Happy Chanukah - The Jewish Georgian

November-December 2011 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN Page 25
Behind the scenes at The Breman
By Janice Rothschild Blumberg
Yes, I knew the Breman Museum was a
huge asset to
Atlanta and
now to the
e n t i r e
Southeast.
What I didn’t
know until I
signed up for
its docent
training program
was the
extent to
which the
museum benefits
everyone,
Jews and non-
Jews, locals
and foreigners
from many
countries—even military trainees from
South America, hundreds of whom, each
year, travel over a hundred miles from Fort
Benning to learn about the Holocaust at The
By David M. Rosenberg
The office is like most
any other you might
encounter: a wooden desk,
fluorescent lighting, a nice
pen set, and a few chairs.
The walls are adorned with
photographs, plaques, and
certificates. The bookshelves
are filled with
more of the same. One picture,
of a fair-haired young
man and a striking brunette
woman, rests underneath a
University of Georgia
desktop lamp. “That’s one
of my favorite pictures,” he
will tell you with a gravelly
voice. “She really is a
beauty.” He always seems
careful to refer to his
beloved bride in the present
tense.
The room is ordinary. The man who
has occupied this office for almost a half
Breman. Their story is so awesome that it
requires a separate issue all its own. Stay
tuned.
When
the 2011
docent training
course
began in
August, a
group of 13
signed up,
committing
to 10 sessions
of 2
1/2 hours
each, plus
observation
of at least
six tours
guided by
experienced
docents in
both the Holocaust and the Heritage galleries,
much reading, and a challenging test.
When Breman Director of Education
Lili Kshensky Baxter asked each of us our
Breman visitors are guided by a trained docent
Happy Chanukah
Jewish
THE
Georgian
century is anything but. If you were to ask
Judge Aaron Cohn to provide a selfassessment,
it would be simple and direct:
motivation for making such a commitment,
many replied that they wanted to express
their gratitude for having escaped the
Holocaust by helping educate others, so as
to ensure that it would never be repeated.
Some were children or grandchildren of survivors,
some were converts to Judaism who
sought a deeper understanding of the Jewish
experience, and some are retired professionals
who seek to continue serving the public.
Aaron Cohn, Judge Emeritus
Aaron and Janet Ann Cohn: “Thatʼs one of my favorite pictures.
She really is a beauty.”
Lili Kshensky Baxter
See BREMAN, page 28
a man who loves family, country, and
community. Cohn represents
the essence of greatness; and if
you’ve ever had the good fortune
to spend a moment with
the man, you would know it,
because you’ve seen it.
Judge Aaron Cohn has
lived an extraordinary life.
What has made it so incredible,
in my estimation, is that all he
has achieved and accomplished
was done by simply following
his heart and doing right by
others.
Aaron Cohn is the son
of immigrant parents, Sam and
Etta Cohen, who left Russia in
1920 in search of a better way
of life, “materially, spiritually,
and personally.” Sam and Etta
raised a wonderful family and
instilled in their children a sense
of community, religion, charity,
The CEO has left.
Long live the CEO
MEMO TO: Michael Horowitz
Chief Executive Officer/President
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta
The first radio station in the South
was located in Atlanta and selected the
call sign WSB, an acronym that stands
for “Welcome South, Brother.” Its name
represents the spirit of Atlanta, and, Mr.
Horowitz, when you drive past the station,
which is located several blocks from
your office, know that this greeting is
meant for you from the entire Jewish
community of Georgia. Just as the station
operates on a 50,000-watt, clear-channel
license that goes out unimpeded all over
the country, so too does our greeting to
you.
The Jewish Georgian
(On behalf of the
Jewish community of
Greater Atlanta)
~~~~~~~~~~~
After an intensive nine-month
search and vetting process, the Jewish
Federation of Greater Atlanta selected
Michael Horowitz of Detroit, Michigan,
as its main man,
its CEO and
president.
B o a r d
Chair Robert
Arogeti stated
that, “After
n i n e
months of
diligent
search
and hundreds
of
hours of
volunteer
Michael Horowitz
effort, I am pleased that our Board of
Trustees has approved the selection of a
tremendously qualified candidate.”
Jews have been citizens of Atlanta
since its founding and have been active
participants in the development of the
embryonic town to the metropolis into
which it has evolved. As the Jewish population
grew, so did its communal organizations,
which provided the necessary
structure for the support of the religious
See AARON COHN, page 29 See HOROWITZ, page 28