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jewishatl

jewishatl
In Federation News

Everything We Need is in the Passover Story

Earlier in March, just before the COVID-19 crisis became more intense in Georgia, I was at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with one of our community’s wise elders, Jarvin Levinson. Looking back, it was an eerie evening with the seats half full. The music seemed to herald the dark period that has now arrived.

Our world has been transformed. Grateful as I am to reconnect with the basics of a slower pace, self-care, and more time with family, my days are filled with worry about how to meet human needs and the financial health of our institutions.

Yet like any personal crisis I have lived through, or the Jewish people has lived through, when we get to the other side things will be different. I hope we will refocus on the essentials that make our people unique: the obligation to be responsible for each other, the centrality of Jewish education, and all the beautiful communal ways we gather to play and pray.

I am overwhelmed by the generosity that is pouring into our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. More than $2.5M has been raised from hundreds of donors! Grants are already going out to help our community handle food insecurity, social isolation, job loss, the shortage of protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers, and more.

As we welcome Passover, let’s proudly tell the story of Jewish resilience and optimism. Our master story of redemption and survival despite suffering, plagues, and slavery, is everything we need right now.

jewishatl
In JumpSpark

Spark Note: Repairing the World Around Us

Repair the World Atlanta mobilizes Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world, igniting a lifelong commitment to service. Our young adult Fellows serve full-time for 11 months supporting community-based organizations working toward housing, food, and education justice. Fellows engage volunteers in meaningful service: a cycle of learning, action, and reflection. We believe that volunteering to meet the urgent needs of our communities is a universal value and we celebrate everyone at the intersection of identities they hold.

Serving our communities, especially during this trying time, continues to be Repair the World’s priority. While Repair the World has decided to put our in-person service and learning opportunities on hold, we are shifting our focus to consider how we can mobilize Jews and our neighbors to take action to repair the world as an essential avenue of support for people impacted by the unfolding circumstances. We have been grappling with the question, “what can we do to support those around us?” We know that inequity makes vulnerable members of our community even more affected in times of distress.

During this time of social distancing, Repair is supporting its partner organizations through social distance-safe volunteer opportunities and encourages you to get involved in any way that you feel comfortable: 

Become a Grocery Helper! Concrete Jungle, a non-profit dedicated to harvesting and donating fresh produce to those in need, is mobilizing volunteers to purchase and deliver essential food items for vulnerable families experiencing isolation due to COVID-19.  Sign-up to shop for and deliver groceries to your neighbors here.

Provide a meal to women experiencing homelessness! Rebecca’s Tent, an emergency weather shelter for women experiencing homelessness in DeKalb County, relies on volunteers to provide meals for the residents.

  • Sign up to cook and deliver a meal!  There are more than 20 openings in April. Women are now being housed separately to comply with social distancing. Food is needed for 6 women and should be divided into 6 separate portions.
  • Order essential items off of their Amazon wishlist

Donate for emergency groceries! PAWKids is continuing to support Grove Park families by acting as a distribution hub, providing meals that people can pick up and bring home on foot. 40% of neighborhood residents do not have access to a car. Donations will allow PAWKids to purchase food for families who lack access to transportation to designated school pick-up sites. 

  • Donate directly to PAWKids earmarking your gift for COVID-19 via PayPal
  • Or purchase gift cards for a local grocery store: Publix, Kroger, Walmart. Gift cards can be dropped off at PAW or mailed to: P.O. Box 20468, Atlanta GA 30325
  • Also accepting donations of laptops, phones and tablets for remote learning
jewishatl
In JumpSpark

Spark Note: CCC Activates Teens to Give Back

Over the last few weeks, the teens and adults at Creating Connected Communities have been busy helping the community. Even while stuck at home people have been cleaning out closets and reaching out with donations. Through all of these efforts, CCC has been able to donate GoGo squeeZ applesauce, books, snacks, bottled water, games, hand sanitizer, activities, toys, personal care products, puzzles, Play-Doh, and school supplies to people in need!

