jewishatl, Author at Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

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For the Love of Jewish Atlanta

Carol Cooper to be Federation’s Lifetime of Achievement Award Recipient
Federation is delighted to announce that Carol Z. Cooper will be the recipient of the 2021-2022 Lifetime of Achievement Award.

The oldest of the three daughters of Doris and Erwin Zaban, Carol was born into a family that literally shaped and built Jewish Atlanta. Carol has said, “Atlanta was much smaller when I was growing up. There wasn’t the philanthropic infrastructure we have today. If the Jewish community needed something, the leaders got together, talked about the need, and raised the money. My father didn’t tell me how to live philanthropically. He lived, and I had the privilege of watching him do it. He set the example.”

This imprint inspired Carol Cooper to blaze her own unique path. She took the baton of leadership with excitement and passion. Her love of the Jewish community has been the driver of her volunteerism. Federation is honoring Carol not because of who her father was, but because of all that she is — a mentor, an advocate, and an architect of our community’s future.

Carol is a past president of both Jewish Family & Career Services. Carol has served on countless committees and boards and spearheaded many initiatives in our community. Along with her sister Sara Franco, and Ilene Engel, she is a founding trustee of the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta.

Carol Cooper will be honored, along with other community leaders, at Federation’s 2022 Annual Meeting, Wednesday June 1, 2022. We will share more details about this event in the coming months.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Atlanta Jewish Foundation

Do a Major Mitzvah with Negligible Risk!

Atlanta Jewish Foundation is helping the Jewish Interest-Free Loan of Atlanta (JIFLA) expand its pool of guarantors for interest-free loans by sharing an Impact Investing opportunity with its donor-advised fund (DAF) holders. Impact Investing is the term financial advisors and philanthropists use to describe investments made with an intention to generate social and environmental change alongside financial return.

Atlanta Jewish Foundation currently offers its donor-advised fundholders an ESG Portfolio (Environmental, Social, and Governance), with a focus on companies and sectors that have positive environmental, social, and governance characteristics. Now, Atlanta Jewish Foundation is putting Impact Investing principles to work in a new partnership with JIFLA, the Jewish Interest-Free Loan Association of Atlanta. JIFLA upholds the biblical principle of interest-free lending primarily, but not exclusively, to other Jews.

JIFLA loans are funded entirely through community donations which continually recycle to others in need, generating many times the original value to help maintain fellow Jews in challenging times. Most JIFLA loans are small, in the $4-5K range. Because JIFLA uses a ratio of 4:1, an Atlanta Jewish Foundation donor committing $10K as a guarantor makes it possible for JIFLA to loan out $40K in small loans.

A JIFLA borrower shares her story: “I was completely at a loss, with no money and little hope, and I was close to being on the street. The biggest challenge with my JIFLA application was that I didn’t have a guarantor. An anonymous guarantor was identified, and I got the loan. The generosity and faith of that guarantor…bought me the time I needed to try to land on my feet.”

JIFLA boasts a very low default rate, so this partnership allows Foundation fundholders to become guarantors with negligible risk. It also greatly simplifies financial disclosure requirements because Atlanta Jewish Foundation acts as the DAF-holder’s reference. Guarantors can also remain anonymous. The best part is, the fundholder can keep their funds in their DAF, growing their investment, while helping those in need.

Contact Jori Mendel to learn more about using your donor-advised fund to become an interest-free loan guarantor.

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Our Commitment Runs Deep

By Matt Bronfman, Federation Board Chair
February is Jewish Disabilities Awareness and Inclusion Month. This subject is personal to our family, and we have experienced firsthand how the Federation helps people with disabilities more fully participate in all that Jewish Atlanta offers. Federation does so in multiple ways.

First, together with the Jewish Abilities Alliance (JAA), Federation provides individuals, and their families with information and access to resources, services, support groups, workshops and clinics, and recreational programs within their community. Second, the annual campaign provides crucial financial support, targeting a myriad of needs. Moreover, the Atlanta Jewish Foundation connects our donors to organizations or projects doing innovative work in this space. Finally, we are the community’s convener, sharing information between our diverse organizations that allows them to collaborate more effectively. At every step, Federation is there to meet our community’s needs because we know that we are stronger and more successful together.

