Published by the Jewish Community of Louisville, Inc. www.jewishlouisville.org JEWISH LOUISVILLE INSIDE: Ari Lesser Ari Lesser talks truths with his raps at Sunday Night Live COMMUNITY STORY ON PG. 5 FRIDAY Vol. 47, No. 2 | February 26, 2021 | 14 Adar 5781 The fi ghting rabbi AJ, LJFF, present Golden Globe Foreman’s road to title goes through Louisville nominee for fi lm By Lee Chottiner Community Editor fest interview In 2005, Yuri Foreman, a young Belar- By Lee Chottiner usian Jew from Israel and a struggling Community Editor boxer, was living in New York – broke. He worked in the Garment District For Israeli actress Shira Haas, playing of Manhattan by day and trained at a a teenage girl with a degenerative motor Brooklyn gym at night, all the while disease, as she did in the movie Asia, had dreaming of his shot at the title. a familiar ring to it. It wasn’t easy. Haas, 25, was diagnosed with kidney “You mentally, physically, subcon- cancer just shy of her third birthday. She sciously hit the bottom, so to speak,” said that early-life experience shaped Foreman said. “At that time, I was this who she is today. close to going back to Israel, just quit- “It’s ting.” definitely Foreman had been raised secular and something never had much interest in Judaism or that is part any religion, but he decided he needed of me,” Haas a spiritual vaccination of sorts, to help said in a Feb. him through the tough times. 21 Zoom So, he found a free class at a nearby interview synagogue and decided to give it a try. with Adath It changed his life. Jeshurun At the fi rst session, he recalled, the Yuri Foreman jabs his opponent, Jeremy Ramos, during his Dec.5, 2020 bout at the Kentucky Cantor David rabbi, a 5-foot-5 man with a gentle Center for African American Heritage in Louisville. The fi ght, which Foreman won, was his fi rst in Lipp. “I voice – the exact opposite of the guys he nearly four years and is part of the 40-year-old Jewish fi ghter’s comeback effort to reclaim his super don’t really welterweight title. His second bout back is scheduled for March 6, also in Louisville. (photos by fought at the gym – immediately caught remember Shira Haas his attention. Jared Sher) myself as “He says that life is like two boxers in well without it. It’s kind of like I feel it’s the ring, and I’m like ‘what!’” Foreman ing with a Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi in fl ag, has amassed a 35-3 record with 10 the starting point of my life.” recalled. “He said that sometimes life is 2008 – to become a rabbi himself. knockouts. He was ordained a rabbi in Even though she brought her own too hard; you fi nd yourself staring at the All the while, the lean, determined 2014, and he remarried in 2018 -- under experiences to her role in Asia, and lights, just like a boxer on his back. Ju- fi ghter continued training and defeated a chuppah built in a boxing ring. (He has despite the character’s physical struggles, daism gives you this help, this strength, Daniel Santos in a lopsided 12-round de- three kids from a previous marriage.) this is not a movie about illness, she said. this inner strength, to get up and con- cision in 2009 in Las Vegas to claim the It hasn’t all been good. Foreman lost “The movie is about life; it’s not about tinue fi ghting.” World Boxing Association super welter- his WBA title to Miguel Coto in 2010 death…. It’s about our connections with Foreman was hooked. Not only did he weight title. fi ght at Yankee Stadium when he tripped people.” stick with the class, but he began study- That was 10 years ago. Since then, in Coto’s corner and tore his ACL. For Asia was one of the fi lms screened at Foreman, who fi ghts under the Israeli See FOREMAN on page 19 the 2021 Louisville Jewish Film Festival which boasted unusually strong star power this year, thanks to Haas. Her interview with Lipp, which was presented by AJ, had to be moved up one Melton award ‘shocks’ but completes Deborah Slosberg week because she has been nominated By Lee Chottiner “Usually, the winners of it know in ad- for a Golden Globe Award for her role Community Editor vance and they have to write a speech; in another production, Unorthodox, a Netfl ix series about a Hasidic woman Deborah Slosberg had no idea what so, this year, they just decided to make it a surprise. Then I didn’t have to write fl eeing an unhappy marriage. The awards was up when she Zoomed in January for ceremony will air at 