Southern Jewish Life NEW ORLEANS EDITION
INSIDE:
January 2017 Volume 27 Issue 1
Southern Jewish Life 3747 West Esplanade, 3rd Floor Metairie, LA 70002 Gemiluth Chassodim, Port Gibson, Miss.
2 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
Southern Jewish Life
shalom y’all shalom y’all shalom y’all Look for
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In mid-December, there was an opinion piece on The Forward’s website by a woman in Chicago, explaining why her family was keeping their Jewish identity quiet amid rising intolerance this holiday season. Some comments blamed the Trump phenomenon for making it difficult to be outwardly Jewish these days. If that’s in Chicago, what of the Deep South, in the Trumpest of red states? People from elsewhere already wonder if it’s “okay” to be Jewish in these parts. Indeed. It is difficult to “keep quiet” when you have close to 10,000 blue and white lights outside in an elaborate and unmistakeably-Chanukah light display, including 2,500 in a 15-foot by 20-foot Chanukiah, a seven-foot spinning dreidel, and so forth. Even more so when the Wacky Tacky Christmas Lights tour brings close to 40 buses over three nights. There were perhaps a couple dozen Jews among the over 1,000 guests who came by to see “something completely different” during their Christmas tour. Questions were abundant. Every busload asked what the Krispy Kreme-themed “Hot Sufganiyot Now” sign meant. Some people said they went on the tour specifically because “the Chanukah house” would be a stop. The only hint of negativity came from Auburn fans upset with the “Roll Tide” banner. What was truly mind-blowing, though, happened in the back of one of the buses while handing out chocolate gelt. Three young girls in elaborate Christmas outfits wanted to sing to me. It was a Chanukah song. A century ago, our immigrant ancestors sought to leave their “different” identities at home and become outwardly American. Today, it seems the best way to be American Larry Brook is to be yourself, embrace it and celebrate it. EDITOR/PUBLISHER EDITOR@SJLMAG.COM
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Larry Brook EDITOR/PUBLISHER
Larry Brook
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EDITOR@SJLMAG.COM
There’s a crescent in Touro’s logo for a reason. We’ve cared for the Crescent City for 165 years. From Uptown to Lakeview and then some, there’s one name in healthcare that stands out above the rest. Touro specializes in a wide range of services, including emergency and acute care, cardiology, surgical services, cancer treatment, women’s services, rehabilitation, diagnostic imaging, orthopaedics, stroke care and more. No wonder so many patients choose Touro. We are New Orleans’ Hospital. Find out more at touro.com.
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 3
January 2017
commentary
Southern Jewish Life
Kindergarten on our minds How to select a great fit for your child — and you By Sharon Pollin JCDS Oscar J. Tolmas Head of School
The educational landscape in the New Orleans area has shifted dramatically in the years following Hurricane Katrina. Nearly all public schools in Orleans Parish, and many in Jefferson Parish, have become charter and magnet schools requiring application for admission, as do area private schools. This means that parents need to take time to determine what is important regarding a great educational fit for their children, and how to identify it when they see it. All parents select a school for their children based on academic quality, yet many other considerations also come into play. These may include school location, transportation options, meal programs, co-curricular enrichment, after-school offerings, and level of parent involvement, to name a few of the top selection drivers. Jewish Community Day School, offering grades Pre-K through 5, has put together this guide to support parents on their search for the “just-right fit” Kindergarten. Knowing Your Child. This is critical! Is your child a talker? A do-er? A builder? A lover of pretend play or art? An outdoorsy type? Shy? Use your knowledge of your child — and of your own values — to determine the environment that will celebrate your child’s strengths, support his/her talents and interests, and guide next steps of learning in an inspiring and safe environment. Guiding Questions for Parents. Be sure to visit potential schools in person. Use the following questions as a guide to determine school quality. Ultimately, you must feel that the kindergarten you select is a good match for your child and your family.
is another question that will lead to a discussion of educational philosophy. • What kind of time and experiences support language and the opportunity for children to speak? Research tells us that language actually leads learning! • What do you expect students to have mastered by the end of kindergarten? How is mastery determined? What happens if my child does not achieve the benchmarks? • How much time do children have for discovery and play? Young children must engage in a wide variety of experience-building discovery and play; doing so directly supports reading, math and problem solving skills. • How do you support social and emotional development? If they miss this when they are 5, it’s hard to make it up when they are 10! • Are there co-curricular enrichment classes? These may include art, music, PE, etc. • How much daily outdoor time? It is imperative that children have plenty of unstructured time outside. To learn more, visit https://www. naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200909/On%20Our%20 Minds%20909.pdf • How are behavior problems handled? Do you have a formal discipline policy? Would you ever expel a child? • What distinguishes your school from others? What are you most proud of about your school? • During your tour, ask about the facility and what children can access; gym, pool, library, computers, learning or tinker lab, after school clubs, before or after care, etc. Knowing about these will give you a sense of what the school values and how well they support working families. • How much homework is there? Many schools follow the recommended 10 minute per grade pattern, plus nightly reading. Homework in Kindergarten varies. Find out what the expectation is in the upper grades in anticipation of future years. To learn more visit http://www. cnn.com/2015/08/12/health/homework-elementary-school-study/ • How do you support children with different learning styles and needs? • How are your teachers supported as learners themselves?
• What is your educational approach? Are you a child centered program? What benchmarks/standards/curriculum do you follow? It is important that these questions are answered clearly, and even better if you’re able to follow up terms with a Google search so you fully understand their meaning. • What is your student-teacher ratio? Does that change in the upper grades? When? Research has confirmed the benefits of small classes in grades three and lower. • Are your teachers committed to knowing To reach Pollin for more information about their students well? How does that happen? Kindergarten, call (504) 887-4091 or email spol• Are classes multi-age? Why/Why not? This lin@jcdsnola.org. 4 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
PUBLISHER/EDITOR Lawrence M. Brook editor@sjlmag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING Lee J. Green lee@sjlmag.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ginger Brook ginger@sjlmag.com SOCIAL/WEB Eugene Walter Katz eugene@sjlmag.com PHOTOGRAPHER-AT-LARGE Rabbi Barry C. Altmark deepsouthrabbi.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tally Werthan, Marlene Kwestel Belle Freitag, Max Schaefer Doug Brook brookwrite.com Bubba Meyer bubba@sjlmag.com BIRMINGHAM OFFICE P.O. Box 130052, Birmingham, AL 35213 14 Office Park Circle #104 Birmingham, AL 35223 205/870.7889 NEW ORLEANS OFFICE 3747 West Esplanade, 3rd Floor Metairie, LA 70002 504/780.5615 TOLL-FREE 866/446.5894 FAX 866/392.7750 connect@sjlmag.com ADVERTISING Advertising inquiries to Lee Green, 205/870.7889 or lee@sjlmag.com Media kit, rates available upon request SUBSCRIPTIONS It has always been our goal to provide a large-community quality publication to all communities of the South. To that end, our commitment includes mailing to every Jewish household in the region (AL, LA, MS, NW FL), without a subscription fee. Outside the area, subscriptions are $25/year, $40/two years. Subscribe via sjlmag.com, call 205/870.7889 or mail payment to the address above. Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission from the publisher. Views expressed in SJL are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff. SJL makes no claims as to the Kashrut of its advertisers, and retains the right to refuse any advertisement.
Documenting this community, a community we are members of and active within, is our passion. We love what we do, and who we do it for.
agenda interesting bits & can’t miss events
Though the New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in overtime on Dec. 5, members of Zeta Beta Tau at Tulane stuck around for this post-game gathering on the court
Louisiana’s new Congressmen supportive of U.S.-Israel relationship Republicans from the South are almost uniformly supportive of Israel, and the three new faces heading to Congress from Louisiana are no different in that regard. Louisiana Treasurer John Kennedy defeated Foster Campbell, 61 percent to 39 percent, in the U.S. Senate runoff. Close to two dozen candidates ran for the open seat, with white supremacist David Duke making a lot of noise in the primary but winding up with 3 percent to place seventh. In 2004, Kennedy was treasurer when Louisiana became the first state that allowed its investment funds to purchase foreign bonds. A $5 million Israel Bonds purchase was the first step after the legislation passed. “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East,” Kennedy said in 2004. “It is America’s only true friend in the Middle East, and it is one of our staunchest allies. I am pleased that we could take this first step in forging a meaningful economic relationship between Israel and Louisiana.” In 2014, he called Israel “an astonishing success story” and noted the historic and cultural ties, and mutual interests between Israel and the U.S. In House District 3, Captain Clay Higgins, who made an online name for himself as the “Cajun John Wayne,” pulled a surprising runoff victory against Scott Angelle, 56 percent to 44 percent. Known for his no-nonsense crime reports, in March, Higgins resigned as spokesman for the St. Landry Parish Sheriff ’s Office in Opelousas, then was sworn in as a reserve deputy in Lafayette. Higgins, who expresses support for Israel, blames President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the “nightmare of the globalization of
Radical Islamic terror,” and will support all measures to destroy ISIS. He also calls for the revocation of the Iran nuclear deal as “unlawful and contrary to the best interests of America and thus the free world.” Noting a close friend who is Iranian, he said the people of Iran are not the enemy, as they are longing for freedom from an oppressive regime of “religious zealots.” Higgins opposes abortion but says “I suppose” that if a mother’s life were “truly” at risk it should be legal for her to decide what to do about the pregnancy. Senator-elect John Kennedy at an Mike Johnson defeated Mar- Israel Bonds event at the Uptown shall Jones, 65 percent to 35 per- JCC in New Orleans in 2014 cent, in House District 4. An attorney from Benton, Johnson said national defense will be his top priority, since Barksdale and Fort Polk are both located in the district. He said too many in Washington refuse to use the term “radical Islamic
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 5
agenda
Metairie Oncologists Jayne Gurtler, MD • Laura A Brinz, MD & Janet A Burroff, MD
terrorism,” and the U.S. must hold state sponsors of terrorism accountable. “We must strengthen our relations with allied nations in the Middle East, and pledge every measure of support to the nation of Israel — our faithful friend and the only stable Democracy in the region,” he said. “If we do not extinguish the threat of the terrorists in the Middle East, they will soon bring the fight to our soil.”
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With Baby Boomers living longer, what are the implications for them and their families? Rabbi Richard Address will be “Exploring the Issues, Challenges and Opportunities of Sacred Aging” during the Marcus and Millie Landau Lecture Weekend at Gates of Prayer in Metairie, Jan. 20 to 22. Address is the founder and director of Jewish Sacred Aging, a Jewish community forum on aging and longevity. This project has been responsible for creating awareness and resources for congregations on the implication of the emerging longevity revolution with growing emphasis on the aging of the baby boom generation. Address served for over three decades on the staff of the Union for Reform Judaism; first as a regional director and then, beginning in 1997, as founder and director of the URJ’s Department of Jewish Family Concerns, and served as a specialist and consultant for the North American Reform Movement in the areas of family related programming. At the 8 p.m. service on Jan. 20, he will speak on “What Are We Seeking? Reinventing and reimagining life’s third age.” At 9 a.m. on Jan. 21 he will speak on “The ‘Art’ of Care-giving,” then “Making a Jewish Decision as Life Ebbs” at 10:30 a.m. The noon Lunch and Learn will focus on creating new rituals for life’s new stages. At 4:30 p.m., there will be a joint Havdalah program of the congregation’s Dor HaBet and M’vakshim, the Baby Boomers and “Seekers” over55 groups, at a location that was not finalized at press time. The program will be “Standing in Life Before God: Jewish Approach to Health and Wellness.” On Jan. 22, the Brotherhood will host a breakfast, open to all, with Address speaking on “Who Shall Live, Who Shall Die, Who Shall Pay?”
