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Global Day of Jewish Learning returns on November 17
Building community with Jewish Foundation 2 From the Campaign Trail
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Women of the Wall event planned
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Fasting at Tisha B’Av can stir hunger for giving 6
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he Global Day of Jewish Learning returns to Nashville on Sunday, Nov. 17. The event, organized by the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee in cooperation with Nashville congregations and other local Jewish organizations, will be held at the Akiva School from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The theme of this year’s Global Day is “Creating Together” and Rabbi David Levin-Kruss, the director of Special Programs at the Jerusalem-
Sections Lifecycles
based Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, will be the featured keynote scholar. Rabbi Levin-Kruss’s participation at the Global Day is made possible through the generous support of Libby and Moshe Werthan. The day will also feature learning sessions with local Jewish clergy and other Jewish educators. The
Nashville Global Day of Jewish Learning is also supported by a grant from the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Rabbi David Nashville and Levin-Kruss Middle Tennessee. Look for additional information about the Global Day in upcoming issues of the Observer and at the Federation website at www.jewishnashville.org. c
Federation honors Eisenstein, Schwartz
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Robert Eisenstein (second from right) is joined by (from left) Ryan Hauber, Rachel Eisenstein Hauber, Judge Dan Eisenstein, Jill Eisenstein and Nan Speller at the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee Annual Meeting on June 19. At the meeting, Robert Eisenstein received the Federation’s President’s Award, recognizing significant achievement on behalf of the Jewish community of Nashville, to Israel and to worldwide Jewry. PHOTO: RICK MALKIN
Adam Landa (left), outgoing treasurer of the Jewish Federation of Nashville, his wife, Valerie Landa and Federation President Andrew May (right) congratulate David Schwartz on receiving the Federation’s Young Leadership Award. Schwartz, a founding co-chair of the Federation’s NowGen Division, serves on the Federation’s Annual Campaign Cabinet and on its Board of Directors. He has taken a key role in initiatives that have helped attract young adults to Federation activities. PHOTO: RICK MALKIN
Kosher Food Box program in 5th year
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www.jewishnashville.org VOL.78 NO. 7 July 2013 23 Tammuz-24 AV 5773
he Kosher Food Box program of Jewish Family Service of Nashville is in its fifth year, having served more than 1,000 boxes of food since it began in 2009. Toni Jacobsen, a licensed clinical social worker at Jewish Family Service, identified the need for a kosher food program after helping Jewish families with emergency financial assistance and often wondering how they were able to financially support their families each month. “I knew there were individuals who were making a choice between their prescriptions and groceries,” she said. It was during the time Harriet Schiftan (currently the Jewish Federation of Nashville’s planning director) was interim director of JFS that the food pantry began. “I am so grateful to Harriet who allowed me the opportunity to put together a pilot program to see if there was a need in the community,” Jacobsen said.
She compiled a list of past financial-assistance clients along with seniors who live in subsidized housing. She contacted each potential foodbox recipient and provided them with a sample box of food. The food boxes were well-received, the need was established, initial funding from National Council of Jewish Women was secured and the program began. The food items are carefully chosen and approved by rabbis. Individuals or families receive nonperishable items such as peanut butter, pasta, cereal, crackers, milk, rice and beans along with a fresh loaf of bread, three frozen vegetables and a voucher for fresh produce to be redeemed at a local vegetable stand. In addition to the food items, each recipient gets a month’s worth of Shabbat candles decorated with a colorful note from Jewish children. The recipients love it when they receive such a personalized gift that reminds them that the community cares about them. The small touches of Shabbat can-
dles, the carefully chosen food items, the extra donations of toiletry items and the friendly smiles make the JFS Kosher Food Box Program so special. The program is more than a food pantry. It is about giving love and hope in a box of food. The Kosher Food Box Program is truly a community effort. Funding comes from NCJW, the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, local foundations and individual donors. It is not uncommon to find a box full of toiletry items that a community member picks up while shopping to give out as an “extra” to recipients. Over 30 different groups ranging from the GJCC Preschool to the Temple Social Action committee have volunteered to pack the boxes. Bar and Bat Mitzvah projects have focused on feeding the hungry with food being donated to the program. If you are interested in participating, please contact JFS at (615) 356-4234. c Article furnished by Jewish Family Service of Nashville
Zeitlin builds community with Jewish Foundation By KATHY CARLSON
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xcept for two years when her late husband, Martin Zeitlin, served in the U.S. Navy, community leader and Realtor Shirley Zeitlin has always lived in Nashville. “I was born and bred in Nashville,â€? she said. “My parents (Juliet and Sidney Averbuch) were born in Nashville. ‌ My husband was born here, and my children and grandchildren as well.â€? Over the years Shirley Zeitlin founded a real estate firm that has grown to more than 100 agents and is more than 30 years old. She was the first female president of the Tennessee Association of Realtors and has served not only the Jewish community in Nashville but on the board of community organizations including the Nashville Downtown Partnership, Saint Thomas Health Services and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. The Zeitlins established a family philanthropic fund with the Jewish Foundation of Nashville when they first started their life together. “We felt it was something we should do. We felt an obligation (to support the community through the Jewish Foundation of Nashville). One type of immortality was to leave something that would live on after you’re gone. ‌ After he died I started another fund. ‌ It’s important to set an example for our children and grandchildren, for them to be aware that this is an important thing.â€? Shirley Zeitlin recently spoke about living here in Nashville’s Jewish community and working with the Jewish Foundation of Nashville to support and
Shirley Zeitlin
strengthen it. What has living in Nashville meant to you? “We have always had a strong Jewish community and I feel an obligation to do my part to ensure that we continue to thrive in the years and generations to come. “I also feel a responsibility to support our Nashville community and contribute to those organizations and institutions that impact our quality of life. It does mean more competition for dollars, and our federation and the foundation are our top priorities.â€? What causes and projects within the community mean the most to you? “I’m passionate about Israel. ‌ As an American Jew enjoying the freedom and safety we do, it’s very important to show support for Israel. “There’s not anything we do
(among the many causes and projects in our community) that doesn’t have some rank of importance. ‌ Jewish education is very important. I mean that in a continuing-education way. Ongoing education is important. “Jewish Family Service certainly responds to a lot of needs of people. ‌ We have a little bit newer issue (with the) elderly in our community. With people living longer we have more older people and we need to see they’re taken care of if they don’t have family and resources. “We have Jews who are financially troubled or impacted financially and so I think we have to take care of our own people in different categories that need our help.â€? What would you say to someone who is considering establishing a fund with the Jewish Foundation?