Support Jewish Abilities Alliance

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We Went to the Mikvah Together Before Our Wedding

By Shari Rabin & Matt Berkman

Note: MACoM is the only mikvah in Atlanta open to the entire Jewish community regardless of affiliation, observance level, sexual orientation, or capacity for physical mobility. The possibilities for traditional and modern immersions at MACoM are almost limitless. Below, Shari Rabin and Matt Berkman, who are faculty members at Oberlin College, share their experience immersing right before their wedding

Neither one of us had immersed in a mikvah before, but Shari had taught about mikvah many times in her Jewish studies courses and accompanied several friends and relatives as they immersed in preparation for their weddings. Matt is open-minded about engaging with tradition and agreed to go as well. We set up our appointments for the Thursday evening before our Sunday wedding. This was in early August 2021, just as the Delta variant was rising worldwide, and so the weeks leading up to our immersion were filled with stress as guests pulled out and we grappled with how to safely hold our already long-postponed wedding.

We were able to serve as each other’s mikvah guides, each of us undergoing the ritual with only the other present. While we understood that this went beyond the bounds of Jewish law, we were grateful MACoM allowed us to do this. During the immersion ritual, we each felt vulnerable, open, and powerfully rooted within Jewish tradition. It marked a moment of transition for each of us as individuals but serving as one another’s guides added an additional layer of meaning. That we were doing this amidst a global pandemic also felt momentous, honoring the fact that our bodies are more than just vectors for disease.

We came out of the mikvah to the cheers of our waiting family members, who whisked us away to a celebratory dinner. While COVID-related stress did not totally dissipate until after the wedding, at that moment we felt lighter, happier, and spiritually prepared to become a Jewishly married couple.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community

Celebrating Jews in Civil Rights

With the MLK weekend and the hostage crisis at Congregation Beth Israel still fresh in our minds, we want to lift up the historic role Jews have played in advocating and “showing up” for justice and human rights in America. What inspired them should inspire us — the Jewish imperative to seek justice, and the wisdom of Pirke Avot that “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it (2:21).”

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Ready for Whatever Comes Next

Many Jewish leaders around the country tell me they are exhausted and dispirited. I am not.

It is a blessing to be a part of Jewish Atlanta. There is a generous spirit here, an optimism as tall as the buildings rising in Midtown, and as fresh as the burgeoning neighborhoods of our northern suburbs. These qualities have taken us from the darkest days of COVID to our current moment — not quite “normal,” but resilient, limber, ready for whatever comes next.

Jewish Atlanta thrives because of you. Not quite six months into the 2022 Community Campaign you have helped us pass 77% of our goal for the Partners Fund. Total Philanthropy is robust at $15.4M — well on its way to the $22.2M goal. All of our Targeted Philanthropy initiatives are more than 50% towards goal or higher. Atlanta Jewish Foundation is growing, helping more and more people do good in our community. These are all healthy signs.

As 2022 gets underway, here are some things that excite me:

Federation’s North Metro Making Jewish Places (MJP) initiative has been a huge success. It’s all about connecting people right in their own neighborhoods and encouraging local collaboration. In 2021, MJP engaged 7,000 individuals, awarded 80 Gather Grants, and 31 Organizational grants. We will be expanding the program to a new geographic area, soon to be announced.
Spearheaded by the Zalik Foundation and supported by generous community donors, the Jewish Community Professional High School Tuition Grant Program, continues as part of our effort to attract and retain great Jewish professionals. Full-time Jewish professionals, clergy, and educators are eligible to receive up to a 50 percent tuition reduction if their children are currently enrolled or have been accepted to a SACS accredited Jewish high school in Atlanta. It has created a new source of risk capital, enabling the day schools to fund new investments in educational and co-curricular excellence. It has been a token of appreciation and gratitude for the work Jewish professionals and educators do on behalf of our Jewish community.
Our teens are loving life in Israel. With generous second year funding from The Zalik Foundation for Gap Year programs in Israel, and new support for Root One from the Marcus Foundation, we are sending more young people to Israel than ever before.

