PROTECTING ASSETS IN MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

It is often said that the best defense is a good offense. No one wants to plan for divorce, and yet, the best way to protect your assets through a divorce is to begin preparing today. Whether you have been blessed with a large inheritance passed down for generations or are in the initial stages of accumulating a few personal items, there is no better time to plan than now.

Local College Student Spends Summer “Doing Good” in Poland

Most college students spend their summers working in entry level jobs or internships, hanging out at the beach or pool, or getting ahead by taking some classes. None of those things interested Eli Kirith. The rising sophomore at American University wanted to do something different, so he did the unexpected, he took his mom’s idea and ran with it. “I wanted to feel useful and productive doing something good to help people,” he says. His mom, Leslie Kirby who is the President of The Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, recently returned from a Federation sponsored mission trip to Poland filled with stories about the refugees feeling war-torn Ukraine. Many of the refugees are Jewish, but most are not. When Eli heard her stories his first response was, “Can we go?” And so, they hatched a plan.

JCRC Correction

Correction: In the August issue of The Observer, the JCRC column titled Am I Still a Citizen? was mistakenly labeled as an Opinion. In fact, the column written by Deborah Oleshansky, JCRC Director of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, represents the views of the entire JCRC and its leadership.

September Updates for JCRC

The recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, shifting access to reproductive health care to the control of state legislatures, has already caused fear, confusion, and heartache. JCRC has and will continue to provide educational programs to help us all understand and respond to the difficult situations that result from our state trigger law.

Nashville Jewish Community Welcomes New Shaliach: Omer Shabat

Disability and Inclusion Highlights

Nashville’s Jewish Community Bids Farewell to Noam Harari

Federation Staff Helps Educate Metro’s High School Teachers

Newcomers

Safe Investments in this Crazy Market

What a terrible first half of the year in the stock market. The S&P 500 closed out the first six months of the year down nearly 21%—the steepest first-half loss seen in more than 50 years. Some of the contributing factors include skyrocketing inflation, supply chain issues, the Federal Reserve increasing interest rates and the Ukraine war. While many investors are wondering what to do, the old adage remains, “buy low, sell high,” this is an opportunity to be buying!

Reflections from Partnership2Gether Trip to Israel by Local Teens

As previously reported, three Nashville area Jewish teens participated in The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Southeastern Consortium Hadera-Eiron Partnership2Gether trip to Israel. This was the first time the annual trip included teens from Nashville who spent a memorable two weeks touring and learning with their counterparts in Israel. Our local participants were: Noah Spigel, Benjamin Yazdian, and Jonah Hirt. Each one was asked to answer questions about their experiences, and to share their reflections. Below are their answers in their own words:

Local Teens Share Reflections from Partnership2Gether Trip to Israel

Kvetch in the City August 2022

The Observer Wins 2022 Simon Rockower Award

Jewish Federation Hires Financial Resources Development Director

Federation to Send Second Delegation on Mission to Poland

The Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee announces a second delegation of community members will make a journey to Poland. The group will leave on August 24th and, once again in partnership with the Warsaw and Krakow Jewish Community Centers, provide continuing humanitarian support and relief for Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion. The group will return on August 29th.  

Am I still a citizen?

On June 24, 2022, the National Council for Jewish Women (NCJW) issued the following statement: 

Newcomer Highlight- August 2022

Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade, What’s Next for Jews in Tennessee?

The United States Supreme Court made the unprecedented move in late June to take away the federal right to abortion granted 50 years ago in Roe v. Wade. In its majority opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Justice Samuel Alito said, “The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives…The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision.” The functional result of the Dobbs decision will be to place the legislation of abortion squarely in the hands of the states. And while some states will continue to keep abortion legal, others, including Tennessee, have trigger laws that will quickly make abortion illegal in any case. 

Letter For The Jewish Community Of Nashville

Three years ago, I left everything I knew and went on a plane to Nashville. Never imagined that I would stay here for 3 incredible years, meet the most amazing people, and have the most meaningful time of my life!