the Jewish
www.jewishobservernashville.org
bserver Vol. 87 No. 12 • December 2022
7 Kislev - 7 Tevet 5783
Happy Hanukkah
The Changing Climate at Vanderbilt Leaves Jewish Students Feeling Alienated By BARBARA DAB
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arly last month, Vanderbilt University made news when Vanderbilt Football’s defensive backs coach, Dan Jackson, posted to his Facebook page comments defending Ye’s, formerly known as Kanye West, antisemitic comments on Twitter. Jackson’s post was to his personal Facebook page, but was captured by Stop Antisemitism, an organization that monitors and exposes antisemitism in the media. The post was reported in The Hustler, Vanderbilt University’s student newspaper, on November 4th. Later that
evening, Jackson posted an apology on Twitter, taking “full responsibility.” The apology reads in part: “I want to sincerely apologize for recent comments that I made on social media. While it was certainly not my intent to offend, my wording was careless, and it was in poor judgment to wade into such a discussion without the full context. My comments were in no way reflective of our program or university and I accept full responsibility for my words and will learn from
this experience going forward. To be clear, antisemitism has no place in our society, and I reject all forms of hate. I’m embarrassed by my mistake but proud to work at a diverse institution where we can learn from each other’s cultures. I promise to be better moving forward for myself, our program and our institution.” The apology was followed shortly thereafter by a Twitter post by Vanderbilt Athletic Director Candice Lea and Head Coach Clark Lee. That post read:
“Although we have been assured these comments were not directed at any specific group, we are deeply disappointed by this situation and are handling it internally. The university and its athletics program are committed to creating and fostering a welcoming environment for all where differences are respected and all members of our community feel equal, valued and included.” A few days later, on November 8th, Continued on page 11
Women’s Mission to Israel Participants Return with a Lifetime of Memories
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n mid-October, The Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee sponsored a Women’s mission to Israel. Trip chairs Leslie Kirby and Christie Wiemers were initially inspired to bring a trip of this nature to life after conversations with long time Nashville community member and philanthropist Libby Werthan. Their goal was to have a trip planned by, led by, and attended by women in our Nashville community. Their hope was to “create an immersive experience that celebrates the impact of women in our tradition while raising awareness, challenging bias, and reinforcing commitment to Jewish community.” For some of the 15 participants, it was their first experience visiting Israel, and for some, it was another of many opportunities. One thing was clear, though, for everyone, it was a trip of a lifetime. Below are some reflections from some of the participants. Christie Wiemers, Mission Trip Co-Chair: Everytime I’m asked about the Women’s Journey, I’m at a loss for words. It wasn’t just a trip to Israel, but a true experiential event. I think of the feel of A Publication of the
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Pictured l. to r. Erin Coleman, Jessica Cohen Banish, Deborah Oleshansky, Christie Weimers, Bobby Lipschutz, Rachel Whitney, Leah Barnhard, Debra Carmichael, Rebecca Kuduru, Carolyn Hecklin Hyatt, Leslie Kirby, Stephanie Kirschner
the sand in Tel Aviv, the smells of the markets, the taste of the food fresh from Machne Yehuda, the sounds of people preparing for Shabbat, and above all the Israel’s Consul General for the Southeast Region Visits Nashville, page 2
emotional tug to the land and women of Israel. This was my third time in Israel, but being there and sharing it with this dynamic group of women made it feel new Former IDF Border Policeman Gives Gift of Music to Teen Ukrainian Refugee, page 3
and exciting all over again. Many of us may not have ever met before the Journey, but are now bonded in a way that only this experience could make happen. Erin Coleman: I thought the trip was an amazing blend of culture, politics, and tourism. We learned why Israel is so important to us and American jews and why it is important for us to continue to love and support it. But even more important, I loved getting to know and connect with the power of the women in our community. It was one of the most meaningful Israel trips I have ever been a part of. Patty Stelmaszak: My trip reflection: Mediterranean Sea, powder-soft sand, wonderful speakers, the best food ever, religious reflection, beautiful architecture, moving museums, gasp worthy market places, making new friends, learning experiences, float-y—salt-y water, admiration for the Federation. Love. Carolyn Hecklin Hyatt: Personally, I found the journey inspiring in so many ways. I was in awe of the women on the trip and so inspired by Continued on page 4
Ricky Schneider named WES social action volunteer of the year, page 8
Your Love Stories, page 12
Israel’s Consul General for the Southeast Region Visits Nashville By BARBARA DAB
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ate last month Anat Sultan-Dadon, Israeli Consul General for the Southeast Region of the United States, made her first in person visit to Nashville. During the two-days, she toured the Tennessee Holocaust Memorial, the art galleries at the Gordon Jewish Community Center. She also enjoyed dinner with Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee leaders and participated in a community briefing at The Temple where she was interviewed by Rabbi Michael Danziger and answered questions from those in attendance. Finally, she sat down for an interview for Nashville’s Jewish Observer podcast where, in a free-ranging conversation, she touched on a variety of topics, including antisemitism, Israeli elections, and the role of women in Israeli leadership. To begin, Sultan-Dadon discussed some common misconceptions about the differences between an Embassy and a Consulate. She explained that an embassy is situated in the capital city. For example, Israel has an embassy in Washington, DC, and the United States has an embassy in Jerusalem. And in addition, she says, “Because of the strong relationship between the United States and Israel, not just on a federal level, but also on a state level across the United States, Israel has eight consulates, each covering a region.” The southeast region is based in Atlanta and covers seven southeast states: Tennessee, the Carolinas, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. “We are charged with promoting relationships on a state level,” says Sultan-Dadon, “The political, the economical, the cultural, the academic, the community relations.” She says the most important role of the consulate, is its relationship with the Jewish community. Topping the issues of concern for the consulate, is addressing antisemitism, not
only in the southeast region, but everywhere. Sultan-Dadon says, “Antisemitism is the top concern in almost every meeting that we hold with officials, with university administrations. It is an issue of grave concern because we know what these types of expressions of antisemitism lead to, and how dangerous they are.” She says the most important way of dealing with it is to speak out against it. “This is true of Jewish leaders, but it also true of leaders from other communities, and I think that is vital. To see how we can engage with others, to educate others to stand up against antisemitism, just like we all should stand up against any expression of hate.” For students on college campuses, she says it is important for Jewish students to take pride in their identity, but also to not stand alone. “For organizations like Hillel, like Chabad, like other Jewish organizations, it’s critical that they stand with other student organizations, non-Jewish organizations that are fighting the causes with which we share values. Standing together for the variety of just causes is very important.” She adds that Jewish students need to educate other students about expressions of antisemitism. “What does a swastika stand for, what does it mean. What does it mean to chant, ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.’ This is a call for a genocide. This is a call for the elimination of the nation-state of the Jewish people. We need to have these conversations.” Turning to the recent elections in Israel, Sultan-Dadon addressed what she says is, “Israel’s robust democracy.” There have been five elections in the last three years, and the most recent results appear to return the former Prime Minister to power. “Knesset member, and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been given a mandate by the President to form a government. So now, coalition talks and negotiations are taking place.” She says the hope is for a return of sta-
Israeli Consul General for the Southeasteagion, Anat Sultan-Dadon (center), visits the Tennessee Holocaust Memorial. Pictured l to r: Ken Gluck, Marsha Raimi, Sultan-Dadon, Israeli Consulate Director of Government and Political Affairs Karen Isenberg Jones, Alyssa Trachtman
bility. As to foreign policy and foreign relations, she says, “In the end there is very little daylight between the political parties in Israel with regards to Israel’s core strategic interests. So very little will change in regards to Israel’s relationship with the United States. Israel has no greater ally than the United States, and this will remain true no matter who is in the Prime Minister’s office.” She adds that the relationship with the Jewish community outside of Israel will also remain a top priority. The results of the recent Israeli elections have left some Israelis sad, frustrated, and worried about the right-wing nature of Netyanyahu’s coalition. SultanDadon draws a comparison to the 2022 midterm elections in the United States. “Internally in Israel, it’s not so different
from the U.S. Some people are disappointed with the results, some people are delighted. I think this is part of democracy. And in the end, whoever wins is tasked with representing the whole country.” She also says it is important to distinguish political campaigns from actual governance. Sultan-Dadon has been in the foreign service for nearly two decades. During that time, she has had assignments in Cameroon, Germany, The Netherlands, Australia, and now the United States. She is the mother of three daughters who have spent much of their lives experiencing and observing her role as one of a few women in Israel’s foreign service. She says she is proud of the career she has built so far, but for women in general, there is still work to be done. “I am always looking around me, behind me, in front of me, and seeing what I can do in order to promote more equality. We don’t have enough of that. And I think it’s something we all should strive for, women and men.” Sultan-Dadon says it is important to point out the inequities when they happen. “I don’t think we just need to give it time and it will happen. I think it needs to be intentional. If I even see a photo that gives representation only to men, then I point that out.” She believes all organizations should be committed to equal representation and opportunities for women. “We will have a better society when women are appropriately represented.” She pointed to former Prime Minister Golda Meir, who was a leader during a time when women did not enjoy equal rights around the world. “We did have that once, but we need to see it again, in Israel of course but everywhere.” • To hear more of the interview with Anat Sultan-Dadon, listen to the full podcast on Spotify. Search for Nashville’s Jewish Observer podcast.
Community Relations Committee And You Shall Teach it to Your Children By DEBORAH OLESHANSKY
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ach year, JCRC decides on key issues of focus for the coming year’s programs. The topics generally relate to specific current events, voting rights, immigration, access to healthcare. Whatever the winds of change bring we adjust and respond, but there are two areas of focus that are constant every year in our work, Israel education and addressing antisemitism. During calendar year 2022 we started two key initiatives to address and seek to prevent antisemitism: the Butterfly Project, designed to teach members of the general community about bigotry and hate through lessons of the Holocaust, and Student-to-Student, a program to educate and empower Jewish high school students to learn to share their personal Jewish narrative with others who may have never met someone Jewish. We are only in year one, but the hope is that these students who have engaged in this program will be better equipped to deal with issues of antisemitism and antizionism when they reach college campuses.
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As we continue the Student-toStudent program we expect the next generation of college students to be better informed and prepared for what is ahead. But students alone cannot effect true positive change on college campuses. They need the support, commitment, and assurance from campus administrators that they will work intentionally to promote the values of diversity and inclusion not only with words but with actions. And they need to be reassured that they can feel secure that campus professionals will have their backs when concerning situations arise. Recently, a series of concerning events have transpired at Vanderbilt University. Some Jewish students are feeling targeted, and many are feeling vulnerable and unsupported by the administration. We are in close communication with Vanderbilt Hillel to address Jewish student concerns, but the situation on campus seems to be getting worse. What began as some trouble with the Student Government and campus student groups, and never was fully addressed
December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
and handled, has moved to an extremely disturbing incident with a high profile paid assistant football coach who shared the antisemitic rants of Ye – formerly known as Kanye West. The Chancellor and campus leaders continued to issue statements but have not taken any direct or immediate action. And now a student who should have been protected by the administration, took it upon herself to share her ultimate feeling of betrayal publicly. On November 13, 2022, Ester Teper, a Vanderbilt Jewish student leader wrote the following in her guest editorial in the Vanderbilt student newspaper: “For a university committed to equality, the lack of support for (Jewish students) is prominent. It sends a clear message to its Jewish students, who comprise around 15% of the student body: You are not welcome, we don’t care, figure it our yourself.” This is a painful reflection from a Jewish student. Jewish faculty reading her letter are struggling to recognize the
environment she describes. We have an obligation and responsibility to Jewish students on Vanderbilt campus, just as we have an obligation to Jewish high school students and families. Ms. Teper continues: “To my fellow Jewish students, I strongly encourage you not to give up fighting against this discrimination…We are here, now, proud…Jewish students need to come together as a community to create lasting change. Ester, we hear you and we are here for you. As we move towards the celebration of Hanukkah, the festival of lights and freedom, we must all rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of a more welcoming community for Jews, including students at Vanderbilt University. May we be proud of our Judaism so we can share that pride, history, tradition and faith with our children and future generations. Not by might, not by power, but by Spirit alone will we all live in peace. Chag Hanukkah Sameach. •
Former IDF Border Policeman Gives Gift of Music to Teen Ukrainian Refugee By ZOE BELL
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ov Gelman never pictured himself helping Ukrainian refugees in Poland. He hated “everything” about Ukraine since all but one of his relatives were killed in the Holocaust in 1941. But Gelman pushed personal biases aside after the Russian invasion of Ukraine displaced millions of women and children. Gelman, a veteran of the Israeli Border Police living in Nashville, got involved with Aerial Recovery, a nonprofit disaster relief organization, to help rescue women and children from eastern Ukraine early on in the invasion. The CEO of a group that develops educational programs for low-income children in Jerusalem, Gelman knew he was qualified for this mission. “I’m really good with kids,” he said. “Language is never an issue. And I’m great in crisis; I just feel really calm.” Gelman ordered medical supplies in preparation: trauma care kits, insulin, IV starter kits, tourniquets and chest seal kits, and delivered them to the Aerial Recovery team, who brought the supplies to Ukraine. In late March, Gelman took off to a safe house in south Poland, where he met a medical doctor who had flown in from Hawaii and the owner of the Airbnb, a 23-year-old woman identified as “Maria.” “We’re just sitting there, and I’m like, ‘Maria, what can we do for the next 48 hours?’” Gelman said. Maria suggested he visit the impromptu refugee homes in south Poland, run by local Polish charities — in February, Airbnb announced that their company would offer free, temporary housing to up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine. c
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Publisher Jewish Federation Editor Barbara Dab Advertising Manager Carrie Mills Layout and Production Tim Gregory Editorial Board Frank Boehm (chair), Teena Cohen, Laura Thompson, Scott Rosenberg, Liz Feinberg Telephone 615/356-3242 Fax 615/352-0056 E-mail barbaradab@jewishnashville.org ‘The Jewish Observer’ (ISSN 23315334) is published monthly for $25 per year by the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, 801 Percy Warner Blvd., Nashville, TN 37205-4009. Periodicals postage paid at Nashville, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE JEWISH OBSERVER, 801 Percy Warner Blvd., Nashville, TN 37205 This newspaper is made possible by funds raised in the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign. The Jewish Observer is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. While The Jewish Observer makes every possible effort to accept only reputable advertisers of the highest quality, we cannot guarantee the Kasruth of their products. The Jewish Observer Founded in 1934 by J
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Eddie Yasko, far right, pictured with his mother, Ludmila, and Dov Gelman, center, at Guitar Center in Tacoma, Washington.
Edward’s story At one Airbnb, the doctor performed basic checkups on each of the mothers and their children. A few school-aged boys started a game of soccer in the backyard, and Gelman passed out candy to the children. It was then that he met Edward Yasko, a refugee with whom he would form a lasting bond. “He’s a really quiet, tall young man,” Gelman said. “At that time, he was 17 years old.” Gelman sat down with the teen, who shared his story of fleeing his native eastern Ukraine. Yasko, having taken 11 years of English classes at school, was the only refugee in the house who spoke the language. He said he and his family sold some of their possessions to neighbors before leaving for Kyiv to stay with cous-
Corrections Policy The Jewish Observer is committed to making corrections and clarifications promptly. To request a correction or clarification, call Editor Barbara Dab at (615) 354-1653 or email her at barbaradab@jewishnashville.org
Editorial Submissions Policy and Deadlines The Jewish Observer welcomes the submission of information, news items, feature stories and photos about events relevant to the Jewish community of Greater Nashville. We prefer e-mailed submissions, which should be sent as Word documents to Editor Barbara Dab at barbaradab@jewishnashville.org. Photos must be high resolution (at least 300 dpi) and should be attached as jpegs to the e-mail with the related news item or story. For material that cannot be e-mailed, submissions should be sent to Barbara Dab, The Jewish Observer, 801 Percy Warner Blvd., Suite 102, Nashville TN 37205. Photos and copy sent by regular mail will not be returned unless prior arrangement is made. Publication is at the discretion of The Observer, which reserves the right to edit submissions. To ensure publication, submissions must arrive by the 15th of the month prior to the intended month of publication. For advertising deadlines, contact Carrie Mills, advertising manager, at 615-354-1699, or by email at carrie@nashvillejcc.org.
