bserver

VOL.77 NO. 19October 26, 201210 Cheshvan 5773

theJewish

inside:Major gifts event celebrates ties to family, each other 3

Anchor recognized for service to community 4

Averbuch builds on foundation of leadership 14

Rockets slam southern Israel 20

SectionsLifecycles 17

Your guide to fine dining, catering andentertaining begins on page 7.

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WWW.JEWISHNASHVILLE.ORG/GLOBALDAY

Rabbis, educators, cantors to teachat Global Day of Jewish Learning

learning session on the centrality ofgratitude in Jewish life as portrayed inthe Torah and Talmud. Following acommunal lunch break ($10 per per-

son) two afternoon sessions willbegin covering a wide array

of topics. Afternoon-session

teachers joining RabbiHirschfield willinclude Rabbi JoshuaBarton, Cantor Tracy

Fishbein, MiriamHalachmi, Daniel

Hoffman, Cantor MarciaLane, Rabbi Shana Goldstein

Mackler, Daniella Pressner, SophieRapoport, Rabbi Kliel Rose, RabbiShlomo Rothstein, Rabbi MarkSchiftan, Rabbi Saul Strosberg andRabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel. Sessionswill address particular aspects ofJewish concepts of blessings and grat-itude. No prior knowledge of Jewishtexts is required to participate in any

of the classes that will be offered atthe Global Day of Jewish Learning.

Concurrent with the morningprogram, Melissa Sostrin will lead a PJLibrary session for preschool-age chil-dren and their parents from 10-11 a.m.

Please visit www.jewish-nashville.org/globalday to register forthe Global Day program. You mayalso contact Barbara Schwarcz at bar-bara@jewishnashville.org or callBarbara at 354-1630 to register or toobtain more information about theGlobal Day of Jewish Learning.Baby-sitting and senior transporta-tion will be available upon request.

The participation of Rabbi ZviHirschfield in the Global Day ismade possible through the generoussupport of Libby and MosheWerthan. The Global Day program isalso sponsored, in part, by a grantfrom the Jewish Federation andJewish Foundation of Nashville andMiddle Tennessee. c

The Global Day ofJewish Learning, spon-sored by a host of localJewish organizations, isjust a couple ofweeks away.

“It promises to be a greatday for communitymembers to engage inan inspired and enjoy-able event with out-standing Jewish schol-ars and teachers whowill lead sessions onJewish concepts of bless-ings and gratitude,” JewishFederation of Nashville ExecutiveDirector Mark Freedman said.

The event will be held onSunday, Nov. 18, at the Akiva Schoolbeginning at 10 a.m. It kicks off withthe keynote scholar in residence,Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield of the PardesInstitute of Jewish Studies inJerusalem, who will lead a communal

Does Beatles triviaspark your interest?

Answer this:What was the firstsingle by a formerBeatle to reach num-

ber one?The Magical Mystery Tour,

GJCC Main Event 2012, will be yourchance to step back in time. So breakout those white go-go boots and widelapels and get ready to jam to the stel-lar sounds of The WannaBeatles,dine on a huge UK feast and shop ’tilyou drop at the hippest auction thisside of the pond. It’s not too late tomake your reservation for Saturday,Nov. 3. Contact the Gordon JewishCommunity Center today.

The Main Event is the GJCC’sannual fundraiser, which contributesto your Jewish community center andraises money for scholarships for chil-dren and families. A special thankyou to the two title sponsors, EmbassyDental and Mapco.

Join us on Thursday, Nov. 1, from6:30-8:30 p.m. for the Main Event Artand Jewelry sale to be held in theGJCC. Stock up on Hanukkah giftsfor loved ones – and yourself – as youperuse all of the wonderful itemsdonated to the Main Event. Wine

and appetizers will be served.Drop in on the Main Event

Auction Preview on Friday, Nov. 2from 2-5:30 p.m. Spend happy hourwith the GJCC! Shop and place bids

on hundreds of amazing items even ifyou can’t attend the Main Event.There will be something for everyoneup on the auction block.

Continued on page 3

Roll up to the Mystery Tour (Main Event) and support the GJCC

There’s music in the airwith the 2012 NashvilleJewish Film Festival

Who’s helpingkeep the musicin Music City?The 2012N a s h v i l l eJewish Film

Festival! This year’s festival,November 7-15, opens and closes withmusic in the air and at the movies.

The Opening Night CocktailSupper, beginning at 5:30 p.m. atCabana Restaurant, promises to befull of toe-tapping fun. Patrons willenjoy the Cabana cuisine and thesounds of the Metropolitan KlezmerBand, which The Village Voicedescribed as “delightfully rambunc-tious.” These New York musicianswill warm up the crowd with folkloric

tunes, Yiddish pop, Soviet-era tangoand Jewish drinking songs.

Immediately following dinner,the crowd will proceed to theBelcourt Theatre for the 7:30 p.m.screening of the documentary “HavaNagila (The Movie).”

Continued on page 3

Hava Nagila (The Movie)

2 October 26, 2012 The Observer

The Observer October 26, 2012 3

If one of the worries on your mind is how to tell your family there willbe no gifts this year for Chanukah -The Jewish Family Service Chanukah Gift Program

is waiting to hear from you.Please call 354-1672, confidentially,to let us know how we can help. Volunteers are waiting to bring

some light into your Chanukah.

By Kathy Carlson

Community membersshared family traditionsand history at this year’sMajor Gifts SocietyDinner, an event of theJewish Federation and

Foundation of Nashville that took placeat Vanderbilt Hillel on Oct. 4.

Billed as Sunset in the Sukkah, thedinner brought community memberstogether to hear what Jewish traditionmeans to three speakers, Shirley Zeitlin,David Steine Jr. and Andy May. RabbiLaurie Rice’s comments provided aframework for their stories.

“The event was made special for medue to the excellent speakers,” saidFrank Boehm. “It was heartwarming forme to hear Andy May talk about theMay Hosiery Mill, which was in his fam-ily, and how his family employed somany immigrants from Germany becausemy mother was one of them.”

Each speaker stressed the impor-tance of family and passing down Jewishtraditions from generation to generation,about trips to Israel and how meaningfulit was and how much support Israelneeds, Alyse Sprintz said.

“They each spoke wonderfully,”

Alyse Sprintz said. “Andy told about hisgrandparents and starting May HosieryMill and David Steine talked about hismother, father and grandparents. …Shirley (talked about how) her son andone grandson visited another grandsonon a six-month program in Israel.”

And, she added, community shlichaHadar Moskovitz was “like a breath ofspring” in her remarks to the group.

Ellen and Michael Levitt chairedthe event, which gave participants theopportunity to make their 2013 AnnualCampaign gift, which helps to fund themany services that Federation provides

to fellow Jews in Nashville, Israel andaround the world.

The whole event “reminded me ofthe tremendous link that we have witheach other and how we as a communityhave always helped each other in somany ways,” Boehm said. “While theMay Hosiery Mill no longer exists, wecan all be helpful to others by contribut-ing to this important project of main-taining a Jewish life on this earth.

For more information, contactFederation Campaign Director NaomiLimor Sedek at 354-1642 orNaomi@jewishnashville.org. c

Major gifts event celebrates ties to family and to each other

Continued from page 1The Main Event committee and

volunteers have been working tireless-ly to bring you the most incredibleevent to date. If you are interestedjoining in on the fun, contact any ofthe Main Event Chairs: Judy Eskind,Melissa Melamed, Lorna Graff, DaraFreiberg or Sara Melamed. They arealso assisted by 2011 Main Event

Chairs Leslie Kirshner and RhondaWernick.

Oh, and the trivia answer? The firstsingle by an ex-Beatle to reach numberone was “My Sweet Lord” by GeorgeHarrison. Who knew?

For more information about theMagical Mystery Tour: Main Event 2012,contact Meryl Kraft, (615) 356-7170,meryl@nashvillejcc.org. c

Roll up to the Mystery Tour (Main Event)

Annual Campaign Chair Steven Hirsch andhis wife, Ellen Hirsch. Photos: Russell Wolff

Brad Fishel (left) and Bruce Zeitlin underthe Sukkah

Leon Tonelson (left), community shlichaHadar Moskovitz, and Bernard Werthan

Frank Boehm (left) and Jimmy Schulman

Continued from page 1Hava nagila (Let’s rejoice) began as

a prayer and had an amazing journey onits way to the folksong hall of fame forAmerican Jewry. Producer/directorRoberta Grossman, who will be in atten-dance, has said, “This is about the happymoments of being a human being.” BothConnie Francis and Harry Belafonteagreed that there was no other song thatmade audiences so happy.

Entertaining and educational filmsand events continue during the week (seethe schedule at www.nashvillejff.org)with more music at the Closing NightSupper and Song on Thursday, Nov.15, at 5 p.m. at Pancake Pantry,catered by Cabana Restaurant. Itpromises to be a night of great music,with Morgan Karr performing themusic of songwriter Doc Pomus.

