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TIES TO THE PAST While culinary expeditions make for good cause to visit Sandy Springs, unique eats here are just the tip of the iceberg. International influence and an appreciation for a global view are not limited to food. Take The Chai Gallery of Fine Art, for instance. Opened in early 2016, the gallery is the culmination of owner Mark Jaffe’s lifelong love of art and a hobby for collecting works from around the world, a passion he shares with his wife. On his walls, you may see works from names you recognize — classic masters like Marc Chagall, Rembrandt van Rijn, Pablo Picasso and Francisco Goya, as well as contemporary artists including Peter Max, Itzchak Tarkay and many others. Yet, it’s Jaffe’s vision that makes this gallery stand out from the crowd. Among the lithographs, oils, etchings, watercolors and animation cells, there’s a focus on Jewish artists and works that explore Jewish themes — at every price point, from a $100 poster to a $50,000 oneof-a-kind museum piece. He welcomes those who want to purchase art as well as those who want to explore and learn about the rich variety of art created by or inspired by Jewish people throughout history. Based on family values, a portion of each sale will go to Jewish or United Way charities. chaifineart.com
I STARTED TO NOTICE this focus as a bigger theme throughout the Sandy Springs community. Last month, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) celebrated its 17th anniversary as an independent, nonprofit arts organization dedicated to showcasing cinema that broadly explores themes of identity, history and culture. Already Atlanta’s single largest film festival, AJFF made history in 2015 by becoming the largest Jewish film festival in the world, attracting more than 38,600 moviegoers. As the festival has grown, so has the number of participating venues, and the list includes Lefont Sandy Springs and nearby Regal Perimeter Pointe. While AJFF lasts a few weeks, film fans can get their fix throughout the year thanks to the Lefont Film Society. Founded in 2012, they strive to program a diverse slate of titles and foreign language films for their loyal audiences. Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and Mondays at 7 p.m., join your fellow cinephiles for a screening, then stay after to share thoughts and make new movie-loving friends. lefonttheaters.com IT’S ALSO WORTH NOTING that located just above the Sandy Springs Welcome Center, visitors may find an unexpected exhibit: “Anne Frank in the World: 19291945.” With 600 photographs and more than 8,000 words telling the story of young Anne Frank, this powerful, permanent exhibit is free to the public and provides guests a chance to learn or remember the history les-
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