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HAPPY CHANUKAH JewishTHE Georgian Volume 18, Number 1 Atlanta, Georgia NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2006 FREE Weber School’s new campus is dedicated What’s Inside The Doris and Alex Weber Jewish Community High School dedicated its new campus with fanfare and excitement on Sunday, October 22. Weber president All About Ben Harold Kirtz greeted about 400 guests at Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke the ceremony, held under a tent in the school parking lot. Capturing the mood of is honored by his hometown. the crowd, Kirtz spoke with admiration of By Cecile Waronker the school’s faculty, students, and families, Page 27 as well as the unique Weber environment. “I am amazed at how Weber students develop confidence, leadership skills, and The Kid’s Got Talent the ability to make a difference in our com- munity and in the world,” he said. “I am Cara Lewin balances her professional amazed, because I know that these students aspirations and her life as a busy teen. are the future leaders of our community, By Leon Socol and I am proud, because I know that Weber Mayor Eva Galambos onstage with (from left) Felicia and Joe Weber, Sim Page 16 is preparing them well. Pearl, Mark Cohen, and Gerald Cohen. “This beautiful, permanent campus means more Jewish teens will benefit from efit from the leadership, the talents, and val- the school, from its visionary founders to its A Pioneering the unique and wonderful Weber school ues they learn here, for generations to earliest supporters, many of whom remain education for generations to come. It also come,” he added. Concept means that our Jewish community will ben- Kirtz also honored the many friends of See WEBER, page 6 Keren Or High School gives teens with special needs a Jewish high school experience. Mansour is new consul general Jewish Theatre Page 31 of Israel to the Southeast of the South Shalom Bayit Ambassador Reda Mansour has been offers holiday appointed to the position of consul gener- Samuel Feldman’s mitzvah project al of Israel to the Southeast. Prior to this addresses the issue of domestic vio- post, he served as the ambassador of Israel fun for families lence. to Ecuador, deputy ambassador in the Jewish Theatre of the South will Page 28 Israeli Embassy to Portugal, and deputy consul general of Israel to the U.S Pacific present The Magic Dreidels, a family Northwest, based in San Francisco. holiday show by Jenna Zark, December Small Things Ambassador Mansour holds a master’s 13-24. For more information, see article degree from Harvard University’s on page 14. A simple bar of soap brings back Kennedy School of Government and is a memories of tender gestures in hard Ph.D. candidate in Haifa University’s Middle Eastern history department, with times. his research focusing on Syria. He speaks By Balfoura Friend Levine five languages. Page 30 Prior to his diplomatic career, Mansour served in the Israeli Defense Forces Corps of Engineers in the Northern Command An Architectural Demolition Unit. Ambassador Mansour is also an Ambassador Reda Mansour Odyssey accomplished author. He has published Ambassador Mansour is a long-time three books of poetry and has had a num- activist in the promotion of dialogue For more than 15 years, Jay Waronker ber of short stories and poems published between Arabs and Jews in Israel. In this has made it his mission to find and in literary and poetry reviews. He is the realm, he served on the board of several recipient of the Ha’aretz Annual Short document non-Western synagogues. NGOs, taking part in many projects aimed Gil Eplan-Frankel and Megan Story Award and the Haifa University By Bill Sonenshine at the promotion of co-existence through Hayes (Photo: Mira Hirsch, JTS) Miller Award. Page 30 cultural and religious dialogue. Page 2 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN November-December 2006 JewishTHE Georgian Silence is not always golden The Jewish Georgian is published bimonthly by Eisenbot, Ltd. It is written for Atlantans and Georgians by Atlantans and How often have we either said or heard in protesting against the inhuman carnage Georgians. the expression, “Silence is Golden”? I think taking place in Sudan? If those who perpe- Publisher Marvin Botnick Co-Publisher Sam Appel that most of us let this phrase float off our trate these immoral, offensive, and often Editor Marvin