Southern Jewish Life, October 2012 (Deep South Edition)

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

Southern Jewish Life

Sukkahville at the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School

October 2012Volume 22 Issue 10

Upcoming Community Trips to Israel

“ To spend yearsspoiling my grandkids. ”

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Southern Jewish Life October 2012 3

Remember how the second Intifada started?Back in 2000, Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount, and

the Muslim world was so outraged that protests spontaneously began, lasting another five years and leaving over 5500 Palestinians and 1000 Israelis dead.

At least, that was the narrative, one which is still very easy to find. Much later, it came out that the demonstrations were pre-planned, weaponry had been stockpiled for the “spontaneous” uprising. Furthermore, the Temple Mount visit had been pre-cleared by the Muslim authorities there. But it was a much easier, cleaner story to blame an Israeli viewed as a hard-liner. Our fault.

You’d think the media would have learned, but no. This past month saw the “spontaneous” Muslim reaction to a worthless Internet film trailer that blasphemed Muhammad, and immediately word spread that it was produced by a prominent Israeli real estate developer in California, backed by 100 other Israeli Jews.

Never mind that nobody had ever heard of this “prominent” developer. Or that if there really had been $5 million invested in the film, it is so wretched that there is likely $4,999,980 unac-counted for. If anyone should be insulted, it is the film industry, for this trailer was so bad a sixth grader would be embarrassed to turn it in as a homework assignment.

It turns out that an Egyptian Coptic was behind the film, and those who acted in it said it had nothing to do with Muhammad — that was dubbed in (poorly) later.

Not that it matters. Throughout the Middle East, it is widely believed that the Jews were behind this, and the spasms of “you can’t insult my faith like that” violence include virulent anti-Jewish statements and cartoons — making the oh-so-sensitive reaction even more of a farce.

It is clear that much of the Muslim world holds a rage against the West, and does not need much of anything to cause this type of reaction. Perhaps the film was a trigger, but the idea that a large number of Muslims saw it and decided to protest strains credulity. But it falls into the “our fault” template — if the Muslim world erupts, it was because of something we did.

This brings us to the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, where four Americans (including the ambassador to Libya) were killed. We were told for well over a week that this was just part of the spontaneous eruption. It turns out that it was nothing of the sort.

The attack was carried out by an Al Qaeda affiliate on Sept. 11, on American soil (consulates and embassies are considered sovereign territory of the countries they represent, not where they are located). Al Qaeda hit us again on Sept. 11. And we chalk it up to anything else.

After the 2001 attacks, it was warned that Americans would soon tire of the effort against terrorism, and the extremists would bide their time until then and hit again.

Not only have we tired of the war, but we’re not even comfortable ac-knowledging that the war continues and we’ve taken a hit. That might be the most dangerous part of all.

Larry BrookEditor/Publisher

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4 October 2012 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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Opinion

To members of the Jewish community:I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you

about my candidacy for the 6th Congressional District of Alabama and my position on Israel. I am Penny Bailey, a retired Colonel from the U.S. Air Force, where I served 24 years. My husband of 30 years is still on active duty, a Colonel in the USAF. He has served three tours in the Middle East defending the U.S. and Israel’s interests. Currently, he is in Af-ghanistan overseeing a major hospital and 12 clinics throughout the country.

As an American, I have always believed Is-rael is our strongest ally. As a military member, I know it is important for America’s future to remain strong in our relationship with Israel for strategic reasons. And as a Christian, I be-lieve it is my duty to support Israel and God’s chosen people. Israel has a right to exist as a nation and to protect her people just like America does.

While serving in the Air Force, I worked numerous logistical fi elds including muni-tions (conventional and nuclear), was respon-sible for classifi ed information, and developed strategic plans for war-time as well as peace-time. I had the distinct privilege of working for seven 4-star generals from all branches of the military; three of whom were Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff .

While working at the Pentagon, I sat in on numerous strategy sessions, traveled to numerous countries and worked with White House staff . My husband and I were in the Pentagon when it was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, so the war in the Middle East is not only important to the security of our nation but it is personal to us!

My family has put their life on the line for our country and for one of our strongest al-lies, Israel.

But the truth is, you have a strong defender

of Israel in the current congressman, Spen-cer Bachus. Here’s why I know I can do bet-ter: Congress is broken; partisan politics are largely to blame.

We must work together to accomplish what is best. Spencer Bachus is not a team player. His loyalty is to big banking as they have con-tributed millions to him, while District 6 and her people are largely ignored. He did not even bother to visit areas in his own district hit by devastating tornados. He has been part of out-of-control congressional spending for 20 years that has led to our huge national debt.

I had a budget of $4 billion and was respon-sible for over 4,000 personnel in the USAF. Th roughout my 24 years of service, every dol-lar I allocated went solely to the defense of this country. I have a 24-year history of being accountable and responsible with taxpayer dollars, and I will take that integrity and sense of responsibility to Washington.

Now, here’s the big news — we can win. With redistricting, there are more Democrats in District 6. And 41% of Republicans voted against Bachus in the primary.

Everywhere we’ve gone we’ve received a great reception. Congressman Bachus does not visit his district often; people don’t know him and many have an unfavorable opinion of him.

I’m simply asking for a chance to con-vince you my support for Israel is real and my candidacy is real. Don’t ever tell a mili-tary person they can’t do something! Please feel free to call me to set something up. I can be reached at (205) 329-5240 or at [email protected]. For more in-formation on my candidacy please check out www.pennyforcongress.com.

Th ank you so much for your time and con-sideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Col. Penny BaileyCol. Penny BaileyOn the Middle East, and running for Congress

Students from the Mississippi State Hillel hosted their counterparts from Auburn for some tailgating before the Sept. 8 SEC opener for both teams.


Opinion

How big is New Orleans’ Jewish community, really?

Editor’s Note: After the last issue came out, we received a note from a former New Orleanian now in Mississippi, challenging the article that stated the Jewish population of New Orleans had topped pre-Katrina numbers and was now estimated at 9,580. He fi gured, based on his ex-perience, that a fi gure of 6,500 was more realistic, and wanted further evidence. Here is the response by Michael Weil, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans.

Th e Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans is fortunate to having one of the best and most accurate data bases of local Jewish population in the country. One of the reasons is that immediately after Katrina we made available short term funding (through the behest of United Jewish Com-munities, now the Jewish Federations of North America) to every Jewish New Orleanian. We also put together an unique data base of Jews from New Orleans, whose purpose at the time was to fi nd out where everybody had displaced to and to connect families, neighbors and friends. Th ese actions gave us up to date contact info on most community members.

We continue to monitor all these names and update our data base all the time. We produce revised population numbers every six months. Th ese include people who are still moving back, those that have not moved back, and of course all the newcomers.

Th ese calculations showed that in August 2005 we numbered 9,500, numbers dropped radically after Katrina and very slowly and gradually moved up. Our current estimate is 9,580 and growing. Th ese include around 2,000 newcomers who moved here since 2007. In late Septem-ber we were approving another large batch of grants to newcomers who continue to move here.

In both 2007 and 2010 we conducted an extensive demographic study through LSU and the researcher was asked at the time to calcu-late overall population. Th is he did by several methods and at the con-clusion of his research he confi rmed that our estimates were reason-able. His fi nal number was a range going from a little less to somewhat more. Th e estimates in 2007 ranged from 7-8000 with a higher but unlikely estimate at the time of even 12,500. Knowing the increases in newcomers since that time, our estimate of 9,580 today is indeed pretty accurate. We keep meticulous records of all newcomers.

Th e demographic studies paint also a remarkable picture of Jewish engagement and demonstrate that New Orleans has one of the highest rates of synagogue affi liation (79 percent) and attendance and also one of the highest rates of giving to Jewish Federation’s annual campaign (59 percent).

Adding up membership numbers is only one to estimate popula-tion. We have actually done that exercise too while being aware of the percentage of non-Jewish members at the JCC. Th at being said we are aware that there are not insignifi cant rates of Jews who are not affi li-ated. Somewhere up to 25 percent. But this is way below most com-munities even in the South.

All this does not include the 3,000 Jewish students studying in the city’s universities, mostly at Tulane with applications at 10 times of approvals.

Th is is a remarkable community that has transformed itself in the last seven years. We are growing and continue to grow. We are vibrant with an extraordinary rich Jewish life and a calendar of events that is almost too full. We have become a center of Jewish experimentation with a myriad of new and innovative grass roots organizations and an active Jewish young people scene, as well as extra ordinarily commit-ted and active leadership.

