buckhead plaza shoe service

THE
Jewish Georgian
Volume 18, Number 4
What’s Inside
Too Far Away
Nostalgic for the old days and old
ways? Maybe you should think
twice about that.
By Balfoura Friend Levine
Page 6
As She Saw It
Ilse Reiner’s childhood diary is at
the heart of her new book about
how she survived the Holocaust.
By Evie Wolfe
Page 21
Playing War
A children’s game takes on new
meaning when the realities of life
set in.
By Bill Sonenshine
Page 26
Pseudo-Science
The Nazi’s eugenics program is
documented in a chilling exhibition
at the CDC.
Page 23
Don’t Know Much
about History?
The Southern Jewish Historical
Society conference in Washington,
D.C., promises to be enlightening
and entertaining.
Page 32
Common Goals
Oglethorpe University’s students
celebrate the religious diversity of
their small campus.
Page 6
Atlanta, Georgia
MAY-JUNE 2007
FREE
USO expresses nation’s gratitude
By Leon Socol
The USO was organized 66 years ago in
the year the United States entered WWII.
Several years after that, I had my first visit
to a USO facility. During my three years of
naval service, I visited a number of USO
canteens and particularly recall the hospitality and welcome I received in Chicago
and Los Angeles.
As a teenager away from home for the
first time, I was in awe when I went to the
Hollywood Canteen and mingled with the
movie stars and celebrities of the l940s. I
particularly remember spending the night in
a facility adjacent to the Hollywood
Canteen and having bagels and coffee the
next morning with Eddie Cantor.
Frankly, I haven’t thought much about
the USO since those war years. I didn’t
realize the role it continued to play in
enhancing the lives of servicemen and
women, as well as their families, during all
the wars and other national disasters
endured by our citizens over the past 66
years.
My wife, Frieda, and I were brought up
USO greeters at airport ramp welcome incoming servicemen.
to date about the workings of the Atlanta
chapter of the USO this past March when
we volunteered to serve as part of
Congregation Shearith Israel’s Social
Action Task Force. We rode MARTA to the
USO’s facility at Hartsfield-Jackson
See USO, page 10
Nellie Bush, the shoe, and the Halizah ceremony
By Carolyn Gold
Georgians take pride in the fact that the
first Jews landed in Savannah in July 1733.
Not only do we celebrate their courage, but
now a story
has come to
light
that
should delight
every Jewish
feminist.
T h e
Sheftall family, on that first
ship to arrive,
had a son
Mordecai who,
in turn, had
three
sons,
Sheftall
Sheftall Sheftall
Sheftall (that’s
right, same first and last name), Benjamin
Sheftall, and Dr. Moses Sheftall. Nellie
Bush of Philadelphia was engaged to marry
Dr. Moses in 1772.
Nellie, described as “strong-willed as
well as beautiful,” was the
sister
of
Revolutionary
War
hero
Solomon
Bush. “Nellie
was undoubtedly deeply in
love
with
Moses,” says
historian B.H.
Nellie Bush
Levy, but she
had one fear.
The Book of Deuteronomy prescribes
that should the husband die, leaving no
child, the wife shall marry her husband’s
brother, so that a firstborn shall carry on the
name of the dead brother.
Nellie had no intention, should Moses
predecease her, of marrying “his short, lazy,
and unattractive brother,” Sheftall Sheftall.
So twenty days before the wedding, she
participated in a Halizah ceremony. This is
an “escape clause,” releasing either the
Shoe that Nellie threw
brother-in-law or the woman (in the usual
case, a widow) from the obligation of this
Biblical injunction, Levirate marriage.
The ceremony involved taking off the
brother- or sister-in-law’s shoe, spitting
toward his or her face, and pronouncing
certain prescribed words.
The Book of Ruth also refers to the
ancient custom of removing the shoe, a
symbol of a transfer of rights and a state of
mourning. In Nellie’s case, she insisted on
the insurance of this ceremony on June 1,
See NELLIE BUSH, page 5
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 2
Yom Hashoah
THE
Jewish Georgian
The Jewish Georgian is published bimonthly by Eisenbot, Ltd. It
is written for Atlantans and Georgians by Atlantans and
Georgians.
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Special Assignments
Advertising
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Jonathan Barach,
Janice Rothschild Blumberg (Washington),
Marvin Botnick,
Shirley Friedman, Carolyn Gold,
Jonathan Goldstein, George Jordan,
Marice Katz, Balfoura Friend Levine,
Marsha Liebowitz, Howard Margol,
Bubba Meisa, Erin O’Shinsky,
Ben Rabinowitz (Israel),
Lew Regenstein, Roberta Scher,
Jerry Schwartz, Leon Socol,
Rabbi Reuven Stein, Nancy Taffel,
Hannah Vahaba, Cecile Waronker, Evie
BY Marvin
Botnick
Susan Kahn, Lyons Joel,
Marsha C. LaBeaume
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It's My Party
May-June 2007
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According to a quotation from Joyce
Matz, they “were tattooed, men separated
from their families, women were violated
and children impaled upon . . . bayonets.” In
Michael Oren’s book Power, Faith, and
Fantasy, Jesse B. Jackson, a U.S. consul,
“described a seemingly endless procession
of railway cars crammed with . . . deportees
and estimated that no more than 15 percent
were liable to survive the journey.” Oren
goes on to quote Anna Harlowe Birge as
remembering seeing “old men and old
women, young mothers with tiny babies . . .
and children, all huddled together like so
many sheep or pigs – human beings treated
worse than cattle.”
At www.historyplace.com, it is reported that women, children, and the elderly
were given very short notice to “pack a few
belongings and be ready to leave home,
under the pretext that they were being relocated to a non-military zone for their own
safety. They were actually being taken on
death marches.” Merle English, in an article
in Newsday, quoted a speaker at a commemorative rally who said that what took
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place was an attempt “to wipe out [a] . . .
civilization that had existed for over 3,000
years.”
Sound familiar?
Would you believe that everything
quoted above refers to the Armenian
Genocide, which is considered to have
begun in 1915, approximately 20 years
before the Nazis came to power. Hitler is
quoted as saying, “Who, after all, speaks
today of the annihilation of the
Armenians?”
As we know, in World War I, the
Ottoman Empire was allied with Germany
as one of the countries that made up the
Central Powers. Is it not strange that so
much of what was inflicted upon the
Armenians reads like a textbook for the
Nazi atrocities during the Holocaust? Just
think of it, in a scant 20-year span of time,
the world forgot about the inhumanities and
degradations; allowed the same despotic,
sadistic mania to sweep through supposedly civilized people; and permitted an unintelligible massacre of innocents of all ages,
not for what they did but because of who
they were.
We Jews remember. We remember
and recognize the good things, e.g., the giving of the Law, the redemption from slavery, the harvest of food. And we remember
and recognize bad happenings, e.g., the
breach of the walls of Jerusalem prior to the
destruction of the first Temple, and the
destruction of the Temples.
Unfortunately, we now have a Day of
Remembrance – remembrance of the sufferers; remembrance of the transgressions;
remembrance of the bigotry and prejudice
that allowed this to happen; remembrance
of human inaction in the face of incomprehensible inhuman acts; and a day of prayer
that mankind will remember and not tolerate such unconscionable, grotesque behavior.
As is common in Judaism, events
often have multiple purposes. There is the
solemnity of Yom Hashoah by which we
honor the memory of those unfortunate
souls who lost their lives to these madmen
and suffered so much, but there is also the
fulfillment of covenant with God by which
we are to be a moral light and conscience to
the world. It is our duty and responsibility
to shine a light on the decadence of such
behavior, and we must try to lead the world
towards a recognition and condemnation of
such actions.
After the end of World War I,
President Woodrow Wilson warned that
“those that forget history are bound to
repeat it.” How prophetic.
Each year we recall the tragic events
of the Holocaust, and we take time to
remind the world what can and did happen.
Blood and suffering have punctuated the
centuries, yet many either do not know or
do not acknowledge the general complicity
that provided the fertile soil for this virus to
incubate. Perhaps, just possibly perhaps,
Yom Hashoah will act as the town crier to
remind the world what it is to have humanity.
Peering through sunken and
expressionless eyes
Looking forlornly out into
space
There was still a feeling of hope
and faith
That somehow there would be
sanity in the human race
Scorned and rejected by so
many for so long
They summoned their strength
and set forth to cope
As the doors of shame and
fences of pain
Were thrown open to freedom
and a feeling of hope
Remember those who did not
survive
Remember the skeletons and
bodies dismembered
But speak loud and clear to all
that can hear
Tell them the story: tell them to
remember, tell them to remember
BUCKHEAD PLAZA SHOE SERVICE
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One Buckhead Plaza
3060 Peachtree Road, NW
Atlanta, GA 30305
404-266-8727
May-June 2007
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
What’s
HAPPENING
SENATOR LIEBERMAN AT GHA. Senator
J o s e p h
L i e b e r m a n ’s
much anticipated
appearance at
Greenfield
H e b r e w
Academy was an
exciting
and
hugely successful event. The
esteemed senator
and
Atlanta’s
distinguished
Archbishop
Wilton Gregory
spoke
to an
Senator Joseph
e
n
t
h
u
s
iastic
Lieberman
overflow crowd
on “The Role of
Faith in our
Lives.”
Cosponsored by the
J e w i s h
Federation of
Greater Atlanta,
the panel discussion was brilliantly moderated by Emory
University’s Dr.
Kenneth Stein,
who had some
real intellectual
Archbishop Wilton talent to work
Gregory
with, and the
result was a stimulating and provocative discussion.
Proceeds from the event will be used to
fund GHA’s Endowment for Teacher
Excellence. And if you’re wondering how
GHA managed to entice to Atlanta such a
superstar as Senator Lieberman, it might have
helped that his son, Matt, is the school’s headmaster.
Congratulations to everyone involved for
presenting such a valuable program. We hope
that Senator Lieberman will be back here
again soon. He’s one of the few politicians
who has the true admiration and respect of the
American people and who has proven his
courage and integrity time and again.
CHARLOTTE
WILEN
HONORED.
Congratulations to one of our favorite people,
the elegant and delightful Charlotte Wilen,
who has just been honored with the Special
Recognition Award by the Anti-Prejudice
Consortium, of which she is a founding member. The APC’s Inaugural Award Luncheon,
co-chaired by Mayor Shirley Franklin, recognized Charlotte’s 65 years of dedicated community service, which is hard to believe,
since, as you can see from her picture, she
doesn’t even look 65 yet.
BY Reg
Regenstein
Charlotte, a founder of the Alliance for
Healthy Mothers
and Children, is
a leader of
Jewish Women
International,
and is spearheading a creative public art
exhibit
here
c a l l e d
“Embracing
Differences.”
She is also one
of our city’s
nicest people,
Community leader with
many
Charlotte Wilen
friends and family who love her.
POWER DUO FORMS NEW CONSULTING FIRM. Two of Atlanta’s savviest and
most successful community leaders are combining their enormous talents to form a new
consulting group, MIH.
Linda Selig and Lynda Walker have
teamed up to run this agency, which helps
individuals, businesses, and civic groups identify new business opportunities, create innovative solutions,
develop
new
strategic
alliances, attract
and
retain
clients,
pilot
new
ideas,
coach staff, formulate
and
achieve goals,
and more.
It sounds
Linda Selig
ambitious, but
Linda
and
Lynda have an impressive record of achievement. If anyone can deliver for you, they can.
Check them out at www.themihteam.com.
We may give them a call—we could use
some help building up readership for our column and enhancing our image. But on second
thought, even they can’t perform miracles.
FATHER OF THE YEAR. Miles Whitlock
has been named a “Father of the Year” by the
Atlanta Father’s Day Council and will be honored at an awards dinner to be held on June 14
at the fabulous Fox Theater.
Proceeds will benefit the American
Diabetes Association, which has received $8
million over the years as a result of the
Council’s efforts.
To make a reservation for a table, a ticket,
or a tribute journal ad, contact Diana
McDonald at the ADA, 17 Executive Park
Drive NE, Suite 115, Atlanta 30329, telephone 404-320-7100.
It should be a great evening. Don’t miss
it!
RABBI NORRY DEFENDS THE ENVIRONMENT. Shearith Israel’s Rabbi Hillel
Norry gave a wonderful presentation the other
day at Agnes Scott College’s “Is nature ours?
A Jewish-Christian Dialogue.” The answer is
a resounding “No!” according to Rabbi Norry
and his colleague, Dr. Mark Douglas, associate professor of Christian ethics at Columbia
Theological Seminary.
The event was organized by Lara Denis,
philosophy department chair and ethics program director at Agnes Scott College, who
reports that the event was a great success.
She quotes Rabbi Norry as emphasizing
that the early, consistent message about nature
in the Torah is that God judges his creation—
all of it, not just humans—to be good. The sun
and moon, earth, seas, and all plants, insects,
and animals are good in themselves, not just
insofar as they might be useful to human
beings. Rabbi Norry also suggested that one
could read the five books of Moses as an environmental story: It begins in a natural paradise, in which all creatures live in harmony on
a vegetable diet, and culminates with our
arrival in the promised land, flowing “with
milk and honey.”
Rabbi Norry (a vegetarian himself) also
observed that becoming vegetarian is something everyone can do that is good for your
health and the environment and promotes
compassion toward animals, thus fulfilling
several important Jewish mitzvahs on health,
caring for the Creation, and avoiding cruelty
to animals.
We thank Rabbi Norry for his wonderful
work and wish him good health and a long
life—and being a vegetarian is a great way to
achieve those goals.
HONORING CHATTANOOGA’S SONIA
YOUNG. Our good friend, mentor, and hero
Mel Young, a Chattanooga CPA, is probably
the world’s foremost living authority on
American Jewish military history. He often
contributes articles to the JG on the subject
and is the author of three books on
Confederate Jews: Last Order of the Lost
Cause, Where they Lie, and Bitter Tears I Shed
for Thee. And it turns out his wife, Sonia, is
pretty special, too.
She has just been named “Tennessee
Woman of Distinction” and is being honored
at a luncheon given by the Tennessee Lung
Association for her wide range of civic activities. In an editorial, the Chattanooga Times
Free Press called her “a delightful asset to our
fine community.”
An article in the paper on the “teacher,
writer, and veteran volunteer” notes that
Sonia’s mother “told her years ago she ought
to do at least one good deed every day. If
asked to recite them today, Sonia couldn’t do
it. There are just too many of them… the
youth theater she founded, the signature
events she created, the boards she served on,
the money she raised.” Sonia says that
“Mother believed in the concept of mitzvah,
Page 3
even if it is a smile or hug to someone who
needs it.”
