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Marcus Legacy Honored with New Torah Scroll
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Bernie Marcus has long been associated with sea life, home repair, and philanthropy. Now Chabad Intown, one of his beneficiaries, has moved forward with a new way to honor his legacy.
Chabad Intown Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman explained, “As a lasting expression of our gratitude, we sought a way to honor Bernie’s memory that would reflect both his values and ours. We arrived at something deeply meaningful: the commissioning of a brandnew Torah scroll. At the heart of Jewish life — our values, our acts of kindness, our connection to Israel, and our moral clarity — lies the Torah. Bernie often spoke of how his deep sense of giving and commitment to tzedakah came from his Jewish mother, who had inherited that same tradition from generations before her. Tradition!”
On Nov. 4, 2024, Atlanta and the world lost this great leader in Marcus at the age of 95. Known to many simply as
“Bernie,” he was a visionary who helped shape Atlanta’s broader landscape and played a transformative role in the Jewish community, both locally and across the globe. Together with wife, Billi, Bernie’s philanthropy spanned a range of causes
from medical research and autism care to veterans’ services, the promotion of free enterprise, and the overall vitality of the city of Atlanta. His generosity extended deep into the Jewish world and the land of Israel, reflecting a commit-
L’Chaim.
Ament to the future of the Jewish people. Rabbi Schusterman continued, “Chabad Intown was privileged to be among the many beneficiaries of Bernie’s support. True to his entrepreneurial spirit, Bernie gave with the mindset of an
t Canterbury Court senior living community, you can enjoy raising a glass to lasting friendships with interesting new people from all backgrounds. Whether you take advantage of the many social opportunities or decide to stay in, you’ll enjoy a new, elegantly finished apartment home and enhanced amenities and services. Plus, the peace of mind of a continuum of care, if ever needed. With all this awaiting you, what are you waiting for?
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Actual residents enjoying conversation in a Garden Tower apartment.
3750 Peachtree Road, N.E.
Bernie’s son, Michael Morris, pictured here wearing a blue kippah, values the sentiment in creating a communal legacy for his father.
The Chabad Intown Community appreciates the generous support shown by Bernie Marcus over the years.
The Marcus family held a private ceremony with a local scribe to initiate the process.
investor — expecting growth, impact, and meaningful results. The strength and presence Chabad Intown enjoys today as a vibrant center for Jewish life in the heart of Atlanta is, in no small part, thanks to the vision and generosity of the Marcus family. Bernie’s legacy — his sense of responsibility, generosity, and Jewish pride — is rooted in that same tradition. What better way to honor his life than through a Torah scroll, the very soul of Jewish continuity?”
Also, Chabad Intown chose to commission this smaller-sized Torah with which children can hold and interact, strengthening personal connections to heritage and future. The first letters were previously outlined by the scribe in Israel and then completed in a private ceremony here with the Marcus family guided by a local scribe. The Torah will be completed and dedicated in time for Bernie’s first yahrzeit, on Oct. 26, in a joyful, community-wide celebration, a gathering filled with song, unity, and meaning.
Rabbi Schusterman said, “In true Jewish tradition, we will come together — young and old, individuals and families, to write the final letters, carry the scroll through the streets, and dance it into its new home. We invite the entire community to take part in this special mitzvah — a living, lasting tribute to Bernie’s extraordinary life, his enduring values, and the timeless traditions he cherished so deeply.”
Bernie’s son, and Atlanta Jewish Times owner and publisher, Michael Morris, added, “My father’s legacy can be seen and felt within many communities: the Atlanta Jewish community, Israel, The Home Depot employee community, medical research at many top organizations and hospitals in Atlanta and around the country. This Torah, in his name and honor, will create a new communal legacy for his family that will endure for generations.”
To participate, please visit www.theberniemarcustorah.com. ì
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Hostage Talks Seem Muted Amid Political Fanfare
Compiled by AJT Staff
The following is a roundup of developing stories related to Israel’s ongoing conflicts with Iran and Hamas:
IDF to Draw Down Reserve Deployments Amid Soaring Fatigue
Facing rising fatigue among troops and growing public discontent, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly ordered a 30 percent reduction in the number of reservists deployed to active combat zones in the coming months.
The move, first reported by Army Radio, will be carried out gradually in Gaza, the West Bank, and along the northern borders with Lebanon and Syria. It is intended to ease the mounting burden on Israel’s reserve corps, which has carried the bulk of the military load since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel triggered war across several fronts.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed the plan to The Times of Israel. The decision is based on manpower issues rather than an easing of security tensions, and the source emphasized that the reduction could be reversed in the case of major military escalation, such as a renewed confrontation with Iran or a large-scale operation in Gaza.
The IDF has yet to officially confirm the decision.
The shift comes amid a significant decline in reservist turnout — a dramatic contrast to the 120 percent participation rate seen on Oct. 7. According to the IDF, participation levels have since dropped to less than half of that.
The move follows a record mobilization. At the end of May, the government authorized the call-up of up to 450,000 reservists over a three-month period — the largest in Israeli history, surpassing the number mobilized in the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7.
For full story, please visit https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com/idf-to-drawdown-reserve-deployments-amid-soaring-fatigue/
Palestinians line up near their containers as they await a water distribution truck at a makeshift displacement tent camp which was hit in Israeli strikes a day earlier, on the grounds of the UNRWA-run Abou Helou school for girls at the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 17, 2025 // Photo Credit: Eyad BABA/AFP/Times of Israel
France to Recognize Palestinian State
French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country would formally recognize a Palestinian state during a U.N. meeting in September, which would make Paris the most powerful European nation to advance such a move.
“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron said in an X post.
“I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”
Macron’s announcement drew immediate anger from Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying it “rewards terror” and poses an existential threat to Israel.
Netanyahu said in a statement that the decision “risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became,” which would be “a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it.”
“The Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” he said.
For full story, please visit https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com/france-plans-torecognize-palestinian-state/
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir meets with reservists at the Tze’elim training base in southern Israel, May 14, 2025 // Photo Credit: Israel Defense Forces/Times of Israel
Western Nations: Gaza War ‘Must End Now’
Britain and 27 Western allies, including Australia, Canada, France, and Italy, said in a joint statement that the IsraelHamas war in Gaza “must end now,” arguing civilians’ suffering has “reached new depths.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron (left), as they hold a joint press conference in Jerusalem on Oct. 24, 2023 // Photo Credit: Christophe Ena/Pool/AFP/Times of Israel
The statement — which also denounced Israel’s plan to create a “humanitarian city” in Gaza’s south, as well as settler activity in the West Bank, while calling for the release of the hostages — came at a time of continued reports of mass casualty events in the vicinity of aid distribution sites, and of rising malnutrition that UNRWA has said affects some one-tenth of Gaza’s children. It also came as hostage-truce negotiations with Hamas have ground on, without any apparent breakthrough, despite expanded military operations.
Israel rejected the statement, saying it “sends the wrong message to Hamas."
In the statement, the nations’ foreign ministers wrote that “the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability, and deprives Gazans of human dignity.”
Israel has acknowledged deaths near aid sites and has confirmed that troops have fired warning shots when crowds have gotten too close, but has said the death tolls, which mostly come from Hamas-run authorities, are exaggerated.
For full story, please visit https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com/western-nationssay-gaza-war-must-end-now/
Trump: Israel Will ‘Have to Make Decision’ on Gaza War
U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the humanitarian crisis and reports of starvation-related deaths in the Gaza Strip as Israel took steps to increase the flow of aid into the enclave, even while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied Jerusalem had any part in widespread shortages there.
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he meets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, July 27, 2025 // Photo Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin/Times of Israel
At the same time, Trump and other leaders acknowledged that they did not know what lay in store for the devastated Palestinian enclave, after the apparent collapse of ceasefire and hostage deal negotiations, when Israel and the U.S. pulled their negotiating teams from Doha, and accused Hamas of not being serious about wanting a truce deal.
Trump, who was on a four-day visit to Scotland, was asked by a reporter about the images that have been coming out of Gaza of starving children, which he said he thought were “terrible.”
But he promptly pivoted to say, “They’re stealing the food,” without specifying who he was talking about, although he was likely alluding to the Hamas terror group, which Israel has regularly accused of stealing aid for its own benefit.
The U.S. president lamented that the U.S. had supposedly donated $60 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation while “no other country gave anything.”
“It makes you feel a little bad when you do that and, you know, you have other countries not giving anything,” he said, sitting alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you.”
To read the full story, please visit https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com/trumpisrael-will-have-to-make-decision-on-gaza-war/ ì
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Leo Frank Case Still Relevant 110 Years Later
By Dave Schechter
The sun rose just before 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 1915.
Having driven through the night, a phalanx of cars arrived in a Marietta woods. A 31-year-old Jewish man, Leo Max Frank, was bundled out of one of the vehicles.
A rope was thrown over a tree. A noose was placed around his neck. Frank, knowing his fate at the hands of these vigilantes, asked that his wedding ring be given to his wife. A table was kicked out from under Frank’s feet and he was hanged.
Frank’s body was left on that tree for hours as a celebratory crowd gathered, eventually numbering upwards of 3,000 men, women, and children.
Aug. 17, 2025, will be the 110th anniversary of that lynching, which traumatized Atlanta’s Jewish community for decades and, in the view of four people who gathered July 10 to discuss the case, remains relevant.
Recently retired public radio host
Lois Reitzes moderated the forum before an audience of about 350 people at the Atlanta History Center, which co-sponsored the event with the Breman Museum of Jewish Heritage.
Steve Oney, author of, “And the Dead Shall Rise: The Murder of Mary Phagan
and the Lynching of Leo Frank,” considered the definitive book on the case, reviewed the timeline.
Oney said that in the period of the case, the United States, and the South in particular, were undergoing “divisive change.” The murder of a child laborer was “a symbol of the old fading order, at a noisy modern factory . . . pitted the past against the future.”
The result, he said, was an Atlanta story that became “a national event.”
In 1913, Frank, a 29-year-old Texasborn transplant from New York, was superintendent of the National Pencil Company factory in downtown Atlanta.
On April 26, which was Confederate Memorial Day, 13-year-old Mary Phagan, an employee from Marietta, came to pick up $1.20 owed her for work done the previous week. Her body was discovered early the next morning in the factory basement. Three days later, Frank was arrested and charged with murder.
Frank’s trial in Fulton County Superior Court took place in an atmosphere of hysteria and rumor, inflamed by sensationalist newspaper coverage.
He was convicted on Aug. 25, 1913, sentenced to death, and sent to the state prison farm in Milledgeville to await execution. His appeals, including to the Supreme Court of the United States, were denied.
On June 21, 1915, the day before Frank’s scheduled execution — and just days before his own term in office ended — Gov. John Marshall Slaton commuted the sentence to life imprisonment.
Late on the night of Aug. 16, Frank was kidnapped from the prison and driven to a Marietta farm belonging to former Cobb County Sheriff William Frey.
The kidnapping and lynching were organized by a cabal calling itself the Knights of Mary Phagan, organized by prominent citizens of Marietta and Cobb County. No one was prosecuted for Frank’s murder.
The lynching took place a couple of miles away from Phagan’s grave in the Marietta City Cemetery.
Before the trial and the lynching, the Jews of German heritage who then dominated the community believed “they had found a new home in the American South,” said Sandy Berman, founding archivist at The Breman Museum of Jewish Heritage. “They became part of the fabric of the Atlanta community,” accepting the “cultural mores” of Atlanta and the South.
But with the Frank case, “Life for the Jews in Atlanta starts to change,” Berman said, leaving the community “never again as secure as they once perceived it to be.”
“The community, it just was paralyzed,” she said. “They laid low, they really didn’t do anything . . . [afraid] of undermining what security they had left.”
“This sentiment lasted for decades,” Berman said. The Leo Frank case was a little-discussed “taboo subject across the board.”
In Cobb County, the Leo Frank case was “an unspoken secret, nobody talked about it,” former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes said.
So great was the silence that until a list of the perpetrators was published decades later, Barnes’ wife, Marie Dobbs Barnes, was unaware that her grandfather, Cicero Dobbs, owner of a taxi company, had provided vehicles used in the kidnapping of Frank from the state prison.
(From left) Steve Oney, author; Sandy Berman, archivist; former Gov. Roy Barnes; Emory University professor Matthew Bernstein // All photos courtesy of Breman Museum
(From left) Former Gov. Roy Barnes and (right) Emory University professor Matthew Bernstein
Barnes wondered aloud about “what was it that led the best members of the community, the leading folks of the community, to lose their heads and lynch Leo Frank.”
Using examples from two films and two television programs, Emory University professor Matthew Bernstein, author of “Screening a Lynching: The Leo Frank Case on Film and Television,” said that the case offered a “mesh of genres” — a murder mystery, the story of a marriage, a courtroom drama, ambitious politicians, a miscarriage of justice, and cynical and sensationalist journalism.
Bernstein said that, in general, the dramatizations were “well researched,” even if some “took dramatic license to get a more abstract truth.”
In 1982, 83-year-old Alonzo Mann told The Tennessean newspaper in Nashville how, as a boy working in the pencil factory, he was threatened by Jim Conley, a Black janitor, to remain silent after seeing Conley carrying Phagan’s body. The defense argued that Conley, who became the prosecution’s chief witness (and later was sentenced to a year in prison as an accomplice), committed the killing.
Mann recalled hearing anti-Jewish epithets as he entered the courthouse to testify.
The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles in December 1983 rejected an appeal of Frank’s conviction, saying that his innocence could not be established without doubt.
On March 11, 1986, the board granted a posthumous pardon “without attempting to address the question of guilt or innocence and in recognition of the state’s failure to protect the person of Leo M. Frank and thereby preserve his opportunity for continued legal appeal of his conviction, and in recognition of the state’s failure to bring his killers to justice, and
as an effort to heal old wounds.”
Barnes has been a leading advocate — along with Rabbi Steve Lebow, rabbi emeritus of Temple Kol Emeth — in pressing for exoneration of Leo Frank. The most likely avenue would be for the Fulton County attorney’s office to vacate the conviction.
The case remains controversial. NeoNazis continue to make Leo Frank a focus of their efforts to foment antisemitism, examples including in anti-Jewish leaflets thrown in driveways in metro Atlanta in February 2023 and a march outside a Cobb County synagogue in June 2023.
As the 110th anniversary of the lynching nears, the panelists at the Atlanta History Center connected the case with current concerns.
Bernstein expressed concern about the mainstreaming of extremist views. A “major social media effort is required,” he said. “You cannot tell the truth of the Frank case in a TikTok video.”
Berman urged those interested to “keep promoting the Frank case in all kinds of formats,” recommending visits to The Breman Museum’s archive on the case. “It doesn’t matter how you discover the truth. It only matters that you’re searching for the truth,” she said.
Oney, author of the highly-regarded book on the Leo Frank case, said that the challenge for journalists “is to try to tell the truth as best you can and hope that reasonable people will read it and respond accordingly.”
And former Gov. Barnes said: “The reason that Leo Frank is relevant today is to show folks that they have to have moral courage to stand up or it will happen again. The life and the circumstances we live today is ripe for antisemitism, it’s ripe for anti-immigration, it’s ripe to find somebody we can blame for the changes we are uncomfortable about.” ì
Rober t M. Goldberg
West Point , 1982: University of Michigan Law School , 1990; Member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys & Accredited Veterans Administration Attorney
COLLEGE-BOUND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE NEEDS ADVANCED DIRECTIVES
Question: My Granddaughter turned 18 last year and will be graduating from high school soon. She will be going to college out of state in the fall . My son and I are wondering what legal documents need to be in place before she moves out of state?
Answer: Congratulations! While your granddaughter may always be the baby in your family in the eyes of the lay, she is now an adult This means that her mother and father may no longer be able to make important medical or financial decisions without her permission This can cause problems since she most likely depends on her parents, and maybe even you, for most of her support
Doctors, hospitals, and financial institutions are required by law to respect your granddaughter ’s privacy. This means she needs to sign several key legal documents before she leaves for college so her “Agent ” (mom, dad, grandparents) can make important decisions for her if she cannot make them for herself
At the bare minimum, she should sign a Health Care Power of Attorney, HIPAA Authorization, and a living will This will help avoid the nightmare scenario where she may need medical attention, but the hospital refuses to provide a simple status update as to her condition because the right legal documents are not in place. She may also want to sign a Durable Financial Power of Attorney and even a Simple Will .
I recommend you call to schedule a “Discovery Meeting” so your family can have peace of mind when she goes off to college.
Bob Goldberg, has practiced law for 33 years, specializing in Estate planning and Elder Law since 1999.His firm has assisted thousands of clients with wills, trusts, financial powers of attorney, health care advanced directives, Medicare appeals, Medicaid and VA benefits planning, asset preservation,and probate/trust administration
(From left) Moderator Lois Reitzes, Steve Oney, Sandy Berman, Roy Barnes, and Matthew Bernstein
Why European Citizenship Matters for Jewish Families
A few years ago, Jeff N. received a document in the mail that he’ll never forget. It was a certificate from the German government confirming that he had successfully restored the citizenship his grandfather lost when he fled the Nazis in the 1930s. For Jeff’s grandfather, being stripped of German nationality wasn’t just paperwork — it was the final, brutal signal that he no longer belonged in his own country.