The prophets for today Metairie congregations explore ancient messages for current issues
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The three West Esplanade congregations in Metairie are collaborating on an educational series, “Injustice! Hypocrisy! Oppression!” about the prophets of ancient Israel, and how they were the voices of conscience, speaking truth to power. Each session, open to the community, will be at the congregation of the rabbi leading that week’s discussion, at 7:30 p.m. The focus will be on how the messages from the times of the Prophets resonate in today’s society. On Jan. 11, Rabbi Gabriel Greenberg will discuss Malachi at Beth Israel. Rabbi Deborah Silver will talk about Amos at Shir Chadash on Jan. 18, and Rabbis Alexis Pinsky and Robert Loewy will team up for Micah on Jan. 25.
agenda Joyce Pulitzer recognized as Outstanding Philanthropist On Nov. 10, Joyce Pulitzer was recognized with the Outstanding Philanthropist Award at the Association of Fundraising Professionals New Orleans Chapter Philanthropy Day Luncheon at the Audubon Tea Room. The Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust was also recognized as Outstanding Foundation. “The impact of charitable giving is particularly important to the New Orleans area this year,” said Roselle Ungar, president of the AFP New Orleans chapter. “It is vital we recognize those who have made a significant impact on national philanthropy in our community.” The Outstanding Philanthropist award is given to one who has “a proven record of exceptional generosity over several years,” encourages others to contribute and demonstrates “outstanding civic responsibility through financial support.” Pulitzer has been an active civic and community leader in New Orleans for over 40 years. She has served as president of the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana and the Hermann-Grima and Gallier Historic Houses, and was the first female president of the Anti-Defamation League and Touro Synagogue. Sandy Levy, executive director of JEF, said “Joyce brings her special qualities of vision and leadership to all of the organizations and causes she supports. She has touched and made a difference in many lives.” She has previously been honored by the ADL with the Torch of Liberty Award and by JEF with the Endowment Achievement Award. Pulitzer is also a playwright. She and her co-writers, Lynne Goldman, Harriet Nelson and Marcy Nathan received a “Big Easy” award from Gambit Weekly for best new play for “Cherries Jubilee” in 1999. She has also written two other plays: “Freedom” with co-writers Sean Patterson, David Seelig and Kitty Greenberg and “Life, Liberty, and Social Security” with co-writers David Seelig and Bernard Burk. Pulitzer’s enthusiasm for tackling difficult issues and important causes was evident in the creation of the Anti-Defamation League’s Day of Understanding, a project that she conceived of and implemented over 15 years ago. It is Pulitzer’s belief that strength comes from diversity that led her to develop the Anti-Defamation League’s Day of Understanding over 15 years ago. She was concerned that young people feared their differences and were not communicating effectively. Bringing together three organizations on whose boards she served — Family Service, the National Conference of Community and Justice and ADL — she envisioned a day-long workshop where young people from public, private and parochial schools, from all parishes and from all walks of life, would come together for a day of communication and learning: talking, listening and understanding. She and her husband, Sidney, donated the seed funding and helped to raise the rest. The project was a great success and has become an annual event that grows each year. To date, over 2,000 high school students have participated in this visionary project. The Pulitzers have made provisions in their estate plan to permanently endow the Day of Understanding, and have also created a Legacy plan to provide for other favorite charities after their lifetime. Levy remarked, “her thoughtfulness, her intelligence, her honesty, her energy and her sense of humor are unparalleled. Joyce has spent her lifetime dedicated to making the world a better place.”
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January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 7
agenda The Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge will hold its annual meeting on Jan. 29 at 3 p.m., at B’nai Israel. In addition to the usual topics of the budget and new board members, there will also be a discussion of 2016 flood relief efforts. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served prior to the meeting.
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Sundays in January. Parents can meet each other at Torah Academy over hot coffee and pastries, while children ages 0 to 3 have a chance to explore, learn and play. The 11 a.m. sessions are $5 per family and a $10 Starbucks gift card will be raffled each week. The sessions are Winter Wonderland on Jan. 8, Snowflakes on Jan. 22 On Jan. 29, Touro Synagogue will honor Hal and Fruity Tutty on Jan. 29. and Kathy Shepard with the L’Chayim Award Baton Rouge Hadassah will have its annual “for their unselfish dedication and commitment Jewish Film Festival outing on Jan. 15, meeting to Touro Synagogue over the years as well as at Capital City Grill for a 1 p.m. lunch before their service to the local Jewish community.” going to the 3 p.m. “Sunday Shorts.” A cocktail reception at Touro will begin at 6:30 Touro Synagogue will have a musical event, p.m., followed by a seated dinner catered by “The Great Broadway Musicals of Richard Shaya, and the presentation of the L’Chayim Rogers,” Jan. 20 at 7 p.m., following the 6 p.m. Award. Individual tickets are $125 with patron Shabbat service. George Dansker and friends levels starting at $250. Reservations are request- will perform an excerpt from each musical from ed by Jan. 13. the era where Rodgers collaborated with OsA painted copper Tree of Life sculpture will be dedicated at Gates of Prayer as part of the 6:15 p.m. service on Jan. 6, and will be placed in the lobby over the entrance to the sanctuary. The sculpture is being donated by Susan Ingram and Joseph Loewy, siblings of Gates of Prayer Rabbi Robert Loewy, in recognition of “the special relationship between the Loewy family and Gates of Prayer for over three decades.” Loewy has led the Metairie congregation since 1984.
Rabbi Alexis Berk is leading a three-part Israel Reading Series on Ari Shavit’s “My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel,” at Touro Synagogue in New Orleans. The three sessions are self-contained if one is unable to attend all three. They will be Jan. 11, 18 and 25 at 7 p.m.
car Hammerstein, from “Oklahoma” and “The Sound of Music” to lesser-known works like “Pipe Dream” and “Allegro.”
Torah Academy in Metairie is hosting a free community health fair, Jan. 12 from 4 to 6 p.m., to educate about health resources in the area. There will be blood pressure screening, lead testing, laughter therapy, make-your-own stress balls, a kickboxing demonstration, children’s activities and more.
The next Morris Bart Sr. Lecture Series event at the Uptown Jewish Community Center in New Orleans will be “Jean Lafitte’s Pirate Code,” Jan. 9 at 11:45 a.m. Author Morgan Molthrop, a veteran of Wall Street corporate communications, will discuss Lafitte as the first laissez-faire capitalist, examining his operations Jewish Community Day School in Metairie from a contemporary perspective. will have a hands-on STEAM Sunday for ages 3 to 8, on Jan. 8 at noon. There will be a makeyour-own pizza bar and mad scientist ice cream lab for $6. Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math projects will include engineering bubble wands, paper circuits and balloon hovercrafts.
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8 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
New Orleans Hadassah is kicking off its centennial year with a board installation and brunch, Jan. 8 at 11:30 a.m., at the home of Joy and Michael Feldman in Covington. This will be the first of several centennial events in 2017. The New Orleans Section of the National Council of Jewish Women will have its annual General Meeting on Jan. 19, on being effective allies to the LGBTQ community. Sebastian Rey, president of the board of the LGBT Community Center of New Orleans, will be the guest speaker. The Jan. 19 meeting will be at Temple Sinai, with a happy hour at 6:30 p.m. and program at 7 On Nov. 30, author Bill Lascher spoke about p.m. Reservations are $18 and are due by Jan. 10. his book, “Eve of a Hundred Midnights” at the Uptown Jewish Community Center in New Torah Academy in Metairie and PJ Library Orleans, as part of the Cathy and Morris Bart will have their winter session of Baby Cafe on Jewish Cultural Arts Series.
agenda AVODAH seeks residents for Nola house AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps is recruiting residents for the 2017-18 program year. New Orleans is one of four communities with an Avodah House, along with Chicago, New York and Washington. Avodah provides recent graduates a place to build the foundations for careers, Jewish community, and lifelong activism in social and economic justice movements. Danielle Levine, New Orleans Director, said “We’re looking for leaders and not-yet-leaders, activists and organizers, challah bakers and Shabbat dinner hosts, teachers, learners, and everyone in between to spend the next year pursuing justice with Avodah.” Corps members are ages 21 to 26, and the program provides a monthly living stipend, travel allowance, health insurance and subsidized housing, as well as a year of professional and leadership development. The corps members are paired with a local non-profit, where they work for the year on issues ranging from immigration, hunger and education to public health and domestic violence. They also become active in the local Jewish community. Since coming to New Orleans in 2008 after Katrina, Avodah has worked with 30 local non-profits. Over half of the alumni have stayed in New Orleans after their year was completed, with many staying at the non-profits where they had been placed, or launching their own initiatives. This year’s 10 corps members in New Orleans are from New York, California, Washington state and Maryland. The application deadline is Jan. 30, and the program begins in mid-August. Full program and application information can be found at avodah. net/serve, or contact Russ Agdern at ragdern@avodah.net.
Nat’l group criticizes Sessions pick for AG Bend the Arc Jewish Action CEO Stosh Cotler released a statement opposing the appointment of Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions for United States Attorney General, calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to delay hearings. Cotler called Trump’s selection of Sessions “unfortunate proof of his support for some of the most destructive and anti-democratic principles championed by his supporters,” citing Sessions’ views on “voting rights, criminal justice, LGBTQ rights and women’s rights.” In 2015, Sessions was honored by the Mobile Area Jewish Federation with the Yedid L’Yisrael Award. Larry Voit, past president of the Federation, told Sessions “Your hometown Jewish community appreciates your steadfast support for Israel in the Senate.”
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On Dec. 11, the Jewish Community Youth Theatre in Shreveport presented “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Agudath Achim.
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January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 9
agenda Rabbi Trief installed in Baton Rouge
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Miss. Young Dems close Jewish caucus
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The Jewish Caucus is no longer recognized by the Young Democrats of Mississippi, according to caucus chair Chase Callahan of Meridian. The Young Democrats reorganized its structure in December and decided that “an interfaith caucus would do a better job at representing Jewish interests in Mississippi,” Callahan explained. Daniel Ball was elected interfaith caucus chair at the organization’s December meeting. Founded in 2014, the Jewish Caucus sought “to engage young Democrats in issues of particular Jewish concern and to invigorate young Jews to engage in politics from a progressive Democratic perspective.” Callahan told the group “it was an absolute privilege to serve as your caucus chair for the last 2.5 years” and “I will continue to do what I can to represent the Young Dems and Mississippi’s Jewish population.”
Events teach children to make challah PJ Library and Chabad in two communities are co-hosting a Mega Challah Bake for children, modeled after women’s events that are held nationally. Camp Gan Israel at Torah Academy in Metairie is holding “Louisiana’s largest Kids’ Mega Challah Bake” on Jan. 29 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. This first-ever event will include making the dough from scratch and topping the challah with a favorite topping. The Crescent City Circus will also perform. The event is for ages 3 and up, and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Cost is $12 per child with a $40 maximum per family. Reservations are required, at cgineworleans.com/challahbake. In Birmingham, Chabad of Alabama is hosting a Mini Mega Challah Bake for ages 0 to 5, Jan. 8 at 10 a.m., with challah baking and Shabbat crafts. Participants will be able to take home a Shabbat kit.