Dreaming big about our community’s future, as I do, means securing big resources. We all know people who, for a myriad of reasons, don’t give to Federation and don’t feel connected to us. This is where you can help. If there are people in your social or professional network who might benefit from a thoughtful conversation with me about our impact and mission, please let me know. I would be honored to reach out and tell them about the good we do, and the things their generosity can empower. Email me.

If you have not already made a commitment to support the 2022 Community Campaign, or to any of Federation’s five Targeted Philanthropy options: AgeWell Atlanta, Jewish Abilities Alliance, Jewish Camp Initiative, Jewish Innovation Fund, and PJ Library, please make your gift now. You’ll feel great about it!

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On a Mom’s Trip to Israel, Carla Takes the Mic | Israel Trip Experience

By Carla Birnbaum, Federation Relational Engagement Manager

I recently traveled as the Federation representative on the Jewish Women’s Connection of Atlanta (JWCA) Momentum Trip, along with 40 other women. Our group was one of several representing 300 Jewish moms from the US and Israel. Thanks in part to generous funding from Federation, the Atlanta contingent was the largest and we even had our own bus.

While you are on the bus, there is one strict rule — you must sit with someone new each time you board. Preferably someone you don’t know, or don’t know well, and it can’t be someone you’ve sat with previously.

As the bus became our home base, each woman had the opportunity to “take the mic” and share with the group. Sometimes it was something lighthearted about what’s going on at home (“You’ll never guess what my kids are eating for dinner tonight”). But more often we shared deep stories about our family history, growing up with Holocaust survivors, or meaningful lifecycle moments and memories.

Because of my role on the trip, our leaders, Julie Silverman and Batsheva Gelbtuch, encouraged me to take the mic early and often. These two women are beautiful souls. Their faith, dignity, and nurturing spirits give women space to grow. It is difficult for me to speak in front of large groups but on the afternoon of the second day, it was my turn.

I spoke about Yokneam and Megiddo, our Partnership cities in Israel and the programs we help support there. I spoke about Federation’s work within Atlanta and around the world, and our newest initiatives, including the one I lead, called Making Jewish Places. I spoke about my family and how I left corporate America to work in Jewish communal service, and my passion for working directly in the northern suburbs where I live.

Hillary

One day I sat next to Hillary, who has a dry sense of humor like mine, and we laughed so hard we cried. We talked about our families and the adventures in parenting teenage girls (mine) and adult children (hers). We live five minutes from each other in Atlanta, but it took going to Israel for us to connect.

Marci & Michelle

I sat next to Marci and Michelle on a hard day. My youngest daughter had called at 3:00 AM Atlanta time, upset because she wasn’t feeling well. Hannah had gotten her COVID vaccine the day before. At 11, Hannah is not a baby, but she is, of course, my baby. My very capable husband had things well under control, but it was hard to be away while she was sick. Marci and Michelle both checked in with me all day. We all knew Hannah would be fine, and she was, but they still found time in between climbing Masada, swimming in the Dead Sea, and riding a camel to check on me (and Hannah) that day.

Stacey

Stacey and I only sat next to each other for about ten minutes. Long enough for me to find out she’s always wanted to come on this trip, but she has a lot of professional commitments that would make it difficult. She said to me, “COVID made me realize that if I didn’t take the time for myself to do this now, I was going to miss out. So, I’m here.” It wasn’t until later that I found out that Stacey was a Judge and had to find not one but three people to fill in for her while she was away. Stacey and I also fell in love with the same Israeli Jewelry designer. And it’s a mitzvah to support the Israeli economy.

The Two Lisas

I sat with two Lisas. One celebrated her birthday on the trip. Lisa and I spent several days discussing the birds of Israel among other things – like her history in Atlanta (I think she knows everyone) and our families. The other Lisa sacrificed sleep to watch the Braves win the world series one of the first days we were there. At breakfast the next morning, she proudly wore her Braves shirt and hat and told us all the exciting news. She also patiently explained a thousand times why the Braves won the World Series, even though the teams are from the US and Canada only.

