Southern Jewish Life P.O. Box 130052 Birmingham, AL 35213
Volume 27 Issue 6
June 2017
Southern Jewish Life
Neal Auction Period Antiques, Fine Paintings & Decorative Arts
Summer Estates Auction July 8 & 9, 2017
1. Ida Kohlmeyer (1912-1997), “Semiotic 86-6,” 1986, m.m./c, 50 1/2 x 49 1/2 in. 2. Newcomb Pottery Vase, 1908, Marie Levering Benson, h. 12 7/8 in. 3. Hunt Slonem (b. 1951), “Golden Bunnies,” 2014, o/panel, 33 x 26 1/4 in.
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shalom y’all shalom y’all y’all shalom Usually, when we hit June things slow down a bit. For some reason, this past month or so has been unusually busy with a lot of large breaking stories, some of which are in this issue. Many communities in the region are seeing huge changes in the next few months, and we will be here to tell you all about it. (That also means that many things intended for this month will instead be in the July issue).
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Hundreds of campers are preparing for their summers at the numerous Jewish sleepaway camps in our region, summer trips to Israel or other adventures. This summer also brings the World Maccabiah Games in Israel, with many participants from our region. You can read about them in this issue.
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Also, the JCC Maccabi Games are less than two months away in Birmingham. Jewish teens from across Alabama will be competing for the home team, while almost 30 other communities, including New Orleans, will be bringing delegations.
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Naturally, we will be covering those competitions extensively, so follow our Twitter and Facebook feeds for updates.
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Meanwhile, enjoy your first batch of Southern Jewish Life summer reading! /sjlmag
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June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 3
June 2017
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Southern Jewish Life
Don’t Go Down The Summer Slide by Dr. Sharon Pollin
What I’m Reading Right Now!” Choose the Right Books: Think of this as the “Goldilocks Effect.” If your child’s book is too easy, she’ll get bored. If her book is too hard, she’ll get frustrated and give up. When your child reads a “just right” book, she should be challenged and engaged. Check out the Jewish Community Day School’s Berenson Library web page where librarian Debbie Schlackman has put together great reading lists for all elementary grade levels. Take advantage of your local library. Ask for help selecting books that match your child’s age, interests and abilities. If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to email your child’s teachers — they will be glad to help! Libraries often run summer reading programs that motivate kids to read, so find out what’s available in your area. Read Something Every Day: Encourage your child to take advantage of every opportunity to read. Reading can be easily incorporated into activities throughout the day: Keep Reading Aloud: Reading aloud benefits all children and teens, especially those who struggle. One benefit is that you can read books your child can’t, so she will build listening comprehension skills with grade-level and above books. This practice, as it provides a loving parent-child interaction, also increases knowledge and expands experience with text. You will see improvement the next time your child reads to you! And finally… It was too difficult to limit myself to only five favorites, so here are the Final Four rolled into one: Give books as gifts – get the grandparents involved! Have your child create a Buddies Book Club, in person, via email, Skype, Face Time. Set a reading goal, either by time spent reading or number of books, and celebrate when it’s reached. “Steal Minutes.” The Book Whisperer author Donalyn Miller writes extensively about “stealing minutes” in her book. Even in small bits, time set aside for reading can make a big difference in children’s attitudes and affinity. With access to books and reading encouragement, your children can enrich their summer as they avoid summer slide. Happy reading!
You did it! You cajoled, praised, pried out of bed, organized — and maybe even bribed — your children through another school year rich in learning and growth. Now you’re ready for fun and some relaxing family time to enjoy the long summer days. Yet, you may also be wondering: What is this Summer Slide I’ve heard about, and what can I do to make sure it doesn’t happen to my kids? “Summer slide” is the decline in reading achievement children suffer just from being away from school. Summer slide can happen to the best of students in the shortest of time periods. Many children, and especially struggling readers, forget some of what they’ve learned or slip out of practice during the summer months. In fact, over the course of an eight week break, many students will experience a commensurate or even greater, achievement regression; that means a two to three month loss as they enter their new grade in the fall. The Campaign for Grade-Level reading, a collaborative effort among dozens of organizations, lists summer learning loss as one of the three major obstacles to grade level reading proficiency. However, there is good news. Reversing the summer slide can be as simple as reading more books. In a recent study, Professor Richard Allington of the University of Tennessee and his colleagues found that “giving kids 12 books to read over the summer was as effective as summer school in maintaining — and even raising — student reading scores.” Other research suggests that reading just four or five books over the summer can be enough to maintain reading skills. Here is what families need to know: Kids who read, succeed: The amount of time that students spend reading for fun is the key predictor of students’ lifetime academic achievement. It takes practice: Reading, like playing a musical instrument, is not something that is mastered once and for all at a certain age. It is a skill that continues to improve through practice. They’ve got to have the books: We can talk about reading all we want, but unless children have “Just Right” books in hand, reading won’t happen. Role models matter: Students who see adults reading daily or weekly tend to read more and have higher reading scores than those who don’t. Here are the Top Five Ways you can help your child read and thrive all summer long: Read, Read, Read: As simple as this may sound, viewing parents and other loving adults Dr. Sharon Pollin is the Oscar J. Tolmas Head of reading establishes credibility and inspires chil- School at Jewish Community Day School of Greatdren. What have your favorite reads been this er New Orleans. She’d love to talk about reading year? Put a sign on the fridge that says, “Ask Me with you! Contact Sharon at spollin@jcdsnola.org 4 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
PUBLISHER/EDITOR Lawrence M. Brook editor@sjlmag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING Lee J. Green lee@sjlmag.com ADVERTISING SPECIALIST Annetta Dolowitz annetta@sjlmag.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ginger Brook ginger@sjlmag.com SOCIAL/WEB Eugene Walter Katz eugene@sjlmag.com PHOTOGRAPHER-AT-LARGE Rabbi Barry C. Altmark deepsouthrabbi.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rivka Epstein, Nathan Klein, Tally Werthan, Bebe Hudson, Belle Freitag, Claire Yates, Doug Brook brookwrite.com BIRMINGHAM OFFICE P.O. Box 130052, Birmingham, AL 35213 14 Office Park Circle #104 Birmingham, AL 35223 205/870.7889 NEW ORLEANS OFFICE 3747 West Esplanade, 3rd Floor Metairie, LA 70002 504/780.5615 TOLL-FREE 866/446.5894 FAX 866/392.7750 connect@sjlmag.com ADVERTISING Advertising inquiries to 205/870.7889 for Lee Green, lee@sjlmag.com or Annetta Dolowitz, annetta@sjlmag.com Media kit, rates available upon request SUBSCRIPTIONS 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. 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 2017. 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. 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 interesting bits & can’t miss events
On May 6, Beth Shalom’s Jewish Journeys in Baton Rouge had an Israel Independence Day pool party, barbecue and Havdalah at the home of Linda and Mark Posner.
Birmingham Jewish Federation’s Richard Friedman will also head Levite JCC “Experiment” in community collaboration to begin this summer with Lynch’s departure With the departure of Levite Jewish Community Center Executive Director Betzy Lynch in August, the LJCC and Birmingham Jewish Federation are set to embark on an “experiment” in community collaboration. Richard Friedman, who has been the executive director of the Birmingham Jewish Federation for 34 years, will become the chief executive officer of both the Federation and the LJCC after Lynch leaves. The proposal went to the executive committees of both institutions and passed unanimously except for one abstention. The Federation board approved the proposal on May 11 and the LJCC board approved it on May 18. According to the resolution, Friedman will serve as CEO until his retirement at the end of his current contract, through Dec. 31, 2019, with no additional compensation beyond his current agreement. An implementation committee, chaired by Donald Hess, will consist of three representatives from each institution. The LJCC representatives will be LJCC President Allison Weil, Stephen Dorsky and Hilton Berger. Federation President Jerry Held, Hilary Gewant and Lisa Engel will represent the Federation. The committee will work with Friedman “on the day to day decisions that will arise” and report to their respective boards “periodically.” Held said the committee will not take any governance responsibility from the respective institutions’ boards, “but be a sounding board for Richard as he navigates the natural issues that will arise.” Hess said Lynch and Friedman have been discussing organizational structures “to make sure everything that needs to be managed is being managed by people with credentials to do that, reporting to Richard.” Friedman is working side by side with Lynch for the next few months, and said that when she leaves “we will be in place and ready to go.” Friedman said he is “very excited for this opportunity” and hopes “to
be a positive force in moving our community forward, opening new doors, enabling this community to think about our future in new ways.” About three years ago, David Sher and Lisa Engel embarked on an independent effort, Reimagine Jewish Birmingham. Sher is author of The Comeback Town, which pushes for more cooperation among the municipalities in Birmingham and visioning to improve the metropolitan area. Engel said the idea was to “listen to the hopes and dreams of folks in Birmingham about the future of the Birmingham Jewish community.” A common theme in the meetings was a need to “strengthen and create a more vibrant community through collaboration, through more interconnectedness and reduction of infrastructure.” That would enable the community to “use our resources better” and put more toward “what we actually do, our programming.” With so much transition currently in the community, Hess said this is “a significant opportunity to go back” to that effort and try new models of working together for the benefit of the community as a whole. Birmingham’s three congregations are all in transition. Temple Emanu-El Rabbi Jonathan Miller is retiring after 27 years and will have an interim rabbi next year, Temple Beth-El will be in the second year of an interim rabbi next year, and Knesseth Israel is welcoming a new rabbi this
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 5
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summer amidst uncertainty over how long it will be able to remain in its current building. Lynch’s resignation was announced on Nov. 18, as she will become executive director of the Lawrence Family JCC in La Jolla, Calif. As a driving force in bringing the Jewish Community Center Association Maccabi Games to Birmingham, she is remaining in Birmingham through the games, which will run from July 30 to Aug. 4. After her resignation was announced, the LJCC embarked on a search for her successor. In January, the Montclair Road campus received the first of four bomb threats, two to the LJCC and two to the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School over a two-month period. A meeting was held to discuss security among all of the local Jewish institutions and congregations, which Hess said “brought every group to the table for the first time in quite some time,” and the current security enhancement fundraising campaign has raised over $500,000 toward identified needs of $750,000. Sher said that was “the first time I remember as an adult” that all of the synagogues and agencies got together. After the meeting, Hess said, there was a realization that “we’re at this unique time” to try different things, but if the LJCC hired a new executive director, that opportunity would pass. The proposal to unify the LJCC and Federation under one CEO was floated and the LJCC suspended its search. Held said there will undoubtedly be questions on how one person can fill two full-time jobs, and said they are “all good questions and concerns.” He said staffers of both institutions “will step up to the plate and help develop a strategy that works going forward.” Held said concerns are “outweighed by the immediacy of the opportunity we have here” and by having someone like Friedman, who has 34 years of Jewish professional experience in Birmingham, “with a great passion for this Jewish community and its future.” “Both presidents, both boards saw this as a chance to create a model for change that can take place within our community, positive change that recognizes our strengths and weaknesses, and takes advantage of our strengths,” he said. “This has been well thought through on many levels, going back to when Betzy resigned.” Weil said the LJCC staff is enthusiastically behind the proposal. “The whole can be better than the parts, and that’s our goal here.” Friedman said they will look for ways “to use staff more horizontally, create new partnerships and other efficiencies.” Weil said Lynch’s main focus since arriving in Birmingham has been to “infuse Jewish programming and life into the JCC.” She and Friedman developed a “close working relationship” and shared common goals. “They both championed each other’s efforts, which absolutely helped me to see that Richard makes perfect sense for our LJCC moving forward as joint CEO upon Betzy’s departure in August.” The agency leaders consider this as an opportunity to see “the positive things that come out of this” and down the road consider new models of organizational structure and cooperation. “We’re not rushing into anything right now,” Held said, but there is “a ton of excitement within our two organizations” about the possibilities that may emerge from this. Hess said there is nothing to lose but a lot to potentially gain. “If it doesn’t work, we can always go back to what we currently have.” “The goal is to show how collaboration can work within organizations successfully,” Weil said. “We want to be the model for others.” Engel, Sher and Hess will continue to keep the conversation going among the agencies and institutions to see where further cooperation can take place. “I would not have dreamed the Federation and JCC would be the first,” Sher said, “but that’s how it happened.” Friedman said he has been “blessed” to work for the community for the last 34 years. “I’m very excited and it’s time to move forward.”
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 7
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Kassoff joins Miss. Broadcasting Rabbi Debra Kassoff announced that she will not be continuing as religious educator and youth director at Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, but will continue to serve as rabbi for Hebrew Union Congregation in Greenville. She accepted a position as development associate with the Mississippi Public Broadcasting Foundation, “using my skills as a teacher, counselor, story teller and community builder in a new arena.” Kassoff first came to Mississippi as the director of rabbinic services for the Institute of Southern Jewish Life in 2003.
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Hebrew Union College rabbinical student Caroline Sim will be the student rabbi at Dothan’s Temple Emanu-El this coming year. She will be in Dothan the weekend of June 16 for Shabbat services and Torah study the next morning. Emanu-El Rabbi Lynne Goldsmith is retiring after leading the congregation since 2007. There was a celebration honoring the Goldsmiths on May 13 at the home of Leon and Barbara Minsky. Agudath Achim in Shreveport will host a Jewish Arts Camp the week of June 12 for ages 4 to 13. The program will feature Judaic arts, from drawing, sculpting and leatherwork to cooking, poetry and singing, and will be grouped by ages and grades. Reservations are $70 for the first camper, $60 for the second and $50 for additional campers in the same family. Donations are being accepted for the Knesseth Israel Sisterhood Estate Sale in Birmingham, with items ranging from antiques, vintage decor and artwork, to housewares, furniture, glassware and more. The sale will take place on Sept. 1, 3 and 4. Clothing will not be sold this year. Donations are accepted at the KI lobby through Aug. 21.