CommUNITY Mission 2013 remains open to participants
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lans are moving forward for the Jewish Federation of Nashville CommUNITY Mission 2013 in Israel, set for Sunday, Nov. 3, through Wednesday, Nov. 13. On this mission, you can celebrate Israel’s 65th year as a modern state, get to know our Partnership2Gether region of Hadera-Eiron and its residents, experience Shabbat in Jerusalem, and partici-
pate in special events in conjunction with the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly in Israel. Spots are filling up, but interested persons can still register for the trip. Learn more about the CommUNITY Mission at the Nashville Federation web site, www.jewishnashville.org, or contact Federation Campaign Director Naomi Limor Sedek at (615) 354-1642 or naomi@jewishnashville.org. c
Brandon Green receives GJCC’s Kehillah Award
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randon Green was chosen to receive the 2013 GJCC Kehillah Award, presented by the Gordon Jewish Community Center to honor teens who have provided spirit, leadership and dedication to the Nashville Jewish community. Brandon received the award at the GJCC annual meeting last month. Brandon just graduated from Brentwood High School and will attend the University of Alabama in the honors program for engineering. He’s working as a lifeguard at the GJCC pool this summer. He attends Congregation Micah where for the last two years he has served as a teacher’s aide to the first
JAMES E. MACKLER
“I think that it’s a great thing to do. It ensures that our community will have the funds ‌ to take care of all the needs in the future, both ongoing and newly arriving. It’s a great feeling of leaving a legacy and making a difference not only while you’re living but when you’re gone. It’s a wonderful feeling. â€œâ€ŚWorking with Foundation (to set up a fund) was not difficult at all. The logistics were very easy. “I think that we’re very fortunate that among our forefathers were very strong leaders. My generation and those after ‌ have inherited a great legacy from people who came before us and saw that having a strong Jewish community was important. I’m grateful for that (and it’s) incumbent on us to not just maintain it but continue to strengthen (the community) for generations to come.â€? c
grade class in Micah’s religious school. He also has led Friday night services at local nursing homes and set up blood drives at his synagogue. For more than eight years, Brandon has been a Boy Scout and has won the “Etz Chaim� award for learning about his Jewish roots in Nashville. He participated in the Get Connected student program in Israel last summer High school seniors are nominated for the Kehillah Award, known until last year as the Ralph Shepard Award, by Nashville’s Jewish youth group leaders and education directors. Winners are chosen in an anonymous selection process by a committee of previous award winners. c
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From the Campaign Trail Community helps Annual Campaign graduate with honors in 2013 By STEVE HIRSCH Nashville Jewish Federation Campaign Chair
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reetings from the Federation’s Annual Campaign team! This is the first in a series of articles that will appear in The Observer over the next several months that will keep you informed about the activities and goals of this year’s campaign for the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. If you are like most people in the community, you have probably attended a graduation ceremony in the last month. College graduations, high school graduations, and don’t forget those important kindergarten and preschool graduations. The common thread in every graduation ceremony that I have ever attended is the serious pronouncement by a speaker that “this is not the end, rather it is the beginning of the next stage in your education or life.” So it goes with our Federation campaign. As we conclude our efforts for the 2013 campaign year, we immediately begin planning for our 2014. During the first year of my 2-year term as campaign chair, I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with many people in the community about the Federation. One comment that I heard more than once was “I only hear from the Federation when they call to ask me for a campaign contribution.” While I hope that this was not the case for you, I intend to remedy that right now. As members of the Nashville Jewish community and hopefully as loyal donors to the annual campaign, you deserve more communication from us about what we are doing and how we are making your gifts count here in the local community, in Israel and with Jews in need around the world. So, as a priority, let me report to you on the results of the 2013 campaign. Thanks to your generosity, we are projecting that we will meet or exceed our campaign goal of $2,350,000 for this year. As of our recent annual meeting, we had recorded 1,100 gifts amounting to $2,274,402, and we know that a certain number of gifts will not be closed until year end. The good news is that we had 160 new gifts this year, meaning that this group either gave to the Federation for the first time or renewed a gift that had been dormant for one or more years. Looking at a card-for-card comparison with the 2012 campaign, this year represented an increase of 8%. Our second annual World’s Fair event enjoyed another great turnout and we hosted a new event this year, the Bonim (Builders) dinner, to recognize our donors in the $1,000-plus gift category. It was great to see so many of you at these events that enable us to share with the community the work of the Federation. One of the most critical measures of any fund-raising organization is the percentage of funds raised that actually make it to the agencies and causes being supported. I am happy to report to you that as a result of efficient administration and some additional income generated this
year, our allocations committee was able to make grants equal to 90 percent of the total funds raised in the past year’s campaign. This is an enviable accomplishment for any charitable agency and I hope that this gives you confidence that your gifts are having a maximum impact. Looking ahead, I will be sharing with you information on the 2014 annual campaign and highlighting some of the important work that your annual gift to the campaign helps to support. As we go to press, Mark Freedman, our executive director, and I are preparing to participate in a mission trip to Minsk, Belarus (part of the former Soviet Union) and then on to Israel. Upon our
return I will report to you in this column on some of the people and places we visited on our trip. That’s it for now. Look for this column in future issues of The Observer to stay posted on what your annual campaign team is doing on behalf of your community. P.S. We are organizing our campaign teams at the moment. If you are interested in taking an active role in the 2014 campaign, we would love to include you. Please contact me or Naomi Sedek at (615) 354-1642 or naomi@jewishnashville.org if you would like to be involved. c
Together do
Steve Hirsch
PHOTO: RICK MALKIN
we
Extraordinary Things
Your Gift Supports… EDUCATING OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN Akiva Community Day School Scholarships GJCC Early Childhood Learning Center Scholarships Congregational Grants: Congregation Beit Tefilah Chabad, Congregation Micah, Congregation Sherith Israel, The Temple, West End Synagogue American Pardes Community Wide High School Program (Jewish Federation) Global Day of Jewish Learning Jewish Education and Leadership (Akiva) Chabad Yeshiva Masorti (Conservative) Movement World Union for Progressive Judaism Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion Jewish Theological Seminary Community Wide Jewish Programming (GJCC)
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH Community Relations Committee Jewish Council for Public Affairs Contribution to Jewish Community Campus Set Aside for New Initiatives
HELPING WITH PERSONAL AND FAMILY NEEDS Scholarships for Camp Davis (GJCC) Counseling (Jewish Family Service) Financial Assistance Services (JFS) Information and Referral (JFS) Kosher Food Boxes (JFS) Kids Konnection (GJCC) Family Life Education (JFS) Scholarships for Jewish Sleep Away Camps (Jewish Federation) Adoption Services (JFS) Jewish Children's Regional Services Aquatics, Sports, Fitness and Wellness (GJCC)
CARING FOR THE ELDERLY Thank Goodness It's Thursday (GJCC) Buz A Bus (National Council of Jewish Women) Senior and Adult Programs (GJCC) Senior Services (JFS) Lunch and Learn (West End Synagogue) Musical Helping Hands (JFS) Supporting Our Seniors (Congregation Micah) Shalom Taxi (GJCC)
NEXT GENERATION ENGAGEMENT AND TEEN LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Senior Class Leadership and Community Engagement (Vanderbilt University Hillel) Community Engagement Associate Jewish Student Life and Leadership (Vanderbilt Hillel) University of Tennessee Jewish Center Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life PJ Library Passover Seder Meals (Vanderbilt Hillel) B'nai Brith Youth Organization Programming for Jewish Teens (GJCC) Maccabi Games (GJCC)
BUILDING A LOCAL CONNECTION TO ISRAEL AND OVERSEAS Get Connected! Teen Trip to Israel Subsidies for Young Leadership Missions to Israel and Overseas Birthright Israel JAFI Young Emissary: Community Shaliach Increase your Israel IQ, from Argument to Advocacy (CRC) Partnership2Gether Hadera-Eiron Region Jewish Enrichment for Camp Davis (GJCC)
HELPING PEOPLE ACROSS THE NATION, IN ISRAEL AND WORLDWIDE Jewish Federations of North America Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) Scholastic Assistance in Hadera (Ethiopian National Project) Ensuring the wellbeing of Jews in the Former Soviet Union (JDC) Children of the Dream: sports and education for Ethiopian immigrant children in Hadera (JAFI) Ben Yakir Youth Village (JAFI) Hillel Yaffe Medical Center: Pediatric Clown Hadassah Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society New Israel Fund* * Funds are earmarked for programs related to Jewish pluralism
The Observer July 2013
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Service to support Women of the Wall planned for Aug. 6 By KATHY CARLSON