Overall more than $8,000 of supplies were donated to community partners, including the Atlanta Police Athletic League (PAL), Community Assistance Center, JF&CS Atlanta, and the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. It’s amazing that the toys and supplies our community had on-hand are now in the hands of children stuck at home without resources.

“We are honored and thankful that we were able to do a small part of the relief effort by bringing food and supplies to some of our partner agencies during this time. We are so amazed and energized by our incredible community and our teens who collected items for us to distribute, shared our efforts with their networks, and continue to hold items for us to pick up as soon as we are able.” – Tara Kornblum, CCC Program Director

Want to help out? Everyone can continue to sort books, Lego, new toys, and home goods and set them aside for Creating Connected Communities to get after the shelter in place is lifted. Unfortunately, due to stay-at-home orders throughout the state, CCC is no longer accepting donations at this time.

Want to learn more about CCC? Check out their website https://www.cccprojects.org/ or follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CCCprojects

Founded in 2010, Creating Connected Communities (CCC), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring life-enhancing programs to children in need by empowering teens to become engaged community leaders and volunteers.

In partnership with more than 60 Atlanta agencies, the 135+ Jewish teens in our Leadership Development Program plan and implement ten community programs for thousands of children and families in need. They learn valuable leadership skills such as fundraising, public speaking, program planning and more.

Through our programs, children receive thousands of gifts, meals, books and personal care items. They participate in outdoor festivals, carnivals, craft projects, DJ dance parties, and more with the help of hundreds of teen volunteers!

jewishatl
In JumpSpark

Spark Note: The Wisdom of Doing Nothing

Sleep has always been my number one enemy. I viewed it as a personal crime against the way I was able to use my given time in this life. Why should I have to put everything on hold for 8 hours every single day? Didn’t seem efficient and I had places to go, big dreams to achieve. I lived for a decade with a “sleep when you’re dead” mantra running between my ears –  pounding coffee and demanding that I didn’t need to rest like other people. I worked multiple day and night jobs simultaneously from Sunday to Sunday with no Holy or unholy Sabbath to speak of. I thought I was in control, making the best of things. I thought I had cheated the system, but it turns out that the system exists so we cannot cheat ourselves. 

The past two weeks in quarantine have changed my busy bee mentality and forced me to make a change by taking me out of my “normal” and into this alternative reality, where I have all the time in the world. I am not constantly worried about just getting through the next big thing. Now, time spent sleeping, which used to make me feel guilty and unproductive, is actually making me a better version of myself. I have noticed greater mental and physical stamina, my appetite is back, and I have more control over my emotions. I am able to find inspiration to continue my songwriting more easily and I can see the bigger picture of my journey without anxiety. 

Using time wisely doesn’t mean you always have to be doing or making something. Sometimes the wisest thing to do is nothing at all.  

— Hannah Zale is Jewish professional by day and a rock star by night!

Hannah grew up in Warner Robins, a small town in middle Georgia, where she and her brother were the only Jewish children around. She is a recent graduate of The University of Georgia, where she earned degrees in both Social Media Theory and Music Business and is now putting her education to the ultimate test — zealously managing her career as an independent artist! She’s currently in four bands that tour around the country (ZALE, The Pussywillows, Millenniyum, and Chelsea Shag) and is also the Youth Director at Beth Shalom.

Hannah has served as In the City Camps (ITC) Summer Camp Music Specialist since 2015. In the fall of 2019, Hannah joined the ITC team full-time as the Community Outreach Coordinator, cultivating meaningful partnerships with other organizations, managing staff recruitment, and finding resources to support ITC’s mission and culture throughout the community.

jewishatl
In Federation News

All of Israel Are Responsible for Each Other

How proud am I of how our Jewish community has pulled together to address the disruptions and challenges of the COVID-9 crisis? 

Let me count the ways! 

Unlike the old joke about the classic Jewish telegram:“Start worrying. Details to follow,” our collective response to COVID-19 actually started two weeks ago as Jewish Atlanta’s agencies, schools, and synagogues shared contingency plans for social distancing and remote working and learning. By the time most of us made the decision to cancel events and have our professionals work remotely, we were already on the same page. That’s what it means to be an ecosystem! 

