Southern Jewish Life, Deep South, August 2019

Southern Jewish Life RESTORING SELMA’S MISHKAN

Aug./Sept. 2019 Volume 29 Issue 8

Southern Jewish Life P.O. Box 130052 Birmingham, AL 35213 Mishkan Israel, Selma

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

shalom y’all Some inside baseball…

With the rise in anti-Jewish incidents of late, a lot of energy has been expended on defining anti-Semitism.

The gold standard seems to be the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s, which has been adopted by numerous bodies.

According to the IHRA, manifestations “might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic. Antisemitism frequently charges Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for “why things go wrong.” It is expressed in speech, writing, visual forms and action, and employs sinister stereotypes and negative character traits.”

On our new website, Israel InSight, we report on how this year’s Washington Summit for Christians United for Israel had a strong emphasis on fighting anti-Semitism, and its afternoon of lobbying focused on the U.S. Department of Education adopting the IHRA definition when it comes to assaults and intimidation on college campuses.

With all this, the point of this column might seem silly, but in reality, it comes after a lot of reflection — how to spell the term.

Every publication of any level of professionalism has a stylebook. That is to keep usage and spellings consistent throughout a publication. For example, we use 6 p.m. (the correct style) and not 6:00 PM (even typing that was painful).

For most publications, the Associated Press stylebook holds sway, then one adapts to individual items. We spell it Chanukah. We generally refer to “the territories” in the Middle East, “westbank” is part of New Orleans.

Since we began publishing almost 30 years ago, anti-Semitism has been the

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>> Commentary

MESSAGES

August 2019 April 2019

Maccabi USA leader praises Birmingham Games I have had the honor of attending many Maccabi competitions around the world. From Israel preferred even the default onthe many programs. to Australiaspelling. to SouthIt’s America, Europe and JCCSpellcheck Maccabi games around the United States IHRA and Deborah Lipstadt’s the can topic theto spelling “antisemitism” andThe Canada, I have logged many milesrecent seeingbook how on sports beprefer a vehicle help build Jewish withoutespecially a hyphen.inAnd that will be the spelling we use. identity, ourhenceforth, young.

After all, what is this “Semitism” that “anti-Semitism” opposes?

I felt honored to come to Birmingham for the first time and fell in love with not just the city In a memo on the topic, the IHRA says the hyphenated spelling “not only legitimizes a form but the people. You have taken Southern hospitality to a new level with your kind and caring of pseudo-scientific racial classification that was thoroughly discredited by association with approach to the JCC Maccabi Games.

Nazi ideology” but also divides the term as relating specifically to Jews.

Led by in thethe Sokol and Helds, yourhave hard-working volunteers were wonderful.

Theyactivists partnered Those pro-Israel spheres heard countless examples of Palestinian saying with your outstanding staff, led by Betzy Lynch, to make the 2017 JCC Maccabi games a huge hit. they can’t be antisemites, because they are also Semitic.

I want to take thisto opportunity executive director of Maccabi tocan say thank on behalf Semitic refers a family ofasMiddle Eastern languages, so USA “anti-” imply you coverage of all of everyone involved. those who speak Semitic languages. antisemitism coined in 1879 by a German to specifically describe IThe hadterm just returned fromwas the 20th World Maccabiah gamesjournalist in Israel with a U.S. delegation of anti-Jewish in a pseudoscientific way. Infrom most80languages, the term wasthe never over 1100,hatred who joined 10,000 Jewish athletes countries. Back in July eyeshyphenated. of the entire The world IHRA said should be read as This a unified term so that theathletes meaning Jewish were“Antisemitism on Jerusalem and the Maccabiah. past month with 1000 andof the generic term for modern Jew-hatred is clear.

At a time of increased violence and rhetoric aimed coaches from around the world being in Birmingham, you became the focal point. towards Jews, it is urgent that there is clarity and no room for confusion or obfuscation when Everyone the Jewish” community and the community at large, including a wonderful dealing withfrom antisemitism. police force, are to be commended.

These games will go in history as the being a seminal There is another term that also deserves to catch on.down In a recent talk to Jewish graduation moment for the Jewish community as we build to the future by providing such wonderful Jewish ceremony (a topic for a whole other column) at UCLA, Judea Pearl — whose son, journalist Danmemories. iel Pearl, was beheaded by Al-Qaeda — said the proper “fighting word” should be Zionophobia, “theMargolis irrational fear of a homeland for the Jewish people.”

Jed He saidDirector, antisemitism “connotes Executive Maccabi USA submissive begging for protection,” while Zionophobe places the onus on the perpetrator, as irrational, illogical and unacceptable, just as anyone would be who supremacists would like to see pushed back is considered a homophobe, Islamophobe, xenoOn Charlottesville into a corner and made to feel lesser. We stand phobe, and so forth. with and pray for the family of Heather Heyer, Editor’s Thisproblem. reaction to thehaters eventsare. in We’reNote: not the The Lawrence Brook, who was there standing up to Publisher/Editor the face of this Charlottesville, written by Jeremy Newman, hate.

Master of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Theta Colony We recognize the essence of the American at Auburn University, was shared by AEPi narrative as a two-century old struggle to rid National, which called it “very eloquent” and 2019 ourselves of such corners, and allow those in praised “our brothers at AEPi Theta Colony at them the seat at the table that they so deserve.

Auburn University and… the leadership they It is the struggle to fulfill the promise of the display on their campus.”

Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal… endowed by their Creator with One of our thework White supremacy has been a cancer on certain unalienable rights.” We know our country since its beginning, threatening is far from finished, but we know we will not its hopes, its values, and its better angels. move backwards.

The events that took place in Charlottesville When men and women, fully armed, take represented the worst of this nation. Those to the streets in droves with swastikas and who marched onto the streets with tiki torches other symbols of hate, it is a reminder of how and swastikas did so to provoke violence and VALUE relevant the issues of racismBEST and anti-Semitism fear. Those who marched onto the streets did schools in work the U.S.that are today.

It is a wake-up call to the so to profess an ideology that harkens back to needs to be done to ensure a better, more a bleaker, more wretched time in our history.

A time when men and women of many creeds, welcoming country. But it should not come races, and religions were far from equal and far without a reflection on how far we’ve come.

America was born a slave nation. A century from safe in our own borders. A time where that lead to YOU'LL FINDa MORE THAN ONwe engagedcolleges into our history in a war in part Americans lived under constant cloud of A COLLEGE GRADUATE to ensure we would not continue as one. We racism, anti-Semitism and pervasive hate. The by the issue of civil events that took place in Charlottesville served found ourselves confrontedSCHOOL rights, and embarked on a mission to ensure as a reminder of how painfully relevant these the fair treatment of all peoples no matter their issues are today. skin color. Although we’ve made great strides, Auburn’s AlphaFIND Epsilon stands withOF theOPPORTUNITY. YOU’LL APiWORLD it is a mission we’re still grappling with today.

Jewish community of Charlottesville, and

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with the Jewish people around the country and around the world. We also stand with the minorities who are targeted by the hate that was on display in Charlottesville. We stand with the minorities of whom these white 4 August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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America was also born anCOMMUNITY immigrantAND BUSINESS LEADERS country. As early as the pilgrims, many MENTOR STUDENTS bsc.edu groups and families found in the country the opportunity to plant stakes, chase their future, and be themselves. Few were met with open

Southern Jewish Life PUBLISHER/EDITOR Lawrence M. Brook editor@sjlmag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING Lee J. Green lee@sjlmag.com V.P. SALES/MARKETING, NEW ORLEANS Jeff Pizzo jeff@sjlmag.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ginger Brook ginger@sjlmag.com SOCIAL/WEB Emily Baldwein connect@sjlmag.com PHOTOGRAPHER-AT-LARGE Rabbi Barry C. Altmark deepsouthrabbi.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rivka Epstein, Louis Crawford, Tally Werthan, Stuart Derroff, Belle Freitag, Ted Gelber, E. Walter Katz, 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 504/432-2561 TOLL-FREE 866/446.5894 FAX 866/392.7750 ADVERTISING Advertising inquiries to 205/870.7889 for Lee Green, lee@sjlmag.com; Jeff Pizzo, jeff@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.

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agenda interesting bits & can’t miss events

Participants in this year’s class of Operation Understanding DC visited Adath Israel in Cleveland, Miss., where congregational president Nancy Chiz spoke to the group. The year-long program for Jewish and African-American teens in Washington includes a three week summer journey, visiting civil rights sites in the South and also exploring the Southern Jewish experience. The organization is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

(205) 637-1899 David Sharp, Owner 5485 Hwy. 280 Next to Hanna’s Garden Shop and across the street from Lee Branch Shopping Center August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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agenda “Transformational gift” to make Tulane a national leader in Jewish studies

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

The largest-ever gift to the Tulane University Department of Jewish Studies is seen as putting Tulane on the path to be a leader in studying the American Jewish experience.