At 7 p.m. that night at The Belcourt,the documentary “AKA Doc Pomus” willbe screened. It tells the story of JeromeFelder, a young Jewish boy from Brooklynwho became one of the founders of rock’n’ roll in the late 1950s and 1960s.Pomus wrote and co-wrote for ElvisPresley, Ray Charles, the Coasters, and

many more. You’ll find yourself singingthe familiar lyrics to “Save the Last Dancefor Me” and “Magic Moments” as you fol-low the remarkable journey of this manand the thousand songs he wrote. Specialguests for this closing night include DavidPreston of BMI, Nashville; Sharyn Felder,the daughter of Jerome Felder; AmyLinton, the film’s associate producer andeditor; and singer/songwriter/author/actress Marshall Chapman.

Please join the NJFF in its celebra-tion of music on Closing Night – and allweek of what promises to be anothergreat Festival year in Nashville. c

Nashville Jewish Film Festival

AKA Doc Pomus

Felicia Anchor Photo: Rick Malkin

4 October 26, 2012 The Observer

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Felicia Anchor, the child ofHolocaust survivors and a long-time advocate for Holocaustremembrance and education,was honored for her service tothe community during Shabbat

services at The Temple on Oct. 12. For 27 years, Anchor has served as a

commissioner on the Tennessee HolocaustCommission, which was created by thestate legislature. She recently steppeddown as the Commision’s chair after serv-ing in that role for 16 years. Anchor willcontinue to serve as a commissioner.

The Commission’s primary role isHolocaust education. During Anchor’syears as chair, the Commission has par-ticipated in the publication of twobooks, “The Holocaust and OtherGenocides: History, Representation,Ethics” and “Living On: Portraits ofTennessee Survivors and Liberators.”

The Commission has supportedannual Days of Remembrance at thestate Capitol each year, has recognized

teachers for Holocaust educationthrough the annual Belz-LipmanHolocaust Educator Award, and has col-laborated with the Cumberland CountyPlayhouse and Nashville Ballet to bring

Anchor recognized for helping Tennessee to remember Holocaustthe ballet “Anne Frank” to the ruralcounty east of Nashville.

The Holocaust Commission’s “LivingOn” exhibit of survivors’ and liberators’stories has been widely shown through thestate. Efforts also are under way, with thehelp of several foundations, to preservefilmed interviews of Tennessee residentswho survived the Holocaust or helped lib-erate concentration camps during WorldWar II. The films will be converted to adigital format, making them more accessi-ble to students, teachers and researchers.Educational programs for teachers havebeen held across the state, and theCommission has made it possible forteachers to attend educational programsat the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Anchor also helped make theNashville Holocaust Memorial a reality.The outdoor memorial on the grounds ofthe Gordon Jewish Community Centerwas dedicated in October 2006. Its 12memorial walls contain the names of rel-atives of Nashville families who either

survived or perished in the Holocaust. “Now, if you were to ask Felicia who

envisioned the memorial first she willshare with you that it was a dream of theNashville Holocaust survivor communi-ty,” Nashville Jewish FederationCampaign Director Naomi Limor Sedeksaid at The Temple. “…I still rememberhearing my grandmother, ElizabethLimor, of blessed memory, wishing to see amemorial in Nashville in her lifetime andshe was fortunate because of Felicia’s lead-ership to see that dream become a reality.

“… As you once said, Felicia, youanticipated the memorial to be a placewhere remembering and showing respectfor the past intermingles with developingan understanding and commitment towardcreating a humane future,” Sedek said inthanking Anchor for her service. “… Ionly hope that we as a community willcontinue to respect the Holocaust sur-vivors, those who are still alive today aswell as those whose memories we continueto keep alive through our own words.” c

First person: Mission to Israel sparks untraditional ties to fellow JewsBy Margaret (Meg) Littman

On a hot July morning Iwas wading on the bankof Percy Priest Lake,talking to a man I hadjust taught to stand-uppaddle. We were sharing

tips about international travel and beat-ing jet lag when I mentioned my then-recent trip to Israel as a part of theJewish Federation of Nashville’s sponsor-ship of the National Young Leadership(NYL) Mission.

He seemed interested in hearing

about my excursion; I was so enthusiasticabout what I had seen in the Holy Landthat I took any opportunity to share withpeople. The next thing I knew I hadflipped through the many photos on myphone for at least 30 minutes. I showedhim the scenes of Ben Yehuda Streetcoming to life after havdalah, with adultsand kids playing and dancing in thestreet (and me eating the best sandwichof my life: half falafel, half shawarma).Well into this conversation he men-tioned that he had always wanted to goto Israel because he is Jewish, althoughnot currently connected to the Jewishcommunity in Nashville.

Fast-forward a few months, and thisperson is a friend, on the guest list forRosh Hashanah dinner at my house.Perhaps the most unusual thing aboutthis story is that it isn’t an anomaly.Similar conversations and connectionsabout Israel and Nashville Jewry havebegun in untraditional places—such asin line to vote and while volunteeringfor the Cumberland River Dragon BoatFestival—since I returned from Israel.

Many of these experiences supportwhat I believed before I went to Israel:

Nashville’s Jewish population is diverseand in many cases unaffiliated, but not atall uninterested. In part, this is why I feltlike I was a good candidate for the JewishFederation of Nashville to send on a sub-sidized summer trip. I am professionaljournalist and travel writer as well as aJew. I love talking (and writing andFacebooking) about what I see on mytravels, and was convinced that giventhe opportunity, I would be able to sharethe experience with people who don’ttypically walk through the doors of theGordon Jewish Community Center.

While my post-trip experienceshave been in line with my expectations,much of my trip to Israel—which was myfirst—was different than I anticipated.As part of my job, I travel a lot. I’ve beento many corners of the globe—Iceland,New Zealand, Argentina and Togo, WestAfrica—and I had wanted to go to Israelfor years (if not decades). I had done afair amount of research on what to see. Istayed for a week after the Mission, so Icould spend more time at certain spotsand explore parts of the country not onthe planned tour. Almost everywhere Iwent Israelis said to me, “Go home andtell people in America that Israel is notlike they say it is on Fox News.”

It was easy to do that, because Israel

was not how I was led to believe it wouldbe. I was surprised by the appreciation thatIsraelis (or at least those I met) have forAmericans in general and the Federationin particular. On our tour we visited anumber of sites, including the remarkableSusan’s House in Jerusalem. Initially fund-ed in part by the Jewish Federation ofMetropolitan Chicago, Susan’s Houseteaches at-risk teens the craft of glass-mak-ing, selling their jewelry and decorativearts in a small shop. The proceeds of thesale have allowed the program to be moreself-sustaining, and to rely on fewerFederation funds going forward.

I was pleasantly surprised by how safeI felt, even traveling on my own, withouta command of the language (seriously,two of the only non-religious words Iknow in Hebrew are “jellyfish” and “pad-dleboard”) or an advance itinerary. Theland was lusher and greener than it was inmy mind’s eye, not the barren desert land-scape I’d pictured. On our tour we visitedwineries and scenic overlooks, river raft-ing launches and summer camps. On myown I saw paddling resorts and pristinebeaches. At each stop locals told us aboutwhat life in Israel was like for them.Whether they were born there or madealiyah, there were commonalities: theyeither chose to move to Israel or chose tostay. And, despite the tumult and theeconomy and the uncertainty, that madethem content, because they were wherethey wanted to be. This translated into ajoie de vivre I hadn’t anticipated. As one ofour fellow NYL Summer Trip participantssaid as we were watching a particularlyjoyful street scene in Jerusalem, “Isn’t itgreat to see so many happy Jews?”

My trip to Israel definitely made mea happier Jew. I am hoping that willextend to the larger community. c

Editor’s note: Through a grant from theJewish Federation of Nashville, MegLittman and four others participated in thisyear’s Jewish Federations of North AmericaNational Young Leadership Mission. It wasthe second year the Nashville Federation hasmade this opportunity possible. If you orsomeone you know is interested in thisopportunity please contact Harriet Schiftan,Federation Planning Director, at 354-1687or harriet@jewishnashville.org

Literacy in Hebrew isn’t required to seeopportunities for paddleboarding on Israel’sbeaches. Photograph by Meg Littman

The Observer October 26, 2012 5

First Person: Service trips give collegian a family in MoldovaNashville’s Georgia Rubinowicz, cur-

rently a pre-med student at the University ofNorth Carolina, has spent part of the lasttwo summers working in Beltsy, Moldova,with members of Greensboro, N.C.’sJewish community. The group, organizedthrough the Greensboro Jewish Federation,produces Camp Delet for Beltsy’s Jewishcommunity, providing a way for them toconnect with and expand their Jewishness.Here she talks about her experiences overthe two years.

By Georgia Rubinowicz

Leaving Moldova in the sum-mer of 2011, I wanted morethan anything to return thefollowing summer. Whenthis became a reality thispast June, my excitement

was uncontainable – I started a count-down and talked frequently with mem-bers of the Beltsy community, who werealso enthusiastically awaiting our return.

Upon our arrival in Beltsy, my emo-tions were completely uncontrollableand I experienced an overwhelmingsense of happiness. In a strange way, thisreturn felt like a homecoming for me:Even though a long year had passedbetween us, here we were once again,sharing a week of our lives to support theJewish community.

When I embraced Ira (one of themadrichim I became close with in thesummer of 2011) that first day in Beltsy,the feeling was immense and overpower-ing. I left the previous year not knowingif I would ever see her or any of theseremarkable people again, and yet, Ifound myself standing face to face withthis community once more. The entireexperience was almost surreal.

