Caring Archives

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring, Young Leadership Division

Atlanta’s Sober Spiritual Community

Food and booze are omnipresent in Jewish life, marking most holidays and every Shabbat. How should we, along with Jews in recovery, and their loved ones, approach the ubiquity of alcohol, even when it is part of sanctifying our observances? And with Purim coming, how can we make a holiday where getting drunk is actually encouraged, a safe and holy experience for everyone?

“We definitely need more healthy places for Jews and other people in recovery,” says Marc Pimsler, a founder of Sober Shabbat events in Atlanta. His pivotal moment of commitment to recovery happened in 2004 at Congregation Kol Emeth during the high holy days. Today, with a decade of sobriety under his belt, Marc knows how precarious the road to recovery can be. “I think a lot about the challenges of leading a sober Jewish life. Purim is the holiday that exemplifies the addict’s dilemma. It’s all about hiding, putting on a show. My substance abuse was a kind of pageantry, finding a way to numb myself, take away the pain by creating a disguise. Like Esther, I was hiding my authentic self.”

Rabbi Malka Packer-Monroe, Director of InterfaithFamily Atlanta, and Mandy Wright, Program Manager of JF&CS’s HAMSA program (Helping Atlantans Manage Substance Abuse), have been partnering to create sober spiritual options. Rabbi Packer-Monroe speaks to the special challenges of Purim: “According to Jewish law, those who identify as Jewish are supposed to become so inebriated on Purim that they don’t know the difference between Mordechai and Haman. There is a teaching that we are to get so drunk that we experience everything as G-d. Good and evil are both part of G-d’s world and we should experience them as one.”

“The irony is that for people in recovery from addiction, it is drinking and drugging and using other substances that blocks them from their connection to a Higher Power. Using substances was their way to check out and not be present with the “Mystery.” One way to the Source of Life for many people is through quiet meditation and spiritual community. We’re creating places for Jews and their loved ones to celebrate in spaces where there is no alcohol. We would like to support Jewish organizations and institutions who are hosting Sober Purim experiences for adults.”

Taking their lead from InterfaithFamily and HAMSA, more and more organizations in Jewish Atlanta are adjusting their practices. This year’s Purim Off Ponce event will not be fully dry, but there will be a signature non-alcoholic drink served, crafted by a mixologist who caters to sober events. Other Jewish events are featuring “mocktails” and other alcohol-free options. There have been national Birthright Israel trips for people in recovery. It’s also possible to host a virtual sober shabbat through OneTable Atlanta and OneTable offers a guide to creating a OneTable sober Shabbat.

HAMSA’s Mandy Wright says, “We want to push our community to shift the culture around drinking by offering fun, appealing, non-alcoholic alternatives either in place of, or in conjunction with, the traditional alcoholic offerings at fundraisers, celebrations, and more.”

“And remember, the word ‘sober’ doesn’t just refer to alcohol. Sobriety is for all people in recovery, whether from trauma, abuse, mental illness, or substance abuse. For years I thanked G-d for alcohol and drugs. They saved me from killing myself. But now, I’m married and in the first healthy relationship of my life. My husband Ashley is a Christian whose depth of spirit is amazing. He re-inspires me every day to cherish Judaism and stay on a healthy path.” says Marc Pimsler.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring

2021 MLK Weekend of Jewish Service and Learning

Despite the pandemic, the 2021 MLK Weekend of Jewish Service and Learning, planned and organized by Repair the World Atlanta, had a terrific turnout, exceeding all expectations. Our community accomplished so much together! See our impact!

Lily Brent, Executive Director of Repair the World Atlanta, said, “You joined us in reimagining service in the context of a global pandemic by volunteering and learning from the comfort of your home or masked-up from six feet away. All of us at Repair the World Atlanta are so gratified to see the engagement from the community. We are so grateful to the partners and committee members who shared their knowledge and experience to make this possible.”

Repair’s first annual Jewish Racial Justice Learn-In was also successful, engaging 201 participants across all the events. You can find all three Learn-In program recordings here and copies of the presentations here.

jewishatl In AgeWell Atlanta, Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring

Resources for Holocaust Survivors

We are very proud to announce that Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta has been selected to be part of a national grant that expands national capacity to provide Person-Centered, Trauma Informed (PCTI) care to Holocaust survivors, other older adults with a history of trauma, and their family caregivers. Atlanta was one of just 10 Federations invited to apply for funding.

