News from Middle Tennessee's Jewish Community |
Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024
On any typical day, several calls come into the office at Chabad of Nashville, all with the same question:
Faith-based organizations are often among the first responders to help refugees fleeing their home during war and political upheaval, and the current crisis in Afghanistan is no exception. Perhaps it is because of the over 30 references in the Torah, also referred to as the Old Testament in Christian tradition, to “welcoming the stranger.” We Jews know only too well the pain, fear, and confusion of fleeing our homeland in search of a new more peaceful, secure, and hopeful future for ourselves and our children. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) which helped welcome, support and acculturate many of our ancestors, now has a religiously diverse staff and network working to resettle refuges of all faiths from around the globe.
The 2021 Nashville Jewish Film Festival began on October 14 and is continuing until November 11, so you still have time to watch entertaining, interesting, and informative films in the comfort of your own home.
A trickling stream, a birdwatching wall, and a stage filled with musical instruments are but a few of the dreamy features of the Revere Montessori Preschool’s new outdoor playscape. Created to take advantage of the existing playground and surrounding topography, the outdoor space beckons both children and teachers to go out and explore. Esther Tiechtel, the school’s Director, says attention was paid to even the smallest detail to encourage learning. “The goal was to create a natural setting that would help with gross motor skills and imaginative play. A concrete artist created a creek that winds downhill to watch the water flow, there are tiny blue stones that look like sea glass, everything was considered.”
The ongoing COVID19 pandemic means big changes for local Jewish day schools, and The Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee’s Human Services Relief Matching Fund is there to help. Resources from the fund are providing Akiva School and Jewish Middle School adapt to create safer, healthier learning environments for their students. Eric Stillman, CEO of The Jewish Federation, says, “Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee earned a matching gift from the Jewish Federations of North America’s Human Service Relief Matching Fund specifically to assist local Jewish organizations faced with extra costs because of the pandemic. When Akiva School and Jewish Middle School learned of the opportunity to apply for funding through our Federation, both schools were able to identify specifically those additional expenses which they are facing this academic year as a result of COVID. We are proud to partner with Akiva and JMS to help the schools provide a safe and meaningful learning environment for their students.”
The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan last summer came fast and furiously. Many Afghans fled or were evacuated immediately, leaving on overcrowded planes, buses, and trains. But hundreds of thousands remain in the country, including those who worked in cooperation with the United States Army, workers for Non-Governmental Organizations, and others targeted by the Taliban as enemies. According to Ross Margulies, associate with the Nashville office of Foley Hoag, LLP, the situation is dire. And Margulies and other attorneys around the country have banded together to help. “When this first happened, I felt overwhelmed and powerless. This is a horrible situation,” he says, “But as time went on, I realized that as an attorney, there is something I can do.”
