Southern Jewish Life, Deep South, November 2023

Southern Jewish Life

Governor’s Mansion in Mississippi, lit in blue in solidarity with Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks

November 2023 Volume 33 Issue 9

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

2

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

shalom y’all This is a pivotal time in Jewish history.

There is much to be said about the barbaric attack on Jewish civilians on Oct. 7, and Israel’s response.

It has been said that after this past month’s events, we have learned who our friends really are — and they are fewer than we thought — and how much closer we feel to each other as a worldwide people.

Thankfully, in our region we have seen a lot of our Christian neighbors step up to the plate and vocally — as well as financially — support us and Israel. We have also seen longtime allies do the “yeah but” dance.

Make no mistake. What is happening now in Gaza is not revenge. It is rooting out a maniacal, tyrannical regime that has vowed to repeat the Oct. 7 attacks, over and over, until the Jews decide it is just too much to bear and leave “the

river to the sea” en masse.

Make no mistake. A ceasefire is a win for Hamas. Anything short of a Hamas surrender and dismantling will be seen as a victory for Hamas and Iran, and will have serious negative repercussions in Israel’s standing with its new peace partners throughout the region.

What about the innocent children of Gaza? In the long term, this is for them, to put a stop to the Hamas-launched terrorism that continues to put them in danger. It is their leadership that causes the tragedy. And after this is done, Israel needs to take the international media on a tour of Gaza to show them how thoroughly Hamas has been playing them as fools all these years.

The latest controversy is over universities shutting down groups for being “pro-Palestinian.” That’s a farce. We’re pro-Palestinian. Israel is pro-Palestinian — the Palestinian people, not their corrupt, hateful leadership. Free Palestine? That’s exactly what Israel is trying to do.

Rather, these activists are just anti-Israel, the Palestinian people are an afterthought, tools with which to bash Israel. These groups aren’t being investigated for being pro-Palestinian — they are being investigated for actively supporting a terrorist regime, for inciting violence and encouraging genocide. When they call for an intifada revolution,

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

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commentary

MESSAGES

Maccabi USA leader praises Birmingham Games

I have had the honor of attending many Maccabi competitions around the world. From Israel or to globalize the intifada, that is a direct callJCC sive coverage of around our region’s response to the to Australia to South America, Europe and the Maccabi games the United States for violence, and we know who the targets are. war in Gaza (and more of my thoughts), check and Canada, I have logged many miles seeing how sports can be a vehicle to help build Jewish And despite theinpeaceful explanations of out sjlmag.com for the latest information. identity, especially our young. “from the river to the sea,” that is broadly unMeanwhile, we have a lot of other stories we I felt honored to come Birmingham for the time andworking fell in love not just thesoon. city derstood as a call to thetogenocide of Jews in first have been on with that will be up but the people.

You have taken Southern hospitality to a new level with your kind and caring Israel. The same people who insist it is a peaceLet the task in Gaza be completed successapproach the JCC Maccabi Games. trying to fully, speedily, and may it usher in an era of ful phrasetowould bristle at anyone convince them theand Confederate flag is histor- peace.

Led by the Sokol Helds, your hard-working volunteers were wonderful. They partnered ically a symbol of “heritage hate. ” Lynch, to make the 2017 JCC Maccabi games a huge hit. with your outstanding staff, not led by Betzy We could these 48 pagesaswith just covI want to takefillthis opportunity executive director of Maccabi USA to say thank you on behalf erage of theinvolved. war, and another 48 with editoof everyone rial comments (anyone who wants to help us I had just returned from the 20th World Maccabiah games Lawrence in Israel with a U.S.Publisher/Editor delegation of Brook, increase our page count, let’s talk!). For extenover 1100, who joined 10,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries. Back in July the eyes of the entire Arnie Fielkow Jewish world were on Jerusalem and the Maccabiah. This past month with 1000 athletes and coaches from around the world being in Birmingham, you became the focal point.

Evil must be eradicated Everyone from the Jewish community and the community at large, including a wonderful

I tend to watch World War These II andgames Nazi will when “love theiraschildren than they police force, are tomany be commended. go Arabs down in history being amore seminal movies I wantcommunity to understand toto hate (Jews).by ” Clearly that such day has not yet arrived. momentbecause for the Jewish as weevil, build the future providing wonderful Jewish try and comprehend how human beings can Let us also understand that evil is not limitmemories. commit acts of brutality so heinous they are ed to the Middle East, but also exists today in Jed Margolis uniquely defined as “crimes against humanity.” Eastern Europe, where courageous Ukrainian Executive Director, Maccabi USA Eighty years ago that evil revealed itself to the citizens have been forced to defend their own world when Nazi extermination camps, once homeland against the savagery of Russian supremacists would like to see pushed Vladimir back liberated, revealed methods of killing which troops.

Russian Federation President On Charlottesville into a corner andcriminal made to who feel lesser.

We stand shocked the world’s conscience. Many thought Putin is a war has committed with and prayatrocities, for the family of Heather the gassings, cremations, sick medical including onceHeyer, again Editor’s Note: This reactionand to the events in ex- unspeakable who was there standing up to the face of this periments would never again be seen by the beheadings, rapes and even the kidnapping of Charlottesville, written by Jeremy Newman, hate. world. were.Pi Theta Colony thousands of Ukrainian children into Russian MasterHow of thewrong Alphawe Epsilon Oct.University, 7 the face evil reappeared as territory.

I have the seenessence this Russian evil with my We recognize of the American at On Auburn wasofshared

by AEPi Hamas terrorists shot, burned, decapitated and own eyes while on the Ukrainian border narrative as a two-century old struggle to ridas I National, which called it “very eloquent” and raped 1400 innocent children, babies, women, held the hands of Ukrainian mothers, children ourselves of such corners, and allow those in praised “our brothers at AEPi Theta Colony at and grandparents.

The degree of evil they was so and to flee their themorphans the seat forced at the table that theyhomeland, so deserve.all Auburn University and… the leadership intense that Israeli medics husbands andthefathers remained It is thetheir struggle to fulfill promise of the in display on their campus. ” — 4 weeks later — while are still trying to identify the victims, who were Ukraine to defend their democracy.

Declaration of Independence, that “all men are burned and tortured so viciously that their faces created But none of us should by betheir surprised. as equal… endowed CreatorJust with and bodysupremacy parts are unrecognizable.

Theon terror- Nazi Germany reflected the worst of our humanity, White has been a cancer certain unalienable rights. ” We know work ists forcibly hundreds of inno- today Iran, finished, Hamas, Russia North Korea our also country sincekidnapped its beginning, threatening is far from but weand know we will notare cent civilians and cruelly paraded them as priz- the modern day faces of evil.

They have formed its hopes, its values, and its better angels. move backwards. es all while family members strategic alliances (having recently met in MosThearound eventsGaza, that took placetheir in Charlottesville When and women, armed, take from aroundthe theworst worldofare to Those participate cow), andmen work together infully supplying/receiving represented thisforced nation. to the streets in droves with swastikas and in a cruel waiting game of not knowing if they drones and other military equipment solely inwho marched onto the streets with tiki torches other symbols of hate, it is a reminder of how will see their ones again. tended to kill innocents. and ever swastikas did loved so to provoke violence and relevant issues racism and anti-Semitism America, it ismarched time we onto wakethe upstreets and underI trulythe mourn theofloss of innocent lives on all fear.

Those who did are today.

It is a wake-up call to the work that of stand that theanworld is once facing a true sides of the conflicts, and condemn all forms so to profess ideology thatagain harkens back to needs to be done to ensure a better, more battle of good vs. evil.

Thank God Nazism was hate, whether it be in the form of antisemitism, a bleaker, more wretched time in our history. welcoming country. But it Ishould not come defeated, and men let usand all hope a similar fatecreeds, awaits racism, or Islamophobia. also hope and pray A time when women of many without a reflection on how far we’ve come.

Hamas andreligions its terrorist partners.

Contrary to that peace will one day soon return to our world. races, and were far from equal and far what someinwould likeborders. us to believe Until then, though, is vital all ofAus underAmerica was born aitslave nation. century from safe our own A time(including where fringe anti-Israel groupsa constant like Jewish Voices that we aswe a country at an into our history engagedand in aworld war inare part Americans lived under cloud of for stand Peace, do not even have the decency point in identifying andasdefeating to ensure we would not continue one. We the racism,which anti-Semitism and pervasive hate. Theto inflection condemn Hamas atrocities of Oct. served 7), the true enemies.

Asconfronted history hasby shown, one of cannot found ourselves the issue civil events thatthe took place in Charlottesville current conflict in Israel/Gaza is notthese about appease norembarked ignore evil it musttobeensure crushed rights, and on — a mission as a reminder of how painfully relevant land Israeli domestic policies nor any and totally eradicated. the fair treatment of all peoples no matter their issuesdisputes, are today. other articulated reason. Instead it is about a skin I urge allAlthough Americanswe’ve and made peoplegreat of conscience color. strides, Auburn’s Alpha Epsilon Pi stands with the deep-seated hatred for the Jewish people and a to understand this —still including our with lawmakers it is a mission we’re grappling today. in Jewish community of Charlottesville, and desire to totally eliminate a Jewish homeland.

Washington — and stand united against terrorism America was also born an immigrant with the Jewish people around the country The slogan “from the river to the sea” is not and with both Israel and Ukraine in their time of country. As early as the pilgrims, many and around the world. We also stand with the some cute political chant, but rather a call for the need. The future of our world depends on it! groups and families found in the country the minorities who are targeted by the hate that annihilation of the State of Israel and its people.

Arnie D. Fielkow is a former New Orleans City opportunity to plant stakes, chase their future, was on display in Charlottesville. We stand As former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir once Council president and former CEO of the Jewish and be themselves. Few were met with open with the minorities of whom these white famously stated, peace in the region will come Federation of Greater New Orleans.

4 November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

January 2021 November 2023

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agenda interesting bits & can’t miss events Photo by James Henry Brook

On Oct. 10, an Israel solidarity event was held at Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center, packing the auditorium, along with another 150 in an overflow room. In this photo, Steve Brickman talks about relatives in Israel who were unaccounted for after Oct. 7. In addition to speakers from the Jewish community, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, retired U.S. Marines General Charles Krulak, and Denise Gilmore, senior director of the Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin’s office of social justice and racial equity made remarks.

Standing with Israel? Take a bow Blue and white bows are popping up on mailboxes in the Birmingham suburbs as a small showing of solidarity has greatly exceeded expectations.

Mountain Brook residents Rachel Mazer and Emily Ulmer Feinstein had traveled to Israel together last year, and after the Oct. 7 attack, many friends and neighbors said they were “unsure how to communicate their feelings,” and asked them how to show support for Israel and their Jewish neighbors.

The two women approached Smiths Variety Shop, which has coordinated numerous mailbox bow campaigns for various causes over the years, including blue and white solidarity bows during a rash of bomb threats to Jewish institutions in 2017. They ordered 50 bows and posted on a local Facebook board that they are available for an $18 donation to the Birmingham Jewish Federation’s Israel Emergency Fund.

Within 48 hours, Feinstein said, there were 375 donations.

The response was so overwhelming, they had to recruit volunteers to put together smaller bows, and have a table at the Levite Jewish Community Center for people to pick up the bows. After a week, the tally stood at 600 orders.

Feinstein said that the Smith’s bows are double in size, and some people definitely prefer theirs, but the smaller ones were done as a way to fill the demand for those who weren’t concerned about which bow they would get.

“Smith’s has been an amazing partner… and were very proud to sup-

port this project” she said.

Feinstein said other communities are looking to replicate the project and have asked them for the promotional materials — and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find supplies of blue and white ribbon online.

After a couple days of distribution at the LJCC, pickup for the bows has reverted to Smith’s, and an increasing number of mailboxes over the mountain are now sporting the bows.

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

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agenda Chanukah in the Region These were the events that were announced as of press time, check our weekly e-news for updates.

Alabama Birmingham’s Grand Menorah Lighting at the Summit, coordinated by the Levite Jewish Community Center, Birmingham Jewish Federation, Birmingham Jewish Foundation and Chabad of Alabama, will be on Dec 10 at 4:30 p.m. at Saks Plaza.

In the Birmingham area, Chabad-led Chanukah lightings will be held in Mountain Brook in front of Jeni’s in Mountain Brook Village on Dec. 7 at 5 p.m., Homewood on Dec. 11 at 5 p.m., Hoover at the Hoover Library on Dec. 13 at 5 p.m., and the Car Menorah Parade will be Dec. 14 at 4 p.m., with the Vestavia lighting at 5:30 p.m.

Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will have a Shabbat family Chanukah service on Dec. 8 at 6 p.m.

