G ene A sher - The Jewish Georgian

THE
Jewish Georgian
Volume 19, Number 2
What’s Inside
Papa Louie’s Legacy
A brave young man from Ukraine passed
along his resourcefulness to his children.
By Rob Hassett
Page 21
A Man with a Mission
After 73 years with the Boy Scouts,
Josiah Benator has no intention of quitting.
By Bill Sonenshine
Page 11
One Person Can
Make a Difference
Linda Hooper inspired Whitwell Middle
School students to make a unique
Holocaust memorial.
By Caroline Mescon
Page 6
Every Day is Precious
Bernie Lovitky approaches the end of his
life with a sense of wonder and appreciation.
By Janis Kleinberger
Page 16
Turning Grief to Hope
After Bethany Diamond lost friend
Debbie Flamm to ovarian cancer, she
started a virtual bike ride in her honor.
Page 8
Orchestras Here
and There
From Shanghai to Altanta, music has
been a constant in this writer’s life.
By Balfoura Friend Levine
Page 28
Atlanta, Georgia
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008
FREE
“Jewish Woodstock” coming to Atlanta in March
one of Limmud’s social action teachJews from Atlanta and all over the
ers, then board a free bus from
Southeast will come together at
Oglethorpe to the Hunger Walk downOglethorpe University, March 1-2, for
town. Pre-registration is required.
Limmud Atlanta + Southeast. Limmud
The weekend will feature 50 ses(pronounced lee-MOOD) has been
sions, including Moses in a
called “a cross between Elderhostel
Megachurch; Digging Your Jewish
and a Phish Concert,” “a Jewish verRoots with Farmer D; Joseph, Phone
sion of Woodstock,” and “Jewish camp
Home; What Madonna Doesn’t Know;
for grownups.”
Gefelted Fish: A Hands-On Workshop;
In Hebrew, limmud means “learnIs What’s Ours Really Ours?; The Race
ing.” Using local teachers, artists,
Beat: Press and Civil Rights; From
thinkers and writers—plus some speAddis Ababa to Atlanta; Food as
cial out-of-town guests—Limmud is
blazing a fresh new path to make
Sacrament: A Glutton’s Tour; Prayer
Eric Robbins, coJodi Mansbach, coJewish learning informal, inspirafor Jewish Agnostics; Is it a Mitzvah to
chair of Limmud chair Limmud Southtional, and unforgettable. Run entirely
Get Drunk on Purim?, and more.
east and executive
Southeast and foundby volunteers, Limmud has an experiThe program begins at sundown
director of Camp Twin
er of Jac Atlanta
mental spirit that explores the vibrancy
on Saturday and continues all day
Lakes
(Jewish
Arts
&
of Jewish life through song, text, film,
Sunday. Tickets are $36 ($18 for fullCulture)
discussion, and hands-on workshops.
time students) and provide access to all
First launched in England nearly
events both days. Early-bird discounts
are making their debut. Read more about
25 years ago, the Limmud “franchise” has
end February 18.
Limmud worldwide at www.limmud.org.
spread across Europe and Israel, inspiring
For further information, a list of conIf you’re planning to attend the Hunger
Jews around the world to create their own
firmed presenters, and online registration,
Walk on Sunday, March 2, you can still
local versions. Limmud New York is now in
visit www.limmudse.org.
come to Limmud. Spend the morning with
its fifth year, and Atlanta and Los Angeles
Hard Love an intense romantic drama
Due to a recent change in cast, dates
for Jewish Theatre of the South’s premiere
of Hard Love have changed. The play will
now run from January 30 – February 24.
(Previous dates were January 23-February
17.)
Written by Motti Lerner, one of Israel’s
most important contemporary playwrights
and screenwriters, Hard Love is directed by
Susan Reid and stars JTS Artistic Director
Mira Hirsch and Atlanta favorite Chris
Kayser.
Preview performances are January 30February 1, and opening night is February
2.
In this romantic drama, divorcees
Hannah and Zvi find themselves back in
each another’s lives when the two children
from their subsequent marriages become
romantically involved. Hard Love ran for
over a year at the Haifa Municipal Theatre.
This will be the play’s second English-language production.
Motti Lerner’s plays have been produced in Israel by Cameri Theatre of Tel
Aviv, Habima National Theatre, and the
Haifa Municipal Theater, as well as in the
United States, the United Kingdom,
Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and
Australia. Recent U.S. productions include
The Murder of Isaac, which had its
American premiere at Baltimore’s
Centerstage in February 2006; and Pangs of
the Messiah, produced by Theater J, in
Washington, D.C., in July 2007. Lerner’s
feature film Spring 1941, starring Joseph
Fiennes and Claire Higgins, is currently in
production in Poland. Lerner received the
Meskin Award for the best play in 1985 and
the Israeli Motion Picture Academy award
for the best TV drama in 1995 and in 2004.
In 1994, he won the Prime Minister of
Israel’s Award for his body of creative
work.
The JTS season concludes with The
Last Schwart z by Deborah Zoe Laufer,
April 30-May 25. Nothing remains sacred
as traditions, marriage, and family are scrutinized and long-held secrets are unearthed
See JTS, page 5
Mira Hirsch and Chris Kayser (Photo:
TWMEYER.com)
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 2
THE
Jewish Georgian
The Jewish Georgian is published bimonthly by Eisenbot, Ltd. It
is written for Atlantans and Georgians by Atlantans and
Georgians.
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January-February 2008
The Ends of Justice and the Means of Justice
Justice in the life and conduct of the State is
possible only as first it resides in the hearts
and souls of the citizens
Plato
I propose that Plato’s statement be
boldly inscribed on our public buildings;
that it be handed to each person who serves
on a jury; that it be furnished to each person
before he or she enters the voting booth;
that it be placed on the desk of each elected
official; and that it be part of the presentation of the Lady of Justice holding balanced
scales of justice. This should be one of
those “family values.”
Sadly, though, in this age of sound
bites, attack talk radio, and a public that
passively allows individuals and organizations to creatively craft an image regardless
of the underlying fairness, we are slowly
seeing the erosion of a cornerstone of this
country. Justice is not limited to the court
system; it also involves fairness in all of our
dealings.
The concept of justice is one that pervades Judaism. I am told that the Hebrew
words mishpat and din are used in the Bible
when the text deals strictly with legal justice; however, the word tzedek is used when
the intent is to import the idea of charity,
righteousness, integrity, equity, fairness,
and innocence into the meaning. Sir
Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United
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BY Marvin
Botnick
Hebrew
Congregations
of
the
Commonwealth, said it best when he wrote
that, without compassion, “law itself can
generate inequity. Justice plus compassion
equals tzedek, the first precondition of a
decent society.”
In Deuteronomy 16:20, we are told
“Justice, justice [Tzedek tzedek] shall you
pursue.” The use of justice twice in this passage has been widely analyzed, studied, and
commented on for centuries, and it is generally agreed that the use of the word twice
was intentional. The seeking of justice by
itself is not sufficient; it must be done with
fairness, integrity, and compassion for all
parties. There is a moral quotient that
imposes itself on the understanding and
enforcement of laws, and we must strive to
maintain equanimity in the use of just methods in the pursuit of justice. We must do
right and maintain balance. The fulfillment
of this dictum encompasses the prohibition
against gossip, loshon hora, which is
derived from Leviticus 19:16: “Thou shalt
not go up and down as a talebearer among
thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by
the blood of thy neighbor: I am the LORD.”
There are many examples of what
may be perceived as justice that in reality
do not turn out to be so. Opinions are sometimes formed without any attempt to comport such conclusions with a doctrine of
fairness. As an alumnus of Duke University
and a four-year member of the Duke
lacrosse team, I have had a particular interest over the past almost two years in the
unfolding story of the now-discredited and
dropped charges of sexual assault by members of the team against a female in
Durham.
Here was a case where the government, in the form of a misguided district
attorney, apparently for personal gain,
brought forth an indictment against members of the team, which subsequently turned
out to be without facts to justify the
charges. The case gained national attention,
and there were those who were quick to use
this as an opportunity to further their own
cause. Included in this group was the socalled Group of 88, eighty-eight Duke faculty members who signed an advertisement
appearing in The Chronicle, the student
newspaper of Duke, seizing on the moment
See JUSTICE, page 4
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3005 Peachtree Road, NE . Suite B . Atlanta, Georgia 30305 . Tel: 404.816.7322
Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
www.AtlantaArtGallery.com
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
What’s
HAPPENING
THE AMAZING ALTERMAN FAMILY.
Happy Birthday to the lovely, delightful,
and amazingly youthful Sarah Alterman,
who just celebrated her 90th birthday,
though she hardly looks half that age.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Sarah
had Friday night dinner at the home of
Marty and Richard Alterman, with over two
dozen of her children, grandchildren, great
grandchildren, and sons-and daughters-inlaw. Good thing Marty is a great cook, and
is used to feeding Richard and thus preparing big meals.
On Saturday night, Sarah celebrated at
the Buckhead Club with 175 of her best
friends and family. Marty says, “She had the
best time and is still talking about it.”
Meanwhile, we caught up with Marty
and Richard’s son Joseph, the brilliant piano
player, who was hanging with actress
Natalie Portman at her movie premiere and
party for Mr. Magorium’s Wonder
Emporium. She’s from Israel and was in the
recent Star War films and looks like a nice
match for Joe, if she can keep up with him.
Sarah Alterman with family at her
90th birthday party
Natalie
Portman
Alterman
and
Joseph
JOSH HARRIS AT THE PUNCHLINE.
One of the best-received comics appearing
in Jerry Farber’s annual, increasingly corny,
yet still sellout Thanksgiving show at the
Punchline was a new talent, Josh Harris, son
BY Reg
Regenstein
of the famous journalist and blogger Art
Harris. According to Farber, “Josh is
extremely bright, witty, and handsome,
unlike his dad….the Punchline liked him so
much, they suggested he perform at the
Funny Farm in Marietta,” the PL’s big rival
club.
Josh was just great, and, although he
may not be appearing all over the South, his
jokes will be—wherever Jerry is entertaining.
We suggest that if Josh wants continued
success, he study Jerry’s techniques—and
do just the opposite.
BARRY FARBER HONORED. Jerry’s big
brother and lifetime idol, Barry, was just
honored at the Waldorf Astoria at the
George Washington Awards dinner ceremony for his decades of work for a free and
democratic Hungary. Past recipients of the
prestigious award include former President
Gerald Ford, Holocaust survivor and author
Eli Wiesel, and atom bomb producer Dr.
Edward Teller. We join Jerry, who himself
knows a bit about bombing, in congratulating Barry for this great honor and for his
long service in the cause of freedom.
Barry has had a long, fascinating, and
distinguished career. He grew up in
Greensboro, North Carolina, graduated
from UNC Phi Beta Kappa, was a champion wrestler and boxer, and did stints as a
steel mill worker in Baltimore and a crewman on a Norwegian merchant marine ship.
During the Korean War, Barry joined
the army and served as a Russian translator.
He later helped Hungarian freedom fighters
escape from Hungary and come to America
after the 1956 uprising against the Soviets.
Barry has been named Talk Show Host
of the Year and is one of Talkers Magazine’s
Top Ten talkers of all time. His radio show
is heard on some four dozen stations across
the country.
Barry is a great American and says he
speaks 14 languages. We are proud to know
him.
MORE GOLD MEDALS FOR ISRAEL.
Congratulations to the Israel Sport Center
for the Disabled. ISCD has won yet more
medals at the latest World Championships
for Disabled Children and Youth in Maimi,
which featured 340 athletes from all over
the world.
The beautiful 11 - y e a r-old Caroline
Tabib won an incredible three gold medals,
one silver, and one bronze, in swimming
and sailing. And the formidable Mate
Mazor, 17, won two gold and one silver in
sailing.
As ISCD Director Jacob Ben-Arie
says, “The achievements of our Israeli team
speak of the high standard of training that
our young athletes receive at the center. It
speaks also of the competitive spirit that we
develop among our athletes, which drives
them toward excellence—a very important
factor in advancing their rehabilitation
process. Thank you for your support, which
shapes the lives of our disabled children.”
The ISCD is currently rehabilitating
through wheelchair sports over 2,500 young
people, including many victims of terrorism. For more info on the center’s valuable
work, visit www.iscd.com. Donations can
be sent c/o Marcia and Michael Schwarz,
1134 Swarthmore Drive NW, Atlanta
30327.
STAR ATHLETES VISIT ATLANTA. We
think we know the secret to the ISCD’s
amazing victories in Miami. Just prior to the
games, the team, including coaches Reuven
Heller and Slava Lungu, visited Atlanta.
Their support committee here kept them
busy with true Southern Hospitality, including trips to the Georgia Aquarium; a Friday
night service at The Temple, where
Caroline, Mate, and Jacob all spoke; and
dinner at the home of Marcia and Michael
Schwarz.
A highlight was a post-Shabbat service
vegetarian dinner at the home of Debby and
Dr. Joe Berger, featuring delicious and
healthy dishes such as hummus, pasta with
eggplant, Asian peanut noodles, salad with
the spicy Israeli herb combo zahatar, Israeli
appetizers, fruit, sorbet, and cookies, and
lots of vegetarian wine and beer. All that
nourishment must have given Caroline and
Mate the energy and drive to win so many
medals.
The Israeli champion athletes and
their supporters: (front, L-R) Mate
Mazor, Debra Berger, and Caroline
Tabib; (standing, L-R) Reuven Heller,
Mrs. Mazor, Ronnie Van Gelder, Joe
Berger, Slava Lungu, Tzipi Tabib, and
Jacob Ben-Arie
ANOTHER AWARD FOR MARTHA JO
KATZ. Everyone knows that the lovely and
talented Martha Jo Katz is the best hotel
social director ever, and now she’s won yet
Page 3
another honor for excellence—the
InterContinental Hotel’s coveted and prestigious Manager of the Quarter award.
“Manager of the Century” might be more
like it. We congratulate and thank MJ for all
she does to help ensure the success of so
many charitable events, weddings, bar/bat
mitzvahs, and other such affairs, which add
so much to our community.
Martha Jo Katz accepts the Manager
of the Quarter Award from Debbie
Grant, hotel manager, and Ronen
Nissenbaum,
vice
president,
Southern Region of InterContinental
Hotels Group
AN EVENING IN BARCELONA, BUT
EVEN BETTER. We knew that the Night in
Barcelona gala at the Grand Hyatt would be
a fantastic evening, but it really exceeded
all expectations. The invitations promised it
would be just like “an evening in
Barcelona,” celebrating the food, the
romance, and the music of Spain. But, in
fact, Barcelona has never seen such a celebration.
Over 700 people turned out to honor
Sandy London and Fred Halperin, who have
long been leading volunteers for and supporters of the William Breman Jewish
Home. Co-Chair Janet Selig called the
evening, which raised an incredible
$930,000, “our most successful fundraiser.
We were so thrilled to see the whole Jewish
community come together to support the
home and its residents.” Congratulations to
everyone involved in putting on such a fabulous gala.
Fred & Renie Halperin and Sandy &
Bob London
LATKES FROM THE BRICKERY. The
kids in Charlene Baker’s and Marion
Cohen’s 1st-grade class at Spalding Drive
Charter Elementary School got a real treat
for Chanakuh—authentic and delicious
potato latkes from one of Sandy Springs’
See HAPPENING, page 4
Page 4
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Justice
Happening
From page 2
From page 3
most popular eateries, The Brickery. The
kids loved the latkes, and Sally and Bruce
Alterman’s goodies earned them an A+
from the class.
Later, Ms. Cohen showed the class the
menorah that her parents brought with them
from Germany when they, fortunately, got
out in 1938.
If you’d like to try some of The
Brickery’s tasty latkes and many other wonderful dishes, visit them at 6125 Roswell
Road, and be prepared not just for a great
meal, but to see and schmooze with many
people you know.
The Brickery’s Bruce and Sally
Alterman
January-February 2008
Ms. Baker’s 1st-grade class at
Spalding Elementary
THE JEWISH AMERICANS. We highly
recommend Beth Wenger’s great new book,
The Jewish Americans: Three centuries of
Jewish Voices in America. This companion
to the major PBS series is published by
Doubleday.
The beautifully illustrated book features three hundred years of Jewish scholars, athletes, celebrities, business and civic
leaders, and politicians.
We particularly enjoyed the chapter
describing how our great-great grandfather
Isaac Harby led the founding of Reform
Judaism in 1824 in Charleston at
Congregation Beth Elohim. Among the
reforms were services mostly in English
and shorter services—something we can all
be grateful for today!
to air grievances on treatment of blacks
without any concern for its impact on this
issue at hand.
The question of wrongs that have
been committed against blacks is certainly
a valid concern and one that should be
properly addressed; but this was not the
reason for the advertisement. This Group of
88 was acting in a judgmental fashion about
charges of rape against the Duke lacrosse
players and the team based on allegations,
regardless of the truth or the effect such
actions would have on others.
The November-December issue of
Duke Magazine carried an article reporting
on comments on this matter made by
Richard Brokhead, president of Duke, at a
legal conference held at the school. In the
article, President Brodhead is quoted referring to “the tides of passionate pre-judgment” to describe the climate that existed.
As if to paraphrase the passage from
Deuteronomy, he made the following timely observation: The case highlighted “crucial problems of our culture – problems of
achieving justice in a media-saturated society, problems of fundamental fairness to
individuals, and problems in the way the
American public is informed and misinformed about the world we live in.” The
article also reported that “Brodhead said
‘we could have done more to underscore’
that members of the Duke community who
were ‘quick to speak as if the charges were
true’ were not speaking for the university as
a whole.”
While this is correct, I would suggest
that it was incumbent on him to have done
more. There is a moral quotient that imposes itself on the understanding and enforcement of laws, and we must strive to maintain equanimity in the use of just methods
in the pursuit of justice As the spokesman
for the university, he should have stood
strong for the doctrine espoused by the term
tzedek – fairness, integrity, and compassion
for all parties. He rightly deferred to the
legal system in the determination of the
charges; he should not have deferred to the
masses in urging tzedek.
Rabbi Steve Folberg of Temple Beth
Israel in Austin, Texas, writes that “A rabbinic school professor at Hebrew Union
College told us with delight of a ‘little
Litvak’ (meaning a stereotypically skeptical, rational Lithuanian Jew) who sat on his
shoulder and who, whenever he got too sure
of himself, whispered in his ear in Yiddish,
‘Takeh?’ (Really?). Do you really believe
that? Are you so sure of yourself, your
opinions, your rightness?”
Perhaps we all need a “little Litvak”
whispering in our ear, especially during this
political season.
