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January 2013Volume 23 Issue 1

Southern Jewish LifeP.O. Box 130052Birmingham, AL 35213-0052

Southern Jewish Life

New Orleans Federation Kicks Off Centennial Year

New Orleans Edition

Rosalie Cohen speaks at the Federation’s 50th anniversary in 1962.

2 January 2013 Southern Jewish Life NOLA

Southern Jewish Life January 2013 3

Southern Life

NOLA

A few months ago, we were in Dayton, Tenn., which is best known as the venue for the famous Scopes trial, where a teacher was brought up on charges in 1925 for teaching evolution.

Evolution is not a popular topic in this region, because the Bible clearly states creation took six days, roughly 6,000 years ago, and don’t be teaching anything different! Those fossils that are hundreds of millions of years old? God made them 6,000 years ago and put them there to test our faith.

It wasn’t that long ago that an Alabama governor mocked evo-lution by prancing around like an ape at a State Board of Educa-tion meeting. In a particularly disgusting move, just two years ago, the Alabama Education Association funded front groups to run commercials against a gubernatorial candidate. One of the commercials criticized him for believing in evolution, meaning either AEA doesn’t want evolution taught in schools, or they just think the voters are rubes who can be easily demagogued.

That makes it all the more refreshing that sanity and science are being supported in one venue, the Orleans Parish school board. As this issue was wrapping, the board voted that “No teacher of any discipline of science shall teach any aspect of religious faith as science or in a science class. No teacher of any discipline of science shall teach creationism or intelligent design in classes designated as science classes.”

This is a response to efforts in Texas to teach creationism or in-telligent design in science classes. The Orleans resolution says no textbook that conforms to the Texas guidelines can be used there.

In Judaism, there is no problem looking at the creation story as allegory. How long was one day then? Several years ago, a rocket scientist brought in by Aish HaTorah used light waves and gravity calculations to show the first “six days” were really 11 bil-lion current years.

Fundamentalist Christianity has a more difficult task. They believe all mankind is tainted by Original Sin, and therefore everyone needs Jesus as an intermediary to God. No Adam and Eve, no Original Sin. The creation story is a fundamental building block, where in Judaism it is simply to point out the common ori-gin of all humanity, created in the image of God, and the literal story is secondary.

Christians can believe what they want about creation, we can interpret it our ways also. And others are free to ignore the Bibli-cal account altogether. We can all do that, we have that free-dom. But what we do with the story is a matter of our own faith. It is not science.

The purpose of science classes is to explore what can be observed, tested and verified. Religion, by definition, is not some-thing that can be proved or examined in a laboratory. If we are to be competitive in a global mar-ketplace, we must teach math and science properly. Evolution does not eliminate the notion of a divine hand, but that is not something science can address.

Science explores “how.” Religion is there for the “why.” Kudos to the Orleans Parish board for its stance.

Larry BrookEditor/Publisher

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4 January 2013 Southern Jewish Life

Philosophy:To link the Jewish communities of the Deep South, to tell you the fascinating stories of one another, and to document and preserve the news of events large and small, all a part of the rich culture of Southern Jewry.

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Publisher/Editor:Publisher/Editor:Lawrence M. Brook, [email protected]

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The publisher is solely responsible forthe contents of SJL. Columns and lettersrepresent the views of the individualwriters. All articles that do not have abyline on them are written by the publisher.Southern Jewish Life makes no claims as to the Kashrut of its advertisers, and retains the right to refuse any advertisement.Advertising rates available on request.

Copyright 2013. All rights reserved,reprints only by permission of publisher.

Opinion

NOLA

By Gary BrandtCommunicating the Value of Summer Camp

How can we communicate the value of Jew-ish sleep-away summer camping to everyone outside our gates?

Even thinking about how to depict life here at camp for marketing purposes always moves from ideas of photo montages and quirky cam-era angles to a conversation that is much more in the clouds. Questions about how to show “Jew-ish learning” or a “nurturing staff ” fl oat around. We joke about sending our videographer into the cabins during rest hour to capture down time. We are aspirational about catching on camera the candid moments when our campers identify the value of camp for themselves.

But, the reality is that, despite our best marketing strategies or high quality glossy photos, the only way to truly understand the importance of camp for current campers, and by extension future generations, is to see and hear from the campers directly.

During my recruitment travels, I often fi nd myself speaking with prospective camper parents about the “before and after” of their child’s fi rst year attending a session at our camp. I explain how camp is one of the few in-stitutions in the modern world where every-thing is wholly dedicated to kids’ growth and development. I posit that residential camp will help their children be successful moving off to college and living in a dorm with a roommate, away from the support and boundaries of their parents. Th ey nod their heads in agreement, but are internally struggling with letting go of their child for that long of a period of time.

Many are able to “let go” and take the plunge

and drop their child off on opening day. If you were to check out “parent group” on Facebook, you would see that many parents are still on edge with this new separation during the sum-mer. Th en, every reason why they sent their child to camp becomes clear when they pick up their child on closing day: Th e ride home is fi lled with a fl urry of stories (before exhaus-tion sets in); for days, weeks, even months later, more stories are shared, especially then certain great memories are triggered — by a song, a word, a thought. Th e child, who before camp may have exhibited some social intro-version or unwillingness to try new things at school or at home, returns home and begins to reach out to new classmates, navigate confl ict in new ways, and even seek out new activities in which to get involved.

I like to say we often have many more tears on closing day than opening day. Year after year, a session at camp produces campers who are more knowledgeable, experienced and prepared for the year ahead. Additionally, 90 percent of our families say that after returning from camp their child has a positive impact on the family’s Jewish lifestyle. Participat-ing in a Jewish, residential summer camp is transformative. Th e proof is in the pudding. Ask the parents of a child who has attended a summer camp like Jacobs. Hear the amazing diff erences it has made on that child’s choices, the new places it has inspired them to explore. You will defi nitely be inspired.

Gary Brandt is assistant director of the URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, Miss.


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JCRS announces comedy gala: On March 9, 2013, the Jewish Children’s Regional Service will present “Jewish Roots of Comedy” at Harrah’s New Orleans. The gala event and seated dinner will feature two nationally acclaimed comedians, Wendy Liebman and Avi Liberman. Rabbi Ethan Linden will emcee.

The evening will honor Shirley and Ralph Seelig, and Lisa and Mark Heller for their dedication, leadership and generosity in support of JCRS’s mission to provide a financial safety net for vulnerable Jewish children and families with special needs assistance, educational scholarships and Jewish summer camp experiences.

This event continues the “Jewish Roots” theme from March 2012’s “Jewish Roots of Jazz” gala, which sold out. The gala also provides an evening of levity, camaraderie and enjoyment prior to the JCRS annual board meeting on March 10.

A Patron’s party with seated dinner will

precede the performance.Liebman recently made her first appearance

on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” She has been a regular on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and several other shows. She was the first stand-up comedian to perform on both the “Rosie O’Donnell Show” and “The Rosie Show.” She has done two half-hour comedy specials, for HBO and Comedy Central, and in 2011 her hour-long “Wendy Liebman Taller on TV” debuted on Showtime.

Liberman was born in Israel and raised in Texas. With additional stints in New York and Los Angeles, he has a wide range of life experiences and topical issues to pull from. He tells his stories through a blend of characters and voices. He has performed on CBS’ “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend.”

Tickets for the evening are available at jcrs.org.

Jewish Krewes march Jan. 19: With Mardi Gras falling early in the year, and some parades being moved earlier than usual because of anticipated logistical headaches from New Orleans hosting the Super Bowl, the two Jewish Krewes find themselves marching in the middle of January.

Krewe du Mishigas will take its usual spot in this year’s Krewe du Vieux parade, on January 19 at 6:30 p.m. The parade’s overall theme will be Krewe du Vieux Comes Early, and will wind its way through the Marigny Triangle and lower French Quarter before landing at the Old Project Restore Warehouse for the Krewe

du Vieux Doo, starting at 9:30 p.m.The Krewe du Vieux parade uses smaller,

mule-driven floats and has strong adult themes. The Mishigas theme is “Next Year in Uranus,” and Josh Burns and Sarah Wiseman are this year’s royalty.

Following the Krewe du Vieux parade by about 45 minutes is krewedelusion, the newest satirical parade. The Krewe du Jieux, after wandering for a couple of years, has found a new home with delusion and will demonstrate the Jieux World Order, accompanied by the Panorama Jazz Band.

Kaplan defeated in runoff: LaToya Cantrell defeated Dana Kaplan for the New Orleans City Council District B seat on Dec. 8, 54 to 46 percent.

On Dec. 10, Kaplan, who is part of the wave of Jewish newcomers to the city since Katrina, issued a statement saying that as a first-time candidate, she learned about the importance of volunteers and supporters, and said the campaign began and ended as a grassroots campaign.

She said she will continue to work on issues including “a more just criminal justice system, increased opportunities for young people, and improved economic development and support for small businesses,” but will do so outside of government as she has in the past.

“My love for New Orleans is richer than ever,” she said. “I ask each of you to support and help LaToya Cantrell as she begins her work on the City Council. I plan to do whatever I can to ensure her success.”

