An Affiliate of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Vol. 38, No. 3
Adar I- Adar II 5776
March 2016
Through Federation You Can Do Good Everywhere from Anywhere
18th Annual Spring Lecture Featuring Jennifer Teege Come find your link to community, lasting friendships, and the opportunity to do good everywhere, from anywhere. The 2016 Annual Spring Lecture will be held on Thursday, April 7 at Temple Beth El and will feature Jennifer Teege. The Spring Lecture is the signature campaign and outreach event benefiting the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte Women’s Division and the 2016 Annual Campaign. This multigenerational event brings together nearly 300 women for an inspiring and entertaining evening. Our past speakers have included bestselling author Jennifer Weiner and culinary icon Ruth Reichl. This year’s Spring Lecture will feature Jennifer Teege, bestselling author of My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Women Discovers Her Family’s Nazi Past. The book was born of a shocking discovery: At age 38, married with two children, Jennifer picked up a book by chance at Hamburg’s main library and discovered that her grandfather was the brutal Nazi commandant of the Plaszow concentration camp, portrayed so memorably by Ralph Fiennes in the film Schindler’s List. Born to a German mother and a
Jennifer Teege Nigerian father, Jennifer was placed in an orphanage and then foster care before being adopted by her foster parents at age 7. Already coping with the trauma of rejection by her birth mother, Teege now faced other cruel facts: that she had to learn about her biological family’s secret from a book; and that a monstrous man, Amon Goeth, reviled for decades as “the butcher of Plaszow,” was her biological grandfather. The chilling discovery about her ancestry sent Jennifer into a profound confrontation with her past,
her family, and her sense of self, over 70 countries around the topics she explores in her memoir, world. written with award-winning jourFor more information or to purnalist Nikola Sellmair, who also chase tickets, please visit our websupplies historical and other con- site at www.jewishchar-lotte.org text in a separate, interwoven nar- or contact the Federation office rative. 704-944-6757.Y Jennifer will share her emotional pilgrimage with our community on April 7, and we invite you to live this journey with her. The evening will begin with a strolling dinner at 6:30 PM in the Main Hall at Temple Beth El and the lecture will take place at 7:30 PM in the temple sanctuary. A dessert reception and book signing will follow the program. Spring Lecture tickets Steering Committe members Talli Dippold, Debbie are $45 for the Dinner Porter, Jenny Rosenthal, Mallory Miller, and Sara Kuland Lecture, or $25 for bersh the Lecture Only. There is a minimum donation of $50 to Platinum Sponsors the 2016 Jewish Federation Annual Campaign to attend the event. Pledges are payable through December 2016. The Jewish Federation’s annual campaign funds and supports a broad network of organizations here in Charlotte, in Israel and in
2016 SPRING LECTURE Co-Chairs Mallory Miller and Sara Kulbersh Steering Committee Debby Block, Talli Dippold, Karen Franklin, Madison Levine, Debbie Porter, Jenny Rosenthal, Lori Rosenthal, Jen Schwartz, Marisa Zeibert Gold Sponsor
Shalom Park Community Garden There’s a lot to like about the month of March if you’re a gardener. This is when the dull shades of winter give way to the fresh greens and pastels of approaching spring and the planning and hard work that went on during the months of winter begin to pay off. The committee in charge of Shalom Park Community Garden and its volunteers have done plenty of spadework in the garden over the past several months preparing for the first summer season. Raised beds have been built, trellises raised, mulch spread and perennials planted.
Watching things grow.
If you haven’t visited the garden, which is part of the park’s Shalom Green environmental initiative, you’ll find it to the right of the entrance to the Levine-Sklut Library. Louise Frumkin, who works with Bridget Cohen and Aaron Lipsitz to select and schedule the plantings, expects pansies and primrose to be in bloom this month, weather permitting. Radishes and carrots should be coming up, garlic is in place, and hopefully the peas will be thriving. The garden has begun serving its role as a tool to teach commu-
nity children Jewish values related to the environment, agriculture, festivals, and tzedakah. Students from the religious schools at both temples, the day school, and the preschool have been visiting the garden for classes, and many of them have been involved in planting winter crops like onions and garlic. The Garden committee’s education team of Bette Andrews, Candice Serbin, Rabbi Noam Raucher, and Rabbi Jonathan Freirich, is planning a (Continued on page 11)
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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 2
JEWISH FEDERATION NEWS
Thank You for Weathering the Storm on Super Sunday to Do Good Everywhere. From Anywhere. Thank you, Charlotte, for answering the call on Super Sunday. More than 60 volunteers representing the Jewish Federation’s network of community agencies weathered the icy storm on Sunday, January 24 to make calls on Super Sunday. Thanks to their efforts, and the community members who answered their phones and generously contributed to the Jewish Federation 2016 Annual Campaign, the day was a Super Success. The day’s unofficial total, $85,968, far exceeded expectations and the $50,000 goal. A big shout out to our Super Sunday cochairs, Marcie Jacobs and Jeff Turk, for all their work planning the event. A special thanks also goes out to all the dedicated callers who hit the phones and put “Tzedakah” on the speed dial. Super Sunday, Federation’s largest annual community-wide fundraising phonathon, helps support the Jewish Federation’s annual campaign, which touches
more Jewish lives than any other organization in the world. Through your support, you care for Jews everywhere, connect people to their Jewish communities, and respond to crises close to home and around the globe. Together, our impact stretches from Charlotte to Israel to 70 countries around the world. If we somehow missed you on Super Sunday, there is still time to donate to the 2016 Annual Campaign. Visit our website today at w w w. j e w i s h c h a r l o t t e . o r g . Through Federation you can do good everywhere, from anywhere. The mission of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte is to raise and distribute funds to support and enrich the lives of Jews locally, nationally, in Israel, and worldwide. Through education and community building, the Federation’s mission ensures that Jewish values, goals and traditions and connections are preserved for current and future generations.Y
SHABBAT CANDLE LIGHTING FOR MARCH 2016
Linda Seigel and Staci Mond Eric Wisotsky and Ira Slomka
Diana Warth and Justin Bregman
David Van Glish and Eric Lerner.
Friday, March 4, 6:04 PM Friday, March 11, 6:10 PM Friday, March 18, 7:16 PM Friday, March 25, 7:21 PM
The Charlotte Jewish News 5007 Providence Road, Suite 112 Charlotte, NC 28226 Phone (voice mail after office hours)
Office 704-944-6765 FAX 704-365-4507 email: charlottejewishnews@shalomcharlotte.org An Affiliate of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte Amy Krakovitz - Editor Advertising Sales Reps: Jodi Valenstein, 704-609-0950 or Scott Moskowitz, 704-906-2474 Art Director, Erin Bronkar ebronkar@carolina.rr.com CJN Editorial Board Chair - Bob Davis Members: Bob Abel, Sara Abadi, David Delfiner, Ann Langman, Linda Levy, Elaine Millen The CJN does not assume responsibility for the quality or kasruth of any product or service advertised. Publishing of a paid political advertisement does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate, political party or position by this newspaper, the Federation or any employees.
Published monthly except July An affliate of:
Alan Kronovet, immediate past president JFGC, Holly Levinson, JFGC president, and Alison Lerner, campaign chair.
CONTENTS
Youth Visions................................pp. 18, 20
Federation News ...............................pp. 1-6
Synagogues/Congregations..........pp. 20-23
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library ................p. 7
Mazel Tov................................................p. 25
Schools ..............................................pp. 8, 9
NC Council on the Holocaust................p. 26
Jewish Family Services........................p. 10
Dining Out ............................................p. 27
Community News ...................pp. 11-13, 17
Sydney Taylor Book Awards.........pp. 30, 31
Jewish Community Center .........pp. 14, 15
Purim.....................................................p. 32
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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 3
The Many Faces of the Jewish Federation Inna Manoim and Sharon Fargian recently shared their personal stories at the Jewish Federation’s Lion of Judah and Pomegranate Society Luncheon. Inna was born in the Former Soviet Union and Sharon lived and worked in Israel. Their journeys show Federation at its best – as it was and as it will be. The Federation takes pride in these young women who are the faces of Federation and Jewish leadership in the 21st Century.
Inna’s Story Good afternoon, my name is Inna Manoim. If you didn’t catch that, it’s OK. I spend a good bit of time repeating and spelling my name. Typically, after such an exchange comes the question “where are you from?” I sometimes answer “Columbia, South Carolina” in hopes of keeping the conversation to a minimum. It never works and usually only serves to pique curiosity further. Inevitably, I end up delving into where I was born, how old I was when we immigrated, and why we left the Soviet Union. Many, who are not familiar with the Soviet Jewry movement, are often surprised and fascinated by my story. So, how does a girl named Inna come to be from Columbia, SC of all places? Let’s start at the real beginning: I was born in Belarus in 1975. At that time, Belarus was part of the Soviet Union, which was under communist rule. For the first few years of my life, I lived with my parents and extended family in a crowded two-bedroom apartment in the capital city of Minsk. Sometime after I was born, my parents began seriously contemplating emigration. As you probably know, life for most people in the Soviet Union was not easy, but for Jewish people in particular it was made even more difficult due to the strong culture of anti-Semitism which was and still is pervasive in that part of the world. Historically, Russia and other
Inna with her family.
eastern European countries had openly anti-Semitic policies and when Communism took hold, those policies continued to limit and oppress the Jewish people that lived within its reach. In 1980, when I was just shy of five years of age, my parents were granted permission to emigrate from the U.S.S.R. By that time, many of the larger cities in the US were saturated with Soviet Jewish immigrants and the resources of the Jewish organizations that were helping newcomers were strained. Jewish federations in many smaller cities were willing and able to act as hosts for new immigrants. This is how a girl named Inna ended up in Columbia, South Carolina. For my parents and grandparents, it was a culture shock for sure. At that time, Minsk was a bustling metropolis of just over a million people, whereas, the city of Columbia boasted a population of just over 100,000. My family
Sharon’s Story A friend of mine recently told me that I am a unicorn, her nickname for the rarity of meeting people who were born and raised here in Charlotte. We are unicorns. What, then, do we affectionately call the Jewish people my age who were born and raised in Charlotte? An even rarer phenomenon? There were maybe 50 of us in my preschool graduation. Have you seen the bustling preschool hallways today? It has been amazing to move back to Charlotte after years away to see that the small, but mighty, Jewish community that I grew up in has flourished into a thriving exuberant and impactful Jewish community led by the Federation. Thanks to all of your time, energy and generosity, I am thrilled that my daughter Eleanor will grow up here, be a part of it, and have a strong Jewish identity. I grew up in a family that cares deeply about the Jewish community, both domestic and abroad. My parents took a leap of faith moving to the South nearly 40 years ago, and it is no surprise that the Jewish Federation of Charlotte played a huge role in my childhood and who I have become. I was an LJCC rat for startersswim team, soccer, basketball,
Sharon and her family.
