No 51, December 21 The Atlanta Jewish Times

“SHAME ON THE ATLANTA JEWISH COMMUNITY” PAGE 4

WHEN THE HOLOCAUST STUMBLED INTO A HOLIDAY PARTY…

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December 21, 2012 – December 27, 2012

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8 Tevet – 14 Tevet 5773 vOL. LXXXVII NO. 51

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Small changes. Big impact.

At Publix, we believe all the little things we do have a big impact on our bright, beautiful world. In 2001 we established Get Into A Green RoutineSM to help Publix as a company conserve natural resources, and to inspire and encourage individuals to adopt a conservation commitment in their personal lives. The program has allowed us to save over 930 million kilowatt hours (through various lighting, refrigeration, and other conservation projects), conserving enough electricity to power over 64,500 homes for a year.* We have reduced companywide electricity usage by over 7 percent in existing stores and 23 percent in new retail designs. And that’s just the beginning.

Check out more about our efforts at publix.com/sustainability. When all of us try to get into a green routine, little habits— like carrying groceries in reusable bags — make a huge difference.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

*Number of homes based on an average of 1,200 kWh per month per home.

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AJT

Israel

Israeli Pride

GOOD NEWS MADE IN THE JEWISH STATE THIS PAST WEEK An Israeli rower makes an amazing comeback. Three years after an accident on the Yarkon River left her on a respirator, Jasmine Feingold won the 2,000-meter event at the Israeli Rowing Championships and now is working towards competing in the 2016 Olympics. She recovered after spending a year at the Loewenstein Rehabilitation Center in Ra’anana – one of the best such facilities in the Middle East, if not the world.

UN passes Israeli resolution. The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed an Israeli-sponsored UN resolution titled “Entrepreneurship for Development,” marking the first time that the UN has formally recognized that entrepreneurship should be a major tool in reducing poverty, creating sustainable development and reinvigorating the environment.

Israel soars TO TO TOP OF world education league. Israeli students came in 18th place of 42 countries in the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, up from 25th in the last

test in 2007. In math alone, scores went up from 24th place in 2007 to 7th in 2011 and top of the Western world. In reading, Israel is now 18th (was 31st).

Philips Healthcare sets up new R&D center in Haifa. Philips’ new center will focus on image processing and analysis as well as long-term research. It will employ scores of scientists, image processing technicians and software and clinical engineers. Philips currently has 600 employees in Haifa, specializing in 3-D CT scanners.

Christians proclaim solidarity with Israel. Delegates at the Protestant Consultation on Israel and the Middle East declared, “We are committed to stand with Israel and the Jewish people.” They criticized other Christian groups for recent comments against Israel.

This list courtesy Michael Ordman and verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com.

Doctors gain greater understanding of brain degeneration.

Hebrew University researchers have uncovered important details about the origins of brain diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS and Huntington’s diseases.

The research could lead to new methods of preventing toxic proteins in the brain from causing damage and even death.

Israeli film wins in L.A. “The Gatekeepers,” a film by Israeli director Dror Moreh, was named best documentary on Dec. 16 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

An Oyster mushroom molecule can kill cancer cells. Israeli researchers have discovered that extracts inside the edible Oyster mushroom contain molecules that bind themselves to cancer cells and kill them.

Ministry of Health fights infectious diseases. The Sanford Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has been designated Israel’s National Laboratory for leishmaniasis – a parasitic disease affecting an estimated 12 million people worldwide.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

Israel will transform the Indian water system. Israeli water experts visited the Indian city of Raipur before a Delhi water conference. Abraham Tenne of the Israel Water Authority said, “The Indian water community looks to Israel as a sort of guru; they know the Israeli water industry very well and hold it in very high regard.”

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AJT

If You Ask Me

Op-ed: A Personal Take on the Closing of Gar’inim Program RAMIFICATIONS OF THE END OF AMIT

BY LOIS HERTZ

For the Atlanta Jewish Times

I

stared incredulously at the DeKalb County special education coordinator sitting across from me. I was numb as she said the words “uneducable” and “group home.” I asked her to repeat what she had said.

“Your son is uneducable,” she reasserted. “Our goal is to socialize him so that he can live in a group home. He will probably not speak more than he does now, and he will never read.”

Before thinking, I responded, “G-d gave him three brothers to take care of the socialization part. I want him to learn to read and do algebra.”

The woman just patted my hand.

Fortunately, I ignored her and all that she told me.

Later, while working at The Davis Academy, I spoke to the Director of Student Services. She agreed with the

psychologist who had tested my son Ari in that he would be a good candidate for the Gar’inim Program, then still in its infancy.

He enrolled in the fall of 2004. As the year progressed, Suzi DiPietro, the principal, agreed with me that he was, in fact, not uneducable, and that there was indeed a smart little boy somewhere inside. We would just have to use every trick in the book (and then some) to reach him.

I cannot say that the road was easy.

However, his teachers pushed him hard every step of the way, and that smart boy slowly emerged. Not only does he talk, but he also reads, writes and does math.

He loves life, and all who know him agree that he is one of the most caring people anyone could hope to meet, developing strong friendships throughout his schooling.

Although The Davis Academy be-

came less welcoming to Gar’inim students as he got older, he still felt as if he was a part of the larger community.

More importantly, he learned in a Jewish environment.

Today, he has a strong Jewish identity that I am not sure he would have if he had been in another school. His bar mitzvah last Shavuot was one of the most meaningful I have ever attended.

Still, the past three years have been difficult. As The Davis Academy strove to rein in the program, many of the inclusion aspects of Gar’inim were lost.

Emotions ran high, many Gar’inim students and their Davis siblings left, and what was once vibrant became a shell of its former self.

Throughout this transition, Ari still wanted to stay in the program. Even after I was dismissed from employment at The Davis Academy, he was adamant that Gar’inim was his school.

So one can imagine that the announcement of the closing of Gar’inim felt like

a kick in the stomach.

How is it possible that the Atlanta Jewish community cannot support education for children with special needs?

A quick survey of the education landscape reveals that there is no place for him to go within the Jewish community where he can receive the support he needs to succeed. I am at a loss to explain the reason for this.

These kids have a lot to contribute to the community and would be a positive addition to any school. It makes me very sad and angry that he will not have that opportunity.

My hope is that my child will grow up and have a family of his own. I wonder: Will he want to affiliate with the same community that would not support him?

My child was very fortunate that he was born when he was; the Davis Academy welcomed the Gar’inim Program and he felt at home. He had the opportunity to reach higher than anyone imagined, and in a warm Jewish environment.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

I grieve for the Jewish parents who have to sit across the table and hear the words “uneducable” and “group home” knowing that there is no place for their children’s education within the Jewish community.

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AJT

From Our Readers

Abandoned, Indeed Dear Editor: I read with interest the letter by “an Atlanta resident” in the Aug. 31 issue and the subsequent letter by Rabbi Steven Rau in the Sept. 28 issue. The earlier letter opined that “Jewish kids with special needs have been abandoned” by our Jewish day schools and local Jewish community.

Last week’s announcement that The Amit Program will be shutting its doors in June 2013 raises this issue to a new level. Shame on the Atlanta Jewish community for letting it come to this.

Educating our special needs children is a community issue. It is in our collective best interest for all children, including special needs children, to become active, contributing members of our community.

Special needs children require extra support – academic, developmental, therapeutic and otherwise – to live up to their individual potential. Our community is apparently not interested in providing this support.

Meanwhile, the prevalence of children who learn differently is increasing at astronomic rates. Autism alone affects 1 in 54 boys (1 in 88 children) and is the fastest growing development disability. Combined with the high occurrences of ADD, ADHD, anxiety disorder and other varieties of learning differences that affect our children today, it becomes readily apparent that anyone who does not currently have a special needs child in their family need only wait.

At some point in your lifetime, you will be related to or touched by a special needs child. This issue affects us all.

Barry J. Roseman, M.D. Surgical Oncologist

Specializing in:

Breast Surgery Melanoma & Skin Cancer Surgery “Dr. Roseman took the time to answer all of my questions” “He treated me with attention and concern, as if I were a friend or family member.”

Fellowship in Surgical Oncology M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Board Certified in General Surgery Fellow, American College of Surgeons Over 15 years of practice experience

Kudos to many area synagogues and the Marcus Jewish Community Center for devoting resources to our special needs children. But our kids need more than Sunday School, Hebrew School and extracurricular activities.

They need core academics and therapies. Their families need support and education. Yet we are letting The Amit Program – the central resource in the Atlanta Jewish community for special education – close due to lack of funding.

1218 West Paces Ferry Road, Suite 204 • Atlanta, GA 30327 404.841.6262 (tel) • 888.343.1740 (fax)

Amit’s services, which have assisted more than 400 families in our community, provide the Gar’inim School for kindergarten through eighth grade, Early Intervention, Amit University professional development, parent education through the Taylor Family Speaker Series, Yad B’Yad Sunday School for unique learners, The Amit Parent Network listserv support group, facilitation training and placement, disability awareness training and general resource and support.

But apparently, we as a community don’t value these services. It’s too bad our special needs children aren’t important enough for the Jewish community to step up.

Sincerely,

Here’s What We Need to Do

Stacey Geer

Dear Editor: Newtown, Conn.: What’s the fuss? After all, restrictive laws aren’t going to change cultural mindsets.

Yep, then might as well repeal the 14th Amendment and put Jim Crow back in charge of labeling water fountains.

After all, a determined perp and malice aforethought cannot be practicably detected until after a horror has been witnessed.

