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).”
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:
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!
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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:
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.
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!
Ana Robins, Executive Director, Jewish Kids Groups
If you are interested in contributing to a future issue about something you are reading (or listening to), please contact Rich Walter.
Teaching Religious Text in a Culturally Heterogeneous Classroom by Uri Bilmes
In his article “Teaching Religious Text in a Culturally Heterogeneous Classroom,“ Uri Bilmes, a middle school bible teacher in Israel, sets forth a framework for how to navigate teaching Torah to 30 students from different backgrounds.
He presents two strategies: “A Tapestry of Experiences,” and “Using Primary Sources,” that I believe to be central to reaching and engaging students. Like Bilmes’ classroom, Jewish Kids Groups Afterschool Communities serve students from different backgrounds. We, at Jewish Kids Groups, also have the added complexity of mixed-age and mixed-level classrooms. Additionally, some students attend only a few days a week while others come Monday thru Friday. As a result, our teaching team uses a variety of strategies to keep all our students engaged and growing Jewishly.
Bilmes first strategy, “A Tapestry of Experiences,” asks students– right up front, before any new learning takes place– to share their personal experience, emotions, and associations on a topic, using a metaphor. For example, if the topic were Yom Kippur, students are asked early on, how do you experience this idea? What is an object that represents your experience? One student might choose an empty dinner plate, while another student might choose a giant fish, and another might choose a prayer book.
“No one is saying what [Yom Kippur] is (or the Bible, or any other topic), but rather how it is subjectively experienced.” Bilmes explains, “Mapping out the spectrum of associations with the same story or subject is an effective way to reflect the complexity of the issue, while leaving the expression in the less confrontational form of imagery or metaphor.” The idea is to soften the barrier of exclusive thinking that often surrounds sensitive questions by showing the diversity of experience surrounding the issue at hand, without attacking a certain position. As a result, the groundwork is built for a more unguarded learning experience.
This approach is like that of educational philosopher William James, who, in his book, Talks to Teachers on Psychology and to Students on Some of Life’s Ideals originally published in 1899, lays out the critical nature of activating the “native reactions” of our students by engaging them from within. James says that “You may take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink; and so you may take a child to the schoolroom, but you cannot make him learn the new things you wish to impart, except by soliciting him in the first instance by something which natively makes him react.” Engaging children in their own opinions and experiences activates their native reactions, their natural curiosity, thereby increasing their engagement with the topic at hand. James would agree that Blimes is right on target with this strategy.
Bilmes second strategy centers around using primary sources, “Invite and Engage Using Text.” Bilmes explains that sacred text “is a magical medium that suggests itself unapologetically to the learner and invites the readers to grapple with it. It is original and honest. It does not bite.” Bilmes writes about sacred texts specifically, but his approach can be extended to primary sources generally.
In today’s world of constant commentary, opinion, and what has recently become known as the pervasive nature of “fake news” in our world, children desperately need primary source material in their learning. It teaches them that there is a source, that there is a bottom line, and that it is in the interpretation of these sources, where modern thought arises. How else do we teach our students to dig deeper to find truth and meaning in today’s world of twitter, facebook, and instagram?
The use of primary sources combined with activating native reactions through reflecting personal experiences opens the door to genuine conversations in a heterogeneous classroom. It is these types of conversations that we strive to consistently engage in at JKG, and why we believe our students develop close relationships to each other, respect for different perspectives, and personal connections to content. In 2022, with different forms of diversity in classrooms, utilizing strategies like Bilmes suggests in this article will increase engagement for all learners, as is our sacred duty and responsibility as educators.
It’s amazing what a mini grant of $180 can do! For Hanukkah, Federation awarded 70 Gather Grants of $180 to people in 18 zip codes throughout Atlanta and the Northern Suburbs. Applicants were invited to create welcoming Hanukkah events in their local communities. The warmth and friendliness of these events engaged people of all ages, and fully 92% of participants reported they feel a stronger connection to the Jewish community after attending them.
Here comes 2022! I love how the secular new year gives us a chance to revisit the resolutions we wrestled with at Rosh Hashanah. Now, nearly six months later, I am taking a gentle look back at my August blog post which outlined Federation’s top priorities for 2021. They are all still Federation priorities, but the last 20 months and the last two weeks have taught us how quickly the virus can upend our progress. As our Yiddische sages said, “Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht,” — Man plans, G-d laughs.
