JewishTHE Georgian Volume 24, Number 2 Atlanta, Georgia JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2012 FREE The point and purpose of Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Amit presents By Bradford R. Pilcher shorts). There’s every indication the festival will break new records. It’s in breathing distance of San Francisco’s attendance. In other Antique Judaica Why host a Jewish film festival? What is the point of highlight- words, Atlanta may take its place as the biggest Jewish film festival ing specifically Jewish movies? Is there such a clamor for this par- soon enough. ticular subset of the cinematic So it is obviously a success. Appraisal Show arts? There is obviously some demand. Dig out the family heirlooms— Apparently, there is, if the But beyond the numbers and the Atlanta’s very own Antique Judaica ever-growing numbers of festival near miraculous growth of AJFF, Appraisal Show is goers to the now twelve-year-old there remains that niggling ques- coming to town, Atlanta Jewish Film Festival are tion: What is the point of a Jewish Sunday, March 25. any indication. In the briefest of film festival? The event will fea- times, AJFF has become not only The misconception is that ture Jonathan the largest film festival in Atlanta AJFF, and other festivals of its ilk, Greenstein, owner but the second-largest Jewish film screen an endless barrage of of J. Greenstein & festival in the country (behind San Holocaust documentaries or docu- Co., the nation’s Francisco, which has had three- dramas or melodramas. When the pre-eminent plus decades to cement itself atop crimes of the Nazis are not parad- Jonathan Judaica dealer, which the pile). Some 26,000 tushes ing across the screen, then it’s Greenstein for the past 28 years made their way into theater seats some love letter to Yiddish, or Deaf Jam has been solely devoted to antique for last year’s festival, spanning Israel. That would be a gross mis- Jewish ritual objects. A lifelong col- six venues all over metro Atlanta. representation of the kinds of films that make up a Jewish film festi- lector and the author of A Lost Art: This year, the festival is adding new venues and runs over more val like AJFF. Handmade Silver Kiddush Cups of days than ever before. From February 8 through the 29th, AJFF will Take Deaf Jam, a stirring follow-up to last year’s hit festival Eastern Europe, Greenstein will come close to swallowing an entire month. Those days will be filled share his unique expertise and with more films than ever before, 70 in total (52 features and 18 See AJFF, page 7 knowledge. Girl Scouts the focus of exhibition at Congregation Mickve Israel By Jane Guthman Kahn ues of Judaism and Scouting. 12th grade. They represent every back- “I’ve got something for the girls of ground, racial/ethnic group, and socio-eco- Savannah’s Congregation Mickve Savannah and all the world, and we’re nomic group.) Israel, third oldest synagogue in the United going to start it tonight,” Juliette Gordon In her hometown, as she would do States, is creating a yearlong exhibit in con- Low telephoned a friend on March 9, 1912. throughout the country, Juliette Low junction with the centennial anniversary of When Juliette Low made that definitive involved community leaders. Three of the the founding of the Girl Scouts in 1912, in statement, could she possibly have envi- Girl Scouts’ earliest patrol (troop) leaders Savannah. sioned that, 100 years later, fifty million were members of Mickve Israel: Leonora “The Girls Scouts—In the Beginning girls would fulfill that promise? Could she Amram, Henrietta Falk, and Mildred We Were There” will focus on a 100-year have known the worldwide impact her Guckenheimer (Abrahams Kuhr). Leonora connection between the two historic institu- movement would have? Could she compre- would serve on the first Girl Scout Council. Many of us have antiques that tions. The exhibit opens in late January and hend that her vision would be rooted in a Later, Mildred for years would hold the have been passed down from genera- will highlight the diversity that has been a diversity that organizations today still seek position of secretary of the council. tion to generation, but none are as part of the Girl Scouts since its inception. to emulate? (The current membership is 3.5 cherished as Jewish ritual objects, Additionally, it will demonstrate shared val- million girls from Kindergarten through See GIRL SCOUTS, page 9 See AMIT, page 8 Beauty and Company J How a Book ASK at 25 Father and Son A Unique Bar utility The MJCCA raises the cur- Came to Be Atlanta Scholars Kollel has Stirring speeches by The Mitzvah tain on a dynamic, new the- been bringing Torah knowl- Reverends Martin Luther The new Historic Fourth ater company. A family’s effort to cope edge to people for a quarter King Junior and