JCC hosting 5K race: The New Orleans Jewish Community Center will host the first IberiaBank Uptown Classic 5-kilometer and Family Fun Run, on March 10. The race will follow a scenic route along Prytania to Audubon Park and back to the Uptown JCC.

The half-mile family fun run will be at 8:30 a.m., followed by the 5K at 9 a.m.

A post-race party with food, refreshments and entertainment will be sponsored by Winn Dixie.

Registration is open online at nojcc.org. Registration by Feb. 10 is $20, registration between Feb. 10 and March 4 is $25.

For youth 17 and under, or seniors 65 and over, registration is $15 through March 4.


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Honoring Veterans Day: Jewish War Veterans of America, Jules Lazard Post 580 in New Orleans, held a Shabbat service at Temple Sinai on Nov. 9 in honor of Veterans Day and commemorating Kristallnacht.

While the Shabbat service fell on the night of Kristallnacht, the next day was also the birthday for Lazard, for whom the post was named.

Judge Sol Gothard said “this timely service and program honored all veterans, past and present, and the memories of the victims of Kristallnacht.”

Gothard spoke about Lazard, presenting highlights of his life and his family’s long history with Temple Sinai.

The evening started with a color guard, and in attendance were teenagers from Temples Tremont and Emanu-El in New York. The teens did several readings about the Holocaust and Kristallnacht.

The post, which was the fastest-growing in America in 2009 and 2010, routinely holds programs at numerous Jewish institutions in the community.

Expressing concern about settlements: A coalition of J Street, Rabbis for Human Rights and Americans for Peace Now has organized a rabbinic letter to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, “expressing concern about Israeli settlement expansion,” specifically the recently-announced plan for new neighborhoods near Jerusalem. The signatories urge Netanyahu to halt construction plans in the E1 area, saying it would “be the final blow to a peaceful solution” with the Palestinians.

Among the 426 signatories as of Dec. 17 are Rabbi Larry Mahrer of Parrish, Fla., who retired from Temple Emanu-El in Dothan in 2006; Rabbi David Kaiman of Gainesville, Fla.; Rabbi Allen Freehling, formerly of Los Angeles but now living in New Orleans; Rabbi Debra Kassoff of Jackson, Miss.; Rabbi Shaya Isenberg of the University of Florida in Gainesville; and Rabbi Aaron Rubenstein of Beth Shalom in Memphis.

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AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps is currently accepting applications for passionate young people, ages 21 to 26, who want to make a difference fighting poverty in 2013-14. AVODAH has four locations across the country — New Orleans, Chicago, New York and Washington. Application deadline is Feb. 11. More information is available from avodah.net. On Jan. 8, AVODAH will have a program, “Why a Jewish Social Justice Program?” at Touro Synagogue, starting at 6 p.m.

Registration is now open for February to April sessions of the New Orleans Parent’s Club, a Jewish Family Service workshop led by Dahlia Topolosky. The 10-week course teaches positive parenting techniques for parents of children ages 2 to 10. Sessions begin on Feb. 7 at 9:15 a.m. and meet at Beth Israel. Pre-registration is required, and one-on-one coaching sessions are also available. Information and registration forms are at http://www.jfsneworleans.org.

The New Orleans Jewish Community Center is organizing an Israel summer vacation, July 12 to 21. The trip will include the opening ceremony of the 19th Maccabiah Games, the third-largest Olympic-style event in the world, and the largest Jewish competition. The trip will be led by Community Shaliach Moshiko Balas, and is designed for all ages. The itinerary includes Jerusalem, Masada, the Golan and Galilee, Haifa and the Tel Aviv area. There will be an information session on Jan. 16 at 7 p.m., at the Uptown JCC.

Moving tradition: Chabad of Louisiana relocated its long-standing Grand Menorah Lighting from Riverwalk to Lakeside Shopping Center in Metairie. The ceremony, held Dec. 11 this year, had been at the Riverwalk for 22 years, but logistics prompted a change this year. The Second Line Chanukah parade that followed it from Riverwalk moved to the previous day so as not to conflict. Photos from the JCC community Chanukah party, page 28.


On Nov. 25, just after a cease-fi re was de-clared between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, about 160 members of the New Orleans Jewish community came together to express solidarity with Israel.

Th e event, coordinated by the Jewish Com-munity Relations Council, featured both of Louisiana’s U.S. Senators, and was held at the Uptown Jewish Community Center.

Sen. Mary Landrieu stated that Hamas is a terrorist organization, and “you have my com-plete and constant support for Israel’s right to defend itself.”

A month earlier, Landrieu had been on her second visit to Israel, where she is helping fa-cilitate ties between oil and gas companies in Louisiana and Israel, as there have been major natural gas fi nds off Israel’s coast in the Medi-terranean.

Sen. David Vitter said the battle is not one of moral equivalents, and spoke of the shared values between Israel and the United States. Meir Shlomo, Israel’s Consul General in Houston, spoke about the importance of the Iron Dome system, which the U.S. is back-ing fi nancially, and its success in dealing with

many of the missiles that Hamas has lobbed into Israel.

Mayor Moshe Sinai of Rosh Ha’Ayin, New Orleans’ Partnership2Gether community, sent videotaped remarks, speaking of the im-portance of personal connections between Israel and New Orleans.

Letters of support from Governor Bobby Jindal, and U. S. Reps. Rodney Alexander and Jeff Landry were read, as they were unable to attend in person.

Right, Sen. Mary Landrieu addresses the rally

Community rallies to support Israel


Noted educator Ron Wolfson to visit seven communities in region

Visionary Jewish educator Ron Wolfson, who has visited hundreds of synagogues across the continent, will be visiting several communi-ties in a Southern swing this month.

Wolfson is the Fingerhut Professor of Education at the American Jewish University (formerly the University of Judaism) in Los Angeles where he has been a member of the faculty since 1975, was co-founder of Synagogue 2000 and is co-president of Synagogue 3000.

His visit is being coordinated by the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Wolfson said that as a native of Omaha, Neb., he admires and appreciates the work ISJL does in serving Southern Jewry. “Th e ISJL is justifi ably lauded for its laser focus on providing the human and material resources that truly help to sustain Jewish living in the area,” he said.

While admitting he couldn’t say no to ISJL founder Macy Hart, he said he was also attracted to do this tour by a promise of “the best grits this side of heaven.”

“Th is is an exciting example of the main mission of the ISJL,” said ISJL Programming Director Ann Zivitz Kimball, “partnership and sharing of resources to make high quality Jewish Programming pos-sible across the region.”

Wolfson will have two main addresses in the Southern communi-ties: “Be Like God: God’s To-Do List for Kids,” which is the same title as one of his books, and “Building Good Tents: Envisioning the Syna-gogue of the Future.”

He will start his Southern tour on Jan. 4 at Temple Sinai in New Orleans, doing the Blackman Memorial Lectures. He will speak on “God’s To-Do List” at the 6:15 p.m. Shabbat evening service. On Jan. 5 he will do a 6 p.m. Havdalah program on “Building Good Tents.” Both books will be available for signing. Th e Havdalah event will be at the home of Julian Feibelman, and RSVPs are required to the Sinai offi ce, (504) 861-3693.

On Jan. 7, he will speak at Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria.He then travels to Birmingham for two programs at Temple Beth-El.

At 4 p.m. on Jan. 9, he will speak at a community-wide program aimed at Jewish students, ages eight to 12. Th rough a Birmingham Jewish Foun-dation grant, every participant will receive a copy of “Be Like God.”

At 7:30 p.m., he will speak on “Th e Spirituality of Welcoming: How to Transform Your Congregation Into a Sacred Community.” He said the new synagogue “is a spiritual center for all those who set foot inside... where relationships are paramount, where worship is engaging, where everyone is learning, where repair of the world is a moral imperative.”

On Jan. 10, there will be a joint community program presented by the Pensacola Jewish Federation and the community’s two congrega-tions, Beth-El and B’nai Israel. “God’s To-Do List” will be at 7 p.m., at First United Methodist Church.

On Jan. 11, he will be the speaker at Springhill Avenue Temple’s Fran and Paul Brown Scholar in Residence program. Th e Mobile congrega-tion will have a brief Shabbat service at 7 p.m., followed by his talk, “Building Good Tents.”

Th e Baton Rouge weekend will be a collaboration of Beth Shalom, B’nai Israel, the Baton Rouge Jewish Film Festival and the Jewish Fed-eration of Greater Baton Rouge. Venues were not set as of press time.

Th e weekend begins with a Lunch and Learn at noon on Jan. 12. Th ere will be a Havdalah and dessert program at 7 p.m.

On Jan. 13, he will lead a family education workshop, “Be Like God” at 10 a.m., along with a “bagel nosh.” Th e workshop will be followed by his “Building Good Tents” address at the Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge annual meeting and luncheon at 12:30 p.m.


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Birmingham screening to help prevent Jewish genetic diseases

About three decades ago, there was a Birmingham Jewish commu-nity screening for Tay-Sachs disease, the best known disease that is prevalent in Jews of European descent. Now, there are 19 such diseases identifi ed, with one in four Jews carrying genes that can be passed on and, in some cases, result in children having one of these diseases.

On Jan. 13, Birmingham will be the site for a large-scale screening for the 19 diseases. Th e Victor Center for the Prevention of Jewish Genetic Diseases is partnering with the Birmingham Jewish Federa-tion and Foundation, and physicians from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Genetics.

