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Federation Annual Features Reflection & Joy
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta held its annual meeting on June 5 before an audience of 330 at The Temple on Peachtree. Outgoing Board Chair Beth Arogeti spoke of the recent threads of antisemitism in Boulder, Colo., and Washington, D.C., to underscore the broader urgency of the Federation’s role in security.
She recognized Legacy and Silver Society Donors and how these gifts resulted in 5,000 grants to 1,170 local organizations. Later, Arogeti appeared in conversation with incoming Chair Debbie Kuniansky and Federation President and CEO Renee Kutner.
Rabbi Peter Berg related the everpresent role of politics. He said, “My mother told me not to go into the rabbinate because I wouldn’t enjoy the politics and constantly balancing the needs of the congregation and egos.”
He spoke of Torah commentary about recognition and leadership vis a vis taking risks, earning respect and leading
to go first as it applies today. He saluted Mike Leven, who would later receive the Lifetime of Achievement Award, by saying, “He is the nashon [brave oracle of the tribe of Judah] of our time. There is no stronger leader with his Jewish Future
Promise endeavor … we need fewer politicians and more leaders.”
Arogeti, Kuniansky, and Kutner sat interview style in a convivial discussion about how the Federation’s lay and professional leaders stepped up as Oct. 7 happened just three months into Arogeti’s chairpersonship. Arogeti was excited about young leadership development -- 26 of whom just left for Cuba. Kuniansky boasted about the surge of affinity groups.
Mike Leven and wife, Andrea, have been married for 64 years. Federation CEO Renee Kutner (left) thanked Israel’s Consul General to the Southeast Anat Sultan-Dadon as her six-year term concludes.
Kutner was praised for being the right leader at the right time as a native Atlantan. She said, “Things were much different when I grew up. There was no Weber School, no Davis Academy, no Ramah Darom.”
Her goal is to break down silos and align the research that shows Atlanta is in the 85th percentile for the 35- to 54-year-old demographic, then serving the aging parents following them here. Kutner’s five key impact areas were: Israel and Jews worldwide, Jewish education, Jewish engagement, ensuring care for all in need, and safety and security, which was a theme throughout the program. She announced that her oldest son would soon be sworn into the IDF as a Lone Soldier. Kuniansky praised Arogeti for her family’s five generations of leadership for which she received a standing ovation.
Kutner recognized Israel’s Consul General to the Southeast, Anat Sultan-Dadon, as her six-year term concludes. Next up was a series of impressive awards for an upbeat variety of engagements from OneTable to Bagel Rescue, outstanding educators, and FreeRent programs for those living on the edge.
Honoree Leven’s sons, Jon and Rob, spoke of their mother’s dedication (she later read a 20-year-old poem) and their parents’ 64-year marriage. They praised Leven for always being at Little League. “Even though he traveled, he was not out playing poker. We were allowed to make mistakes and never told ‘I told you so.’”
The biggest laugh came when revealing that he is the last man in America to
answer unidentified phone calls. They concluded, “He is not about institutions, but about empowering others without his own ego.”
Other chuckles came when it was revealed that Leven had to be “nuts “to take on the presidency of the St. Andrews Golf Club in Boca Raton with “three square miles of mostly New York Jews … entering the Lion’s Den when he was 86 years old.”
Close friend Steve Selig made the formal award presentation by unwinding a scroll of the different causes that Leven supported but still being the proudest of “being a dad and pop.”
An emotional Leven exposed that from his Jewish Future Promise endeavor, he has more than 500 pledges; and how the late Bernie Marcus mentored him for decades. His funniest remembrance was when Selig approached him to donate $5,000.
“After I recovered from that shock, he really meant $15,000 then $100,000.”
He closed by quoting the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks on the positive effect upon our psyche when giving, and by remembering the late Lou Gehrig, “Today, I consider myself the luckiest person on the face of the earth.”
Mike Leven was featured in the Atlanta Jewish Times “off the cuff” Lowdown column (July 2019) when he shared that he cries when he sings, “My Yiddishe Momme,” that he might freak out if he misses a short putt and concluded that “brains are no substitute for hard work.”
Leven was CEO of the Georgia Aquarium before leading the Sands Corporation in Las Vegas. ì
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Dear friend and community leader, Steve Selig (right) gave Leven a rousing tribute.
Israeli Ambassador Recalls DC Embassy Murders
By Bob Bahr
A little more than a week after two employees of Israel’s embassy in Washington were murdered, Israel’s ambassador to the United States visited Atlanta and described in detail his initial, stunned reaction to the killings.
The ambassador, Yechiel Leiter, who took up his appointment at the beginning of this year, told a crowd of about 250 at The Temple that word of the deaths came to him as the thoughts of his own son’s passing was still fresh in his memory. Less than two years ago, his son, a major in an elite special forces unit of Israel’s Air Force, was killed during the war in Gaza.
Ironically, the night he received word of the attack on the two employees he was being visited by one of the officers of the IDF who had initially conveyed the news of his son’s death. As is customary, she remained in close contact with the family to help allay their grieving. She and her husband were visiting them in the ambassador’s Washington home
when Leiter first received word of the shootings shortly after 9 p.m. on May 21.
“I couldn’t have thought of anybody I wanted more to see than this woman
who has showed me and my family such compassion for a year, who had always been there to give a hug and a word of encouragement, there she is standing next
to me, when this jolting phone call I get that two of my employees are bleeding to death.”
The two young victims, Yaron Lis-
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Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, who spoke at The Temple, assumed his post in January.
Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky worked at Israel’s embassy in Washington.
chinsky, an Israeli citizen who grew up in Germany, and Sarah Milgrim, an American from Overland Park, Kan., had just attended a Young Diplomats evening, sponsored by the American Jewish Committee at Washington’s Capital Jewish Museum. The two were planning a trip to Israel the next week and the ambassador said Lischinsky had bought a ring and intended to propose to Milgrim while they were there.
“She was, what can I tell you? You know those people, when they come into the room, it lights up. There’s some people like that, right?” the ambassador told his Temple audience. “They don’t have to do anything much. Well, Sarah was one of those people. She didn’t have to say anything. All she did was walk into the room with her red hair and that smile, and the room lit up, and you felt good about life. Yaron, who worked a few doors down from my office as a research assistant to our Middle East policy analyst, was quiet, unassuming, very intelligent.”
When Leiter arrived on the scene of the attack, he was briefed by law enforcement about how the attack had come without warning. The alleged assailant, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, had bought a gun there and packed it in his checked luggage on the flight to Washington. He was seen walking back and forth outside the museum before the shootings and had specifically targeted Lischinsky and Milgrim as they departed from the museum with another couple.
“As they left the event together with another two employees of the embassy, Yaron and Sarah were gunned down,”
the ambassador related. “The couple they were with managed to escape by crawling under a car. And excuse me for the gruesome details, but they watched as Yaron and Sarah were crawling, trying to get out of the line of fire, and saw how the gunman went after them as they were crawling to make sure that he killed them. They saw, they watched as the gunman finished them off, as the couple said.”
After he was arrested, Rodriguez was heard shouting “Free Palestine” and material supporting Palestinians was found in his Chicago apartment.
Two days before Ambassador Leiter spoke at The Temple, he flew to Kansas to attend Milgrim’s funeral. He said he wanted to be able to offer some solace and support to her family, just as he had been so supported when his son died.
“I’ve been asked ever since in a series of interviews, how does this happen?” the ambassador related. “Where does this come from? How does somebody convince himself so decidedly, so fanatically, that he has a right to shoot two people in the back because they identify with Israel in the name of ‘Free Palestine.’”
It was said that part of Milgrim’s work at the embassy was hosting the families of Oct. 7 hostages who visited the United States. She and Lischinsky were remembered for their commitment to Israel that was long and ran deep. And their deaths, the ambassador emphasized, will not deter the nation they loved.
“We’re going to take this pain, we’re going to turn it to perseverance. In that resilience, we’re going to continue to pursue peace despite the difficulties.” ì
Ambassador Leiter (center, in blue) at the funeral for his son, a major in Israel’s Air Force who was killed in 2023 in the war in Gaza.
Nova Survivor Segev Recounts Tale of Horror
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
As one who cares, Harold Cohn is taking action to raise the profile of StandWithUs (SWU), an organization that he feels could use more attention in Atlanta because of its timely meaning and purpose.
StandWithUs’ mission is supporting Israel and fighting antisemitism around the world by empowering leaders with knowledge and pride. Although it’s been around for 20 years, the timing now makes it even more compelling, especially when it comes to reaching kids before high school.
On May 19, Cohn hosted a core group of community leaders at The Dupree building in Sandy Springs to hear Ron Segev, a survivor of the Nova Music Festival attack on Oct. 7, who has relayed the horrors of that day to audiences in New York , New Jersey, and major cities like Los Angeles, Miami and even individual house gatherings, in addition to appearing at Congregation Etz Chaim the following evening.
Prior to Segev’s presentation, SWU’s
Avi Posnick explained that their programs are akin to the IDF, meaning that everyone knows frontline basic training, thus “every student has to be frontline. SWU is on six continents and starts in middle schools with trained educators.”
He spoke of the unacceptability last month of college graduation ceremonies
being hijacked, and SWU’s cadre of pro bono legal advice and the ability to file suits. He noted, “This fire started long before Oct 7.”
He introduced two SWU mentors who help students combat antisemitism: Adam Blue and Sivan Barzeski, the Southeast high school regional manager,
who explained that she was not prepared (before this position) as a Columbia University senior. Thus, now she uses blogs, Instagram, social media, and Shalom letters to give “ammunition as words” to students.
Tel Aviv native Segev walked the audience through his inch-by-inch recount
Supporters Doug Ross, Steve and Melinda Wertheim chat with Charlotte and Joel Marks
Nova Music Festival survivor Ron Segev (left) with Avi Posnick of StandWithUs.
Ron Segev felt that his world-class bridge skills helped him survive.
of his harrowing experience avoiding snipers, running, going from car to car, in the woods, hiding on the ground, all with his sick asthmatic brother gasping for air.
He began, “I’ve been to over 100 festivals. There I was at 5:30 a.m. with dance floors, DJs, little shops, waiting for sunrise to be the best moment, when at 6:20 a.m. the music stopped, rockets turned the sky from blue to gray.”
The disorienting part was not understanding the scope of the attack, if the IDF would be arriving any second to secure this small area. He explained the traffic jam as they tried to exit Road 232 with kibbutzim on either side, police blocking movement … “running, running, people running, the shots getting closer. We’d catch our breaths, then more shots. I’m saying ‘goodbye’ in my head, then we grabbed an abandoned car, terrorists shooting. I believe G-d was there.”
His SUV with nine people grew to 11 when he realized this was war, not just terrorism. Eleven became 12 in the car and three in the trunk. He then realized a kibbutz gate looked askew and chose to make a Uturn, when his brother screamed that he’s having a heart attack. That meant an ASAP drive to a hospital at 110 miles per hour “which was more dangerous than the rockets.” No ambulances were available at 10:30 a.m. Thankfully, his brother was just experiencing a panic attack.
Segev, a master class bridge player, looks back at the significance of the number 13, when he had a bar mitzvah and started playing bridge, the 13 souls in his car (one in utero) all relating to love, AHAVAH 31 in numbers. “I’m not being a hero, but my bridge expertise and me being ‘an outside-the-box thinking’ led to some intuitive decisions and critical thinker that may have resulted in survival.”
Segev, who stated that he is still in therapy, said it helps to talk about the experience; and he is often recognized on the streets of New York because of his work with The Tribe of Nova, recounting his story. He shared, “Everyone is in mourning in Israel. Even Muslims and Christians know someone who died.”
Posnick closed with his last plea for support, “Help us go out of business.” ì
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Now a StandWithUs mentor, Sivan Barzewski shared that she had a hard time as a Columbia University student.
Chametz-off at The Breman Celebrates Jewish Culture
By Debbie Diamond
On a rainy evening in late May at The Breman Museum & Cultural Center, theater lovers gathered for the “ChametzOff,” an original Jewish theater showcase that proved storytelling is not only alive and well, but willing to tackle tough subjects of interest to the community.
Presented by Atlanta Jewish Artists in collaboration with Atlanta Dramatists and The Breman, the one-nightonly event featured eight fresh, dynamic staged readings of short plays. Each piece was written in just two weeks by one of eight nationally recognized playwrights, all of whom were challenged to celebrate Jewish culture in creative ways. The catch? Every play had to include three quirky ingredients: the number three, a form of chametz (either physically present or referenced), and laughter.
Inspired by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel’s “Bake-Off” playwriting challenge — which tasks writers with creating a play under time pressure using assigned elements — “Chametz-
Off” embraced that same sense of urgency and innovation, filtered through a distinctly Jewish lens.
The selected playwrights — Mark
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from a pool of 37 applicants. Each finalist brought their own voice and flair to the stage, weaving in humor, tradition, and contemporary relevance.
Evan Chimsky, Dana Leslie Goldstein, Sam Heyman, Kwik Jones, Barbara Kimmel, Danielle Levsky, David Reingold, and Danielle Wirsansky — were chosen
In “A Black Jew Walks to a Synagogue,” the audience is privy to a newsroom conversation about violence against a Black Jew that exposes the editor’s own bias about what it means to be Jewish.
In “Shiva,” two brothers grapple with their relationships with their recently deceased father. David Reingold (right), a lighting designer who also wrote, “Eighteen Minutes and Counting,” acts in this play.
Many of the writers are well recognized in the field and have won prestigious awards such as the 2024 NAACP Theater Award, the New England New Play Competition, and the 2024 Honegger Prize for Best Short Play. Two of the playwrights, Reingold and Kimmel, in fact, are based here in Atlanta. Topics covered during the evening’s script readings included familial relationships and dysfunction, acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals by their families, the unique challenges faced by Jews of color — both in the Jewish community and the larger world, and teens exploring their sexuality, to name just a few.
The night opened with a powerful tribute to storytelling by Daniel Guyton, artistic director of Atlanta Dramatists and an accomplished playwright and screenwriter. In his remarks, Guyton emphasized that stories are the lifeblood of culture. “Without stories,” he said, “our cultures could not be transmitted.”
In the face of rising cultural and social
tensions, Guyton stressed that it is more urgent than ever to uplift and preserve individual and communal narratives.
“The Chametz-Off is the culmination of nearly six months of planning, and we are beyond thrilled with the way it turned out,” said Sarah Michelson, who along with Amy L. Levin co-produced the show. “In a time where being Jewish has become increasingly dangerous, and the arts are under attack, it was incredibly meaningful to produce a show that highlighted both Jewish talent and all kinds of Jewish stories. The playwrights and actors created something truly special in a very short timeframe that was a pleasure to share with our audience,” she added.
From raucous laughter to poignant reflection, “Chametz-Off” highlighted the many ways Jewish identity, history, and humor continue to inspire. The event stood as a testament to the enduring power of theater to connect, challenge, and celebrate community — all through the magic of a well-told story. ì
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After Health Scare, Levin Launches Beverage Biz
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Eric Levin was born with polycystic kidney disease, inherited from his late mother, which is a disease that decreases kidney function to the point of requiring dialysis or transplant.
In 2015, Levin’s kidney function was down to eight percent, and he could barely muster enough energy to make it through the late afternoon each day. His time for a transplant had arrived. As did his decision to break into the brewing business.
“Post-transplant while working at McKesson, I developed a thirst for beer. There were many new emerging breweries and beer styles coming up during this time; and I made it a point to travel around the country and try everything I could. I quickly realized how many great beers [there are] in other states that we didn’t have access to in Georgia.”
Researching his next marketing move, he concluded that being a beer distributor would allow him to bring beer into the state “to share with communi-
ties. I wanted all the people of Georgia to get access to the best beer made.”
Thus, Modern Hops was born. Starting with one local brewery, Cherry
Street, he learned the industry and built a business model. He said, “I personally find brands I want to sell or think consumers would love.”
They sell craft beer, wine, spirits, mead made with honey wine or fermented honey with fruit, also the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage.
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Coconut Porter is a lively product that Eric recommends.
After a kidney transplant, Eric Levin got serious about the beverage business.
For his career as an executive in health care strategy at McKesson, Levin traveled the country helping hospital and primary care accounts transition from a fee-for-service model to valuebased reimbursement. He explained, “This was basically changing the way physicians were paid and incentivizing them financially for positive and healthy patient outcomes.”
Levin does not claim to be an expert on brewing or distilling. He answers to being an expert on “knowing what consumers want and staying ahead of the industry trends. I have very carefully created an elite beverage portfolio that cannot be rivaled. We sell and promote the best of the best.”
In 2023, he brought THC hemp beverages into the state, a healthy, non-alcohol alternative and stated, “This is why we have the hemp beverage application on our website, as we are encouraging retailers to get a license and bring these drinks in.”
He said, “THC seltzers are made with very low dose THC and sometimes CBD giving consumers a low-calorie alcohol alternative. They are made from Delta-9 THC which gives consumers a mellow, uplifting vibe. There is no hangover or weight gain associated with these drinks like there is alcohol. There is also no psychoactive component like marijuana. Some are seltzers while others are made with fruit juice. A few brands I recom-
mend are BLNCD, Cycling Frog, and Torch.”
Modern Hops’ warehouse/office is located in Alpharetta. This is their fourth warehouse as the demand for space increases since starting out of Levin’s garage. They now have 24 full-time employees and send six trucks out per day. In addition to drivers, they have warehouse staff and sales reps who interface with retailers – liquor stores, grocery stores, restaurants, and bars. Currently, they only serve Georgia.
Bottom line per Levin, “Georgia is not sophisticated and still behind the times in the F&B world. It is part of my mission to change this. A lot of this is due to antiquated laws and large beverage distributors Budweiser and Miller who use ‘pay to play’ tactics to put their subpar products everywhere. These methods bury the premier products being put out by smaller suppliers. We want consumers to have choices when they go to the store or out to eat. All these companies do is limit the options.”