pottery and summer camp (now Camp Mindy) to name a few of my favorite activities. I loved my Hebrew High classes (side note: for a while I even thought I might become a Rabbi), and really loved BBYO. I still keep up with some of my friends from BBYO, and just a few weeks ago had lunch with a friend of mine from Virginia who now lives in Charleston. It was pretty cool to take pictures of his nine month old son sitting with my Eleanor and see the next generation. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I worked for Hillel at the University of Virginia for one year because I knew that I wanted to give back to the community somehow. That year I staffed two Birthright trips, which was my 3rd cup of the Birthright “Kool-aid,” and I knew that I had to spend
was able to escape the clutches of an oppressive regime and a society, which loathed them, based simply on their ancestry. In Columbia, outside of the small Jewish community, most people had never even met a Jew, and certainly not an immigrant from Russia. Columbia offered my family a new beginning and the promise of a future we never would have had in the Soviet Union. None of this would have been possible without the leadership and generosity of a small Jewish Federation in the South. Our host family, the Bazermans, welcomed us and made sure we had what we needed to begin our new life. The Jewish Federation of Columbia generously provided us with a furnished apartment, as well as an interest-free loan to purchase our first car. Caring individuals from Federation gave my parents valuable lessons in the life skills necessary to navigate our new world. The personal and financial generosity of the Columbia Jewish Federation, much like the generosity of the Charlotte Jewish Federation during the Soviet resettlement in the 1970s and 1990s, made all the difference for my family, and other families like ours. They helped us get settled and begin a new life in this amazing country. About three years after we landed in Columbia, my father
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more time there. I knew that I needed to contribute to our Jewish family in Israel, and that I needed to find a Jewish husband in Israel because I knew I wasn’t finding him here in Charlotte. I can confidently say that I succeeded in both. All of my experiences in Charlotte led me to signing up for OTZMA, a one year volunteer program in Israel. Jewish Federations across America universally sponsor a portion of each participant’s trip, just like the Charlotte Federation sponsored mine. They also provide the connections and framework for meaningful volunteer opportunities in our sister cities. That year was, as you can imagine, eye opening. As a privileged American girl, I lived in absorption centers with new immigrants from Russia and Ethiopia who came to Israel with nothing. Although my freshman dorm room was more glamorous, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. To live and volunteer with people who left everything they had to come to Israel was inspiring. While I predominantly went on OTZMA to volunteer in hospitals (Continued on page 22)
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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 4
Dr. Ronen Hoffman Speaks About the Peace Process The Jewish Federation’s Community Relations Council (JCRC), welcomed Dr. Ronen Hoffman on Tuesday evening, February 2. Dr. Hoffman has a long list of bona fides that qualify him to speak about the Israeli peace process. He has a Ph.D. in War Studies from King’s College in London and served on defense,
foreign affairs, and public diplomacy committees while a member of the Knesset. He served as adviser to both the Ministers of Defense and Health on the subject of international co-operation. He was personal assistant to Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin and coordinated the Israeli delegation that negotiated peace with Syria. And
he is the co-founder of the International Policy Institute for Counter-terrorism. All of which is a long way of saying simply, he has the experience to know and understand the challenges Israel faces in foreign policy implementation. Hoffman’s simple thesis when he addressed the Charlotte Jewish
Introducing
community is that Israel’s use of military and intelligence personnel in pursuing peace could be augmented and improved by using psychological and intellectual means. By understanding the underpinnings of the thought processes of the local Arab states, Israel could be in a better position to negotiate peace. He outlined many historical events that led to where the Middle East is today, including the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the victory of Osama bin Laden over the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, and most recently, the “Arab
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Yael Rosenberg-Osovski, a former student of Dr. Hoffman’s at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, who now lives in Charlotte.
spring.” And while Jordan and Egypt obtained their own treaties with Israel, the PLO has never been “authorized” by any of the nations in the Arab world to negotiate a final peace with Israel. Currently, Hoffman sees that there is common ground being cultivated between Israel and many of her neighbors because they want Israel on their side against ISIS. But Israeli negotiators need to understand how the prevailing culture impacts the psychological and intellectual demeanor of her future partners in peace. Y
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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 5
Partnership2Gether Art Beyond Boundaries P2G stands for Partnership2Gether Peoplehood Platform. It has become the paradigm for successfully partnering Jewish communities around the world with Israeli communities. The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte is one of 10 Federations that participate in our P2G Southeast Consortium through a variety of activities including teacher and pupil exchanges, cultural exchanges, and youth summer experiences. This year our cultural exchange program focused on pairing American artists with Israeli artists to produce an exhibition about Psalms that will travel between the US and Israel and will eventually be shown in Charlotte late 2016. Four local Charlotte artists participated in our Art of Psalms project. Gwen Orland, Marilyn Milden, Sharon Hockfield, and Betsy Klein all partnered with Israelis in our Hadera Eiron P2G partnership city. Each pair studied for the past several weeks with their Israeli counterparts studying the text of Psalms and then collaborated together on art pieces based on the study theme. This on-going discussion and collaboration further deepens the connection between our local Charlotte community members and Israelis through common in-
Marilyn Milden’s collaborative piece with Yafa Winker.
Gwen Orland: “It has been a pleasure getting to know and working with Daniela Rozen, an Israeli paper artist. We ‘met’ each other on skype and chatted briefly about our families, our art, and ourselves. Instant warmth, smiles, and a few good laughs were all it took to ‘connect.’ She recognized that poetry and words of inspiration were an important part of my work and likewise, her art fit well with the theme in one of the Psalms we learned so we took a leap of faith as I sent her ‘pieces’ of ceramics that she will incorporate into her boxes — fingers crossed that everything fits. “I know when I travel back to Israel one day, I have a ‘new friend’ to visit.” Marilyn Milden: “This project gave me an opportunity to stretch myself as an artist and try something sculptural rather than the normal functional wheel thrown work that I do. Creating and painting something three dimensional presented a definite challenge. I am also so very pleased that I have made a new friend in Israel, Yafa Winker, who is also a talented artist. The ceramic pieces that Gwen Orland sent to Although we had some initial difficulties with Daniela Rozen. communication, I am in awe of her ability to make terests such as art. The opening art herself understood not only in a exhibit will take place Thursday language that is not her native one evening, April 7, in Hadera Eiron. but also managed to discuss artisDuring the summer the exhibit tic terminology as well. I defiwill then travel through each of nitely plan to keep in touch with the American communities. As the Yafa even after this project is date approaches to ship artwork to completed as I enjoy my time with Israel, our local artists have taken her.” Sharon Hockfield: “When I the time to write about their expewas given the name of my Israeli riences.
Tributes to the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte thanks and acknowledges the following tributes made December 5, 2015 – January 31, 2016 In honor of Bode Bitton By: Michael Bitton In honor of Eli Sherman By: Leon and Jennifer Golynsky In honor of Holly Levinson By: Alison Lerner
In honor of Mark, Alison, Sean and Carly Lerner By: Paul and Lynn Edelstein In memory of David Cabillis By: Michael and Jodi Iagnocco In memory of Bea Jaffe By: Michele Hart If you would like to make a Tribute to the Jewish Federation, please contact the Federation office at 704-944-6761. Y
partner, Yossi Veissid, I immediately looked him up. Wow. I was thrilled as I loved his work and was excited that he also had a Boston connection. By the time we met online, he had also checked out my work— thank you Google. We were given some photos as a ‘get-toknow-you ice breaker,’ and we both chose the same two images for the same reasons — instant connection. “Our discussion of Psalms for the next five weeks went far beyond the actual texts. Sharon Hockfield with one of the pieces Yossi’s wife, Lila, is a rabbi, created in collaboration with Yossi and she added much to our dis- Veissid. cussions and recommended additional readings for me. The Psalms became a starting point for us to discuss current events, philosophy, politics, and art. “Recurring themes for us were hope vs. despair, order vs. chaos, and tension between God and man. We decided to create mixed media pieces based on Psalm 115:16, ‘As for the heavens, the heavens are the Lord’s, but the earth He has given to mankind.’ Chaos, order, and tension inform our works, which are filled with imagery, though neither piece is too literal. The art is intentionally enigmatic, and we want viewers to find their own meaning. “Though I cannot go to the exhibit opening in Israel, Yossi and I plan to meet this summer in Boston, where we hope to draw and paint together.” Betsy Klein: “I very much enjoyed working with my Israeli partner, Galit. Through our conversations and collaborations we discovered the power of the human spirit and endeavored to create a piece of work that shows the power of color and women’s inner strength.”
More information about the project can be found on Facebook at “Art Beyond Boundaries,” where Israeli and American artists involved in the project can be followed. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 6
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Jewish Federation Scholarships and Subsidies Available for Jewish Experiences It is difficult to measure the value of a Jewish education in numbers or in charts. How do you quantify a child’s smile when he shows his mother the clay menorah he made? How do you evaluate the pride a man feels when his granddaughter recites the “Shema”? How do you measure the warmth of Shabbat candles lit by your own teenager? Yet, many studies have demonstrated the tremendous impact of a day school, Hebrew school, Jewish camp, or trip to Israel on fostering Jewish identity. There is a general consensus that each activity, in its own way, brings Jews closer to our collective roots in both history and Torah. All these formal and informal educational activities share a common love and respect for our common ancestry, history, religion, and culture. As a community, Jews share and embrace the value of Jewish education and recognize the many forms education may take. To that end, the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte supports a wide variety of educational opportunities, enabling individuals and families to discover for themselves how best to learn about our heritage and foster identity and affiliation with Jewish communal life. The Jewish Federation is proud
to provide scholarships and special grants for all types of educational initiatives enabling parents to send their children to summer camps as well as to participate in Israel Experience programs. Nothing makes Jewish identity and history come alive for young
people like an Israel Experience Program or a Jewish summer camp. Special thanks to Bill and Patty Gorelick and Harry and Gloria Lerner for their ongoing support and generosity. Y
Available Subsidies for Jewish Experiences Jewish Experience Fund: Need based subsidies are available to local Jewish youth meeting at least one of the following criteria: • Household gross income not to exceed $75,000 • Change in household circumstances within the last six months necessitating financial assistance (ie: medical concerns, job loss, change in family status, etc.) • Multiple children attending camps and/or Jewish programs • Extenuating chronic family circumstances (ie: special needs children; disability, etc.)
For an application or more information, please contact Jewish Family Services at 704-364-6594. Gorelick Teens to Israel Fund: Subsidies are available to local Jewish teens ages 13-19 traveling to Israel on a Federation approved program. Gloria and Harry Lerner Family Fund: Subsidies are available to local Jewish young adults between the ages of 21-30 traveling to Israel on a Federation approved program. For more information, please contact Tal Stein, Director of Israel Affairs and Community Relations, 704-944-6751 or tal.stein@jewishcharlotte.org.
Purim in Israel By Inbal Ozeri, Community Shlicha Keeping with tradition, the Midreshet Sde Boker environmental Adloyada Parade was held on Purim, led by the students of the High School for Environmental Education. On Purim, students of the highschool for environmental education led the environmental “green” Adloyada held again this year at Midreshet Sde Boker. The event took place on Saturday, March 15, 2014, in cooperation with the Ramat Hanegev Regional Council.” (Taken from: http://rng.org.il/en/?p=17204) Why am I mentioning this article? Because I was there that year. Not only I was there, out of all the 9th-12th graders, we were the ones that had been mentioned the most. Why? Since we picked a topic that made everyone feel a connection. Reporters came from all over the world to talk about the
10th graders from that boarding school in the south of Israel that participated in an amazing event that happened every year, was always green, and always made everything from recycled materials, but that year the subject was “green,” too. Café Ivrit The monthly Café Ivrit is still on every month. Last month we had an amazing Israeli cooking at the Moishe House. You’re more than welcome to look it up on Facebook under the name “Café Ivrit – Hebrew Coffee” or contact me. This month it is going to be at Shalom Park. I would love to get to know you better. I love meeting new people, making new friends, grabbing a cup of coffee, and just chatting about things that matter, anything about Israel, my story, Hebrew, etc. Please feel free to contact me Shaliach@jewishcharlotte.org or
The Purim parade.
Inbal dressed up for the environmental Purim parade at Midreshet Sde Boker.
