Atlanta Jewish Times, XCIV No. 06, February 8, 2019

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VOL. XCIV NO. 06 | EDUCATION

EDUCATION

Do Jewish Day School Students Have an Advantage?

SUPER BOWL WRAP-UP A JEWISH MVP AND OTHER BIG GAME HIGHLIGHTS.

OSCAR-WINNING ROSENMAN PRODUCING ATLANTA TIES WHILE DISHING ABOUT CELEBS.

BLACK FOREST DOCUMENTARY KAY WILSON SHARES HER SURVIVAL OF AN ATTACK IN AN ISRAELI FOREST.

FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 3 ADAR I 5779

2 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

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MICHAEL A. MORRIS

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Contributors This Week ALLEN LIPIS BOB BAHR CHANA SHAPIRO DAVE SCHECHTER JAN JABEN-EILON MARCIA CALLER JAFFE DR. MARK L. FISHER RABBI DAVID GEFFEN RABBI JOAB EICHENBERG-EILON RACHEL SLOMOVITZ

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The education path you set for your child can influence their success in the future. So, the choice of a high school is a far-reaching one. We investigate statistics of local schools and interview students about their education as it relates to the Atlanta Jewish community.

Heads of school share their thoughts on the cost of Jewish education in Atlanta and efforts to make it more affordable.

We talk to Jewish families about their choices, which can include home schooling. We hear from a parent of a “neurodiverse” child about the need for more inclusive education and programming. We take a look at Jewish Kids Groups in Atlanta, providing after school education that is unaffiliated with any synagogue or branch of Judaism.

The biggest sporting event of the year was in Atlanta this past weekend and Jews were major players on the front lines and the back ends. From the Jewish-owned Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the owner of the winning team and its

MVP to what ESPN designated as the No. 1 Super Bowl party with its star-studded guest list, Jews were hosting and playing and performing, putting it all on the line for our entertainment.

The low-scoring game may have disappointed, but the unseasonably warm weather, reduced traffic, and welcoming city cast a favorable spotlight on Atlanta and its Jewish community.

While visitors left with good vibes, employees of a Roswell high school returned to work Monday to find anti-Semitic vandalism on campus, including spray-painted swastikas.

As police look for the perpetrators, area Jewish, school, Holocaust education, government and civic leaders are planning a community meeting to discuss the incident and how to combat hatred.

In the face of terrorism in Israel, Kay Wilson brought her positive, but horrifying message of survival to Atlanta last week. She shared her inspiring account of living through an attack during a hike

in an Israeli “Black Forest,” the documentary recounting her story.

There are lessons to be learned from tragedy as there are from acts of antiSemitism and from hosting a Super Bowl.

Continuing education. It’s what Judaism is all about. ■

CONTENTS REFLECTIONS �������������������������������� 4 LOCAL NEWS ���������������������������������� 5 OPINION ����������������������������������������� 11 ISRAEL NEWS ������������������������������� 12 BUSINESS ��������������������������������������� 14 EDUCATION ����������������������������������� 16 ARTS ������������������������������������������������ 29 CALENDAR ������������������������������������� 34 COMMUNITY ��������������������������������� 36 KEEPING IT KOSHER ������������������ 38 BRAIN FOOD ���������������������������������� 39 OBITUARIES ���������������������������������� 40 CLOSING THOUGHTS ����������������� 42

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 3

REFLECTIONS Emory: The Coca Cola School classmate, Professor Moses When I matriculated to Hadas z’l, were sent in 1918, Emory University in the fall after they graduated Boys of 1955, one of the first bits High, to New York to study at of advice I was given was the original Yeshivat Yitzhak related to Atlanta’s famous Elchanan on the East Side. beverage.

They were both smart; they “David, you can go to had learned with Rabbi Gefany soft drink machine on fen from age 10. However, at campus, and it will be filled the yeshiva, almost all the with Coca-Cola bottles. If you Rabbi David other students had studied at put in a nickel, a cold Coke Geffen the great yeshivot in Eastern drops down for your enjoyEurope. From what I underment.”

The next day I went to a soft drink stand, Geffen and Hadas did their best, machine in the history building. It was but it was hard to compete.

On their Pesach break, they indicated filled with Coca-Cola. I put in my nickel and a Coke popped out. I am not sure how to my grandfather that they did not feel long it lasted after I enrolled, but I learned that they could continue where they were that Coca-Cola treat had existed for Emo- learning. In 1919, after he learned the attitude of these young men, he took a train ry students for quite a number of years.

Professor Michael Elliott, dean of the to New York and the Jewish Theological College of Arts and Sciences at Emory, Seminary to visit Professor Louis Ginztraveled to Israel a few weeks ago to meet berg, an outstanding Talmudist, whom he with alumni and to sign agreements for knew from Kovno, Lithuania.

My grandfather wanted these two Emory to have joint educational projects and courses that Emory students can take. young men to be rabbis, so he went to the He met Emory alumni in various cities. I seminary to see how they could enroll. attended the alumni reunion with the Ginzberg told him that they had to have dean in Jerusalem. Eight of us were pres- a college degree to be eligible for enrollent. The gathering was held in the David ment. Rabbi Geffen took the train back Citadel Hotel, where we reminisced about to Atlanta since he knew what he had to our days at Emory. I was the oldest alum- do. On his return, he arranged an appointnus present, so I recalled aspects at Emory ment with Chief Methodist Bishop [Warwhich no longer exist. Those of us present ren] Candler, brother of Asa Candler and hope that we can have some more Emory president of Emory.

Emory had moved to Atlanta from its gatherings.

2019 is a centennial year for the ad- original home in South Georgia. In 1918 or mission of Orthodox Jewish students to 1919, after Emory was already in Atlanta, Emory. One or two Jewish students had in a building downtown, Asa Candler, been enrolled before 1919, but the break- president of the Coca-Cola Company, gave Emory a large piece of land in Druid Hills through came in late spring that year.

Rabbi Tobias Geffen, my grandfather, – the Emory campus we all know.

Rabbi Geffen and Bishop Candler was a key figure, so in our family it is one met. Emory had Saturday classes so the of our legends.

My uncle, Dr. Joel Geffen z’l, and his students could go to church on Sunday

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and do their homework on Monday. The compromise worked out was that the two had to attend classes on Shabbat and holidays, but they did not have to write or take tests. To get to Emory from Hunter Street, where they lived, they had to walk four miles there and back. When they returned, they ate and then they learned with Rabbi Geffen the rest of Shabbat.

Emory became a wonderful college for Atlanta’s young men. Until 1957, only the daughters of ministers and rabbis could attend. Then Emory became co-ed.

Sharon Singer Norry z’l and Lois Frank were among the first Jewish girls who were Emory students.

The Jewish enrollment grew at Emory in the 1920s as the sons of Atlanta immigrants came of age to embrace higher education and to study, in particular, for professions. Doctors, lawyers, some dentists and professors too.

The three schools in Georgia which welcomed Jewish students were Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia and Emory.

In the ‘20s Georgia Tech was basically an engineering school. Whereas in the South there was no real prejudice about Jews entering the engineering profession; in the North, getting jobs for Jewish engineering graduates was difficult. My mother, Anna Geffen z’l, had a younger brother, Easy Birshtein, my uncle. He graduated NYU as an outstanding student in the field of engineering, but he could not get a job.

The University of Georgia welcomed Jewish students: men and co-eds. From what I have heard from early graduates in the 20s and 30s, UGA was a fun school, with football, fraternities and sororities.

Most Jewish Georgians who wanted to practice law in Georgia attended the University of Georgia Law School. Some went to the Georgia medical school in Augusta.

Emory provided an opportunity for Jews and non-Jews to receive a very good liberal arts education. Most Jewish graduates of Emory in the 20s and part of the early 30s could get into medical school and law school. The dental school came under Emory’s wings in the 30s. Emory also provided wonderful fraternity life.

The Jewish fraternities could shine with their scholastic excellence. The extracurricular activities found Jews in most of them.

There was no public information about Jews at Emory until the Southern Israelite became an Atlanta paper in 1929. Then there were reports of the [Jewish] Educational Alliance activities, the synagogues’ well-rounded programs and educational events, and the programs and projects of the many organizations in the

Atlanta Jewish community.

A major page called “College Notes” in the Southern Israelite announced “the largest enrollment of Jewish students in the history of Emory University is announced for the 1931-1932 term. Sixty-nine have registered this year, as compared with the record fifty for 1930-1931. “’With the increased attendance comes an increased participation of Jewish students in the various school activities,’ according to R. B. Nixon, assistant to the president of Emory.”

Then the names started to pour out.

“Emory’s ‘Little Symphony’ orchestra included: Joe Glazer, Simon Wender, Louis Shalloway, Mendal Segal and Isadore Hoffman.” I knew Hoffman well when I was an Emory student from 1955 to 1959 since I was an AEPi [Alpha Epsilon Pi]. He was the chapter’s advisor who bailed us out many times. Later he became the international president.

One of the interesting areas of participation for the Jewish students was football. “Members of the school football teams are Goldwasser, regular guard for the senior team; Slakman, guard for the freshmen; Shalloway and Hoffman, linemen for the sophmores.”

In the spring quarter 1931, AEPi won the fraternity scholastic competition. In the chapter were: Sidney Rose, Charles Hoffman, Ben Millender, Sam Zion, Nathan Gershon and many others.

To me, what made a major difference for the professional development of our fathers and mothers is that our grandparents, in spite of the depression, sent their children to college. The expenses were not always easy to handle, but that was a priority for the generation that came before World War I as immigrants, and those who came after the war in the few years before immigration was closed in 1925.

We, their grandchildren in our 80s, are blessed because of their foresight. For me and many Atlanta families, Emory’s interest in our becoming students is a very special facet of the Coca-Cola school. ■ Rabbi David Geffen is a native Atlantan and Conservative rabbi who lives in Israel.

LOCAL NEWS

Marc Pollick thanks hostess Carrla Goldstein for opening her home.

Host Jeff Goldstein in a Ted Baker jacket shows off BGBG swag bag.

The walls of the tent were lined with auction items.

Artist Kamy Deljou found his favorite CNN star Robin Meade.

Superstars Give Big at Goldstein’s Big Game Party

By Marcia Caller Jaffe If the weather ever gave Atlanta a big break, the “Big Game Big Give” pre-Super Bowl soiree Feb. 2 delivered a touchdown magnificent night at the estate of Carrla and Jeff Goldstein.

Californian Marc Pollick, uber planner and philanthropic consultant, brought in police cars, red carpet, Aston Martin luxury vehicles, and flame dancers for more than 500 guests.

For the 10th year, the pre-Super Bowl charity event raised big bucks for The Giving Back Fund, a national nonprofit that creates and manages charitable foundations and projects for high net worth individuals, celebrities, athletes, business entrepreneurs and corporations. The exclusive star-studded gala was voted the number one Super Bowl party by ESPN. Host Jeff Goldstein, resplendent in a Ted Baker black and gold patterned jacket, said, “I am pleased to be involved and help raise funds for such great organizations.” Wife Carrla, magnificent in gold Michael Costello and Gucci accessories, was pleased with the crowd size.

“Perhaps we oversold it!” Goldstein twins Sydney and Robert were on hand, too, to welcome the younger crowd.

The Goldstein’s rooms were taken over by various top shelf vendors like Trish McEvoy cosmetics, jeweler Akshar Choudree, and Buckhead’s Solomon Brothers jewelers, which donated a diamond necklace (appraised at $65,000), with all proceeds going to the charities.

Local art consultant Anthony Naturman lined the walls with magnificent artwork for auction.

More Hollywood effects were on display in the dining room loaded with swag bag goodies and gadgets. The tiered back-

yard housed food areas, and the mega tent had lavish bars, auction items, and the stage.

Members of the local Jewish community mingled with former mayor and U.N. ambassador Andrew Young, CNN’s Robin Meade, Fox’s Katie Pavlich, local art mega star Kamy Deljou, and entertainers Jamie Foxx, The Black Eyed Peas, Ludacris, CeeLo Green, among others. The Super Bowl has such far-reaching business tentacles that blowing into town were Jews such as New Yorker Eli Lunzer (Eli Lunzer Productions), who has been associated with unique nonprofit events as well as Fortune 500 companies, brands and events including NBA All-Stars, the Masters, the U.S. Open, and Sundance Film Festival.

Lunzer stayed in the Toco Hills area and came to the party after sundown. “Super Bowl or no Super Bowl, I took off Friday night and Saturday and missed several events to observe the Sabbath. My players and coworkers understand this,” he said.

Also on hand was Gavriel Friedson, deputy director of international operations for United Hatzalah voluntary cycle ambulances in Israel, one of the night’s beneficiaries.

On the culinary front, local Matt Marcus, chef-owner of Watershed on

Peachtree, demonstrated his passion for patronizing area farmers and providers.

“I’m focusing on hyper-local, ethically raised beef, rose veal (from a multigenerational farm in Mableton), and vegetables like leafy greens, cucumbers, and mustard frills – many from Bobby Britt’s urban farm in Decatur.” Watershed did a sweet tart apple fruit roll up with a compressed apple ball and local honey. They also served melt-in-your-mouth smoked salmon with caviar and gumbo over potato salad. Wife Christin, mom Annette, and Sherry Jaffe worked alongside a solid team and kept the food flowing.

South African-born Alex Sher sliced beef from his Stone Mountain Cattle Company.

Dessert by the pool was a variety from Nothing Bundt Cakes.

Great attention to detail was taken, such as the artistic silvery cake fantasy creation of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and a floating swimming pool obelisk alongside scarlet-clad flame jugglers.

Deserving causes are what drove Pollick, The Giving Back Fund’s founder and president. “Big Game Big Give is my personal Super Bowl,” he said. The bottom line is Atlanta’s Jewish community “played ball” with and in the Big League. ■

Big Game Big Give auction items included: Aston Martin Vantage 2019, $175,823 MSRP Two box seats to the 2019 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles Super Bowl LIV package Tom Brady hand-signed New England Patriots jersey Muhammad Ali hand-signed Everlast boxing glove and glass case Babe Ruth hand-signed rare personal bank check and Life magazine photograph Vince Lombardi hand-signed Green Bay Packers payroll check and photograph collection 1980 USA Hockey team signed gold medal-winning jersey Nicklaus, Palmer and Player “The Big Three” hand-signed Masters pin flag Lionel Messi hand-signed Barcelona soccer Jersey Casa de Campo private luxury villa Costa Rica private villa for six Fairmont Monte Carlo hotel luxury trip for two Al Pacino hand-signed “The Godfather” photograph with Marlon Brando Vegas Rat Pack photograph with Sammy Davis Jr. Michael Kalish art experience Hanging out with Ludacris, CeeLo Green or The Black Eyed Peas Private villa on the Indian Ocean for four days Louis Vuitton vintage Alma handbag Chanel vintage black flap handbag Ferragamo leather handbag Craig Alan Marilyn Monroe “Dream Big” painting

Fire performers lined the swimming pool.

Marcia Caller Jaffe chats with Fox commentator Katie Pavlich.

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LOCAL NEWS

What Jews Brought to Super Bowl LIII

By Eddie Samuels

Julian Edelman wins MVP (Mensch & Valuable Player)

Atlanta welcomed the biggest sporting event of the year this week, and the Jewish community played a large role in ensuring the event was a smashing success. Here are a few of the biggest Jewish highlights from the game.

The Stadium and the Trophy

Arthur Blank’s new Mercedes-Benz Stadium was a big hit. Having hosted two championship games in the past three months, the stadium is developing quite a pedigree, something that bodes well for the future of Atlanta sports.

Another Jewish owner walked away with the Lombardi Trophy, as Robert Kraft’s New England Patriots put the finishing touches on the game, winning 13-3 over the Los Angeles Rams.

Kraft celebrated with his team in the locker room postgame, breaking out 50-yearold cigars for his players as he hoisted the trophy.

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If there was ever any competition to choose Tom Brady’s favorite target, Julian Edelman put that to rest on Sunday.