Rich Walter, Federation’s VP of Programs and Grantmaking said, “Supporting Holocaust survivors and other victims of trauma has never been more necessary than during the current pandemic. This grant will enable us to not only provide crucial support to these populations but to their caregivers as well. It builds on the great work being done in our community through Holocaust Survivor Support Fund, led by Cherie Aviv, and AgeWell Atlanta as we continue to put forward a coordinated model of care and support.”

The grant offers the opportunity for invited Jewish Federations to:

• Serve more Holocaust survivors
• Develop new partnerships with agencies that work with traumatized older populations and their family caregivers
• Facilitate and foster the innovation and expansion of PCTI services
• Share promising practices in community-building and PCTI care on a national level

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring

2021 AJFF Lineup

The 21^st edition of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) will be a hybrid event running for 12 days, Feb. 17-28, 2021. With audience safety and comfort in mind, AJFF has reimagined the festival experience to combine at-home virtual screenings with select drive-in movies, and expanded conversation with filmmakers and special guests.

“It’s gratifying to see that despite the pandemic, the pipeline of new films on Jewish themes is as strong as ever,” says AJFF Executive Director Kenny Blank. “Cinematic stories feed the soul at a time when we need to reignite our shared sense of humanity. We have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure the core tenets of the festival – community, representation, storytelling, and experience – are preserved in our 2021 hybrid edition. We look forward to being ‘together through film’ in February, our motto for these COVID times.”

The 2021 AJFF film lineup, which goes live today, will include over 30 narrative and documentary features plus short film offerings, representing a diversity of genres and subjects. One very special film is Atlanta: A City Too Busy to Wait, created by three young Jewish Atlantans, Adam Hirsch, Jacob Ross, and Gabby Spatt. It documents how the Atlanta Jewish community responded to the complex challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis with unprecedented generosity, creativity, selflessness, and collaboration, and was funded with support from a Propel Grant from Federation Innovation and AJFF’s new Filmmaker Fund.

Audiences will be able to view films from a smart TV, home theater, computer, tablet, or other mobile device. Thanks to an exclusive partnership with Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AJFF will also offer a limited number of drive-in screenings in the 11-acre The Home Depot Backyard greenspace, for a physically distanced but shared moviegoing experience.

AJFF 2021 will offer community conversation with enhanced guest programming, including speaker introductions and extensive Q&A panels that further explore the themes and topics presented onscreen.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring

Rising Leader: Robin Sysler

Robin Sysler likes to say she has “a Federation heart.” “I was trained by the best of the best in the Greater Metro West Federation,” she says with pride. “From my college field placement with JESNA, the former Jewish education agency, to getting a Federation scholarship for my master’s degree in social work at the Wurzweiler school, Federation has been a huge influence. Learning from the professionals at Federation informs how I think about programs, how I see the big picture, and how I reach out to engage people.”

Robin was an active leader in Federation up north, and though she’s been in Atlanta for less than two years, her “Federation heart” kicked in immediately. Before officially moving here, a passion for Holocaust education led Robin to become a docent at The Breman Museum. It’s work she had done previously with the Holocaust Council of Greater Metro West. There she helped write Holocaust exhibition materials and gave talks and tours to groups of all ages.

Federation connections deepened when Robin went on the Women’s Philanthropy mission to Cuba. “I had been to Cuba before and understood the issues. It was the friendships we forged that were so powerful.” Poised to become the next president of Women’s Philanthropy, Robin reflects, “My passion for Federation is being hands-on, and seeing what we can do together. I want to diversify our membership and increase involvement in a significant, tangible way. I want every woman to experience the warm welcome Atlanta gave to me.”

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Atlanta Jewish Foundation, Caring

Atlanta Jewish Foundation Expands Team & Services

We are proud and excited to announce a significant expansion of the Atlanta Jewish Foundation (AJF) professional team and services as we seek to grow philanthropic assets for the Jewish community. In 2020 the Foundation spearheaded a massive philanthropic response to help stabilize and support the Jewish ecosystem throughout the coronavirus pandemic and beyond. Our fundholders gave more than $38 million in grants to over 1,000 organizations, much of it directed to.