Returning certainly intensified allmy emotions – having connections withpeople from year to year makes it harderto leave, especially when you hold theuncertainty of your return. Simply put,there is no easy way to say goodbye topeople who have touched you in inexpli-cable ways, people whose love andwarmth has impacted your heart, andpeople who are still very much in need ofwhat you provide.

And therefore, these goodbyesbecome uncertain promises of returningto camp next summer. It becomes easierto say “See you next year” than“Goodbye, forever.” I truly hope that Ican keep this promise to the Beltsy com-munity, and that next summer at CampDelet I will embrace, laugh, and cry withmy Moldovan family. And even if I per-sonally am not able to return, I knowthat others will go and be touched in

similar ways, and come to love this com-munity just as much as I do.

Our work in both years at CampDelet has been quite similar. Projectsrange from arts and crafts emphasizingJewish learning (making challah coversand mezuzot, for example), or garden-ing/astronomy projects led by a couplefrom Greensboro. With Boaz Avraham-Katz, one of the Greensboro leaders, Iparticipated in a leadership workshopwith the Beltsy youth, which includedteam-building activities to strengthennot only their skills as a leaders, but inworking as a part of a group. I was ableto see not only Ira, but almost all of thesame Beltsy community members fromlast year: Nelea, the head of the camp;Liuda, head art instructor; Paulina, headof the JCC and Chesed; Vova, transla-tor/driver/anything they need him to be.Almost all of the children who were atcamp in the summer of 2011 returned,and I was so happy to see their smilingfaces again, and for them to rememberme as someone who impacted themgreatly. It was a true homecoming to myBeltsy family.

Greensboro is so close to Chapel Hill,which is so lucky for me. I was able to staywith one of the participants from this yearat her home and celebrate both RoshHashanah and Yom Kippur with her fami-ly. This also gives me the chance to seeBoaz and Deborah, the leaders of the mis-sion. I keep in touch with them a greatdeal and see them a lot, seeing as we areonly 45 minutes away from each other!

Of course I would love to travel toMoldova again next summer to partici-pate with Camp Delet. I don’t think Ihave ever experienced anything moredifficult than saying goodbye to themembers of the Beltsy community, peo-

ple who I have grown so close with insuch a small amount of time. Thesegoodbyes are so uncertain of what thefuture holds, and to be able to say I couldgo back would bring me so much joy.

However, I know that with my sen-ior year approaching after this comingsummer, I will be busy with applicationsfor medical school, and possible intern-ships/job opportunities, so I will certain-ly have to prioritize. I know that if noneof that mattered, I would be going backto Moldova in a heartbeat, without anyhesitations. But it is certainly a veryplausible possibility!

To anyone who is thinking of partic-ipating, I would say to go into campwithout any expectations and to let go ofany hesitations or anything that mighthold you back. You will return with the

sole desire to go back the following sum-mer. The experience is not only reward-ing, but life changing, and almost inex-plicable unless you experience it first-hand. I find that in Moldova, and asBoaz and I have discussed, you can truly“let loose” without worry of judgment orcriticism. The Beltsy community is sowarm and it welcomes you as a long-lostfamily member. Lifelong friendships willbe made, and tears will flow by the end ofthis weeklong journey. c

Editor’s note: Rubinowicz’s 2011 workin Beltsy was made possible by grants fromthe Jewish Federation of Nashville. Shereturned in 2012 with some financial sup-port from Federation but largely at her ownexpense. The Jewish Federation of Nashvillesupports the Jewish community of Beltsy,Moldova, through our ongoing financialsupport of the American Joint DistributionCommittee.

Camp Delet allows Jewish residents ofBeltsy to maintain and strengthen theirJewish ties.

Friends reunite at Camp Delet in Beltsy, Moldova. Photographs submitted by Georgia Rubinowicz

6 October 26, 2012 The Observer

By Neil Rubin

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- When15 prominent American Protestantleaders sent a letter to Congress lastweek calling for an investigation andpossible suspension of U.S. aid to Israel,at least one outcome was certain: TheJews wouldn’t like it.

On Oct. 17, Jewish groups unilater-ally pulled out of an upcoming annualChristian-Jewish roundtable meeting,saying the Oct. 22-23 forum was nolonger viable. Earlier in the week, theAnti-Defamation League had said itwould skip the meeting and called onrepresentatives from other Jewish groupsto follow suit.

The Jewish groups – the AmericanJewish Committee, B’nai B’rithInternational, the Central Conferenceof American Rabbis, the Jewish Councilfor Public Affairs, the Conservativemovement's Rabbinical Assembly, theUnion for Reform Judaism and theUnited Synagogue of ConservativeJudaism – wrote to their Christian col-leagues that the letter to lawmakers“represents an escalation in activity thatthe Jewish participants feel precludes abusiness-as-usual approach.” Theycalled for senior leadership of Jewish andthe Christian groups to meet to “deter-

mine a more positive path forward forour communities.”

In addition to its content, Jewishgroups were upset that they had noadvance warning of the letter and that itwas released on the first day of a two-dayJewish holiday, when most Jewish organ-izations were closed in observance ofShemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

The annual Christian-Jewish round-table began in 2004, as the divestitureissue - whether organizations should selltheir investments in operations doingbusiness with Israel - rose to prominence.This year, participants were to updateone another on activities regardingIsrael, such as the Palestinian push formembership in the United Nations andthe upcoming Israeli elections.

“There’s been a betrayal of trust,”Ethan Felson, vice president and gener-al counsel of the Jewish Council forPublic Affairs umbrella group, told JTA.“We have to discern if there’s a positivepath forward.”

The Protestants’ letter, sent to everymember of Congress, was signed by lead-ers of the Presbyterian Church (USA),the Evangelical Lutheran Church inAmerica, the United Methodist Church,the National Council of Churches USAand the United Church of Christ.

Saying they have “witnessed the

pain and suffering” of both Israelis andPalestinians, the signers said that“unconditional U.S. military assistanceto Israel has contributed to this deterio-ration, sustaining the conflict and under-mining the long-term security interestsof both Israelis and Palestinians.”

The letter called for the launchingof “an immediate investigation intopossible violations by Israel” of agree-ments with Washington for allegedillegal use of U.S.-sold weapons againstPalestinians. The signers also asked for“regular reporting on compliance andthe withholding of military aid fornon-compliance.”

In the past, many of these samechurch leaders have sent notes toCongress criticizing specific Israeliefforts, particularly settlement building.However, this is the first salvo againstthe $3 billion annual U.S. aid packageto Israel.

A number of mainline Protestantchurches have had fights at recent con-ventions over boycotting products madein the West Bank, divesting in compa-nies doing business with Israel or harshlycriticizing Israel’s rule of the West Bank.

This summer, the PresbyterianChurch (USA) rejected divestmentfrom companies doing business withIsraeli security forces in the West Bankby a 333-331 vote. A similar call wasdefeated more decisively at a Methodistassembly in May. And in September, theQuaker group Friends FiduciaryCorporation voted to remove a Frenchand an American company from itsfinancial portfolio over what it said wasthe companies’ involvement with Israel’soccupation of Palestinian areas.

Felson said JCPA is considering ask-ing Congress to investigate delegitimizers

of Israel and to issue a resolution againsttheir efforts. Suggesting that AmericanJewish groups could retaliate by advocat-ing against U.S. aid to the Palestinians,Felson said the signers of the letter are“opening up a Pandora’s box.”

Indeed, some Presbyterians areopenly angry with their leader, the Rev.Grayde Parsons, who signed the letter toCongress.

"We know there's a very small, veryvocal group in the Presbyterian Churchthat wants to see Israel punished," saidthe Rev. John Wimberly, co-moderatorof an unofficial group calledPresbyterians for Middle East Peace. "Wethink we represent the 70 percent ofPresbyterians polled in 2009 who saidthat maintaining a strong diplomatic andmilitary relationship with Israel shouldbe a U.S. priority."

He said Parsons’ signing of the letter“makes a lot of people mad and a largernumber of people embarrassed."

Parsons did not return JTA's calls forcomment.

David Brog, executive director ofChristians United for Israel, a largelyevangelical group often billed as theChristian AIPAC, called the move bythe mainline Protestant churches toreach out to Congress an “acceleratingtrend” with a message for the Jewishcommunity.

“This should be a wake-up call,”said Brog, who is Jewish. “Christianswill be involved in Israel and theMiddle East whether Jews accept that ornot. We cannot take Christian supportfor Israel for granted. We have toactively engage our Christian neighborsand take the case to them, so that whenthey are active on this issue they sup-port Israel.” c

Protestant churches’ letter on Israel straining ties with Jews

The Observer is online!You can find the latest issue, past issues, plus streaming

news updates and links to Jewish organizations at

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The Observer October 26, 2012 7

8 October 26, 2012 The Observer

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As this issue is all about eating out Iam reminded of how we all get toNashville's finest eateries! Sometimeswalking there can be a challenge, not tomention standing, dancing, socializingand looking good? You need a great pairof shoes!

As we travel to other cities andcountries we may find that we walk agreat distance to get there to the next

dining experience! Some cities arekinder than others when it comes towalking through the streets. If your feetare keeping you from having a greattime, you really need to come to Cute &Comfy Shoes. We keep style in mindwhen selecting the choices availablefrom the best comfort lines in the world.

