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Memphis Jewish Federation’s 61st annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration will be held Monday, April 17, 2023, at 6:30 P.M. in the Memphis Jewish Community Center Belz Social Hall. Open to the entire community, advance registration is required and can be found at www.jcpmemphis.org/yomhashoah.

Dorothy Kelman Goldwin and Michelle Goldwin Kaufman, Co-Chairs of Federation’s Holocaust Memorial Committee, are honored to announce Tova Friedman as the keynote speaker. One of the youngest child survivors of Auschwitz, Tova is also author of a memoir, The Daughter of Auschwitz. Tova Friedman’s visit to Memphis is sponsored by the Tennessee Holocaust Commission.

“Getting to know Tova over the past few months has been a true blessing,” said Mrs. Goldwin. “She is a dynamic, bright, uplifting person who recognizes the responsibility she carries as one of the few living survivors of Auschwitz to keep telling her story to people around the world. We hope community members of all ages will come together to learn from and be inspired by her on April 17th.”  

Memphis Jewish Federation’s annual Yom HaShoah commemoration honors Holocaust survivors living among us, pays tribute to those we have lost, and transmits the legacy of the Holocaust to the next generation. This year’s program will include the traditional candle lighting ceremony by survivors and second and third generation, a musical reflection by Memphis Symphony Orchestra Assistant Principal First Violinist Diane Zelickman Cohen, the El Maleh Rachamim memorial prayer led by Baron Hirsch Congregation’s Cantor Ricky Kampf and psalms and Kaddish led by David Winestone, Shelby Baum, and Rebecca Gerber in memory of their father, Ted Winestone, of blessed memory.

Temple Israel’s Music and Cantorial Director, Emily Groff Heilborn and Music and Education Specialist, Carly Abramson, along with Temple teens, Sami Bray, Sarah Hochman and Hannah Moore will open the program with the national anthem. Cantor Aryeh Samberg and Rabbi Cantor David Julian of Or Chadash will close it with Hatikvah. The closing benediction will be offered by Rabbi Akiva Males of Young Israel of Memphis.

Tova Friedman is noted to be among one of the youngest people to survive the Holocaust. Born in 1938,  she was one of 5000 Jewish children living in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland, before World War II. Living in her town’s ghetto as a toddler, she was only five years of age when she and her parents were sent to a Nazi labor camp, and almost six when she and her mother were forced into a packed cattle truck and sent to Auschwitz II, also known as Birkenau extermination camp, while her father was sent to Dachau.

Tova and her mother were liberated from Birkenau on January 27, 1945. Her father survived Dachau and was reunited with Tova and her mother the following year. Tova was just one of five children from Tomaszow Mazowiecki to return. More than 150 members of her family were murdered.

After spending several years in a German sanatorium for tuberculosis and Displaced Persons camps, Tova and her parents arrived in the U.S. when she was twelve years old. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Brooklyn College and a Master of Arts in Black Literature from City College of New York. Tova and her husband Maier Friedman immigrated to Israel and lived there for over ten years where she taught at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. After returning to the U.S., she earned her master’s degree in social work from Rutgers University. She became the director of Jewish Family Service of Somerset and Warren Counties in NJ for over twenty years where she still works as a therapist. Tova has four children and eight grandchildren.

Tova last traveled back to Auschwitz for the 75th anniversary of its liberation in January 2020, where she met award-winning PBS foreign correspondent Malcolm Brabant. She wrote her memoir, The Daughter of Auschwitz, with Malcolm Brabant, which is available at Novel bookstore.

The annual Yom HaShoah observance is coordinated and hosted by Memphis Jewish Federation’s Holocaust Memorial Committee. It is supported by Baron Hirsch Congregation, Beth Sholom Synagogue, Chabad Lubavitch of TN, Facing History & Ourselves, Memphis Jewish Community Center, Or Chadash Conservative Synagogue, Temple Israel, and Young Israel of Memphis.

“We are so fortunate to welcome Tova as our speaker this year,” said co-chair Michelle Goldwin Kaufman. “Especially for our youth who are growing up in a time of increased antisemitism, we hope that hearing directly from a survivor about the realities of the Holocaust and the importance of maintaining our identity as Jewish people during times of existential threat will serve as a call to action.” For more information about the program, please contact Lorraine Wolf at Memphis Jewish Federation 901.767.7100 or at lwolf@jcpmemphis.org.

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Pictured Below: Dorothy Goldwin (L) Michelle Goldwin Kaufman (R)

Memphis Jewish Federation has announced that the mother-daughter team of Dorothy Goldwin and Michelle Goldwin Kaufman will chair its 61st Annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration, taking place this year on Monday, April 17 at 6:30 P.M. in the Belz Social Hall of the Memphis Jewish Community Center.

