Volume 14 | Number 5 | 2020 WEDDING MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME THE SIMCHA MUST GO ON Order 7 Days A Week! Orders must be placed by 5:30pm for Same Day Delivery. Delivering to businesses & residences in ONE HOUR or LESS! PLACE YOUR ORDER ONLINE AT HOLLYWOODFEED.COM Contributors Holly Marks, born a Yankee, and now a Bill Motchan is a writer and photographer Harry Samuels, author of “Beshert: True Southern girl at heart, is loving the Memphis in St. Louis who frequently covers Judaism, Stories of Connections” and “Crossroads state of mind. With a background in advertising music and musicians. He is a staff writer for Chance or Destiny,” is a graduate of and public relations, writing comes naturally, the St. Louis Jewish Light and a 2020 winner of Washington University. He has devoted many and she is thrilled to be a part of Jewish Scene a Rockower Award for journalistic excellence years to volunteerism in Memphis. He and his Magazine. When she’s not brainstorming her in writing about American Jewish history wife, Flora, have been married for 59 years and next big idea, she’s either doing family time, presented by the American Jewish Press are the parents of Martin, William and the late having coffee or finding an excuse to go to Association. David Samuels. HomeGoods. [email protected] Enhancing the lives of seniors with leading edge rehab and nursing care 36 Bazeberry Road, Cordova, TN 38018 901-758-0036 • memphisjewishhome.org Jewish Scene I July 2020 3 Contents Publisher/Editor 03 Contributors Susan C. Nieman Art Director Dustin Green 05 From the Editor My Backyard Sanctuary Web and Social Media Larry Nieman 06 Simcha Editorial Assistants Every day, I Choose You Emily Bernhardt It started with a blind date, a love for 10 Rae Jean Lichterman pets, family and friends. Now, they Rebecca Miller are building a new life together. Photography Contributors Eddie Dastrich 10 Simcha 18 On the Sidelines Paige Miller Photography From Ari’s Home to Yours Dave Woloshin – Covering Sports in Bill Motchan Even a pandemic could not stop this a Pandemic Joe Murphy Photography family from celebrating their son’s What do they talk about on the radio Provided by the Califf Family special occasion. these days? Provided by Sydney Shanker Provided by Abbie Strauss The Warmth Around You 12 The Arts 20 Feature Whimsically Woven Making a Difference One String at Advertising Sales Director A family tie to textiles leads to a love a Time Larry Nieman of fabrics. Sydney Shanker took a hobby she loved and turned it into an enterprise Sales Executive to help those in need of food. Martin Greenberg Chief Financial Officer Donald Heitner 22 Hollywood Stars Pet of the Month Volume 14 Number 5 Brudders Different Mudders July 2020 Malti-poo brothers Jack and Stoli fill Tammuz/Av 5780 a void in the Califf family they never knew was missing. Jewish Scene magazine must give permission for any material contained herein to be copied or reproduced in any manner. 23 Scenes Manuscripts and photographs submitted for publication are welcome by Jewish Scene, but no responsibility can be taken for them while in transit or in the office of the publication. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion, nor can the publisher be held responsible for errors. The publication 06 of any advertisement in this issue does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s product or services by this publication. 14 The Arts Jewish Scene is published by Jewish Living of the Abbie Strauss Rocks Life South, Inc. Subscription rates for the U.S.: single Abbie’s music brings joy to people all issues $5, annual $18. Canada and foreign: over the world no matter where she 22 single issues $10, annual $36. sets roots. Susan Nieman On The Cover 901.827.7244 [email protected] 16 “Crossroads: Chance or Destiny” Laura Braslow and Andrew Woods at jewishscenemagazine.com A Match: Told to Harry Samuels by The Gin at Nesbit Rishe Deitsch Photos by The Warmth Around You Stories told to Harry Samuels by people who have encountered For home delivery, send $18 to: meaningful and unexplainable instances. Jewish Scene Magazine 1703 Tamhaven Ct. • Cordova, TN 38016 Jewish Scene is dedicated to creating awareness among the Jewish community; and promoting and supporting the religious, educational, social and fundraising efforts of Jewish agencies and organizations. 