Atlanta Jewish Times, VOL. XCIX NO. 11, June 15, 2023

Father's Day, Professionals and Real Estate

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DAVID OSTROWSKY DEBBIE DIAMOND

JAN JABEN-EILON

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Rabbi Berg’s American Jewish Committee Tribute

More than 400 revelers, politicians and Temple members and supporters celebrated Rabbi Peter Berg’s receipt of the American Jewish Committee’s Annual Distinguished Advocate Award on May 23 at Flourish. Three generations of Bergs shared experiences growing up with, and alongside, the rabbi on this his very birthday.

Rabbi Berg’s wife, Karen Kerness, began the program with humor explaining what life is like living with a legendary rabbi, comparing his pulpit voice volume to his snoring, “Our love language is keeping him humble.” Sons, Matan, Lior, and Noah then took their turns roasting and admiring their dad. Berg’s parents, Judy and Bruce, similarly alternated, “When we told you to stand up straight, it really paid off.”

Outgoing AJC president Craig Kaufman spoke of Berg’s 15 years at The Temple working with leaders and politicians “with wisdom beyond his years with projects like expanding the Unity Seder and working on the global fight against antisemitism…leadership that

matters.” Approximately $463,000 was raised in Berg’s honor before the evening, and Berg later expressed hope to round that figure up to $500,000.

Video tributes were shown from Sen. Raphael Warnock and Bernie Marcus, who spoke of Berg’s role as his own family’s rabbi “being there with his wise

words...those words have impact...he gets awards because he earns them!” Arthur Blank, in another video tribute, called Berg “a real pro with faith and history,

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able to address the problems we face... Berg is a game changer because of his partnerships.” A surprise live video shown from the Western Wall featured Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and family.

Berg’s predecessor, Alvin Sugarman, began with a derisive remark that he himself “was not used to public speaking.” He relayed the two Torah traditions: written and living, “So as the North Star moves very little, our living Torah gives us stability.” Audience members wiped tears as Sugarman ended, “I couldn’t love you more if you were my own son.”

Incoming AJC president Belinda Morris recalled that she held her breath when Berg first came 15 years ago to be the “perfect fit. Since then, he has conducted our girls' b’nai mitzvot, confirmations and weddings.”

Honoree Berg began by jocularly pondering his dilemma to stay to the

very end and not jump ahead of the valet line; and that he would be brief since “he puts people to sleep for a living.” More seriously, he cited the mitzvah of repaying debts and thanked his parents for “providing the foundation to find a path that makes him happy every day.” He apologized for promising Karen that “she would not be in the limelight” when he took the position here. Nothing makes Berg prouder than his sons and confessed “secret donut runs behind mom’s back.” Berg ended with a charge to speak out to do the right thing, “What we can do, we must.”

AJC Regional Director Dov Wilker took the stage with Berg in the center and guest speakers rotating to answer Wilker’s queries. Wilker began with some history on how he met Berg in his hometown synagogue before his move to Atlanta and how their friendship has sustained.

The Rev Dr. Tony Sundermeier, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, spoke of his building’s proximity to The Temple and how he and Berg have spoken at each other’s pulpits and traveled to Cuba together.

Lisa Schnaubelt, ACCESS co-chair, mentioned that today’s youth need tools on how to respond to things like anti-Israel comments on social media.

Lauren Linder, AJC’s Black Jewish Coalition leader, shared that she went to Pace Academy, where she went to her share of b’nai mitvot. Now, in a biracial and interfaith marriage, she leverages friendship to help move things forward like impacting legislation.

Matan Berg, Leaders for Tomorrow alum, shared that there were only 20 Jewish kids in his public-school graduating class, and why, indeed, he was fortunate to have his father as a role model.

The Temple clergy then led a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” to Berg, and all were given a note card to send personal birthday wishes.

Earlier in the reception, current JF&CS chair Jonathan Amsler spoke of his friendship with the rabbi. “What Berg does, comes from the heart with no pretense.”

Ilene Engel, also past AJC president, stated that, “Berg is inspiring and lifts up Temple congregants to be the best we can be.”

Outgoing AJC president Kaufman said, “Berg is so smart, but he doesn’t wear that on his sleeve. His vision is what makes him so amazing.”

Georgia Sen. Jason Estevez shared the positive experience he had with Berg while active on the Atlanta Public School board.

Not to be understated, Wilker wished Berg, “May you live to 120.” ì

Auxiliary Spring Luncheon Shares New Beginnings

The Auxiliary of The William Breman Jewish Home hosted their annual Spring Luncheon and 2023 Board Installation on May 22 at Temple Sinai with almost 150 participants.

The program opened with a greeting, followed by mission comments presented by Shirley Bernes and Robyn Tannenbaum, Auxiliary co-chairs. Jody Goldstein, chair of the nominating committee, then led the 2023-2024 Board slate introduction. A new slate of officers, carrying forward the mission to lead and serve, will take over as of July 1.

After lunch, Tannenbaum announced the organization’s new fundraising approach, and shared, “With the concept of new beginnings, the auxiliary will be teaming up with Jewish HomeLife’s 2023 annual campaign. Our Auxiliary is an army of women and men over 1,100 strong; what a perfect match to assist Jewish HomeLife to raise the necessary funds to provide for our residents and support our incredible compassionate staff, who take care of our

loved ones 24/7. I am delighted to share with you that part of my role as co-chair of the Auxiliary this year will include cochairing the annual campaign with Billie

Greenberg.”

Tannenbaum added, “There will be no more galas in our future. With more younger people bringing fresh enthu-

siasm, it is a new time for the younger mothers and daughters, a new generation, to lead with their fresh enthusiasm.”

Jeffrey A. Gopen then explained that “this new fundraising model is about a mission from the heart that does not need to include pomp and circumstance. Through stories that move people, we touch and change people’s lives while educating and supporting them.”

The Auxiliary Luncheon and Board Installation is a warm event that gives recognition and focuses on where Jewish HomeLife is going.

“We are supported by 1,100 members of the Auxiliary, who help better the lives of the residents, and engage, support, and welcome new ideas and perspectives,” Gopen said. “When the world is too busy to love and support, we fill in the gap and provide love and support for our families and better care for our own team.”

Bernes then presented a special L’dor V’dor Award to Kyle Simon, son of Michele Simon, who volunteer together each Wednesday in the Jean A. Cohen Gift Shop, located in the lobby of the Breman Jewish Home. As Kyle Simon came to the bima to accept his award, he happily suggested that each Auxiliary member should consider buying a lifetime membership.

“We need more younger people here,” said past Board chair Steve Berman, after delivering the Hamotzi and cutting the challah. “All grandparents

should have kids as life members.”

Gopen introduced Nareen Bennett, Jewish HomeLife’s director of quality and training, who received the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s 2023 Marilyn Shubin Staff Professional Staff Development Award and is teaching Jewish HomeLife’s certified nursing aides how to become certified medication aides.

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you,” Bennett explained.

Additional award recipients included Stephanie Shields for Volunteer of the Year and Sue Saban, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Nancy Baron and Miriam Mimi Lewis won the raffle, and Sandra Banks, of A Kosher Touch, who catered the lunch, won the diamond bracelet from Sue Sandalon’s Jewelry.

“It is a gift and a pleasure to volunteer at the Jewish Home,” Auxiliary past president Sherry Habif, exclaimed. “I have been volunteering for almost 15 years, because it brings pleasure and happiness to the residents who need a big hello, a smiling face, and a loving touch. With a chance to be artistically creative, I love decorating the lobby of the Jewish Home, as you walk in the door, welcoming all with cheerful greeting. What fun and love I receive in making our residents happy.” ì

JWFA’S Brunch Showcases Success

Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta hosted its first annual Year End Showcase brunch on June 8 announcing its 2023 grant docket, including the Women’s Leadership Grant recipients. Also on the agenda was a panel discussion, “Food, Feminism & Philanthropy,” with caterer Sandra Bank; Jenny Levison, of Souper Jenny; and Dale Gordon DeSena, founder and president of Taste of Atlanta, who served as the moderator.

The brunch was held at a unique venue on Huff Road, 42 West, which had an industrial ambiance as a backdrop to A Kosher Touch’s sumptuous food and floral displays. Bank (AKT) was lauded for donating the staff and food for the event.

JWFA CEO Rachel Wasserman quantified the organization’s success, saying, “It’s been quite a year! We just concluded our biggest year of grantmaking - not how many we made or how much we allocated, although those are impressive numbers, but rather, I am so proud of taking a step back to think outside the box as funders and develop multiple, creative ways to support social change for Jewish women and girls. From sustaining grants to women’s leadership grants to our incredible signature grant, the ways we are impacting the landscape for women and girls in our community are too numerous to count…we are the ones who must stand up…for gender equality in the Jewish community. We must demand what we know we deserve: safety, equity, respect, leadership opportunities, mental health…a better world for our daughters and granddaughters.”

She thanked her coworkers like Judy Marx, advancement and engagement manager, Dina Fuchs Beresin, director of strategic programs, and outgoing chair Linda Davis.

Moderating the panel, DeSena spoke of “pulling back the curtain” with comments about their start as entrepreneurs, how they navigated COVID, and views of giving back, or tzedakah

Levison recalled when she started 25 years ago, she just “did it…keeping her acting career in tow for the evenings.” She traveled the world and got soup recipes on napkins. She laughed as she said, “Starting a soup business in (hot) Atlanta was questionable.” Now, with her Zaydie Project, she has served 130,000 quarts of soup this year.

Bank stated that growing up in South Africa gave her a love of enter-

taining, and that being an immigrant, her business created a sense of “family,” as well as serving the actual families in whose houses she caters. She said, “I look at tzedakah as being done without recognition…one way in doing that is staff development.”

DeSena remarked how the industry has changed, “Recessions and storms

didn’t compare to COVID…we became hyperlocal.” Bank echoed, “During COVID, we kept the wheels turning, but did not make money.”

All agreed that they enjoyed the leisure time from COVID but only for the first few weeks. Bank said, “I looked around…maybe we need to paint the walls.”

Levison said she watched Netflix until reality set in.

DeSena concluded, “We are the leaders of the band in a fun industry with fun people.”

Beresin spoke of the original thought that the ACT program would exist for “younger” women. She recalibrated, “I myself was looking at 50…so now we are

24-plus with no age cap, all learning what it means to be philanthropists, with a 30-year age span.”

Due to COVID, the ACT program was predominately done virtually. She said, “We identified many mental health issues locally…stressors which resulted in some deep soul searching.”

ACT graduate Coby Cohen spoke of her personal experience as she was inspired to be more intentional and introspective.

Grant chair Mindy Binderman announced $323,000 granted total this year (a 24 percent increase) with a running total of more than $2 million. This is the first time JWFA has four categories of grants, adding that some of the grants are being given time and funds to “ramp down” to make way for new ideas with new partners, including policy reform, sexual violence, tools for Ukrainians and Russians, STEM education, free and safe abortion treatment and contraception, and expanded rabbinic networks.

Incoming chair Lisa Freedman relished the success of the previous 10th anniversary event with Rochelle Walensky (CDC director), trustee events, and retreats. Of Davis’ departure, she said, “This leaves me with crazy large shoes to fill.” Davis was called up to receive a special tzedakah box representing righteousness and justice. Davis emotionally addressed the founders, “I hope what we are today is what you envisioned.”

Wasserman was then commended for her 11 years of service.

In the pre-function, passionate JWFA members chatted about their roles. Freedman said, “I care so deeply about our mission especially as a Jewish woman raising a daughter. Less than 2 percent of funds raised today (universally) are directed solely for women. That makes us very unique in our efforts.”

Binderman stated, “This is the smartest and most welcoming organization and group of women!” ì

Citizens Market: Not Your Everyday Food Court

Grab a bite before or after a movie. Sip a cocktail after shopping at Hermes or Balmaine (opening soon).

Citizens Market, the west rear of Phipps Plaza, opened in April with 25,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor space, featuring bar, event, and culinary dining destinations. Call it an “elevated food court as there are no Moe’s or Chik-fil-A’s among the eight geometrically designed chef-driven choices.

Citizens Market sits adjacent to The Green, the newly designed, grand courtyard with comfortable seating, wellmanicured green space, and a large-scale, hand-painted mural that Simon commissioned from Savannah College of Art and Design.

The overall reimagined Phipps Plaza is a unique mixed-use development with work, play and shopping options. After all, it’s no secret that the old mall model, store to store with the likes of The Limited, has either declined or is on developers’ tables slated for renovation. Simon

added the Nobu Hotel, Life Time and Life Time Work, a luxury athletic country club and coworking destination, and One Phipps Plaza, a LEED-certified, 13-story, Class A office tower.

Citizens Market is operated by global

premium experiences company, Legends, with culinary brands created by C3 (Creating Culinary Communities), the fastestgrowing global food tech platform. All the employees wear navy blue Citizens’ hats as a team under one umbrella.

The dining options include:

Umami Burger: A rich and savory taste sensation that goes beyond the commonplace flavors of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.

Sam’s Crispy Chicken: Southern-

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fried chicken specialties, 100 percent antibiotic and hormone free. Sam’s Crispy Chicken specializes in hand-battered, cornflake-crusted, all-natural chicken sandwiches.

Krispy Rice: An elevated sushi experience centering around handrolls, maki cut rolls, nigiri, and chef-curated combinations.

Sa’Moto: A collection of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s most loved panAsian dishes, merging Asian flavors, Japanese techniques, and American spirit.

Ella Mia: A modern and sophisticated coffee shop with a slice of craft coffee culture serving breakfast, lunch, and early dinner, breads, sandwiches, and soups with an international flair. Opens at 8 a.m.

Cicci Di Carne by Dario: Centered on the local deli and butchers’ shop concept, with a menu helmed by world-renowned butcher, Dario Cecchini, known as the “world’s best butcher.”

El Pollo Verde: El Pollo Verde, by Dani Garcia, offers roasted organic chicken and Spanish-inspired salad bowls by three Michelin-starred chef, Dani Garcia, who is the creative force behind renowned Casa Dani.

SOOM SOOM Fresh Mediterra-

nean: Authentic Mediterranean pitas and wraps packed with flavor in dishes like chicken shawarma, kabobs, classic hummus, and falafel served with house made tahini.

All of the above descriptions were provided by Citizens. This AJT writer sampled two venues: SOOM SOOM

Fresh Mediterranean and Sa’Moto. The former was a traditional grouping (mix and match) of cauliflower, roasted carrots, beets, tabbouleh, and a sublime

The platter from SOOM SOOM’s star item was the babaganouch.

babaganouch with real smoked flavors. At Sa’Moto, the group ordered the vegan spicey ramen, which was bountiful with fresh tomatoes, corn, tofu, sesame seeds, scallions, a really special malange of noodles and veggies. (Folks on limited salt diets should stay away from this elaborate “stew” as the only caveat.)

The drink menu at elongated Citizens Bar, facing The Green, features craft cocktails and mocktails using fresh, seasonal ingredients; a rotating selection of bottled beers, including local offerings from Atlanta Brewing Company, Atlanta Hard Cider, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., Scofflaw Brewing Co., SweetWater Brewing Company, and Wild Heaven Beer; and selections of wines by the glass. The full-service bar opens onto The Green for drinks al fresco with live music and entertainment. Patio seating stretches the entire length of the courtyard and around the corner of the food hall.

Designed by architect David Rockwell, Citizens Market’s architectural elements include geometric food counters, homogeneous stall design, vibrant neon brand logos, and low lighting to create the ambiance of an upscale restaurant. Shades of greenery peek out to offer soft touches. Loads of guest seating includes high-top community tables, traditional banquettes, and modern ottomans, colored in terracotta and neutral tones.

Bottom line: A fine addition to the Buckhead scene, and those lucky guests staying at the Nobu Hotel, Citizens enhances Phipps’ uniqueness. Certainly a notch above fast food, but keep expecations in check. The outdoor space alone is worth a visit, kids, and all.

Citizens is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. ì

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Lipstadt Lauds White House Antisemitism Report

Not surprising for an historian, but when Ambassador Deborah E. Lipstadt spoke at an impromptu briefing just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden presented the U.S. Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, May 25, she pointed out the significance of the location of the briefing – in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which once housed the U.S. State Department.

Lipstadt related stories of how the State Department worked against bringing European Jews to the U.S., an effort that would have saved the lives of both adults and children during the Holocaust.

Now, exactly one year after she became the country’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Lipstadt – who took a leave of absence from Emory University, where she was Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies – heralded the bipartisan effort that produced the 60-page document. “This is an historic moment.”

“In my initial statements [as Ambassador], I emphasized the need to take antisemitism seriously.” The report, she

said, indicates that the Biden administration “recognized this problem.” Antisemitism, she added, has only worsened in re-

cent years. But the report “is not just to be put on a shelf.” It contains timelines; “it’s an action plan.”

The White House states that the strategy includes more than “100 new actions the administration will take to raise awareness of antisemitism and its threat to American democracy, protect Jewish institutions and communities, reverse the normalization of antisemitism, and build cross-community solidarity to fight antisemitism. It also makes over 100 calls on Congress, state and local governments, the private sector, and civil society to take steps to counter antisemitism.”

A week after the White House released its report, Lipstadt spoke at a webinar hosted by the White House and the Anti-Defamation League, as many Jewish organizations weighed in on the significance of the report.

Philanthropist and Jewish Future Pledge founder Mike Leven stated, “As a proud JewishAmerican and cofounder of the Jewish Future Pledge, I’m pleased to see our government finally taking a step to fight an ancient problem that has reoccurred to a level never seen in many years across our country. This critical

step addresses the rising tide of hate and discrimination against Jews worldwide, and one that has taken too long for our government to make.

“I am hopeful that the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism will be successful, and I hope that it combats antisemitism in all its forms. We need to educate people about the dangers of hate, build bridges between different communities, and hold perpetrators of antisemitic violence accountable,” Leven said in a statement.

The reactions to the government’s antisemitism report unfolded as the trial of Robert Bowers – accused killer of 11 Jewish worshipers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh – got underway. Bowers is charged with 63 federal charges in connection with the Oct. 27, 2018, shooting as well as hate crime-related counts that could result in the death penalty. His lawyers are not disputing the shooting but contend that no hate crime was involved.

In a statement released the day the White House made its announcement,

the Jewish Council for Public Affairs’ CEO, Amy Spitalnick, said, “Jewish safety is inextricably linked to the safety of other communities and the health and vibrancy of our multiracial democracy.

As we see antisemitism and extremism increasingly normalized in our politics and our society, the urgency of this framework is even more clear. And it’s precisely what I’ve advocated since the first roundtable at the White House nearly six months ago. I’m heartened by the Biden administration’s whole-of-government strategy, which, at its core, recognizes that combating antisemitism requires protecting and advancing our democracy and the fundamental rights and safety of all communities – just as those goals require confronting antisemitism.”

The ADL and the JCPA were not the only Jewish organizations to participate in what Lipstadt called a “team effort,” that included non-Jews and more than two dozen U.S. agencies across the country that contributed to the strategy.

Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, cited 10 reasons for his belief that “this is a monumental moment for AJC, our community, and for America.” Among those reasons, he said, were the facts that it called for steps to be taken not only by the federal, state, and local governments, but also businesses and universities.

“Addressing antisemitism on college campuses and in K-12 schools, the National Strategy promotes a host of initiatives, many of them from AJC’s Call to

Action, including an awareness and education campaign for university, elementary, and secondary education through the Department of Education,” he said.

CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, Halie Soifer, welcomed the White House’s announcement, saying that “President Biden’s national strategy to counter antisemitism is the most ambitious and comprehensive effort in U.S. history to fight this dangerous scourge of hate.” She added that her organization was “proud to have been a part of the coalition of organizations that participated in listening sessions with the White House that led to the creation of this strategy.”

On the other hand, CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Matt Brooks, expressed his “deep disappointment” in the Biden administration for not exclusively using the International Holocaust Remembrance Association definition of antisemitism, favored by many Jewish and non-Jewish organizations. “Joe Biden had a chance to take a strong stand against antisemitism and he blew it,” he said.

However, the AJC noted that the first part of the White House report was “a reaffirmation of the administration’s embrace” of IHRA. And William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said he “wholeheartedly applauds the Biden administration’s continuing embrace of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which is the most universally accepted definition of antisemitism.”

Likewise, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Herzog, commended Biden “for prioritizing the need to confront antisemitism in all its forms. We welcome the re-embracing of the IHRA definition which is the gold standard definition of antisemitism.”

In her briefing the day the document was released, Lipstadt perhaps anticipated some criticism of the report. She said that she often told her Emory students, “if you read a 60-page document and you don’t find something to disagree with, then you’re not reading it carefully.” ì

Weber Students Win Top Prizes in Israel Contest

After 11 years of being a parent and volunteer at the Weber School, Michal Ilai started teaching students at the private Jewish school in Sandy Springs. Now, after five years of teaching Hebrew and classes on Israel, Ilai has left both Weber and Atlanta to move closer to her mother and family in Austin, Texas. She leaves the school, however, with several of her students awarded top prizes for projects created about Israel.

As part of its focus on Israel’s 75th anniversary this year, the Center for Israel Education held a competition for students to win prizes and recognition for creative projects on Israel. The contest was broken into three age groups: grades 3-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. Although more than 100 entries were received from the U.S. and Canada, at the high school level, entries were received from only Weber.

As Ilai noted, the first three winners were among her Weber students. Taking first prize was Leeya Ilan, 15, of Alpharetta. Second prize went to Renee Vaysman, 17, of Brookhaven, and third prize went

to Ezra Adler, 15, of Sandy Springs, and Adam Jacobson, 15, of Dunwoody. Honorable mentions went to Rany Granath, 17, Sandy Springs; Hannah Reznik, 15, Dunwoody; Layla Rothberg, 15, Dunwoody; and Tahel Shantzer, 15, Dunwoody – all Weber students. The top three winners won gift cards while the honorable mentions received certificates.

In the youngest group, Davis Academy students receiving honorable mention included Stella Gold, 10, Sandy Springs, and Charley Solomon, 10, also of Sandy Springs.

CIE asked the students entering from grades 9-12 to “create a visual representation of how one aspect of Israel has changed from 1948 to now.” Students were asked to “include something showing the status in 1948, something from the past year to show the current status, and at least two items from moments in the intervening 75 years. The combination of those visuals shows the process of change.” The students’ creations “could include photos, artifacts, timelines, re-created objects, documents, videos, animation or any other visual representation” that fit the students’ skills and interests.

