JGA JAN-Feb 09
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JewishTHE Georgian Volume 21, Number 2 Atlanta, Georgia JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2009 FREE Seymour Lavine, a true American hero What’s Inside By Reg Regenstein Imperial Army. BROTHER SANDY KILLED Before his country went to war, IN HOLLAND inety-six-year-old Seymour Lavine, Seymour was a good and productive citi- Israel on Two of Sherwood Forest, has had an zen, leading an ordinary life and trying to Following the sneak attack on Pearl Namazing life, serving his country make a living. Suddenly, confronted with Harbor, Seymour, 29, and his brother and his community in ways few can one of the gravest threats we have Sandy, 27, both married and with jobs, Wheels match. ever faced, he rose to the occa- enlisted in the U.S. Army. The Arava Institute/Hazon Israel Bike Today he stays busy running the sion, performed incredible acts Sandy was working for The Southern Ride supports environmental education Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, of valor—and violence—and Israelite newspaper in Atlanta, selling ads while providing a physical challenge an Emory University program for then, in the best tradition of and doing editorial work. He was sent to and a spiritual experience. retired professionals. One is struck America’s original Europe, with the 104th Infantry Division, By Ron Rosen by his scholarly, kind, gentle, and Minutemen, resumed his nor- and participated in the ill-fated Allied thrust Page 14 modest demeanor. But 65 mal life as if it had never into Holland in late 1944, intended to end years ago, he was been interrupted. the war early by attacking Germany busy fighting Seymour’s through the Netherlands. In Time of Need Japanese troops, never-before- There, on a reconnaissance patrol, his Federation has established an Economic freeing starving published story unit encountered approaching German Crisis Fund to meet immediate critical American prison- is an amazing tanks. Sandy ordered his men to withdraw needs in the community. Page 8 ers, and liberating tale of courage while he gallantly stayed behind to hold off the Philippines and accomplish- the panzers. He fired a bazooka, hitting one from the cruel ment in some of tank, but another fired back at him, tearing In Jewish Mumbai occupation of the toughest bat- his arm off. “He didn’t last the day,” says Emperor tles of World Although targeted in recent terrorist Hirohito’s War II. See LAVINE, page 5 attacks, Jews in India have been treated Seymour Lavine well for millennia. By Jay Waronker Page 15 Teens take to the stage in Greenfield Torah dedication Exploring Jewish Center Theatre production of is a joyous event High School Musical Rabbi Pincus with pre-K Culture in Beantown student Datya Voloschin The National Yiddish Book Center and the Vilna Shul are two outstanding attractions in the Boston area. By Leon Socol Page 29 From Small Towns to Big Cities The Institute of Southern Jewish Life‘s ambitious effort to document the Jewish history of Southern towns is now reach- ing Georgia. n Sunday, October 26, singing erupted from Greenfield Page 18 Cast members (from left) Lesley Hauler, Dani Heidt, Hebrew Academy. The crowd of about 300 people clapped Lauren Kolodkin, Devon Rogers, Laura Sacka, and Oand sang “Simin Tov Ooh Mazel Tov” as Greenfield’s new Zach Solomon (Photo: Steve Dinberg) community Sefer Torah was dedicated. Survivors Tell According to the Torah, every Jew should have his or her own enter Theatre continues its inaugural season with an ener- Torah, thus fulfilling the 613th mitzvah. Thanks to some great High School getic Teen Theatre rendition of Disney’s fundraising efforts and community donations, GHA has now com- Their Stories Musical, February 11-22. Directed by Barbara Cole- C pleted mitzvah 613 with its very own community Sefer Torah. The The Breman Museum and Osher Uterhardt, this stage production, based on the Disney Channel money raised from the Torah dedication will be used to purchase Institute have teamed up to present an High School Musical original movie , will be brought to life in SMART Boards for the classrooms. important and moving class. Page 7 See HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, page 6 See TORAH, page 7 Page 2 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN January-February 2009 stant battle between yetzer hara, the evil inclination, and yetzer hatov, the good incli- Have You No Sense of Decency? nation. Satan, a Hebrew word which means an adversary or hinderer, is a player in this battle. It is Satan, an angel, who strives to Life is not a game but an opportunity: a gift being reduced and profits have disappeared, divert or hinder our actions with