SJL New Orleans, Dec. 2013 by Southern Jewish Life

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December 2013 Volume 23 Issue 12

Southern Jewish Life P.O. Box 130052 Birmingham, AL 35213-0052

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Over the past year, we have done numerous stories tied to 50th anniversaries of Civil Rights events, and how the events affected the Jewish community here at the time. In this issue, we have a modern-day story involving a historically-Jewish institution in the civil rights arena. Not long after the University of Alabama marked 50 years since Governor George Wallace’s “Stand in the Schoolhouse Door,” a bit of political theater to defy integration, the Alabama student newspaper had an expose tailor-made for “we still have a long way to go” speeches. The Crimson White noted that the historically white sororities had admitted just one black member, many years ago, and black women attending the formal rush process had their possible bids spiked, generally from alumni pressure. This being Alabama, the story instantly became national and international news. Alabama’s historically Jewish sorority, Sigma Delta Tau, has not participated in the formal rush process. In the midst of the media frenzy there were a couple of brief mentions of SDT, noting that they had a few black members. But with the intense debate swirling around the sorority system, the chapter kept quiet, for reasons mentioned in our current article. Just four days after the expose in the Crimson White, the national media were in Birmingham for the 50th anniversary of the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, when Klansmen killed four girls that Sunday morning in 1963. I was honored to be part of a delegation of about two dozen members of the Jewish community, invited to the Sunday morning worship service (the public commemoration was later that afternoon). Reverend Jesse Jackson was in attendance, and though he was not one of the scheduled speakers, he was invited to make a few remarks. He commented that it was great to see blacks and whites together the previous day, representing Alabama on the football field against Texas A&M. But come Monday, he noted, there would still be no blacks at Alabama’s white sororities. After the service, a lot of people were milling around, taking in the day’s significance. Rev. Jackson was hanging around, greeting people and posing for numerous photos. Our paths happened to cross, so I said to him, “Rev. Jackson, there is one historically white sorority at Alabama that regularly has black members.” He raised an eyebrow; that got his attention. If I said “Sigma Delta Tau,” that might not mean much to him, but given his somewhat-checkered past with our community I decided to continue by saying “It’s the Jewish one.” He broke into a big grin, gave me a pat on the back and said “God bless you.” While a few of the sororities at Alabama are now celebrating NOLA

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having their first black members in the aftermath of this fall’s controversy, SDT Publisher/Editor: went ahead and elected one of their black members, Hannah Patterson, president in early November. Lawrence M. as Brook, editor@sjlmag.com The only statement the chapter was making was that this member Publisher/Advertising: was the best one Associate to lead their chapter forward as they continue their LeePatterson J. Green,said lee@sjlmag.com rebuilding process. it really didn’t occur to her that this would be a historic election or that there would be this much media New Orleans Bureau: attention (thoughAlan this got a tinyalan@dsjv.com fraction compared to the coverage of Smason, the original controversy). Cait Muldoon, Gail Naron Chalew In an ideal world, this election would have been no big deal. Director: Perhaps any otherCreative year, that would have been the case. But coming Ginger Brook, ginger@dsjv.com on the heels of the Crimson White’s story, Patterson’s election took on an added significance. Photographer-At-Large: In fitting with the charge that we are to be a light unto the Barry C. Altmark nations, SDT’s symbol is the torch. As the Rho chapter continues its resurgence, may Contributing it continue, inWriters: its own, quiet way, to be a beacon of light at Alabama.Doug Brook Larry Brook Editor/Publisher

Telephone: Birmingham: (205) 870-7889 Publisher/Editor: M. Brook, editor@sjlmag.com FAX:Lawrence (866) 392-7750 Associate Publisher/Advertising: Lee J. Green, lee@sjlmag.com Story Tips/Letters: editor@sjlmag.com Creative Director: Ginger Brook, ginger@sjlmag.com Photographer-At-Large: Barry C. Altmark SubscriptionRabbi Information: SouthernDoug JewishBrook Life published monthly Contributing Writers: and is free by request to members of the Mailing Address: Jewish community in our coverage area of P.O. Box 130052, Birmingham, AL 35213 Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and NW Florida. Outside those areas, subscriptions Telephone: are870-7889 $25/year or $40/two years. To Birmingham: (205) subscribe, call (205) 870-7889 or mail Toll Free: (866) 446-5894 payment to the address above. FAX: (866) 392-7750 Story Tips/Letters: connect@sjlmag.com The publisher is solely responsible for the contents of SJL. Columns and letters Subscription Information: represent the views of the individual Southern Jewish writers. Life published monthly freea by request All articles that doand not is have to members of the Jewish community in our coverage area of byline on them are written by the publisher. Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and NW Florida. Outside those areas, subscriptions are $25/year $40/two years. Southern Jewish Lifeor makes no claims as To to subscribe, call (205) 870-7889 or mailofpayment to theand address the Kashrut its advertisers, retainsabove. the right to refuse any advertisement. The publisher is solely responsible for the contents of SJL. Columns Advertising ratesofavailable on request. and letters represent the views the individual writers. All articles that do not have a byline on them are written by the publisher. All rights reserved, Southern Jewish Copyright Life makes2010. no claims as to the Kashrut of its by permission publisher. advertisers, and reprints retains only the right to refuseofany advertisement. Advertising rates available on request.

Philosophy:

Deep South, to tell you the fascinating stories of onecommunities another, andoftothe Deep South, to Philosophy: To link the Jewish document andofpreserve the news tell you the fascinating stories one another, andof to document and preserve theevents news and large all anda small, largeevents and small, part ofall a part of the rich culture ofthe Southern Jewry. rich culture of Southern Jewry.

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On the cover: Members of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans’ “Southern Journey” mission to Israel in November visited Kibbutz Ketura. The Kibbutz has built miles of solar energy panels to generate electricity, which their company, Arava Power Company, sells to the national Electric Corporation. The first company of its kind in the world, it is now building similar plants in Africa. Former Jewish educator and journalist Yossi Abramowitz, who moved to Israel from Boston a few years ago, heads the company and spoke to the delegation about his vision of non-carbon based energy. At Ketura, they also visited the Institute for Environmental Studies, which also includes students from Jordan, the United States and Palestinian areas. The kibbutz also has an algae-creating plant for commercial uses. The delegation learned about Israel’s solution to the issue of scarce water during a visit to Eilat. Israel recently completed its fourth major desalination plant. As part of the tour, the delegation visited Yerucham and the Adiel moshav. Part of the trip was also devoted to the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly in Jerusalem, where Morton Katz, Julie Wise Oreck and Federation Executive Director Michael Weil met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Touro hosting Rabbi Blake: Touro Synagogue hosts Rabbi Jonathan Blake for a scholar in residence weekend, Dec. 6 and 7. The senior rabbi at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, N.Y., Blake is a member of the Board of Directors of Synagogue 3000 and the President’s Council of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He has been a regular contributor to the Union For Reform Judaism’s online and printed publications, “Ten Minutes of Torah,” “Reform Voices of Torah,” and “Torah at the Center,” and is a featured author in “Text Messages: A Torah Commentary for Teens.” On Dec. 6 he will discuss “The Possible and the Impossible: Synagogue Models that Work.” Services will be at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and discussion at 7 p.m. On Dec. 7 he will lead the 9 a.m. Torah study group with Rabbi Alexis Berk. The study group is open to the community.