For Jeff, this certificate was a quiet triumph. It didn’t erase the pain of the past, but it offered something meaningful: a bridge back to his family’s story, and a way to pass that legacy forward. It also helped Jeff approach closure for his mom and create options for his children.
In recent years, thousands of Jewish families around the world — Ashkenazi and Sephardic alike — have discovered they may be eligible to reclaim citizenship in the European countries their ancestors were forced to flee. Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Lithuania, Portugal, and others now offer various forms of citizenship restoration or con-
firmation for descendants of Jews who were persecuted or expelled.
These aren’t just legal opportunities — they’re personal ones. Reclaiming citizenship is about more than travel rights, access to health care, education, or EU residency. It’s about honoring our families, repairing a fracture in our history, and offering our children a renewed
sense of identity and possibility.
In the last decade, many European countries have taken steps to make amends with their Jewish communities. Germany, for example, broadened its laws in 2021 to allow all descendants of Jews stripped of citizenship by the Nazis to apply, even if their ancestors had left or naturalized elsewhere. Austria fol-
lowed with a similar law in 2020. These programs are open-ended for now. Poland allows descendants of Polish citizens to confirm their citizenship, with no limit on how many generations back the claim can go. However, Polish law is complex and subject to interpretation. Hungary and Lithuania also offer generous paths for descendants, though Lithu-
In the last decade, many European countries have taken steps to make amends with their Jewish communities.
Jeff N.’s grandfather is pictured in the late 1980s.
ania requires that the ancestor left before 1990 and didn’t resettle in the Soviet Union.
But the true value of these programs can’t be measured in visas or tuition savings. For many families, reclaiming citizenship is an act of remembrance and resilience. It’s a statement: “We are still here.”
When Jeff received his German passport, he felt like he was giving something back to his grandfather — a piece of dignity that was stolen from him. “It also allowed me to feel a stronger connection to the country where my family’s story began, and to pass that story on to my children with pride rather than sorrow,” he said.
“My wife is currently in the process of reclaiming her Polish citizenship. Her parents were Polish Jews who survived World War II and emigrated after the war. We’ve been working together to track down birth records, immigration documents, and proof of citizenship. It’s not always easy, but it’s incredibly meaningful. Through this process, we’ve discovered stories and details we never knew — and we’ve felt closer to her parents than ever before.”
Many families assume they’re not eligible or that the process is too complicated. In reality, you may be closer than you think. If your grandparents or greatgrandparents were born in Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria, or Lithuania — or if you descend from Sephardic Jews who lived in Portugal or Spain before the expulsions of the 15th and 16th centuries — you may qualify.
You’ll need documentation — birth certificates, immigration records, marriage licenses — but these can often be found through government archives or professional researchers.
The process can take anywhere from six months to two years, depending on the country and the complexity of your case. Some countries allow online submissions; others require appointments at their consulates. Most programs waive language tests or residency requirements for descendants of those who were persecuted or forced to flee.
“Every family has its own reasons for pursuing this journey. For some, it’s about education or opportunity. For others, it’s about remembrance and justice. For many, it’s both,” Jeff said. “What unites them is the desire to reconnect with something that was unfairly taken. European citizenship is not just about paperwork — it’s about identity, legacy, and the power of saying, ‘You tried to erase us. But here we are.’” ì
Compiled by AJT Staff
Jeff N. has successfully restored the citizenship his grandfather, pictured here in the 2000s, lost when he fled the Nazis in the 1930s.
Israel Gains Interfaith Support in North Fulton
By Bob Bahr
Supporters of Israel, both Jews and Christians, came together before a standing room only crowd earlier this month at Chabad of North Fulton. They were there to gain a better understanding of the critical underpinnings of how and why each supports the Jewish state.
The evening of earnest interfaith dialogue, sponsored by Israel’s Consulate in Atlanta, included the participation of Deputy Consul General Anna Shteingart and Chabad Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz of the Alpharetta congregation. They were joined by a Presbyterian minister, Randy Schlichting, who is a Christian Zionist and president of the recently organized Metro Atlanta Seminary to train a new generation of Protestant ministers.
Leading the discussion was Sebastian Parra from Passages, a national organization that has worked to develop support for Israel on the nation’s college campuses. Over the last decade, the organization has trained over 12,000 non-Jewish college students as advocates for Israel in
more than 700 universities. With him was Mary Karp who has led student tours of Israel for Passages for the past five years. Her work with Passages, particularly in the wake of the Hamas attacks on Israel in 2023, changed her life. It cemented her commitment to Israel.
“As a Christian, and I can tell you all that working there before Oct. 7 and post-Oct. 7 has really, really shaped me, changed me, and it’s really made it easy for me to be able to see right from wrong,” Karp emphasized. “And I can tell you that’s one of the biggest things that I’ve gained from being so involved in the Jewish community and in the Zionist world. I’ve got a great moral compass for being here right now and for standing with Israel.”
Support for Israel, particularly among many Christians in the United States, has continued to grow. America’s ambassador to Israel is Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, who is a former governor and Baptist minister. He is a strong supporter of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He’s also been a strong supporter of religious Zionists on the West Bank and last year he held out the possibility that the annexation by Israel of that side of the Jordan River was “of course” a possibility.
Christians United For Israel (CUFI), which has nearly 11 million supporters, was among the first to step up in the days following the Oct. 7 attack. They bought ads on the jumbo video screens that surround Times Square in New York City and flashed pictures of the 240 hostages taken by Hamas. Mingled among the images were pictures of a bloodied pacifier, a mangled wheelchair and a close-up of a pair of hands crudely bound by thick strands of rope.
CUFI held their 20th annual Summit that ended July 1 in Oxan, Md., just outside Washington, D.C. It wound up with an intense round of lobbying on Capitol Hill by the attendees.
Sheri Dollinger, who is Jewish and an executive director of the organiza-
tion, said the relationship between the Christians who make up her organization “could not be more kosher.” Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, who spoke to the organization’s meeting this year, was impressed by their full-throated support for his nation. “You don’t hear the ifs and the buts,” he was quoted as saying.
And there was no mention there of the conversion of Jews and the need to preserve Israel for the second coming of the Christian Messiah that is often heard among some Christians.
“CUFI is non-conversionary. CUFI is non-partisan,” Dollinger says. “And CUFI unilaterally supports the Israeli government. I’ve been here for 18 years, and I have never once been proselytized to.”
That same kind of bond was evident at the interfaith event at Chabad of North Fulton. The Rev. Randy Schlichting reaffirmed the bond that exists between Jews and Christians that originates through the nation of Israel and that is such a prominent part of Jewish scripture.
“We support you because you’re the people of G-d, and G-d loves you. And we want to love what G-d loves truly. Maybe there are some other Christians who love you with ulterior motives or whatever. We just love you because G-d loves you. And I hope you believe that we have no other agenda but to support you when tragedy happens to show up so that you’re not alone.”
The gathering at the synagogue was the third such meeting Rabbi Minkowicz has convened recently. He has been motivated, he told the group, not just by his concern for Israel, but for the future support of the American Jewish community.
“We want to be friends with everybody. We want to be connected.” ì
A capacity crowd filled the interfaith discussion of support for Israel at Chabad of North Fulton.
There was strong support for Israel at the annual summit this month of Christians United for Israel where Rachel Goldberg-Polin spoke. Her son was taken hostage on Oct. 7 and murdered.
The Breman, ASO Team Up for Glorious Night
By Bob Bahr
In a rare move of cultural cooperation, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and The Breman Jewish Heritage and Holocaust Museum promoted an evening of 20th century music classics. Featured was the “Symphony No. 7” by the Jewish-born, Austrian composer Gustav Mahler.
Also on the program was the “Piano Concerto No. 1,” by Dimitri Shostakovich, featuring the Israel-born pianist Ilon Bernatan. Both of his parents were sabras, living in Tel Aviv, who encouraged his training when he was only 3 years old. He’s been a frequent guest at the ASO.
The Breman’s program, which was part of the orchestra’s season finale, featured an introduction to Mahler’s music by Anthony Tzvi Russell, a classically trained Black vocalist and composer who is a Jew by choice. Before the evening’s performance, he spoke about the Jewishness of the turn-of-the-century composer.
Mahler was a self-proclaimed agnostic Jew, whom many believe converted to Catholicism to further his career as an acclaimed conductor in Europe. It did little to ingratiate him to the antisemitic rabble who populated Vienna and other major European cities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
As Russell pointed out, Mahler, despite his success, was a restless soul who never felt truly at home, “neither as an Austrian among Germans or as a Jew throughout the world, always an intruder, never welcomed.”
During his lifetime, the nine symphonies he composed that are today considered masterworks were often not greeted with the same kind of enthusiasm as they are today. His seventh symphony was no exception, despite the fact that it was prominently premiered as a featured work at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph.
It would take another Jewish conductor and composer, Leonard Bernstein, with his performances of the Mahler canon in this country, in Europe and in Israel in the decades following World War II to properly situate him in the musical hall of fame in which he resides today.
The program in Atlanta’s Symphony Hall on June 5 capped a season of highprofile partnerships The Breman has undertaken this year. They have included an ambitious co-sponsorship earlier this year of the Theatrical Outfit’s produc-
The Breman Night at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra featured Mahler’s “Symphony No. 7,” with Peter Ounjian conducting.
tion of “The Lehman Trilogy,” about the Southern Jewish family that founded the Lehman Brothers Wall Street financial firm.
The month-long run of the epic, critically acclaimed production, just like the ASO concert, is part of The Breman’s ongoing effort to bring audiences together for works with Jewish themes. It’s been an initiative close to the heart of The Breman’s executive director, Leslie Gordon, who ran The Rialto Theater in downtown Atlanta before coming to the museum a half-dozen years ago.
“So right now, we, at The Breman, are actively trying to focus on Jewish peoplehood,“ Gordon said. “What we’ve observed after Oct. 7 is that there seems to be a longing for Jews who may not feel like they’re part of a particular community or a synagogue community but want to gather together. So, being able to create programs that bring people together and give them that space has been super important to us.”
Music, whether at Symphony Hall or at The Breman’s own venue in the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta building, has often been the catalyst for this effort at rebuilding community. The Breman has launched a new Sunday afternoon musical series at its Midtown location underwritten by the Levison family.
First up in the series earlier this year was an afternoon of jazz with The Joe Alterman Trio and guest violinist, Aaron Weinstein. The series also focused of the golden age of American popular music with the works of Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. A program by the Flying Carpet Theater Company that The Breman also co-sponsored in Lawrenceville at the Aurora Theatre was also on the schedule. Finally, the Levison Family series presented, “Mazel,” a modern-day tribute to the Yiddish music tradition of the past century.
The Breman has set an ambitious goal of trying to bring people together again. It could prove an important challenge as we begin the second half of a decade that has been marked by such dislocation and upheaval, socially. politically, and historically. It is a period that Mahler, who also lived in trying times, particularly for Jews, would surely recognize.
Which is what Anthony Tzvi Russell asked the attendees of The Breman con-
Despite Gustav Mahler’s conversion to Catholicism in mid-career, he endured unrelenting antisemitism, particularly in Vienna, where he lived.
cert to consider as they settled into an evening of music.
“I want you to think about what these sounds say to you” Russell asked, “whether Mahler sounds and feels like he felt about himself — ‘homeless…always an intruder, never welcome’ — I want you to listen to Mahler tonight and to ask yourself whether the home and welcome that Mahler sought … actually resides within you.” ì
Vitamin B1 May Help Alzheimer’s Patients
By Bob Bahr
There are only two medications that have been approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Just two.
Both are expensive to provide and administer and they must be closely monitored to prevent serious side effects.
But scientists at Emory Healthcare are part of a recent trial of thiamine, sometimes called Vitamin B1, that may show some promise as an effective and relatively inexpensive treatment, particularly in the early stages of the disease.
Initial studies have shown that a synthetic form of Vitamin B1, called Benfotiamine, can help improve the way the brain functions. Unlike natural thiamine, which dissolves in water, Benfotiamine is fat soluble and may support the lipids or fats in the blood that surround bundles of nerves in the brain and help maintain good brain health. For researchers like Dr. Chad Hales, the potential relationship between Benfotiamine and improvements in brain functioning have been promising.
“Thiamine itself is certainly involved
in different metabolism-based processes within the brain, and it’s a necessary component within the brain. Although the underlying specific mechanism of how the medication works is not entirely clear.”
The basis for the optimism that Benfotiamine could help patients with an
early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is based on a pilot study done at Cornell Medical Center and Columbia University that was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2020.
It suggested that a 300-milligram dosage of Benfotiamine pills taken twice daily could slow the rate of decline in the small group of 35 patients with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s. Moreover, the treatment was completely safe.
The success of that early trial led to a $45 million grant from the National Institutes for Health to fund a large-scale, five-year study at several sites, including Emory, around the country.
sor at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. She was an accomplished researcher in biochemistry, with a lifetime of work in finding a cure for Sickle Cell Disease.
But as she worked on finding a cure for one devastating disease, she was suddenly faced with how to confront another that was beginning to affect her memory. At first, she thought it might just be depression, but as her effectiveness began to decline in the classroom, she and her husband were faced with the dreaded news that comes with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease.
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The co-founder and chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, Dr Howard Fillit, is pleased with the results so far.
“With the improved biomarkers that have been developed since the pilot, this next phase will provide a deeper understanding of how Benfotiamine works in the brain. Novel approaches that target the many biological factors which contribute to Alzheimer’s, like metabolic dysfunction, are essential to finding effective treatments for this disease.”
The thiamine study is just one of the many directions Alzheimer’s research has taken, as the pace of research has accelerated. It is an exciting time for researchers like Dr. Hales of Emory.
“The speed with which the field has gone over the last two years, it’s a bit overwhelming. I feel like it’s almost every week, sometimes every day, where you hear something new that is either changing your perspective or adding to some of the understanding that we have.”
But progress has come too late for Jackie Hibbert as this writer learned about, who is a former associate profes-
Today, now 70, her life as a medical researcher is over and she is dependent on her 77-year-old husband, Jim, for almost all aspects of her daily life. He is one of the few connections she has to the outside world.
“I attend several support groups,” her husband said, “and I listen to people talk about their circumstances. And in many ways, I find myself lucky that she is not where some of these poor folks are, where they’re having to live with the frustration level with the decline of their loved ones of the individuals that I hear talk in these support groups. And the other thing is, we talk about Alzheimer’s, we’re not hiding it. As in the case of some folks, they are in denial.”
Without any relief from the disease, whatever plans they have had as they’ve aged has disappeared. The biggest struggle has been to accept all that has happened over the last five years.
“We’re making do. I do compartmentalize it in my mind and try to cope. I try not to get emotional about it. Maybe that’s just the way I am. I know plenty of folks are very emotional about the disease.” ì
Dr. Chad Hales at Emory University is one of the researchers evaluating the use of Benfotiamine to treat Alzheimer’s.
A fat-soluble form of thiamine may hold some promise for early victims of Alzheimer’s Disease.
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Levy’s Leadership Gives Clients an ‘Advantage’
By Robyn Spizman Gerson
Daniel Levy is an icon of purpose, care and support. A leader in healthcare, home and private nursing caregiving services, he heads up one of the best companies in his field, Advantage Private Home Care. His decades of serving the community are built on his own story, one of grit, healing and determination.
Born and raised in Columbus, Ga., Levy moved to Atlanta in 2000, married his wife, Sara, in 2012, and they had twin boys in 2015. The couple both attended Atlanta’s local Jewish schools and enjoyed attending Camp Judaea and Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta camps as well while growing up.
Daniel has three siblings and a stepbrother who still live in Georgia and said, “I was raised Jewish in a conservative synagogue, attending Camp Judaea and Young Judaea for years. I majored in health science with an emphasis on business and spent the first two years on a tennis scholarship at University of South
Carolina-Aiken and graduated from University of Georgia after transferring junior year.”
Prior to a tragic accident, Levy began college with a promising career. What happened next was unfathomable, which forever changed his life. He explained, “After my sophomore year of college tennis, I took a summer job in Atlanta to valet park in Buckhead. I was going to get a car, and in an instant, saw a car coming at me. I tried to stop, but I could not, and the car never saw me. I slipped and looked like a sprinter lunging forward to hit the finish line tape but was hit by the car and went underneath the car. The car finally stopped, and I was trapped underneath it. They had to lift the car off me and rushed me to Grady. I broke multiple bones requiring back surgery and had some third-degree burns from the muffler and road rash that required surgery. I spent nearly a month at Grady and could not weight bear or sit past 90 degrees for three months. I could not walk without assistance for nine months and was not
niors, who need extra personal care in their home setting whether it is an individual home or a room in a senior living facility. He said, “We help families on an hourly basis anywhere from four hours per day up to 24 hours per day. We provide hourly care and live-in caregivers. We specialize in providing caregivers to assist individuals through private pay or long-term care policies. An example of situations that require our care level are ones … faced with dementia, recovering from a hospitalization, or hospice care.”
able go faster than a walking pace until 12 months. That put me on the path of wanting to help others. After a decision to get a master’s in physical therapy or take a job straight out of college in homecare, I chose homecare. I never looked back.”
