Southern Jewish Life, Chanukah 2024

New Chanukah decorations on Overton Road in Mountain Brook, south of Birmingham

A version of this was written and posted on our sister site, Israel InSight, a few weeks before this issue wrapped. I could have done an updated version with incidents that have happened between then and the close of this issue, but it pretty much stands on its own. I’ve added a couple updates as warranted.

It used to be that most of the following incidents would have been big news — especially the attacks in Amsterdam. In a coordinated, premeditated attack, thousands of Israeli soccer fans were attacked on the streets of Amsterdam by rampaging groups of Muslims on what they described as a “Jew hunt.” Anti-Israel groups claim the Israeli fans were chanting anti-Arab slogans and had torn down a Palestinian flag, justifying the violent response, though online records and subsequent court testimony show the attacks were planned well in advance, not a spontaneous reaction to any boorish behavior by Israeli fans. Of course, there’s never been any hateful, violent or genocidal chants at anti-Israel events, nor damage to Israeli flags, provoking Jews to attack Muslims in the streets.

Ahead of a similar match with an Israeli team in Paris in mid-November, social media was blowing up with promises to do a “Jew hunt” there.

Not long after the Amsterdam riot, a Jewish student was attacked in the bathroom of a pub in Dublin, Ireland. After three young men asked if he was Jewish, they attacked him, apparently giving him a concussion.

After a youth soccer match in Berlin, players from a local Jewish team were assaulted and chased by opponents and spectators. During the match, players from the opposing Under-17 team reportedly shouted “Free Palestine!” repeatedly.

In Brooklyn, on Shabbat afternoon, a masked suspect lunged at a Chassidic man and tried to grab his 10-year-old child and take off with him, the attempted abduction was thwarted.

Also in Brooklyn a few days earlier, a 13-year-old Jewish boy was assaulted while riding his bike to school.

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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.

In Bergenfield, N.J., anti-Israel demonstrators held Palestinian flags and even a picture of Hitler, harassing attendees of an event promoting real estate in Israel.

Another synagogue, in Staten Island, was surrounded by anti-Israel activists who called for an “intifada revolution” and urged “go back to Germany.”

At DePaul University, two Jewish students were attacked and slashed by two masked individuals who made antisemitic comments. The Jewish students were doing a dialogue table with a former IDF soldier to promote understanding.

Pro-Hamas demonstrators surrounded the Chicago Loop Synagogue, setting off air horns, chanting and banging on windows, as the congregation hosted an appearance by an Arab Israeli peace activist. Two who got inside and started damaging property were arrested. Also in Chicago, outside a theater, masked individuals waving Palestinian flags harassed and assaulted people attending a Michael Rappaport show. As a Jewish artist, Rappaport has faced cancellation of shows in the past year for “safety reasons” because he is a vocal supporter of Israel.

In the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles, police are looking for a suspect who used a ski pole to shatter windows of five Jewish-owned businesses.

In Montreal, a mob of 40 or so masked individuals ignored a court ordered buffer zone and surrounded a synagogue, harassing members of the Jewish community. Police allowed it to continue for three hours and advised the Jews to use the back exits, since the police

could not guarantee their safety. This, and a series of other recent incidents, led to Jewish leaders issuing a statement that it is “open season on the Jews of Montreal.”

In Britain, a Palestinian action group claimed responsibility for smashing windows and spraying red paint on Jewish community buildings.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida was informed that a former felon with a rifle and body armor had been arrested. Moskowitz apparently was the suspect’s target, and the suspect had a manifesto that included antisemitism.

A Michigan man was arrested at the U.S. Capitol building. Smelling of fuel, he had a flare gun and lighter, and a manifesto filled with antisemitic tropes about Jewish control of everything, and his views on the current Middle East war.

At Temple University, the Alpha Epsilon Pi house was vandalized twice in three days, with anti-Israel graffiti.

Several buildings at the University of Colorado Boulder were vandalized with antisemitic messages.

In Melbourne, a group of boys yelled “Heil Hitler” at a group of five Jewish girls who had just left their Jewish school.

Here’s the kicker. As mentioned, all of these stories would have been noteworthy and alarming in the past. But today, they barely cause a ripple — because each of those stories took place in the same week.

One week.

In the weeks preceding, there have also

continued on page 29

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interesting bits & can’t miss events

Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience dedicates expansion

Family research center will concentrate on Southern Jewish genealogy

In dedicating the Southern Jewish Family Research Center on Nov. 7 in New Orleans, Executive Director Kenneth Hoffman started off by asking how many of the attendees could name all eight of their great-grandparents. He counted just seven hands in the crowd — and said even that small number was amazing compared to when he usually asks the question. “The minimum I would like everyone to know about their own family… is to be able to be able to name their ‘great eight’.”

That is one of the goals of the new research center, which is a major expansion of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience.

Since the museum opened three and one-half years ago, Hoffman said, over 35,000 people have visited and seen the stories of how Jews from so many backgrounds made their way to the South and forged “a unique identity, a mix of Southern and Jewish,” and “contributed to growth and success of their communities.”

Many visitors have wanted to explore their Southern Jewish roots, and connections to other Southern Jewish families, “a Southern Jewish geography.” The new space will begin to answer that demand, he said.

“This center is being established to give us opportunities to engage and educate the public, not only about the archival materials in our own collection but to empower people to become the historians of their own families.”

The center will offer programs, internships and workshops, as well as being a repository for information from around the region.

Hoffman said, “we want the center to serve as a gathering place for families, scholars, teachers and students… for anyone who sees the value in studying the past to better understand ourselves today, and to provide us with lessons for our future.”

The capital campaign for the center is ongoing, and is around the halfway point toward its $3 million goal. Several naming opportunities remain.

The 2,500 square foot center on the building’s third floor has five distinct spaces devoted to different aspects of family history.

The reference library, named for Ben May of Mobile, is a repository for materials donated to the research collection, including published works, reference materials, individual family genealogies and community histories. The archive will house the most sensitive items, making them accessible to researchers and the public.

The conservation room is where museum staff will conserve, catalogue, digitize and prepare archival material for exhibition and online accessibility. The goal is to have the entire collection digitized.

The oral history studio will be for preserving interviews, and also serve as a distance learning studio to videoconference with classrooms all over

Chanukah genealogy workshops

The new Southern Jewish Family Research Center at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience is celebrating Chanukah with Eight Great Days of Southern Jewish Genealogy, a series of in-person workshops and online resources.

As of press time, three in-person workshops have been announced. Registration is free but seating is limited.

On Dec. 26, there will be an Introduction to Online Jewish Genealogy Resources, free sites for researching family history. On Dec. 27, there will be an Introduction to Oral Histories, how to do oral histories with family and community members, using best practices from the museum.

The Dec. 30 workshop will be Preserving Your Family Treasures, how best to store family history, such as photographs, old letters and other artifacts. Participants should bring two or three small two-dimensional items, such as photographs, letters or documents, and the museum team will give tips on the best way to preserve them.

The three workshops are all at 2 p.m. and are in person. Additional events will be announced on the museum’s social media and website.

Kenneth Hoffman cuts the ribbon opening the new Southern Jewish Family Research Center, with members of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience board, representatives of the Downtown Development District and New Orleans City Councilmember Eugene Green.

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the country.

A special exhibition gallery houses changing exhibits and traveling exhibits.

As an example of the center’s materials, at the dedication, curator Michael Jacobs gave a presentation with items from two family collections.

The Oettinger family collection goes back to the 1840s in North Carolina, where they started a business empire and had a “complex web of marriages” among Oettingers, Rosenthals and Wises. “They all married each other,” Jacobs said.

The collection includes a 200-page photo album with meticulous captioning of every photo, with names, places and dates. “This family had an incredible passion for writing family history,” he said.

The second story centered around a trunk the museum was able to save from an estate sale in Tallulah the previous month. The trunk’s exterior says “Dr Yosef Sperling, 2111 Camp St,” the former address of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. The trunk was shipped there when Sperling moved to the area after surviving the Holocaust.

Sperling was seen as valuable to the Nazis as he spoke five languages, and he served as a translator in the concentration camps. Because of his status, he had a couple perks, including a personal purse made from the same material as the concentration camp uniforms. The trunk has that purse and its contents, as well as his concentration camp uniform, which he often would wear when giving talks throughout the state about his experiences.

After liberation, he fell in love with his doctor’s daughter, Anni Frind, who had been one of Europe’s leading opera singers until the Nazis rose to power and she decided not to perform any more.

Among those assisting at the ribbon cutting were representatives of the Downtown Development District and New Orleans City Councilmember Eugene Green.

Southern Jewish history gets carded

A century ago, downtown main streets throughout the South were filled with Jewish-owned storefronts, while cities promoted themselves with postcards showing their downtowns.

The new temporary exhibit at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans uses that convergence for “Greetings From Main Street: Southern Jewish Postcards from Our Collection,” where those promotional postcards reflect Southern Jewish history.

The postcards show life in places from Lexington, Ky., and Norfolk, Va., to smaller towns like Greenwood and Greenville, Miss., with large signs showing names like Kantors and Rosenfields. Most of the retail districts are long gone, or vastly different than those times.

The exhibit has the original postcards, accompanied by larger images and histories, and will run through March 16.

Gates of Prayer starts 175th anniversary celebrations with groundbreaking

Gates of Prayer in Metairie will start its 175th anniversary with a L’dor V’dor Groundbreaking Ceremony and Cornerstone Laying on Jan. 6 at 4:30 p.m. at the future Green Garden. The event will mark the beginning of campus improvements that will take place throughout the coming year.

The event is timed to the exact anniversary of the congregation’s founding on Jan. 6, 1850, as the Jewish Benevolent Society of Lafayette in Lafayette City, which is now Uptown New Orleans. The society incorporated as Shaare Tefillah, Gates of Prayer, and in 1867 completed a building, the Jackson Avenue Shul.

For the past year, the congregation has held a L’dor Vador capital campaign, including a Friends of the Garden gift matching campaign. The project includes building improvements and an endowment component, and a renovation of the Gates Preschool and playground area.

The 175th anniversary festivities will kick off with a “night of storytelling and song” on Jan. 25 at 6 p.m., featuring Rabbi Emeritus Bob Loewy

and Rabbi David Gerber with Cantorial Soloists Tory May and Jordan Lawrence. The kosher-style dinner is catered by Bodega NOLA. Tickets are $100, $50 for ages 21 to 35, and there are $180 Benefactor tickets. Future anniversary events will include the Brotherhood Casino Night on March 15, a historical bus tour of Jewish New Orleans during the summer, camp-themed Sisterhood events in the fall, and a winter gala.

NOLA

benefit for N.C. flood victims

New Orleans knows a thing or two about being flooded out after a hurricane, and the effect on a city built around music.

On Dec. 21, the Uptown Jewish Community Center will host Concert for Asheville, a relief benefit concert for Asheville musicians and the community, following the devastating floods that followed Hurricane Helene in late September.

Up to three feet of rain caused unprecedented runoff, erasing some small towns, collapsing highways and rerouting rivers.

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A late November piece on WMOT-FM said that while there are superficial signs of normality, it is a “game face,” as the River Arts District still “lies in mud-caked ruins” and the infrastructure and tourism supporting a hub of Appalachian music has disappeared.

Many noted Asheville acts will perform at the concert, featuring the Isaac Hadden Project, Magenta Sunshine, The Snozzberries, Lady and The Lovers, Leeda “Lyric” Jones, and Aaron “Woody” Wood, along with many other performers.

Tickets for the 7 p.m. show are $20.

Artist rendering of Gates of Prayer renovation

Deep South Events

Beth Israel in Gulfport announced that it will dedicate a newly-written Torah on Feb. 16.