Second-place winner Vaysman created a video about fashion, a passion of hers, according to the rising senior whose family immigrated to the U.S. from the former Soviet Union. Ilan, the first-place winner, submitted an entry about uniforms worn in the Israel Defense Forces.

“I had never heard of CIE before winning,” said Vaysman, who mostly wanted to talk about Ilai and Weber and share her family’s unique story and their embrace of Judaism. Immigrating from Moldova, her grandfather’s dream was to come to the U.S. Every Friday, the family gathers for a Shabbat meal. “The feeling of family is the most important thing to me,” said Vaysman, and the sense of family is what she found at Weber.

“I didn’t feel a part of the [Jewish] community until I went to Weber,” she said, even though she had attended Jewish day schools prior to high school. Michal Ilai, she said, “makes us feel like family. She teaches us how to love ourselves. In her class, I’m articulate about being Jewish and a proud Zionist,” said the teen, although she’s actually never been to Israel. “My connecting doesn’t stem from going there for me. I feel, as a Jewish person, very connected.”

Ilai explained that her “Israel and Israelis” class was “very small,” but the students were “super interested in exploring

Israel.” Part of the idea behind the class was to talk about the purpose of the Jewish community and its organizations like the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. Ilai brought in speakers from CIE as well as many other groups.

Reflecting on what they studied in the class, one student said he learned “how important Judaism is to me, and that Israel is my second home.” He also wrote that he appreciated the “opportunity to go into depth on what is antisemitism vs. anti-Zionism” and what the differences are and how they overlap.

Another student, Aaron, said the course “educated us on the roots of antisemitism, how to prevent it, and the importance of Zionism.”

Still another student, Ari Gordon, described how he wanted to explore the difference between anti-Zionism and antisemitism for his Etgar project for the class. “I was struggling with my understanding” of the difference between the two. “After doing my research and interviewing people, I was able to find how antisemitism and anti-Zionism are related and how both are a prevalent problem in the U.S. Through this project, it made me even a prouder Jew and Zionist by knowing our history and connection to the Land of Israel.”

Ilai is obviously leaving Weber knowing that she’s had an influence on many students. ì

the butterflies all summer long OPEN DAILY THROUGH AUGUST 6

“I didn’t feel a part of the

Hadassah Atlanta’s 32nd Chesed Student Awards

The 32nd annual Hadassah Greater Atlanta Chesed (loving kindness) Student Awards took place on May 7 at Congregation Or Hadash in Sandy Springs. HGA partnered with JumpSpark to honor 23 of the best and brightest young leaders representing synagogues, Jewish day schools, and organizations in the greater Atlanta community.

Eighth to twelfth graders are eligible for the award. Each organization chooses its own recipient based on criteria that are paramount to Hadassah and its members: concern for Jews, Jewish culture and heritage, concern for Israel; concern for fellow human beings in manner and deed (menschlichkeit); and good academic standing.

Phyllis M. Cohen and Linda Weinroth of Hadassah chaired the event, and Jessie Schwartzman, manager, represented JumpSpark.

Michele Weiner-Merbaum, Hadassah Southeastern Region president, spoke in support of Hadassah’s Youth Aliyah Villages, supporting youth at risk where donations made to the Chesed program are being allocated this year. Since 2019, the Hadassah Chesed Student Awards have offered two monetary awards based on student essay submissions. This year’s competitive essay contest asked how the students were impacted by the pandemic, how they adapted, and what opportunities they found for leadership and community service.

The winner of the Leadership Award, sponsored by Phyllis M. Cohen, went to Molly Ziskind, representing Temple Beth Tikvah. During the pandemic, Ziskind became the leader of a youth group that raised funds to allow 17 underprivileged children to attend Camp Jenny - a camp where she serves as a volunteer counselor.

The 2023 winner of the Community Service award, sponsored by Michael and Linda Weinroth, went to Audrey Zeff, representing Congregation Shearith Israel. Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, her passion for mitzvot - and frustration regarding race inequality - prompted her to create a modest nonprofit fudge business. She sold her fudge and donated the proceeds to The Conscious Kid, a nonprofit that promotes conversations around racial awareness. She also founded an

environmental advocacy group at her synagogue.

These are just two examples of the many outstanding community outreach projects in which the Chesed honorees participated and led. Cohen reflected, “For 32 years, we’ve been recognizing our community’s exemplary teens dedicated to service, leadership and good deeds in a world that truly needs kindness and under-

standing.”

To learn more about Hadassah, go to www.hadassah.org/chapter/greater-atlanta.

To learn more about JumpSpark, go to www.jumpsparkatl.org. ì

Compiled by AJT Staff

M E X I C O MISSION TO

Thursday, November 2 - Monday, November 6, 2023

Mission Co-chairs Robbi and Robert Strauss (Atlanta) and Toni Werner (Chicago) invite you to join them in Mexico City to see first-hand the impact of ORT and the prominent role it plays in the vibrant local Jewish community. Celebrate Kabbalat Shabbat with students at the ORT Olamí School and explore cultural and historic sites such as the Zocalo and Teotihuacán pyramids.

Booking by June 30th is recommended to secure your spot. Subsidies available for first-time ORT Mission travelers.

For more information, please contact: missions@ortamerica.org or Allison Halpern, Director of Operations, at (212) 547-9124. Or scan the QR Code on the right to go to the website. ORTAmerica.org/missions

As Holocaust Survivors Dwindle, Technology Steps In

Although The Claims Conference estimated last year that there are about 50,000 survivors of the Holocaust, the number of those who are still able to speak about their experiences is quickly dwindling. By 2030, that number is expected to dwindle to only about 15,000.

In the most recent Holocaust Remembrance Day service at Greenwood Cemetery, the audience was reminded of the 330 survivors throughout the Southeast who receive social services and financial support, including grocery gift cards and other basic supplies.

Most of the survivors today are in their 80s and 90s and many are in poor health. Others suffer from dementia or other forms of memory loss. The youngest survivors may have been too young to have meaningful memories of the tragedy their family lived through.

Losing the first-person testimony of Holocaust has, arguably, had its impact on how the trade of those years is perceived by young people. A survey of Dutch students in The Netherlands,

the setting for the Diary of Anne Frank, showed that 23 percent of the young people there believe the Holocaust is a myth, or that the number of Jews killed has been greatly exaggerated.

Increasingly, museums and educational institutions like The Breman Museum are turning to technology to augment the stories of Holocaust survival.

Rabbi Joe Prass, the Breman’s director of Holocaust education, can now present his Holocaust education programs to students using the digitized collection of the Breman and its 3-D mapping technology.

“What we have done is the result of how we adapted our programs created in an opportunity coming out of the COVID era. We have put down our entire gallery on a 3-D mapping program. So, last week, when we encountered logistical problems bringing 400 students to the gallery, we present an interactive presentation virtually. I can see the students on Zoom, they can see me, and I flip over to this 3-D mapping of our Holocaust galleries, and they can have a docent led tour of the entire gallery.”

Sharing through technology can be as simple as talking to TikTok, which is how Holocaust survivor Tova Friedman, with the help of her grandson, brought her experiences to more than a half-million people.

In the new Holocaust Museum planned to open in 2025 along Boston’s Freedom Trail, a digitized hologram of 93-year-old Holocaust survivor David Schaecter will give visitors the opportunity to interact with a lifelike image of Schaecter. They can ask questions directly of Schaecter and receive an answer from him, as if he were speaking directly to them in the room.

The technology is an outgrowth of the University of Southern California’s Shoah Foundation’s Dimensions in Testimony which presents the pre-recorded testimonies as if they were standing before the audience. The technology integrates advanced language processing, specialized display technologies and new ways of recording video images to present the words and images of those who

directly experienced the Holocaust.

Funding for the program is part of a commitment that Steven Spielberg, the producer and director of “Schindler’s List,” made soon after the worldwide success of that film. All of the considerable profits that he made from the film, which grossed over $322 million worldwide, help set up the video library at USC.

A similar program is in production based on the documentary “Big Sonia” about Sonia Warshowski, which had its Southeastern premiere at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. It was this year’s presentation by the Public Broadcasting Service during Holocaust Remembrance commemoration and will remain on the PBS website for viewing free of charge until 2025.

Despite all the advances in technology, The Breman Museum has had extraordinary success with its “Bearing Witness” programs, which brings the stories of Holocaust survivors to Sunday afternoon audiences that often fill the auditorium for the free programs. It is something that Rabbi Prass is deeply committed to.

“We intend to present the stories of how the Holocaust was actually experienced just as long as we possibly can Holocaust education is one of our major pillars. As a museum, we certainly do other things, but Holocaust education has always been and remains a major pillar of what we do.” ì

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Kemp Tours Israel and Meets Top Leadership

The crowd roared with applause at the Woodruff Arts Center on April 26 for Israel’s 75th anniversary celebration when Gov. Brian Kemp announced that he, his wife and three daughters were headed to Israel. Off they went at the end of May with a delegation of Jewish and non-Jewish community leaders, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s distinguished author and political writer, Greg Bluestein. Another prominent member of the Jewish community, Emanuel Fialkow, a commercial real estate investor, also joined the group.

Since Fialkow is also a Georgia Regional Transportation Authority board member, he was keenly interested in the delegation’s progress and meaningful encounters for trade.

Bluestein said, “I was with the delegation from early in the morning to late at night, though, occasionally Kemp would have private meetings with officials or his family away from the rest of the trip…As the first trip to Israel for the Kemps, they seemed deeply moved by the journey. The governor called his visit to Yad Vashem one of the most emotional experiences of his life, and said he came away from his discussions with [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and other leaders with a greater appreciation of Israel’s foreign policy challenges.”

In addition to Kemp’s family and staff, Georgia Speaker of the House Jon Burns, and President Pro Tem of the State Senate John F. Kennedy, State Rep. Shaw Blackmon, executive counsel David Dove, Chairman of the Board of Regents Harold Reynolds, and vice president of Gulfstream, Jay Neely.

Fialkow detailed, “Between meetings with Georgia businesses set by Trade Commissioner Pat Wilson and his team, the delegation enjoyed guided tours of Israel from the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, City of David, Tel Aviv, and Galilee.

Gov. Kemp, along with Consul General to the Southeast Anat Sultan-Dadon, visited with Israel’s foreign minister, President Isaac Herzog, and with Netanyahu. Fialkow, a member of Ahavath Achim Synagogue and Congregation Bnai Torah, stated, “The Georgia delegation was led through sites named in both the Old and New Testament using the Bible as a site map while learning history and the culture of the Israeli people, of which is 20 percent non-Jewish.”

Kemp was told the story of lone sol-

dier Michael Levin, who was killed in 2006. He then made an unscheduled visit to his grave site where Kemp placed an Atlanta Braves hat on the grave as a symbol of the bravery of lone soldiers and Israeli soldiers.

In each of the meetings with businesses that have a Georgia facility presence, Kemp engaged discussion and repeatedly inquired, “How can we help grow your business?”

At a reception at the American Deputy Ambassador’s residence, with 100-plus Israeli businesspeople, there were more discussions about conducting business or growing businesses in Georgia.

Fialkow said, “The Kemps mingled with guests and gladly took pictures

with anyone who wanted…One of the best parts of the trip was getting to know Georgia’s leaders on a personal level. It was a great group, and I have a bunch of new friends.”

When Fialkow was asked about surprises or regrets, he stated, “The governor works harder than I imagined, and he even sat in a middle coach seat on the 11hour flight to Israel.”

Fialkow wished that they had tried the Israeli wine as a nod to that burgeoning industry.

Bluestein reported that the trade mission “hit plenty of spots on – and off –the beaten trail.” In between visits to the Old City, an emotional trip to Yad Vashem

and Tel Aviv’s central business district, there was an in-depth tour of a highly secure cybersecurity center in Beersheva, a neuroscience lab in Nazareth, and a U.S. embassy gathering in Herzlya.

He relayed, “The governor and his delegation met with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Herzog, and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in three separate sitdowns. Attendees were pleasantly surprised that Netanyahu devoted roughly an hour to the meeting with Kemp.”

Bluestein felt that his own religious training at Atlanta Jewish Academy and teaching at B’nai Torah helped revive his Hebrew language skills.

He said, “It’s amazing how quickly it

comes back. We had tour guides during the cultural visits who were impressive experts on all things Israel, but it was fun fielding questions from members of the delegation…about Israel and Judaism.”

On a more controversial note, regarding Kemp’s possible motivation for the trip to enhance his world stage presence, Bluestein pondered, “The governor hasn’t made any concrete steps toward running for president, but he certainly

wants to stay in the national conversation – whether it be for 2024 or, more likely, a 2026 challenge to U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff. And this trip was a way to make an impression – and help bolster his meager foreign policy credentials.”

Fialkow concluded, “Remember one of Kemp’s best announcements, “Georgia is the best state in which to do business, and the reason is because Georgia works harder to keep it that way.”  ì

Atlanta's 2023 Community Journey to Israel

The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta recently led its Community Journey to Israel, offering a group of nearly 200 members the chance to visit Israel during Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day), Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s 75th anniversary).

The trip, which ran for one week from April 17-23, allowed local Jewish Atlanta community members, many meeting for the first time, to experience Israel’s rich history as well as its vibrant modern culture, including the country’s exquisite cuisine and bustling markets.

Highlights of the trip included participating in a Yom HaShoah Commemoration, featuring three generations of Jewish representation, visiting “Startup Village” in Yokneam, experiencing Shabbat in Jerusalem, excursions to Masada, the Dead Sea, Western Wall, and so much more.

The following are individual recollections, including personal favorites and highlights, from several members of the Federation’s Community Journey to Israel:

Michael Morris

I love traveling to Israel. For me, a trip to Israel combines a healthy dose of education, visiting historic sites, learning about leading edge technology, meeting many people and having a lot of fun. Safe to say, this trip met all my demands. I can even say it exceeded my typical goals because I got the chance to go with 200 people I know and respect. There were many highlights. Spending time with other participants, friends and even my niece. Visiting institutions that my family and I support. Doing something new and finding new restaurants. Each day had several highlights embedded in it.

One singular event I feel compelled to recall because of its emotional impact was the moment of silence for Yom Hashoah (and subsequently on Yom Hazikaron). For anyone that is in Israel during the sounding of the air raid sirens across the country for one minute in recognition of the fallen, it is one of the most incredibly moving experiences of a lifetime. To be in Israel when they observe this moment. To watch as every person around you ceases their daily routine to stop and stand in silence to honor this moment, is so emotionally enriching. If you have never seen this happen, I invite you to google “Israel minute of silence” and watch any myriad of videos that show cars pulling over, or just stopping in the middle of the highway, with people getting out of their cars, to respect this minute. I watch a video every year, at 11:00. This is the second time I have been able to participate myself. Amazingly rewarding.

I would like to mention the restaurant Piccolino in Jerusalem. The entrance is off Yo’el Moshe Salomon (the road leading up to Ben Yehuda) but the back of the restaurant is on Nakhman Square where nightly entertainment begins at 7:30. The food was good, there are several other restaurant options right in the square if you do not want Italian, and the music and ambience was awesome.

One highlight was not on the Federation portion of the trip. I had been waiting for this opportunity for several years and was excited I was finally able to coordinate an extension on this trip. The day after our trip was Yom Hazikaron and then Yom Haatzmaut. Belinda Morris, Jeri Breiner, and I stayed to watch Yoel Levi conduct the Haifa Symphony for a special 75th Independence Day celebration. Yoel Levy was fantastic and the concert he created was amazing. The concert was a variety of pieces (not a single concerto), and many of the songs included additional entertainment such as a choir, an opera singer, Israeli dancers, ballet dancers, fireworks and possibly Israel’s singular concert Bagpiper. Truly a fabulous way to cap our trip and celebrate Israel’s 75th.

I want to thank Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and Eric Robbins for creating this extraordinary trip and opportunity. There were quite a number of options each day hiking, culinary, spiritual, touring, visiting partners and much more. There was also ample time to meet with people from our group – equally as important as visiting a site, in my opinion. I also want to thank Renee Werbin for scheduling my non-Federated time and tours, as well as Moshe Nov, one of the best guides in Israel. Finally, I want to give a shout out to those from our trip that went to demonstrate with the Israeli’s. While I didn’t attend, I do applaud your convictions I stand with you in spirit and look forward to seeing everyone on the next Atlanta Mission to Israel!

Beth Arogeti

What was your favorite place visited? The police station in Tel Aviv on Yom HaShoah.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel? Shlomo and Daron in Tel Aviv.

What made this trip special from others?

Experiencing Israel with the 67 first tim ers.

As one of eleven co-chairs, I was thrilled to help plan this mission over the past 12-plus months. When we finally landed in Israel on our nonstop flight from Atlanta, I was overcome with emotion as if it were my first trip there. Each of my 14 trips has been different experiences but this one felt different. Having over 200 participants join the mission allowed me to meet many new people and share new experiences with them as well as experience Israel with my sister and brother-in-law who hadn’t been to Israel in more than four decades. Being in Israel during Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day), Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s 75th anniversary) was a first for me and those days were extra special, too. I look forward to my next journey there soon.

Beth Arogeti is the board chair, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

Dr. Jeri Breiner

What was your favorite place visited? Hezekiah’s tunnels.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel? Piccolino.

What made this trip special from others?

The people I was with. I think what was most impactful, beyond experiencing our own Atlanta Jewish community, was that re gardless of the politics and the unrest in countries around you, Israel is an amazing, vibrant, safe country with vastly different and wonderful experiences.

From the Makesh (crater) to the sea to the mountains, it is all stunningly beautiful and meaningful. New means only a few hundred years ago. Old means walking on a street the Romans built. The experience of seeing archeological structures and evidence supporting biblical events is beyond your imagination and incredibly amazing.

Jason Evans

What was your favorite place visited?

The children’s memorial at Mishmar Ha’emek Kibbutz. The Kibbutz is stunning, one of the wealthiest in all of Israel, and the Holocaust memorial they have constructed there is a work of art.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel?

Hot, fresh baked rugelach from Marzipan Bakery. Rabbi Levenberg led a group of us through the hustle and bustle of Mahane Yehuda market -- we could barely keep up through the crowds. He suddenly stopped and told us to wait. He then emerged from the shop with hot rugelach that melted in your mouth.

What made this trip special from others?

The strangers who have now become lifetime friends. I would say I have added 20-30 new names to my list of Jewish friends in Atlanta. That is a gift that will never stop giving.

What did your trip to Israel mean to you?

I experienced a truly special event late Friday night in Jerusalem. Five of us, led by Rabbi Brad Levenberg of Temple Sinai, walked over to the Western Wall. Every other time we had been in the area it had been incredibly crowded, but this time -- several hours after Shabbat sundown -- we found ourselves all alone. To be in a place that is steeped in our history and to be there by yourself…well, it was magical and spiritual. I am much more of a secular versus religious Jew, but I found myself transported in those moments. If one is ever to feel a true connection to G-d, it would be in those silent moments at the Wall.

Jason Evans is a CNN journalist, board member of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, and longtime member of Temple Sinai.

Dr. Chuck Fox

My favorite place to visit? HaYarkon Park in Tel Aviv.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel?

Homemade mimounas at our Moroccan friends’ home.

What made this trip special from others?

Combination of vacation as a couple plus touring with old and new friends.

It was so lovely that my wife, Amy, and I could spend a week in Israel before the trip to get acclimated to the time change, visit with friends and family, and explore parts of Tel Aviv we had never seen before joining the mission. Then, once we met up with everyone from Atlanta, it was such a joy to hike outdoors in settings like the Elah Valley and Nahal HaMearot, to see where ancient stories and history occurred, while getting to know folks with whom we knew we could become friends back at home. Celebrating holidays and milestones such as Yom HaShoah, Yom Ha’atzmaut, Shabbat, and Havdalah in Israel brought a sense of authenticity and reality to the community we were building. Being in Israel during a time of tumult (shocking, I know), including the protests against judicial reform, made me feel confident in the future of the country. Despite reports of chaos and uncertainty back in the U.S., never in my four prior times in Israel did I have such a sense of certainty that the population of the country would persevere. Biking on the beach in Tel Aviv, praying alone at the Wall at midnight on Shabbat, and eating and walking through the country brought me a sense of stability and belonging that put the idea in my head for the first time ever that someday in the future I could find myself living in Eretz Yisrael.

Carey Guggenheim

What was your favorite place visited?

Dinner in a family’s home in Yokneam.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel?

Breakfast buffet at the David Citadel Hotel.

What made this trip special from others?

This trip was a wonderful way to con nect with many people from our Atlanta Jewish community. It was extra special being together in Israel, learning about the country but also making a connection to our community back in Atlanta.

Traveling to Israel with the Atlanta Federation was a fantastic opportunity to meet new friends, spend time with old friends, and do all that while rejoicing in inspiring moments to celebrate her 75th birthday!

As the campaign chair on Women’s Philanthropy, I have been privileged to meet many of the women involved in Atlanta Federation yet, being together for this week reinforced bonds of friendship, trust, and partnership. While hiking miles in the Judean Dessert, I could not imagine a better location to talk, laugh, debate, and laugh some more about our families, our Jewish lives, and our ambition for Atlanta Jewish life.

It was particularly special connecting with an elderly couple who were visiting Israel for the first time. What a fantastic way to see the country through their eyes, seeing something they had learnt and heard about for decades. It brought home the specialness of this wonderful homeland.

I cherished the time I had with friends, having fabulous meals together, enjoying late night drinks in the hotel lobby, and fantastic tours and experiences that I have never done [on] previous trips to Israel.

One of the highlights for me was touring a kibbutz in Yokneam, and then having dinner in a family’s home in the area. Knowing that our Federation is directly involved with this region made the connection even more powerful. We had the most scrumptious meal while getting to know our hosts and their family, all while sitting outside under the stars of a magnificent Israeli night.

Knowing about Atlanta’s connection with this region made me feel very proud. I have come back to Atlanta with more connection to our community, in particular, with the women who I look forward to partnering with as part of our ambitious Women’s Philanthropy agenda.

Nicole Lipson and Brian Alterman

What was your favorite place visited? Masada was special for us.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel? Falafel, of course!

What made this trip special from others?

We loved Claro in Tel Aviv. Being in Israel was especially meaningful to us. It was our first visit. You hear about Israel your whole life, but never figure that you will get there.

We loved the trip. It was very well planned and offered options for everyone. We never expected we’d end up seeing the places we’d heard about our whole lives. Touching the Wall, visiting the tunnels underneath, seeing the museums. All the sights were special to us. We really loved meeting the other first timers, and getting together as a whole group was wonderful. Visiting Yokne’am and having dinner with our matched family was fantastic.

