Post on 17-Aug-2020
Nothing goes together likesummer and the movies. And ofcourse, it’s always nice to throwin a little food.
On Sunday, July 19, the Char-lotte Jewish Film Festival (CJFF)will host its second annual FanAppreciation Day event at theRegal Ballantyne Village StadiumTheaters.
“We are so honored to have re-ceived Charlotte Magazine’sVoter’s Choice Award for BestFilm Festival/Series for the 4thyear in a row,” said Co-DirectorRick Willenzik. “Fan Apprecia-tion Day is a way for us to say
thank you to everyone who con-tinues to make the CJFF one ofthe premier cultural events in theregion.”
Fan Appreciation Day will in-clude two of the most popular
films from CJFF’s recently com-pleted (and record breaking) 11thseason as well as the local debutof a brand new film. Specialguests and additional value addedprogramming will help make thisone of the can’t-miss events of thesummer.
Admission is free for all FanAppreciation Day programs butreservations are required so pleasevisit charlottejewishfilm.com forticketing links.
Sunday, July 19 – Regal Ballantyne Village Stadium
TheatersDeli Man11 AM, followed by the 1st Annual CJFF Soup Contest
Director Erik GreenbergAnjou and the deli man himself,Ziggy Gruber (a Yiddish-speak-ing, French trained chef), arescheduled to appear and be ourguides to those long loved delica-cies – pastrami, kreplach, and ofcourse, chicken soup. Deli Man
shares the history, anecdotes, andhumor that once made one’s localdelicatessen the virtual epicenternot only of food, but of family andcommunity.
Ziggy and Erik will be featuredin an audience Q&A and bejudges in the Inaugural CJFFChicken Soup Contest that willtake place after the film. The con-test is open to everyone – if you’dlike to put your soup to the test,please visit charlottejewish-film.com for all the details.
Above and Beyond3 PM
Co-winner of the 2015 CJFFAudience Award, Above and Be-yond is a terrific new film on thegroup of Jewish American pilotswho answered the call to fly in the1948 War of Independence andformed what is now the Israeli AirForce. The first major feature-length documentary about theseheroic airmen, Above and Beyondbrings together new interviewswith the pilots and stunning aerialfootage to present a fascinating,little-known tale filled with heart,heroism and high-flying chutzpah.The film was produced by NancySpielberg and has received addi-tional Audience Awards from fes-tival goers in Atlanta, Seattle,Chicago, Philadelphia, and Miami.
Touchdown Israel5 PM – Tailgating Event7 PM – Movie
Packed with gridiron actionand irreverent humor, TouchdownIsrael goes inside the improbablerise of the pigskin sport in theHoly Land.
American-style, full-contact,
tackle football was first importedin the late 1980s by foreign-bornIsraelis who missed the scrim-mages of their youth. Hamperedby woefully inadequate playingfields and an indifferent public,
The Jewish Federation willhonor Silver Circle Society andLegacy Society donors during a“Lunch and Learn” on Monday,June 15 at 11:30 AM at TempleIsrael.
Invited guests for the recogni-tion and appreciation event aredonors who have either con-tributed to the Jewish FederationAnnual Campaign for a minimumof 25 years and/or have made aplanned gift to the Jewish Feder-ation to ensure the future of ourJewish community.
Community members whohave moved to Charlotte from an-other community and have con-tributed to the Jewish Federationcampaign for a minimum of 25years are invited and welcome toattend.
Guest speaker for the event isAvraham Infeld, President Emer-itus of Hillel, the Foundation for
Jewish Campus life. Infeld has in-vested a lifetime building Jewishidentity and strengthening theState of Israel. He is the founderand director of a succession of in-novative educational institutions.Today he serves as a consultant onTikkun Olam to the Reut Instituteand is a member of the faculty atthe Mandel Institute. In May,2012, Avraham Infeld was electedChairman of the Board of theHillels of Israel.
A native of South Africa, Avra-ham Infeld immigrated to Israel in1959. He is a graduate of the He-brew University with a degree inBible and Jewish History, and ofTel Aviv University’s School ofLaw. In 2005, he was awarded theHebrew University of Jerusalem’sprestigious Samuel RothbergPrize for Jewish Education, thefirst specialist in informal JewishEducation to be so honored. Hewas given an honorary doctorateby Muhlenberg College in May2006, for his contribution to thefield of education.