Beth Israel in Jackson announced that its annual Beth Israel Bazaar returns on March 26. The decades-long tradition went on hiatus during Covid.

There’s a new kosher option on the Florida panhandle. B’nai Israel in Pensacola announced that Emerald Coast Bread Company is now under the supervision of Rabbi Yehoshua Mizrachi for its bread products, excluding the ones with cheese, such as the jalapeno cheddar loaf or the parmesan focaccia. The bread comes from the pareve side of the bakery, the dairy side — which includes cookies, cakes and croissants — is not currently under supervision.

Mobile’s longstanding Pinchhitters Program is enlisting volunteers to staff important services at Mobile Infirmary so the regular employees can celebrate Christmas Day with their families. Shifts are available from 8 to 11 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 2 to 5 p.m.

Opera Birmingham will perform “The Diary of Anne Frank,” with Lester Seigel as musical conductor, and Kathleen Buccleugh, soprano. The performances will be April 5 at 8 p.m. and April 6 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are already available, with $5 off for using the discount code HOPE by Dec. 31.

The Pensacola Jewish Federation is leading a volunteer program for the community to prepare a holiday brunch and do household chores at the Ronald McDonald House, starting at 8 a.m. on Dec. 25.

Beth Israel in Gulfport is adding Shabbat evening services to the schedule, each Friday at 6 p.m. This is in addition to the regular Shabbat morning service at 9:30.

Agudath Achim in Shreveport will have its annual Chinese dinner on Dec. 25 at 1 p.m., at the Imperial Cathay Chinese Restaurant.

Temple Beth El in Pensacola will do Chinese Food and a Movie, screening “Just For Us,” on Dec. 24. Dinner is 6:30 p.m., the screening is 7 p.m. A child-friendly film will also be available. Dinner is $10 for adults and $6 for ages 12 and under.

Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center will debut a monthly Havdalah and Parents Night Out on Jan. 11. There will be a wine and cheese reception with a Havdalah service, after which parents of children ages 6 to 13 can leave them at the LJCC for the evening. Havdalah is at 6:30 p.m., child care is from 7 to 9 p.m. and is $10, with a pizza dinner included.

Bais Ariel Chabad in Birmingham will have its annual Great Wall of Chinakah buffet with Chef Josh Haynes, Dec. 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. Reservations by Dec. 21 are $25 per adult, $10 per child under 12 with a nuclear family maximum of $80. Late registration is $35 for adults, $20 for children and a $120 maximum.

After the success of last year’s inaugural event, the Jewish community of Shreveport will have Chinese Food and a Movie at the Robinson Film Center on Dec. 22. The catered dinner will be at 5 p.m., followed by “Between The Temples.” Reservations are $18.

Beth Israel in Jackson will not be serving lunch on Christmas Day at

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Stewpot, but will be responsible for the other days of that week, Dec. 23 and 24, 26 and 27.

The Unified Jewish Congregation of Baton Rouge surpassed its goal of 210 turkeys and donated 255 turkeys to St. Vincent de Paul during the annual Turkey Train on Nov. 17.

The Downtown Congregations of Pensacola will have an Open House on Dec. 29 from 3 to 5 p.m. Temple Beth El is among the seven participating congregations.

The Levite Jewish Community Center Youth Theater program in Birmingham will have auditions for “The Wizard of Oz.” On Jan. 6 from 4 to 8 p.m. there will be a dance and singing call. Dance is for everyone, singing is only for those who want to try for a singing part. Callbacks will be on Jan. 8. Rehearsals will run from Jan. 13 to March 3, with performances from March 6 to 9. The show will be directed by Alie Gorrie, with music and assistant director Kristin Staskowski.

New Orleans Events

Shir Chadash in Metairie will have a kosher Chai-Nese Chanukah dinner, followed by the screening of “History of the World, Part 1,” Dec. 25 at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are $25 for members, $30 for non-members. Ages 4 to 12 are half price, and children’s programming will be provided.

The National Council of Jewish Women New Orleans Section is reviving its Moonlighters group for working professionals and stay-athome parents. A re-launch event will be held on Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. at Common House on Julia Street. Tickets are $18, with drinks and appetizers served.

The Jewish Community Day School, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, Center for Interfaith Families, and New Orleans Jewish Community Center will hold a Family Fun Fest, Jan. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Goldring/Woldenberg Jewish Community Campus in Metairie. The event is presented in partnership with Gates of Prayer, Shir Chadash, Woven Roots and Temple Sinai.

Touro Synagogue will welcome filmmakers Neta Elkayam and Amit Haï Cohen for a “Jerusalem to Morocco” musical Shabbat service on Jan. 17. Their film, “In Your Eyes, I See My Country” was recently screened at the Uptown Jewish Community Center as part of the Cathy and Morris Bart Jewish Cultural Arts Series. The film is about their journey to their homeland of Morocco to heal the wounds of generational exile and reshape their personal perceptions of who they are and want to be -

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This Chanukah, there are many ways to support Israel and its people, but none is more transformative than a gift to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical system. Your gift to MDA isn’t just changing lives — it’s literally saving them — providing critical care and hospital transport for everyone from victims of heart attacks to casualties of rocket attacks. Join the effort at MagenDavidAdom.org or call 866.632.2763.

community

Once again, Southern schools get best marks in campus antisemitism scorecard

Large proportion wouldn’t recommend their schools

This year’s Antisemitism on U.S. College and University Campuses Report found that 43 percent of Jewish students on the 25 campuses surveyed would not recommend their school to fellow Jewish students.

This is the third year that StopAntisemitism has evaluated 25 campuses around the country, interviewing Jewish students and assigning letter grades based on previous and current efforts to address campus antisemitism and protect their Jewish students.

Once again, top grades went to schools in the South, while schools with failing grades were in the north and west.

All four of the schools that received an A are in the South — Baylor, Clemson, Ole Miss and Elon. B grades went to Colby College in Maine and Washington University in St. Louis.

Not every Southern school scored high. Emory University, which has a high proportion of Jewish students, received a D.

Failing grades were given to Emerson, the New School, California-Davis, Oregon and Washington.

“These higher education institutions have utterly failed to protect its Jewish students, allowing harassment, exclusion and violent antisemitism to thrive unchecked,” said Liora Rez, executive director of StopAntisemitism.

“Despite reports of discrimination, death threats and open hostility, the administration has taken little to no meaningful action, abandoning Jewish students in their time of need. This negligence not only endangers Jewish students but also sets a dangerous precedent for intolerance on campus,” she said. “Parents, do not fund this complicity with your tuition dollars. Choose institutions that prioritize the safety and inclusion of all students—Jewish students deserve better.”

According to the survey, 55 percent of Jewish students nationally have personally been victims of antisemitism at their schools. Forty-three percent did not feel safe enough to report the incidents, and among those who did, 87 percent felt there was an inadequate investigation or response.

Two-thirds said Jews are excluded from campus Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, and a similar percentage said their university did not take sufficient action to protect Jewish students following October 7.

That is reflected in a 3,000 percent increase in tips and submissions the organization has reported receiving from Jewish students since Oct. 7.

While the presence of a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter correlates to a more hostile environment for Jewish students, the report cites AMCHA Initiative warnings about the newer Faculty for Justice in Palestine, which gives a more official veneer to anti-Israel activity.

According to the report, campuses with active FJP chapters have protests that last 2.5 times longer and amplify violence targeting Jews. Those campuses have 7.3 times more physical violence against Jewish students and 3.4 times more death threats.

Around the South

Baylor was one of only two schools where the administration responded to the group’s survey. Half of Jewish students say they have experienced antisemitism, and 62 percent feel safe expressing Jewish identity. Seventy-five percent would recommend the university.

One-third of Clemson students report experiencing antisemitism, but 83 percent feel safeguarded by the school and are comfortable expressing Jewish identity, and all respondents recommend Clemson. Police have threatened to arrest those who bring flags and demonstrations onto the campus.

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Elon University in North Carolina has seen a surge of interest from Jewish students lately. Ninety-one percent of current Jewish students recommend it, and 77 percent feel safe expressing Jewish identity. There have been no notable incidents, and 31 percent report experiencing antisemitism. Just 22 percent say they do not feel welcome in many spaces on campus.

While Ole Miss halted anti-Israel protests within an hour, 80 percent of Jewish students report experiencing antisemitism and just 40 percent feel safe expressing Jewish identity. However, 80 percent feel they are being safeguarded by the school, and all of the respondents would recommend Ole Miss to Jewish students.

Though 72 percent of Emory students would recommend the university, 75 percent feel they are unwelcome in many campus spaces, and 42 percent experienced antisemitism. In one incident in September, other students said it smelled like “pennies on the quad,” referring to Jewish students. No action was taken. There has been “death to Israel” graffiti and SJP takeovers with genocidal chants.

At Georgia State, 63 percent of students would recommend the school, which received a C. The university gave a 40 Under 40 award to an individual with a history of antisemitic posts, and 54 percent of students have experienced antisemitism.

The University of Houston received a D, and only 9 percent of Jewish students would recommend the school to others. There have been anti-Israel encampments, which were swiftly removed by police. Still, 63 percent of students have experienced antisemitism, 81 percent feel unwelcome in many campus spaces, and all of the respondents felt they are not being safeguarded by the school.

In previous years, Alabama, Texas and Tulane each received an A, North Carolina received a B, while Florida, Rice and Virginia received a C, and Duke and Vanderbilt received a D.

This year’s Fs

At Emerson, only 11 percent of Jewish students would recommend the school to others. Last May, the college president offered to pay the bail for anti-Israel protestors arrested at the school. The New School was the site of a building takeover by anti-Israel activists and faculty members, and 83 percent of Jewish students would not recommend it. Ninety-five percent of Jewish students report not feeling welcome in many spaces on campus, and 87 percent feel they are not being safeguarded by the school.

At Cal-Davis, 81 percent of Jewish students have experienced antisemitism, and 100 percent say they feel they are being blamed for Israel’s actions. Just 12 percent would recommend the school to others. A Jewish professor was forc-

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ibly prevented from entering campus, the student government passed BDS legislation, a professor threatened to hunt down Jewish journalists in their homes, another professor celebrated Oct. 7, and an “emergency teach-in” labeled Israel as racist, genocidal and even antisemitic.

Oregon has seen antisemitic vandalism across campus, along with violent riots led by Students for Justice in Palestine, though there is no campus chapter. Sixty percent of Jewish students do not feel safe expressing Jewish identity, and 55 percent would not recommend Oregon.

At Washington, the DEI guidelines actually include Jews, but grouped with Islamophobia. Jewish students were forced to evacuate a meeting discussing antisemitism because of violent protestors. Campus police were told to protect illegal anti-Israel encampments, Jewish students have been blocked from accessing campus, and the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion sent out an anti-Israel email to students on Oct. 25, accusing Jews of genocide and apartheid. University officials have reportedly “taken action” against the staff involved in the unsanctioned email.

The first year, seven schools received an F — Yale, Columbia, Swarthmore, California-Berkeley, City University of New York-Brooklyn, New York University and Southern California. Last year, there were five: Brown, Cornell, Pomona College, Vermont and Chicago.

Five past schools were re-evaluated, and none of the grades improved.

Dartmouth went from an A to a B. Massachusetts Institute of Technology plunged from a C to an F, and Stanford went from a C to a D. Brown and Cornell were already at F and that has not changed.

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What about the professors?

New barometer measures level of faculty anti-Zionism

While there has been a lot of talk about anti-Israel students and outsiders demonstrating at numerous universities, not as much has been said about anti-Israel faculty members who enable the atmosphere and include anti-Israel teachings in their coursework.

The AMCHA Initiative released an Anti-Zionist Faculty Barometer, rating 725 universities based on four measures of anti-Zionist faculty presence and activity.