Botnick tongue as sage advice, but how many times illegal actions are committing a sin, are we Managing Editor Marsha C. LaBeaume BY Assignment Editor Carolyn Gold have we really considered the full import of Marvin not also guilty of committing a sin by our Consulting Editor Gene Asher Associate Editor Barbara Schreiber this statement? Botnick silence and lack of protesting? Copy Editor Ray Tapley During a sermon by Rabbi Jeffrey Today, our co-religionists are once Assistant Copy Editor Arnold Friedman Salkin this past Yom Kippur, he referred to again being subjugated to threats and con- Makeup Editor Terri Christian selves. Production Coordinator Terri Christian the sin of silence. I know that I had read Even if we can use this logic to assuage demnation around the world, and this haz- Medical Editor Morris E. Brown, M.D. these words before, but somehow the sig- ing at its mildest form and safety threat at Photographic Staff Allan Scher, Phil Slotin, Phil Shapiro our conscience in matters of national or Graphic Art Consultant Karen Paz nificance of this phrase never really regis- international concern, how do we explain its escalated state is growing. Europe, Columnist Andi Arnovitz (Israel),Gene Asher, tered with me. For some reason, when I which knows first hand what resulted from Jonathan Barach, away our silence when we see wrongdoings Janice Rothschild Blumberg (Washington), heard these words this time, all of a sudden such actions in the ‘30s and ‘40s, has silent- Marvin Botnick, in our office, in our school, or in our neigh- Shirley Friedman, Carolyn Gold, a whole different concept crept into my borhood? I realize that concern for your and ly sat back and let this hatred fester. Jonathan Goldstein, George Jordan, thoughts. Probably like most of you, I have Unfortunately for them, this sin of silence Marice Katz, Balfoura Friend Levine, your family’s well being makes it difficult Marsha Liebowitz, Howard Margol, always taken this reflective time to think to speak up rather than keep silent. has resulted in an escalation of actions, and Bubba Meisa, Erin O’Shinsky, about those actions of mine that did or may now this tumor is no longer benign. Instead, Ben Rabinowitz (Israel), Somehow, the “code of silence” within a Lew Regenstein, Roberta Scher, have fallen into the category of wrongdo- group of people has a ring of honor, while it is a cancer that is spreading all over and is Jerry Schwartz, Leon Socol, ings. Now, all of a sudden, here was a state- affecting all of the citizens, not just Jews. Rabbi Reuven Stein, Nancy Taffel, the “stool pigeon” is a derisive term. Hannah Vahaba, Cecile Waronker, Evie Wolfe ment that tripped a different thought But think about it. Modifications to cor- “ Silence empowers tyrants to act with- Special Assignments Susan Kahn, Lyons Joel, process. What about the lack of action that out the threat of retaliation or retribution.” I Advertising Marsha C. LaBeaume rect actions wronging others is important may have resulted in hurt or harm to others? and necessary, but if you can help to posi- cannot remember where I read these words Silence in the face of evil, hateful or tively influence the actions of society recently, but they best sum up what I mean Editorial Advisory Board Members hurtful action, or injustice certainly does through advocacy, the benefit of not prac- in the title of this piece: Silence Is Not Sam Appel Rabbi Alvin Sugarman Sam Massell fall into the fold of wronging others. Yet Always Golden. Jane Axelrod Albert Maslia William Rothschild ticing the sin of silence can have a major Gil Bachman Michael H. Mescon Marilyn Shubin how many times have we failed to make our Asher Benator Paul Muldawer Doug Teper impact. In truth, most of us are in the “silent voices heard in speaking out in condemna- majority.” 290 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100 tion of such actions? After all, I am only It is hard for us to understand how so Atlanta, GA 30328 one small voice, and what can I do? Surely, many stand by and do not speak out against (404) 236-8911 • FAX (404) 236-8913 those directly involved and those in posi- vitriolic statements when these affect us, [email protected] tions of leadership and power will take care but what do we do when such statements The Jewish Georgian ©2006 of the situation. That is what we tell our- are against other groups? 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