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OPINION
Our View
Getting Active
MARCH 23 ▪ 2018
It’s no coincidence that this week’s AJT flows from coverage of student activism on gun violence into preparations for Passover. Many commentators have noted a connection between Jewish activism and the formation of Jewish peoplehood in our struggle to escape Egyptian slavery and reach the Promised Land (just as there’s a connection to modern Zionism, as the Center for Israel Education’s Rich Walter writes on Page 22). So it made sense for day schools such as Atlanta Jewish Academy and the Weber School to support their students in walking out for 17 minutes March 14 in memory of the 17 people slain at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Whether they were marking the traditional Jewish mourning period or calling for legal changes to make school slaughters less likely, students who walked out were practicing what their teachers at school and synagogue have preached. Students who chose not to go along with the crowd — whether they shifted the time of the demonstration, as AJA did (Page 14), to break from national adult activists who are too comfortable with anti-Semites, or separated the mourning from a blanket call for new gun laws, as AJA sophomore Eliana Goldin did (Page 15), or simply decided not to walk with their peers because it didn’t feel right — deserve the same praise as long as they made thoughtful decisions like the adults they are becoming (and scolding). Just as their controlled environments help Jewish day schools and other private schools keep their students safe, as we noted after the Parkland shooting, so they make it easier to support such moments of student activism. The physical openness and sprawl that make many public schools more vulnerable also complicated those schools’ handling of the student walkouts, and many of our public school leaders, particularly in Cobb County, didn’t rise to the occasion any better than their legislative peers have met the challenge of school security. School officials couldn’t let teens by the hundreds or thousands walk off campus, but they could have done what many administrators did around the nation and worked with student organizers to take the demonstrations to football stadiums or other controlled locations where students could safely mourn and make any political statements. There was no need for threats of excessive punishment, such as three days of suspension or Saturday school, for 17 minutes of activism, although neither students nor their parents should have objected to minor punishment (an hour of detention, for example) for the walkout. A protest means more if you’re willing to pay a price for your actions. Speaking of paying a price, much has been made of the potential of young voters to punish lawmakers at the polls this year for inaction on gun violence, but the same day that students walked out, the U.S. House voted 407-10 to pass the STOP School Violence Act. We’re disappointed that Rep. Hank Johnson (DLithonia) was one of the 10 no votes. The measure is not a cure-all, but the $50 million a year it would spend on security training, assessments and protective measures represents a positive 10 step toward making schools safer. ■
The HOD International awards for outstanding lodge, membership growth and best newsletter wait to be handed out while Grand President Alan Rubenstein speaks at a lunch concluding the biennial March 18. The awards never had to be hauled out of South Africa for presentation before, and it was a big enough hassle that the presenters vowed never to do so again.
Alan Rubenstein makes his first address as the first American grand president of HOD International over lunch at Congregation B’nai Torah on March 18.
Hebrew Legacy Blooms in Atlanta A venerable, international Jewish organization Executive Director Jody Pollack was recognized durheld its biennial convention in Atlanta from March ing the biennial luncheon. 15 to 18, but the first such gathering of the Hebrew HOD moved into Texas in 2014 (Dallas) and 2015 Order of David outside South Africa came and (Houston), which proved fortuitous when Hurricane Harvey struck in September. The Houston lodge, like went without most of Jewish Atlanta noticing amid Passover preparations, student protests and the plea- most of the Jewish community there, was hit hard, but members of the Dallas lodge, named for Shimon sures of the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival. Peres, provided rapid support and led HOD fundraisThat’s a shame for at least two reasons: HOD ing for their brethren. is growing in Atlanta and the United States, and an The next lodge to open is in San Diego, which Atlanta resident, Alan Rubenstein, will be leading also will host the 2020 biennial. Rubenstein said he that growth the next two years as the first American expects at least one other lodge to open in North grand president of HOD International. America during his twoHOD was founded year term. He also has his in South Africa in 1904, eyes on expansion to a and it took root in North new, unspecified country Editor’s Notebook America with Atlanta as its to join South Africa, the continental base in 1999, By Michael Jacobs United States, Canada, thanks to the significant mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com England and Israel, whose South African population one lodge is in Atlanta here. You can hear the sister city Ra’anana. fraternal organization’s Like any legacy organization, HOD struggles history in the accents of members such as Rubento remain relevant in the 21st century, and memstein and David Joss, who during the biennial passed bership is a constant concern. Even as the order is the mantle of HOD’s North American presidency to flourishing in North America, where it can operate a non-South African, Mario Oves. as something new and something traditional at the Eight of HOD’s 20 lodges are in North America, same time, it is declining amid a shrinking Jewish including four in metro Atlanta, based at Young population in South Africa. Israel of Toco Hills, Chabad of Cobb, Congregation But Rubenstein takes office with energy and Gesher L’Torah and Congregation B’nai Torah, whose optimism about HOD’s ability to remain true to its Lodge Carmel is the biggest of the four and played history while meeting the needs of the modern Jewhost to a luncheon concluding the biennial Sunday, ish world. March 18. (Congregation Beth Tefillah shared con“We can succeed,” he told the 130 or so brethvention hosting duties.) ren and family members at the closing luncheon. About 220 men — it is a fraternal order of “Together, we will succeed.” ■ brothers and worthy brothers — are members of the Atlanta-area lodges, Joss said. They’re drawn by the rituals, camaraderie and opportunities to do some good within a Jewish context. “I want to thank all the HOD wives for their support and encouragement and the patience you have shown to HOD by letting your husbands do this thing once a month, sometimes twice a month, maybe three times a month,” Rubenstein said. HOD’s local efforts are most visible through the annual Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival, which will return for a sixth year Oct. 21 and which raises money for several charitable causes while bringing together more than 5,000 people for food and fun. Festival
The new North American HOD president, Atlantan Mario Oves, notes that he brings a Latin American voice to the South African accents so common among HOD members.