IRAN MAZE
Israel, experts and the AJT explore what the fate of the nuclear deal will and should be. Pages 10-12
SCHOOL DAYS
RAP WAYS
A focus on preschools and religious schools opens three weeks of back-to-school coverage. Pages 17-25
woodruffcreateATL.org
Kosha Dillz and Hoodie Allen take time from summer tours to talk about Jewish hip-hop. Pages 28, 32
Atlanta VOL. XC NO. 27
JULY 24, 2015 | 8 AV, 5775
WWW.ATLANTAJEWISHTIMES.COM
Something Good On Tisha B’Av By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com tlanta’s two oldest congregations are uniting Saturday night, July 25, for Tisha B’Av, a day marking disasters caused in part by dissension. The first religious collaboration between The Temple and Ahavath Achim Synagogue has grown out of their increasing cooperation on social justice, particularly against human trafficking, AA Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal said. “All of us have heard war stories of the rivalry that existed between the two congregations over 50 years ago,” Temple Rabbi Peter Berg said. “But we want to set a tone of shared community. We have more that unites us than separates us.” They started planning in November to make the Tisha B’Av service happen, Rabbi Rosenthal said. The event, running from 7:30 to about 10:30 p.m., will not simply involve members of the Reform Temple traveling to Buckhead to join Conservative AA’s service; it will be a mix of the religiosity and tone of each. Reform Temple Beth Tikvah also is joining the service at the request of new Rabbi Alexandria Shuval-Weiner. Tisha B’Av, the day both Temples were destroyed, works for collaboration because, although it is a fast day, it is not a holiday with Shabbat-type restrictions. More important, Rabbi Rosenthal said, is the rabbinic understanding that Tisha B’Av’s disasters resulted from “baseless hatred toward each other.” “This is an opportunity to put our theology into action,” he said. ■ Tisha B’Av options, Page 6
A
Broadway Star Photos by R.M. Grossblatt
Former baseball minor-leaguer Avi Alzadeh now leads a restaurant team for the New Broadway Cafe, which has brought a kosher breakfast menu back to Atlanta. After the opening Monday, July 13, the Toco Hills eatery hosted Rabbi Yossi New’s weekly lunch-and-learn session, led by the rabbi’s son Yael, that Friday. Story, Page 26
JOURNEY HOME
Weber School alumna Adina Karpuj Bortz explains how a dying cellphone battery helped her along the path to making aliyah in August. Page 9
TRIP INTO PAST
St. Augustine is celebrating its 450th birthday, and there’s plenty to do and see, Jewish and non-Jewish, traveling into Florida’s history. Page 14
INSIDE
Calendar 2 Education 16 Candle Lighting
2 Business 26
Israel 8 Arts 28 Opinion 10 Obituaries 29 Travel 14 Crossword 30 Sports 15 Marketplace
31
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
CALENDAR THURSDAY, JULY 23
High tech for all. Conexx holds a program with Ihab Atalla, the head of Amdocs’ Nazareth operations, on the expansion of the Israeli high-tech industry into Arab society at 8 a.m. at Le Meridien, 111 Perimeter Center West, Dunwoody. Admission is $15 for Conexx members, $25 for nonmembers; www.conexx.org.
SATURDAY, JULY 25
Tisha B’Av program. The Temple and Ahavath Achim Synagogue join for a service that includes the Book of Lamentations, prayer and seudah sheleshit (third meal learning with the rabbis) at 7:30 p.m. at AA, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., Buckhead. Free; aasynagogue.org.
SUNDAY, JULY 26
Tisha B’Av program. Video presentations on Jewish history, heritage and current events mark the day of mourning and fasting at Congregation Beth Jacob, 1855 LaVista Road, Toco Hills. The first video starts at 1 p.m.; the last begins at 6:30. The suggested donation is $10; www.bethjacobatlanta.org. Tisha B’Av lecture. Emory University professor Deborah Lipstadt speaks about “America After the Shoah 1945-
1978: A Time for Talk or a Time for Silence?” at 7 p.m. at Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road. Free; office@yith.org.
SUNDAY, AUG. 2
Jewish diversity celebration. ModernTribe, 171 Auburn Ave., Suite G, downtown Atlanta, hosts “Twelve Tribes: Celebrating Jews of All Colors” from 1 to 4 p.m. with food, art by Lynette Joel, music by Prodezra Beats, and learning led by Norvin Bey Israel and Rabbi Efraim Davidson. Free; www.moderntribe.com or www.facebook.com/ events/488908497945244.
THURSDAY, AUG. 6
A spoonful of sugar. The musical “Mary Poppins” opens at 8 p.m. at the Marcus Jewish Community Center’s Morris & Rae Frank Theatre, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, and runs through Aug. 16 for seven performances. Tickets are $15 to $28; www.atlantajcc.org/boxoffice or 678-812-4002.
Monday, August 24, 2015 J 7:00 pm
An evening with director Christian Delage, historian, curator of Filming the Camps - John Ford, Samuel Fuller, George Stevens: From Hollywood to Nuremberg exhibition, and filmmaker whose earlier credits include the documentary Nuremberg, The Nazis Facing Their Crimes.
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
Admission is $5 for members; $10 for nonmembers. Reservations required, call 404.814.4150 or visit online.
AtlantaHistoryCenter.com/Lectures
Stevens and his crew filming in France, n.d. © Courtesy of the Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Beverly Hills, CA
Film Screening and Conversation with Christian Delage
2
Parshah Devarim Friday, July 24, light candles at 8:26 p.m. Saturday, July 25, Shabbat ends at 9:25 p.m. Parshah Va’etchanan Friday, July 31, light candles at 8:21 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, Shabbat ends at 9:19 p.m.
FRIDAY, JULY 31
Reform community Shabbat. The Atlanta Reform congregations hold their annual joint Shabbat service at 6:30 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs.
Atlanta History Center
AJT
CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES
THURSDAY, AUG. 13
Love story. Author Jennifer Weiner discusses her novel “Who Do You Love” with Holly Firfer at 7:30 p.m. at the Marcus Jewish Community Center, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Tickets are $24 for JCC members, $29 for nonmembers, and include a signed book and a glass of wine; www.atlantajcc.org or 678-812-4002. Leo Frank discussion. Steve Oney, author of “And the Dead Shall Rise,” and Georgia Historical Society senior historian Stan Deaton discuss “The Ghosts of Leo Frank: Reckoning With Georgia’s Most Infamous Murders 100 Years Later” at 8 p.m. at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre, 117 North Park Square, Marietta. Free; georgiahistory.com.
FRIDAY, AUG. 14
Shabbat in the park. Congregation Etz Chaim holds its annual musical Shabbat service, starting with fun and games at 5:30 p.m. and a grilled meal at 6:15, in East Cobb Park. Admission is $5 per person or $20 per family; RSVP at www.etzchaim.net/SITP by Aug. 10.
SUNDAY, AUG. 16
Grand opening. The Kuniansky Family Center at the Marcus Jewish Community Center, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, celebrates its opening with arts and crafts for children and adults,
dance workshops and performances, and cooking demonstrations by chefs such as Eli Kirshtein and Todd Ginsberg from noon to 4 p.m. Free; www. atlantajcc.org. Leo Frank commemoration. Temple Kol Emeth Rabbi Steven Lebow leads a yahrzeit service for Frank at 2 p.m. on the 100th anniversary of his lynching at a site to be determined in the Marietta area. Free; ravlebow@aol.com. Leo Frank commemoration. Congregation Etz Chaim, 1190 Indian Hills Parkway, East Cobb, marks the centennial of Frank’s lynching with a memorial event at 2 p.m. Free; etzchaim.net. Persian picnic. The Sixth Point’s Persian SPIN holds a picnic at 2 p.m. at Piedmont Park in Midtown. Bring a snack to share. Free; fmoosazadeh86@ gmail.com or thesixthpoint.org.
MONDAY, AUG. 17
Leo Frank exhibit. “Seeking Justice: The Leo Frank Case Revisited” opens to the public at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, 2829 Cherokee St., Kennesaw. The exhibit runs through Nov. 29. Museum admission is $7.50 for adults, $6.50 for seniors, $5.50 for children ages 4 to 12, and free for children 3 and under; www.southernmuseum.org.
Send items for the calendar to submissions@atljewishtimes.com.
Theodore Bikel Dies at 91
J
ewish stage and screen star Theodore Bikel died Tuesday, July 21, of natural causes at the age of 91 at a Los Angeles hospital. Bikel was known internationally for such roles as Capt. Georg Von Trapp in the original Broadway staging of “The Sound of Music” — “Edelweiss” was written for him during the show’s previews — and Tevye in more than 2,200 performances of “Fiddler on the Roof.” But he was also known in Atlanta for his local appearances and his avid support for the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. Bikel appeared onstage in February for two sold-out screenings of “Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem” on the closing night of the 15th festival. Judy Marx said in January that from the founding of the film festival, he offered to help in any way he could, and he made multiple appearances. Bikel also was a devoted proponent of Yiddish culture. During his film festival talk in February, he said: “In Israel when I was young, no one wanted you to speak Yiddish. It was identified with Jews as victims, losers.” Bikel championed downtrodden people as well as languages. In this year’s World Zionist Congress elections, he led the progressive Hatikvah slate, which won eight of the 145 U.S. seats. Bikel was born in Vienna in 1924, but his family escaped to Palestine before World War II. He trained as an actor, then in 1945 left for the Royal Academy in London. He moved on to Broadway in 1954 and became a U.S. citizen in 1961. ■
LOCAL NEWS
ADL Targets Alabama’s Use of Confederate Flag
T
Sushi ■ Grill eat in - take out Teriyaki Noodle Soup
$
10
95
SUSHNICBH UONFLYFET LU
Expires 8/2/15
404-975-3550
5.00 off of 25.00 10.00 off of 40.00 $ 20.00 off 80.00
$ $
5975 Roswell Rd, B 201, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
Catering for 6 or more 15% off
Monday - Thursday 11:30am-10pm Fri-Saturday 11:30am-11pm Sunday Noon-10pm
PRESENT THIS COUPON WITH ORDER DINNER ONLY - NOT VALID WITH OTHER ORDERS Expires 8/1
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
he next front in the war over all people equally before the law.” The flag is not by itself on state the Confederate battle flag is a law enforcement emblem in troopers’ uniforms, however. The emblem of the Alabama Law Alabama, and the Anti-Defamation League’s Buckhead-based Southeast of- Enforcement Agency, established in December by combining 12 previous fice has charged into the fight. ADL Southeast Regional Director state agencies, features the state coat Mark Moskowitz sent a letter to Gov. of arms. The shield on the coat of arms Robert Bentley on Wednesday, July 15, represents the five nations that have to urge him to order the Confederate had sovereignty over Alabama since cosymbol removed from the Alabama lonial times: France, Spain, Great Britain, the Confederacy and the United Law Enforcement Agency emblem. “Although displays of the Confed- States. So unlike a flag flying on public erate flag in the context of museums, grounds, the battle historical reenactflag has historical ments or textbooks context on troopmay be appropriate, ers’ uniforms, and in the 21st Century eliminating it would this symbol of hate involve removing or and oppression has changing the state absolutely no place coat of arms. But the in other official govflag also becomes part ernment displays or of the national debate contexts,” Moskowitz over police treatment wrote, according to of black people. an ADL press release. “The Alabama “Regardless of intent, Law Enforcement such governmental Agency emblem is andisplays implicitly tithetical to instilling convey an accepsuch confidence withtance of racism and in the African Amerihatred — and hatred can community and left unchecked can The emblem of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency beyond,” Moskowitz lead to horrific conseFeatures the state coat of arms. wrote. “Undoubtedly, quences.” it is highly offensive to The Confederate many and a cause for mistrust of law battle flag has come under increased enforcement. Furthermore, the emscrutiny and criticism since white blem is a painful reminder of an ugly supremacist Dylann Roof killed nine period in our nation’s history when worshippers at Emanuel AME Church some law enforcement agencies and in Charleston, S.C., on June 17. A week officials were complicit in opposing the later, the battle flag and three other civil rights movement. As a result, it Confederate flags were removed from may cause fear of Agency officials para memorial on the grounds of the Alabama Capitol under an executive order ticularly for persons who lived through those times.” from Bentley. The letter concludes that removThe governor explained his deciing the flag from the agency emblem sion by saying he wanted to avoid the would show sensitivity to the black flag becoming a distraction. community’s concerns. “We therefore But it became a distraction anyurge you to expeditiously issue an exway Tuesday, July 14, when a represenecutive order that removes the Confedtative of the Huntsville NAACP, the Rev. erate flag from the Agency’s emblem Robert Shanklin, called for the flag to and retires all official displays of the be removed from the uniforms and vecurrent one.” hicles of state troopers. Bentley did not respond to the ADL Moskowitz picked up the arguletter but did answer the Huntsville ment in his letter the next day. “The NAACP. African American community is fearThe governor said the emblem ful and feels vulnerable,” he wrote. “At puts the Confederate battle flag in histhis difficult time, it needs reassurance torical context, and he has no plans to that law enforcement is committed to remove it. ■ protecting the community and treating
AJT 3
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
LOCAL NEWS
Local Briefs
$1M Religious Freedom Gift The Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University School of Law has received a $1 million anonymous gift to fund a four-year project called Restoring Religious Freedom: Education, Outreach, and Good Citizenship, beginning in September. Mark Goldfeder, a senior fellow at the center and senior lecturer at Emory Law, will direct the project, which aims to expand students’ training in religious freedom and to bring new scholarship and fresh voices to the field. “We will be able to provide information in an accessible, nonpartisan format to scholars, practitioners and other professionals, such as schoolteachers and administrators, who may encounter religious freedom questions in their daily lives,” Goldfeder said. The project calls for internships and externships as well as lectures and international conferences. “Our center has a long history of leading the way in all areas where law and religion intersect, and right now religious freedom sits squarely upon that intersection,” said John Witte Jr., the director of the center.
New Youth Director for Kol Emeth before taking over the youth groups at Temple Kol Emeth has hired a new Emanu-El. youth and family director, Ezra Flom. He replaced Justin Blake, who moved to New LaVista Hills Group Memphis, on July 1. An advocacy group For more than 10 years, has formed to promote the Flom has led experiential creation of LaVista Hills in Jewish learning for young northern DeKalb County. and old. His experience inThe LaVista Hills Alcludes teaching in Jewish liance announced its forday schools, leading hikes mation in a July 14 press for retirees in the Negev, release. The group said it and teaching college classes will coordinate grassroots in service learning, rock volunteers who will work Ezra Flom climbing, social media and for approval of the new city marketing. in a Nov. 3 referendum. “I am very excited to join the TKE If the cityhood proposal passes, family. I have already been very warm- LaVista Hills will become a city of more ly welcomed by staff, volunteers, and than 60,000 people, including the the youth and parents from the two heavily Jewish Toco Hills community. retreats I staffed,” Flom said. “I find The city would be bordered by I-85 to myself impatient to meet the rest of the the north and I-285 to the east. wonderful community.” The alliance is not affiliated with Emanu-El Hires Youth Director Bryan Kellert, who grew up at Temple Emanu-El, began this month as the Reform congregation’s first fulltime youth engagement adviser. Kellert, who graduated from the University of Alabama in December, worked with Congregation Dor Tamid
Senior Living • Memory Care • Senior Day Program • Short Term Stay
Discover Senior Living and Memory Care at
Plantation South! • Full calendar of social and recreational activities • Special events, holiday parties and entertainment • All inclusive pricing • Delicious restaurant-style meals • Housekeeping and laundry service • Medication management • Large studio apartment with kitchenette • FREE scheduled transportation • Beauty/Barber Salon • Exercise programs • Much more!
770-441-4836
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
Call today for a FREE lunch and tour!