Levin grew up in Burke, Va., just outside Washington, D.C. He moved to Alpharetta at 13, attended Chattahoochee High School, and later graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern. His family helped start Temple Beth Tikvah in Roswell, where he is a member and his two sons attended preschool. His mom was also a teacher there before her death in 2021. ì
Levin is shown brewing beer at NoFo Brew in Cumming.
‘Millions’ is About Catholics with a Jewish Touch
By Bob Bahr
“Millions,” the new musical that is winding up more than a month of performances at the Alliance Theatre, is filled with Catholic saints. Clothed in their antique robes and topped by gold metal halos, they pop up from time to time to dispense moral guidance and practical advice to two young boys who are sorely in need of help.
The boys, aged 10 and 12, are brothers whose lives have been turned upside down by the sudden windfall of millions in cash that literally falls on them from the sky.
The musical, which has been in development for a number of years, is based on a charming British film of the same name that was a minor hit more than 20 years ago. In his review of the film in 2004, the prominent film critic Roger Ebert called the drama, “an imaginative and thoughtful blend of fantasy and reality, one of the best films of the year.”
Although Danny Boyle, who directed the film, is Catholic and the script was written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, also a
Catholic, the Alliance stage production has a strongly Jewish undercurrent. The composer and lyricist is Adam Guettel, grandson of Richard Rodgers, the Jewish
American composer who with the Jewish lyricist Oscar Hammerstein largely revolutionized the American musical theater.
Much of the financing comes from
Friedman, the prominent London producer who was largely responsible for the Tony Award-winning, “Harry Potter And The Cursed Child” mega hit.
Sonia
“Millions” is about a family whose life is turned upside down by a sudden cash bonanza // Photo Credit: Greg Mooney
Twelve-year-old Yair Keydar (right) is a strong presence in “Millions” // Photo Credit: Greg Mooney
But perhaps the most interesting element in this production is the commanding presence of Yair Keydar, the 12-year-old co-star, whose mother is Cantor Magda Fishman of Congregation B’nai Torah, a prominent Conservative synagogue in Boca Raton, Fla. Keydar got his start singing at the Donna Klein Jewish Academy in South Florida and then got interested in the online service his mother led at the synagogue.
“A year-and-a-half ago, or two years ago, I kind of started co-leading the service with her,” Keydar said. “I’ve been learning a lot of new things and learning the service. And it’s great. It’s fun just getting up there and being able to sing and sharing.”
His interest in performing with his mother developed when he started crowding his mother on stage while just a toddler.
“He used to grab the mic from my hands when he was three-and-a-half,” Cantor Fishman remembers. “He just wanted to sing. So, it’s pretty incredible to see the way he’s developing, with acting and singing and dancing. I’m not just his mother, I’m often his partner on stage, too.”
To bring this new musical to the dramatic stage, the producers have hired the veteran Broadway director Bartlett Sher, resident director of the Lincoln Center Theater in New York. His Broadway successes have included, “The Bridges of Madison County,” a revival of “Fiddler on the Roof,” and the wildly popular production in 2018 of “To Kill A Mockingbird,” one of the biggest dramatic hits in Broadway history.
In addition to “Millions,” this year he’s signed up for “Dolly - An Original
Musical” based on the life and music of Dolly Parton. He’s also working on the world premiere of “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay,” by the JewishAmerican author Michael Chabon. It’s on the Metropolitan Opera’s schedule for 2025-2026.
His grandfather was a Jewish horse trader in Lithuania before he immigrated and opened a barber shop in California. The Jewish presence in the Alliance production is not the only thing that sets this work apart. In Sher’s eyes, this production is very different from the film version.
“The stage is a very figurative art form, it can’t go abstract. There are actual human beings in front of you who have to be certain things. So, a lot of that is through the strength of the music and the lyrics, something that wasn’t in the film.”
To carry the much of the dramatic burden of the production, Sher relies on Keydar and 10-year-old Keenan Barrett, who is making his professional stage debut.
Both boys are rarely off stage in the two-and-a-half-hour production. They are at the core of the production, which is not just about how to deal with sudden wealth, but how to deal with sudden heartbreak when their mother dies.
Off stage, Keydar’s mother is very much alive. On June 30, after “Millions” closes, the two of them are performing during a celebration of Yiddish music presented by the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene at SummerStage in Central Park.
And then, he may have to start getting ready for his next big starring role, his bar mitzvah next March in Boca Raton. ì
Yair Keydar, who co-stars in “Millions,” began performing with his mother, Cantor Magda Fishman, when he was three-and-a-half.
Fenves Named New Chancellor at Emory
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
On May 27, the Emory University Board of Trustees announced that President Gregory L. Fenves will leave the presidency on Sept. 1 and assume the role of the university’s sixth chancellor.
Justice Leah Ward Sears, a graduate of Emory Law School with an impressive resume and upbeat personality, will assume the role of interim president.
As Fenves rounds five years as president amidst a “back drop of challenging moments,” notably the handling of postOct. 7 demonstrations and those involving the new Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, he was further newsworthy because of his faculty’s, student body’s, and the Emory College of Arts and Sciences’ unwillingness to support him, eventually signing a “no confidence” petition.
With an undergraduateJewish student population estimated at 18 percent, the faculty number is likely larger, including 19 core faculty members across various departments. During the petition of “no confidence” against Fenves, this
The Spicy Peach Catering
reporter was not able to get a Jewish faculty member to go on record in support of him.
In view of the rocky spots, tongues are wagging whether this indeed is a winwin for all parties, or if Fenves is gingerly being swept out of the way. The university press office would not allow direct comments from Fenves and issued this statement, “The interim president will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Emory. The chancellor will focus on strengthening relationships with key constituents, leading the university’s es-
sential engagement with government agencies and officials, and fundraising efforts.”
Fenves, the son of a Holocaust survivor of the Auschwitz and Buchenwald camps, was featured in the June 15, 2023, Atlanta Jewish Times edition in an exclusive, more casual and of- the-cuff “Lowdown” interview.
Sears, who is a partner at the law firm Smith Gambrell and Russell, was appointed to the Atlanta City Court in 1982 before becoming the first Black woman to serve as a superior court judge in Georgia. She was then appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court by Gov. Zell Miller where she served for more than a decade, including four years as chief justice.
Michael Morris, Atlanta Jewish Times owner and publisher, who holds an MBA from Emory’s Goizueta Business School, shared, “Let’s reserve judgment to experience the possibility that Fenves and the best interests of Emory will both thrive in this new arrangement. After all, the chancellor position in itself is an oddity. Emory has not had one since 2012.”
Many universities do not even have a chancellor. In some cases, the chancellor is above the president like at The University of Texas, from where Fenves came, or New York’s SUNY system. In the Ivy Leagues, the chancellor and president do not operate as equals. Instead, they function at different levels: system vs. campus. Add in another most recent layer: Will the Trump administration view Emory’s academia and diversity programs as “too left leaning” and hold back research funding?
Emory’s operational leadership will reveal itself over time and as a permanent president is secured. ì
Gregory Fenves will step down as Emory University president to serve as the school’s sixth chancellor.
Family Seeks Help in Keeping Dad’s Dream Alive
By Robert Garber
Abraham Malobe, a father of four who was recently killed, was known for his dreams.
“It actually started with a dream. Abraham – in his culture, dreams are very significant,” said his wife, Jenifer Malobe. “He had a dream of a rabbi praying in a synagogue, and his sister at that time had just passed away in Liberia. So, he felt it was telling him that we needed to look into and research and follow the Jewish faith. So, we started going to services at AA in Buckhead. So, we converted to Judaism and have been practicing ever since.”
They soon became members at Congregation B’nai Torah, where their two oldest children had their bat and bar mitzvahs, respectively.
They had a place in the West End, which at the time was an auto shop that they ran together. But Abraham Malobe had a bigger dream for it – a health food cafe.
“The cafe was a dream of his, to get started and keep running,” said Malobe. “There’s no healthy eating places, really, in that area. He wanted to help, and bring something into the community that would improve it, that would improve the health of the people around him.”
But he would not live to see this dream realized. On March 12, 2025, just a few blocks from the cafe he was still renovating, he was shot and killed. The police have still not identified a suspect.
“APD is releasing his belongings little by little,” said Malobe. “Every time we go pick up more of his belongings from APD property, it just rips the scab off a really, really huge wound.”
The day before this interview, her birthday, was nearly 19 years to the day since she first met him, when she was working as a bookkeeper at a grocery store in Minnesota, and he asked to take her out to celebrate. This birthday, with her son, she had gone to APD property to retrieve Abraham’s cell phones.
“It was hard, yesterday, it was really, really hard. His cell phones were covered in dried blood, and I had to bring them home, and clean them up so the kids could look at some videos and photos that he had taken.”
Still, the cafe itself remains a good memory of all the work they did together as a family.
“The kids and myself were 100 percent involved in every bit of the renovations in that building. That’s what we’ve al-
ways done. Every project that we start and take on, we’re all involved in it. Whether it was hauling the concrete, nailing and screwing in two-by-fours for framework, whether it’s painting – every aspect of the renovations, we were a part of.”
The Malobes’ oldest daughter, Isabella, who just graduated from The Weber School, also remembers this communal endeavor, and her father’s role in it.
“He taught us a lot. We gained a lot of skills in different areas, being able to work on the property,” she said. “We did a lot of physical work, which is kind of uncommon, but we helped a lot. Like bricks to build different walls, and maybe helped with plumbing, because our dad knew a lot about building.”
“It brought us all closer as a family,” Isabella said, while noting the difficulty
of still coming to terms with her father’s death. “It’s a hard-to-believe situation, because our dad – he was big on helping people, and he always taught us to be good to people and to help people when you can, even when he didn’t have it. For me, it’s a hard situation to understand, that someone would do that to him.”
With her oldest daughter’s graduation, and her two youngest children’s upcoming b’nai mitzvah ceremony, Jenifer Malobe is doing her best to keep managing everything, largely alone.
“I work 10 to sometimes 13 hours a day,” she said. “It’s a lot of life events, major life events going on right now. It has really made it difficult to be able to comprehend that this even happened, and to be able to get through all of this, with not having any support, is a lot.”
The cafe is largely finished, but without Abraham, and with some difficulties paying off their loans for the building, in the worst-case scenario, she may have to sell it.
“It is listed for sale,” she said, “but I don’t want to sell it if I don’t have to.”
“We’ve had it since we were babies, and we’ve seen it evolve from an auto repair shop to now trying to be a cafe,” said Isabella Malobe. “We’ve worked on it and saw our parents work on it since we’ve grown up. It means a lot more than just being a property or a family business, because we’ve put our own effort, and time, and work into it.”
To help in funding the cafe or paying for other expenses, please donate to the Malobe family’s GoFundMe: https:// gofund.me/718d1b81 ì
Abraham Malobe, local Jewish father and businessman, who died three months ago after being fatally shot.
The renovations to finish Malobe Cafe are almost complete. According to Jenifer Malobe, “The only thing he [Abraham] really wanted to finish up was to repaint and resurface the floors.”
The Malobe family, taking a picture for their son, Isaac’s, bar mitzvah. (From left) Ariella, Abraham, Isaac, Jenifer, Isabella, and Abraham, Jr
Weber Relaunches ‘The Rampage’ Student Newspaper
By Sadie Kitey and Nuriel Shimoni-Stoil
Every great community tells its story, and at The Weber School, it’s the perfect time for the students to tell theirs.
Stories connect people, inspire new ideas, and strengthen the bonds of community. Stories help us celebrate achievements, learn from mistakes, and capture our identity. That’s why The Rampage, Weber’s student newspaper, is being proudly relaunched as part of The Weber School’s Writing Project (WWP). The first issue will launch in the 2025–2026 school year, offering the Weber community a student-driven lens to see itself through.
Rabbi Ed Harwitz, Weber Head of School, reflected on the deeper tradition that having a newspaper represents: “Thoughtful, erudite, and passionate expression through the written word has been central to Jewish civilization for at least 2,000 years. The student leadership behind The Rampage exemplifies this tradition in powerful and innovative ways, providing a platform for students to reflect on and report current events and
issues that matter to our school, the Jewish community, and the world around us.”
Although The Rampage was last published in 2018, the passion for student journalism never disappeared. As Weber has grown and changed in exciting ways, from the opening of the new Eitan Force Athletic Center to major renovations across campus, now is the perfect time to bring The Rampage back to life. This
new chapter also brings new opportunities, not only for the school but also for the broader Atlanta Jewish community. The newspaper will cover sports, school and community events, student achievements, Jewish life, world news, opinion pieces, and more.
The idea to relaunch the paper began with a new course offered this year, “Writing for Publication,” a class designed to give students real-world writing experience across multiple genres. The course is part of the Weber Writing Project, a broader initiative supporting student writers and forming a pathway towards the WWP Honors Diploma Distinction. As part of the Writing Project, students Sadie Kitey and Nuriel Shimoni-Stoil recognized the opportunity to revive The Rampage. By sharing the editor position between them, they took it upon themselves to spearhead the relaunch.
“When I think of Head, Heart, and Hand at Weber, I immediately think of the school’s mission to facilitate student growth to become knowledgeable, thinking, and responsible young Jewish adults. A school newspaper, and the hard work, the ‘Hand,’ required to publish it, necessitates that the editors and contributors work together with a shared commitment to community; the ‘Heart,’ as the paper will inform the community at large and unite us through common language, celebration, and information. Ensuring that The Rampage adheres to the highest level of ethical journalism requires a steadfast commitment to continual review and evaluation, the ‘Head.’ I can think of no better mission-aligned pursuit, and I look forward to reading the first edition of the 2025–2026 Rampage.”
Beyond its academic goals, the paper also embodies Weber’s core values of “Head, Heart, and Hand.” Principal Shlaina Van Dyke shared how closely the newspaper aligns with these ideals:
As The Rampage prepares to return next school year, it represents more than just a student publication, it reflects the value of student expression, a commitment to honest reporting, and the spirit of a school focused on growth, leadership, and purposeful living. ì
The Rampage staff are: (back row, from left) Noa Maman; Ava Snapper; Jillian Skor; Sara Diamant; Sadie Kitey; Nuriel ShimoniStoil; Zane Grosswald; Joey Mekyten; Vanessa Reid; (front row, from left) Chloe Leavitt; Tayla Berzack; Kayla Furie; Maya Rowe; Noah Berg; (Not pictured) Molly Diamant, Kol Leibowitz, Brooke Maman, Brenin Jones, Moncie Cranman, Eli Ampel.
Local Icon Reitzes Plans Her Exit
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
After 45 years on air with WABE’s “City Lights,” Lois Reitzes will hang up her weekday mic at the end of June. She began working at the station in 1979 as a music programmer and announcer and served as program director from 1992 to 2007. Before that, she pursued graduate studies in musicology at Indiana University in Bloomington.
She told the AJT that she may remain an occasional contributor “after she figures the whole retirement rhythm out.”
She related, “I have an open invitation to return in bits anytime. It’s going to be a different format -- more like NPR meets magazine.”
When queried if she worries about being bored coming off such a “high wire,” she was unequivocal, saying, “I plan to be a more available friend, wife, and relative as I step away from this glorious job. I have photos to sort and a lot of de-cluttering to do.”
Glorious, yes, but consider her past and current 60-to-70-hour work week recording and editing and much more. Note that Reitzes, who gets to her desk at 6:30 a.m. start time, struggled with long COVID with some shortness of breath and fatigue.
Much of Reitzes’ time and devotion goes on behind the scenes with countless hours of research. She mused, “One can never be over prepared; and this job is about being a good listener, not so much about talking.”
Some would wager that Reitzes’ mellow, vibratory whisper-like signature voice is the trademark for her success.
Looking back, Reitzes recalls meeting her husband, Don, a social science professor and Dean at Georgia State University, at the Art Institute of Chicago during a film series in 1975, “long before streaming.”
He took her to a fancy French restaurant “and he paid” which implied more than friendship which he finagled through a cousin. She and Don now enjoy the conviviality of entertaining. She said, “Don’s more adventurous like something from Julia Child -- slivered potatoes with cream and butter, beef tenderloin and fish; and I lean towards more simple recipes. I’m more the chopper and arranger. Don grew up on German food like sweet luckshen kugel. We do look forward to traveling together -- some to my “island get away -- New York City.” Also, as a young mother in the 1980s, she wished to have had more schedule flexibility, which
Reitzes shared with the AJT her plans to de-clutter, entertain, and be a more “present” relative in her retirement.
she likened to major choreography, doing it all with limited quality time. One adult son lives in Cobb County.
When asked what her one favorite interview might be before exiting, she mused, “Mel Brooks or Yo-Yo Ma or better yet, both together. They are both icons.”
In explaining “the art of the interview,” Reitzes cautions that “interviewing is not an essay. Have to focus on the subject. Shine a light on them. Keep the reader/viewer in mind. That’s the most important thing in honing this field.”
Below are some off-the-cuff remarks in from this writer’s previous Lowdown column to get to know Lois better.
Jaffe: How did you develop such a distinctive and deliberate diction?
Reitzes: I was born with an unusually low voice and register, as was my brother. I had no training in drama, but as a child I was called “Tallulah Bankhead” because of it.
Jaffe: David Foster or Beethoven?
Reitzes: Mozart is my fav composer if that’s the question.
Jaffe: How would you spend a day off?
Reitzes: I read a lot. Now into “Rules of Civility” by Amor Towles. He also wrote, “A Gentleman in Moscow.”
Jaffe: You’ve interviewed a lot of famous folks, by whom were you most awestruck?
Reitzes: I have been so privileged. Robert Battle (creative director for Alvin Ailey), film director Barry Jenkins, authors Salman Rushdie and Richard Rus-
so. Locally, Susan Booth and Pearl Cleage.
Jaffe: My biggest pet peeve is …
Reitzes: Overall rudeness and humor at someone else’s expense.