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December 2013

Front Porch JCRS moving Gala to larger venue: The Jewish Children’s Regional Service will honor the Scharff and Tolmas families at their annual gala, planned for March 22. Having sold out its first two years, the gala is now moving to the Freedom Pavilion at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, where at least 100 additional guests can be seated. This year’s event is themed “The Jewish Roots of Broadway,” and the musical director for the event will be announced soon. Several members of the Tolmas and Scharff families have served on the JCRS board over the past decades, and each has provided a JCRS president — Lee Scharff from 1997 to 1999, and Jeanie Tolmas, from 2003 to 2005. Members of the Scharff family being honored are Dan and Florence Scharff and their son and daughter-in-law, Lee and Susan Scharff. The Tolmas family members being honored are Hyman and Connie Tolmas and their daughter Jeanie and son and daughter-in-law, Alan and Gina Tolmas. “We are proud to recognize these wonderful individuals who make up such fine families,” explained JCRS President Leon Rittenberg III. “The members of these families have served JCRS in various capacities and are known throughout Greater New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Dallas for their volunteerism and generosity, as well as for their professionalism and community service.” Both families are long rooted in Greater New Orleans and, between them, have been active members of the Shir Chadash, Temple Sinai, Gates of Prayer, and Anshe Sfard congregations. Since Hurricane Katrina, Dan and Florence Scharff relocated to Baton Rouge and joined Temple B’nai Israel, and Jeannie, Hyman and Connie Tolmas moved to Dallas, where they joined Alan and Gina as members of Congregation Tiferet Israel. The New Orleans Jewish Community Center held its annual Jewish Book Festival for Jewish Book Month the week of Nov. 18 at the Uptown location.

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Above, Sheri Fink presented “Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a StormRavaged Hospital” on Nov. 20 at the Featured Author event. Left, guest author Austin Ratner reads from “In The Land of The Living” at the Booklovers Lunch on Nov. 18. NOLA

Front Porch Community-wide “5774” food drive: The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans is organizing a community food collection drive, “5774.” The drive, which will run from December to April, aims to bring in 5774 pounds of food for Second Harvest of New Orleans. Different local Jewish community organizations will be organizing collection points. Second Harvest urges that items be nonperishable, preferably not in glass containers. Non-food items are also welcome.

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Three Rabbis Walk Into A Bar, Part II: Cantor Joel Colman of Temple Sinai, Cantor Jamie Marx of Touro Synagogue and Rabbi David Polsky of Anshe Sfard took part in JNOLA’s Nov. 6 event at Bridge Lounge.

Back to New Orleans: Peter Wolf spoke about his book, “My New Orleans, Gone Away,” at a New Orleans Hadassah event on Nov. 4. He also spoke at Temple Sinai on Nov. 10. His aunt was founder and first president of New Orleans Hadassah, and her father was the second president of Temple Sinai. Wolf’s book describes how he grew up on the periphery of the Jewish community despite those family ties. NOLA

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Anshe Sfard in New Orleans is continuing its series of Shabbat morning speakers. On Dec. 7, Dani Levine, New Orleans director of Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps, will speak about the organization. On Dec. 28, Jeffrey Smith will speak about the death penalty in Judaism. On Jan. 4, Brian Horowitz, the Sizeler Family Chair of Jewish Studies at Tulane, will speak on “Who Was Vladimir Jabotinsky? The 15-Minute Story about Zionist Monism.” The talks follow the 9:15 a.m. service and precede lunch.

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“The Wartime Escape: Margret and H.A. Rey’s Journey from France” about the creators of “Curious George” opened Nov. 8 at the Holocaust Museum in Houston. It runs through June 15.

was raised to $25,000, though the additional $5,000 was not being matched. At the 1 p.m. close on Nov. 8, the total raised was $22,024.

On Jan. 28, “Declare Your Freedom,” a pro-Israel rally organized by Allies of Israel at the University of New Orleans, was held. Now, Allies of Israel and Tulane University for Israel are planning Declare Your Freedom 2.0, a rally next spring, that may go national. Plans are for musicians, speakers and activities in “the largest pro-Israel festival in New Orleans history.” An Indiegogo fundraising campaign just launched with a goal of $17,000 to cover On Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m., Gates of expenses. Prayer Sisterhood in Metairie will welcome On Nov. 7 at 1 p.m., Chabad at Tulane their counterparts from Touro Synagogue started a 24-hour fundraiser to raise $5,000, and Temple Sinai for Rosh Chodesh in which was being matched by three donors for the Sanctuary, an interactive spiritual a total of $20,000. The goal was reached experience. well before the 24 hours was up, and the goal

Beth Israel in Metairie will hold an evening of Chinese food and a movie, Dec. 25 at 5:30 p.m. The kosher Chinese dinner will be catered by Andy Adelman. Price for members is $18, non-members $25. Free babysitting will be available, and there will also be the drawing for the congregation’s 2013 raffle,

The Morris Bart Sr. Lecture Series at the Uptown Jewish Community Center continues on Dec. 9 with a luncheon about food. Tom Fitzmorris, food critic and radio host, will speak about his favorite topic. Lunch will be available for those who reserved by Dec. 2. The 11:45 a.m. event is free to members, $10 for non-members.

JNOLA Gatherings: This month, JNOLA goes Asian in its events. On Dec. 10, there will be a Sushi Schmooze at Sake Café on Magazine Street, starting at 12:30 p.m. Special guest will be Alice Viroslav, former chair of the Jewish Federation of North America’s National Young Leadership Cabinet. JNOLA will hold a L’Chaim and Lo Mein party on Dec. 24 at 7 p.m. The young adults and newcomers group will have a private room at Jung’s Golden Dragon on Magazine Street. The $10 charge covers food and tea, and there will be an after-party at the Bulldog. Krewe du Jieux will also be taking part in the evening. JNOLA held a meetup on Nov. 19 at Byblos. Above, Talora Michal and Melanie Waitzer. Top right, Rollie Rabin, Ashley Merlin, Katie Single and Jack Truxillo. Lower right, Ben Levy, Ashley Merlin and Bradley Bain.

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The Israeli delegation to the New Orleans/Israel Partnership on Emergency Medicine conference in New Orleans met with the new mayor of Rosh Ha’ayin, Shalom Ben Moshe, last month. The conference is scheduled for Dec. 2 to 5. Israeli participants are Danny Shani, Sigal Shalev, Danny Shani, Gideon Shoval, David Knaiz, Gila Margalit, Prof. Avi Rivkind, Prof. Zeev Rotstein, Yossi Weiss, Nachman Ash, Guy Caspi, Prof. Arnon Afek, Avi Kagan and Hagar Shoham Marko. Another David’s Sling success: On Nov. 20, the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency announced the successful intercept of a shortrange ballistic missile target at a test range in Southern Israel by the David’s Sling Weapon System. The system was developed by Israel’s state-owned Rafael Ltd. and is partly manufactured at U.S. partner Raytheon Company’s Huntsville missile assembly plant in north Alabama. In a joint statement, program officials said David Sling’s interceptor destroyed the target missile after subsystems successfully detected, tracked and managed the engagement. The intercept marks the second test success since the beginning of the year, and the goal is to have the system ready for initial deployment in 2014. Jointly funded by the US and Israel, David’s Sling is designed to defend against long-range rockets and short-range missiles. It will provide an additional layer to Israel’s multi-layer active defense intercepting network. When deployed, it will serve as a bridge between the operationally proven lower-tier Iron Dome and the operational Arrow-2 and planned Upper Tier Arrow-3. Ginsburgh finishes Tulane career: On Nov. 23, Jonathan Ginsburgh was one of 19 seniors recognized at Senior Day as the Tulane football team coasted to a 45-3 win over Texas-El Paso. The game was likely Tulane’s last regular season game in the Superdome, as an on-campus stadium is under construction. The son of Judy and Bob Ginsburgh of Alexandria, he signed with Tulane as a punter and saw significant playing time his first two seasons. In 2010, Ginsburgh handled all of the team’s punting duties, finishing with 70 punts for 2,802 yards, a 40.0 yard average. In 2011, he played in all 13 games, with 59 punts for 2,458 yards, ranking fifth in the conference and 42nd nationally with a 41.7 yard average. He was also a member of the Tulane 3.0 Club. In 2012 he saw action in one game, punting twice against Ole Miss on Sept. 22. He ranks seventh in Tulane history in yards per punt, ran once for seven yards and had two solo tackles.