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Ahavas Chesed in Mobile will have its next Torah On Tap on June 15 at 5:30 p.m., at Alchemy Tavern. For the first time, the Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham is offering teenagers ages 12 to 17 the opportunity to become licensed scuba divers. Scuba Diving Camp will be held July 10 to 14, and by the end of the week campers will earn their PADI Open Water or Jr. Open Water certification. Limited space available. The Northwest Louisiana Jewish Federation will hold its annual meeting on July 12 at 6 p.m. at B’nai Zion in Shreveport. Rabbi Jonathan Miller of Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will have a book signing for “Legacy: A Rabbi and Community Remember Their Loved Ones,” June 27 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Alabama Booksmith. The Jewish Federation of Central Alabama kicks off recruitment for its 2018 community mission to Israel on June 8 with “In Search of Israeli Cuisine,” at 5:45 p.m. at Vaughn Lakes Apartments.
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Special Agent Supervisor Chuck Bufalino of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will speak to Temple Beth-El in Pensacola about the new statewide “See Something Say Something” initiative, on June 27 at 5 p.m. The National Federation of Temple Youth-Southern will hold its fall conclave at B’nai Zion in Shreveport, Nov. 10 to 12. Temple Beth Or in Montgomery will have a hot dog dinner and Bingo night, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Men’s Club, the event is $10 for dinner and two beverage tickets, $5 for each bingo card, cash only. Participants in the New Orleans Jewish Community Mega-Mission to Israel will discuss their experiences at the joint Reform summer service, June 23 at 8 p.m. at Gates of Prayer in Metairie. About 75 are signed up for the mission, which will be from June 5 to 13.
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Padilla-Goodman leaving ADL in New Orleans to lead Atlanta office Allison Padilla-Goodman will become the new regional director of the Anti-Defamation League office in Atlanta in August. Since April 2014 she has headed the South-Central region ADL office, based in New Orleans. That office covers Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas. The Atlanta office covers Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina. “It’s an exciting move,” Padilla-Goodman said, “but certainly bittersweet to leave New Orleans.” A fourth-generation New Orleans native, Padilla-Goodman is an alumna of Isidore Newman School. Before joining ADL she was director of special projects at Harriet Tubman Charter School, a field instructor at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, and director of youth programs for Silence is Violence in New Orleans. A search is underway for her successor in New Orleans.
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Waidenbaum new rabbi at Pensacola’s B’nai Israel On May 27, Rabbi Sam Waidenbaum took the pulpit as the new rabbi at B’nai Israel in Pensacola. He was previously at Rego Park Jewish Center, a “traditional Conservative” congregation in Flushing, New York, since 2010. Before that, he was at congregations in Montebello, N.Y., and Staten Island. In the 1980s, he was at Beth Israel in New Orleans. Following in his father’s footsteps, Waidenbaum became a rabbi and cantor. He studied at Ponevitz Yeshiva in B’nai Brak, Israel, and the Boston Rabbinical Seminary before receiving his ordination from Marbitzei Torah Institute in Brooklyn. He studied voice for 15 years with famed Cantor Avshalom Zifra.
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Wearing the same clothes from the day they arrived at the Goldring/ Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life in Jackson on June 1, 2015, the 2015-2017 Education Fellows pose on the final day of their two-year term on May 26. Pictured are Becca Rosenthal, Elias Chajet, Ali Duhan and Shira Moskowitz.
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 9
Seth Cohen named to tennis team Seth Cohen of Birmingham will be part of the U.S. Open tennis team at the World Maccabiah. Head coach Lonnie Mitchel announced the team on Feb. 23. Cohen picked up tennis “when I was six or seven years old” and played on the junior high and high school teams. He was ranked the No. 7 player in the state and now plays club tennis for the University of Alabama. He was part of the 7A state champion Mountain Brook High School tennis team, winning the five seed singles championship in April 2016. In 2012, he won gold in table tennis at the JCC Maccabi Games in Memphis, and competed in tennis in the 2013 Maccabi Games in Austin. During his first semester last fall, he traveled to Long Island for the tryouts, then found out by email that he had made the team. He said it is “great” and “humbling” to represent the U.S., but he is most looking forward to just seeing Israel. A former student at the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School, “I’ve learned about it all my life, but I’ve never seen it,” he said.
Blitz heads to Maccabiah after second All Big Ten softball season The 20th World Maccabiah Games, sometimes referred to as the “Jewish Olympics,” will open in Israel on July 4, with several representatives from this region on the United States team. The games are viewed as the third-largest sporting event in the world. It has been held in Israel every four years since 1932, with a hiatus from 1935 to 1950. Maccabi USA will bring a team of around 1,100 athletes who will join 8,750 Jewish athletes from 80 countries, participating in 43 different sports. Competition is in four categories — Junior, for ages 15 to 18; Masters, for older competitors; Open, for the best athletes regardless of age; and Paralympic, for those with physical or intellectual disabilities. Amir Peled, chairman of the 20th Maccabiah, said “it brings together Jews to meet each other here in Israel, and unite around their common love of sports and of the Jewish people.” The Maccabiah opening ceremony will take place on July 6 at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem. The Games will be held throughout the country through July 18. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said “This year, in addition to hosting the 20th Maccabiah games, Jerusalem will be celebrating 50 years of the city’s reunification. It is amazing to see the extent to which the city has developed, grown, and improved in all areas, and especially in the field of sports.”
10 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
Birmingham’s Rebecca Blitz will be part of the U.S. Open women’s softball team. She recently completed her junior year at Indiana University, where the outfielder was second team All Big Ten for the second year in a row, and second selection Academic All Big Ten. For the second year in a row, Blitz led the team with a .338 average, 54 hits and 16 stolen bases. She had a team-high .357 average in Big Ten play, with 25 hits and 13 runs coming in conference games. For her career, Blitz has a .344 average, good for seventh in program history. Her 104 career runs is sixth in Hoosier history and makes her just the ninth player to score 100 or more runs. In addition, her 60 stolen bases puts her fifth all-time at IU.
After four Pan Am games, Martin Freeman going to World Maccabiah Martin Freeman, who will be making his first trip to the World Games in Israel, became involved with MaccabiUSA in 2003 when he offered free massages to any of their athletes in the Washington area. “I quickly received an email asking if I would be interested in going to Chile in December with TeamUSA for the Pan Am Maccabi games,” he said. Freeman graduated from Auburn and got his law degree at Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham. “Once I was well established in my job” at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, he went to massage therapy school at night. “I was always interested in massage therapy growing up,” he said. He has been a massage therapist for the U.S. team for the last four Pan Am Maccabi Games, and will have that role with the U.S. team in Israel this summer. Though he lives in Maryland, he maintains his Alabama ties as a member of both Huntsville congregations, and plans to build a home on retirement property near Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro. He also opened two funds to support and grow Jewish life at Auburn, the Martin Moss Freeman Auburn University Hillel Fund and the Auburn University Jewish Scholarship Fund.
community Rugby leads to rediscovered heritage NOLA’s Chance Doyle heads to Maccabiah not long after discovering his Jewish ancestry When Chance Doyle leaves New Orleans for the World Maccabiah Games this month, winning the rugby competition is certainly a priority — but Doyle has more personal business to explore. Having discovered only last year that he has Jewish ancestry, he is on a quest to pick up a torch that those who came before him felt compelled to put away. Born and raised near Cottondale, Ala., Doyle grew up without much structure, and had a rural education in trailers. He excelled in sports, but dropped out of school, which eliminated any chance of Chance Doyle in Vietnam, getting an athletic scholarship to college. 2015 At age 15, he was in New Orleans when Katrina hit. He explained, “I’ve had a coming and going relationship with New Orleans since I was a child,” since his mother was a jazz and blues singer. He emerged from Katrina with nothing but a single bag of possessions, but he ended up “picking up an oddly-shaped ball and diving into it.” Because he wasn’t in school, rugby “was the only thing I could play” competitively, and he did it well. He quickly advanced to the top levels of the sport in America, and “that led to a tremendous network of individuals.” He wound up with the Maryland Exiles, living with the team captain. “They did a lot for me,” including paving the way for him when he was invited to try out for the national Under-19 squad. He later moved to Atlanta and played rugby at Life University, becoming the first in his family to graduate from college. Since returning to New Orleans, he has played for New Orleans RFC of the Red River Rugby Conference Division 1. He played with the USA Rugby South Panthers in 2013 and 2015, and in 2014 he played for the Elite Houston Sevens and Austin’s Negro y Azul. He embarked on a global journey in 2015, having been invited to play for Johnsonville, New Zealand. After New Zealand, he spent time in numerous countries, including Thailand, Vietnam and much of Europe, staying in homes and learning about different forms of spirituality. In a lot of cultures, he appreciated that “there is a lot of connection to family.” In Polynesia, different generations are all under one roof. That was a connection he didn’t feel growing up. When he returned to the U.S., he was determined to find “any and all family members I could.” He found a great aunt in Florida that he had never met and asked if he could visit, figuring she at least might welcome having a young guy around who could do things in the house. They connected immediately and talked extensively. At one point, she mentioned how he had Jewish ancestry on his mother’s side. The family had fled persecution in Hungary, and “through mis-happenings,” they wound up in rural Alabama and “were persecuted.” By the time he came along, “Judaism had kind of been left behind closed doors” and he had no idea of his family history. “When she shared it with me, it was that spark.” “I’d never connected as anything,” he said. “I’d never been baptized.” He has taught spirituality in several situations, worked with Catholic groups, but “I’d always for some reason stood separate from everything.” When he was working in New Orleans before Katrina, “I, like so many troubled kids just believed in being the best of who is around us… if all
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June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 11
community you know is dealing drugs and you’re a naturally successful person, you’ll be successful at dealing drugs because that is what is around you,” but if they had been in the suburbs being measured by grades, they would be the most successful student. An older couple took him in after the storm. “They changed how I saw the world.” Now, aside from pursuing rugby, Doyle makes himself available as a mentor while working as program director for Café Hope, a nonprofit culinary arts and life skills program for opportunity youth ages 17 to 24. The faith-based organization is centered on a non-profit restaurant in Marrero that provides culinary training and life skills courses to the students. The seed-to-table restaurant has a 1.2
acre community garden providing most of the restaurant’s produce. “The real job is creating a structure for the young people to excel in, and facilitate their growth,” he said. Meanwhile, he is exploring what it means to be Jewish. “I’m very new to Judaism. I’m very new to all of this,” he said. He attended his first Seder at Chabad two months ago. Last September, U.S. Maccabiah Rugby Coach Shawn Lipman was with the Maccabiah team in Aspen for the Ruggerfest tournament when he met up “with my old Eagle teammate and U.S. rugby legend Gary Lambert.” Lambert told him about Doyle and how he “relatively recently discovered his Jewish identity and had an amazing story,” so Lipman got in touch with him.
“In addition to him being an excellent rugby player, having played age grade national level and having played overseas, the most impressive thing about him was his sincerity about rediscovering his identity and representing his country in Israel,” Lipman said. “I had no hesitation in appointing him to the U.S. team.” When Doyle joined the team in Las Vegas for an international tournament in February, Lipman said “Chance showed not only is he a top class rugby player but a true leader on and off the field.” He is going into the tournament with a sense of responsibility. “I feel as though my ancestors went through a lot,” he said. “It’s exciting for me to do something boldly representing the things they had to not be bold about.” And the way for him to do that is through rugby, because it is one thing he can do “at a level to pay them respect” and “represent them.” Knowing his Jewish roots, there is a sense of belonging “I’ve missed all my life,” he said. “Everything else is lagniappe.” He is looking forward to his first Israel trip as his “first opportunity to represent that part of my heritage. It’s such a tremendous opportunity.” Lipman said “I am so proud to see Chance have this life-defining experience playing the sport he loves, but also see him reconnect with his heritage, Israel, and bond with other Jewish rugby players and athletes from all over the world.”
