THE
Jewish
OBSERVER www.jewishobservernashville.org
Vol. 90 No. 6
JUNE 2025 5 Sivan - 4 Tamuz 5785
Legislative Update: Tennessee Legislature Advances Security, Safety, and Israel Ties in 2025 Session By BARBARA DAB
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he Tennessee state legislature’s 2025 session is complete, and this year saw significant progress in the areas of security, public safety, and support for Israel. As in previous years, the success was the result of a joint effort by the four Jewish Federations representing Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga and the relationships the groups fostered with the state’s legislators. Deborah Oleshansky, director of the Jewish Community Relations Counsil of the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville, says, “Once again it is thanks to the combined efforts of all the Jewish Federations in the state that we have continued to see greater awareness about the challenges facing the Jewish community,”
Tennessee state representative Scott Cepicky lights a candle on Yom Ha’atzmaut.
This past year saw continued antisemitic activities by several Nazi and Christian nationalist groups in the Nashville area. These actions included demonstrations in front of West End Synagogue, and disruptions to a Metro Council meeting. To help synagogues with the rising costs of security personnel, the legislature approved $1.25 million to be added to the state budget for security expenses for houses of worship. Larry Hyatt, chair of the security committee for the Jewish Federation Greater Nashville, says, “We are pleased to see continuing support from the state and appreciate the legislature’s commitment to keeping the Jewish community safe.” To help provide police with stronger enforcement tools, the legislature joined with Metro Council members, Jewish
community leaders, and the District Attorney to draft a bill with stronger language. Senator Mark Pody (TN-17) was co-sponsor of SB30, otherwise known as the PEACE act. He says the goal was to ensure arrests and prosecutions so that people in the Jewish community feel safe, “We collaboratively wrote several bills, including the PEACE act, to look at what you could arrest on. If you don’t think you have strength to arrest somebody right now what could you arrest somebody on. Then we went to the DA and said, ‘Now if the police made an arrest and this is the language, would you be comfortable prosecuting?’” Highlights of the PEACE act include creating misdemeanor designations for things like littering or trespassing with Continued on page 3
A Fond Farewell, but not Goodbye By DEBORAH OLESHANSKY
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his will be my final JCRC Observer article, and as usual, I am right at the deadline. On May 15th, I retired from the position as JCRC Director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville and my tenure in the role was bookended by Mark Freedman. Mark and I met originally during a Jewish Agency For Israel (JAFI) P2G trip to Israel in 2013. His very talented wife, Leslie Klein, had an original work of art in an exhibit displayed in our region, Hadera Eiron. Apparently, someone liked the piece so much it was stolen. Mark and I bonded as we worked with our P2G partners to arrange for Leslie to quickly recreate the piece for the exhibit. Fast forward a few years and Mark hired me for the role of JCRC Director in January 2018, and “retired” his position as CEO in June 2018. He is not a good retirement mentor. During the interview process for this position, I met with lay leaders, specifically Ron Galbraith, then JCRC Chair, and Leslie Kirby, JCRC Vice Chair. I was immediately impressed with their leadership, knowledge, and devotion to the Jewish community, and their comA Publication of the
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Retiring Federation JCRC director Deborah Oleshansky receives gift from interim CEO Mark Freedman
mitment to Jewish values which underly this work. They were more than lay leaders; they were talented and skilled professionals and brought all their experience to the table in addressing Jewish community concerns. They, along with JCRC member, Avi Poster, of blessed memory, provided the foundation of my work over the past years. I am grateful that Ron and Leslie oriented me to the position, and fortunate that they are both still my close friends. When I started in January 2018, I was new both to the position and to Nashville. The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville professional team was critical to my inteContinued on page 6 Leadership 615 Celebrates Cohort 2, page 2
Iara Kullock is pictured center, with classmates from Harpeth Hall’s Jewish Students Association.
Holocaust Education and Jewish Identity Take Root in Nashville Schools By BARBARA DAB
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his school year students from area high schools learned about Judaism and the Holocaust in formal and informal settings. At Harpeth Hall, Iara Kullock Big Night Out 2025: A Tropical Paradise… Indoors!, page 4
and Maddie Marshall created a Jewish Students’ Association designed to provide connection and build community within the larger school setting. Kullock says the goal is to be inclusive and welcoming, Continued on page 8 Coupon Issue Special Section, page 19