704-944-6784 if you want to. I look forward to hearing from you.Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 7
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library and Resource Center We Love our Volunteers The Levine-Sklut Judaic Library is extremely proud to have a group of dedicated volunteers who donate their time for the betterment of the library. Over the past year, volunteers have donated over 800 hours to supporting the library. In addition, many of our volunteers have worked in the library for over
four years. No words can express our gratitude to our volunteers that must truly “love the library.” Do you need Fair Share hours? You too can volunteer at the library. For more information please contact Debby Block dblock@shalomcharlotte.org. Y
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Choose Melton for Adult Jewish Education “Melton is my time each week of pure Jewish learning. No homework, no tests, no papers. I just show up and listen to amazing instructors whose knowledge seems endless…It is the highlight of my week.” – Melton student If you want to incorporate Jewish learning into your life, then this is the place for you. Developed at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jewish learners from all backgrounds learn about our heritage and culture in an intellectually stimulating, non-denominational environment. Our superb faculty encourage group discussion and exploration of ideas. This is an opportunity to explore classic Jewish sources from Biblical through contemporary texts. You’ll investigate issues of Jewish thought, practices, ethics and Jewish history. There are no prerequisites, tests, or homework. The school is
open to any member of the Jewish community. New Melton classes offered. Come try a class and see for yourself. Registration for Session III is now open. Contact melton@ shalomcharlotte.org or 704-9446740 for more information on classes and schedules. Y
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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 8
School Judaica at CJP: It’s More Than Just Holidays Our Judaica curriculum is holiday driven. As we approach the holidays, from Rosh Hashanah to Shavuot and all that’s in-between
you can experience Judaism simply by walking through our hallways and observing the art projects on our bulletin boards or
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listening to the songs sung in music class. You have not witnessed the future of the Jewish people until you have attended one of our weekly CJP Shabbat celebrations. Our students are animated as they sing traditional prayers like Shalom Aleichem and the Shema and they remain captivated through the D’var Torah of the week led by a visiting rabbi from either synagogue. But our preschoolers know that Judaism is not just what happens in preparation for or during the holidays and Shabbat. In our classrooms Jewish values are present. The Charlotte Jewish Preschool Judaica curriculum encompasses the chagim (Jewish holidays), Torah teachings, and Judaic concepts; we emphasize five core Torah teachings and Judaic values that all preschoolers should live by: 1. Tikkun Olam – Performing acts of kindness to help repair our world. 2. Hachnasat Orchim – Welcoming visitors and treat them nicely. 3. Derech Eretz – Being polite and respectful. 4. B’tzelem Elohim – Everyone is created in God’s image.
5. Tzar Ba’alei Chayim – Being kind to all of God’s creatures Tikkun Olam Our students are charged with leaving the world a better place than they found it. One of the ways they achieve this is by recycling in their classroom. After a unit in Judaica where students learn what items are for the trash and what can be recycled, students bring signs back to their classrooms to remind themselves that we are partners with God. Our students actively participate in caring for our garden in the outdoor learning center. Last spring each student released a ladybug in the garden and learned from our parent volunteers how ladybugs keep our garden healthy. This experiential education gives our students a hands-on experience that they will never forget. Hachnasat Orchim Our children love visitors. At Chanukah we have our annual Latkes, Lights, and Love program for parents or close family friends to do a special activity with their child. Before the program, our students create personalized invitations to bring home to their parents to cordially invite their parents. When parents arrive, students greet their special visitors and must be on their best behavior while they are there. While separating can be difficult for our younger students, we find that hosting Latkes, Lights, and Love and other special programs instill in our kids the Judaic value of hachnasat orchim. Each week at Shabbat we welcome a visiting rabbi to our Shabbat service led by Morah Becca and Miss Patty. After the Torah service, Morah Becca prepares the students for the D’var Torah by saying “please keep your listening oznayim (ears) on and your peh (mouth) closed for our Rabbi.” This teaches our students that when we have a visitor we exer-
cise our respectful behavior to show that we are grateful they came and we are interested in what they will teach us. Hachnasat orchim is a weekly, if not daily, practice for all of our students. Derech Eretz If you were to spend a day in one of our vibrant classrooms, no doubt you would hear the phrase “make a good choice” more than once. Our job as early childhood educators is not to give students the right answer all the time, but to guide them toward making their own right decisions. We do not tell our students what the “good choice” is, rather we instill in them the confidence and wherewithal to make their own right decisions. B’tzelem Elohim Early childhood education is imperative to teach socialization starting at a young age. Starting from 12 months, our students are learning to be good citizens and friends through sharing, respectful communication, collaboration, and more. But, we all know that a child’s favorite question is “why?” At CJP, it’s easy. We teach our students that each one of us has a piece of God in our heart; we are made b’tzelem Elohim. Not only must we nurture and care for God inside of us, but we are kind to our friends because God is inside of them, too. This explanation turns an abstract concept into something physical that a child can understand. Tzar Ba’alei Chayim So many of our CJP friends have a pet that is part of their family. These pets are a great way to teach young children about the responsibility of taking care of a living being. At home, they can help to feed, play, and snuggle with their furry family members. This is their first exposure to true responsibility and caring for another living being. For our students without a pet at home, we spend an entire month learning Torah stories about our Bible heroes who performed tzar ba’alei chayim and our three-year olds take a trip to the “farm.” There they have an opportunity to take care of animals in the petting zoo and enjoy their experiential education in which we turn an abstract concept into a physical activity. At CJP we instill a love of Judaism in the children, not only through the Chagim but by being a mensch. And that is how together we Learn. Grow. And Connect.Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 9
How Do You Celebrate Tu BiShevat in the Winter? It might be the Rosh Hashanah for the trees, but it is a challenge to mark it when our climate does not match the weather in Israel. Morah Donna takes her first grade to the wooded trails in Boyce Park each year on Tu BiShevat. Yes, the trees are bare and it is cold and wet. But, Kitah Aleph still found a way to appreciate the trees. The letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the Alef Bet, are fresh in the children’s minds. They are learning what they look like, their sounds, and how they blend into the words once vowels are added to them. Using them in a variety of modalities is the best way to cement the pictures and knowledge in their brains. When walking on these trails, Morah Donna asks the children to find branch and tree formations that resemble the letters they know. She also tells them, that they can use their bodies to complete the letter in the tree. Using all of our senses is the way to learn, the way to store what we’ve learned. Todah, Morah Donna! Y
Raish.
Samech
Yud
Daled (on the ground)
Zayin
Bet
Save the Date Shalom Park Freedom School Fund Raiser Tuesday, May 3 at 7 PM, Sam Lerner Center for Cultural Arts in Shalom Park
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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 10
Jewish Family Services Donations to Jewish Family Services in January 2016
, Suite 105 5007 Providence Road lina 28226 Charlotte, North Caro P 704.364.6594 F 704.364.6596 jfscharlotte.org
Counseling Center at JFS
Senior Outreach from JFS
My Solutions
Case Management Community Support Programs at JFS
Mission Jewish Family Services rs owe strengthens and emp individuals and families through professional s and counseling, program sh services inspired by Jewi es. valu Vision Jewish Family Services in will be recognized with the community as the preferred social services resource center and lity provider of high-qua professional services, enabling our clients to adapt to change, cope with challenge and lead fulfilled lives.
Family Services, Dear Friends of Jewish the heart celebrate 36 years as Family Services as we me stone year for Jewish ted in 1980; others beca star we e sinc JFS This is an exciting mile of part r vision. y of you have been a you, thank you for you of one y of our community. Man ever and more recently. To each impassioned for JFS capable Directors from the very cy of the JFS Board of passion for I took over the Presiden ership and immense lead ous end trem As of January 1, 2016, d trate ediate Past lman. Jennifer demons rd of directors as Imm hands of Jennifer Col active with the JFS boa plans to remain very the mission of JFS and President. President JFS as Secretar y and have previously served of a non-profit agency board since 2009 and 4 I was on the board 200 in I have been on the JFS is ol Lou St. to Charlotte from nt, as well as on the scho er Elect. Prior to moving divorce or loss of a pare I spent most of my care lly children suffering from iona for fess apy Pro ther g is. idin prov rban St. Lou I became About two years ago School District in subu itor. aud IT and ager board of the Parkway man gy as a programmer, in Information Technolo franchise. ing a window cleaning an entrepreneur by buy t work sure to share the grea ily Circle, it is my plea could not do of the JFS Legacy Fam This is work that we 5. 201 in ity mun As one of 72 members and com our community – now ices has done for our r generosity makes on that Jewish Family Serv you see the impact you e hop I and gift, r without you in the future. . and adults of all ages ter at JFS children, adolescents The Counseling Cen ed our team, serving 1,500 hours of join over e hav ived ts rece apis es ther issu t Two new developmental mental health and/or t People dealing with e than $45,000 in licensed therapists. nseling received mor counseling from JFS able to afford this cou would not have been t Individuals who subsidies. e agement 190 hours of one-on-on My Solutions Case Man ncial instability received ilies struggling with fina t Individuals and fam try. agers. only food pan help from JFS case man our Jewish community’s from the JFS ived nourishment from in financial assistance t 120 individuals rece needs received $22,000 c basi life’s t mee to ng t Families struggli Tzedakah fund.
bbat service JFS discussion groups, Sha Senior Outreach from to Jewish life through seniors were connected t 124 homebound dealing with s. resource for families and one-on-one visit Jewish community’s reach out to JFS as the to e tinu con ilies t Fam g. issues related to agin 50 support groups and t and Programming Community Suppor or adults attended over givers, families and seni t Teens, parents, care workshops led by JFS. hanie Executive Director, Step to thank our long time has decided to move 36th year, I would like s with JFS. Stephanie year As we embark on our nine her rs. ing dur eavo agency forward ess in future end Starr for moving the we wish her great succ essional direction and on to pursue a new prof the organization. I am year was to restructure th and accountability y accomplishments last a framework for grow One of Stephanie’s man ides prov e ctur stru until we can find a tional helm niza the orga at new stay the to nt ed confide ie has agre ctor in into the future. Stephan e a new executive dire hav to e hop and ee that will serve us well committ e assembled a search replacement. We hav place by summer. munity and Charlotte Jewish com ghts to the future of the – synagogues, you again for your thou ant Jewish community vibr a of ents Please, let me thank elem key of our ices. Along with the JFS ensures the health to Jewish Family Serv ish schools - a strong a cemeter y and our Jew a community center, community. ng Thank you for supporti
this vision.
Respectfully,
Harry Sparks rs President JFS Board of Directo
The letter above from the Jewish Family Services’ Board President was previously mailed to all of the members of our JFS Legacy Family Circle.