Lior Berman makes Junior hoops squad Lior Berman, who just finished his sophomore year at on the varsity basketball team at Mountain Brook High School, is pulling double duty this summer, competing on the national Juniors basketball team at the World Maccabiah Games, then coming back to Birmingham to compete in the JCC Maccabi Games. Berman, a 6-foot-3 guard, started playing basketball at the Levite Jewish Community Center. He participated in tryouts in Philadelphia last September and made the team. Mountain Brook won the 7A state championship, and Berman has seen recruiting interest from the University of Iowa. Also on staff at the Maccabiah Games will be accommodations manager Kyle Southall and athletic trainer Daniel Lindsey of Birmingham. Steven Pearl, assistant basketball coach at Auburn, will be an assistant coach for the U.S. Open men’s basketball team. A Tennessee alumnus, Pearl was part of the gold-medal U.S. team at the 2006 Maccabi Games in Sydney, Australia, and the 2009 World Maccabiah in Israel. 12 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
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June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 13
community After 2013 gold, Goldfarb aims for soccer repeat
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In the sports world, there is nothing like going out on top, and after leading the U.S. men’s open soccer team to its first-ever gold medal at the World Maccabiah Games in 2013, that’s what Coach Preston Goldfarb intended to do. “It’s hard to go back when you’ve reached the mountaintop,” he said. Instead, the recently-retired legendary head coach of Birmingham-Southern College is now preparing for another trip to Israel as head coach, with a repeat in mind. Goldfarb said the 2013 team “became the ‘Impossible Dream’ Team by winning the first ever gold medal by an Open Men’s Soccer team for the U.S. We believe our 2017 team will continue that ‘Impossible Dream’ by becoming the ‘Forever Team’ and make history again by going ‘Back-to-Back for Gold Medals’.” Goldfarb was head coach for the open men’s soccer team at the Maccabi Australia International Games in 2010 and for the junior boys’ soccer team at the 2009 Maccabiah. The 2009 team lost the bronze medal game to Brazil, 1-0, but was the only U.S. soccer team to play for a medal. In 2016, Goldfarb was named chair of U.S. soccer for the Maccabi Pan Am Games in Chile, and co-chair for the 2017 World Games. His assistant coach from 2013 was slated to be head coach this year, but was unable to continue. Goldfarb was originally asked to be the assistant coach for 2017, then was named the head coach last July after his friend convinced him that he’d be unable to continue in that role. Goldfarb said it turned out to be a positive development for him. Having just finished his Birmingham-Southern career, this gave him something to ease his transition into retirement. Repeating the 2013 feat will be “more diffi-
cult” this year, partly because there is a “bad schedule” for every team, and the U.S. is in a challenging preliminary group with Great Britain, Venezuela and Australia. The first match in pool play will be on July 5. Opening ceremonies are on July 6, then the next match is on July 9, followed by a third match on July 10. For those who advance from pool play, the quarterfinal matches are on July 11 — three matches in three days in Israel’s heat. “Last time, we played every other day,” he observed. Making it more difficult, the tournament has limited substitutions and no re-entry into matches. Goldfarb proposed greater substitutions, if for no other reason than each player has to raise or pay $8,000 to go to the games, and the current structure ensures at least four players will not play in a particular match. “To have four kids sit out each game is wrong,” he said. The team heads to Israel on June 25 for a couple of training days, then will tour the country. “On paper we’re probably better than we were in 2013, but the key element in 2013 was great chemistry among the players,” he said. If they find good chemistry this year, “we’ll be okay.” There are five starters from 2013 on the team. The team includes Sam Raben, who plays for Wake Forest. His father, David, is an oncologist at the University of Colorado whose first faculty position was at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the 1990s. While the pursuit of gold is going on, Goldfarb said “these Games are not only about winning and competing, but more importantly about the life altering experiences we will all have together in Israel, not just for a month, but for ‘forever’!” He will be blogging about the Games at pgoldfarb47.blogspot.com.
One more time around the bases for Maren Angus
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Competing in the World Maccabiah Games softball tournament is Maren Angus’ comeback in the sport, and it provides a poignant bookend to the end of her playing days. Angus, who lives in Hendersonville, Tenn., was selected for the Open Women’s softball team, coached by Nicky Arias. She will be accompanied by Rebecca Blitz of Birmingham, who plays for Indiana University. Born in Los Angeles, Angus started playing softball at age 4. She grew up in Tennessee and played for Station Camp in Gallatin, east of Nashville. Her senior year, Station Camp was seeded third for the district tournament, and the top two teams would advance to the regional. For two years, they had finished third, and this was going to be the year they broke through.
But heavy rains forced the cancellation of the 2009 tournament, the top two seeds moved on automatically and she didn’t get a chance to play in the postseason. It was an unfulfilling end to her softball career. “I knew I wasn’t going to play in college,” because the previous summer, when she would have been undergoing the recruiting process for college scholarships, she had the opportunity to go to Israel. Figuring she wasn’t going to be making a living playing softball, she chose to go to Israel instead. Now, she writes for fastpitchnews.com, covering Southeastern Conference softball. She tried to walk on at Arizona State, then wound up at Middle Tennessee State, coaching and giving private lessons. Last June, she was visiting friends in Cali-
community fornia who played for a co-ed fast pitch league. The team they were playing had a couple of guys on the Maccabiah team, and they urged her to try out. Living an hour from the nearest Jewish Community Center, she said “it’s not like I was active” in the community. When she got home, she started training in Tennessee and at Auburn University, where Softball Coach Clint Myers gave her access to the facilities. “I cover Auburn softball more than anything,” she said, and spent much of the past year going back and forth to Auburn. Last July, she headed to Chicago for the tryouts, and weeks later found out she had made the team. The team will head to Israel on June 28 and have a week to get to know each other before the games begin. “This is the most proud I have ever been,” she said. “Playing Maccabi is an opportunity not many girls from Tennessee get to do. I can’t wait to not just represent my family and my country but my heritage as well. “ It is also a chance to work on some unfinished business. “It’s bringing my career full circle,” she said. “The reason I stopped playing is the reason I’m coming out of retirement.” But after the games, back to retirement, and writing about the game that she loves.
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June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 15
Maccabi Games preparations move into high gear Call goes out for volunteers, more host families to showcase community In just under two months, 850 Jewish teens from around the country and across the world will converge on Birmingham for the Jewish Community Centers Maccabi Games, and the organizing committee is working hard to make sure the community is ready to greet them. The JCC Maccabi Games is part of the Jewish Community Centers Association, and three communities across North America host the games each summer. Thousands of Jewish teens from ages 13 to 16 participate each year in an Olympic-style sporting event. It is regarded as the second-largest organized sports program for Jewish teens in the world, and Birmingham is the second-smallest Jewish community to host the games since they were founded in Memphis in 1982. The Birmingham Maccabi Games will be held July 30 to Aug. 4. Bruce Sokol, who is volunteer co-chair of the Birmingham games with Layne Held, said the biggest challenges are housing and recruiting volunteers. “We feel we will get there,” he said. Levite Jewish Community Center Executive Director Betzy Lynch said they currently have about 250 homes signed up. A Maccabi Games requirement is that all visiting athletes receive home hospitality in a Jewish household, and roughly 300 houses are needed. Lynch said all that is needed is a place to sleep and get breakfast. There will be two drop-off points, one over the mountain and one closer to the LJCC, where the athletes will be shuttled through the Maccabi Games transportation system. After the athletes are dropped off in the morning, host families don’t have any responsibility until the evening.
Hundreds of volunteers needed
For the games, there are 1200 volunteer slots available. Volunteers have to be at least 17 years old for daytime events, 21 for evening events. One need not be Jewish to volunteer, and one can sign up for multiple slots. There is a wide range of positions available, from registration before the games begin, to airport greeters, food servers, transportation system facilitators, airport logistics, traffic control, opening ceremonies, office work, VIP reception, JCC Cares assistance, Hangtime room supervision, hospitality at hotels and venues, venue assistants, evening event chaperones, safety and security, medical team, and ice and water stocking. The marketing and public relations team includes videography, photography, media, press room, signage and score reporting. Sport volunteers are needed for scoring and other tasks for baseball, basketball, flag football, soccer, swimming, tennis, volleyball and dance.
Civic support
A typical Maccabi Games budget is around $1 million in cash and in-kind donations, with the host community having to come up with about two-thirds of that amount. Sokol said that with the LJCC in need of major updating and a capital campaign likely in the near future, they decided not to approach the Jewish community for the games, only to turn around and solicit for a campaign afterward. Instead, the emphasis was pitching the games to the corporate community as a boost to the city overall. Held said over 70 companies around Birmingham and in nearby communities have stepped up, and they foresee total fundraising of about $700,000. Sokol noted that having the games in Birmingham will have an impact of several million dollars to the local ecomony. It is likely, Held said, that 90 percent of those attending the games “would not have a reason to ever come to Birmingham. We’re giving them a reason.” The city of Birmingham is a title sponsor, and major grants came from the Mayer Electric Foundation and the Birmingham Jewish Foundation. In turn, Sokol said, the Maccabi Games could be a platform to launch enthusiasm for a campaign to update the building. Because the fundraising was aimed at the corporate community, “we’re asking the Jewish community for time and commitment,” Held said. The LJCC staff “has given so much effort to this in addition to their regular jobs,” he noted. The opening ceremony will be held on July 30 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Bartow Arena, with about 5,000 expected to attend. The opening ceremony includes a parade of delegations, much like the Olympics opening cere16 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
community mony, and a torch lighting. There will be 29 delegations, including nearby communities such as New Orleans, Memphis, Atlanta and Charlotte. Other teams are coming from as far as New York, Minnesota and California. Along with the opening ceremony speakers, renowned Cantor Alberto Mizrahi will sing, joined by Temple Emanu-El Cantor Jessica Roskin. Mizrahi will also be at the July 28 Shabbat service at Emanu-El. The 10-foot cauldron for the torch lighting is being forged at Sloss Furnace, and after the games will be displayed at the LJCC. Lynch said that is part of an effort to put a Birmingham stamp on every aspect of the games. For example, all of the chips will be Golden Flake, the cookies will be from Bud’s Best. The Day of Service will provide an opportunity to explore Birmingham’s civil rights history. The athletes will be divided into three groups and rotate among the Civil Rights Institute, Kelly Ingram Park and the 16th Street Baptist Church. That day’s hands-on project will be assembling school supplies that all of the delegations are bringing. A similar drive is now underway at the LJCC, and the supplies will be donated to Birmingham schools, so teachers can distribute them to students that start the year unable to bring their own supplies. The Block Party one evening will involve the McWane Center and the new food hall at the Pizitz building. Venues include Birmingham-Southern College, the CrossPlex, Altamont School and UAB. The LJCC will be the hub for lunch, Maccabi Central and Hangtime. “We’re showcasing the great things about our city,” Held said. The closing ceremony on Aug. 3 will be at the LJCC field, with entertainment and the passing of the torch to the 2018 venue. Red Mountain
Entertainment, which organizes concerts and festivals in the region, is coordinating entertainment for the evenings. While Sokol said they want everyone to participate in this “big party,” everyone attending any event has to be credentialed, due to longstanding security policies for Maccabi Games. Another goal was to have a large host delegation. Held said Birmingham has never sent more than 15 athletes to a Maccabi Games. This year, the home team will have about 75 athletes from across Alabama, along with teens from Birmingham sister cities, Rosh Ha’Ayin, Israel, and Vinnitsa, Ukraine. Held said “this is an event for the entire Jewish community to showcase our community, our people and the city.” In addition to the athletes, there will be about 2,500 relatives, friends and coaches visiting “who want to see what our Jewish community is like,” Held said. Sokol said hosting the Games “is the most important thing to happen to the Birmingham Jewish community in my lifetime.” Held said “it does not matter if you are member of the JCC, or what Temple you belong to… everyone gets to come together as Jews to put this set of games on.” LJCC President Allison Weil said “It’s now up to us, the Birmingham Jewish community, to open our homes to the athletes and give of our time during the games to make them successful. Don’t wait for someone to call and ask you to host or volunteer. Come to the J or call us, and we will get you on board.” Sokol added “We want this to be the best Maccabi Games ever.” More information on the Maccabi Games, housing and volunteering can be found at jccmaccabibham.org.
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 17
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Southern Company CEO Thomas Fanning accepting the U.S. Company of the Year award at the Conexx gala
Southern Company among Conexx honorees for Israel business ties
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On May 3, Southern Company was honored as U.S. Company of the Year by Conexx, the premier America-Israel business connector, at its annual gala in Atlanta. The annual event, which drew over 300 attendees, honors the people and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the US-Israel business relationship. Headquartered in Atlanta with executive offices in Birmingham, Southern Company subsidiaries include Alabama Power, Mississippi Power and Gulf Power in Pensacola. Southern Company Chairman, CEO and President Thomas Fanning accepted the award on behalf of the company. “Conexx has been a terrific partner as together we continue to build the future of energy,” Fanning said. “On behalf of everyone at Southern Company, I am proud to accept this award and proud of our work with Conexx to cultivate business opportunities for both American and Israeli companies.” Southern Company was recognized for its outstanding contributions to the U.S.-Israel business relationship as it continues to innovate and shape the future of energy by developing the full portfolio of energy resources. Southern Company partnered with Conexx to explore innovation in various industry sectors including alternative energy, cybersecurity, homeland security, water, smart cities, transportation, marketing technology and indoor agriculture. Southern Company representatives have traveled to Israel multiple times. Most recently, the Georgia Power economic development department visited Israel and collaborated with the Georgia Department of Economic Development representative in Israel to bring Israeli companies to Georgia. The Tom Glaser Leadership Award was presented to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, recognizing his steadfast support of Georgia’s economic and strategic ties with Israel. The State of Georgia has had a presence, including a representative, in Israel for 23 years and has been a longtime friend to Israel. The Governor led a five day delegation to Israel in the summer of 2014 that included business leaders and State of Georgia officials. “Israel is a vital partner in friendship and in our economic development efforts,” Deal said. Conexx recognized Tosaf with the Israeli Company of the Year award, accepted by North America CEO Ron Dvir. The Tosaf Group, founded
community in 1985, is a global leader in developing and manufacturing high quality additives, compounds and color master batches for the plastics industry. Tosaf entered the U.S. market in 2014 with a facility located in Bessemer City, N.C., and a presence in South Georgia to service Caesarstone’s manufacturing operation. Conexx also awarded The Deal of the Year to NICE for their acquisition of Nexidia. Shlomi Ziv, vice president of NICE – Nexidia, and Mark Reich, vice president of Nexidia, accepted the award. On January 11, 2016, NICE Systems agreed to acquire Nexidia, a provider of advanced customer analytics, for approximately $135 million. The Atlanta Jewish Times was recognized as Community Partner of the Year. Michael Morris, publisher of the weekly community newspaper serving the Jewish community of Atlanta, accepted the award. The Atlanta Jewish Times has covered Conexx activities for the past 25 years and has promoted the Conexx Gala for 16 years. Conexx serves companies, organizations and individuals in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi and Israel.