The gift from Stuart and Suzanne Grant of Wilmington, Del., to establish the Stuart and Suzanne Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience, was announced on Aug. 7. It is among the largest gifts to the Tulane School of Liberal Arts.

The gift from the Grants’ I Could Do Great Things Foundation will double the number Photo courtesy Grant family of research faculty in the Jewish Stuart and Suzanne Grant, with son Studies department. It provides funding for a new endowed Sam, a 2019 Tulane graduate chair that will allow the department to recruit a senior scholar, as well as to launch a national search for a junior faculty position. It will also provide operating support for the Center that will bear their name.

The Grants’ son Sam graduated from Tulane in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. He is now a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

“With this visionary gift, Tulane is poised to become a national leader in the study of the American Jewish experience, with a particular, unique and interdisciplinary focus on the history of Jews in the Gulf South and the region more generally,” Tulane President Mike Fitts said. “We are so grateful to the Grants for their support which will position Tulane as a hub of excellence and the global leader in the study of the American Jewish experience.”

Michael Cohen, Sizeler Professor of Jewish Studies and chair of the Department of Jewish Studies, said the Grants’ gift will strengthen the department as well as reshape the field of American Jewish Studies.

“Creating new intellectual connections, the Grant Center will transform the field by practicing across disciplinary and subfield boundaries, emphasizing the global orientation of the American Jewish experience,” Cohen said. “Through the Grant Center, we will become the academic leader for the innovative and holistic study of American Jewry.”

“Thanks to the tremendous generosity of Stuart and Suzanne Grant, we will build a world class faculty and implement a dynamic and innovative slate of programming,” Cohen said.

School of Liberal Arts Dean Brian Edwards said the gift will enhance what is already one of the school’s most popular departments and place Tulane at the forefront of American Jewish studies.

“There is great interest in Jewish studies among our students,” Edwards said. “In the last few years, nearly one in four undergraduates enrolled in a Jewish Studies course while at Tulane. This gift allows us to expand the faculty dramatically, which will provide students with the opportunity to study with professors whose research is setting the direction of the field.”

He added, “At a moment when the need to understand American Jewish history has never been more vital, the importance of establishing a center dedicated to the American Jewish experience cannot be overstated.”

The Grants hope their lead gift will inspire more people to support Jewish Studies at Tulane.

agenda The Grants formed the I Could Do Great Things Foundation in 2009 to support a range of social initiatives related to education, Jewish causes and projects that strengthen communities, primarily in Delaware. The Grants also provided an initial gift to an initiative at Tulane University that fosters academic collaboration between U.S. and Israeli universities to address shared energy challenges.

Stuart Grant is the co-founder of Grant & Eisenhofer P.A., a world-renowned law firm. He recently retired from the firm to devote more time to Bench Walk Advisors, a litigation finance hedge fund he co-founded.

Suzanne Barton Grant is an accomplished businesswoman and philanthropist. A former senior vice president at Smith Barney, she currently serves as the chair of the board of the Delaware State Pension Fund. Suzanne is former president of the Jewish Federation of Delaware and the immediate past national campaign chair for Jewish Federations of North America.

Restoring Lives in a Home Environment We treat more than the addiction.

We treat the entire person.

Registration opens for Jacobs Camp 50th anniversary weekend The 50th summer is winding down at the Union for Reform Judaism’s Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, and registration for the “50 Years of Jacobs Magic” anniversary weekend is now open.

The Mississippi camp, a haven for Jewish students from smaller Southern communities, will celebrate its history the weekend of Nov. 1 in New Orleans.

Events will begin on Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. at Touro Synagogue, with a welcome reception. Shabbat services will start at 6 p.m., followed by a dinner at 7:30 p.m. and a song session at 8:30. An after-party is planned for 9:30 p.m., with details to be announced.

On Nov. 2, activities move to the Uptown Jewish Community Center, with camp-style Shabbat morning services at 9 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., camp activities will begin, including basketball in the gym, inflatable Gaga, kickball on the field, lanyard making, a bounce house and art activities.

Ultimate Frisbee will take over the field at 11:30 a.m. Lunch and snowballs will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a song session at 12:30 p.m. A Jewish tour of New Orleans will be available at 1 p.m.

The evening gala will be at the National World War II Museum, for ages 21 and up. There will be cocktails starting at 7 p.m., with dinner at 7:45 p.m. and dancing to follow. Havdalah and a friendship circle will be at 10:30 p.m.

Registration is $180 for adults, $90 for ages 21 to 25, and both include the entire weekend. Registration for ages 8 to 20 is $50, and ages 1 to 7 is $25, and includes the Friday night and Saturday daytime activities. Sponsors have subsidized the cost, but those still unable to pay the registration fee can contact Jacob Fijman through the website to ensure attendance.

Registration is requested by Sept. 15. A special group rate is available at the Hotel Intercontinental.

Jackson’s Beth Israel holding musical gala Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson will hold a night of cabaret, community, and cuisine for its musical fundraiser, Sept. 7 at the Fairview Inn. The evening will welcome the congregation’s new rabbi, Joseph Rosen, and celebrate the congregation with the community at large. The evening will include a cash bar, seated three-course dinner with complimentary wine, and a series of musical performances. Cocktail hour starts at 6 p.m., followed by Havdalah at 7 p.m. and dinner.

Proceeds benefit Beth Israel, “so we can continue to grow our community and support the greater Jackson area.” Tickets are $100. Sponsorships start at $180, and due to limited space, should be purchased by Aug. 23.

For tickets, go to bethisraelms.org.

RHODES. FULBRIGHT. TRUMAN. GOLDWATER. COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME. In the past three years, Millsaps Collegehas claimed all five with two Rhodes Scholars, four Fulbright Scholars, a Truman Scholar, a Goldwater Scholar, and a College Football Hall of Fame inductee.

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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agenda The Mobile Area Jewish Federation will hold its Super Sunday on Aug. 25 from 10 a.m. to noon. Volunteers will assemble at Springhill Avenue Temple.

Lesley Silver’s Attic Gallery in Vicksburg was selected Best Art Gallery in Mississippi, in the Mississippi Magazine reader’s poll.

The Jewish Federation of Central Alabama has a new office. After a couple of decades at Fairlane Drive in Montgomery, the office facility was sold to a new owner who was not going to be able to provide the in-kind space. Instead, the Federation is has moved into vacant space in the youth building at Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem, which will also be rent-free and “allow us to continue to maximize our allocation of your donations to Jewish causes and organizations that need it most.”

In July, Rabbi-Cantor Raina Siroty began a new five-year contract with Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria.

Ahavas Chesed in Mobile will have a recording session at the 6 p.m. service on Aug. 23. Yehuda Silverwolf, who has been the guitarist for Guitar Shabbat for the last five years, is preparing a CD of his music. His producer will be recording the service for the CD. Danielle and Josh Isen will also lead the singing. The August services through Aug. 16 will be rehearsals. “This is a historic occasion for our congregation,” said Rabbi Steven Silberman. “I am very excited about this opportunity to progress musically and spiritually as a community.”

Michael Dobbs, author of “The Unwanted: America, Auschwitz and a Village Caught In Between” will be in Mississippi for two events. On Aug. 17 at 4 p.m., he will speak at the Mississippi Book Festival in Jackson, on a C-SPAN Live World War II panel at the Old Supreme Court. The Jewish Federation of Oxford’s author series hosts him at Off-Square Books on Aug. 18 at 2 p.m. The book tells the story of Jewish families from the village of Kippenheim on the edge of the Black Forest desperately seeking American visas to escape Nazi Germany in 1940. Some succeeded, some were turned back and some died along the way.

Some were murdered in Auschwitz.

The July “Celebrating Shabbat Together” in Baton Rouge that was rained out by the tropical storm has been rescheduled for Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. Beth Shalom will host the service, with Rabbi Jordan Goldson of B’nai Israel giving the sermon. A potluck dinner will follow.

B’nai Israel in Panama City and the Unity Spiritual Center, which meets at B’nai Israel, will host the Interfaith Harmony Council potluck dinner, Aug. 24 at 5 p.m. Members are asked to bring a non-dairy side dish or dessert.

Friday Film Fest continues at B’nai Zion in Shreveport, with movies following the 6 p.m. service. On Aug. 16, “The Big Lebowski” will be screened, and on Aug. 30 the film will be “Click.” Pizza, popcorn and drinks will be served, and the films will start around 7:30 p.m. There is no charge, but donations to the film fund outside of Shabbat are encouraged. Reservations are helpful.

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Agudath Achim in Shreveport is hosting dinner and a movie, with “The People vs. Fritz Bauer,” on Aug. 25. The film is about Bauer, a German Jewish attorney general who helped Israel capture Adolf Eichmann. The movie won Best Picture in Germany in 2016. Appetizers, wine and cheese will be served at 6 p.m., followed by a catered dinner from Taziki’s, and the screening at 7:30 p.m. The event is open to the community, and there is a suggested donation of $5.

