Goldstein Has Deep Legacy at AA. Then There’s Soccer.

Jordan Theodore Goldstein celebrated his bar mitzvah at Ahavath Achim Synagogue on Aug. 31, precisely his 13th birthday.

A seventh-grade student at the Davis Academy, Jordan followed up with a kickin’ party at the Atlanta Silverbacks Park since he is an avid soccer player. With his family deeply involved in giving back, his mitzvah project revolved around Rebecca’s Tent where his great-grandparents, Helen and Frank Spiegel, established a homeless women’s shelter in 1983 at their synagogue (Shearith Israel). Jordan volunteered at the shelter and collected large amounts of much needed supplies from friends and family during the bar mitzvah weekend.

Jordan led his mighty soccer buddies at the Silverback Park // Photo by Michael Rosser Photography

With his parsha R’eih, Jordan related most to: “For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land which is why I command you open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land. The Torah acknowledges that poverty will persist, instructing people to help those in need. This contrasts with the utopian Garden of Eden, suggesting that true utopia may not be a world without problems, but one where people actively care for each other. My parsha emphasizes the duty of the fortunate to assist the less fortunate, I tried to do my little part with my mitzvah project work at Rebecca’s Tent, a charity founded in 1983 by my great grandmother.”

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Jordan recited his three parshas from the recently restored Czech Torah which was escaped from the Holocaust by his Spiegel great-grandparents and restored to the synagogue with donations from his Goldstein great-grandparents.

Jordan read three long parshas for “R’eih” // Photo by Michael Rosser Photography

Dad Adam continued, “Jordan’s family had the mitzvah to help the Sofer write a letter, Aleph, in this scroll as part of the restoration, and his great aunt, Karen Goldstein, rushed to complete the needle point of the cover in time for this special day for the Czech Torah.”

Adam noted that Jordan’s bar mitzvah was in the same sanctuary where his father and grandfather, Bobby Goldstein, had their coming of age ceremony, the same synagogue where his great-grandfather, Leon Goldstein, was bar mitzvahed, his great-great-grandfather, Papa Abe (Goldstein) twice served as president, and great-great-great grandfather, Leon Eplan, was one of the very first synagogue presidents.

The Ahavath Achim pulpit was set up with large plants from Home Depot. The kiddish bubbled with outsized cascades of balloons in blue, green, silver and white by Jennifer & Orpaz of Event.Co. decor.  A hearty dairy traditional meal was catered by Bagelicious.

Later, at the Atlanta Silverbacks Park, an athletics facility with adult soccer leagues, field rentals, event space, and onsite food and drinks, the teens played outdoor laser tag in addition to soccer in the exciting stadium. The DJ, imported from Detroit, was Jordan’s second cousin, Jared Goldman. Mother Kim Goldstein served as her own party planner. About 250 attended. Atlanta Silverbacks in-house taco bar was served for adults and kids. Crave Cookies were the dessert. The Goldsteins hired two caricature artists to create personal magnets for the young and young at heart.

Adam summarized the dialogue about Jordan’s heritage at Ahavath Achim,
“Jordan read three very long parshas plus haftorah and much of the service. It took nine relatives to split the other three parshas. He led the service with grace and confidence and presented a compelling dvar torah with great training from his first cousin twice-removed, Mark Cohen, who also is a past president and presented him the congregation gift. Note Mark’s father, Gerald Cohen, was a past president and presented the same gifts to Jordan’s father, Adam Goldstein.”

An animated Jordan looked back on the weekend by saluting his teacher. “My friends had so much fun at an outdoor party instead of a dance. I’m very thankful it was just hot and not raining. Thank you so much Mrs. Goldberg, who also was my fourth-grade teacher at Davis, for all the hours helping me learn my parsha, I wish my voice as was as amazing as yours.”