom y’all shalom y’all y’all shalom
Cover Image: Courtesy Haspel
When I was a student, I often would get to lead the tour and question-and-answer session for visiting church groups at my synagogue. One of my favorite questions to ask them went like this: Birmingham is a metro area of about 1 million, how many Jews do you think there are here? Occasionally someone got it right, but the most common answer was around 25,000, with some guesses at 50,000 and above. In this issue, we have a piece on the latest survey of Jewish population in the U.S., and how it used older numbers for Birmingham and New Orleans — both communities now have larger population figures, but still well below the perception. The Deep South edition of this issue also has a piece on the new Jewish community study results in Birmingham; New Orleans edition readers can find it on our website. Conversely, over the last couple of weeks, we attended the closing of the synagogues in Pine Bluff and McGehee, Ark, as Jewish population shifts continue to the larger communities and away from the smaller towns, with college towns and the Gulf Coast being notable exceptions. Of course, the big gorilla in the South is Atlanta, with roughly 120,000 Jews. And then there is South Florida, which doesn’t really count, as once you pass Gainesville, you’re back up north. The Deep South is a region where every person in the Jewish community counts. Whether the community is several thousand or in the single digits, there are lots of stories to tell, and we will continue to serve all of the communities of the Deep South. We’ve been working on a bunch of stories this summer, and will share them with y’all Larry Brook over the next several issues. EDITOR/PUBLISHER EDITOR@SJLMAG.COM
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www.elementsfloatspa.com 4 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
July 2016
agenda interesting bits & can’t miss events
What’s more Southern in the summer than this? Participants in the Institute of Southern Jewish Life’s annual Education Conference in Jackson observed Seersucker Monday on June 27. There were over 150 in attendance, representing 64 congregations in the 13-state region.
Just how many Jews are there in the Deep South? Annual listing has Birmingham, New Orleans under-represented Next year will show changes to the American Jewish Yearbook’s listing of Jewish population in the United States, at least in reference to a couple of Southern communities. The 2015 listing, which was recently released, has a 2011 figure for Birmingham as having 5,200 Jews, and a 2009 post-Katrina New Orleans figure of 7,800. After the listing came out, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans contacted Ira Sheskin, director of the Jewish Demography Project and professor of geography and regional studies at the University of Miami, to give an updated figure. According to Federation Executive Director Michael Weil, the affiliated Jewish population in Greater New Orleans is 11,000. Adding non-Jewish members of Jewish households brings a reach of 14,000 individuals. In Birmingham, a community study that was just released estimates the community’s size at an all-time high of 6,300. In the rest of Alabama, Mobile and Montgomery are listed with a 2014 figure of 1,100 Jews each. Huntsville has an estimated 750 Jews, and Dothan and Tuscaloosa have 200 each. Other communities, such as Florence, Anniston, Auburn and Selma have a total of 250.
The 200 in Dothan is a change from 15 years ago, when the community was de-listed for having fewer than 100 Jews, a move that was not received well in the Wiregrass. Since then, Blumberg Family Jewish Community Services of Dothan embarked on an incentive plan to attract Jewish families to the area, resulting in over a dozen families moving there. The statewide total for Alabama is listed as 8,800, but the revised Birmingham figure brings it to 9,900. That change is significant, because this year’s list compares population figures with 1971’s listings. Using the 8,800 figure, Alabama’s Jewish population shrank from 9,140 in 1971. The new estimate means the state’s Jewish population grew in that time span. Only Pensacola is listed in the Florida panhandle, with a 2015 estimate of 800 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The Fort Walton Beach and Destin areas have a community with a Reform congregation and a Chabad, and the Panama City area also has a Reform and an Orthodox congregation. As a whole, Florida’s Jewish population has grown 150 percent since 1971, to 651,510. In Louisiana, the yearbook lists Baton Rouge
as having 1,600 Jews, 450 in the Shreveport area, 200 each in Lafayette and Lake Charles, 175 in Alexandria and 150 in the Monroe-Ruston area. Another 100 are scattered elsewhere in the state, for a total of 10,675. Using 11,000 as the New Orleans figure, the Louisiana population grows to 13,875. That is still well below the 1971 figure of 16,115. In Mississippi, Jackson is listed as the largest community, with 650. The Biloxi-Gulfport area has 250, Hattiesburg has 130 and Greenville has 120. Another 425 are in communities like Clarksdale, Oxford, Meridian, Columbus, Tupelo, Vicksburg and Natchez, totaling 1,575 for the state. In 1971, Mississippi had 4,125 Jews, meaning the community has shrunk by almost 62 percent. The bulk of Arkansas’ Jewish community is in Little Rock, with 1,100. Another 175 are in Fayetteville, 150 in Hot Springs and 100 in Bentonville. The rest of the state has an estimated 200 Jews, for a total of 1,725. The 1971 figure is 3,030, for a 43 percent decrease. The Atlanta area has about 120,000 Jews, while Memphis has 8,000 and Nashville has 7,800. In 1971, the entire state of Georgia had just 25,650 Jews. July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 5
6 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
agenda
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Florence rabbi doing online weekday services Rabbi Nancy Tunick of Nashville, who serves Temple B’nai Israel in Florence, is now doing online Ma’ariv services through the Sim Shalom online Jewish Universalist synagogue. Tunick is a founding rabbi for the Union of Jewish Universalist Congregations, a movement that also includes Rabbi Judy Ginsburgh of Alexandria. She will be one of four rabbis leading the online services, on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Central time. Other services are held Monday to Friday, and 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays. A live chat feature allows participants to type in the name of those in need of healing, while singing the Mi Shebeirah prayer, as well as names for the Mourner’s Kaddish and Yahrzeits. The services can be accessed at simshalom.com.
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Wasserman new Panama City rabbi Rabbi Alana Wasserman will be the new visiting rabbi for B’nai Israel in Panama City. A New Jersey native, Wasserman grew up in Texas and was ordained at Hebrew Union College in 2004. She led a congregation in New Jersey, and married Rabbi Jeremy Master, who she met in Israel during her rabbinic education. In 2009, he became rabbi of Temple Shalom Israel in Greenville, where they currently reside. Wasserman will lead High Holy Day services and then visit Panama City monthly, leading services and classes, Havdalah on the Beach, and visiting home-bound members.
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Rabbi Yochanan Rivkin to lead Anshe Sfard Polsky farewell event on July 17 Rabbi Yochanan Rivkin, director of Chabad at Tulane, will be the interim rabbi this coming year at Anshe Sfard in New Orleans. The congregation will say farewell to Rabbi David Polsky, who has led the congregation for the past five years, with a Mardi Gras-style luncheon on July 17 at Anshe Sfard, featuring some of Polsky’s favorite dishes. The event will include roast-style tributes to Polsky. Sponsorship levels for the noon luncheon are $72 for the Kosher Krewe, $36 for ages 18 to 35 and $18 for ages 4 to 18. For additional event tickets and half-page spaces in the tribute book, Krewe de Mench is $360, Krewe de Shabbos Queen is $720 and the Krewe de Machur is $1,018 and includes a year’s membership. Reservations are requested by July 8. The Polsky family is moving to Southfield, Mich.
Foundation Executive Director The Temple Beth-El Foundation in Birmingham is currently seeking qualified applicants for the part-time position of Executive Director. The candidate must be experienced in fund development and proficient in Microsoft Office/QuickBooks, Excel and Word. Responsibilities include identifying, engaging and soliciting new prospects; promoting the Foundation to the congregation and the community at large; providing stewardship to honor and recognize Foundation Donors; providing financial oversight for Foundation assets; and providing management and oversight to the Foundation Board. Please submit your resume to Arlene Fisher, afisher185@gmail.com, Search Committee Chair.