On Aug. 25, Hadassah Birmingham is partnering with Moms Demand Action for common sense gun laws and H.I.V.E. to host a Skype discussion with Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action continued on page 25

community At Maccabi Pan Am Games, Fielkow brings gold back to New Orleans As a senior at Ben Franklin High School, Yana Fielkow is preparing for her final high school soccer season while going over options as college soccer programs recruit her.

Having an international gold medal on the resume certainly won’t hurt.

Fielkow was part of the gold-winning U.S. national Juniors Girls Soccer team at the Maccabi Pan Am Games in Mexico City, which took place July 5 to 15. The Games attracted 2,500 Jewish athletes from 19 countries, participating in 24 different sports.

For Fielkow, a highlight was “getting to know different people from all over South America” and “just talking to them.” She added, “I’ve never been around that many Jewish people in my life.”

Fielkow started playing soccer at age 6, shortly after coming to the United States after being adopted from Ukraine. She started playing as a forward, then shifted to defense. At age 10, she tried being a goalie, and has been in front of the net ever since. Being 5-foot-10 certainly helps in that endeavor.

It wasn’t necessary in terms of game action in Mexico City, however.

Because the U.S. team was so dominant, “the other goalie and I really didn’t have to do much,” as the team “played most of the game on the other half ” of the field.

The team plowed through the competition, going 3-0 in pool play, with a 23-to-1 scoring advantage.

In the semi-finals, the U.S. beat Brazil, 5-0, and then played a Mexican club team, Mexico Invitado, beating them, 7-2, for the gold.

“I’m totally fine with that,” she commented. But she said “everybody on the team wished it was a little more competitive.”

Regardless, “it’s always nice to win gold.”

For the past two years, she played for the Mandeville Lakers, but this year is switching to the Louisiana Fire in New Orleans, a youth club of the Major League Soccer Chicago Fire. Last year, she was named first team all-state and all-metro. Last year, Mandeville won the Southern Regional Championships and advanced to the U.S. Soccer Nationals. She was named the top goalkeeper at the Southern Regional Championships and the Golden Gloves winner.

She also competes on Ben Franklin’s volleyball team.

While this was her first Maccabi experience, her family is quite experienced with the games. Her father, Arnie Fielkow, was part of the silver medal U.S. Masters basketball team in the 1997 Maccabiah in Israel, and is currently a national vice president for Maccabi USA. Brother Steven was on the gold medal U.S. baseball team at the 2009 Maccabiah in Israel, and sister Svetlana was on the New Orleans soccer team for the JCC Maccabi Games in Detroit in early August.

Fielkow said she would love to pursue competing in the World Maccabiah in Israel in 2021. At the games in Mexico City, “it was special to represent the U.S. and win.”

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THIS IS AUBURN. “This wonderful country of ours allows us to gather together, to be Jewish and be free… I’m grateful I can be Jewish and a basketball coach in the SEC.”

— Auburn Head Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl, at the 2017 JCC Maccabi Games Opening Ceremony

WE ARE COMMUNITY. Hillel, Auburn University’s Jewish student organization, was the recipient of the 2015 AU Student Involvement Award for Overcoming Adversity. diversity@auburn.edu www.auburn.edu/diversity

August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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Amy Milligan (center) with the four remaining members of Mishkan Israel, at a screening of the congregation’s short documentary.

Campaign launched to preserve Selma’s Mishkan Israel It’s a common concern for synagogues that are in historic buildings — keeping the roof in good condition, and running the occasional capital campaign when repairs are necessary.

But in Selma, where Ronnie Leet goes to Mishkan Israel’s 120-year-old building after every rain — just to make sure — the historic Jewish community is holding on with just four remaining members.

Nevertheless, with assistance from a professor at Old Dominion University who had no previous ties to Selma, and a regional filmmaker, Mishkan Israel is embarking on a major campaign to raise money to stabilize the structure, then turn the building into a combined synagogue, event space and historical resource for one of the epicenters of the civil rights struggles from the 1960s.

As part of the effort, a GoFundMe page has been set up with a goal of $800,000, which would finally deal with the building’s original roof and update the original 1899 wiring, a far-outdated knob and tube system.

After that is accomplished, the total campaign will total at least $7 million to create the Jewish Legacy center, including an endowment component.

“If we can get the roof replaced and the electrical updated, that will buy us time,” Leet said. The ultimate goal is “complete restoration, setting up a museum for our artifacts and a Jewish cultural center to tell our story.”

The museum component will be in a house next door that the congregation purchased when it became available a few years ago.

Leet said “we’ve been talking about it since 1997,” when the Barton family in Nashville organized a Selma Jewish reunion, Home for the Holidays, to spur interest among those with Selma roots in helping the congregation. A second Home for the Holidays took place over Rosh Hashanah 1999, with the Extended Family Congregation holding a centennial celebration for the building.

Fundraising from those reunions enabled the congregation to deal with a leak that produced mold and mildew on a wall about six years ago.

“You can’t let that stuff go,” Leet said.

Had it not been for the money from the reunions, “the building might have fallen in by now, because of the roof,” Leet said.

A few years ago, two brothers in Maryland whose families have Selma

community roots decided to have their Bar Mitzvahs in the building, and raise funds for restoration.

In 2015, when Selma was commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday events, a major event filled the Mishkan Israel sanctuary. Among the speakers was Susannah Heschel, daughter of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who said when he accompanied Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Selma to Montgomery march, it was “as if my feet were praying.”

David Goodman, whose brother, Andrew, was killed by Klansmen in Neshoba County, Miss., in 1964, also spoke, as did Jonah Pesner, head of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and Clarence Jones, King’s political advisor. Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary was a surprise guest, singing the “holy song,” “Blowing in the Wind.”

“They do a lot,” said Amy Milligan. “It’s amazing for such a small congregation.”

Milligan is the Batten Endowed Assistant Professor in Jewish Studies and Women’s Studies and the director of Old Dominion University’s Institute of Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding. While much of her work focuses on gender studies and the LGBTQ community, she is also interested in small Jewish communities — and by small, she means fewer than 25.

While working at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania, she did a book about the small Orthodox community in Lancaster.

Two years ago, a former colleague did a civil rights tour to Selma, and Milligan challenged her to find the few Jews of Selma.

Her friend met Leet and Hannah Berger, then texted her from inside Mishkan Israel — “You need to come visit… you need to see this Temple.” Milligan said she wasn’t interested in writing a civil rights book, and was told Selma is much more than that.

She visited and was immediately captivated by the small congregation with the large historic building. “There was an immediate click… Selma has a little magic in it.”

“Two years later, here we are,” Milligan said.

She is working on a book about the Jewish history of Selma and advising with the preservation effort.

Milligan “has kicked me into getting this restoration project moving forward,” Leet said. “I just never knew where to start.” The congregation now has a social media presence, the online fundraiser and plans to go after grants and large donations.

They are working with an architectural firm to do renderings of the sanctuary and see what it will take to do a restoration. Leet said potential donors want to see concrete information, and “we don’t have that in presentation form yet.”

After the roof and electrical, some additional

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community work would be needed to update the building.

The sanctuary is not air conditioned, leading to very warm conditions in the summer. The sole one-person bathroom isn’t up to accessibility standards.

The room behind the sanctuary is air conditioned, and is where receptions take place. There is also a collection of Selma’s Jewish history for visitors to peruse.

With Selma’s events around Alabama’s bicentennial, more pieces for the project started falling into place.

In April, Milligan visited to assist on a shoot with Blue Magnolia Films, which was producing a short film about Mishkan Israel. In late May, “Selma200: Stories of Revitalization” debuted, with a series of short films, including the one about Mishkan Israel. A downtown walking

tour of public art regarding each of the film subjects was also unveiled.

Blue Magnolia was originally founded in 2014 “to celebrate “bright spots” and small town solutions across the state of Mississippi.” Co-founder Alison Fast is a Peabody Award-winning filmmaker.

In 2017, Blue Magnolia did a similar series of films for Greenville, Miss., including “Shalom Y’all: A Photo Story by Benjy Nelken” about Hebrew Union Congregation, for the Mississippi Bicentennial’s “Celebrating One Greenville.”

Most Jewish visitors to Selma are there to see the city’s civil rights legacy, often inspired by the iconic photo of Heschel and King at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Sometimes Jewish groups go through Selma, taking their bus to the bridge, and when they pass Mishkan Israel, they say “my goodness, is that a synagogue?”

For those who come on civil rights tours, “If they even know there are Jewish people in Selma, they’re going to assume the worst,” Leet said. But the reality was a “wonderful” relationship between the Christian and Jewish communities.

And yet, during the civil rights battles there were tensions as the Jewish community, which was generally in favor of voting rights, tried to stay out of the conflict as a small minority in Selma. Jewish activists would come to town, but Selma’s Jews were actually living there and had to deal with any repercussions.

On occasion, groups plan a visit that is much more involved than the usual couple of hours.