Jaffe: My comfort foods are …
Reitzes: Rich chocolate brownies are the perfect food. Non-sweets would be a Chicago deep dish pizza. Oh, I love gelato … must be the food of the gods. ì
Lois Reitzes will retire from WABE’s “City Lights” in late June.
KKL-JNF Chairwoman Ifat OvadiaLuski together with senior officials leading the Israeli delegation // Photo courtesy of KKL-JNF
Partnership Highlights Global Jewish Solidarity Event
Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) contributed $100,000 in support of the Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City and marched alongside Jewish National Fund-USA
Today in Israeli History
June 15, 1970: A plot to steal a 12-seat commercial aircraft to escape the Soviet Union is foiled when 12 dissidents are arrested at a Leningrad airport. The case draws attention to refuseniks, who are Jews blocked from emigrating.
The cover of the album “Bronislaw Huberman in Performance” features the virtuoso, whose Stradivarius violin was stolen in February 1936 during a show at Carnegie Hall but was recovered.
June 16, 1947: Violinist Bronislaw Huberman dies in Switzerland at 64. A native of Poland, he founded the Palestine Symphony Orchestra in the 1930s and saved 90 Jewish musicians from Europe by giving them places in the orchestra.
June 17, 1939: The MS St. Louis completes its recrossing of the Atlantic to Europe after all but 28 of the 938 Jewish refugees on board are denied admission to Cuba or the United States.
ISRAEL PRIDE
NEWS FROM OUR JEWISH HOME
(JNF-USA), underscoring the strategic partnership between the two organizations. Together, they highlighted their shared commitment to rehabilitating communities in the Gaza Envelope and advancing education and community development across the region.
KKL-JNF Chairwoman Ifat OvadiaLuski said: “KKL-JNF is proud to support and participate in the annual Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City—an event that symbolizes the unbreakable bond between Israel and the Jewish Diaspora.”
The collaboration reflects the deepening relationship between KKL-JNF and JNF-USA, following a historic agreement signed last year under the leadership of Ovadia-Luski. For the first time, KKL-JNF and JNF-USA unveiled a joint float, presenting a united front in support of the rehabilitation of the Gaza Envelope communities.
Compiled by AJT Staff
June 18, 1890: Avraham Granovsky (Granot after making aliyah in 1922) is born in Moldova. For the Jewish National Fund, he leads the purchase of thousands of dunams (quarter-acres) of land, helping define Israel’s borders.
June 19, 1967: President Lyndon B. Johnson lays out five principles for Middle East peace in a speech at the State Department. He does not demand Israel’s surrender of land captured in the Six-Day War.
June 20, 1950: Israel’s first Festival of Jewish Music begins at the historic YMCA building in Jerusalem and runs until July 1. Most performances present classical music, including Leonard Bernstein, but two events showcase Israeli folk music.
Eliahu Eilat presents a Torah to President Harry S. Truman on Oct. 26, 1949. // Truman Presidential Library
June 21, 1990: Eliahu Eilat, who played a key part in winning President Harry Truman’s U.S. recognition of Israel in May 1948 and served as Israel’s first ambassador to the United States, dies in Jerusalem at 86.
United Airlines Resumes New York-Tel Aviv Flights
United Airlines announced it resumed flight services from New York to Tel Aviv on June 5, becoming the second U.S. carrier to return to Ben Gurion Airport since a Houthi ballistic missile impacted at the airfield earlier this month.
“This resumption follows a detailed assessment of operational consider-
June 22, 1989: Omri Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the National Basketball Association, is born in Holon. The Sacramento Kings select him in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft, picking him 23rd overall.
June 23, 1944: Photojournalist Alex Levac, a 2005 Israel Prize winner, is born in Tel Aviv. His photo of a Bus 300 hijacker in custody in 1984 disproves the official story of the deaths of the four terrorists in the attack.
Politician Tawfiq Toubi of the Hadash party addresses residents of Sakhnin on Land Day in 1988, one of many demonstrations over the years against anti-Arab discrimination in Israel. // By Nikola Abdo, CC BYSA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
June 24, 1987: Israeli Arabs hold an Equality Day strike to protest discrimination and demand equal per capita funding for Jewish and Arab local authorities. Moshe Arens dismisses the strike as “Communist incitement,” but the government increases Arab funding.
June 25, 2009: Jerusalem inaugurates the 1,180-foot-long Chords Bridge, known as the Bridge of Strings, to serve pedestrians and the new light-rail system at the entrance to the city. The bridge features 66 white steel cables hanging from a 384-foot spire.
ations for the region and close work with the unions who represent our flight attendants and pilots,” United said in a statement.
United, along with most foreign airlines, halted flight services between New York’s Newark airport and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on May 4 after a ballistic missile from Yemen struck an area at Israel’s main international airport.
Compiled by AJT Staff
June 26, 2004: Musician Naomi Shemer, known for “Jerusalem of Gold,” dies at 73 after a long battle with cancer. She wrote “Jerusalem of Gold” for a festival in 1967, and singer Shuli Natan made it famous.
June 27, 1945: Ami Ayalon is born in Tiberias. A Medal of Valor winner, he commands the Israeli navy from 1992 to 1996, then leads the Shin Bet security service until 2000. He later represents Labor in the Knesset.
June 28, 1967: Israel publishes the Jerusalem Declaration, announcing the reunification of the city under Israeli sovereignty after the Six-Day War. Prime Minister Levi Eshkol promises full access to holy sites.
June 29, 1939: Kibbutz Givat Brenner, named for writer Yosef Haim Brenner, is founded 20 miles southeast of Tel Aviv by pioneers from Lithuania, Italy and Germany who had worked in other agricultural communities.
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.
A United Airlines flight lands at Ben Gurion International Airport, March 31, 2025 // Photo Credit: Yossi Aloni/FLASH90/Times of Israel
Naomi Shemer performs in Caesarea in 1991. // By Nathan Alpert, Israeli Government Press Office, CC BY-SA 3.0
War Costs Put Public Services at Risk of Collapse
By TOI and Agencies
Renewed fighting in Gaza and higher defense funding needs will put Israel’s already strained public services at risk of collapse, said Prof. Karnit Flug, a former governor of the Bank of Israel and current senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI).
These services include hospitals, schools, and public transportation, she said, speaking to The Times of Israel ahead of this week’s IDI Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society in Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, the looming menace of economic sanctions and international isolation by Israel’s Western allies over the country’s conduct in Gaza is feared to further impinge on the quality of life of Israelis.
All these factors threaten to bring down the standard of living, curtail the country’s growth engines, and trigger a massive outflow of taxpayers and human capital, unless the government changes its course of policy, cautioned Flug.
“What worries me is that, without changes in the government’s course of budget policy and without internalizing the potential snowball effect of sanctions and restrictions, Israel will find itself on a very risky path,” Flug said. “It’s not sustainable to increase the burden on the part of the population that serves in the country, pays taxes, and has high productivity, because they are also the ones who are the most mobile [to leave the country], and we don’t want to go down that road. Israel is a small country with very few natural resources, an economy dependent on human capital as its main source of growth, and adequate infrastructure that is necessary to meet its potential for growth,” she said.
This year, Israelis are already grappling with higher taxes, eroding their disposable income, while receiving fewer public services as the government implements austerity measures to finance ballooning war costs. Meanwhile, Israel’s government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been harshly criticized for failing to make necessary changes to the composition of budget expenditure, in light of higher future defense spending and the need to bring down the country’s debt to help the wartorn economy recover.
At this week’s conference, Flug will present the findings of a study on the repercussions of the government’s shift in
IS ELI HOSTAGE T CKER
The following is an index of Israeli hostages with the most current information available as of press deadline. The first phase of Israeli hostage transfers is complete. The Atlanta Jewish Times will update this hostage tracker with current news of the next round of hostage transfers. Bring Them Home.
Israeli hostages remaining:
Fifty-five more hostages are held in Gaza by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists. The hostages are:
Rom Braslavski, 21
Yosef-Chaim Ohana, 24
Nimrod Cohen, 20
Karni/Times of Israel
budget priorities since the outbreak of war with the Hamas terror group on Oct. 7, 2023.
The study also examines the implications that the planned increase in defense spending might have for civilian spending and public services.
Flug said that, in the study conducted with IDI researcher Roe Kenneth Portal, the two found that during the war, funds earmarked for social welfare needs were mainly spent on war-related expenses, such as medical bills for those affected by the war, emergency infrastructure, and rebuilding costs for areas damaged or destroyed on and after Oct. 7. As a result, she said, spending on basic public services was squeezed or compromised.
While the proportion of the budget allocated for social welfare remained unchanged relative to 2019, its composition has shifted during the war to answer the pressing needs of reserve soldiers and evacuees from the Gaza envelope and Northern borders, to provide emergency infrastructure, and to support the budget of the Tkuma reconstruction directorate, according to the study.
“Civilian services such as education, health, and welfare, and the level of infrastructure that comes with these services, have a direct positive impact on both the quality of life and growth of the economy,” said Flug. “Even before the war, these services were at a relatively modest level in Israel.” ì
Matan Angrest, 22
Ziv Berman, 27
Gali Berman, 27
Maxim Herkin, 36
Segev Kalfon, 27
Bipin Joshi, 24
Elkana Bohbut, 35
Alon Ohel, 24
Ariel Cunio, 27
Bar Kupershtien, 23
Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 23
Eitan Horn, 38
Tamir Nimrodi, 20
Matan Zangauker, 25
Avinatan Or, 31
Omri Miran, 47
Eitan Mor, 24
David Cunio, 34
Eyvatar David, 24
The following hostages are either believed to be dead or their deaths have been confimed:
Amiram Cooper, 84 (murdered in captivity)
Inbar Hayman, 27 (murdered in captivity)
Asaf Hamami, 41 (murdered in captivity)
Eliyahu Margalit, 75 (murdered in captivity)
Uriel Baruch, 35 (murdered in captivity)
Tal Haimi, 41 (murdered in captivity)
Oz Daniel, 19 (murdered in captivity)
Tamir Adar, 38 (murdered in captivity)
Eitan Levy, 52 (murdered in captivity)
Ran Gvili, 24 (murdered in captivity)
Yonatan Samerano, 21 (murdered in captivity)
Yair Yaakov, 59 (murdered in captivity)
Ronen Engel, 54 (murdered in captivity)
Sahar Baruch, 35 (murdered in captivity)
Itay Chen, 19 (murdered in captivity)
Aviv Atzili, 49 (murdered in captivity)
Dror Or, 48 (murdered in captivity)
Muhammad Al-Atrash, 39 (murdered in captivity)
Joshua Loitu Mollel, 21 (murdered in captivity)
Idan Shitvi, 28 (murdered in captivity)
Yossi Sharabi, 53 (murdered in captivity)
Arie Zalmanovich, 85 (murdered in captivity)
Daniel Peretz, 22 (murdered in captivity)
Guy Illouz, 26 (murdered in captivity)
Ofra Keidar, 70 (murdered in captivity)
Lior Rudaeff, 61 (murdered in captivity)
Meny Godard, 73 (murdered in captivity)
Shay Levinson, 19 (murdered in captivity)
Ilan Weiss, 56 (murdered in captivity)
Hadar Goldin, 23 (murdered in 2014)
Omer Neutra, 21 (murdered in captivity)
Sonthaya Oakkharasri (murdered in captivity)
Sudthisak Rinthalak (murdered in captivity)
Former Bank of Israel governor Prof. Karnit Flug speaks at the Eli Hurvitz Conference for Economy and Society, organized by the Israel Democracy Institute in Jerusalem, May 2024 // Photo Credit: Oded
Fear, Panic & Anxiety from ‘Sounds that Startle’
Dave Schechter
From Where I Sit
Lilach Kipnis’ experience counseling children suffering from the trauma of war would have been valuable in the weeks and months after Oct. 7, 2023. Two years earlier, Kipnis had published “Shirat Ha-trigger” (Poem of the Trigger), a slim, illustrated volume about how children cope with sounds — such as the blasts from rockets, mortars, and other devices launched into Israel from Gaza — that spark feelings of fear, panic, and anxiety.
“It was actually written together with the children, out of their shared experiences of living in an ongoing state of emergency,” Kipnis wrote in the introduction. She worked in the Eshkol region, which includes kibbutzim and towns in the “Gaza envelope.”
The 60-year-old Kipnis was one of 101 civilian men, women, and children murdered when 300 Hamas-led terrorists invaded Kibbutz Be’eri, whose founders in October 1946 included her parents.
Kipnis’ book is now available in English — titled “Sounds that Startle” — through Ben-Gurion University Canada, an organization that supports the multi-site university centered in Be’er Sheva. Donations fund mental health services in the campus community and the Negev Desert region.
Children may have difficulty distinguishing between a clap of thunder or a slamming door and explosions from a rocket or an Iron Dome missile intercepting an inbound rocket.
“In such reality, we are exposed to triggers: stimuli that remind us of the real danger and make us react as if the danger itself were present. The trigger produces a reflexive physical reaction to danger. Sometimes, it passes immediately when we realize that there is no real danger, but sometimes it can throw off our physical, mental, emotional, and functional balance for an ex-
tended period of time,” wrote Kipnis, who held a master’s degree in art therapy from Ben-Gurion University.
Her son, Yotam, told Israel Channel 13 in October 2023: “As a child who grew up in the Gaza envelope, and even before the terrible days we’re going through now, I jump at every sound from a motorbike or a slamming door.”
“Sounds that Startle” employs the language of children:
My body can’t tell the difference.
It just feels scared.
My throat tightens.
My heart pounds.
My stomach clenches.
I feel like running away.
Maybe I’ll run to the “safe room,” anywhere so that I am not alone.
I remember, though, that I’m ready for this:
These loud noises and booms are startling, but not dangerous.
The noise is not nice.
It reminds me of bad things.
But I am safe: scared, but not in danger.
Children develop coping mechanisms: I put my hand on my heart and cross my arms like a butterfly.
Don’t be afraid, I tell myself. You’re safe now.
Everything is fine. You can relax and slowly, slowly let go.
On Oct. 7, Lilach and her husband, Eviatar, huddled in the safe room of their home. Terrorists set that house on fire and, among others at Be’eri, the home of Lilach’s sister, Shoshan Haran, and her husband, Avshalom.
In the immediate aftermath, Lilach and Eviatar Kipnis, and Avshalom Haran, were missing. Shoshan and six other fam-
ily members were kidnapped. The body of Eviatar’s caretaker was found within days. The bodies of Eviatar, 65, and Avshalom, 66, were identified 10 days after the attacks and, a week later, that of Lilach.
Six women and children from the family, Shoshan included, were freed after 50 days, in an exchange of hostages for jailed Palestinians. A 40-year-old man suffered 505 days in captivity. [Disclosure: They are on the Israeli side of my family tree.]
An Israeli journalist wrote on Facebook that, according to his son, who knew Lilach, “she used to help patients from the Gaza Strip, driving them to hospitals in Israel. Kipnis’ kindness and desire for peace did not deter the Palestinian killers . . . “
At her funeral, Yotam Kipnis said: “Mother was a partner of movements that believed that we all, regardless of religion, race and gender, deserved a better future. Her support for peace came out of a connection to the ground and a deep acquaintance with the realities of war — and with the human spirit. Because even in the darkest of times, mother hasn’t forgotten what the light looks like.”
These are dark times for Israelis and Palestinians. Just 20 or so of the 55 hostages remaining in Gaza are believed alive. Israel’s military campaign against Hamas has reduced much of the Gaza strip to rubble. Estimates vary on how many tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed.
A generation of children in the “Gaza envelope” have experienced trauma from the thousands of rockets fired into Israel. A generation of children growing up in Gaza are suffering trauma as the war continues.
It is tragically unfortunate that one victim of the slaughter on Oct. 7, 2023, was Lilach Kipnis, who devoted her life to working with children suffering from the effects of war. ì
Cheers to 100 Years
In recognition of the Atlanta Jewish Times celebrating its 100th year from its first edition in 1925, the AJT will re-publish articles from the Southern Israelite from editions dating as far back as 1929, the earliest edition available through the Digital Library of Georgia. All of the Southern Israelite editions, from 1929-1986, can be viewed at gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn78003973/
Please enjoy this retrospective of Jewish journalism in Atlanta and across Georgia, and thank you for supporting the Atlanta Jewish Times for the last 100 years.
Jewish Hurler Gordon Debuts for Houston Astros
David Ostrowsky
Clematis Pizza is situated on the busiest street of downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., the spring training home of the Houston Astros. The establishment that bills itself as “Your Neighborhood Italian Kitchen” is a popular lunch destination for many members of the Astros organization, whether it be veteran big leaguers in February and March or rehabbing minor-leaguers year-round. But for rookie pitcher Colton Gordon in 2021, the pizzeria wasn’t just a fun hangout spot to grab a couple slices of pizza — it was an employment opportunity.
A month before the Astros selected the St. Petersburg, Fla., native in the eighth round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Gordon underwent Tommy John surgery. He arrived in West Palm Beach staring down months of monotonous and lonely rehab with little fanfare and low pay. In need of cash and something to keep him from constantly ruminating about his uncertain professional baseball future, Gordon walked into Clematis Pizza and applied for a job delivering pizzas.
With a sturdy Ford F-150 and daily rehab schedule that wrapped around noon, Gordon was a perfect candidate for the temporary gig and for the next several months supplemented his minorleague salary by cruising around West Palm Beach dropping off pizzas and subs at homes and businesses. For good measure, there were many days when he could sneak in a pre-shift nap after his conditioning exercises while at the end of most nights the pizzeria was good enough to allow Gordon to take home some slices and grinders free of charge.
