Advanced Placement courses offered each year in our High School, of teachers are participating in year-round professional development, ECD - 12th Grade Modern Orthodox Jewish Day School in Georgia. The community was deeply impacted by the Leo Frank case in 19131915, which caused many to re-evaluate what it meant to be Jewish in Atlanta and the South, and largely scarred the generation of Jews in the city who lived through it. Watch on. Torah study, love and support for Israel, and celebrating and learning from each others differences make up our core values. Rabbi Tobias Geffen was born in Lithuania, received his ordination there, and started his family there before immigrating to the U.S. Yet theirs was not necessarily a random movement. [16] The congregation official became Conservative in 1954, and its slow slide into the Conservative movement had also lead to the founding of Congregation Beth Jacob in 1943. In 1969, he was elected the first Jewish mayor the city, after winning the vast majority of the African American vote and losing the vast majority of the white vote. Congregation Ahavath Achim was founded in 1887 followed by Shearith Israel (1902), Anshi Sfard (1913), and Or VeShalom (1914), a Sephardic synagogue. } The college process is based upon individualism and self-reflection as students prepare for the next phase of their academic experience. Although by the eve of the. Bobbie Jean Fink (ne Spivey), 88, of Atlanta, Ga., passed away on April 4, 2023, following a lengthy battle with Alzheimers. Still, thereafter black-Jewish relations seemed to remain more positive on the local level than nationally, as partly reflected in the establishment of the Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition (formed by architect Cecil Alexander and civil rights leader John Lewis) and numerous examples of positive interaction in government, and in 1962 doctors Irving and Marvin Goldstein built the Americana, the first integrated hotel in the city. Our mission is expansive to lead and engage all Jews and their loved ones. Join our community; Sign in Seminar is an opportunity to live the Ramah life in Israel, combining all that is central to camp community, connection and growth. The history of the Jews in Atlanta began in the early years of the city's settlement, and the Jewish community continues to grow today. Mildred Rotter Kinbar, Millie, died peacefully in Sandy Springs Ga., on April 13, 2023, at the age of 102. Mishpacha- We are a family, sharing in each other's smachot, supporting each other in times of need, and contributing our individual time and resources. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. At the same time, more-affluent Jews employed African Americans as domestic servants. [2], While Zionism was gaining traction in Jewish communities around the world and U.S., it was slower to catch on in Atlanta. Judaism and Jews The case was then appealed by his lawyers at every level, and it was during this time that Frank's plight became national news and galvanized the Jewish community across the country. Seminar is an intensive experience of study and travel, combining hiking and trekking throughout Israel with text study, challenging discussions and hands-on learning. Float in theDead Sea. Jewish Community of Atlanta - New Georgia Encyclopedia n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; During the succeeding decades Jews were attacked by the Klan, the. NE Atlanta, GA 30319, Contact About Policy Facebook, 2019 Atlanta Jewish Life, LLC All Rights Reserved. Join Rabbis Yossi New, Chaim & Mrs. Chayala Markovits for Lunch & Learn: Blue Ridge! During the succeeding decades Jews were attacked by the Klan, the Columbians, and other right-wing groups. This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. [2], Under the 51-year tenure of Rabbi David Marx, the members of The Temple were used to the idea that if it wanted acceptance, it could not afford to rock the boat in non-Jewish/Christian Atlanta society or cause conflict. These circumstances made a Jewish employer a more fitting scapegoat for disgruntled whites than the other leading suspect in the case, a black worker. In the Middle School, AJA Jaguars compete against schools of similar size and skill through the Metro Atlanta Athletic Conference (MAAC). [24], The Atlanta Jewish community has seen dramatic population boom and demographic change in the last few decades, while Atlanta's overall population has also reached new heights as one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. Marietta, GA 30068, 1526 North Decatur Road Atlanta, GA 30307, 1681 N Druid Hills Rd. var ga_cookie_domain = "auto"; Responding to Ralph McGill's piece about the bombing, the daughter of slain Florida NAACP director Henry T. Moore lamented the lack of similar outcry or care on the part of the government at the state or federal levels in investigating the crime. Join Hadassah Greater Atlanta and Jumpspark to honor outstanding students nominated by Jewish day schools, religious schools, and volunteer organizations at the annual Hadassah Greater Atlanta Chesed (Loving JF&CS has launched our 2nd annual Purim to Passover Food Drive in response to the growing needs in our community. Through his trial and appeals Frank was caricatured as the northern businessman and Jew out to exploityoung women from the rural South. JSU GO Atlanta Travel and see Israel in this once in a lifetime adventure for Atlanta public school teens. Synagogue members also more heartily supported Rabbi Rothschilds actions and sermons on civil rights issues afterwards, and the first sermon he gave following the bombing was called And None Shall Make Them Afraid. Though they constituted just 1 percent of the citys total population of 