Dorothy is the daughter of Holocaust survivors Mayer and Paula Kelman, of blessed memory.

No stranger to the planning of Yom HaShoah, Dorothy has been an active member of Federation’s Holocaust Memorial Committee for decades including serving as chair of Yom HaShoah and as co-chair with her brother, Marty Kelman, in 2013 and 2014.

Dorothy is married to Dr. Robert Goldwin and has two daughters, Michelle Goldwin Kaufman, and Cara Goldwin Munekata along with four grandchildren, Max, Nora, Molly, and Parker. Dorothy is currently on the board of Kavod-Ensuring Dignity for Holocaust Survivors and a past board member of Plough Towers and Bornblum Jewish Community School. Dorothy frequently visits West Clinic with her therapy dog, Leo. “Serving as co- chair with my daughter Michelle is an honor and privilege,” said Dorothy. My mom and dad would be so proud knowing their legacy is being remembered. I have always felt so strongly about the need ‘To Remember’ and will always work to ensure that the memory of my family and the six million Jews who perished will be kept alive.”

Michelle moved back to Memphis in 2020 with her husband, Jay Kaufman, and two children, Max and Nora. A clinical psychologist, Michelle is an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis and sees therapy clients in private practice. In 2021, Michelle joined the newly formed Education subcommittee of Federation’s Holocaust Memorial Committee in order to help provide Holocaust education in the broader Memphis community. “I can remember watching my mom and uncle co-chair when I was a child, and I’m so honored to now be serving as a co-chair for this important program,” said Michelle.  

“We are thankful for Dorothy and Michelle’s leadership,” said Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein, Executive Vice President of Memphis Jewish Federation. “They are inspiring role models for their commitment to preserving the legacy of the Holocaust in our community.”

The Holocaust Memorial Committee has selected Tova Friedman to be this year’s keynote speaker. Tova is one of the youngest child survivors of Auschwitz and was liberated with her mother at the age of six.

Tova recently co-authored The Daughter of Auschwitz, a powerful memoir telling her story of living and surviving the notorious death camp.

“I had the privilege of meeting many survivors when I was a child and hearing their stories directly,” noted Michelle. I am excited for our youth to have the opportunity to hear a Holocaust survivor speak in-person, an opportunity that cannot be taken for granted as time passes.

“We know that Tova will educate and inspire attendees of all ages with her resilience and her commitment to ‘Never Forget.’”

A moving and inspiring book about courage and hope, The Daughter of Auschwitz is on special display and available for purchase at Novel bookstore, 387 Perkins Extended.

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A sold-out crowd of 256 Memphis Jewish women (and a few men) gathered on Tuesday, January 10 to support Memphis Jewish Federation’s annual campaign and celebrate Women of Strength Ricki Krupp and Alla Olswanger Lubin. 

The event was a showcase of Women of Strength through a Federation lens, featuring second-generation jeweler, third-generation Holocaust survivor, mother of four, and Brooklyn-based entrepreneur Freida Rothman as keynote speaker, and a touching spotlight on local Women of Strength Ricki Krupp and Alla Olswanger-Lubin. It was a celebration of Jewish philanthropy with women of every age represented and every segment of our Jewish community present, followed by an exclusive shopping opportunity with sales of Freida’s jewelry a portion of which will support Federation’s Annual Community Campaign.

“With the new year just beginning, we think about gratitude, about lessons we’ve learned. Personally, I have reflected on this amazing community I moved to five years ago, the friends and relationships I’ve built, and the great experiences my children and family have been lucky to have in this community,” said Jaclyn Marshall, who along with Debbie Rosenthal, Jody Shutzberg, and Jessica Sukholdolsky served as a co-chair of the event. 

“Look around this room,” she continued. “It’s because of women like you and your support of Federation that our community continues to thrive, and that we’re able to meet every need in our community.”

The narrative of women-driven impact threaded through the whole event, from the very name of the program all the way down to the signs identifying each guest’s table, which flashed words like ‘dependable’ and ‘tenacious.’  Beth Shalom synagogue’s Rabbi Sarit Horwitz led the group in Hamotzi and spoke about women’s roles at the vanguard of community activism. Through a web-based platform, guests contributed to a colorful word cloud, adding adjectives and nouns to a growing cluster of terms like ‘volunteering’ and ‘tzedakah’ that will become a permanent art piece in the Federation offices.