IN MEMORY OF Dr. George Adams to Joshua and Tracey Adams, Josie Adams from Marissa Brooks, Richard and Suly Chenkin, Josh Dopirak, Wayne Kelley, Jeff and Wendy Kornegay, Stephen Moore, Karen Orzechowski, Mary PenderCoplan, The Connecticut Crew Jeffrey Aronoff to Gerald Aronoff from Allan and Marcelle Oxman Abe Bober to Bette Bober and Richard Bober from Irving and Lillian Bienstock, Bill Cassell and Ruth Brandt, Alan and Ruth Goldberg, Ed and Gail Green, Ed and Sue Kanterman, Thomas and Emma Lewis,Dou-
glas and Rosaline Mann, Ann May, Eleanor Miller, Points of View, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Robinson II, Eric and Lori Sklut, Temple Israel Social Club, Robert and Anne Yudell Sara Heskins to Glenn and Barbara Davis from Leon and Sandra Levine Nathan Rabhan from Edward and Debora Pizer Sylvia Paul to Leslie Rusgo from Allan and Marcelle Oxman HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO Rachel Goodman from Gloria Goldberg Lee Pesakoff from Mr. and Mrs. Robert Rothkopf Y
Thank you to the following people who contributed their time to Jewish Family Services in January. Volunteers: Rick Abrams, Ben & Susan Aizenman, Dan Coblenz, Jennifer Collman, Andrea Cronson, Sheryl Effren, Mel and Caren Frank, Jennifer and Leon Golynsky, Robert Friedman, Gail Halverson, Bob Jacobson, Karen Knoble, Gary Lerner, Annie Lord, Matt Luftglass, Frada Mozenter, Allen Oxman, Barbara Rein, Harry Sparks, Jeff and Stacy Strauch, Lindsay Strawser, Liz Wahls, Amalia Warshenbrot, Mary Wennen, Mike Weinberg, Jan Weiner, Dori Whitman, Lisa Wielunski, Nancy Wielunski, Allison Winshel Hadassah Cooks: Barbara Abrams, Bonnie Berman, Ilene Cantor, Sharon Cavanaugh, Gladys Cherny, Milly Corday, Gail Green, June Hirschmann, Sandy Hoagland, Sari Hochberg, Karen Kantrowitz, Fran Kaplan, Judy Kaufmann, Penny Krieger, Shelley Leibman, Andrea McCleary, Phyllis Romaine, Joyce Stoll, Lynda White Food Pantry Donations: Temple Israel and Temple Beth El Congregants, Karen Backer, Carol Fink, Sheryl Effren Food Drives: CJDS 2nd grade Special Recognition: Temple Israel Religious School students for baking challah & making Shabbos cards for seniors; Lindsay Strawser for volunteering in Food Pantry and assisting with Temple Beth El Religious School class program Simcha Centerpieces: In honor of Charlie Gorelick Bar Mitzvah Y
Mother’s Day Friends Run Registration Open 1 Mile – 5K –10K Kids’ Zone – Moms’ Zone Family Fun! This year’s race will be even more exciting because we have special guest DJ Kevin in the house!! Sign up before the price increases www.FriendsRun.com Moms: Visit our table at the community Purim Carnival on March 20 and receive a free gift when you sign up for the race! Limited sponsorships still available. Contact beth.cupp@jfscharlotte.org or 704-944-6849.
Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 11
Community News Supporting the Hebrew Cemetery Association By Brian Yesowitch, President, Hebrew Cemetery Association The Hebrew Cemetery Association continues to conduct its business of serving families at their time of need as it has since our first funeral in 1870. Although its mission is respected and the community praises its volunteers and director, it’s still a fact that nearly 90% of the Greater Charlotte Jewish community doesn’t choose to affiliate with the Cemetery Association by paying $72 dues each year. There are individuals who do not have the means to associate with the Cemetery Association (or other Jewish institutions), but finances should never be an impediment if Jewish funeral arrangements are required. To that end, a partnership has been created between Jewish Family Services, The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, our four partner Temples (Congregation Or HaTorah, Temple Beth El, Temple Israel, and Temple Kol Tikvah) along with our community’s clergy and two partner funeral homes (JB Tallent and Sons and Harry and Bryant). This partnership works in tandem with our Association’s Steinberger Funeral Assistance Fund to support those needy families at their time of loss. What about the other families and individuals who live an active
and engaged Jewish life in Charlotte and the surrounding region? Charlotte is a unique city in that our Cemetery Association is independent from the synagogues and other Jewish agencies. That is a simple result of Southern Jewish history and geography. Many of you have seen the black and white photograph of Rabbi Mendelsohn that is displayed in Shalom Park (near the snack bar in the Jewish history display). For those Jews living in Charlotte at that time, their spiritual needs prior to 1870 were met by affiliating with the synagogues in Charleston, SC or Wilmington, NC. It wasn’t until after the Civil War that the Charlotte Jewish community assumed its own identity distinct and separate from those coastal towns. Furthermore, in those days, people were self-reliant. They were often their own butchers, grocers and clothiers. Some could even argue they didn’t need their own cemetery as Jews in our region had opportunities to be buried in cemeteries in the area. We have records of Jewish individuals buried in the historic Elmwood Cemetery among others. At some point in time, though, it becomes more than an individual responsibility to live a Jewish life and instill Jewish values in one’s community. That’s what the post-Civil War community said in
1867 when they purchased the 11 acres of land on McColl Street north of Uptown to consecrate as their community’s Bet Olam – Eternal House – the Hebrew Cemetery. People don’t often recognize the need for a well-funded and maintained cemetery. However, for nearly 150 years, our community has supported its Bet Olam and made it available to all, regardless of station in life or Temple affiliation. The winter has been extreme. In just this short period our children missed three days of school. The weather did close the Cemetery for a day, as the ice on Statesville Avenue as well as within the Cemetery gates would have posed a challenge for drivers and walkers alike. Because of the physical toll ice and water play on the grounds, upkeep and maintenance are required. When you become a member of the Hebrew Cemetery Association, your $72 dues goes towards this maintenance. Your membership and support are needed to continue to perpetuate the mission of the Hebrew Cemetery Association – providing a dignified final resting place for the Greater Charlotte Jewish community. With the New Year, make this the time that you consider funeral pre-planning. When you pre-plan, you can save over 30% in plot and
service fees. Payments are generally on a two-year term. Our Director, Sandra Goldman, can walk you through the process – and there’s never “hard-selling” involved. Membership is affordable at $72 annually – and funeral preplanning is available immediately upon becoming a member. Perhaps in 2016, your family is expecting a child or grandchild. Maybe you have just received an inheritance or are drafting a will. These are just some of the ways that you can participate in the Create Your Jewish Legacy program and create a lasting relationship between your family and the He-
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Shalom Park Community Garden (Continued from page 1)
full summer of learning opportunities for Camp Mindy, the teen camp and the 80 children who will attend the Shalom Park Freedom School, a literacy based program for low income families. The garden committee also has developed a plan to contribute the food grown by its members and volunteers to Jewish Family Services and Friendship Trays. This part of the garden’s mission determines the list of crops scheduled for summer, which includes tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, green beans, eggplants, cilantro, and dill. The garden will host a variety of programs through the growing season, the first of which is scheduled March 6 for families that signed up for “Eating Green, Growing Green” this month’s theme in the Shalom Green Challenge. If you are interested in attending, contact Julie Rizzo at julie.rizzo@charlottejcc.org.
The garden committee will schedule monthly workdays for routine garden maintenance and could use the help of anyone interested. The work days will be announced on the Shalom Green Facebook page and on its scheduling Website at lotsahelpinghands.com. Bobbie Mabe, the garden’s designer and construction consultant has been hired on a one-year contract to coordinate the activities in what is expected to be a busy season. Mabe is the owner of Growth through Gardening, a company that specializes in horticultural therapy. She also will serve as a consultant to keep the garden growing well. Her contract is paid with grants from the ClearPath Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. Anyone interested in supporting ongoing garden operations is invited to join the Shalom Park Garden Committee simply by
Counting the rings on the tree stump seats to see how old they are.
brew Cemetery. Our Hebrew Cemetery has been a very real testament to the sustained successes of our Charlotte Jewish Community. I hope you will consider adding the Hebrew Cemetery Association to your CJL bequests. For more information about membership or funeral preplanning, legacy planning or any of the programs discussed, please contact our director Sandra Goldman at director@hebrewcemetery.org or 704-576-1859. Y
showing up at committee meetings held the second Wednesday of each month in Room A-111of the Levine Jewish Community Center. Y
704-604-1655
www.
.com
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 12
What It’s Like to Run a Marathon for Friendship Circle Three runners recently represented Friendship Circle of Charlotte in the Miami Marathon. Their task: Raise $3500 for the Friendship Circle, spend an inspirational Shabbat in Miami learning all about Judaism’s unique approach to special needs, and of course run a marathon. Here is a personal account by one of the runners, Carrie Rabinowitz. By Carrie Rabinowitz How can you tell if someone has run a marathon? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you. I am so proud that I participated in The Friendship Circle Miami Marathon. I only ran the half marathon, so I’m only half crazy, but I am completely grateful that I did it. For me, it wasn’t a race. A race is something you try to win and I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to beat 25,000 other runners to the finish line. Rather, for me, it was a run. It was a journey, both physically and mentally, when I committed last May. Could my legs carry me 13.1 miles? Could I
commit to a training schedule? Would I be stalwart enough to run in the rain, in the Charlotte humidity, in the cold? I wasn’t prepared when I got to the starting line at 4:58 A.M. that Sunday morning. It was Miami; it was supposed to be warm and sunny, right? But because of 42 degrees and 16 mph winds, I wasn’t able to wear the clothes I had trained in and was comfortable in – I had to spend Friday shopping for cold-weather running gear and had only ripped off the tags as I walked out the hotel room door. I huddled with the other runners as we waited an hour for our race to begin. There’s something bonding about suffering with others. Not that this was any catastrophic event. But here we were, every single one of us, shivering from the cold and with anticipation of getting started. Here we were, 25,000 people, propelling ourselves, in any and every way we could, toward the finish line. Here we were, all seemingly with the
same goal, but with as many different reasons to run as there were body types, ages, and abilities. Here we were, all running the same race, all doing the best we could. I had several moments of clarity while running the streets of South Beach. I had a couple of hours to think. I thought about my family and their endless encouragement. I was thankful for my cheering squad – my mother – who raced out of town two days early with me to beat the forecasted ice storm and put up with my panic attack the day before the event. And the morale boosts from
unexpected sources - from a friend with whom I hadn’t spoken in a while, from honks and fist pumps when I was struggling up the hills on Providence Road, from the cop who stopped traffic on Highway 51 so that I didn’t have to break my stride. It’s amazing to know people are cheering for you, no matter the challenge. I’m not a graceful runner, and I was definitely more of a tortoise than a hare, but I finished. That was my challenge. Thank you to Chaya Groner, Carrie Rabinowitz, and Lauren Stark for representing Friendship
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Judie and Mike Van Glish are among the 323 individuals and families in our community who have created 668 unique legacy gifts to support its future. Please take the time to read their story and thank them for their generosity. It is our hope that you will be inspired and encouraged to help sustain our Jewish community by creating your own Jewish legacy. By Mike Van Glish After two especially bad winters in New Jersey, Judie and I decided there must be a better place to raise our young family. Through my business travels I had become familiar with Charlotte. Providing our children, David and Melissa, with a strong Jewish identity was a priority. We trav-
eled to Charlotte and toured the JCC, Temple Israel in Dilworth, and Wallace’s kosher butcher shop. We arrived in Charlotte in 1977 and found it very welcoming. Judie grew up with an Orthodox background in Lakewood, NJ. Her grandfather was an active Zionist and very philanthropic, donating a Torah to the congregation. I grew up in Ocean Township, NJ raised in a Conservative congregation. We met on a blind date in 1964 and were married two years later. It was easy being Jewish in the Northeast but once in Charlotte it required a bit more effort. Temple Israel and the Jewish Community Center (now LJCC) provided reli-
Circle of Charlotte at Team Friendship Miami. Learn more at TeamFriendship.org! Friendship Circle is a Beneficiary Agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. Y gious education for our children, spiritual support, programs, and the opportunity to socialize with other Jewish families. The majority of our life-long friendships were established during those early years. We all gained a greater sense and purpose of our Jewish identity. The vision of Shalom Park made it easier for our family, and many others, to interact, develop relationships and build strong Jewish lives. While serving as President of the Levine Jewish Community Center I was able to participate in our community’s collaborative efforts. A third generation of Van Glish’s have now benefitted from our community. Our grandchildren have attended both the Jewish Preschool on Sardis and the Charlotte Jewish Day School and participated in numerous activities at the LJCC. There are many more Jewish experiences available to them than existed for their parents. We take pride in the work of Jewish Family Services and appreciate the support provided by the Jewish Federation. Judie and I feel it is our generation’s turn to continue the legacy that was created from the vision of those who preceded us. Today, young and more seasoned families have so many ways to connect with their Jewish heritage. We feel it is important to grow and perpetuate the programs being offered so future generations will have the same opportunities. We are very fortunate that through our legacy gift we have the opportunity to assure that others will have the same wonderful and positive Jewish experiences growing up and living in Charlotte. Y
Jewish War Veterans Reunion Luncheon 12:30 - March 20, 2016 ~ OPEN TO ALL VETERANS ~ Gleiberman’s Kosher Mart-Deli 5668 International Drive Providence Square Charlotte 28277 RSVP rrsimmons01@gmail.com or ace4hand@att.net http://jwvpost765.jwv.org and http://www.facebook.com/page/Hornets-Nest-JewishWar-Veterans-Post-765-Charlotte-NC/1417032438543938?ref=bookmarks
Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 13
Moishe House March Events Moishe House is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting community among Jewish young adults in their twenties and early thirties. Moishe House looks to fill the void that often exists after graduating college and prior to settling down. The organization brings together groups of three to five Jewish adults who live together and plan local programs, both home-based and external, for other young Jewish adults. There are currently 76 Moishe Houses in 18 countries around the world. Moishe House Charlotte began in August 2013 and since then has hosted 130+ events ranging from service projects to social events to Jewish learning and more. We are always happy to see new and returning faces, so be sure to join us.
