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Atlanta Jewish Community

Nov 19 2021
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Eight Lights of Gratitude

By Atlanta Jewish Community, CARING, Federation News

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.

  1. 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.
  2.  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.
  3. 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.
  4. $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!
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7.  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.
  8. 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.
Nov 05 2021
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Your Support Saved Lives in Haiti

By Atlanta Jewish Community

On August 14th, 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake crippled southern Haiti, killing at least 2,200 people. Over 12,000 people were injured, and 130,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Haiti was already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, unparalleled economic hardship, as well as social and political unrest in the wake of the assassination of its president weeks before. Haiti’s hospitals were quickly overwhelmed, and people were unable to get the medical care they desperately needed.

With support from Federations like ours, aid from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) came almost immediately. JDC provided life-saving care to people like Esther (an alias) in the small community of Rita. Esther’s house collapsed on her during the earthquake, breaking her pelvis. Eight days after the earthquake she had yet to be seen by a medical team; she was essentially stranded, unable to seek medical care. Thanks to your support for JDC, the medical team was able to provide assistance and arrange medical evacuation to get Esther the treatment she needed.

JDC and Haiti share a rich history, dating back to the late 1930’s and early 40’s when JDC helped Jewish refugees find haven from the Nazis in Haiti and neighboring countries. In 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince, claiming over 200,000 lives. JDC quickly responded, partnering with local organizations to provide short-term food, water, and medical care, as well as long-term educational and livelihood resources.

After the 2021 earthquake, your contributions provided:

  • Lifesaving care and supplies quickly to the most affected people in the most remote locations; 2,500 pounds of essential supplies, such as bandages; gauze; and surgical gowns, masks, and gloves
  • Mobile clinics and medical supplies for the injured
  • Food to the hungry
  • Medical equipment to overwhelmed hospitals

The Federation system is skilled and experienced in disaster response. In the words of Djerhy Jn Baptiste, JDC’s consultant on the ground in Haiti: “From 2010 until now, I’ve seen firsthand that JDC is unlike any other humanitarian organization, mobilizing its local partners and listening to what they need. These local partnerships are crucial for a successful disaster response; these organizations are deeply rooted in the communities they support, with decades of outstanding impact.”

See JDC in action in this video.

Nov 01 2021
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Get a “PhD in Parenting!”

By Atlanta Jewish Community

JumpSpark’s popular “PhD in Parenting Tweens and Teens” program is back for a second year.The program helps parents of tweens (10-13) and teens (14-18+) manage the stressors and complexities their teens are facing amid a pandemic that has turned their world upside-down.

Erica Hruby facilitates the program. She’s well aware of the unique issues that have faced teens and tweens in a COVID environment — depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation from peers. Erica says, “Parenting tweens and teens isn’t intuitive. Many would call it an art. Parents find it difficult to be vulnerable or ask for help because they don’t want to feel that they’ve failed. In PhD in Parenting, the parents of tweens and teens share their challenges together. They begin to understand that teen issues require the same intensity of attention as the issues they focused on when their kids were infants and toddlers.”

Karen Bowen, the mother of a teen and a tween said, “My biggest insight and takeaway from the class is that we need to meet our kids where they are developmentally. I’m applying what I learned by taking a step back when I approach my children, to remember where they’re at emotionally before I engage.”

Shana Stukalsky, a parent of two teens, found the group setting extremely helpful. “It provided the opportunity to consider situations that I had not encountered, as well as approaches that worked or did not work. It’s always beneficial to hear other people’s perspectives, especially with regard to complex situations. Not only did the group leaders keep the learning relevant, but they also found ways to connect things back to individual situations.”

For more information about PhD in Parenting Tweens and Teens contact info@jumpsparkatl.org.

Oct 21 2021
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The Joy of Face-to-Face Conversations

By Atlanta Jewish Community, CARING, Federation News

It has been pure joy to attend the in-person outdoor events that are gradually returning to the Federation calendar. Two weekends ago an amazing crew of BBQ pit masters, competing as Team Feederation, joined 18 other teams at the Atlanta Kosher Barbecue Festival at Brook Run Park. Thousands attended the festival and Team Feederation took first place in the chicken category!

Last week I attended two more in-person events — the launch of the new J-CREN (Jewish Commercial Real Estate Network) initiative and the Women’s Philanthropy Fall event. At both, there was a palpable sense of reunion and optimism as people came together for the first time in more than 18 months.