“Our Federation exists to fulfill two main purposes; to maintain a strong, cohesive local infrastructure which in turn ensures the continuity and wellbeing of the community, and to support Jews in need all over the world,” said Federation Past President Laurie Cooper, who introduced honorees Ricki Krupp and Alla Olswanger-Lubin.

“Ricki Krupp and her fantastic Ricki’s Cookie Corner & Bakery provide a constant presence that we all rely on,” said Laurie. “With her challah, Ricki is helping establish and maintain Jewish rituals and the Torah values of observing Shabbat and holidays at our family tables for all Jewish families, be they Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox. Not only does she enhance Jewish life in Memphis, she has also put us on the Jewish food map by shipping to customers all across the country.”

“When I moved back to Memphis many years ago, I kept hearing about this incredible woman who had moved here in my absence, Alla Olswanger-Lubin,” Laurie continued. “She had to hide her Jewish identity as a child in Ukraine, but today in Memphis, her children and grandchildren walk freely, and proudly say that they are Jewish, which means everything to her. (Because Federation supported her move to Memphis), Alla made a conscious decision to give back to the system that helped her establish a wonderful Jewish life in Memphis.”

After brief remarks touching on Federation’s ability to zoom out for big-picture snapshots of urgent community need and respond with comprehensive strategy, Campaign Director Judy Lansky introduced Elisheva Massel, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), one of Federation’s key global allies in its work.

“All of you have literally enabled miracles this year and over many, many years,” Elisheva said after a short video documenting JDCs ongoing work in war-torn Ukraine. “For the past 30 years, JDC has been working in this region, together with Federation, focusing on saving Jewish lives and building Jewish life. The infrastructure we’ve built there has allowed us to act quickly and effectively in times of crisis, and this is due in no small part to each and every one of you.”

For the keynote program of the afternoon, Jaclyn Marshall again came to the stage to welcome guest speaker Freida Rothman who she described as “an incredible woman, known internationally as a jewelry designer who channels her passion, strength, and resolve inherited from four Holocaust survivor grandparents into her iconic work.”

Responding to questions, Freida discussed her leap-of-faith in launching her Jewelry brand with inspiration coming from her beloved borough of Brooklyn.  She has used her jewelry brand, now carried in high-end retail stores such as Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, to empower her teenage daughters to find their own professional and philanthropic path, and to preserve her family’s Holocaust stories for the betterment of society.

“When I introduce myself, I almost always feel compelled to include that dark history in my identity,” said Freida. “’Hi. I’m Freida Rothman, jewelry designer and granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors.’ I feel compelled to speak truth to their stories at every opportunity, to do my part to ensure history never repeats itself.”

Wrapping her segment, Freida challenged the women of Jewish Memphis to be conscious and intentional in their acts of tzedakah and community-building. She emphasized the role women have in activating their family’s philanthropy in a way that suits the unique realities of any given family at any given point in time.

To close the program, Laura Linder, President & CEO of Jewish Community Partners, which manages Memphis Jewish Federation, thanked the speakers, award winners, attendees, and those who couldn’t attend but do their part to sustain this community.

“Here today are 256 women who individually and as part of their families contribute more than $1.5 million to Federation’s Annual Community Campaign, each and every year. Your gifts, as you’ve heard this afternoon, do so much for so many,” said Laura. “Together, our impact is astounding. I hope you leave this event having a deeper appreciation for the special community we live in, and a renewed commitment to doing your part to make it even stronger.”

Jaclyn Marshall, Debbie Rosenthal, Jody Shutzberg, and Jessica Sukohldolsky Co-Chaired the event. The Host Committee included Maureen Baum, Suzanne Baum, Marion Bessoff, Ellee Breit, Jill Buring, Hallie Charney, Bari Eiseman, Jackie Evans, Janis Finan, Karen Franklin, Marlene Gerson, Shayna Giles, Myrna Halpern, Elana Kahane, Karen Karmel, Justin Katz, Lisa Kaufman, Karen Koplon, Barb Lansky, Danielle Lazarov, Debbie B. Lazarov, Emily Lennon, Aviva Lewis, Betsy Libby, Sharon Lubin, Lisa Menuskin, Lindsey Reef, Shelley Robbins, Hillary Samuels, Sophie Samuels, Stacy Siegler, Lisa Silver, Audrey Siskind, Jill Steinberg, and Kathy Wexler.

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By Shoshana Cenker

A native Memphian has returned to her roots in the community she loves. Laura Kaplan Paller is Jewish Community Partner’s (JCP) new VP of Finance & Operations, the role she began this past October.

“I oversee the day-to-day operational and financial management of JCP,” she explained.