Eddie Yasko plays his new guitar, gifted by Dov Gelman
ins. “It was really easy to speak with him,” Yasko said of Gelman. Shortly after, the war began pushing west, prompting Yasko’s mother to find a bus heading toward the Polish border. Yasko, his mother and his 14-year-old brother endured long delays waiting to cross the border with the clothes on their backs and a few suitcases. He and his family arrived in Poland on March 17. As Gelman listened to the teen’s story, he was struck by the enormity of the situation. “I’m in a house with six families, a horde of children, not a father in sight,” Gelman said, adding that most Ukrainian men were restricted from leaving the country. “I feel the weight of the ruthlessness. The weight of … his trauma, even though he hid it well.” Yasko told Gelman that he loved playing guitar, but had to leave his instrument with a friend back in eastern Ukraine. He showed Gelman video of him playing his guitar. At this point, Gelman said he heard the doctor’s footsteps coming down the stairs with Maria. He knew it was time to move on to the next safe house. “Eddie, let’s stay in touch,” Gelman recalled telling the teen, before hugging him goodbye. “When you get to America, please allow me to buy you a guitar.” Yasko and his family moved to stay with a cousin near Seattle six months after first meeting Gelman. Gelman said he reminded Yasko about the guitar and asked the teen to keep him updated. Weeks later, Gelman received an Instagram message from Yasko that he and his family had moved into an apartment in Seattle. He had enrolled in high school and tested well, Gelman said. Having lived in Ukraine all his life, America had been a distant paradise for the teen. “We waited since 2018; a long, long time,” Yasko said. “It was my dream to come here, so I am glad to be here.” He added that he has always appreciated American culture, and that the States are better for him as a musician. With no musical background, Gelman said he was unsure of what guitar would be the best fit for the teen. He had asked Yasko to send him photos of the guitar he wanted. Gelman showed one such picture to the cantor at his synagogue, an accomplished guitarist, and asked for his opinion. “Dude, that is a basic beginner’s guitar [worth] $150,” the cantor told him. Gelman knew Yasko wanted an acoustic that could plug into an amplifier, so his cantor recommended some higher-end options — Gelman said he had between
$500 and $700 left over from funds raised for his first Ukraine trip. The gift of music and friendship Much to Yasko’s surprise, Gelman followed through with his promise. He gave Yasko and his mom, Ludmila, an arrival date and flew out to Seattle with his wife. Gelman drove Yasko and Ludmila to the Guitar Center in Tacoma, arriving around 8pm. After hearing Gelman explain Yasko’s story, an employee, John, was enthusiastic to help. Yasko tested out different guitars for nearly an hour, plugging each one into the amp and strumming to his heart’s content, a smile on his face. He had taken a guitar class back in Ukrainian school for a year, but was mostly selftaught. “I haven’t played a guitar since Putin invaded my country over seven months ago,” he told Gelman. Listening to him play, Gelman said he was impressed with the teen’s raw talent. “I’m thinking to myself, What if this dude’s a prodigy? Like how cool would that be?” Gelman said. “I got to give a prodigy his first guitar.” After playing classics by Jimmy Page, Guns N’ Roses and Led Zeppelin, the young rock music fan decided on a Taylor acoustic guitar. The Guitar Center employee, compelled by Yasko’s story, donated a guitar case and gave Gelman a discount on strings, a strap and some other accessories. Ludmila, Yasko’s mother, was overjoyed throughout the process. “She’s just … all smiles and doesn’t speak a lick of English,” Gelman said. “She would just ramble at me in Ukrainian and I just waited for the translation. She was very excited, very grateful, because she knows how well her son loves guitar and loves music.” Gelman and his wife took Yasko and Ludmila to Applebee’s, where Gelman encouraged the teen to order the most expensive steak on the menu. A ‘human connection’ Gelman got the sense that the teen was not used to others keeping their promises, given that Yasko’s father had left the family years ago. Gelman, who also grew up without a father, used this shared experience to strengthen their bond. “My dad died when I was two,” Gelman said. “So I think we connected on that piece. I said, ‘Listen, man, I’m glad to hopefully restore a little hope that people still do keep their promises.’ It was small, in some sense, … but it was just a human connection.” After dinner, Gelman, Yasko and Ludmila shared a hug. Yasko thanked Gelman for keeping his promise from months before; he said receiving the guitar was “unbelievable,” especially from someone he had only met for one day. Yasko and Gelman still keep in touch over Instagram direct messages. Yasko, now 18, attends school in Seattle — which he said he enjoys more than Ukrainian school — and spends his free time practicing guitar every day and helping translate English to Ukrainian for his mom. He likes taking walks outside, playing volleyball and video games and, of course, music. He said he hopes to be a guitar teacher one day. “I loved music since I was [a] child,” Yasko said. “I was always dreaming of making music.” • zoe@jewishnashville.org
The Jewish Observer • December 2022
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Women’s Mission Continued from page 1 Israeli women we met. The food was amazing, the scenery was beautiful, and I felt connected to my Judaism in ways that I had not felt in so long. Israel as a country has magnet pull, and I am totally hooked…maybe it’s something they put in the hummus, but I can’t wait to go back. Ann Davenport: The experiences we had inspired hope. Israel’s problems are not dissimilar to those we face here in the US. I found the trip to be uplifting and encouraging. Stephanie Kirschner: This trip was truly wonderful. It was so inspiring to meet with women who make such a positive impact on Israel. I also appreciated that this trip didn’t have much overlap with my previous Israel experience 17 years ago, and I got to experience even more of the beauty and history of Israel. I enjoyed getting to know and bonding with women in many different seasons of life but all within the Nashville Jewish community.”
Rebecca Kuduru, Erin Coleman, Jessica Cohen Banish, Stephanie Kirschner
Leah Bernhard: A trip to Israel with my daughter, Rachel, had been a dream for a very long time. When Rachel told me the Nashville Jewish Federation was planning a trip, I decided we had to go. The trip was beyond my wildest expectations. Anyone can eat in Israel, but add a dinner with Hila Solomon
L-R- Anne Davenport, Carolyn Hecklin Hyatt, Orthodox, Feminist Poet, Slomit Naimi-Naor, Deborah Oleshansky, Leslie Kirby, Christie Wiemers, Bobbi Lipschutz. Leah Barnhard, Debra Carmichael, Jessica Cohen Banish, Patty Stelmaszak, Ann Botts, Erin Coleman, Rebecca Kuduru, Rachel Whitney, Stephanie Kirschner
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December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
at her home in Tel Aviv overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, lunch with Tali Friedman in the Machne Yedua Market, lunch with Shlomit Naimi-Naor, an amazing Jewish poet, and then food vendors everywhere! The most unusual parts of our tour were not the standard Israeli experience. The Haklai High School students, Brigadier General Nitzan Nuriel, Dr. Einat Kalisch-Rotem, mayor of Haifa, and Pascale Bercovitch, an Israeli Paralympic athlete, were so important to understanding the issues and politics facing the country and yet, they are the people who make the country so special. Add Miri Nitzan, our guide, and Raya Weiner, on-site magician, who were always there to share, explain and keep us going. There are no words to express my appreciation for all of the people, time, resources and just plain chutzpa it took to make this trip happen. A most sincere thank you for an experience I will never forget. Rebecca Kaduru: As someone newer to Nashville Jewish community, I really appreciated being able to connect in such a meaningful way with so many women. I met lifelong friends of all ages who I never would have otherwise, and I cannot wait to keep nurturing these relationships now that we are all back in Nashville together.”
Rachel Whitney: I am just so grateful for Christie, Leslie, Deborah, Carolyn & Jessica and everything they did to make the trip happen. It was so special to share this incredible experience with my mom and so many amazing women from our community.” Ann Botts: It was an inspirational trip of a lifetime. Bobbi Lipschutz: Fifteen acquaintances left for Israel and came back friends...we really bonded over our shared experience together...I got a lot of pleasure watching the ones who had never been to Israel seeing how they now have a connection to Israel...Sunsets on the beach, lots of yummy food, meeting Israeli women doing important work, ancient ruins and shopping at the shuk!! •
May the lights of Hanukkah shine brightly on your family and home As the Hanukkah season approaches, we’d like to wish you and your family a peaceful holiday season full of light, love, joy and laughter. Our family has deep roots in Nashville and it’s a privilege to help families buy and sell residential real estate in the city we love and call home. Together, we are able to offer a unique perspective on life and raising a family in Nashville. If you’re considering buying or selling in the new year, our team of experts is ready to go to work for you. May your family be blessed with gifts of love, peace and happiness this Hanukkah season. - The Pargh Family
Franklin Pargh 615.351.7333 franklin.pargh@compass.com
Lana Pargh 615.504.2685 lana.pargh@compass.com
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The Jewish Observer • December 2022
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Rabbi’s Column Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel By RABBI JOSHUA KULLOCK
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few days ago, I found an interesting piece written by Rabbi David Golinkin about the origins of the Dreidel and its connection to Hanukkah. According to Rabbi Golinkin, in the past, some Rabbis claimed that the Dreidel was used by children as they were doing their best to fool the Greeks. While the foreign soldiers thought that those kids were wasting their time playing with this four-sided spinning top, in reality they were using all their energy to study Torah. Rabbi Golinkin also quotes an explanation that connects the Dreidel to Hanukkah through gematria. So, for example, the gematria of nun, gimmel, hey and shin equals 358, which is also the numerical equivalent of the word Mashiach. The idea, then, is that when we play with the Dreidel on Hanukkah, we are reminded of the miraculous salvation of those days, hoping for a new redemption in the near future. Finally, Golinkin mentions those who see in the four letters of the Dreidel the hints of the four kingdoms who tried to destroy us throughout history. The nun stands for Nebuchadnetzer, ruler of Babylon. The hey stands for Haman, the bad guy from Persia. The gimmel stands for Gog or for Greece and the shin (or actually sin) for Seir, which is one of the names for what came to be the Roman Empire. The message is clear: In every generation we face enemies willing to wipe us out of the map, but we always find a way to overcome those threats, and we celebrate transforming those bad guys into amusing toys. In any event, none of those explanations seem to be the “real” one. They are cute and they certainly add layers of meaning to the celebration. However, if those are not the “real” reasons, from
where did we come up with the idea of playing with a Dreidel? According to Golinkin, this game originally had nothing to do with Hanukkah. Various peoples in a variety of languages have been playing with a spinning top for at least 500 years. In England and Ireland, for example, it was known as totum, or teetotum, and its name comes from Latin, where totum means all. In Germany, there was an equivalent to the English totum and, lo and behold, please pay attention to the four letters engraved in the German spinning top: N for Nichts (or nothing); G for Ganz (or everything); H for Halb (or half) and S for Stell ein (or put in). The German name of the game was “torrel” or “trundl,” from where the Yiddish for Dreidel was later derived. With the renewal of Hebrew, the Dreidel became the Sevivon, and the four Hebrew letters became the acronym of “Nes Gadol Haya Sham” (a big miracle happened there). But, when you look closely, you see how our Hebrew letters are actually the same letters used in the German version of the game. And that is how we play with it even today. To me, the most important part of Rabbi Golinkin’s article comes at the end, when he writes: “The dreidel game represents an irony of Jewish history. In order to celebrate the holiday of Hanukkah, which celebrates our victory over cultural assimilation, we play the dreidel game, which is an excellent example of cultural assimilation! Of course, there is a world of difference between imitating non-Jewish games and worshiping idols, but the irony remains nonetheless.” I think that this final quote points to one of the most interesting challenges we face during Hanukkah (and the rest of the year as well). As modern Jews,
one of our most important tasks is to continuously negotiate the boundaries between our particular identities and the surrounding culture. We don’t have to choose between being Jewish and being American, and we can proudly be both. But then, we have to make choices that shape the way we live our Judaism in today’s America. And drawing those lines is not always an easy job. Both politically and religiously, Jews have always had leaders claiming that the best way to deal with the world is to isolate from it. Those leaders will say that the world is too dangerous, that the risks are too many, and that mostly everyone around us wants to harm us. So, they will propose total insulation, physical and mental, as the way to deal with the multiple threats. And the truth is that they can use holidays like Hanukkah to defend their position: The few won against the many, the faithful beat the pagans, and only those unwilling to compromise were favored by G-d. But for most of us, that’s not a solution. And it’s not only about our personal interest in being part of the wider society and taking leadership roles in the causes that are bigger than ourselves, but it is also because we know that isolating ourselves from the rest of the world won’t help us in the long run. Negotiating boundaries may be harder and more complicated, but we believe that this is the way to go. From very early on, Jews have learned to incorporate those things that weren’t Jewish, but we saw them beneficial for our development as a people. The names of the months in the Hebrew calendar, or the fact that, even if the Torah begins with Pesach, we decided to move the beginning of the year to the seventh month, are only a few examples of this idea.
We live in a time and a place where we are pretty much responsible for establishing our own boundaries. Congregations and rabbis can help and assist but, at the end of the day, everyone decides what works best for them. It’s not that we don’t have a formal framework with clear requests, but we live in a world where a lot of people regard Jewish Law and the mitzvot less as commands and more as suggestions. It is within this context that we will have to decide when Shabbat is more important than a soccer game and when Kashrut is more relevant than our love for shrimp. Today, we live in a world where those boundaries are set by what we believe to be the core definers of what it means to be Jewish today. And, as it applies to Shabbat and Kashrut, it also applies to our involvement in making this world a better place, something that is, by the way, a core Jewish value. By the same token, it is our Jewish responsibility, to have a good understanding of the great values of our Nation and to adopt them to keep shaping a relevant Judaism for today. Two thousand years ago, our Rabbis decided to abolish the death penalty even if that was part of the Torah, because they thought that capital punishment was cruel and against their moral intuitions. Many, many years later, something similar happened with the Jewish reaction to slavery. And, in the last century, egalitarianism in our rituals came also as a reflection of what was happening in the world, and as the consequence of understanding that a reality where men and women are fully equal cannot sustain gender inequalities in how we pray and connect with God. Our involvement with the civil rights movement and with the recognition of the LGBT community happened because of that same process. We didn’t close our Continued on page 11
The Story of MAMA BEAR AND HANUKKAH By RABBI YITZCHOK TIECHTEL
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sk any kid who is the hero of the Hanukkah story and they will say Judah the Maccabee: the leader who waged war against the Greeks and became the hero of the story of Hanukkah. Recently, a child in Hebrew school asked me, “Why were there no Maccabees in the story of Purim? Haman decided to wipe out the Jewish people, so why didn’t they flee to the mountains and wage guerrilla warfare against him and the king who rubber stamped his genocidal scheme, like the Maccabees did during the war against the Greeks during the time of Hanukkah?” Why all the diplomacy of Queen Esther trying to save the Jewish people? Thank G-d it worked out, but if it hadn’t, wouldn’t the Jews have gone to war? So why was it a last resort in the story of Purim, while in the story of Hanukkah the Maccabees don’t seem to have engaged in any excessive diplomacy and skipped straight to war? The question is strengthened by the fact that our enemies in the story of Hanukkah – unlike Haman in the story of Purim – were not seeking to destroy us. Theirs was a war on the Jewish way
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of life, not Jews, and yet the Maccabees go to war? The answer is: that’s what happens when you start up with a Mama Bear. ––––– During the story of Hanukkah, the Greeks did not announce a plan to wipe out the Jewish people. Even their war on Jewish life did not involve outlawing the practice of Judaism altogether. They simply wanted G-d out of the picture. They granted the Jews permission to study the Torah and practice their faith as long as it was rational and logic-based. The concept of surrender to G-d and service to a higher desire and a divine wish was what the Greeks wanted to abolish. Thus, it was not technically a war on Jews, nor on Judaism – it was a war on G-d. Now, that touched off the mama bear instinct in the Maccabees on behalf of the Jewish people. They said, “If you start up with us that’s one thing, but when you start up with our G-d, that’s a whole other thing. If you threaten to destroy us, we can come to the table; we can negotiate; we can use diplomacy; we can go about trying to get the decree annulled. But you lay hands on G-d and there will be a price to pay.” The Maccabees went to war against the Greeks because the Greeks went to
December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
war against G-d. This is emblematic of the fact that as much as G-d has watched over and taken care of the Jewish people throughout the long and difficult years of exile, the Jews have watched over and taken care of G-d during that time too. Ours is a relationship with G-d; we are there for each other. When Haman started up with the Jews, G-d quickly finished off Haman. When the Greeks started up with G-d, the Jews quickly went to war to finish off the Greeks. That’s how mama bear works. That’s what friends are for. When you love someone, you will defend them far quicker and with even more vigilance than you will defend yourself. ––––– Today there is also a war against G-d, and it is once again our duty and our privilege to be there for Him. The Greeks waged their war against G-d with the weapons of violence. Today the war on G-d is waged not with violence but with ignorance. So, while the Maccabees fought back with war, fighting fire with fire, the call today is for us to pick up tools of education and fight the good fight to raise a generation of children who recognize that the world has a Creator, that the Creator has an opinion, that everything we have we
owe to Him, and that His vision, hopes and dreams for the world rest upon our shoulders. We are living in particularly urgent times. In the story of Hanukkah, the Jews who went over to the other side were self-proclaimed atheists, rebelling against their parents and teachers who were believers. In cases like that, the rebellion itself is done with religious fervor. But today, where the ignorance is multigenerational, people struggle to believe, but so do their parents and their teachers. It is far less egregious but far more urgent. We need to do everything in our power to speak to our families, friends and communities, one person at a time, with sincerity and respect, about the importance of living with a faith in, and a faithfulness to, G-d, in family, education, commerce and casual life. And words from the heart enter the heart. Hanukkah is not merely a celebration of what happened a long, long time ago. Like all our holidays they are as instructive as they are retrospective. They speak to us today, giving us guidance for today and telling us the call of the day, today. On this Hanukkah, be a Maccabee, be a lamplighter, carry the torch of Jewish pride, and let there be light! •
NowGen Nashville
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Development Committee
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December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
Ricky Schneider named WES social action volunteer of the year
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tennis friend recruited have chosen to work Ricky Schneider to volunthere, and several other teer for Project C.U.R.E. and six regular volunteers are WES years later, Ricky is this year’s members.) He also worked West End Synagogue Volunteer with Sharon Paz to enable of the Year. Clearly, Ricky and Beit Miriam students to C.U.R.E. were a good match. work at Project C.U.R.E. The community is invited High school and to The Social Action Shabbat college students, some at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, local and some on mission December 3, when the award Ricky Schneider was trips from around the will be presented. named West End country, help out at Project A retired gastroenterologist, Synagogue’s Social C.U.R.E.. As a former volunteering for a medically Action Volunteer of Vanderbilt Medical School related organization made the Year. teacher, “I love explaining” sense. Project C.U.R.E. is world’s largest the medical equipment uses to them, he distributor of donated medical supplies, said. “When young people volunteer, equipment and services to doctors and they are enthusiastic and I enjoy being nurses serving the sick and dying in more with them.” than 135 countries. Headquartered in Long time members of West End Denver, the organization has locations in Synagogue, Ricky and his wife, Molly, six cities, including Nashville. raised three daughters, Claire, Deborah Donations of medical equipment and Julie, in Nashville and have four arrive in Nashville from hospitals, health grandchildren. care organizations and manufacturers Ricky will ask the synagogue to from around the country. Ricky is there donate the monetary award from the every week to help sort pallets and pack Michael Mehlman Social Action Fund items for shipping to African countries, to Project C.U.R.E. to help them in their Afghanistan and most recently, Ukraine. vital mission. The fund was established The need is great and volunteers are to honor the extraordinary voluntarism always welcome, he said. (In fact, on of the late Dr. Michael Mehlman in the WES Social Action Day, volunteers greater Nashville community. •
Happy Hanukkah!