Talking to donors — and to “not-yet” donors — about the work Federation does, and the ways the community benefits from our work, sparks great conversations. Once someone understands our story and respects the strategy we’ve been pushing forward, they are eager to help us care for, connect, and strengthen our Jewish community

At the same time, it is humbling to encounter folks who know little about the resources and opportunities their Campaign gift empowers.

I am hearing that people are hungry to travel to Israel again. We are still hopeful that a 2023 Community Journey to Israel will happen, and we will share details as soon as we can.

I am hearing that people love the microgrants we’re giving to individuals and community groups who want to build community. The small but mighty grants of up to $200 have empowered friends and neighbors to build sukkahs, join together for community service, feed the hungry, and turn their neighborhoods into vibrant Jewish places.

People appreciate the culture shift in the way Federation engages with the community. They value our collaboration with the synagogues, camps, human services, and partner organizations that make up our Jewish ecosystem. They appreciate the priorities and the leadership that emanates from 1440 Spring Street.

At this moment of reconnection, I’m reminded that today would have been the birthday of my beloved sister Judy who passed away unexpectedly in 1978. Judy is the reason I went to Camp Barney Medintz and ultimately moved to Atlanta. She is the person who still fires my love for our city and our Jewish community. With Judy’s memory in mind, I am gratified to report that the 2022 Community Campaign is ahead of pace, at more than 32% of goal.

As always, I love to engage in good conversation about our community. Whether face-to-face, or by email, let me hear from you!

Oct 15 2021
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Expanding Inclusion is My Calling. Atlanta Jewish Foundation Helps Make It Happen

By Atlanta Jewish Community, Atlanta Jewish Foundation, CARING

By Michelle Simon
Atlanta Jewish Foundation Operations Committee

After our middle son Kyle was born, we quickly discovered that he had differing abilities. They were not always visible to others, but it was clear to us that Kyle had unique challenges. We were fortunate to intervene early and provide him with the supportive services he needed along the way. Today at age 24, Kyle has just landed a new job where he is highly valued by his co-workers. Though he lives at home, he is quite independent, and is the heart of our family.

I became a community advocate for people with disabilities not simply for Kyle, but because so many others in our community didn’t have access to these resources. It was tragic to me that they could not access the social skills support, occupational and speech therapy, and inclusion opportunities Kyle had. There are roughly 28,000 families in our Jewish community with disability needs. I try to be a cheerleader for all of them.

Today, I’m thrilled to report that things are changing for the better in Atlanta. The Jewish community is making inclusion a priority. This year, the Jewish Abilities Alliance (JAA) is one of the Targeted Philanthropy options for Federation’s 2022 Community Campaign, enabling you to direct your gift to disability needs. As a member of the Atlanta Jewish Foundation Operations Committee and Advisory Committee, I’ve urged many friends and community members to join me in using donor-advised funds and legacy gift planning as tools. It’s an effective way to ensure that your philanthropic vision for inclusion will impact generations to come.

The Jewish Abilities Alliance has completed a community-wide disabilities needs assessment. I believe it will be a game-changer. Funded by Federation and several passionate donors, the JAA survey is the basis of a strategic plan to implement the most promising recommendations. Armed with research-based data, we have a blueprint for action. Knowing where there are gaps, we are ready to identify potential partnerships and collaborations and invest in filling as many as we can.

JAA is working alongside community partners to prioritize and implement recommendations from the community study, some of which include: Inclusion of people with disabilities in committees and decision-making processes; An inclusion certification process for Jewish communal organizations; Support for an inclusive trip to Israel; Expanded inclusion training for camps, and for all Jewish educators and synagogue professionals. Ultimately, JAA collaborates with all our community service agencies to create a seamless path of support for families and individuals across the lifespan.

Now, with additional funds we can do more of everything – the possibilities are endless and necessary! Having served on Federation’s Innovation Advisory Committee, I helped bring Innovation’s micro-grant practices to JAA. This year JAA awarded more than $19,000 in mini-grants to support local inclusion projects. These grants have funded things like an automatic door at a synagogue, sensory equipment for classrooms, and accessible shuttle services at community events.

Atlanta Jewish Foundation’s fundholders granted out close to $40 million to support our community last year, some of which supported disabilities.

I take a strategic approach to philanthropy and tikkun olam (repairing the world.) I’m not just about Kyle. I’m about the whole community. This is my calling in life, to focus on disability needs and inclusion, and to discover people’s talents and priorities. We have incredible people here who want Atlanta to be the most welcoming and inclusive community. Together, I know we can do it.

