Southern Jewish Life, New Orleans, August 2020

Southern Jewish Life

INSIDE:

NEW ORLEANS EDITION August 2020

Volume 30 Issue 8

Southern Jewish Life Southern Jewish Life 3747 Esplanade Ave., 3rd Floor P.O. BoxWest 130052 Metairie, LAAL 70002 Birmingham, 35213 Distance learning from Jewish Community Day School in Metairie

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August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

shalom y’all While the world has been occupied with responding to coronavirus, economic issues and the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, many who oppose Israel have warned that on July 1, thanks to the Trump peace plan, Israel was going to use the lack of world attention to take over the territories known colloquially as the West Bank through illegal annexation. Because colonialism and oppression.

July has passed, and there has been no movement toward that end, but there has been a lot of ink spilled, and a lot of misinformation as to what is actually being discussed.

Even in the American Jewish community, there are widespread misperceptions as to what is being discussed, and inaccurate loaded terminology being used, leading to unnecessary alarm.

The Oslo agreement in 1993 set up three zones as temporary measures, pending an actual peace settlement. In Area A, the Palestinians have civil and security authority, though Israel has the right to pursue terrorists. In Area B, the Palestinian Authority has civil administration and Israel oversees security.

Area C, the area in question, contains the Israeli villages, a relatively small number of Palestinians, and a lot of wide open spaces. It is under Israeli military control.

That means while almost all of the Palestinians in the “occupied” territories are under a civilian administration, it is actually the Israelis who are living under military rule!

The current proposal is to extend Israeli sovereignty to less than half of Area C, meaning that Israeli civilian law would be in force, for Israelis and the Palestinians living there.

It would make life — and receiving governmental services and benefits — a lot easier for everyone in the region.

It is not annexation.

Annexation is formally taking over the land of another sovereign country. No such entity has existed in the territories, and by international law, such as the San Remo conference a century ago, the territories were designated for a Jewish state. When in 1947 the area was proposed for yet another Arab state, the Arab nations thoroughly rejected the plan, and there has been no binding agreement to that end superceding the San Remo declaration. continued on page 6

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August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

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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 JCC Maccabi games around the United States and Canada, I have logged many miles seeing how sports can be a vehicle to help build Jewish identity, especially in our young.

Greater Baton Rouge Jewish Community Open Letter to Our Black Neighbors

IOur felt shared honored to come to Birmingham for the first timecountry and fellfaces in love with not just city history holds within it moments as our this moment of the reckoning, but the people.

You have taken Southern hospitality to a new level with your kind and caring of powerful partnership between our communi- much too long in coming. approach theholds JCC Maccabi ties, and ittoalso momentsGames. of estrangement The watchword of our faith is Shema or listen. and points of pain.

In Helds, full awareness of that In that spirit, we wonderful. commit to listening with open Led by the Sokol and your hard-working volunteers were They partnered complicated history, and for those members of hearts, in the coming days, months, and with your outstanding staff, led by Betzy Lynch, to make the 2017 JCC Maccabi games a hugeyears, hit. community overlapping identities to of theMaccabi voices, USA truths, andthank feelings Black Iour want to take thiswhose opportunity as executive director to say youofonour behalf — everyone Black andinvolved.

Jewish — connect us to each oth- neighbors. Furthermore, our Torah teaches that of er, we write this letter to express our solidarity at we must not stand idly by while our neighbor I had just returned from the 20th World Maccabiah games in Israel with a U.S. delegation of this difficult time. bleeds, and so we also commit to acting, intenover 1100, who joined 10,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries. Back in July the eyes of the entire We abhor the recent killing of George Floyd tionally and swiftly, to create real and lasting Jewish world were on Jerusalem and the Maccabiah. This past month with 1000 athletes and

by Minneapolis police officers and detest the change in our local community and our nation coaches from around the world being in Birmingham, you became the focal point. officers’ delayed arrests. We abhor the recent that will dismantle the systems of white supremEveryone from the Jewish community andand the community at large,usincluding a wonderful killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, acy that surround all as Americans. police force, are to behave commended.

Thesethe games go down in we history as being so many others.

We not forgotten ab- willSpecifically, commit to: a seminal moment for theofJewish build to theSeek future by providing such wonderful horrent killing Altoncommunity Sterling in as ourwebeloved a deeper understanding of ourJewish histomemories. city four years ago, and we continue to mourn ry and how generations of Black trauma directhis loss. ly relate to the struggles of the present day. We Jed Margolis We mourn alongside you the Black and will attempt to fully understand the discrepancy Executive Director, Maccabi USA Brown lives lost to racially motivated violence between who we say we are as a nation and who and despise the institutionalized racism that has we truly are as regards civil and human rights. supremacists would like to continually shielded those responsible.

Be more courageous insee ourpushed effortsback to preOn Charlottesville into a corner and made to feel lesser.

We stand We see you, we hear you, we love you, and vent and respond to future acts of racial and pray for the family of Heather Heyer, we standNote: withThis youreaction in the conviction that otherand discrimination emanating from any Editor’s to the events in Black with wasWe there up race-based to the face of thisand Lives Matter. We will strive to be Newman, allies with you who source. willstanding condemn hate Charlottesville, written

by Jeremy hate. bigotry against Black and Brown members of Master of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Theta Colony ourWesociety whenever and wherever we see it, recognize the essence of the American at Auburn University, was shared by AEPi even and as especially when we it within narrative a two-century oldfind struggle to ridour National, which called it “very eloquent” and own community. ourselves of such corners, and allow those in praised “our brothers at AEPi Theta Colony at Support public policy that them the seatmeaningful at the table that they so deserve.

Auburn University and… the leadership they addresses the myriad that plague It is the struggle to fulfillof theissues promise of the display on their campus.” minority communities, including Declaration of Independence, that “allthe menwide are healthcare and economic disparities that with have created equal… endowed by their Creator White supremacy has been a cancer on becomeunalienable so apparent during the COVID-19 certain rights. ” We know our work our country since its beginning, threatening pandemic.

We will but advocate, in particular, is far from finished, we know we will not for its hopes, its values, and its better angels. much backwards. needed policing reform measures and move The events that took place in Charlottesville will seek to be strong coalition partners in the When men and women, fully armed, take represented the worst of this nation. Those public sphere. to the streets in droves with swastikas and who marched onto the streets with tiki torches Our shared prophetic tradition instructs us other symbols of hate, it is a reminder of how and swastikas did so to provoke violence and to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with relevant the issues of racism and anti-Semitism fear. Those who marched onto the streets did God and with one another. We will harken to are today.

It is a wake-up call to the work that so to profess an ideology that harkens back to this and other prophetic voices that call us to needs to be done to ensure a better, more a bleaker, more wretched time in our history. reject complicity, inaction, and indifference welcoming country.

But it should not come A time when men and women of many creeds, and to put our values into practice with every without a reflection on how far we’ve come. races, and religions were far from equal and far step and with every breath.

We vow to do our America was born athe slave nation. of A century from safe in our own borders. A time where best to make eternal moments powerful into our history in a war in part Americans lived under a constant cloud of partnership thatwe ourengaged communities have formed to would not continue one. We racism, anti-Semitism and pervasive hate. The at ensure critical we times throughout the as history of our ourselves confronted by the events that took place in Charlottesville served found country to fight bigotry, racism andissue hate.of civil rights, embarked on a mission ensure as a reminder of how painfully relevant these Withand heartfelt empathy for the to pain of this the fair treatment of all peoples their issues are today. moment, with high hopes forno thematter chance to skin color.

Although we’ve made great strides, build a better tomorrow, and in solidarity, Auburn’s Alpha Epsilon Pi stands with the it isThe a mission still grappling with today.

Jewishwe’re Federation of Greater Baton Jewish community of Charlottesville, and Rouge America was also born an immigrant with the Jewish people around the country Beth Shalom country.

As earlySynagogue as the pilgrims, many and around the world. We also stand with the Congregation B’nai Israelin the country the groups and families found minorities who are targeted by the hate that Temple Shalom in stakes, Lafayette opportunity to plant chase their future, was on display in Charlottesville. We stand Hillel at LSU and be themselves.

Few were met with open with the minorities of whom these white Hadassah of Baton Rouge 4

August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

July 2020 August 2020

Southern Jewish Life PUBLISHER/EDITOR Lawrence M. Brook editor@sjlmag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING Lee J. Green lee@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 Staff members at the Uptown Jewish Community Center in New Orleans held a drive-by for participants in the Alzheimer’s Care and Enrichment Program. The wall was filled with signs made by day campers letting ACE participants know they are missed. The program does not currently meet in person because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl to Headline NOLA Federation Annual Event Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl, who was the first coach to take a team from the state of Alabama to the Final Four, and a passionate speaker about Jewish causes and Israel, will be the guest speaker at the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans’ 107th Annual Meeting.

For the first time, the meeting will be held virtually, on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.