But this spring, four years after delivering pizzas to customers, Gordon is now delivering pitches to big-league batters after getting called up for his MLB debut on May 14 against the Kansas City Royals and pitching well enough in his ensuing starts to secure at least a temporary spot in the Astros’ injury-ravaged pitching rotation. Though his current stat line (11, a 5.11 ERA across five starts) may seem underwhelming, the tall southpaw’s latest outing, June 6 against the defending American League Central champion Cleveland Guardians, was his best. Benefiting from Houston’s excellent
outfield defense and Cleveland’s reckless baserunning, Gordon earned his first big-league win by firing five innings of one-run ball. He didn’t allow a runner to get past first base until the fifth inning and even had five strikeouts, a rarity for the crafty lefty whose assortment of off-speed offerings don’t typically miss many bats.
“I think everything I’ve been talking about the past couple of weeks was better this week overall,” said Gordon afterwards. “And obviously, my first majorleague win. It was awesome. It’s what you want to do every time is win. Good start.”
Gordon’s new teammates and manager Joe Espada have been impressed with the poise he’s demonstrated in the early going — even though most of his starts haven’t exactly gone swimmingly. After needing 48 pitches to get the first six outs during his first start against Kansas City, Gordon, who’s already garnered a reputation for working exceptionally quickly, settled down to last until the fifth inning to provide some relief for an overly taxed Houston pitching staff. The debut performance, three earned runs on 85 pitches, was solid enough to get Houston a 4-3 win and score another start five days later against the Tampa Bay Rays.
“(Gordon) looked confident,” commented Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña, who used to occupy the left side of the Astros’ infield with Alex Bregman, now with the Boston Red Sox, after the rookie’s first major-league outing. “He was attacking guys, and I love to see that. He had no fear whatsoever. He did not look
one bit nervous.”
This spring may be Gordon’s first regular season big-league action, but it’s not the first time he’s pitched in bigleague ballparks. Just two years ago, Gordon pitched for Team Israel against Team Puerto Rico during the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) at LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins. Though he yielded four runs in just an inning of work as a starter, Gordon went up against well-established veterans Francisco Lindor, Javier Báez, and Kiké Hernandez in front of a thunderous sold-out crowd, mostly rooting against him. Surely, it was a more high-octane environment than a regular-season game in a traditional Major League Baseball setting.
“That matters,” Espada told reporters last month. “I’m telling you. I’ve been in two WBCs. It matters.”
When the Astros selected Gordon during their 2021 NL pennant-winning season, which of course ended by coming up short in the World Series against the Atlanta Braves, they knew they were taking a risk. The 6’4” left-hander was coming off surgery following a significant elbow injury during his redshirt sophomore season at the University of Central Florida, the third school of his four-year college career. But the Houston front office was able to look past that concern and was enticed by the unique profile — even though he personifies a crafty lefty with his mix of sinkers, sliders, curveballs, and changeups, Gordon is not afraid to challenge right-handed batters with a still-effective fastball that can
reach the mid-nineties.
“The thing that excited me the most was his (Gordon’s) ability to pitch with the fastball,” Houston’s general manager Dana Brown, formerly of the Braves, told the team’s pregame radio show last month. “He’s got the crossfire because he (pitches) across his body, it adds a little deception. He was able to pound that fastball in. I’m hoping he can use the fastball a little bit more.”
Meanwhile, Steve Gordon, while sitting in the stands of Daikin Park during his son’s first MLB outing on May 14, provided a less technical perspective when he did a brief in-game interview with the Astros’ flagship television station: “It’s just been terrific because we started playing baseball when he was two, rolling the ball and throwing, and all through Little League and travel ball and high school and then college and then the Astros. It’s been really a great journey. It’s so much fun. I encourage every parent who has a kid with talent to really spend the time to help that kid achieve their full potential — whether it’s a boy or girl in softball or baseball. I worked really hard with Colton to make sure that he had everything he needed to be as good as he is.”
Going into Father’s Day weekend, Gordon appears likely to stay up in Houston and make Steve proud. And if he can keep giving the surging first-place Astros effective innings throughout the summer and stay in the rotation, there may be an opportunity to see the 26-year-old Jewish pitcher in person when the Astros come to Truist Park the weekend of Sept. 12-14. ì
Houston Astros rookie pitcher Colton Gordon is the latest alum of 2023 Team Israel to make a splash in the majors // Photo Credit: Houston Astros
Head Coach Pearl Shares About Edan Alexander
By David Ostrowsky
On the evening of March 22, Auburn men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl made above-the-fold news when he opened up his press conference following the top-seeded Tigers’ 82-70 victory over No. 9 Creighton in the second round of the NCAA tournament by advocating for the release of 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander, the last living American held hostage in Gaza by Hamas.
The timing was no coincidence – a week earlier Hamas had pledged to release Alexander and the bodies of four other hostages if Israel would recommit to a paused ceasefire pact – but a sports figure wading into a strictly political issue literally minutes after a game ends is a rarity.
Last week, Pearl, who has been an outwardly devout Jew and supporter of Israel throughout his storied college basketball coaching career, spoke with the AJT about using his platform to deliver a call to action in light of Alexander’s recent return from captivity:
AJT: Was there anything about Alexander’s background that made you feel inclined to call for his release at the opening of the postgame presser?
Pearl: No. I had no other connection. My only connection was that he’s Jewish, he’s American, he’s held hostage. Something that is sort of very common in our faith – it’s actually I think symbolized quite beautifully in a wedding ceremony – in the midst of your greatest joy, there are times we should remember others that aren’t in the same situation.
We just got done beating Creighton, and it’s a big win. I mean Creighton had been to four out of the last five Sweet Sixteens. That was definitely a potential 1-8 upset. We had a great win. I’m just sitting there in the halls of Rupp Arena with my three players [Tahaad Pettiford, Johni Broome, Denver Jones] and it’s almost like Dorothy and the “Wizard of Oz,” and we’re skipping down the Yellow Brick Road, just going to our press conference, knowing that we’re on to the Sweet Sixteen and we’re two wins from the Final Four. I’m just absolutely thanking G-d for the blessing. For no reason that I can explain, other than my faith, the name of Edan Alexander comes into my mind. While you’re happy, there are still Americans and there are still hostages that are suffocating in a tunnel because they were Israeli or because they were Jewish. And
the world’s forgetting about them. And they don’t know their names. I wanted to start the press conference and remind everybody that while we are all so happy, we’ve got an American held hostage.
AJT: When news broke that Alexander was finally freed from Hamas captivity last month, how did you react?
Pearl: I think it’s the same reaction as the wedding, the same reaction as my joy after winning. I was thrilled for his family, but I was angry. The day of his release I was angry because while there was one family celebrating – and certainly, in Judaism, one family, one joyous occasion, one joyous moment, we are all good, we are satisfied, we celebrate life – but I was angry because there were 58 others that were either dead or still held hostage. I don’t give Hamas an ounce of credit for releasing him. You get no credit whatsoever. So, I was happy, but I was also angry.
AJT: Over the past month, have you had a chance to connect with Alexander?
Pearl: I talked to his father and his father has been wonderful, sending me pictures. But honestly, I want Edan to just recover. I’m actually happy to tell you that I have not talked to him, because we didn’t do this for publicity purposes. He is home. He’s with his family. I don’t want to take 30 seconds away from his recovery and his celebration with his family. I want to give them the space that they
need.
I am absolutely certain that I will meet him one day. And I will meet him one day soon, I think. I will embrace him as a brother. What a courageous young American to love his country, but also to love his Jewish ancestral homeland and to be wanting to go serve for a few years. That was always actually a goal of mine before I got into coaching. That’s what I planned on doing and I didn’t do it. And this young man had the courage and the love of his ancestral homeland, the state of Israel, to be willing to do it. G-d watched over him and obviously saved him.”
AJT: You invited Alexander’s family to Auburn’s Sweet Sixteen game against Michigan at State Farm Arena. Were you able to spend any time with them that weekend?
Pearl: The night before the game we had dinner. I got to spend time with Adi [Edan’s father] and Roy, Edan’s younger brother. It was very sweet. It was wonderful. Roy was like, “Coach, don’t you’ve got tape to watch and stuff like that?”
And I’m like look, there’s an expression, it’s called, hay’s in the barn, it’s time to eat.
We had all week to get ready for Michigan. It was along the lines of “Guys, you’re not alone. There’s nothing we can do. There’s nothing I can say. There’s nothing I can do. Let’s just have a meal. I’d love to get to know you. Tell me more about your brother, your son. And we’re
just praying with you.”
Adi talked to the team the day of the Michigan game. So, my players were very much aware of what we had done. They gave his father a chance to talk about his son, because he was talking to boys the same age as his son. You think about his message about life and taking advantage of the opportunities and not losing hope. It was a great message to my players.
AJT: Since the Oct. 7 attack, has your perspective on your profession changed at all?
Pearl: No, it has not changed me or my perspective because I’ve been very, very aware. I have worked really hard through the U.S. Israel Education Association as well as Athletes for Israel to work in this space. I’ve always been very aware of two things. One, we’ve got to protect ourselves as Israelis, Jews, Americans against people that want to harm us or in fact want to kill us. There aren’t as many of them, but they’re out there. We see that now, on the streets of Washington, D.C., or Boulder, Colo., or the Governor’s mansion in Pennsylvania. We see it all the time. But at the same time, we have a responsibility as Jews. We were G-d’s chosen people for a reason. We’ve been around longer than anybody for a reason. With that, we’ve got to be the best versions of ourselves. We’ve got to be the kindest, the most patient, the hardest working, the most trustworthy, the most loyal, the most grateful, because we’re blessed. ì
During this year’s March Madness, Auburn men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl made global news when he opened one of his press conferences by calling for the release of American hostage Edan Alexander // Photo Credit: Men’s Basketball, Auburn Athletics
Rabbi Lapidus Receives 2025 Covenant Award Vasilyuk Wins 2025 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature
The Alfred & Adele Davis Academy proudly announces that Rabbi Micah Lapidus, director of Jewish and Hebrew Studies and School Rabbi, has been named a 2025 recipient of the prestigious Covenant Award, the highest honor in the field of Jewish education in North America.
Presented annually by The Covenant Foundation, the Covenant Award recognizes three outstanding Jewish educators across North America whose work exemplifies excellence and impact in the field. In honoring Rabbi Lapidus, who is on the threshold of his 18-year “chai” tenure at Davis, the Foundation celebrates his visionary leadership and deep-rooted commitment to Jewish learning, spiritual growth, and social justice, which have left an indelible mark on the school and its broader community.
“Since Rabbi Micah joined Davis in 2008, he has impacted thousands of lives for the better,” said Amy Shafron, head of school at The Davis Academy, who nominated Rabbi Lapidus for the Award. “He embodies a unique constellation of character traits and virtues. He is humble yet audacious, pragmatic yet visionary; he is a mensch but is not afraid to make difficult decisions. Under his leadership, the Jewish and Hebrew experience at Davis has been transformed. He is a consummate steward of our school’s mission and vision, a universally respected ambassador for Reform and Progressive Judaism, and a wonderful colleague and confidant.”
In his role at The Davis Academy — the largest Reform Jewish day school in the U.S. — Rabbi Lapidus leads a team of educators responsible for designing and delivering rich and meaningful Jew-
ish studies, Hebrew, t’filah, holiday, and music curricula. His influence reaches far beyond the classroom: he conducts weekly school-wide t’filah services, facilitates interfaith learning experiences, and guides the school’s intentional servicelearning program. His work is animated by a deep belief in the power of Jewish education to nurture the soul, build community, and foster justice.
“Like so many other Jewish educators, I have benefited from the extraordinary contributions of previous Covenant Foundation Award recipients, and I am so grateful to the Foundation for this honor,” said Rabbi Lapidus. “And, too, I am so blessed to be a part of The Davis Academy, to work alongside such dedicated, inspiring, and creative educators every day. My entire rabbinate has unfolded at Davis, and yet, after 17 years, I still feel like a student here — still learning, still growing.”
Rabbi Lapidus will be honored at a formal ceremony this fall in New York City. The Covenant Award also includes a generous prize for each recipient and a grant to the recipient’s institution.
In recognition of Rabbi Lapidus’ leadership, passion, and commitment to justice, The Davis Academy invites the community to celebrate him with a tribute to The Tzedek Fund at Davis. Donations will be used to honor his work with the Davis community’s children, encouraging acts of justice, compassion, and collective responsibility. The Tzedek Fund supports programs and initiatives inspired by Rabbi Lapidus’ values and vision. To make a tribute in his honor, please visit www.davisacademy.org/TzedekFund.
Compiled by AJT Staff
The Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, in association with the National Library of Israel, proudly announces Sasha Vasilyuk as the 2025 winner for her debut novel, “Your Presence Is Mandatory” (Bloomsbury Publishing). Inspired by her own family history, Vasilyuk’s novel explores the hidden costs of war, the legacy of silence and the complex moral terrain of Jewish life in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Ukraine.
The $100,000 premier annual award honors the exceptional work of emerging writers in the examination and transmission of Jewish life, culture and identity.
"I wrote this novel to honor voices nearly lost to silence and am immensely grateful and humbled that the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature is paying tribute to this complicated history and the people who lived it," said Vasilyuk.
“As Jewish communities worldwide
face renewed threats and dangerous distortions, it is especially meaningful to recognize writers who confront these challenges with honesty, depth and imagination,” said George Rohr. “Our family is proud to honor Sasha Vasilyuk, together with this year’s outstanding finalists, whose work demonstrates how literature can illuminate the Jewish experience and expand the conversation around it.”
“Sasha Vasilyuk’s remarkable achievement lies in her ability to weave the personal and historical into a narrative that speaks across generations,” said Debra Goldberg, director of the Sami Rohr Prize. “The diverse voices of this year’s winner and finalists celebrate the vibrant future of Jewish literature, deepening our engagement with the past while charting new directions for expression.”
Compiled by AJT Staff
Sasha Vasilyuk won the award for her debut novel, “Your Presence is Mandatory.”
Rabbi Micah Lapidus holds the microphone for a pair of Davis Academy students during Kabbalat Shabbat // Photo credit: Davis Marketing Team
Hadassah Hosts 34th Annual Chesed Student Awards Hadassah Metulla Sponsors Meet the Author Event
Hadassah Chesed Student Award recipients: (seated, from left): Terry Nordin (HGA President), Linda Weinroth, Phyllis M. Cohen, Liz Goldstein (Chesed Awards co-chairs); (first row standing, from left) Dylan Stewart, Adam Blum, Leah Silver, Katie Vogin, Stella Bernath, Matthew Steinberg, Samantha Weiner, Abby Shefrin, Maya Shatil, Emily Deich; (back row, from left) Adrianna Castiglione, Stella Galanti, Daniel Barchichat, Jake Malever, Maccabee Anderson, Gabrielle Bland, Ellie Rosen, Oliver Mason, Jake Isenberg; Not pictured: Binah Leinwald, Elia Nessman, and Jessie Schwartzman, (Director of JTeen) // Photo Credit: Glenn Prince Photography
The 34th annual Hadassah Greater Atlanta (HGA) Chesed (loving kindness) Student Awards took place on May 4 at Congregation Or Hadash in Sandy Springs. HGA and JTeen (formally known as JumpSpark) honored 21 of the best and brightest young leaders representing synagogues, Jewish day schools and organizations in the Greater Atlanta community. Eightthrough twelfth graders are eligible for the award. Each organization chooses its own recipient based on criteria that are paramount to Hadassah and its members: concern for Jews, Jewish culture and heritage; concern for Israel; concern for fellow human beings in manner and deed (menschlichkeit); and good academic standing.
Phyllis M. Cohen, Linda Weinroth, and Liz Goldstein of Hadassah Greater Atlanta chaired the event in partnership with Jessie Schwartzman, director of JTeen. They noted how inspiring and impressive it is to highlight the outstanding activities and achievements of these teens who have demonstrated their potential to be future leaders.
Hana Landesman, Hadassah Southeastern Region Evolve Chair, spoke about Hadassah’s Youth Aliyah Villages in Israel which put at-risk youth on a secure path to success. Donations made this year to the Chesed program are being allocated to Youth Aliyah to continue the rescue and support of hundreds of disadvantaged students in Hadassah’s care.
Renee Kutner, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, delivered a special message of congratulations as a past Chesed award recipient herself. She commended the student honorees on their accomplishments, expressed the im-
portance of continued community service, and shared some words of wisdom.
Since 2019, two monetary awards have been given at the program based on student essay submissions. The Phyllis M. Cohen Leadership Award went to Jake Isenberg, Temple Sinai’s recipient. The topic of his essay was: “Combating Antisemitism.”
While participating in a debate program at Emory University, he came face-to-face with blatant antisemitism and Jew hatred when one of the students there wrote that “Hitler did the right thing.” He bravely brought the situation to Emory‘s attention and the student was dismissed.
The Linda and Michael Weinroth Community Service Award went to Maccabee Anderson, the American Jewish Committee’s recipient. The topic of his essay was: “If you had the ability to make a positive change in your community, what would that be?” Recognizing there are too few opportunities for young Jewish voices to be heard, Maccabee created a website, Joseph’s Inkwell, a student-run writing competition that provides a space where teen-aged Jewish writers can share their thoughts, struggles, and stories in their own words. Confronting themes such as antisemitism, tradition, belonging, and personal growth, the site gives them a place where their voices matter.
To learn more about Hadassah, go to https://www.hadassah.org/chapter/greater-atlanta
To learn more about JTeen, go to https://jewishatlanta.org/what-we-do/ourinitiatives/j-teen/
Compiled by AJT Staff
Hadassah women were thrilled to personally meet the author of “Tap Dancing on Everest” at the recent book club event: Pictured (from left) are Lisa Slotznick (event moderator), Nancy Schwartz (Past President Hadassah Greater Atlanta), Dr. Mimi Zieman (author), Susan Linkwald (book club co-chair), Terry Nordin (president of Hadassah Greater Atlanta), and Mindy Cohen (co-president of the Metulla Group of Hadassah Greater Atlanta).
Hadassah Greater Atlanta’s Metulla Goup held its special in-person program, Meet the Author, as part of the Same Page Book Club Meeting and Discussion Event on May 16. The book for this session was “Tap Dancing on Everest,” written by Mimi Zieman, M.D.
