Atlanta Jewish Times, VOL. XCV NO. 23, November 15, 2020

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VOL. XCV NO. 23

NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 28 CHESHVAN 5781

Senior Living Rabbis in Retirement

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Test of Time In this issue we pay homage to those who have withstood the test of time, our respected elders, and because of the pandemic, our most vulnerable population. They lived before television, cordless phones, personal computers, central air conditioning and contemporary fast food.

The AJT catches up with some of our most prominent seniors, retired rabbis, to see what they’ve been up to recently, along with a few doctors. One such neurologist retired to take care of his wife, who has Alzheimer’s disease.

The couple have been married 60 years.

They shared their story on the season finale last month of the PBS program “Your Fantastic Mind.”

We ask a 91-year-old baby doctor to look back on his career in the delivery business. An elder abuse attorney shares tips on protecting seniors, and we talk to a few older adults about their emotional state during COVID lockdowns.

Also exposing his frailty is celebrity Michael J. Fox, appearing virtually at the Book Festival of the MJCCA next week. In his latest memoir, he comes to

THIS WEEK grips with his mortality.

Gearing up for the future while celebrating the past, too, is the Sisterhood of Ahavath Achim Synagogue, which recognized its centennial year last month.

In our Lowdown we get personal with Israel Consul General Anat Sultan-Dadon, also quoted in a comparison piece about the Consulate’s involvement in a mural in the Westside redevelopment area.

All eyes were on Georgia last week as votes were tabulated in a nail-bitingly close presidential race. Not to mention local races involving Jewish candidates. Our news section is also filled with events in the community, including Hillels of Georgia honoring cookie king Michael Coles. And tonguein-cheek satirist Borat made a surprise visit to Temple Kol Emeth in a poignant moment with a Holocaust survivor.

Paying tribute to those who have served our country, we also recognize those set to serve politically. Our next issue is all about health and preparing for the gift-giving season, the tastes and textures of the winter holidays.

Cover image: Retired rabbis who served the community share their perspectives on their status, their careers, advice they have to offer, and the best gifts they’ve ever received. ì

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NEWS Election: Jewish Atlanta Reviews Through Blue or Red Lens

By Dave Schechter The election produced a mixed bag on the Jewish front: candidates who won, who lost, and whose fate remains to be determined, along with Atlanta partisans who feel elated and excited or who are coming to grips with disappointing results.

As of Nov. 9, Democratic former vice president Joe Biden held a 0.23 percent lead over President Donald Trump in Georgia, amounting to more than 11,000 votes out of more than 4.98 million that had been counted. Georgia has not been called for Biden, though his lead continued to increase in the week since Election Day on Nov. 3. Georgia last backed the Democratic standard bearer in 1992, and even then, Bill Clinton’s margin over George W. Bush was about .06 percent.

Biden was projected the unofficial winner nationally by major media organizations on Nov. 7, but at this writing Trump has not conceded.

“The results of the presidential election are a victory for decency, character and integrity,” said Michael Rosenzweig, a

And it won’t be over in Georgia for at least another eight weeks, as both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats will be decided in Jan. 5 runoff elections. The outcome of those runoffs — being held two days after the 117th Congress convenes — could determine whether Republicans retain or Democrats take control of the Senate.

For Georgians that means eight more weeks of television and radio ads, a financial boon for the companies that create those ads and the media paid to air them, not to mention the hospitality industry, as out-of-town politicos and journalists flood the state.

In one runoff, Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler will face Democrat (Rev.) Raphael Warnock, the winner to fill the two years Former vice president Joe Biden was projected the unofficial winner nationally by major remaining in the term of Republican Sen. media organizations Nov. 7, but President Donald Trump had not conceded at press time.

Johnny Isakson, who retired last December member of the Jewish Democratic Council chapter of the Jewish Republican Coali- with health issues. Republican Gov. Brian of America board. “Both the popular and tion, saw things differently. “I watched Joe Kemp appointed Loeffler to fill Isakson’s electoral college votes reflect Americans’ Biden’s ‘acceptance’ speech. He called for seat until the 2020 election. Warnock led rejection of the divisiveness and basic inde- unity and bringing people together, all the field in the 21-candidate all-comers cency that have characterized the Trump noble goals which is a common theme in primary with 32.9 percent of the vote, folthese type speeches. It would be great for lowed by Loeffler with 25.9 percent. Matt presidency,” Chuck Berk, who heads the Atlanta all to work for liberty, freedom and belief in Lieberman, who is Jewish, finished fifth G-d,” Berk told the AJT. “Why do I find this with 2.77 percent.

The other runoff pits incumbent Redisingenuous coming from a man and a party that NEVER accepted Donald Trump publican Sen. David Perdue against Demoas our president for the last four years and cratic challenger Jon Ossoff, a Jewish native spearheaded a resistance movement to dis- of DeKalb County. As of Nov. 8, Perdue had credit him every day with phony issues like received 49.74 percent of the vote, Ossoff the Russian investigation and the Ukraine 47.94 percent, and Libertarian Shane Hazel 2.32 percent. impeachment?

If While Ossoff’s Biden really wants electoral fate reunity he must also mains to be deterrein in his leaders, mined, other Jew[House Speaker ish candidates are Nancy] Pelosi and reacting to voters’ [Senate Minorchoices. ity Leader Chuck] Democrat Mike Schumer, who today Wilensky won re[Nov. 9] called for election in Georgia winning the Georgia House District 79 Senate races, not to and will be the lone improve America, Jewish legislator in but for a radical the General Assemagenda to transform bly. Wilensky told the country and the AJT that he was ‘Change the World.’”

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger “honored and grateGeorgia elechas until Nov. 20 to certify the ful” to have been tion law gives its 159 state’s election results. elected to a second counties until Nov. 13 to certify their numbers, a task that 55 term. “The principles of my faith closely tie had completed by Nov. 9. Republican Sec- to my principles of service,” he said. “We as retary of State Brad Raffensperger has un- Jewish people care about the state in which til Nov. 20 to certify the state results. Geor- we live. Our people have consistently stood gia does not allow automatic recounts, but up for all in times of social injustice. It is a recount can be requested if the margin important that our voice is part of the comis less than or equal to 0.5 percent. The re- munal conversation. I am proud to be a quest for a recount must be made within representative of my district, our state, and of Jewish Georgians.” two business days after certification.

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NEWS

Jon Ossoff, a Jewish native of DeKalb County, will face Republican Sen. David Perdue in a Jan. 5 runoff.

Republicans remain in control of the General Assembly and thus in control of reapportionment and redistricting, the redrawing expected next summer of Georgia’s congressional and legislative districts, based on the 2020 census.

Dana Barrett left her job as a radio host on WGST to run in the 11th Congressional District as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk. She lost by a large margin but

emerged undaunted. “I am grateful to my staff, my volunteers, and my supporters, and I am proud of the grassroots campaign we put together. We are a part of the new Georgia — a state that is no longer guaranteed red,” Barrett said in a statement.

“We knew from the start that this would be a tough district to win, but I firmly believe that progress starts with the first step and that you don’t choose a fight because it’s easy. I got into this race because

Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, faces Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a Jan. 5 runoff. Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Loeffler to the seat earlier this year.

I believe in a government that works for all of its citizens, and I believe it is our job to hold our elected officials accountable,” she said.

Lieberman became resigned to his fate as more and more money was injected into the race. “I’m very happy with our effort, and I feel that our message resonated for as long as we could get it out there. As long as I was outspent only 10-to-1, we led.

Once it got to 100-to-1, we couldn’t compete.

People want change. They want something other than the polarizing, paralyzing hyper-partisanship and meanness of today.

If over the next period of time I can help figure out a way towards a better delivery of public service, that would be great,” he told the AJT. Lieberman declined to comment on the pre-election public appeals by several hundred members of the Atlanta Jewish community that he withdraw from the

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NEWS

Democrat Matt Lieberman finished fifth out of 21 candidates in the allcomers U.S. Senate primary.

Democratic state Rep. Mike Wilensky, who will be the only Jewish legislator in the General Assembly.

race and back Warnock.

For all the election hype hoopla, turnout in Georgia hovered around two-thirds of the state’s registered voters, falling short of the record three-quarters turnout in 2016.

Laurie Weinstein, a long-time member of RJC, questioned the vote-counting process. “While watching President Trump speak the evening of Nov. 5, in 15 minutes his numbers on the right of the screen dropped 6,000 votes in Georgia and 11,000 in Pennsylvania. I found that very concerning, and even Bret Baier of Fox News mentioned it,” Weinstein said in email to the AJT. “The GOP was not al-

8 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Valerie Habif is co-founder of the Jewish Democratic Women’s Salon.

lowed to view the counting of the ballots, which has always taken place in the past. Postmarks were ignored, voter roll names and signatures were not verified. It also appears that most, if not all the ‘mail-in’ ballots went to Joe Biden.

At this point, it’s not about the election, but about the integrity of the election in this country,” Weinstein said. “It is my hope that the two runoff Senate seats will remain in control of the Republican Party to maintain a balance of power.”

When he addressed reporters on Nov. 9, Georgia Voting System Implementation Manager Gabriel Sterling, a

Laurie Weinstein is a longtime member of the Republican Jewish Coalition.

Republican working for the Republican secretary of state, said, “The facts are facts, regardless of outcome. . . In Georgia, we had an actual, accurate outcome.”

Valerie Habif, a co-founder of the Jewish Democratic Women’s Salon, said, “If we learned anything from this election it is that EVERY SINGLE VOTE counts. Democrats, as well as some Republicans, came together in support of decency and the need to elect government officials who will represent all of us, not just some of us. This election serves as a reminder that democracy works and that in a representative government, our vote is our voice.”

There was variance in the estimates of how Jews voted.

Based on a sampling of 3,315 Jewish voters, the Associated Press VoteCast, which was not a traditional exit poll, found that Biden won 68 percent and Trump 30 percent nationally. A poll commissioned by the Republican Jewish Coalition, with a sample of 600, pegged the Jewish vote at 60.6 percent for Biden and 30.5 percent for Trump. A showing of 30 percent would be the highest of a Republican nominee since George H.W. Bush in 1988. A poll commissioned

by J Street, a progressive Jewish group, gave Biden 77 percent and Trump 21 percent from a sample size of 800.

Jewish supporters of Biden and Trump framed those numbers to their perspective.

Scott Rafshoon, co-chair of the J Street chapter in Atlanta, said, “The election of Joe Biden and the defeat of Donald Trump is a vindication of American democracy and of the ideals that Americans, including American Jews, hold dear.”

Berk noted both the 30.5 percent figure in the RJC poll, and a New York Times/AP survey that found 41 percent of Jewish voters in Florida to have backed Trump. Florida was identified in a pre-election report from the Ruderman Family Foundation as being one of four states where the Jewish vote could potentially tip the balance. Trump won two of the four states, Florida and Ohio. “It appears that a greater number of Jews in this election recognized all the strong support President Donald Trump has provided to Israel and the Jewish community,” he said.

The two other states named in the Ruderman Foundation report were Michigan and Pennsylvania, both which were put into Biden’s column by narrow margins. ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 9

NEWS

Loeffler, Supporters Signal Angles of Attack on Warnock

Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler has called Warnock’s comments about Rev. Wright “appalling, disgusting and has no place in this country – much less in this Senate race.”

By Dave Schechter Just days into the U.S. Senate runoff campaign, Rev. Raphael Warnock, the Democrat running against Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, is under fire for his defense of a controversial African American pastor and his own statements about Israel and the Palestinians.

10 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

The latter includes a sermon in which Warnock, the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, voiced support for young Palestinians “who are struggling for their very lives.”

The former stems from Warnock’s efforts to explain the preaching style and context of a Chicago pastor’s sermon that became a headline item during Barack

“I have always and will continue to speak out against hate in any form, and I believe my life’s work shows how much I love our country,” Rev. Raphael Warnock, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, told the AJT.

Obama’s first presidential campaign.

In a Twitter post on Nov. 5, Loeffler brushed off a television ad in which Warnock warned, “Get ready, Georgia. The negative ads against us are coming.”

Loeffler wrote, “We ARE going to talk about your own words” and among the items listed was “Embracing Jeremiah Wright’s ‘God Damn America’ Agenda.”

Rev. Jeremiah Wright delivered the sermon titled “On Confusing God and Government” at Trinity United Church of Christ on Palm Sunday in 2003. He became a political lightning rod when a recording surfaced during the 2008 campaign. Wright had retired earlier that year. Obama and his wife, Michelle, resigned from Trinity United in May 2008 after attending for 16 years.

NEWS As he addressed the failures of nations, including treatment of African Americans in the United States, an impassioned Wright said, “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law, and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no, not God bless America, God damn America, that’s in the Bible, for killing innocent people, God damn America for treating her citizens as less than human, God damn America as long as she tries to act like she is God and she is supreme.”

Warnock defended Wright when the recording surfaced and in the years after. Speaking in 2013 at the Yale Divinity School, Warnock said that the “God damn America” clip had been “extracted from its theological and rhetorical context and looped to the point of ad nauseam.” The sermon was an example of “Black prophetic preaching,” Warnock said, in which “preachers are expected, indeed encouraged to speak the truth, tell Pharaoh and tell it like it is with clarity, creativity and passion.”

In March 2020, Warnock told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Any fair-thinking person would recognize that everything a government does, even the American government, is not consistent with God’s dream for the world. And preaching at its best points out those contradictions but then shows us the path forward.”

Loeffler, in a statement to Fox News in October, said that Warnock’s defense of Wright was “appalling, disgusting and has no place in this country — much less in this Senate race. . . I am running to protect our conservative values that are under attack every single day by radicals like Raphael Warnock.

We live in the greatest country in the world, and I’ll NEVER apologize for saying the words ‘God Bless America.’”

Michael Rosenzweig, a member of the national board of the Democratic Council of America, decried what he called “a cynical attempt by the Republicans, especially Kelly Loeffler, to divide the Black and Jewish communities,” telling the AJT that “His [Warnock’s] statement about Rev. Wright had absolutely nothing to do with Rev. Wright’s — or Rev. Warnock’s — views on Israel or the Jewish Rabbi Peter Berg of The Temple said the attacks on Warnock c o m m u n i t y, “misrepresent his position on and everything Israel and are deceitful.” to do with the understandable frustrations felt by so many Black Americans.”

Warnock, in a Nov. 9 statement to the AJT, said, “I have always and will continue to speak out against hate in any form, and I believe my life’s work shows how much I love our country. I have no hesitation condemning anyone’s words that seek to divide us or turn one group against another. That is true when it comes to the special relationship the United States and Georgia have with Israel, which I respect and ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 11

NEWS

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will defend. Now, more than ever, we need one thing for the Jewish people and another to come together and focus on how we can for the Palestinians.”

Rabbi Peter Berg of The Temple told lift one another up instead of tearing one the AJT, “The recent attacks against Reveranother down.”

In a May 2018 sermon at Ebenezer end Warnock misrepresent his position on Israel and are deceitful.

Baptist Church, WarAs a close friend and nock said, “It’s been a clergy confidant, Revtough week. The aderend Warnock and I ministration opened have spoken on numerup the U.S. Embassy ous occasions about in Jerusalem. Standhis strong support for ing there [were] the a two-state solution. It president’s family and was my honor to travel a few mealy-mouthed to the AIPAC Policy evangelical preachers Conference with Rev. who are responsible for Warnock this past year. the mess that we found Reverend Warnock has ourselves in, both there publicly praised the and here — misquoting [U.S.-Israel] Memoranand misinterpreting the Chuck Berk, who heads the Atlanta dum of Understanding, Scripture, talking about chapter of the Republican Jewish condemned peace.

Meanwhile, Coalition, said, “The Jewish community strongly should be appalled by the proBDS [Boycott, Divestyoung Palestinian sisPalestinian, anti-Israel, anti-Semitic ment, Sanctions] and ters and brothers, who comments by Rev. Warnock.” looks forward to adare struggling for their very lives, struggling for water and strug- vancing cooperation be-tween Georgia and gling for their human dignity, stood up in a Israel.”

Berg added, “We are blessed that all four nonviolent protest, saying, ‘If we’re going to candidates from both parties running for U.S. die, we’re going to die struggling.’”

Warnock traveled from February to Senate from the state of Georgia are strongly March 2019 to Israel and the Palestinian pro-Israel and will work every day to adterritories, as part of a delegation of African vance the U.S.-Israel relationship. We cannot American clergy under the auspices of the allow Israel to become a wedge issue.”

In a statement to the AJT, Chuck Berk, National Council of Churches, along with who heads the Atlanta clergy from the South chapter of the RepubAfrican Council of lican Jewish CoaliChurches. tion, said, “The Jewish “We came as repcommunity should be resentatives of African appalled by the proAmerican communiPalestinian, anti-Israel, ties; as descendants anti-Semitic comments of those who survived

by Rev. Warnock and slavery, Jim Crow and have real concern as to who work now to diswhether, if elected, he mantle the new Jim would be a supporter Crow of mass incarceraof Israel and Jewish istion and militarization sues. But if history is of police in our comany guide, I doubt that munities; and we came will have any impact. as representatives of the Michael Rosenzweig, a member of the Liberal Jews, including South African people National Jewish Democratic Council many of our Atlanta who lived through the board, decried what he termed “a rabbis, will naively igindignity of over 300 cynical attempt by the Republicans, especially Kelly Loeffler, to divide the nore these statement, as years of dehumanizing Black and Jewish communities.” they did Obama’s Reverdispossession, colonialend Wright’s statements, the cold shoulder ism, segregation and apartheid,” the delegato Israel by Obama-Biden for eight years, tion said afterward. throwing Israel under the bus at the U.N., Included in that statement were referand not condemning the Black Lives Matter ences to “heavy militarization of the West ‘protestors’ in Los Angeles who attacked and Bank, reminiscent of the military occupavandalized synagogues, Jewish businesses tion of Namibia by apartheid South Africa" and “what appears to be an unstoppable and memorials with anti-Semitic, anti-Isragobbling up of Palestinian lands to almost el slogans (i.e. F*** Israel). We need Georgia render the proposed two-state solution un- senators who have a history of a strong, unworkable.” The statement also compared Is- blemished record of support for Israel and raeli security barriers to the Berlin Wall and Jewish causes, like David Perdue and Kelly criticized “laws of segregation that allow Loeffler.” ì

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NEWS

Temple Kol Emeth Featured in New Borat Film

By Bob Bahr Marietta’s Temple Kol Emeth achieved five minutes of international fame in Sacha Baron Cohen’s new Borat movie released last month. The new film, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” which, like the original Borat film in 2006, is a mock documentary of the travels of a would-be journalist from Kazakhstan played by Cohen. On Nov. 4, Variety newspaper said the film was second only to “Hamilton” as the most watched new movie this year.

During a swing through the South in the film, Borat ends up in Marietta at Temple Kol Emeth, one of the few locales in the film that gets on-screen credit. The synagogue sign out front advertises Kol Emeth’s “8 PM Shabbat service.”

Like so much of Cohen’s over-thetop satirical Borat work, the new film depends on shock and surprise to catch unsuspecting real-life characters off guard.

That presumably includes Temple Kol Emeth’s Rabbi Steven Lebow.

“I have no clue how they got in the building or what they did. I found out about it last week at the same time every-

Temple Kol Emeth received a $500 fee for the use of its main sanctuary during the filming with Sacha Baron Cohen and Holocaust survivor Judith Dim Evans.

The new Borat film is a sequel to the original, which was a big success when released in 2006.

body else did!”

Lebow was in the final months of a 34-year career as the Reform congregation’s spiritual leader when the production team made a surprise visit to the synagogue Jan. 29. According to a signed rental agreement, the company paid $500 for the right to film in the Temple’s spacious sanctuary. With them was 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Judith Dim Evans from Aiken, S.C., who initially

thought she had been invited to appear remarkable woman,’” as one Kveller postin a documentary about her experiences ing stated, “you would be right.”

Regrettably, we will never know during World War II. Instead she confronts Cohen as Borat what Evans thought of the film or her in full makeup and outlandishly costumed own role in it. She died this summer.

But just before the film’s release, her as a devilish Jew, with Pinocchio-like false nose, small black wings attached to his daughter Michelle Dim St. Pierre sued back and a bag of money in one hand. Ac- Cohen, Amazon and the film producers in Fulton County’s cording to the plot, Superior Court for he was meeting with misleading her the survivor of the mother and asked wartime atrocities to that the scene with confirm that the Hoher be removed from locaust had actually the film. But faced happened. A postwith a release her ing he claims to have mother had signed seen on Facebook and other evidence says that the crimes that her mother had committed against been fully in on the Jews had never ocMarietta’s Temple Kol Emeth is joke with Cohen, curred. featured in the new Borat film. the suit was quickly But in what is arguably one of the film’s most touching withdrawn.

Russell Smith, who represented the and tender scenes, Evans gives Borat a hug and a kiss and assures him that she film’s producers and the star, was quotexperienced the Holocaust as a child. It ed in USA Today as saying Cohen was really happened, she tells a visibly re- “deeply grateful to the Holocaust survilieved Borat, who had celebrated the Ho- vor for her ‘compassion and courage’ in locaust as a joyous national holiday in the film.”

Amazon, who made the film available his native country.

“I saw it with my own eyes,” she tells without charge to subscribers of Amazon Prime, was said to be highly pleased by the him.

Borat answers, “You have made me film’s reception. With its release on the so happy,” and the scene in the Kol Emeth same day as the last presidential debate sanctuary ends with a second and seem- and its satirical jabs at the vice president, president and his personal attorney Ruingly genuine warm embrace.

“Let’s make love instead of war,” she dolph Giuliani, the film opened with imresponds, as Borat leaves to continue his pressive online viewing numbers.

Amazon indicated initially that “tens quest to give away his daughter as a present to the vice president of the United of millions” had watched on opening night and disputed the numbers from States.

The popular Jewish-themed website Samba TV, an online analytics firm, which Kveller.com described Evans, the Holo- reported that 1.6 million American housecaust survivor, as “one of the standout holds watched the “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” during the first four days of its characters of the movie.”

“If you watched the scene and thought, premiere. The original Borat film brought ‘Wow, here’s an exemplary educator and a in $262 million worldwide. ì

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 15

NEWS

Rothschild Lecture Focuses on White Nationalism

The 12th annual Rothschild Lecture Oct. 30 featured Eric Ward, executive director of the Western States Center, which works to promote civil liberties.