Oct 15 2021
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A 21st Century Response to the Shmitah Year: Forgiving Medical Debt

By Atlanta Jewish Community, CARING

By Rabbi Sam Kaye, The Temple
By the reckoning of our sages, this Jewish year 5782 is what we call a shmita or sabbatical year. Shmitah literally means a “release.” Just as Shabbat occurs every seven days, a day of rest, every seven years there is a shmitah. While most people connect it to agriculture, there is another tradition of the shmitah which has nothing to do with produce or farming — the forgiveness of debts.

I know this in a personal way. In rabbinical school, despite having health insurance, a late-night visit to the emergency room and cancer scare left me with tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills. The Temple gave me an advance on my salary; enough to pay those off. My family and I have had the chance to start over. As we enter into the shmitah year our Jewish community is fulfilling this mitzvah for others and inspiring a new 21st century shmitah.

I gave a sermon about this topic over the High Holy days kicking off a major fundraising effort between The Temple and RIP Medical Debt, helping people with serious medical debt have their debt erased. The results have been beyond all expectations!

RIP Medical Debt is a non-profit organization that purchases, and then forgives, medical debt. During the yamim noraim, the days of Awe, The Temple partnered with RIP and, through our members’ incredible generosity, raised over $75,000. At a rate of $1 donated to $100 of debt purchased, this will erase more than $7,500,000 worth of outstanding medical debt right here in the city of Atlanta.

None of this would have been possible without the generous hearts of our community.  The Helen Marie Stern Fund offered a $10,000 matching grant. Congregants sent more than $10,000 directly to the Temple, which is being forwarded to RIP.  And a sold-out gala, with Ebenezer Baptist Church for young professionals brought in another $2,500.

Learn more about this 21st century Shmitah initiative here, and may this shmitah year bring a sacred release for us all.

Oct 11 2021
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Jessica Mehlman’s Bio

By Atlanta Jewish Community

Jessica joined JFNA in March 2021 after almost 22 years at the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ. She started her career at Federation, first working in planned giving and endowments, then moving to the allocations side– eventually becoming Chief Planning Officer. Jessica is a graduate of Indiana University, has an MA/MSW from the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University, and recently completed an executive masters in Jewish Professional Studies from the Spertus Institute in Chicago. A self-proclaimed “data-nerd,” Jessica is passionate about the real-life application of data to inform our work.

Oct 08 2021
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Impact Israel & Yemin Orde: Transforming the Lives of At-Risk Youth

By Atlanta Jewish Community, CARING, People in Need

For 450 at-risk youth from around the world, Yemin Orde Youth Village in Israel is a transformational place. Located on 77 acres atop Mount Carmel, the village serves as a home, school, and safe haven for young immigrants who have suffered trauma and have no other place in Israel to call home.

The village’s youth are from Ethiopia, the former Soviet Union, France, Brazil, and Israel itself. Through individualized therapeutic care, tutoring, and mentoring, empowers these marginalized teenagers to become accomplished students and successful professionals. The program strengthens crucial life skills and connects participants to their Jewish history.

“The Atlanta Federation has a long history of friendship and collaboration with Yemin Orde, says Deputy Director Susan Weijel. “You have supported our work, visited us, hosted our kids in Atlanta, and made us feel like extended mishpocha (family).” We are especially proud of that Atlanta’s Robert Arogeti now champions philanthropic support for Yemin Orde as the National Chair of ImpactIsrael.”

Robert Arogeti has a long history and personal connection with Yemin Orde that spans more than 30 years. He is also a past chair and lifetime trustee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. Now, through ImpactIsrael, he directs his philanthropic expertise to amplify Yemin Orde’s impact on more than 20,000 current students and alumni each year.

Promoting is just one initiative Atlanta has invested in. It provides students with a framework to overcome academic obstacles and truly believe in their ability to succeed. The Yemin Orde team provides academic support, extensive tutoring, an educational summer camp, and marathon study sessions to prepare students for matriculation exams. There is also a specialized computer science program for students who excel academically. As a result, many students have exceeded their initial academic goals.

Robert Arogeti takes personal pride in this work. Being at Yemin Orde with my wife and daughters reminded me of a mantra I try to live by: Living life by being Jewish every day.’ That has been the essence of Yemin Orde since I first visited in the mid-1980s with Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. After being an advocate, a funder, a believer, and a champion of Yemin Orde, it’s an honor to serve on the ImpactIsrael board of directors”

Oct 04 2021
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Equity Can’t Wait

By Atlanta Jewish Community, CARING

By Victoria Raggs
Executive Director, Atlanta Jews of Color Council

As a professional Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) consultant, I was very excited that Atlanta Jewish of Color Council (AJOCC) was chosen as one of six organizations in Federation’s Innovation Propel grant cohort for 2022.

