JeT Hw E ish Georg i a n Volume 19, Number 2 Atlanta, Georgia J A N U A RY / F E B R U A RY 2 0 0 8 F R E E “Jewish Woodstock” coming to Atlanta in March What’s Inside Jews from Atlanta and all over the one of Limmud’s social action teach- Southeast will come together at ers, then board a free bus from Oglethorpe University, March 1-2, for Oglethorpe to the Hunger Walk down- Limmud Atlanta + Southeast. Limmud town. Pre-registration is required. Papa Louie’s Legacy (pronounced lee-MOOD) has been The weekend will feature 50 ses- A brave young man from Ukraine passed called “a cross between Elderhostel sions, including Moses in a along his resourcefulness to his children. and a Phish Concert,” “a Jewish ver- Megachurch; Digging Your Jewish By Rob Hassett sion of Woodstock,” and “Jewish camp Roots with Farmer D; Joseph, Phone Page 21 for grownups.” Home; What Madonna Doesn’t Know; In Hebrew, limmud means “learn- Gefelted Fish: A Hands-On Workshop; ing.” Using local teachers, artists, Is What’s Ours Really Ours?; The Race thinkers and writers—plus some spe- Beat: Press and Civil Rights; From A Man with a Mission cial out-of-town guests—Limmud is Addis Ababa to Atlanta; Food as blazing a fresh new path to make Sacrament: A Glutton’s Tour; Prayer After 73 years with the Boy Scouts, Jodi Mansbach, co- Eric Robbins, co- Jewish learning informal, inspira- for Jewish Agnostics; Is it a Mitzvah to Josiah Benator has no intention of quit- chair of Limmud chair Limmud South- tional, and unforgettable. Run entirely Get Drunk on Purim?, and more. ting. Southeast and found- east and executive by volunteers, Limmud has an experi- The program begins at sundown By Bill Sonenshine er of Jac A t l a n t a director of Camp Twin mental spirit that explores the vibrancy on Saturday and continues all day Page 11 (Jewish Arts & Lakes of Jewish life through song, text, film, Sunday. Tickets are $36 ($18 for full- Culture) discussion, and hands-on workshops. time students) and provide access to all First launched in England nearly events both days. Early-bird discounts are making their debut. Read more about One Person Can 25 years ago, the Limmud “franchise” has end February 18. Limmud worldwide at www.limmud.org. spread across Europe and Israel, inspiring For further information, a list of con- If you’re planning to attend the Hunger Make a Difference Jews around the world to create their own firmed presenters, and online registration, Walk on Sunday, March 2, you can still Linda Hooper inspired Whitwell Middle local versions. Limmud New York is now in visit www.limmudse.org. come to Limmud. Spend the morning with School students to make a unique its fifth year, and Atlanta and Los Angeles Holocaust memorial. By Caroline Mescon Page 6 Hard Love an intense romantic drama Every Day is Precious Due to a recent change in cast, dates Aviv, Habima National Theatre, and the for Jewish Theatre of the South’s premiere Haifa Municipal Theater, as well as in the Bernie Lovitky approaches the end of his of Hard Love have changed. The play will United States, the United Kingdom, life with a sense of wonder and apprecia- now run from January 30 – February 24. G e r m a n y, Switzerland, Austria, and tion. (Previous dates were January 23-February Australia. Recent U.S. productions include By Janis Kleinberger 17.) The Murder of Isaac, which had its Page 16 American premiere at Baltimore’s Written by Motti Lerner, one of Israel’s Centerstage in February 2006; and Pangs of most important contemporary playwrights the Messiah, produced by Theater J, in Turning Grief to Hope and screenwriters, Hard Love is directed by Washington, D.C., in July 2007. Lerner’s After Bethany Diamond lost friend Susan Reid and stars JTS Artistic Director feature film Spring 1941, starring Joseph Debbie Flamm to ovarian cancer, she Mira Hirsch and Atlanta favorite Chris Fiennes and Claire Higgins, is currently in started a virtual bike ride in her honor. Kayser. production in Poland. Lerner received the Page 8 Preview performances are January 30- Meskin Award for the best play in 1985 and February 1, and opening night is February the Israeli Motion Picture Academy award 2. for the best TV drama in 1995 and in 2004. In this romantic drama, divorcees In 1994, he won the Prime Minister of Orchestras Here Hannah and Zvi find themselves back in Israel’s Award for his body of creative each another’s lives when the two children work. and There from their subsequent marriages become The JTS season concludes with The From Shanghai to Altanta, music has romantically involved. Hard Love ran for Last Schwart z by Deborah Zoe Laufer, been a constant in this writer’s life. over a year at the Haifa Municipal Theatre. April 