Nicole Lipson and Brian Alterman are recently retired and traveling the world, enjoying their new found freedom from the working world.

Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz

What was your favorite place visited?

Kotel Friday night.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel?

Small shawarma joint always does it for me.

What made this trip special from others?

Traveling with, and getting to know, so many people from Atlanta. I have always been mesmerized by the siren and moment of silence on Holocaust Memorial Day. Being able to experience it in person for the first time in my life is something I will never forget.

Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz is the rabbi at Chabad of North Fulton.

Luisa Sztern Robel

What was your favorite place visited? Mount of Olives.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel? Mahane Jerusalem.

What made this trip special from others?

Just ISRAEL! Always Home!

What made this trip special from others? Coming back. Always renovating. Particularly impressed by the visit to the Blood Bank.

Mickie and Burt Cohen

What was your favorite place visited? The Wall.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel?

I loved all the fresh vegetables and salads.

What made this trip special from others?

It was our first trip to Israel. The Federation did a great job of showing us many highlights.

People were very surprised when I said we’d never been to Israel. I was so glad we finally went. Our daughter and son-inlaw went along with us and that made it even more meaningful. One of the most touching moments for me was being there for Holocaust Memorial Day and seeing everything and everyone stop. It was very powerful! We met many wonderful people on the trip and that made it very nice also. We also really enjoyed going to dinner with our host family. We felt we hit the jackpot as they were fabulous! All in all, a really wonderful trip!

Mickie and Burt Cohen are retired.

Ana Robbins

What was your favorite place visited?

We loved meeting families and getting to visit their homes in Yokneam. We enjoyed a delicious homemade Israeli meal — salads and shake hula—and our new friends quickly felt like family!

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel?

Dark green, light green, red and purple— we love the visual, and the tastes, of a wide selection of Israeli salads.

What made this trip special from others?

Traveling with our parents and the wider Atlanta community was unique and endlessly interesting. We met a lot of new people and got to be with many of them as they experienced Israel for the “first time” and learned about the incredible and far-reaching work of Federation and Federation’s grantees. We loved how the trip was broken up into tracks so that everyone could go at their own pace and so that we could meet and get to know new friends.

Ana Robbins is the executive director of Jewish Kids Groups, a lifelong Atlantan, and wife of Eric Robbins, CEO and president of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.

A.J. Robinson and Nicole Ellerine

What was your favorite place visited?

The hike in the Aminadav Forest near Jerusalem where the Kennedy Memorial resides. Great combination of history and nature.

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel?

Nobody does hummus like Israel.

What made this trip special from others?

Beginning with a first trip in 1967, every trip to Israel has been special. On this one, like most, we covered a lot of ground and had many highlights. Perhaps being there on Yom HaShoah and participating in the one minute of silence observed by the entire country ranks up there as our highlight among many others.

Just being in Israel with 200 or so other Atlantans was meaningful for us. And in retrospect, visiting between two different rocket wars with Gaza and in the midst of the judicial crisis was quite extraordinary. We were struck once again how many obstacles Israelis face every day and yet, carry on with their lives with some semblance of normalcy and acceptance. Thanks to great planning by the Federation and their travel consultants, we were able to curate our visit with individual options for touring, and yet be part of larger group activities. This way to see and experience Israel was unique and very rewarding,

We had a chance to revisit our favorite places and restaurants, see old friends, and, at the same time, experienced many new and exciting parts of the country that were on our list, places like the ANU Museum, the Peres Center, Sheba Hospital, and the Gaza border.

A.J. Robinson is President of Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District. Nicole Ellerine is a pediatrician in private practice with Peachtree Park Pediatrics.

Dr. Art Seiden

What was your favorite place visited?

Dead Sea

What was your favorite restaurant or menu item while in Israel?

Falafel

What made this trip special from others?

This was the first time I have ever been to Israel. It was a bucket list item. I grew up in a religious household, learning about the Bible and hearing about Israel. I was finally able to see it in person and it did not disappoint.

Boeing VP: New F-15IA Will Give Israel ‘Unmatchable Air Dominance’

Ted Colbert, Boeing VP and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, told military reporters that his visit to Israel will help to make “sure that it is absolutely, positively clear that we remain committed to serving Israel. This is expressed through two big programs we have right now which we are working on – the F-15IA and the KC-46.”

The F-15IA is called the F-15EX in the U.S. and is designated to replace Israel’s old F-15I which has been used for around 50 years.

“We believe those represent the capa-

Today in Israeli History

June 15, 1970: A plot to steal a 12-seat aircraft to escape the Soviet Union is foiled when 12 dissidents are arrested at a Leningrad airport. The case draws international attention to refuseniks, who are Jews blocked from emigrating.

June 16, 1933: Two men fatally shoot the Jewish Agency’s Haim Arlosoroff, just back from arranging Jewish emigration from Germany, on the beach in Tel Aviv. The crime is never solved.

June 17, 2010: Thirty-five Haredi fathers of girls attending a Hasidic school accused of discrimination in Emanuel are jailed for 11 days after refusing a Supreme Court order to send their daughters to a different school.

Mordecai Ardon influenced Israeli art through his painting and his teaching.

June 18, 1992: Painter Mordecai Ardon, known for using religious symbolism and developing artwork from realistic to abstract, dies at age 95. He directed the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts from 1940 to 1952.

June 19, 1967: President Lyndon B. Johnson lays out five principles for Middle East

bility of the long arm of Israel for its key missions today and into the future. We are expressing how Boeing can continue to move forward,” to best support Israel’s attack and defense capabilities.

Colbert said, “We are using the latest software and engineering techniques to take a brand that existed for 50 years [the old F-15I Israel currently uses] and take it to the next level using open architecture, payload and range.”

Colbert was asked how the F-15IA could cope with Iran’s S-300 anti-aircraft missile system and the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system, if the Islamic Republic ever acquires it, given claims that Lockheed Martin’s F-45 aircraft can outmaneuver those systems.

He answered, from an “air dominance perspective, it has the ability to carry out” any mission it would be required for, while not specifically addressing the S-300 or S-400 scenarios.

Boeing President for Business Development Heidi Grant added, “It is not a matter of either or, you have to have a mix of fighters to have the competitive edge Israel needs.”

peace in a speech at the State Department. He does not demand Israel’s surrender of recently captured land.

Zelda Schneurson Mishkovsky was a first cousin to Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.

June 20, 1914: Zelda Schneurson Mishkovsky, the poet known as Zelda, is born in Russia. She makes aliyah in 1928 and takes up poetry in 1950. Her poem “For Every Person There Is a Name” is a Yom HaShoah standard.

June 21, 1882: Filmmaker and photographer Ya’acov Ben-Dov is born in Ukraine. He makes aliyah in 1907 and is introduced to moviemaking in 1911 at the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts. He shoots documentaries in the Land of Israel.

June 22, 1989: Omri Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the National Basketball Association, is born in Holon. The Sacramento Kings select him in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft, picking him 23rd overall.

June 23, 1944: Photojournalist Alex Levac, a 2005 Israel Prize winner, is born in Tel Aviv. His photo of a Bus 300 hijacker in custody in 1984 disproves the official story of how the four terrorists were killed.

Israeli Distillery Honored at 2023 World Whiskey Awards

The Tel Aviv-based distillery, Milk and Honey received eight awards for

June 24, 2007: The Israel Baseball League launches with a 9-1 win by the Modi’in Miracle over the Petach Tikvah Pioneers in front of more than 3,000 fans. The six-team professional league folds after one season.

June 25, 2006: Palestinian militants entering Israel through a tunnel from Gaza disable a tank on patrol, kill two soldiers and capture a third, Gilad Shalit. Shalit isn’t released until Oct. 18, 2011, in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners.

their quality whiskey in the World Whiskies Awards, held recently in the United Kingdom. The company won a number of titles under the “Rest of the World” category. They achieved the status of Craft Producer of the Year, Brand Innovator of the Year, and Master Distiller of the Year.

M&H Founder and CEO Gal Kalkshtein was pleased with the achievement and stated, “The 2023 Icons of whiskey distinctions are the most significant achievement to date, and we are very excited about it. We only began selling our whiskey three years ago, and it is an honor to be able to help spread the word about Israeli whiskey in this incredible but difficult industry.”

The company has been awarded numerous awards. They won the APEX Dead Sea at the Frankfurt International Trophy 2022, as well as two gold medals at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for the Elements Sherry and Elements Peated.

The country attributes part of the whiskey’s success to the Israeli climate, stating “Hot climate maturation means that our whiskey ages rapidly, yet significantly gracefully.”

June 28, 1967: Israel publishes the Jerusalem Declaration, announcing the reunification of the city under Israeli sovereignty after the Six-Day War. Prime Minister Levi Eshkol promises full access to holy sites.

June 26, 2004: Musician Naomi Shemer, known for “Jerusalem of Gold,” dies at 73 after a long battle with cancer. She wrote “Jerusalem of Gold” for a festival in 1967, and singer Shuli Natan made it famous.

June 27, 1945: Ami Ayalon is born in Tiberias. A Medal of Valor winner, he commands the Israeli navy from 1992 to 1996, then leads the Shin Bet security service until 2000. He later represents Labor in the Knesset.

British Palestine Police Force Archive A British “wanted” poster from the 1940s features Jewish resistance fighters.

June 29, 1946: The British military launches Operation Agatha, two weeks of raids against Jewish resistance fighters, on a day that comes to be known as Black Sabbath. Some 2,700 Jews are arrested.

Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.

World Zionist Congress Votes Against Judicial Overhaul

When Temple Sinai’s Senior Rabbi Ron Segal attended his first in-person World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem in April, in some ways, he didn’t know what to expect. His first Congress, in 2020, on the slate of the Association of Reform Zionists of America, was held virtually. While celebrating Israel’s 75th birthday this year, the Congress was also held in the middle of intense controversy in the country over the future of its democracy.

Comparing it to his “Southern Jewish experience,” Segal described it as “unreal, dynamic, exciting and troublesome.” In fact, it was so disorderly and acrimonious that some members of the Congress filibustered the votes on several resolutions, forcing the organization to instead decide to hold the vote electronically in May.

Segal said he wasn’t surprised by the passage of several resolutions that were announced at the end of the two-day voting period on May 23, but he was reassured. “If we had voted during the convention, there was no question the resolutions would have passed,” he told the AJT. “But by voting electronically, even those not present in Israel were able to vote and that added an element of uncertainty.”

Although 16 resolutions were voted on, four received the most attention from the media. The Congress, known as the “parliament of the Jewish people,” essentially rebuked the current Israeli government, considered the most right-wing and religious government in its history, for many of the same proposed policies that Israelis are protesting weekly in the streets of their cities.

In a vote of 368 to 262, with 15 abstentions, the Congress resolved to “remind the government of the State of Israel that Jews around the world are deeply committed to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and that this relationship is at stake if the government pursues its plans to weaken the judiciary.”

“The Zionist Congress believes that change in the State of Israel’s judicial structure can only happen through broad public agreement, as the outcome of the true and open dialogue and as part of a process of healing social rifts across all of Israeli society.” The resolution also called upon the Israeli government to reach consensus agreements “that will bolster the democratic nature of the State of Israel and the checks and balances in the structure of government, while providing protection for human rights, minorities and women.”

The vote occurred after months of protests in Israel in the wake of the govern-

ment’s proposed judicial overhaul which critics claim will weaken the judiciary system, and thus, democracy, in the country.

In March, after protesters essentially shut down the country, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu placed the legislature’s votes on the overhaul bills on hold while meetings between his government and the opposition parties are being held under the auspices of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to reportedly attempt to reach a compromise.

The Congress also voted 399 in favor and 237 against a resolution that called on the Israeli government to abstain from making changes to the Law of Return which determines eligibility for Israeli citizenship. Under the current law, any individual with at least one Jewish grandparent is eligible for making aliyah. The religious parties in the coalition government have proposed eliminating this “grandchild clause” in order to prevent those not considered Jewish under Jewish law from immigrating to Israel. If the government were to alter the Law of Return, it would significantly reduce the number of people who could qualify for aliyah

Another resolution, that passed with 384 votes in favor, 238 opposed and 23 abstentions, criticized coalition agreements made by the current government that would revoke recognition of Reform and Conservative conversions for the purpose of making aliyah. The Israeli Supreme Court had ruled that those converting through the Reform or Conservative conversions are recognized for purposes of the Law of Return and aliyah.

A fourth resolution called for “deepening the awareness and educational activity related to the inclusion of the LGBTQ community, within Zionist activity in the State of Israel and in the Diaspora, through workshops, seminars and other educational activities.” It passed 354 to 271.

Resolutions passed by the World Zionist Congress are not binding but carry symbolic weight since they represent the perspectives of world Jewry.

Segal said attending the Congress was “definitely a learning experience.” Although the progressive slates in the Congress are in the minority, Segal said he believed that some of the slates that try to remain neutral, like Hadassah and B’nai B’rith, might join forces with the more progressive organizations if the resolutions aren’t “philosophically antithetical” to their viewpoints.

“On these issues, all those who voted in favor of the resolutions affirmed values for democracy and against the judicial reform,” said Segal. He said the “strong worldwide message” of Diaspora Jewry indicated it doesn’t support the current government’s

“I think if the overhaul and Law of Return proposals are voted into law, I fear the consequences,” said Temple Sinai Senior Rabbi Ron Segal, who participated in the World Zionist Congress vote on several resolutions.

proposed judicial changes. “I hope this is a message that may resonate more” because of the Congress’ votes.

“It’s raising the voice of world Jewry and it’s important for the majority of Israeli citizens to see that support,” he said, referring to the hundreds of thousands of protesters who have surged into streets across Israel since January, when the judicial over-

haul laws were first proposed.

“I think if the overhaul and Law of Return proposals are voted into law, I fear the consequences. How will that translate in our congregations? Now is the time to double-down in education and fight for our values,” Segal said, noting the popularity of several educational programs Temple Sinai has held in the last few months. ì

Etz Chaim, Turner AME Church Tour Noble Hill School

Congregation Etz Chaim and the Turner AME Church, both located in Marietta, joined forces on Sunday, May 21, and visited the historic Noble Hill School in Cartersville/Cassville, Ga. Noble Hill was built in 1923 through the Rosenwald School building fund that came about through the collaboration of Booker T. Washington, of the Tuskegee Institute, and Julius Rosenwald, owner of Sears Roebuck. More than 5,000 African American schools, small teacher homes and vocational buildings were built beginning in 1912 to 1932 in 15 southeastern states.

Michael Weinroth, a longtime member of Etz Chaim, spearheaded this trip, along with executive director Marty Gilbert. Weinroth has spent years researching and working with Rosenwald Schools in Georgia. According to Weinroth, there were originally 241 Rosenwald Schools in Georgia, but after the doctrine of “separate but equal” was struck down, local school boards began building new schools for African American children around the state. As a result, the modest one-to-four classroom type buildings

that were most common began coming down.

“These schools, in each of their respective communities, meant so much to the parents and children who attended,” stated Weinroth. It was a source of pride that a community had a school. The cost to build these schools was shared by parents, the local school board, and money from the Rosenwald Fund. “In those days when African Americans were required to put in a third of the money, they had already been paying a school tax for years, which had given them nothing. I guess

you could say the system was rigged against them.”

These schools, besides being a place of learning, gave children a feeling of security, respect, and love. “When I’ve had the opportunity to hear alumni talk about their modest schools, there is al ways an emotional moment,” Weinroth said.

Weinroth is a member of Etz Chaim’s adult learning committee, Lilmode. When he began talking about Rosenwald schools, none of the other members were aware of this massive building program

Torah Day School Creates Kavod Comes Alive Museum

Torah Day School of Atlanta students in grades kindergarten through 8th grade, under the guidance of their Judaic studies and general studies teachers, created a KAVOD Comes Alive Museum as an end-of-the-year culminating presentation.

After months of collaborative work among the faculty and, most importantly, with the students, a vast array of multi-media, age-appropriate displays were created reflecting this year’s schoolwide theme of kavod, or “respect.” Acts of kavod were discussed, taught, modeled, and encouraged throughout the year in and outside of the classrooms. With the additional help of TDSA’s SEL (Social Emotional Learning) teachers, the students role played appropriate ways of interacting with each other, their teachers, parents, etc. TDSA’s head of school , Rabbi Meir Cohen, was the brainchild of the museum. He worked closely with the faculty and staff, as well as volunteers to create the Kavod Museum.

For the museum, the students created displays reflecting how one shows kavod to their learning, their peers, teachers, parents, and their environment. Additionally, the students found examples

of kavod in the Torah and brought some of those examples to life. For example, the third-grade boys’ display included a well that they built in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, and art) class which included a bucket that could re-

trieve make-believe water using a pulley system devised by the class. This was tak en straight out of parshas, Chaya Sarah.

The entire school’s hallways and classrooms were completely transformed into a magical experience that beautiful

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Top Sports Books for Father’s Day

Daybreak at Chavez Ravine: Fernandomania and the Remaking of the Los Angeles Dodgers – by Erik Sherman

Ostensibly a biography of trailblazing lefty pitcher, Fernando Valenzuela, “Daybreak at Chavez Ravine: Fernandomania and the Remaking of the Los Angeles Dodgers” brilliantly chronicles a sliver of Dodgers history that continues to reverberate in the modern day. Authored by baseball historian Erik Sherman, whose previous works include Art Shamsky’s autobiography (After the Miracle), “Daybreak at Chavez Ravine” doesn’t just depict the life and times of its cult hero subject – it also provides a poignant look into the complicated relationship the legacy franchise has had with the Greater Los Angeles Latino community, and how that dynamic made Valenzuela’s emerging stardom an even more compelling story.

documentary entitled, “Fernando Nation.” After all, the screwball artist with the everyman body had a severely front-loaded career marked by a 173-153 record and 3.54 ERA -- solid numbers, for sure, but hardly ones representing Hall of Fame credentials. But, as Sherman makes abundantly clear in the book’s preface, Valenzuela’s long-lasting impact on baseball history transcends box scores and stat lines.

David Ostrowsky

Before delving into Valenzuela’s impoverished upbringing as the youngest of 12 children raised in the farming town of Etchohuaquila, in the Mexican state of Sonora, Sherman offers a vivid portrayal of the forced displacement of Mexican Americans residing in Chavez Ravine. At times, it’s difficult to read, but nevertheless enlightening. So, although “Daybreak at Chavez Ravine” is unmistakably a baseball book, it also holds lasting appeal to students of American history with its gripping account of the injustices faced by Latin-American, blue-collar workers trying to establish themselves in post-World War II America.

Ultimately, what makes “Daybreak at Chavez Ravine” such a compelling read is not only Sherman’s deft storytelling but also his dogged research, as evidenced by the insight provided by scores of first-hand interviews. Ironically, and as Sherman explains, understandably, not one involved Valenzuela himself. For all the adoration Valenzuela has received from Dodger nation – during his heyday, his image was plastered on murals, advertisements, and T-shirts across Los Angeles, and to this day his replica jersey is a common sight at Dodger Stadium – the six-time All-Star continues to eschew the spotlight and, as such, was not particularly interested in cooperating for this book. But while Valenzuela’s own perspective may be missing, “Daybreak at Chavez Ravine” still represents a rich and comprehensive account of Valenzuela’s remarkable life thanks to the revealing commentary from the likes of Steve Garvey, Dusty Baker, Rick Monday, Jerry Reuss, and so many other household baseball names.

Though younger readers may struggle to relate to Valenzuela, who broke into the big leagues in the early 1980s, as well as his aforementioned contemporaries, the list of interviewees include ballplayers from the more recent era, such as six-time All-Star Nomar Garciaparra, who shares some very personal stories about his Mexican American heritage. For good measure, the Valenzuela-heavy narrative, at times, branches off into other instrumental figures of early 1980s baseball, including famed Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda and Marvin Miller, the former executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association who posthumously represents the Jewish community in Cooperstown.

Inevitably, there will be readers wondering why Valenzuela serves as the subject of this long-awaited biography or the similarly fantastic 2010 ESPN Films 30 for 30

“He was like a composite of the Beatles – only in Dodger blue,” writes Sherman. “His appeal was universal. He wasn’t just a baseball player, he was a healer in a time when, much like today, many Americans viewed Mexicans as second-class citizens. He was to Latinos what Jackie Robinson was to Black Americans. And their feelings for Valenzuela have only grown stronger over the years.”

The Streak: Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken Jr., and Baseball’s Most Historic Record – by John Eisenberg

“The Streak: Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken Jr., and Baseball’s Most Historic Record,” written by noted sports author and former Baltimore Sun columnist John Eisenberg, was published in 2017, but the book’s unique narrative, which interweaves the iconic careers of two Hall of Famers from vastly different eras, remains evergreen in the storied canon of baseball literature.

To illustrate the magnitude of Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. breaking Lou Gehrig’s decades-old consecutive played games record (2,130), Eisenberg begins by revisiting the magical evening of Sept. 6, 1995, when history unfolded at Baltimore’s splendid new ballpark known as Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Whether readers were not alive to witness this momentous occasion that truly transcended sports (once the Orioles-Angels game became official in the bottom of the fifth inning, play was paused for nearly a half hour as Ripken memorably circled the field to acknowledge the adoring fans in attendance, one of whom was then-President Bill Clinton) or simply forget how it restored some dignity to a sport recently besmirched by labor strife, the anecdote serves as a perfect segue into the ensuing look-back at baseball’s two iconic iron men.

While Eisenberg, who spent years covering the Orioles for the Baltimore Sun, takes a deep dive into Ripken, his royal baseball family, and the lineage’s deep Baltimore roots, he also devotes several chapters toward exploring the brilliant, heroic, and ultimately tragic legacy of Lou Gehrig, who succumbed to a disease (ALS) that eventually bore his name. (In fact, largely due to Gehrig’s story, Major League Baseball has become particularly invested in ALS and now recognizes June 2 as Lou Gehrig Day.) In doing so, Eisenberg provides fitting historical context to Ripken’s pursuit of baseball immortality – after all, Ripken was a .276 career hitter who was chasing the seemingly untouchable record set by a man in Gehrig, who, during the New York Yankees’ early 20th century dynastic years, was the gold standard for durability, hitting prowess, and gracefulness, and whose life story was depicted in the classic film, “The Pride of the Yankees.” Of further value to readers, Eisenberg, despite being a longtime Baltimore resident, maintains an impartial approach toward narrating his story, making it quite clear that Ripken’s insistence on playing every single game – even while being hampered with not-so-mild injuries -- season after season was met with considerable, and perhaps understandable, criticism that he was prioritizing his welfare above that of the often-underperforming Orioles.

