Happy Chanukah - The Jewish Georgian

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Page 2 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN November-December 2011 On being human You and I belong to a species known as Homo sapiens, and, as such, we are described as human beings. This provides a descriptive, biological classification for us, which is useful for scientific purposes and delineates certain physical attributes. It is useful in defining what we are, but it does not address who we are. Abraham Joshua Heschel, in Who is man?, said, “Human being demands being human.” That deals with who we are. The problem we have is fulfilling that demand to be human. We seek knowledge but not understanding. We go to school to learn lessons rather than studying for the purpose of broadening our comprehension and perception. We focus on multiplying our possessions rather than developing our values. Is this what is demanded to be human? One of the characteristics of man is a heightened state of empathy, an ability to understand the feelings of others. In a normal person, this is a trait with which we are born. But as with all such matters, it must be cultivated, developed, and supported by the society in which we live. We must not let the desire for power, wealth, social THE Jewish Georgian The Jewish Georgian is published bimonthly by Eisenbot, Ltd. It is written for Atlantans and Georgians by Atlantans and Georgians. Publisher Marvin Botnick Co-Publisher Sam Appel Editor Marvin Botnick Managing Editor Marsha C. LaBeaume Assignment Editor Carolyn Gold Consulting Editor Gene Asher Associate Editor Barbara Schreiber Copy Editor Ray Tapley Assistant Copy Editor Arnold Friedman Makeup Editor Terri Christian Production Coordinator Terri Christian Designer David Gaudio Photographic Staff Allan Scher, Phil Slotin, Phil Shapiro, Jonathan Paz Graphic Art Consultant Karen Paz Columnist Gene Asher, Susan Asher Jonathan Barach, Janice Rothschild Blumberg, Marvin Botnick, Shirley Friedman, Carolyn Gold, Jonathan Goldstein, R.M. Grossblatt, George Jordan, Marice Katz, Balfoura, Friend Levine, Marsha Liebowitz, Howard Margol, Bubba Meisa, Erin O’Shinsky, Reg Regenstein, Susan Robinson, Stuart Rockoff, Roberta Scher, Jerry Schwartz, Leon Socol, Bill Sonenshine, Rabbi Reuven Stein, Cecile Waronker, Evie Wolfe Special Assignments Lyons Joel Advertising Anne Bender Ruby Grossblatt Rochelle Solomon Editorial Advisory Board Members Sam Appel Rabbi Alvin Sugarman Sam Massell Jane Axelrod Albert Maslia William Rothschild Gil Bachman Michael H. Mescon Marilyn Shubin Asher Benator Paul Muldawer Doug Teper 8495 Dunwoody Place, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30350 (404) 236-8911 • FAX (404) 236-8913 jewishga@bellsouth.net www.jewishgeorgian.com The Jewish Georgian ©2011 BY Marvin Botnick Aprominence, and personal aggrandizement overpower and subvert this somewhat unique quality. This is not a buzzword, it, to a large extent, is what is demanded to be human. History is replete with the tragic tales of suffering and unconscionable atrocities visited on a group of people by other human beings. Maligning for personal benefit and the resulting harm disregards the basic human quality, and the classification of other people as something less than human beings goes against all moral principles. As Jews, we know of the tragedy visited on our people throughout the centuries when being human was stricken for the values of the human being characteristics. In addition, as humans, we know of the virulent inhumanity that has been visited on our fellow occupants of this world regardless of their ethnicity, culture, religious beliefs, or color, and we seek to advocate for respect for life amongst all people. In Judaism, each human life sits atop the value pyramid. It is impossible for us to understand how other cultures do not understand this belief, and how people can view others in utilitarian terms as to the value that can be derived or lost from their existence. There is no way to put a commercial value on a life. We can understand the concept used in professional sports where talent is the basis for trading players by the teams based on perceived worth, but we do not accept this concept when it is applied to the freedom, dignity, and human rights of individuals. How else can you explain the swap by Israel of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was never charged nor convicted of any crime and was ambushed and kidnapped by his former captives, for over 1,000 convicted criminals, some of whom are guilty of the murder of innocent civilians? It is one thing to sit around and bemoan the failings of others and of society in general; it is entirely a different story to attempt to make a difference by your actions. We have been accused of using the Holocaust as a vehicle to obtain economic and political advantages, when, in fact, we have and continue to try to shine forth that proverbial “light unto the nations” to fulfill