JCRS starts taking Chanukah gift program applications Every year, JCRS looks forward to brightening the Hanukkah celebrations of families where parents have indicated to JCRS that they can use help in providing gifts for their children. Summer may be starting, but it is time for the Jewish Children’s Regional Service Oscar J. Tolmas Chanukah Gift Program to take registrations for this year. The program provides boxes of gender and age-appropriate gifts to the homes of Jewish youth during Chanukah, where parents have indicated that they need help in providing gifts. According to the New Orleans-based agency, some of these children are recovering from natural disasters, some have special needs and some are new immigrants. They may have parents who are deceased, disabled, in prison, or deployed overseas. Almost all come from families who are struggling to stay afloat. Each child in a recipient family is eligible to receive a set of eight small gifts, one for each night. Recipient families must live in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Texas. A registration form, available through jcrs.org, is required for each child. New Orleans area families will pick up their boxes at the JCRS office in Metairie. Dallas families will pick up their gift packages at a place and time to be determined. Boxes will be mailed to families in other areas. Gift cards will be added to gift packages but are limited in number and might not be available for those families who apply after June 30.
Educator conference marks 15th year of ISJL standardized curriculum Once again, Jewish educators from 13 states will converge on Jackson for the annual Institute of Southern Jewish Life Educators Conference. The Institute developed a standardized curriculum 15 years ago to provide a common base of Jewish knowledge whether a religious school has a couple hundred students and experienced teachers, or a handful of students in an isolated community with a volunteer whose turn came up to be the teacher. Congregations using the curriculum are required to send a representative to the conference, which will be June 25 to 27 at the Hilton in Jackson. The conference is open to any current or soon to be religious school teacher, rabbis, congregational presidents, parents and supporters of religious schools. The curriculum continues to evolve as it is used in dozens of congre
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 19
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community gations. It contains 10 key content areas: Jewish holidays; Bible; Jewish values; God; Prayer; Israel; Jewish history, culture and community; and basic Hebrew. It is presented as a spiraled curriculum, building on previous years’ lessons, and is designed to span the denominations.
During the year, the Institute’s Education Fellows check in with each congregation regularly, and do weekend visits as educators-in-residence. There is no fee for the conference, just room and board. An optional $50 is suggested to help with conference costs.
Suspicious envelope tests negative at LJCC Emergency crews were called to Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center around 1:30 p.m. on May 24 after a suspicious envelope was discovered. After on-site testing, it was determined the contents were not hazardous and an all-clear was issued just after 3 p.m. Across the parking lot, graduation went on as scheduled at the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School. In a message to members, LJCC Executive Director Betzy Lynch said the envelope was part of the regular mail delivered to the LJCC. Lieutenant Sean Edwards, public information officer for the Birmingham Police Department, said a couple of LJCC staffers in the office had come into contact with the envelope, and “they saw some things that looked very suspicious.” An off-duty police officer took the envelope outside to his vehicle, and contacted the au-
thorities. Hazardous materials teams set up a decontamination tent and conducted tests on the envelope outside, and quarantined the area where it had been inside. Entry and exit were barred and preschool classes were kept in their rooms. After the tests came up negative, movement was once again allowed on the campus. Lynch said “I am very pleased with the serious manner in which the situation was handled for the protection of our children, members and guests.” The LJCC campus had been the target of four phoned-in bomb threats earlier this year. An 18-year-old in Israel was arrested and accused of making those calls and hundreds of others around the country. Edwards recalled the earlier threats and said “we take every call seriously.”
Alexandria congregation recognizes foresight Edwin Caplan honored for role in establishing healthy endowment fund While many small Southern congregations are struggling, Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria is quite healthy, thanks to an endowment fund that was established in 1984. At the May 19 Shabbat service, Edwin Caplan was honored for his role in making that happen. He and wife Jacque, who died last July, proposed the endowment when she was serving as the congregation’s first female president. When the committee was established, Caplan was one of the original five members, and soon became president. With the proceeds from a Las Vegas Night fundraiser, the fund had its start. After a slow few years, Caplan sent out solicitation letters, prompting many members to participate. He kept coming up with ideas to attract donors, including an annual Endowment Monument rededication, and a Will to Give that names Legacy Givers who are leaving at least $10,000 to the endowment in their wills. Recently, when the building needed a new roof, the endowment was able to comfortably handle the expense. In a tribute to Caplan, John Simon stated that the fund now stands as “a tribute to Edwin’s presidency and his uncompromising devotion to sustain our Temple for the generations to come.”
20 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
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Home is a Human Right
On any given night, there are 1,092 men, women and children experiencing homelessness in Birmingham and Central Alabama.
Rabbi Kohn to guide Birmingham’s Emanu-El through transition year Rabbi Douglas Kohn will be the interim rabbi for the coming year at Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El. Rabbi Jonathan Miller, who has led the state’s largest Jewish congregation since 1991, is retiring at the end of June. Emanu-El President Ben Weil said having an interim rabbi next year “who will assist our congregation through a transition to our next long-term Senior Rabbi follows the advice of our Union for Reform Judaism.” Emanu-El, which has over 600 families, has a history of long rabbinic tenures. Besides Miller, Rabbi Mayer Newfield served Rabbi Douglas Kohn from 1895 to 1940, and Rabbi Milton Grafman led the congregation from 1941 to 1975. Weil said they expect their next rabbi “will be no different.” He said Kohn will assist the congregation with “assessing our future through introspection and dialogue“ over the coming year. Kohn has been the interim rabbi at Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland, Mass., this past year. He has been trained as a professional interim rabbi, and will be coming to Birmingham with his fiancee, Susan. Kohn said the coming year is “about the synagogue” and how it is “evolving and shifting.” The year will be to ask “what can we do so the synagogue can be poised for the 21st century… I’ll be raising a lot of questions and stirring conversations.” His work will be “within the context and character of the Birmingham Jewish community” and “work within the core and the DNA of the community” rather than bringing in a model from outside. Ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati in 1987, Kohn has been senior rabbi at congregations in the Chicago area and San Bernadino, Calif. At the California congregation, he led them through a relocation from their historic site, through a capi-
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Several events to honor Rabbi Miller Over the next few months, there will be several opportunities to pay tribute to Temple Emanu-El Rabbi Jonathan Miller, who is retiring after 27 years on the pulpit at Alabama’s largest Jewish congregation. His final service will be at 5:40 p.m. on June 30. An oneg in his honor will follow. On Aug. 24, the Grafman Legacy Luncheon will be a “roast and toast” of Miller. Details will be announced later this summer. On Aug. 25, the 5:40 p.m. service will be a community celebration, followed by a grand reception. Emanu-El’s website will have an online tribute where community members can submit their own tributes and well wishes, along with up to three photos. They will also be collected and put into book form, for a presentation to Miller in August. Deadline to be in the book version is Aug. 10. To submit items, go to ourtemple.org/RabbiTributeBook. The congregation announced that the Rabbi Jonathan Miller Enduring Legacy Fund has been created. The endowed fund will provide a perpetual source of income for the senior rabbinic position. Gifts honoring Miller will be directed into this fund, and donors will be recognized on Aug. 25, as well as on a new recognition wall.
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June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 21
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tal campaign and construction program. Just before taking the interim position in Massachusetts, he was interim rabbi for two years at a newly-merged congregation in Nyack, N.Y. He also was an Association of Reform Zionists of America delegate to the World Zionist Congress in 2006. A cancer survivor, he has written and edited two books on Judaism, illness and health. “Life, Faith, and Cancer: Jewish Journeys through Diagnosis, Treatment, and Recovery” includes the narratives and teachings of Kohn and 18 other Jewish religious leaders who also have, or have had, cancer. In 2012, “Broken Fragments: Jewish Experiences of Alzheimer’s Disease Through Diagnosis, Adaptation and Moving On” was published, and was nominated for the National Jewish Book Award. Kohn said Emanu-El is “an outstanding congregation” in “a really remarkable community.” In 2011, he experienced Birmingham for a week with his daughter as his California congregation came to the area to volunteer following the devastating April 27 tornadoes. “We worked with Habitat, Christian Service Mission,” he said. “I never forgot the welcome and the emotional connection” and when the interim position became available at Emanu-El, he expressed interest. Kohn said few congregations are truly prepared for the major transition that comes with naming a new rabbi after a long tenure. He also said that a transition year should not be seen as a holding pattern. In the interim year in Massachusetts, the congregation increased fundraising by 75 percent and embarked on “significant work” on its building. Weil said Emanu-El’s future “is strong and we are following a viable plan to ensure our congregational family will continue to thrive and grow.”
Warhol’s “Jewish Geniuses” in Pensacola Temple Beth El in Pensacola is displaying the controversial Andy Warhol series, “Jewish Geniuses” this summer, thanks to the Bear Family Foundation. At the 6 p.m. service on June 16, art historian Maria Goldberg and pop art enthusiast Lewis Bear Jr. will discuss the inspiration for the series, Warhol’s style and technique, and how the group was assembled. The exhibit first opened in 1980 at the Jewish Museum in New York, and includes French actress Sarah Bernhardt, Martin Buber, Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, the Marx Brothers, George Gershwin, Franz Kafka, Golda Meir, Gertrude Stein and Louis Brandeis. Starting July 7, during the 6 p.m. Shabbat services, Rabbi Joel Fleekop will profile each of the 10 individuals featured in the exhibit.
ADL welcomes hate crime conviction in Miss. The Anti-Defamation League’s regional office in New Orleans welcomed the conviction of Joshua Vallum in southern Mississippi for violations of the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act arising from the killing of a transgender woman. Vallum received a 49-year prison sentence on May 15 in the first case prosecuted under the HCPA involving an individual targeted because of gender identity. The sentencing reflects the Justice Department’s efforts to hold individuals who target and commit violent acts against transgender individuals accountable. Vallum’s violent actions culminated in the killing of Mercedes Williamson in 2015. Allison Padilla-Goodman, ADL South Central regional director, said the case “underscores the importance of the federal hate crimes law as a vehicle for bringing to justice those individuals who commit a horrific act of bias-motivated violence. The sentencing demonstrates a commitment to hold hate crime perpetrators accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
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Senator Bill Cassidy and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, 2015
Senator Cassidy to speak at Beth Israel on June 16 Senator Bill Cassidy will be the guest speaker at Beth Israel in Metairie after Shabbat services on June 16, discussing “Israel and the Changing Middle East.” Cassidy became a Louisiana state senator in 2006, succeeding Jay Dardenne when Dardenne became secretary of state. In 2008 he was elected to the U.S. House, and in 2014 defeated incumbent Mary Landrieu for the Senate seat. In 2015 he traveled to Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to express “my strong support for the nation of Israel. We share a common goal for peace in the region and a desire to stop Iran from continuing to develop its nuclear program.” Services will be at 7 p.m., followed by dinner at 8 p.m. Dinner reservations are $18 for adults, $9 per child for members, $25 and $18 for non-members, children 5 and under are free. Reservations can be made to the Beth Israel office.
Threefoot restoration set to begin in Meridian The landmark Threefoot building in downtown Meridian, a significant site in the city’s Jewish history, will undergo renovations starting in mid-July. Ascent Hospitality Management is converting the 16-story building into a 135-room Courtyard by Marriott, with retail space on the ground floor. The $22 million project is expected to take 18 months. The company also renovated a historic building in downtown Montgomery into a Hampton Inn, and is set to open the Elyton Hotel in downtown Birmingham’s 1909 Empire building this month. The Threefoot family was involved in the grocery business in the early 20th century and built what was Mississippi’s tallest building when it opened in 1928. The Great Depression took a toll on the business, and the building became an office building, changing ownership a few times. By 1990 it was all but abandoned. In 2013, the Threefoot Preservation Society started some cleanup and maintenance in hopes a developer would rescue the building.
