THE
Jewish
OBSERVER www.jewishobservernashville.org
Vol. 89 No. 12
DECEMBER 2024
30 Cheshvan - 30 Kislev 5785
HAPPY CHANUKAH Jewish Federation Welcomes Back Mark Freedman
T
he Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville extends a warm “welcome back!” to Mark Freedman who will be the organization’s Interim CEO. Mark was the Federation’s executive director for seven years before his retirement in 2018. His permanent home is in Parkland, Florida, but he Jewish Federation will be spending Welcomes back Mark Freedman plenty of time in Nashville in the coming months. Among Freedman’s duties will be to play a key role in the search for a new permanent CEO. Federation President Aron Karabel says it is exciting to have Freedman back in the community. “With decades of experience in the Jewish Federation system, unique ability to build community, and deep relationships in and around Nashville, I know he will be an asset over these next few months to help us exceed our annual campaign goal, support and mentor our incredible professional staff, and find our next CEO.” Freedman is happy to be back in Nashville and to continue to serve the Jewish community. “The Jewish Federation has always been, and will continue to be, the lead agency convening Jews of all backgrounds to express their commitment to Jewish values and Jewish life. The Jewish Federation is the catalyst that serves to reinforce and strengthen all of K’lal Yisrael. We should be very proud of all that we Continued on page 2 A Publication of the
WWW.JEWISHNASHVILLE.ORG
Vanderbilt Chabad Opens New Building to Usher in a New Era By BARBARA DAB
R
abbi Shlomo Rothstein and Rebbetzin Nechama Rothstein began their tenure at Vanderbilt Chabad 17 years ago. Just in their early 20s when they arrived, they have grown from what Nechama says was a “big sister, big brother” relationship with the students into what they now say is a living example of Jewish family life. “We provide a full vision of vibrant Jewish life,” says Nechama. Through the years, the two have dreamed of having a space big enough to meet the needs of the Jewish student community, and a place where they could raise their family. That dream is now a reality. The Lubeck Center for Jewish Life opened its doors this fall. The building, just a couple of blocks from the main campus, is the realization of an $8.3 million capital campaign. It rises three stories tall and includes public spaces for the students to congregate for meals, prayer services, and social events. The top floor is reserved for private living space for the Rothstein family.
Nechama and Rabbi Shlomo Rothstein of Vanderbilt Chabad enjoy the new live/ work building.
The building is named for Joe Lubeck whose son Tommy graduated Vanderbilt in 2018. “While he was there, he not only got a wonderful education, but he
also met Rabbi Shlomo and Nechama and he shared with me how special he [Rabbi Shlomo] was, and how encouraging he was, and what a great teacher he was and what a great family they were,” says Lubeck, “I met them and I was likewise, duly impressed.” Rabbi Shlomo calls the new facility a game changer in its ability to more seamlessly meet the students’ needs. “We recently had a student who died by suicide, and I was able to respond quickly and help comfort our students,” he says. In addition, Nechama says the building’s proximity to campus makes itvery accessible for college students who can drop by during their day to hang out, to study, or have a Shabbat meal. One of those students is Sarina Samuels, a senior and president of the Chabad board. She says it has been exciting to see the building become a reality since its groundbreaking during her freshman year. “To really see the physical embodiment of the growth of Chabad, and also the fact that I was Continued on page 8
The Lori Ann Fishel Fund: Spreading Joy and Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities By BARBARA DAB
D
uring her short life Lori Ann Fishel overcame many challenges, yet she never lost her love for living life to the fullest and doing it with joy. She was fortunate to have access to opportunities that provided her access and acceptance the community. And now, thanks to the Lori Ann Fishel Special Needs Fund, and the vision of Lori Ann’s family, others can have the same opportunities. The Fund was created to serve the needs of Jewish individuals with disabilities with an emphasis on activities that Lori Ann enjoyed. Lori Ann’s father James says, “Our initial plan was to take applications from individuals in the community that Cohort 2 of Leadership 615: Shaping the Future of Jewish Leadership in Nashville, page 4
had similar needs as Lori, our daughter, did, and the idea was to put a smile on her face even though she isn’t here.” The fund has expanded to include gifts to organizations and individuals both inside and outside the Jewish community. One of those organizations is Our Place Nashville, a nonprofit that provides affordable housing for people with developmental disabilities. It is the type of place the Fishels looked for but never found locally for their daughter. “A place like this for Lori would have been an opportunity for not to have to leave Nashville. These people are doing just a wonderful job for a part of the community that doesn’t have that much opportunity.” Eve Barlow on Resilience and Jewish Identity at Women’s Philanthropy Event, page 6
Our Place currently has 110 residents, or “friends,” living with able residents in interdependent communities. Between 2020 and 2022, Lori Ann Fishel fund gifts totaled $20 thousand. Carolyn Naifeh is the co-Founder and Executive Director of Our Place. In fact, she co-founded the nonprofit with the late Avi Poster, a beloved fixture in the Jewish community and a former board chairman. She says, “We were the first non-Jewish nonprofit that the Fishels gave money to, and that was a real compliment because it wasn’t their norm. And every time you step out of your comfort zone, that’s a badge of honor.” Naifeh says the Fishels gift was tai-
Building Bridges: Metro Council Member Sheri Weiner’s Reflections on Cultural Exchange and Community Bonds in Japan, page 12
Continued on page 2
December in the Galleries, page 20