Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 12 THE SOI THERN ISRAELITE April 9, 1982
_A_ A A.
ro ^ ^
(o/w/iojttusrts
S-M,„/a j //zyazvi/ Ju^i^ea/<44>itta /Ae
/tne^/ ut yy'A fAr ucAtJr /osm/A/
<9/.-
0(4j* /f4A4fe ca/tc/y
tciMe
oAefioifi/snesi/ ( A c/iiAbesi j C4i*su*
^ ??C S/cuicAy , ( /f>4>4/i4fA ^tjtrA"
. ^/^uUnaA ^reA/uui/wen/er
X 255-8720
3SE
5
XOTJ:
POOLS
SPRING SPECIAL
*8,995
INCLUDES:
• 6' Diving Board
• Walk-in Steps
• Filter and Pump
• Surface Skimmer
• Bottom Drain
• Ceramic Tile
• Plaster Finish
• Test Kit
• Cleaning Equipment
r
STINNETT 971-8266
POOL CO.
1766 Lower Roswell
Road.
Marietta
IS THERE A JUDAISM FOR THE FUTURE?
The Institute of Creative Judaism says—
YES! We are an international organization
of rabbis and lay persons committed to the
survival of a progressive Judaism. We are
holding our national gathering this year in
Atlanta. The subject is: “The Re-concept
ualization of Judaism”. All interested per
sons are cordially invited to attend.
Friday, April 16
8:15 P.M. Shabbat Service
Keynote Address:
Rabbi Alvin J. Reines
Oneg Shabbat
Panel: Questions & Responses
Saturday, April 17
9:00 A.M. Panel Discussion: “Creative
Change in Sabbath, Holiday, and
Ritual Celebration.”
1:45 P.M. Panel Discussion: “Freedom in
the Religious Education Process.”
All events will be held at The Temple,
1589 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Ga.
For further information please contact:
Mr. Larry Pike or Ms. Jane Julian
100 Colony Square, Suite 2101
Atlanta, Ga. 30361
404-892-3300
Institute of Creative
Judaism
Research Center
P. O. Box 20044,
Cincinnati, OH 45220
Promise kept
‘Never forget you are Jewish’
by Bambi Jo Eaton
Robbie Taylor is home al last.
It took the 59-year-old woman,
now a resident of the Jewish
Tower, 46 years to get back but
Miss Taylor has finally reached the
place that she spent a lifetime
striving for—with the Jewish
people.
Her father was killed during an
“undeclared” war in Israel. After
her mother’s death in New York,
the child lived in five different
orphanages. Finally, the 13-year-
old daughter of Russian Jewish
immigrants was adopted by a
Christian family in Nashville.
Before her adoption, her name
was Titan. As her father was leaving
to fight in Israel, his last words (to
her were, “Always remember.
Titan—you are and will always be
a Jew.” Those words are as clear to
her today as they were then. And
50 years later, she’s never let her
father down.
The Taylors loved their adopted
child intensely, and as Protestants,
they felt it their responsibility to
convert her to Christianity. She
refused. They changed her Russian
name to the more American Robbie.
It hurt, but she remained firm in
her belief that a “Jew was what she
was and would always be," she said
in a recent interview. A speech
impediment, the result of a
November stroke, can be detected
However, it doesn’t stop her from
telling her story.
“My parents didn’t want me
around the Jewish community,”
she recalls. She remembers visiting
a Jewish judge who lived nearby,
hoping to receive some kind of
advice or encouragement. Instead,
the judge responded to her curtly,
“Why are you coming to me—you
are a gentile.” Miss Taylor
remembers crying out to him, “No!
I am a Jew like you,” but the judge
wasn't listening.
It was made difficult for Robbie,
the child, to get in touch with her
Judaism, but as an adult, her
Jewish roots slowly fell back into
place. After the death of her adoptive
parents, she seriously considered
taking back her original Russian
name. However, her foster sister
begged her not to- for the sake of
their deceased parents. “I love my
sister dearly, but she does not
understand how I feel about being
Jewish," Miss Taylor stresses, her
voice quavering slightly, giving a
glimpse of the emotions she felt.
She chose to honor her sister’s
request and still remains “Robbie,"
but is determined that her Judaism
will never again get away from her
grasp As a resident of the Tower,
she has earnestly mixed in and
socialized with the other residents.
In 1980 she threw a “George
Washington party” for both the
residents and staff, and she attends
many of the daily meetings,
according to Martha Hilburn of
the lower staff.
It is not only the Jewish people
who recognize Miss Taylor’s need
to be back with her people. The
entire congregation of the
Brookvalley Church of Christ in
Atlanta pooled their funds to send
her to Israel in June of 1981. The
church, with which she had been
affiliated, sent her a letter which
reads in part.
“Because of our love for you as a
congregation and because of your
great love for the Jewish people
(which we share) the elders have
proposed and the congregation has
ratified a decision to send you fora
visit to your beloved Israel. .. May
this token serve to reassure vou of
our sincere love for you and our
desire for God’s best for your life,
now and always."
Signed by the minister and
chairman of the elders, the Israel
trip was a 15-day, all-expense-paid
trip to the country that Miss
Taylor had once only dreamed
about visiting.
Life has not been easy for
Robbie Taylor sometimes it’s
been pure faith that kept her going.
Perhaps nothing iias assured her
See Promise, page 13,
ATLANTA’S FIRST ANNUAL
YOUNG
JEWISH
SINGLES
MIXER
BENEFITING THE JEWISH HOME FOR THE AGED
MUSIC BY ORPHEUS^-/
Friday, April 16th, 8:00 p.m.
THE STANDARD CLUB
Admission $3.00 Cash Bar
All Proceeds To The Jewish Home For The Aged
Sponsored by
AETT-DOE-IDTUNIV. OF GA.
It was made difficult for Robbie, the child,
to get in touch with her Judaism, but as an adult,
her Jewish roots slowly fell back into place.
All roads lead
to Halpern
Enterprises...
Owners and developers of 22
shopping centers throughout the
Atlanta area and in Griffin, Norcross,
Covington, Duluth and Smyrna.
ENTERPRISES, INC.
For rental, leasing and management information, CALL (404) 451-0318 TODAY!