Bud’s helps you choosebeverages for a quietdinner or a crowd

Fall is a time to socialize and enter-tain. Historically, fall marked a time torelax and celebrate once the harvest wasin. Now, we enjoy cooler days spentwith family and friends as we begin tothink about the upcoming holidays.Whether you’re tailgating, planning asoirée or hosting an extravagant dinnerparty, wine, liquor and liqueurs are essen-tial ingredients to successful hosting.

Since 1976, Bud’s Liquors & Wineshas proudly served the Green Hills areafrom the corner of Abbott Martin Roadand Hillsboro Circle. Bud’s has been voted“Best Liquor and Wine Store” in theNashville Scene readers poll. An extensiveinventory of nearly 4,000 products and aknowledgeable staff committed to superiorcustomer service helped us achieve thisaccolade. You will always be greeted witha smile and the courteous employees atBud’s strive to exceed expectations.

Bud’s Liquors & Wines stocksaround 3,000 different wines, includingan impressive selection of kosher winesyear-round. If you have a special request,Bud’s will order a bottle, a case, or moreto suit your needs.

Whether you need help choosing abottle of wine to accompany a specialmeal or you’re planning to serve a crowd,Bud’s Liquors & Wines, convenientlylocated at 2139 Abbott Martin Road, isready to serve you.

Professionals help make your entertainingexperience a time to remember

The Observer October 26, 2012 9

NOW IS THE TIME TO BOOK YOUR

HOLIDAY PARTIES

Cool Springs650 Frazier Drive

Franklin, TN 37067615-778-9950

Next to Thomasville Furniture store

Belle Meade5109 Harding Road

Nashville, TN 37205615-353-0809

1/4 Mile past the Belle Meade Plantation

COOL SPRINGS - PARTIES OF 8 TO 85BELLE MEADE - PARTIES UP TO 20

OPEN FOR SUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE COOL SPRINGS LOCATION FROM 10:30AM TO 3:00PM

FOR ALL SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROMOTIONS VISIT WWW.SPERRYS.COM

Wine Spectator2010 Award of

Excellence

GIVE THE GIFT THEY WILL APRECIATE

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLEONLINE OR AT THE RESTAURANT

Voted Best Steakhouse by Nashville Scene

For Judaica, art and gifts,visit The Temple Gift Shop

The Temple Gift Shop is right ontarget again, having some great gift ideasfor Chanukah, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs,graduations, weddings, and more.

We carry beautiful glass, metal, andceramic mezuzahs, which always make alovely gift. We also carry handmadeglass and sterling silver jewelry, Kiddushcups, Talits, menorahs, and candlesticks.Stop by and see our wide variety ofJudaica art and gifts."

Tin Angel continues tradition of warm neighborhood dining spot

The Tin Angel is often referred to asNashville’s original neighborhoodrestaurant, and it was built and is operat-ed to be just that. A place where peoplecan go for excellent food and service in awarm, friendly, comfortable environ-ment, at reasonable prices. The fact thatpeople come from near and far to visitTin Angel doesn’t make it less of aneighborhood restaurant, just a restau-rant with a larger neighborhood.

Opened by Vicki and Rick Bolsomin 1993, Tin Angel is one of the few his-toric commercial buildings left onNashville’s busy West End Avenue. Thebuilding has been carefully restored,from its brick walls and floors and itsround freestanding fireplace built frombrick salvaged from Church Street, to itsperiod tin ceilings. Our staff members –many of whom have been at the restau-rant from day one – care about everyaspect of their diners’ pleasure.

Our offerings change seasonally

based on what’s fresh and available. Ourmenus are a constantly evolving teameffort on the part of the owners and thehead and sous chefs. Everyone sits downperiodically to toss ideas around. Thebest ideas may become daily specials and,depending on customer feedback, mighteventually become regular menu items.The end products are fresh creative dish-es that you won’t find anywhere else.

At Tin Angel, many people knoweach other by name and newcomers aremore than welcome to become oldfriends. Stop by for lunch, dinner orSunday brunch and see for yourself.

Take Thyme to enjoyfresh, international flavors at new venue

Thyme Café is Bellevue’s newestcafé.

Thyme is located at 95 BellevueRoad on the corner of Hicks Road andBellevue Road inside the GenesisCampus for Jewish Life. Thyme Café isopen on Sundays and serves lunch from11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. and dinner from5-7:30 p.m.

Thyme is Bellevue’s only vegetarianrestaurant. Thyme serves an internation-al array of fresh made wraps, salads, per-sonal pizzas, pastas, and other items. Inaddition to the regular menu itemsThyme serves daily entrée and soup spe-cial, each with its own internationaltheme. At Thyme everything is fresh.The falafel, hummus, and babaganoushare made from scratch.

At Thyme you can dine in or takeout. If you are in a rush, call or e-mail ahead of time for a take-out order atchabadthyme@gmail.com or 669-8338.

Continued on page 10

10 October 26, 2012 The Observer

Continued from page 9And you can check out the Thyme Caféwebsite at www.thyme-cafe.com or onFacebook.

Inside, Thyme provides a warm andfriendly atmosphere. Whether eating inthe café or dining on the back patio youwill enjoy the casual and relaxed feel. Itis a place where friends gather and newfriends are made.

All day long, Grins cooks up vegan favoritesfrom scratch

Grins Vegetarian Café offers grilledwraps, warm panini, inspired green sal-ads, and daily specials including made-from-scratch soups, pasta salads, hot veg-etable sides and more. Daily we bake anarray of vegan goodies including break-fast pastries, decadent cupcakes, andgiant cookies. We proudly serve locallyroasted, organic and fair trade BongoJava coffee and Numi organic iced teas.

Come and join us for breakfastbetween 8-11 a.m. and enjoy our quicheof the day or our popular Nutella paniniwith fresh strawberries and bananas,made on our house-made whole-wheatfocaccia. Chef Rusty Johnston strives tocreate tasty and inspired creations toplease every palate.

Friday we serve exciting entrée orpasta specials like our signature Grinsmac + cheese, crispy Asian tofu tacos, orwild mushroom pot pie.

Grins is open Monday-Thursdayfrom 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and on Fridays from8am-3pm. We are closed for Jewish holi-

days and Vanderbilt University breaks.Please visit our website at GrinsCafe.comto see our menu and daily specials, as wellas a complete calendar of the dates we areclosed. You can also visit Grins onFacebook and Twitter!

Hampton Inn wants to be your guest roomaway from home

Complete confidence that out-of-town guests will feel right at home is a pri-mary concern for every host or hostess, nomatter what the social event that drawsyour visitors. Hampton Inn & Suites –Green Hills specializes in just that: mak-ing our home their home away from homewhile attending your special event.

We are a boutique-style select-serv-ice hotel right in the heart of GreenHills’ fantastic shopping, dining andentertainment district. We can offerboth comfortable standard rooms andspacious residential king suites with fullyfurnished kitchens. We provide yourguests with complimentary cost savingservices and amenities often added to thebill at other hotels. Our rate includesfree parking, Internet access, local callsand our highly praised breakfast buffetwith hot items daily. The facility offers acomputer center, fitness facility, andlaundry services for their convenienceduring their visit.

The atrium-style sixth-floor BelleMeade room offers a dynamic view of theGreen Hills area, perfect for brunches,luncheons, rehearsal dinners, receptions,and birthday parties. To keep your visi-

Professionals help make your entertainingexperience a time to remember

The Observer October 26, 2012 11

tors entertained during those free times ofyour special event, we are in walking dis-tance of the Mall at Green Hills, fifteenrestaurants, and a 16-screen cinema.

Contact our most capable salesdepartment to learn how we can helprelieve some of the responsibilities so youcan better enjoy your next social event.

Prime 108 adds cosmopolitan twist to local ingredients

Prime 108 at the Union StationHotel has fast become a premier dininglocation in the downtown restaurantscene as well as a power spot for lunchand dinner. Today, the warm ambianceof the original 1900 stained-glass win-dows and walnut paneling has becomean icon of dining, serving breakfast,lunch and dinner seven days a week forboth Nashville residents and out-of-town guests.

We proudly celebrate the return ofExecutive Chef Thomas Cook, after abrief departure, who was essential inPrime 108’s development and opening.Cook’s exceptional knowledge and use oflocal farm-raised culinary resources addsa fresh perspective in our menu selec-tions and guests will enjoy a wide varietyof culinary experiences from upscale toelaborate special occasions.

A new menu was recently intro-duced featuring perennial fall favoriteswith bourbon-smoked filet mignon, cow-boy bone-in rib eye plus a wide variety offresh fish, seafood and vegetarianentrees. Indulge in hearty side dishesincluding sautéed spinach with crisp gar-lic, house-made Yukon gold potato chipswith bleu cheese, caramelized onion-gouda mash and much more. Don’t leaveuntil you’ve been dazzled by the house-made desserts and the special Goo-GooCluster molten cake – celebrating GooGoo’s 100th anniversary.

Prime 108 presents the three-coursebusiness lunch Monday thru Friday for$19. Elevate a typical lunch or make animpression with clients or colleagues.

We hope you will enjoy, and we urgeyou to drop us a line and let us knowwhat you think at www.unionstation-hotelnashville.com.

