Local Briefs: State Association Honors Massell
Local Briefs
State Association Honors Massell
Sam Massell, the only Jewish mayor in Atlanta’s history, was inducted into the Georgia Municipal Association’s Municipal Government Hall of Fame at the GMA’s annual convention June 29 in Savannah.
According to the association, the Hall of Fame honors municipal officials who exemplify public service and have made extraordinary contributions to their communities and Georgia’s cities.
Massell was inducted along with Ringgold Mayor Joe Barger and Barnesville City Manager Kenny Roberts.
Massell, who will turn 88 in August, is known as the “mayor of Buckhead” as the founding president of the Buckhead Coalition.
“Since leaving elective office a number of years ago, he has continued to demonstrate his appreciation of and respect for GMA,” GMA Executive Director Lamar Norton said in a statement. “Mayor Massell has also played a critical role in many significant quality-of-life and economic development initiatives that have benefited his city, his region and the entire state of Georgia.”
Massell served as Atlanta mayor from 1970 to 1974 after eight years on Atlanta’s executive committee and eight years as the vice mayor and president of the city’s Board of Aldermen. He also served on the Mountain Park City Council from 1950 to 1952 and was the president of the National League of Cities in 1971 and 1972.
His achievements as mayor included appointing the first woman to the City Council and the first African-Americans as department heads, launching MARTA, and building the Omni arena.
Schafer Starts at Sinai
Nationally known Jewish recording artist and songwriter Beth Schafer is the new Bunzl family cantorial chair at Temple Sinai and participated in her first Shabbat service Friday night, July 3.
Schafer comes to the Sandy Springs Reform congregation from Temple Shir Shalom in Oviedo, Fla. She has released seven CDs of original Jewish music, won the 2006 American Idol Underground Faith Based competition, has been a headliner at the past seven Union for Reform Judaism biennials, and wrote and directed a musical show at the 2013 URJ biennial to celebrate the centennial of Women of Reform Judaism.
Fuhr Full Time at AA
Ahavath Achim Synagogue has made its youth and young adult community director, Leah Fuhr, a full-time employee as of July 1. As a result, Fuhr has left her part-time position as a program manager with Limmud Atlanta + Southeast.
Taking her place with Limmud is Leslie Mallard, a Georgia native who moved to Atlanta a little more than a year ago after two decades in Austin, Texas. Mallard has been working as an administrative assistant at Young Israel of Toco Hills, whose executive director is prominent Limmudnik Eliana Leader.
New Youth Director for Kol Emeth
Temple Kol Emeth has hired a new youth and family director, Ezra Flom. He replaced Justin Blake, who moved out of town, on July 1.
For more than 10 years, Flom has led experiential Jewish learning for young and old. His experience includes teaching in Jewish day schools, leading hikes for retirees in the Negev, and teaching college classes in service learning, rock climbing, social media and marketing.
“I am very excited to join the TKE family. I have already been very warmly welcomed by staff, volunteers, and the youth and parents from the two retreats I staffed,” Flom said. “I find myself impatient to meet the rest of the wonderful community.”
CMI Marks 282nd Anniversary
July 11 was the 282nd anniversary of the arrival of the first Jews in Georgia: 42 settlers who were aboard the William and Sarah when it reached Savannah. They instantly made the population of the new colony one-third Jewish.
Savannah’s Congregation Mikve Israel, which dates its founding to the William and Sarah’s arrival, marked the occasion by reading from the Torah those settlers brought with them, which was written in Germany in the 15th century.
The congregation also celebrated the grand opening of its renovated Gutstein Museum, whose overhaul was finished in the spring. The museum and the sanctuary of the third-oldest congregation in the United States are open for docent-led tours weekdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.
Child Survivor Fund
Child survivors of the Holocaust are eligible for a one-time payment of 2,500 euros ($2,789) as a result of negotiations between the Claims Conference and the German government.
To be eligible, you must have been born after Jan. 1, 1928, and either been held in a concentration camp, a ghetto or a similar place of incarceration or hidden or lived under a false identity for at least six months in an Axis nation or Nazi-occupied territory.
The survivor must submit the application for a Child Survivor Fund claim, although a surviving spouse or child can collect the payment if the survivor dies after applying. If you have not received an application but think you are eligible, visit www.claimscon.org/childsurvivor to get an application.
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