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24 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
As the sounds of “Heveinu Shalom Aleichem” echoed in Huntsville on May 7, one might be forgiven for thinking that they had stumbled into a major national Jewish convention. But among the 900 or so in the sanctuary of The Rock Family Worship Center, there were perhaps two dozen members of Huntsville’s Jewish community. The rest were passionate Christian supporters of Israel, jumping up and down and singing loudly under the direction of Bishop Robert Stearns. He then led the crowd in “Hinei Mah Tov,” assisting them in mastering the Hebrew through the large projection screens. The second annual Huntsville Celebrates Israel featured Stearns, founder of New York-based Eagles Wings, and Rabbi Pini Dunner of Beverly Hills Synagogue, along with several local speakers, talking about modern-day miracles and the fulfilment of prophecy in Israel. Senior Pastor Rusty Nelson of The Rock called it “an evening of celebration,” noting “We stand today in a day of miracles. We stand in a day when we are watching the promises of God being fulfilled in front of our eyes.” Numerous times, the debt that Christians feel toward the Jewish people for being “grafted onto the vine” to have a relationship with “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” was mentioned, and in a manner of old friends comfortable with each other, histories of skepticism and doubt were acknowledged. Nelson recognized the anti-Semitism of ages past, saying “We as Christians did not have a good reputation years ago… the Bible was used in ways that God had never given his word for.” Stearns said the evening “shows how far we have come in breaking down the walls that had been between us.” Though he was not on the program, Pastor Robert Somerville of Awareness Ministry was thanked by Nelson and Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar for “pioneering” work in bridging relations between the Christian and Jewish communities in Huntsville. Somerville puts on perhaps the largest Seder in the state every year, teaching the Jewish roots of Christianity to over 1,000 people. Bahar admitted that after she arrived in Huntsville to take the pulpit at Temple B’nai Sholom, when Somerville came to see her, “I was very suspicious” of his intentions. “It took me several years before I let you convert me to accepting your love and your friendship.” Stearns said “we love and embrace your skepticism… you have every right to be skeptical. Keep us honest.” Bahar replied, “we keep each other honest.” Stearns started Eagles’ Wings after living in Jerusalem in the early 1990s, contemplating the connection between his Christian faith and historic Judaism. He started on a path of “greater spiritual authenticity” for himself and advocating it for the church. Stearns also launched The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem in 2003, which is now observed every year on the first Sunday in October by millions of Christians in more than 175 nations. Last year, Stearns started an effort to “anchor the American church in a living, real life connection to the land of Israel.” He noted that an astounding percentage of pastors have never been to Israel, and of those who have been, many “couldn’t get to Israel until they were in their 50s and 60s,” he said, asking how many decades they wind up ministering without ever going to the land. His new program’s goal is find “the best emerging leaders in the nation” and bring them to Israel. The pilot program was in January 2016, the second group traveled in February 2017. Stearns said he was visiting Dunner shortly before the second trip, de-
scribing the program to him. Dunner told him he wanted to go also, which surprised Stearns, as it would be a group of 30 pastors. “I want to see Israel through a Christian’s eyes,” Dunner replied. For the pastors on the trip, it was highlight to have their own rabbi on the journey, and those who were on the second trip said that they have kept the relationship going. Nelson said “Fellowship with the rabbi is something I am grateful that God has put in our life.” Six pastors from the two trips were at the Huntsville event, and all spoke of how the visit changed their lives and ministries. Christian Aranza, Next Steps pastor at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, admitted that he went to Israel with a mindset of “Jews are just missing something,” which would change if he could tell them about Jesus. He said he left Israel with the notion that “we’re missing something.” As they traveled the land and visited with the people, he realized “how much we have missed out on,” and said his visit will transform how he does things here. Pastor IV Marsh of Epic Church in Decatur said when he returned from Israel, his church organized an Israel trip for 50 men, “who have
Rabbi Pini Dunner of the Beverly Hills Synagogue addresses the pro-Israel crowd at The Rock Family Worship Center in Huntsville on May 7. radically changed our church” since returning. Stearns also said every Christian must, at one point in their life, go to Jerusalem, “before Cancun or Orlando. Stearns introduced Dunner, saying “It is not a small thing for an Orthodox rabbi to speak in a Christian church.” Dunner related the Talmudic principle that where people are gathered to pray, it is sacred
ground, just like the Land of Israel. “Tonight in Huntsville, Alabama, we are in the land of Israel.” He said many people who profess religion are nevertheless atheists, asking “do we allow our eyes to see, our ears to hear, our heart to feel” the miracles and the fulfillment of God’s ancient promises. “Zionism isn’t some nationalist idea that
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June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 25
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came about in the 19th century,” he said, it is ancient prophecy, fulfillment of the promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. “We are back,” he said. “The question is, who are the people who are going to be along side us as we march toward a messianic age?” He urged those in the crowd to become “ambassadors for the realization of prophecy.” Noting the earlier sing-a-long, Dunner pulled out a guitar and commented “I didn’t come all the way here to be outdone by a bishop,” and led the crowd in “Am Yisrael Chai.” Nelson introduced Louis Weiner, saying that Huntsville has played an important role in the physical safety of Israel through the development of missile defense systems. Weiner co-founded Delta Research after moving to Huntsville in 1972 and has worked on missile defense for the last 28 years. “He has truly been a watchman on the wall and a defender of Israel,” Nelson said. Weiner said at age 76 he still works every day because “we have enemies. Israel has enemies… they have missiles, I build missile defense.” The threat is continuous, he said, noting that he has the Red Alert app on his phone, which
goes off every time there is a missile launched at Israel. “The last time it woke me was at 2 this morning,” he said. He asked what the United States would do if Canada and Mexico threatened to annihilate the U.S. and lobbed missiles. Nevertheless, Israelis “continue their life, every day, with spirit.” A collection was taken for Abraham’s Bread, two centers that feed the needy in Israel. At the end of the program, Dunner and Bahar were called to the front of the stage, while about two dozen pastors in attendance surrounded them for the ceremonial presentation of the $40,104 check. Stearns spoke of the verse in Zechariah where people of all nations would go to Jerusalem, saying that God’s presence is there. The chapter continues that “Ten men of all the languages of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you’.” Starnes noted to Bahar and Dunner that there were “10 of us around each of you — a minyan, if you will.” A reception was held for the visiting pastors and members of the Jewish community, with kashrut certified by Chabad of Huntsville.
Louisiana Community Mikvah project progressing Facility planned for land by Shir Chadash in Metairie In the coming months, construction may finally begin on a long-anticipated project in the New Orleans area — a community mikvah. The Louisiana Community Mikvah is a joint project of all 10 synagogues in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, from Reform to Chabad. Bobby Garon, who is chairing the project, said Rabbi Uri Topolosky, who was rabbi at Beth Israel from 2007 to 2013, was really the one who launched the project through the Rabbinic Council. There was a community mikvah at Beth Israel’s Lakeview building before Katrina. When the levees broke, Beth Israel had over 10 feet of water, rendering the building unusable. After the storm, those needing a mikvah for conversion or other purposes traveled to Houston, which Topolosky pointed out was “impractical in the long run.” Beth Israel’s new building in Metairie did not include a mikvah, so members of the community approached the Rabbinic Council to spearhead the project. In a paper documenting the project and arguing for its completion, Topolosky said “the country’s economic downturn, and the overwhelming needs of already existing projects looming in the Jewish community slowed interest in a new mikvah.” Chabad also addressed part of the need with
26 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
the opening of Mikvah Chaya Mushka in 2010. Originally built in 1989, the new Chabad mikvah is located in the RINGGER Women’s Center and is for women to use. The community proposal was soon picked back up, and about three years ago the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans was approached to help the project reach “critical mass.” Garon said the community mikvah will be available for anyone affiliated with any of the congregations in Greater New Orleans or Baton Rouge. For those elsewhere in Louisiana who want to use the mikvah, Garon said a connection should be made through their local rabbi. Topolosky wrote that the “explicit intention” is “to create a mikvah open to any Jew, or those becoming Jewish, for any immersion purpose.” The construction and maintenance of the facility would be to a standard acceptable to all congregations. Land for the mikvah is being donated by Shir Chadash, and the freestanding building will be behind the Conservative congregation, in what is now a grassy area next to the alley. The Oscar J. Tolmas Trust provided a “significant gift” as seed money for the project, and the Tolmas name will be on the building. About three-fourths of the fundraising goal has been achieved through a “soft solicitation.”
community As they near the goal, Garon said they are embarking on finding an architect and designer, and they hope to break ground by the end of the year. He noted that Rabbi Yossi Nemes of the Chabad Center in Metairie has been “extremely supportive” and is advising on the halachic aspects of the mikvah’s construction. The mikvah is a ritual purification pool that is filled from natural water, such as stored rain water. Women traditionally use it for purification each month, and many men and women use it prior to a wedding or any other time they desire a spiritual boost. Among the non-Orthodox, the most common use is for conversion to Judaism, though more women are rediscovering the mikvah. The Conservative movement requires mikvah as part of conversion, and in 2001 it was recommended by the Reform movement. A mikvah facility includes private changing rooms and bathing facilities, as one submerges entirely in the mikvah with no clothing, makeup or anything else that gets between the body and the water. Other contemporary uses, Topolosky noted, include “to mark a year of cancer remission; each month of sobriety; the end of a relationship; a move to a new home; the transition of a Hospice worker after a client dies; a year of mourning; the start of a new job; a divorce settlement; a birthday; or a personal prayer during the ninth month of pregnancy.” Other mikvahs in the area include Chabad, Knesseth Israel and Temple Beth-El in Birmingham, and Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem in Montgomery. Achdut Israel in Panama City Beach opened its mikvah in February 2014.
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Fundraising continues toward endowing Jewish scholarship at Miss. State Mississippi State Hillel announced that they have raised $10,655.11 toward endowing a Hillel scholarship to help grow Jewish life on campus. The idea for the scholarship came from Hillel President Jacob Craig of Brooksville. “While this sum is a huge accomplishment, we still are less than halfway to our minimum goal of $25,000 to endow this scholarship in perpetuity,” he said. The scholarship fund is set up through the MSU Foundation. Donations can be sent to the foundation online or by mail, and should be designated for the Hillel scholarship. The Hillel also has a general fund for programming and events, with donations taken at their GoFundMe page.
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June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 27
community Day School wins McWane science challenge
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Students at the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School won the McWane Center’s Celebrate Science Competition, and the “Brilliant Buoyancy” exhibit prototype they designed will be put on display at the science center. There were 11 Birmingham-area schools competing, and the Day School earned $1,500 in prize money. To kick off the program, the fourth and fifth grade students visited McWane early in the year to learn what makes a successful exhibit. After their visit, students began to brainstorm their own exhibit concepts. As a class, students came up with three different ideas — buoyancy, sound vibrations and lightning. Students then created display boards for each concept. Elizabeth Gargus, a McWane education specialist, visited the school to hear about the three ideas. In groups, students presented the ideas, and Gargus gave feedback about their research and design, emphasizing the teamwork aspect of scientific research. The students then set up all three displays for Grandparent and VIP Visit Day and took notes about which exhibit drew the most attention. Students then narrowed in on “Brilliant Buoyancy” and began constructing their final prototype. For the final prototype, students used recycled materials found around the school and worked together to create the ideal design. They had to solve problems that they encountered during the initial display, such as how to retrieve marbles from the water and how to get air in the water bottle submarines. Rather than use water in the final model, the teams took pictures of the activities, then used their creativity to make a final model of the exhibit. They used water bottles, a plastic aquarium, blue felt and yarn, and blue beads to represent the water.
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Shaya’s Zach Engel named U.S. Rising Star Chef at James Beard Awards The streak continued for the team at New Orleans’ noted Israeli restaurant, Shaya, at the James Beard Awards on May 1. Zachary Engel, Shaya chef de cuisine, won the James Beard Award for the U.S. Rising Star Chef. The award is presented to “a chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to make a significant impact on the industry in years to come.” Last year, Shaya was named the nation’s Best New Restaurant at the James Beard Awards, and in 2015 Shaya founder Alon Shaya was named Best Chef, South, for his work at Domenica. Engel grew up in Orlando, the son of a rabbi. While attending Tulane, he decided to become a chef, cooking at Tulane Hillel. As a senior, he worked as a pastry assistant at Domenica. After graduating in 2010, he worked for long-time friend Michael Solomonov at Zahav in Philadelphia, and spent some time at Catit Restaurant in Tel Aviv. By coincidence, one of the other four nominees for Rising Star Chef was Camille Cogswell, pastry chef at Zahav, while Solomonov took home the national Outstanding Chef award. Engel returned to New Orleans after a stint in northern California, working at Gautreau’s. He had the idea of starting an Israeli restaurant in New Orleans, but instead, he became part of the team opening Shaya in late 2014. Last April, Engel was part of a Partnership2Gether trip to Israel with the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. The mission, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Partnership2Gether, started with all 43 communities from around the world visiting New Orleans’ partner community, Rosh Ha’Ayin, for a New Orleans-style party. Engel and Chris Lusk were the chefs for the event, and over the next week they taught seminars in Rosh Ha’Ayin and experienced Israeli cuisine. They also had home hospitality in Rosh Ha’Ayin, where Engel learned more traditional Yemenite specialties to bring back to Shaya. Dave Hardie, director of gastronomy for San Pellegrino, which sponsors the award, made the presentation to Engel. “To everyone in New Orleans, you’ve been the perfect audience for us to tell this brand new story of Israeli food down in the South,” Engel said. “I’m so grateful you guys have been so open to it.” He thanked the “incredible team at Shaya… they are the rising stars today.” To Shaya, he said “you took me in and you showed me how to cook in a way that makes people feel the pure joy of warm hospitality.” He thanked his parents, who were in attendance, and his wife Meredith. “Six years ago on a trip to Israel, you fell in love with a nerdy know it all line cook with big dreams,” he said. Engel wasn’t the only member of New Orleans’ Jewish community to be nominated. Neal Bodenheimer’s cocktail bar Cure, which he opened in 2009, was a finalist for Outstanding Bar Program, but the award went to another New Orleans institution — Arnaud’s French 75 Bar.