AJT 4
Barclay Assisted Living4594 and Memory Care Drive | Dunwoody, GA 30338 4594 Barclay Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338 www.PlantationSouth-Dunwoody.com
(770) 936-9857
www.PlantationSouth-Dunwoody.com
LaVista Hills YES!, which worked to win legislative approval in April. Fuhr Full Time at AA Ahavath Achim Synagogue has made its youth and young adult community director, Leah Fuhr, a full-time employee as of July 1. As a result, Fuhr has left her part-time position as a program manager with Limmud Atlanta + Southeast. Taking her place with Limmud is Leslie Mallard, a Georgia native who moved to Atlanta a little more than a year ago after two decades in Austin, Texas. Mallard has been working as an administrative assisLeah Fuhr tant at Young Israel of Toco Hills, whose executive director is prominent Limmudnik Eliana Leader. Schafer Starts at Sinai Nationally known Jewish recording artist and songwriter Beth Schafer is the new Bunzl family cantorial chair at Temple Sinai and participated in her first Shabbat service July 3. Schafer joins the Sandy Springs congregation from Temple Shir Shalom in Oviedo, Fla. She has released seven CDs of original Jewish music, won the 2006 American Idol Underground Faith Based competition, has been a headliner at the past seven Union for Reform Judaism biennials, and wrote and directed a musical show at the 2013 biennial to celebrate the centennial of Women of Reform Judaism.
AJC to Honor Georgia Power CEO The American Jewish Committee’s Atlanta Chapter will present its National Human Relations Award to Georgia Power CEO and Chairman Paul Bowers Oct. 8 at the St. Regis in Buckhead. “His leadership exemplifies what this award represents,” AJC Atlanta Director Dov Wilker said. The AJC presents the award to leaders whose community work reflects its mission: building bridges of understanding among all people, safeguarding democracy and pluralism, and combating all forms of bigotry. The most recent recipients were Home Depot’s Frank Blake, Delta Air Lines’ Richard Anderson and Coca-Cola’s Muhtar Kent. Bowers is being recognized for his leadership, achievements, and commitment to corporate and social responsibility. Georgia Power was the first utility with supplier diversity initiatives. Tickets begin at $300. For tickets or sponsorships, visit www.AJCAtlanta. org. For more information, email Erica Rabhan at rabhane@ajc.org. Runoff in Brookhaven Voters in Brookhaven and nearby neighborhoods will have to return to their polling places in August to settle who will replace Jewish Republican Mike Jacobs as the representative from Georgia House District 80. Jacobs resigned after the General Assembly session to become a DeKalb County State Court judge. Democrat Taylor Bennett was the top vote-getter July 14 with 1,473, 36.8 percent of the total. He’ll face former Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis, a Republican, in a runoff Aug. 11. Davis received 1,259 votes (31.5 percent), edging out Republican Catherine Bernard, who had 1,203 (30.1 percent). Republican Loren Collins got 63 votes. CMI Marks 282nd Anniversary July 11 was the 282nd anniversary of the arrival of the first Jews in Georgia: 42 settlers who were aboard the William and Sarah when it reached Savannah. They made the population of the new colony one-third Jewish. Savannah’s Congregation Mikve Israel, which dates its founding to the William and Sarah’s arrival, marked the occasion by reading from the Torah those settlers brought with them, written in Germany in the 15th century. The congregation also celebrated the grand opening of its renovated Gutstein Museum, whose overhaul was finished in the spring. Docent-led tours run weekdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m.
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
LOCAL NEWS
Remember When
Atlanta
PUBLISHER MICHAEL A. MORRIS
michael@atljewishtimes.com
BUSINESS OFFICE Business Manager
KAYLENE RUDY-LADINSKY kaylene@atljewishtimes.com
ADVERTISING SALES Senior Account Manager
JULIE BENVENISTE julie@atljewishtimes.com Senior Account Manager
STACY LAVICTOIRE stacy@atljewishtimes.com Account Manager
SYLVIA WAHLBERG
sylvia@atljewishtimes.com
EDITORIAL
10 Years Ago July 22, 2005
■ Temple Kol Emeth will sell 3.1 acres to RWR Investments for $850,000. Congregation President Matt Stone said, “We need to reduce and eliminate debt.” Stone estimates that by reducing the congregation’s mortgage payments through the sale of the land, Kol Emeth will increase cash flow that can be used to recruit and to retain members. ■ David and Lori Greenwald of Marietta celebrated the bat mitzvah ceremony of daughter Lindsay Alison Greenwald on Saturday, May 14, at Temple Sinai. 25 Years Ago July 27, 1990 ■ Dr. Ephraim Frankel is leaving his job as headmaster of Greenfield Hebrew Academy after 23 years. He has taken a position in New Jersey, where he can be closer to his
children. He is credited with securing the accreditation of the academy. He worked with board members and parents to build a new and larger school on Northland Drive, where the school moved two years ago. ■ Susan and Larry Wolkin of Atlanta announce the birth of a daughter, Paige Jenna, on June 8. The grandparents are Grace and Irving Stein of New York, Bernice and Richard Mendel of Atlanta, and the late Marvin Wolkin. 50 Years Ago July 23, 1965 ■ Squads in London have been organized to guard synagogues against arson, bombings and vandalism. Within the past week, two incendiary bombs were placed in a synagogue in Stanmore, a London suburb. A few days earlier, a synagogue in another city was affected by similar circumstances. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Wolf of Atlanta announce the marriage of their daughter, Sue Ellen, to Jeffrey Laurence Korach, son of Mr. and Mrs. Laurence I. Korach of Shaker Heights, Ohio.
Editor
MICHAEL JACOBS
mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com Associate Editor
DAVID R. COHEN
david@atljewishtimes.com
Contributors This Week DAVID BENKOF ADINA KARPUJ BORTZ SAM FISHMAN ELIZABETH FRIEDLY JORDAN GORFINKEL R.M. GROSSBLATT LEAH R. HARRISON ZACH ITZKOVITZ MARIA CALLER JAFFE KEVIN MADIGAN RUSSELL MOSKOWITZ JEFFREY ORENSTEIN SUSAN SCHRIBER ORLOFF ARIEL PINSKY SHAINDLE SCHMUCKLER EUGEN SCHOENFELD SOPHIE ZELONY
CREATIVE SERVICES Creative Design
RICO FIGLIOLINI EZ2BSOCIAL CONTACT INFORMATION GENERAL OFFICE 404.883.2130 KAYLENE@ATLJEWISHTIMES.COM The Atlanta Jewish Times is printed in Georgia and is an equal opportunity employer. The opinions expressed in the Atlanta Jewish Times do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper. Periodicals Postage Paid at Atlanta, Ga.
THE ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES (ISSN# 0892-33451) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY SOUTHERN ISRAELITE, LLC 270 Carpenter Drive, Suite 320, ATLANTA, GA 30328 © 2015 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES Printed by Gannett Publishing Services MEMBER Conexx: America Israel Business Connector American Jewish Press Association Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce Please send all photos, stories and editorial content to: submissions@atljewishtimes.com
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
POSTMASTER send address changes to The Atlanta Jewish Times 270 Carpenter Drive Suite 320, Atlanta Ga 30328. Established 1925 as The Southern Israelite Phone: (404) 883-2130 www.atlantajewishtimes.com
AJT 5
100th Anniversary, Leo Frank Exoneration Memorial Service Sunday, August 16, 2 pm (Place TBA) Rabbi Steven Lebow Founder and Chair
Timothy and Joanne Cole Associate Chairs
Guests: Chief Justice, Georgia Supreme Court, Hugh S.Thompson (Retired) Chief Justice, Georgia Supreme Court, Norman Fletcher (Retired) Chief Justice, Georgia Supreme Court, Leah Sears Senior Assistant Attorney General of Georgia, Van Pearlberg Chief Judge, Cobb Superior Court, J. Stephen Schuster Chair, Cobb Commission, Tim Lee State Representative, Michael Smith Counsel, Anti-Defamation League, Dale Schwartz And many, many others...
“In this ‘Newer South’, in Marietta, we are prepared to remember a difficult past in order to affirm a better future...” Rabbi Steven Lebow Rabbi Steven Lebow Ravlebow@aol.com Face Book: Rabbi Lebow: “Leo Frank: Falsely Accused, Wrongly Convicted...”
Eydie Koonin
404.697.8215 eydiekoonin@atlantafinehomes.com
Keri Greenwald
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
404.307.6000 kerigreenwald@atlantafinehomes.com
AJT 6
AT L A N TA F I N E H O M E S . C O M | 4 0 4 . 2 3 7 . 5 0 0 0 © MMXV Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Moss by Melissa Payne Baker, used with permission. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.
LOCAL NEWS
Lamenting and Learning Synagogues offer Tisha B’Av options
T
isha B’Av is a fast day and a day of mourning, but it is not a holy day, meaning Jews of all levels of observance are free to travel to the services of their choice once Shabbat ends. Several synagogues are offering services and learning opportunities that go beyond the traditional chanting of the Book of Lamentations. A unique service opens Tisha B’Av on Saturday night, July 25, at Ahavath Achim Synagogue in Buckhead. For the first time, Conservative AA is joining with its Reform elder in Midtown, The Temple, for a religious service. “We were grateful to receive the generous invitation from AA to collaborate,” Rabbi Peter Berg of The Temple said. “We hope this is one of many opportunities to learn and grow with other Jewish congregations in the future.” (See “Something Good on Tisha B’Av” on Page 1.) Roswell’s Temple Beth Tikvah also will participate in the service, but because it joined in the final week at the request of its new rabbi, Alexandria Shuval-Weiner, its members haven’t been involved in the planning. AA Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal said he was impressed at how seriously the Reform congregations are taking Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the month of Av. It’s the day in the Torah when the wandering Israelites accepted the report from all of the spies except Joshua and Caleb that they had no chance to defeat the gigantic Canaanites. The Romans destroyed the Second Temple on Tisha B’Av in 70 C.E. and drove the Jewish people out of Jerusalem. It is also the day when the First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. and when Spain expelled its Jews in 1492. Other catastrophes are linked to the day, including the outbreak of World War I in 1914. The 9th of Av actually falls on Shabbat this year, but the fast and other mourning practices are postponed until after Shabbat. Rabbi Rosenthal said the free observance at AA will begin with the afternoon service at 7:30 p.m., followed by a seudah shelishit (third meal) that will also serve as the pre-fast meal at 8. The Temple’s Rabbi Peter Berg and Cantor Deborah Hartman and AA’s Rabbi Neil Sandler will offer Tisha B’Av-themed teachings during the meal, to be followed by the end of Shabbat without all the Havdalah prayers.
The Tisha B’Av service itself will begin at 9:15 and will include a musical quintet, the reading of the Book of Lamentations, rabbinical reflections on the themes between the chapters, and songs by Cantor Hartman on the ideas of despair, destruction and hope. The service will end around 10:30, Rabbi Rosenthal said, and it will send people home with a mindset of introspection. He expects people to share “an element of real sadness for what damage we could do to each other” but “also a sense of hope of what we really can accomplish if we work together.” Congregation Beth Shalom in Dunwoody, among others, also will hold an Erev Tisha B’Av service Saturday night. The Beth Shalom service will start at 9 and will feature songs recalling Jerusalem’s ancient glory in addition to Lamentations. In Sandy Springs, the pre-fast study at Congregation B’nai Torah will address the topic “Our Enemies, Ourselves?” at 8:30 p.m. During the fast the next day in Toco Hills, Rabbis Michael Broyde, Don Seeman and Shlomo Pill will offer insights during the morning service and readings, starting at 9:30 a.m., at the New Toco Shul, 2003 LaVista Road. Rabbi Seeman will lead a discussion on “The Death of Sarah: Reflections From the Warsaw Ghetto” at 11:15. Rabbi Broyde will discuss converts at 1:45 p.m., and Rabbi Seeman will tackle the topic of redemption at 6:45. Congregation Beth Jacob at 1855 LaVista Road will host a series of video presentations on Jewish history, heritage and current events starting at 1 p.m., with a suggested donation of $10. The presentations will include the 50-minute “The Tenth Man: A New Beginning” from Aish.com’s Project Inspire and “The Power to Yield,” a worldwide video learning session with renowned scholars presented by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation. Young Israel of Toco Hills at 2056 LaVista Road will offer a strong closing event that is free and open to the community: the annual Tisha B’Av lecture by Emory University professor Deborah Lipstadt at 7 p.m. Sunday. Lipstadt will speak on the topic “America After the Shoah 1945-1978: A Time for Talk or a Time for a Silence?” The fast should start before 8:44 p.m. Saturday in Atlanta and continue until at least 9:11 p.m. Sunday, according to Chabad.org. ■
APPLIANCE REPAIR
washer, dryers & refrigerators
ALL WORK GUARANTEED
ovens, stoves & dishwashers
I have been helping clients for 59-1/2 years.
Garbage disposals 30 Years Experience
How? By either correcting honest mistakes when they applied for life insurance... or, by amending applications because of changes in family structure or circumstances. 3 appointments in the last 2 weeks unearthed such errors. Failure to do these things could cause some children or grandchildren to be disinherited. In some areas, when minor children are named as beneficiaries and guardians for them have not been appointed, the courts will appoint the guardians. This can be costly and cause much unhappiness. Careful selection of wording is critical. If you have not looked into the tremendous value a Living Trust can provide, I urge you to do so. If you have a large, taxable estate, you might find an Irrevocable Trust useful. If you wish, I will work with attorneys and/or accountants to make sure that we are in agreement as to advice given to clients. I have done this many times over the years. I have had lawyers and accountants as students in Estate and Business Planning courses I taught. Choosing the right kinds of life insurance initially based on financial circumstances or modifying plans when situations warrant doing so is so important. Meanwhile, I do not charge for reviewing your existing policies/documents and telling you what course of action I think you should follow. If we do business together, fine; if not, I won’t go hungry. I promise you that you will be glad to have shared some time with me. I hope we become good friends regardless of whatever else does or does not take place. I repeat. Please Let Me Help You.
Call or text 404-725-4841 Mayer Smith CLU ChFC LUTCF
smithmayerruthg@bellsouth.net
FREE
SERVICE CALL WITH REPAIR OR $25 SERVICE CHARGE
Call Kevin 24/7
770.885.9210
appliancerepair.kevin@gmail.com
Servicing All of Metro Atlanta
THE SONENSHINE TEAM
Atlanta’s Favorite Real Estate Team DEBBIE SONENSHINE STAR NEWMAN KATIE GALLOW Top 1% of Coldwell Banker Internationally Certified Negotiator, Luxury, New Homes and Corporate Relocation Specialist #1 Sales Associate in Sandy Springs Office Voted Favorite Jewish Realtor in AJT, Best of Jewish Atlanta
#1 Team Coldwell Banker Atlanta
Best Investment in Millon Dollar Neighborhood!
Sandy Springs $899,000 $850,000
• Gated Sentinel Ferry Subdivision • Terrace Level Gym, Media Room, Playroom, Full Bath, Room for Wine • Romantic Master on Main with His/Hers Cellar & Plenty of Storage Walk-in Closets • Outdoor Living!-Level Walkout Backyard • Gourmet Kitchen Open to with Stone Patio & Outdoor Kitchen Keeping Room • Great Price for a Home in this • Mudroom w/ Lockers, Butler’s Pantry Wonderful Swim/Tennis Neighborhood! & Large Dining Room • 6 Bedrooms/ 7 Full Baths / 2 Half Baths
direct 404.250.5311 office 404.252.4908
Debbie@SonenshineTeam.com | www.SonenshineTeam.com ©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Operated By a Subsidiary of NRT LLC.
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
Please Let Me Help You
ALL Major appliances & brands
AJT 7
ISRAEL
Israel Pride: Good News From Our Jewish Home Israeli medics at Dubai conference. Israel’s emergency response organization United Hatzalah attended its first conference in an Arab emirate, Dubai, on improving medical and emergency care around the world. Hatzalah explained how Israeli technology, volunteers and motorcycle ambulances dramatically cut response times. Mellow bone repair. Researchers at Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem just published a study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research that found benefits from marijuana for those with broken bones, beyond the painkilling potential. The study in rats found that the nonintoxicating components of cannabis helped broken thighbones heal faster. Stem cells may repair damaged lungs. A study by Weizmann Institute scientists has shown that embryonic stem cells may be able to repair damaged lung tissue and alleviate chronic respiratory disease. Mice with damaged lungs were injected, and in six weeks their breathing had improved. Israeli vets save tooth of U.S. peacekeeping dog. Veterinary surgeons at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem operated on Belgian shepherd Dano to repair a canine tooth broken during the dog’s service with the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai.