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The Cohn Early Childhood Learning Center at the Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham will be having a big wheel race at Cahaba Brewery to raise funds for the ECLC’s Healthy Lifestyle Initiative. While this is a family friendly event, all racers must be adults. Prizes will be awarded to the winners of the race. Each team will be provided a big wheel and will be able to take it home and decorate it however they would like. On Aug. 7 at 2 p.m., the teams will bring their big wheel to Cahaba Brewery and compete. Teams will not be allowed to replace any parts of the big wheel and all three wheels must be on the ground when crossing the finish line. Teams may decorate the big wheel in any manner, including a theme or business, and dressing up is always encouraged. T-shirt sponsors are $500, Big Wheel teams are $150 and a limited number of racer slots are $50. To participate, contact Beth Lovett or Stephanie Salvago at the LJCC. Students from Operation Understanding Philadelphia will be hosted by Beth Israel in Jackson from July 21 to 23. The 16 rising high school seniors are a mix of Jewish and African-American students, touring sites significant to both groups through the South every summer. The Jackson congregation provides home hospitality, and they will be at Shabbat services on July 22. Temple B’nai Israel in Florence will host an event during the annual W.C. Handy Festival. “Ten Gallon Yarmulke” will feature Rabbi Nancy Tunick and her husband, Scott Whitehead, on July 23, with the exact time to be announced.
L’Shanah Tovah
The Mobile Trialogue: Muslims, Christians and Jews Together will have its next discussion on July 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Springhill Avenue Temple. The topic is “Current Perceptions of Women in Religion.” Admission is free and open to the community. Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El will have a Suds and Schmooze event to welcome Rabbi Barry Leff, July 24 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Company. Pizza and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided, and the event will be child and pet friendly. Leff will be Beth-El’s interim rabbi for the coming year. The North Louisiana Jewish Federation will hold Camp Chai at B’nai Zion in Shreveport, July 18 to 29 for children in K3 to sixth grade. Applications are available at both local congregations and the Federation office. Christians United For Israel will have a Night to Honor Israel at Woodmont Bible Church in Nashville, July 14 at 7 p.m. Keynote speaker will be CUFI Outreach Coordinator Kasim Hafeez, a Pakistani who embraced radical Islam as a teen but was turned around by Alan Dershowitz’s book, “The Case for Israel.” CUFI Central Regional Coordinator Pastor Lyndon Allen will also speak. The event is free but preregistration is requested. The North Louisiana Jewish Federation will have its annual meeting on July 26 at 6 p.m. at B’nai Zion in Shreveport. Light refreshments will be available. The Huntsville Community Chorus Association is presenting “Fiddler on the Roof,” July 29 to Aug. 6, with community members Jeff Lapidus as Tevye, Paul Kunitz as Lazar Wolf and Gabi Lapidus as Shandel. A block of tickets has been reserved for Temple B’nai Sholom for the 2 p.m. performance on July 31. Contact Pam Rhodes to be part of the group. The next Nite on the Town for Temple Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach will be on July 30 at La Famiglia at Harborwalk in Destin, starting at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are requested by July 28.
8 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
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Bigger numbers for Birmingham Study shows larger community, high levels of involvement, strategies for future After a couple decades of figuring that Birmingham’s Jewish community numbered around 5,300, a newly-released study estimates the area’s Jewish population at 6,300, with 2,600 Jewish households. A Jewish household was defined as any household where at least one adult identifies as Jewish. In 2014, Birmingham’s Jewish agencies and congregations started the process that led to the study, developing a combined file of household information from all organizations, and the survey itself. The file was completed in October 2015, and the survey took place in November and December 2015. Results were released to the public in late June. Aside from the population figure, the study came up with numerous surprises. While it is often assumed that a large proportion of people in the Birmingham Jewish community are natives, the study found that only 21 percent of the households are headed by a lifelong Birmingham resident, and another 18 percent are from other parts of the state. Seven percent of Birmingham’s Jews were born outside the United States. Of the 54 percent born in the United States but outside Alabama, 36 percent have been in Birmingham fewer than 10 years. There were three clear divisions in responses by age, but in most cases it was the oldest and youngest respondents — ages 50 and above, and ages 20 to 39 — that demonstrated the highest levels of Jewish involvement, with lower levels among ages 40 to 49. Three-fourths of those surveyed are married or partnered, with 66 percent having a Jewish spouse or partner, 19 percent married or partnered to a Christian, and 12 percent to someone who is non-religious. In households with children, 79 percent are being raised Jewish and 10 percent are raised part-Jewish and part-other. Eighty-six percent receive some formal Jewish education, though just 16 percent are in the Jewish Day School. It is estimated that 74 percent of Birmingham Jewish households have a synagogue or temple membership, with 40 percent attending services at least once a month. The study showed that 90 percent of the community can be found in 14 zip codes, almost entirely Over the Mountain. Over half continue to reside in three zip codes that have been home to the bulk of the community for decades — the Mountain Brook zip codes of 35223 and 35213, labeled “Birmingham’s Jewish Legacy” in the study, and 35243. The next highest figure is further out Highway 280, in zip code 35242, “Transplants with Jewish Heritage.” That is followed by areas of Birmingham’s Southside, “Young Jewish Adults,” and Irondale and Homewood. The Vestavia and Hoover areas are listed as “Next Generation Jewish Families,” including the 35243 zip code that includes parts of Mountain Brook and Vestavia. Eighty-nine percent of those who identify as Jewish consider themselves Jewish religiously, 5 percent say they are non-religious. Three percent say they are Jewish and another religion, 3 percent say they are another religion. Five percent say they converted to Judaism. Ninety-six percent said they are proud to be Jewish, and 88 percent have a strong sense of belonging to the Jewish people. Affiliation with Jewish organizations and having Jewish friends were important to 78 percent, but just 24 percent say it is important to live in a Jewish neighborhood, and 17 percent keep some level of kashrut in their homes. Attachment to Israel is high in Birmingham, with 85 percent saying they are very or somewhat emotionally attached to Israel. Two-thirds of Birmingham Jews have been to Israel or were born there, with 8 percent having visited more than 10 times.
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community In a question clearly aimed at assessing community social priorities, the most pressing needs were counseling for a family member and help with mental illness in the home or family. Major future needs are in-home care for an aging family member and a long-term residential setting for a family member. Six percent are primary caregivers for someone else in the community, while 2 percent are primary caregivers for someone outside the Birmingham area. Compared to the 2013 Pew Study of Jewish Americans, Birmingham Jews are more likely to identify being Jewish by religion, “consistent with higher levels of religious identity in the South,” much more likely to have a graduate-level degree, live in the suburbs and have an attachment to Israel. Birmingham Jews are less intermarried than the national average — 34 percent, versus 44 percent nationally, but slightly less likely to be raising children as Jewish. Synagogue affiliation in Birmingham is twice the national average, and affiliation with other Jewish organizations is four times the national average. Freeform responses included frustration by newcomers on an inability to penetrate what is seen as a tight-knit, “cliquish” community, and a perception of preference given to heavy-hitters in the community. Competition among institutions for scarce resources, “turf wars” and questions of institutional ability to adapt to rapid change in the Jewish world also were raised. Collaborative Jewish learning opportunities were urged. The entire study can be viewed online at jewishbirminghamstudy.com.