You Belong in Birmingham, the Birmingham Jewish Federation, Temple Beth-El, Temple Emanu-El and Chabad of Birmingham present Lights and Latkes, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing. Tickets are $18 by Nov. 15, $25 after, and include entry, two drink tickets, Chanukah treats, glitter portraits and more. Festive cocktail attire.

Temple Beth-El in Birmingham will have its Sisterhood Latke Lunch on Dec. 10 from noon to 1:30 p.m., following the 11 a.m. Children’s Chanukah Craft Fair. Reservations are $14 for adults, $7 for ages 6 to 12.

Beth-El will also have a congregational Chanukah party on Dec. 12, with minyan at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 5:45 p.m.

Temple B’nai Sholom in Huntsville will have a Brush and Bubbly evening with Unscripted Art, at Tiramisu Paperie on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. The project will be Chanukah-themed champagne bottles. Class size is limited to 12, and the $75 fee includes light snacks, a prepped Lamarca bottle and all the tools needed.

The Mobile Jewish community’s Chanukah celebration will be at Ahavas Chesed on Dec. 10, details to be announced.

Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem in Montgomery will have its annual Chanukah Hoopla on Dec. 3 at 11 a.m.

Temple Beth Or in Montgomery will have a Chanukah dinner on Dec. 8 after the 6 p.m. Shabbat services. Reservations are $20 for members, $25 for non-members and $10 for ages 5 to 10, and are due by Nov. 30.

The L’Chaim League in Montgomery will have its annual Chanukah lunch on Dec. 13 at 11:30 a.m. at Sinclair’s. Reservations close on Dec. 7.

Temple Emanu-El, Tuscaloosa, will have its Chanukah celebration on Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m., with latkes provided and a dairy potluck.

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Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach will have a family Chanukah menorah lighting on Dec. 8, and a community lighting on Dec. 10.

Chabad of Panama City Beach will have a Chanukah celebration and menorah lighting on Dec. 7 at Pier Park, at 5 p.m.

Sea Shul on 30A is planning a Chanukah celebration for Dec. 9

Louisiana

The Unified Jewish Congregation of Baton Rouge will have a Sisterhood Chanukah event, Dec. 3 at noon, starting with lunch at la Madeleine, followed by an olive oil tasting, then a visit to the “Women Fashioning Women” exhibit at the LSU Textile and Costume Museum at 2 p.m. Reservations are $10, and an unwrapped gift for the Iris Domestic Violence Center is suggested.

Chabad of Baton Rouge will present Chanukah at the State Capitol, Dec. 10 at 4:30 p.m., with Kona ice, Fire on Ice, a latke bar and chocolate gelt drop.

Matisyahu will headline the Community Chanukah Celebration at the

agenda Uptown Jewish Community Center in New Orleans, Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.

Temple Sinai in New Orleans will have Chanukah on the Avenue on Dec. 8, with a menorah lighting at 6 p.m., followed by a latke and brisket dinner, and a Shabbat Chanukah service at 7 p.m.

Beth Israel in Metairie will have a free Chanukah party on Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. with a dinner, games, candle lighting, crafts and entertainment.

Chabad of Louisiana’s annual Chanukah at Riverwalk will be on Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. at the Spanish Plaza, with a menorah lighting at 6 p.m. The Car Menorah Parade will be on Dec. 9, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Chabad Uptown and going to the French Quarter, with an after party following.

Chabad Uptown and Metairie, Chabad Tulane Grads and Young Professionals, Chabad at Tulane, JNola and Tulane Hillel will have Chanukah at the Pelicans on Dec. 11 Ticket information will be available soon.

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Montclair Run set for Nov. 23 The annual Sam Lapidus Montclair Run will take to the streets outside Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center on Nov. 23.

The Thanksgiving tradition that began in 1976 is a 10-kilometer event celebrating the life of Sam Lapidus while raising funds for the LJCC and the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders. There is also a 5-kilometer run and a one-mile fun run.

Lapidus grew up at the LJCC, working out or doing sports, even after he was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma. He died in 2008, just before his 15th birthday after a six-year battle with the cancer. The event was renamed in his memory in 2009.

About 1500 runners take part each year, with over 1,000 spectators along the way.

Advance registration is $45 for the 5-kilometer or 10-kilometer races, both of which start at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 23. The one-mile fun run, which begins at 10 a.m., is $18. From each registration, $5 goes to the Cancer Center.

Runners can establish fundraising pages, and there will be awards for the highest fundraiser for the Center for Childhood Cancer, and for the LJCC. With costumes welcome, there will also be a “best dressed” award for a team or individual.

The 10K and 5K races start in front of the LJCC, heading west on Montclair Road to Memory Lane, then turning the other direction. The 5K turnaround is just past the entrance to St. Francis Xavier, while the 10K goes to Putnam Middle School near Eastwood. The course is certified by USA Track and Field.

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Temple Beth Or will be the host for this year’s Montgomery Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, which includes First United Methodist Church and Episcopal Church of the Ascension. The service will be on Nov. 19 at 4 p.m.

The Men’s Club at Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El will hold its inaugural Awards Banquet, Dec. 3 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Man of the Year is Allen Halpern, and Youth of the Year is Aviva Goldberg. Reservations are $36, $18 for ages 12 and under.

Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria will host a joint program with the Central Louisiana Jewish Federation, Alexandria Holocaust Memorial and B’nai Israel, “After Oct. 7: Israel’s New Reality,” in support of Israel and against antisemitism wherever it occurs. Guest speaker for the Nov. 30 program will be Eetta Prince-Gibson, former editor in chief of The Jerusalem Report and Israel editor for Moment magazine. The 7 p.m. program is open to the community, and will be followed by a reception.

Springhill Avenue Temple in Mobile will host a Young Professionals 20s and 30st post-Thanksgiving reunion party, Nov. 24 from 3 to 6 p.m. There will be snacks, beer and wine.

The Jewish Women’s Circle at Chabad of Panama City Beach will have a Design Your Own Granite Menorah event on Nov. 27 at 7 p.m., with drinks and a dessert buffet. There is a $15 cover charge.

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The next Honor Our Parents Shabbat service at Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center will be on Dec. 15 at 11 a.m., with a Chanukah theme. A complimentary lunch is included.

The Henry S. Jacobs Camp will have a Birmingham lunch event for interested, new and returning families in Kindergarten through ninth grade, Dec. 3 at 12:15 p.m. at Back Forty.

The next Torah on Tap with Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El will be on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m., place to be announced.

Chabad of Huntsville will hold a Kosher Deli Popup on Nov. 19.

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The Jewish Federation of Central Alabama will hold an open house and annual meeting on Nov. 30, at its Montgomery office. The open house will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m., and the annual meeting will be at 5:30 p.m.

Birmingham’s Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation and Collat Jewish Family Services will debut Caregiver Connection, a new support group for partners of women battling ovarian and other gynecological cancers. The sessions will be on the third Tuesday of the month, beginning Nov. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at the Homewood Library.

The next Southern Jewish Voices oral history program at Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center will feature Phillip Ensler of Montgomery, a civil rights attorney, head of the Jewish Federation of Central Alabama and the only Jewish member of the Alabama Legislature. Registration for the noon program on Nov. 29 is free and includes lunch.

Bais Ariel Chabad in Birmingham will have a ceremony to write the first letters of a new Torah in memory of Snir Lalum, who was murdered in Birmingham in August. The kickoff ceremony will be on Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. A brunch will be served.

The Nashville Predators will have a Jewish Community Night on Dec. 12, taking on Philadelphia at 7 p.m. Ticket purchases through the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville include a pre-game community celebration starting at 5:30 p.m. in the Music City Meeting Room, with light appetizers and a menorah lighting. Part of the ticket price will go to the Federation’s annual campaign.

Confrontation at Tulane

Photo by Pnina Sasson

Anti-Israel protesters start to burn an Israeli flag during a rally at Tulane University in New Orleans on Oct. 26.

By David Swindle (JNS) and Southern Jewish Life reports Anti-Israel protesters assaulted multiple people at Tulane University in New Orleans on Oct. 26, the most serious being after Jewish students at a rally responded to those aboard a truck who attempted to set an Israeli flag on fire. Several arrests were made. None of those arrested were students, and all have been banned from campus.

A rally organized by Tulane4Palestine, a group that was created a week earlier, was called for 12:30 p.m. at Freret and McAlister. Pro-Israel students took up a position across the street, holding Israeli flags and posters of Israelis who were abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At the same time, Tulane Hillel was co-hosting an Antisemitism Awareness Week event with the university and the Anti-Defamation League, recommending a particular route to the building to avoid the demonstration. Hillel also encouraged students “not to engage in conflict.”

Rabbi Leibel Lipskier from Chabad at Tulane said the day before the rally that he was concerned about the possibility of attacks, and they had arranged for counter-programming elsewhere on campus with “the opportunity to donate, pledge Mitzvot and pray for the safety of the IDF and the rest of our brothers and sisters in Israel.”

Tulane President Michael Fitts, in a message to Tulane students on Oct. 26, said the rally “was intentionally staged on the public sidewalk… over which we do not have control.” The block in question connects two sections of the campus but is not technically part of Tulane.

Tulane4Palestine had distributed a map showing where to meet on the public side, cautioning to stay on the sidewalk and not enter the street or the campus territory on the other side of the street.

Dylan Mann, a Jewish freshman studying homeland security at Tulane, told JNS that he saw Jewish students waving Israeli flags and handing out fliers about kidnapped hostages. Across the street, others were rallying against Israel and its actions in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas attacks on

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

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Oct. 7. Soon, the two groups were responding to one another.

The protesters “were screaming hateful things like ‘From the river to the sea’ and calling us ‘genocide supporters’,” Mann told JNS. “I knew at that point, I wasn’t going to leave. I was gonna stay.”

The pro-Israel activists began calling those across the street “terrorists,” and “it got very hateful very quickly,” he said.

A red pickup truck with two people in the back passed the rallies a few times, then stopped.

While one person in the back of the truck waved a Palestinian flag, another began to burn an Israeli flag, and a pro-Israel student ran to the truck to grab it. The person waving the Palestinian flag started hitting the pro-Israel student with a flag pole, and Mann intervened to try to protect the student. The person who had tried to burn the Israeli flag gave a double-barreled middle finger to the pro-Israel crowd.

“The driver starts punching me, and there were a couple of people who joined them,” Mann told JNS. “That’s where someone blindsides me with the megaphone and hits me in the face. And they instantly broke my nose with that.”

“Thank God, there were two girls on the Jewish side who were able to pull me out; they risked their safety for that. They are true heroes for that.”

Mann suffered a broken nose after being struck in the face with a megaphone and spent several hours in the hospital, where a CT scan revealed no brain damage, he told JNS. “It was just unlike anything that I’ve ever experienced before,” Mann told JNS. “I was mostly just in shock. You see the monsters and what they do on videos, and you hear on the news, but when you’re really experiencing it, it’s a new level of shock.”

In a letter to the Tulane Hullabaloo, Nathaniel Miller said he was the one who grabbed the flag. He said “several pro-Palestinian protestors battered me and other pro-Israel supporters with flagpoles, a belt and a megaphone. My head throbbed, and one of my peers’ faces was bleeding.”

He said his action was an “impulsive” reaction to “an act of hate.”

Miller said Tulane4Palestine is not a recognized student group at the university, and the crowd seemed to be “a mishmash of pro-Palestine individuals” from outside Tulane. He said they chose to target Tulane, which has a 44 percent Jewish undergraduate enrollment, as a provocation. “They were not trying to educate us about Palestinian rights or the humanitarian issues that are affecting Gaza residents,” he said, and considered it to be a hate march, not a political rally.

community

Photo by Pnina Sasson

Blood on the sidewalk after a Jewish student got hit in the face by an anti-Israel protester during a rally at Tulane on Oct. 26.

‘A bunch of rioters’ Bali Levine, a junior double-majoring in public health and Jewish studies, was one of the students who pulled Mann away from his attackers.

“I wasn’t gonna let him be beaten by a mob, by a bunch of rioters,” Levine told JNS. Levine told JNS that the truck driver then “got out of the car, unbuckled his belt, and began to whack and whip the belt on students.”

The event Levine was helping to plan was meant to be a positive gathering with a table outside the university’s student life center, complete with baked goods like brownies.

“We had no political statements going on — nothing of the sort,” Sasson told JNS. There were Hebrew songs, including the Israeli national anthem “Hativkah.” “It was very much a peaceful protest on our side.”

But when she saw other Jewish students standing against the anti-Israel demonstrators, “I wasn’t going to let them stand there alone,” she said. “I felt it was important for me to go.

I’m glad I went. I witnessed the hate firsthand.”

Even after the assaults appeared to have ended, the fear did not abate, Levine told JNS. “Three minutes later, people started saying that ‘the truck’s gonna come back around. The truck’s gonna come back around.’ I don’t want to speak for everybody. I personally did not feel protected by the police.”

