THE
Jewish
OBSERVER www.jewishobservernashville.org
Vol. 90 No. 9
SEPTEMBER 2025 8 Elul 5785 - 8 Tishrei 5786
Shana Tova 5786
Jewish Federation Celebrates and Inspires #JewishNashville By BARBARA DAB
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embers of Nashville’s Jewish community enjoyed an evening of celebration and inspiration while also learning about the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville and its ongoing work to support and advocate for Jewish people around the world. The evening provided an opportunity for the community to meet and get to know the Federation’s new CEO, Judy Alperin, who spoke about her own Jewish journey. “If you’ve learned a little about
me already, you know that Jewish community is not just what I do, it’s truly who I am. Working on behalf of the Jewish people has given me a lifetime of meaning, and I’m so honored to move forward and build forward with you.” Special guest speaker, Alison Lebovitz, an Emmy nominated host, podcaster, and story teller, shared personal anecdotes about her Southern Jewish experiences. Attendees laughed with her as she talked about Jewish geography. “It’s a simple question, but a complicated response,”
she said, “You don’t necessarily get an answer when you ask a Jewish person where they’re from. You get a history lesson.” Lebovitz shared her first experience visiting Israel on a Federation mission trip. And it was during that trip that she dipped her toes into the fundraising pool. “It was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. First because I was asked at age 14 to solicit my peers for the Federation’s annual campaign.” That moment was the beginning for her of a lifetime commitment to Jewish philanthropy, something she passed
down to her three sons. And at the end, she summed it up. “We are lout and proud. We are a community. Some of you I’ve known for many years…a lot of you I just met tonight. But we all come from the same place. We all come from a place where we were raised to give back…and that community is not just important, it is everything.” To make your donation, click the QR code or text 615669-9762 to make your pledge. •
Belmont Becomes First University to Host U.S. Holocaust Museum’s ‘Some Were Neighbors’ By BARBARA DAB
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here is a common misconception that Adolf Hitler, and a few of his henchmen, were the sole perpetrators of the Holocaust. But ordinary people were also involved, and an exhibition created by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum aims to both clear up the misconception and explore the ways friends and neighbors displayed courage and complicity in the face of the unimaginable. The exhibition titled “Some were Neighbors,” is traveling to Nashville’s Belmont University, beginning on A Publication of the
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September 10, as part of the school’s continuing work in interfaith engagement. Belmont is the first university nationwide to host the exhibit. According to Dr. Greg Jones, president of Belmont, it is the result of a multi-year relationship between the school and the museum. “Our long-standing commitment to interfaith engagement, combined with intentional collaboration and vision casting, led the museum to invite Belmont to be the first university in the nation to host the exhibit.” The university’s involvement is part of the work of the Charlie Curb Center B’nai Tzedek Hosts Third Annual Welcome Back Pool Party, page 4
for Faith Leadership, headed by Dr. Jon Roebuck who has partnered with Rabbi Mark Schiftan, rabbi emeritus of The Temple, to create a Jewish studies initiative. Over nearly two decades, the pair have worked together to build bridges between Jews and Christians, and this exhibit embodies the core of that work. “I think it’s two things: intentionality and hospitality,” says Roebuck, “Other universities could have done what we have done, but I think we have been very intentional about creating not only interfaith dialogue, but we’ve extended beyond Jewish and Christian faith leaders From Landscaping to Learning: Teens Connect at the Gordon JCC, page 8
getting on a Zoom call once or twice a week to see how does this get into the greater fabric of Nashville, and the greater fabric of the university.” The work on interfaith relationships is core to the university’s mission. Jones says, “This work is an extension of our Office of Jewish Dialogue and Discovery, launched in partnership with Rabbi Mark Schiftan who also serves Belmont as our Jewish Faith Student Advisor, and reflects our dedication to supporting the Jewish community in Nashville and our own Jewish students.” He says the fact
Rosh Hashanah Greetings, page 21
Continued on page 19 At Our Congregations Including Holiday Schedules, page 26