Avraham Infeld’s vision for theJewish People is to find a way tobe unified without being uniform.He suggests we achieve this vi-sion by constructing a “fivelegged table” whereby each of us
can choose at least three legs toexpress our Jewish identity:memory, family, covenant, Israel,and Hebrew.
RSVP by Monday, June 8 toellie.kunkes@jewishcharlotte.orgor 704-944-6757. Y
Vol. 37, No. 6 Sivan-Tammuz-Av 5775 June-July 2015
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Avraham Infeld
Meet the Deli Man: Ziggy is Coming to Charlotte
(Continued on page 3)
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CONTENTS
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 2
JEWISH FEDERATION NEWS
The Charlotte JewishNews
5007 Providence Road, Suite 112 Charlotte, NC 28226
Phone(voice mail after office hours)Office 704-944-6765FAX 704-365-4507
email: charlottejewishnews@shalomcharlotte.orgAn Affiliate of the
Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Amy Krakovitz - EditorAdvertising Sales Reps:
Jodi Valenstein, 704-609-0950 or Scott Moskowitz, 704-906-2474
Art Director, Erin Bronkarebronkar@carolina.rr.com
CJN Editorial BoardChair - Bob Davis
Members: Bob Abel, Evelyn Berger, David Delfiner, AnnLangman, Linda Levy
The CJN does not assume responsibility for the quality or kasruth of anyproduct or service advertised. Publishing of a paid political advertise-ment 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:
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JUNE AND JULY 2015
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Forgotten Holocaust Memorial
On an empty stretch in Mar-shall Park on McDowell Streetbetween 2nd and 3rd streetsstands a modest little memorialstone, almost completely coveredby a scraggly bush. It once stoodhonorably between Temple Israeland a large church on MoreheadStreet, donated by the Jewishcommunity in memory of theHolocaust.
Television reports have tried toraise awareness of the Jewishcommunity to this neglect, to noavail.
A suggestion to move this littlememorial to the vast area ofShalom Park has been rejected. Ihave come to understand that ourcommunity’s leadership seesvalue in leaving the memorial inthe public sphere. But as it standsneglected, no one can appreciateit.
The Butterfly Memorial com-memorates the children. Do theadult Jewish victims of the Holo-caust not deserve a memorial thatis visible to the Jewish commu-nity and its many visitors atShalom Park?
Susan Cernyak-Spatz
Editor’s Note: For a story on theMemorial go to: http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/holocaust-memorial-often-o v e r l o o k e d - m a r s h a l l -park/nXDqg/
Letter to the Editor
The Holocaust Memorial in Mar-shall Park
The Charlotte Jewish community came togetherWednesday evening, April 22 to honor fallen Israelisoldiers and victims of terror at our annual YomHaZikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) commemorationceremony. Several students from Charlotte’s Con-solidated Hebrew High School including Jason Der-mack, Cara Dillhyon, Rachel Musa, DanaSheinhaus, Lanie Hitt, and Lindsay Rosenzweig par-ticipated in the Art of Zikaron project under the lead-ership of our Israeli Shlicha, Adi Rodvasky. Eachstudent was paired with a family of a fallen soldierin Hadera, the Jewish Federation’s partner city, andlearned about the soldier and his life and spoke abouthim during the ceremony.
In addition to Hebrew High, students from theCharlotte Jewish Day School Choir, Temple Israel,Temple Beth El, Susan Gundersheim, Nancy Good,and the Levine JCC Choir, as well as Rabbi Biny-omin Weiss, Rabbi Noam Raucher, and RabbiJonathan Freirich all led a beautiful and meaningfulservice.
On Sunday evening, April 26 the communityjoined together to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, IsraelIndependence Day. The audience enjoyed deliciousfalafel and the music of Mika Karni and the KolDodi Ensemble. People of all ages were clappingtheir hands and stomping their feet to the Israeli folkmelodies. Y
Charlotte Commemorates Yom HaZikaron and Celebrates Yom Ha’Atzmaut
Above, from the Yom HaZikaron Commemoration
From the Yom Ha’Atzmaut Celebration
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 3
JEWISH FEDERATION NEWS
Buying... Selling... Relocating...Connecting people to the Jewish
Community Since 1972
Luck doesn’t buy & sell homes...Experience does!