‘The most violent act I’ve seen’ According to Pnina Sasson, a freshman who is considering a journalism major, two others were in the truck with the driver. Those two, who appeared to be of middle or high school age, were the ones lighting the Israeli flag on fire and displaying the Palestinian flag. (She added that many of the protesters appeared to be middle-aged.)

When the young person, whose face was obscured by a scarf, began setting the Israeli flag on fire, Sasson and others knew “the line had been broken and had been crossed.”

She told JNS that the whole incident hit very close to home: “It’s very frightening, especially seeing people that were protesting against us

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11

community who live in my dorm and are in my classes.”

“I just cannot get that image out of my head—the moment that he was hit in the head with that megaphone. It was just so violent,” Sasson said.

“This is the most violent act I’ve ever seen in my life, period. Antisemitism aside.”

“Having it happen to my friend was just absolutely traumatizing,” she added.

Tulane Hillel issued a statement, “horrified that Jewish students were attacked violently yesterday at what was supposed to be a peaceful event.”

On Oct. 27, a day after the incident, Tulane’s president Michael Fitts and two other senior administrators said there were “no active threats,” and that the campus was “secure.” They went on to state that the Tulane University Police Department is increasing its numbers and visibility of officers on the ground, among other precautions.

“The several individuals who have been arrested in the last few days have been issued a restricted presence by TUPD, which prevents them from entering and engaging on any of Tulane’s campuses,” the three officials added. “We must unite in our efforts to protect one another and to stand against all forms of violence and hate including antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism.”

While those arrested had not been named, the newly-revitalized New Orleans chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, a fringe group opposed to Israel’s existence, posted on Instagram that one of its members had been “taken into custody.”

Posters on the anti-Israel side included “Globalize the Intifada” and “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution.” The two Intifadas were violent Palestinian uprisings, targeting Israeli civilians in the late 1980s and early 2000s. Targets included bus stops, restaurants and even a hotel Passover Seder, and the Second Intifada killed over 1,000 Israelis, mainly civilians.

Other posters used the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The phrase is commonly seen as calling for the erasure of Israel.

Photo by Bali Levine

A rally at Tulane got violent after a pro-Palestinian supporter hit a Jewish student in the face on Oct. 26.

The day before the rally, “From the river to the sea” was spray-painted on a wall on Freret Street. A student who has not been named was arrested and charged with criminal damage to property. The student reportedly claimed the message was not intended to be antisemitic. The university had the graffiti removed.

Before the rally, Tulane4Palestine had issued a statement as “Jews, Muslims and others who condemn Tulane’s endorsement of Zionism and Israeli apartheid.”

The group stated that Zionism has nothing to do with Jews, meaning anti-Zionism is not antisemitism. They called on Tulane to “denounce the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people” and Israel’s actions since Oct. 7, as well as “the ongoing terrorism Israel has inflicted on the Palestinian

Extensive original coverage at Southern Jewish Life online: sjlmag.com Due to space limitations in print… Here is a sampling of the articles available on our website, sjlmag.com

Birmingham Islamic Society issues Gaza statement, ignores Hamas terrorism Baptist church hosts interfaith Israel gathering in Mobile Dillard president among speakers at March For Israel in Washington Educator with project assisted by Alabama philanthropy murdered “A Jewish Hero”: Lone Soldier from Atlanta killed in Jerusalem by Hamas with her family attack Five fallen for Rosh Ha’Ayin, partner community to Birmingham, Southern states show support through large Israel Bonds New Orleans investments Large crowd attends community Israel gathering in New Orleans Florida takes lead as universities probe Students for Justice in Alabama flags at half-staff for victims of Hamas terror in Israel Palestine for support of terrorism Philos asking Christians to bring white roses to synagogues in Opinion pieces solidarity on Oct. 26 Global editorial: Jews worldwide haven’t been this fearful in living St. Louis area restaurant goes kosher for a day in Israel fundraiser memory Alabama-Israel Task Force urges churches to advocate for release of Using the term “genocide” regarding Gaza is a dangerous misuse of Israeli hostages the word Coalition of Christian groups urges churches to stand with Israel Stop equating antisemitism and Islamophobia in public and the Jewish community pronouncements Hamas attacks are personal for many in Deep South Jewish Reporter’s Notebook: Decrying “genocide” while making genocidal community calls for Israel’s destruction, at University of Alabama at Overflow crowd pack Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham event Birmingham for solidarity event Don’t turn away: Reflections on the war against Hamas terrorism Huntsville holds solidarity event outside museum Arieh O’Sullivan: Reflections on the Hamas attack: Returning to a Birmingham families launch campaign to assist their frontline changed Israel community near Gaza Arnie Fielkow: Time to come together and denounce evil 12

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

community people for the past 75 years,” meaning from the founding of Israel.

After the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion of Israel, Fitts had issued a statement saying “We are grieving over the truly horrific attacks by Hamas on Israel, and the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza.”

Tulane4Palestine also demanded divestment from Israel, including initiatives like the U.S.-Israel Energy Center at Tulane, along with other collaborations with Israeli universities.

They also demanded the protection of Muslim and Arab students, as well as any others who speak out against Israel.

A visiting professor of communications, Cheree Anna Franco, promoted the rally in messages to all of her students.

After video of the attack at the rally went viral, Tulane4Palestine issued a statement decrying the media trying to “twist this peaceful protest into an attack on Jewish students.” They said the event “featured Muslim and Arab students sharing their experiences of discrimination and harm on campus, Jewish students sharing how they had been ostracized by speaking on how Zionism is not antisemitism (sic),” and they were met with jeers and taunts from students “garbed in Israeli and IDF flags.”

They claimed that “the peaceful nature of our rally” was disturbed by “Zionists who rushed into the street, violently attacking Palestinian youths, including two minors.” The attempt to burn an Israeli flag was not mentioned.

They also posted a video featuring members of JVP stating that the “river to the sea” chant is not antisemitic, but a call for justice, and statements that it involves expelling or killing Jews reflects racist and Islamophobic tropes.

The video was posted in response to Fitts’ condemnation of the “River to the Sea” graffiti of Oct. 25.

On Oct. 28, a letter signed by over 1200 students, alumni and parents, coordinated by Alpha Epsilon Pi, called for a university investigation into the protest, and disciplinary measures for those who became violent or promoted hate speech.

The letter faulted the university for not shutting down several instances of antisemitism, including the attempt to burn an Israeli flag. “While we fully and wholeheartedly respect the right of EVERY individual and group to express their views and engage in free speech, free protest, and free assembly, it is the central responsibility of the university to ensure that such expressions can NEVER escalate into violence, endanger safety and lives, or perpetrate any form of hate or hate speech.”

Among the signatories was Zeta Beta Tau, Sigma Delta Tau, Alpha Epsilon Phi and Students Supporting Israel.

In Huntsville, remembering the children Chabad of Huntsville dedicated its renovated yard for Aleph Academy, their Jewish preschool, with a marker declaring it the “Israeli Youth Memorial Yard” in memory of the children who were killed by Hamas in the Oct. 7 invasion. “It’s our way of always remembering those whose childhood was brutally ripped away from them,” said Rabbi Moshe Cohen. We will live on for them, and keep their memory nearby always.” On Oct. 31, Mushky and Moshe Cohen celebrated the bris of their newborn son, who is named Chaim. Cohen said the name is the word for life, and “sends a strong message that although our nation is at war, and our enemies are literally trying to destroy us, we live on! We counter darkness by adding light. We counter loss by adding Chaim.”

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community Escaping the Nova Festival massacre Rosh Ha’Ayin resident recounts harrowing experience Rosh Ha’Ayin, the Israeli sister city of Birmingham and Partnership2Gether community of New Orleans, may be relatively far from Gaza, but it is by no means unaffected by events of the past couple of weeks.

On Oct. 22, the Partnership among the three communities held a multi-generational panel online to discuss current life in the central Israel city. Located east of Tel Aviv close to the pre-1967 Green Line, Rosh Ha’Ayin has seen several red Alerts for incoming rockets from Gaza, and has reported several residents killed either in the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre or the subsequent military operations.

Amit Zehavi, a Partnership coordinator, noted that there had been plans for a Momentum women’s trip, a cycling group and community missions in the coming months, and “hopefully we can get back on track when all the dust settles.”

Florina Newcomb, assistant executive director at the Birmingham Jewish Federation, reiterated the partnership among the communities, saying “we have had some very good times in Birmingham, New Orleans and Rosh Ha’Ayin.”

Robert French, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, told the Israeli participants on the call that “we stand with you 100 percent, we think of you every day. We are mobilizing ourselves to support you in every way possible.”

Noa Kalash started the program by describing her experiences in escaping the Nova Dance Festival, the outdoor music festival near Gaza where about 260 were killed in a direct Hamas attack.

She said she had been taking a break after telling the world about losing one of her best friends and barely escaping the festival herself. She went to the festival with her boyfriend, arriving right before sunrise, around 5:30 a.m.

She met Noam, her friend, “and we ran to the rave area. We started dancing together, and after 15 minutes of freedom, joy, dancing and beautiful people, I started seeing rockets over us.”

The sky “was shining” from the rockets, fired indiscriminately from Gaza toward Israeli communities. The 3,500 in attendance did not know what to do, though they were aware of the possibility that something could arise from Gaza.

She said they went back to their cars and she started driving back to Rosh Ha’Ayin, though driving during a volley of rockets is very dangerous. After a couple minutes, they saw the rockets were continuing, so they stopped on the side of the road and went into a small shelter near a bus stop to wait for calm. But after 20 minutes, she decided to try and go home “even though everything was still happening and it wasn’t safe.”

Just 10 seconds after she headed out, cars in front of her started suddenly turning around, and she could hear shouts of “terrorists shooting.”

She turned around, then stopped in the middle of the road as a friend told her he had been shot in the leg and needed help. “We started driving the other way, toward the entrance of the party… there was a huge traffic of cars getting out.” The friend found someone to help him, but they figured there were terrorists all around.

“Security and police told us, just run, run to the fields, run and hide.

They didn’t have anything else to tell us,” she said.

She and her boyfriend, Maor, took off, and she called Noam to tell her to run away.

“At the time,” she said, “we didn’t realize how many terrorists were in the area. We just figured it was a small terror attack. It’s sad to say, but it

community sounded like just another day in Israel.”

Thousands of festival-goers were running, and “we could hear the terrorists running after us, shooting at us.”

For a while, they hid in a bush. Then, they heard gunshots in the direction to where they had been running, and wound up turning toward an open field with nowhere to hide. “My boyfriend said no way we are running that way, we ran to the nearest bush we saw” and burrowed deep inside. They were there for the next eight hours.

“We heard everything around us… helicopters, terrorists, shooting really close, we heard motorcycles passing close to our bush.”

Another girl was hiding in a nearby bush. “After three hours, we heard them passing by and they kidnapped her. We heard them speaking Arabic, then heard a car, then silence.”

Four different groups tried to rescue Noa and Maor, but some encountered terrorists and had to retreat. Still, when they heard calls in Hebrew, they remained silent, lest it be a Hamas trick.

Only after someone called out her name did they respond. She added that she was so deep in the bush, Maor had to pull her out.

Her friend, Noam, was killed in the initial attack, but Noa didn’t know that until the following Saturday. “They just couldn’t recognize the body for an entire week.”

She said she does not know where her friend was found, nor what happened to her. “It’s probably better that way.”

While she was still hiding in the bush, her 25-year-old sister was already being called up to her unit in the IDF. Noa said the current fight in Gaza “is not about choosing sides, or ‘I stand with Gaza or Israel.’ I stand with humanity. I stand with things that are bigger than politics.”

She said it is not about choosing sides, “it is helping Israel and the Palestinian civilians to fight against terror” and against “people who have pure evil. It’s something I can’t understand, how a human being is capable of doing what they did to my friends.”

But living through that day affected her. She had spent a year traveling Central and South America, making Christian and Muslim friends without a second thought. She travels to Egypt every few months to hang out with friends living there. She would go to the Arab town of Kfar Kassem, located between Rosh Ha’Ayin and the Green Line, “all the time.”

After what’s occurred, “it’s impossible to see a Muslim on the street and not be scared something will happen… we can’t trust anyone.

Things are different, and knowing some of the Muslim students in the university support terrorism and Hamas, it’s something I can’t pass by.

“These people killed my friends, these people almost killed me.”

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Beth Israel in Metairie has launched a “double mitzvah” Israel Bonds project, in lieu of their annual fall fundraiser. The idea is to buy Israel Bonds and donating the purchase to Magen David Adom to help with the agency’s emergency needs during the war. A donor is matching part of the bond project. The goal is $115,000 for a Life Support Ambulance, the stretch goal is $140,000 for a Mobile Intensive Care Unit. Bonds purchases are also encouraged for those who are not in a position to donate their purchase to Magen David Adom.