Sonia serves on the boards of numerous
groups, including the Chattanooga Theater
Center, Chattanooga Ballet, Chattanooga
Cares, Chattanooga Zoo, Girls INC, Normal
Park Museum Magnet School, Chattanooga
High School Center for Creative Arts, and,
most important to us, the McKamey Animal
Care and Adoption Center, since we think
helping animals is the greatest mitzvah of all.
Sonia is also an adjunct professor at the
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a
columnist for the Lookout Mountain Mirror
and Signal Mountain Mirror. The rest of her
time she has off.
Our thanks and congratulations to both
Sonia and Mel for their wonderful contributions to our community.
PARADIES DOES IT AGAIN! For the 12th
year in a row, the Paradies Shops has been
named “Best Airport Retailer.”
The airport trade publication Airport
Revenue News also awarded Paradies three
other honors: Best Specialty Brand Store
Operator, Best Retail Store Design, and
Concessionaire with the Highest Regard for
Customer Service.
We congratulate President and CEO
Gregg Paradies and his 3,000 associates for
their continuing phenomenal success.
Established in 1960, the Paradies Shops has
grown to 500 stores in 63 airports, in addition
to shops in various hotels and the Georgia
Aquarium.
PEARLMAN’S 30TH BIRTHDAY BASH.
Image makers Pearlman Associates, Inc., celebrated the company’s 30th anniversary with
70 of their closest current and prospective
clients at a party at Soleil Restaurant in
Buckhead. Although our invitation must have
gotten lost in the mail, we’ll give them a plug
anyway, hoping to get invited perhaps to their
40th anniversary gig. We’re tired of always
sitting home with nothing to do and feeling
sorry for ourself.
Anyway, enough self-pity. We congratulate president Marilyn Pearlman and Vice Prez
Pearlman Associates VP Randi Tucker
(left) and President Marilyn Pearlman
cut their birthday cake celebrating 30
years of great PR.
See HAPPENING, page 4
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 4
Happening
From page 3
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www.buckheadwrights.com
Martha Jo Katz, (r) director of social
events at the InterContinental
Buckhead; Sara Zaban Franco (center); and Emily Garfinkel, (l) InterContinental’s catering social services
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manager at the Weber School Annual
Fundraiser at the hotel. Cheryl Finkel
was honored at this event. More than
600 people attended.
Randi Tucker on three great decades of successful public-relations projects, specializing
in “publicity, media relations, strategic networking, and speaking engagement solicitation for clients in the hospitality, entertainment, consumer, professional services,
healthcare, and non-profit industries.”
Even though we were home alone that night,
we hope they all had a great time at Soleil,
somewhere we’ve always wanted to go.
IT DOES HELP. As we rush to meet the deadline for today’s column, we are reminded of
that sign that hung in the old Buckhead Men’s
Shop on Peachtree: “You don’t have to be
crazy to work here... But it helps.”
404-233-4446
May-June 2007
Private Bank of Buckhead President &
CEO Charlie Crawford (left) and
Buckhead Coalition President Sam
Massell (right) joined John Hunsinger
(center), president of Buckhead-based
John Hunsinger & Company, commercial and industrial realtors, at a recent
happy hour reception. The Buckhead
businessmen mixed and mingled with
other community leaders at the Mardi
Gras-themed event.
May-June 2007
Nellie Bush
From page 1
1772, before her wedding to Dr. Moses
Sheftall. In no way was she ever going to
marry Sheftall Sheftall.
As life would have it, there was no danger of Levirate marriage. Nellie died before
the two brothers, after giving Moses 10
children. The third Sheftall brother died at
sea at a young age.
Nellie Bush Sheftall, Moses, and some
of their children are buried in the Mordecai
Sheftall Cemetery in Savannah. The shoe is
now pictured in a newly installed exhibition in the museum of Temple Mickve
Israel. Alan Gaynor, chairman of the museum committee, calls the new exhibition
“fascinating.”
Nellie—or Elkalah, her proper name—
knew her heart and forged a guarantee, a
pre-nuptial agreement, that must have been
trailblazing for her times. In any eventuality—before the fact—she would not be
forced into a marriage she didn’t want.
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 5
Congregation Mickve
Israel celebrates its
275th anniversary
On July 11, 1733, five months after
Oglethorpe’s arrival, the first Jewish settlers landed in Savannah. There were 41
passengers—34 Portuguese and eight
Germans. These people were responsible for founding the 3rd-oldest Jewish
congregation in the United States.
Congregation Mickve Israel (CMI)
is celebrating its 275th anniversary on
the weekend of July 11, 2008. Among
the activities planned will be a reception
for the descendants of these first Jewish
colonists.
The congregation is in the process of
assembling a list of these descendants.
To be on the list for this reunion, contact
the CMI office at 912-233-1547 or
savannah275@bellsouth.net. For more
information about the congregation and
the
weekend,
visit
www.mickveisrael.org.
4455 Roswell Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30342
404-255-4312
www.presstine.com
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 6
May-June 2007
Sending them away
I receive a quarterly bulletin from Tel
Aviv, the Igud Yotsei Sin, a publication
about former Jewish residents in China. It
comes in three sections: English, Russian,
and Hebrew. Since I am fluent only in
English and Russian, I toss the Hebrew portion.
The almost 100 pages keep me abreast
of all the doings of my childhood friends,
who are scattered throughout the world and
send in their news of families and activities
wherever they live. Sadly, at this time of
our lives (we are mostly in our 80s and
older), there are also many obituaries.
When I was a youngster in Shanghai,
my rabbi and his family lived a few doors
down from us, and our little synagogue,
which is now a museum, was around the
corner. The rabbi, who signed my birth certificate, and the rebbetzin had two girls and
one boy.
Moshe—or Mosia as we called him—
BY Balfoura Friend
Levine
was about 11 when he was sent to his
grandparents in Palestine to study and
become a rabbi. Mosia was a thin, pale
young boy, and, for sure, was not asked for
his opinion about being sent away from his
parents and sisters, which was the tradition
back then in Orthodox Jewish families.
Boys were sent to a cheder to study and
then to a yeshiva in another larger town or
city. I just read in the Igud bulletin that
Rabbi Mosia passed away in Jerusalem.
I recall my father, Jacob Friend, telling
me that he, too, as a young boy was sent
away from his family in the shtetl to study
in the big city of Vilna, where he lived with
some rabbi’s family. The boys studied from
sunup to sundown, Torah and prayers, and
never learned anything about geography,
history, or literature. Their meals must have
been very sparse, with precious little that
could be considered healthy or tasty today.
My father once told me that the boys would
“drinktsas on mit kalten vasser, shtelt de
boich tsoom aiven, and is vert haiseh
taih”—that is, they would drink cold water
and put their bellies against the stove until
the water became hot tea. What a dream
that was, the longing for hot tea—those
poor boys, studying all day by candlelight
during those dim, cold days, and the best
they could hope for was hot tea.
In sharp contrast, I think of my grandson Scott Baumwald, almost 18, who has
lived with the warmth of his parents and
siblings around him, who has had good
food all his life, and has not wanted for anything, ever. Scott has traveled around the
world, has attended the fine Athens
Academy, and is now headed for the
University of Georgia. He has chosen his
clothes and his car, played baseball, and
engaged in other activities of his choosing.
He has participated in his school’s theater,
been bar mitzvahed, and participated in his
temple’s activities. He has been to the
beach, the mountains, and places in
between. I hope he knows that he is fortunate in every respect.
My other grandson, Tom Black, is eight
years old and still in elementary school. He,
too, lives with his parents and would never
be sent away to study in a strange place. As
he grows older, I am sure he will do a lot of
activities of his choice.
I am sure that there are still many young
Jewish boys who are sent off to study at
boarding schools or yeshivot and will grow
up not knowing their parents’ warmth and
love. How sad.
Religion has a big presence on a
small non-denominational campus
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Religion tends to divide, not unite. Yet,
at Oglethorpe University, religion has
brought people together. In a crowded
fourth-floor lounge in Oglethorpe’s newest
residence hall, almost 50 students from the
Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim student
unions gathered to share Chick-Fil-A and
Coca-Cola, watch a movie, and talk.
Oglethorpe has no religious affiliation
and is a small school of less than 1,000 students. In the past six months, three religious
organizations have sprung up at Atlanta’s
only co-educational liberal arts university.
First, about 20 students, led by two freshmen, reactivated the Jewish Student Union.
“We thought it would be a great opportunity for the Jews on campus to come together,
to see one another, and to interact with the
Oglethorpe community as a whole. We are
hoping this will attract more Jewish students to the university,” said Nathaniel
Goldman, founding JSU member. Inspired
by a challenge from the university president, the first Jewish president in the
Presbyterian-founded 170 year-old institution’s history, these students organized a
Shabbat dinner over Hanukah and began the
resurgence of Jewish life at Oglethorpe.
Within a few months, two other religious organizations were reactivated and
created at Oglethorpe, the Catholic and the
Muslim student associations.
“Most of us are still on a journey, a
search for who we are and where we belong
in society, and religion is a major factor.
Participating in these interfaith events will
allow us to learn how to be tolerant of differences and show the universality and
beauty of all religions,” said Muslim
Student Association founding member
Mustafa Abdullah.
Laura Callender, officer of the Catholic
Student Union, hopes “that the presence of
these organizations will help make people
feel that it is OK to talk about religion while
in college.”
Oglethorpe is an intimate place where
people know and care about one another.
With the difficult news of religious warfare
and hostility, a small-college campus in the
South provides an inspiring example. The
Jewish students picked the first movie, next
the Muslim students, then the Catholic students. “In my 21 months here as president,
I have never been prouder. I came to the
event mostly just to be with our students,
but the warmth in the room was palpable,”
said Lawrence M. Schall, Oglethorpe
University president.
Dr. Schall was also honored to be asked
to serve as campus advisor to the 70-member Muslim Student Association. “I am not
sure I can think of another place in the
world where this would happen. I know I
have an immense amount to learn, and I
look forward to being taught by my students,” he said.
May-June 2007
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Campus Superstar builds
goodwill as it discovers talent
On March 28, Hillels of Georgia’s 4th
annual Campus SuperStar fundraiser showcased another talented mix of performers
from several Georgia schools to a sold-out
audience at Center Stage Atlanta.
The eight semi-finalists were narrowed
down to four by music industry experts and
local celebrities, including Ray Mariner of
Star 94’s “Cindy and Ray Show,”
Broadway entertainer Terry Burrel,
TBS/TNT executive vice president and
chief operating officer Steve Koonin, and
New York casting director Megan Larche.
From these final four—Nick Morrett, Teah
Glenn, Kevin Character, and Judith
Parham—the judges relied on audience
applause to chose Parham, of Spelman
College, as the 2007 Campus SuperStar and
winner of the $5,000 grand prize. She sang
“And I am Telling You,” a song made popular by Jennifer Hudson in this year’s
blockbuster hit Dreamgirls. Nick Morrett
was the runner-up, and Teah Glenn came in
third. All contestants received cash prizes.
Judith Parham (center) receives a
check for $5,000 from Steve
Oppenheimer (president, Hillels of
Georgia) and Jody Feldman (cochair of Campus SuperStar)
Campus SuperStar proceeds support
programs through Hillels of Georgia, an
organization dedicated to building vibrant
Jewish student life at Emory University,
Page 7
Get
Wild!
RETURNS JUNE 10
BY Hannah
Vahaba
University of Georgia, Georgia Tech,
Georgia State University, Kennesaw State
University, and other Georgia colleges.
Each year, Hillels of Georgia serves 6,000
Jewish students through 550 programs that
connect them to their Jewish heritage and
community.
Michael Rabkin, director of Emory
Hillel, sees Campus SuperStar as an opportunity to network with valuable stakeholders in the community. Rabkin reaches out to
nearly 2,500 Jewish students on the Emory
campus through events such as Shabbat
dinners, community service projects, and
Ifest (Israel Campaign) to help students
build a vibrant Jewish future by engaging
them in Jewish activities at an early age.
Bradley Erbesfield, a senior at
University of Georgia and co-chair of UGA
Idol, found his local fundraiser a great way
to educate the campus about Hillel. UGA
Hillel intends to utilize the funds raised
through these events for recruitment,
improving next year’s Campus Superstar
event, and to convey Hillel’s positive image
throughout the campus. UGA has nearly
2,000 Jewish students, many of whom
could easily be the leaders of the Jewish
community of the Southeast and elsewhere
in years to come, so Hillel is trying to reach
them now.
The 2007 Campus SuperStar honorees
were Etta Raye Hirsch, David and Michele
Hirsch, and Lisa and Seth Greenberg. This
family has had longstanding involvement
with numerous Jewish and secular groups
such as the Epstein School, Congregation
Beth Jacob, Jewish Federation of Greater
Atlanta, National Osteoporosis Board, and
American Israeli Political Affairs
Committee.
Where The Wild
Things Are:
Maurice Sendak In His Own Words and Pictures
AT THE BREMAN
Image courtesy of The Maurice Sendak Archive, The Rosenbach Museum & Library, Philadelphia.
Deadly Medicine:
Creating the Master Race
Through August 10, 2007
at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Presented in Atlanta by Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
and The William Breman
Jewish Heritage Museum
Global Health Odyssey, Tom Harken
Global Communications Center
1600 Clifton Road NE
at CDC Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30333
Open 9 AM –5 PM weekdays (9 AM –7 PM Thursdays)
Admission is free. Driver’s license or passport
required for entry. Vehicle inspection required.
For information, call 404-639-0830 or visit
www.cdc.gov/exhibit/
Organized and circulated by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The exhibition is sponsored in part by The
Samberg Family Foundation, the Dorot Foundation, the Viterbi Family Foundation of the Jewish Community Foundation,
and the Rosenbluth Family. In Atlanta, public programs and special events accompanying the exhibition are co-sponsored
by The William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum and supported by a generous contribution from The Marcus Foundation.
The CDC Foundation acknowledges the generous gift of the Morris Family Foundation, Inc. in support of the Global Health
Odyssey and the Deadly Medicine exhibition in Atlanta.
RELATED EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
FILM SERIES AT THE BREMAN & AT CDC CAMPUS*
For information: www.thebreman.org or www.cdc.gov
SUNDAY, MAY 20, 1:30 PM AT THE BREMAN; MONDAY, MAY 21,
11 AM AT CDC — Rene and I: From Auschwitz to America.
The story of a woman and her male twin who refused to
allow Nazi medical experiments to define their lives. Film
and discussion with Rabbi Dr. Analia Bortz, Congregation
Or Hadash.