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Rosh Chodesh morning prayer service in solidarity with the Women of the Wall has been set for Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 8:30 a.m. at The Temple. Cantor Tracy Fishbein and Rabbi Shana Mackler of The Temple are coordinating the service, which is open to the entire Jewish community – women and men. On its web site, the Israel-based Women of the Wall organization says its “central mission is to achieve the social and legal recognition of our right, as women, to wear prayer shawls, pray, and read from the Torah collectively and out loud at the Western Wall,” Judaism’s holiest site. The group grew
out of the action of women at the 1988 Jewish Feminist Conference to gather in the women’s section at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to read from the Torah and pray. Since that time, Women of the Wall members have held Rosh Chodesh services each month. They’ve been arrested for wearing prayer shawls in violation of a law forbidding practice that falls outside the wall’s “local custom.” Opponents have protested the women’s activities, vociferously and in some cases violently. The women last read from a Torah scroll at the wall several years ago, the Jewish news service JTA reported. This past April, Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky offered a proposal that would make three sections at
the Western Wall – for men, for women and near Robinson’s Arch for egalitarian services including both men and women. In recent months, JTA reported, Diaspora Jewish activists had grown increasingly incensed by the arrests and detention of women seeking to pray publicly at the site in keeping with their religious practices – but in violation of the rules of the wall under which women may not sing aloud, wear tallit prayer shawls or read from the Torah. The controversy threatens to drive a wedge between Diaspora Jewry, where egalitarian prayer is common, and Israel, which has upheld Orthodox rules at the wall, the JTA report continued. American Jewish leaders in the United States say the rules alienate Reform and Conservative Jews. Within
Israel, too, the wall has become a flashpoint for non-Orthodox religious activists and the Kotel’s Haredi Orthodox leadership. In 2003, Israel’s Supreme Court upheld a government ban on women wearing tefillin or tallis prayer shawls at the site, or reading from a Torah scroll. It also allowed non-Orthodox and women’s groups to pray at Robinson’s Arch, an archeological park near the Kotel. This April, however, the Jerusalem District Court determined that the group’s activities, including reading from a Torah scroll, did not contravene the law, JTA reported. Jews in other American cities have been holding communitywide Rosh Chodesh morning services to stand in solidarity with Women of the Wall. c
Nashvillian participated in women’s first prayer service By KATHY CARLSON
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hen Leslie Klein attended the First International Jewish Feminist Conference in Jerusalem in December 1988, history was in the making. Klein, an artist, local Hadassah leader and Nashville resident, recalled how women attending the conference planned to hold a prayer service with Torah reading at the women’s section of the Western Wall. Then, as now, there are sections for men and women at the Western Wall, separated by a partition. The Law of Holy Places requires visitors to the Wall to pray and hold religious celebrations in
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accordance with local custom, which has meant Orthodox Jewish practice. “It was planned that on Thursday morning they would bring a Torah to the women’s section of the Wall and conduct a service,” Klein recalled. The women planned to meet in their hotel lobby, take a bus to the Dung Gate of the old city and walk in twos or threes - not as a mass movement or protest march - to the women’s section. Someone brought a table for the Torah because there are no reading stands on the women’s side of the Kotel. A female rabbi would lead the service and lay readers would read the Torah portion. The Torah, table and leaders of the service would be at the center of the group. “We would form concentric circles shoulder to shoulder and arm to arm protecting the Torah and making a sacred place for ourselves.” The group – about 70 women from all over the world – was perhaps five feet from the Wall, Klein said. “It was beautiful, just the most wonderful experience, until some of the women who were at the Wall - haredi - a few of them began yelling and screaming. We continued with the service as if nothing was happening,” she said. On the other side of the partition,
Telephone 615/356-3242 Fax 615/352-0056 E-mail kathy@jewishnashville.org ‘The Observer’ (ISSN 8750-5290) is published monthly for $25 per year by the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, 801 Percy Warner Blvd., Nashville, TN 37205-4009. Periodicals postage paid at Nashville, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE OBSERVER, 801 Percy Warner Blvd., Nashville, TN 37205 This newspaper is made possible by funds raised in the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign. The Observer is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. While The Observer makes every possibly effort to accept only reputable advertisers of the highest quality, we cannot guarantee the Kasruth of their products. The Jewish Observer J
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men heard what was happening. They stood on chairs to look over the mechitza, screaming that we were interrupting their prayers, she said. “When we finished our service we did not break ranks. We covered the Torah” and walked back to the buses as a group. “On the bus we all just dissolved in tears and laughter. It was the most
wonderful thing,” she said. The Women of the Wall continued in earnest when women began holding prayer services at the Wall every month for Rosh Chodesh, Klein said. “It is a testament to the strength of the Israeli women who decided they wanted to keep this tradition” and pray at the wall every Rosh Chodesh. c
Key dates for Women of the Wall Source: JTA reports, womenofthewall.org.il 1988 – Group from First International Jewish Feminist Conference conducts morning prayer service, including Torah reading, at Kotel. 1989-present – Women continue Rosh Chodesh prayer at Wall, often facing physical and verbal confrontation from opponents and often being arrested for failing to follow “local custom” in prayer. 2003 – Israeli Supreme Court rules that non-Orthodox and women’s prayer groups can pray at Robinson’s Arch, an archaeological park adjacent to the Kotel Plaza December 2012 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asks Jewish Agency head Natan Sharansky to propose solutions to issue of women’s prayer at the Western Wall. Currently, men and women are separated by a partition at the Kotel. Only men may wear tallit and tefillin, constitute a minyan for prayer and Torah reading. The leader of Women of the Wall wants, at a minimum, for women to be able to pray once each Jewish month for an hour as a group, wearing tallit and tefillin and reading the Torah. The controversy over rights of women to pray at the Kotel has pitted Diaspora Jewry, where egalitarian prayer is common, and Israel, which has upheld
Orthodox rules at the Wall. NonOrthodox activists in Israel also are at odds with the Kotel’s haredi Orthodox leadership. April 2013 – Sharansky outlines proposal to expand the Kotel plaza to include additional prayer near Robinson’s Arch. Other details: • Egalitarian space equal in size to current men’s and women’s sections combined • Robinson’s Arch area raised to level of current Western Wall plaza • Women allowed to wear prayer shawls at Robinson’s Arch • Traditional and egalitarian spaces would be separated by Mughrabi Bridge and would share an entrance • Mughrabi Bridge to Temple Mount would remain intact; areas currently under Muslim control of the Waqf (Muslim body controlling Temple Mount) would remain so April 25, 2013 - Jerusalem District Court, in the case of five women arrested on April 11 for wearing prayer shawls while praying at the Wall, rules that the women didn’t disturb public order and there was no cause for arrest. The judge also rules that the women’s prayer did not violate the law that visitors to the Wall must follow local custom in prayer and religious celebrations. June 2013 – Jewish Federations of North America approves resolution that supports Sharansky proposal. c
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A woman holds a Torah scroll outside a police station in Jerusalem's Old City where four women from the Women of the Wall organization were detained last August. PHOTO: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH 90/JTA
Men pray at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site and the center of an escalating battle over women’s prayer. PHOTO: BEN SALES/JTA
JFNA backs Sharansky’s Kotel compromise plan
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he Jewish Federations of North America called on Israeli and Diaspora leaders to ensure the Western Wall remains a “spiritual center for all Jews” in an official resolution supporting Natan Sharansky’s efforts for prayer access at the Kotel. The JFNA Board of Trustees and its Delegate Assembly last month overwhelmingly approved a resolution to support the Jewish Agency Chair in his efforts to find a compromise to the issue of equal prayer access at the Wall. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Sharansky to solve the issue, in the wake of demonstrations by the Women of the Wall and counter-protests by some ultraOrthodox groups. The Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee is affiliated with JFNA. “Jewish Federations and our community greatly appreciate the efforts of Prime Minister Netanyahu and Chairman Sharansky, and those of religious leaders across the community, who seek to unite our people by ensuring individuals can pray as they choose at the Kotel,” Michael Siegal, chair of the JFNA Board of Trustees, said in a statement. The resolution, drafted by JFNA’s