Beth Israel, Shir Chadash, Gates of Prayer and Chabad of Metairie are uniting for a special initiative to pray for Israel by reciting the entire Book of Psalms as a community every week during the war with Hamas. Participants are encouraged to sign up for one psalm, committing to recite it in Hebrew or English once weekly.

Rabbi Levi Partouche in New Orleans is organizing an initiative to honor those who were murdered by Hamas on Oct. 7. MezuzahNola will provide mezuzahs for households, and each mezuzah will be engraved with the name of one of the victims of the massacre. Kosher scrolls will be provided. Donations are appreciated but not necessary. For information, contact Partouche at (770) 765-3560 or Rabbi Phil Kaplan at Beth Israel in Metairie.

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Ariel reports that four of its community members have been killed thus far. Ariel is Mobile’s sister city, and the focus of activities by Birmingham-based JH Israel. Yulia Didenko Lamai and 23-year-old Karina Pritika were murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Nova Music Festival.

Sergeant First Class Vitaly Skipakevich, 20, and Sergeant Adir Eshto Bogale, 20, were combat soldiers in the 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade.

On Oct. 26, the day of the anti-Israel assault at Tulane, the Philos Action League distributed white roses to Jewish institutions across the country as a symbol of solidarity from the Christian community.

This was received at Chabad at Tulane. Wendell Shelby-Wallace of Philos said the Tulane deliveries “were most special, considering what happened just moments before we arrived.” (Story, page 9) 16

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

community

Learning on several levels Joint internship with SJL, Birmingham Times led to numerous opportunities

By Kiara Dunlap When a young woman from California moves across the country for college and lands an internship with Southern Jewish Life magazine and the Birmingham Times, she quickly learns a lot about rich, deeply rooted history here in Birmingham.

I am Kiara Dunlap, a recent graduate of Miles College, a Birmingham-area HBCU. Through an innovative joint internship, I interned for the two publications, writing stories of interest to both the Black and Jewish communities.

Through this experience, as well as my four years at Miles, I gained valuable perspective on the history of each community and the ways they have worked together, especially during the Civil Rights era.

The internship included meetings with editors from both publications — in conference rooms and coffee shops. These mentors have given me professional development advice and helped me become a better writer. They also have become my friends.

Sitting side by side with Barnett Wright, executive editor of the Birmingham Times, and learning how to structure a story was a great experience. Working with Richard Friedman, associate editor of Southern Jewish Life, and going over my story word by word, taught me to write from the heart.

The Birmingham Times highlights Birmingham’s Black community. Southern Jewish Life, based in Birmingham, covers a four-state region — Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and NW Florida and has recently expanded to reporting on the broader South.

My first assignment, covering a program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Black-Jewish relations and hearing panelists share their stories, was eye-opening. The interchange was inspirational. Both the Black and Jewish panelists reflected a deep respect for each other’s community. There were different perspectives, but those differences were appreciated. There also was a willingness by the participants to be corrected and educated by their fellow panelists.

My second story was on the N.E Miles Jewish Day School’s celebration of Black History Month.

Walking through the school, you could feel the impact that learning about African-Ameri-

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community can history had on the young students and how much they respected the achievements of the Black community. And the students were not just white, as one may have thought; there also were students of color.

This also was the day that I visited the Levite Jewish Community Center for the first time.

Falling in love Walking through its colorful corridors, I was told that the LJCC is open to everyone. I learned that in the Jewish tradition, “welcoming the stranger” — embracing those from outside of one’s community — is one of the highest values. This was reflected by the diversity of people I saw. I also learned that in the 1960s, the Jewish Community Center challenged Birmingham’s segregation culture by opening its doors to all races.

Through the stories I have written and the people I have met, I entered new spaces. I had never known a Jewish person until my internship. I have fallen in love with the Birmingham Jewish community and developed a great admiration for the people I met. Their values, warmth and appreciation for other communities made a deep impact on me.

My additional stories included a feature on the friendship between an older Jewish couple and a younger African-American leader, and a concert at Temple Beth-El by a Black and White singing duo, both of whom were Jewish. It was a wonderful evening that began with a Havdalah service, a beautiful ritual that marks the conclusion of the Jewish Sabbath.

In addition, Southern Jewish Life editor and publisher Larry Brook invited me to his home for a Passover Seder, a traditional meal and celebration that commemorates the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt and

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

their freedom from slavery. Not only is there an obvious linkage to the Black experience of slavery, but it was especially meaningful to me, as a Christian, because my church’s vision is, “Leading People Out of Egypt and into the Promised Land of Freedom.”

Then, after writing these stories, I had the incredible opportunity to spend just under two weeks in Israel. This experience beautifully tied together my understanding of what it means to identify as a Jewish person and the importance of strengthening ties not only between the Jewish and Black communities but also the Christian and Jewish communities. In addition, it drew me more deeply into my own Christianity in a way that I believe will affect and guide me for the rest of my life.

It was especially meaningful to travel with a group of young Black leaders organized by Philos Black, an Atlanta-based organization that strengthens ties between Blacks and Jews and educates Black leaders about Israel. I wrote two stories based on my trip — one an overall story on the experience and the second on my encounters in Israel with Ethiopian Jews, Jews who had immigrated to Israel from Africa.

Along with exposure to the Jewish community and Israel, my intern-

community ship and time in Birmingham deepened my understanding of the struggles my community faced during the Civil Rights period. As a young Black person, I believe this additional appreciation is important. The more knowledge my peers and I have of these difficulties and triumphs, the more we can appreciate who we are and the importance of my generation’s role in leading our community forward.

Sessions at the Birmingham Times helped lead me to this enhanced awareness. Not only did the Times play a critical role in keeping the Black community informed during its period of struggle, but the paper also plays an important role today in highlighting the success of local African Americans.

New Framework My Miles College experience has strengthened my identity and elevated my confidence as a young Black woman. I had planned to attend college in my home state but that fell through, and I wound up applying to schools in other parts of the country. One of these was Miles College.

Once accepted, Miles kept “pestering” me to enroll. I am thankful I did!

After growing up in a mainly white California community, attending a historically Black college in the Deep South has immersed me in the culture and history of the African-American experience far beyond anything I had previously encountered. Being surrounded by Black educators, administrators, friends and sorority sisters has created a new framework for me.

Though I don’t know where my life will ultimately lead me, I am glad

the first phase of my journey has taken me from California to Birmingham. Although California will always be home, Birmingham will remain special for me. Not only has it been a place for me to learn about the Jewish community and develop a deeper appreciation of the historic struggle of my own community, but it is also where I experienced a deep Christian awakening, a process people sometimes refer to as being “born again.”

As I look back on my life in Birmingham so far, I believe all three experiences are intertwined and nothing has been more rewarding than growing in my identity as a child of God and embracing and trusting His purpose for my life.

Although this was an internship for a news publication and magazine, I have learned so much more than writing skills. I’ve learned more about the world and communities around me. I learned the shared and personal history of two culturally significant communities. I’ve learned so much more about myself and I’ve learned how to tell a story effectively. I hope I have done just that in telling you my story.

Now for a final PS… My journey in Birmingham has taken an interesting turn. I’m now working at the LJCC. I feel at home at the LJCC as a young Black woman, because our membership is so diverse, drawing people of all faiths and backgrounds from across the metro area. I also feel at home because of the attachment to the Jewish community and Israel I developed as a result of my internship.

Most of all, I have discovered a new me, anchored in belonging.

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

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community Incentives available for summer camp With the filing of summer camp applications, scholarship and incentive grant applications are not far behind.

The annual incentive programs for first-time campers and rural Louisiana campers, coordinated through the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana, are now open, as are the need-based scholarships from Jewish Children’s Regional Service.

The Goldring Jewish Summer Camp Experience, funded by the Goldring Family Foundation, offers grants of up to $1,500 to help families send first-time campers to nonprofit Jewish sleepaway camps.

Sponsored by the Goldring Family Foundation since 2001, this program has distributed grants enabling more than 1,800 children to attend Jewish summer camp for their first summer. Children in grades one through nine who reside in Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle are eligible to apply.

The Goldring grants are not need-based, synagogue affiliation is not required, and families with a non-Jewish spouse are eligible. The application deadline is March 1, and grant award notifications will be made by mid-April.

Another incentive for campers from small communities in Louisiana is the RoseMary and Saul Brooks Fund for Jewish Youth Engagement, providing grants of at least $550 for up to 10 Jewish campers.

To be eligible, a camper must identify as Jewish with at least one Jewish parent, reside full-time in Louisiana outside the New Orleans or Baton Rouge areas, be entering grades one to 12 and attending a non-profit Jewish sleepaway camp. Siblings are eligible, and recipients may reapply

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For nine years, the Jewish Children’s Regional Service in New Orleans has hosted what the Washington Post calls one of the top 10 Chanukah parties in the country. Now, Latkes with a Twist will also be in Houston.

The New Orleans event will be on Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at Press Street Station in the historic Faubourg Marigny.

Stephen Stryjewski, award winning chef, New Orleans restaurateur and philanthropist, will be the “celebrity chef,” with assistance from Forrest Jackson, Chef de Cuisine at Cochon Butcher, and NOCCA culinary program students.

Winner of the 2011 James Beard Foundation “Best Chef South,” Stryjewski is Chef/Partner of New Orleans’ award-winning restaurants Cochon, Cochon Butcher, Pêche Seafood Grill, private event facility Calcasieu, neighborhood bakery and café La Boulangerie, and Gianna.

The evening will also feature live music, an open bar featuring a Vodka Latke Punch, a Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned Hanukkah HiBall, wine and beer.

Tickets are $54 in advance, $75 at the door. A pre-party event for patrons will be at 6 p.m., with patron levels starting at $150.

In Houston, the Nov. 30 event will be at Kenny & Ziggy’s Deli, starting at 6 p.m. Ziggy Gruber, award winning chef and philanthropist, will create a Latke Bar with all the fixings and accompaniments. The evening will also feature live music from The Kosher Klezmer Band, and a bar similar to the New Orleans event.

Houston community partners include Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Congregation Emanu El, Camp Young Judaea-Texas and URJ Greene Family Camp. The Jewish Herald-Voice is the event’s media sponsor.

Tickets for the Houston event are $54, $75 at the door.

community in future years. The funding is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and applications will be reviewed by JEF staff and board members, and a representative of the Brooks family.

The fund was initially established by RoseMary Brooks of Baton Rouge at JEF to enable her grandchildren to travel to Israel. After the youngest turned 18, the fund was converted to enable other kids to attend summer camp.

JCRS Scholarships Last summer, the New Orleans-based Jewish Children’s Regional Service provided partial scholarship funding for over 430 children to attend summer camp.

The need-based scholarships are available to campers in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma, entering grades 3 to 12.

There are two scholarship options — a short form with an award of $250, or a longer form with a need-based award to be determined on a case by case basis. Both require financial documentation, and no award covers the entire cost of summer camp.

The priority deadline is Feb. 15, and the applications are done entirely online at jcrs.org.

The agency also provides college scholarship aid, special needs assistance and often coordinates disaster relief. They also administer PJ Library in numerous communities throughout the region, and provide Chanukah gifts for children in need, or isolated residents in adult care facilities. In all, over 1,200 Jewish children in the region are served by JCRS annually.

Hillel at Auburn University, Church of the Highlands and Auburn Men’s Basketball and Baseball teams volunteered at the Dream Center on Oct. 19 to pack humanitarian aid boxes for Israel, and to send notes of support to Israelis. Auburn Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl appeared on Fox and Friends a few days later to talk about the initiative. In August 2022, Auburn became the first major college basketball program to do an overseas trip to Israel, playing three games and giving the players the opportunity to tour the country.

This year, Arizona and Kansas State made that trip.

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

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community

Two new exhibits detail the Rosenwald Schools story Two exhibits focusing on the partnership between a Black academic and a Jewish philanthropist to expand educational opportunities for Southern Blacks a century ago are opening in the region.

“A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America” is opening on Nov. 16 at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans, and “History Lives On: Preserving Alabama’s Rosenwald Schools” is already on display at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery.

Rosenwald, president of Sears, contributed to Black institutions in Chicago. In 1911, he and his rabbi traveled to Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, which Washington had founded. Washington asked Rosenwald to serve on the school’s board.

In 1912, Rosenwald made numerous charitable gifts in honor of his 50th birthday, including $25,000 to Tuskegee. Toward the end of the year, Washington asked Rosenwald for permission to use $2800 on a pilot program to build schools for rural Blacks.

A grant of $300 each went to help build six schools in central Alabama — Notasulga and Brownsville in Macon County, Loachapoka and Chewacla in Lee County, and Big Zion and Madison Park in Montgomery County.

Every Rosenwald school was built with matching funds from the local community, and black communities rallied to raise the funds needed to become part of the project. In many cases, the white community also chipped in.