Over Martin Luther King Weekend in January 2017, Ohev Shalom, the National Synagogue in Washington, spent Shabbat in Selma.

That was a logistical challenge, as the Orthodox congregation came to the Reform congregation, bringing their own mechitza, kosher catering and prayerbooks. The nearest hotel was over a mile away, with the group walking back and forth over Shabbat.

Nevertheless, Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld said the weekend was “one of the most powerful, intense and emotional experiences of my life,” recommended the experience to other congregations and said “every Jewish Day School in the country should take their classes to Selma, Montgomery, Birmingham.”

Leet is fine with that concept, but noted that with only four members serving as volunteers, there is a limit to what they can currently accomplish logistically. In his 60s, he is the youngest member of Mishkan Israel, and gave about 17 presentations to visiting groups last year.

Just before Thanksgiving last year, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans brought a group of African-American and Jewish students on a day trip to Selma and Birmingham, and continued on page 24

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

community DINE AT AN “AMERICAN CLASSIC” AS RECOGNIZED BY

Kosher natural health expo in B’ham A unique all-day expo on natural health and wellness will be coming to Birmingham in September, as the Kosher Natural and Holistic Health Expo will be held at Knesseth Israel Congregation in Mountain Brook on Sept. 15, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There will be over 40 vendors and at least 15 lecturers on a wide range of topics, from health, personal training, nutrition, how to heal anxiety and depression naturally, natural healing, heal one’s gut, how to stop self-sabotaging, how emotions affect health, weight loss and body image, and more.

There will be an emphasis on organic foods, and vegan and non-vegan organic all-natural skin care products. Vendors will include aspects of health, nutrition, healing modalities, meditation, energy healing, biomagnetism, nutrition, exercise, fitness, herbology, fermented products, probiotics, health coaches, bemer technology, earthing, organic chocolates, natural makeup, organic skin care products, organic supplements, healing crystals, massages, water filtering technology and much more.

The first expo was held in Brooklyn, N.Y., in May. Lecture topics included conquering chronic illness, whole foods and plant-based nutrition, children’s nutrition, holistic dentistry, Lyme disease, and a session on the Biblical roots of cannabis.

The expo was started by Leah Kineret Narboni, founder of Inside Out Healthy Living, which focuses on integrative health with the motto “treat the cause, not the symptom.”

Narboni said she started the expo “to spread knowledge and awareness… about different and new modalities of healing that are unknown to many.”

Over the past 40 years, chronic diseases including fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease and others have increased across the country. “The holistic approach integrates diet, nutrition, fitness and other unique treatments not widely known that can help to ease many of these conditions and help people live healthier and happier,” Narboni said.

While the term kosher refers to Jewish dietary laws, far more people outside the Jewish community pay attention to kosher labels, from a diverse cross-section of groups. Some are Bible-believing Christians who are exploring the Jewish roots of their faith. Others do so for dietary reasons that have nothing to do with religion, as kosher symbols are useful for vegetarians, those with allergies to dairy products, or those who simply consider kosher to be an extra level of supervision in the manufacturing process.

While Narboni plans to do these events across the country, the Birmingham event is the first one scheduled outside New York.

Admission is $18 in advance via Eventbrite, $26 at the door. Children are admitted free.

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The event features local bands and benefits the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Alabama. Last year, the event raised over $3,000.

The event remembers Mesch member Sam Lapidus, who died in November 2008, just before his 15th birthday. He had been diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma at age 9.

AZA is an international Jewish high school fraternity, with its counterpart B’nai B’rith Girls.

Tickets to Jam4Sam are $10 at the door. Those interested in sponsorship should contact Sam Estricher at meschaza41cyg@gmail.com.

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Charles Collat Sr. will be inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2019.

On July 22, the University of Alabama Culverhouse College of Business announced the six inductees, who will be honored on Nov. 7 at a ceremony at Haven in downtown Birmingham.

Collat is the retired president and CEO of Mayer Electric Supply and serves as chairman emeritus. As a result of Collat’s leadership and work ethic, Mayer has become one of the largest electrical distributors in the nation, with more than 1,500 associates in 80-plus locations with annual sales exceeding $1 billion.

Collat is a committed supporter of The University of Alabama at Birmingham and is on UAB’s Leadership Cabinet and President’s Council.

UAB’s business school was recently named the Collat School of Business, thanks to a major gift from the Collat family. Furthermore, he has been recognized by UAB for his service to the institution with its President’s Award and was the recipient of an honorary doctorate of humanities.

He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War and earned an accounting degree from the University of Georgia.

Collat and his late wife, Patsy, have also been major supporters of Temple Emanu-El and Collat Jewish Family Services.

In addition to Collat, honorees are Gary Fayard of Atlanta; Joe Forehand of Dallas, Texas; Marillyn Hewson of Bethesda, Md.; the late Lonnie McMillian of Madison; and F. Michael Reilly of Tuscaloosa.

The Alabama Business Hall of Fame was founded in 1973 by the Culverhouse College of Business Board of Visitors to honor individuals in business who have brought lasting fame to the state of Alabama. A 14-member board of directors establishes the criteria for nominations and governs the Hall of Fame.

Israel business seminar in Birmingham The Atlanta-based Conexx, the BIRD Foundation and the Birmingham Business Alliance will hold a seminar on “Doing Business with Israel: Opportunities for Alabama-Israel Technology Partnerships,” Aug. 20 at 12:30 p.m., hosted by Alabama Power.

The focus of the recruitment effort is to invite companies who might have an interest in joint commercial research and development. Sen. Doug Jones will be keynote speaker, and sessions will include an overview of Israel’s technology ecosystem, an overview of the BIRD Foundation, which is the U.S.-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation, and panels with leaders from the business community. A networking reception will also be held.

The event is free, and reservations can be made at the BBA website.

AIPAC B’ham event Aug. 21 Marc Dollinger will be the guest speaker at the 2019 AIPAC Birmingham annual event, Aug. 21 at Temple Beth-El. Check-in will start at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. program.

Dollinger is the author of “Quest for Inclusion: Jews and Liberalism in Modern America,” and co-editor of “California Jews and American Jewish History: A Primary Source Reader.” He holds the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Chair in Jewish Studies and Social Responsibility at San Francisco State University.

The program is free and open to the community, but advance registration is required at www.aipac.org/Bham19.

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

Sunday, Sept. 8 • 11 a.m.-3 p.m. • Levite Jewish Community Center

To volunteer to cook or serve contact Priscilla Denard (pdenard@bhamjcc.org) To organize your “When Pigs Fly Kosher BBQ” Team contact Seth Diamond (sediamondlaw@gmail.com) To become an event sponsor contact Dan Tourtellotte (dtourtellotte@bhamjcc.org) This program is made possible by Marvin and Ruth Engel Fund and the Unrestricted Fund of the Birmingham Jewish Foundation.

August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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Festival returns to the Levite Jewish Community Center The Friedman Family Foundation Jewish Food and Culture Fest, featuring the When Pigs Fly Kosher BBQ Cook-Off, returns to Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center on Sept. 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The festival is a time for the local Jewish congregations and institutions to unite in celebration of Jewish cuisine, culture, music and fun with the greater Birmingham community.

The festival features a range of authentic Jewish recipes that have been handed down through the generations, along with the more modern, kosher twist on competitive barbecue.

In addition to the food festival and Kosher BBQ contest, there will be musical entertainment, educational activities for all ages and a vendor area.

The festival will go on, rain or shine. In the event of rain, it will be inside the LJCC. Admission is free, with food and beverages available for purchase.

Parking will be available at the JCC lot, with overflow at Climate Storage to the east, and the Welch building to the west. There will be a shuttle circulating among the parking lots.

The festival is co-hosted by the Birmingham Jewish Federation, Levite Jewish Community Center, Temple Beth-El, Temple Emanu-El, Chabad of Alabama, N.E. Miles Jewish Day School and Knesseth Israel Congregation.

Volunteer Opportunities

Dozens of volunteers are needed to ensure a smooth festival. Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. Opportunities are available for cooking prior to the event, and on the day of the festival including but not limited to: Cashiers, Food Servers, Kid’s Zone, Runners, Greeters.

Cooking sessions include burekas on Aug. 20 from 4 to 7 p.m.; cabbage rolls on Aug. 22 from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and couscous on Sept. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Childcare is available, and all cooking takes place in the LJCC kitchen.

Bulk orders

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Bulk orders for the Culture Festival were being taken through Aug. 15 for pickup Sept. 8 to 10. Sometimes, there is availability following the festival.

Bulk items include braised brisket, $20/pound; cabbage rolls at $15 per half-dozen; noodle kugel for $15 per half-pan; pastrami or corned beef at $16 per pound. Where applicable, reheating instructions will be provided.

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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Ready to get the team together and compete? Some veterans of the When Pigs Fly Kosher BBQ Cook-Off have some advice.

With barbecue, the veterans pointed out that the key is to cook for a long time with lower temperatures, “low and slow.”