Dr. Zieman, trained as an OB/GYN, specializing in endocrinology and infertility. After 10 years as an academic at Emory University School of Medicine, she pivoted into the role of chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Southeast and then to VP of Research and Clinical Development for a medical device startup. Her final job and biggest pivot was to become a full-time writer.
As a young medical student, Dr. Zieman became the medical expert — and the only woman — on a team scaling Mount Everest. Her memoir is an adventure story and coming-of-age epic that touches on intersecting themes of feminism, medicine, reverence for nature, and her Jewish identity, including how her upbringing as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and of immigrants influenced her life’s journey.
Lisa Slotznick, moderator of this event explains, “Dr. Zieman also has the goal of using her voice to advance causes
she believes in order to better the world.” Book club co-chair Susan Linkwald says, “Reading, and now hearing in-person, about Mimi’s relationship with Judaism and spirituality, made us all think about our own perspectives. Our group discussion touched on travels, fears, risktaking and what choices we make in our lives. Everyone loved the book.”
Hadassah invites everyone to join the online National Book Club called, “One Book, One Hadassah,” featuring live virtual interviews with an impressive lineup of acclaimed Jewish authors, including Mayim Bialik, Jennifer Weiner, and Anna Solomon. Since its inception, “One Book, One Hadassah” has secured its place as part of the American Jewish literary landscape. It’s seen continually growing engagement, with the number of attendees gradually increasing to a total of more than 11,500 to date, and it continues to build momentum. And please join Hadassah Greater Atlanta local book clubs which are both in-person and on Zoom. You will discover new books that you’ll love to read. For more information, please visit https://www.hadassah.org/virtualprogramming/one-book-one-hadassah
Compiled by AJT Staff
2025
Local Orgs Connect Earth Day to Judaism Rabbi Dorsch Speaks at Kiwanis Prayer Breakfast
Repair the World Atlanta and Adamah partnered to bring their communities together for an Earth Day Havdalah. Together, volunteers learned about Jewish practices to honor the Earth, shared a meal together, and packed meals for local residents. Following the event, 30
meals were distributed to the Elizabeth Foundation, a local service partner who combined the meals with other supplies for local residents experiencing homelessness.
Compiled by AJT Staff
By Lou Ladinsky
Rabbi Daniel Dorsch, Senior Rabbi at Congregation Etz Chaim in Marietta, was invited to speak at the Kiwanis Prayer Breakfast on May 29. The Atlanta Jewish Times was invited to attend the event recognizing incoming President of this Kiwanis chapter, Philip Gold.
Kiwanis is a global service organization focused on improving the lives of children and communities. It is not a religion-based organization, but rather a value-based organization. It is open to all members of all faiths or no faith at all.
Rabbi Dorsch captivated the audience for more than40 minutes. He stayed away from any political topics and instead focused on the rise of antisemitism and making the world a better place. He emphasized the diversity within the Jewish community, the challenging common stereotypes, and highlighted the wide range of appearances and beliefs.
Oct. 7, 2023 was described as a world-altering event, referencing the deaths at the embassy and the ongoing hostage situation in Gaza today. Oct. 7 was the largest number of Jews killed in one day since the Holocaust. This event is linked to the increased rise in antisemitism and a sense of insecurity within the Jewish community.
Rabbi Dorsch talked about basic Jewish beliefs and highlighted common theologies of Judaism with non-Judaic beliefs. These common theologies can make the world a better place. He discussed the persistence of harmful stereotypes and myths about Jewish people, emphasizing the need for education and understanding. He called for breaking down barriers and promoting tolerance through increased knowledge and empathy.
Philip Gold commented after the speech that Rabbi Dorsch was one of the best speakers this Marietta Kiwanis club has ever had.
Daniel Dorsch, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Etz Chaim, spoke at the Kiwanis Prayer Breakfast in Marietta on May 29 // Photo Credit: Lou Ladinsky
MJCCA Preschool Launches ‘Plant & Play’
By Robert Garber
An event in May at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s (MJCCA) Schiff Preschool included a surprise for the family that sponsored it.
“Plant and Play in the Dirt Day” is a new initiative introduced this year, inspired by a generous donation from the L’hommedieu family. They funded the planting of orange flowers in memory of the Bibas boys, who were tragically taken hostage and killed in Gaza.
“Beyond their generous donation, the L’hommedieu family has demonstrated deep, consistent support for the Jewish community through acts of kindness, solidarity, and generosity,” said MJCCA staff. “Since enrolling their son at our Jewish preschool, they have embraced our community wholeheartedly -- celebrating Jewish holidays with meaningful gifts, supporting teachers and students, and standing with us during times of crisis.”
When antisemitic flyers appeared in local neighborhoods, the family deliv-
ered flowers and a handwritten note to express unity and peace. They also promoted and funded academic programs on the Holocaust in rural areas to combat denialism.
The entire L’hommedieu family was invited to join Liam’s Pre-K class for the event. Each child received a gardening apron and tools, along with orange hats as a tribute to the Bibas boys’ red hair. Everything was carefully timed to surprise the family with a meaningful presentation of a White Rose from The White Rose Society, in recognition of their continuing support of the Jewish community.
The director of The Schiff School, Stephanie Lampert, welcomed the family by sharing a statement recognizing their impact. Julie Rau, executive director of The White Rose Society, spoke and presented the family with their White Rose statue, while Rabbis Max and Rachael Miller from Temple Emanu-El offered a heartfelt blessing in their honor.
“When we were informed that we were being recognized by The White Rose Society, we were entirely blown
Schiff School students, families, and staff gathered for a heartfelt “Plant and Play in the Dirt Day” event, including a surprise moment honoring the L’hommedieu family with a White Rose Society award.
away and overwhelmed,” said the L’hommedieu family. “It was a complete shock and probably one of the largest honors we’ve received. Our support of The Schiff School was always driven
by doing more for an organization that had done so much for our family rather than any recognition. It was a reminder that there is always an opportunity to do more.”
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Atlanta Jewish Academy Class of 2025
Atlanta Jewish Academy recognizes its graduating class of 2025. They are as follows:
Zachary Agichtein
Dassie Chasen
Aryeh Cohen
Eliana Flusberg
Avigail Gadelov
Noa Geller
Kayla Joel
Pace Kaplan
Danit Kutner
Eliana Linsider
Oliver Mason
Shira Oami
Justin Rolnick
Alon Rosh
Talia Sarnat
Ari Shapiro
Yaakov Wasserman
JEWELRY & WATCH REPAIRS
The Weber School Class of 2025
The Weber School recognizes its graduating class of 2025. They are as follows:
Lily Allemeier
Zachary Annicelli
Matan Avdar-Rubin
Micah Baron
Etai Ben-Simon
Jordyn Berger
Ilan Berman
Aaron Berman
Ariel Birnbaum
Eli Bock
Sadie Braun
Isaac Brody
Drew Chase
Jordan Cohen
Benjamin Collins
Tade Farmer
Ilsa Feuer
Stella Galanti
Israel Glusman
Levi Gordon
Ari Gordon
Meredith Heinzmann
Tali Horwitz
Leeya Ilan
Hayden Kasmen
Jolie Kessler
Micah Kopelman
Rachel Kurgan
Noah Leavitt
Amelia Levine
Elliott Levine
Joshua Levinsohn
Sophie Levy
Matthew Levy
Jadyn Lichstrahl
Grace Mailman
Isabella Malobe
Molly Marcus
Iddo Markus
Ava Marzullo
Amalia Miller
Milo Medof
Jonah Murovitz
Zachary Notte
Adam Ress
Romy Ress
Zachary Rindsberg
Evan Schneiderman
Jordan Schulman
Ava Segal
Lola Sheffield
Kira Silberman
Joshua Simon
Darren Spano
Parker Spett
Matthew Steinberg
Jared Sturisky
Sam Wachtel
Katelyn Weiner
Libby Wilons
Amishai Weismark
Jacob Wilson
Leah Wolf
Joshua Wolkin
Daniella Zalik
Davis Academy Class of 2025
Arden Adair
Jonah Baer
Reid Baer
Aaron Barr
Mabel Basco
Stella Bernath
Ari Bolnick
Shylah Broder
Evie Carmel
Chloe Coffey
Drew Cohen
Jaron Coplin
Miles Dimenstien
Jude Galison
Emma Gluzman
Eleanor Gold
Julia Goldberg
Grant Golivesky
Olivia Herd
Hadara Lapidus
Mia Lazarian
Emily Levingston
Isaac Lichtenstein
Odel Madar
Alyssa Medwed
Bellamy Morgan Yogman
Olivia Ozias
Oliver Richin
Nate Richmond
Zachary Rosen
Hadley Rothberg
Carly Rubin
Isaac Schindler
Payton Schlam
Kyle Schleicher
Avery Schwartz
Jacob Schwartz
Emma Siegelman
Dylan Sonenshine
Noah Swenson-Friedberg
Isaac Tal
Lily Trompeter
Katie Vogin
Ace Waldman
Adam Webber
Isabella Woulfin
The
The Epstein School Class of 2025
Torah Day School Class of 2025
Wilensky
Gabe Goodhart
Blat
Jordan Smith
Sara Shulman
Jackson Perkel
Max Lubell
Maya Bercu
Lilah Wallis Hudson Traub Gabi Richman Binah Leinwand
Maman
Ellie Small
Josh Petchenik
Torah Day School Academy recognizes its graduating class of 2025. They are as follows:
Sheva Adler
Meital Bernstein
Tziona Faiga Casper
Goldie Cohen
Noa Cohen
Shifra Czuper
Miriam Esther Fischer
Adina Rivka Friedman
Henna Friedman
Hadassa Bracha Gavant
Talya Hachamoff
Sherry Holzer
Naomi Hannah Kahn
Hadassah Kaplan
Riki Levin
Meira Shayna Levitt
Binah Rachel Needleman
Miriam Bayla Neiditch
Yehudis Tzipora Oratz
Esther Ovdat
Bracha Ora Rodbell
Hadassah Senior
Gavriella Miriam Silverman
Ilana Laya Tannenbaum
Adina Talya Tendler
Ahuva Windham
Aryeh Baruch Adelman
Doniel Mordechai Adelman
Noach Alterman
Gavriel Efraim Barayev
Beni Berendt
Yosef Cohen
Shlomo Fakheri
Moshe Foxbrunner
Samuel Frank
Zev Gopin
Tzvi Graiser
Eli Yoel Grant
Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Gross
Ariel Yosef Isaacs
Nachum Joel
Eliyahu Y Khalili
Eliyahu Tzvi Nadoff
Moshe Uziel Pinkhasov
Efraim Rubin
Steven Clark Salomon
Mordechai Aryeh Schulgasser
Akiva Dovid Shuster
Isaac Tritt
Etan Weiden
Chaya Mushka Chabad Academy Class of 2025
Chaya Mushka Chabad Academy recognizes its graduating class of 2025. They are as follows:
Freeda Lipksier
Mussy Amzalak
Pearl Charytan
Abigail Teytel
Aderet Afrah
Chana Groner
Sophie Mason
Shayna Antopolsky
Yaakov New
Joseph Zavulunov
Yanky Lokshin
Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael Class of 2025
Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael recognizes its graduating class of 2025. They are as follows:
Yedidya Friedman
Zvi Friedman
Yair Davydov
Natanel Perez
Yosef Cohen
Fleshel
Yakov Freitag
Daniel Pelishev
Jonah Leifer
Yonah Simcha Lynn
Shalom
Madeline Aferiat North Atlanta High School
Madeline, your light leads with courage, kindness, and the joy of becoming.
Mom & Dadou
Benjamin Beck
Chattahoochee High School
Congratulations on all your accomplishments. You’re amazing and we love you!
Love you - Mom & Dad
Yonatan Ben-Haim
Riverwood High School
Mazel Tov Yonatan. We’re very proud of you. We love you! Go Dawgs!
Ima & Aba
Anna Banner
The Westminster Schools
Anna, we love you, are so proud of you and are so excited for what lies ahead for you!
Mom, Dad, Bradley, Henry and of course Bruce (ruff!)
Roy Ben-Haim
Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia
We’re happy for you. We’re proud of you. We love you. Mazel Tov!
Ima & Aba
Emily Eskreis Alpharetta High School
Congratulations on all your hard work! You did it! We are so proud of you!
Love, Mom & Dad
Evan Garber
Georgia Tech
You are amazing!
Love, Mom & Dad
Lily Herman
Valdosta State University
Mazel Tov Lily!!! You are going to be a great teacher!!!
Love, Mom and Dad
Ely Liran Jones Creek High School
Ely, so proud of your journey and strength. Love you always, keep shining, keep rising!
Love and proud of you, Mom, Dad, Yali & Ofri
Alex Nover
Milton High School
Congratulations on your graduation and good luck at USF
Grandma and Pop
Levi Gordon
The Weber School
So proud as you soar to new heights- your graduation is just the beginning!
Love, Mom, Dad, Zoe & Daisy
Ian Hurewitz Wheeler High School
All of your hard work and perseverance have led you to this proud moment!
Love always, Mom, Dad, and Lena
Zachary Notte
The Weber School
Mazel Tov, Zach! We are so proud of you and your many accomplishments!
Love, Mom, Dad, Tracy, Marley, Petunia, and Ernie
Ethan Rice Beacon College
Ethan we are so very proud of you and all you have accomplished!
Love, Mom and Dad
Bradley Rudy Kennesaw State Universtiy
Bradley Rudy, who’s graduating Suma Cum Laude, your family is so proud that you have accomplished more than we ever thought you could do. Your blessings are so abounded that you are going to change the world and make it profound. Love,Mom and your entire family
Vivienne Seidel
Riverwood International Charter School
Congrats Vivi! We are so proud of all your accomplishments
Mom, Dad, Lily, Ben, and Bernie
Sophie Ullman
Alpharetta High School
We are so proud of you. We know you will go far!
With Love, Mama, Daddy, Claire, Jack & Lucy
Ryan Winston
University of Georgia
Mazel Tov Ryan! We are so proud of you and everything you have already accomplished! Love, Mom, Dad and Matt
Jordan Schulman
The Weber School
We are all so proud of you for what you have done and the man you will become. Mazal Tov!
Mom, Sad, Josh, Ariella, Zach, and Gracie
Sarah Stambler
University of Maryland
Sarah, mazel tov on your December 2024 graduation! We’re so proud of you!
Love, Mom & Dad
Alisa Umanskiy
Centennial High School
Congratulations, our love! Proud of you beyond words. Now on to new adventures!
Alla & Leo Umanskiy
STYLE
Jewish Atlanta ’ s Stylish Simchas and Celebrations
Bride & Groom Honor Nova Festival Survivors
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Mindy Freedman and Evan Kopf’s love story began on the roof of a New York City synagogue during a Jewish singles Shabbat. In October of 2021, Mindy was with her two girlfriends, and Evan was with his two guy friends. Mindy’s friend saw them and exclaimed, “Hey, those are good odds!”
The groups met and decided to leave the event together to sing karaoke and dance. Evan twirled Mindy on the dance floor, and the two immediately felt chemistry. Fast forward two years, Evan proposed in Carl Schurz Park near their apartment in the Upper East Side. They were married on Feb. 22, 2025, at Gotham Hall in Manhattan while 200 guests looked on.
Mindy Freedman, the only child of Dr. Allan and Paula Freedman, is a 2009 graduate of The Epstein School and 2013 graduate of The Galloway School. She moved to New York to attend NYU, where she majored in musical theatre. Following graduation, Mindy found a new passion in the bridal industry. After starting as a stylist at Kleinfeld and appearing on the TV show, “Say Yes to the Dress,” Mindy is currently a bridal consultant at Mark Ingram Atelier in Manhattan where she experienced her own “Say Yes to the Dress” moment by selecting an exquisite Monique Lhullier gown. She also reworked her mother’s 47-year-old wedding gown to wear for the rehearsal dinner, hopefully a good omen for many years of marriage to come.
Evan Kopf is the oldest of three children of Michael and Jamie Kopf from Closter, N.J. He is a graduate of Tulane University and currently works as an FP&A manager for the tech startup, Snappt. After graduating from Tulane, Evan spent a year in Cali, Colombia, teaching English, even rescuing a dog, Lucas, and bringing him back to the United States. Mindy said, “Evan is a dedicated vegan. One of my favorite traits about him is his respect for all living things, even wearing a custom tuxedo by Alan David employing bamboo as the fabric.”
Deeply connected to their Jewish identities, Mindy and Evan were moved by the story of Eliya Cohen and Ziv Abud, a couple separated from each other at the Nova Festival in Israel on Oct. 7, where
Eliya was taken hostage. Mindy and Evan honored them on their wedding website; and Eliya was released from captivity on their wedding day, making their day even more special.
Mindy and Evan knew they wanted to get married in Manhattan, as that is where their love story took place. They chose Gotham Hall, awestruck by the high ceilings, architecture, warmth, and plentiful vegan options. They worked with Vanda High Events for planning, Kelly Kollar for photography, Hank Lane’s Brooklyn Sound band, had a vegan cake from Bleu Neige, customized ketubah by Danny Azoulay in Israel, and Flowers by Brian. Officiating the ceremony were Rabbi Mark Hillel Kunis of Congregation Shaarei Shamayim in Atlanta, Mindy’s family
Mindy Freedman and Evan Kopf on their wedding day.
synagogue, and Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner of Temple Emanu-El in Closter, N.J., the Kopf’s family congregation.
Evan recalled, “Every wedding moment was meaningful: the emotional first look, ketubah signing in Gotham Hall’s old bank vault, Mindy wearing the diamond bracelet from her grandmother and her great-great-grandmother’s pearl earrings.”
Evan wore his grandfather’s wedding band. The couple used two tallitot for the ceremony, one from Mindy’s dad and one from Evan’s grandfather. Mindy dedicated her bouquet to her mom for all she did to make the wedding happen so gloriously.