Andrew Feiler/The Filson Historical Society

Students and teachers at Jefferson Jacob School, in Prospect, Ky., circa 1920s.

In 1914, Rosenwald gave an additional $30,000 for another 100 rural Alabama schools, followed by funds for 200 more schools in 1916, opening the project to other states.

Rosenwald organized the Julius Rosenwald Fund in 1917 to administer

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the program. He was of the opinion that a foundation should have set goals and a timetable for disbursing all of its assets and go out of business, since one never knows what the long-term future needs in society would be.

By the time the fund ended in 1932, about 5,000 schools had been built throughout the South.

Forty percent of Black children in the South attended a Rosenwald school at the height of the program. Black communities and white supporters advocated for educational opportunities, raised funds, and maintained the schools for decades.

Among the thousands of graduates of Rosenwald schools are poet Maya Angelou, civil rights leader Medgar Evers, Little Rock Nine pioneer Carlotta Walls LaNier, and Congressman John Lewis.

By the time of widespread school integration in the 1960s, many of Rosenwald Schools were deemed too small or otherwise unsuitable for continued use. While some of these schools today have found new life as community centers, museums, and church facilities, most have disappeared from the landscape or are under threat of deterioration and destruction.

The New Orleans exhibit consists of photographs and stories collected by Andrew Feiler, a fifth-generation Jewish Georgian. Feiler tracked down and photographed more than 100 of the 500 schools still surviving across 15 Southern states.

Feiler believes the story of the Rosenwald schools is particularly resonant now. “In deeply segregated 1912 America, Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington reached across divides of race, religions, and region and fundamentally changed this nation for the better,” he said. “It’s especially fitting that these photographs and stories that bring people into this history are being hosted by the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience.”

Through Feiler’s exhibition, the Museum hopes to raise awareness of a chapter of history that is still not widely known. “MSJE is proud to be part of bringing this story in front of the public eye. The history of the Rosenwald schools is also the history of the South and the many diverse people and actors who have shaped it,” says Kenneth Hoffman, the museum’s executive director.

The exhibit will open on Nov 16 with a 6:30 p.m. program featuring Feiler, along with a book signing. There will be a preview meet and greet for members and patrons at 5:30 p.m.

MSJE will run a full program of events centered around the exhibit, including the opening reception talk by Feiler; screenings of “Rosenwald,” a documentary film produced by Aviva Kempner, on Jan. 18, Feb. 28 and April 4 at 6 p.m., and a matinee on March 10; a lecture by Stephanie Deutsch, author of “You Need a Schoolhouse” on March 7 at 6 p.m.; and a panel discussion with Rosenwald School graduates, date to be announced. A bespoke field trip has been designed to introduce students to this important part of American history.

This exhibition is supported by Bill and Susan Hess and the Cahn Family Foundation. Bill Hess is Rosenwald’s great-grandson. The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) is a media partner. The exhibit will run through April 21.

community

On Oct. 21, the River Road African American Museum in Donaldsonville, La., celebrated the restoration of one of the state’s few remaining Rosenwald School buildings. The Central Agricultural School was located in the Romeville community of Convent, and was slated for demolition in 2001, but Museum co-founder Kathe Hambrick acquired it and had it moved across the river to Donaldsonville. In 2020, Shell Oil, which has a refinery in Convent, made a $300,000 grant to help finish the restoration.

Alabama exhibit The Alabama exhibit is the culmination of a research project entitled “Realizing Rosenwald.” This multiphase project began in 2020 as an interdisciplinary collaboration with Auburn University Professors Junshan Liu, Building Science; David Smith, Graphic Design; and Gorham Bird, Architecture. The research focuses on the identification and documentation of extant Rosenwald Schools in Alabama using the latest technology to digitally measure and survey the existing places.

In addition to the team at Auburn, Dr. Kwesi Daniels, architecture professor at Tuskegee University, served as a key collaborator for the exhibit design, building on a 20-year partnership between Auburn and Tuskegee to preserve Alabama’s remaining Rosenwald Schools. Many of the artifacts featured in the exhibit are on loan from the Mt. Sinai Community Center, housed in the only remaining Rosenwald School in Autauga County.

Visitors to the exhibit will learn not only about the individuals who started the Rosenwald Schools and the buildings themselves, but also about local communities across Alabama who worked to raise funds and to build and sustain these schools over generations. The exhibit will also explore today’s efforts by community members and alumni to preserve Alabama’s remaining historic Rosenwald buildings and the rich legacies they represent.

“We hope the public will gain a better understanding of the resilience and self-determination of the communities that worked to build and maintain these schools to educate generations of children,” said Gorham Bird, assistant professor of architecture and lead exhibit designer. “It’s been a privilege to meet and learn about the experience of alumni, to see their ongoing commitment to preserving the history of Alabama’s Rosenwald schools, and to share their stories through our research and this exhibit.”

Archives Director Steve Murray said “the Archives is grateful for this opportunity to work with Auburn University in amplifying the stories of Alabamians who collaborated in the early 20th century to expand educational opportunities for African Americans, and of those who are striving today to keep alive the legacies of these vital community institutions.”

The exhibit opened on Oct. 17 and will be displayed through May.

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Sidewalk selects 11 features for Jewish Film Week Some relate Southern Jewish history

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The Jewish Film Week at Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema in Birmingham will spotlight a diverse array of movies, from new documentaries and narratives to a classic by the Coen Brothers.

Sidewalk recently celebrated its 25th anniversary as one of the nation’s premier film festivals. The Jewish Film Week is a recent addition to the schedule.

Jewish Film Week programmer Dan Siegel said he and his team focused on films that “provide some important perspectives… and look at the intersectionality of our community with other communities, such as LGBTQ+.”

One of the documentaries that highlights the Jewish and African-American communities’ quest to work together is “Rabbi on the Block.”

Tamar Manasseh, a charismatic rabbi and community activist from the south side of Chicago, sees herself as a bridge between the African American and Jewish communities. An anti-violence activist, she was previously featured in a documentary, “They Ain’t Ready for Me.” The more recent work, which focuses on her spiritual journey, debuted at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival in July.

Her mother “reverted” to Judaism, and Manasseh grew up attending a Jewish day school, taking the bus from Chicago’s South Side to an affluent neighborhood where the school was located. After her daughter’s bat mitzvah, she enrolled in the International Israelite rabbinical school, studying with Rabbi Capers Funnye, but after several years of the institution refusing to ordain a woman despite her service to the community, Funnye took it upon himself to ordain her in 2021.

According to j., the Jewish news of Northern California, the film does not delve into Hebrew Israelism, which is often seen as outside of mainstream Judaism. While there are some radical Hebrew Israelite movements hostile to white Jews, many Hebrew Israelism congregations want to be part of the broader Jewish world, and Manasseh sees reluctance as white Ashkenazi gatekeeping.

In the film, she says “I’d like for American Judaism to be based on good deeds and good works, and not what you look like.”

Another film highlighting Black-Jewish relations is the 2015 documentary “Rosenwald,” which begins in Alabama. It chronicles how a Jewish philanthropist in Chicago, Julius Rosenwald, partnered with educator Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee Institute in a project that wound up building around 5,300 schools for Black students throughout the South.

The project started in 1912 with six schools in Alabama, and went into the 1930s.

Rosenwald, who became president of Sears, put up seed money to build these schools using standardized designs Every Rosenwald school

community was built with matching funds from the local community, and black communities rallied to raise the funds needed to become part of the project. In many cases, the white community also chipped in.

With desegregation in the 1960s, most of the buildings fell into disuse.

The first part of the film was about Rosenwald’s background and his parents’ Jewish immigrant experience, and how he was influenced by growing up across the street from President Abraham Lincoln’s home.

The second part of the film details Rosenwald’s relationship with Washington and construction of the schools, while the third part is about the Rosenwald Fund Fellowship program.

Rosenwald awarded fellowship grants to a who’s who of African-American intellectuals and artists, including Marian Anderson, James Baldwin, the father and uncle of civil rights leader Julian Bond, Ralph Bunche, W. E. B. DuBois, Katherine Dunham, Ralph Ellison, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Gordon Parks, Jacob Lawrence and Augusta Savage along with Woody Guthrie.

Nov. 12 2 p.m. “Rosenwald” 4:30 p.m. “My Father’s Secrets” 7 p.m. “June Zero”

Nov. 13 3 p.m. “Lost Transport” 6:30 p.m. “Nathan-Ism”

Nov. 14 3 p.m. “The Levys of Monticello” 6:30 p.m. “The Klezmer Project”

Nov. 15 4 p.m. “The Klezmer Project” 7 p.m. “35 Downhill”

Nov. 16 1:30 p.m. “Lost Transport” 4:15 p.m. “Rabbi on the Block” 7 p.m. “A Serious Man”

Nov. 17 2 p.m. “My Neighbor Adolf” 4:30 p.m. “Rabbi on the Block” 7 p.m. “June Zero”

Nov. 18 2 p.m. “My Father’s Secrets” 4:30 p.m. “My Neighbor Adolf” 6:30 p.m. “The Levys of Monticello”

Nov. 19 2 p.m. “A Serious Man” November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

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community Just a handful of Rosenwald School buildings still exist, and there are efforts to restore many that have been identified. The Alabama Archives recently opened an exhibit about Rosenwald Schools, and in November the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans will host a similar exhibit (see page 22).

Another Southern Jewish film is “The Levys of Monticello.” Siegel said they looked for some films and perspectives that “most people probably weren’t aware of,” such as the Monticello film and a comedy about Klezmer music.

When President Thomas Jefferson died in 1826, he left a mountain of debt. His prized home, Monticello, had to be sold. Uriah Levy, dismayed at what had become of the home, bought it to preserve it for the nation. He embarked on a restoration, attracting tourists. He died in 1862, leaving the property to the United States as a school for orphans of naval officers.

The Civil War complicated matters, and after the war and a lengthy legal battle, Levy’s nephew, Jefferson Monroe Levy, wound up as owner.

In 1923, the newly-founded Thomas Jefferson Foundation purchased the property.

Uriah Levy was a fifth-generation American and a Naval hero. Despite everything, the Levys had to deal with antisemitism and being considered “outsiders” throughout their time owning Monticello.

“The Klezmer Project” is a “playful but poignant” full-length debut from Argentinian writer-directors Leandro Koch and Paloma Schachmann. Koch, a wedding videographer in Buenos Aires who is alienated from his Jewish heritage, falls for Schachmann, a member of a klezmer band, and tries to impress her by claiming that he is working on a documentary about klezmer. She takes him seriously, and they embark on an odyssey through Eastern Europe to chronicle the traditional Yiddish folk music, scripted sequences interweaving with footage of actual performers and ethnomusicologists discussing the art form. What emerges is a history lesson but also a personal journey of sorts for Koch and Schachmann, grandchildren of Jewish immigrants who discover an emotional connection to their cultural roots along the way.

A narrative comedy “The Road to Eilat,” also listed as “35 Downhill,” also brings in some levity. It’s about an older man who makes a drunken bet with his son, with whom he had a difficult relationship, that he can drive a tractor all the way from northern Israel to Eilat in less than a week. The movie won the prize for the “Best Israeli Film” at the 2022 Jerusalem Film Festival.

“Most of the Israel films are on the lighter side… while reinforcing how much Israel is on our hearts and minds,” said Siegel.

Siegel said the majority of the selections for Jewish Film Week came out within the past cou-

community ple of years, but one feature will be the 2009 Coen brothers film, “A Serious Man.” Considered one of their best films, the black comedy is set in 1967, with a Jewish man from Minnesota finding that his life is crumbling personally and professionally, leading him to question his faith as he continues to sink.

One of the films is familiar to those who attended Sidewalk in August. “Nathan-ism,” which was sold out at Sidewalk, is the story of Nathan Hilu, a selftaught artist who was assigned Nathan-ism to guard top Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg Trials. Through his art, he recounts his encounters with Nazi leaders, but questions arise as to how much he actually witnessed, and how much he convinced himself that he witnessed instead of reading about it later.

Another glimpse of post-Holocaust quests for justice comes with “June Zero,” about the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann in Israel. Based on true accounts, the film about Eichmann’s last days comes from three very different perspectives — a Jewish Moroccan prison guard tasked with protecting Eichmann, an Israeli police investigator for the prosecution who is a Holocaust survivor, and a precocious 13-year-old Libyan immigrant.

The comic drama “My Neighbor Adolf” is set in 1960 in Colombia, as a grumpy Holocaust survivor, Marek Polsky, is convinced that his new neighbor is actually Adolf Hitler, because right after Eichmann was captured in Argentina, a mysterious old German man moved in next door to him. Nobody believes Polsky, so he works to become closer to the neighbor, to gather evidence.