After graduating with a business degree in risk management and insurance from the University of Georgia, Laura lived and worked in New York City for Marsh and McLennan. The next step in her career took her to Birmingham, Alabama, where she served as regional director of operations for an optometry group.

But Memphis came calling, literally. When a recruiter reached out about a position in Memphis, Laura’s father Michael encouraged her to consider. When Laura was offered the role of Director of Operations for University Clinical Health, she once again became a Memphian, this time by choice. During her five years in that position, she began thinking more and more about deepening her connections in the Jewish community. A spontaneous phone call to Laura Linder, JCP’s President & CEO paved the way to the start of her career as a Jewish professional in her hometown. Jewish Community Partners is the managing organization of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis and Memphis Jewish Federation.

“I’m a founding member of Memphis B’nai Tzedek, the Jewish Foundation of Memphis Teen Philanthropy Program, and I’ve been on Foundation’s board since 2020 as a representative for Anshei Sphard-Beth El Emeth,” Kaplan Paller said. “I had sworn I would never move back, but I love this community. Jewish Memphis has such unique qualities for a community our size. Coming to JCP feels like home, like a warm hug.”

Laura’s role consists of managing all shared resources — think finance, HR, marketing, technology, facilities, investments, compliance, and risk management.

“We are so thrilled that Laura has joined our team as Vice President of Finance & Operations. She brings incredible management and operations experience, but most importantly, she is deeply committed to our Jewish community and passionate about our work,” said Linder. “My personal relationship with her goes back decades to when she was a student in B’nai Tzedek. I’d like to think those early years of engagement in philanthropy had an impact on her career choice.”

 “I want my kids to grow up with same feeling of community — all the support they’ll ever a need, because people always step up here — and I want to be part of that, too,” Laura said. Married in 2019 to Jeffrey Paller, the happy couple has two children — Sadie is 2½ years old and Emma is 8 months. “My parents have been so involved in the Jewish community, it’s ingrained in us. It’s amazing to have the opportunity to continue the legacy my parents have shown for community involvement.”

“Laura’s previous work experience and insight as a former board member of Jewish Foundation of Memphis are great assets for our organizations and made her the right person for this position,” said Cindy Finestone, Chair of Memphis Jewish Federation. “She clearly understands our organizations, opportunities, and challenges, and I’m excited for her to be part of our professional staff. I also loved the fact that she was an alumni advisor of Foundation’s B’nai Tzedek Teen Philanthropy program.” 

“I’m very excited about the addition of Laura to the team,” said Jason Salomon, Jewish Foundation of Memphis Board Chair. “Her professional experience and passion for our Jewish community make her a perfect fit for JCP. I look forward to seeing her role grow in the organization. Additionally, with two Laura’s in the boardroom, I’d like to be the first to publicly lobby for the nickname ‘LP’!”

Laura can be reached at: lkaplan@jcpmemphis.org or 901.767.7119.

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Memphis Jewish Federation has announced its fourteenth annual Holocaust Art and Essay Competition for Mid-South and Tennessee students in grades 6-12.

This year’s contest theme is Courage and Hope: The Holocaust Through the Eyes of a Child. Middle school students in grades 6-8 are invited to submit artwork, and high school students in grades 9-12 are invited to submit essays. Cash prizes for the top winners are made possible by the Kaethe Mela Family Memorial Fund of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis.

Students are invited to consider how children use courage and hope during the horror? How did children survive in hiding and in camps? How were children affected by their loss of education and childhood? How did children resist? Could a child’s imagination take them to a beautiful place and away from the harsh reality of living through the Holocaust?

“This annual competition serves to raise awareness of the Holocaust in both the Jewish and broader communities,” said Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein, Executive Vice President of Memphis Jewish Federation. “In our current era of rising antisemitism and rampant unfamiliarity with the Holocaust in the general community, this contest is sorely needed.”

As in previous years, all artwork entered into the competition will be displayed in the lobby of the Memphis Jewish Community Center.

Contest winners will be recognized at the 61st Annual Yom HaShoah Community Commemoration on Monday, April 17, 2023, featuring Tova Friedman. Tova is one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz, author of The Daughter of Auschwitz, and featured in many Tik Toks known as Tova Toks telling her story.

The first-place winning essay will be published in the program booklet and the first-place winning artwork will adorn the cover of the program booklet. The winning essay will also be published in The Hebrew Watchman and this blog, and shared on social media.

All entries will be judged according to the following criteria: creativity, passion, and relevance to the topic. Full guidelines and resources for entrants are available here and should be carefully reviewed before submission.