Th e Victor Center was founded by Lois Victor, who lost two daugh-ters to Jewish genetic diseases. Th e fi rst center opened in Philadelphia a decade ago. Now there are centers in Boston and Miami, and com-munity programs in Atlanta, Dallas, Pittsburgh, San Diego — and now, Birmingham.

Th e Center works in partnership with healthcare professionals, clergy and the community to create awareness about the need to be screened.

Th ese diseases are autosomal recessive gene diseases. Genes are in pairs, one from each parent, so if someone is a carrier it means that one of the two genes has a mutation for the disease. Being a carrier does not mean one has the disease — one has to have both copies of the gene aff ected by the mutation.

Th at is why screening is essential. If both parents carry the same mutation, there is a one in four chance that the child will be aff ected by the disease. Each parent passes on one of the two genes to the child. If both pass on the mutation, disease follows. In half of the cases, only one parent passes on the mutation, making the child a carrier. In one-fourth of cases, the child receives the clean gene from both parents and is not a carrier.

Th rough the knowledge acquired by screening, the risk of having a child with any of these preventable genetic diseases can be avoided. Many of the diseases strike early in childhood, have no cure and lead to early death.

Even if both parents are carriers, there are ways to help ensure a healthy birth.

“Th e importance of being screened goes far beyond just fi nding out if you are a carrier,” said Caren Seligman, coordinator of this project. “Th is aff ects the life of an entire family. We are fortunate to be able to test for 19 known diseases that are preventable with a simple blood test. Th is is a critical public health issue for the Jewish community and we are proud to be partnering with the Victor Center in creating awareness and hosting a screening in Birmingham.”

Th e testing will be at the Levite Jewish Community Center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Everyone of child-bearing age is urged to sign up for the simple blood test. Genetic counseling will also be part of the process.

Th e Victor Center recommends that all at-risk individuals — in-cluding interfaith couples and couples getting pregnant through do-nor egg/sperm — should be screened, with the Jewish partner being screened fi rst.

And one does not need to be Jewish currently to be at risk — anyone with one or more Jewish grandparent should consider screening.

Couples should be screened prior to each pregnancy for any new diseases. Since there have been new advances in testing, the list of known genetic diseases is constantly being expanded.

Th e list of diseases includes Bloom syndrome, Canavan disease, cystic fi brosis, DLD defi ciency, familial dysautonomia, familial hyper-insulinism, Fanconi anemia type C, Gaucher disease, Glycogen stor-


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age disease type 1A, Joubert syndrome, maple syrup urine disease, mucolipidosis IV, nema-line myopathy, Niemann-Pick disease type A, spinal muscular atrophy, Tay-Sachs, Usher syndrome type 1F and type III, and Walyer-Warburg syndrome.

Testing is not limited to Birmingham. Fern Shinbaum is organizing a bus for the Mont-gomery Jewish community, and there are plans for a social with the Birmingham young adults groups for after the screening.

For those with insurance, the maximum out-of-pocket cost for the screening is $25.

Pre-registration is strongly recommended at www.victorcenters.org/screenings, or the link is available from the Southern Jewish Life website, sjlmag.com.

JCRS summer camp aid deadline Feb. 15

Applications for summer camp scholar-ship aid from the Jewish Children’s Regional Service are due by Feb. 15, and applicants are now required to submit applications elec-tronically.

Th e New Orleans-based agency provides need-based scholarships for Jewish students in a seven-state region, including Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Th e scholarships can go toward any non-profi t, overnight Jew-ish summer camp in the United States or Canada, and are for those entering grades three to 12. Last year, the agency assisted over 300 campers with partial funding.

Parents or guardians making the applica-tion must submit family fi nancial information to determine need, and information must be submitted for all legal parents or guardians. Th e information is kept private and used solely to determine eligibility. Th ey also must give permission for JCRS to work with other local organizations that give camp assistance or scholarships, to maximize distribution of funds.

Th e camp scholarship application is avail-able at the JCRS website, jcrs.org, in PDF form. It can be completed in Acrobat Reader and then uploaded to the agency.

Th e agency also handles undergraduate col-lege scholarship aid, using similar guidelines. Each year, about 140 students receive an aver-age of $2,000 in assistance. Application dead-line is May 31.

Th e agency also has a special needs pro-gram, addressing the full array of challenges faced by children under age 18. Examples include language therapy for a child with a speech delay or dyslexia remediation for a child struggling to read, an upgraded wheel-chair for a physically handicapped child or behavior training for a child with autism.

Summer Camp


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Shane camps help kids, adults lose weight

Camp Shane operates the longest running weight loss camps and serves kids and teens throughout the South at its North Georgia location.

According to Th e Center of Disease Con-trol and Prevention, the Southern states have amongst the highest numbers of overweight kids and adults in the country. With 45 years of ex-perience, Shane camps and resorts has a proven track record of weight loss results, and serves children and teens from the region at its north Georgia location.

Experienced staff and certifi ed instructors provide a safe and supervised environment. Th e camp provides nutrition education, cooking classes, sports and fi tness programs to educate and support healthy weight loss in a happy, kind and caring environment.

Because Camp Shane keeps the focus on fun, kids lose the weight enjoying themselves while immersed in fun fi lled activities. Th e camp serves delicious, kid-tested, portion controlled, physi-cian and registered nutritionist approved meals. Kids participate in all sports, weight-training and fi tness activities, arts and crafts, swimming, computers and video games, tennis, excursions and much more!

Camp Shane uses its extensive knowledge and experience to educate the campers and their parents after they leave camp. Th ey are sent monthly newsletters fi lled with nutrition infor-mation, useful tips and healthy recipes. Th ey also maintain a highly regarded blog and online support program with childhood obesity expert pediatrician Dr. Dolgoff , currently appearing on “Th e Biggest Loser” as their medical advisor. Th e camp has been featured on MTV, 20/20, MTV, Dr Phil and the New York Times Magazine.

Located on 1,200 gorgeous acres at the Rabun Gap Boarding School in Rabun Gap, Georgia, campers are surrounded by rolling hills and sprawling fi elds in a delightful summer climate. Campers swim in a large indoor pool and a crystal clear lake. Th e campus has modern air-conditioned gyms and dorms and state of the art athletic and media facilities.

For adults wanting to lose weight, Shane Diet & Fitness is located in New York and in Texas at a four diamond Westin Resort located in San Antonio. Th e all-inclusive, aff ordable program delivers great short and long term weight loss. Th e guests truly admire the caring and expert staff in the key areas of weight loss, fi tness and nutrition. Crucial skills are taught in Behavior Change Coaching sessions, which are tailored to each individual. A registered Dietitian cre-ates and supervises delicious, portion controlled meals prepared by the acclaimed Westin and Honors Haven Resort chefs.

More information: www.campshane.com or shanedietresorts.com.

Summer Camp


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By Lee J. Green

Campers can’t wait for Children’s Hospital of Alabama’s Camp SHINE (Support Help Instruc-tion for Nutrition and Exercise), which off ers exciting camp activities blended with hands-on learning about healthy eating and living.

Th is summer marks the fourth year of the camp, located at the Hargis Retreat in Chelsea. Camp SHINE runs June 2 to 8 and spaces are limited. It is for ages 12 to 15.

“Th is provides a fun, comfortable, supportive environment for them to learn about healthy eating and exercise. We empower them to take these important things into their hands; to en-courage them to develop positive habits that will help them be healthy and active,” said Camp SHINE Director Dr. Stephenie Wallace, medical director of Children’s Hospital of Alabama Cen-ter for Weight Management Clinic.

Several of the campers are those who have been through the clinics, but it is not a prerequi-site, Wallace said. Campers learn healthy eating habits while preparing their own dinners every night. Nutritional experts provide other meals and snacks and teach the campers of the benefi ts of the foods they eat and prepare at camp. Camp-ers also have the opportunities to participate in swimming, canoeing, hiking, arts/crafts, dance, soccer, yoga, Zumba and other activities.

Th e parents join their kids for a four-hour orientation that Sunday and come back the fol-lowing Saturday at the end of the camp week to experience all the kids have learned.

“Many of these kids have had weight-manage-ment issues tied to medical or psychological fac-tors or as a result of them being bullied. In most cases, one or both of the parents are overweight,” said Wallace. “Today more kids are becoming obese at younger ages. Th ey may have tried to

A lot happens over the course of a summer at the Henry S. Jacobs Camp, and Summer 2012 was fi lled with some “big” moments.

Th e highlight for many was the introduc-tion of the Wet Willie Waterslides — the two 100-foot slides that dominated the view of the lake’s shoreline; and that, along with the Blob, made for a very exciting waterfront. Of course, all campers had the opportunity to learn new skills in the recreational off erings, in Adventure, Aquatics, Creative Arts, Digital Media, Performing Arts, and Sports.

Th ere were the super-spirited Maccabiahs that happened each session. During fi rst ses-sion the Camp held its annual “AmericaFest.” Highlights of this year’s festivities included being joined by Camp Darom for a carnival, a concert by Dan Nichols, and fi reworks; and second session there was the Utica County Fair, another annual event that campers love. Most popular of all is the Camp’s weekly cel-ebration of Shabbat.