The wide receiver left his mark on the game, hauling in 10 of 12 targets for 141 yards, and netting himself the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player award, becoming the first Jewish player to ever win the title.

In a postgame interview, he was asked what winning MVP meant to him, and he responded, clearly struggling to find the right words.

“It sounds crazy, it sounds crazy. 2018. L’Chaim!” he said.

The son of a Jewish father, Edelman was not raised religious, but he has embraced more and more of his Jewish identity on the field over time. He was first selected near the end of the 2009 NFL draft. In 2014, he donned a pin featuring the Israeli flag during the game, and later went on a trip to Israel.

Most recently, however, he drew headlines following the shooting in Pittsburgh by wearing cleats bearing “The Tree of Life,” in Hebrew with the synagogue’s logo.

In true Super Bowl tradition, Edelman and Brady were seen celebrating at Disney World following the big win—Brady’s sixth Super Bowl ring.

With Sunday’s performance, Edelman is etching his name into NFL history as one of the most dominant post-season receivers, and one of few Jewish players with a shot at enshrinement at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Adam Levine

While the teams were slow to get on the scoreboard in the first half, Adam Levine and Maroon 5 brought some energy to the stadium with their halftime show. They were joined by Travis Scott and Atlanta icon Big Boi, from legendary hip-hop duo OutKast.

Maroon 5 played a mixture of their classic hits and their newer work, regaling the crowd with “She Will be Loved,” (2002) and “Moves Like Jagger,” (2010), among others. Scott joined in, rapping his song, “Sicko Mode,” (2018), and Big Boi jammed to OutKast’s “The Way You Move,” (2003) with Levine singing by his side.

While there was some antipathy going into the halftime show this year because of the headliner, there’s no doubt that Maroon 5 put on a stellar performance.

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Big Game Big Give

A star-studded affair, the Big Game Big Give fundraiser hosted some of the world’s biggest celebrities in Carrla and Jeff Goldstein’s home on Feb. 2.

Now in its 10th year, the fundraising affair was as big a hit as ever, raising money for The Giving Back Fund, which creates and manages charitable ventures for the rich and famous.

With dozens of celebrities in attendance, it’d be hard to pick out just a few, but Atlanta icons turned out. Jaime Foxx, Ludacris, CeeLo Green and former mayor and U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young were among the many stars who came together for a good cause.

With a performance from the Black Eyed Peas, there was no doubt that the night was “gonna be a good night.”

LOCAL NEWS lisher Michael Morris. “They liked the notoriety,” Morris said.

One of the men, Lew Rappaport, was especially impressed with the stadium, its short lines and affordable concession prices. “We have been to every stadium in the NFL and this is the best one we’ve seen.”

The food prices were also a standout among stadiums, he said. “Paying $2 a hotdog while others are $10 for a hotdog makes it so reasonable to go to a stadium for a Super Bowl or regular season.”

While the men were seated “way up on top” of the stadium, they had a great view and enjoyed themselves despite the slow activity on the field. “The game wasn’t great; it was the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history.” And he should know, having been to every one.

Chabad Tailgate

With thousands of Jews coming to town for Super Bowl weekend, one need that is significantly lacking near the stadium itself is kosher food options, but Chabad of Georgia was ready to fill that void.

Those who arrived in town before Shabbat on Friday were greeted at the airport

by Rabbi Yossi Lew of Chabad of Peachtree City and chaplain at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Then, on game day, Chabad hosted a free kosher tailgate party just 400 feet from the stadium. For only a few hours, over 250 Jewish Rams and Patriots fans broke bread together, sharing kosher hot dogs, wrapping tefillin and participating in afternoon services.

“As lifelong Rams fans, my father and I traveled from New York to fulfill a dream of going to see our team in the Super Bowl. While we didn’t see our team win, the experience was amazing, no better highlighted than by the team at Chabad of Georgia, who threw the perfect Jewish tailgate for all visitors from across the country,” Avi Radzik said.

Kosher Halftime Show

What Traffic?

Stop-and-go traffic is never a shock to Atlanta natives, and yet talk of slowdowns and delays was absent around the biggest event of the year, in part thanks to an Israeli and his revolutionary startup.

“The best testament to our work is that nobody notices it,” said Dov Ganor, Mobi’s CEO. Ganor and Mobi were on hand to ensure that things went smoothly in Atlanta. Mobi has provided Atlanta with traffic analytics since August 2016.

Although the Super Bowl drew more than 100,000 downtown around game time, traffic flow was significantly decreased, even when compared with the smaller Major League Soccer Cup crowds here recently, Ganor said.

“As we continue to analyze data from Super Bowl week, we’ll be able to make the next one, and all major events, perform even better.” ■

For those looking for a little more Jewish entertainment to go alongside the big game, Nachum Segal’s Kosher Halftime Show did not disappoint. The game day show itself featured Daniel Ahaviel, the acclaimed Israeli violinist, and Jewish rapper Sammy K, in addition to pranks and mischief throughout Atlanta’s Super Bowl week.

In the week leading up to the game Segal sat down with some of Jewish Atlanta’s most notable leaders, including Eric Robbins, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta; Ambassador Judith Varnai Shorer, Israel Consul General to the Southeast; Rabbi Ilan Feldman of Beth Jacob Atlanta; Rabbi Adam Starr of Young Israel of Toco Hills; and AJT Owner and Publisher Michael Morris, to name a few.

One of the most common topics of conversation was the importance of education in shaping the future of Jewish Atlanta.

“As we emerge out of a year of planning and envisioning our future, education has sort of risen to the top,” Robbins said.

Hanging with the Guys

The Super Bowl Five wore matching jackets that sported their group name and logo while touring the Georgia Aquarium and having lunch and dinner with AJT PubATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 7

LOCAL NEWS

Cuban Jewish Memories Then and Now

By Bob Bahr Ruth Behar, delivering the Tenenbaum Lecture at Emory University Feb. 13, officially became a genius in 1989. At the age of 32, she won a MacArthur Fellowship. They are the so-called “genius” grants made each year by the John and Catherine MacArthur Foundation.

The daughter of Cuban Jewish immigrants who came to this country after the Castro revolution, she was the first Latina, and up to that point, the youngest person ever to receive the coveted award.

Today she is a professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan and a renowned authority on the Jews of Cuba.

Among her books is “An Island Called Home: Returning to Jewish Cuba” and a documentary she created, “Adio Kerida: Goodbye Dear Love,” about her rediscovery of the country of her birth, which she left when she was five.

Her Tenenbaum lecture is entitled, “The Jews of Cuba and their Diasporas: Memories, Stories, Dilemmas.”

We spoke recently about the meaning of memory for those Jews who emigrated from Cuba so many years ago.

kids marrying out. The pressure was to marry within the Jewish tribe and those who didn’t really were kind of expelled from the Jewish community.

This year’s Tenenbaum lecture about Jewish life in Cuba features the distinguished anthropologist Dr. Ruth Behar.

Young Behar, in her holiday best, with her mother on an oceanfront boulevard in Havana.

Behar: I’m really referring to both inherited memories and the memories that I’ve heard from others who left when they were older. Many people haven’t gone back, including my own parents. They have all these memories there. Cuba is really constructed through memory so that that’s the sense in which I want to address memory. Memory is so important because it’s what kept Cubans connected to the island even if they’ve never gone back.

My mother actually brought with

her my school uniform from the Jewish school in Havana that I briefly attended when I was 4 years old. It had a little Jewish star embroidered on it. And she brought her honeymoon night gown made with the lace that her parents sold in their store in Havana.

And all of the Cuban women when they left, Jewish or not Jewish, would take the family photo albums. So all of these black and white photographs were crucial to me — family gatherings on the beach, weddings, just all those life-cycle events. Those pictures were absolutely essential, and the photographs, kind of like the memories we had, became a sort of substitute for that lost Cuba.

AJT: And how well was Jewish life woven into these memories?

Behar: Well, Jewish life was woven in a very interesting, hybrid way. There was no contradiction for my family, and I think for most Cuban Jewish families, between being Jewish and being Cuban.

Even after we came to America, I grew up going to bar mitzvahs where we would dance to Cuban music and the bar mitzvahs that would take place in Miami, they would have Cuban or Latin bands playing. And we always would form a conga line.

Like at the end of the party, you know, when we’d all dance the hora, there would be a conga line, you know, just like in Cuba where people dance the conga.

It’s like there are interwoven identities. And that’s how it was to the Cuban Jews. Like everything that was part of Cuban culture was part of Jewish culture for Cuban Jews.

I think most of the time it was very fluid. But the one thing that’s important to note is that, in at least one respect, Jewish Cubans tried to maintain an insular community, a kind of an island within the island, because they didn’t want their

8 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

AJT: Even though the Jewish community in Cuba is very tiny today, there seems to be considerable interest in it these days. There are trips by Jewish community groups, including trips that have been made from here in Atlanta. Why do you think so?

Behar: I’ve thought a lot about it.

Cuba continues to play a central role in the American imagination, in part because of its history before the revolution in 1959, where it was a very important place for American visitors to go and let loose.

But there’s a certain aura in the imagination after 1959. Whatever you may think of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara they were very sexy kinds of revolutionary figures, larger than life mythical guerrilla heroes, and so there’s a fascination with that.

I think the other part of this is the Jewish part. In a sense it’s a miracle that Jewish life has survived in Cuba under communism. Some people know that there’s a kosher butcher shop in Havana that has never shut down since the revolution. Fidel Castro personally made sure that it continued. There’s something special about Jews in Cuba that is more vibrant, more committed, and more persistent in their Jewishness. ■ Ruth Behar’s Tenenbaum Lecture will be presented by Emory’s Tam Institute for Jewish Studies, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 in Ackerman Hall at the Michael C. Carlos Museum.

The event is free.

Behar’s book about Jewish Cuba will be on sale following her Tenenbaum lecture.

LOCAL NEWS

Organizer Cheryl Dorchinsky greets guest speaker Kay Wilson.

Diamond sponsor Jen Lazarus poses with organizer Cheryl Dorchinsky, Kay Wilson and Beth Jacob Executive Director Rabbi Yitzchok Tendler.

Cheryl Leskar flew in to show support and wore costumes to honor Wilson’s positive attitude.

Miraculous Survivor Message: Don’t Fund Terrorists

By Marcia Caller Jaffe The premiere documentary “Black Forest” is the incredulous, inspiring and horrifying story of Kay Wilson’s survival of an attack during a hike in an Israeli forest that left the audience dazed at Beth Jacob Atlanta Jan. 31.

The film in Hebrew with English subtitles is 50 chilling minutes chronicling the brutal attack of two women. One hiker did not survive. Wilson survived 13 machete blows, recovered at Hadassah Medical Center and helped lead police to the DNA and capture of the Palestinian terrorists.

A young Israeli mother, Neta Sorek, had recently been murdered by the same criminals, and at that point, the case remained unsolved.

At the film premiere, Wilson detailed the moments of fear during the ordeal in which she survived by “pretending to be dead – keeping her eyes wide open and not blinking.” She recalled her hiking companion Kristine Luken whimpering “Praise Jesus,” while she recited the Shema and the Palestinians yelled “Allah Akbar.”

One of the most chilling segments of the film was the police taking the “matter of fact confession” from the killers while they toured the crime scene. They could have been talking about oatmeal for breakfast when they said flatly, “We did it to kill Jews.”

Later in the courtroom, Wilson had to sit a few meters from them during the trial. They got 60-year sentences.

“Terrorism doesn’t make me cry.

I get emotional around kindness and hugs, find beauty in my vengeance. As I was bleeding, my mind was constructing chords for ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” said Wilson, who is a talented pianist, cartoonist and writer.

Wilson shared what she learned from the experience: • I will not live in hatred (of Arabs)

or fear. There is a Muslim friend staying in my kitchen right now. A Muslim Arab surgeon saved my life in Hadassah Hospital. I’m involved in an educational program to educate Palestinian children to choose life over death.

• The previous U.S. presidential administration funded terrorism by sending money to Palestinians, supposedly for food and medical supplies, but it can be diverted to fund murder. President Trump stopped this. I have met with other governments (rejected by Great Britain) and spoken at the U.N. Human Rights Council.

• I have experienced loss. PTSD, survivor’s guilt, the death of my dog, loss of friends. Sometimes I’m the elephant in the room. I see duality in life. We must have shadow to see light.

• “It took five years to complete my memoir,” which was positively reviewed, “but rejected by major publishers because it wasn’t ‘balanced enough’ to show sympathy for the Palestinians. The mandate here is to stop funding savages!"

• Remember the words about the Bialystok, Kishinev pogroms, "The sun shone, the wheat grew, and we were slaughtered."

The story behind how the event came together provides the backdrop for Wilson’s film and discussion immediately following.

Of British descent, Wilson has been an Israeli citizen for 33 years. She is a professional tour guide who has taken Christians around Poland to experience Holocaust history. Between tourists and social media, she has a plethora of friends and followers and has built a platform through her story and positive recovery.

Atlanta volunteer Cheryl Dorchinsky discovered Wilson’s story via a Ted Talk and set about finding a way to host her. Dorchinsky landed a cooperative partner in Rabbi Yitzchok Tendler, Beth Jacob executive director, who helped her frame the event and name her burgeon-

ing organization, Atlanta Israel Connection.

Dorchinsky said, “I want to get Atlantans out of our silos. We can all connect around pro-Israel sentiment.” Enter software mogul Jen Lazarus, the Diamond event sponsor and CEO of ZenTwelveTen. Lazarus also served as the moderator for the one-on-one with Wilson.

“We must thank Cheryl Dorchinsky,” Lazarus said. “She really had the driving passion to get Kay here.”

Several visitors from Florida, who met Wilson in Israel, flew in for the event.

In honor of Wilson’s sense of humor and mission of spreading of joy, some dressed in costume.

Planning Committee member and volunteer Lee Tanenbaum said of Wilson’s experience, “This is a moral issue, not a political one. Kay is amazing. She didn’t let hate take over her life. She has Muslim friends and charities and continues to move forward.”

Beth Jacob Rabbi Ilan Feldman said, “Kay’s miracle mirrors Judaism, … the fact that we are all still here, … Judaism itself is a series of miracles.” ■

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 9

LOCAL NEWS

Hate Crime Hits Local School

By Dave Schechter Anti-Semitic vandalism at Centennial High School in Roswell has prompted a swift response by school officials and Jewish community organizations.

A photo of a swastika in blue spray paint on the outside of the school appeared Monday, Feb. 4, in social media postings.

Police from Roswell and Fulton County Schools are investigating vandalism in several areas of the campus. As the AJT went to press, there was no information about the identity of the vandals or that any arrests had been made.

The vandalism was discovered when school employees arrived Monday morning.

“I am especially disgusted that this perpetrator or group of perpetrators painted a swastika, a historic and extreme emblem of hatred, on our school,” Centennial’s Principal, Anthony Newbold, wrote in a letter addressed to “Centennial Family.”

“Let me be extremely clear, graffiti and school vandalism will not be tolerated, and our community rejects the hatred these symbols represent. Be assured that as Centennial Knights, we find these actions offensive and completely against our beliefs as an open and accepting school community,” Newbold wrote.

In a letter to teachers and staff, Newbold wrote, “An activity bus, the main building and entrance, a trailer for band, signs, the weight room, and the stadium areas were all vandalized. While all of this was disturbing, what was reported later was worse. These perpetrators also painted two swastikas on the stones in the front of our building.”

Newbold appealed for help in identifying the perpetrators, writing, “Now, we need your help! Teachers, talk to your students and encourage them to talk to you. If they have information that may assist us in finding the culprits, please let us know.”

In both notes, Newbold included the words “in diversity there is beauty and there is strength,” excerpted

A swastika spray painted outside of Centennial High School. Other anti-Semitic graffiti was found inside. In a letter to the community (right), Principal Anthony Newbold denounced the action.

from a quote by poet Maya Angelou.

Centennial, which opened in 1997, has about 2,000 students in grades nine to 12.

The Atlanta Initiative Against Anti-Semitism plans a community meeting Sunday, Feb. 10, from 7 to 8:15 p.m., at Temple Emanu-El in Sandy Springs.