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Students at Jewish Community Day School in Metairie express thanks to GiveNOLA Day donors
Jewish groups see big GiveNOLA boost Federation repeats as top small-group fundraiser
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30 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
A year after technical glitches nationwide put a damper on GiveNOLA Day, this year’s event went off without any issues, and many Jewish community agencies attracted significant donations. GiveNOLA was a day for online giving, from midnight to midnight, on May 2. In all, GiveNOLA Day attracted 38,283 gifts to 710 organizations, bringing in $4,889,567. Last year, about $4 million was raised. All participating organizations also receive an allocation from the Lagniappe Fund, proportionally based on the dollars each agency raised. The top earner was the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, with $323,141 on 107 gifts. The highest number of individual gifts was Team Gleason, with 1,415 donors giving a total of $69,327. The organizations with the most money raised gets a $10,000 bonus in both the large and small organization categories. Similar awards go to groups with the most individual donors. Bonuses are given through fifth place. With a large final push the Federation has $121,676 on 156 gifts, with the highest take of any small organization and fifth overall. There were eight groups overall that were in six figures. Among small organizations, the Federation was 16th in the number of gifts. For topping the small organizations in dollars raised, the Federation gets the $10,000 bonus. The Federation, which raised $96.851 from 119 donors last year, emphasized “Small Gifts, Big Impact” and a goal of 150 donors. Cait Gladow, director of marketing for the Federation, said “GiveNOLA Day provides an exciting format to engage both our current donors and potentially new donors as well. We tried to appeal to both this year in our messaging, and we particularly emphasized the impact of small gifts. We’re thrilled at the response from our community, and look forward to GiveNOLA Day 2018.” GiveNOLA will be on May 1 in 2018. Isidore Newman School had $49,240 on 79 gifts, just making the top 10 in dollars given and eighth among large organizations. Most Jewish groups participating showed large increases, with Jewish Community Day School, Tulane Hillel and Jewish Family Service each at least tripling last year’s donations. Jewish Community Day School increased to $15,736 on 91 gifts. Tulane Hillel had 75 donors giving $11,968, and Jewish Family Service took in $9,742 on 55 gifts. Jewish Children’s Regional Service attracted $4,612 on 66 gifts, Jewish Endowment Foundation had 27 gifts for $4,156, the Anti-Defamation League took in $4,043 from 79 donors. Avodah had 39 gifts for $2,442, the National Council of Jewish Women’s Greater New Orleans Section had 35 donors for $1,529, Hadassah took in $711 from 21 gifts. Northshore Jewish Congregation in Mandeville had 12 donors give $583, New Orleans Council for Community and Justice had five gifts for a total of $260, and Shir Chadash had $251 on 14 donations. Four registered groups did not attract any donations, including a ministry that works to “make the good news of Jesus known to the Jewish people.” The New Orleans Jewish Community Center, which has been working on a capital campaign for its Uptown expansion for the last 18 months, opted not to do GiveNOLA Day “so we can focus all fundraising efforts on finishing the capital campaign.”
real estate/home an annual SJL special section The Rosenstein garden in Metairie
Exterior Designs turns the outdoors into attractive living spaces Upon entering Cathy Green Rosenstein’s garden in Metairie, you cannot help but notice the vibrant colors that greet you. The eye is drawn to a large multi-trunk Savannah Holly tree and an elegant fountain used to anchor the space while setting the stage for a colorful garden that flanks the kitchen window. Intended to be enjoyed from inside the home as well as outside, the garden incorporates varying textures and heights, creating visual interest from both perspectives. Dwarf mondo grass provides a lush filler of dark green blades and is the perfect backdrop for the surrounding pink geraniums, blue salvias and sun-loving impatiens. Beverly Katz left nothing to chance when her client, Rosenstein, presented her with the challenge to design something special for a rear yard that longed for character, yet needed to be functional. Katz listened carefully, as she does with all her clients, when Rosenstein specifically requested a space for entertaining company and a play area for the children. Today, the praiseworthy garden addresses everything on Rosenstein’s wish list. Katz delivered an attractive space for entertaining, which also includes a stately custom built fireplace, brick paved courtyard and flamboyantly lush gardens throughout. The brick selected for the fireplace matches what was used on the house originally, blending seamlessly and appearing as if it has always been there. A cedar fence was constructed to enlarge the rear yard and accommodate the play system. The fence also assists in screening the busy street, offering an escape from the city. On the inside of the fence, trees were strategically placed to provide shade where needed. Assorted crape myrtle varieties and Savannah hollies were selected for their propensity to thrive
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 31
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**Subject to qualifying credit approval. Interest is billed during the promotional period but all interest is waived if the purchase amount is paid in full within 18 months. Payments may be due as early as December 2018 depending on purchase date. Standard APR 17.99-26.99% based on creditworthiness. Financing for GreenSky consumer loan programs is provided by federally insured, federal and state chartered financial institutions without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, or familial status. *Minimum
purchase of 3 Comfort 365 Windows® or 1200 sq. ft. of siding required. See store or website for details. All discounts apply to our regular prices. All prices include expert installation. Sorry, no adjustments can be made on prior sales. Cannot be combined with other advertised offers. See store for warranty. † The Champion limited lifetime warranty applies to Comfort 365 Windows® as long as the original purchaser owns the home. See store for details Offer expires 6-30-17 ©Champion®, 2017
32 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
in this region, and they did — withstanding high winds and surviving the trauma of Hurricane Katrina. Katz stresses the importance of tree selection, pointing out it is imperative to choose varieties recommended for stability and to endure the region’s weather patterns. The homeowner wanted to include sasanquas, camellias, hibiscus and azaleas, along with colorful seasonal annuals. And there certainly is no shortage of color in this stimulating garden. Orange bromeliad plants provide an exotic touch and a hint of yellow in the sea of pink and purple of blooming chrysanthemums. The homeowner especially enjoys the fountain placed outside the kitchen window that creates a therapeutic ambiance with the soothing sound of the water trickling down. Katz compares accents in the garden to accessorizing your outfit with jewelry. Careful thought of placement, shape, color and design of water features, furniture and containers personalize the space. Pink impatiens hang in baskets and beautiful pots and planters on the cocktail table repeat elements found within the garden. Ivy dribbles at the base of the containers and over the fireplace mantle, drawing greenery off the ground and softening the look. “Just as jewelry makes you feel special, while tying together the overall appearance, art in a garden creates a similar feeling,” she says. “It is the finishing touch.” Exterior Designs, the original New Orleans courtyard designer, is a full-service landscaping company offering design, construction, installation and project management for residential or commercial landscapes.
Need a new place to call home? Check out The Trails at Cahaba River. The complex celebrated its relaunch in April, unveiling a restored trail system along the banks of the Little Cahaba River, part of its active lifestyle offerings. Centrally located on Highway 280 south of Birmingham, The Trails at Cahaba River is near the Grandview Medical Center and The Summit. The Trails at Cahaba River now boasts upgraded amenities including a renovated clubhouse designed to encourage informal group gatherings and resident meet-ups with a state-of-the-art fitness center and a coffee shop inspired lounge with a foosball table. The property’s two swimming pools now feature cozy fire pits, outdoor kitchens and fresh new furnishings. The property’s 400 apartment homes are transformed into “Simply Modern” residences with sleek all-electric new kitchen and bathroom finishes, vaulted ceilings and walk-in closets, and smart touches like LED lighting, USB outlets and wood look plank flooring. The private patios and balconies are perfect for unwinding.
real estate/home
Make downsizing an easy decision at Cahaba Ridge There’s a common perception that retirement is a relaxing time free from the worries of work and raising a family. “We see some seniors sail right into retirement and some who experience stress around the family move, especially as they research transitional living options. Money management, health issues, and the loss of friends and loved ones can also take their toll, which is why stress management remains an important goal throughout our lives,” said Cahaba Ridge Manager JR Jimenez. Cahaba Ridge, a resort-style retirement community just south of Birmingham, opened to residents in April. A good diet can also provide the nutrition a person needs to maintain overall health. Living in a community can improve the variety in a person’s diet. Exercise goes hand-in-hand with nutrition as a major factor in maintaining good health. Senior communities can provide advantages here too, including indoor exercise spaces and safe, well-maintained equipment. “The best retirement community options include a 24-hour fitness center with a full schedule of resident-centric classes designed to improve balance, strength and cardiovascular health,” says Jimenez, who adds, “Great programs like ours offer classes where residents have such a good time they often forget they’re exercising!” One significant lifestyle change for seniors is often downsizing. Homes of all sizes can be expensive to maintain, upkeep becomes more physically demanding, and staying in a home after the loss of a loved one can affect the lifestyle of a surviving spouse. “Independent Living Senior Communities should accommodate a resident’s need for safety, shelter and companionship, so families are relieved of financial and maintenance burdens, which
improves overall quality of life,” Jimenez says. Ultimately, companionship and interaction with others are powerful tools in maintaining good health. “With so many entertaining options and our caring community staff on hand to help fill many social needs, Cahaba Ridge truly brings residents together,” says Jimenez. “We welcome companion animals and provide ample opportunities for friends and family to take part in activities. And when loved ones can’t be here, our around-the-clock staff knows every resident. We’re all about fun, which brings peace of mind to Residents and families!” The luxurious Cahaba Ridge community is the home of happy residents who have the option to engage in a full schedule of activities, from painting classes, fitness events, shopping days and clubs, to live shows in a state-ofthe-art theater, and lunches around town. The all-inclusive month-to-month rent brings residents the safety and security they need to relax and enjoy retirement living, where fresh chef-prepared dining choices bring everything from fine dining to a casual buffet, to room service. When residents don’t feel like driving all over town to take care of daily business, Cahaba Ridge has an on-site hair salon, and general store with pharmacy services. The community also has scheduled transportation and 24/7 concierge services. Each apartment home is designed for convenience, comfort and includes a full kitchen, bathrooms with great lighting, and washer/dryer hookups. Maintenance and weekly housekeeping are provided by the professional staff.
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 33
real estate/home
Residential and Commercial Services
New Park35 close to the Southside action Park35 offers a wide range of choices for those looking to be near the action in the historic Forest Park area of Birmingham. Newly opened in April on Clairmont Avenue, Park35 offers 271 one, two and three bedroom apartments across from the Highland Park golf course. It’s a short walk to shopping and the night life in Lakeview, and minutes to Five Points South and the University of Alabama at Birmingham — and not far from Beth-El, Emanu-El and the Levite Jewish Community Center. All living areas have wood grain plank floors, quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances in gourmet kitchens. The apartments have 9-foot ceilings and walk-in closets, and many have generous balconies. A luxury pool is perfect for parties or sunbathing, along with two outdoor kitchens, a fitness center, bike storage, a latte lounge, clubhouse and parking garage. A guest suite is also available for nightly rentals.
Parents at Birmingham’s N.E. Miles Jewish Day School thank the following for their generosity in helping make our teacher appreciation pop-ups so much fun this year: Institute of Southern Jewish Life Hibbett Sports Bud’s Best Cookies Aviate shopaviate.com Schaeffer Eye Center Zoe’s Kitchen Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q APTV CJFS Vulcan Park & Museum Israel Bonds Baptist Health System Penzeys Spices WBHM The Pantry by Stone Hollow Farmstead Diversified UAB Health System Winn-Dixie IberiaBank Corporation O’Henry’s Coffee o Starbucks 32 A Yogurt Bar Birmingham Botanical Gardens 34 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
Space, amenities abound at Retreat at Mtn. Brook Technology and nature commune as one at the Birmingham area’s upscale apartment living community, The Retreat at Mountain Brook, which offers everything from a community garden to resident coffee lounges equipped with Wi-Fi and nearby hiking trails, just up the hill from the Eastwood area. The Retreat, which finished a major renovation in 2016, offers a plethora of modern amenities that include a community garden, three saltwater resort-style pools, two state-of-the-art fitness centers, two resident coffee lounge areas equipped with Wi-Fi, championship-modeled tennis courts and walking trails. There is also a 6,500-sqaure-foot dog park and a new clubhouse. The apartments feature spacious living and dining rooms; open kitchens with stainless steel appliances; electric fireplaces, designer plank flooring; an entertaining/bar area; oversized balconies; sunrooms and terrace level apartment homes that have fenced-in yard spaces.
real estate/home
If your walls could talk, they’d thank you. Hobie Hobart, Agent 1311 Decatur Highway Suite A Fultondale, AL 35068 Bus: 205-841-7485 hobie@myagenthobie.com
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It all started in a Birmingham house in 1932, when a friend in the real estate business Ben Mazer was involved with asked him to tear down a house to make room for a new building. Mazer demolished the house and salvaged the lumber, doors, windows and plumbing fixtures. In short work he sold these used materials to help support his family during the trying times of the Great Depression. He saw the opportunity to sell these items, along with items such as paint, drywall and nails, which could not be salvaged from wrecking. Fast-forward to two years ago. In 2015, after a four-year hiatus, Ben’s grandson Michael opened Mazer Appliances in Avondale to provide appliance values for their friends in the Jewish community as well as the entire Birmingham area community. For 85 years, the Mazers have sold products that have found their way into homes across the region. This is a story of business success, ingenuity, adaptation and most importantly, family tradition. “At Mazer Appliance we specialize in product selection of all types of appliances, but the timeless part remains the same — best prices, best service with integrity. That’s what we’ve always done and that’s what the Mazer name is all about,” said Michael Mazer. When Michael’s father, Ben’s son J.B., got out of the United States Air Force in 1956, he came to work in the family business. J.B. would go on to run Mazer’s full-line salvage building supply operations in Avondale, called Mazer Lumber Company. He expanded the business to include closeouts and insurance salvage deals emphasizing homeowner and remodeler projects. For decades, Mazer’s was like a 12acre combination of Home Depot and Big Lots long before those companies were even created. “We’d sell everything from furniture to building supplies to other hard goods, sporting goods, clothing, even food,” said JB Mazer. “We have been and always will be in the deal business. Every deal and types of products we got into initially seemed to set up its own business.” Most were successful and continued for many years, especially furniture, building supplies and appliances. A few other ventures — including distressed carpets, wet blankets, Merle Norman cosmetics, prescription drugs and even damaged caskets — were quickly abandoned. “Years ago we bought 30 caskets with minor damage for $10 each,” said J.B. Mazer. “When we called the funeral homes, they said they even if the caskets had the slightest blemish, they were unsellable.” J.B.’s wife, Lynette, said that with both the failures and the successes, the family learned and the business adapted. “Sometimes you just need to try something to see if it will work and how people will respond,” she said. “We have great memories and stories about the things that didn’t work just as much as the things that did. It’s all great business and life experiences.” But what has been most important is the people, the Mazers say — the customers and employees who have become their friends. In 1989 Michael came into the business, and soon furniture and appli-
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ances were added to the Mazer housing products mix. A second superstore was purchased in Homewood and Mazer Discount Home Centers grew to be the largest independent furniture and appliance dealer in Central Alabama. In 2011, though, the severe and prolonged housing recession led to the closing of the furniture and appliance campus in Homewood. The Mazers focused on real estate for a few years but retained ownership of the Avondale land. Back in 1995, Mazer had started buying GE scratch-and-dent appliances, then selling them to customers at significant discounts. Over the years, because of the good relationships with other companies Mazer forged along with savvy buying practices, the appliance business really expanded. The Mazers felt that the best opportunity to move forward successfully with the Mazer name as it pertained to retail would be with appliances only. “The technology has advanced so much and the demand is high for appliances,” said Michael. “We felt that this was the best way to go.” The technology isn’t just in the appliances. Mazer Appliance recently completed a significant expansion of its website at www.mazer. com. The extensive store catalogue online lets customers plug in the colors, functions, price parameters and other variables to find the right appliances for them. It also shows photos of the items along with descriptions of any damage. “These are all high-functioning appliances,” said Michael. Mazer can sell at a significant discount due to the minor blemishes on some of the appliances and the competitive pricing for closeouts. Added J.B., “For so many years people have come to trust the Mazer name and we don’t take that trust lightly. People know we will be friendly, honest and provide them with the best value on the products they need.”