Levy said, “The valet accident molded me to stay in a healthcare setting that would help others. My first job out of college was with a National Homecare company. After 15 years working with National companies, I realized that I was ready and wanted to take my journey as an entrepreneur in this industry I love so much. In 2015, when my twins were born, I took over Advantage after the person who started the company was retiring. We are so honored and grateful to celebrate our 20th year in business. I have taken pride seeing my family grow and Advantage Private Home Care grow in the past 10 years. It is so rewarding to have assisted so many families who have trusted us to service their loved ones.”
His company provides one-on-one caregivers to individuals, mainly se-
Levy’s company is dedicated to oneon-one attention. He elaborated, “We go wherever it is needed, and we have the credentials to be approved anywhere. Utilizing Advantage Private Home Care is one of the rare ways to give an individual needing extra care, one-on-one care by the hours the family requests them to have. We can provide services in a residential home, senior living facility, hospital, or a nursing rehabilitation facility to name a few places. Anywhere a person needs care, our company has the credentials such as state licensure, liability and workers comp insurance, W-2 and mandatory background screenings. Any caregiver employed by our company is a certified nursing assistant that is required to be approved and active through the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry.”
Levy shared, “I tell families that we are an ‘as needed’ service, and they are the boss. They tell us what days, times, duration of services they are looking for and my job is to make it happen and provide extreme value and dedicated care.”
To reach Advantage Private Home Care, please call 404-312-6423, visit www. advantageprivatehomecare.com or email info@advantageprivatehomecare.com. ì
Daniel Levy is the CEO of Advantage Private Home Care.
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ISRAEL PRIDE
NEWS FROM OUR JEWISH HOME
Moody’s Keeps Israel Outlook Negative, Citing Defense Costs
Moody’s has decided to maintain a negative outlook on Israel’s country rating, leaving the door open for further rating cuts, and warning about “higher defense spending and weaker economic growth” amid a “fragile” ceasefire with Iran.
The global credit rating agency emphasized that the negative outlook re-
Today in Israeli History
July 31, 1962: Right-wing politician Moshe Feiglin is born in Haifa. A high-tech entrepreneur, he founds an organization to protest the Oslo Accords, then launches a political movement that joins with Likud in 2000.
Aug. 1, 1955: The first residents of Dimona, who are recent arrivals from Morocco, move into the development town in Israel’s south. All of Dimona’s early residents are Jews who have fled countries in North Africa and the Middle East.
flected “downside risks … driven by very high geopolitical and security risks.” A lower rating raises credit costs for government, businesses, and households.
“The implications of these risks for Israel’s fiscal and economic outlook could be more severe than we currently assess,” Moody’s said. “The recent opening of a direct military conflict with Iran will weigh further on Israel’s public finances.”
Compiled
by AJT Staff
Aug. 3, 1945: Earl Harrison, sent by President Harry Truman, confirms rumors that Jews in many displaced-persons camps in Germany and Austria face terrible conditions. Truman urges Britain to open Palestine to 100,000 refugees.
Aug. 4, 1920: Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, a Jewish Theological Seminary professor, publishes “A Program for the Reconstruction of Judaism” in the Menorah Journal. He emphasizes Zionism as a key component of American Judaism.
Aug. 5, 1953: Unit 101, a briefly independent special forces section of the IDF, is launched with about 20 soldiers under the command of Ariel Sharon to provide a rapid, punishing response to terrorist attacks.
The 13th Zionist Congress meets in Carlsbad, Czechoslovakia.
Israel, US to Forge $200M Tech Hub
Israel and the U.S. are advancing a strategic initiative to create a joint science center for artificial intelligence and quantum innovation at an investment of $200 million.
The center will serve as a hub to promote technology-driven cooperation
Aug. 7, 2002: The Palestinian Authority Cabinet agrees to a truce proposed by Israel’s defense minister to withdraw the IDF from Bethlehem and parts of the Gaza Strip, but the Second Intifada continues for three more years.
Aug. 8, 1984: Hebrew linguist and lexicographer Avraham Even-Shoshan dies at 77 in Tel Aviv. From 1946 to 1958, he worked on the New Dictionary of the Hebrew Language, now known as the Even-Shoshan Dictionary.
The bodies of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, whose abduction by Hezbollah sparked the Second Lebanon War in July 2006, are returned to Israel two years later at the Rosh Hanikra border crossing. // By Amos Ben Gershom, Israeli Government Press Office, CC BY-SA 3.0
and diplomacy with Gulf countries in the realms of AI and quantum science and challenge China in the global race for supremacy of next-generation technologies.
The initiative led by Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman, the director of Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), and Dr. Smadar Itzkovich, founder and CEO of AI & Quantum Sovereignty Lab (AIQ-Lab), is expected to be implemented either through a presidential executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump or a legislative process.
“This is a strategic initiative that aims to reshape the Middle East through U.S.-Israel scientific and technological collaboration in AI and quantum,” Itzkovich told The Times of Israel.
“Israel is a powerhouse for physics and quantum technology, and by using our advantage, we can translate it to unbelievable achievements for economic growth and prosperity and for stability and security to create regional sovereignty in the areas of AI and quantum science.”
Compiled by AJT Staff
thank
Aug. 11, 2017: Holocaust survivor Yisrael Kristal, an artisan candy maker from Poland recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s oldest living man, dies in Haifa one month before his 114th birthday.
Aug. 12, 1944: Labor Zionist leader Berl Katznelson dies of a hemorrhage in Jerusalem at 57. He developed the concept of the moshav and created a program for labor unity that served as the basis for the Mapai party.
Aug. 13, 1942: Nurit Hirsch, a musician and composer, is born in Tel Aviv. With Ehud Manor’s lyrics, she writes Israel’s first Eurovision-winning song, “A-Ba-Ni-Bi,” performed by Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta in 1978.
Aug. 2, 1923: Shimon Peres, the only Israeli to serve as prime minister and president, is born in what is Poland, now Belarus. Peres makes aliyah in 1934, enters politics in 1941 and is first elected to the Knesset in 1959.
Aug. 6, 1923: Meeting in Carlsbad, Czechoslovakia, the 13th Zionist Congress opens to discuss details about the British Mandate and the Palestine Zionist Executive, which guides Jewish immigration and settlement.
Aug. 9, 2006: Israel’s Security Cabinet approves an expansion of the offensive in southern Lebanon nearly a month into the Second Lebanon War. A U.N.-brokered ceasefire ends the war five days later.
Aug. 10, 1920: World War I’s victors and the Ottoman Empire sign the Treaty of Sevres to break up the empire. The treaty incorporates the Balfour Declaration’s call for a Jewish national home in Palestine.
Aug. 14, 1944: U.S. Assistant War Secretary John J. McCloy notifies Leon Kubowitzki of the World Jewish Congress that the U.S. military has decided not to bomb Nazi death camps and their infrastructure, though it has the capability.
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.
An illustrative image of a quantum computing concept // Photo Credit: metamorworks; iStock by Getty Images/Times of Israel
The home of Moody’s credit rating agency, 250 Greenwich St., New York, on Oct. 9, 2011 // Photo Credit: AP/Henny Ray Abrams/Times of Israel
U.S. President Bill Clinton demonstrates a 3D camera to Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres at the White House on Dec. 11, 1995. // By Tsvika Israeli, Israeli Government Press Office, CC BY-SA 3.0
Yisrael Kristal, shown in 2016, secretly made candy in the Lodz ghetto, then made candy to
the Soviet troops who liberated Auschwitz in January 1945. // Kristal family photo
Levi Records Haifa Symphony Performance for Hostage
By Bob Bahr
Twenty-two-year-old Alon Ohel had just come back from a long trip through Asia, when he made the fateful decision to attend the Supernova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023. He was an accomplished pianist and he loved music. Going to the festival, it turned out, was the worst decision of his young life.
When Hamas began their attack on the music site, he and 27 others took refuge in a bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re’im just miles from the border with Gaza. Of the 27, only seven survived. Ohel was wounded by grenades Hamas tossed into the shelter and he and three others were kidnapped. According to several hostages who were released earlier this year, he is still alive in Gaza, thought to be over a hundred feet down in a Hamas tunnel, shackled in chains, and blind in one eye from his injuries.
His family has mounted a concerted campaign to draw attention to their son’s dire fate, as one of the 25 hostages still believed to be alive.
Earlier this year, Ohel’s parents, who live in the Galilee not far from Haifa, had approached many of Israel’s most prominent music organizations with a special request. They had a video recording of their son playing “Clair de lune,” the gentle and elegant work of French musical impressionism. Debussy was not Jewish but was married for 10 years to Emma Moyse who was.
As a tribute to Ohel and to keep his memory alive, they thought that his recorded solo performance could be combined with a live orchestra to create a new recorded tribute to him. They were repeatedly turned down by many orchestras until Yoel Levi heard of the project.
The renowned conductor is the former music director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and although he lives in Atlanta, he is now the music director of the Haifa Symphony. He heard about the project on a recent trip there and immediately committed himself and the Haifa ensemble to the project.
“I didn’t hesitate even for one second,” Levi said. “I looked at this as a big mitzvah that might help, somehow, the family and the hostages. If it could bring more attention to this tragic situation then I was very happy to do it.”
The response when the recording of the orchestra and the still-imprisoned hostage was released was immediate and impassioned. It was shown on national television in Israel and became a minor media sensation on the Internet.
The video, which runs just short of
five minutes, has been posted on YouTube by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an international organization that has staged regular massive demonstrations in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square in an attempt to force the government to reach an agreement with Hamas and bring the remaining hostages home.
“People are extremely unhappy with the conduct of this government,” Levi points out. “Many people believe that many hostages could have been saved a long time ago, and maybe all of them, and it is a very difficult point and struggle for many people in Israel, and there are a lot of demonstrations taking place all the time on behalf of the hostages.”
When the recording was made, Ohel’s father was in the audience and the family has done whatever they have been able to do to make sure their son is not forgotten. They staged a 24th birthday celebration for him in Hostage Square earlier this year and donated 34 pianos, each painted yellow, including one in the square. Twenty more were donated to other countries, with a sign that read, “Alon, you are not alone.”
His mother, Idit, explained to the Jewish News Service why the pianos were distributed in so many places.
“When you play for somebody, you give them something from yourself and you are sending all this love to them. Music is an international language, it brings people together, and when people hear piano playing in public space, they come to hear it.”
It’s something Yoel Levi understands well. He has been deeply moved by how the project with the Ohel family has touched him.
“I was, personally, very moved. It was one of the most difficult emotional things that I had to do in a very tragic situation. Hopefully, it will be helpful for him as well, so that he can come back soon. Who knows, maybe one day, we hope, we will be able to have him perform with us, again?” ì
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
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)
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)
Lior Rudaeff, 61 (murdered in captivity)
Meny Godard, 73 (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)
Alon Ohel was an accomplished pianist before being taken as a hostage Oct. 7, 2023.
Yoel Levi and the Haifa Symphony Orchestra recorded a performance of Debussy’s “Clair de lune” with a solo video by Alon Odel.
Truist Park, Battery Host All-Star Weekend
David Ostrowsky
It was worth the fouryear wait.
The firstever Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Truist Park, originally scheduled for July 2021 before MLB pivoted to Denver’s Coors Field for that year’s Midsummer Classic, was a splendid celebration of the national pastime, while introducing tens of thousands of visitors to The Battery Atlanta.
Though the feature showcase of the weeklong festivities, the 95th MLB All-Star Game on July 15 (won by the NL All-Stars 7-6 in a first-ever swing-off), was played within the confines of Truist, visiting fans, whether they hailed from Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Boston, or Toronto, soaked up the live music, dining options, and outdoor activities in the ballpark’s adjacent village. Indeed, few MLB ballparks offer such a dizzying array of entertainment for fans, many of whom aren’t even ticketholders, making Truist and The Battery an optimal setting for baseball’s crown jewel event.
“This [The Battery] is a great destination. I’ve been here several times and it’s just such a good fit as far as I’m concerned,” AL honorary coach and former Braves’ great Joe Torre said during media day.
Cincinnati Reds All-Star pitcher Andrew Abbott echoed Torre’s high praise: “It [Truist Park] just kind of translates into being a great atmosphere for something like this.”
After Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas (the site of last year’s ASG), Truist Park, by virtue of its 2017 opening, is the newest stadium MLB has unveiled. The consensus among this year’s All-Stars was that the Braves are fortunate to call Truist home 81 games a year.
New York Mets pitcher David Peterson: “I’ve always enjoyed playing here [Truist Park]. I’ve always thought it was one of the better atmospheres in the league.”
Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman: “I think the ballpark’s a beautiful ballpark. I think it’s a great place to be for this [All-Star Game].”
San Diego Padres pitcher Jason Adam: “It’s just beautiful. I mean they did a great job building it. It’s a fun place. It’s a fun atmosphere. The fans are great.”
The actual All-Star Game itself was fittingly awash in Atlanta culture and baseball history. Whether it was Chipper Jones throwing out the first pitch to Matt Olson, a Zac Brown Band national anthem, Ludacris and Jermaine Dupri introducing the lineups, or the beautiful late-game recreation of Hank Aaron’s 715th home run, this year’s game etched its place in Atlanta sports history.
Even the visiting American League All-Star team had an Atlanta presence as the AL coaching staff was headlined by the Hall of Famer Torre, who played in and managed the other two All-Star Games held in Atlanta, 1972 and 2000, respectively. For Torre, 85, who hasn’t managed since his final season in Los Angeles in 2010, the opportunity to tip his cap during pregame introductions to Braves fans, some of whom remember his prime years when the franchise was in Milwaukee, was impossible to pass up.
“When Boonie [AL All-Star manager Aaron Boone] asked me to be an honorary coach, it was exciting for me,” said Torre, who coached alongside Jewish former catcher and now current Yankees bench coach, Brad Ausmus.
As he skippered the dynastic New York Yankees of the late 1990s/early 2000s, Torre managed the AL All-Stars six times from 1997 to 2004. Though it’s
hard for him to conjure up a specific memory from the 2000 game at Turner Field (during which Jewish catcher Mike Lieberthal paired up with Tom Glavine in the fifth inning), the All-Star Game in general still carries great significance –especially this year, which may be his last chance to participate.
“The only thing I’ve ever tried to do –and I get yelled at a time or two – is try to get every player in the game,” explained Torre. “We’ve won all the games, except the one we tied [2002], and that was sad for me, because it happened to be in Milwaukee and Bud Selig’s hometown. It was unfortunate. But I’ve been lucky. The guys that we picked to be on our side in the American League just happen to pull it out all the time for us. It was a great experience. It never got old, whether you’re playing in it or managing it. For me, it was always a very special occasion.”
The Braves had their three representatives -- Matt Olson (also a Home Run Derby participant), Ronald Acuna, Jr., Chris Sale -- but the game’s most hyped Atlanta connection was the return of wildly popular Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who started for the NL in his ninth All-Star Game.
“The last four years, every time I’ve come back, the fans have given me such great standing ovations,” Freeman said
the day before the All-Star Game. “I’m not expecting anything [in Tuesday’s AllStar Game]; I’m just happy to be back and playing in front of these fans again. If they give me one, I’ll take it all in.”
The 41,702 fans on hand certainly did give Freeman (0-1 with a groundout) a resounding standing ovation when NL All-Star manager Dave Roberts popped out of the dugout to lift his starting first baseman with one out in the top of the third. Roberts, who managed Los Angeles in the 2021 NLCS against Atlanta, had just made a similar move an inning earlier when he removed southpaw Clayton Kershaw so that the crowd could acknowledge the future Hall of Famer in what may be his final season. Neither Jewish nor a former Brave, Kershaw has a close connection to the Jewish community as he has forged a now yearslong close bond with fellow Dodger legend Sandy Koufax, the gold standard of Jewish athletes. When Kershaw joined the 3,000-strikeout club in early July, Koufax was one of the first people he heard from.
“Sandy’s awesome,” said Kershaw. “He’s been so helpful to me in my journey with the Dodgers. He’s just a great man all the way around. He always calls and congratulates me, texts me or if he sees something watching the game, he’s always watching.” ì
On the perfect mid-summer evening of July 14, baseball fans worldwide enjoyed one of the game’s true ballpark gems -- Truist Park -- during the 95th MLB All-Star Game // Photo Credit: MLB Photos via Getty Images
Fried, Bregman Unable to Play in All-Star Game
By David Ostrowsky
It has become a guessing game as to which MLB All-Stars will actually play — and if so, for how long — in the Midsummer Classic. Whether it’s position players being overly cautious to not exacerbate lingering injuries or pitchers not inclined to take the mound on short rest, the MLB All-Star Game doesn’t necessarily showcase the game’s biggest stars or players fans are most interested in watching.
Though no Jewish players took the field during this year’s All-Star Game, the Jewish community was nevertheless well represented with the inclusion of Jewish All-Stars Max Fried and Alex Bregman, who were teammates for the American League, representing the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, respectively.
As Fried had last pitched on July 12 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field and was once again battling blister issues, there was never any chance he would pitch for the AL All-Stars at his old home of Truist Park. But his All-Star unavailability didn’t diminish his thus far marvelous first season in New York.
