Atlanta Jewish Times, VOL. 100 NO. 5, March 15, 2025

Home & Garden and Senior Living

Dave Schechter, Renowned Writer

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CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE

ALLEN H. LIPIS

BOB BAHR

CHANA SHAPIRO

DAVE SCHECHTER

DAVID OSTROWSKY

LAUREN MENIS

MARCIA CALLER JAFFE ADVERTISING

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Cover Photo: AJT columnist Dave Schechter has published his debut novel, “A Life of the Party.”

Matriarchs Share Legacy and Inspiration

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

On March 6, the Atlanta Jewish Foundation hosted its annual Grow a Legacy event at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, for those who have made after-life charitable commitments, endowments and/or signed the Jewish Future Promise to ensure the vibrancy of Jewish life.

Over the years, this event featured stories from inspiring community leaders, including Bernie Marcus in 2023. This year, a week before Purim, which tells the story of Esther, the Atlanta Jewish Foundation honored four community matriarchs: Candy Berman, Etta Raye Hirsch, Cathy Selig, and Raya Zalik. These women shared the spirit of their legacies, philanthropic values and family dynamics as they relate to example setting. The panel was moderated by Lindsay Kopecky, Frances Bunzl Chief Advancement Officer at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.

After a buffet by A Kosher Touch, guests moved into the sanctuary where they were welcomed by AA presi-

dent Dr. Mark Stern and co-chair Lisa Traynor, who saluted women for being forward thinking and modeling L’dor V’Dor.

Senior Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal then asked for a moment of silence in

memory of the recent passing of charitable community giant Sanford Orkin. He then represented how the “Eternal Light,” Ner Tamid, universal to all Jewish houses of worship, causes sensitivity, if it’s not perfectly functional. He said,

“People flip out if the bulb goes out … a spiritual conundrum. These lights can change, like the community; but light is eternal, and bulbs must be replaced, and relit, sustained,” akin to the legacy of generational giving.

The matriarch panel accepted trees planted in their honor. Pictured, from left, are Candy Berman, Raya Zalik, Etta Raye Hirsch, and Cathy Selig // All photos by Crisitan Lopez

Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta CEO Renee Kutner spoke of having the wisdom to use one’s wealth to bridge generations.

Federation CEO Renee Kutner started by referencing Mr. Rogers, “looking for helpers … the heroes who are willing to live for (not risk) values.” She stated that Federation's goal is to raise $27.5 million by the end of April, “aligning resources with values. It’s not enough to think about the world today, but to have the wisdom to use the wealth -- the bridge to strengthen those after us. We provide tools like donor advisory funds to enable giving tomorrow.” They have more than $400 million in assets under management.

Kopecky welcomed four female panelists, who all hold different stories and collectively have 20 grandchildren. Harkening back to Queen Esther, who answered the call to save her people, Kopecky asked how they fit into that. Berman noted that her father said, “We’re not here to take up space,” and philanthropy was about finding one’s passion. Selig spoke of the good feelings generated by giving “from childhood pennies in the Blue Box to her trip to Russia 30 years ago to smuggle medicine.”

She was also moved by the flight to Israel resettling Ethiopian Jews who had “never seen a plane or held a fork.” Zalik felt that charity is really an obligation. She explained that the Torah was first given to women whose responsibility was to teach and care for the family. Zalik explained that her grandfather fled to China from Siberia in the early 1900s. She recalled, “He gave challah and chick-

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ens for Shabbat for every Jewish family.” Later, her parents helped Jews in Sydney, Australia.

Hirsch, who was born on a farm in Tennessee, explained how her modest family saved groceries for the poor. Other highlights were Selig giving her grandchildren money (L’Dor V’dor Fund) to research causes and donate and called her a “bad ass.” Berman recalled that she gave up diaper service decades ago to be able to donate, “You don’t have to be rich to be a philanthropist.”

Hirsch thinks it’s important to reach teens to get the message early on. Zalik, a third generation “refugee immigrant,” wished that no one has to experience fear and separation.”

Hirsch concluded, “100 years from now, I hope my [progeny] are educated philanthropists and give as an honor with joy.”

Earlier in the reception, legal magnate Ted Blum told the AJT, “my donor advisory fund does everything I want -in the best way by aligning my family’s goals with meaningful causes.”

Insurance broker Stuart Shapiro uses his fund to continue the legacy of Jewish giving. Sponsor SouthState Bank Division Chair Ashley Carson explained, “It’s important for us to lean into the Jewish community.”

As stated in The Talmud, “As my ancestors planted for me, so do I plant for my children.” ì

The Ahavath Achim sanctuary well housed the audience of 210.

Beth Shalom Celebrates a Joyous 50th Anniversary

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

After a year of planning, Congregation Beth Shalom hosted 212 celebrants in their Dunwoody social hall on Saturday night, March 1. Havdalah began before a buffet dinner and silent auction followed by a one hour set by comedian Kenn Kington, whose resume includes two Netflix specials and appearances on Comedy Central. Rabbi Mark Zimmerman and congregation president Fred Rich gave rousing talks about their loyal kehilah formed over the decades.  Rich also had everyone in the room standing concurrently based on their synagogue participation over the decades.

As background, Rich introduced Rita Kessler who had a meeting in her den in 1975 with some friends and a representative from the Federation. Rich recalled, “The discussion was ‘how do we start a synagogue.?’ That is where it all began. We recognized other first-year members: the Dandys, the Richters, Guy Rappaport, and the Druckers.”

Then, Rich, who was on the search

committee in 1985, segued to the process of hiring Rabbi Zimmerman when Marcia Bergman was president. He said, “We shared how we got Rabbi Zimmerman, and he is now been here for 37 years as

1

the DNA of our congregation.”  Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch read a proclamation making March 1, “Beth Shalom Day,” in Dunwoody. Co-chair of the 50th anniversary

committee, Linda Zimmerman, oversaw a year of special programming leading up to the gala. She said, “Our official incorporation date was April 4, 1974. We held the gala this week to get it in before

Minesh Patel, MD

Samantha Shams, MD

Ha Tran, MD Eiran Warner, MD

Jay Rhee, MD

Rajni Sinha, MD, MRCP

Nikita Amin, MD

Vipin Lohiya, MD

Trevor Feinstein, MD Jamie Haber, MD

Eric Mininberg, MD

Vasily Assikis, MD Jonathan Bender, MD

William Jonas, MD

Joshua Rifkind, MD

Christine Son, MD J WilliamThomas, MD

Beth Shalom president Fred Rich (left) celebrated with executive board member Elaine Mebel Strauss and Dr. Ben Strauss // All photos by David Craig Photography

Rabbi Mark Zimmerman spoke of the sentiments of the past 50 years and looks forward to a bright future.

daylight savings time.”

They had five special “Decade Shabbatot,” recognizing the members who were among the originals. Zimmerman herself crafted five posters that were made for each of the decades highlighting corresponding special events. At each special Shabbat, the kiddush included foods that were popular during those decades. They also had a trivia night with questions from the decades, created a new photo directory, and commissioned a 50th Anniversary Torah.

Linda Zimmerman said, “We just recently finished the writing of that Torah and had a special Shabbat service to welcome it into our sanctuary. A few members are also working on a new needlepoint cover for the new Torah that was designed by a congregant in honor of the 50th.”

Rabbi Zimmerman, clad in a gold brocade vest, spoke of the sacred moments of celebrating and learning together, performing mitzvot together, and “feeling G-d’s presence together.” He praised the vision of the founders and the priceless efforts of the volunteers. He explained that he became a rabbi because of his concern/obsession for the Jewish people, survival and commitment to living Jewish lives.

He relayed, “It’s a concern and love that has not diminished since I was ordained in 1988. And seeing how we have blossomed over the decades has been an incredible inspiration. Linda has

been there by my side, really as the glue that kept everything humming during good and challenging times. They don’t make rebbetzins like her anymore (even though she never really liked that title).”

He concluded, “This moment is not just about the past 50 years, it is a charge for our future, and I am confident that the future will be a very bright one … may the next 50 years be even brighter than the last.”

Comedian Kington was sponsored by Donna and Arthur Salus, owners of Duluth Travel. Kington, who lives in Kennesaw, is not Jewish and appears on various Christian shows. He was a “crowd pleaser” Saturday night as he was “clean with no foul language” and spoke of many universal travails and foibles with families and in negotiating the world today.

Magnolia Catering laid out the buffet: hot smoked roasted BBQ chicken, citrus marinated salmon, orzo with vegetables and herbs, fire roasted mushrooms, and grilled Brussel sprouts. The room was glammed up with black and gold balloons and linens. Pianist Richard Siegel played romantic and pop favorites.

Executive board member and vice president of programming Elaine Mebel Strauss (who spent pre-party time hoisting balloons) and Dr. Ben Strauss told the AJT that their young children flourished at the Beth Shalom Alef Bet Preschool and “found the congregation to be friendly, down to Earth, and egalitarian.” ì

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The Beth Shalom social hall was decorated in gold and black for a sophisticated ambiance.

JNF’s Breakfast for Dinner Attracts Record Crowd

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

Event co-chairs Jackie Goldstein and Marcus Brodsky kicked off the annual 21st Gladys and Jack Hirsch Breakfast for Dinner event on March 2 at the Hotel Intercontinental, which was selected to accommodate the largest crowd (670) for any Jewish National Fund-Atlanta event.

Goldstein spoke of the excitement of such a massive gathering -- united regardless of politics, which “despite some birth pains has resulted in hope and action.”

Brodsky, a father of two young daughters who looked on, labeled himself a “proud Zionist and Jew.” He recalled that in 1903, Uganda was considered as the Jewish homeland. “Thank goodness that vote was defeated.”

Board chair and President Mark Kopkin symbolized the “buying of a ticket” as taking action He asked volunteers to stand before recognizing Israeli Consul General to the Southeast, Anat Sultan Dadon, whose term here is coming to a close. She then spoke about JNF being

one of the first organizations to welcome her 5 ½ years ago.

She stated, “These past 17 months

have been the greatest challenge for us in modern history as 59 hostages are still held. We will not rest until everyone is re-

turned home.” She maintained that Israel will stand strong in the war and against Iran and its proxies. She praised JNF for

Diane and Jeff Bland chatted with keynote speaker Elie Klein, who met their daughter when she was an IDF Lone Soldier.

Co-chairs Marcus Brodsky and Jackie Goldstein greeted the record crowd of 670.

supporting the injured and displaced and for all to emerge even stronger.

Beth Gluck, who also serves as Greater Atlanta JNF executive director, shared that the more modern face of JNF is beyond the 250 million trees that have been planted. “We are now nation building by expanding the population to all borders. We had a vision to raise a billion and did it in less than 10 years. The goal is to move the population away from the concentrated center, 300,000 to the north and 500,000 to the south, Gaza, the Negev, Ber Sheva nearing Egypt.”

She shared how JNF is helping to achieve the three reasons to move: housing, jobs and health care, and how Zionist education is important for young Jews. She said, “There are seven action areas, pillars of the ecosystem from birth to boardroom, with the Alexander Muss High School being the crown jewel.”

She also shared how JNF was there during the “despicable trauma” of Oct. 7 -- feeding the hungry, rebuilding, helping people come back to a good quality of life. JNF is “all Israel all the time.”

Concluding his five-week U.S. tour, Elie Klein, director of advancement for Adi Negev Nahalat Eran and liaison to JNF-USA, showed a video and extolled the miracles that are taking place at the only trauma center in the south.

He said, “Our name, ‘Adi,’ means ‘gem.’ We rehabilitate the elderly, the wounded, and the disabled, all in the same village with JNF as a partner … lush

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in the barren Negev, there is OT, PT, art therapy, music therapy, a petting zoo, horses, a kindergarten where handicapped children are mainstreamed.”

The Adi village is located on 40 acres with the day option or 24/7 (live-in), 390 participants and a highly skilled staff. In the video, he showed how post-Oct. 7, an off duty IDF soldier left the Nova Festival to get a knife to return to fight terrorists. He approached four houses that were a cache of weapons, which exploded and nearly took his life. Recovering from shrapnel surgery, he aligned with a nonverbal, non-ambulatory child … “while giving each other hope … all touched by disability.”

The soldier is expected to make a full recovery. The young boy now stands up with state-of-the-art equipment supplied by JNF. He’s engaged and working with hydrotherapy to make that first step. Another teenager was trained to use her eyes to select emojis on a sound-enabled computer allowing her to speak. Klein laughed, “Like any 16-year-old, now we can hardly get her to shut up.”

Klein ended by inviting folks to come visit and get a personal “golden ticket” tour of Adi with him, and closed by saying, “Disney World is not the happiest place on Earth. We are!”

Incoming JNF President Andy Siegel concluded with the ask … “Your signing envelopes on the tables brings water to dry lands and helps secure the north and south.” ì

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Michael Siegel is proud of brother Andy (right) who will take over the JNF presidency in seven months.

Current JNF president Mark Kopkin recognized volunteers who went to Israel to rebuild.

Georgia Loses Two Important Community Leaders

By Bob Bahr

Georgia’s Jewish community lost two longtime leaders, both of whom devoted themselves with a seemingly endless reservoir of energy to others.

Perry Brickman, DDS, was most known by the general public for the years of research he undertook to uncover a history of virulent antisemitism at Emory University Dental School during 1948-1961.

He had, himself, been dismissed by the dental school in 1952 in his second year of studies without being given any reason. He subsequently applied to the University of Tennessee in Memphis where he graduated fourth in his class in 1956 with high honors and went on to train as an oral surgeon.

He was a founding member and president of the Georgia Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and Chief of Oral Surgery at several Atlanta-area hospitals, and a founding member of Northside Hospital, West Paces Ferry Hospital, and Decatur Hospital. In 1994, Gov. Zell Miller appointed Dr. Brickman to the

Georgia State Board of Dentistry where he served for seven years. He was the first dentist to receive the 1992 Dekalb County Medical Society Julius McCurdy Award for outstanding community service by a

DeKalb County physician.

Two years after retiring from 42 years of practice, while he attended a 2006 celebration of Emory’s Judaic Studies program, he made the surprise discov-

ery that one of the professors in the program, Eric Goldstein, had found that 65 percent of the Jewish dental students at Emory from 1948-1958 had been flunked or made to repeat years but they had re-

Dr. Perry Brickman uncovered a record of 10 years of antisemitism at Emory University Dental School.

Photo by Andy Henderson

mained publicly silent.

Aided by work done decades before by the local head of the Anti-Defamation League, he spent the next six years researching and compiling video recordings of each of the students who had been forced out of the program. He subsequently edited the material into a documentary entitled, “From Silence To Recognition,” that showed that nearly half of the students in the dental program over the 10 years that he studied had been the victims of antisemitism.

In 2012, the president of Emory, James Wagner, issued a formal apology for the actions of the former dean of the school and several of its professors. That same year, Dr. Brickman received the 2012 Emory University Maker of History Award and, in 2016, was given the Emory Medal, the highest Emory alumni award for service and philanthropy. In 2020, he published his book, “Extracted: Unmasking Rampant Antisemitism in America’s Higher Education,” which documented the discrimination against Jewish students in dental schools around the country.

Dr. Brickman was an active member of the Jewish religious and civic community here. He was recognized with the Atlanta Jewish Federation’s 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award honoring his community commitment, which included president of the Atlanta Jewish Federation, board member of Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, Atlanta Jewish Academy (lifetime trustee), William Breman Jewish Home, Ben Massell

Dental Clinic, AEPi (Chapter Advisor 1965-85), and Jewish Family & Career Services. He received the 2013 Anti-Defamation League’s First Centennial Champion Award and the 2013 State of Israel Bonds Atlanta Community Award.

Dr. Brickman is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Shirley, two daughters, a son. and six grandchildren. He was 92.

During the years Dr. Brickman was accomplishing so much in Atlanta, Ed Wexler was a community and business leader in Savannah.

Wexler was a tireless worker on behalf of the community throughout his lifetime there and during his earlier years in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York state. He served on the Jewish Federation’s Board of Governors in the Georgia coastal city for 10 years, and was general campaign chair of their annual appeal. He was also instrumental in founding the Rambam Jewish day school in Savannah and served on the board of directors and as president of congregation Agudath Achim Synagogue. He was the recipient of the lifetime of service award from the Savanah Jewish Federation and was given the Savanah community’s Golden Heart Award.

As his health declined, Wexler moved to Atlanta but remained active in leadership positions and served as a lay religious leader in several retirement communities here. He was predeceased by his wife of 43 years, Linda, two sons, a daughter and four grandchildren. He was 86. ì

VITALITY THRIVES IN COMMUNITY.

Ed Wexler was a tireless community leader in Savannah.

AJFF Wraps Another Successful Festival

By Bob Bahr

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival completed its 16day run in six local theaters Wednesday evening, March

6, with a premiere screening of the Brazilian dramatic comedy, “Cheers To Life.” It was an uplifting tale of personal discovery told against the backdrop of some stunning vistas of Israel’s outdoors -- and just one of 50 im-

Beyond Your Expectations...

artistry

pressive and carefully curated selections that made up the AJFF’s final roster.

There were several sold-out showings during this 25th anniversary celebration. At a time when even Hollywood blockbusters are having difficulty luring audiences to theaters showing it was proof, if any was needed, that the AJFF is still one of the most ambitious and culturally relevant events of its kind in America.

And for the many fans of the AJFF, there’s more to come in this anniversary year. The president of the AJFF’s Board of Directors, Dina Gerson, and James Anderson, incoming president, announced from the festival stage that the organization was partnering with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Turner Classic Movies to present a concert of great film music next fall.

The program, which is scheduled for Oct. 20 in Symphony Hall of the Woodruff Arts Center, will be hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, who also introduces many of TCM’s Hollywood classics. Mankiewicz described the concert as an “extraordinary celebration of film and music” that will be made up of “iconic scenes from Jewish cinema performed live.”

“That’s a night you don’t want to miss,” he said, in a video presentation recoded for the AJFF closing. “No tuxedo required, just a love for great movies, unforgettable music and some kvelling. And maybe just a little kvetching, too.”

It’s an encore presentation of an event that celebrated the AJFF’s 10th anniversary in 2010 and continuation of the festival with one of America’s leading symphony orchestras. The executive director of the ASO, Jennifer Barlament, was enthusiastic about the relationship that has developed with the symphony.

“We are honored to partner with AJFF as they celebrate 25 years of impact on the Atlanta community. Just as the harmony of music and drama heightens the emotion of all great films, this event — uniting two of Atlanta’s cultural leaders — will create an unforgettable

Dr. David Mastro

James Anderson (left) the incoming president of the AJFF’s Board of Directors, and Dina Gerson, current president, announced the gala 25th anniversary concert set for October.

The stars of the closing night film, “Cheers To Life,” as well as the producer and director of the film came from Brazil for the evening’s program.

evening.”

The closing night program also included the announcement of the films that were chosen by juries of film critics and professionals in six categories.