Halfway through the night, Evan and Mindy had a moment to sit and reflect,
Left: The
Below:
listening to the speeches from friends and family, including a memorable father-ofthe-bride speech. Mindy then surprised Evan by taking the stage herself to sing, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” one of Evan’s favorites. As Mindy sang, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. She said, “It was a beautiful moment shared between us and everyone in attendance.”
After a two-week honeymoon in Hawaii, the couple resides on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
Evan concluded, “From the South to the North, all the way to Israel and more, people came from all over to N-YC to celebrate with us. We feel grateful so many loved ones made their way to the Big Apple.” ì
represented the
Top Left: Everyone loves a rousing Hora chair toss.
Top Right: Mindy Freedman and Evan Kopf selected Gotham Hall because of its high ceilings, architecture, and warmth // All photos by Kelly Kollar
cake
sweetness in life. Note that Evan’s tux was made from bamboo fabric.
The couple’s ketubah was signed by Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner (left) and Atlanta Rabbi Mark Kunis, along with the bride and groom.
An Elegant, Modern Wedding for Jennifer & Max
By Robyn Spizman Gerson
The wedding of Jennifer Freedman to Max Rothchild was magical, modern, and elegant with more than 250 family and friends celebrating and dancing the night away at the magnificent ballroom setting at the Atlanta History Center. Set in springtime in Atlanta, 2025, the wedding sparkled like the Eiffel Tower at night.
The tone was instantly set when Jennifer and Max got engaged in the heart of Paris, since Max’s mother and grandparents are from France. Surrounded by both families, who flew in for the surprise engagement, their love story sky-rocketed in the most romantic city in the world and the rest was history.
Nancy Freedman, mother of the bride shared, “We were thrilled with everything, as our goal was to make Jennifer and Max’s dream wedding come true. Our wedding
planner, Nicole Bernath, owner of Pretty Swell Parties, put her incredible skills to use. Nicole is extremely creative, flexible, kind, and always had a solution with her reassuring demeanor.”
Nicole shared, “Jennifer had described her vision with a French feel, a nod to Max’s family and their Paris engagement. I love curating a vendor team and experience that’s a reflection of the couple’s unique tastes, style and heritage. Atlanta’s Swan House and History Center provided the perfect backdrop and despite a rainy night in Georgia (and even a far-reaching tremor of a near-state earthquake that day), the wedding went on without a hitch.”
Bride Jennifer said, “I had a vision of ‘modern elegance’ for the wedding. I wanted it to feel like a dream, look around and see flowers everywhere. Every decision we made was for the sake of our family and friends. I dreamed of everyone
being on the dance floor together, eating a ton of food, and laughing, and it was exactly that!”
Rabbi Ashira Boxman – Jen’s best friend and roommate at the University of Texas (one of three rabbis in her family) had just graduated from Hebrew Union and while she had officiated at other weddings, this was the first as a fully ordained rabbi.
The ballroom was transformed into a field of flowers thanks to Chris Macksey of Florist Topher Mack. The bride wore an exquisite wedding dress by Israeli designer Mira Zwillinger from Mark Ingram of New York. The bride carried a bouquet of white garden roses, freesia, peony, subtle accents of blush astilbe, and roses, stem wrapped with a cuff made from her mother’s wedding dress. The ballroom was set with long estate tables flanking the dance floor topped with lush floral bridges, cher-
ry trees, and candlelight.
Following the ceremony, the Freedmans welcomed guests and Wayne shared, “Nancy prepared a special welcome speaking French, which was deeply appreciated by the Rothchild family, many of whom are from France.”
Wayne brought people to tears when he quoted the lyrics of the Zac Brown Band song, “The Man Who Loves You the Most.” Nancy added, “Our goal was to make this as special and unique as possible for Jennifer and Max, and our guests … seeing how happy Jennifer and Max was with everything. A treat was seeing our 4-year-old grandson, Henry, pulling his 11-monthold brother, Miles, in a wagon during the wedding processional. We loved how Rabbi Boxman made the service so meaningful, the band was incredibly entertaining, plus their first dance to Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s, ‘You’re All I Need to Get
Pictured are the families of the bride Jennifer Freedman and groom Max Rothchild
By’ was memorable along with the French guests holding onto Jennifer’s dress during the Hora.”
Atlanta’s Hi-Definition Party Band, from Music Garden, a 12-piece ensemble known for delivering high-energy choreography, kept the party dancing non-stop from a smooth dinner set to an epic hora and high-energy dance set, ending with Max and Jen’s request for the song, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, and the couple sang along on stage and crowd surfed. The cake table was draped in a linen made from Nancy’s wedding dress and the cake appeared to have floating tiers made by Gabriel’s Bakery – served alongside his and her favorite Jeni’s Ice Cream cups, featuring a custom label on Max’s favorite.
Adam Shoemaker and his team at Dennis Dean Catering included a trio of amuse-bouche, a watermelon salad, and a dual-entrée of seabass and filet. Abigail Thomas, the masterful photographer of A. Thomas Photography, captured every second of the occasion at every turn. Her keen eye and sensitivity to details created a lasting memory of the entire simcha.
Mother of the groom, Cecile Rothchild, lovingly summed up the wedding, “I’ve had the joy of attending some truly spectacular and sophisticated Jewish weddings — whether in Paris, the South of France, Florence, New York, or Palm Beach. I’ve witnessed the elegance of a Parisian vineyard in Provence and celebrated love in a 16th-century palazzo in Florence. But never — anywhere — have I experienced the kind of warmth and wholehearted welcome that we all felt in Atlanta.”
Max added, “It all came to life with the ketubah signing and Ashira’s beautiful words and we felt so lucky to be in the presence of family and friends we’ve known all our lives. Our memories will last a lifetime.”
The wedding ended on a high note, the band switched it up into a line band with horns, excitement and the wedding party and guests danced their way to a Rolls Royce ready to whisk the happy couple off to an after party. Jennifer and Max’s dream came true when they met each other and their wedding continued the fantasy for all who attended. ì
Jennifer Freedman and Max Rothchild on the front lawn at The Swan House // All photos by A. Thomas Photography www.athomasphotography.com
Above: The bride and groom danced the night away with family and friends.
Below: Jennifer and Max are pictured in front of a Rolls Royce that would eventually whisk them off to an after party.
Love, Twenty Years Later
By Debbie Diamond
The chorus refrain in the Grateful Dead’s iconic love song, “They Love Each Other,” repeats, “They love each other, Lord you can see it’s true.”
On a warm spring day surrounded by 50 of their nearest and dearest, Kim and Bruce Kauffman proved just how true that sentiment is.
The vibrant and beloved West Midtown couple renewed their wedding vows in a Grateful Dead-style celebration that was as heartfelt as it was joyful. Under their original chuppah — complete with the same wooden poles and tallit from their wedding
day two decades earlier — Kim and Bruce recommitted themselves to each other, with their original officiant, Rabbi Mitch Cohen, once again leading the ceremony.
But this vow renewal was more than a ceremony — it was a quintessential Kauffman celebration. A Grateful Dead tribute band, String ‘n Bones, filled the air with fan favorites like “Sugar Magnolia” and “Uncle John’s Band,” setting a tone of love, nostalgia, and jubilation. Guests — mostly fellow baby boomers — danced, swayed, and sang along, enveloped in a celebration of music and community that mirrored the couple’s values.
“We wanted to bring meaning to our
ceremony, so we incorporated many elements of our wedding and family into the day,” said Kim. And it showed. From the outfits to the food, every detail honored the past while celebrating the present. Kim wore her original wedding cape; Bruce, his original wedding sport coat — delighted it still fit. Bruce’s sister, a jewelry designer in New York, created a custom necklace for Kim using a diamond from his mother’s engagement ring, adding a deeply sentimental touch.
“It was so sweet and meaningful. I love seeing how in love my parents are,” said their daughter, Sam Kauffman. “I’m so proud of them.”
Kim, a nurse and clinical director at a pediatric homecare agency, and Bruce, CEO of Organic Solutions of Georgia, had thought about renewing their vows in 2015, but the plans had to be put on hold due to the passing of Bruce’s mother. Ten years later, when Bruce proposed a new idea to mark their 20th anniversary, Kim said yes all over again.
Ever the event maestro, Bruce spearheaded the planning. They even ordered cakes from Alon’s Bakery — the same ones served at their original wedding reception. With the closing of their wedding venue, 5 Seasons Brewing, they chose the front patio at Fire Maker Beverage Com-
It’s a family affair: (from left) nephew, Gabe Greenbaum, Rabbi Mitch Cohen, Bruce Kauffman, Kim Kauffman, daughter, Sam Kauffman, sister, Marjory Lowman
Bottom Right: Just for laughs: Kim and Bruce made sure the original cake topper found its way to the vow renewal.
pany in West Midtown as the perfect site for making new memories.
“When I started dating Kim, I got this feeling that finally my real life was about to start … a funny epiphany to have at 45 years old. After 20 years of marriage, it seemed exactly the right time to celebrate with our friends and family. And I credit Kim for keeping it real all these years,” said Bruce.
Anyone who knows the Kauffmans will tell you they are the heart of many a gathering. Their home has long been a hub for a colorful group of friends — from members of the media and musicians
to comedians and political pundits that Bruce met through his nationally syndicated radio show, “So You Say with Bruce Kay,” along with Kim’s large circle of family and friends. Add in Bruce’s ALTA tennis teammates and the groundwork is laid for a memorable party.
As the Kauffmans mingled with the group of well-wishers with laughter in the air and music all around, they reminded everyone present what enduring love looks like: rooted in shared memories, kept alive through commitment, and celebrated in the company of those who matter most. ì
Top Left: Kim and Bruce Kauffman at their wedding 20 years earlier.
Top Right: Under the chuppah to renew their vows: (from left) Rabbi Mitch Cohen, daughter, Sam Kauffman, Bruce Kauffman, Kim Kauffman
Right: Guests reveled in the music provided by String ‘n Bones, a Grateful Dead tribute band.
Adi’s Bat Mitzvah was a Carnival Wonderland
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Adi’s bat mitzvah on May 17 ranged from the outrageous to the sublime … some even said, “jaw dropping.”
The weekend began when Adi’s Friday night dinner went “a flutter” with the release of 280 butterflies to the delight of 70 guests, followed by dinner with a tarot card reader, candle lighting and DJ Levi Gordon. To spice things up, teens were challenged to answer questions so they could converse and win gift cards.
For her mitzvah project, Adi wanted to assure that the survivors of Oct. 7 (Kib-
butzes Nir Oz and Be’eri) they weren’t forgotten. Through The Gary Rosenthal Collection, they created 150 mezuzot for which Adi raised the money for the materials. Approximately 50 people participated in creating beautiful mezuzot.
Party planner extraordinaire Mireille Naturman’s spouse, Anthony, delivered them to Israel along with another Davis Academy student’s mitzvah project, hand sewn toys. Rabbi Natan Trief brought the remaining mezuzot to Israel. Adi said, “I also twinned with Gila from Poland, a child who did not survive the Holocaust, and dedicated my service to all of the chil-
dren who didn’t survive Oct. 7.”
Officiating at the Temple Sinai service were Rabbis Brad Levenberg and Sam Trief, who were especially emotional, expressing amazement at the passage of time and recalling performing Adi’s baby naming. Adi’s brother, Eli, wore their late grandfather’s tallis, while Nana was present to pass the Torah from generation to generation. Adi’s parsha was Emor, detailing that priests must avoid impure things; Adi learned that speaking up about what’s right is important. Mandilicious catered the lunch along with challahs by Debbie Sasson.
Saturday night’s party ushered in
a carnival wonderland where guests were asked to wear glitter, sequins, and shine. Ultra creative, Mireille Naturman (Unique Eventures) explained, “I worked with Laura and Adi on this mitzvah for two-and-a-half years. Adi wanted a carnival theme with very specific colors: light pink, pale blue and light purple. She has a passion for animals, especially pigs, so we tried to incorporate that into the details.”
Guests even got to ride a mechanical pig! For candy, Jessica Ash incorporated three-dimensional edible pig chocolates and pig gummies on the candied kabobs that were declared “almost too pretty to
For her entrance, Adi was carried by cousins, Joey, Corey, and Mireille’s son, Noah.
Right: Off Center Project provided the astounding stilt walkers and jugglers with hair to match.
Bottom: Clever booths contributed to the carnival atmosphere…like Weenie Whirl and Fry-O-Rama.
Adi loves bears, and guests left with a fluffy pair of bear slippers and a soft blanket in a custom drawstring bag with Adi’s logo. Artist Denise Rindsberg “blinged out” Adi’s Jordan high top sneakers with a custom design of dazzling rhinestones. Rindsberg explained, “After Adi selected her colors, I hand painted and decorated with over 6,000 rhinestones. Adi was thrilled with the final results and dazzled throughout her evening.”
Naturman made sure that there was constant activity with custom glam bars, lip glosses, personalized slides and jibbits, delicious boba tea, and edible helium balloons. Off Centered Project provided live, really tall, stilt walkers and jugglers.
Adi’s mother, Laura Schilling, concluded, “Guests had a blast -- no one wanted the night to end. The Crowne Plaza Ravinia showcased a beautiful display of pickup desserts, fondue station and au-
thentic gelato cart with all the toppings. It took a terrific team, including YES Event Designs, to transform the space into this dreamy carnival where every person’s jaw dropped upon entering the room. The stilts and jugglers matched the light blue and pink theme with their outfits, and even hair color. They were a hit! We had friends carry Adi on a pink throne for her grand entrance.
“Party favors were Crocs with jibbitz, lip gloss, spray painted hats, custom made throws, pool bags, shorts to wear under dresses to ride the pig, logo socks. The chef at Crowne Plaza went all out with rotating sushi, Asian stir fry, paella, lamb chops, chicken and waffles, corn dogs, and more. Jennifer Oh at Crown Plaza Ravinia quarterbacked an amazing team of professionals who made the weekend go off without a hitch!”
Adi exclaimed, “Mireille took the vision from my head and made it a reality!” ì
Hair: Aysen Riley Salon eat.”
Naturman’s team (not listed above)
DJ: Espeute Productions and DJ Levi Gordon
Video: Blue Orchid Productions
Photobooths and Edible Balloons: Button It Up
Dance Floor: Atlanta Dance Floor
Glam Bars: Glam on the Go
Boba Tea: Where’s the scoop
Invitations and Print Materials: Paper Matters
Airbrush: Ober the top airbrush
Cakes: Bakersman
MJCCA: Roi Shoshan - Mitzvah Project
Makeup: Renee Antebbe
Above: Laura, Adi, brother, Eli, and Nana Annette represent the generations // All photos by Vosamo
Below: Adi shined in her star-studded entrance.
Top Left: The candy bar was way over the top.
Top
Paint the Town ‘Scarlett’
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
On Feb. 15, Scarlett Bodner became a bat mitzvah at Temple Sinai Atlanta with Rabbi Ron Segal and Cantor Beth Schaeffer officiating.
There were multiple amazing “L’dor V’dor” moments, including being joined on the bima to pass the Torah through four generations with great-grandparents, Milton and Virginia Saul, grandparents, Rita and Arthur Bodner, Joel Babbit, Barbara Fleming, and parents, Jennifer and Steven Bodner.
Scarlett beautifully chanted from Parsha Yitro, which was the same portion read by her mother, aunt, Betsy Babbit, grandmother, Barbara, and great-uncle, Michael Saul. Throughout the morning, it
was clear that Scarlett is known for her smile, sweetness, and for being a social butterfly.
Scarlett is in the seventh grade at Pace Academy and is a member of both the middle school swim and track teams, as well as serving on the student council. Scarlett also plays soccer at Tophat and spends her summers at her beloved Camp Barney Medintz. For her bat mitzvah project, her school friends joined her to cook and serve dinner to 30-plus residents at the Zaban Paradies Homeless Shelter.
Scarlett’s name evoked the red hue, and celebrating on Valentine’s Weekend tied the theme together with a bow. Following the bounteous Kiddush, friends and family joined together to celebrate at The Carlyle, where guests were truly
“seeing red” at all surroundings. To set the tone, guests walked into the space on a red carpet, greeted by faux paparazzi snapping pics and shouting their names.
From there, instead of a traditional sign-in board, guests left words of kindness and encouragement for the gal of honor in the form of a “Scarlett Letter,” and grabbed a cocktail or mocktail at the SCAR Bar. Surprises continued throughout the night, capped off with sparklers and a four-foot-wide pavlova brought in by none other than the beloved Blooper of the Atlanta Braves.
None of this would have been possible without Scarlett’s all-star lineup of vendors. Party planner extraordinaire Amy Ackerman from JDV Occasions spearheaded the efforts that included
Added Touch Catering, who stole the show with Ceasar salads shaken on site and ketchup in paint cans to “paint the town scarlet.” Decor and florals were by YES (with a club-like ceiling treatment), photography by Sean Randall (who also photographed Jennifer and Steven’s wedding), DJ and production by Kagan Entertainment, invitations and stationery from Jenny’s Paper Ink, swag by Shop Blake Ruby, and so many more that made the night special.
“Every moment of the weekend made me smile,” said Scarlett. “The service was amazing, and the party was awesome; but the best part was being with so many friends and family in one space, all of us celebrating together.”
Rita Bodner stated, “From the mo-
Scarlett was jumping for joy all night as guests painted the town scarlet. // Photo by Sean Randall
Bottom Left: Special guest
wheeled in the giant cake filled with sparklers, surprising the Atlanta
Bottom Right: Steak and Shake: Added Touch created a custom food station with all of the mitzvah girl’s favorite foods, including Asian noodles and Ceasar salads.