Personally I am proud to serve as head of Federation in this com-munity and wish that others had the same fortune and could off er the same statistics.

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“Funny” event at Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem: On Oct. 14, Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem in Montgomery will host a program with the person who wrote the book on funny.

Literally.David Misch is author of “Funny: The Book,” which is subtitled

“Everything you always wanted to know about comedy.” He traces the history of comedy, starting with the first recorded jokes. Written in 1900 BCE, they are about — what else? — sex and body functions.

Going through the centuries, he also explores why Jews are funny. The book also explores the evolutionary, psychological, scientific, philosophical and even theological underpinnings of humor.

Misch started his career as a folk singer and stand-up comic. His first screenwriting job was on “Mork and Mindy,” and he co-wrote “Leave It To Dave,” the pilot for David Letterman’s first talk show.

He has written, created and/or produced programs for NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, UPN, HBO, Showtime, PBS, ABC Family, Disney, Universal and Lifetime. He co-wrote and directed an episode of the syndicated series “Monsters,” and was executive producer of “Duckman” (USA), which was nominated for multiple Emmys, winner of the Cable ACE and Banff awards for “Best Animated Series.” He was executive story editor on the legendary Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker series “Police Squad!” and co-writer and producer of “Callahan,” and was special consultant on “The Muppets Take Manhattan.”

The Oct. 14 program is free and open to the community, and will be from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Jewish Food Festival earlier than before: For the first time, the Fred and Brenda Friedman Family Jewish Food Festival will be in October this year. Held at the Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham, the festival will be Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Food Festival Director Betty Habshey said she has been proud of the festival’s successes. In the first nine years, attendance and revenues have tripled.

“It feels really good to see the Jewish community and the Birmingham area community come together to share some great food as well as entertainment. That has always been our main goal, to bring people together,” she said.

Publix Supermarkets will continue as the Gold sponsor. As of mid-September, close to 90 percent of last year’s sponsors have re-upped and many of the items at this year’s food festival will bear their names.

New for 2012 is “The Foodies” sponsorship level. This allows individuals to contribute a smaller amount ($100) and donations can be made up through two weeks prior to the event. “Even $100 goes a long way toward buying the ingredients we need to make the food,” said Habshey.

All of the items from 2011 will be back by popular demand, including corned beef sandwiches, falafel, cabbage rolls, hummus, kugel, burekas, Israeli salad and more. The most popular item over the life of the food festival has been the brisket plate.

This year hamantashen along with Black and White cookies will part of the regular food festival menu. Many other desserts will be sold as part of the bake sale and the LJCC welcomes contributors of homemade kosher sweets.

The festival will coincide with the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School Think Green fair. During the food festival, costumed actors from the upcoming musical Seussical will also entertain and lead story time for the kids.


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New Year Donation: Winn-Dixie stores across the Southeast celebrated the Jewish New Year by highlighting kosher recipes during the grocer’s annual Taste of Rosh Hashanah events. Due to Hurricane Isaac, the store had to change plans in the Birmingham area, but wanted to kick off the year with donations to Jewish community agencies.

Winn-Dixie presented $1000 donations to the Levite Jewish Community Center (above) and Bais Ariel Chabad Center (below).

A donation was also made to the New Orleans JCC, and a presentation is also planned in Pensacola.

Year of Holocaust Remembrance:The exhibit “Darkness Into Life: Alabama Holocaust Survivors Through Photography and Art” will be making its way through the Troy University system in Alabama over the next few months as part of Troy’s Year of Holocaust Remembrance.

The year will include a number of special events designed to explore the history and lasting effects of the Holocaust.

Dr. Dan Puckett said the idea came from the successful lecture series featuring Holocaust survivor Ann Rosenheck who spoke at Troy’s campuses in 2010. “The Ann Rosenheck events were well received and we thought there was an opportunity here to build off that success and do more,” Puckett said.

Rosenheck, who survived Auschwitz, will return to Troy for talks at Sony Hall, Troy University Library, Dothan, on Oct. 28 at 2 p.m., and in Troy at a time to be announced later.

The “Darkness into Life” exhibit, with paintings by Mitzi Levin and photography by Becky Seitel, recounts the stories of Holocaust

survivors who made Alabama their home after the Holocaust.

The exhibit opened Oct. 1 at Troy University Montgomery’s Whitley Hall, where it will be displayed through Nov. 30. In January and February the exhibit will be at the campus in Troy, and in March and April it will be at Troy University in Dothan.

In conjunction with the exhibit, a group of the featured survivors will discuss their experiences on Oct. 25, at 6 p.m. inside Whitley Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.

“In Her Father’s Eyes” will be at the Dothan campus from Oct. 8 to Dec. 8 in the Library/Technology building. On loan from Kennesaw State University, the exhibit examines the life of Kitty Weichherz, a 13 year-old Czechoslovakian

girl whose family was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1942. The exhibit consists of photographs and details about the family’s life leading up to this event compiled from a daily diary kept by Kitty’s father that remained safe with an aunt during the war.

The Dothan library has been working with Rabbi Lynne Goldsmith of Dothan’s Temple Emanu-El on a film series early next year. One film already scheduled is “Surviving Hitler: A Love Story,” on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. Another film series will be at the Troy campus. On Nov. 8 there will also be a teacher’s workshop at the Dothan campus.

Additional programs, supported by a grant from the Alabama Humanities Foundation, will be announced during the year.


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CUFI events in region: Christians United for Israel will have two events in the region this month. On Oct. 10 at noon, there will be a pastor’s luncheon and Middle East briefing at Sonny’s BBQ. Pastor Michael Stevens, pastor of University City Church in Charlotte, N.C., and African-American Outreach Director for CUFI, will be the featured speaker.

On Oct. 28, Gateway Church in Shreveport will hold its annual Night to Honor Israel, at 4 p.m. Pastor Happy Caldwell of Agape Church in Little Rock, Ark., and founder of Victory Television Network, will be the speaker.

Holocaust Workshop in Huntsville: The Jewish Federation of Huntsville and North Alabama is sponsoring a Holocaust workshop for teachers, conducted by the Alabama Holocaust Commission and the Anti-Defamation League.

The Nov. 1 workshop will be at the Huntsville main library. Teachers have been invited from Huntsville city schools, Madison city schools, Madison County schools, and two private schools. About 50 teachers are expected.

Indigenous Nations leader to speak: On Oct. 26, Rev. Raymond McLean will speak at Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El at the 5:40 p.m. Shabbat service. He was asked by Israel to establish a World Indigenous Embassy in Jerusalem, to represent the Indigenous nations of the world and First Nations of Canada in Israel. He is also First Nation Representative for Bridges for Peace of Canada for Israel.


Medical school scholarships to attract newcomers: The Blumberg Family Jewish Community Services of Dothan is adding a new initiative to its plan to attract Jewish residents to the southeastern Alabama community.

Over the next three years, a total of up to six Blumberg Scholars will be named at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine. The awards of up to $10,000 per year will be made to Jewish students “who demonstrate the highest levels of academic excellence and personal character, and commit to serve Dothan’s Jewish and greater community.”

Recipients must be Jewish; enter ACOM as a first-time, full-time medical student upon meeting admission requirements; and be committed upon graduation to have a primary care medical practice in a medically-underserved area of southeast Alabama and be active in Dothan’s Temple Emanu-El.

The scholarships may continue for all four years at ACOM, and it is anticipated that two scholars will be named for each of the next three years, for a total of six.

Deadline for applications is March 15, 2013. Applications can be downloaded at www.samcfoundation.org.

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Delta Jewish Open opens: The 25th annual Jay Mosow Memorial Delta Jewish Open, a homecoming for Jews from the Mississippi Delta, is expanding its focus by opening to non-Jewish friends and associates.

Participants are urged to invite their friends to the event, which will be held this year the weekend of Oct. 20. The weekend kicks off with the annual dinner party at Hebrew Union Congregation in Greenville, starting at 6:30 p.m. A steak dinner will be served, teams will be formed and mulligans sold.

The golf tournament begins on Oct. 21 with a shofar start at 9 a.m. at Greenville Country Club. Lunch will be available following the four-player scramble. There will be cash prizes for the top three teams, and all par 3 holes have prizes for holes in one. There is a $10,000 prize for a hole in one on the 14th hole.