The Jewish Federation’s Impact and Innovation Fund distributes grants that are intended to
inspire individuals, organizations, synagogues, and agencies to provide innovative and
impactful engagement opportunities for the greater Charlotte Jewish community.
For more information or to receive an
application, please contact the
Federation office, 704.944.6757
www.jewishcharlotte.org
Applications for the 2016 Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Impact and Innovation Fund will be available by July 1.
In honor of Jill Blumenthal’s birthdayBy: Leon and Jennifer Golynsky
In honor of Dr. Russ GreenfieldBy: Gail Sarett
In honor of Bob Isser’s birthdayBy: Barry and Michelle Goodman
In honor of Jason Spiegler’s birthdayBy: Andrew and Jen Rosen
In honor of the birth of Andrew Jacobs Weiner, grandson of Donald andSusan Jacobs
By: Mike and Sue LittauerIn memory of Mark Bernstein
By: Michael and Tal Stein
In memory of Sue HertzBy: Julius and Natalie Farber
In memory of Esther Kaufman, mother of Judie Van GlishBy: Roger and Susan Stiefel
If you would like to make a Tribute to the Jewish Federation, please con-tact the Federation office at 704-944-6761.Y
Tributes to the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign
the Israeli Football League received a boost from New Eng-land Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who funded a stadium.Today, the Israeli Football League is thriving, with 10 teamsand nearly 500 players from a cross-section of Israeli soci-ety, including Arabs, Christians, secular, and OrthodoxJews. In a country where off-the-field rivalries rundeep, Touchdown Israel celebrates the unifying power ofsports amidst the broad religious and cultural diversity ofIsrael.
Before the film, the CJFF will hold a special tailgatingevent (food and beverages provided). Touchdown Israel’sdirector Paul Hirschberger is also scheduled to appear to doa talk back with the audience after the film.
Please visit charlottejewishfilm.com to learn more aboutFan Appreciation Day.
The CJFF is proud to announce that it has recently beenawarded a generous grant from The John S. and James L.Knight Foundation who supports transformational ideas thatpromote quality journalism, advance media innovation, en-gage communities and foster the arts. The Knight Founda-tion believes the arts are a great catalyst for public dialogueand that shared cultural experiences contribute to a sense ofplace and communal identity. Y
Film Festival Fan Appreciation Day(Continued from page 1)
Jeff Turk andMarcie Jacobs,Super Sunday
Co-Chair, present JewishFamily Serviceswith the “Theyanswered thecall” award for providing the
most volunteersfor the
Federation’sSuper Sundaysphone-a-thon.
Pictured (from left to right): Jeff Turk, Jennifer Collman (JFS BoardPresident), Stephanie Starr (JFS Executive Director) and Marcie Ja-cobs.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte thanks and acknowledges the following tributesmade February 9, 2015 – May 8, 2015.
Are you or someone inyour family going to Is-raeli this summer? Doyou want the opportunityto talk about it or have afabulous photo from yourtrip on the big screen atHadassah’s 2nd AnnualIsraeli Product Fair?This year, our fair will bebigger and better thanever. Scheduled for No-vember 22, this event will featurefantastic Israeli products, a specialIsrael travel room, speakers whohave recent visited Israel, amaz-ing raffle prizes, kids activities,music, and much more. For addi-tional information or to get in-
volved, please contact StacyBaum, 704-808-0423 orschree@carolina.rr.com. Y
Levine JCC on June 3 from 7-9 PM Free and open to the community
You may know that certain
types of cancer are more commonamong Jewish people than in thegeneral population. You may alsoknow that finding certain genetic
risk factors can be helpful in fig-uring out if you personally are atincreased risk. We invite you to at-tend a free educational event tolearn more about these issues andto hear from experts in the field.
Angelina Jolie recently was inthe news because she had surgeryto prevent breast cancer after shelearned that her family history ofbreast cancer was due to their hav-ing the BRCA genetic mutation.BRCA-1&2 mutations occur inonly about one out of every 300-800 people, but in Ashkenazi Jew-ish people, it is much morecommon – one in 40 carry thisgene. Inheriting either gene in-creases a woman’s lifetime risk ofdeveloping breast cancer to 65-74%, according to the AmericanCollege of Obstetrics and Gyne-cology. The risk of getting ovariancancer is also higher than in peo-ple without these mutations, 39-46% for those who have BRCA-1and 12-20% for BRCA-2. Genetictesting is the first step in both can-cer prevention and early detection.