“We cannot be complacent in the face of these increasing acts of hatred,” said Lauren Menis, who cofounded AIAAS in March 2017. “These small acts can lead to bigger acts of hatred down the line if left unchecked. We as a community – not just the Jewish community, but the entire Atlanta community – must stand up and be heard. We must show that there is no place for any form of hate in our schools.”

Menis said that those participating will include Rabbi Spike Anderson of Temple Emanu-El; Allison Padilla-Goodman, regional director of the Anti-Defamation

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League; Sally Levine, executive director of the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, State Rep. Josh McLaurin, a Democrat whose District 51 includes Roswell, and Christopher M. Matthews, assistant superintendent for Student Support Services for Fulton County Schools.

Other speakers were to be announced when their participation was confirmed.

McLaurin posted a photo of the swastika on Facebook, writing, “It’s an outrage, and a reminder that racism and hate are still among us every day. We can’t rest when something like this happens — we have to lift our voices in solidarity with those who are threatened by this. Roswell will be an inclusive community only if we fight to keep it that way.”

The Anti-Defamation League Southeast office in Atlanta posted that it was in contact with both the school and Roswell police.

Rabbi Michael Bernstein of Congregation Gesher L’Torah in Alpharetta spoke with Newbold, who told local media that he had contacted several area rabbis to plan a response.

Wendy Frank, a Centennial parent, told WSB-TV News, “I’m horrified. I’m so sad and I’m furious. I want them to know this hurts many, many, many people.

Not just Jewish people, not just kids at Centennial High School, it hurts our whole community.”

Responses on social media included suggestions that students need greater education about the Holocaust, including field trips to such places as the Anne Frank in the World: 1929-1945 exhibit in Sandy Springs, the Breman Jewish Heritage Museum’s permanent Holocaust exhibit and its Weinberg Center for Holocaust Education.

Georgia is among the states that requires teaching about the Holocaust in school curricula, but also is among a handful of states without a hate crimes law, something that parents interviewed by local media said was needed.

In the 2018-19 school year, anti-Semitic vandalism, including swastikas, has been reported at schools in East Lansing, Mich.; Davis, Calif.; Binghamton, N.Y.; Rockville, Md.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Hillsdale, N.J. ■

OPINION Letter to the editor:

Where is thou Lucy McBath? In the 2018 Congressional 6th District election, the Jews of East Cobb and North Fulton raced to vote for Lucy McBath. Even with no political background, but a sad story of losing her child to gun violence, the Jewish vote put her over the top. It was a chance to avenge Hillary Clinton and show displeasure with President Trump, although economically and with regards to Middle East policy and Israel support, the success of Trump is unprecedented.

The voters did not mind her questionable residency in the 6th District since Jon Ossoff had already shown that not being a member of the community is no big deal and even the darling of the left, Maxine Waters, lives in a multimillion-dollar home far from her underprivileged to district.

I just read that Lucy has failed to set up her local and Washington offices. She is referring all constituent problems to the office of Senator Isakson. I guess Republican leaders can handle everyday problems, but not get votes. What is more disappointing is that during the campaign, Lucy said she would cross the aisle and work with all parties to bring about common good sense solutions. I guess that folder is still unpacked because in one of the most tumultuous first months of Congress, I have not heard, seen or read about Lovely Lucy with regards to border security and stemming the flow of illegal immigrants pouring into the border, nor have I heard about how she stood up to oppose reelecting Nancy Pelosi whose favorable and unfavorable polls make Trump look so good. Nor have I heard from her about the rampant anti-Semitism of her fellow freshman women who are supporting Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel or the close ties of the Congressional Black Caucus with famous antiSemite Louis Farrakhan.

So, where art thou Ms. Lucy of a campaign based on a good feeling and not policy? I keep hearing The Who singing “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” but in the end, the resistance got lost in emotion over policy and now we are stuck with a back-bencher Democrat bot. If you know how to open a Congressional office, please feel free to contact her. First actions are like first impressions and I hope the highly educated voters of the 6th also have long memories for 2020.

The Voice for the Jewish Resistance, Jeff Kunkes, Atlanta

Letter to the editor:

I am sure that many AJT readers, myself included, oppose attempts to “rid the Land of Israel of Palestinians,” in part because the Arabs of Israel are in mortal danger of being labeled as “collaborators” in lands administered by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, and in the Muslim countries of the Middle East. Yet, I do think it is a move forward that Jews who don’t have the same sentiment as I do are now attempting to achieve their goal via political action rather than through violence.

May the day come soon when Hamas will stop lobbing missiles at Israeli population centers, digging tunnels to facilitate the abduction and murder of Israelis, and sailing incendiary kites into Israel to set crops ablaze; when the Palestinian Authority will cease inciting its people to violence and paying stipends to those who answer the call (or their families) by attacking and killing Jews. Peace will have been achieved when a documentary can be made about Palestinian leaders actually negotiating on Israeli proposals for the establishment of a Palestinian state willing to co-exist with the nation-state of the Jews.

Toby F. Block, Atlanta

The AJT welcomes your letters. We want our readers to have an opportunity to engage with our community in constructive dialogue. If you would like your letter to be published, please write 200 words or less, include your name, phone number and email, and send it to editor@atljewishtimes.com.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 11

ISRAEL PRIDE

News From Our Jewish Home

Photos by Haim Zach/Israel Government Press Office // President Rivlin speaks

at Beyond Duty exhibition.

President Rivlin Opens Holocaust Exhibition Ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin spoke at the opening of “Beyond Duty – Saving Jewish Lives and Showing the Way” exhibition on Jan. 24.

The Paris-based exhibit recognizes some 36 diplomats from 20 countries who saved more than 200,000 lives by issuing visas to those fleeing the Nazis.

“Their stories are a unique part of the history of the Holocaust. They prove that we always – as individuals, as representatives of our people and as countries – have the ability and the responsibility to make choices,” Rivlin said.

One of these individuals in particular, Aristides de Sousa Mendes, the

Today in Israeli History Feb. 8, 1878: Philosopher Martin Buber is born in Vienna. After his parents’ divorce when he is 3, he spends much of his childhood in Lemberg, Ukraine, where he is raised by his grandparents in a religious home. His grandfather is a scholar of Midrash and Greek literature and teaches him Hebrew. He gets involved with the Zionist movement while a student at the University of Leipzig and makes aliyah in 1938.

The Jerusalem Post’s Feb. 10, 1994, issue reports on the signing of the Cairo Agreement the day before.

Feb. 9, 1994: Five months after sign12 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Portuguese Consul in Bordeaux, France, was recognized for defying orders to not issue visas, especially to Jews. Now often referred to as “The Angel of Bordeaux,” Sousa was later relieved of his duties and died penniless, but clinging to his morals.

“We will remember these diplomats as Righteous Amongst the Nations forever,” Rivlin said. “May the memories of all those who perished in the Holocaust be bound up in the bond of life.”

Bizmax Aims to Integrate Haredi Israelis into Tech Bizmax, a shared workspace, is the first in Israel specifically tailored to ultraOrthodox men, according to World Israel News. Located in Jerusalem, it is the latest in a number of initiatives aimed at increasing Haredi presence in the workforce in Israel, particularly within the tech sector.

It’s estimated that 5,000 Haredim, including 1,500 men, work high-tech jobs in Israel.

“The high-tech industry is very fit for the Haredim,” Yitzik Crombie, CEO of Bizmax, told Israel National News.

Unlike many other industries with fixed hours, working in tech allows for increased flexibility to meet religious obligations. In addition, Bizmax works

ing the Declaration of Principles for the Oslo peace process on the White House South Lawn, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat meet in Cairo and sign an agreement on Palestinian self-rule and security cooperation in Gaza and Jericho.

The signing comes four days after Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin outlined the obstacles to the interim plan during an interview on CNN. Feb. 10, 1913: Charles Winters, who helps Israel build its air force in 1948, is born in Brookline, Massachusetts. Winters, who is not Jewish, works as a government purchasing agent during World War II and runs an air transport service delivering produce in the Caribbean after the war. Recruited to help obtain surplus U.S. military aircraft for secret shipment to Israel, Winters purchases and helps deliver three B-17s, the only heavy bombers Israel has during its War of Independence.

Feb. 11, 1995: The American Jewish Committee announces a new policy statement on Israel-Diaspora relations in light of growing differences between the Jewish

to ensure that all food is kosher, and that internet filters block all content deemed religiously inappropriate.

Crombie founded Bizmax because he — himself working in the tech sector — was looking for a shared workspace, and found it difficult to make connections with similar people. He started Bizmax to make it easier to facilitate those connections among Haredi men in Israel.

The company is looking to expand, opening a location in Ashdod in 2019, and potentially beyond Israel’s borders to London and New York in the future.

Photos by Shahar Azran // Netanyahu is

embraced by lone soldiers at Nefesh B’Nefesh and FIDF’s Yom Siddurim.

Netanyahu Visits Lone Soldiers for Personal Errands Day For the sixth year, Nefesh B’Nefesh and the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces

communities and the reality of Israel’s economic stability. Unlike the original 1950 agreement between the AJC and Israel, which emphasized the independence of the U.S. and Israeli Jewish communities, the new policy statement focuses on interdependence to strengthen connections, support and Jewish continuity.

Feb. 12, 1958: The Knesset votes 96-0 to pass the first of a continuing series of basic laws that together fill the role of a national constitution. Basic Law: The Knesset outlines the rules and functions of the Israeli parliament, the roles of its members, and election procedures, and it confirms that the Knesset has 120 members and meets in Jerusalem. The use of basic laws reflects a compromise known as the Harari Resolution (for Yizhar Harari), which followed a year of failed Knesset debate on a constitution.

Feb. 13, 1931: British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald sends a letter to Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann in which MacDonald disavows the threats to Zionism posed by the Passfield White Paper. The policy proposal, issued in October 1930, raises the possibility of restrictions on Jew-

hosted their Yom Siddurim — or Personal Errands Day — for lone soldiers Jan. 24.

Lone soldiers are IDF members without any immediate family in Israel, many of whom are Jews who made aliyah and chose to serve their new nation.

Personal Errands Day aims to simplify life for those soldiers, who often have to use their days off running errands and catching up on chores that their Israeliborn counterparts have families to help with.

Over 3,500 lone soldiers serve in the IDF currently, nearly a third of whom come from North America.

Organized by the IDF Human Resources Department, the day allows soldiers to do a “one-stop-shop” for many of the errands that could otherwise consume their time in a manner that circumvents much of the bureaucracy involved in tasks such as driving tests, tax consultation, or passport services.

Lone soldiers could also take advantage of one-on-one consulting from Nefesh B’Nefesh and FIDF representatives to learn about adapting to life in Israel after their military service is finished.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in attendance for the event, greeting more than 1,600 lone soldiers from over 70 countries. ■

ish immigration and Jewish land purchases in Palestine. MacDonald’s letter reassures Zionists and angers Palestinian Arabs.

Theodor Herzl’s “Der Judenstaat” mentions Palestine and Argentina as places where the Jewish state could be established.

Feb. 14, 1896: Theodor Herzl’s “Der Judenstaat” (“The Jewish State”) is first published in Vienna with a print run of 500 copies. French and English translations soon follow. With the subtitle “An Attempt at a Modern Solution to the Jewish Question,” the pamphlet calls for Jews to organize themselves to gain their own territory, oversee immigration and settlement, and eventually form their own state. ■ Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (www. israeled.org), where you can find more details.

ISRAEL NEWS Biotech Company Makes Big Promises. Can It Keep Them?

By Eddie Samuels An Israeli biotech company claims it will have a cure for cancer within a year. Those are big claims by Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies Ltd. that have spawned a variety of national and international headlines.

The truth behind such a promise, however, is very much in question, as it’s not uncommon to see hyperbole in the world of medical research, especially when it comes to a supposed cancer panacea.

Ilan Morad, CEO of the company founded in 2000, made the claim in an interview with The Jerusalem Post Jan. 28. In discussing how AEBi’s treatment could be revolutionary, he described the difficulties that arise from certain cancers becoming resistant to treatment as a result of mutation.

“Instead of attacking receptors one at a time, we attack receptors three at a time – not even cancer can mutate three receptors at the same time,” Morad said.

The idea of curing cancer is a thrilling possibility, one that would be uni-

versally heralded as one of the greatest medical miracles of all time.

In actuality, however, Morad’s statement seems likely to prove hyperbolic in terms of time frame, and even potentially methodology.

Forbes contributor Victoria Forster, a post-doctoral research scientist specializing in childhood cancers, took issue with Morad’s statement, calling it “categorically untrue.” She argued, “Cancers can have anywhere from one to tens of thousands of DNA mutations in their genomes, many of these being the ‘receptors’ Morad vaguely refers to.”

The AJT consulted a local oncologist, Dr. Stephen Szabo, to get to the bottom

of the story about this supposed cancer cure.

Szabo explained that he had looked through some of the press releases about the studies that Morad claimed could potentially cure cancer.

“Every oncologist’s goal is ultimately to have a cure for cancer,” he said. “What I would say, though, is that cancer is not a monolithic disease. It’s thousands of diseases; it comes down to personalized medicine.”

He added that the theory behind the research was one that warranted investigation and could even be an exciting development in the future.

“They [AEBi] create a variety of pep-

tides and they carry a toxin with them.

Because it's multiple peptides, it becomes difficult for a cancer to mutate to combat each of the peptides,” Szabo said.

While the possibility of more easily fighting mutations in cancer cells through AEBi’s technique could be exciting, Szabo was sure to note that proclamations like Morad’s have real costs.

“When you make these pronouncements, you’re potentially giving false hope to people,” he said. “I’ve had patients ask me about these things and it could be very exciting, but ultimately the proof is in the pudding.”

Szabo’s message is that patience and methodical research according to established methods are the correct ways to move forward, not through public statements and unkeepable promises.

“I think this is honestly an exciting time for cancer research. We can do so much more for patients with cancer than we ever have been able to before,” Szabo said. “We’re making headway, but we’re making headway because we’re doing methodical, practiced, measured research.” ■

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 13

BUSINESS

Coalition President Sam Massell greets Julie Bailey, incoming president of the Buckhead Business Association.

Greeting Gov. Brian Kemp was Jeffrey Sprecher (left), CEO of the Intercontinental Exchange and chairman of the New York Stock Exchange.

Massell Re-elected President of Buckhead Coalition

By Marcia Caller Jaffe The prestigious Buckhead Coalition Annual Meeting Jan. 30 marked a milestone for the high-profile group’s 30th anniversary. The Coalition is headed by ex-mayor Sam Massell, who has been president since the group’s founding and was re-elected for two years at the meeting at 103 West. The gathering brought together some of the city’s top leaders and businesspeople who either live, work or have a keen interest in Buckhead.

By invitation only, the Coalition strives to nurture and preserve the quality of life in Buckhead while planning and implementing actions for its continued improvement. Note that Massell has been quite vocal in the past about Buckhead being and remaining a part of the corporate city of Atlanta as opposed to a separately branched “cityhood.”

The Coalition has a limit of 100 members and yearly dues of $9,000.

About 200 people attended the lunch.

This loyal reporter worked the crowd to eyeball Jewish attendees, which was not at all difficult. Massell himself was featured in our Atlanta Jewish Times “Chai Style Homes” column July 22, 2016.

The vibe during the cocktail mingling was a cross between a country club, city hall, a bespoke atelier, and top-notch board room. Real estate mogul Steve Selig said, “My office may be in Midtown, but I live in Buckhead and do a whole lot of business here. I am, by the way, one of 14 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

the original members of the Coalition.”

Eric Tanenblatt is global chair of public policy and regulation at Dentons, known as the world’s largest law firm. “I went to school in Atlanta and never left.

I have been a Coalition member for 10 years, and I do live in Buckhead.”

Judge Gary Jackson stayed in the area too. “I was born, reared and reside in Buckhead. I go to synagogue in Buckhead. This is my 19th year as a full-time judge, and I enjoy it immensely.”