As part of the event, Mara Force will receive the Herbert and Margot Garon Young Leadership Award. Federation CEO Arnie Fielkow and Board Chair Joshua Force will also give updates.

Donors to the 2020 Annual Campaign, who are a part of a Jewish household, are considered members of the Federation and are eligible to vote for the slate of officers that will be presented.

Pearl has been the Auburn basketball coach since 2014, and in 2019 led Auburn to the Final Four, the third Jewish coach ever to be in the Final Four. During that tournament, Auburn became the first team ever to knock off the three winningest programs in college basketball history in a row, defeating Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky.

During his time as head coach at Tennessee, the team traveled to Europe and he made sure to include stops at the Theresienstadt and Dachau concentration camps on the team itinerary.

He coached the U.S. national team to a gold medal in the 2009 World Maccabiah in Israel. Before the Covid pandemic hit, he was planning to take the Auburn basketball team to Israel during the summer of 2021.

In 2019, he was the keynote speaker for the Alabama state Holocaust commemoration at the State Capitol in Montgomery. He also was the first president of the Jewish Coaches Association.

Baton Rouge Emeritus Rabbi Weinstein takes pulpit in Lake Charles Rabbi Barry Weinstein, rabbi emeritus of B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge, won’t be making the long drive back and forth to Lake Charles to serve Temple Sinai as visiting rabbi any more.

After 10 years, he is moving to Lake Charles to become the resident rabbi, a position the congregation has not had since the 1990s.

“Over the years Linda and I have been asked more than a few times when we would be relocating to Lake Charles,” he said.

The arrangement was approved by the congregation’s membership on July 20. Temple Sinai has approximately 55 member families.

Weinstein served B’nai Israel from 1983 to 2008. After retiring, he was visiting rabbi for Temple Shalom in Lafayette from 2008 to 2015, and in 2010 he started serving Lake Charles. “I have so enjoyed my service to our loving members for the past 10 years, and now I am so deeply thrilled and grateful to be honored as full time rabbi,” he said.

Temple Sinai President Randy Fuerst said “This is a rare opportunity for Temple Sinai… Rabbi Weinstein is energized and fully capable of organizing many inter-faith activities within our community as he has everywhere else he has been. I am very excited on behalf of our Temple and our Greater Lake Charles Community.“ Weinstein was a founder of the Interfaith Federation of Greater Baton Rouge and the Holy Grill Emergency Feeding Program.

During the past 10 years, Fuerst noted that Weinstein “has helped organize two interfaith worship services at the temple in memory of synagogues, churches and mosques in America and elsewhere that were attacked.”

August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

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>> Editor’s Note

continued from page 3

Only Britain and Pakistan ever recognized Jordan’s claim to the territory, and 20 years after Israel captured it in a defensive war (internationally legal!) Jordan officially relinquished claims to the area. Israel has the best legal case for sovereignty in what is a disputed, not occupied, area.

One common argument is that extending sovereignty would mean a lack of rights for Palestinians, such as voting rights. That argument is, and always has been, a farce. Well over 90 percent of the Palestinians in the territories live under the rule of the Palestinian Authority, their own governmental structure. They vote for their own leaders — at least, when their leaders allow it, as Mahmoud Abbas is in the 14th year of his fouryear elected term.

Sovereignty is also not the death knell to the peace process. While much is made of how the Palestinians have refused to cooperate with Trump in office, they weren’t cooperating at all under a much friendlier Obama administration either. There has been no genuine peace process in two decades — whenever the Palestinians have reached the limit of what they feel they can get out of Israel, they have launched a terror wave.

The experience of Gaza, where Israel withdrew with the hopes that the Palestinians would build a prosperous society, then quickly degenerated into a terror base run by a group that vows to never accept a Jewish state anywhere in the Middle East, made even left-wing Israelis hesitant to try anything similar in the territories.

For all the talk about wanting “just” 100 percent of the territories, the Palestinian leadership has made it clear that the end of the “occupation” would not be the end of the conflict, the next steps would be Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheva — and ending the concept of a Jewish state.

The current stalemate has gone on for 53 years, and there are no signs of it changing any time soon. Why, then, should Israel sit around and wait on a miraculous change of heart by the Palestinians? Isn’t it time for some semblance of normalcy, even in the territories?

And if you aren’t going to come to the table to resolve things, shouldn’t there be consequences to the foot-dragging? Even the Arab states have long tired of Palestinian maximalist rejectionism, which is part of the reason why, instead of a Middle East in flames, there was mostly a massive yawn when the U.S. moved its embassy to Jerusalem last year, aside from a few face-saving sternly-worded statements. It’s not far-fetched to expect similar if Israel does pass a sovereignty bill.

Even in Jordan, which has been the most vocal opponent, that is mainly for show. In a majority-Palestinian country with a Hashemite minority family holding onto unstable rule (with Israeli assistance), the last thing Jordan wants is a troublemaking Palestinian entity on its border, and the sovereignty proposal provides for an Israeli buffer in the Jordan Valley along the length of the border with Jordan.

Also, this isn’t some right-wing Netanyahu dream — even under Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, there was always an understanding that the pre-1967 lines were nothing more than “where the fighting stopped” and were never intended to be a national border, and larger Israeli communities in the territories would be included in Israel under any peace agreement. Why not go ahead and make official something that pretty much everyone has always envisioned as part of the solution?

Israel isn’t forcing anyone, Israeli or Palestinian, from their homes. Israel isn’t setting up an apartheid system. The latter charge is ironic, given how huge red highway signs warn Israelis of Area A, and state entrance to Israelis is forbidden because of the grave danger to them if they enter.

Not to mention how Abbas repeatedly has said no Jew would be allowed to live in a future Palestinian state. But hey, that’s not apartheid, that’s self-determination. The thing Palestinians should be granted but which Jews shouldn’t have.

Most of the Arab world has turned away from the Palestinian issue to build their own futures. Since the Palestinian leaders are refusing to think about any path other than death and destruction, it is time for Israel to push forward with its own future. Maybe the Palestinian leadership will get the hint — Lawrence Brook, Publisher/Editor but don’t hold your breath.

agenda Tulane holding panel on ADL contemporary antisemitism guide

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ADL head, historian Sarna among panelists In March 2020, the Anti-Defamation League published “Antisemitism Uncovered: A Guide to Old Myths in a New Era,” a comprehensive new guide to contemporary antisemitism. Tulane University will host an online event to discuss the project’s origins, contents and implications for the past and current American Jewish experience.

The Sept. 9 event will feature Tulane’s Golan Moskowitz moderating a conversation among Jonathan Greenblatt, executive director of the ADL; historian Jonathan Sarna of Brandeis University; and Magda Teter, professor of history and Shvidler Chair in Judaic Studies at Fordham University.

The guide offers a concise history of anti-Jewish hatred and explores seven myths that underpin it.

The event is sponsored by the Tulane Department of Jewish Studies.

The link to the 7 p.m. event will be posted at events.tulane.edu/content/ antisemitism-uncovered.

Menkowitz stepping down as Ramah Darom director

Geoff Menkowitz, director of Camp Ramah Darom for the past 13 years, will be leaving at the end of his contract in October 2020. A search for his successor will begin, with the hopes that a new director will be in place for the summer of 2021, the camp’s 25th anniversary.

This past summer, the camp did not hold sessions due to Covid-19, but in July offered limited-enrollment socially-distant family retreats at the facility, with no more than 10 families at the camp at any of the threenight or five-night sessions.

Menkowitz said “At Camp, I encourage individuals each summer to stretch and grow, to seek new challenges and new adventures. As stressful and uncertain as the past six months have been, during moments of reflection I have come to appreciate that it is time for me too to stretch and seek out new adventures.”

Board president Ben Miller and CEO Wally Levitt said Menkowitz’s “energy and passion have inspired thousands of campers and he has instilled in them a love for Israel, Hebrew language and Jewish living,” and he “has led our community with distinction through hardships and crises and helped raise a generation of youth to be caring and kind.”

The camp serves Conservative congregations throughout the Southeast, along with being a year-round retreat center.

Israel Bonds hosting virtual events Netanyahu featured on Aug. 18 simulcast Israel Bonds is holding a series of virtual events as the High Holy Days approach. Brad Young, executive director of the Southeast region office in Atlanta, said the series features “high-level Israeli dignitaries, inspiring guests, and exhilarating entertainers highlighting the importance of supporting Israel through investments in Israel bonds.” The online events are all at 7 p.m. Central.

The series starts on Aug. 18 with an International Celebration of Heritage and Unity, with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ambassador Ron Dermer. Israeli performers David De-Or and Gil Shohat will also be featured.

On Sept. 10, there is an Israel Bonds Chef ’s Table with Michael Solomonov, and on Sept. 15, it’s Live from the Kotel with Israel Bonds.

On Oct. 1, there will be a Sukkot program, and on Oct. 18 the women’s division will have an archaeological tour of the ancient village of Korazim.

