THE
Jewish
OBSERVER Vol. 89 No. 9
www.jewishobservernashville.org
Rosh Hashanah greetings from the CEO
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784 is quickly coming to a close. It’s hard to believe that it has already been a year, and it is hard to believe that it has only been a year. Last year at this time, who could have imagined the challenges we would face in the year ahead. But because of those challenges, I’ve had the opportunity to experience the strength and beauty of this community firsthand. I am incredibly proud of our community for stepping up and supporting Israel in her time of need. For contributing well over $1million towards the Israel Crisis Fund. For opening your doors to Israeli families who came here seeking respite. For celebrating Israel’s 76th birthday with pride. For finding grassroots ways to connect, from weekly hostage marches downtown with Run for their Lives, to lifting up Israeli musicians via The Promise Sessions. For letting our local Israelis know how much we love and appreciate them, and for letting our friends and family living in Israel know the same. And I’m grateful for the allies who made it clear they have our backs. I’m proud that together, we stood resolute in the face of hate directed at us by extremists on both sides of the political aisle. For modeling our core principle of “b’tzelem elokim” – the belief that every human being is made in the Divine image and is of infinite worth. For rallying to fight baseless hatred (and Nazis). For advocating hard to ensure Nashville is an exceptional place to be Jewish. And for giving tzedakah – righteous charity – to help make it so. I’m proud of our collective efforts to build meaningful relationships with our non-Jewish neighbors and elected leaders. For the staff and volunteers who have stepped up to lead our organizations and synagogues. And for being willing to collaborate across denominational differences, embodying the spirit of achdut – Jewish unity. Reflecting on this past year, I’m grateful and humbled by those who go above and beyond to make Nashville Continued on page 3 A Publication of the
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90 Seconds to Save a Life: The Impact of United Hatzalah’s Volunteer Heroes By BARBARA DAB
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inety seconds. That is the critical time after a medical emergency when intervention can save a life. Whether it is a heart attack, a seizure, a child choking, or a terrorist bomb, those first 90 seconds make all the difference. And it is those 90 seconds that are at Eli Beer the heart of United Hatzalah, an organization in Israel that trains and dispatches volunteer medics to provide emergency response. Eli Beer is the founder of United Hatzalah, and he will be in Nashville on September 24th to speak about his experiences and his inspiration for founding Continued on page 12
Bernie and Franklin Pargh dedicate an ambulance to United Hatzalah during the mission trip to Israel by Nashville’s rabbis and community leaders.
American Bar Association Mobilizes Legal Professionals to Combat Antisemitism By BARBARA DAB
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he American Bar Association is taking steps to combat antisemitism through the creation of a special task force, created by the organization’s president. The Task Force to Combat Antisemitism is co-chaired by local attorney Barbara Mendel Mayden, and San Francisco attorney Mark Schickman. The committee will present a report in August of 2025 outlining its efforts in identifying, educating about, and providing solutions to antisemitism. “It’s certainly the perception and the fact that antisemitism has always been there. But now it’s out and about and what can we as a profession to help stem this tide,” says Mayden. She says the first step is to raise awareness. “We think of growing up in a golden age where antisemitism, while always beneath the surface, wasn’t as open as it seems to be becoming now and a lot of people don’t realize what a The Goldner Family: Creating Community and Building a Welcoming Legacy, page 2
Local attorney Barbara Mayden to co-chair ABA task force on antisemitism.
dramatic increase there has been.” Task Force co-chair Mark Schickman has been involved in both the Jewish community and the Bar community Joanna Brichetto’s Journey from Naturalist to Author, page 11
through the years and says the two groups do not often intersect. “Drawing a connection between the two communities is very hard. They each live in their individual areas and it’s really important that they work collaboratively and symbiotically on an issue like this.” That collaboration is at the heart of the newly formed task force. “One of the many things we’re trying to do is create, strengthen, and maintain the connections between the organized Bar and the organized Jewish community on issues of hate in general and antisemitism in particular.” Lawyers are no strangers to advocacy, which is after all, at the heart of the profession. And Mayden says now is the time to use those skills on the profession itself. “Where discrimination exists, lawyers have hopefully been there to assist. So part of our work is making them aware and giving them tools to deal with it and to give advice.”
Rosh Hashanah Greetings, page 25
Continued on page 15 High Holidays Congregational Schedules, page 30