The criteria include faculty members who have signed statements or otherwise promoted academic boycotts of Israel, departmental anti-Zionist statements, the presence of a Faculty for Justice in Palestine chapter on campus, and the level of FJP activity since Oct. 7.

Faculty for Justice in Palestine was designed to be a mirror image of Students for Justice in Palestine, and was established following a call from the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. Studies have shown a direct correlation between campus antisemitism and the presence of SJP on campus, and many chapters have been suspended for extremist activities.

The AMCHA Initiative is a non-profit organization dedicated to investigating, documenting, educating about, and combating antisemitism at institutions of higher education in America.

zero, to “extreme” at level five.

Of the over 700 schools, just 199 did not receive a “minimal” or “negligible” rating. There were 484 “negligible” ratings.

Thirty schools were listed in the Extreme category, with New York University ranking first — or last, depending on one’s perspective. There are many familiar names, such as Columbia, California Santa Cruz, Washington, Georgetown, UCLA, Cal-Irvine, Chicago, Rutgers, Penn, Northwestern, Yale and Stanford.

The only school in the South was Texas, despite public pronouncements against campus antisemitism by state officials. Texas has 23 faculty boycotters, an FJP chapter that has produced 17 events and statements, and statements being made by academic departments, such as the Gender Studies Departments in Solidarity with Palestinian Feminists Collective.

By comparison, NYU had 148 faculty members who actively push for boycotts of Israel, an active FJP chapter with 44 events and statements, and the Gender Studies statement.

Universities in the Severe category include North Carolina, Duke, Georgia State and Virginia. Florida, Emory, Georgia Tech and Spelman are in the Significant category. Georgia, Houston, North Carolina Greensboro, Kentucky, TCU, North Carolina Charlotte and Texas Tech were in the Moderate category.

Tulane received a Minimal rating, with eight faculty boycotters and no FJP chapter.

Among “Negligible” schools, none had FJP chapters or departmental anti-Israel statements. Florida State has five boycotters; LSU, Texas A&M and Alabama each had four. Schools with three academic boycotters include Alabama-Huntsville, Arkansas, and Memphis. Sewanee, Louisiana Lafayette, New Orleans and Tennessee each have two.

Alabama-Birmingham, Louisiana Monroe, North Alabama, South Carolina, Southern Mississippi and West Florida have one, while Auburn, Loyola New Orleans, Mississippi, North Florida and South Alabama have none.

While there are similarities with the ratings issued by StopAntisemitism, there are some major differences. While the AMCHA rating has Texas in the worst category, StopAntisemitism gave Texas an A. Houston received a D, but rates a 2 on the scale of 0 to 5 in the AMCHA survey. North Carolina, which rated a Category 4 in AMCHA, received a B from StopAntisemitism.

AMCHA Initiative plans to update the ranking annually, to help “students, families and stakeholders evaluate how welcoming or hostile a campus may be for Jewish or pro-Israel students and advocate for administrative and legislative measures to counter faculty misuse of their positions to promote antisemitism.”

The online report has links to a list of faculty boycotters at most schools.

Approaching building’s centennial, Anshe Sfard launches capital campaign Effort will address “critical” repair needs

A century ago, the thriving Orthodox community in New Orleans was centered around several blocks of Dryades Street. With the community long ago moving on to other parts of town, the small congregation of Anshe Sfard is the last functioning reminder of those times still in the area — and its historic building is about to turn 100.

Rabbi Yochanan Rivkin, who has served at Anshe Sfard since 2016 in addition to being the director of Chabad at Tulane, wants to see Anshe Sfard have many more years of service to the community — but as the anniversary approaches, it will need help to do so.

The congregation has kicked off “Another 100 Years for Anshe Sfard,” to address “critical” needs that have built up over the years.

Because of a lack of resources, “the shul has not really been maintained for the last 30 years,” Rivkin explained. There is a lot of deferred maintenance that has built up, and some interior spaces are currently not usable.

Currently, he said, “there’s basically a sanctuary upstairs and a big social hall downstairs.” To bring in families, he said there needs to be classroom space and a play area.

To get to the upstairs sanctuary, one either goes up the outdoor steps or the one narrow inside staircase, so accessibility will need to be examined.

As is typical for buildings from that era, there has been a lot of water intrusion and “the plaster is constantly shedding,” and many other places in the building need basic repair. The electrical system is “way out of date,” which could affect the building’s insurability in the future.

He noted that the office is “in complete disrepair” and not usable, a room that is supposed to be a library and small chapel is instead a storage area, and the kitchen is old and needs to be upgraded — not to mention a large hole in the ceiling. And in these times, security upgrades are also essential.

“These are all things we need to have in place when you think about a thriving congregation,” Rivkin said.

The campaign, which will take place over the next two years, has a goal of $2 million. “If we raise half of our goal, we can save the building and continue operating,” Rivkin said. “If we want to grow and thrive, we need to get to the full goal.”

They hope to be able to start working in a few months.

“Let’s try to raise as much as we can,” Rivkin said. “It really needs to be brought back to its former glory.”

Historic building

The building was designed by noted architect Emile Weil in the Italian

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Renaissance style, with Moorish and Byzantine decorative details. Weil also designed the current Touro Synagogue building and the 1924 Beth Israel building, also on Carondelet.

Among Weil’s other buildings were the Kress Department Store, Dixie Brewery, Whitney National Bank and the Jerusalem Temple of the Shriners. He also designed the Saenger Theatres in New Orleans, Mobile, Hattiesburg, Pensacola and several other cities, and the Temple Theater in Meridian.

Dedications for the Anshe Sfard renovations start with the building name, and also include the Torah study and resource library, indoor play zone, sunshine playground, rabbi’s study, the Shalom Hall entry, the grand stairway, the front doors, the sukkah pavilion, the foundation entrance, and mezuzahs. Additional opportunities include the sanctuary name, ark, women’s gallery, bima, community social hall, Southern Jewish Heart kitchen, and a new “Sip and Schmooze” station.

New Orleans had a long-established Reform

A hole in the kitchen ceiling and shedding plaster are issues in the building.

community when a large wave of immigration from Eastern Europe began in the late 1800s. As was the case around the country, there was a social and religious divide between the established American Jews from places like France and Germany, and the much more traditional newcomers, who kept kosher, spoke Yiddish and were unaccustomed to the more Americanized Reform services.

The new community quickly centered on Dryades Street, from Howard to Jackson Avenue. Several small congregations were established, generally conforming to a certain place of origin. Tememe Derech was formed in 1857 by Polish Jews. Chevra Thilim was Galitzianer, founded in 1875, and Mikvah Israel was a small Litvak congregation.

In 1896, a Lithuanian group started meeting under the name of Anshe Sfard, and was chartered in October 1900. That year, the group purchased a small building at 1309 South Rampart. In 1925, they purchased their current site on Carondelet, and the current building was completed in 1926.

The 1998 New Orleans Landmark Designation report notes that while the congregation’s name means United Brotherhood of the Sephardic Rite, “this congregation, however, was Eastern European and Orthodox. At no time have they considered themselves Sephardic,” yet they followed Sephardic rites.

In 2017, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Many of the other small congregations in the neighborhood merged in 1904 to form Beth Israel, which moved into a new facility two years later, with the assistance of the Reform community. They would replace that structure in 1924 with a large building that seats 1200, and added an educational arm nearby, the Menorah Institute. The 1924 Beth Israel building is now New Home Ministries, with that stretch of Carondelet renamed in memory of their former pastor, Robert C. Blakes.

Chevra Thilim, which would later be one of the congregations to form Shir Chadash, built a small synagogue in 1915. As the next generations moved to other neighborhoods, Chevra Thilim moved Uptown in 1948 while Beth Israel moved to Lakeview in 1971, leaving Anshe Sfard as the sole congregation in the historic neighborhood.

As the closest congregation to downtown, Anshe Sfard is often a stop for tourists or those attending conventions, especially those looking for a traditional service or needing something within walking distance.

With Rivkin’s work at Tulane, Anshe Sfard is often a spot for Chabad at Tulane programming. Recently, a monthly Holy Happy Hour was inaugurated, with Shabbat evening services and a happy hour.

“Gary became part of the family. When my husband and I first decided that we would put our toe in the real estate waters, I knew the only person I wanted to represent us was Gary. He’s a real gem!”

“As first time home buyers, my wife and I were very unfamiliar with the process of purchasing a home. From the moment we met Gary to the day we closed he was great about answering all our questions, walking us through the process and being an advocate for us. I recommend Gary to anyone in the New Orleans area looking to purchase a home.”

The sanctuary at Anshe Sfard

CEO Danny Cohn leaving Birmingham Federation for St. Louis

Danny Cohn will be stepping down as CEO of the Birmingham Jewish Federation in March to take the same role at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.

In a community letter on Dec. 10, Cohn said “This decision was not an easy one, as the past few years have been among the most transformative and meaningful of my professional life.”

For Cohn, this will be an opportunity to return to the Midwest. He grew up in Omaha and has also lived in Chicago and Cincinnati.

Cohn arrived in Birmingham in 2020, just five days before everything shut down at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. “Together, we navigated a global crisis, stood firm in our support for Ukraine and responded to the urgent needs of Israel and our brothers and sisters there during this horrific war,” he said. “In these moments of uncertainty and strife, the resilience, courage, and generosity of this community shone brightly.”

He came to Birmingham after five years as director of marketing and communications for the Arbor Day Foundation in Omaha.

Jack Aland, president of the BJF, said during Cohn’s tenure, “the Federation has been revitalized providing more opportunities for community growth and engagement than ever before. His oversight and execution of the recent integration with the Birmingham Jewish Foundation has been critical to serving our donors and community partners in imaginative and more efficient ways.”

He added, “Danny has inspired us and has ensured we continue to be a vibrant Southern Jewish Community. I can assure you, because of his very talented team that he has assembled, the Federation is poised for even greater heights in 2025.”

Cohn said “I know that the important work we have begun together will continue to flourish long after my tenure. This community’s commitment has left an indelible mark on me, and I am confident it will carry forward into the future.”

In St. Louis, Cohn will be charged with helping implement a new strategic plan that their Federation approved earlier this year.

The BJF will soon announce interim arrangements and plans for the search for a new CEO.

Rabbi Phil Kaplan leaving Beth Israel

Rabbi Phil Kaplan announced he will be leaving Beth Israel in Metairie this summer, and the family will be leaving the New Orleans area.

“I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together during my time here,” he said, saying that Beth Israel “has grown in numbers, our programming is more vibrant than ever, and the atmosphere on Shabbos is engaging and warm. I pray that Beth Israel continues on this path for many years to come.”

Kaplan arrived at the Orthodox congregation in the summer of 2022 after serving at The Great Synagogue in Sydney, Australia.

“I will be truly sorry to say goodbye to so many of the wonderful people we have built relationships with during our time in this community,” Kaplan said. “Watching our community grow, connecting with members both old and new, sharing smachot, celebrations, Shabbats, and holidays, has given me much joy.”

He noted that “we don’t yet know what our next steps will be,” but he is looking forward to continuing to serve the community over the next six months.

Bradley Bain, president of Beth Israel, said they appreciate all Kaplan has done “to strengthen and grow our kehillah under his tenure and look forward to maximizing the remaining time we have together. We wish Rabbi Phil, Abra, and the entire family much happiness and success in their next chapter.”

Several Holocaust-related presentations

From Warsaw Ghetto to Chattanooga home builder

Mark Wygoda will share his father’s story, “From Warsaw Ghetto Smuggler to Chattanooga Home Builder,” Jan. 23 at 6 p.m., at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience. The free International Holocaust Remembrance Day program will also be streamed online.

Hermann Wygoda smuggled food into the Warsaw Ghetto and later commanded an Italian partisan brigade. After the war, he immigrated to the United States and founded the Wygoda Building Corporation.