We are pleased to share with you our exciting events for this March: Event 1: Pool Night in South End - Thursday, March 3 at 7:30 PM at Slate Billiards, 200 E. Bland St. Chalrotte, NC 28203 Chalk up your cues and join the Moishe House for an evening of pool. All skill levels are welcome, including beginners to hotshot pool sharks. We will have reserved tables at Slate Billiards to play team and individual games. Please RSVP as soon as possible so we can ensure that the proper number of tables is reserved. Cue sticks will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there. Event 2: Taco Tuesday March 8 at 7 PM at Moishe House Lett-uce have fun. “Meat” us at the Moishe House for a Taco
Wildacres B’nai B’rith Institute of Judaism The 2016 Annual Institute of Judaism at Wildacres will take place on August 15-18. The institute is a three day set of lectures and discussion groups by outstanding scholars in residence, plus entertainment in the evenings. Time is allotted in the afternoons for those who wish to hike, play tennis, or relax outdoors or indoors. The Wildacres Retreat Center is up in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Lodging and meals are included in the fee. Attire is very casual.
The B’nai B’rith Institute of Judaism is the longest running of the many retreats at Wildacres. This is the 69th year. Although the audience is predominately from the Southeast, there are attendees from all over the country. For more information, please call Joyce Klein at 919-8463636, or send an e-mail to JBFKL27@gmail.com.Y
Tuesday night. We’ll supply the tacos, toppings, and sauce but feel free to bring your own stuff as well. I don’t mean to be cheesy, but come to this event and you’ll see not only that we guac the guac, but we tac the tac(o.) Tacobout a good time. Event 3: Joint Birthday Party - Friday, March 18 at 9 PM at Moishe House Charlotte It’s birthday month at the Moishe House. All of your Moishe House residents (Allison, Matt, and Rebecca) have birthdays that are less than one month apart, so we decided to rage appropriately and host a joint birthday party. We will be starting off the night by lighting the Shabbat candles and progressively increase and/or decrease the classy
as the night progresses. Event 4: Havdalah, Bonfire, and Smores Saturday, March 26 at 7 PM at Moishe House Charlotte Don’t want another s’moring Saturday night? Then come to Moishe House for some s’mores with friends. We will have a fire pit going in the backyard and will provide all s’more materials. To learn more about Moishe
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House Charlotte, visit us at www.moishehousecharlotte.org/h ouses/charlotte or check us out on facebook: www.facebook.com/ MoisheHouseCharlotte. To contact us, please e-mail mohocharlotte@gmail.com. Y
BBQ for your next event? Absolutely yes! w B’nai Mitzvah
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BEFORE
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IT A ALLEEvery ADDS ADD D S U UP very e dollar dolla ar makes makess a diff difference errence The Jewish The Jewish Federation Federation is all of us— the members members of our community, community, w working orking together togethe er tto o rrepair epair the w o and tto orld o kkeep eep Je ewish life life strong strong an nd thriving. world Jewish and One gift can address address so many many of o the causes and issues issues that that are are important imp portant to to our community. com mmunity. Instead Ins tead of focusing focusing on one single sing gle cause, cause, we we look at at the ccommunity ommunity as a whole whole.. T This his w way, ay, one donation dona tion sup supports pports the is issues sues y you ou ar are ea aware ware of of,, ass w well ell as those tha that at ar are e les lesss obvious, obvious, but no les importan nt. lesss important.
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A mont month th of tuition at the Charlotte Charlotte Jewish Preschool for Full Full Day Childcare
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THROUGH FEDER FEDERATION RA ATION T Y YOU OU CAN DO D GOOD EVER EVERYWHERE. YWHERE. W FROM ANY ANYWHERE. W WHERE. Through Through Federation, Feder e ation, a att an y hour of the d ay y ou can be virtua ally an ywhere on th he globe v diff erence in Je wish liv es a any day you virtually anywhere the globe.. Making a vital difference Jewish lives att home ael an d in o ver 7 0 ccountries ountries ar ound the w orld. DONA DONATE. ATE. T V VOLUNTEER. OLUNT TEER. MAKE A DIFFERENCE DIFFE ERENCE TODAY. TODAY. home,, in Isr Israel and over 70 around world.
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THE S STRENGTH TRE ENGTH OF A PEOPLE. PEOPLE. THE PO POWER WER OF COMMUNITY. COMM MUNITY.
Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 17
Chai Expectations warmed the city up on a chilly Wednesday evening with its Jewish Singles Event at Bulldog Beer & Wine in Southend. The free event attracted over 50 Jewish singles, in their 20s and 30s. It was a great opportunity for singles to mingle and for Jewish young adults to interact, whether it be a romantic connection made, a new friend found, or just a chance to network within the community. Laurie Berzack of Chai Expectations sponsored the event. Stay tuned -
there are more events in the works. Seeking sponsors to assist in underwriting event costs. For more information on Chai Expec-
tations, you can visit www.chaiexpectations.com or contact Laurie at laurie@ chaiexpectations.com. Y
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JELF Application for InterestFree Educational Loans Available March 1 Applications for interest-free loans for post-secondary education (college, graduate school, and vocational programs) will be available to Jewish students in your area for the 2016-2017 school year from JELF (Jewish Educational Loan Fund). The loan application will be available March 1 – April 30 (and from September 1–30) on JELF’s website at www.jelf.org. JELF loans are need-based and offer “last-dollar” financing, meaning that JELF provides the final dollars that bridge the gap between a student’s total financial resources and the cost of attending school. Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a program leading to a degree or certificate at an accredited institution located in the United States, be a U.S. citizen or have lawful immigration status in the U.S., and be able to demonstrate financial need (FAFSA required). For more information, contact application@jelf.org or info@jelf.org, or call 770-3963080. Y
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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 18
Youth Visions
Welcome Israeli artists
Hebrew Highlights Where does the time go? It is hard to believe that we are about to begin the final Hebrew High session for 5776. This session will be dedicated to Jewish creativity and inspiration. All of our electives will highlight the ingenuity that makes our people (including our students) so special. Following are highlights of some of our courses: Chopped (liver) - This cooking class will use the format of the popular TV show to encourage students to get creative in the kitchen. Each week, the class will be given a basket of mystery ingredients (one of which will be traditionally Jewish), and be challenged to produce a delicious dessert or appetizer in less than an hour. Art With Heart - This class will create one of a kind art pieces that will be donated to a variety of local charities in the Charlotte
area. They will create art to brighten someone’s day at Alexander Children’s Network, Ronald McDonald House, Jewish Family Services, and other special organizations. We will work on several projects throughout this session that teach our students that creating art for others is good for the heart. Superheroes and the Jewish Connection - Superheroes have always captured the imagination of people of all ages and are currently having an impact as never before. Hollywood has produced blockbuster movies including: The Avengers, The Amazing Spiderman, and The Dark Knight Rises. The class will explore inspirational, ethical, and spiritual material from a variety of storylines, and the Jewish influence on these heroes. Themes may include: Revenge vs. Justice, Society and Vigilantism, Repairing the
Hebrew High students participated in the Forward4Love project and made orange t-shirts to express their support of positive relationships for teenagers.
World, Order vs. Chaos, Power and Responsibility, and Guilt, Confession, and Forgiveness. LOL-The Culture of Jewish Humor - What do the Marx Brothers, the Three Stooges, Mel Brook, Joan Rivers, Adam Sandler, Henny Youngman, Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer, and Sasha Baron Cohen have in common? They are all Jewish and they make us laugh. Jewish humor is considered by
Jews and non-Jews as a recognizable and distinct form of humor. This course will explore what, if anything, ties together Jewish humor from the Book of Esther to the latest in stand-up. Students will learn about the relationship between humor and the Jewish experience throughout the ages. We will read, tell, and watch Jewish humor exploring how humor developed to help a people survive and how that became part of popular humor in the United States and elsewhere. In addition to the classes described above, we will focus on “Black Jewish Relations,” prepare for Confirmation services, create performances for the community wide Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut programs, and continue our popular “Hebrew for Credit” class. Hebrew High will finish the year with lots of energy, and exciting Jewish learning. Y
Hank & Cupcakes back to Snug Harbor March 17 Cover charge is $3 Show begins at 10 PM Snug Harbor is located at 1228 Gordon Street (near the intersection of Central Ave. and Pecan in Plaza-Midwood)
Visit their website for tickets and more details: http://snugharbor.tu nestub.com/event.cf m?id=220748&cart
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 19
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 20
& CONGREGATIONS
BBYO Sweetheart Beau Dance 2016
SYNAGOGUES
Saturday night, January 30, Charlotte BBYO held its annual Sweetheart Beau Dance. The theme was “Under the Sea” and over 150 people attended. Towards the end of the night, we held a special ceremony to honor the graduating seniors and then crowned the new chapter Sweethearts and Beaus. Congratulations to Anna Wilson, Adina Peck, Ari Feldman, and Jordan Schuler on being crowned. The four Charlotte BBYO Chapters - Chai Chaverim BBG, Ohavim BBG, Hank Greenberg AZA, and Mickey Barak Aberman AZA - are excited to welcome the twenty five 8th graders that have joined BBYO, a place where teens have fun, stay connected to their Judaism, and make friends that will last a lifetime. For questions about BBYO, please contact Jamie Bryan and Sara Abadi, Charlotte BBYO City Directors charlotte@bbyo.org. Y
Purim in the Big Apple
The 2016 Charlotte Sweethearts and Beaus are, from left to right, Ari Feldman, Anna Wilson, Adina Peck, and Jordan Shuler.
