THE
Jewish
OBSERVER Vol. 89 No. 6
www.jewishobservernashville.org
Happy Summer, Jewish Nashville! By JASON SPARKS
A
s we approach these summer months, there’s so much to look forward to. Seeing the community around the JCC Pool, the fact that my kids will be gone for an entire month at their favorite place in the world, Camp Ramah Darom, my 21st wedding anniversary, or my daughter’s bat mitzvah coming up before Labor Day. Okay, perhaps that last part is more panic inducing. But still, something to look forward to. When my wife and I moved to Nashville in the summer of 2005, we were so very lucky. We were immediately embraced by the community, found a home, made friends, I became an Athens AZA BBYO advisor, and my wife and I were invited to be on boards. To be honest, the Jewish Federation was not my entry point, but it wasn’t long until I became connected with Federation and learned the important role that it played in the community. The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville did a great job of connecting me with folks all over the city, and more importantly, JFed Nashville helped connect me with the rich history of this community and told me the stories of all that our Federation has done over the decades to support our community as a whole locally and also abroad. It gave me great respect for the folks who generationally made this community what it is today, and inspired me to do my part to continue that legacy. What we are currently seeing is that there is an entire cohort of people that moved here during the pandemic era that either did not have the gift of being connected to the community or are just now starting to venture out into the world, and Jewish Nashville. And the reality is that because of everything that is going on nationally and internationally, there is an intense desire to Continued on page 3 A Publication of the
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JUNE 2024 24 Iyyar - 24 Sivan 5784
The War in Israel Highlights Growing Need for Critical Resources By BARBARA DAB
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hen Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, communities around the world mobilized to quickly meet the immediate needs on the ground. The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville raised over $1,000,000 for its Israel Crisis Fund, which is part of the Jewish Federations of North America’s total of $800 million raised. In the months since, agencies and organizations continue their relief efforts in various ways across a broad spectrum. Local donors are working with a variety of agencies, including the Jewish Federation, United Hatzalah, Magen David Adom, and Hadassah, to address ramped up work on the ground in Israel. Continued on page 18
A generous donation from Nashville couple Larry and Carol Hyatt will fund two nurses’ stations at the Gendel Rehabilitation Center at Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus.
Jewish Men’s Group Creates Connection and Unity in Difficult Times By BARBARA DAB
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hat began as a friendly game of pickup basketball nearly two years ago has evolved into a tight-knit group of local Jewish men looking for comfort and connection following October 7th. The original core group, led by Daniel Abromowitz and a few other Akiva fathers, started out playing ball at the Gordon Jewish Community Center after hours. “What we all had in common was that we were all Akiva dads,” says Abromowitz, “But we tended to hang with the same group of guys.” The group approached Michal Becker, Director of Impact and Planning for the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville, for a grant to help with expenses like security and rent for the facility. “When I asked them why basketball, they said they didn’t just play ball, they talked,” says Becker. She said Abromowitz shared that the men found themselves connecting in ways they normally don’t. “Michal challenged us to think outside the box,” says Abromowitz. “I told them if they really want to be a group then they should think more intentionally about Gordon Jewish Community Center Welcomes New Executive Director, page 3
being a group,” says Becker. Abromowitz joined with the other core group members, Sean Ross, Scott Shillington, and Shalom Cohen, to determine next steps. “We had been playing basketball, but what about those who don’t play? Can we come up with something else?” says Abromowitz. The group created plans for monthly “men’s night out” events and weekend events every other month. “We wanted to Yom Ha’atzmaut Festival Brings Together Community , page 13
build a community with Jewish men in Nashville and include as many people as possible,” says Shillington. One of the important goals set by the group was to be as broad as possible. Ross believes that after October 7th it is critical to create safe spaces for people to connect. “This is a platform where you can be a secular or religious Jew and come together across a divide,” he says, “It wouldn’t have resonated before October 7th, but a lot of people are searching for community and people they can trust.” These types of personal connections often are made by women, but men do not typically seek out organized opportunities for socializing. Rabbi Dan Horwitz, CEO of The Jewish Federation, cites a recent article in the Los Angeles Times that explored men’s friendships. The article reported that over the last 30 years men’s friendships have dwindled by half, and 15% of men reported having no close friendships. “In an era of digital hyper-connection coupled with rampant loneliness, helping people find friends to do Jewish and life with is essential. This is particularly true Continued on page 20 Coupon Issue Section, page 25