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
El Al stewardess uses sign language. El Al’s Larisa Speyer studies sign language and discovered that a deaf athletic team was flying out to Taiwan, so she managed to get assigned to the flight. The deaf passengers were delighted. And if you are flying from Luton, England, look out for EasyJet’s Israeli flight attendant.
AJT 8
Visit atlantajcc.org for details. Questions? Contact 678.812.4025 or deanne.jacobson@atlantajcc.org *All MJCCA Group Exercise and Les Mills Classes currently on the Total Health Group Exercise Schedule and Get Fit Small Group Classes. Restrictions Apply.
IDF medical unit for Palestinians. A newly designated Israel Defense Forces reserve company will focus on providing medical care and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population. The company also will work closely with Palestinian Authority medical institutions to help develop the PA medical infrastructure. Israeli bees save Japan’s crops. Israeli bumblebees are being sent to Japan to help make up for a lack of bees caused
by increased use of pesticides in the rice fields. Israel’s Bio Bee, based at Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, ships the bees in spacious hives, each with an impregnated queen and 50 worker bees. AVG launches R&D center in Israel. Online security company AVG is establishing in Tel Aviv its global Center of Excellence for research and development into mobile technology. AVG previously bought Israel’s DroidSecurity, which developed AVG’s AntiVirus for Android, which has been downloaded more than 100 million times. Snap it, find it, buy it. The online shoe business is worth $10 billion per year, and Israel’s SnapGet app for Android and iOS makes the experience better for customers. Just take a photo of a shoe you want to buy, and SnapGet will search 50,000 styles and 18,000 merchants to find it (or something similar) at the best price. Iron Dome tech to maintain New York power supply. Israel’s mPrest will use a $900,000 grant from the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation to change its missile-deflecting technology so it can detect malfunctioning power transformers operated by the New York Power Authority. Tinder for dogs? PlayDate can be added to the list of dog-friendly Israeli apps. The app is a one-stop service that allows dog owners to connect in a new way. Dog owners can swipe through profiles of canines in the area and set up doggy dates through instant messaging. Record currency reserves. Israel’s foreign currency reserves in June reached an all-time record level of $88.186 billion, including a $7.15 billion fund from the natural gas program. Nonstop to Tokyo. Representatives from Israel’s El Al and Japan’s biggest airline, All Nippon, have signed a deal to offer 14 direct flights each week between Tel Aviv and Tokyo. Some 13,000 people traveled from Japan to Israel in 2014 but had to make connections via Hong Kong or Seoul. Compiled courtesy of verygoodnewsisrael. blogspot.com and other news sources.
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
ISRAEL
Hey, Hamas, You’re Killing My Phone Battery instantaneous buzz of a cellphone; technology has grown to shrink our world. Consequently, the experience that my grandparents and parents had growing up as Diaspora Zionists has also changed. With real-time knowledge of current events, I have come to find that I feel both closer and further from
Guest Column By Adina Karpuj Bortz
the home I long for. In the struggle to identify that much more with the Israelis who live my dream as a reality, the thousands of miles separating my heart-of-suburbia home from the hipster Nahlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem seem to spread wider. And then came Red Alert. While I had some reservations about downloading an iPhone application that would sound every time a rocket went off in a country thousands of miles away, I decided it would enable me to feel closer to Israel, even if by only an inch. As the summer days grew in number, so too did the sirens, and consequently the endless buzzing. One rocket after another was fired from Gaza and landed in the back pocket of my tattered jeans. The more rockets Hamas launched, the lower my phone battery plummeted. No, there is absolutely no comparison between being in real, imminent danger and having your iPhone die a few times per day. There is no comparison between running to the nearest bomb shelter and reading the latest painful article detailing casualties. And yet the opportunity of having something in my own microcosm of everyday life mirror that of a macrocosmic Israel made me constantly aware that my own family, literally and figuratively, was suffering. For me, my 18-year experience as a Diaspora Zionist was a distinct mixture of a sense of belonging and a desire for integration, an amalgamation of cultural comfort and undying controversy. The tearing I felt at every account of an attack on the Jerusalem light rail or a Tel Aviv bus stop was matched only by my inescapable desire to be in the heat of the conflict,
at the heart of the nation. And so I made a decision. Twelve months after having downloaded the Red Alert App, I find myself downloading Dreamdays, a countdown application. Thirty-four days, it reads. Thirty-four days to say goodbye to my favorite parks and coffee shops, my high school friends and my dog. Thirty-four days until I board a flight unlike any other I will take in my life: my aliyah flight. After spending a year living in the center of Jerusalem as a participant of Kivunim, a gap-year program, I’ve decided to fulfill my dream at the ripe old age of 19. Having experienced the land firsthand, having invited it to awaken my senses, I became infatuated by its people and its pace and challenged by its contentions and clashes. I came to know what the grave ramifications of the conflict look like while also volunteering at organizations where I cared for Syrian, Kurdish and Iraqi children with congenital heart defects. I had other options. I could have attended my top-choice university here in the United States. I could have remained in the comfort of suburban American life. And yet I came to the conclusion that I wanted my longing to be over; I wanted to contribute to this unprecedented moment in the history of the Jewish people.
While I am a strong proponent of the belief that moving to Israel is not for everyone, being part of the Red Alert groupies or loading a Hebrew newspaper on my laptop each morning is no longer sufficient for me. I’ve decided to take the next step. As my aliyah and army enlistment dates approach, I await the exciting and difficult times ahead with a sense of premature fulfillment and unwavering decisiveness. I know life will be complicated. I know decisions will be tough, and the everyday struggle of living in a country whose grueling economic and religious issues are often put aside for the sake of security will leave me ambivalent about making this decision time and time again. But I welcome these conflicts with open arms. Coming from a line of women whose dreams of establishing permanent residence in Israel have yet to be fulfilled, I am proud to be cutting my Diaspora ties loose with the realization of my dream and the contribution of my service. Until the sounds of the sirens diminish, let me feel them with my whole being rather than through a muted buzz in my tattered pocket. ■ Adina Karpuj Bortz, the daughter of Congregation Or Hadash Rabbis Analia Bortz and Mario Karpuj, is an alumna of the Epstein and Weber schools and Camp Ramah Darom who has interned with AIPAC. She is making aliyah in August.
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
L
ife was hard 12 months ago. Standing on my toes atop a redclay hill in Clayton, I waved my arm around, frantically searching for enough 3G to communicate with the universe outside bonfires and Birkat Hamazon (the grace after meals). Amid the slopes of the North Georgia mountains, the war was nowhere and everywhere. Thousands of miles from peulot tzrif (bunk activities), yom doar (letter-writing day) and harga’ot (bedtime stories), the news from a place I’ve always dreamed of calling home suffocated my every unattended thought and doused me in longing. “Longing?” you might ask. “Longing for violence, bomb shelters, fear?” No, I’m not a military junkie who feeds off car explosions or land mines. In fact, the first and only time I held a gun, I recoiled from discomfort. And yet my heart ached to be there, in the middle of terror, hoping to make it through the night. As I entered the mercaz (the staff work room at Camp Ramah Darom) last summer, I watched countless Israeli staff members in despair. Calls home, news articles, YouTube videos and physical distance — each detail made being so far that much harder. As a Diaspora Zionist, I felt a unique sense of anguish. On one hand, my own distance from Israel was unquestionable, as I had never lived in the country and could not identify myself as someone who had experienced the real Israel. Simultaneously, years of reading online Israeli newspapers at the breakfast table and listening to Shlomo Artzi and Idan Raichel as my “most frequently played” artists made my constant thoughts of Israel a given; while my physical home was in no imminent danger, my cultural home was fighting for its life. In a 21st-century world where gratification is just as instant as pain, the repercussions of one attack are no longer felt only on the ground. The implications of loving a country whose neighbors don’t feel the same way extend far beyond its physical borders and into the airwaves that thread our virtual world. The days of crouching by the radio for hours anticipating panic or waiting several weeks to receive a family member’s account of tragedy have long been replaced by the
AJT 9
OPINION
Do Your Part to Stop Catastrophic Iran Deal
T Ultimately, it’s your experience that matters. To be sure, we’re proud of our 27 years of experience in senior living. But, to us, what really matters is your experience at our communities. We do everything with that idea clearly in mind. So, go ahead, enjoy yourself with great social opportunities and amenities. Savor fine dining every day. And feel assured that assisted living services are always available if needed. We invite you to experience The Piedmont for yourself at a complimentary lunch and tour. Please call 404.496.5492 to schedule.
I n de p e n de n t & A s s i s t e d L i v i ng P r e v iou s ly k now n a s T h e H a l l m a r k
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
650 Phipps Boulevard NE • Atlanta, GA www.ThePiedmontatBuckhead.com • 404.496.5492
AJT 10
he recently signed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran is simply baffling. The Obama administration continues to live in some kind of false reality where the Iranian regime can magically change its extreme and violent ideologies. The deal reached in Vienna has frightening implications not just for Israel, but for the entire region. Someone can write an entire book about the faults inside this deal, ranging from the lifting of the U.N. arms embargo to the lack of “anytime, anywhere” inspections. However, I would like to note a few of the unfathomable concessions made in this agreement between six world powers and Iran. Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. It gives billions of dollars to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who uses chemical weapons to murder his citizens. It funds terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. Yet the agreement will give Iran a gift card worth hundreds of billions of dollars to spend on the terrorist organizations of its choice. A 2010 U.N. arms embargo, which covered conventional weapons such as airplanes and tanks, will now be lifted within five years. This concession is almost comical. The issue was brought to the negotiating table just a week ago with the support of China and Russia, which both are interested in the possibility of a new weapons market in Iran. The lifting of the embargo will permit Iran to continue its quest to become a hegemonic powerhouse via proxy armies like Hezbollah and the Houthis. Also, “anytime, anywhere” inspections were considered to be one of the main sticking points of the final agreement. Now, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, will have serious restrictions when attempting to conduct inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities. In the JCPOA, if the IAEA becomes suspicious of unreported nuclear activities, it can request clarification from the Iranians. If the IAEA does not feel satisfied with the clarification, it
can request access to the nuclear site. Iran, however, has 14 days after the IAEA’s initial inquiry to resolve the concerns. If there is no consensus after two weeks, the Joint Commission, which
Guest Column By Sam Fishman
includes all of the signatory nations and Iran, has another week to advise “on the necessary means to resolve the IAEA’s concerns.” After the extra week, Iran has yet another three days to use “necessary means” to resolve the dispute. If you have been counting, that is 24 days from the time the IAEA suspects something until the time it gains access to the site. It doesn’t quite sound like “anytime” to me. Luckily, there is one remaining hope to kill this deal before it is too late. Because of the Corker-Menendez Act, Congress has the ability to vote in disapproval of the deal and to prohibit the lifting of the U.S. sanctions on Iran. The president has said he will veto any vote of disapproval, so a two-thirds vote in both houses will be necessary to destroy the deal. The crucial votes will come down to high-ranking moderate Democrats like Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Political pundits predict that the 67 votes necessary in the Senate are feasible, but the 290 votes in the House will be more difficult. Therefore, I urge you to call all of your elected representatives in D.C. to vote against this deal. It does not matter whether you consider yourself conservative or liberal, hawk or dove. If you care about Israel and about global stability, you will join me and the rest of the pro-Israel community in fighting this catastrophic agreement, an agreement that was made with the purpose to boost a legacy, not to provide security. ■ Sam Fishman studies government and politics at the University of Maryland.
OPINION
“Looking for a little help and affordable price, it’s all within reach at Hope Gardens!” Hope Gardens Home Care Services, specializes in providing the perfect support to participants who live in their own or family home. We Accept: Medicaid: Now and Comp Waivers, Source & CCSP Waiver, Private Pay and Private Insurance
9 Reasons Israel Says No capabilities. The outcome could enable Iran to further develop its missile program and enhance conventional military capabilities. • The agreement does not ensure a tight enough monitoring and verification mechanism of “anytime and anywhere.” Even under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, Iran will be able to continue evading and concealing. Iran has reached its advanced nuclear capability covertly despite the IAEA’s safeguards mechanism. • The imminent removal of sanctions imposed on Iran eliminates the most efficient leverage that was restricting Iran’s actions and that brought it to the negotiating table. Maintaining pressure is the only means of ensuring that Iran will uphold its commitments. • As part of the economic benefits of the agreement, Iran will gain access to frozen funds (which could amount up to $150 billion). These funds can be used to increase Iran’s subversive activities in the region and its support of terror (including Hezbollah) against Israel and its neighbors, as well as to strengthen the rule of the ayatollahs. Iran’s subversive activities in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen will only increase, enjoying perceived international legitimacy deriving from this agreement and an empowered status as a threshold nuclear state. • Nuclear capabilities in the hands of Iran are a game changer and will almost certainly spark a nuclear arms race that will undermine regional security in the Middle East. A nuclear Iran is a threat not only to Israel, but also to the moderate countries in the Middle East and well beyond. ■
SERVICES PROVIDED
Our services and amenities have been designed to ensure you with the highest quality of care. We respect the preferences of each individual as well as perspectives from those individuals and/or agencies participating in the services, supports, care, or treatment of the individual.
• • • • • • • • • • • •
Performing Personal Care (bathing, grooming, etc.) Assisting with mobility Providing transfer assistance Preparing meals and feeding Providing Companionship Performing Light house Keeping Running errands (prescription pick-up, dry-cleaning, etc.) Organizing, shipping and reading mail Grocery Shopping Escorting to appointments Entertaining (games, crafts, reading etc.) Pet watching and walking
Hope Gardens Staffing Agency is accredited by CQL and licensed by the state of Georgia. We employ qualified medical professionals to staff a variety of healthcare facilities to include Hospice, Personal Care Homes, Long Term Acute Care Facilities, Nursing homes and Hospitals. ***We are currently looking for RN, LPN, CNA, and Personal Care Aides services.