Now living in Durham, N.C., Mark edited his father’s memoir, “In the Shadow of the Swastika,” which motivated him to speak about his father’s experiences. In 2022 he retired as professor emeritus at McNeese State in Lake Charles, and has spoken about his father to over 100 audiences in 16 states.

Nazi interactions with Jim Crow racism

The Alabama Holocaust Education Center’s Taking Action Together series of online events continues on Jan. 15 at noon. Jonathan Wiesen will lead “Nazi Germany and Jim Crow Racism in the U.S. South,” a discussion of the similarities and differences between the two movements, and how Nazis interacted with Southern racists. Through this exploration, there will be a discussion of common red flags and warning signs in society, when minorities are segregated and persecuted. Wiesen is a professor of history and former department chair at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is author of several books, including “West German Industry and the Challenge of the Nazi Past, 1945-1955,” and the most recent “Nazi Germany: Society Culture, and Politics.”

Wiesen is currently writing a book on U.S. anti-Black racism in the German imagination from 1918-1968 and is the author of “American Lynching in the Nazi Imagination: Race and Extra-Legal Violence in 1930s Germany,” which won the 2020 Hans Rosenberg article prize.

Hiding in the shadow of Majdanek

Beth Israel in Gulfport will welcome Holocaust survivor Irene Skolnick on Jan. 26 at 4 p.m. for “Hiding in Plain Sight,” the story of how her family survived the Holocaust.

Skolnick was two years old when the war began. When she was five, after some time in the Lvov ghetto, her family acquired fake documents and was smuggled to Lublin to hide, and wound up living about a mile from Majdanek, the second largest extermination camp in Poland. After blending into the community while posing as Catholic Poles, they hid eight additional family members from the Nazis, with numerous narrow escapes.

She wrote a book, “In the Shadow of Majdanek,” based on her father’s memoirs.

Reservations are required, a $10 suggested donation is appreciated.

Humans of the Holocaust at WWII Museum

The National World War II Museum in New Orleans will have several Holocaust-related presentations in January.

Onn Jan. 9 at 6:30 p.m., “Dinner with a Curator” will present “Recipes as a Legacy: Cookbooks Created during the Holocaust,” how Jewish women used recipes to cope, build community and create a legacy. Historian Jennifer Putnam will lead the dinner and discussion at BB’s Stage Door Canteen. Tickets are $80, $77 for members.

The Humans of the Holocaust digital storytelling project will be on display from Jan. 13 to 31 at the Louisiana Memorial Pavilion. Humans of the Holocaust is photojournalist Erez Kaganovitz’s project pairing compelling contemporary photos of Holocaust survivors with their own remarkable life stories.

A Teaching Difficult Histories workshop about the Holocaust will be held on Jan. 25, and the museum will have a morning program on Jan. 27 for International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Expert on urban warfare praises Israel’s achievements in Gaza

Success in minimizing civilian deaths will be studied, and likely hard for others to replicate

While anti-Israel activists and anti-Israel organizations charge Israel with committing genocide in Gaza or targeting civilians, the world’s leading urban warfare expert says most people “really don’t know what they are talking about.”

John Spencer, chair of Urban Warfare Studies with the Madison Policy Forum and former chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point, was in Birmingham on Nov. 6 to speak to a Birmingham Jewish Federation gathering at the Pine Tree Country Club.

During his presentation, he cut through numerous falsehoods about how Israel has been conducting the war against Hamas since Oct. 7. Israel “is getting criticized when they have done more to protect civilians than any military in history,” he said. And Israel is doing it despite an unprecedented no-win situation that Hamas established in Gaza, fanned by misleading media coverage that accepts Hamas narratives at face value.

In July, he was in Khan Yunis, and though he had studied urban warfare for years, “I was still blown away with what I was seeing on the ground.” He has interviewed everyone from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to soldiers in the field, and has been in Gaza three times since Oct. 7.

In most wars throughout history, urban warfare has come up relatively suddenly. In the case of Gaza, over 15 years Hamas spent billions of dollars and “designed a world for war… unlike any of the other battles in modern history.”

There had already been a lot of misinformation about Gaza spread worldwide, such as it being the most densely-populated place on Earth. “I study cities for a living. It’s not even in the top 200.” Just taking Gaza City

He compares the Gaza operation to other battles, but what the IDF has faced “no other military has ever faced in the history of militaries.” In the opening hours of Oct. 7, Hamas launched more rockets in Israel than were launched in the entirety of the second Lebanese war, “and they never stopped… every one of them a war crime because they can’t distinguish where they are going and they are pointed at Israel’s civilian areas.”

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Hamas had also built an extensive network of tunnels to hide in, placing them under civilian areas, even under United Nations installations.

“Most scholars underestimated the tunnels,” he said. “Even Israel underestimated the tunnels,” which now are estimated at roughly 450 miles. “You could go into a tunnel in the north of Gaza and come out in Rafah” at the Southern border. There are tunnels under the river basin separating north and south Gaza, “which they didn’t even think was possible.” Many tunnels were large enough to drive trucks through.

The tunnels were built “beneath the civilian population, on purpose,” he said. They would build a tunnel and put a mosque on top of it, to protect it with a non-military cover.

In Ukraine, there are tunnels that civilians can use to escape Russian bombardment. Hamas will not allow the Gaza civilians into the Gaza tunnels, even though the 2.2 million Gazans could easily fit.

Spencer said the investment in the Gaza tunnels is about $12 million per kilometer, for the sole purpose of military infrastructure.

“Hamas has never said they want self-determination, that they want a two-state solution, that they want equal rights, that they want anything. They have only said their goal in life, and

in the afterlife, is the destruction of Israel. How do you fight that? How do you negotiate with that?” he asked.

Each summer, Spencer noted, over 100,000 kids, ages 5 to 18, would go to Hamas summer camps where they learned about fighting Israel, martyrdom and hatred of Israel.

Invasion, not terror attack

The first bit of misinformation about the war, he said, was Oct. 7 itself. “Some people called it a terror attack… by every definition, Oct. 7 was an invasion from a different territory by an invading military” including over 4,000 Hamas members and thousands of civilians, penetrating the border in 20 different locations and targeting civilian sites “as if they were military sites.”

He saw the 45-minute video of raw footage from the Hamas invasion and viewed atrocities he had never seen before in war, “how methodical it was, and what they planned to do.” Not only did Hamas record their exploits, they had guides on the best ways to kill civilians, such as taking tires off cars and rolling them into houses before setting the houses on fire, to increase the toxic smoke.

That day, he said, Hamas was hoping to reach Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and to incite reactions in

Judea and Samaria so the Palestinians in those areas would join the attack. They also hoped for Hezbollah to join, which they did to some extent through rocket fire, but Spencer said it has since been shown that Hezbollah already had prepared for their own Oct. 7-style invasion.

Hamas made preparations to attack communication towers and cameras on Oct. 7. “They methodically blinded Israel so they could do their killing.”

Israel then declared three objectives: Secure the return of the over 250 hostages Hamas took, destroy Hamas and remove them from military and political power, and to ensure that no group from Gaza has the capability to harm Israel in that manner again.

Conversely, Hamas never declared its objective, aside from naming the operation after the liberation of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. “I believe they thought they would destroy Israel,” but after Israel started its response, the Hamas objective became to just survive the war, which to them would still mean victory.

To do that, the goal was to “just buy time,” which is why they built the tunnels where, in accordance with history, “they wait long enough and the United States or some international group will stop Israel and say ‘look, we under-

stand you got attacked, you have to stop,’ and Hamas was counting on that.”

Their entire strategy was to get the world to stop Israel, he said, by using their long-prepared battlefield to maximize civilian harm to Gazans and attract world sympathy.

Spencer said this is Hamas’ “human sacrifice strategy,” which goes beyond the “human shield strategy” of hiding in hospitals and schools and claiming they are protected under the laws of warfare.

The sacrifice strategy is unique, Spencer said. “It’s the only one I’ve ever studied. The Nazis didn’t do this. ISIS, Al-Qaeda — nobody has ever fought a war where they are saying ‘I need as much of my population to die as possible’.”

Critics say Israel is violating international law in its fight against Hamas, but Spencer said “most people don’t know what the law of war says,” and the law is being weaponized to use against Israel.

When it comes to the law, there is no magic number of casualties or buildings destroyed, it is whether an operation is necessary, even more so in a war of survival. “I can use the amount of force necessary to stop these people who are trying to erase me from history.”

Critics also complain about “proportionality,”

saying “only” 1200 Israelis were killed, as opposed to 40,000 Gazans, and that is unfair. But one can’t compare the number to the opening salvo of the war, it has to be looked at in reference to the overall goal — ensuring another Oct. 7 can’t happen. Hamas was certainly hoping for far more than 1200 on Oct. 7.

Spencer spoke of how in the last couple decades, “civilian harm mitigation steps” have been developed for warfare. “The IDF, despite facing challenges that no one has ever faced, has done more to protect enemy civilians, the population of an enemy, or civilians in general, than any military in the history of war,” including the U.S. and Britain. And he has seen it first-hand.

“I know what the steps are,” he said. “Every time I would visit the IDF in Gaza, the IDF was doing stuff I’d never seen.” Everyone has heard that Israel drops leaflets and evacuates cities, despite the world telling Israel that is impossible. Even after Oct. 7, Israel still did “roof knocking” to warn those inside to leave since the building was a military target. Israel also calls Gazans to persuade them to go to safer locations.

Though Israel takes “immense risks” in trying to minimize civilian casualties, “what you see in the news is the opposite, that Israel is targeting civilians,” he said. “There is not one bit of evi-

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dence… TikTok videos are not evidence.”

The second-guessing of Israel by the world “has prolonged this war,” as Hamas tries to get its own civilians killed, and strategically uses the information from Israel’s warnings.

Another problem Israel faced is that there was “never a war where (the civilians) have nowhere to go” and be out of harm’s way. “Thanks to Egypt, which nobody calls out… saying not one refugee can come to our border, Israel had to fight a war where the civilians had nowhere to go,” aside from Israel trying to move them around from where the fighting was most intense.

“If anybody owns the deaths of Gazans, outside of Hamas, it’s the Egyptians,” who could have allowed the setup of a staging area in the vast open spaces of the northern Sinai, instead of building a 30-foot wall to make sure Gazans couldn’t cross.

All of this taken together shows that Israel is facing a war whose circumstances are unprecedented.

He told Netanyahu that historically, only the 1945 battle in Manila has some of the same elements the IDF faces. In that case, the Japanese had 3,000 American and British prisoners of war in the city. Japan had a few months to prepare the city for combat and had about 17,000 soldiers there. There was a directive for no bombing of Manila.

After the U.S. attacked, “about 100,000 civilians died.” Spencer noted that “from history, nobody has ever asked about the civilian to combatant ratio. That’s an Israel question… it’s not even a double standard, it’s an Israeli standard. Nobody has ever asked that question because if we did, it would not go well.”

In Manila, it was actually Japan that was slaughtering the civilians, who they had been starving to ensure that the U.S. would be facing a humanitarian crisis. “Maybe Hamas is a descendant of them.”

Mosul in 2016 was the largest urban battle since World War II. ISIS had two years to prepare the city for the battle and had 3,000 defenders when 100,000 U.S.-backed Iraqi forces attacked. “There is no number” for the civilian to combatant ratio, he said. A year later, it was reported that 50,000 civilians had died. But Hamas has this “magic system” to tell the world “within minutes” how many civilians died in Gaza.

The Gaza numbers from the Hamas-run Ministry of Health are “not true.” But even using those numbers, as of early November the figure was around 42,000. “That number includes anyone who has died since Oct. 7, no matter what the reason,” including natural deaths, inter-Palestinian fighting or those killed by errant Hamas rockets. It also includes those who were killed by Israel on Oct. 7 during the Hamas invasion. “It includes people who don’t exist. It includes people who are missing.”