Join us for a Purim Celebration in NYC right here at the Ballantyne Jewish Center. Our annual Purim parties are famous for being fabulous, delicious, and a great time for all ages. Join us for an unforgettable evening of fun, great food, and an experience you don’t want to miss. Listen to the traditional reading of the Megillah scroll of Esther, which depicts the age old story of Purim. Enjoy an
entertaining slideshow illustrating the historical events, a bingo game to keep you guessing, and your kids will each receive an activity bag to engage them during the reading. Dress up NYC style and take part in a delicious buffet dinner and Hamentashen. Don’t forget to enjoy all the activities like crafts, taking awesome pics in the photo booth, and making your own
Purim Basket to give to a friend. Visit Times Square, the Diamond District, China town, the Upper East Side - all in one night. Adults will enjoy an open bar while everyone has a fantastic time. Don’t miss out on this great event and celebrate Purim with friends and family. Thursday, March 24 5:30 PM - Megillah Reading 6 PM - Dinner and Party Ballantyne Jewish Center, 8632 Bryant Farms Rd. $15 per person or $45 per family For more info or to RSVP, contact Rabbi Yisrael and Leah Levin, 704-246-8881 or info@JewishBallantyne.com or visit our website www.JewishBallantyne.com. There will also be a Megillah reading Wednesday night, March 23, at 7:30 PM also at the Ballantyne Jewish Center: 8632 Bryant Farms Rd. Free of charge.Y
“What you do not want others to do to you, do not do to them.” –Rabbi Hillel, Talmud: Pirke Avot
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 21
“All who are hungry, let them come and eat.” What do we mean when we read these powerful words from the Haggadah? This Passover, let’s start really talking about hunger in our community.
SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2016 4:00pm – 6:00pm
TEMPLE BETH EL 5101 PROVIDENCE ROAD CHARLOTTE, NC 28226 Attending this community-wide Hunger Seder will empower you to:
Learn about the prevalence of hunger within our community, VSHFLÀFDOO\ DPRQJ VHQLRU DGXOWV
Understand the importance of a Jewish response to hunger in keeping with our Jewish values and identify ways you can SHUVRQDOO\ UHVSRQG
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
RESERVE YOUR SEAT WWW.JEWISHCHARLOTTE.ORG
This Seder is a collaboration between Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, Jewish Community Relations Council, and Jewish Family Services.
This interactive event will include round-table discussions and a light meal of soup and salad. Suggested donation of $18 per person appreciated.
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 22
Purim at Ohr HaTorah
The Many Faces of Federation Sharon’s Story
Mexican Purim Feast and Margaritas Purim, the happiest day on the Jewish calendar, comes this year on Thursday March 24. The festivities at Ohr HaTorah will begin on Wednesday evening, March 23, with a Purim and Megillah service at 7:45 PM. The Purim theme this year at Ohr HaTorah is Purim in Mexico which will feature Mexican Purim costumes as well as authentic Mexican food. Purim is celebration of Jewish survival and although it took place in Ancient Persia in the 4th century BCE, it still resonates with us today. There was a reason why Mordechai and Esther established Purim as an eternal holiday to commemorate the amazing events of their time. It was a prophetic vision of Esther who realized that Jews will be languishing in the Diaspora in future generations and that they will face similar challenges as did the Jews in Persia. By recording the story of Purim in the Book of Esther, also known as the Megillah, and enacting special observances on Purim day she ensured that the lesson she and Mordechai learned would never be forgotten and will be a source of en-
couragement for thousands of years to come. Jews worldwide celebrate Purim on the 14th of Adar, while residents of walled cities – like Shushan or Jerusalem – celebrate on the 15th of Adar. This year being a leap year we celebrate Purim in Adar ll. The five Mitzvot of Purim are: 1) Reading or listening to the reading of the Megillah (evening and morning). 2) Reciting prayers
of thanksgiving. 3) Sending at least two ready to eat food items to a friend. 4) Giving Tzedaka to at least two poor people. 5) Rejoicing with a Purim feast at the end of the day. Purim is a time of joy and fun. Costumes, sweets and Hamantaschen are very much part of the fabric of this holiday and will be in great abundance at the Ohr HaTorah. The celebration will continue at Ohr HaTorah with a Grand Purim Feast extravaganza on Thursday, Purim day, at 6 PM at the synagogue – 6619 Sardis Road. The feast is will feature music, excellent food, and a costume contest as well. Plus margaritas for L’chaim and a kosher piñata. Children will have an opportunity to try their luck at cracking open the piñata. In addition to the Megillah reading at the early morning service, there will a Megillah reading at 5:15 PM for those who prefer a later reading. The Purim feast is open to all in the community. A fee of $20 per adult and $12 for children under Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Reservations can be made online at www.chabadnc.org or by sending a check to Ohr HaTorah 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC 28270.Y
(Continued from page 3)
because I thought I wanted to go to medical school at the time, I also taught special needs children to swim, fed baby bats at the Haifa Zoo, and perhaps my favorite memories of all came from volunteering with Acharai - helping underprivileged high school students prepare for the army. We trained with them twice a week, working on skills such as navigation and teamwork. They were so touched that fancy American Jews came all the way to Israel to be part of their lives. I have photos of my bruised shoulders after a drill that we did through the night - 15 kilometers through the desert carrying stretchers on our shoulders in the pitch black - ending at Sde Boker, Ben Gurion’s grave, where we had a ceremony with Acharai participants from all of the country. In time, these kids, who come from nothing, will be the future leaders of Israel because of the opportunities and support they have thanks to all of
““Tri” Trii” for for a Cause! Cause! LLevine evine JJCC CC
Kids d Tr ds T Triathlon riat i t thl n thlon K iid
Sunday, S unday, June June 5th 2pm 2 pm
Federation’s hard work, and thanks to you. That one year helped me realize I didn’t want to pursue medical school, and that one year turned into five amazing years. I stayed in Israel and worked for MASA programs, which provide the framework for Jewish young adults from all over the world to spend two to twelve months there. Seven years in nonprofit taught me that I really wanted a stint in the “for profit” world, so shortly after starting graduate school at the Technion, I found my way back home to complete my MBA at UNC Chapel Hill and recently back to Charlotte. One of Federation’s themes is “Our History Is Only Our Beginning.” Here I am, on the crux of the history of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, looking to the future. I am so lucky to have benefitted from your work, and look forward to benefitting generations to come. Y
o Open t s d i K L L A 4
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Questions? Q uest s ions? 7 704-944-6730 04--944-6730
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 23
Congregation Celebrates Purim, Hosts Artsy Workshop Havurat Tikvah will hold community Shabbat services on March 5, 10 AM at Avondale Presbyterian Church, Aitken Classroom, 2821 Park Rd. Kiddush will follow. The community is welcome to attend. A Purim mask making will be held on March 13, 1-3 PM at Strawberry Hill Clubhouse, 5101 Strawberry Hill Dr. Rick Crown will lead participants in the creation of artistic, one-of-a-kind crafted holiday masks. Crown is a former associate professor of art at Queens University of Charlotte where he spent 38 years teaching and mentoring students in the Art Department. He received his Masters in Fine Arts in Ceramics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He now spends his time
in his own studio fashioning pottery and sculpting. To celebrate Purim, a festive Megillah reading will take place on March 23, 8 PM at Avondale Presbyterian Church, McLean Fellowship Hall, 2821 Park Rd. Charlie Brown will be the reader during this joyous celebration and groggers will be provided. Brown serves as the cantor for Temple Emanuel in Gastonia and is also a member of Havurat Tikvah. Attendees Charlie Brown, center in cape and crown, at can enjoy hamentashen a previous Purim celebration with Havurat along with the fellowship of Tikvah members and guests. He will be the the congregational family. reader of the Megillah on March 23 during the This event is open to the festival observance. community. Havurat Tikvah is a warm, supportive and nurturing Jewish Reconstructionist spiritual growth and governance. Havurat Tikvah is an affiliate of congregation with Shabbat services and a full spectrum of holiday the Jewish Reconstructionist observances, as well as religious Communities, in association with educational options for both the Reconstructionist Rabbinical adults and children. We are a di- College. For more information on upverse group of families, singles, and Jewish and interfaith couples coming services, programs, memwho participate in projects that bership or other queries, call 980-225-5330, write to Havurat promote social justice. We value and depend upon Tikvah, P.O. Box 12684, Charmember participation and leader- lotte, NC 28220, email membership for our religious services, ship@havurattikvah.org or visit havurattikvah.org. Havurat Tikvah is also on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/havurattikvah/.Y
Women’s News 3rd Annual Charlotte Hadassah Israeli Products Fair, November 20 After the success of last year’s Fair, Charlotte Hadassah is pleased to announce that the 3rd Annual Israeli Products Fair will take place on November 20 at Sam Lerner Center at Shalom Park. “We were thrilled to be able to raffle off a Hadassah Mission to Israel to Carey Shookoff at last year’s event, and we anxiously await to hear more about Cary’s September trip.” Our committee is currently working hard to secure sponsorships and individual donors who have an interest in Israel and are willing to help us spread the word about the importance of “Supporting Israeli by Buying Israeli.” Please contact Stacy Baum at schree@carolina.rr.com if you are interested in learning more about our fantastic sponsorship opportunities. Again, this year, we will be expanding our offerings of Israeli Products by increasing our connections to Israeli and local vendors offering Israeli made items, Judaica, Jewish holiday themed items, and kosher foods. Please contact Shellie Barer at s.barer@yahoo.com if you or someone you know are interested
in participating as a vendor. We are also beginning our secure raffle donations for our general raffle, and will be announcing plans shortly regarding a special silent auction. Please contact Hilary Rosenbaum at dhrose4@ gmail.com with your personal or business raffle donation, and stay tuned for more information. For additional information, or to find out how you get can get involved and help, contact Stacy Baum at schree@carolina.rr.com or Amy Deloach at amybdeloach@ gmail.com. Thank you for your past support. We are very excited to gear up for another exciting event. See you at the Fair. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 24
FAMIL A LY PURIIM CELEBRA ATIO T ON
Wednesday, March 23, 5:30pm 5 Celebrate Purim with an abbr b eviated Megillah reading & Purim songs (6:15pm) , follo owed by a Star Wars-themed Purim Shpiel (7:00pm), featuring 8th grade Hebrew High Stud dents! The evening beggins at 5:30pm p with a dair a y dinnerr. Dinner : $5 per person. Viisit ww ww.templeisraelnc.org to RSVP online or call the office at 704-3622-2796.
A SPECIAL SHABBA AT EDUCATOR T APPRECIA ATION T SHABBAT Saturday, March 19 9, 9:30am Please join us as we celebrate and h honor Jewish i h educ d cators for f a very special Shabbat. A delicious Kiddush will follow.
ALLTTERNA ATIVE T SERVICES JAVA -N- JEANS Saturday, March 5,, 10:00am Location: LJCC - Weinb e erg Center This learner’s serviice is a place to ask questions and learn about individual prayers. The Th servic ice will be follo f ll wed by in depth To orah dis d cussion.
ROCK HASHABBAT Friday, March 18, 6:15pm 6 Rock HaShabbat iss a fast-paced, multigenerational service led by The Ruach, Tem e ple Israel a ’s own “house band..” Come and sing along!
KAVAN ANAH wiith YOGA Saturday, March 19 9, 9:30am @ LJCC The Kavanah servicce combines the ancient practices of o Jewish prayer and meditation in an effort to create space for reflection n and growth. The first hour is devoted to yoga, led by Melinda Farbman. This is followed by a brief Torah stud u y, led by Rabbi Tracy Klirs.
TOR RAH A TOTS Friday, March 11, 5:45pm 5 and Saturday, March 26, 10:00am (Purim Special) Preschool families! Join Miss Patty (Friday), Miss Nancy (Saturdayy) and our clergy for a high g energyy, vibrant Shabbat. A healthy, y bountiful Kidush snack follows this t family-friendly service.