Speaking at the event, whichwill be held in Gorelick Hall onJune 3 from 7-9 PM, will beKatya Lezin, R. Wendel Nau-mann, MD, and Teri Howell,
RN. It will be hosted bythe Charlotte Chapter ofHadassah, by the JewishCommunity Center, andMyriad Genetic Laborato-ries.
Katya Lezin lives inCharlotte, is a columnistfor the Charlotte Ob-server, and was diagnosed in 2011with ovarian cancer related to herhaving the BRCA-1 genetic muta-tion. She says that she “now trav-els the country as a patientadvocate and survivor, speaking to… anyone who will listen to heraccount of the upside of beingBRCA-1 positive and being a can-cer survivor.” Katya has written amemoir entitled “But I Just GrewOut My Bangs - A Cancer Tale,”and she will be signing books atthe end of her talk.
R. Wendel Naumann, MD iscurrently the Director of Mini-mally Invasive Surgery in Gyne-cologic Oncology and Professorin the Department of Ob/Gyn atthe Levine Cancer Center at Car-olinas Medical Center in Char-lotte, North Carolina. Current
research interests include targetedtherapy for ovarian and uterinecancer as well as minimally inva-sive surgery for pelvic masses andovarian cancer.
Teri Howell, RN will describethe genetic screening tests offeredby Myriad Labs.
This event is free and open tothe public. Please join us onJune 3 at 7 PM in Gorelick Hall atthe JCC. Refreshments will beserved. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 4
5960 FAIRVIEW ROAD, SUITE 400CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 28210
TEL: 704.523.2202 w FAX: 704.496.2716MGOLDSTEIN@MGOLDLAW.COM w WWW.MGOLDLAW.COM
MEG D. GOLDSTEINATTORNEY-AT-LAW
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Women’s NewsHereditary Cancer Syndromes in the Jewish CommunityEducational Event Featuring Katya Lezin
On left is Katya during chemotherapy. Onright is Katya today.
The documentary, produced byFull Scale Productions, Inc.,and Hornet’s Nest Jewish WarVeterans Post 765, will be toldmainly through first-person inter-views, but might include short bitsof narration.
Any Jewish War Veterans thatwould like to contribute with sto-ries, photos, film, or documentsare asked to contact Full ScaleProductions at 704-846-7927.
Hornet’s Nest Jewish War Vet-erans Post 765, a 501(c)(3), is re-questing the money throughcrowd funding at www.go-fundme.com/jews-ww2-doc in
Hadassah’s Israeli Products Fair Needs You
Jewish AmericanSoldiers: Storiesfrom WWII tellsthe stories of Charlotte-areaJewish AmericanWorld War II veterans
(Continued on page 6)
The Florence Melton School ofAdult Jewish Learning has beennamed the “best of the best” inter-nationally. From Great Britain, toAustralia, Hong Kong and SouthAfrica, the Melton world-classcurriculum sets the standard forhigh-quality, pluralistic Jewishstudy that inspires adult learnersfrom all knowledge-levels andbackgrounds.
Charlotte’s own Melton Schoolof Adult Jewish Learning has beenenjoyed by 285 students over thepast five years. The Levine-SklutJudaic Library and the JewishFederation of Greater Charlotteare proud to sponsor the “best ofbest” in adult Jewish educationright here in our community.