Students should email their essays to HolocaustEssayMJF@gmail.com.  Artwork should be dropped off at the Memphis Jewish Federation following the published guidelines including photo of artwork and attachment emailed to HolocaustArtContest@gmail.com. All entries are due by the close of business on Monday, March 6, 2023. Please include entrants’ name, grade, school, and contact information.

For more information, please contact Lorraine Wolf at lwolf@jcpmemphis.org.

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On Tuesday, January 10, 2023 the women of Jewish Memphis are invited to support Federation’s annual campaign and celebrate Women of Strength at a luncheon and VIP shopping experience. Ricki Krupp and Alla Olswanger-Lubin, two Memphis women who have each made a significant impact in our Jewish community, will be honored during the Impact Luncheon. Second generation jeweler, mother of four, and entrepreneur Freida Rothman will keynote the event.

“Both of these dynamic women have made this community richer in countless ways.  In simple terms, Ricki has nourished our bodies and Alla has nourished our hearts,” said Federation board chair Cindy Finestone who, along with event co-chairs Jaclyn Marshall, Debbie Rosenthal, Jody Shutzberg, and Jessica Baum Sukhodolsky, is part of the leadership team planning this exciting event. “Ricki is part of every family simcha in our Jewish community.  It doesn’t matter where you affiliate, every Jewish family values and savors Ricki’s challah and desserts! And Alla is known by everyone for her warmth, her smile and her incredible dedication to so many organizations.  She has spent her adult life dedicated to our Jewish community – including being a critical resource for Fogelman JFS when dozens of families from the FSU were resettled in the early 1990’s.  Now, most nights, she’s at a board meeting or volunteering by making calls for Federation’s campaign.  Everyone agrees that she is an incredible leader and advocate for Jews worldwide.”

The event will be held at 11:30 A.M., Tuesday January 10 in the Memphis Jewish Community Center’s Belz Social Hall. There is a $50 couvert, with attendance open to anyone whose household has pledged or commits to pledge $180 or more to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Annual Community Campaign. At the time of this writing, more than 130 tickets had been sold, with orders coming in consistently. Those who wish to attend are encouraged to act fast. Visit our website to learn more and buy tickets.  

“The Memphis Jewish community means everything to me, and every day I open the bakery, I feel honored to have my own special role to play here,” said Ricki Krupp, whose Ricki’s Cookie Corner & Bakery has been providing kosher challahs, pizzas, cakes, cookies, and, of course, chipsticks to the city’s Jewish households and beyond since 1980, and from her brick-and-mortar location at Eastgate Shopping Center since 2000. “I think of everyone who comes through our doors as a friend. I’m deeply touched to be honored at this event and look forward to seeing that big room filled with other women of strength.”

“Growing up in Kyiv, Ukraine, my parents always told me not to tell anybody I was Jewish. Every single day we worried about antisemitism and violence. I stood out like a sore thumb with my darker complexion, dark hair, and the dark eyes, but I never really talked about that,” said Alla Olswanger-Lubin, a prominent lay leader and philanthropist whose leadership and generosity has touched almost every corner of the community that first allowed her to live a richly Jewish life.

“What an incredible life I’ve found here,” she said. “I’m so very grateful that I can’t help but give back in any way I can think of. I just love, love, love helping people. It’s because I have always believed in treating people the way I want to be treated. Life is too short not to.”

Event attendees will also hear Freida Rothman’s amazing story, in part inspired by the legacy of four Holocaust survivor grandparents. Immediately following the event, those in attendance can participate in an exclusive shopping opportunity offering the latest inspired designs from Freida’s collection. 10% of each sale will benefit Federation’s Annual Campaign. 

“Our annual campaign is so critical to ensuring a vibrant Jewish community,” said Laura Linder, President & CEO of Jewish Community Partners, which manages Memphis Jewish Federation. “This event will bring together hundreds of women from every corner of our Jewish community to celebrate Alla and Ricki and to raise critical funds for Jewish needs here in Memphis, in Israel, and around the world.  We’re also excited that Elisheva Massel, Director, Strategic Partnerships at the Joint Distribution Committee, will be joining us to share stories of the impact of our gifts in supporting families across the world.” Under the leadership of the event co-chairs, a host committee representing every corner and age demographic of our community has assisted in planning the details of the event as well as recruitment.  The committee includes Maureen Baum, Suzanne Baum, Marion Bessoff, Ellee Breit, Jill Buring, Hallie Charney, Bari Eiseman, Jackie Evans, Janis Finan, Karen Franklin, Marlene Gerson, Shayna Giles, Margo Gruen, Myrna Halpern, Elana Kahane, Karen Karmel, Justin Katz, Lisa Kaufman, Karen Koplon, Barb Lansky, Danielle Lazarov, Debbie B. Lazarov, Emily Lennon, Danielle Levine, Aviva Lewis, Betsy Libby, Sharon Lubin, Lisa Menuskin, Lindsey Reef, Shelley Robbins, Hillary Samuels, Sophie Samuels, Stacy Siegler, Lisa Silver, Audrey Siskind, Jill Steinberg, and Kathy Wexler.