SUNDAY, JUNE 3, 1:30 PM AT THE BREMAN; FRIDAY, JUNE 8,
12 PM at CDC — Liebe Perla. A German filmmaker
befriends the last living member of a Jewish family whose
restricted growth fascinated Dr. Josef Mengele, allowing
them to survive the Holocaust. Film and discussion with
Mark Crenshaw, Interfaith Disability Connection.
SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 1:30 PM AT THE BREMAN; THURSDAY, JUNE 21,
12:30 PM AT CDC — The Lynchburg Story. Testimony from
impoverished, poorly educated Americans who underwent
forced sterilizations at a U.S. institution tells the true
story of American eugenics. Film and discussion with
Dr. Paul Lombardo, JD, Professor, GSU College of Law.
LECTURES & EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 7 PM —
Implications of Medical Ethics
in Nazi Germany. Susan Bachrach,
Curator, U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Museum. At Georgia Commission on
the Holocaust, Anne Frank in the
World Exhibit, Old Decatur Courthouse,
101 East Court Sq., Decatur,
www.holocaust.georgia.gov
JUNE 10–15 — 16th Annual
Summer Institute on Teaching the
Holocaust. At The Breman,
www.thebreman.org
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 7 PM — The Nazis
and Eugenics/T-4 Project. Patricia
Heberer, Historian, U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum. Location TBD,
www.holocaust.georgia.gov
*Visitors to CDC campus are required to present a driver’s license or passport for entry and are subject to car inspections.
Reservations are required. To RSVP, contact Diane Brodalski at 404-639-0832 or epi5@cdc.gov.
For more information about exhibitions,
events and educational programs,
call 678-222-3700 or visit www.thebreman.org
An Affiliate of
Honorees, Etta Raye Hirsch and family receiving gift from Steve
Oppenheimer
1440 S PRING S TREET NW ( AT S PRING & 18 TH S T.)
•
ATLANTA , G EORGIA 30309
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 8
May-June 2007
Kosher Korner
Meeting the needs of the
Jewish community
Pre-Arrangements
Burial anywhere in the world
Monuments
Acknowledgement cards
Casket choices
Yahrzeit calendars
Edward Dressler, President
Broc Fischer
Tim Scott
Licensed Funeral Directors
3734 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd
www.JewishFuneralCare.com
770.451.4999
The Atlanta Kashruth Commission and
the MJCCA are co-sponsoring the popular
Braves Jewish Community Day on August
5.
Several concession stands will have
strictly kosher food available and will
have a kosher letter on display. In addition
to kosher fare, there will be pre-game and
after-game festivities. Visit the MJCCA
website, www.atlantajcc.org, to order tickets and view the schedule. When you are
completing your ticket order, you can enter
the name of the Jewish organization you
would like to support with a portion of the
proceeds. The AKC is grateful to the
Marcus Foundation and Publix
Charities for their generous sponsorship.
Volunteers are needed to
help staff the stands. This is a
great opportunity to have fun
and help support a wonderful
get-together. Contact the AKC
at akc@kosheratlanta.org or 404634-4063.
—————
The Jewish Holiday of Shavuos, which
this year was May 22-24, celebrates the
receiving of the Torah by the Jewish
People.
There is an ancient tradition of eating
dairy foods on this holiday. Some say this
is because when the Torah was given, the
only acceptable food available at that time
was dairy.
Many people mistakenly think that if
something is dairy, it doesn’t require
supervision, but dairy items such as cheese
and ice cream could have non-kosher
ingredients. Cheese is typically made with
rennet, which comes from the stomach lining of calves or some other young animal;
therefore, only specific cheeses are accept-
AKC
Approved
BY Rabbi Reuven
Stein
able. Ice cream can have non-kosher stabilizers.
Plain milk doesn’t need specific kosher
certification, but chocolate milk, vitamin
milk, and buttermilk require supervision.
The AKC certifies several different
dairies, such as Broadacre Dairies,
Centennial Farms, Coburg Dairy, and
Flagship Atlanta Dairy. Certified
Kroger kosher dairy products
have the letters AKC on the
date code.
PRODUCT NEWS
The following breads
are kosher and parve and can be used
without a kosher symbol on them, as long
as they have the production code 113B in
the ink date code (The code must contain
the letter B. A code with the letter A means
the bread is from a non-kosher line.): 20
oz. honey wheat conventional breads—
Nature’s Own Honey Wheat; Southern
Family Market Honey Wheat; Oven Fresh
Honey Wheat; Market Pantry Split Top
Wheat; Great Value Split Top Wheat;
Laura Lynn Honey Wheat; and IGA Honey
Wheat; 24 oz. oval breads—Nature’s Own
100% Whole Wheat Organic, 100%
Whole Wheat, Honey Wheat Organic, 12
Grain, 9 Grain, and Honey Wheatberry.
Trudy’s Bakery, a new parve bakery,
will open in early August across from the
UPS Store in the Toco Hill Shopping
Center.
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Exclusively Planning Parties for 13 Years
It’s My Party,Inc.
Full Service Event Planning
Sharon Fisher
770-395-1094 • itsmypartyinc@hotmail.com
Special Occasions • Holiday Parties • Banquets • Meetings
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
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What our clients have to say about Brickery Catering….
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…Your staff made everyone feel welcome and well taken care of
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…Everyone wanted to know who did the catering
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Page 9
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 10
USO
From page 1
Atlanta International Airport. It was a day
when over 200 servicemen and servicewomen in Iraq were scheduled to land in
Atlanta for two weeks R & R leave; there
were service personnel deploying to Iraq as
well. Our task was to set up a welcome cart
at the head of the escalator between the
North and South terminals, the busiest part
of the airport.
We set up our cart with Beanie Babies
dressed in military uniforms, to be distributed along with free telephone cards and
food coupons. A donation box was placed in
the middle of the cart, and, immediately, a
civilian dropped a $20 bill into the box and
thanked us for volunteering. His donation
was followed by many others, including
USO volunteers Barry and Rona
Seidel and Frieda and Leon Socol
prepare to welcome soldiers to the
USO lounge.
May-June 2007
one from an airport security guard who told
me that he served two tours in Iraq and benefitted from USO hospitality many times.
He, too, thanked us for volunteering.
Frieda and I were accompanied by two
experienced USO volunteers, Barry and
Rona Siedel, also from Congregation
Shearith Israel. They showed us the routine
and helped us individually welcome each
soldier back to the states. We helped them
locate their luggage carrousels, check for
departing flights, and deal with other
details.
Army Pfc. Truitt and wife admire
two-week-old Veronica, who was
born while Truitt was on leave.
Army Pfc. Christian Nelms and
young sister Chloe before his
departure back to Iraq
Mazel Tov to Epstein’s Class of 2007
THE EPSTEIN SCHOOL
Solomon Schechter School of Atlanta
The time flew by, and our emotions
were on a rollercoaster as we witnessed
many ecstatic reunions and tearful goodbyes. I recall one soldier who was preparing
to return to Iraq. His mother, father, and 10year-old sister stayed close to his side while
he waited for his departure time. The sister
wore a khaki T-shirt lettered “Army Sister,”
and her sad expression just melted our
hearts. I handed her one of the Beanie
Babies and got her some cookies from the
USO canteen on the upper floor. My efforts
were rewarded with a big smile and thanks
from the family.
We also noticed an attractive army wife
and her 4-year-old son. They had been at
the airport for hours, awaiting the arrival of
Sgt. Wharton, his wife, and fouryear-old son had tearful reunion.
Sgt. Wharton hadn’t seen his son in
almost a year.
the airliner from Iraq. The little boy hadn’t
seen his father in almost a year, but when
the soldier came up the escalator, they
rushed to hug and kiss him. The tears
flowed, and our eyes were misty, too.
After the incoming soldiers were greeted, we went up to the USO lounge, where
professional USO staffers Selma Young and
Peggy Osol registered the new arrivals and
showed them around the canteen facilities.
The canteen has all the comforts of home,
including comfortable lounge chairs, sofas,
flat screen TV, computers, and a fully
equipped kitchen where an appetizing lunch
and snacks had been prepared.
The USO canteen overlooks the beautiful airport atrium. Soldiers walked around
You make us proud!
www.epsteinatlanta.org
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
Page 11
4969 Roswell Road
Suite 235-240
Atlanta, GA 30342
404-389-0909
404-303-0096 (F)
www.bangkokthyme.com
Soldiers line up to parade through airport atrium.
the circular walkway, observing the crowds
below and conversing with one another. We
were impressed with their military sharpness, appearance, maturity, and good manners. During the day we heard “Thank you,
sir,” “Thank you, ma’am,” and “We appreciate what you’re doing for us” hundreds of
times.
A soldier with his right foot missing
approached me on crutches to thank the
USO. He explained that he was going to
rehab to get a prosthetic foot and hoped that
he could return to duty. In spite of his
injury, he was upbeat in his attitude.
In mid-afternoon, we assembled the
deploying soldiers around the curved banister and distributed personal care kits to each
one. Then we took them down the escalator
through the main floor, and, in columns of
two abreast, they marched through the atrium amid loud applause from everyone they
passed. They were processed for their
departure in the late afternoon and given
their papers and boarding passes. We went
down the line and shook hands with these
servicemen and servicewomen, wishing
them Godspeed and a safe return to their
homes in the near future.
The group we handled was small compared to the 250,000 servicemen and servicewomen who passed through the Atlanta
USO in 2006. There are thousands more
who have been greeted and treated in hundreds of USO canteens during the Iraq war.
There are no partisan politics involved
in USO hospitality, just expressions of love
and caring for those who serve and protect
our country. The motto of the USO is that it
will be here for our service men and women
“Until Everyone Comes Home.” We hope
that time will be soon.
Enjoy authentic Thai cuisine and fresh,
artful offerings from our Sushi bar
Dine in the perfect blend of classical Thai woodwork
with simple yet elegant lines of Japanese shoji
Lunch
Monday-Friday
11:30am-2:30pm
Dinner
Monday-Thursday
5pm-10pm
Happy Hour
Monday-Friday
5pm-7pm
$1 Sushi
$2 Rolls
Drink Specials
Friday-Saturday
5pm – 10:30pm
Sunday
5pm-9:30pm
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 12
Mazel Tov
TO THE 2007 GRADUATING CLASS OF
THE ALFRED AND ADELE DAVIS ACADEMY
Jillian Acker
Juliana Altman
Michael Arfa
Gavriella Ballaban
Alexis Benveniste
Benjamin Binderow
Alexandra Corwin
Kyle Cristal
Benjamin Davis
Alec Feldman
Alexandra Friedman
Adam Friedman
Harold Galanti
Ryan Goldstein
Adam Goren
Jamie Gottlieb
Rachel Graubart
Benjamin Greenberg
Rachel Hirsch
Jessica Jacobs
Jessica Kaplan
Joshua Mangel
Alex Meline
Leah Metreyeon
Joseph Neder
Lelon Perlis
Jacob Ready
Lisa Roelofsen
Alyssa Rogut
Sydney Rosenberg
Ashley Rosenberg
Lindsey Rosenberg
Michael Rosenstein
Alexandra Rubin
Nathaniel Rubin
Zacharry Saitowitz
Kyle Schaffer
Sarah Scheuer
Jason Schwarz
Adam Schweber
Robert Seibold
Jacob Seltman
Max Shafron
Samuel Shapiro
Benjamin Shimmel
Elena Shmerling
Alison Sillins
Nathan Simon
Daniel Stolovitzky
Jonathan Stone
Dylan Vainer
Brian Waronker
Stephanie Weinstein
Alexandra Wertheimer
Benjamin Young
Drew Zucker
THE ALFRED AND ADELE DAVIS ACADEMY
Atlanta's Reform Jewish Day School
8105 Roberts Drive, 7901 Roberts Drive • Atlanta, Georgia • 30350
770.671.0085 • 770.804.9191
www.davisacademy.org
May-June 2007
Billi and Bernie Marcus among
this year’s Hometown Heroes
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro
Atlanta honored Billi and Bernie Marcus
for their commitment to making Atlanta a
Billi and Bernie Marcus
better place to live at the annual Hometown
Heroes Tribute, May 17, at the Georgia
Aquarium.
The other honorees were SunTrust, a
generous supporter of BGCMA, and
BGCMA Staff Person of the Year Darold
Sims, executive director of the W.W.
Woolfolk Boys & Girls Club and head of a
BGCMA extension site in the Ben
Carson/Bankhead community.
The tribute was co-chaired by Ada Lee
Correll and Doug Reid. Lisa Rayam and
Ken Rodriguez of WAGA-TV FOX 5 and
Adriana Bowles, BGCMA’s 2006 Youth of
the Year, served as masters of ceremony.
Bernie Marcus, co-founder of The
Home Depot, Inc., and his wife, Billi, have
earned notice for their commitment to the
community. Through the Marcus
Foundation, they focus on Jewish causes,
children, medical research, free enterprise,
and the community. The Georgia
Aquarium, which they built and dedicated
to the people of Georgia, is the largest
aquarium in the world and attracted more
than 3.6 million visitors during its first
year.
Jewish literature discussion
group starts June 11
Peachtree Library is hosting a free fivepart reading and discussion series called
“Let’s Talk About It: Jewish Literature—
Identity and Imagination.” The series will
explore Jewish literature and culture
through scholar-led discussions of contemporary and classic books on the theme of
“Demons, Golems and Dybbuks: Monsters
of the Jewish Imagination.”
The library is one of over 250 nationwide receiving grants to host the series,
which has been developed by Nextbook
and the American Library Association
(ALA). Local support for the series is provided by the William Breman Jewish
Heritage Museum and the Friends of
Peachtree Library.
The first program will explore Satan in
Goray by Isaac Bashevis Singer and will be
held on Monday, June 11, at 7:00 p.m.
Subsequent discussions will feature The
Dybbuk by S. Ansky, July 16; The
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, August 13;
The Puttermesser Papers by Cynthia
Ozick, September 17; and Angels in
America: a Gay Fantasia on National
Themes by Tony Kushner, October 15.
Leah Wolfson, a Ph. D. candidate in
Emory University’s Department of
Comparative Literature, will lead the discussions. She is a Robert Woodruff Fellow
and winner of the university’s 2006 David
R. Blumenthal Award in Jewish Studies and
the Humanities.
All programs will be held at Peachtree
Library, 1315 Peachtree Street. Free parking is available under the building. For
details
or
to
register,
visit
www.afplweb.com and go to calendar of
events, Peachtree Branch, or contact Mary
Silver,
404-885-7830
or
Mary.Silver@FultonCo.GA.gov.
May-June 2007
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 13
High holy days at sea
My most memorable experiences during the Korean War involved me, Captain
Sobel, USN, and about 60 marines.