AJOCC is a local grassroots nonprofit committed to fostering racial equity, affirmation, and empowerment across the South. I co-founded AJOCC last year with my daughter Ariel Raggs, a student at Mercer University. We recognized that discrimination within our own Jewish community was a problem and wanted to offer a solution. It is our belief that JEDI, if not done correctly, can cause further harm to the very community it’s supposed to help. We want to create a multifaceted strategic action plan to effectively promote inclusion that centers around the marginalized.

AJOCC has set an ambitious mission to drive institutional change by amplifying the local voices of historically excluded and underrepresented Jews of Color. Our core belief is that local Jews of Color can speak for themselves and should have agency in the planning and operations of their local community. We advocate for racial equity in hiring, multicultural belonging, and pipelines into local leadership. Through intentional programming, we want to build empowering, affirming spaces where members and co-conspirators develop a deeper connection to Judaism and Jewish community.

In addition to education, AJOCC wants Jewish organizations to take a comprehensive and systemic perspective to integrate inclusive tangible practices.AJOCC advocates for transparency and accountability to change local policies that shape access to social and economic resources. Ultimately, we want Jewish institutions and Federations, partner agencies, and grantees to accelerate their progress in reducing barriers and advancing racial equity in their work through data and metrics.

Racial injustice has been happening for years, but people, especially young people, are reacting to it very differently now. Their generation expects things to happen quickly. AJOCC wants to engage young people in intentional conversations around oppression and racism. We teach them how to have difficult conversations about bias, recognize racism, and how to organize against it using direct action.

To learn more about AJOCC, visit our website.

Oct 01 2021
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Abe Besser: A Life Rooted in Philanthropy

By Atlanta Jewish Community

The Atlanta Jewish community lost a very special person and an outstanding philanthropist when Abe Besser died on April 26, 2021. Abe was fervent in his love for Jewish Atlanta and contributed to almost every Jewish organization in town. Abe was extremely proud that he was a consistent donor to Federation’s annual Community Campaign for more than five decades. Known for his support for Holocaust remembrance, Abe was also a benefactor of the Besser Gymnastics Building at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA), numerous programs at Jewish Family & Career Services, and established philanthropic funds at Atlanta Jewish Foundation.

We share Abe’s story because it sits at the intersection of philanthropy, memory, and entrepreneurship. It is a testament to how one individual chose to pay his blessings forward for the benefit of our Atlanta Jewish community. And it illustrates precisely how Atlanta Jewish Foundation can help anyone create a lasting philanthropic legacy.

Born in Krzepice, Poland, Abe was the youngest of seven children. To protect his sisters from being taken by the Nazis, his father sent him to a labor camp. His years of hard labor included walking in the snow with no shoes, and so he rejoiced on the day American planes dropped flyers announcing that the Americans had landed. “When I was in the concentration camp, I promised myself that if I survived, I would build a memorial so that the world would not forget.” Along with his beloved wife Marlene Gelernter Besser, he also planned and executed the outdoor memorial at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta to the six million Jews who perished in the Shoah. He envisioned this as a memorial to his family and to the community as a living tribute for future generations.

What drove this immigrant entrepreneur to give so generously? Abe Besser’s obituary provides clues to his ingenuity and tenacity. Before even arriving in America, Abe founded a cab company in Berlin to serve the American soldiers. At age 24, when he immigrated to the United States, it is said that upon arrival in New Orleans, he literally kissed the ground in thanks. As a new immigrant, Abe was sponsored by the Rosenthal Sheet Metal Company. He paid his debt back to the company over three years and went to night school to learn English. Abe began his career by building houses and apartment complexes throughout greater Atlanta.

Abe Besser’s philanthropic focus on Holocaust remembrance was deeply embedded in his life experiences. In an interview archived at The Breman Jewish Museum, he was asked, “What would you want people to learn about the Holocaust?”

He replied, “What I want them to learn, to see [is] what had happened in a civilized country, what a civilized country did to human beings. Therefore, I want them to see that this education is being brought forward, and taught, and taught, and taught [so] that an atrocity like that would never happen again to human beings. This is the only thing I’d like to see. That it will not occur again, regardless of what religion a person believes. What right does any country have to eradicate a nation because of their religion? The United States is a free country, and everybody believes whatever they want to believe, and that’s the way it ought to be. I’d like to see more and more education, more and more people to understand the Holocaust and the atrocities that happened [so] that it will not occur again. This is my only wish.”

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