Israel states that about 21,000 combatants have been killed. Even taking Hamas’ numbers at face value, that is a 1 to 1 ration of civilians to combatants, an astonishingly low civilian toll. Mosul was 2.5 to 1, Manila was 6 to 1. And according to the United Nations, in modern warfare, the typical figure is 9 civilians for each combatant.

But he said he does not like to focus on the numbers — it is whether Israel is doing all it can to minimize civilian casualties.

To claim that Israel is causing a genocide “is just perverse,” Spencer said. There are thousands of Hamas war crimes, though. Also, the charge of starvation is spurious, as Israel is facilitating more food to an enemy population during a battle than any other military in history.

The images of widespread destruction are similar to other wars around the world where the enemy refuses to surrender. Spencer reminded that there is no magic level of destruction that is considered excessive if the military objective has not been met.

“My concern now is that people would ask these questions of any military in the future,” Spencer said. If they do, “we have created a combatant who believes that they can win wars by sacrificing their population, by turning every inch of their land into a human shield.”

He concluded, “it will create more of these situations if we don’t let Israel finish the job.”

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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 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.

M.S. Rau hosting major exhibit of Chagall, contemporaries

Imagine going to an exhibition of works from one of the 20th century’s most noted artists — and if you like, you can take one home.

New Orleans landmark gallery M.S. Rau has a new exhibition, “Dreaming in Color: Chagall and His Circle,” featuring around 30 works by the Belorussian-born French artist and his contemporaries.

The show, which is displayed at the Royal Street gallery, opened on Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 4, free and open to the public. For those unable to make it to New Orleans, there is also a virtual exhibit on the gallery’s website

“Chagall’s paintings are windows into a world of boundless imagination and profound emotion,” says Bill Rau, owner of M.S. Rau. “We are thrilled to offer this rare opportunity to experience the magic of his work firsthand. By showcasing Chagall alongside his contemporaries, we hope to illuminate the vibrancy of one of the most pivotal artistic circles of the 20th century.”

As an early modernist, Marc Chagall’s repertory of images — including massive bouquets, melancholy clowns, flying lovers, fantastic animals, biblical prophets, and fiddlers on roofs — helped to make him one of the most popular major innovators of the 20th century.

“There were a number of famous Jewish artists,” Rau said. “Chagall kind of stands above them all” as he is “so universally loved.” He added that Russia, France and the United States all try to claim him as their own.

Part of it, he explained, is that Chagall was “well before his time, the bold colors and wonderful paintings he did… they were extraordinary

Musiciens sur fond multicolore by Marc Chagall

avant garde,” though as with any new art, they were not appreciated at the time.

About half of the exhibit is Chagall’s works, the rest is from his contemporaries, artists who influenced him and artists he influenced. “They all painted together and influenced each other” Rau said.

There are pieces by Henri Matisse, Kees van Dongen, Louis Valtat, Jean Dufy, Moïse Kisling, Henri Martin, Jane Peterson and more.

Picasso is said to have asserted that “when Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what color is.”

The exhibit highlights the use of color as a language that communicates across genres, subjects and senses to forge new artistic realities. The overall focus will be on the themes of love, home and the natural world.

M.S. Rau is able to put together unusual exhibitions and uncover unique finds based on an extensive international network of contacts developed for over a century. This exhibit was assembled from several people around the world, which took a lot of time but “we had fun doing it.”

Many of the pieces come from Chagall’s family. In the art world, authentication and provenance are vital, but because these works had remained in the family, and they had never been for sale, they had not gone through that process. “I wasn’t worried about their authenticity,” Rau said, “but we’re very careful.”

They also had to get export licenses to legally export them, and to import them back if they do not sell.

Born in 1887, Chagall grew up under the shadow of antisemitism. As he became an artist, he wanted to document aspects of the Jewish experience that were disappearing in Russia, rather than hide his being Jewish.

“His paintings were personal,” Rau said, such as the cows and chickens of his village in Russia. Chagall hated Russia for its antisemitism and

communism, but in the 1980s Russia decided it wanted to honor him. Rau said he went and saw people he had not seen in 60 years, and “falls back in love.”

While Rau said most Jews figure Chagall is best known for the 12 stained-glass windows he designed for the synagogue at Hadassah Hospital from 1960 to 1962, “arguably his most important commission was when he painted the Paris Opera House ceiling,” and the exhibition has part of that story.

The Opera House, he explained, “is considered by all Frenchmen the greatest building built in France in the 19th century.” In the 1960s, the Minister of Culture, Andre Malraux, decided he wanted to update it and make it somewhat more modern.

That was controversial enough, but when he selected Chagall, it “was a really unpopular decision.” He had three drawbacks, in their eyes — he was a modern painter, he wasn’t French and he was Jewish.

As the controversy raged, Malraux secluded 77-year-old Chagall and his assistant at an army base as they designed and produced the 2,400-square-foot work in 12 panels that were quietly installed over the previous ceiling in the middle of the night.

“When they unveiled it, Rau said, “it was this great ‘wow’.” He said most of the critics changed their mind when they saw the result, an homage to 14 great opera composers and settings around Paris.

The exhibit at M.S. Rau includes Chagall’s original palette from when he was producing the panels. “It’s thick with paint, it is exceptional.” The palette was acquired from Chagall’s assistant, and “we have the documentation.”

The exhibit also includes a painting of a famous scene at the Opera House that was used as the cover of a book about the landmark. The

painting and the palette are both for sale, and “we are really honored” to have them in the exhibit.

Rau recalls a story about Chagall that he heard from a Jewish doctor in Houston who was involved with the building of a large hospital in the 1960s. Since Chagall had done the Hadassah windows, they wanted to commission him to do windows for their new facility.

They tried to contact Chagall but never got a response. Finally, that doctor said he heard that Chagall was going to be at a fundraising event in Jerusalem, so he asked for permission to go to Israel and approach Chagall at the event. He did so, and finally was able to introduce himself to the artist. As he said that he was from Houston, Chagall interrupted, exclaiming “Houston? You killed Kennedy!”, then turned around and walked away.

Rau said that Chagall had his sense of morality. “If he didn’t want to work with you, it wasn’t about the money.”

On the other hand, he had jumped at the chance to do the windows at Hadassah. When representatives from Hadassah approached him, his response was “what took you so long?” and “I’ve been waiting my entire life to be asked to serve the Jewish people.”

>> Opinion

been physical attacks on Jewish students at Pitt and Michigan. Toward the end of October, an Orthodox man was shot while walking to Shabbat services in Chicago by an assailant who yelled “Allahu Akbar.” Adding insult, for days, public officials refused to speculate on it being a hate crime, and rarely acknowledged that the victim was Jewish. The suspect, from Mauritania, apparently entered the U.S. illegally at the Mexico border. He apparently killed himself while in custody.

As a backdrop to the shooting, the president of Chicago’s board of education was finally forced to resign after discovery of a slew of antisemitic and pro-Hamas social media posts involving fringe conspiracy theories.

What about reports of swastikas found at schools? These days, that’s small potatoes and far too frequent to list. This list also does not include arrests made in the past week for crimes that occurred in previous weeks or months. There’s also little point in listing the petty annoyance-level attention-seeking leaflets spread by right-wing groups.

Those right-wing groups are seen as marginal cranks. Almost all of the above attacks

Senior Care

Experts in aging

continued from page 4

come from Muslim groups or the left wing, and are framed as justifiable reactions to what they imagine Israel and Jews are doing, even as righteous acts of resistance.

This normalization of antisemitism is highly dangerous. This is the result of calls to “globalize the Intifada,” the waves of terror attacks perpetrated on Israeli civilians. A web of lies about Israel’s actions in Gaza has been constructed, making such attacks seem noble as a response to a nonexistent genocide.

This from the same people who, after Sept. 11, warned against blaming Muslims as a group, or going after mosques.

And yet, a dozen neo-Nazis marching through downtown Columbus, Ohio, in an apparent “turf war” against an older neo-Nazi group got more attention from the mainstream press and drew more alarm than pretty much any of the other incidents. Why?

Lawrence Brook, Publisher/Editor

Senior Care isn’t just about taking care of you when you’re sick, it’s about helping you live a healthy and happy life. For those of us over the age of 65, it is important to have a care team in place that supports us as we age. Through annual wellness check-ups and disease management, to exercise classes and healthy cooking demonstrations, Touro is your guide to healthy aging. Learn more by calling 504.897.8240 or visit touro.com/seniorcare

Southern Jewish Chanukah Gifts

From Rockets to Roses

Israeli artist visits Mobile and shows life-affirming art made from material intended for evil

Anything evil can be turned around for good. Including the rockets Hamas fired at Israel from Gaza over the past 18 years.

Artist Yaron Bob, who turns rocket fragments into elaborate works of metal art, was recently in Mobile showcasing his work. Scott Carpenter, a Mobile Realtor who is a passionate Christian supporter of Israel and a friend of Yaron, said Yaron will be returning to the area in February. “He and I have plans to build a special project as well.”

When Yaron moved to Moshav Yated in 2000, one mile from Gaza and one mile from Egypt, he was an information technology manager and teacher in a high school, but “I always loved to work with my hands and my dream was to open a blacksmithing shop.”

He started with basic equipment and started playing around, making small things such as hooks. But the constant threat of rocket fire from Gaza would change his trajectory as he was heading to school one day.

“In our area, we have 7 to 12 seconds to run for shelter,” he said, and when a red alert siren went off, he took cover behind a wall. “The rocket exploded about 30 feet away,” he said. “They asked if I was okay, I said ‘sure’.”

But he wasn’t. When he got home, he started to shake. “I knew I had to do something to clear my mind, so I went to the shop… so that I would not think about what happened.”

In his shop, he had remnants of a Hamas rocket that a security guard had given him a week earlier. “I wanted to take away its power,” he said, and make it into something that affirms life.

It’s the modern version of turning swords into plowshares.

His first thought was to make a dove, but he decided instead to make a rose, inspired by the garden of big red roses in front of his mother’s house. “I called my mentor, and he told me how to make a rose.”

The moment he completed the rose, “I felt a cleaning energy that cleansed me of the hate, anger and frustration.” He added that it’s better to work with metal than to see a psychiatrist.

Naturally, his turning something bad into something good resonated, and the mayor of Sderot asked him to make several more roses, which were then presented to numerous dignitaries. The first went to Ban Ki Moon, followed by Hillary Clinton and Shimon Peres. Yaron found him-

self in the New York Times, and Rockets Into Roses snowballed.

The roses are mounted on a base in the shape of Israel, with the stem coming up from Sderot, which has borne the brunt of Hamas attacks for years.

And yet, “what I am doing, I am doing for myself.” He likened the 18 years of rocket attacks to water wearing away stone, and feels his art is “a symbol of resilience and turning darkness into light.”

October 7

On Oct. 7, there were three groups of terrorists in his moshav. Individual heroism prevented a tragedy. In one case, a female officer grabbed a tank and engaged with the terrorists, killing or wounding seven of them.

In another instance, there was a Druze woman in the moshav who knew Arabic and spoke to some of the terrorists, learning that there were 300 hiding outside the moshav. She passed along the information to the army, which engaged them. “She saved the area,” he said, preventing what could have been worse than the massacre in Be’eri.

As the battle raged around the moshav, Yaron spent 33 hours hiding in his bomb shel-

ter, which was built to protect against a rocket attack, not as a safe room against infiltration. The residents were then able to evacuate through a safe corridor. Afterward, he found a Hamas terrorist’s motorcycle in his backyard.

A year later, he works in his shop several days a week, but “we still don’t feel secure enough to be back and live over there,” as there have still been rockets, and IDF operations are ongoing not far away — close enough to occasionally shake the house as terror tunnels are eliminated.

