SJL Deep South, Jan. 2013

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

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Southern Jewish Life January 2013 3

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

Southern Life

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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Mailing Address:P.O. Box 130052,Birmingham, AL 35213

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Jon and Sheryl Kimerling, Layne Held, Randi Landy, Sherron and Allan Goldstein before the Israel Bonds event on Dec. 13.

Bonds event promotes unity with Israel: Not long after the Gaza operation, standing with Israel was the theme of this year’s Israel Bonds event in Birmingham, held on Dec. 13 in coordination with the Birmingham Jewish Federation and Foundation.

Gen. Charles Krulak, president of Birmingham-Southern College, spoke of working with Israeli military legend Moshe Dayan while he was a Marine in Vietnam, and his “love affair” with the Israel Defense Forces. He noted the threat a nuclear Iran poses, and stated that “The US has got to have Israel’s back.”

Daniel Odrezin, BJF Assistant Executive Director, spoke about his whirlwind visit to Israel during the Gaza operation.

Israel Bonds made a presentation to Sheryl and Jon Kimerling for their leadership and philanthropy. It was also mentioned that Jimmy and Carol Filler would be receiving a national Israel Bonds award in January, at a Florida event.

The Federation presented its Joanie Plous Bayer Young Leadership Award to Layne Held, and the Susan Goldberg Distinguished Volunteer Award to Randi Landy.

The Foundation presented the N.E. Miles Lifetime Achievement Award to Sherron and Alan Goldstein.

Day School Celebrates 40th: While in While in recent years the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School’s recent years the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School’s annual “Night on the Town” gala has taken participants on culinary journeys to various parts of the world, this year the gala returns home for a 40th anniversary celebration of the school’s founders.

The Jan. 27 event will include dinner, and silent The Jan. 27 event will include dinner, and silent and live auctions.

In 1973, a group of community leaders and parents embarked on a journey with a class of 11 first graders. Today, the school enrolls about 80 students in Kindergarten through eighth grade.

Founders include Hal and Judy Abroms, Harry and Barbara Atlas, Louis and Joan Bayer, Howard and Suzanne Bearman, Floyd Berman, Rabbi Milton Grafman, Abe Kaplan, Gaston Kimerling, Stanley and Maxine Lapidus, Louis Meer, Mayer Newfield, Joe Stein, Rabbi Moshe Stern, Albert and Razelle Toranto, Albert and Sue Tuck, and Phyllis Weinstein.

Tickets are $80, or $125 for patrons. Reservations are requested by Jan. 11, and can be made online at nemjds.org/gala.


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Ruben at IDF benefit: Birmingham native and American Idol winner Ruben Studdard (pictured above with IDF soldiers) performed at a Los Angeles gala that raised $14 million for Friends of the Israel Defense Forces on Dec. 6.

The gala was widely publicized because Stevie Wonder backed out as headline performer at the last minute. In a statement, Wonder said “I am respectfully withdrawing my participation from this year’s event to avoid the appearance of partiality. As a Messenger of Peace, I am and have always been against war, any war, anywhere. In consistently keeping with my spirit of giving, I will make a personal contribution to organizations that support Israeli and Palestinian children with disabilities.”

The Jewish Journal of Los Angeles reported that former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney worked with Los Angeles African-American activists to threaten demonstrations outside Wonder’s radio station and his annual House Full of Toys benefit concert. Anti-Israel activists protested the FIDF gala.

The evening was emceed by Jason Alexander and also featured a surprise performance by Chaka Khan. The event included an emotional speech by bereaved mother Miriam Peretz, who lost two sons in battle, a statement of support from a U.S. Marines Colonel who donated $500 for the wellbeing of Israel’s soldiers, and a rendition of the Hebrew song “Jerusalem of Gold” by a well-respected Evangelical pastor. The Gala was also celebrated by the presence of 12 active-duty IDF soldiers who arrived from Israel to meet with FIDF supporters.

The funds raised at the event will go toward FIDF’s wellbeing and educational programs for the IDF soldiers and the Negev Wellbeing and Educational Centers.

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Items needed for Rich’s exhibit: Fond memories abound toward the disappearing Jewish-owned department stores that used to populate larger communities in the region. The Breman Jewish Heritage Museum in Atlanta is working on an exhibit, to debut this fall, on Rich’s.

“The Rich’s exhibition is going to be our signature exhibition for 2013,” explained Breman Executive Director Aaron Berger. “What begins as a story of Jewish immigration from Hungary becomes a great tale of American entrepreneurship and innovation.”

