Published by the Jewish Community of Louisville, Inc. www.jewishlouisville.org EWISH OUISVIllE J L INSIDE: Into the spotlight Performers seek COMMUNITY success at LGT FRIDAY Vol. 46, No. 02 | February 28, 2020 | 3 Adar 5780 Peace in Jerusalem? Habitat house Tenth-generation resident sees hopeful signs in tram, pubs raised with By Lee Chottiner Community Editor support from Of all the efforts to bring peaceful coexistence to Jerusalem, Rabbi Dalia synagogues Marx said few are as successful, albeit By Lee Chottiner coincidental, as the city’s public transit Community Editor system. The Light Rail tram, which began Habitat for Humanity of Metro Lou- operation in 2011 is literally bring- isville dedicated its 525th house on ing Jerusalemites of all backgrounds Saturday, Feb. 22, this one built for a together, Marx said, if only on short Muslim family from Somalia with con- commutes. siderable help from Jewish Louisville. During those quick rides across the All five synagogues contributed a to- city, she said, it’s not uncommon to tal of $10,000 to the project, helping see a Jewish boy offer his seat to an to build the 1,000-square-foot, bunga- elderly Palestinian woman, secular Rabbi Dalia Marx says Jerusalem has become a polarized city. Still, she sees hopeful signs for the fu- low-style house not far from Newburg and haredi riders seated side by side, ture in the city’s Light Rail tram and community-owned pubs. (Community photo by Jessica Budnick) Road. The synagogues decided to get people brushing against each in the Arabs, and Jews and Jews. Her own come, what can be done, so in that behind the project last year during scrum to get off and on the cars while brother and sister have left. sense, I’m optimistic.” a meeting of the Louisville Council trying to say “excuse me” in the other’s But for Marx, a 10th-generation Je- Marx, the Rabbi Aaron Panken Pro- of Jewish Congregations. Other faith language. rusalemite, the City of David is in her fessor of Liturgy and Midrash at the groups have also contributed. Just every-day living in very close DNA, and she is staying put. Jerusalem campus of Hebrew Union In addition, members of Adath Je- quarters. “Jerusalem is challenging,” the Is- College-Jewish Institute of Religion, shurun, Keneseth Israel, Temple Sha- “That’s like a moving lab,” Marx said raeli Reform rabbi said, “but for me, was in Louisville for two weeks in Feb- lom and The Temple – worshippers of the tram. “All of a sudden, you see I’m not going to be chased away from ruary, serving as scholar-in-residence and clergy alike – joined volunteers different kinds of people in the same my home.” at The Temple and Temple Shalom. from churches, mosques and other car, riding together, and they have to She stubbornly believes in the city’s She’s most comfortable talking about faith groups on the “build days” for the deal with it. It’s like a metaphor for the future, and she sees reasons, like the religious topics, such as how Judaism house, helping with the masonry, put- whole situation.” tram experiences, to be hopeful. is expressed today. ting up walls, interior work and a host Which is different from the Jeru- “I think that this tension – this But in an interview with Communi- of other jobs. salem of today, an ancient city that, unique tension you may experience ty, she drilled down on life in the city “I just wanted to help build a house according to Marx, is becoming in- in Jerusalem – is also something very as seen by a progressive Jew with deep for these people,” said Tami Penner of creasingly polarized between Jews and fruitful in terms of what we can be- See MARX on page 23 Temple Shalom, who spent a day paint- ing at the house. Lisa Hebert, director of community and faith relations for Habitat for Hu- manity, said the new owners, Ali and ‘Unlike any other job’ Slma, (their last name is withheld at Glogower’s background, energy prepared her for building an archive Habitat’s request) will buy the house for $80,000 to $100,000 at 0 percent By Lee Chottiner ville, Glogower, curator of the Jewish interest, which makes the dwelling af- collections at the Filson Historical So- Community Editor fordable while saving them hundreds ciety, gave an emphatic one-word an- Abby Glogower had one busy Febru- of dollars a month in rent. swer: “No!” ary. Habitat for Humanity is a global But that’s OK with this expressive, First, she taught a two-part class at nonprofit housing organization work- energetic curator who talks with her Keneseth Israel for people interested ing with volunteers in communities