Judging is done by the standards of the Kansas City BBQ Society, with celebrity judges scoring each team’s entries in brisket, chicken and baked beans. The competition also includes team name and booth décor, with the overall Grand Champion determined from the five categories, weighted toward the meat categories.

Each team sends a representative to the Cook’s Meeting on Sept. 5 at 6 p.m., where all “outside” ingredients will be examined for kashrut.

Meat for the contest will be provided after the outside items are approved. Sauce and marinade preparation can be done until 9 p.m. on Sept. 5, and from 9:30 to 11 p.m. on Sept. 7. Booths can be set up starting the evening of Sept. 7.

Gerry Nemet said the biggest challenge with the grills used in the competition is keeping the temperature consistent, between 225 and 325 degrees “depending on how long you want to cook your meat.”

The temperature needs to be monitored consistently, adding coals to keep the temperature up or removing coals to get the temperature down, he said.

Steve Altmann agreed, saying “you have to be willing to monitor the heat of the grill overnight.”

Howard Bearman suggested using a firewall to keep the temperature down.

Jimmy Krell said if the fire is too hot, the meat will dry out. “Get there very early to get your brisket started,” he said.

Altmann said it is important to have a great recipe to marinate the brisket and chicken. Having a creative team member is also essential for planning and designing a booth that will complement a catchy team name, he added.

Bearman said judges are looking “more for the tenderness of the meat than whether you have smoky paprika in the rub.”

Krell added that presentation is important — the entries should look appetizing to the judges.

Not everyone on the team has to be an expert on the grill. Aaron Nelson said “Make sure there is at least one person on your team who knows what they are doing. Everyone else can be there to be assistants and enjoy the atmosphere!”

Allen Halpern said hanging out and competing as a team is the best part of the event. “The whole camaraderie behind that, especially if the team has competed together in years past, it really makes for a special day,” he said.

And earning some hardware for the congregation’s or organization’s trophy case is an added benefit.

Menu:

Sampler Plate $20 Brisket, whitefish salad, stuffed cabbage roll, matzah ball soup, Israeli salad, kugel, bureka

Braised Brisket Plate $16 With kugel and Israeli salad

BBQ Chicken Plate $16

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With baked beans and coleslaw

Stuffed Cabbage Roll Plate $15 With couscous and Israeli salad

Smoked Whitefish Salad Plate $13 With mini bagel, kugel and Israeli salad

Falafel Plate $12 With Israeli salad, chips and watermelon

Corned Beef Sandwich Plate $13 With Israeli salad, chips and a pickle

Pastrami Sandwich Plate $13 With Israeli salad, chips and a pickle

Hot Dog Kid’s Meal $6 With chips, watermelon and water

Sides

Matzah Ball Soup $4 Potato Burekas (2) $6 Apricot Noodle Kugel $3

Desserts, Drinks, Etc. Rugelach (3)

With nuts and cinnamon sugar filling

$5

Black and White Cookie $5 Challah $8 Plain, raisin or chocolate cinnamon

Dr. Brown’s Soda $2 Water $2

Title Sponsor

Friedman Family Foundation Presenting Sponsor

Marvin and Ruth Engel Fund and the Unrestricted Fund of the Birmingham Jewish Foundation

Establish a fund in The Birmingham Jewish Foundation or support an existing fund.

For more information, contact Foundation Executive Director Sally Friedman at sallyf@bjf.org or (205) 803-1519

Cowsher Cafe Sponsor The Cypress Family

Entertainment Stage Sponsors ALSCAN Day Star Construction Coca Cola

Kid’s Zone Sponsors

Total Skin and Beauty Standard Iron and Metal Brookwood Medical Center

Culture Sponsors

Brittany and Andy Saag Lewis & Feldman Jennifer and Jeffrey Sokol Edward Levin Specialty Landscaping Omni Foods Sunbelt Rentals

Program Sponsors

Culotta Scroggins Hendricks PC Green Garage

Presenting Sponsors of the Friedman Family Foundation Jewish Food and Culture Fest: The Birmingham Jewish Foundation’s Ruth and Marvin Engel Fund and The Foundation’s Unrestricted Fund

In-Kind Sponsor Southern Jewish Life/IsraelInSight August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

19

community Helping Ethiopian Israelis prosper Head of Ethiopian National Project visits Jewish communities that have been supportive

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About 36 years ago, a donkey led Roni Akale from Ethiopia to Sudan, from where he realized a 2,500-year-old dream of returning to the land of Israel.

Recently, Akale was in Birmingham as director-general of the Ethiopian National Project, helping those in Israel’s Ethiopian community who came after him to succeed in a modern, high-tech society.

Two major waves of Ethiopian Jews came to Israel since the early 1980s.

In 1984, Operation Moses was a clandestine effort during a civil war and famine to bring Jews from the remote Ethiopian areas of Gondar to Israel via Sudan, even though Sudan was hostile to Israel. About 8,000 Ethiopian Jews were rescued before the airlift was shut down due to publicity.

In 1991, amidst political turmoil in Ethiopia, Israel embarked on Operation Solomon, a continuous 35-hour airlift that brought over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel. Since then, there have been additional, smaller airlifts.

Akale said there were “a lot of challenges” for Ethiopian Jews, as “most of us lived in the village” in Ethiopia and cultivated the land, as “we were not in educational areas.”

When they arrived in Israel, “we started our lives from zero” in a place with a different language and culture.

“We narrowed the gap of 2,500 years in 13 years,” but there is still a “very large” gap that can be narrowed further through education.

Today, many Ethiopians are in high-tech, or are lawyers, doctors, diplomats and judges. “We are everywhere,” he said.

In 2004, the Ethiopian National Project was launched to continue facilitating the adjustment of Ethiopians into Israeli society. While it is a partnership of the Jewish Federations of North America, the Government of Israel, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Israel and Keren Hayesod-UIA, Akale said it was created “with the Ethiopian community taking the leading role” because they knew what the community truly needed.

Akale was born in a remote Ethiopian village that had no electricity. At age 12, he went by himself to Gondar to pursue an education, and started working for the government.

In 1983, his best friend told him it was a good time to go to Jerusalem, and he had friends who led people to Sudan, and from there to Israel.

“We had waited 2,000 years for the vision to become real,” he said.

Whether you are moving across town or across the country, we have you covered Park Moving & Storage 205-206-9792 Birmingham 205-345-0311 Tuscaloosa park-moving.com Roni Akale, director general of the Ethiopian National Project, and Grace Rodnitzki, director of international relations, visited communities in the region, including Birmingham, earlier this summer.

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

community “Though separated 2500 years ago, we didn’t forget how to be a Jew. We kept our religion very strictly.”

He set out on the 500-mile journey with a group of six. In the middle of the hazardous trek —an estimated 4,000 Ethiopian Jews did not survive the journey or the Sudanese refugee camp — the guide told them he was leaving them with his son and donkey to go the rest of the way, and “we believed him.” The problem was, the son did not know how to get to Sudan — but the donkey had been there before and “the donkey was now our GPS.” in the middle of the jungle, robbers came and took everything, but they continued. Without any weaponry, they had to be careful of lions and other predators — especially regarding the donkey, who was the only one who knew where they were going.

Five days after the robbery, they arrived at the border, where he was surprised to see his younger brother, who had also left the village to make the journey.

In Sudan, “we didn’t have anything” and the refugee camp was “very bad,” but “we were lucky” as some Ethiopian youth had already been working with the Mossad, Israel’s clandestine agency.

He was in the refugee camp for a couple of months, but said many stayed for up to four years. He was able to get to Khartoum, where he was flown to Paris, then to Israel, arriving “with nothing” in 1983 after a four and one-half month odyssey.

After learning Hebrew, he went to the university to get a degree in social work, after which he went into the army and became a mental health officer.

While in the army, he participated in Operation Solomon, welcoming fellow Ethiopian Jews to Israel.

Today, there are about 150,000 Ethiopian-Israelis, with 110,000 under the age of 40.

Akale said the children want to learn and be like other Israelis, “to compete with Israeli society and to be at the highest level.” But because the majority live in low-income areas, opportunities often aren’t there.

The ENP developed SPACE, School Performance and Community Empowerment, which promotes academic growth and provides supplemental scholastic assistance, along with leadership skills and a greater connection to their heritage.

The “Bridges” program boosts English proficiency, providing a competitive benefit and enabling greater connection to the world Jewish community as emissaries.

Grace Rodnitzki, director of international relations for ENP, said they currently serve just over 5,000 children in 28 communities across Israel, but they have identified many more.

The project was created as a shared initiative with global Jewry and support from Israel, as a “way to forge a stronger bond” with Israel, she said. Every dollar raised is matched by the Israeli government.

Her path to Israel was far different than Akale’s. “All I had to do was leave the King of Prussia Mall and move to Israel” after graduating from Brandeis just months before Operation Solomon. A newcomer herself, she started helping the Ethiopians adjust at a makeshift absorption center at the Diplomat Hotel. “It was unbelievable… the word I would use was euphoria.”