our moral and religious obligation to heal the world. How many people remember the Armenian Genocide in the last century, when it is estimated that between 1,000,000 and 1,500,000 Armenians died at the hands of the Ottoman Turks; how many people remember the Cambodian Genocide in the last century, when an estimated 1,400,000 to 2,200,000 Cambodians were massacred by the Khmer Rouge; and how many people remember that in 100 days in the last century an estimated 1,100,000 people were massacred by the government in Rwanda? We rightly recall the 2,819 people who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center destruction, and we all were vividly reminded of the tragedy last month at the opening of the memorial. But it is necessary to actively and constantly remind the public of what such hatred and callus disregard for the lives of others, and how greed and ego-centered beliefs can cause such sorrow. This event certainly has had a major impact on all of us; however, in the catalogue of dastardly historical dates, December 7, 1941, probably has the dubious distinction of ranking higher on that odious scale and its impact and importance dims with the passing years. Empathy is a key ingredient in being human, but without awareness it is not in play. “Never Again” is a slogan that is in our lexicon, but too often it is used in the sense that Israel and the Jews will never again be subjected to a Holocaust. While this is an element, it also signifies our attempt to ensure that human beings remain humans; it is the amulet that we have crafted for all the people of the world to attempt to ward off yetzer hara, the evil inclination. Listen to the sound of the shofar. The world must hear the clarion call being made by the reminder of the lessons of the Holocaust. During the last 50 years, over 5,000,000 people have been slaughtered, and yet we do not step up and demand an end. People are starving to death; people are being murdered because they are different; people are still being enslaved. “Human being demands being human.” Cover art: The original cover photography was created for The Jewish Georgian by Jonathan Paz, a native Atlantan, who just returned from studying in Israel for a year.
November-December 2011 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN Page 3 What’s HAPPENING HAPPY NEW YEAR, FROM GOVER- NOR DEAL. Georgia Governor and Mrs. Nathan Deal were thoughtful enough to have sent New Year’s greetings to the Jewish community; his message is below: “To our Jewish friends who begin their celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the new year 5772, at sundown, we offer our greeting: May you have a new year that brings Fulfillment and happiness, Health and prosperity. Georgians of all faiths join you in prayers for peace.” Governor and Mrs. Nathan Deal MAZEL TOV TO THE OLIMS. Ann and Max Olim are very excited that their son Matthew Benjamin is marrying the lovely Debra Sara Friedberg, in Philadelphia...and you gotta hear the creative way Matthew proposed to her, a story we have exclusively. Matthew surprised Debbie by cleverly arranging a fake conference with her bosses at the South Street seaport in New York City, where they are both living. As Ann tells the story, when Debbie arrived for the supposed meeting, she did not see her bosses, but there, by “coincidence,” was Matthew, who claimed he just happened to be there looking at an investment property. He invited her to join him and to come look at it, and he then led her to a private helicopter pad. “But I have an important meeting”, she said, to which Matthew replied, “No you don’t!” They ended up flying over New York City, and he proposed over the spot where they first met. Afterwards, they came back to Matthew’s apartment, where family members were waiting for a great celebration. Matthew shouldn’t have any trouble paying for the honeymoon—he was in the finals of the World Series of Poker a couple of years ago and won $50,000! Our pokerplaying friend Jerry Gordon, Matthew’s uncle, should take some lessons from him. Debra graduated from the University of Michigan with a BBA degree and also BY Reg Regenstein earned an MBA from the Columbia Business School at Columbia University. She is now a product manager for Merck. Matthew graduated from the University of Texas with a BBA degree and a masters of accounting. He is a director at MSD Capital, an investment firm in New York City. He is the grandson of Edith Gordon and the late Charles Gordon of Atlanta and the late Sadie and Milton Olim. We wish this power couple many years of happiness, health, and prosperity together. Debra Friedberg and Matthew Olim VIVE LA FRANCE....VIVE LA LIBERA- TION. You don’t have to travel to France for some of the best French crepes anywhere—just to Buckhead, where Rose Marie and Michel Knopfler prepare delicious crepes for their customers at La Triskell, 3833 Roswell Road. Located in the Tuxedo Atrium building, La T offers a variety of delectable dishes, many