Contact us for Hope Gardens Staffing Agency: hgstaffing@gmail.com We are located 7027 B Swift Street & 6976 Main Street Lithonia, GA 30058 Phone: (678) 615-2158 Fax :( 678) 550-9437 24 Hour (770) 733-4764
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
T
he Israeli Consulate General to the Southeast distributed this list of reasons why the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers hurts Israel’s national security: • The agreement enables Iran to continue significant enrichment that does not reflect any “practical needs” for civilian use. These capabilities have been acquired by deception, concealment and above all recurring violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions. • In placing partial constraints for a limited number of years and in restricted areas, the agreement, for the most part, postpones Iran obtaining a military nuclear capability. When these limitations end, Iran will be able to increase its overall enrichment capacity significantly. • The agreement does not adequately limit Iran’s research and development capabilities, particularly in relation to advanced centrifuges. Under the less restrictive terms of the agreement, Iran could, in the case of breakout to a nuclear device, rely on its ability to enrich rapidly and covertly. This will shorten the breakout time needed to produce a bomb. • The agreement does not exclude to a sufficient degree Iran’s weaponization activity, which Iran still needs to master. Iran already has the enrichment capability to produce a bomb as well as suitable delivery means (ballistic missiles and advanced guided missiles). Without limitations on weaponization, the way is paved for Iran to assemble a bomb. • The agreement moderately terminates U.N. Security Council resolutions that imposed an arms embargo on Iran and restrictions on ballistic missiles
AJT 11
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
OPINION
Our View
The Iran Deal
Much has been said and written about the Iran nuclear deal, including in this newspaper. Much more will be written and said in the next two months as Congress debates whether to approve the agreement signed Tuesday, July 14. We’re not experts on geopolitics, nuclear physics or internal Iranian politics, but we have a few thoughts as the war of words over the deal rages: • President Barack Obama is right that this agreement includes the toughest inspection and verification regime in history. On the other hand, that’s not saying much. The precedents are the U.S.-Soviet strategic arms treaties, which relied far more on trust than verification, as befits a deal between two superpowers; Iraq, where inspectors were continually denied access and failed to discover that there was nothing to see; and North Korea, where inspectors didn’t stop the development of nuclear weapons. • Obama is right that nuclear arms agreements are always made with enemies we don’t trust, and they’re always open to criticism on that basis. Such deals are leaps of faith backed by verification systems. On the other hand, it’s odd that deal supporters want to take Iran’s leaders at their word when they say they won’t develop nuclear weapons, but we’re supposed to ignore continuing Iranian vows to destroy Israel and chants of “Death to America.” • Just as U.S. arms control agreements with the Soviet Union didn’t attempt to settle all issues between the nations, the White House is right that separating its prime objective — delaying if not stopping Iran’s military nuclear program — from other serious issues is a reasonable approach. Thus, the deal excludes Iran’s support for terrorists, its regional aggressions, its hateful rhetoric, its suppression of human rights, and its three or four American hostages. On the other hand, if those issues of Western interest were excluded, the United States and its allies never should have allowed the unrelated arms and ballistic missile embargoes to become part of the deal. The end of those embargoes, meant to punish aggressive behavior, is a big, no-cost victory for Iran. • Obama is right that the international community would not have continued strict sanctions on Iran forever. On the other hand, it makes no sense to
believe that the nations we couldn’t trust to maintain the sanctions will agree to snap those sanctions back into place if Iran is caught cheating. Once the sanctions are lifted, they’re not coming back. • The debate shouldn’t be partisan; it should be based on what the agreement says. It was disappointing that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and many Republicans rushed to criticize the deal before they read it; Netanyahu’s assessment of the deal as a “historic mistake” came before it was unveiled. Organizations that responded with caution rather than wrath deserve praise. On the other hand, the response of J Street makes it appear less interested in being “the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans” and more interested in keeping pro-Israel Americans voting for Democrats. J Street within 24 hours announced a $2 million PR campaign on behalf of a deal opposed by the full spectrum of Israeli political parties. J Street argues that its polling shows overwhelming support for the deal among American Jews, but that poll used leading, hypothetical questions weeks before the agreement was completed. J Street intended to back any deal. • It’s wrong of Obama to declare that opponents have offered no alternative and to present the situation as a choice between his deal and war. The alternatives included a better deal and no deal, keeping sanctions as long as possible and relying on the terms of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which Iran signed in 1970 and which the administration has said will help block Iran’s path to a nuclear bomb after this agreement phases out. Sanctions drove Iran to negotiate, and the longer the talks went on, the more the pressure should have mounted to accept tougher terms, including something like the “anywhere, anytime” inspections Obama promised but didn’t deliver. But the president, 18 months from retirement, wanted a
deal and wasn’t willing to walk away. On the other hand, it’s now a done deal. Obama made that clear when he promised to veto any congressional resolution against the agreement. The Republican-led Congress is likely to reject the deal but without veto-proof majorities, and the U.N. Security Council already has approved the agreement. The worst outcome now is for Congress to reject the deal and override an Obama veto. That action would kill the deal and make the United States the
villain. Russia, China, Europe and the United Nations would drop the sanctions, and Iran would have its nuclear program and its hundreds of billions of dollars and oil sales to prop up its terrorist friends. That’s the best outcome for Iran and could be the reason Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, Iran’s supreme leader, keeps declaring hatred for the United States and Israel and promising support for Hezbollah, Hamas, Yemen’s Houthis, Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and others. We won’t know for years whether this deal prevents a nuclear-armed Iran or brings Tehran back to the West. We don’t know whether we’ll remember it for averting a nuclear catastrophe or, as we fear, sparking a Middle East nuclear arms race. But we know right now that Secretary of State John Kerry succeeded in closing off all options; rather than waste time arguing over what could have been, it’s time to prepare for all the possible results. ■
Shaking My Head at the BBC
T
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
deal was signed. Razia Iqbal, the host of radio’s “BBC he Iran nuclear deal has exposed again that Newshour,” said to Israeli Science Minister Danny the world’s leading source for broadcast news, Danon: “But you’re not under threat by Iran. Nobody the BBC, is blindly biased against Israel. in Iran has threatened you for a very long time.” Entire organizations exist to call out the BBC That statement came five days after Iran on its anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian approach to marked its annual Quds Day with chants of “Death coverage of the conflict. But I wasn’t prepared for to Israel” and amid the anti-Israel approach to the continual stream the coverage of the Iran deal, of such rhetoric from which initial BBC News reEditor’s Notebook Iran’s leaders. ports called “historic” at least What caught my four times a minute. By Michael Jacobs attention the same American Jewish Commjacobs@atljewishtimes.com morning was a report mittee Executive Director on the BBC News cable David Harris blogged about network. A BBC analyst, 12 one example the day after the
AJT
using spiffy animation, was demonstrating the regional responses to the Iran deal and showing that the opposition stretches far beyond Israel. I was only half-listening to the two-minute segment, so I can’t quote him. But his final comment almost made me fall off the couch. He acknowledged that the Iran deal is not perfect, but he said it at least will stop Israel from bombing Iran and thus plunging the Middle East into wider warfare, as seemed likely two years ago. So in the BBC’s view, the agreement is as much about reining in Israel as Iran, and even if it fails to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power, it’s a historic achievement for stopping militaristic Israel. That’s just scary. ■
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
On the Way to Birkenau A story for Tisha B’Av
U
sually, I neither watch movies and television, nor do I read other people’s stories about their experiences in the Holocaust. It is not because I am disinterested — to the contrary. I abstain from watching or reading such stories because they tear the scab from the healing wound I still have. Such activities cause me to relive my experiences, leading to extreme emotional pain. For this reason I have not talked about my experiences for a long time, even to my children. I was about 50 years old when I began to lecture about the Holocaust, and I did so not because I wished to share my story, but because, as a sociologist, I wished to explain the reason why it happened and what we can do about it. In short, I treated my personal experiences as an academic subject — sine ira et studio (without anger and fondness). I didn’t visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington after it opened, although I was and remain a contributor to its important mission. But about 30 years ago I was asked by the Georgia Commission on
the Holocaust to join a student trip to see the museum, and reluctantly I agreed. I felt it to be my duty, as a survivor and as a teacher, to instill in the next generation the meaning of becoming not only a human being, but also a humane human. The morning when the students and I went to visit the museum, I
One Man’s Opinion By Eugen Schoenfeld
was apprehensive. The question that nagged me: “How will I take it?” I hoped not to break down and cry in public, but I could not control my emotions — particularly at one of the displays. Contrary to my hopes, I stood there with tears gushing from my eyes. What was that display, and why was I so overwhelmed there? As we followed the displays, we came to the railroad car, one that was actually used to transport Jews to camps, much like the one in which I and my family were taken to Birkenau,
the notorious extermination camp. As I entered it, I retrogressed to the time and place of the event. In the left corner of the car I saw my mother sitting on the floor, while my father was at another corner with the adult males finishing the Ma’ariv services. There were so many men that it was easy to make a minyan. After all, praying could not hurt; perhaps G-d would listen and have mercy on us. My mother, as Yiddishe mames do, was concerned about feeding us children. She opened the backpack and took out the remnant of the bread we brought, together with a salami, and handed portions to me, my 13-year-old brother, Benjamin, and my 10-year-old sister, Esther. My mother was crying. In retro spect, she appeared to me as Rachel, the quintessential Jewish mother. “Far wuss weinste, mame?” — “Why are you crying, Mother?” — I asked her. “Children,” she responded. “I had over 20 wonderful years with your father. I experienced life. I cry for you who are so young and haven’t been given a chance to have a life.” There in the car I re-experienced that moment, and I cried. Was there anything else I could do? ■
Time and Other Lessons From the 25
A
s I tried to find a silver lining to my experience interviewing and writing about the 25 nonprofit innovators for the AJT’s July 3 issue, I realized that it would be helpful to embody many of the qualities of the individuals themselves — creativity, pragmatism, flexibility. Some say the best journalism is a product of echolalia. Inferences, speculations, inductions — essentially the differences between a human and recorder — are frowned upon in news, or at least kept on the backburner. This challenges creativity. When Michael Jacobs tasked me with covering the innovators, I realized soon after that it was important to distinguish between the individuals and the organizations of which they are crucial parts. The article was not titled “25 Nonprofit Innovations.” But many of the innovators were reluctant to talk about themselves,
preferring to impart the details of their organizations’ operations. I took this as some combination of humility and shyness in the face of a journalist and a recording iPhone. Curiously, the more I learned about the individuals,
Guest Column By Zach Itzkovitz
the more I learned about their organizations. Alexis Dalmat Cohen, for example, witnessed the struggles of a foreign family as a child. Culture Connect, her organization, focuses on acclimating immigrants and providing services to make life in a new country easier. Amy Sacks Zeide threw a party for homeless youth after hearing about a Christmas robbery at a local shelter.
I don’t mean to trivialize the experiences and accomplishments of these individuals. I do mean to show that big organizations, big impacts and big amounts of money start with small people and small ideas, something I often overlook or take for granted. I often use youth to explain all of the things I haven’t done. It’s easy to cite a lack of time and experience. This added to my surprise at learning about Garrett Colvin, three years my junior, who started his own nonprofit organization and works with other well-established organizations. Touché, Garrett. The 25 people I spoke with came from a diverse range of backgrounds, values and situations. However, they all believed that they could make a difference, and they do. What are my excuses? What are yours? It was a relief to see the innovators appear in print after weeks of frantic phone calls, interviews and violent typing. Now I’m off to change the world for the better, firsthand. ■
Letters To The Editor Bonds for Simchas
I found guest columnist David Skid’s June 26 article, “Financial Planning for Your Child’s Simcha,” interesting and well thought out while providing good food for thought. One thing David did not mention that ties in so very well with b’nai mitzvah (and any simcha planning, for that matter) is Israel Bonds. By their very nature, Israel Bonds and b’nai mitzvah and other simchas naturally link together. Israel Bonds have proved to be an exceptionally safe investment and offer great flexibility. They can be purchased online at www. Israelbonds.com for an investment as small as $36 or by calling Israel Bonds Atlanta at 404-817-3500. The bonds are a direct tie to the Jewish homeland of Israel. Arthur Katz, Dunwoody, Israel Bonds Atlanta board member
Eating Disorders Go Beyond Hareidi
I was quoted in the June 26 article “Religion, Addiction and Sexual Orientation,” in which I commented on the frequency of eating disorders in the Jewish community, particularly among ultra-Orthodox Jews. Members of the interfaith panel were each asked to discuss how our various faith communities’ activities and rituals hinder and help those in the LGBTQ community who struggle with addictive behavior. I intentionally brought out the subject of eating disorders, which, like substance abuse, are infrequently spoken about or addressed overtly by the Jewish community. My mention of the ultraOrthodox community was based on a conference I attended sponsored by the Renfrew Center, which focused specifically on eating disorders in the Jewish Community. Marjorie Feinson presented research that validated the incidence of eating disorders in the ultra-Orthodox community. For further information, see renfrewcenter. com/sites/default/files/REN0494_JewishCon-SinglePage-LOWRES.pdf. I was not intending to single out one segment of the Jewish population; my intent was to present an example of a serious situation in our community that remains largely unknown and unattended. Rabbi Judith Beiner, Sandy Springs, JF&CS community chaplain 13 JULY 24 ▪ 2015
OPINION
AJT
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
TRAVEL
St. Augustine Celebrates 450 Years
H
ow often do we get invited to a 450th birthday party? How often do we get to stay at a first-class bed and breakfast that dates back to 1791? Beautiful St. Augustine, Fla., America’s oldest city, and Joe and Margaret Finnegan, proprietors of the St. Francis Inn (www.StFrancisInn. com), extend this opportunity to mark the 450th anniversary of the landing of Pedro Menendez. He and his fleet, including 800 settlers and cattle, landed in the St. Augustine estuary in 1565, beginning 450 years of continuous European settlement in a place that had been home to Timicuan Indians for at least four millennia. Today, it’s a great place to visit, enjoy Florida’s Atlantic coast and absorb the rich tableau of American history. Before You Go • Read “Daring Daughters” by Karen Harvey (www.ancientcityechoes. com). • Do research at www.oldcity. com, www.floridashistoriccoast.com (official site), augustine.com and visitstaug.com. Getting There St. Augustine is accessible by plane, train, ship or car. • Northeast Florida Regional Airport is close to the city. Jacksonville International is 51 miles north. Daytona Beach International is 56 miles south. Orlando Sanford International Airport is 122 miles away. • The nearest major cruise port is Cape Canaveral, 126 miles away by Interstate 95. • Going by train is a good option. The closest station is Palatka, 29 miles away, which is served by two trains daily and is connected by charter bus to St. Augustine. Jacksonville’s Amtrak station is 57 miles north. • U.S. 1 runs through St. Augustine, and I-95 is close.
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
When You Are There • Board an Old Town Trolley tour or the Red Train hop-on, hop-off service for an overview and history lesson. On a multiday tour, explore the town on Day 1 and return to attractions you want to explore in depth later. • Plan on walking a lot. Leave the car at your hotel or the munici14
AJT
pal parking garage and explore the relatively compact old town district on foot. If you get tired, rental bikes, taxis and horse-drawn carriages are alternatives. If You Have Only Two or Three Days Must-sees for a short trip: • Castillo De San Marcos, Flagler College, the Colonial Quarter and the Matanzas River waterfront.
Simply Smart Travel By Jeffrey R. Orenstein
• The old town historic district, especially St. George and Aviles streets. • Breakfast at Hot Shot Bakery (waffles extraordinaire), lunch at Café Alcazar or Taberna del Caballo, and dinner at Raintree, O.C. White’s or Famous Johnny’s Oyster Bar/Meehan’s Irish Pub on the waterfront. If You Have More Days Enjoy: • As many of the 35 attractions on the free First America Passport as you have time, money and stamina to explore. • The quirky Lightner Museum and St. Augustine Visitor Information Center’s 450th anniversary display. • Mission Nombre de Dios, El Galeon ship, and the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum. • The St. Augustine Eco Tour from the St. Augustine pier to spot dolphins and birds and explore the environment of this productive estuary. • A ghost walk. • The St. Augustine Distillery and San Sebastian Winery. • A drive up A1A to nearby Ponte Vedra. Ginny O’s Tips for Dressing St. Augustine is a tourist-oriented destination and encourages casual dress. As always, start with comfortable shoes, and bring versatile, casual daytime outfits in the same color family to match. Shorts for men and women are fine. Women should bring an attractive blouse or skirt and dress up with costume jewelry or accessories. Men should pack a nice print shirt or two for evening and forget the ties and jackets. Bring a big hat and sunblock — this is Florida. ■
Jeffrey Orenstein is a syndicated travel writer who lives on Florida’s West Coast. He and his wife, Virginia, enjoy simply smart travel and writing about it. They can be reached at jorenstein@ SimplySmartTravel. com. Check out their travel ideas, articles and blog at www. SimplySmartTravel.com.
Photos by Jeffrey Orenstein
Top: Two great blue herons swoop in front of the Bridge of Lions and El Galeon during the St. Augustine Eco Tour. Middle: Aviles Street is the oldest street in the nation. Bottom: The elegant Café Alcazar is where the swimming pool of the Alcazar Hotel (now the Lightner Museum) used to be. Railroad magnate Henry Flagler built the Alcazar in 1888.
At a Glance
Mobility level: Fairly high. Brick streets can be challenging for those who have trouble walking. Many old buildings and lodgings don’t have elevators; ask for firstfloor accommodations in historic inns. When to go: All year. Summers are hot and sticky, but ocean breezes offer relief. June is the slowest month. The Fourth of July and winter holiday lighting draw big crowds. The winter and spring are great with cooler weather. The Sept. 8 celebration of the 450th birthday will be a huge draw. Where to stay: Within or close to the old city. The St. Francis Inn (1781) is a nice choice because of its old city location, parking, beach access, and great food and service. Birthday discounts are in effect from Aug. 16 through Oct. 8. The waterfront Hilton and many other lodging choices abound. Special interests: History. St. Augustine is 42 years older than Jamestown and 55 years older than the Plymouth colony and has seen many eras of occupation.