Now, she is working to help make sure that every child that needs to get into the ENP programs is able to, “so they can be the engineers, the lawyers, the physicians” and be “absolutely, undeniably successful.”

“Our community is a motivated community,” Akale said. He pointed with pride to the national general matriculation exam, which 71 percent of Israeli students pass. Among Ethiopians, he said, it is 82 percent.

“That’s the work we’re doing, child by child, family by family, city by city,” he said. “You must do to change the reality to a good reality, and you must work day and night… you must dream, you must think, you must do a lot to change your abilities and your life.”

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women in business Alabama Goods 2933 18th St. So, Homewood • (205) 803-3900 • alabamagoods.com As Alabama celebrates its bicentennial in 2019, those who want to buy made-in-Alabama products ranging from art to clothes to food know they can count on a special shop in “Sweet Homewood Alabama.”

Alabama Goods opened in March 2010 on the strip in Homewood, and doubled its retail space two years ago. They also have an operations center and warehouse in west Homewood, at which they primarily do high-volume corporate gift basket orders.

“We take great pride in sharing our love of our home state and the great products made here,” said Sherri Hartley, co-owner with Beth Staula. “We get visitors and orders from all over the world. It’s great to share that bond with them.”

More than 12 years ago, Staula and Hartley were working on the same committee with the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. A company was asking for custom gift baskets filled with products made in Alabama.

“That’s when we came up with the idea that would become Alabama Goods,” said Staula. “It started as a website, but we knew we needed a storefront so people could see all the products.”

Hartley and Staula would travel across the state to visit craft shows and Alabama product-makers.

“After we had been doing this for a little while, people would start coming to us… and we continued to expand what we were offering,” added Hartley.

Alabama Goods sells a wide variety of Alabama-made products, including art, clothes, foods, pottery, jewelry and other gift items.

Some of the more popular items include Alabama-shaped coasters made from carpet, Vulcan-themed gifts, barbecue sauces and bi-

Escape Day Spa 100 Broadway St., Homewood (205) 414-6062 • theplacetoescape.com

centennial T-shirts, such as “200 looks good on you, Alabama.” Alabama Goods also sells some compiled gift baskets and customers can make their own custom gift basket.

Staula said they sell products from 50 of the 67 Alabama counties. They hope to open up an Alabama Goods store in Huntsville next year.

Hartley and Staula said the recipe for success involves hard work, dedication and an investment in their employees.

“We are creating a unique shopping experience,” said Hartley. “To do that takes great products, but much more than that, it takes great people working together for the same goal — to make our customers happy.”

McKenzie Tree Service New Orleans Area • (504) 456-1300 John McKenzie Sr. started McKenzie Tree Service in 1989. It is now owned and operated by his children John Jr., James and Patricia McKenzie. They have lived in this community all of their lives and are proud to call New Orleans their home.

Patricia McKenzie joined the family business in 1998 after graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans. Initially, Patricia joined her family’s business while continuing her education at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. However, she became excited by her interactions with the clients, the daily operations of running a business and enjoyed working with her family.

She applied to Loyola University Business Col22

August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

lege, and in 2004 obtained her Master’s Degree.

While it was a career path that she had never considered, it was a wise investment in her future and the future of this family-owned and operated business that will pass to future generations.

McKenzie offers a wide variety of services, including tree removal, trimming, pruning and shaping, fertilization and stump grinding.

McKenzie fully insured and licensed, offers emergency services, and is on the approved list of tree companies for both the Orleans and Jefferson Parish Parkway Commissions.

Discounts are offered for senior citizens, veterans, policemen and firemen, and repeat customers.

Sisters Carrie Holley and Alicia Liddon took an organic approach to starting up a their own business, in both the literal sense and the actual sense.

“We knew we wanted to do organic and holistic with Escape Day Spa,” said Holley. “That’s what we believe in.” When they started nine years ago, “very few people in the Birmingham area were doing organic skin products and massages.”

Plus, they took an organic approach to starting their business. “We didn’t have any investors. It was just two sisters starting up a business we believed in,” said Liddon.

At the time, Liddon was in school to become an aesthetician and Holley had been a professional massage therapist for a few years.

Escape Day Spa’s first location was a 1,300-square-foot space in Crestline Village. A few years later they would move to a 4,300-squarefoot building in the Edgewood neighborhood of Homewood.

Holley said they both did a lot of research and training, then educating clients on the benefits of organic. They started handcrafting their own scrubs and shea butters, under their own Escape branded lines. Their spray tans are chemical-free and the nail polish is vegan.

“The skin is the largest organ of the body,” she said. “You absorb 60 percent of what touches your skin into your bloodstream.”

Liddon said in addition to learning more about the products and services Escape would carry, in the early years they taught themselves how to manage the books, do payroll and even create their own ads.

“Today we’re blessed to have well-trained employees who enjoy what they are doing,” she said.

“Many of them have been with us for years. It’s important to invest in your people.”

Holley said that every year around Veteran’s Day, Escape hosts a big open house, featuring bands, food, prizes and product samples.

“We are looking at doing some more fun events. We’re also continuing to renovate and expand our current location,” she said. Another Escape Day Spa location could also be on the horizon. “We feel like we were ahead of the curve when we started and we want to continue to educate ourselves so we can stay ahead of the curve.”

CJFS Professional Counseling Serendipity Boutique 3124 Heights Village, Cahaba Heights 5457 Patrick Way #109, Trussville (205) 970-2398 • serendipityofbham.com Samantha Jones, owner of Serendipity Boutique and a certified retail consultant, knows that the phrase “one size does not fit all” pertains not just to the stylish outfits sold at her Cahaba Heights and Trussville stores, but also to advising other businesses on how to attain success.

“Every person who comes into the store is different, and we work with them to put together a look that shows off their style, their personality,” said Jones, who first opened Serendipity in a 500-square-foot space of an interiors store in 2004.

“It’s the same thing when I advise a (retail) business,” she added. “I can share with them some things that have worked for me, but you have to look at customized solutions that fit with an individual business.”

Some recommendations are universal, though.

“Invest in your people. You’re only as good as your team,” said Jones. “If they are happy and love what they are doing, then they will make your customers happy. It’s not about transactions, it’s about building relationships.” She adds “business owners should be in the store as much as possible working alongside your people and getting to know your customers.”

Serendipity would move into its own location in Trussville, and then the owner of Cahaba Heights Plaza, Raymond Gottlieb, encouraged the Vestavia High School graduate to relocate there in 2009.

She became a licensed retail consultant in 2011, and in November 2017, re-opened in the Trussville area on Highway 11. That Serendipity location also includes a Dipity Deux store-within-a-store for teens and tweens.

Jones has traveled the globe with her consulting work, and to seek new fashions for Serendipity.

“It seems that Europe, New York and L.A. are always a couple of years ahead of Alabama,” she said. “We want to change that by being trendsetters, not followers.”

Serendipity launched its new website earlier this year, allowing for enhanced e-commerce. But Jones said she and the Serendipity team know that the focus remains on what they can do to enhance the brick-and-mortar store experience.

“We want to do even more in-store events, fashion shows and parties,” she said. “It’s about creating an unrivaled experience at the stores. It’s about making shopping fun. This is retail therapy.”

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this year Birmingham’s N.E. Miles Jewish Day School hosted four Jewish Day Schools from around the country, with students from the five schools touring sites in Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma.

But Leet said civil rights is just a small part of the rich Jewish legacy in Selma. The Jewish community began in the 1830s and grew swiftly, with three waves of immigration in the 19th century.

The Harmony Club, a Jewish social club, was founded in 1869. The club’s 1907 building, just steps from the Edmund Pettus Bridge, has been restored by two non-Jewish men into a residence and event space, with the cornerstone listing several Jewish families still visible, and an Israeli flag flying in front of the building. They have recently made part of the building into an AirBnB, Milligan noted.

Mishkan Israel was organized in 1870, meeting in private homes, then at the Episcopal Church before buying the church’s school building and parsonage. On that site, they decided to build the current building in 1899.

An Orthodox congregation, B’nai Abraham, was established in the early 1900s, and the historic Live Oak cemetery has different sections for Mishkan Israel and B’nai Abraham. The Orthodox congregation lasted until 1944, with the remaining members joining the Reform congregation.

Three of Selma’s early mayors were Jewish — Simon Maas, who served from 1887 to 1889; Marcus Meyer, from 1895 to 1899; and Louis Benish, from 1915 to 1920. It was said that during that era, on the High Holy Days one could roll a bowling ball down Broad Street and not hit anyone, because so many of the stores were Jewish-owned and all were closed.

Mishkan Israel’s membership peaked at 104 around 1940, but the next generation began to depart for larger communities after college.