Tulane is Top 10 in Jewish enrollment Florida tops in U.S. with 6,500 Jewish undergraduates Which university in the United States has the largest Jewish student population? According to the latest Hillel International College Guide, it’s not up north — it’s the University of Florida, with 6,500 Jewish undergraduates, 19 percent of total enrollment. Rutgers comes in second among public universities, with 6,400 students, while Central Florida counts 6,000. Also in the 2016 Top 60 rankings are the University of Texas, with 3500, Florida State University, with 3,220, and the University of Georgia, with 1,400. Among private schools, New York University has 6,000 Jewish undergraduates. Tulane ranks eighth, with 2,250 Jewish undergraduates. Emory has 1,300 and Vanderbilt has 1,050. While public universities need at least 1,080 Jewish students to make the Top 60, private universities need only 350 to make the list. By percentage of undergraduate enrollment that is Jewish, Tulane ranks 15th, with 27 percent of the student body being Jewish. Florida is 34th with 19 percent, Emory is 41st with 17 percent and Vanderbilt is 47th with 15 percent. Hillel lists the University of Alabama as having 600 Jewish undergraduates, and Auburn with 100. Figures were not given for Ole Miss or Mississippi State, both of which have Hillels. Louisiana State University is listed as having 350 Jewish undergraduates.
CJFS food pantry needs summer stock Birmingham’s Collat Jewish Family Services states that the summer slowdown has hit the CJFS Food Pantry. Especially needed are high-protein items such as canned tuna, salmon or chicken; canned (not dried) beans, peanut butter and soup, but all shelf-stable foods are welcome. Taking advantage of sale items is a great way to extend the mitzvah. The CJFS Food Donation Box is in the Levite Jewish Community Center lobby, and the food pantry is at the CJFS office. To help, contact Jennifer Nemet at jennife@cjfsbham.org or (205) 879-3438. 10 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 11
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community Southern Jewish History group will visit Natchez for 300th birthday This year, Natchez is celebrating its 300th birthday, and as part of the celebration the Southern Jewish Historical Society will hold its annual convention in Natchez, “Jews in the Southern Hinterland.” The conference will be Nov. 4 to 6, starting in Jackson with an optional tour to Vicksburg and Port Gibson. A tour bus will leave Jackson at 9 a.m. for Anshe Chesed and the Jewish cemetery in Vicksburg, followed by lunch at the B’nai B’rith Literary Club building. The group will then head to Natchez, stopping in Port Gibson to visit the historic Moorish-style Gemiluth Chassed building. A non-touring bus will leave the Jackson airport for Natchez at 1 p.m. At 3:15 p.m., there will be a welcome event at Temple B’nai Israel in Natchez, with a history of the community given by Teri Tillman and Jennifer Stollman. After dinner at Rolling River Bistro, there will be Shabbat services at B’nai Israel, led by Rabbi Jeremy Simons of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Robin Amer will give the keynote address, “Growing Up with the Last Jews of Natchez.” There will be a series of panel discussions on Nov. 5, starting with “Standing on Ceremony: Jews and Gentiles in the South.” “Acts of God: Responding to Epidemics and Disasters in Southern Jewish Communities” will discuss Yellow Fever, the flooding of Bayou Sara, La., and Marlene Trestman’s research on the children who lived at the New Orleans Jewish Orphans Home from 1856 to 1946. Lunch will be at Carriage Hall, with Steve Whitfield speaking on “Jews Against the Ku Klux Klan,” with an introduction by Macy Hart. The afternoon discussion will be on “Family History and Jews in the South.” After a membership meeting, there will be optional Natchez tours, including a Jewish Natchez tour with Tillman and Mimi Miller, visiting the Jewish cemetery, Under the Bluff, and historic homes that used to belong to Jewish merchants. Other tours include the William Johnson House, Grady Photography Collection at First Presbyterian Church, Longwood Home and Melrose Plantation. On Nov. 6, the opening discussion will be “Southern Synagogues and the Gentile World,” followed by “Diaries and Memoirs from the Jewish South” moderated by Dale Rosengarten and Adam Meyer. The buses will depart for Jackson at 12:30 p.m. Accommodations are available on Nov. 3 at the Hilton Jackson, and during the conference at the Natchez Grand Hotel. Registration information is available at jewishsouth.org.
A Jewish music event was held in February at B’nai Israel in Natchez 12 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
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On May 5, the Bais Ariel Chabad Center in Birmingham celebrated the end of the school year by honoring teen volunteers from the Friendship Circle. The Friendship Circle is an organization that began with Chabad in Detroit in 1994, to bring friendship to youth who needed friends — those with special needs or socialization issues. The Birmingham circle began in the summer of 2013. The main part of Friendship Circle is Friends at Home, where pairs of teen volunteers visit children where they are most comfortable, their homes. They can go on excursions if they like, and there are occasional group programs. Many in the community have expressed surprise that there are so many special-needs children in the Jewish community, but the demand exists. Seth Cohen said “to be a part of this special organization and have the experiences I’ve had has been priceless.” Elijah Thompson said being a volunteer “implies this is some work someone has to do… what I do for Friendship Circle is just having fun.” A video presentation about the program stated it builds “the kind of friends who really care about each other” rather than those who are just trying to impress each other. Rabbi Yossi Posner told the teens they have “done a phenomenal job here.” He said they were “very special boys and girls who give of their time to reach out and do something that is so worthy.” Posner said the teens demonstrated the concept of making time count, and “changing the world one mitzvah at a time. “Because of your involvement in Friendship Circle, you have brightened the day of another person, but you have also brightened your day.” Derrick Tennent, guest performer at the dinner, showed that “where there’s negatives, there’s always positives,” and urged the teens to always look on “the right side.” That’s because his left side is paralyzed — he was in a wheelchair for two years He also spoke glowingly of his sister, Julie, who was in a video presentation toward the end of his remarks. She has Down Syndrome, and with it an infectious positive demeanor. They have a website, thelovechromosome.com, to spread that positive outlook. Levi Weinbaum, who coordinates Friendship Circle Alabama, noted that the event was held at the end of Holocaust Memorial Day this year. He said the evening was a celebration “of the exact opposite of the Holocaust,” as the Nazis tried to exterminate those who were different. “Within a short time,” he said, the participating teens in the Circle “understood the true meaning of friendship.” Weinbaum thanked Levite Jewish Community Center Executive Director Betzy Lynch and Katie Hausman of Community Youth Group for integrating Friendship Circle into CYG, and the J-Serve volunteer day in March.
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July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 13
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For the 8th annual Hands Up Together celebration on May 9, Birmingham’s Collat Jewish Family Services hit a milestone — the eight events topped a cumulative $1 million, with over $170,000 raised for the 2016 event. Candy and Ed Meyerson, who each served as president of the social service agency “during transformational periods in our history,” were the honorees. Their daughters, Laura Gillett, Stephanie Warshal and Julie Winner, spoke about their parents’ dedication to the agency, recalling the early 1990s when they picked up a family at the airport, newly-arrived from the former Soviet Union, to start a new life in Alabama. Candy Meyerson was president when the agency gained the name Collat. She said “the piece of CJFS over the last 16 months that has stolen my heart is CARES,” the CJFS program for those with Alzheimer’s, dementia or Parkinson’s disease. “CARES nurtures the souls of volunteers and participants” through four hours of exercises, cognitive enrichment “and joy.” Ed Meyerson is part of a new campaign cabinet for CJFS, for the Min HaLev endowment “in anticipation of an expected surge in the elderly population in our community,” to ensure the established programs at CJFS have the staff and capacity that will be needed in coming years. Nancy Hornsby, CJFS volunteer of the year, presented “a taste of CARES.” She said someone just dropping in “might not be able to tell who is a volunteer and who is a participant.” Noting that music is an important component of the CARES experience, she said “for me, it’s the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard.” Lauren Schwartz, CJFS executive director, said the population of older adults will increase by 50 percent in the next 20 years. “Everyone, regardless of age, religion or income, is made in the image of God, and deserves to have someone care about them,” she said. Donors to CJFS “broaden our reach and change lives.” Broadway performer Christine Pedi, currently in “NEWSical the Musical,” was guest artist for the evening.