“The Streak” is, in many ways, a dual biography of Ripken and Gehrig, but it’s also something more: a means for paying homage to Ripken playing in 2,632 consecutive games over the course of his illustrious career – a record that, much like Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak or Cy Young’s 511 career wins, will likely never be in jeopardy.

The 50 Greatest Players in Braves History – by Robert W. Cohen

Given the current state of the Atlanta Braves, in which many of their core players are signed to team-friendly deals for the balance of the decade, a Top 50 list of the franchise’s all-time greats may be subject to change rather soon. But, for the time being, compiling said list is still a worthwhile endeavor, which is what longtime sports author Robert W. Cohen has done in his latest work, “The 50 Greatest Players in Braves History,” published by Lyons Press this past April.

Per its title, “The 50 Greatest Players in Braves History” provides readers with mini biographies of the local franchise’s legends. Though the profiles are largely ground in statistical analysis, each one is sprinkled with anecdotal tidbits that transform seemingly inaccessible pro ballplayers into three-dimensional, relatable humans. Some of the intriguing human-interest stories include Joe Torre’s turbulent upbringing in Brooklyn during which he often faced the wrath of his abusive father; the cool reception a 25-year-old David Justice received from Braves veterans when he arrived for spring training in 1991, sporting gaudy jewelry and driving a Mercedes-Benz with a license plate that read, “Sweet Swing”; Warren Spahn’s harrowing memories of seeing active combat in World War II -- “We were surrounded in the Hurtgen Forest and had to fight our way out of there. Our feet were frozen when we went to sleep, and they were frozen when we woke up. We didn’t have a bath or change of clothes for weeks.”; and Dale Murphy’s post-baseball dedication to faith-based initiatives, perhaps, most notably, his serving as president of the Boston Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in which he directed nearly 200 Mormons who were working as missionaries in Massachusetts.

A sports historian and prolific author who specializes in books ranking a given franchise’s top players, Cohen purposely did not title his latest tome, “The 50 Greatest Players in Atlanta Braves History” for good reason: there are quite a few vignettes of cornerstone players who graced earlier editions of the franchise when it was rooted in Boston and Milwaukee, perhaps the most famous being Spahn, who Cohen says is “considered by many baseball historians to be the greatest left-handed pitcher to ever toe the rubber.” And Cohen goes farther back in time than Spahn, who left the Braves before the franchise relocated to Atlanta, wrapping up his Hall of Fame career with the San Francisco Giants. There’s a chapter on diminutive shortstop Rabbit Maranville, who made his big-league debut with the then-Boston Braves in September 1912 before going on to have a Hall of Fame career while earning a reputation as one of the finest middle infielders of his time. Of course, the Boston Braves were originally known as the Boston Beaneaters and even that old-timey version of the club is represented here with a chapter dedicated to Hall of Fame pitcher Vic Willis, whose sparkling career preceded a fascinating post-baseball life spent operating the Washington House Hotel in his hometown of Newark, Del. Meanwhile, interspersed between such narratives of long-forgotten players are those of current stars, i.e., Max Fried, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Ozzie Albies.

What makes books like “The 50 Greatest Players in Braves History” so fun is that the players are ranked, and no two readers will agree as to what constitutes a proper categorization. But while Cohen’s ranking of the selected players can be debated ad nauseum, his choice of Hank Aaron for No.1 is indisputably appropriate.  ì

Reds’ Pitching Coach Was Raised on a Kibbutz

Six years before the release of “Field of Dreams,” the classic baseball flick in which Kevin Costner roamed the Iowa cornfields and felt inspired to carve out a homemade ballfield, David Leichman had a similar epiphany while surveying the lush wheatfields of his 250-person kibbutz in central Israel.

The year was 1983, and there was not a single baseball or softball diamond in Israel. Hardly anyone was familiar with the sport. Rather, basketball and soccer reigned supreme. So, as the resident of Kibbutz Gezer charged with overseeing construction projects, Leichman, a baseball-obsessed native of Queens, N.Y., who settled in Israel the prior decade, felt inclined to craft a sandlot diamond amid the bushels of wheat in the southwest corner of the kibbutz. Within months, Leichman’s own field of dreams spawned a generation of young kibbutzniks playing pickup baseball and softball for, in all likelihood, the first time in Israeli history.

Eventually, one of those sandlot ballplayers was his youngest son, Alon, who quickly grew enthralled by the sport and went on to represent Israel in international competition before immigrating to America to play baseball at Cypress College and the University of California, San Diego. When two Tommy John surgeries (an extensive, yet fairly common, procedure used to repair a pitcher’s torn ulnar collateral ligament inside the elbow) dashed any of his dreams to play Major League Baseball, Leichman turned toward coaching, soon working his way up the Seattle Mariners’ minor-league system en route to recently being named the assistant pitching coach for the Cincinnati Reds, a ballclub struggling to reach .500 but still very much a contender in the mediocre National League Central.

“Everyone older than me was playing baseball,” Alon recalled about his childhood while speaking to the Atlanta Jewish Times hours before his Reds were set to play the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park last month, coincidentally during Jewish Heritage Night. “It was just a little island of baseball within Israel. No one knew what baseball was outside of it, but it was kind of like the natural thing for any kid growing up on the kibbutz was to play.”

And play he did, starting at age five and continuing throughout his later childhood and adolescent years during

which he balanced baseball (as well as a little softball) with academics and communal responsibilities, namely agrarian tasks like picking olives and milking cows. In fact, as a 10-year-old, he proved capable enough in performing the latter chore that the kibbutz bankrolled his baseball team’s expenses to play in a tournament in the Netherlands. It was around this time – the mid-1990s – when Leichman started fantasizing about coming stateside to play college ball upon turning 18. Perhaps, the seemingly incessant violence engulfing his homeland would soon subside and there would no longer be a mandate for young adults to fulfill their military duties. But with each passing day, as militant violence raged in the background, it became painfully obvious that there would be the aforementioned military requirement, one which Alon fulfilled from 2007-2010 while being granted occasional leaves of absence to play baseball overseas before embarking on his collegiate career.

But, irrespective of his time in the armed forces, playing sandlot baseball in Israel through the years meant honing his pitching mechanics in the shadow of terror.

“I don’t think about it [violence] a lot because it’s just the way that I grew up,” said the 33-year-old Leichman whose parents, brother, and sister still live on Kibbutz Gezer. “Is it a crazy story for the people in the states that we’re playing a game and the sirens went off because of rockets so we had to stop? Yeah, but it’s probably not even something that we went home and talked about because there’s rockets everywhere. You’re going to play a game, there might be rockets.”

Leichman is one of the most fascinating characters in Major League Baseball not just because he is the first athlete born in Israel to make it to MLB as either a player or coach. But also because his formative years were spent on a kibbutz where everyone and everything is literally around the corner (“My sister lives a minute-walk away and she’s far”) and yet, he now calls Ohio’s third-largest city home while traveling to world-class destinations like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago for business trips.

“I like Cincinnati. I’m living pretty much downtown, Over-the-Rhine area,” explained the Reds’ cerebral assistant pitching coach, who’s equally revered in the clubhouse for his pitching acumen as for his ability to pitch batting practice with pinpoint accuracy. “It takes me

about a 20-minute stroll to the park or I take a scooter, which takes me five minutes. I never actually lived in a city like this before, so I’m kind of enjoying it.”

Is his unique upbringing a topic of conversation in the Reds’ clubhouse?

“Here and there. Not too much. I don’t know how many people actually know,” responded Leichman, who most recently represented Team Israel when he pitched against the U.S. during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and would have been on Israel’s 2023 World Baseball Classic coaching staff had it not been for his new position, which he assumed this past December.

Speaking of Team Israel, when asked if he is pleased with the progress that Israel has made on the diamond over the past decade, Leichman responds: “It’s a tough question because I personally benefited from it, going to the Olympics and going to the World Baseball Classic. [He played for Team Israel during the 2012 WBC qualifiers and, later, served the team as its bullpen coach.] So, on the personal side, it was awesome. I think it’s still to be determined what the long-term effects

are going to be, but I do wish that 10 years after the first World Baseball Classic we would see a bigger development back home and we unfortunately didn’t. Ten years might not be fast enough, it might take another 10. Because now, with that money, we just built a field, so hoping that field can affect [baseball in Israel] in a positive way. But up until this moment, it hasn’t really changed much, unfortunately.”

The next iteration of the World Baseball Classic is slated for 2026. Certainly, as a pitching coach with both minor league and MLB experience, Leichman would be a prime candidate to rejoin the club’s coaching staff. But in a perfect world, he hopes for a repeat of this past winter – to be a fixture on a big-league team’s staff (preferably, the Reds’) and forced to make another difficult decision.

“I’m actually living my childhood dream because this is all I wanted,” said Leichman. “I wanted to play as much as I could and then coach for as much as I could. Now I’m getting to be a coach and doing it at the highest level, I don’t want anything else.” ì

My Dad is the Best, Coolest or Funniest in Town

Father's Day Tributes win a special gift for Dads this year!

All submissions were entered in a raffle to win a prize for their father.

Steven Bodner – Atlanta, GA

Why my dad is so COOL!

My dad is the coolest dad in all of Atlanta for so many reasons! First, whenever my friends come over he makes really funny jokes. Also, everyone wants to be his friend! My dad makes everyone feel so welcome when we meet new people and right away will invite someone to a sports game. He is the biggest Atlanta sports fan out there. I love going to Braves games with him! He loves the Hawks, Braves, Falcons, and even Atlanta United.

My father is so strong! When I was little, he used to do what's called an airplane. It’s where the person on the bottom puts their feet on your stomach and hands on your shoulders. I was the person on top.

My dad is very brave! When our pool is cold, he will jump in before me to make sure that it’s warm enough for me to jump in. Also, he did a NOLS trip. That is a tenday camping trip.

The weather was horrible. One day it was raining, the next it was snowing. But the worst part about it was that you weren’t allowed to have your phones.

Another great thing about my dad is that he is very perseverent. We were building a pitching box and net for softball together, and it took so long because we kept messing up. When we wanted to give up, he told me that we were so close and not to give up. The full project took two hours!

That is why my dad is the coolest dad in all of Atlanta. I hope you enjoyed my summary of why he is so cool!

Chaim Wieden

Thank you, Daddy. Dien Shaindle

At what age did you learn the difference between a carburetor and a piston? When did you know the difference between a Phillip’s head and a straight head? When did you learn the difference between the mambo and a samba? Were you ever given the advice to always frequent the same local businesses, and gas stations? Were you ever given the courage to build something substantial, like a stage for amateur performances, including the electrical needs of said stage? Minor fixes for a washing machine, how to use a hammer and nails? What about how to change a tire? Use the mirrors on your car; how to make a three-point parallel park, how to successfully make a u- turn; when and how to shake hands? How to run a business? Why being a Kohen is both an honor and responsibility?

Dad had a great sense of humor. My dad loved to dance. My dad invested his time and energy throughout my life, insuring I learn or become aware of, the important things in life, these are simply a very few of those things.

Kevin Burney – Pewee Valley, KY

I will always be grateful for the lessons my dad has taught and continues to teach me. That honesty and earnestness is always to the best way forward. To stay true to your word, even when it’s hard. That it’s ok to be a goof sometimes. How to tell a good story.

Growing up I never had to doubt that my dad would be there for me, no matter how big or small the commitment. Those of us who are blessed with parents that never fail to show up often fail to recognize how much this means as children. As we grow, though, we see how foundational that support is to who we have become and who we hope to be. We see how the little moments, the little lessons, turn into crucial parts of who we are.

Even now that I am grown and living hours away, I am still learning new lessons from my dad. I continue to be blessed with his love and support. I wouldn’t have been able to grow into who I am today if it wasn’t for every game he sat though, every sarcastic joke he’s shared, and every bit of love that he continues to give me and my family.

Ed Gaffin – Orlando, FL

My dad doesn’t talk much. Even when I was little, most of my early memories of him don’t involve conversation, but rather something called “Dad-ication”. “Dad-ication” means doing things for your family that show you care without actually talking about it, i.e. the hallmark of a southern dad. The term was created when my dad was grilling in a rainstorm and my sister said, “Now that’s what I call dad-ication”. This example, while very indicative of Florida living, is also what my dad does for us all the time. He showed me how to catch lightning bugs and drive on the highway. He’s the reason I know so much about Austin Powers and how to properly eat New York style pizza, neither of which is typical for an 8-year-old Floridian to know. He still doesn’t say much, but he’s also never missed a game, a performance, or any chance to support me and my siblings. And if I do say so myself, that’s what I call “dad-ication”.

Alan O. Feingold – Atlanta, GA

My children will not be subitting my name as the coolest dad in town. NOBODY has EVER accussed me of being cool. I didn't buy them a new car - they drove my 10 year old Oldsmobile when I got a newer used Buick for myself. I didn't send them to Europe for the summer or let them go the FLA on spring break. We went on family vacations to visit my parents in FLA. They worked summer during vacations and I didn't give them a car while in college. My clothes are all sedate, my stories from HS and college are about my courses. They tell me my jokes are "Dad" jokes. But we have a close family and all 3 got graduate degrees, are successful and seem to be raising their children just like I raised them, but without the Dad jokes.

Feingold

Martin Bernstein – Palm Coast, FL

My dad jokes around a lot.

Arnold Heller – Atlanta, GA

Throw the Damn Sidearm

Four words will forever stay with me that describe my father’s lasting influence on me: Throw the damn sidearm!

I was 11 years old and pitching on the Major League ballfield at Murphy Candler Little League Park. When I started pitching at age 8, you refused to teach me how to throw a curveball as you were afraid it may damage my wrist. Knowing I wanted to do everything possible to overcompensate for my diminutive, 76-pound frame, you taught me how to pitch sidearm with the idea that the twisted throwing motion would help me achieve the extra movement on my fastball that I was looking for when I asked to learn how to throw a curve, as well as being a few mph faster.

And it worked. I was able to throw a one-hitter in Coastal League, and yet still somehow lost that game – but that is another story for another day.

So, there I was, hurling my little heart out on a mound 45 feet from home plate. My coach that year did not approve of me throwing sidearm…I’m not sure why and neither were you.

I will never forget one afternoon, as I was struggling to locate the plate throwing overhand, you started screaming from the bleachers, “Throw the damn sidearm! Throw the damn sidearm!”

Meanwhile, my coach is firing back at you from the dugout, “No! Don’t throw it. Don’t do it.”

Well, I threw the damn sidearm, struck out the side and helped us win the game.

You taught me two important lessons that day: I should never take crap from idiots, and that you will always believe in me. You knew that coach was a moron and that I was a tougher pitcher to hit coming sidearm. You believed in me that I could succeed even when I doubted myself.

I will always be grateful for your influence in my life. You and mom were always there for me and I will always love you.

Happy Father’s Day, Doc!

Now, how about a game of catch? Sasha Heller

David Schoen – Atlanta, GA

Our red-headed dad is the best, coolest, and funniest father in town. Yes — we poke fun at his bucket hat when he plays tennis, and we take advantage of his pop-culture naivete by feeding him fake slang — but that’s just ‘cause we love him.

Dad shows up for everything. He works harder than you could imagine, but he never misses anything that’s important to us, making his schedule around family dinners, college move-ins, and baseball games. Dad is the best cheerleader and sees the best in us. Using his tennis champ wisdom, he pumps us up to “have fun and remember: high, positive energy!” before big games, presentations, tests, and performances. Dad is completely sincere and treats everyone, from young to old, as special. Just walk into synagogue and you’ll see — he’ll accompany one person to their seat, pick up a running bit with someone else, and invite a stranger for a meal, all before services begin. He always asks Holocaust survivors and their families to stand and be honored when he addresses Jewish crowds. Dad also does a lot for others that you would never see. One small insight is that he often emails newspaper contributors who publish interesting personal stories to let them know how their piece touched him. Starting as a civil rights attorney in Alabama in the '80s, Dad always does what he believes to be the right thing and is uninhibited by what people might think about it. He is honest in public and in private.

Despite losing his father young, Dad figured out how to play fatherly roles for so many. He has coached just about everyone in town (in every sport), he gives rides to everyone (we finally got him to say goodbye to the baseball “clown car” that somehow fit the entire team…), he gives advice, and he never says no to helping our friends when they’re in trouble.

Dad is also the best son in town. Everybody who does their Friday shopping at The Spicy Peach, Kosher Gourmet, Kroger, or Whole Foods can remember Dad and Granny pushing their cart together, making jokes and chatting with everyone in the store. When Granny passed away in 2020, Dad got many notes from people who said that seeing them together made everyone wish their own mom or child would spend time with them like that.

We love you Dad. Thank you for working hard for us everyday. We are proud of you! the Schoen children

Michael Streetman – Marietta, GA

One of the first things I learned from my dad was that it was ok to be myself. Whether it was reading Harry Potter with me, serving on the booster club and coming to every chorus concert of mine, or encouraging my love and pursuit of writing, he was always there to support me and make me feel seen. It’s because of his love and support that I not only felt ok being myself, but also learned that the person I am is worth celebrating. So today, I want to take extra time to celebrate him. I celebrate his work ethic, intelligence, sense of humor, and unending commitment to his family. Thank you for always being there for me and for being exactly the person that you are. I love you, happy Father’s Day!

Dads Deserve the Best!

Father’s Day is the ideal time to celebrate the guys, dads, uncles, zaydies and grandfathers in your life. Here’s your opportunity to select a gift or e-gift card online in an instant that dads will love. Pay attention to his hobbies, preferences and likes. Select gift cards he’ll really put to use and enjoy. You’ll hit a home run with your gift giving knowhow and don’t forget to share your heartfelt words. After all, dads deserve the best and he has you – the best gift of all!

Gerson

Go Team Dad! – Show Dad you’re on his A-Team by selecting gifts from B.D. Jeffries, which is Grand Central Station for gift giving. From wallets to accessories to gifts for the poker playing dad and sports lover (Go Dawgs to Roll Tide!), this beloved Buckhead store is filled to the brim with outstanding and stylish gifts for dad. www.bdjeffries.com

Wrap Up Dad in Love – The Madison Collect features the ultimate “Tuxedo Robe,” inspired by the style and elegance of the 1950s, and designed for the modern man who seeks tailored luxury and comfort. Gift dad the feel of hotel luxury at home from The Madison Collection – purveyors of the finest terry cotton products, proudly serving thousands of premier hotels in 55+ countries. www.themadisoncollection.com

Book Loving Dad –Since 1979, Tall Tales Books in Toco Hills Shopping Center has been the perfect place to find a great read for bookworms and suggestion ready. Gift the newest bestselling novel, like Abraham Verghese’s, “Covenant of Water,” or “The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece,” by Tom Hanks. For a meaty non-fiction tome, perchance David Grann’s, “The Wager,” or Simon Sebag Montifiore’s, “The World: A Family History of Humanity.” Pop in or call this bookstore resource. 404.636.2498. www.talltalesatlanta.com

It’s in the Cards! Dads love practical gifts that allow them to select whatever they want from tools to steaks to you name it! Last minute gifting is super easy by purchasing gift cards to their favorite stores. Check out the endless options, including outstanding gift-card options at www.farmersandfishemern.com, www.homedepot.com or www.amazon.com

For The Outdoor Loving Dad –Check out the clothing and accessories at Insect Shield whose groundbreaking technology fights against annoying, and sometimes dangerous, insects. The technology is EPA-registered converting clothing and gear into insect repellent, repelling mosquitoes, ticks, flies, ants, chiggers, and midges. Dad will love the men’s Airflow short sleeve polo shirt that’s treated and lasts for 70 washes and can be used by the whole family. E-gift cards available online. www.insectshield.com

Chip Off the Ole Block! E-gift cards are available at Levain Bakery and a delicious gift for dad. This popular cookie company has launched a new Decadent Assortment, with Two Chip Chocolate Chip, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Caramel Coconut Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate Chip Walnut. Can you say “delish?” These cookies are irresistible. www.levainbakery.com

Finders Keepers – Help dad find his glasses with this clever, hand-carved wooden statuette perfect for holding your glasses when not in use. No more searching or trying to remember where dad put them and created by a non-profit in India that helps underprivileged artisans. www.uncommongoods.com

For the Smart-Phone Loving Dad – Here’s a gadget for the dad who likes to keep things super clean. You’ve seen Phone Soap on Shark Tank–the only phone charging and disinfecting product that works on all sides and surfaces of objects. www.phonesoap.com

The Thrill of the Grill – Check out this home essential website with grilling tools for dad. Gift an e-gift card for the latest grilling tool to step up his grilling game. Their Unique Grill Tool is a 6-in-1 tool that has a spatula, tongs, bottle opener, a flashlight, knife edge and scraper slot, dishwasher safe and space-saving, too. www.jokari.com

Popping in With Father’s Day Wishes – Kosher certified Funky Chunky is a gourmet popcorn and pretzel delicacy drenched in chocolate. This veteranand minority-owned company is a small batch, freshly made product. A premium confectionary treat, caramel corn is drizzled with rich chocolate and five core flavors topped with potato chips, pretzels, or peanut butter cups.  www.funkychunky.com

For the Patio Daddy-O – Dad taught you to eat your veggies, so gift him the heavy-duty stainless-steel “Lock & Slide Skewers” to make perfect kabobs. The flat design keeps food in place while turning the skewers on the grill. The slide is designed to easily remove food. Check out grilling items available at www.amazon.com

For the Top Pop – Since 1940, Johnson’s Popcorn has been famously popping corn fresh daily from Ocean City Boardwalk in New Jersey -- the old-fashioned way. Check out the tubs and tins of sweet and savory popcorn that are gluten-free and choose from Caramel Corn, Salty-n-Sandy, Cheddar, Peanut Crunch, Chocolate Drizzle, Platinum, Butter, and Tri Flavor.  www.johnsonspopcorn.com

Putt-A-Bout®’s – E-gift dad a putting green that is USA-made. Perfect for golfers of all skill levels, these portable putting greens roll up for easy storage and transport. Made of a high-quality putting surface that stays smooth, it has sand trap cutouts to catch missed shots and a non-skid backing. Five different sizes. putt-a-bout.com and available on Amazon

Chef Todd Ginsberg Offers BBQ Tips for Father’s Day

For some families, the traditional observance of Father’s Day wouldn’t be complete with out a barbecue. It may be as simple as throwing a few burgers and hot dogs on the grill or marinating a few leg quarters before they go on the smoker. But if it’s a Texas-style smoked brisket, be prepared for some work.

