Testimonials
Michael and Chana Nelson
(Moved to Memphis in 2007)
Where did each of you grow up?
Michael grew up in New York and Chana in California
Where did you live as a couple before Memphis?
We moved around for Michael's medical training: New Haven, CT, Atlanta, GA and Newton, MA.
Why did you leave that community?
To move to Memphis to join a practice and settle down
What attracted you to Memphis?
We wanted a warm Jewish community in a city that has decent weather, a reasonable cost of living, slower pace of life and a good medical community.
What clinched your decision move here?
Memphis had everything we were looking for and a position for Michael. Our checklist was (in no specific order): Orthodox shuls, Jewish day school, kosher food in the supermarket, short distance to hospital from the community, good financial opportunity, low cost of living, and no snow (we do get a little snow, so I had to compromise there!).
What do you do professionally?
Michael is a cardiologist with his own practice and Chana is the office manager.
How old are your children and where do they go to school?
Akiva, 10, Maytal, 8 and Ezra, 7 go to the Margolin Hebrew Academy and Zachary, 3, goes to the Memphis Jewish Community Center.
What do you like best about Memphis and/or what makes it different or better than other places that you have lived?
There is a unity among all the Jews in Memphis that is truly unique and can be largely attributed to the JCC which is central in the lives of many Jews, observant and non-observant, with young children. There is also no traffic, a low cost of living and convenient lifestyle. With the many demands on a young family, Memphis allows parents to almost do it all. When children have class presentations at school during the day, often both parents are able to attend. In most large cities this is unthinkable. In Memphis, Jews and non-Jews value family and community above all else.
Because of the small size of the community we make every effort to enroll our children in as many extra-curricular options as are available to them and they have grown enormously from these experiences. Among the weekly Jewish activities my children look forward to are: Learning Mishanayos on Shabbos afternoon at Baron Hirsch (the youth rabbi has a special ability to connect with the kids); Parent-Child Learning at MHA on Motzei Shabbos in the winter (they love winning prizes for their participation and learning how to give a dvar Torah); and Parent-Child davening on Sundays at Young Israel. The children are the focus of the community and we are able to take advantage of everything that is offered.
Sports participation is also big in Memphis and Sundays are packed with soccer, basketball or baseball practices and games. Basketball is also Memphis’ number one spectator sport, whether it’s the University of Memphis Tigers or the NBA Memphis Grizzlies.
How do you manage being far away from family?
Our families visit when they can and we also send the older kids on trips to spend one on one time with their grandparents. We are not great about Skype and FaceTime, but our older kids regularly email and instant message their grandparents. People in the community are amazing at helping out and lending a hand at any time. Our kids know so many of the adults in the community and have lots of adopted aunts, uncles and grandparents. It is not uncommon for these adopted relatives to attend kindergarten, 8th grade or high school graduations, siddur presentations, class performances and other school wide events.
Where are your favorite places to go in Memphis with and without your kids?
With the kids: the JCC pool and water park in the summer; the playground or biking trails at nearby Shelby Farms year round. Without the kids: Cooper Young Neighborhood in Midtown, Mud Island downtown.
Feel free to contact Chana at hannahgnelson@yahoo.com for more information about Jewish life in Memphis.