Here is what our students haveto say:
“Melton classes are so differentthan what I remember of my He-brew school days. At first reluc-tant to commit to 10 or 20 weeksof a session I decided to try oneclass. That was it; I was hooked.The topics are interesting, instruc-tors enlightening and well pre-pared, discussions and opinionsand thoughts of classmates amaz-ing. I am finishing my third yearwith Melton and hope to continue.It’s one of the better offerings foradults searching for answers, ex-panding knowledge and enjoyingbeing Jewish.” -Len Marco
“I am currently taking the Kab-ballah class with Rabbi Groner; Imust say my expectations havebeen exceeded beyond measure.Rabbi Groner is an exceptionalteacher with a deep understandingof the subject matter. He is able totake a subject that is quite abstractto the uninitiated and bring it to a
level that one can begin to under-stand. The class is well worth thetime and expense.” – ChadSganga
“For those in the communitywho know me, you have probablyalready heard me say how much Ilove Melton, and I have probablyalready tried to recruit you. Myfriends know that I would give upanything on a Thursday evening ifit interfered with attending myMelton Classes. Why am I so ded-icated? The Melton class has im-proved me in so many ways andhas made me so proud to be Jew-ish. Although I was educated at aJewish day school in Montreal, itwasn’t until I started takingMelton Classes that I started to re-ally appreciate and gain a deeperunderstanding of my Jewish her-itage. The Jewish holidays that wecelebrate throughout the year havebecome so much more meaningfulto me. I have a much better under-standing of the struggles the Jew-ish people have enduredthroughout the centuries. I enjoythe relaxed atmosphere of theclasses and that no preparation isnecessary. I can just show up forthe 2 hours once a week and sim-ply enjoy the learning. I couldn’tthink of a more enjoyable way tospend the rare ‘alone time’ I haveduring the week surrounded bylovely classmates and truly in-credible teachers!” –Janice Zacks
Are you looking for a profoundunderstanding of what it means tobe Jewish? Call to find out moreabout Melton can offer you. 704-944-6740.
Fall classes beginning mid-September. Melton@shalomchar-lotte.org. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 5
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library and Resource CenterLevine-Sklut Judaic Library and Resource CenterBest of the Best: Jewish Education for Adults
Ahoy matey! The Levine-Sklut Judaic Library is once again spon-soring a fun and easy way to encourage your children and grandchil-dren to read all summer long. Children 2 – 12 years old will be able toread their way to the pirate’s treasure of prizes.
Come to the library to receive a free summer challenge treasure map.With each book read, children will move closer to winning a pirate’sbounty. The fun starts June 1st. For more information contact MissDebby dblock@shalomcharlotte.org or 704-944-6780.
Library’s Summer hours: Monday-Thursday - 10 – 4
Sundays - 10 - 3
A Pirate’s Treasure!Summer ReadingChallenge at LSJL
Five years ago, a few Jews inthe York County, SC area (each ofwhom thought they were the onlyones living in the area) did what
Jews all over the world havebeen doing for thousands ofyears - they found each otherand formed Temple Kol Ami.On June 4, 2010, Temple KolAmi commenced its firstShabbat service and has beengoing strong ever since. Togetherwe have observed Rosh HaShanahand Yom Kippur, celebratedChanukah and Purim, shared inthe joy of our B’nei Mitzvah asthey were called to Torah andcommemorated Yom Ha’Shoah.In the process, we have solidifiedour identity as Jews and forgedstrong friendships. On June 7, wewill come together to celebrate allthat we have achieved in just fiveshort years.
Kol Ami means “All My Peo-ple.” Temple Kol Ami of FortMill, SC strives to be a voice forthe diverse Jewish community ofYork County, SC and the sur-rounding areas, welcoming fami-lies and individuals from all walksof Jewish life. We are a warm andinclusive congregation comprisedof Jews from more traditionalbackgrounds, interfaith couplesand families as well as those whomay be rediscovering their faith.
As a community we celebrate andembrace the joys of Judaismthrough ritual, culture and a thriv-ing Religious School.
If you are a Jew living in theYork County area, please considerjoining Temple Kol Ami. As wecontinue to build our congrega-tion, we hope that it will bring youthe sense of Jewish communitythat you have been searching for.We want to be able to provide acongregation that embraces tradi-tion and recognizes the needs of amodern Jewish community- aplace that you can call your Jew-ish home.
There are benefits to member-ship such as reduced fees for theReligious School as well as HighHoliday services and PassoverSeder. In addition, Temple KolAmi provides a place for yourJewish life cycle events. We lookforward to welcoming you to theTKA family. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 6
Larry Horowitz, CLU, ChFC
L2 Financial
5950 Fairview Road, Suite 608 Charlotte, NC 28210 (704) 556-9982, Fax (704) 369-2918
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Helping in the CREATION, PRESERVATION & DISTRIBUTION of your Estate
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Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through H. Beck, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC. H. Beck, Inc. and L2 Financial are not affiliated.