YO OUTH IDF LOUNGE NIG GHT: BOOT T-CAMP WITH THE E SHALIACH 8th-12th grades Wednesdayy, March 2, 6-7pm Join Becca and Inb bal, the Israeli Shalicha, to learn about life in the Israeli Defense Forrces. Come prepared for a fun and d intense workout that will push you to your limit. Wear comfortable clothees and bring all the endurance you’ve got! Israeli-style dinner is included.. $5 per person Location: Gorelick Hall – before Hebrew High. RSVP to amayo@tem e pleisraelnc.org by Monday, Februaary 29.
YO OU UNG ADULLTS (TTora o ah on Tap) a
UPCOMING EVENTS
NOSHIN’ TOSHIN’: HAM MANTASCHEN BAKING CLASS
Sunday, March 13th h 10:30am - Meal prep e 12:00pm - Begin serving In support of the Men en’s Shelter’s mission to en nd homelessness in Charlotte, join o us as we’ll be cooking and a serving a wholesome lunch at the North Tryon Street faacility to more than 120 guests. Pleease contact David v Thrope at dmthrope@ gmail.com to get in nvolved!
Thursday, y March 10 10, 7 7:00pm 00pm Teemple p Israel Social Hall Join Tor o ah on Tap for this interaca tive hamantaschen baking class! s Learn n everything you need to kn now to mak a e your own amazing and uniqu ue hamantaschen for the Purim holid h ay. More info to come!
LIFE ELONG LEARNING IF YOU O CAN’T SAY ANYTHIN NG NICE E, SAY IT IN YIDDISH Mondays, Feb. 1-Marr. 28 (no clas a s 2/22)), 7:45-8:45pm Learn n basic con nversational Yidd i dish with lots l of colorful and juicy exxpressions and zingers. Tidbits about Yiiddiish culture and some simplle songss tossed in - something for everyon ne! Taught by Rabbi Tracy Klirs, AK KA Reb Tzeitl. For registration n, pleasse contact the Clergy Officee, 704-3362-2796.
Temple pl Israell h Anniversary 120th Celebration l b
Savve the Date May 20-22, 2016
Pleease join us for an exciting weekend as the celebration off Tem mple Israel’s 120th Anniverrsary continues! Tak a e part in thiis fun-fille n filled, d historic weekend, end wherre you will have the chance to reco onnect with members of your u Tem e ple Israel family. Festivities will include: a Pr P e-Shabbat Oneg, Shabbat services, featuring past B’nai Mitzvah participants, a speci c al Shabbat Dinnerr, a 120tth Anniiversary Torah Tots o program m, a special B’nai Mitzvah reunion Kiddush, a Sunday brunch and more! Queestions? Contact 704-362-2796 or marketing@templeisraelnc.orrg
LUNCH AT THE M MEN’S SHELT TER OF CHA ARLOTTE
TEMPLE ISRAE A L BOOK CLUB Wednesday, March 16, 7:30pm Tem e ple Israel Please join us as we read The Paris Arrchitect: c A Novel by Charles Belfourre. Set e in 1942 in German occup pied France, Charles Belfoure’s de d but novel is described ass “a beautiful and elegant acco ount of an ordinary man’s unexp u ected and reluctant desceent into heroism.” Copies of the book are available in the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library, the public library, and may be purchased at bookstores or o on-line for under $15.00. Everyone is welcome, even if you haven’t read the book. For additional information, co ontact Linda Levy, 704-366-6362 2, levyollie@aol.com.
Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 25
The Power of Women Who Do By Sandra Goldman, president, Charlotte Chapter of Hadassah You all know about Hadassah’s fairly new tag line “Hadassah, the power of women who do.” I want to talk to you about the real power of us women and Hadassah as an organization standing behind each and every member. As many of you know by now, my breast cancer has returned after just five years. Now I have a choice: I can pity myself, curl up into a fetal position, expect the worst and cry my eyes out; or I can once again look at this as a stumbling block, fight this ugly disease with all my might, educate along the way and go on with my life because it is beautiful. If you know me, you know my choice. Yes, you are correct, I do and move on. Life is too precious to be sorry, too much enjoyable than to ask “why me?” Henrietta Szold once said: “In the life of the spirit there is no ending that is not a beginning.” How true is this and that is one of the reasons why I got involved with our Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser Celebrate the TaTas. I urge you this year to support all our efforts to raise funds for HMO but especially this one because it is obviously a cause dear and personal to me. Remember, it is important to have purpose and determination because effort is not enough to make a real life. It also is important to have a support system and how wonderful have all my Hadassah sisters been so far. It is obvious to me that no one
can or should do this journey by themselves. As my son, Noah observed when he returned from his solidarity mission during Operation Protective Edge: “Hadassah is really there for everyone, including the little accidental guy around the corner.” I too made this observation. I had to make a choice for my treatment plan and I decided
to contact Hadassah in Jerusalem to find out if there is a person who could help me understand the drugs better so that I could make a more educated decision. In the process, I found out that one of the suggested drugs was in fact developed at Hadassah. How incredible is that. Within twelve hours I received an email to call the Director of Ein Kerem Hospital and so
I did. As I explained my situation to him he pointed me in the direction of the treatment that the Levine Cancer Institute right here in Charlotte suggested. Even though this Israeli doctor was involved in developing the other drug, he told me it was not for me. I feel so humbled and at the same time blessed to be part of this amazing women’s volunteer or-
ganization. How amazing to get such a response and help when you really need it and you receive it because you are one of Hadassah’s women. That’s where it all stems from: the power, the passion, and the purpose. So let’s do and continue supporting this one of a kind organization who owns one of the biggest hearts I know.Y
Mazel Tov & Congratulations Barbara and Jerry Levin Honored by Israel Bonds Charlotte residents Barbara and Jerry Levin received the Israel68 Award at the Israel Bonds International Prime Minister’s Club Dinner held January 31 in Boca Raton, FL. The Levins were one of 13 honorees from across North America recognized by Israel Bonds for exemplary efforts on behalf of Israel and their respective Jewish communities. Over $250 million in Israel bond investments were announced at the event. In a video message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Israel Bonds on its 65th anniversary and called the organization’s feat of surpassing $1 billion in U.S. sales for three consecutive years an “outstanding achievement.” Fred Zeidman, chairman of the Israel Bonds National Campaign Advi-
sory Council, and actress Fran Drescher hosted the event.Y
From left to right: Israel Bonds president and CEO Izzy Tapoohi, Actress Fran Drescher and Fred Zeidman, chairBonds Chairman of the Board Richard Hirsch, Barbara Levin, Jerry man of the Israel Bonds National Campaign AdLevin and Fred Zeidman, chairman of the Israel Bonds National visory Board. Campaign Advisory Council.
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 26
NC Council on the Holocaust Selects New Director of Teacher Workshops Shalom Park and the agencies herein. As I stood by the front desk (which at the time was in the location of the Jewish Family Services bulletin board in the circle by the rear gym door), I skimmed a list of personnel at the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. One name caught my attention: Audrey Krakovitz. “That can’t be,” I thought. But it was. I had found what might have been a long lost cousin. As of yet, we have not been able to
in Greensboro (Beth David), Chapel Hill (Kehillah Synagogue), and Winston-Salem (Temple Emanuel). Recently, the NC Council on the Holocaust tapped Audrey as Director of Teacher Workshops where she will coordinate one of the Council’s most important missions, to aid NC educators in their teaching of Holocaust Studies throughout the state. “I’ve also worked in the classroom as a substitute teacher,” Audrey explains, “and I have an understanding of the difficulties Audrey Krakovitz teachers have in planning and implementing lesson plans.” The Council runs 7 to 9 workshops tinuing education credits and subaround the state each year to help stitute teacher pay for public teachers navigate the rough road school teachers. The morning porof teaching one of the most un- tion of the workshop includes a speakable events in human his- scholar who outlines the history tory, the Shoah. The workshops and ideology of the period. The are available for teachers from afternoon sessions includes in100 NC counties to spend a day struction on teaching the Hololearning, so Audrey has her hands caust with approved pedagogic full. “Teaching the Holocaust is a methods and a survivor or the required curriculum in North Carolina,” Audrey points out. “These workshops enhance the teachers’ knowledge, experience, and resources to do the subject justice. “In general,” she continues, “Holocaust education is taught through Social Studies or Language Arts Thursday, October 27, 2016 | The Ritz-Carlton - Charlotte by teachers in middle and high schools. However, all teachers Lee Holder teaches the Holocaust curriculum at interested in expand- North Lenoir High School in Kinston. ing their knowledge, from elementary Benefiting Research for Breast Cancer through university, as well as from child of a survivor speaks to the For more information, please contact: other subject areas – media, li- group. Here in Charlotte, Irving brary, music, art – are welcome.” Bienstock, Suly Chenkin, Henry Janice Bernstein at jbernstein@hadassah.org The NC Council on the Holo- Hirschmann, and Susan Cernyakor Roz Cooper at rcooper@shalomcharlotte.org caust is a division of the NC De- Spatz have filled this role for Painting Days will be at Shalom Park, partment of Public Instruction and years. “This has the most proSept. 6th & 13th by appointment. the workshop offers teachers con- found impact on the educators,” Audrey says. “In fact,” adds Mike Abramson, Chair of the NC Council on the Holocaust, “Susan Spatz was a founding member of the Council and continues to contribute her gifts to the program.” PART I - HADERA (JUNE 28 - JULY 13: Journey to Israel with teens from across the Southeast and spend two weeks with students from And teachers have great acHadera. Travel the country, engage in claim for what they have learned and teen life. at the workshops. “My students have been empowered by … the PART II - CHARLOTTE (JULY 18 - 31): Welcome Hadera teens and introduce them to the American way of life. Together they will explore knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust,” says Lee Holder, learn about our cultural diīerences, tzedakah and leadership. a teacher at North Lenoir High School in Kinston. “They tell me they have learned not to be by*Rates may vary according to cost of flight standers, not to be perpetrators of hate, and equally importantly, not to be victims.” The newest available resource is called “The Suitcase Educational Exhibit.” There are eight teaching suitcases with book, videos, photographs, and artifacts representing a Jewish person sent to a ghetto, available at no charge for classroom use for up to six weeks. “The best part about the suitcase is that a seasoned teacher can utilize the resources and a teacher looking to supplement material will find use for it, as well,” says Talli Dippold, who led
By Amy Krakovitz For most of our lives, my sisters and I were convinced that we were the last of our family name, a rare and nearly unpronounceable relic of Eastern Europe. These days, with Google as your friend, we can see that is far from the truth, but even as recently as 1993, we were fairly certain this was the case. When I arrived in Charlotte in late 1993, within a few days, I found myself investigating
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confirm a familial relationship At the time, Audrey was the Program Associate in Federation and then the Campaign Associate. A few years later, she moved on to Greensboro, where she has since served in many capacities, using her Masters in Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University. She has worked actively in the Jewish field for the past 20 years, including the Greensboro Jewish Federation and Jewish Family Services, as well as congregations
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(Continued on page 29)
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 27
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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 29
Lawyers Without Rights
The Many Faces of Federation - Inna’s Story
For several weeks in March, the law school at UNC will host an exhibit called “Lawyers Without Rights.” Jointly created by the American Bar Association and the Federal Bar of Germany, the exhibit tells the story of the persecution of Jewish lawyers in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. In addition to providing the historical background, it traces events through the personal stories of individual Jewish lawyers and their families, some of whom managed to emigrate to safety and some of whom perished in the Shoah. The exhibit has traveled all over the country and will be at UNC for about three weeks. Several free, public events relating to the exhibit are planned. An opening reception will take place at 5:30 PM on Monday, March 7, in the law school’s rotunda. It will feature a brief talk by Chief Justice Mark Martin of the North Carolina Supreme Court, and hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served. On
found a new job in a larger, growing city. Our family moved to Charlotte, where I had the privilege to grow up in our thriving Jewish community. I spent my adolescence in halls of the Levine Jewish Community Center participating organizations such as Hebrew High and BBYO. I worked at Camp Mindy and TBE Religious School. These positive experiences shaped my outlook and relationship with Judaism. However, I wanted to learn more about where my family was from. I attended the George Washington University in Washington, DC and received my Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs with a concentration in Russia and Eastern Europe, of course. My experiences at GW undoubtedly opened my eyes to the “grownup” version of how the world works and helped me gain an even deeper appreciation of the life my ancestors endured in the Soviet Union, the risks my parents took in leaving, and the people who changed the trajectory of our
New Director of Teacher Workshops for NC Holocaust Council (Continued from page 26)
the committee that created the project. Other members of the committee were Judi Strause, Roz Greenspon, and Dana Kapustin. The vast array of resources available to teachers in addition to the workshops is stunning. Such resources provided by the NC Council on the Holocaust are exhibits, plays, speakers, and books to schools. The Holocaust Resource Teacher’s Guide is available online to download for free. Survivors or children of survivors can be scheduled to attend classes and speak directly to students. There are four traveling exhibits that can be sent to schools or libraries for display, among them multi-panel displays about Kindertransport, Dr. Seuss Goes to War, Fences & Butterflies, and Jewish Resistance during World War II. There are two traveling plays that can be brought to a community. And teachers who need help with resources such as books, DVDs or attending a Holocaust related seminar can turn to the Council for assistance. “I’m really excited about this perfect confluence of my experience in Jewish communal work, administration, and education,” Audrey concludes. Further information on teacher workshops and Holocaustrelated resources, please visit www.ncpublicschools.org/holocaust-council/. For information regarding upcoming workshops in your area, contact Audrey Krakovitz: ncholocaustcouncil @gmail.com or 336-525-6224.Y
Wednesday, March 9, at 6 PM in law school room 5052, the law school will be hosting a screening and discussion of a one-hour documentary called “From Swastika to Jim Crow,” which connects the story of the persecution of Jews in Germany with the simultaneous persecution of African Americans in the United States. On Wednesday, March 23, also at 6 PM, in law school room 4004, Professor Konrad Jarausch of UNC’s History Department will give a public talk on the professions in Germany in the decades before Hitler and under Nazi rule. The exhibit will be open for viewing during normal business hours between March 7 and March 25. The week of March 14 is spring break at UNC, but the exhibit will continue to be open.Y
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lives. When I moved back home after college, I knew I wanted to give back to the Jewish community that had shaped my life and my Jewish identity. First, I served as a BBYO advisor for four years. When it was time to send my own children, Ester, Levi, and Sophie to preschool, my husband, Albert, and I sought out a Jewish foundation for our little ones, and the families and staff at the Jewish Preschool on Sardis became our extended family. It was while I was serving as president of the board at JPS that I started to put all the pieces together. It wasn’t just individuals who helped my family and me all these years, it was actually the Jewish Federation that provided the resources for all of the agencies that helped us along the way. The Jewish Agecny helped to resettle us. LJCC, BBYO, Hillel, Hebrew High – all shaped my Jewish identity. And now, my children and our entire family benefit from the agencies the Federation supports.