Newcomer’s Column By EITAN SNYDER
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elcome to the Observer’s monthly Newcomer Column! Every month, we will be featuring one of our Nashville Jewish Newcomers so you can get to know them and their David Smiley dynamic, engaging stories. One of my favorite parts of my job as the Federation’s Newcomer Engagement Associate is connecting with the newcomers and bringing them into Nashville’s Jewish community through our Newcomer Shabbat dinners, Newcomer Welcome Receptions, and connecting them with community members and organizations who can help them feel like they belong here. We hope you enjoy reading these and give every newcomer you meet a smile and a warm Nashville welcome! If you would like to be part of the Federation’s work welcoming new Jewish Nashvillians to our community or have an idea of something else we could be doing, please let me know at eitan@jewishnashville.org or 615-354-1664. Meet this month’s newcomer, dentist David Smiley. Tell us your story. Where are you from? How did you end up in Nashville? I am originally from Greenville, South Carolina, and I attended the College of Charleston where I graduated with a degree in Biology. I have a passion for the great outdoors, so when I’m not working, you’ll likely find me taking an adventure to a new fly-fishing or backpacking spot. Growing up, I always had a desire to move out west to experience something different than the east coast, so after college I moved to a small town in Idaho where I worked as a Fisheries Biology Intern for a year, while simultaneously applying to dental school. I ended up in Portland, Oregon for dental school, which was probably the best 4 years of my life. One could argue that I did more fishing than dentistry, but needless to say I graduated and decided it was time to start moving my way back east to be closer to my family. I completed a 1-year dental residency in Richmond, Virginia, and I then found myself with an incredible opportunity to come work in Nashville, Tennessee at a well-established dental practice. I have now been here in Nashville just over a year, and it’s really starting to feel like home. What has your Jewish story been like up to this point? How did you get involved with Nashville’s Jewish community? Growing up in a small town in South Carolina, I was not exactly surrounded by many Jewish people. In fact, I was pretty much the only Jewish kid in my public high school of over 2,000 people. I ended up joining a Jewish fraternity in college, which although it was not a huge Jewish presence, it was certainly more than I was used to in the past. Once I moved to Nashville, I began searching for ways to get connected with the Jewish community more so than I ever have before, and it was honestly super easy. I joined a few Facebook groups that were centered toward young Jewish people, and that led me to find all sorts of opportunities for networking in the community. There are many events tailored toward
young Jewish professionals in Nashville, and I have been able to meet so many like-minded people since moving here. How has your experience been in Nashville so far? Any notable memories or experiences? Nashville has treated me very well so far. I have made some great friends over this past year, and it seems like there is always something fun going on around the city. My most notable experience has been getting a puppy, named Sage. She has kept me very occupied and has been a great outdoor adventure buddy. Nashville has a lot of great little trails and outdoor parks around the city, and it is a very dog friendly area. Other than that, I have truly enjoyed working at the dental practice and getting to know my
Happy Chanukah! MAY ALL THE JOYS OF CHANUKAH FILL YOUR HEART AND HOME WITH LIGHT THROUGHOUT THE NEW YEAR.
co-workers and patients. What do you love about being Jewish? My favorite part about being Jewish is the cultural aspect. I love celebrating the Jewish holidays and gathering with family and friends who all share a common belief. It also goes without saying that when you surround yourself with Jewish people, you just really feel at home - no matter where you are. What do you love about being Jewish in Nashville? Moving to a new city is never easy when you don’t know anyone, but being Jewish in Nashville has made the transition incredibly easy. The Jewish community here is very well connected and welcoming. There are always events
going on whether they are at the Jewish Community Center, or one of the many Temples/Synagogues. What does the next year look like for you? Is there anything that you are still looking to do or experience in Nashville? The next year is looking great already. I have been working part-time at the dental practice, but will soon be transitioning to a full-time position. I am looking forward to helping grow the dental practice, and to continue rooting down in Nashville. This past year I focused a lot on both work and getting out in the community to meet people, but next year I plan to branch out and explore some of the surrounding areas such as Chattanooga and the Great Smoky Mountains. •
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Smart Year End Financial Planning By HOWARD SAFER
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axpayers seeking possible solutions to lower federal taxes for 2022 and the future should take a close look at three planning techniques that can be used individually or together. TAX LOSS HARVESTING — using losses to offset profits — may be attractive when the market dips, but it doesn’t make sense for all portfolios. For example, you cannot benefit from realized losses in most retirement accounts. However, in after-tax accounts, harvesting losses may be advantageous. Remember to consider the wash sale rule, which doesn’t allow you to rebuy a “substantially identical” investment within the 30-day window before or after the sale. Tax-loss harvesting is relatively simple. You sell an investment that has been held for at least one year, is underperforming, and losing money. Then, you use that loss to reduce your taxable capital gains and potentially offset up to $3,000 of your ordinary income.
ROTH IRA CONVERSIONS — The process involves transferring part or all the funds from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The procedure itself is easy to do; the factors that go into deciding to convert the funds, however, are complicated. Each individual’s situation, including current and future tax bracket and income needs, must be analyzed to see if it makes financial sense. Remember that a Roth conversion is also permanent, so there is no option to transfer converted funds back into your traditional IRA. In general, the benefits of a Roth conversion include: • Tax-free withdrawals: After the minimum age of 59 1/2, all withdrawals from your Roth are tax-free because you already paid taxes on your contributions. In contrast, you must pay taxes on traditional IRA withdrawals because all contributions to the account were made with pre-tax dollars, and the IRS treats those withdrawals as ordinary income. • No required minimum distributions: One of the advantages of a Roth IRA is that you do not have to take
Happy Chanukah
annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) from the account. With a traditional IRA, you are required (with a few exceptions) to begin withdrawing funds every year after you reach the age of 72, and you must pay income taxes on those withdrawals. When considering a Roth conversion, it is important to understand when you will need the funds. It is to your advantage to let Roth funds appreciate in value and generate income as long as possible because the Roth grows tax-free. If you are near or at retirement age and will be using the money to enjoy this stage of your life, then a conversion may not make sense. Additionally, if you are planning to make lifetime or after lifetime charitable gifts with your IRA, a Roth conversion is not necessarily right for you. One final “bonus” of having a Roth: If you do not use your Roth during your lifetime, a Roth conversion can be a smart estate planning strategy to pass down tax-free wealth to your loved ones. Beneficiaries will have to take RMDs, but those withdrawals remain tax-free if the account has been open for at least five years. CHARITABLE GIFTS — Charitable contributions are one of the best tax-saving opportunities available. Not only does the charity benefit, but taxpayers enjoy tax savings by deducting part or all of their contributions on their tax returns. Making charitable gifts in the same year as a Roth Conversion can often be a great way to reduce your overall tax burden.
Note that the tax treatment of a charitable contribution varies according to the type of asset contributed. TACTICALLY COMBINING STRATEGIES — Investors ought to consider taking advantage of any unique tax attributes they have that may offset or reduce the income tax owed from a Roth conversion. For instance, selling longterm investments at a loss or making charitable deductions in the same year as a Roth conversion can help alleviate or completely offset the tax from the conversion. If investors find themselves in a temporarily low-income year, a partial Roth conversion can serve to fill up the lower tax brackets. Furthermore, executing a Roth conversion during times of market volatility, when asset values are depressed, can reduce the tax cost associated with the conversion. CAUTION — But before you take any action, please seek counsel from an experienced financial advisor and tax professional to make sure you reach a decision that will help you protect and grow your wealth and provide for your loved ones. A member of the PAC may also be able to assist with your specific needs. • Howard Safer is Vice Chairman at Argent Trust. He serves high net worth families with trust, investment, foundation, estate and family office services. He enjoys helping clients find holistic solutions to their financial planning needs. He is an active member of the Jewish Federation Professional Advisory Council (PAC).
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10 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
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Vanderbilt
Continued from page 1 it was reported that Jackson would be stepping back from his official duties while the university conducts a review of the incident. This incident comes amidst what students and campus Jewish leaders say is a change in the climate on campus. Recently, Dores in Solidarity for Palestine, a secular student-led group, marched on campus chanting, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will soon be free,” a known antisemitic chant that calls for the destruction of Israel and Jews. In the wake of the march, which occurred in late October, Hillel issued the following statement in response: Many Jewish organizations, including the American Jewish Committee and the AntiDefamation League, consider this statement to be antisemitic, as it calls for the complete destruction of Israel and its people. Hillel understands and supports the idea that students have the right to protest and march, and we know and embrace that there are ways to articulate criticism of Israel that are not antisemitic. We affirm that criticism of Israel, when it is not hatespeech against Jews, is vital to a healthy campus dialogue, and we are committed to creating space for all students to do so. According to Ari Dubin, Executive Director of Vanderbilt Hillel, marches like these are not intrinsically problematic. “College campuses are allowed to be filled with passion over issues that are important to students. The problem is when they become offensive. In this case, the students who marched expressed their anger at Israel in ways that are antisemitic. They should be able to get their message across without hate speech,” he says. Since then, he reports that these are difficult days for the students. “There is a lot of upset, confusion, and anger.” When situations like the march occur on a campus, questions arise about free speech versus hate speech. David Hoffman, Senior Associate Director of Leadership Development Programs for the Southeast Region of the ADL, says antisemitism across the country is at an all-time high, and college campuses provide a particular type of challenge. “Jewish students are being targeted because it is assumed they are pro-Israel,” he says, “These are places where there must be a balance between free speech and hate speech. Vanderbilt is a private university, so they don’t have to follow some of the same rules as public universities. This can put Jewish students in a scary spot.” He admonishes university administrations that are slow to respond to incidents that target any specific group of students, and those that offer tacit condemnation without specific action plans. “It is important for the administration to listen to the students, make statements offering support, and demonstrate they are listening and taking the concerns to heart. In this case, the statement condemned antisemitism, but did not offer a definition of what it is.” Hoffman says the biggest challenge he has seen recently is the multi-faceted nature of antisemitism. “Over the past few weeks, we have seen some of it focused on Israel, and some focused on the myth that Jews have specific power,” he says. He adds that in the 2021-2022 school year, the ADL had reports of over
350 incidents of anti-Israel antisemitism on college campuses. At Vanderbilt, Senior Ester Teper recently shared her experiences in a Guest Editorial. In it, she reported being threatened with violence and isolation. She says every aspect of her Judaism was called into question. She says she had to address stereotypes coming from her roommate and other fellow students. Teper, who is President of Vanderbilt Chabad, recounts in her editorial writing a letter to the Chancellor, Dean of Students, Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and other administration, citing concerns around the Jewish holidays. Specifically, the letter states, “Jewish students were not supported in their decision to celebrate the holidays that hundreds of generations before us have fought so hard to maintain. Why is it acceptable that Jewish students are taunted by professors and other students for requesting to celebrate a Holy Day? Or that these religious absences are not excused by professors?” Teper’s experiences cut to the heart of Dubin’s reflection that Vanderbilt’s culture has evolved over the past 15 years. In the early 2000’s, former Chancellor Gordon Gee was known to be actively recruiting Jewish students from around the country. Dubin says, “This is not simply about the Jewish community on campus. In the past, the university was more willing to make statements about all ‘isms,’ and now the administration doesn’t seem to want to do that.” Teper draws a line between the culture on campus today, and Gee’s efforts. “The former Chancellor may have created incentives for Jewish students, but something was missing in the execution of the longterm vision,” she says. Teper, who did not grow up particularly religious, found her support system at Chabad. “Rabbi Shlomo Rothstein and his wife Nechama have been so supportive.” As antisemitic incidents continue to grow nationwide, there are specific concerns in the south. Hoffman believes smaller communities, like in Nashville, are victims of ignorance. “In the south people are uneducated about Jews and uninformed. That ignorance leads to antisemitism,” he says, “And in the south Jewish students have been suffering all their lives because they’re from the South.” This ongoing history of discrimination can lead students to want to stay under the radar, leading to what Hoffman says is severe under reporting of antisemitic incidents. “The most important thing is to report incidents when they happen,” he says, “The data is important, so we know where to direct our resources.” He adds that this year, the ADL has dealt with four incidents on colleges across the south. Meanwhile, at Vanderbilt, Dubin says the current climate is evolving, with particular concerns over online harassment and cyber-bullying. “The situation has evolved the last few years because of COVID,” he says, “We’re not putting anything on social media because the students are concerned.” He says the last two years of virtual learning and social isolation have led to a divided college community. “Two years spent in the virtual world hurt our civil society and the entire planet has become radicalized and focused on extremes. This is not specific to us, and we all need to systemically address the problem.” Despite all the challenges, Dubin says Hillel remains committed to supporting all students on campus and making sure their needs are met. “We are working hard to support and empower those students on campus today, and those who will be on campus
in the future.” College campuses often reflect both society at large and the local community. Nashville’s Jewish community has also been the target of recent antisemitic literature showing up in residential neighborhoods surrounding synagogues and the Gordon JCC. Law enforcement officials are always called in to investigate. Local police are supported by the Secure Community Network, the official homeland security and safety initiative of the organized Jewish community, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. These groups take reports of antisemitism very seriously. In a recent address to the ADL’s “Never is Now” Summit, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “Antisemitism remains a pervasive and present fact. And we at the FBI see—up close, day in and day out—the actions that hatred drives. Jewish people continue to face repeated violence and very real threats, from all kinds of actors, simply for being who they are.” Locally, Richard Baer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, and his team remain similarly focused on antisemitism. “Hate crimes and civil rights threat is our top national priority,” he says. There is, however, a legal difference between hate speech and hate crimes, and that can sometimes be a gray area. Still Baer says, “We want people to know they should report anything they think might be a hate crime. We document everything because at some point, it may become actionable.” To date, Vanderbilt’s Jewish students feel the university is slow to respond and react to their concerns. Dubin believes administration is playing a waiting game, slow walking plans until students graduate, and Teper agrees. But the ADL’s Hoffman says students are not the only ones affected by antisemitism. “The antisemitism targets all Jews on campus and allies, too.” And the other obvious group affected is alumni, something Teper will soon become. “The Jewish alumni we talk to are alarmed,” she says. The Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, which represents and supports the local Jewish community, is also concerned about the changing climate on campus at Vanderbilt and what it
means for the larger community. Leslie Kirby is President of The Federation. She says, “There have been a string of incidents over the last few years that have gone unchecked, without adequate response from the university administration. There now appears to be an organized antisemitic presence on campus that is escalating this and is now affecting the broader Jewish community. In addition to the students’ request for a meeting, we have also asked to meet with the Chancellor.” Although Ester Teper will be graduating soon, there are many other Jewish students who will remain, and a new class in 2023. And like college students through the ages, there will continue to be clashes between groups and demonstrations around social issues. But Hoffman says it is important to remain vigilant about protecting students who are targets. “Students typically have a liberal perspective, seeking social justice. But when Israel is demonized and held to a double standard, it puts a target on the back of Jewish students.” He adds that as society becomes increasingly polarized, students are leaving after their first year even more polarized. Teper says her college experience has not turned out exactly like she planned, since she never expected to become so involved in the Jewish community. “I found my Judaism on campus, and I wish I, and other Jewish students, were able to fully enjoy that.” •
Dreidel
Perhaps that’s the real light we are invited to light during Hanukkah. In that spirit, may we find the ways to adopt what we need to adopt, to adapt what we need to adapt, and to embrace our Jewish heritage in meaningful ways, while we continue to shape and create a relevant way of being Jewish in contemporary America. •
Continued from page 6 eyes to what was going on in our midst. We remained attentive, and we were able to navigate the tensions, to deal with the conflicts and to negotiate the challenges at hand, making our Judaism a much better way to respond to the world.
Note:The Jewish Federation is currently working to address antisemitism locally. Recently, the Jewish Community Relations Committee launched a student-to-student program to help Jewish students educate and build relationships in school with their non-Jewish peers. Additionally, a new initiative is launching this month in partnership with the American Jewish Committee to train Jewish community members to talk about antisemitism in local Christian churches, beginning in January. If you wish to report an incident to the FBI, visit www.fbi.gov, for reports to the Anti-Defamation League, visit: www.adl. org. For any emergency, call 9-1-1. To report incidents of antisemitism in Nashville, please report that to the Jewish Federation at www.jewishnashville.org.
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The Jewish Observer • December 2022
11
Your Love Stories By BARBARA DAB
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his month, we are featuring Part 1 of Dr. Frank Boehm’s essay on love. For Frank, love is…well, it’s everything. To gain insights into how and why people fall in love and, more important, stay in love, he interviewed several couples. Each couple has their own unique story and perspective, but Frank learned some universal truths. In this first part, we share Frank’s thoughts on love, as well as his love story with his wife, Julie. Next month, we will present the others. And we are asking for you, dear reader in love, to share your love story with The Observer. Be brave, be vulnerable, and most of all, be loving. Send your submissions to Editor Barbara Dab at barbaradab@jewishnashville.org.