The “new normal” still feels strange, but we’re on surer footing every day. Federation’s leadership team meets daily via Zoom calls to troubleshoot and review priorities.

We’ve sent all our core partners a financial needs assessment survey. It asks them to list their most urgent needs and is helping us understand their financial pain points — lost revenue due to cancellation of programs, meeting payroll, populations at risk, staff layoffs, and more.The survey is giving us a real-time lens into the financial impact of COVID-19 in our community.

I’m proud that nearly overnight, we crowd-sourced a comprehensive online list of community resources: https://jewishatlanta.org/covid19-resources/available-resources/

Just last week, with the full support of our community partners and approval by the Federation board, we launched theCOVID-19 Emergency Response Fundto help our organizations stay operational during this time, and prepare for the future, too. 

Our Federation professionals are demonstrating a dedication and a work ethic that is incredible!  They’ve pivoted on a dime to focus on the challenges of this moment, changing course to reflect new priorities. 

With schools closed, thousands of parents are now working from home while also caring for children. It’s a huge disruption. So, I’m beyond proud of PJ Library Atlanta, which has gone way beyond books to become a community builder. PJ Library is reaching out to parents with a series of “Parenting Under Quarantine” virtual focus groups to gather information and assess programming parents need. They’re providing live story times in English, Spanish, and Russian as well as yoga classes and cooking demosdaily via Facebook Live. 

From ITP to OTP this community has rallied to create online Jewish learning opportunities, daily guided meditation, engaging programming for children of all ages, and a resource bank for individuals struggling with feelings of isolation and anxiety. By sharing information on social media we’re amplifying the community’s creative online offerings which have mushroomed to include virtual minyans, workshops, volunteer opportunities, live storytime, and virtual support groups.

We’re leveraging the Microsoft Teams platform to help our ecosystem organizations share discoveries and challenges in real time. It won’t replace communications like FederationFive, but anything tailored to organizational needs, like information from the Small Business Administration on loans, for example, or details on our new Emergency Response Fund, will now come through Teams.

Social distancing is painful, and the emotional toll of isolation is only beginning to be felt. We must hold fast to our values and our mission to put human needs first—and they are growing, day by day. Please help by givinggenerously to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

As Passover draws near in a time of literal plague, let the words: Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, all of Israel are responsible for each other, be on our lips. This remarkable community was built on generosity, dreams, volunteerism, optimism and vision. Those qualities have never failed us. Together,I know we will come through this and will continue to proudly push Jewish life forward.

jewishatl
In JumpSpark

Spark Note: JumpSpark Resources and Updates in This New Reality

We at JumpSpark are here to support our community in this time of uncertainty. Below you will find an update about our Spark Grants, Teen and Parent surveys, and Some Valuable Resources for this new reality.

JumpSpark is delaying Spark Grant decisions, reopening applications will reassess on May 15th

Due to the uncertainty of the future, JumpSpark is delaying Spark Grant decisions and will reassess on May 15th. This will allow us time to assess needs and make sure we are uses our funds in a way that speaks to our new reality. If you have an idea that speaks to this moment, can be operationalized at this time, and needs funds to get off the ground please reach out. As we all pivot JumpSpark has decided to reopen the grant application and are accepting new ideas for Spark Grants. We appreciate your flexibility and patience at this difficult time. Apply here: https://jumpsparkatl.org/spark-grants/

Amazing new resource from the Jewish Teen Funder Collaborative: https://www.newrealityresources.com/

This website aggregates the amazing content, resources and webinars into one place with a focus on youth professionals / those serving teens with clear categories. I hope this saves you all time so that you can spend your energy connecting deeply with the community you serve, and meeting local needs.