Rabbinic Cabinet, which represents a cross section of rabbis from all religious streams, expresses JFNA’s “appreciation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s continued commitment to work on behalf of and to strengthen Jewish unity by seeking to resolve the issue.” “By issuing this resolution, the Jewish Federations are giving voice to the strong desire across our community to resolve this critical issue and ensure that all Jews can experience the most spiritually powerful place in Judaism,” said JFNA President and CEO Jerry Silverman. The Sharansky plan calls for a dedicated egalitarian prayer space at the Robinson’s Arch area of the Wall. JFNA also promised to work with Sharansky as he “develops a pathway whereby the Kotel is a spiritual center for all Jews and a symbol of unity for the entire Jewish community world-wide.” Sharansky’s plan, which was greeted at first with some enthusiasm by both sides of the debate, has lost support recently from both sides, the Jewish news agency JTA reported. Rabbi Saul Strosberg of Congregation Sherith Israel, commenting in an email, said that “while I support the Sharansky proposal for a mixed section at the Kotel, it doesn’t solve the underlying problems of the traditional and the progressives vying for the same
space, and the inability of our brethren in Israel to work together to solve problems. “I know women, for example, that while they would like to be able to read from the Torah and lead the Hallel service on Rosh Chodesh at the Kotel, would not feel comfortable doing it in the same section as men - and therefore, Sharansky’s solution, while helpful to many, does not address everyone's concerns. “I do feel, however, that in some way, Sharansky’s proposal is a good thing for the Jewish people.” “While Sharansky has good intentions with his idea, this will not solve the issue at hand,” Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel of Chabad of Nashville said in an email. “Halacha is the historical heritage of all Jews. It is the only system that can unite every single Jew, without demand-
ing from him or her to abandon spiritual and moral values. Just like a meal at the Kotel should be glatt kosher, even if some eat “kosher style,” since the standard of glatt kosher includes all and does not exclude anyone and make anyone feel awkward. The same when you have a kotel according to halacha, everyone can feel comfortable, even if in their own community they do it differently. “The Kotel is a remnant of the courtyard wall of the Second Holy Temple, where the services were conducted completely according to the principles of halacha. There is room to request at the kotel respect for thousands of years of tradition, and the rights of those who wish to pray as has been done for generations, even if some would like to do it differently.” c
The Observer July 2013
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Fasting at Tisha B’Av can stir hunger for giving By EDMOND J. RODMAN LOS ANGELES (JTA) — At Tisha B’Av this year, think of fasting as a tzedakah stimulus plan. By observing this day of mourning, by not eating, our hunger can stimulate us to look beyond our own tables. Coming in the middle of summer, amid barbecues, picnics and trips to the ballpark, the day dedicated each year to the historic loss of Jerusalem and other Jewish calamities can be one of spiritual recovery. You just need a little change. For the last couple of years I have partially fasted, not noshing from sundown until noon the next day, skipping breakfast as a kind of warm-up for Yom Kippur, convincing myself it’s the thought that counts. This year, I want to make it till nightfall on July 16; the holiday starts the prior sundown. How hard can this be? In a society obsessed with lap belts, liquid diets and calorie counts, where reality show contestants routinely are stuck starving in tropical nowheres, it can’t be that difficult to go without food for a day. I can do that … mostly. Hold that thought while I gather some loose change on my desk. Truth is, some of us can barely drag ourselves through a Yom Kippur of no coffee, no chips or dips. Contemplating another day sans burgers is almost too much. Additionally, the Jewish calendar includes a number of other fast days, like the Fast of Esther, when we sacrifice only from dawn till night. Others include the Fast of Gedaliah, the 10th of Tevet and a
fast on the 17th of Tammuz to mark the breach of the walls of Jerusalem. … There’s also some change near the clothes dryer. Why do we fast? Are we looking for spiritual weight gain. Fasting seems so counterintuitive to Judaism, or at least the way we experience it: We celebrate, we eat. We mourn, we eat – people even bring food to us. Our practice, our identification with Jewish life, is stuffed with scenes of abundance: two loaves of challah on Shabbat, baskets of goodies on Purim, cake at meetings, cake at temple. OK, so maybe it’s just trail mix on the picket line. And don’t forget the shelves and shelves, the libraries of Jewish cookbooks. Even the Essenes sat down together for meal. … And a couple of singles by the front door. Judaism does offer several heavy reasons to fast: for mourning and loss; seeking purity and for forgiveness; and for awareness. On Tisha B’Av, we fast to mourn the destruction of the first and second Temples. Though I try to connect, those events are so remote. I want to fast in remembrance; I need a push. For motivation, I can read the verses in Lamentations that describe the utter destruction and desolation, “for your ruin is vast as the sea.” Or turn to the expulsions, persecutions and martyrdom that also befell the Jewish people near or on this day. Jews also fast for a cause. For instance, to draw attention to starvation in Darfur, 80 rabbis, cantors and lay leaders from all the movements held a two-day fast, only having water, in soli-
darity. The act illustrates well the words of the Prophet Isaiah when he describes the fast that he desires as able: “To unlock the fetters of wickedness And untie the cords of yoke To let the oppressed go free; To break off every yoke. It is to share your bread with the hungry, And to take the wretched poor into your home; When you see the naked, to clothe him, And not to ignore your own kin. Then shall your light burst through like the dawn.” Fasting sharpens our conscience, reminding us of those in hunger. This year as I fast, while remembering those days so long ago, I will try to remember and renew the days I live in as well. … nice, a five crumpled up in my jeans pocket. Putting aside the burgers, herring, chips, soda and whatever for that day, I
Congregation Beit Tefilah Chabad Congregation Beit Tefilah Chabad will be having a Tisha B’Av memorial service on Monday, July 15, at 8:30 p.m. The memorial will include the chanting of the Eicha, the Book of Lamentations, written by the Prophet Jeremiah. The Friendship Circle Bikers who will be in Nashville that day will be joining the Tisha B’Av Memorial Service. The book of Eicha is timeless. Although it was composed in the wake of the end of the first Temple era, the
A NEW YEAR!
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July 2013 The Observer
Edmon J. Rodman is a Los Angeles writer and designer. JTA originally published this article in 2009.
Tisha B’Av at Nashville congregations
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am going to take the money saved and send it to one of the many 501(c)3s that always seem to want my attention. That’s what the change is for. How much is a day without food worth? Figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture allow me to calculate that many of us spend on the average $10 per day per person for food. Of course, some of us spend a lot more. Especially while writing an article about fasting. Think about it. For Tisha B’Av, whether you fast or not, remember the day by giving the cost of food that you would normally eat on this day. I promise, the idea won’t deplete the nation’s treasury or increase the trade deficit. On the Ninth of Av, your stomach might grumble a bit, but banks will not fail. Food banks might actually gain. c
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Sages of the Midrash find it full of allusions to the destruction of the second Temple, over 500 years later. This is not at all an anachronism, because Jewish history is a continuum. Just as we live by the Torah that was given over 33 centuries ago, so we are molded by the experiences of our forebears and the historical epochs they created. --Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel
Congregation Sherith Israel Our Tisha B'Av commemoration will basically follow the same structure that we do each year. Monday, July 15, an hour before sunset, we gather for our Seudah Mafseket, our last meal, before the fast. At nightfall, we light candles and read the Book of Lamentations in a sad dirge, followed by the words of Eli Tzion. In the morning, we have services in the mourning style, and then Kinot, liturgical poems written following the tragedies that befell Jerusalem throughout the ages. We also show films for children and adults that capture the themes of the day. This year, we will be hosting a group of 50 Jewish high school students from NCSY who are traveling around the United States doing volunteer work. --Rabbi Saul Strosberg
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‘Teen Whisperer’ shares ideas for back to school
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arents…as your teen/tween heads into the new school year, it’s important that they’re focused and off to a fast start. Too many times, I’ve seen students still in ‘chill’ mode when they start and within weeks end up overwhelmed and stressed out.
Cortisol, a stress hormone, floods the system when one is scared, stressed, overwhelmed etc. When elevated levels exist, the brain’s ability to learn, understand, store and retrieve information is drastically impacted. Simply put, the brain operates like a person running in peanut butter. To help your child keep stress levels low and be better prepared for the new school year, I’d like to share a few suggestions: 1. Begin talking now about the new
year and open dialogue that makes it safe for him/her to express fears, anxieties and concerns. 2. Don’t wait until the last minute for back-to-school shopping, appointments, etc. 3. Help your child set short- and long-term academic goals. Write them down, post where they can be seen and revisit them often. 4. A visit to the school to help get acclimated to the locations of the office, classroom, cafeteria, restrooms can be very helpful. 5. Give them more responsibility for the morning routine of getting up and getting ready. Let them set their own alarm. Nothing increases stress faster than constant nagging to get up! To learn more about the ‘Teen Whisperer,’ Tara Brown, and how Teen Life Coaching could benefit your child, visit www.theconnectioncoach.org or call (615) 330-8575 for a free 15-minute consult.