Linda Klein was elected as a vice chair, and one of the younger members, Jonathan Rodbell, was appointed to the executive committee for a three-year term. After introductions by Massell, current Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms took the luncheon podium. She said that other than serving as mayor, she and Massell had something else in common: They were the only ones among the city’s mayors who were born in Atlanta. She then paid special tribute to Bernie Marcus, co-founder of The Home Depot, who complained to her that the city had too many potholes. “Because it came from Bernie, we repaired 17,000 potholes.” She added that crime is down by 2 percent in the city for which she credits increased compensation for the police force.

Next was the keynote speaker, Gov. Brian Kemp, Buckhead’s newest resident. Kemp joked, “When I turned on the morning news, I was glad to see the snow was in Minnesota and not Atlanta. I was relieved.”

BUSINESS

Steve Selig, Jay Davis and Jonathan Rodbell understand the meaning of community leadership.

Kemp pledged to keep Georgia moving forward in job growth while increasing the number of graduating students and leadership in such areas as fin tech, cyber, aerospace. He further outlined his goals to identify red tape, taxes and fees that inhibit business growth, and apply resources to: salary increases for

certified teachers, fighting sexual harassment in the workplace and selecting the food served in the governor’s mansion as “Georgia grown.”

Keeping the meeting on track was Massell, a 91-year-old newlywed. Known for adhering to schedule, he ended the gathering on ship’s time. ■

Eric Tanenblatt networks with A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress.

Judges Gary Jackson and Calvin Graves enjoy the camaraderie at 103 West.

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 15

EDUCATION Do Jewish Day School Students Have an Advantage?

By Eddie Samuels Parents face a host of decisions as their children grow. Some are more important than others, but few are quite as difficult as the choice of what school to send their child. While we tried to simplify it statistically as much as possible, there are many more factors that go into choosing a school than just numbers.

From a financial perspective, there are countless challenges facing both schools and parents. A few of Jewish Atlanta’s education leaders spoke to the AJT about the challenges of making Jewish education accessible.

In addition to cost, dozens of other factors play a role in choosing the right high school. Religious beliefs, size, atmosphere and friendships can be pivotal for both students and their parents. With all that in mind, the AJT spoke to two students and their parents to learn a little more about the factors at play in choosing a high school after growing up at Jewish day school, kindergarten through eighth grade.

Private Schools

Ga. Ranking

Average SAT

Westminster

1

1420

31

$30,330

Pace Academy

2

1330

29

$29,715

Woodward Academy

5

1100-1400 (Middle 50%)

25-32

$28,800

The Galloway School

11

1230-1440 (Middle 50%)

27-33

$27,950

The Weber School

19

1307

29

$28,800

Atlanta Jewish Academy

35

1290

28

$24,500

Ga. Ranking

Average SAT

John's Creek High School

8

1258

26.6

$0

Walton High School

9

1289

27.1

$0

North Gwinnett High School

13

1200

25.2

$0

Chamblee Charter High School

14

1186

24.9

$0

Pope High School

26

1164

25.6

$0

North Springs High School

Unranked

1041

22.2

$0

Riverwood International Charter School

Unranked

1070

23.3

$0

Public Schools

Average ACT High School Tuition

Average ACT High School Tuition

While the findings of the AJT’s research certainly aren’t astonishing, they are presented here in the hopes of making parents’ and students’ high school decisions a little easier.

Not every high school in the Atlanta area can be included in the chart, but it provides a baseline for understanding the myriad options parents are faced with when making a life-changing decision for their children.

Rankings for public schools are from U.S. News and World Report’s state rankings, while private schools are from Niche. com, which Forbes described as “The Yelp” for researching schools. Test scores are pulled directly from the most recent school-reported “School Profiles,” which are accessible online through each school’s website.

Overall, private schools outperformed public schools in test scores, and only Walton, Johns Creek and North Gwinnett cracked 1200 average SAT scores. On the private school front, both The Weber School and Atlanta Jewish Academy were on par with other, long-established Atlanta private schools, and only Westminster, a Christian day school, stood ahead of the pack.

Carly Judenberg: GPA is 4.40 Following in her older sister’s footsteps, Carly Judenberg made the transition from Jewish day school to public school in ninth grade, unsure of what to expect, but excited for a new environment.

Carly’s mother, Shari Judenberg, explained that when her older daughter, Jenny, was preparing to graduate from The Epstein School and started looking at high schools, the Jewish options didn’t seem to fit her interests.

“My husband was really hell-bent to send them to Jewish day school all the way through high school,” Shari said. “She had been in a small Jewish environment for so long that she was really ready to get out of her comfort zone.”

When it came time for Carly to think through the same choice, her feelings were very similar.

“I was really excited for the new experience because I knew that I would only know one or two kids going to Walton High School with me from Epstein. It really was an opportunity to be in a whole new environment.”

She pointed to the freedom she gained in her schedule – not having to fit Judaic studies alongside her other classes – as one of the bigger perks of choosing public school.

16 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

“I had more opportunities to take classes of my own choosing, like macroeconomics,” she said.

There was still some adjustment when first transitioning from a smaller, tight-knit environment to a larger school.

“I was really surprised at the size of the classrooms, and how many students there were in each class,” she said. “That was really shocking to me.”

Placing a high value on the freedom she’s felt at Walton, Carly explained that knowing that no one was watching her directly gave her a sense of responsibility for her own actions that she hadn’t felt previously.

She added that she thinks her experience at a Jewish day school gave her a tangible leg-up academically going into high school. She explained that it helped in the fields of history and languages, but especially in mathematics.

“I find myself ahead of a lot of my peers, which I attribute to Epstein,” she said.

“One of the teachers at Walton told me that she could always tell who the Epstein kids were because they weren’t afraid to speak in class,” Shari said. “Epstein’s Socratic method really forces the kids to participate and think hard.”

Perhaps one of the most nerve-wracking parts of finding oneself in a new school environment is making new friends, but Carly explained that she relished the challenge.

“I had grown up with all the kids at Epstein, and as I got older there were very few new kids entering the school each year,” she said. “Remembering how to make new friends was refreshing. I’ve learned a lot more about other cultures and it has really given me the ability to branch out.”

Gabriel Weiss: GPA is 4.16 Gabriel Weiss started at Epstein but transferred to

EDUCATION Atlanta Jewish Academy for middle school after the 2014 merger of Greenfield Hebrew Academy and Yeshiva Atlanta.

“We thought that we wanted Gabe to go to Jewish high school, so we went with AJA,” said his father, Cliff.

When the time came to decide on high school plans, Cliff explained that he and Gabe, who live in the Walton High School district, discussed their options.

“We considered going to Walton, but it was really big and going from a small Jewish school to a large public school was really daunting,” Gabe said. “There’re thousands of kids and so that was one reason we decided to stay at AJA.” The high academic standard was one factor that weighed heavily on Cliff’s mind when making the decision.

“I kind of thought that maybe we’d be sacrificing that by going to a Jewish school, but one of the things that we’re pleasantly surprised with seeing year after year is some of the kids at AJA are getting accepted into all of the Ivy League schools, and the standardized test scores are just as high as the best public and private schools,” Cliff said.

Gabe focused on the perks of going to a smaller, Jewish high school.

“Because it’s a smaller school it’s much more personalized, and I’m able to get the attention I need and to explore other things outside of school,” he said, adding that he’s known 15 of his classmates since sixth grade.

“We’ve grown up with each other and it’s a very close group.”

In looking forward to college, Gabriel explained that there were a few key standards he had when examining his options.

“I would say a school that provides both a safe Jewish bubble for me, where I can express my Judaism, but also a place where I can explore other people and cultures,” he said.

Rabbi Ari Leubitz, head of the Atlanta Jewish Academy.

Jewish Heads of School Talk Affordability It’s no secret that a full-time Jewish education is an expensive prospect and given everything that goes into it — from knowledgeable staff and teachers, to kosher

meals and afterschool activities — the cost is not surprising. Keeping those experiences accessible to every Jewish family can be a mammoth problem.

Simply starting a child at day school in first grade and allowing them to continue on that journey through the end of high school could easily cost more than $200,000, and that’s not even factoring for increases in tuition year after year.

Three of Jewish Atlanta’s heads of school talked to the AJT about the increasing costs, demands and challenges of Jewish education in Atlanta.

“Day school is the most immersive way that the child can connect to their identity and their history,” said Rabbi Ari Leubitz, head of the Atlanta Jewish Academy. “I believe that it should be accessible to all children irrespective of their socioeconomic background.”

riences for their children,” he said. “These aspects are central to a child’s Jewish development, but also to the development and future of the Jewish people.”

Leubitz added that he believes a day school provides the opportunity to live Judaism in a way that many other opportunities cannot replicate.

Amy Shafron, head of The Davis Academy.

Rabbi Ed Harwitz, head of The Weber School.

Each of the Jewish day schools in Atlanta has a financial aid program aimed at making the process a little simpler and less costly for parents. Rabbi Ed Harwitz, head of The Weber School, explained that his goal is to ensure that finances aren’t an undue burden on families looking to attend his school.

“We also want to be a partner in ensuring that a family can, in a meaningful and affordable way, pay for Weber,” he said. “Once a student visits Weber and applies and is accepted we feel a responsibility in ensuring that that family can afford to be a part of the Weber community.”

Leubitz also went into depth about AJA’s flexible tuition model, and how it helps to create opportunities for those who otherwise might not be able to afford Jewish day school.

“We believe that families should pay what they can afford to pay and that’s based on income, number of children and a variety of factors,” Leubitz said. “Truth be told, that doesn’t mean that it’s still not expensive, but it becomes a value consideration.”

Harwitz shared a similar sentiment, saying that it is vital to ensure that a Jewish education doesn’t come at the cost of other opportunities.

“The core mission of Jewish education is that a family shouldn’t have to choose between a Jewish school and a camp or a synagogue or other meaningful expe-

“To go through a calendar year and feel all the holidays and celebrate and talk about them becomes part of a rhythm and experience,” he said.

Amy Shafron is head of The Davis Academy, a Jewish elementary and middle school. She shared insight into a number of growing education costs.

“The cost associated with education is a serious challenge for all Americans, … ensuring that schools can adequately and respectfully compensate their dedicated faculty and provide the best possible learning tools, … especially in the context of the more personalized and individualized setting of an independent school,” she said.

Leubitz said one of the perks of his position as head of school is seeing his school grow. It’s no small feat, but one that also creates fundraising issues. He suggested a possible solution – a large, potentially citywide endowment focused on educating future Jewish leaders.

“At times it feels like climbing up a hill in quicksand, because the more you work, the more you need,” he said. “For a community that values Jewish education, there is no endowment for the city, … and we could be a model for the country, if we say, ‘We’re putting our money where our mouth is, and really keeping it affordable for our families.’”

Harwitz agreed that keeping Jewish education affordable for all families would be among the greatest problems facing the Jewish community in the future.

“I believe that Atlanta is blessed with visionary philanthropic leadership, but the future of our community is reliant on our young people. It’s going to require continued and increased investment in education.”

While continuously fundraising to increase financial aid is one of his largest challenges, Leubitz added that it is not what bothers him most.

“What keeps me up at night is: how many families are not even coming to our door because of the cost?” ■ ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 17

EDUCATION

Jewish Kids Groups is one of the nation’s few independent Hebrew School programs.

Yoga classes are part of the Jewish Kids Groups after-school program.

Jewish Kids Groups Creates A New Model for Education

By Bob Bahr Ana Robbins thinks she’s found a new model for after school Jewish education which is independent of any synagogue or branch of organized Judaism.

The 35-year-old founder of Jewish Kids Groups in Atlanta credits the experience of the Jewish camping movement for her growing network of programs for unaffiliated and interfaith parents and their children.

“We’ve worked really hard to take lessons from the American Camp Association and Camp Ramah and other places and recognize what opportunity we have is to build the camp within the camp. Meaning that we’re creating positive experiences that are stretching our students Jewishly.”

In the nearly seven years of its existence, Robbins’ organization, Jewish Kids Groups, has organized innovative educational experiences in Sunday school and after school programs from preschool through seventh grade. It has been consistently listed in the national Slingshot Guide among the most innovative Jewish educational programs in the nation.

She’s also been one of the AJT’s choices for its “40 Under 40” groups of emerging community leaders.

Robbins, who has an advanced degree in instructional design and technology, describes her work as creating not just an important educational environment, but having a significant impact on the students’ primary social environment.

In her Jewish Kids Groups they play together, learn Hebrew, Jewish values and 18 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

tradition, create art, munity that has receive homework neither the finanhelp, and develop cial resources or friendships with the long-term comother participants mitment to a Jewish over a four-day day school educaweekly program. tion.

Robbins grew “This new up in Atlanta, went model of Jewish to public schools education can serve here, attended a whole new marCamp Barney Medket,” she believes, intz through the “and alleviate the Marcus JCC and was bleeding, if you actively involved will, that’s happenAna Robbins is the founder and executive in community and ing right now in director of Jewish Kids Groups in Atlanta. synagogue life. She the world of Jewish had what she describes as a rich and nur- education. We know, nationally, Sunday turing Jewish family environment. That’s school enrollment is down 3 percent not always the case for those she sees as a year every year over the last 10 years. her target audience.

That’s the challenges that we are facing, “We have to expose our kids to the and I think it’s critical that we don’t lose delicious-ness that is Judaism,” she em- those families.” phasizes. “This is it. We live in a customJewish Kids Groups is a part of the er-driven economy and we have got to national Nitzan Network, which was figure out ways to serve our potential founded with a generous grant from The customers that are not currently engaged Covenant Foundation. Its goal is to rein Jewish life.” new Jewish learning after school and in The programs in Morningside, the past several years has linked together Dunwoody, Intown, Old Fourth Ward, innovative programs in Toronto, Berkeand most recently in Brookhaven, have ley, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston, as received important financial support. well as the program in Atlanta.

Last year the organization was given a Although the organization is inde$250,000 development grant and has pendent of any synagogue, Robbins sees plans to partner with another innovative her program as an adjunct to the center Atlanta Jewish youth program, Jump- of Jewish life, not as an alternative.

Spark, to extend its program to young “Nothing can replace synagogues teens. for Jewish kids. This is definitely not a reIt’s yet another attempt to revitalize placement for synagogues,” she stresses. those Jewish educational programs that “Professionally though, I see that many serve the 80 to 90 percent of the com- of my peers are not buying into the syna-

gogue model and we cannot just turn our backs on them. We cannot say if you don’t believe in synagogue membership, we as the Jewish community don’t want to engage you. Well that’s not how economies work anymore. We have got to meet our prospective customers where they are.”

Although she is enthusiastic about the acceptance of the program and its rapid growth, she has no illusions about what it will take to expand what she has begun.

“We’re grossly underfunded. We are working against the established infrastructure that is invested in keeping things the same. It’s going to take big resources. We’re talking about putting in place a whole new model of Jewish education.”

Robbins is half of one of the community’s most active couples. Her husband, Eric, is the executive director of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, which makes her commitment to the future of Jewish learning a 24/7 life experience.