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Zeta Beta Tau at Tulane and Kappa Alpha Theta held Paws for a Cause on Nov. 20, raising $860 for the LSPCA. Donors could play with puppies at the event, with donors who gave over $5 getting unlimited playtime. United Synagogue Youth will have its national convention in New Orleans from Dec. 22 to 26. About 900 teens are expected for the convention, which will include a Tikkun Olam day on Dec. 23 at various sites around New Orleans. USY is the Conservative movement’s high school group. Tickets are now available for this year’s Tribute to Jewish American Composers at Temple B’nai Israel in Monroe. The annual concert, which will be held on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m., benefits preservation efforts at the congregation’s historic cemetery. Tickets are available for $20 by contacting the congregation. A former hotel security guard in Jackson, Tenn., pled guilty to vandalism for defacing Jewish ritual items from the Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis. Students from the school were staying at the hotel on the way to a school trip in the Smokies. The guard faces two to four years in prison and will be sentenced later this month.

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The Helen Diller Family Foundation is accepting nominations for the 2014 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards, a $36,000 award that recognizes up to 10 Jewish teens who are spearheading volunteer service projects in their communities and beyond. Bay Area philanthropist Helen Diller started the prestigious awards program in 2007 to support California Jewish teens, and just last year expanded the program nationally. To date, the program has recognized 40 Jewish teens across the country with nearly $1.5 million to support their education and philanthropic visions. Teens may be nominated by any community member who knows the value of their project — except a family member— or teens can also self-nominate. Forms are available at www.dillerteenawards.org, and the deadline is Jan. 5. Temple Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach will welcome Israeli storyteller Noa Baum for a workshop and feature presentation on Jan. 12. She will host a family storytelling workshop at 4 p.m., followed by a 5 p.m. community dinner and 6:30 p.m. performance of “A Land Twice Promised.” The performance is a one-woman show about a dialogue with a Palestinian woman while living in the United States. Tickets for the entire evening are $10, and may be obtained by calling Jim Sturim, (850) 218-4169. The visit is coordinated by the Institute of Southern Jewish Life.

Columbus’ Shearith Israel converting former church Had met in a house since selling old building In the middle of Chanukah, Shearith Israel Synagogue in Columbus, Ga., was preparing to do its own rededication. On Nov. 30, the congregation planned to light the eternal light and hang mezuzahs on its new home, the former River Chapel Primitive Baptist Church, which the congregation purchased on Oct. 17. Shabbat services will begin there on Dec. 6, and a formal dedication will be held in February. The congregation had sold its previous building on Wynnton Road to New Testament Christian Center Church in 2009. The old building was far too large for a congregation that had 250 members at its peak but was down to fewer than 70, and the old building was not accessible for older members. The Conservative congregation, which was founded in 1892, met brieﬂy at Reform Temple Israel’s chapel, then remodeled their parsonage into a small synagogue. Rabbi Brian Glusman of Atlanta, former rabbi of Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El, visits the congregation every Shabbat. Getting the new building, he said, “is a very important step for the congregation. It was disappointing and sad when the previous synagogue building was sold to a church.” He added, “Many thought it was the end of Shearith Israel.” With Glusman, the congregation has reversed its downward trend and “we outgrew the house.” Glusman noted that Shabbat services have sometimes been “standing room only. We had to move if we wanted to meet the needs of the community.” Congregational president Michael Goldman noticed a “For Sale” sign leaning against the church building recently, and before the sign had been hammered into the yard, the acquisition process started. The new building is one-third the size of the previous Shearith Israel, but came ready-made with pews and other furnishings. It had not been used for services in several years. Members have been working on Sundays to get the building ready for its Chanukah dedication, hanging memorial plaques and painting the walls. The original ark from the 19th century, which was acquired from the Jewish community in Eufaula, was reassembled in the new space, and some of the stained glass windows from the church were replaced with windows from the previous synagogue. Glusman said the move “signiﬁes that the synagogue is alive and thriving.”

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On Nov. 10, the Alexandria community marked the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht — the Night of Broken Glass — with the dedication of a Holocaust memorial in downtown. The 18-foot black granite obelisk is located at the intersection of Second, Fourth and Elliott Streets. It was constructed through private donations and is maintained by the city. There is also an Alexandria Holocaust Memorial Board that does educational activities, and there are plans for teacher workshops, a speaker’s bureau and annual writing contest for students. The memorial came about through the efforts of local attorney Michael Tudor. After seeing the Holocaust memorial in New Orleans, he wondered why Alexandria did not have one. Though not Jewish himself, he contacted Rabbi Arnold Task, who recently retired from Gemiluth Chassodim. Fundraising soon began, and the site was dedicated after the community Holocaust memorial service on April 29. At the memorial’s dedication, Task noted Alexandria’s role in fighting the Nazi regime. Facilities at Camp Beauregard, Livingston, Claiborne and Polk, along with the Alexandria Air Base, were used for training. The Louisiana Maneuvers allowed Army planners to troubleshoot difficulties they would encounter during combat and solve those problems before hitting the battlefield. Task noted that over half a million troops walked up the road where the memorial was being dedicated. Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton and Omar Bradley received command experience in the Alexandria area, holding planning sessions at the nearby Hotel Bentley. Many of the troops who trained there wound up liberating the concentration camps, and Eisenhower

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in particular wanted to tour the camps with a large entourage so nobody could say what happened there was mere propaganda. A Wreath of Remembrance was placed at the memoral, after which Tudor led a candlelighting ceremony where speakers spoke of family members and others affected by the Holocaust. Judy Ginsburgh sang “The Last Butterfly,” and one of the candles was lit by her daughter, Rachel Ginsburgh Sermons, and granddaughter Madilyn Sermons, while her father, Ed Caplan, spoke. Task said the monument is a “call to action” against racism, bigotry and bullying. “Our challenge does not stop today at this dedication. We pledge to work to educate and touch the hearts of all who will listen to the lessons of the Holocaust.” A Boy Scout Troop distributed black memorial stones to those in attendance, so they could stack the stones. Father Chad Partain gave a benediction, then the dedication moved to Emmanuel Baptist Church. The Gemiluth Chassodim choir sang, followed by three speakers from different perspectives. Herbert St. Romaine, who was involved in the Louisiana Maneuvers, was part of a medical team. Though he had presumably seen it all during combat, he was still unprepared for what he saw at the concentration camps. Guy Cohen, who is with the Israeli Consulate in Houston, gave the perspective of a young Israeli. He Israel carries the burden of the Holocaust, but events like this show Israelis that they are not alone. Mayor Jacques Roy spoke as a Christian who recently visited Israel. He hopes the monument will serve as a reminder to do the right thing “even when it’s not popular.”