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January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 5
Churchill and the Jews examines a history-making relationship
Churchill and the Jews: A Lifelong
Friendship
By Martin Gilbert
2007, Henry Holt
384 pp., $30
“They just don’t make statesmen like
that anymore,” said the giver of this book.
As I read, I realized anew what a magnificent man, eloquent orator and writer, and
unique humanitarian Winston Churchill
truly was.
This book by Martin Gilbert not only
describes Churchill’s feeling for the Jewish
people, but it also is a year-by-year history
of the establishment of the state of Israel, its
many trials, and Churchill’s involvement all
the way.
“Churchill had no Jewish ancestry…”
is how Gilbert starts chapter one. The writer
traces Churchill’s friendship with Jews, like
that of his father Lord Randolph Churchill,
which included the Rothschilds and other
distinguished families of the late 1800s.
Winston Churchill lived from 1875 to
1965. His first political involvement with
Jewish concerns was when he ran for
Parliament from the highly Jewish district
of Manchester. There, he became impressed
with the Jewish emphasis on social responsibility, helping the poor and the sick.
Furthermore, “Churchill saw the Jews
as one of the historic peoples.” He valued
their biblical ties to Palestine and admired
their strengths and enterprise. In 1931,
Churchill wrote a newspaper essay on
Moses, describing him as “one of the greatest of human beings.” He called the central
theme of Judaism—of one God and a code
of conduct—“an idea of which all the
genius of Greece and all the power of Rome
were incapable.”
During World War I, Churchill, as first
lord of the admiralty, needed acetone for
making naval explosives. He asked Dr.
Chaim Weitzmann, who was working as a
research chemist at Manchester University,
for help. Thus began a lifelong friendship.
In 1918, at the end of the war, Churchill was
made secretary of state for war, and he
wrote a commendation for the part Jewish
soldiers played in the British fighting.
Palestine was then under British
Mandate and Churchill’s authority. Chaim
Weitzmann was head of the Zionist organization in London. Parliament had passed
the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which
JTS
From page 1
in this wickedly funny regional premiere.
All Jewish Theatre of the South performances take place in the Morris & Rae
Frank Theatre, located at the MJCCA, 5342
Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Performances
are Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
nights at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00
p.m.
Mainstage productions open on a
BY Carolyn
Gold
favored the “establishment in Palestine of a
national home for the Jewish people….”
Churchill became a strong supporter of
Zionism.
He said, “I am myself perfectly convinced that the cause of Zionism is one that
carries with it much that is good for the
whole world and not only for the Jewish
people, but that it will also bring with it
prosperity and contentment and advancement to the Arab population of this country.”
The book moves, graced by the eloquence of Churchill’s writings and opinions, through all the turmoil of Palestinian
immigration, the Bolshevik Revolution in
Russia, Arab terrorist attacks on Jewish settlements, and the rise of Hitler and Nazi
atrocities in Europe, to later Jewish gang
attacks on the British in Palestine.
Churchill seemed to have a rare gift for
sizing up world situations before they erupted and so giving warning. He fought to
allow Jewish immigration to Palestine and
Britain from Germany and against partition
Saturday night; they are preceded by three
reduced-price previews, Wednesday and
Thursday at 8:00 p.m. and Friday at 10:30
a.m. Each opening night is followed by a
party with the cast and crew at Eclipse de
Luna at Park Place, featuring complementary wine, He’Brew beer, and hors d’oeuvres.
Single tickets are $18-$30, with discounts for students, seniors, groups, and
MJCCA members. For ticket information
and purchase, call the JTS Box Office at
770-395-2654, or visit www.jplay.org.
of Palestine. He spoke against antiSemitism and the White Paper of 1939,
which limited Jewish immigration and
would ensure an Arab majority in Palestine,
saying it was a betrayal of the Balfour
Declaration.
Gilbert’s research is scholarly and
thorough. Churchill’s magnificent English
tells his own history. (Leaders in those days
didn’t call or e-mail; they wrote letters or
gave speeches.) Churchill’s relationships
with the giants of his time make for interesting reading.
In 1933, Albert Einstein asked
Churchill’s help in bringing Jewish scientists out of Germany and finding them
places in British universities.
In 1940, David Ben-Gurion met
Churchill in London and, years later, at the
end of World War II, called him “the
uncompromising conscience of the human
race.”
Churchill often mentioned in his
speeches that Chaim Weitzmann’s son, a
member of the Royal Air Force, was shot
down and lost, fighting for Britain.
Bernard Baruch was a special
American friend and colleague in the
Allies’ effort in World War I.
Much of the book is concerned with
Churchill’s endeavors to save Jews, the victims of Nazi methods of extermination, and
his statements to bring the German offenders to justice after the war.
General Eisenhower, as commander of
the Allied Forces, telephoned Churchill
about his troops finding concentration
camps and urged him to immediately send a
delegation to witness the horror. The volunteers set out the next day.
After the war’s end, Britain was slow
to help the Zionists establish a state. To the
Jews’ and Churchill’s frustration, much
bickering and fighting ensued. Finally, on
May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed Israel’s independence.
On October 26, 1951, Churchill, a
month short of age 77, became prime minister for the second time. In many speeches
and letters, he referred to himself as “an old
Zionist from the days of the Balfour
Declaration” and often extolled the Jewish
people’s efforts to make the desert bloom,
for bringing electricity to Palestine, and for
their many contributions to science and
humanity. “The Jewish people know well
enough that I am their friend.”
Israeli Prime Minister David BenGurion wrote Churchill in 1957, “Like
many others in all parts of the globe, I
regard you as the greatest Englishman in
your country’s history and the greatest
statesman of our time, as the man whose
courage, wisdom, and foresight saved his
country and the free world from Nazi servitude.”
Page 6
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
Linda Hooper inspired rural Tennessee
students to make a Holocaust memorial
By Caroline Mescon
The fourth edition of The American
Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language defines the word noble as “possessing or demonstrating qualities of high
ideals and elevated moral character.” This
source defines the word purpose as “a goal
for which an individual has strong passion
and commitment.”
Linda Hooper, the principal of
Whitwell Middle School, is an extraordinary woman living a noble and purposefilled life. In 1998, Mrs. Hooper realized
that the students at her school had not had
the opportunity to know people from different backgrounds. The town of Whitwell
was a white, Protestant community, where
there were only five African-American
students and one Hispanic student attending Whitwell Middle School. Mrs. Hooper
wanted the children to learn how to understand and respect all people, and she wanted to create a diversity program that would
allow students to “become involved and
think about how they could make an
impact on their community.” Her idea “to
introduce the children to a culture that was
completely foreign to them” began as an
after-school Holocaust program, which
eventually evolved into the Paper Clips
Project and the Children’s Holocaust
Memorial. Mrs. Hooper’s devotion to educating children and expanding their view
of the world has impacted not only the
people of Whitwell, but people from all
over the world. Her life, both personally
and professionally, is an example of how
one person’s noble idea can inspire many.
Mrs. Hooper was born in Whitwell in
1941. Her family was extremely poor, and
they were not able to afford indoor plumbing until she was a senior in college. Even
though her family struggled, she remembers her parents helping other people who
had less than her family. According to
Mrs. Hooper, “you were expected to share
with others.” She recalled collecting boxes
so they could prepare food for the poor
and assist neighbors that needed help. Her
parents showed her the importance of
sharing. Her father, who never attended
school, was a central figure in her life. He
was a very generous man. Even though
money was limited, he wanted the children
in the community to have a place to play
baseball, so he built a baseball field that
became the spot where all of the children
in Whitwell played and gathered. And all
children did play together at this field,
regardless of race. The color of a person’s
skin was never an issue. Mrs. Hooper’s
parents and grandparents have always
inspired her. “They managed to be successful and happy in the face of overwhelming odds,” she says. Her parents had
two simple principles that defined and
guided their lives. They truly believed that
the most important way to live was “to
treat other people with respect and kindness” and “to find a way to give back to
those who have less.” When Mrs. Hooper
was deciding on a career for herself, she
chose education, because that was all she
knew. She also remembered the example
of her parents and knew she wanted to
teach children. “In Whitwell, the people I
knew who were educated were teachers.
Education was and continues to be an
important task. It was the best way I knew
I could have an impact on children and to
make the world a better place.”
Mrs. Hooper began her teaching
career in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1963,
and she has been an educator for 30 years.
When her first son was born, she decided
to stay home to raise her family. She
resumed work once her second child
entered school.
While educating children to read
books and calculate math problems has
been her career focus, Mrs. Hooper
emphasizes that education is more than
teaching algebra, science, and English.
She believes that “education must encourage thinking. As an educator who grew up
poor, I can understand the struggles of
these children in Whitwell. I was one of
them.”
In 1998, Mrs. Hooper wanted to
expand the experiences of the students at
Whitwell Middle School. She noted that
“everyone in Whitwell was white,” and
she felt that the children needed a project
that “would make them think.” The
Holocaust was an important historical
event, and the students did not know much
about it. Mrs. Hooper felt that if the students could learn about the Holocaust and
understand its impact on the world, then
they would become aware of the evils of
prejudice and hate. She felt the Holocaust
would encourage them to think.
The Paper Clips Project began as an
a f t e r-school program. Children would
attend a special class after school was dismissed and learn about the horrors that
occurred during the Holocaust. As the
children learned more and more about the
Holocaust, they wanted to turn their
knowledge into action. They wanted to do
something and make an impact. Mrs.
Hooper realized that the students were
beginning to realize that they “could make
a choice.” They were learning. They were
thinking. They were aware.
One day, a student asked the question,
“What does six million look like?” The
question showed that the students wanted
to find a way to understand what six million actually looked like. Six million was
such a large number that the students
wanted to find a way to see it and understand the number of people who were
killed. The students did some research and
found out that the paper clip, which was
invented in Norway, was also used by
Norwegians as a symbol of Nazi resistance. Norwegians would wear a paper clip
on their collars as an outward symbol of
their opposition of the Nazi cruelty. The
students decided to begin a project to collect six million paper clips, collecting one
paper clip for every Jewish person killed
by the Nazis. They decided to take action
and the Paper Clips Project began.
Mrs. Hooper smiles when she thinks
about the “amazing devotion of the children to this project.” She feels that the
project has given the children a sense of
purpose in themselves and a compassion
for others. She recalls the time when “a
superintendent mentioned that the farther
you go north in Marion County, the lower
the IQ scores get, and Whitwell is the
northernmost part of Marion County. Our
community has struggled, but we are
changed. The Paper Clips Project and the
Children’s Holocaust Memorial give
everyone in the community a sense of
pride and accomplishment.”
Carolyn Mescon with Linda Hooper
Today, Whitwell Middle School houses the Children’s Holocaust Memorial,
which is a moving tribute to the victims of
the Holocaust. More than 30 million paper
clips have been collected from people all
over the world, and a documentary film
has been produced and shown in theaters
all around the country. Also, a book has
been written about Mrs. Hooper and the
students of Whitwell Middle School.
While the students who started collecting
paper clips have long graduated, their
legacy and commitment continue. A new
group of students is guiding tours of the
Children’s Holocaust Memorial and are
learning about diversity. They are thinking
about how they can “make a difference in
the world.”
The students of Whitwell Middle
School want to learn about other cultures.
They are interested in understanding about
other genocides, and they have become
involved with an orphanage in South
Africa. Ms. Hooper believes that “education is essential to change.” She feels her
own life is richer because of the children
she has “had the privilege to teach.” She is
quick to mention that “the students inspire
me.” She defines noble purpose as “the
desire to love and protect everything.” She
continues by saying, “Never be afraid.
Learn from bad experiences with hope.
Life is about choices, and anyone can
choose to live a life that has purpose and
meaning. And always remember that you
can make a difference.”
Caroline Mescon is a senior at the Baylor
School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She
was selected for the school’s 2007 Harvey
and Jewel Templeton Noble Purpose
Scholarship based on this essay. Caroline
is the daughter of Jed and Phyllis Mescon
of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, and the
granddaughter of Mike and Enid Mescon
of Atlanta.
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
Page 7
Atlanta Airport U.S.O. revisited
If you’ve been to Hartsfield-Jackson
Atlanta International Airport anytime this
past year, it will come as no surprise that it
was named “World’s Busiest” again for the
third straight year. Last year, the airport
racked up nearly a million takeoffs and
landings. Also during this time, the Atlanta
Airport U.S.O. processed over 500,000 military personnel on R&R (rest and recreation
leave). The Atlanta U.S.O. is one of only
two facilities in the United States approved
to handle R&R personnel processing for the
military services.
One of the U.S.O.’s little publicized
services is the Wounded Warrior
Program/Warrior Transition Unit Visits. A
Warrior Transition Unit [WTU] is where
soldiers recover from their injuries. In
December, the Atlanta U.S.O. and the Army
Reserve hosted special holiday parties at
WTUs for 250 soldiers at Fort Benning, 150
at Fort Gordon, and 450 at Fort Stewart,
who, because of the severity of their
injuries, could not have holiday leave.
These parties, intended to lift morale and
speed the recovery process, were attended
by the wounded soldiers, family members,
and cadre, who enjoyed lunch, entertainment, children’s activities, gifts, door
prizes, and entertainment.
Once a month, volunteers from
Congregation Shearith Israel help staff the
U.S.O.’s airport facility. Recently, my wife,
Frieda; Jerry and Myrna Abramson; Sara
and Marshall Duke; Harvey Yaschik; Merle
Hoch; and I did just that. Volunteers help
with a variety of jobs, from greeting incoming service personnel and directing them to
luggage bays and the U.S.O. facilities to
preparing food and making guests feel at
home before they are processed for return
transportation to their duty stations. Also
volunteering with us were several women
from AT&T, who brought sandwich mak-
BY Leon
Socol
ings and hot dogs.
Mary Lou Austin, the president and
chief professional officer of the U.S.O.
Council of Georgia, earlier invited me to
interview Major General Gordon J.
Duquemin. The retired army general is vice
chairman of the Council of Georgia and has
been active with the U.S.O. for many years.
General Duquemin graduated from the
U.S. Military Academy in 1947 and was a
classmate of Atlantan Bernie Abrams.
Bernie is remembered as an active community worker for many Jewish and secular
organizations. Duquemin and Abrams
served together in Korea, and Duquemin
recalled that Abrams was a wonderful officer who distinguished himself on the battlefield. General Duquemin also said he delivered the eulogy at Abrams’ funeral several
years ago.
General Duquemin served in the
infantry and worked his way up from squad
leader to commander of the First Division
of the U.S. Army Infantry. He said that he
had always held the U.S.O. in high regard
and praised Mary Lou Austin for her 30
years with the U.S.O. He lauded the organization for its service to the military. “They
did the job without a dime of government
money,” he said. The U.S.O. raises money
from individuals and organizations, as well
as sponsoring an annual charity golf tournament to benefit the Atlanta organization.
General Duquemin, who has chaired the
tournament for the past five years, said last
year’s event netted $78,000.
Other organizations have raised money
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275 Spalding Springs Lane
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
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tel. 770.395.1094
cell 678.637.2030
fax 770.396.8844
for U.S.O. operations. Last year, the Atlanta
Vietnam Business Association staffed the
International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers’ parking facilities, across from
Turner Field, during Braves games. At the
end of the season, they turned over a check
for $40,000 to the U.S.O.
General Duquemin’s military service
took him to Germany, Korea, the Middle
East, and a tour at Ft. McPherson. When he
retired, he chose to settle in Atlanta, where
he remained active in a number of organizations. He drives to the Atlanta U.S.O.
from his home in Horseshoe Bend each
week to deliver sandwiches and chat with
the arriving and departing military personnel.
At the conclusion of our interview,
General Duquemin introduced me to
Michael Watson, who chaired the board of
directors of the Council of Georgia for the
past four years. Mr. Watson, who retired
from Bell South, saluted General Duquemin
for his fundraising speeches to civic organizations on behalf of the U.S.O. He also
said that without Mary Lou Austin, the
Atlanta operations would never have
achieved such success. Thousands of military personnel are grateful to Mary Lou, her
staff, and the hundreds of volunteers who
make the Atlanta U.S.O. a special place to
U.S.O. Board Chairman Michael
Watson, Atlanta U.S.O. President
and CPO Mary Lou Austin, and U.S.
Army Maj. Gen. (retired) and U.S.O.
Vice Chairman Gordon J. Duquemin,
pictured with two serviceman
be when away from home.
Last January, Mary Lou spoke at the
Atlanta Chapter of the Jewish War
Veterans’ annual luncheon and explained
the current operations and activities of the
U.S.O. Her remarks were greeted with
appreciation from the veterans and their
guests.
Page 8
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
JFGA helps secure federal Homeland Security funds for Atlanta’s Jewish community
Fourteen Jewish community organizations will receive a combined $443,507 in
federal Homeland Security grants that will
allow these non-profits to improve on-site
security. The Jewish Federation of Greater
Atlanta was instrumental in coordinating
the community-wide effort to obtain federal
funds through the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security’s Urban Areas Security
Initiative Nonprofit Security Grant
Program.
The money—directed locally through
the Georgia Emergency Management
Agency (GEMA)—will provide the Atlanta
synagogues, Jewish schools, and community centers with security measures such as
access control, video equipment, and
perimeter security enforcements.
“We are proud of JFGA’s role in helping our entire Jewish community remain
safe and secure,” said JFGA president
Steven A. Rakitt. “It is important that these
organizations fulfill their missions without
the threat of disturbance.”
Richard Raisler, JFGA’s director of
Community-wide Security and a 27-year
veteran of the U.S. Secret Service, serves as
security consultant for the entire Jewish
community and quarterbacked the grant
submission process from start to finish. He
was responsible for each agency’s security
assessments and will oversee the installation of equipment and assist with administration of the grants.
The Marcus Jewish Community Center
of Atlanta (MJCCA) and Temple Beth
Tikvah are among the local organizations
receiving grant money.
“We could not afford many important
security improvements, which are a priority
for us, without the Federation’s assistance
with the security assessment for the
Homeland Security grant,” said MJCCA
CEO Mike Wise.
Michael Gutkin, Beth Tikvah’s security
committee chair, also recognizes JFGA’s
contributions. “The Federation is a great
supporter of our synagogue,” he said.
“Their efforts to enhance our security are a
valuable component of our partnership.”
Diamond honored for commitment to ovarian cancer research and education
As part of its 75th anniversary celebration on February 23, the Junior League of
Cobb-Marietta is naming Bethany
Diamond “one of Cobb County’s 75 outstanding women.”
According to Junior League President
Angie Fowler, “Bethany embodies the
ideals of an outstanding woman: she’s a
visionary, a leader, a mover and shaker. Her
organization, though still in its infancy, has
raised awareness of ovarian cancer while
raising thousands of dollars every year to
find a gene marker.”
