Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Guidelines for Dunwoody Candidate Forum - October 11, 2015 – Dunwoody High School Auditorium


Dear Candidate:

The Dunwoody Homeowners Association, in partnership with The Dunwoody Crier, is pleased to sponsor a candidate forum on Sunday, October 11 at 4:00 pm.  The forum will be held in the auditorium at Dunwoody High School at 5035 Vermack Road, Dunwoody, Georgia, 30338.

Guidelines for Dunwoody Candidate Forum
October 11, 2015 – Dunwoody High School Auditorium

There are two contested races – the race for mayor and the race for District 1 – At-Large Council member.  Candidates for the District 1 council post will go first, followed by the mayor’s race.

Each candidate will have 3 minutes to provide an opening introduction and 2 minutes to provide closing remarks.  The order of introductions will be determined by random selection at the start of the event.  The same order will be used for both opening and closing remarks.  (So, the person who gets the first opening will also have the first closing.  The person who has the last opening gets the last closing.)

The audience will be offered the opportunity to ask questions via index cards.  These will be provided to the moderator, who has complete discretion over which questions to ask and may edit questions for brevity, clarity and to avoid prejudicial questions.  No microphones will be provided for direct audience interaction.

Each candidate will get the chance to answer each question.  The moderator will vary the order in which candidates are called on to answer.  Each answer will be limited to 2 minutes.   A timekeeper will provide a yellow “30-second warning” and a red “Stop Now” indicator.

This is a candidate forum, not a debate.  You may not interrupt another candidate while they are speaking.  There are no opportunities for rebuttals.  Please maintain the high degree of civility expected of candidates in Dunwoody.  

A table will be set up outside the auditorium for campaign literature (printed materials only).  No backboards, stand-up displays or banners will be allowed.  The table will be shared by all candidates, so please keep that in mind as you plan what to put out.  

Yard signs may not be placed on school property.  You may have yard signs stacked against the wall outside the auditorium for audience members to take home but yard signs may not be brought into the auditorium and they may not be carried or waved by supporters inside or outside the building. 

Monday, September 28, 2015

The "Bases are Juiced" for Tom Bass Indoor Baseball at Dunwoody High School


http://diablosbaseball.net/tom-bass-indoor-baseball/


Take part in the fun, but productive way of preparing for the upcoming spring season!
Get 5 or more at bats per game, hit homeruns, and stay sharp even if it’s snowing outside!

  • Season runs from Sunday, Nov. 8th to Sunday, Jan. 17th.
  • No games played during the holidays.
  • Games begin on the quarter-hour, on Sundays running from 12:15pm -6:15pm.
  • Start times vary from week to week.
  • All games are played at Dunwoody High School in the gym!
  • For ages 6-12+
  •  The league is limited to 72 players!
  •  Register before Oct 18th - $160.00

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Dunwoody to be star struck this week with the movie Mothers Day being filmed in town.

How great is this !!! Dunwoody has it all going on!



The Dunwoody Tavern has announced that they will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday for filming the movie Mothers Day inside the establishment.  In snooping around the web, I found this casting call for any local actors & actresses. 

Besides the Tavern, I think I know of another location but since they didn't post a press release (Facebook Post) I will keep that information to myself.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

A conversation with Dunwoody Mayoral Candidate Denny Shortal

http://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2015/Sep/Denny_Shortal_Conversation.mp3


I have had the pleasure of serving with both Mike Davis & Denny Shortal on the Dunwoody City Council and as I consider them both my friends, I want to treat them both as fairly as I can.  Last week I posted an interview that Mike Davis conducted on WABE and I thought I would offer Denny an opportunity to have something posted to my site.

I am looking forward seeing (and publishing) all of the candidates submissions to the 2015 Voters Guide, hosted by the League of Women Voters of Georgia, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV that should be coming out next week.  Then there will be other events around town but the DHA Candidate forum on October 11 at the Dunwoody High School that should be the best way to differentiate the candidates.    I hope you can make it.

Friday, September 25, 2015

City of Dunwoody & Peachtree Charter Middle School enter partnership to share ball fields.

 Peachtree Charter Middle School Ball Fields
Get ready for City Sponsored active recreation at PCMS in near future, be it adult men's softball in the evenings, little kid lacrosse on Saturday mornings or a thousand other ideas that have been floated.
Dear PCMS Parents, please thank Mr. Heptinstall when you see him.
Thanks

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Adult Day of Dunwoody opens to offer services to Seniors.


Adult Day of Dunwoody is a medical- model adult day health services center which supports the daily living needs of adults so they can live in their homes and communities for as long as possible. The center is open from 8:00am to 5:30 pm and provides meals, clinical care from a registered nurse, physical, speech, and occupational therapy, daily exercise, and socialization for its’ participants. “It’s not sitting services,” jokes Georgia Gunter, Adult Day of Dunwoody’s Executive Director, “Basically it’s a social club, but with supervision and excellent medical care.” In addition, Adult Day of Dunwoody is significantly more affordable than assisted living or home care alternatives costing between $60-$80/day. “We want to keep people living with their families and in their communities for as long as possible,” says Leanne Hymes, Adult Day’s Director of Development and Physical Therapy, “I tell people honestly, without lying, that I’d send a family member here.” 

