Southern Jewish Life, Deep South, February 2023

Southern Jewish Life

February 2023 Volume 33 Issue 2

When Ye did his antisemitic rants a few months back, many worried that because of his stature — even though in many respects he has become a punch line — this would be a huge step forward in mainstreaming antisemitism.

As recent events at Alabama, Florida and Tulane show, he is the unwanted gift that keeps on giving, and it is among the youth where he is having his effect.

We recently detailed online that a couple of extremist Holocaust-denying social media types embarked on a “YeIsRight” college tour, with chalkings on sidewalks all over campuses in advance of setting out a table to promote Ye’s views and 2024 presidential aspirations. After starting with Florida Atlantic, the duo hit Florida State, Alabama and Florida, and the tour continues.

Naturally, there was great concern among Jewish students, and some expressions of allyship from other student groups. University responses were mixed — the duo complained that Alabama was violating its free speech rights, while at other campuses they were allowed to set up their table.

Free speech and the exchange of ideas was cited as the reason to allow them to spread their noxious views.

What would be the reaction if someone started a campaign stating “David Duke is right about the blacks?” What if someone set up a table on campus saying Beijing should be punished for unleashing “the China virus” on the world? One could much more easily see those being shut down than a table that was merely antisemitic.

There was also the recent issue of Sarah Ma, the Tulane junior who wrote a piece for a new website that produces pieces with unpopular takes, stating that Ye did nothing wrong and explaining why, for example, Jews and Hitler should be seen as equals, since people in both groups were created in the image of God.

It turns out that the founder of that website leads a national group of students

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Maccabi USA leader praises Birmingham Games

I have had the honor of attending many Maccabi competitions around the world. From Israel to Australia to South America, Europe and the JCC Maccabi games around the United States and Canada, I have logged many miles seeing how sports can be a vehicle to help build Jewish identity, especially in our young.

for Ye, and is allied with the “YeIsRight” folks. Because the backlash to Ma’s piece apparently included threats to her safety, she soon left campus.

were drowning. Yes, both the Israelites and the Egyptians are God’s children, we’ve been learning that for thousands of years.

I felt honored to come to Birmingham for the first time and fell in love with not just the city but the people. You have taken Southern hospitality to a new level with your kind and caring approach to the JCC Maccabi Games.

Southern Jewish Life

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Lawrence M. Brook editor@sjlmag.com

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Ma claimed her piece has been taken out of its context, she wasn’t agreeing with Ye per se, but she was explaining where he was coming from. The piece is an extreme interpretation of the Christian ideal to love everyone — enemies included, and in that context it could make sense, had she not taken it to the point of absurdity.

And the part she wrote about how all people are created in the image of God, well, the Christian world got that from our teachings. It isn’t a new concept to us.

Led by the Sokol and Helds, your hard-working volunteers were wonderful. They partnered with your outstanding staff, led by Betzy Lynch, to make the 2017 JCC Maccabi games a huge hit. I want to take this opportunity as executive director of Maccabi USA to say thank you on behalf of everyone involved.

Richard Friedman

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Jeff Pizzo jeff@sjlmag.com

Jewish teaching is that we’re not instructed to love everyone — that is unrealistic, but we are to be civil and treat people as we would want to be treated. We can acknowledge our common humanity while still realizing that some people go far off the rails, even to the point of wanting to get rid of us.

That said, she still included antisemitic themes in her piece by stating Hollywood is controlled by Jews, erasing Jewish individualism by saying Ye is justified in attributing the sins of Jews who wronged him to “the Jews” as a group because Blacks face that all the time, and saying Jews and Nazis should be united through placement of the swastika inside the Star of David.

I had just returned from the 20th World Maccabiah games in Israel with a U.S. delegation of over 1100, who joined 10,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries. Back in July the eyes of the entire Jewish world were on Jerusalem and the Maccabiah. This past month with 1000 athletes and coaches from around the world being in Birmingham, you became the focal point. Everyone from the Jewish community and the community at large, including a wonderful police force, are to be commended. These games will go down in history as being a seminal moment for the Jewish community as we build to the future by providing such wonderful Jewish memories.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ginger Brook ginger@sjlmag.com

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Emily Baldwein connect@sjlmag.com

PHOTOGRAPHER- AT-LARGE

Rabbi Barry C. Altmark deepsouthrabbi.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jed Margolis Executive Director, Maccabi USA

On Charlottesville

To lecture Jews about how to treat enemies takes particular chutzpah. Every Passover we remember the Egyptians who lost their lives in our quest for freedom. There is also the story of how the angels celebrated when the Israelites reached the other side of the Sea of Reeds and the waters closed in on the pursuing Egyptians. God rebuked the angels, asking how they could celebrate while His children

Editor’s Note: This reaction to the events in Charlottesville, written by Jeremy Newman, Master of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Theta Colony races, and religions were far from equal and far

College is a time for learning before hitting the “real world,” such as it is. Mistakes are made and learned from. One would hope that eventually, Ma will look back on that article, cringe and wonder what she was thinking in writing it.

Regardless, one thing must be emphasized in this sorry episode — any death threats or other threats to her physical safety are reprehensible and unjustifiable. They should be investigated and, if credible, prosecuted.

supremacists would like to see pushed back into a corner and made to feel lesser. We stand with and pray for the family of Heather Heyer, who was there standing up to the face of this hate.

Just as antisemitism should be beyond the pale, so too are death threats. They have become an all too frequent part of public life, and it is time action is taken to reinstate a deterrence against making them.

Rivka Epstein, Louis Crawford, Tally Werthan, Stuart Derroff, Belle Freitag, Ted Gelber, E. Walter Katz, Doug Brook brookwrite.com

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We recognize the essence of the American narrative as a two-century old struggle to rid ourselves of such corners, and allow those in them the seat at the table that they so deserve. It is the struggle to fulfill the promise of the Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal… endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” We know our work is far from finished, but we know we will not move backwards.

And from a practical standpoint, they enable the target to play the role of victim, a martyr for freedom.

Free speech is not an absolute. Were we to make up some ghastly story about Ma’s past, we would quickly have a lawyer knocking on our office door. One also cannot incite violence. This publication can refuse a submitted article and it isn’t a “freedom of speech” issue.

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When men and women, fully armed, take to the streets in droves with swastikas and other symbols of hate, it is a reminder of how relevant the issues of racism and anti-Semitism are today. It is a wake-up call to the work that needs to be done to ensure a better, more welcoming country. But it should not come without a reflection on how far we’ve come.

The flipside to free speech is the freedom to react to said speech, and often that is done with disapproval. State an unpopular position, expect negative responses.

It is imperative that as many people as possible from varied backgrounds push back and let it be known that Ye’s views are wrong and unacceptable — and that the pushback be done in a responsible manner.

It has always been our goal to provide a large-community quality publication to all communities of the South. To that end, our commitment includes mailing to every Jewish household in the region (AL, LA, MS, NW FL), without a subscription fee

(Our coverage of both incidents can be found online at sjlmag.com)

Lawrence Brook, Publisher/Editor

America was born a slave nation. A century into our history we engaged in a war in part to ensure we would not continue as one. We found ourselves confronted by the issue of civil rights, and embarked on a mission to ensure the fair treatment of all peoples no matter their skin color. Although we’ve made great strides, it is a mission we’re still grappling with today.

Outside the area, subscriptions are $25/year, $40/two years. Subscribe via sjlmag.com, call 205/870.7889 or mail payment to the address above.

Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission from the publisher. Views expressed in SJL are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff. SJL makes no claims as to the Kashrut of its advertisers, and retains the right to refuse any advertisement.

Agree? Disagree?

Send your letters to editor@sjlmag.com or mail to P.O. Box 130052 Birmingham, AL 35213

America was also born an immigrant country. As early as the pilgrims, many groups and families found in the country the opportunity to plant stakes, chase their future, and be themselves. Few were met with open

Documenting this community, a community we are members of and active within, is our passion. We love what we do, and who we do it for.

agenda

On Jan. 27, Temple Beth El in Anniston held its final regular Shabbat service. Here, Rabbi Lauren Cohn blesses the congregation at the end of the service. The congregation, which has faced dwindling numbers and held services monthly before Covid, will continue to maintain the building and hold High Holiday services.

Dillard University relaunches National Center for Black-Jewish Relations

On Jan. 17, Dillard University President Rochelle Ford announced plans to relaunch the Dillard University National Center for Black-Jewish Relations.

The reinvigorated center will continue the work of the initial center, which aimed to reduce hostilities that were emerging between members of the African American and Jewish communities, but it also will have action projects that build upon the conversations and relationships formed through the Center’s programs.

“Possibly worse than in the 1980s, when Dillard established the National Center for Black-Jewish Relations, America is polarized, with a growing distrust and hostility toward each other in the Black and Jewish communities. Often the conflict is a result of a lack of knowledge, appreciation and understanding of the alliances of the Black and Jewish communities during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, as well as the shared history of genocide and social experiences,” said Ford. “Instead of letting differences separate our communities, Dillard wants to reestablish bonds through conversations, education and learning that result most importantly in courageous actions to improve our society.”

One factor making the relaunch even more timely has been the attention that Kanye West and Kyrie Irving drew over recent antisemitic comments. White supremacists and other antisemitic groups have celebrated West in particular.