Today my three children happily attend the Charlotte Jewish Day School and are so comfortable with and proud of their Judaism. I continue to spend much of my time within the halls of the LJCC, watching them play and grow, and participate in the amazing programs it offers. My family is immersed in Jewish life in Charlotte and I often stop to think about how blessed we are to be living here; that our children can run freely and happily in “their” JCC, and feel comfortable being Jewish at their core. None of this could have been possible for us without the incredible warmth and generosity of both the people in two southern Jewish communities, and the Jewish agencies – all beneficiaries of Federation - that shaped my family’s Jewish identity. Thank YOU for your generosity and philanthropic leadership – through Federation, you continue to change lives every day. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 30
2016 Sydney Taylor Book Awards for Children and Teens Announced by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) The Sydney Taylor Book Award honors new books for children and teens that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience. The award memorializes Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series. The winners will receive their awards at the Association of Jewish Libraries Conference in Charleston, SC this June. Lesléa Newman and Amy June Bates, author and illustrator of Ketzel, the Cat who Composed, Aharon Appelfeld, Philippe Dumas and Jeffrey M. Green, author, illustrator and translator of Adam and Thomas, and Laura Amy Schlitz, author of The Hired Girl, are the 2016 winners of the
Sydney Taylor Book Award. Newman and Bates will receive the 2016 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award’s Younger Reader category for Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed, published by Candlewick Press. This delightful picture book tells the true story of musician Morris Moshe Cotel, whose cat helped him compose a one-minute composition that received an honorable mention in the Paris New Music Review competition. The illustrations are heartwarming and add much charm to the story. Appelfeld, Dumas, and Green will receiver the 2016 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award’s Older Readers category for Adam and Thomas, published by Seven Sto-
ries Press. This sweet story tells of two nine-year-old Jewish boys who survive the last winter of World War II, helping each other so that one grows physically stronger and braver and the other grows spiritually. Laura Amy Schlitz will receive the 2016 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award’s Teen category for The Hired Girl, published by Candlewick Press. This sensitive story tells how fourteen-year-old Catholic Joan Skraggs becomes a hired girl to a Jewish family where she learns and grows in unexpected ways. Five Sydney Taylor Honor Books were named for 2016. For Younger Readers, the Honor Books are Everybody Says
Shalom, written by Leslie Kimmelman and illustrated by Talitha Shipman, published by Random House, and Shanghai Sukkah, written by Heidi Smith Hyde and illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong, published by Kar-Ben Publishing. Hereville: How Mirka Caught a Fish by Barry Deutsch, published by Amulet Books, is the Honor book in the Older Reader category. For Teen Readers, the Honor books are Serendipity’s Footsteps by Suzanne Nelson, published by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, and Stones on a Grave by Kathy Kacer, published by Orca Book Publishers. Winners and Honor recipients participated in a blog tour from February 7-12. For more informa-
tion about the blog please visit www.jewishlibraries.org/blog. In addition to the medal winners, the Award Committee designated twelve Notable Books of Jewish Content for 2016. More information about the Sydney Taylor Book Award can be found at www.SydneyTaylorBookAward.o rg or contact Amalia Warshenbrot, Association of Jewish Librareis, Vice President, President elect AmaliaIma@ATT.net or Diane Rauchwerger, chair@sydneytaylorbookaward.org. See the complete list of books below. Y
The 2016 Sydney Taylor Book Awards
The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Younger Readers: Ketzel the Cat who Composed by Lesléa Newman with illustrations by Amy June Bates (Candlewick Press)
The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Older Readers: Adam & Thomas by Aharon Appelfeld, translated by Jeffrey M. Green with illustrations by Philippe Dumas (Seven Stories Press)
Sydney Taylor Honor Books for Younger Readers: Everybody Says Shalom by Leslie Kimmelman with illustrations by Talitha Shipman (Random House)
Sydney Taylor Honor Books for Teen Readers: Serendipity’s Footsteps by Suzanne Nelson (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House)
Stones on a Grave by Kathy Kacer (Orca Book Publishers)
Notable Books for Younger Readers: Hanukkah Cookies with Sprinkles by David A. Adler, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler (Apple & Honey Press, an imprint of Behrman House & Gefen Publishing House) (Continued on next page)
Shanghai Sukkah by Heidi Smith Hyde with illustrations by Jing Jing Tsong (Kar-Ben Publishing)
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The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Teen Readers: The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz (Candlewick Press)
Sydney Taylor Honor Book for Older Readers: Hereville: How Mirka Caught a Fish by Barry Deutsch (Amulet Books)
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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2016 - Page 31
Sydney Taylor Award Book List (Continued from previous page)
The Parakeet Named Dreidel by Isaac Bashevis Singer illustrated by Suzanne Raphael Bedrkson (Farrar Straus Giroux)
The Safest Lie by Angela Cerrito (Holiday House)
The Wren and the Sparrow by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg (Kar-Ben Publishers)
Imagining Katherine by Carol Solomon (Tova Press)
Notable Books for Older Readers: The Girl in the Torch by Robert Sharenow (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers)
Watch Out for Flying Kids by Cynthis Levinson (Peachtree) Sadie & Ori & the Blue Blanket by Jamie Korngold illustrated by Julie Fortenberry (Kar-Ben Publishers)
Last Night at the Circle Cinema by Emily Franklin (Carolrhoda Lab) Notable Books for Teens: Courage & Defiance by Deborah Hopkinson (Scholastic Press) Deep Sea by Annika Thor (Delacorte Press)
Mr. Doctor by Irene Cohen-Janca and illustrated by Maurizio A. C. Quarello (Annick Press)
Rice Krispie Treat Hamantaschen By Rebecca Pliner (The Nosher via JTA) - As a former chef and pastry chef, I had many delicious sweet and savory treats in mind to turn into hamantaschen for this year. But I wanted to keep it simple enough to re-create in a home kitchen, yet something different to also get people excited about Purim and hamantaschen, of course. Rice Krispie treats on a stick are always one of the most popular items I sell from my dessert company, and so it felt only natural to turn these into a Purim delight for the whole family to enjoy. The best part about this recipe is that there is no oozing of filling, no seams of the dough breaking, and no baking. This recipe may be different than your average Rice Krispie Treat since there is no fluff involved. The authentic way to make Rice Krispie Treats uses real marshmallows melted with a little butter to insure a crunchy, not too sweet, and absolutely delicious dessert. To use these in your mishloach manot, or Purim gift baskets, I recommend heading to Amazing Savings or Michael’s to get some cute treat bags to store them. Include a packet of hot chocolate mix and you have yourself an easy and delicious s’mores-themed basket. Ingredients: 6 c. Rice Krispies 10 oz. mini marshmallows – do not substitute fluff 3 T. butter or margarine
Lollipop sticks 15 oz. bar of semi-sweet chocolate Sprinkles, candy or other decorative items Grease a large bowl and the spatula you will be using. This will help avoid too much sticking. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the margarine with the marshmallows at 30 sec. intervals at full power. Stir after each interval. When melted, remove and pour into bowl with the Rice Krispies.
chocolate, stirring gently until all is melted. Take chocolate carefully off the double broiler. Be very careful not to let any water drip into chocolate. If this happens, you need to start over. Chocolate “seizes” when water gets into it. If this happens, the tempering process does not work. Add in the remaining chocolate. Let sit in hot chocolate for 30 sec., then stir. Dip hamantaschen into chocolate, tap stick lightly to remove the excess chocolate. Place
Mix well till all are coated with marshmallow. Spread mixture into a greased sheet pan. Using your hands, spread mixture evenly onto pan, then press together so the Rice Krispie Treats are compact. Allow to sit for several minutes at room temperature to cool. Form the Rice Krispie Treat mix into hamantaschen shapes. Place lollipop stick into center. Over a double broiler, melt 3/4 of a large bar (15 oz.) of semi-sweet chocolate. Reserve the last 1/4. Melt
on parchment to let dry. After 2-3 dipped pops, start decorating before that chocolate sets in. Use your favorite sprinkles, chocolate chips, Oreos, or candy to add your own flare. Yield: 2 dozen treats.Y The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka, and beyond. Check it out at www.TheNosher.com.