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Lindsey Marcus

Apr 10 2024
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Because Of You, Ali Found Jewish Connection For Her & Her Family

By Atlanta Jewish Community

I am a wife and mother to a 4-year-old, currently residing in Atlanta but originally from South Florida. When I first moved to town, I encountered numerous challenges such as the absence of Jewish friends, a synagogue, or a strong Jewish identity.

But when I met my husband (who is not Jewish), things changed. Together, we have cultivated a thriving interfaith life filled with traditions and a close-knit group of interfaith friends thanks to initiatives funded by Federation.

Honeymoon Israel was instrumental in helping me find my community. In 2018, my husband and I traveled to Israel, an experience that proved to be transformational for both our lives and our marriage.

Shortly after our return, we welcomed our son into the world, and I became a PJ Library mom. Due to the constraints of COVID-19, we were confined to our home, making the monthly book deliveries from PJ Library our son’s first exposure to Judaism.

Now, we incorporate various elements of Jewish tradition into our lives. We use Honeymoon Israel candle holders to recite blessings together on Friday nights, and my husband has adopted his favorite Honeymoon Israel challah recipe and cover. Recently, my son joined me in services with Ma’alot, and he has formed incredible friendships through community events and neighborhood groups.

I am immensely grateful for the programs supported by Federation in our community. My love for Atlanta runs deep, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to give back through my work in my new professional role at Federation. I aspire to provide support to another families in the same way that Federation supported me.

From Ali and all of us at Federation: Thank you.

Apr 03 2024
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Important Update on Federation Leadership

By Atlanta Jewish Community, Atlanta Jewish Foundation, Federation News

Eric Robbins, who has served as the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta for eight years, has announced his resignation and will be stepping down. Eric has graciously agreed to stay on board through June 30th to support a smooth transition and will continue as an advisor to Federation as needed.

Eric has many notable accomplishments but more than anything, he has brought the Atlanta Jewish community together like never before. He has been a leader in the Jewish community through an extremely challenging past five years managing the organization through world events including the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Shooting, COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and most recently, the massacre of October 7 and the ongoing war in Israel. We are grateful for Eric’s leadership through these unprecedented challenges.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta has been the philanthropic heart and soul of the Atlanta Jewish community for more than a century. A committee led by Debbie Kuniansky, Matt Bronfman, and other regional leaders will soon commence a national search for a permanent CEO who will help innovate and accelerate our mission and vision and help to build the infrastructure needed for a thriving Atlanta Jewish Community for the next 100 years.

In the coming weeks, we will connect with all community stakeholders to answer questions, discuss any needed transition plans, and more.

Beth Arogeti, Board Chair, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

Mar 28 2024
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Because Of You, 22 Israeli Children & Their Families Found Refuge at The Epstein School

By Atlanta Jewish Community, Atlanta Jewish Foundation

“We’ve never done this before, but that’s what you do as a Jewish organization. You jump in and help.”

After October 7th, dozens of Israeli families fled to Atlanta, some of whom had connections here and some who didn’t know a soul.

Many were able to come thanks to a local Chabad initiative that funded flights and arranged homestays for these families. But when it came to providing a safe and welcoming Jewish educational environment, it was Federation that stepped up to supplement the tuition and security so that 22 Israeli children could attend Epstein for the entirety of their stay.

Because of this, Epstein is one of the top schools in the country to absorb such a large number of Israeli kids in this short period.

From Pre-K to 8th grade, Epstein welcomed these children and their families with open arms, ensuring that they had what they needed to feel at home. One of the many things they did was bring in extra Hebrew-speaking teachers and support staff to help with translating, which was especially important for the younger children.

They also rallied their parent community to ensure that these Israeli families always had an invitation to Shabbat dinner, a holiday gathering, or a birthday party, and that children could participate in extracurricular activities like basketball. In every way, these families became a part of the Epstein ecosystem and developed relationships that will carry them forward for years to come.

“We got just as much out of this experience as the Israelis did,” said Dr. David Abusch-Magder, Head of School at the Epstein School.

Dr. D explained that, for some Epstein students and their parents, this was their first time connecting with native Israelis who were affected by the events of October 7th and the war that has followed. Epstein became a space for understanding, compassion, and friendship that would have never blossomed otherwise. While the circumstances are very unfortunate, many Epstein families now have a very personal connection to Israel that they did not have prior to October 7th.

“Epstein and Federation were able to do this together,” said Dr. D. “As Jews, we take care of one another.”

From the Epstein community and all of us at Federation: Thank you.

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