community who were plotting sabotage against the Apartheid government. Nelson Mandela was part of the group, which was represented by Jewish lawyer Bram Fischer. The not guilty plea shifted attention to the political system’s injustice. Mobile: Jan. 24 at Bernheim Hall, 7 p.m. with David Meola introducing. “A Heartbeat Away” features an Israeli cardiologist performing lifesaving operations in Tanzania, where five children die every day from heart conditions, but only a few of the hundreds of children can receive treatment. The film focuses on a 6-year-old with little chance of surviving. The short film “Dear God” precedes, about a Western Wall security guard who cleans up messages left in the wall. After a mysterious woman leaves notes in the wall, he decides to fulfill her deepest wish. Mobile: Jan. 25 at Springhill Avenue Temple, 7 p.m. “The Testament” explores a man’s double investigation — to find secrets of his mother’s past, as she was a Holocaust survivor, and to prove the connection between an influential Austrian family and a massacre of Jews. He seeks the truth despite villagers’ denials and his mother’s silence. Jackson: Jan. 25 at Malco Grandview, 7 p.m. “On The Map” is the against-allodds story of the 1977 European Basketball Championship for Maccabi Tel Aviv, a massive lift for a nation still reeling from the 1972 massacre at the Munich Olympics, the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the traumatic 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight to Tel Aviv. Jackson: Jan. 28 at Malco Grandview, 2 p.m. “Joe’s Violin” is about how a donated musical instrument leads to an improbable friendship through music of a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor and a 12-year-old school girl in the Bronx. Mobile: Jan. 28 at Springhill Avenue Temple, 7 p.m. A performance by violinist Enen Yu and pianist Christopher Powell will follow, with a dessert reception.
La. treasurer to speak at Israel Bonds event John Schroeder, the newly-elected treasurer of Louisiana, will be the guest speaker at the upcoming Israel Bonds event in New Orleans. The Atlanta-based regional office announced that there will also be a presentation to the interim state treasurer, Ron Henson, at the Feb. 23 event. The noon luncheon will be held at the Goldring Family Foundation office in Metairie, with reservations due by Feb. 16. Invitations will be sent out shortly. Schroeder was elected treasurer in November, and will complete the term of John Kennedy, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in December 2016. In 2004, Israel made its first purchase of Israel Bonds, for $5 million, under Kennedy’s leadership. He was honored by Israel Bonds in 2014, as the state portfolio held $18 million in Israel Bonds.
JLI course focuses on communication Should you try to communicate effectively in 140 characters or less? The new Rohr Jewish Learning Institute focuses on “Communication: Its Art and Soul,” discussing how to reclaim communication in the age of the Internet, cell phones and social media. According to the course outline, “in Jewish philosophy, communication is more than just a tool: it is who we are. Humans are defined as communicative beings with a communicative soul, and aligning ourselves with this soul is our raison d’être.” The course contrasts Jewish thought with scientific discovery to unearth the essence of communication and how to utilize its powers to better individuals, relationships and all of society. Medical and mental health professionals can earn up to 15 CE units through the six-week course. In Metairie, the course will be at the Chabad Jewish Center on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. or 7:30 p.m., starting Jan. 9 but skipping Jan. 16 and Feb. 13. Tuition is $70, with textbook included, and there is a 10 percent couples or returning student discount. One may attend the first class free, with no obligation to continue. At Chabad of Mobile, the course will be offered on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m., starting Jan. 23. Registration is $60. The Bais Ariel Chabad Center in Birmingham is also offering the course, starting Jan. 17, but specifics were not set as of press time. Registration information is at myjli.com.
January 2018 • Southern Jewish Life 15