Israel Missed Us

I discovered that as much as Americans missed visiting Israel, Israel missed us! There were signs of welcome wherever we went, and people would stop us on the street to talk to us and talk about their families and friends in the States. And the places they visited when they traveled. And in the shuks and shops, and, of course, we did our best to support the Israeli economy. We also celebrated Rosh Chodesh and Sigd (an Ethiopian Jewish holiday), along with Shabbat in Jerusalem, and each of these holidays merits its own article.

“Family” in Israel

Shabbat in Jerusalem ends early, around 4:30. After a majestic havdalah (a ritual marking the end of Shabbat) at the Kotel, a group of us decided to walk over to Ben Yehuda Street. As we were walking, I heard a young man yelling my name. Now, remember I’m on a trip with a bunch of women. I turn around and it’s the 13-year-old son of a friend from Camp Ramah, who is studying to become a rabbi.

Again, I hear my name and this time it is a friend who made aliyah two years ago. She is happy to play tour guide and takes us through the shuk to the best stalls to get knafeh (a sweet pastry). As we are walking back toward the hotel, I’m explaining to the group that it’s common in Israel to run into people, and that I don’t actually know everyone in IsraeI.

I hear my name again. This time it’s a couple of our Atlanta gap year teens who were returning to Jerusalem from their home hospitality Shabbat experience. They joined the group and came with us to our hotel, and we all sat together talking in the lobby about their adventures and experiences (I also may have brought them Halloween candy and treats from home). We gave them all big mom hugs and well wishes from Atlanta, and a few of them came back the next night to visit again!

What It All Meant

In the end, here’s my big takeaway. We were all part of a shared community of women, all moms who are raising Jewish children. None of us are experts, and we learned and grew together. We opened a door when we started our journey, and have now returned more connected, more empowered, and ready to inspire others to jump on the bus and take a Jewish journey.

Learn more about Jewish Women’s Connection to Israel.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring

2021: A Year of Impact and Generosity

Thanks to Atlanta Jewish Foundation fundholders, 2021 was a year of

tremendous generosity and impact. They made grants totaling more than $40M to 5,4000 nonprofits in Atlanta, the U.S., and around the world. With $365.4M in assets under management, these investments and legacy gifts through Atlanta Jewish Foundation made big things happen.

In 2021, Foundation fundholders made 5,400 grants:

70% went to local nonprofits
16% went to overseas Jewish nonprofits
14% went to national nonprofits

One local beneficiary was Creating Connected Communities (CCC), formerly known as Amy’s Holiday Party. This is a small local nonprofit that provides leadership training to Atlanta teens so they can effectively serve children in need. This year CCC received 43 separate grants from Atlanta Jewish Foundation totaling $93K, providing meaningful and sustaining funding for the organization.

Amy Zeide, Co-Executive Director and founder, expressed her thanks. “Creating Connected Communities is so thankful for the support we have received from Atlanta Jewish Foundation and its donors. Whether through monetary gifts, opportunities to attend and network at events, or spotlights in newsletters, Federation and Atlanta Jewish Foundation have supported CCC in countless ways over the years. It is an honor that Atlanta’s Jewish leaders and philanthropists have the confidence in our program and the impact we make in the community to so generally support our work.”

“It’s very special when we can speak with a donor and recommend a grant opportunity to a deserving nonprofit that aligns with his or her values,” said Jori Mendel, Chief Operating Officer. Such was the case this year when Repair the World Atlanta received a substantial gift from Dr. Craig C. White, who wanted to support Jewish social justice work. Lily Brent, Executive Director of Repair said, “This investment is game-changing for us in terms of cementing a sustainable future for Repair the World in Atlanta. This gift will allow us to grow our impact by increasing our ability to do what we do best: connect young adults to opportunities to live their Jewish values by meeting urgent needs in our community.”

“Although we never had the opportunity to know Dr. White personally, we are humbled that the impact of our fellows, corps members, volunteers, and partners inspired Dr. White’s generosity. We are honored to continue Dr. White’s legacy. We hope his trust in Repair will illuminate our work for others who are able to contribute to our unique approach to mobilizing the Atlanta Jewish community to support our neighbors through meaningful service and learning. We’re grateful to the Atlanta Jewish Foundation both for facilitating the connections that made this gift possible and for helping us raise awareness about our work.”