As for planning, you’ll be interested to know that inside Federation all our professionals have adopted a business accountability and management model called EOS — Entrepreneurial Operating System. EOS disciplines us to establish goals and create scorecards to evaluate them with measurable inputs and outputs. So, through an EOS lens, I want to revisit our priority projects to see where we are, and where we are heading.
Israel Travel | (Uncertain)
People are hungry to travel to Israel, but Omicron has put a halt to it for now. We hope to move forward with our Men’s Journey, 40-Under-40, and other experiences in 2022.
Jewish Education Collaborative (JEC) | (Moving Forward)
JEC is doing bold work at Congregation Or Hadash to reimagine bar/bat mitzvah. Busy families at five local synagogues no longer battle traffic for midweek Hebrew as part of the Atlanta Hebrew Connection, where learning is done from home.
Gap Year Programs in Israel | (Thriving. Funding Renewed)
With generous funding from The Zalik Foundation, JumpSpark recruited twenty-five students from fifteen different Atlanta high schools who have received scholarships of $10,000 – $15,000 to attend a gap year program in Israel. They are thriving and sending incredible reports back home.
1440 Spring Street: A Center for Jewish Life | (Excitement Continues)
The building boom in Midtown makes our dream of turning 1440 Spring Street into a Center for Jewish Life very much alive. We envision a dynamic space where Jewish entrepreneurs and innovative nonprofits will interact and where cultural experiences will happen.
Toco Hills Housing Initiative |(Exploration Continues)
Exploration of the feasibility of building affordable apartments for older adults in Toco Hills continues.
Family Camp |(Happening)
An immersive family camp weekend for young families is planned for early April at Ramah Darom.
Tuition Assistance for Jewish Professionals | (In Effect)
Full-time Jewish professionals, clergy, and educators are now eligible to receive up to a 50 percent tuition reduction if their children are currently enrolled or have been accepted to an accredited Jewish high school in Atlanta. It has helped boost enrollment at our Jewish high schools and has been renewed for a second cohort of students.
Camp Scholarships | (Back for Summer 2022)
Camp scholarships helped send more than 1,000 kids Jewish camp in 2021. Applications for camp scholarships are open for summer 2022.
By: Nichole “Niki” Hetchkop, Founder of Beeline Bagels
“By making bagels more accessible and on-demand, Beeline Bagels is an innovative idea that celebrates Jewish culture and creates community. We are proud to support a more dynamic Jewish Atlanta by funding Beeline Bagel’s mobile cart. Here’s Nichole’s Bloom grant story.” —Russell Gottschalk, Federation Director of Innovation.
As a Federation Innovation Bloom grantee, and a graduate of the Path course, I have made a lot of progress in my journey to deliver the best bagels to Atlanta through the creation of my company, Beeline Bagels.Over the last six months I’ve refined my mission and overcome a lot of the logistical hurdles presented in creating a food business in Atlanta. My Bloom grant allowed me to think way beyond my initial concept.
My first inclination was to sell bagels through a brick-and-mortar space, but it was proving to be a struggle with Covid and getting the space I needed to create my bagel magic. That’s when I decided to go mobile. The Bloom grant allowed me to invest in developing a custom mobile cart, one that would allow space for the pre-packaged bagels and a place to refrigerate the cream cheeses. I worked with a company in Bayside, NY to create this cart that includes custom ice plates at the bottom of the cart to keep cream cheeses cold and has room for 200 bagels. The wheels on the cart allow me to set up shop mostly anywhere!”
The grant has allowed me to practice and perfect my bagel-making skills. I said yes to every opportunity to make my bagels for a new person, including creating samples for the Kosher Atlanta BBQ Festival. I made bagels for all my friends and asked them for feedback and to help spread the word. One friend who tried my bagel and is a contributor to Good Day Atlanta named Beeline Bagels as one of the best bagels in Atlanta – something I now proudly proclaim in my marketing.