But there’s also the emotional effect of being in the area. Yaron lost about 40 close friends from the area. “Every time I am driving to my house from Beersheva I see the places where my friends were killed. It’s a very sad area now… It’s very hard to be in a place where you lost all your friends.”

Variety of sculptures

Safe_Driving_Jewish-Life_7.75x5-PROD.pdf 1 10/31/24 11:12 AM

And security is still a concern, as he knows that Hamas would love to repeat Oct. 7. “What can you do when 30, 50 terrorists come to your house with rocket launchers, AK-47s, how can you protect yourself? This is a thing people have to deal with.”

In addition to the roses, Yaron does Judaic sculptures, necklace pendants and musical instruments, “things that say we want peace and harmony, we don’t want war.” The “Sound of Peace” musical instruments resemble David’s lyre, and play different tunes when struck in order. While some are more serious, like the Israeli and U.S. national anthems, he has also done

Scott Carpenter and Yaron Bob in Mobile, with a rocket fragment

ones that play the themes from “Harry Potter” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Music, he said, is therapeutic.

A “huge part” of the profits from his sculptures is going to organizations that assist soldiers, and to build bomb shelters in the region.

In 2019, a Chanukah menorah he made was used at the White House lighting ceremony with President Donald Trump. Another Chanukiah, with the “swords into plowshares” verse, was presented to President Barack Obama in 2014.

His newest endeavor is a Tree of Life, mounted on a stone that came from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. In their attempt to deny the Jewish history of the site, Muslim authorities have dug throughout the site, damaging and destroying the layers of archaeology. Many finds have been discovered in the dirt piles that have been discarded, and Yaron acquired 100 stones from there.

Though some suggested he do mezuzah cases, Yaron was hesitant. He didn’t want to use an instrument of destruction for a ritual object, particularly one that gets kissed. Enter Iron Dome.

Because the Iron Dome interceptors are defensive, their purpose is to save lives. “I wanted to do something special for those,” he said. “They are super nice, they are silver and they are amazing.”

And the Iron Dome mezuzahs have an added benefit. “If you buy my mezuzah and put it in New York, Alabama, Chicago or Miami, you’re going to get the full guarantee — no rockets from Gaza will come to your house.”

Unless, of course, you buy one of his other sculptures.

Tree of Life by Yaron Bob

Hollywood Outdoor Living 1441 Montgomery Hwy Birmingham hollywoodoutdoorliving.com 205/979.7727

The hottest gift at Hollywood Outdoor Living continues to be the Big Green Egg.

Touted as “much more than a grill,” the Big Green Egg is a versatile outdoor cooking system engineered to be stronger, more durable and provide better heat retention than any other outdoor cooker on the market.

Located in Vestavia on Highway 31, Hollywood Outdoor Living is also an authorized retailer of Big Green Egg products and accessories, including grill pans, baking dishes and cooking utensils.

Hollywood Outdoor Living started as Hollywood Pools in 1986. They expanded and moved to their current location in 2005.

In 2018, they acquired Alabama Pools to expand their pool and spa services. In 2021, they acquired Alabama Gaslight & Grill, rebranding in 2022 as Hollywood Outdoor Living. They sell and service pools, spas and also offer grills, lighting, furniture and fireplaces.

Sundance Optima 880 Spa

Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience

818 Howard Avenue New Orleans 504/384.2480 msje.org

The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience specializes in Judaica from the South, from bourbon barrel wood mezuzah cases from Kentucky to Magen David bow ties from Dallas, along with a wide range of Chanukah merchandise.

It’s difficult to get more Southern and Jewish than this Mississippi Delta challah cover, made from cotton grown, picked and ginned by Ben Lamensdorf from Morris Grundfest’s original 200-acre farmland in Cary, Miss. The cotton was spun into yarn in North Carolina and woven in Roswell, Ga.

chanukah gifts

Applause Dancewear

1629 Oxmoor Rd Homewood

205/871-7837 applausedancewear.net

Blochsox by Bloch, $23, is a cutting-edge dance sock designed for dancers to push boundaries with a built-in spin-spot, brake lines, grip control lines and enhanced compression arch.

Joyful Soles Happy Face Slippers by SoDanca, $20, features an ultra-soft plush fleece lining. These stylish slippers are perfect from the studio to the street, and they guarantee both style and comfort!

Flex by SoDanca, $68, is a foot and ankle strengthening device that eliminates the need for dancers to manually manipulate TheraBands with their hands to strengthen and stretch their feet for the perfect pointe!

Earthborn Pottery

7575 Parkway Drive Leeds, Ala 205/702.7055 earthbornpottery.net

The blue lights will shine a few days prior to Chanukah at Cahaba Clayworks and Earthborn Studios.

On Dec. 14 and 15, the Leeds art and ceramics studio will host its annual Blue Light Special Art Show. This unique event embraces the imperfect or flawed “seconds” that normally don’t see the light of commerce, along with the best each of the more than 50 artists have to offer.

The show will be held in a connecting 24,000-square-foot building. As part of the event, local potters have been paired with local chefs who will be providing lunch.

A $25 donation gets hot soup and bread served in handmade Earthborn bowls. Those proceeds, along with the $2 entry fee, benefit First Light Women’s Shelter.

Earthborn Studios produces high-end, chef-quality pottery and has been featured on shows including Iron Chef America. Their pottery was also featured in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Commander’s Palace debuts Commander’s Collection

Just in time for the holiday season, the legendary Commander’s Palace in New Orleans has announced the launch of a home goods line, Commander’s Collection, so everyone can take home a piece of the seven-time James Beard Award-winning restaurant.

Co-proprietors Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan personally curated every product in the Commander’s Collection as a reflection of their styles and philosophy. At Commander’s, “we’re only as good as our last meal and hospitality is not just a practice; it’s a way of life.” Martin said. “Just as Commander’s Palace is committed to creating dining memories, the Commander’s Collection brings that same fanatical hospitality into guests’ homes.”

The collection is divided into six categories, centered around the kitchen, the heart of the home. Each item has a story to tell, whether inspired by Chef Meg Bickford’s approach to the perfect roux, or reimagining Commander’s dinner menu artwork by local artist Tim Trapolin, on a French tea towel.

For the chef, there is a Commander’s Palace x TILIT apron, a kid’s turtle apron, high-end Berti knives and Nola Boards end-grain cutting boards.

For the bar, there are Match pewter martini glasses or engraved pewter jigger, a Nola Board bar cutting board, and embroidered cocktail napkins.

For the table, there are sets of Banana Leaf plates, Blue Ribbon dessert plates, latte cup and saucer, bar towels and tea towels.

For the pantry, items include Commander’s Palace candied and spiced pecans, El Guapo cocktail mixers, New Orleans Tea Company Blood Orange Sazerac Black Tea, salted Bananas Foster caramels, and Creole seasonings.

For the host, there is a Commander’s Palace walking umbrella, Tally baseball hat and socks, and several Commanders books.

The sixth category is Special Editions, occasional exclusive items, currently including a Commander’s Palace women’s scarf, designed by artist Tim Trapolin and depicting Martin and Brennan’s childhood when Aunt Adelaide would make a grand entrance down the spiral staircase at her Prytania Street home.

The collection is available online at shop.commanderspalace.com, and at Commander’s Palace’s new café, Le Petit Bleu.

Brennan said “life is a celebration, and we’re inviting you to the party.”

Photo by Michael Sentino

Lally Brennan and Ti Adelaide Martin with Commander’s Collection kitchen goods

Banana Leaf plate and bar cutting board

TILIT apron

chanukah gifts

Hollywood Feed Stores in Birmingham, Huntsville, Oxford, Jackson, Shreveport hollywoodfeed.com

Mon Ami

Your furry friends can celebrate too — with the dreidel chew toy (above) or the Plush Joy Vey Bone. No local store? Order online!

40 Church Street, Crestline Birmingham 205/848.7800 monamibham.com

Mon Ami is French for “my friend” and the Crestline Village store has become the place to get kids’ clothes sizes 4 to 18, as well as Chanukah gifts.

They have holiday-themed puzzles by White Mountain, watches by Watchitude, winter pants by Iscream, Alabama and Auburn Blue Tooth, shirts as well as hair brushes.

Fish Market Southside

GoldieLox goldielox.com

From GoldieLox in Dallas, East Meets Kvetch in Menschie Mahjong, a Jewish-themed tile set for the Mah Jongg maven in your life. Use SJL10 for a 10 percent discount!

612 22nd Street So. Birmingham 205/322.3330 thefishmarket.net

It isn’t just great Greek seafood — The Fish Market has a market of imported goods, from copper cookware to pottery to specialty foods.

The gift of Space Camp is the adventure of a lifetime

As the holidays approach, the perennial question remains: what can I give that’s not the same-old thing? The U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville has some out-of-this world answers for this annual conundrum.

The Rocket Center’s gift shop is chock-full of interesting items for the space or science enthusiast on your list. The shop has dozens of NASA T-shirts and other apparel both in store and online, including Snoopy T’s and hoodies celebrating the Artemis return mission to the moon. The shop also has a plethora of space-themed socks, as well as flight suits and jackets for the would-be astronaut in your life.

For another type of T, the shop carries Piper and Leaf’s Lemon Blush Nebula, a tasty blend made for the Rocket Center. For the littles in your life, the Rocket Center’s gift shop also has space-themed toys ranging from bouncing moon balls to plushies of all the planets in our solar system. And who wouldn’t love to have a stuffed Saturn V rocket?

For those looking to give the gift of experience, the Rocket Center offers multiple membership options, from a student option to the Mars Family membership that covers yearlong admission for a family of up to six. Membership also includes free general admission to more than 250 participating Association of Science and Technology Centers worldwide.

Now is the perfect time to give the gift of membership as the Rocket Center has recently completed two major projects: renovations of its Rocket Park and the Space Shuttle full stack exhibit. The Rocket Park renovation included the refurbishment and remounting of five historic rockets and the inclusion of a section of the SLS pathfinder, hardware NASA used for fit testing of the SLS launch vehicle that will send Americans back to the moon.

The space shuttle project included a complete renovation of the Pathfinder shuttle orbiter, an important test article used during the shuttle program for logistics training and transport. The Rocket Center stripped the orbiter to its metal hull and rebuilt the exterior with more than 550 3-D printed panels designed to withstand the elements for years to come.

The Rocket Center is also gearing up to celebrate the Year of Aviation in 2025, with plans for programming and activities all year on the aviation theme. From special speakers to events, the Year of Aviation will highlight the center’s extensive aircraft collection.

For the ultimate gift of experience, consider the gift of Space Camp. Space Camp and its sister programs — Aviation Challenge, Space Camp Robotics, and U.S. Cyber Camp — are weeklong, overnight programs for ages 9 to 18, and are designed to engage young people in the subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The Rocket Center’s museum and grounds are the classroom for these programs, so campers enjoy the exhibits, simulators, and shows in the world-class INTUITIVE Planetarium while learning teamwork, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

Beyond the program for young people, the Rocket Center also holds regular family and adult camp programs. Family Space Camp is the perfect way to introduce a child to the program, and it’s the ultimate family adventure as each member serves an equally important role in a simulated mission to space.

Adult Space Camp is for grown-ups who never got to come to Space Camp as a child but always wanted to, as well as those who want to relive what was often a highlight of their childhood and for those who love an adventure.

Through Jan. 31, SJL readers can get a $100 discount on Space Camp tuition by using the code SJL25.

Southern Jewish Chanukah

Chanukah events lighting up the South

Editor’s Note: These events are ones that were announced as of press time. Check with individual organizations for reservations and the latest details.