We sailed aboard a troop ship out of San
Diego. We were the 20th replacement draft.
Captain Sobel was not aboard, nor, at this
stage, was he even a naval captain. But he
eventually became head of the naval
Chaplain Corps.
The High Holy Days were approaching,
and there were approximately 60 marines of
the Jewish faith aboard. Of this group, the
senior officer was First Lieutenant
Friedman.
One day, everyone heard over the loudspeaker: “Second Lieutenant Asher, report
to the office of First Lieutenant Friedman.”
I reported promptly and in a clean uniform with my cover (dress hat) removed.
“Second Lieutenant Asher,” he said,
emphasizing my name, “Yom Kippur eve
will be here in five days, and, Second
Lieutenant Asher, you will be conducting
ceremonies and a break-the-fast meal.”
I got in two words, “Yes, Sir!”
I went to see the captain of the troop
ship and told him what I needed—a big
room, 60 prayer books, 60 yarmulkes, and a
break-the-fast dinner. Although he was not
Jewish, he thanked me for “volunteering” to
BY Gene
Asher
conduct services.
He called in the ship’s chef and told him
what he needed in the way of food. We had
chopped liver, roast chicken, challah, rice (I
think), kosher red wine (for sure), and I
don’t remember what else.
The break-the-fast dinner was held in
the officers’ ward room with blue tablecloths and blue napkins. Although I could
not read Hebrew myself, we had several
marines who could, so the Torah was read
in Hebrew, and the rest of the service was
out of the Union Prayer Book, which is
mostly in English. Although I did not get a
promotion, even First Lieutenant Friedman
was impressed.
I did not meet Chaplain Sobel until I got
to Korea. He was there when I was carried
to the first-aid station, and he made sure
that no telegram would be sent to my parents. Instead, I would telephone from the
U.S. Naval Hospital in Japan, where I was
headed for two months to repair my leg. As
soon as I arrived in the hospital and was
assigned to my room, the first thing I did
was place a long-distance call to Atlanta
and assure my parents I was OK.
Thank you, Captain Sobel.
When I was physically able to report to
duty, I requested and received the Marine
Corps Recruit Depot as my duty station.
And what a delightful surprise I had when I
attended services my first Friday night at
Parris Island and found that the Jewish
chaplain on base and conducting services
was none other than Chaplain Samuel N.
Sobel, captain-to-be.
Later, Chaplain Sobel was transferred to
the U.S. Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia.
On Sundays, he was the rabbi where my sister, Hope Everett; my brother-in-law,
Morris Benator; nephews Gene and Barry
Benator; and niece Karen Everett all attended services.
A bigger thrill was yet to come. My
wife and I were in New York on vacation.
Come Friday night, we attended services at
Temple Emanuel. It was the temple’s
“Military Night,” and one of those on the
pulpit was Captain Sam Sobel.
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 14
MISH MASH
By Erin O’Shinskey
RABBI KRANZ RECEIVES JACK
HIRSCH AWARD. Rabbi Philip N. Kranz,
rabbi emeritus
of
Temple
Sinai, was honored May 16 at
the 4th annual
Jewish National
Fund
(JNF)
Jack
Hirsch
Memorial
Breakfast. The
keynote speaker
was
Yossi
Olmert, Middle
East expert and
of
Rabbi Philip N. Kranz brother
Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert. The Jack Hirsch
Memorial Award is given each year to a
member of the Atlanta community who has
demonstrated outstanding leadership and a
commitment
to
the
mission
of
JNF. Previous honorees include Cantor
Isaac and Betty Goodfriend and Mayor Sam
Massell.
SCOUTING IS A FAMILY AFFAIR.
Scoutmaster Josiah V. Benator recently
reached a milestone: he has now led three
generations of one family through the
scouting experience. Benator was Scout
Leader for Troop 27 during the years 19401943 and 1946-1948 and has led Troop 73
since 1950.
May-June 2007
ticipated in ADL’s annual Shana Amy Glass
National Leadership Conference, April 29May 1, in Washington, D.C. The conference
was endowed by Georgia businessman
Sherwin Glass as a tribute to his daughter
Shana, who was brutally murdered in
Atlanta in 1993. Among the numerous conference topics were immigration reform,
global anti-Semitism, challenges facing the
Jewish state, and U.S. policy in the Middle
East. Speakers included Senator Edward
Kennedy, Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff, Israeli Ambassador to the
U.S. Sallai Meridor, and others.
Arielle Geller as Anne Frank and
Carolyn Choe as Mrs. Van Daan in
Theatre on Main’s production of The
Diary of Anne Frank
THREE
GENERATIONS.
Sam
Benator
(Troop
73,
1970,
Congregation Or VeShalom), Jason
Benator (Troop 73, 2006), and Asher
Benator (Troop 27, 1946, Jewish
Educational Alliance)
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ATTEND
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE. Fourteen
young Atlanta professionals—members of
the Anti-Defamation League’s Glass
Leadership Institute training program—par-
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AT THE ADL CONFERENCE. (From
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Gillian Fierer; Josh Ginsberg, ADL
Southeast assistant director; Dr.
Jonathan Liss; Bill Nigut, ADL
Southeast regional director; Avi
Stadler; Lauren Estrin; Mark
Winarsky; Michael Weiss; Dr. Ron
Altman; Jessica Strauss-Hurwitz;
Sandi Karchmer Solow; Michael
Sklar; and Lisa Zier. Not pictured:
Eric Robbins, Rebecca Goldstein,
and Joanne Haimovitz
IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Fourteen-year-old
Arielle Geller starred in eight performances
of The Diary of Anne Frank at Theatre On
Main in Acworth during March and
April. Arielle is the daughter of Mike and
Robyn Geller and the granddaughter of
Luna Levy and Bernard Ulman. Currently
at the Epstein School, she has been accepted at the Pebblebrook High School of the
Performing Arts for the coming fall.
VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES.
Whether you are in need of assistance or
would like to help someone who is, the
Marcus Jewish Community Center of
Atlanta’s Community Services department
is always happy to hear from you. May
projects include Sunday Son-in-Law (light
handy work), Shai Lev/Gifts from the Heart
(hand-knitted or -crocheted baby blankets
for hospitals and shelters), and Bundles for
Babies (infant necessities for shelter residents). For information on these and other
projects, contact Community Services
Director
Shaindle
Schmuckler
at
Shaindle.Schmuckler@atlantajcc.org or
770-395-2549, or visit www.atlantajcc.org.
CLEAR AS A BELL. Stephen Klein
rang the opening bell at NASDAQ on
April 16. Pictured, from left: Eliot
Arnovitz, Peter Goodstein, Jeff
Levine, Klein, Lynnette FullerAndrews, Irwin Berman, Ulysses
Taylor, and Barbara Babbit Kaufman
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Softball is a family affair
Page 15
I AM 83 AND REFUSE
TO LET LIFE PASS ME BY.
Lauren (back to the camera) tells her little sister not to worry about a batter
and just to keep throwing hard.
Living life to its fullest. It’s an attitude we take to
heart. And it’s why we are proud to now be part of
By Mark Light
I am a very fortunate father who
enjoyed a life-changing experience this past
season as a community coach for North
Springs High School, coaching both of my
amazing daughters as they played together,
for the first time, on the 2006 North Springs
Spartans softball team.
Lauren, a senior and co-captain, has led
the Spartans softball team with batting
average and RBIs for the past three years
and is the starting catcher. Even during her
sophomore year, while recovering from
knee surgery (due to catching in travelteam play) and unable to catch (but still
playing 3rd base), her bat was still a force
on the team.
Enter Megan, Lauren’s younger sister, a
freshman who has worked diligently over
the last five years to earn her place as a
starting freshman pitcher and 2nd baseman
on the Spartans Varsity team. Regardless of
the hard work, extraordinary number of
strikeouts, very low ERA, and four homeruns over the fence this season, Megan
gained everyone’s respect, except her sister’s. As far as Lauren is concerned, “She is
lucky that I am letting her play on my
team!” However, as the season progressed,
I do believe that a mutual admiration and
respect emerged.
I know that my years, months, and days
of intense, on-the-field interaction with my
two daughters are limited. So, when asked
to help out this season at North Springs, I
responded with a resounding “yes”—after
getting each daughter’s OK, of course.
How many daughters would want their
father on the field every day with their
friends and schoolmates, and then have dad
work everyone’s butt off?
This 2006 season would not have been
complete without mom and wife Lisa doing
her part. From the very beginning of the
season, mom washed and handed out all of
the uniforms; helped orchestrate snack lists,
bus transportation, carpools, the end-ofseason banquet, and coaches’ gifts; managed the budget; and served as team mom.
In addition, Lisa had her hands full refereeing sibling rivalries and was often ready to
quit “the team” because of the coach (that’s
me)!
Parents, never miss a chance to interact
with your kids! Lauren is going to UGA
and will play club ball there. Megan is still
playing travel ball on the 14-&-under North
Fulton Flames, and, yes, I coach that team
as well. As Lisa will tell you, softball completely consumes our lives, but, hey, how
much longer will I have the chance to coach
my daughters, the most fantastic girls in the
world?
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 16
May-June 2007
Saudi posturing vs. true peace
In the last few months, Saudi Arabian
Crown Prince Abdullah has recirculated his
five-year-old proposal calling for peace in
the Middle East. He first floated this proposal to President George W. Bush in
Crawford, Texas, in April 2002.
Theoretically, it has never been taken off
the table.
The proposal is commendable for its
novelty. For the first time, all twenty-two
Arab states agreed to conditions under
which they would recognize the State of
Israel. It is also commendable as a bargaining position subject to further negotiation.
On the other hand, if the Saudis are asking
Israel to accept or reject “a cat in a bag,” his
initiative remains a non-starter. That is
because of at least one condition in the
Saudi proposal that is totally unacceptable
to Israel.
The Saudis ask Israel to withdraw to its
pre-June 4, 1967, borders. Those boundary
lines—”Auschwitz borders,” in the words
of then-Israeli Foreign Minister Abba
Eban—gave Arab states the opportunity to
attack Israel and desecrate Jewish religious
sites for twenty years. Within the confines
of Jerusalem’s Old City as defined by the
pre-June 1967 borders, the Arab Legion
systematically destroyed or desecrated synagogues, schools, homes, and other relics of
BY Jonathan
Goldstein
two thousand years of Jewish residence in
that city. Where Arabs had the tactical
advantage of high ground, they subjected
the Jewish populations within artillery
range to incessant bombardment. The Arab
Legion fired regularly from the ramparts of
Jerusalem’s Old City in the direction of
West Jerusalem’s densely populated downtown residential neighborhoods. Syria
launched frequent artillery barrages against
the Central Galilee, notably against Kibbutz
Ein Gev. There are members of that collective farm who never slept one night of their
childhood outside of a bomb shelter.
In suggesting that Israel withdraw to the
pre-June 1967 borders, the Saudis’ territorial “remedies” even exceed the nearly universally accepted parameters of United
Nations Resolution 242. That resolution
calls on Israel to withdraw from only some
of the territories captured in June 1967—
the French adjective des (some) is used to
describe territories in the official text—and
not from every inch of land of captured
land, which would once again expose
Israel’s dense population centers to artillery
bombardment and Jewish religious sites to
destruction and desecration.
The Saudi proposal implies that indefensible borders and desecrated religious
sites would not be a problem if Israel would
only enable the Palestinians to establish
their own state in the Gaza Strip and West
Bank. The Saudis fail to mention that
extremist Islamic groups like Hamas and
Islamic Jihad reject any negotiation whatsoever with Israel and are bent on the obliteration of the Jewish state. The Saudi proposal fails to specify how those extremist
groups will be neutralized.
The Saudis also fail to mention that on
at least three occasions, Israel has offered to
recognize a Palestinian state in virtually all
of the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The first
offer came at the moment of Israel’s birth
fifty-nine years ago, pursuant to United
Nations resolutions creating Jewish and
Arab states in what had been the British territory of Palestine. The Arab response was
to attack the fledgling Jewish state (the
Arabs were defeated) and for Egypt and
Jordan to seize precisely the territories the
United Nations had set aside for a
Palestinian state, namely the Gaza Strip and
West Bank. The government of Israeli
Prime Minister Ehud Barak twice repeated
the recognition offer and did not even get a
counter-proposal from the Palestinians.
Instead, Israel received a barrage of
kamikaze-style bombings. When extrapolated over a population of seven million,
those attacks have been even more devastating than the tragic attacks on the United
States on September 11, 2001.
Given the recent concessions that Israel
offered the Palestinians and the
Palestinians’ hostile response, the deterrent
strength of America’s oldest democratic
ally in the Middle East must not be
impaired. Genuine peace negotiations
should involve significant concessions from
both sides and not only from Israel, as the
Saudis advocate. Although called a peace
initiative, the Saudi proposal eludes the
conditions for true peace in a region vital to
the interests of the United States.
Dr. Jonathan Goldstein is a professor of
history at the University of West Georgia in
Carrollton. His books include China and
Israel, 1948-1998: a Fifty Year
Retrospective (1999) and The Jews of
China (2000).
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 17
Thought You’d Like to Know
By Jonathan Barach
HONORING INNOVATION. The 6th
annual Eagle Star Gala, presented by the
American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, is
May 29, 6:00-9:00 p.m., at Coca-Cola
Company world headquarters. Richard
Izsak is keynote speaker. Finalists for
Israeli Company of the Year are Baran
Telecom, Delek US, and Vyyo. Deal of the
Year finalists are Integra5/Knology, Life
Therapeutics/GammaCan, and Metro
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce/d&a High
Tech Information/GeoSpatial Metrics. For
complete event information, including registration, visit www.eaglestargala.com.
DANCERS GO MAD! The Marcus Jewish
Community Center of Atlanta and Full
Radius Dance present the 13th Annual
Modern Atlanta Dance Festival (MAD), at
the Morris & Rae Frank Theatre, Zaban
Park, June 2-3. Performers and choreographers include Nicole Wesley, Ivan
Pulinkala, Duende Dance Theatre, Amanda
Exely Lower, Annette Lewis and Good
Moves Moving On, Susan Eldridge, and
Full Radius Dance. Ticket are $15
adults/$12 children for the general public
and $13 adults/$9 children for MJCCA
members; children 18 months and younger
are admitted free of charge. All seats are
reserved; seating is limited. For information
or tickets, call 770-395-2654.