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14 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
The daughters of Candy and Ed Meyerson present the tribute at Collat Jewish Family Services’ Hands Up Together on May 9.
Preschool opening at B’nai Sholom Enrollment is open for the new Pardes Preschool at Temple B’nai Sholom in Huntsville. There will be Monday and Wednesday classes for ages 18 months to 30 months, and classes the other three weekdays for 30 months to 4-1/2 years. Classes begin on Aug. 10.
Photos by Karim Shamsi-Basha
The complex weave of Jerusalem: A single view contains a mosque, a church and Israeli flags
A Former-Muslim Arab Visits Israel
Syria native reconciles two opposing sets of feelings The History: The year was 1979. The place was Damascus, Syria. I was a 14-year-old Muslim boy growing up in a country that had been at odds with Israel since earth formed that sliver of a land. On the anniversary of the 1973 war, the government would celebrate the “victory” over Israel, the one when Syria lost the Golan Heights. I vividly remember having to march the streets and shout, “Long live Hafez Assad,” and “Freedom, Unity, Socialism,” and “Death Karim Shamsi-Basha is to Israel,” and “Death to the Jews.” My lips moved, but my heart wondered why an award-winning writer and photographer in I wanted an entire country, or people, dead. Birmingham I asked my father, who was a progressive and loving writer and a poet. He said just to move my lips, but my heart should resist wishing ill on people, no matter what, or who, they were. I immigrated to the United States in 1984, and became an American citizen who loves freedom and appreciates the high virtues this country aspires to. And while I converted to Christianity in 1996, I respect all faiths and adhere the idea that what matters is how you treat your fellow human beings, not the label you wear.
July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 15
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My Journey:
What I saw:
I met Michael Duvdevani at a coffee shop in Birmingham. When I asked where he was from, he replied, “Israel, where are you from?” “Syria,” I said. Two walls of hatred, blood, loss, and other negatives should have risen, but they didn’t. We shared stories and laughed and accepted each other’s difference. We became best of friends. Then he invited me to go home with him. Since becoming a Christian, I have dreamed of visiting the country where all three monotheistic faiths meet. Where Jesus walked. Where Arab and Jew wrestle with differences. And where beauty of the land beckons thousandyear-old olive trees and seas that are dead and seas that are alive. Upon landing, I was immediately struck by the smell of earth, of wind, and of water. The smell I remembered growing up with in Syria. We drove the two hours to the Moshav where Michael’s parents live, a mile away from Gaza. The first thing they showed me was the bomb shelter. Over the next 10 days, I visited Jerusalem, Haifa, Caesarea, the Dead Sea, the Golan Heights, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, and Tel Aviv. As a journalist for the past 30 years, I have been to nearly 40 countries. I can say without hesitation that Israel was the pinnacle of my world surfing. Not only did the beauty of the land strike me, but also the people, the honest smiles, and the genuine welcome. I experienced no animosity, no hatred and no prejudice; just plenty of understanding… and shock. Shock of how similar we are — Arabs and Jews. We both wave our arms when we speak. We both feel too much. We both love Hummus. And we both protect our families and loved ones incessantly. Both of us spend way too much time eating, smoking Argheela, listening to music, arguing over politics — loudly, criticizing each other, and telling each other how to make certain dishes better. We both love to tell others what to do, and how to do it. We are connected to our land, and that is where the problem lies. Both of us want that entire sliver of land. What puzzles me is this: Why can’t we both live on it peacefully? Like many other countries with different ethnicities sharing resources — The United States, Canada, Mexico, and most countries on this planet. Why do Arabs and Israelis have to fight?
In Jerusalem, I visited the Garden of Gethsemane, the Church of the Sepulcher, and Stations of the Cross. Being a convert to the Christian faith, I had tingles in my heart laying my hands on the tomb. I know Jews do not believe the same, but that is the beauty of this earth we share. Our differences create our attraction to one another, at least they should. One day and while walking the streets of the Old City aimlessly, I found myself at the Western Wall. I took pictures of Jewish worshipers and the dedication and respect exemplified at this monument. It didn’t dawn on me till later that I had the Arabic Kafia around my neck, a traditional Palestinian piece of clothing. No one said a word. Everyone smiled. From atop the Golan Heights, I called my sister who still lives in Damascus, two hours away. I said, “Guess where I am?” She said, “I know where you are.” I looked at Syria, the country of my birth. The country I cannot visit currently because of the civil war. I cried, and felt my heart leap over the fence towards the land I played marbles in, and the land I had my first crush in. The land where I laid on the grass barefoot and looked at these wide heavens one night wondering what it all meant. Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel in 1967 and 1973. Trying to reconcile the feelings I grew up with with what I feel now proved tough. Some of my best friends are Jewish and Israeli. In Nazareth, visiting the Church of Annunciation, where Gabriel appeared to Mary, was moving. I also saw Capernaum, where he walked as a young boy and worked as a carpenter, and the site where he multiplied the loaves and the fish. Then it dawned on me. Jesus never called himself Christian. He just loved people. What if our religion was just “love”? No labels, no differences, no hatred, no killing, no conflict, just love. From this day on, my religion is love… (Part 2 will be in the August issue)
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The New Orleans Section of the National Council of Jewish Women applauded the June 27 U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down a Texas law that was “designed to close abortion clinics” and spoke of its ramifications for Louisiana. In Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the 5-3 ruling struck down a provision that required all abortion providers to obtain local hospital admitting privileges. A similar law was passed in Louisiana in 2014, but it was blocked by a federal judge. In late February, the Fifth Circuit granted an emergency request by Louisiana’s Attorney General to overrule the lower court, allowing the law to take effect, and leaving only two clinics open, each with only one provider meeting the requirements. The same week in March that it heard oral arguments in the Texas case, the Supreme Court stepped in to block Louisiana’s law, allowing clinics to reopen. The Louisiana admitting privileges law remains enjoined as a result of the Supreme Court’s action, but the parties will need to brief and argue the merits of the case to the Fifth Circuit Court as the facts in the Louisiana case are unique, but Section leaders are hopeful the ruling will lead to Louisiana’s law being overturned. “The Supreme Court strongly affirmed that a woman deserves compassion, respect, and dignity in making her own health decisions without barriers imposed by politicians with a religious agenda,” stated Michelle Erenberg, Louisiana Policy Advocate for NCJW. “The ruling is an important first step in dismantling medically unnecessary laws designed to make it harder for women end a pregnancy, but Louisiana’s lawmakers are likely to continue to promote policies that assert one religious point of view over the right of women to make their health decisions based on her own faith and in consultation with her doctor.” The Louisiana legislature passed several new laws this session that will affect abortion access, from tripling the state-imposed waiting period to banning the most common and safest second-trimester procedure. Reproductive rights advocates testified that these laws were likely to face costly court challenges, but, even with the state budget crisis, legislators were not deterred. “NCJW, in New Orleans and across the country advocates for the well being of women, children and families. Our advocacy includes ensuring women have access to reproductive health care, including the ability to access a safe and legal abortion. The Supreme Court ruling is a landmark decision for women in Texas, Louisiana and across the nation,” said Susan Kierr, president of the NCJW Greater New Orleans Section.