The center, the only one of its kind, was originally founded in 1989 by Samuel DuBois Cook, the fourth president of Dillard. He served from

1974 to 1997.

Under the leadership of Cook, the National Center for Black-Jewish relations hosted annual national conferences and produced the book, “Black-Jewish Relations: Dillard University Conference Papers,” which Cook edited. A classmate and friend of Martin Luther King Jr. at Morehouse College, Cook was greatly influenced in 1949 by his Jewish professor and mentor at Ohio State University while pursuing his doctorate.

Cook was on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council and was presented the Alfred W. and Genevieve Weil Medallion Award by the Jewish Chautauqua Society for his efforts in building more harmonious relationships between the Black and Jewish communities.

During its first eight years, the center’s activities were devoted to revitalizing the black-Jewish alliances that had been so successful during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In 1998, the center expanded its charter to focus on the new realities of America’s future, asking African Americans and Jewish Americans what insights they can bring from their respective social experiences and intellectual traditions that can contribute to solving problems related to race and ethnicity.

The center has been dormant for the past two decades.

Rev. Herbert A. Brisbon III, Dillard University chaplain, will help lead the center’s planning committee’s efforts.

Joining Dillard in revitalizing the Center are:  Aaron Bloch, JCRC/ executive director, Goldring Family Foundation Center for Jewish-Multicultural Affairs; Arnie D. Fielkow, immediate past CEO, Jewish Feder-

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ation of Greater New Orleans; Ron Gubitz, executive director, Tulane Hillel; William “Bill” Hess, trustee, Dillard University; Kahlida Nicole Lloyd, founder, Mission Reconcile; Wendell Shelby-Wallace, special advisor, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Shari Rogers, president, Spill the Honey.

As part of its King Legacy Celebration over King Weekend, Dillard partnered with Spill the Honey to host a screening of the documentary “Shared Legacies: The African American-Jewish Civil Rights Alliance,” in addition to a panel discussion with national leaders discussing the film and the status of Black-Jewish Relations.

The night before the screening, Bloch hosted a beloved community dinner where HBCU students, staff, faculty and alumni dined with civil rights leaders, the documentary’s directors, and other leaders in the Jewish community. The objective was for meaningful conversations to occur, creating a ripple effect to make meaningful connections and change.

Registration opens for in-person ISJL educator conference

The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life’s Education Conference will be back in person at a new venue near Jackson, June 25 to 27.

Registration is now open for the conference, with early bird hotel rates at the Sheraton Flowood through April 1.

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The conference centers on the ISJL standardized religious school curriculum, which aims to give students a foundation of Jewish knowledge whether they are part of a religious school with 100 students and professional teachers, or three students and volunteer laypeople. The curriculum is currently used in 64 congregations in the 13-state region.

Last year, the Institute instituted “partnership levels,” where congregations could just get the curriculum, add access to the Program Bank and have remote consultations from the ISJL Program Associates, or add an in-person visit from a Program Associate.

The conference, which is for educators and congregational leadership, includes speakers and education specialists from across the country. There is no fee for the conference itself, the registration is for the hotel, meals and snacks.

Erik Lawrence weekend in Alexandria

Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria is hosting the Erik Lawrence Jazz Trio for the Bindursky Concert: “Songs of Spirit, Comfort and Hope,” March 5 at 3 p.m. The concert is part of a weekend with the Alexandria Museum of Art, with the “healing art of music” as part of their healthy living programming.

The concert is free and open to the community, a reception will follow.

Lawrence has toured the world as a saxophonist, flutist and composer. He has worked with a wide range of artists, and appeared on two Grammy-winning albums. His studies concentrate on the science and practice of sound and vibration and how it affects the body and mind.

On March 4 at 1 p.m. at the museum, he will lead a sound sanctuary workshop, a musically-guided sound meditation, using flutes from many cultures, bells, gongs, pitched bells and tuning forks.

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He is the son of Arnie Lawrence, a pioneering jazz saxophonist who moved to Israel in 1997. A 2018 Jerusalem Post piece about Erik’s appearance at the Jerusalem Jazz Festival said Arnie’s arrival in Israel pulled jazz in Israel out of inferiority. He founded the International Center for Creative Music and brought Jewish and Arab musicians together.

In 2019, Erik led musical workshops at B’nai Zion in Shreveport, where his sister, Jana De Benedetti, is the rabbi.

Jewish Cinema Mississippi returns

After a four-year hiatus, Jewish Cinema Mississippi returns with four films in mid-March.

The festival is moving to the Capri Theater in Jackson, and will kick off on March 19 at 2 p.m. with “Finding Hannah.”

“Finding Hannah” had its world premiere last month at the Miami Jewish Film Festival. Directed and written by legendary filmmaker Sidney J. Furie, the film is set in Israel and reunites Hollywood stars Barry Newman of “Vanishing Point” and Diane Muldaur of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” who featured in his Paramount film “The Lawyer” more than five decades ago.

Eighty-year-old Isaac (Barry Newman) and his son Ryan (Jason Blicker) arrive in Israel on a quest to find Hannah Cohen, Isaac’s long lost teenage love from the outbreak of World War II. She was deported to Auschwitz, where many youth were exterminated upon arrival, but he has no idea what happened to her.

Though the name Hannah Cohen is a common Jewish name, Israeli tour guide Zeeva has determined that there are only three possible Hannah Cohens in the state of Israel that match the age and nationality of Isaac’s Hannah Cohen. The trio meet Anat (Muldaur), the headmistress at a multicultural youth village, who welcomes them and offers the services of her passenger van to travel across Israel to fulfill Isaac’s odyssey, but the journey has unexpected turns.

“Farewell, Mr. Haffman” will be March 20 at 7 p.m. Based on a multi Moliere Award-winning play, the French film is set in occupied Paris in 1941. When a decree is issued for Jewish residents to come forward and identify themselves, jeweler Joseph Haffman is concerned and arranges for his family to flee, and lets his employee take over the store for the interim. But when his escape plan falls through, he is forced to seek his assistant’s protection, moving in with his assistant and assistant’s wife, leading to a Faustian bargain, with his presence in the basement proving to be growingly hazardous.

“Matchmaking,” is on March 21 at 7 p.m. An ultra-Orthodox romcom, the film s about two young ultra-Orthodox singles eligible for a match. While they are smitten with each other, they aren’t allowed to date because he is Ashkenazi and she is Mizrahi — of Middle Eastern origin. Considered a great catch, he is set up on a series of dates with other girls, but knows he must pursue his true love. The slapstick film was Israel’s biggest box office hit in 2022.

The festival concludes with “Greener Pastures,” March 22 at 7 p.m. Dov is a 79-year-old widower who is forced into a nursing home by his family. Broke after losing his pension savings, he is obsessed with leaving the home and buying his old house back. Noticing that fellow residents smoke legal medical cannabis, he decides to become their supplier. Love, cops and gangsters enter the picture as he decides whether to risk it all. The film has been at a long list of Jewish film festivals since its 2020 premiere.

Festival passes are $48, $40 for seniors and students. Individual film tickets are $15.

Sponsor levels are available starting at $125 and going up to $2,500.

Temple opens doors for Doe’s remembrance

Hebrew Union Temple stepped in as Greenville remembered a local icon on Dec. 29. Florence Signa died at age 96 on Dec. 25. Pretty much anyone who ever dined at local landmark Doe’s Eat Place had met her.

“Aunt Florence” was married to Frank Signa, brother of Big Doe Signa, in 1948 and worked in the restaurant for over 70 years. Because the parish hall and kitchen at St. Joseph Catholic Church were being renovated, the Temple hosted the celebration of life in its assembly room following the graveside service at Greenville Cemetery.

The National Federation of Temple Youth South will have its Spring Kallah March 31 to April 2 at the Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, for grades 8 to 12 The 1960s-themed weekend will include teens from across the region. Registration is open and early bird tuition is $195 through Feb. 24.

The Mobile Area Jewish Federation will have a golf tournament, the MAJF Jewish Open, on March 12 at Magnolia Grove golf course. Registration starts at 7:15 a.m. There will be a shotgun start in a 4-man scramble format. Registration is $120 per player or $420 per team. Sponsorships start at $300. Lunch will be served following the round.

The Southern Jewish Historical Society will hold its annual conference in Houston on Oct. 20 to 22, and the call for papers has a deadline of March 15.

Beth Israel in Jackson will have a luncheon and musical performance by George and Sherrie Glass, with Josh Wiener on piano, March 12 at 1 p.m. Donations are appreciated, and proceeds benefit Beth Israel. Reservations are requested.

Dothan’s Temple Emanu-El will have a silent auction fundraiser on March 11, time to be announced.

Anytown Alabama applications are now open. The social justice leadership camp is for students currently in grades 9 to 11, and will be held June 4 to 10 at Camp McDowell. Applications are due on March 10. Applications are at ACEalabama.org/anytownalabama.

The next Shabbat Halicha hike for Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will be on March 4 at 10 a.m., meeting at the Frankfurt Drive entrance to Red Mountain Park.

Bobby Gitenstein will speak via Zoom to Temple Beth Or in Montgomery about her book, “Experience is the Angled Road: Memoir of an Academic,” about growing up in Florala. The Zoom will be March 5 at 2 p.m.

Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will have a Blood Drive, March 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Temple Beth El in Pensacola will hold its annual Poker Tournament, Feb. 25. Doors open at 4:15 p.m., play starts at 5 p.m. The largest fundraiser of the year for the congregation, the tournament is a No Limit Hold’em, with a $100 buy-in in advance or $110 at the door. Rebuys are available until 7 p.m., with a one-time add-on at 7:15 p.m. The top nine players will receive non-monetary prizes.

The theater program at Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center makes its post-Covid return with a youth production of “The Velveteen Rabbit: A Toy Story,” written by Patrick Flynn, based on the book by Margery Williams and commissioned by Adventure Theatre in Glen Echo, Md., in 2019. Performances will be March 16 at 5 p.m. and March 19 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for children.

It’s the time of year when Girl Scout cookies are everywhere — and it is a Southern Jewish thing. The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life will have an online Virtual Vacation session on Feb. 28 detailing that history. Three of the first four Girl Scout troop leaders were Jewish, and the first Girl Scout cookies were produced in Savannah, at Gottlieb’s kosher bakery. The episode will feature stories from the early days of Girl Scouts in Savannah, and Southern Jewish women who have been involved in Girl Scouts for the past 50 years.

GatesFest announces musical lineup

Marc Broussard, Cowboy Mouth and the Preservation Hall All-Stars have been announced as headliners for the third GatesFest Music and Arts Festival, which will be held on April 2 at Gates of Prayer in Metairie.

Presented by the congregation in cooperation with Wells Fargo and Humana, the festival will feature food from top local restaurants, an Artist Village of over 20 local and regional artists, a Family Fest Area and a full day of music. Gates will open at noon and the festival will continue until 7:30 p.m.

Also featured will be the Lost Bayou Ramblers, Funk Monkey featuring Arsene DeLay, and Cap Carter, an Australian singer and songwriter making his U.S. debut.

In addition to musical performances, GatesFest will feature roaming brass bands and second lines between stage performances, and food and drinks from local favorites Creole Tomateaux, Wolf’s Burgers, and more.

The Family Fest Area, presented by the Jewish Community Day School and J-FLEx, will feature activities for the entire family, including snacks, arts and crafts, children’s music, magicians and storytellers.

This year, the festival introduces Krewe of Gatesfest and Composer VIP packages, providing guests with private 10x10 tents in prime viewing areas that include personal coolers loaded with snacks and beverages, as well as upgraded restrooms, priority parking, and a fully catered VIP Party with an intimate performance from one of the featured GatesFest artists the night before.

General admission tickets are $25. Children under 12 are free. Tickets are available at gatesfest.org.

Proceeds from the event support Congregation Gates of Prayer and the Gates Preschool.

Cha Wa headlines Jazz Fest Shabbat

Cha Wa, which has twice been nominated for a Grammy, will headline this year’s Jazz Fest Shabbat at Touro Synagogue in New Orleans.

Since 1991, the congregation has held a special musical Shabbat, usually on the first weekend of Jazz Fest. This year’s service will be on April 28.

Cha Wa is a slang phrase used by the Mardi Gras Indians, meaning “we’re comin’ for ya.” The group takes the Mardi Gras Indian sound, which captivated bandleader and drummer Joe Gelini when he was in high school. At the Berklee College of Music, he learned from New Orleans drummer Idris Muhammad and realized that so many drum rhythms were based on the Mardi Gras Indians.

He moved to New Orleans to immerse himself in the sound, and started performing with Monk Boudreaux.

In 2021, the group released its third album, “My People,” which was nominated for a Grammy, as was the previous album, 2018’s “Spyboy.” It was Cha Wa’s first album with Single Lock, a label based in New Orleans and Muscle Shoals that concentrates on creative Southern music.

A patron’s event precedes the service, including a festive dinner, exclusive performance by Cha Wa, and premium reserved seating for the service. Patron levels start at $180 and go to $4,000.

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Registration open for Limmud New Orleans

Registration is open at limmudnola.org for LimmudFest New Orleans, a regional weekend of Jewish learning, and after Mardi Gras the schedule of over 70 sessions is set to be released.

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Local, regional and national presenters, all of whom are volunteering their time, will speak on a wide range of subjects, with sessions for all ages and levels of Jewish knowledge.

The festival will be March 17 to 19, with Shabbat events at Gates of Prayer in Metairie and Sunday sessions at the Uptown Jewish Community Center. For those around the region wishing to attend, home hospitality can be arranged, within walking distance if needed.

Organizers have been releasing two presenter profiles weekly.

Mikhl Yashinsky will present “Laughter, Tears, Curtain: A Yiddish Theatre Workshop” and “Reporting Live from Yiddishland.” With the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, he performed in the Yiddish-language “Fiddler on the Roof” and in “The Sorceress,” for which the New York Times hailed him for bringing a “keen, if malevolent, psychology” to the title role. He is the coauthor of “In eynem: The New Yiddish Textbook.”

In 2019, he was named to the Forward 50, the newspaper’s annual list of “influential, intriguing, and inspiring” American Jews.

Merissa Nathan Gerson is the author of “Forget Prayers, Bring Cake: A Single Woman’s Guide to Grieving.” She was the intergenerational trauma consultant to Amazon’s hit show “Transparent” and has had writing featured in the New York Times, Playboy Magazine, Atlantic, Elle.com, Tablet Magazine, Lilith Magazine, and beyond. After releasing a 2018 ELI Talk on consent and Talmud, she founded www.KenMeansYes.org to address the need for consent education in Jewish spaces. Gerson is Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication at Tulane University, and will lead “Grief and Joy: On Mourning in 2023.”

Early-bird adult registration through Feb. 22 is $100 for the weekend, $65 for Sunday only. Young adult passes are $50 for the weekend and $36 for Sunday, for ages 30 and under. A children’s pass for ages 3 to 18 is $18, and ages 0 to 3 are free. Rates will increase after Feb. 22.

There is also a Limmud Boneh (Builder) level at $180, which includes a Zoom session the week before LimmudFest with Rabbi Yaffa Epstein.

At BSC’s 2022 Honors Day, the Hillel Jewish Student Group received the Dudley Long Leadership Award.

Support for Ukraine is right thing to do in the face of Putin’s criminal act

By Arnie D. Fielkow

I have never been so proud of my country and my president, Joe Biden. I write these words after just returning from a whirlwind trip to central Europe in order to lead an initiative helping Ukrainian youth, to try to get one of my daughters’ sisters out of Ukraine, and to enjoy my truly favorite part of the world.

So why such gratitude and pride? Because we in America — as well as our NATO allies — continue to do the absolutely right thing in supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, including the recent decision to supply much-needed new tanks and ammunition to combat the criminal activities of Russia and its evil leader, Vladimir Putin. These tanks will allow the Ukrainian military to fight back against Russian aggression, and hopefully re-capture Ukrainian land wrongly taken by Russia over this past year as well as previously with regards to the Crimea.

Despite being a much larger country with supposed military superiority, Russia continues to face huge challenges on the battlefield given the courage and “unwillingness to lose” attitude exhibited by ordinary Ukrainian citizens forced to fight for their own land and to stand up for global democracy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who even had time this week to root out corruption within his own cabinet, will go down in history as one of the most heroic figures our world has ever seen.

America and our Western allies — as they were 80 years ago — are on the right side of history. During my trip I was a mere 75 miles from the Ukrainian border (I so wanted to go into the country and help my family evacuate!) and it was heart-breaking to still see (as I had witnessed

last April) Ukrainian mothers and children having to flee their country and live elsewhere, while their husbands and sons continue to protect their homeland. Putin continues to literally destroy Ukrainian schools and hospitals, kill innocent Ukrainian citizens, knock out energy infrastructure (causing many Ukrainians to keep warm through wood stoves), and commit war crimes of murder and rape wherever Russian forces go. Indeed, there should be no doubt America is on the right side of history!

It was fortuitous I ended my trip in Germany, where there was admittedly much angst about sending German tanks to Ukraine. Optically, it was a bit unnerving to see the German iron cross on tanks again heading east to fight Russian soldiers, as eight decades ago such an image invoked fear and disgust. Today I applaud Germany, England and a host of other countries in standing up to autocracy and not allowing Russia to change a world order which has seen peace in Europe since World War II.

It is also ironic that, as I write this, it is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, where we memorialize the loss of over 6 million Jews and other innocents at the murderous and inhumane hands of Nazi fascism. The lesson to be learned is that inaction and silence in the face of evil can no longer be accepted, whether it be in Ukraine, on the streets of Tehran, or elsewhere where the voices of freedom and democracy are stifled.

Putin frequently contends that he is again fighting Nazism in Ukraine, despite facts to the contrary, including that today Ukraine is led by a Jewish president and the current war was initiated by Putin’s Russia. The real fascists in the current conflict reside in Moscow, and no idle threats of nu-

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clear retaliation will justify Russian criminality. One should not be misled to believe that all Americans or Europeans are on board with rightfully helping Ukraine. The nightly airwaves are filled with the disgusting and inflammatory rhetoric of the likes of Tucker Carlson and Congressional isolationists like Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. Their “America First” philosophy — also invoked by our former president — was wrong in the 1930s and 40s, and remains flawed today.

Lastly, I will be forever haunted by a late night conversation I had with what seemed like a nice old Austrian woman in the Vienna train station. After hearing of my Ukraine interests, she calmly told me her country should remain neutral and not be helping the Ukrainians, and that she wished for the good old days when Austrians would not have to be bothered by Ukrainians nor any other immigrants. When I asked if her Austria should have fought back when Nazi Germany invaded in 1938, she quickly advised me that, as a proud Austrian, there was ample justification for the rise of Nazism back in the day. Clearly this was not the Von Trapp family from “The Sound of Music,” but rather a woman who, in another life, would have been saluting the swastika and wondering why this proud Jewish-American was allowed to even be in her country. Pretty eye-opening!

I hope and pray the Ukrainian conflict will end in 2023. I concur with President Zelensky that the best chance for just peace is for Ukraine to continue to win on the battlefield. America’s support is crucial to this strategic objective, and I applaud our executive and legislative branches of government for doing the right thing. I am grateful for their support and so very proud to be an American! “Slava Ukraini — Glory to Ukraine.”

Arnie Fielkow recently retired as CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, and is former president of the New Orleans City Council.

JEF Annual Event on March 5

The Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana will hold its Annual Event on March 5 at the Audubon Tea Room in New Orleans, with a patron reception at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m.

Melinda and Morris Mintz will be honored with the Tzedakah Award. Carole Neff will receive the Jewish Federations of North America Endowment Achievement Award, and Leslie Fischman, who recently retired as executive director of the New Orleans Jewish Community Center, will receive the Helen Mervis Community Professional Award.

Reservations are $75, patron level is $175.

“Hard conversations” to build bridges

Panel at UAB explores Black-Jewish relations

By Kiara Dunlap

The Black-Jewish Relationship: How do we bridge the gap?

This question framed the discussion as African Americans and Jewish Americans came together on Jan. 24 for an impactful dialogue at the University of Alabama at Birmingham under the theme, “Shared Histories: A Conversation about Black-Jewish Relations in Birmingham and Beyond.”

The event came amid controversy and tensions between the two communities over social media posts by Kanye West and basketball star Kyrie Irving that have been widely viewed as antisemitic.

An announcement before the event highlighted its importance: “Conversations about Anti-Semitism and Anti-Black racism have become more prominent today with the emergence of far right and white supremacist groups being more visible in the everyday media cycle… This critical conversation will focus on these shared histories and how understanding the history of these communities specifically in Birmingham will help move both communities forward with a shared interest.”

Hosted by the UAB Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the UAB Institute for Human Rights, the program was moderated by Tina Kemp Reuter, director of the institute and director of UAB Social Science and Justice Research.

Panelists included Barry McNealy, Professor of African American Studies at UAB; Margaret Norman, Director of Programming and Engagement at Temple Beth-El; Joyce Shevin, Director of Community Relations for the Birmingham Jewish Federation, and Dr. Jonathan Wiesen, a Professor of History at UAB. They were from different backgrounds and different walks of life but shared a passion for unity and harmony between the two communities.

The session began by acknowledging the rhetoric and conversation seen today in the media, which often depicts frayed ties between Blacks and Jews.

When asked about important moments in history that have made this conversation relevant for today, Wiesen mentioned the 2015 Dylan Roof shooting at the Emanuel AME church in South Carolina and the 2018 Robert Bowers shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. These two tragedies against these communities were committed by Anti-Black and antisemitic extremists.

Wiesen said “it’s easy to see Blacks and Jews together as victims, sort of like frightened minorities.” For him, “they just remind me… of how much the fates of American Blacks and Jews have been intertwined, and how we have to stand together against racism and antisemitism both individually and sometimes together.”

In Birmingham, there is a shared history of discrimination.

“This city’s history goes back far with the idea of white supremacy. White supremacy was not just something that was a detrimental force to African Americans, it was a detrimental force to the Jewish community in the United States as well,” said McNealy. “When we look at these two communities and we look at the shared nature of white supremacy, it goes hand in hand with antisemitism.”

In Birmingham, both communities were targeted by bombings and attempted bombings during the Civil Rights era. In the 1950s and 1960s, Black communities were attacked multiple times.

In 1958, 54 sticks of dynamite were discovered at Temple Beth-El. The explosives were found before they detonated. There were prominent members of the congregation who were supporters of the Civil Rights movement.

“Many Jews began empathizing more with the local Black community, thinking about what they could do to help. This was a turning point for some people who had not previously been active in issues of human

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rights. Those who already had ties saw the interconnection of what these two communities faced and thus became more inspired to act,” said Temple Beth-El’s Norman.

The panel also reflected on the current state of relations between the two communities in Birmingham.

Shevin described the work of the Birmingham Jewish Community Relations Council, whose purpose is to “build bridges of understanding to our broader communities, combat antisemitism and advocate for public policy and social justice issues.”

She referred to a quote: “We will never be together until we are in each other’s homes and at each other’s tables.” Shevin talked about her involvement in a dialogue group that brings Black and Jewish women together to build friendships, but also to have “hard conversations.”

Shevin believes that a controversy several years ago involving the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute honoring Angela Davis created challenges. This episode created friction and distrust between the two communities.

One consistent theme throughout the discussion was the need to have honest conversations, especially if the two communities want to have good ties. “We learn in uncomfortableness… To get to a perfect union we have to get uncomfortable,” said McNealy.

Kiara Dunlap is interning jointly for Southern Jewish Life and The Birmingham Times in partnership with Miles College, where she is a senior communications major.

Leading global law firm Dentons issues statement condemning antisemitism

By Richard Friedman

Through an initiative that originated in Birmingham and Huntsville, Dentons, a worldwide law firm, recently released a statement condemning antisemitism and affirming its concern over the increase in hostility and hatred toward Jews.

Steven Brickman, a long-time Birmingham Jewish community volunteer leader and a shareholder in Dentons Sirote, which is part of the firm and based in Birmingham, initiated the statement, encouraging the national firm to make its opposition to antisemitism widely known.

Michelle Levin, a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Huntsville office, also was involved. She is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors.

The two Alabama lawyers encouraged Dentons management and inclusion and diversity leaders to focus on antisemitism, including attacks on Israel that are clearly antisemitic, in addition to other forms of discrimination.

Brickman also noted that the recent Dentons statement mentioned some of the most recent and egregious examples. Mentioned are the widely reported incidents involving Kanye West and the University of California Berkeley law school — the latter a prime example of how discriminatory attacks on speakers who advocate for Israel are inherently antisemitic. The statement, Brickman noted, was distributed to the firm’s 5000 U.S. lawyers.

“Given the escalation in antisemitic rhetoric and conduct across the U.S. region, it was important that Dentons, the world’s largest global law firm, issued a clear condemnation of antisemitism and hate in all its forms,” Tobin McClamroch, managing partner of the U.S. region, told Southern Jewish Life. “The rise of explicit antisemitic statements and conduct by well-known voices is alarming, dangerous and must be condemned.”

Over the past few years, as antisemitism has grown, “many prominent firms released statements demonstrating a shared commitment to denouncing antisemitism from across the profession,” said McClamroch. A list of some of those firms appeared on JewishInsider.com in May 2021.

McClamroch said it was important for Dentons to issue a statement in

Pictured from left to right: Alan Weintraub, Financial Advisor, First Vice President-Investments, Bari Bridges, CFP®, Financial Advisor, Steven Wetzel, Financial Consultant, Linda Hodges, Senior Registered Client Associate, Jonathan Schlackman, Branch Manager, Senior Vice President-Investments, Alan Brockhaus, CFP®, ChFC®, Assistant Vice President, Branch Liaison, Joshua Zamat, Financial Advisor, First Vice President-Investments

view of the firm’s connections with historically Jewish law firms that have become part of the Dentons network. “We have numerous lawyers, leaders and business services professionals across our firm who are Jewish. Legacy firms in our U.S. region, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, and Sirote & Permutt, were founded by lawyers whose Jewish heritage was a barrier to entering other established law firms at that time. This legacy is an important part of who Dentons is today.”

Added McClamroch, “By issuing this statement, we are standing in solidarity with our Jewish colleagues and making it clear that Dentons does not tolerate antisemitic words, actions or any other hateful and discriminatory conduct from our people, our clients or our communities. Our hope is that this statement assists our Jewish colleagues in feeling heard and supported during these challenging times.”

The statement came out in November and referenced the observance of Kristallnacht, the series of pogroms in 1938 launched by the Nazis against Jews of Germany. “It is with great distress that we continue to witness an escalation in antisemitic rhetoric and conduct across the U.S. While hateful speech is a disappointing reality, the rise of explicit antisemitic statements and conduct by well-known voices is alarming, dangerous and must be condemned with even stronger fervor.

“Dentons wholeheartedly condemns hate in all its forms, and we stand with our Jewish colleagues and clients in rejecting this dangerous and unacceptable rhetoric — be it Kanye West’s tweets; the actions of nine student groups at Berkeley Law School in seeking to ban speakers who support Zionism; or the threats of violence against New Jersey Synagogues.

“Sadly, hate crimes have dramatically risen since 2020, including a 34 percent increase in reported antisemitic incidents in 2021 as compared to 2020, and the highest number on record since the Anti-Defamation League began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979. These incidents, along with the similar rise in hate crimes against other groups, including African, Asian and Muslim Americans and the LGBTQ+ community, are rooted in racism and xenophobia, and intended to divide us.

“Many colleagues are experiencing fear and pain, and we call upon the strength of our Dentons community to provide support, empathy, allyship and understanding to Jewish people right now.”

(Disclosure: Richard Friedman’s son, Samuel, is a shareholder at Dentons Sirote.)

Food festivals making their return

Chabad of Huntsville opened the season with a kosher pop-up deli on Feb. 20.

The Jewish Food Festival at Montgomery’s Temple Beth Or has a wide range of Jewish dishes and a Treasure Market. This year’s event will be held on Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dishes prepared by Beth Or members include beef brisket, veggie plates, latkes, stuffed cabbage rolls and quajado, a hot spinach pie. There will also be challah, rugelach, strudel and mandel bread. Carnegie Deli cheesecakes will also be available, along with chocolate covered cheesecake bites. Frozen items for takeout include matzah ball soup, cabbage rolls, quajado, kugel and challah.

Hebrew Union Temple in Greenville will hold its Old Fashioned Corned Beef Deli luncheon on March 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are available at the door.

The Unified Jewish Congregation of Baton Rouge will have its 39th annual corned beef sandwich sale, March 12 and 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Individual box lunches make their post-Covid return, with the choice of corned beef, tuna or egg salad, along with a homemade brownie, chips, pickle and a mint. Orders of five or more sandwiches can be delivered to local businesses, preordering is required. There are also build-your-own kits to make five sandwiches, pre-order required.

Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center announced its Jewish Food and Culture Fest will be on April 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Jewish Fertility Foundation celebrates first birthday

In its first year, the Birmingham office of the Jewish Fertility Foundation has already touched numerous lives.

“We’ve provided two fertility grants, with a third pending. We’ve created 12 fertility buddy matches, providing peer support for those experiencing infertility — and four of our clients have given birth, with more babies on the way,” said Julie Cohen, manager of Jewish Fertility Foundation-Birmingham.

On Nov. 3, JFF-BHM celebrated its first year with an event at the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School. A panel discussed the topic “How to Love Someone With Infertility,” with speakers including Michelle Bearman-Wolnek, chair of the JFF-BHM Advisory Council; Jennifer Bradley, the Collat Jewish Family Services therapist who leads the JFF-BHM support group; JFF board member Stephen Royal; and Ariella Kamen, a community member experiencing infertility.

The speakers touched on their own personal journeys, and Bradley shared how the “Five Love Languages” can be used to provide loving support to those experiencing infertility.

The JFF, which provides financial assistance, emotional support and educational programming for people experiencing infertil-

an annual SJL special section take care of yourself

ity, was founded in Atlanta in 2015 by Elana Frank. The Birmingham office was launched six years later in partnership with CJFS and with support from the Birmingham Jewish Foundation.

Cohen signed on to launch the organization’s Birmingham office after she and her husband experienced a long road of infertility to grow their family. In her role, she provides outreach and support for those experiencing infertility. “I don’t want anyone in Birmingham to feel alone as they navigate what can be a very isolating journey,” Cohen said.

This past year, JFF-BHM has hosted a monthly virtual support group, provided nine educational or training programs for fertility clinics and professionals, participated in seven community partnerships and programs, and supported two women who underwent uterus transplants.

take care of yourself

Mending his heart at Children’s

Jaquavion “Qua”

Johnson was born in September 2006 with a congenital heart defect called tricuspid atresia. At five days old, Qua had the first of a series of open-heart surgeries that are customary for this diagnosis.

He played a variety of sports throughout childhood, but when Qua reached middle school, mom Marquitta noticed her son just wasn’t himself. “He is my child, and I knew something was wrong.”

In March 2021, visits to his hometown pediatrician, emergency departments and cardiologists provided some clues. His heart wasn’t pumping well. The medications weren’t helping. The doctors requested that Qua be transported to Children’s of Alabama for evaluation and treatment.

Qua joined the transplant list in April 2021. While many patients wait months or even years for a new heart, Qua’s critical condition helped the team at Children’s of Alabama find a heart for him less than two weeks later.

“I don’t know what the good Lord has in store for him, but I know it’s something,” Marquitta said.

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Verde Lusso starting a clean beauty movement

By Lee Green

Verde

Lusso

means “green luxury,” and the owner of the new Birmingham shop hopes to raise consciousness for beauty and health products that are friendly to both the body and the environment.

Mary Frances Dale worked in Washington for a women’s advocacy group, and later for a beauty company focused on “clean beauty.”

“It was really surprising to learn about the ingredients in so many U.S.-government-approved products that are toxic to both human health and the environment,” said Dale. “I learned more about the clean beauty movement and got to know the brands that achieved the highest standards for ingredient safety… but

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup almond flour

1 scoop Agent Nateur Holi (Mane) (use code HOLIMANE15 for 15% off first order at verdelusso.com or in-store)

3 tablespoons flaxseed meal

1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt

1/4 cacao nibs

2 tablespoons hemp seeds

2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until creamy. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, Mane, flaxseed meal and salt.

2. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well to combine. Use the back of your spoon to work in the cacao nibs. Use your hands to roll the dough into one-inch balls.

3. In a small bowl or on a plate, mix together the hemp seeds and shredded coconut. Roll each ball in the mixture until fully coated. Refrigerate the bites for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one week or freeze for up to one month.

They are the ones who keep the presses rolling, so we can continue serving the community Let them know you appreciate them!

also feel luxurious, look fabulous and work effectively.”

Dale is from Columbia, Tenn., and was working in Washington when she met her husband, Charles Fleischmann. He accepted a new job in Birmingham in 2020 and that’s when she shifted her focus to opening the first clean beauty shop in the state of Alabama. She opened the Verde Lusso storefront in the Avondale area this past November.

She said Verde Lusso carries products from mostly smaller to midsize companies that “meet strict standards for non-toxic ingredients.”

“If a product ingredient list includes the word ‘fragrance,’ that is usually a red flag,” said Dale. “Fragrance” is an industry word that can signify over 2,000 potential ingredients that are often toxic to human health, such as hormone disruptors and potential carcinogens. “We only carry products free of any synthetic fragrances and without toxins. Our focus is also on bringing in products that are healthy and safe for all people, including those with allergy and auto-immune issues.”

She said Verde Lusso is not just a store, “it’s a one-on-one, enjoyable, educational experience.” Dale said that customers can bring products they are using and they can recommend luxurious, clean beauty substitutes.

Verde Lusso also offers some wellness products, including holistic supplements, like herbal remedies, collagen and homeopathic remedies. None of their products contain toxic preservatives.

“My family (including 10-month-old Max) is all about healthy living and we enjoy sharing ideas with others,” said Dale.

Verde Lusso also prides itself on carrying products that are environmentally friendly. “Most of what we carry is plastic-free or limit their plastic waste.” she said. “Our products feature healthy and safe ingredients, including high-grade botanicals that are all organically farmed and sourced.”

Dale still blogs regularly about clean beauty on the company’s website www.verdelusso.com and customers can order from the online shop.

The journey to mend his heart led

In mid-January, Brooke Bowles and Katie Hausman Grace from Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center were joined by Billy Lapidus at Children’s of Alabama, to present a donation of over $10,300 from the 2022 Sam Lapidus Montclair Run, held on Thanksgiving. The check was accepted by Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Meredith Weintraub, who is an LJCC member, and other members of the Children’s team. Over the past 13 years, total donations from the Run and the Jam4Sam organized by Mesch AZA have amounted to more than $100,000. Proceeds benefit the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders. A fixture at the LJCC, Sam Lapidus died in 2008, just before his 15th birthday, after a six-year battle with Ewing’s Sarcoma.

Qua was born with tricuspid atresia that required a series of open heart surgeries as an infant. But as a teen, his health took a dramatic turn. Qua’s pediatrician and cardiologist recognized something wasn’t right with his heart and sent him to Children’s of Alabama. Our team was standing by when he arrived by helicopter, and within two weeks he received a new heart. He rebounded quickly and was back at home a few weeks later, thanks to the expert heart team here at Children’s of Alabama.

Learn more at ChildrensAL.org/heart

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summer camp

JCRS gala to celebrate Jewish camp

When the gala committee for Jewish Children’s Regional Service was brainstorming ideas for this year’s fundraiser, nothing really excited the group — until someone suggested Jewish sleep-away camp.

Most of the organizers had been to camp themselves, and were now at that stage of life where they were sending their own children — or grandchildren — to camp. They knew the value of Jewish camp and envisioned a celebration that raised money for camp scholarships while spreading the word about the Jewish camp experience.

Thus, the “Jewish Roots of Summer Camp” was born. The gala, featuring live music, dancing and fine dining, will take place on March 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. Billed as a “chic glamping event,” it will honor JCRS’s long history of assisting families in sending their children to sleep-away camp and even feature some camp themed activities.

Co-chairs Diana Mann and Loel Samuel said the gala promises to be a fun and rollicking affair, mixing music and dancing with reminiscences of summer camp, including a friendship circle, s’mores and a few other surprises.

Both Mann and Samuel sent their children to the Union for Reform Judaism’s Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, and know firsthand how camp fosters leadership, independence, lifelong friendships and Jewish identity.

Samuel said her son Ben, who is still in touch with camp friends and counselors, is now considering sending his own son to sleep-away camp.

Mann said sending her kids to camp was one of the best decisions she and her husband Chip ever made as parents.

“I wanted my children to have the confidence of going away to camp and experience a new level of self-sufficiency,” Mann said of her son Michael Mann and daughter Amelia Mann Halstead. “Jacobs Camp provided another level of Jewish enrichment which was extremely important. It also broadened their friendship circle, and it is so wonderful to see the reconnections being made as adults.”

Amelia is so passionate about summer camp that she has already begun sending her own daughter Suzie to Jacobs, with younger daughter Bella itching to go herself. When she was looking for a job, she joined the JCRS

Diana Mann with her daughter Amelia, appx. 1996.

staff as director of marketing and development, leading efforts to raise scholarships for both camp and college.

“Camp meant the world to me, and I’m so happy to pass that love of camp on to my own children,” she said. She said it is equally important that all Jewish children have that opportunity, whether they can afford it or not.

For more than 60 years, the JCRS Summer Camp Scholarship Aid program has awarded needs-based grants to campers. In 2022, JCRS provided over $257,000 in scholarships to 418 children with financial aid for Jewish summer camp. Since 2010, JCRS has given $2.2 million in scholarships to campers at108 different Jewish summer camps, with Jacobs Camp, Camp Young Judaea Texas in Woodcreek, Tex., and URJ Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, Tex., accounting for 66 percent of all JCRS awards.

Among those on the gala program is Macy Hart, former long-time Jacobs Camp director, who is looking forward to reuniting and connecting camp alumni. Macy’s father Ellis Hart and his uncles Van Hart and Carol Hart were raised in the Jewish Children’s Home, the predecessor to JCRS, with Carol Hart eventually becoming president of JCRS.

Table sponsorship and tickets are available. The event is open to the public. For more information about the event, patron levels and sponsorships, contact Amelia Halstead at (800) 729-5277, or email her at amelia@jcrs.org. Information is also available at jcrs.org

JCRS was established as an orphanage in 1855 and is the only Jewish charity of its type in the country — a regional Jewish child welfare agency and the oldest existing Jewish child welfare organization in the U.S. JCRS serves Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. Today, JCRS funds or serves over 1,800 Jewish children throughout its service region.

Inspiration comes from Space Camp and Cyber Camp

Space Camp is known around the world, for good reason. Since 1982, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center program has helped launch the careers of countless engineers and scientists and a number of astronauts. With simulated missions and a focus on the teamwork, problem-solving and critical thinking skills it takes to go to space, Space Camp shows children and adults how to make their passions for space exploration a reality.

Space Camp for individuals starts at age 9 and is available for school groups in the fall and spring, and in the summer for individuals who come from all over the world to attend. Those coveted summer slots fill up fast, but there is another way to experience the program — Family Space Camp. In this program, children as young as 7 can attend with their parents, grandparents and even aunts and uncles.

Family Space Camp takes place over a long weekend, serving as an ideal way to introduce children to the program and showing their families what they’ll experience when they come back on their own. For some

This Week In Southern Jewish Life

parents, it can also be a way to relive their own childhood trip to Space Camp or get the chance they never had when they were younger.

Families are grouped with other families on teams for astronaut training on simulators like the multi-axis trainer, and they become astronauts and mission control crew members for missions to space. They also get to explore the Rocket Center with their teammates and see the latest images from the James Webb Space Telescope in the INTUITIVE® Planetarium.

Family Space Camp programs are offered throughout the year, most frequently over the summer months.

One thing Space Campers learn is that the early astronauts were military pilots, an idea that launched Space Camp’s sister program, Aviation Challenge, in 1990. Campers get a look into the life of a jet fighter pilot. They take part in search and rescue maneuvers, learn the fundamentals of flight, and test their skills in Top Gun competitions in F-18 flight simulators.

And just like with Space Camp’s influence on future careers, Aviation Challenge has a long history of inspiring future pilots, members of the military and aeronautical engineers.

Come Join Our Family!

We would welcome the Opportunity to Share our Address with You.

We are excited to welcome new residents and their families to Brookdale University Park.

When you arrive for a tour, you will be greeted by our friendly staff and residents. You will notice our walking paths, putting green and refreshing outside areas for you, your family and friends to enjoy. Once you move in, you are free to come and go in the community as you wish, and visitors are always welcome! Including your 4-legged friends. Our community is your local source for overcoming challenges that older adults face as well as providing an environment where friendships can cultivate and flourish.

Reach out to us today and learn how we can help connect your interests with those of like-age friends.

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Because of the outdoor and water activities in the program, Aviation Challenge is offered primarily in the summer months for now. Jared Isaacman, commander of the Inspiration4 all-civilian mission to space and an Aviation Challenge graduate, recently made a generous donation for the construction of a new skills training center. This building will allow the Rocket Center to bring many of the Aviation Challenge activities indoors, expanding access year-round.

While Space Camp and Aviation Challenge have been in the business of inspiring young people for decades, U.S. Cyber Camp is just a few years old now. Beginning in 2017 with a single team, the program is now introducing careers in cyber security and technology to middle- and high-school students from around the country.

Like its sister programs, Cyber Camp emphasizes teamwork, with students working in groups for hands-on experiences and challenges developed in partnership with the FBI. Students in this program explore coding, the fundamentals of digital forensics, and types of cyber-attacks and how to defend against them.

All the Rocket Center’s camp programs aim to inspire people of all ages to explore their passions and ultimately careers in critical technology fields. But they also bring young people together with others who share those passions. They have fun, they make friends, and they learn lifelong skills, no matter if they’re walking on the moon one day, flying a jet across the country or defending a critical system from attack.

By popular demand… Jacobs Camp adding a new cabin

Though Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica has a territory that has the smallest number of potential campers among Reform movement camps, Camp Director Anna Herman says that demand has been so strong in recent years that the camp is adding a new cabin this year.

But that doesn’t mean that the camp will lose its focus, as she said they always want the camp to be a small, close-knit family, and aren’t looking “to expand exponentially.”

The camp draws from a wide range of smaller Jewish communities throughout the South, providing an immersive Jewish experience for campers who often are one of a handful of Jews at their schools, or the only one.

Herman said their goal is for Jacobs to be “an easy place for kids to make new friends.”

She is especially happy that the short-term programs for younger campers continue to expand. The Kochavim program gives current Kindergarteners a taste of camp life, with a day at camp and an overnight on June 24 and 25.

For current first and second graders, Olim offers a two-week experience, but for those who aren’t ready to be away from home for two weeks, a one-week option is available, “to get a taste of the magic and an easier introduction.”

There are numerous regional and local incentives for campers to attend Jacobs Camp. “Affordability is really important to Jacobs Camp, and we have really generous donors who want to ensure that money is never a reason not to go to camp,” she said.

Before the traditional lineup of cars along Morrison Road to drop off the first session campers, the gate at Jacobs will open to other groups.

The camp is hosting a NFTY-Southern regional event the weekend of March 31, for grades 8 to 12.

Herman is also looking forward to the return of Dream Street, a NFTY initiative that provides a five-day summer camp experience for children with physical disabilities. This year’s camp will start May 29. The camp was planning to return last year, but Covid cases among staff caused its cancellation, as Dream Street is held just before the regular Jacobs sessions.

“They have worked so hard to keep that community connected, but nothing can compare to being in person,” Herman said.

The same can be said of the camp’s regular sessions. “It is truly our campers who make camp so special,” she said.

MSJE looking for photos of couples who were camp sweethearts

Jewish summer camping is intertwined with the history of New Orleans’ Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, and one of the more popular sections has been the “Summer Camp Sweethearts” exhibit. The exhibit is currently being expanded, and the museum is looking for couples who met at summer camp and later married. Those couples should send two photos — one of them together as campers, and one at their wedding.

Ramah Darom adds a musical theater specialty camp

By Lee J. Green

Camp Ramah Darom is setting the stage for growth with a new musical theater program in the North Georgia mountains.

“We’ll be bringing in seasoned professionals to work with rising eighth through 10th graders who are interested in musical theater,” said Camp Ramah Darom Director and Head of Education Anna Serviansky. “Ramah Bamah, our new two-week specialty camp during second session, will allow us to expand our theater arts program and attract new campers from within and beyond our region.”

Every summer at camp, there are two Hebrew plays each session, one put on by seventh-grade campers, and the other offers an opportunity for campers and staff to join in the fun.

Serviansky said in 2022 they served about 750 children and started a new, five-day program for rising second-grade campers. The program was so successful that this summer, there will be two opportunities for young campers to get a taste of Ramah Darom.

Their oldest campers traveled to Washington and Philadelphia, and rising 10th graders traveled to Alabama for a Civil Rights learning trip. Last summer, Ramah Darom, the Conservative Jewish camp for the Southeast region, also launched a program to bring in rising 10th-grade campers from Israel, added a new water “blob,” trampoline and a horseback riding elective.

“Every summer we bring in staff from Israel,” said Serviansky “because having an immersive Israel learning experience at Ramah is very important.” This summer Ramah Darom will bring in 40 post-Army-service Israeli counselors to “share their life experience, camping and scouting in Israel with our campers.”

Soon Ramah will break ground on a new program center that will include a new gym, music and dance room, staff lounge, indoor programming space and more. It is expected to be completed in early 2024.

For Summer 2023, Serviansky said the first session of camp is almost full and they are actively filling the second session. As part of the recruiting effort, they visited cities across the Southeast, including New Orleans, back in mid-January.

“We’re heading into our 27th summer, and it is really remarkable to see the children of some of the original campers coming to Ramah Darom,” she said. “It’s truly a multi-generational experience.”

Year-round retreats coming up at Ramah Darom

While Ramah Darom has been offering Jewish retreats for years, their newest retreat, which will take place over President’s Day Weekend, February 17 to 20, will be unlike anything offered before.

B’teavon will be their debut into the world of Jewish food exploration and education, featuring an array of prominent chefs who will be hosting panels, demonstrations and classes.

“There is so much diversity in the Jewish story in general, and food reflects that diversity,” said Eliana Leader, director of the Kaplan Mitchell Retreat Center at Ramah Darom.

Although B’teavon is sold out, there are still a few spots open for the second half of Ramah Darom’s popular annual Passover Retreat, April 9 to 14. And after the summer, experiential retreats continue with something for all ages and stages, including a new adults-only camp alumni retreat.

“If we are doing a good job, our retreat portfolio is varied enough to where not every retreat is for everyone, but everyone has a couple of retreats each year that speak deeply to their needs and interests,” said Leader.

senior life

an annual SJL special section

New Horizons offers seniors opportunities for activities and enrichment

Birmingham-area seniors with a zest for learning and socialization can explore new horizons through involvement in a program focused on lifelong learning.

Dorothy Ziff joined New Horizons at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2006 and she’s been enjoying the program, along with helping to coordinate schedules.

“The programs are stimulating and there are so many opportunities to meet new friends,” said Ziff, an involved member of the Birmingham area Jewish community who is a retired teacher and travel agent. “We have a diverse group and so many interesting sessions focusing on a variety of topics.”

New Horizons offers three eight-week terms a year with sessions every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning for two hours, with a bonus Zoom discussion group on Mondays. The topics have ranged from advancements in genetics to learning about cryptocurrency to trends in art to the war in Ukraine.

The idea for the program came in 1987 from a New York Times article about a kind of learning association for retirees that Dick and Marilyn Roman decided to emulate. Marilyn worked for the UAB Center for Aging and was responsible for the Elderhostel program at UAB.

After more than a year’s worth of planning and development, the formal existence of New Horizons began in January 1989.

Sandra Vinik and her husband, Ron Vinik, have been involved with New Horizons since 2012. She said UAB offers help in lining up speakers from Birmingham and across the region.

“This is something that keeps us motivated and mentally active,” she said. “We have several members who are former professors and teachers.” Vinik and Ziff said several Birmingham-area rabbis have also led sessions and they’ve had subjects including the kabbalah as well as learning about great Jewish composers.

Vinik and Ziff said they hope to add excursions back to the curriculum in the spring. In the past they’ve gone to Vulcan Park and Museum, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and the Birmingham Museum of Art.

“We’ve met so many friends through this. We’ve gotten together (outside of the New Horizons sessions) to see the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Red Mountain Theatre and to celebrate holidays, birthdays,” said Ziff, who is also one of the founders of the Gen XYZ (Xtra Years of Zest) group that has events at Temple Beth-El.

Vinik said registration is $95 for a semester and the winter term runs through Feb. 24. The fee covers honoraria for speakers, room rental, snacks, beverages and parking.

“The program is open to anyone — you don’t have to be retired. And we welcome suggestions for future sessions,” she said. “New Horizons is really something special. It changes peoples’ lives.” For more information, go to www.newhorizonsuab.org

Brookdale feels like home to Hirsch, Rosenbaum

Riva Hirsch feels a strong sense of community and family at Brookdale Senior Living University Park.

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The Holocaust survivor has spoken about her heroic story at the community, as well as for schools, synagogues and remembrance events across the country. She considers herself an ambassador and stays very active at the continuing care retirement community in Birmingham.

“I feel like I’m an ambassador here,” said Hirsch, who turns 90 in August. “We love getting more friends involved with the wonderful activities here — Mah Jongg, poker, bridge, bingo, happy hours, musical entertainment, movies and holiday celebrations. This place feels like home.”

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She said she and her late husband, Aisic, also a Holocaust survivor, used to volunteer at the community when they were younger. When she moved to Brookdale six years ago, Hirsch knew she wanted to volunteer with leading activities and showing new residents around.

“I’ve felt a sense of belonging (at Brookdale and in the Jewish community),” said Hirsch. “We have a few Jewish residents here (including Hirsch’s best friend, 97-year-old Margy Rosenbaum). We want them and everyone to feel like we do.”

Rosenbaum has lived at Brookdale for eight years and said she keeps active with Mah Jongg, bridge and the social events at the community.

“Everyone here — the residents and the staff — is so friendly. The food is excellent and there is always something fun to do,” said Rosenbaum, whose father was one of the first presidents of Temple Beth-El.

Brookdale Senior Living Development Director Lee Cobb said they’re grateful for the support of Hadassah Birmingham and organizations and institutions in the Jewish community.

Hadassah hosted a successful Mah Jongg tournament at Brookdale this past October and a Bubbe Club Chanukah event in December. Hirsch also helped to organize a Chanukah party at the community, attended by more than 60 people. Several rabbis have come into to lead holiday services.

“We’re fortunate to have such a close-knit community at Brookdale and to have residents, volunteers who help make this such a great place to live. It’s not work when you are doing what you love with such wonderful people,” said Cobb.

Julie Wright, Brookdale’s director of resident programs, said many activities are designed based on residents’ interest and specified for different levels of care.

“We have a wide range of activities from senior exercise to learning about technology to musical concerts to arts and crafts,” said Wright. “We also plan shopping outings and visits to the art museum, Vulcan and (this month) the Barber Motorsports Park. Plus, we have excellent dining. It’s kind of like being on a cruise ship.”

Cobb said Brookdale University Park also includes a beauty salon, fitness center, a library, transportation and is pet friendly. It is one of more than 700 Brookdale communities across the United States.

Hirsch’s story inspires

In 1941, the Germans occupied seven-yearold Riva’s village in Romania. Her family attempted to flee but were captured by the Nazis.

She was separated from her parents and two brothers at a concentration camp in Luchinetz. Riva survived torture, hunger and disease before being liberated in 1945.

In 1948, she finally made it to Israel, where she met Aisic Hirsch. They married in 1950 and had two children. The Hirsches came to New York in 1962, and 30 years later moved to Birmingham to be close to their children and grandchildren.

Her story was one of the inspirations for the Darkness into Light exhibition and the 2018 visit of Violins of Hope, which were also on display and a part of special events in New Orleans last month.

“It is up to us to tell the stories,” said Hirsch. “We need to teach it to our kids, grandkids and great-grandkids so they will understand, and it will never be forgotten.”

Margy Rosenbaum and Riva Hirsch

Fairhaven partners with the LJCC for senior fitness opportunities

As the average senior adult in the United States embraces a healthier lifestyle, it has become increasingly important for retirement communities to include wellness benefits in their offerings for residents.

That’s why Fair Haven, Birmingham’s largest continuing care retirement community, decided to carry a shared group membership at the Levite Jewish Community Center for its independent and assisted living residents.

The LJCC was a natural choice for Fair Haven since it is located within two miles of its campus.

Lauren McLendon, the Life Enrichment Director at Fair Haven, helped nurture the LJCC relationship for Fair Haven residents.

“It’s a situation of ‘use it or lose it.’ Seniors who are active, stay active longer,” said McLendon.

When a person hits retirement, the daily physical routines that were a normal part of work life have to be replaced with new physical routines to maintain one’s balance, flexibility and strength.

Fair Haven’s shared group membership allows access to all the benefits afforded to any other member of the LJCC, including access to exercise classes, swimming pools, group games, weight training equipment and more.

Fair Haven provides regular, weekly transportation for those who need a ride to take advantage of their membership benefits. Residents with access to their own transportation can take advantage of the JCC facilities any time the doors are open.

McLendon explains that the LJCC membership also has a social benefit for residents. “It’s a great opportunity to get out of your apartment; talk to others and make new friends,” she said. “The LJCC offers another community of people to interact with and form new relationships.”

Honoring veterans with care

Right at Home salutes veterans and serves those who have served our country.

In 2022, the in-home care provider — with offices in Birmingham, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa and Montgomery — became an approved provider of the Veteran’s Administration.

“This is an amazing benefit called Home Based Community Care. It provides for the cost of home care services for veterans regardless of income,” said Beau Green, who founded Right at Home Birmingham with his wife, Rachel, in 2011 after caring for her mother.

Green said there are two programs that veterans can qualify for. One is the Homemaker and Home Health Aide Program, which provides four to 10 hours a week of care. There is also a Respite Care Program, which allows 30 respite visits per year with each visit being up to six hours and one visit allowed per day to assist family caregivers.

