Buckhead - The Jewish Georgian

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Page 18 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN September-October 2007 Member of Piedmont Healthcare Your health can’t wait. “Yes, We Take Your Insurance.” Walk-ins Welcome, Minimum Wait! ALL AGES WELCOME • IMMEDIATE CARE • PRIMARY CARE • TRAVEL MEDICINE Open 7 Days 678-904-5611 www.perimeterclinic.com 3867 Roswell Road 1/2 Mile North of Piedmont Road Just a few minutes from anywhere in Buckhead, Midtown, Brookhaven, Sandy Springs A football fan’s High Holy Day dilemma Happy, healthy New Year to the readers of The Jewish Georgian and to the non-readers of The Jewish Georgian. Happy, healthy New Year to everyone. As I look back over the 70 years of attending High Holy Day services, I realize that my favorite sermon was in 1946. I was a freshman at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, and no member of the student body or faculty was a bigger Miami football fan than I was. I may not have been the eternal sophomore, but I certainly was the most spirited freshman. Go Hurricanes, go, go, go! In the first game of the season, the ‘Canes defeated a solid William & Mary team 13-3. The second game was against the highly rated North Carolina Tar Heels, featuring two All- Americans, the great Charlie (Choo Choo) Justice and glue-fingered end Art Weiner. This was going to be a home game for Miami in the Orange Bowl. I couldn’t wait. But of all things, the game was to be played on Yom Kippur Eve. All week, I was beside myself. What do I do? Get my chance to see Justice and Weiner and watch my Hurricanes unload a stunning upset on one of the nation’s top teams or go to services and miss the game? Talk about frustration. On the one hand, I had been looking forward to this game since the first day of school. On the other hand, this was Yom Kippur Eve and, since I can first We never really went to Uncle Ben’s and Aunt Byrdie’s for dinner, because they always came to our house for the family gettogethers. I guess it was because there were so many of us, and my aunt and uncle were never blessed with children. Mama and Daddy counted their blessings, all right: one, two, three, four, five, six. And, of course, there was always room for two more around the table, even if Mama didn’t always know whether they were coming. As youngsters, my brothers and sisters and I were always glad to see Uncle Ben, because he presented each of us with a shining new nickel, which gave us the clout to press our noses against the candy case in Mr. Gandy’s grocery store and make a mouthwatering selection. Our aunt and uncle lived in Newton, one of the few towns small enough to make our hometown of Pelham come on like a city lady; but we loved our outings over there, first of all because we crossed a huge, clumsy bridge over the Flint River, and Daddy would tell us about the time of the bad flood. Newton, Baker County’s seat, had the courthouse right there in the middle of town; there were hitching posts, hogs going aimlessly about their way along the unpaved streets, and there, in the middle of it all, a wonderful, continuously flowing sulfur water fountain whose unique odor announced, “Hey, I’m over here.” But, like climbing Mt. Everest, everybody drank the water because it was there. And it was free during Depression days. Twice a day in Newton, a bell that reached every eager ear was rung by the postmaster to announce that the mail was up. We loved catching one of those times. It seemed BY Gene Asher remember, I never had missed a Yom Kippur service. Well, I decided, North Carolina or no North Carolina, I never had missed a Yom Kippur service, and I wasn’t going to start now. On Yom Kippur Eve, I went to temple, but my thoughts were on what was happening in the Orange Bowl, not the service. Then the rabbi got to his sermon. He talked about attendance and said, “The only time the temple is full is for the High Holy Days.” And then he said, “Even tonight, the holiest night of the year, some of our congregants who should be here are at the Orange Bowl.” He then looked down and then looked out at the congregation and said, “And those same congregants who should be here are at the Orange Bowl seeing North Carolina lead 14-0 at the half.” Well, North Carolina won 20-0, and am I glad I went to temple and not to the football game. A nickel for your laugh BY Shirley Friedman that all of the people ran out of their houses at one time to stampede the post office—a custom I still think made a lot of sense. Everybody in Baker County loved Uncle Ben and Aunt Byrdie, and they always told us about how he fell in love with her as she was sitting on the steps of the house where she roomed (she was a schoolteacher), drying her beautiful long red hair. He watched this “Bathsheba” every Saturday morning, and she remained his faithful redheaded wife all of his life. When Uncle Ben died, I inherited his laugh, which was a legacy that served me right, because I used to make so much fun of his unmistakable cackle when he was alive— but so did all my siblings and cousins. So I don’t know why I was chosen to be the benefactor of what the French would call “rire,” when my cousins inherited a more negotiable remembrance. When we used to go to Albany to the picture show and stage review on Sunday afternoon, we would sometimes hear the telltale sounds of Uncle Ben’s response to something humorous, and we’d look at each other and say, “He’s here!” Actually, even though I already had a distinct laugh of my own, I’ve enjoyed that extra one, especially when I’m alone and something strikes me as being hilariously funny, and I can cackle and not break up a polite gathering. It’s well worth a shiny, new nickel.