Proceeds from the weekend benefit the Henry S. Jacobs Camp and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Donations and tee box sponsorships are accepted. Reservations should be made by Oct. 13. For entry forms, contact Alan Silverblatt, (662) 887-5878 or Barry Piltz, (662) 332-3322.

Delta Jewish Open, a homecoming for Jews from the Mississippi Delta, is expanding its focus by opening to non-Jewish friends

starting at 6:30 p.m. A steak dinner will be served, teams will be formed and

N.C. academy working on challenge grants: The American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro, N.C., America’s only Jewish pluralistic college-prep boarding school, is working on a Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life challenge grant. The academy will receive $1 million from the foundation if it can raise $3 million by Dec. 31. Thus far, the academy has raised about $1 million.

The academy also has a $200,000 Matching Gifts challenge grant from Susan and Scott Shay, which matches $1 to every $2 raised from others by Dec. 31. The Shays, who recently funded the development of a new Judaics curriculum, hope to expand the institution’s network of donors.

More information about the school is available at americanhebrewacademy.org.


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KosherDome: It is now easier for Jewish New Orleans Saints fans to practice both religions — football and Judaism — at the same time.

Sept. 23 was the debut of a kosher concession stand at the Superdome. The Kosher Sports stand will be open for all Saints games, the Sugar Bowl and Super Bowl XLVII next February.

Jonathan Katz, president of Kosher Sports said, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to provide our kosher roster to the great football fans of the New Orleans Saints.” Located on the Upper Concourse at section 537, the stand features all-beef hot dogs, all-beef sausages with peppers and onions, all-beef Polish sausage, pretzels, bottled soda, bottled water and bottled beer. The stand is under the local supervision of the Louisiana Kashrut Commission, while nationally the company is certified by Star-K.

Kosher Sports was founded by Katz in 2003 while he worked on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. His boss was connected to the front office for the New York Giants, and through that connection Kosher Sports was born.

Kosher Sports is now the exclusive kosher caterer at Citi Field in New York, U.S. Open Tennis Championships, Barclays Center in Brooklyn, United Center in Chicago, Oriole Park in Baltimore, American Airlines Arena in Miami, Ford Field, Ravinia Music Festival, Ford Field in Detroit, and others.

“Am I A Jew” author in NOLA:Theodore Ross, author of the newly-published “Am I A Jew? Lost Tribes, Lapsed Jews and One Man’s Search for Himself” will be at the Maple Street Bookshop in New Orleans on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.

The book is about his search for identity, having been moved by his mother from New York City to Mississippi at age nine. His mother then decided to hide that they were Jewish and have him grow up passing as a Christian, though he never officially converted.


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NOLA Day School takes bold new approach in recruitment

Th e New Orleans Jewish Day School is ushering in a “new era of Jewish education in the city” by broadening its outreach and changing the school’s name to Community Day School.

Th e school, which currently has an enrollment of 40 stu-dents in Kindergarten through fi fth grade, will have the same curriculum as it does now. Bob Berk, head of the school, said “our mission will not change,” but “we aim to become a Jew-ish school that also serves the greater New Orleans commu-nity.”

Part of the change is to make “greater inroads” to the Reform, unaf-fi liated and intermarried communities. “Children from all community synagogues will be embraced,” he said. “Children with interfaith heri-tages will fi nd that Community Day School is a comfortable and open home. Th ose who come from unaffi liated families will fi nd an organic and holistic approach to Judaism specifi cally off ered at Community Day School.”

Berk added, “We also feel this could be a great option for non-Jew-ish students in the community who otherwise would be looking for a good education.”

Th ere are already non-Jewish students in the school, and they want more people to be aware of it. Th e school, he said, “will be a Jewish school where both Jews and non-Jews thrive and grow together.”

In a February article in the Forward, many Jewish day schools around the country with declining enrollments were examining ad-mitting larger numbers of non-Jewish students. At that point, Berk said the New Orleans school had been admitting non-Jewish students but not actively looking for them. Now, the school will be marketing to the general community.

Th e new name was to be offi cially unveiled at a family Sukkot cel-ebration Oct. 4. Students will receive new shirts with the new logo, and marketing will kick off for the 2013-14 school year.

Berk said that having “day school” in the new name makes it familiar to the Jewish community, and the term “community” resonates both with Jews and the general community.

As for the school’s “in memory of Patti Arnold Samuels” line, after consulting with the family, it will be altered to “inspired by Patti Ar-nold Samuels.”

Th e school was founded in 1996 “to provide New Orleans, for the fi rst time, with a Jewish community day school... so that Jewish and non-Jewish children from all backgrounds and from the entire spec-trum of religious observance could learn, pray, and celebrate togeth-er.”

Th e school’s enrollment declined substantially after Hurricane Ka-trina, dropping from 85 to about 50 as the school went on hiatus for the 2005-06 school year. After reopening, the school closed its middle school, ending at fi fth grade.

Each year, the school hosts a community-wide math contest for fourth and fi fth grade students.

Berk said the foreign language component of the school will be at-tractive, and the text study “enhances critical thinking skills” and uses concepts that cross religious lines.

“Jewish observances have universal messages of sanctity, hope and faith,” he said. “Th is model is as unique as New Orleans itself.”

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Community trips to Israel planned

Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn of Temple Sinai in New Orleans is leading an interfaith mis-sion to Israel and Petra, Jordan, with Rev. Don Frampton of St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church.

Cohn took this trip last January and “imag-ined taking this inspiring trip with our Sinai members along with Don Frampton and our neighbors from next door.” Trip highlights are expected to include visits to Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, a Druze village, Shabbat in Jerusalem with services at the fi rst Reform congregation in Israel, services at the Scottish Presbyterian Church, and a full day tour of Petra.

Th ere will be an informational meeting on Oct. 29 at St. Charles Presbyterian, at 7 p.m.

Gates of Prayer in Metairie has an Israel trip scheduled for later this month.

Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria is orga-nizing an Israel trip, working with the Jewish Federations of North America missions depart-ment. Already, there are 30 reservations for the trip, which is scheduled for March 10 to 21.

Atlanta’s Marcus Jewish Community Center and Congregation Beth Shalom are planning a multi-generational family trip to Israel next June, and inviting some Alabama communities to take part. Th e trip will be led by Rabbi Mark Zimmerman and Rabbi Brian Glusman.

Glusman grew up at Etz Chayim in Huntsville, and recently was rabbi of Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El. Members of those congregations are welcome to join the Atlanta community-wide trip, which wil be from June 11 to 24.

Highlights include a special welcome cer-emony, B’nai Mitzvah ceremony, Yad Vashem, Masada, Dead Sea, Jeep ride through the Golan Heights, archeological dig, and much more. For more information, contact Glusman at [email protected] or (678) 812-4161.

Th e Jewish Community Centers Association is off ering an opportunity to run in or cheer on the Tel Aviv Marathon on March 15. Partici-pants can attend the marathon and then con-tinue on a six or 10 day tour of Israel, exploring spas, wineries, organic restaurants and farms. Th e trip will also include opportunities to bike, hike, raft and Segway the land, and a Shabbat experience.

By registering through this trip, there is a discount on the Tel Aviv Marathon Golden Package. Last year, the marathon drew 25,000 participants.

For further information, contact Tovah Grafstein at [email protected].


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Hadassah chapters from across the South gather

Representatives of Hadassah chapters in Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana and northwest Florida met in Birmingham last month for a fall strategic planning board meeting. Southern Region President Lee Kansas of New Orleans led the Sept. 8 to 10 event.

Pictured are representatives from (top to bottom): Pensacola, Birmingham, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Dothan and Auburn (left), Montgomery (right).


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On Oct. 20, around 16,000 people will crowd Linn Park in downtown Birming-ham for the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and one of the largest delega-tions will once again be Team Kate Has Hope.

Team Kate is named after Karen Nomberg, who was an active member of Birmingham’s Jew-ish community. In August 2003, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her husband, Bernard Nomberg, said she “decided to be proactive in fi ghting the disease” and joined the North Central Alabama Komen affi liate’s board.

In the fall of 2004, “friends and family formed Team Kate for the an-nual Race for the Cure,” Bernard said. Michelle Bearman-Wolnek has been a team co-captain since the beginning, “to support my very best friend through her fi ght with breast cancer.” Th e team quickly became one of the largest teams, and one of the most prolifi c fundraisers.

