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THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE December 19, 1986 Page 3 For der kinder Academy given $1 million at Kaplan dinner by Vida Goldgar When Dr. Irving Greenberg stepped to the microphone at Sunday evening's Hebrew Acad emy dinner honoring Sidney Kaplan, he said he had an excit ing announcement to make. That may have been the understate ment of the year because his new s was the contribution by his brother-in-law of SI million to the Academy's building fund. The benefactor, Al Greenfield of Miami Beach, has been a gen erous contributor to the Hebrew Academy for the past several years. What started as a $200.000 charitable remainder trust has been added to and grown until it totals over $750,000. On a recent trip to Atlanta for the bat mitzva of Jean and Irving Greenberg’s granddaughter, he listened intent ly to the plans for the new Hebrew Academy building and signed a pledge for a million additional dollars. Yet. it is a tribute to Sidney Kaplan that even that moment ous announcement did not detract from the fact that it was an even ing to honor him and his dedica tion to the school. His involve ment began in 1955. two years after the Academy was founded. At his side on the dais was Kaplan’s wife Alice and in the audience were their four child ren. Scott. Randy, Mark and Terri, all Hebrew Academy grad uates. He called them “fully auto matic and functioning naches ma chines.” His father, Ben, who will soon celebrate his 91st birthday, was there, too. In opening remarks, Linda Bressler, who co-ehaired the dinner with her husband Richard, highlighted the Academy’s grow th from a small group of students meeting in the educational build ing of Shearith Israel Synagogue to 350 students today. The pro gram includes a pre-school, ele mentary school and middle school and, Mrs. Bressler said, "we are close to our dream of a new facil ity which w ill accommodate up wards of 500 students.” The latest of the Hebrew Academy’s achievements was represented by a striking satin banner hanging behind the dais which symbolized the Hebrew Academy’s selection by the De partment of Education as one of the 270 best elementary schools in the country. The honoree's role in Atlanta’s Jewish communal life was high lighted in greetings from Dr. Jerry Blumenthal, Academy president; Consul General of Israel Issachar Katzir; Betty Jacobson, president of the Atlanta Jewish Federa tion; and Saba Silverman, co in all likelihood say 'lor der kinder’ for the children.” He continued with a word picture ol our forebears’ long working hours: “Why did they deny them selves the choice of a restful w eek- Honoree Sidney Kaplan hears Greenberg. president of the Academy PTA, and in remarks by Rabbi Arnold Goodman of Ahavath Achim Sy nagogue. Dr. Ephraim Frankel, head master of the Academy, described Sidney Kaplan’s interest in Jew ish education as beginning“as an intellectual flirtation (which) de veloped into a lifelong odyssey.” More broadly, he traced the typ ical story of our parents and grandparents who endured the ar duous path of immigration. “Ask them why,” he said.“and they will exciting news from Dr. Irving end, a holiday, a vacation? They would smile and say, 'for der kinder.'” Then he added, “We are the fruits of that sacrifice and now the task remains and we, too, have to provide for der kinder.” How? Frankel said, “You will make that statement in the most tangible way possible by building a new home for the Hebrew Academy...we owe it to our parents, our grandparents, to our children and to the Jewish com munity.” David Minkin, an Academy Interiors Rita o///- (//m i a RITA L. GOLDSTEIN MOJ>. vice president, agreed that “We are all working for the kids” with the new facility as a "labor of love.” He announced that the goal of $6.9 million had not yet been reached, but that up to Sunday evening $5.6 million had been pledged. “We still need your help.” Minkin said. A Hebrew Academy event wouldn't be the same without entertainment by its talented students. Sunday evening, Sid ney and Alice Kaplan were es corted to seats of honor in front of the stage for a rousing produc tion of “ ’S Wonderful Sidney," written and directed by Rose Kessler with Dona Wise as music director. Eighteen boys and girls, wearing Hebrew Academy sweat shirts with “ ’S Wonderful Sid ney” lettered on the back, sang and danced their way through Broadway songs and traditional melodies and, directed straight to the honoree. “Thank You for Being a Friend.” Members of the east were; Rachel Baum, Allison Bodner. Evan Cohn. Ryan Cohn. Shana Fernhoff, Cari Goldberg. Jenny Jacobson, Adina Kalish. Jenny Kessler, Kim Kessler, Scott Mayer, Shauna Plasker, Suzanne Resnick, Elana Sauer, Rachelle Seligmann, Rebecca Sharon, Jaime Sherman and Eileen Snow. Jenny Kessler choreographed the show and June Dunaphant was the accompanist. To Henry Birnbrey, whose friendship with Sidney Kaplan spans 47 years, fell the honor of presenting the award. Surprising ly, considering the season, he chose Sukkot around which to weave his remarks because “it holds a special place for me.” He told of the times w hen “the build ing of a sukka was practically unknown in this community and Sidney was building his own sukka.” Through anecdote and memories, he highlighted Kap lan’s devotion to his religion, to the Hebrew Academy, to the Aha\ath Achim Syangogue (of which Sidney Kaplan is the cur rent president), and to the com munity. And in the end, Birnbrey con nected Sukkot to Hanuka as part of the continuum of Jewish life and Sidney Kaplan’s role in community service. In his acceptance remarks, Kaplan said, “all ol us look back on early influences that shape the very essence of our lives. For my family and for me, it was the Hebrew Academy along w ith my synagogue that defined Judaism and gave our lives a Jewish di rection.” Noting that Atlanta now has a network of Jewish schools, he said. “The greatest tribute you can present to me is to see that Jewish education remains on the high pedestal on which it stands.” hafTM hanuka Happy Hanuka 3414 Peachtree Rd., N.E. Monarch Building Suite 117—Atlanta, CA 30326 New York Showrooms: 333 Seventh Avenue Each piece within this collection is built by a single craftsman to achieve the desired appearance that makes your selection an original. Interiors INTERNATIONALinc. DISTINCTIVE FURNITURE 674 Miami Circle Atlanta NE 30324 Phone: 404-2319253