Page 8 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN July-August 2012 MJCCA <strong>NEWS</strong> Exhibition celebrates 90 years of the bat mitzvah BAT MITZVAH COMES OF AGE. <strong>The</strong> Marcus <strong>Jewish</strong> Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) is presenting a unique exhibition in the Katz Family Mainstreet Gallery, “Bat Mitzvah Comes of Age,” celebrating the bat mitzvah’s ceremony’s 90th anniversary. This traveling exhibition tells the remarkable story of how, in less than a century, individual girls, their parents, and their rabbis challenged and changed communal values and practice to institute this now widely practiced <strong>Jewish</strong> ritual. <strong>The</strong> exhibition runs through September 19. To mark the 90th anniversary of Judith Kaplan’s bat mitzvah, the National Museum of American <strong>Jewish</strong> History, in Philadelphia, and Moving Traditions have organized “Bat Mitzvah Comes of Age.” <strong>The</strong> exhibition includes oral history recordings of bat mitzvah stories from around the country and across <strong>Jewish</strong> movements, a timeline of milestones, and an interactive component in which visitors can share their coming-of-age stories and photos. Weaving together stories of the evolution of American <strong>Jewish</strong> life with 20th century feminism, the exhibition includes narratives and artifacts from a range of women, from the little known to the prominent, including Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and activist Ruth Messinger, to illustrate the substantial impact of bat mitzvah on <strong>Jewish</strong> life across the religious spectrum and on the girls (now women) themselves. <strong>The</strong> exhibition is based on more than 150 responses to Moving Traditions’ “Bat Mitzvah Firsts” survey. <strong>The</strong> selected personal stories range across the American- <strong>Jewish</strong> spectrum, from secular to ultra- Orthodox and from small town to urban center. “In conducting research for the exhibition, we heard from women who were willing to raise their voices and challenge the gender expectations of their time; these ‘bat mitzvah pioneers’ moved girls and women from the margins to the center of <strong>Jewish</strong> life,” said Deborah Meyer, Moving Traditions founder and executive director. “That bat mitzvah—once a radical innovation—is now a nearly universal tradition shows how Judaism continues to evolve in each generation.” Related programming includes “A Taste of Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing!” August 9, 6:00-7:30 p.m., which will introduce a monthly group for teen girls, and an open house for the Lisa F. Brill Institute for <strong>Jewish</strong> Learning, September 11, 7:00 p.m., at which women who marked their bat mitzvahs at a synagogue service can share their experiences. <strong>The</strong> Katz Family Mainstreet Gallery is located at the MJCCA, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Gallery hours are Monday-Thursday, 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.; Friday, 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Saturday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; and Sunday, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Admission is free. For information, contact Kim Goodfriend, MJCCA Arts & Culture director, 678-812-4071 or kim.goodfriend@atlantajcc.org. Judith Ginsberg and her mother, Adele Wall Ginsberg, open gifts, September 19, 1959, in Larchmont, New York. (Photo courtesy of Judith Ginsberg) HAPPY, HEALTHY BABIES. Ina May Gaskin, famed midwife and co-founder of <strong>The</strong> Farm, in Tennessee, author of Spiritual Midwifery, winner of the 2011 Right Livelihood Award, and creator of “the Gaskin Maneuver” (a life-saving childbirth technique), was a presenter at “Essentials for Pregnancy, Birth & Parenting: An Educational Benefit,” a Bellies to Babies Foundation event, July 22, at the Atlanta Perimeter Holiday Inn. <strong>The</strong> event provided connections for Atlanta’s parents and education on the essentials of pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Event proceeds benefiting Midwife International (midwifeinternational.org). Also presenting was Mayim Bialik, Ph.D., author of Beyond the Sling, nationally acclaimed attachment parent, spokeswoman for the Holistic Mom’s Network, and actress on “<strong>The</strong> Big Bang <strong>The</strong>ory” and “Blossom.” Educational topics included prenatal heath, childbirth options, preventing the preventable C-section, maternal issues internationally, a variety of parenting philosophies, and more. Exhibitors represented a wide range of experts, including physicians, midwives, chiropractors, doulas, cloth diaper specialists, lactation consultants, and goods and services, including car seats and strollers, baby clothes, carriers, and organic baby food. In partnership with the MJCCA, North Fulton Hospital, and Atlanta Midwifery, the event was hosted and organized by <strong>The</strong> Bellies to Babies Foundation, a Metro- Atlanta based non-profit that connects families to health care providers, fosters peer support, and provides education about healthy parenting. OLYMPIC DAY. On Friday, June 29, the MJCCA joined more than 700 nationwide events in celebrating the birth of the modern Olympic Games. <strong>The</strong> MJCCA Day Camps Olympic Day featured a special guest, United States Olympian Marty McCormick (1992 Kayak), and included a range of activities and sports. <strong>The</strong> day began with the carrying of an Olympic torch, a flag relay, and an opening ceremony. Campers participated in activities with McCormick and had the chance to compete, participate, and show their spirit as members of “National Teams” representing Great Britain, the United States, Israel, and Canada. <strong>The</strong> afternoon included a field day, with track & field United States Olympian Marty McCormick and Ryan Pollard, MJCCA sports director, lead campers in the MJCCA Day Camps Olympic Day. events, soccer matches, and a gymnastics event. <strong>The</strong> day ended with closing remarks from Doug Brown. THE GUTTENBERG BIBLE. On July 12, the MJCCA welcomed Steve Guttenberg, who starred in such films as Diner, <strong>The</strong> Boys From Brazil, Cocoon, Police Academy, Short Circuit, and Three Men and a Baby, for a special Page from the Book Festival author event. Guttenberg presented his new book, <strong>The</strong> Guttenberg Bible, a hilarious, insightful memoir of the highs and lows of Hollywood and a man determined to make it there. <strong>The</strong> event was held in an “In Conversation” format, with Conn Jackson, host and executive producer of “<strong>The</strong> Conn Jackson Show.” In <strong>The</strong> Guttenberg Bible, Steve Guttenberg tells a Horatio Alger story of how he became the star of some of the ‘80s most successful blockbusters. He spent his early days sneaking onto the Paramount lot (pretending to be Michael Eisner’s son) and meeting m o r e celebrities and casting agents than most aspiring actors ever would. Even before the hit P o l i c e Academy (which his agent said would be a flop), he had already worked with everyone from Sir Laurence Olivier to Mickey Rourke. His self-awareness and sense of humor about the ups and downs of fame made this one of the most sympathetic and unguarded Hollywood stories to date. FROM THE TWEENS TO THE TEENS. “Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing!” is a new program to the MJCCA that draws on <strong>Jewish</strong> teachings to help girls in grades 6 and 7, of all affiliations, navigate the complexities of adolescent life. Parents and their daughters are invited to “A Taste of Rosh Hodesh,” on Thursday, August 9, 6:00-7:30 p.m., at the MJCCA, where they will get the chance to ask questions and experience the program firsthand. <strong>The</strong> girls group will then meet one Sunday a month, September 9, 2012-May 12, 2013, 5:00- 6:30 p.m., at Zaban Park. A contemporary celebration of the ancient New Moon holiday, Rosh Hodesh builds girls’ self-esteem, leadership skills, and <strong>Jewish</strong> identity. <strong>The</strong> program works on an intimate model, bringing together small groups of girls for monthly Rosh Hodesh celebrations. Each Rosh Hodesh gathering will focus on specific “life lessons” that draw on core <strong>Jewish</strong> values and practices to explore such issues as body image, friendship, family, assertiveness, and social action. Activities include arts and crafts, See MJCCA News, page 15
July-August 2012 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN Page 9