The top award for narrative feature film went to “Pink Lady,” from the veteran Israel director Nir Bergman, which dramatized the story of a young ultra-Orthodox couple in Jerusalem’s tightly knit religious community. It was a sensitive portrayal of the stress that nearly overcomes the marriage when the wife learns that her husband is being blackmailed by the threatened exposure of compromising photographs taken by his male Torah study partner.

The jury prize for best documentary was given to “Riefenstahl,” about the Nazi film propagandist, Leni Riefenstahl. The production by the German filmmaker Andres Veiel debunks Riefenstahl’s attempts after World War II to distance herself from Naziism and to play down her status as one of Adolf Hitler’s favorites.

Tom Nesher, whose semi-autobiographical “Come Closer” was chosen as Best Director at last year’s Ophir Awards, given by Israel’s Academy of Film and Television, was honored as emerging filmmaker. The 28-year-old daughter of Israel’s legendary film maker, Avi Nesher, was one of the guests at this year’s festival.

Rounding out the prizes was “Sapir,” another Israeli film about a transgender

soccer referee, which was chosen for the Human Rights Award; “Ain’t No Back To A Merry-Go-Round,” a documentary about Black and Jewish Relations in the 1960s; and “The Sacred Society,” about Jewish burial rituals for Best Short Film.

The continuing popularity of the well-financed and well-supported AJFF that has filled Atlanta theaters for the past quarter century defies the trend in recent years to abandon theatrical screenings for virtual presentations on the Internet. Today, recent surveys have shown that 90 percent of today’s entertainment is consumed in the home, virtually, with scant regard for communal gatherings like the AJFF.

In recognition of that trend, the festival extended the screenings of 21 of its films to virtual shows from March 7-16, as well as adding the three programs of shorts that were shown in theaters. But with this year’s success behind it and more to come in the months ahead, the AJFF is doubling down on bringing audiences back to experience great productions in person. The impact of the AJFF, as Kenny Blank, AJFF Aatistic and executive director, points out, has never been greater.

“The 25th anniversary of AJFF was more than a celebration of film — it was a defining moment for our organization, reaffirming the power of storytelling to connect communities, spark dialogue, and inspire change.” ì

“Cheers To Life” which features the Brazilian actor, Rodrigo Simas (left), and Janas Bloch, is set in some of Israel’s most iconic locations.

Renowned Writer Schechter Releases Debut Novel

By Lauren Menis

What made the daughter of renowned Jewish scholar and founder of American Conservative Judaism, Solomon Schechter, leave her family and the comforts of her middle-class life behind to become a Communist organizer amidst the labor strife of the 1920s?

Award-winning journalist Dave Schechter’s historical novel, “A Life of the Party,” delves into the fascinating life of his great aunt, Amy Schechter, a woman who defied the conventions of her time and found purpose far away from the religion and close-knit family of her youth.

Seamlessly blending fact and fiction, the story follows Amy across the country and beyond, from the textile mill towns in the south to the coal mining camps of Pennsylvania, to the shipyards and docks of San Francisco. In each place, she helped organize strikes and marches for workers who wanted better pay, safer conditions and less hours, also providing aid to their families and writing about it all for Communist newspapers and

magazines. There are even years spent in Russia, where she taught in an American colony in Siberia and attended a Commu-

Pailey Nooromid & Eydie Koonin

nist finishing school in Moscow.

Beaten by police during strikes and marches, arrested numerous times, even threatened with a charge of lunacy, the most notorious of Amy’s exploits nevertheless came when she was charged with murder. After a night of violence during the infamous Loray Mill Strike of 1929 in Gastonia, N.C., left a police chief dead, Amy and 15 other Communists and strikers were apprehended and put on trial.

While there was no evidence against them, this was a time when the police sided with company bosses and where the protesting workers and those helping them were seen as the enemy. The trial garnered national headlines and Amy’s face was splashed across the pages of newspapers all over the country. When the charges against her were dismissed, she continued on with her life’s work, undeterred.

“This was a woman who defied the norms of her time. She didn’t become a teacher or other professions that women went into coming out of college in those years. She joined a political movement that existed outside the mainstream,” Dave Schechter said. “Her real concern was the working men and women that she met in the mills, mines, docks and that’s what motivated her year after year for 40-plus years of her life.”

The New York Times called Amy “one of the most ardent among the New York radicals.” And a columnist for a Jewish newspaper said she was “one of the few genuinely idealistic Communists; she lives up to her ideals in her private

life, sharing what she has with others less fortunate.” She was someone whose entire life was lived in dedication to her cause.

But “A Life of the Party” is so much more than the tale of one person. It’s also an extraordinary look into a time of labor unrest in this country and the hardscrabble, brutal life of industrial workers and their families. Men, women and even children often toiled in dangerous conditions for long hours and little pay and Communists were at the forefront in organizing them to fight for change. Often, the results were met with violence.

For Dave Schechter, this book itself has been a journey. Twenty-five years ago, his father handed him a mysterious letter. It was from an expert in Soviet activities in the United States who wanted information on someone his great aunt had a relationship with. He was also given a heavily-redacted FBI file about Amy, whom he’d never met and knew little about. From that moment, he says, he was hooked.

Decades later, after retiring from a successful career in journalism, filing hundreds of Freedom of Information Act requests that garnered hundreds of pages of FBI reports, obtaining documents from Soviet Union archives, collecting dozens of articles written by Amy for Communist publications and conducting interviews with people Schechter tracked down who knew her, the remarkable story of Amy Schechter’s life is at last complete. ì

“Life of the Party,” by AJT columnist Dave Schechter, covers the extraordinary life of Schechter’s great aunt, Solomon Schechter.

Dave Schechter has published his debut novel, “Life of the Party,” after decades of research.

Sandy Springs Mayor Revels in Jewish Support

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

Philanthropist David Zalik sponsored a fundraiser, along with 30 other supporters, for the reelection of Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul on Thursday evening, Feb. 27, at The Dupree building. The City of Sandy Springs holds non-partisan elections every four years in odd-numbered years making Nov. 4, 2025, the next election date.

Paul has held the office for more than 11 years and announced at this event that if reelected, he promised his wife that this would be his last term.

This crème de la crème of North Atlanta Jewry agreed that Paul’s leadership has made Sandy Springs the vibrant community that it is today; and that there is still important work for him to get done. Another theme was his dedication to the Jewish community.

Supporter Marty Kogon told the AJT, “I have known Rusty for 40 years. He has been consistent and stood with the Jewish community when it was needed.” Real estate mogul Norman Radow echoed, “When the community gathered at City Springs post-Oct. 7, Paul delivered one of the most impassioned and sincere messages that has ever moved me. Such loyalty deserves our support.”

To begin the more formal part of the program, Zalik spoke of the mayor’s ability to get things done, and of a breakfast meeting they had where they talked about varied issues until Zalik finally posed, “What’s your purpose for this meeting?”

Zalik was stunned to hear that Paul was raising money for Sandy Springs’ sister city in Israel in need of a hospital. An emotional Zalik continued, “Here he is 7,000 miles away looking for critical medical equipment. I said ‘yes’ and broke down in tears later in my car. I did not feel alone … with this devout Christian who leads with his heart.”

With that introduction, Paul felt that the city was on temporary loan to him to create a heart of the city vs. “a collection of strip centers” and looking toward leaders like Steve Selig for help. He addressed traffic and infrastructure that now involves retrofitting over old roads. He stated, “Experience matters. I understand the process.”

Paul received the biggest gasp and smiles by noting, “Thus far, 95 percent of my financial support has come from the Jewish community … but don’t worry, I’ll go after the rest.”

Paul also got a laugh when he said

that that the evolution of the City Springs Center got him labeled “Taj Mahal Paul,” since he deeply believes that a city needs a central core. Referring also to Heritage Lawn a block away, he said, “I saw early on our potential to be a fun, family-focused town center.”

Now nine months out, City Council member Jody Reichel previously announced her bid for mayor. Fellow council member Andy Bauman has hinted that he may also enter the race; but he noted, “It’s just too soon to decide that.”

Reichel gave this statement to the AJT, “In the seven years that I’ve served on City Council, I have learned a lot about city government. I have learned even more,

though, from the conversations I’ve had with residents about their priorities and concerns and how city government can serve them better. People love this city, but I hear they worry we are losing business investment opportunities and families to other nearby communities. Maintaining the status quo — the seeming goal of current leadership — is not progress: if we are not moving forward then we are falling behind. My vision to take Sandy Springs forward is based on well-funded and stable economic development, rich and varied housing choices, abundant sports, recreation and green spaces, and top-quality public education.”

Paul supporter Joel Marks said,

“Rusty has always welcomed the Jewish community with open arms and supported us in times of extreme need. I have no issue with the other two [potential] candidates. It’s more of a situation where we don’t see any significant reason to run against Rusty.  This is not a ‘two Jews vs. Rusty’ situation. This is a local, nonpartisan mayoral election where we believe our incumbent deserves another four years.”

Supporter Cathy Selig stated, “Paul walks the walk and talks the talk that made Sandy Springs a better place.”

Manny Fialkow added, “I’m a big Paul fan. He represents what the city is and wants to be.” ì

David Zalik (left) gave Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul a rousing introduction.

Gerry Benjamin and Steve Cadranel chatted with David Zalik (right) in the pre-function area.

Stacy Fialkow, Mayor Rusty Paul, Steve Selig, and Manny Fialkow

Paul supporter Cathy Selig showed her blue and white nails as a tribute to Israel.

Going, Going, but not Gone

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

Seth Weiner describes himself as a producer/auctioneer combined to form “Your Rocktioneer.” Beyond auctions, he creates corporate social responsibility programs, conference game shows, and interactive fundraisers. From entertainment to team building, he designs highenergy experiences that drive long-term donor and corporate partner growth — with his charisma- making “giving” fun.

Weiner explained his mojo. “My talent goes beyond energy and excitement — it’s in the strategy, planning, and donor development that drive success. Fundraising isn’t just talking fast; it’s about the consulting (revenue strategies, auction lineup, paddle raises) to maximize impact.

Hailing from Tamarac, Fla., Weiner, while at Florida State University, started “Shimon Presents,” promoting concerts and events. He then moved to Atlanta, where he expanded into booking, marketing festivals, managing staff and volunteers for high-profile events like Coachella and Bonnaroo. During winters, he hosted activities for Cloud 9 Adventures at resort events with the Avett Brothers, Widespread Panic, and Jam Cruise, curating fan and artist experiences known as LL Pool J.

“It was on Jam Cruise,” he recalled, “I grabbed the mic for a nonprofit, and ran their auction — raising big money. That moment sparked my path to becoming a fundraising auctioneer.”

His initial auctioneer training was an 80-hour program, covering estate sales, car auctions, and real estate — but not so much fundraising. That he had to learn through experience and specialized education from the National Auc-

Seth Weiner is a skilled game show host.

tioneers Association (NAA), earning his Benefit Auctioneer Specialist designation, attending the Certified Auctioneers Institute, and completing Benefit Auctioneer Bootcamp. These helped him adapt traditional techniques to engage donors and maximize nonprofit revenue. He also now serves as a trustee on the NAA’s Education Institute and sits on the board of the Georgia Auctioneers Association

One event he is especially proud of is Camp Kudzu. They sponsor a premium bourbon collection (Pappy Van Winkle), typically raising $3,000 to $5,000 in an auction. Instead, Seth ran the high-energy “All Or Nothing” game. He stated, “They initially had concerns … but with trust

Weiner loves being on stage and energizing the crowd.

and coordination, we raised $14,000! I love working with causes that matter to me, particularly those supporting children, medical research, mental health, and animal welfare. Helping nonprofits raise more than they ever thought possible is always the most rewarding part.”

Recently, Weiner conducted an auction for Atlanta’s ORT women wearing his trademark “flashy” jacket. Known for his Hollywood/Vegas-inspired wardrobe, Weiner said, “I have my jackets custom-made by a designer in Los Angeles. They’ve become part of my signature style at events.”

He is known to sell them off his back, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the organization. One of his favorite moments was selling a jacket for $9,000.

Weiner offers free brainstorming sessions to uncover new revenue streams. One group relied heavily on ticket sales, but he suggested a Golden Ticket with exclusive experiences that doubled their pre-event revenue. He explained, “They

didn’t even have to hire me. It’s my way of giving back and helping nonprofits succeed. Often, just one conversation can lead to thousands of extra dollars in fundraising!”

Part of his process is establishing realistic goals. Success isn’t just about the dollars raised — it’s about donor development, building community, educating people on the mission, and celebrating achievements. He claimed, “A truly successful event creates long-term impact, creates new donors, and spreads their mission further. I help organizations turn a $100 donor today into a $1,000 donor next year.”

Ladies, alert! Weiner is single and “ready for the love of my life, whoever she may be!” He lives in Toco Hills and has an 11-year-old son (part-time). He’s into running, swimming, and hot yoga. He joked, “As for music, I play the trumpet … and the steering wheel of my car, which doubles as my personal drum kit in Atlanta traffic!” ì

Weiner’s Tips for Successful Auctions

• When you’re at a gala for a cause you care about, don’t bid to buy something — bid to give something.

• A live auction isn’t about scoring a deal; it’s about supporting the mission. You may win an incredible vacation, but the real reward is knowing your generosity made an impact.

• Bid big and early — it sets the tone and inspires others to give from the heart.

Attorneys Discuss Boomerang Divorce Trend

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

Vocal.Media (“Who Regrets Divorce the Most?”) noted 54 percent of divorced individuals regret their decision, which doesn’t necessarily result in any action. The site adds, “Divorce is like a blind box. Some people open up in rebirth, and some people fall into another abyss.”

Social media lit up recently when one of America’s richest men, Bill Gates, went on record in his autobiography stating that he regrets divorcing wife, Melinda. “Whoa,” said two local Jewish divorce/family law attorneys, Randall Kessler and David Garfinkel.

Kessler, who heads a large divorce firm, and is the author of “Divorce: Protect Yourself, Your Kids and Your Future,” has handled some high-profile sports and rap star divorces, and said, “Gates seems to have an authentic expression of regret. It’s also an acknowledgment that she is a good person and a nice thing to say, regardless of what happened. I wish more people would admit this. There’s no shame in admitting a mistake, and if Gates can admit a mistake, why can’t the rest of us? Maybe it will show others that it’s OK to have regrets.”

One of Kessler’s favorite expressions is “measure twice, cut once.” He imagines Gates “measured” a few times before he “cut,” but he seems to be saying maybe “not enough.”

According to Psychology Today, 10 to 15 percent of divorced couples reconcile. Garfinkel, of Levine, Smith, Coburn & Koslin, represented one party of a Jewish couple who divorced and reconciled four times, until the husband died. Another scenario is viropause: a man enters in his sixties, wildly successful and feels he can reclaim his mojo with a 24-yearold “Barbie.” Garfinkel labels it “the Gold Digger-Sugar Daddy Complex.” All seems well until he realizes she doesn’t know who Howdy Doody or The Beatles are. He said, “Husbands can get attracted to younger women … sometimes it ‘goes south’ later.”

Kessler added, “Old jokes and cliches stick around because there’s usually some truth to them … mid-life crisis for instance. Human beings get bored; but more often what I see is that people stop going out of their way for their partner and take them for granted. The things that attracted them initially become expected and undervalued. … human beings always want more. More money, more sex, more years to live. More house, more vacations. But truly the essence of why

Bill Gates’ comment seems to hit home, and why the story has had such traction, is that it embodies the old adage, ‘you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone.'"

Then there’s the money. When the parties divvy up assets, then the couple remarries, she (or he) keeps the past settlement and starts over. Kessler consults, “It all starts from scratch. They can choose to sign a prenup. It seems like a good idea to keep it clean and avoid spending a lot on lawyers to disentangle their finances if they part again.”

Kessler, who has opposed such headliners as Michael Jordan and Sen. Raphael Warnock in divorce proceedings, doesn’t think money is the motivating factor.

“Divorce is rarely about money vs. finding happiness. A client once related, “It’s at least about being less miserable.”

Garfinkel says sometimes it is about money. He represented a couple who had a 72-year marriage. “They divorced, then remarried because a child was stealing the money.”

Does the government care? Kessler laughed, “People are free to divorce, reunite, love each other, hate each other, date each other or otherwise. Some states pass laws to make it harder to split. Some require parties to be separated for a year or another period of time before divorce. Georgia doesn’t have such a requirement … on rare occasions we’ve been asked to undo a divorce. It’s difficult to do, but the sooner the better.”

He’s seen husbands and wives take back cheating spouses, or even abusive husbands or wives. He handled Nene Leake’s (Real Housewife of Atlanta) long divorce; then, she remarried her ex-

husband after a very public prenuptial agreement negotiation. Are divorces declining post-COVID? Kessler says “Nope. We have become busier and are soon adding our 19th divorce lawyer.”

However, the most recent U.S. Census reported a 27 percent decline in divorces. Who doesn’t recall Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton? ì

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Randall Kessler thinks Bill Gates’ recent admission of regretting his divorce may help others admit they made a mistake.

David Garfinkel represented a spouse who divorced and reunited four times.

Atlanta Planning Big Welcome for this ‘Parade’

By Bob Bahr

“Parade,” the Broadway musical that was revived in a stunning new production in New York three years ago, is returning to the Fox Theater for eight performances beginning April 1.

The show, which features music by Jason Robert Brown, was written by Atlanta native Alfred Uhry, who also wrote “Driving Miss Daisy,” the film and stage hit. Its arrival in Atlanta is getting a welcome rarely seen for a visiting Broadway production.

A series of events tied to the show’s opening is planned by members of the community led by The Temple and The Breman Museum.

The show which made its first appearance in Atlanta on a national tour in 1999, tells the story of Leo Frank, a 29-year-old Jewish American transplant from New York, who is charged with the murder of a 13-year-old worker, Mary Phagan, in the pencil factory he manages in Atlanta.

His conviction for her murder in 1913 attracted national attention. Two years later, he was lynched by a group of 25 residents of Marietta who took him from the prison in Milledgeville, Ga., after his death sentence was commuted.

The action by Georgia’s governor at the time, sparing Frank’s life, provoked outrage among those who believed he should pay with his life for the young girl’s murder.

The case, which shook the nation, led to the founding of the Anti-Defamation League and brought back the Ku Klux Klan, which was originally started after the Civil War. But, despite the lengthy historical record of the trial and its aftermath, as well as the importance of the Frank case, some here know little or nothing about Frank. The executive director of The Breman Museum, Leslie Gordon, is concerned.

“Many people here don’t know about the lynching of Leo Frank,” Gordon says. “I’m talking about lots of Jewish people who live here. They may go to see it because it’s a well-known musical, but they don’t know anything about the background to the play.”

The Frank case is a part of The Breman’s exhibit of Jewish history, “Chutzpah!” and has been the focal point of its traveling national exhibit, “Seeking Justice - The Leo Frank Case Revisited.”

Starting the week of March 23, The

Breman is partnering with The Temple in Midtown for two events that will precede the play’s Atlanta opening.

At 3 p.m., Sunday, March 23, Emory University media professor Matthew H. Bernstein and AJT writer Bob Bahr will present a program at The Temple called, “Screening a Lynching - Leo Frank Before Parade.” It’s based on a book written by Bernstein that examines two TV programs and two films that, over the years, have been based on the Frank conviction.