Another Holocaust-themed film is “Lost Transport,” based on a true story. In the spring of 1945, a Nazi train with hundreds of Jewish prisoners from Bergen-Belsen was abandoned near a small German village that had been taken over by the Red Army. In an atmosphere of deep distrust, an unexpected friendship develops between a Soviet soldier, Vera, a distrustful German village girl, Winnie, and a courageous Dutch Jew, Simone, as they are forced by circumstance to help each other tend to the sick. The film had its regional debut in January at the Miami Jewish Film Festival.

“My Father’s Secrets” is an animated film based on the graphic novel “Second Generation” by Israeli illustrator Michel Kichka. Set in Belgium in the 1960s, it focuses on two brothers who struggle with their father’s reluctance to discuss his time at Auschwitz. When he focuses inward on a personal journey, their imaginations run wild, causing family friction.

Individual tickets are available at sidewalkfest.com. There are also four ticket packages, good for any film, for $36, and eight ticket packages for $68. Sponsorships are also available.

Sidewalk’s Networking Night is Nov. 16 at 5 p.m., followed by Monthly Movie Trivia at 8 p.m.

Baton Rouge Jewish Film Festival announces 2024 lineup The Baton Rouge Jewish Film Festival announced its lineup for 2024, featuring “Remembering Gene Wilder” as the opening event, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m.

“Closed Circuit,” an account of the terror attack that took place in Tel Aviv in 2016, will be on Jan. 11. The buddy comedy “Not Quite Kosher” will be on Jan. 13, and the festival concludes with “Vishniac” on Jan. 14.

The 18th annual festival will once again be at the Manship Theatre.

Patron packages that include a pre-show dinner and free tickets on Jan. 13 are available.

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

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community Foundations offer year-end charitable and tax planning strategies As the end of the year nears and community members start looking at end-of-year financial planning, the Birmingham Jewish Foundation and the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana are sharing pertinent information about what the financial and tax landscape look like this year, and steps that can be taken to minimize taxes that might otherwise be due.

Both organizations stress that they do not provide tax advice, and everyone is encouraged to consult with their tax advisor or other professional for optimal tax advantages and guidance.

is considering making a significant donation to charity over time, but wants a deduction today, adding funds to an existing Donor Advised Fund or opening a new DAF is an option. A DAF is a fund from which one may make recommendations for grants to various charities at any time.

Another favorable benefit to opening a DAF is the ability to bundle charitable contributions in any given year, enabling one to exceed the standard deduction but distribute money held in the DAF over time. Both BJF and JEF offer donor advised funds and are happy to assist.

Key considerations

Look into an IRA charitable rollover. The IRA charitable rollover may be an attractive option. It permits the transfer of up to $100,000 per year, indexed for inflation, from an IRA directly to a charity, free of any income tax one would otherwise be paying. In addition, such rollovers help satisfy the IRA minimum distribution requirement (RMD).

Prior to 2022, an individual had to start taking their RMD from a retirement account at age 70½, but with a recent change in federal law this age requirement for some has increased. Now, if the individual turned 72 in 2022 or earlier (born in 1950 or earlier), there is no change to the RMD starting age. If the individual was born from 1951 to 1959, they can delay taking their RMD until age 73. If they were born in 1960 or later, 75 years is their RMD starting age. However, the minimum age for making a Qualified

Use appreciated assets to make a charitable gift in 2023. As in previous years, gifts of appreciated assets, such as stock, remain a best practice. Such gifts may not only provide a deduction to the donor for the full value of the asset, but also avoid the capital gains tax that would apply if the assets were sold. Conversely, built-in loss assets generally should be sold, generating a tax loss, with the resulting cash proceeds donated, if desired.

As in previous years, capital losses can offset gains, and net capital losses may be used to offset ordinary income up to $3,000, with any excess capital loss carried forward to be used in a future year.

Consider donating to a Donor Advised Fund this year for maximum flexibility. If one

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

Charitable Distribution remains 70½.

Please note that rollovers cannot be made to a Donor Advised Fund, but can be made to a Designated Fund, which JEF can create for a donor, or directly to a charity. The Birmingham Jewish Foundation is not able to accept such gifts, but charitable distributions may be made directly to the Birmingham Jewish Federation, synagogues, and other partner agencies.

Expansion of IRA Charitable Rollover Provision. Last December, Congress passed the Secure 2.0 legislation, which expands the IRA charitable rollover provision to allow for a onetime, $50,000 distribution to charities through charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts, effective in 2023.

Consider accelerating non-charitable gifts.

The 2023 unified estate/gift credit of $12.92 million is scheduled to automatically reduce to around $7 million beginning in 2026. Accordingly, taxpayers who intend to make significant family gifts, either during their lifetime or in the form of bequests, may want to consider accelerating some or all of those gifts early, as their resources permit.

For more information, contact Sarah Gotlieb (sarahg@bjf.org) at the Birmingham Jewish Foundation at (205) 803-1519, or Bobby Garon (bobby@jefno.org) at the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana at (504) 524-4559.

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A Haven for special events

By Lee J. Green What was started in 2016 as a “gift to Birmingham” has blossomed into a Haven for community events and celebrations.

“Our first event at Haven was Mayor Randall Woodfin’s inauguration party,” said Haven General Manager Heather Roberts-Wood. The Southside event space was started by Milo’s Tea CEO Tricia Wallwork and her husband Troy, the CEO of DataPerk. “Troy and Tricia were born and raised here. They wanted a place that Birmingham could be proud of.”

Roberts-Wood said that Haven’s space is versatile and can be arranged to accommodate 1,500 people in standing-room or a 900-patron seated dinner.

In September 2021, they hosted the Sydney Black and Nathan Pastron wedding, a traditional Jewish wedding with a chuppah, a 16-piece band and more than 300 guests.

“They really transformed the space on a major level,” she said. “And they did it in the round so everything flowed so well.”

Haven has hosted many community and non-profit events, including those for Mitchell’s Place, Crohns and Colitis of Birmingham, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Alabama Business Hall of Fame, the Women’s Fund, Girls Inc. and the afterparty for the 25th annual Sidewalk Film Festival.

Roberts-Wood said that they have a preferred vendor list but they are open to adding new vendors to the roster.

Earlier this year, Haven started hosting public events every Monday. They rotate event themes and they’ve included music, trivia, movies, even miniature golf. The last Monday of every month is a Jazz Night featuring the group Magic City Standard.

The Monday night events are free with a cash bar, and tours of the space are available. Roberts-Wood said was inspired by her event coordination work with New Orleans Jazzfest.

“We thought it was a great way to open up to the public and let everyone see what can be done with the space,” she said. “It’s a great way to show off our diversity.”

Unique experiences at Ritz-Carlton’s The Residence The Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans has been the venue for numerous simchas over the years.

Now, the landmark French Quarter hotel is taking celebrations to new heights, with The Residence.

The hotel’s crown jewel boasts over 6,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor space high above the French Quarter. Available as an elegant suite for overnight stays, or as a venue for private events of up to 100 people, The Resi-

dence made its debut in late 2021.

The Residence provides all the comforts of home with two-bedrooms, living room, dining room and fully equipped kitchen, as well as an expansive private outdoor terrace for relaxation or entertaining overlooking the city.

The terrace, at 3,500 square feet, provides sweeping views of New Orleans. An outdoor seating area with a fireplace and water feature provides an ideal space for relaxation and inti-

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mate conversation, while a garden and overlook is the perfect setting for an event or intimate wedding.

Private events for up to 50 people can be done indoors, with a dining room ideal for hosting parties of up to 10, fireplaces crackling in the living room and primary bedroom, well-appointed marble bathrooms and an oversized soaking tub under a sparkling chandelier, as well as access to the Maison Orleans Club Lounge for overnight stays.

The suite includes a collection from regional artists in a variety of media, curated by local galleries including Arthur Roger Gallery, Octavia Gallery, and Carol Robinson Gallery. Highlights include a dramatic photo of The Palais Garnier that greets guests upon arrival into the suite, French silk wallpaper adding an elegant touch to each space, and wooden herringbone flooring throughout.

Set within the 1908 Beaux Arts Maison Blanche building, a landmark of New Orleans Jewish history, the Ritz-Carlton features 528 sleeping rooms, live music at the Davenport Lounge, local culinary experiences with M Bistro, and more than 100 treatments at the award-winning newly-reimagined luxury spa.

B&A Warehouse continues to be a hot spot for simchas in Birmingham

By Lee J. Green Birmingham’s B&A Warehouse will become the B’nai Warehouse one Saturday this fall and one next spring.

The popular Railroad Park event-hosting space will host not one but two B’nai Mitzvahs for two sets of twins, in November and next May. “We’ve had many Bar and Bat Mitzvahs here” since B&A opened in 1999, said Marketing Director Hailey Roebuck. “The great thing about this space is that we can accommodate smaller or large events and the space can be personalized to fit with the celebration.” Utilizing all of the spaces, they can fit up to 800 for a reception-style event.

The B&A offers non-profit rates to organizations and hosts several fundraiser events during the year. That includes Studio By The Tracks’ Art from the Heart fundraiser this past July, which welcomed 400 people, the Birmingham AIDS Outreach Arty Party and the 26th annual Boo Halloween event benefitting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Alabama.

In 2022, the B&A introduced a new, larger stage, among other internal enhancements.

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

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

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commentary Eat up this program Kander doing ISJL Chanukah Zoom based on newest book Author Beth Kander will bring in the Chanukah season with a children’s Zoom program through the Goldring-Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m.

Kander will read from her new book, “Do Not Eat This Book! Fun with Jewish Foods and Festivals,” She will lead a sing-along and an art project to make coloring sheet placemats. The $18 registration includes a downloadable activity packet with coloring sheets and a recipe. The registration includes contributions to ISJL and MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. Communities or congregations can also arrange with ISJL to provide the program to their members.

The book showcases foods connected to various holidays through the Jewish year, and Shabbat. Kander is the ISJL chief strategy officer.

Registration is available at isjl.org/cultural-programming.

Lego Jerusalem, Menorah in New Orleans

The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans is building community, one brick at a time.

The New Orleans Lego Marathon will consist of two events — building Jerusalem with Legos, and building the world’s largest Lego Chanukah menorah.

On Dec. 4, the Jerusalem event will be at Blessed Sacrament Parish Joan of Arc Church in the Riverbend, starting at 4:30 p.m. A light snack will be served, and then the build will start at 5 p.m. Participants in the build will be tweens, teens, adults and siblings. Participants are asked to wear socks, as shoes will not be allowed during the build.

The Jerusalem build will conclude at 7 p.m. with latkes and sufganiyot.

The World’s Tallest Lego Menorah will be on Dec 5 at the Goldring-Woldenberg Jewish Community Campus in Metairie, with a snack at 4:30 p.m. The build, geared to grades 3 and up, along with parents and siblings, will start at 5 p.m. and conclude with a dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Both events are free. Participants in both projects are invited to bring donations for area families in need, a list of suggested food items is on the Federation website, or monetary donations are welcome.

The programs are presented by the Feil Foundation, Shine a Light on Antisemitism, the New Orleans Jewish Community Center, Jewish Community Day School, Tulane Hillel, Jewish Children’s Regional Service, National Council of Jewish Women, Gates of Prayer, Shir Chadash and Temple Sinai.

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

health/wellness

community

Everyone knows of someone who was in the Home Marlene Trestman writes history of New Orleans’ Jewish Orphans Home In late October, Marlene Trestman embarked on a number of activities in New Orleans connected to the release of her new book, “Most Fortunate Unfortunates: The Jewish Orphans Home of New Orleans.”

“There’s no other place the book could launch,” she reflected.

The book details the history of the Home, which was established in 1854, dedicated its first building at the beginning of 1856 and closed in 1946, after which the Home has lived on in the form of Jewish Children’s Regional Service. An accomplished attorney, Trestman is a native of New Orleans, and was orphaned when she was 11. She and her brother wound up as wards of the state — had it been two decades earlier, they would have been residents of the Home. Instead, JCRS supervised their foster care as legal guardians.

“For all of the advantages I was given in my unfortunate circumstance, I felt like a most fortunate unfortunate,” she said. “I wanted to find out if the children who grew up in the Home felt the same way.”

The idea for the book came as she was writing a biography of Bessie Margolin, who was a champion of wage and hour rights for workers, and argued numerous cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Margolin was instrumental in many provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, drafted the original regulations under which the post-World War II Nuremberg trials took place, and was an attorney for the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Margolin was also an alumna of the Home. Trestman, who met Margolin when she was headed to college and struck up a lifelong friendship, had often been asked to give talks about Margolin’s legacy. Since nobody else was going to write a biography, Trestman decided she had to do it.

“As a lawyer, I know how to write,” she said, “but it’s different writing a book where people want to purchase it.”