In 2006, Team Kate added Hope McInerney’s name to the title, as McInerney had also been diagnosed with breast cancer. “Th ese young women were battling this disease while trying to raise a young family. We all felt pretty helpless and this team has given us something that we can do to make a change in other women’s outcomes when they are diagnosed with breast cancer,” Bearman-Wolnek said.

Karen lost her battle with the disease in May 2007. Th at fall, the team had 240 members and raised over $42,000, the highest totals in the race’s history. Generally, the team has more than 100 participants and raises over $10,000 each year, putting them at the top of both cat-egories in the race.

Ellen Zahariadis, Ko-men executive director for north-central Alabama, said “Th is team really em-bodies the purpose, hope and joy of the Race through their enthusiasm, dedicated fundraising eff orts and con-sistent support of the Race and the work of Susan G. Komen. Th eir commitment to the Race is real and lov-ing testament to these two remarkable women.”

Each year, the local Ko-men chapter presents an

Other Breast Cancer Awareness Month events:NOLA Goes Pink, all month at area restaurants.

Worship in Pink Shabbat at Temple Beth Shalom in Ft. Walton Beach, Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Pink Tie Ball to benefit Joy to Life Foundation. Alley Station, Montgom-ery, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m.

New Orleans Race for the Cure at City Park, Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m.

Joy to Life Joy Ride for Breast Cancer. University of South Alabama, Mobile. 8 a.m.

Prayer in Pink Shabbat at Agudath Is-rael-Etz Ahayem, Montgomery, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m.


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NewLIFE Fertility says perseverence produces parents

A new online resource reviewing and rank-ing fertility clinics named Pensacola’s New-LIFE (Leaders in Fertility and Endocrinology) the “Best Fertility Practice in Florida” for the second straight year.

Barry Ripps, an involved member of the Pensacola Jewish community and Mobile na-tive who received his medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, started NewLIFE in 2001.

FindTh eBest.com combines the chances of a successful pregnancy and the risk of multi-ple pregnancies to rank programs by their rate of success as well as patient safety. NewLIFE provided an above national average chance of pregnancy with In-Vitro Fertilization, but the lowest risk for multiple pregnancies in Flor-ida. Using that same approach, FindTh eBest.com placed NewLIFE in the top 5 percent of fertility programs nationwide.

“One important facet that FindTh eBest does not consider is cost. Because we are located in a smaller Gulf Coast community, savings on operational costs are passed on to patients. With appealing weather and sugar-white beaches in Pensacola… it is an attractive place to visit. We have programs in which people can come from miles away and do a procedure while they are on vacation,” said Ripps.

Most couples face two signifi cant challenges when seeking treatment for their infertility, he said. Emotional and fi nancial abilities determine perseverance levels. “We have a slogan here. It’s ‘Perseverance Produces Parents’,” he said.

award named after Karen to someone in the race who best exemplifi es Karen’s contribu-tions toward fi nding a cure, Bernard said.

In 2010, their daughters, Sidney and Em-ily, received the Youth Inspiration Leadership Award at the race.

Bearman-Wolnek said the team receives a lot of assistance in the quest to be the top Friends and Family team. Total Skin and Beauty Dermatology provides team T-shirts, and the Levite Jewish Community Center pro-vides the team a home base. Embassy Suites donated a weekend stay to the team member who raises the most money.

Th ere is also a lemonade stand for the team’s eff orts, organized by Jennifer Nemet. Th is year, it will be at the Dunbarton sign on Overton Road, from 1 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 14. Children are welcome to volunteer.

To register for the race, go to komenNCala-bama.org or call (205) 263-1700.


Health and Wellnessan annual Southern Jewish Life promotional section

By Lee J. Green

Fall in the Deep South means football — not just watching it but playing it. Children’s Hos-pital of Alabama wants to pass on advice that could help prevent severe brain injuries from concussions.

Children participate in many activities in which injuries are possible. But many child-hood injuries, particularly brain injuries, can be prevented if simple rules and guidelines are followed, according to UAB Sports Medicine at Children’s Hospital Director Dr. Drew Fer-guson.

In 2010, Children’s Hospital treated three times more athletes with concussion injuries — a brain injury caused by a bump or blow to the head — than the previous year. Although fatalities from concussions are rare, the lead-ing cause of death from a sports-related injury is damage to the player’s head or brain.

“Th e numbers have gone up, but that is more attributed to legislation, regulation and education especially in high school, college as well as organized youth leagues regard-ing concussions and how to identify possible signs,” said Dr. Ferguson. “With everything

in the news about football and concussions, we’re seeing people react to these situations seriously and immediately.”

He added, “If children would simply be aware of their environment and skip out on the risky actions and behaviors, a large num-ber of head injuries could be prevented. It starts with the parents making sure that chil-dren wear a well-fi tted helmet when riding bikes and enforcing simple rules consistently to help keep kids accident free.”

However, accidents and collisions will hap-pen. If there has been any trauma to the head and any symptoms it is better to be safe than sorry. When this happens during a football game or other athletic competition, the player should be taken out of the contest, then taken to a doctor or hospital. Th ey should not re-turn to action, or even normal activity, until cleared by a doctor.

“In 90 percent of the cases, the concussion symptoms clear up and someone can return to play in about two weeks,” said Ferguson. “You have to be very careful since the concussions after the fi rst one are usually more severe and there is greater risk when someone returns before all symptoms are gone and before they

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Don’t take concussions lightly

Signs Observed by Parents or Guardians • Appears dazed or stunned • Is confused about assignment or position • Forgets an instruction • Is unsure of game, score, or opponent • Moves clumsily • Answers questions slowly • Loses consciousness (even briefl y) • Shows behavior or personality changes • Can’t recall events prior to hit or fall • Can’t recall events after hit or fall

Symptoms Reported by Athlete • Headache or “pressure” in head • Nausea or vomiting • Balance problems or dizziness • Double or blurry vision • Sensitivity to light • Sensitivity to noise • Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy • Concentration or memory problems • Confusion • Does not “feel right”

How can you help your child prevent a concussion? • Ensure that they follow their coach’s rules for

safety and the rules of the sport. • Encourage them to practice good sportsmanship at all times. • Make sure they wear the right protective equipment for their activity (such as helmets, padding, shin guards, eye and mouth guards). Protective equipment should fi t properly, be well maintained, and be worn consistently as well as correctly. • Learn the signs and symptoms of a concussion.

What to do if you think someone has a concussion:• Seek medical attention right away. A health care professional will be able to decide how serious the concussion is and when it is safe for your child to return to sports. • Keep your child out of play. Concussions take time to heal. Don’t let your child return to play until a health care professional says it’s okay. Children who return to play too soon — while the brain is still healing — risk a greater chance of having a second concussion. Second or later concussions can be serious. They can cause permanent brain damage, affecting your child for a lifetime. • Tell your child’s coach about any recent concussion. Coaches should know if your child had a recent concussion in any sport.


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Health and Wellness

Mammograms promoted for Breast Cancer Awareness month

By Lee J. Green

Digital mammography and other technology advancements have improved detection rates, the speed and ease of mammograms. With October being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, St. Vin-cent’s Health System of central Alabama will off er a special incentive for mammograms.

St. Vincent’s hopes the reduced-price, $99 mammograms during October will encourage and enable more women to get screened for breast cancer.

Studies show that small tumors can be detected by digital mam-mograms up to three years before they can be felt by a woman or her doctor. Th e American Cancer Society recommends that women ages 40 and older should have a yearly screening mammogram for as long as they are in good health. Women of any age experiencing problems or women under 35 should contact their doctor for a referral.

Dr. Jill Rutherford, a radiologist with Radiology Associates of Bir-mingham PC who also serves on the St. Vincent’s medical staff , said advanced detection is possible thanks to the switch to digital from analog. Digital mammography launched at St. Vincent’s Birmingham in 2004 and now is at both hospitals in St. Clair and Blount counties.

“Digital really lets you see with great detail through the breast tissue,” said Dr. Rutherford. “Some cancers take years to grow and some grow quickly. But we can usually catch them in the early stages if women get yearly mammograms and also do monthly breast self-examinations.”

She also recommends all women get screened annually starting at 40. If someone else in the family has had breast cancer, Rutherford advises to go 10 years back in age from when the cancer was detected in that person and start annual mammograms from there.

She said women can also do a self-evaluation each month. Most know to check the breasts for lumps or any abnormalities. But other signs could include nipple retraction into the breast; skin dimpling; bloody discharge from the nipple, and skin changes/fl akiness around the nipple.