How Enduring Love Endures Dr. Frank H. Boehm “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. The word is love.” Sophocles Loving and being loved are the most important human emotions of life and a wonder that can enrich lives in countless ways. There really is not much anyone can write about regarding the subject of love that has not been written by countless others. History is filled with books, poems, sonnets, plays, articles, essays, and music that cover this most important of all human emotions and feelings. Despite this, I decided to delve into the subject for two reasons. The first was that true love was something I had searched for and finally found (after two failed marriages) over 37 years ago when I met, fell in love with and
married Julie. The second reason was that I wanted to say something about the fact that the meaning of the word love was being diluted and minimized in our society by its over- use in situations that did not convey the true essence of the word. Uttering the words, “I love you” should be reserved for that special and singular feeling that true love evokes. I love you needs no other words attached to the phrase. To say, “I love you, man,” or “I really love you,” seems to dilute the intimate feelings and meanings of the three words that should stand alone without qualifiers. “I love you,” are clearly the three most powerful words one can communicate to another person. Brene Brown, an American research professor, lecturer, author, and podcast host, told of her research on the definition of the word love and wrote the following, “We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness, and affection”. This definition of love clearly does not include the superficial and trite usage that so many in our society believe love represents. The word love as defined by Brown is defined as an intense feeling of deep affection for someone. It represents a profoundly tender, passionate affection, with a feeling of a close and nurturing personal attachment for another person. There seems to be two types of true love. One is instant, the other evolved. An example of instant love is the love you feel the moment you hold your newborn baby for the first time. It could also be a
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12 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
Dr. Frank and Julie Boehm have had a true and enduring love for 37 years.
grandchild that evokes that instant feeling of true love. It is interesting that the first love mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 22 is not romantic, but parental love. “Then God said, take your son, your only son, whom you love - Isaac- and go to the region of Moriah.” The author, Agatha Christie had this to say; “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” Instant love is a feeling that also translates into a world of action. Humans and animals alike will sacrifice their lives to save and protect the life of their child. It is a sacrifice that we make without thought or consideration. It is a pure act of instant true love. Instant love can be demonstrated in most interesting ways. Kristin Schoonveld, who donated her eggs in 1994 to help someone have a family, only recently met her biological son. In the fall of 2019, while searching for her biological dad, Kristen, then fifty-two, took a 23andMe DNA test and was stunned when she opened the test result and saw a match that said, “son”. He was conceived via in-vitro fertilization and was looking for his biological mother. She contacted him, and they met in person. “It was just instant love” she said meeting her biological son. “It’s as if I’ve known him his whole life,” she says. There is no waiting time for this type of love to evolve. It is much like instant pudding. It comes immediately and with a flourish, and it is at that moment that you are infused with feelings that are intense and beautiful.” Instant love came into my life with the birth of each of my three children: It was that love for Todd, as well as Tommy and Catherine who followed, that was to be a part of each day of my life. I was made aware of this true love of my children on many occasions throughout each of their lives. The first steps they took, their first words spoken, their graduation from various levels of school, their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs at age 13, leaving for college, the challenges they presented, continue to present, and a host of other events that brought pride, understanding and love to the surface. While evolved love may have its origin with a growing friendship, it often begins with “chemistry” that we may confuse with love. Many call that lust. That lust then evolves into what some term an obsession which frequently takes over one’s entire life. One is consumed with intense feelings for another person and a desire to be with that person as much as possible and to have that person become an integral part of everyday life. As time moves on and with the proper person that obsessive feeling evolves into what scientists say is a long-term attachment. It is this long-term relation that we then call true love. The American novelist, Tia Williams has said, “True love is soul rec-
ognition. You see each other deeply. The person becomes a part of you.” According to a 2022 CBS poll, a large majority of Americans believe that true love exists, and most state that they have experienced it at some point in their lives, but that finding true love may not be easy. Evolved love occurs in two basic stages, the first being the act of falling in love with the second being the act of staying in love. Both are required and the longer the first stage, the more intense and secure evolved love becomes. I have been told by several others I spoke with that true love was resistant to the many obstacles that occur in the world of relationships yet being in love may by quite different than genuinely loving someone and could be affected by these same obstacles in a negative and destructive manner. We confuse being in love with genuinely loving someone. In Brides Magazine, Stacey Laura Lloyd states that, “When it comes to romance, the feelings of love and being in love are separate and depend on the stage of the relationship. Being in love with someone is emotionally charged. Loving someone is not based on a whirlwind of emotions. Being in love can fade over time. Loving someone is long-lasting.” With a long-standing love relationship, the feeling of respect is a large component of the love that couples feel for each other. A couple, together for a prolonged period, and sitting across from one another at the breakfast table, knows that the person opposite them is someone with whom they have shared many difficulties of life together, while still maintaining a loving relationship. A feeling of respect weaves itself into the fabric of true love. Respect for a loved one is a vital and critical component of true love, What happens during childhood is frequently mentioned as a reason for how we behave and handle love later in life. I know my early childhood influenced my life. I was born to loving and nurturing parents who absolutely loved each other, and as an only child, I reaped all the attention and love anyone could ask for or receive. That love had a profound influence on me, and I wanted the same kind of love in my life as I witnessed my parents having in theirs. Finding that love, therefore, was my mission and goal. I found out, however, that this was not easy to accomplish. While I had several relationships as a young man which I believed then to be love, in retrospect, I was immature and knew little about the meaning of true love. I was a third-year medical student at the age of twenty-three when I met Linda. We seemed perfect for each other, quickly fell in love, and married soon thereafter. I believed that this was true love, and our marriage would last forever but I was wrong. The woman to whom I gave my heart and soul pulled away. It was the late sixties and the woman’s movement, ever so gently at first and more forcefully later, tugged at her heart. I could feel her slipping away and there seemed to be little I could do. Despite the end to this marriage, I continued to believe in lasting true love and knew that someday I would find it. There was a second marriage, which came much too soon. As I reflect on this seven-year relationship and try to understand why I chose to remarry so soon after my divorce, it is clear to me that I was weak. I was also hurt and needed someone to not only help raise my two sons, but to also help heal my damaged pride and broken Continued on page 13
Famed Nazi Hunter, Ephraim Zuroff is Still on the Hunt By BARBARA DAB
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t is now more than seven decades since the Holocaust, the liberation of the concentration camps, and the fall of the Nazi regime. But it may surprise some to learn there are still Nazi war criminals alive and living in safety around the world. Dr. Ephraim Zuroff is making it his life’s work to bring those remaining war criminals to justice, even if it is only for the last years of their lives. Zuroff currently is the director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem and coordinates the worldwide Nazi war crimes research. He toured Tennessee recently, sponsored by the Tennessee Holocaust commission, and spoke at The Temple. “People are surprised we are still hunting Nazis,” he said, “There is a belated prosecution policy that allows us to bring people to justice as accessories to murder.” In 2002, Zuroff helped create Operation Last Chance, to offer financial rewards for information that helps bring Nazi war criminals to justice. Zuroff highlighted three cases he worked on to help bring Nazis to justice to illustrate the difficulties he, and his team, face. Using informants and detailed database research, he is able to find former Nazis who lied on immigration papers and other official documents. “It’s kind of like with Al Capone,” he said, “We can’t always draw a direct connection, so we find other ways to bring them to justice.” Zuroff cites one example where he received an email from man he’d met at an event. This man said he had encountered someone who admitted to deporting Jews to the concentration camps. “He actually admitted he did it,” says Zuroff, who also says that none of the people he helps prosecute express any guilt or remorse.
Famed Nazi Hunter, Dr. Ephraim Zuroff, visited Nashville to discuss his experiences.
Zuroff has chased Nazis all over the world and in the United States. Time is not on his side. “We need to find these people before they die. Sometimes they die while awaiting prosecution.” Still, he persists even though he knows he cannot bring back a single Jew who was murdered. “I feel very privileged I could devote my life to this endeavor. It is hard, but we can get justice for the victims.” In addressing the rising tide of antisemitism, Zuroff says he believes social media is largely responsible. “The social media networks do not do enough, in my opinion, to stop antisemitic rhetoric,” he says, “The Wiesental Center in Los Angeles is working to the networks to be more responsible in what they allow.” For more information about The Tennessee Holocaust Commission, visit www.tnholcom.org •
Your Love Stories
apart). A friendship blossomed at first and then a love followed that consumed my days and nights and brought me to a place where, once again, I could feel the pride of self and the joy of togetherness. It has now been over 37 years since that day we met, and our love grows more intense each day. What started as “being in love” became a “true love.” Perhaps what has worked is our desire and commitment to bring joy and happiness to each other, as well as being open and honest with our feelings. Our relationship does not feel as if it is work. It is a pleasure that brings contentment and peace. To love someone and have that love returned is a gift of life that never stops giving. For me, the three most powerful words in any language are, “I love you.” Love is what makes one feel as if life is full and exciting and is more important than any other aspect of life. I was lucky. I finally found that love and it has sustained and nurtured me. It is a true enduring love, pure and simple. • The love stories of these five couples will be in next month’s issue:
Continued from page 12 heart. My second marriage failed in part because it never became a true enduring love and was filled with resentment and significant differences in needs and expectations. Our attempt to blend our families failed miserably, and no amount of counseling helped. I knew there was emptiness in our lives together and that I had to move on. The unhappiness was palpable and I, along with my two sons, were miserable. There was, however, one incredibly positive element to our union, which I am thankful for every day of my life. My daughter, Catherine, was born three years into our troubled union. For several years, Catherine became an anchor to a marriage that should have ended much earlier. Despite this failed marriage, I was still searching for a true love I knew was possible. My parents had shown that love to me and I knew she was out there waiting for me. How right I was! I was not expecting to meet the woman I would fall in love with and marry, and who would become the true love of my life fulfilling my every need and desire. Yet, that is exactly what happened when I went to the home of a friend on New Year’s Day in 1985 and he introduced me to Julie. She was kind and charming, and she took my breath away. Incredibly, I learned we had much in common (even Ann and Jobe Bernard that we lived in the same were married for 65 years complex only a few houses until his death
Libby and Moshe Werthan have been together for 73 years, and married for 63
Frank Boehm’s daughter, Tommy and Lucy Liza and Lori Dansky Star Catherine, and her husGoldstein met later in life met in college and are now band Eric have been marand are the parents of a married, and the parents ried for 15 years. five-year-old daughter of four-year-old twin boys 10/17 SPTZ-46OB Sprintz_ObserverChanukah2022.qxp_SPTZ-46OB Sprintz_ObserverChanukah2022
Add Your Family’s Names to the Nashville Holocaust Memorial By MARSHA RAIMI
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f you’ve considered adding a loved one’s name to the Pillars of Remembrance at the Nashville Holocaust Memorial (NHM), your opportunity is here. The NHM Committee is pleased to announce that it is accepting orders for new inscriptions on its memorial pillars. The Memorial, located on the grounds of the Gordon Jewish Community Center in Bellevue, is a sacred space for remembering those who suffered during the Holocaust. The twelve Pillars of Remembrance contain names of family members who perished, as well as those who survived and subsequently lived in the Nashville area. Donors can select from several inscription formats. Holocaust Memorial Committee Chair, Felicia Anchor, commented, “For many of us second- and third-generation survivors, there is no cemetery we can
visit to remember and honor our loved ones lost in the Shoah. The Memorial was created for this purpose; as well as to educate future generations about the dangers of antisemitism and other forms of hatred. Recently we’ve had many requests to add names to the site, and we’re happy to offer this opportunity.” The minimum inscription of two lines costs $350. One or two additional lines are available at $175 each. You can acquaint yourself with the pillars and inscription formats on the website NashvilleHolocaustMemorial.org (ignore the pricing there). There are also brief biographies of those remembered. The deadline to order and pay for an inscription is February 28, 2023. To place an order or ask questions, email us at NashvilleHolocaustMemorial@gmail. com. The Committee is happy to work with you to honor and remember your family. •
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The Jewish Observer • December 2022
13
Gordon JCC welcomes local award-winning journalist to discuss her book “Her Country”
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he Gordon JCC will host award-winning journalist Marissa R. Moss for a conversation about inclusivity and gender bias in the music industry Dec. 8, as an installment of the Nashville Jewish Book Series. The conversation will take place in East Nashville, where Moss will be joined by writer and NPR music critic Ann Powers and singer/songwriter Katie Schecter – who will openthe event with a live musical performance. Moss, a resident of East Nashville, wrote “Her Country: How the Women of Country Music Became the Success They Were Never Supposed to Be,” a book that details the last 20 years of country music through the lens of prominent country singers including Maren Morris, Mickey Guyton and Kacey Musgraves. “Her Country” provides the full, unbridled story of these trailblazers’ paths to stardom, their battles against a system entrenched in sexism and their efforts to transform the genre into a more inclusive place. For the women of country music, the year 1999 was revolutionary in that artists including Shania Twain and the Chicks topped every chart and made country music a “woman’s world.” But the music industry preferred its stars to be neutral and obedient, not challenging the status quo. Women were expected to “shut up and sing.” In 2021, women were played on
country radio as little as 10 percent of the time, even though they are selling out arenas, as Musgraves does, and becoming larger sensations than most of their male counterparts. Female country singers have created massive pop crossover hits such as Morris’ “The Middle,” pushed the industry to confront its racial biases with Guyton’s “Black Like Me” and won dozens of Grammy nominations. “Her Country” is the story of how country’s women fought against systems designed to keep them down and forged entirely new pathways to success. Moss tells the behind-the-scenes story of how Musgraves, Morris, Guyton, Miranda Lambert, Rissi Palmer, Brandi Carlile and others reinvented their place in an industry largely stacked against them. Moss, Powers and Schecter discussed inclusion and storytelling from an outside perspective, with an opportunity for audience members to join in the conversation. zoe@jewishnashville.org • The Nashville Jewish Book Series aims to connect the local community with authors from around the globe, fostering conversations that could not happen anywhere else in the world. The NJBS runs from November 2022 to May 2023. You can find the whole schedule, with registration and ticketing information, at nashvillejcc.org/book or contact programs director Sharon Benus at sharonb@ nashvillejcc.org or 615-354-1697.
BBYO Hires Regional Director Jewish Middle School Unveils Redesigned Sports Court
By ZOE GOLDBERG
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BYO has hired Rebecca Moriarty as the new Regional Director for Delta Region. The region encompasses Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Rebecca, who is based out of Nashville, will report to Zoe Goldberg, Delta Region’s Senior Regional Director, based in Memphis, TN. She will oversee the Nashville BBYO community as well as the Knoxville BBYO community and the Regional Board. Rebecca is originally from Memphis and has a background in program management. She has worked with entities such as Memphis Bioworks Foundation, Start Co., and the Small Business Development Center. Most recently, Rebecca was employed as a specialist with the tech company, Asurion. While in Memphis, she served as a BBYO advisor to Rose Belz Kriger BBG, on the board of ConnecTI at Temple Israel, and as the primary advisor to Tri Delta on the Rhodes College campus. As Regional Director, Rebecca plans to grow the Nashville BBYO community as well as support the teens in their programming, leadership initiatives,
By ELLY EBIN
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BBYO announces Rebecca Moriarty as the new Regional Director for Delta Region.
and volunteer work. When asked how she feels about the new role, Rebecca remarked, “I have fond memories of being a teen in BBYO and the leadership skills I gained in this organization make me so excited to invest my life and career in this community and in BBYO”. If you or your teen is interested in learning more about BBYO, you can reach Rebecca at RMoriarty@BBYO.org •
Learn more about the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee at www.jewishnashville.org
14 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
hen not in class, students at the Jewish Middle School can most often be found on the school’s newly redesigned outdoor sports court. With funding from the Predators Foundation, as well as support from a Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee Innovation Grant, JMS has redesigned its outdoor athletics space and enhanced its athletics program to provide more opportunities for its growing student body. The new court features resurfacing, freshly painted regulation court lines, and adjustable in-ground basketball hoops. The court is just one change to the developing JMS athletics program. JMS believes in students’ whole health and well-being. In supporting health and activity, JMS is committed to growing its athletics program and giving students more opportunities to participate in activities that provide a multitude of physical and cognitive benefits. This year, JMS boasts a basketball team, an ultimate frisbee team, and a running club, with additional sports teams coming in the spring. Athletics Director Eliza Griffin says that the new sports court has become one of the school’s most popular spaces, but moreover, “It is an incredibly inclusive space. Any student who wants to use it and participate is welcome to. We have seen our students embrace this value and actively encourage their peers to join in and take part in games and athletics.” Griffin adds that, “The JMS athletics program has been one of the most valuable tools in fostering inclusion and collaboration within the school.”