“The work that we do is so closely aligned with our personal values and priorities,” she maintains, with great enthusiasm. “And I feel so fortunate. I just do what I love all day long and then go home and make dinner. I don’t know how I got this great deal where I get to do what I think is the most important thing in the world. And then, so does my husband. So I think that’s pretty rare and pretty special.” ■ For more information about programs, enrollment and locations of Jewish Kids Groups, visit www.jewishkidsgroups.com.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 19

EDUCATION

Atlanta Jewish Day School Conference Challenges ‘Dare to Dream’

By Jan Jaben-Eilon

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nstein contends, “We argue that even where they compete, In this highly polarized they can also collaborate, and era in which religions, orgawe’d like to encourage that.” nizations, even families are Jewish day schools, in splintering, Prizmah: Center general, face similar chalfor Jewish Day Schools is a lenges, Bernstein adds, alnotable exception. The netthough there are differences working group – holding its as well. Orthodox day schools biennial conference in Atlanare “bursting at the seams” ta March 10-12 – is a merger because the Orthodox popuPrizmah CEO Paul Bernstein of five Jewish day school orgalation is growing. Since the nizations and more than 200 active schools. economic collapse of 2008, however, the The union, which was completed in population of the non-Jewish day school is July 2016, occurred because it was decided declining. Still, “affordability is a key questhe groups “had more in common than what tion for all.” divided them,” Paul Bernstein, Prizmah CEO According to Bernstein, “the future suctells the AJT. cess of the Jewish community depends on a Among those commonalities are fun- knowledgeable next generation of Jews. We draising, enrollment and “what the leader- see the investment in Jewish day schools as ship looks like.” The five groups were Pardes so important. That’s why we are active in Institute of Jewish Studies; Partnership for encouraging family foundations and priExcellence in Jewish Education; RAVSAK: vate people to be supportive of Jewish day The Jewish Community Day School Network; schools. Day school alumni are key, so our Solomon Schechter Day School Network; communities must invest in day schools.” and Yeshiva University School Partnership.

He stressed the importance of fostering “It takes intentionality to help people a connection with the communities that are work together,” Bernstein says. “It’s impor- home to the Jewish day schools in Prizmah’s tant to be respectful of what differentiates network. To facilitate that connection with them. After all, an Orthodox school is still Atlanta, Bernstein pointed to the many exan Orthodox school. There’s not pressure to cursions that will be offered to conference be what they’re not.” participants. In addition to visits to the variA national organization like Prizmah is ous Atlanta Jewish day schools, there will be necessary, he says, because schools “wher- outings to the Center for Puppetry Arts; The ever they are can learn from each other. We Ron Clark Academy, a middle school that encourage shared learning and we do it with welcomes students from diverse socioecoprofessional leadership and lay leaders.” nomic and academic backgrounds across Indeed, about 1,000 representatives of the Atlanta metro region; and Lab Atlanta, both groups will attend the conference to a semester-based program for 10th graders be held in downtown Atlanta. Its theme is that opened in 2017. The Lab Atlanta school “Dare to Dream.” George Couros, author of allows students to leave their home school “The Innovator’s Mindset” will headline the and participate in an immersive, city-based opening session. Other sessions will focus design and innovative experience. There on how to run a school, fundraising, enroll- will also be a civil rights tour that will exment, leadership development and active plore how Jews were involved in the strugJewish learning, Bernstein points out, but it’s gles of African-Americans to gain equality. the “building of community that is so impor- This tour will start at The King Center and tant everywhere. That’s why the conference continue through the Sweet Auburn Hisis so important. The challenge for any leader toric District. is to get out of the day-to-day routine and to According to Prizmah, participants will be in a place with peers in which they can leave with educational tools to take back learn from experts.” to their own schools as they cover the civil In other words, Bernstein says, “How rights movement and the ongoing challenge do we enhance the experience of those who of achieving equality today. came to education as a dream? We want “We want to learn from the community, to create a space where the educators can the Jewish world and beyond,” Bernstein said. dream and think about what innovation Prior to joining Prizmah, he served as they want to bring to their schools.”

CEO of The Pershing Square Foundation Atlanta was chosen as a venue for this and as the global managing director of Absoyear’s conference partly because of the “fan- lute Return for Kids, a nonprofit focused on tastic Jewish community in Atlanta.” But global health, education and child protecwhereas in other cities there’s a more di- tion. Bernstein also co-founded ARK South verse Jewish population and the Jewish day Africa before returning to London in 2004 schools are less directly competitive, Ber- to lead ARK globally. ■

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 21

EDUCATION

Creating A Custom Education

By Chana Shapiro The decision to home school is a personal one for families. It can range from wanting more control over your child’s education to trying to avoid exposure to secular values. We interviewed three Atlanta Jewish families to learn the reasons behind their decisions, what tools they used and path they took to ensure their children succeeded academically. Here are their stories:

Disappointed with elementary school options, the Becks chose to home-school. From left: Betzalel, Yosef, Yokhanan and Yissakhar.

Deborah and Larry Beck moved to Atlanta in 1993, planning to send their children to Jewish schools. As Deborah puts it, “I ended up spending 22 years with our children, 24/7. You could say I nurtured people I like to be with!”

22 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Sons Yosef and Yokhanan attended Beth Jacob Preschool; however, the parents were disappointed in their sons’ elementary day school and believed that they could do a better job of educating them at home, especially in middot, character traits.

“Our main goal was building character,” Deborah explains. “If a book, experience or person led to our goal, it was in; if not, it was out. I was less of a teacher, and more of a manager. The boys were given freedom to follow their interests and curiosity. That’s why they’re self-motivated and independent.”

This was before the internet.

Two more sons, Yissakhar and Betzalel, were born. After preschool, they, too, started learning at home with their parents. All four had different interests and learning styles, and Deborah managed four different curricula. Afternoons were free for museums, libraries, book stores, hiking, playing outdoors, building, and exploring, and the boys wrote about their experiences. Schooling was everywhere.

Larry helped with math and science as the boys got older. In addition to their

rich Jewish home life, eventually a rabbi was hired to enhance the boys’ learning.

Among other resources, Deborah adapted the Christian Bob Jones textbooks, the best curriculum she could find. When one of their sons, who never liked math, became interested in physics in the 10th grade, he managed to master math. The kitchen was their basic science lab, and the three oldest sons won many top home-school science fair awards. All boys learned several languages.

The three oldest boys are graduates of Georgia Tech. Two are married. Betzalel is spending a third year in Israel.

Monica and Selwyn Hurwitz tried several Jewish schools for their twin daughters, but the girls weren’t thriving.

When Yaffa and Maia were 9 years old, the family started home schooling. Maia and Yaffa are now happy 15-year-olds who enjoy learning.

The girls are advanced in some areas and need remedial work in others.

Monica addresses these areas, following her daughters’ interests as much as possible. She likes the Acellus Academy online curriculum. Maia and Yaffa are both auditory learners, and this program suits them best.

There are myriad online programs for children who learn at home, and Monica contacted at least 100 of them and reviewed sample lessons. Maia and Yaffa independently select classes from several sources. If a certain class isn’t working, they try a different one.

The girls are officially enrolled in the Atlanta public school system and follow its curriculum at their own pace. Georgia offers the Edmentum online course, for which there is no tuition. Yaffa and Maia take standardized achievement tests every three years.

The family uses the Lookstein Virtual Jewish Academy’s Judaics program, Rosetta Stone for language and the Edmentum science programs. They also prepared for their b’not mitzvah with local teacher, Chana Saiman. Some online classes allow students to retake exams many times, so material can be reviewed and mastered without pressure. When the girls express an interest in a subject, they find related courses online or on video.

Yaffa and Maia are excellent cooks.

They read cookbooks and follow cooking shows, and have created recipe binders. They learned to sew at a Boys & Girls Club. Monica does math with her daughters, sometimes with Selwyn’s help.

Several years ago, Selwyn was in a catastrophic accident. During the first year after that trauma, the girls had al-

most no “schooling,” but the family built a special handicap-accessible room for him. Helping with the room for their father, the girls learned math-based lessons, including fractions, geometry and budgeting. The flexible schedule allows the family to enjoy extra-curricular activities as desired, and there are many home-school group activities in Atlanta and beyond.

The Gimpelevich children have been in and out of Jewish day school. From left they are, Shmuel, Natanel, Miha, Cheni and Talia.

Ilana and Akiva Gimpelevich have five children, some of whom have been in and out of Jewish day schools, depending on their needs and experiences. Shmuel, 14, lives at an out-of-town yeshiva for an advanced Torah education. Natanel, 12, is currently home-schooled. He follows a daily planner of classes and activities his mother sets up for him, which includes violin lessons. Cheni, 9, asked to be home-schooled this year, but she may go back to Jewish day school next year.

Five-year-old Miha and 3-year-old Talia are enrolled at Atlanta Jewish Academy.

Several years ago, Ilana started a home-school Facebook group, which serves as a connection and resource. She is a regular participant in the Atlanta Homeschool Cooperative, where she currently offers a genetics class. Her son Natanel takes gymnastics there.

The co-op, which is near the zoo, offers a variety of classes for all ages, each led by a volunteer co-op parent. Wednesday is Park Day, when everyone is welcome to play and socialize.

The Gimpeleviches review school decisions with their children yearly. Ilana spends a lot of time driving and selecting activities and classes with her children.

She laughs that she’s learned not to feel guilty that they can’t do everything.

Ilana stated her philosophy, “Does school further family relationships or does it cause fighting? Homeschooling is not about curriculum or grade levels. It’s about building a relationship with one’s child.”

Regardless of the reasons behind the decision to home school, the Jewish families we interviewed seemed confident in their choices and believe they’ve set their children on the right road to successful futures. ■

EDUCATION

College News: What is New? Emails are a common occurrence daily. This writer’s important professional emails certainly focus on the college scene.

While the articles are for my knowledge and for me to share with clients, some of the contents are worthwhile to share with AJT readers.

do not pay anyone to write your essay. Do not have a parent be your essay writer. Colleges usually know when an essay is written by someone other than the student.

The admissions office wants to hear your voice.

You are Deferred from a College If the news was a deferral from an The Common Application Prompts early decision, early action or similar apThe Common App has announced that Dr. Mark L. plication, this does not mean denied by this year’s essays will remain the same for the college. You are still in the running for the 2019-2020 school year. What will the Fisher admission during the spring. While you seven choices be for present high school jumight feel down because of being deferred, you need niors in their senior year? to take action if you still want to be accepted by that 1. Some students have a background, identity, interparticular college.

The word on the street is that there est, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their apwere many deferrals from the University of Georgia and plication would be incomplete without it. If this sounds Georgia Tech this year. like you, then please share your story.

Contact the admissions representative at the col2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounlege that deferred you and ask for suggestions on how ter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time you can update your record and possibly where you when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did need to strengthen your application. For sure, update it affect you, and what did you learn from the experiany course grades, test scores, extra-curricular activience? ties, awards, and community volunteer work or part3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or chaltime work.

Show interest in the college. lenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking?

You need to start focusing on another college if the What was the outcome? deferral doesn’t succeed in the end. Look carefully at 4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem your other college applications.

Take a real good look at you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, your options.

Often, some of the colleges take on a new a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is and exciting life for you.

You didn’t realize all the benof personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

efits, financial and otherwise that those other colleges possessed.

Buyer Beware What a shock when students find out that their present college is closing at the end of the semester. It happens, especially to very small colleges. Around for 185 years, Green Mountain College, known for its environmental programs, will close at the end of the spring semester. Hampshire College is looking for a partner and is not sure if it will admit freshmen for the fall.

Newbury College and Mount Ida closed or are closing in Massachusetts.

While all of the above are New England colleges, similar situations can happen elsewhere. The colleges that are closing are helping their students transfer, usually to other colleges that have a special niche among majors. In Boston, Wheelock College merged into Boston University.

Recently, I met with the president and director of admissions at Hollins University, a women’s college, in Virginia. One of my first questions was related to the school’s financial situation. Fortunately, they appear to be safe financially, with a decent endowment. No, they don’t appear to be going coed in order in save themselves. They are doing just fine. ■ Mark Fisher is a college and career consultant at Fisher Educational Consultants, www.fishereducationalconsultants.com, and a consultant for the College Planning Institute, www.GotoCPI.com.

Should high school juniors and their parents just read the above prompts? No. Start thinking about each of the prompts. Here are some guidelines.

1. Read the first six prompts. Eliminate four of them because you feel that you can’t relate to or write about these topics.

2. Give good thought to the two remaining questions among the six. What comes to mind that would allow you to write a good essay? Discuss the two prompts with your parents, teachers or counselor. Start thinking about possible ideas for each prompt.

3. Narrow your response down to one of the six prompts. Start writing. What ideas or topics come to mind?

What happened to prompt No. 7? Think about what you can write. How does your response compare to the one you chose from the first six prompts? Then, choose the winner. Don’t wait for your senior year. You should be finished with the Common App essay during the summer months.

There are many books on writing essays for college as well as strategies to formulate your essay. However, ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 23

EDUCATION

Renderings of the future layout of Temple Sinai’s preschool and Noar Sunday School space.

Temple Sinai Prepares to Renovate Preschool

By Eddie Samuels As part of Temple Sinai’s 50th anniversary “Million Dollar Challenge” campaign, the synagogue is preparing to renovate its preschool and Sunday school space. With the opening of registration for the 20192020 school year, families can look forward to new programs and a completely new atmosphere for their tots.

The current space has served as a good home for the preschool and religious school for the past 14 years, but it has created its fair share of challenges as a shared space with the Noar Sunday School serving kindergarteners through sixth-graders.

Jamah Maman, director of preschool and Young Family Learning & Engagement, explained that current furniture is stationary and heavy, making it difficult to transition for different needs.

“We wanted to pick out furniture that is modular and can be used for multiple age groups,” she said. “Storage has also been a big issue, and so the new space has more storage space that allows us to better transition between preschool and Noar Sunday School.”

A lot of thought went into how to share the space to better enhance education, she said, “and that involved research into methodologies and room layouts and what

24 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

works best with teaching styles.”

Previously, Temple Sinai’s preschool only ran on a half-day schedule, allowing only a portion of Sinai’s families with children under 5 years old to participate. The new space is designed to meet licensing requirements to allow for full-day options.

Among the changes required for the licensing process are appropriate bathrooms, sinks and ventilation for diapering. Changes to the playground are also a requirement for licensing.

“These changes will allow us to use the outdoors as an extension of the indoors as we know that play is a core part of any child’s development,” Marisa Kaiser, director of the Center for Learning & Engagement at Temple Sinai, said in a video explaining the project.

The renovation is slated to begin this summer, and Sinai’s camp will be relocated to Springmont Montessori School while the work is being done.

The capital campaign runs from Feb. 1 to March 15, and all donations are being matched by the Walter and Frances Bunzl Family Foundation, up to $1 million.

According to Maman, the plan is currently to move back into the space during the second week of August, with the reopening expected for Aug. 19. ■

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 25

EDUCATION

The Neurodiversity of It All

By Rachel Slomovitz I am blessed and humbled to be a parent of a neurotypical child, and a neurodiverse child. As February is Jewish Disabilities and Awareness Inclusion Month, I felt compelled to share my feelings on the subject.

Neurotypical is defined as someone who does not have autistic signs; neurodiversity is a concept that any neurological differences you have might be respected.

My neurotypical child’s path has included neighborhood schools, local camps, a bar mitzvah date, and a hope for a great college in the future. Upon parenting my neurodiverse child, I realized the path ahead was a bit foggy.

My child has autism and has limited verbal abilities. Being his mother, I honor his neurological differences, and celebrate others who appreciate their gifts as well. Modern parenthood dictates that we accept the child we are given; it’s a full embrace of who they are, and what makes them special.

As soon as that child shows who they are, we set to create a hospitable atmosphere for them. We build communities, we write our own parenting manuals, we do what we need to do. My neurodiverse child has been fortunate that the local community has a wealth of resources for him: the MDE (Motivation/Determination/ Excellence) School for camp; Friendship Circle, where he can attend monthly gatherings of the “Torah Circle” and celebrate monthly birthdays; and Lekotek, a play and toy-lending library for special needs children.

Neurodiversity is a concept that any neurological differences you have might be respected.

Rachel Slomovitz is pictured here with one of her sons.

Where I find an almost-daily struggle is that the neurotypical community does not work to build a bridge over to the special needs community. Special needs children of all ranges are sent to different schools, usually outside their community, away from their siblings and neighbors. Our truly special needs children are not represented in our local religious schools. This is not the case for every synagogue, of course, but for the majority it is. Why is one child fully integrated, but not another?

My grandmother in the 1970s, along with my uncle, worked with special needs Jewish kids. They ran classrooms and created Jewish content for them. I have the newspaper articles from the ‘70s talking about their classroom, and how they worked with the kids. If this existed 45 years ago, before I was even born, why do we work to reinvent the wheel every year?