As she went through the Home files from 1913 to 1925, “I was really seeing all the history of the home in the boxes, digests and board minute books.” Going through those files and seeing the range of stories as she was looking for information about Margolin, she knew that her next project had to be the history of the Home.

She figured there were two main audiences with different interests — families who had relatives in the Home, and scholars who are looking to understand the history of Jewish orphanages, philanthropy and education.

The Home was the first Jewish orphanage in the country to have a purpose-built dedicated building. Trestman is particular about the wording, because a Jewish Home in Philadelphia opened before New Orleans, but it was in a rented building. She explained that the founders in New Orleans felt that they had to offer something of permanence to attract donors, so they rejected the idea of renting another facility.

“Life in the home was really nothing like the Charles Dickens or Jane

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35

community Eyre, or even Little Orphan Annie,” Trestman said, but “it certainly was regimented and nothing someone would wish for anyone.” After all, it meant that both parents had died, or one had died and the other was unable to provide care.

“The home was always intending to be a compassionate place for the kids, and for the most part it really did serve kids in a humane and caring way, the best that an orphanage can do.”

Compared to other Jewish orphanages in the country, the one in New Orleans was rather small. Homes in New York might have 1,000 kids at once, while the Home in New Orleans had a peak enrollment of 173 in 1915, “where there might be seven other kids your age instead of hundreds.”

In all, the Home had over 1600 residents in its nine decades of service.

With that, “I don’t think you can shake a stick in New Orleans or around the South without hitting somebody who had a family member in the Home,” Trestman said. There were 390 who came from Texas, while the rest were from the other six states in B’nai B’rith District Seven, which established a formal relationship with the Home in 1875.

The book’s title, Trestman said, is somewhat of a question. While not everyone had a happy

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

experience, as one might expect in an orphanage, “by and large” the residents felt fortunate.

As she went through stories, “I wasn’t cherry-picking kids.”

She said there was “great fortune afforded these children in terms of the care, medical attention, food, clothing, social well being, education they received.”

What is now Isidore Newman School was first established in 1904 to educate residents of the Home. When the Home closed, an agreement was reached with the school to continue to admit anyone who would have been eligible for the Home. Trestman said that agreement was used in her case, and she thinks it may have been the last time that was needed.

Another institution connected to the Home was a camp in Bay St. Louis, run by the Jewish Charitable and Educational Federation. There was a growing trend to establish camps and get kids outside of cities during the hot summers, and the Home started bringing the residents there in 1918. By the 1930s, the residents would go to the camp for a month at a time, and it was a “uniformly beloved feature of the home… even kids who hated living in the Home, Bay St. Louis was a respite and soothed their soul.”

But the book is only part of the story. Her

website, marlenetrestman.com, has an extensive list of resources, including a list of American Jewish orphanages; the founders, officers and superintendents of the New Orleans Home, children’s birthplaces, siblings, ages and lengths of stay; and a searchable list of all of the Home’s children, listed by registry number.

The website “may end up being a bigger impact than the book,” she said.

In addition, she is assembling profiles of as many of the residents as possible. It is “my way of honoring all the people who shared photographs and memories.”

She was “delighted” every time she got a message from someone who had relatives in the Home, whether they knew about it for decades, or started exploring genealogy and found they had an ancestor they did not realize was Jewish and discovered they had been in the Home.

Having a relative from the Home was a source of pride for so many people, she said.

Thus far, she has done 73 profiles on her website, and had hoped to do 100 before the book launched. “I’m going to keep going, I feel a commitment to do that,” she said.

She was able to interview many former residents, but “so many of the alumni who I interviewed are now deceased.”

community The oldest one she interviewed was Ellis Hart, “and I’m so glad I got to interview him before he passed.” Trestman grew up with his niece and nephew, Susan and Richard Hart, at Newman, and she believes their father, Carol, “had a hand in my being identified and able to go to Newman School under the Home’s charter.”

Many hugely successful, well known individuals throughout the Jewish South were alumni of the Home, and both the book and website have many of their stories.

There were also a lot of stories from the staff.

In the 1920s, to provide more adult supervision, promising graduate students were offered free room and board at the Home, as long as they watched the kids and ate with them. In many cases, they wound up being role models.

Uncomfortable topics Because the book is also for historians, she did not shy away from thornier parts of the Home’s story, starting with the Home’s founders and slavery. Many of the founders owned slaves, showing how deeply rooted the institution was in the South, and how people in the Jewish community participated as part of becoming American. In all, she said 14 of around 30 founders had a total of about 90 slaves, with

over half being owned by the Home’s founding vice president.

She noted the “apparent irony of the seemingly well intentioned philanthropists who dedicated time and treasure and talent, and at the same time were putting ads in newspapers for their runaway slaves who were mothers and children.”

Four of the board members fled the area rather than take the oath of allegiance to the Union after New Orleans fell, she added. “It would have been a huge hole if I hadn’t gone into that,” she said. “It puts the Home in the context of New Orleans and the context of the times.”

In recent years, many institutions have faced reckonings of sexual scandals by staff, and the Home also had an episode — but one that was well publicized in the 1880s, when it happened.

Rabbi Simon Weil, who had been at the congregation in Woodville, Miss., became superintendent, but after a couple of years was forced out when a 15-year-old girl accused him. Because of the times, the language used was quite vague, but what surprised Trestman is how the board was transparent, issued a statement that was printed in publications across the country, and that they “believed the young accuser and took her word over the former rabbi/teacher

who had come with high recommendations.”

Despite that, the board released the girl to her brother’s care in Port Gibson and would not consider requests for her to come back to the Home, because of 19th century mores on virtue and purity.

As for Trestman’s writing career, unless it is related to her legal work, those days are over.

The histories of Margolin and the Home “are the only two stories I felt compelled to write,” though work on the Home’s website is far from done and will continue. “It’s been a complete joy.”

In addition to the presence of JCRS, there are a few physical signs of the Home still in New Orleans. The site of its final building became the Jewish Community Center’s Uptown location.

The cornerstone from the Home’s 1887 location is embedded in the JCC by the front entrance.

When she started writing the book, she went to Jackson and Chippewa, the site of the original Home. “Some of the original intricately designed fence posts are still there,” not connected to anything. A large tree has engulfed that fence, physically growing over it.

She reflected, “It’s almost poetic, the history of the Home is so absorbed into New Orleans.”

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

37

Southern Jewish Life

Lebanon’s Cafe

Spring Dining Guide

1500 S. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans (504) 862-6200

921 Canal Street, New Orleans inside the Ritz-Carlton

A New Orleans favorite for over 22 years, Lebanon’s Cafe offers authentic Middle Eastern dishes in traditional and fusion varieties, bringing people together through food. Now also open on Tuesdays.

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

English Tea Room

Kosher Cajun

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The Windsor High Tea is comprised of sandwiches, mini-savories, mini desserts, two chocolate dipped strawberries, two scones with house-made clotted cream, lemon curd or preserves.

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

Galatoire’s

Bourbon St. Galatoire’s 33 Bar and Steak 215 (504) 335-3932

209 Bourbon Street (504) 525-2021

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

38

M Bistro

New Orleans

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

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

Birmingham

Umami

Southern Jewish Life

Spring Dining Guide

2808 7th Avenue South Birmingham (205) 201-4337

The Fish Market

612 22nd Street So., Birmingham (205) 322-3330

A wide variety of Sushi and unique Asian-inspired cuisine, with cold bites, hot bites, Asian-influenced tacos, using carefully selected ingredients intended to create a meticulously crafted flavor.

A Birmingham classic, The Fish Market on Southside offers the freshest seafood around, live music and an oyster bar. Private and semi-private dining available, along with catering.

AHKI

Taj India

121 20th Street North, Birmingham (205) 518-0035

Now open in downtown Birmingham at the former New York Style Deli spot, AHKI brings Mediterranean influenced New York street food to the area, with customizable rice bowls, salads and gyros.

3028 Clairmont Ave., Birmingham (205) 939-3805

Taj India, Birmingham’s original Tandoori Grill and Curry House, celebrates its 26th anniversary with a new location, serving authentic Indian dishes with a daily lunch buffet and extensive dinner menu.

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39

Want a Nobel?

Historic prize given to Jewish scientist for penicillin available at M.S. Rau The beginning of October marks Nobel Prize season, as the year’s winners are announced in Oslo. For those who haven’t been named this year, there is now a rare opportunity to get a Nobel Prize, at M.S. Rau in New Orleans.

The high-end antiques and fine art store just acquired the 1945 Nobel Prize in Medicine presented to Ernst Chain, one of the three honorees that year for the discovery and development of penicillin.

“Nobel prizes do not come up” on the market, M.S. Rau CEO Bill Rau said. “The great majority of people… it would descend through their family as a badge of honor,” as it is “the most prestigious prize in the world.”

Nevertheless, he heard “through the Jewish geography grapevine” that this prize might be for sale, and he had a friend in England approach the family.

“It took some time to get it done,” Rau said. After the five or six weeks to close the deal, he then had to wait a few weeks to get an export license from the British government, a mandatory step for taking anything over a certain price out of England.

While Rau has owned many amazing items over the years, Chain’s Nobel is “one of the coolest things we have ever owned,” he said. “Penicillin is arguably the most important drug that has ever been found.” It has saved hundreds of millions of lives, and Rau said that if it did not exist, the average human lifespan would be 10 years shorter. “How many people would have died of strep throat or pneumonia?”

The 1945 prize was presented to Chain, along with Alexander Fleming, who first discovered penicillin, and Howard Florey, Chain’s research partner. Nobels are awarded to as many as three individuals who contributed to an endeavor.

The physical prize is a 23-karat gold medal weighing almost 8 ounces.

It is accompanied by a fitted box and a hand-illustrated Nobel diploma, signed by the entire Nobel Institute. Chain’s original typewritten acceptance speech is also included. In 1945, the cash prize was around 121,000 Swedish kroner; the 2023 prizes were SEK 11 million, approximately $1 million.

Chain was born in Berlin in 1906. His father was a chemist and indus-

What’s Your

TRADITION? w w w. g a l a t o i r e s . c o m

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

community trialist, and Chain became interested in chemistry during visits to his father’s laboratory. His father died when Chain was 13 years old.

He graduated from Friedrich-Wilheim University in Berlin in 1930, and worked for three years at Berlin’s Charite Hospital in enzyme research.

When the Nazis came to power in 1933, he knew he would not be safe there as a Jew, and moved to England with about 10 British Pounds in his pocket. His mother and sister stayed behind, and were ultimately murdered in a concentration Ernst Chain camp.

In England, Chain worked at University College Hospital, then moved to the School of Biochemistry in Cambridge, where he finished his doctorate.

In 1935, he started at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, working with Howard Florey, with whom he would eventually share the Nobel Prize. Florey suggested that Chain work on lysozyme, which had been identified by Alexander Fleming in 1920. During that work, he came across Fleming’s paper on penicillin, and how Fleming had tried but failed to purify penicillin.

In 1928, Fleming had been studying staphylococcus bacteria, and later said that if he had been neat, he never would have discovered penicillin.

He had left samples out overnight, and one of the cultures was contaminated with mold — which cleared out a zone where the bacteria would not grow. He realized something in the mold was killing the bacteria, and isolated it. But he didn’t know what to do with it, or how to grow it so it could be of further use.

Florey and Chain started working on penicillin in 1938 as a scientific exercise, without considering its possible benefit to humanity.

In 1940, they did an experiment on eight mice that had been infected with strep. The four that received penicillin were fine, the other four were dead the next day.

The decided to do a human trial and grew a supply. In 1941, they treated Albert Alexander, a police officer who had a lethal infection from a rose bush scratch. They gave him penicillin and the infection began to subside. The infection was almost gone when they ran out of their supply, after which the infection came back and killed him.

Chain, who had figured out how to isolate and concentrate penicillin, vowed he would not do another test until they had an adequate supply.

The next year, they treated a woman, Anne Miller, who made a full recovery. However, it took six weeks for them to grow the amount that had been used to treat her, hardly a sustainable model. They had to figure out a way to grow penicillin in quantity, and succeeded in 1943.

That was fortuitous, because Florey developed pneumonia that year, and his life was saved by their research.

In 1944, penicillin was being deployed among Allied troops in World War II, and it is believed to have saved 2 million lives during the war.

In his Nobel acceptance speech on Dec. 10, 1945, Chain said “as a member of one of the most cruelly persecuted races in the world I am profoundly grateful to Providence that it has fallen to me, together with my friend Sir Howard Florey, to originate this work on penicillin which has helped to alleviate the suffering of the wounded soldiers of Britain, the country that has adopted me, and the wounded soldiers of our Allies, among them many thousands belonging to my own race, in their bitter struggle against one of the blood lost and most inhuman tyrannies the world has ever seen.”

