jewishatl, Author at Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

Celebrating Chanukah in Israel

Chanukah was in the air everywhere for a couple of weeks before the holiday started. The stands in the shuk and different stores were filled with selections of different sufganiyot. Giant Chanukiahs were put up in most malls and on big streets. It was so fun to see all of the lights lit up at night from everyone’s individual chanukiahs. For the last night of Chanukah, me and a couple of my friends went to the old city for candle lighting. There was an enormous Chanukiah on top of a building overlooking the kotel. We met up with friends at the shuk and got sufganiyot. My favorite part of chanukah this year was lighting the menorah in one of my friends’ rooms and us all singing Chanukah songs together.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Foundation, Philanthropy

How a Donor-advised Fund Can Honor Your Family’s Legacy

Nancy Jacobson Freedman enjoyed an iconic and idyllic southern Jewish girlhood in the Atlanta of the 1950s and ’60s. As the daughter of Jewish community pillars, Harvey and Betty Ann Jacobson, Nancy participated in all organizations and social institutions that defined Jewish Atlanta — BBYO, the JCC on Peachtree Road, the early years of Camp Barney, The Temple, The Standard Club, Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women, the Brandeis University Women’s Committee, and so much more.

Being Jewish was at the center of her life. Yet in an era when assimilation was giving way to deeper levels of Jewish observance the harsh lessons of history remained fresh for Atlanta Jews. “The Leo Frank lynching was embedded in our collective memory. We knew there were restricted clubs that did not accept Jews. I was in kindergarten when The Temple bombing happened. I will never forget how it galvanized our community. At the same time, I’ll never forget how the non-Jewish community supported us. After the bombing, churches, and schools opened their doors to us for services and Sunday school classes. These were wonderful lessons in community generosity.”

Today, these lessons learned and the commitments made by her family live on. Nancy Freedman has blazed her own philanthropic path, serving on numerous agency boards around Atlanta, truly “walking the walk” of her family’s values. She is winding down an education fund launched years ago by her uncle, Joe Jacobs. And she and her husband Wayne steward the family’s donor-advised fund (DAF) at Atlanta Jewish Foundation. “It means everything to us that this fund continues to support the things Mom and Dad believed in. Cindy Weik has handled our DAF for years and she makes the grant process so easy. The professional staff does a fantastic job and gives good guidance.”

“My mother was the first woman president of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. She was tough, a driving force. You couldn’t say ‘no’ to Betty Ann Jacobson! My father was quieter, but also a tremendous role model who was active in Federation, chaired many committees and was devoted to the Technion, Israel’s Institute of Technology. He and my mother were partners in all of these community activities. It’s no wonder that after college I became a Federation campaign volunteer.” Nancy also served on the UJA Young Leadership Cabinet, won the Abe Schwartz Young Leadership award, and worked as a campaign professional at Federation under David Sarnat up until her children were born.

All three of Freedman’s children went to The Epstein School which became another arena for the family’s engagement and learning.” I wanted my kids to be more knowledgeable than I was. I’m proud that they know how to run a service and speak Hebrew. When they were young, we were active at the Zaban Night Shelter and the Shearith Israel Shelter. Wayne and I have tried to impart to our kids that we are blessed, and that it is our obligation to make sure that others who don’t have what we have are helped. I try hard to be proactive with my kids about getting involved in community service and giving back not just your time, but your money as well.”

“Atlanta Jewish Foundation is a perfect way to accomplish these goals. We love that our financial advisor can manage our donor-advised fund.I trust them! When you invest at the Foundation, you are supporting the whole community. That’s what Mom and Dad were all about!”

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Gather Grants

Canton GA’s Shalom Club — Way More Than Mah Jongg

The name Soleil at Laurel Canyon has a bit of a California ring to it, but actually it’s a 55+ residential community in Canton, GA.You might be surprised to learn that 110 out of 900 residents at Soleil are living in Jewish households, most of whom moved from all over the U.S. to be closer to their grandchildren and adult children. (Federation identified this trend in its last Community Study). You probably won’t be surprised to learn that Soleil’s Jewish residents launched a vibrant Jewish group called the Shalom Club, back in 2016. It is open to anyone in the community who has an interest in Jewish heritage and currently has 92 members!