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Unintentional history at Bama Two months after campus-wide controversy, SDT elects ﬁrst Panhellenic black president In September, the Crimson White, the student newspaper at the University of Alabama, caused an international uproar by exposing that the traditionally white sororities there had admitted only one black member through the formal rush process, and that was two decades ago. In early November, the Rho chapter of Sigma Delta Tau, the historically Jewish sorority at Alabama, elected Hannah Patterson as president, making her the ﬁrst black president at a Panhellenic sorority Hannah Patterson (right), new president at Alabama. of Sigma Delta Tau at the University of “I’m very honored Alabama, and Gwendolyn Gardiner at this and very blessed,” she year’s recruitment. said, “but I didn’t think it would get so publicized by the media.” She understands why so many people are making a big deal about her election, but going into it she never thought about it that way. Since the news got out, “the past few days have been very busy.” On Sept. 11, the Crimson White wrote an expose about sorority rush at Alabama, entitled “The Final Barrier: 50 Years Later Segregation Still Exists.” The piece spoke of several highly-desired black candidates who were not admitted to the historically-white sororities during the formal rush process, even though the sorority members were supportive. The sorority members blamed pressure from old-guard alumni as the roadblock. After a week of protests and international exposure, the recruit-

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ment process was reopened and 11 black students were offered bids to historically white sororities, with four accepting immediately. The number was expected to rise as the year progresses. About 13 percent of Alabama’s enrollment is black. The historically-black sororities integrated in the 1980s, according to the Crimson White. Sigma Delta Tau at Alabama had been all-Jewish until the turn of the millennium. In 2011 the first black member was admitted, and there have been two more since then, and another who transferred before being initiated. When the controversy erupted in September, Patterson said, “Our sorority just didn’t really pay so much attention to it, because we were already a diverse sorority. We never saw race or the color of someone’s skin as an issue.” The chapter did not participate in the formal rush process that was the focus of the controversy, opting for their own informal recruitment. Currently, eight of the 38 members are Jewish, but Patterson points out that she and many of the non-Jewish members “attend Shabbat dinners and other activities at Hillel.” Patterson is from a town near Pittsburgh, Pa. She started off at the University of Dayton but transferred to Alabama for her junior year. “I just wanted something different, a little further away from home. I wanted to grow… where you’re in a totally new environment, new culture, new people,” she said. When she arrived in Tuscaloosa, she participated in the formal recruitment process for the sororities but did not feel that she found a good fit. She went to the informal rush at Sigma Delta Tau. The hour-long visit “was very genuine, very one-on-one,” she said. “There was something about the way they made me feel so welcomed, I kept returning,” Patterson observed. ”They truly gave me a family, being so far away from home.” Regina Broda, the previous sorority president, told the Crimson White that even before Patterson was offered a bid, “I knew that she had the potential to do wonderful things for our chapter.” She added that Sigma Delta Tau was established by seven Jewish women in 1917 who were discriminated against by other sororities. “Sigma Delta Tau nationally does not discriminate because it goes completely against our founding principles.” The election was held on Nov. 6. To run for office, a candidate has to write a letter of intent a few weeks before the election. Three national representatives of the sorority review the letters and decide a slate, which is submitted to the chapter. The chapter can then vote to accept or decline the slate. Patterson said the slate was turned down, so they held votes for individual positions. She had been listed on the slate for president, and was approved in the vote. A senior majoring in chemical and biological engineering, Patterson will remain at Alabama for a fifth year because of coursework related to her major and her transfer from Dayton. While others focus on the significance of her election, the change that Patterson is most focused on is with Sigma Delta Tau, which has been going through a “revitalization period.” “I would love for the chapter to grow… to have more involvement on campus,” she said. “We have a very strong sisterhood as it is right now and with growth I hope that we would continue keeping that strong sisterhood and strong sense of tradition.” In the first week since the election, “I’m trying to get things in order for my chapter, preparing for finals myself, then getting things prepared for the new executive board for next year.” And yes, fielding calls from reporters.

Southern Jewish Life 12/12/2012 11:22:58 AM

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NOLA native Lemann makes Forward 50 The Forward has come out with its annual Forward 50, and New Orleans native Nick Lemann is on it in the media category. The Forward 50 is a list of notable and newsworthy Americans whose “actions speak with a Jewish inflection.” L e m a n n stepped down as dean of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism this year. The Forward noted that it has been a turbulent time in journalism, “with business models imploding, foundational ideas in question and the advent of digital publishing, every corner turned has brought a crisis.” Lemann, they stated, “has attempted to meet these challenges and chart a new course.” Lemann started in journalism at age 17 as a writer for the Vieux Carre Courier, striking a deal that he could write one article per issue if he would go around and empty the coin boxes each week and put new papers in. In college he was president of the Harvard Crimson, and worked at Texas Monthly, the Washington Post and the New Yorker. He specializes in profiles and political reporting. At Columbia, the Forward notes, he left his program in sound financial shape, and recently accepted the largest gift in its history, $18 million from the estate of Helen Gurley Brown for the creation of a media innovation institute. In April, the Forward wrote a profile about him and his “unusual Jewish roots” in Louisiana. His family originally settled in Donaldsonville, but the relatives remaining there are no longer Jewish. In New Orleans, he grew up at Temple Sinai. He recalled it as “this kind of super-Reform Judaism that was no kosher laws, no bar mitzvahs, no tallit, no kippot. We had a choir. It was meant to be like an Episcopalian church, but Jewish, our little realm of Judaism.” Growing up that way, he said he has none of the Jewish food memories most New York Jews take for granted — bagels and lox, kugel and so forth. So he has had to adapt some classics to suit the tastes of those who come to them later in life, without the layer of nostalgia, and wrote a gefilte fish recipe for the Forward that brings the actual fish back to the forefront. 16

December 2013

Southern Jewish Life

This time, spend the weekend at LimmudFest Regional event in New Orleans expands over Shabbat The recently-announced LimmudFest New Orleans will be expanding for its third incarnation — both in duration and geography. LimmudFest is a festival of Jewish learning that celebrates culture and community. Organized and run entirely by volunteers, LimmudFest is designed to appeal to Jews of all backgrounds, denominations, ages, and interests, including newcomers, the unaffiliated, and young adults. An expected 500 participants from throughout the region will be able to choose from among more than 90 learning sessions that will be offered on everything Jewish, ranging from art and music to text study and history. There are numerous simultaneous tracks of programming: Israel, Spirituality, Contemporary Jewish Life and Identity, Arts & Culture, Social Justice, Text and Thought, History, and Family. The third LimmudFest New Orleans will be held for three days, March 7 to 9, and organizers hope to have an increased regional presence in participants and presenters. The expanded schedule includes a full Shabbat. According to conference organizer Gail Chalew, the Reform and Conservative congregations will be holding their Shabbat services at LimmudFest in the spaces at Temple Sinai, followed by common meals and learning sessions. Orthodox and meditation services will also be held at LimmudFest. Sunday will be held at Tulane University’s Lavin-Bernick Center. “LimmudFest is an enrichment opportunity for the Jewish soul,” says Chalew. “It is a weekend full of learning, teaching, and discussions on topics ranging from the secular to the reform and in subjects as diverse as environmentalism, religion, Israel, and Jewish life and history in New Orleans and the South.” There are 45 Jewish communities in the United States and Europe, Africa, South America and the Middle East that take part in this grassroots Jewish learning experience. “Whether in Vilnius, Paris, the Galil, Durban, or Argentina, every Limmud is guided by the same principles of choice, diversity and participation,” Chalew said. The first three national and international presenters were also announced. Clive Lawton helped found Limmud England about 30 years ago and has guided it ever since. A scholar-in-residence at the London Jewish Cultural Center, he will be visiting New Orleans for the third time but for the first time as a Limmud presenter.