“He’s been awesome,” AL All-Star manager Aaron Boone commented about Fried, whom he also manages for the Yankees, in his postgame press conference. “He was certainly a strong case to start this game. That’s how good he’s been. When you consider what Tarik [Skubal]’s been and [Garrett] Crochet and Hunter Brown and beyond, you know, Max has been right there in the mix. He’s been dominant. He’s done a great job. If we’ve had a losing streak, he’s the guy we wanted to have the ball.
“He’s certainly elevated our club and pitched like an absolute ace.”
Fried came into All-Star Week sporting an 11-3 record and 2.43 ERA and is on track for what would be his finest season ever. That’s saying a lot.
“Max meant so much to this organization and our success,” Braves’ manager Brian Snitker said about his erstwhile ace during All-Star media day. “The guy’s never satisfied, he’s always trying to get better. Unbelievable talent. Great person, makeup, the whole thing. I was actually hoping that he would be the American League starter in this thing.”
Speaking to the media the day before the All-Star Game, Fried was a bundle of emotions as he reflected on his weeklong return to Atlanta (the blisters hindered him from pitching in the ensuing Yankees-Braves series at Truist Park)
Though the Braves may be in the midst of an underwhelming season, the hometown team was still well-represented at this year’s AllStar Game with a three-player contingent, including first baseman Matt Olson // Photo Credit: MLB Photos via Getty Images
and journey to New York City.
“I would say it’s been a crazy week just leading up to it [All-Star Game],” said Fried, who was able to catch up briefly with former teammates, Matt Olson and Chris Sale, upon arriving in town. “I haven’t had much time to process my emotions, but I know that it’s going to be really cool. I’m excited to get onto the field for the first time and be able to see staff and different people that work in the stadium.”
With the Yankees playing at Truist immediately after the four-day All-Star break, Fried was back in Atlanta for the entire week. Though it was full of festivities, workouts, and games, there was still time to revisit his old haunts.
“I would say that I personally just love – I have some spots that I go to whether it’s like little coffeeshops or things of that nature,” Fried shared. “So, I think just going to the old stomping grounds and places that I [went to] when I was here, I’m going to be excited to be able to do that.”
The Yankees’ ancient rivals, the Red Sox, have weathered an up-and-down season derailed by injuries to critical players, including Bregman, who suf-
fered a right quad injury that landed him on the injured list on May 23. At the time, Bregman, in his first season with the Red Sox, was Boston’s most potent bat, hitting .299 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs. Though he did not return until just before the AllStar break, Bregman’s impressive early production warranted his third All-Star selection and first since 2019.
“Oh yeah, it’s a tremendous honor, especially to be voted in by my peers,” acknowledged Bregman, who was indeed selected by his fellow big-leaguers to be the AL’s reserve third baseman, but elected not to play so he could get some extra rest. “You come to two early in your career . . . you can never take it for granted, obviously. Such a tremendous honor to be here and to be back after a few years of not being here, it’s been awesome. A lot of hard work has gone into it. A lot of people have made this possible, [people I] trained with or players or coaches that have helped along the way. Super thankful to be here.”
Perhaps Fried’s and Bregman’s potential contributions would have led to a different outcome than the eventual 7-6 National League win, courtesy of the first-ever swing-off. Meanwhile, two
of the Braves’ three All-Stars (starting pitcher Chris Sale did not participate) did factor into the NL’s victorious evening as starting right fielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. in the first inning reached on an infield single and came around to score his squad’s second run on a two-run double by Ketel Marte, Arizona’s second baseman who last month was ruthlessly taunted by a fan over his late mother. Though Matt Olson struck out in his only plate appearance and committed an error in the top of the seventh, the NL All-Star first baseman, who also competed in the prior evening’s Home Run Derby, made a sharp defensive play in the ninth inning by snaring a sizzling grounder down the first-base line that at the time prevented the tying run from scoring.
Drawing easily the most boisterous ovations from the Truist crowd during pregame introductions, Olson and Acuna Jr. were playing in their third and fifth All-Star Games, respectively. Though Acuna, Jr.’s contract with the Braves runs only three more years, the 2023 NL MVP hopes to represent the Braves in All-Star Games well into his 30s and the 2030s — just like Olson. ì
Goldberg: One Last Spear and Jackhammer
By Lou Ladinsky
After 28 years, Jewish professional wrestling icon Bill Goldberg wrestled his final bout at State Farm Arena on July 12, 2025, in his adopted hometown of Atlanta, before more than 12,000 fans and millions watching “Saturday Night’s Main Event” on NBC and Peacock.
Goldberg is proud of his Jewish heritage. In 2009, the San Diego Jewish Journal referred to Goldberg as the “Jewish Hulk” as he definitely breaks the mold on the Jewish stereotype. Goldberg told the San Diego Jewish Journal, “It’s been a blessing to be a role model for these Jewish kids who never had a Jewish sports hero to look up to. Being Jewish doesn’t mean I have to read the Torah every day, but hell, I wrestled in front of millions of people and called myself by my real name. That's a testament to myself that I'm proud of.”
Goldberg played defensive tackle for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1986-89 and played defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons from 1992-94. His football career was cut short when he sustained an abdominal injury in 1995 tearing his lower abdomen off his pelvis.
Following his NFL career, Goldberg began training at the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Power Plant facility in 1997 to begin his career in professional wrestling for WCW. He cemented his legacy at WCW, and the world of professional wrestling, with an unprecedented 173–0 winning streak, including a WCW Championship title victory over Hulk Hogan at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta in front of more than 40,000 fans screaming, “Goldberg,” and millions watching the show on “Monday Night Nitro.” Most of his matches were short and quick with victories resulting from a devastating spear and jackhammer slam to his opponents. After each match ended, Goldberg would proclaim “Who’s next?”
Goldberg returned to the ring in 2016 to fight a few times a year at World Wrestling Entertainments (WWE) Premium Live Events. The crowds still welcomed him with screams of “Goldberg.”
At a WWE Premium Live Event, “Bad Blood,” on Oct. 5, 2024, at State Farm Arena, Goldberg attended the event with his wife Wanda and son Gage. During an in-ring promo speech by the WWE champion, Gunther, the Ring General, Goldberg was taunted by the WWE champion. Gunther called Goldberg a “one trick pony” and “hoped he was a better father than a wrestler.” This not only embar-
rassed Goldberg and his family before the thousands of people in attendance, and millions watching the event on the Peacock network, it also infuriated Goldberg who jumped the railing and went after Gunther only to have security hold him back. The seeds were now planted for his final retirement match on July 12, 2025. When asked now, “Who’s next,” the answer was simple, Gunther.
Goldberg spent months training for this final encounter. At 58 years of age, Goldberg said his battered body had one more fight left in him. He went on to say that younger wrestlers, like Gunther, have no respect for Goldberg’s generation of wrestlers. The stage was now set for Goldberg’s retirement match as he went for the
gold one last time against Gunther. This would be Goldberg’s first match since Feb. 19, 2022. Gunther said the “Myth of Goldberg would die” after the match.
Despite a losing effort against Gunther in their 14 minute-plus match, Goldberg managed to beat some respect into the WWE champion. He was able to hit his signature Spear and Jackhammer finishing move one last time only to have Gunther kick out before the count of three. After the match, Goldberg, surrounded by friends and family, thanked the crowd for their undying support throughout his wrestling career. This was his first professional loss in Atlanta. After the show went off the air, WWE superstar Cody Rhodes summed it up best,
telling Goldberg, “You are not just wrestling royalty, you are Georgia royalty and Atlanta royalty.” Rhodes then asked the crowd for one last chant of “Goldberg, Goldberg, Goldberg,” from the Atlanta audience.
Now the question is not “Who’s next”, but “what’s next” for Goldberg. His son, Gage, plays linebacker for the Colorado Buffaloes college football team. During recent interviews, Gage said his primary interest was in a professional football career in the NFL, but also, as a backup plan, expressed interest following in his father’s footsteps with a professional wrestling career. Perhaps, someday, the Goldberg legacy will continue through his son. ì
Goldberg (standing) delivers his signature Spear and Jackhammer move against WWE champion Gunther
Goldberg fought his final match on July 12 at State Farm Arena.
Jewish professional wrestling icon Bill Goldberg thanks the crowd for their support throughout his career.
Gur Named Executive Director of Be A Mensch Foundation
The Israeli-based Be A Mensch Foundation (BAM) announced that Benni Gur will serve as executive director of the organization. Gur, who is a retired IDF Major, will lead fundraising efforts for BAM and oversee philanthropic initiatives to help promote the organization’s critical activities in Israel.
Gur brings more than three decades of professional nonprofit managerial experience to BAM, having led organizations including Friends of Mercaz HaRav, and Mesimot. He also worked as the vice executive director of the Jerusalem College of Technology, academic director at the Israel Management Center, and a was a lecturer at Hebrew University’s School of Social Work.
“We are thrilled to have Benni join our organization as executive director,” said Moshe Kaplan, MD, co-founder and CEO of the Be A Mensch Foundation. “His unique experience in nonprofit management, consulting, and fundraising will help BAM sustain our critical activities
CIE Offers Resilience Boost for Jewish College Students
Life on a college campus can be challenging at any time, but increasingly normalized antisemitism and anti-Zionist activism can make it difficult for Jewish students merely to live and learn without hiding who they are.
uniting the secular and non-secular communities of Israel.”
BAM recently announced the global book tour for “Extreme Trauma,” which aims to share a message of hope and constructive dialogue following the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks. Proceeds of the book will help to continue BAM’s to support unity initiatives led by the Be A Mensch Foundation in Israel.
“I am honored to join BAM especially at the launch of ‘Extreme Trauma,’” said Gur. “I look forward to advancing the mission of the foundation and working to create a lasting, positive change for the future of Israel.”
For more information on “Extreme Trauma,” or the Be a Mensch Foundation, please contact James Lambert, vice president at Rubenstein Public Relations, at jlambert@rubensteinpr.com or at 212805-3024.
Compiled by AJT Staff
To ensure that Jewish students have the necessary knowledge, resources and support to thrive at college for this and future school years, the nonprofit Center for Israel Education is presenting, “Being Safe, Smart and Jewish on Campus: Resilience Prep for College Students,” from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10.
The free program is available in-person at an Atlanta-area location (to be disclosed upon registration) and online, so anyone anywhere can attend. Find more information at the CIE website and register to attend in person or via webcast at https://rb.gy/6kzb20.
The two-hour program is not about advocacy, but about self-confidence, resilience, safety and community. It features college student leaders, recent graduates and on-campus Jewish professionals addressing such topics as:
• What students should expect on campus now.
• How to choose courses and make the most of your college years.
• What problematic and even slanderous words and phrases mean.
• How to identify and respond to bias
in the classroom.
• How to recognize when protesters violate your rights, and what to do.
• Where to find resources and organizations that support Jewish students.
Much of the program will be a conversation with attendees, who can ask questions when they register as well as during the event.
In addition to CIE, presenters are expected from such organizations as AntiDefamation League, Hillel, and Chabad. Also speaking are current students or recent grads from Emory University, Indiana University, Kennesaw State University and Queens College.
While the program is meant for new and returning college students, it also offers value for high schoolers beginning a college search and for supportive parents.
Among the program sponsors are the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s JTeen initiative, Hillels of Georgia, Atlanta Rabbinical Association, American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, RootOne, and SHIELD.
For more information, visit israeled. org/august-2025-being-safe-smart-andjewish-on-campus-resilience-prep-forcollege-students, or contact CIE’s Rhonda Povlot at rhonda.povlot@israeled.org.
Compiled by AJT Staff
The Center for Israel Education will host an informative program for Jewish college students on Aug. 10.
Benni Gur has been named executive director of Be A Mensch Foundation.
Rothman Hired as Managing Director of Hadassah Super South
Hadassah Greater Atlanta is pleased to announce that Lauren Rothman has been named managing director of Hadassah Super South, responsible for the operation of 46 Hadassah chapters comprising more than 15,000 Hadassah members. The geographic area Rothman will oversee comprises Alabama, Arkansas, the Florida Panhandle, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, most of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, part of West Virginia, and all of Southern Virginia.
Rothman comes from a multigenerational Hadassah family and previously served as managing director of Hadassah West. She has been with Hadassah for a total of nearly two decades. In Hadassah’s Super South, Rothman will work with the staff and local volunteer leaders to advance Hadassah’s mission – to stand up for Israel, fight antisemitism, advocate for women’s health, and support the Hadassah Medical Organization, Hadassah’s academic medical center in Jerusalem.
Ellen Finkelstein, CEO, Hadassah, said, “We are fortunate to be able to bring Lauren’s exceptional skills and experience to bear on the critical role of managing director of Hadassah Super South. I know she will bring excellence and in-
sight into her new role.
Terry Nordin, president of Hadassah Greater Atlanta, states, “We extend a warm southern welcome to Lauren and are excited to work with her.”
Rothman explains, “Hadassah gives women the opportunity to grow and become agents of change. I look forward to introducing new women to this incredible organization and to continuing the work of advocating for women’s health equity, Israel and Zionism.”
Simone Wilker, advocacy chair for Hadassah Southeastern Region, said, “We would like the Atlanta community to learn that on June 13, Hadassah’s Gandel Rehabilitation Hospital Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, nicknamed the “God Forbid Hospital,” became the “Thank God Hospital.” The Center was transformed into an emergency hospital. Hadassah staff worked around the clock. The doctors and nurses are Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and the same for the patients. Patient care continued without a pause when emergency sirens warning of enemy missiles or drones sounded.” To learn more about Hadassah, go to www.Hadassah. org.
Compiled by AJT Staff
Lauren Rothman has been named managing director of Hadassah Super South. SIMCHA SPOTLIGHT
Schancupp Joins Teachers for Holocaust Program NCJW Recognizes Local Leaders at Conference
The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous (JFR) selected 12 middle and high school teachers and Holocaust center personnel from five U.S. states to participate in its 2025 European Study Program in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Through lectures and visits to actual Holocaust sites, these educators gained a more profound understanding of the complex and tragic history of the Holocaust.
Among those educators is Judy Schancupp of the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust in Sandy Springs. The program is a high-level, intensive and immersive educational experience that includes visits to concentration camps, ghetto sites, and Holocaust memorials. Noted historian Robert Jan van Pelt, one of the world’s leading experts on the Holocaust, served as the accompanying scholar for the European Study Program.
The immersive program began in Amsterdam where the group toured the Portuguese Synagogue, the Jewish History Museum, the Dutch Holocaust Museum, the Hollandsche Schouwburg, the Anne Frank House, the Frank family home and the Resistance Museum. They then traveled to the Felix-Nussbaum-Haus and Bergen Belsen concentration camp before traveling to Flensburg, the home of the last Nazi Government; the Froeslev concentration camp; Gilleleje; Ramlosabrunn; Malmo; Ryvangen; Nivaa; Copenhagen and many other cities.
The 2025 European Study Lerner Fellows include:
Amy McDonald of the Alabama Holocaust Education Center in Birmingham, Ala.
Maureen Carter of the Boca Raton Community High School in Boca Raton, Fla.
Risa Della Rocca of the Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton, Fla.
Julie Gates of Logger’s Run Middle School in Boca Raton, Fla.
Krystal Lamb of Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School in Lake Worth, Fla.
Charles Hagy, Jr. of The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, Fla.
Sheri Crowley of Polo Park Middle School in Wellington, Fla.
Kimberly Coombs of the School District of Palm Beach County in West Palm Beach Fla.
Bradd Weinberg of the School District of Palm Beach County in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Judy Schancupp of the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust in Sandy Springs, Ga.
Alicia Booker of Lakota West High School in West Chester Township, Ohio
Stacy Steele of Lancaster High School in Lancaster, S.C.
The JFR continues its work of providing monthly financial assistance to 73 aged and needy Righteous Gentiles living in 10 countries. Since its founding, the JFR has provided more than $46 million to aged and needy rescuers. Its Holocaust teacher education program has become a standard for teaching the history of the Holocaust and educating teachers and students about the significance of the Righteous as moral and ethical exemplars. For more information, visit https:// www.jfr.org/.
Compiled by AJT Staff
Two Atlanta-area leaders of NCJW Atlanta Section were recently honored during the organization’s three-day, Washington Institute 2025: Together We Rise, conference in Washington, D.C. The national awards were presented at a changemakers luncheon to a select few who exemplify NCJW’s values and who lead with vision, inspire others to action, create meaningful impact, lift others along the way, and bring joy to the organization’s work.
Atlanta Section Past President Sherry Frank was named 2025 NCJW Champion of the Year, recognizing her extraordinary leadership, decades of advocacy, and unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and Jewish values. Her longtime leadership has been transformative, fueling countless initiatives — from NCJW’s refugee resettlement efforts to coalitionbuilding with the Atlanta Black-Jewish
community — and continues to inspire a new generation of changemakers. Following a poignant video presentation, NCJW Atlanta Co-President Stacey Hader Epstein presented the award to Frank. Noam Segal, a recent graduate of Decatur High School and a leader of NCJW Atlanta’s Teens 4 Repro Health program, received NCJW’s 2025 Rising Tide Leader Award. This national honor recognizes young leaders ages 16-25 who embody NCJW’s values and demonstrate a deep commitment to advancing justice. Before presenting the award to her, NCJW Atlanta Co-President Susan Agedan noted Segal’s wisdom, courage, and clarity to shape conversations, mobilize her peers, and make a powerful mark on the reproductive health, rights, and justice movement among teens and adults alike.