JMS students on the basketball court
Seventh grader Legend Wright echoes Griffin’s sentiments, emphasizing that, “The new court is well deserved and gives students a space for organized games and programming. It’s a special place where all students can play together.” Co-Head of School Alene Arnold says that the partnership of supporting community organizations, “Not only promotes better health in our children but strengthens the sense of community within the school. A robust athletics program is fundamental to guiding our students to becoming engaged and passionate learners.” The Jewish Middle School is incredibly grateful to both the Predators Foundation and the Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee for its ongoing commitment to the health and wellbeing of JMS students. •
Jumping For A Cause: Akiva Students Take Part in National Effort By ELLY EBIN
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he sound of laughter and cheering echoed through the JCC gym recently as Akiva students gathered together for their annual Jump Rope for Heart Jump-A-Thon. For weeks prior, students learned about the importance of physical activity and healthy eating in their physical education classes, with the underlying goal of raising awareness about heart disease. Back in 1979, the American Heart Association partnered with the American Alliance for Health to roll out Jump Rope for Heart. The program was designed to teach kids about developing healthy habits, and to educate them on the importance of giving back to their communities. Over 40 years later, this initiative is still going strong, and more than 35,000 schools across the globe participate annually. Since its inception, Jump Rope for Heart has raised over 1 billion dollars for research towards heart disease, which remains the single largest cause of death in the United States. Jump Rope for Heart is a schoolwide initiative, and an opportunity for the entire student body to come together for a greater cause. Coach Emma Cribb, Akiva School’s Physical
Education teacher, said, “The program is incredibly impactful for students in a number of ways. Students learn the importance of committing to a goal - in this case a fitness goal and a fundraising goal. In addition to promoting an active lifestyle, Jump Rope for Heart educates students about the importance of heart health, and gives them an opportunity to make a difference on a global scale.” First grader Lorenzo Rolli was one of the most successful fundraisers at Akiva this year. Lorenzo noted that, “Getting to help kids made me feel good, and everything about Jump Rope for Heart is so fun.” Lorenzo’s mom, Alice Ganier Rolli, added that, “For many weeks (Lorenzo) was encouraging us to run, walk, and be heart healthy. We are so thankful to be a part of this effort.” The opportunity to feel the joy of helping others is something students experience throughout their years at Akiva. From Jump Rope for Heart, to visiting local non-profits, to running their own fundraising campaigns for local and global charities, Akiva students constantly think about ways to contribute to their communities and beyond. Kol HaKavod to all Akiva students on participating in Jump Rope for Heart, and for all their continuing efforts to make the world a better place. •
Students show off their jump rope skills at Akiva’s Jump Rope for Heart Jump-A-Thon
The Making of a Jewish Music Festival By DOV ROSENBLATT
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few months after I moved to Nashville to be Cantor-in-residence at Sherith Israel, Zack Ebin, a new friend, and professor of violin at the Blair School of Music, approached me with a proposition. “Do you want to help plan a Jewish Music Festival? After all, we are in Music City!” Of course, I thought that should exist! But, having been on the other side of things, playing at Jewish Music Festivals for many years with my bands Blue Fringe and Distant Cousins, I knew how much goes into the planning of a festival. Needless to say, I was wary about taking that on. After discussing the idea with my friend Matt Leff, whose production company, Rhizome, produces festivals and events professionally, it all clicked. Matt told me he would love to help and that since he was already planning the Kosher Hot Chicken Festival for Sunday, November 6th, we should just combine them and have both festivals together. After expanding our team of organizers, we were off to the races. We knew we wanted the Jewish Arts and Music Fest to be free and open to everyone, so we reached out to generous people in the community, who loved our idea. With many face-to-face meetings and even more requests, we were able to raise the more than $25,000 needed to produce this program successfully. The JCC was incredible to work with as they offered their outdoor field to us as well as many other resources along the way. After months of planning and promoting, including an ad in the Nashville Scene and an in-studio performance and interview at Lightning100 radio station, the day was finally here. The morning started off with perfect sunny weather despite a forecast of rain. Hundreds of people lined up to taste the Kosher Hot Chicken and see what JAM Fest was all about. The miraculously dry
Photo Credit: Emily Allen, Band name: Moshav. From left to right; Duvid Swirsky, Kiel Feher, Yehuda Solomon, Ami Kozk
field was filled with local art vendors, a beer garden, a kid’s zone (which was a big hit!), and even more kosher food options. Children were getting their faces painted, bouncing in the bounce houses, dancing along to the music, while the adults were schmoozing and enjoying the good food, good music, and good times. Toward the beginning of the festival, Mayor John Cooper spoke about the town’s strong admiration for our ‘brilliant Jewish community.’ At a time when antisemitism is on the rise daily, it was powerful and appreciated to have the mayor’s support. The lineup included: • Local singer/songwriter Shlomo Franklin, who warmed the crowd with his well-crafted songs, memorable voice, and witty humor. • Adam Weinberg, best known for having been Matisyahu’s guitarist for years. • Singer/songwriter ‘Neta,’ Natasha Amit, wowed the audience with her powerhouse voice, strong songs, and
killer band, including hometown legendary pedal steel guitarist, Bruce Bouton (Garth Brooks). • Distant Cousins, the folk trio from Los angles, NY, and Nashville (that’s me) were joined by Rabbi Saul Strosberg from Sherith Israel on trumpet for a special guest appearance. • Local husband/wife duo, Elisha Hoffman and Rebecca Lynn Howard, [Loving Mary Band] showcased their high level of musicianship, • MOSHAV, an Israeli/American rock band from LA, MOSHAV, played an hour set of their catchy songs in both Hebrew and English. The main stage also featured Cantor Josh Goldberg of Congregation Micah performing a beautiful set of his own solo material. He was then joined by Cantor Tracy Fishbein from The Temple, Julia Motis – songleader at The Temple, and me as we sung a few Jewish classics like ‘Oseh Shalom,’ and ‘Olam Chesed.’ The fact that we
were all on the stage singing together in literal harmony felt very special and unique to this tight-knit Jewish community here. Since this is Nashville, obviously we had an overflow of talent, so we created a ‘second stage’ and in between acts, we heard from: • May, an Israeli singer/songwriter with a powerful voice. • Harrison Prichard, 8-year-old songwriter sensation from West End Synagogue • Azi Richman, teenage guitarist/singer/songwriter rocker. It was also important that this festival have strong Jewish values and not just be another day of beer and fun, JAM Fest organizers Yossi and Natasha Amit arranged a Chessed booth which highlighted three projects for people to sign up and get involved with; the Oasis Center’s Underground Art Studio, the 15 Seconds Project (pen pals between local kids and kids in Israel who have 15 seconds to run for shelter when the sirens go off), and the Abe’s Garden Choir which will perform songs to lift spirits of folks in the memory care unit. Halfway through the day, the clouds rolled in, and we got some good ole Tennessee rain. Although some people headed home, many people stayed and danced until the very end, when it got dark at 5pm. [Next year, we hope to have JAM Fest ponchos] The day was a great success, and we are grateful to all the sponsors, volunteers, and everyone who came out to help accomplish what we set out to do – create a Jewish Arts & Music Festival in Music City to bring out Jews and non-Jews alike from all walks of life to enjoy good music, good food and fun. As the commercial on Lightning100 ended off in the DJ’s deep southern voice, “L’Hayim Y’all!” To learn more and get involved, please follow @NashJAMFest on Instagram and check out www.NashJamFest.com •
The Jewish Observer • December 2022
15
Calling All Amateur Sleuths: Can You Help West End Synagogue Solve a Mystery? By BARBARA DAB
T
ucked away in a cluttered, dingy, dusty storage closet at West End Synagogue, stood a solid chunk of gray granite, carved into the shape of a Star of David. According to WES Executive Director, Jim Holzer, it’s anybody’s guess how long the sculpture has been there. “When we began the recent renovations, I had to go through all the storage closets and determine what could be tossed and what needed to be moved somewhere safe during the remodeling. After moving a bunch of things out of the closet, there it stood.” Holzer started asking around to see if anyone recognized the piece, but to
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Happy Hanukkah!
no avail. “I started mentioning it in our weekly emails to see if someone, somewhere recognized it, but so far, no one can identify it.” Holzer even reached out to folks at Hunt Memorials for information about the piece. “They said it is very well made, solid granite. But it doesn’t appear to be from a headstone.” So for the moment, the origin of the sculpture remains a mystery. If you, or someone in your family, has any information about the Star of David sculpture, please contact Jim Holzer at jholzer@ westendsyn.org. Who knows, maybe you hold the key. And be watching for updates to the Star of David mystery. •
Help West End Synagogue uncover the origin of the Star of David sculpture.
West End Synagogue Men’s Club Presents Retirement Series By GENE SACKS
S
unday mornings in October are always busy times, and the Men’s Club of West End Synagogue added to the fun by sponsoring Part II in its’ series on Life’s Transitions and Retirement. We were so pleased to host WES’s own Loretta Saff, a Certified Professional Life Coach. She spoke to this mixed crowd of men and women on the importance of planning the many areas of life’s transitions, including leaving work,
pursuing passions, spirituality, hobbies, travel among many. Participants interacted by sharing the one or two areas that they plan to be, or are, passionate about in retirement. They spoke about their work with local charities and various ways of helping others in both the Jewish and greater Nashville communities. To thank Loretta for her wonderful and creative presentation, the WES Men’s Club will make a donation to the Nashville Jewish Film Festival in her honor. •
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16 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
Loretta Saff presents a series of classes on Life’s Transitions and Retirement to West End Synagogue Men’s Club.
Commentary Jewish Tradition Teaches Us to Get Outside By MELISSA SOSTRIN
“Grant me the ability to be alone; may it be my custom to go outdoors each day among the trees and grass - among all growing things and there may I be alone, and enter into prayer, to talk with the One to whom I belong.”
W
hile these words might sound like those of a 20th century tree-hugger, they were uttered over 200 years ago by Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav who preached that solitary meditation was best practiced in a forest or field. One of the silver linings of the Covid-19 pandemic was the surge in outdoor recreation in forests, fields, and on bike trails; unfortunately, many of us are back to the new normal and are mostly indoors. Some studies show that children are outside playing less than ten minutes a day yet spend hours inside on screens leading to what has been coined “Nature Deficit Disorder.” While it is not a medical diagnosis, over 1,000 studies have shown that this alienation from nature contributes to higher rates of emotional and physical illnesses. Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods,” “Vitamin N,” and numerous other books and articles, helped launch an international movement to promote the power of nature
and how vital it is to balance the virtual with the real. Research also seems to show that the nature-deficit makes our ecological literacy and stewardship of nature weaker. The first commandment in the Torah in Genesis 1:28 is to replenish the Earth, yet, as global climate change threatens our planet and our state, we seem to have forgotten this. There are several reasons we do not venture outside, including poor urban planning and fear of the outdoors. Fortunately, those of us in Tennessee live in one of the nation’s most bio-diverse states, a southeastern Gan Eden! There are 57 state parks, over 80 waterfalls, preserves, state natural areas, and arboretums - many within Davidson or the surrounding counties, easily accessible and, thanks to your tax dollars, mostly free. Extras, such as a ranger-led kayak trip on the Duck River, the most bio-diverse in the nation, cost only $10 several years ago. Trees play an enormous role in Judaism, from the Tree of Life to the olive branch found by Noah’s dove, to the planting of Eucalyptus trees in Syria said to have been promoted by Israeli spy Eli Cohen to help Israeli troops. And they play the starring role at the Deerwood Arboretum and Nature Center in Brentwood. Recently my sisters and I
explored Deerwood, which borders the Little Harpeth, has ponds, and paved and unpaved walking, biking, and jogging trails, (and flush toilets-open during park hours). You can identify 70 trees, mostly Tennessee natives, using the markers on the trees and a PDF printed from the arboretum’s site. Or challenge yourself, your children, or your walking buddy with a guide that leads you to analyze leaves or needles, bark, and tree shapes to inform your guesses. The fall foliage was beautiful, and in the summer the wildflower meadow gives color to the landscape. The site was a wastewater treatment plant until 1980 when the EPA ordered Brentwood to seek a different sewage treatment solution, and now it showcases trees, migratory birds, and butterflies. While the main path is flat and only a mile in circumference, the dearth of other people and dogs made it a canine sanctuary for my sister’s dogs: Butters, who has never seen a dog he didn’t want to greet with great enthusiasm, and the elderly Mocha who found the distance to be more than enough. It is also a sanctuary for people who find the crowds at other nearby parks to be intrusive. So, read about it online, locate it on your GPS, text a friend to join you, and then get out there, unplugged, because as Richard Louv says, “The more high tech
Scene from Deerwood Arboretum and Nature Center
we become, the more nature we need.” We spent forty years in the desert, we can take a few hours each week to get outside! •
Chabad of Nashville to present the 180k Challenge C habad of Nashville will be hosting a very exciting end-of-year fundraising campaign, “We. Belong. Together. – 180/180 Challenge,” which will kick off Dec. 6 at 10:00 AM, and will continue until Dec. 8 at 10:00 PM. If $180,000 is raised in 60 hours, it will be matched by $180,000 from several generous donors in Nashville. “Tzedakah (charity) is equal to all the other commandments combined.” This meaningful fundraising campaign will provide the Nashville community with 60 hours of tremendous opportunity to support the influential and far-reaching work of Chabad of Nashville and the Revere Jewish Montessori Preschool. During and after Covid-19, Chabad has assisted hundreds of families with financial, emotional and spiritual support. Chabad helped many overcome challenges and obstacles, as many faced financial difficulties and were in dire straits. Chabad also assisted families with additional scholarship funding for chil-
dren to receive a Jewish education at the Revere Jewish Montessori preschool. No child was left out in the cold, even when their parents lost their employment due to COVID, or any other financial hardships they may have faced. “We. Belong. Together.” is the time for the Jewish community to unite efforts to strengthen Jewish life and build a bright future and to ensure Jewish continuity in Middle Tennessee. There is no better time than today to support the future of Jewish life in Nashville. The goal of the match-a-thon is to raise $360,000 in the campaign’s 60 hours. For every dollar that will be donated during the campaign, Chabad of Nashville will receive an additional dollar; all donations will effectively double in value. Essentially, each $100 charitable donation will be doubled and will translate into $200. No donation is too small and each one is appreciated. This is the seventh year Chabad is holding its successful end-of-year match-
ing campaign, yet this year is different, as there are more people than ever before being impacted by the work of Chabad due to the challenging times we live in. Your support will impact more people than before. The funds raised will also enable children to continue to receive scholarship grants and receive a Jewish education at the Revere Montessori Jewish Preschool. Special for this year, there will gifts presented for donors of certain levels. Each $1,800 donor will receive a beautiful Mezuzah scroll from the Holy Land of Israel, and each $3,600 donor will receive
a gift of a personalized hand carved challah board, and each $5,000 donor will receive a beautiful silver kiddush cup set. All names of participants in the Chabad of Nashville 180/180 end-of-year campaign will be included in a special prayer that we will be recited on their behalf, for a year of good health and success in all of their endeavors. For more information about the 180/180 Challenge and to learn about how you can make a difference, visit www.chabadnashville.com/match on Dec. 6 at 10:00 AM through Dec. 8 at 10:00 PM, or call 615-646-5750. •
Hanukkah is coming to the J! By ANDREW FISHMAN DIRECTOR OF CAMP CHILDREN’S SERVICES
I
DAVIS
AND
f you can believe it, Hanukkah is right around the corner and the Gordon JCC is excited to announce that our Hanukkah Store is officially open, and that Hanukkah Fest will be on December 11! The Hanukkah Store is filled with candles, gelt, gifts, and more! Stop by the lobby and stock up on all the things you need to celebrate the Festival of Lights. Payments for Hanukkah Store items can
be made at the JCC Front Desk. Hanukkah Fest will take place on December 11 from 3-6pm at the J. Come join the fun for kids’ games, crafts, entertainment, and of course, food! No Hanukkah Fest would be complete without Bernie’s Famous Latkes, and a full meal will be served as well. Hanukkah Fest at the Gordon JCC is a tradition filled with joy, excitement, and fun, and we hope to see you there! If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to Andrew Fishman andrew@nashvillejcc.org or nashvillejcc. org/hanukkahfest •
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18 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
Vanderbilt Hillel Partners with Gift of Life, the Nashville Predators, and the Nashville Soccer Club to Save Lives G ift of Life’s (GOL) mission is to cure blood cancer though cellular therapy. This organization engages the public to get involved in curing blood cancer, whether as a donor, volunteer, or a financial supporter. One of the ways Gift of Life implements its mission is by organizing donor recruitment drives. GOL provides the training and materials to swab the cheeks of prospective donors and find matches for patients in need of bone marrow or stem cell donations. Vanderbilt Hillel has partnered with Gift of Life since October 2019 as part of the Campus Ambassador program (CAP). Nearly 65% of donors are between the ages of 18 and 29, so Gift of Life formed the CAP program to team up with college campuses all over the country to organize donor recruitment drives. Since the beginning of its partnership, Vanderbilt Hillel has advised campus ambassadors in 102 campus drives, collected 2,763 swabs, found 48 matches, and saved 5 lives. Vanderbilt Hillel has partnered with the Nashville Predators and completed seven drives during the games, with two more scheduled. This partnership has been so successful that the Nashville Predators Foundation empowered by the Smile Direct Club, reached out to the Nashville Soccer Club so that Vanderbilt Hillel can organize a drive to swab fans at their games as well. Vanderbilt Hillel finished its first drive with the Nashville Soccer Club on September 3, 2022, with its “Kick Childhood Cancer Night.” During the game, seven campus ambassadors collected 64 swabs. In addition, there was a moment during the game in which a recipient of a life saving transplant had an opportunity to meet their donor. Eric Miller, a defender for the Nashville Soccer Club, participated in the first NSC drive a few days after the game. Amanda Bortner-Hirszman, Class of ‘24, is a campus ambassador for Vanderbilt University and active member of the Vanderbilt Hillel Tikkun Olam Committee. She says, “Working with gift of life is incredibly rewarding because I
get to see the impact our work has when meeting the donors and recipients. I enjoy swabbing events because it brings people together under a common cause. It was amazing to be invited to the Nashville Soccer Club practice and swab player Eric Miller, who was eager to learn more about Gift of Life. I feel so passionate about this organization and it’s great to see the rest of the Vanderbilt and Nashville community sharing that enthusiasm for curing cancer.” Brian Small, Jewish Community Recruitment Engagement Manager at Gift of Life commented, “Vanderbilt Hillel has been one of our best campus partners. Their support of the CAP program has been essential to our mission of saving lives.” •
Nashville Soccer Club Defender Eric Miller swabs to save lives with Amanda BortnerHirszman PHOTO CREDIT: RAH FOARD
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Simchas & Celebrations I S S U E
COMING JANUARY 2023 We will be highlighting lifecycle events including Weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, Anniversaries and Births. We know that you will want to be included in this issue. For advertisers who contract a 1/8 page ad or larger we will be happy to contact you for articles pertaining to your business.