By Bob Bahr This year’s guest speaker at Emory University’s Rothschild Lecture series cautioned the Jewish community not to underestimate the importance of the white nationalist movement in today’s political landscape.

The speaker, Eric Ward, has tracked the white nationalist movement for over 25 years, first as a community organizer and then later as consultant to the Ford Foundation and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

What he described during the Emory lecture was a movement that has emerged in the last several years from the fringes

16 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Emory University’s Tam Institute for Jewish Studies presents the annual Rothschild Lecture series in honor of Rabbi Jacob Rothschild, who led The Temple in Atlanta.

of American life to become a threat that is much more serious to the Jewish community. It is, at its core, an anti-Semitic movement that is aimed at nothing less than the political conquest of America, Ward said.

“They are a revolutionary movement that seeks to overthrow the U.S. government. It believes the U.S. government has been taken over by a Jewish conspiracy. In its anti-Semitism it is an effective conspiracy theory that dehumanizes all of us.”

Ward’s remarks in his online conversation with Eric Goldstein, head of Emory’s Tam Institute for Jewish Studies, echoes his warning in 2017 in the magazine Public

He asked his Rothschild lecture particiEye. In an article entitled “Skin in the Game: How Anti-Semitism Animates White Na- pants not to allow the anti-Semitic opinions tionalism,” he described how white nation- of a few in the contemporary civil rights alism blamed the Jews for all the changes in movement to influence their participation American society since the 1960s. They were in what he described as the most important the unseen, controlling hand that the white movement of white and Blacks that has nationalists believed were responsible for ever occurred in American society. The civil all of the successes of African Americans rights movement of the 21st century, he said, is much broader and influential than what and the civil rights movement.

“Some secret cabal, some mythological took place here in the 1960s.

“More Americans today, including power,” he wrote, “must be manipulating white Americans, supthe social order behind port Black Lives Matter the scenes. This diaas a social movement bolical evil must control than ever supported television, banking, enMartin Luther King Jr. tertainment, education, in his lifetime. We forget and even Washington, now that we are 75 years D.C. It must be brainaway from the civil washing White people, rights movement, but I rendering them racially think it’s important to unconscious. What is remember at no point in this arch-nemesis of his lifetime did Martin the White race, whose Luther King Jr. receive machinations have Eric Goldstein, who heads the Jewish Studies program at Emory, moderated the majority of white prevented the natural the online Rothschild discussion. support in America.” and inevitable imposiWard serves as executive director of tion of white supremacy? It is, of course, the the Western States Center, a nonprofit civil Jews.” liberties organization based in Portland, OrThe article was published just two egon.

He has been a frequent guest speaker months before the “Unite the Right” white at various synagogues and Jewish organizanationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., tions around the country. which took place in August 2017. The article In July of this year he told a national describes the movement as having Jews as meeting of the Jewish Council for Public its racial target.

Affairs that Black Lives Matter should be a “Contemporary anti-Semitism, then, cause that moves Jews as does not just enable racwell as people of color. ism, it also is racism, for In alluding to his influin the White nationalist ential writing in 2017, imaginary Jews are a he challenged his Jewish race — the race — that audience to find their presents an existential own skin in the game. threat to Whiteness.”

“Be a co-conspiraWard’s analysis tor and a partner in the that anti-Semitism struggle for civil rights. today is a product of Something very sigthe extreme right was nificant is happening in questioned by some in our country.

Some of it the audience during is horrifying and some his Emory presentaof it is beautiful. As we tion who asked about deal with the horrors, the anti-Semitism on let us not forget that the left, particularly in The Rothschild lecture entitled “Skin in the Game” echoed Eric Ward’s we need to tend to the the Black Lives Matinfluential magazine article about white beauty. That means enter movement. While nationalism that was published in 2017. tering into courageous, he acknowledged that curious conversations with one another some in the movement are anti-Semitic, that doesn’t prevent us from finding ways unlike white nationalists, those opinions forward.” do not drive the broader concerns of black Likewise, during his Rothschild lecture activism today, Ward said. remarks Ward concluded with a call to ac“It does not have anti-Semitism as a tion. core to its ideology. But just like the rest of “Make this moment count. History will society, it can and will sometimes express judge you for what you do and don’t do in anti-Semitism. And we have to address that this moment.” ì and deal with that.”

NEWS

Hillel Honors Tough Cookie Michael Coles

By Bob Bahr

family.”

The Marcus Foundation has been a Hillels of Georgia honored Atlanta major donor to the organization on both entrepreneur Michael Coles Oct. 29 for the local and national level. Twelve years his volunteer work with the organiza- ago, the foundation provided a challenge tion’s governing board. The Georgia grant of $3 million to Hillel at Emory University. That led to group, part of the over $9 million in adlargest Jewish camditional gifts to build pus organization in a 10,000-square-foot the world, currently building that serves serves 5,000 stuas a center for Jewish dents at 24 colleges life on the campus and universities and the headquararound the state. ters for Hillels of Starting in 2012, Georgia.

Coles chaired the Four years ago, Hillels of Georgia the foundation dofor six years, during nated $38 million to which time he saw Hillel International rising incidents of Michael Coles maintains that Hillel to launch a multihate crimes bring campus programs are an essential part year program called about what he called of the future of the Jewish people.

Hillel Talent Grants “a big change” in the aimed at recruiting, training, and retainorganization.

He accepted the organization’s Billi ing talented leaders for campus Hillels.

Locally, the organization has atand Bernie Marcus Visionary Award at Hillel’s virtual “Salute to Michael Cole: tracted major support from the Jewish The Impact of One Tough Cookie” last Federation of Greater Atlanta and many month. The annual gala celebrating stu- of the major donors in the community. dents and honoring Coles was originally The new executive director of the orgascheduled for March but was resched- nization, Elliot Karp, who took over in March, has a long history as a fundraisuled because of the pandemic.

At the virtual event, Coles described er, primarily in a number of local Jewish the organization’s work against anti- Federation organizations. The host of the videotaped tribute Semitism as an imto Coles was Mark portant issue.

Silberman, who has “We were aljust stepped down ways a home away as the chair of the from home. We were Atlanta Federation about Shabbat dinboard. ners. We were about Coles achieved high holidays, but great financial sucwe were never about cess as the founder safe. The word safe of the Great Amerihad never appeared can Cookie Compain any of our literany and the Caribou ture for all the many The U.S. State Department’s antiCoffee Company and years that Hillel had Semitism specialist Elan Carr praised became a major phibeen around. And Michael Coles’ work with Hillel lanthropist in the Atnow it’s going to become probably the most important work lanta community. He is a past chair of the of Hillels of Georgia in keeping our Jew- Kennesaw State University board and endowed the Coles College of Business at ish students safe.”

Coles also announced that work on the school.

At the October fundraiser, which a new Hillel House would soon begin at the University of Georgia. He described was distributed on YouTube, his work the building, which was purchased with against anti-Semitism was praised by a grant from The Marcus Foundation, as Elan Carr. The former national president a “world class” Hillel facility that would of the Jewish fraternity AEPi, Carr is now the U.S. State Department’s Special Envoy fill a major need on the Athens campus.

“It will give students at UGA a place to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism.

“Sometimes Jewish students are bethey can call home and a place they can sieged, harassed, discriminated against, come and study and be together and feel forced to choose between their identity that sense of safety and that sense of

Hillel fundraiser honored former board chair Michael Coles.

on the one hand and physical safety on the other,” Carr said. “Michael wouldn’t have that. And so he is passionate and invested in the Jewish identity of students so that students can live Jewish lives, connect with their heritage and stand up and proudly support the state of Israel.”

Coles told the annual meeting of the organization last year that his volunteer service to the organization was the most important job he’s ever had. He went on to say at the time that the work of the organization to provide a safe haven was a crucial program for the future.

“We have seen in the last six years more students no longer self-identifying themselves as Jewish. There’s probably a lot of reasons for it, but probably the biggest one is that they’re not sure that they would feel safe on campus if people knew that they were Jewish. And we’ve got to move forward in a way that eliminates that fear.”

Jewish communal institutions such as the Hillel programs are expected to face increasing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus that has shown no sign of abating has already caused widespread layoffs and furloughs at Jewish community centers and other Jewish organizations across the United States.

Earlier this year Doron Krakow, CEO of the JCC Association of North America, told JTA that the community need would exceed $800 million if the COVID crisis drags into a second year.

Still, for Coles, the work he does and the financial commitment he makes to Hillel continues.

“We are on the front lines of saving Judaism and that’s it. That’s why this has been so important to me.” ì

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NEWS

Seth Baron Promoted at FIDF

By Jan Jaben-Eilon

ple,” Baron said. “How can we best utilize our resources?” Baron noted that the FIDF On the heels of a new national direc- represents the Israeli army in both North tor and CEO of Friends of the Israel Defense America and Panama. “This merger brings Forces, Seth Baron has been promoted from together our resources in a more strategic manner.” executive director of Baron acknowlthe Southeast region of edged that, like other FIDF to executive direcnonprofits, FIDF has tor of a newly merged been challenged since Eastern region, which the coronavirus panincludes the Southeast demic engulfed the region and the MidUnited States earlier Atlantic region. The this year. “We cut our merger is part of an budget by more than expansion and restruc40 percent,” he said, atturing of the FIDF extributing much of that ecutive office. reduction to the can“The new CEO cercellation of in-person tainly wants to bring In mid-September, Steven Weil joined events and travel. “No his vision to the orgathe FIDF as national director and CEO. one was laid off, but nization and wants to expand messaging and reach more donors,” there have been proportional temporary said Baron, who has served as Southeast re- salary reductions of 10 to 30 percent,” he gion executive director of the FIDF for seven said. He added that he hoped full salaries years. The goal, of course, Baron said, is to will be reinstated in 2021.

At the same time, “the needs of IDF solraise more funds to help more IDF soldiers.

Steven Weil, the new national director diers have dramatically increased because and CEO who started in mid-September, of COVID,” Baron said. For example, the “brings a fresh approach, but the goal is sim- program that helps low-income soldiers has

Come and fall in love with this luxurious triplex in the sought-after neighborhood of Baka in Jerusalem.

ing their expenses, that doesn’t mean they’ve skyrocketed by 300 percent, he said.

COVID “has also brought a new face cut employment. He recently announced an and expanded mission” for the IDF soldiers, opening for a director for the Georgia chapBaron pointed out. The IDF has long been ter “to backfill my position and focus on the involved with humanitarian work around day-to-day work. And we will be hiring additional people” nationthe world, most nowide. tably during earthThe Boca Raton quakes like the one native shared how he that devastated Haiti grew up with parents in 2010. This year, IDF – especially a father – soldiers have worked, who inculcated in him especially in the ultraa love and concern for Orthodox and Arab Israel. “We learned communities in Israel, as much as we could to distribute food and about Israel” growing assist those struck by up, he said of himCOVID-19. self and his late older Baron said that brother. As a young both the present and Seth Baron recounts how boy not yet 8 years old, immediate past chiefs growing up in a Zionist family Baron, who had recentof staff of the IDF have led him to work for FIDF. ly started competitive designated FIDF as the swimming, enthusiastically watched the army’s representative in the 20 offices in the 1972 Munich Olympics and multi-gold medUnited States and one office in Panama. The alist Mark Spitz. latter came about because a member of the When terrorists attacked the Israeli FIDF national board has “strong ties with athletic compound at the Olympics, Baron the small, tight-knit, Zionistic Jewish comrecalls his father telling him that he didn’t munity” in Panama. In addition, “an Atlanta have to wear his Judaism on his sleeve, but donor has a family member there. We’ve that there would be days when he would been doing work there for over 10 years,” need to stand up and be counted. During although Baron said Panama falls under the the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Baron asked his Florida region. father if that was one of those times when His new region encompasses Missishe needed to stand up.

His father answered, sippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, “absolutely.”

North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, VirBaron’s first trip to Israel was in 1985 ginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., when he competed as a swimmer in the Maryland and Delaware. “I was very forWorld Maccabiah Games. “That trip took tunate that they asked me to take the lead my love and understanding of Israel” to a of this merger of two great regions. This alhigher level. lows us to better use our resources, which Prior to working at FIDF, Baron served is mostly people, as well as keep an eye on from 2007 to 2013 as both the Atlanta area expenses. As a ‘Friends Of’ organization, our director and the Southern states area direcgoal is to transfer as much money as postor for the American Israel Public Affairs sible to Israel.”

Committee (AIPAC). ì While Baron and the FIDF are watch-

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ISRAEL PRIDE

NEWS FROM OUR JEWISH HOME Cyber Experts Expose North Korean Hackers Israeli cybersecurity company Cybereason announced Nov. 2 it has identified a new spyware with links to the cyber espionage group Kimsuky that is operating on behalf of the North Korea regime. The discovered spyware has been dubbed KGH_ SPY, and a new malware strain, dubbed CSPY Downloader, was also discovered.

Kimsuky is an Advanced Persistent Threat group. According to cyber expert Ronald Mendell, APT groups carry out “attacks on a country’s information assets of national security or strategic economic importance through either cyberespionage or cyber sabotage.” Kimsuky also goes by other names, such as Black Banshee and Thallium. The group of expert hackers has been active since 2012.

On a troubling note, Cybereason reported that some of the components of the KGH Spyware suite remains undetected by antivirus companies. The latest attacks have targeted a wide array of victims across the globe, including public and private sector companies in the Unites States, Europe, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

“Our newest discovery shows Kimsuky carrying out targeted cyber espionage campaigns,” said Assaf Dahan, head of Threat

Today in Israeli History Nov. 15, 1942: Conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim, who moves to Israel in the early 1950s, is in Buenos Aires. With Edward Said, he founds the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra of Middle Eastern musicians in 1999.

Research at Cybereason. “Since the new malware is quite new, the true scope of the threat it poses is unknown, but given Kimsuky’s track record, this spyware is likely to be of serious concern to both public and private sector organizations.”

Photo by Haim Zach, GPO // Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu meets Segev Harel, who volunteered to receive the first experimental coronavirus vaccine.

Netanyahu Praises First Human Trials for COVID Vaccine Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the first launch of human trials for the Israeli coronavirus vaccine Nov. 1, calling it a “very important day” in the fight against the ongoing pandemic.

The vaccine was developed by the Israel Institute for Biological Research and is being funded by the government. The IIBR reported success in animal trials conducted over the summer on hamsters. The hama Holocaust survivor, she was the co-founder of the swimsuit manufacturer Gottex.

Nov. 18, 1951: Yoni Rechter, one of Israel’s greatest musicians, is born in Tel Aviv. He has success as a band member and songwriter, then his career takes off when he releases his first solo album, “Intending,” in 1979.

Nov. 19, 1977: Egyptian President Anwar Sadat lands at Ben Gurion Airport and is driven to Jerusalem for a historic 36-hour visit. He addresses the Knesset the next day and signs the Camp David Accords 10 months later.

Photo by Hans Pinn, Israeli National Photo Collection // British soldiers arrest the passengers of the aliyah ship Kadima in Haifa to send them to Cyprus on Nov. 16, 1947.

Nov. 16, 1947: The Kadima, a ship carrying 781 refugees trying to reach Palestine despite a British ban, arrives in Haifa under escort after being intercepted en route from Palestrina, an island south of Venice.

Nov. 17, 2012: Leah Gottlieb, known as the queen of Israeli fashion, dies at age 94 at her Tel Aviv home. A native of Hungary and 20 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Nov. 20, 1944: Haviva Reik and two other paratroopers from the Palmach are among 40 Jewish fighters executed by the Nazis in Slovakia. Reik had arrived Sept. 21 for rescue and relief activities.

Nov. 21, 1984: The Mossad launches Operation Moses to bring Ethiopian Jews to Israel. Almost 8,000 Ethiopians are flown from refugee camps in Sudan via Brussels to Israel in less than seven weeks.

Nov. 22, 1967: The U.N. Security Council adopts Resolution 242, which calls on Israel

sters that received the vaccine did not get sick and developed antibodies against the coronavirus. If the first stage of the human trials show that the vaccine doesn’t cause significant side effects, the testing will be expanded to hundreds of more volunteers to test its efficiency.

To show the importance of the event, Netanyahu met with Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein at the Sheba Medical Center. Here, the group met with university student Segev Harel, 26, who volunteered to be the first in the trial to receive the vaccine.

“With G-d’s help, we will have a vaccine made here in Israel. This is a very big thing,” Netanyahu said. “I do not think that this will happen immediately, but I do tell you that I already see the light at the end of the tunnel – I see vaccines in the State of Israel.”

90 North Americans Welcomed to Israel As Israel celebrated its National Immigration Week, it welcomed its 16,000th oleh of the year to the country Oct. 28 through the cooperation of Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and Jewish National Fund-USA. The new arrival was among 90 new olim with Nefesh B’Nefesh to withdraw from “territories occupied in the recent conflict.” It omits “the” and thus leaves to negotiation which lands Israel should trade for peace.

Photo by Amos Ben Gershom, Israeli Government Press Office // Rafi Eitan is sworn in as a member of the Knesset on May 4, 2006.

Nov. 23, 1926: Rafi Eitan, whose intelligence career ranges from the high of leading the capture of Adolf Eichmann in Argentina to the low of handling U.S. Navy analyst Jonathan Pollard, is born at Ein Harod.

Nov. 24, 1938: During the 1936-1939 Arab Revolt, the House of Commons holds a debate on the future of Palestine. Colonial Secretary Malcolm MacDonald says that British troops are restoring the crown’s authority.

Nov. 25, 1940: The Haganah bombs the SS Patria in Haifa’s harbor to prevent the British from sending more than 1,700 Jews

Photo by Yonit Shiller // New olim arrive to Ben Gurion Airport.

who made aliyah that day. The flights landed at Ben Gurion Airport with immigrants from 14 states and three Canadian provinces. The immigrants ranged in ages from young students to retirees and arrived as the Jewish state celebrated Yom HaAliyah, which acknowledges aliyah as a core value of the country and celebrates the contributions of immigrants to Israeli society. Yom HaAliyah began as a community movement in 2012 and was officially added to the national calendar in 2016.

“Yom HaAliyah is a significant and inspiring opportunity to appreciate how olim have shaped Israel’s culture, economy and national character,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, co-founder and executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh.

Since the beginning of April, 1,877 North Americans have made aliyah, with 5,500 more submitting aliyah applications. seeking refuge in Palestine to Mauritius. The intent is to disable the ship, but it sinks.

Nov. 26, 2013: An aortic aneurysm kills beloved singer/songwriter Arik Einstein at age 74 in Tel Aviv, leading thousands of fans to gather for an impromptu memorial the next day in Rabin Square.

Nov. 27, 1914: The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is founded with the merger of the Central Relief Committee and the American Jewish Relief Committee. The primary goal is to aid Jews worldwide.

Nov. 28, 1961: Israel launches Operation Yachin to help Moroccan Jews make aliyah via France or Italy. By the operation’s end in 1964, more than 97,000 Jews leave Morocco.

Nov. 29, 1947: On a vote of 33-13 with 10 abstentions, the U.N. General Assembly passes Resolution 181, which calls for the partition of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states linked by an economic union.

Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.

ISRAEL NEWS ADL and Lipstadt Condemn Yad Vashem Post

By Jan Jaben-Eilon

vice president of the southern division of the ADL in Atlanta, “While it is unusual for Eighty-two years after Kristallnacht, ADL to comment on appointments like this, Holocaust survivors, American Jewish or- Yad Vashem is such a paramount institution that we felt it necganizations and top essary to share our Holocaust educators concerns about Mr. have denounced a Eitam’s record. His proposed new head of problematic record Yad Vashem, Israel’s speaks in contrast to official memorial to the timeless lessons those killed in the of the Holocaust that Shoah or Holocaust. organizations like Yad Vashem is also Yad Vashem and ADL considered the moral The nomination of a former rightstand for.” authority on genowing politician and military In addition to cides worldwide. commander is a “colossal mistake,” said ADL’s letter, promiThat’s why, when Deborah Lipstadt, Emory University nent Polish Holocaust Prime Minister BenDorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies. survivor, historian jamin Netanyahu named former far-right politician and mili- and journalist Marian Turski wrote a letter tary commander Effi Eitam to the post of to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, warning chairman of Yad Vashem, Jewish leaders that Eitam’s appointment as chairman of Yad Vashem would “greatly undermine Yad around the world reacted strongly.

“Yad Vashem is one of the jewels in the Vashem’s authority around the world.”

In his letter, copied to Rabbi Lau, Turcrown of Israeli institutions,” said Deborah Lipstadt, Emory University Dorot Professor ski wrote: “Faced with the global rise of naof Modern Jewish History and Holocaust tionalism and populism, a renewed wave of Studies. She said that, given Eitam’s “fringe antisemitism and the return of Holocaust views, views that separate and divide rather denial propaganda, the chairman of Yad than unite,” his nomination is a “colossal Vashem needs to have impeccable moral mistake.” She told the AJT that she plans authority. When the moment comes to to voice her opposition to the controversial stand up against xenophobia, racism and antisemitism in the international arena, nomination.

She would not be the first. Carole Nu- who the chairman of Yad Vashem is will riel, director of the Israel office of the Anti- be extremely important if we don’t want Defamation League, wrote a letter to Rabbi Yad Vashem to be limited only to the state Israel Meir Lau, chairman of the Yad Vash- of Israel but to remain a leading worldwide em Council, asking that he “use your status moral authority.”

Turski, 95, is a survivor of Auschwitzand leadership role to push for Mr. Eitam’s nomination to be rescinded in favor of a Birkenau and Buchenwald and has lived in Warsaw since World War II. more appropriate candidate.”

According to She cited his Israeli press, Eitam “problematic moral must be vetted by a record,” which inspecial committee cluded Eitam’s call for that screens candithe “mass expulsion dates before his apof West Bank Palespointment can be tinians and labeling voted on by the Israeli of Israeli Arabs a fifth cabinet. column. He has also The nomination been linked to a case

by Netanyahu and in the 1980s involving The nomination of former far-right Likud minister Zeev soldiers under his compolitician and military commander Elkin resulted from mand beating to death Effi Eitam to the post of chairman the announced retirea Palestinian prisoner.” of Yad Vashem has outraged Jewish leaders around the world. ment of Avner Shalev.