One in 3 seniors over the age of 65 will take a devastating fall this year. In honor of Fall Prevention Month, Adult Day of Dunwoody will be sponsoring a Fall Prevention Event at their center on Wednesday, October 21 from 10:30am-2: 30pm. They will have complimentary fall, vision, and hearing screenings along with flu shots, memory tests and medication checks. The event is open to the public and the community is encouraged to attend. For more information about the event or the Dunwoody Adult Day Center, please visit www.adultdayofdunwoody.com or contact Jodi Firestone at Jodi.firestone@ability-rehab.com 678-362-6190.

Adult Day of Dunwoody
1 Dunwoody Park South
Suite 123
Dunwoody, GA 30338
770-551-2722

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Mayor Mike Davis interview on WABE Radio: Dunwoody Attracting High-Tech, White-Collar Companies

http://cpa.ds.npr.org/wabe/audio/2015/09/ACL-DunwoodyMayor_0.mp3


Dunwoody, Georgia, a northern suburb of Atlanta, is located in DeKalb County close to where Interstate 400 intersects with Interstate 285.  More than 46,000 people call Dunwoody home, according to the 2010 U.S. Census.  The city boasts a range of amenities, including shopping, entertainment, hotels, office space, the nearby DeKalb-Peachtree Airport and more.  

The city's wide range of offerings is what's drawing high-tech and white-collar companies to Dunwoody, according to Dunwoody Mayor Mike Davis.   Davis has been leading the city since 2012. He joined WABE’s Rose Scott and Denis O’Hayer on “Closer Look” for a talk about his city. He discussed the city’s schools, traffic issues, affordable housing, economic development and even Dunwoody’s draw as a great filming location.

Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays welcomes "The Doors" at Brook Run Park from 5 to Dark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=6&v=rfp2D7VSH4c

Musical Guest: The Dirty Doors (Doors tribute band)  www.dirtydoorstribute.com

Sponsor:  Re-elect Mike Davis for Dunwoody Mayor Campaign   https://www.facebook.com/DunwoodyDavis  

Adult Drinks:   Moondog Growlers   http://www.moondoggrowlers.com/
 
Dinner Trucks:
Cousins Lobster        https://www.facebook.com/CMLobsterAtlanta
Ibiza Bites                 https://www.facebook.com/ibizabites
Mac the Cheese         https://www.facebook.com/Macthecheesetruck
MIX'd UP                  https://www.facebook.com/mixdupfoodtruck
Pressed For Time       https://www.facebook.com/pressedfortimetruck 
Yumbii                       https://www.facebook.com/Yumbii

Dessert Vendors:
King of Pops              https://www.facebook.com/kingofpops
Sno Bayou                  https://www.facebook.com/snobayou

Atlanta Greek Fest starts Thursday, runs all weekend - I highly recommend.

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation

Greek Orthodox Cathedral
2500 Clairmont Road, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Exit #91 off I-85  (On Clairmont Rd. between Briarcliff Rd. and LaVista Rd.)

 The Cathedral Lecture Tour is outstanding - don't miss.

The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation is celebrating a time honored tradition Sept. 24 to 27 with the 40th annual Atlanta Greek Festival.

The festival, which celebrates Greek history and culture, will offer food, live entertainment and fun for the entire family.

Cathedral Administrator Ginnie Roglin, who participated in the first event in 1974, said this year’s festival will feature both traditional favorites and new activities for everyone to enjoy.

“The first festival was started on a much smaller scale, but after the first day we were so overwhelmed by the crowds of people who showed up that over the years it extended into a four-day event,” she said.

New to this year’s attractions will be food, shopping and entertainment inside the church’s ballroom and atrium area.

“People really enjoy touring the facility,” Roglin said. “And having the option to participate in all of the activities both inside and outside will allow more guests to enjoy the festival.”

Cathedral tours, clergy lectures and church services will also be offered inside the building.

Children’s activities, including arts and crafts, will be going on throughout the event.

To celebrate the festival’s anniversary milestone, original dancers and organizers of the first event will be back to perform and participate.

Administrative assistant Yvette Sajem said the event, which is the largest of its kind in the Southeast, will again feature popular food items and drive-thru service option for those who want to enjoy traditional Greek dishes.

“Our drive-thru is becoming more and more popular each year and we’ll be offering everyone’s favorite dishes including baklava, souvlaki, gyros and much more,” she said.

The drive-thru service will be available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 24 to 26 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 27.

Festival times are as follows:
-Sept. 24, 5 to 10 p.m.
-Sept. 25, 5 to 11 p.m.
-Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
-Sept. 27, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The church is at 2500 Clairmont Road, NE, in Atlanta, and free parking with shuttle service will be available at the Century Center Office Park on Clairmont Road, adjacent to I-85.

Admission is $5 for adults, while children 12 and under can attend for free.

Tickets can be purchased at the event or online at www.atlantagreekfestival.org/festival_info.html.

A portion of the festival’s proceeds will be donated to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Dunwoody Perimeter Chamber to Host Political Hob Nob with November’s electoral candidates.

http://business.perimeterchamber.com/events/details/first-monday-political-hob-nob-at-wild-wing-cafe-2011

The Dunwoody Perimeter Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Council will host a Political Hob Nob during the Chamber’s October 5, 2015 First Monday networking event at Wild Wing Café from 5:30-7:00pm. 

From casual networking to rubbing elbows with the community’s most influential leaders, elected officials, and November’s electoral candidates, the Political Hob Nob will create an atmosphere where attendees can learn more about other attendees while building and nurturing relationships.