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Archbishop Thomas Rodi, pictured here with Rabbi Dana Kaplan, spoke about the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, at the June 17 Shabbat service at Springhill Avenue Temple, Mobile
women’s health an annual SJL special section
Hadassah backs medical testing gender equity act by Lee J. Green Hadassah wants all women to have GEMs as it pushes for Gender Equity in Medical Research and access to preventative health. The women’s Zionist organization of America created the GEM Initiative to help ensure that medical research benefits women and men equally. Hadassah continues to advocate for policy changes at the Food and Drug Administration as well as the National Institute of Health to ensure that more females are included in medical research — from the most basic, cellular-level studies to late-stage clinic trials — and that all the data is reported. Hadassah supports the Research for All Act, sponsored by Reps. Jim Cooper D-Tenn.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.). This legislation, introduced on April 29, would require NIH-funded medical research to include adequate levels of female test subjects and to analyze the results of those studies on female biology. The act would also expedite access for drugs that better treat women than other currently available medical treatments. “We need to unite together as Hadassah members, chapters and those who support this to encourage our representatives to vote yes on this,” said Sherrie Grunfeld of Birmingham, who is in charge of PRAZE (Programming, Advocacy, Zionism, Education) for Hadassah Southern. Heart disease has for many years been the number one killer of women, but only one-third of research subjects are women. “Not only do women have unique symptoms and other healthcare needs, but we also react to diseases and process certain drugs differently,” said Grunfeld, a retired nurse. Women react differently than men to antihistamines, blood pressure drugs, anesthesia, aspirin, sleep aids, anti-psychotics and cholesterol-lowering drugs. In 2015 it was discovered that the official recommended dose of the sleep aid Ambien, for example, was actually twice the amount women need because women metabolize that drug differently than men. Prior to the Affordable Care Act, many women’s health services were not covered by insurance or included high co-pays and deductibles. Before ACA, 92 percent of health insurances had different prices for women and men. Recognizing that the health needs of women are different than the health needs of men, the ACA requires private health insurance to cover a range of essential preventive services at no additional cost, including mammograms, blood pressure and cholesterol screenings along with well-women visits. Grunfeld said she encourages those who are not members to join Hadassah, and for members to take action in seeing that important initiatives benefiting women’s health are passed. She can be contacted at SSDGrun@ aol.com.
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July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 19
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women’s health
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Breast imaging technology has become more refined, allowing many breast abnormalities and cancers to be detected before they can be felt with a physical exam. While this allows identification of problems earlier than ever, it also makes the affected tissue more challenging to precisely locate and remove. Touro Infirmary in New Orleans is the first hospital in the Gulf South region to offer Radioactive Seed Localization breast surgery. The program, spearheaded by Dr. John Colfry, Breast Surgical Oncologist, and Dr. Daniel Rupley, Radiologist, allows the radiologist and surgeon to very accurately target lesions in the breast. Colfry and Rupley completed a training course for Radioactive Seed Localization at MD Anderson Cancer Center and are excited to bring this new surgical technique to patients in Louisiana. Radioactive Seed Localization offers a new alternative with multiple benefits, compared to traditional wire localization. A very low-energy radioactive seed is placed under ultrasound or mammographic guidance by an experienced, specially-trained radiologist. The seed can be placed one to five days before surgery. During the surgery, the surgeon uses a handheld gamma probe to more precisely identify and remove the tumor by obtaining a three dimensional view of the tumor’s location. This also allows for accurate and alternative planning of the surgical incision. The seed placement procedure is very similar to a needle biopsy procedure. The radiologist injects a local anesthetic to numb the area before starting the procedure. Ultrasound or mammography is used to guide placement of the seed. During surgery, the surgeon removes the abnormal tissue or tumor along with the seed. Each seed is only 5 millimeters long, which is about the size of a grain of rice. The seed acts as a marker for the surgeon because the iodine inside can be detected by the gamma meter being used during the lumpectomy, and the seed itself can be seen on ultrasound. The seed does not present an exposure risk to caregivers, family members, or others who come in contact with the patient, therefore special isolation measures are not required. With this procedure, once the seed is removed with the breast tissue, the entire radioactivity is gone. With Radioactive Seed Localization, less tissue is removed than with Wire Localization, allowing for much improved cosmetics, which is extremely important to patients. There is less unnecessary dissection and undermining of native tissue that should be left undisturbed. The procedure is more comfortable for patients; the time between placement of seed and surgery can be uncomfortable with traditional wires. There is also the benefit of decreased operating time. Learn more about Touro’s Breast Surgery Program online at www.touro. com/cancer/breast-cancer-surgery
Women’s hormonal changes affect vision by Lee J. Green Pregnancy and post-menopause can cause changes in a woman’s vision. But what is clear is that there are proactive and reactive measures that can help to combat the effects of hormonal changes. “The most common thing with women during pregnancy or post-menopause would be dry eye,” said Brooke Schaeffer Kaplan, medical director of Schaeffer Eye Center in Birmingham. “The good news is, if we catch it early enough when the symptoms are mild to moderate, it can be readily treated.” Kaplan said the reason why people get dry eye is multi-factorial. “My number one recommendation is to take Omega 3 (fish oil) vitamins, which is good for diet anyway, especially during pregnancy,” she said. “My number two recommendation is Restasis, which is the only prescription product on the market that treats dry eye,” though a few others are currently in various stages of FDA testing. When women retain fluid during pregnancy, minor changes in the cornea 20 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
women’s health
can result in blurry vision at times. Those usually revert to normal post-pregnancy, so Kaplan advised temporary or disposable contacts to compensate for a prescription change. Temporary vision loss, light sensitivity and flashes of light as a result of hormonal changes are also possible during pregnancy. Less common are more serious issues such as Central Serous Retinopathy, which is a blister on the retina. Those having a multiple-birth have a higher chance of dealing with Bell’s Palsy — where they can’t blink their eyes due to the hormonal changes. “We recommend women during pregnancy just keep their OBGYN and optometrist informed about any changes with their vision. Good diet and exercise are very important. We are happy to provide any proactive education that we can,” said Kaplan. She also added that men and women tend to be more prone to developing dry eye due to the prevalence of time spent on computers and mobile devices. “When you are on a device you blink 40 percent less than usual,” she said. “I have the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes look away 20 feet for 20 seconds.” Kaplan grew up in the family business, with her parents starting Schaeffer Eye Center in 1978. She would go on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Genetics from the University of Georgia and graduated medical school in Optometry at UAB. She has one brother who also works as a doctor for Schaeffer Eye Center — one of 21 doctors Kaplan oversees as Medical Director — and one who is in optometry school. “Our parents told us to do what we wanted to do,” she said. “I would not be doing this if I did not love what I did. I am passionate about helping others be or get well.”
Lonseth offers new needle-free, no-pills option to end migraine headaches More than just a headache, a migraine is a crippling condition that steals normal human function from millions of Americans every year. The World Health Organization pinpointed migraine as number four on their list of most disabling diseases. Three times more women than men have migraines, and people with chronic migraines miss an average of 63 days of work, school and family activities in a three-month period and spend at least half of each month with debilitating pain. Dr. Eric Lonseth, an Interventional pain specialist with Lonseth Interventional Pain Centers in Metairie and Baton Rouge, says that migraines often come with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. And the pain can be overwhelming. One of his patients describes her migraines as feeling “just like pushing a baby out… of her head…” Typical migraine sufferers find that over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and sleeping it off doesn’t often work. Botox and acupuncture can be unreliable. Prescription medication can have side effects. SphenoCath is a new alternative that is getting a lot of attention with pain specialists due to its positive benefits. The treatment is administered quickly in a physician’s office, dispensed without a needle or pain, and offers immediate and often sustainable relief. SphenoCath provides a sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) block. The simple translation is that it delivers anesthetic through the nasal passage and temporarily blocks the impulses of nerves connected to different parts of the brain. SphenoCath has been shown to provide instant relief — often stopping the migraine in its tracks while in the doctor’s office. Reports show it will often keep migraines at bay for months. SphenoCath is safe enough that even pregnant women can use it. This lowrisk application of anesthetic has been approved for and shown to be effective in patients of all ages. Unlike needles, pills or other treatments, SphenoCath is comfortable and relieves pain on the spot. It is good for most types of head
July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 21
women’s health
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ache and facial pain, from cluster headaches to trigeminal neuralgia and more. Most major insurance companies cover the procedure. The manufacturer is encouraging all insurance providers to review the benefits of SphenoCath, including long-term savings on migraine medications. Lonseth says patients may worry they don’t have time for the procedure, but he reminds them “what we don’t have time for is the pain and loss of function with a migraine.” And the good news, he says, is the procedure takes less than five minutes with a few minutes afterwards of laying flat. “It’s non-invasive, non-surgical and non-pill-related,” Lonseth said. “It stops migraines and prevents them from coming back. Best of all, it’s 15 minutes from headache to happy.”