There is an excellent program outside of Boston called Gateways’ Jewish Education Program that has worked to create a safe space for our neurodiverse children. I am proud of Jewish Disabilities Awareness and Inclusion Month in which synagogues work to build and cross that bridge, but what about the other 11 months?

Special needs children come in all shapes and sizes.

It’s neurodiversity, it’s physical differences, it’s medical issues, it’s a wide beautiful range of children to learn and grow from. This idea of outreach is not a hard one, but I can tell you that many parents of special needs children do not feel welcome in their synagogue, church or place of worship. The parent does not feel that their child will sit nicely or participate appropriately, so they do not show up. That was not my belief. Both of my children will be at synagogue on Shabbat morning because it’s a priority for me. My synagogue has been supportive of my son, and we are working towards crossing that bridge. I honor who my children are, and I commit to their being fully involved Jewish children, and eventually adults.

I encourage/implore you to please help build that bridge. It’s simple. Go say “hi.” Talk to a child or adult who is unable to talk back to you. That’s okay, they can hear you. If they can’t hear you, then sign. If they can’t see, then figure out a way to communicate. As a mother of one of those non-verbal children, I love when people totally ignore me and come up and speak to my child.

Sometimes I answer for him, but it’s OK. Give him a high-five; I want you to see what a cool kid he is. Take those moments to see the others in your community as well. ■ Rachel Slomovitz is the mother of two boys and teaches at The Epstein School, Congregation Etz Chaim and High Meadows School.

26 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

EDUCATION

“Conversation” is Alix Pearlstein’s 2000 video depicting communication through sounds and gestures. Performers are Garland Hunter and Leo Marks.

Photos courtesy of the artists and Electronic Arts Intermix of New York // Dara Birnbaum’s 1975 blackand-white video, “Chaired Anxieties: Abandoned,” expresses emotions through body movement.

Zuckerman Museum Hosts Art of Silent Expression

By Roni Robbins Words can be taken out of context, misinterpreted, miscommunicated. They can ruin relationships and political careers. Simple texts or posts can forever change someone’s life for better or worse.

But what if you could express yourself without words?

The Zuckerman Museum of Art at Kennesaw State University is attempting to show what that might be like with its new “Louder than Words” exhibition, which opened Feb. 2.

The exhibition breaks down nonverbal communication into the silence that exists without words. It features artists who “privilege silence (non-linguistic sounds, symbols gestures) over words as their method of communication.”

The artists, a few of whom are deaf, express silent communication through mediums of paper, video, sculpture and performance.

Curator Teresa Bramlette Reeves said the impetus for the exhibit came from the reaction her art students had from studying Yoko Ono, a Japanese multimedia artist and wife of the late John Lennon of The Beatles.

“They recognize her vulnerability,” Reeves said about her students’ connection with Ono’s video art. “They relate to her as an anti-war activist against Vietnam.” Reeves describes Ono’s 1964 video “Cut Piece,” part of the exhibit, as slow, palpable and powerful with as much relevance today as then. “She is sort of the heart of the show.”

Of the deaf artists, Reeves wrote in the exhibition brochure, “they reveal the gaps inherent in communication — what

is missing, misunderstood, intentionally ignored, or entirely invented.”

The exhibit was built around the emotional core left when there are gaps and lapses in communication and translation, Reeves explained. “It’s an emotional place that provided a jumping-off point.” Straddling the silence was a “powerful position to work from,” she added.

The known Jewish artists in the exhibit include Dara Birnbaum and Alix Pearlstein.

Birnbaum’s black and white video from 1975, “Chaired Anxieties: Abandoned,” generates an emotional, psychological state. Just by sitting on a wood folding chair and moving, the video expresses her anxiety, tension and helplessness, Reeves said. “It’s a performance piece that is close to dance movements.

It’s really kind of wonderful, very expressive without being verbal. There’s no sound to it. It’s all movement.”

In Pearlstein’s 2000 “Conversation” between a man and a woman, the verbal repertoire consists of groans, sighs, growls, laughter and primal screams, according to the exhibit brochure. The abstract communication allows the couple to connect using only noise, sounds and gestures instead of words, Reeves explained.

The Zuckerman museum, in its fifth year, has three exhibits a year, she said.

One of the galleries is dedicated to Ruth Zuckerman’s work. It was gifted to the museum by Bernard Zuckerman in 1999 and incorporates 40 years of her life and artistry, including sculptures of stone and bronze, photography, paintings, plaster maquettes and the artist’s personal archives. Her sculptures are based on universal themes of family, love and

protection. The exhibit is rotated every 1 ½ to two years, Reeves said.

Bernard Zuckerman, an industry leader and arts supporter, pledged $2 million to build the museum in 2010. It was matched with $1 million from com-

munity donors. Zuckerman attended the groundbreaking, but died a year before the 2014 opening, Reeves said. ■ The “Louder than Words” exhibition runs through May 5. For more information, visit zuckerman.kennesaw.edu.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 27

28 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Photos by Heidi Morton // Sheila Holtz’s art studio is her “chicken coop.” She has mastered the feather details and shadows. Gallery owner Amy Spanier states that she sells Sheila’s chicken paintings as fast as she can produce them. Holtz paintings inset: "Bad Hair Day" (top) and "Zsa Zsa" (bottom).

Chai Style Art Chicken Artist Struts Out Her House of Whimsy After three houses, two husbands and a lifetime of Learn about Holtz’s art cache. living, Sheila Holtz’s home is an explosion of her personality.

Jaffe: How in the universe did you decide to paint A mélange of Country French, Biltmore House chickens? style, Pierre Deux with turn-of-the-centuHoltz: Chickens just make us smile. ry quilts, German antique clocks, Italian I’ve painted Bad Hair Day chicken; the Gahand-cut wooden mirrors – works by minbor sisters (Zsa Zsa, Eva, Magda) chickens; gling American history with bold clashes.

Jack Spratt and his wife; The Naked ChickPushing the art envelope, Holtz comen; Where the Sun Don’t Shine Chicken bines well-placed intensely hued rugs with … to name a few. It’s a form of my expres“in your face” folk art, alongside her own sion and art. There is great effort in getting original chicken paintings. Former real the detail of the feathers and shadows just estate agent and energetic grandmother right.

Holtz has flourished style in her DNA and takes some risks to “walk on the wild side.” Marcia Jaffe: You have a penchant for clocks?

“Mom was born a fashionista. She’s Caller Jaffe Holtz: I spent three years in Germany a cross between Madonna and Iris Apfel,” and developed an appreciation for wellchided daughter Pam Morton, director of author events made timepieces. I have grandfather and grandmother for the Book Festival of the MJCCA. clocks. I’m especially keen on clocks that are constructI.D.E.A. Gallery owner Amy Spanier said, “I sell ed from found and recycled materials. I have several every chicken painting Sheila does, within days, some- made by R. Michael Wimmer. Since we were in the militimes hours. She also does chicken commissions for gal- tary, objects were shipped back at no charge. lery clients.”

Jaffe: Who are some of the most unusual artists you collect?

Holtz: I love working with Steve Terlizzese in his Chattanooga atelier of mosaic sculptures. This blue willow clock has great deal of detail. It’s a blend of tile, glass and pottery. He also did the mosaic mirror frame in the guest room that reads, “You Are Not Looking at the Center of the Universe.” His portfolio states that he specializes in the audacious by creating “maximalism,” which is the opposite of minimalism: gathering, collecting, contrasting common objects, … “any other damn thing that’s shiny.”

Also on the self-taught and/or folk side, I have rooms of Jack Poppitz, Susan Goodman, and Walter Cade III. I have a Rosie Clark collection with clever monikers like “Fast Buck,” “Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Hippo on Bun,” “Owlegant,” and “Bear Aspirin.”

Jaffe: How do you integrate your lighting?

Holtz: Lighting speaks volumes. The chandelier in the master bath is made from pearls. The bedroom chandelier wreath is 1960 cut crystal. Some beautiful hues are achieved by using rose gold bulbs.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 29

ARTS The mirror is Italian wood. The Chinoiserie clock is black hand-painted enamel.

Great Room: The deer head made of canvas strips presides over a custom-limestone mantel.

The sconces are porcelain hands holding candles with MacKenzie-Childs cut glass lamp shades.

The andirons are from a store on Lake Burton. The cranberry rug is Obsidian.

I bought lamp shades in Vermont. In the lower level is a lamp made from an antique trumpet. I have a Spanish dancer lamp.

The living room chandelier has Chinese influences made out of tin and porcelain.

Jaffe: What are some of your eclectic pieces?

Holtz: The hooked rugs by Vermont weaver Claire Murray are special.

In the master bath, I have a permanent wedding cake. Probably by far the most outrageous is

“Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues” modern primitive by Jack Poppitz. He lays out his interpretation of the male African-American experience with painted phrases like “Shiftless Drifter,” “Lived off Women,” “Got Mean Drunk.”

I replaced some standard doors with antique glass and wooden doors I picked up at Lakewood.

Jaffe: How do you categorize your animal pieces?

Holtz: On the stair landing is an original oil painting of a deer by Bolton, the original pair of an-

tique King Charles Spaniel oils by Lee Kennedy are above the master bed, and fox candlesticks flank the main fireplace. Owls, goats and bears are all embedded in art. The focal point of the great room is an antlered deer head, which is not taxidermy – it’s constructed from painted canvas strips. I found it years ago

Holtz reshapes and mounts repurposed pieces and gemstones into wearable art.

Linens are by Ralph Lauren, two antique unmatched chests serve as end tables next to the antique rusted wrought iron bed. The floor covering is Mackenzie-Childs.

Antique King Charles Spaniel oils by Lee Kennedy are above the master bed.

30 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

ARTS The Mona Lisa by Susan Goodman sits above the chair from Jasper, Ga. “This Chair is the Seat of All Wisdom”

Living Room: Holtz designed the upholstered chair on left from antique quilts. The original oil on the left is titled “Girl With Antique Doll.” Sheila bought the hand-painted chest in the center from Scott Antique Market. The original watercolor pair behind the couch is from Joseph Valley Family Farm (1910). The salmon and royal blue rug is an antique Kilim.

Jaffe: What is your connection to jewelry making?

at the Slotin Folk Art Fest. It presides over a custom designed limestone mantel.

The dining room chandelier is a Viking ship figurehead mounted on elk horn antlers with filigree wrought iron.

Holtz: Although my pieces start at a popular price range, I use rough cut emeralds, jade, rubies and gemstones mixed with repurposed items like sweater clips, 1940s cut glass, real crystal, and antique Royal Masonic pins (1946) set in bronze or sterling. Often, I use material from Morocco or the Far East.

Jaffe: Why do you lean towards folk art?

Holtz: Think of all the “tongue in cheek” expressions and bold declarations it holds: “Never Buy a Car You Can’t Push,” “This Chair is the Seat of All Wisdom,” “Honor Thy Mother ‘Cause She Has Done More for Thee Than All Others” “Eat, Drink, Remarry” – you can’t get any more clever than those! ■

Steve Terlizzese specializes in maximalist conglomeration of tile, glass, and pottery. The master bedroom fireplace shows his Blue Willow mantel clock. The dishes around the clock are discontinued antique fine china patterns.

“Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues,” by Jack Poppitz expresses the male African-American experience with “politically incorrect” terms.

Walter Cade III constructed this mixed media collage featuring a gorilla and tenement building from a core of photographs.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 31

ARTS

Exotic Chef Dishes Tikkun Olam, Addiction and Southern Cuisine

By Marcia Caller Jaffe A James Beard Award-winner, culinary expert and star of “Bizarre Foods” (Travel Channel), Andrew Zimmern shares his boundless appetite for global adventure and intrepid eating in his new children’s book. “AZ and the Lost City of Ophir” is a tale of ancient mystery, global adventure, mischief, fun and food.

Twelve-year-old AZ dreams of becoming the world’s greatest explorer, but instead, he’s stuck in summer school with odd Uncle Arthur for company. Little does he know that the summer will be a thrilling and dangerous adventure. After a time-traveling mishap, AZ finds himself in Ophir, a lost city full of wonder and secrets.

Zimmern, who was part of Atlanta’s big ticket Superbowl’s Taste of the NFL, will greet fans Feb. 11 at Barnes & Noble in Buckhead, where he will discuss and sign his book.

Jaffe: You have a son … is that what motivated you to write a children’s book?

Zimmern: Actually yes, reading stories to him at night and most importantly making up stories for him, I realized I had a lot to say in that space and thought that there was a missing niche: fun books where kids can experience adventure learning in the 8- to 12-yearold space as an interesting genre. As a youth, my father would take me on long drives skiing in Vermont. We

Smile

change in the world. Fear is healthy, and I think as human beings we make appropriate fear-based decisions. I want to show kids that they can make appropriate decisions, even when things are a little dicey.

Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern has written a book, “AZ and the Lost City of Ophir.”

didn’t have radio stations that carried that far, so he would tell me “made up” stories. I’ve always wanted to tell stories to young people.

Jaffe: “Ophir” sounds scary with crocodiles and tombs. To what age is it targeted?

Zimmern: “Ophir” is a little scary. It should be; I think that’s what is compelling and exciting about travel. A little bit of fear is healthy, and I want young people to come away with the sense that just because something is a little scary doesn’t mean that you don’t have the ability to walk through that fear and make some

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Jaffe: I recently interviewed Michael Solomonov (award winning Israeli chef) about his addiction. Is a connection to renowned chefs an addiction?

Zimmern: I think about the Michael Solomonov issue, that there is a connection to chefs and addiction. If they can get past addiction and into recovery – that’s the key component. My addiction and subsequent recovery have influenced every single facet and decision in my life. I’ve used the skills I’ve learned in recovery in my own quest for personal wellness.

Jaffe: Were you acquainted with Anthony Bourdain? Were you surprised by his death?

Zimmern: I was very shocked by his death and it changed me in the sense that I have been a lot more aggressive with friends making sure that people are OK. It spurred me – seeing so many rightfully distraught by this – to make sure that people are aware that they need to have personal wellness formats that they actively pursue in their own life so that when surprising calamities hit, they’re able to match them with a form of serenity.

Jaffe: Have you ever been to Atlanta before? Observations of the deep south?

Zimmern: I have been to Atlanta dozens of times.

I love the South and think that your food is “America’s cuisine” … with a sense of bounty, hospitality, seasonality, simplicity, the storytelling, the influences of both enslaved Africans, Caribe Indians, the colonial experience – most notably the Spanish have influences. I find it an exciting and vibrant culture.

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Jaffe: How does Judaism play a role?

Zimmern: I work with Share Our Strength and No Kid Hungry and firmly believe we need to make a difference. If I’m writing a kids’ book, why not choose my favorite charity that solves children’s hunger issues? My Jewishness is evident in doing good works, a respect for others and their cultures, in an abiding love for family, in ways to approach relationships with a higher power of my understanding – all of which are in my work.

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Jaffe: What is the takeaway from your book?

Zimmern: That kids can rely on each other. They’re smart enough; they come with enough intelligence baked into their DNA to solve more problems than they think they’re capable of. Kids can be responsible for their own outcomes. I think they deserve to be heard.

They have opinions that matter. I also want kids to be inspired by that sense of “adventure learning.” They should travel, be independent thinkers and have independent experiences so they can formulate viewpoints and ways of tackling life – independent of adult influence. ■ Zimmern will be signing his book at 7 p.m. Feb. 11 at Barnes & Noble, 2900 Peachtree Road in Buckhead. The book is available on Amazon and www.Andrewzimmern.com.

ARTS

Photo by Willy Sanjuan/ AP // Rosenman

Howard Rosenman with his Oscar for “Common Threads: Stories From The Quilt” in 1990.

will be in Atlanta to introduce his movie “Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog,” an age-appropriate tale about the Holocaust.

Oscar-Winning Rosenman ‘Produces’ Atlanta Ties

By Marcia Caller Jaffe As Los Angeles luminaries poured into Atlanta for the Super Bowl, California is exporting round two with Atlanta Jewish Film Festival glitterati. Oscar-winning producer Howard Zvi Rosenman will be here Feb. 24 to introduce his movie “Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog.” With ties to Atlantans, Rosenman dished about his outrageous life as a seventh-generation Jerusalemite who dropped out of medical school to work for Leonard Bernstein and eventually Katherine Hepburn – all before busting out as an A-list film and TV producer.