Senior, Benjamin Faber, who has Ward Park is an attractive with loss is now a meaning- of a century. decades apart, were mitochondrial myopathy, solution to a vexing prob- ful book that can help oth- reminders to work for and became a bar mitzvah with a lem. ers. believe in a brighter future. little help from his friends. By Lindsey Light By Leon Soco Kuniansky By David Geffen Page 2l Page 10 Page 25 Page 48 Page 45 Page 12 What’s InsideWhat’s Page 2 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN January-February 2012 January-February 2012 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN Page 3 Page 4 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN January-February 2012 digested by the individual rather than having to rely on directives of others. The individu- als were now able to interpret for themselves Seek to understand, not parrot the meaning and message of the text. To me, words have almost a sacred rather extensive library of its own, but since Literacy, especially in the developed quality. They are the essence of interaction, in that facility there were only four copies of world, is common; however, the search for and they are the vehicles by which we com- the Manifesto and there were many more understanding does not seem to be as uni- municate, influence, and teach. students that were assigned the reading, get- versal. Although we are inundated by untold Words are the ordnance of society. BY Marvin ting a copy presented a problem. Right missives and publications, many of us chose Normally, they are appended to other words Botnick across the street from the school library was only to rely on those that support a position to convey a message, and the resulting the township library, so I went over there to to which we already adhere. We seek valida- thought may have a lasting effect. Used see if it had a copy I could check out. The tion, not insight and understanding. pose of learning and as a method of under- properly and understood correctly in the school was located not too far from Salem, We are the inheritors of a rich tradition standing, but not necessarily agreeing with, context of the thought, this ordnance Massachusetts, and the reaction I got to the of study and learning, which has become the thought and position being put forth. becomes a front-line element in the positive request for the publication made me feel that almost an innate characteristic. The intense A basic question that society in general development of our world. I had been transported back to the late 1600s search for truths and meanings has con- and each of us individually should ask is: Words, whether written or spoken, are confronting a tribunal at the Salem witch tri- sumed our people for centuries, and while it “Do we read and converse to confirm or to utterances that are made for the purpose of als. An understanding of the need to read to was originally directed primarily to reli- learn?” being received by others. It is important that learn was not a concept to which they sub- gious issues, the format was continued into I remember when I was taking a world the messages being conveyed are clear and scribed. secular matters. history do the job, but the mirror action to the con- In But never has the average person been course in veyance of the words is the hearing or read- Chapter 13 of so overwhelmed with the flood of commu- high school ing of the message. Actually, it is the recep- Histories of niqués as has now become possible with the in the early A basic question that society in tion and not the speaking that is the purpose Heresy in modern methods. For whatever reason, the 50s, one of of verbalizing thoughts and concepts. general and each of us individually Early communication revolution we are experi- our assign- Espousal of a position or concept, should ask is: “Do we read and con- Modern encing, which could grow to an impact level ments was whether by an advocate or an interested Europe, it is equal to the Industrial Revolution, has been to read the verse to confirm or to learn?” party, does not necessarily validate the posi- reported that, conscripted by many as a tool to service per- Communist tion. It is the processing by the recipient of “[Martin] sonal goals. More so than ever, it is now Manifesto. the ideas and thoughts contained in the Luther’s imperative that we seek out all sides of an While this words that puts “meat on the bone.” Ideally, translation of the Bible, indeed the very act issue and not limit our perspective to was the height of the Cold War, the school as objectively as possible, we should listen of translating it establishes the true moment sources that coalesce with others of a simi- had taken the position that for its students to to the concept being conveyed for the pur- of rupture with the Catholic Church.” At that lar bent.