News from Middle Tennessee's Jewish Community |
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
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.
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.
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.
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!
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:
Our firm, which practices Elder Law, is about so much more than planning for what happens to your “stuff.” We work to help our clients live their best lives.
The Williamson County Historical Society based in Franklin, TN, is asking you, readers of The Jewish Observer and the Greater Nashville Jewish community, to fill in missing details for an upcoming in-depth publication by author Ruth Lebovitz and County Historian, Rick Warwick. “The History of the Jewish Merchants of Franklin, TN mid-19th century to mid-20th century,” is a compilation of stories including more than two dozen merchants and their stores.
August in the Gordon JCC Galleries: Aaron Grayum, John Cranshaw, and Aaron Vucsko.
"He who saves one life is considered to have saved the entire world."
Writers of the Lost Ark will be holding a public showcase on Wednesday, August 3 at 7PM on Zoom. The event will feature songs, stories, prose, and poems about peace and renewal in preparation for the High Holy Days. Please look for the link on www.thetemplehub.org, and join us for this very special evening of creativity. In the meantime, enjoy this poem by WOTLA writer Ruth Thomas inspired by the upcoming showcase theme.