Nuriel said that this background “has special resonance among It also came just weeks before the anniverthose individuals and organizations striv- sary of Kristallnacht, which took place on ing to impart the lessons of the Holocaust, Nov. 9, 1938, and which heralded the violent persecution of Germany’s Jewish commuincluding Yad Vashem and ADL.” According to Allison Padilla-Goodman, nity. ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 21

BUSINESS Rabbi Berg Recognized by National Rabbinic-Academic Partnership The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership (CLAL) announced Rabbi Peter Berg, senior rabbi of The Temple, as the LEAP (Leverage, Expand, and Popularize) Corkin Family Fellow for 2020-21. LEAP is a partnership between the rabbinate, CLAL, and academia, the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at The University of Penn-

sylvania.

“I am thrilled to be joining the 2020 LEAP Fellowship with distinguished rabbis from across North America,” Rabbi Berg stated in the announcement release. “Engaging with the Katz Center and CLAL is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and begin the work.”

CLAL president Rabbi Brad Hirschfield said, “We are deeply proud to have launched this boundary crossing initiative which brings together lead-

ing rabbis from across the nation and outstanding academics from around world, empowering all of them to contribute, lead, and serve ever more widely; and we are especially proud that Rabbi Berg will be joining us in this year’s cohort as he is one of the nation’s outstanding congregational rabbis.”

Fellows will delve into some of the most pressing debates within U.S. history and Jewish history, examining vital questions shaping Jewish cultural studies, literary theory and social scientific inquiry, according to the release. Scholars will direct their attention to the diversity of Jewish practices, politics, and peoples, reconsidering many of the basic assumptions and concepts that have shaped the study of American Jews. This

theme provides the perfect opportunity for rabbis, already in positions of leadership and influence, to more effectively and meaningfully serve the thousands of people in their networks.

LEAP was founded in recognition of the pivotal role played by rabbis, not only as teachers, leaders and pastoral care-takers, but also because of their unique position to leverage, expand, and popularize (LEAP) the most cuttingedge work coming out of Judaic academic studies, according to the release.

The program brings together outstanding academics at the Katz Center with equally outstanding rabbis who serve in a variety of roles and settings, including the pulpit, Hillel, chaplaincy, education, and organizations.

Piedmont Hits $150 Million Flink Named to Investor Goal for Marcus Tower Advisory Board The Piedmont Healthcare Foundation met its $150 million fundraising goal for the Marcus Tower at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital. Phase I of construction was completed and opened July 15.

Phase II of the project has begun and Piedmont will open the first floors of Phase II in January 2022.

Since 2016, community leaders, grateful patients, physicians and employees have contributed to the Building Better Capital Campaign, which supports the construction of the Marcus Tower. The largest donations came with $75 million from Bernie and Billi Marcus through The Marcus Foundation and $18 million from Brett and Louise Samsky and their son Connor to establish the Samsky Invasive Cardiovascular Services Center and to fund the Brett and Louise Samsky Lobby.

“We are humbled and grateful for all of the gifts that our donors made to the Marcus Tower,” said Sid Kirschner, Piedmont Healthcare chief philanthropy officer. “They have made an essential investment in transforming the health and well-being of the next generation of families in Atlanta and the entire Southeast 22 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

– an investment that already has shown how it is serving the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Phase II of the tower began with the neurosciences service line. One patient floor will be completed per year, except for 2026, when the final two floors will be built out. By the time the project is complete, philanthropy will have accounted for a significant portion of the entire project’s cost, according to a Piedmont press release.

“This space enables the critical expansion of cardiovascular and other key healthcare services, giving us the ability to provide one-of-a-kind, patientcentered care for more people than ever before.,” said Dr. Patrick Battey, CEO of Piedmont Atlanta Hospital.

Barry Flink has been named to the advisory board of GTSI Investor Forum Atlanta, which provides funding for startups and growing entrepreneurial businesses.

Flink is CEO of La Grange Hospitality LLC and executive vice president of Flex HR Inc. He also serves on the advisory board of Departures magazine, a national lifestyle and hospitality magazine.

Flink served for 31 years on the board of the Kennesaw State University

Coles College of Business, chaired several subcommittees and was an Executive in Residence for seven years. He also served on the board of Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business; the advisory boards of Alliance Theatre; Saint Joseph’s Hospital and Oglethorpe University’s president, among other leadership positions.

A LaGrange, Ga., native, he and his wife Vicki just celebrated their 47th anniversary. Vicki recently retired from the Atlanta Jewish Academy, where she taught for 38 years.

Sanitation Company Donates to MJCCA

BUSINESS

Eldercare Companions Serving Atlanta and Surrounding Areas Since 2005

• Hourly and Live In Caregivers • Driving to Errands/Appointments Itamar Kleinberger, left, co-founder of Aguair, tours the MJCCA with CEO Jared Powers.

A Marietta sanitation company has been donating some of its equipment to nonprofits. The latest is the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. It was closed several months because of COVID-19.

“During that time, we put together a playbook on how we could reopen safely and ensure with utmost confidence that we could create a safe environment for both staff and our members,” said CEO Jared Powers.

As part of that effort, Itamar Kleinberger, an active member of the Atlanta Jewish community, offered to donate two sanitization products manufactured by his company, Aguair LLC. Of the partnership and donation, he said in a press release, “The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta is taking the health and safety of its staff and members very seriously, and Aguair’s SaniCart and ClensAir equipment will

provide additional layers of disinfection” at the recreational facility.

“We are happy to partner with this institution that reaches out to more than 60,000 individuals of all faiths, ages and backgrounds so that it can continue to provide much needed educational, wellness and cultural programs within the local community.”

SaniCart, a mobile, disinfectant micro-fogger, will be used to sanitize surfaces and air in the preschool and fitness center at the MJCCA, while ClensAir air purifier will remove airborne pathogens in the newly reopened dance studio. These technologically advanced sanitization equipment are helping the facility get back to a new normal, and they help “create awareness that the MJCCA is doing everything we can to keep the virus out of the building," Powers said. ì Compiled by AJT.

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OPINION Judaism’s Path to Healing I was going to write this column about how I had worked election day and nights in years past, and how I spent this year’s election and its afterDave Schechter math in front of From Where I Sit the living room television, remote and laptop in hand, my tuches leaving an indentation in a comfortable chair.

But the reply I received to a question intended for another piece prompted a rewrite.

I wrote on Nov. 14, 2016, that Jewish supporters of Hillary Clinton were “sitting a sort of shiva, mourning the death of an ideal, their vision of America,” while supporters of Donald Trump “presumably were toasting with ‘mazel tov cocktails’” (a malapropism used by a Trump surrogate).

Going back to it, I like the way that column read and found parts to be relevant four years later.

“Clinton’s true believers are struggling to understand the societal forces behind Trump’s stunning victory and the motivations of his supporters, people with whom they feel little in common and, if honest, with whom relatively few have meaningful conversation,” I wrote.

So, four years later, are those who were sitting shiva now dancing the hora?

One thing is for sure: Many of those who voted for Joe Biden regard those who backed Trump as “people with whom they feel little in common, and if honest, with whom relatively few have meaningful conversation.”

So, aside from Biden’s pledge to be the president of all Americans, those who voted for him and those who didn’t, is there any hope for, if not national unity, at least reasonable efforts toward healing a rift that grows even wider and deeper — including within the Jewish community?

I put the question to Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal of the Ahavath Achim Synagogue, who also is president of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association.

“It isn’t the job of the president or any elected official to ‘unite’ us,” Rosenthal replied. “It’s our job.” The good news is that, “We Jews are uniquely poised to be partners in this healing process because of the vast spiritual and ritual resources at our disposal.”

He offered the following four items.

(These are his words, lightly edited.)

24 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Le’Shon Hara: We must stop calling each other dumb, idiots and racists. We might be all those things, but this language isn’t helpful and only leads to further division. People have the right to their thoughts and questions. When we create spaces where somebody is yelled at for sharing a point of view, asking a question, or sharing their fear and anxiety, we push them further into silos that will not only entertain those ideas but grow them and manipulate them.

Shema: We must be better listeners.

And not just listen for the inflammatory statements so we can rebut and show off our own talking points, but to hear past people’s fears, resentment and frustration and get to the real issue. Will this be easy? No! Will it work all the time? No! But listening [only] when it serves us isn’t listening.

B’Tzelem Elohim: We need to stop seeing [those with whom we disagree] as the enemy, assuming people’s behavior simply because they hold a point of view. Each person on this planet is created in the image of God. Just because they hold up a sign or attach a bumper sticker to their car doesn’t mean that they hold all the vile and hateful things that you have in your mind about that statement or political character. As we learn in “Pirkei Avot,” [The Ethics of Our Fathers] “judge all men with the scale weighted in his favor.”

Introspection: Jewish prayer has many moments of introspection into which we find and connect with something greater than ourselves. The verb for prayer in Hebrew is written in the reflective verb form, which means that “to pray” in Hebrew means, literally, “to pray oneself” or, better understood [as] “to judge oneself.” We need more moments of introspection where we turn off the 24-hour news and ask some of the larger questions about ourselves and others.

Rosenthal concluded his prescription saying, “These are just a few of a treasure trove of concepts that can help our society heal and unite. The first step is to find the partners in this quest from all stripes – religious, atheists, humanists, secularists, etc., and start by hearing what ideas and concepts from their traditions and/or sacred rituals they want to employ for healing and see how we can work together to bring it about.”

From the rabbi’s mouth to all of our ears. ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 25

OPINION Letters to the Editor 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.

Letter to the editor,

This Nov. 3 election was not about Republicans or Democrats or red and blue states or liberals or conservatives or whether you like or dislike the candidates. It is about Capitalism or Socialism. I can’t figure out when the Democrats changed the direction of their party, but they are no longer the party of the people.

If Biden wins, his party will be the driving force behind their promises to change America. Venezuela, here we come.

Liz Bartlet, Richmond Hill

Letter to the editor,

I was horrified to see Warnock being endorsed by your paper and on top of that to put lists of people who agree! This is absolutely shocking and foolish! He is a known anti-Semite and is no friend to Israel and is a supporter of the nefarious movement they call the BLM. The BLM is a dangerous Marxist group who has a manifesto (which they suddenly modified) OMG what is wrong with people! Is everyone so ignorant that they have no idea who they’re voting for!!!!

Honestly, I’m done with your publication - it’s a disgrace! How dare you make your paper into a political platform!

Helen Sarembock, Atlanta EDITOR’S RESPONSE: The AJT has not endorsed any politician and is politically unbiased. That 2-page spread you saw is an ad that the Warnock campaign purchased. It is an advertisement.

We would never discriminate against any politician who wanted to advertise in our newspaper. That would be wrong. I am sorry that his ad offended you.

Letter to the editor,

I was disheartened to read the opinion letter from a woman in Tifton who spouted misinformation about Jon Ossoff. The part that disheartened me the most was that the Times printed the letter with the false information in it. I like Jon Ossoff. I met him a few times. I couldn’t believe what the woman wrote about him, so I just did a Google search and didn’t have to go far to find out where it came from. And the clarification came from an article written in the Atlanta Journal Constitution by Jim Galloway. It is incredible the amount of misinformation that passes for truth these days. I recommend that everyone see the movie “Social Dilemma.”

We have all of the information in the world at our fingertips, but we only choose to believe the information that we agree with. I don’t know if it’s the job of the Atlanta Jewish Times to weed out misinformation from letters to the editor, but it should be.

There is a runoff election coming up, and I’m sure the misinformation will be flying, as it was from Tifton. Please don’t print things that are not true.

Ed Ross, Sandy Springs EDITOR’S RESPONSE: This section of the newspaper is meant to be a forum for our community to share thoughts, concerns and opinions as open letters to the community or directly to the newspaper.

As a letter to the editor, we proof for spelling and grammatical errors only. The individual who signs the letter is accountable for what they share. We do not edit nor vet the information that the letter contains.

I have been thinking about this forum and decided not to change our current proof and editing procedures. Although, I believe that it is necessary for the AJT to be clearer about this to our readers. So, we will begin to post a disclosure in this section.

Thank you for taking the time to send us your letter.

26 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Disclamer to our readers: This section of the newspaper is a forum for our community to share thoughts, concerns and opinions as open letters to the community or directly to the newspaper.

As a letter to the editor, we proof for spelling and grammatical errors only. We do not edit nor vet the information the letter contains. The individual signing the letter is accountable for what they share.

Letter to the editor:

Raphael Warnock wallows in anti-Semitism by claiming Israel is an apartheid state. Such a position may garner him street cred with the growing anti-Semitic progressive wing of the Democratic Party, but it flies in the face of reality.

Muslims participate at the highest levels of academia, medicine and politics in Israel. It is the exact opposite of the South African apartheid system in which Blacks were excluded from all-important decision-making positions. Apparently, Mr. Warnock chooses to willfully deny that the following Arabs have held these important positions in Israel, which represent only a small sample: Ali Haidar Zahaika (Knesset), Hussein Faris (Knesset), Masud Ghnaim (Knesset), Hussniya Kanata (Knesset), Hamad Khalaily (Knesset), Taleb Majadele (Knesset),Takeb el-Sana (Knesset), Ibrahim Sarsur (Knesset), Wasil Taha (Knesset), Nawaf Massalha (deputy minister of health), Ali Yahya (ambassador to Finland, ambassador to Greece), Abdel Rahman Zubai, Salim Joubran, George Karra (members of Israeli Supreme Court).

Finally, in 1997, Nelson Mandela accepted an honorary doctorate from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. It is inconceivable that Nelson Mandela would accept an honorary doctorate from an apartheid state.

These are just some of the facts Mr. Warnock has to willfully deny in order to posit the anti-Semitic absurdity that Israel is an apartheid state.

Richard Sherman Margate, Fla.

Letter to the editor,

My 87-year old Dad, Danny, is a renaissance man! In addition to his love and mastery of opera, creation of a history of Jewish Atlanta in the 30s and 40s, completion of “My Life,” his memoir of growing up in Atlanta, he is a master and instructor of all foods Sephardic! He teaches classes (standing room only) at OVS [Or VeShalom], cooks for family and friends, and has a thriving [profitable] business making a Sephardic delicacy called abedahu. Through this business, he has connected with Sephardics all over the world and shipped his delicacy across the oceans! An international blog of Ladino cooking and culture featured Dad recently: “A taste of abedahu (aboudaju, bottarga), Greek olives, reshas, a glass of raki … and Port Said playing in the background.

A meze to delight … ‘Happy Hour’ Rhodesli style.

“We’ve written about finding the perfect abedahu, a salted, cured fish roe, a delicacy in our Rhodesli homes – made in Atlanta, GA by the legendary gastronomical culinary craftsman, Dan Maslia. (For information on ordering his abedahu, contact Dan at dmaslia@bellsouth.net). Dan’s parents brought the recipe with them from Izmir, but it wasn’t until much later that Dan took up the art himself, making it side-by-side with Rabbi Robert Ischay (z’l), the beloved spiritual leader of Atlanta’s Or VeShalom Synagogue.

“As a boy, Dan remembers cleaning fish at a fresh foods market and carefully removing the sack of eggs (the roe) along with the bones, the entrails that were discarded before the fish was cleaned and ready to sell. Dan carefully salvaged the roe and brought it home for his mother, aunts and neighbors to clean, salt and cure on their back porches to make our precious abedahu." “From a time when nothing was left to waste, the roe was turned into a delicate, salted and cured ‘poor man’s caviar’ – savored by our folks. It is served as a delicacy in Italy, referred to as the ‘truffle of the sea,’ delicately grated over pasta or other dishes, adding a unique, savory taste to whatever it graces. In Japan, it is called Karasumi, a highly prized and priced delicacy eaten while drinking saki. A treasured delight. Its demand has driven up the price and limited the availability of the roe.

“Dan still manages to procure some of the finest mullet roe from the southern coast and prepare it as it has been for generations. The amber, golden bars or (‘dethos’ (fingers) as we call them) are a sight and taste to behold, ‘intense and elegant,’ as described by Luciana Squadrilli, ‘with a pleasant, bitter aftertaste.’ (definitely an acquired taste.) We love it with a slice of a baguette, or better, with a resha … a light-as-afeather, pretzel-shaped, sesame covered biscuit from a yeast dough.”

Deborah Maslia, Atlanta

OPINION Letter to the editor,

Georgia’s Jewish Vote is Up for Grabs All eyes are on Georgia. With both Senate races going to January runoffs and the results of the presidential election separated by just over 10,000 votes out of nearly 5 million, Georgia’s voters are evenly split. So too is the Jewish community, which according to exit polls, tied at 49-49 for Biden and Trump. This means that the Georgian Jewish vote, of which the community numbers roughly 130,000 people, could be decisive in determining not only these two races, but also control of the U.S. Senate.

The community will have diverse issues to think about, especially as the candidates’ positions on many key issues have a direct impact on it. Health care, the economy, immigration, the environment and COVID-19 will be on the ballot. The American Jewish Congress believes that Jewish voters will focus on what their political leaders will do to confront antisemitism, to strongly back the U.S.-Israel relationship, and to show support for civil rights and racial justice.

Antisemitism and conspiracy theories are a persistent threat to the Jewish community. Today’s most prominent conspiracy, QAnon, repackages age-old antisemitic tropes and blood libels. QAnon is creeping into U.S. politics, including in Georgia, where Marjorie Taylor Greene [Republican, 14th District] will soon represent the state in the U.S. House of Representatives. An unabashed supporter of QAnon, her views will have a national platform and must be repudiated. The Jewish community will want to know which candidates reject this type of hate.

Support for Israel remains a key Jewish community concern, and the candidates must show they’re listening.

In recent years, U.S.-Israel policy has been under pressure on issues such as conditioning military aid to Israel. However, positions like this were rejected by both presidential nominees and Jewish voters across the board, making the recent election a clarifying moment for all those candidates seeking the Jewish pro-Israel vote.

Lastly, the Jewish community in Georgia has a storied history on civil rights and racial justice. During the Civil Rights movement, Jewish organizations like the American Jewish Congress marched shoulder-to-shoulder with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other leaders of the movement to call for a more equal America. Minority communities in America have a long history of working together and supporting each other in their respective struggles, and the Jewish community remains committed to this common struggle.

Jewish voters are twice as likely as the general population to vote. As high propensity voters in such a closely divided electorate in a closely divided state, every single vote matters. Now is the moment for the Georgian Jewish community to learn about the candidates’ positions on these issues, and to ensure that our community’s concerns are advanced by the next two senators from Georgia.

Jack Rosen, New York City President, American Jewish Congress

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Letter to the editor,

Biden, Israel may be at odds over Iran Much has changed in the U.S., Israel, Iran triad in the half decade of the deeply flawed JCPOA [Joint Commission Plan of Action]. Iran’s cash bonanza greatly strengthened the regime and markedly facilitated its regional hegemonic designs. It has lavishly funded terrorism, proxy militias, Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It was foolishly allowed to control compliance inspection visits and sites and permitted, as well, to develop long-range missiles, whose only useful purpose is nuclear bomb delivery. Continuing apace are surreptitious procurement of dual use technology, arms interchange with North Korea, and manufacture of advanced centrifuges, which, coupled with current disallowed excess cache of enriched uranium could dramatically reduce bomb breakout time. As its swiped nuclear file showed, it cannot be trusted to comply, either in letter in spirit, with any agreement.

Iran’s economy is in tatters, its populace restive, and its geopolitical outreach overextended. This is absolutely no time to throw a lifeline to a rogue regime facing existential challenges. President-elect Biden should wisely reconsider rejoining the JCPOA, renegotiating it, or providing any relaxation of the current sanction’s regime. The future of the Iranian people, Middle East regional peace, and, indeed, international security, more broadly, are all hanging precariously in the balance.

Richard D. Wilkins, Syracuse, N.Y.

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SENIOR LIVING Rabbis in Retirement

By Roni Robbins In keeping with the theme of this issue – seniors – we asked about a dozen retired congregational rabbis about their experiences on and off the pulpit. More than half agreed to participate. The questions included how they’ve been occupying their time since leaving the senior rabbi position, what they’ve discovered about being a rabbi, and what advice they have for the community.

The rabbis cross denominations and borders. Some have retired in the past year and others have taken a back seat much longer. Most are still located in Atlanta with one in California and another in Jerusalem. Not surprisingly, the vast majority are still very involved in Jewish communal life, counsel others and continue to teach.

Give rabbis a platform and don’t be surprised if their responses echo the inspiration you recall them vocalizing from the bimah. Some of the common responses detailed touching congregants’ lives and vice versa. Two rabbis said the greatest gift they ever received was their wife saying “yes;” another being called “Zayde;” and a third, a magnifying glass he’s been using more lately. Read on to learn more about your former rabbi and life in retirement.

Rabbi Steven Lebow

Temple Kol Emeth rabbi emeritus Retired in July Marietta What’s the most interesting or surprising activity you’ve filled your time with during retirement? I retired in July after 40 years as a rabbi and 34 years at Temple Kol Emeth.

I take guitar lessons on Tuesdays and karate lessons on Thursdays.

I am writing a graphic novel about a kid who gains mysterious powers the day President [J.F.] Kennedy is assassinated.

I have had a number of my science fiction (and

horror) stories published in print and online.

I take great pride in my comic book (and action figure) collection. It takes up an entire floor in my four-story townhouse!

I have some very rare comic books: Superman #1, Wonder Woman #1, Green Lantern #1, Flash #1, Fantastic Four and Spiderman #1, etc.

There are still too few rabbis who perform same sex weddings, so I still do a lot of those.

Most importantly, I intend to spend the next 20 years of my retirement seeking exoneration for Leo Frank! Leo Frank was innocent. Clearing his name will be my main “hobby” in retirement.

Are you still keeping part-time hours as rabbi or counseling congregants? I officiate at funerals of the unaffiliated who have no rabbi to represent them. I still lead services at two different North Georgia congregations: Rodeph Sholom in Rome and Shalom b’Harim in Gainesville. This makes me the “chief rabbi” of North Georgia! I am still participating at my original congregation – Temple Kol Emeth – by leading Torah study every other week.

What’s the best gift anyone ever gave you? The greatest gift I ever got was when my wife said “yes” to marrying me!