Bid or consign art and furniture at Neal Auction Neal Auction Company in New Orleans will have its Summer Estates Auction on July 8 and 9. The fully-catalogued auction features property from a Southern museum collection, music boxes and clocks from the estate of Metairie’s Warren George, the estates of Milburn and Nancy Calhoun of Pelican Publishing in New Orleans, aesthetic furniture from a North Carolina antiquarian, Chinese jade from the estates of Maurice and Eunice Lion in Metairie, fine French furniture and decorative arts, and more. Bidding may be executed in person or through absentee bids, telephone bids, submitted in writing or on-line. Neal Auction also offers live internet bidding.
real estate/home
Alterman Audio offers New Orleans sound advice by Lee J. Green
Since 1973, Alterman Audio has offered sound (and video) advice to the New Orleans area. But while the times as well as the products have changed and evolved, one thing remains true — Alterman Audio has vast experience on how to make customers feel they have made sound decisions on their home audio/video equipment. “Getting the best sound and viewing experience hasn’t changed over the years,” said owner Henry Alterman, an involved member of the New Orleans area Jewish community. “Just because something is the most expensive it doesn’t mean it’s the best. I’ve sold products that were much less expensive than others and you can’t tell the difference. It’s about understanding what works best for someone’s home environment.” Alterman is from the Miami area. In high school, he got into music, but instead of buying 45s, he used a tape recorder to record songs off the radio. Better speakers and amps made the music sound better. He attended an experimental public high school with all kinds of high tech, like video production capabilities in every room. To pursue his interests in audio and video he ended up at Tulane University with a major in electrical engineering. But, “that was all math,” so he ended up with a degree in biology because of his other hobby, herpetology. All the way back in high school at Nova in Ft. Lauderdale, Alterman started taking a keen interest in music and sound. In high school and college he would advise people on what products to buy and where to put the equipment to get the best sound reproduction. At Tulane, someone in the dorm would be about to buy some speakers and he would offer his “two cents.” Others came and to ask for his sound advice. He found out how to buy equipment wholesale and started selling, not just offering advice. He 1973, he opened Alterman Audio right down the block from Tulane in an old barber shop and paid rent of $75 a month. “It has been successful since we didn’t just sell, we explain,” he said. “We want to train people on how to notice good sound and the little things we can do to make a big difference. Eighty percent of people who come here thank me for the education.” Back when the store started up, it was all record players. Alterman Audio was the place to go to learn about new technology. Alterman Audio introduced the Betamax, the CD player, the DVD, high definition and Blu rays, and they had the first camcorder too. Today the new thing is 4K television and high resolution computer music. How does Alterman compete against the big box stores? For starters, if Alterman sells the same product as Best Buy, the price is the same. Alterman Audio has better products, some not available anywhere else in the state. Alterman or his people explain complex technology in easy to understand plain English. They know the differences between models, and the pros and cons of various brands, not just those Alterman sells. When it comes to installation and running of wires, and cutting holes in walls, Alterman’s right hand man is in charge and has been there over 30 years. Muhammed Ali proclaimed in a 1978 TV commercial, Henry Alterman was “the greatest in your area.”
I am here to help families find the home of their dreams in the Birmingham area, or make downsizing an easy process http://bridgetsikora.realtysouth.com (205) 910-0594 bsikora@realtysouth.com
Co-President of Hadassah Birmingham Involved member of area Jewish community
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 37
real estate/home
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• 38 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
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Those who need anything with wood — from cutting boards to cabinets to countertops to furniture — would be wise to consult with NOLA Boards and New Orleans Woodworking. “If it’s wood, we can make it,” said Mandy Simpson, who co-owns the businesses with her master carpenter husband, Daren Sumrow. “We can do custom orders with the cutting boards and the ones we have on display have tributes to New Orleans culture and history. Plus, we can make anything from wood for a home, business or Jewish institution.” Their boards can be seen at the store on Magazine Street as well as a few other New Orleans gift shops. Simpson has a Master’s degree in social work and had been working with heart transplant patients at Ochsner for 7 years before shifting careers to help Sumrow with the woodworking business in 2014. Sumrow said he grew up helping in his father’s business, working on decks and with his mom on her crafts business. “It was definitely something I was a part of growing up and I really loved to help, build and create with wood,” said Sumrow. “When I was 14 years old I made crafts out of wood to sell and sold all of them. I knew then what I wanted to do.” He served in Desert Storm and Desert Shield with the U.S. Navy, and after he got out of the service, he moved to New Orleans. Just more than five years ago Daren met Mandy and the two were married not long after. Sumrow contracted with local businesses, such as the New Orleans Audubon Zoo and others, to build what they needed. Through working with restaurants, they were inspired to come up with the idea for NOLA Boards by repurposing the leftover wood from larger jobs. “New Orleans is such a cooking town. Everyone needs a cutting board and we wanted to make ones with a New Orleans flavor,” said Simpson. So in the fall of 2015, they started making and selling the boards. The Food Network’s Rachael Ray found out about NOLA Boards and made them one of her top holiday gift recommendations. “We were overwhelmed by the positive support and sales were tremendous. We could barely keep up with demand.” Seeing that they had carved a niche and interest was strong, they opened up the NOLA Boards store on Magazine Street in March 2016. They soon realized that they needed more production space, so they found a 5,000-square-foot warehouse in the Bywater to house all of the production for NOLA Boards and New Orleans Woodworking. They plan to continue to add to it, including a special showroom. Sumrow said they source their wood locally and “we can do anything someone wants.” Simpson noted they have done a few cutting boards shaped as a Star of David. Currently they are also working on a big project to provide cabinetry and display casing for Touro Synagogue’s museum. Simpson said people seem to be seeking butcher block countertops more than granite today. Clients also want to use reclaimed wood more for their counter top and cabinetry project needs. Theysaid it’s important to them to give back to the community and offer opportunities to those who might be disadvantaged but seek a vocation. “We’ve hired some at-risk youth and we mentor kids. We give them skills that can help them master an important trade,” said Sumrow. “We start them out on cutting boards, which is a good entry into the bigger, more difficult woodworking projects. When they make a nice cutting board, it’s immediate gratification. They can see and hold what they made.”
real estate/home
ARC Realty thrives through expertise in niche markets by Lee J. Green The arc de triumph for ARC Realty and some of its agents has been achieved through strategic partnerships, market niches and knowing what buyers and sellers seek. One of the Birmingham area company’s more successful teams is married couple Vicki and Robert Warner. Vicki had served as a teacher and interior designer before going until real estate and joining ARC a few years ago. Her husband has a job in corporate sales management while helping Vicki on the side but decided to join ARC and partner with her full time more recently. “There is momentum in home sales right now and positive things happening in Birmingham, so the time felt right,” said Robert, who grew up on a farm. “Seeing a piece of dirt evolve from an empty field into a thriving neighborhood never gets dull.” Adds Vicki, “I love every aspect of this business. The school teacher in me loves working with the first-time home buyers, educating them on how to approach the process,” she said. “The decorator in me loves helping someone visualize the potential of a home.” The two credit the resources afforded by ARC Realty and their enjoyment of working together as keys to their successes. Vicki said, “for the client it’s two for the price of one. We can always be available to our clients. We both bring different strengths to the table. We feel we can accomplish twice as much being a team.” Leda Mims and Joanna Ellard echo that sentiment. Leda brings more than 25 years of real estate experience and Joanna five years in their ARC Realty business partnership. “She is very organized and I am the talker,” said Mims. Adds Ellard of their friendship and partnering together, “we complement each other very well. It’s almost like a good marriage.” Mims said the two have found niche and good business from lining up buyers and sellers for properties on central Alabama lakes — most notably Smith Lake and Martin Lake. “Birmingham was a big beach town and a lot of people would travel to the Gulf. Now you are seeing the lake properties becoming more popular. It’s a much shorter drive than the beaches so you can go more often to enjoy,” said Ellard.
Both she and Mims took that advice and bought second properties on Smith Lake. “We’re seeing a trend of people downsizing a bit on their first home to get a second home on the lake,” said Mims. “And unlike being on the coast, you don’t have to worry about getting hurricane insurance.” She added that those properties are great investments and the rental market on the lakes is on the rise as well. Ellard said that some more commercial developments are coming up within driving distances of the lakes. “People can get everything they need for a short stay or long term, while still having the serenity of being in a beautiful, uncongested area.” ARC Realty Agent Jay Humphries, an involved member of the Birmingham area Jewish community, said he has found a niche focusing on the strong and on the rise commercial real estate market in the area.
See a cool summer with Vision HVAC by Lee J. Green For those searching for heating and cooling solutions in central Alabama, the answer is clear to see — Vision Heating and Air. A locally-owned authorized Bryant dealer, Vision can provide and service units of all kinds. “Energy efficiency has come a long way, especially in the past 15 years or so,” said Vision owner Tim Bowie. “The efficiency minimums required have increased a few times. Units way back then were built for just a room. They expended a lot more energy. These days the enhanced focus is on comfort and energy savings — you can have both.” Bowie said the minimum Seasonal Equipment Efficiency Rating went from eight to 14. With a new unit on a 3,500-square-foot house, the average savings per month could be as much as $75, he said, depending on the home’s age, duct system and insulation. “It doesn’t take long for even a topof-the-line new system to pay for itself,” added Bowie. To keep heating and cooling units running as efficiently as possible, he recommended a consistent maintenance plan of at least two times a year plus changing the filters on a regular basis. “Systems are made differently, but I would say that once a system is 10 years old it might be time to start considering a new unit,” said Bowie.
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For those who need any type of flooring or carpeting in central Alabama, the sky is the limit at Floor Coverings International. Owner Lindsay Murphy said the fact that they are a locally owned and operated franchise of a large national company, they can offer customers the best of both worlds. “We can be hands-on and come out to their home to offer free consultations and we have the resources of a national company to get any type of flooring people want at competitive rates since we buy directly from the manufacturers,” said Murphy. Floor Coverings supplies and installs all types of flooring, including carpet, tile, hardwood, plank, luxury vinyl, waterproof laminate, bamboo, wool and even customized area rugs featuring all the known brands. Murphy said in Alabama the most popular style would be the wood look. But due to the humidity, people are seeking flooring that looks like hardwood but is waterproof, easier to clean and less expensive. “These floors have a very realistic wood look but they are better options than wood especially in places such as basements, where water and moisture can get in more easily,” she said. “Plus these floors aren’t as prone to staining as wood and are easier to maintain.” As for color trends, she said that more customers tend to go with something “really dark or really light.” Murphy and all of her Floor Coverings International salespeople are experienced design associates who go through extensive training with the company and the manufacturers. “We ask our customers the questions and then can do a needs assessment to best determine what flooring will work best for them along with what best matches their style preferences,” she said.
Here to stay 30A Realty sees more permanent residents along Florida Gulf coast by Lee J. Green 30A Realty offers more than 30 years of real estate experience in the Florida Gulf Coast area and co-owner Alice Forrester said they are happy to help people learn more about the Emerald Coast area. “We have been here through the good times and the bad times,” she said. “We’re knowledgeable about the real estate market and this area. Because we’re a smaller company with a lot of experience we’re very friendly and helpful every step of the process — from telling people about the schools to good restaurants in an area.” Forrester she said more people today are seeking new homes and developments for their first or second home in the area. Although it is still a strong seller’s market, she said the supply continues to increase with new housing developments and condominium projects. “Before it seemed the trend was to live right in the heart of Seagrove,” she said. “Now people are heading to the west end or the east end of 30A. They are branching out. New commercial developments are coming up and people are moving to these currently less populated areas to be close to these desirable restaurants and shops.” A majority of the sales still involve investment properties and second homes, said Forrester, but the numbers of permanent residents buying a home in the area are on the rise. “We’ve seen a few new schools open up in the area over the past few years so that’s a good sign that people are moving to the area.” She added that some of the best deals for buyers can be had a few blocks or so from the beach. “You can get a lot of value. You might not have the oceanfront views, but they are in close proximity.”
real estate/home
Sikora knows Over the Mountain by Lee J. Green As co-president of Birmingham Hadassah and a top tennis player, RealtySouth’s Bridget Sikora knows how to ace the competition and net the best value for buyers as well as sellers. The Mountain Brook resident was the 35th top seller in the company out of more than 800 agents. “From living in Mountain Brook and having kids in the schools, as well as being involved in the Jewish community, that had helped me to get a better understanding of what many people are looking for,” said Sikora. She said the Birmingham area is still a seller’s market. Inventory is on the low side but so are interest rates. “It’s a favorable climate for both buyers and sellers. For sellers the key is to price the home right. For buyers it is about trusting in our vast network, knowledge and resources to be able to find the gems out there in an area they want to live.” Most of the new home higher-end developments are in places such as Brook Highland, Lake Crest, Highland Lakes and Ross Bridge. But in places such as Mountain Brook and Vestavia, the trend of late is to either renovate an older property to sell or to tear down an older house and build a new one. “It’s still all about location, location, location,” said Sikora. “Mountain Brook is such a desirable place to live since the schools have such a great reputation. But if someone wants a new property, they are harder to come by.” Even with it being a seller’s market, Sikora said sometimes when she thinks that a slightly lower price will fuel demand among buyers, she will recommend that to a seller. “If you can create interest and a bidding battle, you can get more than your asking price, which is perhaps what you wanted to get in the first place,” she said. Sikora has been with RealtySouth for more than 14 years and said that people can download the company’s app to get real-time information, listings of available homes in the area, and virtual 3-D tours. “It’s like having a big team working for you,” she said.