Yep, so let’s keep confiscating nail scissors from flying grandmas in case they turn out to be Al Qaeda operatives, but let their grandsons walk out of gun shows with Saturday night specials under their hoodies and automatic rifles racked to the back of their pick-up trucks.

Yep, so let the NRA lobby Washington to lift sanctions on Iran and North Korea so they can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of us at the world’s firing range.

After all, guns don’t kill; people do.

Yep, neither do steak knives cut meat; diners do.

With this kind of logic, we’re lucky if, as a nation, we shoot ourselves – and our children – only in the foot.

Sincerely, Rabbi Scott B. Saulson, Ph.D., Atlanta, Ga.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

After all, the Founding Fathers, whose banner asserted “Don’t Tread on Me” and whom – as we are so fond of quoting – claimed that “all men are created equal” and have the “right to bear arms.”

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AJT

according to arlene

A Family Affair GOLDBERGERS AT HEART OF TEMIMA BENEFIT CONCERT

BY ARLENE APPELROUTH AJT Columnist

L

ast weekend, on a rainy Sunday afternoon, Gus Goldberger sat in a front row seat of Lakeside High School’s auditorium.

He was in a perfect spot to enjoy a special concert.

It opened with “Hatikvah,” the Israeli national anthem, for which all respectfully stood. A menorah, eight candles burning brightly, was on stage next to the orchestra; it would burn throughout the concert Goldberger, from Silver Spring, Md., was waiting for the musicians to begin the third piece of music. His 49-year-old son, Rabbi Menashe Goldberger, was to be the lead pianist in a challenging Mendelssohn Concerto.

Nearby, his son’s piano coach – playing second piano – and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians were

ready to continue the delightful musical afternoon.

“The way he played was stunning,” the proud father said after the concert.

“The entire concert was wonderful, beyond belief.”

Gus did not spend the entire concert listening to music. Near the end of the program, a table was brought on stage and set up as though for a Shabbos dinner. There were candles and wine, and three Goldbergers sat together, kibitzing and then singing, accompanied by Israeli violinist Boris Savchuk.

“This is a shabbosdik violin,” Rabbi Goldberger joked, adding that Orthodox Jews don’t use instruments on the Sabbath.

Afterwards, he commented on the experience as a whole.

“It was really great,” he said of playing in the concert and singing songs that had been composed by his father.

Runs in the Family For Gus, 78, a cantor in a line that stretches back seven generations, Jewish music has always been part of his life. Since he was 19, he has spent every Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur leading congregations in prayer.

A Holocaust survivor, he moved around after leaving Europe, living in Canada for a time before settling in Ohio. There, after law school and while waiting to obtain his American citizenship, Gus worked fulltime as a cantor.

Later, after passing the bar and gaining U.S. citizenship, he began a career as an attorney in Washington, D.C. He recently retired as a senior litigator for the U.S. government.

His most important role throughout the years – one he shares with wife Betty – has been that of proud parent. Emanuel (who goes by his Hebrew name, Menashe) and Earl (who also uses his Hebrew name, Chaim) began performing as children, Betty said.

“For three years, they and their sister Elana formed a group known as ‘Gus and the Three Es,’” she remembered with a smile.

They sang folk tunes in Hebrew, Russian and English, performing in synagogues for the local Jewish Federation and other community groups.

Then, when Menashe was 12, he won a classical piano competition, setting the stage for what his parents expected would be a career as a classical pianist.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

But, as every parent knows, children don’t always do what you expect.

Even though he was proficient and talented, when Menasha began attending high school, his focus changed; he realized that a career as a classical musician would require a total commitment to music.

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“I didn’t want my life to be only about music,” said Menashe, who today is the Atlanta Scholars Kollel community rabbi. “I had a paradigm shift. My spiritual development became most important.”

While Rabbi Goldberger expresses gratitude to his parents for encouraging him to take his own path, he admits his father often dropped hints that he wished the rabbi would return to classical music.

“He said there had to be a way for the community to benefit from my

Rabbi Menashe Goldberger performs at the Dec. 16 Temima benefit concert.

PHOTO/Harold Alan Photographers

musical ability,” explained the rabbi, whose career as a spiritual leader left little time for other pursuits until recently.

Success Story A few years ago, when Menashe and his wife Randee’s eldest daughter was a student at Temima High School, the opportunity came. School officials asked Rabbi Goldberger if there was any way he could help raise funds for the school, and the rabbi thought about his parents and their hope that he might one day find a way to use his musical talent.

And so, though it may have taken 23 years, the piano prodigy came back to his first calling – and that’s worked out well for the rabbi and his daughter’s school: The Dec. 16 performance was the eighth concert benefiting Temima featuring Rabbi Goldberger. His talent as a musician has raised more than $150,000 over the years.

Odds are, if you were there and spotted a gentleman kvelling…well, that was probably Gus Goldberger. Nearby, his wife Betty was also beaming.

After all, it’s always nice when the kids turn out good.

Arlene Appelrouth earned a degree in news-editorial journalism from the University of Florida and her career as a writer and journalist spans a 50-year period; she currently studies memoir writing while working on her first book.

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DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

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AJT

EDEN’S GARDEN

I Can’t Wait!

WHY THEATRE IS NOT JUST ABOUT A SHOW

BY EDEN FARBER

For the Atlanta Jewish Times

I

’m excited about winter break – very excited!

It’s a wonderful time when I can pull away from my normal routine and focus on what’s really important in my life. It’s all a gift, a few weeks when I can take care of my own needs and interests and develop them further.

Did I mention that I’ll be traveling to New York City and attending my first-ever Broadway show? Yep, this little Southern Belle will be spending time in the Big Apple, the cultural center of the universe.

I love the theater, so this is a monumental trip for me. I finally get to see “The Phantom of the Opera” on the Broadway stage. This musical – which first opened in 1986 – is filled with romance, suspense and laughter.

But why has this production remained so popular for more than 26

years? What does it offer that continues to speak to audiences, young and old?

There’s something oh-so special about theater; something subtle that enchants and teases that, for some of us, makes it our royalty and us its peasants.

When we get all gussied up, toss aside our cares and worries, and become part of the wonderful world of theater, we move into something grand and special. Broadway is truly a world of its own.

But why?

Drama’s Dramatic Effect About three years ago, I was having a really bad day. It happens: Nothing was going right.

I was supposed to attend a show with my mother and sister. I was upset, wallowing in my own misery, but nonetheless, to the show I went.

It only took a moment for my cares to fall away. Once I walked into the

darkened theater, found my seat and stared at the stage, hidden by a velvety red curtain, I forgot about all that had happened earlier.

It was exciting to sit under the shining lights playing across the stage, listen to the actors and their booming voices and the hilarious musical interludes. The final applause that night was deafening, the quirky bows from the actors amusing. I was feeling good: happy, entertained and fulfilled!

That’s really when it hit me; the full power of the theater. I couldn’t quite articulate my thoughts. Perhaps it was the mystery, the sights, sounds and textures of the experience.

Whatever it is, the power of it all can turn someone’s rotten mood into an adrenaline high. The theater, simply put, can change your entire perception of the world in an instant.

You might ask yourself: What can any of us do to change a person’s day?

Generally, not much. But an actor – standing on a stage, the spotlight capturing them as they go about their business – can alter our world.

That Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi It’s fitting that I’ll be seeing “The Phantom of the Opera.” There’s deep mystery that surrounds this play, and I think that mystery is what theater, at its best, is all about.

It’s this quality that brings theater alive.

From there, theater can fill you with a whole set of emotions: faith, joy, pain and sorrow. It’s a product of the sounds and textures, the complete atmosphere that fills a darkened room in which acting becomes momentarily real.

This “phantom,” so to speak, that lives within the theater, seduces the audience nightly and, I think, is what makes the whole experience so special.

I certainly am looking forward to my time in New York and on Broadway: the warmth of the big, crowded theaters; the cozy seats; the darkness contrasted with the glow onstage; the sounds that echo on every wall when the actors hit a perfect note; the first clap that starts up a round of roaring applause; and that moment when the lights turn on and you feel like something has been fulfilled within you that you never even knew was missing.

The Broadway experience defines our culture as one of taste, community and enigma. And now I’m becoming part of the chain, another link in the life of the theater. The mystical aura will soon fill my heart with power and joy.

I’m only days away from that initial moment when I’ll be walking into one of the grand theaters on Broadway, knowing that I will come out feeling like a different person.

It will hit me and all I’ll be able to think is: “The Phaaantom of the Opera…is here!”

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

JANUARY 25-31 • At the FOX THEATRE Groups Call (404) 881-2000

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I can’t wait.

Eden Farber, 15, is a sophomore at Yeshiva Atlanta. She was recognized in the Jewish Heritage National Poetry Contest of 2010 and has published op-eds and poetry in Modern Hippie Magazine and the NY Jewish Week’s Fresh Ink for Teens section.

AJT

From the Editor

Holocaust Stumbles into Holiday Party 6 MILLION ATOP MORAL HIGH GROUND Web Editor

I

t’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and, once again, I’m thinking of another holiday season long ago when I was working for Uncle Sam and living in Germany. A bizarre series of events played out that December that touched on German shame, world politics, my Jewish identity and the Holocaust.

I’ll explain: Shortly after graduating from the University of Georgia, I was drafted and shipped off to Europe. I landed at a NATO base in Seckenheim, Germany, a small village between Heidelberg and Mannheim. The little installation that became my home for the next 18 months or so was the headquarters of something called CENTAG – that’s Army talk for Central Army Group.