of them gluten free; and if you don’t see what you like on the menu, they’ll make it for you your way. There are the wonderful breakfast and lunch crepes: La Servannaise (tarragon mushrooms al la crème), La Seguin (creamy mountain goat cheese on a bed of spinach), La Savoyarde (a medley of goat cheese, brie, and Swiss), and La Pacifique (smoked salmon, cream cheese, lemon, and dill). And save some room for the dessert crepes: apricot, strawberry, raspberry chocolate, caramel, and more, plus wonderful salads and sandwiches. The modest and unassuming La T is a delightful place to have breakfast or lunch. Michel is descended from a Jewish family in Budapest. He lost half a dozen members of his family when the Germans deported almost half a million Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz in the summer of 1944. His French family has a proud and interesting history. His mother and father worked with the French resistance south of Paris during World War II, she, Jacqueline, as a courier, and he, Zoltan, organizing resistance activity. When his father left their home to work out of southern France, the Gestapo came calling on Jacqueline, wanting to know where her husband was. “Le salaud [bastard] abandoned me, leaving me with a child,” she lamented, apparently allaying the Germans’ suspicion of her. She was questioned harshly by the Germans several times, which so upset her, she fainted after each session. One night, returning from a mission delivering messages to the resistance, she was spotted by some drunken German soldiers, who fired upon her, but she fortunately got away. After the war, Rose Marie and her twin sister, Marie France, being not just gorgeous but talented as well, performed in the legendary Lido show in 25 countries. One newspaper review we saw raved about “the singing and dancing dolls from Paris who enthrall large audiences every night.” Now you can meet in person the still lovely and youthful Rose Marie, as well as Michel, and feast on their delicious fare right here in Buckhead. Check out their website, www.atlantafooddelivery.net, or call 404-814-8208. Bon appetit, mes amis! Rose Marie and Michel Knopfler PUPPY LOVE RESULTS IN WEDDING. We have been to weddings where the bride was a dog, and the groom had been in the doghouse, but this one was the real thing, a case of puppy love turning into an enduring commitment. The wedding between Stedman and Phoenix was a beautiful affair on The Terrace, at Loews Hotel Atlanta. It was even the subject of a front page “Lifestyle” section article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As writer Gracie Bonds Staples put it, “Stedman looked dashing in his black Armani inspired tux as he took his place...and waited for his bride. Cameras flashed as they always do at weddings, and the 100 or so guests gushed as Phoenix strolled in, looking like royalty in a white toile and silver I See Spot gown and veil. “‘Oh there’s the bride,’ one of them exclaimed.” Both Stedman and Phoenix are rescue dogs, the animal companions, respectively, of Sarah Segal and Blair Berger. The mutts met at Sarah’s wonderful Atlanta Dog Spa in Midtown and from then on were inseparable. As the AJC story relates, “from the moment he laid eyes on her that spring night at his owner’s Atlanta Dog Spa, Stedman changed. Wherever Phoenix was, that’s where he was happiest. Segal and Berger began arranging play dates at their homes, in the park, wherever possible. Their love blossomed like flowers in spring.” Instead of a gift, they suggested that guests make a donation to Animal Defenders International (adinternational.org/adi_usa/), which rescues suffering circus animals across the globe. And every Halloween, Sarah hosts a Howl-O-Ween Spectacular at the spa, featuring great people, food, and drinks, and a costume contest put on by the guests and their dogs, with a professional photographer on hand to take portraits of the participants. What a spa! If you wanna treat your best friend to a day of fun and pleasure, as well as the possibility of meeting that Very Special Canine, you can reach the Atlanta Dog Spa at 404-879-1600, or visit www.atlantadogspa.com. Newlyweds Stedman and Phoenix SEYMOUR LAVINE RECEIVES PUR- PLE HEART AT 99. Happy 99th birthday to our friend, war hero Seymour Lavine, who is gearing up for his 100th on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 2012. And just in time for his 99th, Seymour received his Purple Heart medal, almost 70 years late, which will go well with his War hero Seymour Lavine turns 99 Bronze Star, which he received earlier this year for his heroic actions in the jungles of the Philippines, fighting the Japanese, in World War II. JNF: WORKING TO PROTECT ISRAEL. One of the nice things about writing this column is that beautiful women who would not normally give us the time of day will actually talk to us if we will write about the project they are working on. See HAPPENING, page 4
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