Deadline for ads is December 15, 2022 Contact: Carrie Mills, Advertising Manager 615-354-1699 e-mail: carrie@nashvillejcc.org or fax: 615-352-0056 The Jewish Observer • December 2022
19
Feeding a crowd this Chanukah? We canhelp. Find recipes and more at publix.com/chanukah.
20 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
Networking Event Brings Young Professionals Together By SHERRI ROSENBERG
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ast month, over 35 Jewish young adults came to The Temple for “Networking and Noshing,” a joint program with NowGen – Jewish Federation and Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee’s young adult group – and Next Dor – The Temple’s young adult group. The participants were able to meet, learn and connect with eight mentors that are knowledgeable and successful in their fields. This was the second event of its kind, the first being this past spring. Knowing that many young adults are craving professional development and that there are many Nashville community events that focus on the topic, the co-chairs realized that they could create their own event with Jewish experts in their specific professional fields. These two events have received positive feedback from both the mentors and the participants. “Rabbi Danziger, Sheri Rosenberg and their team have been working hard to expand Judaism in Nashville beyond the strictly religious to include the community in all aspects,” said mentor Adam Boehler, the founder and CEO of Rubicon Founders. “At the networking event, leaders in the Jewish community had the opportunity to mentor up-and-comers along with great drinks, food, and conversation — ultimately this is what being Jewish is all about.” The evening began with a panel in which mentors shared the best piece of advice they have received, a “six-word memoir” that describes them as a person
Co-Chairs of Networking& Nosh l. to r.: Sheri Rosenberg, Anna Stern, Dina Barabash, Hayley Levy Kupin
and how they give back in the community – both secular and Jewish. Next, there were four 15-minute preassigned rounds for the participants to ask the mentors questions. “I enjoyed having the opportunity to meet amazing Jewish leaders in the community who have had great success in their professional and personal lives,” said attendee Jake Savitz. “My biggest takeaway is that if you focus on giving value rather than taking it, more people and opportunities will follow.” “We are lucky to live in a community where established professionals are not only available, but willing and excited to give their time and expertise,” said event co-chair Anna Stern. “It is inspiring to hear their stories and incredibly flatter-
Co-Chairs of Mentoring l. to r.: Harriet Schiftan, Alan Mazer, Matthew Leff, Adam Boehler, Jessica Averbuch, Fred Zimmerman, Rabba Daniella Pressner, Dr. Nancy Lipsitz
ing to hear so many of them be eager to learn about us and our careers. Simply looking at the numbers, the event was a resounding success – it is hard to get 40 busy people in the same room these days. Perhaps more important, though, was that the event seemed to have an immediate impact. We watched people exchange business cards, set up follow-up conversations and connect with new people and opportunities. People were excited about the future of this series, and we are, too!” •
Happy Hanukkah
The Jewish Observer • December 2022
21
has been bringing our community the latest Jewish news and features from Nashville and beyond for more than 0 years. 22 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
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The Nashville Jewish film Festival appreciates and is grateful to the many people who have sponsored the 2022 festival. PRODUCERS $7,500
Maria and Bernard A. Pargh Family Foundation Sandra Schatten Foundation Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Directors $3,000+
Annette Eskind Laurie and Steven Eskind Donna and Jeffrey Eskind Zander Insurance Agency
Stars $1000-$2,999
Beth, Betty and Karen, in Memory of Norman Ginsberg Clarendale in One Bellevue Place Cura for Care Bernice and Joel Gordon Gary S. Gutow Haley and Jacob Kuprin/The Kuprin Group Sheri B. Lanoff Barbara Levy The Navigation Trust Shirley and Stuart Speyer The Navigation Trust Zeitlin Sotebys International Reality
Polly and David Roffwarg BBSC Jan Riven Alan Perlman and Lana Axelrod NCJW Brenda and Bobby Rosenblum Kelly and Jacob Ungar Chabad Linda and Jeffrey Schoenblum Jessica Turk West End Synagogue Charlotte Seloff Erin and Greg Zagnoev Argent Trust Co. Neil Smith Vanderbilt University Program in Jewish Ruth Smith Contributors Studies Barbara Speller Dudley C. Richter Now Gen, Next Dor Nan E. Speller Betsy and Ridley Wills Community Relations Committe Blair Stefanescu Dara and Craig Freiberg Tn Holocaust Commission Ann Stern Suzanne Cohen Vanderbilt University Holocaust Lecture Willy Stern Avi Poster Series Joni Werthan Barbara Turner Women of the W.E..L.L Karen Yazdian Gordon JCC Craig Sussman Hosts Hadassah Young Professionals $140 Sherith Israel
Co-stars $600-$999
Jamie and Jeremy Brook Robin and Mark Cohen Shari and Rod Essig Lynn and Scott Ghertner Rae and Bruce Hirsch Vicki and Rick Horne Morgan Karr Ellen and Michael Levitt Marcum LLP Marlene Eskind Moses Sharon and Moises Paz Missy and Phil Russ Loretta and Ed Saff Suzanne and James Schulman - donor Advised fund of Jfed Joan B. Shayne Joyce Vise Joni Werthan Libby and Moshe Werthan
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Supporting Cast $325- $174
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Judaism • Education • Connection • Spirituality • Friendship Meaning • Ancestors • Religion • Culture • Discovery • Fun The Jewish Observer • December 2022
23
0D\ WKH JORZ RI WKH FDQGOHV ILOO \RXU KHDUW DQG KRPH ZLWK OLJKW DQG KDSSLQHVV
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Staff of Jewish Federation & Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. /(6/,( .,5%<, PRESIDENT
24 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
Noah’s Ark Comes Alive
Children at the Revere Jewish Montessori Preschool brought the story of Noah’s Ark to life, feeding the animals, building their own little arks, and learning the Hebrew alphabet with the Montessori method of education. To learn more about the Revere Jewish Montessori Preschool, or to schedule a personal tour of the preschool, call 615-646-5750
Happy Chanukah From our family to yours, we wish you a peaceful holiday full of light. Sincerely, Jeffrey J. Zander, CIC 4 Generations. 95 Years of Service. LIFE · IDENTITY THEFT · DISABILITY · BUSINESS · HOME · AUTO · LONG-TERM CARE
zanderins.com
Learn more about the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee at www.jewishnashville.org
800.356.4282
Please support the businesses that advertise in the Observer and help support our community in all ways! Make sure to let them know... you saw their ad here! The Jewish Observer • December 2022
25
Nashville Hadassah Supports Hadassah’s Efforts in Ukraine
O
A Cluckwork Orange, winner of the Best Mild category, shows off their samples. Pictured l to r: Jim Handler, Stuart Wiston, Rami Weismark. Photo credit: Emily Allen
Kosher Nashville Hot Chicken Festival: Another Spicy Success! By EVAN NAHMIAS
T
he seventh Annual Kosher Nashville Hot Chicken Festival was another community success! Held in collaboration with the Nashville Jewish Arts and Music Fest, the KNHCF at Nashville’s Gordon JCC brought together members of every Jewish house of worship with their non-religious and non-Jewish friends to enjoy a great day of food and music. One 2015 opportunity for a West End Synagogue kiddush club to taste Nashville hot chicken has grown into a destination event for foodies, kosher foodies and the kids of Nashville. The KNHCF started with one professional, Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish, and one amateur team adapting their cooking skills to the laws of kashrut. Friends and families, having enjoyed the first event, began forming teams. In 2016, a group of Temple folks came together around Dan Goldstein and Jeremy Brooks’ idea of making a cooking contest fun, and Michael and Elizabeth Wolfe formed the Holy Flock to go head-to-head against Byran (zl) and Danielle Stein representing West End Synagogue. Robert Taeidkashani and NowGen formed a team and the competition got heated. Several years later, after changing chicken recipes and a pandemic, the recipe for fun remains the same: Bring together people, hot chicken, cold beer and good music and you cannot go wrong. From the arrival of the chicken from Atlanta’s Grillers Pride butchery to the clearing of the grounds, the KNHCF volunteers, participants and staff of the J made smiles and memories. Some slightly “fowl” weather found a few fleeing the flock, but the lines for tasting
remained until the last tender. While some team names and professionals have changed – Hattie B’s and Hurt’s Hot Chicken – the KNHCF is something folks look forward to each year. After hearing about the event for years, national kosher food social media producers, Tripping Kosher, made the trip from Washington D.C. to Nashville to enjoy the day. This year’s judges included Nashville scene food, drink and travel writer Chris Chamberlain, local food writer and chef Nancy Vienneau and JCC camp director Andrew Fishman. After tasting every team’s effort, the judges awarded best mild to West End’s Cluckwork Orange and best hot and grand champions to the Chickun Alom, formerly Frey Enu. Akiva School, the people’s choice winner, also won honorable mention for its fried pickles. Enlisting the professional services of Rhizome Productions and Matt Leff came with the added benefit of his leadership, along with Sherith Israel Cantor Dov Rosenblatt, and skill to co-produce the KNHCF alongside the JAM Fest. While the KNHCF has always focused on Nashville hot chicken and featured live music and children’s activities, the JAM Fest leadership knows music and art. Combining separate focuses into one great community event was a net win for Nashville. With local, national and international music artists leading the charge, Memphis folks such as Zach Kaplan and his family jumped in the car for the opportunity to see the kind of musical talent not often found on one bill, much less in Tennessee. The participants, attendees and vendors remain excited about the success of 2022 and are already working to make 2023 another great pair of events. •
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Happy Hanukkah 26 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
n Oct. 30, over 100 people attended the Hadassah Donor Concert at West End Synagogue, where internationally known singer, Batsheva, performed the music of Leonard Cohen in 4 languages. Batsheva has translated many of his best known songs into Yiddish and Hebrew. This event was chaired by Marsha Jaffa, a past president of Nashville Hadassah, and Sherri Holzer. Susan Smolinsky, the president of the Southern Region of Hadassah, attended and spoke about the life saving work that Hadassah medical personnel performed on the border of Ukraine and Poland. Since the conflict began, Israel has taken in over 35,000 Ukrainians. Donations from this event will be distributed to Hadassah Hospital and Youth Villages where displaced Ukrainian youth are living and going to school. Hadassah is
Internationally renowned singer, Batsheva, performed a concert of Leonard Cohen music at Hadassah’s annual donor event.
thankful to the Jewish community for their generous support. Donations may still be made by check or online at: hadassahsupersouth.org/donorconcert. •
Pictured l to r: Geri Siegel, Concert Co-Chair Sherri Holzer, Andrea Federmann, Lorna Graff, Deana Goldstein, Beth Wise. Photo credit: Rick Wise
Over 100 people attended the Hadassah donor event at West End Synagogue. Photo credit: Rick Wise
Dear Esther It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement. I have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with every one of you through this column. I plan to travel, spend time with my family (especially my grandchildren), spend time in my kitchen perfecting the art of baking Challah and make more Matzo Ball Soup to share with friends and family. I am hoping that Nashville will start an annual Matzo Ball Soup contest and I will be sure return to enter my famous that would win the golden ladle. During my time with JFS, I have created deep relationships with the staff and whole heartedly believe in the work they do. They have decided to keep the column but change the format to a group effort so you can hear from all the staff at JFS. Each staff person will be taking
a turn talking about their work, perspectives, and inspirations as it relates to the community. I have agreed to remain open to being a guest columnist as needed. As we approach Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, let’s keep in mind that each one of us has the ability to be a beacon of light in someone’s darkness. Live each day as a Shamash, the helper candle of the menorah, spreading joy and light whenever possible. You don’t have to do big things or save someone’s life to make an impact. Sometimes it’s the littlest things have the most impact on a person’s life. Jewish Family Service is the Shamash candle of this community, spreading light where darkness exists. L’hitraot (Until we meet again), – Esther
December in the Galleries: Featured Work of SNAP Photographers, Nashville Collage Collective T
he Janet Levine March Gallery and JLMG2 gallery will feature the work of the Society of Nashville’s Artistic Photographers. SNAP has become known for its excellence in fine art photography, creating images that make the viewer smile, think, question or wonder. Members’ work has been shown not only in local and regional exhibitions and collections, but also in national and international forums. The current exhibition at the Gordon JCC is curated by Jonathan Trundle, an associate professor in MTSU’s department of media arts in the photography program. Trundle selected 40 images that “explore various emotions, feelings, experiences, ideas and styles that are engaging, stimulating, creative and are sources of imagination for the viewers.” In 2004, a small group of Nashville photographers met to form an informal group that concentrates on the creative aspect of photography. Today, SNAP provides a forum for discussing the work of members and notable photographers. Building on the advantage of being small and informal, SNAP enables members to have active conversations with one another as well as outside experts – sharing wisdom, projects and insights. In short, SNAP is dedicated to promoting fine art photography in Nashville. The Sig Held Gallery will feature the work of The Nashville Collage Collective. The Nashville Collage Collective is a unique forum where local artists can share materials and ideas while they support each other in the exploration of collage techniques, collaboration and exhibition of work. Members have gathered regularly for the past 12 years to work side by side at free-form workshops which have taken place at venues such as Turnip Green Creative Reuse, Zeitgeist
Bubbles at the Standing Stones Birds, by Doris Wasserman
Gallery and the home studio of organizer Lisa Haddad. Artists come from a wide array of artistic backgrounds – assemblagists, sculptors, fiber artists, painters and collaborators – all bringing their unique techniques and processes to collage. This year, they present a great variety of wall-collages as well as 3D items that are more gift-oriented in the Gordon JCC’s Sig Held Gallery – over 20 artists will be participating, and the range of experimentation and variety of materials is stunning! The Senior Lounge continues to feature the work of Marilynn Derwenskus. The House gallery will feature the Under One Roof collaborative exhibit. The exhibition dates are Dec. 1 to 30. The exhibitions are free and open to the public. Attendees will need to sign in at the front desk. For more information, contact the GJCC at 615-354-1699,
Untitled, by Marla Faith
Untitled, by Lisa Haddad
curator Carrie Mills at carrie@nashvillejcc.org, or go to www.nashvillejcc.org. •
Floral Medley, by Robin Stein Lasky
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Happy Hanukkah
Chu C Ch hu h ucckk & H Heid eiide eeid iid de Craw raw ra awfor ffo orrd o
Providing Funeral Services Since 1985 (615) 254-8200 www.crawfordservices.com The Jewish Observer • December 2022
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At Our Congregations… Nashville’s congregations Here are the websites for all five Nashville Jewish congregations, with information on services, upcoming events and more: Congregation Beit Tefilah Chabad, www.chabadnashville.com Congregation Micah, www.congregationmicah.org Congregation Sherith Israel, www.sherithisrael.com The Temple – Congregation Ohabai Sholom, www.templenashville.org West End Synagogue, www.westendsyn.org
@ Chabad /Congregation Beit Tefilah Pop Up Hanukkah Gift Shop comes to Nashville
Join friends for a morning of Bagels, Lox and Torah on Sunday, December 4, at 10:00 AM, in the Bernard Ballroom at Chabad of Nashville. Partake in a delicious spread of bagels, lox, cream cheese, and freshly brewed coffee as you learn Chasidic insights into the weekly Torah portion. Nourish your Mind, Body and Soul with BLT at Chabad of Nashville. RSVP at chabadnashville.com
@ Micah Congregation Micah - an inclusive, innovative synagogue exploring and celebrating Jewish life - is committed to building community and repairing the world! We offer creative and diverse ways to live a Jewish life in Tennessee and beyond, using the rich beliefs and practices of Progressive Judaism as our foundation. Visit our 30+ acre campus or access our virtual programs from our website, www.congregationmicah.org. Like us on socials: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MicahNashville; sign up for our e-blasts; learn and pray with us in person or on YouTube, Zoom, and our Livestream. In our tent, there is room for everyone!
Weekly Events Sanctuary Shabbat Services: Fridays at 6 PM
Candles, Gelt, menorahs, and gift items are all waiting for you at Chabad of Nashville’s POP UP Chanukah Gift Shop. This will be “your one stop shop for all your Chanukah needs.” At the pop-up gift shop will find a nice selection of Menorahs, candles, Chanukah gifts for all ages, decorations, dreidels, games, chocolate gelt, gift wrap and more. The Chanukah Gift Pop Up Shop will be open from December 1 – 23, Monday thru Friday, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and is located at Chabad of Nashville, 95 Bellevue Road. For more information call 615-646-5750.
At Micah, we approach God in many ways: the inspiration of words, the beauty of sacred space, the authenticity of our intention, and through the power of music and song. Join us in-person or virtually for services this month that will be as diverse as they are engaging, and as moving as they are participatory. Come early and schmooze with us starting at 5:15! Light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments served.