Rabbi Shalom Lewis

Congregation Etz Chaim rabbi emeritus Retired in June Marietta

How you fill your time: When one considers retirement after decades of being on call, there is a concern of “How will I fill my days?” As it turns out, even without a time clock to punch, the hours fly by, the days fill up and the weeks pass with startling speed. Now in retirement the activities are plentiful, though not entirely rabbinic in nature. What for decades has been put off finally can be pursued with a more flexible schedule. Let me state for the record, however, that in our prime “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” is sound advice 28 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

for us all. Even when working, there needs to be balance, and waiting for retirement to start enjoying life is folly and foolish. That being said, there are a number of undertakings that I now have the time to pursue. I am taking up golf and have discovered the true meaning of frustration and have cultivated a new vocabulary that is not bimah-friendly.

I have a handicap of 613, which I am hoping in time to improve. I am setting up a website that will contain many of my sermons and blogs, as well as serve as a platform for me to share my thoughts on issues of the day. I am doing a lot of writing. Assorted poetry. A book with original essays on theology. Songs and children’s stories. A collection of personal anecdotes on famous folks I have met, from lunch with Michael Landon to an abortion debate with Newt Gingrich.

Additionally, in time I hope to set up my HO trains and build a new layout as well as take art lessons. Would love to learn how to paint.

Rabbinic counsel: Though emeritus and officially retired, I still have an office and help out Rabbi [Daniel] Dorsch in any way that I can. The relationship I have established with my congregation is not based on a contract. It is based on genuine

affection, respect and care. I did not move away, am still a part of the shul and happily interact with the members. Many of us have grown up together. Their simchas are my simchas and their losses are my losses. One of the most prideful things I can share is having named a baby girl and officiated at all her life cycles including the b’nai mitzvah of her children. I look back over a long career and that brings me abundant joy. I’m in my office several days a week though no official hours.

I still make appointments. Counsel. Teach.

Participate in life cycle events. Attend minyan and Shabbos services. And pre-COVID, would visit the ill and the bereaved. I continue to do what I love for those that I love.

What’s the most eye-opening aspect of being a rabbi you’ve discovered? There are many revelatory moments that a rabbi experiences over the years. Some bring happiness; some bring disappointment. Some are unanticipated; others expected.

But let me share a few thoughts that I take with me after more than four decades in the same shul and in the same community.

I have come to understand the

SENIOR LIVING power of my words and the importance of my deeds. I have come to understand that a rabbi must blend ego with humility to be effective and figuring out the sweet spot is a daily challenge. I have come to understand the responsibility a rabbi has and there is no place for cowardice on the bimah. I have come to realize that every human being is created in God’s image, is holy and is to be treated with respect. I have come to realize that success in the rabbinate demands a sense of humor.

And finally, when we get up in the morning, we have a choice to enter the new day with hope and a smile or with a scowl and despair. I have always gone with the hope and with the smile.

Gift: I’ve received many wonderful, generous and thoughtful gifts over the years from congregants. Abby Road with my head atop Ringo’s body. A cruise. Art. Judaica. But by far, the best gift ever given me has been my three grandchildren. And the best name I have ever had is Zayde.

What advice/words of wisdom would you like to share with the community? I’ve had over 40 years to share my thoughts, but at this juncture I would say respect the flight of time and do not procrastinate enjoying life. Celebrate the magnificence of Judaism. Its rituals. Its wisdom. Its literature. Its theology. Be a proud, knowledgeable, unapologetic Jew. I would also remind us to treasure freedom. Treasure family and friends. Treasure America and Israel. I would conclude with the stunning, timeless words of the prophet Mica … to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.

Rabbi Harvey J. Winokur

Temple Kehillat Chaim rabbi emeritus Retired in July 2018 Roswell How you fill your time: Before I retired, I became a facilitator and trainer for The Mussar Institute. I have thoroughly enjoyed the freedom to facilitate multiple Mussar vaads (spiritual groups).

I am also on the Development Council for the institute.

Rabbinic counsel: I do not keep parttime hours at the temple. I have taught some online classes for members.

Eye-opener: Through my 42-year career as a pulpit rabbi, I strived to treat everyone (members and unaffiliated) with care and concern and tried not be judgmental. I was gratified when individuals were willing to open up to me about deeply personal matters.

Rabbi Harvey Winokur with his wife Donnie traveled to Ohio before the COVID lockdown and brought home a second golden retriever.

Gift: Size doesn’t matter. Being the rabbi of a 100-family temple is just as important and meaningful as is being the rabbi of a 1,000-family congregation.

Sure, there are certain financial perks, but it is more important to consider your family and your mental health.

Advice: Don’t ignore the spiritual component of being Jewish. Spirituality is not only about whether or not or how firmly you believe in God. It is the glue which connects the soul to rituals and ethical behavior. Judaism offers many paths to explore the spirit. The sooner you enter the path, the more rewarding the journey.

Rabbi Phil Kranz

Temple Sinai rabbi emeritus Retired 14 Years Sandy Springs How you fill your time: I came to Atlanta in 1980 and retired in 2006. I certainly planned to continue to teach, but I never expected to teach classes using the Zoom format. The pandemic brought about many departures from normality; Zoom was one of them. The technology scared me at first. Now I can say that I genuinely enjoy teaching virtually. Being able to stay in one spot is a dividend for an old, retired rabbi!

Rabbinic counsel: I am at Temple Sinai quite often. I am still in charge of collection-building at the Rabbi Philip N. Kranz Learning Center’s large Judaica ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 29

SENIOR LIVING you are referring to something in the rabbinate which I did not expect but, when I discovered it, I was pleased. One of the things that attracted me to the Reform rabbinate, almost 60 years ago, was the expectation that, while serving as a congregational rabbi, I would be able to do all different sorts of interesting things: teaching, counseling, Jewish communal affairs, working within the general community, writing, preaching, leading worship, and a variety of other activities.

This was an expectation I had, and it all came to pass and proved to be accurate.

It is one aspect of the rabbinate which I deeply treasured.

Rabbi Phil Kranz Temple Sinai

library. I leave the counseling to the current staff of rabbis and cantor. In fact, at this stage in my life, the professional staff now counsels me.

Eye-opener: I guess by “eye-opening”

30 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Gift: When I first came to Atlanta and Temple Sinai, a congregant presented me a large brass stand with a huge magnifying glass attached. “What a silly gift,” I thought at the time and now, with stronger eyeglass prescriptions each year, the magnifier is a godsend. The older I become, the Hebrew and Aramaic texts seem to get smaller and smaller.

Advice: We need to realize and appreciate the fact that we live in a Jewish community that is richly blessed in material

and human resources. Simply having those, however, is not enough. We must utilize them so that we become more intellectually informed, more spiritually enriched, and ever more committed to applying Jewish values to our lives.

You might be interested in knowing that on June 5 of next year, Rabbi Alvin Sugarman and I, seminary classmates, will mark the 50th anniversary of our ordination.

Rabbi Stanley Davids

Temple Emanu-El rabbi emeritus Retired 16 years Lives in Santa Monica, Calif.

How you fill your time: We had been dreaming of making aliyah for most of our married life. This shared dream was constantly deferred because of the needs and demands of both of our careers and by our involvement with two generations of our families. When I retired from the active rabbinate in 2004, the path was suddenly clear.

We arrived in Jerusalem with an agenda that quickly became very de-

manding. I was already chairman of the Association of Reform Zionists of America, so in a very brief period of time, I found myself elected to the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel and as a senior executive of the World Zionist Organization [positions held for 12 years]. Both positions involved a great deal of hands-on activity: negotiations; committees; public functions; meetings throughout the country. I was given secure parking privileges at the Jewish Agency, at the Hebrew Union College, and at the Knesset, but we never did buy a car while we lived in Israel (10 years)!

I had been an active supporter of Israel and of liberal Zionism throughout my adult life, but now I was given the opportunity to make a hands-on difference.

At HUC, I was elected to the Board of Overseers and had an amazingly rich and satisfying opportunity to mentor our rabbinic and cantorial students. At the same time, Resa, who had been elected to the international board of the Women of Reform Judaism, traveled throughout Israel and established 23 synagogue-based affiliates of WRJ. Rabbinic counsel: We established

SENIOR LIVING almost a lifetime later that something that I did or said or taught actually made a positive difference in someone’s life.

But those moments when someone says: “Stan, 15 years ago I was a lost, confused teen and you were there for me...” they are wondrous. Such events more than compensate for whatever time and concern and soul energy that I had invested.

What a privilege.

Rabbi Stanley Davids Temple Emanu-El

ourselves in Santa Monica in 2014. I immediately was invited to teach adult education classes in several congregations, and I was elected to the Board of Overseers to the LA campus of HUC. My Saturday morning Hevra Torah class has not missed a session since then. I also have a large following for my weekly Torah teaching on Facebook. The members of that class and of that FB community have become a family, and in many ways, I serve not just as their teacher and study partner, but as someone with whom the adult students have formed close ties. There have been many occasions in which I have served as a counselor, a mediator, a private resource of support.

There is no remuneration for this, just gifts of love and community. At the same time, I remain very close with members of my Atlanta congregation; with the full approval of my successor, I have been involved in many lifecycle events, private counseling, and enduring friendships. I have never been busier.

Eye-opener: The number of lives I have been privileged to touch. I never kept a spreadsheet of the one-on-one contacts I have made. There is no Excel document that could possibly reflect the impact of all of the ritual and life cycle ceremonies that I have conducted, the private counseling that I have engaged in, the work with teens and college students that has created meaningful connections that remain joyously strong to this day. Rarely is there something comparable to immediate gratification connected to a rabbi’s sacred tasks. One finds out a year later, a decade later, or

Gift: The most obvious and enduring gift I ever received was when Resa said “YES” when I asked her to marry me. No other gift comes close. The love and respect and friendship of our kids and grandchildren are precious beyond words. (We are blessed with three children and eight grandchildren, one a student at Georgia Tech!)

But there were different kinds of gifts, gifts that have had a profound impact upon me. Here’s one: In October of this year, I was asked to deliver a eulogy at the funeral of one of our closest friends (and a past president of Temple Emanu-El) Stew Aaron. In 1994, I was desperately ill. Following surgery at Sloan Kettering [Cancer Center] in New York City, the news was overwhelmingly negative. There was little reason to hope.

Stew called from Atlanta. There was a matter of great concern that the synagogue board had to resolve, so I should expect to see Stew in a couple of days. Sure enough, Stew showed up in my hospital room with members of the Emanu-El executive committee. After brief greetings, the matter was raised and thoroughly discussed. Stew and his committee then returned immediately to Atlanta. The gift?

Priceless. They had reminded me that I had a place in their lives, that I was needed, that I had a job to do. They lifted me out of my self-absorption and focused my mind on the future. Gemilut Chesed. An act of pure love. The day of that meeting was the day that I began to believe that recovery might still be possible. By the way, many years later I discovered that the board had already resolved the matter. Which only made the gift even more precious.

Advice: I’ve been around too long to believe that the community needs any of my wisdom. Check out Ecclesiastes if you want to contemplate whether someone else’s wisdom has any lasting value. I love Atlanta, and I love my congregation.

Over 81 years and counting, my values have become more certain and less complicated. Family. Friends. My unwavering conviction that the Jewish people must be strengthened because it still has so many gifts to convey to our world. Other ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 31

SENIOR LIVING people bring their own precious gifts, but no one brings our 3,500-year story as to how to seek and find meaning and purpose in life. We bring Torah. We bring the State of Israel. We bring memory and we bring dreams. We bring our prayers.

Rabbi Arnold Goodman

Ahavath Achim Synagogue senior rabbinic scholar Retired 18 Years Jerusalem, Israel How you fill your time: Many years before our retirement, my wife Rae, of blessed memory, and I had decided that when we reached that day, we would realize our dream to relocate to Jerusalem.

Our eldest child had made aliyah after graduating from high school, and we were happily welcomed by him, his wife and their six children.

One of my goals was to deepen my knowledge of Talmud and Hebrew with a study partner who did not speak English.

Shortly after my arrival I was introduced to Rabbi Shimon Hadad, who was born and raised in Tiberias and is not an English speaker. We study two to three times a week, and our discussions are solely

32 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

in Hebrew. I have happily increased my knowledge of Jewish sources, and also immeasurably improved my Hebrew.

I have many colleagues in Israel, and we were immediately included in various social groups. The year following our arrival, Rae suggested that we host a Purim masquerade party, and this annual celebrating the joy of Purim continued for 15 years.

Rabbinic counsel: Having relocated to Israel, I do not maintain an office at Ahavath Achim. I have, however, remained in contact with many families through a weekly Torah commentary sent out to my distribution list and also included in the synagogue’s weekly e-blast. I always enjoyed the challenge of preparing weekly sermons and was pleased to continue via the internet.

I have also stayed in touch with the congregation by being a scholar at an annual Shabbaton in which I speak and teach Friday night, Saturday and Sunday mornings. Hopefully once the pandemic is over I can resume traveling and once again enjoy this annual visit and the opportunity to see old friends and to meet new congregants.

Eye-opener: The rabbinic job description is fluid. It includes preaching and teaching, but above all, being a pastor.

A rabbi’s presence is not only welcome but expected when families are burdened with the grief of bereavement or illness. There is also the joy of sharing in the celebration of significant moments: weddings, baby namings, bar and bat mitzvah and other occasions of joy and festivity. The rabbinate has been a fulfilling career and I am eternally thankful for my half century in the pulpit.

Best gift: Among the most significant gifts is the honest feedback from members of the congregation. There were many letters of gratitude and praise, but there were also the letters of critique that helped me continue to grow and develop my sensitivity to others.

Advice to community: The truth is that each of us is always in the state of becoming, and we can amazingly be better tomorrow than we are today. This is also the challenge facing the American and Atlanta Jewish communities. There

Rabbi Arnold Goodman Ahavath Achim Synagogue

are always changes and shifts through which we must constantly respond.

Change is often difficult to achieve, but the ultimate challenge is to know when and how to respond to changing environments and shifting priorities. It’s a formidable task because more than we know what we like, we like what we know.ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 33

SENIOR LIVING

COVID Brings More Loneliness to Seniors

By Bob Bahr

diate effect.

His son, Brad, who lives in Atlanta Morris Miehl was already beginning and had a close relationship with his fato have serious problems with his chron- ther, had noticed a sharp decline in his ic heart condition when the pandemic father’s health after being shut in. He was was first felt in March. His life at Sunrise increasingly having trouble with his balat Huntcliff Summit, the independent ance and he fell more often. Brad Miehl living community in Sandy Springs, had remembers that his father began to lose radically changed. He and over 300 other the psychological edge that he had once residents were confined to their apart- cherished.

“The isolation absolutely affected ments, meals were delivered to their doors, and visits by family and friends his health in a serious way. I mean psychologically and physically it affected were halted.

The most meaningful direct con- his health in multiple ways, I do believe, tact many people had each day was the definitely exacerbated any condition that visit they received from someone who he had.”

Two months after Morris Miehl aschecked their temperature and asked sured me that he whether they were was successfully experiencing any coping with the symptoms of the stresses of his new COVID-19 disease. lifestyle, he died.

Still, when I He was just a few interviewed him days short of his for the Atlanta 89th birthday.

Jewish Times a One of his couple of weeks favorite charities into the lockdown, was a fund that he he was trying to had established at make the most of a Jewish Family & difficult situation.

Career Services to It was, for the rehelp provide home tired anesthesioloMorris Miehl, left, and son Brad health care for older gist, “like living in had a close relationship. adults who couldn’t a cocoon.”

“I am visiting people from my past. afford it.

Since last March, the aid that JF&CS I must have spent three hours on the phone today talking to a very close friend provides to seniors impacted by the effects of the pandemic has been subfrom where I used to practice medicine.

And I have my computer to stay in stantial. Debbie Dooley, a geriatric care manager at the agency, has seen a rapid touch with the family.”

But for Miehl, who had lived in the escalation in the services it offers to sebuilding for over 20 years and prided niors.

“People need so much support right himself on his active lifestyle and sharp mental focus, the isolation that resulted now that our care management and all from the pandemic had an almost imme- of our Aviv Older Adult Services at JF&CS Open Enrollment Medicare (Oct 15 - Dec 7) Obamacare (Nov 1 - Dec 15)

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are bulging at the seams because people really are seeking out support for their elders. Especially for people who don’t drive and aren’t particularly technically savvy with their computers, this has been a hard time in terms of their degree of isolation.”

She points out that the social service agency is adding more professional staff, but is challenged to keep up with demand for help from families who are not able to provide all the assistance that older family members need.

According to Dooley, the agency has added extra online groups, expanded contact via phone calls and volunteer relationships through the volunteer match program, and continued ongoing services to Holocaust survivors.

“We’re struggling to keep up with capacity. People just really need support.

People are not able to interface with their elders in the way that feels right to them.

And it’s always a struggle. But right now, folks are really having to relinquish a lot to trust and I’m just hoping that the service providers that are supporting their elders, wherever they are, are doing a good job.”

For Tilda Cohen, who is in her late 80s and is a part of the JF&CS support program, life is increasingly difficult.

Last month when her granddaughter

was married in Atlanta, there were only 15 guests allowed to attend, there were no hugs, and the masks that people wore made it difficult to hear many of them.

She sat alone at the reception to maintain social distance.

It was a dispiriting experience for Cohen, made all the more painful by the thoughts of when her life will return to normal, or whether this is how she will live out her remaining years.

“It’s the uncertainty, the uncertainty. And I’ve been talking to myself. You know, I don’t have long. I’m 87. And so you realize time is getting shorter. Some days it’s okay. Sometimes you get down in the dumps.”

Dooley, who just turned 69 and shares some of the anxiety of aging during the pandemic, remembers a widower who attended one of her support groups while still mourning the recent death of a seriously ill spouse.

He had said that while his wife didn’t die of the COVID-19 virus, she may have died because of it, and his words still resonate with Dooley.

“Each one of us has just one body.

And whatever impacts your body impacts all of your body, including what goes on in your head and your heart and all of it. I can’t say I can analyze any more than that.” ì

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SENIOR LIVING

City Within a City

Courtyards wind through architecturally crafted Parisian-like streets.

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

ue living in their independent unit and have assisted living services brought to Spanning I -75 between the Moores them. “Not only will we offer a sophisMill and West Paces-Northside Park- ticated lifestyle, but adaptive care in a way exits, Corso Atlanta dominates the flexible leasing model, said Corso senior site like the rising phoenix. Nine acres living consultant Kim Linder.

“Privacy and conof prime real estate is trol are important for transforming our seupholding dignity. nior living tableau.

People age differently, The graying of which can be espebaby boomers is a cially challenging for steaming hot topic. couples. Our entire According to the U.S. campus is licensed for Census Bureau, by assisted living, so resi2030, 1 in 5 Americans dents who move into an will be over age 65. The independent home can Atlanta Regional Comadd on assisted living mission expects the services without hav“the share of residents ing to move. There’s no age 75+ will triple by assisted living building 2050, to over 1 million and independent living people.”

Corso stands out Kim Linder is the experienced senior building. A couple with living consultant at Corso Atlanta. varying care needs can in two areas: luxury live together in one home. This abiland flexibility.

Flexibility is major as people live ity to age gracefully together appeals to longer and healthier. Corso’s “no-move many Jewish couples. The flexible leascare model” allows residents to contin- ing model is a huge advantage, keeping 36 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Corso covers nine acres and almost 500,000 square feet, just yards from the Jewish Home complex on Howell Mill Road.

residents in control over their financial and personal decisions.”

Some of the competitive Buckhead luxury facilities require a huge up-front investment plus a monthly fee. Not the case here.

Previous to years of experience as an executive in senior living communities, Linder was publisher and editor of several Jewish publications: the Jewish Exponent, the Jewish Times of South Florida, and The Jewish Woman. “Now, I combine

my Jewish heritage and work experience to help launch Corso, [believed] Buckhead’s only luxury-leasing senior community. Corso’s location next to The William Breman Jewish Home is especially exciting. There should be future opportunities to collaborate with the larger Jewish community. It is my hope to bring diverse cultural events to Corso.”

As to style, with the large-scale luxury of nearly 500,000 square feet of space, Corso is comparable to designing

SENIOR LIVING

Corso offers a variety of dining venues from casual bistro to more formal settings.

Corso details include rounded corners, coffered ceilings, elevated trim work, and topline appliances such as Sub-Zero hidden refrigerators (in select units).

Residents will have access to an on-site fresh flower shop.

Corso plans to include a lively social and arts calendar of events in this rendering of the theater.

a small-scale city. The campus is connected by courtyards with details such as rounded corners, coffered ceilings, elevated trim work, and top-line appliances such as Sub-Zero hidden refrigerators (in select units).

Director of Design Steven Markey flew to Paris to inspire his design.

“Stepping into Corso is stepping into an experience incorporating the flow of Europe’s winding city streets,” he said.

Markey is committed to recreating Parisian scenes without making it “Disney like.” He speaks of the authenticity of curving metal roofs, stylized dormers, an extravagant club building akin to a French civic building, cafés under awnings, vendor kiosks and fountains, in

transitional classicism.

There are choices: City Homes (some with private entrances), independent living, assisted living, and memory care homes ranging from about $7,000 to $15,000 a month or more, depending on the level of care. Monthly rent includes full access to upscale amenities, hosted social events and outings, complimentary concierge services, wellness club, customizable meal plans at multiple dining venues, and housekeeping. Additional services include private dining in the teahouse, pet grooming, floral arrangement delivery from an onsite florist, dry-cleaning, catering, salon and spa services and vacations through an in-house travel club. Residents can

schedule transportation/black car service to appointments and shopping.

Seniors highly value the dining experience. Then consider the dietary versions dovetailing with gourmet international dishes and five-star presentations. On Oct. 28, Corso announced that world-renown chef Philippe Haddad, owner of PGH Hospitality Group, would head the food service helm as curator and culinary consultant of Corso.

His experience is vast. He has spent decades in kitchens from Beverly Hills to Antigua, Ritz Carltons to private country clubs, and most recently Cape Dutch on Cheshire Bridge Road. Two decades ago, he ran the eponymous Philippe’s in Buckhead’s Peachtree Hills. His Belgian

charm will serve him well at Corso.

A model unit is under construction and Corso is currently holding “back porch” tours. COVID-19 has not slowed construction and the goal is to open in late spring 2021.