Todd Ginsberg knows. He spent nearly two years working on the concept and the cooking at the Woods Chapel restaurant in Summerhill near Atlanta’s downtown. The Southside neighborhood, which was named after a once-prominent Atlanta church, is adjacent to the south Atlanta community where many Jewish institutions and synagogues were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Ginsberg initially developed a Jewish-style braised beef recipe for the Rye Restaurant Group’s two General Muir restaurants that has won him a loyal following of hungry meat eaters. He says that a properly barbecued brisket starts with several important requirements.

“One of the secrets to great barbecue is to start with a wood fire. That’s a big one for us. We don’t use electricity or gas. We just use a mix of white oak and red oak. And just important, if not more important, is the quality of the meat. We only use well marbled, well-trimmed Angus beef, with a good balance of fat and lean, for all our briskets.”

The long cooking time is a wellknown factor for serious competitors in the annual Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival. Preparation for the daylong event usually starts early the night before. Low and slow is the way past winners of the competition describe their smoking technique.

According to Ginsberg, a properly cooked brisket, prepared with a rub takes 10 to 12 hours or more in the primitive offset smokers at Woods Chapel. All meat is finished off in an industrial appliance called a JR oiler, a rotisserie-style smoker that helps to distribute or render the melted fat that marbles the brisket.

In developing his technique, Ginsberg and the development team from the Rye Restaurant Group of Ben and Jen

Johnson and Shelly Sweet spent time eating their way through the menus of such Texas barbecue shrines as Smitty’s BBQ and Franklin in Austin. It left them with the impression that cooking the perfect barbecue is not as easy as it looks, that if they were to win a loyal following, they had “to step up their game,” as Ginsberg noted. They recognized that many in this part of the South have grown up with good barbecue and great restaurants are honored.

“I think we came up with the classic Texas-style brisket,” Ginsberg says. “Good bark, good meat, so it comes out super, super tender, great flavor, a lot of seasoning and, you know, just the right amount of smoke. The biggest takeaway for me was that no matter if you’re cooking it or eating it, everybody is super passionate about barbecue.”

What sets it apart from the ovencooked brisket that is a feature of many Jewish holiday celebrations is that the Texas-style smoked meat doesn’t go through the long process of marination. Ginsberg’s acclaimed brisket at the General Muir gets a brining for nearly two weeks before a slow and low finish in the oven. What remains the same for both is the sticker shock that one encounters when paying the inflated price of beef today,

“It’s insane. It’s crazy. Unfortunately, we’ve had to pass it along to our guests. Not only do we feel it at the back door but people coming in have to pay more. So, it’s something we’re monitoring. It’s a constant conversation with the refs about where food costs are and where our prices are.”

Ginsberg kept the sides that compli-

ment his meat dishes relatively simple. Woods Chapel offers mac and cheese, a beet and jalapeño coleslaw, buttermilk and dill potato salad, and red rub fries. On Saturdays and Sundays, which includes Father’s Day, a hot smoked Scottish salmon entree is offered.

To complement your barbecue, several imaginative cocktails with a touch of sweetness are offered. There’s a Peach Whiskey Smash, a Strawberry Pimm’s Cup and a rosé wine drink with a California liqueur made from the aloe plant.

For his Father’s Day, Ginsberg is taking a pass on barbecue. To celebrate his special day as the father of an 11-year-old, his wife, who becomes the household’s chef for that day, is preparing his all-time favorite dish. It’s chicken parmesan, just like his mother used to make for him as a kid. ì

PROFESSIONALS & REAL ESTATE

The Marvelous and Talented Michael Feinstein

The illustrious and ubertalented Michael Feinstein is a dynamic force in the world of music. He is a five-time Grammy Award nominee and has numerous Emmy nominees for his awe-inspiring PBStelevision specials. His work as an archivist has made him one of the most preeminent forces in music today. He is a distinguished and renowned performer, composer, and an arranger of his own original music.

Feinstein began his prolific career in his 20’s working alongside the legendary Ira Gershwin. Gershwin’s influence, along with Feinstein’s enormous talent, led the way to a remarkable career. He holds three honorary doctorates and is the noted author of “The Gershwins & Me.” Feinstein founded the Great American Songbook Foundation in 2007. It is dedicated to celebrating and preserving its music through educational programs, master classes, and the annual High School Songbook Academy. Feinstein devotes his time, his energy and his talent to numerous worthwhile causes and he serves on the Library of Congress’ National Recording Preservation Board.

AJT: It’s a pleasure to see you again. As you know, I’m a huge fan. You were enchanting in Atlanta. What a performance ,and your storytelling about former Jewish performers was enlightening and entertaining. We were all mesmerized. The crowd stayed through several standing ovations.

MF: I appreciate that; I really do. Anytime I can perform the music I love is wonderful. Being Jewish is a part of who I am, and life is about building bridges. We all have certain backgrounds and if one looks beneath the surface, we find the common bond of humanity that is necessary for happiness and survival. I’m deeply affected by Judaism. It is a religion that, at its core, teaches about helping others. If one is given the gift of health and any kind of prosperity, it is incumbent about anyone with the ability to give back in whatever way they can. I am mindful of that. It is a natural thing for me.

When I left my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, at the age of 20, my grandmother had just gone into assisted living at the Heritage House, a Jewish residence for older folks in Columbus. When I moved to

California, I started playing at the Jewish home for the aged twice a week. I did that just because I hoped someone would come and play for my grandmother in Ohio. I developed a great bond with the residents, and I met amazing people. There was a man in there named Walter Schnell who was a Holocaust survivor and to hear his story was something. He was in an internment camp and was sent to China to a Jewish community and he spent most of his years there. Walter’s stories of survival were so life-changing; how could anyone ever be the same after experiences like that!

My experience at the Jewish home was so powerful. My mother, who is 95, was just accepted as a resident in the Jewish home and one of the reasons I was able to get her residency there was due to something I had done 40 years ago, without any thought of reward for it. Life takes unexpected, beautiful turns.

AJT: I understand you started playing the piano by ear as a 5-year-old. Your mother, Florence, was an amateur tap dancer, and your father, Edward was an amateur singer.

MF: My parents bought a new house and had saved $500 to buy furniture for the living room. My father impulsively said, ‘let’s get a piano,’ because my parents loved music. There was so much music around our house. My mother had been a professional tap dancer until she married. I must have soaked up all of that music and when

they bought this upright piano, much to my mother’s irritation because she did want to buy furniture, I sat down and started playing the piano with both hands, right off the bat. My father was not home but my mother came into the room and asked me who had taught me to play, and I told her no one had taught me. My mother didn’t believe me; she didn’t think it was possible for me to play the piano without some sort of instruction and I was sent to my room to lie down.

AJT: Oy, seriously?

MF: Yes, seriously. I stayed in my room until my father came home later that night and realized I was playing the piano by ear. The ability to play like that is something that has always been with me, and it’s always been natural. I believe in reincarnation so I think I must have come in with some past memory that stuck.

AJT: You moved to Los Angeles when you were 20. How did you meet the widow of Oscar Levant? I understand she introduced you to Ira Gershwin in July 1977 and you became his assistant. You’ve kept the name and the Gershwin music alive and prominent all these years. Would you talk about those years with Ira and the influences he had on you?

MK: Absolutely. Indeed, I was introduced to Leonore Gershwin by Julie Levant with whom I had become friends by a series of amazing coincidences, even though now I don’t believe in coincidences. The moment I met Ira it felt just as if we were long lost cousins. There was an immediate connection regardless of the fact that he was 80 and I was 20. I began cataloguing his phonograph records which I thought would take a couple of weeks, but I ended up there for six months working just on that project. I would see Ira every day and he became fascinated by this 20-year-old kid who knew so much about his work. He was at a point in his life where he thought the world had passed him by. Here was this young man who knew so much about his work, he almost found it freaky in the sense that I knew facts about his life that he didn’t know. One day we had a gentle argument about what date something had happened. Ira said it was 1930 because this and this had happened, and I told him actually it was 1931 and I found a reference book to show him what the chronology was. Ira said, ‘OK, you are right, but you have an advantage over me,’ and I asked what he meant. He told me he had only lived his life, but that I had totally researched it.

We had a very close and loving relationship because Ira had no children. He

would have been a wonderful father but his wife didn’t want kids and so I became the surrogate son or grandson that he never had. It was life changing for me because I had moved to Los Angeles less than a year earlier playing in piano bars trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life and suddenly things crystallized, and I felt I had a greater purpose. I still played in piano bars, which was my main income until I was hired on a full-time basis by Ira and that lasted six years. That period, ages 20 – 26, is very impactful and important in anyone’s life and it helped to crystallize a lot of things in my world personally, spiritually, and professionally.

AJT: You are an incredibly talented performer, composer, arranger, musical director, and author. You’ve received three honorary doctorates, and your book, “The Gershwins & Me,” is a best-seller published by Simon & Schuster. Which of one of your numerous talents most defines you? If I asked you what you are, what would you say?

MK: I would say lucky! I’ve been very lucky. I’m a singer, an interpreter of American popular song and a conservator of it. I’ve amassed this huge collection of music and artifacts relating to it just to save and preserve it. I’m lucky that I can perform the music that I love because the world and the audiences are changing. I was in my late 20s when my career began to garner national attention and yet, I discovered music finds new fans. It doesn’t diminish in power.

AJT: You’ve joined forces with YeanYves Thibaudent presenting, “Two Pianos: Who Could Ask for Anything More.” Please talk about the collaboration and what sparked this amazing collaboration?

MK: Johnny Thibaudent is one of the greatest living concert pianists. He truly is a global sensation in that he plays concerts in every corner of the world. He plays a varied repertoire. In other words, many concert pianists will do a tour where they play the same repertoire with an orchestra in recitals in different cities; it’s one program. He plays multiple programs with great depth and interpretive brilliance and his musical palette is very, very broad. We’ve been friends for 30 years and became closer through the years and talked about collaborating but couldn’t figure out what it would be because our worlds are so different; our approach to music is different. I play mainly extemporaneously, and he doesn’t. He plays mainly what’s on the page better than anybody. We realized that the bridge

of Gershwin was a common bond. When he was 13, growing up in France, he discovered the world of Gershwin, and it changed his life. I had the same experience. It was that shared love for something that transcends culture and time and space that brought us together. We put together a program that is primarily American popular song, although it does include “Rhapsody in Blue,” and we present the music largely played on two pianos. Gershwin loved two pianos and often wrote for two pianos and then I sang, of course. The Gershwin songs, along with the music of Richard Rogers and other composers of the era, are presented in a style that is, in some ways, more authentic to the composers’ original intention but also has more of a contemporary sensibility to it. The programs have been received rapturously. We just did two nights with the Boston Pops, which was our first incarnation of this program with a symphony orchestra and there was pandemonium in the audience. The reaction was so fervent and touching and we are on to something, and we are thrilled. It brings together two different audiences that seem to be very complimentary.

AJT: I spent a day interviewing your dear friend, Liza Minnelli. Please talk about Liza and your upcoming touring show, “Get Happy, a tribute to Judy Garland.”

MK: I’m very proud of this program that pays tribute to Judy Garland. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to assemble. The enormity of her talent and legend is such that I didn’t know that I had the wherewithall to properly convey her greatness. It truly is because of Liza that I continued to pursue the project because I was ready to give it up at any point if I couldn’t give it justice. I didn’t want to do anything that

was half baked. As I continued to assemble the program, as I figured out what it should be and shouldn’t be, I enlisted the aid of several wonderful people, including John Fricke who has an archive of thousands of photographs of Garland and Judy Garland’s family. That stockpile of material, along with things that Liza and her family made available to me, helped me to assemble a program that is very historical and very entertaining with anecdotes. It celebrates the incredible art that she, as a performing artist, displayed even from her earliest years.

I realized that I had the opportunity to tell her story focusing on the talent, her singing, and her legacy as opposed to the tabloid stuff. It celebrates her; it doesn’t whitewash anything, but it focuses on the enduring part of her legacy. The response of people in the audience was quite extraordinary. There is something about her energy that is very personal to people and very powerful. There are numerous visuals in the show, several film clips and there’s audio, including a lost recording of hers that I found and in which I accompany her. The culminative effect is extraordinary. Part of the time people are looking at the visuals while I am singing and I don’t mind that at all because the show is about her and I am the tour guide, if you will.

AJT: Your bio is so prolific it’s hard to put it all into an interview. Your Emmy Award-nominated TV special, “Michael Feinstein – The Sinatra Legacy,” which was taped live in 2011, was a huge success. You were the principal Pops conductor for the Pasadena POPS and, under your direction, the Pasadena POPS has become one of the country’s premier presenters of the Great American Songbook. You still serve as artistic director of the Palladium Center for

the Performing Arts in Carmel, Ind., and you perform over 150 times a year. Where does this incredible energy and passion come from?

MK: Well, thank you. As far as energy goes, I believe the universe provides infinite energy and one of the feelings of contemporary society is the lack of, and recognition of, the understanding that there is a source of infinite energy that is available to us. I focus on that spiritual energy. Having the great gift of being able to do something I love isn’t something I take for granted.

AJT: I’m a huge fan of the Great American Songbook. Please talk about your passion for preserving the music and songs of the Great American Songbook and your foundation, The Great American Songbook Foundation, which you founded in 2007.

MK: The Great American Songbook Foundation is something I created a number of years ago for the purpose of preserving the American popular music that is so important to me. I felt it was in danger of disappearing in that someone needed to bring attention to the music for younger generations. I created it to not only preserve the amazing artifacts that I’ve accrued through the years, but also to educate and introduce young people to the songbook. I find that when young people hear these songs, they like them; they respond to them. They have meaning and resonance and they take their place next to whatever pop music they listen to. It was created just to preserve something that mattered to me where I felt there was a need for an organization to focus on that. It has grown by leaps and bounds. We are building a museum. It is a Grammy Foundation affiliate and only a few other museums can claim that affiliation.

In addition, we created a summer academy, The Great American Songbook Academy. Forty young people from all over the United States come and participate for one week. It is songbook intensive, and they learn about American popular music and, thus, they can add this music to their lives. Through music, you can create healing; you can teach anything, and music has the potential to offer tremendous transformation and that is certainly a mission for me.

AJT: Please tell us how to contribute to this noble cause.

MK: At its core, music is one of the most important forces in the world, in the universe. In its most simplistic terms, to think of soldiers going off to battle bolstered by the music being played as they march. Music transforms, heals, inspires, raises consciousness, and offers hope. All of that is encoded into any given piece of music. To bring awareness of this, especially to young people, is a holy pursuit. Like all non-profit arts organizations, we are always happy for likeminded souls to contribute in any way they see fit. People tend to devalue the arts. People don’t think that contributing to an arts organization is as important as contributing to a cancer or similar organization but they both offer healing in different ways. To me, they are equally important. Arts bring together people from different backgrounds and we find our common ground through it, and it transforms and heals. I’ve seen it time and time again, starting with those days when I started playing in convalescent and retirement homes. I saw many whose quality of life improved through music. There is research that shows that people who have music played during their last days on earth need 40 percent less medications. There are scientific proven effects of music played for people who are ill and going through transition. It is all quite extraordinary. The experience of being involved in music is the greatest blessing of my life.

AJT: Your travel schedule keeps you constantly on the road. Is there one item one of the most legendary performers never leaves home without?

MK: I am vegan, and I never leave home without protein powder. I also have a deck of oracle cards that I travel with called “The Cosmic Deck of Initiation,” because it moves me to my heart. I also always have that, and a little book called “The Quiet Mind.”

AJT: Your music has made a difference in the lives of so many people. We will follow your success and look forward to seeing many more of your performances. Thank you. ì

PROFESSIONALS & REAL ESTATE

Marks Shares Passion for Bridge ‘In Spades’

Fads and hobbies may come and go, but the game of bridge thrives and connects generations as many of our earliest memories are of our parents arguing over the classic card game.

Coming to its own in the U.S. in the 1930s, bridge teaches logic, patience, concentration, and partnership skills. It’s estimated that 220 million people play bridge worldwide, including problem solvers like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.

As such, Augusta native, Sam Marks, has carved out a niche as the local go-to guru for learning and playing the game at his Bridge Club of Atlanta on Roswell Road.

Marks grew up around parents who played bridge and got more serious as a freshman at Duke University. He started playing “duplicate” (competitive bridge played at clubs) in his junior year and in tournaments as a senior.

Marks’ degree was in math, and later, he worked as a stock trader. However, bridge remained his hobby, as he traveled to regionals, nationals, and a world championship.

He said, “To me, bridge is a mathematical, logical puzzle. I enjoy figuring out the best plays. It’s also enjoyed as a social game. The only mathematics needed is the ability to count to 13. That’s how many cards you have and how many points you need to open.”

With his North Carolina partner, Marks plays at three nationals and several regionals annually. Last year, he achieved a lifelong dream by winning a national championship, The Grand National Teams in Providence, R.I. It was his first national championship; and by winning, he became a Grand Life Master, the highest rank in the American Contract Bridge League.

Looking back, a local bridge teacher asked him to volunteer at a summer bridge camp for youth in 2009. Enjoying it, he decided to make bridge his career. Next, he began teaching classes at Temple Sinai. In 2012, he opened the Bridge Club of Atlanta in the Fountain Oaks Shopping Center.

Balancing playing and inspiring others, he teaches beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes. He declared, “It’s rewarding when students learn a new technique or convention. As a teacher, the best feeling is seeing the light bulb go off over their head. You are never too old to learn.”

In addition to classes, the Bridge Club of Atlanta has games at noon, Mondays through Thursdays, and 11:30 a.m. on Fridays. They also offer games and supervised play for social bridge players and newcomers. Currently, they have 300 tables operating every month which equates to 1,200 plays. Classes cost $150 for a six-week series of two hours per week. Games are $12 per person. Private lessons are also available.

Teaching assistant Arlene (Snopek) Conway handles games for novices and

newcomers. The bridge club has some of the largest newcomer games in the country.

Conway, 86, grew up in a bridge playing family. She said, “I’ve had four husbands (all Jewish) some of whom I met through bridge.” She became a Life Master in her 50s. When asked how long it takes to become a competent player, she responded, “50 years to forever…it’s very important for seniors to keep their minds active. I continue to learn from every game.”

Conway then mused over novices’ most common mistakes:

• Overcalling a four-card suit

• Not thinking ahead of time of how the hand will play out

• Being afraid to bid

Sam shared, “You are never too old to play bridge. Two of our better players

are Virginia Saul, 95, and Lorraine Siegel, 98. I played on their team today, and we came in second. Not all our bridge players are seniors. One of the best youth players in the USA is a freshman at Emory [University].”

Note that Virginia Saul was awarded the 2022 Sportsman of the Year Award by the Atlanta Bridge Unit.

Conclusively, Marks said, “One of the most rewarding things about owning a bridge club is creating the community. I have matched players up as partners who are still playing together 10 years later. Players become friends. We’ve had players get married. Many people play three or four times a week.”

New beginner classes are offered from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., from Aug. 2 to Sept. 27. Register at bridgeclubatlanta.com/ beginner-bridge-class-registration. ì

Coldwell Banker Cares Foundation Fights Hunger

In its largest donation ever, the Coldwell Banker Cares Foundation has given $75,000 to Backpack Buddies, an organization that fights hunger by providing weekend meals to school children.

Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in February 2022 by a group of dedicated volunteers, including Coldwell Banker real estate agent Debbie Sonenshine, as well as Backpack Buddies chair, Ronald Robbins, who, with his wife, Samra Robbins, founded the Backpack Buddies program in 2017. This is also the largest donation that the growing non-profit has ever received.

In celebration of the first anniversary of BPBMA, the landmark check was presented on May 18 at the organization’s headquarters in Dunwoody. Robbins expressed his appreciation to the Coldwell Banker Realty Cares foundation.

“This generous donation is a proof point of our efficient model to feed children in need and will serve our continued growth. In my wildest dreams, I would never have imagined that our board and staff could have accomplished so much in such a short period of time. In addition, our Community Buddies, participating schools, and volunteers have made BPBMA a new standard in feeding hungry children on weekends.”

Several years ago, Sonenshine replied, in answer to her husband’s question of what she wanted for a milestone birthday, that she would like to feed people. That wish was fulfilled by buying enough food to make Thanksgiving holiday boxes for 500 people, which 180 volunteers helped assemble, and collaborated with the Community Assistance Center in Sandy Springs to distribute the boxes to people in need.

So, it struck a chord when Sonenshine read about the new Atlanta Backpack Buddies program in a 2017 Atlanta Jewish Times article. She recruited two of the volunteers who were implementing the program at Congregation Beth Shalom -- Rose Haber and Bonnie Cook – to start the program at Congregation B’nai Torah, where all three were members.

But at the time, all 17 of the Community Buddy partners -- churches, syna-

gogues and civic organizations that were implementing the program -- were independently buying and storing their own food. Sonenshine realized that greater efficiencies could mean greater impact for more hungry children. She recalled telling Robbins, “We need to come together and have an umbrella organization and buy the food in bulk and raise the money together.”

He eventually agreed, and the new organization was formed last year. With a streamlined purchasing process and a food storage center, BPBMA has doubled its reach from serving approximately 800 children, attending 27 schools, to serving weekend meals to 1,600 children, attending 41 schools, after just its first year.

In addition to B’nai Torah and Beth Shalom, other Jewish Community Buddy partners who pack and deliver food to their adopted schools each week include: Ahavath Achim, Etz Chaim, Gesher L’Torah, Or VeShalom, Shaarei Shamayim, Shearith Israel, Temple Beth David,

Temple Beth Tikvah, Temple Emanu-El, Temple Sinai and The Temple. Two of Coldwell Banker’s offices, Coldwell Banker Realty’s Alpharetta and the Sandy Springs Perimeter office, are also part of the Community Buddy network.

“They just love it,” said Sonenshine of the B’nai Torah volunteers. “It’s a wonderful way for people that maybe are retired to give them a reason to get up and get dressed and come see their friends and feel needed. It’s just a win-win all the way around.”

BPBMA has just relocated to a new storage and distribution facility in the Williamsburg at Dunwoody shopping center, that is twice the size of the previous space and that has been outfitted for even greater efficiency. Double doors, for example, can accommodate the recently purchased forklift enabling storage facility workers to quickly and easily unload a full pallet of items from a truck that previously would have been done by hand. More, director of operations Jonathan Halitsky has computerized the organiza-

tion’s food procurement, inventory, and volunteer systems.