As Camp Director Jonathan “J.C.” Cohen noted, “for every big moment, there are hun-dreds — perhaps even thousands — of won-derful small moments.” And for all of these, he credits the camp staff . Hailing from across the country and around the world, including 16 staff members from Israel, the staff is made up of a dynamic and caring group of young adults. Cohen said “Our counselors and staff members do so much every day — leading activities, planning and leading programs… More signifi cant, though, is the way they are

“in the lives” of our campers, the many ways in which they direct, counsel, coach, support, comfort, befriend, and role model for our campers is always impressive.”

Already, many of last summer’s staff mem-bers have already signed on to be back at Ja-cobs in Summer 2013.

Jacobs Camp is well known for being a “Jewish Place at a Southern Pace” as its slogan notes, each year serving non-Orthodox fami-lies from across the Deep South; but plenty from beyond the South continue to fl ock to Jacobs. In 2012, the camp population was made up from 26 states and eight countries. Th e bulk of those from beyond the South are the children and relatives of camp alumni, who want to give their kids a Southern Jewish experience as a way to maintain their connec-tion to their own Southern roots.

Th e Camp leadership isn’t saying much about their plans for Summer 2013, wanting to save some surprises to reveal in the weeks leading up to summer. But, Assistant Director Gary Brandt noted that campers can expect lots of great programs, an abundance of spe-cial events, terrifi c recreational activities, and so much of the “Jacobs Magic” they have come to expect. “If you thought last summer was great,” said Brandt, “then you can be certain that 2013 is going to be even better!”

Registration is now open for Summer 2013 at the URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp. For more information, and to register, go to http://ja-cobs.urjcamps.org

“Amazing moments” make a Jacobs Camp summer

SHINE shows healthy living can be fun, easy


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Camp LJCC ready for “Summer of Seuss”and specialty campsBy Lee J. Green

As a fun way to teach kids Jewish values and traditions, Camp LJCC’s 2013 theme will be “Summer of Seuss.”

“We will use Seuss books and quotations to help us convey the meaning of our Jewish values along with other important life lessons,” said Levite Jewish Community Center Camp Director Betty Habshey, primarily refer-ring to Camp Yofi . “A few other Jewish elements in camp are incorporat-ing Hebrew words into everyday camp life; the Motzi and other blessings; learning about Israel from our visiting shlicha from our sister city Rosh Ha’ayin; playing traditional Israeli games such as Ga-Ga, and exploring traditional Jewish cooking.”

Th e Camp Fair and fi rst day of sign-up for LJCC members will be March 3. Th e 12 weeks of specialty camps and Camp Yofi will run May 28 through August 16.

Several new specialty camps are planned for 2013. One of these is the Home Depot Woodshop Camp, primarily geared at younger campers. Th e LJCC will also start a Bicycle Camp, which teaches basic safety, mainte-nance and encourages a love of cycling.

Habshey said they will very likely be bringing back the popular Circus of the Kids, which came to Camp LJCC for the fi rst time a few years ago. Th e Florida-based company would come to Birmingham for a camp week starting June 23.

Campers of all ages can learn about various aspects of the circus and then get to be the stars in three performances of their own circus at the LJCC that Th ursday and Friday.

“I have talked to many of the campers that were involved in Circus of the Kids when it came here a few years ago and most of them say it was their favorite camp. It’s fun for kids of all ages and they can show what they have learned to family as well as friends,” said Habshey. DVDs and photos of the performance will also be made available for purchase.

Several popular specialty camps will return for 2013, including Cook-ing, Th eatre, Lego, Tennis, Basketball, Soccer, Science and others. For more information, go to www.bhamjcc.org.

lose weight, but they have been overwhelmed. Plus in the South, there is a food culture of fatty, fried Southern foods. It’s not easy.

“But this helps to empower the kids and give them real solutions for losing weight. Th is is something they can be successful with and in some cases, help their parents to get healthy as well,” she added. Wallace said kids have also helped mentor other kids. “We’ve seen some wonderful ex-amples of peer learning and sharing. It’s a beautiful thing.”

She said many kids and parents have been surprised by just how deli-cious healthy meals can be, including Mexican lasagna, sweet and sour chicken, dessert parfaits as well as puddings. “It’s a balance. Th ey can ‘choose’ calories. Th ey can have larger portions of things such as fruits and vegetables, then smaller portions of foods that might not be quite as healthy. Th ere are also a lot of substitutes for sugar that satisfy a sweet tooth,” said Wallace.

Teaching the kids how to prepare these healthy foods has gotten them to be more encouraged to eat the foods that are good for them. “Th e more they cook the more they will eat it. Th ey take pride and involvement in their meal preparation.”

For more information about Camp SHINE and the Children’s Hospital Weight Management Clinic or to download an application, go to weight.childrensal.org.

More Southern Life online at www.sjlmag.com!Check our Website for updates between issues


Ramah Darom expands camps, hits the roadBy Lee J. Green

Th e Ramah Darom camp experience extends far beyond the summer sessions on 122 acres in the picturesque north Georgia mountains. But not to downplay the summer, Ramah hosted a record number of campers.

“It was really an outstanding summer and calendar year,” said Geoff rey Menkowitz, di-rector of the Southeast’s regional Conservative movement camp. “When you consider all of our programs taken together, we had more kids than ever before. Th is is camp as camp was meant to be — wonderful learning, sharing and fun op-portunities.”

Ramah Darom celebrated its 16th year in 2012. Menkowitz said highlights of last sum-mer’s camp included a rock-climbing excursion off -site; inter-camp athletic competitions with camps Coleman and Judaea; Israeli professional basketball player Lior Lipshitz teaching clinics all in Hebrew; cooking and chocolate making with New York pastry chef Rachael Binder; or-ganic farming camp in which kids got to make cheese as well as other hands-on projects, and metalworking in which kids made cast-alumi-num mezuzahs along with other Judaica.

Th e softball fi eld was dedicated as Snyder Field and Gary Snyder was in attendance. Sny-der’s contributions allowed Ramah Darom to add lights and an electric scoreboard. “We have this picturesque ‘Field of Dreams’ next to the lake and everyone was so excited to be able to play the fi rst night game there last summer,” said Menkowitz.

In late December, Ramah hosted a Winter Break Family Camp and last year’s Passover Family Retreat fi lled up quickly.

He said Ramah has been taking camp on the road across the region. Th e “Ramah Service

Ramah Darom’s road-trip setup at the When Pigs Fly kosher barbecue contest in Birmingham last May

Summer Camp


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Three generations of the Blue Star experience

During the past 66 years, Blue Star Camps has infused the lives of three generations of campers with Jewish traditions, values and spirit.

Th is summer, Blue Star will host between 400 and 600 campers each ses-sion. Jewish children ages 6 to 16 will come from all over the United States, as well as Canada, Europe, Israel, Central and South America to experience a variety of activities — Creative Arts, Land Sports, Outdoor Adventure-Nature, Waterfront, Tennis, Horseback, and a Living Judaism program.

Blue Star was founded in 1948 (the same year as the State of Israel) by the Popkin brothers of Augusta, Ga., after they returned home from service in World War II.

Since its inception, “Jewish families have always recognized the extraor-dinary value of the Blue Star experience,” said Rodger Popkin, the son of one of the founding brothers, Herman, and a camp owner and director with his wife, Candy, for 40 seasons. Drawing upon a family legacy, their son Jason Popkin and daughter Lauren Popkin Herschthal are now third generation owners/directors of Blue Star.

“I don’t think my uncles or my father knew how important what they were creating would become when they founded Blue Star so many years ago,” added Rodger Popkin. “But their dream has evolved into a promise fulfi lled and a gift to generations of young people.”

Judaea completing new cabin villageWhile Camp Judaea refl ects upon a successful 51st season last summer,

it looks ahead to new activities and improvements for 2013.One of fi ve regional U.S. camps sponsored by Hadassah, Judaea wel-

comed more than 500 campers last year to its 188-acre site in the western North Carolina mountains. Th e Camp also had a successful open house last month in Birmingham at the home of Al and Tracy Cohn.

Camp Judaea off ers horseback riding, basketball, softball, arts/crafts, tennis swimming, fi eld trips and Jewish learning activities. In 2012, the Camp added new programs including outdoor cooking, poly pong, human chess, paddle-boarding — and they brought back fi shing.

Jewish rock and roll star Sheldon Low put on a live concert last summer at Judaea as one of the Camp’s special guests. Th ey also brought back the Israel Scouts Friendship Caravan for a concert, and off ered a basketball clinic hosted by professional Israeli basketball point guard Lior Lipshits, who plays for Netanya.

Registration is ongoing for the 2013 season and enrollment is up 66 percent over this time last year. Judaea has been invited into JCamp180’s GIFT3 program and into the Goodman Camping Initiative. Th ey recently broke ground on new cabins and the fi rst new cabin village will be com-pleted this spring.

Corps” brought the Ramah camping experience to those in Gainesville, Fla, Boca Raton, Fla, two synagogues in Atlanta and Nashville. Th ose will continue in 2013 and new sites will be added as more staff resources can be devoted.