Kids play, sing, learn at Micah Children’s Academy
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t the Academy, our expert teachers stay true to our most important belief statement: “We are accountable to children.” To this end, we have designed a program that is responsive to the true needs of young children: love, security, and a
need to play and learn. Families that come to our school always comment on the atmosphere of warmth and happiness and how the learning is visible. We take advantage of our children’s sense of curiosity, their love of learning, and their never-ending source of energy. Our natural playscape is one example how we provide a venue for learning, exploring, and growing. This state-ofthe-art playscape is a feature that excites both children and their families. Our children use their creativity and multiple talents while they play. At the heart of our program is a Jewish, values-rich curriculum that is integrated with the best of academics. Our hope is to grow children who are kind, thoughtful, and successful throughout their learning lives. We include sign language for our youngest students and a project-based curriculum that provides the building blocks for success in literacy, math, science and the arts. Also part of our exciting curriculum is a strong music focus (singing, making, and writing music) with Lisa Silver; a nature program, a movement/gymnastics program; and Hebrew and Spanish language instruction. Of course, Friday is reserved for Tot Shabbat led by Lisa Silver and our Rabbis.
MBA strives to instill leadership, character, academics
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BA is the oldest independent school in Tennessee. MBA’s ideal of “Gentleman, Scholar, Athlete” reflects the school’s dedication to the ethical, intellectual and physical growth of young men. Leadership and character development are emphasized through everyday life on campus, special programs, and service to the community. Continued on page 9
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July 2013 The Observer
Continued from page 8 MBA prides itself on its long tradition of academic excellence, as evidenced by 21 National Merit Semifinalists in 2013, numerous AP scholars every year, and the 2013 MathCounts, WorldQuest, and Science Olympiad state champions. With a student teacher ratio of 8 to 1 and an average class size of 14, the school provides the necessary support to achieve. The arts are celebrated at MBA, with an award-winning music program, national recognitions in the visual arts, and the 2013 student oneact-play state champions. Because so much can be learned outside the classroom, MBA sends more than 100 boys per year on school-funded international exchanges and programs on six continents. MBA offers 15 varsity sports playing at the highest level. Every student participates in daily physical activity to nurture his personal well-being. The school offers nearly $1.8 million in need-based financial aid that is distributed to 22 percent of the student body.
WES Religious School educates from preschool to high school
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est End Synagogue’s Religious School educates children from 3 years old through eleventh grade, and many of our graduates return as madrichim (teacher aides) in their senior year. While West End is the Conservative synagogue in Nashville, the school is not narrowly focused around Conservative Judaism; rather it is successful in large part due to the diverse makeup of the students and staff, from all streams of Judaism. Our classes cover a breadth of Jewish literacy including Jewish history, customs, holiday celebrations, Israel, Torah, Talmud, and Hebrew. Our program is highly community-focused with times for students to come together for interactive learning periods with music, art, technology and worldwide current events, as well as programs with other Nashville synagogues that build a sense of community and friendship. All our students (preschool11th grade) come to Religious School on Sundays from 9 a.m. until noon; additionally, second through seventh graders come to school on Wednesday afternoons from 4:15-6:30 p.m. and attend Shabbat class on Saturdays once a month. West End Synagogue’s Religious School is proud that 80 percent of its faculty are certified teachers and 50 percent have master’s degrees or higher in Jewish education. Our teachers engage students in meaningful Jewish learning. The school also offers opportunities for teen involvement in synagogue life, parent parallel learning sessions and Hebrew tutoring for students and parents who have no Hebrew language experience. Please feel free to contact Sharon Paz, director of lifelong learning, at (615) 269-4592, extension 17, or spaz@westendsyn.org for more information about joining our synagogue kehilla.
Sylvan combines instruction and technology
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t Sylvan we know that every child is unique, each with a different set of skills and academic
needs. This is why we design a learning plan specifically for each child. The key to personal instruction is Sylvan Insight™ - a four-step process to assess, plan, teach, and then apply. The result is the personal learning students need to be whoever they aspire to be. This proven approach is maximized with SylvanSync™ - our proprietary teaching system that blends personal lessons taught by Sylvan-certified instructors using technology kids love: the iPad®! SylvanSync harnesses technology’s ability to enable learning, making it truly hands on. Our education technology moves the student from passive to active learning with personalized digital lessons. And, most importantly, it enables our teachers to address the unique needs of each child. With SylvanSync, our personal approach includes: • A personal learning plan taught by Sylvan teachers using the iPad® as a teaching tool for a more engaging and interactive learning experience. • Lessons that adapt to your child’s individual skill level and pace, so learning is challenging, yet never frustrating. • Instant feedback and recognition for every student. • mySylvan™, your personal Sylvan website, with up-to-date progress tracking, plus educational activities and resources. SylvanSync combines our proven teaching method with the technology of today, leading your child to a future with limitless possibilities. Come see today’s Sylvan in action! Contact Dana in Franklin, Elandriel in Green Hills, or Penny in Rivergate.
Temple Preschool taps children’s curiosity so they learn, grow
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he small group of four-year-olds squeals with delight at the sudden blossom of color and light in the middle of the table. They descend on the table and then scatter about the darkened room to explore. While the rest of the class adventures about the classroom, one little boy puts some lights on his fingers and cups others in his palm. He holds the colored light as if it is precious treasure. He trans-
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fers the loose lights to more fingers and begins to slowly wiggle them, still holding both hands together as if cupping the light. He seems taken by the way the colors come and go across his skin and the table, sometimes blending together, other times canceling each other out. Eventually, satisfied with his intense investigation, he joins the other children shining their lights around the room. Temple Preschool features an emergent, child-centered curriculum. Each classroom is unique, providing rich and meaningful learning experiences based on individual and group interests and curiosities. Throughout these explorations, teachers thoughtfully integrate Continued on page 10
Montgomery Bell Academy •
21 National Merit Semifinalists in 2013
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100 boys per year participate in school-funded international exchanges and programs on six continents
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15 varsity sports competing at the highest level
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Science Olympiad & Math Counts State Champions
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Nationally-recognized Art, Music, and Theater programs
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7 to 1 student-teacher ratio, Average Class Size: 14
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23% of students receive need-based financial aid
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100% of graduates are college-bound
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25 Advanced Placement Courses offered
Admission Preview Day Sunday, October 27 @ 4 p.m. 4001 HARDING ROAD • NASHVILLE, TN 37205 WWW.MONTGOMERYBELL.EDU Montgomery Bell Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex, or age, in its employment practices or in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and financial aid programs, athletic programs, or other school-administered programs.
The Observer July 2013
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Continued from page 9 developmental goals such as literacy, science, math, art, and movement. The Jewish curriculum includes a weekly Shabbat service with a Temple
rabbi, special holiday events, regular Judaic enrichment, and familiarity with Hebrew. Related art, cooking, and an introduction to Jewish ethics and values offer opportunities for family participa-
tion in school celebrations. Our mission is to enable, empower, and encourage each child to develop physically, socially, cognitively, creatively and spiritually to his or her fullest potential.