&CONGREGATIONSSYNAGOGUES
Last summer’s success-ful launch of Charlotte’sSummer Yeshiva at OhrHaTorah was receivedwell beyond expectations.Local members of thegreater Charlotte Jewishcommunity were invitedto experience a genuineday or evening in a tradi-tional Yeshiva setting. TheYeshiva was led by agroup of Yeshiva studentswho chose to spend theirsome of their summerdays here in Charlotte.
Many people took advantage ofthe opportunity and the sound ofTorah study filled the LubavitchEducation Center on Sardis Road.
Due to last year’s success thedoors of the summer Yeshiva areready to reopen again. Beginningon Sunday evening, August 9,continuing through August 20,there will be a mini-Yeshiva righthere in Charlotte, again at Congre-gation Ohr HaTorah, 6619 SardisRoad.
Led by some of our own home-grown Yeshiva students and theirpeers from the US and Canada,
there will be a series of classesavailable both in the evening andduring the daytime. Topics offeredwill include a Crash Course onJewish History, Talmud and Jew-ish Law, Kabbalah, and muchmore.
Men and women will be able toattend various sessions, as well asset up private study with a partner,known in the Yeshiva world asChavrusa study. These sessionswill be set up by appointment, oreven as walk-ins, schedule permit-ting.
One of the many benefits of
this project is to allowlocal community membersto experience and feel theatmosphere of a Yeshiva,with ongoing study ses-sions simultaneouslythroughout the study hall.In addition, participantswill have the opportunityto search for answers to allthose challenging ques-tions that may have beenunanswered until now.Most importantly, theywill delve in to the logic ofthe Talmud, study the pas-
sages of the Torah with commen-tary, all in the original text.
To see all the offerings, requesta topic, or sign up for specificcourses, please visit chabadnc.orgafter July 1, or call 704-366-3984.You may also email RabbiShlomo Cohen at: rabbicohen@chabadnc.org for more informa-tion anytime. Y
Summer Yeshiva to Re-Open inCharlotte
From Lubavitch Yeshiva 2014.
Temple Kol Ami Celebrates Five YearAnniversary
order to produce this documentary to preserve the heritage and uniquewartime experiences of Jewish veterans, and provide an educationalresource for our Jewish community and the community- at-large nowand for future generations.
Please remember that your donations are tax deductible. Thank youfor contributing to this important film. Y
Stories from WWII(Continued from page 4)
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 7
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At Sabbath services on Fridayevening May 1, Temple Kol Tik-vah accepted and dedicated a se-ries of 12 stained glass windowpanels (each 18” x 18”) for itssanctuary in Davidson. The serv-ice conducted by Rabbi MichaelShields was attended not only bycongregants but also the artisans’family and friends from as faraway as Florida and Connecticut.
The panels, representing sym-bolism related to the Jewish reli-gion and done in Tiffany tradition,are the work of congregant andstained glass artisan Alan Schaeferof Denver, NC. Alan’s primaryartistic glass work, for the past 12years, has been designing andbuilding unique stained glassAmerican scale doll houses. Thewindow project was supported bythe Executive Board of TempleKol Tikvah for the last two yearsand afforded Schaefer full artisticlicense of the design.
The series of 12 art glass panelsis titled Kavod, the Hebrew for“tribute, honor, and homage.”“Although when you gaze uponthe panels you may focus on thepictures or words in each pane,”the stronger driving relationship
for the artist was in the back-ground glass and what it meant tohim. “The sections used wereculled from over 100 sq. ft. of fivecolor hand-laid glass; each piecewas individually cut to shape andprepared without a pattern. There
are no background piecesamongst the panels that arethe same. Just often as inJewish history, each pieceof the background wasseparated from its original posi-tion on the glass sheet and nonewere placed adjacent to its origi-nal neighbor. The background isindicative of a Jewish history ofuncertainty, individualism, separa-tion, and strength. The pieces area reflection of the strife related tothe scattering of people for cen-turies: the remembrance of brokenglass and destruction of Kristal-nacht and the holocaust and car-nage that followed, indicative ofthe chaos of generations sepa-rated, yet coming together andunifying Jewish people just as theindividual pieces of backgroundglass are unified by frame andcolor threads. Like most of us asindividuals, the background glasscontinually changes its color de-
pendent on the amount of light itreceives.