30-May 25. Nothing remains sacred By Balfoura Friend Levine This will be the play’s second English-lan- as traditions, marriage, and family are scru- Page 28 guage production. tinized and long-held secrets are unearthed Motti Lerner’s plays have been pro- Mira Hirsch and Chris Kayser (Photo: duced in Israel by Cameri Theatre of Tel See JTS, page 5 TWMEYER.com) Page 2 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN January-February 2008 JeT Hw E ish Georg i a n The Ends of Justice and the Means of Justice The Jewish Georgian is published bimonthly by Eisenbot, Ltd. It Justice in the life and conduct of the State is not go up and down as a talebearer among is written for Atlantans and Georgians by Atlantans and Georgians. possible only as first it resides in the hearts thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by Publisher Marvin Botnick and souls of the citizens the blood of thy neighbor: I am the LORD.” Co-Publisher Sam Appel Plato There are many examples of what Editor Marvin Botnick Managing Editor Marsha C. LaBeaume B Y M a r v i n may be perceived as justice that in reality Assignment Editor Carolyn Gold I propose that Plato’s statement be do not turn out to be so. Opinions are some- Consulting Editor Gene Asher B o t n i c k Associate Editor Barbara Schreiber boldly inscribed on our public buildings; times formed without any attempt to com- Copy Editor Ray Tapley that it be handed to each person who serves port such conclusions with a doctrine of Assistant Copy Editor Arnold Friedman Hebrew Congregations of the Makeup Editor Terri Christian on a jury; that it be furnished to each person fairness. As an alumnus of Duke University Production Coordinator Terri Christian Commonwealth, said it best when he wrote before he or she enters the voting booth; and a four-year member of the Duke Medical Editor Morris E. Brown, M.D. that, without compassion, “law itself can Photographic Staff Allan Scher, Phil Slotin, Phil Shapiro that it be placed on the desk of each elected lacrosse team, I have had a particular inter- Graphic Art Consultant Karen Paz generate inequity. Justice plus compassion official; and that it be part of the presenta- est over the past almost two years in the Columnist Andi Arnovitz (Israel),Gene Asher, equals tzedek, the first precondition of a Jonathan Barach, tion of the Lady of Justice holding balanced unfolding story of the now-discredited and Janice Rothschild Blumberg (Washington), decent society.” scales of justice. This should be one of dropped charges of sexual assault by mem- Marvin Botnick, In Deuteronomy 16:20, we are told Shirley Friedman, Carolyn Gold, those “family values.” bers of the team against a female in Jonathan Goldstein, George Jordan, “Justice, justice [Tzedek tzedek] shall you Sadly, though, in this age of sound Durham. Marice Katz, Balfoura Friend Levine, pursue.” The use of justice twice in this pas- Marsha Liebowitz, Howard Margol, bites, attack talk radio, and a public that Here was a case where the govern- Bubba Meisa, Erin O’Shinsky, sage has been widely analyzed, studied, and passively allows individuals and organiza- ment, in the form of a misguided district Ben Rabinowitz (Israel), commented on for centuries, and it is gen- Lew Regenstein, Roberta Scher, tions to creatively craft an image regardless a t t o r n e y, apparently for personal gain, Jerry Schwartz, Leon Socol, erally agreed that the use of the word twice Rabbi Reuven Stein, of the underlying fairness, we are slowly brought forth an indictment against mem- was intentional. The seeking of justice by Hannah Vahaba, Cecile Waronker, seeing the erosion of a cornerstone of this bers of the team, which subsequently turned Evie Wolfe itself is not sufficient; it must be done with Special Assignments Susan Kahn, Lyons Joel country. Justice is not limited to the court out to be without facts to justify the fairness, integrity, and compassion for all Advertising Michael Pelot system; it also involves fairness in all of our charges. The case gained national attention, Marsha C. LaBeaume parties. There is a moral quotient that Bill Sonenshine dealings. and there were those who were quick to use imposes itself on the understanding and The concept of justice is one that per- this as an opportunity to further their own Editorial Advisory Board Members enforcement of laws, and we must strive to Sam Appel Rabbi Alvin Sugarman Sam Massell vades Judaism. I am told that the Hebrew cause. Included in this group was the so- maintain equanimity in the use of just meth- Jane Axelrod Albert Maslia William Rothschild words mishpat and din are used in the Bible called Group of 88, eighty-eight Duke fac- Gil Bachman Michael H.