Networking will take place from 5:30-6:00pm with the official program beginning at 6:00pm.  During the program portion of the event electoral candidates will be given two minutes to give general information about themselves and their desires to lead the community forward.  Those invited to speak during the event include:

FOR MAYOR
Steve Chipka
Mike Davis (I)
Chris Grivakis
Denis Shortal

FOR CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE, POST 4 (DISTRICT 1)
Terry Nall (I)
Becky Springer

FOR CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE POST 1 (DISTRICT 1)
Pam Tallmadge

FOR CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE, POST 5 (DISTRICT 2)
Lynn Deutsch (I)

FOR CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE, POST 6 (DISTRICT 3)
John Heneghan (I)

The cost to attend is $5 per person for Chamber Members and $20 per person for potential members.  Registration includes appetizers prepared by Wild Wing Café and access to a cash bar.  Those wishing to attend must register online by visiting www.perimeterchamber.com.    Registration will end on Sunday, October 4 at midnight, no refunds will be given, and due to space constrictions walk-ins may not be accepted.  Payment is required by credit card at the time of registration. 

PS: if you want a preview to this event without being forced to pay in order to sit in a public place to see public officials - I highly recommend that you visit the Dunwoody Homeowners Association meeting on Sunday Oct 4th where I believe they allow each candidate three minutes to do introductions. Then there will be the DHA Candidate forum on October 11 at the Dunwoody High School that should be more telling than any other short introduction. Finally, I also know that every Dunwoody candidate will have received an invitation to complete the AJC Georgia Voter Guide done in association with WSB-TV and the League of Woman Voters where the candidates responses might be a way to differentiate between the candidates. I will publish this document when released as I know the candidates still have another week to complete the survey.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Real Housewives of Dunwoody Village as told by the 1991 video Making of Modern Atlanta.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HCRfxMKVVI



The Making of Modern Atlanta was an eight part TV series put on by WPBA back in 1991 and the Award Winning (I'm not jealous) Atlanta blog, Pecanne Log did a nice recap of the videos. 

Well lo and behold, the suburb of Dunwoody was prominently featured in episode three as being the "ultimate suburb" in 1991 with the blue-blooded, "Real Housewives of Dunwoody Village" regularly wearing black tennis outfits to funerals.  (I heard the joke before but never knew the origin.)


“We like the look of the Williamsburg look here in the middle of Dunwoody Village, but I guess since I’m a child of the ’70s it bothers me that everything would have to be exactly the same. When Turtle’s built a new building they had a purple awning on it and some of the Dunwoody people are fighting it, and I just think there’s so many more important things to fight about than a purple awning to wreck the Williamsburg look. I just say relax about it.”
If you are interested in watching the entire series, below are the links to the first four.

the making of modern Atlanta episode 1

the making of modern Atlanta episode 2

the making of modern Atlanta episode 3

the making of modern Atlanta episode 4

Dunwoody girl to assist the no-kill animal shelter Furkids - collecting supplies @furkidsinc



If you are interested and have the ability, please assist my friend Lindsey in collecting supplies for the animal shelter, please do so.  Supplies can be dropped off at 1161 Whitehall Pointe, Dunwoody, GA 30338 where there is a big red tub near the door.  Thanks

Former Dunwoody Municipal Court Judge, Ms. Sherry Boston has announced her intention to run for DeKalb District Attorney. @sb4da

 I am a big fan of Sherry Boston!

AJC - This could be one of the most interesting elections on the docket for next year: DeKalb Solicitor-General Sherry Boston will announce Wednesday that she’ll challenge District Attorney Robert James.

And she’ll do so by pitching herself as a reformer who can root out government wrongdoing in DeKalb from within.

“Because our current District Attorney has not stopped the corruption, I’m announcing today my campaign for that office,” Boston said in prepared remarks. “He has not aggressively pursued corruption in DeKalb government. I will.”

James is a lifelong prosecutor who was elected county solicitor in 2007 and was sworn in as the county’s top prosecutor three years later. He was a fast-rising star considered a contender for DeKalb CEO and the face of some of the county’s highest-profile prosecutions.

But he’s been dogged by ethics complaints and criticized for balking at cooperating with the unprecedented investigation into alleged corruption now underway in his county. The DA has responded by beefing up his own anti-corruption squad.

You can expect Boston, a 2011 appointee of Sonny Perdue, to try to tie James to the ethics questions swirling around the county. She said in a statement announcing her candidacy that DeKalb’s issues “didn’t just suddenly appear like some bolt from the blue.”

Boston added:
“They’re the product of years of failure, by this District Attorney, to safeguard public integrity through his own incompetence or his complicity with a broken system. The District Attorney must stop hiding his own documents, comply with open records requests and hold himself to the same standard as any other elected official.  His recent efforts are too little and too late.  It’s time for honest leadership from the District Attorney’s office, and I’ll bring that.”
Our AJC colleague Mark Niesse caught up with James. He reports that James pointed to public corruption-related convictions of suspended DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis, former DeKalb schools Superintendent Crawford Lewis and others.

In all, James said his office’s short-staffed Public Integrity Unit has earned 25 convictions since he took office.

“We’re trying to make DeKalb County a better place,” James said. “The work we’ve done … is nothing short of remarkable when it comes to their accomplishments.”

James said there are some cases where his office decided not to bring charges after reviewing the evidence.