Walk or dash to class in Cute & Comfy Shoes
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ack to school! Back to a busy life style! Cute & Comfy Shoes is getting ramped up for Fall 2013 and will be bringing in the best shoes for your feet, your knees, your body! But, rest assured, these will look too good to look comfortable. Naot is always a favorite and they have great new styles for this fall! New styles from Fly London, Earthies, and ARA will also be here. Fashion trends will lean toward short boots and flats for this fall. So keep that in mind as you sort out your wardrobe. Cute & Comfy Shoes staff would LOVE it if you brought in your favorite outfits to try on or hold up while you shop. They want you to take your time and find just what you are looking for! This year Cute & Comfy Shoes opened a new location downtown in the Arcade. Hours are M-F from 10-3 so come grab some lunch and come enjoy our beautiful city and do some shoe shopping down at the Arcade located between 4th and 5th Ave just south of Union. The Green Hills store is located by Wendy's & Subway hours are M-F from 10-6 and Saturdays from 10-4. Come let us make your feet happy and support a locally owned business! c
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July 2013 The Observer
Government websites gather back-to-school info
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f you’re needing a checklist to guide your family’s back-to-school preparations, the federal government wants to help. At w w w . u s a . g o v / To p i c s / B a c k - t o School.shtml, you’ll find links to additional web pages on a host of topics. Here’s a quick rundown: Check-Ups and Immunizations – learn about your state’s requirements and what the federal government suggests as appropriate immunization at specific ages Financial Assistance for Families – help may be available for health coverage and reduced-cost meals Homework Help – there’s information on how parents can learn to help children with homework and help them succeed in school Shopping for School Supplies – check on whether your state participates in sales tax holidays
Plan Healthy Breakfasts and Lunches – Get tips on healthy eating so children arrive at school well nourished. The state of Tennessee Department of Education’s web site, www.tn.gov/education, contains a link to information of interest to students and families, plus an A-Z index to specific topics. Through the link to health and school safety, for example, there’s information about the Office of Safe and Supportive Schools, which deals with bullying issues, dropout prevention and learning conditions. There are links to special education services, curriculum and testing, afterschool programs and preparing for college. Information specific to Metro schools is available at www.mnps.org. The site includes a link geared toward newcomers. c
Tenn. sales tax holiday set for Aug. 2-4
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n Tennessee this year, the 2013 sales tax holiday will take place from Friday, Aug. 2 to Sunday, Aug. 4. Broadly speaking clothing that costs $100 or less per item, school supplies (including art supplies) costing $100 or less per item and computers with a purchase price of $1,500 or less are sales tax-exempt during the holiday. Exact information on which items qualify for the exemption and which do not can be tricky, so go to the sales tax holiday web page, tn.gov/revenue/salestaxholiday, for full information. c
SEND A NEW YEAR’S GREETING to your family, friends and the entire community in the !UGUST /BSERVER Choose a Greeting A) Have a Happy and Healthy New Year B) Happy Rosh Hashanah C) Rosh Hashanah Greetings D) Le-Shanah Tovah Tikkatevu Choose a Size Full page 3/4 page 1/2 page 1 1/4 page 1 3 col. x 4”
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To access the Community Calendar, go to www.jewishnashville.org and click on “Calendar.” Every community event is listed for your convenience. The Observer July 2013
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Check out GJCC’s menu of summer adult programs
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he Gordon Jewish Community Center has a huge selection of programs geared towards adults of all ages. While your kids are playing, you should be, too. All GJCC adult programs welcome adults, from young adults to parents to empty-nesters, both members and nonmembers, throughout the summer months. For most programs, there’s a fee to attend (GJCC members enjoy lower fee). For July and August, you can choose from these offerings: Sunday, July 28, 1-4 p.m., Papercutting Workshop with artist Kim
Phillips. Back by popular demand, you will learn the art of papercutting while producing a beautiful piece to take home. All supplies are provided and no experience is necessary. Sunday, July 28, 5:30-8 p.m., Murder on the High Seas. Check your bags and set sail for a night of adventure at the Captain’s Dinner Party. This is the perfect event for those in their 30s and 40s! A night of dinner, drinks and mystery on the “high seas” with peculiar passengers and conspiring crew members. RSVP by July 19 to carrie@nashvillejcc.org. Monday, July 29, noon-1:30 p.m,
Apply to become a Tennessee Holocaust Teacher Fellow
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his program is designed to train Master Holocaust Educators from throughout the state of Tennessee so that they may serve as liaisons of the Tennessee Holocaust Commission in their region of the state. Teachers will be competitively selected and undergo intense and comprehensive training to develop their skills and knowledge base. The program will take place over a two-year period culminating in a project that can be replicated by other educators around the state. The goal of the program is to provide the Teacher Fellow with workshops, resources, firsthand
experiences with survivors, and travel to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. so that they may serve as an expert resource. THC Teaching Fellows have gone on to be liaisons for the THC in their communities and actively encourage and mentor their peers at their schools. Many have received prestigious awards and have gone on to serve as Teacher Fellows for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Applications must be received no later than Sept. 27 and are available online by visiting www.tnholcom.org. For more information, contact the THC, (615) 343-2563 or 343-1171.c
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www.jewishobserver nashville.org
Cooking with Herbs and Veggies from the Garden. Learn new ways to cook your fresh seasonal foods with herbs. Led by an instructor from The Herb Society of Nashville, guests will venture between the GJCC and the Stacy Kraft Community Garden. Supplies included. Friday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m.-noon, Rosh Hashanah Apple Monkey Bread. Learn how to bake a delicious pull-apart apple monkey bread for Rosh Hashanah. Part of the GJCC’s new Bake and Take series. Led by known fabulous baker Lauren Cooper in the GJCC kitchen. Wednesday, Aug. 7, 10 a.m.12:30 p.m., Beaded Jewelry. Learn this
Thursday’s the night for Israeli folk dancing
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he Nashville Israeli Folk Dancers meet every Thursday evening at the Schulman Center for Jewish Life at Vanderbilt University (across from Memorial Gym at corner of Vanderbilt Place and 25th). Beginner dances are from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Intermediateadvanced dancing and requests are from 8:30-10 p.m.
K
eep your eyes on The Belcourt Theatre’s lineup for mid July when the Nashville Jewish Film Festival (NJFF) will cosponsor – for one perform-
2324 Crestmoor Road, Nashville, TN 37215 (615) 777-0001 • fax (615) 986-5200 email: lspillerhisgh@aol.com www.hamptoninn.com/hi/nash-greenhills A Rochford Hotel Group Property
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July 2013 The Observer
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Come join us for evenings of fun, music, exercise, and friends. You can stay for all or part of the time and attend any or all of the sessions. No previous dance experience required. Everyone is welcome to participate. For more information please contact: Sharon Morrow 312-9019 or 491-0840 (smorrow@wswcpasnashville.com). Visit our website at www.vanderbilt.edu/ israelidance c
NJFF co-sponsors film on Hannah Arendt
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beautiful technique and you’ll have a new piece of jewelry for every outfit. Led by Natalie Bockian, all supplies are provided and no experience is necessary. Also new this summer is “Hot Topic Wednesdays.” Come talk about current events over a light lunch with your friends from noon-1 p.m.: July 31 with Laurel Creech, chief service officer at Nashville Mayor Karl Dean’s office August 21 with Rabbi Saul Strosberg, Congregation Sherith Israel To RSVP to any event at the GJCC, email Carrie Mills at carrie@nashvillejcc.org or call (615) 356-7170. c
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bsserver CARRIE MILLS Advertising Manager carrie@nashvillejcc.org www.jewishnashville.org 615.354.1699 fax 615.352.0056
ance only - the award-winning documentary “Hannah Arendt,” the NJFF announced in a statement. Arendt, the German-born American Jewish philosopher and political theorist, caused great consternation when she reported on the war crimes trial of the Nazi Adolf Eichmann. Working for The New Yorker, she coined the phrase "the banality of evil" to describe Eichmann. Her reporting later evolved into her 1963 work, “Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil.” She raised the question of whether evil is simply a function of thoughtlessness, a tendency of ordinary people to obey orders and conform to mass opinion without a critical evaluation of the consequences of their actions and inaction. Due to scheduling issues, the exact date for screening was not available at the time of this publication but is scheduled for mid-July. Please check the Belcourt schedule and join the NJFF at the screening. And please save the dates for NJFF’s big Bar Mitzvah celebration this year – November 6-14. Details to follow! For more information, contact Fran Brumlik at (615) 356-7170 or fran@nashvillejcc.org. c
Singer/songwriter Carrie Mills performs
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inger and songwriter Carrie Mills will perform on Tuesday, July 16, time 6:30 p.m., at the Sunflower Café, a new vegetarian restaurant at 2834 Azalea Place in Berry Hill near 100 Oaks. Laura Yazdian and Gabrielle Mittelstaedt have collaborated to create the restaurant. c
lifecycles Births Congratulations to Jenny and Charles Maldonado on the birth of their daughter, Adeline Alice. The proud grandparents are Anita and Steve Rich. Marvin Cohen is Adeline Alice’s greatgrandfather.