See how to transformyour treasured rings atBelle Meade Jewelry

Remounting a ring may seem likeand arduous task.

While our design specialists arealways available to walk you through theredesign process, we occasionally havespecial remount events.

On Friday, Oct. 26, and Saturday,Oct. 27, Belle Meade Jewelry will behosting a Remount Show. On both days,be sure to stop by to browse hundreds ofmountings in person. The options will befar more expansive than our normalofferings, so if you are even thinkingabout remounting it is worth a visit. Wewill have more than three hundred ofthe latest styles to choose from.

DK Ideas creates special events with your personal style in mind

Diane Kimbrough is known for pro-ducing events with personality. From ini-tial consult to coordination of the lastdetail, DK Ideas will bring excitement toall your life cycle events.

Specializing in Bar/Bat Mitzvahs,Diane understands that some clients liketo be very involved in the creative devel-opment of their event, while othersenjoy the freedom of having an experton board to manage everything. Dianemoves easily and confidently amongthem all, creating the perfect atmos-phere and tailoring each event to indi-vidual tastes and needs.

When you’re blessed with a simcha,Diane is there to help you create aunique, personal expression that bringsyour celebration to life. “The greatestservice I can give my clients is the confi-dence to completely relax and enjoy thisonce-in-a-lifetime experience.”

DK Ideas clients say it best:“There is no way I can possibly

express my appreciation and deep grati-tude for all you did for me, our daughterand my entire family. Every last detailwas an amazing tribute to Eleanor’suniqueness and love for nature. You cap-tured her very essence over and overagain. Thank you!”

- Rachel Koch

“The first day I met with Diane isthe day that all the stress left my bodyand all the fun began! Diane is AMAZ-ING at organizing, creating, and makingit all come together perfectly! Mydaughter's Bat Mitzvah was truly a joyfulcelebration.”

- Victoria Shaw LocknarContact DK Ideas because life is

worth celebrating!DK IdeasDiane Kimbroughdiane@dianekimbrough.com(615) 804-8438

The quality of your skinis paramount to Gold Skin Care Center

Gold Skin Care Center, in the heartof Green Hills, is Nashville’s premieredestination for expert skin care. Havingprovided the path to beautiful skin for ourcommunity for over 20 years, our expertstaff knows how important it is to guideyou in the difficult decisions of what pro-

cedures best meet your specific needs.Led by world-renowned dermatolo-

gist Dr. Michael Gold, the entire medicalstaff is highly trained and experienced intoday’s most advanced, effective proce-dures. Patients enjoy the glow they seefrom deluxe skin care products, facialsand peels. They’re thrilled with resultsfrom treatments such as toxins and der-mal fillers, laser hair removal, and non-surgical laser and light-source proceduresto improve skin texture, reduce wrinkles,and more.

We also offer the immensely popu-lar, minimally invasive SmartLipo andnon-invasive Coolsculpting by Zeltiq,for fat reduction; cellulite managementtreatment options, and tattoo removal.With over 40 devices to choose from, ourstaff will customize your treatment plan.

Unlike facilities offering facial andskin rejuvenation procedures along withmany other medical services, Gold SkinCare Center focuses solely on improvingskin quality. We were recognized in 2010and 2011 as the BEST in Middle

Continued on page 12

12 October 26, 2012 The Observer

Belle Meade Premium Cigar & Gifts

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Comfortable shoes for active women with style!Open M-F 9:30 to 5:30ish and Saturday from 10 to 4

Continued from page 11Tennessee Toast of Music City poll forBest Cosmetic Surgeon and Best Spa(Overall), and in 2012 for Best Spa(Overall) and Best Dermatologist. TheNashville Scene recognized us in 2012 asBest Skin Care Center. For a consulta-tion, contact the experts at Gold SkinCare Center at (615) 383-2400 or visitwww.goldskincare.com.

Wood-fired pizzas, 18 flavors of gelato beckon at Porta Via

Porta Via Italian Kitchen is a unique,upscale, casual Northern Italian diningestablishment conveniently located inboth Nashville and Cool Springs.

Our friendly and inviting atmos-phere offers a wide assortment of special-ty pastas and entrees, all prepared freshin-house daily. We also specialize inauthentic certified Neapolitan, wood-fired pizza and flatbreads. Vera PizzaNapoletana or VPN pizza is made to thestrictest of Italian standards, using onlynative ingredients, baked in a wood-fireddome oven at the required time and tem-perature. Our in-house pastry chef cre-ates mouth-watering desserts, including18 daily flavors of gelato made using thefinest local and imported ingredients.

Porta Via is available for private par-ties and catering and accommodates spe-

cial menu requests. We also offer anextensive selection of gluten-free bread,pizza, pastas and desserts. Our full-servicebar includes imported beers, exclusiveItalian and organic wines, specialtycocktails and imported aperitifs.

The next best thing to eating inItaly...Porta Via...Now That’s Italian

Winner of Best New ItalianRestaurant in the 2010 Nashville SceneReaders Poll.

Nutritious food can help vision, Optique’sSonsino says

Since this is the Entertaining andDining Out edition of the Observer, weasked Dr. Michele Sonsino of OptiqueEye Care and Eye Wear about nutritionand the eyes.

Doctors are now learning more abouthow nutrition affects vision and eyehealth. Sonsino says, “We have excitingnew research results about the effects ofnutritional supplements in the care ofpatients with Age-Related MacularDegeneration (ARMD), a potentiallyblinding eye disease of the elderly.”

A large clinical trial sponsored by thefederal government’s National EyeInstitute showed that patients with mod-erate to severe ARMD benefited fromhigh doses of supplemental antioxidantsand zinc. This combination increased the

Professionals help make your entertainingexperience a time to remember

The Observer October 26, 2012 13

chance of preserving remaining vision. Sonsino recommends to all of her

patients even with early signs of the dis-ease to change their diet to include morenatural antioxidants such as Vitamin C,Vitamin E, beta-carotene and zinc. AsBubbe always said, such foods as greenleafy vegetables, carrots, and avocadosare high in these nutrients.

The second area of interest is withdry eyes, Sonsino says. Recent researchhas shown that increasing intake ofOmega-3s helps in a common form of dryeyes. Increasing Omega-3s either by sup-plements or simply eating more fish suchas salmon, mackerel, or sardines tends toshift the makeup of fatty acids in the eye-lids, allowing the eyes to lubricate them-selves more efficiently. Sonsino says, “Theeyes are a window to so much informationabout a person’s general health, it justmakes sense to feed them properly.”

Sperry’s combinesNashville tradition, greattastes at 2 locations

Sperry’s Restaurant is a timelessNashville tradition and award-winning,

family-owned dining destination con-veniently located in heart of BelleMeade and Cool Springs. Since 1974,Sperry’s has impeccably served high-quality food in a comfortable OldEnglish atmosphere. Using only thefinest ingredients and products avail-able, including aged, heavily-marbledbeef, the freshest seafood available,premium cheeses oils and spices,Sperry’s food is as fresh as it gets.

Sperry’s Restaurant, known for itsundisputed attention to culinary detail,Southern hospitality and invitingambiance, can accommodate an inti-mate dinner for two or help you enter-tain a memorable party for 75.

In addition to being one of the beststeakhouses in Nashville, Sperry’s boastsan extensive wine list with more than188 selections, and a weekly happy hourthat features unbeatable deals on marti-nis, wines and spirits and small-platefood options, fondly called Burton’s Bitesafter owner Al Thomas’ grandfatherBurton Sperry.

Must-try menu items at Sperry’sinclude delicious beef entrees, Sperry’sfamous salad bar complete with home

Continued on page 14

14 October 26, 2012 The Observer

Continued from page 13made green goddess dressing and thebananas foster dessert.

Sperry’s Restaurants are located inBelle Meade at 5109 Harding Road just past the Belle Meade Plantation, and inCool Springs at 650 Frazier Drive next toThomasville Furniture. Go toSperrys.com for more information and tomake reservations.

Tastings and classescomplement wide selection at RED

RED is more than just a wine andspirits store.

RED is an experience. RED isdesigned for you!

Our mission is to offer you the com-plete selection of the world’s most desir-able and sought-after spirits, wines andspecialty beers in a comfortable, welcom-ing atmosphere. Our store layout isdesigned with spacious walkways that arehighlighted by comfortable, easy-to-access racking. We have carefully cate-

gorized our wine selections by grape vari-eties, such as chardonnay or pinot noir.Most of our wines are accompanied byinformational tags that give tastedescriptions and food pairings. Our spir-its department features an amazing arrayof whiskey, vodka, tequila, cordials andmore. The high-gravity specialty beercategory is the fastest-growing part of thebeverage industry and we are proud tooffer an ever-expanding selection.

While we strive to make your shop-ping easier with our organized and expan-sive 10,000-square-foot showroom, we aremost committed to offering friendly andhelpful service. We also feature an ongo-ing series of fun and informative compli-mentary tastings and classes at RED. Besure to check out our monthly musicseries. We invite you to join us onFacebook, for continual updates on what’shappening at RED.

Thank you for taking the time toread about RED. We hope you will comevisit us and see (and taste) the RED dif-ference for yourself.