Get Your Authentic Sufganiyot right here in Nashville
Mah Jongg: Tuesdays from 12:30 PM- 3:30 PM
Jelly donuts are one of the most symbolic dishes of Chanukah, but have you ever wondered how that came to be? Of all the delicious fried foods to nosh on — fried pancakes, fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, schnitzel — how did the jelly donut, or sufganiyah , a.k.a. the Jelly Donut rise to popularity? Every culinary culture has a doughy pastry fried in oil, a local version of the doughnut. Jews are no exception. Wherever Jews have lived throughout history, they’ve made a tradition of creating a special Chanukah version of fried dough to celebrate the Miracle of Oil. Ashkenazi Jews emigrating from Germany brought the Sufganiyot tradition to Israel in the 1930s. This year Chabad of Nashville will be offering the opportunity to order Sufganiyot (authentic Jelly donuts) for your Chanukah celebration. All order can be placed at chabadnashville.com, and are to be made by December 15. Who can resist these fluffy pillows of dough this Chanukah. These always fly off the table. Make sure to get one before they’re gone! Sufganiyot orders can be made online at chabadnashville.com
Chabad to host two TGIS celebration in December Start your Shabbat off right with good friends, great conversation, and excellent kosher cuisine, all seasoned with the perfect amount of spirit and joy. TGIS is a Club Med Shabbat: An all-inclusive Shabbat experience. Enjoy a Friday night Shabbat dinner replete with traditional dishes. Blended with spirited singing, a Chasidic tale, and a chance to meet some wonderful new people. TGIS will be held on Friday evening, December 9, at 6:30 PM at Chabad of Nashville. On Friday, December 23, there will be a special Chanukah edition of the TGIS Thank G-d It’s Shabbat celebration. The event will include a sit down festive Shabbat dinner, and will include all of the Chanukah trimmings, latkes, donuts, chocolate gelt and more. There is no cost to attend the TGIS Shabbat experience, however we kindly request that you RSVP by letting us know you will be attending at chabadnashville@ gmail.com
Meet in Person for Prayer and Cholent Chabad of Nashville is a happening place on Shabbat mornings. Join community and Friends for Shabbat morning services, replete with joyful prayer, kavanah, simcha and great energy. Join Chabad on Shabbat mornings at 10:00 AM for prayer and Torah reading, inspiring learning and a weekly sermon, followed by a hot cholent, freshly baked Challah, a gourmet buffet lunch, and a weekly farbrengen with some friendly L’Chaim.
BLT – Bagels, Lox and Torah
28 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
Saturday Morning Torah Study: Saturdays at 9 AM on Zoom
Deep conversations about the text with thoughtful and caring people led by the clergy. Join our players for an afternoon of fun in the social hall! For more information, contact Paula: pgkwn@comcast.net.
Schmooze & Views: Thursdays from 10:30 AM- 11:30 AM In-Person
At Micah, we keep politics off the pulpit but not out of the building. Share your views in a round-table discussion on current events facilitated by Rabbi Flip and Dr. Bob Smith.
December Events: Micah Reads: Monday, December 5, and Monday, January 9, at 7 PM on Zoom
Education Director Julie Greenberg leads the discussion on the book Waking Lions by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen in December and Once We Were Brothers by Ronald H. Balson in January. All are welcome.
The Courage to Kindle Flame: A Pre-Chanukah Yoga Practice with Rabbi Tara Feldman and Sharon Epstein of Lev Shalem Yoga: Thursday, December 8, at 6 PM at Congregation Micah
In the short, cold days of winter, Chanukah challenges us to access strength and vision. Darkness spurs us to connect with our inner flame—the light and energy of the body. So let’s burn off doubt and fear, deepen our breath and step into the courage of a Maccabee warrior. With strong and sustained poses, our Chanukah yoga practice will build heat and energy in body and spirit. Bring comfortable clothing, water and a yoga mat or towel. All yoga levels and abilities are welcome. This event is in partnership with Shakti Power Yoga. Participants will have the opportunity to purchase Sharon and Tara’s new book Into a Jewish Holiday Year: A Workbook and Guided Journey for Body, Mind and Soul.
Women’s Circle: Friday, December 9, at 12 PM In-Person
Rabbi Laurie challenges your intellect through study and conversation on Judaism and other relevant topics. All are welcome. Bring a friend!
Sports Trivia: Tuesday, December 13, at 10:30 AM In-Person
Have you ever wondered who was on 3rd base when Bobby Thompson of the New York Giants hit “the shot heard ‘round the world” to defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951? Find out the answer to this question and many more when you join Martin Light and other Micah members for an hour of sports trivia on the second Tuesday of every month. Questions? Contact Martin at martylight@aol.com.
Chanukah Dinner: Friday, December 16, immediately following Shabbat Service
Join us for a celebratory meal, Chanukiah contest, and more! Find out more information and RSVP at www.congregationmicah.org/events.
Save the Date! Serving our Seniors: “Jewsical Theatre”: Thursday, January 12, at 12:15 PM In-Person
Jews have long had an affection for musical theatre. So it’s no surprise that many of the greatest musical theatre composers, lyricists, and book writers happened to be Jewish! Cantor Goldberg will present a concert of classic Broadway songs written by Jewish composers. From Irving Berlin, Oscar Hammerstein, and Leonard Bernstein to Stephen Sondheim, Cantor Goldberg will give you a taste of all the greats! More details to come.
At Our Congregations… @ Sherith Israel Rabbi Yosef and Rookie Shapiro On December 9-10, the Sherith Israel community will welcome Rabbi Yosef and Rookie Shapiro to the community for a powerful Shabbaton weekend, where the Shapiros will give insight into the world of infertility, sharing their own personal struggle on their path to parenthood. Rabbi Yosef Shapiro is the Senior Rabbi of the Brookhaven Kollel, an outreach community founded by him and his wife that now services hundreds of young Jews. Rabbi Shapiro counsels couples from around the world who are struggling with infertility. Rabbi Shapiro will open people’ s eyes up to what is really going on within the world of infertility, which will hopefully increase awareness and sensitivity about this struggle that permeates the Jewish world. Rabbi and Rebbetzin Shapiro’s unique perspective will be both informative and encouraging. For details, please visit www.sherithisrael.com or email the Shul office: office@sherithisrael.com
Sherith Israel Latke Dinner Congregation Sherith Israel will once again be putting on its annual Latke Dinner and Chanukah celebration, on Sunday, December 18, 2022. The tradition began around the year 1910 and has continued to this day. The celebration will begin with the lighting of the Limor Menorah, at 5:45 pm, followed by a festive Chanukah dinner with latkes and other traditional foods. As always, the Sherith Israel house band will entertain guests. The entire community is invited and reservations can be made through the Shul office. By phone, (615) 292-6614 or by email, office@sherithisrael.com. Adults, $16, Kids $10. Families $50. Happy Chanukah!
@ The Temple December 2022 Events All programming can be accessed via thetemplehub.org unless noted to be in person
Pirkei Avot: Jewish Wisdom for Today’s World Every Friday from 5:00-5:40 PM
Get ready for Shabbat with a little text study! Each week we will study a piece of wisdom from Pirkei Avot, The Ethics of our Ancestors, an ancient Jewish text still relevant in our own times. Available in person at The Temple and via zoom. Zoom Room: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81973096738
Shabbat Schedule for December
Our Shabbat Services will be held in person at The Temple. You can also watch via zoom from thetemplehub.org. Friday, December 2nd~ 6:00 PM Friday, December 9th~ 6:00 PM Friday, December 16th~6:00 PM-PRE CHANUKAH SERVICE WITH THE MAZEL TONES, HONORING OUR TRIBE LEADERS AND BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS FOLLOWED BY A FESTIVE LATKE ONEG Friday, December 23rd ~ 6:00 PM –CHANUKAH BLUE JEAN SHABBAT WITH CHINESE FOOD ONEG Friday, December 30th ~ 6:00 PM –BLUE JEAN SHABBAT
Golden Lunch Bunch
Will meet at Temple from 11:30-1:00pm on December 6th with entertainment by Bob Stevens December 20th our Hanukkah Party RSVP to Jamie Maresca at 615-354-1686 or via email at helpinghands@ jfsnashville.org
Chevrah Torah Study 9:30AM on Saturdays
Join us for our weekly Torah study on the portion of the week, led by the clergy. You can join us in person at The Temple or via zoom from thetemplehub.org
Tot Shabbat- (for families with children up to age 5)
These opportunities offer families the chance to celebrate Shabbat with their young children in a creative way. Saturday, December 3rd ~ 10:00 AM Our theme is Chanukah
Women’s Torah Study December 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd 29th 10:30 AM
Ongoing weekly women’s Torah study led by Patty Marks. Available in person at The Temple and via zoom through thetemplehub.org
Lunch with the Rabbi December 1st, 8th & 15th Lunch at 11:30AM Program12:00-1:00 PM $15 per person for lunch
Engage with Rabbi Danziger and guests in a discussion of current and important issues from a Jewish perspective. RSVP on thetemplehub.org or by calling the Temple at 615-352-7620 Available in person and via Zoom. Zoom Room: thetemplehub.org
Hike and Havdallah-December 17th
Where and When for the Hike? Meet at the top of the steps at the end of Belle Meade Boulevard at 2:45 PM with the hike of the 2.5 mile white trail to begin at 3:00 PM. If you are not hiking, please meet us for Havdalah at the stone gate entrance to the park at 4:30 PM. Who?All ages! Bring friends and family. For more information or questions, please contact Anne Davenport at adavlaw@ comcast.net
Monday Morning Mah Jongg
Join Us for MAH JONGG Mondays at The Temple! December 5th, 12th, 29th from 10:00 AM - Noon+ Drop in for Mah Jongg. We’ll have coffee and water. Bring your friends, a card, and a set and have some fun. Mah Jongg cards and sets are available for purchase in The Temple Gift Shop.
Writers of the Lost Ark First Wednesday of the Month December 7th 7:00-8:00 PM
Are you looking for a creative outlet? Writers of the Lost Ark, our Temple writer’s group, meets the first Wednesday of each month currently via Zoom. This is a safe, supportive, and no pressure environment to share your creative ideas whether they be stories, songs, poems, or praise. The group is open to all regardless of how little or how long you’ve been writing. Those curious to find their creative side are welcome as well. For more information, please contact ninapacent@bellsouth.net.
Chanukah Schedule
To learn more about our Chanukah festivities go to thetemplehub.org Date Night Event _____ Friday, December 16 Pre Chanukah Pre-Chanukah Family Service & Festive Oneg & Mazel Tones – 6:00 PM Sunday, December 18 Parking Lot Lighting – 5:30 PM Monday, December 19 1st Day Parking Lot Lighting – 5:30 PM Tuesday, December 20 2nd Day Clergy in the Kitchen – 12:00 - Zoom Parking Lot Lighting – 5:30 PM Champion Hot Chicken & Latkes in the Lot Wednesday, December 21 3rd Day Parking Lot Lighting – 5:30 PM Whiskey Wednesday for our Temple Together, Adults 35-50- Hot cider & whiskey tasting Thursday, December 22 4th Day Parking Lot Lighting – 5:30 PM Friday, December 23 5th Day Parking Lot Lighting – 5:00 PM Chanukah & New Member Shabbat & Chinese Food Oneg – 6:00 PM Saturday, December 24 6th Day Parking Lot Lighting – 5:30 PM Candle Lighting & Havdalah Sunday, December 25 7th Day Parking Lot Lighting – 5:30 PM
Jewish Learning on Your Own Schedule
Look for podcasts and videos prepared by musicians, scholars and clergy! 13 Attributes of God, Jewish Cooking Demos, Clergy Chats, Inside Israel and Jewish Music Sessions. Sessions will be posted on thetemplehub.org
@ West End For links to the following services or programs, please email office@westendsyn.org
Shacharit Join us for the only egalitarian in-person morning minyan in town! Sunday services will be at 9 a.m. and Monday – Friday will be at 7 a.m.
Daily Maariv service on Zoom Join us for daily Maariv at 6 p.m., Sunday – Thursday on Zoom. Email our office to get the link. Continued on page 30
The Jewish Observer • December 2022
29
At Our Congregations… Saturday, Dec. 10
@ WES
Saturday, Dec. 10, 10:30-11:30 am Join us for Tot Shabbat for families with children first grade and under and/or Junior Congregation for students in 2nd-6th grades. Stay for kiddush lunch following Shabbat services. The main service begins at 9:30 am.
Continued from page 29
Kabbalat Shabbat You are invited to join us for Kabbalat Shabbat on Fridays in person or on Zoom at 6:00 p.m. We are devoting every Friday evening to deepen our understanding of Jewish Ethics through a careful reading of Pirkei Avot.
Join us on the 3rd Friday of the month, 12/16
Morning Shabbat services
Join us on the 3rd Friday of the month, 12/16 for our new Young Professionals Shabbat. Services begin at 6 p.m. and a special pre-Chanukah oneg will follow.
You are invited to join us on Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. for Shabbat services and a meaningful conversation regarding the week’s Torah portion.
Talmud on Tuesdays Rabbi Joshua leads a lively Talmudic discussion at 7:30 a.m. every Tuesday, immediately after morning minyan. We are getting ready to finalize our fifth tractate (Makkot). In only a few weeks we will begin with a new one (Sotah).
Women’s Torah Group This group will meet again (on Zoom) on December 7 at 11:00 a.m. Rabbi Joshua Kullock leads the study group. We are currently studying the last few chapters in the Book of Numbers.
Men’s Torah Group This group will meet again (in person) on December 8 at 12:00 p.m. Rabbi Joshua Kullock is in charge of the classes. We are currently studying the First Book of Kings, and in the next class we will begin analyzing the stories related to Prophet Elijah.
Torah study Torah study with Nachemya Rosenfeld on Thursday mornings at 7:30 a.m. following morning minyan at 7:00 am.
Join us on the first Friday of the month, December 2 Join us on the first Friday of the month, December 2, at 6:00 pm for our special Anniversary Shabbat celebrating all December wedding anniversaries. All our couples will receive a special acknowledgement. Junior Congregation for students in 2nd-7th grades will also be held @ 6:00 p.m. Both services will be followed by a special Shabbat Oneg.
Join us on Saturday, December 3 Join us on Saturday December 3 for our annual Social Action Shabbat and the presentation of the Michael Mehlman Social Action Volunteer of the Year Award. This year’s award will be presented to Rick Schneider, for his outstanding volunteer service with Project Cure. Services begin at 9:30 a.m. and a special kiddush luncheon sponsored by the Social Action Committee will follow.
Sunday, December 4 is the Annual Sisterhood Torah Fund dinner This year’s event is celebrating 80 years of strength for the Women’s League of Conservative Judaism and honoring all the past presidents of our very own Music City chapter.
Wednesday, December 7, Learn and Lunch Wednesday, December 7, Learn and Lunch at 11:00 a.m. with Cantor Lieberman. Reservations required, catered lunch following presentation.
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30 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
Sunday, December 18 is the first night of Chanukah Come celebrate with us at a special Menorah lighting followed by delicious Chanukah treats. Candle Lighting and minyan at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, December 21, Learn and Lunch 11:00 a.m. with Jean Roseman. Reservations required, catered lunch following presentation.
Join us on the Fourth Saturday of the month, 12/24 Join us on the Fourth Saturday of the month, 12/24 for our special Birthday Shabbat celebrating all December birthdays. And since it is also Chanukah, Shabbat will be extra special as we read from Three Torahs! Services begin at 9:30 a.m. and a Chanukah kiddush sponsored by the synagogue to follow.
Holiday Dinner and a Movie! Holiday Dinner and a Movie! Join us on the last night of Chanukah for a special catered dinner and watch a movie on Sunday, December 25. Please check the synagogue website for more information and to make reservations (Reservations are required). www. westendsyn.org
Community Listings East Side Tribe It’s not a myth, it’s not disinformation, it’s really happening - East Side Tribe is teaming up with the MoHo Nashville crew to completely take over Inglewood Lounge for the chillest and illest Hanukkah party of your life! Come light candles with your neighbors as we laugh, dance, and schmooze in the warm glow of friendship and community. There will be veritable mountains of latkes, sufganiyot, and other deliciousness from Actual Food Nashville. Music will be provided by a DJ from WXNA – dancing will be enthusiastically encouraged. And of course, the Inglewood Lounge mixologists behind the bar will be shaking and mixing festive Hanukkah quaffables to lubricate your holiday spirits. Heads up on parking - there’s some, but not much, so please carpool with your friends, book a rideshare, or take a scooter (wear a helmet!) if you can! Wednesday, December 21st, 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Inglewood Lounge 3914 Gallatin Pike Nashville, TN 37216.
Nashville Jewish Film Festival Save Sunday Dec 4 in the afternoon for the Nashville Jewish Film Festival screening of The Fabelmans at the Belcourt Theater. This semi-autobiographical film written by Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner (Angels in America) and directed by Spielberg is a sure-fire Academy Award film. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.belcourt. org or by calling the box office at 615-846-3150, “Bring out the Oscars for the year’s best movie, a personal best from Steven Spielberg about his own coming of age as a teen torn between his love for movies and family (Michelle Williams is incandescent as his troubled mom). You won’t forget this classic.” Peter Travers, ABC News
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HAPPY HANUKKAH!
