She’s A Maccabee Awards Winners Announced

Jewish Interest-Free Loan Association of Georgia (JIFLA) has announced its 2023 Maccabees. In its fourth year, She’s a Maccabee has become an annual JIFLA Chanukah tradition. JIFLA honors powerful women in the Jewish community who use their skills, talents, passions, and love for Judaism to make the community a better place.

In keeping with the JIFLA mission of supporting and strengthening the Jewish community, these inspiring women model Jewish values of tikkun olam (repair of the world), tzedakah (giving back), and chesed (acts of loving-kindness).

“We want to highlight the vital role women play in our community and celebrate their contributions,” said Nancy Weissmann, executive director of JIFLA.

JIFLA creates opportunity and financial stability for Jewish people in Georgia via interest-free loans and financial education. Sixty percent of JIFLA borrowers are women. With a JIFLA loan, they are empowered to achieve self-sufficiency both personally and professionally.

She’s a Maccabee applicants are nominated by community members, and honorees are chosen by JIFLA’s executive staff and previous awardees. This year’s winners include Emily Cohen, Tova Isaacs, Rose Lubin, Liz Rose, and Emily Scheinfeld.

Emily Cohen

Emily Cohen

Emily has all the qualities of a Maccabee, and the world deserves to hear it! She is a very humble woman and abhors self-congratulating gestures. After waking up at around 4 a.m. every morning to competitively swim, Emily spends her workdays (and often sleepless nights) as an OB/GYN caring for women at some of the most challenging points in their lives. However, her life is not just about work. She is also a loving mother to three children, one of whom has special needs. Her experience with her son has ignited an interest in advocating for special needs inclusivity within the Jewish community. At the family’s synagogue, where she serves as a board member, Emily took the lead in helping build one of the few congregation “sensory rooms” for children who need a calming space during services. Overall, Emily’s tireless dedication to her work, her family, and the special needs community is truly admirable.

Tova Isaacs

Tova Isaacs

Day and night, Tova works tirelessly for her shul and community. From leading the security team to coordinating programs, hosting meals, baking for others, and beautifying mitzvos, Tova Isaacs is a true woman of valor. She’s a powerhouse: generous with her time, resources, and spirit. She is a tireless advocate, and at the same time, she regularly opens her home to guests, including many out-of-town visitors. Safety, security, and protecting the Jewish community is Tova’s passion and she has proven herself to be a true warrior. She has made it a top priority to be a leader in the safety network for the synagogues and local day schools, constantly improving security, obtaining grants, and checking procedures while enhancing communication capabilities between them. Her leadership has ensured a strong connection to local police and the broader Jewish security initiatives throughout Atlanta. Tova is an absolute hero, and she greatly deserves this honor!

Sgt. Rose Lubin

Sgt. Rose Lubin

A true Maccabee warrior and Israeli Lone Soldier, Rose is one of Atlanta’s own. Born here, with many ties to the community, Rose attended Jewish day school and graduated from Dunwoody High School. Following graduation, Rose followed her lifelong dream, making Aliyah and joining the Israeli police force as a lone soldier in the old city of Jerusalem. Rose was brave, strong, and determined in her life and service to Israel. Her choices and actions exemplify the true warrior and hero she is to so many people around the world. She touched countless lives; over 15,000 attended her funeral and thousands more visited with the family during and after shiva. May her memory be a blessing and always be cherished.

Liz Rose

Liz Rose

Liz has been a great addition to the Jewish community in Atlanta and nationally. Using her platform of more than 50,000 social media followers she has been able to share stories and thoughts and comments about Jewish life, the current situation in Israel and Gaza, and being a mom with young children. She is real, she’s to the point, and she cares about sharing Jewish life and traditions.

Emily Scheinfeld

Emily Scheinfeld

If you are looking for a strong warrior woman, Dr. Emily Scheinfeld is the one. A professor of health communication at Kennesaw State University, she teaches, challenges, and inspires local students to do and achieve more every day. Emily maintains many leadership roles through alumni organizations, various professional service programs that help students and colleagues, and the Smith County Historical Society where she is an associate editor and graphic designer. When she is not doing this, Emily enjoys coaching Maccabi volleyball for Team Atlanta and providing her graphic design skills for small businesses, students, and nonprofits. Additionally, she is an active member of the Ahavath Achim Synagogue and involved in the Jewish community at KSU. Most amazingly, she founded L’dor V’dor Judaica, which rescues unwanted Judaica and rehomes it to the Jewish community here in Atlanta at no cost. Emily’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of remarkable. Her commitment to making Judaica accessible shines as a valuable service for the community. In a world where tradition often comes with a hefty price tag, Emily’s dedication to rescuing pieces of Jewish culture from estate sales and thrift shops is a testament to her passion for preserving heritage and ensuring that every Jew can embrace that tradition without financial constraints.

For more information on the She’s a Maccabee Award and to learn about JIFLA’s loan programs please visit JIFLA.org.