While Rich’s was mostly an Atlanta institution, it expanded into Birmingham in the 1970s and had three stores when the entire chain was sold to Federated, now Macy’s.

The Breman will host several focus groups for longtime employees and customers.To support the museum or exhibition, contribute artifacts, or share a story, contact the museum by email, [email protected].


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Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria will host its third annual Jewish Food Festival on Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The congregation will feature a wide range of Jewish foods, including beef brisket, all beef kosher hotdogs, bagels with cream cheese and lox, chopped liver, noodle kugle, corned beef sandwiches, falafel and more.

There will be a Jewish marketplace with items from the Judaica shop and hand crafted art items created by congregation members. The event is co-chaired by Judy Ginsburgh and Jacque Caplan.

B’nai Israel in Monroe will host “A Tribute to Jewish American Composers,” the congregation’s seventh annual benefit concert, on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. The concert will feature Rod Allen Payne on piano and keyboard, Carvel Avis on guitar and Lawrence Gibbs on clarinet and saxophone. Vocalists will include G.G. Shinn, Lisa Spann, Zelia Logan, Nancy Wilson, Cecilia Stearman, Mark Ulrich and Mary Simpson. Tickets are $20, and a reception will follow the concert. Proceeds benefit preservation of the congregation’s historic cemetery.

NFTY South will hold its Kallah at the Henry S. Jacobs Camp, Jan. 18 to 21.

Huntsville Hadassah will hold its annual Gala dinner on Jan. 26, at the Huntsville Country Club. This year’s honoree will be Clare Grisham.

The Mobile Area Jewish Federation will have its annual meeting on Jan. 28 at 6 p.m., at Ahavas Chesed.

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.

Did you have a simcha in the sanctuary at Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham in the last 100 years? Bar or Bat Mitzvah, wedding, baby naming? The congregation is putting together a Simcha Quilt that will be displayed at the March 1 service commemorating the 100th anniversary of the historic domed sanctuary, and photos of those simchas will play a prominent role. Amy Saab will be assembling the photos into the quilt. Anyone with such an event ccan and email a large-format picture to [email protected] by Jan. 15, or bring the photos by to have them scanned at Emanu-El.

Recording star Matisyahu had an unusual appeal in his Chanukah message to fans — support for former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman and his bid for a pardon by President Obama. Siegelman was convicted of corruption in 2006 and recently was returned to prison in Louisiana after exhausting his appeals. Supporters say Siegelman was railroaded by Republican operatives.

United Synagogue Youth alumni are invited to join the USY Alumni Association for dinner, drinks and dunks on Feb. 6 at the Philips Arena Party Suite E in Atlanta to watch the Atlanta Hawks take on the Memphis Grizzlies. Doors open at 6 p.m., game time is 7:30 p.m. Suggested donation is $18. RSVP to Wendy Glick, [email protected].

Steel Drum Grill has opened on Overton Road in Birmingham. Normally that would not be a Jewish story, but it is in the location formerly occupied by Sababa, the community’s only kosher restaurant. After Sababa abruptly closed in late spring, there were efforts to find new ownership, but that did not pan out.

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Huntsville’s Conservative congregation turning 50

In 1962, eight families that wanted a more traditional approach than what was off ered at Huntsville’s Temple B’nai Sholom started Etz Chayim, a Conservative congregation.

Th e now 65-family congregation will celebrate its 50th anniversary the weekend of Jan. 18 with several events.

On Jan. 18, the 8 p.m. service will be led by Rabbi Brian Glusman. Glusman now lives in Atlanta and in the last decade was rabbi at Bir-mingham’s Temple Beth-El, but he grew up at Etz Chayim. His father, Fred Glusman, was one of the congregation’s founders.

Shabbat morning services will be at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 19, with a luncheon to follow. Th at night there will be a wine and cheese family Havdalah, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Th e anniversary gala dinner will be Jan. 20 at 6 p.m., at the Double-tree in Huntsville. Th e dinner, which is $50 per person, will include a video presentation, “A Look Back.” Rooms for out of town guests are available at the Doubletree for $99.

Etz Chayim President Gary Hall said “we are looking forward to many members, new and old, to come and spend the weekend with us.”