2,572, they owned more than 10 percent of its retail businesses. border:1px solid #fff; In 1961, Sam Massell was elected Vice Mayor of the city, and then re-elected in 1965. .caf-mb-4 { Yet Reconstruction affected Jews differently than most southerners. Your support helps us commission new entries and update existing content. They were largely poor, spoke Yiddish, shunned the Reform Judaism of The Temple, and held Orthodox views. The soda was seen as a symbol of American identity and, thus, belonging, by the younger generation who were especially eager to partake. As the city became the center of the New South, its economy rapidly expanded, enticing a number of Jews to move to the city. A few owned enslaved people, some employed enslaved workers in their business pursuits, and most supported the Confederacy. [10], In the months following the lynching, some of the Knights of Mary Phagan also helped to revive the Ku Klux Klan atop Stone Mountain. } A population study (locating 9,630 Jews) was undertaken, experts were consulted, and a community calendar was established. Katie Gaffin shares about her relationship with her mother, Janet Gaffin, in honor of Mother's' Day. German Jewish organizations such as the Hebrew Relief Society and the Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Society helped the poor in the community. Upon his arrival, Rabbi Geffen noted a number of problems and gaps in the Orthodox community and sought to remedy them, including the lack of religious schools, the state of the community's mikveh, and the level of kashrut. In 1910, Shearith Israel hired Rabbi Tobias Geffen to head their synagogue, who would go on to have a large impact on the Atlanta Jewish community as well as Orthodox communities throughout the South. This organization aided Jewish immigrants and nurtured their Americanization through classes, particularly under the auspices of the Free Kindergarten and Social Settlement (1903). Youth Program Update. Participating in AJAs Athletic Program represents an important part of school life. For over 50 years, Ramah Seminar has been an outstanding way for teens to experience Israel. In 1875 Aaron Haas became the citys first mayor pro tempore. Several dozen policemen, as well as Georgia Bureau of Investigation and FBI agents, worked to solve the case. The creation of Orthodox Congregation Beth Jacob, soon under the leadership of Emanuel Feldman (1952), served as a harbinger of the ceremonial/religious revival of the last half of the twentieth century. Much of the state, and Atlanta in particular, was outraged. width: 100%; A thriving and connected 21st Century Jewish Atlanta where every Jew and their loved ones can access warm and caring Jewish community, timeless Jewish wisdom, global Jewish peoplehood, and Jewish ways to do good in the world. Unto Every Person There is a Name 2023 Remembrance Ceremony. In August 1913, after a short deliberation, the jury convicted Frank and he was sentenced to death. WebThis program creates a strong partnership between the Atlanta Jewish Foundation and our local Jewish community agencies, synagogues and day schools. with northern businesses and quickly recovered. Ben Massell, for one, became one of Atlantas premier builders and developers during the mid-twentieth century. Molly Blank Concert: Joe Alterman & Houston Person, TOGETHER AGAIN: Joe Alterman and Houston Person. In addition, the head of the American Jewish Committee, Louis Marshall, threw his and the organization's weight behind the issue. There are also Holocaust memorials in Greenwood Cemetery and at the Marcus JCC's Zaban Park. They were tolerated but also singled out as different. Retrieved Oct 11, 2016, from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/jewish-community-of-atlanta/. We are Atlanta Jewish Academy, a welcoming Jewish day school guided by modern orthodox values. JScreen collecting testimonials for 10th anniversary. Phone: 404-337-6116. Students can take part in one pathway, or multiple. Privacy Policy Active in the conservative faction of the Democratic Party, Jews routinely held seats on the aldermanic board, the school board, and in the state legislature. Success stories like that of Hyman Mendel, who became the citys biggest dry-goods wholesaler, abounded. The greater Atlanta area is considered to be home to the country's ninth largest Jewish population. Certainly this is the case in comparison with American racism and European outbreaks against the Jews culminating in the Holocaust. AJA gives students the opportunity to develop an interest in art appreciation and to develop critical and creative thinking skills. In 1913, 13-year-old pencil factory employee Mary Phagan, from Marietta was found murdered in the basement of the factory building. OHT offers a full range of services, classes, and programs, with something for everyone, including Daily and weekly prayer services,Torah study and educational In 1992 the Jewish population was estimated at more than 70,000. As the north became the clear center of the Jewish population in the city, the synagogues moved there as well. .caf-content-read-more {display:none !important;} WebThe Jewish Tower is a nationally recognized Community of Quality, awarded in 2021 by the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA). On the other hand, when Richs Department Store and Lebs delicatessen were singled out by sit-in demonstrators during the early 1960s, the latter became a symbol of recalcitrance. Wander with your friends and meet amazing new people. Sometimes, however, attempts by the German Jewish community to aid the less well off Yiddish speaking community were perceived by the latter as patronizing or offensive. Today there are 38 synagogues in the area 33 founded after 