Kari Samuelson, COO of Galerie Living, Corso’s parent company, said, “Our unique concept appeals to a broader range of seniors from age 60 to 90. If you enjoy the arts, fine dining, traveling or hosting family and friends, why should any of that change after 65? Here, you can continue to enjoy the experiences you cherish even as care needs change.” ì For more information on pre-leasing, contact 404-891-9190.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 37

SENIOR LIVING

Progression with Alzheimer’s Magnifies Love

By Marcia Caller Jaffe The Oct. 14 season finale of “Your Fantastic Mind” followed Phyllis and Richard Franco’s 60-year marriage along the progression of her Alzheimer’s, still finding the beauty and love in that bond. According to the Emory Brain Health Center, 16 million Americans are caregivers for someone with dementia. “It is often a complicated, painful, often thankless responsibility,” the center reports.

Dr. Richard Franco decries that position as he tells his story in this Georgia Public Broadcasting segment taped a year ago.

Ironically, Franco practiced neurology for decades when he noticed changes in Phyllis 12 years ago. He retired to care for her full time eight years ago.

“I don’t look at myself as a caregiver, but rather partners [both 82] who function together.” The video shows Richard loading up the wheelchair and smiling as he takes Phyllis for regular walks, pointing out scenery, nice weather and nature.

“I chose to focus on what remains, the whole person. The patient should not be written off as a ‘body with no mental content.’ There is an underlying persona. We

The happy couple went to Grady High and married in 1960.

hold hands, she gets reassured as do I. Her smile and kindness are still there.”

As a health professional, Franco shares his views on Alzheimer’s. “It may start with mild cognitive impairment, but progress to interfere with daily chores like dressing and bathing. Phyllis was asking me questions about running the household, which was

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each day, doing whatever it takes to make her happy. They reveal the core of who they have always been; she keeps shining her loving essence, and he sings love songs to make her smile.”

Rebecca Franco Chalmers added, “It is painful to see the changes Alzheimer’s has brought. As we have grieved, we have gained appreciation for who she was and is still, inspiration to model ourselves after her in how we care for one another. In embracing the ‘full catastrophe,’ we actually laugh and enjoy the sweet and funny parts, and adapt to change. Although we are living the ‘long goodbye,’ the surprise is how much there is to say ‘hello’ to. … People with Alzheimer’s Today Phyllis and Richard can be can re-route and learn even as they are unseen on their daily walks along the learning!

Chattahoochee River. Here she poses “She forgot my name years ago, but rein front of her paintings of her girls. cently said it. More importantly, she didn’t forget me, and if she does, there is still the her domain. Another clue would be asking love she shows. Seen in the film, she gazed the same questions repeatedly, … patterns at her grandchild at the piano. The way she of this. Many of us can be preoccupied looks differently at each of us. That tells me or stressed in doing occasional forgetful the complexity remains of how she sees individuals.” things; that is not comparable.”

Phyllis was indeed a talented painter.

Franco states that music is located in a different part of the brain and can be spared, Her range was impressionistic, abstract, less damaged than the speech area, noted rich in color. Today in their Buckhead home (and other well-cuin 2012 when Conrated homes) are her gresswoman Gabby paintings. Richard Gifford was shot. emotes that her last During her recovpainting was a totalery, therapists broke ly different style and through by singing subject, depicting instructions to her. an entrance into a Richard is filmed hall to an unknown taking Phyllis (predoor. “Perhaps she COVID) to Atlanta was expressing her Symphony Orchesfeeling as the distra rehearsals, where ease progressed, she lights up. entering a different The adult Franunknown place. Ofco children were ten she used birds featured singing representing kids “Cheery Bim” the One of Phyllis’ original paintings shows her leaving the nest. We Motzi, “You are My use of color and representational birds. used to canoe in the Sunshine” and familiar tunes with Mom joining in. A grand- reeds on the Chestatee [in North Georgia] daughter delights by playing one of Phyllis’ when she connected to the red wing blackbird.” favorites, “Clair de Lune” on the piano.

Richard concludes, “People were Regarding children, Richard states that their three children, especially two local touched by the show. I am proud of Phyllis. daughters, have been invaluable. He credits Alzheimer’s can be a devastating tragedy robMeryl Franco with “lifesaving daily Face- bing victims of skills. She was a creative artist, musician, athlete, analytic and insightful.

Time sessions”.

She said, “Mom and I have continued Maybe it was my destiny to prepare for this. to paint, often co-creating one piece togeth- It’s ‘Phyllis’ just not the same ‘Phyllis.’”

He croons in the film, “You and me … er, inspired by the beauty around us. We have laughed at the outcome and just cher- Side by Side.” The song continues for those ished looking into each others eyes, holding who know it, “Through all kinds of weather.

What if the sky should fall? … It doesn’t mathands and singing songs throughout.

Mom has led the way with her strong ter at all … travelin’ along, singin’ a song, side spirit and Dad falls in love with her more by side.” ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 39

SENIOR LIVING

Elder Abuse Attorney Stresses Planning Politics Neither political party has a good grasp on the complicated issues that arise with disability. Both understand that those who are elderly or disabled require a disproportionate amount of services. When the government wants to reduce spending, both parties inevitably propose legislation narrowing eligibility for benefits and subjecting attorneys to criminal liability for advising clients about their eligibility. With government spending at an all-time high, I fully expect that the next administration will take steps to decrease access to public benefits and to discourage attorneys from helping this vulnerable population.

By Marcia Caller Jaffe The current pandemic has created a heightened awareness of the plight of seniors and their families when it comes to their legal and financial well-being, according to elder abuse attorney Diane Weinberg.

Hailing from Tennessee, Weinberg graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and Emory University School of Law. After running unsuccessfully for probate court judge of Fulton County, Weinberg recently opened her solo practice, Weinberg Elder Law, LLC. Her focus is on elder law advocacy and dispute resolution both inside and outside the courtroom. This requires a working knowledge of complex statutory structures including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, tax; trust, estates, and probate; guardianship, conservatorship; veterans’ benefits; and other public benefits.

“The primary abuse I see in the Jewish community (as others) is exploitation,” said Weinberg, a member of Congregation Beth Shalom. “Adult children simply don’t want to wait for their inheritance. They have parents with dementia sign a power of attorney, and that child immediately begins transferring assets into her name.

“An agent who uses the funds of an individual with disabilities or an elderly person for their benefit will face both civil liability and criminal penalties.”

Weinberg weighs in on current topics: Pandemic The pandemic posed special challenges for individu-

Attorney Weinberg cautions about making emotional choices for planning and fiduciary responsibly.

als in [senior care] facilities or who need to be. Because COVID ran through nursing homes, some were not checked on by family. Individuals with dementia suffer from the lack of human contact. Active individuals who need assistance with some activities of daily living are not able to get adequate physical and mental activity. Being in their apartments for months could causing muscular and intellectual atrophy. Facilities have been granted waivers of liability for negligence that may have occurred during the pandemic. We won’t know for several years the extent seniors suffered from this. I’m not sure what type of recourse will be available for families who have suffered injuries.

Family issues State law dictates who makes decisions on your behalf if you cannot speak for yourself and what will happen to your assets when you die. This means that your daughter may be asked to decide whether you should receive a medical treatment even though you have not spoken for years.

It means that your long-time partner may be kept out of your hospital room because she has no authorization.

Failure to plan is especially brutal for a special needs child or for an adult who has an intellectual disability or mental illness. I have had special needs adults go missing, and no one wanted to file a missing person’s report.

I have had adults walk into my office with no idea as to how to care for their disabled sibling. Mom and Dad simply assumed that the sibling would provide care without ever asking. In some cases, they loved their sibling but had no desire to assume responsibility.

I’ve seen parents pick children to serve as co-fiduciaries because the parents do not want to leave someone out. If your children don’t get along during your lifetime, they will continue to fight once you need their help. Ultimately, a court will be asked to determine who will act on your behalf.

I’ve advised adults who want to nominate a child as a fiduciary because the adult child will be angry if he’s not. This child is more interested in the ability to control you and her siblings than in providing care or following your wishes. Let this adult child be angry!

Don’t pick a fiduciary with money problems. Remember Wimpy from the Popeye cartoon, famous for his line of asking for money today so that he could pay you Tuesday? For a child with money problems, that could be a temptation, and he may borrow with the honest intent to repay it. That repayment never happens, and the dipping continues.

Selecting right I can write an award-winning long-term care plan, but it will be worthless without the appropriate fiduciary who needs to be trustworthy and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a gambling addiction, or a spouse who likes nice things.

Picking co-fiduciaries is generally a bad idea. Financial institutions increasingly refuse to honor co-fiduciary selections.

The best way to protect your future and the future of your family is to create a plan. Look honestly at your children, friends and relatives, and decide who is best equipped to carry out your goals. Hire a good attorney to implement your plan. The investment in planning up front will save money and relationships in the end. ì

40 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 41

SENIOR LIVING

Getting Paid to Care for Family

By Anna Levy At 87, Miriam B (not her real name), started having an increasingly difficult time taking care of herself. To make matters worse, the pandemic has further prevented the Jewish woman from social interactions and seeing her family. Passion to Care, a Jewish-owned homecare services agency in Sandy Springs, helped her through the approval process of a program for her granddaughter to get paid to care for Grandma.

Passion to Care is a licensed homecare provider that offers a program called Structured Family Caregiver, a state-run program in Georgia that allows a family member to become a paid caregiver when an elderly family member needs assistance. For those who qualify, this is particularly valuable during COVID, when family members may not want a caregiver they don’t know in their home. The weekly taxfree stipend available for those eligible for this Medicaid waiver also helps with any job loss or additional expenses the families encounter due to COVID. “What often happens is many people

are thrown into the caregiver role, and they have no idea what to do, how to take care of the family member, and have no idea what resources are available to them,” said co-founder Bez Avtzon. “This is particularly scary during COVID. People need guidance, funding and training, and that is what this program aims to do.”

Although the program has been around since October 2019, it has surged in popularity since COVID, he said. The program is not free for everyone, and there is an approval process.

Additionally, the program provides guidance and training for people inexperienced in caregiving. Those accepted into the program get ongoing support from a professional care coach.

“The goal is to make sure that the family knows they have resources available to them, and that they are not alone in this difficult time,” Avtzon said.

The program follows a trend across many U.S. states recognizing the value of having a family member as a private caregiver as opposed to a stranger, he said.

Other states that have similar programs in place include New York, Indiana and Penn-

Elderly family members get help with daily tasks through a program that pays relatives to be a primary caregiver.

Bez Avtzon, who is Jewish, said Passion to Care helps link seniors who need care with family caregivers who get paid for that service.

sylvania, among others.

“What has really struck me about the program, after speaking to many families, is that so many people are just unaware of all the programs available to them,” Avtzon said. “COVID has impacted people in so many ways. I am happy we have the ability to help bring some hope to people during this crazy time.”

Avtzon added that program represen-

tatives can help with the process, speaking with anybody who is interested and wants to see if they would qualify.

“We know that not everybody who applies can enter the program. But we are happy to walk them through the process, and to be an initial resource for people who want to better understand the program.”

For more information, www.paidfamilycare.com. ì

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Despite being named in the Will as the sole beneficiary and executor, any financial

42 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 43

SENIOR LIVING

The Doctor is 'Not' In

By Flora Rosefsky Whether becoming an advocate for first responders in Israel, regular bikeriding, running races or assisting neighbors with repairs, the AJT uncovered one commonality among a few metro area Jewish retired physicians. The doctors wanted to continue helping others while finding time to pursue their own interests.

After spending professional careers improving the lives of their patients, how do some doctors occupy their retirement years?

came a docent at the High Museum of Art from 1998 to 2018, the last 10 years during his retirement. He has memberships in a couples’ book club and a retired doctors’ book club and takes courses through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Emory University on topics as diverse as Shakespeare, memoir-writing and behavioral economics. Three years ago, Levine wrote a memoir. Until COVID, he volunteered at The William Breman Jewish Home, where he led a discussion group on current events for the fourth-floor residents. He hopes to resume this activity when the pandemic ends.

Dr. Mike Levine wins Atlanta Track Club race award in his age group.

Dr. Ron Rosen gets ready for a long bike ride.

Lifelong Learner Dr. Michael “Mike” Levine, who retired in 2008 after 43 years of private practice, runs five days a week and participates in 5K and 10K races. In several Atlanta Track Club races, he usually wins first place for his age group, according to his wife Esther. He participates in a retired men’s hiking group weekly, traversing three to four miles. “We social distance, wear masks while enjoying the healthy interactions and conversations,” the retired doctor said. He was a U.S. Air Force pediatrician before joining a Sandy Springs office “way out in the country” at the time that became Northside Pediatrics.

On weekends, this octogenarian works the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle, something he took up 10 years ago. “I work the puzzle because it is a challenge, keeps me mentally sharp and I learn something from it every week.”

With his love of learning, Levine be-

Bad Boy Bikers Dr. Ron Rosen retired in 2003 after 33 years of practicing urology and became a certified Reform mohel. He conducted brit milot until last year. At the age of 72, he became a medical consultant for Georgia Social Security disability services. He continues his second career working on his computer at home four days a week.

In his free time, Rosen likes being physically active and rides a bike with the Bad Boy Bikers two days a week. For his 70th birthday, the former Georgia Urology partner biked 300 miles in five days and did a 50-mile bike ride for his 80th birthday. Rosen is a past president of Temple Sinai, and an associate member of Congregation Beth Jacob. He has been a member of a Kollel minyan for the last 25 years. For 17 years, he has also been a Breman Museum docent, leading students through the Holocaust Gallery. Rosen hopes to continue giving those tours again after COVID.

44 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Dr. Yaffe helps fix a neighbor’s roof.

Dr. Scheinberg has visited Israel several times since immediately following the 1967 Six Day War.

From Research to Repairs Even though Dr. Barry Yaffe has spent over 20 years in clinical practice, this retired hematologist-oncologist admitted to the AJT he secretly loved conducting molecular biology research. After retiring in 2013 from Kaiser Permanente, Yaffe dusted off his doctorate in molecular endocrinology from New York University School of Medicine.

In 2014 he volunteered as a summer intern with some professors heading a molecular genetics lab at Emory. He parlayed that introduction into a loose collaboration, allowing him to sublet space in their private lab to conduct his own independent research.

In January, when the sublease ended, Yaffe said, “I returned to my many trusty well- stocked toolboxes and began to repair yard machinery — and everything else under the sun — for fun.” Friends and neighbors in his Toco Hills neighborhood, many whom belong to his synagogue, Beth Jacob, are his customers. For example, he performed extensive repairs on a friend’s roof and he also showed his grandson how to create a tool to polish jewelry stones.

With newfound time, Yaffe hopes to write more of what he calls “sacrilegious religious articles” posted on the Orthodox Union’s OU Torah website. Yaffe’s most recent posting is titled “I Heard the Snake Scream: Why We Bow in Shemonah Esrei.”

Joseph’s Hospital. He had founded the Atlanta Pulmonary Group in 1979.

“I followed my Dad, a Brooklyn cardiologist, in emulating Rambam, the scholarly rabbi, physician, and philosopher of the 12th century and committed to the principle of tikkun olam [repairing the world].”

Scheinberg is a member of Congregations Beth Tefillah and B’nai Torah and studies with the Atlanta Scholars Kollel and Lisa Brill Institute for Jewish Learning.

Since his first visit to Israel immediately following the 1967 Six Day War, Scheinberg continues supporting the country. Before and during COVID, he helped the Jewish National Fund and supports United Hatzalah of Israel, the volunteer first responder organization.

Following retirement, he joined Leadership Sandy Springs and welcomed mayors and other leaders of Israel’s Western Galilee Cluster, which has a “sister city” arrangement with Sandy Springs.

In addition to Israel, Scheinberg sought out Jewish communities in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and India. He also took advantage of retirement’s freedom by gathering on a Wyoming ranch for a family reunion with his three sons, who during COVID had been working from their homes in Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta.

Then there’s the woodturning project he began, opening the boxed lathe purchased 15 years ago.

For those doctors who hesitate about retiring, Scheinberg offers advice.

“There’s a world out there; don’t wait till it’s too late.” Perhaps the doctor’s suggestion applies to others contemplating the same decision. ì

Israel Supporter When he retired in 2017, pulmonologist Dr. Paul Scheinberg had over 40 years in clinical medical practice, the last five years serving as chief medical officer and chief quality officer for Emory Saint

SENIOR LIVING

Nonagenarian Spanier Delivers

By Marcia Caller Jaffe Medical student Jacob “Jack” Spanier met his match on the beach in Charleston in 1954 when future wife Harriet made fun of his Yankee peg leg pants. Years later into marriage and children, and serving in the Navy, the Spaniers made their way to the Emory University-Grady Hospital program for a residency in obstetrics and gynecology.

Harriet recalled, “We didn’t know a soul in Atlanta and found it to be a welcoming, wonderful place. We settled in a house on Morningside (wish we still had that house) and joined Ahavath Achim Synagogue. We were poor during those days and our parents sent us care packages. The synagogue gave us a break on dues and Progressive Club dues were $8 a month. The best deal was Rich’s department store, which carried our credit account paying $20 a month with no interest. In 1958 that was wonderful!”

Before the cluster of medical facilities off Glenridge Drive at I-285, Spanier practiced at Georgia Baptist and Crawford Long hospitals. He notes that back then, a new mother stayed in the hospital six days, maybe eight for a C- section. He said, “In the 1960s, the whole delivery package cost $200 to $250. About $70 went to the hospital.

Mothers were not encouraged to breastfeed as they are today. Some tried to deliver without out pain meds (today’s natural childbirth); some succeeded, some didn’t.”

A “not so great” memory was the anti-Semitism faced when Spanier applied for privileges at Piedmont Hospital. Harriet said, “They had one token Jewish physician, which was odd since it was founded by a Jewish person. Even then, the irony was a doctor might get to be on staff, but their patient couldn’t get a bed.”

One night at the Atlanta Cabana on New Year’s Eve, Jack fortuitously ran into another Jewish ob-gyn with whom he formed a private practice group.

Harriet, now 86, recounted that to follow their group of friends, they joined the Mayfair Club in Midtown. After that was destroyed in a fire, they frequented the Standard Club, where Jack golfed and she played tennis. Harriet was at the top of the fashion culture and worked for several years at Davison’s (now Macy’s) as a consultant by private appointment dressing the city’s glamorous doyennes. Often seen in Valentino, Dior or Sonia Rykiel, she said her fashion mantra still applies today, “I still wear what I think I look good in, not any particular designer; and we always wore high heels to look our best!”

Jack, now 91, is perhaps best known for being one of the founders of Northside Hospital in 1970 and serving as its chairman of the board. Harriet recalled, “One of my proudest moments was when he was honored by Northside at the Hotel Nikko (now the Grand Hyatt).

Jack retired at 84 in 2014, 14,000-plus babies later.” His advice to prospective mothers, “Make sure you find a doctor with whom you can relate, trust and communicate, and be up front about everything that’s going on.”

Local fashion model icon and event planner Martha Jo Katz has known the Spaniers for over 52 years.

“Harriet set fashion standards. She always looks impeccable and her flair from makeup to shoes and clothes shows her beautiful style.

“I was proud that Jack was honored for his years of

Jack, shown with a baby, estimates 14,000-plus deliveries over the span of his career. Ironically, his internship in the Navy treated men only.

Harriet and Jack made for a sophisticated bride and groom at their Charleston wedding.

service to Northside Hospital’s Wine Women & Shoes (2013) event that I chaired. Harriet always has him looking dapper! They make a trendsetting couple who are good inside and out.”

Interior designer daughter Amy said, “I spent my childhood never wondering why my parents were so busy. I knew. My dad was busy bringing life into the

world! Delivering babies and taking extraordinary care of women. A lot of them! I’ve been lucky enough to actually meet many generations of people that he delivered.

“Mom was all about fashion and style, working while taking care of three energetic kids. I am grateful to have inherited my eternal optimism, kindness, creativity and perseverance from my parents.” ì

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 45

BOOK FESTIVAL Michael J. Fox on Strength, Life and Aging

By Robyn Spizman Gerson The entire world knows actor Michael J. Fox, who will appear next week with his latest memoir at the Book Festival of the MJCCA. From his years seen on the family-favorite family sitcom “Family Ties” as Alex P. Keaton to the role of Marty McFly, the teenage sidekick of Doc Brown in the blockbuster movie “Back to the Future,” Fox won a place in our hearts at an early age. Add characters like Mike Flaherty in “Spin City” and guest appearances on television shows including “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Add winning five Emmys, four Golden Globes, one Grammy, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, the People’s Choice Award and GQ Man of the Year, Fox is certainly a beloved celebrity.

Above all of his Hollywood accomplishments, his most meaningful role is his passionate and purposeful advocacy for Parkinson’s disease.

Today, Fox is widely respected for his non-stop dedication to his Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which was launched in 2000 and has be-

46 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

come the leading Parkinson’s nonprofit organization and funder of PD science in the world. Fox has worked tirelessly, creating a global awareness of the disease and helping to find a cure through his Foundation.

While Fox’s previous books dealt with how he came to terms with the illness, his optimism is further challenged.

His latest book “No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality” is seasoned with age and realism, and is a memoir reassessing his optimistic outlook, as events in the past decade presented additional setbacks and personal insights worthy of sharing.

Diagnosed in 1991 at the young age of 29 and now living with Parkinson’s for 30 years, Fox begins his book with a personal look into his decades of living with PD. This book is his constant dialogue between his strong reality, yet ever-evolving optimistic self, thrown into the depths of his persistent battle filled with medical unknowns. In his book, Fox shares personal stories and observations about illness and health, aging, the strength of

Michael J. Fox is known for his acting, sense of humor and promotion of Parkinson’s disease research.

family and friends, and how our perceptions about time affects the way we approach mortality.

Highlighted in Fox’s book is his family, rock and remarkable wife Tracy Pollan, four adult children who visit often, along with their “good” dog Gus. Fox’s gratitude to his family and friends is unwavering, and he shares his private life openly and honestly. To say he’s an icon of hope puts it mildly. This book is both thoughtful and moving. Fox’s voice and trademark self-effacing sense of humor provides his introspective view about life, love and losses. Running through the narrative is the “medical madness” he experienced and his daily negotiations with Parkinson’s disease. After learning to walk again, he had a devastating fall, nearly causing him to opt out of his trademark optimism and as he put it, “get out of the lemonade business altogether.”

As Fox was finishing writing this book, COVID hit. He ends his admitted “hyper-focused” book by acknowledging the state of the world we live in, which

Michael J. Fox’s new book “No Time Like the Future” has the celebrity facing mortality.

has imploded. He joins the reader noting that now we’re all facing unknowns.

