Buckhead - The Jewish Georgian

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Page 16 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN September-October 2007 “Genuine Fake Rabbis” are a hit with the unaffiliated Getting unaffiliated Jews into a synagogue is no easy task, even on the High Holidays. Many people don’t have much of a Jewish education or familiarity with rituals. And many have an interest in keeping up with our Jewish traditions, but don’t feel that comfortable walking into a synagogue that they don’t attend very often. Getting unaffiliated Jews into an Orthodox synagogue could be even more challenging. Enter, stage left, the Genuine Fake Rabbis of the Atlanta Jewish Experience. They’re two lay leaders, non-rabbis, who lead unique learner’s services in Atlanta. During Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services last year, almost 300 unaffiliated Jews followed these pied pipers into a synagogue for what was promised to be inspiring services they could understand and appreciate. Four years ago, Beth Jacob, “the Orthodox synagogue for all Jews” started a learner’s service for the High Holidays. Little did the congregation know that, by becoming “fake,” the project could gain so much genuine atten- tion. But let’s take a step back, and see how “the experience” evolved. Matt Lewis and Kivi Bernhardt are two Beth Jacob members who gave up their own participation in High Holiday services to do this community outreach. In their first year, they had 40 or so people at Rosh Hashanah services and about 70 at the Yom Kippur service. “We thought there were many more people, young people especially,” says Matt Lewis, “who would be interested in our services, and we wanted to share what we could offer and actively promote these unusual services.” Taking on the marketing of these holiday services, Matt, Kivi, and I “pumped up the volume.” First we named the services “Atlanta Jewish Experience,” designed a logo, developed a four-color ad campaign in distinctive colors, and gave this learner’s service a home on the internet at www.AtlantaJewishExperience.org. We promised our services would be “spiritual, but accessible…with fewer prayers and more perspective.” We explained that you don’t have to be familiar with ritual, and you don’t need to read Hebrew. It was for anyone with any level of experience and from any background— Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist— who wanted an interactive, experiential service that had explanations and inspiration for the coming New Year. We also explained that it wouldn’t cost a nickel to get in, and there would be no solicitation. An Associated Press reporter, who was doing an article on the annual scramble for BY Genuine Fake Rabbis: Kivi Bernard and Matt Lewis Joel Alpert High Holiday tickets, saw our ads. She was particularly intrigued by the phrase we used in last year’s marketing, which branded the two lay leaders as “Genuine Fake Rabbis.” Her article eventually appeared in 30 daily newspapers and publication websites, including New York Newsday, Chicago Sun-Times, Miami Herald, Washington Times, and Forbes. And when she mentioned the “Genuine Fake Rabbis,” that handle stuck. In fact, people who made it to the services—and even people who didn’t—seemed to remember “Genuine Fake Rabbis” as much as “Atlanta Jewish Experience.” At last year’s services, a wide variety of people experienced these “genuine fakes,” including three college girls with nose rings, grandmothers who always wanted to know more, a gentleman from Alabama dressed in army camouflage, a father from Alpharetta with his three sons—and even a few members of Congregation Beth Jacob, our host synagogue, who wanted to sit in on these unusual and inspiring services. Participants heard inspiring stories and perspectives on the Jewish New Year from Kivi Bernhardt (the son of a real rabbi in South Africa), whose knowledge of leopards in the African jungle somehow seamlessly makes its way into conversations about our individuality and our Jewish spiritual heritage. “It is, indeed, a privilege for me to have the opportunity to talk with my fellow Jews from all backgrounds about the meaning and perspective of our traditions and perhaps ignite a spark that touches their Jewish souls.” Participants also benefited from Matt Lewis’ practical introductions to prayers, responsive readings in English, and answers to questions about the services, plus a noholds-barred Q&A session about anything Jewish, where all sorts of usual and unusual questions were discussed. Throughout the service and during the Q&A, there were quite a few raised eyebrows and “so that’s what that’s all about” moments of recognition. From reports last year, most partici pants were wowed. One said, “”It was a great experience. And probably my first visit to synagogue during High Holidays when I did not feel that I do not belong there.” Another said, “It was my first time at this congrega- See FAKE RABBI, page 17