Compiled by AJT Staff
Judy Schancupp (back row, 3rd from left) was among educators from five states that joined the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous Intensive European Holocaust Education Program.
(From left) Ellen Buchman, Sheila Katz, Stacey Hader Epstein, Noam Segal, Susan Gordon, and Laura Monn Ginsburg
A Good Friend, and a Good Dog
Dave Schechter
From Where I Sit
Bru was lying on a towel on the floor of an examining room at the veterinary clinic, clearly exhausted by physical infirmities that increasingly had plagued him for months, a sad look in those big brown eyes.
That we knew this day would come made it no easier, perhaps even more difficult.
The vet explained that an aging dog wants to please its humans and will hang on as best it can. At 15-plus years old, Bru surely had tried.
More than once, when we thought he was fading, his appetite would return and he was able to walk around the neighborhood. But the days when he would wrestle me for a stick or run
through the creek at a local dog park, or joust with Coco, his canine housemate, were well in the past.
On this morning, Audrey had taken Bru to the vet for scheduled shots. Instead, she called and told me to bring Coco to say goodbye. She called our three children to tell them that Bru’s time had come.
The oldest, known here as Darling Daughter, adopted Bru during her sophomore year in college. He was just a few months old, an energetic, tan, mixed-breed rescue, with the appearance of a Black Mouth Cur, a Southern breed.
She named him Bru, as in the Boston Bruins. She was into ice hockey at the time.
About 12 years ago, when our daughter graduated and began her professional career as a newspaper reporter in South Carolina, Bru moved in with us.
Not long after, I began writing from home. Bru was my confidant for
conversation (albeit one-sided), snarky comments, and rants.
A couple of years later, our older son found Coco, a black-white mix, wandering on a road, wearing a tag that identified an owner who, when called, was disinterested in the dog’s return.
He brought Coco to our home, where she formed a partnership with Bru. They became fast friends, sleeping on or next to each other, rising up on their hind legs to wrestle, and vying for our attention.
I was their servant. My role, as they saw it, was two-fold: to open the sliding glass door leading to the back yard and, at the prescribed times, feeding them lunch and dinner.
Bru could tell time, at least at noon and 6 p.m. If I were in my office, he would push the door open, wander in and make his presence known until I got out of my chair.
For a brief time, we allowed the dogs onto our bed, until they wanted us to make other sleeping arrangements, and we put a stop to that. Eventually, they found places to sleep elsewhere around the house.
Now Coco was walking around Bru, who was lying almost motionless on the clinic floor.
The vet gave Bru injections that would relieve his suffering, while taking him from us.
I knelt beside Bru, stroked his fur, and told him: “You’ve been a good dog. You’ve been a good friend. I love you.”
The American Kennel Club website suggests that the commonly used ratio of one dog year equaling seven human years was a marketing ploy, pegged to
an average human life span of about 70 years.
The American Veterinary Medical Association equates the first year of a medium-sized dog’s life with 15 human years, the second year equaling about nine, after which each human year is approximately five for a dog.
By that measurement, Bru lived the equivalent of some 90 years in human terms.
As for human longevity, the Hebrew Bible, in Psalm 90:10, says: “Three score and ten our years may number/ four score years if granted the vigor.”
A few days ago, at the cabin in the woods by the lake in Maine, I marked three score and ten. I wish to be granted the vigor to reach four score, perhaps more.
Having survived my own cardiac and cancer episodes and having seen friends and family succumb to a myriad of ailments, I know that there are no guarantees, but as my rabbi brother said, “companionship, friendship, and caring make the inevitable challenges and sadness bearable, whether offered by friends or dogs.”
In the days after Bru’s passing, Coco showed understandable signs of depression. She missed her buddy.
Coco ate, but without her usual enthusiasm and spent much of several days lying on her mat. A week passed before she resumed barking at dogs and humans walking by the house.
I miss Bru’s presence, no matter his limited activity in recent weeks. I miss talking to him.
He was a good dog and a good friend, and I loved him. 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.
Feinblum to Lead New Chabad Girls High School
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
The Chaya Mushka Chabad School community is bursting with excitement as it prepares to launch Chaya Mushka Girls High School (CMGHS), this fall, alongside the announcement of a dynamic leadership team, starting with Shelley Feinblum as the founding principal. With more than 15 years of experience in education and a passion for student growth, Feinblum brings a blend of warmth, professionalism, and vision to yet another chapter in the development of Chabad Schools of Atlanta.
Born and raised in South Africa, Feinblum attended Beis Rivkah Seminary in Crown Heights before returning home to complete a degree in optometry. She has since dedicated her career to Jewish education and currently serves as head of the Judaic Studies Department at Yeshiva College in Johannesburg.
A devoted mother and proud grandmother, she is valued by both students and colleagues for her thoughtful leadership and ability to inspire both academic
excellence and personal growth.
“Mrs. Feinblum has a student-centered approach and a deep commitment to excellence,” said Rabbi Isser New, dean
of Chabad Schools of Atlanta. “Her leadership will be foundational in shaping the success and spirit of our new high school.”
Feinblum related her excitement about the opportunity. “I’m honored and excited to help build this school in such a fantastic community. Atlanta has a
The new Chaya Mushka Girls High School is set to open this year.
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unique warmth and energy, and I look forward to working closely with the school community as we grow together, creating a space where our students can truly thrive.”
Feinblum will be joined by a team of dedicated educators:
• Mushka Kesselman will serve as Mechaneches and program director, as well as teach core Kodesh content. Known for her creativity and care for students, Kesselman will be a central figure in cultivating a nurturing and enriching school culture.
• Shluchos Laya Berendt and Devorah Leah Wineberg will bring their energy and warmth to both the high school and middle school girls, enhancing programming and building strong, positive relationships with students.
To ensure a strong foundation, Leah Sollish and Ginny Henry, principals of the Chabad Academy’s elementary and middle schools, will be closely involved in curriculum development and structural planning throughout the launch phase. Sollish shared the school’s guiding vision, “Rooted in our core values, our vision has always been to support students’ growth — academically, emotionally, and spiritually. Launching the high school is the next step in raising strong, proud Jewish women grounded in Torah and Chassidus.”
To further support the students, Dr. Pam Mason, director of counseling and student well-being, will provide special attention to the high school girls, while playing a key role in the overall development of the high school in its entirety. Some of the curricula include Chamash, Halacha, language arts, math, science,
health, civics, history, business and technology, history, and more.
With an innovative and ambitious approach, Chaya Mushka Girls High School will also welcome students from across the country. Rabbi Yale New, director of development at Chabad Schools of Atlanta, emphasized this broader vision, “We’re building a high school with the infrastructure to support students from out of town as well. A dormitory, set in a beautiful home in the scenic suburbs of Sandy Springs, and a full array of programming, will make CMGHS a vibrant, inclusive home for girls from all over.”
The school also announced that its full high school staff has been hired, with more introductions to come in the weeks ahead.
The search committee consisted of Dr. Mason, Bracha Yurkowitz, and Miriam Lipskier, all of whom Rabbi Isser New praised for their diligence in identifying the right leadership for this exciting new venture.
“We’re looking forward to an inspiring, joyful, and successful school year ahead,” said Rabbi Yossi New. “We are often asked, ‘Is there really a need for another Jewish high school?’ And the answer is that everyone acknowledges that Chabad has a unique approach towards love of G-d, Torah, and Israel (both the people and the land), that has transformed the landscape of Jewish life in America and around the world. That comes from somewhere! It comes from a focused education imbued with the teachings of the Chassidic doctrine as interpreted by the Rebbe (OBE).”
For more information, please visit http://cmghs.org. ì
South African native Shelley Feinblum will serve as the founding principal for Chaya Mushka Girls High School.
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CTeen Launches Several New Programs
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
CTeen directors Rabbi Dovid and Talya Goldshmidt are pleased with the momentum and progress of their multifocused efforts.
Rabbi Goldshmidt said, “This is a watershed year for us in a new home, with new programs, and new momentum resulting in real growth and impact.”
Amid a climate where Jewish identity is under pressure, CTeen of Atlanta, a free-standing teen organization under Chabad of Georgia, offers hundreds of teens a vibrant space to connect, lead, and thrive. Now with the launch of two new programs and the acquisition of a dedicated teen center, CTeen is cementing its place as a positive force in Atlanta Jewish teen life.
The new CTeen Center, in the Goldshmidt’s home in Sandy Springs, now has an updated configuration where teens enter through their own entrance to the terrace level which serves as a dedicated teen lounge, complete with a game room, music room, classrooms, and small gym.
ebrate in our home — in our day-to-day, mundane, life. That’s the environment we want our teens to experience. The re-
The main floor of the home is used for classes, Shabbat dinners, and leadership programs.
Rabbi Goldshmidt stated, “We believe Judaism doesn’t just belong in the synagogue. It’s something we live and cel-
The Bat Mitzvah Club graduates are powerful and proud young Jewish women.
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sult has been a warm, welcoming space where Jewish teens feel truly at home — often staying long after programs end to talk, laugh, or ask the questions they’re carrying with them through high school and life.”
CTeen of Atlanta launched two new flagship programs this year, each met with enthusiastic participation. The Solomon Leadership Program is a fellowship for high school juniors and seniors that combines Jewish values-based education with real-world mentorship. At bi-weekly sessions, teen fellows hear from successful Jewish leaders and are paired with a mentor to help guide them through the “Eight Pillars of Leadership.”
Sharon, whose daughter, Emmy Hanna, a recent Riverwood High graduate who joined the program, shared, “The program helped my daughter find her voice, build confidence, and develop a strong sense of purpose.”
Next, the Bat Mitzvah Club offers a joyful and meaningful approach to coming-of-age issues for sixth- and seventh-grade girls. Through weekly sessions filled with learning, creativity, and friendship, participants deepen their Jewish identity and self-confidence.
Taryn Solomon, whose daughters Courtney and Sienna, rising seventh graders at The Epstein School, shared, “Our daughters’ minds were expanded and souls nourished through this enriching program, where they developed lifelong friendships.”
“These girls didn’t just prepare for a ceremony — they grew into proud, young Jewish women,” added co-director Talya Goldshmidt.
In addition to these new initiatives, CTeen continues to grow its core pro-
grams, including the nationally accredited CTeen U college-credit course, monthly Shabbat meals, and much-needed Teen Mental Health First Aid classes in loving memory of Manny Pargman, an 18-yearold student who took his own life in 2024. The organization has engaged more than 250 Jewish teens, representing 30 different schools from across Atlanta.
CTeen U also stood out this year for its ability to blend academic depth with real-world relevance. “You can ask him anything, and every student is engaged, which makes the discussions even better,” said Rafael Bejar, a rising junior at Pace Academy, about Rabbi Goldshmidt’s CTeen U class. Supporting this momentum is the 12-member CTeen Teen Leadership Board, an involved group of students who help shape programming, lead outreach, and model Jewish pride for their peers.
At the basis of CTeen’s success is its relationship-based approach mentorship model with the Goldshmidts’ who strive to ensure that teens feel “seen, valued, and empowered” to grow as proud Jews and compassionate leaders.
A recent Weber School graduate, Ari Gordon, said, “I feel so grateful to see how CTeen brings Jewish teens across Atlanta a newfound passion and pride for their Jewish identity. Despite the struggles of antisemitism and isolation that many teens have experienced, CTeen offers a meaningful community and a sense of belonging.”
Talya Goldshmidt concluded, “Our goal is simple but powerful. We want to inspire every Atlanta Jewish teen to feel proud of their heritage and be in a position to lead with confidence. We are shaping the future one teen at a time.” ì
Struggling with ADHD?
The Solomon Leadership Program fellows heard Leslie Zinn’s powerful story of founding Arden’s Garden.
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Ohr Torah Stone Announces Nelech Program
Ohr Torah Stone (OTS) has announced the launch of Nelech, a groundbreaking program in Israel offering tenth-grade students from Modern Orthodox high schools in North America a semester of immersive study and living in Israel. With applications opening this summer, Nelech will provide students with a unique opportunity to deepen their connection to Israel and Judaism while building leadership skills to bring back to their home communities.
Participation in the unique Nelech program will be underwritten by the Tzemach David Foundation, which is dedicated to Jewish education and leadership in Israel. The program will launch in January 2026 with an initial cohort participating in a spring semester pilot, opening the door to future possibilities for expanded educational tracks.
Nelech is designed to integrate U.S. participants with Israeli teens in a Modern Orthodox school environment, fostering peer relationships through shared classes and social activities. Boys and girls will attend fully separate programs at OTS’s top-tier Yeshiva high schools in Gush Etzion.
“We’re creating a transformative experience that’s rooted in serious learning,
meaningful relationships, and real integration between Israeli and American teens,” said Rabbi Rick Schindelheim,
director of Nelech and a certified school psychologist. “This is about building Jewish identity and leadership that students
Launching in January 2026, the Nelech program will offer U.S. students immersive learning, cultural exchange, and leadership development.
SCHOOL & COLLEGE
Participation in the unique Nelech program will be underwritten by the Tzemach David Foundation, which is dedicated to Jewish education and leadership in Israel.
can take home and build on for years to come.”
Nelech is working with a growing list of Modern Orthodox high schools across the U.S. The program meets the accreditation requirements of American partner schools and will work in close collaboration with school leadership to ensure smooth transitions for returning students, including academic credit transfers. In an effort to prioritize student wellbeing, Nelech will include robust pastoral support, including psychologists, social workers, and a team of trained madrichim and madrichot to help students adjust to life in Israel away from family.
“Nelech is built to meet the needs of passionate, independent students with the hope that their experience in Israel will introduce them to the passion and purpose of living in this land,” said Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, president and Rosh HaYeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone. “Furthermore, when they return to their communities for 11th grade, these students will be strong, knowledgeable advocates for the land, the people, and the Torah of Israel.”
The program is guided by an Educational Advisory Board made up of respected educators living in Israel who will help shape the curriculum and be actively involved in student learning.
“This program is both a calling and an opportunity to learn, live, and connect with Am Yisrael and Torat Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael,” says Rabbanit Shani Taragin, a member of the advisory board representing Tzemach David. “This is the perfect time, educationally as well as historically, to begin your journey of Lech-Lecha.”
Interested students and families are encouraged to begin the pre-application process ahead of this summer’s official launch by visiting https:// ots.org.il/nelech/. ì
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Blue’s Book Teaches that Diamonds Come from Coal
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Atlanta native Danny Blue has released his first children’s book, “Coalie and the Great Mystery,” which draws upon elements of fantasy and magic to weave a tale that inspires multi-generational hearts to resource the bravery within.
Based in a hidden world, young Coalie, a timid boy made from coal, embarks on a journey. Fueled by a burning desire to discover his inner strength, Coalie faces a series of challenges that test his bravery, transform fear into resilience, and reveal the extraordinary power that lies within.
Blue explains, “I think that most people can relate to the journey of life having multiple twists and turns, ups and downs. The idea for the book came from my own life journey, especially as an entrepreneur, a father, and someone who’s had to navigate a lot of inner transformation and pressure to succeed. I realized the most meaningful growth in life doesn’t come from reaching a certain destination; it comes from who you be-
come along the way. That’s the heart of the story.”
“Coalie and the Great Mystery,” was
inspired by classics like, “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” by Dr. Seuss, and “The Hero’s Journey,” by Joseph Campbell, in addition
to Blue’s journey navigating the trials and tribulations of life.
Blue said, “My hope is that the book
Danny Blue, who graduated from North Springs High School, incorporated much of his own life journey into this book about facing and overcoming challenges.
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will resonate with both children and adults alike and inspire anyone who reads it to keep moving through the adversity that will inevitably show up in life.”
The book comes with a Coalie plush toy (optional charge or bundled) that opens up into a character that blooms into what positive changes can bring. One pivotal page states, “But Coalie,” said the Canary, “this will be your greatest challenge yet. For inside the Shadow Portal you must come face to face with your greatest fears. So, Coalie, what will you do? Will you turn your back now and go home to safety, or will you keep going?” He decided to go for it!
Blue grew up in Dunwoody, graduated from North Springs High School, and then the University of Georgia. Just after graduation, he packed up his car and headed west to Los Angeles where he knew no one nor had a real plan … just a call to adventure and a desire to find himself along the way. He has 10-yearold twins, a boy and a girl, “who have officially graduated from bedtime stories. Reading together when they were younger was such a core part of our bond and something that I definitely miss now that they’ve ‘grown up,’” he stated.
“There’s a lot of me in this book, actually. I’ve been through my own ver-
sion of the ‘coal phase,’ facing darkness, uncertainty, and various health issues. But I’ve also experienced the beauty of discovering the diamond that forms from navigating those trials and tribulations. Writing this book was a reflection of that process. The idea that we all carry divine potential is at the heart of the book and definitely reflects my upbringing.”
Danny is the son of Esti and Dr. Rick Blue, a therapist.