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish a speech.” After this award, added Slosberg, who 28, on NBC. Learning’s International Directors Con- Haas is the fi rst Israeli actress to be ference. plans to retire in 2023, “there’s nothing else I want to achieve.” nominated for a Golden Globe and a What was “up” was the Florence Primetime Emmy. Melton Award. Named for the founder As part of the surprise, Adath Jeshu- run, which hosts Louisville Melton, an- Not only did cancer shape Haas’ life, it of the global Jewish adult education or- also changed her identity. When she beat ganization, it’s the highest honor it can nounced that it would underwrite the curriculum for an upcoming class. De- the disease at age 5, a rabbi suggested bestow. her parents change her name from Mai And this year, in a carefully guarded veloped by scholars at the Hebrew Uni- versity in Jerusalem, each curriculum (Hebrew for May), sort of like a rebirth. secret, it went to Slosberg, director of “They asked me, ‘What name do you the Louisville Melton for the past eight costs up to $30,000 to sponsor. Deborah Slosberg said winning the Florence Slosberg’s honor puts Louisville want?’ And I said ‘Shira,’” Haas recalled. years. “So, basically, I changed my name.” Melton Award is the pinnacle honor of her ca- “I was so shocked,” Slosberg said. reer. (photo by Bridget Bard) See SLOSBERG on page 19 See HAAS on page 19 Faster emergency care. Nearby. 2 Community Y FEBRUARY 26, 2021 Y 14 ADAR 5781 THE DASHBOARD Snapshot Word of the Month A 2021 Passover lesson: We’ll get through this in need. This past year with COVID-19, we were D’var Torah all somewhat like strangers. We did not meet with each other face to face. We Rabbi did not eat with each other, celebrate Avrohom with each other or even mourn with each other. Rich or poor, young or old, we Litvin were all like strangers in a strange place. If we then have become “the strangers,” In the Passover story, the Jews were what tangible thing can we do to help faced with the sea on one side and the each other? Egyptian army on the other. I think there are many answers, but I “Let’s fight,” some cried. will focus on just two of them: “Let’s surrender,” others said. First, consider the upcoming holiday “Let’s pray,” still others advised. of Passover. There are many people in But Moses said, “Now is not the time this community who will be physically to fight or surrender or even to pray. alone for the seder this year. Will they Journey onward, and we will soon see have what they need to make a seder? the salvation of G-d.” Most everyone will probably know of at Another story is told about scientists least one or two people who may not have warning that in one month a meteor ever prepared a seder plate and could would hit the earth, causing the iceshelf benefit by receiving everything they need to shift and water to flood the entire to make their own. I am suggesting you world. help them. People around the world wondered How else can we fulfill this fundamental how best to utilize the remaining teaching of reaching out to the stranger in days until the impending crisis. Some this unprecedented time in which we all suggested spending their last days with are the strangers? Journey onward – with their families. Others thought to use compassion and caring – and lend a hand them to get their affairs in order with to those in need. It is imperative in this friends and acquaintances. Still others moment in time to recognize that lots of called for days of mass prayers. people are going through a tough time. But in Israel, the Jews gathered, and Reach out with empathy, with caring, JCC Arts & Ideas Academy rehearses The Wizard of Oz Youth Edition on CenterStage. Socially then one stood to speak. with a smile and with a kind word. To use distanced rehearsals have taken place since September 2020. Limited ticket live performances “Brothers and sisters,” he said, “we a phrase that Kentucky Governor Andy were held on Feb. 25, 27 and 28. To purchase tickets to the virtual performance visit jcclouisville. have only one month to learn how to Beshear has coined, “We’re going to get org/academy. breathe underwater.” through this; we’re going to get through Whatever happens, we need to journey this together.” onward. Passover is the holiday of our freedom. The first thing Moses taught the newly Moses taught that true freedom requires Candles freed Jewish nation after crossing the our caring for all others.