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agenda Me Too panel among upcoming offerings Hadassah, Shir Chadash Sisterhood partner on events Hadassah New Orleans and Shir Chadash Sisterhood in Metairie are combining for a series of Zoom programs over the next two months.

On Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m., Roberta Kwall, Raymond P. Niro Professor at DePaul University College of Law, will be speaking about her new book, “Remix Judaism: Preserving Tradition in a Diverse World.” In her book, she advocates selecting and modifying rituals in ways that are personally meaningful, focusing on tradition instead of technicalities of Jewish law.

Family medicine specialist Evan Dvorin from Ochsner will be speaking about “Taking Charge of Your Health” on Aug. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

A panel discussion, “Me Too Affects You Too,” will be on Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. Barbara Pailet will moderate the panel, which will include Sara Sands, Master of Philosophy in Education; Laura Danna, L.C.S.W.; Lisa Donze Jacob, L.C.S.W.; and Kerry Murphy, J.D. The panel will cover college campus life, the workplace, working with children in schools, legal implications and more. Each panelist will give a short presentation, followed by a question and answer session.

The series concludes on Sept. 23 at noon with author Rina Neiman speaking about her new book, “Born Under Fire.” The historical novel is a coming of age story about a girl in pre-Israel Jerusalem with a desire to excel despite World War II. The events are open to the community, and links are available through Hadassah and Shir Chadash.

Advertise in Southern Jewish Life Call Jeff Pizzo, (504) 432-2561

The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans is accepting nominations for the second annual Oscar J. Tolmas L’dor V’dor Award.

The award celebrates the “unsung heroes of the Greater New Orleans Jewish community, who quietly and consistently aid in repairing the world around them.” Nominees must be a member of a Jewish household, which includes interfaith members, and be a member of the Federation, having made a gift of any amount to the 2020 Annual Campaign. Nominations are open through Aug. 17, and the award will be presented at a virtual wine and cheese reception in September. Hal Shepard was the first recipient last fall.

Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans will launch “The New Normal,” a six-week online therapeutic support group, for those who have anxiety, are overwhelmed or depressed. Sessions will be at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays from Aug. 26 to Sept. 30. Registration is $50 for the six Zoom sessions.

Marian Moore will discuss the inspiration behind her poetry book, “Louisiana Midrash,” at the next Morris Bart Lecture Series event from the New Orleans Jewish Community Center, Aug. 10 at 11 a.m. The event will be over Zoom.

Jewish Young Professionals in Baton Rouge will have a social justice panel and happy hour, Aug. 27 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. The event is co-hosted by Beth Shalom and B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge, and Gates of Prayer TRIBE in Metairie.

Moishe House New Orleans will have a virtual candle lighting and Shabbat service, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m.

The Hebrew Rest Cemetery Association in New Orleans unveiled its new website, hebrewrest.org. The cemeteries are co-owned by Touro Synagogue and Temple Sinai.

Beth Shalom and B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge will have a joint Shabbat on Zoom, Aug. 14 at 6 p.m. The service will be led by Rabbi Batsheva Appel of B’nai Israel, with the sermon by Rabbi Teri Appleby of Beth Shalom.

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August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

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Students at Jewish Community Day School in Metairie finished the last school year remotely from home

Back to school?

Jewish schools prepare for a year that could feature just about anything After a summer of uncertainty where summer camps were closed because of coronavirus concerns but Jewish Community Center Day Camps eventually opened — under restricted capacity and social distancing — the Jewish schools in the area are planning for pretty much anything as they open their doors for the new school year.

While the situation is subject to change at any notice, Slater Torah Academy in Metairie was planning on an Aug. 7 opening for in-person classes, while Jewish Community Day School in Metairie and the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School in Birmingham open on Aug. 12.

At NEMJDS, families have the option between in-school learning or an alternate remote learning option.

Unlike public schools, the Jewish schools are smaller, generally with small class sizes that facilitate social distancing. At the NEMJDS, the total enrollment is around 50 students.

All of the schools closed in March as states went into lockdown during the early days of the pandemic, and finished their school years online through virtual classrooms.

During the summer, the school convened task forces and committees, assembling the best advice from medical and workplace safety experts, mental health professionals, government officials, educational networks, staff and parent voices.

Guidelines include face coverings, social distancing, health monitoring, increased hygiene protocols, extensive cleaning and enhanced ventilation.

All of the schools have plans in place for a “seamless” transition to distance learning if the schools have to close once again, and have adjusted their online learning experience in response to what was learned on those platforms in the spring.

The schools are introducing health protocols that include a daily health check while still in the car. Anyone with a temperature of over 100 or other symptoms will be sent home. That also includes students who have been given Advil or Tylenol for a headache or sore throat, because the fever reducing properties can mask Covid-19 symptoms.

Students who are unable to attend in person will need to attend virtual classes if they are able.

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community Masked staff will escort students from cars into the school, and parents are discouraged from entering the school building. Similarly, at pickup, students will be escorted out by staff.

Students will be required to have masks, including a spare, as appropriate for their age, and as water fountains have been turned off, students need to bring their own refillable water bottle each day.

While all of the schools emphasize a community feel among the grades, health protocols dictate that the students remain with their core group throughout the day, and not interact with other classes. That includes having lunch in the classrooms or a socially-distanced picnic lunch outdoors.

The schools are also encouraging outdoor classes whenever possible. NEMJDS said there will be many outdoor opportunities during the day, including lunch outdoors and fresh air breaks.

At JCDS, the Beit Midrash will become a studio, broadcasting to the classrooms. Webcams will also be used to have virtual contact with friends and siblings in other classes.

Through grants and CARES funding, JCDS doubled its technology supply. Students in Kindergarten through second grade will be assigned an iPad, while upper grade students will have Chromebooks. A donor also enabled the school to secure individual desks for grades 1 to 6.

If distance learning becomes necessary, JCDS

students will be able to check out their devices, and “because much of our all-school programming will be set up to unite the classrooms electronically anyway, it will be a small step to shift that programming to beam out to everyone’s home.”

Any student who has direct, extended exposure to someone who has tested positive will be required to stay home for 14 days.

Torah Academy explained that is someone tests positive, that class will close for two weeks and be deep cleaned.

The NEMJDS said all students and employees in that pod will stay at home for 14 days following the last known exposure. Testing should take place four to six days after final exposure, to reduce the chances of a false negative. Those who test positive can return if at least 10 days have passed and there are no symptoms, and there have been at least three days without a fever over 100 degrees.

Because of the shifting nature of the situation, none of the schools are saying for certain what the year will look like, but Debra Abolafia, head of the NEMJDS, said “We believe if everyone follows the guidelines we have proposed for in school learning, we may be able to remain open” even if other schools in the area have to shift to virtual instruction.

At JCDS, plans are in place for in-person and distance learning, “and experts tell us that this year is likely to feature both.”

Pass along your family history MSJE online program gives tips for preservation Been cleaning out closets while having to spend a lot more time at home due to coronavirus? Anna Tucker, curator at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, will lead an online program, “L’Dor V’Dor: Preserving Your Family Story for the Next Generation,” Aug. 23 at 7 p.m.

Tucker will give techniques to preserve documents, photographs and artifacts, followed by a discussion on how to research and record family stories. The program is especially geared for

those who have stacks of fading photographs, dog-eared documents and crumbling scrapbooks in the attic, and want to learn how to preserve them.

The program is free, but registration is required to view it on Zoom. It will also be available without registration on the museum’s Facebook Live page.

The museum is slated to open in New Orleans in early 2021.

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August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

community

Cotton States no more: BBYO region changes name For Jewish teens in the Deep South, Cotton States Region of BBYO is no more — the region has been renamed Delta Region.

The announcement was made on July 17 by regional directors Zoe Goldberg and Skylar Haas, after several years of debate over perceived racial connotations of “cotton states.”

On June 1, the international Jewish fraternity and sorority issued a statement “in Solidarity with the Black Community and All Communities of Color,” pledging to “listen and learn” about racial injustice “so that we can become even better allies.”

The statement announcing the name change said after that first step, “we also wanted to engage in a profound introspection, examining longheld traditions and practices to be sure they aligned with our inclusive and anti-racist values.”

The decision was made in consultation among teens, alumni and parents to change the name and “ensure that BBYO remains a respectful and open home for all.”

The transformation makes the region “a racially progressive and inclusive space for all. This re-branding honors the impactful contribution of the Mississippi Delta and River Valley on our Southern culture,” said Grant Baxter of Memphis, regional s’gan (vice president of programming). “As the world continues to change around us, we are up to the task to dive into these changes and shape our region into the best it can be.”

“I’ve always been proud to say that one of the best things about BBYO is that it is teen-led. So, when our teens decided that it was time for CSR to have a new region name, I was fully behind them,” said Rhonda Feiler, Memphis BBYO advisor and alumna. “They discussed it in great detail

Regional convention in Birmingham, 2011 and spent countless hours coming up with a name they believe best represents our region, and I am thrilled to support them in their endeavors.”