Windows are winners with Champion by Lee J. Green Champion Home Windows and Exteriors of Alabama can open a door to energy savings for home or business owners, through windows. “Replacing your windows with high-performance, energy-efficient Champion windows can considerably lower one’s energy costs in summer and winter by reducing heating and cooling expense,” said operator David Sanders. “The average homeowner can save from 25 percent to 40 percent on energy bills. Plus, one’s home is much more comfortable with less fluctuation of the temperature inside the home.” Champion has been in business for more than 60 years. Champion of Birmingham has been in its same Pelham location for close to 20 years and Sanders also has a second location in Huntsville for the past 15 years. They cover all of north and central Alabama, going as far south as Montgomery. Unlike other large window companies, “all Champion locations are company owned but operate locally like smaller local companies. However, unlike smaller, independently owned mom and pop companies, Champion manufactures, installs and warrantees the product and labor, giving the homeowner total peace of mind,” said Sanders. Sanders said they are seeing more homeowners looking for products that are not only energy efficient and low maintenance, but also ones that last. Most of the windows being installed in new homes are “cheap builder-grade vinyl windows,” he said. He said Champion is doing a lot of work replacing these windows. Technology has vastly improved over the past 7 to 10 years, he added. Champion has led the way in much of this technology development. Sanders said Champion offers free estimates and is flexible with scheduling six days a week as well as evenings. “Once we have a chance to explain the difference between Champion and other windows, we believe an informed homeowner will choose us.”
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 41
real estate/home As times change, GTAuctions creates wealth for savvy real estate owners
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A 20-minute meeting can make all the difference for the investor who has properties that are “about to be invisible real estate to the future generations.” Jack Granger, auctioneer at Granger, Thagard Auctioneers in Birmingham, notes that certain types of real estate are obsolete, because the demand for them is not there among coming generations — its time has come and gone. “The demand factor is leaving or has left the room” and it makes as much sense as investing in more buggy whip stock. Granger said owning certain types of real estate will not be as important to the next generation, but “practically all” of that type is owned by aging baby boomers. “The days of looking at most land, commercial sites/office buildings and large, over-the-top residences with ‘dad’s glasses’ is now over… or it’s getting close,” Granger said. “Leaving it to the kids is problematic,” and many wealth advisors are starting to realize this. Real estate was the rising tide that raised middle class to wealthy, but the middle class is now smaller with less money. Buying extra real estate and managing it because of need or ability to purchase is on a crash diet. For investors, knowing when to go liquid and have a bidding war when doing so is a dream scenario. That is what Granger, Thagard does — in a 20-minute meeting, they can explain how to convert stagnant holdings into cash and other income producing products. And because they are auctioneers and not real estate agents, they don’t charge the owners for earnings. “I will guarantee that one spouse in a ‘client couple’ already knows this is needed,” Granger said.
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42 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
One Roof — an umbrella organization in Birmingham that provides services, education and advocacy for the homeless — takes pride in pointing out that the area’s homeless rates have dropped by 50 percent over the past 10 years or so. But much still needs to be done and many still need to be helped. “Our mission is to end homelessness through education, advocacy and community help services,” said One Roof Community Outreach Director Courtney Stinson. Launched as networking groups called Metropolitan Birmingham and started in its current structure as a 501c3 umbrella organization in 1993, One Roof believes there is strength in numbers and cooperation. Today there are more than 40 groups with the similar goal of helping the homeless. “All of the organizations collaborate very well together,” said Stinson. “That has allowed us to compete for federal funding and grants. With all of these organizations working together we can get support, advocate for those who need a voice.” One Roof is considered a continuum of care and there are similar organizations across Alabama and the South. Since Birmingham is the largest metro area in the state, the challenges are unique. “We have some innovative programs that are leading the way and getting results,” she said. “Some of the things we do are unique to our area based on what we are seeing here.” Since 2005 through 2015, the homeless population has decreased by 50 percent, and by 60 percent among those who were homeless with a disability. The 2016 figures are still being worked on. One Roof recently held its spring annual Project Homeless Connect at Birmingham’s Boutwell Auditorium. The one-day event provided numerous services to almost 700 homeless clients. How can individuals help? Stinson said they are looking for program help volunteers, financial support, advocacy and legislative lobbying efforts. For more information on getting involved go to www.oneroofonline.org.
B’nai Israel holds Art and Soul gala Top right, Lynn Weill, Louann Bombet, Jill Roby Pike, Cathy Duplechin, Linda Dubois, Maia Jalenak and Dani Kaplan were among the organizers of Art & Soul, the biennial fundraiser for Congregation B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge. The April 27 event offered wine, hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails, along with live jazz. A silent auction featured more than 125 items, including artwork, trips, merchandise and gift certificates, as well as a framed and autographed Shaquille O’Neal jersey. Hors d’oeuvres were prepared by Chef William Wells and Jennifer Wells with Culinary Productions. Starring role sponsors were Lipsey’s and the Abraham family. Numerous additional sponsors supported the auction and event, which benefits the congregation’s youth educational programs.
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 43
Mac and Cheese Variations BASIC INGREDIENTS 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1845 Montgomery Hwy Fresh ground black pepper Hoover, Ala. 1¼ cup milk customscafe.com 8 ounce cheese, shredded 205.987.0176 PREPARATION Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain cooked macaroni and reserve. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and stir in flour and black pepper. Add milk. Cook until slightly thickened and bubbly. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add macaroni/vegetable mixture to cheese sauce and coat evenly. Transfer to a 9-inch oven-safe baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray or coated with butter. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Salsa Mac: Add diced tomato, green bell pepper, onion and cilantro to the cooked pasta and cook as described Cauliflower Mac: Substitute roasted or steamed cauliflower florets for the pasta and cook as described. Broccoli Mac and Cheese: Cook broccoli florets and add to pasta and cook as described Chef’s Favorite Mac: Add crushed or halved green olives and chopped tomatoes to the pasta. Dot the top with fresh mozzarella before baking
KOSHER-STYLE RECIPE
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www.colonialoaksliving.com 44 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
Traveling around the world and enjoying international cuisine from those countries and cultures is possible without leaving the Birmingham area, thanks to the Customs Café in Hoover. What started as a rotating global cuisine and cultural learning concept at the Hoover Library has grown into its own location, which opened this past January. “We want to help people to be comfortable trying foods from around the world,” said co-owner Teresa White. “We’re serving the cuisines of different countries and cultures home-style.” The Customs Café offers a set menu of American home-style favorites, then has a different rotating menu with a handful of items. April was Swedish, May was Mexi-Cali and June is French. Each month the most popular international items stays on the menu moving forward. White’s journey to today’s Customs Café is a unique one filled with uncovering niches and fortunate meetings. She and business partner/chef Craig Casiday opened up a gift shop with a coffee bar/café in Florence, Ala., around the mid-1990s. In 2002, the Florence Library was opening a new facility and they asked White and Casiday to locate the café there. continued on the next page
Continued from page 46
> > Rear Pew Mirror so Noah? Regardless, Abraham wasn’t there in the rest of the Torah but is mentioned often. Moses is never mentioned in the first book. It’s actually very simple. Moses had a better agent. Because comedy works in threes, and the Torah has funny moments, a third nom de voyage for the Torah has been The Law of Moses. Sounds less familiar than the others? Ironically, it’s the most authentic. As early as the book of Joshua, the first J.J. Abrams sequel to the Torah, Joshua refers to what came before as “Torat Moshe” — the Torah of Moses, or the Law of Moses. Of course, there’s a contemporary name for the Torah, popularized by b’nai mitzvah students: homework. But that’s better than calling their Haftarah a half-Torah. There’s no profit in that. Doug Brook just directed the musical [title of show] — yes, that’s its name — which references, among many other obscurities, the 1950s Broadway musical comedy revue “Bagels and Yox.” To read past columns, visit http://brookwrite.com/. For exclusive online content, like facebook.com/ rearpewmirror.
> > Customs Cafe A few years later the Alabama Library Association held its annual meeting at the Florence Library. The Hoover Library was expanding and sought someone to operate a café in the library. “It’s a remarkable story of perfect opportunities that were presented to us,” said White. “We operated both cafes (called Coffeeology) for a few years and things went very well.” It was in 2009 that a Hoover chef/caterer named Virginia Walker introduced herself to White and Casiday. Walker had talked about the possibility of doing some rotating local and international cuisines. She had spent some time in Europe as a child and even ran a kosher kitchen for a Jewish family years earlier. “Craig and I had already been considering international foods and doing a concept that doesn’t just serve the foods, but immerses people into the culture through learning along with special events,” said White. “When Virginia came to us it was magic and we knew the synergies were there to do this.” Initially they did a weekly rotating menu at the Hoover Library and also had some special cultural learning programs. “That fits so well with the library and what it’s all about,” she added. It was about three years ago that White said they felt that they were embraced by the local community, and the diverse communities within, to a point that they could make a freestanding restaurant work. They partnered with real estate agent Ira Levin and spent a couple years exploring locations. When they found the location near the Riverchase Galleria, they knew it was perfect. The current Customs Café seats 75 people. They are open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday/Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Last month, they started bringing back the special dinners and cultural learning events, and they will continue with at least one per month. The next RSVP special event dinner is June 13, centered on French cuisine. July will feature American Classics, August is Polynesian, September is Greek, October is Polish, November is Moroccan and December is Italian. While the 2017 rotation is set, Customs Café may change schedule as well as add more as interest warrants and opportunities become available.
June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 45
rear pew mirror • doug brook
[title of Torah]
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Some observers believe that the 21st Century is the Age of Entitlement. Not that it should be, or that it’s good to be, but that it is. The Jewish people are known as The Chosen People, originally because all the characters in Chaim Potok’s “The Chosen” are Jewish. Now more than ever, it’s important to remember — as nearly several people still do in this day and age — that there’s a subtle difference between “chosen” and “entitled.” More than just the spelling. Instead of delving into a scathing assessment of modern society or contemporary bar mitzvah parties, exploration of a more fundamental aspect of “entitlement” at the very core of Judaism is what this column chooses to indulge. It’s entitled. As Christopher Marlowe once wrote, under his more famous nom de plume, “what’s in a title?” This begs the question, whether that which we call a Torah, by any other title, would scroll as sweet. The Torah is known by many titles that have confounded handfuls of individuals for nearly five paragraphs of this column. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible, no matter which bible one subscribes to. Those five books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy — names which in no way resemble their original Hebrew names. But that’s a column for another day. The Torah is not the Bible. Just the beginning of it. For centuries, scholars and laymen alike have debated whether that makes the Torah seem shorter, or the entire Bible seem longer. Rabbi A TORAH BY Akiva once debated this with his students. They came to no conclusion, until they realized that ANY OTHER their long debate had ended but that day’s Torah reading was still going. NAME STILL The Torah is sometimes referred to as the PenSCROLLS AS tateuch, a Greek word that means “pent up teuch.” What a “teuch” is has been lost to history, though SWEET some congregants sitting through a full double-parshah reading believe it means “hunger.” Of course, “penta-“ is a prefix meaning “five,” best known from The Pentagon, whose name comes from its DEFCON levels: five before we’re gone. Another Greek translation is “five books” or “five scrolls.” Nobody knows why the Greek name carried forward, any more than anyone knows how to pronounce it. What is the correct pronunciation of Pentateuch? There isn’t one. It seems like the final “ch” should be the typical Hebrew throat-clearing sound. But it isn’t. Pronouncing it like “ck” sounds like a production of “Fiddler on the Roof ” where everyone sings “l’Kayim.” Pronouncing it like a soft “ch” sounds like “tush,” which is just wrong according to one rabbi who chided a columnist for it. Multiple times. The Torah is also referred to as The Five Books of Moses. Going in, this can seem accurate. There are five books and (spoiler alert:) a lot of it is about Moses. But when someone sits down to read the Five Books, two things can be said. One, they’re avoiding cleaning the garage. Two, there’s no Moses in the entire first book. What gives? Isn’t the story of the Jewish people the story of its patriarch, Abraham? Then again, wasn’t Adam supposed to be the originator? That didn’t work, continued on the previous page
46 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017
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June 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 47
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40 Southern Jewish Life • June 2017 48