community Hoffman: U.S. Jews need to speak out on religious pluralism in Israel Leader of Women of the Wall speaks in New Orleans For years, Anat Hoffman has been in the trenches fighting for pluralism and minority rights in Israel, and she wants Jews outside of Israel to jump in. That was her charge to the New Orleans Jewish community on Dec. 1 at Gates of Prayer in an event co-hosted by a wide range of Jewish groups. She also spoke at Tulane Hillel on Nov. 30. Hoffman chairs Women of the Wall, which holds a prayer service at the Western Wall in Jerusalem at the start of each Hebrew month in an attempt to establish access for women to pray as they choose at the Wall. Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the Hebrew month, is regarded as a women’s holiday. Hoffman’s New Orleans visit was on Rosh Chodesh, but was keenly aware of what had transpired that morning in Jerusalem. As the women entered the Western Wall plaza on Dec. 1, they were searched for contraband — “to see that they didn’t bring a Torah scroll.” The Wall is divided into a section for men and a section for women, and women have to adhere to Orthodox restrictions on public prayer and singing. There also can’t be any services that mix men and women. Hoffman said “you can’t turn the holiest site of the Jewish people into an ultra-Orthodox synagogue.” In 1988, the first International Jewish Feminist Conference held a service at the Wall, interrupted by verbal and physical attacks. The hotel had refused to lend the group a folding table, and “I was a local with a folding table,” Hoffman said. “I had no idea it would be the beginning of a 28-year struggle” that continues. Women of the Wall was formed after that conference. Women of the Wall members have been arrested for wearing a tallit at the Wall. In October 2012, during the Hadassah 100th anniversary convention, Hoffman was asked to lead delegates in prayer at the Wall. She met them at the wall, put on tallit and started saying shehecheyanu, and was arrested on the spot, in front of the Hadassah women. A 2013 court ruling found that the women are not disturbing public order by praying there. The next month, thousands of ultra-Orthodox protestors opposed the monthly demonstration. Natan Sharansky was asked by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2012 to examine the issue after Hoffman’s arrest, and come up with a solution. In January 2016, Israel’s government approved a compromise that would expand a space at Robinson’s Arch to about 10,000 square feet, with 31 feet of Wall frontage. The Orthodox section is 21,500 square feet along 200 feet of the Wall. The agreement was negotiated among Women of the Wall, the Reform and Conservative movements, Jewish Agency for Israel, the Western Wall’s Orthodox leadership and the Israeli government. Soon thereafter, the Orthodox groups disavowed the deal, and in June some Orthodox groups filed a suit to prevent the egalitarian section from being established. Hoffman said Israel needs strong leadership on pluralism. “Netanyahu can and should implement” the agreement, Hoffman said. It’s a fallacy that the Orthodox parties would pull out of the governing coalition over this, a common excuse for not implementing the compromise. “This is a very comfortable government,” she said, with the Orthodox parties enjoying considerable benefits. With the Orthodox parties all losing ground in the last election, “they’re not in a hurry to run to an election” over a symbolic issue. A further frustration is that the Orthodox parties were part of the negotiation and the compromise. “We didn’t negotiate with ourselves, we
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negotiated with the Orthodox… They agreed to it. They didn’t say they would vote for it, but they agreed” to let it happen. A greater push from abroad is needed, and she figures the Supreme Court will soon weigh in on the delay in implementation. Last month, the group brought in 14 Torah scrolls to the women’s section, with the presidents of Reform and Conservative movements among those taking part. Reciting “it is a Tree of Life to them who hold fast to it,” Hoffman commented “You don’t know what holding it is until there is some police officer trying to yank it out of your arms.” Now, some Orthodox legislators are proposing the criminalization of women wearing a tallit or tefillin, or doing Torah reading at the Wall, punishable by up to six months in jail. Hoffman said she plans to go to the women’s prison in Israel and talk to the rabbi there about holding services, including Torah reading. It’s not entirely an Orthodox-secular divide, though. “The bravest feminists in Israel are Orthodox women,” she admired. Her center has a hotline for Orthodox women and she fights on their behalf as well. Those women, she said, still have to live in the communities where these views are controversial. “Orthodox women who at first were reluctant to talk to us are now celebrating Reform Judaism,” she said. Establishing an egalitarian, pluralistic option at the Western Wall will show Israelis that there is more than one way to do Judaism, beyond an Orthodox establishment that is seen as monopolistic and too entangled in the government. “They are intoxicated by power and they are abusing it.” Of the 9 million visitors per year, she thinks a majority will be more interested in visiting the pluralistic section. They will ask, “Do I belong in the Orthodox plaza or the egalitarian plaza? And may the best plaza win.” In 2002, Hoffman became executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center, which works to promote Jewish pluralism, tolerance, and equality and to combat racism, corruption and religious coercion. The Wall is only one of many pluralism issues, Hoffman said, but it’s the big one. Recently, her group worked against the sex-segregation on buses that go through ultra-Orthodox areas. They finally won by arguing that since bus service is heavily subsidized by the government, Israel is in essence subsidizing gender segregation, which is illegal. Now, she is moving on to El Al, having found a good test case. There have been numerous instances where an ultra-Orthodox man refused to sit next to a woman on a flight, and the woman was asked to move. “”If an ultra-Orthodox man refuses to sit next to you, you have to move, that
Bill Hess, Robert and Caroline Brickman, Anat Hoffman, Susan Hess, Henry Miller, Barbara Kaplinsky, Joann Fried and Rabbi Robert Loewy 12 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
community is ridiculous,” she said. They are suing El Al on behalf of an 82-year-old woman from Jerusalem, who is a Holocaust survivor. It took many years to get some level of recognition for the Reform and Conservative movements in Israel, but even that is at a basic level. While the Orthodox groups get a great deal of funding from the state, subsidies to the Reform movement are part of the “sports and culture” budget. For the center, pluralism isn’t just about Jews — they work on hate crimes against Muslims, and civil rights issues. She noted Israel has the highest minority percentage of Muslims in the Western world. “We can’t exercise in the sport of hating Islam,” she said, adding that Israeli police need to do a better job of bringing Jews who perpetrate anti-Muslim hate crimes to justice. She noted that Muslim doctors in Israel save vastly more Jewish lives than terrorists have taken, and that is the side of Israeli life that needs to be seen. She urged, “bring one of those doctors here. Bring one of the innovators and get to know them… they more than anyone can be witnesses that Jews and Arabs can live in peace.” Adapting the security mantra of “if you see something, say something,” she said “I don’t know why it doesn’t apply to our relationship with Israel.” Diaspora Jews have a responsibility to speak out, “from a place of love and great commitment.” The pluralism rift “is a threat to the strategic interests of Israel in North America,” Hoffman said. If not for the moral, spiritual and Jewish reasons to implement the agreement, Netanyahu should implement it for the future of relations between Israel and the largest Jewish community in the world, the U.S. She wants U.S. Jews to feel they have a “license to speak up when you hear that Israel is wandering away from its own vision.” Even though American Jews don’t pay taxes in Israel or send their children to the military, “you have a say on Jewish values. Israel is too important to be left to the Israelis.” Jews worldwide celebrate Israel’s triumphs, and are affected “when we screw up. If 100 women were searched this morning for fear they are going to read Torah, it reflects on all of us.” She concluded, “it’s time to stop being quiet. You’re doing Israel no favors by being quiet.” Her New Orleans visit was sponsored by Joanne Fried, lifetime board member of the Women of Reform Judaism, Gates of Prayer and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. Co-sponsors were Touro Synagogue, Temple Sinai, Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation, Shir Chadash Sisterhood, Northshore Jewish Congregation, Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women and Tulane Hillel.
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Four-track New Orleans Israel mega-mission still recruiting Though some trip incentives expired on Dec. 31, recruitment is still underway for the 2017 New Orleans Community Mega-Mission to Israel, June 5 to 11, during the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War. Over 70 have already signed up for the mission, which is being chaired by Shea and Michelle Soll. Rabbis Robert Loewy, Alexis Berk and Yossie Nemes are among those signed up. The choose-your-own-track option allows participants to select a unique Israel experience from four itineraries — Family, Art/Architecture/Music, Medical/High-Tech and Adventure. Options include Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo, surfing the Mediterranean, exploring Tel Aviv’s striking Bauhaus architecture, visiting Google’s Israeli campus and visiting Rosh Ha’Ayin, New Orleans’ Partnership2Gether community. Information on the four tracks and registration information are available on the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans’ website, jewishnola.com/findyourtrack.
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community ADL presents Torch awards to Isaacson, Suggs On Dec. 6, Walter Isaacson and Carroll Suggs were honored by the Anti-Defamation League’s South-Central Region with the A.I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award. Based in New Orleans, the region covers Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas. Jonathan Lake, regional board chair, said the award winners are those who care for future generations. “They care about the greater good and translate that caring into action, they strive to build a brighter future in which all people share the fruits of democracy.” Isaacson is a New Orleans native who started at the States-Item news- Tim Francis, Walter Isaacson, Allan Bissinger paper, then worked his way up to executive editor of Time magazine, then chairman and CEO of CNN. In 2003, he was named CEO of the Aspen Institute, but took a leave of absence in 2006 to return home and help with the rebuilding of New Orleans after Katrina. “Drawn by the decency that is at the center of his character and his love for the city where he grew up, Walter heeded the call for help and played an important role in what we know today has been an incredible joint effort by many to restore New Orleans to its special place in America and the world,” said ADL Regional Director Phyllis Taylor, Carroll W. Suggs, Odom Heebe Allison Padilla-Goodman. Isaacson is also author of “The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution,” “Steve Jobs,” “Einstein: His Life and Universe” and several other books. At the dinner, Isaacson was introduced by Allan Bissinger and Tim Francis. Isaacson expressed pride in following in the footsteps of two prior Torch recipients in attendance, former Xavier University President Norman Francis and former New Orleans Mayor Aaron Ahlquist, Regional ADL Chair Jonathan Lake, Moon Landrieu. Suggs was CEO of Petroleum He- Peter Sperling licopters Inc., a company providing Compliance Commission, the Louisiana Womworldwide helicopter transportation and emer- en’s Forum, the National World War II Museum gency medical services to the offshore oil and Board of Trustees, various LSU boards, the Metgas industry, government agencies, and other ropolitan Crime Commission, Family Services institutions. She also has been highly involved of Greater New Orleans and the New Orleans in numerous organizations, currently serving Federal Alliance. on the boards of Taylor Energy Company LLC, Lake noted she has become “an outspoken Iberia Bank, the Jefferson Parish Ethics and and assertive advocate for strong and equitable 14 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
community education, social services and public safety” and is someone young people would do well to emulate. Padilla-Goodman said the honorees “make New Orleans a better place for everyone, and they live the values ADL holds dear: inclusivity, acceptance, standing up for others, and speaking out for what’s right.” Aaron Ahlquist and Peter Sperling were presented the Barney Mintz Leadership Award. It is presented to board members and volunteers who have “exhibited leadership and commitment to the goals and mission of the ADL,” and includes funds to send the honorees to the ADL’s Shana Glass National Leadership Conference in Washington in May. Ahlquist, an attorney with Herman, Herman and Katz, serves on the Touro Synagogue board and the ADL board, and was recently appointed to the ADL National Advocacy and Engagement committee. He is a founding parent and president of the Abeona House Child Discovery Center, and a founder of the Delta Discovery Group, focused on regional response to the BP oil spill. Sperling is a founding member of Frilot LLC, and was the 2016 recipient of the Arceneaux Professionalism Award by the New Orleans Bar Association. He has held positions and serves on the boards of Isidore Newman School, the Jewish Community Center, ADL, the Southern Eyebank, Heart Gift and the New Orleans Bar. Rabbi Matthew Reimer, recently installed at Temple Sinai, quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his invocation. Also giving remarks was New Orleans FBI Special Agent In Charge Jeff Sallet. He praised the ADL for its work on hate crimes, saying an ADL class he attended on the topic was one of the best classes he ever took. Over 600 attended the annual event, which was held at the Sheraton.
New leadership at Tulane ZBT
The new 2017 executive board at Tulane’s Zeta Beta Tau: Internal Vice President Harper Berman, External Vice President Jack Siegel, Brotherhood Development Director Eli Weitzman, President Joel Zeid, Recruitment Chair Connor Space, Treasurer Alex Rainer, and Secretary Jason Ackerman via computer. In October, Weitzman was featured as ZBT National Brother of the Week.
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 15
community Wash. congregation holding MLK Weekend Shabbaton in Selma
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Selma’s historic Reform congregation, Mishkan Israel, will host an Orthodox Shabbaton over Martin Luther King weekend. The National Synagogue, Congregation Ohev Shalom in Washington, will visit the state for a civil rights tour the weekend of Jan. 13. Members of Birmingham’s Knesseth Israel have been invited to join them for the Shabbaton in Selma. In an address given last summer, Ohev Shalom Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld said the idea for the trip came after he heard that David Duke was running for the Senate in Louisiana. He noted that Duke had attacked his congregation and himself. “I take it as a point of great pride” to be “singled out for criticism by this horrible human being.” Herzfeld said “one of the most important ways to defeat Duke is by teaching our children about who he is, who we are and who we are not.” He contacted life-long Selma resident Joanne Bland, who was on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 and had been arrested 13 times by age 11. She offered to lead a walking tour of Selma on Shabbat for the group. The group plans to fly into Atlanta, then take a bus to Montgomery for a morning tour of civil rights sites on Jan. 13. The group will be headquartered at the Quality Inn in Selma and will bus to Mishkan Israel before Shabbat. As the hotel is a mile and a half from Mishkan Israel and there is no eruv, they are recommending that small children not participate. Rabbi Uri Topolosky, formerly of Beth Israel in Metairie and now at Beth Joshua Congregation in suburban Washington, will lead services at Mishkan Israel. After Shabbat dinner, there will be a program of Jewish and civil rights songs. The walking tour of historic landmarks and the bridge will follow morning services on Jan. 14, and a visit to the renovated Harmony Club building, the old Jewish social club, will be after lunch. Meals in Selma will be held at the Selma Convention Center. After Havdalah, the group will travel to Birmingham for a Kumsitz, hosted by Knesseth Israel, starting at 8 p.m. After departing Selma the next morning, they plan to have lunch at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta before flying to Washington. “Shabbat in Selma presents us with an opportunity to defeat the growing spiritual plague of hatred that surrounds us in our country,” Herzfeld said.
National World War II Museum hosting USHMM exhibit on Nazi propaganda For the Nazis to garner popular support so they could pursue their racial policies and expansionist war efforts, they had to come up with a narrative that would appeal to far more of the population than a fanatical fringe. Featuring rarely seen artifacts, the traveling exhibit “State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda” draws visitors into a rich multimedia environment vividly illustrating the insidious allure of much of Nazi propaganda. The exhibition opens at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans and will be on display in the Joe W. and Dorothy D. Brown Foundation Special Exhibit Gallery from Jan. 26 to June 18. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum exhibit examines the definition of propaganda, how it operates, why it works, and how important it is to protect people from its dangers. The exhibition asks visitors to actively question and engage with the messages they see, and to learn from this extreme example that democracies, while appearing strong, are fragile without the responsibility and action of their people. southern-jewish-life-january-2017.pdf “Adolf Hitler was an avid student of propa- 1 ganda and borrowed techniques from the Allies
in World War I, his Socialist and Communist rivals, the Italian Fascist Party, as well as modern advertising,” says exhibition curator Steven Luckert. “Drawing upon these models, he successfully marketed the Nazi Party, its ideology, and himself to the German people.” The exhibition reveals how shortly after World War I, the Nazi Party began to transform itself from an obscure, extremist group into the largest political party in democratic Germany. Hitler early on recognized how propaganda, combined with the use of terror, could help his radical party gain mass support and votes. He personally adapted the ancient symbol of the swastika and the emotive colors of red, black, and white to create the movement’s flag. In doing so, Hitler established a potent visual identity that has branded the Nazi Party ever since. After seizing power, the Nazi Party took over all communications in Germany. It marshaled the state’s resources to consolidate power and relentlessly promote its vision of a “racially pure,” utopian Germany that needed to defend 12/19/16 3:40 PMwho would destroy it. Jews itself from those were cast as the primary enemies, but others,
US Holocaust Memorial Museum, gift of Helmut Eschwege
Bruno Hanisch, “Behind the Enemy Powers: the Jew,” ca. 1942. During World War II, Nazi propagandists frequently depicted “the Jew” as a conspirator plotting world domination by acting behind the scenes in nations at war with Germany. This caricature represents the “Jewish financier” manipulating the Allies, Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union.