Amy Meltzer will also be presenting. She blogs about raising Jewish children at Homeshuling. She is also co-author of “A Mezuzah on the Door” and “The Shabbat Princess.” Jerusalem native Noa Baum will bring her storytelling to LimmudFest. She combines performance art with practical applications of storytelling in business, community and education. Baum has presented at hundreds of venues, including The World Bank, The Mayo Clinic, The Kennedy Center, The U.S. Defense Department, GWU Law School, Brandeis and Stanford Universities, and Hebrew University. At LimmudFest she will be performing her onewoman play, “A Land Twice Promised,” a show of Israeli and Palestinian women’s stories. Home hospitality for Shabbat, including for Shomer Shabbat participants, is being organized. Special rates are also available at the Hampton Inn Garden District on St. Charles. Registration for LimmudFest includes kosher meals and snacks, children’s activities, and babysitting. Registration for all three days is $75 for adults 30 and older, $40 for ages 18 to 30, and $15 for children 17 and younger. Registration for Saturday night and all day Sunday is $50 for adults, $25 for young adults and $5 for children. Previous LimmudFests in New Orleans were held in 2010 and 2012. Atlanta also holds a Southeast LimmudFest at Ramah Darom during Labor Day weekend.

On Nov. 3, Rabbi Mendel Rivkin of Chabad of Louisiana did an olive oil demonstration at Temple Shalom in Lafayette, after which they lit a Chanukiah. Southern Jewish Life

December 2013

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Jetlagged delegates to the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly in Jerusalem probably aren’t rare. But add to that an all-nighter for passionate Crimson Tide fans leading into the GA’s opening day on Nov. 10… It was just after sunrise in the holy city when, 6,598 miles away, Alabama Coach Nick Saban jumped into the arms of quarterback A.J. McCarron following the 38-17 victory over Louisiana State University. The Alabama-LSU game has in recent years turned into a major step toward a national championship for both teams and is becoming a passionate rivalry. Just under 102,000 fans packed Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, with reports that tens of thousands more were outside the stadium, soaking up the atmosphere. Joining the tailgate from afar was part of the 23-person Birmingham delegation, most of whom are on a young leadership mission to Israel from the Birmingham Jewish Federation. After partying on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem, the Tide faithful filed into Mike’s Place on Yafo Street, not far from the Old City. Rabbi Laila Haas of Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El said they kept the bar open for the eight of them who were prepared for the all-nighter. The bar was then closed to the public at kickoff — 3 a.m. in Israel — and streamed the entire game. Six of them “celebrated the victory till the end,” she said — which came around 6:30 a.m. Tim Thornton noted that they had already experienced a full day on their mission, climbing up Masada and floating in the Dead Sea. “I will stop by the Western Wall when the game is over and thank G-d for the victory,” he noted early in the second half. On game day, many on the mission wore crimson shirts with a white “Alabama” in Hebrew. The Birmingham Jewish Federation offers those shirts free to Alabamians traveling to Israel, with the condition that they send the Federation a picture of them wearing it in Israel. They also have Auburn and UAB shirts. Haas said watching that game in Jerusalem was an “amazing experience, and what a way to cheer on the Tide.” Birmingham’s Jewish community has already received international attention this year because of Alabama football. This year’s “Game of the Century,” Alabama’s trip to Texas A&M, fell on Yom Kippur, and Temple Emanu-El issued a “no spoilers” edict for congregants, so those who recorded the game during services could watch after sunset. Going into the game, Alabama was ranked No. 1, as it has been all season, and LSU was 10th in the standings. Following the game, Haas said, “Roll Tide could be heard throughout the streets of Yerushalayim.” For LSU fans, some solace was available the following night, as Mike’s Place showed the New Orleans Saints’ drilling of the Dallas Cowboys.

Financial If Nobel Prize winners disagree, who should you listen to? By Norman Berk BCR Wealth Management The latest Nobel Prize winners in economics proclaim two different investment philosophies, directly contradicting each other. If these brilliant people cannot agree then how are we to know what to do? The most recent Nobel Prize winners in economics show a sharp contrast in investment philosophy. One Nobel laureate, Professor Robert Schiller, claims that investment markets can be qualitatively measured (whether they are overpriced or underpriced). If they are overpriced we should expect a large selloff. This is a subjective analysis, which uses objective criteria for measurement. The subjectivity is in how you interpret the criteria. The other two winners, Eugene Fama — a founding investment philosopher of Dimensional Fund Advisors, and Lars Peter Hansen believe that markets cannot be qualitatively measured so thus cannot be either over or underpriced. According to both, markets are fairly valued as current prices incorporate all available information known to investors at the time. This is known as the efficient market theory and is the basis of our investment strategies. Let me introduce another investment anomaly. Why do most mutual fund investors underperform their mutual funds? Yes, the return of most investors is less than the mutual funds they own! Research has shown that fund investors are prone to buy at the worst time and then sell at the worst time. Jason Zweig, writing in the Wall Street Journal, recently noted that “…at 47 funds with assets of more than $1 billion, investors on average underperformed those funds by at least three percentage points over the 12 months ended Sept. 30.” Added Zweig, “A fund’s reported returns assume an investor bought at the beginning of a measurement period and held until the end, never adding or subtracting any money.” These results are not new. They have been reported over many years. So what are we to make of all this? Investing in a globally diversified portfolio and holding your securities instead of chasing the latest “new thing” by selling and then purchasing the latest fad (actually investing for the long term rather than speculating) should provide the positive investment experience you seek. Your portfolio should be customized according to your investment time horizon, your aversion to risk and to meet your financial goals.

Israel Bonds hit record $1 billion Annual Israel Bond investments in the U.S. domestic market exceeded $1 billion for the first time, as 2013 sales broke through the historic threshold in early November and continue to surge. It is anticipated domestic investments in Israel Bonds will surpass $1.1 billion. In praising the record results, Sigalit Siag, Israel’s chief fiscal officer for the Western Hemisphere, applauded the Bonds organization for “proving itself once again as a reliable source of funding for Israel’s economy.” Added President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi: “The $1 billion achievement dispels the notion that Israel bonds are bought in great numbers only when Israel confronts a crisis. Today, Israel bonds are perceived not only as a gesture of solidarity, but as an opportunity to become a stakeholder in one of the world’s most resilient economies.” By comparison, U.S. Israel bond investments for 2011 were $634 million. For 2012, they reached $816 million, which, at the time, represented an all-time high for domestic Israel bond sales.

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December 2013

Financial Obamacare, other major changes can affect your taxes $400,000. There is a new top tax rate of 39.6 percent, with additional taxes on unearned This has been a big year for change in the fi- income (dividends, interest, as well as capital nancial world because of sweeping changes in gains) when income reaches these higher levthe tax code and the launching of The Afford- els. The basic rules still apply to all taxpayers able Health Care act, also known as Obam— put as much money as you possibly can in acare. deferred income and retirement The tax code changes took efaccounts. Make your gifts to fect in 2013, and for those who Numerous with appreciated stock if report more than $200,000 on changes target charity you have it. Both of these acts your W2, you are already feeling those with will shield income from tax in the impact of increased withthe current year. With higher holding for the Additional Mediincomes over tax rates for higher incomes, care Tax. $200,000 these legal avoidances provide a The changes in the tax code much greater return. are many, varied, and so complex Obamacare itself is such a controversial that my gratitude list now has “Tax Software” on every other line. One of the best articles topic, but as a law that has survived a chalI read this year on the subject is located at lenge at the Supreme Court level and the Fidelity.com and is a free read: https://www. threat of a bankrupted government, it appears fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/ here to stay. As a small business and employer of five full time workers, I fall into the small taxpayers-guide. The new law targets individuals with in- business employer category. While not compelled to provide insurance comes greater than $200,000, with greater impact directed at those who earn more than for my employees by the new law (we always By Bruce Downs, CPA

have), our current model is to provide each full time employee with an Individual Blue health plan from Blue Cross. While these policies are not cancelled under the new law, they are going up in price significantly. So I opened an account on the SHOP (Small Business Health Insurance Options Program) Exchange and filed an application. These exchanges are designed to help small employers and individuals purchase health insurance at affordable rates. I will wait and see what the government has to offer that we do not already have. One of the most talked-about provisions of Obamacare is the Individual Mandate. An excellent and simple video explaining the mandate can be seen at: http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=Ow4xxmIWMJk Basically, if you cannot prove you have had adequate health insurance in 2014 when you file your 2014 and later tax returns, then you will pay a penalty or tax. These new laws are complicated and confusing, but education on the facts can allay many of the associated fears of the unknown.