Tulane Dermatology offers skin care education by Lee J. Green Years back, there was a popular number on the radio advising everyone to “always wear sunscreen.” That remains sound advice, said Dr. Erin Boh, clinical professor of dermatology and chair of the Department of Dermatology at Tulane University Health Sciences Center. “It’s important to wear the appropriate sun screen or sun block all the time people will be out in the sun, especially in the Deep South during the summer,” said Boh. “I recommend one ounce of sun screen on all sun-exposed parts of the body, re-applied every two hours someone is out in the sun.” She advised putting it on at least 10 minutes before going out to give it time to absorb into the skin. Boh recommended consulting a dermatologist to find out which sun screen or block is best based on one’s skin type and color, but the minimum SPF should be 30, she said. “Sun screens are also good for the skin. They provide moisture and help prevent wrinkles in addition to the protection they provide,” said Boh. Skin cancer issues tied in with tanning beds is “becoming an epidemic” in the South. The state of Louisiana has placed restrictions on how much younger people can use tanning beds. “There are an increasingly significant number of new melanoma cases stemming from excessive tanning bed use, especially among young women,” said Boh. She advised people to conduct regular skin checks for certain abnormalities, such as black or red moles or dots on the skin that could prove to be melanoma or other skin cancers. “Early detection is so critical, especially with melanoma. If a spot is ignored for even six months, the cancer could really advance,” added Boh. “Do regular skin checks on your self and your family. Check all areas for abnormalities, even those areas that we don’t think get much sun exposure.”
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Israeli-designed robotic-assisted technologies aid spine fusion surgery St. Vincent’s in Birmingham adopts new procedures by Lee J. Green St. Vincent’s in Birmingham has adopted the pioneering, robot-guidance technology from Israel — Mazor Robotics Renaissance System — that enhances a neurosurgeon’s capabilities and allows for improved patient care by reducing post-operative pain as well as providing a shorter recovery time after the patient leaves the hospital. St. Vincent’s Birmingham is the first in Alabama to offer this new form of spine surgery to patients and one of the pioneers in the country to adopt this state-of-the-art technology. “We see Mazor Robotics technology as ushering in a new era in spine surgery, the same way laparoscopies transformed general surgery in the ‘90s” said Evan Ray, FACHE President of St. Vincent’s Birmingham. Many spinal procedures involve the attachment of screws and other implants to the spine. Spine surgery has little room for error, as the vertebrae are surrounded by nerves, major blood vessels and other vital structures. The robot-guidance technology’s software allows surgeons to pre-plan a patient’s spine surgery virtually, using a 3D simulation of the spinal anatomy based upon the patient’s most recent CT scan. During the planning phase, the trajectory of the screw as well as the size and length are determined. This makes for a more precise surgical plan. “The more accurate this can be, the less blood loss and muscle atrophy, while allowing for a smaller incision,” said Robby Carruba, administrative director of Neurosurgical Associates P.C. at St. Vincent’s. “This greatly reduces the recovery times and the pain associated post-surgery.” Compared to freehand surgery in 112 analyzed cases, robotic-guided surgery significantly improved implant accuracy by 70 percent; reduced x-ray dosage by 56 percent; reduced complication rates by 48 percent; reduced re-operations by 46 percent and reduced average length of stay by 27 percent. Carruba said “Israel is leading the world with its engineering breakthroughs and number of college graduates. We are very pleased to be employing an effective robotic-guidance technology that works well from innovative minds in Israel.” The story of Mazor Robotics begins at the Robotics Laboratory of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology. Professor Moshe Shoham and Eli Zehavi founded the company in 2001. The two sought to develop a platform that is affixed directly to the patient’s bone for maximum stability and accuracy. They decided they would focus on an application for spine surgery because of the need for great precision with instruments being very close to delicate organs. In early 2004, Mazor Robotics received its first CE mark for its initial product, SpineAssist. With this milestone, SpineAssist became the first commercially available mechanical guidance system for spine surgery. The next-generation Renaissance Guidance System, Mazor’s current flagship product, was commercially released in 2011 and has more recently come to the United States. “Our goal is to clinically improve the outcome of spine and brain surgery to the patient’s benefit,” said Zehavi. “I see our company continuously leading the development of medical devices from diagnostic to surgical procedures to post-operative verification technologies.”
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July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 23
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by Barry Ripps There is a buzz phrase, “public awareness,” that is perhaps taken for granted or dismissed as not so important. When one examines advances in healthcare, public awareness often leads to action and positive outcomes. For decades, when a woman discovered she had breast cancer, it was often kept confidential. Disclosing the diagnosis meant having to deal with a barrage of questions each time it was shared with someone new. It just wasn’t something people were accustomed to talking about openly. That changed when a few celebrities were comfortable enough to share their personal battles with breast cancer. This new awareness has led to an increase in women seeking cancer screening, which over time has begun to save lives through earlier detection. It didn’t lower the number of women who developed cancer, it just helped save their lives. We haven’t reached that highlight with infertility, but there are signs of progress. For couples that are not conceiving readily on their own, the public awareness is beginning to include a very important message: “Don’t wait!” Over the years, success rates with treatment have steadily improved for almost all fertility problems. One that remains a challenge is the impact of a woman’s age on egg number and quality. Appropriately, women are seeking fertility evaluations earlier, some even before they have a partner with whom they wish to conceive. Women with certain histories or conditions should be aware of their potential negative impact on reproduction and consider their options earlier. These are not often talked about and not commonly known. Some examples include:
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For women who want to reverse the aging process to look and feel younger, effective options abound, according to Dr. Daniel Rousso, who leads Rousso Facial Plastic Surgery clinic in Birmingham. “We’re still doing a lot of minimally-invasive techniques to keep people looking and feeling younger,” said Rousso, who estimates that 70 percent of his patients are women. Of the 30 percent of the patients who are men, most come to him for hair replacement procedures. Various fillers, volumizers and wrinkle-reducers have been effective in anti-aging, along with the postponement of facelift surgery. “Thirty years ago the average age of someone who would come to see us for a facelift was 50. Today it’s 60 to 65,” noted Rousso. More recently, Rousso Facial Plastic Surgery has started to employ the
women’s health
Hadassah Southern Supports Gender Equity in Medical Research Ulthera Focused Ultrasound Device that allows them to improve patients’ appearance with no downtime. It is primarily used on the neck, forehead and cheek. Rousso also said Kybella is relatively new. It is a medicine injected under the skin that dissolves fat, especially in areas around the chin and neck. It takes two or three injections one to three months apart for the best results. “We also now offer Dermapen. This is a micro-needling procedure that oscillates like a sewing machine needle. It stimulates collagen production without any discomfort or down time. It can also push products into the skin without being felt,” he said. Rousso said that they consult one-on-one with all patients to determine which procedures or products would be best for them. But some advice works well for everyone. “We want to help them to live a healthier lifestyle with skin care, diet and exercise,” he said. “The total health approach is the best way to go for everyone.”
