ESTHER DECEMBER 2022

It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement. I have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with every one of you through this column. I plan to travel, spend time with my family (especially my grandchildren), spend time in my kitchen perfecting the art of baking Challah, and make more Matzo Ball Soup to share with friends and family. I am hoping that Nashville will start an annual Matzo Ball Soup contest and I will be sure to return to enter my famous that would win the golden ladle.

Famed Nazi Hunter, Ephraim Zuroff is Still on the Hunt

Your Love Stories

This month, we are featuring Part 1 of Dr. Frank Boehm’s essay on love. For Frank, love is…well, it’s everything. To gain insights into how and why people fall in love and, more importantly, stay in love, he interviewed several couples. Each couple has its own unique story and perspective, but Frank learned some universal truths. In this first part, we share Frank’s thoughts on love, as well as his love story with his wife, Julie. Next month, we will present the others. And we are asking for you, dear reader in love, to share your love story with The Observer. Be brave, be vulnerable, and most of all, be loving. Send your submissions to Editor Barbara Dab at barbaradab@jewishnashville.org.

The Changing Climate at Vanderbilt Leaves Jewish Students Feeling Alienated

Early last month, Vanderbilt University made news when Vanderbilt Football’s defensive backs coach, Dan Jackson, posted to his Facebook page comments defending Ye’s, formerly known as Kanye West, antisemitic comments on Twitter. Jackson’s post was to his personal Facebook page but was captured by Stop Antisemitism, an organization that monitors and exposes antisemitism in the media. The post was reported in The Hustler, Vanderbilt University’s student newspaper, on November 4th. Later that evening, Jackson posted an apology on Twitter, taking “full responsibility.” The apology reads in part:

Vanderbilt Hillel partners with Gift of Life, Predators, Nashville Soccer

Community Listings - November

East Side Tribe:

Chabad to Host a Weekend of Inspiration

Learning and Spiritual Growth with Matisyahu

Why I Bought Roses for My Wife

Recently I bought roses for my wife. There was no particular anniversary or birthday, just a slightly stressful beginning to the week, and so I stopped in Trader Joe’s after a long day of not being home to get some flowers.

Tennessee Loves Children: New Initiative to Address Child Trauma

A local group of clergy and community members, growing alarmed by reports of increased gun violence, is taking action and is calling on the greater Nashville community to join the effort. Tennessee Loves Children (TLC), a new initiative focused on addressing the needs of children and other community members dealing with violence-related trauma, is kicking off on November 2 at Belmont University. The program centers around the book Children Under Fire: A National Crisis, by John Woodrow Cox, and will begin with a community session with the author.

Nashville Jewish Book Series Kicks Off

West End Synagogue to Celebrate Growing Membership

West End Synagogue has a reason to celebrate. The membership is growing. At the congregation’s Shabbat Service on Saturday, November 19, WES will honor new members and current members who have increased the synagogue’s family units to more than 400. Nashville’s population growth has fueled West End Synagogue’s growth, including several families with young children who have sought out the only Conservative Jewish congregation in Middle Tennessee.

November Galleries

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Carrie Mills

Writers of the Lost Ark November

Writers of the Lost Ark is made up of Temple members who love to write poems, prose, songs, and stories. The group meets once a month to discuss works in progress and get feedback, creative encouragement, and new ideas to write about. This month, members were given a choice of prompts to inspire them. WOTLA's Loretta Saff chose to incorporate in her work the line "What I Remember Most." Here's her poem!

Building Community, and Business, One Loaf at a Time

AKIVA AND JMS STUDENTS RECEIVE AWARDS AT CHEEKWOOD

In partnership with the Consulate General of Japan and the Japan American Society of Tennessee, Cheekwood Estate and Gardens hosted its 8th annual Otsukimi, a Japanese festival honoring the autumn moon. As part of the celebration of Japanese art and culture, Cheekwood hosted a haiku contest, spotlighting the traditional Japanese three-line poem. Haiku is written in a 5/7/5 syllable count, and often paints a vivid and expressive picture of nature. Students from across Middle Tennessee entered the contest, submitting their most creative and artistic works.

Reflections by Our Poland Mission Delegates

"Seeing is Believing" by Ned Jacobson

Dear Esther

Dear friends,

Retirement Tips

Welcome Back to Part TWO of my 10 Great Tips for a Successful Retirement. In the last issue of The Observer, I offered Part ONE, and I trust many of you have been practicing and are probably feeling steps ahead of those who didn’t read last month’s column! But, as a welcome to the newbies and as any good two-part episode on your favorite Netflix show does, let me review.

People of the Books

The Glass Plates of Lublin: Found Photographs of a Lost Jewish World.

Health and Wellness - WALTER

I want to share my experience of cooking with Walter. I received an email from a mother in South Florida who wondered if I could spend some time teaching online cooking skills to her 14-year-old son. We spent some time emailing back and forth, discussing her son, his incredible spirit and enthusiastic interest in cooking. Andrea proudly said, “The kid shines in the kitchen, in fact together we just made his little sister a double chocolate fudge birthday cake!”