On the site you will find:

  1. A spreadsheet of social media content and sources you can lift / share out in a Google spreadsheet that will be frequently updated (also found HERE).
  2. Virtual program ideas and links to 4Front’s new curated content site
  3. A Haggadah for a virtual Seder compiled by Cincinnati
  4. Guides for educators
  5. Public webinars (and links to their recordings if you miss the times)
  6. Wellbeing tools, such as Jewish meditation how-to’s and spirituality resources
  7. General coronavirus updates

**Please note, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta has also built a site with both national and local resources: https://jewishatlanta.org/covid19-resources/  In addition, in an effort to best serve our community, Federation is leading the needs assessment and fundraising efforts for our community, you can learn more about the Jewish Emergency Response Fund here

JumpSpark is going virtual

We miss seeing all of you and would love to have you join us for our upcoming virtual learning activities. We will be offering more opportunities in the coming weeks.

  1. A Taste of Moving Traditions Webinar, March 30, 1-2, will be held over Zoom (Register here: http://movingtraditions.formstack.com/forms/tasteofmt)
  2. JumpSpark professional teen mental health first aid, April 28, 9-5, will be held over Zoom (more information coming)
  3. Intown Post-graduation Engagement for Parents Webinar, April 28 7-8:30pm (Navigating Parenthood event – more information coming)

BBYO On-Demand

JumpSpark has joined BBYO as a partner on their amazing new platform BBYO On-Demand: https://azabbg.bbyo.org/on-demand/home If you, or your community are interested in hosting programming on the platform you can submit details here: https://azabbg.bbyo.org/on-demand/home. Please reach out if you have any questions.

JumpSpark is still running our teen and parent surveys

We have 200 teen responses and 150 parent responses so far! Thank you everyone for your efforts in making this happen. It is truly a community project that will yield data helpful to all of us.  The survey is scheduled to end on March 27th so please continue to share it out to your communities, especially since everyone is at home in front of a screen.

Teen survey: http://bit.ly/teensurveyatl

Parent survey: http://bit.ly/parentsurveyatl

jewishatl
In JumpSpark

Spark Note: Educating Generation Z about Israel

As JumpSpark considers its role in expanding teen Israel education in Atlanta, we find ourselves at the forefront of a changing approach to this topic for teens today. 

In December 2019, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel with The Jewish Education Project (TJEP) and other Jewish Israel educators from cross-denominational and political perspectives to rethink how we educate Generation Z about Israel. Since today’s youth are increasingly progressive and questioning the conflicts within Israeli society, we need to adapt the traditional Israel trip to better meet teens’ understanding and connection with Israel through a multi-narrative approach that gives a voice to the different ethnic groups that make up the tapestry of Israel. 

What the Data Says

In TJEP’s comprehensive Gen Z report, data shows a clear generational shift in how kids see the Jew in today’s society – teens care about all people, but they are not tribalist. They are asking if being Jewish is good for global humanity, not just their people. The idea of Jewish peoplehood is much less prevalent among teens today than older adults. 

Other major concerns of teens include:

  • Tikkun Olam: teens responded that tikkun olam feels like “white privelege” to them and reinforces Jews as an oppressive white minority. They are looking for a more nuanced approach to volunteering that includes community building and working with communities to fight for social justice and equality in our society.
  • Israel Connection: teens have a positive relationship towards Israel and see it as important in some way. However, the less connected the teen is to the organized Jewish community, the less they felt Israel was important. The organized Jewish community feels Israel is central to Jewish identity in the US, but is Israel the best way to be reaching people on the margins?
Download the full report

Exploring the Multi-Narrative Approach

Our first encounter with a multi-narrative approach to Israel education was with the community of Israelis from Ethiopian descent. We had the opportunity to hear from three prominent Israelis from Ethiopian descent who all work with the community’s absorption into Israeli society in various ways. 

To frame the session, we discussed the importance of talking about race in Israel for teens today. As a generation growing up in the wake of police brutality towards black and brown folks and mass incarceration in the US, issues of race relations are on their minds. Through speaking with the community, we learned that in Israel, there are similar acts of police brutality and discrimination towards Israelis of Ethiopian descent. Although we cannot fully compare the issues in these two countries, sharing this narrative in Israel with teens could allow them to consider their role as Jews in Israel and the US in improving race relations and creating justice and equity for all. 

