Dan Tourtellotte: "Falling in Love with Israel"; Teresa Thorne: "My Heart Goes Out"
'MY HEART GOES OUT'
Friends of Israel continue to express their anger and sadness in the wake of terrorist attacks in southern Israel Thursday that killed eight Israelis and wounded 25 others.
One of those who shared her thoughts was Birmingham's Teresa K. Thorne, who returned recently from Israel. Teresa, a member of our Jewish community, is a retired Birmingham police captain and currently serves as Executive Director of City Action Partnership in downtown Birmingham. She also is a published novelist. The comments she posted on Facebook were poignant. "Yikes -- terrorists with 'heavy weaponry' attacked a bus headed north from southern Israel," Teresa wrote. "It's just been a few weeks that my husband and I were there and almost took that road. Not long ago Lebanese soldiers shot into Israel at the northern borders. We were near there too. My heart goes out to people who have to teach their children to run to bomb shelters." After reading her comments, I wrote the following on her Facebook page: "Teresa, you have a gift with words. So please keep interpreting what life is like in Israel as these valiant and determined people continue their search for peace." It's important that folks like Teresa -- who have the gift of words -- speak out on behalf of Israel whenever the Jewish state is attacked. A strong collective voice provides comfort for the people of Israel and reiterates that these brutal attacks against a sister democracy seeking peace are unacceptable. The Birmingham Jewish Federation extends our condolences to the families of the victims. Please remember the victims and their families in your Sabbath prayers. -- Richard Friedman, Executive Director
Picture is of Teresa K. Thorne in Israel. Her shirt says Alabama in Hebrew.
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'FALLING IN LOVE WITH ISRAEL'
This Sunday will be a great day for The BJF!
Reflections on Israel from Dan Tourtellotte, the Levite Jewish Community Center's Sports & Fitness Director; presentation of an award to longtime volunteer leader Joel Rotenstreich; a thank you to Sheryl Kimerling for her past two years of leadership, and the installation of new chairs Lisa Engel and Amanda Weil, The BJF's first inter-generational leadership pairing, will highlight this year's annual meeting of The Birmingham Jewish Federation's Jewish Community Relations Coalition (JCRC). The meeting will be Sunday, August 21, at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. There will be a reception at 4:30 pm and the program will begin at 5. It is open to the public. JCRC serves as a bridge between the Jewish community and broader Birmingham community; building partnerships and implementing educational programs around common causes. JCRC activities are funded by The BJF Campaign. NAME CHANGE The meeting will also mark formal inauguration of JCRC's name change -- from Committee to Coalition -- to more accurately reflect the changing nature of the organization. "Over the past few years, especially with the advent of technology, we have moved from being a traditional committee and subcommittee structure to being a more fluid and pro-active coalition, enlisting partners and allies as issues and opportunities unfold," explains Joyce Spielberger, The BJF's Director of Community Relations. Dan was invited to speak because he recently returned from Israel where he accompanied a LJCC teenage basketball team that competed in the JCC Maccabi Games. BJF funds helped underwrite the project. Dan, who is Christian and is a well-known and beloved figure in our Jewish community and a generous BJF donor, loved Israel and will share some reflections at the meeting. (Dan is pictured here with the team during one of their site visits in Israel. Dan is at the left; the t-shirts say Alabama in Hebrew.) REPAIRING THE WORLD During the meeting, Joel will receive the JCRC's Tikkun Olam Community Service Award. Tikkun Olam is a Hebrew phrase that refers to repairing the world. The award is presented every two years to an outstanding volunteer leader whose life and service have been devoted to making the world a better place. Sheryl will be honored as our outgoing JCRC Chair and Lisa and Amanda will be installed. Lisa, an experienced and highly respected volunteer leader, and Amanda, an emerging young leader, will serve jointly in this position, working together to guide JCRC. For more information about the meeting or JCRC, contact Joyce at joyces@bjf.org or 205-879-0416.
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