HEALTH & WELLNESS, PAGES 13-28 SPECIAL SUMMER DIGNIFIED END SWEET TRIBUTE
AJA sophomore Eliana Goldin finds inspiration with special needs kids at Shalva. Page 14
After 18 years, Weinstein Hospice’s executive director is set to pass the reins. Page 20
Emily Moore’s friends and family fight Crohn’s with a party in her memory. Page 24
VOL. XCII NO. 45 WWW.ATLANTAJEWISHTIMES.COM NOVEMBER 17, 2017 | 28 CHESHVAN 5778
Repaired Educators Answer Anti-Semitism ‘Sunday’ Looks Super By Sarah Moosazadeh sarah@atljewishtimes.com
The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta is declaring victory with TikkunATL, its reimagined version of the community campaign’s Super Sunday. Under the stale Super Sunday model, hundreds of Jewish Atlantans gathered in one place and spent the day soliciting campaign donations with endless phone calls. Under TikkunATL, part of Federation CEO Eric Robbins’ effort to do things differently across the community, events were held at multiple locations on several days, usually with some service element beyond fundraising phone calls. “I thought the entire effort was incredible and the perfect example of approaching these events in creative and innovative ways,” Robbins said. The initial week of events in October raised more than 80 percent of TikkunATL’s financial goal and involved roughly 100 volunteers. Events were added in November, including a more traditional phone-a-thon at Torah Day School of Atlanta on Sunday, Nov. 12. TikkunATL will continue through the statewide Giving Tuesday fundraising effort for nonprofits Nov. 28. Activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Selig Center in Midtown. ■
The Atlanta Initiative Against AntiSemitism gathered more than 200 educators, administrators, parents and other community leaders Wednesday, Nov. 8, to respond to signs of increasing bullying and other anti-Jewish actions in public and private schools in the metro area. The TASK (Tackling Anti-Semitism for Our Kids) conference at Temple Emanu-El, modeled on the initial AIAAS conference held in March, brought people together for expert presentations and table discussions about expressions of hate seen in the past year in Fulton, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. Participants had direct access to over 20 organizations and educational materials as resources to combat antiSemitism and other forms of hate. The Anti-Defamation League has reported a sharp increase in anti-Semitic incidents in schools nationally and in the Southeast in 2016 and 2017. “AIAAS is thrilled to have successfully brought together hundreds of education leaders tasked with shaping the hearts and minds of the metro area’s children at our conference to raise the bar on improving intervention and responsive measures as well as proactive methods to prevent anti-Semitism and all forms of hate in K-12 schools,” AIAAS founding
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Photos courtesy of AIAAS
Allison Padilla-Goodman presents opening remarks during the TASK conference.
Education leaders, parents, counselors and administrators join forces against anti-Semitism targeting youths at the TASK conference Nov. 8.
partner Danielle Cohen said. Attendees received a five-year interfaith calendar that included a range of holidays with descriptions of how they affect each faith. Those calendars will be given to as many schools as possible in the metro area, regardless of whether they attended the conference. AIAAS also provided participants “A Pledge to Tackle Anti-Semitism and Hate” to foster change in their communities. The organization plans to follow up with people who filled out those forms to track the effects and progress. Cohen said AIAAS also will: • Comb through the notes from the table discussions to learn what education leaders feel can be done to prevent antiSemitism and hate, as well as respond to incidents. • Respond to follow-up inquiries and requests from conference participants
and sponsors, many of whom would like to collaborate further. • Regroup with the hundreds of AIAAS volunteers to determine next steps. • Work with ADL and others to advocate hate-crime legislation in Georgia, one of five states without such a law. “I hope educators and administrators left the conference having an expedited need to create a culture of inclusivity within their schools and being proactive about it,” said Allison PadillaGoodman, the ADL’s Southeast regional director, who delivered the TASK conference’s opening remarks. “This involves more than just saying, ‘I’m going to welcome all students to my school,’ but establishing an environment in which students can interact and learn from one another.” ■
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Emory University’s annual Rothschild Lecture suggests that disagreements over Israel are so heated that many people and institutions are afraid to talk about the Jewish state. Page 31