The change has been discussed and debated for several years. Student leaders brought forth a name change resolution at the 2015 regional convention, prompting some members of River City BBG in Memphis to start a Facebook page, to “Keep the Cotton in States.” The resolution failed at that convention.

Two years ago, the region started going by the initials CSR, rather than

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community its full name.

As the region prepared the announcement of the new name, a change. org petition was started by Sigi Shure and Lilah Ephraim to change the name, saying it “perpetuates a racist history that BBYO should not memorialize.” The petition, which quickly became moot, had 65 signatures when it was closed.

The region consists of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. There are currently 13 chapters and over 400 members. In the SJL coverage area, there is Rocket City BBYO in Huntsville; Rabbi Abraham J. Mesch AZA and Magic City BBG in Birmingham; and Big Easy BBYO in New Orleans. There are no chapters in Mississippi or Arkansas.

The fraternity Aleph Zadik Aleph was formed in Omaha, Neb, in 1924 when Jewish high school students were barred from school fraternities.

B’nai B’rith Girls was formed in 1944, and both groups were under the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization umbrella.

The groups adopted the B’nai B’rith district system, with smaller regions in each district. Cotton States was part of District 7, which also included Texas and Oklahoma. The New Orleans-based Jewish Children’s Regional Service also uses the old District 7 footprint. Districts were phased out following a 1977 vote at the international convention.

In 2001, the group was spun off from B’nai B’rith, becoming the renamed independent BBYO. Today there are 700 chapters in 50 countries, and at the 2018 international convention in Orlando, there were over 3,000 teens from 35 countries.

JCRS unwraps plans for this year’s Chanukah gift distribution Though it is still late summer, Chanukah is in the air at Jewish Children’s Regional Service, as preparations are underway to assist families in the region through the Oscar J. Tolmas Chanukah Gift Program — but as with so many things this year, Covid-19 is affecting plans.

Based in New Orleans, JCRS is the oldest Jewish children’s social service agency in the United States. The gift program focuses on Jewish families with children who are in need, special needs Jewish children and institutionalized Jewish adults.

Weeks before Hanukkah, every recipient receives at least eight small Chanukah gifts, one for each night. For some clients who are socially isolated or unaffiliated, JCRS programs, such as holiday outreach, encompass their only ongoing contact with the organized Jewish community.

In addition to possible greater need due to economic conditions brought on by pandemic shutdowns, a major change this year is that the gifts will be delivered unwrapped, except for recipients in the Dallas area.

Each fall, over 2,000 gifts have been wrapped at a party in New Orleans, but the pandemic has cancelled the event for volunteer wrappers. Instead, wrapping paper will be included in the shipments, so parents can wrap the gifts.

Each year, 250 to 350 children and adults become gift recipients. The gifts are stored, sorted by gender, interest and age, and finally shipped to families and to institutions in the South.

To register their children for Chanukah 2020, parents needs to go to the JCRS website, www.jcrs.org, and find the Oscar J. Tolmas Chanukah Gift Program. There is a simple from to fill out and submit to JCRS. Parents have the ability to indicate a child’s interests on the application form.

Eligible Jewish families must live in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Texas.

The website also has information on how to support this program and other JCRS programs, which serve 1,800 Jewish youth in the region. The agency’s largest programs are need-based Jewish summer camp scholarships and college assistance, and assistance for children with special needs.

12

August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

An Official Publication of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans

THE

JEWISH NEWSLETTER August 2020 | Av 5780

Vol. XV No. 2

Together, but virtually.

Register now for the 107th Annual Meeting The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans’ 107th Annual Meeting will take place on September 10 at 7:00 p.m.

The meeting will include the election of the Board Chair-Designate and Board members. Donors to the 2020 Annual Campaign, who are a part of a Jewish household, are considered members of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans and are eligible to vote virtually for the slate at the Annual Meeting.

During this celebration our community’s resilience and endurance, Bruce Pearl, head coach of Auburn University’s men’s basketball team, will speak. The meeting will also celebrate Mara Force, the 2020 recipient of the Herbert and Margot Garon Young Leadership Award.

The nominating slate is on the following page.

To register for the virtual event, please visit

meetings.jewishnola.com/annual meeting.

August 2020 • The Jewish Newsletter

13

2020 Jewish Federation Nominating Slate In accordance with the By-Laws of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, the Federation hereby publishes notice of the persons nominated to serve as Officers and Trustees at least 45 days before the Annual Meeting.* Nominees will be formally elected during the virtual Annual Meeting on September 10, 2020. Donors to the 2020 Annual Campaign, who are a part of a Jewish household, are considered members of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans and are eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans 2020 Nominating Committee Report Brian D. Katz, Board Chair Designate To Be Elected for a First Two-Year Term 2020-2022 Sandy Cohen • Ina Davis • Catherine Frank Alex Gershanik • Sara Lewis • Randy Roig Jon Schlackman • Sarah Schatzmann • David Zapletal Respectfully Submitted, Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans Nominating Committee Henry A. Miller, Chair * Members of the Jewish Federation may also nominate individuals to the Board of Trustees by petition, in accordance with Article VI, Sec. 5 of the Federation By-Laws.

The Jewish Endowment Foundation’s 2020 nominating slate will be presented at the 107th Annual Meeting.

Greater New Orleans Jewish Community Healthcare Workers Take Home Meal Program In April, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans announced a partnership with the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana, Humana, Metairie Bank, and the Consulate General of Israel to the Southwest to launch the Greater New Orleans Jewish Community Healthcare Workers Take Home Meal Program.

Originally, the program was intended to serve 5,000 take home meals to frontline medical staff and hospital workers at three area hospitals over an eight week period - Ochsner Health, Touro Infirmary, and Tulane Medical Center - but because of the generosity of our community, we were able to expand the program to include East Jefferson General Hospital and New Orleans East Hospital, as well as an additional two weeks of meals. In total, 6,600 meals were served to our community heroes, from the intensive care unit to the laundry room.

The Federation was also able to support three small Jewish businesses in our community: Dvash Catering, Kosher Cajun, and Rimon at Tulane Hillel. Each week, our area kosher caterers would create hundreds of delicious and healthy meals for our frontline workers.

The program was largely funded by the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana, Humana, Metairie Bank, the Consulate General of Israel to the Southwest, Baptist Community Ministries, and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. A number of individual donors gave to the program, too, which led to the expansion of the program’s footprint. The Jewish Federation is deeply appreciative of the support of our community partners, individual donors, and the dozens of volunteers from the Greater New Orleans Jewish community who helped distribute the meals across area hospitals each Tuesday.

Thank you, New Orleans.

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August 2020 • The Jewish Newsletter

Connect with Federation Leadership The Jewish Federation wants to connect with our New Orleans Jewish community, updating you on what we’ve been doing since March, and checking in with our membership directly.

Please join us for a livestreamed town hall on Thursday, August 13 at 6:30 p.m. on our Facebook page at facebook.com/jeworleans.

Federation and JNOLA leadership and staff— including Federation CEO, Arnie Fielkow, and Federation Board Chair, Joshua Force—will be present to answer your questions and listen to your feedback.

Want to submit a question in advance? Email Cait Gladow at cait@jewishnola.com.

Thank you.

The Federation has substantially broadened its scope and visibility within the Greater New Orleans community, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, and created initiatives and programs benefiting all New Orleanians. As part of our extended reach, we have created the “Federation Patrons Program” to connect the Greater New Orleans business community with the Jewish community and to highlight our work. Federation Patrons contribute $10,000 or more annually, and we are deeply appreciative of their support:

Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana • Goldring Family Foundation • Hancock Whitney Bank • Humana • Lakeside Toyota • Sherry and Alan Leventhal Family Foundation • Metairie Bank • Schoenbaum Family Foundation • Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust • Touro Infirmary

JNOLA brings the movies to social distancing More than 30 cars filled the parking lot at Congregation Gates of Prayer on July 16 to watch the Mel Brooks classic, The History of the World Part 1, at a drive-in movie event sponsored by JNOLA & Tribe.

Members of both organizations voted on which Brooks film to watch leading up to the event, and candy and water were provided for each attendee.

JNOLA is generously sponsored by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust. JNOLA serves members of the Greater New Orleans Jewish community between the ages of 21-39. To learn more, contact Tana Velen at tana@jewishnola.com.

August 2020 • The Jewish Newsletter

15

There’s still time to be a part of the 2020 Annual Campaign The Jewish Federation knows how profoundly everything around us has changed, both at home and in our community, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – and we hope you and yours are healthy and well. It’s also important that we share our gratitude with our community for past support of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans’ Annual Campaign.

Thank you.

Now more than ever, our goal is to safeguard Jewish New Orleans—specifically, here’s how your Federation has responded to these challenging circumstances: •

We established a direct individual grant program for Jewish New Orleanians administered through Jewish Family Service (JFS) and funded by the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana (JEF).

•

We launched a Health Care Take Home Meal Program, which supported kosher businesses while providing nearly 7,000 meals this spring to health care workers at EGJH, NOEH, Ochsner, Touro, and Tulane.

•

We served as the central local organization facilitating the federal Paycheck Protection Program, with 16 agencies/synagogues joining our efforts. All were approved for forgivable loans.

•

We joined with JFS to create a helpline program to assist our community with delivery of groceries/pharmacy items, medical transport, and emotional support. More than 60 volunteers pitched in to help.

•

And most importantly, we are working to assess and address the financial stabilization needs of our community agencies, many of whom are struggling as a result of the pandemic.

This is why the 2020 Annual Campaign is so important. Our mission is to stabilize our Jewish agencies and organizations for the future of our Jewish community, and that’s never clearer than during times of crisis. Every dollar is critically important.

There’s still time to make an impact.

Did you know that the increased amount of your gift is matched at 25%? You can also pay in automated installments—and you can even schedule your payments to start three months from now. Visit jewishnola.com/give to donate online.

Please respond by August 17, 2020 by contacting Brenda Montamat at brenda@jewishnola.com to make or increase your 2020 commitment.

We hope you will also consider a legacy gift to the Federation. To do so, please contact Bobby Garon or Patti Lengsfield at the Jewish Endowment Foundation at bobby@jefno.org or patti@jefno.org.

16 August 2020 • The Jewish Newsletter

Jewish Community Day School Welcome Back to Green Preschool!

We were thrilled to reopen our doors at Green Preschool on June 10 to welcome back our Devorim and Nitzanim! Masked teachers didn’t faze the little ones, who were quickly all laughs and shrieks of delight as they returned to the wonderland that is their classrooms. Rugs may have been replaced with wood-grain-printed foam mats that are easier to clean, and we have culled and supplemented the toys to ensure everything a child handles can be sanitized, but nothing changes the joy in discovery that is the hallmark of our program.

Green Preschool’s Summer Session has been a blast, with sunny water days, bubble buckets, paint parties, musical (and often outdoor) lunch, and, most importantly, sweet time with friends. The children’s excitement at being back in an environment where they can socialize with their peers has been wonderful to observe. They’re all a little taller, a little more verbal, and, in

many cases, a little more mobile.

Despite the months of being apart, they immediately began playing with each other, interacting, and drawing joy from being in a social environment.

Additionally, while they may not have seen their teachers in person for a few months, all of the stories and songs sent out through Seesaw videos turned our teachers into Internet celebrities for these kids. The bonds they had established prior to stayat-home remained unbroken. We also appreciated all of the pictures and videos sent in by families to keep us informed on the children’s growth.

We sure did miss our Green Preschoolers, and we are overjoyed to be together again!

August 2020 • The Jewish Newsletter

17

Jewish Community Center Welcome Back to the J! Offering fitness, swimming and group exercise, as well as numerous virtual classes and programs, the JCC is open and welcomes new members to join. For details and to set up a virtual tour and meet-and-greet with the membership director, visit nojcc.org/membership.

Book Club, Lectures, Lunch and Learn are Now Virtual!

For everyone’s safety, from the masking policy and occupancy limits to cleaning protocols, stringent COVID-19 policies and procedures are being followed. Registration is required for most in-person activities and temperature checks are performed at the door for both members and staff.

The JCC’s popular adult programming has gone virtual and is now available via Zoom.

Join us the third Tuesday of each month for the engaging, sometimes controversial but always entertaining literary discussions that are the hallmark of JCC Book Club. Descriptions of the selected books and their reviewers are listed at nojcc.org/bookclub.

With the summer heat, the pool is the place to be for lap swimming, recreational swimming and aqua fitness classes. Group exercise is also offered on the pool deck and on the back fields, providing the camaraderie and motivation of a group class while giving everyone room to practice safe “social fitnessing.”

Indoors, reservations are available for cardio and strength workouts, as well as one-on-one, socially distant personal training. While contact sports are not allowed in this phase, the basketball courts are open for individuals who are at least 16 years old to reserve time to shoot hoops.

For something completely different, try out Lunch and Learn, which is usually held the the JCC, a variety of live and recorded fitness first Thursday of the month, and learn as we classes are offered each day. Streamed through discuss interesting topics with a local rabbi.

Zoom or the JCC Fitness Facebook group, The Morris Bart Sr. Lecture Series will conclasses range from yoga and Pilates, to high tinue to offer fascinating topics for diverse inintensity interval training (HIIT) and boot- terests on the second Monday of the month, camp-style classes, to low intensity senior chair but additional days and times are being added For members who are unable to work out at exercise. Descriptions and the weekly schedule to the schedule. Because going virtual allows are available at nojcc.org/virtualj. us to bring in guest speakers outside of the Through fitness and recreation, as well New Orleans area, on Sept. 9, Dr. Ellen Weidongoing adult programs and upcoming cul- ner (above) will join us from Colorado to share tural events, the JCC is committed to helping her experiences as a large animal veterinarian our community stay healthy, connected and and provide a glimpse into the strange and engaged. To learn more and to join, contact wondrous world of elephant medicine. Details Uptown Membership Director Taylor Knopf for this and other upcoming talks, as well as at membership@nojcc.org, or Metairie Mem- videos of previous lectures, can be found at bership Director Katelyn Sileo at katelyn@ nojcc.org/bartlecture. All of these events are free and open to the community. nojcc.org.

Tulane Hillel New Faces at Tulane Hillel

Our new executive director, Ron Gubitz, is an innovative educator who infuses his love of the arts and humor into every aspect of his work. He recently served as the Leadership Coach for The John F. Kennedy Center’s innovative Turnaround Arts program, a national effort that supports schools and inspires students through the strategic use of the arts. From 2011 to 2016, he served as principal of the ReNEW Cultural Arts Academy in New Orleans, leading the Pre-K to 4th grade school through a dramatic turnaround of what had been the lowest performing school in the entire state of Louisiana. He served

on the Touro Synagogue Board of Directors for six years, co-founded Whetstone Education, and does whatever he can to make sure the Crescent City stays funky.

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August 2020 • The Jewish Newsletter

Jewish Endowment Foundation Get $1,000 from the Jewish Endowment Foundation to open a fund!

What is the Cahn-Tolmas Donor Advised Fund Initiative?

It is an extraordinary opportunity for you to open a donor advised fund at JEF.

Why extraordinary?

Because you contribute a minimum of $4,000 and JEF adds $1,000, you receive an extra $1,000 to grant to non-profits you care about.

And you get to learn how easy and advantageous it is to have a Donor Advised Fund at JEF.

Advantages of a Donor Advised Fund 2 2 2 2

Realize immediate tax benefits Distribute when you choose, to nonprofits that are important to you Simplify your charitable giving paperwork Support your community!

Types of Assets That May Be Contributed 2 Cash 2 Publicly traded securities 2 Real estate* 2 Other assets may be considered* *Assets other than cash or publicly traded securities are subject to JEF’s Gift Acceptance Policies.

Investment Options (choice of investment depends upon fund balance) 2 2 2 2

Fixed Income Pool – Under $25,000 Mixed Investment Pool – $25,000 or more (60% equities/40% fixed) Selection of Vanguard Funds – $40,000 or more Donor may recommend an investment advisor – $100,000 or more

Administrative Fees and Balance Requirements 2 No fee to establish a Donor Advised Fund with JEF 2 Annual Administrative Expense: 1% of the fund balance as of 12/31 2 Minimum fund balance of $1,000 for at least two years.

Once your Donor Advised Fund has been created, you can begin recommending grants of $100 or more to your favorite nonprofits.

For more information, please call or email Bobby Garon (bobby@jefno.org) or Patti Lengsfield (patti@jefno.org) at 504.524.4559.

Caroline Reichel is a Springboard Innovation Fellow through Hillel International. Born and raised in the Chicago area, she recently graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Political Science, and was a member of Purdue Student Government Board of Directors. The Springboard Fellowship is a prestigious, paid, two-year fellowship that brings together the best, brightest and most diverse Jewish talent through a transformative early career experience in the Hillel movement.

Takasha Weaver is the Operations Manager, responsible for overseeing all the operations of the Tulane Hillel facility, as well as helping to manage the day-to day relationship with Rimon, our inhouse restaurant tenant. Takasha works closely with Tulane Hillel’s work-study receptionists and oversees all aspects of receptionist performance and standards. A Huntsville native, she worked at New Orleans and Company and managed the Convention and Event Staffing Program.

August 2020 • The Jewish Newsletter

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Jewish Family Service Prioritize Your Mental Health, Now More Than Ever Written by Roselle M. Ungar, CFRE, Executive Director, Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans

As we face this time of great upheaval, it is essential to prioritize our mental health. Many health experts are concerned that, without our normal schedules and access to mental health professionals compounding unprecedented events, many people are not seeking out the care they need or are accustomed to receiving. They warn us that, alongside the health crisis of coronavirus, a mental health crisis is playing out in our homes.