I am also focused on becoming an event vendor. My goal is to book wedding brunches, bar/bat mitzvahs, fundraisers, tailgates, events in the Jewish community, and beyond. Because I am mobile, the geographic potential is endless! I have an amazing network of talented friends who have helped me photograph my bagels, build my website, create my logo and help design my merchandise so I can sell apparel and create another revenue stream. I can’t forget to mention the dozens of family and friends who have provided me with honest feedback to help get my bagels and schmear to where they are today.
My overarching goal, one day, is to have multiple carts where I can employ adults with special needs to help sell goods from the carts. For now, I am continuing to focus on my go-to-market strategy, revising as I go, while creating heavy buzz for Beeline Bagels. As a one-woman business, I am determined to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible to establish Beeline Bagels as the go-to bagel vendor in Atlanta for all Jewish events and beyond.
I thank the Bloom Grant team for believing in me, and I look forward to wheeling my cart into an event for them soon. For all bagel orders and inquiries for events, please e-mail BeelineBagels@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @BeelineBagels and visit us on our website at www.beelinebagels.com
A unique silver lining of the pandemic has been a significant spike in enrollment at Atlanta’s Jewish day schools. Last year and this year, many Atlanta parents who were frustrated by school closings and virtual learning opted for the high-quality, in-person education found at our Jewish day schools.
Tallying re-enrollment and new enrollments, nearly all our day schools are seeing their highest numbers in recent history. The Davis Academy added an additional section of first grade last year. They now have 54 students in second grade. Enrollment at The Weber School is at an all-time high.
The Zalik Foundation’s Jewish Community Professional High School Tuition Grant has also been a driver. It offers full-time Jewish professionals, clergy, and educators up to a 50 percent tuition reduction if their children are currently enrolled or have been accepted to an accredited Jewish high school in Atlanta.
Prizmah, national Jewish day school network, confirms the trend. Their 2021 report said, “After two decades of slow erosion in the numbers of students enrolled in non-Orthodox Jewish day schools in North America, the 18 months since the onset of COVID-19 have seen an unanticipated change. Many schools have reported a spate of inquiries and enrollments among children transferring from public schools, sometimes in the middle of the year. Families noticed how well day schools were responding to the challenge of offering a solid and stable education during the pandemic. They preferred what they saw to what their children were experiencing in their previous schools.”
In-migration and remote working are also part of the story. Because of COVID, parents were able to work remotely and choose a community with great day school options. In the Atlanta Jewish Times, Erica Gal, a former admissions director at Atlanta Jewish Academy (AJA), said, “Though AJA did have families coming from local public school, we also had a lot of families move here from out of town.”
Here in Atlanta, preparing our schools to receive these new students and to operate in the COVID environment came at a cost. Jewish day schools received grants from the CARES Act and from Federation’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to offset the increased cost of additional staffing, building adaptations, increased cleaning, PPE, and many other costs associated with safe operations. That investment really paid off.
It’s great to hear comments like this one from a new day school parent: “Ok, I can’t help it! I just have to tell you how insanely happy our daughter is this year already. She literally cannot wait to come to school every day, and when I pick her up, she is just going a mile a minute, telling me all about her day and how much fun she had. She absolutely adores her teachers, and so do we. They have just been so above and beyond in every way already.”
Another way to support our Jewish day schools is to make a pledge to the ALEF Fund to redirect a portion of your Georgia state taxes to become tuition scholarships. Hurry, the deadline is December 31, 2021.
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Discover Israel’s many treasures on a transformative journey with a focus on historical exploration, exhilarating adventures in nature, and cultural connections.
Travel from the far north in the Galilee to the deep south at the Red Sea as we visit ancient Jerusalem, modern Tel Aviv, the lush Golan Heights, the vast Negev Desert, the unsinkable Dead Sea, and the stark mountaintop fortress of Masada. Along the way, you’ll take part in an authentic archaeological dig, sample the world’s very best falafel, spend a night sleeping under the desert stars, and experience the innovative energy of Tel Aviv first-hand.
More than a tour, this is an opportunity to understand Israel’s dynamic society first-hand while finding your own connection to this storied land. Explore what it means to be Jewish from an Israeli point of view, understand the complex politics of the Middle East with real-world insights, and practice Jewish values through hands-on volunteering and Shabbat experiences.
Some of our Israel Journey trips will have the opportunity to attend The Maccabiah Games. Often referred to as “the Jewish Olympics,” this is the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition that takes place every four years in Israel.