Then, on March 30, The Breman Museum and The Temple are hosting a $250 per plate dinner chaired by Bill Schwartz and Buck Goldstein honoring Alfred Uhry.

“It’s important that Atlanta honor this author who has been honored by so many others,” Gordon points out. “After all, he grew up in this city at The Temple, and I want him to be recognized. He de-

serves that, and his work needs to be recognized.”

Finally, on April 2, Uhry will be honored again by the community at a special program at The Fox following the performance that evening. The Temple and The Breman will be joined by members of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta and Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta, whose former rabbi, Steve Lebow, was instrumental in placing a bronze plaque at the site of Frank’s lynching in Cobb County. All four groups have had access to the early purchase of discounted tickets for the performance.

The author of the definitive volume on the Frank tragedy, “The Dead Shall Rise,” Steve Oney, spoke about the case during an online presentation last month sponsored by the Jewish Community Library in San Francisco. He points

out that “Parade” reintroduced the story to the American public, who were able to see the insidious effects of public hangings as something more than crude vigilante justice.

“Lynching is an act of terrorism, and it takes place in two realms. One it’s a crime, it’s a murder, but also, it’s a public act meant to send a signal. And this was meant to send the signal that Southerners were not going to tolerate Northern capitalists, who also happened to be Jews.”

The Broadway revival of “Parade” in 2022, which was based on a partial rewrite of the original production, was one of the most honored productions of that year. It won two Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Direction of a Musical for the director of the staging at the Fox, Michael Arden. ì

“Parade” centers around the trial of Leo Frank for the murder of a 13-year-old factory worker, Mary Phagan.

“Parade” opens at The Fox Theater on April 1.

Leo Frank and Lucille Selig just before their marriage.

‘Comedy for Peace’ Gets Giggles at MJCCA

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

“A priest, a rabbi and a mullah walk into a bar …”

Modern culture has changed that joke. On Sunday night, Feb. 16, the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) and Neranenah sponsored “Comedy for Peace,” where four diverse comedians performed their best schtick. Emcee Tehran Van Chasri, Steve Marshall, Zara Khan, and Erik Angel composed the raucous rainbow of faiths and styles.

Tehran, who flew in from L.A. and was the most well-known of the group, explained that his father was Iranian, mother was Black, and grandparent was Jewish. He was bar mitzvahed and went on Birthright. He has to explain to his Black friends that challah is “just like cornbread.” He said, “Here I am, half Negro, half terrorist at airport security getting a ‘colonoscopy’ type of screening … my grandmother used me as her Shabbas goy until I was 18.”

He described walking with his Chabadnik best friend and his 14 kids, and getting paint thrown on him by a “Free Palestine” protester. Overall, his message was, “Have an open mind. Why is there so much hate?”

Next up was Israeli Erik Angel who also served as tour organizer. He mimicked Israeli stereotypes, shouting loudly to one another, having a “falafel accent.” His funniest bit was about getting a cab in Alabama where he assumed the accented driver was a Muslim, so he pretended to be Syrian. Later, they discovered that they were both Israelis.

He said, “With all the antisemitism, I’m going to Alaska to join the ‘chosen

frozen’ … it’s easy to convert to Islam, we cannot ‘unsubscribe’ to Judaism.”

He ended up with traditional bits about his Israeli mother coming for 10 months to visit him in New York, so he “got her an Airbnb in L.A.,” and his own fights with his wife, where language is a barrier – “her English to me is like Shakespeare.”

He ended up with the always funny Jewish relationship with food. “We eat foods we cannot digest, have 17 snacks

JEWELRY & WATCH REPAIRS

a day, and eat TUMS. TUMS has saved more Jews than Oscar Schindler.”

Up next was Khan, a Muslim from California. She laughed about her dating experiences on apps. “If you are an appendix, I’d like to take you out …  Are you Google cause I’m sure looking you up … You must be a terrorist cause you’re ‘the bomb!’”

Many stand-ups use comedy to express their own pain as Khan explained that she was bipolar and had thus become a therapist which was her day job. She said, “Bipolar is not a cool disorder like ADHD or autism. I’m an alcoholic, too.”

The most animated performer was Brooklynite Steve Marshall who worked the room mingling and charming the audience. He started with how he was bullied at school and later tried going to Catholic confessional. “It was like a vertical coffin,” which didn’t quell his yearning to be Italian where “the fifth graders had girlfriends, and he had a stamp collection.”

He then segued into the role of Jewish women, who are “not wives, but GPSs. We would be lost without them.” His funniest routine was about his accounting degree. “In bed, I understand the ledger, I draw two lines on the sheets …

I’m so proud to be Jewish, I’m going to a plastic surgeon to make my nose bigger! I’m learning about LGBTQ’s. I thought it was a bacon lettuce sandwich … And who doesn’t leave home without re-checking the door lock and being told to take a sweater? … Jews invented YELP to complain.”

Some of the comedians picked out audience members with whom to jive. A Hindu family received a lot of attention and were good sports about it. Another picked out a man with a younger wife who was the lighthearted brunt of “trading in the old model for this new one.” Catholics took a lot of ribbing. The show ended with all four taking questions from the audience, especially about taking the tour to college campuses.

Neranenah executive director Joe Alterman said, “I’m incredibly proud that 250 people came out to experience this show. In a time of increasing division, the arts remain one of the few spaces where we can truly come together. This program … beautifully showcased the unifying magic of the arts and its profound importance — especially today. It was inspiring to see so many not only enjoy the show and its message, but also feel the transformative power of the arts firsthand.” ì

Tehran Van Chasri, Steve Marshall, Zara Khan, and Erik Angel took questions after the show, mostly about the importance of bringing the tour to college campuses.

Steve Marshall showed his warmth and talent by relating closely with the audience.

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residents enjoying conversation in a Garden Tower apartment.

MDA Trains 35K Across Israel on Defibrillators

Tens of thousands of Israelis across the country took part in National Defibrillator Day, an initiative led by Magen David Adom (MDA) in collaboration with Mifal HaPais (Israel’s national lottery), the Federation of Local Authorities, and the Friends of MDA organizations. As part of the initiative, MDA volunteers

Today in Israeli History

March 15, 1939: Kol Tzion HaLokhemet (“Voice of the Fighting Zion”), the underground radio network operated by the Irgun, broadcasts for the first time. Highlighting news the British would censor, the network operates until independence in 1948.

March 16, 1722: Berlin’s Jewish community is reorganized under a new constitution after Prussian authorities issue statutes regulating the community. The Aeltesten Reglement reinforces Jewish communal autonomy and collective responsibility.

Amnon Rubinstein submitted the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty to the Knesset, arguing that “the Jewish people have a long and continuing love affair with human rights.”

March 17, 1992: The Knesset enacts the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty. Concerns about conflicts with Jewish law had long blocked such a statement of support for core human rights among the laws that operate as a constitution.

March 18, 1975: The United States begins “reassessing” its relationship with Israel because President Gerald Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger are frustrated over Israel’s reluctance to withdraw from the Sinai without security guarantees.

ISRAEL PRIDE

NEWS FROM OUR JEWISH HOME

set up more than 500 training stations across the country to instruct members of the public on how to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death, with survival rates as low as 7 percent. However, a high availability of AEDs in public space can drastically improve the chances of survival. Among out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, 70 percent occur in private homes, 12 percent in establishments, and 18 percent in public areas. Meanwhile, 37 percent of initial interventions using defibrillators are conducted by bystanders with no formal medical training.

In 2022, MDA established National Defibrillator Day to help raise awareness, expand AED accessibility, and train more people to respond effectively in emergencies. Now in its fourth year, the initiative continues to grow, equipping tens of thousands of Israelis with the confidence and skills to save lives.

Compiled by AJT Staff

March 19, 2012: In response to the death of a model who weighed 60 pounds, the Knesset adopts the “Photoshop Law,” setting a minimum body-mass index for adult models and clear notification of any alteration or digital manipulation of an image.

The Jewish Colonial Trust raised money through certificates such as this one from 1907.

March 20, 1899: The Jewish Colonial Trust, proposed at the First Zionist Congress and approved at the Second Zionist Congress, is incorporated as a central development bank to support the Jewish national home’s growth.

March 21, 2013: U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a broadcast address to 600 university students in Jerusalem. He pleads for a two-state solution with the Palestinians while emphasizing that “Israel is not going anywhere.”

March 22, 1945: Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Transjordan sign the Arab League Constitution after five days of deliberations in Cairo. A Palestinian representative participates in the talks but does not sign.

Israeli Quantum Control Startup Secures $170M Investment

Israeli startup Quantum Machines has secured $170 million in funding from

March 23, 1915: A Jewish unit of the British army is formed in Egypt with about 500 volunteers, many of whom had been expelled from Palestine. What begins as the Assyrian Refugee Mule Corps becomes known as the Zion Mule Corps.

March 24, 1966: An instructional program in math targeting seventh- and ninthgraders in 32 schools becomes Israel’s first TV broadcast, 10 years after Jordan and six years after Egypt launched domestic television channels.

March 25, 1950: Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Sheik Yusuf Yassin tells a visiting U.S. diplomat that Arab states will never work with Israel. “We shall never admit a Jew. … We shall never admit anyone traveling on an Israeli visa.”

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin shake hands at the White House signing ceremony for the peace treaty March 26, 1979. // By Ya’acov Sa’ar, Israeli Government Press Office, CC BY-SA 3.0

March 26, 1979: Six months after signing the Camp David Accords, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and U.S. President Jimmy Carter sign Israel’s first peace treaty with an Arab neighbor.

backers including Intel’s investment arm, as the global race to develop practical and useful quantum computing, which has the potential to speed up solutions to today’s most complex problems, heats up.

The funding round was led by Boston-based growth investor PSG Equity and joined by Intel’s investment arm, Intel Capital, Israeli venture capital company Red Dot Capital Partners, and existing investors. The investment takes the startup’s total funding to date to $280 million.

Founded in 2018 by award-winning quantum electronics experts Dr. Itamar Sivan, Dr. Yonatan Cohen, and Dr. Nissim Ofek, Quantum Machines develops hardware and software technologies to help quantum computing manufacturers operate, control, and manage quantum processors. These are at the core of realizing the potential of quantum computers.

Compiled by AJT Staff

March 27, 1949: Elisheva Bikhovsky, one of the “four mothers” of modern Hebrew poetry, dies of cancer at age 60 in Tiberias. Though not Jewish, she was the first woman to publish a volume of Hebrew poetry in Palestine.

March 28, 2002: Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah presents what becomes known as the Arab Peace Initiative in Beirut. The plan features two states along pre-1967 lines and normal relations between all Arab countries and Israel.

March 29, 2002: Israel calls up 30,000 military reservists and announces Operation Defensive Shield in response to a particularly brutal month of the Second Intifada. During the 19-day campaign, Israel controls most West Bank cities.

Maimonides is depicted in an 18th century portrait.

March 30, 1135: Moses Ben Maimon, known as Maimonides and the Rambam, is born in Cordoba, Spain. (Some sources say the year is 1138.) His family lives in Morocco and Palestine before settling in 1166 in Fustat, Egypt.

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

Tens of thousands of Israelis learned how to operate automated external defibrillators in an initiative led by Magen David Adom.

Employees at Quantum Machines, which was selected to establish the Israeli Quantum Computing Center at Tel Aviv University // Photo Credit: Dima Karminsky/Times of Israel

IDF Sends 14K More Draft Orders to Haredi Men

Ultra-Orthodox soldiers drafted to the IDF’s new Haredi brigade, known as the Hasmonean Brigade, Jan. 5, 2025 // Photo Credit: Israel Defense Forces/Times of Israel

Speaking to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, a senior Israel Defense Forces officer in charge of encouraging ultra-Orthodox enlistment said that the IDF would soon be sending out 14,000 more draft orders to members of the Haredi community.

Asked if the IDF would reach its goal of 4,800 Haredi recruits over a year with the next wave of draft orders, Lt. Col. Avigdor Dickstein said, “no.”

Dickstein told the committee that on March 13, a first wave of 5,000 draft orders will be sent out; on April 6, there will be another wave of 4,000; and on May 4, there will be a third wave of 5,000.

Of the total, 9,100 would be randomly sent to Haredim who are eligible for military service, while the other 4,900 will be sent to those the IDF assumes will actually show up at the induction center. They include those who are working, are students of higher education, or hold driver’s licenses — indicators that they are not in full-time yeshiva learning.

This past year, some 70,000 Haredi males were listed as eligible for military service.

The orders, which constitute the first stage in the screening and evaluation process that the army carries out for recruits ahead of enlistment in the military in the coming year, come after a landmark High Court ruling in June 2024

that said there was no longer any legal framework allowing the state to refrain from drafting Haredi yeshiva students into military service.

Between July 2024 and this month, the IDF sent out 10,000 initial draft orders to members of the Haredi community in several waves. So far, only 177 of them have so far enlisted in the military. Some are still in the process of enlisting.

Dickstein told the committee that 2,231 second draft orders were sent to those who did not show up at induction centers after receiving a first order.

Over 1,000 “arrest warrants” were issued against those who ignored the second draft order. The IDF Military Police does not plan to actually carry out arrests but instead wait until they are declared “draft evaders” and leave it to law enforcement.

After receiving an arrest warrant, those recruits will receive an immediate call-up order, and if they ignore it, they will be declared as draft evaders. The consequences of being declared a draft evader include receiving a “no exit order” — being barred from leaving the country — and during any encounter with the police, the draft dodger can be arrested.

So far, 265 Haredim out of the 10,000 have been declared draft evaders, Dickstein said. ì

Compiled by AJT Staff

IS ELI HOSTAGE T CKER

Israeli hostages set to be released in phase two:

Fifty-nine more hostages are held in Gaza by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists and are supposed to be released as part of a successful negotiation of the phase two portion of the deal. The hostages are:

Nattapong Pinta, 36

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

Edan Alexander, 21

David Cunio, 34

Eyvatar David, 24

The following hostages have reportedly been murdered and are expected to be returned in phase two:

Amiram Cooper, 84 (murdered in captivity)

Inbar Hayman, 27 (murdered in captivity)

Asaf Hamami, 41 (murdered in captivity)

Eliyahu Margalit, 75 (murdered in captivity)

Uriel Baruch, 35 (murdered in captivity)

Tal Haimi, 41 (murdered in captivity)

Oz Daniel, 19 (murdered in captivity)

Tamir Adar, 38 (murdered in captivity)

Eitan Levy, 52 (murdered in captivity)

Ran Gvili, 24 (murdered in captivity)

Yonatan Samerano, 21 (murdered in captivity)

Yair Yaakov, 59 (murdered in captivity)

Ronen Engel, 54  (murdered in captivity)

Sahar Baruch, 35  (murdered in captivity)

Itay Chen, 19 (murdered in captivity)

Aviv Atzili, 49 (murdered in captivity)

Dror Or, 48 (murdered in captivity)

Muhammad Al-Atrash, 39  (murdered in captivity)

Gad Haggai, 72 (murdered in captivity)

Joshua Loitu Mollel, 21  (murdered in captivity)

Idan Shitvi, 28 (murdered in captivity)

Yossi Sharabi, 53 (murdered in captivity)

Arie Zalmanovich, 85  (murdered in captivity)

Daniel Peretz, 22  (murdered in captivity)

Guy Illouz, 26 (murdered in captivity)

Ofra Keidar, 70 (murdered in captivity)

Lior Rudaeff, 61 (murdered in captivity)

Judi Weinstein-Haggai, 70  (murdered in captivity)

Meny Godard, 73 (murdered in captivity)

Shay Levinson, 19 (murdered in captivity)

Ilan Weiss, 56 (murdered in captivity)

Hadar Goldin, 23 (murdered in 2014)

Omer Neutra, 21 (murdered in captivity)

Sonthaya Oakkharasri  (murdered in captivity)

Sudthisak Rinthalak (murdered in captivity)

‘Years of Joy and Light — Now Extinguished.’

Dave Schechter

From Where I Sit

Ohad Yahalomi was one of four murdered hostages whose bodies Hamas returned on Feb. 27.

“It has been a devastating day,” said Danielle Kapp Cohen, a freelance writer and editor in East Cobb, who has made it her mission to support Yahalomi’s family.

I wrote about Cohen’s efforts in this space last April. Through her mother’s sister, who made Aliyah 60 years ago, Cohen has three first cousins in Israel. One is BatChen Grinberg, who lives at Kibbuz HaOgen, where the Yahalomi family relocated after terrorists attacked Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023.

When Hamas terrorists invaded Nir Oz, Ohad Yahalomi sat in front of the safe room door, with its broken handle, as his

wife and three children huddled inside. He exchanged gunfire with the attackers, until he was shot in a leg and an arm.

The terrorists put his wife, BatSheva, and the children, onto two motorcycles bound for Gaza. As Israeli tanks approached, the motorcycles veered. One toppled, allowing BatSheva — along with her 10-year-old and 20-month-old daughters — to escape. Returning to Nir Oz, they found their home uninhabitable and Ohad missing.

Thirteen-year-old Eitan Yahalomi, meanwhile, suffered 52 days of hell. The boy reported being beaten by Palestinian civilians, forced to watch Hamas videos from Oct. 7, and threatened at gunpoint if he made a sound. He was told that Israel had been destroyed, and that no one was coming for him.

Eitan was reunited with his mother and sisters in a Nov. 27, 2023, hostage exchange.

Grinberg told Cohen how her 12-yearold son, Adi, had befriended Eitan. Moved by her cousin’s story, Cohen set out to raise $1,800 — 100 times “Chai” — to support

the Yahalomis. Through friends and family that goal was met in 48 hours. As word of Cohen’s effort spread, “Complete strangers were donating and donating generously. It was just mind boggling to me.”

Over 13 months, more than $38,000 has been raised, money that goes directly to the family. The 645 donors (some giving multiple times) have come from 202 cities in 27 states and the District of Columbia, and from seven countries over four continents.

Ohad Yahalomi was buried March 5 in the cemetery at Nir Oz. In her tearful eulogy, BatSheva Yahalomi said: “Ohad, my love, 16 years together — of being an anchor, of growth, of love. Years of joy and light — now extinguished. And I wander in the shadows, groping, trying to figure out how to move forward without you. You are missing in every decision, in everything we do . . . I love you. I hope that when the time comes, we will be together again. Farewell, love of my life.”

Five days before Ohad Yahalomi’s body was returned, Tal Shoham was one of six hostages who returned alive, after Israel exchanged more than 600 jailed Palestinians to secure their freedom.

Oct. 7, along with his older brother, Iair. Before Iair was freed on Feb. 15 Hamas recorded and later released video of the brothers embracing.

“I am very happy that my brother will be released tomorrow, but it is not logical in any way that families are being separated,” Eitan said, before crying on Iair’s shoulder. “Tell mom, dad and everyone to continue with the demonstrations, that they shouldn’t stop, and that the government should sign already onto the second and third phases of the deal to return all of us home.”