After all, RED was created forYOU! c

Professionals help make your entertainingexperience a time to remember

By Kathy Carlson

Many folks would haveeased up a bit, but notSandy Averbuch.Having just completedtwo years as chair ofthe Jewish Federation

of Nashville’s Annual Campaign, thecommunity activist agreed to chair theJewish Foundation’s newly launchedDevelopment Committee.

The Jewish Foundation is theendowment arm of Federation and sup-ports a significant portion of Federationactivities through the income from fundshoused with the Foundation. TheDevelopment Committee was set up “tohelp us educate and inspire our commu-nity members to create a fund or plannedgift that meets their philanthropic pas-sions – what you want to be rememberedfor when you’re no longer here, so thatthose interests continue to thrive,” saidRisa Klein Herzog, director ofFoundation development.

“She is the logical bridge from chair-ing the Annual Campaign to ensuringlong-term support and long-term viabili-ty for the Nashville Jewish communitythrough the Foundation,” Klein Herzogsaid. “Whether it’s creating a fund to per-petuate an Annual Campaign gift or ayearly gift to support a Jewish organiza-tion, congregation or particular area ofinterest, Sandy’s experience and passionmake her the perfect leadership choice.”

“She’s got this great appetite for thesetypes of projects,” said Stephen Riven,who chaired the Best Jewish Nashvillepriority-setting project and serves on theDevelopment Committee. “Nashville isso lucky we have someone of this caliber.”

Over the years, Averbuch has playedleadership roles with West EndSynagogue, Hadassah and the NationalCouncil of Jewish Women, in additionto her work with Federation.

Nan Speller, also on the DevelopmentCommittee, has worked with Averbuch onmany of these projects. “Whenever sheputs her mind to something she goes at itwith a full head of steam. ... She is a joy towork with,” Speller said. Fellow commit-tee member and community leaderAnnette Eskind added, “I know the won-derful committee work she has done andhow meaningful that work is.”

What links Averbuch to theFoundation is very simple. “When ourson died, we started a fund at theFoundation, actually two funds, both inhis name,” she said. “One spins off theincome to the (Annual) Campaign andthe other is an enrichment fund forAkiva School.” Her son, JonathanAverbuch, loved Akiva, and Federationhas been a passion for her and her hus-band, Larry. The Foundation allows thefamily to maintain a long-term connec-tion to support both of these priorities.

“When I was president of the

Federation many, many years ago, Ilearned the way of nonprofits is to buildyour foundation,” Sandy Averbuch said.“We need to educate people about (theFoundation). It’s the basis of everythingin the community.”

In addition to its educational goals,the Development Committee wants tobuild the Foundation’s general endow-ment. You don’t have to be among thevery wealthy to set up a fund with theFoundation, Averbuch said.

“Anyone can create something per-manent,” Klein Herzog said.“Foundation is here to work with donorsand their professional advisers to createthe best plan to advance their philan-thropic and financial goals.”

Donors can inspire children andgrandchildren to know what’s importantto them and to generously support whatthey value, Klein Herzog said. “We takeso much for granted in the community,”she said, pointing to Jewish communityorganizations and agencies. “We want tomake sure the infrastructure is not onlyhere but thrives well into the future.”

The Foundation helps ensure thereare financial resources to maintain the

infrastructure, and the DevelopmentCommittee is crucial to the Foundation’smission. In addition to Averbuch,Eskind, Riven and Speller, Committeemembers include David Cooper, JamesFishel, Mark Goldfarb, Ellen Levitt, JanLiff, Andrew May, Joshua May, MartinTed Mayden, David Steine Jr. and FredZimmerman.

“I think that Sandy is a terrificJewish leader,” Steine said. “She isorganized and dedicated and most impor-tantly, learned in Jewish values. Thosevalues guide her in everything she doesin the Jewish community. She never getsdiscouraged and never gets angry. I feelblessed to have her as a mentor.” c

Averbuch continues to build on foundation of leadership

Joel Abramson, Tara Lerner, MatthewStrauss, Amanda and David Schwartz

Shirley Zeitlin, James Fishel, Ken Anchor,Annette Eskind

Jill and Dan Eisenstein, Nan Speller, BobEisenstein, Sara Rachel Robin

Bernie Pargh (left), Sam Averbuch, LarryAverbuch

Family, friends and colleagues surroundSandy Averbuch at the Jewish Foundation ofNashville dinner. Photos: Rick Malkin

Cynthia Averbuch Albin (left), Sam andJessica Averbuch

The Observer October 26, 2012 15

Chanukah is Coming

...a time for the JewishCommunity to exchangegifts, eat special foods

and have celebrations... Be sure to be a part of

this special issue.

Contact: Carrie Mills, Advertising Manager

615-354-1699e-mail

carrie@nashvillejcc.orgfax: 615-352-0056

Publication date is November 30, 2012Deadline for ads is November 23, 2012

The Tennessee HolocaustCommission’s 2012Irvin and ElizabethLimor Holocaust Educa-tion Conference isscheduled to take place

on Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 8 a.m.-3:30p.m. at Vanderbilt University’sStudent Life Center, 310 25th AvenueSouth in Nashville.

This year’s program, “A Conspiracyof Goodness: The Story of theVillagers of Le Chambon,” examinesthe responses of the villagers of LeChambon in Nazi-occupied France. Inand around this village, Christians

sheltered Jews in what has been calleda unique conspiracy of goodness. Not asingle Jew who came there was turnedaway or turned in. It was not untildecades later that the villagers spoke ofwhat they had done, and even then,only reluctantly.

This conference will help presentthe challenge that Holocaust rescuersmake to us, asking, “What would youhave done?”

Featured speakers at this year’s con-ference will include Pierre Sauvage, anEmmy award-winning documentaryfilmmaker and child survivor of theHolocaust, and Nelly Trocmé Hewett,

the oldest of four children born to pastorAndré and Magda Trocmé in northernFrance in 1927. She was a teenager in LeChambon and participated in the resist-ance efforts along with her parents andneighbors. Michael Bess, Chancellor’sProfessor of History at Vanderbilt, alsowill speak.

The speakers will be joined by apanel of local survivors including

Limor Holocaust education conferencehighlights ‘Conspiracy of Goodness’

Frances Cutler-Hahn, Art Pais, and EricRosenfeld.

This conference is open to thepublic and there is no cost to attend. Toregister or for more information, pleasecontact Danielle Kahane-Kaminsky atThe Tennessee Holocaust Commissionat (615) 343-1171, cell (615) 499-0047, e-mail danielle.kahane-kaminsky@vanderbilt.edu. c

See what’s happening in the community. Go to www.jewishnashville.org

Nominationssought forTeen TikkunOlam awards

Do you know a remarkableJewish teen engaged inphilanthropy? Nominatethem for the Diller TeenTikkun Olam Awards andthey could be awarded

$36,000, according to a news release fromthe Helen Diller Family Foundation,which sponsors the awards. The deadlinefor nominations is January 6, 2013.

Based on the concept of tikkun olam(repairing the world ), the Diller TeenTikkun Olam Awards seek to recognizeteens who are exceptional role models intheir communities and beyond. Theawards celebrate teens who have demon-strated remarkable leadership and areactively engaged in projects whichembody the values of tikkun olam. Teenprojects may benefit the Jewish commu-nity or the general community.

Up to ten teens, five from Californiaand five from other communities acrossthe country, will be selected to receive$36,000 each, to be used to further theirphilanthropic work or their education.

For more information, www.jew-ishfed.org/diller/teenawards. c

The Observer is online!

You can find the latest issue, past issues, plus streamingnews updates and links to

Jewish organizations at

www.jewishobserver

nashville.orgNow you have a choice: Read the print edition

or read us online.

16 October 26, 2012 The Observer

Admission Preview Day Sunday, October 28 @ 4 p.m.

4001 HARDING ROAD • NASHVILLE, TN 37205 • 615-369-5316WWW.MONTGOMERYBELL.EDU

Montgomery Bell Academy is a school where boys aretaught the value of leadership and character; areequipped with the fundamental tools to succeed inthe classroom and beyond; develop an appreciationfor the effort required to achieve excellence; and formfriendships that last a lifetime.

MBA is home to:

• 21 National Merit Semifinalists from the Class of 2013

• 2012 Science Olympiad & MathCounts StateChampions

• 2011-12 State Champions in Swimming, Rifle, and Tennis

• grants that send more than 100 students per year to immersion programs in the United States and abroad

• active community service that includes soup kitchen, peer tutoring, Race for the Cure, and Time to Rise

• an average class size of 14 and a 7 to 1 student-teacher ratio

• 25 Advanced Placement offerings

• international exchanges and programs to Great Britain, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, and China

• $1.75 million in need-based financial aid

Building Boys into Better Men

Montgomery Bell Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex, or age, in its employment practices or in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and financial aid programs, athletic programs, or other school-administered programs.

The Nashville Section ofthe National Council ofJewish Women will hostits annual Ways andMeans luncheon onWednesday, Nov. 7.

Celebration 32 will take place at theHillwood Country Club at 11:30 a.m.

Four past presidents will be hon-ored with the presentation of theHannah G. Solomon Award, which isgiven to leaders who exemplify thequalities of the founder of NCJW. Thehonorees this year are Flo Kornman(1959-1961), Lois Fox (1961-1963), SisCohn (1964-1966), and Selma

Goldstein (1968-1970). They broughtabout important community programsand services through their leadership ina volunteer capacity and some of theseprograms are still maintained by theNashville Section. Each of thesewomen was a catalyst for social changeand this community has been strength-ened by their efforts.