TRAVEL
SPORTS
Synagogue Softball Approaches Playoffs
T
By Jeffrey R. Orenstein
J
ews have probably been present in St. Augustine since Europeans settled America’s oldest city 450 years ago. Historians speculate that the first 800 settlers who arrived with Pedro Menendez in 1565 almost certainly included some Marranos, the outwardly Christianized Jews who were forced to convert by the Spanish. Many still saw themselves as Jews and mixed Jewish and Roman Catholic practices in their worship, such as lighting candles on Friday night and attending Mass on Sunday. A Marrano, Pedro Menendez Marques, also may have accompanied Ponce de Leon when he landed in Florida in 1513. Moroccan immigrant and Sephardic Jew Moses Levy (or Yulee), initially a slave owner and then an abolitionist, purchased part of the Arredondo grant in the early 1800s, and the property became the site of Fort Mose (located within the northern city limits), the first free black community in the United States. Levy’s son David studied law in St. Augustine and was admitted to the bar in 1832. In 1845 he reclaimed the historic Yulee family name and was elected to the U.S. Senate, the first known Jew
to do so. He was also part of the Confederate government and a railroad baron. St. Augustine’s first congregation, the Orthodox First Congregation Sons of Israel, was organized in the late 19th century by Jacob Tarlinsky and met in homes until its present building, in the historic district, opened in 1923, populated mainly by immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe. The first rabbi was hired in 1925, and its stained glass windows, donated by Tarlinsky’s three daughters, were added in 1957. According to the congregation’s history, two Jewish peddlers, Gerson Posnansky and Samuel Snyder, were killed by natives in the 1840s and were buried in the western part of the city. The congregation bought the property, and it later became the Jewish cemetery, with graves marked from 1911 onward. The Jewish community has been an important part of St. Augustine throughout its modern history. During World War II, at least 41 Jews from the city served in the armed forces. Today, St. Augustine Jews and Jewish visitors benefit from the First Congregation Sons of Israel, Chabad of St. Augustine and Reform Temple Bet Yam. Ponte Vedra Beach, a short distance north, has two synagogues, and Jacksonville, an hour north, has several and a Jewish Community Center. ■
Your invited to
Temple Kol Emeth’s Annual Ice Cream Social August 2, 3pm 1415 Old Canton Rd Marietta, GA 30062
Photos by Jeffrey Orenstein
Top: A shrimp boat works about a mile off shore. The waters in and around the St. Augustine estuary teem with life. Bottom: The Castillo de San Marcos fort is the oldest masonry fort in the United States. It has guarded St. Augustine since 1672.
Fun and Games for the kids and yummy ice cream for all. Meet up with friends and make some new ones too!
For more information: Call Denise at 770-973-3533
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
Jewish Links Stretch Back To Founding of City
Week 7 Softball Standings he regular season of the Atlanta A Division W L T Men’s Synagogue Softball League 6 0 1 is entering its final weekend with B’nai Torah Or VeShalom 6 2 two of the three divisional titles still to Sinai 1 5 4 be claimed. Temple 1 4 4 Play has concluded in the B league, Beth Tefillah 3 4 1 where Congregation Ariel (8-2) won the Dor Tamid 1 3 5 regular-season title in a tiebreaker over Ahavath Achim 2 5 Young Israel of Toco Hills (8-2). Chabad 1 6 In the A division, Congregation B Division W L T B’nai Torah (6-0-1) will face second Ariel 8 2 place Congregation Or VeShalom (6-2) Young Israel 8 2 and The Temple (4-4) on Sunday, July Beth Tikvah 1 6 4 26, in an effort to take home its ninth Emanu-El 6 4 consecutive regular-season title. Gesher L’Torah 5 5 The regular-season race in the C Etz Chaim 3 7 division is tight between Congregation Dor Tamid 2 2 8 Or Hadash (6-2), Congregation Beth Beth Shalom 2 8 Jacob (6-3-1) and Temple Kol Emeth (5-3). C Division W L T Or Hadash and Kol Emeth play Or Hadash 6 2 doubleheaders July 26, including the Beth Jacob 6 3 1 season finale against each other. One Kol Emeth 5 3 Beth Tikvah 2 4 4 1 win for Or Hadash against Temple Sinai 2 3 5 Sinai 2 or Kol Emeth will clinch the Temple 2 3 6 division, while Kol Emeth will have to Bet Haverim 1 6 win both games for a chance to finish first. Double-elimination league playoffs for all three divisions begin Aug. 2. ■
AJT 15
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
EDUCATION
AJT 16
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
EDUCATION
Preschool Experience As Sensory Development and at times outbursts.” Bailey scored high on develop mental and cognitive assessments. “If he is focused on something he wants to do, he will sit for hours doing it, so the school has ruled out ADHD as his behavioral problem, but they would still like to have him assessed by a professional for suggestions of ways to handle his moments of stressful behavior,” the parents said. “Sadly, we don’t have all these problems at home, so we are just as unsure how to help.”
Guest Column By Susan N. Schriber Orloff
Bailey has trained his parents to circumvent issues before they arise, but this process is not practical in a classroom of eight to 10 children with a teacher and a teacher’s aide. A common trigger word is “regressed,” often associated with severe developmental concerns but used by parents as a code word. The OTR must note a parent’s language, often indicating hidden concerns. The OTR also can serve as a developmental translator between family and teacher. Changes in behavior are common in young children, and to jump to conclusions about meanings can be emotionally stressful and unnecessary. Although most preschools, secular and religious, are governed by laws that require periodic testing, parents may want a more detailed profile of a child’s current abilities. Evaluating gross and fine motor adaptive skills, language and adaptive play (but not speech therapy), and personal social skills can be helpful in putting your child in the right classroom with the right teacher using the right approach. Equipping parents and teachers with an attentive ear and an evaluative eye can help create a positive early learning process. Finding the pre school with the right parent-child-G-d combination takes time and research. Be patient — Harvard is years away. ■ Susan N. Schriber Orloff is the CEO and executive director of Children’s Special Service and can be reached at www. childrens-services.com.
New & Innovative
Youth Education Programs Have you heard about our Hebrew Chavurah program? Students in grades 3-6 now have an option to participate in small group Hebrew classes that meet in neighborhoods. Convenience for parents; connections and relationships for your kids... it’s a win-win! Our new Wednesday Night Teen Program helps teens in grades 7-9 connect and build a cohesive post B’nai Mitzvah experience in meaningful ways. We’re focused on families, making Sunday a family destination where parents learn and connect with one another and their children as one community. We also offer a variety of family fun experiences throughout the year, like our Family Fun Fest, Family Tashlich picnic and a Family Afikomen Scavenger Hunt. For more information or to register for Youth Education programs, please call 404.252.3073.
Warm, Welcoming, Creative
Jewish Preschool
With a focus on academics through play, we offer small classes, an experienced staff, and modern classrooms filled with developmentally appropriate resources. With programs for Ages 12 months through Transitional Kindergarten, Temple Sinai has a remarkable and exciting educational experience waiting for your child.
For more information or to schedule a tour of the preschool, please call 404.255.6200.
5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs, GA 30327
www.templesinaiatlanta.org
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
T
he early learning experience can have long-term impact on the young child. Because this is often the first time the child has been away from home without a parent, finding the right experience is crucial. Because of the many levels of observance within our Jewish family, finding a learning situation that fits developmentally and spiritually can be a challenge. Reasons for a specific choice can include geography, social concerns, religious observance, cost and physical appearance. The list should also include the experience of the teachers; school certifications and philosophy; classroom size; number of classes per age group; continuing education for teachers; frame of reference for age- and class-specific curricula; structure of the school (classroom flexibility and use of experiential education); classroom facilities; extracurricular experiences; outside consultants (occupational therapist, speech therapist, nutritionist, psychologist); and accommodations and modifications for the child with early learning needs. Understanding your religious comfort zone is essential in choosing a faith-based school. Having your child tell you that the teacher said something you don’t do at home can make for uncomfortable situations. These issues are more important for a child with special learning needs. Evaluating the home philosophy is as important as evaluating the child, and it might be helpful, particularly for a special needs toddler, for the registered occupational therapist (OTR) to visit the school with the parents before they enroll the child. For children without identified concerns, a “just to be safe” occupational therapy developmental screening might be helpful. Still, the therapist often is brought into the preschool situation after problems arise. Such was the case with “Bailey,” a 3-year-old whose parents contacted me after three months in preschool. By the second month, he had adjusted to being in school full time, but “about two weeks ago he started to regress into not listening to his teacher when she asks him to do something, general disruptive behavior, self-control issues
AJT 17
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
EDUCATION
Teens’ Jewish Ties Get J-Jolt
Reform initiative aims to boost post-b’nai mitzvah connections By Ariel Pinsky
A
n often-cited saying claims that it takes a village to raise a child. Bobby Harris, the founder of J-Jolt, agrees so much that he created a way of empowering teens to build a personal circle of mentors to support them throughout adolescence. The Jewish Journey of a Lifetime program, part of the Union for Reform Judaism’s Campaign for Youth Engagement, is designed to bring more meaning into the b’nai mitzvah process while deepening the relationship between young teens and their congregations. Harris said the program will promote “a real, authentic, intergenerational bond, which is what the intent of the bar and bat mitzvah really is — an initiation into the older culture and how to be an adult in that community.” Harris, who has served as the director of URJ’s Camp Coleman since 1992, said he adapted J-Jolt from an earlier idea of friends Jacob Schreiber and Edna Levy, a couple who formed a
“council of elders” to with the b’nai be a part of the bar mitzvah and their mitzvah celebrations families. A particiof their children. pating teen is then He also drew free to custominspiration from the ize the journey “village of camp” duraround the five ing his summers at basic steps: preColeman by observparing for J-Jolt; ing how adults with choosing four to passions similar to six adult mentors; those of the campers formally inviting for things like music the mentors into and cooking influthe process; craftenced them to open ing a personalized up, share feelings J-Jolt ceremony for and solve problems. parents and men“I’ve just tors; and sharing Camp Coleman head Bobby watched how people one’s story afterHarris is the founder of J-Jolt. other than the parward. ents can have this inThe first credible impact on youth development, three steps are done in conjunction and so I said, ‘Well, why not really or- with the congregation; the last two can ganize that and make that happen for be done at home or at synagogue and more and more kids?’ ” Harris said. can change based on the individual. The program combines webinars The goals of the program are the and guidebooks to train mentors along same for all: to commit to Judaism
aha a
CREATING EARLY LEARNING MOMENTS
through adulthood and to maintain lasting and authentic relationships with older members of the community. These relationships can be thought of as “intergenerational relationships for kids in order to help widen the circle of the family,” said parenting expert Ron Taffel, a psychologist and friend of Harris’ who did a January webinar for J-Jolt on connecting with today’s teens. Asked for his advice on how to be an effective mentor, Taffel said, “Well, there’s an old expression: show up — really engage, try to provide some kind of guidance and teaching, but in a context of fun. I think the most important thing is to be able to spot and to get a sense of the strength or the best in a child, and that requires a kind of vision to see a child clearly.” One mentor, Fox 5 sports anchor and former Camp Coleman counselor Justin Felder, hopes to integrate sports into the mentoring process. He also sees J-Jolt as an easy way to translate URJ summer camps and youth groups such as NFTY to the real world.
Ahava Early Learning Center Now Registering for Fall 2015
Reggio Emilia-Inspired Learning Environment
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
ENROLL TODAY
AJT 18
For information, visit our website at www.ahavalearning.org or call 404-603-5759. Ahavath Achim Synagogue | 600 Peachtree Battle Avenue NW | Atlanta, Georgia 30327 Ahava Early Learning Center welcomes all children regardless of race, ethnicity or religion.
“I think it would be great to recapture that feeling from being a camp counselor of being able to be there for someone who needs you,” Felder said. “I hope I can be a positive influence on someone, whatever’s needed and whatever that means to them. If that means just being someone to do fun things with — go bowling, see a movie, hit Six Flags — that’s great. But if I can be someone who a mentee feels they can talk to about problems they face in life, in school, that’s even better.” Harris started putting together the program in 2013, and it is still in what he called its “incubation stage,” so not enough families have participated to measure the impact on the community. About 15 congregations have gotten involved and are at varying stages in developing the program. One is Temple Kol Emeth, preparing to launch the program this year. “Our initial responsibility is just to make people aware of the program and connect them to the resources,” said Kol Emeth’s education director, Rebecca Tullman. She said several families have expressed interest in the program. Tullman sees J-Jolt as an opportunity to develop a cadre of potential mentors within the temple who can connect with teens based on similar interests or passions. She also sees “potential for creating new connections within our congregation between people that may not have known each other otherwise.” Gayle Maller, the religious school principal at Temple Ahavat Shalom in Palm Harbor, Fla., and the mother of a fifth-grader, plans to pilot J-Jolt this year in the belief that the program will promote a strong Judaic connection beyond what parents have chosen. “There are people out there who can relate to these children in this vital age that will keep them grounded, especially in the Jewish aspect,” Maller said. “As we look at this program, we see that students need outside mentors to guide them other than their parents.” Harris hopes that J-Jolt will spread to more communities until it becomes standard in the bar mitzvah process. Ultimately, he said, “what I would like to see happen is in congregations, when families talk about their upcoming bar and bat mitzvahs, in addition to saying, ‘Hey, what’s your mitzvah project?’ they are going to say, ‘Hey, did you pick your mentors yet? Who are you gonna pick?’ ” ■
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
EDUCATION
AJT 19
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
EDUCATION
AA Starts Something New
Ahava preschool will promote self-exploration, cooperation By David R. Cohen david@atljewishtimes.com The Ahava early learning center at Ahavath Achim Synagogue will welcome its first class of preschoolers Monday, Aug. 17, but faculty and staff have another big date in mind. Some time this fall, the new preschool will open a state-of-the-art facility on the site of the former Epstein School preschool, which moved to the day school’s Sandy Springs campus three years ago. Until the new building is completed, Ahava will operate in a temporary space inside AA. “I’m excited about everything really,” Ahava Director Hannah Williams said. “I have joined an amazing team of professionals and leaders who have been working for several years to prepare this preschool for the community. Everyone is working together to create an amazing future.” When the extensive renovations are complete, the Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool will include floor-toceiling windows, an art studio with a
kiln room, and a 19,200-square-foot outdoor classroom with a climbing wall, amphitheater and greenhouse. As a Jewish preschool, Ahava plans to provide children with a multisensory experience for learning and play that will combine real-world exploration and Jewish values such as cooperation, collaboration and respect. Williams, who grew up attending Ahavath Achim, said every detail of the center was designed to let the children explore areas of their own development. In addition to studying art, math
Are You Shul Shopping? join us for a Special Prospective Member Weekend!
Become A Member Of Beth Shalom! Be A Part Of Our Family! Our Synagogue Has So Much To Offer.
Dynamic Programming and Holiday Celebrations Meaningful Worship Opportunities Exceptional Educational Programs Congregational Shabbat & Holiday Dinners Social Action Programs Chesed Committee providing assistance to those in need
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
Talented and Warm Professional and Support Staff
AJT 20
Rockin’ Shabbat
Prospective & New Member Shabbat
Friday, August 14th
Saturday, August 15th • 9:30am
& Barbecue Dinner
6:15pm Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Service 7:15pm Shabbat Dinner (Barbecue Dinner with all the fixings) Prospective Members are our guests
Join us as we welcome our prospective and new members for Shabbat Services. Stay for a delicious Kiddush Lunch in their honor.