A distraught Iair told their captors, “You are now forcing me to leave my little brother here to die.”

That is why, on March 5, Iair Horn held a poster of his brother as he and other former hostages stood in front of the U.S. Capitol, before they met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

Aviv Havron, editor of the Shabbat supplement in the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Aharanot, has written at length about his family’s ordeal. Three family members were killed and seven more were kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7, 2023. Tal Shoham was the last to be freed. In an article published on March 6, he quoted Shoham as saying: “I feel like I left my brothers behind, and I am obliged to save them."

At this writing, no deal has been reached to secure the return of 59 hostages still in Gaza —of whom just 24 are believed alive.

Just hours after Shoham returned from 505 days of captivity, his parents, Gilad and Nitza Korngold, were in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. “Looking into his eyes, after so many times I imagined this meeting, was worth every moment of the unremitting struggle we and you have been waging for far too long,” Tal’s father, Gilad, told a crowd of some 2,000 people.

A week later, Nitza Korngold stood in Hostages Square holding a poster of another hostage, Eitan Horn.

Horn was kidnapped from Nir Oz on

“We can and must get all the hostages out,” Gilad Korngold said at Hostages Square. “And we need all of you, with us, to make sure that no one — no one — thwarts the rest of the mission to release the hostages who are still suffering in Gaza.” 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.

Kaufmann Continues Her Family’s Wrestling Legacy

David Ostrowsky

These days, Elle Kaufmann is admittedly “a little bored.” Coming off her third straight state wrestling title last month to eclipse her father, Rocky, a two-time Lovett state champion, Kaufmann is sorely missing the adrenaline rush she gets from leaving it all on the mat. The Lovett junior, who two years ago became the school’s firstever state champ, is staying busy with track & field, but the grueling and punishing nature of high school wrestling, of which she hopes to become Georgia’s first-ever four-time female state champ next year, remains at the forefront of her mind.

“I will say coming off a third straight championship and just completely dropping wrestling for the first time in a couple months, it was a little bit of a shock,” Kaufmann explained during a recent interview with the AJT.  “I miss the challenge of it. It makes you feel greater than life in a way. And being surrounded by so many like-minded people, it really pushes you toward that direction. There’s something about the wrestling community. It’s so tight and they’re all about helping each other out and putting you through it.”

Kaufmann, whose older brother, Aidan, used to wrestle at Lovett and is now studying aeronautical engineering at Embry-Riddle Prescott, went through a lot this winter. For nearly two months during the heart of this past season, she battled one illness after another, including a nasty stomach virus, while also suffering a relatively minor dog bite. Miraculously, she stayed in top-notch condition, not missing a single meet throughout her dominant run to the Georgia High School Association traditional wrestling state championships in Macon where she pulled off the state title trifecta in the all-classification girls’ competition by winning the 145-pound girls’ weight class with a 10-4 decision over Cherokee’s Savannah Chao.

“Winning it this time was definitely pretty fun,” shared Kaufmann, whose uncle also wrestled at Lovett. “It was also cool to build upon our family’s legacy. Legacy is a huge thing at Lovett. We have generations of people who come to that

school and go out as champs as well.”

A multi-talented athlete who, in addition to excelling in shot put and discus in the spring plays first base for the school’s softball team in the fall, Kaufmann has her eye on continuing her wrestling career as she starts weighing her college options. Unfortunately, though women’s amateur wrestling is becoming more popular, quite a few colleges, including her dream school, Army, have been slow to incorporate the program at the varsity level into their respective athletic departments. Nevertheless, Kaufmann, who may go down as the greatest female high school wrestler in Georgia history, remains undeterred in her goal of wrestling as long as she possibly can. (Aidan originally had hoped to wrestle in college and actually walked onto Embry-Riddle Prescott’s team as a freshman but an excruciating shoulder injury from a state tournament during his senior year at Lovett eventually necessitated surgery and he could not proceed.) There’s always a new technique, cardio exercise, or conditioning cycle -- to master that requires tapping into every ounce of strength,

which delivers the ultimate rush.

“The thing about wrestling is that it always surprises you with new challenges,” added Kaufmann. “And it also depends on the coaches you have and whom you’re surrounding yourself with. Wrestling is always going to be the toughest sport in the world, no matter what I do.”

Though the next high school wrestling season doesn’t start until November, this off-season still presents opportunities for Kaufmann to partake in a couple premier wrestling tournaments, including the marquee event of the summer, the 2025 USA Wrestling Junior and 16U National Championships in Fargo, N.D., in which wrestlers from all corners of America, as well as Puerto Rico, will compete.

This time of year, quite possibly, the only thing Kaufmann hates more than counting down the days until her next wrestling competition is talking about herself. Ask her about the highlights from this past season, and she will quickly cite the boys team’s smashing success at States. As it turns out, two of the

boys’ standouts, Chris Mance and Cael Kusky, are state champs themselves, in the 190-pound class and 126-pound class, respectively, and regularly trained with Kaufmann during this past winter. Ask her about what she credits for her now yearslong string of triumphs on the mat, and she answers as follows: “I’m thankful for all my coaches. They’re the only reason why I’ve been so successful.

“I would never be in this position if it weren’t for my family. My father and my mother have always told me that I could do anything I wanted. I guess I did them right so far. And my brother, who’s the reason that I got into wrestling in the first place, has always been my idol.”

This winter, a scheduling conflict hindered Aidan from traveling crosscountry from Prescott, Ariz., to watch his sister take home a third state title. Much to his dismay, he had to resort to watching the match online from his school dorm. However, should Elle be gunning for her fourth state crown next year, there is little doubt that he will be in attendance for the next chapter of his family’s brilliant wrestling legacy to unfold. ì

Coming off her third consecutive wrestling state championship, Lovett’s Paige Kaufmann is looking to make history next winter in becoming Georgia’s first-ever four-time state champ // Photo Credit: Paige Kaufmann

Blank, Falcons Score Aces on Report Card

By David Ostrowsky

Though not much has changed on the field record-wise for the Falcons coming off an 8-9 season following three straight 7-10 campaigns, off the field, the franchise made a quantum leap in receiving vastly improved marks in the latest NFL Players Association report card, the results of which were released late last month.

For the third consecutive year, the NFLPA has conducted in-season surveys across every single organization to solicit feedback from hundreds of players – even those on the practice squad – about their respective teams’ facilities, travel logistics, coaching staff, and leadership groups, among other factors. After finishing 25th out of 32 teams when the results came out following the 2023 season, the Falcons came in third overall while ranking in the top five in six of the 11 categories. In no category did Atlanta score below a “B” grade. Finishing ahead of Atlanta were the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, both of which are led by Jewish principal owners, Stephen Ross and Zygi and Mark Wilf, respectively.

It is no coincidence that the results are unveiled in late February, just a couple weeks before the free agency window officially opens. Players looking for a new home put a lot of stock into these surveys – filled out by respondents anonymously and conducted by a third-party company – and it certainly bodes well for Atlanta’s front office that players acknowledged the significant facility upgrades, including a drastically revamped and expanded weight room, locker room, and dining area, during the 2024 season.

“It’s great to be recognized that first of all, we’ve got an A+ owner,” shared Falcons president Greg Beadles, who’s heralded league wide for having strong expertise in team and facility operations and finance, when speaking to the AJT last week. “I think the folks here in Atlanta know that and recognize that. So certainly, for our players to see that and see his [Arthur Blank’s] commitment to winning and providing them with everything they need to be successful is where it all starts. It’s been really a dramatic improvement.”

The enhancements to player-focused areas – namely those at the team’s Flowery Branch training facility – have been in the works for the past five years and over this past season really came to fruition. As NFL teams’ rosters and accompanying coaching and support staffs have mushroomed in size this century,

primarily because of the league’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA), renovations, updates, and expansions have been in order and were executed across the aforementioned three primary areas: the strength and conditioning room, locker room, and cafeteria.

Previously, the strength and conditioning room was approximately 6,000 square feet in size, which was deemed small by current NFL standards. Now, in its stead is a new 14,000-square-foot room that features high-tech lifting equipment, a designated area for doing shuttle runs, and garage doors that open up to the practice field. Moving the strength and conditioning room subsequently freed up space for an expanded locker room that can now accommodate every single player during training camp when rosters expand so that first-year players will no longer be assigned to an auxiliary locker room.

In addition to this dynamic conducive to fostering strong team chemistry, the locker room now has enhanced ventilation – another feature that comes in

handy during summertime training sessions. Meanwhile, a revamped cafeteria offers more spacious areas resplendent with Falcons memorabilia for players and coaching staff to enjoy what are apparently higher quality meals. Ultimately, the weight room and locker room received an “A+” while the food and dining area was awarded an “A.”    However, the purpose of these report cards is not just to gauge respondents’ appreciation for their employers knocking down walls to build glitzy and larger facilities. There are intangibles pertaining to an organization’s culture – treatment of families has been a major concern among many NFL players – that are of the utmost importance. To that end, the Falcons fared quite well, receiving an “A” in treatment of families and a “B+” in team travel. Ownership, a group headlined by Arthur Blank, owner and chairman of the Blank Family of Businesses, did indeed receive an “A+” rating for its “perceived willingness to invest in the facilities” and because it “significantly contributes to a positive team culture.”

“In all of Arthur’s businesses, back to Home Depot and all the way through now, culture and our core values are right at the top,” added Beadles. “It’s more than just a poster on the wall. It really is things that we try to live by and things that we use to make our decisions.”

One such monumental decision was the hiring of Raheem Morris, who in his first year as full-time Falcons head coach guided the team to their best record since 2017. Morris earned an “A+” for being highly receptive to players’ feedback and ever mindful of time efficiency. In terms of the team’s support staff, notable members including strength coaches, trainers, and the nutritionist all received marks in the “A” range.

The coming days, as the free agency signing period commences, may provide a glimpse into just how much clout these sparkling results have on free agents’ decisions.

“I think big picture, it gives them a good feel for the culture and support in the building that players can expect,” stated Beadles. “To most guys, that’s important.” ì

With dramatically improved facilities at their Flowery Branch training center, the Atlanta Falcons in turn received dramatically improved grades in the recent NFLPA report card // Atlanta Falcons media relations

MJCCA Honored for Adult Jewish Education

GA Represented in World Zionist Congress Election

Fifty candidates from Georgia have registered to run in the 39th World Zionist Congress election to be held between March 10 to May 4.

The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) celebrates director Talya Gorsetman and associate Judy Stolovitz, the inspiring leaders of the Lisa F. Brill Institute for Jewish Learning, who have received the Florence Melton Award for Outstanding Achievement and Exemplary Practice.

This honor, recognizing their extraordinary leadership, innovation, and dedication to adult Jewish education, marks a historic moment: Atlanta is the first community to receive this award twice. The Lisa F. Brill Institute for Jewish Learning’s Melton program was previously honored in 2014, and under Gorsetman’s and Stolovitz’s stewardship, it has continued to set a national standard for accessible and inclusive Jewish learning.

Under their leadership, the Lisa F. Brill Institute for Jewish Learning has transformed Jewish learning in Atlanta. It offers courses at the MJCCA, synagogues of all denominations, day schools, and private homes, ensuring that every learner can engage with Jewish education in meaningful ways.

Their impact extends beyond Atlanta, as they played a pivotal role in developing “What’s Mine is Yours,” an innovative curriculum designed to make Jewish learning accessible to adults with cogni-

tive disabilities. This initiative originated in Atlanta and is now a national model for Jewish communities across the country.

Their efforts to foster communitywide engagement also led to the successful Roundtable Learning pilot program, which brought together leaders from nine synagogues and their congregational rabbis to build deeper understanding and unity across the Jewish community.

“Talya and Judy embody the very best of the MJCCA’s mission—to create transformative experiences that strengthen Jewish life and community,” said Jared Powers, CEO of the MJCCA.

“Their dedication to ensuring that Jewish learning is welcoming, inclusive, and engaging has had a lasting impact in Atlanta and Jewish education nationwide. We are incredibly proud to see their hard work and leadership recognized with this well-deserved honor.”

Their ability to blend in-person and online offerings has made high-quality Jewish education more accessible than ever before. For more information about Jewish learning opportunities at the MJCCA, visit https://www.atlantajcc.org/ourprograms/jewish-living/jewish-learning/

Compiled by AJT Staff

Fifty candidates from Georgia have registered to run in the 39th World Zionist Congress election, in advance of voting in the U.S. for the body known as the “parliament of the Jewish people.” An alltime-high 21 slates representing diverse political beliefs, religious denominations, and cultural traditions are competing in the election, with voting occurring between March 10 and May 4, 2025. The election — facilitated by the American Zionist Movement (AZM) — offers Jews across the U.S. their most powerful opportunity to have their voice heard in Israel’s future, make an impact on Jewish communities worldwide, and proudly stand up for Zionism. The 50 Georgiabased candidates come from 13 of the 21 slates.

More than 2,900 candidates, from 43 U.S. states and territories, are running in the 2025 election — representing more than a 60 percent increase in candidates from the 2020 election. Further, the addition of eight new slates marks a 62 percent surge from the 13 slates whose candidates won seats in the Congress in 2020. This positions the American Jewish community to turn out a record number of voters and by consequence, to have a

more influential voice than ever in the allocation of over $1 billion annually in support for Israel and world Jewry. The 152 delegates who will be elected to represent the United States — amounting to approximately one-third of the Congress — will join with others from around the world to make key decisions regarding the leadership and priorities of the World Zionist Organization (WZO), the Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemet LeIsrael (KKL-JNF), The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and Keren Hayesod. These decisions will dictate the course of funding that advances a multitude of high-priority Jewish and Zionist causes, including (but not limited to) support for the most vulnerable members of Israeli society; the humanitarian and rebuilding response to the Oct. 7 attacks; cultivating Jewish identity in Israel; Aliyah to Israel from around the world; fostering connection between Israel and world Jewry; Zionist education; and bolstering security at Jewish institutions. The 39th World Zionist Congress will convene in Jerusalem from Oct. 28-30, 2025. The election and Congress take place once every five years.

Compiled by AJT Staff

The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s Lisa F. Brill Institute for Jewish Learning has been honored with the Florence Melton Award for Outstanding Achievement and Exemplary Practice.

Hadassah Southeastern Holds Annual Winter Conference

Michelle Weiner-Merbaum, chair of the new PRIMEtime program for women in their 50’s and 60’s, plans great activities to encourage their participation.

Hadassah’s Southeastern Region held its annual conference in Atlanta on March 1-2. This region is the home to more than 6,000 members and supporters throughout Georgia, South Carolina and western North Carolina, with a diverse mix of experience, ages and backgrounds. The attendees are proud of their Southern warmth and engaging community.

Hadassah’s goal is working together to further Hadassah’s lifesaving work in the U.S., Israel and around the world, and fostering leadership, empowerment and volunteerism. This region’s special achievements include the very recent and extraordinarily successful Myrtle Wreath Awards Gala that brought in over $380,000, Best Strokes, Chesed Student Awards in recognition of teen activists, Starfish Walk in South Carolina, advocacy and educational programs, book talks and more, all to benefit Hadassah’s hospitals, youth at risk in Israel and more.

Paula Zucker, president of the Southeastern region explains, “Hadassah has a rich history of making a difference in our communities on the national scene and in Israel. Our guiding vision of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, has helped us advocate for women’s rights, raise awareness of women’s health issues, raise funding for incredible medical research at our hospitals, and care for youth at risk in our villages in Israel.”

Paula Zucker, President Hadassah Southeastern Region, covering Georgia, South Carolina and parts of North Carolina, greets attendees at the Winter Annual Conference in Atlanta.

Hana Landesman spoke about Hadassah’s new program, EVOLVE, “We are a group of passionate, dynamic, supersavvy young women between 30 and 50, dedicated to shepherding Hadassah’s core mission into the future! We have held several special events; some just for women and some with women and their children. I’m so proud to be the chair of this new exciting program.”

Michelle Weiner-Merbaum explained about the newest addition to Hadassah’s portfolio: “PRIMEtime encompasses unique programs for women in their 50s/60s. The most recent event was a wine tasting party where participants enjoyed sampling wine and learned about the secrets of wine tasting.”

Simone Wilker, advocacy chair for Southeastern region of Hadassah, explains, “Our events give us the opportunity to educate our members and the community about the most recent advances at the Israeli hospital system of Hadassah. We are proud to announce that Hadassah Medical Organization is the first health network in Israel to acquire the VECTRA WB360 3D, a whole-body imaging system that allows doctors to examine the skin on a patient’s entire body in just two minutes.”

To learn more about Hadassah, please visit www.Hadassah.org

Largest Jewish Women’s Leadership Summit Convenes

around the world pray and draw strength at the

Some 4,000 Chabad-Lubavitch women emissaries and lay leaders from around the globe gathered recently in New York for the 35th annual International Conference of Chabad Women Emissaries, the largest Jewish women’s leadership gathering in the world.

While the yearly conference has a celebratory atmosphere, uniting women leaders from Alaska to Zambia, this year’s gathering came during a particularly challenging time for Jewish communities worldwide. From devastating wildfires in California to ongoing war in Israel, and rising antisemitism on college campuses, the women on the frontlines of Jewish communal service are confronting urgent realities.

Chabad-Lubavitch women emissaries, known as shluchos, are dedicated leaders who manage and grow Jewish communi-

ties worldwide, often in remote locations with minimal Jewish infrastructure. They serve both affiliated and unaffiliated Jews, welcoming all regardless of background or observance level. From bustling urban centers to quiet towns, Chabad women create not just spiritual homes but vibrant focal points of Jewish life.

The conference, known as Kinus Hashluchos, ran from Feb. 19-23, uniting women leaders from all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 countries for five days of workshops, networking, and spiritual renewal. The conference is annually timed to coincide with the anniversary of the passing of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, of righteous memory, the wife of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.

Compiled by AJT Staff

Chabad women leaders from

Rebbe’s resting place.

PURIM

The 5785 Purim Gazette

Professor Essie Fresser

The Atlanta Jewish Times once again welcomes esteemed world traveler and journalist Professor Essie Fresser as guest editor of The Purim Gazette. The Pugh-Litzer prize- winning columnist for “Gussy Up” magazine, Dr. Fresser recently completed a lecture tour in which she discussed her latest book, “A Coat of Too Many Colors,” which deals candidly with her views on flamboyance.

The AJT also welcomes Professor Fresser’s daughter, fact checker Bessie Fresser Besser, and Bessie’s husband, web manager Lester Besser.

Mystery Seeds at Botanical Garden

Yodela Plotnick and Molly Coddle, researchers in Buford’s Botanical Garden’s Rare Plants Center, received an envelope of mysterious purple seeds that arrived by courier from an unidentified sender. The scientists decided not to plant the seeds on the Buford Botanical Garden’s property, fearing that the seeds might turn out to be an invasive species or even prove to be toxic. Instead, they planted the mystery seeds in a raised bed in Plotnick’s backyard, “just to see what would happen.” They named the purple-seeded future plant violetta mistericus, “Viola” for short.