hands. After two years on the job, in archiving their family histories. across the United States and approxi- Glogower said, “business is finally Then she moderated a talk-back ses- mately 70 countries to construct af- booming,” putting the word “business” fordable housing for people in need of sion following a CenterStage perfor- in air quotes. (The Filson is hardly a mance of Hair. decent places to live. business, she noted.) Ali and Slma, who have three sons, She spoke after the Film Festival’s The Filson hired Glogower in 2017 screening of Carl Laemmle about ab- ages 2, 4 and 6, came to Louisville to be its curator of Jewish collections, about six years ago under a lottery sys- sorption of refugees from Nazi-occu- Abby Glogower tasking her with creating a Jewish ar- pied Europe in Louisville. tem, and have been living in an apart- chive at the Old Louisville-based his- ment ever since. The father works for tee of Jewish Community of Louisville And she organized a private event tory center from the ground up. UPS. leaders in organizing boxfuls of photos honoring the life and legacy of Julius “It was completely unlike any other Without Habitat and its volunteers, into what will become part of the new Friedman. job,” she said. the family probably could not afford a Jewish Community Archive (JCA). In addition, she has spent hours in The 2017 Ph.D. graduate of the Uni- house. the basement of the Standard Club Asked if she’s ever been this busy in since November, assisting a commit- a single month since coming to Louis- See GLOGOWER on page 23 See HABITAT on page 23 Small Group Training Special 5% OFF all group training packages! Advantages of Group Training: • Focused instruction • Fun workouts • Motivation by 3 or more of • All the benefits of a personal your BFF’s trainer, but with cost sharing Register at jewishlouisville.org/GroupTraining or call 502-238-2727. 2 Community Y FEBRUARY 28, 2020 Y 3 ADAR 5780 THE DASHBOARD Word of the Month Snapshots: Night at the Speed Haman teaches how not to be happy I see that Jew Mordechai sitting at the king’s gate.” D’var Torah Remember, Haman had everything he ever wished for, but he still could Rabbi Chaim not achieve true happiness because a single person would not bow down Litvin and obey his command to lavish him with honor. The lesson we can glean from this story is that true happiness does not The holiday of Purim is the known come from external sources, accom- as the happiest day of the Jewish cal- plishments or even successes. True endar. On the evening and day of Pu- happiness is about an internal state rim, we read the Megilla – the story of mind. To be truly happy means to of Purim – enjoy a lavish feast, give have an inner sense of purpose and mishloach manot -- food gifts to each fulfillment. other and tzedakah, money to the Happiness comes with clarity of less fortunate. direction within us, and the freedom Our sages tell us that Purim should and ability to give meaning to each be celebrated with great festivity and and every experience and situation. true happiness. Haman simply could not be truly But what is true happiness? happy because his happiness was In our story of Purim, the Megilah purely external. He defined himself highlights two types of happiness – only by how he was viewed by others the joy of the wicked Haman, and around him. So long as Mordechai the joyous celebration of the Jewish would not recognize Haman’s au- people when they were saved. thority, he could never achieve true Haman had everything he could happiness. ever wish for, but did it truly bring Contrast this with the true hap- him joy? In a fairly short period of piness expressed by the Jews of the time, Haman went from having a story. When the Jewish people re- simple life to becoming the prime joiced after they were saved, the Me- Sarah O’Koon (top photo) served as docent for women of the Pomegranates and Lion of Judah, who minister of the entire Persian Em- gillah states, LaYehudim haytah orah toured the Speed Art Museum, Thursday, Feb. 20, as part of the Louisville Jewish Film Festival’s pire. The invitation he received to v’simcha (The Jews had light and screening of Leona in the Speed Cinema. (Community photo by Jessica Budnick) attend a private royal banquet with gladness). just Queen Esther and King Achash- Our sages teach us that “light” is a veirosh, was one of the greatest mo- reference to Torah. The joy they ex- ments of his political career. The Me- perienced was founded in a higher gilla even describes the feelings he set of values and a sense of purpose.