Alabama

Chabad on Wheels is planning a Light Up Alabama road trip, hit-

100 Men Hall throwing a Matzo Ball

The 100 Men Hall, an African-American landmark in Bay St. Louis, will host its fourth annual Matzo Ball, an annual holiday mashup held on one of the nights of Chanukah, Dec. 28 at 6:30 p.m. There will be food for purchase by Chef Gene Coia, including latkes, a menorah lighting, last-minute shopping and music by Meryl Zimmerman and the Miracles from New Orleans.

As part of the festivities, there will be the ceremonial throwing of a large matzah ball in celebration of all winter holidays, including Chanukah, Christmas, Las Posadas, the winter solstice, Soyal and Kwanzaa.

Built in 1922 by the One Hundred Members’ Debating Benevolent Association, the Hall has been a longtime center of African American social life and entertainment. The organization disbanded in 1982 and the Disabled American Veterans acquired it in 1982. After Katrina, the building was rescued by a new owner, and in 2018 Rachel Dangermond bought the venue to preserve it and tell its story, honoring live music and broadening its focus to the Latin, Jewish and LGBTQ communities.

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

ting eight cities in eight nights, with Grand Menorah Lightings, Chanukah parties and house visits. The Florence celebration will be at 5 p.m. on Dec. 26 at Wilson Park, with the lighting at 6 p.m. The first-ever lighting on the Capitol steps in Montgomery will be on Dec. 29, with the party starting at 2:30 p.m. and the lighting at 3:30 p.m. There will be a Dothan celebration on Dec. 30 at 5 p.m. at Grove Park, with the lighting at 6 p.m. Additional programs will be announced.

Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El will have its Chanukah party on Dec. 27 at 4:15 p.m., with a casual pizza dinner and doughnuts, followed by Kabbalat Shabbat.

Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will have its annual Chanukah luncheon and raffle on Dec. 15 at 11:30 a.m. Cost is $18 for adults, $5 for ages 12 and under. Sisterhood will have a Chanukah pizza night at Slice Vestavia on Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Knesseth Israel in Birmingham will hold its Chanukah Shabbat dinner on Dec. 27, with mincha at 4:30 p.m., followed by ma’ariv and dinner. Reservations are $36, free for under 12.

Birmingham’s N.E. Miles Jewish Day School will have its Chanukah winter program and Kabbalat Shabbat on Dec. 20 at 1:30 p.m.

Bais Ariel Chabad’s Grand Menorah Lighting at the Summit in Birmingham, with the Levite Jewish Community Center and Birmingham Jewish Federation, will be on Dec. 29 at 4:15 p.m. at Saks Plaza, with the lighting ceremony at 5:15 p.m. The Mountain Brook pre-Chanukah party will be in Mountain Brook Village on Dec. 19 at 5 p.m., outside Jeni’s. There will be a Hoover family fair and menorah lighting on Dec. 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Hoover Library, with the lighting at 3:30 p.m., and a Homewood menorah lighting on Dec. 26 at 5:30 p.m. outside Trak Shak on 18th Street. The UAB menorah lighting will be on Dec. 27

at noon. The Car Menorah Parade will be on Dec. 30 at 5 p.m., starting at Chabad and finishing at Vestavia City Hall for the lighting at 5:30 p.m.

Dothan’s Temple Emanu-El will have its Chanukah potluck on Dec. 27 at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Shabbat Chanukah service at 7 p.m.

B’nai Israel in Florence has set its covered dish Chanukah party for Dec. 27 at 6 p.m.

Chabad of Huntsville will have a menorah lighting in Florence on Dec. 26 at 5 p.m. at Wilson Park.

Huntsville Chabad’s Chanukah at Bridge Street will be on Dec. 29 at 4:30 p.m. A Chanukah Shabbat dinner will be on Dec. 27, with services at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. Chanukah on Ice will be on Dec. 30 at 5 p.m., with skating in the park, and a New Years Eve menorah lighting will be on Dec. 31 at 9:30 p.m. at The Camp at Midcity.

Etz Chayim in Huntsville will have its latke party and Bingo, Dec. 15 at 11:30 a.m. Lunch begins at 12:30 p.m. Reservations are $8 for ages 18 and up, free for 17 and under.

Temple B’nai Sholom in Huntsville will have its Early Chanukah Dinner on Dec. 21 at 5:30 p.m.

Ahavas Chesed in Mobile will have an “Almost Chanukah” party on Dec. 22 at 6 p.m.

Chabad of Mobile will hold its Chanukah celebration with the lighting of a nine-foot floral menorah, Dec. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Bienville Square, and Dec. 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Fairhope Pier Pavilion.

Springhill Avenue Temple in Mobile will have a community Chanukah celebration on Dec. 27 at 7 p.m., following Shabbat services, with latkes, a menorah lighting and music by the New Orleans Klezmer All Star Duo.

Temple Beth Or and Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem in Montgomery will have a joint community Chanukah dinner, Dec. 27 at Beth Or. Joint services will be at 6 p.m., followed by dinner. Adult members are $20, non-members are $30, children 13 and under are free. Reserve by Dec. 16.

The city of Montgomery will host a Chanukah celebration, Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall auditorium.

Temple Emanu-El Tuscaloosa will have a Shabbat Chanukah service with menorah lighting on Dec. 27 at 6 p.m., followed by a group dinner at Mr. Chen’s.

Florida Panhandle

Chabad Emerald Coast will have a Menorah Workshop at Home Depot in Destin, Dec. 15 at 10:30 a.m. Reservations are required, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Chabad Emerald Coast will have two big Chanukah celebrations, the 30A event on Dec. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at Barrett Square in Rosemary Beach, and Destin’s HarborWalk stage on Dec. 29 at 5 p.m.

The Community Chanukah Menorah Lighting hosted by Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach will be on Dec. 28 at 5:30 p.m., at the Fort Walton Beach Landing Park. There will also be a Chanukah Shabbat service on Dec. 27 at 6 p.m., followed by a dairy potluck.

What’s

B’nai Israel in Panama City will have its Chanukah party on Dec. 20 at 6 p.m., followed by the 7 p.m. service.

Chabad in Panama City Beach will have its Grand Menorah Lighting at Pier Park on Dec. 29.

Temple Beth El in Pensacola will have its Latke Making Party on Dec. 15 from 8 to 11 a.m., followed by the Chanukah Fest with the Pensacola Jewish Federation, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There will be olive oil sampling, latkes and doughnuts, crafts, games and a bounce house. There will also be a latke dinner following the Shabbat Chanukah service on Dec. 27 at 6 p.m.

B’nai Israel in Pensacola will have a Chanukah dinner and movie, “Full Court Miracle,” on Dec. 30 at 6:30 p.m.

Chabad of Pensacola will have a children’s pre-Chanukah block party, Dec. 22 at 10:30 a.m. A community Chanukah party will be on Dec. 25 at 5 p.m. with Chinese cuisine and Chanukah favorites, and prepare in advance for a contest for best DIY kosher menorah. On Dec. 26 at 7 p.m. there will be a Young Jewish Professionals beachfront mansion party at 7 p.m., reserve for location. On Dec. 27, there will be a Shabbat dinner featuring Rabbi Danow’s Menorah Challah, at 6:30 p.m. On Dec. 28, the Mentch Club will meet for drinks and dreidel, location given upon reservation. On Dec. 29 at 5 p.m., there will be the Grand Menorah Lighting, fire show and market at the Old County Courthouse, Artel Gallery, downtown. On Dec. 30 at 7 p.m., the Jewish Women’s Circle will have Menorahs and Martinis, making granite menorahs.

The Pensacola Jewish Federation and PJ Our Way will have Light Up the Night, for ages 10 and up, Dec. 29 at 5 p.m. at the home of Craig and Vivian. There will be candlemaking and treats.

Sea Shul on 30A will have a Chanukah Tot Shabbat on Dec. 27 at 4 p.m. at the Nature School in Santa Rosa Beach. It is geared for ages 5 and up but all are welcome. The Menorahs and Martinis Chanukah Celebration will be on Dec. 28 at the Seaside Assembly Hall on Dec. 28 at 5 p.m., with a service followed by the potluck dinner.

Louisiana

Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria will have a latke making party on Dec. 27 at 10 a.m., followed by the Chanukah Shabbat service and family dinner at 6 p.m.

Chabad of Baton Rouge will hold its 10th anniversary Chanukah at the State Capitol, Dec. 29 at 4:30 p.m., with a menorah lighting on the Capitol steps. There will also be a Top Chef Latke Edition competition on Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Rouses Burbank.

The Lafayette Grand Menorah Lighting, coordinated by Chabad of Baton Rouge and Temple Shalom, will be on Dec. 30 at 4:30 p.m. at Parc Sans Souci.

Chabad of Baton Rouge will have a Grand Menorah Lighting in Lake Charles on Dec. 26 at 4:30 p.m. at the Historic City Hall.

With Chanukah on the way, the Pollack Glass Studio Gallery in New Orleans is hosting “The Menorah Show,” an art exhibit of handmade menorahs by some of the top glass artists in the country. Curated by Andrew Pollack, the show is open through Chanukah. The menorahs are made from borosilicate glass, known for durability and heat resistance, and it allows for intricate, detailed designs.

JNOLA and Chabad are co-hosting Chanukah at the Pelicans, on Dec. 30. There will be a 5 p.m. Happy Hour at Jameson Sports Bar at section 104. A menorah lighting will be held at 6 p.m., and tipoff against the Clippers is at 7 p.m.

MyZuzah engages Jewish households by providing them with mezuzahs directly, or through our network of 450+ partner organizations around the world.

To date, over 20,000 Jewish homes in 74 countries have a MyZuzah mezuzah on their front door.

There will be a Chanukah Wonderland sponsored by the New Orleans Jewish Community Center, JCRS and PJ Library, Chabad and JNOLA on Dec. 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Goldring-Woldenberg Jewish Community Campus in Metairie. There will be face painting, a dreidel bounce house, DIY menorahs, candle making, Chanukah manicures, cookie decorating, games, a sand table, toddler zone, food court by D’vash, and more. There will also be the debut of a Chanukah virtual reality headset. Tickets are $10 per child.

The Green Preschool at Jewish Community Day School in Metairie will have a Festival of Lights on Bart Field, Dec. 18 at 6 p.m.

The New Orleans Jewish Community Center’s Chanukah Celebration at the Uptown location will be on Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m. The free event features local brass/funk band The Hebrew Hammers, along with homemade latkes and sufganiyot from the Chabad kitchen, and a light vegetarian dinner. There will be dreidels, gelt and Chanukah candles to take home. Reservations are requested.

Jewish Community Day School in Metairie will have its Chanukah extravaganza, How I Met Your Menorah, Dec. 20 at 8:15 a.m. at Shir Chadash.

Gates of Prayer Preschool PTA in Metairie will have a Chanukah Bake Sale benefiting the school, Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Gates of Prayer in Metairie and PJ Library will have a Chanukah Havdalah Munchkin Minyan in pajamas, Dec. 21 at 5 p.m.

Chabad of Louisiana announced that this year’s community outdoor menorah lighting will be on Dec. 26 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Bart Field behind the Uptown Jewish Community Center. A return to Riverwalk is expected for 2025. The free event includes a giant menorah, latke bar, children’s activities, special presentations and music. There will also be a Chanukah at Lakeside event on Dec. 29 at 4 p.m. with music by the Klezmer Allstars, a strolling magician and more. A mobile menorah parade is also planned for Dec. 28, leaving Chabad Uptown at 7:30 p.m. and finishing at the French Quarter with an afterparty.

Chabad of Metairie will have an adult pre-Chanukah pop-up bar on Dec. 21 at 8 p.m., with a latke bar, pasta bar, drink bar, and sufganiyot/dessert bar. Reservations are $25 by Dec. 15, $36 after. Teens sixth grade and up can attend with a parent, $15 by Dec. 15. Money raised will buy Chanukah gifts for Israeli children who have lost a parent since Oct. 7, and wrapped gifts between $15 and $25 are welcome for an auction.