He emphasized the role of scientists in pursuing discoveries for the greater good, and not to ignore the fight against barbarism by saying it is the role only of the politician. continued on page 45

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culture “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Mary Badham come back to Alabama

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The bird will fly back to Alabama and it will be a homecoming for Birmingham’s own Mary Badham.

The latest “To Kill A Mockingbird” production, written by Academy Award-winner Aaron Sorkin, will take the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Concert Hall stage Nov. 14 to 19. It will also come to Auburn on Feb. 14 and 15, and Huntsville Feb. 16 to 18.

Badham, who played Scout Finch in the 1962 movie that also starred Gregory Peck and Robert Duvall, will be featured in the traveling Broadway production as neighbor Mrs. Henry Dubose.

When Badham was contacted by the production about the role, she was at first hesitant. Mrs. Dubose is known by the kids in the neighborhood as the “the meanest old woman who has ever lived.” But she felt such a connection to the story and its pertinence so many years later.

“This production is just brilliant. The set is more modern and it really enhances the classic,” said Badham. Richard Thomas, of “The Waltons” fame, plays Atticus Finch.

“The (Harper Lee) book, movie and play have been loved throughout the years. It’s such a great teaching tool and it is something that has resonated with me for so many years,” she said.

Badham grew up in Birmingham, but she had not acted before when the 10-year-old was convinced by her mom to attend the Mockingbird movie auditions at the old Town and Gown Theatre.

“I got up there and it just felt very natural,” she said. “I was just up there having fun and there were several things about Scout, her family I could relate to.”

Badham would earn an Oscar nomination for her breakthrough performance — at the time the youngest person ever nominated for a supporting role. Coincidentally, another child actress, Patty Duke, won the Oscar for her portrayal of Alabama’s Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker.”

She would go on to play minor roles in a few TV shows and movies until 1966. She moved to Arizona to attend the University of Arizona.

Badham met her husband, Richard, during her senior year at Arizona. They would get married and move east. The two live in Virginia and Richard retired as the dean of a college there.

She isn’t Jewish, but when Badham visits Birmingham she always sees longtime friends in the community.

The producer of the national touring Broadway show, Orin Wolf, is Jewish. Wolf won a Tony Award with “The Band’s Visit” and was nominated for “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Badham’s older brother, John, would go on to become a well-known Hollywood director with titles including “Saturday Night Fever,” “Short Circuit” and “War Games.” Her younger brother, Tom, lives in Huntsville and has published books, articles and magazines on the history of Jefferson County as well as Madison County.

Badham has never been in a national travelling production, but she has toured across the country to speak on Mockingbird’s powerful messages about social injustice.

This past September, she visited Birmingham on a publicity tour for the production, and to meet with some classes at the Birmingham Public Library.

“My mom would always read to me when I was young. I love reading, learning and connecting with kids,” she said. “When I speak to the schools, I always say, ‘ignorance is the root of all evil. Education is the key to freedom’.”

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

Talking to Kids About War

By Amy Neiman, LMSW Finding the right way to speak with a child or teenager about death, war or terrible uncertainty is not easy. It is our job as parents to reassure our children even when we ourselves are feeling vulnerable. We want to be truthful but not give them more information than they need or can digest. We want to create a feeling of safety but also instill in them an understanding of our imperfect world.

It is a difficult balance, and it can be helpful to have a few general guidelines. Below are some tips to guide you in these conversations.

• Start by asking your child if they have heard the news and if so, what do they know about it. Correct any misinformation your child has heard.

• Ask them how they feel about it. Reassure your child that all feelings are ok. Being scared, angry, anxious, or surprised are all normal things to feel.

• Use age-appropriate language.

• Answer your child’s questions, without going into extensive detail.

Remember it is always okay to say, “I don’t know.”

• If possible, focus on what people are doing to help others. Mr. Rogers said it best, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping’.” And maybe think about how you could help as a family.

• Monitor television and social media exposure, and be mindful of your conversations around the children, too. If you have a teen with a phone, this is a lot harder to do, so you may need to ask them what they are seeing on the sites they visit.

• Continue to check in. As with any difficult conversation, this is not a ‘one and done’ talk.

Revisit and check in on your child in a couple of days to see how they are feeling. Ask what else have they heard. Remind them that you are there for them.

A friend told me that one of the scariest parts of a crisis is the lack of control we have as bystanders. This is very true, but we do have control of how we navigate the conversation with our children. We can validate their feelings and give them time to express their fears and ask questions.

Collat Jewish Family Service Licensed Clinical Social Workers provide confidential professional counseling for people of all ages, including children and teens. For more information, visit CJFS Counseling. For appointments, call (205) 879-3438.

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

43

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MOVING to a LARGER SPACE

Same Shopping Center in Metairie —

Just a few steps away

Publix always adding to its kosher product lines

By Lee J. Green Publix continues to grow its kosher products selection and seeks to offer a wide variety during all times of the year.

The supermarket, with stores across Alabama and the Florida panhandle, is happy to order products that are available at its other stores and send to a customer’s store.

“Publix is committed to providing quality products and services to all of our customers, including customers who are interested in kosher products and recipes,” said Nicole Strauss, a media relations manager for Publix. “We have hundreds of kosher products throughout our stores, not just during important holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Passover, but on everyday items from our produce, grocery and frozen departments.”

They also provide a wide variety of delicious kosher adaptable recipes through publix.com/ kosher.

Avocado on Grilled Sweet Potato Planks Ingredients: 1 large sweet potato Cooking spray 1 teaspoon spicy steak seasoning, divided 1 ripe Hass avocado 1 plum tomato 1 lime, for wedges 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves Instructions Preheat grill (or grill pan) on medium. Cut ends off sweet potato, then slice into ½-inch-

thick planks. Coat potatoes with spray and ½ teaspoon seasoning; grill 8–10 minutes, flipping occasionally, until grill-marked and tender. Meanwhile, halve avocado and scoop out flesh, discarding pit; slice avocado and tomato thinly. Cut lime into wedges.

Top potatoes with avocados, tomatoes, thyme, and remaining ½ teaspoon seasoning.

Serve with lime wedges.

Alternative Preparation Methods Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve 1 ripe Hass avocado and scoop out flesh, discarding pit; cut flesh into 8 wedges and arrange in baking dish. Coat with 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Bake 20–25 minutes until edges are golden. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice.

Sauce: Halve 2 ripe Hass avocados, scoop out flesh, discarding pits. Place flesh in food processor bowl; add 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 ½ cups fresh cilantro, ¼ cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoon complete seasoning. Process until smooth. Serve over cooked chicken or beef.

AHKI’s brings New York street food to the Magic City

By Lee J. Green

Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm METAIRIE 5101 W. Esplanade Ave at Chastant

DESTREHAN 3001 Ormond Blvd. at entrance to Ormond Estates

504-407-3532 nolagiftsanddecoronline.com 44

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

AHKI’s owners envision the new downtown eatery as a melting pot of cuisine and cultures.

“We’re from New York and we wanted to bring Mediterranean-influenced New York streetfood cuisine to Birmingham,” said Ahmed Hamed, who opened AHKI’s in September with his brother, Tamer.

“But it’s more than just the food, it’s the experience,” he said. “Our goal was to create a welcoming space where people can get together to share memorable times.”

Ahmed and Tamer’s parents came to New fore opening his first deli/bodega-style restauYork from Egypt in 1978. His father started with rant a few years later. a hot dog cart, then a chicken and rice cart becontinued on page 45

community >> Rear Pew continued from page 46 >> Nobel “And he called, command an eighth childbirth, one diseased after the death, holy ones speak in the mountain by my decrees.”

Don’t count on the cobbled names for Numbers, “In the desert take a census, when you step up send Korach a decree of Balak, Pinchas, tribes’ journeys.”

Deuteronomy closes out with the slightly cryptic, “Words, and I pleaded, if you follow see judges when you go, when you enter, those standing, and he went out, listen, and this is the blessing.”

From those sentences, there’s only one conclusion: After reading them, anything in the Torah should seem far more comprehensible, by comparison.

After the war, he worked in Rome, becoming the scientific director of the International Research Centre for Chemical Microbiology. He returned to London in 1961 as professor of biochemistry at Imperial College. He died in 1979.

Chain served on the board of the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and was a supporter of Jewish education in England and beyond.

Of the 954 Nobel Prizes awarded through 2022, at least 212 have gone to Jews, or individ-

continued from page 41 uals with at least one Jewish parent.

Rau said a physics medal from 1965, without the accompanying folder and speech, sold for $1 million at auction, while James Watson’s 1962 Nobel in medicine went for over $5.3 million in 2014.

The Chain Nobel is priced well below Watson’s, Rau said.

“I get excited about history,” Rau said. “This is history, and it is history for good. The discovery of penicillin was one of the great goods of all time.”

Doug Brook just released a book with only one name: “Rear Pew Mirror: Reflections From the Back of the Sanctuary,” a collection of past columns, in paperback and Kindle. To acquire the book, read other past columns, or listen to the FIVE-star rated Rear Pew Mirror podcast, visit http://rearpewmirror.com/.

>> AHKI

continued from page 44

That American dream expanded to at one time 17 restaurants across New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Their father brought the bodega environment to Birmingham in 1999 when he opened New York Style Deli.

They included the hot bar, one meat and two vegetables, sandwiches and chopped cheese.

“I remember being eight years old and working the cash register at my parents’ restaurants,” Ahmed said. “I’ve been absorbing this ever since I was young. I think a part of me knew all along that this is what I was meant to do.”

He and Tamar revitalized the eatery, changing the name and enhancing the menu with new family recipes.

All the ingredients at AHKI’s are homemade, from the hummus to the rice to the basmati seasonings to the sauces and meats. The fresh pita chips are seasoned and cold-pressed in Moroccan oil every morning.

AHKI’s menu features gyros, salads and rice bowls that can be customized with a variety of meats, vegetables and sauces.

“The great thing is you can build your own (plate or gyro),” said Hamed. “You can customize it any way you want to.” Most of the menu items are kosher-style.

AHKI’s — which means “brothers” in Arabic (Achi in Hebrew) — offers in-house dining and take-out. They are open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

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rear pew mirror • doug brook

What’s in a Name

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William Shakespeare famously stated in his bard mitzvah speech that when it comes to the Torah, “that which we call our prose by any other name would start with Beresheet.”

So, what’s in a name?

On Yom Kippur, everyone atoned for any name calling they did during the previous year, including for the names given to certain newborns who’ll be haunted for life by their parents’ selections.

This raises the related question of who named the weekly Torah readings, and did they atone for it. What were they thinking?

Remember, each weekly Torah reading (aka parshah) was named in the same painstaking, descriptive manner as each of the five books of the Torah were named: By using the first distinctive word in it, no matter what the word is. But not the word “is,” it’s not that ridicul… distinctive.

The first distinctive word isn’t necessarily the first word. If it were, several parshahs would share names like “And These” or “And He Spoke.”

Though “and He spoke” is, admittedly, descriptive of a lot of the Torah.

Some scholars opine about the possible existence of multiple authors of the Torah. This notion of different writers could be a corollary to the fact that each book of the Torah has three different names: the Hebrew name, the actual English translation of that name, and the at-best tangentially relevant English name that’s actually used.

For example, the first book in Hebrew is Beresheet, which basically means “in the beginning.” In English, it’s commonly referred to as Genesis — a name appropriated by the Torah to ride the wave of popularity from the Genesis device in “Star Trek That’s the Torah’s II.”The second book, Shemot, literally means “names.” Therefore, of course, names, don’t in English it’s called Exodus. wear them out The third book, Vayikra, means “and he called.” This makes the relevance of calling it Leviticus obvious, in no way whatsoever.

The fourth book, Bemidbar, means “in the desert.” It’s commonly referred to as Numbers, because during 40 years in a desert with no cellular reception there’s not much to do except count the days, the grains of sand, and the number of times Moses had to talk the Almighty Big G out of wiping out someone. Including himself.

Devarim means “words” or “things.” This volume serves double duty as both the fifth and the final book. Thus, it is aptly named Deuteronomy, due to economy in leveraging some ancient Greek into this ancient text.

If the names of the books of the Torah are this distinctive, what about the names of each parshah within those five books?

Rather than going through each one individually, it might be interesting to explore all the parshah names in each book strung together into a sentence. Perhaps it will give a meaningful summary of what happens in each book. (Perhaps.)

For example, from Genesis the names of the parshahs declare, “In the beginning, Noah, get going… and appeared the lives of Sarah, generations he left, and he sent and dwelled at the end, and drew near, and he lived.”

That’s as straightforward as the nomenclatured abridgement for Exodus, “Names, and I appeared; go, having sent Yitro laws, an offering you’ll command when you take, and assembled amounts.”

For Leviticus, the least clear book has the clearest one-line delivery, continued on previous page

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life

NOVEMBER 16 – DECEMBER 24

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November 2023 • Southern Jewish Life