We have added two newly created positions and an enhanced mix of service offerings to serve our fundholders better in 2021. “There is huge growth and investment happening in the Jewish community,” says Christy Butler Eckoff, Chief Foundation Officer and Managing Director of AJF. “People are seeing first-hand how their generosity sustains the causes they care about today and for generations to come, ensuring a more vibrant, vigorous Jewish Atlanta and a better future for the world.”

Jori Mendel has been named Deputy Director where she will bring her sales, marketing, and innovation experience to lead efforts on direct outreach to potential individual fundholders and grow and steward the Foundation’s planned gift portfolio. Staci Eichelbaum has been named Director of Philanthropic Advising where she will bring her expertise and training on family philanthropy, philanthropic advising, giving circles, and NextGen engagement to lead efforts with existing fundholders on their personal philanthropy, family philanthropy, educational events, and collaborative giving.

They strengthen our team of experienced professionals. Kathy Evans, Director of Foundation Operations, brings several years of operations and finance experience in the for-profit sector and leads operations for the Foundation. Cindy Weik, Donor Services Associate, has been with the Foundation for 14 years providing excellent customer service and leading gift acknowledgment and grants. Rachel Rosner, LIFE & LEGACY® Coordinator, brings years of executive experience at large retailers and leads efforts around the LIFE&LEGACY program and Foundation marketing.

AJF currently manages and stewards $330 million in assets for the Jewish community and has a goal to grow its portfolio to managing $1 billion over the next decade. “Our goal is to make AJF the go-to place for philanthropic funds, family and personal philanthropy, planned giving, asset management, and Jewish generosity,” Christy Eckoff explains. “AJF has a deep understanding of community needs and the organizations that are addressing them.”

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring, Jewish Education Collaborative

Jewish Educators Bounce Forward, Not Back

What will Jewish education look and feel like when the trauma of this pandemic is finally over? Will religious school simply return to “normal”? And if it does, will it meet the needs of Atlanta’s students and families?

In the field of psychology, there’s a concept known as “Post-Traumatic Growth” (“PTG”) which proves that it’s possible to grow stronger, more driven, and more resilient, because of the trauma we face. Ultimately, it’s not the trauma itself that causes growth, but rather how individuals and organizations interpret and respond to it.

One path after trauma seeks only homeostasis, to restore balance and return to life as it once was. That might sound nice, but it would ignore the lessons we have learned throughout this challenging time and would not lead to progress.

There is also a path after trauma, that, with support and intentionality, can lead to meaningful transformation. PTG holds a very important idea: We don’t bounce back from challenges, we bounce forward.

Jewish educators can plan and strategize for the future we want to build beyond the present reality. But we cannot – and should not – simply bounce back to the ways of the past.

Jewish educators in Atlanta are using the framework of Post-Traumatic Growth to think about how we move ahead in Jewish education.

How can we view the current situation as both a trauma with consequences, and an opportunity to “reinvent” or improve on the status quo of Jewish education?
How can the pandemic serve as a catalyst for growth and change?

Leaning into creativity and learning from the successes and failures of the past 10 months, Jewish educators are focusing on new ways to meet the needs of Jewish families today. They’re embracing and exploring:

Educational Technology
Social-Emotional & Values-Based Learning
Relationship-Building
Family Learning & Engagement
New Places, Spaces and Times to Learn

From PTG we learn that individuals and organizations can achieve a higher level of functioning as a result of addressing and learning from trauma. With time, Atlanta’s Jewish learning, and Jewish community, can emerge stronger than ever.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring, Jewish Education Collaborative

A Vital Boost for Jewish Preschools

For many families with young children, Jewish preschool is their first meaningful step into Jewish communal life – a welcoming and safe space to explore Jewish tradition and meet other Jewish families. Atlanta’s 22 Jewish preschools have provided exactly those kinds of connections; however, when the COVID-19 virus hit, many Jewish preschools closed, teachers were furloughed, and families felt stranded.

Preschool directors and teachers worked hard to maintain a strong connection with their families as they navigated the best way to reopen their schools. But in reality, the schools were hit hard with lower enrollment numbers and rising costs for staffing, COVID-safe adaptive spaces, and PPE necessities.