GET READY TO RUN. The MJCCA’s
14th Annual Harris Jacobs Dream Run is
June 3, at Zaban Park. The morning features a 2K fun run/walk, 7:45; 4-mile road
race, 8:00 a.m.; and 4-mile racewalk, 8:00
a.m. Entry fees are $20/adults ($25 after
May 18) and $25/phantom runners. Parking
and shuttle service are available from
Georgia Perimeter College, beginning at
6:45 am. Register at www.active.com or
www.atlantajcc.org. For more information,
call 770-395-2676.
TEACHING THE HOLOCAUST. The 16th
Annual Summer Institute on Teaching the
Holocaust begins June 10. This program
interweaves study with unforgettable eyewitness accounts by Holocaust survivors.
Through scholarly lectures, personal recollections, guided discussions, film documentaries, assigned readings, and a range of
handout materials, participants will develop
age-appropriate strategies for teaching this
difficult subject. For information, contact
Dr. Lili Baxter, 404-870-1872 or
lbaxter@thebreman.org.
Duende Dance Theatre in Carina
TEE TIME. The 2007 MJCCA Golf
Tournament is June 18, at the Standard
Club. Proceeds will help the MJCCA maintain a variety of programs essential to the
Atlanta and North Metro communities,
including early childhood development,
Alzheimer’s day care, developmental disabilities programming, preschool and
camping scholarships, and more. The $195
entry fee includes greens fees for 18 holes,
cart fees, mulligans, box lunch, beverages,
prizes, and a reception with heavy hors
d’oeuvres and open bar. Register at
www.atlantajcc.org. For more information,
call 770-395-2676.
ages are available. Visit www.atlantajcc.org
for more information and to purchase tickets.
INVESTING IN ISRAEL. Friedland
Investment Events, in partnership with the
American-Israel Chamber of Commerce,
will present an Israeli Equities Conference,
June 20-21, at the Marriott Marquis Atlanta.
The conference features presentations by
senior managers of select publicly traded
Israeli companies and keynote addresses by
Eric Benhamou, Zvi Alon, and Yair Shiran.
For
more
information,
visit
www.aiccse.org.
TAKE ME OUT TO THE (KOSHER)
BALLGAME. The Braves Jewish
Community Day (formerly known as
Braves Kosher Day) is August 5, 1:05 p.m.,
when the Braves play the Colorado Rockies
at Turner Field. Highlights of the event,
which is co-sponsored by the MJCCA and
the Atlanta Kashruth Commission, are a
pre-game youth parade on the field, running
the bases after the game (kids only), and
kosher concession stands. Tickets are $8
and up, while supplies last; special pack-
Where the Wild Things Are:
Maurice Sendak in His Own
Words and Pictures
June 10-September 30
at The Breman
(Image courtesy of The Maurice Sendak
Archive, The Rosenbach Museum &
Library, Philadelphia)
BUSINESS BITS
YOUNG AT ISRAEL BONDS. Brad
Young has been
named executive
director of the
Southeastern
Region, State of
Israel
Bonds.
Young’s previous
positions include
Atlanta area director
for
the
American Israel
Public
Affairs
Committee
and
Brad Young
director of community relations for the Jewish Federation
of Central New Jersey. Young received
degrees from the University of Georgia and
Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo
School of Law and studied for a year at the
Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He and
his wife, Terri, have a son, Joshua, and are
expecting another child this year.
GOING GREEN. Carl Seville of Seville
Consulting was honored for exemplary
green building practices during the 9th
annual National Association of Home
Builders’ National Green Building
Conference, held recently in St. Louis.
Seville was named Remodeler Advocate of
the Year, marking the 4th consecutive year
that he has received an award at the conference. Seville operates Seville Consulting, a
company that helps homeowners and building professionals create healthy, efficient,
and durable buildings by incorporating sustainable practices into their homes and
businesses.
CHANGES AT UGA HILLEL. Lee Shaffer
resigned as program director of University
of Georgia Hillel on April 27. Shaffer had
been program director since May 2005. A
longtime veteran of Jewish communal
work, he served as assistant director of
Atlanta Council BBYO and regional director of Gold Coast Region BBYO, which is
based in South Florida. He also staffed
numerous Jewish Teen Tours throughout
the United States as well as Panim el
Panim, a Jewish politics program in
Washington, D.C. Shaffer graduated from
Florida Atlantic University, where he
majored in communications with a focus on
broadcast journalism.
DINE-IN
TAKE-OUT
CATERING
6080 Roswell Road
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Tel: 404-943-0091
Fax: 404-943-0098
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Page 18
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
Things to do if you’re a
20-something Jew
It is finally warming up in Atlanta, and
there are so many exciting Jewish events to
attend. Get involved in one of the groups
below. If you are not attending Screen on
the Green at Piedmont Park on Thursdays
this summer or hitting at least one happy
hour a week with your friends after work,
here are some other ideas. Can’t wait to see
more faces around town. People are finally
coming out of the winter hibernation.
Happy trails.
FEDERATION 101. Confused about the
Jewish community? Don’t know where to
start? Not sure what the initials YLC mean?
Then take a Federation 101 class.
Locations vary, but this group often meets
at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta,
1440 Spring Street NW. The class meets
once a month; the last spring class is June
19. For more information, contact
ylc@jfga.org.
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL. The registration
for Birthright Israel’s Winter trips, free
trips to Israel for young adults, will open
September 5. For information, contact Erin
Hirsch
at
404-870-1614
or
ehirsch@jfga.org, or visit www.birthrightisrael.com.
SUNDAYS WITH SILVERMAN. Rabbi
Silverman, one of the founders of Atlanta
Scholars Kollel, hosts a discussion group
that meets one Sunday a month at his
house. The goal of the group is to raise
young adults’ level of Jewish awareness by
presenting the Torah and the responsibility
that Judaism entails in a sophisticated and
meaningful way. Topics include contemporary situations, the Jewish calendar, and
current events. For more information, contact Jon Grant at jonathanlgrant@hotmail.
com.
KOSHER
CHAMELEON.
Kosher
Chameleons are young Jewish professionals living in Atlanta. They enjoy going out
in Midtown, the Highlands, and, rarely,
Buckhead. Kosher Chameleon parties are
hosted by Spiral Entertainment, which has
been throwing parties for the past nine
years. The events draw 1,000-4,000 people,
mostly 21-40-year-old intowners. These
parties are not religiously affiliated. For
BY Hannah
Vahaba
more information on upcoming events,
visit www.kosherchameleon.com.
HELP OUT. Do you enjoy hanging out and
being a mentor to kids? PAL (People are
Loving) volunteers are Jewish adults who
share a one-to-one relationship with a
child. There is a particular need for male
PALs. For more information on how to
become a PAL, visit www.jfcs-atlanta.org.
INTERACT has an ongoing project to collect, bag, and distribute toiletry kits to
homeless clients served by JF&CS.
Contact Lauren Feinberg at 404-422-8921
for more information.
2135 THE SINGLE SPOT, the MJCCA
Jewish singles group, has several spring
events for young professionals such as
leisure activities, nighttime entertainment,
and exciting trips. An eight-week co-ed
flag football league, complete with a tournament and party after the last game, is
coming this summer. Games are Mondays,
June 11-July 30, at the MJCCA, 5342 Tilly
Mill Road, Dunwoody. The price is
$40/members and $60/non-members.
League jerseys are available for $25, if you
do not already have one. Tap into your
adventurous side with a rafting trip down
the Ocoee River, Sunday, August 5, starting
at 1:00 p.m., at Outdoor Adventure Rafting,
Ocoee TN. This exciting river is full of surprises and offers Class III-IV rapids. This
trip is for both experienced and beginner
rafters. The cost is $40/members and
$50/non-members and includes lunch.
RSVPs required by August 1. Registration
for all events is available at www.atlantajcc.org. For more information, contact
Crista
Cohen
at
crista.cohen@atlantajcc.org or 770-3952557.
To have your organization’s event featured
in Vahaba’s column, contact her at hvahaba@yahoo.com.
May-June 2007
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 19
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
Page 21
THE
Jewish Georgian
Grandpa has fun with a dollhouse
By Bill Sonenshine
How would you like to build a fantastic
dollhouse for your granddaughter? That is
exactly what Bert Sharf did for 12-year-old
Jamie Feleris.
How did I learn about this dollhouse? A
friend of mine, Stanley Schwartz, stopped
me on Main Street at the MJCCA to tell me
about his friend’s project and suggested I
write about it. I contacted Bert, and he was
happy to send me pictures and details of his
work.
When Bert decided to build the dollhouse about three years ago, he gave little
thought to how big a project it would be or
the level of patience it would take. He felt
frustrated at times, since he was inexperienced and had to redo much of his work. He
wanted to finish before Jamie became too
old to enjoy it.
Here, in Bert’s own words, is how he
built the dollhouse:
“The four-story dollhouse is 40” high,
60” long, and 24” wide, comprising 24
rooms, plus two outside porches on the 2nd
and 3rd floors. Each of the rooms is large
enough to allow play. Actual wallpaper,
rugs, and tiles were used. All working doors
are pocket doors, which work by sliding in
between the walls.
“An elevator going to the 3rd-floor
porch leads to a swimming pool on the left
Above: Bert Sharf and granddaughter Jamie Feleris stand
next to the incredible dollhouse
Right: The dollhouse
Turning back the clock
By Evie Wolfe
Books by Holocaust survivors are not
unique. Indeed, many have rolled off the
presses in the past few years. But Through
the Eyes of a Child by Ilse Reiner is different, decidedly so. It tells a story, as its title
says, through the eyes of a child. Half narrative, half reprinted diary, the short book
reveals how one girl struggled to survive.
Born in Czechoslovakia in December
1929, Ilse is almost ten when her parents
divorce. Soon afterward, Germany invades
her country and her town. Her father is
taken away first, then her mother. An only
child, Ilse is left with no family at all. When
her jailed mother dies of tuberculosis, Ilse
goes to a Jewish orphanage. Her diary is
written during this period and is fascinating
to read. It reveals how food and the lack of
it matter greatly to children. Almost every
entry concerns what her meals include and
what is missing. By now, she is eleven and
fully aware of the havoc the German occupation has produced.
The diary ends when Ilse is deported to
Terezin, the concentration camp to which
15,000 children were eventually sent and
only 100 survived. Ilse underplays her own
bravery and courage, which makes the book
even more remarkable.
When the war ended, Ilse, who escaped
from Terezin, came back to her hometown
and lived for a short period with the Lucas
family, who were friends of her family. Her
trunk and some possessions were stored in
the attic and forgotten. Her diary remained
inside the trunk for more than fifty years.
Ilse moved to the U.S. in 1946 to live
with her mother’s brother and his family.
She married in 1950 and didn’t return to
Czechoslovakia until 1990. While there,
she located the Lucas family. When she
found the trunk with her diary inside, she
was amazed. After so many years and a life
so far away, she had given no thought to its
existence.
Ilse, widowed in 2000 after fifty years
of a happy marriage, now lives in Atlanta.
Through her association with the William
Bremen Jewish Heritage Museum, she
speaks to groups of schoolchildren about
her childhood.
and a succah on the right. In season, the
succah can be decorated, just like a real
one. Small seashells are used on one outside
wall, the columns holding the 3rd-level
porch, and the fireplace in the master bedroom. The shells give a ‘stonework’ effect.
“Being a Jewish home, each room has a
mezuzah on the doorpost, and each room
has light switches, electric plugs, and registers on its walls. The kitchen has two sinks
and tiled floors and built-in working cabinetry.
“The bathroom has cracked tiled floors,
his and her sinks, and a shower. The tiles
came from the pool at my old Florida home.
I etched a ‘J’ into the tile in the bathroom,
and Jamie was excited about that. The
shelving for the main hall was fun, but
needed books, so I made about 300 books
and records. The wall shelves, located in
the hall and office, have library ladders.
One switch turns on the lights for the whole
house. (Alas, no running water.)
“All of the molding is hand-cut, as are
the stairs and banisters. The stairs gave me
the most trouble, and they were redone a
number of times. Much of the fun was in
the making of the shelving and the furniture
cabinetry.
“Naturally, not having a wealth of experience in 1:12 scale furniture, there was
See DOLLHOUSE, page 34
Page 22
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
May-June 2007
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 23
‘Deadly Medicine’ examines the horror of Nazi pseudo-science
Nazi Germany’s genocide against the
Jews and the murder and persecution of
millions of others was founded upon the
conviction that certain races and individuals
must be eliminated from German society so
that the “fittest Aryans” could thrive. The
Nazi state fully committed itself to implementing a uniquely racist and anti-Semitic
variation of eugenics using science to build
what it considered to be a superior race.
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention is hosting the U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum’s traveling exhibition
“Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master
Race” through August 10. The exhibition is
co-presented by the William Breman
Jewish Heritage Museum. “Deadly
Medicine” examines how the Nazi leadership, in collaboration with individuals in
professions traditionally charged with healing and the public good, used science to
help legitimize persecution, murder, and,
ultimately, genocide.
The exhibition is on view at the Global
Health Odyssey in the Tom Harkin Global
Communications Center located on the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
campus. The Global Communications
Center is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.5:00 p.m., and until 7:00 p.m. on
Thursdays. Admission and parking are free.
For more information about the exhibition
and
scheduling
tours,
visit
www.cdc.gov/gcc/exhibit.
“‘Deadly Medicine’ explores the
Holocaust’s roots in then-contemporary scientific and pseudo-scientific thought,”
explains exhibition curator Susan
Bachrach. “At the same time, it touches on
complex ethical issues we face today, such
as how societies acquire and use scientific
knowledge, and how they balance the rights
of the individual with the needs of the larger community.”
Eugenics theory sprang from the turnof-the-century scientific belief that Charles
Darwin’s theories of the survival of the
fittest could be applied to humans, and that
so-called “inferior” people should be eliminated from the public body. Supporters
spanned the political spectrum and believed
that through careful controls on marriage
and reproduction, a nation’s genetic health
could be improved.
The proponents of this theory found
ready audiences in many countries, including the United States, in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries. Concerns about the
spread of crime, alcoholism, disease, and
social unrest occupied many leaders and
citizens. In eugenics, science seemed to
offer a solution. Germany became particularly susceptible to these notions in the economic, political, and social upheaval following its humiliating defeat in World War
I.
Under the democratic Weimar government, eugenics largely focused on what
were, relatively speaking, positive measures such as increasing the birth rate and
improving the population’s health.
Negative measures, such as laws sanctioning the sterilization of those considered
“feeble-minded,” met with resistance.
However, under the cover of war, such constraints disappeared, and the Nazi regime
was able to implement its radical version of
eugenics.
“The Nazis believed that populations or
‘races’ possessed good or bad genes,” continues Bachrach. “Jews were purportedly a
threat due to their genetic composition,
which is why even those who had converted to Christianity were targeted for destruction. Their outward behaviors could not
compensate for their genetic shortcomings.”