Two years ago, campers built a special trailer that Ramah staff ers and kids toured in around the region during the off -season last year. One of the stops included the 2012 When Pigs Fly Kosher Barbecue Contest at Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El, where the Ramah Darom team earned three second-place trophies.

“Th at was so much fun and we’ll be back at that for sure in 2013,” said Menkowitz. “Th is is a great way for us to bring programs to those outside of this area, and to recruit new campers by coming to them to showcase all we have here.”

He said Ramah plans to add some new specialty camps and bring in new special guests for the summer of 2013. Th ey also will have completed beautifi cation projects to the lake and the bathrooms. Registration is on-going at www.ramahdarom.org.


Anytown Alabama seeks enhanced Jewish involvementBy Lee J. Green

Started by the former National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1989 as a way to mold leaders, grow and unite communities, fi ght preju-dice and racism as well as promote understanding, Camp Anytown seeks more Jewish involvement.

Now a collaboration between the YWCA Central Alabama and the NCCJ (now called National Conference for Community and Justice), Any-town Alabama seeks high school students for its 2013 session, June 2-8 at Camp Hargis in Chelsea, Ala.

“Th e success of the camp hinges upon recruiting a diverse representa-tion of diff erent demographic groups and ideals. Th e best way to learn, grow and create leaders that will better our tomorrow is through interac-tive programs along with dialogue promoting understanding and change,” said Joan Witherspoon-Norris, YWCA Central Alabama Director of So-cial Justice. “Th ere could not be a better way to address our mission than through the education of young men and women.”

Th rough dialogue groups, panels, activities and outdoor sports, Anyt-own Alabama participants focus on issues such as immigration, commu-nity, responsible leadership, cultural understanding, spirituality, curbing violence and turning disability into ability.

Holley Jackson, coordinator of AmeriCorps and social justice, said this empowering setting makes learning fun. “Th e kids post what they learn on Facebook and we keep it very interactive… engaging. Th e participants are those who want to make a diff erence at their schools and in their commu-nities. When a bunch of people with those shared ideas come together, it is really incredible all the good things that can come out of it,” said Jackson.

Witherspoon-Norris said they are seeking more Jewish students and counselors. In 2011, the fi rst year of the collaboration, there were fi ve Jew-ish campers. In 2012, there was just one Jewish counselor. “Anytown is important for them and their presence is important for everyone else at Anytown,” she said. Rachel Marcus, who attended in 2011, said Anytown pushed her “to fi nd myself in an environment unknown to me” and “gave me the tools and passion to make a diff erence in my community.”

Mack Krell, a senior at Indian Springs who also attended in 2011, said an amazing experience was “when I had the opportunity to talk to all of the Anybuddies and share my experience as a Jew in Birmingham. I was able to teach them something that I am almost positive they would not have been able to learn anyplace else.”

Sam Todd, now an associate at Bradley Arant in Birmingham, attended as a delegate in 1998 and staff er while in college. “Without a doubt that many of the lessons taught at Anytown still impact my life and the way I view the world today. I vividly remember talking with other delegates and hearing about the horrible realities of poverty and racism. To hear these stories from people my age was eye-opening and went far beyond what I had learned in school.”

Shaina Shealy, who now lives in Washington, was a delegate in 2004 and on staff several summers. “I am consistently blown away as delegates ask complicated questions about role of societal norms on their identity.” She observed the Jewish delegates grappling with new terms and exploring their own identities while learning about others.

Th ose who want to attend Anytown must write an essay on a chosen topic and provide references along with the admission fees (if selected). For 2013, they estimate the capacity to be 75 campers.

About half of the staff are college students and the other half range in age from their 20s through their 60s. “We look for diversity and the right fi ts with staff as well as our campers,” said Witherspoon-Norris.

She said the setting for Anytown Alabama also encourages learning and sharing. “Being in an active, beautiful, outdoor setting (versus a classroom) really helps to get campers to open up and participate even more,” added Witherspoon-Norris. “It keeps it fresh and fun.”

Education


Cori Mazer and Eli Cohen, ISS Commissioners of Citizenship, with Judge Robert Vance

Indian Springs kicked off its 60th year this past fall with a full campus when students from 14 countries and 10 states arrived to begin the 2012-2013 school year.

Eighty-four boarding students from Canada, China, Colombia, Ger-many, Ghana, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, South Korea, Taiwan, and the U.S. (Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia) joined 193 day students from throughout the Birmingham area.

Th e only boarding/day school in the Birmingham area and the only non-sectarian, non-military day/boarding school in the state, ISS opened its doors in 1952 with an enrollment of 59 boys. Th e school became a coed institution in 1975.

ISS is nationally ranked and has won a host of honors over the years, including the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement, which honors schools that lead their state in AP participation and performance in math and science.

Darkness into Life ExhibitTh e ISS Library recently hosted a collection of panels from the Birming-

ham Holocaust Education Center called “Darkness into Life.” Th is exhibit featured artwork and stories from 20 Holocaust survivors who currently live in Alabama.

Among them is Ho-locaust survivor Max Steinmetz, who spoke at Springs on Nov. 2 as part of Development Day (D-Day), a 60-year school tradition in which students and faculty spend the day serving the school and community.

Between 1942 and 1945 — from the ages of 17 to 20 — he was held in German captiv-ity in at least fi ve ghet-tos or camps, where his parents and siblings all perished. Th e Romanian native escaped a work detail in April 1945 and was liberated by American troops 10 days later. After months of hospitalization, he checked into a Displaced Persons Camp, where he applied for a U.S. visa. He arrived in the States in 1948 and moved to Birmingham in 1955, where he became a clothing executive. Steinmetz still lives in Birmingham and is happy to speak to others.

He joined Judge Robert S. Vance Jr., who ran this fall for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, as a D-Day speaker. A Jeff erson County Cir-cuit Judge and Springs alumnus whose father (former federal judge Robert Smith Vance) was killed by a mail bomb in 1989, Vance spoke about the importance of public service.

D-Day projects included work with such organizations as Birmingham AIDS Outreach, Vulcan Park, Urban Ministries, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, Ruff ner Mountain, and the Eco-Farm, a collaboration of the Southern Environmental Center and Jeff erson County Department of Health.

Vance and Steinmetz’s addresses were also part of the school’s yearlong theme, “Th e Individual in Society,” which is giving intentional direction and purpose to a range of curricular and extracurricular eff orts through-out the school year.

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Education


Jewish studies, student life vibrant at LSUNew house for Sigma Alpha Mu also hosts the Hillel

By Lee J. Green

Th is year’s Jewish Studies off erings are the “most robust and diverse set of courses ever off ered” at Louisiana State University, and Jewish student life activity has never been more brisk.

Daniel Novak, associate professor of English and director of Jewish Studies as well as Hillel and Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity advisor, estimates that there are close to 400 Jewish students at the Baton Rouge campus. “As we look to the future, we are working to reconnect with the array of LSU Jewish alumni across the region to let them know that Jewish life at LSU is vibrant once again. We also want to ask them for their support so that we can continue to grow,” said Novak.

As it pertains to Jewish Studies, the courses for fall 2012 included Be-ginning Hebrew, Th e Holocaust and 20th Century Genocide, Religious Violence and Toleration in Early Modern Europe, Arab and Jew in Lit-erature and Film, two Old Testament classes, two Holocaust classes, and History of Ancient Israel.

“In the coming years we plan to attract Jewish and non-Jewish students to become Jewish Studies minors. We hope to be able to off er scholarships to promising students. One plan is to create scholarships for Jewish Stud-ies minors who want to study abroad in central Europe and Germany to learn about the Holocaust and contemporary Jewish communities,” said Novak.

He added that one of LSU’s prominent Jewish alumni, Dr. Ronald Marks of Alexandria, La., recently earned election into the LSU Hall of Distinction.

Hillel Director Valerie Blackman said they recently wrapped up another very successful semester at Hillel. Th ey held a Havdallah service and elec-tions for the general board on Dec. 1. “It was a great turnout, especially considering that the students were in the middle of fi nals,” she said.

“Our monthly Jewish life lunches have been successful again this year. It’s a great time for students to take a break from their studies to catch up with their Jewish friends,” added Blackman.

Th e Rosh Hashanah dinner this past September was hosted by D’Angelo’s. Hillel’s Yom Kippur break-the-fast was held for the fi rst time at Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, which moved into a house on campus August 1. Bi-monthly meetings for Hillel are held there. Blackman also added that they had good turnouts for the menorah lighting, Chanukah party and Sukkot Pizza in the Hut earlier in the fall.

LSU’s Sigma Alpha Mu chapter president Ryan Socia said, “all of us are excited about the new house. It has presented a lot of new opportunities for us as a fraternity, but also for Jewish life at LSU as a whole. Th e house provides a central meeting point where the members of Sammy can come together. It helps to ensure the longevity of our fraternity and a Jewish presence on campus as well.”

Aside from the usual events that take place in the spring such as Pass-over observances, Blackman said Hillel plans to organize an event for its members to meet and mingle with the Jewish faculty on campus. “We would also like to become more active in the Jewish community by par-ticipating in philanthropy projects sponsored by the local synagogues.”

Education


Continued on page 22

By Lee J. Green

Th e only international Jewish college-pre-paratory boarding school in the United States continues to develop young minds and future leaders.