Publishing itself was a journey for Blue. He took an online course to understand the process from start to finish and found an illustrator on Fiverr. According to Danny, “I sought someone who wasn’t using AI-generated art, which was important for me. From first draft to finished product, the whole process took about six months, but in reality, it was more like two years since I started storyboarding the idea.”
The book launch event is from 2 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 9, at Learning Express Buckhead (4407 Roswell Road). Blue will be available on site to answer questions and sign books. The book is recommended for children ages 5 to 10. Hardcover book ($18.95); Coalie Reversible Plushie ($14.95); Hardcover book + plushie bundle ($28). For more information, please visit https://www.iamcoalie. com. ì
“Coalie and the Great Mystery,” by Danny Blue, was inspired by classics like, “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” by Dr. Seuss.
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Kalish Studies Safety of Kids’ Online Presence
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
Adina Kalish has worked on all sides of the editorial desk, from freelance magazine writer to producer, before landing in public relations, where she has worked for the past 20 years. Now, she is the fulltime senior director of media relations for Bark Technologies, an online safety company (started and originally based in Atlanta) that keeps kids safer online and in real life.
At Bark, she scours the news daily for stories and emerging trends about which parents and families should know; then, she connects her experts with journalists, and shares safety products with consumer reporters to inform them on how kids spend time online, and how they can be kept safer.
Currently, Bark helps protect more than 7.5 million children from online dangers, including cyberbullying, online predation, violent content, suicidal ideation, self-harm, threats of school violence, and more.
Kalish said, “It’s very heavy work
sometimes, but the stories we share with journalists are important as they serve as wake-up calls to families who often have no idea what their kids are doing online or how tech impacts their mental health. Personally, even though I work in tech, I find it all so intimidating, so it’s important for us to create and nurture supportive communities to help parents who are navigating parenting in a tech world -- which is pretty much any parent!”
The research at Bark ranges from publishing a yearly annual report of data, which analyzes billions of data points and also ranks apps for dangerous content, along with providing resources and important conversation starters for families. They partner with the CDC on important research and align with organizations like the Organization for Social Media Safety, Protect Young Eyes, and other thought leaders in the online safety space for children.
One of the most powerful tools Kalish shared is a documentary where Bark was featured in “Childhood 2.0.” Bark screened this film nationwide at no
cost. Their Parenting in a Tech World Facebook group that she moderates currently has more than 650,000 members and is an appropriate forum to ask questions or hear what other parents, educators, and experts are saying about the ever-evolving landscape. Much of the work that she does at Bark can be found in their newsroom.
Kalish commends the power of parents modeling good behavior. She confesses to being guilty of being on her phone too much; but she tries to keep it in check, especially at the dinner table. She stated, “Modeling by example is key. Also, healthy families have the hard conversations, again and again and again. Healthy families come in many shapes and sizes. It doesn’t matter if you have two moms or two dads, or extended family members raising your kids. What matters is how you teach by example and the conversations you continue to have."
One prominent concept at Bark centers around the “NMK” syndrome (Not My Kid). She relayed, “Maybe we think that because we send our kids to day school, or we live in certain communi-
ties, or have achieved a certain level of success, that our kids are somehow immune to the hardest stuff happening online. They’re not. Talk to them about it. Even if you’re annoying.”
Kalish’s daughters went to both public and private schools and were moved around a good bit. She said,” Every kid is different, so there’s never a ‘one size fits all’ with parenting, or with school. We are lucky to have so many amazing choices in Atlanta, especially Jewish day schools. Like with tech, Jewish values are important to model ourselves and to pass on to our kids -- regardless of what we believe. Things like respect, community, learning, repairing the world, giving charity, volunteering, and honoring Shabbat -- these all help us become better humans. And honestly, the world could use more of that!”
Kalish grew up in Sandy Springs and attended The Hebrew Academy, Riverwood High School, and Yeshiva High School. She then attended Washington University in St. Louis and received a master’s degree in communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. ì
Adina Kalish is a super sleuth editor elucidating what is and is not safe for kids in the online space and creating platforms for communication.
Morningside Marvels at Its New Principal
By Marcia Caller Jaffe
In early May, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) announced the appointment of seven new principals who will greet children for the 2025-2026 school year. One Jewish and experienced educator, Brian Baron, was named principal of the hugely popular Morningside Elementary School. Known for his commitment to students, staff, and families, Baron stated, “When I was officially named principal, it wasn’t a new chapter — it was a continuation of a meaningful journey.”
Raised in Ocean Township, N.J. (just outside of Asbury Park), as a teen, Baron led Shabbat services at his Conservative synagogue which he credits as early signs of the leadership and poise that he would later bring into the classroom. He attended Emory University, earning a B.A. in sociology and Russian linguistics, and a M.Ed. in educational leadership and supervision from the University of Georgia. His teaching career began in Gwinnett County where he taught high school social studies. Following several years of teaching, he moved into administrative roles, as a high school assistant principal, and transitioning to elementary education leadership in 2012.
In 2016, he joined APS in the Testing and Assessment Department before becoming school business manager at Morningside Elementary in 2018. He returned to an assistant principal role at Morningside in 2023, and was named interim principal in November 2024, before the May announcement.
“The official principal hiring process was comprehensive” Baron said. “I suppose I could have gone elsewhere — but why? Morningside has become my second home. It’s where my heart is.”
Morningside Elementary serves roughly 700 students in grades K–5 alongside approximately 90 staff members. Baron emphasizes the importance of teamwork: “We cannot operate successfully for kids if our staff didn’t have the ‘all hands on deck’ mindset that truly builds a successful experience for our Dolphins,” referring to the school mascot.
Baron summarized his principal duties as daily opportunities to inspire, lead, and connect with members of the school community. He jokes, “There is little I don’t enjoy about the job — even being up before the sunrise. I’m a very early riser, often at 4 a.m., and I’m ready to go!”
This reporter called the school after 4:30 p.m., and Baron came to the phone sans voice mail.
Baron’s outlook is to holistically navigate issues like politics, race relations, and digital citizenship.
As a public neighborhood school, Morningside enrolls every student living within its attendance zone. Baron stated, “My goal is to make Morningside the only choice for kids in the community as we instill a foundation for the love of learning through excellence in teaching, and through the experiences we are able to provide at the elementary level.”
As an experienced educator, Baron believes parents today are no different in their love and hopes for their children than previous generations — they simply face newer challenges. He explained, “Parents want the best experiences and meaningful levels of education for their children. We are so fortunate to be able to meet them at the table to do so.”
When asked which characteristics define successful children, Baron emphasizes curiosity above all. “A curious child turns into a curious adult, allowing full openness to a variety of outcomes for their futures.”
He’s also candid about the challenges today’s children face like the influence of social media — even at the elementary school level. “Our kids at Morningside are so aware of the world around them. We approach all issues with a wide-open educational lens, carefully, and holistically navigate topics like politics, race relations, digital citizenship to name a few,” he said.
Baron offers five tips to parents:
1: Take a breath. “You give us your best daily so we can give them our best daily. We’ve got this!”
2: Trust in their resilience. “Kids aren’t as fragile as many think. They are inquisitive, resilient, and highly capable.”
3: Let kids be kids. “Elementary school is a time to learn, make mistakes, and to grow emotionally.”
4: Shield them from adult stress.
“Discuss adult issues out of their earshot — they’re incredible sponges.”
5: Be a partner with the school. “We’re in this together for one reasonour kids. We need your support.
EATON ACADEMY
Morningside Elementary is located at 1053 East Rock Springs Road. It is part of the Midtown Cluster, including areas like Lenox Park, Piedmont Heights, and Ansley Park with the Morningside neighborhood. ì
Brian Baron is the new principal of Morningside Elementary School.
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JELF Responds to Surging Student Demand
JELF (Jewish Educational Loan Fund) is experiencing its largest year of growth in nearly 150 years, reflecting the mounting financial pressures facing Jewish families across the Southeast. This summer alone, the organization is evaluating nearly 475 applications. Together, these Jewish students represent a total calculated need of more than $3.4 million — a figure that underscores the critical role JELF plays in supporting their educational aspirations.
Addressing this expanding need, JELF is strengthening its capacity and continuing to broaden its donor base. Current Board Chair Emily Sauerteig, who has been involved with the organization since 2014, noted, “We’ve seen firsthand how transformational JELF’s interest-free loans can be — not only for the students who receive them, but also for the donors who feel deeply connected to the next generation of Jewish leaders. I am proud that JELF has launched its next strategic plan and is investing in longterm growth to ensure that we can meet this moment — and the next — with
more support than ever.”
Meanwhile, JELF CEO Jenna Leopold Shulman, a native of South Florida herself, has led the effort to hire South Florida Engagement Officer Amy Goldrod Wait. Raised and still residing in Boca Raton, Wait is eager to strengthen connections between JELF and the region’s vibrant Jewish community. Together,
with the donors and lay-leaders in South Florida, Wait will allow JELF to cultivate relationships with community leaders who understand the unique challenges facing Jewish students in South Florida.
Additionally, JELF welcomed Bonnie Simonoff as its development & program assistant. A graduate of both The Weber School as well as Washington University in St. Louis, Simonoff brings fresh energy within her first few months — tightening internal systems, coordinating logistics, and keeping cross-team communications humming. With close family members who were first-generation college students, she’s personally invested in JELF’s mission and is already proving invaluable to both the loan program and development side.
This year also marks two milestones. Chief Development Officer Josh Schaier is celebrating 10 years of cultivating donor relationships and elevating student stories. During this time, millions of new dollars have been raised to further JELF’s mission. Also, in 2025, Cathy Miller, chief operating officer, reaches 25 years of safeguarding JELF’s finances, systems, and loan repayment process. Along with Shulman, their institutional memory and day-to-day dedication anchor JELF’s stability and impact.
The timing of this expansion is particularly crucial given the organization’s impressive growth over the past decade.
In 2024, JELF provided $2.1 million to 473 recipients, compared to lending $750,000 to 200 students only 10 years ago — roughly a 40 percent increase. Of equal importance, JELF’s 99 percent loan repayment rate has been sustained for nearly 20 years. The approach to helping students encompasses more than just financial assistance — JELF includes treating borrowers with dignity throughout
their educational journey and repayment process. That commitment is paying dividends: alumni engagement has grown steadily, with a 28 percent increase in dollars raised over the past four years. Notably, 20 percent of JELF’s board members are former borrowers, highlighting the deep connection many alumni maintain with its mission.
Many people ask about JELF’s increase in student demand, which reflects a complex landscape of challenges facing Jewish families. Beyond rising tuition costs, inflation, and increased living expenses, many Jewish students are also navigating hostile campus environments, marked by rising antisemitism. This creates a particularly vulnerable time for families who may feel isolated and uncertain about their students’ safety and belonging on campus. For JELF, which serves as the only Jewish free loan agency in the United States focused exclusively on higher education, supporting Jewish families during these challenging times has become more critical than ever.
At a time when the world feels especially turbulent — particularly for Jewish college students — it is deeply moving to witness hundreds of students reach their academic goals. As JELF anticipates increased financial needs going forward, this strategic expansion into South Florida and continued pursuit of new funding opportunities positions JELF to meet the growing demand. At the same time, JELF remains committed to maintaining its personalized, high-impact support that have defined its work since its founding as the Hebrew Orphans’ Home in Atlanta in 1889.
For more information about JELF’s history, how to apply for a loan, or make a donation, please visit jelf.org. ì
Compiled by AJT Staff
Jewish Educational Loan Fund is expanding its donor base to meet a surging demand from students and their families.
Amy Wait has joined JELF as the South Florida engagement officer.
Bonnie Simonoff will serve as JELF’s development and program assistant.
ARTS & CULTURE
Neranenah Hosts Béla Fleck & Atlanta Symphony
By Bob Bahr
When Béla Fleck stepped onstage in Atlanta’s Symphony Hall on June 11 to perform George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue” with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO), it was a major step forward for Neranenah, the Atlanta Jewish music series. Not only was Fleck a major artist, with 18 Grammy awards to his name, but he had the backing of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, one of the nation’s leading classical ensembles.
What brought Neranenah, Fleck and the ASO together for the special evening was one of the most famous pieces of music ever written by an American Jewish composer.
It’s been just over 100 years since “Rhapsody In Blue” was first performed. Gershwin, himself, was at the keyboard, as Paul Whiteman, the jazz orchestra leader, conducted what he called, “An Experiment in Modern Music.”
Neranenah’s staging of the iconic work was also something of an experiment for the evening’s soloist, Béla Fleck.
He had long ago assumed the title of America’s leading virtuoso of the fivestring, open back banjo, with which he had explored a wide range of musical styles and genres.
But it was only during the COVID pandemic that he began thinking of how Gershwin’s iconic work would sound on his banjo, how his five-string instrument
would take the place of the concert grand piano that usually that was in the solo spotlight.
“I started working it out bit by bit, and essentially trying to learn the piano part, or figure out what parts of the piano part could be played on the banjo, because I have much less range, and I only have three striking fingers. I can only play three notes at a time. Piano can play 10. Piano has an enormous range. So, I obviously couldn’t do the whole piano part, but I could get the essence of it.”
as a shunning of his Judaism, but I see it as a way of redefining what it means to be Jewish in a new country, especially in a country where you’re allowed to be a citizen.”
Interestingly, the premier of “Rhapsody In Blue” came in the same year as the United States Congress slammed the door on large-scale immigration from Europe. The Johnson-Reed Act, which was enacted just three months after Gershwin played in Aeolean Hall, put an end to the flight of millions of Jews from the shtetls of Eastern Europe.
Fleck, whose full names is Béla Anton Leos Janecek Fleck, had a Jewish father, and was named for noted classical European composers, Béla Bartók, Anton Webern, and Leos Janacek.
Fleck first performed his banjo version of the Gershwin composition two years ago in his home, with the Nashville Symphony. Last year, in a celebration of the work’s centenary, he released a CD recorded in Norfolk with the Virginia Symphony. Rounding out the selections on the disc are two smaller scale variations on the work, one that incorporates themes from bluegrass, another in the down-home blues style.
The expansive nature of the recording was, in effect, a tribute to the wide range of influences that Gershwin brought to his first effort at classical composing. He expanded on them in works like “An American in Paris” that later found an honored place in American classical music, and “Porgy and Bess,” which is being revived in December by the Metropolitan Opera.
In his introduction to Fleck’s concert with the ASO, Joe Alterman, executive director of Neranenah, told his Symphony Hall audience that Gershwin took his inspiration from many sources.
“He fused together everything he heard growing up, classical, jazz, synagogue melodies, blues. While he once said that his music may be influenced by his Judaism, emotionally, he insisted that his music was American. Some see that
They would probably have admired his performance with the Atlanta Symphony. It was a mesmerizing take on Gershwin’s work, which reflected his complete mastery of his instrument. In style, it reflected the softer, silkier playing on a recording that Sony released more than 20 years ago. The CD was an even deeper journey into the classics with selections by Bach, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky transcribed for his five stringed instrument. He picked up a pair of Grammys for the 2004 work.
His concert, which brought a long standing ovation, was a tribute to all the effort Neranenah had put into bringing the evening into existence. Prior to Fleck’s appearance, Neranenah had to be content with such intimate venues as the lobby stage at The Dupree office building, or the studio theater at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. For Fleck’s concert, in the 1,700-seat concert hall, Neranenah had the support of nearly a halfdozen of the city’s most important Jewish philanthropies. ì
Neranenah’s biggest concert to date featured Béla Fleck with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra // Photo Credit: Dani Weiss Photography
The ASO’s program that included Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” was introduced by Neranenah’s Executive Director Joe Alterman // Photo Credit: Dani Weiss Photography
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Alterman’s Music Featured in Olympics Documentary
By Bob Bahr
When the credits rolled on Georgia Public Broadcasting this week during the telecast of the documentary, “The Games In Black and White,” about the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Joe Alterman’s name got a full page credit as composer of the music for the production.
The 90-minute documentary that premiered earlier this year at the Atlanta Film Festival is the story of how Atlanta’s moment of Olympic glory was built on the partnership between Billy Payne, a white Atlanta lawyer and former University of Georgia football star, and Andrew Young, the Atlanta mayor and Black civil rights icon.
The documentary is a well-talked story, with strong production values, of how the two beat out the world, including Athens, Greece, the sentimental favorite, for the centennial edition of the modern Olympics. The production benefited from a healthy budget that allowed for a shooting schedule in Paris, Oslo, and Los Angeles, as well as Atlanta.
The producers taped more than three dozen interviews and assembled video and graphic materials from 72 archive sources. Veteran Hollywood actor Greg Alan Williams was the host.
But it is the music that particularly stands out in the production. Alterman,
the well-known jazz pianist and executive director of Neranenah, the Atlanta Jewish music series, has both composed the music and performed much of the music track. There’s no mistaking the upbeat jazz tempo that is so evident in the film. It’s very similar to what has become so familiar in many of his public performances, but creating the music for the documentary was a change of pace.
comes from a quote from Atlanta Mayor William B. Hartsfield, who, in the middle of the last century, was reacting to all the racial troubles American cities, particularly in the South, were having. His oftenquoted response, which became a slogan for the city’s Chamber of Commerce, was that “Atlanta was a city too busy to hate.”