Th e American Cancer Society estimates that 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer would be diagnosed in the United States once 2011 data is tallied. It is also estimated that approximately one in eight women will get breast cancer.

Due to the alarming statistics and the current economy, St. Vincent’s felt that the special mammography off er was vital, according to Presi-dent and CEO John O’Neil.

“Early detection saves lives,” O’Neil said. “Mammograms are a criti-cal component in fi ghting cancer and we are pleased to off er the spe-cial in an eff ort to get more women screened.”

have been cleared.”He said that good helmets are a must for contact sports, bike rid-

ing, skateboarding, but there is no such thing as a concussion-proof helmet. “Th ey protect the skull but they can’t prevent the brain from moving in the skull,” said Ferguson.

He added that especially in the past 10 years, concussion research has made some signifi cant strides, with increased information to pass on to parents and their active kids.

Children’s Hospital uses the guidelines provided by Th e Center for Disease Control and Prevention to help parents determine if their child has a concussion, and how to treat a child who has been aff ected by one.

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Helping those with fall allergiesBy Dr. Clara Chung-Fleisig

It’s a happy time of year in the Deep South with the fresh start of another Jewish New Year. Th e weather has fi nally cooled and the leaves are falling a bit as people root for their favorite football teams.

But for allergy and asthma suff erers, they are not quite as happy as others around them. Many people think allergies only hit in the spring, but plenty of us are sneezing; itching; clearing our throats; sniffl ing; rub-bing our itchy, red, watery eyes; coughing/wheezing; experiencing chest tightness, or even fl aring our itchy, eczema skin.

We’re still dealing with the end of summer grass pollens and are fully into the weed pollens of autumn — especially ragweed. Th ese pollens can travel hundreds of miles, so they can aff ect you even if you don’t have these plants in your yard.

Indoor/outdoor allergens that are particularly prevalent are molds. Mold grows indoors all year round in damp places like bathrooms, plants, carpet, and even in vaporizers as well as humidifi ers. Outdoor molds become worse when it has been raining and the leaves begin to fall. Mold grows in the piles of leaves that have fallen onto the ground and in the soil.

Indoor year-round allergens include dust mites and pet dander. Th ese often become more problematic in the fall and winter because we start spending more time indoors.

It’s impossible to totally avoid outdoor pollens, but some common sense advice can help. Keep your windows closed in the car and the house; don’t kick or jump in piles of leaves, and take your showers at night so that you don’t go to bed with pollen in your hair.

Keep indoor items indoors and outdoor items outdoors — in other words, leave ball equipment in the garage and shoes at the door. Don’t move plants from the deck into the sunroom and don’t leave clothes or rugs hanging outdoors.

Th e key to avoidance of molds and dust mites in the house is to keep the humidity low by using a dehumidifi er or running the air conditioner when it is warm outside.

Don’t clean carpets the traditional way with a wet vacuum because the carpet and pad below become wet and don’t fully dry out before breed-ing mold. Professional dry cleaning of your carpets is a better way to go.

Don’t use vaporizers or humidifi ers because they put moisture in your carpet and often the coils have mold growing in them, which is spewed out when you use them.

Dust mite covers for your pillows, mattress and box spring can be used. Remove dust mongers like books, stuff ed animals, drapes, cano-pies and tchotchkes from your bedroom. Keep pets out of your bed-room. HEPA-fi lters can fi lter out particles as small as the pollen and dust mites that truly cause allergy symptoms.

If avoidance measures don’t do enough, try an over-the-counter an-tihistamine. Th ere are several relatively non-sedating, 24-hour antihis-tamines. Be cautious of older antihistamines that can make you sleepy and aff ect your work or driving.

If you’re very congested, you can try an oral decongestant. Unfortu-nately, these can raise your blood pressure and keep you awake at night. OTC nasal spray decongestants can be helpful if you use them very sparingly, but they can become addictive.

If OTC remedies are not working, it’s time to see your physician for non-addictive prescription nasal sprays or other oral medications. Seeking out a Board-Certifi ed Allergist is helpful when you want to be allergy tested and have a targeted regimen of avoidance, medication or immunotherapy (allergy shots).

Immunotherapy is the closest thing to a cure for allergies. When allergy shots work, the need for avoidance measures and medication decrease dramatically. Furthermore, a comprehensive plan from an al-lergist can manage asthma as well.

Dr. Clara Chung-Fleisig is an involved member of the Birmingham area Jewish community. She is co-founder of Birmingham Allergy and Asthma.


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New hip replacement procedure dramatically cuts recovery time

Th e popularity of the direct anterior hip replacement is not just a fad. It is here to stay. Dr. Herrick Siegel says. Th e University of Ala-bama at Birmingham Highlands orthopedic surgeon refers to the lack of post-operative concerns after a direct anterior hip replacement. Af-ter attending several instructional and cadaver lab courses, Siegel went on a nationwide tour of centers spending time observing and operat-ing with the most experienced surgeons in the country who popular-ized this novel approach. Siegel is now considered one of the experts in the fi eld and recently was a member of the faculty for a Master’s Course in Direct Anterior Hip Replacement in Houston, sponsored by Th e International Congress of Joint Reconstruction.

Direct anterior hip replacement produces less pain, less bleeding, less chance of dislocation and a faster return to normal activities. Th e proce-dure works well no matter what the reason for the replacement, whether from trauma, osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis or other disease.

“Th e posterior procedure requires muscle cutting where a large in-cision is made on the backside of the hip,” Siegel says. “Muscles and soft tissue in the back are cut. If you cut that muscle, it has to heal — and it hurts. Also, postoperatively, there is an increase incidence of dislocation when a person, for instance, is sitting down in a chair, leaning over to tie his shoes, or trying to climb stairs.

“By contrast, the anterior approach is a muscle-sparing procedure,” he says. “You go between the muscles from the front. It’s as if you have a sandwich and you are separating the pieces of bread. Th at’s how you separate the muscle.” Also, the anterior approach uses a smaller inci-sion, four or fi ve inches instead of the posterior’s 10 to 12. He estimates dislocations with anterior are less than one percent, even with patients returning to normal, even strenuous, activities much sooner. Th e pain compared to the muscle-cutting procedure is minimum. “Patients are hurting less after the surgery than they were before the surgery,” he says. “Family members and people in the community often don’t even know that they have an artifi cial hip because they’re not limping and they’re not in pain.” Many require little pain medication afterward.

According to Siegel, physicians in Los Angeles and Chicago are already treating this as a one-night stay procedure. While that’s not the norm in Birmingham, he says, “I’ve done the surgical procedure in the morning, then visited in the afternoon for post-op rounds and found them walking in the halls.” Siegel has been working with implant companies to improve design and surgical tools. “Femoral stems have been developed to facilitate positioning from the anterior approach and are able to conserve bone stock, which is particularly important in younger patients undergoing hip surgery.” Siegel says.

He enjoys sharing recovery stories about his patients. “I had an 78-year-old womam who was able to drive to Nashville to visit her sister in the hospital in Nashville 4 weeks after her hip surgery,” he says. “Normally that would not be a possibility.” He has also seen hikers and tennis players return to these activities in as little as 4 to 6 weeks.

Th e procedure is ideal for hip fractures of the elderly. “Th ey can get out of bed and start walking again faster,” he says. Also, caregivers “don’t have to worry about, say, a patient with Alzheimer’s doing the wrong thing, such as turning over in in bed incorrectly and dislocat-ing.” Despite the advantages, Siegel estimates only about 200 surgeons in the United States, including about 10 in Alabama and four in Bir-mingham, off er anterior hip replacements. Why aren’t the numbers higher? “With some procedures in orthopedics you can read a book, see a DVD and pretty much do the procedure without much error,” Siegel says. “You cannot do this procedure that way. It’s a much more

Health and Wellness


Motivating others: Varon leads online wellness coachingBy Lee J. Green

New Orleans native Michele Varon believes today’s best teachers were yesterday’s passionate students.

Seven years ago when she struggled with taking off weight after the arrival of her son, Matthew, she found success with the Beachbody online fi tness/wellness/nutrition-coaching program.

“It was always hard for me to lose weight but I found with this pro-gram it was easy. I was always motivated and could always fi nd the time,” said Varon. “I lost 40 pounds and have learned how to live a very healthy lifestyle to keep it off .”

Now Varon teaches others as a Beachbody coach. “Th e beauty of the program is that you can do most of it from the comfort of your own home and you have someone helping you and motivating you every step of the way,” she said.