1968, of which 24 were started between 1984 and 2006. In 1912, some Turkish Sephardi Jews broke off from the congregation and founded their own, Or Hahyim. Rabbi Epstein gave sermons and taught classes in both English and Yiddish, and helped revitalize the community in his first years. Although each of a series of rabbisfrom Marx to Harry Epstein, Tobias Geffen, and Joseph I. Cohenserved Atlantas major congregations for decades, and Marx and Victor Kriegshaber, the most influential Jewish layman after David Mayer, led in the formation of these organizations, the federation ushered in a power shift to the executive directors, starting with Edward M. Kahn in 1928. Although most Atlanta Jews remained silent concerning black rightsthe majority out of fear, but some out of acceptance of southern racial moresa few condemned discrimination during the 1920s and 1930s, especially through the Atlanta Urban League. Almost all of the people were immigrants from central Europe, mostly the Germanic states. As such, Federation welcomes all interfaith, LGBT+, and multiracial individuals and families, along with people of all abilities. })(window,document,'script','FundraiseUp','AZSYZZSJ'); This dynamic also visible in the realm of Jewish communal organizations. In its early decades, the Jewish community The Hebrew Benevolent Congregation received a charter four months later and began constructing a synagogue in 1875. The arrival of American-born David Marx, who was trained at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio, symbolized an end to much of the controversy. See where USY Summer Experience takes you, and register today. The old-timers were frequently condescending toward the greenhorns who spoke Yiddish or Ladino, followed traditional religion, supported Zionism, and began in the lower class. The opportunities for women's overall participation increased also. The Hebrew Benevolent Society, which was started in 1860 and provided insurance, aid, and burial benefits, served as the first formal Jewish religious organization and the forerunner of things to come. [8][7] As to the atmosphere that led to Frank's prosecution, historian Nancy MacLean said it "[could] be explained only in light of the social tensions unleashed by the growth of industry and cities in the turn-of-the-century South. [18], Ironically, in some respects the bombing revealed to the community the privilege that they had. Seminar participants travel Israel from north to south, gaining an in-depth perspective of Israels history and future. LIFE & LEGACY, } Located in the center of Jewish Atlanta, through its variety of programs it served as both a community center and immigrant help center. .caf-filter-layout1 a{ Mendel, part of a wave of Jewish immigrants from eastern Europe who arrived in Atlanta in the 1880s, became the city's biggest dry-goods wholesaler. During the antebellum period in Atlanta, most Jews supported the Confederacy, including David Mayer. Frank received a posthumous pardon in 1986. In the late 19th century, a wave of Jewish migration from Eastern Europe brought less wealthy, Yiddish speaking Jews to the area, in stark contrast to the established Jewish community. This was partially due to Rabbi David Marx's staunch anti-Zionist views and which were influential due to his leadership of The Temple. 20042023 Georgia Humanities, University of Georgia Press. Despite this, the community is one of less religiously affiliated in the U.S., as the vast majority of Jewish families do not belong to a synagogue. The Marcus JCC is named in honor of Bernie Marcus, who along with Arthur Blank founded Home Depot, and both of whom are major donors in the Jewish community in Atlanta and beyond. .caf-content {display:none !important;} 'allow_custom_scripts': true, Not long after the explosion, United Press International (UPI) staff received a call from General Gordon of the Confederate Underground, a white supremacist group saying they carried out the bombing, that it would be the last empty building they bomb, and Jews and African Americans were aliens in the U.S.[19], The damage to the synagogue was estimated at $100,000,[18] or roughly $868,000 today adjusted for inflation. Now, its YOUR turnto have the summer of a lifetime in the U.S., Canada, Israel, Europe, or the Dominican Republic. (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), Edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA Romania is a perfect destination for Jewish tours when youre looking for a place thats adventurous and still holds a strong connection to the Jewish history of the As its population has risen, it has also become the Southern location of many national Jewish organizations, and today there are a multitude of Jewish institutions. The case contributed to the founding of both the Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith and the Knights of Mary Phagan, a forerunner of the modern, . /* ]]> */ What Makes Romania a Great Jewish Tours Destination Small numbers of immigrants from Russia, Iran, Israel, and South Africa entered the metropolitan area and were joined by numerous transplants from the North and elsewhere in the South. 