Temple Sinai in New Orleans will celebrate Chanukah with a Chavurah@Sinai Chanukah party, Glowsticks and Gelt, on Dec. 15 at 10:30 a.m. Latkes and Vodka will be on Dec. 18 at 6 p.m., with a latke bar, vodka martini bar and raffle. Chanukah on the Avenue will be on Dec. 27 at 5:30 p.m., with an outdoor menorah lighting followed by a Chanukah nosh, and services at 6:15 p.m.

Touro Synagogue in New Orleans will have a pre-Chanukah celebration and Yamim Yafin Consecration on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m., with the fried food festival following services. Dinner reservations are $18 for adults, $8 for kids.

Tribe at Gates of Prayer in Metairie will have a Chanukah Happy Hour, Dec. 22 at 5 p.m. at Port Orleans Brewing. Chanukah attire encouraged, first drink and appetizers are complimentary, and bring a white elephant gift in the $15 range.

JP Nola will have an Illuminate With Pride Chanukah Art Night, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. at Wrong Iron. There will be latkes, drinks and the opportunity to create an 11x14 painting on a wooden panel, led by local artist Billie Little. Registration is $10.

Beth Israel in Metairie will have a family Chanukah party on Dec. 25 at 4 p.m. with a Chinese buffet and screening of “Shrek.” Bring a $10 gift for a kids small gift exchange.

There will be a Latkes and Roller Skates event at Airline Skate Center in Metairie, Dec. 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There will be games, pizza, latkes and family activities. The event is coordinated by Slater Torah Academy, Jewish Preschool for the Arts, PJ Library, JCRS and JNola. Reservations are $8 before Dec. 16, $12 after.

Shir Chadash in Metairie will have an Ugly Sweater Chanukah-raoke party, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. An ugly sweater or singing is not required. The event is for ages 21 and up.

Agudath Achim in Shreveport will have a Chanukah covered dish dinner with the Dec. 27 Shabbat service at 6:30 p.m.

B’nai Zion in Shreveport will have a Chanukah Shabbat on Dec. 27 at 6 p.m., with a potluck dinner after services. Latkes will be provided. Reserve by Dec. 20.

The North Louisiana Jewish Federation’s community Chanukah party will be on Dec. 29 at 5 p.m. at Agudath Achim. There is no charge, but reservations are required.

Mississippi

Hebrew Union Congregation in Greenville will have its Chanukah luncheon on Dec. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The luncheon is $5.

Beth Israel in Gulfport will have a community Shabbat/Chanukah dinner on Dec. 27, and a menorah lighting at the Gulfport Premium Outlets on Dec. 29 at 4:30 p.m. outside Bloomingdeals. There will also be a lighting at Quakes in the Ocean Springs area, details to be announced.

Beth Israel in Jackson will have a Chanukah dinner on Dec. 29 at 5:30 p.m.

B’nai Israel in Tupelo will have its Chanukah potluck on Dec. 29 at 5 p.m.

Fight childhood

From the moment they come into the world, we do our best, trying to get it right. So what happens when something goes wrong?

That’s when we have to get it right.

The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Hospital New Orleans has the biggest cancer fighting team in the Gulf South and the most advanced therapies that can be found anywhere – all right here, in our own backyard. So they can get right back to being kids again.

chnola.org/cancer

From the back page of this magazine to under your drink on the coffee table

Critical (acclaim)

“He periodically spells my name right.” – Moses

“Yes, we gave him a graduate degree. We’re looking into it.” – chancellor, Jewish Theological Seminary

“Half of the things he says I said, I never said. Including this.” – his mother

“He knows more about Judaica than most, and you won’t find any of it in this book.”

– his fourth-grade teacher

“I’ll deal with him.”

– The Almighty Big G

Tuscan Orange Roughy

Ingredients:

8 oz. Orange Roughy Filet

1 cup spinach

1/2 cup sundried tomato

1/3 cup white cooking wine

1 tbsp minced garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

On a grill or skillet, heat up extra virgin olive oil and sear your fish for three minutes on each side. In separate sauté skillet, add white wine and extra virgin olive oil on medium heat.

Once hot, add in spinach, tomato and garlic. Let spinach wilt, and serve immediately over the fish. The fish pairs well with a green salad or a starchy vegetable.

The Fish Market

By Lee J. Green

It’s rare to find a place to get both a great meal and unique Chanukah gifts.

But for 42 years, The Fish Market has hooked customers with some of the freshest seafood, a friendly environment and, in recent years, a place to find high-quality imports.

“We get regular shipments from Greece and other neighboring countries in Europe,” said co-owner Dino Sarris, whose father George came over to the United States and started The Fish Market in 1982. They moved to their current location in Birmingham’s Southside in 2007.

“Some of our most popular imports and antiques are hand-painted ceramic bowls, copper cookware and ones that tie into meal (preparation, serving),” he said.

Customers can also go home with uncut and unscaled fish for kosher home preparation. They have numerous items on the menu that are kosher-style and they can customize any order.

Dino Sarris said they have hosted and catered many kosher and kosher-style celebrations over the years. At the restaurant, they have rooms that can accommodate a small group or up to 100 people.

“We recently provided the kosher catering for a successful celebration at Chabad of Alabama. We’re so grateful for the Jewish community and the support they have given us for so many years now,” said Sarris.

He said The Fish Market will regularly add new specials to its expansive menu and if they are well-received — such as the VIP Snapper — the restaurant adds them to the permanent menu. Their latest special is the Tuscan Orange Roughy.

Gray Maddox and Ashley Turner, owners Our Menus

>> Rear Pew Mirror

continued from page 46 a power play happens when some members of synagogue boards forget why they’re all there in the first place and, despite that, redouble their efforts.

In hockey, icing is sometimes called by the officials resulting in a faceoff in the opposite end of the ice. Nobody understands the rule. In Judaism, the Talmud is full of faceoffs between opposing rabbis. Nobody understands their resulting rules.

A Judaic judicial body (a Sanhedrin) is composed of three people. In hockey, there are four adjudicating officials on the ice. Hockey needs the extra official because, unlike most people appearing before a Sanhedrin, hockey players bring sticks.

Hockey and Judaism share one last, overarching characteristic: both live with the perilous risk of skating on thin ice.

Doug Brook thinks that kiddush lunches would be better, and stay cleaner, if they had a Zamboni go through every few minutes. To acquire both FIVE-star rated Rear Pew Mirror books, read other past columns, or listen to the FIVE-star rated Rear Pew Mirror podcast, visit http://rearpewmirror.com/.

>> Agenda

come through musical encounters.

The Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans Mental Health Professionals workshops continue on Jan. 17 with “Hurricane Trauma: How to Prepare for it, Identify it and Treat it,” with Ashley Comegys. This class will be held via Zoom from 9 a.m. to noon. Comegys is a licensed clinical social worker with a multi-state online therapy practice that helps women with anxiety navigate life transitions, such as motherhood, grief, trauma, and loss. The class will explore how to identify the differences between clinical diagnosis of acute stress response and post-traumatic stress response, examining three strategies to help participants prepare for working with clients who have experienced trauma related to a hurricane. Registration is on the JFS website.

Temple Sinai will have a Community MLK Shabbat on Jan. 17 at 6:15 p.m. The evening will include remarks by Rev. Herbert Brisbon III, director of the National Center for Black-Jewish Relations, at Dillard University. There will also be participation by the New Voices New Orleans Choir, Loyola Gospel Choir, Spirit of New Orleans Gospel Choir and members of

continued from page 9

the Klezmer Allstars and the Panorama Band.

The annual Harriet Kugler Memorial Mah Jongg Tournament will be held at the Uptown Jewish Community Center in New Orleans on Jan. 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All skill levels are welcome. The tournament will be in three rounds, with rotating tables, played by National Mah Jongg League rules, with 13 tiles and the 2024 card. Registration is $50 and includes one entry for the door prize giveaway. Additional entries are $25 with proceeds to JCC Active Adults programming. Registration includes snacks and lunch.

JNOLA will have a service project with lowernine.org on Jan. 10 from noon to 4 p.m. The organization is dedicated to rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward, and the afternoon will be for painting, yard work, repairs and other restoration efforts. Lunch, snacks and drinks will be provided.

Touro Synagogue in New Orleans announced a new date for Broadway Shabbat — March 21 — featuring the music of Jason Robert Brown, with Cantor Kevin Margolius and Alix Paige Loomis.

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Alabama is one of three states who currently have an ovarian cancer car tag. The Drive Out Ovarian Cancer car tag raises money for research in hopes that one day, doctors will discover an early detection test for ovarian cancer, so that women will be tested for this insidious disease at their annual checkups just like cervical and breast cancers.

The mission of the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation (NLOCF) is to raise funds for ovarian cancer research and to increase awareness about the risks, symptoms and treatments of this disease.

The net proceeds of the $50.00 are distributed to the NLOCF to be used for ovarian cancer research at the UAB hospital. The Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. Your $50 contribution is tax-deductible.

The Hockey Shtick

What should one do with a difficult question? Ask a rabbi. Or, as said in some circles, ask a rav.

Thanks to the minor league San José Barracuda of the American Hockey League, it’s possible to do just that. This season’s goalie is none other than Yaroslav Askarov.

Formerly of the Nashville Predators, Askarov is a rising star. (Not a Dallas Star.) He has excelled this season for the Barracuda, which has had several games where one spectator wore a Birmingham Barracudas hat from that one-time mid-‘90s Canadian Football League team.

Playing at a similar level as the Birmingham Bulls, Huntsville Havoc, Knoxville Ice Bears and Pensacola Ice Flyers, it’s only a matter of time until Askarov is having a biblical impact on the fortunes of the San José Sharks which, despite appearances in recent years, are still part of the National Hockey League.

Is Askarov Jewish? Nothing indicates it. One could ask him, but that would entail reaching out. It’s simpler (Yiddish for “lazier”) to just assume he’s not.

Surprisingly, the 2024-25 NHL season started with 13 Jewish players on NHL rosters. Also, at least five Jewish players graced opening rosters in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, which is even more surprising, both because the PWHL exists and because there are Jewish girls playing ice hockey.

Two of the Jewish NHL players are on the New Jersey Devils roster. This would seemingly upset a Jewish mother – because of devils, not because of New Jersey. But the Hughes brothers’ matriarch was herself a hockey player, and they’re the first American family to have three siblings (a third plays for Quebec) picked in the NHL draft’s first round, as well as the first Jewish trio of brothers to play in the same game.

Rabbinic inspiration can be found almost anywhere…

If Askarov were Jewish, what would he say about how hockey and Judaism are similar? After all, his name and occupation beg that he be asked about this. Of course, one could ask any of the confirmed-Jewish players – two of them play for the San José Sharks just up the street – but see the aforementioned “simpler (lazier)” clause.

The origins of the word “hockey” are unknown. There are numerous theories. One heretofore unexpressed, non-existent theory hints that hockey is perhaps the most Jewish of sports.

The word “hock” in Yiddish means to nag, bother, or pester – often done by someone who has numerous theories. As one grandfather used to say, “would you quit hocking me a tshaynik.” Hockey revolves around players pestering each other on the ice as they try to score, and bothering the fans with very few successful attempts to score.

Are there other ways that hockey is Jewish? They’re as numerous as the stars on the ice in a Dallas game.

In hockey, the goalie is a heavily-dressed protector of the goal. In Judaism, the gelila is called up after the Torah reading to heavily dress the Torah. Thus, the person who helps the goalie into all that heavy gear can be called the goalila.

In hockey, a power play is when one team has more players on the ice than the other due to someone being sent to the penalty box. In Judaism,

HappyChanukah!