Varon coaches clients in New Orleans and anywhere across the United States on the program, which involves fi tness, nutrition and lifestyle advice, agendas, goals and encouragement.

Th e southern California-based Beachbody started selling its prod-ucts 13 years ago and then a couple years afterward got into the coach-ing business to help people best use its fi tness and nutrition products. Now Varon is one of 90,000 coaches across the country.

“I feel good about helping people. You can really change their lives for the better and make a big diff erence,” she said.

Th e programs vary based on the individual needs of the client. It’s usually six days a week and anywhere from 10 minutes to 90 minutes per day. Most fi tness programs require minimal equipment, if any at all, and involve fl exibility, strength, cardiovascular as well as yoga.

Varon provides her clients with motivational daily quotes and fi t-ness blogs to accompany the program. Clients can choose to buy the Beachbody nutritional program meals if they want to. Varon off ers a free initial consultation at www.beachbody.com/michelevaron.

“Some of these programs are Les Mills, P90x, Insanity and others people are at least somewhat familiar with,” she said. “Th e programs are customized for each individual client and can work for anyone.”

Th ey certainly worked well for Varon, who is a former Hadassah board member and currently on the board at Gates of Prayer. She and her husband, Jeff , also have a daughter, Mollye. “I am from here and devoted to the community. I feel that it is a mitzvah to help others to help themselves get healthier,” she said.

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diffi cult procedure to learn. It takes a certain number of cases to be profi cient.” Once learned, however, it takes about the same amount of time to perform. “I can do it in about an hour to an hour and a half,” he says.

Also, the surgical tools are diff erent. “You cannot use the same in-strumentation because you’re doing this surgery in a small area — four to six inches — and you’re putting in a total artifi cial hip,” Siegel says. “You have to have special instrumentation to be able to do that.”

Eventually, though, he believes the advantages of the anterior hip replacement procedure will win out. “My prediction is that in the next 10 to 15 years, this is going to be the surgical procedure to replace hips,” he says. “Th ey’re going to see my 55-year-old man playing ten-nis 3 to 4 weeks after surgery. Surgeons are going to see the results of these patients.”

Th ere are some patients that are not good candidates for this ap-proach due to abnormal anatomy or deformity and it’s important to be evaluated by an experienced specialist before considering this ap-proach.


Addiction aff ects more people than one might think. Many people have had a friend who has struggled with substance abuse, or a family member, or a colleague, or a neighbor. Even those who don’t know someone person-ally who has dealt with these issues, almost certainly knows someone who has been af-fected by them. So the question becomes, if addiction aff ects so many people, why in the Jewish community place is there a stigma on those who suff er from it?

Th ose battling addiction are not inherently bad people. In fact — and this comes as a surprise to many — what they are experienc-ing may be the result of a chronic, biological disease, something that they were inherently born with.

Addiction has not always been viewed this way. Traditionally it has been portrayed as the result of continued use of a dependence-causing substance or behavior. For instance, it has typically been thought that the repeated use of alcohol creates alcoholism. In actuality, addic-tion is just the opposite.

Dr. Howard Wetsman be-lieves that if people begin to understand the true roots of ad-diction, the stigma surrounding the disease can begin to dissipate and those who need help the most may be more likely to fi nd the support they need.

Wetsman is a New Orleans-based psychia-trist, proud member of the Jewish community and Chief Medical Offi cer at Townsend, a net-work of addiction treatment clinics based in Louisiana. At Townsend, Wetsman and his team approach addiction as a chronic, incur-able disease of the brain. As an expert in the fi eld, Wetsman has several recommendations for those who may be battling the disease:

Take an Addiction Assessment Test:Addiction is progressive and chronic. If left untreated, substance abuse or undesirable be-havior will continue to get worse.

Seek Help: Acknowledging one has a prob-lem is often the fi rst step. Whether a person is interested in a traditional rehabilitation program, or outpatient care, there are many options that can allow one to treat and man-

age an addiction.Ask Questions: Can I go to work while

receiving treatment? Does treatment need to involve my family members? Th ese are ex-amples of the types of questions that should be asked when making informed decisions on treatment care.

Stay Involved: Consider joining a recov-ery program once in remission. Th e disease of addiction is something that never goes away, having a support group can help ease the transition from treatment, to recovery, to remission.

Townsend’s methods enable patients who suff er from addiction to learn to live their lives with the disease. Dr. Wetsman explains that as addiction is a chronic disease, “people will

die with the disease of addic-tion, but Townsend’s approach is to ensure that they don’t die from it.”

An innovator in the fi eld, Townsend utilizes the latest technology to analyze the ge-netic make-up of all patients to determine whether an in-dividual has addiction. As op-posed to traditional in-patient

care, Townsend’s treatment centers typically off er outpatient therapy that allows patients to keep their jobs and lives on track while undergoing treatment. Wetsman believes that maintaining normalcy in one’s daily life is a key to success in controlling addiction.

His views are quickly gaining acceptance with the public: for the second consecutive year, Townsend is the fastest growing private company in Louisiana. Townsend was also named to the Inc. 500|5000 Magazine’s an-nual list of the nation’s fastest growing private companies, landing in the top 200.

But Wetsman says that the success, while nice, pales in comparison to the feeling he gets from knowing that he is helping individuals who have in been mislabeled and mistreated in the past. “Denial is the biggest obstacle to treatment,” he says. “In recognizing that ad-diction is a chronic disease, I think we’re get-ting closer to the day when no one avoids the care they need for fear of scorn or stigma.”

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Health and Wellness


Touro makes great strides with Parkinson’s By Lee J. Green

A therapy Touro Infi rmary employs improves communication and movement for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease as well as other neural conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome — and it was named after a Jewish woman.

Touro Neuro Rehab Center is the only facility in New Orleans to fea-ture comprehensive LSVT Loud and LSVT Big program treatments. Th e staff includes LSVT certifi ed speech, physical and occupational therapists.

In 1986 a Jewish woman named Lee Silverman sought treatment for Parkinson’s in Arizona. Her family wanted a way they could hear and understand Silverman’s speech. At the request of the family, re-searcher Dr. Lorraine Ramig and speech therapist Carolyn Bonitati developed a voice therapy that helps people with Parkinson’s as well as other neurological conditions regain their ability to speak.

To honor Silverman and the success of the therapy, they named the technique Lee Silverman Voice Treatment or LSVT. Th e programs have been developed and scientifi cally researched over the past 20-plus years with funding from the National Institutes of Health.

LSVT Loud improves vocal loudness, speech intelligibility and facial expression through intensity along with repetition. Th e intense treat-ment includes one hour of patient practice per day and four hours of therapy per week. Th erapy includes increasing intensity, breath support, pitch range and improving vocal quality. Additional improvements that have been noted include improvement in swallowing and the masked facial expression that often accompanies Parkinson’s disease.

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Touro’s Here for Life Gala commemorates 160 years

To celebrate Touro’s 160th anniversary, the hospital will host the fourth-annual Here for Life Gala on Oct. 13 at the New Orleans Marriott.

Th e gala will be a night of dinner, dancing and cocktails. Th e Preser-vation Hall-Stars featuring Leroy Jones will perform jazz and popular hits all night. Attendees can bid in the silent auction for stays at the Beau Rivage, tickets to the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and a framed, auto-graphed Madonna album.

At the gala, the Judah Touro Society will honor Marvin “Buddy” Ja-cobs. Th e JTS award is bestowed annually on an individual who has made a signifi cant contribution to the welfare of Touro. Jacobs has served Touro since 1963, and chaired the Touro Board of Directors in the 1980s.

Touro was founded in 1852 by local Jewish philanthropist Judah Touro as a place for immigrants and sailors to receive treatment while docked in New Orleans. It was the fi rst not-for-profi t, faith-based hos-pital in New Orleans.

Th e fi rst doctor on staff was Dr. Joseph Bensadon. Th e medical staff , hospital, services, facilities and reach grew signifi cantly over the years. Earlier in 2012, Touro held a special event to unveil its most recent renovations and enhancements.

At the Oct. 13 event, families from Touro’s early years will be repre-sented. Walda Besthoff , Linda Mintz and Joel Weinstock, descendents of Bensadon, are honorary chairs, along with Keith Stokes, a descen-dent of Touro, and Cathy Kahn, whose great-grandparents met at a Touro fundraiser in the 19th century. Kahn established Touro’s archives in 1990 and has served as archivist ever since.