In addition to these past leaders,three young women – Jamie Brook, FreyaSachs, and Lauren Shapiro – will be rec-ognized for their leadership.

There is a charge for the luncheonand a minimum contribution is required.

The money raised at this event isused to fund projects that the NashvilleSection sponsors:

• NCJW Reach for Survivorship• Renewal House• Scholarship Loan• Senior Friends• Vanderbilt Hillel Dinners• Buz-A-Bus• Snack Box• CASA• PG13 Teen Players• Kosher Food Box

For more information, contactNCJW at info@nashvillencjw.org or call352-7057. To make a reservation, makea check payable to NCJW Celebration32 and send to NCJW NashvilleTreasurer Mary Jones, 4434 Tyne Blvd.,Nashville 37215. c

NCJW to honor past and future leaders

One City All People

Your Resource for Community Education and Engagement

� Diversity & Culture � Workplace Inclusion & Equal Opportunity � Civil & Human Rights

Learn more at: www.nashville.gov/humanrelations

Email: mhrc@nashville.gov

Phone: 615.880.3370

Connect with us on facebook.com/NashMHRC

The Observer October 26, 2012 17

lifecycles

Classified AdsClassified Ads

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B’nai MitzvahMarshall Justin Arons will be

called to the Torah as aBar Mitzvah onSaturday, Oct. 27 at10:30 a.m. atCongregation Micah.

Marshall is the sonof Murray and SandyArons and the youngerbrother of Avery.

Marshall is aneighth-grader at Brentwood MiddleSchool. His interests include soccer,photography, playing video games, col-lecting military paraphernalia, and hang-ing out with his friends. He also appreci-ates the finer things in life, includingadventurous vacations, trying new andinteresting foods (yes, that includes foodtrucks), and viewing artwork.

For his mitzvah project, Marshallvolunteered at Owl's Hill NatureSanctuary for two weeks this past sum-mer. He had attended summer camp atOwl's Hill for several summers and thissummer he spent two weeks giving backto the camp program. Marshall also pur-chased a white oak tree that will beplanted at Owl's Hill this fall.

Skylar and Sloane Fischer will becalled to the Torah asB’not Mitzvah onSaturday, Nov. 3, at 11a.m. at The Temple –Congregation OhabaiSholom.

They are the daugh-ters of Suriva and BobFischer. Their grandpar-ents are GeraldineFischer, Elaine Goldmanand the late HerbertFischer.

Skylar’s mitzvahproject is to “Adopt aGrandparent.” Sheadopted a grandparentwhose children andgrandchildren do not live in the Nashvillearea and has enjoyed spending time withand getting to know her new grandmother.

Skylar is in the seventh grade atJohn Trotwood Moore Middle School.Her special interests include theater,singing, playing piano, playing violin,songwriting, swimming, dancing, model-ing and reading.

Sloane’s mitzvah project is helpingthe women who stay at The Temple forRoom in the Inn by filling backpacks withhats, scarves and gloves for the winter. Sheis also planning to volunteer this winter.

Sloane is in the seventh grade atJohn Trotwood Moore Middle School.Her special interests include fashiondesign, singing, drums, acting, modeling,playing clarinet in the school band,swimming, volleyball, reading and math.

Marin Aliya Kirshner will be calledto the Torah as a BatMitzvah on Saturday,Nov. 3, at 9:30 a.m. atWest End Synagogue.She is the daughter ofBari A. Bettan andMichael L. Kirshnerand the sister of CarsonL. Kirshner.

Marin is a seventh-grader atUniversity School, where she plays onthe soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams.For her mitzvah project, she is workingwith Project Linus, a nonprofit organiza-tion that hand makes blankets for criti-cally ill children.

Jake Ethan Rosen will be called tothe Torah as a BarMitzvah on Saturday,Nov. 3, at 10:30 a.m. atCongregation Micah.

Jake is the son ofMarc and Karen Rosen,and the older brother ofEvan. He is the grand-son of Helene and ArtLubel, Sandra andWalter Rosen, and the great-grandson ofJoseph Penn, all of Houston.

Jake is a seventh-grader at AbintraMontessori School where he has been theeditor of the school yearbook. In his freetime, Jake enjoys swimming, piano, pho-tography, and theater, and has participatedin many musicals with Act Too Players.He also enjoys math, science, and attend-ing Space Camp. His real passion is tech-nology - computer programming, videoediting, creating stop-motion movies, andlearning about “how it all works.”

For his mitzvah project, Jake haschosen to volunteer his time at TheBrown Center for Autism, a school foryoung children in the autism spectrum.He has enjoyed being in the classroom aswell as helping the staff to prepare mate-rials for the children. He also spent a daywith the staff organizing items for theirupcoming art auction, which will benefitthe school. He will donate a portion ofhis Bar Mitzvah earnings to the school sothey can use it to purchase materials forthe children.

Jake is looking forward to celebrat-ing his special weekend with family andfriends.

Elliot Reuben Tishler will be calledto the Torah as a BarMitzvah on Saturday,Nov. 24, at West EndSynagogue at 9:30 a.m.He is the youngest sonof Michelle and StevenTishler and brother ofJoel, Daniel, andShayna. He is thegrandson of MarilynDavis of Nashville, Al Davis ofBirmingham, Dorothy Ziff and the lateJack Tishler of Birmingham.

Elliot is a seventh-grader atGrassland Middle School. He is anenthusiastic member of the school bandand a tough competitor on the lacrossefield. Elliot has spent the last two sum-mers at Camp Barney Medintz withplans to continue this tradition after afamily trip to Israel this summer. Elliot isa hamburger connoisseur and Minecraftfan. He enjoys hanging with friends andvacationing with the family.

Andrew Kaplan will be called to theTorah as a Bar Mitzvahat Congregation Micahat 7:30 p.m. on Friday,Nov. 23, and atCongregation SherithIsrael on Saturday, Nov.24, at 10 a.m. Andrew isa son of Hillary andMark Kaplan, a brotherof Aaron and Matthew,and a grandson of Renee and RichardZellner of Cleveland, Ohio and Irma andHerman Kaplan of Nashville, TN.

Andrew graduated from AkivaSchool. He is currently an 8th-grader atMontgomery Bell Academy, where heplays on the baseball team, performs inschool theater productions, and is a co-editor-in-chief of the Junior Schoolnewspaper. He enjoys spending timewith his family, including his two dogs,Leo and Rosie, and he looks forward tosummers at Six Points Sports Academy.

CongratulationsBenjamin Kraft Raybin has joined

Hollins, Raybin &Weissman, P.C. as anassociate attorney. AVanderbilt UniversityLaw School graduate,Ben served as a lawclerk for Judges Jane B.Stranch and Gilbert S.Merritt, both of theU.S. Court of Appealsfor the Sixth Circuit. Before law school,Ben attended the University of Chicago,graduating with honors and competingfor four years on the mock trial team.While in college, Ben spent a semester atthe University of New South Wales inSydney, Australia and later wrote hishonors thesis on the Australian constitu-tion. A Nashville native, Ben attendedmiddle school at Ensworth and highschool at University School of Nashville,where he was student body president andcaptain of the varsity basketball team.His law practice will focus on criminaland civil trial and appellate litigation.

Sympathy. . . to the family of Nathan Magid,

who died on Sept. 24. Mr. Magid, theson of Victor and Rebecca FrankelMagid, was born in New York City onDec. 31, 1912. In addition to his par-ents, he was preceded in death by hiswife, Esther Levitan Magid; brother,Harold; sisters, Goldie Jacobson andEdith Peal. He is survived by his daugh-ters, Frances (Terry) Prince and Bonnie(Doug) Small; grandchildren, LoriPrince, Adam (Ashley) Small and RyanSmall; sisters, Reba Kuklin and FayeChait. Mr. Magid was drafted into theArmy during World War II. He landed

on the Normandy Beach, was woundedin battle, and received the Purple Heart.He was the co-owner of B. LevitanFurniture Co. and the owner of RichlandFurniture Co. He loved kids and thefamily requests that memorials be madeto the children's charity of your choice .

. . . to the family of Robert Keenan,father of Dorothy (Ray) Berk, who diedon Oct. 11. Services for Mr. Keenanwere held on October 13.

. . . to the family of MiriamGoodman, who died on Oct. 15. She issurvived by her grandson, Michael (Lisa)Moschel and great-grandchildrenAbigail and Jack.

… to Helen and Leonid Gorodeskyand the entire Shinkarev family on theOct. 18 death of Mariya Shinkaryov.

. . . to the family of Evelyn Wasson,who died on Oct. 18.

She is survived by her grandson,Jason (Helen) Crowley, her great-grand-children Zach, Noah and Josh Crowley,extended family and friends.