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January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 17
community including Roma, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and mentally and physically disabled persons, were also portrayed as threats to the “national community” and territorial expansion was seen as “self-defense.” Jews were depicted as agents of disease and corruption. The Nazis’ actions against them, in Germany and occupied countries, were promoted as necessary measures to protect the population at large. At the opening program on Jan. 26, Holocaust survivor Margit Meissner and USHMM educator Sarah Campbell will share their experiences and expertise. There will be a 5 p.m. reception and the program will be at 6 p.m., reservations are required. The event can also be viewed online. On Jan. 27, the museum will hold its annual International Holocaust Remembrance Day student webinar with Meissner. The free event starts at noon and one may sign up on the museum website. Meissner was 11 years old when she heard a radio broadcast of one of Hitler’s speeches, her first encounter with Nazi propaganda. During the webinar, Meissner will speak about her experiences before, during, and after World War II, including her daring escape from Paris on a bicycle as the Nazis invaded. Students will not only hear about wartime experiences, but why she still speaks today about the dangers of hate speech. Students will also have the opportunity to direct questions to Meissner and museum educators.
Key to Dothan
Southern Jewish Life’s Guide to the Jewish South is a “guidebook” like Mardi Gras is a “parade” Most Jewish publications publish some kind of annual Community Guidebook. Southern Jewish Life’s Guide is different. SJL’s Guide is more than a listing of organizations, institutions and congregations, it is a portal to the history of the Deep South Jewish communities of Louisiana, Alabama, the Florida panhandle and Mississippi, and a guide to the present. It’s a keepsake edition that will be widely read and referred to —
and the perfect place for your message! Reserve your ad space in SJL’s Guide today!
To Advertise, Call (205) 870-7889 or (504) 491-0562
Email lee@sjlmag.com or editor@sjlmag.com • Deadline is March 27 18 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
At Dothan’s annual interfaith Thanksgiving service on Nov. 22, Dothan Mayor Mike Schmitz presented the key to the city to Temple Emanu-El Rabbi Lynne and Rob Goldsmith. They were honored for their good works in the Dothan Jewish and general communities. The Goldsmiths will be moving to Colorado this summer.
The 29th annual Jay Mosow Delta Jewish Open Golf Tournament was held in Greenville on Nov. 19 and 20, benefitting the Institute of Southern Jewish Life and the Henry S. Jacobs Camp. The annual event begins with a steak dinner at Hebrew Union Congregation. The next morning, the golf tournament begins at Greenville Country Club with a shofar blast signaling the start of play. The weekend is a reunion for those who have roots in the Mississippi Delta Jewish communities. Attendees came from Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Florida. Pictured to the right are, left to right, Leslie Miller, Rolling Fork; Esther Solomon, Greenville; Robin Rosenthal and Leanne Silverblatt, Indianola; Leslie Mosow and Julie Mosow, Greenville. Below are, left to right, Jimmy Stewart, Franklin, Tenn.; Buddy Caldwell, Tallulah, La.; Alan Silverblatt, Indianola; and Barry Piltz, Greenville.
29th Delta Jewish Open
Barbecues. Ice cream socials. Sunday brunch. Shabbat dinners. Your own place to study, hang out and grow in your faith. Since 1934, Bama Hillel has been a welcoming home for Jewish students on the UA campus. Today, more than 700 students call it their Bama home!
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 19
The Hausmann family with Rabbi Natan Trief at Beth Shalom, Baton Rouge Chanukah at HarborWalk Village in Destin
Making latkes at Temple Beth-El, Pensacola
Photo by Ali Coates
Chanukah at City Park’s Celebration in the Oaks, New Orleans
Chanukah around the South
Hundreds attended the Grand Menorah Lighting at The Summit in Birmingham on Dec. 26. Gen. Charles Krulak and Mike Slive, honorary chairs of the 2017 Maccabi Games in Birmingham, lit the menorah. The event was sponsored by Chabad of Alabama and the Levite Jewish Community Center.
Public Space Judaism came to Jackson for Chanukah as Beth Israel participated in the “Fondren First Thursdays” monthly festival.
At the Stress Free Daze Holidays Around the World event at the University of Alabama, Hillel handed out doughnuts to celebrate Chanukah
20 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
Judah Maccabee at Chabad of Mobile’s Chanukah Wonderland Chanukah Hoopla at Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem, Montgomery
January 2017 • The Jewish Newsletter 21
22 The Jewish Newsletter • January 2017
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24 The Jewish Newsletter • January 2017
From Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans Staff Updates JFS is pleased to welcome Katie Godshall and Lauren Rudzis.
JFS Partners with JCDS to offer Parenting Workshops
Katie Godshall, LCSW, has filled the position of Intern SuperTeaching Children Self-Compassion visor of the Behavioral Health Intern Training Center. Katie has Feb. 2, 2:30-3:30 p.m. held numerous leadership roles in mental health agencies and is Learning to be compassionate toward others begins with being currently enrolled in the Doctorate of Social Work Program at Tulane University. She plans to apply her skills to further improve kind and loving toward ourselves. Self-compassion has been shown the internship program, while molding well-informed and strong to decrease depression and anxiety, improve well-being and the ability to cope with stress, increase motivation, and foster compassion clinicians, as well as seeing clients. Lauren Rudzis is the new Development Coordinator at JFS. Her for others. This workshop will discuss simple, practical strategies to skills include marketing, project and event management, fundrais- help children boost their self-worth and resilience. We’ll talk about ing, and volunteer management. During 2011-2013, Lauren worked ways to increase compassion for ourselves, demonstrate it to our in Cambodia for the U.S. Peace Corps, developing and managing children, and guide them in practicing compassion for themselves and others. community health education programs. Location: Goldring-Woldenberg JCC, Metairie With Laura Kulick, LMSW, JCDS School Counselor. RSVP via email to Laura Ungar at Lungar@jcdsnola.org Jewish Family Service has provided comprehensive and compasNext workshop: Positive Discipline,March 2, 2:30-3:30 p.m. sionate adoption services to families in the Greater New Orleans region for decades. We offer pre-placement home studies, home For Social Workers, Counselors, study updates and post-placement reports at an exceptionally afand Mental Health Professionals: fordable rate. JFS educates families about the adoption process and the special issues they may face.
Adoption Services
New at JFS! EMDR Training
To learn more about JFS adoption services, call Laura Kulick, LCSW at (504) 831-8475 ext. 155, or email laura@jfsneworleans. org.
With Carol Miles, MSW, LCSW A 6-day intensive training, teaching Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Upon finishing this training, therapists will be able to understand and apply EMDR principles in their own practice.
Girl Power open for registration Girl Power is a social skills group open to girls ages 8 to 13. Learn skills to handle peer pressure and bullying, and create positive friendships. Girls develop increased self-confidence and feelings of self-worth. They learn to discover strategies to communicate feelings, make positive choices, and cope with stress and anxiety.
Part 1: February 15–17, 2017
Part 2: March 29-31, 2017
This training will provide 42 CEU hours towards the requirements for certification of completion. 10 additional hours of consultation required. Total price: $1200 Location: 3300 W. Esplanade Ave. S., Suite 603, Metairie For more information, call (504) 831-8475 or visit http://www. jfsneworleans.org/emdr-training/
4:30 to 6 p.m., Tuesdays from Jan. 10 to Feb. 14. Location: 3300 West Esplanade Ave. S., Suite 603, Metairie
2017 Spring Continuing Education Series at JFS
Fee: $240 for 6 group sessions plus an individual assessment. Sliding-fee available based on income. Call Sarah Applebaum at (504) 831-8475, ext. 177 or email SarahA@jfsneworleans.org.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, presented by Stephen Phillipi, Jr., Phd, LCSW. Jan. 20, 8:45 a.m.-noon
Homemaker Program
• Ethics, presented by Dana DelaBretonne, LPC. March 17, 8:45 a.m.-noon
Homemaker is a light housekeeping and transportation service for older or disabled adults, which has been a core program of Jewish Family Service since 1975. Reliable and compassionate assistance is available for older adults in the Greater New Orleans area. Each Homemaker visit lasts 2 hours 15 minutes, and can be scheduled on a weekly or twice-a-month basis. Services include: dusting, vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, grocery shopping, meal preparation, laundry, and transportation for running errands. The Homemaker program is offered on a sliding-fee scale based on household income. For more information, please contact Fran Dinehart at (504) 831-8475, or email Fran@jfsneworleans.com.
• Working with At-Risk Adolescents, presented by Marvin W. Cliffors, PhD, LCSW. May 19, 8:45 a.m.-noon Participants will receive 3 CEUs for each event. Pricing: $60 for 1 event, $110 for 2 events, $160 for all 3 events. All events located at: 3300 W. Esplanade Ave. S., Suite 603, Metairie. For more information, call (504) 831-8475, or visit http://www. jfsneworleans.org/spring-2017-workshops/
January 2017 •The Jewish Newsletter 25
From the Jewish Community Center Booklover’s Luncheon The JCC’s popular Booklover’s Luncheon returns to the Uptown JCC on Jan. 12, as part of the Cathy and Morris Bart Jewish Cultural Arts Series. Enjoy a catered luncheon and fascinating talk by Victoria Kelly, who will present her debut novel, “Mrs. Houdini.” In it, she tells the story of a vow Harry Houdini made to his beloved wife Bess before he died. He promised he would find a way to speak to her beyond the grave, using a coded message known only to the two of them. When she begins seeing this code in seemingly impossible places, it becomes evident to her that he has an urgent message to convey. This is a thrilling tale that goes to the heart of one of history’s greatest love stories from the dawn of the 20th century into the roaring ‘20s. Beginning at noon, the luncheon is $8 for members and $10 for non-members. RSVP for to Rachel Ruth at (504) 897-0143 or rachel@nojcc.org.
JCC Nursery School and Pre-K Open House Come visit the JCC Nursery School and Pre-K at an Open House for prospective parents on Jan. 10 at 9:30 a.m. The JCC offers an outstanding curriculum in a Jewish environment for children ages 13 months to 5 years. As you tour the facility, see our teachers in action and watch our curriculum come to life, you’ll understand all of the things that set our nursery school apart and make it so very special! Complete the online form at www.nojcc.org to RSVP for the Open House. For those who cannot make the Open House, or would like to learn more about the program, weekly tours are offered each Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and do not require a reservation. For additional details, contact Adrienne Shulman, Director of Early Childhood Education, at (504) 897-0143 or adrienne@nojcc. org.
Turn Your Resolutions Into Results! Take advantage of the JCC’s 2017 membership special and start the new year strong! In addition to waiving the initiation fee, we’re giving new members a free wellness assessment using the InBody 570 Body Composition Analyzer. Plus, individuals who sign up for six months receive one month free! Together, that’s a total savings of up to $269!
Come Run the Uptown Classic! Registration is now open for the 5th annual Uptown Classic 5K and Family Fun Run, presented by the JCC, on March 5. Due to the exciting expansion project taking place at the Uptown JCC, this year’s race will be held at Audubon Park by Shelter #10. Prizes will be awarded in each age group and the top male and female finisher will each receive a one-year membership to the JCC! The post-race party features a live performance by hot local band Darcy Malone & The Tangle, in addition to refreshments and entertainment for all ages. Take advantage of the special family rate and enjoy the day together, or gather five friends and receive a group discount by signing up as a team!
Experience the difference certified trainers, top-of-the-line equipment, and a supportive environment can make in achieving fitness and wellness goals. Between the two locations, members enjoy 75 free group exercise classes each week and gain access to the day spa, massage services, registered dieticians, and sports leagues, plus an array of specialty classes including boot camps, indoor cycling, TRX, Zumba, yoga, mat and reformer pilates. Babysitting services are offered in the mornings and evenings, making it easier for busy parents to work out. This offer ends Jan. 31 and applies to all new Gold memberships. Stop by the JCC today, or contact Carolyn Register online at www.nolarunning.com, or complete the regis(Uptown, 504-897-0143) and Stephanie (Metairie, 504-887-5158) to tration form, which is available at the JCC reception desks and at learn more about this joining special. many local running stores. 26 The Jewish Newsletter • January 2017
From the Jewish Endowment Foundation The Charitable IRA Rollover is Permanent Are you or someone you love age 70-1/2 or older? Good news! The Charitable IRA Rollover has been extended — for good. If you don’t need a portion of your IRA’s Required Minimum Distribution this year or in any future year, you can avoid paying the usual taxes on it while supporting your favorite causes and charities through a charitable IRA rollover to the Jewish Endowment Foundation. Anyone age 70-1/2 or older can donate, and these tax-free rollovers can be large or small — from $100 to $100,000 ($200,000 for couples). They can support an existing charitable fund or create a new fund in your name. Checks must be made directly to the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana to qualify as a rollover.