Federation’s Relational Engagement Manager, Carla Birnbaum recently “discovered” the Shalom Club and its lively President Marvin Polikov. “They’ve truly made a Jewish place at Soleil, and Federation’s Making Jewish Places grant has supported several of their programs. Most recently club members came downtown to tour The Breman Museum’s History with Chutzpah exhibit”

Sure, some folks play mah jonng at Soleil, after all, most of them are retired. They love to look at life through a Jewish lens. The club had a virtual second night Passover seder. They built a sukkah for Sukkot. They baked hamantaschen for Purim. They decorated Soleil’s public spaces for Hanukkah. There is a Yiddish group, a genealogy group, a current events group, a book and movie group, and a Lunch Out group for meeting, eating, and conversation.

Many Soleil residents were synagogue members in their former communities, but for many, the Shalom Club gives them new ways to continue to engage Jewishly.

Marvin Polikov’s wife Sheila commented, Marvin and I were born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska where we were very active in many Jewish organizations such as the JCC preschool, B’nai Brith, ORT, Council of Jewish Women, and our synagogue.”

We moved to Georgia from the Midwest three years ago, mainly because two of our sons moved to Atlanta after they graduated college. They are both married, joined a Temple, and gave us five grandchildren. One of our granddaughters just celebrated her bat mitzvah. We love that Soleil has a viable Jewish community with the Shalom Club offering many educational activities and celebrations of all the Jewish holidays. Marvin and I have made many new friends because of the Shalom Club and have continued our involvement in our new community as we did in Omaha.”

Roberta B already lived in Atlanta but still found the move to Canton an adjustment. Moving to Soleil was a big life change. We didn’t know anyone here. And we were the only Jewish family in our section. I met several Jewish people through other friends from my previous neighborhood and from my teaching days in a Jewish day school here in Atlanta. When the Shalom Club was started, I became involved with activities and was on the original board for three years. I have made many wonderful friends through the Shalom Club. Many of us are originally from New York and even though we all have different backstories our Jewish faith gives us a common bond”

Ex-New Yorkers, Sunny L. and Arlene Z explain why they’ve joined. “We want to be a part of a Jewish organization. There is a strong camaraderie between Soleil residents and a stronger bond among other Shalom Club members. Living here in Georgia, and being Jewish, is not an easy combination. Things are very different here. A feeling of belonging motivates participation. Celebrating Holidays with others is just wonderful.”

These Shalom Club members are Jewish ambassadors. Rodney B.said, “What I value most is that the Shalom Club of Soleil provides a means for its Jewish residents, and non-Jewish residents who wish to belong, to gather, socialize, celebrate our heritage, and share our life experiences with one another.”

Birnbaum agrees. “The people I’ve met who live at Soleil are enthusiastic, confident Jews, who continuously create ways to engage in their faith. We can learn so much from them and I can’t wait to see what they plan next!” Contact Marvin Polikov to learn more about the Shalom Club.

jewishatl In JumpSpark

$10K Scholarships Available For Gap Year In Israel. Apply Now!

This article was originally published in Fed5, a publication of the Jewish Federaiton of Greater Atlanta. Read the original article here.

Did you know your high school student doesn’t have to start college right after completing high school? In fact, taking a year-long break between high school and college — known as a gap year — often contributes to a boost in performance when students enter college. Students who participate in gap year programs, whether academic, travel-focused, or service-focused, frequently become more mature, self-reliant, independent, and college-ready than students who go directly to college. (Read more about the benefits of a gap year here.)

Supported by scholarships of $10,000-$15,000 from the Zalik Foundation, 25 Atlanta area high school graduates are currently on gap year programs in Israel, connecting with Israeli culture and with Israeli peers. JumpSpark, which manages the Atlanta gap year initiative, is excited to announce the scholarship program will continue for a second year. Now is the time to learn more about gap year options and apply.

Jennifer Pollock Crim reports that her son Jordan has been thoroughly enjoying his gap year in Israel. “Jordan went there not knowing one person and now has many friends he can identify with and share new experiences together. He has never tried new food and says he loves trying new food and traveling to see and learn about new places in Israel. He also is enjoying his internship and learning independence and time management – two things that were reasons for him to go in the first place. I highly recommend it!”

Richard and Sheryl Arno said about their son Adam, “This experience on a gap year program has far exceeded our expectations. Adam has grown in so many ways and he has taken advantage of and experienced so many wonderful things that Israel has to offer. He has made some lifelong friends, not only from the participants but also from the wonderful staff of Year Course.”

Bev Lewyn reports: “Rebecca is having the best time. She has made great friends from around the world, enjoys the Jerusalem academic classes, and had a profound trip to Poland.”