Focus on contact lens advancesBy Lee J. Green

Birmingham optometrists continue to see ad-vancements in contact lens technology, and it is becoming clear that the market for daily disposable lenses will continue to expand signifi cantly.

Dr. Ami Abel, owner of Eye Do, said that daily disposable contact lenses are more aff ordable, and are available in just about every category — near-sighted, far-sighted, astigmatisms, bi-focal, as well as prescription strength.

“Patients with allergies and dry eyes benefi t the most from disposable daily-wear contact lenses,” said Dr. Abel. “Th at’s especially important in the South where we have high levels of pollen as well as other outdoor allergens.”

She said it’s also pertinent for those who work in environments in which chemicals are involved (swimming pools, salons, manufacturing) and in areas where pollution levels are higher.

“It also gives parents piece of mind. If their kids are wearing daily disposables, they don’t have to worry that their kids are not cleaning the lenses regularly as with extended wear. Th ey just need to wash their hands before putting them in and before taking them out each day or night,” added Abel.

Daily disposable lens costs have come down. Entry-level ones are $1 per day and premium ones usually run $2.50 per day.

Dr. Irwin Fingerman, who leads Dr. Optical in the Trussville area, said the increased risk of infection with extended wear contact lenses has many of his patients going to daily disposables.

He said some of the more recent breakthroughs are bi-focal and multi-focal contact lenses that prove very successful. “Th ese work diff erently than bi-fo-cal glasses in that they off er simultaneous vision. For example, when you look through your screen door into your yard, the brain picks up the image it wants to look at,” said Dr. Fingerman.

He said for those with low-to-moderate add power, the bi-focal and multi-focal contacts work very well. “Th ere are even bi-focal daily disposables now,” added Fingerman. “Th e beauty about contact lenses is that you can wear them instead of glasses for sports or in social situations that you would prefer not to have glasses. But you don’t need to wear them all the time,” to save money when it comes to daily disposables.

Fingerman praised the new silicon hydrogel ma-terials several brands of contacts are made out of now. “Th ese allow for six times the amount of oxy-gen to the eye than the older lenses. Th e more oxy-gen to the eye, the better the eye’s health,” he said.

Th erapists use the LSVT Big technique to drive intense and high-eff ort practice as well as teach the amount of eff ort required to pro-duce normal movements. LSVT Big includes four consecutive therapy sessions per week for four weeks plus daily homework and exercise practice.

Research on LSVT Big documented improved ratings on tests of motor functioning in persons with Parkinson’s as well as other related neurological diseases/conditions. Th ese include patients being able to walk faster with bigger steps; improved balance, and increased trunk rotation.


Holocaust education group honors Phyllis Weinstein

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On Aug. 26, the Bir-mingham Holocaust Education Center held a tribute event honoring Phyllis Weinstein, direc-tor of the BHEC, who has been a leader in the Birmingham Jewish com-munity for over 60 years.

Th e program at Tem-ple Emanu-El included a presentation by Nancy Patz, author and illus-trator of “Who Was the Woman Who Wore the Hat?” Th is moving and poignant book, a favorite of Weinstein’s, imagines the life of an unknown Jewish woman, lost in the Holocaust, whose hat is on display at the Jewish Historical Mu-seum in Amsterdam.

A video produced by Deborah Layman, “Phyllis Weinstein: Th e Art of Leadership,” told the story of Weinstein’s life and years of commu-nity involvement through photographs and interviews with members of the Jewish and general community who have known and worked with her over the years. Weinstein is a past president of the Birming-ham Jewish Federation and Community Relations Committee.

She founded the Southern Branch of Women’s League, and is one of three pivotal individuals credited with founding what is now the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School. One of the other two, Hal Abroms, said “our leadership was really Phyllis. She had the vision, she had the energy.” For 39 years, she has brought doughnuts to the fi rst day of school, for a sweet year of learning.

An unusual musical program combining selections from both the Jewish and Gospel musical traditions was presented by Cantor Jessica Roskin of Temple Emanu-El, Cantor Daniel Gale of Temple Beth-El, pianist Christophe Jackson, and members of the Birmingham Com-munity Mass Choir under the direction of Rev. Prince Yelder.

In her comments at the close of the program, Weinstein said, “I have been greatly rewarded throughout the years just knowing that some institutions and organizations that I helped create still exist and are fl ourishing. Th e greatest benefi t is the wonderful connections I have made with people in these endeavors.”

In many of the eff orts, Weinstein stated it was “something that needed to be done.”


Memphis’ Weinblatt-Lynch to head Birmingham’s JCC

For the fi rst time in over two decades, there will be a new face in the executive director’s offi ce at Birmingham’s Levite Jewish Commu-nity Center.

Betzy Weinblatt-Lynch, who has been assis-tant executive director of the Memphis JCC since 2004, will succeed Garth Potts by the end of this year. As part of her current posi-tion, Weinblatt-Lynch was director of Mem-phis’ JCC Maccabi Games in August, which welcomed about 1100 Jewish teens from four countries for an Olympics-style competi-tion. Two or three communities are selected as hosts each year; Memphis was where the Games began in 1982.

A Youngstown, Ohio, native, Weinblatt-Lynch graduated from Goucher College where she was active athletically, including being named women’s athlete of the month by the Capital Athletic Conference for her tennis skills. She also played basketball for Goucher.

Weinblatt-Lynch planned to go into the professional sports fi eld, and upon graduation got a job with the Baltimore Orioles. Th at was 1994 — the year of the baseball strike. “My career was short-lived.”

After a short stint in the business world and teaching tennis part-time, she went back to school, earning a Master’s in physical edu-cation and exercise science at Indiana State, with the idea of getting into coaching. As she fi nished, her mother suggested that she look at Jewish Community Centers for her career, and her fi rst position was with the physical education department at the JCC in West Palm Beach.

She became physical education director at the JCC in Youngstown, then program direc-tor. In 2004, she started at the Memphis JCC.

She admits that a decade ago, the idea that she would be moving to Birmingham would not have entered her mind. “I grew up in the north. What did I know?” Her mother was sur-prised to learn that Memphis had more Jews than Youngstown. Birmingham does, also.

Now, “we really like the South,” Weinblatt-Lynch said. “Our kids are Southerners. Th ey were born (in Memphis).”

In the South, “the people are wonderful, warm and friendly, care about the community, are affi liated and belong,” she said.

Th e opportunity to stay in the South to ad-vance her career was “an ideal set of circum-stances.” She was looking for a place “where the work I have chosen really has an impact on the community,” and where the commu-nity is truly a community.

“Birmingham has an excellent reputation,” she said, noting the “incredibly committed” lay leadership and staff . During her visits, she saw a desire to refurbish the LJCC, take on big projects and dramatically enhance the fund-raising.

She recently completed a big project, the Maccabi Games. While many communities stretch to put the games on, in Memphis the games were profi table. Th at was part of the plan, she said, because she knew that the JCC could not do its own fundraiser this year after asking so much from the community to help stage the games.

Being the director of the Maccabi Games was “the highlight of my career,” she said. “Such a community eff ort.”

Th e entire Memphis community bought in, including all segments of the Jewish com-munity and the general community. Of the roughly 350 Jewish teens in Memphis who are the right age for participation in the Games, there were 213 in the Memphis delegation. Th at, she said, will bode well for the teens’ fu-ture Jewish involvement.

Can Birmingham host the Games? Weinb-latt-Lynch says it is possible. With some infra-structure upgrades “it would be an eventual goal. It is not too far out of reach.” Th e key would be cooperation from the entire com-munity.

Her husband, Spencer, was a professional soccer player in Belgium after growing up in England. He was working for the U.S. Major League Soccer development program when they met, as he ran a camp at the Youngstown JCC.

Weinblatt-Lynch will start at the LJCC by the end of the year. She plans several visits be-tween now and then, and will spend time with Potts during those visits to “have a full grasp” of operations.

Potts is retiring after 22 years at the LJCC. Th e agency did a national search, attracting over 20 applicants. Th ose were whittled down to fi nalists for phone interviews; a handful were brought in for two-day interviews, see-ing the facility, meeting with staff and board members, and touring the city.

Stephen Dorsky noted the enthusiasm that the search committee had for Weinblatt-Lynch. “Everybody is extremely excited,” he said.

With her taking the LJCC’s reins, four of Birmingham’s fi ve community-wide Jewish agencies will be led by women.