Within a few months, the seeds sprouted, and the leaves of the mature plants, when rubbed, smelled like beets and repelled mosquitoes. Surprisingly, when Plotnick’s teenaged granddaughter, Trudy, tripped and fell face-first onto Viola’s maroon and aubergine leaves, her acne disappeared. Subsequently, Plotnick and Coddle contacted the CDC which agreed to research Viola’s apparently beneficial DNA. Soon, the NIH got involved. Violas were soon growing like weeds in secret government greenhouses in Potomac, Md.

With hopes of curing acne, exploring the beet connection, and eradicating mosquito-driven diseases, the NIH amped up its rigorous trials. Word of the miraculous plant leaked, and pharmaceutical and beauty product companies, with eyes on novel mosquito repellent and acne prevention product possibilities, pushed for FDA approval. Food companies sought access to Viola’s beet-hued leaf extract as a potential natural scent and dye.

Unwilling to wait years for FDA’s OK for safe acne prevention, Plotnick’s granddaughter beat the slowly moving FDA approval process by giving Viola leaves from the raised bed to classmates in time for them to become zit free by the spring prom. “It will be kind of cool,” Trudy mused, “if all my friends smell like beets on prom night.”

Rembrandt Restoration Discovery

Dr. Pripichik Zitz, director of the restoration department at Atlanta’s Hi- Ho Museum of Art, received an urgent message from a member of his staff down the hall. The restorer was repairing and cleaning a 17th century Rembrandt oil painting, a wellknown portrait of an unidentified elderly Jew. Zitz rushed to the lab and breathlessly watched him slowly reveal what looked like a triangular pastry lying on the table next to the bearded gentleman in the painting. Portly Zitz, who is no stranger to ethnic pastries, immediately identified the object as a hammantash, but just to be sure, he called an expert, Rabbi Al Hans Ondeck. Ondeck confirmed Zitz’s assessment and generously returned the next day with homemade hammantashen for the restoration team (two agnostics, one atheist, one Buddhist) to reward their discovery.

The refurbished Rembrandt, renamed, “Old Jew with One Hammantash,” now hangs between an unsigned Vermeer and a minor Goya charcoal in the Old Masters gallery. Rabbi Ondeck will join Dr. Zitz to speak about the artist, the painting, and the pastry in a free gallery talk at noon on March 14.

“The Grogger Girl” Comes to Atlanta

Don’t miss Goldie Glatt’s one-woman show, “The Grogger Girl,” in which the contortionist uses noisemakers from around the world in an exuberant quasi-musical percussion performance. The cacophonous performance will be held Thursday evening, March 13, at the Ivory University music school amphitheater. Known for her unique wrist, elbow, hip, and ankle flexibility, Glatt demonstrates the charm and range of common groggers. Don’t miss the closing number in which she plays eight noisemakers with each ra’ashan and ratchet having its own part in the piece, all coming together in a stunning octet of rhythm and timbre.

New Kosher Cookbook

Mel Lon Balle

Purim Gazette Culture Editor, movie buff, and kosher chef, Mel Lon Balle, has written a new cookbook for his film-loving fans, “Folk Food and Fliks.” The cookbook’s table of contents lists Balle’s favorite recipes and includes terse descriptions of each dish, which he claims have been taste-tested by his five children, who are all picky eaters.

“Pulp Flanken,” a simple recipe perfect for over-chewers

“The Wolf’s Kasha of Wall Street,” NYC Financial District café’s popular side dish

“Ground Beef Day,” a collection of hamburger recipes to serve over and over

“The Silence of the Lamb Chops,” secrets of high-end caterers

“Rebel Without a Kugel,” an uncompromising chef promotes only no-carb meals

“The Eggplant Strikes Back,” baba ganoush recipe combats bloating and belching

“Gone With the Whitefish,” deli owner’s wife robs display case when she leaves him

“Monty Python and the Holy Gribbenes,” Michael Palin’s worshipful obsession with fried chicken fat

“Meatballs on the Orient Express,” comfort food to bring on a luxury train trip

“To Sir, With Loaves,” Challah recipes fit for British royalty

SCARF Purim Hat Exhibit

The current exhibit at SCARF, (Atlanta’s branch of the Savannah College of Art, Reflexology, and Fashion), “Purim’s Three-Cornered Hat,” is an exploration of couture triangular headwear designed for luminaries and aristocrats who attended Ivanka Trump’s 2024 Purim party. Responding to Judaism’s mocking of Haman’s haberdashery choice (legend claims that the Purim villain wore a hat with three corners), the SCARF show features 50 custom head coverings, all of them on loan from the Smithsonian Museum’s permanent “Party Hats” exhibit. Standouts are an ostrich feather chapeau from Dior, a sequined fringed “bijou” from Valentino, and a faux fur tricorn from Alexander McQueen.

Matzah Factory Moving to Atlanta After Purim

Crumbfree Matzah of Hoboken has retrofitted an empty warehouse in downtown Atlanta. The business plans to start producing custom Passover matzoh immediately after Purim.

The idea for New Jersey’s original Crumbfree Matzah was conceived after complaints from cousins Maybelle Meyerowitz and Toots Belchfrau, who expressed their displeasure on an all-you-can-eat Passover cruise with their husbands. The women complained endlessly about omnipresent matzah crumbs falling all over and sticking to their custom cruise wear. Exhausted by his wife’s kvetching, Matisyahu (“just call me Matt”) Meyerowitz presciently declared, “Enough, already! Somebody needs to invent matzah that doesn’t crumble!” Combining knowledge from his Cal Tech degree in edible adhesives and Baruch (“just call me Bo”) Belch’s interest in two-ingredient foods, the duo launched an ambitious plan to provide world Jewry with a flour-andwater quick-bake flatbread that would not leave crumbs. Years of trial and error led to the successful establishment of the Crumbfree Matzah factory and a subsequent appearance of its owners on “Fifteen Minutes.”

Their burgeoning matzah business led the owners to dream big. The Purim Gazette has learned that they intend to produce a limited run of another innovation, prune-infused matzah, on separate non-Passover equipment. “We know that our fans would especially appreciate matzah with built-in prune bits for their seders, but we’re stuck to the two-ingredient rule,” Meyerowitz explained to a gaggle of reporters. Crumbfree’s prune matzah will be produced following the expected Passover seder rush. “Prune matzah will definitely be our biggest seller,” Belch declared, with a wink. Crumbfree Matzah will start taking orders April 1, 2025.

HOME & GARDEN

Young Designer Shares Fresh Spring Ideas

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

Jordyn Kroll has been a designer with Jessica Bradley Interiors for 10 years where she oversees residential projects from concept to completion, including the scope of decorating to new-build homes.

Here, she breathes fresh life into spring home design ideas. Spring, which officially begins March 19, is also magnified in the Feb. 27, 2025, Good Housekeeping Magazine’s “Best Spring Décor Ideas” (Alyssa Gautieri). Then, Pantone 2025 selected mocha mousse as the color of the year.

Kroll agrees, “I am loving everything chocolate right now! Other color notions -- definitely bold! Spring 2025 will bring bold colors in high quantities called ‘color drenching.’ This is taking rooms and ‘drenching’ them in one color to create a single shade explosion.”

Kroll grew up in Atlanta and went to the University of Georgia graduating with a degree in furnishings and interiors where she served as president of the design class of 2015. She started at Jessica

Jordyn Kroll was president of her 2015 design class at the University of Georgia, graduating with a degree in furnishings and interiors. She has been with Jessica Bradley Interiors for a decade.

Bradley Interiors a week after graduation.

She lists these trends for 2025: 1. More closed off space plans with

defined walls and separations between different areas.

2. Collected decorating: homes that look collected over decades instead of

1041 Swordhilt Road

mapped out meticulously. Things should feel organic, layered, and even mismatched.

3. Undone maximalism: the idea of

Kroll suggests painted floors as a way to get more a more playful scene.

This room setting shows modern seating configurations.

HOME & GARDEN

having to have balanced and symmetrical spaces is long gone. We are looking for beautiful and authentic imperfections in spaces. As designers, we create these spaces by pairing the old with the new and staying playful in our design.

4. Wallpaper will continue to be a sought-after trend and will gain popularity on ceiling applications

5. Pattern play: no more tame patterns in a space but instead let them play off each other.

She elaborated on painted wood floors in more playful areas like mudrooms, kitchens, and pantries as an affordable way to add a personal element. She feels that statement lighting, that used to be more functional, is an opportunity to add a design element. Breaking up large rooms with multiple small seating areas instead of one large seating area might lead to one large sofa, two wingback chairs by the window, a separate game table, and an odd chair to allow for multiple conversations to take place at one time and encourage relaxation.

She added, “Smaller more intimate rooms are definitely on the rise. We are gearing towards this lifestyle where rooms are dedicated to one activity. After you eat dinner in the dining room, you can escape to the game room.”

In terms of color, Kroll leans towards “cocooning” colors, which are bold shades that will be implemented on more than just walls, also drenching the ceilings and trim to give the cocoon effect.

West Point, 1982: University of Michigan Law School, 1990: Member of Wealth Counsel and national Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Accredited Veterans Administration Attorney

Storage and organization are becoming something to showcase. For kitchens, Kroll suggests showing off pantry organization with beautiful canisters or even color-coding books to bring attention to them. Warmer tones and stained cabinets should gain popularity in an effort to move away from sterile kitchens. The open concept kitchen has shifted in order to bring back coziness. People will be adding walls instead of removing them in 2025.  She mused, “After all, who wants to stare at their dirty dishes while watching TV?”

She thinks outdoor spaces will start to resemble indoor spaces and related, “Outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, and builtin heaters will continue to gain popularity and turn the outdoors into livable areas. Screened in porches will become a thing of the past. In Georgia, these spaces are only usable for two weeks in the year. Instead, we will add to our exterior spaces to make them livable longer.”

The Good Housekeeping article extols fresh greenery, pastels and natural textures. Specifics are colorful glassware, wallpaper behind bookshelves, leaf wall art, lighter bedding, lemons (Martha Stewart has been doing that for years) or year-round citrus wreaths, floral shower curtains, colorful Roman shades, trendy lighting, and bringing the outdoors in.

For readers looking for unique pieces, Kroll said, “I go to Scott’s Antique Market every month when I have the full day or Westside Market on Ellsworth Industrial to shop and get inspired.” ì

Jordyn suggests getting away from sterile kitchens.

Hauser Destined for Design Success

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

On Feb. 11, entrepreneur Alexandra Paulen Hauser started living her dream by opening The Designery on Sandy Springs Circle.

She explained the concept: “We are a kitchen, bathroom and home remodeling company as a one-stop shop for cabinets, countertops, tile, flooring and custom closets. Clients come into the showroom and make all their selections in one place instead of driving around to find components for their renovation projects. We can help with as little or as much as the client needs. We design and sell the products.”

The Designery works directly with clients, designers or the client’s general contractor. If a client doesn’t have a team, they can provide contractors.

Hauser graduated from Riverwood High School, then Indiana University at Bloomington. She held various jobs in New York and California in finance and management and moved back to Atlanta where she worked in several positions at New Image, the Paulen family dental

lab. Within that company, she did sales, accounting, procurement, finance, and human resources.

But there was still her dream brewing. She hired two franchise brokers, who presented three concepts, one of which

was The Designery. She explained, “I have always loved home renovations and building … dad always had projects from basement buildouts, to building a pool, constructing decks, building a house – you name it, and he did it. It gave me

such a passion for home renovation and design that I, too, have renovated two of the three of my own houses. I love watching a home go from tired and outdated to refreshed with a new lease on life.” She closed on the franchise in No-

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Alexandra Paulen Hauser (in navy blue) and daughter, Annabelle, cut the grand opening ribbon cheered on by Adam Forrand, CEO of Greater Atlanta Perimeter Chamber.

Allie’s three sisters came to show support: Jessica (polka dots), Illisa (in white next to Allie), and Samantha (far right), Proud mom Eva Silbiger is seated third from left top row. Paternal grandmother Roselee Paulen (center) is between Annabelle and Jessica.

vember 2023, found the location in March 2024 and signed the lease in June 2024. She worked with general contractor Garrett Owens (Pro Tech General Construction) and architect Keith Allen to map out the space with guidance from the franchisor who required some on-site specs: closets, four kitchens, a design center, fixtures for cabinet doors and countertops. Other than that, she was left for her own vision to bloom.

Hauser explained franchising details. “I bought six territories, including most of Metro Atlanta and most of the area between I-75 and I-85 on the north side. I felt like Sandy Springs was centrally located and accessible from both the city and the northern neighborhoods of Alpharetta, Roswell. The location is 2,600 square feet.”

For kitchens and bathrooms, they carry 13 different cabinet lines including nine standard, three custom and one outdoor. All 13 cabinet lines are built like custom cabinets with solid plywood boxes, soft closed doors and drawers, undermount slides, and dovetail edges.

She shared, “The beauty of having so many lines is that it allows us to have over 100 different door styles that can fit any budget. We have great relationships with our tile and countertop fabricators. We carry an enormous selection of tile from MSI and sell over 70 different types of countertops by the square foot, instead of clients having to purchase the entire slabs. Our countertops also include granite, quartz, quartzite, marble and soap-

stone.”

The Designery constructs closets similar to competitors like Artisan, California Closets, and Closets by Design. Designers come to the client’s homes, measure, and discuss project needs. Once the client approves the design and orders, they generally install in three to four weeks. They carry over 25 different color options to fit various styles and have accessories like valet rods, tie racks, and lighting.

Hauser’s personal taste is more “transitional” for home and kitchen design, but she enjoys designing all types. Inside the showroom, there are two shaker-style kitchens, a large modern slab kitchen, and an elegant inset kitchen. She lets the client express their own vision, hopefully bringing in ideas from Pinterest or Houzz.

She stated, “We work through many revisions to assure that the space is customized. Since we have such diverse product offerings, our target demo is 30-plus. We are able to fit any first-time home buyer’s budget as well as the custom homebuilders or client’s budget.”

The grand opening night was replete with navy décor, clusters of balloons, a bar, and two lavish buffets by Elevated Table. The showroom is sparkling clean, and its elongated U-shape is easy to navigate. For more information, please call (404) 999-4585 or visit TheDesignery.com. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and by appointment on the weekends. ì

The Designery’s grand opening buffet was located in two areas.

Israeli Group Came in Like a Hurricane

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

Along with business partner Liran Ohana, Jehonatan Schwartz moved to the United States in 2015 to start a new life chapter. He said, “It wasn’t easy leaving my entire family behind in Israel, but we had a vision. I wanted to build something from the ground up.”

Now his family-owned business, Hurricane Group, operates a crew with five trucks and offers a range of services focused on improving air quality and ensuring the safety of homes and businesses. The business might not be sexy and glamorous, but prevention is necessary, noting that house fires have ignited based on lint accumulation. Think of the timeless best seller, “The Millionaire Next Door,” about cement company owners in pickup trucks who are “banking the bucks” and wearing Rolexes. In addition to dryer vent cleaning, Hurricane does air duct cleaning, HVAC system maintenance and water damage restoration.

Schwartz said, “We don’t just clean — we make homes healthier and safer. Many people don’t realize the impor-

tance of vent cleaning until it’s too late. Dirty vents can lead to poor air quality, increase energy costs. The dryer vent needs to be done once a year due to serious fire hazards and lack of air flow.”

Schwartz feels rewarded watching

the company’s growth. “We started with just one truck and a simple mission: to provide the best service to every customer, treating them like family. It wasn’t glamorous at first. We did everything ourselves — answering calls, handling

the equipment, and meeting clients. But with hard work, dedication, and a commitment to quality, we grew.”

Schwartz recommends cleaning every three to five years, depending on factors like pets, allergies, and recent reno-

(From left) Jehonatan Schwartz and Liran Ohana came to the U.S. in 2015 with just a vision.

Vents before and after: Schwartz recommends cleaning for air quality and fire prevention.

HOME & GARDEN

vations. For dryer vents, it’s critical to clean them annually because lint buildup is one of the leading causes of house fires. He recalled, “I have a customer who was scheduled to clean the dryer vent once a year; when I came to his house, I saw that the house next door was burned a week before because of the dryer vent.”

Building owners may naively think they have only one vent system. Thus, air ducts are part of the HVAC system, circulating air throughout the home. Cleaning improves air quality and system efficiency. Dryer vents remove hot, moist air from the dryer. Lint buildup can block airflow, causing overheating. Air duct cleaning price is based on square footage and number of HVAC systems -- between $375 to $475 per HVAC system. Dryer vent cleaning price ranges between $169 to $229.

Schwartz handles the physical work, while Ohana manages operations behind the scenes.

They related, “Starting from scratch was tough. There were long days, late nights, and countless challenges. But we believed in our vision.” They focus on serving communities like Gainesville, Buford, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Dunwoody, Marietta and Atlanta.”

Schwartz was born and raised in Givataim, a small town just outside of Tel Aviv. He described his upbringing as “family-oriented, hardworking, and driven by a strong sense of community.” After high school, he served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for three years as a

combat soldier. He stated that he cannot reveal the specifics of his assignment, but that his military service was “intense and demanding” and taught him discipline, resilience, and leadership — skills that have been invaluable and attributed to many former IDF soldiers’ personal lives and business journeys accelerated by this experience. Following the IDF, he pursued a business marketing degree from a college in Israel, where he gained a deeper understanding of how businesses grow, connecting to customers, and build lasting brands

They chose the name “Hurricane” because it represents “strength, impact, and unstoppable energy. That’s exactly how we approach our work — bringing powerful results to every project we take on.”

Schwartz and his wife, Moran, have four children (9, 6, 4, and 3) who attend The Davis Academy and the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. Schwartz visits family back in Israel every two years. He concluded, “Faith is also an important part of our lives. We’re active members of our local shul in North Fulton, which helps us stay connected to our roots and community here in the U.S. This journey has taught us that success isn’t just about growth — it’s about staying true to your values, caring for your community, and never forgetting from where you came.”

Bottom line: Don’t take your vents for granted! And trust an Israeli to get it done.  ì

Hurricane Group operates five crews and trucks and services Metro Atlanta.

Weinstein Hospice Launches Innovative VR Initiative

Jewish HomeLife and Weinstein Hospice are pioneering a new way to bring joy, comfort, and meaningful experiences to hospice patients through the groundbreaking Weinstein Hospice VR Initiative. This transformative program harnesses the power of virtual reality (VR) to fulfill unforgettable “bucket list” experiences, offering patients moments of joy and cognitive stimulation that transcend their physical limitations.

For Vicki and Ed A., this initiative has been nothing short of miraculous. As an elderly couple navigating Ed’s dementia progression, they have found solace and hope through Weinstein Hospice’s innovative volunteer program and approach. Each week, Ed eagerly anticipates the visits from his dedicated Weinstein volunteer and awaits another immersive VR experience.

One of the most profound moments for Ed came when he was able to experience Scuba diving again—virtually. A lifelong passion of his, Scuba diving had long been out of reach due to his physical and cognitive decline. How-

ever, through the Weinstein Hospice VR Initiative, Ed found himself once again submerged in the vibrant underwater

world he so dearly loved. The experience brought an unmistakable sparkle to his eyes and a smile that Vicki hadn’t seen

in years.