The next day, we embarked on a dual narrative tour of Bethlehem from both an Israeli and Palestinian perspective. We observed the Israeli West Bank barrier that, from the Israeli narrative, serves as a security barrier against terrorism, and, from the Palestinian side, services as a racial segregation wall. To hear both sides allowed us to better understand the nuance behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and, ultimately, make a more informed opinion about our own beliefs. As teens today are increasingly progressive and see Israel as an oppressor in this conflict more and more, we need to not only talk about the conflict with the teens but show both sides to allow them to create their own stance and a better understanding of the complexity behind the situation.  

Questioning and critiquing is a Jewish practice that can be seen throughout our literature and in our traditions today. While Israel travel and education can no doubt light the spark for further Jewish identity exploration, it also allows teens to engage in this Jewish practice of questioning and exploring the complexities behind a situation. To truly meet teens where they’re at, we need to address issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and racism from a multi-narrative approach to add nuance and complexity to a teen’s views of the land, people, and State of Israel. Only then can we help teens discover their own stance on Israel and support their plight for justice and equity in our world. ~ A.F.

jewishatl
In Federation News

Inspired by Rwanda

I saw many powerful things that underscore the progress and possibilities happening in Rwanda, but three insights stay with me forever. All three drive me to think about the unique role Jews can play in addressing social justice on a global scale, and the impact Israel has already had as a partner committed to helping Rwanda transform its future.

1. As Jews, it is impossible to ignore the legacy of genocide that binds us to this land. The echoes of the Rwandan genocide are both recent and concrete – in memorials, in visits to the Rweru Reconciliation Village, and in the testimony of everyday Rwandans. We feel echoes of the Holocaust in this place where hatred and racial supremacy drove a campaign of mass murder over the course of 100 days in 1994. The genocide was planned and executed by extremist elements of Rwanda’s majority Hutu population. They demonized the minority Tutsis as “cockroaches,” and brainwashed the Hutu to despise them. With nowhere to run, Tutsis were literally slaughtered in place. Every Rwandan family has been touched by the conflict and yet, reconciliation between the tribes has happened. Twenty-five years later, there is healing and prosperity in this land which now has the highest GDP in Africa. Rwanda teaches us transformation is possible through the redemptive power of forgiveness and good leadership.

2. Just as Israel transformed itself from a developing nation to a world leader in innovation, Rwanda is truly on its way to becoming a knowledge-based, service-oriented economy by educating its people, adopting new agricultural technologies and creating renewable energy.

Rwandans have literally taken what we Jews know, from the Israeli kibbutz and Jewish camping, to the rehabilitation and resettlement of exiles and orphans in Israel. I saw it at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV), a place modeled on Israel’s Yemin Orde, that houses orphaned and vulnerable youth and help them reach their potential. Five post-college Jewish Fellows currently volunteer for a year at ASYV through the Global Jewish Service Corps.  I was incredibly inspired by their commitment to immersive global service.

One young volunteer told me how her experience in Rwanda now defines her. “I love that the Jewish community is investing in my Jewish identity, but now I  know with certainty that working in the developing world will be my life’s work. This expresses who I am as a Jew.”

It was no surprise to me to learn that ASYV was created by a South African Jewish woman, Anne Heyman, z”l, who moved to the US at age 15 and became active in Young Judaea, a Zionist youth movement. Anne spent a year in Israel with Young Judaea and it was foundational to her identity. After college, and many years practicing law, Anne set out to improve the world on several fronts. ASYV is just one part of her legacy as a social entrepreneur. It is a remarkable place of healing and hope.

3.  I deeply believe that immersive Jewish global experiences, such as those I saw in Rwanda, are more than identity building, they are antidotes to antisemitism. I was thrilled to be on the trip with the heads of Moishe House, Repair the World, Birthright Israel, Amplifier.org, (which grows impact through giving inspired by Jewish values), plus journalists, and policy makers from around the world. Being together led to rich conversations and new ideas for collaboration. Just as young Israelis do this kind of service work after completing army service, I had the idea that our organizations could partner to bring young Jews from across the Diaspora together in service to the world. These conversations were like pieces of a puzzle that we’ll continue to work on at home.

The result, I hope, will be a new way for Jewish world service that expresses our highest values and brings our people together in service to humanity.

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