Read a current gap year student’s story about life in Israel here.

jewishatl In JumpSpark

Making Jewish Memories

What comes to mind when you think of your earliest Jewish memory? For me, I remember my dad teaching me the Shema when I was five years old. The last line instructs us to “inscribe them [mezuzot] on the doorposts of your house and your gates.” My dad explained that because of this instruction, there are mezuzot on the doorway entrances of buildings and rooms and we kiss it as a sign of respect. Naturally, I took that to the extreme and whenever we would sing the last line of the prayer, I would sprint to the mezuzah in my room to kiss it and run back before finishing the last few words of the prayer. This happened every night for years during my childhood. Nobody stopped me- it was my first Jewish memory that exemplified experiential Judaism as it related to my five-year-old life at the time.

Fast forward twenty years later and I have continued to experience Jewish moments and create new Jewish memories that are instilled in the concept of experiential Judaism. As a kid into my teens, I attended Jewish summer camp and ultimately forged a Jewish identity that could be seen in my plethora of camp t-shirts, singing camp songs to my heart’s content, and experiencing the Hebrew language as part of daily camp life. My teenage years featured endless amounts of USY, undertaking the value of Tikkun Olam as a value in my life (that would remain for years to come), and my first critical thinking opportunities as it related to being Jewish. In college, I learned how to advocate as a Jewish woman, combat ignorance, and work as a Jewish leader as a camp counselor and unit head. Most recently, I traveled to Israel for the first time as an Atlanta Community Birthright participant, served as a JumpSpark Strong Women mentor, and continue to create new friendships in the Atlanta Jewish Yong Professionals community. So, in a true Talmudic analytical questioning, “what does it all mean?”

Your memories stay with you as they each represent a small impactful experience in your life. Jewish experiences build upon one another to not only create a rolodex of memories to look back upon, but to also create a strong identity built upon years of experiences, albeit positive and negative. I’m grateful to my Jewish community for curating a Jewish experience that allowed me to grow, question, challenge, and thrive into a prideful Jewish young adult.

As I look back on my own memories, I can see the challenges and many opportunities that teens and young adults face in their Jewish journeys today. My goal while working as a Jewish professional is to create Jewish experiences and build relationships to find your “running to the mezuzah” moments- what ultimately connects and excites you to being Jewish that will serve as a catalyst to eventually create your own collection of Jewish memories along the way.

jewishatl In Young Leadership Division

$10K Scholarships Available for Gap Year in Israel. Apply now!

Bev Lewyn reports: “Rebecca is having the best time. She has made great friends from around the world, enjoys the Jerusalem academic classes, and had a profound trip to Poland.”

Read a current gap year student’s story about life in Israel here.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring

You Bring Light to Jews in Belarus

As winter bears down in Belarus, it is not just the cold and darkness weighing on its Jewish community. Belarus is a nation where barely 25% of the population is vaccinated against COVID. Even though hospitals are filled with the sick and dying, many Belarusians believe the Coronavirus is a hoax. Russian and Chinese vaccines are the only options because Pfizer and Moderna are not available.

An additional worry is the uncertainty of being able to travel to Israel. The devaluation of the ruble has driven up the cost of living, and the uneasy political situation across Eastern Europe is a concern.

Despite these anxieties, Ilana Lomkin, who works for the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) in Minsk, is optimistic. “Belarus in 2021 is a different place than when I came here four years ago. Belarus had a rich Jewish life before the Shoah, but after the war Jewish life was decimated. Today it is incredible to see so many young Belarusians discovering and embracing their heritage after decades of concealing it, or simply not knowing they were Jewish. It is inspiring to see the younger generation studying modern Hebrew and dreaming of making aliyah (immigration) to Israel. We are doing all we can to prepare them for it,” Lomkin says.

Funding support from Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta brings impact and light to this community. Our dollars support The Jewish Agency’s Matmid (Permanence) Program which empowers young people to live Jewish lives and connect with their roots. Matmid teaches young people about Jewish life in Belarus before the war. Some train to become Jewish tour guides, showing people the homes of famous Jewish Belarusians like the artist Marc Chagall, Shimon Perez, and Israeli political leader Ezer Weitzman.

Another program funded by Atlanta supports a winter overnight camp near Minsk where 40-50 young people can learn about Shabbat and experience Jewish culture. The camp is usually staffed by young Israelis, and it is very inspiring for young Belarusian kids to connect with these Israelis who help teach them about life in modern Israel. “For many kids, camp is their first exposure to anything Jewish. Building Jewish identity builds a pipeline for making aliyah,” said Nir Buchler, a Jewish Agency professional who works in Washington, D.C.”