Diamond, a Marietta fitness instructor,
is being honored for developing Ovarian
Cycle, a non-profit organization that spon-
sors an annual indoor bike ride and wellness fundraiser. “Our goal is to fund
research for the early diagnosis of this disease,” she explains.
More than 22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year. Of that
number, 15,000 will not survive. Because
symptoms are vague, resembling abdominal distress, the disease often goes undiagnosed—until it’s too late.
It was too late for 43-year-old Debbie
Flamm. “Debbie was a fighter; she never
gave up, she even continued to run and then
walk the Peachtree Road Race,” says
Diamond, her best friend. “But this battle
was unwinnable. After her death, I felt so
empty. I had to do something.”
In Flamm’s memory, Diamond developed Ovarian Cycle. Since 2004, this
organization has raised $360,000 for ovarian cancer research, much of which goes on
at Georgia Tech’s Ovarian Cancer Institute.
Every spring, health clubs across metro
Atlanta open their doors to Ovarian Cycle
participants. Training for this year’s 100mile “Ride to Change the Future” begins
March 15. Ride six hours on an indoor bike
April 26 at the Midtown Athletic Club, and
help fight this silent killer.
“My dream is simple,” says Diamond.
“To find a test for the early diagnosis of
ovarian cancer. The markers will be
revealed.”
When Bethany’s not raising money to
fight ovarian cancer, she teaches fitness
classes at Crunch Fitness and Midtown
Athletic Club in Marietta; has her own personal training practice; and, as a fitness
educator, travels around the globe to teach
other fitness professionals.
She’s also mother to 22-year-old
Benjamin, who graduates December 15
from the University of Alabama School of
Business with a finance degree; and 18year-old Brooke, a University of Alabama
freshman.
Earlier this year, Bethany lost her husband to heart disease. She asked that,
instead of flowers, donations be made to
Bethany Diamond
Ovarian Cycle. “Bret was my rock,” she
recalls. “He knew how much Ovarian Cycle
ate up our family time, yet he always supported my participation with this worthwhile organization.”
“Bethany created something that has
its own momentum,” reports Fowler. “It’s
like a snowball that picks up speed as it
rolls downhill.”
For information, contact www.ovariancycle.org.
January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 9
Remembering Gus Kaufman
Gus Bernd Kaufman, 89, retired businessman and civic activist of Macon,
Georgia, died January 4.
Born in Columbus, Georgia, he was the
son of Simon Mony Kaufman of Columbus
and Elberta Bernd Kaufman of Macon.
After living in Columbus and Miami,
Florida, for a few years, he moved to
Macon with his mother and sister, Jane. At
Lanier High School for Boys and later in
life, he was active with the Boy Scouts,
becoming a troop leader and later receiving
Scouting’s highest honor, the Silver Beaver
Award. Through Scouting, he began his
lifelong interest in birdwatching, which he
did with his family at home, throughout the
U.S., and in several other countries. In
1997, the Macon Museum of Arts and
Sciences named its bird window “the
Kaufman Bird Window” in his and his
wife’s honor.
After high school, Mr. Kaufman
attended the University of Georgia, but had
to return home after less than two years in
order to work in the family business, G.
Bernd Company, of which he was president
from 1943 to 1980. Until Mr. Kaufman sold
it in 1980, G. Bernd Company was Macon’s
oldest continually operating enterprise.
During his lifetime, he also owned and
operated several other small businesses in
Macon, including Joyland Toy Store and
Macon Raceway and Hobby Store. After
retiring, he also worked as a volunteer with
a number of small businesses owners.
From the 1940s on, Mr. Kaufman was
very active with the Macon Council of
Human Relations and other civil rights
organizations that, early on, sought to plan
and implement the transition from segregation to integration. In the 1940s, he became
a life member of the NAACP. In 2004, he
received the James Wimberly Racial Barrier
Breaker Award for his pioneering work in
civil rights.
Mr. Kaufman was a lifetime member
and past president of Temple Beth Israel in
Macon, serving most recently on its cemetery committee. He chaired the citywide
Bonds for Israel program and the Middle
Georgia Federation of Jewish Charities. In
2007, Temple Beth Israel honored Mr. and
Mrs. Kaufman with the first Keter Torah
award, for lifelong service to the temple and
the entire Middle Georgia community. Mr.
Kaufman was also formerly very active
with the Macon Little Theatre, serving as
president for a number of years and chairing
the drive to build the theater in its present
location on Forsyth Road; he resigned after
an extensive, failed attempt to get the board
to integrate the theater. Later, he was a supporter of Theater Macon.
Mr. Kaufman’s other interests were
varied—from tennis to recycling to libraries
to baseball. He volunteered as the chair of
Macon’s Solid Waste Committee. At
Carlyle Place, the retirement center to
which he and his wife moved, he reorganized the recycling program, making it the
weekly, extensive, ongoing activity it is
today. He and his wife were very active
with the Macon Friends of the Library for
many years, sorting books and helping with
book sales. At Carlyle Place, where he spent
the last six years of his life, he watched
every Atlanta Braves baseball game on television. He was active with the Jewish
Genealogical Society of Georgia and the
William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum.
He also served on the board of the Straus
Society, descendants of the Straus family
who founded Macy’s Department Store in
New York.
At Carlyle Place, he also participated in
the interfaith, library, and programming
committees. When the tsunami hit South
Asia in December 2004, he org a n i z e d
fundraising among residents, which led to
Carlyle Place giving the largest donation to
the Red Cross for tsunami relief of any
organization in Macon.
An avid reader all his life, Mr.
Kaufman and his wife were participants in
Macon’s Great Books Club in the 1950s.
Later in life, he also became a book collector, counting among his projects compiling
several complete collections of PulitzerPrize-winning books of fiction and reading
all of them. He also wrote about collecting
these books for Macon Magazine, for which
he was a contributing writer on various subjects for many years.
A self-taught man, it was in the fields
of writing and history that Mr. Kaufman
and his wife did their most extensive work.
An early member of the Southern Jewish
Historical Society, his first book, published
in 1992, was a family history and genealogy of his father’s family, The Family of
Simon Kaufmann of Lichtenau, Germany,
which traced the family back to the late
1700s in Germany, as well as documenting
their proliferation all over the world. Later,
he and his wife tracked down and recorded
every Jewish grave in Macon. In the
process, they found a lost Jewish cemetery
and helped restore the city’s oldest Jewish
cemetery, the Hebrew Burial Ground. This
resulted not only in the publication of their
second book, The Jewish Burials of Macon,
Georgia, 1844-1997, but also in projects to
help restore Jewish cemeteries in small
towns in Georgia and Alabama and to his
becoming a tour guide on cemetery rambles
through the seven Jewish cemeteries in
Macon. Their third book, 1490 Listings of
M a rriages of Macon and Bibb County,
Georgia, with one or both spouses of Jewish
Birth, 1823-1997 (1998), involved going to
the courthouse every day for a year or more
and reading and recording details of Jewish
marriages. His last book, The Gre a t
Migration and the Founding of
Congregation Sherah Israel (now Sha’arei
Israel) in Macon, Georgia, 1881-1910, was
published in 2003. Prior to his death, he
embarked on a project to collect, read, and
write about all the novels by authors who
lived in Macon.
Mr. Kaufman is survived by his devoted wife of 63 years, Marian Waxelbaum
Kaufman, of Macon; four children, Dr.
Gus Kaufman
(Photo: Mr. Charlie Pettis)
Aaron B. Kaufman of Albuquerque, New
Mexico; Dr. Gus B. Kaufman, Jr., of Atlanta
and partner Reydante Banag; Lise K. Dayan
and husband Sig Dayan of Macon; and
Marianna Kaufman and partner Diana M.
Aleman of Atlanta; four grandchildren,
Mamie E. Dayan of Macon and Tallahassee,
Florida, and Georgia, Caroline, and Sarah
Jane Kaufman of Albuquerque; many
nieces, nephews, and extended family; and
many friends.
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Page 10
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
JF&CS News
PROMOTING ABILITIES. “Strive to
Thrive” is the appropriately upbeat theme
of the 15th annual Larry Bregman, M.D.,
Educational Conference, March 8-9.
Darius Weems, an inspiring young
man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
(DMD), whose epic cross-country journey
was chronicled in Logan Smiley’s awardwinning documentary Darius Goes West,
will be the conference’s special guest.
In 2005, a group of Darius’ college-age
friends decided there was no need for his
quality of life to deteriorate along with his
muscles. They rented a wheelchair-accessible RV and took Darius, who had never left
his hometown of Athens, Georgia, on the
adventure of a lifetime. The ultimate goal
of their 7,000-mile cross-country journey
was to reach Los Angeles and convince
MTV’s hit show “Pimp My Ride” to customize Darius’ wheelchair. Along the way,
they evaluated wheelchair accessibility in
America, celebrated the 15th anniversary
of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and
raised awareness of DMD—particularly
among a generation not familiar with Jerry
Lewis. They also found joy, brotherhood,
and the knowledge that life, even when
imperfect, is always worth the ride.
Darius and his “Band of Brothers”
recently appeared on “Today” and “The
Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
Filmmaker Logan Smiley has won 25
awards to date for Darius Goes West. In
addition to a screening of the film, Darius
and his crew will be on hand at the
Bregman Conference to meet, greet, and
inspire attendees.
The
Larry
Bregman,
M.D.,
Educational Conference celebrates abilities
and the remarkable spirit of its namesake,
the beloved Atlanta pediatrician who cared
for generations of children with disabilities. The conference is the first of its kind
in Georgia to offer programming for people
with disabilities that addresses their specific needs. This program provides both the
opportunity to learn about topics that might
not be addressed in other venues and an
atmosphere that encourages socializing
while learning.
This year, the conference moves to a
new location, the Selig Center, 1440 Spring
Street NW, in Midtown Atlanta. Register
by visiting www.bregman.org, e-mailing
c B r e g m a n @ j f c s - a t l a n t a . o rg, or calling
770-677-9379.
SPIFFY NEW WEBSITE. Over the past
year, JF&CS has redesigned and re-engineering its website to serve friends and
clients
better.
The
new
site,
www.YourTo o l s F o r L i v i n g . o rg, provides
complete information on JF&CS programs,
with a crisp graphic look and an easy-tonavigate interface.
Among the new features are a complete listing of volunteer opportunities,
easy online donation and tribute fund
access, and opt-in/opt-out features so that
users receive only the information and notifications they wish.
DELIVERING THE GOODS. JF&CS’ Kosher Meals on Wheels was one of two
local charities selected to receive a donation from the residents of Renaissance
on Peachtree this year. At the award ceremony were (from left) Renaissance on
Peachtree Director of Community Relations Ruth Matthews; Kosher Meals on
Wheels Program Manager Gene Goldberg; Gene Sacks, age 90, a Renaissance
resident who has been delivering kosher Meals on Wheels for more than 20
years; and Renaissance on Peachtree Executive Director Dennis Stamey.
January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 11
A man for the ages
Josiah Benator has devoted 73 years of
his life to the Boy Scouts. Recently, I learned
about him and heard he would make a great
interview subject. When I called Mr. B (as his
Scouts call him) to request an interview, he
graciously said that it would fine for me to
talk with him.
Mr. B greeted me at his door dressed very
smartly in his Scout uniform. After we talked
for a while, he showed me a picture of himself
with his huge backpack and said that it had
been taken this year when he was hiking on
Pine Mountain. I felt a little guilty as I sometimes huff and puff when I walk a couple of
miles. Oh, I neglected to mention that Mr. B is
85 years old.
Josiah Benator in his Scout uniform
A recent hike in Pine Mountain
Mr. B’s folks came from the Isle of
Rhodes, which is off the coast of Greece. His
father came in 1909 and brought his wife over
in 1916. Josiah was born in 1922.
Mr. B started his Scouting days in 1934,
at the age of 12. It was during the Depression,
and he could not afford a uniform. Joe
Zimmerman, who worked for the Hirsch
Brothers clothing store on Peachtree Street,
BY Bill
Sonenshine
allowed Josiah to pay for his uniform in weekly installments of 25 cents.
The first group Mr. B joined was Troop
52 on Washington Street; it was later combined with Troop 53, which was located next
to a Jewish orphan’s home. Josiah still keeps
up with some of the Scouts he knew from that
troop. (One leader, Leon Bloom, lives in
Florida; Mr. B showed me a board that Leon
made back in 1936, which displays different
kinds of knots. It was really neat.) Troop 53
later combined with Troop 27.
In 1937, when Josiah was 15, he started
working on becoming an Eagle Scout. His
troop did a lot of hiking, catching the trolley
to Stone Mountain. He said he really enjoyed
hiking. At that time, the Ahavath Achim
Synagogue also had a troop.
From 1940-1942, he was an Assistant
Scoutmaster, and in 1942 he became acting
Scoutmaster. After his army service, from
1943-46, he became a Scoutmaster in Troop
27. For several years, the troop was affiliated
with the Jewish Educational Alliance, the
forerunner of the Jewish Community Center.
In 1950, Herb Saul, Al Hershberg, and
Joe Zimmerman wanted to start a troop at
Shearith Israel. Al helped set up the group and
wanted Josiah to be the leader, even though he
was not a member of the shul. At first, he was
the acting Scoutmaster and then finally
became the leader. This troop became very
active in camping and went to Bert Adams
Camp. The first Eagle Scout in that troop was
Harvey Charvin.
Since then, 41 Scouts in Troop 73 have
earned the Eagle Badge.
Josiah showed me some 1952 photos of
11 Scouts in their early teens. I immediately
recognized some of them. In the first row was
Alvin Sugarman, and next to him was Steve
Sanders; also in the photo were David Geffen
and Teddy Britton. All were fraternity brothers of mine at Emory University. When I saw
the picture of Steve, I felt a lump in my throat;
he was the surgeon who helped my wife when
she was suffering with terminal cancer. He
later died of leukemia. I’ll always remember
Steve’s wonderful smile. I also have fond
memories of David Geffen, as we played
together on the fraternity softball team. Josiah
showed me other pictures with Alvin and
David cooking over a campfire. There was
even a picture of David leading a group of
Scouts in outdoor services. David later
became a rabbi, as did Alvin. Teddy Britton
and I had some wonderful fishing trips together.
Josiah said most Scout leaders burn out
after five years, so I asked him to what he
attributed his longevity. He said he enjoyed
being outdoors and teaching Jewish boys the
joys of nature, how to make a campfire, and
how to be independent. I guess I was looking
for some deep, complicated, philosophical
answer, but in talking to Josiah, I could see the
1952 Scouts
passion that he felt.
I thought of older men who had a passion
for what they were doing; men like George
Burns and Bob Hope, who lived long, full
lives because they were passionate about their
work. I thought of the picture of Josiah and
that big backpack at Pine Mountain, and it
said to me, “age is only a number.”
Mr. B. taught several generations. He
said that 12 Or VeShalom presidents, including the current one, were in his Scout troop.
He has also led three sets of fathers and sons.
Josiah’s wife of 60 years, Birdie, had
supported him all the years he has been in
Scouting. “I am very proud of the work he
does with the boys in Troop 73, and I am very
happy to sit back and let him do his thing,”
she says.
Josiah has many interests, including
poetry. He has been writing 3-4 poems annually for many years. When he and his wife
were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary with their relatives and friends, he read a
love poem that he wrote to her. He let me read
it, and it almost brought tears to my eyes.
Some other facts about Mr. B: He was a
materials manager at Scripto and Rayloc, a
Division of Genuine Parts, for over 40 years.
He “retired” in 1991. Presently, he is the president of his neighborhood civic club and president of the DeKalb Grand Jurors Association,
whose members served on previous DeKalb
grand juries.
Of course, Mr. B is held in high esteem
by his former Scouts. I cannot think of a better way to close this article other than by quoting one of them—Rabbi Alvin Sugarman:
“Josiah has always been one of the kindest,
most caring human beings I have ever known.
He is a real mensch in the fullest and most
profound meaning of the term. In fact, you
could define the word by the way he lives his
life every day of his life. His smile has always
reflected to me the inner depth and warmth of
his being.”
To that I say, “Amen.”
For all that he gave to so many, it would be a small gesture of appreciation if Josiah
Benator’s former scouts would address him letters of appreciation for all his wonderful
years in scouting. Please send the letters to Mr. Bill Sonenshine, The Jewish Georgian,
290 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30328
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 12
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
Page 13
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January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 15
Philly Coach: 200 Wins, Vidalia Roots
By Ray Tapley
You can call him a Vidalian once
removed, for even though he has never
lived in Vidalia himself, he is removed by
just one generation from someone who
has—his mother.
You also can call him a member of
three sports halls of fame and a highly successful high school football coach who
recently coached his 200th career victory,
for he is, in fact, both of those.
And, oh, you also can call him Ron
Cohen, for that just happens to be his name.
Cohen is the son of Ethel Smith Cohen,
who was born in New York but grew up—
from about age four into adulthood—in
Vidalia and currently, like her famous son,
is a resident of “The City of Brotherly
Love.” Mrs. Cohen’s father was the late
Max Smith, an immigrant who founded the
Max Smith Department Store, which for the
larger part of the last century was a Vidalia
institution.
think that after already being inducted into
two halls of fame, Ron Cohen would have
the induction speech part down pat,” the
story began.
(The other halls of fame into which the
Temple University alumnus earlier was
enshrined are the Pennsylvania Sports Hall
of Fame and the National Football
Foundation and College Hall of Fame.)
Cohen’s 200th coaching victory in late
September was the subject of the second
recent story in the Inquirer, one of the
largest and most prestigious newspapers in
America. Cohen achieved that lofty milestone over a period of only a little more than
22 years, all at George Washington High
School in Philadelphia.
Coach Ron Cohen and four of his players at George Washington High Scool
in Philadelphia
called Cohen’s accomplishments and the
newspaper stories to the attention of this
column.
“When he and his siblings were young,
trips to the South were regular,” Colleen
said. “We always teased him that the South
is where he got his roots.”
Added his admiring first cousin: “Ron
Max Smith Department Store
The Max Smith family of Vidalia,
circa 1930: Mother-in-law Rose
Lipschitz (seated), surrounded by
(clockwise from left) daughters
Goldie Smith Mooney and Ethel
Smith Cohen, Max Smith, sister-inlaw Molly Lipschitz Siskind, wife
Fanny Lipschitz Smith, son Ben
Smith, and daughter Doris Smith
Foskey
Word of Ron Cohen’s remarkable
sports career and the stunning news of his
close connection to Vidalia came after two
stories about him appeared recently in the
Philadelphia Inquirer. Those stories, as it
turned out, were just the latest in a great
number published over the years about
Cohen in his hometown newspapers.