Back when the Cold War was absolutely frigid, CENTAG was a happening place. If I actually detailed our mission, I’d then have to silence each of you. Suffice it to say I needed a “NATO Top Secret Atomic” clearance to sit in my office and do my work.

If you can recall the Nazi installation that was blown up by Lee Marvin and his band of misfits in “The Dirty Dozen,” then you have an idea of what CENTAG looked like. The base had, in fact, been a Nazi Kaserne – barracks to you and me – during World War II. Rumor had it housing members of the Gestapo during the war, and the installation certainly had the look of such a place: cobblestone courtyard, sterile gray buildings and a pristine parade ground, all neatly surrounded by a high-brick fence topped with barbed wire.

The top general for USAEUR (military speak for United States Army Europe) was also the top dog at CENTAG. But his deputy was a German brigadier general – after all, this was a NATO base on German soil – and therein rests our story.

Hans Jürgen Vogler was straight out of central casting. He had leading man good looks: strong and confident, a shock of gray hair, sharp features and a tall, lean body. He was always immaculately dressed in a uniform that was perfectly pressed and creased, the chest of his slate-

gray getup filled with campaign ribbons and medals.

Although details about his war record were never officially discussed, it was rumored that he had fought for Germany on the eastern front during World War II, was wounded and taken prisoner by the Russians.

I was working as a glorified clerktypist, but because I had a degree in journalism and had worked for a newspaper before being drafted, I was often called into staff meetings to take minutes of the proceedings.

So when our office, including NCOs and officers, held its annual Christmas party, I knew most of the players.

It was an international group, top heavy with top brass from the U.S., Germany, England, Italy and Canada. I was chatting with several officers when Gen. Vogler joined out group. We had been discussing the sad state of affairs in Northern Ireland – it was 1971 – and the general seemed interested in our conversation.

There was something about the violence in the region that captured his attention.

himself to attention, gave me one of those Germanic bows – knees stiff, arms at his sides, slightly bent at the waist – then whirled about and walked briskly from the room.

“Have you ever been in a group, started to say something, and just before delivering the punch line, you realized there was a good chance someone listening was going to be offended?”

His words and actions might seem slight and light. But given the time and place – he was a general and I was an enlisted man; we were surrounded by his colleagues, all filled with good cheer and expensive booze – what more could he do or say?

At least for a moment, the cosmic order of military life had been turned on its head – up was down and down

was up. And how could it have been otherwise?

I might have only been a little specialist in a room filled with colonels and generals, but on that day 41 years ago I was lifted high atop the moral high ground by 6 million souls that will never be forgotten.

Happy Hannukah!

Life at Home is the Key to IndependenceSM

“It’s hard to believe,” he said, “that people die over religion.”

Have you ever been in a group, started to say something, and just before delivering the punch line, you realized there was a good chance someone listening was going to be offended? That’s exactly where the general found himself. Time momentarily stood still as our little group stared at him in slack-jawed amazement.

It had been over 25 years since the end of World War II. And yet, the horrors of the Holocaust still hung heavily in the air, a constant reminder of the murderous, sadistic behavior of Germany’s Nazi regime and its people who claimed they never really knew what was happening in all those death camps across Eastern Europe.

Gen. Vogler turned to me, the only Jew in the group, and quite possibly the only Jew on the entire base. He started to speak, and then stopped, before managing to say these five words:

“I acknowledge what we did.”

It seemed he had more to say, but after a moment’s thought, he pulled

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DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

BY RON FEINBERG

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AJT

Community

We Came, We Saw, We Kvelled!

PRIDE OF HADASSAH PHILANTHROPY IN ISRAEL

By Joan Solomon AJT Columnist

M

any Greater Atlanta Hadassah Members and Associates who attended the organization’s Centennial Convention in Israel in October were recognized for their generous donations to Hadassah. While in the Jewish State, the many local Hadassah donors were able to view first-hand how their own financial support is building and maintaining Hadassah’s state-of-the-art facility for medical care, research and emergency needs.

To mark their contributions, donors’ names and the names of their groups were engraved on bricks, plaques, and walls in or near The Sarah Wetsman Davidson Hospital Tower, which was dedicated during the Convention.

Because Israel’s population is under constant threat of attack, premier medical care is vital. Hadassah hospitals are ready to serve everyone, no matter what their nationality or politics.

GCDD’s Jacobson Honored with NAACP Award “REAL COMMUNITIES” RECOGNIZED FOR OUTREACH

GCDD Executive Director Eric Jacobson and his wife Terri at the Freedom Fund Dinner on Nov. 3.

PHOTO/courtesy Becky Peterson

From the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities For the Atlanta Jewish Times

L

ast month, Eric E. Jacobson, Executive Director for the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, was honored by the Atlanta Chapter of the NAACP for the work of GCDD and its signature concept, the Real Communities Initiative.

“I accept this award on behalf of the people in Atlanta, Georgia and communities throughout this country who are isolated, segregated and are not recognized for the value, gifts and talents they bring,” Jacobson said. “These are often people labeled as having a developmental disability.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

“[But] Real Communities creates a bridge, a place where everybody can dance,” he continued.

“Together, we can build places all over this city and state where the barriers come down and people want to stay and raise their children.”

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THIS WEEK: RICK THE JEWISH SANTA

By Chana Shapiro AJT Columnist

T

he AJT announces “Cool Jews,” our new man-on-the-street feature. We’re out in the community looking for the next meritorious Member of the Tribe right now; it could be you!

Jacobson was presented his award at the 14thannual Atlanta Branch NAACP Jondelle Johnson Freedom Fund Dinner on Nov. 3 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. Former Atlanta Mayor William “Bill” Campbell brought greetings to the approximately 300 attendees, and Rev. Lee C. Franklin, Religious Affairs Liaison of the Chairman’s Office National NAACP, presented the award to Jacobson.

GCDD, a federally-funded independent state agency, works to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work, play and worship in Georgia communities.

TOP: Edie Barr at the brick marking Mt. Scopus Group of GAH’s contributions. LEFT: Marilyn Perling, President of the Mt. Scopus Group, points to her name on the “Keepers of the Gate” wall. ABOVE RIGHT: Phyllis Cohen finds the Centennial brick donated by family and friends in honor of her birthday.

Cool Jews!

The Council’s Real Communities, launched in 2009, supports programs across Georgia that help people become better prepared to address a variety of different issues that affect not only people with disabilities, but involve everyone in a community. Programs range from transportation to housing to community building efforts that bring people together in new ways.

This week, get to know Atlanta’s Rick Rosenthal, a Jewish Santa Claus impersonator.

Atlanta Jewish Times: Where are you going?

Rick Rosenthal: I’m a private party Santa this afternoon, and tonight, I’m a corporate Santa.

AJT: Tell me about your costume.

RR: I’m an “RBS,” which means I’m a “real-bearded Santa.” It’s my own beard! I own the suit, but only wear it for special occasions. Women tell me red brings out the blue in my eyes.

The Santa fat was a real bargain. I bought all this fat for only $15. The same amount of schmaltz would have cost over $400.

AJT: Are you really jolly?

RR: People always laugh when they see me. Does that tell you something?

AJT: What do you do when you’re not playing Santa?

RR: Mediation, arbitration, divorce coaching. I want to help people!

Editor’s note: Know someone who needs a Santa?

Call Rick Rosenthal now to book your holiday events – (404) 936-2888.

A MEMOIR BY SAM GENIRBERG

Dispelling the Myth of the “Death of the Gods”

18 year old Sasha flees from German occupied Dubno ghetto days before SS commandos massacre the remaining 5,000 Jewish men, women, and children. He poses as a gentile and lives in plain sight, in the very heart of Hitler's Germany, among his enemies for three years.

Sasha's quick wit and twists of fate, allow him to survive day by day.

Meeting no other Jews, after liberation, Sasha fears he may be the only Jewish person alive in Europe.

UGA’S DR. RICHARD FRIEDMAN LECTURES ON OUR PATH TO MONOTHEISM

BY SARAH CHANIN For the Atlanta Jewish Times

“S

o Moses walks into a psychiatrists’ office...”

Thus began the University of Georgia’s Ann and Jay Davis Professor of Jewish Studies Dr. Richard Friedman as he opened his Dec. 5 lecture at Congregation Children of Israel in Athens, Ga. As a past student of his, I’m not only not surprised that he opens with a joke, but I’ve also heard this one before.

Also unsurprising is a subtitle he decides to give his lecture: “Everything You Know is Wrong.” Such a choice only seems appropriate coming from the man who authored the book “Who Wrote the Bible.”

The presentation – officially titled “Monotheism and the Death of the Gods” – addressed the Jewish myth of the death of the gods that were worshipped prior to modern monotheism.

Dr. Friedman dispelled the common misconception by citing the Archeological Revolution, in which thousands of towns and whole cities were discovered in Israel, as well as the Critical Scholarship Revolution, in which he is a major player.

These two revolutions prove that there was, in fact, no idol worship in the ancient Middle East; that ancient Jews believed in life after death and practiced ancestor veneration.

“All the rules of the game have changed,” Dr. Friedman said.

It was that change that set Dr. Friedman on his quest to uncover why, in several places in the Torah, G-d speaks in the plural. The result was “Who Wrote the Bible,” which explores where the words in the world’s most famous book actually come from.

Through the course of his lecture, he first explained how “in 1947, a goat makes the greatest archeological discovery of the 20th century” by happening upon the Dead Sea

Scrolls, which are the oldest-known copy of the Bible. Of course, these scrolls were incomplete, as age and exposure had already destroyed some of the pages.

Later in time came the secondoldest version, the Leningrad Codex – and finally the third and youngest source for the modern Bible, a version of the Leningrad Codex written in Greek known as the Septuagint.