Adults in Belarus are grateful for Atlanta’s support too. The JCC and the Chesed in Minsk provide social programs, lectures, and face-to-face social services for families and older adults. The dream of aliyah is not just for the young. There is a significant rise in people wanting to make aliyah all over the world, and places like Argentina, France, and Belarus are at the top of the list. Additionally, people are aware that in Israel they will receive better healthcare and social services.

The Makarov family is thankful for Jewish Agency programs. The father said, “We would like to express our deep gratitude to the Jewish Agency’s staff in Minsk for the incredible work invested in organizing aliyah seminars and meetings with families, for preparing classes for our children. Thanks to these meetings we learned about the traditions of celebrating Shabbat, as well as Hanukkah and Pesach. Each seminar, each meeting, was “While still in Belarus, our son learned about Jewish culture and gradually incorporated Jewish, traditions and holidays into his life and now he understands what this or that ritual stands for. The Jewish Agency became a true family for us, and its values are respected for one’s neighbor, love, and a desire to help in difficult times.”

jewishatl In Gather Grants

The Sex Positivity Series Jewish Parents Asked For!

Many Jewish families want their kids to be exposed to sex education classes that take a “body positive,” Jewish approach to sex and puberty. Now, with grant support from Federation’s Making Jewish Places initiative (MJP), a program called EVERYbody is being piloted for 6th graders at Congregation Gesher L’Torah (GLT). EVERYbody is rooted in Jewish values such as: b’tzelem elohim (made in the image of God), kavod (respect), and v’ahavta l’reacha kamocha (love your neighbor as yourself).

After interviewing several local and national organizations, MJP partnered with SOJOURN (the Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity) and the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta (JWFA) for funding to write the curriculum. This unique collaboration kicks off on Sunday, December 12, at Congregation Gesher L’Torah in Alpharetta. All sessions will be facilitated by a team of health educators.

Topics in the EVERYbody curriculum include:

Basic anatomy
Puberty and physical changes
Gender and sexual diversity
The impact of social media on self-image
Healthy relationship and sources of strength for positive mental health

Gesher L’Torah’s Education Director, Rebecca Gordon is excited about the series: “This much needed program has been requested by the community for years, and we are grateful to have partnered with SOJOURN to create a rich and appropriate series. These collaborations are what makes MJP programming successful and necessary to make Jewish Atlanta stronger. Our parents are thrilled!”

RSVP to hannahgesheratl@gmail.com.

jewishatl In JumpSpark

My Gap Year Experience

My gap year experience in Israel so far has been nothing short of the best year of my life. I have explored so much of Israel and so much about myself in just the three short months that I have been here. Each day brings something new: a new food, experience, conversation, trip, or insight. As a part of the program I am on, Nativ College Leadership Program, I live in Jerusalem and spend most days at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Mount Scopus. There, I broaden my knowledge of many fields in which I have always been interested, and establish context for daily life here in Israel. I am taking four classes: Advanced Hebrew, Colloquial Arabic, The Battle over the three Bibles (Jewish Bible, Christain Old Testement, and Muslim Quran), and Technology and Entrepreneurship in Israel. These classes have given background and insight on ideas that I have always pondered, and I constantly look forward to applying all that I have learned into my own life. For example, after learning how to read, speak and write Arabic letters, I have been able to read every Arabic street sign. Also, after learning the basics of a conversation in colloquial Arabic, I have gone up and talked to Arabic speakers in their native tongue. I have learned more about Israel as the renowned start-up nation, and had the opportunity to learn from intriguing people who began successful international companies from scratch.

When I am not studying at Hebrew University, I explore Jerusalem and soak in all it has to offer. I get to experience the antiquity of the city, as well as the vibrant and diverse aspects of the bustling, modern city. I walk around the Old City, museums, synagogues, parks/nature trails, the Hebrew University campus, restaurants, Shuk Machne Yehudah, and cultural and religious landmarks for Jews, Christains, and Muslims. I have had the opportunity to try the most delicious food from around the world and breathtaking flavors that I had never before tasted.

When I am not in Jerusalem, I travel around the country to other cities, kibbutzim, moshavs, villages, or landscapes. In these places, I experience first hand Israeli culture, explore diverse Judaism, and embrace the Hebrew language more than I have ever before. I’ve traveled to coastal cities like Tel Aviv, Netanya and Herzliya where I’ve had countless relaxing beach days looking out onto the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. As one of many Nativ tiyuls, we went to the Negev Desert where we hiked for three days in the vast, breathtaking wilderness and slept in tents under more stars than I had ever seen in my life. We also visited a pleasant Moshav in the north where we spent a peaceful Shabbat and interacted with the welcoming locals. Much of the time, I truly feel like an Israeli: I travel around on my own across the country and visit friends who take me to authentic Israeli places where no tourists go. These “off the beaten path” places are one of the best parts of traveling and immersing myself in another country, knowing that I am living something that is so unique and so few people have the opportunity to experience.

