Decoding the election
Thursday, Oct. 29 (18 Heshvan 5787) — Israel’s election has been confusing and drawn out according to American Jews trying to understand the process. More on that below.
📚 Closer to home, the MJCCA Book Festival is in full swing. Local talent includes journalist and author Melissa Fay Greene interviewing Rebbetzin Dena Schusterman; Neranenah founder and jazz artist Joe Alterman on stage with Harry Connick Jr.; and Daily Chew owner Chef Julia Kesler Imerman in conversation with cookbook author Rebekah Lowin.
👏🏼 NCJW Atlanta announced Dina Fuchs-Beresin as the chapter’s new interim executive director. With 25 years as a Jewish communal professional, Fuchs-Beresin plans to deepen community engagement and oversee strategic planning. Mazel tov!
👓 As always, thanks for reading.
Y’alla,
Logan
❤️ MomTalks Summit 2026 | Nov. 13–14 at Emory University. Two heartfelt days of panels and sessions on motherhood, teenagers, internet safety, taboo health topics, neurodivergence, and so much more. Leave supported and energized. Learn more. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Where Israeli elections stand
🇮🇱 Election results were incomplete as of Thursday afternoon, our deadline for Y’alla. Here’s some background:
🇮🇱 Israeli citizens cannot vote by mail, prompting more than 60,000 non-residents to fly into Ben Gurion Airport and cast their vote in person on Oct. 27.
🇮🇱 Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed election interference and questioned election results.
🇮🇱 The podcast “Call Me Back” with Dan Senor breaks down the politics inside Israel, such as Ultra Orthodox Jews serving in the IDF and term limits.
RELATED
🤔 “The Day After: Where Does Israel Go From Here?” is the final event of a three-part series on Israel’s elections to be held on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Have you HERD?
SPONSORED BY THE FERNBANK MUSEUM
🐘 Fall at Fernbank Museum is packed with science, nature, and discovery. From fall leaves in Fernbank Forest to the new Elephants exhibit, it’s a great time to visit.
➞ Check out our fall events, exhibits, 3D films and more at our website.
ChallahFest at Ponce City Market
🥙 Atlanta is one of six cities to host ChallahFest, an international festival to celebrate Jewish food, on Nov. 20-21 at Ponce City Market. General Muir, Alon’s, Oliva restaurant group, Daily Chew and Dear Friend Bagels/Spiller Coffee are participating.
Organized by ANU – Museum of the Jewish People, ChallahFest tells the Jewish story through what we cook, eat and share, to help younger generations connect with Jewish identity and make their own traditions.
🕯️ Join the Friday night dinner or visit the ChallahFest pop-up on Saturday. Tickets are available.
New Jewish book club
📖 Atlanta Israel Coalition is launching a new book club, The Author’s Table, with direct access to authors and thorough discussion. The group explores one book each month with the author present to take questions.
➡️ Join Israeli activist Shai Davidai on Tuesday, Nov. 17, with “American Intellectual Antisemitism: The Anti-Jewish Movement Tearing Through our Universities.”
➡️ Next, join Amanda Elliot on Tuesday, Dec. 15, with “Eight Ways to Say I Love You,” a Hanukkah love story.
❤️ MomTalks Summit 2026 | Nov. 13–14 at Emory University. Two heartfelt days of panels and sessions on motherhood, teenagers, internet safety, taboo health topics, neurodivergence, and so much more. Leave supported and energized. Learn more. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Southern California rabbi charged with murder at Costco gas station
👮🏼 A rabbi whose father leads a Los Angeles-area Chabad institution has been charged with murder in the death of a man in the parking lot of a Costco store.
Ventura County prosecutors say Abba Bryski, 35, struck a man with his car by the pumps of a Costco gas station on Tuesday, Oct. 20, about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Bryski, listed in the police report as a rabbi and educator, was arrested at the scene.
🚑 Nicholas Lang, 28, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Bryski will be arraigned Nov. 2 on felony charges of murder and use of a deadly weapon and a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.
Bryski’s father, Rabbi Moshe Bryski, is executive director of Chabad of the Conejo, a network of synagogues in the West San Fernando Valley.
➡ Read the full story on the Forward.
Look & Listen
🩺 Noah Wyle, television’s nice Jewish doctor, is People’s “Sexiest Man Alive.”
🧶 Craft book author Amanda Kingloff is speaking at the MJCCA Book Fest on Friday, Nov. 6, about her new book, “The Art of Jewish Joy.”
🎙️ JTA breaks down Israel’s elections in a podcast, “Waiting for 61.”
What’s doin’ around town
SPONSORED BY CONGREGATION OR HADASH
☕ Nov. 1: Chabad’s Milk and Maple Coffeehouse opens.
🌼 Nov. 1: Daffodil planting on the Beltline.
🍷 Nov. 5: Israeli wine with Guy Haran.
🧑🏻🤝🧑🏾 Nov. 6: Shabbat for all with Or Hadash.
🔨 Nov. 8: Repair the World at a local farm.
🌈 Nov. 10: Jewish professionals for rainbow youth.
🫶🏼 Nov. 16: Survivor Henry Birnbrey speaks.
🗓️ Bring your family to Or Hadash for Shabbat for All! Join JAccess and PJ Library Atlanta for an accessible, welcoming evening of art, storytelling, and a light kosher dinner. Fri., Nov. 6, 5:30–6:30 p.m. Come connect, create, and celebrate together.
Before you go
🔋 The American Technion Society met Oct. 16-18 in Atlanta to discuss innovation, global partnership and philanthropy, including a program examining the role of research and tech diplomacy in building bridges between Israel and the world.
📷 Pictured above, from left: Yaanit Cohen, Lihi Zelnik-Manor, Reda Mansour, Uri Sivan and Shlomi Cohen.