Never underestimate the power of your generosity. Speak with us about local, national, and international nonprofits where your gift will have tremendous impact.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community

Eat Environmentally & Deliciously on Tu B’Shevat

By Anastasia Pixler, Federation Social Media Coordinator
Tu B’Shevat, the 15th day of the month of Shevat on the Hebrew calendar, is known as the New Year for Trees. It begins on the evening of January 16th and continues the following day. In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day and is also commonly called Israeli Arbor Day. Another observance is the Tu B’Shevat seder, a meal that honors the seven agricultural species of Israel: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranate, olives, and dates.

I took on the challenge of using some of these ingredients to create a Tu B’Shevat inspired meal of Maple Pomegranate Roasted Chicken with a Barley Arugula Salad. The chicken has wheat, grapes, pomegranate, and olives. The salad has barley, figs, dates, and olives. I’ve also added goat cheese and date honey to honor Israel as “the land of milk and honey.” Enjoy the recipes!

Maple Pomegranate Roasted Chicken - Jewish Atlanta

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Eliad Ben Shushan Completes Mandel Leadership Program

Eliad Ben Shushan, our Israel Partnership Director in Yokneam and Megiddo, has recently enjoyed some major milestones. Eliad completed a fellowship in the elite Mandel Institute for Nonprofit Leaders in Israel, and he and his wife are expecting a baby any minute! We wish Eliad mazel tov and have asked him to reflect on his Mandel Fellowship experience. (Learn more about our Partnership work in Israel here.)

Q: How has the Mandel program broadened your skills as a Jewish professional?
A: We had varied lectures and workshops in topics like management and leadership, challenges in Israeli society, creative writing, storytelling, and even public speaking and styling! We were led by inspiring people including Natan Sharansky, Morton Mandel (Of blessed memory, who is the founder of the program), several Israeli mayors, and members of the Knesset. For two years I also had a personal mentor, Yuval Elyagur, who worked with me closely on my management skills, team building, and defining personal and partnership goals.

I learned the most from the reflections we had after the workshops led by the director of the program, Vadim Blumin. I understood how beneficial it can be to hear different opinions that are far and different from mine. I learned how to listen carefully, to criticize with much respect, and to learn from everyone — as it is written in Pirke Avot: “Who is the smart person? One who learns from everyone!”

Q: How were you selected for the program?
A: I was a fellow in the first cohort of the Mandel Program for Excellence of the Jewish Agency for returning Shlichim (emissaries for immigration to Israel). I was one of seven people chosen out of 500+ candidates for a . The Mandel Program’s goal is to nurture a young generation of professional leadership in the Jewish Agency, to drive excellence and innovation, and help meet the future challenges of Israeli society.

Q: Tell us about the others in your cohort — how did their experiences contribute to the program?
A: Our cohort was diverse, coming from different Jewish Agency units like Personal Assistant to the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) CEO, Director of Marketing and Recruitment, Director of Global Customer Experience, Schlichim Alumni Relations Director, Social Media Manager, etc. Each meeting offered vast perspectives on the organization and on the entire Jewish world. I come from the Partnership unit and having fellows who are from the Shlichut Department raised many ideas of how to better connect our departments. I learned about other Federations that focus on bringing Shinshinim from their partnership regions, and about the programs that prepare the candidates.

Q: How will you use your new skills and insights in our Partnership work?
A: One of the workshops that influenced me the most was about creating mind maps — a theory developed by Tony Buzan for many large organizations. I use it constantly in my everyday Partnership work, from the staff meetings, personal work meetings with the organizations in the city, and especially now and in the Partnership’s work with the Ethiopian community. I find it beneficial to organize huge amounts of information and see a clearer picture of the changes we want to lead.

I also had the opportunity to learn a lot about the Jewish world and sharpen my senses regarding the real need of Kesher (connection) programs and how important It is to build connections between Israel and America.