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The many benefits of a Donor Advised Fund

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By Sally Friedman When making an end of the year “to do” list, an important item to add to the list is charitable gifts. Opening a Birmingham Jewish Foundation Donor Advised Fund or similar agency where you live can be a wonderful way to help one’s family and our community. After opening a Donor Advised Fund, the donor can make recommendations to the Foundation, suggesting which qualified charities should receive grants from that fund. One can lock in a full deduction today by contributing before the end of 2013, but grant recommendations can be made in future years. There is no pressure now to decide now which charities to support in the coming years. The contribution is accounted for separately within the Foundation’s records and the fund can be named for the individual donor or the donor’s family. At the Foundation, grant recommendations may be made from both income and principal in the fund, as long as a minimum of $2500 remains in the fund. Recommendations may be made to Jewish organizations, both local and national, and to organizations serving the whole community. The Foundation’s donor funds have made grants to the Birmingham Jewish Federation, all of the local synagogues, the Levite Jewish Community Center, the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School, Collat Jewish Family Services, Hillel, United Way, Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure, the Alabama Symphony and many more organizations. In addition, the Foundation welcomes the opportunity to work with individuals and families to help devise a philanthropic plan that works for them — both for now and for the future. This year is a particularly good year to consider open a fund with publicly-traded stock, because many have increased significantly in value this year. These gains present an opportunity to take advantage of tax laws that encourage charitable gifts of appreciated assets. Gifting appreciated stock directly to the Foundation, rather than selling the assets and donating the after-tax cash proceeds, can significantly increase the amount of funds available for future charitable giving while providing the individual with a larger tax benefit. Charitable contributions of long-term appreciated securities (those held for more than one year), including stocks, bonds, and mutual fund shares, remain one of the most tax-efficient ways to benefit a charity, such as the Foundation. The donor is entitled to a tax deduction for the full fair market value of such gifts, up to 30 percent of adjusted gross income in the current tax year, and there is no capital gains tax on any appreciation. If one were to sell the stock and donate the proceeds, there would be tax on the amount of the gain. Potential donors should check with their own tax professionals as to whether this is a good year to open a Donor Advised Fund or to add to one that may have been opened earlier. It takes $2500 and only about 15 minutes to open a Donor Advised Fund in The Foundation. These gifts make a difference. The Internal Revenue Service requires that all stock gifts must be in the Foundation’s account by Dec. 31. For those making gift by check to the Foundation or any charity, the check must be mailed and postmarked on or before Dec. 31 to receive a 2013 deduction. For more information, contact Janet Aarons, Birmingham Jewish Foundation assistant director, at (205) 803-1524 or janeta@bjf.org before Dec. 27. Sally Friedman is executive director of the Birmingham Jewish Foundation.

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December 2013

“Speedster” Blitz signs with Indiana softball On Nov. 18, a signing ceremony was held at Mountain Brook High School as Rebecca Blitz committed to play softball for Indiana University. She was one of six recruits to sign National Letters of Intent, announced on Nov. 13. Indiana head softball coach Michelle Gardner said she is “extremely excited about this group of athletes. They have all competed at the highest level and will have an immediate impact on our program.” Blitz is in her sixth year on the Mountain Brook varsity team, having started in seventh grade. She has been the starting center fielder and lead-off batter for five years, with batting averages over .500. A Birmingham native, Blitz is a 2013 AllState selection. As a junior she hit .541 and stole 40 bases, helping Mountain Brook to the best winning percentage in school history. She has also played on a travel/club team during the summer and fall, most recently on the Birmingham Thunderbolts. The team plays in tournaments from Florida to Colorado, New Jersey to California.

Rebecca Blitz signs her National Letter of Intent as parents Jann and Russ Blitz look on. Gardner spoke of Blitz’s speed. “This speedster from Alabama will solidify our outﬁeld... Her versatility at the plate will put pressure on opposing defenses.” Jann Blitz said “With its commitment to excellence in athletics, along with its high academic standards and a vibrant Jewish student community, we are thrilled that Rebecca will be continuing her softball career at IU!”

Rosen in Tuscaloosa Hall of Fame On Sept. 24, Gordon Rosen was inducted into the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame. The Hall started in 2000 and honors those who have made signiﬁcant long-term contributions to the overall development of Tuscaloosa County. Now in his 65th year of practice, Rosen is the oldest practicing lawyer in Tuscaloosa. He is a former Tuscaloosa municipal judge, law professor, entrepreneur and cattle rancher. He is a past director of the YMCA, Salvation Army, Junior Chamber of Commerce, Community Foundation of West Alabama, Indian Rivers and other civic organizations.

December 2013

Southern Jewish Life

In 2003, the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of distinguishing and exceptional business leadership. He has also been designated as a Pillar of the West Alabama Community Foundation. Rosen has provided funds for the Gordon Rosen Professorship at the UA Law School and with his wife, Ann Rosen, and has endowed scholarships in nursing and education at UA and Shelton State. In October, he gave a presentation on the history of Tuscaloosa’s Temple Emanu-El. The video is available online.

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The cast of ABC’s “The Goldbergs”

“The Goldbergs” creator writing about his own family “Pops” has Crimson Tide connection By Lee J. Green Screenwriter and playwright Adam F. Goldberg, whose new hit ABC television sitcom “The Goldbergs” is based on his experiences growing up in the 1980s and 1990s in a Jewish family from the Philadelphia suburbs, gained inspiration from another Jewish playwright and writer-for-TV — Neil Simon. “When I was in high school, I wasn’t a great actor but I was in ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs.’ I studied the structure and it inﬂuenced my writing. It was funny, heartwarming and based on his own life experiences,” said Goldberg, 37. “I would write a play a week growing up. Much of what I wrote was based on my experiences and the people in my life. You write what you know. It’s so special and sometimes surreal to think that our family’s stories and memories are on national television,” at 8 p.m. Central every Tuesday. Though he grew up in the Philadelphia area, Goldberg has a family tie to Alabama. His grandfather on his mother’s side, “Pops,” who is played on the show by George Segal, earned his pre-Med degree at the University of Alabama in the 1930s. “This was at the time that there were quotas on Jews entering medical schools in Philadelphia. Only the rich families got their kids in. So he went to Alabama then to the University of Missouri Medical School,” said Goldberg. Growing up in the Philadelphia suburb of Jenkintown, where “The Goldbergs” also takes place, he attended Beth Shalom for services and Hebrew School. Beth Shalom holds the distinction of being the only synagogue Frank Lloyd Wright ever designed. From a young age, Goldberg became engaged with writing. “I even invited Stephen King and Steven Spielberg to my Bar Mitzvahs. They didn’t make it but wrote me back with some words of encouragement,” he said. Goldberg then went on to attend William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia. At 15, a play he wrote won the Philadelphia Young Playwrights Festival. “It was actually a Quaker school, so I learned about Quakers as well as my own Judaism through Hebrew School. It was quite an interesting environment,” he said. Goldberg would go to New York University for playwriting and it was there that he got exposed to television writing as well as screenwriting. In 2003, a show he wrote called “Still Standing” was picked up by