Thankfully, Federation’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund provided crucial funding for reopening. It allocated $100,000 to assist with reopening costs, including, but not limited to: new sanitation supplies and PPE including masks, gloves, disinfectant, cleaning supplies, no-touch thermometers, electrostatic foggers, and washing stations.

Following a second organizational needs survey, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund directed an additional $100,000 in scholarships to families at 12 of our Jewish preschools. Sixty-five families and 98 children have received scholarship assistance and the impact has been profound.

The global pandemic and financial impacts are still unfolding and creating significant needs for scholarships in the Jewish preschool sector. Families are finding themselves in serious financial distress due to under employment, and at the same time, they count on Jewish preschools for their children’s care. Jewish preschools are often at the core of a family’s connection and belonging in the Jewish community.

Federation’s funding strategy was to invest in preschools that are sustainable, have strong leadership, and support from their host institution (when applicable). Criteria were developed in order to evaluate eligibility for preschool re-opening grants. Ultimately, the goal was to keep as many children enrolled as possible and allow parents to remain in the workforce. The funds were made available so that families enrolled in the fall are able to continue into winter and, in some cases, new students can join in winter as well. This funding is a one-year infusion of additional support for tuition assistance needs during the 2020-21 school year.

One grateful family said: Unfortunately, due to COVID19 our financial situation was significantly impacted when my spouse, the main provider in the family, lost his job back in April 2020. This has resulted in losing over 70% of our household income resulting in a challenging financial reality for us in general and questions about our ability to continue covering our son’s daycare costs specifically. Thanks to your generosity my son is able to continue attending his preschool, he is happy and we’re happy knowing he is in a safe environment dedicated to continuing his Jewish education.“

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Caring, Young Leadership Division

Becoming a Changemaker

Earlier in 2020 Federation recruited more than 25 young adults from metro Atlanta to join the inaugural Jewish Changemakers Fellowship, a three-week online leadership development experience hosted by Jewish Federations of North America. One participant was Zoe Katz, a 2019 graduate of Agnes Scott College who interned with JFNA’s Israel Action Network to combat the delegitimization of Israel and BDS on college campuses.

I took 78 pages of notes throughout my three-week Jewish Changemakers fellowship. Looking through those pages now, there is one quote from my notes that sticks out as I reflect on my experience. I listened to a podcast about supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities. As the podcast encouraged me to use my own story and challenges to create change, the podcast guest mentioned the Jewish proverb: “I ask not for a lighter burden, but broader shoulders.”

As one of 500 fellows between the ages of 20-25 from around the world, I listened intently to rabbis, leaders of Jewish organizations, activists, community and coalition builders, and my fellow fellows. In Zoom breakout rooms, we discussed Rabbi Hillel, Theodor Herzl, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and John Lewis, who passed away during the fellowship. At times, I was in awe of the content. Who was I to participate in these conversations? I am no agent of change. Some of the Changemakers were established professionals, writers, and activists with large followings. I had less than 200 Twitter followers. Yes, I always considered myself a leader and was recognized as one in college. But was I an agent of change? What did it even mean to be a changemaker?

It meant broadening my horizons. It meant broadening my shoulders.

The fellowship was split into three sections: the Story of Self, a week of personal and professional development; the Story of Us, a week of learning about the global Jewish community; and the Story of Now, a week of service and advocacy. It was okay that I didn’t think of myself as a changemaker – these three weeks would guarantee that I would learn.

Week one started with us writing down a “six-word story of self.” In essence, it was a tagline for ourselves and a thesis statement for who we hoped to become over the course of the fellowship. On day one, I scribbled down, “finding my story, always staying myself.” By Friday, the sentence read, “passionate storyteller and value-focused Changemaker.”

It was a vast improvement.

At the beginning of the fellowship, I was most excited for week two,– the Story of Us. In college, I studied Jewish history. (Specifically, I wrote my senior history thesis on Jewish Pirates– yes, really.) In my research, I got to visit the Jewish community of Jamaica, which sparked a passion for learning about global Jewish communities. And wow, did the curriculum deliver. From learning about Cochini Jews in India to discussing the question of ‘Who is a Jew?’ with my cohort, I drank in the content and conversation like it was water and I had just finished wandering the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.