4 July 2020 I www.jewishscenemagazine.com From the Editor From the Editor/Publisher Dear JSM Readers, My backyard is the place I go to take a deep breath and try to focus on the good things happening in my life. While I have not seen my son and daughter-in-law who live in Nashville, and I don’t know when I’ll see my 84-year-old dad again in Florida, my daughter, Rebecca, is home. She hasn’t lived in this house for almost 13 years, but is here now for the long haul. My loving husband, Larry, is home to remind me to eat breakfast and lunch (bad habits of mine) and is catching up on our growing to-do list. 60 YEARS OF SERVING Our garden is a little larger this year. Rebecca’s taken an interest in gardening and herbs. She loves to cook, so it’s CLIENTS WITH INTEGRITY really nice having her here to share in the things I enjoy. And to help with watering when we go for days without rain. AND DEDICATION I finally bought a bike so I could exercise, but somehow haven’t made myself get into that routine that I know will help with stress. Maybe tomorrow. TO EXCELLENCE. But I always find time to sit in a different part of the yard each day to watch the butterflies, cardinals and hummingbirds. Each day a new hibiscus blooms, and I just picked our first cucumber and a couple of grape tomatoes. Hey it’s a start. Inside these pages are stories to brighten your day. From the couple who made it to the alter before the world • Business Entities shut down, to a boy whose parents were determined his bar mitzvah would not be postponed. To the artists still • Bankruptcy crafting beautiful pieces, and sportscasters shifting gears. • Corporate and Business We’ve also begun a new series, Hollywood Stars, which Transactions features a pet(s) of the month (page 22). We hope Stoli and • Employment and Labor Jack will brighten your day. And if you have a pet you’d like • Estate Planning and Probate to share within the pages of Jewish Scene, please reach out to me at [email protected]. • Health Care • Land Use Planning and Zoning Amid these crazy times of jobs lost, groceries stores void of • Landlord/Tenant Law necessities, and loved ones being absent during births and deaths, I hope you have a happy place where you can retreat. • Litigation • Personal Injury Hopefully by the time we publish our Annual Guide to Jewish Memphis in September, we’ll be attending sports • Real Estate events and Broadway plays, shopping in our favorite Closing | Leasing stores or walking the trails of city parks. And whether I Lending | Foreclosure see (and recognize you) with your mask, or G-d willing, without a mask if there is a miraculous vaccine, I hope to • Taxation see you soon. Shalom, 6060 Poplar Avenue Suite 140 Memphis, TN 38119 901.761.1263 Susan C. Nieman - Publisher/Editor www.harkavyshainberg.com Jewish Scene I July 2020 5 Simcha Laura Braslow and Andrew Woods found the perfect venue to match their style. Every day, I ChooseYou By Susan C. Nieman :: Photos by “The Warmth Around You” Laura Braslow’s lyrics for “Everyday I Choose You” were the most appropriate way to surprise her groom, Andrew Woods, and express her love for him on their wedding day. “Andrew always encourages me to sing,” said couldn’t get there because streets from her Laura. “The words exemplify how I feel about house in Midtown were blocked for the annual Andrew and how I centered our special day race held before the Cooper Young Arts around telling the world that I would always Festival, she called Andrew and apologized. “I choose him, every day. I think it’s the only told him I’d sit on my patio of Celtic Crossing time I’ve ever surprised him. He wasn’t aware with my dog and wait for him to meet me that the inscription on our cups, the kippot, there if he wanted to come,” she said. the olive oil favors, the doggie treat favors, were secretly the name of the song. Andrew called Corelle Cutter, who’d set them up (and who ultimately became their flower To listen to “Everyday I Choose You,” music woman) to tell her he wasn’t sure about this and lyrics by Laura, accompanied by Carly date and was packing up his picnic to head Andrew and a friend Abramson, visit jewishscenemagazine.com home. Thankfully Corelle convinced Andrew built the chuppah as a to “give her a shot.” After sharing a few permanent structure that The couple met on a blind date that didn’t laughs, talking about their mutual love for they could use after the wedding. Florist, Anna start quite as planned. Andrew, quite the family, friends, and of course, their dogs, the Katherine, adorned it with romantic, had prepared a picnic date at rest was beshert (meant to be). random flowers Laura “Cinema at the Cemetery,” a film showing at picked for their beauty. Elmwood Cemetery of The Birds. When Laura Although Laura has a hard time surprising 6 July 2020 I www.jewishscenemagazine.com Simcha Andrew, he has a knack for surprising her whenever the opportunity presents itself.