People of the Books The Plot: The Secret Story of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion by Will Eisner Reviews by ELYCE RAE HELFORD
F
or those of us who appreciate Art Spiegelman’s Maus for its popularization of Holocaust survivor accounts to address a popular audience or for its impact on debates over the “proper” style and content of Holocaust literature, we should also recognize that Spiegelman was not the first to use a comic book format to depict Jewish history. Will Eisner (1917-2005) is actually credited with penning the first “graphic novel,” A Contract With God, in 1978, consisting of four connected stories about Jews living on the mythical Dropsie Avenue in the Bronx. Regardless of what we call these books – graphic history, visual-verbal narratives, sequential art, comics, or the more common graphic novel – they allow artist-writers to share their visions and passions with broad audiences in welcoming fashion. Above all, they must not be mistaken as frivolous or trivializing. These books make use of their authors’ artistic talents while telling important new Jewish tales and reenvisioning past texts. To name just a few recent titles, this work ranges from Tamar Deutch’s The Illustrated Pirkei Avot (an oft-cited section of the Mishnah) to Rutu Modan’s Exit Wounds, in which a cab driver and a soldier confront the challenges of the present and past in Israel. But let’s return to Will Eisner. I want to champion the final book he created: The Plot: The Secret Story of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. While his interest in the written and verbal weapons antisemites use to promote their messages of hate lasted throughout his long career, an internet search for frauds he conducted late in life led Eisner to an English translation of the Protocols, a document allegedly written by a cabal of Jewish leaders to declare plans to take over the world. Eisner was shocked to find that the document was still being shared as truth. Despite successful legal cases and hundreds of scholarly denouncements, new readers were (and are) being sold on its veracity daily in the twenty-first century. Could the real history of this antisemitic forgery be told with equal force, he wondered, reaching beyond academics and those already convinced of its falseness? This would be Eisner’s
chosen task, a most unusual venture for an 80-something Jewish American comic book artist. The result of his efforts is The Plot, a detailed, compelling history of The Protocols, rich with the details of its origin, fabrications, and distributions. We receive introductions to all the relevant historical figures, from Tsar Nicholas II to Henry Ford and Adolf Hitler. The illustrated chronology walks the reader through each step of the text’s creation, including the context under which its original Russian author wrote and the twists and turns of adaptation and forgery that led to a truly devastating hoax that continues to this day. A particular highlight of the book is its pairing of The Protocols text with Maurice Joly’s 1864 document, The Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu. Situated in The Plot via a 1921 discussion between a London Times correspondent and Russian émigré Mikhail Raslovlev, we read along with 17 pages of excerpts to reach the same conclusion as the Times: “Historic Fake.” Denouncements of the document continue in chapters related to Berne, Switzerland in 1937, Washington DC in 1964, and multiple additional contexts through 2003. The book concludes with a powerful full-page image of floating leaflets around a burning synagogue, featuring headlines about antisemitic acts across the United States just before its publication. In the book’s Afterword, author Stephen Eric Bronner reminds us, “There is not an antisemitic movement that the pamphlet did not influence,” even as “the authenticity of the work does not seem to matter.” Given the ease of finding The Protocols online in dozens of languages today and the prominence of antisemitism in the world right now – from the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s claim that the 2018 California wildfires were ignited by a space laser controlled by a (Jewish) corporate cabal – we must face the fact that The Protocols continues to poison minds more than 100 years after its first publication. I know no better antidote to antisemitism than education, and Eisner provides it in his final book, in engaging fashion. To my mind, The Plot makes the perfect Hannukah gift to arm friends and family with the power of truth. • Elyce Rae Helford, PhD, is a professor of English and director of the Jewish and Holocaust Studies minor at Middle Tennessee State University. Reach her at elyce.helford@mtsu.edu.
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The Jewish Observer • December 2022
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LET’S TALK RETIREMENT! (…because it’s not just about the money!) By LORETTA SAFF
S
ometimes you have to just say it like it is: “MEN THINK RETIREMENT IS EASY.” It’s not. Men often feel ready to sprint when their bank statements and 401K reviews radiate, ‘It’s all good. Bring it on.’ Women think differently. Years before retirement they’ve already started on a list of new goals and meaningful activities, ever multi-tasking. Out of curiosity I decided to do
my own research. I randomly gathered a panel of six recently retired men and asked them to share their experiences. I asked one simple question: “What major piece of advice can you share regarding Retirement?” Here’s what they said: 1 - BILL GREENBERG (A name partner in a big, prestigious law firm): Ok, I’ll go first. When I’m asked about myself, I always try to be honest. I don’t promise something and then disappoint. I couldn’t stand people who would sound so cooperative about appearing in court and they’d take the 5th. So, here’s my answer: As I got closer to retirement, all I could think of was those cool retirement commercials on TV – Buy a boat! Own a second home! Send the grandkids to college! Those were my goals. I was fine the first six months; I even bought a boat. Then I got sunburned, and I started missing what I used to do – even dealing with those annoying people who take the 5th! I know I’m more than a’ used to be.’ MY ADVICE: Don’t let work be your identity. Remember, it’s not what you are retiring FROM; it’s what you are retiring TO. Plan Ahead. (That’s my favorite saying!) Next up… 2 - JIM ROSEN (award-winning journalist for more than 30 years) Hi. I’ve met a lot of people in my long and interesting career - sports figures, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and everyday Joes and Janes. I wrote about them, and they felt like friends. My co-workers and I partnered on stories, laughed, and joked around. They
32 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
added to the fun job. I thought I had plenty of friends. Then I retired. When I retired, all those people didn’t have time for me anymore. I never thought of friends in categories. But there it was - all my friends were ‘work’ friends. I needed ‘retirement’ friends. I’ve finally figured out some things I like and could do, and I’ve found some good guys to spend time with. But I ended up wasting a lot of time! MY ADVICE: While you are working, think about what you really enjoy spending time on. Find people with like interests and get to know them. They will be there to welcome you when you retire. I wish I had. (Everyone needs connection and socialization – especially in retirement!) I turned to… 3 - JOHN BERKOWITZ– (worked in Human Resources for many years) I have to admit when you asked me to take part in this panel, I didn’t want to join. I hate looking weak and admitting my struggle. Then I realized that maybe my experience can help others, so I was in. Retirement for me was not Heaven. In fact, it was the other H place, It took me a few months but I finally did something to change things. MY ADVICE: Look around and reach out to happy retired people you know. Find out how they handled retirement and got so comfortable. Talk with coaches or mentors to help you navigate the future. It doesn’t show weakness. In fact, it’s smart. (This brought smiles – I like a man who can show his vulnerability!) Continuing…
4 - ERIC CHASTAIN – (spent the last eight years as a C-suite executive) I’ve been retired 18 months, and all I can say is payback is brutal. I’m proud of my career record, and I know it was my focus and dedication that helped me reach the levels I did. But since I’ve retired, I’ve been to the doctor at least four times for different aches and pains. Some might say it’s because I’m not busy enough. Others said I should lose weight. The basic truth is that when I was working, I ignored my health. I did not take time to either stay home and rest or go for my annual checkup. I knew they need me at the office, and I had no time to take care of me. Geez, that was dumb. MY ADVICE: DO NOT IGNORE YOUR HEALTH. Go to the gym or go for a walk/run in your neighborhood. Eat right and get sleep. Find time for that colonoscopy and checkup. Sounds obvious, I know. I ignored it - make sure you don’t. (Yes, that’s smart.) Then… 5 - TOM SANDERS– (an engineer for a power company for 30 years) A few years ago, I took on the role of ‘lead engineer,’ I thought it was cool. I added three evenings a week to my schedule, but I made more money and enjoyed it. I’d get home after 7:00, and my supportive wife made sure dinner was ready and kids were taken care of. We had a good life. Six months ago, at 70, I finally retired. Boy, did I get a surprise! When I was working, my wife made all our social, outContinued on page 34
Health and Wellness Corner Hanukkah oh Hanukkah come enjoy my latke party By SHERRI HOLZER
W
ho doesn’t love a little latke? Or a giant latke? Or a mound of hot and crispy potato latkes piled high in the center of an oversized round wooden board encircled by small bowls filled with toppings that make your mouth water and your mind wonder. Sure, there is applesauce and sour cream, but have you met me? I love showing others how to be open to new things and culinary adventures. Have you ever tried latkes topped with blue cheese crumbles, chopped pecans and honey? Shredded BBQ brisket and caramelized onions? Pomegranate seeds sprinkled atop honey goat cheese spread? Or with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and caviar? During the eight nights of Hanukkah we celebrate the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. One definition of rededication is a ceremony in which something is dedicated to a goal or purpose. When I was young, my goal and purpose of Hanukkah was begging for a turn to light the shamash and to see how fast I could tear open the blue and white ribbons to find my Easy Bake Oven and Tuesday Taylor Penthouse. As a Nutrition Health Coach, I now see how Hanukkah can also be a time for rededicating your personal goal of wellness. Rededicating yourself to health can, should and in my opinion, include latkes!! It saddens me each year around this time to see the frustration of those who associate the time to start a new diet as a negative, difficult, and challenging experience. Why on earth would anyone want to start, let alone stick with anything they do that makes them feel stressed? That’s why I think the word diet needs a rededication too. Diet is defined as the type of food a person habitually eats. If your diet is mainly fast food, drive thru, prepackaged and highly processed, then maybe it’s time to hold a diet ceremony that highlights the goal of enjoying what you eat, the purpose of receiving energy from whole foods, and the joy of celebrating tradition without guilt Here are eight ways to rededicate your own wellness goals: 1. WATER: Understand how actually drinking a lot of water helps your brain function, improves body waste elimination, and improves skin tone 2. MOVEMENT: Stop thinking you have to get a gym membership. Just move your body. Walk around the block, dance in the kitchen or toss a
frisbee with the grandkids. 3. INGREDIENTS: Read the labels and stop eating foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce. 4. GRATITUDE: Make it a habit to open your eyes in the morning and think of three things you are grateful for. 5. SLEEP: If you are having consistent trouble sleeping a solid 6-8 hours, it’s time to get some help. 6. SELF-IMAGE: Find ways to embrace your inner beauty. 7. COOKING: Start viewing cooking for yourself as self-care – it’s the ultimate way to gain control over your health and weight. 8. CROWDING OUT: Stop obsessing over what you can’t have. Start adding more healthy options in order to “crowd out” space for choices that don’t serve you. May you be embraced in light as you rededicate your own journey to health. Chag Hanukkah Sameach!
Recipe for giant cast iron latke with apple and pomegranate: Ingredients • 2 russet potato • 3 TBS olive oil • 2 egg • ¼ cup parmesan or romano cheese, grated. • 2 TBS green onion minced • 1 TBS fresh dill, chopped • black pepper (5-6 tuns of a pepper grinder) Instructions 1. Peel potatoes and shred on a coarse grater. Place shreds in a thin tea towel and twist to wring out the liquid. Get it all out! 2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet over high heat and add olive oil. 3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cheese, green onions, dill, and black pepper. Add potatoes and stir to incorporate. 4. When the oil is shimmering, add the potato pancake batter. Using a spatula, pat it into an even layer while leaving the top a little bit lumpy. 5. Cook on the stovetop for 5 to 6 minutes, until the bottom is starting to brown and set. 6. Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. 7. When the pancake seems cooked through, switch to the broiler and cook until the top is quite brown and crunchy. 8. Remove the pancake from the oven and let cool in the skillet for a few minutes. Once it’s no longer piping hot, slide it onto a cutting board, cut into wedges or serve whole topped with thinly sliced apple, drizzle of honey and sprinkle of pomegranate seeds. •
Kvetch in the City By CARRIE MILLS
“O
hhh, I wanna dance with somebody, with somebody who loves me.” Whitney Houston I love to dance. Back in the day, home alone, I’d crank up the volume and get to it. It’s funny/not funny to me how the things I love to do the most are the things I seem to do the least. Now that I’m looking at more years of my life behind me rather than in front, it’s striking way closer to home the importance of finding time to do more of the things that spark joy…which includes, travel, being creative, and yes…dancing! I think I began to touch upon this in last month’s column, finding gratitude and joy. It’s been heartening to receive so many wonderful comments from my column’s readers, agreeing with me. It dawned on me from the emails I received that readers may have needed relief from my series of dismal dating drama as much as I did. My momentary reprieve from kvetching about my lackluster dating life and focusing more on gratitude seemed to hit a nerve. (A good nerve apparently). I’m glad to have offered some much-needed optimism. I know I sure needed it. At the time I was writing last month’s column, the mid-term elections were right around the corner and quite honestly, speaking for myself, I needed all the optimism I could muster with the prospect of political doom hanging over
the country as far as I saw it. I can’t recall how many times I have actually engaged in conversations with friends over the last few years discussing the very real possibility of moving out of this country depending on how the elections played out. It reminded me of a quote I read somewhere that went something like, “Jewish people always know where their passports are.” In the last six years I’ve come to understand that reality more than I wish I had to. Thank goodness, the mid-term elections are over now, and my political anxiety and election cycle PTSD can be put to rest, along with my passport, at least until 2024. Speaking of passports, last year at this time, my son and I had planned a trip and bought tickets to visit family in Israel whom I have not seen in over 20 years. I was so looking forward to it, and then Covid shut down the borders the day before we were to leave. That trip went down the tubes. This year, even with no big plans in sight, I am looking forward to the upcoming holidays. Now that Covid has seemingly settled in with all the other regular seasonal diseases, like the flu and colds, and vaccines and boosters seem more like a morning routine, the new “normal” has finally taken hold. I’ve noticed I long to socialize again, go to holiday parties and yes, dance. So, while 2022 comes to an end and while, yes “I wanna dance with somebody, somebody who loves me” I think this holiday season, I’ll just party like it’s 1999 for old times’ sake. •
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HAPPY HANUKKAH The Jewish Observer • December 2022
33
Chason “Chase” Bennett Ginsberg
Lifecycles B’rit Mitzvah Elizabeth “Libby” Friedman
Elizabeth “Libby” Friedman will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, December 3,at 10:30 a.m. at Congregation Micah. Libby is the child of David and Amy Friedman, the sibling of Teddy Friedman, and the grandchild of Harvey Shenker of Long Island, N.Y., and Judith and Alvin Friedman of Mechanicsburg, Pa. A seventh grader at J.T. Moore Middle School, Libby enjoys volleyball, math and reading. For a Mitzvah project, Libby is raising funds and awareness for Proverbs 12:10, an animal shelter that helps find homes for rescues.
Chason “Chase” Bennett Ginsberg will become a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, December 10, at 11 a.m. at The Temple. Chase was born on December 4, 2009, in Evanston, Ill. His parents are Andrew and Jessica Ginsberg. His grandparents are Ronald and Anne Ginsberg of Savannah, Ga.; Jeffrey and Elaine Korn and Steven and Eileen Hamburg, all of St. Louis, Mo. A seventh grader at University School of Nashville, Chase enjoys playing basketball and lacrosse, eating spicy food and watching the “The Simpsons.” He also loves hanging out with his friends and going on fly-fishing adventures with his dad. For his mitzvah project, Chase supported the Friends of Percy Warner Park. He invited family and friends to join for an invasive species pull where they removed invasive plants that are harmful to plants and animals and threaten the health of the park.
Obituaries Irving Loyd Greenberg
Condolences to the family of Irving Loyd Greenberg, who died on November 10. He is survived by his wife, Helen Jean Greenberg; son, Stephen Greenberg (Julie Kohner); daughter, Sandy Freed (David); and grandchildren, Daniel Greenberg, Allyson Freed and Nicole Freed. Donations may be made in Irv’s memory to the American Heart Association or Congregation Micah.
Rebecca May
Condolences to the family of Rebecca May, who died on November 11, six days before her 104th birthday. Becky was a beloved mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. She was born Rebecca Leibovici in Montgomery, Ala., on November 17, 1918, six days after the signing of the
World War I Armistice. She married Ike (Isaac) May on October 23, 1938, and together they gave much of their 62 years together to family and community. Becky and Ike had seven children: Linda, Norma, Marlene, Fred, Joel, Gloria and Robert and taught them to love one another, to be compassionate, to strive to be impactful in the world, and devotedly give back to our communities. Becky is predeceased by her devoted husband, Ike, her daughter Linda May Horwitz, and son-in-law, Donald Horwitz. She is survived by children, Norma and Sandy Goldberg, Marlene and Ricky Beringer, Fred and Susan May, Joel May and Kevin Kirby, Gloria and Dr. Paul Sternberg, and Robert and Stacy May; grandchildren, Jan and Dennis Williams, Jeff Horwitz, Michael and Lydia Beringer, Leigh Anne and David Nomberg, Stephanie and Michael Beasley, Ryan May, Matthew Sternberg and Lizzie Amundsen, Zach Sternberg, Austin May and Benjamin May; great grandchildren, Emma and Chloe Horwitz, George and Will Beringer, Lillie and Ellis Nomberg, Zoey Borden, Ella and Becca Beasley, Evan Foltz, and Taylor and Christopher Reynolds. The family asks that donations be directed to Walker Area Community Foundation (wacf.org), Southeast Hospice (southeasthospicenetwork.com) or West End Synagogue (westendsyn.org).
Beverly Silverman
Happy Chanukah
A Unique Monument for a Unique Life
Condolences to the family of longtime West End Synagogue congregant Beverly Silverman. Beverly is the sistyer of the late Perry and Irving Silverman, and is survived by her cousin, Leslie Stillman (Barry). A funeral took place graveside at the West End Cemetery on Tuesday, November 22.
Retirement Continued from page 32
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34 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer
reach, and volunteer plans. I never asked her vision of life when I retired. Now that I’m home, she goes off to meetings and lunches and volunteer gigs, and I sit around wondering what to do. Yesterday she said to me, “I married you for better and for worse, but not every day for lunch!” MY ADVICE: Talk about Retirement with your partner. Listen and understand what each of you envisions, and then make your plans. (Well said…) And finally, 6 - TED NOLAN– (well-known realtor in town) I’ve just retired – as in 10 months ago. My plans included ‘doing nothing!’ I can read when I want and maybe watch a few new shows on Netflix. Spontaneity sounded so good. Let me just say, I thought this whole Retirement thing would be easy –It’s not. MY ADVICE: Don’t sit around in Retirement waiting to be inspired. How you spend the next 25-30 years is up to you. Retirement is not the finish line it’s the start … OF SOMETHING NEW. Plan Ahead. With that, our discussion ended. Happy Chanukah! Loretta •
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The Jewish Observer • December 2022
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36 December 2022 • The Jewish Observer