“This program has given Ed something to look forward to every week,”

The Weinstein Hospice VR Initiative has given patients moments of joy and cognitive stimulation.

The Weinstein Hospice VR Initiative allows residents to fulfill “bucket list” experiences.

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Vicki shared. “The cognitive stimulation and sheer joy it brings him is immeasurable. Seeing him relive his happiest moments, even for a short while, means everything to us.”

“We are honored to partner with Weinstein Hospice and Jewish HomeLife in bringing this transformative program to hospice patients,” said Stuart Steiner, founder of Oy Vey VR. “Our goal is to harness the power of VR technology to provide comfort, reduce anxiety, and offer moments of joy and connection for those in hospice care.”

Dr. Mirie Manzour, volunteer services manager at Weinstein Hospice, added, “Virtual reality is making waves in healthcare. For hospice patients, it gives individuals and their families the opportunity to experience activities they might not otherwise have access to. We have seen the VR sessions give patients a sense of agency and engagement with their loved ones and caregivers.  By fulfilling adventure bucket lists goals, such as going on international city tours, or viewing reminiscence content, VR is revolutionizing end-of-life care. Patients

Personal Care

• Bathing and grooming

• Continence and bathroom assistance

• Ambulation and mobility

• Transferring and positioning

• Meal planning and preparation

• Walking and exercise

• Reminders of medication, events

• Other personalized services

Companion Care

• Meal planning and preparation

• Walking and exercise

• Reminders of medication, events, birthdays and more

• Other personalized services

can revisit places from their past, reexperience meaningful memories, and embark on adventures they’ve always dreamed of. The VR can be personalized allowing hospice patients to reflect on their lives, connect with fond memories, and ultimately find comfort and peace.”

The Weinstein Hospice VR Initiative, in partnership with Oy Vey VR, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is redefining end-of-life practices by introducing and integrating immersive technology.  By offering patients the chance to revisit cherished memories or embark on dream experiences, Jewish HomeLife and Weinstein Hospice are not just providing care—they are restoring dignity, joy, and a sense of adventure to those in their final chapter of life.

For more information on the Weinstein Hospice VR Initiative, contact Stuart Steiner at 404-569-7254. For those interested in applying for the Weinstein Hospice volunteer program, please visit: https:// www.jewishhomelife.org/living-options/ weinstein-hospice/volunteer/ ì

Experts say that utilizing virtual reality offers hospice residents more agency and engagement with their loved ones.

Local Rockette Shares Her Leg-acy

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

Some Baby Boomers dreamt of being Miss America; but a good deal of them longed to be a Rockette, as in the real “Big Apple” Rockettes out of Radio City Music Hall.

Heading into her eighth decade, local dance instructor Sandi Friedman is still kicking and teaching, after generations of cycles. Teaching out of her house since 1982, Friedman explained, “I have celebrated 57 years of teaching dance, though I stopped having recitals and reduced class load during the pandemic. I still teach adult stretch classes, intermediate and advanced tap, private lessons, and also a family of four for two years. Staying active with my students keeps me engaged, fit, and truly happy.”

Friedman grew up in Spartanburg, S.C., where her mother founded Miss Marion’s School of Dance. In 1946, she began dancing there at age two, training in ballet, tap, jazz, and acrobatics. Starting at five, she traveled to New York each summer to study dance with professionals. Friedman and her mom stayed with

Scottish number performed in 1964. Sandi is eighth from the right.

Friedman’s paternal grandmother in Jamaica, Queens, where each visit included a trip to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes. These experiences ignited her dream of joining their iconic chorus line.

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During her senior year of high school, she contacted the director of the Rockettes, asking for an audition. That April, Friedman rode the subway into the city and recalled, “With nerves tin-

Sandi and sister, Lori, in Rockette’s pajamas. Sandi said, “We took the photo in a restaurant and got quite a few stares.”

gling with excitement, I stepped into the rehearsal studio and was astonished to find the director. Even more shocking, he recognized me from my picture — being from South Carolina made me memo-

A

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together around 1954.

rable among the mostly local New York girls. His recognition gave me the confidence boost I needed.”

First up was measuring her height. Rockettes must stand between 5’5” and 5’8.” At 5’6½,” she fit perfectly. The line includes 36 dancers arranged by height, tallest in the middle and shortest on the ends creating the illusion of uniformity. They were called up one by one, starting with a time step, followed by straight kicks and fan kicks.

She continued, “I began confidently but forgot the choreography midway and had to improvise. They asked for some jazz, and I requested something ‘jivey.’ My Southern accent made everyone laugh, but I shrugged it off and performed a jive routine — repeating steps from my tap dance. Despite feeling flustered, I later realized that they were more interested in observing style and technique than perfect routines.”

Only 11 girls were asked to stay. She returned to New York the day after graduation and spent the summer there and learned routines in three days, preparing for a grueling schedule. The Rockettes performed four shows daily. Each show was paired with a movie, running for about five weeks before changing to a

new routine.

That August, she went back to study at the University of Georgia, then returned the next summer, and became engaged to Gerald Friedman, and helped her mom at her dance studio in Spartanburg while planning the wedding. After marrying, she moved to Atlanta and taught kindergarten at Ahavath Achim Synagogue. One of the mothers asked if she would teach dance to her daughter’s friends, leading to informal classes in her basement in 1967. The next year, they moved into a house nearby, and Friedman’s classes continued to grow. She also taught tap and jazz to fourth graders through adults at the Ruth Mitchell Dance Studio. In 1982, she moved into her current house.

Friedman summarized, “Dance is more than just a career in my family — it’s a legacy. Thanks to my mother’s passion, 15 of us have either owned studios or taught dance in some capacity. My youngest sister, Lori, also became a Rockette in the 1980s and now runs our mother’s dance school, which will celebrate its 80th recital next year. It brings me immense joy to see my mother’s love for dance continue through the generations.” ì

Sandi and her mother, Marion, dancing

Cafe Europa Brings Broadway to Holocaust Survivors

By Robert Garber

On the crisp morning of Feb. 24, a large group of Holocaust survivors gathered to listen to a performance at Congregation B’nai Torah as part of the local monthly Cafe Europa. The group, one of many named after a cafe in Sweden where Holocaust survivors met to find lost friends and family after World War II, has been meeting in Atlanta as long as any of the staff that support it can remember.

“I don’t know when they started, it predated me and I’ve been working at this office for 18 years,” said Amy Neuman, director of Holocaust Survivor Services at Jewish Family & Career Services, which sponsors the group. “So, it was already going on, used to be a much smaller crowd. It’s grown, it’s very popular.”

The group in attendance was relatively large, with around 50 survivors, including some who hadn’t been to one of the local meetings before.

“Sometimes we have people that move into the area, or they just realize that there’s a community of Holocaust survivors, and there were a few new

people here that were at an event for the first time today,” said Caren Kern, social program coordinator for the events, who knows every patron by name. “I intro-

duced them to other people that maybe were from their area and that they had things in common with.”

Part of Kern’s job is helping coordi-

nate entertainment for these monthly meetings. They’ve had various speakers and performers, from local school choirs to professional pianists and singers, but

Billy Harrigan Tighe performs a solo while the Cafe Europa patrons look on.

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the performers for this meeting were something of a step up.

Billy Harrigan Tighe and Kristine Reese, a husband-and-wife duo who are Broadway performers and can often be found singing in musicals at City Springs Performing Arts Center, had come to perform a series of tunes from various musicals. Tighe had actually met members of the group before, when they came to watch a performance of “The Music Man,” in which he played the lead role.

“They attended a matinee, and we got to talking afterwards,” said Tighe, “and had an opportunity to share in their feedback about the production – glowing, thankfully – and take some pictures and get to have a really nice conversation and that’s when she told me about this.”

The two stars performed a series of musical numbers, ranging from shows like “Pippin” – which Tighe played the leading role for in the original Broadway revival cast in 2013 – to “South Pacific,” “My Fair Lady,” and “Carousel.” One of the highlights was a beautiful duet of a song from “Finding Neverland.”

“We want to pick material that speaks to them, that they remember from when they were younger,” said Reese, who works at the City Springs Theatre Conservatory, and was part of their original season. It clearly worked, as one patron discussed how much he enjoyed it.

“Loved it. This is classic Broadway, which I enjoyed. I hear some current Broadway which … I like the old stuff better,” he laughed.

“It’s really rewarding,” said Tighe.

“So much of what our career is focused on doing is big shows. To be quite honest, it’s a lot of your own career self-satisfaction. I think what gets lost is an opportunity like this, where you can see your audience, and know what our gifts and what our artistry is able to do.”

“And seeing how much they enjoy it, and how happy it makes them,” added Reese.

Their performance was not the only treat the patrons received that morning, however, as students from The Epstein School brought the survivors mishloach manot, and the young B’nai Torah preschoolers performed some songs about Tu B’shevat. There was also, as always, plenty of time for eating and socializing.

“I feel very loved when I come here,” said one patron. “Everybody is always so loving and caring, and I always like to sit at a certain table where my friends are, and it’s just really wonderful, it really is. When there’s no spot here, they actually put another chair here, so they fit me in.”

“It allows us to make contact with other Holocaust survivors,” said another.

“For the most part, we’re going through the same issues, the same concerns. So, it gives us a sense of community.”

“It means so much to me and to them, because it brings them together,” said Kern. “All of the people that are in similar situations are in one place, and it brings me so much joy to bring great entertainment and great food to them and see that they’re happy. With everything that’s going on in the world, this should be a safe place for them to be.” ì

Kristine Reese, Billy Harrigan Tighe, and Caren Kern (left) sit, talk, and eat with patrons after the performance.

Senior Living Households Focus on Relationships

By Bob Bahr

“I’d like to move to an assisted living facility or a nursing home” are often not words that are readily spoken by seniors in need of more personal care. It is often hard enough to give up the familiar circumstances of a home that is comfortable and familiar, much less a move to a setting which is lacking that soft touch we associate with home life.

But one Atlanta-based developer of senior living communities has embraced a model that combines many of the comforts of home with a level of long-term care consistent with personal needs.

This relatively new approach to senior living is called “the household model” or “small home model” of care that combines a sense of personal safety and support with the added comforts of community and of home. It is a more personal experience in senior living that avoids many of the stereotypes associated with the image of a more institutionalized setting. At least one innovative developer of senior living communities has fully embraced the concept.

Isakson Living, a locally owned firm that was started by members of the family of the late former U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, has opened its second community conveniently located in Peachtree Hills in Atlanta.

Founder and managing partner of Isakson Living, Andy Isakson, sees The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place, as the community is called, an environment that fosters relationships.

“It’s all about relationships with the members and the staff. And there are some very strong relationships,” Isakson says. “I mean, some care partners really are considered by our members as part of their own family.”

The Peachtree Hills facility builds upon the experience of Isakson Living’s first household model community in Stone Mountain. It is a part of Park Springs, a 61-acre gated community that provides a continuum of care that encourages wellbeing at every stage of life.

In their household model of care, residents are grouped in six self-contained communities of about 18 residents each. The communities share a central dining and living room. Meals are prepared by a cook, but residents establish their own schedule for meals and eat from a personalized menu. They come and go as they please and are free to share in any of the facility’s recreational

and social amenities.

The household model generally offers residents more autonomy and choice. Residents make their own schedule and are not bound by a routine imposed on them. Because of the strong sense of making their own everyday choices, that enhances a sense of purposeful living that can disappear in a more institutional setting.

“It’s a family-like environment, and there’s consistency. The same group of people work together every day in the same household,” Isakson points out. “So, everyone who works there knows everyone else. The staff get to know the residents and their likes and dislikes. You know they don’t have to ask you how you like your eggs for breakfast, they know how you like your eggs.”

That personal touch also extends to medical care. Isakson Living’s two com-

munities are among the few in this part of the country that maintain its own onsite medical clinic staffed by a primary care physician trained in gerontology. There is also a full-time medical director, as well, that can be a part of a more ambitious health care plan.

“At Park Springs, many people live independently,” Isakson said, “but with our continuity of care, if their situation changes, we have home care. We have our own medical practice. We have skilled nursing, we have memory care, we have adult daycare, we have assisted living. So, we have a lot of tools in our toolbox, so people don’t have to worry about the future, what might happen.”

According to those who have longterm experience in working with the household model, a more personalized standard of care model can often lead to better health. In a personalized set-

ting, care can be more attentive, reducing the risk of common medical issues that are often more prevalent in larger facilities. But maintaining this great attention to detail requires more attention to the training and retention of staff. In an industry that often sees a 50 percent turnover rate in staff and administration year-to-year, this can be a challenge.

And there’s more pressure on controlling costs, which can sometimes balloon in an environment that is labor intensive. But being a business that’s locally based, that’s close to the members it serves and the staff that works with them is, according to Andy Isakson, a big advantage.

“We’re not a chain out of Chicago or something like that. People know how to find us and see us every day in the community. We’re not trying to be the biggest, we’re trying to do something good.” ì

Park Springs at Stone Mountain is a community that offers a continuum of care and household living among its options.

Household senior living offers meal preparation that is more personal and less institutional. Both facilities in Stone Mountain and Peachtree Hills offer on-site medical care.

The Lowdown

Atlanta is chock full of interesting “movers and shakers” - some bent on creativity, empire building, activism, the sciences, and/or just plain having fun and living the good life. Lean in to hear some of the “off the cuff” remarks as to what makes our spotlight, Holly Firfer, tick,

Holly is an Emmy-nominated journalist and national anchor for Scripps News, where she also executive produces and hosts non-news programming. She began her career as a producer in CNN’s Chicago and Detroit bureaus before becoming a correspondent, anchor, and host at CNN’s Atlanta headquarters, covering breaking news, politics, medical stories and entertainment. Holly won multiple honors, including Time’s Freddie Award for Outstanding Medical Journalism and the Red Cross Humanitarian Service Award. She was also part of the CNN team that won a James Beard Award for “On The Menu.” After a brief radio stint on 92.9 DaveFM, where she was named “Sexiest Radio Voice,” she co-hosted NBC’s, “Atlanta & Company.” Holly later became VP of programming and development for a streaming network before returning to TV news. A Chicago native and Northwestern University graduate, Holly continues to thrive in her diverse media career.

Read on to see how Holly messed up a World Series score on air.

One fun thing people don’t know about me is … I have appeared in big screen movies like “Flight” with Denzel Washington and “Devil’s Knot” with Reese With erspoon. Although I’ve never met Denzel, I did sit in his director’s chair when no one was looking. If you squint, you can see me on TV as Andrea Evans in “Necessary Roughness.”

What are some of your most exotic trips? I’ve had some wild adventures—hung out with polar bears in the Canadian Arctic, got up close with a cheetah on safari in Kenya, got stranded in Cappadocia, Turkey, and survived a typhoon in Vietnam … When the Olympics have the parade of nations, I’m counting how many countries I’ve been to—now in the 80s!

The most embarrassing thing that happened on air …

In 1997, I was anchoring on HLN when the World Series went into extra innings. Suddenly, the producer fed me breaking news that Cleveland won Game 7 — except, they hadn’t! So, I went live and announced it. Marlins fans were not thrilled, but for a brief moment, I was a hero in Ohio!

What did you learn as a medical correspondent?

Science is super important as we become more connected globally. With more travel, diseases can spread and mutate quickly, so having a strong medical community is crucial for our health. I also learned I might be a bit of a hypochondriac.

When it comes to animals, I …

Will stop, drop and pet. I actually like animals more than people. Someday, I will have a farm with one of everything … not as ambitious as Noah.

I’m streaming and reading …

Any Taylor Sheridan creation. I was late to the “Yellowstone” party but now can’t get enough. Beth Dutton is my spirit animal. I discovered I love cowboys much to the dismay of my citified husband.

If they made a movie of my life ___________ would portray me.

I’d like to say Cate Blanchett but let’s be honest - it would be Carol Burnett.

I get really silly when …

I’m with my girlfriends — no one gets you like they do, and they’re always ready with a portable fan or an adult beverage when you need it. And when you bust out the 80s dance party playlist and end up looking like Elaine from “Seinfeld” on the dance floor, they’re right there cheering.

Best advice you received …

From my mom -- You only go around the block once, stop in every driveway.

My biggest fashion disaster …

I was hosting a live charity event for Grady High School with kids as designers. One young aspiring designer made my dress — but accidentally cut the neckline a bit too low. It was a problem for public broadcasting … and possibly the Playboy Channel. Thank goodness for a box of safety pins. I really hope she went on to become a doctor instead.

ARTS & CULTURE

Crystal & Alterman Explore Jazz History

By Bob Bahr

Billy Crystal, the multi-talented writer and comedian, is probably not one of the first people you think of when you consider the history of jazz in America. But Joe Alterman, executive director of Neranenah -- the Atlanta Jewish music festival and culture series -- and a talented jazz pianist, does.

That’s one of the reasons he invited Crystal to join him in a conversation that was pre-recorded and shown as part of Alterman’s program on the history of popular music and jazz at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.

Crystal literally grew up in the record industry. His father managed the family’s record shop next to Grand Central Station on 42nd Street in New York. His uncle, Milt Gabler, was one of America’s most important producers of recorded music in the 1940s and 1950s and was head of artists and repertoire at Decca Records, an industry leader. As a four- and five-year-old, Billie Holiday, the famous jazz singer, frequently took Crystal along when Gabler and Holiday went off to the movies.

And he was an eyewitness to his uncle’s daily encounters with recording royalty. In addition to Holiday, he was responsible for hits by Peggy Lee, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong. Although he had no formal music training, he had, in Crystal’s words, “a big heart and a great set of ears.”

One of Gabler’s first big hits was “Strange Fruit,” a searing indictment of American racism, which became one of America’s first blockbuster protest numbers. The lyrics that are an indictment of America’s history of the lynching of African Americans are still chilling more than 85 years after they were first heard.

“Southern trees bear a strange fruit Blood on the leaves and blood at the root Black bodies swingin’ in the Southern breeze Strange fuit hangin’ from the poplar trees.”

Crystal recounted how his uncle first decided to record the song. “Billie Holiday went to my uncle, who she’d done a bunch of sessions with, and as he told me, he locked the door. It was a rainy day, and she sang it for him, acapella and he said, ‘I cried like a baby,’ and I said, ‘this has got to be hers. I don’t care if we don’t make $1’ and so, in January of 1939, they recorded ‘Strange Fruit,’ which became the biggest hit for Commodore Records

and our biggest, most important song. And you know Time Magazine called that song the song of the century.”

Commodore Records became a major producer of jazz recordings and, in 1940, Gabler started a series of weekly jam sessions featuring such performers as Pee Wee Russell, Red Allen and Zooty Singleton.

Crystal was born in 1947, and he grew up surrounded by the elite of the jazz world who gravitated to his father’s record store and his uncle’s recording studio. It was where he was first attracted to being a performer.