Consider Temple Sinai as a location for
celebrations and
Our beautiful building was recently renovated and has both
outdoor
ment we received the fabulous invitation with a big red kiss on the back of the envelope, I knew that I was in for a real treat. It spelled LOVE! Scarlett charmed her guests as she led the service and shared her beautiful speech with poise and confidence. Seeing her step into this new chapter of her life was a moment that marked her growth, not only in faith, but in character and maturity. It was incredibly moving – a day I will always treasure! All the events: the Shabbat dinner, the Kiddush luncheon and the party all incorporated the red ‘LOVE’ theme, especially the party at night - from the décor to my red earrings. Music, laughter, dancing, and love permeated the room with heartwarming memories to last a lifetime!”
Great-grandparents Virginia and the late Milton Saul were on hand to celebrate. Milton, who died on April 22 at age 99, was at both the service and party. Virginia noted, “We were so happy that Milton was able to rise onto the bima, recite the blessing, and then attend the party. He loved both religion and family.” ì
Top: Steven, Jennifer, Riley, and Piper Bodner joined Scarlett on the bima for her special day // Photo by Sean Randall
Blooper
Braves-obsessed bat mitzvah girl.
Bat Mitzvah Has New Meaning with Mom’s Illness
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Daniella Sernovitz, daughter of Hillels of Georgia CEO Rabbi Larry and Becky Sernovitz, thought her April 6 bat mitzvah would flow seamlessly like the waves of the Pennsylvania shore, her party theme. That was before mother, Becky, was diagnosed and hospitalized with leukemia.
Enter party planner Rachel Goldschein, who stepped in to pivot the hospital tie-in and keep the rest intact. She said, “After speaking with the vendors about Becky’s health situation, we collaborated as a team to alleviate as much stress as possible on the family, so their sole focus was on
this milestone. I’m really proud of what we were able to accomplish for the family. The level of empathy and care was my top priority and vendors handled it all flawlessly.”
In consultation with close family friend and oncologist Christina Kats, after Becky’s diagnosis, they went forward with the original plan and created a special mini-mitzvah Saturday night at the hospital. They brought a Torah to the hospital floor where Rachel provided decorations. Daniella led the service, and they were able to celebrate together with a homecooked dinner also by Rachel.
When Becky was diagnosed and admitted to the hospital to start chemotherapy, a decision was made to have a
small service with immediate family and a few friends so she could participate in the full service since she would be unable to attend the scheduled Temple service two weeks later. Rabbi Larry officiated at the service in the Meditation Room of the hospital. During the scheduled bat mitzvah, the AV tech from The Temple Zoomed with Becky during parts of the service to offer an Aliyah, bless Daniella, and read a speech to her, which was meaningful for Becky to be able to partake in both services.
Becky said, “I had a smile on my face for five hours straight that night! A few friends joined me in my hospital room to keep me company and have my own little
celebration while I was able to be fully present for the service. It was so much fun to be passing around the iPad during the party; and I even broke out some dancing as the night wore on!”
Daniella’s tutor was her former teacher at The Davis Academy, Caroline Goldberg.
At The Temple, Dan Fishman and his team brought Becky to the big screens, allowing her to not only recite the Aliyah, but also to lay the tallit on Daniella's shoulders and offer personal words of blessing.
Daniella said, “This had extra meaning for me because even though my mom wasn’t there, I still got to see her, and she
Rabbi Larry Sernovitz (center) conducted a second Bat Mitzvah service in the hospital // All photos by Glenn Prince
iPad technology helped bring all the “parties” together.
took part in all of it.”
Outside of having duel bat mitzvahs, Daniella participates in the annual school musical, plays tennis and basketball, and enjoys dancing.
Rachel shared, “The family is originally from Philadelphia and wanted to incorporate the shore vibe. Daniella created her logo which I added to her decor using pinks, purples, and blues. Hector (Tropics Catering) helped create a Shore theme menu to match. Keith from Horizon Entertainment kept everyone dancing. Brian from Snap and Fun provided a green screen and 360-degree photo area that adults and kids loved. As a planner, all I ever want to do is relieve the family from stress and provide them with a positive memorable experience.”
Rabbi Sernovitz said, “Life is not about how you plan, but how you respond to what comes your way. Becky’s diagnosis came out of the blue, and with Daniella’s bat mitzvah coming so quickly, we had to pivot and adapt … with Goldschein leading the way, all of our vendors became thoughtful partners. We hope this gave Daniella the best bat mitzvah lesson ever: life may not go your way and when it doesn’t, your community will be there for you to lift you up and give you strength.”
Best news: Becky was released nine days after Daniella’s bat mitzvah as she completed her first round of chemotherapy and is continuing outpatient treatment with positive results. ì
These Flower Cakes are Love at First Bite
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
South African Robyn Groenewald has taken baking art to a new level with her cupcake and cake designs that look too good to eat. Well, almost, as it’s just natural to want to dive into the colorful butter cream designs that could just as easily be a bouquet of flowers.
In 2022, she officially launched Bohemian Robsidy and started piping the frosting and flowers. As a graduate of Escoffier Culinary School with special emphasis on learning the business component, she explained, “I had been making mostly birthday cakes with a lot of fondant to create kids’ cakes and occasionally used chocolate ganache for adult cakes; but during COVID, I saw someone creating butter cream flowers and making it look like a bouquet of flowers, and thought it was such a clever idea … I needed to learn piping flowers and started watching online tutorials.”
Groenewald classifies herself as a “one-woman show” with part-time help from Epstein School teacher Robyn Gold-
stein who assists at farmer’s markets, workshops, with delivering and boxing large orders, and with wedding cakes … in addition to Groenewald’s mother. Besides being an "extra set of hands,” Goldstein makes the specialized numbers and letters.
Groenewald recalled, “Mom, who of course taught me to bake as a little girl, is always willing to help.”
Groenewald’s husband came up with the name, Bohemian Robsidy, which is a play on the original 1975 song by Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and her name Robyn. She laughed and said, “We have moved around a bit and are both in the arts making us a little bohemian.”
All orders are custom-made, as she doesn’t hold any standard stock. She allows customers to pick their colors and depending on the range they select, they can choose flowers as well. She also makes custom cakes. The most elaborate to date must be a Porsche car cake she made for a 70th birthday in early 2025.
A great deal of engineering goes into custom designing. She added, “My process
for making elaborate cakes is to get a good handle on the proportions. In the case of the Porsche design, I bought a miniature toy of the model, and then I printed out pictures of various angles of the car. I also printed out the silhouette in the size I was going for, so when I started sculpting the cake I used the printouts as a guide.”
She also does special menus for holidays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and more. The most popular item is a deluxe 12 cupcake bouquet that sells for $80, but Robyn says there are a lot of close seconds.
Bohemian Rhobsidy uses real butter in cakes and eggs in the vanilla buttermilk cake. She also offers gluten-free, dairyfree, or vegan cakes. Their most popular cupcake flavors are vanilla and chocolate, and offer other flavors like lemon, strawberry, and poppyseed. Inside the cakes are the same flavors, but with fillings like raspberry compote, salted caramel, and cinnamon custard.
Groenewald works out of her home and is considering finding a retail space when she can balance family life. She stat-
ed, “I’m sure I will reach a point where I’ll be able to open a store and look forward to that in time.”
Although Robyn has always enjoyed baking, market research was her career in South Africa.
Bohemian Rhobsidy doesn’t ship, as the delicacies must be kept cold, and the piped flower cupcakes are “simply too delicate.” Bohemian Rhobsidy provided the centerpieces for the Breman Auxiliary lunch at Temple Sinai on April 29.
Goldstein concluded, “I love working with Robyn. She is the kindest, most talented human I know. I do love teaching at Epstein, but I also love when I get to work with Robyn and get creative. And whenever I order cupcakes for my colleagues at school, they are always the talk of the day!”
The two Robyns are neighbors, and the families hang out all the time when they’re not piping flowers.
For more information, please visit bohemianrobsidy.com or email bohemian. robsidy@gmail.com or call 404-6616096. ì
Robyn Groenewald and Robyn Goldstein were popular at their first farmer’s market in 2022.
This cake has matching cupcakes.
Simcha Announcements
Have something to celebrate? Births, B’nai Mitzvah, Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries, Special Birthdays and more ... Share it with your community with free AJT simcha announcements. Send info to submissions@atljewishtimes.com.
Birth Announcement
Emma Celia
Bledsoe
Roger and Amy Bledsoe of Peachtree Corners are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Emma Celia Bledsoe, born on March 26, 2025. Weighing seven pounds, seven ounces, and measuring 20 inches long, Emma is happy and healthy and loved by many.
Proud grandparents, Rick and Joan Blumenfeld of Sandy Springs, and Robin and David Bledsoe of Roswell, are delighted with the newest addition to the family, as are aunts and uncles Dennis Blumenfeld, Tamara Milsztajn, Gabe and Dave Howard, Joanna and Idan Bidani, and Tommy and Kelli Bledsoe. Emma is named after her maternal great-grandmother, Celia “Simmie” Blumenfeld. Her family knows that she will make the world a better place by continuing to spread joy to those around her.
Engagement Announcement
Fellman – Slovis
Jeffrey Fellman and Lauri Field of Atlanta are thrilled to announce the engagement of their daughter, Melissa Fellman, to Elliot Slovis, son of Adam and Jolie Slovis, and Amy and John Israel Pregulman, all residing in Memphis.
Melissa is the granddaughter of Donald and Janice Field, the late Jack and Ellen Mills, and the late Saul and Estelle Fellman. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland and has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and supply chain management.
Elliot is the grandson of Norman and Sylvia Slovis of Gainesville, and Allen and Jeri Israel of Memphis, Tenn. He is a graduate of College of Charleston and has a master’s degree from Tulane University in architecture.
Melissa and Elliot met almost seven years ago in New York City through a mutual southern Jewish connection. Melissa’s friend was sorority sisters at the University of Georgia with Elliot’s cousin. The girls introduced the pair, Melissa and Elliot went on a date, and the rest is history! They live in Brooklyn, N.Y., with Melissa working in early talent recruiting at a tech firm, and Elliot working in architectural project management.
An October wedding is planned in Memphis.
ARTS & CULTURE
Creative Puppetry Brings Magic to Atlanta Opera
By Bob Bahr
The Atlanta Opera’s monumental production of Richard Wagner’s, “Siegfried,” the third in a series of annual productions of the German composer’s “Ring Cycle” is a towering artistic work that derives much of its power from a climactic scene where the fearless hero for whom the opera is named plunges his sword into the monstrous dragon, Fafnir, and kills him.
For Tomer Zvulun, the Israeli-born artistic director of the opera company, who also serves as its executive director, this extraordinary scene brings into focus the magical world of adventure that Wagner created.
“It’s a world full of gods and monsters, dragons and dungeons and the quest for treasure and one ring that will rule them all. The world of fantasy that Wagner creates serves a critical role in the four lengthy operas that Wagner has written, provides the canvas on which the intimate stories of the lead characters are told.”
For this important confrontation that drives the story to its tragic conclusion, Zvulun and his scenic designer, Erhard Rom, wanted a monster to confront Siegfried that was equal to the themes of sacrifice and renewal that the production of Siegfried explores, the price that a hero must pay in this epic pursuit of power.
For over a year before the opera’s opening night on the Cobb Energy Centre’s stage, Zvulun and Rom worked with Jason Hines, creative director of Atlanta’s famed Center for Puppetry Arts, to create a monster that would be able to interact with the hero, move and to fight him. What he came up with was a creature that probably has few equal on Atlanta’s dramatic stages.
“What we ended up with was a monster 12 feet tall, Hines said, that needed six puppeteers to maneuver it around the stage. Two moved the body, another moved the head, a fourth moved the tail and two outside did the arms.”
But that was not the only challenge -- the Atlanta Opera’s dragon needed to be less the conventional Godzilla-like creature of Hollywood blockbusters and more like something from another planet, unlike anything that might arise from the natural world.
“The lead singer who sings Siegfried interacts with the puppeteers who operate a multi-faceted dragon that has multiple eyes and heads,” Zvulun says. “Not unlike the Hydra, every time the hero
chops a head or pokes an eye, there are two other eyes that appear. It’s an exciting sequence which is considered to be the narrative highlight in ‘Siegfried.‘”
The great monster in “Siegfried” is just one of the many times the Atlanta Opera has called upon the puppet makers at the Center for Puppetry Arts to enhance their productions.
One of the first productions Zvulun created for the company 15 years ago was a production of Mozart’s popular opera, “The Magic Flute,” which used puppets to put some extra magic into the enchanting fairy tale of heroes and heroines. It was edited into a family version, 45 minutes long, that premiered at the Puppetry Arts theater seven years ago. This year, the production was revived in a sold-out staging early in April.
Whether it’s a 12-foot dragon battling a god-like hero or the story of a young hero singing his way through all the tests he faces, puppets, according to the master puppeteer Hines, bring a sense of wonder to a performance.
It steps up the level of fantasy,” Hines says. “I mean, you’re already being asked to believe that the singer is a mythical hero on a quest. But then if you put something next to him that is inherently not alive, and we all know that it’s not alive, we’re being asked to go along for the ride. It makes the world of fantasy just a little bit deeper.”
The Atlanta Opera wraps up its season of heroic journeys on June 7 with George Frideric Handel’s Baroque opera, “Semele,” for four performances through June 15.
Advanced publicity describes it as a timeless story of desire, deception, and the dangers of becoming overly confident, which often takes its toll on those who aspire to achieve divinity.
“'Semele’ is an opera of enormous beauty and psychological depth,” said Zvulun. “This production closes a season that has been shaped by the theme of the ‘hero’s journey.’ We have assembled a world-class cast to bring this rarely produced gem to life. The creative team of this production has created a world of breathtaking beauty, and I look forward to sharing it with our audience in Atlanta.”
Active military and veterans are welcome, free of charge at all performances, with the support of The Home Depot Foundation. ì
The Atlanta Opera’s production of “Siegfried” features a monster manipulated by a half-dozen puppeteers.
The mythical story of “Siegfried” climaxes with an epic battle with a dragon.
The 12-foot-tall dragon monster, pictured at the Center for Puppetry Arts, has an otherworldly look.
The Lowdown
I Bet You Didn’t Know …
Debbie Kuniansky
Atlanta is chock full of interesting “movers and shakers” - some bent on creativity, empire building, activism, the sciences, and/or just plain having fun and living the good life. Lean in to hear some of the “off the cuff” remarks as to what makes our spotlight, Debbie Kuniansky, tick.
Debbie has called Atlanta home since 1992, building a career in sales and communication training. With a talent for fundraising, she has chaired numerous fundraisers for organizations such as the Marcus Jewish Community Center Pre-School, Temple Sinai, The Weber School, and Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.
Debbie has held leadership positions on several boards, including various roles on Temple Sinai’s Board of Trustees, Board Chair of the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta, and Vice President of Development for The Weber Jewish Community High School. Recently, she was installed as Chair of the Board of Trustees for Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, where she has served on the board for nearly a decade – participating on various committees and in critical roles for the Atlanta Jewish community such as Chairing the 2022 Community Campaign, and co-chair of the Israel Emergency Campaign post-Oct. 7.
Debbie and her husband, Doug Kuniansky, have been married for 17 years and share five children and one grandchild. In her free time, Debbie enjoys tennis, pickleball, playing cards, and entertaining family and friends.
Read on to find why Debbie steers clear of high heels.
The thing you will enjoy most about the new Federation position? And what scares you the most?
It’s the people! I have met the most inspiring professionals, volunteers, and philanthropists through my volunteer service there. As far as “what scares me,” I wouldn’t use that word, but if I ever feel uncertain, I know I have a support system of professionals, previous Board Chairs and community leaders that are there for me.
What would your kids say the best advice you gave them was?
My daughters would say “pretty is as pretty does.” It was crucial for me to raise young women who knew that true beauty lies in one’s character and actions not physical attractiveness.
What are you reading?
I’m reading Ina Garten’s memoir, “Be Ready When the Luck Happens.” It’s for my book club, but I have all the “Barefoot Contessa” cookbooks, and I have enjoyed cooking and entertaining with so many of her recipes over the years … and she’s Jewish!
Your idea of a fun night on the town is …
It wouldn’t be “on the town.” I love home entertaining, and I love going to other people’s homes as well. I think gathering a small group of fun and interesting people around a table with good food and drinks are my favorite evenings.
You get really silly when …
Ooooh, I really don’t identify with silly … but I do think my friends would say I like to have a good time!
Best advice you received …
My mother once quoted Dr. Seuss and it was great advice, “Do what you want to do, say what you want to say, because those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.” I sum it up to live your life the way you see best and don’t worry what others think. People who truly love and care about you will support you.
Your biggest fashion disaster?
At my daughter’s bat mitzvah, I was determined to keep my heels on all night. The next day I could barely walk, and I had lost feeling in my toes. It took months for the nerve damage to heal and to finally feel my toes again.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Movie theater popcorn … I am definitely not a health nut, but years ago I read about how bad movie theater popcorn was so I tried to give it up … but it really ruined the whole movie theater experience. So, now, I splurge and get the popcorn! ì
Reported by Marcia Caller Jaffe
CALENDAR
Sunday, June 15
Kabbalah and Coffee – 10 to 11 a.m. Discuss, explore, and journey through the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. This ongoing class probes the esoteric through a unique program of English text-based study. No prior Kabbalistic experience required. Remember: The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup and Kabbalah in your “kop” (head in Yiddish)! Find out more by visiting the Chabad Intown at https://tinyurl.com/429nuh36.
Monday, June 16
Ancient Wisdom for Your Life – 8 to 9 p.m. A weekly journey into the Torah’s relevance with Chabad of North Fulton. Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/58ck7ses.
Tuesday, June 17
Brain Health Bootcamp – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join a fun, social class to strengthen your mind and body to stay sharp! With age serving as the greatest risk factor for cognitive impairment or memory loss, JF&CS is taking action with the Brain Health Bootcamp. The first of its kind in Atlanta, it is designed to provide memory enhancement techniques through cognitive stimulation, physical exercise, education, and socialization. Get more information at https://tinyurl.com/ypvrrn5b.