Leave a legacy of giving Unlike a one-time gift to an individual charity, your tax-free charitable rollover to the Jewish Endowment Foundation can leave a lasting legacy for the community. You can use your gift to start your own designated charitable fund, which can support your favorite causes and charities, forever in your name. The law doesn’t permit charitable IRA rollovers to donor-advised funds or supporting foundations. But you have lots of other charitable options, including: • Designated funds to support a specific nonprofit organization (or organizations) you love; • Field-of-interest funds, which support JEF’s grantmaking to the causes you love;
Leverage your highest-taxed assets Retirement distributions are some of the most highly taxed forms of income. A charitable IRA rollover has three important benefits: • It helps you avoid the federal income tax you would normally incur on a payout; • It decreases your state taxable income, thus reducing your state taxes; • You get to support your favorite charities.
• Unrestricted funds, which meet our community’s everchanging needs. If you’ve already initiated a transfer of your IRA distributions to the Jewish Endowment Foundation, let us know of your charitable intent. Please call Sandy Levy, executive director (sandy@jefno.org) or Patti Lengsfield, legacy director (patti@jefno.org) at (504) 5244559 for any questions you may have.
From Tulane Hillel Bounces and Beats Exam time is a stressful time of year, but Tulane Jewish Leaders Melissa Rosenthal, Julia Fox-Rabinovitch, Lilly Hutcher and Andrew Rogers planned a much-needed break for students on Dec. 13. The main attractions were a bounce house to jump away exam blues, and a performance by Tulane’s Jewish a capella group, NJBeats. Over 150 students enjoyed the opportunity to unwind and enjoy cookies and hot chocolate.
Chanukah Fry Fest Chanukah was late this year, but Tulane Jewish Leaders Carly Edlin, Melissa Kaufman, Jenna Pucel and Moriah Jacobs planned an event to celebrate early! On Dec. 8, students flocked to Tulane Hillel for traditional Chanukah fried foods with an innovative twist. Snacks included latkes from HK NOLA with a toppings bar ranging from applesauce to guacamole, and sufganiyot from District Donuts in a variety of unique flavors. No Chanukah party would be complete without dreidel spinning, and there was also a station set up where students could wrap gifts to be donated to children in need.
Hospital Volunteering
On Dec. 10, a group of Tulane Jewish Leaders went to Tulane Lakeside Hospital for Women & Children to do holiday crafts with kids! In the midst of final exams, it was a great chance to escape the stress while helping others in need.
January 2017 • The Jewish Newsletter 27
From Jewish Community Day School Garden of Eden Art
Tikkun Olam: What It’s All About!
While strolling through the halls of JCDS, it’s hard not to notice the amazing artwork lining the walls. This month, you’ll find a segment of The Garden of Eden series — BIRDS! It’s hard to believe our own young children created the pieces. Ms. Chris Clark, long-time JCDS art teacher, applies teaching methods designed to inspire students to confidently engage and discover their artistic sides. Pre-K and Kindergarten classes begin the year by drawing the four basic shapes — square, triangle, rectangle and circle. Ms. Chris then teaches the students that anything can be drawn by using just these four shapes! Upper grade students build on the fundamentals as they experiment with diverse media and methods, including shading, blocking and composition. Students also learn to kindly critique their own and others’ work, sharing feedback on ways a piece does or does not ‘work’ according to established criteria. The JCDS children adore Clark, who has been an artist for over 40 years, and an art teacher for 25. She does stick to one rule; color is always the children’s choice!
JCDS gets involved year-round to solve real-world problems. Problems are approached from multiple perspectives as students build on each other’s ideas until they create a way to actualize their solution. Throughout the process, they are honing their 21st-century skills of communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.
Creative Writing JCDS 3rd and 4th Grade students at are lucky to have Liz Amoss as their teacher! Her passion for creative writing ignites students’ imaginations in the classroom. Last month, a creative writing lesson taught skills that went way beyond writing. A guided meditation session had children quietly lying on the floor. eyes closed, and focused on their breath. They were given two words, “autumn” and “sparkle.” What might autumn look, taste, sound, smell, and feel like? Students had made sparkle jars that they were encouraged to “see” in their minds as the water glittered and swirled together in a beautiful cloud. When they were ready to write, Amoss directed the students to begin with “Autumn sparkles like…” and the metaphors flowed.
Fires in Israel JCDS children understand their strong connection to the State of Israel. After learning about the devastating fires in that began in the north of the country in November, they quickly jumped to help. Each child took home a JNF tzedakah box. Once filled, the pushkes were brought back, and the funds counted and sent to help families — and forests — rebuild. JCDS students were proud to have raised more than $250 for Israel in just one week!
Adopt-a-Family Jewish Community Day School partnered with Jewish Family Service to Light Up Chanukah for three families. Each student chose an item on the family’s wish list. Items included things like toys, diapers, clothing and books. They were gift-wrapped and ready to make others happy.
Food Drive All December the entire JCDS community collected non-perishable food for Second Harvest Food Bank to help alleviate hunger in our community. JCDS students make these important parts of our mission come to life, as they work to make the world a better place for all: - Commitment to Jewish Values through strong ethics and morals - Priming children for full participation in our global society We are so proud of them!
Chanukah Chooplah! for families and friends. Incredible costumes, beautiful songs, and delicious latkes and sufganiyot were huge hits. Everyone in the audience received a copy of the Playbill, complete with song lyrics so everyone can join in the Our students’ Chanukah art was proudly Chanukah Spirit. displayed all over the school. There were beaded, patterned menorahs, colorful paintings of Maccabees, dreidels and temples, even recycled art! Classrooms were turned into Chanukah Stations. In the Menorah Tinker Lab, recyclables from home were repurposed into beautiful works of art — our kids are creative and Earth-conscious! Chanukah is always a favorite time year for the children at JCDS and this year was no exception! The Festival of Lights was a festival of fun celebrated through learning, community and tradition.
Having Sunrise Senior Living across the street from the JCDS campus is a win-win! Seniors love the students and the students love Autumn sparkles like rhinestones silver the seniors! The children were delighted to She dances in high fashion She reminds me of jumping in a big pile of perform a selection of Chanukah songs to the residents on Dec. 16. What a treat! jagged As American as apple pie The holiday wouldn’t be complete without The autumn breeze tosses my brown hair the student’s Annual Chanukah Extravagan- Demi za. Children re-enacted the story of Chanukah 28 The Jewish Newsletter • January 2017
summer camp an annual SJL special section Summer at Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica
Space Camp expands hands-on experiences Space Camp in Huntsville is fresh off a record-breaking 2016 and is looking to an even busier 2017 season. Some weeks this summer are already selling out as young people from all over the world explore their fascination with space. To prepare for the busy spring and summer ahead, the Space Camp staff is working on new missions, refining the focus of its educational programs and even revising the menu in the Crew Galley where students eat all their meals. Some of the changes are going to be visible, with the addition of a second NASA Orion space ship simulator to help Space Camp trainees envision a journey to Mars. The new simulator will allow Space Camp to extend the Mars experience to all levels of its programs, including to adults and families. New mission-based science experiments will also provide hands-on opportunities to help students understand the complexity of deep-space travel and the careers that will help make that a reality. A new rover simulation and added sound and visual effects will add some dramatic fun to the experience. Other advances in the Space Camp curriculum aren’t as physical. This year, the educational components of Space Camp are going to be themed, with each day devoted to an aspect of space travel. While students may learn about interstellar geology one day, another day will be dedicated to the commercial space industry and the opportunities that young people can pursue in that arena. Teamwork has always been an emphasis of Space Camp, and that emphasis now includes not only students working together on a space mission but also in the camp experience as a whole. Trainees will have more time in the evenings to meet members of other teams, expanding their connection to young people who attend Space Camp from all over the world. “We have a global community of trainees, and that global connection is an important part of any Space Camp experience,” said Kay Taylor, the director of education at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, which is home to Space Camp. “We’re looking to the future to inspire them and to let these young people find value in teamwork but also to learn about themselves as individuals.” Part of that global experience takes place even in the food the students eat at Space Camp. The daily menu is based on the countries in the International Space Station consortium, and Executive Chef Clementine de Roode and Alison Cope, the staff nutritionist, work to meet special food needs of the students. Along with working with students with food allergies, the Space Camp kitchen is able to meet both kosher and halal standards of food preparation. All of this takes place in “the world’s greatest classroom,” Trip Ferguson, vice president of operations for Space Camp, said. The grounds of the Rocket Center contain a world-class collection of space hardware to help students realize what is possible if dedicated people work together toward a common goal.
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 29
summer camp
New expanded Chadar Ochel among projects at Camp Judaea
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Camp Judaea, in Hendersonville, N.C., is a pluralist Jewish community that celebrates the diversity of Jewish life around the world by bringing together campers and staff from every denomination, from “Just Jewish” to modern Orthodox. Campers are immersed in a vibrant Jewish, Israel-centered environment where they learn to respect one another, celebrate each other’s strengths, offer encouragement, lend support and work as a team. In 2016, Camp Judaea proudly served 623 campers who came from the Southeast Region of the United States, Colorado, Maryland, France, Israel, Venezuela, Argentina, Puerto Rico and England. The tsevet (staff) was comprised of 140 talented individuals who came from all over the world. Daily activities included horseback riding, farming, basketball, softball, volleyball, flag football, ultimate frisbee, archery, visual arts, cooking, pottery, metalwork, singing, dancing, drama, camp-outs, field trips, swimming, boating, tennis, special teen trips to New York and Washington, backpacking and so much more. Last summer, Camp Judaea welcomed four musical guests to educate and entertain. Shimon Smith, Billy Jonas, the Israel Scouts Friendship Caravan and Rick Recht all rocked the camp with ruach. Lior Lipshitz, a professional Israeli basketball-player, also spent some time with Judaea campers running drills and sharpening their skills on the court. YOManut was an afternoon filled with art and culture as Camp Judaea hosted visiting artists from around the Southeast. As one of the day’s activities, campers were able to press olive oil and then enjoy freshly-made doughnuts fried in the oil. Campers took field trips to some of Western North Carolina’s most beautiful scenes: Grandfather Mountain, Chimney Rock, Sliding Rock, and Black Mountain campsites, and amusement parks such as Tweetsie Railroad, DollyWood, and Carowinds. With the generous support of donors and friends, Camp Judaea broke ground on a brand new Chadar Ochel (dining hall) which will be ready for Summer 2017. The new building will be able to comfortably accommodate 650 campers, making room for Camp Judaea’s biggest summer yet! “It has been thrilling to be involved in the planning and construction of the new Chadar Ochel — I think our tsevet, chanichim, their parents, and the whole CJ community are going to love spending time together there. My first summer at Camp Judaea was full of energy, laughter, and magical camp moments, and as we work to prepare for 2017, I am confident that it will be another great summer,” said Leah Zigmond, interim executive director. For more information or to make plans for Camp Judaea, visit www. campjudaea.org or call (404) 634-7883.
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Applications for need-based camp scholarship aid from Jewish Children’s Regional Service are now available online for summer 2017. Last year, the New Orleans-based social service agency provided partial scholarship funding for over 300 Jewish youth in a seven-state region to attend a non-profit Jewish sleepaway camp. Campers must be entering grades 3 to 12 in the fall of 2017, and must reside in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Texas. The priority consideration deadline is Feb. 15, and the application process is done entirely online at jcrs.org. In addition to the online application, several documents need to be uploaded — a PDF of the most current Federal tax return for the parents or guardians, the most current W2s and 1099 forms and a copy of the final 2016 pay stub if the 2016 W-2 has not been received yet. Financial information is required from all legal parents and guardians, and permission must be given for JCRS to work with other local organizations that give camp scholarship assistance.
summer camp
New cabins debut for Camp Barney’s 55th summer Camp Barney Medintz, the summer overnight camp of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, is celebrating its 55th summer season, and promises its more than 1,200 campers a summer experience that is better than ever. “Camp Barney has created an amazing Jewish community that is all about adventure, self-discovery, exhilarating activities, exciting events, an outstanding staff, and a setting that facilitates every imaginable activity for campers who come from all over the South,” says Jim Mittenthal, director of Camp Barney Medintz. Located in the picturesque North Georgia mountains, Camp Barney is situated on 540 wooded acres surrounding two lakes, and offers two-week and four-week camping options for rising 3rd to 11th graders. Campers challenge themselves with new activities, gain self-confidence and independence, develop lifelong friendships, and strengthen their connection to their Jewish identity, all while having the best summers of their lives. Campers enjoy endless activities, including water skiing, horseback riding, zip lining, wake boarding, sports, swimming, creative and performing arts, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, kayaking, cooking, music, leaping off the “Blob” or soaring down the 180-foot “Hurricane” water slide, ropes courses, paddle boarding, Israeli culture, and more. Camp Barney develops new construction projects every year to improve its spectacular facility. Last year, 10 brand new cabins were built in Village 2, for girls ages 10 to 12. This year, six new cabins, complete with new wooden bunk beds, will be constructed in Village 3, for boys ages 10 to 12. Additionally, major renovations will be made to village bathrooms before campers arrive in June. For more information and to register for Summer 2017, visit campbarney.org.