Located on a 100-acre campus in Greensboro, N.C., more than 160 high school students from 26 states and 25 countries — as far away as Mon-golia, Israel and Ethiopia — attend the pluralis-tic, coeducational school.

“Our dual curriculum presents a rigorous academic environment designed for students to reach their full potential. Th e faculty at the Academy hail from around the globe, helping students to excel in a scholastic program that includes Advanced Placement, college level and Jewish Studies courses,” said AHA Executive Di-rector Glenn Drew.

Maurice “Chico” Sabbah and his wife, Zmira, who dreamed of developing a fi rst-of-its kind Jewish teen community for all denominations, founded the school in 1996.

Th e Academy puts an emphasis on academics, arts and athletics. It off ers 36 diff erent electives and many sports/outdoor activities. Its resourc-es include an 88,000-square-foot athletic facility and a 22-acre lake.

One of the world’s largest geothermal energy

centers powers the campus and AHA was re-cently awarded “Green Ribbon Certifi cation” for its environmental eff orts.

Living spaces are home-like residences built for approximately 20 students each. Th e students live two to a room alongside resident house-par-ents. Each home off ers a lounge, bistro and a laundry room.

One of those students is Mesfi n Hodes. Mes-fi n was adopted from an Ethiopian orphanage as a young child by world-renowned spinal surgeon Dr. Rick Hodes, known for straightening the crooked spines of those in countries who cannot aff ord medical care.

Although Mesfi n left Ethiopia and the much-less-than-optimal conditions of his former or-phanage long ago, the country and the orphans remain close to his heart.

Mesfi n has engaged students at the Academy by collecting items for him to bring back to his former country and orphanage. He has also in-volved others in the Greensboro community. “A wise man once told me that saving one person’s life is like saving the entire world,” he said. Do-nated items include blankets, clothing, shoes, toys and school supplies. Mesfi n will bring the items to those in need when he travels to his na-tive country after the 2012-13 academic year is over.

Sarah Ripps, a sophomore from Pensacola, recently was elected vice president of the AHA Honor Society and has spearheaded various community service initiatives including a food drive for “Out of the Garden” — a nonprofi t organization whose mission is to make sure no child in Guilford County goes to bed hungry. Sarah got the Greensboro Jewish Day School, synagogues and temples to help in these eff orts as well. She also is a starter on the volleyball and basketball teams at the school.

Ben Siegel is a freshman from Mobile. He was named to the honor roll after the fi rst trimester. He is a member of the Academy’s student am-bassador program and was a student host for the prospective student weekend this past fall. He also has sung in several performances at the AHA.

Morgan Wittenberg’s Fellowship helps BBYO alumni at Tulane

As a high school student in North Carolina, Morgan Wittenberg took her fi rst steps to be-coming a leader in BBYO, the world’s largest Jewish youth movement. Now, she is not only a leader as a sophomore at Tulane, she is one of nine recipients of the BBYO Community En-gagement Fellowship nationally.

BBYO “provided me with the mindset that I could make a change and be an infl uential fi gure in any setting,” said Wittenberg.

Th at includes Tulane, where she is senator at large and public aff airs chair for the Tulane Un-dergraduate Student Government, Green Wave Ambassador, president of the Tulane Israel Pub-lic Aff airs Committee, vice president of educa-tion for Kappa Alpha Th eta and a member of Hillel Student Leaders.

American Hebrew Academy molding great leaders

Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano

The world’s largest Jewish youth movement has given Tulane sophomore Morgan Wittenberg a community engagement fellowship.


Israeli player pursues Southern religion — football — at BSCBy Lee J. Green

Now Birmingham-Southern College has even more ties to Israel and the Jewish communi-ties, from its new president to an Israeli football player.

More than 50 Jewish students attend Birmingham-Southern and those numbers continue to climb. One of those students is Israel native Erez Kaminski.

Th e freshman physics major from Haifa arrived at Birming-ham-Southern on Aug. 8 to begin practice as a left tackle and off ensive lineman with the junior varsity football team.

Th is is not Kaminski’s fi rst time in the U.S. He got a fi rst-hand look at American culture at age four when his family moved from Israel to Miami so his mother could complete a two-year fellowship at the medical cam-pus of Miami Dade College.

Since then, he has logged many travel miles in his life, including several trips to Europe. But a chance connection between a coach in Huntsville and a coach at BSC sent Kaminski packing for Birmingham.

He had sent a highlight video of his football skills in the Kraft Family Israel Football League to several American colleges and universities. His home league began with a few men ages 17 to 42 and now consists of more than 500 players.

“Th ere is nothing I have wanted to do more in my life than play foot-ball,” said Kaminski. “I am so grateful for this opportunity to not only play football in America but to get a great education as well as be involved in a vibrant Jewish community here in Birmingham.”

He started playing football in Israel at age 17 and the now-22-year-old freshman served three years of mandatory military service in the Israeli Defense Forces. “My unit specialized in complex and urban territories. It was founded to stop terrorist attacks on civilian populations,” he said.

“None of the U.S. schools I communicated with had even heard of the Israel Football League, and no one responded until my video got passed off to the football coach at Madison Academy in Huntsville. Th e coach conducts football clinics in Israel and he got in touch with BSC Assistant Football Coach Dyer Carlisle. After hearing about what a great school Bir-mingham-Southern is and reading about the college on its website, the choice was easy,” said Kaminski.

“I wanted to play football at a bigger and harder level than back home,” said Kaminski. “Football is fairly new in Israel and not as developed as it is in the U.S. We have eight players on the fi eld and many of the men have no prior knowledge of the game.”

He was pleased to learn that Birmingham-Southern’s head football coach is Eddie Garfunkel, who is a member of Temple Emanu-El. Kamin-ski hopes to devote more time to involvement with the Temple and the Jewish community now that football season is over.

Th ough he had lived when he was young in Miami, Kaminski had never been to the Deep South and knew very little about Birmingham or Ala-bama. “I had picked up a tourism book in Israel about Alabama and the fi rst two things it said in the book were ‘football’ and ‘racism.’ I heard some of the stereotypes and myths.

“But Birmingham and Alabama today are wonderful, special places,” he said. “Th e people here are so nice. Growing up I knew very few Christians and some of the people I had met here at Birmingham-Southern, espe-

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Education


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cially those who came from small towns in Alabama, had met very few Jews if any at all. I can say that every experience has been positive. I am proud to be Jewish in Alabama.”

Of course Kaminski likes it that football is the unifying “religion” in the state and region. Along with some of his teammates on the Panthers’ foot-ball team, Kaminski went to some Alabama Crimson Tide football games in Tuscaloosa. He plays on the off ensive line, and Alabama had what most experts pegged as the strongest off ensive line in the nation during the 2012 season.

“Th ere is a great culture of football in the South. I want to learn and absorb as much as I can,” said Kaminski, who is an honors student. “I can correlate some of my physics learning to better my play in football. Both physics and football are ‘universal languages’.”

He credits the Israel Defense Force with instilling in him leadership abilities that he uses to help him excel in the classroom and the football fi eld, as well as to help others. “I plan to go back to Israel this summer and I hope to able to lead some football clinics there. I have learned so much here and I want to share it with others there,” added Kaminski.

His parents came to the U.S. for a Chanukah visit and he said they were impressed with the area. Kaminski’s sister is a graduate student at the Uni-versity of Delaware.

“I want to continue to improve as a football player with a goal to start on the varsity level (next season),” he said. “I want to learn as much as I can about physics as well as business. I am also happy to speak at any fundrais-ing events that support Israel and the Friends of Israel Defense Forces.”

Another Birmingham-Southern fi gure with a military background is General Charles Krulak, who is now president of the college. When Kru-lak was serving as a captain in Vietnam in 1966, Dayan spent time there re-acquainting himself with military tactics. Krulak’s company was in charge

With the Fellowship, she is now working to help BBYO alumni at Tulane transition into college, stay connected to Jewish life and expose them to social, professional and leadership opportunities.

“When they go off to college, staying involved (in Jewish life) may not be the fi rst thing on their agenda,” said Wittenberg, an international relations and social policy and practice major. “But there’s no reason to cut off ties from an organization that has given us so much.”

In its fi rst year, the program is a key component of BBYO’s fi ve-year strategic plan, part of which focuses on Jewish engagement at transition points, such as going off to college.

As a Community Engagement Fellow, Wittenberg will organize BBYO alumni events and initiate projects with partner organizations. She will also participate in an alumni mentorship program and professional devel-opment programs.

“Tulane has such a vibrant Jewish community,” Wittenberg said. “And I’m excited to create unique experiences that will help us stay engaged with one another.”

of Dayan’s time there, and that began a friendship with Dayan and a “love aff air” with the IDF.

On Dec. 13, Krulak was the speaker for the community’s Israel Bonds event. While Krulak isn’t Jewish, his grandparents were.

One of the fi rst things Krulak did when he came on board a couple of years ago at the college known nationally for its exemplary liberal arts programs was to consult with the Birmingham Jewish Federation on the ways that BSC could enhance its Jewish environment, and also be more involved in the Birmingham area Jewish community.


Hillel called: New director at ‘Bama knows Jewish life at CapstoneBy Lee J. Green

Th e Tide brought new University of Alabama Hillel Director Lisa Bes-noy along with her husband, Kevin, back home, and she takes pride in playing an important role in the rising enrollment and involvement of Jew-ish students in Tuscaloosa.

“Th e University of Alabama really cares about providing an enriching en-vironment for Jewish students and devoting resources to grow the numbers of those enrolled,” close to 800 for the 2012-13 school year, said Besnoy, who was involved with Hillel and Sigma Delta Tau sorority when she was an undergraduate at the University from 1994 to 1998. She met her husband at Alabama, and Kevin now is a professor there, in Gifted Studies.

Th e two were working at Northern Kentucky University and moved back to Tuscaloosa this past summer. “Th ere are certainly several things that I am familiar with, but much has changed since I worked with Hillel as a student, with a major one being the beautiful new building on campus. Plus it seems that we have even more active Jewish students than when I was in school here. Hillel can be what the students want it to be,” she said.

Last month, Hillel hosted a Chanukah party and a menorah lighting. Currently they are planning a special tree-planting ceremony to tie in with Tu B’Shevat in late January, as a memorial to Stan Bloom, who recently passed away. Bloom was instrumental in growing Hillel in the 1960s and beyond, and his father brought Hillel to the University of Alabama in the early 1930s as only the second Hillel in the nation.

“We’re very grateful for the eff orts of those before us, and we want to team with the Board of Trustees on developing new activities as well as funding sources,” Besnoy said. With the Crimson Tide football team being at the top of the mountain and very popular, funds have been raised from the sales of houndstooth yarmulkes and Roll Tide Bama Hillel shirts in Hebrew letters.

Th ey also hosted a student recruitment event the weekend of the Ala-bama-Texas A&M game this past November. Th is included a Shabbat din-ner at Hillel Friday night, tours of the campus, tailgating before the game Saturday and movie night after the game.

Th e spring recruitment weekend will likely be in early March and re-volve around a Crimson Tide basketball game. Th e event will be called “Hoops and Havdalah.”

“We’re very happy with the support we get and the student leadership in place. But we always seek more support, involvement and ideas,” she said. Th eir Facebook page is “Bama Hillel.”

Recently, the Zeta Beta Tau Jewish fraternity signifi cantly renovated the inside of its house. Currently the fraternity has close to 100 members, up more than 300 percent from just a few years ago.

Jewish Studies carries strong national reputationAlabama off ers the only Judaic Studies minor in the state and the only

full-time department of Religious Studies, according to Rabbi Dr. Steven Jacobs.

In the classes Jacobs teaches, there is actually a majority of non-Jewish students, especially in courses such as Jewish-Christian relations and the Holocaust. “Th e University is committed to growing the Judaic Studies program and off ering more opportunities for those who want to go into this line of study,” he said.

New University of Alabama President Dr. Judy Bonner added, “the University of Alabama shares a long history and valuable connection with thousands of Jewish students who have come from all over the United States to live, study and work at the Capstone. We are excited about the new, beautiful Hillel House located on campus and all the diff erent ac-tivities, events as well as fellowship it facilitates. Our Jewish students are active and vibrant members of our community who enrich and brighten every aspect of campus life.”

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Growing Jewish life at Auburn University By Lee J. Green

Th e Jewish student population at Auburn University continues to rise like a War Eagle in fl ight, with those estimated numbers topping 100 students this school year.

On Dec. 1, more than 50 students and oth-ers took part in a special menorah lighting cer-emony to commemorate Chanukah, located for the fi rst time at the center of campus next to the University’s Christmas tree.

“Events such as this not only unite our Jew-ish students, faculty, employees and alumni but also show to others the positive presence of Jew-ish activity here on campus,” said Rob Kulick, Coordinator of Student Services for Aerospace Engineering and Auburn Hillel. “We don’t have a large Jewish student population here, but they are active and close-knit.”

Kulick and his Hillel students are currently working out the details of a spring Jewish student recruitment weekend. Th ose interested in learn-ing more about this event and Jewish student life at Auburn can go to the “AU Hillel” Facebook page and e-mail [email protected].

He said that Auburn Hillel partners with Temple Beth Shalom in Auburn for community sharing and holiday observance events as well as philanthropy. Th is including building a Sukkah at Auburn this past October and a community Passover Seder coming in March.

“We have some very bright Jewish students who are taking an active role in enhancing Jewish student life here and encouraging current Jewish high school students to come visit,” said Kulick. “We would love to get even more involvement and support from alumni so that we can build upon this momentum.”

Auburn’s campus environment and top na-tional reputation, especially in areas such as agricultural programs, veterinary medicine and engineering help attract Jewish students from the Southeast as well as across the country.

“Students come here for superior academic opportunities,” he said. “We want to give them every opportunity to be involved in leadership and growing our Jewish community here.”

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Federation to mark a century of coordinating the New Orleans Jewish community

On Dec. 23, 1912, a group of Jewish New Orleanians signed a charter that would estab-lish what has become the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. While the Federation plans to celebrate its 100-year legacy and look forward to the next century throughout 2013, the celebration will kick off this month with a Centennial Jubilee on Jan. 15.

Th e 7 p.m. program, held in Henson Au-ditorium at the Isidore Newman School, will feature a conversation between Rabbi Joseph Telushkin and New Orleans native Richard Stone.

In June 2011, Stone became chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, a central coordinating body that represents 50 national Jewish orga-nizations. Conference Executive Vice Chair Malcolm Hoenlein said Stone “is a talented and devoted leader who has been involved in the Conference of Presidents for many years.”

A February 2012 profi le in the Jerusalem Post said Stone is “rock-solid” and “knows how to pack a punch.”

Stone is on the faculty of Columbia Univer-sity Law School, where he has held the Wilbur Friedman Chair in Tax Law since 1991. He is also a venture capitalist. He is the chairman of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, which advocates for the Jewish communities in the 15 republics that emerged from the So-viet Union.

Stone was the chairman of the Institute for Public Aff airs, the public policy arm of the Orthodox Union, from 1992 to 2002 and served on the board and Executive Commit-

tee of JCPA from 2005 to 2009. He currently serves as a member of the board of the Hebrew Free Loan Society, the America-Israel Friend-ship League, the American Zion-ist Movement and the New York Metropolitan Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty.

Telushkin was named one of the 50 best speakers in the United States by Talk maga-zine. He has written 16 books on a wide range of subjects, including the most widely sell-ing book on Judaism in the last two decades, “Jewish Literacy: Th e Most Important Th ings to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History.”

Th e fi rst volume of his monumental work, “A Code of Jewish Ethics,” was released in 2006. He co-authored “Why the Jews: Th e Reason for Antisemitism” and “Th e Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism” with Dennis Prager, and “Jewish Humor: What the Best Jewish Jokes Say About the Jews” with Larry Gelbart.

A wine reception will precede the event, starting at 6:15 p.m. Th e celebration is spon-sored by Herman, Herman and Katz.

Th e group of philanthropists that met in De-cember 1912 wanted to consolidate the fundraising appeals of the many diff erent organizations in the Jewish community, saying the frequency of the solicitations was no longer to the organizations’ ad-vantage. A minimum membership of $5 was called for in the original “Federation of Jewish Charities” charter, though the signatories all pledged a minimum of $100, and three — J.K. Newman, Mrs. S. Gumbel and E.V. Benjamin — pledged $1,000 each.

On June 4, 1913, the Jewish Charitable and Educational Federation was incorpo-rated and offi cially became the umbrella group for Jewish charities in New Or-leans.

In 1924, the Federation gave its fund-raising tasks to the Community Chest, becoming the central coordinating and planning body for affi liate agencies. In 1931, the Federation created the Jewish

Richard Stone, left, shakes hands with President Barack Obama at a signing ceremony for the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act in July, which authorized $70 million in aid to Israel for expansion of the Iron Dome defense.

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin


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Welfare Fund to address out-of-town fundraising drives for national and international agencies, which were not under the purview of Community Chest.

In 1943, the organization changed its name to the Jewish Federa-tion of New Orleans and the charter was changed to refl ect its duties of administering charitable, philanthropic, and educational eff orts for the Jewish community; coordinating programs and social services of affi liated agencies; and expressing the local Jewish community’s view-point.

A 1953 community study by the Federation and Fund showed over-lapping of functions in the community. By 1962, there was a desire to consolidate the boards of the Federation and Fund, so one unifi ed board was created.

With the community spreading beyond its original area, in 1977 the Federation changed its name to the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. Th e extent of the community’s spread was examined in a 1984 community census.

Th e 1980s also marked a time of increased activity in the general community, especially with the repeated candidacy of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke for governor and the U.S. Senate.

Th e Federation’s role as the central planning agency was put to the test in 2005 as the entire community was evacuated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the fl ooding that followed the levee failure. As it became apparent that it would be months before many could return to the area — if at all — the Federation set up a temporary home at the Houston Jewish Federation, and later in Baton Rouge.

Th e national Federation system raised over $20 million to keep New Orleans Jewish institutions viable as the community rebuilt, and the Federation had to look at short-term recovery and long-term rebuild-ing, both of institutions and population.

In an echo of the 1952 study, the Federation coordinated a com-munity-wide eff ort after Katrina to eliminate duplication and promote cooperation among Jewish institutions and organizations, to help scarce dollars stretch farther.