REASON TO CELEBRATE
The first of the recent stories ran in
June and told of Cohen’s induction into the
Pennsylvania
Scholastic
Coaches
Association Hall of Fame. “You would
“He struggled to contain his emotions
during the post-game celebration,” the story
said. “After a few remarks, Cohen handed
the game ball to his 89-year-old mother,
Ethel, and led his team in singing the
Washington fight song. He later hugged and
danced with Ethel, while his wife, Mimi,
and one of his daughters, Elyssa, stood
beaming nearby.”
Illustrating the story, which also was
posted on the paper’s website, was a color
photo of an exulting Cohen presenting the
ball to his beaming ex-Vidalian mother, his
players shown in the background. The shot
of Cohen was close up enough to reveal a
noticeable facial resemblance to his late
uncle, beloved Vidalian Ben Smith.
ROUGH ON ALMA MATER
Cohen’s 200th victory, 36-0, was at the
expense of his alma mater, Germantown
High, where he was a running back before
graduating in 1961. Ironically, according to
the newspaper story, two other coaching
milestones also were against Germantown:
his first victory, in 1985, and his 100th.
“With a career record of 200-55-2,
Cohen reached the milestone in just 257
games,” the story said.
“His teams have averaged 8.9 wins a
season and captured eight league titles. He’s
the winningest coach in Philadelphia’s
Public League.”
Cohen’s nearest relative still living in
Vidalia is a maternal aunt, Doris Smith
Foskey. It was her daughter, Colleen
Foskey, also still a Vidalia resident, who
is just a great person. He cares about all of
his ‘kids.’ He wants to see them grow up as
good men, able to do whatever they
dream.”
This article by Ray Tapley, a copy editor for
this newspaper, originally appeared in his
hometown newspaper in Vidalia.
Page 16
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
Welcome to the day
By Janis Kleinberger
Every morning, Bernie Lovitky enters
the kitchen and says to his beautiful wife,
Bunny, “Welcome to the day!” He then
sings to her, “Have I told you lately that I
love you?”
Now, with limited life expectancy, he
typically closes his days with reflection and
in a state of repose, thinking of “all the
delightful things—my wife and my children—and I am really at peace.” What is his
source of inner tranquility?
The inspiring story of Bernie Lovitky
began on March 6, 1923, in Detroit, where
he was born to a hardworking Orthodox
Jewish family. During the Depression, his
father often worked 20 hour days to provide
for his sister and him.
Bernie says he was “never that interested in money.” He was blessed with two
wonderful marriages and wanted to earn
enough to meet his families’ needs and educate his two children, both of whom have
Ph.D.s. Bernie is proud of his fine family:
his daughter has a doctorate in early childhood development and has written several
books; his son, an attorney in Washington,
has devoted hundreds of pro bono hours to
the American Council of the Blind to compel the courts to put markings on money so
the blind can determine its value. Bernie
proudly recognizes that his grandchildren,
too, are involved in their communities.
“The quintessence of my Judaism is
tikkun olam, and that isn’t applicable
to just Jewish people; it’s to humanity,” says Bernie Lovitky. “These two
words describe my whole Judaism
and philosophy.”
Giving of himself is what has always
mattered most to Bernie. While stationed in
South Burma with the British 7th Army
during World War II, he assisted Italian
nuns in downtown Calcutta who cared for
those with leprosy. Bernie was deeply
moved by their dedication.
Bernie’s life shifted dramatically to a
path of service when, after 32 years of marriage, his beloved first wife, Lorraine,
passed away. Grief-stricken, he sought solace from a compassionate nun, Sister
Claudia, who talked with him for hours.
She managed a program for battered
women and a rape crisis hotline, and Bernie
became their only male volunteer.
Bernie says his religious journey “has
traveled strange paths,” yet he views
Judaism as a source of “enlightenment to
everyone ready to accept it.” To Bernie,
God is love. He’s been to Israel many times
and even volunteered with the Israeli
Defense Forces. Bernie has come across
people and things in an amazing and
serendipitous way: “I didn’t always seek
them out; it seemed that they’d come to me
for some reason.”
Bernie has led an adventurous life since
working with Sister Claudia. In his constant
quest to determine the course of his life, he
left Michigan and briefly settled in
Southern California, where he visited with
inmates in federal prison. In 1978, while
touring Cuba, Bernie was asked by the
president of the dwindling Jewish community to deliver important papers to
Montreal. At great personal risk, he accomplished this secret mission.
However, the highlight for Bernie was
joining the Peace Corps at the age of 60 and
being assigned to Tonga. Bernie was by far
the oldest volunteer and, at 5’2”, the shortest. Bernie has a repertoire of stories about
his meaningful years of service in helping
develop a cooperative. When he arrived in
Tonga, the co-op earned about $20,000; at
the end of his term, it earned close to
$4,000,000.
Bernie became very close to the
Tongans. He was the only Jewish person in
Tonga for almost three years, and he felt
that the people deeply respected his
Judaism. In fact, several families named
their babies after him. Bernie laughs, “So
I’ve had three male children, and I did not
beget any of them!” Upon his return, he
secured a job at the Peace Corps Regional
Headquarters in Atlanta.
Bernie also met and married Bunny,
and together they have continued to lead by
example. Now married for more than 21
years, Bernie says, “We’ve spoken millions
of words, and we never run out of things to
say....In fact, before I got ill, we said we
could not talk in bed because we wouldn’t
go to sleep. I can’t believe that I have
another great marriage like my first marriage. What a blessing!”
Bernie and Bunny served as co-directors of The Temple Shelter for seven years
Bernie Lovitky receiving the Lillian Carter Peace Corps Award from
President Carter
and then established a fully licensed alternative high school at The Temple for 71 students, ages 16 to 20. During the Olympics
in Atlanta, they were press attaches and met
with journalists from throughout the world.
They also secured free uniforms and other
necessities for the Tongans and other small
Pacific island teams. Among Bernie’s many
honors, he was the second recipient of the
Lillian Carter Peace Corps Award. But all
that really matters to him is that “those who
really know me, know me.”
In addition to their years of community
activism, Bunny and Bernie have weathered multiple health issues, including
Bernie’s two open-heart surgeries and cardiac arrests. “I witnessed death twice,”
Bernie said. “Once was an exhilarating
experience; I was so at peace. Everything
was white, and through my mind’s ear, I
heard the doctor say, ‘He’s fighting this.’ It
was so comfortable, I didn’t want to leave.
But then Bunny came, and I felt her hand
and came back.”
Bernie’s heart has continued to deteriorate, and he now receives care from
Weinstein Hospice, a home-based program
established to serve the Atlanta Jewish
community. They began providing care to
honor Bernie’s expressed desire: “I want to
die in my home. I don’t want the sterility of
a hospital.” As Bernie’s condition deteriorates, they are accepting more hospice support. Weekly, a volunteer visits with Bernie,
while Bunny goes to the hair salon. Bernie
says, “This man who stays with me is a
delight, just a delight! A good conversationalist. And now, I’m going to get on oxygen,
because it’s getting more difficult to
breathe.” Weinstein Hospice responds to
the changing needs of the family.
Currently, Bernie and Bunny and their
families are having courageous conversations about the meaning of his death and
dying. Bernie’s attitude toward dying eases
these discussions: “I think life is a total
mystery.... To me, death is the high adven-
ture of life. It’s a change, an alteration, not
really a destruction. I talk to my beautiful
wife, Bunny, about dying, and she’s accepting it. My children are accepting it. I don’t
look forward to it, of course, but there’s an
excitement to it.” Warmly, and sometimes
with laughter and tears, Bernie and Bunny
often complete each other’s sentences.
“Bunny’s children are chronicling my life,
as is my daughter.” Bunny’s son and wife
come because they want their children to
know Bernie’s background and how he
copes with life.
Bunny and Bernie have “everything
taken care of,” including completing
advanced directives, which are now
required in Georgia in place of living wills,
and funeral arrangements. Bernie admitted,
“I was trying to think of everything when I
wrote a card telling Bunny when to get the
next oil change in the car.”
When Bernie was asked what matters
most at this stage of life, he replied, without
hesitation, “My love for my wife....She’s
such a beautiful woman. She’s so dedicated; she sleeps with one eye open, because I
get up so many times. She’s a very strong
woman, a very wonderful woman.”
Bernie is a self-described giver,
humanitarian, pacifist, and romantic. With
ever-present humility, he appreciates that
his miraculous life has been “full of bountiful gifts—not necessarily money, but other
gifts.” Bernie is approaching death with the
same joy and sense of wonder that he
begins each day: “Welcome to the Day!”
Janis Kleinberger has thirty years of expe rience in the human services, primarily in
the field of aging and end-of-life care. She
is founder and director of Emerging
Healthcare, Inc., which is developing a
model outreach program to improve access
to high-quality integrative medicine for the
chronically or terminally ill and their care givers.
January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 17
Zucker joins Greater Atlanta Hadassah as director
Paula S. Zucker, a 17-year, award-winning, veteran marketing executive at the
Marcus Jewish Community Center of
A t l a n t a
(MJCCA), is
the new director
of
Greater
A t l a n t a
Hadassah.
Zucker, a
Hadassah life
member, brings
to her position a
proven record
of accomplishments in the
Paula S. Zucker
areas of marketing, communications, and strategic planning.
“We’re so fortunate to have Paula on
board as our director,” said Ruthanne
Warnick, chapter president. “She joins us at
a time when we’re beginning preparation of
a 19-month plan to take us through 2009.
We know that with her leadership, management, and creative skills, as well as her
knowledge of the community, Paula will
provide valuable input and insights that will
help us continue our rapid growth and make
increasingly valuable contributions to
Hadassah’s projects in Israel and here in the
United States.”
Prior to joining Greater Atlanta
Hadassah, Zucker was executive director of
the DeKalb County Police Alliance. While
there, she developed the non-profit’s website and other marketing materials, its
fundraising strategy, and its strategic plan.
As marketing director with the
MJCCA, Zucker worked with 24 program
departments. Among her myriad responsibilities and achievements, she advised the
administration on image building and messaging; instituted and expanded the
MJCCA’s first website; created a campaign
for the transition into the center’s new facilities, increasing membership by 94 percent;
and implemented a branding strategy that
complemented a national program.
During her tenure with the MJCCA,
Zucker earned several awards, among them
the JCCA Innovation Award, the MJCCA
Professional of the Year Award, and the
JCCA Marketing Achievement Award.
Zucker attended Boston University,
where she earned a bachelor’s degree in
education with a minor in communications.
Dr. Plasker promotes
aging with vigor
Living a long life is one thing; living
it well is another. Our parents and grandparents may not have understood the difference, but we do.
According to Dr. Eric Plasker, many
of the world’s centenarians grew up in an
era of poor healthcare and were blindsided
by their longevity. Now, they are living
with physical, financial, emotional, and
spiritual difficulties. But we can live lives
that are both longer and better, if we
choose.
Dr. Plasker, an Atlanta health and
wellness expert and author of international
bestseller The 100-Year Lifestyle, is
spreading the word that we, more than our
genes, are responsible for the way we age.
He will continue his efforts on Sunday,
January 27, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., when he
will present a seminar entitled “If You
Knew You’d Live to Be 100, How Would
You Change Your Life?”
This program, sponsored by
Congregation Or Hadash, is open to the
general public and will take place at the
Weber School on Roswell Road. It
includes a brunch and a choice of an autographed copy of the book, an audiocassette
of the book, or a DVD. Proceeds from the
seminar and product sales will be donated
to Or Hadash.
“I am doing this for the fun,” says Dr.
Plasker, a chiropractor who has shared the
stage with such luminaries as Drs. Barbara
De Angelis, Wayne Dyer, Andrew Weil,
and Deepak Chopra. In just five and onehalf years, Dr. Plasker has become one of
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Page 18
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
Good-bye, sweetie—I’ve had enough
This column first appeared in The Jewish
Georgian in the July-August 1997 issue.
Well, my dear friend—perhaps I should
say former friend, as it’s been over a year
since we’ve had any close contact. Oh, I’ve
seen you—how could I avoid it? You’re very
popular and turn up everywhere. Children and
adults have always adored you, even though
they know you’re not as innocent as you
appear. You can create difficulties and complications and cause pain, albeit inadvertently.
We’ve known each other since childhood. I used to love it when you came to our
house. All of us did. I can remember how tickled I was when we’d get together at recess.
BY Shirley
Friedman
And no party was complete without you.
You’ve come a long way since those
Depression days. You weren’t wrapped in
such finery then. (And some of your associates had no wrap at all.) But now, you are
glamorous and, at times, quite sophisticated.
Am I being unfair not to seek your company anymore? You do have appeal. I confess
that I try to avoid you, because it’s better this
way. I am a strong-willed person and not easily influenced, but there have been times in
your presence when I have used poor judgment.
You have been maligned and imitated.
But you are unique and not without guilt. You
have had numerous clandestine rendezvous,
and you are shameless—trying to be all things
to all people. And succeeding much of the
time. You’ve certainly made your way to
countless pillows in fine hotels, uninvited.
I haven’t completely forgotten you. I
even dreamed about you one night. But I’m no
longer attracted to you. Good-bye—here’s
looking at you, babe.
Oh, for the thrill of Snickers bars
And the delight of a Mars
The munch and crunch of M&M’s
Really has no par.
In truth, there’s none like a Baby Ruth
Forsooth, the Butterfinger will linger
Godiva, Barricini, and Whitman’s are fine
And it takes a Houdini to draw the line.
But...good-bye, dear chocolate, you’re breaking my heart
You’ve become number one on my “Get Lost”
chart.
I retreat, though you’re sweet, and memory
sings
It was lovely, great fun...but just one of those
things!
And the oil burns on....
As I write this in December, I’m listening
to “Rock of Ages,” because Chanukah will be
here in a few days. I am getting in the mood.
Pretty soon, though, I may be listening to
“Jingle Bells,” as Christmas will also be here
this month. I don’t know what the rabbis
would say, but I have always enjoyed
Chanukah—from a religious perspective and
because it is a happy holiday—and Christmas,
because it is a happy time of year, too. There
are also some recent sad memories—my sister, Dot, died last year on the first night of
Chanukah.
But, I really want to talk about how busy
BY Marice
Katz
it gets this time of year. I will declare, it seems
as if every party to which I get invited occurs
in December. All these parties are exciting
and fun, but, as Lewis Grizzard used to say,
“Why don’t they start the party season the
first of November?”
There is also the fact that being Jewish, I
like to remember family and friends on
Chanukah, but, of course, I also like to
remember my friends who celebrate
Christmas. There are also some nieces and
nephews who are married to non-Jewish people, and their children are being brought up in
both religions. I can’t even address if these
kids are confused—it is too early to tell, but
they seem very well adjusted at this point.
So, I went to the mall yesterday—a
Saturday, no less—and drove ‘round and
‘round until I finally found a parking spot.
However, it was a long way from Macy’s
front door, and I suffered from wearing too
high a heel.
It sounds as if I am complaining, but as
I’ve already said, this is a happy time of
year—I will just grit my teeth and go to the
mall when needed. Oh sure, I could buy things
online, but it never worked for me when I
bought things from catalogues in the old days.
Frankly, I will take Valentine’s Day any
time. Whoops—that is really St. Valentine’s
Day! What will the rabbis say about that?
January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
MJCCA NEWS
AND THE WINNER IS.... Jerry’s Habima
Theatre has been honored with the 2007
Suzi Bass “Spirit of Suzi” Award.
The Suzi Bass Awards recognize
and foster professional theatrical excellence
in the Atlanta area. The Spirit of Suzi Award
is given annually to a person or organization
that demonstrates a long-term and consistent contribution to professionalism in
Atlanta theatre.
Susie Davidow (from left) and G2K
Oklahoma! cast members Ian
Whitfield, Michelle Horowitz, and
Linda Danzig, proudly accept the
2007 Spirit of Suzi Award as Emcee
Deadra Moore looks on.
Lois Blonder shares a warm moment
with Dina Shadwell, director of
Jerry’s Habima Theatre’s 2007 production of G2K Oklahoma!
Under the direction of Blonder
Family Department for Developmental
Disabilities Program Director Susie
Davidow, Assistant Director Sammy
R o s e n b e rg, and Jerry’s Habima Theatre
Director and MJCCA Assistant Arts &
Entertainment Director Dina Shadwell,
Jerry’s Habima Theatre has grown into one
of Atlanta’s most anticipated and exciting
live stage productions, playing to sold-out
houses year after year.
Jerry’s Habima Theatre is
Georgia’s only professionally directed and
produced theatrical company featuring
adult actors with developmental disabilities. Each year, the cast presents a full-scale
adaptation of a Broadway musical to enthusiastic audiences and much acclaim. The
2007 production of G2K Oklahoma! (an
adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s
original, full-length Oklahoma!), directed
by Shadwell, played to sold-out houses and
earned the dedicated cast and crew this coveted award.
Davidow said, “There is no theatrical company more deserving of this award
than the cast and crew of Jerry’s Habima
Theatre. They put their hearts and souls into
every rehearsal, every performance. But to
them, it’s not about red carpets and gilded
statuettes; it’s about putting on a wonderful,
entertaining show for family and friends
and the personal pride they walk away with
after every monumental performance.”
Jerry’s Habima Theatre’s 2008
production of Footloose opens March 26 at
the MJCCA’s Morris and Rae Frank
Theater.
For more information about Jerry’s
Habima Theatre or the Blonder Family
Page 19
Department for Developmental Disabilities,
contact Susie Davidow at 678-812-4000 or
b l o n d e r @ a t l a n t a j c c . o rg, or visit atlantajcc.org.
THE MIRACLE OF JEWISH CUBA. The
MJCCA is conducting a humanitarian mission to Cuba, March 12-16.
The price for this mission is
$2,300 per person, double occupancy (add
$300 for single occupancy); a $940 deposit
is due with the application. Included are
roundtrip charter airfare (Miami-HavanaMiami); breakfast daily; dinner (when
included); ground transportation to and
from the airport; participation in a full
schedule of religious activities, including
those at the Patronato (the Cuban Jewish
Community Center), synagogues, and the
Jewish cemetery; meetings with Jewish
community leaders; dining with members
of the Jewish community; a professional
English-speaking guide; hotel taxes; service
fees; visa application processing fees; and
medical insurance. Travelers must be in
Miami on Tuesday evening, March 11.
For applications or more information, contact Shaindle Schmuckler at 678812-3983 or [email protected].
"Celebrating the Values of Judaism"
Page 20
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Schwartz on Sports
America is test crazy. It’s not only in
our schools—today, there are tests on
everything in every kind of publication.
There are tests regarding diet, sex, politics,
entertainment, driving, marriage, and more.