This year has opened up new doors to learning more about Jews around the world, as well as Muslims, Christains and countless other people that I have had the opportunity to talk to. Communicating with people from other religions and cultures heightens my interest in other people from around the world and encourages peaceful and productive discourse that only inspires more exploration. I’ve grown to be much more independent and ambitious through navigating myself around the country, spending my own money, planning weekend trips, figuring things out on my own, and by simply being in control of where I go and what I do each day. More than ever before, I have experienced considerable freedom and responsibility, an exhilarating feeling that is simply impossible to achieve if I had gone directly into college this year. I feel that I am doing a lot of “adulting,” which initially seemed terrifying, but turned out to be completely achievable and satisfying once I got the hang of it. This year has given me new insights on the world and how it works, and encourages me to achieve intermittent goals I’ve set for myself. I have been able to engage in productive communication just in Hebrew, in which I have become nearly fluent in just three months. I have acquired valuable skills of self confidence and initiative by being in a land with which I was initially unfamiliar, yet still so comfortable and motivated to explore. By living in a country that is so unique, incomparable to any country on earth, I have also learned the value of resilience and passion for making this world a better place for all people.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring, Federation News

Eight Lights of Gratitude

Remember back in 2013, when Hanukkah began on Thanksgiving Day? The mashup of holidays was dubbed “Thanksgivukkah” and we had fun with it. My friend Jennie Rivlin Roberts created a cool t-shirt for the occasion and donated thousands of dollars to charity from the proceeds.

You won’t be surprised to learn that a Jewish woman coined the name Thanksgivukkah. Dana Gitell, then a 37-year-old marketing manager for a Jewish nonprofit, trademarked the name and bought the URL. Given the quirks of the lunar Jewish calendar, another Thanksgivukkah is unlikely to happen again for 70,000 years! But this year we will come close with Hanukkah beginning on Sunday evening, November 28, just three days after Thanksgiving.

In the Thanksgivukkah spirit, here’s a list of the things for which I am deeply grateful this year.

The COVID-19 Vaccine – This modern scientific miracle that delivers a safe and effective way to build protection against the virus was developed in record time and continues to save countless lives. I take pride knowing that Albert Borla, Pfizer’s CEO who led the company’s development of the vaccine, is the son of Greek Jews who survived the Holocaust.
The Braves are World Series Champions! — The ascent of the Braves, after so many years of disappointment, was pure joy for Atlanta — with the added bonus of three Jewish players! This win was exactly what we collectively needed after 18 months of pandemic isolation and anxiety.
The 2022 Community Campaign — The Campaign is ahead of pace! As of today, we have reached 43% of our goal. I’m so grateful for our generous donors who continue to step up so we can meet urgent local and international needs. You can learn more about our 2022 campaign goals and donate here.
$10,000 Israel Gap Year Scholarships for High School Seniors — I am delighted to report that The Zalik Foundation has renewed scholarship support for a second year to send graduating high school seniors to Israel. 2022-2023 applications for this year of personal growth and adventure prior to starting college open on December 6!
The Resurgence of Midtown Atlanta — The Midtown construction boom continues with 16 active projects underway! The strength of Midtown real estate bodes well for our dream of transforming the Federation property at 1440 Spring Street into a vibrant center for Jewish life in the coming years.
Federation’s Professional Team — It makes me especially proud to see Federation professionals blossoming within the organization. In recent months, several of them have stepped into new roles with added responsibilities. These transitions are a result of our culture of Excellence, Empathy, and Fearlessness, along with our commitment to professional development.
548 Commitments to After-Lifetime Giving — That’s right. As we conclude our three-year engagement with the LIFE & LEGACY™ endowment program, Atlanta’s Jewish schools, synagogues, and organizations have secured 548 letters of intent for legacy gifts with an estimated value of $35.2M! It brings me such nachas (Yiddish for joy) to see our community come together to ensure our future financial health. I extend a special thanks to The Harold Grinspoon Foundation for being a phenomenal philanthropic partner through camping initiatives, PJ Library, and the LIFE & LEGACY endowment program.
Matt Bronfman’s Partnership and Leadership – As Board Chair, Matt has contributed a depth of wisdom and fresh insights during his Federation leadership. I deeply appreciate Matt’s commitment to strengthening our entire community.