B’nai Mitzvah Malka Leah Shuman celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah on June 15 and June 16, giving her D’var Torah at Chabad of Nashville on June 15 and celebrating the next day at Sherith Israel with a Siyum in honor of completing a Malka Leah Shuman book of Mishnah. Malka Leah is the daughter of Brad and Erika (Miller) Shuman and the oldest sibling to Rivka, Adina, Yaacov, Avi and Leora. She is the granddaughter of Monica Miller of Stockholm, Sweden and Nashville, Les and Carol Shuman of Hoffman Estates, Ill. and Barry Miller of Eugene, Ore. Malka graduated this year from Akiva School and is excited to be homeschooled next year. She enjoys spending time with her family, learning Torah, reading, math, and swimming.
Graduations Dr. Lauren M. Wolchok, formerly of Nashville, received her M.D. degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles on May 31. Lauren graduated from Harvard University in 2007 and from University School of Nashville in 2003. She has started her internship/residency in family medicine at University of California - San Francisco. Lauren is the daughter of James and Sandra Wolchok, who currently reside in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Weddings Ilan Guttman married Hadar Darhi on June 6 in Tel Aviv. Ilan is the son of Rabbi Fred and Nancy Guttman and the grandson of Mrs. Reta Guttman of Nashville.
Congratulations and best wishes to Joel Abramson and Felicia Levine, who were married on May 26 in Nashville.
Professional notes Congratulations to Amanda and Berek Awend on the release of their first album, “Jewish Americana.” The CD combines their affinity for American music with traditional Jewish prayers. The Awends live in Minnesota. Amanda, the daughter of Cheryl and Stanley Lane, grew up singing with her mom. Cheryl contributes to “Jewish Americana” with harmony vocals. For more information, go to www.awend music.com.
Sympathy … to the family and friends of Ernest Oppenheim, who died on June 21. Mr. Oppenheim, a retired watchmaker and business executive, was born in Germany and came to the United States with his parents and sister in 1939 fleeing Nazi persecution. He came to Nashville from New York in 1958. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Lore Oppenheim, daughter and son-in law Stevan and Carol Himmelstein, son and daughter-in-law Ronald and Nina Oppenheim, sister Doris Vise and brother-in-law and best friend Harry Vise, and grandchildren Sheryl, Craig and Jared Oppenheim and Amy, Molly and Jeremy Himmelstein. The family extends its heartfelt appreciation for the love and care given by Mr. Oppenheim’s caregiver, Laura Huddleston. Memorial contributions may be made to Alive Hospice, Second Harvest, West End Synagogue, or the charity of your choice. … to the family and friends of Maurice “Tommy” Lerner, of Vineland, N.J., who died on June 18 at the age of 96. Mr. Lerner was born in WilkesBarre, Pa., and was a longtime resident of Vineland, where he co-owned a furniture store. He was a member of Beth Israel Congregation, the Beth Israel Men’s Club and the Jewish War Veterans. Tommy loved Phillies baseball, playing golf and cards with friends. Mr. Lerner was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Ethel Lerner, and his brothers, Harry and Emanuel Lerner. He is survived by sons Michael (Beverly) Lerner and Neal (Shirley) Lerner; grandchildren Tara Lerner of Nashville, Dana (Marty) Gottesman, Bryan Lerner and Kevin Lerner; great-grandchildren Covi and Leora Gottesman; and his brother,
Joseph Lerner. Donations in memory of Mr. Lerner can be made to Beth Israel Congregation, 1015 East Park Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360 or to Jewish War Veterans of Vineland, c/o Commander Daniel Hoffman, P.O. Box 1106, Vineland, NJ 08362.
Gregory (Mandy) Levy, Madeline Levy; and great-grandchildren Carli, Amaya and Sydney Wolpert. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital or the Jewish Federation of Nashville.
… to the family and friends of Sol M. Goodman, who died on June 17 at age 84. Mr. Goodman was preceded in death by his wife, Rose Goodman. He is survived by his daughters, Beth Smith (Jeff) and Becky McMillen (Mike); grandchildren Robbie Smith (Cathryn), Erica McPherson (Josh), Carly McMillen and Lee McMillen; great-grandchildren Ava Smith and Caleb Smith. Mr. Goodman was the owner of Jewel T/J.T. General store for 57 years. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.
… to the family and friends of Willie Joe Sellers Jr. on his recent death. He is survived by his sons, Naveh (Dganit) Eldar and David M. Sellers; his daughter, Lanette Sellers; his four brothers and sisters, and seven grandchildren.
… to the family and friends of Natalie J. Levy, who died on June 16 at age 89. Mrs. Levy was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many. She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, S. Donald Levy, parents, Maurice and Jenny Drell, and sister, Shirley Fradkin. She is survived by children Jill (Steve) Wolpert, Richard (Susan) Levy, Robert (Jeanmarie Stalma) Levy; grandchildren Mark (Ellie) Wolpert, Jonathan (Rhona Shwaid) Wolpert, Marjorie Levy,
… to the family and friends of Sam Harold Tuchman, who died on May 30. He is survived by his daughters, Arleen Tuchman (David Zolensky) and Shendl Tuchman, and his grandchildren, Peter, Rachel, and Andrew Zolensky. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sam’s memory to American Diabetes Association. … to the family and friends of Miriam Solomon, who died on May 27. Mrs. Solomon held a master’s degree in social work and helped many people suffering from drug and alcohol abuse. She was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin, and is survived by her children, Annie, Ilene, Saul and Jill, and grandchildren, Becca, Sophie, Emma, Isabel, Laura, Jacob, Jeremy and Ilana. Donations in her honor can be made to Adelphi School of Social Work in New York.
Mah Jongg mavens, show what you’re made of
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oming August 13, the Gordon Jewish Community Center will be the site for host Michelle Tischler’s annual Mah Jongg Tournament. The tournament will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13. The tournament is open to all skill levels and there will be prizes throughout the day as well as breakfast and lunch. Jewish women adopted Mah Jongg as a pastime in the early 20th century. The game originated in China and was brought to America in 1920. Mah Jongg was seen as exotic and glamorous and caught on quickly. The first meeting of the National Mah Jongg League in 1937 hosted over
200 women, all of them Jewish and most of German descent. Although the popularity of the game has waxed and waned over the years, it has remained a prominent activity in Jewish culture because of the closeness of Jewish communities, particularly, the way in which Jewish communities stay together. There’s a fee to participate and payment should be made by Tuesday, July 30. To register, contact Marilyn Rubin at (615) 356-7170 to RSVP with your credit card number or send a check to the attention of Meryl Kraft at the GJCC, 801 Percy Warner Blvd., Nashville 37205. Mark your calendars now and get registered to take part in this popular Jewish tradition. c
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See what’s happening in the community. Go to www.jewishnashville.org The Observer July 2013
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Chabad welcomes Bike 4 Friendship tour
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n an effort to raise awareness and funds for programs that support children with special needs, 15 men from around the country have joined Bike 4 Friendship - a 3,400-mile cycling trip from San Diego to New York. The Bike 4 Friendship trip has a stop in Nashville on July 15, Chabad of Nashville said in a news release. Bike 4 Friendship promotes the mission of Friendship Circle, an international organization that connects teenage vol-
unteers with children, teens, and young adults with special needs to foster a sense of companionship and community. The program’s activities also build social, recreational, and educational skills skills that cannot be attained through traditional therapies. During the seven-week, coast-tocoast trek, the cyclists will bike approximately 85 miles each day through thirteen states. On their route, they will make official stops in 40 cities to meet with members of the community and
press to spread their message. They will also visit several Friendship Circle chapters along the way. Nashville will be inaugurating its own chapter of the Friendship Circle this fall. The group, ranging from ages 18-66, kicked off the annual bike trip in San Diego with more than 30 cyclists coming to see them off. The cross-country cyclists are seeking to enhance awareness and understanding of the unique gifts of those with special needs. They are also asking
everyone – friends, admirers and wellwishers alike – to make a donation in keeping with the theme of “Bike 4 Friendship.” To meet the cross country bikers while in Nashville, come and visit them on Monday evening, July 15, at 8 p.m.. They will be attending the Tisha B'av memorial service, at Chabad of Nashville, located at the Genesis Campus for Jewish Life, 95 Bellevue Road. To learn more and to follow the cyclists online, visit Bike4Friendship.org. c
Graceland, Peabody and more on Prime Time’s Memphis jaunt
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alling all seniors looking for a fall adventure: the Gordon Jewish Community Center is Memphis bound in October. On Wednesday, Oct. 2, the Prime Time group will leave the GJCC and head west. They’ll stop for lunch at the Old Country Store in Jackson as they gear up for a tour of Graceland. The next stop will be the Peabody Hotel for a
visit with their famous ducks. The group will stay at the Doubletree Hotel Downtown and dine at Rendezvous over a barbecue dinner. Memphis was is the epicenter of the Civil Rights movement so no trip to the city would be complete without a tour of the Civil Rights Museum immediately after breakfast on Thursday, Oct. 3. The Memphis JCC will host the Nashville group for lunch plus a tour of the facility and musical entertainment.