“Being around all these musicians influenced my comedy. They’re really funny people. These guys were so hip with each other. And then you add in my grandparents who were from the Ukraine. Another

grandfather was from Austria, and you had a mostly Yiddish speaking audience. The house smelled of brisket and bourbon and you mix in these musicians. It was an amazing paint palette to draw on as a young entertainer.”

Alterman’s musical selections for the program were taken from a CD that King has produced of 26 of his uncle’s greatest hits. Most of them are familiar to anyone who has even a nodding acquaintance with the Great American Songbook.

Gabler was even a key player in ushering in the rock and roll revolution. On April 12, 1954, he was producing a session at the Pythian Temple Recording Studios in New York. It was for a new band that had recently signed with Decca Records, and they spent most of the session work-

ing on a song called, “Thirteen Women.”

In the last few minutes, they made a hasty recording of what they thought would be the B side of the recording, “Rock Around The Clock.” Gabler thought it was good enough to release it as the featured recording and the rest is history. Many consider it the beginning of the rock and roll era.

Ironically, it had a major impact on jazz and less than 10 years later, the Commodore record store on 42nd Street closed.

Alterman said he is often asked if jazz is finally dead. “My answer,” Alterman says, “is that jazz is a feeling, and a feeling can’t die. And it’s really thanks to Milt Gabler and others like him that this feeling came out of the air, and we have it to appreciate and enjoy.” ì

The music for Joe Alterman’s program with Billy Crystal came from the selections on this compact disc.

The Joe Alterman Trio played at the Sandy Spring Performing Arts Center.

Billy Crystal maintains that his comedy was influenced by the informal conversations of jazz musicians while he was young.

Paskoff’s Book Details Finding Hope

By Marcia Caller Jaffe

With a full expanse of the Chattahoochee River in the background in her Buckhead home, Atlanta native Sharon Paskoff spoke about her new book “The Adjustable Lives of Women,” delving into the search for hope when hope was hard to find.

She said, “Most people have struggles and challenges, and I wanted to explore how women adjust to wanted and unwanted changes in their lives.” Paskoff’s text, while almost unheard of in literary circles, combines fiction with real life interviews with women, presented through a radio talk show host character.

The book is about how women adjust to these changes, challenges, chaos and sadness in their lives. It’s not unusual to find families/siblings caring for a declining parent. The main character, Candice, is an entertaining, well-informed radio talk show host who speaks with women “calling in” to her talk show. Everything from menopause misery, family challenges, PTSD, mental-health medication “gone mad,” heart-wrenching grief, and the death of a child are discussed.

The story is fiction; however, Paskoff interviewed several women adjusting to slow-moving or instant pain and grief. The brave women tell their stories, and the non-fiction interviews are clearly identified by their names in bold print. While Candice is exploring happiness, sadness and the battle for hope on her radio talk show, “The Adjustable Lives of Women,” she and her family are trying their best to take care of their aging mother with a blood disorder and memory loss. Doctor appointments, grocery store necessities, caregiver schedules, visits and phone calls are complicated by their mother’s various moving parts. Candice’s life is not balanced, it’s hectic at best. The narrative acknowledges that suffering is also work, that takes time, patience, compassion, love and sometimes humor. Humor comes naturally to Paskoff, as she compares handling grief to renovating a kitchen. (page 69) “People make their own decisions about how to grieve and make their own decisions for countertop choices for kitchen renovation … traditional, modern, or a combo.”

How does one go about writing a 225-page book in her seventh decade? The answer is “it took years.” Paskoff said, “I went back and forth between fiction and reality, though the book is not personal. The fourth year I got serious and worked

Paskoff previously published a book on etiquette. She grew up at the MJCCA on Sundays and enjoyed The Varsity, along with robust Passover seders.

on it every day. I’m an avid reader and love talk radio. I wanted to reach out to those looking for help whether it be with children on the spectrum or the successful (or not) use of medications. It was an intense process. My editor had me rewrite a bunch. I’m not a natural writer. I learned a lot in the process.”

Jenna Zark, author of, “Crooked Lines: A Single Mom’s Jewish Journey,” stated, “’The Adjustable Lives of Women’ is buoyant, funny, honest and inspiring.”

Rebecca L. Ray, PhD. Executive Vice President, Human Capitol, said, “Sharon Paskoff has managed to do the near impossible … combine an entertaining read with distilled wisdom.”

Prime Women, the online magazine for middle-aged women, labeled “’The Adjustable Lives of Women’ a must read filled with stories that will make you laugh and some that will make you cry, but with each page, you’ll want to hear more.”

People who know Paskoff might sometimes hear her Southern voice speaking through Candice’s search for knowledge, healing, compassion and humor. In one area, she shows how one mother handles the grief of losing a child to “doing something meaningful” by getting into action touting the Narcan drug that quickly reverses a potentially lethal overdose reaction, if on hand.

Paskoff, the daughter of the late Matile and Keggy Ginburg, was born in Atlanta where she enjoyed The Varsity, Sunday afternoons at the MJCCA, and robust Passover seders filled with homemade matzo ball soup, chopped liver, meringue cookies and her family’s laughter, love and stories. She attended the Univer-

Sharon Paskoff wrote “The Adjustable Lives of Women” to help others find hope.

sity of Georgia and later graduated from Georgia State with a BS in psychology. Paskoff has been married to Steve Pasko ff for 47 years, raising two children, John and Rebecca, and two grandchildren. Rescue pup, Margo, is close at hand and also enjoys the adjacent river’s expanse.

“The Adjustable Lives of Women” is nontraditional as it bounces from fiction to reality, and back again.

Prior to, “The Adjustable Lives of Women,” Paskoff self-published the book, “Easy Etiquette.” She appeared at the Decatur Book Festival and has donated book copies to women in prison and to public libraries. “The Adjustable Lives of Women” is available on Amazon. ì

CALENDAR

Saturday, March 15

Concert for the Kibbutzim - 8:30 p.m. The Weber School is bringing the Atlanta Jewish community together for an unforgettable benefit concert supporting Kibbutz Nir Oz and Kibbutz Nahal Oz as they rebuild post-Oct. 7. Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/5xc4cb82.

Fiddler on the Roof - 8:30 p.m. This classic story takes place in the colorful and tight-knit Jewish village of Anatevka, where Tevye, a poor dairyman, is trying to marry off his five daughters and instill in them a sense of tradition. Audiences young and old will delight in this iconic Broadway classic featuring timeless songs. Book tickets at https://tinyurl. com/kwv59zs5.

Sunday, March 16

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival: Streaming Pass - AJFF is happy to offer an all-access Streaming Pass to every film in the Virtual Cinema. That’s 21 feature films and every short film at this year’s festival (Shorts Programs 1, 2, and 3): Get the streaming pass at https://tinyurl. com/yc5wjsv6.

JWV Atlanta Post 112 Monthly Meeting – 10 a.m. Monthly breakfast meeting of Jewish War Veterans Atlanta Post 112. Kosher buffet breakfast, lox, cream cheese & all the fixings. RSVP at https:// tinyurl.com/3w8zbp2v.

Fiddler on the Roof - 1 p.m. This classic story takes place in the colorful and tight-knit Jewish village of Anatevka, where Tevye, a poor dairyman, is trying to marry off his five daughters and instill in them a sense of tradition. Audiences young and old will delight in this iconic Broadway classic featuring timeless songs. Book tickets at https://tinyurl. com/kwv59zs5.

Jewish Youth Summit: Empowering Ourselves Through Cultural Pride – 1 to 6 p.m. In 2023, Georgia reported 172 incidents of antisemitism—an alarming increase from previous years. Many of these incidents occurred in school settings, underscoring the urgent need for education, awareness, and action. To address this challenge, ADL Southeast is hosting the Words to Action Summit, a dynamic gathering designed to empower Jewish students and parents. This summit will equip middle and high school students with the tools to embrace their Jewish identity, combat antisemitism, and foster leadership skills. Register at https://tinyurl.com/y9mar6ku.

Young Philanthropy Fellows: Cohort 2 Session – 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Welcome to the Atlanta Jewish Foundation’s handson fellowship for Jewish youth. This fellowship program enables Jewish teens in Atlanta, ages 13-15, to truly affect change in the local community. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/232828vy.

Stepping Stones Parenting Group – 2 to 4 p.m. Parenting young children can be a challenge! JF&CS is here to provide support to parents through our new educational and fun program. Stepping Stones helps parents navigate the journey of raising a young children by promoting play and learn therapy, providing practical solutions to everyday challenges. Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/4hdv4xfy.

Artist Opening: Judie Jacobs - 4 to 5:30 p.m. Join us in welcoming the incredibly talented Judie Jacobs, our artist-inresidence. Judie’s art will be available for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting MACoM. Learn more at https:// tinyurl.com/4xs9mb9y.

Keshet - North Fulton - 4 to 5:30 p.m. Join IAC for a true Israeli experience! We will meet for fun, learning, and of course community! We would like to open a few groups. Please register at https://bit. ly/3Rlcxi0 if you would like your child to be part of the Keshet family. Please indicate your child’s age.

Fiddler on the Roof - 5:30 p.m. This classic story takes place in the colorful and tight-knit Jewish village of Anatevka, where Tevye, a poor dairyman, is trying to marry off his five daughters and instill in them a sense of tradition. Audiences young and old will delight in this iconic Broadway classic featuring timeless songs. Book tickets at https://tinyurl. com/kwv59zs5.

Monday, March 17

Authentically Me: Celebrate Individuality and Acceptance – 5 to 7 p.m. A supportive and inspiring group for fifth through eighth grade girls to embrace their uniqueness, build confidence, and foster self-acceptance! Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/4hykk2e6.

Post-Purim Pizza Dinner – 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Join the Etz Chaim Young Adults and wind down from a weekend of Purim parties with some pizza and brews at the Mellow Mushroom! Register at https:// tinyurl.com/mcxpmfdh.

Tuesday, March 18

FIDF Atlanta Women’s Wine and Cheese Reception – 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Join FIDF and welcome Michal CotlerWunsh is a prominent public speaker, researcher, and independent policy and strategy advisor on intersecting issues of antisemitism, law, human rights, and Zionism. Informed by political, professional, and academic experience, Michal explores topics surrounding mutated and mainstreamed rising antisemitism; international law, human rights, and the harm of their weaponization; the threat of disinformation and conspiracy theories to democracies. Register at https:// tinyurl.com/3m6vz39h.

AJC’s Atlanta Black/Jewish Teen Initiative 2024-2025 - 6 to 8:30 p.m. The Black/Jewish Teen Initiative offers a unique experience to student leaders, allowing them to effect positive change within their communities and build relationships with peers. Throughout the program, students will have the opportunity to experience the rich history of the Black and Jewish communities, learn with where they intersect, and interact with others working for a better tomorrow. Register at https://tinyurl. com/5n6szz2b.

Friday, March 21

Tot Shabbat - 6 to 8 p.m. Tot Shabbat is a Shabbat program geared for children (second grade and younger) to laugh, meet new children, make new friends, and explore the wonders of Judaism in an exciting fun way! The service is filled with songs, prayers, blessings, stories, snacks, and a place where a kid can be a kid when they pray to G-d. This Congregation Dor Tamid service meets on selected Friday nights throughout the year at 6 p.m. Each service is followed by a pot-luck Shabbat dinner. RSVP at https://bit.ly/3KW9PMj.

New York Voices – 8 to 10 p.m. Awardwinning New York Voices has a history of collaborations with institutions such as the Count Basie Orchestra, Paquito d’Rivera, and the Dizzy Gillespie AllStar Big Band. With selections from the quartet’s latest release, “Reminiscing in Tempo,” this concert takes a deep dive into the jazz canon, surfacing with standards by Cole Porter and Al Jolson, alongside gems from the catalogues of Chick Corea, Fred Hersch, and Duke Ellington. Purchase tickets at https://tinyurl.com/ muc8fy9s.

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES

Torah Reading: Ki Tisa

Friday, March 14 Light Shabbat Candles at: 7:27 PM

Saturday, March 15 Shabbat Ends: 8:23 PM

Torah Reading: Vayak’hel

Friday, March 21 Light Shabbat Candles at: 7:32 PM

Saturday, March 22 Shabbat Ends: 8:28 PM

Torah Reading: Pekudei

Friday, March 28 Light Shabbat Candles at: 7:38 PM

Saturday, March 29 Shabbat Ends: 8:34 PM

Saturday, March 22

Sing-a-long Shabbat with Etz Chaim Preschool - 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Bring your child(ren) for a fun Shabbat morning sing-a-long with our preschool director, Lauren Chernau. Get more information at https://tinyurl.com/44ed9mr2.

Sunday, March 23

Hackathon on Activism - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Misinformation spreads fast, and antisemitism is often fueled by false narratives. How can we help our teens think critically and respond effectively? The IAC Eitanim Teen Hackathon – FakeBreakers equips seventh through twelfth graders with the tools to analyze information, challenge misinformation, and develop innovative solutions—all in an engaging, hands-on environment. Register at https://tinyurl.com/y4mku6nt.

Lilmode: KSU Museum of History and Holocaust Education – 2 p.m.

Save One Life: Resistance in the Holocaust. Join Congregation Etz Chaim for this docent-led tour and speaker at the exhibit, Save One Life: Resistance in the Holocaust, at the KSU’s museum. We will meet at the museum. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/mcxpmfdh.

Stepping Stones Parenting Group – 2 to 4 p.m. Parenting young children can be a challenge! JF&CS is here to provide support to parents through our new educational and fun program. Stepping Stones helps parents navigate the journey of raising a young children by promoting play and learn therapy, providing practical solutions to everyday challenges. Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/4hdv4xfy.

Tuesday, March 25

Music Jam @ The JCC - 6 to 8 p.m. Calling all musicians and music lovers for a music jam at the JCC! Bring your instrument(s), friends and jam with fellow musicians. No auditions, no restrictions — just pure musical fun and collaboration. Free and open to people of all ages! Learn more at https://tinyurl. com/2d5rfewc.

Freedom Song by Beit T’Shuvah – 7 to 9 p.m. A transformative musical from Beit T’Shuvah about addiction, interwoven with the Passover story through the question, “What are you a slave to?” Performed by people in recovery. An essential conversation all communities need to have. Find out more at https://tinyurl. com/3a75ee4j.

Sisters and Brothers for Israel – 7 to 9 p.m. Be a part of this fascinating evening as Congregation Etz Chaim discusses our common connections to Israel with Rabbi Dan Dorsch and Cheryl Morrison, board member of JNF Atlanta and a member of Christians United for Israel. This event is open to the entire congregation. Q & A followed by light refreshments. Get more information https:// tinyurl.com/mcxpmfdh.

Wednesday, March 26

Jewish Business Network Lunch & Learn - 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join Chabad Intown for an inspiring new business Lunch and Learn series featuring dynamic professionals from the Atlanta Jewish community. This engaging event offers a unique opportunity to hear from accomplished leaders across various industries as they share insights, strategies, and stories of success rooted in Jewish values. Whether you’re seeking guidance on career growth, networking tips, or ways to integrate ethical practices into your business, these sessions promise valuable takeaways and meaningful connections. Sign up at https:// tinyurl.com/2zfpkpr3.

2025 Atlanta Unity Seder – 6 to 9 p.m.

The American Jewish Committee is delighted to extend a warm invitation to join our annual Unity Seder—an event that transcends religious and cultural boundaries to celebrate freedom, resilience, and shared humanity. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/bdexmpmx.

Thursday, March 27

Young Philanthropy Fellows: Cohort 2 Session – 5:30 to 8 p.m. Welcome to the Atlanta Jewish Foundation’s handson fellowship for Jewish youth. This fellowship program enables Jewish teens in Atlanta, ages 13-15, to truly affect change in the local community. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/232828vy.

IAC Fundraising Event - 6 to 10 p.m. Annual fundraising evening of the IAC Atlanta organization. RSVP at https:// tinyurl.com/3a75ee4j.

Amanda Knox, Free: My Search for Meaning – 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Amanda Knox spent nearly four years in prison and eight years on trial for a murder

she didn’t commit—and became a notorious tabloid story in the process. Though she was exonerated, it’s taken more than a decade for her to reclaim her identity and truly feel free. In her new book, “Free,” Amanda reflects on her world-famous confinement in an Italian prison—and her return to an “ordinary” life—to reveal hard-won truths about purpose and fulfillment that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt trapped in their own circumstances.  Purchase tickets at https://tinyurl. com/44axpvk9.

Seder and Sip: Crafting Your Passover Table – 7:45 to 9:45 p.m. Let’s get ready for Passover together! Join us for a special evening designed just for moms of young children (ages 0-8), where tradition meets creativity. RSVP at https:// tinyurl.com/3a75ee4j.

Saturday, March 29

Sisterhood Shabbat 2025 – 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Join Congregation OrVe Shalom for this special Shabbat morning service. Kiddush in honor of Sisterhood will follow. Find out more at https://tinyurl. com/cexbend4.

Shabbat Morning Learners Minyan at Etz Chaim - 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Join Etz Chaim for a learner’s minyan designed for people of all ages at Congregation Etz Chaim. Each minyan will focus on a specific part of the Shabbat service, from P’sukei D’Zimra through Musaf. Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/m8bz9b5c.

Sunday, March 30

The Daffodil Dash - 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Daffodil Dash is a Run/Walk in memory of the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust and in support for children suffering in the face of genocide and other humanitarian crises in the world today. The Daffodil Dash raises awareness and funds for Holocaust Education and Genocide Awareness. Proceeds benefit Am Yisrael Chai!, a nonprofit Holocaust Education and Awareness organization, as well as the Kids for Kids, Raising South Sudan, and Agahozo Shalom organizations helping children and families in remote villages in Darfur, South Sudan and Rwanda; and also supports the Atlanta Holocaust Survivor fund, providing medical, dental and home care for Holocaust survivors. The race will be held at Brook Run Park on Sunday, March 30, 2025, and will also offer virtual options. This means you can sign up to run, walk, bike or exercise from anywhere, anytime between March 7-30, 2025. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yc785rzh.

Stepping Stones Parenting Group – 2 to 4 p.m. Parenting young children can be a challenge! JF&CS is here to provide support to parents through our new educational and fun program. Stepping Stones helps parents navigate the journey of raising a young children by promoting play and learn therapy, providing practical solutions to everyday challenges. Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/4hdv4xfy.

Keshet - North Fulton - 4 to 5:30 p.m. Join IAC for a true Israeli experience! We will meet for fun, learning, and of course community! We would like to open a few groups. Please register at https://bit. ly/3Rlcxi0 if you would like your child to be part of the Keshet family. Please indicate your child’s age.

NCJW/ATL Community Women’s Seder – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Bringing Beauty to the World: A Community Women’s Seder. Event includes dinner and Haggadah. Women and teens welcome. Bring your tambourines and Miriam’s cups!  RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/2s3cavxb.

Monday, March 31

Authentically Me: Celebrate Individuality and Acceptance – 5 to 7 p.m. A supportive and inspiring group for fifth through eighth grade girls to embrace their uniqueness, build confidence, and foster self-acceptance! Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/4hykk2e6.