My favorite elective of the fellowship was that week, too. Entitled Finding Your Narrative in the Israel Conversation, I spoke passionately in our breakout rooms about my frustrations with the Israel conversation on campuses. Facilitated by JFNA’s Israel Action Network (IAN), I also worked up the courage to ask the Director of IAN for an informational interview to discuss Jewish organizations and my career. Now, a few months later, I’m interning for IAN, and I’m specifically working on programs to combat the delegitimization of Israel and BDS on college campuses.

By week three, I found friends in hundreds of fellows. We texted each other and made memes about the content we were learning. I organized a writing group and conducted a writing workshop on Sunday. Through Facebook groups, we organized extracurricular video chats — as if we were in a conference center, and we could hang out after sessions in the lobby, just chatting about anything and everything. On the last day of the fellowship, I was selected to ask Representative Maxine Waters a question about solidarity and coalition building in front of all 500 fellows, the president of JFNA, and other Congress members. It was terrifying and exhilarating. It was change-making.

It’s been a few months since the fellowship ended, but I continue to be amazed by the relationships I formed. We champion each other on social media, we network, we work together to create and advocate. I simply would not have the tools, the vocabulary, or the inspiration to do this work before the Changemakers fellowship. Before, my shoulders were narrow. I often collapsed under the weight of uncertainty, and the sheer amount of work there was to make a more just world. Now, my shoulders can bear the weight of change. I have the muscle to get the job done. And they continue to broaden more and more—all thanks to the Jewish Changemakers fellowship.

jewishatl In Atlanta Jewish Community, Atlanta Jewish Foundation, Caring

Gifts That Continue Grow

Elaine and Jerry Blumenthal’s oldest son Matthew was five years old when he was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. Matthew’s special needs, and a deepening commitment to Jewish life set a chain of events in motion that had a profound impact on the whole family.

“I grew up in a warm, orthodox Jewish family in Savannah,” Jerry says. “Elaine grew up in Topeka, Kansas where there were only about 100 Jews in the whole town, but she was active in NFTY, the Reform youth movement. It wasn’t until we attended a retreat at Camp Barney where Rabbi Irving (“Yitz”) Greenberg was the scholar in residence, that our family began to walk a road to greater Jewish observance. It became clear to us that Matthew and all our kids really belonged in Jewish day school. The Hebrew Academy, which is now Atlanta Jewish Academy, was the community day school that made sense for us. Matthew attended from first grade through graduation. Eventually, with the encouragement of Rabbi Goodman at the Ahavath Achim Synagogue, we decided to have a kosher home.”

“Matthew’s positive experience showed us how day school could knit a Jewish community together,” says Elaine. “Hebrew Academy enrolled kids from every denomination. When Matthew was in his bar mitzvah year,he attended his classmates’ simchas (celebrations) at every single synagogue in town. When it was his turn to become a bar mitzvah, we were members of Temple Sinai, but even the more observant students came. They took a hotel room together so they could walk to synagogue and celebrate with us. They were among Matthew’s best friends.”

“After Matthew died at age 24, the head of school at Hebrew Academy knew we were looking for a way to memorialize him. Mathew’s grandparents, Saul and Adele Blumenthal, z”l, donated the seed money to start up the Matthew Blumenthal M’silot (Pathways) Program supporting children with special needs. With their sustaining gift, and support from our endowment fund at Atlanta Jewish Foundation, the M’silot program continues at Atlanta Jewish Academy.”

“To this day we depend on Atlanta Jewish Foundation to manage and grow our investments, not only for M’silot, but for The Jewish Home, JF&CS, Birthright Israel, Hillels of Georgia, Limmud Atlanta, and non-Jewish charities as well. When you have your funds put away in an endowment you can continue to support the things you care about. You don’t have to worry that the funds won’t be there or that current income won’t be adequate. You can use stocks, bonds, and appreciated assets to build a solid foundation for your charitable portfolio.”

“Federation supports things we don’t even know about! By using the tools provided by Atlanta Jewish Foundation like donor-advised funds and endowments, we feel like we’re securing the Jewish future.”