As the organization continues to benefit from these new processes, plans include tripling service to assist food insecure families over the next two to three school years. New volunteers are needed to help reach these goals, according to Sonenshine.

In a statement, Laura Rittenberg, president of Coldwell Banker Realty in Atlanta, said: “As real estate professionals who dedicate their lives to guiding people in their homeownership dreams, we understand the significance of ‘home’ throughout the highs and lows of life. We are grateful to Debbie Sonenshine for casting a light on this wonderful organization that assists local families by providing weekend meals to children and to everyone in our company who joined us in supporting Backpack Buddies this year. We hope it brings awareness to the needs of families who are going through difficult situations in the Atlanta region and beyond.”

Joel ‘Covers’ Atlanta in Signs and Vehicles

Every day, Atlantans most likely admire a BlackFire Signs’ creation and don’t even know it.

Clever Darren Joel came up with his company’s concept at the start of the COVID lockdown. His business logo states, “Ignite Your Market.” The company is a one-stop shop for signage -- you name it, Darren Joel can design and install it.

Then, there are the lively car and van wraps that Joel describes as “some wild and crazy designs” that tell a company’s story at 60 miles per hour. Some of his high visibility projects include ASW Distillery at The Battery at Truist Park and redoing all four of the Shane Co. stores. Other recognizable clients include Home Depot, UPS, Porsche, Legoland, Brandsmart, and the U.S. Navy. BlackFire Signs is currently working on a project for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Joel exclaimed, “It’s really fun for me driving around town and seeing our signs!”

Finding a career was not a linear path for Joel. He was a theater/film ma-

jor in college and also pre-med. At 28, he went back to graduate school for an MBA and ended with a second master’s degree in accounting and joined Ernst & Young as a CPA.  At 30, he started his first business. About five years ago, after selling a custom upholstery and window treatment manufacturing business, he recalled, “I got this crazy idea to start a

signage business and purchased equipment, rented 2,000 square feet of commercial space, hired a marketing firm and was ‘off to the races.’ BlackFire Signs exceeded my expectations for growth and margins. We have grown over 100 percent every year.”

BlackFire Signs focuses on businesses, building long lasting client rela-

tionships, and helping businesses grow through visual branding. Their sweet spot is commercial interior branding like window graphics and frosting, largescale wall graphics and murals, as well as Americans with Disability signage for offices. They design commercial vehicle wraps and vehicle graphics for companies with small and large fleets.

Most of BlackFire Signs’ new customer traffic is driven through their super performing website. With expert web strategy, Joel receives calls from as far as Arizona and California. They did a $30,000 project for a private hunting lodge in Louisiana last year. Referrals and word of mouth are also in the mix. Joel takes pride in providing thorough communication and service that pays off in referrals and repeat business.

Always thinking, Joel identifies his strengths as targeting weaknesses in a business and creating processes for efficiency and profitability. He also seeks to find strengths in employees, helping them find their groove and allowing them to grow professionally and individually in the workplace.

He stated, “I love discovering a hardworking person, capitalizing on their strengths, and allowing them to grow in the organization…I like taking what starts as a concept and creating it into a functional reality. I’m very involved in the day-to-day operations, interacting with customers, and in general business

operations.  I do love spreadsheets. They are obviously a fantastic data analytics tool and an accountant’s best friend. Although I am a CPA, ironically, most of the accounting is handled by my wife, Marci, and our accountant.”

Joel proffers advice to businesses on maximizing signage: “Keep it simple, less is usually better. Think about how and where it will be used. Can it be used for both letterhead and a building sign? A smart logo should somehow convey what you do in a simple or subtle way. Like when you see a logo and you suddenly ‘get it!’”

Joel and wife Marci have three children, all in Jewish day schools. Their entire family are certified Scuba divers, and Joel trains six days per week in a variety of colored belts in mixed martial arts disciplines: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, judo, Maui Thai kickboxing, grappling, and Krav Maga. He’s also an avid kiteboarder and he spearheaded the security initiative at Ohr HaTorah Synagogue. For more information about BlackFire Signs, call (404) 636-4800. ì

Dentist Swaps Drill for Baton

After 42 years practicing dentistry, Jerry Richman retired to direct his “senior” energy into pursuing his love and talent for orchestral conducting and studying music theory at Kennesaw State University.

Richman said, “I think dentistry is an art and science. Many colleagues dabble in

art and music, as they all employ discipline, concentration, artful interpretations. I think I’m right brained...more artful, emotional, and good with people. I think conducting has the preciseness of dentistry, as well as an obvious aesthetic value.”

Music is not a new interest for Richman, who played trumpet before college and has been the bal takiah (Shofar blower)

at Temple Sinai and the Breman Home for the past 10 years. He also has sung in the High Holiday choir as a baritone for over 25 years.

During the pandemic, he met the retired dean of the School of Arts and Design at KSU and became fast friends. At the art and design school’s annual fundraising gala, Richman won the opportunity to conduct the KSU Symphony.

He recalled, “I had conducted in middle school and thought with my music background, that I should give it a shot.” Since then, his energy has been contagious with the young student musicians as he conducted two George Bizet romantic

Richman explained his technique at leading an orchestra, “There are some maestros, like Leonard Bernstein or Atlanta’s own Natalie Stutzman, who occasionally conduct a symphony without a baton. The two main purposes of a conductor are to set the timing and infuse emotion into the music. I found myself good at both. The maestro uses a conductor’s score, with a dozen parallel lines of music, one for each instrument section. There are several nuances in the score, where the composer directs the loudness, emphasis, tempo, and

Richman intensely studied the score and rehearsed with a conducting tutor. He learned about eye contact and communication with individual musicians. Label him “self-taught,” watching endless YouTube videos and watching live conducting at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

He continued, “In truth, symphony musicians may be able to play on their own, but the conductor truly controls the emotion and tempo. Although a novice, I felt confident in my public concerts. The experience was really exciting, and I was well received by the audience of over 500.

At that moment, I felt room in my soul and calendar to delve more deeply into music.”

He enrolled to audit music classes as, per the state of Georgia’s education program, people over the age of 65 are entitled to free tuition at Georgia universities...for the experience, and not to earn degrees.

Richman was asked to join the KSU Arts Council, charged with raising funds for scholarships and outside support for the School of Arts and Design. Along the way, he met many bright, energetic, artful faculty and supporters at KSU. He stated, “Through the philanthropic part, I feel I’m continuing tikun olam, helping students with their education and the arts, by raising funds for scholarships. Retirement from dentistry gives me time to pursue lots of worthwhile ventures. Happiness and comfort are things to which we all aspire. I believe that a day at the art museum, or listening to symphony, jazz, or a concert of any type, really provides people comfort.”

Julia Bullard, interim director of the Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music, and professor of music at KSU, has the last word on Richman.

“Our School of Music community has been enriched so much, not only by Jerry’s support and advocacy for our programs, but by his engaged presence as a student,” she said. “He’s a great example that a university education is truly about lifelong learning, and that music and the arts are for everyone. We have several adult learners in our programs, and our students see lifelong learning modeled every day in the classroom – it’s a valuable enrichment of their educational experience. Also, Jerry has really thrown himself into his study of music – not only conducting and music literature, but also music theory! It’s exciting to see someone really committing to an entirely new chapter of learning.”

PROFESSIONALS & REAL ESTATE

Zinn Thinks Big, Smart and Vertically

but the ever-forwardthinking Zinn has put together her wish list for living her family’s best life exactly from where they want to be.

She said, “The site is on 12th Street and Piedmont Park with a hearty 1.5-mile walk through the park to Chabad Intown. You can definitively get some steps in and get there.”

In October 2022, at the Chabad Intown Anniversary Gala, Zinn was featured in their video touting the importance of the quality education provided by the Intown Jewish Academy.

For the plans and renderings, Zinn employed licensed architect and interior designer, Jeffrey Bruce Baker, who touts his designs as “guided by classical principles through the exploration of modernism around the world with bespoke and custom collections.”

Super woman Leslie Zinn, who appeared as the Atlanta Jewish Times March 2023 Lowdown column, labeled herself as the poster child for later-in-life motherhood, having children at 35, 40, 42, and 46. Now, with

her husband and these four children in tow, Zinn, CEO of Arden’s Garden, has made headlines with yet another "juicy” project.

On Jan. 11, The Atlanta Business Chronicle headlined, “Arden’s Garden CEO plans swank home on tiny Midtown site.” It may not be completed until June 2025,

Zinn is slated to replace the current smaller charcoal grey home on the site with her five-story, three-unit structure that includes a car elevator, penthouse suite, and Juliet balconies. And why a car elevator? Zinn replied, “There will be three units with a two-story penthouse. We just didn’t have enough parking without that elevator.”

The site, which is one-eighth of an acre, or around 5,000 square feet, is in the highly popular Midtown commercial and residential sphere. Commercial and residential property there has skyrocketed based on the paucity of prize spots and the boom of new investments. Zinn paid $500,000 for the land which is estimated to be below market value. She stated that the family would indeed occupy the house, but, in the long term, it could possibly be used for rentals or resale.

Design plans are innovative with broad floor plans and moving sculptures. Zinn describes the layout more precisely as:

• Floors 1 and 2 are 2 BR/2 BA with lovely indoor/ outdoor access in the living areas.

• Floors 3 and 4 are a 4BR/4.5 BA penthouse unit with access to the roof. All units will have roof access where there will be a pool and lounge area.

As health guru Arden Zinn’s daughter, Leslie Zinn grew up not drinking the Kool-Aid, in favor of her mother’s healthy concoctions. Graduating with a bachelor’s in industrial management from Georgia Institute of Technology, she was one of the founding partners of Arden’s Garden in 1995. With this fitness enthusiast mother and a Regent’s professor father (Dr. Ben Zinn), Leslie Zinn leads the wellness company that emphasizes education and accessibility.

With 200 employees, Arden’s Garden is the premier juice company in the Southeast, with wholesale partners in six states and 16 retail stores in the Atlanta area. Also, Zinn purchased a local urban farm where she’s partnering to promote wellness and access to fresh food in areas considered as “food deserts,” and also developing a plant-based burrito bar. ì

AGG Targets Israeli Relationships to Procure Capital

Arnall Golden and Gregory attorneys

Abe Schear and Mindy Planer think globally with their implementation of a strategy to attract international capital to Atlanta and elsewhere in the United States.

“We are known for our extensive collaboration with Israeli companies, business leaders, investors, and law firms, and know many investors and real estate companies in the United States and Israel. Our firm is a multi-disciplinary law firm with a broad range of contacts. Mindy and I have particular experience and offer legal assistance to our Israelibased clientele with respect to real estate investments, and our partner, Alan Minsk, works with Israeli companies in the biotech arena,” said Abe Schear, who calls his firm’s work arranging connections, “Making Shiddachs.”

The firm’s Israeli practice started in 2005. On a whim, Schear was convinced by a paralegal (who was an Israeli attorney) to fly to Israel in search of business. This proved to be a way to meet contacts who, at the time, were mostly interested in using law firms from New York City. He explained, “This was at a time when about 80 percent of Israeli real estate investments into the United States were New York-centric. Recognizing that the initial plan was fundamentally flawed, the focus became introducing Israeli capital to opportunities, particularly to multi-family real estate companies in the Southeast. Over time, a steady stream of Israeli capital was invested in these platforms.”

As Israeli investors availed themselves of opportunities, they also began to invest in other property types, such as healthcare real estate, industrial properties, retail properties and senior living. The expanded market helped spur the growth of Israeli companies like Buligo, Sage and Faropoint to set up U.S. offices and invest on behalf of American and Israeli investors.

As Schear noted, “Over the 15-plus years of our Israeli initiative, the large law firms in Israel have more than doubled in size (two now with well over 500 lawyers, all of which have moved to new shiny buildings, many of which are 45 floors or more) and the economy of Israel has grown exponentially. The Israeli companies in Atlanta have become more sophisticated, in some cases, quite invisible but very successful. These companies are ambassadors of Israel and are entrenched in our market.”

Recently, Planer and Schear had two dozen meetings in Israel with law firms, investors, and bankers.

Planer noted, “No trip has been more curious than this one. We have been in the country during rocket attacks, when the Israeli navy stopped boats from Turkey and during periods of heightened border tensions. Those circumstances pitted Israel against its neighbors. On this trip, and as a result of the proposed changes in Israeli law related to the judiciary, the less visible but ever-present tension among the various sectors of Israeli society became more easily recognizable and more pronounced. Almost universally, everyone we met with in the Tel Aviv legal and business community was disturbed by the proposed changes and its potential impact on Israeli democracy and the cohesiveness of Israeli society.”

The current political situation, coupled with the global economic downturn, have greatly impacted the Israeli economic outlook as well. Planer noted that, “As a result of the political uncertainty and the general downturn in the global economy, capital into Israel that had been a hallmark of the startup nation economy has slowed significantly. Conversely, Israeli investors have shown heightened interest in deploying capital outside of the country, particularly in the United States.”

Despite the current challenges, the AGG team remains committed to fostering connections between Israeli investors, companies, and law firms, and the

U.S. business and legal community. With extensive experience and contacts in both Israel and the U.S., and with over

35 previous trips to Israel, the AGG team plans to continue building bridges between these communities. ì

The Lowdown I Bet

You Didn’t Know …

Greg Fenves

Atlanta is chock full of interesting “movers and shakers” - some bent on creativity, activism and/or just plain having fun and living the good life. Lean in to hear some of the “off the cuff” remarks as to what makes Greg Fenves tick.

As the president of Emory University, Greg Fenves has distinguished himself as an eminent researcher and educator, as well as an experienced academic leader. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering as well as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Since arriving at Emory in 2020, he has focused on initiatives to improve the student experience, recruit, and retain world class faculty, spur research breakthroughs, and reinforce the university’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Last year, he expanded financial aid to eliminate need-based loans for undergraduate students, replacing them with grants and scholarships.

With his career spanning four decades, Fenves has spoken out powerfully against discrimination, delivering the keynote address during the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust’s Days of Remembrance event at the Georgia State Capitol in 2022, and receiving awards from Holocaust Museum Houston and the Dallas Holocaust Museum, among others. Learn about where to find Emory’s leader...in a hip hop class.

Last time I was moved to tears?

Whenever I last watched “Casablanca” -- that movie always gets me, especially “La Marseillaise.”

Last class I took?

I attended a hip hop dance class at Emory...I just watched and listened, but it was awesome!

Last time I danced?

My daughter’s wedding...and the next time I’ll dance will be at my other daughter’s upcoming wedding!

The best advice my father gave me was...

The way he lived his life as a survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald.

I’m streaming...

Carmel (wife) and I just finished “The Widow.” We also really liked “Daisy Jones & The Six” — great ‘60s music that we grew up with!

What was your first job?

When I was 17, I got a job as a computer programmer and, back then, a single computer took up a whole room!

What advice would you give a 20-year-old Greg Fenves?

Don’t hesitate to take smart risks.

My comfort food is...

Tex-Mex at Maudie’s in Austin. My go-to dish is “The Regular Dinner,” which is a big plate with enchiladas, chili, and a taco. The best!

I am currently reading...

“Man’s Search for Meaning,” by Viktor Frankl.

My latest DIY project?

Installing a soundbar on a TV that is so old I should probably replace it.

If they made a movie of your life, who would play the lead?

I have to go with my doppelganger, Peter Gallagher. I don’t know if I see it, but a few people have mistaken me for him.

College students today are definitely more...

Motivated! Emory students especially.

My engineer brain keeps telling me...

Don’t talk like an engineer!

ARTS Get Star Struck at the Illuminarium

The moon may not be made out of cheese, but the boulders floating through space feel like dodging baked potatoes. In honor of National Space Day on May 5, the Illuminarium launched a new addition to its SPACE spectacle, featuring an interactive James Webb Space Telescope experience showcasing cosmic views from the telescope, the largest and most groundbreaking telescope ever built.

Illuminarium’s newest exhibit, “SPACE: A Journey to the Moon & Beyond,” features high-tech animation systems and 360-degree, fully immersive screens that provide a never-before-seen perspective and scale of the James Webb imagery. Iluminarium CEO Alan Greenberg and partners were among the pioneers in this form of “infotainment" and have since expanded past Atlanta to Las Vegas, and soon, Toronto. There have been artists, animals, flowers, kids’ spectacles; but this one is especially enriching and well put together. The WILD African Safari Experience and Waking Wonder-

land (a la Alice) are also current choices. About SPACE, Greenberg stated,

“The Illuminarium James Webb experience adds a new, breathtaking element

to our SPACE spectacle. Guests will see the remarkable James Webb imagery at

a scale like never before, including a time elapse showing how the James Webb Space Telescope unfurls in the cosmos over a 15-day period, one of the great technological feats of our time. It’s part spectacle and part science lesson all in one at Illuminarium.”

The SPACE experience is driven by a blend of technology, including 4K laser projection, 3-D audio, LIDAR based interactivity, in-floor sensation-creating haptics, and even scent. Strobe effects, gentle floor vibration, immersive sound, and realistic and responsive projection may all be part of the show. Guests have the opportunity to interact with cosmic cliffs, tarantula nebulas, The Southern Ring, Pillars of Creation, and more. Using a wave of the hand, viewers can literally

affect what they see on the Illuminarium walls. Walk by the star-filled Pillars of Creation, and new colors and sights are revealed.

Particularly inspiring was the surround sound compatible music, like “Ground Control to Major Tom,” from David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” and who couldn’t dance among Jupiter and Mars’ stars to Frank Sinatra’s, “Fly Me to The Moon”?

Guests will also see the dramatic unfurling and deployment of the JWST in deep space — how a telescope the size of a football field that was crammed into a rocket less than 30 feet in diameter came to life.  Some have described the unfolding of the JWST to that of an origami creation or like a remote-controlled opening of a gigantic Swiss Army knife or a pen-

tagonal set of mirrors made of gold.  Especially enlightening was the sparkling prediction of what a developed space station might look like in the not-too-distant future, and who among us would volunteer to live on a developed space station?

The rocket liftoff was equally jarring. Here, we are all as children gazing up with a sense of wonder; and in the revelation of how small we humans really are; and certainly, there must be some life out there!

There is also a dine-in or outside Illuminarium café (and bar), and another form of fulfilling experience can take place al fresco watching the skateboarders and joggers whiz by on the BeltLine.

SPACE will continue through the remainder of 2023. Guests can mix and match

shows and opt for an all-day pass to combine multiple shows -- or just one. There are family packages, youth and senior discounts, VIP choices, and group admission for 10-50 guests. Think about a respite from the heat for a summer staycation.

Note: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings are dedicated to an age 21-plus SPACE After Dark experience. The Illuminarium is also available for private parties.

550 Somerset Terrace, NE. 404 3411000 ì

Take your protein pills and put your helmet on I’m stepping through the door And I’m floating in a most peculiar way And the stars look very different today.

New Museum of Illusions Challenges the Mind

Parents looking for an opportunity to provide their children with a summertime recreational experience that is educational at the same time now have a new option.

It’s the Museum of Illusion which opened in April in the heart of the Atlantic Station shopping complex. The 10,000-square-foot attraction, which is part of a fast-growing, international network of locations, provides visitors with a new way of looking at the world by exploring the science of optics and the way our eyes can sometimes play tricks on us.

The CEO of the company, which is described as the largest and fastest growing chain of privately owned museums in the world, is Jonathan Benjamin. Benjamin, who runs the operation from its international headquarters in Atlanta, believes that exhibits that explore the science of how we see the world can sometimes be just as exciting as the latest theme park gadgetry.

“Our museums are about exploring

the unexpected. It’s about the ways our perception of reality can play tricks on us,” Benjamin notes. “Some of these exhibits are based on principles that are

centuries old, and yet, they’re still mind bending. It’s not something electronic that exists on a computer server, it’s right there before your very eyes. And the chal-

Coming Soon to the Alliance Theatre...

lenge we present to people is to reconcile what it is you’re seeing with reality.”

One example in the museum is the Ames Room that may appear, at first

glance, to be an ordinary rectangular cube, but it’s actually an irregular geometric shape that is described as trapezoidal. One corner of the room is actually much closer to the observer than an opposing corner. Because it plays with our mental idea of perspective, a person in one corner of the room may appear to be much larger or much smaller than another.

The Ames Room is based on the work of the American scientist Adelbert Ames, who was a research professor at Dartmouth College in Massachusetts. His work on how our mind tricks us into believing, which was first published over 75 years ago, was about how the mind can sometimes process visual impressions to make us believe that ideas about depth and shape and size are more real than they actual are. The implications of his research were to raise questions about the validity of what we sometimes describe as eyewitness reports.

Later research by David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel at Harvard University, about how the brain processes the information from optical illusions, won the 1981 Nobel Prize in medicine.

Another example of how our brain can sometimes become confused about what we’re seeing is the Vortex Tunnel at the Museum of Illusions. The tunnel has a bridge which is stable, but it is surrounded by a cylinder that is spinning. Stepping onto the bridge creates the impression that the bridge is spinning and not the cylinder. Your brain, which is presented with so much information at one time, is seemingly overwhelmed. It can’t, in effect, believe what your eyes are seeing.

All this visual sleight of hand has paid off handsomely for the two Serbians who founded the first Museum of Illusion in Zagreb in 2015. Their RP Illu-

sions Corporation, which developed the museums, was boosted two years ago by a substantial investment from a venture capital firm, Invera Equity Partners, which is based in the Netherlands.

The company’s growth, however, is no illusion. It now has 45 museums in 21 countries, including one in Tel Aviv. With the worldwide pandemic receding in memory, growth is expected to be robust in the years ahead. Earlier in 2023, they opened in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Austin, Texas, and just this week they cut the ribbon in Montreal. Up next is a 16,000-square-foot location on the Las Vegas Strip.

The rapid expansion is keeping Benjamin on a tight travel schedule in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. He’s lived here since his work in the franchise industry first brought him to Atlanta in 1998. The Jewish museum executive, however, claims no kinship with Judah Benjamin, the Confederate Secretary of the Treasury who was also Jewish. The latter had his hands full during the Civil War full trying to dispel any illusions, at the time, that the South could survive financially.

Although Benjamin expects the new flagship location here to attract tourists and conventioneers, he’s counting on much of the business to come from the local community. He believes that the museum provides a good opportunity for what is described as an “edutainment” experience for schools, youth groups, and families.