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Fox and ran on the network for almost four full seasons. He then got his first screenplay on the silver screen with 2007’s “Fanboys,” a movie about “Star Wars” fanatics. It was more than six years ago that Goldberg first brought up the idea of what would become “The Goldbergs” to Happy Madison productions. “Growing up we had all of these home videos (some of which appear in the show) and I put together a three-minute trailer with some of these clips. They said ‘we have to do this show!’ At the time I didn’t really have a concept yet. I thought it might be about a present day family with family members that were funny.” “Then I thought about raising my kids and how we were raised differently,” said Goldberg, whose wife is a therapist. The family lives in Los Angeles, where the show is filmed. “We thought it would be better to set it in the past and to be more personal.” Goldberg said his favorite television show growing up was “The Wonder Years.” “That show really influenced me. It has funny, heartwarming moments, but it plays as a drama with a backdrop of the Vietnam War and other events going on at the time,” he said. “With ‘The Goldbergs’ we wanted to create something that others could relate to. The 80s, at least to me, were a lighter time and we wanted to share funny memories that people could relate to. After all, it is a sitcom.” He pitched the pilot to the networks for consideration in the 201314 season, but it was not called “The Goldbergs.” “We had another title, and it was the Silver family. It wasn’t all about our family,” he said. “ABC said they wanted to do the show.” ABC’s president, Paul Lee, is Jewish but from England. “I was surprised, but he said his family was just like this and he wanted even more of the personal touches. He said he could totally relate and thought a lot of viewers could do. It was at his recommendations that the show became ‘The Goldbergs’ and based on our family. It became more personal,” said Goldberg. What does his family think? “At first they were nervous but I told them I would do right by the characters. We want them to come across as endearing, because that’s what they are in real life,” said Goldberg. He said he wishes his father, Murray, played by Jeff Garlin, could have seen the show. Murray Goldberg passed away five years ago. Being a big part of the casting process for his own “family” was certainly an interesting experience, Goldberg said. The show also stars Wendi McLendon-Covey as matriarch Beverly Goldberg, Sean Giambrone as young Adam Goldberg, Patton Oswalt as the narrative voice of grown-up Adam Goldberg looking back, Troy Gentile as his brother Barry, Hayley Orrantia as his sister Erica and Segal as his grandfather. “I think the actors have done such an incredible job becoming these characters and bringing these stories to life,” he said. “It’s surreal to see it being filmed and on television; seeing ‘The Goldbergs’ plastered on billboards and such. But it is a wonderful feeling.” ABC ordered 10 more episodes of “The Goldbergs” last month to greenlight a full season. “We’re happy with the response. We have more stories to tell so I hope we will continue to get the opportunity,” he said.

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AVODAH makes things a little easier for local non-profits Since Hurricane Katrina, a lot of young Jews have flocked to the New Orleans area to be part of the city’s rebuilding. An organization comprised of young Jewish adults set up roots in New Orleans, and since 2008 has made a difference with numerous social service agencies in the region. New Orleans is the fourth city for AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps. A 15-year-old organization that has been recognized by the Slingshot guide as a Jewish innovator, AVODAH also has operations in New York, Chicago and Washington. Each year, a new set of young Jewish adults move into the communal AVODAH house and commit to a year of working for a non-profit that promotes social justice and fights poverty. The participants are generally ages 21 to 26, one or two years out of college. They commit to an August to August schedule. The New Orleans house is located Uptown. Each participant is matched with a social service agency, where they become a full-time worker, saving the agency a lot of money. A recent profile by the Greater New Orleans Foundation said the 58 AVODAH members since 2008 have added “over $1 million in staffing capacity to local agencies.” Participants receive a small monthly stipend for living expenses during the year. Dani Levine, director of New Orleans AVODAH, said having the members live together is an important component of the program. The anti-poverty work can be emotional, but the members can then

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December 2013

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come home to a built-in support network. The living arrangement is also a way for the non-profits to network and share best practices. The members are “often at tiny underfunded non-profits that don’t have time or resources to network,” so the connections made at the AVODAH house are beneficial to the organizations. As an example, a place that serves meals to the needy can pull AVODAH resources to give their clients information on fair housing, affordable energy or legal information. Or perhaps there is a client of one agency that could use services provided by another agency that a different AVODAH member works with. Last year there were three Spanish speakers in AVODAH, which helped in terms of outreach to the Latino community. Levine pointed out that the Latino community is the fastest-growing group in New Orleans. In 2012, orientation took place during Hurricane Isaac. “It was a chance to instantly bond in a house with 10 people and no electricity,” Levine said. In addition to their individual jobs, the members get together for evening activities, from social to educational. They learn from local activists, educators and leaders. Every June they have a Partners in Justice fundraising brunch honoring members of the local Jewish community. This year, Anne Levy and Bruce Waltzer were the honorees. Each AVODAH community holds a civil rights program every year, but in New Or-

leans “it is particularly potent,” she said. There are other programs during the year that are open to the community. This year, AVODAH members work as a life skills project coordinator at NO/AIDS Task Force, an education program coordinator at the Vietnamese American Youth Leadership Association of New Orleans, a community advocate at the Southern Poverty Law Center, an intake assistant at the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, a program assistant at Kids Rethink New Orleans School, a coordinator at the Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative and at other places. Levine pointed out that about half of the program’s alumni stay in the area for at least a few years. In general, they leave to pursue graduate studies or rabbinical school. Most remain in non-profit or educational work. Of last year’s class, eight of the 10 remained in New Orleans. Six of the 10 who finished in August 2012 were still in New Orleans a year later. Levine said she would like to see more AVODAH applicants from the South. Usually Southern applicants want to work in Washington or New York, she said. “We’re always recruiting,” and this year the New Orleans house has a resident from Memphis. The members also benefit Jewish agencies looking to do social justice programming, putting their experience and expertise to work. Slingshot stated that “AVODAH is the organization that connects Judaism and social change in a meaningful and impactful way.”

The Maccabeats, a popular a capella group based out of Yeshiva University, performed at the New Orleans Jewish Community Center’s annual Chanukah celebration on Nov. 24. 26

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“Full circle”: Touro Infirmary Foundation honors Margaret Epstein When the Touro Infirmary Foundation honored Margaret Epstein with the Judah Touro Society Award on Nov. 2, the award was coming full circle. The award is the foundation’s highest honor and is given annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the welfare of Touro Infirmary. When Epstein was the first director of the foundation, she created the award, which has been given out since 1989. Previous honorees include Stephen Goldring, Marvin “Buddy” Jacobs, Jane Bories, Catherine C. Kahn, Paul Rosenblum, Albert Mintz and Joe Friend. Epstein became the first Director of Development for Touro in 1977. Since then the Judah Touro Society has raised over $10 million for the hospital and its patients. She also created the Touro Family Birth-

ing Center Baby Tile Wall. This collection of whimsical tiles has been one of the hospital’s longest running fundraisers, raising over $1 million for the hospital’s Family Birthing Center. Epstein also was the driving force behind the creation of the 50 Year Doctor’s Award and the Heritage Wall, and was instrumental in creating the Gala, which debuted in 2009. Epstein has also served as president of the National Council of Jewish Women and Newman Parents. She has also been vice president, board member and chairman of the metropolitan group for the United Way of Greater New Orleans, founder of WYESTV’s Teleboosters and recipient of the Volunteer Activist Award of the National Center for Voluntary Action. She has also served on the Citizens Advisory Council for Heard Start, the Mayor’s Citizens Advisory Committee on Housing Improvement and the Maison Blanche Consumers Council. Top: Honoree Margaret Epstein flanked by family members Nancy Oswald, Kathy Seligman, Tiffany Adler, Elizabeth Oswald. Middle right, 2005 JTS honoree and 2013 Gala Chairman Joe Friend with wife, Colette. Lower left, Margaret Epstein being presented the JTS Medal and award from Touro Foundation Board Chairman Foster M. “Duke” Johns III. Lower right, 2013 Gala Chairwoman Carol Wise with Joel Weinstock.