The Dead Sea in B’ham by Lee Green A Birmingham woman recently immersed herself in the healing water of Israel’s Dead Sea and never felt so alive. Even before she boarded a plane to return to the Magic City, she searched online and found Elements Float Spa — Birmingham’s only float spa. “She came in right after she returned and said like the Dead Sea it really made her feel so much better,” said Elements co-cwner Jessica Robbins, who owns the float spa in Vestavia near Highway 280 with her fiancée Daniel Ferguson. “These waters have some miraculous healing powers.” The salt water in the float spa pods has an almost identical salinity to the Dead Sea. Individuals can book one-hour floats per visit, and Elements also has a high-tech sauna for both healing and weight loss. Robbins said the float spa can help alleviate stress and with injury recovery. Women have come in more frequently for stress relief and as a way to pamper themselves. “They say they usually have some minor aches and pains. Several women said they came in because they wanted some stress relief and to just get away for a little bit to relax, feel better.” Women who are pregnant, especially in the last trimester, put a lot of strain on their bodies, most especially the back. The float spa can help them and at a water temperature of 93.5 degrees it is safe for women even in their first trimester of pregnancy — though Robbins said they recommended verifying with one’s physician first. The float pods create as close to a zero gravity environment as is possible. It takes pressure points off the body. A one-hour float also is equivalent on the body to eight hours of REM sleep. “We have a few people that come in for our last evening appointments at 9:45 p.m. just to help them with their sleeping,” said Robbins.
To get involved with Hadassah, contact Sherrie Grunfeld at SSDGrun@aol.com
July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 25
community Bayer family sponsoring RMTC’s “The Little Mermaid” by Lee J. Green “The Little Mermaid” musical, presented by Red Mountain Theatre Company at the Dorothy Jemison Day Theatre in the Alabama School of Fine Arts from July 8 to 24, may take place under the sea, but Gail and Jeffrey Bayer are over the moon about supporting such great artistic endeavors. “There are some lines that a character in the show says, ‘you’ve got to own your own style. Let it shine through, you’ve got to be you’,” said Gail Bayer. She and Jeffrey Bayer own Bayer Properties in Birmingham. “It sends such great messages to kids as well as adults, just like Red Mountain Theatre Company does with all its camps and shows.” The Bayers are sponsoring “The Little Mermaid” as they did for the final show of last year’s season, “Mary Poppins.” Gail Bayer said her daughter, Lindsay Shipp, who now lives in Dallas, participated in the youth programs, camps and shows when the theatre was known as Summerfest. Last month her other daughter’s girls — 5-year-old Madison and 4-year-old Emory — took two weeks to do the RMTC summer youth camps. The rest of the summer, Annie Goldberg’s girls are at the Discovery School camp at Temple Emanu-El. “I just think what (artistic director) Keith Cromwell and RMTC do working with the youth and in the community is just so incredible,” Bayer said. Cromwell and RMTC bring in Broadway theatrical actors for some of the camps to teach the kids. RMTC also does some outreach in the schools and to underprivileged kids.
26 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
“The Little Mermaid” is about a young mermaid named Ariel who lives beneath the sea but longs to leave her ocean home and live in the world above. Henry Scott directs the RMTC production and Katie Holmes serves as musical director. One of the stars is Don Garrett, whose twin brother David served as Theatre LJCC artistic director from the late 1990s until the late 2000s.
Comedy production has a Disco take on Shakespeare Call it a “Donna Summer’s Night Dream.” South City Theatre in Pelham will present the area’s first 1970s-styled disco production of William Shakespeare’s classic comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” July 29 to Aug. 6. The production is the brainchild of Lisa Ponder, who will direct the production. “These stories and characters are very relevant today. I grew up with an appreciation of 1970s pop culture. It just seemed to fit very well with this show. We plan on turning the theatre into a disco club,” said Ponder. In addition to everything from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” as Shakespeare wrote it, some 1970s songs are added, as is disco dancing. Audience participation is strongly encouraged. “That’s what makes this — involving the audience and everyone having a good time,” she said. The cast includes Gabrielle Metz and Southern Jewish Life Associate Publisher Lee J. Green. For more information and to buy tickets, go to
community www.southcitytheatre.com. For those who want to travel to Montgomery in July, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival is performing the Disney classic musical “Beauty and the Beast” July 6 to 24. To find out more about this production and the 2016-17 ASF season, visit www.asf.net.
Summer? JCRS accepting Chanukah requests With summer camp in full swing and undergraduate college scholarship season finished, the New Orleans-based Jewish Children’s Regional Service is turning its attention to Chanukah. The social service agency helps fund students, based on need, for overnight Jewish summer camp and for college assistance. The agency also administers the PJ Library program of free Jewish books for all Jewish children up to age 8 in smaller communities throughout the region. The agency also provides Chanukah gifts to youth in lower-income families, in a program that is sponsored by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust. Each year, JCRS gives more than 200 youth Chanukah packages filled with gifts, which they have they requested or selected. JCRS sends special Chanukah packages annually to more than 30 adults in foster care or state-run institutions. For Chanukah 2016, JCRS plans to send gift cards, along with wrapped gift packages, but the gift cards are only guaranteed to families that register in June or July. Families who wait to register after July are less likely to get their specific gift requests and not likely to receive a holiday gift card. Headquartered in New Orleans since 1855, JCRS opened the first Jewish children’s home in the United States. Over 1,500 Jewish youth, residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Texas, are served annually. JCRS’s annual budget is supported primarily by individual and family contributions, and it seeks support at all levels. To contact JCRS, send mail to 3500 N Causeway Blvd., Ste. 1120, Metairie, La., 70002; or call (504) 828-6334. For more information, visit jcrs.org. To apply for Chanukah gifts, email colleen@ jcrs.org or ned@jcrs.org or call (800) 729-5277.
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July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 27
Nori Thai and Sushi 4704 Cahaba River Rd. Birmingham 205-970-7570 noribirmingham.com
SPICY BEEF NOODLE (Pad kee Mao) Ingredients: 14 oz. large flat rice noodle 6 cloves garlic 6 tbsp soy sauce 2 Thai chilis 3 tbsp thick sweet soy sauce 1 large onion, sliced thin 1 tbsp rice vinegar 5 bell papers sliced thin 3 tbsp peanut oil 2 oz. fresh basil leaves 12 oz. beef flank steak, thinly sliced Instructions 1. Boil the noodle for about one minute or until tender. 2. Whisk together the soy sauce, sweet soy sauce and the rice vinegar in the bowl than set aside. 3. Heat the oil in a large wok over high heat. Add the beef and sauté until about medium, then add the garlic, chili, onion, pepper to the wok. Sauté for two to three minutes. 4. Stir in the sauce and the noodles, tossing to coat the noodles, then combine the ingredients. 5. Cook until the noodles are coated and take a slightly charred flavor from the wok. Toss in the basil and serve immediately. Yields four servings.