Everyone is asking questions to see how
much we know. And I’m not even including
“Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” I
defy you to go a day without being challenged to take some kind of test in a newspaper, in a magazine, or on television.
With that in mind, I feel it is my duty
to devise a test covering the last 50 years of
the Jewish Georgia sports scene and see
how well you do. I am going way back on
this one and will try to bring the questions
into the 21st century. It won’t take long. I’ll
give you the answers at the end of the column, and you can grade yourself. No cheating now. The honor code applies.
THE FIRST ANNUAL JEWISH GEORGIA SPORTS SCENE TEST (JGSST)
1. What year did the Jewish Community
Center on Peachtree Street open, and how
many softball fields were located there?
2. What do Tom Fox, Alvin Verner, Alan
Silverman, and Donnie Diamond have in
common?
3. Who is the current health, wellness, and
recreation director of the Marcus Jewish
being a perfect game.
11. Who was the first three-brother combination to play in the Men’s Basketball
League?
12. What do Freddy Benamy, Larry Frank,
Lester Pazol, Herb Slotin, and Jody Blanke
have in common?
BY Jerry
Schwartz
Community Center of Atlanta?
4. What was the most recent year in which
Atlanta hosted the Maccabi Games?
5. What do Jerry Bashuk, Howie Hyman,
Ralph Amiel, and Bill Klineman have in
common?
January-February 2008
13. How many racquetball courts did the
AJCC at Zaban originally have?
7. Howard Wertheimer and Jodi Ginsberg
8. Jeff Kess. I know, because I’ve played on
his team at one time or another in the last
three decades.
9. Each served as director of health, wellness, and recreation at the AJCC.
10. Alan Jensen
14. Who was the All-SEC defensive back
from the University of Georgia who also
played in the Men’s Basketball League?
15. Who was the first woman to play in the
Men’s Softball League?
6. Who pitched the first no-hitter in the
AJCC Men’s Softball League?
16. Who was the coach of the Boy’s Center
Basketball team that won the City
Basketball Championship in 1965 and
whose members included Bobby Hyman,
Joel Gross, and Marcus Katz?
7. Who were the 2007 coaches of the
MJCCA Girl’s Maccabi Basketball Team?
17. Who has the record for the most softball
victories as a pitcher in center history?
8. Who holds the record for being captain
of a Men’s Basketball League team for the
most consecutive years?
18. What do Jerry Benda, Stan Sobel, Steve
Gruenhut, and Brian Wulz have in common?
9. What do Hal Krafchick, Moose Miller,
Harold Post, and Kenny Klein have in common?
19. Who was the ex-Major League Baseball
player who played in the Men’s Adult
Softball League?
10. Who is the director of the tennis program of the MJCCA?
20. What do Sid Roemer, Norman
Wasserman, Al Stein, Willie Green, and
Stan Schwartz have in common?
21. Name at least two Atlanta area sportswriters or announcers who have played in
any of the center’s sports leagues.
22. What is the name of the MJCCA’s swim
team?
23. What is the name of the statue of three
runners in different postions that is located
in front of the MJCCA building?
24. What do Pilates, Spinning, Step, and
Silver Sneakers have in common?
11. Jerry, Bruce, and Milton Finkelstein
12. All were pitchers in the Men’s Softball
League.
13. There were three, but it’s now down to
one, and let’s hope the “powers that be”
leave that one alone.
14. Buzzy Rosenberg. He was also the first
basketball player to dunk at the center.
15. Nancy Fox. She was also probably the
best female athlete ever to play at the center.
16. Ray Taratoot. According to Bobby
Hyman, that team plans a reunion in May of
2008, with a basketball game on the agenda.
17. Gene Benator, who has over 500
18. Each served as Men’s Basketball
League Commissioner.
19. Ron Blomberg, who was also the first
designated hitter in Major League Baseball
20. All participate in the men’s morning
Tennis Program at the MJCCA.
21. I. J. Rosenberg, Cory Kessler, Steak
Shapiro, Bob Neal, Dave Cohen, Chris
Domino, and Matt Chernoff (Give yourself
full credit if you were able to name any
two.)
22. Zaban Sharks
23. Winning
25. Who has played in the Men’s Basketball
League for the longest period of time?
24. All are exercise programs available at
the MJCCA.
—————Now that you’ve finished the test, I’m
certain you’re anxious to see the answers
and see how well you did.
1. It opened in 1957 with two softball
fields.
2. All played third base exceptionally well
in the Men’s Softball League.
3. Howie Rosenberg has held the position
for five years.
4. 2001. Eighteen hundred athletes from 26
U.S. cities, Canada, and Israel participated.
5. All played the position of catcher in the
Men’s Softball League.
6. Joel Lobel in 1972. And Jerry Yaeger
walked in the last inning to keep it from
25. George Wise. He started in 1965, and
no telling how much longer he’ll be going.
HOW DID YOU RATE?
21–25: Excellent. You are now the Jewish
Georgia Sports Scene maven and historian.
16–20: Very Good. Obviously, you’ve been
around the sports scene for quite a while.
11–15: Good. You probably played in a few
leagues over the years.
6–10: Average. But then again there’s more
than just sports at the center.
0-5: Remediation classes will start soon.
Test time is over. The good news is that
nobody will be held back, even those who
had to take the remediation classes. Hope
you had fun.
Until next time, drive for the bucket
and score.
January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 21
From hiding in Ukraine to thriving in rural Virginia: my family’s story
By Rob Hassett
In 1905, 20-year-old Lieb Chusid left
his home near Kiev, Ukraine, for a better
life in America. Sometime during his stay at
Ellis Island, his name changed to Louis
Hassett—later to become “Papa Louie” to
me, my siblings, and my cousins.
Louis’ final months in the Russian
Empire were harrowing. At age 18, he was
drafted into the Russian army and sent to
Manchuria to fight in the Russo-Japanese
war—a war over the control of full-year
seaports in Southern Manchuria. Initially,
the war was popular in Russia. However,
due to the incompetence and corruption of
the Romanov government, the Russian
troops received little training and support,
and the Japanese won most, if not every,
battle.
Louis told my father that the soldiers
did not have enough weapons, warm clothing, or food. Exhibiting the resourcefulness
and determination that he would later pass
on to his sons, Louis waited until the military situation was especially confusing, and
he deserted. Riding on trains and with great
care, he managed to travel back from the
warfront through Siberia to his hometown.
Back home, Louis got word that soldiers were in town looking for draft dodgers
and deserters, with a quick death as the
usual punishment. The soldiers used tactics
such as curfews to make an escape from
town impossible. But young Louis devised
a plan. He had his grandmother cut open a
mattress and sew him up inside. Not knowing when the soldiers would come by, Louis
ended up staying in the mattress for more
than a day. When the soldiers finally
arrived, they searched the house thoroughly,
but did not find him. Although he survived
this search, Louis knew the soldiers would
likely return. He realized that his best
choice was to move to another nation—a
nation with a promise of freedom and
opportunity. Thus, he decided to come to
the United States.
Louis took his modest savings and
some money his parents and grandmother
gave him, said goodbye to his family, and
left home. He barely escaped arrest by border guards, resorting to bribery on at least
one occasion. He made his way to
Hamburg, Germany, and there boarded a
ship to the United States.
Louis first settled in Philadelphia,
where he met Yetta Friedman, who had
come to America from Poland as a young
child. Louis and Yetta married in 1908.
Louis first worked as a wallpaper hanger. A
short time after they married, Louis was
offered a job by Yetta’s sister’s husband,
Hymie Greenstone, who owned a successful store in Staunton, Virginia, in the beautiful
Shenandoah
Valley,
near
Charlottesville. Yetta and her sister were
close, and Louis, ever the adventurer,
accepted the job. Louis learned how to
operate a business from Hymie and then
became a partner with Yetta’s brother,
Harry, in a store in South Hill, Virginia.
Louis later moved on with his family to
Colonial Heights, Virginia, where he
opened a dry goods store. Louis and Yetta
had four boys, Harry, Sam, Abe (my father),
and Jay. Papa Louie was a wonderful
father—something his sons appreciated
more and more as they grew older.
Around 1928, Louis was riding on a
train from Petersburg to Ocean View, a
beach in Norfolk, Virginia. The train broke
down in Franklin, a pleasant little town
about 60 miles from the coast. Louis
walked around the town and loved it. He
sent Harry and Sam to open a store there. A
few years later, when Abe turned 18, he
turned down a scholarship to Virginia Tech
and followed Sam and Harry to Franklin.
When Jay finished high school, he joined
his three older brothers.
Franklin, which then had a population
of about 5,000, was a rural community
where farmers grew peanuts and raised
Virginia hams. The Union Bag Corporation
(later Union Camp and now International
Paper) operated a paper mill. Prior to 1950,
the only Jewish families in Franklin were
the Hassetts, the Sifens, the Sobles, and the
Hirsches. The Sobles eventually moved
away. Franklin lured Dr. Hirsch and his
wife, who were Holocaust survivors, to the
city because it needed a surgeon, which
worked out very well for everyone.
Louis’ belief that Franklin would be a
good place for a second store proved correct. Eventually, the Franklin store became
much more successful than the one in
Colonial Heights. Around 1953, after
Grandma Yetta passed away, Papa Louie
moved to Franklin to be near his sons and
grandchildren.
Louis’ resourcefulness carried over to
his sons. In the late 1940s, Sam and Jay
shared ownership of an airplane. They kept
it at the little Franklin airport, which had no
lights and could accommodate only daytime landings. One day, Jay flew to
Norfolk, about 50 miles away. The plane
had no radar, and the only way Jay could
navigate was by following the roads. On the
return trip, Jay realized that he was following the wrong road. He turned around and
eventually found the Franklin airport.
However, it was already dark, and he could
not see the runway.
Jay considered his choices. He was
running low on fuel and began buzzing the
homes around Franklin, hoping someone
would realize the problem and help him. A
man named Delhi Cotton (who later lived
across the street from us) figured out what
was going on. He called about twenty
friends and led them all down to the runway, where they lined up ten cars on each
side, turned on their headlights, and waited
for the plane to land. When Jay saw the
headlights, he turned the plane around,
approached the runway, and safely landed.
Visibly shaken but relieved, Jay spent the
next hour shaking hands with and thanking
the rescuers.
Sam also showed courage and ingenuity under pressure. When I was ten years
old, Sam and his wife, Agnes, took me fishing in the sound on the back side of North
Louis and Yetta Hassett, circa 1936
Carolina’s Outer Banks. It was a beautiful
day, and we were catching lots of fish.
Suddenly, a huge water moccasin slid out of
the reeds and headed toward our little boat.
I alerted Sam to the snake. He attempted to
start the engine, but it would not start. The
snake, probably attracted by the fish hanging off of the boat, was coming at us full
speed. Sam grabbed an oar and waited as
the snake approached.
Just when it was at the side of the boat,
Sam, a former semi-professional boxer, hit
the snake on the neck with great force and
killed it. Sam said he had to hit the snake in
just the right place to avoid flipping it into
the boat. Years later, when Jimmy Carter
talked about how he courageously fought
off a rabbit, Sam, Agnes, and I had a good
laugh.
From a young age, Abe liked working
with electronics. At age 13, using parts he
found mostly in junkyards, he built a working ham radio from scratch. In 1941, Abe
was drafted into the army. He was stationed
at Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, where he
taught radio repair and learned about television.
In 1945, soon after Abe returned to
Franklin, the brothers started selling televisions. They had a competitive advantage,
because Abe was the only person in
Franklin who knew how to fix them. Later,
they were the first in town to sell window
air conditioners.
Around 1947, one of the Sifens set Abe
up with Peggy Scher, the daughter of Joe
and Josie Scher, who lived in Portsmouth,
Virginia, about an hour’s drive east of
Franklin. Abe and Peggy were married in
1948 and had four children, Rob, Ellen,
Lewis, and Bruce.
There were lots of Hassett cousins in
Franklin. Harry Hassett and his wife had
two daughters, and Jay and his wife had one
son and four daughters. Sam had no children and spent a great deal of time with his
nephews and nieces.
Papa Louie spent his final years in
Franklin with an aura of calmness and generosity. He played cards with his daughterSee THRIVING, page 32
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 22
January-February 2008
The paper clip, a symbol of defiance and remembrance
Although there are hundreds of memorials and museums in honor of those who
perished in the Holocaust, none is more
unusual or poignant than the Children’s
Holocaust Memorial and Paper Clip Project
in Whitwell, Tennessee, a small town (pop.
1,600) located outside Chattanooga, at the
base of the Smoky Mountains.
In 1998, Whitwell Middle School
Principal Linda Hooper decided the school
needed a program to teach its students tolerance and respect for others who might be
of a different race or religion. She felt that,
in the sheltered environment of this small,
all-white Baptist community, the youngsters were ill-prepared to deal with the outside world. Mrs. Hooper sent Assistant
Principal David Smith to a teacher-training
course, where, after attending a seminar
about the Holocaust, he suggested an afterschool course to study the topic.
Mrs. Hooper was concerned that the
parents might object to the subject matter,
so she called a PTA meeting; to her surprise,
the parents endorsed it, and some attended
the first classes conducted by teacher
Sandra Roberts. Word spread, and newspaper stories and a documentary film, Paper
Clips, informed the world about the project.
Frieda Socol, a Congregation Shearith
Israel member, read about the project and
saw Paper Clips, and thought that a day trip
to Whitwell would be interesting for the
senior members of her congregation. She
chartered a large tour bus, and, in short
order, all 56 seats were reserved. Eight of
the passengers were Holocaust survivors or
children of survivors.
The trip took place on a Friday,
because that is the day that 8th-grade students conduct tours. The group gathered at
the synagogue for a continental breakfast
before boarding the bus, and there was no
problem getting back to Atlanta before
Shabbat.
On the bus, people viewed the Paper
Clips documentary on DVD, so, by the time
they arrived at the school, all were wellinformed about the project.
The documentary follows the students
of Whitwell as they go through the afterschool course and learn about the
Holocaust. The students had a hard time
grasping the enormity of 6,000,000 people
BY Leon
Socol
perishing at the hands of other people. One
student suggested in order to grasp the numbers, they could collect something tangible.
He suggested paper clips—6,000,000 of
them, one for each slain person.
Why paper clips? The students found
that all Europeans were not against the
Jews. The Norwegian King showed his
defiance of the Nazis by wearing a paper
clip on his coat lapel, as did thousands of
Norwegian citizens. People showed their
solidarity with their Jewish countrymen,
who were forced to wear a yellow Mogen
David on their clothing. But why was the
paper clip chosen as the symbol? It turns
out the inventor of the paper clip was
Johann Valer, a Norwegian Jew.
The students’ project began as a letterwriting campaign on the school’s web soliciting paper clips. The response was slow at
first, but then a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor, Lena Gitter, learned about the project
and contacted two German journalists who
were working in Washington, D.C. The
journalists, Peter Schroeder and Dagmar
Schroeder-Hildebrand, wrote stories about
the project for German newspapers, and
Dagmar wrote a book about the Holocaust.
The interest in the project was tremendous,
and letters and paper clips came in droves.
Soon the 6,000,000 goal was reached and
surpassed until over 30,000,000 paper clips
were sent to the school.
The problem now was what to do with
all of the clips. Another student suggested
they obtain a German boxcar, like the ones
that transported Jews to the death camps.
The Schroeders were so impressed they
pledged to obtain a boxcar for the school. It
was purchased with German donations and
shipped via ship, rail, and truck to
Whitwell. The effort was done at no cost to
the school, and volunteers and businesses
furnished labor and material to repair the
boxcar, which was placed on a rail foundation. A steel monument was erected to hold
the initial 11,000,000 paper clips. It is
topped with a silhouette of a young boy and
girl playing with a butterfly. Eighteen (chai)
stepping stones embedded with butterflies
surround the boxcar.
A student guide shows tourists the
memorial containing 11 million paper
clips
Tourists stroll on butterfly-embedded walkway to boxcar
A German imported boxcar, once
used to transport Jews to concentration camps, now contains 11 million
paper clips and Holocaust memorabilia
An additional 11,000,000 paper clips
are stored inside the boxcar, which also has
display cases with letters and other mementos.
Tourists pore over some of the 30
thousand letters and e-mails stored
in the school library
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Preliminary interviews to establish a bonding
When the Atlanta group arrived, they
were greeted and escorted through the
memorial and school library, where they
inspected some of the thousands of letters
sent to the school. There were also Jewish
symbols displayed, including a menorah
and a Seder plate. One binder contained
hate mail, some of which had obscene cartoons depicting Jews as moneygrubbers and
claiming the Jews encouraged the
Holocaust museums so they could charge
admission and profit from one of the
world’s greatest tragedies.
Before leaving, many visitors purchased the Paper Clips DVD and a book
about the project. Principal Hooper graciously autographed each book.
Principal Linda Hooper poses with
tour leader Frieda Socol
On the trip back, as the group enjoyed
looking at the fall leaves in the mountains,
Frieda invited people to take the microphone and reveal their thoughts and feelings
about the visit. Abe Gerson, a camp survivor, said he approached one of the young
tour guides and asked him why the students
did the Holocaust Project. The young man
said it was a revelation to learn about man’s
inhumanity to others and to develop empathy, tolerance, and respect for others. He
said each 8th-grade class helped teach the
younger students, so that eventually all
would have that mindset for generations to
come.
Herb Kohn, another Holocaust survivor, said the trip had been on one of the
most amazing experiences of his life.
Finding a small town in Tennessee that
knew nothing about Jews or Judaism, yet
felt compelled to spread goodwill to all people, was almost unbelievable.
Afterwards, Frieda received many emails and phone calls thanking her for making the trip possible. Perhaps the highest
compliment came from several ladies who
told her, “It was wonderful; when’s the next
trip? We want to go.”
January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 23
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 24
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
Page 25
THE
Jewish Georgian
Kosher Affairs
By Roberta Scher
A REPORT FROM KOSHERFEST 2007.
Kosherfest founder Menachem Lubinsky
forecasts that the ‘08 kosher market will
continue to expand in several areas, including fresh and organic products that focus on
health and well-being and upscale gourmet
products such as sauces, flavored beverages, and snack items: “The kosher trends
are pretty closely aligned to the national
trends, according to Datamonitor’s
Productscan
(www.productscan.com),
which lists fresh and organic, super fruits,
bold flavors, and probiotic foods (beyond
yogurts) as some of its top trends for 2008.”
I would like to thank dear friend and
fellow foodie Meira Katz for representing
The Jewish Georgian at Kosherfest. Meira,
an Atlantan currently residing in New York,
selected several show highlights that we
hope will soon be appearing on local grocery shelves.