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On Tuesday, January 10, 2023 women from across the Memphis Jewish community will join to support Memphis Jewish Federation’s 2023 Annual Community Campaign and celebrate Women of Strength at a luncheon and VIP shopping experience. Second generation jeweler, mother of four, and entrepreneur Freida Rothman will keynote the event, which will also honor two Memphis women who have made a significant impact in our Jewish community, Ricki Krupp and Alla Olswanger-Lubin.

Tickets are on sale now and going fast. Get yours today.

“Federation plays such an important role in our community,” said board chair Cindy Finestone who, along with event co-chairs Jaclyn Marshall, Debbie Rosenthal, Jody Shutzberg, and Jessica Baum Sukhodolsky, is part of the leadership team planning this exciting event. “We are expecting more than 200 women to attend the event, all of whom will be asked to support the critical needs of our local and global Jewish communities.”

According to Finestone, Federation’s Annual Campaign is doubling down on its support of several critical issues impacting Jewish families including the war in Ukraine, rising antisemitism and teen mental wellness. 

“Campaign pledges made at the luncheon will support Federation’s efforts in all of these areas, plus ensure we can continue to support our infrastructure of local and overseas organizations.  We are especially excited that Elisheva Massel, Director, Strategic Partnerships at the Joint Distribution Committee will be joining us to share stories of the impact of our gifts in supporting families across the world,” she said.

In addition to inspired messages about the impact of our philanthropy, event attendees will hear the amazing story of Freida Rothman, a born-and-raised Brooklynite, whose messages focus on empowering women to believe that through positivity and optimism you can conquer any challenge. Inspired by the legacy of four grandparents-all Holocaust survivors- Freida’s stories match her exquisite jewelry with their ability to honor strength, hope, and resiliency. Immediately following the event, those in attendance can participate in an exclusive shopping opportunity offering the latest inspired designs from Freida’s collection. 10% of each sale will benefit Federation’s Annual Campaign. 

“Our inaugural Women’s Impact event was the last Federation program before the pandemic shut everything down,” said Laura Linder, President & CEO of Jewish Community Partners. “I’m beyond thrilled that we can now continue what we started in 2020 with this program and these distinctly dynamic women. Freida, Ricki, Alla, and Elisheva each embody powerful womanhood in different ways, and bringing them together for this event in support of Federation’s Annual Community Campaign strikes the perfect balance of heart and impact.”

Under the leadership of the event co-chairs, a host committee representing every corner and age demographic of our community has assisted in planning the details of the event as well as recruitment.  The committee includes Maureen Baum, Suzanne Baum, Marion Bessoff, Ellee Breit, Jill Buring, Hallie Charney, Bari Eiseman, Jackie Evans, Janis Finan, Karen Franklin, Marlene Gerson, Shayna Giles, Margo Gruen, Myrna Halpern, Elana Kahane, Karen Karmel, Justin Katz, Lisa Kaufman, Karen Koplon, Barb Lansky, Danielle Lazarov, Debbie B. Lazarov, Emily Lennon, Danielle Levine, Aviva Lewis, Betsy Libby, Sharon Lubin, Lisa Menuskin, Lindsey Reef, Shelley Robbins, Hillary Samuels, Sophie Samuels, Stacy Siegler, Lisa Silver, Audrey Siskind, Jill Steinberg, and Kathy Wexler.

The event will be held at 11:30 A.M., Tuesday January 10 in the Memphis Jewish Community Center’s Belz Social Hall. There is a $50 couvert, with attendance open to anyone whose household has pledged or commits to pledge $180 or more to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Annual Community Campaign. Tickets are on sale and expected to go fast. Click here to buy tickets.  

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“A part of me was now in Israel, and always will be. My summer in Israel will forever hold a special place in my heart,” said Memphis Jewish Federation Teen Israel Experience grant recipient Chloe Bullard upon her return from an amazing summer adventure. “I am truly thankful that I had these incredible experiences, and I will remember and look back at them for the rest of my life.”

With Memphis Jewish Federation’s announcement of the opening of the Teen Israel Experience Grant application period for the summer of 2023, experiences like Chloe’s are right around the corner for rising high school juniors and seniors and post-high school young adults in Jewish Memphis. Visit our website to learn more and begin the application process.

Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund, established through the generosity of the late Abe Lemsky, of blessed memory, enables Federation to strengthen the bonds between the Memphis Jewish community and Israel. Through Teen Israel Experience grants for high school students and Next Stop Israel grants for young adults, the Lemsky Endowment Fund connects young people to immersive Israel experiences. Data show that 100% of Teen Israel/Next Stop participants surveyed reported that Israel is more important to them now than it was before the trip. Interestingly, 93% of parents surveyed said that they themselves felt a greater desire to engage in Judaism because of their child’s trip.

“Before going on (my trip), I thought I had a strong Jewish identity, but not surprisingly, going to Israel made it even more clear,” said teen traveler Mandy Cassius. “It got stronger because of the people I was with like my new friends, my amazing advisors, and my trip family, which were my friends, advisors, and Israeli cousins.”

All rising high school juniors and seniors in the Memphis Jewish community are eligible for grants up to $3,000 to attend a recognized teen summer or semester program in Israel, while young adults age 32 and younger are eligible for up to $4,000 in funding to participate in a recognized gap year, summer, or semester program in Israel. Grant funding is counted cumulatively – a teen who accepts a $3,000 grant to participate in an Israel program during high school will be eligible for a maximum $1,000 grant for an Israel program at the post high school level. Funding may be applied to program cost only, not to airfare or other expenses. A limited number of additional needs-based programs are also available. Applicant and parent responsibilities are outlined in the grant applications.

During the summers of 2021 and 2022, Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided forty-three teens with grants to help offset the cost of Teen Israel Experience Summer programs in Israel. Nine young adults have participated in the Next Stop Israel from 2021-2022 and eight young adults are currently in Israel participating in programs from 2022-2023.

“The first time we went (to the Kotel), I was blindfolded and led to a balcony to take in the sight for the first time; it was truly breathtaking. After my whole life of wanting to be in Israel, wanting to be at the Kotel, I was finally there,” said Nadav Weiss. “When visiting the Kotel for the first time it is customary to rip your shirt and I still have the ripped shirt because looking at it makes me want to go back.”

Applications for both programs are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information, contact Jewish Community Partners Manager of Community Impact Lorraine Wolf at lwolf@jcpmemphis.org. Jewish Community Partners is the management organization of Memphis Jewish Federation and the Jewish Foundation of Memphis.

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This time of year, the Jewish High Holidays inspire us to take stock of our good works over the past 12 months. By all measures this year has been extraordinary, with events that the world and we the Jewish people witnessed, some with shock and utter sadness, and others with joy and optimism. We are proud that our North American Jewish community has responded with generosity and loving kindness.

Conflict in Ukraine

Seven months ago, Russia invaded Ukraine and dragged the whole region into conflict and chaos. Federation communities and donors swiftly and compassionately reached into their pockets to give. Our system has raised more than $74.5 million to date and delivered support to more than 80 organizations doing lifesaving work on the ground, foremost among them Federation’s historic overseas partners, the Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC, and World ORT.

Through Jewish Federations of North America’s (JFNA) partners, Jewish Federations were there to help fleeing refugees as they crossed the border, providing them with food, shelter, medical aid, trauma care, and more. This urgent and timely response was possible because of the work we do day in and day out – thanks to Federation communities and your generous annual donors.

Thanks to Federation support, JFNA has been able to help refugees take the next steps toward resettlement, whether in Europe or North America; and if they were eligible to resettle in Israel, they helped them make Aliyah. They sent 91 Ukrainian and Russian-speaking professionals who rushed to volunteer and provided invaluable aid in countless ways, helping more than 35,000 refugees in Poland and Hungary. In addition to millions allocated by individual Jewish Federations, the JFNA system was able to deliver this help through more than $30 million in collective allocations. A representative committee of lay leaders from across our Federation system has diligently reviewed proposals, heard multiple briefings from experts and those on the ground, and made difficult decisions on how to best steward our communities’ precious dollars. Their work and the impact of Federations’ collective emergency support have been assessed and publicized in this ongoing series.

Until a short while ago, the mandate of the Committee was clear: to meet immediate urgent needs, secure individuals under immediate threat, expedite Aliyah and aid resettlement, and secure Jewish communal facilities and infrastructure as much as possible. With the crisis stabilizing for many, and with our partners able to draw tighter budget projections, JFNA is now looking further out on the horizon, past the end of 2022. New requests are shifting from urgent needs to ongoing ones, including those addressing the broader impact of the conflict in Ukraine across the region, most notably in Russia, where concerns over the health and well-being of the Jewish community are rising. Internal unrest in Russia following the call to conscript 300,000 men could see things shift yet again.