“It’s just another fun way for me to think about and approach music, Alterman said. “It’s different from how I play for a gig in a club or for Neranenah, and I just like the mindset that it puts me in. There’s real satisfaction in doing the work and it’s cool to watch the finished movie afterward. I’ve scored five films, and I just love it every time.”
Alterman worked alongside Dallas Austin, the Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter who was the film’s music director. He’s worked with such stars as Madonna, Janet Jackson and Boyz 2 Men and has produced more than 60 songs that have been on Billboard Magazine’s Top 100 chart. The process of scoring the film followed the same route Alterman takes when he’s improvising during a performance.
“The job Dallas and I had was to create music where it was needed in the edited production and to give it the flavor of music that the producers called for. We would just watch the scene over and over again and I would start playing at the keyboard and come up with something. It was eventually incorporated into the finished cut, but everything started out of nothing.”
Austin created an original song, “Too Busy To Hate,” for the documentary, which was sung by the Atlanta-based hiphop musician Champp. The song’s title
Bob Judson edited the film and was the co-executive producer with the script writer, George Hirthler. He first encountered Alterman at The Breman, which, co-incidentally was established the same year as the 1996 Olympics and had the Games, as its first exhibit.
“I had worked with Joe several times at The Breman and recognized his talent both as a jazz musician and as a composer and arranger,” Judson said. “The result is a rich musical tapestry, when combined with the sound design provided by Dave Wilson … [it is] a uniquely moving film that chronicles the importance of Atlanta as a melting pot for the arts and a catalyst for civil and human rights.”
The screening of the documentary on Georgia Public Broadcasting coincides with the recent debut of Alterman’s new series, “The Upside of Jazz,” on WABE. It’s airing on Saturday evenings.
Also in the works is a series of programs on Jews and jazz that Alterman first developed for Neranenah and is hoping to take on the road to a number of other American cities. All these projects and the film work have come as a kind of revelation to him.
“For so long, I was a piano player who had all these other interests in music,” Alterman observes. “And really, I thought that was the only way I could incorporate those interests. I never knew that I’d be able to make them part of my career.”
At the microphone, Joe Alterman records another program for his new radio series, “The Upside of Jazz.”
Joe Alterman (right) with Dallas Austin, music director of the new documentary about the 1996 Olympic Games.
Photo by Kim Kenney
Gennadi Nedvigin Artistic Director Sharon Story Dean
Chai Style Home
Heritage & Hospitality Informs Design
David and Stephanie Aferiat are partners in gracious and family living. David is the founder of AVID Vines, which imports grower champagnes and sparkling wines from small, independent producers. Stephanie is associate general counsel at The Home Depot, where she leads a team focused on employment law and class action litigation. She also serves on the Board of the Zaban Paradies Center, helping couples transition out of homelessness.
Together, they’ve built a life rooted in shared values — culture, family, and hospitality in their Buckhead home. She explained their design process, “We knew when to assert our ideas and when to yield, always aiming for harmony over hierarchy. Our design language blends French, Israeli, Moroccan, and Mediterranean influences — a shared aesthetic rooted in travel, hospitality, and cultural appreciation. David cooks passionately and I curate the hosting experience.”
Toast to the tour of a well-designed
house.
Marcia: What’s the history and architectural evolution here?
David: We bought the house in 2003. Originally built in 1994, it had a red brick exterior typical of that era. Over time, we’ve transformed it into a transitional contemporary home with European influence. The goal was to soften the facade and bring in more light. We did a German wash over the brick, which gave a white tone with subtle red flecks peeking through, and added a steel and glass front door to brighten the entry. We re-graded the front staircase, added new awnings, and updated the lighting. The transformation feels much more aligned with the warmth and openness we want to convey.
Stephanie: The design process was gradual, reflecting both our changing tastes and the stages of family life. We updated the exterior with LG Squared and worked BP Designs on the interiors. My mother, Sue Bohm, an experienced Chicago-based designer, played a huge role in helping bring cohesion to the home. Her touch, especially in the study, helped us integrate materials, light, and art in a way that felt unified and personal.
Marcia: Describe the home’s style.
David: It’s “transitional contemporary” with clean lines, natural materials, and international nods. We’ve traveled extensively, and that shows up in intentional ways such as Moroccan tile, Israeli batiks, and French antiques. The materials and textures speak to both history and functionality.
Stephanie: It’s a shared aesthetic that brings in French, Israeli, Mediterranean, and Moroccan influence. We wanted the house to reflect our values: creativity, hospitality, and a sense of cultural rootedness. It’s not a showpiece. It’s lived in and loved.
Marcia: So, the home is central to family living?
David: It is designed for gathering. The dining room feels like a Parisian bistro — private and cozy, with a pulley-style chandelier from Vagabond, a French antique wholesaler in Atlanta’s Mart. The powder room features Venetian plaster in a calming turquoise, which ended up becoming a signature color connecting spaces throughout the house.
Stephanie: Our kitchen island, topped with rich chocolate marble and finished with a tiger wood extension, is where everything starts. It’s where David cooks, often with multi-course wine pairings, and where conversations happen. The cabinetry is a modern horizontal-grain design (Montreal),
and the backsplash is white Moroccan tile. We moved to induction cooking because it’s faster, cleaner, and more precise.
Marcia: What are a few “standout” pieces in your home?
Stephanie: The art tells our story. We have a Calder mobile, a gift from my parents, which is both bold and sentimental. There’s an Israeli batik in the kitchen that brings a burst of color and culture. We also have a sculpture, “Jacob’s Wing,” a large piece in wood and gold that seems to hover in the great room. It feels symbolic of ascent and transformation.
David: We have a freeform steam-bent wood ribbon sculpture by Renee Dinauer that brings movement and texture into the space. Then, there is our daughters’ artwork — framed, displayed, celebrated — makes this house feel like a true family home.
Marcia: You are known as gracious hosts.
Stephanie: We love to entertain. From birthday tapas feasts to themed dinners like “Burgundy Beasties”—think boeuf bourguignon and Burgundy pairings — we aim for connection, not performance. Shabbat dinners, Sukkot gatherings, graduation parties — our home is the backdrop for many meaningful moments.
Marcia Caller Jaffe
Stephanie and David Aferiat are seated by “Jacob’s Wing,” a giant vertical wood and gold sculpture. The geometric in the background is from the Westside Market // All photos by Howard Mendel
David: Champagne pairs with everything: halloumi, salmon, baklava. But really, it’s about the experience. Our goal is for every guest to feel special, and for every gathering to feel like a memory in the making.
Marcia: Tell us about your spirits business.
David: AVID Vines is a very personal venture. We import grower champagnes and sparkling wines from small, independent producers. These are people who work their own land, who believe in sustainability and craftsmanship. To us, it’s about curating stories, not just bottles. It’s a lifestyle rooted in intention and elegance.
[For more info about AVID Vines, please visit https://avidvines.com/ shop]
Marcia: How do your cultural backgrounds influence your home?
David: My family is Algerian-Jewish. My grandfather brought our family to the U.S. in the late 1950s, while others settled along the Côte d’Azur. That blend of North African and French-Jewish culture deeply influences my tastes, my values, and the way we host and gather. Hospitality is part of our heritage.
Stephanie: My background is Ashkenazi, but we’ve built a home that reflects both sides of our family. You’ll see Moroccan tile, European antiques, and touches of Chicago, where I grew up. It’s all interwoven.
Marcia: How does your backyard extend your “heart” for hospitality?
David: We’ve hosted graduation parties, family dinners under the stars, and Sukkot meals. It’s a space that invites both ritual and spontaneity. Stephanie: Whether we’re celebrating or just slowing down, the backyard has become a place of peace and connection where memories are made.
Marcia: Last word.
David: Champagne isn’t just for special occasions. It’s a mindset — a way to live with elegance and purpose every day. Each bottle tells a story. And every home can be a place where those stories are opened and shared. Stephanie: A beautiful home isn’t about things. It’s about energy, intention, and love. That’s what we’ve tried to create here. ì
Above:The home’s exterior home’s exterior façade, front door, and outdoor staircase were totally re designed by LG Squared.
Right: Running AVID Wines, David recommends Rafflin-Lepitre Brut Réserve, Tixier Carte Perle, and Tixier Millésime 2012 to name a few.
Below: This colorful study was creatively designed by Stephanie’s mother, a Chicago designer. Turquoise is a thread through the home.
Above: The Aferiats used pops of tangerine for accent pieces. On the right is a Calder – a gift from Stephanie’s parents.
Below: David and Stephanie entertain in their dining room and post the gourmet bill of fare on a stand. The chandelier is a pulley style reminiscent of a Parisian bistro.
Left: The front entrance boasts an original steamed wood ribbon sculpture by Renee Dinauer. The wallpaper has a bold geometric pattern in warm gray, silver, and gold.
CALENDAR
Friday, August 1
Kabbalat Panim Shabbat Service - 5:45 to 8 p.m. Once a month at Congregation Dor Tamid, we will gather for a Kabbalat Panim, an Oneg Shabbat before services at 5:45 p.m. We will then move to the sanctuary to welcome in Shabbat together at 6:15 p.m. Find out more at https://tinyurl. com/47rs4bt3.
Sunday, August 3
Kabbalah and Coffee – 10 to 11 a.m. Start your week on a high! A weekly study series from Intown Jewish Academy with fresh bagels and lox with Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman. Learn more at https://tinyurl. com/429nuh36.
Monday, August 4
Ancient Wisdom for Your Life – 8 to 9 p.m. Join Chabad of Fulton for a weekly journey into the Torah’s relevance. Obtain more information at https://tinyurl. com/58ck7ses.
Tuesday, August 5
Brain Health Bootcamp – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. JFCS’s program helps those recently diagnosed with cognitive impairments, or those who are recognizing symptoms of early memory loss, through cognitive and physical exercise and socialization. Brain Health Bootcamp is also a great opportunity to connect with others experiencing similar situations. Find out more at https:// tinyurl.com/ypvrrn5b.
Women’s Torah and Tea – 8 to 9 p.m.
Weekly women’s at the Chabad of Fulton; in-depth and fascinating exploration of the Chassidus book of Tanya. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/3dpyabb4.
Wednesday, August 6
Torah Class – 8 to 9 p.m. Join the Mitzvah House for a weekly Torah class for men and women. Snacks for the body and soul. Get more information at https://tinyurl. com/2vjzkw2h.
Thursday, August 7
Brain Health Bootcamp – 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. JFCS’s program helps those recently diagnosed with cognitive impairments, or those who are recognizing symptoms of early memory loss, through cognitive and physical exercise and socialization. Brain Health Bootcamp is also a great opportunity to connect with others experiencing similar situations. Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/3p4cje86.
JBaby August Newborns & Nosh – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This cozy gathering is designed to give you a relaxed, judgment-free space to connect with other Jewish families — and gain expert guidance from Megan Tucker, RN, BSN, a newborn care specialist with years of experience helping families thrive in the early months. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2f6bvnpe.
Weekly Mah Jongg Night – 6 to 8:30 p.m. Join Congregation Beth Shalom’s Sisterhood for weekly for a night of Mah Jongg. Find out more at https://tinyurl. com/3s9ez9px.
Friday, August 8
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.
Saturday, August 9
CYP Tu Be’Av White Party – 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Get ready to light up the night in white at our dazzling TU B’AV PARTY this August! It’s not just a party; it’s a celebration of love, friendship, and unforgettable moments. Purchase tickets at https://tinyurl.com/mpsxryvs.
Sunday, August 10
JLearn Project-Based-Learning Conference - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Are you ready to bring new energy into your classroom this year and ignite student passion? Whether you’re just starting your journey with Project Based Learning (PBL) or you’re a seasoned pro looking to sharpen your skills, this dynamic workshop is for you! Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/jnhy2afw.
Kabbalah and Coffee – 10 to 11 a.m. Start your week on a high! A weekly study series from Intown Jewish Academy with fresh bagels and lox with Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman. Learn more at https://tinyurl. com/429nuh36.
PJ Library Intown S’more Stories – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In honor of National S’mores Day … join PJ Library for Stories and S’more! Register at https://tinyurl. com/4hbt654w.
Being Safe, Smart and Jewish on Campus – 2 to 4 p.m. “Being Safe, Smart and Jewish on Campus: Resilience Prep for College Students” will provide students returning to or starting college the knowledge, tools and resources they need to thrive while being proudly Jewish in the coming school year, regardless of what protests, harassment and other anti-Zionist issues arise. Experts from CIE and partner organizations and current and recent college leaders will address a range of topics, including how Israel’s critics abuse vocabulary for propaganda purposes, where protected free-speech and protest rights cross the line and violate Jewish students’ civil rights, and how to choose courses to make the most of the college years. Register at https://tinyurl.com/nsfwm3ru.
Monday, August 11
Ancient Wisdom for Your Life – 8 to 9 p.m. Join Chabad of Fulton for a weekly journey into the Torah’s relevance. Obtain more information at https://tinyurl. com/58ck7ses.
Tuesday, August 12
NCJW/ATL Mitzvah-in-Motion – 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Join NCJW/ATL to help assemble post-abortion comfort care kits for area clinics. Learn more at https://tinyurl. com/4ns6ebhz.
Brain Health Bootcamp – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. JFCS’s program helps those recently diagnosed with cognitive impairments, or those who are recognizing symptoms of early memory loss, through cognitive and physical exercise and socialization. Brain Health Bootcamp is also a great opportunity to connect with others experiencing similar situations. Find out more at https:// tinyurl.com/ypvrrn5b.
“Grow Virtually” Webinar: Great Southeast Pollinator Census - Citizen Science at Work! – 7 to 8:15 p.m. You can learn more about the 2025 Great Southeast Pollinator Census from the MGVOCChosted, “Grow Virtually,” webinar, “Great Southeast Pollinator Census - Citizen Science at Work!” featuring Becky Griffin, UGA Extension’s Pollinator Census national coordinator. Becky will share insights about pollinator ecology and how everyone can make a difference and contribute to the 2025 Great Southeast Pollinator Census. Register at https://tinyurl.com/ yc2pmn7e.
CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES
Torah Reading: Devarim
Friday, August 1 Light Shabbat Candles at: 8:20 PM
Saturday, August 2 Shabbat Ends: 9:17 PM
Torah Reading: Va’etchanan
Friday, August 8 Light Shabbat Candles at: 8:13 PM
Saturday, August 9 Shabbat Ends: 9:10 PM
Women’s Torah and Tea – 8 to 9 p.m.
Weekly women’s at the Chabad of Fulton; in-depth and fascinating exploration of the Chassidus book of Tanya. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/3dpyabb4.
Wednesday, August 13
Back to School with Dr. Betsy Stone –8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. A morning for parents of tweens and teens. As our kids head back to school, join the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta for a chance to pause, reconnect, and get inspired. With her signature mix of humor, heart, and insight, Dr. Stone will explore how we can show up for our kids — and ourselves — as they navigate the stress, change, and growth that come with adolescence. We’ll gather for breakfast and an honest, uplifting conversation about what our kids — and we — need to thrive during times of change. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yejtpevc.
October 8 – 7 p.m. Join Congregation Dor Tamid for a special screening of the film, “October 8.” It offers a look at the explosion of antisemitism on college campuses, social media, and in the streets of America, beginning the day after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. A short discussion, led by Rabbi Jordan, will follow the film. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/58b3hacc.
Torah Class – 8 to 9 p.m. Join the Mitzvah House for a weekly Torah class for men and women. Snacks for the body and soul. Get more information at https://tinyurl. com/2vjzkw2h.
Thursday, August 14
Kesher Torah’s Nurturing You: Jewish Wisdom for New Motherhood – 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join Sarah Werbin for Nurturing You: Jewish Wisdom for New Motherhood, a cozy, supportive space for new moms navigating the sacred (and often messy) first year of parenthood. Over two relaxed mornings in August, we’ll gather
— with a light lunch, and our babies — to explore Jewish wisdom on motherhood, healing, and the importance of caring for ourselves as we care for others. Led and hosted by Sarah, a Jewish educator and certified life and relationship coach, with a pelvic floor physical therapist joining the second session. Each gathering blends Jewish insight with practical, grounded guidance. Together, we’ll create space to feel seen, supported, and strengthened — just as we are. Register at https://tinyurl.com/mrjucb96.
Weekly Mah Jongg Night – 6 to 8:30 p.m. Join Congregation Beth Shalom’s Sisterhood for weekly for a night of Mah Jongg. Find out more at https://tinyurl. com/3s9ez9px.
JOIN THE FUN AT OUR 10TH ANNUAL EVENT! Sunday, September 7, 2025 | 1-5pm
LOCAL RESTAURANTS
KEEPING IT KOSHER
Cereal Yogurt Bark
Ingredients:
2 cups vanilla yogurt
Fruity Pebbles
Froot Loops or other colorful cereal
Directions:
1. Line an eight-inch square pan with Gefen Parchment Paper.
2. Spread yogurt evenly on the paper.
3. Sprinkle one half with Fruity Pebbles and the other half with Froot Loops.
4. Freeze for three to four hours or until frozen.
5. Remove bark from pan and break into pieces with a knife or by hand.
6. Eat immediately. Bark will soften quickly as it sits out.
kosher.com
Recipe by Leah Leora
The Kippah
When young David was asked by his father to say the evening prayer, he realized he didn’t have his head covered – so he asked his little brother, Henry, to rest his hand on David’s head until prayers were over.