the hope to be used by its recipient to move what or, even worse, when the independent oper- that we will meet his challenge and rise presently exists to a higher level of what ations of the companies have been material- above these evil impediments. The free-will can be for all people – not just for the indi- ly compromised or ruined? choice to follow our yetzer hatov will move vidual’s personal aggrandizement and BY Marvin Society dictates that there must be a us toward our mission of repairing the wealth. framework of principles, a core group of Botnick world. By overcoming our evil inclination values, upon which actions are based. There and striving to raise ourselves to a higher uch has been, is being, and will be is a caveat to such a statement, however. level of doing good, we will build a moral written and reported about of the attraction that the O.J. Simpson mur- There must be integrity. In an article by platform to work for a better world for all. Bernard Madoff and the gigantic der trial had, but the president’s State of the David L. Miller in The Lutheran, he makes M Our writings and teachings are replete Ponzi scheme by which billions of Union speech does not attract anywhere the following distinction: “…living accord- with writings directing us to deal honestly investors’ dollars purportedly have been near this amount of attention and interest. ing to a consistent set of principles [does and fairly with our fellow humans, not to misappropriated. As the story unfolds, no While I join with others in condemn- not] amount to integrity. Hitler and the mur- take what is not ours, and to provide for the doubt there will be books, TV shows, and ing and abhorring the selfishness, greed, ders of Bosnia also strove for their princi- needy. We are not to profit at the expense of movies on the subject. and hurtfulness of Madoff and what he has ples.” others. We are not to keep a worker’s wages All of this will focus primarily on the confessed to doing, I am concerned with the Stephen L. Carter, the William Nelson overnight. We were not to gather excess man, his motivations and methods, and the mores of a society that can produce the Cromwell Professor of Law at Yale Law manna but only to collect according to the amount of money that was lost and by atmosphere of self-indulgence and wanton School, in his book Integrity, defines person’s eating. We are commanded not to whom. We eagerly seem to seek the lurid disregard for one’s actions on others. What integrity as involving “three steps. The first steal, about which the notes appended to details of what is sensationalized by the is the value system that puts a premium on is to discern what is right and wrong. The Pentateuch and Haftorahs edited by media under the guise of objective report- wealth, individualism, and material com- Discernment takes time and emotional J.H.Hertz, includes “the stealing of a good ing, but our interest is closer to viewing a fort? energy. It’s much easier to follow the opinion of others.” Such an action, accord- serial TV drama than a concern for the The Madoff scandal is emblematic of crowd. The second step is to struggle to live ing to this note, is especially reprehensible, underlying malady in our society. In our a rampant thrust towards materialism at the according to the sense of right and wrong whether it be “by any manner of misrepre- world of commercialized touting of stories, cost of integrity. The methods of implemen- you have discerned. The third is to be will- sentation, ‘publicity,’ or flattery deceiving we followed the confirmation hearings of tation may differ, but we see this greed and ing to say what we are doing and why we others into having a better opinion of his or Clarence Thomas in 1991 for a seat on the lack of concern for one’s actions on others are doing it.” In the same book, Carter his doings than he deserves. ‘Let a man earn United States Supreme Court; however, in what happened at HealthSouth, Enron, bemoans the current state of affairs when he the good opinion of his fellowmen, but let very few of us paid attention to the hearings WorldCom, and Tyco International, just to writes: “We care more about winning than him not steal it.’” In Isaiah 61:8, the use of twelve months earlier during the confirma- mention a few. And what about the uncon- about playing by the rules.” dishonest money for charity or any reli- tion hearings which resulted in the approval scionable compensation and perquisite Judaism believes that we are created gious propose is forbidden by the following of David Souter as an associated justice of packages that have been awarded to corpo- with free will; the ability to choose between directive to His prophet: “For I the Lord United States Supreme Court.