Dr. Friedman noted that all three of these sources, written in different time periods and in different locations, all mention G-d speaking in the plural in the same three places in the Torah.

All also occur in the first 11 chapters of Genesis.

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Dr. Friedman’s argument was that Psalm 82 (“…among the gods He judges…”) provides the basis for the myth of the death of the gods. He also noted that the Tower of Babel story – which happens to occur just after Psalm 82 – is the last time G-d speaks in the plural.

This of course begs the question: If Judaism is a monotheistic religion, why is this myth necessary? According to Dr. Friedman, the first generation of a monotheistic religion had to find a way to explain why their family members would have believed in multiple gods.

“For example, if your child came home from religious school and said, ‘My teacher says people who believe in many gods are bad. Grandma believes in many gods. Is she bad?’ You would say, ‘No sweetie, Grandma’s not bad, the gods were bad,’” Friedman said.

The doctor concluded by asserting that the fight for Judaism in the ancient Middle East was also the fight for monotheism, which was a notion not terribly common in the region.

He added that to reinforce the notion of oneness also reinforced the notion of togetherness as a people, which is among the most critical elements in Jewish survival over the ages.

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DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

AJT

Community

11

AJT

Outreach

Exchanges of Joy FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE BENEFITS BOTH VOLUNTEERS AND SPECIAL NEEDS INDIVIDUALS From the Friendship Circle For the Atlanta Jewish Times

her daughter, Erica, to experience her Jewish heritage.

ara Stein* was at wits end when she came to the Friendship Circle. She hadn’t slept in nights, and her days were filled with therapy appointments, school meetings and doctors visits with her son Billy*.

“When I tell Erica the date of the next program, there is always a countdown,” she said. “It’s a great activity for her independence. We are thrilled it’s here and hope it’s here to stay!”

S

Her two other children also needed and demanded a lot of her time. But it was Billy who drained her of energy and needed all her attention.

You see, Billy is different. Billy has autism.

It’s been a long and difficultjourney for the Steins. The most painful part was to witness their son’s isolation; Billy had no friends, no social life at all.

Since its inception in late 2010, the Friendship Circle has reached out to more than 30 families of individuals with special needs. There’s a volunteer staff of 50-plus teen and college students.

Ben Halpern is one of the dedicated volunteers.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

“I still worry about Billy, but I’m comforted that he now knows the beauty of friendship. And let’s not forget the weekly respite I get.”

Like many others in Atlanta, every week Billy spends time with two teenage volunteers who come to his house to play and socialize just like typical friends would. They play video games, go for walks, play ball and run, and for that hour, Billy feels like one of the boys; a regular kid with friends to call his own.

“I love my Friendship Circle friends and wait the whole week for their visit,” Billy said.

Not all participants can speak for themselves. But their smiles make it clear how they feel.

Nancy St. Lifer of Cobb County says 12 that the Friendship Circle is a place for

*Names changed to protect the identity of Friendship Circle participants.

Editor’s note: To get involved with The Friendship Circle, email office@ fcatlanta.org or call (404) 423-3371, or visit fcatlanta.org for more info.

Aaron Hartman and Jonathan Kohana bond over cooking up a storm at Cooking Club.

PHOTOS/courtesy the Friendship Circle

The Annual Taste of Faith

MANY RELIGIONS COME TOGETHER FOR EVENT

“True, our buddies with special needs are being given love and lifelong friends,” he said. “But they are the ones that are giving us the true gift.”

Through their work, volunteers are Sisters Dafna and Yifat Kadosh are all smiles at their learning about weekly home visit with Sammy Lesser.

But that acceptance, rePHOTOS/courtesy the Friendship Circle all changed sponsibility and when Sara respect. They heard of the Friendship Circle of At- have become empowered to make a diflanta, an organization dedicated to ac- ference in the lives of others. ceptance and friendship for individuals “Individuals with special needs are with special needs. exactly that – special,” said Rickelle “I finally found a place where we belonged,” Stein said. “We were welcomed with open arms and love.

and reach out to all in need. Thanks to the organization’s dedicated volunteers and supporters, their dream of creating an inclusive, accepting community is becoming a living reality.

New, Director of Friendship Circle of Atlanta. “They are caring, not judgmental, loving, friendly and funny.

But all too often, we don’t get a chance to see that; it’s not because they don’t want friends or don’t need them – they simply lack the social skills to connect with others.

“That’s what the Friendship Circle is for: to love unconditionally.”

Through various programs – the Cooking Club, Jewish Experiential Learning Program, Holiday Events and Home Visits – volunteers and their special buddies get to bond and create lasting friendships.

The Friendship Circle is driven by the idea that within each person is a soul, and that regardless of any obstacles and challenges, these souls are sacred and worthy of boundless love.

This thought resonates across Atlanta’s Jewish community since the Friendship Circle continues to grow

By Bob Bahr AJT Contributor

D

ancing Sikhs and Muslim drumming were two of the highlights of the fourth-annual Taste of Faith sponsored by the Atlanta Interfaith Leaders Fellowship. The goal of the yearly afternoon affair is to encourage face-to-face and faith to faith dialogue in an informal and festive atmosphere.

More than 150 people attended the event, held Dec. 9 at Temple Sinai in Sandy Springs. A dozen different faith communities were represented; among the attendees were individuals of the Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh, Ba’hai, Hindu, Christian and Jewish religions, and each brought holiday foods typical of their respective tradition.

Bob Bahr, Saeed Raees and Masarrat Husain, representing the Jewish and Muslim communities, respectively, co-chaired the program.

TOP LEFT: Sikhs perform traditional dances at Taste of Faith.

TOP RIGHT: Muzaffar Chaudhary performs the music of South Asia.

ABOVE: Rabbi Mitch Cohen and his wife Suzette light the Chanukah candles at Taste of Faith.

PHOTOS/AILF

AJT

From the Federation

Federation Announces Participation in Hunger Walk 2013

SEVENTH YEAR AS LARGEST FAITH-BASED CONTRIBUTOR From the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta For the Atlanta Jewish Times

J

ewish Federation of Greater Atlanta is once again participating in the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Hunger Walk/Run. This is the seventh consecutive year that the organization has been a partner with the event, and in each year has been the largest faith-based contributor.

This year’s edition is set for 2 p.m. on March 10, 2013 at Turner Field and will feature a festival atmosphere with food, games and live music. The event helps fight local hunger by generating valuable funds for the ACFB and other local nonprofit organizations that operate and support food pantries, community kitchens, shelters and other programs.

The Walk/Run and the participation by the Jewish community not only benefit the greater Atlanta community but also impact the lives of Jews in need. At least 60 percent of the money raised by our efforts during Hunger Walk goes back to our Jewish community; for instance, this event funds 56 percent of the kosher food pantry budget for the year.

Registration for the 2013 event opens soon; keep up-to-date and learn more at hungerwalkrun.org.

Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta Announces First Round of Grants THREE ISRAELI ORGANIZATIONS TO RECEIVE TOTAL OF $15,000 From the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta For the Atlanta Jewish Times

T

he Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta (JWFA) offers opportunities for women in the Atlanta Jewish community to achieve greater influence and increased impact by pooling their philanthropic resources. The Fund provides a vehicle for women to support Jewish women- and girl-centered causes.

Launched this year, the Fund has 29 Founding Trustees and recently made its first grant decisions, which totaled $15,000. The group awarded three grants as follows: • $4,300 to American Friends of Orr Shalom for support services for adolescent girls in Israel who have suffered extreme abuse, violence, and/or neglect.

• $4,600 to Kol Israel Haverim for “Cracking the Glass Ceiling,” a program that advances young Israeli women to scholastic excellence with emphasis on sciences.

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• $6,100 to Women’s Courtyard, which promotes social justice, equal opportunities and the right of every Israeli woman and girl to achieve self-fulfillment in accordance with her will.

The JWFA is an independent fund for social change sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and is committed to engaging women of all ages in our vibrant and dynamic Jewish community. Trustees of the Fund will be accepted each year (requires a $9,000 commitment over a three-year period), and anyone making her commitment before Dec. 31, 2012 will be considered a Founding Trustee.

Editor’s note: for more information on Founding Trustees, please contact Rachel Wasserman at (678) 222-3716. Women interested in JWFA can learn more online at www.jewishatlanta.org/jwfa

CAll 404.256.6300 toDAy 335 Hammond Drive, NE, Atlanta, GA 30328 www.hammondglen.com

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

While all of this year’s recipients are based in the Jewish State, it is the intention of the Trustees to award future grants to domestic programs as well.

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13

AJT

Education

A New Generation of Witnesses ATLANTA TEENS INTERVIEW HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS FOR FILM From Congregation Shearith Israel

For the Atlanta Jewish Times

W

hen 16 Congregation Shearith Israel teenagers gathered to learn about Holocaust survivors, it seemed at first like just another history lesson. They had seen the movies, read the books and learned the grim facts before.

But when they sat down and taped interviews with seven people who had lived through the modern era’s single greatest tragedy, a new reality emerged. After all, the survivors were children or young teenagers themselves when they were expelled from Germany, forced from their homes in Romania, sent into hiding in a convent in France or marched off to a forced labor camp in Poland.

On Dec. 9, before a crowd of more than 120 people, the teens premiered

a film – directed by Shearith Israel congregant Jacob Rhodes and produced

by Michele Marill, CSI vice president for youth – that chronicles the stories of these survivors and of their own new understanding of the Holocaust.