“We’ll never be able to prosecute everybody that people want us to prosecute,” James said. “I’m just going to do my job and hopefully the citizens of DeKalb can make their decision based on facts and not unfounded assertions.”

MJCCA Book Festival will be bringing Judy Blume, Dr. Ruth, Mitch Albom, Alan Alda, Ted Koppel, Alan Dershowitz and many more to Dunwoody.

http://www.atlantajcc.org/interior-pages/arts-and-culture-book-festival-2015/

MJCCA Announces Complete Author Line-Up For Its
November 5 – 22, 2015

Presented by Greenberg Traurig and Wells Fargo

Tickets On Sale Now – www.atlantajcc.org/bookfestival


(ATLANTA – September 2, 2015) – 40+ Authors; 13,000+ visitors; the year’s most talked-about authors, celebrities, and influencers: all at the 24rd Edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA, from November 5 – 22, 2015. One of our community’s most anticipated cultural events, the Festival will feature “In Conversation” interviews between authors and local journalists; engaging speaker programs; book signings; panel discussions; The Family Reading Festival; and more. Most events will be held at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA), 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Purchase tickets: call 678.812.4005 or visit online at www.atlantajcc.org/bookfestival.

The Prologue to the Book Festival Event, on October 7, 2014, features Ambassador Michael Oren.

Thursday, November 5, 7:30 pm (Member: $18 / Community: $24)
Opening Night – In Conversation with Melissa Long, Anchor/Reporter, WXIA-TV
Join former NBC newsman and Meet the Press moderator David Gregory as he probes various religious traditions to better understand his own faith and answer life’s most important questions: who do we want to be and what do we believe? Raised by a Catholic mother and a Jewish dad, David had a strong sense of Jewish cultural and ethnic identity, but no real belief—until his marriage to a Protestant woman of strong faith inspired him to explore his spirituality for himself and his growing family. David approaches his faith with the curiosity and dedication you would expect from a journalist. But he also comes as a seeker, one just discovering why spiritual journeys are always worthwhile.

Friday, November 6, Noon – (Member: $9 / Community: $14)
An evocative and stirring novel about a young woman living in the fascinating and rarely portrayed community of Yemenite Jews of the mid-twentieth century, from the acclaimed author of The Family Orchard. An intimate family portrait and a panorama of history, Henna House is the enthralling story of a woman, her family, their community, and the rituals that bind them.
Saturday, November 7, 8:00 pm – (Member: $26 / Community: $31 – Ticket includes first-edition copy of book; for purchased individual tickets only)
JUDY bLUME, In the Unlikely Event (Amazon Best Book of June 2015)
In Conversation with Greg Changnon, Former Book Columnist for the AJC
One of America’s most beloved authors, Judy Blume has written books for all ages (her 28 previous titles include Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Forever; and Summer Sisters). In her highly anticipated new novel, Judy Blume creates a richly textured and moving story of three generations of families, friends and strangers, whose lives are profoundly changed by unexpected events. In the Unlikely Event is vintage Judy Blume, full of memorable characters who cope with loss, remember the good times and, finally, wonder at the joy that keeps them going.

Sunday, November 8, 10:30 am – (Free)
MIKE WIEN, Specific Edge (Local Author)
The Specific Edge is a blueprint for the average person to achieve success and fulfillment far above average. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a corporate executive, or an individual building your career, identifying and capitalizing upon your specific edge creates a competitive advantage. With your specific edge, you create a point of differentiation and tune into opportunities around you.

Sunday, November 8, 2:00 pm – (Member: $9 / Community: $14)
A leader in the Modern Orthodox movement, Rabbi Weiss’s memoir, Open Up The Iron Door, chronicles the worldwide effort by grassroots activists, including himself, to liberate Jews from the Soviet Union. As seen through the loving, fiery, in-the-trenches perspective of this New York rabbi, this memoir interweaves one man’s personal struggles, doubts, and triumphs with the ups and downs of the activist movement.

Sunday, November 8, 7:30 pm – (Member: $13 / Community: $18)
In Conversation with Gail Evans, Author, Speaker, and Former Executive VP, CNN
This is the true story of two decorated combat veterans linked by tragedy, who come home from the Middle East and find a new way to save their comrades and heal their country. Joe Klein tells the dramatic story of Eric Greitens and Jake Wood, larger-than-life war heroes who come home and use their military discipline and values to help others. This is a story that hasn’t been told before, one of the most hopeful to emerge from Iraq and Afghanistan—a saga of lives saved, not wasted.
Monday, November 9, Noon – (Member: $9 / Community: $14)
Two brothers are admitted to Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital with horrific injuries. Their mother, a young American, devoutly recites Psalms at the bedside, refusing to answer any questions. Brought in to investigate, Detective Bina Tzedek follows a winding path that takes her through Jerusalem's Old City, kabbalists, mystical ancient texts, and terrifying cult rituals, until she finally uncovers the shocking truth. From internationally bestselling author Naomi Ragen, The Devil in Jerusalem is a chilling tale of the paths that so easily lead us astray, and the darkness within us all.