“The overwhelming majority of our locations are expected to integrate with the community as a whole,” Benjamin says. “So, we’ve got a 10-year lease or more in all of our locations. We expect that most of our customers here will be Atlantans.” ì

Shavuos at Beth Jacob Synagogue

On Thursday night, May 25, the first night of Shavuos, Beth Jacob Synagogue presented a night of Jewish learning. It began at midnight and continued all night long until about 6 a.m. It is traditional to do this on the first night of Shavuos. This AJT writer attended the Torah classes, but there were other group sessions at the Kollel attached to the synagogue, and a 90-minute study group. This is but a brief summary of what was shared:

12:00 am -- Rabbi Ilan D. Feldman spoke about Jewish observance. He said the shul stands for Shabbos observance, keeping kosher and other Jewish observances, but its members need not commit to that. The shul does not invite you to imitate any observance. You come to that on your own.

The rabbi suggested that observance should be creative, building a relationship with G-d, and not following observance as a slave. He indicated that there are five areas of observance where a Jew can be a slave. The first is Torah study. You don’t study it because you are required to as a slave, but because you want to. The second area is prayer. Don’t mouth the words in rote fashion. Pray slowly as though you are talking to G-d. The third area is Shabbos. Don’t do it as a slave because you have to do it without enjoying it but do it as a source of inspiration. The fourth area is that we should not be satisfied with only ourselves. We need to reach out to other people. to be a nation so the world will know that there is a G-d. The fifth area is the Jewish family. Do we live in a house or a home? As a house, it is just to recharge our batteries for the outside world. As a home, it is a place to become a sanctuary, a source of strength to build a relationship with G-d.

Rabbi Feldman observed that even though the Torah was received at Mt. Sinai, whenever you study the Torah, it is as though you are directly receiving it from Sinai. Mt. Sinai was a single event, but the shul is dedicated for continuously speaking to G-d. When you study Torah, you are at Mt. Sinai, so your study should be with awe and reverence. Finally, the study of Torah is not only to learn it, but to teach it to others.

12:45 a.m. -- Rabbi Mark Goldfeder spoke about Jewish decision making. He quoted Justice Felix Frankfurter, a member of the U.S. Supreme Court, who said, “As a member of the Court, I am not justified in

writing my private opinions of policy into the Constitution…It should be emphasized that one’s own opinion about the wisdom or evil of a law should be excluded altogether when one is doing one’s duty on the bench.” With regard to Judaism, the Torah is our Constitution, and it should guide us regarding our Judaism.

Rabbi Goldfeder referred to a statement by Rashi who said that if two Jews argue about Jewish law or forbidden or permitted matters, and each explains their logic honestly, then there is no falsehood. One argument can be more lenient, while the other can be more strict, and, at times, one perspective can be more relevant, and at other times, the other will be because times can change. Rabbi Goldfeder provided one picture that can be seen as the side view of a young woman or the face of an old woman. Both pictures are right. In the end, the majority opinion is the one that prevails for the time being, but the minority opinion should also be presented.

1:30 am -- Rabbi Aryeh Holzer spoke about whether you are allowed to drink milk. For kosher meat from a cow, the cow has to be checked if it has adhesions in its lungs, which, if there, makes the cow treifah. He said that in one U.S. recent study, 80 percent of cows on dairy farms had adhesions and are considered treifah. That occurs because of the way in which U.S. cows are raised –in barns, force fed and not allowed to roam freely. The question then is whether observant Jews should drink milk from cows. He pointed out a question asked by R. Schachter -- how can we rely on the presumption of kashrut for milk obtained from multiple animals since some of the cows are not acceptable for kashrut?

The answer is -- if you know the specific cow where the milk came from and the cow

once slaughtered had adhesions, then you should not drink that cow’s milk or eat any cheese from that cow going back three days, although some argue as long as three years. However, in the U.S., milk is a mixture of hundreds or thousands of cows and we cannot know from which cows the milk comes from, so we act as if all of the milk is kosher.

2:15 a.m. -- R. Meir Brecher spoke of how the day and night are defined according to halachah. The day and night are defined based on astronomical times. The day occurs when the first light appears over the horizon, or the time when there is light visible across the entire eastern horizon. It also has to be the time when there is enough light to recognize a person at a short distance. The day can also be defined as “when the sun begins to appear over the horizon.”

The more difficult time is defining when night occurs, which is important in deciding when Shabbos is over. According to the Gemara, the explanation of the Torah, one rabbi argues that it should be 72 minutes after the sun sets below the horizon, while another rabbi argues that it should be 13.5 minutes after the sunset. Others argue that night occurs when you can see three stars in the sky. It is clear that night varies according to the geographical location. The closer you are to the equator, the faster the sunset. In Lyuban, Russia, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein argued that night occurs 72 minutes after sunset, and 50 minutes in New York. In Atlanta, it is about 30-35 minutes after sunset.

Finally, different synagogues have set nighttime differently on their calendars dependent upon who they consider the authority.

3:00 am -- Rabbi Michael Berger spoke about why it took 49 days after the Jews left Egypt to reach Mt. Sinai and receive the To-

rah. He said that the Jews could have reached Mt. Sinai in three days, but G-d saw that they were not ready for the Torah. The Jews left Egypt with an Egyptian mentality as slaves, and they needed to go through a transition of change to be ready to accept the Torah as Jews, and not as slaves. The Jews complained at the Red Sea that the Egyptians were coming after them to kill them, so G-d saved them. They then complained that they had no water, so G-d provided them with water. They then complained that they had no food, so G-d gave them manna. And then the Jews battled with Amalek and G-d allowed them to prevail.

The point that Rabbi Berger made is that personal change takes time and cannot occur quickly. This is true not just for the Jews receiving the Torah, but for any change we desire to make.

4:30 a.m. -- Rabbi Nachi Friedman discussed the occasions when we say the Shehechiyanu prayer, the prayer that means “we are alive,” that G-d has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.” It is said to express gratitude to G-d for new and unusual experiences or possessions.  The blessing of  Shehecheyanu is recited in thanks or commemoration of doing or experiencing something that occurs infrequently from which one derives pleasure or benefit, for example: the beginning of a Jewish holiday; eating a new fruit for the first time since the Jewish New Year ; seeing a friend who has not been seen in 30 days; or acquiring a new home or other significant possessions, and on other very special occasions.

5:00 a.m. --Rabbi Michol Friedman discussed when and how the Jewish Kohanim give their Divine Blessing to the congregation. The Torah says that G-d said, “I will cause a tribe to descend from among your sons that will bless Israel, and it will be called the tribe of Levi.” The Kohanim make their blessing to the congregation near the conclusion of various Jewish holiday prayers by taking off their shoes and going up to the platform at the front of the synagogue. The reason is that Moses was told to take his shoes off when he spoke with G-d at the burning bush because it was a holy area.

Congregants do not watch the Kohanim during their blessing. The Kohanim place their fingers in a five point position, similar to what Leonard Nimoy did in “Star Trek,” and the Kohanim give their famous blessing that can be summarized as, “May G-d suppress his anger, may the kohanim bless in the name of G-d, and may G-d give approval to the priests’ blessings.

At 6 a.m., after so many wonderful presentations, it was time to get some sleep. ì

Holocaust Survivor Day Links Two Communities

More than 120 people gathered at Congregation B’nai Torah on Friday, June 2, Atlanta’s first Holocaust Survivor Day, to celebrate the resilience and strength of Holocaust survivors. Held in conjunction with the Jewish Community Center of Krakow, Poland, the event engaged two Jewish communities more than 5,000 miles apart through the use of Zoom and a belief in Am Yisrael chai, an assertion that the Jewish nation lives on and is united, despite any challenges or adversity.

The event was hosted by the Holocaust Survivor Support Fund of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Holocaust Survivor Services of Jewish Family & Career Services, and the Jewish Community of Krakow. Eric Robbins, CEO of the Atlanta Federation; Terri Bonoff, CEO of JF&CS; Rabbi Joshua Heller, senior rabbi of Congregation B’nai Torah; and Jonathan Orenstein, founder/ director of the JCC of Krakow, spoke about the importance of the event and continuing to meet survivors’ needs.

“The Holocaust Survivor Support Fund is at the top of our list at Federation. We, in the Atlanta Jewish community, want to make sure each life will be lived out in dignity and that those here in Atlanta are able to live a vibrant and Jewish life,” said Robbins in his opening remarks.

The fund was created by Federation to provide survivor support, such as home care, medical needs, medical equipment, prescription drugs, dental care, homedelivered meals, emergency financial assistance, adult day care, assisted living housing support (with partial scholarships), hospice, and food assistance. Cherie Aviv, who spearheaded the creation of the fund and who leads volunteer efforts to this day, was responsible for the planning and implementation of the event for Atlanta, working in conjunction with the Krakow JCC.

“It is wonderful to see our Atlanta community come together to take care of and honor these special people. Many of the attendees told me they were so touched by everyone’s efforts today,” said Aviv.

To commemorate the auspicious occasion, the Krakow choir sang two songs in Hebrew, including “Hatikvah.” Atlanta’s own Bob’s Broadway Chorus sang “Miracle of Miracles” and “Sabbath Prayer” from “Fiddler on the Roof.” Gov. Brian Kemp issued a special proclamation declaring the

day as “Holocaust Survivor Day” for the entire state.

Ornstein, who is one of the two creators of Holocaust Survivors Day worldwide, said, “Watching our community join with Atlanta, across two continents and two languages, standing together to sing Hatikvah in yet a third language, was nothing short of miraculous. Singing the Shabbat prayers together demonstrates Judaism’s thread tying people across the world together and that we, the Jewish people, were ultimately victorious over the Nazis’ Final Solution.”

Rabbi Heller led the Shabbat prayers with several attendees participating. Interestingly, Rabbi Heller’s own ancestor was Rabbi Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller, who was the Chief Rabbi of Krakow in the mid-1600s. Joseph and Raisa Kershteyn, both survivors from the former Soviet Union, lit the Shabbat candles. Barry Seidel, a survivor originally from Antwerp, Belgium, gave the Hamotzi blessing and was especially honored to be part of the day.

“Whenever I do the Shabbat blessings, I think of my father, Max Leopold Seidel, who was taken from us and perished at Auschwitz in October 1943, when he was barely 50 years old. He is always with me. I like to believe he enjoys watching us from far

above,” said Seidel.

Most of the attendees were originally from countries that were part of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Even with the time and language difference (Shabbat took place in Krakow during the event), both groups connected through music, prayers, and Hebrew.

In Atlanta, attendees were treated to a bountiful pre-Shabbat lunch served by a bevy of volunteers. The tables were beautifully set with flowers, picture frames for each guest, the framed governor’s proclamation and specially selected, decorative tableware. Individual cheese, vegetable, fruit, and cracker platters were served to each guest first, followed by a number of salads, including tuna, egg and pasta, as well as fresh vegetables. Handmade chocolate truffles were served for dessert.

The team effort for the event was remarkable. More than 20 volunteers, led by Aviv, were involved in creating a joyful and memorable afternoon, with several setting up the space in advance. Other volunteers cooked, set tables, served lunch, greeted attendees, and cleaned up afterwards. According to Carol Sherwinter, one of the volunteers, “June 2 was a volunteer experience far more emotionally impactful than I had

anticipated. Being hugged and thanked by a charming 85-year-old survivor was the highlight of this special program for me!”

Another volunteer, Clare Habif, concurred. “The best part of the day was having lunch with a gentleman survivor. We shared pictures of our gardens, as well as those of his grandson. It made me feel so good to know that he has created a beautiful life here in the United States after his horrific experience during the Holocaust,” she said.

Holocaust Survivor Day was graciously sponsored by Seed the Dream Foundation, Congregation B’nai Torah, and Cherie and Gary Aviv. Chefs Howard Schreiber and Debbie Lewis led the volunteer efforts to prepare the luncheon. Translators were also on hand to translate the English into Russian and Polish. Eva Beldick, who was born in Krakow and now lives in Atlanta, translated the English into Polish and told the group, “Connecting with my roots warms my heart. I know that Jewish life is vibrant again in Krakow.”

For those who would like to learn more about the Holocaust Survivor Support Fund or to make a donation, please visit visit jewishatlanta.org/give/philanthropicopportunities/hssf/. ì

Lefkovits Honored with Movement Builder Award

University of Georgia StandWithUs

Emerson Fellow, Gabriela Lefkovits, has been honored with second place for the Movement Builder Award for Creativity and Impact.

The Movement Builder Award for Creativity and Impact is given to one exceptional StandWithUs Emerson Fellow each year who approached and successfully implemented Israel programming with a specific and dynamic strategy tailored to their campus climate. The award is named after the StandWithUs Movement Builder platform, designed to help student leaders assess their campus climate, map out their goals, and develop an effective strategy for Israel education that will maximize their impact.

As a StandWithUs Emerson Fellow at the University of Georgia, Gabriela Lefkovits set the goal of strengthening and expanding her community on campus. Following a successful Israel educational course she led through Chabad, Lefkovits inspired this new group of students to invite their friends to get in-

volved and learn about Israel. Through her own efforts, Lefkovits successfully connected with the Catholic Center, the Pride Center, and other groups and communities through collaborative events and initiatives to cultivate support and interest in Israel. She also played a crucial role in planning and recruiting for Hillel of Georgia’s “Meeting the Challenge” Israel Conference, where student leaders from across the state of Georgia gathered to discuss Israel on campus and ways to lead on campus.

“I am so thankful to StandWithUs for giving me the resources and support to speak out for Israel on campus,” Lefkovits said. “Knowing I had a community behind me, I felt empowered to reach out to other religious and minority groups to collaborate with. It is so rewarding to share my love for Israel and show others how they can form a bond of support and mutual values, whether that be through sustainable energy, pride, or religion.”

Compiled by AJT Staff

Simcha Announcements

Have something to celebrate?

Births, B’nai Mitzvah, Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries, Special Birthdays and more ... Share it with your community with free AJT simcha announcements. Send info to submissions@atljewishtimes.com.

Engagement Announcement Simon - Paz

Rachelle and Barry Simon, of Atlanta, are happy to announce the engagement of their daughter, Kaylee Simon, to Jonathan Paz, son of Karen Paz and Roy Cranman and Atsmon and Dominique Paz.

Kaylee is the granddaughter of Salome Simon, of Australia, and the late Selwyn Simon, of Australia, and the late Aileen and Mervan Berzack, of South Africa.

Jonathan is the grandson of Miriam Botnick, of Atlanta, and the late Marvin Botnick, of Atlanta, and the late Mira and Micha Paz, of Israel.

Kaylee is a therapist with Path Group of Atlanta, located in Buckhead. She enjoys having her dog come to work with her as she offers animal assisted therapy. Jonathan is the owner of Privée Diamonds Direct, located at the Avalon. He specializes in custom design jewelry and engagement rings.

A March 2024 wedding is planned in Atlanta.

Kabbalah Café – 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. Fuel up your week with the transformative teachings of Kabbalah as you enjoy a gourmet hot breakfast and coffee bar. You’ll study text-based spiritual wisdom that gives you practical guidance to living a healthy and empowered life. Join Beth Tefillah by visiting https://bit.ly/3Ak2BfX.

Various Dates

Water for Elephants - Running towards a new life, Jacob Jankowski hitches a ride on a mysterious train. He finds himself in the heart of a traveling circus, the Benzini Bros Most Spectacular Show On Earth, with a new job, a new home, and a new family. "Water for Elephants" will reignite your dreams of running away with the circus. This adventure of love, family, and belonging speaks to us all. Purchase tickets at the Alliance Theater at https://bit. ly/3IU4hkY.

SATURDAY, JUNE 17

Tot Shabbat and Kiddush Lunch - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join Congregation Beth Shalom every Shabbat at 11 a.m. for an interactive Tot Shabbat where we sing, play, and engage in fun activities, followed by a wonderful Shabbat Kiddush lunch together. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3PMct7u.

MONDAY, JUNE 19

Jeff’s Place Café – 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Need a place to host your Monday-morning business meeting? Looking to meet a friend for breakfast and coffee? Craving some bagels and lox before heading into the office? Come to Chabad Intown and find out more at https:// bit.ly/3IRgve6.

SUNDAY, JUNE 18

WEDNESDAY JUNE 21

AJC - IHRA Political Advocacy Training (In Person) - 12 to 1:30 p.m. During Georgia’s 2023 legislative session, American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the broader Jewish community advocated for House Bill 30/144. This bill would enable Georgia departments and officials to reference the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism when considering the intent of a discriminatory or violent act against a Jewish person or institution. The IHRA working definition has been embraced as a part of the White House’s recently announced National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. This is where you come in. Hearing from members of the Jewish community is critical for legislators to understand the importance of this legislation and vote in its favor. Join AJC Atlanta for advocacy training for community members who want to take part in advocacy meetings with legislators. Register at https://bit. ly/3C7J1o3.

FRIDAY, JUNE 16

SOJOURN’s Drawing from the Well -12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to experience the magic of inclusive community during Drawing from the Well. Drawing from the Well is SOJOURN’s inclusive weekly meetup for LGBTQ+ Jews and allies. Find out more at https://bit.ly/3ZrKEXi.

Kabbalah and Coffee - 10 to 11 a.m. Discuss, explore, and journey with Intown Jewish Academy through the world of Jewish mystical teaching and learn how to apply these profound teachings to your daily life. This ongoing class probes the esoteric through a unique program of English text-based study. No prior Kabbalistic experience required. Learn more at https://bit. ly/3V3sfiE.

more events and submit items for our online and print calendars at:

TUESDAY, JUNE 20

Caregiver Support Group - Dunwoody Sandy Springs - 6 to 7 p.m. Watching those we love to lose their memory or ability to live independently is difficult on all levels. Taking some time to focus on your own mental and emotional well-being will help you be a better caregiver for someone else. RSVP at Berman Commons Assisted Living & Memory Care and Jewish HomeLife, at http://bit.ly/3XuB84q.

Covenant House: Prepare and Share a Meal - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. This is a wonderful volunteer opportunity to contribute back to our metro Atlanta community. Once you sign up, you’ll be able to select what part of the dinner you will be providing. Dinner is from 6-7 p.m., and we ask that you prepare enough for 60 people so that we can ensure that everyone at Covenant House can share in your meal. Register at https://bit.ly/41uXbKQ.

THURSDAY, JUNE 22

Torah Study with Rabbi Dorsch -10 a.m. Join Congregation Etz Chaim for our weekly study session in the HammerTritt Social Hall. Get more information at https://bit.ly/45kiCk4.

CANDLE-LIGHTING TIMES

Torah Reading: Shlach

Friday, June 16, Sivan 27, 5783 Light Candles at 8:32 PM

Saturday, June 17, Sivan 28, 5783 Shabbat Ends 9:34 PM

Torah Reading: Korach

Friday, June 23, Tammuz 4, 5783 Light Candles at 8:34 PM

Saturday, June 24, Tammuz 5, 5783 Shabbat Ends 9:36 PM

Torah Reading: Chukat-Balak

Friday, June 30, Tammuz 11, 5783 Light Candles at 8:34 PM

Saturday, July 1, Tammuz 12, 5783 Shabbat Ends 9:36 PM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28

Jewish Women’s Torah and Tea - 7;45 to 8:45 p.m. Join the Jewish Women’s Circle of Decatur for a weekly discussion on the Parsha and contemporary Jewish issues. Find out more at https:// bit.ly/3T8oR4B.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23

Summer Solstice Shabbat with TBT –5:30 to 8:15 p.m. Come check out our warm, inclusive, and vibrant community. Join us at Temple Beth Tikvah’s outdoor chapel & grassy knoll for a Summer Solstice Shabbat. Gather & unwind with a refreshing beverage, followed by a musical Shabbat service with LA recording artist Coleen Dieker, and then dinner (bring a picnic) and dessert. Prospective members are welcome! Find out more at https://bit. ly/3C12g2o.

MONDAY, JUNE 26

Jeff’s Place Café – 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Need a place to host your Monday-morning business meeting? Looking to meet a friend for breakfast and coffee? Craving some bagels and lox before heading into the office? Come to Chabad Intown and find out more at https:// bit.ly/3IRgve6.

TUESDAY, JUNE 27

Brain Health Bootcamp - 1 to 3 p.m. If you are recognizing symptoms of cognitive changes or have been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, JFCS fun and social class can help you strengthen your mind and body to stay sharp, especially during these times. Sign up by visiting https://bit. ly/3tPwMs3.

Georgia departments and officials to reference the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism when considering the intent of a discriminatory or violent act against a Jewish person or institution. The IHRA working definition has been embraced as a part of the White House’s recently announced National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. This is where you come in. Hearing from members of the Jewish community is critical for legislators to understand the importance of this legislation and vote in its favor. Join AJC Atlanta for advocacy training for community members who want to take part in advocacy meetings with legislators. Register at https://bit. ly/3qqa77h.

THURSDAY, JUNE 29

Knit and Crochet Group - 1 to 3 p.m. Join Dor Tamid and crochet and knit beanies for premature babies from home. Find out more at https://bit. ly/3VY3R1j.

AJC - IHRA Political Advocacy Training

- 12 to 1:30 p.m. During Georgia’s 2023 legislative session, American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the broader Jewish community advocated for House Bill 30/144. This bill would enable

Dear Rachel,

My younger brother was recently diagnosed with autism, and I am concerned for his future. My parents seem relieved that he finally has a diagnosis, but I feel differently. While he does present with rigidity and sensory issues, I don’t think he is autistic. He functions very well in most settings. I am currently in school for social work, and I feel that this diagnosis can haunt him throughout his life. Is that a valid concern? And is it my place to approach my parents and tell them my feelings, or do I just stay silent?

A Concerned Sister

Dear Concerned Sister,

Your concern for your brother is heartwarming, and your respect for your parents is equally so, especially in our generation where the young seem confident that they know best.

After reading your letter, I consulted with a mental health professional so that I would be in a better position to guide you. Here is the gist of what I learned.

A diagnosis made by a mental health professional does not adhere to a person for life, nor does it define him as a person. It takes into consideration his behaviors and abilities and attempts to organize them under a label to create the best treatment plan for his condition. It is basically a road map to give clear directions for his upcoming life journey.

A clear diagnosis can be helpful in multiple ways. If there are learning accommodations and financial benefits as a result, that can make a difference in a person’s academic success and overall achievement in every area. People with ASD are eligible for many services that can be tremendously beneficial to their growth and assist them in reaching higher levels of ability. It is also entirely possible that once a person has undergone treatment and no longer exhibits certain symptoms, he will no longer meet the criteria for the diagnosis. Unfortunately, people with disabilities who don’t have a strong diagnosis are often overlooked and do not receive the services they desperately need and deserve.