Sheese, a 100% vegan parve “cheese”
product from Scotland, is coming to the
U.S. It will be available in nine hard cheese
flavors (including mozzarella and cheddar),
which will add flexibility to creative kosher
cookery, as well as five creamy, spreadable
varieties. For more information, visit
buteisland.com.
Several of Meira’s other top picks are
also Kosherfest product category winners:
• Best New Wine or Spirit: Rimon
Pomegranate Dessert Wine 2005. This is
the only 100% kosher pomegranate wine in
the world, fermented with no added sugars
or flavors. The father and son winemaking
team of Gaby and Avi Nachmias, a farmer
and a businessman respectively, were
inspired by a love of their land and wine to
create a unique style of wine—made from
special pomegranates grown and developed
in their own orchards. Their family pomegranate orchard is located on a mountain at
the corner of a moshav in Israel’s Upper
Galilee. The company says this wine has
300% more antioxidants than red wine. It is
an especially appealing and healthful wine
for the growing population of pomegranate
fans. Visit rimonwines.com.
• Best New Snack Food: Zesty Veggie
Baked Latke Crisps by Thou Shall Snack
• Best in Show and Best New Sauce or
Condiment: Mikee Shiitake Teriyaki Sauce
Other favorite finds include Wolff’s
Pre-flavored Kasha and Stonyfield Farm
Greek Yogurt.
For more Kosherfest news, or to view a
listing of all of the exhibitors, visit kosherfest.com.
BOOKS FOR COOKS
Support Jewish education while you
enjoy a new cookbook. Manna from
Heaven has recently been published by the
families and friends of the Rudlin Torah
Academy of Richmond, Virginia, one of
Virginia’s oldest day schools. The book,
which includes 300 taste-tested recipes, is
the culmination of a three-year community
project. The 40th anniversary of the school
inspired the name Manna from Heaven,
drawing on the 40 years that the Jews wandered the desert, sustained only by manna,
the heavenly food. To order a cookbook or
learn more about the school, visit
rudlin.com, or call 804-784-9050.
If you would like to spend less time in
the kitchen, but keep that secret closely
held, there is a new cookbook from
Feldheim Publishers: Quick & Kosher:
Recipes from the Bride Who Knew Nothing
by Jamie Geller. Geller suggests that the
alternate title for her book could be The I
Didn’t Tell Him I Couldn’t Cook Cookbook.
The author, who “came into her marriage
not knowing the difference between a spat-
ula and a saucepan,” has created a book of
recipes with a maximum of 15 minutes
hands-on time and easy-to-follow instructions. This is a perfect gift for a new bride
and a great help for more experienced, but
time-challenged cooks. The recipes are
simplified versions of much more complex
creations, some supplied by friends and
family members, some classics, some from
celebrity chefs. Geller’s accompanying
comments are worth the price of the book!
I smiled all the way through, have used
some of her time-saving tips, and have
enjoyed the quick and delicious results.
This book is available locally at Judaica
Corner/Chosen Treasures and online at
Amazon.com.
See KOSHER, page 33
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival takes it to a new level
By Brian Katzowitz
We’ve just experienced another holiday season in the world of Hollywood cinema—a time of year when the latest
Christmas comedy mingles with the
inevitable remake of a big-budget disaster
film, and epic period pieces hoping to capitalize on the Oscar buzz share the cineplex
with peppy musicals.
The newly expanded Atlanta Jewish
Film Festival (AJFF), which runs January
16-27, offers under-the-radar films that,
while they may not receive all the studio
hype, provide a glimpse of the broadening
horizon of independent film and Israeli cinema.
The line-up features films dealing with
a variety of themes and topics: from an 87year-old surfer in Surfwise; to an animated
retelling of the riots at the 1968 Democratic
National Convention in Chicago 10; and an
inside look at Middle East prison life, Hot
House.
According to David Kuniansky, AJFF
co-chair, this year’s festival will be the
largest to date. “Our first year (2000), we
had about 2,000 people attend; this year,
we’re expecting between 9,000-12,000.”
The rise in attendance numbers has
brought about an expansion in dates (from
seven to 12 days) and venues (a third theater was added in Duluth). Unfortunately,
with every growth spurt comes the
inevitable growing pains. An army of volunteers is needed to staff the AJFF, and after
the hustle and bustle of the holiday season,
finding people to give up their free time can
be challenging.
Additionally, increasing the number of
films calls for an extensive selection
process.
“We use the Wikipedia model in selecting films for the festival,” said Darren Katz,
See AJFF, page 29
Helen Hunt and Matthew Broderick, Then She Found Me
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 26
January-February 2008
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
Page 27
Goldman’s greeters welcome
new neighbors far and wide
Next time you move to a new home, and
the “Greeters Committee” shows up to welcome you to the ‘hood, don’t be surprised if
one of the greeters looks familiar. It could be
legendary ad exec Mark Goldman, the new
president and CEO of Housewarmers Inc. and
a real hands-on manager.
We have the story here exclusively,
except for a nearly full-page article in the
Mark Goldman
Atlanta Business Chronicle, lavishing praise
on Mark for his many accomplishments and
talents.
Mark’s move follows a hugely successful
three-decade career in advertising, most
recently as president of both 360Thinc and
Grey Atlanta, and partner of the equally legendary, endlessly creative, and still close
friend Joel Babbit. We were surprised to learn
BY Reg
Regenstein
that under Mark and Joel’s watch, Grey
Atlanta became one of Grey Worldwide’s five
best-performing offices. Surprised, because
we thought, how could there be four offices
that equaled or outdid them?
Housewarmers’ “greeters” call on new
residents of communities and shower them
with gift bags full of certificates from sponsors and other presents from local firms.
There are currently 53 franchises run by
greeters in local communities; Mark hopes to
add 100 more this year and turn the service
into a national venture. Check out the company at Housewarmersusa.com.
Mark’s vast experience in marketing,
media, and advertising should be a big help as
Housewarmers expand nationally.
Meanwhile, back at Grey Atlanta, the
local branch of one of the nation’s largest ad
agencies, Joel Babbit and his team continue to
do miracles for their clients.
It has been five years since Joel and
Mark’s firm, 360, was sold to Grey. Joel is
now president of GCI Worldwide, Grey’s PR
arm, which is one of the world’s ten largest
PR firms, with over 40 offices in 22 countries.
We sort of feel like we did when Jerry
Lewis and Dean Martin went their separate
ways. We hate to see a great team break up,
but we can’t wait to see what the future will
bring for them.
Kol Echad launches
Sunday, December 2, marked a special
day for members of Atlanta’s Jewish community. Kol Echad: Making Judaism Matter
celebrated its official grand opening and
dedication of its headquarters at the
Halpern Center in Vinings.
Kol Echad, which means “every one”
or “every voice,” is a trans-denominational
center for adult Jewish learning and outreach.
Kol Echad has been offering classes
since August 2007, but the December grand
opening offered its students, members of
Atlanta’s rabbinical community, Jewish
community leaders, and supporters a
chance to officially celebrate the first
Jewish facility in the Vinings area.
The night’s events included the hanging of a mezuzah, remarks from board
members Howard and Lynne Halpern and
Sherry Frank, and a reading by Rabbi
Jeffrey Salkin from A Dream of Zion, the
new book of essays he has collected and
edited.
Lynne and Howard Halpern, owners of
Halperns’ Purveyors of Steak and Seafood
Rabbi Salkin and the Halperns
speaking to guests
and the Halpern Center building, stepped
forward with a location when Kol Echad:
Making Judaism Matter was looking for a
place to start up. Advisory board members
include Barbara and Ron Balser, Carol and
Bob Cooper, Ann and Jay Davis, Carole
and Joel Goldberg, Cathy and Steve
Kuranoff, Andrea and Michael Leven, Billi
and Bernie Marcus (The Marcus
Foundation), Carol and Bob Nemo, Susan
Arnovitz Plasker, Linda and Stephen Selig,
Bob Silverman, and Judy and Erwin Zaban.
4455 Roswell Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30342
404-255-4312
www.presstine.com
Page 28
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
From Shanghai to Atlanta, with musical accompaniment
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is
world-class symphony of 100-plus musicians,
with a fabulous 200-voice chorus. You should
have heard their “Hallelujah” chorus at last
month’s Christmas program—it all but raised
the roof of the concert hall. Magnificent!
My subscription to the concert series is
an annual gift from me to me. At the last concert, I found myself “conducting” with my
fingers. With eyes closed, I went back 75
years to the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra,
which played at the beautiful Lyceum
Theater.
Each Sunday, I would beg my father,
Jacob L. Friend, to take me to a Shirley
Temple movie, and his reply was always the
same: “No, those movies are rubbish. And
anyway, Shirley Temple is not a little girl,
BY Balfoura Friend
Levine
she’s a midget!”
End of story. Instead, my father would
take me to the symphony. I hated every
minute of it, but didn’t dare protest. I recall
even now that Papa’s fingers were either conducting or drumming against his knees.
I may not recall what I ate for dinner last
night, but I do remember that the Shanghai
Municipal Orchestra’s conductor was Mario
Paci, an Italian, and the concertmaster was
Arriga Poa, a Sephardic Jew from Italy. Most
of the other musicians were Russian. The
orchestra had no Chinese musicians—only
“foreigners,” as the non-Chinese were called.
Now fast-forward to Atlanta and me
“grooving” to the ASO—back from my reverie along memory lane. The ASO, in contrast
to the Shanghai orchestra, has a half-dozen
Chinese musicians, including Mei-Ann Chen,
the new (female) assistant conductor; the
associate concertmaster; an assistant concertmaster; and other principal chairs.
Interestingly enough, they all play string
instruments.
At a recent concert, the visiting soloist
was renowned violinist Cho-Liang Lin, a
native of Taiwan. Go figure—there were no
Chinese musicians in China, yet they are mar-
velous additions to the Atlanta symphony.
Today, China is producing world-class
musicians and grooming their youngsters to
excel, teaching music of such masters as
Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.
As I enjoy each concert, I feel my
father’s presence. I know he’s so proud that I
finally love his music.
Incidentally, I did manage to see many
Shirley Temple films during my childhood—
and no, she was not a midget!
P.S.—A point of pride for our Jewish community—I kvell that since the ASO began its
professional existence in 1947, out of four
conductors, two have been Jewish—Henry
Sopkin, the first conductor, and Yoel Levi, the
third.
January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Atlanta’s best-kept secret
When I was transferred from the Mayo
Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, to the
William Breman Jewish Home, I was in for
a shock—all for the good.
I remember the “Jewish Old Home” as
a drab building on 14th Street, where my
Uncle Sam and Aunt Rose went for the last
stop before Crest Lawn.
What my daughter, Susan, and I found
when we checked into the present home
was a beautiful, well-equipped, wellstaffed, and well-run organization.
Although we arrived at 6:00 p.m., after
working hours, the room where I was to
stay while receiving therapy was both
ready and spotless. It was a single room
with a beautiful view of the grounds. (My
room also had a TV, which later enabled me
to watch the Bulldogs beat the Yellow
Jackets.)
Susan, who drove me back to Atlanta
after stomach surgery, went to her home in
Sandy Springs, and I was left in my room
with my bed turned down and fresh towels
in the private bathroom.
I was looked after with care and love
by Elease in the daytime and Doris in the
evening. I was fed three meals a day and
given a bath every other day. I was given
my medicine on time by Altha, the nurse.
The highlight of my stay—and what I
was there for—was after-surgery therapy. I
was a near basket case when I came into the
home. Thanks to the dedication of therapists Jaime Melito and Doreen Aiuto, I felt
strong enough to leave after nine days,
rather than the expected three weeks.
Doreen and Jaime were on top of the
therapy sessions, two hours each, six days a
week. They are not only professional but
beautiful as well.
AJFF
From page 25
AJFF co-chair. “A 70-person selection
committee collaborates and shares ideas
equally in screening over 300 films
between June and October.”
While the 47 films being shown are by
far the most in the festival’s eight-year history, don’t expect a watered-down selection.
According to Katz, a burgeoning film
industry in Israel has opened the door to
new filmmakers and fresh ideas, adding to
the crop of films the AJFF can choose from.
In fact, the Israel Film Council reports that
Israel is producing around 20 films a year,
twice as many as 10 years ago.
Kicking off this year’s AJFF is Helen
Hunt’s directorial debut, Then She Found
Me. This unassuming story of a middle-age
woman dealing with family and faith issues
is a puzzling choice for opening night, but
it serves as a microcosm of the AJFF’s
broad audience appeal.
BY Gene
Asher
Doreen, the physical therapy assistant,
was born and raised in Suffolk County,
Long Island, New York. She moved to
Atlanta with her husband, Vincent, and
their children, Angela and Vincent, in the
final days of the 1996 Olympics. Doreen
lives in Marietta. She has been with the
Jewish Home for 1 1/2 years and loves it—
and her patients love her.
Jaime, the rehab director, hails from
just outside Raleigh, North Carolina. She
lived in Richmond, Virginia, before moving to her current residence in Kennesaw.
Jaime received her occupational therapy
degree from East Carolina University,
which is also where she met her husband,
Mark. She says that the thrill of working at
the Jewish Home is “meeting new people,
listening to their stories, and seeing them
get strong enough to go home.”
Thank you, Jaime and Doreen and
your staff, and thank you, Director of
Human Services Eve Levine, for giving me
such wonderful treatment.
Thank you Dr. Nison Schleifer, who
examined me and provided me with the
right medication.
Thank you to the board and all its volunteer workers. Thank you, Eve Levine
(again).
Thank you, all who helped put the
William Breman Jewish Home together
and keep it fined tune.
Then She Found Me, which stars Helen
Hunt, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick,
and Colin Firth, exudes the kind of charming, snappy dialogue that made Hunt a success on “Mad About You.” While Hunt’s
inexperience as a director is evident in the
the cluttering of storylines and themes, her
film is an insightful look at a woman who,
due to being adopted, always feels at arm’s
length from her Jewish culture and family.
Similar to the rest of the films being
shown, Then She Found Me serves the role
of a bridge builder between the Jewish
community and others.
Katz point outs, “The festival serves up
a slice of Jewish life and culture, and serves
as a terrific medium for people who may
not experience that normally.”
For more information or to purchase
tickets, visit www.ajff.org.
Page 29
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 30
January-February 2008
Keeping up with old friends
_t cxà|àx `t|áÉÇ
TÄ|Çx 9 Vtà{ç
404.303.6600
6510 Roswell Road
Sandy Springs, GA 30328
I recently received a telephone call
from Maurice Furchgott, pound for pound
one of the finest football players Georgia
Tech ever had.
Maurice is now retired and living in
Baltimore, Maryland. At Tech, he was a
mere mite of a lineman, weighing 155
pounds. But it was 155 pounds of dynamite.
Against the Naval Academy in 1944
at Grant Field, Furchgott blocked 225pound All-American Don Whitmire all
afternoon, opening up enough holes to
lead to a Tech victory.
Tech received an Orange Bowl bid to
play Tulsa. It was 1944, and my brother
Buddy, who was flying off aircraft carriers
in the Pacific, came home on leave. He
took me to Miami for the game. He and I
went up to visit Maurice, who was staying
with the Tech team in the Roberts Hotel in
downtown Miami. I don’t remember much
about the game. All I remember is that we
got to visit with Maurice Furchgott.
Maurice is 82 years old now, but the
last time I saw him, he still looked like
that young man who starred for the
Jackets.
Maurice was not the only football star
in the family. His older brother, Charles,
was an All-State tackle at Atlanta Boys’
High and received a football scholarship
BY Gene
Asher
to the University of Georgia. He was a
starting tackle for the Bulldogs, not bad
for someone with one eye. He and
Maurice played against each other in the
1945 Tech-Georgia game. I don’t remember who got the best of whom, but it was
probably a standoff.
***
After all these years, the most courageous man I know is still Harold (Baby)
Mizell. It was about 60 years ago that he
was the victim of an automobile accident
that left him with brain damage.
He never let his injury stop him. He
continued to work at various jobs, the last
being a grocery bagger at Publix. I was
there many times and never once saw him
without a smile on his face and a warm
welcome coming from his lips.
Happy New Year, Baby, and may you
have 60 more.
Atlanta’s Oldest Synagogue – and Newest
Monday, February 4
7:00 – 8:30pm
Life Cycle Institute
When my elder family member
drives me meshuga!
Issues that effect the later stage of life
for the elder and the family
......
Monday, February 25
7:00 – 8:30pm
Necessary Losses:
Understanding How Loss Affects Elders
Facilitator: Nancy Kriseman
Thursdays, February 7, 14, 21, 2008
at 12:00
Lunch and Learn With
Rabbi Frederick Reeves
The Classic Commentators
Sunday, February 10, 2008
10:00am
Men’s Club
Guest Speaker, Brad Lipman, M.D.
Advanced Lipid Profile Testing
February 1-3
Brockey-Rothschild Institute
Scholar-in-Residence: Rabbi Alan Lew
Take A Deep Breath –
A Weekend of Meditation & Spirituality
Friday, February 2
Shabbat Service
6:00pm
Sermon by Rabbi Alan Lew
Be Still and Get Going: The Torah’s Five Step
Program for Spiritual Growth
Shabbat Dinner • 7:30pm
Saturday, February 2
Torah Study with Rabbi Alan Lew
9:00am
The Healing Power of Simply Being Present:
Talmudic Teachings on the Nature of
Suffering and How to Meet It
4:30pm
Havdalah Service
Sunday, February 3
Bagel Brunch • 9:30am – 11:30am
Meditation Workshop followed by
Torah Study
Take a Deep Breath! Rebbe Nachman on the
Breath as a Gateway to God
Friday, February 22
Service 6:00pm
3-Guitar Service
Family Dinner 6:45pm
Sunday, February 24
10:00am
For Our Newest Members
Join us for coffee & bagels
Learn about the educational & programming
opportunities available at The Temple
Friday, February 29, 2008
6:00pm Service
A Special Naming Shabbat
Join us as we celebrate the blessing
of our Hebrew names
Sunday, March 2
11:00am – 12:00pm
Life Cycle Institute
Body Image and
Eating Disorders in the Family:
Positive and Preventative
Facilitator: Irene Celcer, MA, L.C.S.W.
For Reservations & Costs Call 404-873-1731
Join
Our
Family
1589 Peachtree Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-873-1731
www.the-temple.org
January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 31
Thought You’d Like to Know
By Jonathan Barach
PUTTING THE FUN IN FUNDRAISING.
Achim/Gate City Lodge of B’nai B’rith will
hold a fundraising dinner, January 27, 5:30
p.m., at the Brookwood Grill. Admission is
$18 per person, plus a wrapped gift worth
$20 or more per couple. The gift will be
auctioned and must have attached a clue as
to what it is and its value ($=$20, $$=significantly more than $20). Make checks
payable to B’nai B’rith; mail to Harry Lutz,
1748 Corners Cove, Dunwoody GA 30338.
Your advance check is your reservation. For
more information, contact Harry at 770393-1175 or Margie Simonoff at 770-5128880.
FROM THE HEART. “Melodies of the
Heart” is a concert by Atlanta teenagers that
will benefit the street children of Honduras.
This concert, sponsored by the Atlanta
Supporters of ProNinõ, is February 3, 3:00
p.m., at Pace Academy Fine Arts Center,
966 West Paces Ferry Road. Performing are
the Buckhead Youth Orchestra, conducted
by Juan Ramirez; pianist and Weber School
student Bernard Manela; pianist Shirley
Irek; and cellist Alex Chumbley. The concert will include selections from Gershwin,
Bloch, Saint Saens, and Bernstein, as well
as Sephardic selections. Tickets are $20 and
can be ordered at www.melodiesoftheheart.net or 678-441-0650.
EXPLORING YOUR ROOTS. The Jewish
Genealogical Society of Georgia, in conjunction with the William Breman Jewish
Heritage Museum, offers one-on-one
research assistance to aid genealogists in
researching their Jewish family’s history.
Upcoming sessions are Thursdays, 11:00
a.m.-1:00 p.m., February 7, March 6, April
3, May 1, and June 5; and Sundays, 1:003:00 p.m., February 10, March 9, April 13,
June 8, and July 13. Reservations are
required. Sessions are free for Breman
members and $5 for non-members. For
more information, leave a message at 404575-3767 or [email protected].
SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE. Professor
Richard Elliott Friedman will be
Congregation Or Hadash’s 5768 Scholar-inResidence, February 8-10. The Ann and Jay
Davis Professor of Jewish Studies at the
University of Georgia, Professor Friedman
is the author of The Bible With Sources
Revealed, Who Wrote the Bible? and
Commentary on the Torah. Professor
Friedman will speak following Friday
evening Servicio de Shabbat; participate in
Shabbat morning services and Torah discussion of the weekly parsha, Terumah; lead a
post-kiddush discussion; speak at the
Saturday evening Havdalah; and lead a special Sunday morning session, open to all, on
the weekly Torah study and discussion. For
more information, contact the congregation
at 404-250-3338 or [email protected].
DOCENT TRAINING. The “Anne Frank in
World” exhibition is now training docents
for the coming year. A training session will
take place February 10, 1:00-3:00 p.m. In
addition to “Anne Frank in World,” another
exhibition, “Witness to the Holocaust: WW
II Veteran William Alexander Scott III at
Buchenwald,” is also on display. For information, call 404-370-3056.
WELCOME TO THE SIXTIES. Yeshiva
Atlanta’s annual Chagiga production is
March 9-10, 6:30 p.m. Come to YA for dinner, then enjoy the Girls’ Committee production of HAIRshpritz. Tickets are $15 in
advance/$20 at the door for gals (up to 18)
and $20 in advance/$25 at the door for
women (over 18). For additional information or reservations, e-mail [email protected], or call the business
office at 770-451-5299, ext. 25.
THE ART OF CRAFT. Local artist Ricky
Frank is among more than 200 artists who
will exhibit and sell jewelry, furniture,
clothing, home accessories, and more at the
American Craft Show, Cobb Galleria
Centre, March 14-16. The show will also
include Craft 4 Kids, featuring items for
newborns and children. The show runs
March 14-15, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., and
March 16, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Tickets are
free for American Craft Council members,
$12 for one day, and $18 for two days; children 12 and under are admitted free. For
information and tickets, visit www.craftcouncil.org. For directions, visit www.cobbgalleria.com.
FIGHTING OVARIAN CANCER. Ovarian
Cycle was founded in 2004 by local fitness
expert Bethany Diamond. The goal is to
raise funds and awareness in order to develop early detection methods and treatment
outcomes for ovarian cancer. Each spring,
registered riders train for six weeks free of
charge at participating Atlanta-area health
clubs. Training for the 2008 Ovarian Cycle
begins March 15 and culminates in the sixhour, 100-virtual-mile “Ride to Change the
Future,” April 26, at Midtown Athletic
Club. Visit www.ovariancycle.org for registration, health club, and other event-related
information.
MEDICINE IN ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST. The Hadassah Physicians’
Council is sponsoring “From Concept to
Cure,” a professional education program at
the Hadassah Medical Organization in
Jerusalem, March 23-26. The program,
which will provide qualified participants
with Continuing Medical Education credits,
is accredited by co-sponsor Emory
University School of Medicine and is open
to all generalist and specialty physicians.
Course Director Dr. Rachel Schonberger is
chair of the Hadassah Physicians’ Council
and an Emory University emerita faculty
member. For additional information or to
register, contact the Hadassah Physicians’
Council at 212-303-8023 or [email protected].
GET THOSE BABIES MOVING. Parents
and children can now enjoy Itsy Bitsy Yoga
on Fridays at The Temple. Tots Itsy Bitsy
Yoga (Crawling-21 months) is 9:45 a.m.10:45 a.m. Babies Itsy Bitsy Yoga (6 weeksPre-Crawling) is 11:00 a.m.-noon. Classes
take place at The Temple Early Learning
Center indoor playground. For information,
contact TELC Director Edye Summerfield,
404-872-8668 or [email protected], or Itsy Bitsy Yoga Facilitator Lori
Sugarman, 678-778-0707 or [email protected].
LUNCH AND LEARN. Kol Echad:
Making Judaism Matter has added Lunch
and Learn sessions to its line-up. Led by
Kol Echad Director Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin,
these discussions address what’s going on
in the Jewish world—politics, religion,
Israel, culture, literature, and more.
Sessions are the second Thursday of each
month, 12:00 noon, at the Selig Center,
1440 Spring Street. Kol Echad: Making
Judaism Matter provides an innovative
Jewish adult learning experience for a
diverse community. Sessions are $12,
including lunch and drinks. For security
purposes, you must RSVP to Valerie Reed
at
770-438-2926
or
[email protected].
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 32
BUSINESS BITS
By Erin O’Shinskey
KEEPING MEMBERS HAPPY. Kenny
Silverboard is the new director of membership services and customer care for the
Marcus Jewish Community Center of
Atlanta.
Silverboard
has
been
with
the
MJCCA for
three years,
most recently in the special events
department,
where
he
produced
many sucKenny Silverboard
cessful signature events, including the Atlanta Senior
Olympics. Silverboard is also the JCC
Maccabi Games’ delegate head for Team
Atlanta. Prior to the MJCCA, Silverboard
had a successful 20+-year career in sales
with Selig Industries. Silverboard lives in
Roswell with his wife, Brenda, and their
daughters, Erica and Jamie.
BUYING MISSION. Sherwin Pomerantz,
Middle East trade representative with the
G e o rgia Department of Economic
Development, worked in GDEcD’s Atlanta
offices the
week
of
October 29
to facilitate
the department’s firstever buying
mission
from
the
Middle East.
Business
r e p r e s e n t atives from
Sherwin Pomerantz
Israel, the
United Arab
Emirates, and Jordan held meetings with
companies across Georgia to forge new
business partnerships. Pomerantz is founder
and president of ATID E.D.I. Ltd., an economic development consulting firm headquartered in Jerusalem. Before settling permanently in Israel in 1984, he was president
of Controls for Industry, Inc., a Chicago
data processing service bureau.
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES IN
ISRAEL. During the American Israel
Chamber of Commerce Business Mission
to Israel, October 27-November 1, business
leaders from several Georgia companies
met with Israeli governmental and business
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rsandrews.com
leaders, including prominent investors in
the technology and life science industries.
The delegation visited business technology
centers in Yokneam-Megiddo, Caesaria,
Beersheba, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. They
participated in the Prime Minister’s
Economic Conference; the WATEC conference on water, clean tech, energy, and environmental technologies; and a seminar on
real estate investment. Each delegation
member met with potential partners and
clients.
Business mission participants visit
Israel’s IBM facility: (pictured, from
left) AICC Chairman Laurence
Olivier; Alek Szlam; Firooz Israel;
Barry Sobel; Mark Weiss; Carol
Henderson, Metro Atlanta Chamber
of Commerce; and AICC President
Tom Glaser.
January-February 2008
his wife, Sheila, own Jerry’s Pawn Shop,
which they have run with their daughter,
Denise.
David is a
past president of the
Pawnbrokers Association
of
Georgia and
a
current
member of
its board of
directors, on
which he has
David Adelman
served since
its formation in 1988. He has also held leadership positions on the national board,
including membership chairman, national
convention chairman, secretary/treasurer,
and vice president.
SMART MOVE. Petach Tikvah-based
Agent Video Intelligence is establishing its
U.S. headquarters in Atlanta. Agent Video
offers the only enterprise-grade solution in
video intelligence and video content analysis technology and is the first company to
provide embedded and distributed artificialintelligence video analytics software with
the low bandwidth required by video surveillance networks to support extremely
large numbers of cameras.
ADELMAN AT THE HELM. David
Adelman has been named president of the
National Pawnbrokers Association. He and
Thriving
From page 21
in-law, Peggy, and his grandchildren. He
traveled to Richmond with my mom, my
sister, and me. He enjoyed taking walks in
the neighborhood.
As it turned out, the lives of four children, thirteen grandchildren, eighteen great
grandchildren, and even a few great-great
grandchildren all resulted from the
courage, cleverness, and determination of a
nineteen-year-old boy hiding in a mattress
over 100 years ago. All of us owe a debt of
gratitude to him, which I hope we have paid
in part with this article.
My mother, Peggy; my brother Lew,
his wife, and two children; my cousin,
Hank Greenstone (grandson of Hymie);
and three Sifen children and their children
now live in the Atlanta area.
I do wish to thank my brother Lew;
cousin Hank; my brother Bruce, who lives
in Vienna, Virginia; cousin Valerie Hassett
Drazen (daughter of Harry), who lives in
Lake Mary, Florida; cousin Ray Hassett,
M.D. (son of Jay Hassett), who lives in
Rocky Mount, North Carolina; cousin Kim
Hassett Slagle (daughter of Jay), who lives
in Richmond, Virginia; and my wife, Lynn,
for their contributions to this article.
Rob Hassett practices technology, enter tainment, and corporate law with the law
firm of Casey Gilson P.C. He and his wife,
Lynn Shier Hassett, have three children,
Laura, Elizabeth, and Joe. Rob and his
family are members of Temple Emanuel,
and Lew and his family are members of The
Temple.
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
Kosher
From page 25
SWEET LOCAL NEWS
Remember the classic Seinfeld “bakery” episode, when Elaine and Jerry came
to blows with another customer over the
much coveted last chocolate babka? Well,
now we in Atlanta finally have a babka to
covet. Hurry to the new Simcha Bakery at
Toco Hill for mouthwatering baked goods,
including pastries, challahs, breads, and
chocolate and cinnamon babka. Co-owner
Reuvein Robbins (who just celebrated his
10th anniversary as owner of Chai Peking),
along with partners Barry Diner and Ron
Green, have filled a long empty local niche,
a parve kosher bakery. Call ahead for special orders. For more information, call 404781-BAKE (2253). Future plans include
parve candies and frozen desserts.
New at Return to Eden are Dr. Oetker’s
o rganic parve cake mixes, available in
vanilla, lemon, chocolate, and marble—a
healthier way to bake. They are great to use
when creating cakes from The Cake Mix
Doctor cookbook. Also in stock now are
parve and gluten-free wafer-style cookies
from Israel in various flavors such as
chocolate-coated, vanilla, lemon, and
strawberry.
They’re heeeere! Kosher- c e r t i f i e d
Jelly Bellys have been spotted at Target,
Rite Aid, and Wal-Mart. When you see the
new OU certification, be assured that the
beans are fresh, delicious, and, of course,
kosher!
Atlanta artist Tzipi Mann has introduced a unique challah cover collection,
each intended to become a family keepsake. Her one-of-a-kind creations are available custom beaded, ribboned, and embroidered, and can be viewed at
judaicabytzipi.com.
WHEN IN ROME. My husband, Allan, and
I recently had the opportunity for a brief
72-hour sojourn in Rome, Italy, which
included a Shabbos stay. We did considerable Internet research before the trip so that
we could optimize our sightseeing time. As
we usually do when traveling, in addition to
the typical tourist landmarks, we made our
main focus Jewish history and, of course,
kosher food.
Here’s what we found:
We stayed at the Migdal Palace
(www.migdalpalace.it), which is conveniently located on the second floor of an
historic building within walking distance of
the Trevi Fountain, Great Synagogue, and
the Jewish Ghetto. The new facility (which
opened March 2007) was clean, and the
staff quite friendly. At the time of our visit,
the Israeli owner was planning to install
Page 33
flat-screen TVs, phones, and high-speed
internet in each room. If these amenities
are important to you, check before reserving. The price was reasonable, considering
the current value of the dollar vs. the euro,
and included was a kosher breakfast, refrigerator, food-warming facilities, and a dining area for guests to use. The small (about
12 rooms) bed-and-breakfast-style hotel,
like most European hotels, is air-conditioned in the summer, but the system is
switched over to heat in October; if the
weather is unseasonably warm and you prefer to sleep with the windows open, be prepared for some outside traffic noise. By the
way, we are certain that we have now made
the Guinness Book of World Records
because of our Shabbos dinner menu—it
included the first Publix fried chicken ever
eaten in Rome, flown all the way from Toco
Hill.
La Taverna del Ghetto Restaurant in
Rome’s Jewish Ghetto (inset: the
specialty fried artichoke dish carciofi alla giudia)
Our recommended guides to Jewish
Rome are David Walden (www.romeforjews.com) or Michaela Pavoncello
(www.jewishroma.com).
Delicious Kosher Restaurant: La
Taverna del Ghetto (in the Ghetto).Try the
carciofi alla giudia—Jewish-style fried artichokes—and, of course, the pasta.
Expensive, but worth the treat.
Bakery: Antico Forno del Ghetto. This
traditional Italian kosher Jewish bakery is
“excellente” and quite a scene on Friday
afternoon!
MIDAS OF SANDY SPRINGS
What’s cooking?
This column is meant to provide the reader
with current trends and developments in the
kosher marketplace and lifestyle. Since
standards of kashruth certification vary,
check with the AKC or your local kashruth
authority to confirm reliability. If you are
searching for a hard-to-find kosher ingredi ent, need help with a kosher substitution, or
have a kosher food question, please contact
us, and we will do our best to find the
answer. And we ask that you share your dis coveries with us and look forward to hear ing
from
you!
E-mail:
[email protected].
Pictured (back row): Reed Bell, Chris Adams, Patty Conway,
Mark Ritzer, Mike Doherty. (Front row): Jessie Swieter,
Damien Gordon, George Hall, Les Walker, Mark Hoover
We service all your vehicle needs
Exhaust • Brakes • Tires • Alignment • Air Conditioning
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 34
Recipes
Cranberry Relish Jubilee
Adapted from Manna from Heaven
By the families and friends of the
Rudlin Torah Academy
1 can cranberry sauce (I used whole berry)
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 cup pitted Bing cherries, drained
Place cranberry sauce in bowl; break up
with fork. Add cherries and orange rind.
Toss gently; chill.
—————
Duck Sauce Chicken
Adapted from
Quick & Kosher by Jamie Geller
This is the author’s famous chicken…her
husband’s favorite!
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 1/4 cup Cantonese-style duck sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray nonstick pan with cooking spray. Rinse chicken; pat dry. Pour sauce liberally and evenly over chicken. Bake uncovered for 1
hour and 15 minutes, until skin is crispy
and brown.
January-February 2008
The Crossroads:
a look back
BY Roberta
Scher
Atlantans Allan and Gail Ripans are
well known for their community work,
their ties to many of Atlanta’s leading institutions, and their wide network of friends
and family. However, some do not know
that the Ripans were the successful owners
and proprietors of the Crossroads, the popular restaurant that was located at the corner of Peachtree and West Peachtree.
In the 1950s, Allan, a graduate of the
Cornell University School of Hotel
Administration, gained experience in the
food service field with Allied Stores
Corporation in Manhattan. After a move to
Atlanta to continue his career with ARA
Corporation, he tapped his entrepreneurial
instincts along with his culinary and management skills when he and Gail purchased
the 20-year-old Crossroads restaurant from
Sunny Lewis in 1968.
Gail Ripans with a Crossroads menu
For the next 20 years, the Crossroads
prospered and grew to be an Atlanta food
landmark. Patrons waited patiently in lines
to partake of menu items such as the
famous signature cinnamon rolls; broiled
red snapper, including chef salad and
baked potato ($3.50 for the entire meal); or
one-half pan-fried chicken with salad,
french fries, and rolls ($1.75). How about a
sundae for dessert? Fifty cents!
The Ripans closed the restaurant in
1988 to make way for the Midtown building boom. Oh, how I would welcome a
new kosher Crossroads! How about it,
Gail and Allan?
January-February 2008
Crossroads Restaurant Spinach
Adapted from the original recipe courtesy
of Allan Ripans
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder or 2
crushed bouillon cubes (use parve version if
using butter)
Combine butter or margarine and olive oil
Allan Ripans prepares a Crossroads
menu specialty, red snapper
2 pounds fresh spinach leaves, washed and
stems removed
1/8 pound butter or margarine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fine black pepper
3 peeled medium garlic cloves, crushed or
finely diced
in pan; add garlic, and gently warm
through. Add lemon, bouillon, salt, and
pepper; stir. Add spinach; stir until all
leaves are coated. Cover tightly, and simmer until spinach starts to wilt, about 1
Page 35
minute. Stir, and cover again until spinach
is cooked. Turn off heat, and let set about 1
minute. Enjoy!
Page 36
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
Going home is an experience
both familiar and strange
Recently, I returned to the place where I
was raised: the mill town of Ware Shoals,
South Carolina, population 2,000. It is located
about 30 miles from the South CarolinaGeorgia state line, near Lake Hartwell.
I had not been home since 1987, when
my father died; my mother died in 1982. They
owned and operated a small dry goods store
for over 40 years, but closed it in 1985, a year
after the mill closed and the town began to
deteriorate.
I had heard from childhood friends who
still live in Ware Shoals that I would not recognize it. One Sunday, I went home with a
friend, and as we drew near, I had a certain
feeling of unease. How would I feel about this
changed place? Would I be sad? Excited? I
told my friend that it would probably take
about 10 seconds—no kidding—to pass
through the main part of town.
As we reached the outskirts, the first
thing I saw was an old house with several
junked cars in the front yard. Was this an indication of things to come? We passed the
Piggly Wiggly grocery store, and I remembered that the owner, Marion Carnell, was one
of my dad’s old friends. Marion was also in
the state legislature, where he served one of
the longest tenures ever before retiring. He
once told me that when he was getting started
in business in Ware Shoals, my dad held his
checks for weeks until they were good. If it
BY Bill
Sonenshine
were not for my dad, he said he would have
never made it. Marion came to my dad’s
funeral in Charleston.