Monday, November 9, 7:30 pm – (Free; RSVP Required)
Ambassador DENNIS ROSS, Doomed to Succeed (**AT THE TEMPLE, 1589 Peachtree St., NE, Atlanta, GA 30309)
In Conversation with Dr. Kenneth Stein, Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History, Political Science, and Israeli Studies, Emory University
When it comes to Israel, U.S. policy has always emphasized the unbreakable bond between the two countries and our ironclad commitment to Israel's security. Dennis Ross has been a direct participant in shaping U.S. policy toward the Middle East, and Israel, specifically, for nearly 30 years. Doomed to Succeed offers compelling advice for how to understand the priorities of Arab leaders and how future administrations might best shape U.S. policy in that light.

Tuesday, November 10, 12:30 pm – (Member: $9 / Community: $14)
One Program; Two Authors
The story of Zach Levy, the left-leaning son of Holocaust survivors who promises his mother on her deathbed that he will marry within the tribe and raise Jewish children. When he falls for Cleo Scott, an African-American activist grappling with her own inherited trauma, he must reconcile his old vow to the family he loves with the present realty of the woman who may be his soul mate. A New York love story complicated by the legacies and modern tensions of Jewish-American and African-American history.

From Ronald H. Balson, author of Once We Were BrothersSaving Sophie is the powerful story of the lengths a father will go to protect his daughter and an action-packed thriller that will take you on an unforgettable journey of murder and deception, testing the bonds of family and love.

Tuesday, November 10, 7:00 pm (Free)
KRISTALLNACHT COMMEMORATION
AT THE BESSER HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL GARDEN
Featuring Guest Speaker: Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Please join Marlene and Abe Besser and Rabbi Brian Glusman at the beautiful Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden as we light six torches and pay tribute to one of the most horrific nights in Jewish history, Kristallnacht.

Tuesday, November 10, 7:45 pm – (Member: $18 / Community: $24)
THE ESTHER G. LEVINE COMMUNITY READ
In Conversation with Holly Firfer, Correspondent, CNN
The Doctor Is In! America’s best-loved therapist, Dr. Ruth, is known for her wise counsel on all matters of the heart. Here she shares private stories from her past and her present, and her insights into living life to the fullest, at any age. Through intimate and funny stories, Dr. Ruth sheds light on how she's learned to live a life filled with joie de vivre.

Wednesday, November 11, 12:30 pm (Member: $9/Community: $14)
Archie Rand's career as an artist spans five decades and myriad themes and genres. Among his pioneering explorations, The 613 is surely one of his most ambitious feats yet. Without any idea where the work would be exhibited, Rand began transforming each and every one of the 613 mitzvahs, or commandments, into its own breathtaking painting, a series that took five years to complete. Perfect for readers of art, religion, or popular visual culture, The 613 may be the most audacious and distinctive gift book of its kind.
Select prints from Rand’s epic work, The 613, will be on view in the MJCCA’s Katz Family Mainstreet Gallery throughout the months of Nov. and Dec. 2015.

Wednesday, November 11, 7:30 pm (Member: $13/Community: $18)
dr. michael bar-zohar, No Mission is Impossible
An episodic treatment of the greatest missions of the Israeli Special Forces, No Mission is Impossible is characterized by its lead piece, an intriguing story of the rescue of 200 hijacked airline passengers at Entebbe, Uganda. This book is something of a sequel to Bar-Zohar's previous work, Mossad which investigated the world's most enigmatic intelligence service. A good number of the major characters in No Mission is Impossible have ended up in significant high offices in Israel, becoming presidents and prime ministers. Every chapter includes an interview with a major figure who took part in each mission, as well as great photographs - many published for the first time.

Thursday, November 12, 10:30 pm (Free to the Community)
CHANA SHAPIRO and META MILLER, Fruitfly Rabbi
In Conversation with Rabbi Brian Glusman
Who would expect intrigue and deception at a large Midwestern synagogue? Josh Stein discovers surprising complications in his first rabbinic position. Will his scientific background and people from his past help him, or will he find guidance elsewhere? Fruitfly Rabbi is the debut novel from Chana Shapiro and Meta Miller, both active in the Jewish community where they write, teach, entertain, and lecture.

Thursday, November 12, 12:30 pm (Member: $22/Community: $27 – Ticket includes luncheon)
A Luncheon Featuring Recipes from the Book
Ever since he opened Zahav, the modern Israeli restaurant located in Philadelphia, chef Michael Solomonov has been turning heads with his original interpretations of modern Israeli cuisine. He has attracted notice from the New York Times, Bon Appétit, ("an utter and total revelation"), and Eater ("Zahav defines Israeli cooking in America"). At this event, Zahav will showcase the melting-pot cooking of Israeli cuisine.

Thursday, November 12, 7:30 pm (Member: $18/Community: $24)
In Conversation with Nadia Bilchik, CNN Editorial Producer and President, Greater Impact Communications
From two #1 bestselling masters of crime fiction comes an extraordinary thriller about family, murder, and the secrets that refuse to stay buried. Jonathan Kellerman has long been known for his mastery of criminal psychology and his ability to create thrilling novels of nuanced drama and suspense. But in The Golem of Paris, he and son, Jesse Kellerman, raise that suspense to a whole new level.

New York Times bestselling author Faye Kellerman's beloved Decker and Lazarus series, former LAPD lieutenant Peter Decker is now living in upstate New York and is plunged into a bizarre web involving academia, underworld crime, and calculating killers in this compulsive novel.