“Call Me By Your Name,” about a gay Jewish relationship in Italy, put him at the top of his game.

Rosenman bears it all as he eschews political labels and talks about the mega stars he has befriended. The headline of the “Tablet Magazine” article by James Kirchick (June 21, 2018) sums it up: “Howard Rosenman says ‘F* You: What’s it like to be a Gay Right-Wing Zionist Liberal Oscar-Winning Producer in Hollywood These Days?’”

See life through his lens.

Jaffe: How did you chose to produce “Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog,” the AJFF movie being shown here Feb. 23 and 24? It’s not typically your genre.

Rosenman: In conjunction with the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, I taught a master class on producing (production) for Israelis. One of the students had a manuscript about this boy and his bond with his faithful family dog being put to the test in wartime Berlin. It is familyfriendly as it is a story of love, courage and loyalty, and it treats the Holocaust age-appropriately.

By the way, those Israeli students have been amazingly successful with what they took away from the class.

Jaffe: You’re a judge here for the AJFF. Who are your faves for the upcoming Oscars?

Rosenman: I think Lady Gaga is terrific. I’m all about “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Rami Malek for top awards.

Jaffe: You went to school with a very prominent Emory professor and author.

Rosenman: Deborah Lipstadt and I were in the same yeshiva in Far Rockaway, New York and the same shul, [Temple] Shaaray Tefila. I have cousins here.

Can’t wait for our Atlanta family Shabbat dinner.

Jaffe: You’ve acted?

Rosenman: I’ve been in eight films.

The one most would remember was MILK, (California 2008) where Harvey Milk, the first gay activist elected to public office, was assassinated.

I loved doing it, but it’s too much of an “all day job” – running around, auditioning, etc.

Jaffe: Much is written about your feud with Gore Vidal.

Rosenman: Plain and simple, he was a dyed in the wool anti-Semite. At one time we were friends, and I was his right hand man for his Senate campaign in California. He wrote an article for The Nation with this statement: ”I am the pin that punctures the balloon of Israeli (aka Jewish) arrogance and pomposity.”

I called every one of my friends to draw battle lines. He deeply regretted it, but never apologized. The hypocrisy was that his lover was Jewish.

Jaffe: What do you do for fun?

Rosenman: Work! I’m a workaholic.

I’m tired of the LA party scene and I’m working now on several new TV series/ projects: “Man’s Man” – Framed in 1967 about a Rock Hudson-like star who has a male lover, and the studio creates an alternate life. … A gay “Mad Men.” “Thrones of Europe” 1880s to 1945, and an Israeli detective series by Batya Gur. I’m producing a movie exposing the real story of Anita Bryant, the runner-up to Miss America who was known for her anti-gay sentiments. She’s 83 now and cooperating. Her motto is “Love the sinner, hate the sin.”

Jaffe: You have a charitable foundation?

Rosenman: I founded Project Angel Food with Marianne Williamson, which originally started as a meal program for HIV and AIDS patients and now serves various terminal illness sufferers. We just served our 11 millionth meal.

Jaffe: Leonard Bernstein was a pivotal force in your career?

Rosenman: In 1967 after the Six Day War, he conducted Mahler’s “Resurrection Symphony” on the newly reconquered Mt. Scopus in Jerusalem, then visited Hadassah Hospital, where I was a volunteer. He hired me as a gopher on his documentary about the Maestro conducting for the Tzahal [Israel Defense Forces] in Judea and Samaria. He encouraged me to drop out of medical school by urging, “You should go into the arts. You will never bow to the mistress of science.”

We remained lifelong friends on many levels.

Jaffe: Do you ever regret not being a physician?

Rosenman: Sometimes I do. I was going to be a plastic surgeon.

Jaffe: That would have come in handy in Hollywood! ■

You’ve worked with some top stars.

Throw out a quick round of comments.

Katharine Hepburn, for whom you worked: When she interviewed me, we just clicked. She had one question. “Can you be on time?” Other than that, she was very blunt, honest and brilliant.

Diana Ross: A legend.

Dakota Johnson: I think she will be a superstar. I worked with her mother Melanie Griffith on a couple of projects.

Ben Kingsley: Jewish, very talented.

Shirley MacLaine: I was very ill in her Broadway dressing room, fretting that I had AIDS (remember the decade).

She figured out that I was bingeing on cheese sandwiches and ultimately lactose intolerant. That was a relief.

Robin Williams: Fastest mind I ever met.

Michael Douglas: Best all around guy in Hollywood.

Barbra Streisand: Greatest singer in the world, but you know that.

Audrey Hepburn: The most elegant, chicest actress with whom I worked.

George W. Bush: Karl Rove sought me out to meet with him prior to his reelection.

He gets a bad rap as a “shallow type” cowboy. Let me assure you that he is quite bright and every inch a top-shelf articulate Ivy Leaguer. That Texas swagger is somewhat of an act.

If they made a movie of your life, who would play you?

Warren Beatty, a young Warren Beatty (laughing).

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 33

CALENDAR Hirsch will follow. Self-guided tour of gallery available before and after the performance. $5 per person. For more information, www.thebreman.org.

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES

WED., FEB. 6– TUES., FEB. 26

19th Annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival – Six metro Atlanta theatres.

Check website for locations and showtimes. The 19th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival returns with a diverse collection of more than 70 international and independent cinema that you won’t see elsewhere, with premieres by both familiar and new directors and producers alike. Covering everything from drama, romance and comedy to documentary and short films, AJFF uses the power of film to entertain, educate and foster community understanding and dialogue. For more information, www.ajff.org.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8

Terumah Friday, February 8, 2019, light candles at 5:57 p.m.

Saturday, February 9, 2019, Shabbat ends at 6:54 p.m.

Tetzaveh Friday, February 15, 2019, light candles at 6:03 p.m.

Saturday, February 16, 2019, Shabbat ends at 7:00 p.m. from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Join ORT Next Gen for an evening full of food and drinks from around the globe. Great raffle prizes and good music, and it benefits education in the schools. Bring your appetite as you travel around the world sampling what ORT offers through food, beverage, music and education. The price of admission includes all food and beverages, plus a raffle ticket. Tickets are $50 per person. To register and for more information, www.bit.ly/2Awk4Cm.

Shabbat, Me & Rabbi G @ the JCC – Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Atlanta, from to 5 to 6 p.m. Activities and crafts followed by songs and blessings with Rabbi Brian Glusman, concluding with a visit from the popular “Weinstein School Shabbat Dinosaur.”

Challah and grape juice will be served.

Free and open to everyone. For more information and to RSVP, www.bit. ly/2BwiaoZ.

YJP 2nd Fridays: Shabbat Dinner – Chabad Intown On The BeltLine, 730 Ponce De Leon Place NE, Atlanta, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Join YJP every month for 2nd Fridays Shabbat dinner on the Atlatna BeltLine. Mingle, shmooze and meet new people with an open bar and a Shabbat dinner buffet. $25 per person. Limited to the first 50 RSVPs. For more information, www.bit. ly/2E6BcD0.

Friday Night Live – Congregation Shearith Israel, 1180 University Drive, Atlanta, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Shearith Israel’s monthly, spirited, song-filled Friday evening service followed by a lovely oneg and socializing. It’s a wonderful way to welcome Shabbat.

Free. For more information, www.bit. ly/2Gp5SRI.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9

A Taste of ORT – Souper Jenny West Midtown, 1082 Huff Road NW, Atlanta, 34 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

SAT., FEB. 9 & SUN., FEB. 10

Vitaly: An Evening of Wonders – Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Atlanta, 8 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday. He stumped Penn & Teller on their hit TV show “Fool Us. Vitaly Beckman has amazed and entertained audiences from all over the world. He is hailed as one of the most unique and innovative illusionists in the world. Now he brings his latest and most ambitious production to the stage. Combining breathtaking visuals with Vitaly’s captivating style, this interactive theatrical experience takes the audience on a magical journey. $20 for members, $28 for the community. For tickets and more information, www.bit.ly/2QPwk7g.

Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave. NW, Atlanta, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The quarterly blood drive is sponsored by Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. Post 112, Fulton Masonic Lodge and Ahavath Achim Synagogue. It is co-sponsored by Congregation Shearith Israel and Congregation Or VeShalom. To schedule an appointment, go to www. redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code JWV. For more information, contact Gail Solomon at gailsol@gmail. com or 404-351-1900.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Celebrate Congregation Ariel’s 25th anniversary with a pre-dinner event at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. honoring the founders. $100 per person, $175 per couple. For more information, www. congariel.org.

Lifting Bodies and Souls: Explore Accessibility – Metro Atlanta Community Mikvah, 700-A Mount Vernon Highway NE, Sandy Springs, from 2 to 4 p.m. Join and explore what Jewish tradition teaches about ensuring everyone has equal access to the mikvah and learn how MACoM ensures that access exists in Atlanta. $5 donation requested. For more information, www. atlantamikvah.com.

Hadassah Health Professionals Annual Wine Tasting! – 124 Perimeter Center W, Atlanta, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Sample eight California wines and find out why wine is good for you.

Please bring a half pound of cheese, sliced and ready to serve with a small card identifying name of cheese. $7 per adult. RSVP to attend, www.hadassah. org/atlanta.

Vedem Onstage – William Breman Jew-

Blood Drive at AA – Ahavath Achim

Congregation Ariel’s 25th Anniversary – Congregation Ariel, 5237

ish Heritage Museum, 1440 Spring St. NW, Atlanta, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Join The Breman as teen actors from Atlanta’s Jewish day schools perform scenes from the Vedem-inspired play “And A Child Shall Lead.” A post-show dialogue with the cast and director Mira

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11

Pasta Making Class – Marcus JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Atlanta, from 7 to 9 p.m. Whether it’s fresh fish and olives from Sicily or rustic flavors from a Tuscan village, Italian cooking is as varied as the country from which it originates. The class will make a chopped salad, pumpkin ravioli, fettuccine with pesto, goat cheese tortellini and hazelnut truffles. $50 for members, $65 for the community. For more information, www.atlantajcc.org.

MON., FEB. 11 & WED., FEB. 13

Civil Rights Bus Tour – William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, 1440 Spring St. NW, Atlanta, from 9:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. Join the museum for its next Historic Jewish Atlanta Tour with a one-of-a-kind trolley tour of the Jewish connection to Atlanta’s civil rights movement. Explore the role Jewish institutions played in the fight for integration with tour stops at The Temple, Prior Tire, the Rich’s building, the Peachtree Manor Hotel and the American Motor Hotel. $18 for members, $23 for non-members. For more information, www.thebreman.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13

A Page from the Book Festival: Elinor Lipman In Conversation with Emily Giffin, NYT Best Seller – Marcus

FEBRUARY 6-26 Find more events and submit items for our online and print calendars at:

www.atlantajewishconnector.com

Calendar sponsored by the Atlanta Jewish Connector, an initiative of the AJT. In order to be considered for the print edition, please submit events two weeks in advance. Contact community liaison, Jen Evans, for more information at jen@atljewishtimes.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16

ACCESS: Young Professionals Night – Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, from 8 to 10 p.m. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival will screen the North American premiere of “Leona.” Join the group for a pre-film party at 6:30 p.m. and wrap up with a Q&A discussion with filmmaker, Isaac Cherem, and lead actress, Naian González Norvind. Open to young professionals under 40 of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds. $36 per person. For more information, www.ajff.org or katzj.fellow@ajc.org.

JCC, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Atlanta, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. One woman’s trash becomes another woman’s treasure in this delightful new romantic comedy from Elinor Lipman, bestselling author of “The Inn at Lake Devine and On Turpentine Lane.” $10 for members, $15 for the community. For more information, www.atlantajcc.org.

Jews of Cuba and Their Diasporas – Reception Hall, Carlos Museum, Emory University, 571 South Kilgo Circle NE, Atlanta, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. The annual Tenenbaum Lecture Series in Jewish Studies at Emory University will host this year the acclaimed author and professor from the University of Michigan – Ruth Behar. The lecture is free and open to the community and will be followed by a book signing and a reception. For more information, js.emory. edu or facebook.com/TIJS.Emory.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Frankly Speaking with Sherry Frank – National Council of Jewish Women-Atlanta Section, 6303 Roswell Road NE, Sandy Springs, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. NCJW Atlanta continues its women’s discussion group. Moderated by noted Atlanta advocate Sherry Frank, this monthly luncheon meeting focuses on current events through a Jewish lens. Bring your lunch; beverages provided. Free. RSVP, christineh@ ncjwatlanta.org. For more information, www.ncjwatlanta.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19

JLI: Crime and Consequence – Chabad Intown On The BeltLine, 730 Ponce De Leon Place NE, Atlanta, from 8 to 9:30 p.m. This series runs for six Tuesdays through April 2. Criminal justice reform is an incredibly important issue in the United States. This searing new course from the world-renowned Rohr Jewish Learning Institute presents compelling Jewish wisdom on crime, incarceration and rehabilitation. $99 for single registration, $169 for double registration. To register and for more information, www.bit.ly/2DFwJpC.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25

A Historic Evening with Eva Schloss – Ferst Center for the Arts, 350 Ferst Drive NW, Atlanta, from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Enter the world of Anne Frank as told by her stepsister and childhood friend.

Her story is sensational and difficult to imagine, yet it reminds us that life is precious and fragile, that the power of good is immeasurable and that love makes a difference. $180 for first person, $36 for second person and $25 for third person. For more information, email office@chabadintown.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26

2019 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Closing Night – Byers Theatre at City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, from 7 to 10 p.m. The AJFF closes with a screening of “Chewdaism: A Taste of Jewish Montreal.” The festival wraps up with a Q&A from Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman and a themed food tasting. $36 per person. For more information, visit www.ajff.org. ■ ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 35

COMMUNITY

Ellen Sichel and Ellen Weinstein, co-chairs of Paint Day, prepare for the March event.

Each Best Strokes painting is a personal story of surviving and thriving beyond cancer.

Hadassah Best Strokes Honors Cynthia Good

By Marcia Caller Jaffe In addition to breast cancer survivors, Hadassah will honor Cynthia Good, a champion of diversity and women’s

36 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

empowerment, at The Big Reveal 2019.

Hadassah’s 5th annual Celebration of Life will take place at 6 p.m. March 10 at The Foundry at Puritan Mill.

Good, formerly a WAGA-TV anchor,

is known as a parenting expert who started two professional women’s magazines, Atlanta Woman and Pink magazine and its outgrowth, LittlePinkBook.com.

Another activist for women is Best Strokes honorary chair Martha Jo Katz, who is an international fashion model, event consultant, author, advocate, motivator, and patron of women’s causes.

Best Strokes co-chairs are Debra Sharker and Marsha Cintorino. Ambassador co-chairs for the event are: Linda and Peter Birnbaum, Carol and Larry Cooper and Lynne and Jack Halpern.

At the event, Hadassah will honor survivors, each of whom modeled for original body paintings and shared their own ovarian and breast cancer stories

from Paint Day in November.

The Big Reveal will be an emotional and joyful event in which survivors will be celebrated and given a forum to share stories. The gala regularly sells out each year with more than 500 anticipated guests. There will be a raffle, music, food, drinks, community connection, and art.

Tickets are $118, which includes a raffle (cocktail ring) ticket, small plates, an open bar and on-site parking. A $218 patron ticket includes all of the above plus valet parking and an additional raffle ticket. ■

Cynthia Good will be the honoree for The Big Reveal 2019.

International fashion model Martha Jo Katz is the 2019 honorary chair.

To buy tickets or make a donation, go to www.beststrokesatlanta.org or call 678443-2961.