Th e early 1960s was a time of huge growth in Huntsville. Until then, the community had remained rather small, numbering only 100 in 1937. With the location of Redstone Arsenal in the area in 1940, fol-lowed in 1960 by the Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville’s popu-lation grew ten-fold in three decades. Th e Jewish community saw an infl ux of scientists and engineers, many of whom were accustomed to a more traditional approach than what B’nai Sholom off ered.

Not that B’nai Sholom wasn’t assisted by the infl ux — in 1963 the Reform congregation hired its fi rst full-time rabbi in 50 years, expand-ed its building and still had to start holding High Holiday services at Redstone Arsenal because of a lack of space. Overall, the Huntsville Jewish community now numbers about 750.

Etz Chayim’s original members started meeting in a classroom in 1962, then rented space in other locations, including Scottish Rite on Bob Wallace Avenue. Starting in 1965 the congregation rented a house on Whitesburg Drive until they bought a small former church at its cur-rent location on Bailey Cove Road in 1969. Th at building was torn down in 1996 to make way for a larger sanctuary and social hall, and during the construction services were held at Hope Presbyterian Church.

A plaque over the sanctuary door shows how the Huntsville com-munity has embraced Etz Chayim. Th e house on Whitesburg had a large hole that needed to be covered, so “the original Rocket City red-neck,” Irv Sainker, made a brass plaque to cover it.

He went to the NASA scrap yard to fi nd a piece of wood for mount-ing it, and was asked by an employee why he needed it. When Sainker said it was for a synagogue, the employee didn’t know what that word was, so Sainker explained it as a “Jewish church.” Th e employee told him to leave the wood and pick it up the end of the week.

When Sainker returned, the employee had cut the wood, beveled the edges, sanded and stained it, and mounted the brass plaque. It remains at Etz Chayim as a symbol of community and the kindness of strangers.

Th e congregation has never had a full-time rabbi, relying mostly on students from the Jewish Th eological Seminary. Michelle Lapidus said “Our members just step up when needed, whether it is teaching a child Hebrew, leading services, and preparing matzah ball soup for the sick. Th at is just what we do.”

Th e congregation’s students attend NaChAS, the North Alabama Community Hebraic School, a joint venture with B’nai Sholom. Last year, Etz Chayim students also started taking online Hebrew classes from Behrman House.

For information on the weekend, email [email protected].


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.

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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.

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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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Four communities in the region will be hosting Jewish Film Festivals this month, with a wide range of Jewish-themed off erings.

Only one fi lm — “Hava Nagila” — will be screened at all four venues, but several fi lms are in more than one community.

Mobile’s Jewish Film Festival is in its 12th year, expanding its venues and community part-ners. It is sponsored by the Mobile Area Jewish Federation and the University of South Alabama, and will have seven fi lms in eight time slots.

Additionally, the Mobile festival will screen “As Seen Th rough Th ese Eyes” to over 2,000 students at St. Paul’s, Davidson, UMS-Wright and Bayside Academy. Fran Sterling from “Facing History and Ourselves” in Denver will speak after each school showing.

Sterling will also lead a Holocaust education workshop for teachers in the Mobile and Baldwin county schools on Jan. 9 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the USA College of Education.

Birmingham’s Jewish Film Festival is sponsored by the Levite Jewish Community Center, Th e Edge 12 Th eatre and Winn-Dixie Supermar-kets.

“Th e Film Festival committee wanted to make sure we had a diverse selection of fi lms that will have an impact on the Jewish communi-ties across the area,” said Mindy Cohen, director of Senior and Adult Programs at the LJCC. “We feel that we have a line-up that can please many folks and hope to have our best attendance yet.”

JewishCinemaMississippi is in its 11th year, co-sponsored by Beth Israel Congregation and the Jewish Culture Organization at Millsaps. Co-chair Michael Steiner said the festival is “the only organization that brings fi rst-class independent Jewish- and Israeli-themed fi lms to the state. It serves as a vehicle to educate and entertain audiences on the Jewish experience and Israeli life and culture.”

Th e fi nal fi lm, “Remembrance,” is being shown on Jan. 27 in con-junction with the United Nations-designated International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Th e Mississippi festival will include a visit from Glenn Hartman and Jonathan Freilich, founding members of the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars. Th ey will discuss Klezmer music and perform during Shab-bat services at Beth Israel in Jackson on Jan. 25.

On Jan. 26, they will perform at the Malco following the screening of “Hava Nagila,” joined by Buddy “Dr. Rhythm” Fish, a Beth Israel mem-ber. Individual tickets for the Jan. 26 program are $15.

Th e Baton Rouge Jewish Film Festival, now in its 7th year, is de-signed to “inspire, inform and entertain.” Two of the fi lmmakers are scheduled to join in post-screening discussions by Skype.

Hava Nagila (Mobile, Jan. 13; Birmingham, Jan. 13; Baton Rouge, Jan. 19; Jackson, Jan. 24): It’s one of the classic Jewish party songs. But you also routinely hear it at ballparks everywhere, Aly Raisman used it in her fl oor gymnastics routine at the 2012 Olympics, and Harry Belafonte made it a mainstream hit. How did a Hebrew song become ubiquitous? And where did it really come from?

“Hava Nagila: Th e Movie” seeks to answer those question. It pre-miered to a sold-out audience at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival in July.

Th e song has a 150-year history, adding layers to the story as it trav-eled the world. Th e fi lm features interviews with Belafonte, Connie

Four communities in the region will be hosting Jewish Film Festivals this month, with a

Only one fi lm — “Hava Nagila” — will be screened at all four venues, but several fi lms are in more than one

Mobile’s Jewish Film Festival is in its 12th year, expanding its venues and community part-


Baton RougeAll fi lms at the Manship TheatreJanuary 16: Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story, 7 p.m.January 17: Torn, 7 p.m.January 19: Hava Nagila, 7:30 p.m. Patron’s dinner at 5:30 p.m.January 20: Foreign Letters, 1 p.m. Footnote, 4 p.m.Tickets $8.50, at Manship Theatre or brjff.com. Orders after Jan 12 will not be mailed. Same-day tickets sold space permitting. Patron levels start at $100, available from Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge.BirminghamJanuary 12: West Bank Story and The ConcertLevite Jewish Community Center auditorium, 7 p.m.January 13: The Edge Theatre, Crestwood Festival Center Life In Stills, 11 a.m. Portrait of Wally, 12:15 p.m. Hava Nagila, 2 p.m, The Day I Saw Your Heart, 3:30 p.m.Tickets $10, students $8, festival pass $36, available at bhamjcc.org. Admis-sion to “Life in Stills” is free thanks to Epsman Center for Creative Expression. JacksonAll fi lms at the Malco Grandview Theater in Madison. 7:15 p.m., except 3

p.m. on Jan. 27.January 23: A Bottle in the Gaza SeaJanuary 24: Hava NagilaJanuary 26: My First WeddingJanuary 27: RemembranceTickets $12, students $6, available at Beth Israel or JewishCinemaMS.com. Festival passes $35 or $15 for students by Jan. 18; $40 and $20 after. Spon-sorships start at $200, sponsor reception at 6 p.m. Jan. 26, $30. MobileJanuary 6: Follow Me – The Yoni Netanyahu Story Springhill Avenue Temple, 7 p.m. Update on Israel, by Larry Voit, follows fi lm.January 8: Nicky’s FamilyUSA Laidlaw Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.January 9: Kaddish for a Friend USA Laidlaw Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.January 10: Remembrance USA Laidlaw Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m. Discussion led by Roy Hoffman

and dessert reception follows.January 13: Hava NagilaAhavas Chesed Synagogue, 7 p.m. Dessert and Israeli folk dancing follows. January 15: Nicky’s FamilyUSA Fairhope Campus, 7 p.m. January 17: As Seen Through These EyesCentre of the Living Arts — Space 301, 7 p.m. Followed by remarks by art

therapist Jacqueline Glover January 22: TornBernheim Hall, Ben May Public Library-Main, 7 p.m. Followed by discussion

from members of the Catholic and Jewish communities.Tickets $8, students and seniors $6. Order online at mobilejewishfederation.org, or at box offi ce subject to availability.

Francis, Glen Campbell, Leonard Nimoy and others. As the produc-tion was wrapping up, a chance encounter with a direct descendant of the Ruzhiner rebbe, under whose infl uence the then-wordless niggun began, brought the fi lm full-circle.

Production on the fi lm began in 2009. In 2010, a 10-minute clip was posted online, which attracted half a million views and hundreds of


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contributions to help cover the fi lm’s ex-penses.

Th e fi lm includes Belafonte’s version, Bob Dylan’s “Talkin’ Hava Negillah Blues,” Alan Sherman’s “Har-vey and Sheila” paro-dy and Lena Horne’s “Now,” a civil rights anthem set to the tune. Elvis also did a version.

“Belafonte made comparisons to black spiritual music and com-mented on the song’s deeper messages of joy, hope and peace,” recalled executive producer Lisa Th omas. “He had us spellbound.”

Follow Me: Th e Yoni Netanyahu Story (Mobile, Jan. 6; Baton Follow Me: Th e Yoni Netanyahu Story (Mobile, Jan. 6; Baton Follow Me: Th e Yoni Netanyahu StoryRouge, Jan. 16): One of Israel’s brightest moments was the July 4, 1976 rescue of 103 airline passengers who had been taken hostage and held at Entebbe, Uganda. In mere moments, the terrorists were dead and the hostages were evacuated — but Israel had one casualty, their leader, Yonatan Netanyahu — older brother of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Th e fi lm is an intimate journey into a young hero’s mind. Th e nar-ration was drawn from Yonatan Netanyahu’s own letters and words, which unveil the complex character of this thoroughly modern young hero. Th e fi lm deals with the Entebbe rescue itself and with Netanya-hu’s life story.

Remembrance (Mobile, Jan. 10; Jackson, Jan. 27): j. the Jewish news weekly of San Francisco, started its review of this fi lm with: “To those who swore they’d seen enough Holocaust-themed fi lms to last a life-time: Rescind your vow, just this once.”

Th e fi lm starts with a German Jew in a Polish concentration camp in 1944, where she survives by trying to remain invisible. Fast-forward to a comfortable post-war life in Brooklyn 30 years later, where she sees a TV interview with a Polish ex-partisan. Th at non-Jewish person was a fellow prisoner, her lover in the camp and the other reason she sur-vived — and though she is happily married, she has to see him again.

Torn (Baton Rouge, Jan. 17; Mobile, Jan. 22): Th e fi lm is the true story of Romuald-Jakub Weksler-Waszkinel, who was born in 1943 to Jewish parents in Poland. Th ey convinced a Christian family to take him in, saving his life, as his birth parents did not survive. Nobody came back to claim him after the war, so he was raised as Romuald Waszkinel, eventually becoming a Catholic priest. When he was 35, his dying mother told him that he was born a Jew, and the odyssey began.

He felt that he could never repudiate his Jewish identity, but he also could not deny his Catholic faith. Upset with the anti-Semitism in the Polish church in the 1960s, he moved to Israel, trying to fi nd a place where he belonged. Churches didn’t want him because he was Jewish, and he had trouble fi nding a religious Jewish community that would allow him to go to church on Sunday.

Th en there was the matter of the Law of Return — those who have chosen another religion and do not renounce it when moving to Israel are not eligible.

Director Ronit Kerstner told the Jerusalem Post that Weksler-Wasz-kinel did not like the title of the fi lm, saying he is comfortable in his dual identity, it is others who are torn. She noted that Yad Vashem, where he does research, is the only place that accepts both of his iden-tities completely.

Information on all fi lms available at sjlmag.com.

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Revision surgery is more complex than a primary (fi rst surgery). Joint centers with experienced joint revision surgery are often needed. Th e result from a revision is usually less than that of a primary in terms of function and longevity. It is crucial that an experienced surgeon intervenes early in the care of an evolving problem. With subsequent surger-ies, bone loss and soft tissue injury can result and minimizing these problems is important, said Siegel.

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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.

Continued from page 30

LJCC first in state to offer Core Barre fitness classes

Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Community Center will debut Core Barre classes this month during a Winter Group Fit launch and open house, Jan. 13.

Th e Core Barre system of Smart Move-ment promotes high-energy, low-impact, and fat-burning movements based on elements of Pilates, classical ballet and athletic condition-ing. Th e LJCC is the fi rst fi tness center in the state to introduce this system.

Th e Jan. 13 open house begins at 7 a.m. with a Cycle class and goes through a 3:30 p.m. BodyFlow class. A complete schedule of classes is available online at bhamjcc.org.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the LJCC is also holding an American Red Cross blood drive, and there is also the community screening for Jewish genetic diseases from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (see page 10).

Tours of the LJCC will be off ered all day, and there will be membership specials for those who sign up that day.

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 yellow, and green, and brown, and scarlet, and black, and ochre, and peach. For-get about the ruby, and olive, and violet, and fawn — these colors haven’t gone together in any sea-son, and this year will be no excep-tion.

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

The Beholder’s Eyeby Doug Brook

Joseph has to wear that fashion trainwreck of a

coat? That ought to humble him…

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