???? The Honeymooners

AJFF’s packed house

Feb. 19 (2 Adar)  – There’s so much hope in this springy air. Let’s jump right into some good news.

 Jewish Kids Groups (JKG) announced seven new locations opening in Michigan, New York, Florida, and California, bringing the program to 27 locations. The Atlanta-grown afterschool program is run by entrepreneur Ana Robbins and includes Decatur, Brookhaven, and Morningside. 

 Ten years in the making, Chabad of Toco Hills has completed a brand-new $3 million building. The 12,000-sq. foot facility features a sanctuary, social hall, and classrooms for youth and adult programming. 

 The Atlanta Opera held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new headquarters in Buckhead, the $64 million Molly Blank Center for Opera and the Arts.

 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival opened to a packed house on Feb. 18 with “Once Upon My Mother” at Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.  

 Atlanta’s most recent Honeymoon Israel participants are back and sharing their stories. Read on! 

Y’alla, 
Logan

Atlantans reflect on Honeymoon Israel 

 Honeymoon Israel (HMI), a program to promote newlyweds making new connections to the Holy Land, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Since 2015, HMI has organized trips for 180 cohorts originating from major cities, including Los Angeles, Boston, New York, and Atlanta.  

“You’re going to be exposed to a lot of complexity and nuance and people with different narratives and different backgrounds. So this is a sophisticated trip that allows you to go beyond the headlines and away from the binaries about Israel that are so common, and really dig deep,” said HMI CEO Avi Rubel.  

 Chloe and Micah Engler of Sandy Springs and Lexi and Mike Vialpando of Roswell shared their takeaways from the recent HMI trip. Read about it in Logan C. Ritchie’s article.

Celebrate Israel’s 78th Independence Day!

SPONSORED BY JEWISH NATIONAL FUND-USA

Join Jewish National Fund-USA‘s Women for Israel as we celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, by highlighting the life-changing work we are doing to rebuild and reimagine a stronger Israel.

From housing to healthcare to job creation, every project we undertake creates circles of impact that enrich individuals, strengthen families, empower communities, and uplift entire regions across Israel’s underserved North and South. Learn how you can support these amazing initiatives in honor of Israel’s 78th birthday with the incredible women who help secure the future of the Jewish homeland.

➞ RSVP at jnf.org/atlwfi.

Looking for wise women 50+ 

 She Said, She Said is a new discussion group created for women 50 and older to connect and explore meaningful topics together. The next gathering will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 20 at the MJCCA. 

Each session, structured as a facilitator-driven conversation, centers on a different theme. 

 The program represents a new and original community-building effort by the MJCCA, designed to deepen engagement and foster meaningful in-person connections. 

Study in nature at LimmudFest   

 Registration is open for LimmudFest 2026 from Thursday, May 21 to Monday, May 25 at Ramah Darom in Clayton, GA. It’s a kosher, multi-generational weekend.

Imagine five days in the mountains with curious Jews from all backgrounds. LimmudFest is Torah study overlooking a lake, late-night Shavuot learning, soulful yoga, and hiking to waterfalls. 

 It’s a weekend of choose-your-own-adventure Jewish learning, creativity, and connection. Register by March 2 to receive up to $100 off per adult.

An audiobook narrator told Zionists to kill themselves. A popular romance novelist hired him anyway. 

 A bestselling romance novelist is facing backlash from her Jewish readers after hiring an audiobook narrator who previously posted on social media telling Zionists to kill themselves.  

Abby Jimenez’s novel The Night We Met, set to be published next month, features voice actor Zachary Webber as the narrator of the audiobook. 

“If you’re a Zionist and you exist, you should not do that anymore,” Webber posted on his Instagram story in September 2024. “No one likes you and you suck, and go f—ing kill yourself.”

 Read the full story on The Forward.

What’s doin’ around town

SPONSORED BY CONGREGATION OR HADASH

  Feb. 22: Hear from Kibbutz Nahal Oz residents. 

  Feb. 22: Interfaith antisemitism workshop.  

 Feb. 22: Bake hamantaschen in Sandy Springs. 

 Feb. 22: Navigating tech and antisemitism.  

 Purim merriment is calling!  Join Or Hadash March 1 at 10 a.m. for our family Carnival and Puppet Show, or March 2 at 6 p.m. for a Hamilton-inspired Megillah reading and shpiel. Costumes welcome. Hamantaschen inevitable. Serious joy. RSVP today.

Jerry’s Habima Theatre 

Jerry’s Habima Theatre is Georgia’s only professionally run, inclusive theater company featuring actors with disabilities performing alongside professional artists. This season, Jerry’s presents Mary Poppins JR at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta from March 5-15. 

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