Since the conflict began, JFNA has proven ready to review and change direction as events demand. Now, they are rapidly reassessing the situation to determine whether a course adjustment is needed.

Aliyah from Ethiopia

Over the last seven months, Federations have also worked through JFNA to support a new wave of Aliyah from Ethiopia. Flights resumed on June 1, 2022 and Federation leaders, together with The Jewish Agency, flew with the first 180 Ethiopian olim to their new home in Israel. Earlier this month, another 60 Federation leaders accompanied over 200 more new olim on their flight to Israel. You can watch the moving arrival ceremony here and see history in the making!

For the first time in many years, there are currently more than 6,000 Ethiopian olim being supported in absorption centers as they start new lives in Israel. Each has an amazing story that instills in us hope and pride. JFNA is committed to raising $9 million this year to support Ethiopians making Aliyah, as well as those continuing to wait in Ethiopia.

Hurricane Ian

Jewish Federations of North America have been in constant touch with eight Federations in Central and North Florida, as well as those in Georgia and the Carolinas, to assess their needs in the aftermath of the storm. Unfortunately, the communities of Naples and Lee & Charlotte Counties sustained significant damage and face an extremely long road to recovery. Many members of the Jewish community lost everything – homes, cars, and life-long possessions. It is still not clear how many people have been evacuated.

In response to the devastation, Jewish Federations of North America’s Emergency Committee approved an initial allocation of $225,000 for immediate humanitarian relief for the communities hardest hit by Hurricane Ian’s devastating path.

The funds will be distributed to local Federations and Jewish Family Services for food, clothing and shelter; expert assessment on the community needs and effective deployment of volunteers; and support for kosher food.

You can donate to the Hurricane Ian fund here.

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Memphis Jewish Federation is excited to announce the hiring of Jeri Moskovitz as Israel@75 Coordinator to lead its upcoming, months-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of Israel’s independence.

Within the September 2022 – June 2023 window, Jeri will collaborate with Memphis Jewish organizations, synagogues, schools, and the greater Memphis community to coordinate and market Israel programming showcasing Israel’s historic achievements and dynamic and diverse society.

Growing up in the small Jewish community of Augusta, Georgia, Jeri’s parents helped instill their love of Israel in Jeri by sending her to Israel when she was 15 years old on a BBYO-sponsored trip. Years later, she visited Israel on a Memphis Jewish Federation Mission trip in 2008. To this day, she is fascinated by this small country’s achievements in science and technology, education, music, cuisine, and so much more.

In her new role, Jeri will conceive and launch meaningful Israel-centric events and initiatives throughout the nine-month celebration. She’ll work with Federation staff, lay leaders, agency professionals and community members to design exciting and innovative social, cultural, and educational programs that energize relationships with Israel across our community. The celebration will culminate with a show-stopper signature event for the community-wide celebration of Israel, a project that plays to her unique skill set. She will also collaborate with Memphis’ partner city of Shoham, to create a joint project to mark this critical milestone.

“My husband Mitch will tell you that my mind is always ON,” said Jeri. “I am constantly coming up with new ideas and creative programming for the organizations with whom I work. I am excited that this opportunity became available, to allow me to do something that I already have been doing for years in my committee work throughout the community. I appreciate bringing events to fruition and seeing people enjoy being together around a common cause.”

A perfect fit for the new role, Jeri has experience working for the Memphis Jewish community as a volunteer and leader, and she has a deep resume in community event planning and execution. She has served on Memphis Jewish Federation’s Board and Community Grants Committee, while also contributing to various committees and subordinate boards along the way. She is currently on the Executive Board of Bornblum Jewish Day School and is the incoming President of the Memphis Jewish Home and Rehab. She’s also been involved as a volunteer in city government, working on Mayor Jim Strickland’s first campaign and now serving on the Downtown Memphis Commission’s Center City Revenue Finance Corporation.

“I feel a strong connection through the convergence of my interests and my passion for event planning. Some of my favorite events that I helped plan were Federation’s Chopped cooking competition event in 2014, Bornblum’s (then Solomon Schechter) memorable Dancing with the Stars, and Jewish Family Service’s This is Where I Leave You Movie Night fundraiser before the organization bore the Fogelman name. I also love continuing to plan the successful Morris and Mollye Fogelman International Jewish Film Festival annually,” said Jeri.

“We are thrilled that Jeri will be leading our banner Israel@75 celebration” said Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein, Executive Vice President of Memphis Jewish Federation. “Her passion, energy, and creativity will surely enhance our community’s efforts to mark this significant milestone in history and Jewish life.”

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