COMMUNITY SIMCHA SPOTLIGHT

Mazel Tov

Stephen Klorfein

Wedding Announcement

Chaiken Klorfein LLC is proud to announce that Stephen Klorfein has been chosen as a Georgia 2019 Super Lawyer. The designation, bestowed to the top 5 percent of attorneys in each state, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Segal-Noll

Sunday · 1-5pm

Sage Segal and Aaron Noll were married Nov. 18, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina. Dr. Terry Segal officiated the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Terry and Fred Segal of Roswell. The groom is the son of Carmen and Gregg Noll of Indiana.

Sage graduated with highest academic honors from Indiana University’s School of Education in 2017 and returned home to Georgia to work with her brother, Jordan, as the general manager, barista, cook and baker at his cafe.

Aaron graduated with highest academic honors from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs and then earned his master’s degree in environmental science from IU before moving to Georgia, where he works for an environmental agency as a consultant. The newlyweds have made their home in Georgia.

B’nai Mitzvah Notices:

February

2019

Alexis Needle, the daughter of Michelle and Ben Needle, on Jan. 5.

Asher Lubell, the son of Leslie and David Lubell, on Jan. 12.

Have something to celebrate?

Births, B’nai Mitzvah, Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries, Special Birthdays and more ...

Share it with your community with free AJT simcha announcements.

Send info to submissions@atljewishtimes.com.

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KEEPING IT KOSHER Yiddish Word of the Week biz húndert un tsvántsik Biz húndert un tsvántsik (‫צוואנציק‬ ַ ‫[“ – )ביז הונדערט און‬may you live] to one hundred and twenty,” a birthday greeting or a wish for long life.

Based on the biblical tradition (Deut. 34:7) that Moses died at 120 without losing his physical or mental vigor. Thus, the wish is not only for longevity, but also for quality of life in old age. Aware of the slim likelihood of the latter part, another version is biz húndert azói vi tsvántsik – “[may you live] to one hundred as if you were twenty.”

Besides greetings and wishes, the expression has become a euphemism for death in a positive sense: instead of saying “after I/you/he/she die/s,” you can say “after 120.” For example, Yankel to grandpop: “Táte (‫טאטע‬, pops), can I have your fishing gear, after húndert un tsvántsik?”

One of the many jokes based on this tradition is the question: Why should one die at 119 rather than 120? So that your headstone would read “He died before his time.”

Rabbi Joab Eichenberg-Eilon, PhD, teaches Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic at the Israel Institute of Biblical Studies, eTeacher Group Ltd.

Jewish Joke of the Week Havaii Isaac and Hetty were planning a holiday. As usual, they ended up arguing.

“It’s ‘Hawaii’ I’m telling you.” Hetty said.

“Oy Vey, I never knew someone so stubborn. ‘Havaii’ is how it’s pronounced,” Isaac says.

And so it went on all the way till they got there.

As soon as they got off the plane, they asked a porter, “Now that we’re on the island, you can settle an argument between my wife and me. Is this ‘Hawaii’ or ‘Havaii?’”

“This is Havaii,” replied the porter.

“Ha!” Isaac said, turning to Hetty. “See, didn’t I tell you never to argue with me? I’m always right.”

Just before they began to walk away, Isaac gave the porter a hearty “Thank you.”

“You’re Velcome.”

Crispy Chicken and Rice With Sweet Potato and Lemon Slices Cook and prep: 90 minutes Difficulty: Easy Serving: 4 Contains: Gluten, Soy Preference: Meat Chicken, rice and sweet potato slices all roasted together in the oven release juices and flavors that will make your mouth water. I know that most people might not opt for rice and potatoes in the same sitting, but I love the contrast of the soft, buttery sweet potato slices against the bright lemons and crunchy rice. If you’d rather leave the potatoes out, feel free to do so ... but I’m warning you that the experience just won’t be the same! If you don’t have a whole butterflied chicken, feel free to use chicken pieces, skin on and bone in.

Chicken 1 teaspoon onion powder Extra virgin olive oil 4 sprigs thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed, trimmed, and 1 whole butterflied chicken, skin on and cut into 1/8-inch slices bone in, trimmed of excess skin and fat 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/8-inch slices Kosher salt Rice Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup long-grain white rice 1 lemon (preferably Meyer), scrubbed and 1 teaspoon light olive oil cut into 1/8-inch slices 1/2 teaspoon turmeric Juice of 1 lemon Zest of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 cups boiling water Prepare the Chicken Preheat oven to 375 F. Drizzle one tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil into a large baking dish (at least 9-by-12-inch).

Add the sweet potato and onion slices, season with salt and pepper, and toss them in the oil. Arrange the potato and onion slices in a single layer in the base of the dish.

Place the lemon slices over them.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, and thyme. Drizzle this mixture over the chicken and rub into the top and underside of the chicken, coating it as much as possible.

Place the seasoned chicken, skin side up, in the center of the baking dish.

Prepare the Rice Rinse the rice under cold running water and drain.

Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the light olive oil, turmeric, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Scatter the rice around the chicken in the baking dish.

Pour the boiling water directly over the scattered rice (but not over the chicken).

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and uncover.

Return to the oven to cook until crispy, 30 minutes longer.

Joke provided by David Minkoff www.awordinyoureye.com 38 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Make-Ahead Tip: Crispy chicken and rice with sweet potato and lemon slices (without the rice) may be marinated and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Add the seasoned rice and boiling water just before cooking. Do not freeze.

How to Reheat: Crispy chicken and rice with sweet potato and lemon slices may be reheated, uncovered, in a 350 F oven for 10 minutes. ■ Recipe by: Kim Kushner | Source: kosher.com

BRAIN FOOD

To Some Degree

ACROSS

By: Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com Difficulty Level: Manageable 1

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21. Air balls miss them 22. Squeaky door part 23. “Go ___ Watchman” (Lee book) 24. Harry and George, e.g.

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sippi?

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46. Pop-up costs 48. It can be more 49. 19th-century German poet Heinrich 50. Not fizzing 51. One on a beat 54. Arnold Rothstein and Meyer Lansky, e.g.

58. Crosswords ox 59. Historical Robert 60. They’ve become cool, nowadays 61. Rather and Fogler 62. Property paper 63. Say “Shalom”

DOWN

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Rabinovich, Israel’s ambassador to the United States and chief negotiator with Syria.

15 Years Ago //February 6, 2004

■ Steven Labovitz has been appointed chief of staff for Mayor Bill Campbell. Labovitz has been Campbell’s law partner for 14 years.

■ The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta celebrated the 18th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day with a month of six free sports clinics for girls and women, and a panel discussion featuring two athletes and a coach.

50 Years Ago //February 7, 1969 ■ The Central Hebrew High School and Midrasha has embarked on an assembly program, enabling students to meet with rabbis and community leaders. The program has become a part of the school’s regular schedule.

■ The bat mitzvah of Lianne Lewis was held Saturday, Feb. 7, at Congregation B’nai Torah. Lianne is the daughter of Michael and Joan Lewis.

■ The 7th annual Leo & Berry Eizenstat Memorial Lecture at Ahavath Achim Synagogue features Itamar

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Steven Labovitz becomes Mayor Bill Campbell’s chief of staff.

■ Festivities the evening of the Renaissance Ball MCMLXIX will begin with a cocktail party in honor of the sponsors of the Atlanta Section, National Council of Jewish Women’s gala fundraising event.

Mr. and Mrs. Simon Selig Jr. are hosting this party for about 100 people at their home.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 39

OBITUARIES

Michael Jay Blonder 62, Atlanta

Michael Jay Blonder of Atlanta, 62, passed away Jan. 30, 2019, after a prolonged battle with cancer. Michael was a wonderful and supportive husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend. He will be remembered as one of the biggest Bulldogs fans, not to mention his passion for skiing, golfing, boating, fishing, hunting, and last, but not least, his Harley-Davidson motorcycle crowd. Michael’s entire working career was focused on the multifamily housing industry. He and his father, Jerry, worked as partners for many years, originally at Tempo Management, and together they built Focus Group, where he served as president and CEO. He was president of the Atlanta Apartment Association and also served on the board of The Schenck School, and was a longtime baseball coach and supporter of the Northside Youth Organization. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Suzanne; children, Rebecca Blonder of Denver, Colo., Paige Blonder of Atlanta, Zachary Blonder of Atlanta, Eric Estroff of Los Angeles, Calif., and Ashley Estroff of Atlanta; mother, Lois Blonder of Atlanta; sisters Dale Dyer (Jeff) of Atlanta and Leslie Isenberg (Doug) of Atlanta; and many nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his father, Jerry Blonder, and his brother, Scott Blonder.

The family wants to express its gratitude to the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, especially Dr. Suresh Ramalingam and Dr. Walter Curran and their staff.

A graveside funeral service was held at Crest Lawn Memorial Park Monday, Feb. 4, with Rabbi Ron Segal of Temple Sinai officiating.

Contributions may be made to Jerry’s Habima Theatre at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta; the Blonder Family Department for Special Needs at the

MJCCA; Weinstein Hospice; and the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University.

Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Rela Mintz Geffen 75, Atlanta

Professor Rela Geffen died in Philadelphia Feb. 3, 2019. She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Lisa and Jimmy Schlesinger; sons, Uri Monson, the chief financial officer of the Philadelphia School System, and Amiel Monson, a well-known Jewish educator, graduate of Gratz College in Philadelphia; five grandchildren and two daughters-in-law.

Jonathan Sarna, president of the Association of Jewish Studies, (association of North American Judaica scholars) noted that professor Geffen was professor emerita of sociology at Gratz College. She was the former president of Baltimore Hebrew University from 2000 to 2007. Her father, Dr. Joel Geffen, director of field activities at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America for 40 years, was one of the first Jewish students at Emory University 100 years ago in 1919, and she was the granddaughter of the famed Rabbi Tobias Geffen of Atlanta.

Professor Geffen had six cousins, grandchildren of Rabbi Tobias and Sara Hene Geffen, who have made aliyah during the last 50 years. Dr. Steve Adler, retired president of National Labor Court of Israel and the late professor Dov Levin (z’l), a survivor from Kovno, are among her cousins with whom she was very close. After completing a double Bachelor of Arts program at Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, she received her doctorate from the University of Florida.

According to Sarna, professor Geffen published more than 40 articles and authored or edited four books: “Celebration and Renewal: Rights of Passage in Judaism;” she co-edited the “Centennial Volume of Gratz College: Freedom and Responsibility;” and co-authored with the late Daniel Elazar, “Conservative Judaism: Dilemmas and Challenges.” “Her family in Israel heard her give a spirited and scholarly lecture in Jerusalem on grandparenting, which was her most recent field of study.”

Professor Geffen was an avid participant with her 17 cousins in maintaining the heritage of the Geffen family, which began in Kovno, then Slobodka, Russia, and continued in Atlanta for 60 years. Her great uncle was the Telzer Rav, Rabbi Chaim Rabinowitz.

A close friend of professor Deborah Lipstadt, Rela spent three weeks in London daily attending the Lipstadt-Irving trial.

In February, she would have celebrated her 76th birthday.

Steven Paul Halper 44, Atlanta

Steven Paul Halper, age 44, died Jan. 31 after a long battle with muscular dystrophy. He grew up in Walkersville, Md., graduating from Walkersville High School and Towson University, Towson, Md. He was preceded in death by his parents, Michael and Marvene Orenstein Halper; grandparents, Esther and Bill Halper and Marvin and Elise Orenstein, of blessed memory. He is survived by aunts, Linda Orenstein, Temme Orenstein Schooler and her husband, Allan Leonard Schooler; and great aunt, Alice Orenstein Kaplan; cousins, Jason Schooler, Scott and Shelley Kaplan, Randy Kaplan, Paul Orlando, Mark and Karen Kaplan, and Terry and Jack Silverman; and his beloved cat, Misty Blue.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. A graveside service was held Feb 3 at Greenwood Cemetery. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999. Sign online guest book at www.edressler.com. ■ Obituaries in the AJT are written and paid for by the families; contact Managing Publisher Kaylene Ladinsky at kaylene@atljewishtimes.com or 404-883-2130, ext. 100, for details about submission, rates and payments. Death notices, which provide basic details, are free and run as space is available; send submissions to editor@atljewishtimes.com.

40 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 41

CLOSING THOUGHTS The Hollowness of the Theory of Evolution and religious context. It implies that once By itself, I have a serious problem with G-d created the universe with a Big Bang, the theory of evolution. Under this theory, He did nothing else. The rest of the world the world improved when a mutation ocafter that is pure evolution, mutation and curred that was more capable of survivnatural selection. We are the product of ing than the original that created it. Small millions and billions of mutations, a humutations have been proven, like a horse man created at random from nonsensical getting bigger over time or a new fruit beinteractions over billions of years. We are ing produced. Scientists continue to fill in nothing more than the next link in the evopiece after piece of their theory, suggesting lutionary chain that came from random that small changes occurred all along the Allen H. chance and will continue by random occurevolution path. Under the theory, very big rence. There is no purpose in the universe. mutations are also possible to make evolu- Lipis The Bottom Line We have no meaning, there is no purpose to tion work. life, no G-d who knows us. G-d is totally apaIt is a big leap to prove that once the universe was created, life was created from no life at thetic and indifferent. We have come from chaos, have all — from only chemicals and atmospheric conditions. evolved through millions of random events and we will It is incredible to believe that an eye was created from be meaningless for all eternity.

Evolution, by itself, is a hollow philosophy, a philosan organism with no eye at all based on pure random mutation, or that lungs developed from gills through ophy of meaninglessness, of utter randomness, and of a random roll of the dice, or wings and light bones oc- making no difference in this world. Evolution does not curred at random to allow a land-based creature to fly. empower anyone, nor does it have a shred of optimism If genetic mutation alone is the essence of the theory of about today, tomorrow or ever. The philosophy behind evolution, then enormous leaps in mutation must be ac- evolution is the most uninspiring way I can imagine to cepted. The enormous number of them and the vast cov- think about life and the way to be in this life. It has nothing to offer about erage across all of the future. life’s organisms I heard this are necessary to story about a make this theory well-known rabwork, even given bi, who in his 90s billions of years was flying to Israof time. el in the first-class A scientific section next to law like gravity an atheist Israeli is one that occurs again and again; repetition gives the same result. When named Heschel. While these two were talking about the we come to the theory of evolution, we argue not for differences between a Jewish G-d and the theory of evoconsistency and repetition, but for the exception, the lution a man in his 40s came from the economy class to mutation, the random occurrence. We cannot prove inquire about the rabbi’s health. The rabbi said he was that repeating the experiment of evolution will produce fine. Then a woman in her 20s also came from the econthe same result. It all depends on chance and natural omy area to inquire whether the rabbi was okay. The selection. It is not a scientific law because it cannot be rabbi said he was fine. Heschel, curious, asked the rabbi who these caring people were. The rabbi said the man replicated to obtain similar results.

The greatest difficulty with the theory of evolution was his son and the woman was his granddaughter, and alone is what it means to us humans in a philosophical they were going with him to Israel. Heschel, with a note

KEEPING THE JEWISH SOUTHEAST CONNECTED

of jealousy, remarked that he wished he saw his son as much as the rabbi did, since he rarely talked with him, and he hardly ever saw his grandchildren. With that, the rabbi remarked that he understood why. For the rabbi, his children saw him as one link closer to Sinai, the commandments and G-d, but for Heschel, his children saw him as one link closer to the apes!

I accept the theory of evolution, but I accept it only with a G-d behind it all. The first reason is that the number of mutations, the size of the changes and the possibilities that the changes would all happen by chance alone is extremely remote. The second reason is that this philosophy by itself is hollow, that it leads to a sense of hopelessness and helplessness in a world full of random events with no purpose to life except that change is inevitable. We are merely one more link in a vast evolution going nowhere, directionless and subject to change by the mutations of chance. The third reason is that there is a much more elegant theory, a much more empowering theory, a much more useful theory for living in this world, and that is the belief in an all knowing, all powerful G-d behind evolution that cares about us, that wants us to be like Him, and that has given us the rules by which we can make that happen.

The Bottom Line: Without G-d there are no answers; with G-d there are no questions. ■

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thehandymancanatlanta@gmail.com ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | 43

44 | FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES