Newspaper Page Text
i -r.
'*» • '»•«***,
It halm—
People doing unto others...
by Robyn Freedman Spizman
We deliver more
thanjustacar.
©
• ••
• CERTIFIED MECHANICS
• HUGE PARTS INVENTORY
• PAINT AND BODY SHOP
• LEASING DEPARTMENT
(ALL MAKES & MODELS)
• RENTAL CARS AVAILABLE
• COURTEOUS PERSONNEL
• ALL DEPARTMENTS
OPEN SATURDAY
SPREEN
4900 BUFORD HIGHWAY
CHAMBLEE, GA 30341 458-8601
JAGUAR
“ “Over 35 Years Experience ”
I offer all
my new Jaguar customers...
• Free loaner while your new Troncalli Jaguar is serviced
• 4 years free oil changes (limit 12)
• Saturday Service • 24-hour emergency road service
• Over 35 years experience at Atlanta’s oldest Jaguar dealer
Nobody but nobody ever underleases or undersells me!
ii:
%i w i i v\i m
1625 Church St., Decatur, GA 30033
When it comes to writing this
column. I look forward to getting
to know each individual so that 1
can justly give them the credit they
deserve. I welcome each story as a
challenge and this story began with
just that.
It all started when The Southern
Israelite received a letter from Dr.
Marvyn Cohen of Columbus, Ga.
Dr. Cohen wrote: “In previous issues
of your paper there is a column
called 1 ’Chaim that honors out
standing Jewish community
workers. I live in Columbus, Ga., a
Jewish community not often writ
ten about in your paper and I am
married to one of these selfless,
untiring outstanding Jewish com
munity citizens.” He added...“1
would think she qualifies for that
column of honor and her name is
Gloria Greenberg Cohen.”
Then 1 learned this must be a
surprise. “Gloria must not know.”
So 1 was to do an article about
someone 1 couldn’t talk to. Now
this could have been quite a task,
but Gloria’s devoted husband made
it both possible and easy. Now I
feel like I know Gloria as if we had
sat together for hours thanks to the
loving and proudly written story
sent to us by her husband Marvyn
whom I talked to on the telephone
and interviewed by mail.
Gloria's early days began in
Atlanta where both her mother
and father, Pauline and Sonny
Greenberg, were active in the
community. Her mother Pauline
was a president of a Hadassah
chapter and Sonny was a president
ofShearith Israel Synagogue. Since
she is the eldest grandchild, her
grandparents Abe and Annie Levitt
always took her over to the Jewish
Home from its inception to help.
The family lived near the Hillside
Cottages, a children’s center for
handicapped and retarded youth,
and Gloria went there often to help
out and play with the children.
Her community involvement
began early as she served as BBG
L hapter 176’s president and also a
president of Southern Region BBG.
Florida attended the University of
Georgia and was a sweetheart of
Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity. Her
college experience in Athens was
short since she and Marvyn mar
ried and moved back to Atlanta
sshile he finished medical school at
Emory University. Once he fin
ished, they moved to Columbus
ar| d that was 20 years ago.
As their children grew, Gloria,
w 'th zeal and energy, led a group to
organize a Jewish Community
Nursery School. She also taught
there. For 10 years, she remained
1 1 s chairman of the board, teacher
a nd fund raiser. The school still
thrives, thanks to these efforts.
Gloria taught in Columbus’s Shea-
r *th Israel afternoon religious
school for 10 years and was active
ln the PTA of the elementary school
their children attended. She edited
their newspaper and belonged to a
Hub called the “Century Club” of
hterary Jewish women. Currently
she is the president.
Gloria Cohen—“A woman of the ’80s.’
An executive of the League of
Women Voters, she is also a life
member of Hadassah and Shearith
Israel Sisterhood. She was ap
pointed to the Mayor’s Commun
ity Relations Commission and was
a co-chairperson of that group.
Gloria has been a nursing home
volunteer and co-edited a cook
book for the institution. She also
worked for the March of Dimes,
the Cancer Society and as an
American Heart Association
volunteer. She served on the board
of the Shearith Israel Synagogue
for several years and is now the
president and chairman of the board
of the synagogue, the first woman
ever to hold that position.
Marvyn added...”While all these
activities were going on, she re
turned to college to complete the
education 1 interrupted and has
been named in ‘Who’s Who in
1986 of American Colleges and
Universities.’ ”
Now this is quite a list of creden
tials, but besides all of these, Mar
vyn commented on how Gloria
was an excellent role model for
their children. Their oldest is an
attorney in Cleveland, Ohio, their
middle child is in law school in
Washington, D C., and their
youngest son is excelling in high
school...all of them achievers like
their Mom.
Marvyn concluded his letter with
the following words...“If this
woman isn’t a woman of the ’80’s,
then I don’t know how much fuller
a life can be to qualify. She is a fine
wife, an excellent gourmet cook
and in all humility I submit this
humble essay for your evaluation.”
It was clear that a woman of this
character and commitment could
qualify for any honor. Between the
dozens of presidencies and endless
committees it is obvious that Glo
ria is a woman who sees what needs
to be done then goes out and does
it. She is uniquely a leader who sets
the pa- e for others. From the onset
of each of her endeavors, she has
fulfilled a need in a community to
perpetuate Jewish life and culture.
Upon nominating Gloria, Mar
vyn brought up the possibility that
Gloria might not be considered
since she lived in Columbus and
not Atlanta. Our comment is “how
lucky for Columbus that she stays
put right there!” We Atlantans, as
well as numerous readers in other
cities both small and large, can all
take pride in Gloria’s accomplish
ments. To Gloria Cohen we say
L’Chaim...she is one woman whose
abundance of energy and dedica
tion is enough to spread from
Atlanta to Columbus.
New Name Brand Clothes
Arrive Twice Each week!
discount
o' eS
Toco Hill Shopping Center by Drug Emporium
Days: 291*3853
Night:391-9567
Irving Silver
Salesman of the Year
1985
Fleet Manager
Sales & Leasing
Personal sales of
over $ 51,000,000
PAGE 21 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE June 6, 1986