Kosher Recipe
Nori Thai and Sushi by Lee J. Green Putu Arsana lost everything in a great storm and flood that hit Bali back in 2002. But he never lost sight of his dream to open his own restaurant. He had come to Alabama to help a friend with his own business venture in 1999, then a few years later immigrated to this country permanently, working as a hibachi, sushi and executive chef before taking a leap of faith to open Nori Thai and Sushi in November 2013. “My first job was in a restaurant and that is what I had been doing most of my life,” said Arsana. “Owning a restaurant has always been a dream for me and this has been so rewarding.” He chose a location at the intersection of Cahaba River Road and Colonnade Drive. Arsana said he wanted a smaller location to start so he could put more resources into the quality of the food as well as the beauty of the space. Nori features bring green colors and an aquarium. “I chose a smaller space so I could save on rent and use that money to buy higher quality ingredients but still keep the food prices reasonable,” he said. “I have been working in restaurants for a long time so I see things from a customer’s standpoint. Everyone should be able to enjoy a high-quality meal and low prices.” Nori serves Thai food, a wide selection of sushi and special rolls as well as other Asian traditional favorites. Much of the menu is kosher-style, including the Spicy Beef Noodle recipe below. The restaurant is open six days a week for lunch and dinner, closed on Mondays. Nori recently launched its hibachi menu, and those in the know ask about their “special menu” with items not on the regular menu. “One of our Jewish customers used to live in Israel and frequented a Thai place there. He says he is an (aficionado) of Thai food and said Nori is the best Thai he ever had. That is a high compliment and we appreciate all the nice comments we get from our customers,” said Arsana. 28 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
Continued from page 30
KIDNEY TRANSPLANT MITZVAH NEEDED! My wife, Casey Pearl Kahle and I have been faced with our challenges during the waiting period for a kidney transplant. Dialysis has just become extremely hard on her body. Please consider donating a kidney so we can move on with our lives.
applause from this Casspian Sea of fans. 2009, “A league of our own” (About the short-lived Israel Baseball League:) It’s Israel, we’re Jewish, we needed sparkling new baseball fields. Who else would we call but Chasidic diamond merchants? 2009, “Abs of Shul” The patent-proof Abs of Shul system simply combines physical activities that are already part of the service with a collection of clever contractions, some stretching, and avoidable alliteration. While designed for Saturdays, you can maximize your results by using most of Abs of Shul at minyan three times a day, seven days a week. 2008, “Jewish Heritage Night and Day” Erev Jewish Heritage Day, the night before, was the 18th in the countdown of games remaining before Shea Stadium closes. 2008, “Olympic predictions” (Sports Illustrated) calls Ariel Ze-evi “maybe Israel’s greatest athlete ever.” Ze-evi competes in Judo, which at first could sound odd until you consider it’s the most logical sport for Israel to win. After all, what sport is more appropriate for Israel than one with “Jew” right in the name? 2008, “The Chosen Game” Israel Baseball League rules include: Stealing bases is not allowed. After all, “thou shalt not steal.” In the stands you’ll hear stories about the greatest game ever played, where the relief pitcher who was only supposed to be good for one inning lasted for eight innings. 2006, “The dog vays of summer” After a klezmer rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” the seventh inning stretch got new meaning with the matzah eating contest. Three guys behind home plate. 45 seconds, a plate of matzah, and a water bottle. It wasn’t pretty. 2006, “Rebbe at the Bat” The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day, The minyan score was nine, they needed one man more to pray. And then when Cooney died at first, and Burrows did the same, A sickly silence fell upon the minyan, who could blame?
Compatible Blood Types are B+, B-, O+ and O-. Casey’s blood type is B+.
Casey’s transplant will take place at Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center in Houston, Tex., or at Medical City Hospital in Dallas, Tex.
If you’re really interested, text me at (832) 654-0242 or sent a text message to Casey at (713) 591-6017. Bryan Kahle
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The straggling few remained behind, alone in deep despair. Clung to hope from that light eternal hanging in the air; They thought if only Rebbe could but get a whack at that, They’d put up even money now, with Rebbe at the bat. 2004, “The Sporting Jews” Think that’s all the Olympic hardware Israel can hope for? Gotcha! Gotcha Tsitsiashvilly, that is. He’s predicted to win the gold medal in the 84-kilogram category for Greco-Roman wrestling. According to Sports Illustrated, Tsitsiashvilly is from Georgia (no, the other one), and is the fourth Israeli men’s world champion in any sport. A leading Israeli Orthodox leader ruled in early August that bullfighting is cruel to the bulls, and says Jews in Spain should avoid the sport. He later ruled that Mets games since the All-Star Break have been cruel to fans, and says to avoid them for now, too. Doug Brook is a writer in Silicon Valley who, as a freshman, scored the first touchdown for Mesch AZA in at least 10 years, at the Cotton States BBYO regional convention held at the Landmark in Metairie. To read these or any other past columns, visit http://brookwrite.com/. For exclusive online content, like facebook.com/the.beholders.eye.
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Building Bridges Invite Karim Shamsi-Basha to speak at your Synagogue or event.
Karim will share his upbringing as a Muslim Arab, taught to hate the Jews. He will also reveal how he has come to love the country and the people of Israel, and how to work towards understanding each other and living in peace. Karim is an award winning writer/photographer in Birmingham whose work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Sports Illustrated, People, Time, Southern Living, The New York Times, and many others. He is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, as well as many other news organizations. www.arabinalabama.com www.hirekarim.com karimshamsibasha@gmail.com
July 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 29
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Celebrating Our 34th Year Family Owned and Operated!! 1629 Oxmoor Road Homewood, AL 35209 (205) 871-7837 Visit us in-store or at www.applausedancewear.net to stock up your dance bag for everything you need!
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30 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016
rear pew mirror • doug brook
The long and sport of it Later this year will mark the 20th anniversary of this column. Leading up to that momentous moment, a short series of columns revisits tidbits from over the years. This month’s column, with apologies to “Airplane!,” provides more about Jewish sports than a leaflet on famous Jewish sports legends, with a timely focus on baseball, Jewish Heritage Nights and the Olympics. 2013, “Parched pigskin” It seemed like a logical first step to explain Torah reading in the context of college football. After all, college football and the reading of the Torah combine to be central to most people’s Saturday prayers. 2011, “Turning a Kippah Trick” The Golden State Warriors hosted their Jewish Heritage Night along with the Sacramento Kings in Oakland. Omri Casspi, (the first Israeli player in the NBA), who sports number 18, of course, did not play in the game, and neither did the Warriors, who failed to score until nine minutes remained in the first quarter. At the first ever Jewish Heritage Night by the Oakland Athletics, Jewish left-handed reliever Craig Breslow, who in the footsteps of Moe Berg has been called “the smartest man in baseball,” pitched a perfect eighth inning. Breslow, a 2005 Southern League All-Star with the Mobile BayBears, was part of the half-minyan who played for the 2006 Red Sox (including Youkilis, Kapler, and Stern). Paul Goldschmidt, the D-backs’ Jewish-sounding first baseman, the day after his Major League debut, hit his first Major League home run in the fifth inning. Also-Jewish-sounding leadoff hitter Willie Bloomquist went hitless, and also-also-Jewish-sounding reliever Brad Ziegler warmed up but did not play. (The one Jewish D-back, who also did not play, is pitcher Jason Marquis. Funny, he doesn’t sound Arizonian.) 2012, “The Penance Race” The Oakland Athletics hosted the Jews and the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 19th. What’s more Jewish than a group that left Brooklyn for Hollywood, and whose starting pitcher was named Harang? Madison Bumgarner, taking Rabbi Tarfon one further, decided to not stray from his task but to also complete it, throwing all nine innings for the Giants’ 6-1 win. However, the next morning turned the Giants’ race for a pennant to penance, as Melky Cabrera was suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs — the worst instance in baseball history of mixing Melkhik and Fleishik. 2010, “The Chosen Game” The Bible starts out with not merely a big bang, but with a grand slam. “In the big inning, the Big G created heaven and earth.” Through Sept. 5, the overall Jewish batting average in 2010 is .288, compared to a Major League average of .262. The pitchers have a combined ERA equally higher than the Major League average, so it’s better left unsaid. As of this writing, 14 active players are listed, all of whom have the good sense to not be Y*nkees. 2010, “Jewish Hoopla” In an alternate reality, where both teams are not perennial bottom-feeders, this game could have been dubbed a David (Kings) and Goliath (Warriors) matchup. (Israeli player Omri) Casspi was the first player introduced, to good continued on previous page
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32 Southern Jewish Life • July 2016