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December 2013

Kosher-Style Recipe: Bella Luna Catering/The Foundry

By Lee J. Green

Happy Chanukah

to my friends and supporters in the Jewish community Judge Sidney H. Cates, IV Orleans Civil Court Division C

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It’s all about tradition at Bella Luna Catering/The Foundry, a New Orleans event-hosting and catering facility located in the historic warehouse district. The building has been around since 1719, when Governor Bienville owned it. It has been a brewery, cotton mill, glass company and machine manufacturing company before becoming Bella Luna Catering’s The Foundry in 2001. These days The Foundry hosts traditions for others — weddings, Bar-Bat Mitzvah receptions, corporate events and other simchas for 100 people to 1,000. It even hosted 5,000 last month for a huge event inside and outside — The Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Boudin, Bourbon and Beer. “People choose The Foundry and Bella Luna Catering for the history of the site and area, the quality of the food and the fact that the space is so versatile,” said Director of Sales Tanya Waller. “We also have quite a reputation with Bella Luna Catering. It started as a part of Bella Luna Restaurant which was a great riverside elegant establishment before Katrina. Today the catering menu is very expansive and eclectic. We can customize the food, space and décor to ﬁt the individual needs of those hosting the event,” she said. Waller said that recently The Foundry/Bella Luna Catering hosted a Bar Mitzvah with a James Bond 007 theme. One of the friends of the host parents owned a real Aston Martin, and since The Foundry used to be a warehouse with a garage, they were able to have the Bond car as a centerpiece to the décor. “That was very cool. Our space is easily transformable. It has personality and versatility.” She added that in the past few years, The Foundry has also been the site for many Jewish weddings, community events as well as other celebrations. Chef Robyn Evans of Bella Luna Catering provides an exquisite, eclectic menu. “We’ve gained a reputation for our homemade pastas, so many of our pasta dishes such as fettuccine alfredo are very popular,” said Waller. “But Chef Robyn can do just about anything.”

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Polenta Bites with Wild Mushroom Ragout 8-1/4 cups water 2-1/4 tsp. salt 1-1/2 cups polenta (yellow corn meal) 1 cup heavy cream 1-1/2 cups freshly grated ParmigianoReggiano (parmesan cheese) 1/2 lbs. button mushrooms, sliced 1/2 lbs. shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/2 lbs. oyster mushrooms, sliced Fresh garlic cloves, minced to taste 1 spring fresh rosemary, minced 1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced Sea salt and pepper to taste 14 cups olive oil

An option is to use a touch of truffle salt and/or truffle oil Brush a half sheet pan with oil. Bring the water and salt to a boil. Add polenta using a whisk. Reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes. Whisk in cream. Cook until soft and thick, about 10 minutes more, stirring frequently alternating with whisk and rubber spatula. Remove from heat and add cheese. Pour into swallow pan and refrigerate until well chilled. Sauté mushrooms and garlic in oil. Add herbs, salt and pepper then set aside. Cut chilled polenta into 100 (1 inch) squares, circles or other fun spaces. Place on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and top each piece with mushroom ragout. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes or until warm. Serve warm or room temperature. NOLA

can interject shall be credited with a fair catch. Any Torah Reader who suddenly realizes a different trope note applies to the current word, and tries to cram the different melody on the end of that word, shall be penalized for a late hit. Any Torah Reader who reads an entire parshah shall be credited with running the length of the field. (It cannot be driving the length of the field, because driving is prohibited on Shabbat.) Any Magbiah who drops the Torah because he unrolled it too far shall be guilty of having run a spread offense. Any Torah Reader who directly touches the parchment with a finger instead of the ritual Yad shall be penalized for illegal use of the hands. Any Torah Reader who does a victory dance of any kind at the conclusion of a reading, no matter how challenging, shall be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. As the late Talmudic scholar Bear Bryant taught, when you get to the end zone, act like you’ve been there before. Of course, all this begs one question. In college football, there are two teams competing against each other. What does a Torah reading compete against? College football. Doug Brook is a writer in Silicon Valley who, as a freshman, at the 1986 Regional Convention in New Orleans, scored the first touchdown for Mesch AZA (#41) in anyone’s memory, and another, and two safeties on defense. Just don’t ask about the championship game against Peres (Editor’s note: or the 15-yard penalty I got. And I wasn’t even playing in the game). For past columns, other writings, and more, visit http://brookwrite.com/. For exclusive online content, like facebook. com/the.beholders.eye.

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Email list for NOLA community obituaries With the cessation of the Times Picayune’s daily publication, it is more difficult to learn about funerals within the Jewish community in a timely fashion. “Levayat Hamet” is the mitzvah to attend funerals. To address this problem, Southern Jewish Life Magazine, in cooperation with the Greater New Orleans Rabbinic Council and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, provides timely notifications to those who seek them. To sign up for this mitzvah enabling service simply go to http://eepurl.com/pt765. You may also send your email address to subscribe@sjlmag.com. Your address will be used only for this specific purpose, though you can also indicate if you want to receive our weekly e-news, This Week in Southern Jewish Life.

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December 2013

The Beholder’s Eye by Doug Brook

Parched pigskin

- PRESENTATION -

DATE: Monday, December 9, 2013 TIME: 7:00 P.M. PLACE: New Orleans Jewish Community Center/Metairie 3747 West Esplanade Avenue (504) 887-5158

For 18 years, I’ve tried to educate Californians about real college football. To wit, that anyone born in the state of Alabama must instantly declare allegiance to Alabama or A*burn, or they get shoved back in because they’re obviously not done cooking yet. In recent years, I’ve addended that occasionally one will choose UAB or Troy, but they’re usually kept for a few weeks of observation in the NICU. I recently observed that the only thing I find more difficult to explain than real college football is the details of Torah reading. Therefore, it seemed like a logical first step might be to explain Torah reading in the context of college football. There are many After all, college football and the similarities reading of the Torah combine to be central to most people’s Saturday between college prayers. football and The parallels are endless. Big Torah readings are tougher to tackle. Torah reading Torah readers often fumble while trying to carry through that extra yard. Most spectators prefer a Torah reading that is fast-paced. Roughly the same percentage of fans at a football game understand the Torah reading as worshippers at most services. Torah Readers come equipped with about 25 trope-based melodies at their disposal, roughly the same number of different plays most football teams run in a game. With the advent of the triennial system, the world of Torah reading has incorporated the read option. The Torah reader is essentially the player on the field with the ball, though in this case it’s more likely to be a sheepskin than a pigskin. However, there are more people involved in Torah reading than just the Yad-carrier. The Gabbai — who stands alongside the podium, calling people up and correcting the reading — is essentially the referee. Thanks to one traditional tallis design, many Gabbais even wear black and white stripes while officiating. By virtue of their role as correctors, Gabbais can call for instant replays whenever they feel a mistake was made. Further, as a consequence of the position, the Gabbai has the singular duty of ascribing numerous infractions throughout the Torah service. For example... Any Torah Reader who, after the initial blessing is completed, takes more than five seconds to find the start of the reading in the scroll, shall be penalized for delay of leyn. Any Torah Reader who forgets to precede a Torah reading with “amen,” unless reading for their own aliyah — or any Reader who starts in the wrong place — shall be penalized for a false start. Any Torah Reader who stops the aliyah before its proscribed ending shall be guilty of an incompletion. Any Torah Reader who stops and corrects himself before the Gabbai

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