Last summer, the Federation announced that the local Jewish popu-lation had topped the 2005 pre-Katrina fi gure, after being down al-most one-third as the post-Katrina exodus bottomed out.

Centennial Endowment Campaign to be launched

As part of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans’ centen-nial celebration, this month will include the launch of a Centennial Campaign, chaired by Michael Wasserman.

Th e campaign will create an endowment fund “to safeguard New Orleans’ Jewish identity for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”

Th e endowment fund drive is in addition to the annual campaign.

General Assembly Mission to IsraelTh e Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans is planning a com-

munity trip to Israel and Petra, which will include the 2013 Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly. Th e itinerary will focus on the country’s southern communities, including visits to Mitzpa Ramon and Eilat, and an excursion into Jordan to see the mind-boggling ancient city of Petra. Of course, there will also be time in Partnership2Gether city Rosh Ha’Ayin.

Th e mission is scheduled for Nov. 10 to 18. Additional information will be forthcoming, but those who are interested can contact Sherri Tarr, [email protected].


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Young adult groups merge into JNOLAFour diff erent groups for Jewish

young adults in New Orleans are merging, creating a new unifi ed or-ganization for those ages 21 to 45.

JNOLA will be the “hub for Next Gen Jewish life in New Orleans,” and will debut on Jan. 10 at 6:30 p.m., in the second fl oor Stadium Club at Manning’s, 519 Fulton Street. Th ere will be complimentary wine, beer, specialty cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres.

Th e new organization is a merger of the Jewish Federation of Great-er New Orleans’ Young Adult Division, Jewish Newcomers Program, J-Grad Student Retention Program, and the Jewish Community Cen-ter’s Young Jews of the Crescent City.

Th e new group will develop Jewish leaders and provide opportu-nities for professional networking, tikkun olam projects, enrichment and social engagement.

Gift cards and monetary donations for victims of Hurricane Sandy will be collected at the event. Th ere is free event parking at 501 Con-vention Center Boulevard — bring the ticket for validation — or valet parking at the corner of Lafayette and Fulton. Reserve by January 7 to [email protected].

More: facebook.com/JewishNOLA.

Healthy Eating in 2013By Liz Cabrera, RD, CNSPLead Clinical Dietitian at Touro Infirmary

As we kick off a new year, keep your health in mind and use this time to create new eating habits and weight management strate-gies. Your body will thank you for it!

Th is year, try to eat smaller portions. Learn what a serving size is for diff erent foods and how many servings you need in a meal. Choose fewer high-fat foods and use less fat for cooking. Foods that are high in saturated fats or trans-fat such as fatty meats, fried foods, sweets and whole milk are just a few of the culprits that can hold our bodies back.

Incorporate more fi ber into your diet by eating more whole-grains foods. Whole grains can be found in many breakfast cere-als, oatmeal, whole grain rice and whole-wheat breads.

Don’t forget to get your serving of fruits and vegetables every day. Some important veggies to get in your body include broccoli, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and beans and peas. Lay off on fruit fl avored drinks, sodas and use less salt in your meals and at the dinner table.

Incorporating these simple tips into your daily life can help you recharge and have your best year yet.

For more information about healthy eating in the New Year, there is a free monthly Healthy Lifestyles seminar at Touro Infi r-mary, led by Touro dietitians. Th is month, we will discuss eating habits to kick of the New Year, including weight management, serving sizes, trendy diets and how to track what you eat.

Visit www.touro.com/events to register or learn more.

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Southern Jewish Life is printed is printed at a plant that is FSC, SFI and PEFC at a plant that is FSC, SFI and PEFC Chain-of-Custody Tri-Certified, Chain-of-Custody Tri-Certified, and uses soy-based inks.

Chain of custody certification Chain of custody certification offers paper which has been offers paper which has been harvested from responsibly managed forests, then verifiably managed forests, then verifiably traced through all stages of print production.

SJL is free to all Jewish households in Alabama, Louisiana, SJL is free to all Jewish households in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and NW Florida. Outside this area, anyone Mississippi, and NW Florida. Outside this area, anyone wishing to subscribe, or to send a gift, may do so for $25/year wishing to subscribe, or to send a gift, may do so for $25/year ($40/two years). ($40/two years).

To sign up free inside our area, or to purchase a subscription To sign up free inside our area, or to purchase a subscription outside these states, email us at [email protected] or outside these states, email us at [email protected] or mail: SJL, PO Box 130052, Birmingham AL 35213mail: SJL, PO Box 130052, Birmingham AL 35213

If you prefer receiving SJL online — either instead of or in f you prefer receiving SJL online — either instead of or in addition to the print edition — send us your email. Every addition to the print edition — send us your email. Every issue is available online in the exact same layout as the print issue is available online in the exact same layout as the print edition. And eedition. And email = quicker.

How You Get Your SJL is Your Choice: Email or Mailbox, You Can Feel Good About It.

Chanukah at the JCCOn Dec. 10, the Uptown New Orleans

Jewish Community Center held a Chanukah celebration.

Rick Recht performed with local cantors and students. In addition to the traditional lighting of the menorah, this popular annual event featured an indoor picnic catered by Kosher Cajun, which included their fried chicken and latkes.

Continued from page 30


Joseph’s brothers are the ones who spend their time getting dirty in the fi elds, but if he’s not careful, before dinner one day they’ll wash their hands of him.

Maybe that coat Jacob plans to make him wear will humble him.Potiphar’s wife helping herself to the help?

Another month, and another rumor that the wife of Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard, is on her own kind of patrol. Th e latest is that she’s been trying to get certain house-hold servants alone in the pantry, if you know what she means.

Of course, Potiphar himself is too good to read what he calls, “this slabloid journalism.” But if he did, one wonders if he would still be on the market for a new household slave, now that it’s almost time for the Ishmaelite traders’ annual visit to the capital.

Imagine what could happen to whoever gets stuck between these two. Th en again, Jacob had kids with his wives’ handmaidens, and Potiphar’s wife likes to get some overtime with her husband’s slaves… Maybe one of Jacob’s sons should go work for Potiphar!

No. Even in a gossip column, nobody would ever believe it.

Any resemblance between L. Shaun Harrah and Doug Brook – a writer in Silicon Valley – is purely coincidental. Even if it isn’t. For past columns, other writings, and more, visit http://brookwrite.com/. For exclusive online /. For exclusive online /content, like facebook.com/the.beholders.eye.

New email list for community obituaries

With the cessation of the Times Picayune’s daily publication, it is now likely that members of the Jewish community will fi nd it more diffi cult to learn about funerals within the community in a timely fashion. “Levayat Hamet” is the mitzvah to attend funerals.

To address this problem, Southern Jew-ish Life Magazine, in cooperation with the Greater New Orleans Rabbinic Council and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, has off ered to provide timely notifi cations to those who seek it. To sign up for this mitzvah enabling service simply go to http://eepurl.com/pt765. You may also send your email address to [email protected]. Your address will be used only for this specifi c purpose.

A sip of gossipby L. Shaun Harrah

Almost every household has embraced the tablets craze, so it’s time to put our ear to the ground in this Biblical era and satisfy your crav-ings for dirt with our latest carvings.Fashion News: Coat of many blunders

Jacob, who you remember changed his stage name to Israel a while back, recently had a special coat made for one of his 12 sons. Allegedly it’s for his favorite son — let’s face it, we all know that’s little Joseph — but if he’s really his favorite, he’ll spare him the rod AND this coat.

By one account, the colors merely begin with red, and yel-low, and green, and brown, and scarlet, and black, and ochre, and peach. Forget about the ruby, and olive, and violet, and fawn — these colors haven’t gone together in any season, and this year will be no ex-ception.

Whether those colors go left to right or right to left, this coat is best left in the closet. If he wears it in public, his own brothers will beat him up.

Rumor is there was a prophecy that his family would be enslaved for four hundred years. Obviously not as slaves to fashion, because after just four hundred seconds this little frock should be thrown to a hungry fl ock.Twelve against one – an unfair fi ght?

Speaking of Jacob, it’s well known that he has 12 sons from four women. Th is correspondent paid for both his kids to go to Memphis by writing about Jacob marrying two women — sisters, no less — and about the ultimately true rumors that he also had kids with each of their handmaidens.

But what about the lost 13th child? Jacob had a daughter, Dina. People forget she exists; it’s so easy to get lost in the mix with 12 boys around. Word on the dirt path is that she got out of all the work her brothers have to do by besting them in competition. We don’t yet know what their throwdown was, but she’s quoted as saying to them, “come back with a 13th and 14th guy, then it’ll be a fair fi ght.”Dissent in the ranks

File this rank one under dissent in the rank and fi le. For everyone who thought that Jacob is a good guy and therefore his sons must be, too, think again. Th ese boys, who at fi rst seemed decent, have de-scended into dissent over one of their own.

Nobody dreamed this could happen, but dreams have made it so. Joseph is rumored to be well aware that he’s Jacob’s favorite son. He knows it. His brothers know it. We know it. Apparently that’s not enough for Joseph. He’s allegedly making up dreams to use as meta-phors to rub his apparent parental priority in the face of his brothers.


Continued on previous page

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