By war’s end, six million Jews were
murdered. Millions of others also became
victims of persecution and murder through
Nazi racial hygiene programs designed to
cleanse Germany of perceived biological
threats to the nation’s health, including Sinti
and Roma (Gypsies), persons diagnosed as
hereditarily ill, and homosexuals. In
German-occupied territories, Poles and others belonging to ethnic groups the Nazis
deemed to be inferior were murdered.
“Deadly Medicine” draws on 40
archival sources from around the world and
is the first U.S. exhibition to present a history of the Nazi biological state. The exhibition features 50 original artifacts, numerous photographs and photographic reproductions, and survivor testimony. An online
version of the exhibition can be found at
www.ushmm.org/deadlymedicine.
“Deadly Medicine” is sponsored in part
by the Samberg Family Foundation, the
Dorot Foundation, the Viterbi Family
Foundation of the Jewish Community
Foundation, and the Rosenbluth Family—
Al, Sylvia, Bill, and Jerry. Additional support was provided by the Takiff Family
Foundation and the David Berg Foundation.
In Atlanta, public programs accompanying
“Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master
Race” are supported, in part, by a generous
contribution from the Marcus Foundation.
The CDC Foundation acknowledges the
generous gift of the Morris Family
Foundation, Inc., in support of the Global
Health Odyssey and the “Deadly Medicine”
exhibition in Atlanta.
Please note: Visitors to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention are
required to present a driver’s license or
passport for entry and are subject to car
inspections.
Let’s do Jewish Together
... with a Sephardic Twist!
Come to Or VeShalom’s Congregational School and join us
for the 2007 -2008 school year. Our curriculum brings
together our unique heritage with a love of Jewish learning.
* Student / Parent learning activities
* Hebrew computer lab
* School Spirit Driven
* Accredited teachers
A dynamic interactive classroom environment throughout all
grade levels from Torah Tots to Post Bar/Bat Mitzvot.
Our new school year begins August 19
Sunday’s 9:00 am -12:30pm
Dr. Otmar von Verschuer examines twins at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. As
the head of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute’s Department for Human Heredity,
Verschuer, a physician and geneticist, examined hundreds of pairs of twins
to study whether criminality, feeble-mindedness, tuberculosis, and cancer
were inheritable. In 1927, he recommended the forced sterilization of the
“mentally and morally subnormal.” Verschuer typified those academics
whose interest in Germany’s “national regeneration” provided motivation
for their research.
Members and non-members are welcome
For more information just
call us at: 404-633-1737
office@orveshalom.org
Congregation Or VeShalom
1681 North Druid Hills Road
Atlanta, GA 30319
Page 24
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
first graduating class of five students, presented a paper cutting, specially commissioned by the Founding Graduates for Weber,
to Sim Pearl.
REMEMBERING HEROES, CELEBRATING LIBERTY. Weber students remembered
Israeli soldiers and victims of terror during a
somber service in observance of Yom
Hazikaron—the Day of Remembrance. The
next day, Weber celebrated Ha’Atzmaut with
a birthday party for Israel, which included a
community conference call to Weber Senior
Israel Experience participants, a festive Israeli
meal, and a host of Israeli activities, including
games, dancing, music, skits, videos, and decorating the previously bland stairwells with
beautiful murals of Israel. Pictured: juniors
Jenna Cooper and Jennifer Schwartz prepare
to put the final touches on a mural of Israel
(and each other).
cance of the birth of Israel.
SELF-STARTER. Keenan Davis, YA senior,
has been named an Echols Scholar by the
University of Virginia College of Arts and
Sciences. Students chosen for this program
exhibit exceptional academic talent, intellectual entreprenuership, and self-direction.
YESHIVA UNIVERSITY RECOGNIZES
YESHIVA ATLANTA. Yeshiva University
awarded the Golding Scholarship to Akiva
Berger. Recipients of the Dean’s Scholarship
were Joshua Broyde and Doniel Stiefel. In
addition, Yeshiva University’s Stern College
awarded the Dean’s Scholarship to Rebecca
Cinnamon, an alumna of YA’s Class of 2006,
who studied in Israel this past school year.
By Belle Klavonsky
EYE-OPENING. The Atlanta Jewish Film
Festival and Communities in Schools-Atlanta
facilitated a day of bridge building between
students at the Weber School and New
Schools at Carver High. The students heard
first-person Holocaust accounts; watched the
movie Paper Clips; learned about the plight of
African refugees; and more. They vowed to
educate fellow students, keep in touch, and
sound the call to action for political change
and humanitarian aid in Darfur. At Weber,
activities have included circulating petitions
and selling bracelets to raise money for
refugees. Pictured: Mort Waitzman, with wife
Avivah (center), talks to students about liberating concentration camps.
May-June 2007
IT’S A FAMILY THING. Weber students Sam
(’07) and Judah (’09) Kerbel (pictured) have
created a legacy of outstanding leadership for
their United Synagogue Youth (USY) Etz
Chaim chapter. Sam, the outgoing vice president of Religion and Education for the USY
Southeast Region, passed the gavel to Judah,
his newly elected successor. Their Etz Chaim
USY Chapter won Chapter of the Year for the
second year in a row, besting over 50 chapters
in the HaNegev Region, which includes
Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi,
Georgia, and the Carolinas. Sam and Judah
are the sons of Rabbi Paul and Melissa
Kerbel.
FOUNDING GRADS RETURN. The Weber
School honored Cheryl Finkel and the
school’s 15 founding graduates with a festive
Purim masquerade party. Eleven of the original fifteen founding graduates—most having
flown in from across the country—attended
the special evening with their families.
Almost 700 guests, most in costume, attended
the dinner and auction, which raised almost
$175,000 for the Tuition Assistance Program.
Pictured: Rachel Rothstein (’00) (left) and
Orly Klein (’00) (right), members of Weber’s
BE THERE. The goal of Weber’s 10th grade
Experiential Journey to Boston was to show
that ordinary people can become extraordinary leaders. Lessons of democracy and the
Holocaust came to life on day one, when the
students happened upon a Save Darfur rally.
They joined in the call for action and a symbolic “die in,” representing the climbing death
toll. Students also met with political leaders,
visited Brandeis and Boston universities,
strolled around Harvard Square, met with
Harvard Sierra Club leaders, and visited the
Kennedy Library and Walden Pond. Pictured:
Weber sophomores and others at the Save
Darfur rally
FORE! The Weber golf team finished second
in the GISA Region 1-AAA golf tournament
on Tuesday, losing out on a championship by
four strokes to Riverside Military Academy.
Jared Kaye shot 78 to lead the Rams, while
Jaron Soloman shot 79. Both golfers were
selected as All-Region and challenged for
medalist honors. The low score for the tournament was 76. Other members of the team
included Daniel Ginburg, Jason Belnick, and
Nancy Grau. The Rams progressed to the state
tournament on May 7 at Stonebridge Golf and
Country Club, Albany.
MARCH OF THE LIVING. In April, eleven
Yeshiva Atlanta students participated in the
March of the Living. The Atlanta group (pictured) consisted of juniors and seniors from
YA, Weber, Riverwood, and Pope high
schools. Prior to their trip to Poland and
Israel, the students attended classes and
toured the Breman Museum. In Poland, the
group joined eight thousand other Jewish
teenagers from around the world and
Holocaust survivors to witness the devastation
of the Holocaust. After a week in Poland, the
students traveled to Israel, where they developed a deeper understanding of the signifi-
POETRY SCHOLAR. Oglethorpe University
named YA senior Ben Williams a Sydney
Lanier Poetry Scholar. Famous poet Sydney
Lanier was a graduate of Oglethorpe
University.
GETTING AHEAD. Yoni Gorlin, a senior at
YA, completed all of the high school mathematics courses and took calculus BC at
Georgia Perimeter College. In recognition of
his achievements, he was named “Student of
the Semester.”
MATH MAVENS. Epstein’s 2007 Middle
School Mathletes Team, led by educator Anna
Stanton, took home silver honors in the
Regional MATHCOUNTS math competition
and advanced to the state competition. These
exceptional mathletes took second place with
intense competition from Westminster (1st
place) and Atlanta International School (3rd
place). Pictured: Middle School Mathletes
Team members Josh Baron, Gabe Durham,
Jake Albert, and Alex Miller
EPSTEIN WELCOMES PRICE. U.S.
Congressman Tom Price of Georgia’s 6th
District recently visited the Epstein School.
After being greeted by members of the 5thGrade Leadership Group, he spoke to all the
5th graders about leadership in school, the
May-June 2007
community, congress, and the world and then
took questions. Congressman Price then
toured the school with Head of School Stan
Beiner and later discussed such issues as the
Middle East, healthcare, and alternative fuels
with graduating 8th-graders. Pictured:
Mathew Moskowitz, of Epstein’s 5th-Grade
Leadership Group, shakes hands with
Congressman Price
QUIET RITUAL. Every day, after Michael
Farkas, son of Holocaust survivor Mendel
Farkas, picks up daughter Miriam at Epstein’s
Intown Preschool at the Ahavath Achim
Synagogoue, he takes time to reflect and pay
his respects at the tranquil Holocaust
Memorial and Fountains, dedicated in loving
memory of Holocaust survivor Lola Lansky.
Michael gives Miriam a coin to toss into the
water and, as they talk, he explains that the six
fountains represent the six million Jews who
died in Europe. He tells her never to forget;
then they close their eyes and say a prayer.
Pictured: Michael and Miriam Farkas
TOPS IN TIP. Fifteen Epstein 7th-graders
qualified for the state levels in the 2006-07
Duke University Talent Identification
Program (TIP). Three qualified at the Grand
State Level (top 10% of TIP candidates; minimum SAT of 560 in math or verbal); the others qualified at the State Level (minimum 510
score in math or verbal). Pictured: (back, from
left) Aaron Friedman-Heiman, Andrew
Parmet, Josh Baron, Alex Melnick, Jonathan
Friedman, and Jake Albert; (center, l-r) Ari
Feldstein, Gabe Durham, Lauren Shapiro, Ari
Videlefsky, and Ben Tulman; (front, l-r)
Daniel Blumenthal, Jordy Berne, and Michael
Briskin. Not pictured: Liam Jones
PUBLICATION PRO. Epstein 6th-grader
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Hilit Jacobson (pictured) enjoyed her first
experience of being published nationally. She
was part of the 12-girl editorial board for the
July-August issue of Discovery Girls, an
award-winning magazine created by and for
girls ages 7-13. This magazine celebrates
girls’ uniqueness and inspires them to believe
in themselves.
CARING FOR THE FLAG. Epstein students
Alex Miller, Ben Yellin, and Elliot Salzberg
(pictured), of Boy Scout Troop 463, were honored by the Sandy Springs Leadership
Committee. The boys presented a flag box at a
flag retirement ceremony attended by representatives of the Sandy Springs City Council,
fire chief and fire personnel, Rotary Club officers, Scouts, and others. Alex designed the
box, and the three boys painted and drew on it.
Troop 463, the Flag Steward for Sandy
Springs, will retire worn and tattered flags
deposited in boxes at the Sandy Springs
Circle, Heards Ferry, and Spalding fire stations.
IN-ROOM RAINFOREST. Greenfield
Hebrew Academy’s 5th-grade rainforest project was named one of 10 finalists in an Animal
Planet contest for ideas on how to educate
people about endangered animals and environments. The winning school will have
$5,000 donated in its name to an animal
organization of its choice, and some of Animal
Planet’s top stars will visit the school. For
their project, the students built a rainforest—
complete with animals, trees, and other
wildlife—in science teacher Shoshanna
Cohen’s room.
OLYMPIANS. GHA students won several
awards at the recent Math Olympiad. Noah
Adler, R.J. Engelman, Joey Kaplan, and Jake
Belinky received gold pins for finishing in the
top two percent. Silver pins, awarded to those
in the 90th to 97th percentiles, were given to
Leslie Gordon, Eytan Palte, Brian Klarman,
Zev Beeber, Zane Hellmann, Adam Shapiro,
Samuel Feldman, Ben Brasch, Julia Franklyn,
Sloan Krakovsky, Yarden Lewit, Sean Miller,
Ethan Solomon, and Iris Birman. The 7thgrade team tied for 13th place out of 93
schools, and the 8th-grade team tied for 26th
place out of 90 schools.
STUDENTS WRITE ABOUT DARFUR.
Several GHA students were picked to read
their own works during a recent Darfur Rally
in Atlanta. Ari Allen, Lyndsey Walsh, Erica
Halpern, Julia Kesler, Gavriella Mendel,
Sloan Krakovsky, and Marlee Bagel were
selected by organizers of the rally, which took
place on April 29. The essays and poems sub-
mitted by the students were originally written
as part of a school project directed by
Shoshanna Cohen to educate students on the
horrors of the Darfur genocide.
Page 25
about the genocide in Darfur. Pictured with
3rd-graders are Sudanese refugee Justin Alear
Demayen Alear and Leanne Rubenstein, associate director of Refugee Resettlement and
Immigration Services of Atlanta.
HAND IN HAND. On April 27, GHA’s B’nai
Mitzvah Project was officially named “Yad
B’Yad” (Hand in Hand) in memory of Mr.
Kurt Homburger, to recognize his dedication
and generosity to Greenfield Hebrew
Academy, Jewish education, and the values of
Torah, tzedakah, and ma’asim tovim. Since
Yad B’Yad’s inception in the 1998-1999
school year, students have donated more than
$100,000 to numerous charities, both here and
in Israel. The organizations are selected by the
students based upon their research and individual interests.
HATS OFF. Davis Academy 6th-graders conducted a yarn drive as their grade-level
tzedakah project. They donated hand-made
hats and scarves to homeless families through
Jewish Family & Career Services. Pictured:
(from left) Beth Asher, Programming Director
North Metro JF&CS; Joe Schaffer; Elliot
Zerden; Martha Chatlen, Middle School counselor (back row center); Mia Saitowitz;
Breanna Klein; and Judaic Studies teacher
RuthE Levy.
TOGETHER IN SONG. The Davis
Academy’s Lower School Choir (pictured)
has performed numerous times this spring,
including Kabbalat Shabbat, in honor of Yom
Hashoah, for parents of prospective students,
and for the year-end Showcase of Visual and
Performing Arts. These children practice
weekly, joining their voices into beautiful harmonies and rounds in Hebrew and English.
BUDDY BASEBALL. Davis Academy 4thgraders (from left) Josh Cohen, Jack Zucker,
Jamie Traut, Ashley Siegel, Hailee Grey, and
Martin Isaak prepare welcome banners for
their arriving Buddy Baseball teammates. In
this
program,
Davis
students
were paired with children who have disabilities.