First-time camper grant offered The Goldring Jewish Summer Camp Experience Incentive Grant Program, administered by the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana, offers a one-time grant of up to $1,500 per child for first-time campers at a Jewish sleepaway camp. Applications are due by March 31. To be eligible, a child must be: A firsttime camper at a not-for-profit Jewish sleepaway camp; currently in grades 1 through 9; a resident of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or the Florida Panhandle. Grants are not based on financial need. Both parents need not be Jewish. Neither temple nor synagogue affiliation is required. For more information or to request an application, contact Ellen Abrams at JEF at (504) 524-4559 or ellen@jefno.org. The application can also be downloaded at www.jefno.org.
Scholarship Available
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 31
summer camp
Ramah expands year-round camping
Jacobs Camp brings the magic
by Lee J. Green
Henry S. Jacobs Camp Director Anna Herman makes sure the Camp “puts that Jacobs magic” into its summer camp for the Reform movement, but also brings the magic to congregational visits as well as family camps. “Camp is a year-round effort for us,” said Herman. “We want to travel to the cities across the region and the congregations/community centers to show them what Jacobs is all about. It’s about Jewish learning and values while having a great time. That’s the best way to reach kids and adults.” In November and December, Jacobs brought its caravan to Birmingham, Mobile, New Orleans, Shreveport, Baton Rouge and Pensacola, among other communities in the region. Herman said the 2016 summer season in Utica was a big success. “We send out surveys after the session and we got some high marks on the program and facility expansions,” she said. Most notable were an increase in programming levels as well as satisfaction with creative arts and swimming/ pool activities. “We incorporate Jewish values and learning in everything we do,” she said. Next up is the Jacobs Family Camp, April 7 to 9. The family camp sold out last year and it is filling up this year. Many of the camp units are already filling for summer, so those interested are encouraged to register at www. jacobscamp.org. Herman said as of mid-December they were already 100 campers ahead of the same time last year. For 2017, Jacobs’ 48th year, they plan to add Science and Technology programs and expand the program that teaches campers how to care for animals.
Jewish camping is year-round for all ages, thanks to Camp Ramah Darom’s Retreat Camps. “We want to provide immersive and meaningful ways to provide Jewish learning, growing and enriching experiences to those of all ages,” said Eliana Leader, who started as director of the retreat camps in April. The Conservative movement’s camp in the North Georgia mountains is going on its 19th year. In addition to the summer camps, a Passover Retreat, a Winter Retreat and a Jewish Women’s Getaway Retreat have been offered in recent years, as well as other partnership programs with PJ Library. In 2016, Ramah Darom coordinated six such retreats and programs onsite and two off-site. That number will expand to 11 in 2017, Leader said. “Our strategic plans are to grow our Jewish offerings and establish more partnership for retreat content,” she said. “We want to do things that allow a variety of different audiences to connect to their Jewishness.” Last month the Winter Break Retreat welcomed 40 families, versus just five families five years ago. Next up is a Tu B’Shevat Retreat, Feb. 10 to 12, with a Farm-to-Table theme. Participants can learn and even get some seeds to plant trees of their own. Sign-up is ongoing for the popular Passover Retreat, April 9 to 19. Then in the second week of June, the regular summer camp sessions start. For more information, go to www.ramahdarom.org.
32 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
education an annual SJL special section Chanukah at Auburn, with Hillel faculty advisor Rob Kulick
ADL workshops at Isidore Newman a homecoming of sorts by Lee J. Green Isidore Newman school students participated in the Anti-Defamation League’s “A World of Difference” workshops this past September, and more recently the ADL honored Newman graduate Walter Isaacson, class of 1970, at the A.I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Awards dinner. A World of Difference begins with a half-day training and then is extended and deepened by three follow-up sessions during the year, focusing on recognizing bias and the harm it inflicts on society; building understanding of the value of diversity; improving intergroup relations, and confronting racism, anti-Semitism as well as all other forms of bigotry. The students participating in the workshop were middle schoolers, both Jewish and non-Jewish. ADL South-Central Regional Director Allison Padilla-Goodman is also a Newman grad, class of 1997. In November, the school hosted a national touring company of the Kennedy Center performing “Elephant and Piggie’s We Are in a Play!” by Mo Willems, Newman class of 1996. Willems is a New York Times bestselling author, Caldecott Award honoree and one of the most popular children’s book authors and illustrators. The play, based on Willems’ iconic characters Elephant and Piggie, was performed for Newman’s Lower and Middle School as part of Andrew Elkins Day. In August, Isidore Newman opened the Manning Family Athletic Complex, which encompasses all existing athletic facilities at Newman as well as $3 million in new construction. Green Trees Early Childhood Village is in its second year of operation and is fully enrolled with 168 children, ages six weeks to four years. Recently, the main administrative building at Green Trees was renamed the Robert W. Merrick Family Building in gratitude for a $1 million gift from the Latter & Blum Chairman/CEO and his family.
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Indiana offers Judaics scholarships The Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program at Indiana University offers several scholarships for those planning to major in Jewish studies. Multiple freshman scholarships of up to $40,000, $10,000 per year, are available in the department, which is one of the oldest and most comprehensive Jewish studies programs in the nation. The application deadline is Feb. 2, and information is available at go.iu. edu/js_scholarships.
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by Lee J. Green Auburn head basketball coach Bruce Pearl is all about the fast break on the basketball court and as it pertains to Yom Kippur, breaking the fast. Those in the campus and greater Auburn Jewish community know they can always count on Pearl for support as well as camaraderie. “Coach Pearl said his door is always open to us. It’s especially important now post-election. He said he will support us and always be there for whatever we need,” said Elizabeth Zimmerman, who served as Auburn Hillel president for two years and is now its vice president of religious and cultural affairs. There are an estimated 100 Jewish students on campus and 25 members of a recently-rejuvenated AEPi fraternity chapter. The first week of December, the Hillel students and others celebrated with the annual menorah lighting on Samford Lawn, and Pearl hosted a big Chanukah party at his home. Zimmerman said that earlier in the fall Hillel hosted a tailgate event for the Auburn-LSU football game and partnered with Beth Shalom on High Holy Days services and events. “Our participation numbers are growing,” she said. “The Temple support helps out a lot and Auburn University has been very supportive. President Jay Gogue asked us how could Auburn help us to grow our Jewish presence on campus.” In her current position with Hillel, Zimmerman has used various channels to drum up support for Israel. This past fall, Auburn’s new chapter of Students Supporting Israel hosted two former Israeli soldiers who go to different campuses across the United States to talk “My Truth” about real-life situations and moral dilemmas they faced in the service. Zimmerman, who is a senior majoring in accounting, said she always takes time to communicate with and meet with Jewish high school students interested in going to Auburn. “It’s not a large community, but we’re very active and united,” she said. “We all want Jewish students to feel at home here.”
Birmingham-Southern expanding Jewish student recruitment
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Auburn continues to grow Jewish presence on campus
Birmingham-Southern College and the Birmingham Jewish Federation are collaborating on an effort to expand Jewish enrollment at the Hilltop. Part of the effort is establishing a Jewish Student Union on campus, where students can spend time together, have high holiday meals and a Seder, and to share their experience with non-Jewish students on campus. The BJF recently made a gift toward this effort. Two BSC alumnae who work for the BJF — Samantha Dubrinsky, a 2011 graduate who is director of community impact, and Florina Newcomb, a 2007 graduate who is programs and special projects officer — are helping lead the effort, as is BSC’s former president, Gen. Charles Krulak. “As a Jewish student on BSC’s campus, I always felt that there was a place for me, even among a small population of Jewish students. However, it is important to me that Jewish students looking to attend BSC feel as though they have a home on the Hilltop and that means carving out an intentional place for students to gather, celebrate and create a community,” Dubrinsky said. “The student body at BSC is already so rich — adding this component will only enhance the environment.” The college also hired an admissions counselor, Chelsea Tucker, to work on recruiting Jewish students. Tucker previously worked for the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center. BSC currently has around 18 Jewish students. BSC’s Office of Religious Life and Jewish faculty members will work to support current students with a goal of expanding Jewish enrollment.
education
First Birthright trip sponsored by Alabama heading to Israel by Lee J. Green Many University of Alabama Jewish students will participate in the University’s first ever joint-sponsored Birthright Israel trip in May. Alabama Hillel Director Lisa Besnoy said the university has partnered with fellow Southeastern Conference school Texas A&M on the Birthright trip. “We’re continuing to increase the number of our Israel education activities next semester and this certainly is one of the best ways we can think of to do that,” said Besnoy. “There is not a better way to learn about Israel than to visit there.” Details and dates are still being worked out, she said. Jewish student enrollment numbers, estimated to be close to 900, are at an all-time high, as are the participation numbers, she added. “Hillel participation has grown every year in the five years I have been here,” said Besnoy. For any given Shabbat they usually have between 50 and 100 students, and on average just under 100 for every Sunday brunch, which have built-in study opportunities. As of Dec. 2, if you consider every time someone has participated as one unit, that participation just since the start of the 2016-17 academic year has been 2,400, she said. At Hillel, even when activities aren’t going on, students have a chance to socialize, study and use the building’s Wi-Fi. “We want this to be a Jewish home away from home for our students,” said Besnoy. “This is a safe place for them to be in a Jewish environment amongst their peers.” Hillel’s leaders and students also take it upon themselves to be a responsible, involved organization within the overall university community is well. They have participated with several events with the Crossroads organization promoting diversity and multiculturalism. “The University of Alabama has been very supportive of us. We want to let others on campus know we are here… we also seek to partner with other groups on campus to help those who are in need,” said Besnoy. “We want to be here for each other and others.” University of Alabama President Stuart Bell said “we are committed to providing an environment where students of all faiths can thrive. We are thrilled to see an increasing number of Jewish students choosing to attend the Capstone, and we look forward to seeing this community continue to grow on our campus.”
Altamont Jewish students earning successes in many areas by Lee J. Green Altamont School is located on top of Red Mountain in Birmingham and its Jewish students continue to reach lofty heights. Senior Emily Nomberg, as reported last month, signed her letter of intent to play lacrosse at Division II school Rollins College. It is the second year in a row that an Altamont senior girl has committed to play lacrosse at the collegiate level. She is the daughter of Bernard Nomberg and the late Karen Nomberg. Also, three Jewish students took home a prestigious Judges’ Award at the World First Lego League Festival in St. Louis last April. Altamont 8th-grader Jaye Conn, along with 6th-graders Toby Conn and Noah Warren, aka The Variables, represented the state of Alabama in the national Lego challenge. The coeducational, traditional college preparatory independent day school for students in grades 5 to 12 will host an open house for prospective students and their families on Jan. 26 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. No RSVP is necessary. For a complete listing of Altamont’s athletic and art events, visit www. altamontschool.org.
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 35
education
Tulane, Emory, Vandy make best-of list for Jewish students In December, the Algemeiner ranked the 40 worst colleges for Jewish students. The only ones close to this region are the University of North Carolina at No. 32, University of Texas at No. 34 and the University of Tennessee at No. 40. Conversely, their list of the 15 best colleges for Jewish students includes Tulane at 7, Emory at 8 and Vanderbilt at 15. Some students have attacked the worst-of list as being misleading and sensationalist, while oth-
36 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
ers have asked what methodology was used. Here are some of the Algemeiner’s comments regarding each campus: One student said she believes the University of North Carolina school system may be heading the way of the infamously anti-Israel University of California campuses. Students have reported being spat on when wearing Stars of David or IDF sweatshirts, and say the administration has done little to protect the school’s Jewish population.