Henry grew impatient after a few minutes and removed his hand.
The father said, “This is important – put your hand back on his head!”
Henry exclaimed, “What, am I my brother’s kippah?”
YIDDISH WORD
Klutz clan
n. A family whose members are all clumsy.
“Did you see there’s another Finklestein with a sprained ankle? Such a klutz clan are those Finklesteins.”
From the Yiddish, “klutz,” meaning, “clumsy” or “awkward.”
Tree Folk
By: Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com
ACROSS
1. Some Jews
6. Shlomo and Avshalom, e.g.
11. “Before I forget” letters
14. “Get thee up!”
15. City on the Missouri River
16. More-than-stretchy statement
17. Notable Ambassador, historian, professor, and novelist
19. Former Marvel CEO Perlmutter
20. “Foundation” author Isaac
21. Document to protect confidential info: Abbr.
22. Future of the Jews?
23. Not close
25. Yisrael lead-in
27. Irish tongue
30. Israeli Eurovision competitor and host
34. Washington tourist locale
35. Noted victim of temptation
36. Comic Shandling
37. Yaphet’s role in “Raid on Entebbe”
38. Babble on
41. Apple apps use it
42. Blair or Evans
44. “I see it now!”
45. “Love ___ “ (1964 hit)
46. Prime Minister in 1969
49. ___ HaZahav
This week, 100 years ago
50. Spouse disturbing sound
51. Japanese noodle
53. Rival of Laver and Nastase
55. Wake up hrs.
57. Very perceptive
61. It’s heard in a herd
62. Matured...or an alternative title to this puzzle
64. First N.L. 500 home run club member
65. Recent NBA runner up
66. Golf bag items
67. Help call
68. Final choice in a survey
69. Estimate metals
DOWN
1. Monk of Tibet
2. Dwarf planet that’s bigger than Pluto
3. “I conquered,” to Caesar
4. “Moby-Dick” narrator
5. ___ Galilee
6. It once had over 30 million subscribers
7. “Let’s go”
8. Bearded James of the NBA
9. Supremes “___ Symphony”
10. Source of 35-Across?
The international court case, Poland vs Danzig, is decided in favor of Poland, in part thanks to the study of a Jewish Warsaw University student, whose admittance to the bar was rejected by the Polish Minister of Justice.
This week, 75 years ago
Registration for army reserve service of all Israel citizens between 20 and 49 years of age begins.
Israel’s decision to import non-kosher meat prompts cabinet walk-out.
Columbia University announces policy of paying part of the expenses for campus religious counselors, including Rabbi Isador Hoffman, currently in his 15th year at the position.
Brandeis University announces construction of
The first Hebrew hand alphabet for the deaf, as developed by Simon Carmel, a deaf man in the
the Science Hall Annex to house the Breitman Family Physics Laboratory, among other facilities.
This week, 50 years ago
Henry Kissinger warns that World War III could result from failure in Mid-East
The first Hebrew hand alphabet for the deaf is developed by Simon Carmel.
39 Islamic nations demand expulsion of Israel from UN.
The first woman rabbi is ordained in Great Britain.
11. Pop hit of 1976?
12. Polynesian pendant
13. It may be rooted out
18. Any artful dodger
22. ___ hearty meal
24. Fourth generation Amora
26. Some live on it, with “the”
27. “Edge of Tomorrow” actress Blunt
28. Geometry measures
29. Dennis the Menace and Bart
Simpson weapons
31. Like a baby’s position
32. Wear out
33. Household cleaner
38. It comes before Alto
39. What “you” used to be
40. Oscar winner Martin
43. Swede neighbor
45. Counsels and nurtures
47. Where the ark was parked
48. First blind man in the Torah
52. Ancient port of Rome
53. Novelist Oz
54. Baseball’s highest paid player
56. ___ Pea, Popeye’s baby
58. Hard-to-explain vehicles
59. “Bossypants” author Fey
60. Crafty website
62. Local mail HQ
63. Bobby of Boston hockey
The Southern Israelite celebrate 50 years of publication.
This week, 25 years ago
Daniel Ayalon, Ehud Barak’s deputy foreign policy adviser, meets with local Jewish community leaders in Atlanta.
In wake of the Supreme Court ruling of prayer in schools in the case of Doe v Santa Fe Independent School District, a Jewish boy in Texas faces antisemitic harassment.
In Atlanta, Chabad opens their seventh Hebrew school.
Issues of the AJT (then Southern Israelite) from 1929-1986 can be found for free online at https:// gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/ sn78003973/
OBITUARIES
Franklin Howard Butterfield
68, Atlanta
Franklin (Frank) Howard Butterfield died unexpectedly on July 9, 2025, at the age of 68. He felt the love and support of family and friends during his final weeks.
Frank was born in New Haven, Conn., the youngest of four siblings. His mother, Shirley, was a high school gym teacher and Robert (Bob) was an associate dean of engineering and a high school chemistry and math teacher. The family lived in Sumatra, Indonesia for four years, where a young Frank enjoyed humid weather and hot peppers, foreshadowing his later love of spicy food and warm, southern US weather. When Frank was four, the family settled in Lake Katonah, N.Y. where he slid down snowy hills with his siblings and ran track in high school. Frank attended The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for college, graduating in 1978 with a B.S. in business administration, accounting.
After getting the third-highest score in the country on the November 1978 CPA exam, Frank began a long, successful career in finance. Drawn to Atlanta, Georgia, for its running community and industry opportunities, Frank spent 14 years in public accounting at Price Waterhouse and KPMG Peat Marwick. He joined Homrich Berg in 1993 and became a highly respected financial planner and HB shareholder during his 32 years with the company. Frank was recognized by Robb Report Worth magazine in 2004 as one of the country’s 100 most exclusive wealth advisors and by Worth as one of the country’s 200-300 best financial advisors for 1996 to 2002. He was recognized by
Mutual Funds magazine in 2001 and 2002 as one of the country’s 100 best financial advisors. Frank’s colleagues and clients valued his candor, dedication, analytical thinking, and sense of humor.
Frank’s talents extended beyond the workplace. He was an elite runner for many years, often running with the Atlanta Track Club. Frank placed 38th at the 1983 San Francisco Marathon with a time of 2:26:55 and placed 147th in the 1983 New York City Marathon with a 2:27:17 time. He was a member of the Men’s Master 100 x 1 Mile Relay team, which set a World Record in 1999. His fitness enthusiasm never waned, with Frank spending almost every morning of his adult life at the gym. Frank also enjoyed traveling with loved ones in Europe and across the US, notably summers at Kiawah Island and winter holidays in Vermont. He was a well-rounded reader of historical fiction, science fiction, spirituality, wellness, and the classics.
Frank was committed to community betterment and held many board, financial, and investment roles at nonprofit organizations, including The Sara Giles Moore Foundation, The Atlanta Opera, and The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. He served as Temple Sinai’s treasurer for many years.
Frank is survived by his children, Michael and Leah Butterfield, and their mom, Debbie Butterfield. He leaves behind his siblings, Laura Butterfield (Peter Wolfson), Sarah Linden, and James (Jimmy) Butterfield (Shyrmarie Uy), nieces and nephews, Joanna Wolfson (Can Baysan), David Wolfson (Karin), Joshua Cammy (Becky), Shawn Cammy (Sage Heyman), and Alexander Cammy, and his great-nieces and nephews, Derin and Emre Baysan, Reina and Max Wolfson, Harper and Peyton Cammy, and Hudson Cammy.
Frank will be remembered for his puns and math skills, his love of both chocolate chip cookies and cardio, and for the many lives he enriched in the Atlanta community and beyond.
A memorial service for Frank was held on Sunday, July 20, at 3 p.m. with a Shiva service at 5:45 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Dr. NW, Sandy Springs, GA 30327.
In lieu of flowers, Frank’s family asks that gifts be made in his memory to United Way of Greater Atlanta, The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, or the Atlanta Opera.
Arthur Glass
97, Las Vegas, Nev.
Arthur Glass, aged 97, died peacefully at home on June 30, 2025. He was born to Mollie and Isidore Glass on Feb. 28, 1928, in New York City.
Arthur spent his early years in The Bronx, N.Y. He played high school and college basketball. He was on the 1950 CCNY team that won the NCAA and NIT tournaments in the same year. He was also the captain of the DeWitt Clinton High School basketball team.
Arthur served in the United States Coast Guard and was asked to start a basketball team. He joined his father in the insurance business and spent his entire career selling insurance. The last 25 years of his career were as a proud State Farm insurance agent in Savannah, Ga.
Arthur met his beloved Sandy, the Southern peach, from Savannah, and they married Sept. 24, 1955. They had three children, Jackie Glass (Steve), Robin Feldman (Chuck Edelberg), and Amy Glass Cooper. Arthur had four grandchildren, Rachel Wolfson, Rebecca Wolfson, Samuel Feldman (Paige) and Max Cooper. Arthur and Sandy and their family moved to Savannah in 1969. A natural athlete, he coached and played basketball and also enjoyed playing racquetball at the Savannah JEA.
Once Sandy passed away, Arthur relocated to Las Vegas. He resided for many years in Sun City Summerlin. Most recently, Arthur lived at Atria Seville. The family would like to give thanks to the caregivers and staff at Atria, who helped care for Arthur, as well as the staff from Brighton Hospice.
A graveside service was held on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at Bonaventure Cemetery where he was laid to rest next to Sandy.
If you would like to donate in Arthur’s name, please donate to the Savannah Jewish Educational Alliance (JEA), JNF, B’nai Torah, or a charity of your choice.
Anna Grinzaid
96, Atlanta
Anna Grinzaid, beloved mother, Bubbie, grandmother, great-grandmother, piano playing, dancing, fun person passed away peacefully on July 22, 2025, in Atlanta, Ga., surrounded by her two sons and their families. She was almost 97 years old.
Born on Sept. 16, 1928, in Odessa, Ukraine, Anna eventually immigrated to the United States with her husband and one of her sons. A few years later, her second son immigrated to the United States with his family.
Anna was a self-taught piano player who could pick up a tune and play elaborately just from hearing a few notes. She was always the life of the party, dancing in the middle and pulling people in. She was a bookkeeper of two manufacturing plants in the Soviet Union and continued her work with accounting in the United States.
Family was everything to Anna and she showed it by selfless commitments to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and always agreeing to help with the little ones or cook and entertain the entire clan.
Anna‘s fun-loving and happy personality will forever be missed by her family. She made others smile and come out and dance on the dance floor with her, she made others want to be like her and she wouldn’t mind telling you her opinion if she thought you could benefit from it (which was usually the case).
Anna is survived by her children, Jimmy (Karen) Grinzaid and Sergey (Asya) Zhosul; grandchildren, Ben (Rosie) Grinzaid, Danielle (Jared) Samuels, Karina Ivanov; greatgrandchildren, Nicole Ivanov, Noah and Maya Grinzaid, and Abe Samuels.
The graveside funeral service was held on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 3 p.m., at Crest Lawn Memorial Park, 2000 Marietta Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA 30318.
Shiva was observed on Wednesday, July 23, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a service at 6:15 p.m., at Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mount Vernon Hwy NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Anna‘s memory to Jewish Family & Career Services of Atlanta, Holocaust Survivor Programthe organization that helped Anna throughout the last few years and were instrumental in ensuring her care and well-being. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
Elaine Stepakoff 83, Dunwoody
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Elaine Stepakoff at the age of 83 in Dunwoody, Ga, on June 30, 2025. For over five decades, Elaine and her beloved husband, Joel, built a life together on a quiet cul-de-sac in Dunwoody, a home that became the center of countless family gatherings, celebrations, and everyday moments of connection. Elaine was a creative, vibrant presence — someone who brought people together, supported her loved ones in every way, and filled her home with warmth, humor, and love.
Born in Hartford, Conn., Elaine was the second daughter of Rita and Charlie Goldman. At Weaver High School, she met Joel Stepakoff, her high school sweetheart and lifelong partner. They married in 1962 and moved to Atlanta in 1969, where Elaine built a welcoming home and a full, meaningful life surrounded by family and friends.
Elaine balanced her love of family with her own pursuits, working as a clothing sales representative, opening her own store, The Place for Linens and Things, and later helping countless Atlantans select invitations for weddings and bar mitzvahs at Paper Affair. But her greatest joy came from being there for her family — driving carpools, attending sporting events, school plays, and recitals, and supporting her children and grandchildren in every chapter of their lives.
She and Joel shared a remarkable 63-year marriage, filled with deep friendship, laughter, and adventure. Together, they traveled widely and made cherished memories around the world. Elaine had a gift for making people feel welcome and valued, and her easy laugh and generous spirit left an impression on everyone she met.
Elaine adored being “Bubbie” to her nine grandchildren, offering guidance, encouragement, and endless love. Her home remained a gathering place for family and friends alike — a place where everyone felt cared for and at ease.
Elaine was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Joel, her sister, Diane, and her parents, Rita and Charlie. She is survived by her children, Jeffrey (Amy), Michael (Tara), and Scott (Jody); her grandchildren, Ruthie, Joey (Emily), David, Rachel, Sophie, Charlotte, Eli, Griffin, and Libby; and her great-grandchildren.
Elaine Stepakoff leaves behind a legacy of love, generosity, and friendship that will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Memorial donations in Elaine’s honor may be made to Temple Emanu-El. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Even Bitter Enemies Can One Day Become Allies
Psalm 30 tells us that although we may find ourselves crying through the nighttime, the morning will bring us joy, relief from our sorrow and suffering. This doesn’t always occur, but it may. The Jewish people have always believed that with Divine help the future will be better. We have to believe it.
We might think that war itself, and worries about impending war, will never end. But history is full of surprises, and relations between nations can change, and dramatically at that. England went to war against Spain and France several times over the centuries. Spain and France also fought each
other. How about now? Any Frenchman who is worried about a British invasion today would be considered a crazy person.
I feel safe in opining publicly that Spain and France will never again take up arms against each other. Britain also fought the Dutch Republic for supremacy on the seas over three centuries ago. It would be absurd to imagine the United Kingdom and the Netherlands fighting now.
France and Germany went to war three times: 1870, 1914, 1939. Since 1945, with the defeat of Hitler, the European economic and then political drive towards union has been to make sure that war between France and Germany never happens again.
As a baby boomer, my entire childhood and youth were spent in the Cold War. At best, we hoped that the U.S. and U.S.S.R. would sort of grow used to each other, and the constant threat of nuclear war, with the specter of complete
SHEPARDS COURT
annihilation, would fade with time. My generation grew up with apocalyptic movies like, “On the Beach,” and “Panic in the Year Zero,” which explored the results of what atomic warfare with the U.S.S.R. might mean, not to mention the very real Cuban Missile Crisis of that time period. About 20 years later, a made-for-TV movie, “The Day After,” examined the same terrible theme of nuclear conflict; the movie became an important cultural event at the time.
Only a few years later, Michael Gorbachev started to meet with Presidents Reagan and then Bush yearly, and by the end of the decade, the Cold War was effectively over. This chain of events, which we now take for granted, would have been totally unbelievable not only in the 1960s and 70s, but even in the 1980s until nearly the end of the decade. That is how fast things can change, even on a global scale.
As a Jewish baby boomer, I had grown up assuming that Egypt and Israel would always be enemies. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser often called for Israel’s destruction. By the time I graduated high school, Israel had fought three wars against Egypt (1956, 1967, 1973). When Anwar Sadat visited Jerusalem in 1977, the world seemed to shift. The Camp David Accords resulted soon after, and the resulting peace treaty between Israel and Egypt brokered by President Carter still stands nearly four decades later.
More recently, Israel had normalized relations with Jordan in the mid1990s. In 2020, the Abraham Accords
were signed between Israel and various states: UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. The Middle East was quickly transformed again, this time as a result of American diplomacy under the Trump administration.
Of course, it is also true that things can go in the opposite direction: Iran before the 1978-79 revolution was a friend to both the U.S. and Israel, and afterwards, a very bitter enemy.
For Jews, this is indeed a fraught time. It has been so since Oct. 7, 2023. Israel has endured a terrible attack but has made progress against its enemies. Israel is safer now than before the war with Iran - more secure now that Assad is gone from Syria, and that Hezbollah has been defeated. The war in Gaza against Hamas remains unfinished and very difficult. But the present situation will not be forever.
Peace with the Arab nations, with the Palestinians, even with the Iranians, one day may be possible, perhaps even soon. Yesterday’s foes may become today’s allies. Today’s enemies may be tomorrow’s partners. Israel’s national anthem is, “Hatikvah: The Hope.” Despite everything that has happened in Israel and to Jews around the world since Oct. 7, 2023, we should not lose hope.
B’erev yalin bechi, v’laboker rina! In the evening one may lie down crying, but in the morning - songs of joy! Psalm 30, verse 5. (my translation)
For Israel and for us all, may those songs of joy be sung very soon. Ken yihi ratzon. May it be the will of G-d. ì