September-October 2007 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN Page 19 Epstein works to enhance its community of peace Kehillat Shalom (community of peace) is the “buzz” at the Epstein School. Students, teachers, parents, and community members are joining together to enrich, nurture, and further develop the caring community and culture for which Epstein is known by bridging communication gaps, enforcing messages of love, building on strengths, defusing power struggles, and working cooperatively. Kehillat Shalom supports academic excellence as it enhances a learning environment that is embedded in Jewish values. Early Childhood Program Principal Cathy Borenstein with S h a n y Shaked (right) and Itai Gonen. Two years ago, a task force was gathered to think about what Epstein was doing as a caring community and what people would like to see happen in the future. A questionnaire, sent out to all families and faculty members, included questions regarding the importance of creating a caring community at the school. It was designated as a priority, and a caring community committee set out to find programs that might be used as tools to create a peaceful culture. The board of directors approved the committee’s choice to use the Positive Discipline program. Epstein student Amir Dressler and his granddad Jay Barcus take a break from planting flowers to beautify a memorial garden. Since music is a universal language, a Kehillat Shalom theme song was written and a video created to help establish a mood and tone as the program launches this year. All students and faculty are learning the song. The principles outlined in Positive Discipline, a book by Jane Nelsen, Ed.D., have been lauded by many psychologists as the gold standard for creating mutual respect with children, bridging communications gaps, winning cooperation at home and at school, and teaching children how to think, not what to think. Epstein educators are utilizing the Positive Discipline program to create common strategies and language in helping children develop the ABCs of Kehillat Shalom: Accept new challenges and responsibility. Be kind, caring, and loving. Cooperate with others. Under the direction of Epstein’s Director of Family and Student Services Janet Schatten, the Leadership Team, teachers, and parents will be involved in creating Kehillat Shalom. Director of Family and Student Services Janet Schatten The program goals are: • Develop and implement a training program for teachers, master trainers, and administrators. With the guidance of Positive Discipline trainer Tracy McConaghie, LCSW, CPDA, teachers attended a two-day workshop at the end of the 2006-07 school year and will continue to be involved in professional development. • Create opportunities to foster community and student leadership, including multi-age experiences. Students are exploring group dynamics by working with children of different ages and communicating with students from different cultures using the principles of Positive Discipline. • Develop a parenting program and parentstudent programs to support the values of the school. Parents are being encouraged to read and discuss Positive Discipline and to attend book club meetings as a way of getting familiar with the principles and language that are becoming part of the school culture. • Create opportunities to foster community among staff and among families. Kehillat Shalom programs and communications are using Positive Discipline tools to enhance and create community. GAUCHER DISEASE 1in450 Have it… 1in15 Carry it… 1in1 Should know about it. Type 1 Gaucher disease (pronounced Go-Shay) is the most common Jewish genetic disease, and among the least well known. In fact, it is much more common than Tay-Sachs disease. The symptoms of Gaucher disease are progressive and often debilitating. Symptoms can begin at any age. Fortunately, Gaucher disease is treatable, and the earlier the diagnosis the better, because irreversible problems or premature death can occur if left untreated. If you or your family members are experiencing any of the following symptoms, ask your doctor if a Gaucher blood test is right for you. — GAUCHER DISEASE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS — • FATIGUE (ANEMIA) • BONE PAIN • EASY BRUISING AND/OR BLEEDING • ENLARGED ABDOMEN (SPLEEN AND/OR LIVER) If you are Jewish and of Eastern European ancestry, and would like more information, call Genzyme Medical Information at 1-800-745-4447 (option 2) or visit www.genzyme.com. r-GCR/US/P271/06/06
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