September-October 2007 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN Page 17 What was OK yesterday is risky today By Cecile Waronker When my children were little (and it continues even today) I had the “Five Second Rule.” If food drops on the floor and you pick it up within five seconds, you can go ahead and eat it. Germs don’t grow that fast! I loved walking around barefoot, and so did my children, but my husband didn’t, so when we heard him coming home, everyone ran to get their shoes. It was a carefree feeling, walking around with no shoes on. I used to leave frozen meat out to thaw before I went to work. I would come home that night and cook it, and nobody got sick. We never heard of food poisoning. I grew up in a small town, and we hardly ever locked the door to our house. We had a key, but everyone who needed it— including the plumber, electrician, or any workman—knew the Cohens’ house key was under the pillow of the rocking chair on the front porch. After I was married and long gone, I was visiting home and sitting on the porch with my mom when we tion. Since I am not Orthodox, I would not have come otherwise. Their interesting examples, metaphors, explanations were most enjoyable.” And Jewish DJ Jimmy Baron, formerly of Atlanta’s 99X, said, “It helped me understand Judaism a lot better. Everybody I talked to left feeling they had gotten something meaningful and valuable.” This year, we took the marketing concept further, capitalizing on the press we received last year. We developed the official Genuine Fake Rabbi (GFR) seal and bestowed it upon Matt and Kivi. As we did last year, in this year’s marketing we’ve promised that Matt, an anesthetist in real life, won’t put people to BY Cecile Waronker noticed that someone had stolen one of the rocking chairs. We didn’t have automatic locks on the car doors. Who locked cars? You turned off the car and got out. End of story! Things have really changed. You have to be so careful with all the food you eat. We lock our houses and cars, and we carry cell phones for safety. You used to look from left to right and then look again when crossing the street to avoid being hit by a car. Now, you look all around yourself even when you are simply walking to your car. It’s being sensible. We have security systems for our houses. About twenty years ago, our home was broken into in the middle of the day. The burglars stole the oddest things—passports, WORLD PREMIERE Celebrating its 13th year, Jewish Theatre of the South opens the season October 13, with Mark Goldsmith’s Comparing Books. This new comedy tells the story of Brown University student Brad Feingold, who finds himself in debt to the Mafia and brings a loan shark to his family’s Upper East Side apartment to search for money. Mark Goldsmith also wrote Danny Boy, the hit of New York’s 2006 Fringe Festival. Directed by Melanie Martin Long, the Comparing Books world premiere runs through November 4. Preview performances are October 10-12. For ticket information and purchase, contact the JTS Box Office at 770-395- 2654, or buy tickets at www.jplay.org. Fake Rabbi From page 16 Sharon Zoe Litzky and Eric Mendenhall in Mark Goldsmith’s Comparing Books (Photo: TWMEYER.com) sleep, and Kivi, an outdoorsman from South Africa, will leave his machete at home. We also began to take advantage of “Web 2.0” internet tools—the enhanced capabilities and interactivity available via evolving internet technology—by embedding a fun video on every page of our website. And we’re offering free tickets that are personalized and returned via e-mail immediately after you request a ticket on the site. So that’s instant gratification plus access to a taste of our Jewish heritage—a pretty sweet deal for the New Year. L’shanah Tovah! Joel Alpert, a direct marketing specialist and business strategist, has been a part of what’s now called Atlanta Jewish Experience since 2005. coins in a metal cabinet, but no money, no televisions, no silver, no jewelry. We aren’t even sure how they got into our house. Shortly after that, we installed a security system—after the horses were out of the barn. Back when I was young, no one had house alarms, and no one felt scared living alone. It was not a fearful or scary time. Once on a Sunday, my mother heard my father talking to someone in the living room. She went to see who it was. A strange lady had knocked on our front door, Daddy let her in, and he was now listening to her sad story—she had apparently been dropped off by some unknown person and just walked up to our house. I don’t know her whole story, but my parents didn’t think twice about helping her out that day. Who today would dream of letting a strange person off the street into their home? My grandmother wanted to pick up any hitchhiker, but we convinced her that it might be dangerous. You seldom see hitchhikers today, although you might see homeless people on the streets. Those were the days. Times sure have changed. BUCKHEAD PLAZA SHOE SERVICE Tradition, Quality & Craftsmanship Shoe repair by skilled artisans One Buckhead Plaza 3060 Peachtree Road, NW Atlanta, GA 30305 404-266-8727
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