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); WebYour Jewish Bridge is an Atlanta-based organization that provides access to personalized life cycle rituals, and educational, pastoral and spiritual support on a fee-for-service basis. Life & Legacy | Atlanta Jewish Foundation that academic success is inextricably tied to building social-emotional competencies. [8] Populist politician Thomas E. Watson took to railing against Frank in his publications, The Jeffersonian and Watson's Magazine, often in racialized terms, and pronouncing his guilt and calling for his death. Find out more about ShulCloud, Amazon donates to Ohr HaTorahwhen you shop at, . A month later, another inmate tried to kill Frank by slashing his throat, an attempt on his life which he survived. Event Calendar and Atlanta Jewish Foundation Mendel became the city's biggest dry-goods wholesaler by the turn of the twentieth century. The consensus of the community following Frank's death was not to mention it, and the subject remained taboo for many decades. Or Amim- We engage with the modern worldthrough the prism of Torah and tradition. In 1915 Kriegshaber was elected president of the chamber of commerce, possibly in partial atonement for the Frank incident. Rabbi Geffen is best known for first certifying Coca-Cola as kosher, and kosher for Passover. Richard D. (Rick) Shapiro, age 71, of Dunwoody, passed away on April 3, 2023, after a valiant effort fighting pancreatic cancer. OHT offers a full range of services, classes, andprograms, with something for everyone, including Daily and weekly prayer services,Torah study and educational opportunities for all interests, Chesed and social action programs, Social Events for all age groups, and robust Youth and Teen Programming. CIE to Engage Teens in Unfolding Israeli Democracy. m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) In 1969 his nephew, Sam Massell, was elected mayor of Atlanta. Although by the eve of the Civil War (1861-65) the Jewish population in Atlanta had doubled, their small numbers still precluded the establishment of formal religious institutions. Bauman, Mark. } Real-estate investments and, for the second generation, professional careers opened other doors upward. When the war was over and the city was left to rebuild after it had largely been burnt down when General Sherman and his troops approached the city, Jews played a larger role than before in the city's public sphere and its society. After his responsa, the company started research to solve the issues, and did so successfully. The Hebrew Benevolent Congregation, which first organized in 1860 as the Hebrew Benevolent Society, began construction in 1875 on a synagogue in Atlanta. Explore what it means to be Jewish from an Israeli point of view, understand the complex politics of the Middle East with real-world insights, and practice Jewish values through hands-on volunteering and Shabbat experiences. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. Over their distinguished tenures, they each had a large impact on the face of the Jewish community and its values.[2]. Our Mission is to care for, connect, and strengthen our Jewish community throughout greater Atlanta, Israel and the world. Atlanta's mayor, William B. Hartsfield, visited the site of the bombing and condemned it in no uncertain terms. :function(){return o.l.push([n,arguments])&&o}},t=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], A group in the Sephardi community founded their own synagogue, Ahavat Shalom, in 1910. Jocelyn Hunter is the Community Champion honoree in Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2023 Corporate Counsel Awards. 1889). Jewish Nevertheless, the Jewish population continued to grow in the decades following, going from 4,000 in 1910 to 12,000 in 1937, and accounting for a third of the city's foreign-born population in 1920. width: 50%; [2], In the early 20th century, about 150 Sephardi Jews immigrated to the city, many of whom came from Turkey and Rhodes. The mid-1940s to 1950s witnessed the beginning of Atlanta's coming of age as a center of southern Jewry. The Atlanta Jewish community grew tremendously during the last quarter of the twentieth century. It is with great sorrow to announce that Robert Neal Zweig, age 70, of Cumming, Ga., passed away unexpectedly on April 6, 2023. When Leb's delicatessen, a Jewish-owned business in Atlanta, was singled out by sit-in demonstrators during the early 1960s, it became a symbol of recalcitrance. Directory | Atlanta Jewish Connector Courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Sign up for our newsletters to find out whats happening, MACoM, Metro Atlanta Community Mikvah, Sandy Springs. Yet the, shattered the sense of security felt by Atlantas Jews, who were routinely excluded from the citys elite social clubs. In 1935, Rabbi Geffen issued a new responsa deeming Coca-Cola kosher, and also kosher for Passover as they had agreed to switch to using beet and cane sugar in the weeks before the holiday. It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Allan Irwin Scher Eliyahu ben Avraham Wolf, 80, who left this world surrounded by his Helen Moses Regenstein passed away peacefully at her home on 20 April, at the age of 104. It was not until the 1920s that support for Zionism began to grow in the community, although there were a few small, frequently inactive Zionist organizations that started years prior. [2], The Jewish Education Organization (JEA) is an example of cooperation between both groups of Jews. Global Connections with Robert Siegel: How Old is Too Old to Work and to Lead? In 1913 Frank, a Jew raised in New York, was accused of murdering Mary Phagan, an employee of the Atlanta pencil factory he managed. Jews have lived in Atlanta since its founding. Kyle Burney shares about his relationship with his mother, Kay Burney. This idea, however, was problematic as Rabbi Marx held very liberal Reform views, and was primarily representative only of the smaller but established and influential German Jewish community. Web18Doors empowers people in interfaith relationships individuals, couples, families and their childrento engage in Jewish life and make Jewish choices, and encourages Jewish } Many of Atlantas Jews participate in numerous programs to visit Israel. Your web browser does not support the