The congregation had a much-needed boost when Steve Grossman moved to the area. Raised in a traditional community, he led services at Mishkan Israel, while at other times he would go to Birmingham to attend services at the Orthodox Knesseth Israel. But in April 2017, he was struck by a car and killed. With the death of Ed Ember in January, Mishkan Israel is down to four members.

Leet said they still have occasional services, usually drawing 30 to 40 people. Naturally, that mostly comes from non-Jewish friends, many of whom remember accompanying their Jewish classmates to Shabbat services years earlier.

He added that Selma has a long legacy of close relations between the Jewish and Christian communities. In appreciation for their assistance, Mishkan Israel presented the Methodist church with a baptismal font in 1899, which they still use today, Leet said.

Another major piece of Selma Jewish history deals with the Zemurray family. Sam Zemurray, who became a powerful banana importer in New Orleans and controlled central American countries, had been in Selma, brought there by his uncle. Leet said June and Seymour Cohn used to talk about how Zemurray used to hang bananas in the basement of their store before moving on and becoming famous.

When she met the remaining members of Mishkan Israel, Milligan said she knew she needed to be the one to tell their story. Visiting Selma for the first time, “I’d found friends and family — and good food.” She now visits every three to four months, but is in constant contact with Leet.

Many people arrive with preconceived notions of Selma and don’t give it a chance, she said. “When we connect with people we can connect easily with a place.”

Leet said he routinely watches as visitors to Mishkan Israel are astonished at the beauty of the building. “I can’t imagine this project not being successful and this not being here,” he said. Mishkan Israel can be “part of the future success of Selma… it just needs to happen.”

The GoFundMe page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/ temple-mishkan-israel

community and author of “Fight Like a Mother.” The event will be at the Levite Etz Chayim in Huntsville will screen “Heading Home: The Tale of Jewish Community Center at 3 p.m. Watts started the group after the Team Israel,” about the Israeli national baseball team’s surprise run in tragedy at Sandy Hook. the World Baseball Classic. Jeremy Bleich of Metairie was among the The Jewish Federation of Central Alabama will hold an Allocation team members. The film will be on Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. Cost is $6 per person and includes drinks and snacks. Admission for children is free.

Party at the home of Michael and Rosi Smith, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.

Chabad of Baton Rouge is offering a new series, “Opening the TalBeth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach will have a Parking Lot Sale, Aug. mud,” Mondays from Aug. 12 to 26 at 7 p.m. No Hebrew skills or prior 25 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Talmud study needed.

By popular demand, Cyber-Seniors is back. Collat Jewish Family The Jewish Federation of Central Alabama will have an ice cream Services is teaming with the Levite Jewish Community Center and the party to welcome Yotam and Nofar Horowitz, the new Israeli family University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing for the Cyat Maxwell Air Force Base, Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. at the home of David Herber-Seniors classes, a free one-on-one class for seniors to learn how man. to operate smartphones, tablets or laptop computers. The classes will be at the LJCC on Aug. 22 and 23 from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge will host “Lectures with Modern Scholis required to Jennifer Nemet at CJFS, and participants need to bring ars,” a monthly podcast series. On Aug. 21 at 7 p.m., Rabbi David Eltheir own devices. Participants can sign up for one or both days. lenson, chancellor emeritus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute Birmingham’s Knesseth Israel will have an Estate Sale on Labor of Religion, will discuss “What Makes Me A Reform Jew.” On Sept. 18, Day weekend, featuring gently-used furniture, Judaica, non-Judaica, Rabbi Michael Marmur will lead “How We Talk About God.”

books, dolls, toys, linens, housewares, electronics, art, flatware and B’nai Israel in Columbus, Miss., is planning a Welcome Back Lunmore. The hours will be on Aug. 30 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Sept. 1 cheon following the 10 a.m. service on Aug. 24. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sept. 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Knesseth Israel in Birmingham will hold a Women’s High Tea on A new bagel shop will be opening soon in downtown Pell City, Ala. Sept. 18 at 7 p.m., featuring Terri Nova, co-owner and COO of Alabama The Daily Bagel, at 1910 Cogswell Avenue, will feature deli-style sand- Rental Managers; Annie Damsky, owner of Villager Yoga and co-crewiches, soups, salads, desserts and gourmet coffee. ator of The Fearless Om; and Krispin Watson, host of the So Lux Life Beth Israel in Gulfport continues its summer themed Shabbats with podcast. There will also be musical performances by local musical talPreseason Black and Gold Shabbat, Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Baseball ent and the new group Lahavot Aish. Food will be prepared by David Aaron. Registration is $20 by Sept. 4, $25 after.

Shabbat will be on Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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community “Sinners and Saints” on Rosh Hashanah Alternate service for those who can’t miss the game Football is religion in the South, and few places have a higher concentration of faithful devotees than New Orleans, where even the team name has religious overtones. That can lead to the occasional religious conflict — this year, the Superdome matchup between the Saints and the Dallas Cowboys is on the first evening of Rosh Hashanah, Sept.

29. With a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

While Gates of Prayer in Metairie is having its usual service at 8 p.m. and Rabbi David Gerber “assumes” everyone will be there instead of at the game… just in case there are some who will be religiously conflicted, Gates of Prayer will offer a “Sinners and Saints” Rosh Hashanah service at 5 p.m., on the terrace at Stone Pigman law firm, about three blocks from the Superdome — walking distance, as would be traditional.

Gerber said he started getting calls immediately after the Saints schedule for the season was released, with the usual question being “am I a bad Jew if I go the Saints game instead of services?” followed by a promise to attend the next morning or do “extra atonement on Yom Kippur.”

There was no thought given to changing the service time because “Rosh Hashanah was scheduled before the NFL,” Gerber said, “but we decided we could meet people where they are.”

The full Gates of Prayer clergy will lead the service, which will include blowing the shofar, and “apples (cider) and honey (lager).” Those attending the service can dress for the game.

Tickets are free, but very limited due to space. A waitlist will be created if needed, with Gates of Prayer members receiving priority.

A similar conundrum occurred in 2013, when the “Game of the Century” revenge match of the University of Alabama at Texas A&M fell on Yom Kippur. Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El made national headlines for declaring the congregation a “football-free zone” for the day in deference to those who were taping the game for after the holy day.

Mike Slive, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, did not attend the highly-hyped game, electing to attend services at Emanu-El.

Rosh Hashanah dinner at Jackson’s in Pensacola Jackson’s in Pensacola will be hosting its annual Rosh Hashanah dinner, Sept. 29 starting at 5 p.m.

In addition to the regular dinner menu, Chef Irv Miller does a Rosh Hashanah dinner, starting with challah, and red and golden delicious apples with tupelo honey; then a first course of Yukon gold and potato latkes with roasted acorn squash, sour cream and fresh chives, finishing with house-smoked and slow-roasted beef brisket with caramelized onions and aged-balsamic glaze, Mom’s kugel, glazed carrots and roasted Brussels sprouts. The Rosh Hashanah dinner is $29 per person.

Sukkot retreat at Ramah Darom Several smaller-community congregations will hold a Southern Schmooze Shabbaton at Ramah Darom in Georgia over the Shabbat during Sukkot, Oct. 18 to 20.

The Conservative congregations in Chattanooga, Greensboro, Asheville, Birmingham, Nashville, Greenville and Columbia are currently signed up for the weekend, which will include services, children’s programming, kosher meals and recreational activities.

More information is available at the Ramah Darom website.

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

community NED MARSHALL DESIGN Anne Frank statue coming to National WWII Museum Community invited to Sept. 12 dedication A life-size statue of Anne Frank will be unveiled at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans on Sept. 12, as part of an ongoing installation at the museum’s Founder’s Plaza.

Two years ago, the first statue and bench in the plaza were unveiled, featuring a life-sized Franklin Roosevelt. The Anne Frank statue will be the plaza’s second installation, and more will be added as funding is available.

Dedicated in January 2017, Founder’s Plaza spans Andrew Higgins Drive between Camp and Magazine Streets. The plaza is the entryway to the institution’s grounds, providing safe passage for guests, and a setting for rest and reflection as part of the visitor experience.

Large Nuttall oak trees line the plaza, providing color in the fall and shade in the summer, and historic-style street lights assist with nighttime pedestrian access and safety. An 80foot American flag and six service flags of the U.S. armed forces are also featured in the plaza, along with sections of Hitler’s Atlantic wall and German sentry shelters.

The museum hopes to eventually have around 10 sculptures in the plaza. While some specific individuals are under consideration, such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, others are more symbolic of different groups, such as a World War II nurse, a war dog and his handler, and a Red Ball Express supply driver.

Clem Goldberger of the museum said “we are thrilled Anne Frank was the second one that was funded.” The Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust is underwriting the Anne Frank statue.

Goldberger said a large proportion of museum visitors want to take their picture with Roosevelt, “and Anne Frank will be equally popular, especially with young people,” as so many students read her diary in school.

The Anne Frank bench and sculpture will be to the right of the flagpole in the plaza.