RSVP…Congregation Beth Shalom, 5303 Winters Chapel Rd, Atlanta, GA 30360 770-399-5300
and pre-literacy skills, pupils at Ahava will be given ample opportunity to choose their own paths. “We are going to first sit back and watch the children,” she said. “Once we have observations to see where their interests lie, then we will construct new opportunities for learning around those Photos by David R. Cohen interests. So the chilTop left: As shown in an artist’s rendering, the dren really become coAhava outdoor classroom will feature a climbing constructors of their wall, amphitheater and rain garden. own experience. The Top right: Construction continues at the future home of Ahava’s outdoor classroom. basics are there, but the actual details will Bottom three photos: Until the new building is ready, Ahava will operate in a temporary but well-equipped space inside AA. come from the children’s interests.” The Reggio Emilia approach to Williams, curriculum coordinator and preschool was developed in Italy after AA member Beth Arnold Helmey, and World War II and is based on principles lead teacher Danya Maloon. of respect, responsibility and commuThe preschool is open to children nity through self-exploration and dis- regardless of whether their families are covery. affiliated with AA. Ahava has 14 children enrolled for “It’s really a blend of so many difthe core program beginning in August, ferent people’s ideas and spirits that which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. have come together,” Williams said. Monday through Friday. Once the new “The collaboration of the adults is rebuilding opens, Ahava will expand its ally what I think is going to make this hours to 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. such a successful place for the chilThe teaching staff will include dren.” ■
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
EDUCATION
B’nai Torah Plans to Balance Fun, Learning
C
ongregation B’nai Torah’s religious school has a new leader in place as it prepares for a new school year and looks to fill a new parttime position focused on children with special needs. “I’ve seen a lot of religious schools run poorly, and it makes me sad,” said Sharon Graetz, who started July 6 as the youth and family education director, which includes a religious school she hopes will have 150 children from kindergarten through seventh grade when classes start. Graetz moved from Los Angeles to Atlanta about a year ago because her husband, Adam, is a doctoral student at Emory University. She worked with Jewish Kids Groups and The Temple before finding “the perfect match” with B’nai Torah. In Los Angeles, she earned dual master’s degrees in Jewish education and nonprofit management from Hebrew Union College. She did her thesis on alternative models of Jewish education and got into synagogue religious
education to see what would work. She said the key is a balance of recreation, socialization and challenge — finding ways to make school fun without losing the actual education. Graetz doesn’t want kids sitting at desks with their heads buried in books, but she also doesn’t want them spending all their time doing arts and crafts. Either approach, she said, will lose kids. Instead, Graetz said, a Hebrew lesson on numbers might involve pairs of flash cards — one with the number, the other with the Hebrew word — hidden around a playground and teams of kids turned loose to make the matches. Kids would have fun running around and competing but also would learn. While she works on training and gaining buy-in from teachers, Graetz knows B’nai Torah won’t instantly change from a school too focused on books, but she expects that people will quickly see differences. One difference that was in the works before she arrived but has her support is the addition of a learning specialist to the school staff. Rabbi Eytan Kenter said the parttime role is part of a congregational
effort to make anyone with special needs feel included at B’nai Torah. The religious school has always met special needs, but the new learning specialist will streamline solutions. Graetz said the specialist not only will offer advice and support for teach-
ers to meet specific needs, but also will be able to demonstrate how to teach lessons. The hiring search for that specialist is ongoing. Graetz hopes to have the person in place for a teacher training session Aug. 16. ■
Preschool Inclusion Without Stigma The vision of inclusion at Congregation B’nai Torah incorporates the preschool as well as the religious school. The trick, Rabbi Eytan Kenter said, is to create an atmosphere that’s inclusive without leading people to think dismissively, “Oh, that’s the school where disabled kids go.” “Our goal and our mission and our vision for the preschool has always been to be an inclusionary school,” said Binnie Edelson, who’s in charge of about 50 preschoolers as B’nai Torah’s early childhood education director and is co-chair of the Jewish Early Childhood Council of Atlanta. But the language around special needs can be tricky. “All children are special. All children are unique,” she said. “Whatever we can do as a Jewish preschool to meet the needs of every child, that’s what we need to be.” That’s not a new approach for B’nai Torah’s preschool. Its mission to provide “a sensory based, developmentally appropriate curriculum for young children while instilling Jewish values” emphasizes meeting individual needs. All of B’nai Torah’s preschool teachers get additional training related to inclusiveness, including awareness of the sensitivity involved in conversations with parents. Because preschool teachers typically are the first adults to spend significant time with children without the parents, they also are the ones to notify parents of potential learning differences. ■
A Jewish Montessori
B”H
Programs offered 18 months 2 year old 3 year old Pre k Kindergarten
Monday – Friday 9.00 – 1.00 and 2.30
Dassie New Director 5065 High Point Road Atlanta, GA, 30342
After care: until 5.00 Hot lunch available
office@chayamushka.org 404-‐843-‐9582 www.chayamushka.org
early care: 8.00 – 9.00
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com
AJT 21
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
EDUCATION
Learning Together
JKG, OVS excited for second year of partnership By Sophie Zelony
J
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
ewish Kids Groups is ready to kick off the second year of a program partnered with and housed at Congregation Or VeShalom in Brookhaven. JKG and Or VeShalom “really try to take advantage of the fact that we have two strong organizations, and we believe that we could do more together than we can separately,” said Arielle Klebanoff, JKG’s Brookhaven director. “It was a great first year.” With most religious schools, you have to be a member of the synagogue to participate. But there is no barrier to participation with JKG; anyone who identifies as Jewish is welcome to join the program. JKG is an independent and innovative Hebrew school network that educates Jewish children through an experiential approach that focuses on hands-on learning and tries to mimic the special relationships between counselors and children at summer camps. Or VeShalom, a Sephardic congregation that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2014, does not operate its own religious school. Last school year, JKG served just under 200 kids on Sunday mornings: 67 at Or VeShalom and the others at two locations in Morningside. JKG hopes to increase enrollment throughout the Atlanta area and is looking to serve pupils through a variety of places, including synagogues. JKG and Or VeShalom hope to deepen their partnership through joint programs and collaborative projects, such as Sisterhood cooking sessions with JKG students, holiday celebrations, and gardening initiatives. Or VeShalom plans to launch a parent association to increase family involvement and child enrollment in the Sunday school. Erica Krisel, Or VeShalom’s education chairwoman, said the first year of the program was about growth and learning. “Children, for the most part, were dropped off outside, and parents didn’t 22 really walk into the building,” she said.
AJT
“This year we are hoping to get parents in the building more for drop-off, to have coffees with parents, and to really improve communications between Or VeShalom and JKG so JKG families know they are welcome to attend the events we are providing.” Or VeShalom programs are free to JKG families, and the congregation wants to engage more JKG families and to interact with them outside the religious school. Krisel also said she hopes Or VeShalom and JKG will co-sponsor more programs.
Klebanoff said she learned during the first year at Or VeShalom that families want to get more involved in the Jewish community, leading to great interest in JKG programs. She is optimistic about the future of JKG’s partnership with Or VeShalom. ■ Photos courtesy of Jewish Kids Groups — Children enjoy a variety of activities in the JKG program at Congregation Or VeShalom.
Shearith Israel Religious School An Option for the Unaffiliated By Zach Itzkovitz
F
or the many Jewish families in Atlanta who aren’t synagogue members, finding a religious school program is tricky. One possibility is Machaneh Shai, Congregation Shearith Israel’s religious school. It serves children from kindergarten through seventh grade, as well as their parents, with a variety of classes and opportunities. The congregation offers a supplemental registration process to families who are not Shearith Israel members, said Nancy Gorod, the director of congregational learning.
“We’ve had this policy for a couple of years,” she said. “It was decided that we would offer two tiers of tuition: one for members and one for people from the community.” Machaneh Shai is available to nonmembers for two years, after which they must join the congregation to stay in the program. “There’s a two-year commitment for people from the community that are not members of Shearith Israel,” Gorod said. “Year 1, they pay a certain tuition, then in Year 2, the tuition goes up a little bit more. Then after Year 2 it is our hope that they will then join the synagogue.”
Machaneh Shai’s curriculum conforms to Shearith Israel’s Conservative values despite adopting progressive educational models that include experiential learning. The education program also offers monthly parent/child study opportunities, parent-only classes, and holiday celebrations for members and nonmembers alike. Shabbat services for children are available, as well as text-study services meant for adults. For more information or registration for the 2015-16 Machaneh Shai program, visit shearithisrael.com/ machaneh-shai-registration. ■
EDUCATION
Congratulations to our 11th year Graduating Class!
Preschool Partnership Pleases JCC, Kol Emeth
We’ll miss you next year when you attend school at: • E. Rivers Elementary • Laurel Ridge Elementary • Mary Lin Elementary • Morningside Elementary • Morris Brandon Elementary • Pace Academy • Sagamore Hills Elementary • Sope Creek Elementary • Springdale Park Elementary • The Alfred & Adele Davis Academy • The Children’s School • The Galloway School • The Paideia School • Trinity School • Warren T. Jackson Elementary
By Ariel Pinsky
T
program is accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission. Kol Emeth’s senior administrator, Denise Jacobs, said the synagogue provides certain facility needs to the preschool, which has its own secured entrance, and a contract spells out the responsibilities of Kol Emeth and the JCC. Kol Emeth “has no input, nor do we want any input, into their educational program,” Jacobs said. “All the hiring, all the firing, their communications systems and their Internet systems are all separate.” What the congregation gains from the partnership, besides rent revenue, is the potential for new members. Jacobs said the preschool serves as a gateway for families with young children to get to know Kol Emeth. “We are very respectful of the fact that there are families that go to the Sunshine School that are members of other synagogues, and we don’t want to intrude on any of these affiliations,” Jacobs said. “But for those who aren’t affiliated, we do hope that they will get to know us and become a part of the Temple Kol Emeth community.” Asked whether the Marcus JCC plans to continue the partnership with Kol Emeth for the immediate future, Luxenberg said: “We are always looking at all our programs to make sure they are performing at the top level, but, yes, we are very happy with where we are today.” ■
I can’t relocate to NEW YORK, so how can I become a RABBI or CANTOR?
You can do it at AJR. AJR’s flexible scheduling allows for full-time or part-time study. Stay overnight, return home after class. ORDAINING RABBIS AND CANTORS FOR ALL JEWISH COMMUNITIES 28 WELLS AVENUE, YONKERS, NY WWW.AJRSEM.ORG
For more information, please contact
Cantor Lisa Klinger-Kantor at 914-709-0900 x14
We are still accepting applications for the 2015-16 school year for both Half Day and Extended Day programs from 7:30am-6:00pm. For information or a personal tour, contact Annetta Kornblum at 404-872-8668 or go online at www.the-temple.org
Our Conservative Egalitarian Congregation is conveniently located near the Marcus JCC, just minutes from Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Roswell, Peachtree Corners, Dunwoody and Norcross
What We Love About Our Synagogue • • • • • •
Shabbat Services Kiddush Lunches Daily Minyans Tot Shabbat Jr. Congregation Family Retreats
• • • • •
Shabbat Dinners • Warm and Friendly • Community Holiday Celebrations • USY / Kadima Youth Groups Sisterhood & Men’s Club
Adult & Family Education Award Winning Religious School Social Action Projects
Come Join the Alefbet Preschool Family! Experienced, caring educators Excellent child/educator ratios Warm, loving hamish environment Science, Music, Art and Movement specialities Integrated Judaics curriculum
Full day, Extended day and Half day options Licensed and Accredited thru Bright From the Start Active PTO
IT’S A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR NAME! For information, contact Risa Walter, Director of Early Childhood Education Risa@bethshalomatlanta.org
Congregation Beth Shalom 5303 Winters Chapel Road Atlanta, GA 30360
770-399-5300 office 770-399-7622 preschool email office@bshalom.net www.bethshalomatlanta.org
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
he award-winning Sunshine School, the only Marcus Jewish Community Center presence in East Cobb since the sale of the Shirley Blumenthal Park campus in May 2014, is succeeding after five years of its partnership with Temple Kol Emeth. The preschool, which started in 1989 at Shirley Blumenthal Park, has operated out of Kol Emeth since 2010, replacing a synagogue preschool program, and has made progress after some struggles in the new location. “Our enrollments are up over last year, and we have received a quality rating of three from the governor, the highest quality rating that we can achieve. We’re so proud of the work we do in our preschool,” said Gail Luxenberg, the CEO of the Marcus JCC. “The fact that we’ve received this quality rating has impacted our enrollment.” Raye Lynn Banks, the director of the Sunshine School, has worked with Marcus JCC preschools for 42 years. She said the preschool’s enrollment numbers decreased the first few years at Kol Emeth because of changing demographics in the East Cobb area. Banks said enrollment is “up and great” for the 2015-16 school year with 83 children set to attend. Perhaps the rise in enrollment can be credited to the “warm and nurturing” feeling Banks said the school provides, as well as its awards and accreditations. “We are considered one of the highest-quality early childhood programs in the East Cobb area,” Banks said. The Sunshine School has National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation, and the pre-K
AJT 23
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
EDUCATION
Child Psychiatry Rears a Playful Head
D
r. Eric Fier, a native of Baltimore and a medical graduate of Yeshiva University, came to our attention from a patient’s email suggesting that we feature his artsy office’s interior design. Fier shares how his office décor dovetails with his awards for compassion and unraveling of complicated cases, as well as his thoughts about child rearing in today’s competitive world.
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
Jaffe: How would you describe your practice? Fier: I spend most of my day with “quirky kids” — kids and teens who don’t easily fit into neat diagnostic categories. Many find themselves somewhere along the autistic spectrum; most seem to experience the world a bit differently than you or I. I learn new languages — each of my patients has their own way of deciphering their world. I let them teach me. And, once fluent, a relationship is born. The adults I treat often struggle with debilitating anxiety, depression or bipolar illness. Many have endured remarkable adversity. Addressing this requires a different type of fluency. I’m passionate about Logotherapy — Viktor Frankl’s approach to identifying a meaning or purpose that might emerge through one’s suffering. It seems that our ability to transcend pain comes through a capacity and willingness to signify it in some way. Having lost my daughter, Rachaeli, three years ago, this resonates deeply with me.
AJT 24
Jaffe: Why a funky environment like this? Fier: I envisioned a space that did not in any way feel like a sterile, clinical office. If I intended to challenge my patients to think differently about their difficulties, it seemed logical that I design an environment that challenged all preconceptions about what going to the doctor should feel like. When you enter my office, you’re immediately forced to rethink where you are. “Am I in the right place?” is a question we should all ask ourselves regularly. I began with an open canvas: a 3,000-square-foot warehouse space, a converted factory loft in the Southern Dairies complex on North Avenue in the Old 4th Ward. I designed the build-
out myself, envisioning a space that beckons exploration and discovery. Just like my patients, it slowly reveals much more than initially meets the eye. Jaffe: You have three different waiting areas? Fier: People like to find their zone.
Chai-Style Offices By Marcia Caller Jaffe mjaffe@atljewishtimes.com
Each of the waiting areas has its own personality. At the entrance, there are retro-modern furnishings, industrial lighting, a spineless pencil cactus and a wall quote by Anais Nin: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” A patient shared this quote with me as she emerged from a depression that nearly consumed her. I’m not one for tattoos, so I put it on my wall. Down the hall is the second waiting space, a 1950s retro diner featuring a Zodiac burgundy V-back booth and a red glacier boomerang Formica table. The ceiling and walls are covered in retro signage and neon lighting; a tabletop jukebox and Kit-Cat clock add to the ambience of pure 1950s kitsch. The third waiting space surrounds a 12-foot stage. It’s backlit by nine music-responsive LED panels and features a working microphone and industrial stool. The couches are low and deep, with steampunk-inspired bookshelves built from industrial pipe fittings surrounding the perimeter. Bare Edison bulbs suspend from the loft ceiling. The shelves are filled with eclectic, irreverent reads — most mined from the bowels of Urban Outfitters. The stage space beckons for karaoke, stand-up comedy, interpretive dance. There’s something about a microphone on a stage that draws us out of our shells, irrespective of age. So does a pole, but better judgment prevailed. Jaffe: What does your own office portend? Fier: It’s a magical space. In the center, there’s an Eero Aarnio bubble chair suspended from the 16-foot ceiling. It’s an awesome sensory tool
that allows kids to swing while talking. I’m often amazed by what even the most extreme ADHD kids can cognitively access in therapy when they’re allowed to move while they engage. Splashes of bright colors fill the space, with a neon-paneled modernist dollhouse from the Museum of Modern Art cantilevered from the wall. There’s a beta fish swimming A plasma spheres, brain models, and toys that fluoresce in DayGlo colors.