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Kosher-Style Recipe: The Pantry at Stone Hollow Farms

Roasted Beet CrostiniIngredients1 bunch golden beets (3-4 medium size)16-20 slices of baguette2 tbsp. infused lemon verbena oil, divided*6 tbsp. garlic pesto*1 tbsp. pear-infused vinegar (or your favorite)¼ tsp. salt4 oz. goat cheese logs*¼ tsp. fresh cracked pepper * Items available at Stone Hollow

DirectionsPreheat oven to 400.

Prep beets by removing tops. Place in a muffin pan, tips down, just as they grow in the garden. Drizzle infused oil lightly over them and cover with foil.

Roast beets until tender when pierced with a knife (about 45 minutes for small beets, 60-90 minutes for large).

As the beets need to cool before peeling, now is a great time to toast the baguette slices. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and lightly toast the baguette slices on both sides (not too brown).

Prepare the greens by adding greens, vinegar and water, and cook them, stirring occasionally until the greens are tender and the liquid has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt and remove from heat.

Peel the cooled beets and cut into ½-inch pieces. Place ¾ cup beet pieces, goat cheese and cracked pepper in food processor and puree until smooth.

Assemble crostini by spreading 2 tsp. beet-goat cheese spread on each slice, and top with sautéed greens.

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By Lee J. Green

Deborah Stone, a Birmingham entrepreneur who started one of the nation’s fi rst day spas, still is in the business of wellness.

She launched Deborah Stone Day Spa two decades ago, and now is in the organic, fresh, farm-to-table, nu-tritional wellness business with Th e Pantry — which opened in Cahaba Heights in January. A second loca-tion will open this month in Moun-tain Brook’s Crestline Village.

“We’ve been doing this for years and we want our friends in the Bir-mingham area to know they can eat foods that are good for their bodies and taste great,” said Stone. “Our menu isn’t just a menu, it’s a wellness education pamphlet. We want people to understand what these foods are, how they can benefi t from them and how to live a healthy lifestyle.

“Th e Birmingham market is highly educated. I think people have taken to this even better than we antici-pated. We’ve been very pleased at the response and seeing all the regulars come in,” she said.

Son and business partner Lee Shipp said the family has a long-running background in family farming. After Stone closed the day spa, which was one of the fi rst three in the nation, she started Stone Hollow Creamery a few years ago. She still sells some of her botanicals and creams at area spas and stores.

Now Stone Hollow’s farm-fresh goat cheese (sold in jars with oils to preserve it) sells both locally and na-tionally. Th e success of the Creamery provided a good recipe for Th e Pan-try.

“Our mission was to bring the farm to our friends across the Birmingham area,” said Shipp. “Th is integrates the farm-to-table movement… along with education we love to provide to our customers.”

A big proponent of Th e Pantry has been its juices and juice-based cleans-ing programs. Th ese juices are made from fresh fruits, vegetables, miner-als and other important nutrients, with many fl avor options in juice or smoothie form. Th ey have been prov-

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en to provide signifi cant health benefi ts when taken regularly.“We have some folks who get a few a day, or even just one day a week

can show some results. Th ese detoxify the body and give you amazing amounts of energy,” said Shipp. “Physicians are recommending juicing to their patients. Medical studies have shown that these can help to lower your blood pressure and help prevent certain cancers.

“People are surprised that they can benefi t so much from these juices and that they taste so good,” he added. “We thought it would take a few years for Birmingham to embrace this but they embraced it right away. Th is is a big portion of our business.”

Th e Pantry serves up dine-in and meals-to-go every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a range of products to take home, such as jams, jellies, sauces and goat cheese.

Th ey off er daily specials, and other menu items include farm-fresh ostrich and buff alo/bison sliders, chicken tacos, Th ai wraps as well as perhaps the most popular item — a marinated tomato sandwich.

Th e Pantry also allows customers to design their own salad cre-ations from close to 100 diff erent vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices and dressings. Also popular are its selections of raw and cooked soups, including unique varieties such as white bean and kale along with avo-cado carrot.

Stone said they take pride in the friendly, family atmosphere along with the option to really customize one’s order. “We run this kind of like your grandmother’s kitchen, where you come in and ask, ‘grand-ma, what do we have to eat.’ We can do just about anything.”

Shipp said they have numerous kosher-style items on the menu, including the recipe below. Close to 100 percent of the items on the menu are organic, with 50 percent directly from Stone Hollow Farm and the rest from other local and regional farms as well as food arti-sans.

Th e new Crestline location will not have a kitchen, but cooked soups will be brought over daily and many of the non-cooked items sold at Th e Pantry Cahaba Heights will be at the new Mountain Brook location.

Continued from page 30

Of course, in “Fiddler,” Tevye has fi ve daughters. In “Th e Sound of Music,” von Trapp has fi ve daughters plus two sons, for a total of seven children. In the original Shalom Aleichem stories, Tevye had seven daughters. In real life, von Trapp had 10 children (three of them were his with Maria).

Albert Einstein was a German Jewish mathematician who could probably fi gure out the mathematic algorithm for predicting real chil-dren versus musical children in major Broadway musicals.

What’s the most unifying Jewish aspect of all these observations? Most of them are no more of a stretch than many of the scenarios and interpretations found throughout the Talmud.

Next time: How “A Christmas Carol” is actually a Jewish story, best appreciated in Dickens’s original Yiddish.

Doug Brook is a writer in Silicon Valley who is directing a production of “Th e Sound of Music” opening this month in California, without hav-ing a glass smashed at the end of the wedding. For more information, past columns, other writings, and more, visit http://brookwrite.com/. /. /For exclusive online content, like us at facebook.com/the.beholders.eye.

>> Recipe


Continued on previous page

The Beholder’s Eyeby Doug Brook

When you know the place to look, you can

find something Jewish in most any book

The Sound of Jewsic At this time of year, the hills have just fi nished being alive with the

sound of shofar music. As the echo fades, the traditional season for viewing “Th e Sound of Music” approaches, because what’s more fes-tive and appropriate for the Th anksgiving and Christmas season than a family being chased from Austria by pre-World War II Nazis?

Aside from being a lovely story about family, “Th e Sound of Music” has almost several Jewish aspects to it. You just have to really want to see them. So, let this column be your eyeglasses, and take a look at the heretofore or fi ve unobserved Jewish aspects of this classic musical.

Th e seemingly most obvious Jewish tie-in actually isn’t. Despite his name, lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II was not Jewish. His grandfather, Oscar Hammerstein, was, but Numero II was raised Episcopalian.

An equally obvious, and more actual, Jewish tie-in is the story of a family fl eeing the Nazis just before the start of World War II, while others remain behind thinking they can just ride out the storm and that this too shall pass.

But there are numerous, more subtle Jewish subtle-ties scattered throughout the play. Th e most legitimate, yet most subtle subtlety, comes during the wedding sequence. After singing “How do you solve a problem like Maria,” the nuns all sing the Confi temini Domino.

Both of you who studied Latin and Hebrew and also go to services might observe that this is also the fi rst line of Psalm 118, known to Jews as the ubiquitous “Hodu” in the festival “Hallel” and elsewhere.

Back at the very beginning — a very good place to start — before Maria is sent from the abbey to be the von Trapp governess, her fate is discussed by a trio of nuns — a Catholic Beit Din.

Upon arrival, Maria tries to ingratiate herself to the children by teaching them to sing. She uses the song “Do-Re-Mi,” whose words at fi rst are as comprehensible to the von Trapp brood as a weekday minyan is to most children (and adults).

Th at night, during a thunderstorm (or later, in the fi lm), the kids and Maria sing a famous, playful song, “Th e Lonely Goatherd,” whose title easily describes more characters in Genesis than you can shake a gragger at.

When Maria fl ees to the abbey after Brigitta (in the fi lm, Elsa) en-lightens her about the Captain and being in love, the Mother Abbess sings to her to climb every mountain — a seemingly insurmountable task, since even Moses was commanded to climb just one mountain. (As an homage to Moses climbing Sinai a second time for the second set of tablets, “Climb Every Mountain” is reprised at the end.)

Not all of the Jewish tie-ins are associated with songs or plot points. Some involve the actors and even the real-life basis of the play.

Th e ubiquitous fi lm features Christopher Plummer (if not his sing-ing voice) as Captain von Trapp. However, the original Broadway production fi ve years earlier starred Th eodore Bikel, who later logged thousands of performances as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.”

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Southern Jewish Life, October 2012 (Deep South Edition)

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