The UNC Hillel chapter recently hired a rabbi who has led anti-Israel tours of the Jewish state. This year, Jewish and pro-Israel students at UT Austin withdrew support from a program featuring renowned American-Israeli writer Caroline Glick, out of fear that her staunch conservative message might anger anti-Zionist peers with whom they were attempting to make alliances. The anti-Israel activism network on campus makes its presence known through an annual Israeli Apartheid Week, and previously disrupted an Israel Studies lecture, engaging in a smear campaign against an Israeli faculty member. Though the Zionist and Jewish community on campus is significant, the student body’s attitude toward Israel is reported to be “generally apathetic.” Campus watchdog group Canary Mission described a “cesspool” of anti-Semitism at the University of Tennessee, after students and alums associated with the school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine were found to be vocalizing and promoting anti-Jewish rhetoric on social media. One such post lauded Hitler as “a boss.” Jewish organizations slammed Tennessee for its “tepid” response to the allegations and said administrators were refusing to recognize a serious problem on campus. The presence at Tulane of active pro-Israel groups — including Tulane University for Israel and an AIPAC cadre — fosters a positive campus attitude towards the Jewish state. Birthright trips led by student leaders attract dozens each year, and study-abroad programs in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are available. In addition, Hillel and Chabad provide avenues for Jewish students and groups to engage with one another. Since 2012, Tulane Hillel has held a popular debate series called “The Big Issue,” which gathers experts for lively discussions on critical matters of the day. Though a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter exists at the school, it has not been particularly active. Emory is home to research institutes for the study of Judaism and Israel. Its faculty includes world-renowned Mideast and Holocaust scholars, among them Professor Deborah Lipstadt, whose victory in a libel suit brought against her by Holocaust-denier David Irving was the subject of the 2016 film “Denial.” The campus Hillel supports many niche groups with interests ranging from business to music, and its Chabad house is known for its Friday-night dinners. The Jewish outreach organization MEOR at Emory offers students an opportunity to connect with Jewish life. Ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s top 20 universities, Vanderbilt is home to a growing, vibrant Jewish community. Its Hillel chapter hosts regular cultural events, such as Falafel at Midnight, sponsored by the school’s advocacy group Dores for Israel, and assists organizations like The David Project and AIPAC in public affairs events. Birthright trips attract dozens of Vanderbilt students each year. Its Chabad branch hosts popular events for Shabbat and Jewish holidays, which hundreds of students attend.
education Millsaps starts Jewish studies minor, Professor James Bowley honored by Lee J. Green Millsaps College recently expanded its Jewish Studies program in a major way, being one of only a handful of schools in the Southeast to offer it as a minor. In other major Millsaps news, Jewish Studies professor and Jewish Culture Organization Director James Bowley was named the 2016 Millsaps College Distinguished Professor. Described by a colleague as “a beloved professor who is among the most approachable and dedicated teachers we have,” Bowley has also built a “tremendous reputation in the greater Jackson community since joining Millsaps in 2002.” But Bowley would rather talk about the accomplishments of the JCO and his students. “The JCO/Hillel not only provides an opportunity for its members to have a Jewish environment within the Millsaps community but they reach out to other communities to show support,” he said. Bowley noted that during the weeks following the election of Donald Trump, there has been an increase regionally and nationally in violence and hate speech, though no incidents in Jackson. Led by JCO President Lucy Kaplan, the organization sent out a message to the entire university community, also posted on the university website, to
advocate for peace, understanding and support for any minorities or immigrants who have concerns that they are not safe or have their rights infringed upon. They offered support to those in need and Kaplan finished the letter with “Tikkun Olam.” During Homecoming this past fall, the JCO competed in a food competition with their latkes, which were very popular campus-wide. They also had significant non-Jewish participation at their Dec. 9 Chanukah celebration. “Everyone likes our latkes and we may even do another event in January after everyone gets back,” said Bowley, who noted that they will partner with Beth Israel on a big Passover celebration in April. He also said that for the past 18 months they have averaged at least 20 students at their Shabbat challah, wine and candles events every Friday at 4 p.m. Millsaps’ Jewish Studies minor program started last spring and continues to get more enrollment, he said. This semester, Bowley will again teach a few Hebrew classes and in the fall, he will introduce Hebrew Poetry and Hebrew Geography courses. He also takes great pride in a significant publishing project he collaborated on, entitled “The Dead Sea Scrolls Concordance.” The three-volume work is the fruit of over 15 years of painstaking analysis of each and every word of every
published Dead Sea Scroll. The total work has 1,988 pages and 250,538 entries, all of which the team grammatically categorized, including Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. According to Millsaps President Robert W. Pearigen, “Millsaps College has consistently pursued a tradition of excellence since the school first opened its doors in 1890. Our motto, ‘ad excellentiam’ helped the college to find its courage during the civil rights era as the first white higher education institution in Mississippi to voluntarily desegregate. Our faculty continue to ensure that our strong heritage of social justice, freedom of thought, and reflection on life’s most important questions results in personal and intellectual growth for our students.”
The Millsaps JCO sukkah
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 37
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Birmingham-Southern College
38 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
It has been a time of great change at Indian Springs School, the 280-student day and boarding school just south of Birmingham, known nationally for academic excellence. When the 2015-16 academic year began, students in grades 8 to 12 were greeted by 18 new classrooms, part of a $20 million project that received numerous accolades in 2016. Business Insider named Springs one of the “15 most beautiful schools around the world,” the only U.S. school to be so recognized. The new buildings were one of 12 projects to receive a 2016 Education Facility Design Award from the American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture for Education. The layout was lauded as “a different type of campus planning, where the buildings and landscape define each other.” In August, Sharon Howell became the sixth Head of School since Springs opened in 1952. “I am honored beyond measure to be entrusted with leading this extraordinary school into its next era and helping ensure that it grows and thrives in accord with its inspiring mission: to develop in students a love of learning, a sense of integrity and moral courage, and an ethic of participatory citizenship,” said Howell. As students have a great deal of freedom at Springs, they often are agents of change. Last summer, inspired by Howell becoming the first female Head of School at Springs, junior Katie Wiatrak reached out to Howell with an idea for a new student-run club to promote awareness of gender equality among her peers. For Wiatrak, the new Gender Equality Club is about equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities for all, and Howell “enthusiastically agreed” to serve as faculty adviser. Since Wiatrak and classmate Delaney Porter presented the idea at Springs’ Club Expo, the
Photo by ISS senior Sunny Dong
Sharon Howell and Katie Wiatrak club has attracted more than 70 members. The club hosts movie showings and after-school discussions and sends out articles, quotes, and media references about gender equality issues “to remind club members of this movement in the midst of their busy lives,” said Wiatrak. Of her many activities and accomplishments, including teaching Sunday School at Temple Emanu-El, becoming the first female golfer to compete for Indian Springs, joining Springs’ first Girls Bowling team, singing in Springs’ Concert and Chamber Choirs, playing music in Springs’ Contemporary Ensemble — she is most proud of founding the club. “Inspiring my fellow students is a feeling like no other,” said Wiatrak. “I have discovered that even something small, like starting a school club, can help spur a movement forward. I think that having an environment where you can truly express yourself about a societal issue is important, and I’m glad Indian Springs is a place where I can create something like this.” Indian Springs will have an Open House for prospective students and their families on Jan. 11 at 9 a.m.
Local community supports many areas of UAB When ground was broken on the new Collat School of Business at the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Dec. 9, it was the latest in a long string of supportive measures for UAB from the area’s Jewish community. The school was renamed for the Collats in 2013, in recognition of $25 million in gifts to the school by Charles and Patsy Collat. The new building will provide adequate space for growth of the Collat School of Business and Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship through creating multidimensional learning spaces that include breakout rooms for team projects, engaging space for entrepreneurial projects, classrooms designed for teambased learning, a high-tech trading and finance lab, labs for behavioral research and sales presentations, a three-story atrium optimal for social interactions and leadership activities, career
services space, and study rooms for students. Another visible sign of support from the community is the Abroms/Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, which opened in 2014 to encourage the growth and advancement of arts in Birmingham. During the six-month controversy in 2015 when UAB discontinued and then reinstated its football program, Jimmy Filler was a vocal supporter of the program. In June 2016, he made a $1 million commitment to the new Football Operations Center, the largest individual gift to that facility. Harold Ripps then came on board with a $500,000 commitment. In 2014, the Jewish Student Association at UAB officially became a Hillel. The Birmingham Jewish Federation also works with the small Jewish student population at UAB to promote Jewish life on campus and boost enrollment.
B u s i n e s s
P r o f i l e
Andrew Siegel, Md
take care of yourself DR.
Siegel is an Internal Medicine/Pediatric physician at Crescent City Physicians Inc., a subsidiary of Touro Infirmary. He specializes in preventative healthcare, chronic disease management, and the transition of pediatric patients as they graduate into adult medicine. Dr. Siegel is a native of California who is fluent in English, Spanish, and French.
an annual SJL special section
Tips for Weight Loss Success in 2017 by Julie Fortenberry, RD, LDN Wellness and Lifestyle Nutritionist, Touro Infirmary So you made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight like the rest of us, but research shows that most resolutions go down the drain within the first month or two after Jan. 1. Staying on track is tough, but it’s not impossible. To optimize your chances of reaching your goal, you’ve got to actively set yourself up for success. Set Realistic Goals: Remember, it did not take you two weeks to gain those extra 35 pounds so it definitely will not take only two weeks to lose it all! You gradually gained the weight over several months or even years, so remember that weight loss and maintaining healthy weight is a commitment for the long haul. It takes time to create new, healthy habits which will eventually turn your “diet” into a truly healthy lifestyle! Keep in mind, healthy fat loss is 1-2 pounds per week.
He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians, and the American Medical Association. Dr. Siegel joins practice with Dr. Lege and Dr. Occhipinti in bringing quality healthcare, closer to home.
Meet Mini-Goals: Make small changes every week, and they will add up over time. Commit to making weekly changes that will help you down the road. Here are some examples of weekly changes you can incorporate into mini-goals: Week One: Drink 8 glasses of water per day. Week Two: Walk 30 minutes twice this week. Week Three: Replace one processed food with one fresh item (swap chips for fruit). Week Four: Eliminate fried foods.
edUCATiOn University of California Davis, B.S. Genetics Tulane University School of Medicine, M.S. Pharmacology Tulane University School of Medicine, M.D.
Be Consistent: One bad meal won’t torch your efforts, but habitual poor choices will. The best way to look at food is as a “sometimes food” and not a “never food”. Choosing healthy options the majority of the time, with a few indulgences here and there, is more sustainable than an “all or nothing” mentality. Don’t Cut Out Entire Food Groups: Another way to sabotage your weight loss efforts is by cutting out entire food groups. Many times when people make New Year’s resolutions, they cut so much out that it’s something that they can’t sustain for any length of time. The whole point of making a resolution in the first place is to implement healthier habits that will stick in the long term. Consume everything in moderation for healthier and more sustainable results.
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Document Everything: Keep a detailed record of your weight loss, dietary intake and how you are feeling. By keeping this wellness journal, you will be able to truly see what you’re consuming, where your problem areas are, and how your emotional state is. Paying attention to this will help you maintain your weight this year. Decide what is best for YOU and YOUR body: It is tempting to fall into the trap of doing what is popular. Your best friends may eliminate gluten, sugar, dairy or processed foods in order to reach their goals. However, these may not be problem areas for you and eliminating these foods may not be your magic solution. Your best bet is to determine what will work for you now and continue five years down the road. In doing that you will find the “magic” that works for you. For more wellness tips and healthy recipes, visit Touro’s blog: www.touro. com/livingwell.
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 39
take care of yourself
Overcoming prostate cancer silence by Alicia Rohan In 2016, it was estimated that more than 180,890 men would be diagnosed with prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Next to skin cancers, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in American men. “Men’s health and prostate cancer are topics that many tend to shy away from, but they need to be discussed more openly,” said Soroush Rais-Bahrami, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the Department of Urology and co-director for the UAB Program for Personalized Prostate Cancer Care. “One out of eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his life.”
Prevention
Men ages 50 and older should be screened during their annual physical exam with a discussion regarding prostate cancer risk. A routine blood test can measure a biomarker called prostate-specific antigen or PSA, which can identify a man’s risk of prostate cancer, along with a digital rectal exam. Concern based on the PSA blood test level or digital rectal exam can prompt a biopsy of the prostate gland, which can be further evaluated to determine the presence of prostate cancer and, if found, the aggressiveness of the cancer. “Many men do not know their family history of prostate cancer because men tend not to talk about their health concerns, even with children and other family members,” Rais-Bahrami said. “It is important to discuss family history due to the significantly higher risk for men with a first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.” Certain men may have a higher risk of prostate cancer based on family history or ethnicity, race, and ancestry, and should receive their first screening discussions at the age of 40.
Diagnosis
Symptoms of prostate cancer are rare, and many men show no symptoms before being diagnosed. Once a blood test shows signs of higher PSA levels, a tissue biopsy is required to help determine the grade and stage of the prostate cancer. In advanced stages, symptoms may affect quality of life, ranging from pain in the bones to bloody urine, blood in the semen, blockage in the urinary tract and renal failure. Once a man has been diagnosed with cancer, Rais-Bahrami recommends asking these questions to learn more about a path toward a cure: • How will my personal health be affected? • What grade or level of aggressiveness is my specific cancer? • What stage or level of progression does my cancer have? • Are there any additional staging studies that should be done for me? • What are my treatment options? • What are the side effects of each treatment option? “When a patient has received a positive prostate cancer diagnosis, it is important he communicates with his family and his doctor about the different types of treatment and understands what will be faced through this journey of treatment,” Rais-Bahrami said.
Treatment
The patient and physician should look at the options available to treat his prostate cancer and develop a personalized road map to manage symptoms and cure his cancer. “Treatment is based on the patient’s overall health and what works best in treating the patient to ultimately cure the cancer and help the patient preserve an excellent quality of life,” Rais-Bahrami said. In the earliest stages of low-grade prostate cancer, and with the consultation of a physician, men can opt for active surveillance, which is when the doctor does not prescribe immediate treatment, but watches 40 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
take care of yourself
Not one method: Breast cancer treatment more individualized today by Lee J. Green New Orleans oncologist Melanie Sheen said the biggest advancement in cancer treatment over the past five years has involved the ability to more personalize the treatment to each individual case. “We’re in the age of personalized medicine,” said Sheen of Metairie Oncologists. “We can look at the biological make-up of the cancer and have a better understanding so we do not undertreat it or overtreat it. We can tailor the treatment to each patient’s tumor.” They can determine more accurately if a patient would derive benefit from the addition of chemotherapy to anti-hormone therapy.