The point you mentioned, however, does have validity, and sometimes labels can be disabling. Perhaps there is room for discussion with your parents, to ask respectfully if they really feel the diagnosis is accurate and why.

Do you have an open relationship with your parents? Can you approach them with your fears and see how they respond?

Although you don’t mention your brother’s age, I wonder how he feels about his diagnosis. Have you discussed any of your concerns with him? Has he said anything to you? Perhaps your primary focus can be to support him as best you can through this process. And just to throw in a different angle, perhaps the diagnosis and resulting services are G-d’s way of easing your brother’s path. People with autism often have social challenges which can severely impact their self-esteem. They can also be very rigid which will lead to unhealthy reactions, conflicts, and severed relationships. If your brother presents with any of these issues, what a gift it will be for him to receive tools to help him overcome these issues!

If only we, as a society, could rise above the stigma of a diagnosis and see a person for who he is, not for his disabilities. Every person has strengths and weaknesses; he is so much more than a label that magnifies his weaknesses. And then, if we can be openminded when a person in need receives services for his diagnosis, imagine the potential he will be able to actualize!

It is my fervent hope that your brother will succeed in his life mission and make his family and community proud.

Wishing you the best, Rachel

Atlanta Jewish Times Advice Column

Got a problem? Email Rachel at oyvey@atljewishtimes.com 250 words or less describing your problem. We want to hear from you and get helpful suggestions for your situation at the same time! Identifying details will be changed upon request.

Rowing

The Yeshiva University in New York decided to put together a rowing team. Unfortunately, they lost race after race.

They practiced for hours every day but never managed to come in any better than dead last.

The head of the yeshiva finally decided he couldn’t stand any more embarrassment so he sent Yankel to spy on the Yale University team.

So Yankel schlepped off to Yale and hid in the bullrushes off the river from where he carefully watched the Yale team as they practiced. Yankel finally returned to the yeshiva.

“I have figured out their secret,” he announced. “They have eight guys rowing and only one guy shouting.”

YIDDISH WORD

Vey-is-mir-nik

n. A person who is forever dramatizing the suffering they endure or believe they endure.

“That vey-is-mir-nik Asher gets on my nerves. Today he was oying about how his hair is falling out from too much worry.”

From the Yiddish vey is mir, meaning “I am pain itself.” Vey is mir is often preceded by oy.

Autobiographers

Difficulty Level: Challenging

ACROSS

1. Twins loc.

5. Kind of lashon

9. Autobiographer who also cowrote Divrei Hayamim

13. On the Dead or the Red

14. He lost his head to 38-Across

15. Thank-___ (gift acknowledgments)

16. Autobiographer who also wrote Melachim

18. Ages and ages

19. Last name of The Rif

20. Overcome with shock

22. Rash remedies

25. Howard of Hollywood

26. It was also written by 16-Across

29. Common receding boundary

33. Enero begins it

34. Mattress springs

36. Portion where 47-Across wrote about “an eye for an eye”

37. Lead-in to “mo”

38. Autobiographer who also wrote

Shoftim

40. King Hezekiah’s mother

41. Individually

43. One named Israeli singer

44. Bus. designation

45. Tree in a “Pocahontas” song

47. Autobiographer who also wrote

Iyov

49. Provo native

50. Afghani or Indian, e.g.

52. Levy, as a fine

55. Jewish problems

59. 33-Across in English

60. Autobiographer who also cowrote Divrei Hayamim

63. Actress Chlumsky

64. Home to Queen Sonja

65. Orchard measurement

66. It was also written by 38-Across

67. Hevel’s bro

68. Mexican dough

DOWN

1. Rudolph of note

2. Terrorist group, as Obama called it

3. Big name in foam weaponry

4. Broadway Joe of football

5. Eshet ___ (Var.)

6. Ankara title

7. Cheerleader’s shout

8. Water, to Joaquin

9. Mask opening

10. Lions and tigers and bears, e.g.

11. Goes for a seat

12. Admin. aide

17. Rabbis Luria and 19-Across

21. Sound of frustration

23. Lion-headed monster of myth

24. Military greetings

26. Loosens (up)

27. Mosaic work

28. Roommate, e.g.

30. “But ___ fire to the rain” (Adele lyric)

31. Aristocrat

32. Bana and Clapton

35. “Heavens to Betsy!”

39. Labor class?

42. Aish follower

46. French for “my”

48. One way to see all of Europe?

51. “Some Like___”

52. It coincides with May

53. Options item

54. Son of 67-Across, in English

56. Some enjoy it on Passover

57. Galley blades

58. Huxtable son, of classic TV

61. Havdallah aspect

62. MLB’s former Indians, on scoreboards

Marty Aaron Kleinman

73, Atlanta

Marty was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where his parents, Sally and Simon, settled upon immigrating to the United States from the Czech Republic in 1948. As Holocaust survivors, they committed to keeping their Jewish traditions alive and raised their son in an Orthodox home. Marty attended a yeshiva for eight years and graduated from Canarsie High School. He then earned a Bachelor of engineering science from Richmond College on Staten Island in 1972.

Upon graduating, Marty began what would become a lifelong career with the United States government. He worked as a civil engineer with the Department of Defense, U.S. Army Forces Command in Utica, Fort McPherson, the Department of Commerce, and Shaw Air Force Base. Over the years, he traveled across the world on assignments, including Hawaii, Japan, Brazil, Turkey, Greece, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. Just this month, Marty was honored with his 50-year career Gold Service Award with the Department of the Army.

Marty transferred to Atlanta to spend more time with his beloved Aunt Ruth and Uncle Bernie Gross and enjoy the warmer climate. That’s also where he met Judy Landey on a blind date set up by Marty’s cousin, Etta. They married in 1993, and their daughter, Oliva, was born two years later. Spending time with his family was always his priority, but Marty also had a love of skiing, woodworking, gardening, and home renovations. Fondly known as “Mr. Fix-It Man,” he was always volunteering to help relatives and friends complete their projects.

A brave, strong, relentless fighter, Marty will most be remembered for his compassion and kindness to every person and animal he encountered. He is survived by his wife, Judy, his daughter, Olivia, brothers, Melvin and Eddie, sister-in-law, Judy, nieces, Caryn and Danielle, and nephews, Bryan, Steven, and Mark.

In Marty’s memory, please make donations to The Temple, your preferred nonprofit cancer research and prevention organization, or any other charitable organization of your choice. A graveside service was held on May 29 at Crest Lawn Memorial Park. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Joel Ruskin Hearshen

78, Atlanta

Joel Ruskin Hearshen, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend passed away on May 25, 2023, at the age of 78. Joel was born on Dec. 14, 1944, in Detroit, Mich., to Beatrice and Berl Hearshen.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Nancy Hearshen; his children, Rachel (Christian) Rickwardt, of Frankfurt, Germany, and Rabbi Josh (Carrie) Hearshen of Brookhaven, Ga.; his sister and brother-in-law, Fern and Mike Halem, of Moorpark, Calif.; his two granddaughters, Ayelet and Galit Hearshen, and he is pre-deceased by his brother and sister-in-law, Norman and Elaine Hearshen. He is also survived by nieces and nephews, cousins, and numerous family and friends.

Joel spent his career as a social science teacher in the Detroit Public School system along with working as an adjunct professor at Madonna University in Livonia, Mich. During the summers, he enjoyed working as a house painter with a fellow educator. Joel was a voracious reader who loved history and learning about the nations of the world. He served as a board member of his synagogue, Temple Emanu-El, in Oak Park, Mich.

He was a joyful person who was inquisitive and filled with knowledge of the world that far outreached his education. He loved to laugh, and he loved to tell stories. His family was very important to him, and he spent his happiest times with them. When he became a grandfather, he began his second life as one of the greatest one ever made and there was nothing that he wouldn’t do for his two granddaughters. He loved music, especially the music from his childhood and formative years. He also loved to take trips in the car and to drive all over our wonderful country.

Joel was always happy in the kitchen where he and his wife, Nancy, would make all sorts of delicious dishes for themselves and for their family.

Some of Joel’s happiest times were spent reading books, both fiction and non-fiction. He always adored the summers that he, Nancy, and their children spent in Charlevoix, Mich. During his retirement he enjoyed volunteering at the Detroit Zoo, and he also volunteered with meals on wheels and the annual Christmas Day volunteer program in Metropolitan, Detroit.

Joel lost his battle with bladder cancer on May 25, 2023. His fight began in August of 2022, and he fought with courage and with resolve that he would beat it. This battle was filled with ups and downs though he believed, and his family believes, that he will never be defined by it.

The funeral was held on May 28, 2023, at Congregation OVS and was followed by burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Atlanta, Ga. The family asks for memories to be shared on Joel’s Mi Alma page at app.mialma.com/joel-hearshen. Donations can be made to the Congregation Or VeShalom Future Fund. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care of Atlanta, Georgia, www.DresslerJewishFunerals.com, 770-451-4999.

Joseph S. Lerner Jr. 87, Atlanta

Joseph S. Lerner, Jr., a loving and supportive father, husband, and grandfather, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2023. He was surrounded by family and love and is survived by his wife, Juliana, daughter, Lauren, son, Mark, daughter-in-law, Sara, brother, Mick, grandchildren, Caroline, Zachary, and Julian, and several nieces, nephews, and brothers-in-law.

Joseph was predeceased by his parents, Joseph S. Lerner, Sr. and Miriam Lerner, brother, Terrence Lerner, sister, Sunny Lerner, and son, Joey Lerner.

He was the definition of a family man who always thought of others’ well-being, loved tennis, music, toasting on special occasions, and going out to dinner with his wife of 56 years.

Joseph graduated from Pembroke County Day School in Kansas City, attended the Culver Summer Naval School, and spent his college years at Stanford University where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, tennis team, and founder of the Men’s Glee Club as well as president for three years. Upon graduation, he was commis-

sioned Second Lt. U.S. Army serving his tour of duty as 1st Lt. A.G.C.

His father’s background in retail led him to endure a 50-plus year retail career that included a furrier and a GIA-certified jeweler.

Joseph’s funeral was held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 9, 2023, at The Temple on Peachtree Street, followed by a burial at Crest Lawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to The Winship Cancer Institute and The Temple. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

Donald Reisman 95, Atlanta

Donald Reisman, 95, died May 30. Donald embodied the true definition of mensch. A native of Atlanta, Ga., he was raised in the large Jewish community of Midtown Atlanta. He attended Boys High School (now Midtown High), right around the corner from his house on 8th Street. He went on to attend Emory University, was a member of AEPi fraternity, and served as the president of the Emory Interfraternity Council among his many extracurricular titles. In the day, he would have been known as a ‘Big Man on Campus’ as he was always a doer. It would be a sorority mixer at University of Georgia where he would meet his sweetheart and partner in everything, Shirley Dunn, or as he called her, “Squirrely.” For the next 69 years, they took on the world together and created a lasting family legacy.

Throughout his long life, Donald had a wide scope of business acumen. After serving in the Army and graduating from college, he took over the family furniture business after the untimely death of his father. During this time, he helped found the Atlanta Furniture Mart. After selling his manufacturing plant in 1969, he bought his first piece of commercial real estate with three other investors. This purchase turned into an extensive portfolio of real estate investments across metro Atlanta. He was best known for his mantra, “If you take care of your real estate, your real estate will take care of you.”

Donald also invested in the arts and crafts business for many years and took leadership roles as president of the Southeast Craft and Hobby Association and, later, to become the president of the Hobby Industries of America.

Outside of his business ventures, Donald had many passions. One of his strongest was the United Benevolent Society, a group that he and his brother-in-law kept afloat for many decades. Additionally, he led an active role at the Ahavath Achim Synagogue of which his parents were founding members.

Donald dedicated his life and heart to his wife, Shirley, and his beloved family. He will be best remembered for his generous spirit, altruism, and loyalty. He was truly one of the good guys in this world. One of Donald’s greatest joys was taking his family on travels and holiday adventures in sunny places. If one’s worth could be measured in the love and admiration of family, he was truly one of the wealthiest men on earth.

Donald is survived by his four children, Lisa, Howard (Linda), Gerald (Lisa) and Bruce (Vickie); grandchildren, Jared (Tristyn), Brandon, Brooke (Gavin), Nicole (Ben), Julia (Danny), Ethan, Jacob, and Zachary; great-grandchildren, Jace, Reese, Leo, Max, and Charlotte; and nieces, Judy Landey, Charlotte Kaminsky, Cathy Biris. A special thanks to Margie Watson and Sonya Salmon for their love and dedication to Shirley and Donald.

Graveside services were held at Crest Lawn Memorial Park. Please make donations to the Ahavath Achim Synagogue - Shirley Reisman Media Outreach Fund, Jewish Family & Career Services, or any other charitable organization of your choice. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

The Mansions at Sandy Springs!

OBITUARIES

Alfred Marvin Zimmerman, MD 89, Sandy Springs

FOR: 55+ Seniors

DEPARTURE

DATES: June 19th - 23rd

It's Our Annual Caribbean Cruise Happy Hour Week!

Day 1: Monday, June 19th at 12:00 pm, arrive at Oranjestad, Aruba

Our virtual festivities begin with a drawing for a seat at the Captain’s table, followed by a delicious lunch and entertainment by Leigh Anne at 2:00 pm.

Day 2: Tuesday, June 20th at 9:00 am, disembark at St. Thomas

At 2 pm, indulge yourself with a “Pirate’s Booty” cocktail and some Pirate’s Booty caramel corn!

Wednesday, June 21st at 9:00 am, time to see Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Wear your island shirt and be ready to play beach volleyball, followed by an island inspired buffet lunch with Atlanta Steel Pan Band at 3:00 pm.

Thursday, June 22nd at 9:00 am, tour of Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Get in the mood of the island and wear something tie-dyed at 12:45 pm, while you listen to Wayde Freedman from 12:45 - 1:45 pm on the piano.

Day 5: Friday, June 23rd at 9:00 am, it's our finale in Trinidad

We’ll be wrapping up our fun cruise week with volleyball, prizes and a happy hour at 2:00 pm with “bananas, Baileys and coconut cocktails”, snacks and music from Radio Kings Speakeasy Band from 2:303:30 pm. Captain’s Table dinner starts at 4:30 pm!

Attend or tour our beautiful community any time during our cruise week and you'll be instantly entered into our raffle giveaway. Drawing will be at the finale!

Col. (Ret.) Alfred Marvin Zimmerman, MD (Marvin), of Sandy Springs, Ga., passed away after a long illness on April 13, 2023. Marvin was immensely loved by everyone who knew him and will be deeply missed.

Marvin was born Dec. 12, 1933, in New Orleans, La., to Dr. Hyman Zimmerman and Bess Zimmerman (nee Katz), from whom he inherited his “gentle genes.” He attended elementary school in Amarillo, Texas, while his father served in the Army Air Corps, and high school in Atlanta, Ga., where his family moved after World War II.

Marvin studied pre-medicine at Emory University in Atlanta for two years before entering the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta at just 20 years old. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, and then entered the U.S. Air Force to fulfill his military commitment, where he was stationed first at RAF Alconbury and then at RAF Molesworth, both in the United Kingdom. While at RAF Molesworth, Marvin helped to develop and was later placed in charge of a new 25-bed medical-surgical hospital which included an OB ward, which was unusual for its time. Following his military service, Marvin received a fellowship in clinical pharmacology at Emory, after which he spent the next 14 years in private practice in Atlanta, Ga.

Marvin re-entered the Air Force in 1997 and was stationed at Langley AFB in Hampton, Va. While at Langley, he served as chief of internal medicine and chief of medical service. He was next stationed at Myrtle Beach AFB, where he served as chief of hospital services. In 1989, he moved to Luke AFB, near Glendale, Ariz. At Luke, Marvin served in numerous capacities, including chief of internal medicine, assistant chief of hospital services, director of emergency services, chief of medical services and advisor to the medical flight.

When Marvin reached the Air Force’s mandatory retirement age of 62, so many of his patients wrote letters pleading for an exception to the rule. An exception was granted, and he served an additional three years. Marvin could never understand the praise and gratitude he received from his patients since he was just “doing his job.” He was mildmannered unless he was advocating for patients whom he believed were not getting competent care – and then he became “ferocious.”

Marvin was the cherished husband of Shirley Zimmerman; loving father of Jay (Nyla) Zimmerman; caring brother to his devoted sisters, Joanne Damsky and Sydney Ziff, and uncle to their magnificent children and grandchildren who filled his life with love and devotion. He was the proud grandfather of Brandon; great-grandfather of Nikki, Evan, Wyatt, and Casem; much loved stepfather of Dr. Lee (Kelly) Shratter, Donna (William) Schmidt, and Amy (Chad Woodrick) Shratter; adored step-grandfather to Rebecca and Louis Schmidt, Samantha Shratter and Drey Phillips; and fond brother-in-law to Carole Reich.

Burial was private. Donations may be made in Alfred Marvin Zimmerman’s memory to the National Kidney Foundation, Compassion & Choices, or Emory University’s Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

TICKET TICKETRAFFLE

RSVP your attendance to Tabriel or Katherine at (678) 824-7521.

THE MANSIONS AT SANDY SPRINGS

3175 RIVER EXCHANGE DRIVE PEACHTREE CORNERS, GA 30092 (678) 824-7521

www.MansionsSeniorLiving.com

The Strange Case of Philo of Alexandria

counts Philo’s futile mission to the unstable Caligula.

Students of Jewish philosophy tend to focus on the Middle Ages: Saadia Gaon, Judah HaLevi and Maimonides, among others. But the first Jewish philosopher, Philo of Alexandria, lived long before them. He was born perhaps 10 years or so after Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide and grew up during the time when Octavian became Caesar Augustus, and the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire. He was a contemporary with Hillel the Elder and with Jesus, living most of his life in the first century of the common era.

When he was about 60, Philo went with other luminaries from the large and wealthy Jewish community of Alexandria as a delegation to the third Roman emperor - the infamous Caius Caligula. The mission of the delegation was to gain relief from the antisemitic riots which had broken out in Alexandria, the crowds whipped up by Apion and others. Embassy to Caius re-

Philo wrote quite a lot about many different topics, always in the Greek language of his day. Philo authored works about philosophy and theology, biblical commentary, and history. His two greatest efforts are perhaps, “The Contemplative Life” and “The Giants.” The former explores the spiritual benefits of monasticism while the latter describes the upward ascent of humanity from the earthy to soulful realms of being.

The scripture which he read certainly would have consisted of the Torah and the Prophets, but not yet all the Writings, as the TaNaKh, the Hebrew scriptures as we know them, would not have taken their final form yet. He would have read some form of the Septuagint-the Greek translation first of the Torah, then incrementally, of the entire Jewish Bible as it took form over the centuries.

Philo came from one of the wealthiest families in Alexandria, the richest city in the Hellenistic world. As a result, Philo was extremely well connected, not only in Alexandria but beyond. He made time for his many literary and intellectual pursuits. His mental frame of reference was formed by Plato, student of Socrates and teacher to Aristotle,

the supreme writer and thinker in Greek. Platonic metaphysical ideas suffuse Philo’s writings. Philo was compelled especially by Plato’s idealism: the idea that everything we experience in the world is a reflection of, and generated by, a more perfect realm of the Forms. The Forms were eternal and changeless for Plato but not quite for Philo.

Philo believed that the world of Plato’s Forms was created by the G-d of Israel. For Philo had a love of Judaism which mixed in his mind with the wisdom of the Greeks - especially Plato. Long before the medieval scholars of Judaism, Christianity and Islam meshed together faith and reason, scripture and science (Greek wisdom), Philo wrestled with these topics, these two worlds. He was the first to do so by many centuries. Philo was content to mix and match content from the Greek writers and scripture, harmonizing the two through his explanations. He held that G-d created the cosmos from some eternal material. He taught that the Divine is apprehended in the human mind through the deepest contemplation. Philo taught that Logos - an organizing structure which the mind can apprehend, stands between the Creator and the Creation - that is, that G-d creates the world not directly, but

rather, through a mediating agency.

For Philo, the Torah should be seen as a source of lessons regarding right and wrong in many instances. When it cannot be viewed morally in a clear way, Torah should be read metaphorically. The language of the Bible is thus allegorical and spiritual, leading the ethical life and mystical contemplation of the Divine.

Philo believed that the commandments of the Torah reflect the mind of the Divine, and as such are a gateway for the human soul towards pure spirituality and salvation. In this way, Neoplatonism is anticipated by Philo’s writings.

Christian theology, especially as manifested in the Gospel of John, is also anticipated by Philo’s doctrine of a mediating Logos Ironically, the impression Philo would make on the church fathers was greater than that which he made on the rabbis of the Mishnah and the Talmud. The early Christian theologians called the Jewish writer Philo Judaeus and saw him as almost one of them—a Jewish philosopher who foreshadowed the doctrine of the Trinity.

Thus, the strange case of Philo, Judaism’s first philosopher, became, in time, an inspiration for the scholars of the church. ì

We offer live video classes, if you wish to learn: French, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Swahili, Lingala, Tshiluba and Kikongo.

TYBEE

GEORGIA

1-bedroom unit overlooking ocean in a gated community with pool and walkway to beach. Sleeps 4 adults plus bunks that could be used by 2 small children.

YEAR-ROUND SHORT-TERM RENTAL

1-bedroom unit overlooking ocean in a gated community with pool and walkway to beach. Sleeps 4 adults and 2 children. Watch dolphins at play, freighters, pelicans and fishing boats. Prices vary. Contact Oceanfront Cottage Rentals at 912 786 4004 or www.oceanfrontcottage.com/listings/218-bay-breezes

Watch dolphins at play, freighters, pelicans and fishing boats. Prices vary.

PRINcE EDwARD ISLAND, cANADA

SUMMER / FALL wEEkLY cOTTAGE RENTAL

2-bedroom newly constructed oceanfront cottage that sleeps 6. Sweeping views of the pond, ocean and lighthouse.  Enjoy kayaking, bicycling and beach walking. $900/wk. Contact Scott at 603.254.5032 or scottm@plymouth.edu

Contact Oceanfront Cottage Rentals at 800-786-5889 or www.oceanfrontcottage.com/listings/218-bay-breezes

WANNA HANG OUT?

SUMMER EXHIBIT

Discover surprisingly slow ways animals survive in a fast-paced world. See Live Animals!

Sloth • Boa constrictor • Iguana

Hedgehog • Tortoise • and more!

A WORLD OF WOW