At the last “depot,” the group will tour the trains at Kasey Jones Village in Jackson before heading back to the GJCC. Charges for the trip include bus transportation, all tours and admission fees, lodging, breakfast, two lunches, and dinner. To register, contact Meryl at meryl@nashvillejcc.org or (615) 3541623. Space is limited to 45 individuals. Want to share your travels with your grandchildren and family? Sign up for
the class Social Media: Beyond the Grandkids before your Memphis trip and upload all of your exciting photos to share to Facebook. The social media class will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 27 from 1-3 p.m. at the GJCC. Demystify social media while learning how to use and stay in touch with your nearest and dearest. The course is led by Kim Phillips of Lucid Marketing and there’s a small charge to attend. Contact Meryl and register for both today. c
Sing around the campfire at GJCC
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n the evening of Saturday, July 20, the GJCC will host a member-wide campout on the fields just beyond the pool deck. Hosted by the GJCC Aquatics Department, campers will enjoy an evening of hot dogs, s’mores (parve), and the best ingredient of all: camaraderie. The night’s events will be followed
up with breakfast the next morning as the sun rises over the hills and another day begins. Campers are asked to bring sleeping bags, flashlights, lanterns, and firewood. Bring your tents as well and reserve your spot on the field. (There’s a reservation charge) To find out more information or sign up today, contact Yvonne Hall at Yvonne@nashvillejcc.org or (615) 354-1663. c
July artists’ reception set for July 10
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Akiva Class of ’13 creates gift of art This year’s Akiva graduates present their gift to the school, artwork inspired by the works of Israeli artist Yaacov Agam. Agam was one of the founders of the kinetic movement in art, in which the artwork itself moves or those looking at the art see something different when they move around the piece. One view of the students’ work shows the new Akiva School logo; the other view shows part of a chanukiah and a star of David. Students and their parents worked on the piece with Dganit Eldar, Hebrew curriculum teacher for the fifth and sixth grades.
he works of local painter Ezra Whitson, The X Housewife portraits of Kit Kite and photography from Aerial Innovations will be on display at the Gordon Jewish Community Center during the month of July. The artists’ reception will be held on Wednesday, July 10, at the GJCC from 7-9 p.m., with music by DJ Spun Counterguy and complimentary food and wine. The event is open to the public. c An X Housewife portrait by Kit Kite
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July 2013 The Observer
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ORTHODONTISTS A. JOEL GLUCK, DDS, MS Specialist in Orthodontics Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics Green Hills 269-5903 2002 Richard Jones Road, Ste. A-200 www.drgluck.com
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GHERTNER & COMPANY Homeowner Association and Condominium Management Full Service and Financial Management Property Management since 1968 255-8531 www.ghertner.com REGENCY MANAGEMENT CO. Keith Kraft & Morris Kraft Rentals ~ Residential ~ Commercial 95 White Bridge Rd. ~ Nashville TN 37205 …for over 45 years 352-1448 mkkraft@aol.com
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Hundreds honor Gutcheon at Temple event More than 500 community members came to The Temple on a Sunday afternoon last month to show appreciation for Cantor Emeritus Bernard Gutcheon and to celebrate his 60th birthday. Gutcheon has devoted more than half of his life to The Temple in a 30-year tenure that has touched many different generations, often through life cycle events. Here, Gutcheon (second from left) catches up with (from left) Edna Falk, Rabbi Andi Cosnowsky and Temple Rabbi Emeritus Randall Falk. Additional photos and full article on the Temple celebration are online at jewishobservernashville.org. PHOTO: DEENA GRAHAM
Cohens & Kelleys Dinner Members of Maimonides Lodge of B’nai B’rith #46 and the members of the Council 544 of Knights of Columbus celebrated the 43rd annual interfaith social evening known as The Cohens and Kellys on May 28 at the Temple. The Lodge is also celebrating 150 years of service. Dinner was catered by Goldie and the speaker was attorney Adam Dread, former Metro Councilman-At-Large. Pictured above, from left, are Judge Bill Higgins, Phyllis Frank, Howard Taradash, and Joe Zendlovitz.
You can’t win if you don’t play
has been bringing our community the latest Jewish news and features from Nashville and beyond for more than 70 years. 16
July 2013 The Observer
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ith all the talk about failing newspapers, we want to assure you, once again, that we plan to be appearing in your mailboxes on a regular basis. In addition, we now are online at www.nashvillejewishobserver.org, in an easy-to-read format. But, as with most things, our costs are rising, especially for printing and mailing. We continue to look for ways to reduce our expenditures in whatever way we can.
BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP! Now, more than ever, our annual OBSERVER PATRON CAMPAIGN could spell the difference between an 8-page paper or a 12-16-page paper; between only black and white photos or color photos; between no national or international/Israel features or ample coverage of the issues that affect our Jewish community, here and abroad. The Observer brings you Lifecycles, information about all of our congregations and organizations, about community programs, interesting people and events. This is not available anywhere else in Middle Tennessee, because it is OUR community newspaper.
PLEASE HELP US KEEP ALL THE NEWS FLOWING TO YOU. In this issue, you will find an envelope with which you can make a tax deductible donation to the Observer Patron Campaign. There are several categories: Publisher for $150 Editor for $100 Reporter for $50 Actual cost for $25 THANK YOU! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY MORE YEARS
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f you have not bought your GJCC Raffle Ticket yet, you still have time! The GJCC Annual Raffle sells 1,000 tickets at a chance to win either $35,000 in cash or a new car. This year’s car is a Lexus CT 200H and tickets are $100 each. Proceeds from the GJCC Annual Raffle support the building and all of the programs the Center offers. In addition, 10 percent of this year’s proceeds will directly benefit the Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC). The winning ticket will be pulled on July 18 at the Raffle Party, which will be held at the GJCC Outdoor Pool and includes music, food and drinks. Call the GJCC today to secure your ticket: (615) 356-7170. And good luck! c
Nashvillian joins USA volleyball team at Maccabiah
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ow, there’s one more Nashville connection and local athlete to cheer for during the 19th Maccabiah Games, set for July
17-30 in Israel. Jillian Berkman, daughter of Stacey Goodman, is competing on the USA volleyball team. She brings to eight the total of Nashville-area Jewish athletes competing in the games, and she’s the only volleyball team member among them. Jillian graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, in 2012. She returned to Nashville where she lived this year working at Vanderbilt. Best of luck to Jillian and the rest of Nashville’s Maccabiah athletes. c
See what’s happening in the community. Go to www.jewishnashville.org