Designing the sculpture was a long process, with decisions needed for every detail. Historians pored over numerous photos as they decided what age the depiction should be, what she should wear, how to pose.

Goldberger said that while Roosevelt is seated, they decided Frank would stand next to her bench, looking upwards while holding her diary to her chest. “She’s looking up, with a hopeful look on her face,” she said.

A clay version was sculpted before the statue was cast in bronze. “The detail in the sculpture is phenomenal,” she added.

The statue was sculpted by SudioEIS in Brooklyn, which specializes in historical figures.

The 10 a.m. ceremony will begin with a brief presentation outside by the bench, and then

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proceed to the Stage Door Canteen, where there will be refreshments and remarks about the statue, and news about the forthcoming Liberation Pavilion.

Three significant exhibitions in the Liberation Pavilion’s “And Then They Came For Me” gallery are also being sponsored by the Tolmas Trust — “The Office,” “The Hiding Place” and “The Concentration Camp.”

In a statement, the Tolmas Trust said “We are proud to honor Oscar J. Tolmas’ legacy by underwriting the Anne Frank Sculpture Bench” and the three Liberation Pavilion exhibits. “We believe the combination of these sponsorships create a beautiful and profound opportunity to honor Mr. Tolmas’ Jewish heritage and his wartime service for our country.”

The Sept. 12 ceremony is open to the community.

August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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New Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema debuts for 21st festival

by Lee J. Green The 21st annual Sidewalk Film Festival will run from Aug. 19 to 25 across downtown Birmingham, going back in time to the 1980s while also ushering in the future.

Its opening night film, on Aug. 23 at 8 p.m. at the Alabama Theatre, will be the documentary “I Want My MTV” featuring original VJ and Birmingham native Alan Hunter. Over the weekend, it will be accompanied by “Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back,” 1984’s “Karate Kid” as well as a documentary about the lead singer of the band INXS, Michael Hutchence.

The Sidewalk Film Festival also marks the debut of the Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema, located on the lower level of the Pizitz building.

Scheduled to open to the public the first week of September, the Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema includes two theatres that will seat approximately 90 people each, showcasing independent films. It will also include a room for events and education along with a restaurant, lounge and bar area. It will also be the home of a planned Jewish Film Festival.

“This is something that has been in the discussion and planning stages for years. It’s exciting to see this come into fruition,” Sidewalk Executive Director Chloe Cook. “Birmingham can showcase independent films year-round” from local, national and international artists.

The Sidewalk Film Festival will screen more than 300 narrative, documentary and short films in 10 venues, along with panel discussions, parties and related events. A couple of selections by Jewish filmmakers include the narrative “Safe Spaces” and the documentary “Circus of Books.”

Daniel Schechter’s “Safe Spaces” centers on physical or metaphorical spaces in which people can be fully self-expressed without facing judgment or harassment.

Discussion of safe spaces most often revolve around college campuses, and Schechter’s film follows suit. In “Safe Spaces,” Justin Long plays an adjunct creative writing professor who is forced to grapple with the backlash to a class discussion that he saw as innocent, but others felt crossed the line.

Schechter said Long’s character is partially inspired by himself and his experience as a teacher. Fran Drescher plays Long’s mother, and the character is based on Schechter’s mother.

Beyond the college controversy, “Safe Spaces” follows this family, all of whom are brought together by the siblings’ ailing grandmother, played

by Lynn Cohen.

“The big thing that I hope people take away from the movie is, just have more empathy for people and their struggles and where they’re coming

“Safe Spaces” 28

August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

community >> Rear Pew Mirror

continued from page 30

Speaking of animated, think about Bugs Bunny. Where do you think he really got the smarts to always outwit Elmer Fudd. From carrots?

“Any other examples you want to draw on?”

Don’t tell the rabitzen, but I wouldn’t mind drawing on Jessica Rabbit.

She converted, you know. It gives me paws.

“Anyway… What is the biggest thing about Jewish holidays for rabbits?”

High Holey Days is the real spelling. They’re named that because every Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we worship in the highest rabbit holes in the land, to be closer to heaven.

“Are we really supposed to believe that all rabbits are Jewish?”

Go up to any rabbit and ask them if they’re Jewish. See how many say no.

“Okay. But, really?”

Most rabbits are like most other Jews. Think about it. They don’t show up for minyan. They don’t have separate dishes for meat and dairy. You don’t see many rabbits in the sanctuary at the start of services. They have no real connection to Easter but can’t avoid being inundated by it every year. You’ll never catch a rabbit answering the phone on Super Sunday.

And what we wear never mixes wool and linen.

Doug Brook expects an irate call from the ASPCA, PETA or Peter Rabbit. To read past columns, visit http://brookwrite.com/. For exclusive online content, like facebook.com/rearpewmirror.

>> Sidewalk

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continued from page 28

from,” said Schechter.

“Safe Spaces” will be at the Alabama Theatre on Aug. 25 at 12:15 p.m., and is the film being sponsored by Southern Jewish Life.

“Circus of Books” directly focuses on Jewish filmmaker, artist and musician Rachel Mason’s family. Mason tells the story of her parents, Karen and Barry Mason, who had fallen on hard times and were looking for a way to support their young family.

They answered an ad in the Los Angeles Times seeking distributors for Hustler magazine. What was expected to be a brief sideline led to the straight Jewish couple taking over a local store, Circus of Books, beloved in the West Hollywood LGBT scene, and becoming fully immersed in that community at a time when the culture was not yet accepted. The film details how they kept their business separate from their friends and children, and how it became a place of refuge during the height of the AIDS crisis.

It will screen at 6 p.m. on Aug. 24 at the Alabama School of Fine Arts Recital Hall.

Joel Fendelman returns to Sidewalk with “Adam and Eve Eat Again,” a 10-minute narrative short that will be part of the “Shorts: Start Here” block on Aug. 24 at 10:25 a.m., at the ASFA Recital Hall. The film’s description is “Adam’s late and Eve won’t play his song. Now they must perform together.”

There will also be a short film about being a religious minority in the Deep South, though it’s not about the Jewish community. “Hidden Voices,” directed by Matthew Brooks, Michael Cooper and Holly White, is a nine-minute film on the challenges faced by those who leave their churches for pagan practices. It will be part of the Alabama Docs block on Aug. 24 at 3:15 p.m., at the ASFA Recital Hall.

For complete schedules to the 2019 Sidewalk Film Festival, along with more information about the Sidewalk Film and Cinema Center, go to www. sidewalkfest.com.

August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

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rear pew mirror • doug brook

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The Rabbitic Assembly Many moons ago, this column brought in a guest expert from the clergy to answer timely questions. Due to a small contractual mishap, the world-renowned authority on Jewish law and custom was not quite as expected. Nevertheless, after a long absence, here’s the next installment of Ask the Rabbit.

Lettuce begin.

It’s an honor to return to you after several years. As almost both of you know, I just finished a term as chair of the Rabbitic Assembly, the international Jewish organization for rabbits. It was a wonderful experience not only for myself but for my wife, the rabbitzen.

During my years in charge we faced many hare-raising episodes, some of which I’ll relate as I answer questions sent in by you, the reader. Or by you, the other reader.

“How do rabbits relate to Judaism?”

This is one of the most common questions we face in the Rabbitic Assembly today. There are many ways to answer this, but instead I’ll say this.

Rabbits are very close to the angels.

It’s more than the adorable face, innocent eyes and soft fur. Look at the amidah. In the kedushah everyone is standing, with feet together, and there are three times where everyone briefly goes up and down on their toes. This is commonly taught as trying to resemble angels, which is true.

However, the angels were trying to be like rabbits in the first place. Look at how people hop in the kedushah. Now imagine it without the siddur in their hands but their hands still held out in front of them. It now looks like a bunny hop.

“We know you as Ask the Rabbit. Do you have a name?”

As Tevye said, all creatures on earth have a name. In fact, every Jewish rabbit has its own name. Unlike Jewish deer, for example.

“Jewish deer? They all have the same name?”

Yes. People unfortunately refer to deer meat as venison, but it comes from the last name of all Jewish deer: ben Ison.

After a long

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life

absence, Ask the Rabbit returns…

“Uh huh. And you say that Jewish rabbits all have their own names?”

Absolutely. One of the most famous Jewish rabbits in the mid-20th Century was Harvey the Rabbit. He was larger than life in his day, but also managed to work out of sight to most people.

In past centuries, great scholars were given names that were acronyms, like Rambam (Maimonides), Ramban, (Nachmanides), Rashi (Rashi), and Ringo. It’s rare in modern times, which shows how great a scholar was Harvey, whose name is a shortening of HaRav (the rabbi) and bunny (bunny).

“Are you saying that all rabbits are rabbitic scholars?”

What other kind would we be?

“But you’re saying that rabbits have high intelligence?”

Of course. Think about the gerund that’s most commonly associated with being like rabbits.

“You sound very animated about this.” continued on previous page

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August 2019 • Southern Jewish Life