According to MentalHealth.gov, our mental health “includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.” As our country grapples with the stultifying challenges of a global pandemic and nationwide protests, feelings of fear, anger, depression, anxiety, paranoia, sadness, and panic are not unexpected consequences. While our personal reactions to current events may vary, we all need to check in with ourselves and, perhaps, check out a form of counseling.

Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans is accepting new clients, and we’re currently offering telemental health counseling. In addition to checking in with a mental health professional, our therapists offer some tips to prioritize your mental health.

• Limit news & media intake.

• Spend time outside, and be sure to exercise.

• Maintain good sleep hygiene.

• Maintain a routine as best you can.

• Eat a balanced diet.

• Take time to relax, whether that be sitting quietly or enjoying a hobby like playing music or meditating.

• Call family and friends. If you’re not yet able to see family

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August 2020 • The Jewish Newsletter

and friends in person, call them. Hearing their voice will provide more feelings of connection than a simple text.

If you’re interested in speaking with a JFS therapist, get in touch with us: (504) 831-8475 or jfs@jfsneworleans.org. Follow our social media channels for more tips: @jfsnola on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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By Beverly Katz As a local Landscape Designer and owner of Exterior Designs, I am always interested in hearing about the value of the services I provide to New Orleans and its surrounding areas. I recently read landscaping can add tens of thousands of dollars to the value of a residential property. And it’s no wonder, because with time, interior décor generally goes out of style. However, landscaping only matures and becomes more valuable as time goes on.

From my experience working with realtors and their clients, among the top things buyers seek the most in a new home are a well-manicured design and large, mature plants and trees. Homebuyers typically understand the costs associated with creating a new landscape and many are willing to pay more for one that’s already established. It reduces their out-of-pocket expenses as they can absorb the costs into their mortgage, and it also takes the burden off of the new homeowner to add yet another project to their long to-do lists.

Planning to sell soon?

If you are planning to sell your home in the near future, Exterior Designs has a few suggestions to immediately improve your home’s curb appeal.

Start by creating a sharp, well-defined edge around your garden beds. Add a fresh layer of mulch to liven them up. You should also start fertilizing your lawn so potential buyers are met with a lush, green carpet of grass, instead of spots of brown grass and weeds. Lastly, add a punch of color by including annuals in decorative planters or in the garden beds themselves.

Planning to stay put?

If you plan to stay in your home for years to come, I always suggest starting with a master plan. When my clients come to me, they say, “Beverly, we want something that is low maintenance, provides a place for entertaining and can make the most out of our space.” The biggest mistake I see is homeowners not having a cohesive plan. They put a tree in here, and a few years later add a garden bed there. Fast-forward a few more years and their yard looks disorganized, and is not fully utilizing the space available. Having a long-term landscaping plan is so essential if you don’t plan to sell anytime soon. You can achieve your goals without blowing your budget, and make the most use of the space available.

As a licensed landscape contractor, horticulturist and longtime resident of New Orleans, I and my team embrace the natural landscapes and historical character the region offers. Problem yards are my specialty; along with creating New Orleans style courtyards and correcting poor drainage issues.

Regardless of whether you are looking to sell and want to maximize your return, or you want to increase your home’s value by enhancing its curb appeal, landscaping can only benefit your bottom line. Exterior Designs is committed to helping homeowners make the most of their outdoors. We invite you to contact us with any questions or to visit our portfolio for inspiration.

August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

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women in business ONE STOP Acropolis on FreretSHOPPING KOSHER FOOD 4510 Freret Street, New Orleans • (504) 309-0069 • AcropolisOnFreret.com

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Jumonville knows all about creating an experience from her many years of working in event planning, sales, marketing, television production and hospitality.

After closing for two months due to the coronavirus pandemic, Acropolis on Freret reopened May 21. When restrictions are lifted, they plan to start “Talent Tuesdays,” bringing in a visual artist, poet or storyteller once a week.

They also hope to soon feature some musical entertainment on Thursday and Saturday nights. All of the time at Acropolis on Freret, Mediterranean music plays on the sound system, including some music from Israel.

“We plan to add Israeli couscous a few other Israeli dishes” as early as August, said Jumonville, whose mother’s side of the family is Jewish. “We are so much more than a Greek restaurant. We have cuisine and music from across the Mediterranean… and we do it all with a New Orleans flair.”

Acropolis on Freret offers the largest Greek and Mediterranean wine list in New Orleans, and every wine is available by the glass.

They also recently added brunch service from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, featuring specialties including Greek omelets, salmon plates, tiganites (Greek-style pancakes with honey and walnuts) along with mimosa flights.

They open for dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and offer patio seating as well as takeout. Jumonville said that they have put an enhanced focus on customer and employee safety.

“We take everyone’s temperature when they come in. We’ve spaced the tables to allow for social distancing. We sanitize thoroughly. All of our staff wear masks,” she said.

Jumonville said that she and her husband are regularly at the restaurant, calling Acropolis on Freret a “labor of love.”

“I love the people I meet everyday and I love working alongside my husband. Our employees are like family,” she said. “This is truly a dream fulfilled.”

Greg Arceneaux Cabinetmakers 17319 Norwell Dr., Covington • (985) 893-8782 • gregarceneaux.com Former midwife and nurse Liz Arceneaux joined her husband at Greg Arceneaux Cabinetmakers in 1995. Founded in 1981, the company designs, builds and restores Creole and Acadian-style furniture.

“We look at it as giving new life to a style that is a part of our Louisiana culture,” she said. “When Greg started the company, this rare form of antiquity was disappearing. We feel like we are preserving it and creating family heirlooms to last for generations.”

Today the Creole and Acadian-style furniture made at Greg Arceneaux Cabinetmakers in Covington can now be seen at Brennan’s, the Historic New Orleans Collection, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the Louisiana Supreme Court, The Pilot House, the historic Pentalla Apartments at Jackson Square (built in 1849 and the nation’s oldest), actor John Good22

August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

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Louisiana-Inspired Masks! man’s home as well as homes, businesses and museums across the world.

The company even has its own room at the State Museum of Louisiana.

They use indigenous trees of Louisiana, including cypress, pecan, walnut, willow, cherry, mahogany and poplar, to craft antique furniture and use “the least amount of chemicals possible.”

Liz Arceneaux said she handles the marketing, works with customers and the bookkeeping. “I have always had a really good business mind,” she said. “I learned from my mother. She managed the financials for our family and the family business.”

Arceneaux said she most enjoys working directly with customers and sharing with them the process of crafting custom pieces for them. “Our customers and our employees are like family. That’s what we’re about — a family-owned business working with families who appreciate the process of creating beautiful, unique furniture,” she said.

She said they usually need two to four weeks lead time on a standard build and three to six months for custom works.

Due to Covid-19, the Arceneauxs closed for two months. But when they re-opened in mid-May, “the phones were ringing off the hook.”

“People were just coming out of the woodwork. I think with people being at home much of the time, they put more focus on things they could do to make their home a more beautiful place,” she said. Currently, customers must schedule appointments before coming in and everyone wears masks.

After Greg Arceneaux Cabinetmakers reopened following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, they altered their business to do restorations and repair.

“We’re able to do whatever our customers need of us. Our dedication to serving them has helped us” overcome obstacles, said Arceneaux.

Fisher and Sons Jewelry 5101 W. Esplanade Ave., Metairie • (504) 885-4956 • fishersonsjewelers.com Fisher and Sons Jewelry, a gem of a family-owned business in Metairie for more than 42 years, credits its success to making its customers feel special and well cared for.

“We don’t call them our customers, we call them our friends,” said Chloe Fisher Bares, who co-owns Fisher and Sons with her brother, Craig. “We have an emotional connection with them. It’s not about selling them jewelry, it’s about the relationships and being a part of their special life celebrations.”

After 31 years in the jewelry industry, Thomas Fisher opened Fisher and Sons in 1977. He brought his son, Craig, and wife, Chloe Sr., into the business. Chloe Fisher Bares joined the business in 1982.

Craig’s son, Ryan, joined the family business in 2011, and that same year, Chloe and Craig took ownership of Fisher and Sons. Thomas Fisher passed away last year but his spirit is with the family every day at the store he started. “I feel like we are honoring his legacy every day,” said Fisher Bares. “I know he would be proud.”

Fisher and Sons closed the store March 19 and reopened the second week of May. But even during that time, they found ways to take care of their customers.

“We did some custom jobs; we worked with folks over the phone and did curbside pick-up. We even delivered some jewelry personally to their homes — anything we could do to reach out to them, we happily did,” said Fisher Bares.

Fisher Bares does most of the buying for Fisher and Sons. Her brother does the benchwork on the new custom jewelry and repair work, incorporating a laser welder. Ryan handles jewelry design as well as appraisals, using CAD software and 3-D printing for the custom pieces.