MINDS FOR SCIENCE. Davis Academy was
well represented at the 2006-07 Fulton County
Science Fair. Award winners were Ben
Binderow, who took 2nd place in chemistry;
and Adam Friedman, Jake Seltman, and
Alison Sillins, who received honorable mentions in physics. Pictured: (from left): Ben
Binderow, Jake Seltman, Adam Friedman, and
Alison Sillins
RAISING AWARENESS. Davis Academy
students in every grade have been learning
GO TEAM. To the delight of more than 300
parents and children, Fletcher Proctor (left),
from 790 The Zone, with student-coaches
Sydney Cohen and Josh Cohen, cheered on
the Buddy Baseball teams.
Page 26
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
Not a game anymore
As casualties mount in the Iraq War, I
think about those many lives behind the
headlines. It started me to think about my
childhood days, when we played games like
War.
I grew up in a small South Carolina mill
town, population 2,500, about 35 miles
from Greenville. Although we lived in
town, we were actually in the country.
There were large woods and gulleys behind
my house, which made a good backdrop for
our war games.
There were nine of us, all about 12 or 13
years old except for our “commanding officer,” who was several years older. His name
was Jimmy, and he had a fantastic smile and
a wonderful attitude about everything. It
was difficult not to like him.
We all wore helmets and had belts that
held our water-filled canteens. We even had
wooden rifles. We chose sides, and then the
battle started. Of course, each side wanted
Jimmy. The compromise was that he would
be on one side one day, and then we would
switch. Sometimes, we crawled on our bellies through “enemy lines,” and, after a
heavy rain, we looked like pigs wallowing
in a mud hole. The dirtier we got, the better
we liked it. Jimmy was always there to keep
us in line; when we got a little testy with
each other, he would remind us that it was
only a game.
Fast-forward several years later. I was a
high school senior sitting in homeroom,
when the principal came in and asked for
Nancy, Jimmy’s sister, to step outside. We
did not know what was happening—Nancy
couldn’t have been in any kind of trouble as
she was a sweet, smart gal who, in fact, was
elected homecoming queen that year.
Class ended a few minutes later. As I
stepped out into the hall, I saw Nancy leav-
BY Bill
Sonenshine
ing school with tears streaming down her
face. She had just been told that Jimmy had
been killed in a “police action” called
Korea.
You see, Jimmy had enrolled in The
Citadel after high school. After graduation,
he married but then had to go on active duty
as a first lieutenant. Not long after, he
shipped out to Korea. He and his wife had a
son whom he never met.
All of Jimmy’s friends were in shock; in
fact, the whole town was in shock. He was
the first soldier in town who was a casualty.
His family was well liked, and there was a
huge crowd at his funeral. I kept thinking
during his eulogy about the good times we
had playing together. His face and wonderful smile kept flashing in my mind.
Jimmy’s dad owned one of the two
drugstores in town. The other drugstore
owner’s son became a doctor. He married
Jimmy’s widow.
I never knew Jimmy’s son, but I often
thought that when he became older, I would
like to tell him how his dad and I used to
play together. I wanted to tell him how
much Jimmy was admired by his playmates, but I never did. I still may call his
aunt, Nancy, and see if she thinks it’s a
good idea. I don’t know his name, where he
lives, if he is married, or even if he is still
alive.
Jimmy and our gang had wonderful
times together, but we all finally learned
firsthand that war is not a game.
Technology’s advances
keep me on my toes
Again and again, technology is a part of
our lives. Oh, if it were only a little simpler,
and, oh, if the dad-blamed things did not
change so frequently. How can you keep
up?
What was new yesterday has been
replaced by something even speedier and
more complex today. The Wall Street
Journal had a whole section devoted to this
very subject one day this week. It was
telling us that even though the cell phone
was invented to talk on, now it can do so
much more—watch videos and TV, text
message, pick up and send e-mails, and a
whole bunch of other stuff. Take my
word—it is dazzling and baffling.
And how about Steve Jobs of Apple
Computer? He and his company have the
iPhone coming out in June. I am actually
preparing myself psychologically for this,
because I may cuss about this sector of life,
but I want one. I’ve got to stay in the
groove, so I periodically say to myself or
anyone who will listen, “I can master that
iPhone—I know I can master that iPhone,
BY Marice
Katz
by gosh.”
And master it I will. Though I am no
expert, so far, I have managed to keep
astride. After all, I have been working with
computers at the office for 15 years or
more. And where would I be at home without my e-mails from The Temple, the
Jewish Federation, and all my nieces and
nephews?
Speaking of relatives, my five-year-old
niece from Richmond was visiting me a
while back, and one night I got very bogged
down with a problem on my computer. I
was trying to remain calm, when Jesslyn
said, “Aunt Marice, I can fix that.” Five
years old!
I leave you with that thought—five
years old.
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
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Page 27
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
Kosher
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BY Roberta
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Atlanta Cooks at Home is a beautiful
book showcasing recipes created by some
of Atlanta’s most prominent chefs. The collection is presented by local PR whiz
Melissa Libby, with accompanying photographs by Atlanta photographers Joey
Ivansco and Tim Wilkerson. In addition to
sharing
some of
t h e i r
favorite
dishes, the
chefs offer
an entertaining
glimpse
into their
own lives.
O u r
vibrant
city
has
become a magnet for some of the nation’s
young, talented chefs, and Libby’s book
introduces some of them to us through their
cooking and their stories. Although some of
the recipes include ingredients that are not
kosher, in most cases it’s easy to make
kosher
substitutions.
Visit
Atlantacooksathome.com for more information or to purchase the book.
Common kosher substitutes include
kosher-certified surimi fish products for
shrimp, crab, or lobster; vegetarian soy
products for ham, bacon, sausage, chicken,
or turkey; parve soy or rice milk instead of
dairy milk; parve soy sour cream and soy
cream cheese instead of dairy versions; and
parve margarine instead of butter. (I use the
non-hydrogenated parve Earth Balance
brand for all of my butter substitutions.)
Among other locations, you can find
these ingredients at Toco Hill Kroger or
Publix, Super Wal-Mart, Return to Eden,
Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Quality
Kosher. To confirm certification, look for
the kosher mark on each product.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for
rich, creamy ice cream, sorbets, granitas
(shaved ice made from a lightly sweetened
fruit puree), yogurt, gelato, and more—
complete with gooey toppings, mix-ins, and
flavors. Get the whole scoop in the new Ten
Speed Press The Perfect Scoop by David
Lebovitz. He shares easy-to-follow instructions on how to do it yourself.
Now, of course, with all of these tempt-
May-June 2007
ing recipes, you can guess that I had to buy
an ice cream freezer—and so I did, at Sam’s
Club: a Cuisinart CIM 60SA. The rationale
behind my purchase: In the long term, I will
churn much healthier ice cream made without corn syrup and artificial ingredients, I
will save money (after 50 batches), and I
will have fun creating delicious desserts.
Stay tuned for a report on my new gadget
next column. In the meantime, if you are
craving ice cream, bring your own banana to
Bruster’s on Thursdays for a half-price
banana split. (Bruster’s at Toco Hills and
Sandy Springs are both certified kosher.)
Congregation Ariel of Dunwoody has
published Kosher on My Mind, a collection
of traditional and contemporary kosher
recipes. To purchase the book, call 770-3909071. All proceeds will benefit the synagogue.
And on the subject of good food and
great fun—you’ll strike out if you miss two
upcoming events. Kosher Community Day
at Turner Field, August 5, is presented by the
Atlanta Kashruth Commission and the
MJCCA; for information, contact the AKC
at 404-634-4063. And it will be hot hot hot
at the 2nd annual kosher barbecue cook-off,
Sunday, June 17, at Congregation Beth
Jacob, 1155 LaVista Road; for information
or to enter your team, call 404-633-0551.
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 29
community organizations to events at which
non-kosher meals were served. In my opinion, this is disheartening, disappointing, and
divisive. Several of these events were held
at hotels that have excellent kosher kitchens.
Kosher is booming throughout the U.S. and
in Atlanta, with so many delicious and
healthful options. As reported here in previous columns, the number of kosher eaters is
increasing and getting younger.
Why not include those members of our
diverse Jewish family who embrace this
mitzvah and offer the opportunity to those
Jews less familiar with kosher to try it?
Kudos to those organizations that understand this and are sensitive to Atlanta’s caring and unique Jewish community. I am still
talking about the mouthwatering Amit dinner presented by the Grand Hyatt in
February. The evening was a sellout with
over 500 attendees and featured a memorable program and a contemporary kosher
buffet…oh, those unforgettable lamb chops!
What’s cooking? Email kosheraffairs@
gmail.com.
This column is meant to provide the reader
with current trends and developments in the
kosher marketplace and lifestyle. Since standards of kashruth certification vary, check
with the AKC (404-634-4063) or your local
kashruth authority to confirm reliability.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
In the past six months, I have received a
number of invitations from local Jewish
More KOSHER AFFAIRS, page 30
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 30
Recipies
Sushi Salad
By Lora Schroeder
Adapted from Congregation Ariel’s
Kosher on My Mind
Toss half of the dressing with the
cucumbers. In a separate bowl, mix crab
with remainder of dressing. Pile rice into
serving bowl. Top with avocado, crab and
cucumbers.
Optional: Garnish with sesame seeds.
Dressing
—————
1/2 cup rice vinegar
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
One clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger powder
1 teaspoon salt
Strawberry Sauce
Adapted from A Perfect Scoop
by David Lebovitz
1-1/2 lbs. fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled
and drained
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Whisk above until blended.
4 cups cooked rice
1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced
thinly
1 16-ounce package faux crabmeat, diced
and shredded
2 ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
We want to
hear
from you
In food processor, puree all 3 ingredients. Press through a strainer to remove
any remaining seeds. Serve chilled or at
room temperature as an ice cream or
dessert topping.
Keeps in refrigerator for 3 days.
My creative friend Gail Ripans suggested
that this column should provide an “interactive”
service for our readers, similar to “Buyers
Edge” in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. So,
let’s do it!
If you are searching for a hard-to-find
May-June 2007
Jerusalem Grill
If you have a yearning for some real Israeli food
and Delta’s direct flight to Ben Gurion is either overbooked or over your budget, there is an authentic new
option here in Atlanta!
The Jerusalem Grill, located in Dunwoody Village,
is now owned and operated by Israel-born Motty
Zilberman. With over five years experience in catering
and restaurant management in Tel Aviv, Motty has relocated to Atlanta and is eager to share his traditional
Israeli cooking skills and recipes.
The casual family-style grill is located in the rear of
the Sabra grocery store. Menu choices range from rib
steak, lamb chops, and chicken to falafel, schwarma,
and schnitzel. Vegetarian plates are also available.
Along with several house specials, fresh salads and
soups are made daily. Particularly recommended is the
pargiot, a grilled Israeli spiced boned chicken, along
with an order of delicious Jerusalem fries.
Private parties are welcome. Catering, Shabbat
meals, takeout, and delivery are available. The restaurant is supervised by the AKC and is open daily, except
Shabbat, 11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. For information, call
404-483-7372.
kosher ingredient, need help with a kosher substitution, or have a kosher food question, please
contact us, and we will do our best to find the
answer! And we ask that you share your discoveries relating to kosher food, lifestyle, and
general trends in kosher living and Jewish life,
Pargiot at The
Jerusalem Grill
Jerusalem Grill’s stuffed
pepper special
including food and beverage introductions,
gadgets, cookbooks, kitchen appliances, events,
recipes, wine, catering, travel, restaurants, websites, and entertainment.
We look forward to hearing from you at
kosheraffairs@gmail.com.
Atlant
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• Old-Fashioned Stuffed Cabbage
• Where Traditional Matzo Ball Soup
is Made Fresh Everyday
Open 24/7
3620 Roswell Road • Atlanta, GA
Call for Reservations
Onyeka Ibe, “Grace”, oil on canvas, 40” x 30”
404-816-9090
3005 Peachtree Road, NE · Suite B · Atlanta, Georgia 30305 · Tel: 404.816.7322
Tuesday thru Saturday 10 AM to 5:30 PM & Sunday Noon to 5 PM
www.AtlantaArtGallery.com
May-June 2007
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Schwartz on Sports
The Vent is a daily feature of the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution where readers phone
in or e-mail anonymous quips that are variously witty, sarcastic, topical, or political.
There is even a Sunday Sports Vent. I started venting over 12 years ago and have kept
a record of the vents I have sent and the
dates they were published—I’ve even classified them in twenty-five different categories, ranging from sports to sex, and have
given myself a nickname: the “Pres-I-vent.”
I call it a hobby. My kids call it an
obsession. Well, some people like to work
in the yard, and some like to collect
stamps—I like to vent. Every morning, the
ritual is the same. I sit down at the breakfast
table with the AJC, turn to The Vent, and
circle anything I submitted. I cut out the
column and put it on the refrigerator, right
next to the pictures of my kids and grandkids. Then I start writing down ideas as I
read the paper. A lot of vents come from
piggybacking on other vents in the column.
After I think of nine or ten, I e-mail them to
The Vent Guy.
If you’re still reading this article, you’re
probably wondering—how many vents has
this guy sent and how many have been published? As of this writing, it’s 18,903 sent
and 3,780 published. That’s about a .200
bating average, which might get me a million-dollar contract nowadays. I’ve averaged a vent a day for almost 13 years, so I
call myself the “Cal Ripkin” of venting.
That has to be the longest lead-in I’ve
even done, but I had to give you the background information regarding my invitation
to visit the AJC, meet Joey Ledford (The
Vent Guy), visit Furman Bisher in his
office, sit in on a news meeting, see the
printing presses in action, and have lunch. It
was a visit arranged by Alice Wertheim,
who works as a researcher at the AJC. The
Q & A section is one of her assignments,
and Joey Ledford is also responsible for that
popular feature. When he mentioned to
Alice that he’d corresponded with me since
1995, but had never met me, Alice said she
could arrange a meeting.
I’ve known Alice and her husband,
Brian, for over 30 years. They used to live
near us before moving to Dunwoody, and
Brian and I have been playing softball and
basketball and talking politics and sports for
a long time. He is one of the all-time nicest
guys you could meet at the “J” and one of
the few guys I know who carries on a conversation with you while playing basketball. Brian, Sheldon Zimmerman, and I
were teammates for a few years and carpooled to the AJCC Adult Softball League
many years ago.