My friend wanted some decaffeinated
coffee, so we stopped at something like a convenience store. They had no decaf, no hot tea.
I stepped outside the store, and a policeman
drove up. I introduced myself and told him
that my father had owned Marks Department
Store in town for years. A young guy, he didn’t recognize the name, but he did say we
could get some coffee at a restaurant at the
end of the street.
On the way, we stopped and looked at my
dad’s store. The building has remained vacant
since the store closed. The front windows are
now painted white, so in order to see inside,
we had to go around the back. The building is
a deep red brick and in surprisingly good
shape; “Marks Dept. Store” is still painted in
big letters on the back and sides. Looking
through the windows, all I could see were
piles of junk that looked like electronic equipment.
January-February 2008
Hey Dad, I came home
Just looking in the store brought back all
kinds of memories. I could visualize the place
jammed with customers, particularly at
Christmas. During those days, dad told me
my main job was not to wait on customers,
but to circulate around the store and make
sure nobody stole anything (which had happened on several occasions). The store building is only about 100 yards from our old
house, so most days, my mom and dad would
walk home for lunch. My friend took my picture at the back of the store.
We started down the sidewalk toward the
restaurant. There are only about 10 storefronts; as we walked, I visualized the businesses that used to be there. One was a Greek
café, where the owner made chili so tasty that
just thinking about it made my mouth water.
He steamed the hot dog buns, boiled the hot
dogs, and put freshly chopped onions and
chili on top. I could devour two of those suckers in record time.
I passed what used to be a drugstore. The
owner’s wife was known for her pimento
cheese. I used to have a sandwich with a
vanilla milkshake mixed in a silver canister.
This part of town was called West End.
About a mile away was the company store
owned by the mill. Called the Big Friendly, it
had many different kinds of stores under one
roof.
As we neared the end of the sidewalk,
we heard a great deal of commotion—singing
and clapping and a bunch of amens. We came
to a storefront with drawn drapes and a sign
announcing services for the Freedom World
Outreach Ministries. I can guarantee you that
the people at those services were not sitting
on their hands—the Spirit was definitely
moving them. It reminded me of the Hallelu
Atlanta concert held at the Fox Theatre in
November and Joshua Nelson’s Gospel
Jewish singing.
The restaurant was next door. We sat in a
booth near a wall adjoining the church, so as
our bodies were being fed, our spirits were
uplifted by the singing. We had a delicious
country meal with an entrée, three vegetables,
bread, tea, and peach cobbler for $6.50.
Rarely can one find such a bargain other than
in a small country town.
After lunch, we hopped in the car and
drove about a mile to the Big Friendly, which
is now the town hall. I remembered how the
place crawled with people during Christmas.
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
The Big Friendly and the West End merchants always competed with each other to
see who could give away the biggest prizes.
For every $1 purchase, you received one ticket. Prizes included a car, refrigerator, TV sets,
cash, and various smaller items. After the
drawing was held, people would throw their
tickets in the air. It was like a blizzard—you
could barely see the pavement for the tickets.
Near the company store was Catherine
Hall, which housed a movie theater, library,
meeting rooms, pool hall, lockers, and showers. Next to it was a swimming pool. I knew
the pool had closed, but didn’t realize it had
been filled in with dirt. Now it is just a grassy
field.
We then drove to the site of the old mill.
At one time, it employed about 2,000 people
from Ware Shoals and surrounding communities. After it had closed, there were several
unsuccessful efforts to bring other industries
into the building. Although there had been a
big fire, I expected to see remnants of the
mill, but there were only bushes, small trees,
and grass. I had images of my friends and me
skating down the big incline on the sidewalk
at what seemed like incredible speeds. I went
so fast I thought I would fly away.
As we drove up to the high school, my
thought was that it had hardly changed. At the
back was the stadium (built during the Great
Depression as part of a federal work program), where I played baseball and earned
my first sweater and high school letter. This
past year, George Clooney used the stadium
for some scenes for Leatherheads, a 1920s
football movie that will be released in the
spring.
The last thing I wanted to see was the
house where I was raised. It looked nice and
clean, but something was missing. Then I
remembered the beautiful oak tree that I used
to climb. I wanted to knock on the door and
ask if I could come in and look around. On
my next trip, I definitely want to see the
inside of the house.
Our last stop was a visit to a childhood
friend. I had not seen John (Peewee) Simpson
and his wife, Ellen, for over 40 years. Ellen
and I were among the 55 students in our senior class, and John graduated a year ahead of
us. John was a hardworking, all-around nice
guy. I was a football manager one year and
John played halfback—or, as we used to say,
he was a scat back. He was short, but powerful and fast. I remembered Ellen as attractive
and pleasant, and she still is.
For about 30 minutes, we swapped stories and had some good laughs. I enjoyed seeing John’s collection of Santa statues and
hearing about John and Ellen’s grandchildren
and great grandchild. John mentioned that he
did not think of me being Jewish, but thought
of me only as a friend. He asked if I had any
trouble because of my Jewishness and was
surprised when I said that a small group of
guys used to call my family names.
Finally it was time for us to leave, and I
realized that my initial uneasiness had gone
away. Things did look smaller than I remembered, and it was sad to see how the town
deteriorated. I plan to go back soon and spend
more time looking around and talking to
friends.
My advice to is to go back where you
spent your childhood, then close your eyes
and indulge in pleasant memories.
Page 37
Page 38
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
13 at the Dinner of Honor. Sheli Feldman
and David Frankel (pictured) were honored
for their enthusiasm, love, and support of
GHA. Hilliard Gastfriend was also recognized for his contributions to technology
advances at the school.
By Belle Klavonsky
Egyptian subjects during the time of Roman
expansion.
WELCOMING THE HOLIDAY. Davis
Academy Kindergarten student Evan
Berger (pictured) helps decorate his classroom for Chanukah by hanging his stained
glass window dreidel.
LIGHT THE CANDLES. Davis Academy
2nd-graders (from left) Mollie Schwarz,
Talia Spitzler, and David Leven light the
Chanukia (menorah) in celebration of
Chanukah.
CLEOPATRA SPEAKS. For a lesson on
ancient Egypt, Davis Academy 6th-grade
social studies teacher Joan Blumenfeld (pictured) portrayed Cleopatra and spoke to her
students about her life as queen of Egypt.
During her monologue, “Cleopatra”
explained how modern movies and William
Shakespeare portray her in a negative light.
She told the students that everything she did
during her reign was done to benefit her
A GOOD BOOK. Shawn and Jon Leven
present a Siddur to their son, David Leven
(pictured), one of their three triplets in 2nd
grade at the Davis Academy. The annual
Kabbalat HaSiddur program, which took
place on December 14, is a beautiful Davis
Academy tradition that gives parents of
2nd- graders the opportunity to personalize
the prayer book that their student will use
for daily tefillah and during Kabbalat
Shabbat services throughout their years at
the school.
L’DOR V’DOR. Nearly 750 visitors turned
out on November 21 for Grandparents and
Special Friends Day at the Davis Academy.
The special guests enjoyed performances by
the Davis Middle School Band and 3rdgrade singers; they then had a chance to
visit their students’ classrooms. Pictured:
Kindergartener Caroline Goldman enjoys
the morning with her grandmother, Margie
Holland.
EXCHANGE
STUDENTS.
Davis
Academy Middle School welcomed four
Israeli students who are participating in the
ORT exchange program. The students,
along with their chaperone, arrived on
January 16. They will attend Davis
Academy classes and see Atlanta sites during their visit, which ends on February 13.
Hosts from Davis are Lee Silver, Brent
Denys, Jaclyn Turner, Zach Beagle, and
Leah Michalove. Pictured: (from left) Adi
Ezra, Ori Zodik, Gali Sztern, Vered Naveh
(chaperone), Ayelet Gamzou, and Sigal
Tzoref (Davis Academy Middle School
Hebrew Coordinator)
THE ROAD TO SUCCESS. When Jake
Gottlieb came to Greenfield Hebrew
Academy, he had no idea how much the
M’silot program would change his life.
M’silot (“pathways”) is Greenfield’s
school-within-a-school for children who
learn differently. In January, Jake came
back to the school to express his thanks and
donate $1,000 to M’silot in honor of his bar
mitzvah. Jake’s mom said his time in the
M’silot program prepared him for the rest of
his academic career.
TELL US A STORY. Toddlers from the
community have been enjoying GHA’s
Story Hour events. The programs include a
craft activity, a story, and more. GHA’s next
story hour is April 10, at 10 a.m. For more
information and to RSVP, call Amy Glass at
678-298-5377. Pictured: Dorothy Ripps
during a recent story hour event
AFTER-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT. GHA’s
after-school program, GHAce, kicked off
with a number of classes. Students of all
ages could participate in a variety of after
school classes, including photography, art,
and choir. More classes could be added in
the fall.
AN EVENING IN NEVERLAND. The
Academy Players (pictured), GHA’s acting
troupe, is preparing for the school’s big production of Peter Pan. The students will perform in the British version of the wellknown story, March 4-9. This year, more
than 80 students are involved in the production. For information contact GHA at 404843-9900.
DINNER OF HONOR. GHA paid tribute to
two wonderful family members on January
WHAT DID MAIMONIDES SAY?
Rambam Atlanta Day School will present
its 1st Annual Lecture on Topics in Modern
Orthodoxy, February 24, 7:00 p.m., when
Dr. David Blumenthal, Jay and Leslie
Cohen Professor of Judaic Studies, Emory
University, speaks on “Maimonides’
Thirteen Principles of Faith.” Co-sponsored
by Yeshiva Atlanta High School, the lecture
takes place at YA’s media center. The
evening also features light refreshments,
socializing, and a tour of Rambam Atlanta
Day School. The suggested donation is $18
at the door. For more information, call the
YA business office at 770-451-5299.
MACCABI GAMES. Weber School students joined an estimated 3,000 athletes
from more than 20 countries to participate
in the 11th Pan American Maccabi Games
held December 26 through January 2.
Congratulations to seniors Jared Kopman,
player on the Youth Men’s Soccer Team,
and Jared Kaye, silver medal winner in
Junior Boys’ Golf; junior Adam Kaye, was
the 4th-place winner in Juniors Boys’ Golf;
former 2006 student, David Tillem, was a
gold medal winner in Open Tennis Mixed
Doubles; and Weber parent Mitchell Kaye,
Sr., won the silver medal in Masters 50+
Men’s Golf.
January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
of the YSAB, she will help give a fresh perspective on youth needs and help plan
Hands On Atlanta service projects.
YOUNG
JEWISH
LEADERSHIP.
Congratulations to Deborah Hoffman (pictured) who was recently elected vice president of the United Synagogue Youth (USY)
International Israel Affairs board. She plans
to continue Israel advocacy and promote
USY programs in Israel. International USY
is made up of 17 regions and holds an
organization-wide
convention
each
December for all of its chapters. Hoffman
also serves as regional vice president for
USY.
HELPING OTHERS. Ariella Axler (pictured) was recently selected to be on the
Youth Service Advisory Board (YSAB) of
Hands On Atlanta. She was one of ten students selected from the greater metro area.
Hands On Atlanta is a non-profit organization that helps individuals, families, corporate and community groups find flexible
volunteer opportunities at more than 400
service organizations and schools. As part
WISE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
Weber’s Student Ecology Movement
(SEM) met with Brian Feagans, Atlanta
Journal Constitution staff writer, to discuss
the push by young people for ecological
solutions. Specifically, they spoke at length
about SEM’s ambitions, focusing on water
conservation and desalinization. Pictured:
(from left) Jonathan Gaynes, Adam
Augenstein, Julian Gindy, and Brian
Feagans
Page 39
THE FIRST ATLANTA FEDERATION
MEN’S MISSION TO ISRAEL
Front row l-r: Milton Saul, Jim Smulian, Bernie Palay, Walter Cohen,
Simon Selig, Jr., Max Cuba, Rabbi Jacob Rothschild, Irving Goldstein,
Alfred Davis. Middle row l-r: Nathan Lipson, unknown, Ben Hyman,
unknown, unknown. Back row l-r: Jon Golden, Larry Frank, Jerry
Dubrof, Mike Gettinger, Dave Goldwasser, Rabbi Emmanuel Feldman,
and Jack Gelbart. On January 12, 1969, 21 men went to Israel on a factfinding, historic mission trip. They reported their findings to the community at the annual meeting of the Atlanta Jewish Welfare Federation
held on January 26.
CIVIL RIGHTS TOUR LEADS TO STUDENT ACTION. Weber’s 11th-grade class
recently returned from a trip to
Montgomery, Birmingham and Memphis,
where they learned about the civil rights
movement. While discussing what civil
rights means to them, the junior class urged
their fellow students to join the Darfur
U rgent Action Coalition of Georgia on
Sunday, January 27, for a support rally at
Central Presbyterian Church. The Student
Council also showed their commitment by
announcing that students attending the rally
will receive a $2 rebate on the cost of their
school dance ticket. Pictured: Abe Levy,
Ben Shartar and Jonathan Gaynes at the
Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery,
Alabama
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Page 40
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008
“The One Year Party: How Study in Israel
Changed My Life,” a talk by Morris
Benveniste; children’s services directed by
Mimi Hal and Jeff Allan; and youth activities, including the creation of a tallit under
the instruction of Rabbi Analia Boortz,
while Rabbi Mario Karpuj serenaded everyone by the campfire.
MISH MASH
By Erin O’Shinskey
CENKER HONORED. Michael Cenker is
one of four new members recently inducted
into the Ben Zakkai Honor Society of
NCSY, the international youth program of
the Orthodox Union. Cenker grew up in
Congregation Beth Jacob and was a member and leader of its Taryag NCSY chapter
for years. He served with distinction as vice
president for programming and president at
both the chapter and Southern Region levels. He met his wife, Betsy, through NCSY,
and they both served the organization for
many years. Cenker continues with his
involvement at Beth Jacob and Torah Day
School.
CURVY WIDOW TELLS ALL. An electric
evening reminiscent of Broadway postshow parties was held recently in the
Buckhead penthouse of Alliance Theatre
Board President-Elect Howard Feinsand
and his wife, Ellen. The evening toasted
playwright Bobby Goldman, whose autobiographical play, C u rvy Wi d o w, had its
world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in
November. Starring Cybill Shepherd, the
show played to sold-out houses throughout
its Atlanta run. At the party, Goldman’s
witty remarks about her experiences in the
world of online dating riveted the distinguished audience of theatre patrons and
board members.
Bobby Goldman
Feinsand
and
Howard
Harry Heiman (from left), Sammi
Berenson, Luna Manela, Danielle
Berenson, and Hanna Rosenfeld
Flanking playwright Bobby Goldman
are husband-and-wife team Susan
Booth, Alliance Theatre artistic
director, and Max Leventhal, Alliance
Theatre general manager.
Alliance patrons Jim and Lori
Kilberg thank reception host Ellen
Feinsand.
NCSY CELEBRATES CHANUKAH. The
Second Annual Festival of Lights Ball saw
nearly 100 teens pack the NCSY
Community Teen Center in Atlanta. This
“black and white party” included a sushi bar
staffed by two professional sushi chefs, an
array of hot hors d’oeuvres, sparkling cider
in champagne glasses, and a live concert.
NCSY Regional Director Rabbi Chaim
Neiditch lit the menorah and inspired teens
by speaking about the essence of Chanukah.
Naomi Benveniste (from left),
Stephanie Singer, Tamar Karpuj,
Steven Fisher, Adam Rosenfeld, and
Bernie Manela
THE GREAT OUTDOORS. Teens from
around the South gathered at Lake
Kolomoki in Blakely, Georgia, for the
NCSY 2007 Fall Regional Convention.
They stayed in log cabins, enjoyed catered
meals made and subsidized by Steve Gilmer
and Quality Kosher Emporium, walked
along nature trails, and participated in teambuilding and bonding programs. On
Saturday night, teens sang songs and told
stories around the bonfire; played sports
with glow-in-the-dark Frisbees, footballs,
and soccer balls; watched movies; and
enjoyed an old-fashioned Southern barbecue. The convention concluded with a day
by the lake, which included boating and
kayaking.
Mrs. Chava Neiditch (from left), Maia
Hoberman, Sarah Harpaz, Shevi
Gartner, and Amanda Cinnamon
FAMILY RETREAT. More than 100 congregants and friends of Congregation Or
Hadash attended the 4th Annual Family
Retreat at Camp Ramah Darom in October.
The weekend included Shabbat and
Havdalah services; Dr. Steve Kutner of
Jewish Healthcare International discussing
the immigration of Ethiopians to Israel;
AT THE LAKE. Pictured (from left,
top row) Adeena Ellison and Yael
Dosetarah (from left, bottom row)
Leah Lubel, Sivan Bachar, and
Rachel Khandadash
January-February 2008
A KOSHER CHANUKAH AT KROGER.
More than 200 people attended the12th
annual Chanukah party at the Toco Hills
Kroger, 2205 LaVista Road, Sunday,
December 2. The children sang songs,
danced and lit the Chanukia (menorah) in
celebration of Chanukah.
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
sales begin March 5. Proceeds from the sale
directly benefit individual troops, provide
program development and resource materials for girls, and support the council’s five
camps. All Girl Scout cookies, including
the new Lemon Chalet Cremes and SugarFree Chocolate Chips, have zero grams of
trans fat. Each box sells for $3.50. For more
information, call 404-527-7500, or visit
www.girlscoutsnwga.org.
Rabbi Kalmen Rosenbaum, right,
head of the Torah Day School, with
children and a Kroger staff member
COOKIE TIME. Girl Scout Cookie sales
started January 18. The initial order-taking
phase will last through February 3; booth
Girl Scout April Freeman of Calhoun
Page 41
You and Your Family Belong at
Come between the hours of
4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday or
4:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. on Friday & Saturday.
Order any item from Gourmet Bistro Pizzas,
Beef Tenderloin Salad, Salmon Salad,
or any other dinner item.
Get the second menu item half off.
2458 Mt.Vernon Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30338
404-840-4980
www.java-u.com
Valid from 1/15/08-2/28/08.
Page 42
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Our Home
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“All the staff is nurturing, compassionate
and dedicated…”.
Nancy Mittler
Daughter of Resident
“Everyone there made me feel so at home during
my visit with my mother. You really helped to
create a special memory for both of us.”
Glen Papure
Son of Resident
THE
COHEN HOME
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January-February 2008
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January-February 2008
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 43
Page 44
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
January-February 2008