If you are wondering how Fox makes it back to the present, this book is worthy of your attention. Fox’s devotion to making life better for other Parkinson’s patients and anyone searching for inspiration during these difficult times will find it here. For all that he has done for humanity, openly sharing his own challenges and life story, Michael J. Fox is definitely an everyday hero in my book, and I feel certain he will be in yours, too. ì Michael J. Fox will present his latest memoir at the Book Festival of the MJCCA at 8 p.m. Nov. 19. For tickets, visit www.atlantajcc.org/interior-pages/arts-and-culturebook-festival-virtual/.

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ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 47

ART Israel Consulate Helps Create COVID Mural

Atlanta’s Israel Consul General Anat Sultan-Dadon completes the image of Israel’s flag on the new mural.

The Westside of Atlanta is part of an active program in the city to encourage outdoor urban art.

By Bob Bahr

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Mayor’s Office of InternaIsrael’s consulate in Atlanta is lead- tional Affairs coordinated the project, ing an effort to acknowledge the work of according to Vanessa Ibarra, who directs health care professionals and those pro- projects in Atlanta government to boost viding other essential services during the the city’s connections with the international community. coronavirus pandemic.

“Israel’s consulate and others wantAs visible evidence of that support, Israel Consul General Anat Sultan-Dadon ed to showcase their solidarity for the city and to be able to showcase that despite this pandemic, we’re all able to come together.”

The mural initiative is the latest effort

by Israel’s consulate to call attention to the problems caused by the worldwide pandemic.

In May, Israel’s diplomatic representatives here helped to organize a virtual summit on the COVID-19 crisis with Atlanta’s sister city in Israel, Ra’anana. The One of Atlanta’s most impressive outdoor images program, which had the is of the late civil rights icon John Lewis. participation of 10 other joined representatives from eight other cities, was described as “looking ahead to nations to dedicate a large-scale outdoor the new normal” created by the health wall mural on Oct. 30 in Westside Atlan- care crisis.

Ra’anana has had a sister city relata. The work was underwritten by Israel and those nations whose flags are a part tionship with Atlanta since 2001. The of the mural, according to Sultan-Dadon, Israel city has initiated an ambitious whose office in Atlanta serves a seven- program of communicating directly with residents using various communications state Southern region.

“The mural was a way for ourselves platforms including social media.

The summit conference was an atand the eight other nations to express that public art is a beautiful means of tempt to address the difficulties that the expressing messages to the wider public. United States and Israel have faced in And we are very happy that we were able trying to control the spread of the disto partner and work with the city of At- ease.

According to Israel’s consul general, lanta on this.”

48 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Representatives from nine consulates in Atlanta and representatives from Atlanta city government line up in front of the mural honoring frontline workers in the pandemic.

both nations are trying to determine how to address a recent spike in infections.

“I think the challenge of this virus is it is similar in different places. One has to try to find the best balance between containing the virus, stopping the spread, while still being able to maintain and ensure the livelihoods of people, the economy, education, and those, I think, are challenges that we are facing in Israel and the United States and elsewhere.”

The mural is on the wall of a private building at 850 Oak Street, Southwest, near the West End Mall. Artist Joseph McBride painted the work as part of a broader effort by Atlanta to encourage outside support for the redevelopment of Atlanta’s urban neighborhoods.

Among the most prominent of the organizations contributing to the effort is the Blank Family Foundation, which has donated over $50 million to bolster the rebuilding of Atlanta’s Westside community that is adjacent to Arthur Blank’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Suganthi Simon, the senior project officer for the effort, points out that there is an important role for what has

been called creative placemaking, like the mural in the West End to encourage new life in older urban areas. According to Simon, the project is more than just a message of support during the pandemic.

“I think it’s about anchoring that sense of place and history and culture, especially for our neighborhood. There’s a big spotlight. There has been a big spotlight on the Westside ever since. You know, we announced the Westside Neighborhood Prosperity Fund, the stadium coming to the Westside neighborhoods.”

The Blank Foundation, according to Simon, is committed to the effort for the long term.

“The work on Oak Street is not just a beautiful painting on an abandoned wall, but among the things you can do to center around a neighborhood and start to fill in places again with people. The Blank Family Foundation is committed to the positive, transparent transformation taking place in Atlanta’s historic Westside neighborhoods and really breaking the cycles of intergenerational poverty that have manifested through decades.” ì

The Lowdown I Bet You Didn’t Know …

Anat Sultan-Dadon Atlanta is chock full of interesting movers and shakers, some bent on creativity, empire building, activism or just plain having fun and living the good life. Lean in to hear some of the off-the-cuff remarks about what makes Anat Sultan-Dadon, Consul General of Israel to the Southeast, tick.

Sultan-Dadon was born in The Hague in the Netherlands, the youngest daughter of retired Israel Ambassador David Sultan. In addition to the Netherlands, she has lived in Egypt, Kenya, Italy and Israel.

She earned her bachelor of arts in psychology and education from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a master of arts in criminology. While there, Sultan-Dadon worked with disabled veterans seeking rehabilitation. She served in the Israeli Defense Forces in military intelligence.

Sultan-Dadon joined the Israeli diplomatic corps in 2004, after her father’s retirement. Her first posting was deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Israel in Yaoundé, Cameroon. She also served as head of the Public Affairs Department at the Embassy of Israel in Berlin; political counselor at the Embassy of Israel in The Hague; and deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Israel in Canberra, Australia. She also has held positions in the Euroasia and Asia-Pacific divisions.

While serving in Australia, Sultan-Dadon organized the 2017 historic visit from Benjamin Netanyahu. The visit marked the first time a sitting Israeli prime minister visited Australia.

Tune into our local diplomat:

What was your most unusual job?

As a student, I worked at Beeper call center, typing and sending texts to the pagers of the recipients of callers. As cellphones became a commodity, the call center was shut down and they gave us all pagers as a parting gift, which wasn’t really of use. That is where I gained my typing skills, as we were evaluated by the speed and accuracy of typing.

That job does not exist anymore!

By whom have you been “star struck”?

The late Shimon Peres, one of Israel’s most prominent statesmen. I was fortunate to take part in his presidential visit to Berlin (2010) and The Hague (2013), including witnessing his moving speech in Hebrew at the German Bundestag on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. What are you reading?

“Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel’s Most Important Leaders Shaped Its Destiny,” which provides the perspective of four of the most significant Israeli leaders: David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin and Ariel Sharon. Each very different, but all demonstrated remarkable leadership and outstanding courage to make difficult decisions.

Where do you like to eat out?

These days we’re not going out to eat; luckily my husband is also our amazing home chef. Post-COVID I’m looking forward to going for breakfast at Another Broken Egg. How do you spend days off?

We’re mostly home, binge watching TV shows (“Survivor”), playing Rummikub or doing whatever the teenagers will agree to doing with us.

Your children would say you are …

Too much of a hugger; they are growing way too fast for me.

What do you miss most about Israel?

Besides family and friends, I miss the Israeli very direct way of communicating.

A capability I wish I had …

I think like any parent of a child with a rare disease, I wish I could develop a treatment for Kleefstra syndrome [intellectual disability] which my younger daughter has. Unfortunately, research towards treatment of rare diseases is lacking in funding and prioritization globally. ì

by Marcia Caller Jaffe ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 49

CALENDAR

NOVEMBER 15-30 tions) related to the weekly Torah reading and draw lessons from Jewish wisdom about how we can live and be our best selves today. To join on Zoom, www.bit.ly/2QXOvKt.

Virtual Classes and Events: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15

Monday Night Parsha – From 7 to 8 p.m. Join Chabad of North Fulton for this virtual class by Rabbi Gedalya Hertz on the weekly parsha. To join, www.bit.ly/2zpsgIl.

Masa Virtual Gap Year Fair – All Day. The fair will feature virtual booths, open for 24 hours, Zoom sessions, alumni and parent panels, guidance counselors to learn about the benefits of taking a gap year and what colleges look for during admissions, and a funding panel. To register, www.bit.ly/32ecUBC.

Book Festival of the MJCCA presents: Raffi Berg, Red Sea Spies: The True Story of Mossad’s Fake Diving Resort – From 3 to 4 p.m. With special guest former Mossad Commander Dani Limor. Written by longtime BBC Middle East correspondent Raffi Berg, this page-turner tells the true story that inspired the recent Netflix drama “The Red Sea Diving Resort.”

To register, www.bit.ly/2FAPkXA. Kabbalah & Coffee – From 9:30 to 11 a.m. Discuss, explore, and journey with Intown Jewish Academy. Learn about the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. No prior kabbalistic experience required. To register, www. bit.ly/2XYKXul Teen Israel Leadership Institute – From 1 to 4 p.m. The interactive online workshop offers Jewish 10th to 12th graders a variety of educational activities and experiences to enhance their knowledge about modern Israel and Zionism and enable them to share what they learn with others. To register, www.bit. ly/340jLi4.

College Financial Aid 101 – From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. JELF is hosting a live financial aid session addressing College Financial Aid 101 and will host a live financial aid session addressing your options and concerns during these uncertain times. During this webinar, topics will include how to pay for college, including scholarships/grants and the varying types of student loans, including JELF’s interest-free option. To join, https:// bit.ly/38g27uc.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16 Lunch & Learn: Reading Torah with Rabbi Gottfried – From noon to 1 p.m. Join Rabbi Pamela Gottfried as she and the group examine classical and modern midrash (interpreta-

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 three to four weeks in advance. Contact community relations director Amy Seidner for more information at amy@atljewishtimes.com.

50 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Medieval Jewry as Revealed in the Cairo Genizah – From 7 to 8 p.m.

Join Etz Chaim for this wonderful virtual Melton class taught by congregant Dr. Shelley Buxbaum, who also wrote the curriculum for this course. This course brings to life an exotic era in Jewish history, revealing the inner thoughts of real-life characters and exploring the daily interactions and behaviors of Jewish men, women and families living along the Mediterranean more than 1,000 years ago. To register, www.bit. ly/3gXtlqh.

The Birth of Yiddish Magazines in America – From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The Tam Institute for Jewish Studies presents the Goldwasser Lecture in Jewish Studies and the Arts, featuring Dr. Tony Michels of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and presented via Zoom. This lecture entitled For the Better Jewish Reader: The Birth of Yiddish Magazines in America, will explore the rise of Yiddish magazines and how they reflected the immigrant Jewish experience in America. To join, www.bit. ly/363eF5A. Book Festival of the MJCCA presents: Ariel Sabar, Veritas – From 8 to 9 p.m. From National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author Ariel Sabar, the gripping true story of a sensational religious forgery and the scandal that shook Harvard University. To register, https://bit. ly/2FvM8wb.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Book Festival of the MJCCA presents: Harry Stern and Sandra Berman: Local Author Showcase! – From 1 to 2 p.m. To register, www.bit. ly/3lNMsWI. Brain Health Boot Camp – From 1 to 3 p.m. Join JF&CS for a new virtual Brain Health Bootcamp. If you are recognizing symptoms of cognitive changes or have been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, our fun and social class can help you strengthen your mind and body to stay sharp, especially during these times. The class will combine gentle physical exercise, including yoga and exercises to help reduce stress and anxiety, along with a full hour of brain exercises done in a nonstress and engaging way of learning.

For information or register, contact Georgia Gunter at ggunter@jfcsatl. org or call 770-677-9421.

JFF Infertility Support Group – From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Join Jewish Fertility Foundation for a free virtual support group. Open to any woman currently experiencing medical infertility. To register, go to www.bit. ly/3e7ZFpC.

ConnecTivism – Connect to Israel Activism – From 8 to 9 p.m. This innovative and interactive content is taught by activism experts. The program delves into subjects that are critical in building and strengthening Jewish leaders. Through interactive online sessions, participants follow an activism journey that guides and empowers them to become Israel activists. Space is limited, to register, www.bit.ly/30i20cU.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 The Davis Academy Virtual Parent Info Sessions – From 11:45 to 1 p.m. join virtually for this Parent Infor-

mation Session. The Davis Academy info session gives you a chance to ask questions and learn more about how they shape great minds, caring hearts and confident leaders. To register, www.bit.ly/3o98chA or call 678-527-3300..

Torah Studies, Live – From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Join Intown Jewish Academy for an in-depth analysis of the Torah portion. This program brings you the tradition of classical Jewish learning in a series of inspiring and engaging weekly classes. The lessons probe the depths of contemporary Torah thought, with a special focus on issues surrounding spirituality, the human psyche, love and relationships. Every experience offers meaningful and timely lessons from the most timeless of texts. To join with Zoom, www.bit.ly/2VkBLjZ.

AJC Atlanta’s 2020 National Human Relations Award – From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. American Jewish Committee is delighted to be honoring Sen. Johnny Isakson with the 2020 National Human Relations Award. In the bipartisan spirit that guided Sen. Isakson, AJC Atlanta is delighted to have Gov. Roy Barnes, Gov. Nathan Deal, Sen. Saxby Chambliss, and Ambassador Andrew Young. To register for this online event, www.bit.ly/3iRQ5db.

Book Festival of the MJCCA presents: Michael Ian Black and Cleo Stiller – From 8 to 9 p.m. Michael Ian Black, The authors speak with Mara Davis, local Atlanta media maven about their new books, which provide comedic and poignant insights into life, family and friendship. To register, https://bit.ly/376l16t.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Experience Epstein Parent Information Session – From 8 to 9 p.m.

Any prospective Early Childhood Program, elementary and middle school families are welcome to join in and engage with principals and admissions representatives to learn about the stellar academics and curriculum, Epstein community and to ask questions about the program. To register, www.bit.ly/3nn1hBc.

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES Chayei Sarah Friday, November 13, 2020, light candles at 5:17 p.m.

Saturday, November 14, 2020, Shabbat ends at 6:14 p.m.

Toledot Friday, November 20, 2020, light candles at 5:14 p.m.

Saturday, November 21, 2020, Shabbat ends at 6:11 p.m.

Shabbat focused on eliminating the shame and stigma felt by many in our communities and society. This discussion and reflection will provide the space to share thoughts, practice vulnerability, build community, and spark positive change toward #QuietingTheSilence on issues surrounding mental health. To register and save your seat, www.bit. ly/353rCvx.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 Book Festival of the MJCCA presents: Rachel Bloom, I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are – From 8 to 9 p.m. From the charming and wickedly funny co-creator and star of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” a collection of hilarious personal essays, poems and even amusement park maps on the subjects of insecurity, fame, anxiety, and much more. To register, www.bit.ly/37bWVau.

Rabbi Mark’s Weekly Parsha Torah Study – From 11:30 to 12:30 p.m.

Join Congregation Beth Shalom and Rabbi Mark Zimmerman for a virtual Torah Study each week as the weekly parsha is discussed. To join, www.bit.ly/3km8rUn. Significant Others of Addicts Support Group – From 1 to 2 p.m. Free weekly support group from JF&CS. This group is for spouses, partners and/ or significant others of those struggling with addiction. To register and for more information, sanderson@ jfcsatl.org.

16th Annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration – From 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Join Temple Kol Emeth for a great online event organized by 20 faith-based groups featuring uplifting speakers and beautiful music.

The 2020 theme is Act Now! Silence is not an option, which will be the focus of the evening. To register, http:// bit.ly/TKEstream.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22

weekly group to study the single most transformative Jewish spiritual text written in the last three centuries with master Tanya teacher Rabbi Ari Sollish. To register, www. bit.ly/3eNGmCi Book Festival of the MJCCA presents: Michael J. Fox, No Time Like the Future – From 8 to 9 p.m. From renowned actor and advocate Michael J. Fox comes a moving account of resilience, hope, fear and mortality, and how these things resonate in our lives. To register, www.bit. ly/3j8TqUE.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 12 Step Spiritual Study Group – From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. From Chabad Intown for loved ones of those affected by addiction: Do you suspect that drugs, alcohol and destructive behavior are taking over your loved one’s life? Jeff’s Place presents a 12week class and discussion with Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman. The class will explore the 12 Steps through a Jewish lens and draw guidance and strength to navigate this excruciating challenge. To register, www.bit. ly/3hTPeqT. Think Different – From 8 to 9 p.m.

Join Intown Jewish Academy for a

Book Festival of the MJCCA presents: Melissa Clark, Kid in the Kitchen – From 1 to 2 p.m. Melissa Clark, the New York Times food columnist and beloved home cooking authority, spins 100 all-new recipes for a robust new audience of home chefs: kids ages 8 to 14. To register, www. bit.ly/33YGEnd.

Book Festival of the MJCCA presents: Mimi Lemay, What We Will Become – From 2 to 3 p.m. Mimi Lemay recounts her memoir of her transgender child’s odyssey and her journey outside the boundaries of the faith and culture that shaped her.To register, www.bit.ly/2IruieS.

Mental Health Shabbat – From 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Join the Blue Dove Foundation, Repair the World, NextGen, and OneTable in a virtual Mental Health

Book Festival of the MJCCA presents: David Baldacci, Daylight: An Atlee Pine Thriller – From 8 to 9 p.m.

Join the MJCCA Book Festival for an author talk and Q & A. To register, https://bit.ly/3k3sSoP.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 Spousal Caregiver Support Group – From 1:30 to 3 p.m. If you are a spousal caregiver to an older adult, this group is for you! Facilitated by Kathryn Kopp, Aviv Older Adult clinician at JF&CS Atlanta, this group is free but donations are appreciated. Occurs every 4th Thursday except on the week of Thanksgiving will be on Tuesday, Nov 24, at the same time. To register, contact Kathryn at 678-3895327 or kkop@jfcsatl.org.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 51

Ongoing: Chabad.org Presents Jewish Kids Activities Online – Jewish art projects, videos, games, activities and more.

For more information, www.bit. ly/2UgUFId.

and meaningful learning opportunities or if you’re just bored and need a distraction during coronavirus cancellations, then you’ve come to the right place. Hillel has virtual meetups and online gatherings that bring you together with Jewish and Jew-ish students from around the world in realtime. For more information, www.bit. ly/3af7wjA. Please send Virtual Classes & Events to amy@atljewishtimes.com.

MJCCA Fitness – MJCCA is open! See the group exercise classes at www. atlantajcc.org/reopen.

MJCCA Book Festival – In Your Living Room Live, click to view MJCCA’s upcoming Book Festival virtual events, www.bit.ly/3bk1mi7.

BBYO – Tune in to BBYO On Demand, a brand-new virtual experience for teens worldwide. Enjoy amazing programming and global events.

Some of the sessions will even be led by our very own Greater Atlanta Region BBYO members. For more information, www.bit.ly/2QFlCD2.

MJCCA Blonder Department for Special Needs – Please stay tuned to the Blonder Family Department for Special Needs Facebook group for daily activities, chats, workouts and more. For more information, www. bit.ly/2Jmpl4x.

PJ Library – PJ Library is bringing fun, crafts, stories, Q&As, scavenger hunts, food demos and so much more. To join in and for more information, www.bit.ly/2WzFFqh.

Repair the World – Repair the World welcomes you to sign up for its programming. Join them from the comfort of your home for a discussion on compassionate care for ourselves and our community. For more information, www.bit.ly/2xhUsv5.

Virtual Hillel Connections – If you’re looking for community, connection 52 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Community Services: Anti-Defamation League – The Coronavirus Surfaces Fear, Stereotypes and Scapegoating: A blog post from ADL to help provide accurate information, explore emotions and, most importantly, play a role in reducing stereotyping and scapegoating. To read more, www.bit.ly/3dp5a3t.

Atlanta Community Food Bank Text for Help SMS Function –The ACFB’s mission to provide nutritious food to the people who need it has reached a major milestone toward access to food for all. The Text for Help is ‘findfood’ (no space). Responses will include a list of three different nearby pantries and their contact information. For more information, www. acfb.org.

Israel American Council – IAC @Home brings you the most innovative content online while helping build a national community with Israel at heart. With activities for kids, teens, young professionals and adults, you can stay connected to Hebrew, Israeli and Jewish heritage, online activism and to one another. IAC @Home lets you enjoy a coast-to-coast community right from your own home. For more information, www.israeliamerican.org/home.

JF&CS - Emergency Financial Assistance – JF&CS is here to provide emergency aid for individuals and families. Please call 770-677-9389 to get assistance. For more information: www.bit.ly/2wo5qzj.

JF&CS - Telehealth Counseling Services – Now offering telehealth options via phone or video conference

for current and new clients to help our community during this crisis. For more information about our therapy services or to make a telehealth appointment, email us at therapy@jfcsatl.org or call 770-677-9474.

JF&CS - Telehealth Older Adult Services – Aviv older adult staff are there to help provide resources, care plans and support for you and your family. Call AgeWell at 1-866-AGE-WELL (1-866-243-9355) to find out how they can help. For more information, www.bit.ly/2wo5qzj.

Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Resources – The unsettling, fast-moving and unpredictable world of life with COVID-19 is upon us. As we’re all discovering, a worldwide pandemic disrupts everyone on an unprecedented scale. For updates and more information, www.bit. ly/3ahrNVM.

Chaim “The Shul with the Neshama (soul) of the South” To join, www.bit. ly/3gWL02s.

Congregation Or Hadash – Shabbat Services Friday at 6:30 p.m. Saturday morning services at 9:15 a.m. Minyan Sunday and Tuesday mornings. To participate and get Zoom link, www. or-hadash.org.

Congregation Shearith Israel – Daily and Shabbat services will continue at regular times through Zoom. They are counting participants in these Zoom services as part of a minyan, allowing members to recite full prayer services including Mourner’s Kaddish. To participate via phone, dial 929-205-6099 and then enter the meeting code 404 873 1743. To be a part of services, visit the Zoom link, www.bit.ly/2wnFWlD.

Please send Community Service Opportunities to amy@atljewishtimes. com.

Temple Emanu-El Livestreaming Services – Erev Shabbat, Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Shabbat service, Saturdays at 10 a.m. Join in on Facebook, www.facebook.com/TEAtlanta/.

Synagogue Livestreaming Services: Ahavath Achim Synagogue – Shabbat Evening Services at 6:30 p.m. Shabbat morning services at 9:30 a.m. To watch and for more information, www.bit.ly/38dS4Ed. Congregation Beth Shalom’s Virtual Services – Erev Shabbat, Fridays at 6:30 p.m., Shabbat service, Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. Zoom minyan Sunday at 9:30 a.m. For more information, www.bit.ly/3gY0mUK. Congregation Etz Chaim – Erev Shabbat Musical, Fridays at 6:30 p.m.