So, The Jewish Georgian connection is
through the Wertheims. I thought I might
also meet sportswriter Jeff Schultz, who has
made references to the fact that he is Jewish
in some of his columns. He’s a very witty
and knowledgeable guy, and I really enjoy
his column. Instead, I got an even bigger
BY Jerry
Schwartz
treat when Alice took me up to Furman
Bisher’s office and introduced me. I told
Furman about my column, and he immediately said he knew of The Jewish Georgian
through his association and friendship with
Gene Asher, who used to be a sports writer
for the AJC.
I had a wonderful conversation with
Furman. He had just returned from spring
training and was getting ready to go to the
Masters. He’s 88, still going strong, and has
no plans for retiring. I noticed two things
when I entered his office. The first was a
typewriter on his desk instead of a computer. At least it was electric instead of one of
those old, black, Royal manual typewriters
that I remember from my growing-up days.
Furman is still old-school in a lot of ways,
and I say that respectfully.
I also observed the office walls were
covered with pictures of him with athletes
and other personalities taken over the years.
It could be a historical collage of sports in
Georgia over a 60-year period. When I told
Furman that I used to take part in a weekly
“I Beat Bisher” football poll, he laughed. I
told him that I had even won a few “I Beat
Bisher” T-shirts and bumper stickers over
the years. He pointed out a picture high on
the wall behind his desk (taken when
Furman visited Russia) that showed a man
standing by a car—and on the back of the
car was an “I Beat Bisher” bumper sticker.
If you look closely at the picture of Furman
and me, you can see this particular photo
above his head.
Page 31
Banter, and Bluster by Dick Crouser. He
said that I’d find a lot of good vent material
in there. I asked him to autograph the book,
and he did, but added underneath his name,
“Which is not mine.” Journalists can never
be too careful.
My visit also allowed me to sit in on a
morning news meeting, where the editors
from various sections reported on their featured articles for the next day. It was a lively and witty discussion, and I knew what the
next day’s paper would be like.
We also toured the area where the printing presses were located. Talk about loud! I
had the urge to yell, “Stop the presses!” We
topped off the visit with lunch at the CNN
Center Jocks & Jills. I hadn’t eaten there
before and was really impressed by the
memorabilia hanging on the walls. It was a
great day, and I told Alice, Joey, and
Furman that I planned to write about my
experiences in the next “Schwartz on
Sports.”
Jerry Schwartz and Joey Ledford:
The Pres-I-Vent meets The Vent Guy
Until then, drive for the bucket and
score.
THE NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES
It’s that time of year—when my basketball team starts preparing for the National
Senior Games, which will be held this year
in Louisville, Kentucky, June 22-July 7.
Our 3x3 half-court basketball team qualified for the 65-69 age competition by winning the Georgia Golden Games in Warner
Robins in September 2006. We participated
in the Senior Games in Pittsburgh in 2005
and, after winning our division and qualifying for the “Sweet 16,” lost in the first
round to a team from Los Angeles. Our goal
this year is to go further.
We competed in the MJCCA-sponsored
Atlanta Senior Olympics, May 16-22, in
preparation for the National Senior Games.
I know a lot of other Jewish Georgians competed in the wide variety of events from
basketball to bridge, planned by Director
Kenny Silverboard, Co-Chairmen Herb
Chuven and Norm Mandel, and their committee. This year, they had a new track-andfield venue at Emory University and a new
golf venue at Stone Mountain Golf Club.
I’ll be reporting on the results and the experience in a future column.
Member of Piedmont Healthcare
Your health can’t wait.
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Walk-ins Welcome,
Minimum Wait!
ALL AGES WELCOME
• IMMEDIATE CARE
• PRIMARY CARE
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Open
7 Days
Jerry Schwartz and Furman Bisher
talking sports at the Atlanta JournalConstitution
Furman has a desk full of books that
have been sent to him. When he heard about
my interest in the Sunday Sports Vent, he
gave me one called Baseball’s Best Barbs,
678-904-5611
www.perimeterclinic.com
3867 Roswell Road 1/2 Mile North of Piedmont Road
Just a few minutes from anywhere in Buckhead, Midtown, Brookhaven, Sandy Springs
Page 32
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
SJHS conference dishes up
history in an enticing manner
This is the time to make your travel
plans for the fall. Unless you are a die-hard
college football fan, Washington, D.C., is
the place to be on the first weekend in
November. Reason: that is where the
Southern Jewish Historical Society is holding its 32nd Annual Conference, and it
promises to be a great experience for all, a
warm welcome with some extraordinary
offerings available only in the nation’s capital.
Opening day features a session at the
Library of Congress, during which conference attendees will not only have a docent
tour of the magnificent, recently refurbished reception rooms in the Jefferson
Building, but will then be shown some of
the treasures of the Library’s Hebraic section by officials who deal with them on a
daily basis.
Those able to arrive a day early can opt
for a special pre-conference tour that
begins with a behind-the-scenes view of
the United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum conducted by its curator, who will
explain how the various objects are collected and displayed. Then, a visit to the
Embassy of Israel will enable visitors to be
briefed on the latest developments in the
Middle East, along with time for questions
and answers. Finally, the afternoon ends
with a visit to the home of nationally
known Jewish cookbook author Joan
Nathan for happy hour spiced with a sampling of her favorite recipes. Only in
Washington.
All of the above is merely an appetizer
for the conference, however. Main course
and dessert are being served up by professors Mark Bauman of Atlanta, and Florida
native Stephen Whitfield of Brandeis
University, who chair the program commit-
BY Janice Rothschild
Blumberg
tee, along with Laura Cohn Apelbaum,
executive director of the Jewish Historical
Society of Greater Washington, and Peggy
Pearlstein, its president. They are preparing
a smorgasbord of scholarly presentations to
delight the appetite as well as nourish the
mind.
The Southern Jewish Historical
Society welcomes everyone with an interest in Jewish history. Membership doesn’t
depend on prior knowledge. A person does
not need to be either Southern or Jewish to
belong, be active, and enjoy it, as many
longtime active members who are neither
Southern nor Jewish will attest. In recent
years, the society has gained wide recognition, attracting scholars from across
America and abroad who offer presentations for the conference programs and articles for the society’s annual journal,
Southern Jewish History, now in its 10th
year. The conferences provide a venue for
professionals and for non-professionals
alike to get acquainted and network with
one another.
So make your plans now. For conference information, e-mail me at jorb@verizon.net. Better yet, become a member (for
information, contact Jackie Metzel, jackiebelle@bellsouth.net) of the Southern
Jewish Historical Society, and get the
updates automatically.
In either case, y’all come. I want to
greet you in Washington in November.
Have a great summer.
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
MJCCA News
RUNNING FOR A DREAM. The 14th
Harris Jacobs Dream Run honors the memory of Harris Jacobs, a beloved member of
the Jewish community and a staunch children’s advocate throughout his life. Money
raised from this run helps fund scholarships
for youth sports programs at the Marcus
Jewish Community Center of Atlanta.
The run takes place June 3 and steps off
at the MJCCA, Zaban Park. The 2K fun
run/walk begins at 7:45 a.m., and the 4-mile
road race and racewalk begin at 8:00 a.m.
The entry fee is $20 until May 18 and $25
thereafter. “Phantom Runners” can show
their support for $25.
Parking is available at Georgia
Perimeter College, with shuttle service
beginning at 6:45 a.m.
Register online at www.active.com or
download a registration form at
www.atlantajcc.org. For more information,
please call 770-395-2676.
HOW TO GIVE. The Giving Initiative
Project, funded in part by the Brill
Charitable Supporting Organization, is a
new MJCCA program made up of young
Jewish adults with an interest in philanthropy. In this annual five-month program, participants learn how to fund, make integral
decisions, and be agents for positive social
change in the community. At the end of the
program, participants, in conjunction with
the Brills, designate a monetary gift to programs/services at the MJCCA. This year,
their combined gifts of $8,250 went to
Developmental Disabilities Toys; the
Weinstein Center for Adult Day Services,
Housemate Match, and Project Impact
Theatre.
YOUNG PHILANTHROPISTS. (front,
from left) Staci Brill, Samantha
Schoenbaum, Cobi Edelson, and
Sara Spanjer; (back, from left)
Rebecca Goldstein, Kate Sommers,
Shawn Kalfus, Elissa Smith, Joel
Levy, and Jennifer Kramer. Not pictured: Ally Levy, Randall Katz, and
Rachel Franco (Photo courtesy
MJCCA)
AND THE WINNERS ARE… During the
MJCCA’s 61st Annual Meeting, held March
21, Associate Executive Director Joel Gross
announced the following 2007 staff and
program awards:
• MJCCA Leadership Award: Jared Powers,
youth sports, camps, and Shirley
Blumenthal director
• The Phillip Bush Award for Center
Professionalism: Stacey Shapiro, MJCCA
head of schools (Includes a $500 award for
professional development)
• MJCCA Team Player Award: Sharon
Deans, accounts payable manager
• The RayeLynn Banks Teacher of the Year
Award: Sharon Brener, preschool teacher,
the Sunshine School at Shirley Blumenthal
Park
The award for Best New Program went
to Courtnay & Rowe, a music education
service that has successfully partnered with
the Katz Family Institute for the Arts and
provides students ranging in age from 4-70
with private lessons in voice, piano, and
guitar.
Gross also recognized the MJCCA’s
marketing department for its work in
redesigning and launching the center’s new
and vastly improved website, www.atlantajcc.org. The new site receives thousands of
visitors monthly and has greatly enhanced
the community’s awareness of the center’s
many programs and services.
Sharon Deans with Joel Gross (right)
Jared Powers
Stacey Shapiro
Page 33
HE’S A WINNER. Jewish Family & Career
Services has given MJCCA Developmental
Disabilities Assistant Director Sammy
Rosenberg the 2007 Webb Spraetz Award.
This award recognizes the outstanding contribution made to foster the growth and
embody the spirit of the Larry Bregman
Educational Conference, the first of its kind
in Georgia to offer programming that
addresses the needs of people with disabilities. Rosenberg received the MJCCA Team
Player Award in 2002 and the Amit
Community School Program’s 2004 Sam P.
Alterman Family Foundation Etz Chaim
Award. He has worked at the MJCCA for 14
years.
Sammy Rosenberg
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
Page 34
JF&CS News
LENNY SIMON HONORED. Jewish
Family & Career Services board member
Lenny Simon received the Association of
Jewish Family & Children’s Agencies’
Leadership
Award
at
the
joint
AJFCA/IAJVS Conference, April 15-17, in
New York City. He is also this year’s recipient of the Herbert Kohn Meritorious
Service Award from JF&CS of Atlanta.
The AJFCA is a membership organization of more than 145 agencies in the U.S.
AJFCA President Bert Goldberg
(left)
and
JF&CS
Past
President/AJFCA exiting President
Ted Marcus (right) stand with Lenny
Simon as he receives his leadership
award.
and Canada. IAJVS (International
Association of the Jewish Vocational
Service) comprises 29 human-service agencies in the United States, Canada,
Argentina, and Israel.
Simon, who has held positions with
IBM and Deloitte Consulting, began his
volunteer service for JF&CS Atlanta by
offering his management expertise. He led
the development of a new strategic market-
Dan and Charlotte Hayes conduct a
role-play exercise during their May 8
workshop, “I Say, You Say:
Maximizing Couples Communication,” at Congregation Etz Chaim
in Marietta. Dan and Charlotte,
JF&CS careers counselor, co-facilitated the workshop, which was
sponsored by JF&CS of Cobb.
May-June 2007
ing plan, helped formulate the strategic
resource development plan, and co-chairs
the Career and International Services
Committee and the Tools for Leaders
Program. In addition, he directed the development of a new agency initiative—launching a “relationship manager” position—and
guided the agency’s internal and external
processes to ensure its success.
Pearson spoke at the Grand Hyatt on
March 29, before a crowd of 400.
Pictured: (back, from left) Cathy
Selig Kuranoff, Bev Aaron, Arelene
Marcus, Jackie Granath, and Debi
Rice; (front, from left) Stephanie
Abes, Monica Pearson, Karen
Newman, and Rhoda Margolis
JF&CS
of
Cobb’s
Advisory
Chairperson Lisa Olens (center) visits with Denise Deitchman (left), volunteer coordinator for JF&CS, and
Brenda Fiske, chief marketing officer
for JF&CS, at the United Way of
Cobb County’s 22nd annual “Heart
in Hand” volunteer recognition
awards luncheon, held April 20 at the
Marietta Conference Center &
Resort. Olens was JF&CS’ 2007
Heart in Hand awards nominee.
RAISING FUNDS AND FRIENDS. Cochairs
of
JF&CS’
inaugural
Community of Caring Luncheon
(from left) Stephanie Abes, Jackie
Granath, Bev Aaron, and Karen
Newman
WSB Anchorwoman Monica Pearson
is surrounded by JF&CS volunteers.
Dollhouse
From page 21
much remaking. The finish process, such as
the sanding and painting, was the hardest.
“There are other features, such as a real
blackboard in the playroom and triple sliding glass doors from the kitchen, and I even
sneaked a UVA seal into the playroom.
“The roof has six dormers with flower
boxes on each side of the enclosed ballroom. Naturally, the attic will be for storage. Of course, I will continue to make
more and better furniture, learning more
through carpentry and finishing courses. I
guess Zayde’s work is never done.”
I wanted to see what Jamie thought
about her dollhouse, so I went with Bert to
her home.
Jamie is an engaging young girl with an
infectious smile. I first asked her what she
thought about her dollhouse, and she immediately said, “It’s really cool.” She had
LESS STRESS. Barbara S. Dolin,
JF&CS of Cobb counselor, leads
attendees through an exercise in the
“Take a Bite Out of Stress” workshop, April 12, at Congregation Etz
Chaim.
some friends to the house for a sleepover,
and she said that they really liked playing
with the dollhouse. “They liked moving
furniture from room to room; decorating
was really fun. My friends said it was neat
that my grandfather built the dollhouse, that
it was not simply something that was storebought.”
Bert had sent me pictures, but until I
saw the dollhouse firsthand, I could not
appreciate the details he had put into the
project. The elevator he built was really
neat, and Jamie said she used it quite often
to transport little people to different floors.
The ballroom on the top floor, complete
with flowers and a revolving disco ball, was
another nice touch.
I could tell from talking to Bert that he
was extremely proud of his project, and that
Jamie was definitely enjoying playing with
the dollhouse. As I was leaving, I told
Jamie it was something that she could give
to her children. Bert then said he and Jamie
had made a pact that if she ever got tired of
it, she would give it back to him. I don’t
think that it is going to happen.
May-June 2007
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007
May-June 2007
THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
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THE JEWISH GEORGIAN
May-June 2007