To prepare, the young interviewers first consulted with Breman Museum docent Sara Ghitis, author Melissa Faye Green, documentary producer Susan Levitas and broadcaster Audrey Galex. Still, many of the participants were shy at the thought of touching on such personal, emotionally-charged subject matter.

“But once you got into an interview with somebody, there were things you wanted to know more about,” said Mollie Simon, a junior at Chamblee High School.

“This is a part of their life, and they’ve been living with it for a very long time.

So while we were hesitant to ask some things, they were willing to share with us.”

SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL LECTURE in the TENENBAUM FAMILY LECTURE SERIES in JUDAIC STUDIES

Norman Stillman Schusterman/Josey Chair in Judaic History University of Oklahoma

When Arabic was a Jewish Language

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

February 13, 2013 Wednesday, 7:30pm Reception Hall Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University

14

This event is free and open to the public ~ Please join us for a reception following the lecture Free parking available at Fishburne and Peavine Parking Decks

Cosponsored by The Hightower Fund, the Laney Graduate School, and the Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry

LEFT: Survivor Helen Klug shares her story with teens in a panel discussion at Congregation Shearith Israel. MIDDLE: Filmmaker Jacob Rhodes checks the lighting as Eli Mansbach (standing) and Jack Arnold prepare to interview survivor Herbert Kohn. RIGHT: Survivor Helen Spiegel shows some photographs and newspaper clippings from the 1930s.

PHOTOS/Tony Blackwell Rhodes

They heard the personal accounts of such horrors as seeing one’s father beaten by Nazi storm troopers, saying goodbye to parents for the last time and suffering from hunger in a concentration camp. Sharing survivors included Abe Besser, Helen and Frank Spiegel, Herbert Kohn, Dory Profis, Helen Klug and Barry Seidel.

The stories resonated in the CSI youths’ daily lives, and they vowed to keep the lessons of the Holocaust alive even after the last survivors are gone.

Indeed, the name selected for the film – “Edim L’Shoah,” which means “Witnesses to the Holocaust” – signifies both their interviewees’ importance and their own role as witnesses for a young generation.

“This experience has provided a lot of perspective for me in that nothing that I’m going through right now will ever be as bad as the stories the Holocaust survivors have told to us,” said Carly Berlin, a junior at Paideia School in Atlanta and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors.

“This project has changed the way I think about the Holocaust,” added Lakeside High School senior Allison Marill. “It just gave me a more personal look.

“We learned the stories in school, we hear the statistics, we watched the movies. But this really connects a reality, a person I know, to something in history.”

Editor’s note: Congregation Shearith Israel is a Conservative synagogue located in the Morningside neighborhood of Atlanta. Participating teens Jack Arnold, Carly Berlin, Adam Beskind, Noah Dezen, Eli Hendler, Orli Hendler, Eli Mansbach, Allison Marill, Helen Samuel, Molly Schwartz, Halle Sedacca, Mollie Simon, Hillary Sklar, Jonathan Steinberg, Joshua Weinstock and Sydney Wolfe.

AJT

Education At ORT schools in the United States, 80% of the Class of 2011 are employed in their field of study,

Chabad of Georgia, Beth Tefillah Begin $3.5 Million Expansion CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON JEFF & CARRLA GOLDSTEIN YOUTH & EDUCATION CENTER From Chabad of Georgia For the Atlanta Jewish Times

C

habad of Georgia/Congregation Beth Tefillah embarked on a new and exciting chapter in its history with the recent groundbreaking for a major expansion of its campus in Sandy Springs. Rabbis, city representatives, donors and supporters dug the first ceremonial shovelfuls of dirt on Dec. 2 at the groundbreaking event, which marked the beginning of construction on the Jeff and Carrla Goldstein Youth and Education Center.

and Rachel Cohen is one of them.

come true.

Jeff Goldstein, lead patron of the project, stressed that his reason for his involvement is to invest in Jewish education and future generations.

Finally, the children attending really

Rachel Cohen, Graphic Designer

ORT educates over 300,000 students around the world every year.

Are you ready to join the education revolution?

For more details on becoming involved with ORT America in the Atlanta region, contact Jenna Shulman, Director, Atlanta Region at 404-327-5266or at jshulman@ORTamerica.org.

Children attending the party painted tiles that will be featured in the new building while adults enjoyed brunch and schmoozed. Ian Ratner, CBT president and head of the building’s steering committee, kicked off the event by welcoming approximately 300 supporters, donors and volunteers who helped to make the dream a reality.

Phil Cuba, head of the construction committee, thanked the professionals who made the construction possible: architects from Collins Cooper Carusi Architects, builders from Gay Construction and Regions Bank. Karen Meinzen McEnerny, representing the Sandy Springs City Council, spoke about the impact Chabad and the Chaya Mushka Children’s House have on the community, noting the importance of instilling children with religious values.

“launched” the project by launching balloons in the air.

The party then moved outside, where golden shovels and hard-hats were props for the ceremony. Rabbi Yossi New, Chabad of Georgia’s Executive Director and Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Tefillah, opened the speeches by connecting the ceremony to this week’s Torah portion about dreams and making dreams come to fruition. He thanked everyone in the crowd for making this dream

“This is really a community-changing project and a truly exciting time for the Atlanta Jewish Community,” Rabbi Isser New, Associate Director of Chabad of Georgia, said. “Construction should begin this month, and with a little divine intervention, could be done by the High Holidays.”

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

ORTatlanta.org | twitter.com/ORTamerica | facebook.com/ORT.atlanta | atlanta@ORTamerica.org

The final stage of the expansion – pending available funds – will be a state-of-the-art women’s mikvah.

15

PHOTOS/courtesy Allison Carter

AJT

Arts & Life

Unity through Music CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ARTIST SHARES MESSAGE THROUGH ‘TOTEM’

BY ELIZABETH FRIEDLY Assistant Editor

M

usician Joshua Geisler was in India when he got the call from Cirque du Soleil.

“I fit the profile of the kind of people they were looking for, in terms of being able to play multiple instruments and different styles and adaptable,” Geisler said. “So, I just did an audition through Cirque’s website, and it worked out.”

Geisler began his studies at the Berklee College of Music before spending two years in India learning the art of bansuri (a native flute-like instrument made from hollowed bamboo) from a master in the craft.

Based upon such rich, varied musical training, Cirque went on to hire Geisler to play in their latest production, “Totem.” He flew back to the United States in 2010 to join the show, which opens with humble, amphibious beginnings and goes on to exhibit man’s journey to space, all the while drawing from traditions across the globe.

Cirque du Soleil publicist Francis Jalbert speaks further on the themes of “Totem” and describes the “Image Marsh” – a screen incorporated into the stage itself, showing scenes from various locations around the world –

LEFT: Joshua Geisler ABOVE:“Totem” features eight live musicians in addition to the stage performers. PHOTO/courtesy Cirque du Soleil

and goes on to say that the production, while anything but straightforward, still is fluid in its artistic presentation as well as its timeline.

“We don’t necessarily follow the chronological order of the evolution, so it’s really got the impression that you’re moving back and forth, from one part of the world to the next,” said Jalbert.

Performers from 17 different countries are showcased in the production’s

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10 acrobatic acts, and the eight live musicians that perform the score are of diverse backgrounds as well. Besides Geisler, the group includes a Native American vocalist; a female vocalist from Africa; a percussionist with a background in the afro-Cuban style; a recorder player and vocalist who studied medieval-European music; a bassist from France; a jazz pianist; and Geisler on guitar and Indian bansuri flute.

“In the band, you have so many different traditions represented,

and it really all comes together in a way that fits very well with the theme [of ‘Totem’],” said Geisler. “The composers wanted the score to reflect something for the whole planet, and not just coming out of one style.”

Geisler’s passion for world music, in particular the Indian tradition, resulted in the creation of his own style of bansuri. His book, “The Chromatic Bansuri,” joins his two worlds by adapting the traditional Indian bamboo flute technique to Western music.

“My work as an artist has been to find a universal element in music and find ways of bridging gaps across cultures, coming to the essence of who we are as humans,” he said.

His own cultural background includes his Jewish upbringing. One particular trip to Belarus with his uncle helped Geisler to get back in touch with his history: That uncle, a philanthropist who donates to groups throughout Eastern Europe, helped to fund the construction of Holocaust memorials.

Speaking with survivors prompted Geisler to reexamine his identity as a Jewish American.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

“I think I’ve chosen music, in some ways, as a way of reconciling that identity of being a quote-unquote minority population by trying to find the universal,” he said.

16

It’s these varying identities of its players that bring such depth to “Totem.” As we become a truly global society, art provides a means by which to communicate.

Geisler emphasizes the fact that, in the 21st century, the world is smaller than ever. He continues to use “Totem” and his music as means to celebrate both our remarkable similarities and differences.

Margery Diamond’s “Sacred Doors of Atlanta”

I chose the 12 congregations that I did – out of the more than 40 congregations in Atlanta – because I have a personal connection to every one; there is a family member or friend connection at each.

HONORS BRET DIAMOND, OBM; BENEFITS BREMAN HOME

By Margery Diamond For the Atlanta Jewish Times “Sacred Doors of Atlanta” is a photographic work depicting 12 congregational ark doors. It is filled with my dreams for creating something to give back to the entire Atlanta Jewish community and honor my son Bret’s memory:

I

n July of 2007, my son Bret Morris Diamond, OBM, died at the age of 48 while playing tennis. In learning to live with my grief, I attended a therapy group co-sponsored by Temple Sinai and Jewish Family & Career Services.

We met in Rabbi Brad Levenberg’s office, where, on the wall, I took note of a framed print called “Jewish Doors of Cincinnati.” I stared at this striking piece for several weeks of meetings, and at the end of the sessions, I had an idea.

“I would like to do something like this for Jewish Atlanta,” I said to Rabbi Levenberg.

He was very encouraging, and so I began what would take me the next five years to complete. I first had to learn how to take the photographs – I was a nature photographer by trade, after all – so I took photography classes, read instruction books and studied.

Then, I made the arrangements to visit the chosen congregations, determined how I wanted the finished piece to look, and finally found a way to fund the design work and printing.

duced a fine art print, which I titled “Sacred Doors of Atlanta.”

The community support for “Sacred Doors” has been enormous. From the initial funding received from the auxiliary of the Home to the marketing and online sales by local vendor And Thou Shalt Read, from the print design by PWD Labs to the printing itself by Jerry Weiner, many have been vital to this project since its inception.

For example: One of the first Ahavath Achim families were my paternal grandparents, and one of the first Beth Jacob families were Bret’s paternal great grandparents. Also, my parents belonged to The Temple and Bret’s immediate family belonged to Etz Chaim.

Editor’s note: Today, “Sacred Doors of Atlanta” is complete and ready for sales.

Visit andthoushaltread.com or call (770) 993-5432 to purchase; prints will also be for sale at the Breman Home gift shop, Decatur Book Festival and other book fairs around town.

I have come to realize that my life’s journey and Atlanta’s Jewish community are deeply intertwined. Now, it is with a great sense of accomplishment and help from many that I have pro-

I decided to use my work as a way to raise funds for The William Breman Jewish Home, where my sister is a resident. In this way, I could honor my son’s memory as well as my sibling and make a difference at the Home, Atlanta’s nursing home for the entire Jewish community.

In turn, the auxiliary of the Home generously donated the funding for the initial printing, and I am delighted to say that I have paid them back in full.

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DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

AJT

arts & life

17

Atlanta Synagogue Directory

Sponsored by:

CHABAD Chabad Intown 928 Ponce De Leon Avenue Atlanta, GA 30306 www.chabadintown.org 404.898.0434

Congregation Beth Shalom 5303 Winters Chapel Rd. Atlanta, GA 30360 www.bshalom.net 770.399.5300

Guardians of the Torah P.O. Box 767981 Roswell, GA 30076 www.guardiansofthetorah.org 770.286.3477

The Kehilla of Sandy Springs 5075 Roswell Rd. Sandy Springs, GA 30342 www.thekehilla.org 404.913.6131

Temple Beth Tikvah 9955 Coleman Rd. Roswell, GA 30075 www.bethtikvah.com 770.642.0434

Chabad Israel Center 5188 Roswell Rd. Sandy Springs, GA 30324 www.cicatlanta.com 404.252.9508

Congregation B’nai Torah 700 Mount Vernon Hwy. Atlanta, GA 30328 www.bnaitorah.org 404.257.0537

Young Israel of Toco Hills 2074 Lavista Rd. Atlanta, GA 30329 www.yith.org 404.315.1417

Temple Emanu-El 1580 Spalding Dr. Atlanta, GA 30350 www.templeemanuelatlanta.org 770.395.1340

Chabad Jewish Center 4255 Wade Green Rd. Suite 120 Kennesaw, GA 30144 www.jewishwestcobb.com 678.460.7702

Congregation Etz Chaim 1190 Indian Hills Pkwy Marietta, GA 30068 www.etzchaim.net 770.973.0137

Nediv Lev: the Free Synagogue of Atlanta 3791 Mill Creek Ct. Atlanta, GA 30341 My.att.net/p/PWP-NedivLev 770.335.2311 Shalom B’harim 150 Warwick Street Dahlonega, GA 30533 www.shalombharim.org 706.864.0801

Reconstructionist Congregation Bet Haverim 2676 Clairmont Rd. Atlanta, GA 30329 www.congregationbethaverim.org 404.315.6446

Temple Kehillat Chaim 1145 Green St. Roswell, GA 30075 www.kehillatchaim.org 770.641.8630

Orthodox

Reform

Anshi S’Fard Congregation 1324 North Highland Ave. Atlanta, GA 30306 www.anshisfard.com 404.874.4513

Congregation B’nai Israel 1633 Hwy 54 E Jonesboro, GA 30238 www.bnai-israel.net 678.817.7162

Congregation Ariel 5237 Tilly Mill Rd. Dunwoody, GA 30338 www.congariel.org 770.390.9071

Congregation Dor Tamid 11165 Parsons Rd. Johns Creek, GA 30097 www.dortamid.org 770.623.8860

Congregation Beth Jacob 1855 Lavista Rd. Atlanta, GA 30329 www.bethjacobatlanta.org 404.633.0551

Congregation Ner Tamid 176 West Sandtown Rd. Marietta, GA 30064 www.nertamidonline.com 678.264.8575

Congregation Beth Yitzhak 5054 Singleton Rd. Norcross, GA 30093 770.931.4567 Email: anatoliy@bjca.com

Congregation Rodeph Sholom 406 East 1st Street Rome, GA 30161 www.rodephsholomga.org (706) 291-6315

Congregation Ner Hamizrach 1858 Lavista Rd. Atlanta, GA 30329 www.nerhamizrach.org 404.315.9020

Temple Beth David 1885 Mcgee Rd. Snellville, GA 30078 www.gwinnetttemple.com 770.978.3916

Chabad of Cobb 4450 Lower Roswell Rd. Marietta, GA 30068 www.chabadofcobb.com 770.565.4412 Chabad of Gwinnett 3855 Holcomb Bridge Rd. Suite 770 Norcross, GA 30092 www.chabadofgwinnett.org 678.595.0196 Chabad of North Fulton 10180 Jones Bridge Rd. Alpharetta, GA 30022 www.chabadnf.org 770.410.9000 Congregation Beth Tefillah 5065 High Point Rd. Atlanta, GA 30342 www.chabadga.com 404.257.9306 Conservative

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

Ahavath Achim Synagogue 600 Peachtree Battle Ave. Atlanta, GA 30327 www.aasynagogue.org 404.355.5222

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Congregation Gesher L’Torah 4320 Kimball Bridge Rd. Alpharetta, GA 30022 www.gltorah.org 770.777.4009 Congregation Or Hadash 6751 Roswell Rd. Atlanta, GA 30328 www.or-hadash.org 404.250.3338 Congregation Shearith Israel 1180 University Dr. Atlanta, GA 30306 www.shearithisrael.com 404.873.1743 Non-denominational Atlanta Chevre Minyan Druid Forest Clubhouse North Crossing Dr. Atlanta, GA 30305 www.atlantachevreminya.org Congregation Kehillat HaShem 315 Cotton Court Johns Creek, GA 30022 rabbiatlanta.com 770.218.8094 Congregation Shema Yisrael 6065 Roswell Rd., #3018 Atlanta, GA 30328 www.shemaweb.org 404.943.1100

Temple Kol Emeth 1415 Old Canton Rd. Marietta, GA 30062 www.kolemeth.net 770.973.3533 Temple Sinai 5645 Dupree Dr. Sandy Springs, GA 30327 www.templesinatlanta.org 404.252.3073 The Temple 1589 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta, GA 30309 www.the-temple.org 404.873.1731 SEPHARDIC Congregation Or VeShalom 1681 North Druid Hills Rd. Atlanta, GA 30319 www.orveshalom.org 404.633.1737 Traditional Congregation Shaarei Shamayim 1810 Briarcliff Rd. Atlanta, GA 30329 www.shaareishamayeim.com 404.417.0472

what’s happening

Sat., Dec. 22 Road Rally Scavenger Hunt, with Atlanta Jewish Singles. Dinner beforehand.

The group is divided up into teams with a list of riddles to solve, leading to different locations around Atlanta. Sat., Dec. 22, 6 p.m. Location TBA. meetup.com.

Sun., Jan. 6 Bearing Witness Series, “Unforgettable Stories” with speaker Eva Friedlander, Holocaust survivor. Sun., Jan. 6, 2 p.m. Free for members. $12/adults, $8/seniors, $6/students. The Breman Museum. (678) 222-3700.

Sun., Dec. 23 Gift-wrapping fundraiser, volunteer opportunities all day; need at least three volunteers for each shift. Beginning Sun., Dec. 23, 9 a.m. Barnes and Noble at Cumberland. To sign up for a shift, contact (770) 726-7219 or audreycpa@ gmail.com.

High Museum Trip, “Fast Forward: Modern Moments” exhibit. Docent-guided tour through exhibit followed by drinks at Shout. Sun., Jan. 6, 3 p.m. $30/MJCCA members, $35/non-members. High Museum. (678) 812-4079.

Meeting of Jewish War Veterans Post 112, with guest speaker Susan Roseman. Sun., Dec. 23, 10 a.m. $8.50 for buffet. Landmark Diner. podgorben@ msn.com.

Mon., Dec. 24 Jew Jam 2012, a benefit for JF&CS Emergency Assistance Fund with the Mark Michelson & Friends band. Ages 35+. Mon., Dec. 24, 8 p.m. $19.50/ online, $30/door (cash only). Steve’s Live Music. Tickets at ticketfly.com/purchase/event/184353.

Tues., Dec. 25 Hospital volunteer opportunity, “Be a Pinch Hitter” by covering a four-hour shift on Christmas Day. Tues., Dec. 25.

To sign up, visit pinchhitters.org, or call (770) 392-1175 for info.

Family Fun Day, enjoy a day at the Marcus gym, inflatables, a concert by The Baal Shem Tones, a family friendly movie and food. Tues., Dec. 25, 8 a.m. Free and open to community. MJCCA. lora.sommer@atlantajcc.org.

Wed., Dec. 26 Winter Camp, featuring a variety of activities, plus Kosher lunch and snacks.

For kindergarten to 6th grade. Mini-camp for ages 3-4. Wed., Dec. 26, 9 a.m. $55/ day, $220/weekly bundle. For Early Bird Special, register by Dec. 12. Chabad Israeli Center. (404) 252-9508.

Thurs., Jan. 10 Preschool Place Pre-K open house, come meet excellent educators and experience CDT’s quality pre-K program.

Walk-ins welcome, RSVP preferred. Congregation Dor Tamid. (770) 623-8849.

Mon., Jan. 12 Mt. Scopus Musical Soiree, an evening featuring concert pianist Elena Boguslavsky; proceeds go towards genetic research at Hadassah Hospital. Mon., Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m. $25/person. Private residence. RSVP by Jan. 5. For info, (404) 325-0340 or embarr1@bellsouth.net.

Sun., Jan. 13 Yiddish Lovers Club Meeting, once a month meetings. Sun., Jan. 13, 11 a.m. Beth Jacob Synagogue. (404) 6330551.

Wed., Feb. 6 MDE Open House, school for special needs students, individual attention.

Wed., Feb. 6, 7 p.m. The Motivation, Dedication, Excellence School in Marietta. RSVP by Feb. 1 to (770) 977-9457 or (770) 971-4633.

Ongoing Sober Shabbat, dinners held on the first Friday of every month, sponsored by the JF&CS HAMSA. JF&CS offices. For information: (770) 677-9318 or addiction@jfcs-atlanta.org.

Sun., Jan. 20 A Night at the Races, dinner in honor of Harold & Lora Schroeder and Dr. Jason and Leanne Kaplan, featuring games and music and more. Sun., Jan. 20. Congregation Ariel. (770) 390-9071.

Sat., Jan. 26 Family Concert, Mr. Greg’s Musical Madness. Sat., Jan. 26, 11 a.m. $10/ person. The Punchline Comedy Club.

Tickets at punchline.com.

Sun., Jan. 27 Mahjong Tournament, Benefitting Etz Chaim Preschool. Bring 2012 Mahjong card. Prizes awarded. Beginners seminar available. Sun., Jan. 27, 12:45 p.m. $25/person. Congregation Etz Chaim. http://www.etzchaim.net/preschool_ events_registration.aspx

Jewish Alcoholics Chemically Dependent Persons And Significant Others Meeting, calling all Jewish persons with a desire to get help with their own addiction or with a loved one’s addiction. First and third Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Congregation Etz Chaim. (770) 928-2523 or georgiatraveler@att.net.

Israel Trip Info Meeting, for upcoming MJCCA trip, June 12-25. Sun., Jan. 27, 12 p.m. Zaban Park. Information and application forms, (678) 812-4161 or brian. glusman@atlantajcc.org.

Torah as a Means to a Sacred Experience, weekly lunch and learn hosted by Frederick Ravid and Phil Levetan. Reservations recommended. Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. $6/person. Selig Enterprises. yes@ reallyfree.org or (678) 753-5813.

Sun., Feb. 3 Congregation Dor Tamid Adult Enrichment Program, features different speakers each week on varying social and Jewish topics. Begins Sun., Feb. 3, 9:30 a.m. (nine sessions). The Monarch School. lindadickson1@gmail.com or (678) 777-7099.

From the SS to the IDF, with guest lecturer Dr. Bernd Wollschlaeger. Sun., Jan. 13, 7:30 p.m. Congregation Beth Tefillah.

(404) 843-2464.

Wed., Jan. 16 Thinking Inside the Box, “Framing Women’s Lives” shadowboxing created

by Weber School students. Wed., Jan. 16, 7 p.m. The Weber School. RSVP brosenblit@weberschool.org “To Catch An Anti-Semite,” with guest speaker David Nesenoff, on the viral video of White House correspondent Helen Thomas. Wed., Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m. $12/ person for RSVP’s by Jan. 10. $15/person at door. RSVP, (770) 565-4412 or chabadofcobb.com.

Sat., Jan. 19 Cancer Transitions Workshop, sixweek workshop to aide in active to post treatment. Sat., Jan. 19, 10 a.m. Free.

Cancer Support Community. (404) 8431880.

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DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

AJT

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AJT

MATZAH BALL SOUP FOR THE SOUL

A Healthy Dose of Doubt REAFFIRMATION VIA QUESTIONING

By Rachel LaVictoire

R

AJT Contributor eligion is something that’s difficult to explain. Some people embrace its beliefs; others think it’s mostly a product of curiosity, a way of exploring and explaining the inexplicable.

One thing is certain: at one point or another, most everyone questions religion and their own beliefs. The questioning comes in many forms, and often progresses like a snowball, growing quickly and gaining speed as it rolls along. It might go something like this: Do I believe humans all descended from Adam and Eve? Do I believe Moses wrote the Torah? Do I believe that my prayers are being heard? Do I believe there is something after I die? Do I even believe in G-d?

And those are just questions you can ask about Judaism. What about other religions – for example, did Siddhartha Gautama really reach enlightenment after observing the suffering in our world? Is karma real?

And what makes the beliefs of Buddhists and Hindus “wrong” and our Jewish beliefs “right”?

Such questions can send a person into a frenzy of doubt and discomfort.

It’s not easy to raise these queries, but truth to tell, it’s only through questioning that we can reach new depths in our own faith.

A course I’ve been taking titled “Thinking About Religion” is very difficult. It’s been forcing me to step outside my comfort zone, set aside my Judaism and look at other beliefs and ideas.

Take, for example, this excerpt from our textbook, “Comparing Religions: A Textbook Initiation” by Jeffrey Kripal, a professor at Rice University. Recounted is the story of 19-year-old Bill Barnard, from Gainesville, Fla., who in 1975 took a workshop in “latent spiritual energy” from a Hindu guru.

When it came time for the “Descent of Power,” Bill sat reciting a mantra over and over again as the guru tapped Bill on the head with a peacock feather.

This is Bill’s recollection:

Shabbat Candle Lighting Times shabbat blessings Blessing for the Candles Baruch Arah A-do-nai,El-o-hei-nu Melech Haolam Asher Kid-shanu b’mitzvotav V’zivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of time and space.

You hallow us with Your mitzvot and command us to kindle the lights of Shabbat.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

Blessing for thw Wine Baruch Atah A-do-nai, El-o-hei-nu Meelech Haolam, Borei p’ri hagafen

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Praise to You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

Blessing for the Bread (Challah) Baruch Atah A-do-nai, El-o-hei-nu Melech haolam, Hamotzi Lechem min haaretz.

Our Praise to You Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.

Friday, December 21, 2012 Light Candles at: 5:14 pm Shabbat, December 22, 2012 Shabbat Ends: 6:13 pm Friday, December 28, 2012 Light Candles at: 5:18 pm Shabbat, December 29, 2012 Shabbat Ends: 6:18 pm Friday, January 4, 2012 Light Candles at: 5:23 pm Shabbat, January 5, 2012 Shabbat Ends: 6:22 pm Friday, January 11, 2012 Light Candles at: 5:29 pm Shabbat, January 12, 2012 Shabbat Ends: 6:28 pm

“My consciousness dramatically shifted inside of me…I remember very vividly how odd it was to me to pay attention to where this mantra was coming from inside of me. It was as if I had split into two parts: one part was watching this mantra arise within me, while the other part of me was the mantra…

“Then, something shifted again. All at once, I was no longer split into two, I was no longer looking for the source of the mantra; instead, I felt myself to be the source of the mantra…

“There was a deep, solid inner knowing that ‘this’ was who ‘I’ was, that ‘this’ was very real, [and] that ‘it’ was much more real than my previous sense of myself as a limited, suffering, ignorant ego with a body.”

At first, Bill Barnard may sound crazy. Some old man hit him over the head with a feather, and suddenly space and time are non-issues and he’s a swirling mass of consciousness?

Many people would write this off as nonsense, or maybe even a cry for attention. Why, though? It seems to me that Bill Barnard’s experience isn’t anymore difficult to accept than the story that G-d provided the Israelites manna from heaven.

That’s not to say I’m thinking about become a Hindu; I just think it’s okay for me to ponder other beliefs.

In this week’s Torah portion, Vayigash, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. It had been 22 years since they sold him into slavery, and Joseph was now a noble and respected man of Egypt.

He told his brothers to go back to their father in Canaan and to bring their families and settle in the land of Goshen so that Joseph would be near them. So the brothers went back to their father Jacob and told him that Joseph was alive and that he had sent wagons for the family in the hopes that they would leave Canaan and go to the

land of Goshen.

Jacob was excited by the thought of seeing his son, whom he thought had died, and so he agreed to go. During the trip, G-d called out to Jacob: “I am G-d, the G-d of your father. Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up (Genesis 45:4).”

Still, Jacob was anxious. He didn’t fear violence or danger. He feared the loss of the Holy Land. It seemed plausible that if he left Canaan, his descendants would never know the land.

That which he experienced was the same sort of anxiety, I think, that arises when people question their faith.

They become nervous that they will lose their core beliefs, that their answers will lead them into denial or even down an entirely different path. However, in this week’s parshah, G-d confronts that worry.

G-d will be with us even when we question, for He is always with us. He will bring us back after our journey, back to the Holy Land and back to faith.

That’s why I can question my beliefs – I know in my heart what I believe: Adonai eloheinu Adonai ehad. “The Lord is our G-d, the Lord is one.”

But it’s the curiosity, the doubt and the questioning – followed by G-d’s pulling me back to Judaism – which reinforces all that I believe.

So follow in Jacob’s footsteps. Go on both intellectual and spiritual journeys. Just as G-d promised to Jacob, so too will He “go down with you and also bring you up.”

Rachel LaVictoire (rlavictoire@wustl. edu) is a graduate of the Davis Academy and Westminster High School, recipient of the prestigious Nemerov Writing and Thomas H. Elliott Merit scholarships at Washington University of St. Louis and an active member of Temple EmanuEl and the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta.

AJT

MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING

Joan Balser Hyman

Albert Pfeffer

Joan Balser Hyman, age 83, passed away peacefully on Sat., Dec. 15 at Arbor Terrace of Crabapple in Alpharetta. Mrs. Hyman was a native Atlantan. She went to Morningside Elementary and was a graduate of Girl’s High School and the University of Miami. While she was at the University of Miami she met the love of her life, her husband of 55 years, Paul Hilton Hyman. Because of Paul’s job with National Linen Service, they lived in several cities: Miami, St. Petersburg, Savannah, Orlando and Atlanta. Joan was an avid mah-jongg player and a huge Atlanta Braves and Miami Dolphins fan. She also enjoyed her many years of volunteering and working for ORT. She and Paul enjoyed traveling and visited many ports of call. Joan was a loving homemaker, wife, mother and grandmother who will be greatly missed. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul Hyman, of blessed memory. Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Walter and Sandy Hyman, Alpharetta; daughter and son-in-law, Elaine and Todd Quenan, Bradenton, Fla.; daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Carl Rocco, Nashville, Tenn.; grandchildren Ali and Jake Hyman, Catie and Matt Rocco, and Seth Quenan; brother and sister-in-law Arnold and Claire Balser; nephews Mark, Bill and Jeff Balser; and many cousins. We would like to thank the staff at Arbor Terrace for their wonderful care of Joan. We would also like to thank Hospice for their wonderful care as well. You may sign the online guest book at edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1925 Century Boulevard, NE, Ste 10, Atlanta, GA 30345. A graveside service was held at 3 p.m. on Mon., Dec. 17, 2012 at Arlington Memorial Park with Rabbi Mark Zimmerman officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

Albert Pfeffer, 88, of Marietta, passed away on Sun., Dec. 16, 2012. The son of Harry and Pearl Pfeffer, of blessed memory, he is survived by his cousins Jerry, Milton and Bruce Finkelstein, Sharon (Max) Bolgla, Eleanor (Harold) Vrono, Dr. Marvin (Fran) Rothenberg, Irene (Gene) Berkowitz, Larry (Eleanor) Bogart and Raymond Yarfitz; and his long-time friend, Michael Strahle. An online guestbook is available at edressler.com. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave. NW, Atlanta, GA 30327, aasynagogue.org. Graveside service was held at 1 p.m. on Mon., Dec. 17, 2012 at Greenwood Cemetery with Rabbi Neil Sandler officiating. Arrangements

by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

83, OF ATLANTA

Jack Robert Lieberman

88, OF MARIETTA

Allen Hy Rosenthal

WIDOWER TO ELLEN RITTENBAUM ROSENTHAL Allen Hy Rosenthal – devoted widower to Ellen Rittenbaum Rosenthal; father of Taran Daniel Rosenthal and Claire-Elisabeth Ann Hartman; grandfather of Madalena Violet; father of Cerece Ariel Rosenthal and Marie Hwang; grandfather of Rivkah Kaishee and Max Kaiyue; father of Morgaine Talia Rosenthal and Feliza Marjorie Rosenthal – died at home Mon., Dec. 10 at 3:40 a.m. of metastatic cancer. We will miss his generous spirit and loving nature and are thankful that he is now at peace. Sign online guest book at edressler.com. Donations in his memory may be sent to Congregation Shaarei Shamayim, 1810 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30328. Services were held graveside at Arlington Cemetery on Wed., Dec. 12 at 11 a.m. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

83, OF SANDY SPRINGS

Sam H. Perlstein 89, OF ATLANTA

Sam H. Perlstein, age 89, of Atlanta, died Dec. 11, 2012. Survivors include his loving wife of 62 years, Dolores Perlstein; daughter and son-in-law, Dr. Harriette Perlstein and Dr. Mark Nanes, Dunwoody; daughter and son-in-law, Robin and Jim Lackner, Mendota Heights, Minn.; grandsons Joshua and Aaron Lackner and Benjamin and Matthew Nanes; sister, Irene Siegel, Glastonbury, Conn. Sign online guest book at edressler.com. A graveside service was held Dec. 13, 2012 at Arlington Memorial Park with Rabbi Mark Zimmerman officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

Jack Robert Lieberman, of Sandy Springs, died on Dec.13, 2012. He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on April 29, 1929 to Ethel and Manny Lieberman. Jack graduated from Samuel Gompers High School. During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Army in Germany, where he was able to get by with the locals better than others, having grown up in a Yiddish-speaking household. After returning home, Jack married Marilyn Klein of the Bronx, N.Y. on May 12, 1956. Several years after moving to Atlanta in 1962, they returned to New York until permanently settling in Sandy Springs in 1973, from which time Jack was a season ticket holder for the Atlanta Falcons. He was also an avid Bulldogs fan, the University of Georgia being the alma mater of his children. A salesman for more than 50 years, Jack was Vice President of John Romain Handbags in New York. In Atlanta, he was President of Jamack Sales Corporation, with offices at the Atlanta Merchandise Mart, selling handbags and accessories. He was also President of the Southeastern Travelers Association, formed the organization “Accessories on 6” and was active fighting for salesmen’s rights and American manufacturing in Atlanta and in Washington, D.C. Jack was a lover of life and traveled broadly and often with wife Marilyn. He was a wine collector, gourmet chef and an international bon vivant, always ready to serve guests a heaping plate of food and a joke. Jack was a lifelong learner, studying Torah with the Kollel and at Beth Jacob. He engaged in lively weekly discussions with the Forum at the Marcus Jewish Community Center. Jack inspired and is lovingly remembered by many whose lives he touched, including his wife Marilyn; sisters, Sylvia Schwartz and Carole Klein; children, Evan (Jen Poland) and Chaya Ilene (Jessica Epstein); grandchildren, Ester (Ayal Kellman), Tziporah (Mordechai Rapp), Sara (Benny Wright), Akiva, Avraham, Shimmy and Ezra; great-granddaughters, Aliza and Shani; and many beloved nieces and nephews. An online guestbook is available at edressler.com. Rabbis David Silverman and Binyomin Friedman officiated the graveside service at Crestlawn Memorial Park, held Sun., Dec. 16, 2012 at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Jack’s memory can be made to the Atlanta Scholars Kollel or to Congregation Ariel. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

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JEWISH PUZZLER

by Kathi Handler (bookssss@aol.com)

Across 1. Kunstler account 5. Rachel to Joseph 9. Issachar city 13. Agnon and Sachs prize 14. Sabin vaccine 15. Lieberman’s 2000 mate 16. Abraham once 17. Chanukah days 18. Angel of Death path 19. Galilee and Dead 20. Judah Maccabee 22. Ma’ariv time 23. Son of Saul 25. Tref crawler 27. Items on Schindler’s List 30. Sopher 33. Qumran Scrolls holder 36. Abraham’s father 38. Enjoyed the Seder 39. Observe 41. “60 Minutes” costar 43. Jazzman __ Getz 44. Wise elder 46. Asher’s daughter 48. Depot (abbr) 49. Biblical outcasts 51. Jacob’s boys 53. Fill Knesset seat 55. Urim and Thummim 59. Issachar to Levi 61. Turkic Jew 64. Tuches?

65. Haman’s end

67. Israeli food corp.

68. Mourning week 69. Immigrant’s Ellis 70. Anne Frank’s pop 71. Early Head of Mossad 72. Lamblike 73. Not Zaftig 74. Seth’s boy

37. Mordechai 40. Sisera’s seducer 42. Nazarite no no?

45. Garbage (Yid.) 47. That woman 50. Yeshiva

52. Prophet to David 54. Ta’am (Eng) 56. Geniza locale 57. Exists 58. Airline 59. Streiml border

60. “The __”, Midler’s movie 62. __ Beta Tau, fraternity 63. King of Judah 66. Screech 68. That woman

Last week’s answers

Down 1. Lid 2. Abraham once 3. Add za’atar 4. Tu B’Shevat need?

5. Budge 6. Richard Tucker solo 7. Zilpah and Bilhah 8. Gentiles?

9. Long before 10. Potok and Singer 11. Night before (Heb) 12. Bissel (Eng) 13. Resnik’s Org. 20. Etrog cousins 21. Maccabiah game?

24. Sharansky to friends 26. Gershwin and Levin 28. Roman and Messianic 29. City of mystics 31. Buddy Rich specialty 32. “Giant”, writer _ Ferber 33. Prophet 34. Competent 35. Edomites

Chess Puzzle of the Week

by Jon Hochberg

Challenge: White to move: Checkmate in 2 moves

Last week’s puzzle solution.

R x Ra5#)

Jon Hochberg is a chess instructor who has been teaching in the Atlanta area for the last 6 years. Currently, Jon runs after school chess programs at several Atlanta schools, including The Epstein school. He always welcomes new students, and enjoys working with children who have no prior chess knowledge. Jon can be reached at Jonhochberg@gmail.com to schedule private lessons.

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DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012

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DECEMBER 21 ▪ 2012