“We can consult with veterans and their families to help them understand the options and assist with the process,” he said.

Right at Home employs skilled, licensed, trained caregivers and software to help match them with those they are providing care for based on geography, level of care needed as well as other factors.

For more information about Home Based Community Care and Right at Home, go to www.rightathome.net/birmingham.

community

Purim events in the region

Here are Purim events as of press time. Check our weekly e-news for updates.

Alabama

Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will have a Purim Tot Shabbat, March 3 at 5 p.m. On March 4 there will be an adult Purim party at 7:30 p.m. at Avondale Brewery. On March 5, there will be a Purim Spiel and megillah reading at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Purim carnival at 10 a.m.

Birmingham’s Knesseth Israel will host a Purim celebration on March 6, starting at 5:45 p.m. The megillah reading will be at 6 p.m. There will be Jewish and Israeli music with Tarious Hill, games, a balloon artist and hamantaschen, and hot dogs, burgers and veggie burgers on the grill.

PJ Library and Torah Time at Chabad in Birmingham will have a Hamantaschen Bake on Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. The event is geared toward Kindergarten to 3rd grade, and parents are welcome to attend. The event is for all Torah Time students, with older students taking a leadership role.

Bais Ariel Chabad in Birmingham will have The Greatest Purim, March 7 with a megillah reading at 4:30 p.m. and party at 5 p.m., including circus cuisine, balloon twister, circus games and a juggler. Reservations are $18 per adult, $10 per child, $70 family maximum.

You Belong in Birmingham will have a Purim party with Chabad of Alabama, Temple Beth-El and Temple Emanu-El, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Avondale Brewing. There will be a costume contest. Tickets are $15 through Feb. 17, $20 after.

Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El will have a Purim party on March 6, starting at 5:30 p.m. with Tot Purim with Robin Berger in the KidZone, and megillah reading in the chapel. At 6 p.m. there will be a carnival in the cultural center, with a circus show at 6:45 p.m. There will be another megillah reading at the 7 a.m. minyan on March 7.

There will be a Purim pet parade at Caldwell Park in Birmingham, March 5 at 3 p.m. Bring pets in costume.

Temple B’nai Sholom in Huntsville will have a Purim Spiel with pizza, potluck, Pinot and punch, March 5 at 5:30 p.m.

Etz Chayim in Huntsville will have its Purim Shpiel on the evening of March 6, with a potluck supper and Purim play.

Chabad of Huntsville will have a Moroccan-themed Purim, March 7 at 5 p.m.

Chabad of Mobile will have a Purim party in Fairhope on March 6, and an International Purim Party on March 7 at the U.S.S. Alabama Aircraft Pavilion. Details to be announced, reservations will be required.

Florida Panhandle

The annual Purim Around the World celebration at Emerald Coast Chabad in Destin will be on March 6 at 6 p.m., featuring Persia.

Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach will have its Purim celebration on March 10 at 6:30 p.m.

The Pensacola Jewish Federation will hold its Purim carnival on March 5 at noon, at Creative Learning Academy.

The new Sea Shul in Seaside will have a Purim celebration on March 3 at the Chapel at Seaside, with a megillah reading and potluck dinner. Time to be announced.

Louisiana

Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria will have a Very Beatles Purim, with details to be announced.

Chabad at LSU and Greater Baton Rouge will partner with PJ Library for the Great Hamantash Bake, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. at the BREC Jefferson Highway Park Ballroom. There will be pre-Purim entertainment, each child receives an apron and baking gear. Reservations are $10 per child, $36 family maximum.

Chabad of Baton Rouge’s Purim in the Shtetl will be on March 7 at 5 p.m. at the BREC Highland Road Park’s indoor rec room. There will be a Tevye Purim feast, Hodel’s Hamantaschen, a live Klezmer band and multimedia megillah reading. Reservations are $18 for adults, $10 for children, $40 family maximum, and “if you are a rich man” sponsorships at $180.

The Unified Jewish Congregation of Baton Rouge will have a Purim celebration on March 5 at 10:30 a.m., with a hamantaschen contest, megillah reading and carnival.

The 52nd community Adloyadah celebration will be held at the Uptown Jewish Community Center in New Orleans on March 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. There will be a giant slide, inflatables, a Gaga pit, Middle Eastern delicacies and deli items. Hamantaschen will be distributed from Bywater Bakery. Admission is free, a children’s all-day play pass is $12, or $10 with a donation of non-perishable items for the Broadmoor Food Pantry.

Beth Israel in Metairie will have a Breakfast for Dinner pre-Purim family event, March 5 at 5 p.m. There will be do-it-yourself graggers, mask making, hamantaschen decorating and a breakfast-themed dinner.

On March 6, Beth Israel in Metairie, JNOLA and the Oscar J. Tolmas Foundation will have a Back to the 90s Purim Party. The megillah reading will be at 6:45 p.m. with the party at 8 p.m. ‘90s costumes encouraged. The $20 admission (free for Beth Israel members) includes food, drinks, live music and an Uber to and from the party.

Gates of Prayer in Metairie will have Purim at the Circus on March 6 at 6 p.m.

Northshore Jewish Congregation in Mandeville will have a Purim par-

ty on March 5 at 11 a.m.

The North Louisiana Jewish Federation presents a Purim carnival on March 5 at 11 a.m. at B’nai Zion in Shreveport. Saul Kaye, “pioneer of Jewish blues,” will perform. Costumes are encouraged.

Mississippi

Beth Israel in Gulfport will have Purim in the Wild West, March 7 at 5 p.m., with a megillah reading at 4:30 p.m. There will be a “wanted” photo booth, country Western Purim feast, saloon for adults, activities and crafts for kids. Reservations are $18, $12 for members and children.

>> Rear Pew

continued from page 30

deed the dude was waxed much like an elephant’s prey.

19: The tide rolled over the tigers, making the flame of their fading awe burn no more.

20: In defeat, Dye had had enough, and he looked toward the heavens again, and beseeched unto the Lord, “Lord, have I forsaken thee? Why did you say to run that play?”

21: And the Lord said to him, “I know not,” and then He looked to His side in the heavenly realm and called His colleague out, saying, “Bear, why did we say to run that play?”

Doug Brook thought about apologizing to A*burn fans but instead asks that, in lieu of flowers, all complaints be sent to Chris Davis. For nearly several more laughs, listen to the (STILL!) FIVE-star rated Rear Pew Mirror podcast at anchor.fm/rearpewmirror or on any major podcast platform. For past columns, visit http://rearpewmirror.com/

Does Bo Know Bo?

For many years, this column has been the lone source for wisdom from the long-lost, recently discovered Talmudic tractate Bava Gump. This tempestuous tome followed in the fine tradition of better-known tractates such as Bava Batra, Bava Kamma, and Bava Metziah.

Now, for the first time anywhere, this column presents an excerpt from another newly found folio: tractate Bama Metziah.

The tractate’s origin story is unclear thus far, but its collected commentaries and texts are so unexpected and game-changing, and are so eclectic that it could leave even the most pacifist rabbi apoplectic.

So, here is a heretofore unseen piece of biblical text. It captures one of the greatest victories ever witnessed throughout the millennia of time.

1: Here, in a bowl of iron, on the field of a legion, a pair of baker’s minyans battled to dominate the land on which they stood.

2: And it was on the first day of the twelfth month, in the year of nineand-ten-hundred and four-and-eighty, nearly two years after the passing of a great bear, known to the world as honorable and bryant.

3: The moon was not yet out, and the fourth quarter was near to its end.

4: A streak of tigers sought a streak of three against a mighty tide of crimson which resembled the river Nile when it was struck with the plague of blood.

5: The tigers had prevailed with awesome might over others nine times prior — while having fallen twice; yet here the tigers trailed, too, by two, for want of just one cubit to gain.

6: The tide was rolling less of late, having lost more than it won, as a once giant ray had cast a shadow that for a generation was seen by none.

7: And so it was that above all other tigers was one who carried the load for them all.

8: And they named him Bo, for he would come through with such frequency that he would become forever known as a man of highs, even to this day.

9: And it was near the end, and the tide had overtaken the tigers by just a score of two.

10: And for the tigers their last shot down came forth, and a single kick would ebb the tide enough, though the tide would end by the gain of just one cubit more.

11: And the mixed multitude knew that it would be a simple blow for Bo to take in stride, and the tens and thousands awaited.

12: And these tigers were led by a man called Dye, and he knew they all thought Bo was to come.

13: And it came to pass that he thought to run, and he looked toward the heavens.

14: And Dye called to the heavens and asked, “Lord, I know they know Bo comes, so the tide might wash him away. What play shall I call, so my tigers win the day?”

15: And the Lord replied, “sweep the tide away with a toss to the right.”

16: And so it was that, like a raven soaring through the sky, a fullbacked, full wood brent swept gliding to the right.

17: And as the brent took flight to the right, the man of highs called Bo instead went wrong unto the left, and he could not turn the tide away, so the tide would turn indeed.

18: And it was that a mighty, roary turner turned the brent away, in-

Good thing

“Wrong Way Bo” didn’t happen at the Red Sea

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