B
C inside a wall clock, a giant Hoberman Sphere that expands 6 feet, and a hidden missile launcher that shoots foam projectiles at parents who complain too much about their kids’ messy rooms. The highlight is a secret blacklight playroom, whose entrance is hidden behind a sliding piece of wall art. The room pops with lava lamps,
Jaffe: Why treat ADD kids by adding distractions? Fier: Attention deficit is a misnomer. These kids don’t have a deficit of attention; they’re hyperattentive — attending to everything in their sensory environment as they navigate life. What’s more wonderful than a place where every time you visit, you discover something new? On some level, that’s really what therapy is about. Jaffe: What advice would you give to parents who worry excessively about their kids’ grades? Fier: The first question we should ask our kids when they get home from school shouldn’t be “How’d you do on your test?” It should be “Were you a mensch today?” We want our kids to grow up to be good, decent, compassionate individuals and to understand that how we treat our peers is infinitely more important than whether we outscored them. When my boys walk in the door, they know I’ll ask them, “Who did you help today? Who did you stand up for?” We, as parents, have to model for them that derech eretz (decency, character) comes before everything. The rest of the world will teach them to compete; it’s my job to teach them to be a mensch. ■
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
EDUCATION
Photos courtesy of Dr. Eric Fier
D
A: A retro 1950s diner allows patients to enjoy plastic burgers, fries and milkshakes while playing with an Etch A Sketch. B: Eric Fier says parents should focus less on grades and more on character. C: The Kaleidoscope House, a modernist dollhouse featured at MoMA, is suspended from the wall as art that can be played with. D: Unusual cacti and succulents remind patients that different can be beautiful. E: This chess set by Karim Rashid features soft, luminescent pieces that are a tactile and visual delight. F: Eric Fier’s office features a retro-modern aesthetic with sensory tools and toys throughout. G: Kids can re-enact traumas and triumphs inside the Kaleidoscope House. H: One office waiting space features a 12foot stage backlit by nine music-responsive LED panels. I: The Whatever Clock seems to have particular appeal to anyone with ADD or executive function challenges (or maybe just anyone with kids). J : Pop Art by Roy Lichtenstein is featured just outside the Keith Haring-themed bathroom. K : The playroom highlights the fun aesthetic of the office. L: Eric Fier calls this sculpture by local artist Chris Mason “Fractured Childhood,” but others insist on calling it “Broken Tricycle.”
E
F
I
H
J
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
G
K
L
AJT 25
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
BUSINESS
New Broadway Cafe Swings for Fences Kosher breakfast now available By R.M. Grossblatt
T
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
he New Broadway Cafe opened for breakfast Monday, July 13. Broadway, which makes homemade, kettle-boiled bagels, is the first kosher restaurant to offer a full breakfast menu since Bagel Break on Roswell Road closed in August 2009. Opening morning, customers at the counter watched manager Avi Alzadeh and his team smear cream cheese on a variety of New York-style bagels. Alzadeh’s sister, Ariella Kaplan, was the first customer to buy a bagel and cream cheese in the renovated dairy/ vegetarian restaurant in the Briar Vista Shopping Center in Toco Hills. Alzadeh’s grandparents Judy and Ed Bloom opened Broadway Cafe in 1993 across the street from its present location. Before that, the Blooms and Alan Alzadeh, Avi’s father, owned Wall Street Pizza. Now Alan owns his own bagel shop, so, following his father, Avi felt it was natural to enter the restaurant business. An athlete, Avi Alzadeh played baseball throughout school, including college, then in rookie pro ball. He considers managing Broadway Cafe a new chapter in his life. “In the beginning, I just came to help out,” he said in his gentle, calm manner. Then he had a vision to combine the idea of his father’s bagel shop with his grandparents’ established restaurant. The Blooms, who now work behind the scenes, were receptive, especially because it would give them more time for Bijan’s, their catering business. Besides breakfast, Alzadeh’s vision was to liven up the place and make it more fun. His cousins Josh and Alexis Alzadeh helped with the renovations. They replaced a huge mural and the rest of the walls with wooden scraps and planks, which created an artsy ambience. Some customers miss the mural with faces of famous Atlantans and theater billboards painted by artist 26 Judy Merlis and her daughters. “We
AJT
may take a picture of it,” Alzadeh said, “and reduce and frame it.” Part of the fun for customers is choosing ingredients from a salad bar, pouring their own gourmet coffee, sitting in colorful booths and writing messages on a chalkboard near the washing station. The new manager has other ideas brewing, including prepping food such as lasagna and baked ziti for customers to grab from a case. “The possibilities are endless,” Alzadeh said. Without table service, everything moves faster, and the cafe is still baking pizza, a specialty of new chef Tony,
whom Judy Bloom always wanted to hire. Johnny Farazmand, who with wife Dinah ordered pizza for lunch the first day, said it was great, “like the pizza Broadway used to make.” Besides pizza and bagels (served all day until they run out), French toast and omelets are available for breakfast, plus waffles on Sunday. Many other favorites at Broadway remain on the menu. “You can still come here to get a good piece of salmon,” Alzadeh said. Hard work and long hours are put in by everyone, especially Alzadeh, who arrives at 4 a.m. to bake bagels for the cafe’s opening at 7. Breakfast is served until 11. Whether rolling out dough for bagels, scrambling an omelet or working the cash register, “it’s a team effort,” said the former baseball player, who hopes that the New Broadway Cafe has a winning opening season. ■
Photos by R.M. Grossblatt
Top: The cafe is in the Briar Vista Shopping Center at Briarcliff and LaVista roads. Above left: The cafe chalkboard is open for comments on opening day. Above right: New Broadway Cafe manager Avi Alzadeh is following in the restaurant footsteps of grandmother Judy Bloom. Left: Mashgiach Yossi Stein helps dough maker Speedy prepare the pizza dough. Bottom: Avi Alzadeh poses with team members Laken Davis and Weber seniors Ben Perlow and Sam Italiaander.
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
BUSINESS
Kosher Possibilities
Fresh Market, Earth Fare open to requests from Toco Hills By R.M. Grossblatt
“I
colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives. Those standards should make it easier to supervise a kosher coffee bar or bulk products, said Rabbi Reuven Stein, the director of the Atlanta Kashruth Commission. Scher hopes Earth Fare will order organic, kosher, humanely raised meat and poultry. Not all kosher consumers care about organic, but they care about new places to eat and reliable hechshers (seals of kosher approval), such as the OU, Star K, Kof K and Atlanta’s Peach K. Rabbi Stein, who oversees the Peach K, said most markets that are part of big corporate models “don’t know how to adapt one of their stores to being different.” He noted that both Fresh Market and Earth Fare originated in cities in North Carolina with small Jewish populations and haven’t been exposed to what kosher means. “They have to get out of the mode of more gefilte fish and matzah meal.” The way for stores to change, Rabbi Stein said, isn’t to hear from him. Store managers are polite, but they think he wants the business, little of which actually comes from supermarkets. Only customers asking for a kosher gelato or coffee bar, bakery, or bulk products can make a difference, he said. The request can be in person, by phone, by email or by dropping a note into a suggestion box. “When they hear that customers want something,” Rabbi Stein said, “it’s a different story.” That story can have a happy ending or exciting beginning for kosher consumers from Toco Hills shopping at Fresh Market and Earth Fare. ■
Photos by Faye Grossblatt
Above: Earth Fare is in a new section of Emory Point. Top right: Bulk foods are an area where community requests could make a kosher difference. Right: The produce lives up to the Fresh Market name.
Be Part of the Synagogue Guide Don’t miss the AJT’s Synagogue Issue Section August 21 RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE CALL 404-883-2130 BY
Deadline Aug 14 JULY 24 ▪ 2015
sn’t life a hoot?” Harriet Romano said as she wheeled her cart toward the produce at Fresh Market in the Brighten Park Shopping Center on Wednesday, July 8, opening day. Amid soft lighting and the smell of coffee beans, Romano and others were part of the excitement at the opening. Customers were handed a sample of the store’s famous ground coffee in a reusable plastic bag and a chance to win a $100 gift certificate. About two miles away, Earth Fare in Emory Point was celebrating its opening. The first 100 customers were lined up outside to win $5 to $500 gift certificates. Everyone entered the store carrying a white cotton bag decorated with Earth Fare’s tomato logo. Gifts are great, but many of the Jewish shoppers were interested in a reason to shop regularly beyond opening day: kosher food. Esther Lubel, a teacher at Torah Day School, enjoyed the spaciousness of Fresh Market’s 23,000-square-foot store. On shelves and in cases she found some kosher products, such as flat pizza dough, but was disappointed at the lack of a section marked “Kosher.” Romano also was disappointed. “If they get more kosher products,” she said, “it will be good for them and the community.” Promoting that message, Roberta Scher, the executive editor of Koshereye.com and food columnist for the Jewish Georgian, arrived earlier than Lubel and Romano to speak to managers and leave her card. Scher said one of her goals in the neighborhood and around the country “is to educate brands and supermarkets how beneficial it is to have kosher products.” With a little under 12,000 square feet, Earth Fare found room for a small display of kosher products. In the back corner of the store, a narrow shelf was filled mostly with organic grape juice, matzah and matzah ball mix. Mr. Pat, the manager at Earth Fare, said that Scher had told him the store’s display of traditional kosher foods “wasn’t the way to reach the Jewish community.” He offered to order new kosher items if they meet Earth Fare’s strict quality standards, which include being free of added hormones, antibiotics, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial
AJT 27
ARTS
Kosha Dillz Rhymes Way To Recovery, Success By Kevin Madigan kmadigan@atljewishtimes.com
friend isn’t mesmerized and appreciative of the name and prowess of being on Warped Tour. ewish rapper Rami Matan EvenIt saddens me, honestly. Why are Esh, who goes by the stage name Ko- the Jews so quiet? Why aren’t the Jews sha Dillz, came in the front row? through Atlanta Why aren’t BBYOs and performed at and USYs bookAaron’s Amphitheing us more? Why atre on July 2 as part aren’t they showof the Vans Warped ing up and knowTour. ing about it when Dillz, 33, who is all their kids are from Perth Amboy, attending this conN.J., rhymes in Engcert? Why are the lish, Hebrew and older bosses not reSpanish. sponding when we He has been are … offering free active in the music tickets and they still business for a dedon’t take them? cade and was cited I was the first by The Source magperson to make a azine as “the hardHebrew Warped Kosha Dillz, shown performing at a Yom HaAtzmaut celebration April 26 est-working man Tour T-shirt in 21 at Davis Academy, would love to see in hip-hop.” He colyears of the USA’s more Jewish fans at his concerts. laborated with Wu largest rock tour. Tang Clan’s RZA on I’m the first openly a hit, “Operator,” which also featured Jewish rapper on the tour. I have an IsKool G. Rap from the Juice Crew. He raeli flag at my table and receive antipops up in odd places, such as a 2012 Semitic slurs for being myself, and no Bud Light Super Bowl commercial and one seems to rally behind the reality of the BET Awards, and he even became a how awesome it is for Jewish music to playable video game character. be on Warped Tour. So, yeah — what’s His latest album is “Awkward in a up, Jewish people? Good Way.” AJT: Tell us about your background Dillz talked to the Atlanta Jewish in New Jersey and Israel — your childTimes while he traveled on a noisy tour hood, Rutgers, wrestling, personal life, bus, but his responses were indecipher- becoming a rapper, etc. able over the phone. He then agreed to KD: Basically it goes like this: socanswer questions via email. cer, wrestling, drugs, college, wrestling, AJT: What are your impressions of jails, addictions, college, jails again, the Atlanta show and the audience? college, jail again, recovery, rehab, rapKD: The show was great and well ping and rapping and rapping, and received. It was also extremely hot and eventually Warped Tour, with a lot of exhausting, hence the reason we shout Israel in between all those. out Hotlanta! AJT: What are your musical influAJT: Is the Warped Tour turning ences, and what do you listen to now? out as you hoped? With so many acts KD: Biggie Smalls, Nas, Panthers, on the bill, what do you do to stand out Metallica, Rancid, Green Day for influand engage the crowd? ences. As far as today goes, many of my KD: Being the Jewish rapper is cer- friends — Alvarez Kings, the Kenneths, tainly a way to grab attention — my Baby Baby (from Atlanta), Matisyahu name and pickle emblem and Team and tons of live music I see on tour. Kosha logo. AJT: Explain what the Kosha AJT: You said you would like to School is and how people can sign up. have more Jewish fans. Can you expand KD: People can sign up for Kosha on that? School by emailing rapperfriends@ KD: I experience a lot of people gmail.com and hitting up their school who don’t enjoy being Jewish, but to book a program that will come and their friends think it’s cool, and those teach you how to become a Jewish rapfriends are confused as to why their per in 45 minutes. ■
J
Honoring traditions,
strengthening faith. and deserves to be remembered in a special way. Rely on your Dignity Memorial® professionals to help you and your loved ones create a personal, meaningful memorial that truly honors the heritage of the Jewish faith. E VERY LIFE IS U NIQU E
R
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
Call today for information about the newest area in our cemetery, Shalom II, and to receive your free Personal Planning Guide.
AJT
Arlington Memorial Park SaNdY SpRINgS
404-255-0750 ArlingtonMemorialPark.com
28
M1725_0437_ArlingtonMP_PNT_4-44x11-75_C.indd 1
7/20/15 3:15 PM
OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING
Rose Libowsky Klein 94, Atlanta
Rose Libowsky Klein, age 94, died Sunday, July 19, 2015. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 31 years, Eugene Klein. Rose was a native of Atlanta (moving to New York for 15 years, then returning) and attended Girls’ High School. Rose was a seasoned volunteer with experience working as a Gray Lady with the Red Cross, Young Judaea Clubs, Congregation B’nai Torah, Congregation Shearith Israel, National Council of Jewish Women’s Bargainata, B’nai B’rith’s Pinch Hitters, and the Jewish Welfare Agency, just to name a few. Joining the Jewish Federation in 1958 as a volunteer soon turned into a full-time career spanning 50 years of service (1958 to 2008). She has said that a few of the highlights of her career included meeting Golda Meir and Moshe Dayan. Without a doubt, Rose was the longest-serving Jewish community professional in the Atlanta area. Her work, her diligence and her commitment to the Jewish community were an inspiration to all who knew her. Rose is survived by her children, Rochelle Herrick of Orlando, Fla., Maxine and Malcolm Jacobs of Columbia, Md., Hershene and Joel Borrin of Dunwoody, Harley and Lori Klein of Austell, and Jody Klein of Sandy Springs; grandchildren Phyllis Rothenberg and Howard Rothenberg of Charlotte, N.C., Marc and Linda Jacobs of Augusta, Elisha and Bruce Anderson of Eustis, Fla., and Danielle and David Hertz of New York; great-grandchildren Chloe and Maggie Rothenberg and Taylor Anderson; many nieces and nephews; her devoted caregiver, Nicole Sinclair; and the caring staff of the Carlton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Rose’s memory to Congregation B’nai Torah, Sandy Springs; Congregation Shearith Israel, Atlanta; or the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. A graveside service was held Tuesday, July 21, at Crest Lawn Memorial Park, Atlanta. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
Esther Rosenberg
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
along with local theater and playing the slots. Sylvia and Herb had an active social life and enjoyed traveling with their many friends. Sylvia was devoted to her family and made them a priority throughout her life. Sylvia is survived by son Steven and his wife, Holly, of Atlanta and son Jonathan and his wife, Holly, of Summit, N.J.; grandchildren Andrew and wife Megan, Jeffrey, Michael, and Shay; and many nieces and nephews. Donations may be made in Sylvia’s memory to the American Heart Association or Congregation B’nai Torah in Sandy Springs.