Friday, November 13, 12:00 pm (Member: $9/Community: $14)
Rising Literary Voices - One Program; Two Authors
Poxl West is the epitome of manhood and something of an idol to his teenage nephew, Eli, who reveres him as a brave, singular, Jewish war hero. Poxl collects the best episodes from his storied life into a memoir. He publishes that memoir, and its success takes him on the road and out of Eli’s life. With his uncle gone, Eli delves deeper into Poxl’s history. As the truth about Poxl emerges, it forces Eli to face irreconcilable facts about the war and the vision of the man he’s held so dear.

A sweeping, gorgeously written debut: a novel of duty to family and country, the dictates of passion, and blood ties unraveling in the charged political climate of Berlin between the two world wars. Unlike many historical novels of its kind, The Empire of the Senses is not about the Holocaust, but about the juxtaposition of events that led to it.

Saturday, November 14, 8:00 pm (Member: $26 / Community: $31 – Ticket includes first-edition copy of book; for purchased individual tickets only.)
(THE EVA & GEORGE STERN LECTURE: GIVEN IN LOVING MEMORY BY THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN)
Mitch Albom creates his most unforgettable fictional character—Frankie Presto, the greatest guitarist to ever walk the earth. In this magical novel about the bands we join in life and the power of talent to change our lives, we meet young Frankie Presto, a war orphan raised by a blind music teacher in a small Spanish town. At nine years old, Frankie is  sent to America; his only possession is an old guitar and six precious strings. Frankie’s amazing journey weaves him through the musical landscape of the 20th century, from classical to jazz to rock and roll.

Sunday, November 15, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (Member Child: $10/Community Child: $13, Parents free/Children six months old and younger free / Additional $3 per child when purchased on day of event.)
MJCCA’s FAMILY READING FESTIVAL Perfect for children ages 6 months – 6 years
Presented by PJ Library® and the Atlanta Hawks®
Ø  APPEARANCES BY: Joanie Leeds and Drummer Dan; The Atlanta Hawks Cheerleaders; Rabbi G and the Shabbat Dinosaur; and more!
Ø  Featuring fun craft activities with these great books: Hanukkah is Coming; Joey and the Giant Box; Meg Goldberg on Parade; Hare and Tortoise Race Across Israel; and Family Ties.
Ø  In the Sophie Hirsh Srochi Discovery Center: SHALOM BABY Presents STORYTELLING and PUPPET THEATER

Sunday, November 15, 3:00 pm (Member: $9 /Community: $14)
One Program about Israel; Two Authors
The assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin remains the single most consequential event in Israel’s recent history, and one that fundamentally altered the trajectory for both Israel and the Palestinians. Killing a King relates the parallel stories of Rabin and his stalker, Yigal Amir, over the two years leading up to the assassination, as one of them planned political deals he hoped would lead to peace, and the other plotted murder.
February 25, 1996—an otherwise ordinary Sunday in Israel. Two U.S. students, Sara Duker and Matthew Eisenfeld, board Jerusalem’s #18 bus. On this same bus is a young man, who will, just a few short stops later, press the button on his backpack bomb, killing them all. The grieving families of the Americans discover soon after that Iran had financed the bombing that killed their children. The Bus on Jaffa Road is the story of one act of terror and its aftermath.

Sunday, November 15, 7:30 pm (Member: $18/Community: $24)
In Conversation with Mara Davis, Local Media Personality
A touching and provocative collection of memories that evoke the history of one of America's most influential boroughs-the Bronx-through some of its many success stories. The vivid oral histories in Arlene Alda's Just Kids from the Bronx reveal what it was like to grow up in the place that bred the influencers in just about every field of endeavor. Arlene's own Bronx memories were a jumping-off point from which to reminisce with a nun, a police officer, an urban planner, and with Al Pacino, Carl Reiner, Colin Powell, Maira Kalman, Bobby Bonilla, Mary Higgins Clark, and many other leading artists, athletes, scientists, and entrepreneurs-spanning six decades.

Monday, November 16, 12:00 pm (Member: $9/Community: $14)
An Improbable Friendship is the dual biography of Israeli Ruth Dayan, now ninety-eight, who was Moshe Dayan’s wife for thirty-seven years, and Palestinian journalist Raymonda Tawil, Yasser Arafat’s mother-in-law, now seventy-four. It reveals for the first time the two women’s surprising and secret forty-year friendship and delivers the story of their extraordinary and turbulent lives growing up in a war-torn country. Anthony David brings us the story of an unexpected friendship of two outstanding women. Their story gives voice to Israelis and Palestinians caught in the Middle East conflict and holds a persistent faith in a future of peace.

Monday, November 16, 7:30 pm (Member: $13/Community: $18)
New York Times bestselling author, Tess Gerritsen’s, gripping thriller, Playing With Fire, begins in a shadowy antiques shop in Rome. Violinist Julia Ansdell happens upon a curious piece of music—the Incendio waltz—and is immediately entranced by its unusual composition. Full of passion, torment, and chilling beauty, and seemingly unknown to the world, the waltz appear to dance with a strange life of their own. Julia’s quest beckons her to the ancient city of Venice, where she uncovers a dark, decades-old secret involving a dangerously powerful family that will stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.
 
Tuesday, November 17, 12:00 pm (Member: $9/Community: $14)
One Program; Two Authors
In 1967, when Jo Ivester was 10 years old, her father transplanted his young family from a suburb of Boston to a small town in the heart of the Mississippi cotton fields, where he became the medical director of a clinic that served the poor population for miles around. But ultimately it was Jo’s mother (who became a high school English teacher when the family moved to the South) who made the most enduring mark on the town. In The Outskirts of Hope, Ivester uses journals left by her mother, as well as writings of her own, to paint a vivid, moving, and inspiring portrait of her family’s experiences living and working in an all-black town during the height of the civil rights movement.