Women’s Torah and Tea – 8 p.m. Chabad of North Fulton’s weekly women’s indepth and fascinating exploration of the Chassidus book of Tanya. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/3dpyabb4.
Wednesday, June 18
Torah Class – 8 to 9 p.m. A weekly Torah class by the Mitzvah House for men and women. Snacks for the body and soul. Explore at https://tinyurl.com/2vjzkw2h.
Thursday, June 19
Brain Health Bootcamp – 10:30 to 12:30. Join a fun, social class to strengthen your mind and body to stay sharp! With age serving as the greatest risk factor for cognitive impairment or memory loss, JF&CS is taking action with the Brain Health Bootcamp. The first of its kind in Atlanta, it is designed to provide memory enhancement techniques through cognitive stimulation, physical exercise, education, and socialization. Get more information at https://tinyurl.com/ypvrrn5b.
Weekly Mah Jongg Night – 6 to 9 p.m. Join Congregation Beth Shalom weekly for a night of Mah Jongg. Get more information at https://tinyurl.com/3s9ez9px.
Braves vs Mets FUN-Raiser – 7:15 to 11:15 p.m. The Feeney Legacy Project (FLP) has a special block of 200 seats for this exciting matchup, with some ticket sales supporting FLP’s Lifesaving Billboard Blitz. Purchase tickets at https://tinyurl. com/4sfc5ymh.
Sunday, June 22
Kabbalah and Coffee – 10 to 11 a.m. Discuss, explore, and journey through the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. This ongoing class probes the esoteric through a unique program of English text-based study. No prior Kabbalistic experience required. Remember: The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup and Kabbalah in your “kop” (head in Yiddish)! Find out more by visiting the Chabad Intown at https://tinyurl.com/429nuh36.
Monday, June 23
Ancient Wisdom for Your Life – 8 to 9 p.m. A weekly journey into the Torah’s relevance with Chabad of North Fulton. Find out more at https://tinyurl. com/58ck7ses.
Tuesday,
June 24
Brain Health Bootcamp – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join a fun, social class to strengthen your mind and body to stay sharp! With age serving as the greatest risk factor for cognitive impairment or memory loss, JF&CS is taking action with the Brain Health Bootcamp. The first of its kind in Atlanta, it is designed to provide memory enhancement techniques through cognitive stimulation, physical exercise, education, and socialization. Get more information at https://tinyurl.com/ypvrrn5b.
Women’s Torah and Tea – 8 p.m. Chabad of North Fulton’s weekly women’s indepth and fascinating exploration of the Chassidus book of Tanya. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/3dpyabb4.
Wednesday, June 25
Torah Class – 8 to 9 p.m. A weekly Torah class by the Mitzvah House for men and women. Snacks for the body and soul. Explore at https://tinyurl.com/2vjzkw2h.
Rosh Chodesh TACHLES - 8 to 9 p.m. Gvanim alumni? You are at the heart of our community activity and philanthropy. To support you in these endeavors, Israeli-American Council (IAC) would like to invite you to a unique talk series. Each talk will feature an expert, thought leader, or entrepreneur who will guide us in building community initiatives, expose us to innovative leadership tools, and delve into critical community topics. Join Gvanim enthusiasts from coast to coast, free of charge. Visit https://tinyurl. com/3uvp9rm4 to register and get the Zoom link.
CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES
Torah Reading: Shlach
Friday, June 20 Light Shabbat Candles at: 8:34 PM
Saturday, June 21 Shabbat Ends: 9:36 PM
Torah Reading: Korach
Friday, June 27 Light Shabbat Candles at: 8:34 PM
Saturday, June 28 Shabbat Ends: 9:36 PM
Thursday, June 26
Brain Health Bootcamp – 10:30 to 12:30. Join a fun, social class to strengthen your mind and body to stay sharp! With age serving as the greatest risk factor for cognitive impairment or memory loss, JF&CS is taking action with the Brain Health Bootcamp. The first of its kind in Atlanta, it is designed to provide memory enhancement techniques through cognitive stimulation, physical exercise, education, and socialization. Get more information at https://tinyurl.com/ypvrrn5b.
Weekly Mah Jongg Night – 6 to 9 p.m. Join Congregation Beth Shalom weekly for a night of Mah Jongg. Get more information at https://tinyurl.com/3s9ez9px.
Young Professionals Patio Drinks at Ladybird – 6 to 9 p.m. Young professionals, join Kibbitz and Konnect on under the iconic yellow umbrellas on the patio at Ladybird! Stop by after work for a drink or two and to meet other Jewish singles while enjoying beautiful summer weather on the BeltLine. RSVP early for yourself and friends! This event is open to young professionals ages 22 through early 40s. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/ ye3utftw.
Friday, June 27
Dive Into Shabbat - Pool Party at the JCC – 5 to 8 p.m. Dive into Shabbat summer pool parties at the JCC! Join Rabbi Glusman for Shabbat Songs and Blessings. FREE and open to the community. Learn more at https://tinyurl. com/3y2zwxtx.
Sunday, June 29
Kabbalah and Coffee – 10 to 11 a.m. Discuss, explore, and journey through the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. This ongoing class probes the esoteric through a unique program of English text-based study. No prior Kabbalistic experience required. Remember: The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup and Kabbalah in your “kop” (head in Yiddish)! Find out more by visiting the Chabad Intown at https://tinyurl.com/429nuh36.
Monday,
June 30
Ancient Wisdom for Your Life – 8 to 9 p.m. A weekly journey into the Torah’s relevance with Chabad of North Fulton. Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/58ck7ses.
Struggling with ADHD?
Horwitz-Zusman Child & Family Center of JF&CS offers ADHD evaluation and management for children and adults, including associated conditions.
For more information or to book an appointment with Dr. Howard Schub, Neurologist, visit jfcsatl.org/schub
KEEPING IT KOSHER
Corn Ribs
Ingredients
4 fresh cobs of corn
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4–1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using a very sharp, large knife, cut cobs in half lengthwise and then in quarters (see note).
3. Place corn ribs on baking sheet.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.
5. Coat corn ribs on all sides.
6. Bake for 35–45 minutes.
Tips:
If you find cutting the entire cob of corn too difficult, you can cut it in half across the width before you start.
Styling and photography by Penina Spero Recipe by Odaiah Leeds Kosher.com
The Obit
Benny died, and his wife, Sarah, phoned the local paper to place an obituary.
Sarah said to the reporter, “This is what I want you to print: Benny is dead.”
The reporter answered, “But for $25, you are allowed to print six words.”
Sarah replied, “OK, then print: Benny is dead. Lexus for sale.”
YIDDISH WORD
Faceboopkes
n. Facebook posts of trivial and/or boring content.
“All Moshe writes about on Facebook is what he had for breakfast –total faceboopkes.”
From the Yiddish word “boopkes” or “bupkes,” meaning “trivial,” or “a ridiculously small amount.”
Meteorological Moments
By: Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com
ACROSS
1. Wii avatars
5. Bayit, to Alejandra
9. They’re in for a while
13. “Frozen” role
14. Speaker of the Knesset Ohana
15. Abba who joined the Knesset in 1959
16. Meteorological event in Exodus
18. Pebbles’ “dog”
19. Northern neighbor of Mich.
20. Strong insect
21. Part of A/V
22. Locale of Jewish resistance
24. Meteorological event in Jonah
26. No sheker
27. “History of the World: ___”
29. Just short
30. Commissioner between Vincent and Manfred
32. Jaxson Dart or Malik Nabers
34. Meteorological event in Judges
37. Probationary period
38. Large quantities of paper
41. Piece of corn
44. Quite puzzled
FOLLOW :
This week, 99 years ago
46. Un-PC purchase?
47. Meteorological event in
Samuel II
49. Party hanging
51. Quite mad
52. Brief missions?
53. Cry at a card table
54. It keeps going and going and going
55. Meteorological event in Kings II
58. Done
59. Ring around the head
60. Fit for duty, draftwise
61. Another attempt
62. African antelope
63. ___ HaZahav
DOWN
1. Future NFL Hall of Famer (who isn’t even 30 yet!)
2. Juliet question, with “What’s”
3. Apart from others
4. Actor Mineo of “Exodus”
5. A little schluff
6. Jewish spans
7. Polite address
8. It stays by your side
9. Sick of the rat race
10. Makes like The Dude
11. European language... or pastry
12. Arrogant
17. Down
21. Key of Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”
23. Slanted
24. Minor matter
25. List-extension letters
28. Thunderstruck
31. Sukkah storage locale, perhaps
33. Front wheel adjustment
35. Emperor Palpatine was one
36. Destructive
39. Daytime performance
40. Reason to resign
41. Writer’s (or crossword constructor’s) helper
42. Show up
43. Made like Moses and company
45. Estimated: Abbr.
48. In ___ (incubating)
50. Alcatraz, e.g: Abbr.
52. Like an auto repair shop floor
55. First baseman of comedy
56. Sinai preceder
57. Tsuris, so to speak
The first-ever Canadian president of the United Synagogue of America, Rabbi Dr. Herman Abramowitz, is appointed at a convention in Baltimore, Md.
A desecrator of a Jewish cemetery in Berlin is sentenced to four months in prison.
This week, 75 years ago
Soviets execute Jewish writer Itzik Feffer as alleged spy.
Savannah attorney Jacob Gazan honored on 80th birthday in Atlanta.
Then-eight-graders Ali Lewis (left) and Brittany Benamy, two of Davis’s founding students, were part of the school’s first-ever graduating class in 2000.
This week, 50 years ago
Congregation Beth Am in New Jersey fasts after Torah topples during Shavuot services.
Robert Shaw’s controversial play, “The Man in the Glass Booth,” ostensibly about the Israeli judicial system, is adapted as a movie.
Temple Sisterhood of Atlanta gifts endowment to Jewish Braille Institute of America.
AA’s Rabbi David Auerbach is elected president of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association.
This week, 25 years ago
Davis third graders help fundraise for reconstruction of Dresden Synagogue destroyed in Krystalnacht.
First eighth-grade class at Davis Academy, and first 12th-grade classes at Temima High School and New Atlanta Jewish Community High School (now The Weber School), all graduate.
Issues of the AJT (then Southern Israelite) from 1929-1986 can be found for free online at https:// gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/ sn78003973/
Pailey Nooromid & Eydie Koonin
NO.
Jane Lewis Axelrod 90, Atlanta
On May 24, 2025, Jane Lewis Axelrod died peacefully at the age of 90, surrounded by family.
Jane was born on July 31, 1934, in Newark, N.J., moving to Atlanta at the age of two. She graduated from Henry Grady High School. She met the love of her life, Herbert Axelrod, while in high school and they married in 1953. They met through a mutual friend, and it was truly a story of love at first sight followed by an incredible, loving, and devoted marriage of 71 years.
Jane loved her family, first and without question or doubt – husband, children, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. But she also loved Shearith Israel and Rebecca’s Tent – Spiegel Women’s Shelter at Shearith Israel.
Jane worked at Shearith Israel for 30 years, serving as executive director for 25 of those years. She was so dedicated to the synagogue, its staff and its members. And she was instrumental in the founding of the Women’s Shelter. Her stories of these years could truly fill a book.
Jane is survived by three children, son, Michael Axelrod, and his spouse, Leah Harrison, of Atlanta, and her grandsons, Jason Axelrod, of Atlanta, and Andy Axelrod, and his partner, Jordan Sandy, of Chicago, Ill., and her step-grandson, Eli Harrison, of Atlanta; daughter, Laure Cohen, and her spouse, Mark Cohen, of Alma, Ga., and her grandsons, Bram Cohen, and his spouse, Jodi, of Atlanta, and their son, Odys Cohen, Grant Cohen, and his spouse, Kim, of Los Angeles, Calif., and Nathan Cohen, and his partner, Chet Norment, of Los Angeles, Calif.; and daughter, Shelley Robinson, and her spouse, David Robinson, of Lakeland, Fla., and her granddaughter, Jillian Robinson, and her grandson, Jarod Robinson, of Lakeland, Fla. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 71 years, Herbert Axelrod, her beloved son, Jeffrey Lewis Axelrod, and her parents, Libby and Carl Lewis.
A graveside funeral ceremony was held on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at Crestlawn Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Congregation Shearith Israel (https://www.shearithisrael.com). 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.
Frances Verner Little
89, Atlanta
Frances Verner Little passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 1, 2025, at the age of 89. A second-generation native of Atlanta, she was preceded in death by her parents, Louise Morris Verner and Hyman Verner, of Blessed Memory.
Frances was a loving mother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend. Always ready with a smile, she sought to emanate positivity and kindness for all; quick to volunteer as PTA president, softball team mom, and scout troop leader for her girls.
Frances is held in loving memory by her three daughters: Alissa Little, of Seattle, Wash., Stephanie Little, of Acworth, Ga., and Jodi Gnapp, of Denver, Colo.
In addition to her children, she lovingly leaves behind her two brothers, Alvin Verner, of Deerfield Beach, Fla., and Mike Verner (Janice) of Sandy Springs, Ga. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Frances’ legacy lives on through the countless lives she touched in the Atlanta Jewish community. As a member of Congregation Shearith Israel since childhood, she was active in Sisterhood and Haddasah, as well as director of the Keshet Preschool. She was the membership director for the AJCC and executive director at Temple Emanu-El and Temple Sinai, as well as the marketing director at Edenbrook Senior Living in Sandy Springs.
Frances will be remembered for her kindness, humor, devotion, and love for her family and the community. Graveside funeral services were held at Greenwood Cemetery for immediate family only. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Dementia Society at www.dementiasociety.org. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
Lillian Gloria Pitt 94, Marietta
Mrs. Lillian Gloria Pitt (née Friedrich), age 94, passed away peacefully on May 11, 2025, in Marietta, Ga. Born on Aug. 28, 1930, in Detroit, Mich., Lillian lived a long and meaningful life marked by deep devotion to her family and an enduring spirit that touched all who knew her. Lillian was the beloved wife of the late Louis Pitt and a devoted mother to Rhonna Brandi; Steven Pitt (Tommy); David Pitt; daughter-inlaw, Beth Davis Pitt; and the late Marcy Miller and her husband, Dovid. She was also preceded in death by her son-in-law, Bruce Brandi, and daughter-in-law, Elaine Meadows. Her legacy continues through her cherished grandchildren: Jenna Bolt (Jonathan), Jacob Miller (Agata), Aaron Pitt (Jordana), Rachel Miller, Alan Pitt, Shayna Nelson (Andrew), and Alyson Abelson (Dolev). Lillian also delighted in the lives of her great-grandchildren: Sadie and Benjamin Miller; Bentley and Lainey Bolt; and Silas Nelson. She is also remembered fondly by her late brother, Bernie Friedrich, and his wife, Charlotte. Lillian’s life was defined by fierce love for her family. Her warmth extended beyond kinship — she had a remarkable ability to make friends wherever she went. Her sense of humor brought joy to countless moments, creating memories that will be treasured for generations. A funeral service honoring Lillian’s life was held on May 13, 2025, in Sandy Springs, Ga. May her memory bring comfort to those who knew and loved her.
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3750 Peachtree Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30319
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CLOSING THOUGHTS
What’s Age Got to Do with It?
Longevity has been on my mind lately because so much is being said about former President Joe Biden’s mental and physical decline, a reminder that aging isn’t the same for everyone. We pray that living a long time will not render us dependent, weary, or “out of it.” We want to age with lively grey cells, good health, and — if we’re blessed with good mazel — a purpose.
Judaism offers models of purposeful aging. Biblical Moses is our model of longevity. (He was 80 years old when he led the Israelites out of Egypt, and he lived an amazing 40 more years handling things in the desert.) It’s not just that he lived a long time. We bless each
other with “you should live to 120” because the blessing includes the unspoken wish that Moses-type vitality should be part of that long life. He walked with a cane (staff), but he had guts, grit, and purpose.
There’s Noah, who spent 200 years constructing a gigantic three-story ark — by himself and without power tools — and he wasn’t a kid when he started. Methusaleh, Noah’s grandfather, lived 969 years.
On the subject of extreme aging, I came across some interesting longevity facts this weekend when I read a layman-friendly magazine, The New Scientist. In a section titled, “The Back Pages,” a reader from Australia asked the page’s editor if it’s possible that a lifeform from somewhere in the universe could have a life span that is much longer than ours here on Earth, possibly even of several hundred or thousands of years.
Interpreting “lifeform” to mean ALL forms of life, the answer from the sec-
tion’s editor was tricky, but thought-provoking. The editor noted that extremely long-life forms already exist on our planet, citing a forest of 1,500-year-old trees in Utah and a bristlecone pine in Nevada that was almost 500 years old when it was cut down. One bristlecone pine in California, aptly called “Methusaleh,” is close to 5,000 years old (gasp!). The editor brings things a tad closer to homo sapiens, by mentioning a Seychelles tortoise that is currently 192 years old, and a Greenland shark that clocks in at about 400 years is still swimming.
It’s true that humans haven’t figured out how to live as long as some amazing trees, animals, and amoebas, but I think we’re very good at aging admirably. Just the other day, I spent time with a woman who recently flew to her great-grandson’s first-grade siddur presentation ceremony. This great-grandmother has had her share of medical issues and losses, but she’s living a fine life with no plans to stop traveling to
family simchas or to decrease her various volunteer commitments. She said she’d just bought new sneakers because she’d outworn her old pair.
I’ve been receiving the AARP magazine for many years. (Note: the “R” stands for “Retired”) I was 50 when I was able to join the AARP cadre, but I was still working full-time, with no plans to retire. I don’t know people who chose retirement at the age of 50, do you? In fact, that’s the age at which a lot of us started a new career, intending to work at that new job for a long time.
A retired man I met tutors kids from his wheelchair. A woman I admire says that the wrinkles on her face, hearing aids in her ears, walking cane in her hand, and support shoes on her feet have no connection to the vigor of her mind and spirit. She’s been enrolled in Olli senior living classes at Emory for years.
May we all live long, lucidly, and purposefully! ì
Chana Shapiro