Death Notices
Raymond Arogeti, 85, of Atlanta, Congregation Or VeShalom member, husband of Renee Arogeti, and father of Jack and Fran Arogeti, Shelley and Steve Kruger, Lynn and DJ Pascale, David Arogeti, and Susan and John Varrone, on July 13. Alexander Birger of Atlanta on July 7. David Friedman, 56, of Atlanta, Congregation Beth Shalom member, husband of Nancy Averbach, and father of Rachel and Joshua Friedman, on July 1. Sanford Cotton, 92, of Warwick, R.I., father of Congregation Beth Shalom member Cheryl Garfinkel, on July 11. Cynthia Kahn, 38, of North Babylon, N.Y., sister of Congregation Beth Shalom member Glenn Levin, on July 1. Minna Kotina of Atlanta on July 17. Stanley Lax, 84, of Peachtree City, father of Debby Smyth, Karen Radest and Julie Ugar, on July 8. Emma Milly, mother of Temple Sinai member Dennis Bates, on July 13. Sidney Newburger of Atlanta on July 14. Shirley Shulman Rich, 90, of Atlanta, Congregation Beth Shalom member and mother of Fred Rich and Helaine Rich Seskin, on July 20. Helen Shaw of Sandy Springs on July 15. Terry Suddeth, 67, father of Temple Sinai member Brent Suddeth and John Suddeth, on July 16. Fanya Topcha of Marietta on July 18.
85, Aventura, Fla.
Esther Rosenberg, age 85, of Aventura, Fla., and formerly of Montreal, Quebec, and Augusta, died Thursday, July 16, 2015. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald Rosenberg, of blessed memory. Jerry and Esther’s love affair lasted 35 years. They shared a love of travel and cruised all around the world. Esther and Jerry also shared a love of education and philanthropy, endowing scholarships in South Carolina and Florida. Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Brian Marks and Carol Maione of Seattle; daughter and son-in-law Terry Eden and Marty Stub of Atlanta; son and daughter-in-law Sam and Lisa Marks of Atlanta; son and daughter-in-law David and Leah Marks of Baltimore; brother Jerry Miller of Arizona; sister-in-law Doris Miller of Montreal; 13 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Weinstein Hospice, 3150 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30327, or the Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. A graveside service was held Sunday, July 19, at Temple Beth El Cemetery in Davie, Fla.
Sylvia Link Strelzik Sylvia Link Strelzik, 89, died Friday, July 3, 2015. She would have been 90 on Aug. 3. Sylvia was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Lillian Kalish Link and Sidney Link. She later lived in Flushing, N.Y., Old Bridge, N.J., and Jupiter, Fla., with her husband of 56 years, Herbert. She worked as a comptometrist while raising her two sons, Steven and Jonathan. While living in Jupiter, Sylvia worked for Jewish Family and Career Services. Sylvia was an active volunteer in her synagogues wherever she lived. Mahjongg was one of her many passions,
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
89
AJT 29
CLOSING THOUGHTS OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING
Ode to the Sisterhood
F
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
irst there was one. Then there were two. Surprise, and then there were three. We are the children of the Greatest Generation. We are first-generation Americans. My sisters and I grew up in the same home with the same set of parents and the same extended family; however, each of us arrived in what seemed like a different family. Our parents straddled two worlds, taking the traditions from the old country and blending them with the traditions of their adopted country. Given that each of us arrived at different stages of their education, we each experienced wildly different rules and consequences, to which we helped one another adapt. My sisters and I quickly learned the art of the straddle. The three Wieden (maiden name) girls were a devoted, well-oiled team. It was us, then everyone else. Don’t misunderstand: We were great kids (with a few growing pains), close to our aunts, uncles and cousins. We were loving and respectful to my mothers’ (z”l) friends, “the goilz,” and with my fathers’ friends, “the boyes.” Throughout our childhood and early teens, we shared a bedroom. We virtually never sweated the small stuff. We learned that sharing is fun. We were always respectful of and compassionate with one another. As we matured, we talked a great deal about how we were teaching our European parents to be parents of American-born children, such as teaching them correct pronunciation of words and even how to spell certain words with weird spellings. There were times we thought we would platz (crack up) with laughter at some of their innocent mistakes. With the greatest respect, of course! When I had the opportunity to have my own room, my sisters helped me drag my mattress into the bedroom my sisters were sharing. We needed to be together. Eventually I saw the light and the advantages of my own room and moved my mattress to its intended spot near the window in the corner of my new bedroom. We went to college. We built families and careers. Though our lives dictated moving to different corners of the country, we were and are a sisterhood. Our values and responsibility to 30 humanity and to our Jewish heritage
AJT
traveled with us. We continued to support and respect one another’s work, choices and families. We are always open to one another’s observations, from fashion tips and makeup to home décor. One time, while visiting one of my sisters who was needed at work, I surprised her by covering her kitchen
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
CROSSWORD “A Moment of Silence”
By Yoni Glatt Editor: DavidBenkof@gmail.com Difficulty Level: Challenging
Shaindle’s Shpiel By Shaindle Schmuckler shaindle@atljewishtimes.com
floor in linoleum tile. Black and white on the diagonal. It took just long enough to complete to ensure my eyes would not remain permanently crossed. No worries, she loved it. One time another sister noticed my eyebrows were way too thin, making me look old. Don’t think for a moment I did not immediately change that little problem. When we visit one another, we inevitably discover an article of clothing, jewelry, a CD or perhaps a household object we love. We are great sharers. When we return home, we try to find and purchase said item; more often than not, we snag it right then and there — with permission, of course. On one such visit, as I was assisting my sister from the West with her donations to Goodwill, I found a fabulous brown shirt. Life is good. Sometimes we determine it’s an eye shadow we all should wear. Sometimes it’s the color rouge, which is far more effective and not as painful as pinching our cheeks. Sometimes it’s the shade of lipstick. For years, we have had Sister Birthday weekends, often choosing bucolic settings; this last time it was the city of New Orleans. In NOLA the sisterhood determined our sister from the North had a new and perfect color lipstick. We always laugh so hard when we copy each other. All three of us are wearing this lovely lipstick color, Sultra. We are the sisters of the traveling lipstick. We are the sisters who have worked hard for and been blessed with cool lives filled with loving family and dear friends. Most of all, in the grand scheme of things, we have one another. This year we are the sisterhood of the traveling lipstick. Next year is still a secret, even to us. ■
ACROSS 1. ___ Chip Frappuccino (option at Howard Schultz’s chain) 5. Like Natalie Portman in “Black Swan” 10. Deli staple 14. Roth and Wallach 15. Like a day when “chatzot” is noon, Talmudically 16. At first, David did it with his sword before deciding to use pebbles against Goliath instead 17. Oodles of shekels 18. Parsha 19. ___ Yisrael 20. Location of the Limerick Boycott of the Jews: Abbr. 21. Moments of pressure for Abe Saperstein’s team 22. Some Abrams extras 24. Abbr. in a bar mitzvah invite 25. Have a chat 27. Yutz 29. Dreyfus was sent to Devil’s Island, which was this kind of colony 31. “To ___ For,” 1995 Phoenix film 32. ___ up, as Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield did in Vermont in 1978 36. One of many works attributed to David 40. Word that appears three times in the title of a Sherman Brothers song written for Disneyland 41. It comes before Gan? 43. Burl who co-starred with Newman in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” 44. Coffee chain with 125 Israeli branches 46. “___ Evil: Nazi Imagery/ Recent Art” (Jewish Museum exhibition) 48. Like Deuteronomy, verse 24:15, for the Torah: Abbr. 50. Like traditional Jewish descent 51. Word before “Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!” on TV 55. Source of many theme answers in this puzzle 59. Israel’s Megiddo
60. Caesar known for his strength (and humor) 61. Ketubah conditions 62. Mount in a Hammerstein musical 63. Ancestor of Haman killed by Samuel 65. “And let us say...” 67. ___ Brak 68. Florida philanthropist Garfinkle 69. Involving a Chanukah number 70. Skin woe for Adam Levine, once 71. ____ Yisrael 72. Whence some refuseniks 73. Holder of Spielberg work DOWN 1. 55-Across translated 2. Air raid siren, e.g. 3. Alex Clare’s “War Rages On,” e.g. 4. Where Samson’s jawbone came from 5. Follower of Israel’s Galei Tzahal 6. March’s was on Purim in 2014 7. ___ Talks (what ELI Talks are modeled after) 8. Ahasuerus had one 9. In Heaven 10. Asian version of Mossad 11. Two-time Super Bowl champ John Frank, once, for short 12. One from Shushan, now (Var.) 13. Routine 21. Ayin alternative 23. Upsherin sound 26. First class on El Al, e.g. 27. Bungler 28. Coveted 30. Much of Syria, biblically 32. A Schechter might have one: Abbr. 33. In 2015, JTS sold this kind of rights to its
campus 34. Sarnoff’s studio 35. “Too ___ Hot” (number in a musical with a book by the Spewacks) 37. Marvelous Arad? 38. Sportscaster Berman 39. Site of a 1933 anti-Hitler rally: Abbr. 42. Cafeteria latke measures 45. “___ O Lord God! Behold, I know not to speak for I am a youth” (Jerem. 1:6) 47. Sidekick in Donner’s “Superman” 49. ___ Hashem, youth group 51. Strong 52. Regarding one of 613 53. Haim sister 54. Spain’s 1492 Alhambra Decree, for example 56. Abdul art 57. Graff of “Mr. Belvedere” 58. Spoof 61. “If ___ the World- The Life of Lyn P. Meyerhoff” by Karen Folk 64. Marks of a kosher cookbook? 66. Org. with its own “Jewish lost and found” 67. Start of a celebration
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
MARKETPLACE
COMPUTER SERVICES
COMPUTER SERVICES
EVENT VENUES
COMPU ER
HOUSE CALLS
Voted #1 by Atlanta Jewish Community - Since 1987!
Only pay if we fix your problem! www.HealthyComputer.com As low as $49
• PC, MAC, iPhone/iPad Service • Home & Commercial Service • Virus/Malware Removale • Laptop Screen Repair • Data Recovery/Forensics • Wireless Corporate Networks • Website Design/Management • We beat competitor pricing!
As Seen On
770-751-5706
Generator Sales & Service, Inc. www.perkinselectric.com
770-251-9765
24/7 Power Protection Hands Free Operation | Professional Installation
GENERATORS 24/7 POWER PROTECTION
fakakta computer?
Mitzvahs Weddings Formal Ceremonies Formal Dinners
25,000 sq. foot midtown event space www.defoorcentre.com events@defoorcentre.com 404-591-3900
HOME IMPROVEMENT
I’ll drive to you!
I T S O LU T I O N S
IT
IT SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
877.256.4426
www.dontsweatitsolutions.com
MAID SERVICE Affordable and reliable team with 20 years of experience. We treat each house like our own. References available. Call for free estimate and special weekly offers 678-886-8260. FOLLOW THE ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES ONLINE.
Fast Appointment Scheduling Reasonable Rates All Services Guaranteed
404-954-1004 damon.carp@gmail.com BURIAL PLOTS 3 Burial Plots for Sale Arlington Memorial Park Shalom Lot 61D, Space 2, 3 & 4, No Synagogue Affiliation necessary Valued at $6,000 each. Priced at $4,000 each. Contact Betty: 678-714-0418 or bettymarian@bellsouth.net
CAREGIVER CNA seeking elderly or childcare position. 20 yrs. exp. incl. kosher kit. Excellent, reputable references within Jewish community. Call Kim 404-771-7114
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
Because technology should simplify.™
→ Desktop & Laptop Repair → Home/Business Networking → Performance Upgrades → Apple Device Support → Virus/Spyware Removal
AJT 31
ARTS OBITUARIES – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A BLESSING
www.atlantajewishtimes.com
Hoodie Allen Runs With Boys of Zummer By Elizabeth Friedly efriedly@atljewishtimes.com
B
y the time rapper Hoodie Allen (born Steven Markowitz) released his first album, he had premiered an EP at No. 1 on iTunes and charted on the Billboard 200’s Top 10. He has recorded music since the age of 13 and quietly built a mob of 677,000 fans on Twitter. All without the help of a major record label. Hoodie’s debut album, “People Keep Talking,” is available on iTunes, Amazon and streaming services. Find out more at hoodieallen.com. On July 17, Hoodie opened for co-headliners Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa at Aaron’s Amphitheatre in Atlanta as part of the nationwide Boys of Zummer tour. The Atlanta Jewish Times had the chance to speak with him before he took the stage.
AJT: Is it true that you tweeted (Fall Out Boy bassist) Pete Wentz, which led to your opening the tour? HA: Yeah, someone just told me in my meet-and-greet that that happened after the Tabernacle show here in Atlanta. It was just a random thought on the bus that I had, and I sort of put it into the universe. Then I found out, soon afterwards, there was a tour that they were planning with a hip-hop artist, but I didn’t know who it was with. Everything connected to make that go from Twitter reality to a real-life thing, which is pretty crazy. AJT: How has this tour been, with two hip-hop acts and a pop-rock act? HA: I think there’s a lot more of a crossover than people see. Everyone has a band. I play with a band; Wiz plays with an amazing band too. So it’s not just a rapper and a DJ; there’s a lot of musicality to what everyone on the
Smart Ladies Never Pay FULL Price!
ts onsignmen C ll a F g in pt Now Acce
LUXURY CONSIGNMENT New, Samples and Once Loved Formal Dresses and Bridal Gowns. 206-B Johnson Ferry Road NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
404.842.1955
JULY 24 ▪ 2015
Shop online: LeDressBoutique.com
AJT 32
Mon-Wed 11 a.m.-6 pm. Thursday CLOSED Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Ninth Series Jubilee Bonds ($25,000 minimum) for 10 Years
3.85
Ninth Series Maccabee % Bonds ($5,000 minimum) for 10 Years
3.70
HA: I don’t do Shabbat, but I do all the High Holy Days. AJT: How has I do all the sad stuff. it been making the Yeah, it’s like, oh, transition from a do we have to fast? fan (or audience Yeah, I’m down. member) to a peer Do we have to do of these artists? Mourner’s Kaddish? HA: I think it’s Yeah, count me in. always so cool to be a fan, because Photo by BradHeaton.net Let’s get sad, more Hoodie Allen so than shaking a if you’re not also a willow branch. You music fan, what even won’t see me do that. I’m just gonna do drives you to get excited about this sad stuff. stuff? But it is really weird because it’s like, “Hey, what’s up, Patrick Stump?” AJT: That’s a great line. They’re people who I obviously admire HA: [Laughs] Yeah, I just do sad what they’ve achieved and just their stuff. It’s just the way I am. I like the talent in general. depressing part of it. AJT: Now a Judaism question. AJT: Finally, could you talk to me HA: Just one? No, just kidding. a little about choosing to stay independent? AJT: What’s your level of involveHA: Sure, I think you see that a lot ment with your own Judaism at this now. The Internet has sort of leveled point in your life? out the playing field for being able to HA: I grew up going to a Conserreach people on a global level without vative temple. Both of my parents are having a global team really promotJewish. I think for a while I probably was most involved out of all the people ing you. I mean, I experienced for the first time going to radio, working with in my family. Maybe more so when a bigger team on a less independent I was in college even, because I felt level than before. You see there are closer to the community. It felt a little huge advantages to it. more relatable and authentic. I think everyone experiences or doesn’t expeAJT: The actual final question: rience religion or spirituality in their Who is your favorite Jewish director? own way. I’m not very outward, but HA: I wanna say something that’s for me it’s a good centering point for not typical. I mean, obviously Woody morality and stuff like that. Allen’s great, but who else? You know AJT: Do you do anything for Shab- who I like? Maybe not my favorite, but Judd Apatow. That counts, right? ■ bat or other holy days? tour does.
Sixth Series Mazel Tov % Bonds ($100 minimum) for 5 Years
2.97%
Sixth Series eMitzvah Bonds ($36 minimum) for 5 Years
2.97%
(404) 817-3500 Atlanta@Israelbonds.com Development Corp. for Israel, Member FINRA Effective through July 31, 2015