Shabbat morning services at 9:30 a.m. Join in for weekly livestream Shabbat services and discover for yourself why Rabbi Dorsch calls Etz

Temple Beth Tikvah Livestreaming Services – Fridays at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays at 10 a.m. To join on Facebook, www.facebook.com/TempleBethTikvah/ or www.bit.ly/2ZlCvrr.

Temple Kol Emeth Services – Shabbat services on Fridays at 8 p.m. View our services on www.kolemeth.net or www.facebook.com/Temple Kol Emeth-Marietta, GA. Temple Sinai Livestream Services – Temple Sinai has live Shabbat services on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday morning at 10 a.m. For more information and to view services, www.bit.ly/2BXRfTF. The Temple Livestreaming Services – Find live streaming services here, www.the-temple.org.

Please send Synagogue and Temple Streaming Services to amy@atljewishtimes.com.

Check the Atlanta Jewish Connector for updates: www.atlantajewishconnector.com.

Connector Chatter Directory Spotlight www.atlantajewishconnector.com

The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust

The Epstein School

In conversation with Fran Putney

In conversation with Tali Benjamin How long has your organization been in Atlanta?

The Epstein School has been serving the community for 47 years.

How do you cater to young students?

Epstein Early Childhood Program students learn respect/kavod for each other at a young age. Our ECP helps students celebrate and understand the meaning behind the Jewish holidays, learn simple Torah narratives and connect their teachings to their own life experiences. We also introduce experiences that build Jewish community and provide a foundation of the customs, rituals and traditions that are integral to Jewish life.

Where do you see your organization in 10 years?

As a continued leader in exceptional academics and innovation, the school continues to produce graduates who are: • Advocates for themselves and their learning.

• Critical thinkers who can see the world through multiple perspectives.

• Proficient Hebrew speakers enabling strong connections with Israel and Jews around the world.

• Confident and committed leaders who are grounded in their own Jewish identity.

• Lifelong learners who can deepen understanding through research, deep reading and interpersonal skills.

• Expressive and articulate communicators whether written, spoken or other media.

How long has your organization been in Atlanta?

The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust is a secular, nonpartisan state agency established by executive order

by Joe Frank Harris in 1986. Gov. Zell Miller re-established the Commission and charged it with creating education programs for Georgia citizens.

In 1998 by act of the Georgia General Assembly, the Commission became a permanent state agency. The Commission consists of 15 members appointed equally by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House.

How do you cater to younger members of the community?

Under normal conditions, the Commission hosts many school groups throughout the year at the Anne Frank in the World exhibit in Sandy Springs and brings compelling speakers, often Holocaust survivors, to schools and communities throughout Georgia. During this unusual year, the Commission is developing online presentations and seminars to assist educators in offering impactful Holocaust curriculum experiences to their students. Visit holocaust.georgia.gov for updates on when speaker programs and exhibit tours will resume.

Where do you see your organization in 10 years?

The Commission is in the midst of developing very exciting plans to secure a prime location in Sandy Springs that will feature a new Anne Frank exhibition, as well as other state-of-the-art, engaging technologies that will bring understanding of the Holocaust to a more personal level. Ultimately, visitors – Georgians and people from around the world -- will not only gain insight into events of Holocaust history, but will leave the exhibition considering the rights and responsibilities each of us holds as a citizen in a modern democracy.

Cinnaholic In conversation with Tom Franks How long has your organization been in Atlanta?

Cinnaholic has been in Atlanta four years.

How do you cater to younger members of the community?

Cinnaholic has a fun menu full of yummy flavors that children and adults love, including a “Build Your Own Cinnamon Roll.” We partner with multiple schools in the area and have helped with many children’s events in the past.

Where do you see your organization in 10 years?

Cinnaholic is the destination for gourmet cinnamon rolls and will continue to be one of the best dessert shops/ bakeries in the Atlanta area.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 53

COMMUNITY AA Sisterhood Celebrates 100 Years

By Flora Rosefsky In 1920, 10 women for Ahavath Achim Synagogue started a Sisterhood. It was around the same time the women’s suffrage 19th amendment was ratified giving women the right to vote. A century later AA Sisterhood’s celebrated its centennial year with the theme, “Women Empowering Women.”

The Centennial Celebration, spanning the Sisterhood’s 100 years of service to AA synagogue, took place as a virtual program Oct. 18 using Zoom.

Because of the current pandemic, Sisterhood’s Centennial plans abruptly transitioned from its scheduled April gala event to the fall calendar date. The setting and décor in Srochi Hall, dancing to a musical band and a catered sit-down dinner were canceled. But the program to share Sisterhood’s stories past and present remained intact.

On Oct. 18, over 130 Sisterhood members, including a few guests, sat at their computers, iPads or smartphones at home.

Using Zoom, they saw and heard Sisterhood leaders, AA rabbis and other mem-

54 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Courtesy of The Breman Museum archives/ Jeremy Katz // Sisterhood members line

up to serve lunch to members who had come to see their new shul on Peachtree Battle Avenue, summer 1958.

bers voice their personal reflections.

Allison Feldman and Rachael Joseph, current Sisterhood co-presidents, gave welcoming remarks together with alternate readings. Joseph told those listening, “We show up. Always. We have a voracious appetite to learn and improve ourselves and our community.”

Betty Behr and Susan Hart Sandler cochaired the Centennial program. Sandler said, “For many years our primary place was in the synagogue kitchen and provid-

Estelle Karp, standing at left, attends a Silver Tea program with a Sisterhood friend in the early '60s.

Rabbi Harry Epstein joins staff and nursery school children at the AA Educational Center, which received Sisterhood’s strong support.

ing for our children’s education. Now we activities. Betty Ann Shusterman said, “afdo those things and lead services, read To- ter being an AA Sisterhood president, you rah and Haftorah and serve as officers and could be the CEO of IBM.” Diane Bernstein, who initiated the president of the board of directors. What project to honor womhasn’t changed is that en who were Sisterthe Sisterhood is the hood members for 50backbone of the synaplus years, noted that gogue.” over time 309 members Rabbi Laurence have accomplished the Rosenthal and Rabbi same milestone. Behr Neil Sandler praised and Sandler followed Sisterhood’s role. With by reading the names his guitar, Associate of 30 women who this Rabbi Sam Blustin sang year reached the equivthe “Shehecheyanu” alent threshold. Their prayer. Debbi Kaner Goldich, president of A member pours into her cup during list included three a Sisterhood Silver Tea program. members who passed the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, sent greetings away between April and October.

Before the program began on Sunday from the organization.

And Adam Hirsch and Jacob Ross pro- morning, volunteers dropped off gift bags duced a retrospective video using many to attendees’ homes. “A Century of Sweets!” photos from The Breman Museum ar- with dessert recipes compiled from three chives with assistance from archivist Jere- former Sisterhood cookbooks, was published in 2020. Caterer my Katz. In her closing Annette Marcus took remarks, Joseph called Ida Koplin’s Brown Sugthe documentary video ar Pound Cake recipe to a “perfect time capsule bake over 100 loaves for our first 100 years.” that were inserted in Capturing various the bags along with a eras, the video began copy of the new cookwith Lizzie Scheinbook. baum, the Sisterhood’s Another video was first president. Snapshown at the end of shots noted succeeding the event. A few womdecades with SisterMembers dance in a Sisterhood en from Sisterhood’s hood teas, luncheons program on the AA stage.

Z’havah Group, aged and dinners. Several 1950s and 60s photos revealed members 40 and under, spoke directly into a camera cooking in the synagogue kitchen or per- from their homes to answer the question: forming on the AA stage for annual fund- “What Sisterhood means to me.”

Feldman said these are the women raising musicals.

In addition to the parade of photos who “will carry the torch into the next 100 were short videos of past Sisterhood presi- years.” ì dents who pre-recorded their comments.

Disclosure: Flora Rosefsky is an AA The women reminisced while telling anecdotal stories highlighting Sisterhood’s Sisterhood member.

COMMUNITY

This Collector Loves Being Puzzled

Andrew Gurvey at the beach with daughters Hanna and Mia. Daughter Dalia not pictured.

Philippe Dubois carved 30 “sticks” for this complex puzzle.

Philippe Dubois’ unconventional style is displayed in this puzzle.

By Chana Shapiro Andrew Gurvey is director of real estate for Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta.

In addition, he runs his own law practice, has fun with his three daughters, repairs mid-century trucks, does major construction on his home, maintains an organic garden and raises chickens. Most unusual, however, is his vast 3D puzzle collection.

Gurvey’s first collectible 3D puzzles, featuring precise craftsmanship and design, were purchased in Israel in 1996 in a shop on Ben Yehuda Street. Eventually, he connected with other collectors, craftsmen and enthusiasts around the world and now owns more than 100 puzzles.

Some are carved from exotic woods like purpleheart, padauk or wedge. The most collectible are made by the same persons who designed them. Gurvey’s collection represent many prominent creators. Here he talks about two of his favorites, both puzzle-making giants.

Interblock Halley The late Philippe Dubois, whose creations intrigued Gurvey in 1996, became his favorite puzzle maker. DuBois was an Israeli engineer who also designed puzzles under the name Gaby Games.

Gurvey found more Dubois wood puzzles in auctions, including “Halley,” made of 30 notched mahogany sticks in the shape of a dodecahedron.

best designer of interlocking polyhedral puzzles,” Gurvey said. “Some of Coffin’s simplest (but deceptively tricky) puzzles are only a few pieces, where the goal is to fit them into a shallow tray. I recently purchased Sphinx, design 156-A. It is 12 dissimilar pieces out of five different woods.

Most puzzles will come apart by pushing a piece here or there; but I’ve been working on this one, and so far nothing has moved.

It’s the most expensive puzzle I’ve bought, so I’m inclined to handle it gently,” Gurvey said.

“Coffin sometimes crafted only one or two of a design; in some, a lot of money and time went into their creation and materials. Overdrive (#117) by Stewart Coffin is so tricky to assemble manually that Stewart created an assembly jig to help.

Reportedly, only five were made.”

Sphinx (156-A) Overdrive (117) “The majority of my puzzles are by Stewart Coffin, considered the world’s

Stuart Coffin’s very difficult puzzles are also works of art.

Multiple Polyhedral Puzzles “I admire challenging ‘burr puzzles,’ which have six or more interlocking pieces,” he said. “Some take as many as 10 moves just to remove the first piece, then another six to remove the second piece.

It’s equally challenging to reassemble it.

I have one that I still can’t put back together.”

This puzzle consists of rings once parts of machinery used in making beer and ale.

Stuart Coffin’s Sphinx (156 A) continues to stump collector Gurvey, but he’s working on it, oh so carefully.

Stuart Coffin’s Overdrive (117) was so tricky, he had to create a jig to help solvers.

Crown of Thorns Gurvey is fascinated by puzzles that come apart or together in a unique way.

His most unusual puzzles are a couple, called Crown of Thorns. Each is 144 almost identical pieces interlocking to form a ring. They are sometimes called Twisted Torus. Their origin is yeast rings, used by brewers to make beer and ale. They are art: unusual and beautiful wooden assemblages.

Gurvey finds puzzles everywhere, including auctions in California and the Netherlands, and even at an Atlanta mathematics convention. The 40th International Puzzle Party, scheduled for Israel this year, was cancelled. A puzzle’s monetary value depends on supply, demand and quality. Rare puzzles can sell at auction for several thousand dollars, and values rise as craftsmen retire or demand increases from new collectors. For now, Gurvey does not consider his puzzles an investment, but he concedes, “Someday I may sell select puzzles. Only time will tell.” ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 55

COMMUNITY

Former Armed Forces Chaplain Honors Vets

By Rabbi Albert Slomovitz It is a pleasure to commemorate Veterans Day and recognize those who selflessly serve our country and help guarantee our freedoms. I would like to share a few aspects of life in the military that I experienced during my 20-year career as an armed forces chaplain.

What sort of work did the chaplains do? In the military, as in universities and hospitals, the role of the chaplains was to “wear two yarmulkes at the same time.” The first, was to care for all the people in their unit regardless of their faith tradition. Keep in mind that the age of the enlisted folks is 18 to 19 years old. They were most likely away from home for the first time, missing family and friends and concerned with how quickly their lives were changing.

Probably a bit scared. It was the job of the chaplains to resolve their concerns and help them maintain their morale to complete their missions.

Our second yarmulke was to care for our specific faith congregation. This responsibility differed from assignment

to assignment. In some cases, I connected with local shuls for support. In Chicago, the Jewish community ensured that the sailors aboard the base had a kosher oneg every Shabbat. In Okinawa, Japan, every instance of Jewish life, from a bris, bar mitzvah, conversion, religious education, Holocaust programs, was supervised by the military rabbi.

When people converted to Judaism, we used the East China Sea as our mikvah.

Who joins the military? On the enlisted side, we had folks right out of high school. From an officer perspective, there were college graduates who served as battle leaders. On the graduate school side, we had an array of folks including doctors, dentists, engineers, lawyers, supply officers and chaplains. The function of these officers was to support those directly involved in combat.

The motivations for those who joined were varied. Some were going to use a version of the government’s GI Bill to pay for college. Most, however, were inspired by their love of America and a desire to serve. The pay today for a new recruit is about $1,660 per month. It

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was never about the money. It was love of country and higher ideals that motivates our young people.

Service in the military is a family endeavor. The support of spouses, children, family and friends is an important aspect of military service. Maintaining healthy marriages and families over time is a challenge. Navy aircraft carriers deploy for six to seven months at a time. Prior to that, shorter cruises of one to two months are taken. In a year of deployment, sailors and Marines can be away 75 to 80 percent of the time. Other military services have yearlong deployments around the world, from Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan, Korea, places most of us don’t even recognize. These deployments are difficult for all concerned.

The military for me was a wonderful human laboratory of fairness, equity and education. It was one of the careers where you can truly put into practice the biblical principle of, “Loving your neighbor as Yourself.”

The Jewish chaplains were ambassadors of our faith for thousands. In my career, I offered prayers for people of all faiths when they were ill or retiring and spent countless hours in personal and family counseling. On all those occasions, my prayers, as a rabbi, were appreciated and accepted.

I wish to end with a story that exemplifies the chaplaincy.

One day, while assigned to the chaplain’s office at Naval Station Norfolk, I was the “duty chaplain,” meaning my job was to help anyone who came into our chapel that day. In the afternoon, I saw a column of Marines marching toward one of our aircraft carriers on the way to the Middle East. As the column passed the chapel, one of the Marines broke off the march and came in. He asked for the chaplain on duty.

I greeted him and as he said hello, he dropped to his knees and said, “My battalion is heading toward a long deployment and possible combat. I wish to have the blessing of

St. Christopher to protect myself and my fellow Marines.” In his tradition, this saint is solicited to offer protection from danger when people are traveling.

I was unsure of how to respond to this kneeling Marine who really wanted this spiritual help. Fortunately, I realized that I could offer a Jewish parallel.

I told him that I was going to say the Tefillah Haderech, a prayer that spoke about the Almighty offering protection to those traveling. I said the prayer in Hebrew and English. As I finished, he crossed himself, got up, thanked me and rejoined his unit.

Months later, he returned and came to the chapel and thanked me profusely for the “special Hebrew travelers’ prayer” that kept him and his fellow Marines safe on their deployment! Thank God. If you see a veteran, offer them thanks for their service to our country.

Happy Veterans Day. ì Rabbi Albert Slomovitz is associate rabbi of Congregation Etz Chaim, author of “The Fighting Rabbis,” professor at Kennesaw State University, and founder of the Jewish Christian Discovery Center.

COMMUNITY

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YOU CAN RENT YOUR The Daffodil Project conservancy effort at Chastain Park is part of a worldwide initiative to plant 1.5 million daffodils in memory of the children who died in the Holocaust.

By Susanne Katz

The planting Sunday was a partnership between members of Temple Sinai, the Chastain Park Conservatory and Am Yisrael Chai.

over 230 locations around the world.

Lynn Redd, president of Temple SiThe Daffodil Project, an initiative nai, looks forward to the flowering of of Atlanta-based Am Yisrael Chai, plant- daffodils this spring. “It was wonderful to partner with ed 2,500 daffodil Chastain Park Conbulbs in Chastain servancy to supPark Sunday. The port an important flowers, in honor of worldwide initiachildren who died tive in memory of during the Holochildren who percaust, were planted ished in the Holonear the children’s caust. Fortunately, playground at the we were able to parcorner of Chastain ticipate in a safe, Park Avenue and socially distanced Dudley Lane. The manner. We look planting effort was forward to a beaua partnership betiful field of yellow tween Temple Sidaffodils in the nai, the Chastain spring, symbolizing Park Conservancy hope and renewal.” and Am Yisrael About 15 memChai. bers of Temple Si“This is an imnai’s ATID young portant project,” adult group in their said Rosa McHugh, 20s and 30s particiexecutive direcpated in the planttor of the Chastain ing, said Samantha Park Conservancy.

Berinsky, Temple “The beauty of Sinai program and the flower invites engagement manpeople to stop and ager. “The group take a look and to was excited about also learn about the participating in importance of The Daffodil Project. It David Feldman wears his Am Yisrael Chai such a beautiful T-shirt as he plants daffodils at Chastain and meaningful is so meaningful to Park Sunday. Am Yisrael Chai is a nonprofit project. Hopefully, be able to bring the Holocaust education and genocide by the time the dafproject to Chastain awareness organization based in Atlanta fodils are in bloom, Park and to become that developed The Daffodil Project. we will be able to a Daffodil Project site. The worldwide Daffodil Project enjoy their beauty, and at the same website includes a map of memorial time, enjoy the world’s new and healthgardens, including 607,000 daffodils in ier look.” ì

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470-808-9411 404-617-6483 www.amramp.com ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 57

KEEPING IT KOSHER

JEWISH JOKE

Jewish Grandmother A Jewish grandma and her grandson are at the beach. He’s playing in the water; she is standing on the shore not wanting to get her feet wet, when all of a sudden, a huge wave appears from nowhere and crashes directly onto the spot where the boy is wading. The water recedes and the boy is no longer there... he was swept away.

The grandma holds her hands to the sky, screams and cries: “Lord, my God, how could you? Haven’t I been a wonderful grandmother? Haven’t I been a wonderful mother? Haven’t I kept a kosher home? Haven’t I given to charity? Haven’t I lit candles every Friday night? Haven’t I tried my very best to live a life that you would be proud of?

A voice booms from the sky, “All right already!”

A moment later another huge wave appears out of nowhere and crashes on the beach. As the water recedes, the boy is standing there. He is smiling and splashing around as if nothing had ever happened.

Cranberry Relish Make your own cranberry sauce this year with fresh, real ingredients and this easy-to-follow recipe.

Start to finish: 25 minutes Servings: 8 Preference: Pareve Diet: Vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, gluten free 3 cups fresh cranberries 1 cup sugar 1 orange, juiced and zested ½ cup water ½ teaspoon cardamom In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add all the ingredients, then stir evenly to distribute.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the cranberries start to burst.

Smash the cranberries with a potato masher. Continue to simmer, stirring frequently for 10 minutes.

Serve at room temperature or cold. Stores best in the refrigerator. You can make in advance and freeze it. Allow to defrost at room temperature.

Recipe by Tamar Teitelbaum, kosher.com 58 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

The voice booms again. “I have returned your grandson. Are you satisfied?”

She responds, “He had a hat.”

Source: Chabad Naples Jewish Community Center

YIDDISH SLANG OF THE MONTH Tweetzpah adj. Quality of a person whose tweets are over-the-top and self-serving.

“Mickey just tweeted that he is only one vote short of winning this year’s Nobel Prize in economics. The man can’t even balance his checkbook.

It’s just more of Mickey’s tweetzpah.”

The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “All I need is a sheet of paper and something to write with, and then I can turn the world upside down.” Imagine the world’s gyrations if the famously selfinvolved iconoclast had been able to tweet. Tweetzpah!

Derived from the Yiddish chutzpah, meaning arrogance, brazenness presumptuousness.

Yiddish Slang provided by Daniel Klein from his book “Schmegoogle: Yiddish Words for Modern Times.”

BRAIN FOOD

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22. One who frightens 24. "As if" 1. Talks, talks, talks 25. Mozart medium 5. Tefillin locale 26. ___ Shalom 8. Cyclical event 27. Tweetstorm, e.g.

14. Fiona, e.g.

32. By and large 15. Tiny 33. Chorus of fans?

16. One-minute trailer, maybe 35. Brontosaurus and Diplodocus, 17. What Archie Bunker called his e.g. son-in-law 36. Agnew of note 19. Meshugah 37. Wife of Joseph 20. Deal between NBA players and 39. Give up owners 40. Writer Ogden 21. Compact item 43. ___ like it is 23. Home, to Jose DOWN 45. Proves false 24. Hopping good times?

1. Shlishi or Rivii preceder 47. Tref item that's shucked 28. They should be added to 2. Go gray 49. Words that follow "bring" in a 39-Across 3. Tries to get to Carnegie Hall, challenge 29. Teen, in Israel? perhaps 50. '40s jazz style 30. Nicer alternative to hell?

4. Delay in progress 51. One of the Haim sisters 31. 31st parsha 5. Feeling felt when witnessing a 52. Ages like iron 34. The longest parsha miracle 53. Jerusalem hotel once called 38. "Here we ___" 6. Leins (The) LaRome 39. What can be made using the 7. Opponent of Trump, perhaps 54. Davis of "A League of Their starts of 17, 24, 50, & 60-Across 8. Stones' companions Own" 41. Advanced tests for HSers 9. Farm bird 59. Rock music subcategory 42. Needless expenditure 10. It might run in the rain 61. Free app annoyances 44. "... ___, whatever will be, will be" 11. Gad's grandpa 62. What the Yankees do more 45. Lay to 42-Across 12. On pins and needles than the Mets 46. Jewish testimonials 13. Places 63. Game console hidden in 48. Mist one can drink 18. What anger leads to, according "Genesis" 50. One of the two protagonists of to Yoda Disney's "Onward"

ACROSS

By: Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com

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15 Years Ago//November 11, 2005 ì We Salute You: More than 20 Jewish war veterans, most of whom served in World War II and the Korean War, were honored at a special pre-Veterans Day breakfast at Congregation Beth Jacob in Toco Hills. The idea to honor the veterans came from the synagogue’s Men’s Club president Mel Gorowitz. He wanted to honor his father, who served as an air raid warden in World War II. ì A new Torah was unveiled at The Davis Academy. The scroll was dedicated to Rabbi Philip Kranz. The event marked the school’s 13th year, and the rabbi’s 25th year of service at Temple Sinai in Sandy Springs.