Sheen said that they can also advise patients if they fall in a greater risk category based on their family history, and for certain groups such as Ashkenazi Jews. She said that 12 percent of women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Ashkenazi Jewish women have a higher likelihood of having a mutation in the BRCA 1 or 2 genes, conferring an even greater risk of breast cancer. “It’s important to meet with one’s oncologists and to get screened if you are in an at-risk catego-
ry even if you don’t have any cancer symptoms,” added Sheen. Born and raised in New Orleans, Sheen earned her pre-med degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Sheen got her medical degree from Tulane and completed a Hematology/ Oncology Fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center at the University of South Florida. “I knew early on that I wanted to focus on breast cancer. I want to do anything in my power to help treat, educate and counsel those who have breast cancer,” she said.
>> Prostate the cancer cells closely to postpone treatment with curative intent, perhaps for years. Other treatment options include: Surgery, which includes removing the entire prostate gland and occasionally regional lymph node tissues Radiation therapy, or beams of radiation focused on the prostate Hormone therapy, which reduces levels of male hormones to stop them from affecting prostate cancer cells High-intensity, focused ultrasound therapy, or high-energy sound waves that destroy cancer cells Cryosurgery, or the use of extreme cold temperatures to freeze and kill cancer cells “Prostate cancer is a treatable disease and can be cured if caught in early stages,” Rais-Bahrami said. “This is why it is important to receive routine screenings and have early detection when present.” If the cancer is diagnosed in later stages and has spread to other parts of the body, it becomes more aggressive and more difficult to treat in most cases. To help with personalized care of patients, UAB offers magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound fusion-guided biopsy. The image fusion allows doctors to target a direct tissue sampling of an individual based on imaging areas of concern that can be tested for prostate cancer.
Current research
New research for prostate cancer is on the horizon, including the ongoing search for better biomarkers that indicate the presence of prostate cancer. Researchers are now searching for prostate cancer biomarkers that have specific implications for improved diagnosis and prediction of cancer aggressiveness and patient prognosis. UAB has become one of two beta sites in the United States to receive the iSR’obot Mona Lisa machine. This machine helps surgeons diagnose prostate cancer in earlier stages.
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 41
community Baton Rouge Jewish Film Festival opens Jan. 11
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Jewish film festival season gets underway this month with annual festivals in Mobile, Baton Rouge and Jackson, and Jewish film presentations taking place in Oxford in February in conjunction with other events. There are no duplicated films between the Jackson and Baton Rouge festivals, while three films in Mobile’s lineup — “Fever at Dawn,” “Rock in the Red Zone” and “Fanny’s Journey” — are also being screened either in Jackson or Baton Rouge (For coverage of festivals in Mobile, Jackson and Oxford, visit sjlmag.com). The Baton Rouge Jewish Film Festival starts on Jan. 11 at the Manship Theatre at the Shaw Center for the Performing Arts. Opening night will be Jan. 11 at 7 p.m., with a double-feature. The short “Blue Like Me” is about artist Siona Benjamin, an Israeli who was born in India, and how she fuses Jewish, Hindu, Catholic, Muslim and Zoroastrian iconography. That is followed by “400 Miles to Freedom.” Co-director Avishai Mekonen was 10 in 1984 when his secluded community in northern Ethiopia, the Beta Israel, started a secret journey of escape into Sudan on their way to Israel, and their surprise at discovering there were white Jews. The film explores immigration and the lack of awareness of racial diversity in Judaism as he also breaks a 20-year silence about his brutal abduction in Sudan. “Fever at Dawn,” on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m., is an unlikely love story between two Hungarian Holocaust survivors, based on the story of writer and director Peter Gardos’ parents. Miklos, a 25-year-old survivor recuperating in Sweden, was diagnosed with tuberculosis and given six months to live. Determined to find love, he writes letters to 117 other Hungarian women who are also in Sweden, claiming to have known them from before. One of them, 19-year-old Lili, responds, and they begin a correspondence. Miklos tries to elude his caregivers to visit her. After Miklos died in 1998, Lili gave their son the collection of letters, leading to the film and book. “Rock in the Red Zone,” on Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m., is a portrayal of life in Sderot. The town, which has been under rocket fire from Gaza for years, and has a partnership with Alabama through the Alabama-Israel Task Force, used to be known for its rock music scene. Through the personal lives and music of Sderot’s diverse musicians, and the personal narrative of the filmmaker, who ends up calling the town home, the film chronicles the town’s trauma and reveals its enduring spirit. A united community of young artists—Jews of mainly Moroccan, Kurdish and Persian descent—has found an artistic outlet for their anger and hope, creating music that fuses various world influences, including contemporary Israeli sounds and North African rock. This collision of conflict and song can even be found in a bomb shelter that doubles as a music club and rehearsal studio. “Sunday Shorts” from the Jewish Film Institute will be on Jan. 15 at 3 p.m., a 90-minute selection of short films from around the world, lasting from 5 to 18 minutes each. Every year the Festival, in association with the Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge, presents a Holocaust educational program for junior high and high school students. This consists of a feature film or
community documentary with a Holocaust theme. The film is followed by a short talk from a speaker who has first-hand experience with the Holocaust. The festival also sends teachers to the annual Belfer Conference for Educators in Washington, to learn about approaches to teaching the Holocaust in middle and high schools. More information about the festival, purchasing tickets and how to be a patron can be found on the festival website, brjff.com. Tickets are $8.50 per show, and patron levels are available from $100 to $2,000.
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Chocolate, curriculum at Torah Academy The tables were turned for parents and friends of Torah Academy in Metairie on Nov. 9, as they attended a Wine and Chocolate curriculum night. The adults sorted colors, created letters out of pumpkin seeds, learned about measurements, and did STEM activities such as building with play-dough and popsicle sticks. The activities were prepared by the teachers to portray the hands-on learning that takes place in the classrooms. The hands-on activities came after some time mingling over a buffet of fruits, chocolate desserts, a chocolate fountain centerpiece and various types of wines. Early Childhood Director Naomi Smith then led a slideshow about the school’s curriculum, including the importance of process vs. product and a glimpse into the Reggio Emilia philosophy. Often times, parents and teachers seek a perfect finished product, when in reality, children are not meant to be uniform and create perfection. Children learn best when they are given open ended activities that encourage them to learn, create and explore, having unique learning experiences. After the presentation, parents had an opportunity to visit their children’s classrooms, speak to the teachers and to hear about the individual curriculum happening in each classroom.
JCC dives into renovation process
Construction continues at the Uptown Jewish Community Center in New Orleans, as the pools are being built for the new Oscar J Tolmas Aquatics Complex and work begins on the expanded Goldring-Woldenberg Sports and Wellness Complex. As of mid-December, the JCC had raised $7.6 million toward the $8.5 million project. The aquatics complex is expected to open in May, with the wellness center following by the end of summer. Additional renovations will expand the preschool area.
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 43
community Bridging Israeli-Palestinian divide through breast cancer experiences Beth Israel in Metairie continues its speaker series on Jan. 20 with Ruth Ebenstein speaking on “Transforming Darkness into Light: Breast Cancer Survivors Transcend the Israeli Palestinian Conflict.” A native of Michigan now living in Israel, Ebenstein has won national Rockower awards from the American Jewish Press Association, most recently for a 2013 essay about her Israeli-Palestinian breast cancer support group’s trip to Sarajevo to meet other breast cancer survivors who network across ethnic lines. At age 42, Ebenstein was diagnosed with breast cancer while nursing her infant. Determined to find something good from the experience, in January 2011, she joined the support group Cope Forum, and found it to be “extraordinary.” She immediately bonded with Ibtisam, a Palestinian woman whose story was very similar to hers, and they now consider themselves sisters. The Shabbat service will be at 6 p.m. Dinner and the program will follow around 7 p.m.; reservations are required and are $18 for adults, $9 ages 5 to 12 for members, $25 and $18 for non-members.
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Over 100 attended the Torah Academy production of “Elazar & Yosephus” in Metairie, a play about two boys growing up during the era of the Chanukah story. The Dec. 19 production was led by drama club teacher Rachel Ferguson and involved every student in the school, with Early Childhood and Kindergarten students performing in choirs throughout. After the show, there were latkes donated by Trader Joe’s and homemade jelly doughnuts made by Sue Solomonow and Rivkie Chesney. Rabbi Mendel Rivkin then did a presentation on how olive oil is made.
Continued from page 46
Southern Jewish Life’s time, acknowledging David’s ascent, saying, “I know that you will surely be king.”
King Rehoboam
Who? King Solomon’s son, David’s grandson. (Yes, there were kings after the three you remember from Sunday School. Many of them.) At the start of Rehoboam’s rule, the people voiced their desire for change. Rehoboam asked the elders, who had vast experience under Solomon, “how would you advise that I answer these people?” The elders replied, “if today you serve them and give them what they want, they will always be your servants.” But Rehoboam rejected their wise, expert advice. He instead brought in his friends and peers, who had no experience. They told him to double down and say, “my father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” The result was a nation divided. In fact, it divided into two kingdoms, never to reunite again. Weakened by becoming lesser than the subtraction of one part, and then even further by internal fighting, both kingdoms gradually became easy prey for other nations. Doug Brook writes “Big G” in his monthly column for Southern Jewish Life magazine because of George Burns in “Oh, God!” And he never liked that hyphenation thing. To read past columns, visit http://brookwrite.com/. For exclusive online content, like facebook.com/ rearpewmirror.
Guide to the Jewish South
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Hadassah celebrating local advocates The community is invited to attend a Hadassah New Orleans “Year of the Woman, Women Who Do” advocacy breakfast celebrating local advocates and the changes they have made in the community. The featured speakers include lifelong Jewish community advocate Joan Berenson; Julie Schwam Harris, organizer and chair of the Legislative Agenda for Women; Michelle Erenberg, National Council of Jewish Women vice president of public affairs and state policy advocate for Louisiana, and executive director of Lift Louisiana; attorney Teri Gross; and Chair of Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee Senator J.P. Morrell. Evette Ungar will moderate the panel. The breakfast was organized by Teri Gross and Ilana Reisin, co-chairpersons for New Orleans Hadassah Advocacy. Reisin stated, “With the start of the new year it is important that we learn how to make our voices heard.” The breakfast will be on Jan. 15 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Goldring-Woldenberg Jewish Community Campus in Metairie. A contribution of $10 per person is suggested.
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 45
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Another new year ushers in another new era. People are divided about whether this particular year is a new beginning, a new ending, or both. Before (or instead of) witnessing this month unfurling, it’s far more interesting to uncover the first things said by many Jewish leaders from Biblical times. Why? Because history is fun, and immune to any misinterpretation, debate, misplacement or revision. These selections aren’t their first words. Their initial utterings of “mama” or “matzah” were not recorded, in part because nobody had batteries for their tape recorders. They also didn’t have tape recorders. These aren’t their first words in the Bible, either. These are the first words they said after a particular moment in their ascension to leadership. Why choose these? Because it gives the flexibility to find more interesting quotes than the ubiquitous, “the Big G said this, and now I speak it unto thee thusly.”
Moses
“I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Moses said this to the Big G when first told to approach Pharaoh with a message of liberation. Moses, in saying this, demonstrates the humble self-awareness to realize that he has no skills or experience to lead a nation. He takes this opportunity to freely admit to, and to own, one of his shortcomings. Of course, his doing so made it possible to address the issue, rather than avoid it. It led to the sensible, effective utilization of Aaron to speak on his behalf. This let him avoid the repeated embarrassment of trying to sound official but instead sounding like the clipped, random chirpings of a bird. FIRST WORDS
OF NATIONAL LEADERS CAN BE STIRRING — SOMETIMES
Joshua
Right after the Torah ends, Joshua takes over leadership from Moses. The first thing he said, to the officers of his nation, was, “Pass through the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, because in three days you’ll
cross the Jordan’.” Some people just get down to business.
King David
David was not Saul’s son, but was nonetheless prophesied to succeed Saul as king. Saul did not accept this, and between them there was a long conflict of Biblical proportions. (They didn’t have a whole Bible yet, so they just called it “conflict of proportions.”) One day, when Saul was taking care of private matters, David’s men saw a chance for David to disgrace and dispatch Saul. David merely, stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe, and then felt awful about it. David said to his men, “Big-G forbid that I put my hand out against my lord, the Big-G’s anointed.” He forbade his men from attacking Saul, as well. David could have taken petty or vindictive advantage of his political adversary. Instead, he felt bad for even the small negative gesture he made. He then forbade his people from doing anything further to the person he would inevitably succeed, and even apologized to Saul. David’s civility paid off. That conversation ended with Saul, for the first continued on previous page 46 Southern Jewish Life • January 2017
H U N T S V I L L E ,
A L A B A M A
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