She said rose gold and white gold are popular options today. Fisher and Sons has also created custom jewelry with fleur de lis, Stars of David and Chai signs. “We enjoy when we can bring someone’s creative vision to

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life with custom work. Our slogan is ‘where the unique is commonplace’,” said Fisher Bares.

She said the most important advice for small business owners is to do what you love and love what you do.

“It’s not just a job or a business, it’s a passion,” said Fisher Bares. “You have to enjoy what you do. I look forward to every day that we can play a part in people’s special memories.”

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Riccobono’s Peppermill owner Cami Chiarella believes the recipe for small business success includes “treating everyone like family and working with the people who work for you.”

In the spring of 1976, “my grandparents started this business, and we still regularly see some people who came in when we first opened,” said Chiarella, who took over the Metairie Italian restaurant in 2011. “This is a family business. We also feel like we have an extended family with our customers and our employees.”

Chiarella started helping out in the restaurant when she was 11 years old, working as a hostess while going to high school and college. After college, she ran a successful catering business and meal service before returning to Riccobono’s Peppermill.

“I learned the ins and outs of the business hands-on growing up,” she said. “You do a little bit of everything at a restaurant.”

When Joe and Josie Riccobono opened Peppermill 44 years ago, they had already become successful restaurateurs who had owned the Buck 49 chain of steakhouses and Rick’s Pancake Cottage on Canal Street.

Peppermill was their first venture into Metairie and their first opportunity to bring in their classic family Italian recipes.

Chiarella said they have kept with the core that has made Peppermill a timeless classic, including many of the recipes and menu items from the early years.

“We’ve built upon that by expanding our repertoire of food to bring in a new generation of customers,” she said. “In recent years we’ve added a lot of seafood items and expanded to include an extensive breakfast menu,” including Italian and Cajun/Creole specialties.

“We still serve dishes that are my grandmother’s recipes hand-written on cards,” she added. “In some cases, we’ve taken a traditional dish and added something to take it to the next level.”

Chiarella said that she and her family have for years had many friends in the Jewish community. “We grew up learning about their traditions and they learned about our traditions,” she said. “There are many things that we share culturally… and we really appreciate the close relationships we have with our friends in the Jewish community.”

Riccobono’s Peppermill re-opened the second week of June. They have taken extensive measures for Covid-19 compliance and safety. All employees and customers must wear masks. Several sanitizing stations were added.

Riccobono’s Peppermill also implemented curbside pickup and delivery. They also amended their hours to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

“We care about all of our employees and customers. We want to keep everyone safe while giving them the dining experience they’ve come to know and love,” she said.

From Aug. 1 through Sept. 13, Peppermill will participate in COOLinary, a citywide dining event. For dinner every night, they’ll offer a special four-course meal for $39 per person.

Special Section articles by Lee J. Green 24

August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

community For first time, Shir Chadash to allow service livestreams

Former FBI official to discuss hate crimes

Shir Chadash in Metairie decided for the first time in the congregation’s history that it would use technology to broadcast its High Holy Days services, following a new ruling from the Conservative movement’s Committee of Jewish Law and Standards. The plan is to utilize both Livestream and Zoom.

Shir Chadash Rabbi Deborah Silver said the risk to the health and safety of congregants from gathering in person during the Covid-19 pandemic has made it incumbent upon the synagogue to explore safer options.

“We believe these recommendations fulfill the mandate of Conservative Judaism to strike the right balance between tradition and change,” Rabbi Silver said. “They provide the greatest access to our services for the greatest number of people in our community during the Covid-19 emergency while preserving the culture of our sacred spaces and the lay leadership who make our services special and meaningful.”

Shir Chadash in Metairie will also have David Kaplinsky, “one of our own,” as service leader.

In a message to the congregation, Silver, President Ken Klein and Executive Director Ricardo Totah indicated this would be a “significant departure” from the current practice at the congregation. “We hope and trust that this decision will consolidate and strengthen our relationships with each other and across the Shir Chadash community, enabling us to come together in prayer during these unprecedented and challenging circumstances,” they said.

The technology will also be used for Shabbat services during the pandemic.

On Aug. 30 at 3 p.m., The Greater New Orleans Section of the National Council of Jewish Women will host its third in a series of educational antisemitism webinars featuring expert presenters from across the country.

Steven Pomerantz, former assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, will discuss “Historical and Current Experience with Hate Crimes.” The presentation will also include a breakdown of the current FBI demographics of hate crimes motivated by antisemitic rhetoric and violence from the extreme right and extreme leftist elements of American society.

During his 27-year career, Pomerantz served three separate tours of duty at FBI headquarters, including as chief of the Counterterrorism Section. In that capacity, he had responsibility for supervision of all FBI counterterrorism investigations, both domestically and abroad.

He was also involved extensively in law enforcement and intelligence service liaison as part of the worldwide effort to combat terrorism.

The series will conclude on Oct. 4 with Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, senior rabbi of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York, speaking on “Is today’s Anti-Zionism the latest form of anti-Semitism?”

To register, go to the NCJW website, ncjwneworleans.org. The series is co-sponsored by Hadassah New Orleans, the Anti-Defamation League South Central region, and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans.

Third part of NCJW series on antisemitism

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community

Building a “New Miss” Suzi Altman, James Meredith promote progress

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August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

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With the removal of monuments and other symbols of the Confederacy from public lands, one of the biggest hurdles was Mississippi deciding on June 30, after years of controversy, to redesign the state flag, which has incorporated the Confederate battle flag since 1894.

Now, national attention is focused on the Ole Miss moniker for the University of Mississippi, and its origins as the name used by slaves to refer to the owner’s wife, but which for others is seen only as a term of endearment for Southern women.

Jackson photographer Suzi Altman and her friend, James Meredith, the first Black man to attend the University of Mississippi, have entered the discussion, almost accidentally, and it started with a hat.

Pastor Robert West, a friend of Meredith’s, had been “embarrassed” seeing him wearing an Ole Miss hat, and a year ago gave him a custom-made hat in a similar style, with the term “New Miss” on the front.

West explained, “The day James Meredith stepped onto the campus of the University of Mississippi, it was no longer ‘Ole Miss’.”

Last year, Altman photographed Meredith wearing the hat, and there was little reaction. This summer, however, photos of him wearing the hat went viral, and requests for the hat started pouring in.

Born in Kosciusko, Meredith has said his father told him he had a divine mission to destroy the system of white supremacy. After attending Jackson State for two years, in 1961, the Air Force veteran sued Mississippi for the right to enroll at the University of Mississippi. After the federal courts ordered the university to enroll him, a riot broke out in Oxford. He was successfully enrolled on Oct. 1, 1962, accompanied by hundreds of federal representatives who were there to keep order, with President Kennedy invoking the rarely-used Insurrection Act. During the riots, one-third of the federal agents were injured.

Though harassed and ostracized, Meredith graduated a year later.

While attending Columbia University Law School, in 1966 he decided to do a March Against Fear through Mississippi, from Memphis to Jackson, to inspire Black voter registration. The second day, June 6, he was shot by a sniper, and still has pellets from that attack under his skin.

After the shooting, Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders came to the state to continue his march, which Meredith was able to rejoin as it approached the finish line in Jackson, with about 15,000 taking part in the final steps on June 26, the day after his birthday.

After Meredith was shot, Stokely Carmichael, president of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, felt that SNCC members should continue the march, and during a June 16, 1966 speech in Greenwood, coined the phrase “Black Power.”

An Ohio native, Altman first met Meredith shortly after she moved to Mississippi from New York almost two decades ago. The New York Times asked her to visit Oxford for a piece on the 40th anniversary of integration at the university, and gave her a list of people to photograph. For some reason, Meredith himself was not on the list.

She decided to track him down, and having been told Meredith was in Jackson, she found him through exhaustive research — in the Jackson phone book. Her photo of him standing at the entrance of James Meredith Auto Sale wound up on the front page of the Times on Sept. 27, 2002.

Altman has been featured in prestigious publications worldwide, and demonstrates using photography for social change. She has extensively photographed the Mississippi Delta, and in 2008 was Mississippi’s honored artist for the state committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Her work is in the permanent collection at the museum in Washington.

She founded the Mississippi Folk Art Foundation to try and preserve the Vicksburg landmark Margaret’s Grocery. In 2005, she covered the trial of Edgar Ray Killen, accused of taking part in the notorious 1964 murder

of Meredith’s 1966 march.

Altman posted photos of the encounter, during which Meredith was wearing the New Miss hat, on her Facebook page and website.

In the current climate, the photos quickly spread, with thousands of shares.

A Clarion-Ledger reporter who had been there published a story the next day, and a Photo courtesy Suzi Altman few days later CNN published a piece by James Meredith sports his New Miss hat Meredith, “I am George Floyd,” in describing of three civil rights workers, Andrew Goodman, how it was to grow up Black in Mississippi in the Michael Schwerner and James Chaney. mid-20th century.