In the spirit of those photographers who have documented the physical decline of our valued institutions—from small family farms to entire cities—Andrew Feiler points his lens at one embattled place, Atlanta’s Morris Brown College, and dares us to look away. This gathering of 60 images, along with the essays that frame them, gives us a new way to think about the too often troubled status of historically black colleges and universities.

Tuesday, November 17, 7:30 pm (Member: $13/Community: $18)
An Evening of Comedy - The Program will be hosted by Jamie Bendall, Owner, Punchline Comedy Club
The legendary author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day turns her attention to marriage in a collection of poems that explores the peeves and pleasures of a long marriage...and what lies beyond. Since the 1960s, Judith Viorst’s works have celebrated life’s milestones with wit and poignancy. Married for 55 years, she now casts a rueful, experienced eye on the amusing annoyances and deep satisfactions of a long marriage and what a couple must inevitably confront together.

This humorous take on marriage shows you how the true keys to marital bliss and success are surprisingly the same as the cardinal rules of comedy. LA stand-up comic Dani Klein Modisett shares a map for navigating a marriage through rough patches, bad jokes, and even nights when you bomb. Along with anecdotes from well-known comedians, marriage counselors, and spouses, Modisett delivers the core premise: humor matters.

Wednesday, November 18, 12:30 pm (Member: $9/Community: $14)
The Program will be In Conversation with Holly Firfer, Correspondent, CNN
Shulem Deen was raised to believe that questions are dangerous. As a member of the Skverers, one of the most insular Hasidic sects in the U.S., he knows little about the outside world--only that it is to be shunned. Deen's first transgression--turning on the radio--is small, but his curiosity leads him to the library, and later the Internet. Soon he begins a feverish inquiry into the tenets of his religious beliefs, unti his faith unravels entirely. In All Who Go Do Not Return, Deen bravely traces his harrowing loss of faith, while offering an illuminating look at a highly secretive world.

Wednesday, November 18, 7:30 pm (Member: $13/Community: $18)
Book Talk & Concert
As the founder of the megawatt sixties band, Blood, Sweat ‘n Tears, Steve Katz’s career is only rivaled by the biggest stars of the ‘60s and ‘70s. He has three Grammys, three Downbeat Readers’ Poll Awards, three gold records, one platinum record, one quadruple platinum platter, and three gold singles. His memoir is an honest and personal account of a life lived at the edge of the spotlight—the unlikely story of rock star as nerd, nerd as rock star. This is the story of a nice Jewish boy who got to sit at the cool kids’ table.

Thursday, November 19, 10:30 am (Free)
One Program; Two Authors
In August 1906, black soldiers stationed in Brownsville, Texas, were accused of going on a lawless rampage during which shots were fired, one man was killed and another was wounded. Because the perpetrators could never be positively identified, President Theodore Roosevelt took the highly unusual step of discharging all 167 members of the black battalion on duty the night of the shooting without honor. This book investigates the controversial action of an otherwise much-lauded president, the challenge to his decision from a senator of his own party, and the way in which Roosevelt’s uncompromising stance affected African-American support of the party of Lincoln.

Flight technician, Frank Williams, and Judy, a purebred pointer, met in the most unlikely of places: a World War II internment camp in the Pacific. Judy was a fiercely loyal dog, and the pair’s relationship deepened throughout their captivity. When the prisoners suffered beatings, Judy would repeatedly risk her life to intervene. At one point, deep in despair and virtually starving, Frank contemplated killing himself and the dog, but both were rescued, and Judy spent the rest of her life with Frank. Their story is one of the great undiscovered sagas of World War II.
Thursday, November 19, 12:30 pm (Member: $9/Community: $14)
The Catskills, America’s original frontier, northwest of New York City, with its 700,000 acres of forest land preserve and its five counties. It was America’s first great vacation land—a refuge and home to poets and gangsters, tycoons and politicians, preachers and outlaws, musicians and spiritualists, outcasts and rebels. Author, Stephen Silverman, an editor at Time Magazine, tells of the turning points that made the Catskills so vital to the development of America.

Thursday, November 19, 7:30 pm (Member: $13/Community: $18)
In Conversation with Jasmine Guy, Actress, Director, and Entertainer
When Jennifer Teege, a German-Nigerian woman, happened to pluck a library book from the shelf, she had no idea that her life would be irrevocably altered. Recognizing photos of her mother and grandmother in the book, she discovers a horrifying fact: Her grandfather was Amon Goeth, the vicious Nazi commandant chillingly depicted by Ralph Fiennes in “Schindler’s List”—a man known and reviled the world over. The more Teege reads about Amon Goeth, the more certain she becomes: If her grandfather had met her—a black woman—he would have killed her. Teege’s discovery sends her on a quest to unearth and fully comprehend her family’s haunted history.
(Also on Nov. 19, at 5:00 pm, prior to the Jennifer Teege author event, The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival will sponsor a screening of the documentary, INHERITANCE, the story of Monika Hertwig, Teege’s mother. The screening is free with the purchase of a Teege ticket. Click here to reserve a ticket to the screening.)

Friday, November 20, 12:00 pm (Member: $9/Community: $14)
One Program; Two Authors
Meet Mazie Phillips: big-hearted and bawdy, she's the truth-telling proprietress of The Venice, the famed New York City movie theater. It's the Jazz Age, with romance and booze aplenty--even when Prohibition kicks in--and Mazie never turns down a night on the town. But her high spirits mask a childhood rooted in poverty, and her diary, always close at hand, holds her dearest secrets. More than ninety years after Mazie began her diary, it's discovered by a documentarian in search of a good story. A chorus of voices from the past and present fill in some of the mysterious blanks of her adventurous life. Saint Mazie is infused with Jami Attenberg's signature wit, bravery, and heart.

On June 19, 1953, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were executed for conspiring to commit espionage. The day Ethel was first arrested in 1950, she left her two young sons with a neighbor, and she never came home to them again. Brilliantly melding fact and fiction, Jillian Cantor reimagines the life of that neighbor, and the life of Ethel and Julius, an ordinary-seeming Jewish couple who became the only Americans put to death for spying during the Cold War. This is a story comprised of lies, intrigue, spies, and counterspies.

Saturday, November 21, 8:00 pm (Member: $24/Community: $29 - Ticket includes first-edition copy of book; for purchased individual tickets only.)
In Conversation with Vinnie Politan, Anchor, WXIA-TV
Alan Dershowitz, one of the world’s best-known attorneys, gives us a no-holds-barred history of Jewish lawyers: from the biblical Abraham through modern-day advocates who have changed the world by challenging the status quo, defending the unpopular, contributing to the rule of law, and following the biblical command to pursue justice. Dershowitz profiles Jewish lawyers well-known and unheralded, admired and excoriated, victorious and defeated—and, of course, gives us some glimpses into the gung-ho practice of law, Dershowitz-style.

Sunday, November 22, 10:30 am (Free)
In Conversation with Nadia Bilchik, CNN Editorial Producer and President, Greater Impact Communications
When journalist Josh Levs was denied fair parental leave by his employer after his child was born, he fought back—and won. Since then, he’s become an advocate for modern families and working fathers. In All In, he explores the changing face of fatherhood and what it means for our individual lives, families, workplaces, and society. Fatherhood today is far different from previous generations. Dads today are more emotionally and physically involved on the home front. Combining Levs’ personal experiences with investigative reporting and frank conversations with fathers about everything from work life to money to sex, All In busts popular myths, lays out facts, and shows how we can all join together to change them.

Sunday, November 22, 2:30 pm (Member: $9/Community: $14)
One Program; Two Authors
In Life in Life, Dr. Laurie Ann Levin, award-winning author and renowned holistic psychologist, guides you effortlessly into loving yourself through meditations that spark connection to your highest self. An interactive, easy-to-use, personal journal, Life in Life will inspire individual exploration and spiritual expansion with exercises that build insight, intuition, and a capacity for calm. Whether you are beginning your journey or have experience meditating, Life in Life will guide you to a new level of wholeness.

After a horrible, paralyzing accident in 1975, Joey Reiman, the world’s leading purpose branding expert and CEO of the locally owned think tank, Brighthouse, was told he might never move his hand again. Refusing to accept this prognosis and give in to negative thoughts, Reiman focused all of his energy into moving just his thumb. “If I could just raise my thumb,” Reiman thought, “the rest will follow.” In Thumbs Up!, Reiman focuses on looking up and rising up to all you imagined you could be and determining that a life of purpose begins in the palm of your hand.

Sunday, November 22, 7:30 pm (Member: $18/Community: $24)
Closing Night - In Conversation With Dana Barrett, Host of “The Dana Barrett Show” on Biz-1190 AM, and “Atlanta Tech Edge,” WXIA-TV/Channel 11
In this tour de force of investigative reporting, Ted Koppel, a 42-year veteran of ABC News, reveals that a major cyberattack on America’s power grid is not only possible but likely, that it would be devastating, and that the U.S. is shockingly unprepared. Imagine a blackout lasting not days, but weeks or months. And yet, as Koppel makes clear, the federal government has no plan for the aftermath of an attack on the power grid. With urgency and authority, one of our most renowned journalists examines a threat unique to our time and evaluates potential ways to prepare for a catastrophe that is all but inevitable.

Book Festival of the MJCCA’s Social Action Project – “Project GIVE”
The Book Festival is, once again, proud to present Project GIVE, for the second year supporting the Atlanta Jewish Coalition for Literacy (AJCL), sponsored by the National Council for Jewish Women Atlanta Section. The partnership was so successful last year (having collected more than 2,000 books) that the MJCCA is thrilled to work with them again. The AJCL strives to promote literacy – one child at a time. The AJCL trains and recruits volunteer reading tutors who work with students K-3rd grades in metro Atlanta Title 1 elementary schools. Book Festival guests can donate gently used or new, secular children’s books for tutors to read with their students. Upon mastery, the book is gifted to the student. Donation bins will be located at the MJCCA’s Front Desk beginning Oct. 1, 2015.

Contact Information for the 24th Edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA
Ø  Interview requests/media inquiries: Contact Lora Sommer, MJCCA PR Manager, 678.812.4078, lora.sommer@atlantajcc.org.

Ø  Purchase Tickets/More Info: Click here, call the MJCCA Box Office at 678.812.4005, or visit online at