Fighting Hate Through Policy: Insights from Legal and Advocacy Experts – 7 to 8 p.m. Ahavath Achim Synagogue, in collaboration with the Jewish Bar Association (J-Bar), invites you to a powerful discussion on combating antisemitism and hate crimes with leading legal and advocacy experts. This event will explore legislative efforts, statistical trends, and actionable steps to address hate and antisemitism in our communities. Register at https://tinyurl.com/ mpj52uur.

KEEPING IT KOSHER

Salted Caramel Latte Hamantashen

For a fun twist on flavor and appearance, try adding instant espresso powder or instant coffee to the dough. Espresso powder dissolves quickly, creating a striking coffee-marbled effect, while instant coffee takes a bit longer to melt. Simply cover the dough and let it rest for five minutes, then knead it gently to achieve a beautiful swirl. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Hamantashen

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup Tonnelli Avocado or canola oil

1 teaspoon Gefen Pure Vanilla Extract

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for filling 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, such as Glicks, plus 3-4 tablespoons more for dusting 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee, such as Haddar Salted Caramel Ganache

2 (3-and-1/2-ounce) salted caramel chocolate bars (parve), chopped 1/4 cup nondairy milk, such as Gefen Coconut Milk

Directions

For Salted Caramel Ganache

1. Add the caramel chocolate bars to a glass or metal bowl. Heat 1/4 cup nondairy milk in a saucepan over high heat until scalding hot. Pour over chocolate and immediately mix until smooth and completely melted. For the Hamantashen

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Add flour, one cup at a time, until a cohesive dough forms, then mix in instant coffee. Cover dough and set aside to rest for three to four minutes.

2. Place a large piece of Gefen Parchment Paper on the kitchen counter and lightly flour it. Turn the dough onto the parchment and sprinkle with a little more flour. Top with another piece of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 1/4-inch-thick circle.

3. Using a three-inch cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut out rounds. Roll the remaining scraps into a smooth, workable dough, roll out, and cut out as many more hamantashen as possible.

4 Add half a teaspoon to one teaspoon of filling per round, being careful not to overfill. Top with a pinch of sea salt. Fold to form hamantashen and pinch edges to seal.

5. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 13 minutes. Drizzle with more ganache (if desired).

kosher.com

Recipe by Shifra Klein

JEWISH

Golf Hits

Gary stood over his tee shot for what seemed like an eternity. He looked up, looked down, measured the distance, figured the wind direction and speed. Then, he started all over again.

All this was driving his golf partner, Benny, nuts. Finally, Benny said, “Oy vey! What’s taking you so long? Hit the blasted ball will you already?”

Gary replied, “But Benny, my wife, Suzie, is up there watching me from the clubhouse. I want to make this a perfect shot.”

“Forget it, Gary,” Benny replied. “You’ll never hit her from here!”

YIDDISH WORD

Kibbitzoporific

Adj. The tendency to induce sleep with one’s endless, mindless chatter.

“You know what’s better than Ambien? Sitting down with Barney when he’s in a particularly loquacious mood. The man is downright kibbitzoporific.”

From the Yiddish “kibbitz,” meaning “the act of interminable annoying yakking,” and “soporific,” meaning “sedative.”

Sending Mishloach Manot

By: Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com

ACROSS

1. It’s completed every seven years or so

5. A little batty

9. Like draft beers

14. It grows from the neck

15. Israeli actor and hero soldier Amedi

16. Goes up, up, and away 17. One way to send Mishloach Manot

19. Breaks, as a habit

20. Noted nucleic acid

21. Young male Pixar character

22. Young male Pixar character

23. Seder portion

25. One way to send Mishloach Manot

29. Bake eggs, in a way

30. Key in many shortcuts, for short

31. Cut corners, perhaps

32. Eight, as a prefix

34. Police radio letters

36. Relative of the Hopi

37. One way to send Mishloach Manot

40. One way to send Mishloach Manot

42. “In the Heights” Tony winner ___-Manuel Miranda

43. Armani competitor, briefly 44. Celtic land, to natives

45. About 44,000 square feet

47. Pool with no swimming allowed (not that you’d want to)

49. Brings in, as a salary

53. One way to send Mishloach Manot

55. Canny

56. Read Torah

57. Kitchen floor covering, for short

59. Spanish ‘a’

60. Midwest oil city

62. One way to send Mishloach Manot

64. Arab sovereign: Var. 65. A merry old soul

66. Hairy Himalayan, reportedly

67. Longlegs or Warbucks

68. The ___ Emes (Rav Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter)

69. “Slow Churned” ice cream brand

DOWN

1. Conceited smiles

2. Mother of a prophet

3. Aziz of “Parks and Recreation”

4. Tennis portion

5. Chops into bits

6. He didn’t have a mother

7. Groovy

8. AC/DC single with the lyric “watch me explode”

9. Liam in “Schindler’s List”

10. Sleep disruptions

11. Tefillah that’s skipped sometimes

12. Notable vessel

13. They’re usually under signatures: Abbr.

18. No way to run a country

22. Ancient oracle location

24. Dilemma, briefly

26. Readies for impact

27. Latin bandleader Puente

28. Erupt, as Etna

30. Bridge supports

33. Native of Florence, e.g.

35. Cause of yawns

37. In good spirits

38. Puerto finisher

39. Opened a Torah, perhaps

41. Partner of wash

46. Cleaned, as a disk

48. Nap

50. Beaten badly

51. Feet between bases

52. Condition of equilibrium

54. Daily record

55. Entrance fees, of a sort

58. Cuba, por ejemplo

60. Cruz or Kennedy

61. She played Beatrix Kiddo in two of Quentin’s movies

62. Not Macs

63. When repeated, a cry at sea

OBITUARIES

Herschel Woron Lawson

84, Atlanta

Herschel Woron Lawson passed away peacefully on March 3, 2025, at the age of 84. He was born Dec. 6, 1940, in Seattle, Wash., the oldest of four siblings. Herschel attended Garfield High School in Seattle and received his undergraduate and medical education at the University of Washington. He later completed his Ob-Gyn residency at the Oregon Health and Sciences University in 1973 and became board certified in 1975. This led to 50 years of clinical obstetric and gynecological practice experience in both private and public settings.

Hersh retired in January 2009 from the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, at the CDC, where he had previously served as medical director of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program for more than 10 years and as a clinical consultant to other CDC Cancer Division program activities since 1993. Following his retirement, he became Chief Medical Officer of the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP), Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease and served as an adjunct associate professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine.

He served as a general medical officer and Ob-Gyn in the Indian Health Service, which led to 12 years of private practice in Portland, Ore. He is an alumnus of the Epidemic Intelligence Service at CDC. At the Division of Reproductive Health, he was instrumental in formulating the federal guidelines for pap smears and the development of the HPV vaccine.

Hersh authored or co-authored five textbook chapters, several publications for WHO and IARC, and more than 75 scientific articles published in both CDC and peer-reviewed journals. He presented numerous abstracts in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Europe. During his government service, he received many U.S. Public Health Service individual and group awards. He is a Life Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

For several summers in the 1980s, it was an honor for Dr. Lawson to volunteer as the camp doctor at B’nai B’rith Camp in Neotsu, Ore., near Lincoln City.

He was extremely active at Congregation B’nai Torah in Atlanta and frequently led daily, Sabbath and holiday services. In addition, he served as part of the Ritual Committee and was a pillar of the Atlanta Jewish community.

Hersh was a seasoned tenor with the Atlanta Jewish Male Choir with whom he proudly sang for more than 20 years. He began singing in his synagogue choir at eight years old, instilling a life-long interest in Jewish choral liturgy, following in a family tradition. Throughout his life, he performed choral works from all periods since the renaissance in Jewish and secular choirs.

He was eternally curious and had a great thirst for knowledge and spirituality. He lived a life full of love, travel, teaching, sharing, learning, singing, and spending time with his extended family.

Hersh was preceded in death by his younger sister, Cantor Frances Lawson. He is survived by his younger sister, Dr. Linda (Don) Elman, and younger brother, Steve (Debbie) Lawson; his three sons, Erik (Kim) Lawson, Joe (Sharon) Lawson, Mark Lawson (Evan Shereck); grandchildren, Sam, Milo, Jacob, Zev and Ori; his partner, Carol Wolf, her sons, Josh (Sharon) Wolf and Adam (Katie) Wolf, and grandchildren, Issac, Jeremy, Hazel and Maggie; along with many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A graveside service was held Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 3 p.m., Arlington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Herschel’s memory to Congregation B’nai Torah, the Milo Gray Guild Fund at Seattle Children’s Hospital, or the charity of your choice. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care.

Berocha Ann Libman

90, Atlanta

Berocha Ann Libman, nee Miller, was born on Sept. 3, 1934, in Nashville, Ga., near Valdosta. She passed away on March 6, 2025, at age 90. A funeral was held for her at Crest Lawn Memorial Park, 2000 Marietta Blvd., Atlanta, Ga., on Wednesday morning, March 12, 2025, at 10 a.m.

Berocha is survived by her four children: sons, Mark, Paul and Eddie, and her daughter, Leah. She has five grandchildren, Rachel, Amelia, Sam, Sarah and Joseph. She was the oldest of her siblings; Jerry Miller, Cynthia Taratoot and Marilyn Groover (deceased). Berocha initially attended Valdosta State University and later moved to Atlanta to attend Georgia State University. It was there that she met and later married Melvin Libman in 1955. She passed away on the date of their anniversary. Together, they engagingly raised their children and were involved in a number of activities including Little League baseball, softball, Cub Scouts and numerous school functions. Berocha readily made friends and maintained some of those relationships for many decades. She always had a sweet, welcoming and affectionate demeanor. Berocha worked for many years as an office manager for physicians. Berocha was an avid reader, enjoying fiction primarily with an occasional biography. She was notably particular about proper grammar, syntax and vocabulary. Her parents, Sam and Sarah, were both educators throughout their lives and this undoubtedly had an effect. She would try gardening at times with mixed success. She always loved animals and genuinely missed having a cat as she got older. Berocha will be missed by all who knew her. She was one of the last of a remarkable generation of goodnatured, kind and loyal people. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Sanford Orkin

93, Atlanta

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Sanford Orkin, age 93, on March 4, 2025.

He met the love of his life, Barbara Hartman, at the age of 15, and they spent more than 70 years together. Sanford was a graduate of Druid Hills High School, playing in the marching band until he was recruited by the football team as a running back. At only five feet and change, his speed earned him the nickname, “Mighty Mite.”

Just short of his graduation from the University of Georgia, where he remained a lifetime Bulldog fan, he was drafted to the Army on his wedding day. Upon his completion of service, he returned to the family business where he had been working since 12 years of age. He became the president of Orkin Pest Control, turning the company around and leading it through its successful sale in 1964. He spent the rest of his career as a private investor, serving on multiple boards, and advising diverse non-profits and businesses.

Sanford maintained a strong commitment to supporting philanthropic endeavors spanning across education, healthcare, the arts, Jewish community, and more. His even bigger impact resides with his value and commitment to family.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Barbara Hartman of 66 years, his parents, Otto Orkin and Miriam Rosenthal, siblings, Bernice Orkin Kaye, Gloria Orkin Bregman, and William “Billy” Orkin, and grandson, Joseph Soriano.

He is survived by his children, Sherri (Moe) Soriano, Laurie (David) Ginburg, Michael (Judy) Orkin, and Kenny Orkin. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Julie (Stephen), Lauren, Brian (René), Joanna (Jake), Samara (Brandon), Brennen (Nate), Kailey (Joseph), Andrew (Krysten), and Elliott and 11 great-grandchildren.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Ahavath Achim Synagogue, Weinstein Hospice, or the charity of your choice. Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 6, at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30327 followed by a private burial. Funeral arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Eunice Stein

94, Atlanta

Eunice Stein passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on March 2, 2025. Eunice lived a beautiful life filled with happiness and joy provided and fueled by her entire family and many friends. Eunice was the third child born to Eva and Max Feldman on March 7,1930. She was predeceased by her siblings, Aaron (Hilda) Feldman z’l, Sidney (Clara) Feldman z’l, Frieda (Leon) Socol z’l, and her wonderful, special husband of 67 years, Sidney Stein z’l.

Eunice and Sidney started dating in her senior year at Girls High and they married after graduation. They started their family the next year. She was always the youngest and prettiest mother growing up, and we were proud of her and dad also thought she was the prettiest wife.

Eunice sold real estate and worked for Chubb Insurance Company for many years. But her main career was taking care of and raising her family and anyone whose help was needed. In her spare time, she would be along Sidney’s side or, as dad would say, he was on her side, in the family business, S&F Beverage. Eunice was small in stature but huge in her power to protect and care for everyone in her life. If you were lucky enough to have her in your life, Eunice’s positive energy was available to you whenever needed.

Eunice and Sidney were a team, not only there for family and friends, but they showed up for their greater community. Atlanta organizations who benefited from their selflessness included Congregation Shearith Israel, Meals on Wheels, Bikkur Kolim, selling poppies for the Jewish War Veterans, and The Jewish Home. Eunice was always available and willing to help any family or friend along with her spirit, Eunice made everybody’s life better.

Eunice is survived by her children, Donald (Patty) Stein, Stanley (Judy) Stein, Sara (Lance) Borochoff; grandchildren, Jennifer (Michael) Kahan, Joshua (Dana) Stein, Benjamin (Nadine) Stein, Emily (Neil) Halpern, Elise (Dave) Baumgarten, and Daniel Borochoff; great grandchildren, Sophie, Lila, Alma, Isabella, Graham, Bradley, Daniella, Peyton, Avery, Sasha, and Cara. Eunice also leaves behind many special nieces, nephews and cousins, whom she adored all, as if they were her own children.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Eunice’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Atlanta Food Bank. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Obituaries in the AJT are written and paid for by the families; contact Editor and Managing Publisher Kaylene Ladinsky at kaylene@atljewishtimes.com or 404-883-2130, ext. 100, for details about submission, rates and payments. Death notices, which provide basic details, are free and run as space is available; send submissions to editor@atljewishtimes.com.

Lillian Ross Weber 100, Atlanta

Lillian Rosenberg Ross Weber passed away peacefully on March 1, 2025, after having lived a long and fulfilling life. She was a native Atlantan, born on Sept. 3, 1924, at Georgia Baptist Hospital to Evelyn and Louis Rosenberg. She graduated from Girls High School where she excelled academically and went on to attend The Ohio State University and Georgia State University. Lillian was married to Harley Ross, “the love of her life,” for 47 years. She later met and married Adolph Weber of New York.

Lillian was regarded as a “force of nature.” She was a role model to her family and friends, and an inspiration to all who met her. She lived over 100 years and was fortunate to have lived most of those years well. The essence of Lil was being the matriarch of a family that loved her dearly. She was the powerful force that propelled our family forward.

She was a life member of Hadassah, Brandeis, The National Council of Jewish Women, B’nai Brith, and the Atlanta Women’s Golf Association. She won The Standard Club Women’s Golf Championship in 1965, as well as other tournaments around the city. She was an erudite woman who kept up with the news and read the entire paper every day.

Lillian is survived by her daughter, Ellen, and her husband, Dan Katz, her son, Michael Ross, and his husband, Steven Landuyt, grandchildren, Erica, and her husband, Greg Lewis, great-grandchildren, Gabrielle and Harrison, and her grandson, Dr. Ryan Katz, his wife, Elizabeth, and great-grandchildren, Brady, Oliver and James.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in Lillian’s memory to B’nai Torah or the charity of your choice. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

What is Your Story That Only You Know?

Allen H. Lipis

Last night, I went to the Atlanta Symphony, and I was reminded of a time in my youth that I have rarely told to anyone. Before I tell you the story, I suggest that you, the reader, also have a story that only you experienced, and perhaps you might want to share it, too.

Your story can be about almost anything. It could be a childhood experience, or something that happened at a dinner, or at an award you received, or at a ceremony, or at a concert you attended, or at a birth, or at a bar mitzvah, or at a funeral. We have so many experiences in life that have an impact on us, but we don’t share them. Let me give you a few examples.

My daughter told me that one time she took her children camping and found a freight car that had sleeping arrange-

ments. She thought it would be fun to have her kids sleep in a freight car, and it was a great idea. She awoke early in the morning when everyone was still asleep and walked outside. As she walked down the steps of the freight car, she saw a $20 bill lying on the ground. She looked around and no one was there. She was all alone. She picked up the money and considered it dollars from Heaven.

My wife told me a story about her brother when he was just an infant, and she was about 10 years old. She walked into the bedroom where her infant brother was sleeping. He was lying in a crib on his stomach and looked like he wasn’t breathing. Immediately, she picked him up, turned him over and slapped his back, and that got him breathing once again. When she did this, no one else was home and she thought she saved her brother’s life.

The private stories you can tell can be of joy, of passion, or of relief. The reason it is kept deep in your memory is because the event was unusual, and it had an impact on you. And the story you tell reflects

your character. It says who you are because it is something that defines how you acted, and what you did or said or felt. It’s about who you are.

Now here is my story. When I was 14 years old, I had some money that I received from my bar mitzvah. At the time, I lived in Brooklyn in a three-bedroom apartment with my parents and my sister. It was 1952 and TVs were just being sold in large quantities. My parents bought a 16-inch RCA TV that they put in the living room and watched it most evenings. My bedroom was a short distance away in the middle of our apartment, so the sound from the TV disturbed me as I tried to do my high school homework.

I took $80 of my bar mitzvah money and with guidance from my father I bought a 360 Columbia stereo for the few long-playing records I owned. I bought those records from Mr. Solomon, a father of my friend who lived just below my apartment. Solomon wanted to get rid of some of his classical records and I bought them for $1 each. One of those records was “Sibelius Symphony No.1 in E Minor,”

with Sir Thomas Beecham conducting The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

To drown out the TV sound in the living room, I played “Symphony No. 1” hundreds of times as I did my homework. I also played other music, but that symphony was my favorite, and I recommend it to you. It is worth listening to that music, for it will fill you with passion and enjoyment. I still have the record.

Now last night, Feb. 13, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra played “Sibelius Symphony No. 1,” and I sat in the fourth row reliving the memories I had sitting at my desk 70 years ago doing my homework. Several times during the full sound of the music, I had goose bumps up and down my body reminding me of a time so long ago that was so important for me. I was committed to learning, I was studious about doing my homework, and it set my character that took me all the way to graduate school and beyond. I encourage you to tell your own private story that only you experienced. It will say who you are, and it will transform you into a wonderful story teller. ì

CEMETERY PLOTS

Garden of David - Cemetery Plots in Arlington

Four contiguous plots available at Arlington Cemetery, Garden of David, Jewish section. Mixed faiths now allowed here.

Asking $6,000 per space or discount available if all four plots purchased at one time. Price now $9,000 per plot if purchasing through Arlington. Call 404-217-3423 for more info.

SENIOR

Elderly Care:

Certified Nursing Assistant with 35 yrs experience. Available to provide quality elderly care M-F 9-5. Own transportation. Please call 404-933-6166

SUNDAY, APRIL 6, BROOK RUN PARK 11:00 AM

Walk. Run. Roll. Join the largest event celebrating friendship & inclusion