Three days after the George Floyd murder in “One year ago I made photos of him in the hat Minneapolis, Altman called Meredith to meet and no one noticed,” Altman said. With the enfor lunch. She had been rereading “Down at the counter with the students in the park, the Covid Crossroads,” the history of Meredith’s March pandemic, George Floyd and the state flag issue, Against Fear. They arranged to get together again now “the hat and New Miss became an interest.” on June 4 at Smith Park in Jackson.

Altman knew the story behind the hat, and While they were at the park, a mostly-white had contacted West to get his blessing to make group of elementary school students, ages 5 to more of them. She then put it on Facebook, ini12, was holding a Black Lives Matter protest at tially not anticipating much of a response. the Old State Capitol nearby. “It was amazing, Almost immediately, requests for the hat they had homemade signs,” Altman said, and she poured in — from around the world. There were mentioned to them that Meredith was nearby. also requests for T-shirts, bumper stickers, even He agreed to meet them, and for two hours they flags for tailgaters to have at the Grove. And of sat at the park on the ground around him, as he course, in the midst of Covid-19, there were spoke about the civil rights era. plenty of requests for face masks.

Two days after Meredith met with the students, Altman formed an LLC to trademark and there was a Black Lives Matter demonstration in copyright New Miss, consulting with numerous Jackson, the largest gathering there since the end attorneys to make sure she was on solid ground.

If the university wanted to use the phrase, “they had 60 years to claim it,” she said. “They didn’t change their brand and made no move to do that.”

There are numerous differences between their logo and the university’s Ole Miss logo, from the typeface to the spacing. She obtained the site “thenewmiss.com” and sell the hat there, with additional items to come. They are being selective on the types of things they sell with the logo.

The wool blend hats have “New Miss” in 3-dimensional lettering on the front, and on the back it says “James H. Meredith 1962.” A portion of the proceeds goes to Black Lives Matter Mississippi and the James Meredith Interpretive Center.

What started as “I can’t believe people want this hat” has blossomed into a much larger effort.

Altman is helping Meredith set up a foundation, and they envision setting up “a center for racial healing, education and peace.”

Altman said the logo “is taking on a whole lot of meaning for different people,” beyond Meredith’s entering the university in 1962.

Meredith, now 87, says he has accomplished two of his three missions in life — to break white supremacy at the university, to do the March Against Fear, and now, to help heal racial division through honest dialogue and promoting good moral character.

For more, visit thenewmiss.com.

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community Avodah planning virtual Partners in Justice event for Aug. 23 While the New Orleans Avodah house usually has its Partners in Justice gala as a jazz brunch in late Spring, the coronavirus pandemic changed the group’s plans.

Now, the event will be a Zoom-only program on Aug. 23 at 11 a.m., honoring Sylvia Finger, Walton and Jeff Goldring, and Jill Israel as social justice leaders.

Retired Judge Miriam Waltzer, who was an honoree last year, will be a presenter. Rabbi Edward Cohn, rabbi emeritus at Temple Sinai, will present the award to the Goldrings.

Finger and Israel have worked for voter registration, engagement and rights in recent years. Finger chairs the voter rights and mobilization efforts of the National Council of Jewish Women’s Public Affairs Committee, and Israel chairs the League of Women Voters Voter Services committee. They created Engaging New Voices and Voters, a non-partisan coalition of non-profit organizations that does voter registration drives at schools and colleges, among other locations, and has registered over 9,000 new voters.

Finger immigrated to the United States from South Africa in 1972,

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moving to New Orleans in 1976. A speech and language pathologist, she has been active on the boards of Shir Chadash, Hadassah and NCJW. After retiring from Entergy, Israel embarked on a volunteer career, chairing the Jewish Endowment Foundation’s Governance Committee and the ADL Development Committee. She is on the executive committee at Touro Synagogue and the Touro Infirmary board. She has worked to expand the ADL’s educational programming, especially the No Place for Hate program in schools.

New Orleans native Jeff Goldring is the fourth generation to lead the family business, which was started by his great-grandfather, Newman Goldring, in Pensacola, in 1898. He is a director of the Sazerac Company, America’s largest distiller of alcoholic beverages, and of Crescent Crown Distributing, one of the nation’s largest beer wholesalers. He serves on numerous civic boards, including The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, The Posse foundation, and Send me a Friend Foundation.

Much of his time is spent working with groups that focus on mental health and sobriety, including Hazelden, Bridge House and Send Me a Friend. After struggling with the disease of addiction for years, he got sober in June 2001.

A Missouri native, Walton Vetter Goldring graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Schools in both London and Paris. After cooking professionally, she went into restaurant and hotel management, and eventually moved to New Orleans in 2006 to manage a luxury Bed and Breakfast in Mid-City. She met and married Jeff, and now is involved with various charitable organizations and is busy raising her two young sons. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Bridge House, Grace House and Chil-

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August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

community

When hate is dismissed and bigotry ignored...

>> Rear Pew Mirror

continued from page 30

be masks,” and there were masks. And God saw the masks were good, and social distanced the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and called the darkness “night.”

And there was evening, and there was morning – one day with no new cases.

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One can even find 21st century truisms in well-known prayers: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one and says to wear a mask.

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Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might by wearing a mask. And these words I command you today you will take to heart, through your mask.

Teach them to your children, while wearing a mask. Recite them wearing a mask when you are at home or away, morning and night. Bind them as a sign on your hand, make them a symbol above your eyes, and wear a mask over not just your mouth but also your nose. And inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, while wearing a mask.

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Masks. They’re not just for Purim anymore.

Doug Brook looks better wearing a mask – he always had a perfect face for radio. To read past columns, visit http://brookwrite.com/. For exclusive online content, follow facebook.com/ rearpewmirror.

>>Avodah

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dren’s Hospital, as well as the Dean’s Advisory Council for Tulane’s School of Social Work.

Along with Chicago, New York and Washington, New Orleans is one of four sites in the U.S. where Avodah recruits young Jewish adults ages 21 to 26 from across the country to spend a year living together and being placed at local non-profit agencies, building a supportive, pluralistic community that promotes social activism and Jewish life. There is also a Justice Fellowship program that debuted in Kansas City in 2018, and in January Avodah announced it would open in San Diego — with assistance from Rabbi Alexis Berk, formerly of New Orleans.

The Corps Members are paired with non-profits that fight poverty, providing these organizations with an additional staffer to help with the organization’s goals, and also strengthens connections between the Jewish community and social service groups. There were nine Avodah members in New Orleans this year.

Tickets are $100, or $40 for young professionals under age 36. Chaverim level is at $250, while sponsorships start at $500. The Zoom link will be sent to ticketholders. For more information, visit avodah.net/pijnola.

Stream the best of WYES anytime, anywhere. With WYES Passport, you can catch up on your favorite shows any time from any device. Our local library is constantly growing with WYES documentaries, plus current and past seasons of PBS shows. Receive WYES Passport and a year subscription to New Orleans Magazine when you become a member at the $60 level.

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August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

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The Ten Coronamandments Some believe that the revered, ancient Jewish texts aren’t relevant for contemporary issues. However, one needs to simply look closer at these texts to find great guidance for the pre-apocalyptic inferno that’s commonly referred to as 2020.

For example, a scrutinous look at the Ten Commandments reveals the most important safety tip since Egon Spengler said “don’t cross the streams.”

I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, so wear a mask.

You shall have no other gods before me, though you shall put a mask between us. You shall not make for yourself any graven image, or manner of likeness, of anything in heaven above or in the earth below, or in the water underneath. And if you don’t wear a mask, there is another place under the earth below that you just do not want to risk going to.

Do not bow down to them or serve them, and always wear a mask when you’re serving others. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation if they do not wear a mask.

You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain. And wear a mask. For the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone that takes his name in vain, or who doesn’t wear a mask.

Remember the Sabbath and wear a mask to keep it holy. (But do not put holes in the mask.) For six days you work, wearing a mask while doing all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord your God. In it, you shall not do any manner of work; you, nor your son, your daughter, your man-servant, your maid-servant, your cattle, or the stranger in your gates. But you still need a mask. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day, and the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. And he did not do all just so you could ruin it by not Wear the mask. that wearing a mask.

It’s a mitzvah.

Many mitzvot.

Honor your father and your mother by wearing a mask, so that their days may be not cut short on the land which the Lord gave them.

You shall not kill. How? Wear a mask.

You shall not commit adultery. Wearing a mask should make it too difficult anyway.

You shall not steal someone else’s opportunity to not die. Wear a mask.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, especially if you’re not wearing a mask yourself.

You shall not COVID your neighbor’s house, nor his wife, his man-servant, his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. How? Wear a mask!

One can find similar guidance even earlier in the Torah: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the deep.

And the spirit of God hovered over the waters. And God said, “let there continued on previous page 30

August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

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August 2020 • Southern Jewish Life

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