. . . to the family of Sylvia L. Manas,who died on Oct. 20 at age 90. Sylviawas preceded in death by her husband of62 years, David Manas. Survivorsinclude their sons, Robert (Cindy)Manas and Zvi (Diane) Manas. Sylviaand David owned and operated ManasFurniture Co. in downtown Nashville formore than 50 years. Sylvia was active inthe Congregation Sherith Israel and theGordon Jewish Community Center.Sylvia enjoyed travel over the years,especially cruises with her family, andshe loved her time with her family andfriends. Sylvia's loving devotion to herfamily and friends will be missed.Honorary pallbearers were Jim Levine,Bill Levine, Don Levine, Jerry Levine,Larry Rubenstein, Steve Eisen, JonPierce, Hal Manas, Howard Manas,Mike Miller, Martin Nash, Boris Garber,Marat Oyvetsky. In lieu of customaryremembrances, memorial contributionsin Mrs. Manas’ name may be directed toCongregation Sherith Israel, 3600 WestEnd Ave., Nashville, TN 37205 or AliveHospice, 1718 Patterson St., Nashville,TN 37203.

Marshall JustinArons

Skylar Fischer

Sloane Fischer

Marin AliyaKirshner

Jake EthanRosen

Elliot ReubenTishler

Andrew Kaplan

Benjamin KraftRaybin

See what’s happening in the community. Go to www.jewishnashville.org

18 October 26, 2012 The Observer

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By Annette Pollack4th-grade teacher

In the 14 years that I have been arunner I have only focused on myown personal running goals. Since

coaching the Akiva team, I was ableto experience a whole new level ofenjoyment and fulfillment throughthe participants.

At each meet, against schoolslike Harding Academy, St. Henry’s,Overbrook and Christ the King, theteam members would cheer for eachother and encourage one another torun their personal best. The feeling ofcamaraderie amongst the team wasevident as they developed new friend-ships and relationships with studentsat all grade levels.

The cross-country team at AkivaSchool includes kindergartners throughfifth-graders. Akiva School participat-ed in three cross-country meets this sea-son. Two of these were at theOverbrook School and one at CurreyIngram Academy. The Akiva studentscame in fourth place at the CurreyIngram meet in the K-2 division, wheresecond grader Shmuel Hanai came insecond place in his division with a timeof 4:32 for a distance of 1000 yards.

All of the runners had personalbests at the last meet. The team wasassisted by Dr. Phil Lieberman andDr. Trent Rosenbloom. The joy andpride on team members’ faces whilethey were running, I know, will fuelme during my next long run. I can’twait to coach again next year! c

Students show longtime runner the joy of the sport

Akiva Corner

To access the Community Calendar,go to www.jewishnashville.org and click on “Calendar.” Every community event is listed for your convenience.

Allen Exelbierd named to chairTennessee Holocaust Commission

Allen Exelbierd, presidentof the Memphisaccounting firm L.Allen Exelbierd P.C.,has been named thefourth chairman of the

Tennessee Holocaust Commission, theCommission said in a news release. Gov.Bill Haslam appointed Exelbierd on Oct.10. He succeeds Nashvillian FeliciaAnchor as chair, and his term began

upon his appointment.Exelbierd has served on the

Commission since 1999. He has been agrant reader for the annual Belz-LipmanAward for educators and has served onthe Memphis Yom HaShoah Committeefor more than 25 years. He is the son ofHolocaust survivors Joseph and RachelExelbierd. Joseph Exelbierd organizedthe first Yom HaShoah Memorial Servicein Memphis in 1963. c

Akiva’s 2012 Cross-Country Team and coaches

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20 October 26, 2012 The Observer

JERUSALEM (JTA) – More than70 rockets and mortar shells fired fromGaza have hit southern Israel in a 24-hour span earlier this week, striking sev-eral homes and injuring three.

Four Palestinians were killed inIsraeli strikes on Gaza sites that theIsraeli military said are used for launch-ing rockets at Israel. The PalestinianMa’an news agency has identified thedead as members of organizations thatare considered terrorist by Israel and theUnited States.

Rockets slam southern Israel, striking homes and injuring workers

Between late Tuesday night and lateWednesday morning, Oct. 23 and 24, theIsraeli airstrikes hit four of what the IsraelDefense Forces said were rocket-launch-ing sites, as well as a tunnel used forsmuggling terrorists into Israel, accordingto statements issued by the IDF.

In two radio interviews, DefenseMinister Ehud Barak did not rule outsending tanks and troops into Gaza toquell the attacks.

The rockets and mortar shellsbegan falling on southern Israeli com-

munities late Tuesday night and con-tinued through the next day. At leastfive private homes were hit directly.Three Thai workers were injured, twoof them seriously.

The Iron Dome missile defense sys-tem intercepted seven rockets aimed atAshkelon.

Schools have been closed in muchof southern Israel, with the Home FrontCommand telling residents living with-in 10 miles of Gaza to remain nearbomb shelters.

Barak told Army Radio, “If we haveno choice and the fire will continue,then they clearly will be hit harder andnothing is out of the question.”

And in an interview with IsraelRadio, he said, “If we need a ground oper-ation, there will be a ground operation. Wewill do whatever necessary to stop this.”

Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, and the PopularResistance Committees both haveclaimed responsibility for the rockets.

The escalation on Israel’s southernborder follows a border attack Oct. 23 onan Israeli patrol near the security fencewith Gaza that seriously injured anIsraeli soldier. c

Could Russia’s crackdown against foreign NGOs imperil Jewish groups working there?

By Neil Rubin

WASHINGTON (JTA) –Following the collapse of the SovietUnion, it didn’t take long for interna-tional Jewish groups to rush into Russiaand begin rebuilding institutions ofJewish life that had been destroyed undergenerations of communist repression.

In the two decades since, RussianJewry has undergone a remarkablerevival, and Diaspora Jewish institutionsfrom the American Jewish JointDistribution Committee to the JewishAgency for Israel to the Chabad-Lubavitch movement have been thereevery step of the way.

But with the environment inPresident Vladimir Putin’s Russia grow-ing increasingly hostile toward foreignnongovernmental organizations, couldthe operations of international Jewishgroups be in jeopardy?

“We’re in a very reactionary phase,”said James Brooke, the Moscow corre-spondent for the Voice of America. “Thecurrent leadership doesn’t favor civilsociety and prefers vertical power, whichis an authoritarian, dictatorial conceptfrom the top of salute and shut up.”

On Oct. 1, in a sign of rising ten-sions between Washington and Moscow,Russia announced that it was ending allU.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment operations in the country,ending a program that has invested morethan $2.7 billion in Russia since 1991 topromote “a more open and innovativesociety and a strengthened partnershipbetween Russia and the United States.”

Then there’s the crackdown on dissentthat has seen everything from the jailing ofopposition leaders to the prison termshanded down to three women from thepunk band Pussy Riot for their “blasphe-mous” performance in a church. The rock-ers, one of whom has been released fromprison, were convicted of “hooliganism.”

Fortunately for the Jews of Russia,Judaism is one of four recognized religionsin the country. The Russian parliament isnow considering a blasphemy law thatwould criminalize acts of “sacrilege”against any of the recognized religions.

Finally, a new law requires groupsthat acquire funds from overseas todeclare themselves “foreign agents” -- acategory that on its face would seem toinclude international Jewish aid groups.

Publicly, Jewish organizations say theyare not concerned and emphasize thattheir work is humanitarian, not political.

“There’s nothing here that Jewishorganizations that operate in the formerSoviet Union from the United States orIsrael that support activities in the FSUhave to be concerned about,” said MishaGalperin, president and CEO of JewishAgency International Development.“We provide assistance for humanitari-an, education and community buildingprograms that have nothing at all to dowith any political processes and situa-tions in Russia.”

Privately, however, Jewish organiza-tions are toeing very carefully to make

sure they do not run afoul of a regime thatin recent months has severely restrictedthe operation of foreign NGOs in Russia.

The key, says Ben Cohen, a formerdirector of European affairs for the Anti-Defamation League, is to steer clear ofany criticism of the regime.

“The organized Jewish communityhas traditionally been very careful not toalienate the Russian government,” he said.“Firstly it would hinder their operationsthere, and secondly, I think they’re awarethat there is a very strong undercurrent ofanti-Semitism in Russia and they’re verynervous about provoking that.”

As things stand now, Putin has goodties with the Jewish community. He hasdeveloped personal relationships withsome Jewish leaders – notably Rabbi BerelLazar, one of Russia’s two chief rabbis –and Jewish schools, synagogues and com-munity centers have flourished in Russiasince Putin came to power in 2000.

"Putin is a despicable man, but he’svery shrewd,” Cohen said. “He under-stands that getting into a needless con-frontation with Jewish organizations isn’tgoing to serve his interests.”

ORT, the educational agency, citedits close work with the government inrunning schools and educational pro-grams in Russia. Moscow ORTTechnology College, which opened in1996, has 4,000 students, and the ORT deGunzburg Jewish School No. 550 in St.Petersburg has received the President’sPrize, Russia’s highest award for innova-tion and excellence in education.

“We’re in these countries" in theformer Soviet Union "because we’vebeen invited by the government and theministries of education, which we part-ner with,” said Alan Klugman, executivedirector of ORT America.

Likewise, Jewish groups includingthe Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society andthe JDC told JTA that they have notexperienced problems with the govern-ment and do not expect U.S.-Russia ten-sions to affect their operations.

The unspoken tradeoff, Cohen said,is that Jewish organizations cannot criti-cize the regime for anything. U.S.-Russian tensions will not impact Jewishgroups, Cohen said, “unless they chal-lenge the government.” c

Damage to one home. Photo: JTA