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Celebrating Temple Beth El's 80th and Honoring Sam and Emily Zimmern
October 2023
By Jonathan Friedman and Madeline White
This year, Temple Beth El is commemorating its 80th year with an evening of celebration titled “L’Chaim Temple Beth El – Cheers to 80 Years.” This upcoming fundraising event will take place at the Knight Theater on November 18. At this remarkable event, Temple Beth El is excited to present the prestigious Blumenthal Lifetime Achievement Award to Emily and Sam Zimmern, whose more than four decades of inspirational leadership, generosity of spirit, and commitment to tikkun olam have left an indelible mark on Charlotte.
Sam and Emily’s selfless contributions to both the Jewish and civic communities stand as a testament to their commitment to living their Jewish values. Emily currently serves as the co-chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte’s community-wide Outshine Hate initiative. At Temple Beth El, the Zimmerns have played pivotal roles, with Sam serving on the Board of Directors and chairing the Adult Education and Israel Committees. Their recent initiation of the Ahavat Medinat Yisrael Endowment reflects their commitment to supporting Israel education opportunities at Temple Beth El for generations to come, a living tribute to Sam’s unwavering support for Israel as a prominent leader in AIPAC. Emily, a former president of the Jewish Federation, and Sam, who has served on the Allocations Committee, have further enriched the Jewish community. Beyond their significant contributions to the Jewish community, Emily and Sam’s civic and professional leadership have been equally remarkable. Emily was honored as the Charlotte Woman of the Year in 2002 for her role in launching the Community Building Initiative to address racial inequity. Her tenure as executive director of the Levine Museum of the New South from 1995 to 2015 was transformative in shaping an organization that has brought pride and social conscience to our city. She has been a national leader in establishing best practices for museums to promote positive social change and empathy within communities. Along the way, she received accolades such as the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Award of Excellence in 2011 and Leadership Charlotte’s Schley R. Lyons Circle of Excellence Award in 2013. As cochair of the City of Charlotte’s Immigrant Integration Task Force, Emily played a pivotal role in presenting comprehensive recommendations to the City Council in 2015. Her reputation for compassionate leadership shone through as she chaired the Niner Nation Remembrance Commission following the tragic shooting at UNC Charlotte in 2019. She continued her impactful leadership in 2020 when she chaired the City of Charlotte’s Legacy Commission, contributing to the city’s evolving cultural landscape.
Simultaneously, Sam’s contributions to the medical field resonate further. Throughout his decades-long cardiology practice and work at the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, Sam cared for countless individuals, earning a reputation for compassion, thoughtfulness, and dedication. Even after retiring from fulltime practice, Sam continued to provide care to cancer survivors facing challenging cardiology issues at the Levine Cancer Institute.
Temple Beth El cordially invites the community to join in honoring the Zimmerns on Saturday, November 18, at an event headlined by the iconic duo Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. of the 5th Dimension. In Temple Beth El’s 80th year, the congregation draws inspiration from leaders like Emily and Sam Zimmern, eagerly envisioning a future where Jewish learning, prayer, and good deeds transform people’s self-understanding, harness the power of community, and inform our responsibilities to the world. For more information, please visit www.templebethel.org/fundraiser.
