GEORGIA ON MY MIND

I had the privilege of attending the annual Association of Jewish Aging Services (AJAS) conference this past week in Atlanta, Georgia, with my colleague, Barbra Giles. The 2025 conference gathered over 300 attendees from the U.S. and Canada. We engaged in leadership roundtables, interviewed exhibitors, and met with sponsors. One of the highlights was meeting many Israeli entrepreneurs who shared their innovative ideas to support aging, especially through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

One memorable session, “Unlocking the Power of Legacy Giving,” provided an important reminder for those of us who include nonprofits in our estate plans: always notify the organizations so our gifts can be acknowledged while we are still here.

A keynote session that deeply resonated with me was “Becoming a Catalyst for Change,” in which teacher, mentor, and author, Erin Gruwell shared powerful stories from her book The Freedom Writers Diary, which was adapted into a 2007 Paramount Pictures film. She captivated us with personal anecdotes, book excerpts, and film clips, showing how she transformed the lives of 150 troubled teens from diverse backgrounds, broken homes, gang violence, and racial tension by using writing as a tool for change. Erin continues to travel worldwide on behalf of the Freedom Writers Foundation. When I shared with Erin that JSL residents had written a book titled Don’t Write Me Off…39 Stories of Older Adulthood, she embraced me with tears in her eyes and we plan to stay connected.

Erin shared, “The greatest lesson I learned was that we must have faith in people, even when they don’t believe in themselves.” Her role as a mentor went far beyond academics, she helped her students believe in themselves, which was crucial in their efforts to overcome personal challenges. And she also said, “Every student has a story, and every story matters.” This sentiment embodies the Freedom Writers movement, where every voice, no matter how broken or silenced by society, was valued and heard. Learn more at the Freedom Writers Foundation.

Rabbi Lauren Henderson from Atlanta Congregation Or Hadash shared the stage with a panel of AJAS members and led a discussion about how we can refine our character traits. We explored the essence of who we are and why, contemplating order, responsibility, passion/ zeal, alacrity, courage, generosity, bravery, boldness, flexibility, adaptability, love, kindness, connectedness, faith, equanimity, humility, patience, trust, truth and honor. How can we know and be our best selves?

One afternoon we traveled by motorcoach to Buckhead, Georgia’s Jewish HomeLife https://www.jewishhomelife.org/ for a site visit and tour, preceded by an inspirational cooking class with Chef Danny Courson of the Culinary Judaics Academy. Chef Danny prepared his fabulous Kosher for Passover Hummingbird Cake and then spoke to us about “Taking the Step.” He taught and reminded us of the Midrash about Nachshon’s bravery when the Israelites faced the Sea of Reeds. As the tribes hesitated, Nachshon, who couldn’t swim, took the first step into the waters, inspiring Moses to lift his staff as G-d commanded, parting the seas and saving all the Israelites. This was indeed a truly brave moment in Jewish history that we commemorate each year during Pesach.

We should implore ourselves to Take the Step. To perform Mitzvot. To believe in ourselves. As we prepare for our annual gluten free holiday, please enjoy some country music from Houston, Texas Jewish country musician, Joe Buchanan, who both participated in and entertained us during the three-day AJAS conference. I was fascinated by his conversion story, and I think you will be too. Learn more about Joe Buchanan.

Wishing you a sweet and happy Pesach.

Shabbat Shalom, Ya’ll!