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bi had won the poll in the eight years since the poll had been conducted. The rabbi quips: “It’s a little humbling being next to categories like the best pizza parlor.” ì The Atlanta Jewish Book Festival took place from Nov. 11-19 at the Atlanta Jewish Community Center’s Midtown branch. Some of the authors included Leon Uris, Jeff Greenfield, John Loftus and Mollie Katzen.

50 Years Ago//October 30, 1970 ì Barry Friedman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley R. Friedman of Atlanta and a senior at Northside High School, won second place in the J.J. Lieberman Creative Writing Contest of the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization. His award-winning poem was called “The Sixth Day.” Rabbi Steven Lebow was ì Wedding announcement: Melinda Ann Fink and Paul Mark named “Best Spiritual Leader” Orenstein tied the knot Sept. 6 at the Biltmore-Sheraton Hotel. Rab25 Years Ago//November 10, 1995

by Creative Loafing in 1995. bi Maynard Hyman officiated. After a wedding trip to the Grey Rock ì The Chosen One: Rabbi Steve Lebow is voted as the “Best Spiritual Leader” in an annual poll by Creative Loafing. It was the first time a rab- Inn and Montreal, Canada, the couple lives in Athens. ì ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 59

OBITUARIES Bonnie Zuber Beerman 86, Atlanta

Bonnie Zuber Beerman, 86, of Atlanta, passed away Nov. 1, 2020, from Parkinson’s dis-

ease.

Born March 22, 1934, in Houston, Texas, she was the daughter of the late Philip and Florence Zuber of blessed memory. Growing up in Houston, Bonnie attended San Jacinto High School. While there, she was a member and president of Barnston BBG and was sweetheart of Cyrus Adler AZA. She moved to Highland Park, Ill., in 1969, and then to Atlanta in 1979.

Wherever Bonnie went, she made good friends. She was most active in ORT, holding local and regional leadership positions. An alumna of five different universities, she earned her master’s degree in social work and spent most of her career as a social worker at Jewish Family & Career Services in Atlanta.

Bonnie loved life. She relished the arts, was very creative, and kept abreast of current events. More than anything, she loved her family. She had extremely close and meaningful relationships with each family member and friends that she treated like family. Bonnie was known for the special impact that she had on every person she encountered. She exuded kindness, was grateful for her wonderful life, and loved unconditionally. She welcomed all and made everyone feel good about themselves.

She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law Gordon and Merryl Zuber of Houston, Texas; daughters and sons in-law Cindy and Howard Gibbs of Marietta, Ga., and Carol and Mark Kreditor of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren Bobby Gibbs, Sarah and Ethan Davis, Rabbi Philip Gibbs, and Rose Kreditor; great-granddaughter Maya Davis; sisters and brothers-in-law Toby and John Bridendall; Milton Edelson, Burton and Celeste Beerman; many cousins, nieces and nephews, and friends. Bonnie was predeceased by her parents Florence and Philip Zuber and her sister-in-law Louisa Edelson.

The family wants to thank her very special caregivers Betty Gullet, Bree Minnis, Shawneka McFee and Tomeka Gittens, as well as the caring staff at Huntcliff Summit.

The funeral was held Nov. 3. Due to COVID-19, the funeral was private. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Jewish Family & Career Services, 4549 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Atlanta, GA 30338, or the charity of your choice.

60 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

Please refer to www.dresslerjewishfunerals.com and www.jewishfuneralsusa.com to sign the online guestbook. Funeral arrangements were made by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999, and Houston Jewish Funerals, 713-666-0257.

Sarabel Kass Cohen 96, Atlanta

Sarabel Kass Cohen was an extraordinary woman who lived a wonderful life. She died as she lived, with grace and dignity, at the age of 96 at home in Atlanta Oct. 25, 2020. She lived a storybook life, marrying Gilbert, the man of her dreams, raising two sons Kass and Seth, who she adored and who adored her, and being blessed with a daughter-in-law Stephanie, the daughter she never had, and granddaughter Gracie, the light of her life, whose recent bat mitzvah brought tears of joy and celebration to her Saysa’s eyes and heart.

Sarabel was born in Savannah, Ga., March 1, 1924, to Charles Kass and Ida Greenberg Kass, but grew up in the small town of Thomaston with her big brother Irving, who she loved dearly. She was valedictorian of her high school, Robert E. Lee Institute, and made wonderful, lifelong friends. Her parents, and later she and her brother, owned and operated Charles Kass Company clothing stores on the town square, where locals would gather, gossip and enjoy each other’s company.

Sarabel graduated from the University of Georgia in Athens with a bachelor of arts in Spanish, where she was named Phi Betta Kappa, and earned a master’s degree in Spanish from Emory University in Atlanta. She then met Gilbert, the love of her life. They married and lived happily together in Atlanta for 56 years until Gilbert’s death in 2004.

She and Gilbert raised their two sons Kass and Seth, her pride and joy. She was their mama and best friend, loving, teaching and caring for them until her final days.

Always a teacher, Sarabel taught Spanish at the University of Georgia as a very young woman before marrying Gilbert. After her children went to college, Sarabel once again was called to teaching, where she spent many years teaching English as a Second Language at Georgia State University to hundreds of men and woman from foreign lands. She loved teaching and being around young people and wrote two well-respected ESL textbooks.

Sarabel was a proud Jew and lifelong member of Ahavath Achim Synagogue, where she taught Sunday School. Sarabel also did volunteer work with the National Council of Jewish Women.

Sarabel was that one person in the family that all others called for advice, encouragement and strength, to share good news or just to say hello. She had a wonderful sense of humor, an infectious laugh, and a great sense of style. Life without her will not be the same, but all our lives have been forever changed and enriched for having known and loved her. She was our friend and will be missed so very, very much. But the truth is, she did live a wonderful life, fulfilled her dreams and went out “on top,” as she told her children days before she peacefully left this life. And that is truly extraordinary.

Sarabel is survived by her son Charles Kass Cohen of Atlanta; son and daughter-in-law Seth Ray and Stephanie Bourland Cohen; granddaughter Gracie Cohen of Elon, N.C.; nephew Charles Kass of Thomaston, Ga.; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Doe and Susan Cohen of Atlanta; sisters-in-law Pat Cohen of Atlanta and Sheila Cohen of Aventura, Florida; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

OBITUARIES

Evelyn (Evie) Golcman Weinreich Gilmer 62, Atlanta

Evelyn (Evie) Golcman Weinreich Gilmer passed away Sept. 14, 2020. She was the beloved wife of Steve Gilmer, with whom she had a sweet but far too short 18-month marriage.

Evie’s characteristic bright smile was warm, authentically friendly, welcoming and endearing. Her friendly cheerfulness was magnetic, as was her famous meal hospitality to friends and family and enthusiastic involvement in the Jewish community.

Evie was an active partner to her husband Steve in operating Kosher Gourmet, where she and Steve prepared over 27,000 kosher meals during summer of 2020 for kids under 18.

She spearheaded many of the creative COVID-19 Kosher Gourmet 2020 meal initiatives including “Pesach in a Box” (150 meals), “Shabbat in a Box,” “Dinner in a Box,” “Rosh Hashanah in a Box,” a fresh Sandwich Bar, and more. Even with having some health challenges of her own, during COVID-19, she donned a mask and stood proudly beside her husband Steve in their pivotal role serving the kosher community.

Before working at Kosher Gourmet, Evie spent the bulk of her career at what’s now known as the Atlanta Jewish Academy, where she worked for over 30 years as a teacher and administrator.

Evie was a founding member of Congregation Ohr HaTorah where she played a very active role. Whether at Ohr HaTorah, Kosher Gourmet, or Atlanta Jewish Academy, Evie was a pillar of the Atlanta Jewish community.

Evie was predeceased by her first husband Rabbi Lewis Weinreich, for whom she left no stone unturned in her efforts to nurse him back to health when he became morbidly ill. She also doted on her father Ephraim Josef Golcman, who was a widower for 12 years. There were no limits to what she would do to provide loving care and attention to him, especially as his health declined and he became homebound in the last few years prior to his death in 2010.

She was also predeceased by her mother Bronia Apelker Golcman, whom she lost in 1998.

She was blessed with two sons, Tzvi Weinreich (Karie) and Dovid Weinreich (Brooke) and grandsons, Petra and Israel (Izzy) Lewis. In addition to her husband Steve, sons and grandsons, Evie is survived by her sisters Berta (Bert) Golcman Adams (Sam) and Fran Golcman Kaminsky (Myron), three nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews, whose relationships she cherished. She will be sorely missed by all of Steve’s family, including his two children Alan Gilmer and Lori Gilmer Reiter (Joseph) and their three children Benjamin, Jonathan and Joshua; brother-in-law, sisters, five nieces and nephews and their 13 children.

She will be sorely missed by everyone fortunate enough to have known her.

If you wish to send contributions in her memory, please consider making them to Congregation Ohr HaTorah, 2056 LaVista Road, Atlanta, GA 30329; or Congregation Beth Jacob, 1855 Lavista Road, Atlanta Ga 30329. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-4514999.

Burton Alan Jacobs 89, Atlanta

Burton Alan Jacobs passed away Nov. 3, 2020, at the age of 89 at his home at Arbor Terrace of East Cobb surrounded by his family.

Burton was born Nov. 11, 1930, in Bronx, N.Y., to Esther and Nathan Jacobs. He attended City College in Brooklyn, N.Y., and received a bachelor’s degree and then went on to graduate from Brooklyn Law School in 1957. He then married the love of his life Phyllis Frances Bank.

Burton started his love of practicing law and then opened his own practice and was known for real estate law. He retired from being an attorney in 1981 and enjoyed traveling with his wife to Paris, France, Spain and England, to name a few. He had a love of antiques and art. He loved to play golf, tennis and of course Scotch. However, his greatest sense of pride was his wife, children and grandchildren, and their accomplishments. He was a very involved Dad and Pop Pop. He was also a veteran of the Korean War. He is preceded in death by his mother Esther and father Nathan of Bronx, N.Y.; and his wife Phyllis Frances Jacobs, who passed in 2012. Burton is survived by his daughter and sonin-law Linda and Sheldon Berch of Marietta, and son Dr. Eric Jacobs of Lake Charles; and his three grandchildren Joshua Harnick, Brandon Harnick and Gabriel Jacobs. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

‫זיכרונה לברכה‬ ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 61

OBITUARIES

Rhona Koplin Landis

Joan Spielberger Langer

Rhona Koplin Landis, age 97, passed away peacefully Nov. 6, 2020. Rhona joins her husband of nearly 60 years Paul Landis; her beloved son Alan Landis; parents Ida and Pinchas Koplin; sister Natalie Berkman; and brother Beryl Koplin.

As the heart and soul of her family, she will live on through her children Kerry and Linda Landis, Dr. Evan Landis and David Herndon, and Ritchie Crownfield; grandchildren Lori and Matthew Spett, Rabbi Pinchas and Naomi Landis, Michael and Dr. Rebecca Landis, and Bonnie Dowling and Andrew Boyink; and great-grandchildren Parker and Finely Spett, Ayala, Moshe Abba, Talia, Leora, Zahava, Nathan, and Presley Landis, and Capers Dowling Boyink.

Her thoughtful elegance inspired and touched all she met. She will be remembered with great love and her presence missed by all who knew her.

Graveside services were held at Greenlawn Cemetery Nov. 8. For additional information regarding funeral and shiva arrangements, please see https://dresslerjewishfunerals.com/. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Weinstein Hospice, CURE Childhood Cancer/Lauren’s Run, or Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Joan Spielberger Langer, of Birmingham, died Oct. 17, 2020 after a brief illness. She was 96 years young, born Dec 5, 1923. Joan was preceded in death by her husband Jack Langer; her parents, Selma and IW Spielberger; sister Peggy Rose Spielberger of Atlanta; and brother, Dr. Robert Spielberger, of Birmingham.

She is survived by sister-in-laws Lynn Spielberger Bloomston (Bert) of Birmingham and Dvora Rotenberg Shulman of Rochester; stepson Larry Langer of West Palm Beach; and many adoring nieces and nephews: Peggy Klug (Isaac), Steve Spielberger (Susan), Jeff Spielberger (Sandra), Wendy Rutkoff (Jonathan), and Scott Spielberger (Audra) and their children Adam (Elissa), Michael (Kate), Brad (Jenna) Klug, Stefanie (Dave) Funk, Richard, Mitchell, Samantha Spielberger, Ida and Bobby Rutkoff; as well as many cousins. She will forever and always remain in our hearts. Contributions may be made to Collat Jewish Family Services, www.cjfsbham.org.

A private family burial was held in Atlanta with Rabbi Joshua Heller officiating.

97, Atlanta

96, Birmingham

Licensed in 15 metro Atlanta Counties

62 | NOVEMBER 15, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES

OBITUARIES

Arthur J. Nevins 83, Decatur

Arthur J. Nevins, 83, of Decatur, Ga., passed away Oct. 23, 2020. Arthur was born in New York City to Nathan and Anne Nevins and grew up in the Bronx. An athletic, towering 6-foot5, he was a standout basketball player at the Bronx High School of Science. Arthur graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1959, with a degree in mathematics. Arthur went on to obtain a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in economics followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the then Carnegie Institute of Technology. Following this, he worked at the Office of Naval Research in Washington, D.C., and then at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of MIT. During this time, he made significant contributions to the early development of the field of artificial intelligence, including pattern recognition and machine learning solutions in geometric theorems using human logic.

While in his senior year at MIT, he met his wife Diane. A good friend of Arthur’s had met Diane at a mutual friend’s apartment following a Hillel event. After she stood up, Arthur’s friend realized that she was too tall for him and so he suggested that Diane be introduced to Arthur. Arthur knew very quickly that this was the woman he wanted to marry, he proposed to her in November and they were married June 19, 1960. Arthur moved with his wife and two young children to Atlanta in 1974 and was a professor at Georgia State University in the department of computer information systems until his retirement. He was a kind, devoted father, who taught his daughters to think critically, stand up for what they believed in, and appreciate the humor in life. He was very proud of his grandson Tani, who shares many of his interests.

Although professionally Arthur worked in areas related to mathematics, Arthur had a wide variety of interests, which included sports, cameras, travel, and biblical archaeology and history. Arthur and his wife Diane always did things together and loved to travel. In the summer of 1964, after Arthur had submitted his dissertation, they spent five weeks traveling in Europe. This passion for travel continued, and every year that they were able they would spend several weeks abroad, visiting places that included most of the countries in Europe, as well as Israel, Egypt, Russia and China. One of Arthur’s retirement activities was to research biblical history, and he had a manuscript accepted to the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament in 2006. He also enjoyed discussing politics and the Atlanta Falcons with his friends.

Arthur and his wife Diane loved attending lectures, getting together with friends for dinner at each other’s homes, and were part of a weekly Friday night Shabbat group that Arthur looked forward to each week.

Arthur was a gentle person. His fair-minded respectfulness for other’s views, and his intellectual rigor, integrity and sense of humor endeared him to all. He could stand alone and was the embodiment of one who could put forth and maintain his own reasoned convictions without agreement from the “compact majority.”

He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years Diane; daughters Shari of New York City and Neysa (Malkah Binah) of Philadelphia; grandson Tani; loving brother Donald; cousin Susan; as well as many nieces and nephews from around the United States.

The family would like to express its gratitude and appreciation to the caring staff at The Fountainview Center. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Congregation Shearith Israel (Rabbi Kaiman’s discretionary fund) or Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care.

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

Obituaries in the AJT are written and paid for by the families; contact Editor and 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.

Ruth Silverberg Rauzin 96, Atlanta

Ruth Silverberg Rauzin peacefully passed Nov. 7 in her home at the age of nearly 97. She was born on Nov. 23, 1923, in Toronto, Canada. She attended the University of Louisville and while in Louisville she met and married her loving husband of 43 years, Milton Rauzin, who passed away in 1990. After marrying, they made their home in Atlanta.

Ruth was a very active member of both the Jewish community and the Atlanta community, serving on numerous boards and agencies. Ruth and Milton were instrumental in establishing the first American Israel Public Affairs Committee chapter in Atlanta in the late 1960s. Ruth was most proud of her children Marilynn and Ronny Winston, Brenda Levin, and Diane and Walter Orenstein; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, who she lovingly taught valuable life lessons.

In remembrance, donations to the following charities will be appreciated: The William Breman Jewish Home, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and Hadassah. Arrangements

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

Paul Jay Siegel 76, Atlanta

Paul Jay Siegel, 76, passed away suddenly Oct. 20, 2020. A native Atlantan, he graduated from Henry Grady High School and the University of Georgia with a degree in business administration. After serving in the U.S. Army, he rejoined the family accounting firm, Siegel & Siegel, CPA, specializing in small business services. He was a member of Temple Emanu-El. Paul was the son of Abe and Tillie Siegel. His survivors include his wife of 55 years Elaine Maziar Siegel; his sons and daughters-in-law Elliot and Randi Siegel and Brian and Maria Siegel; and grandchildren Justin and Jessica, Ava and Ella. He is also survived by his brother Murray Siegel; his brother and sister-in-law Harvey and Vicki Siegel; sister and brother-inlaw Sally Siegel and Bob Cichon; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Jerry and Judy Maziar; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Marilyn and Mike Tuckman. His memory shall be a blessing to his many nieces and nephews, cousins and family and friends.

He was peacefully laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery, at a small service attended by close family.

The family requests donations be made to Temple Emanu-El or a charity of one’s choice.

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

Laura Zimmerman 93, Coral Springs, Fla.

Laura Zimmerman, 93, of Coral Springs, Fla., passed away peacefully Nov. 6, 2020. Laura was born Jan. 1, 1927, in Montreal, Canada. She was married to the late Rabbi Israel Zimmerman who served Tamarac Jewish Center until his passing in 1982.

Laura lived her life as a proud, strong woman, who cherished every moment in the company of her family.

She had a sharp wit, a tremendous sense of humor, and a great love of learning, reading, Israel and the Jewish people.

Laura is survived by her three children Ross (Karin) Zimmerman, Rabbi Mark (Linda) Zimmerman [of Congregation Beth Shalom, Atlanta] and Risa (Terry) Worrow; nine grandchildren Stephanie (Mike) Friedman, Jessica (Jeff) Lippman, Adam Zimmerman and Joshua Zimmerman, Miryam (Ari) Bendicoff, Ilana Weeks, Avi Zimmerman, Isabelle Worrow, and Ian Worrow; eight great-grandchildren Gavriel, Elichanan, and Ora Bendicoff, Georgia and Maya Weeks, Samuel Friedman, Jackson and Ellis Lippman.

Donations may be made to Congregation Beth Shalom, 5303 Winters Chapel Road, Atlanta, Ga. 30360.

ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES NOVEMBER 15, 2020 | 63

CLOSING THOUGHTS Meeting a ‘Messiah’ in the Parking Lot In the beginning of the pandemic, I was content to snack frequently and read mysteries obsessively.

My bedroom slippers went Chana Shapiro with everything I wore. Non-family live contacts were medical professionals and the plumber who replaced our water heater.

But soon these diversions began to wear thin.

My walking partner, Esther, and I decided to resume and tweak our weekly pre-pandemic outings. So with masks and sanitizer, we toured cemeteries and new housing developments. After we ran out of unpopulated areas, we brainstormed for another way to combat flab and gloom, and we came up with the plan to spend an hour or two each week circumnavigating mall parking lots by foot. Shoppers tend to interact close to the stores, so we felt isolated and safe strolling in the parking lot boonies.

Last week, I tried a periphery course

on my own. Driving past a big mall, I was impressed with its huge parking lot. I left my car far away from other vehicles, put on my sunglasses and mask, and began a brisk walk around the border.

About halfway through my route, I heard voices calling out from different areas of the lot, and the shouters seemed to be running around calling, “Messiah! Messiah!” I stopped short. I’m one of the people who ponders if it’s finally time for the true messiah to show up to fix things, and I certainly didn’t want to miss the actual arrival experience.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t properly dressed for the occasion, but lots of people now live in ill-fitting leisure wear, and a peace-bringing messiah surely wouldn’t give demerits for unflattering clothing choices. We’ve all had enough of unrest and COVID-19: If the Messianic Age were about to commence, I thought, bring it on!

On the other hand, if the shouts were coming from a group of maniacal Satanworshippers or a band of religious zealots who dress converts in sackcloth for The Big Event, I would prefer to stay far away from them. (Fortunately, I’m not much of a joiner.) With a false messiah, malevolent rituals

might ensue. I quickened my circumference navigation.

When I reached my car, I saw a handful of people next to it. In the center was a colorfully masked young man. Was trouble afoot? I cautiously asked the fellow, “What’s going on here?”

“Is this your car?” He answered, sheepishly. “I was only taking some selfies in front of it. Is that OK?” I had a flash of insight, but I had to be sure. “May I ask your name?” I asked.

“Messiah,” he answered, matter-offactly.

Messiah? Has humankind waited millennia for a masked, neon-coifed teen to save us? I admit that if I had tried to picture a messiah, this fellow would not have made the top 10. Nevertheless, “open-mindedness” is my middle name: the true messiah possibly could be a lanky youth in jeans and a black T-shirt.

“Why were people running around calling your name?” I asked.

“They thought I might have left the mall, but I stopped when I saw your car.

They were looking for me.”

Well, I mused, aren’t we all looking for our own messiah in a way? “You have a

My unique mode of transportation kept a “Messiah” from his friends.

powerful name,” I said. “Do you come from a religious family?”

“Not really,” he shrugged. “It’s more like my parents want me to do something special in life. They figured my name would give me a jump start.”

That’s an original baby-naming objective, I thought. “Well, good luck with your life’s mission!” I chirped.

I looked around: The Messianic Age didn’t seem to be imminent after all. But, before leaving, I felt that an apt parental statement from an elder (me) to today’s youth was appropriate.

“Stick together,” I advised the group.

“Don’t let Messiah wander away again and be careful where you take selfies.” I couldn’t wait to tell Esther what she’d missed. ì

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