The 12 panels in the series“Kavod” are:
Peace, depicted by the Hebrewword “Shalom”; Eternity, depictedby an eternal flame; Celebration,depicted by a dreidel; To Life, de-picted by the Hebrew word“L’Chaim”; Identity, depicted bythe Star of David; Harken, de-picted by a shofar; Exodus, de-picted by Moses parting thewaters; Teachings, depicted by aTorah; Tenets, depicted by the TenCommandments; Unity, depictedby a seven-candle menorah;Sabbath, depicted by candles,Kiddush cup, and challah; Gener-ations, depicted by a Tree ofLife. Y
New Stained Glass Dedicated at Temple Kol Tikvah
By Cantor Andrew BernardOur new summer service
model began Friday, May 22 andis in full swing.
Our hope is that Fridayevenings, Temple Beth El fulfillsthe central meaning of “syna-gogue” as a place of assembly,and the central meaning of “Shab-bat” as a time to stop/rest/refresh.Jewishly, Friday evening — theonset of Shabbat — should be themoment of transformation fromthe work week to that time ofstopping or resting. While tradi-tionally it is an important time ofworship (and has become the pri-mary worship time in the Reformmovement), it is also an importanttime to gather with family andfriends in an atmosphere of grati-tude and appreciation for themany gifts that fill our lives.While we are delighted to haveyou participate in all our Fridayevening offerings, what we trulyhope is that you will “tag” TempleBeth El as the meeting place andcatalyst for moving from theworkweek to Shabbat.
Our “preneg” with Kiddushwine bar begins at 5:15 PM.Twice a month there is a 5:30Songfest for little ones and theirfamilies. Our informal, family-friendly worship begins at 6 PMand finishes around 7:10 so youcan go off to Shabbat dinner orother social activities. Once amonth, the Service of Healing andComfort will follow the Shabbatevening service.
During services, the “preneg”and Kiddush wine bar continue tobe available in one of the socialhalls just off the Sanctuary for
those who arrive late or those whowant to continue to sit in a morecasual space with friends andfamily. That area has tables and akid-friendly activity center withthe wall to the sanctuary open soyou can continue to be connectedto our worshipping community.
Stuck in traffic? We knowsome people are frustrated thatthey can’t be at Temple for thestart of services. If you bookmarkour streaming services you canlisten to the start of worship inyour car — and when you arrive,join us in the Sanctuary for theservice or relax in the social hallwith food, drink, and prayer.
Our motto for summer servicesis “Come as you are. Come whenyou can. Leave early or stay.Shabbat your way!” We under-stand that every individual hasdifferent needs, and that thoseneeds change from week to week.Come let Temple Beth El be thesource and the catalyst for whatShabbat means to you — and mayyou truly experience Sabbath restand joy with friends and lovedones. Y
You Are Invited toSummer Services atTemple Beth El
Gil Tamary, the Washingtonbureau chief for Israel’s Channel10 News will join our communityto discuss the topic: A New IsraeliKnesset - What does it mean forIsrael? What does it mean for us?
Known by virtually every Is-raeli as a top news reporter, Gilhas worked for Israel Broadcast-ing Authority, Israel Public Radio,and as anchor and chief editor of“Good Morning Israel.” Gil cov-
ers a wide range of Middle Eastissues from the U.S. and conductsexclusive interviews with manydignitaries, including: politicalfigures, including Presidents, Sec-retaries of State, Senators, andheads of the World Bank. Gil isthe only Israeli journalist who ma-neuvered former Iranian PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad into an-swering a question from an Israeli,thus forcing him to “recognize” an
Israeli when he never admitted Is-rael’s right to exist. Gil Tamary isa native Israeli, with a Master’sDegree in Economics from TelAviv University, and served as theInternational Editor for Forbes.
Temple Beth El invites the en-tire community to what is sure tobe a fascinating presentation anddiscussion on the latest politicalsituation in Israel.
Friday, July 17, 20156 PM – Shabbat Evening Sum-
mer Service – everyone invited.7:15 PM – Shabbat Dinner and
LectureDinner is $15 per person, $10
per person discounted for TBEmembers.
Reservations are required andcan be made by calling TempleBeth El’s RSVP Line at 704-749-3070 or by visiting the website athttp://templebethel.org/events/schloss-summer-lecture/
Gil Tamary appears at TempleBeth El through the generosity ofIsrael Bonds.
From its launching in 1951 andcontinuing through the presentday, Israel Bonds has played aunique role in Israel’s rapid pro-gression from struggling agrariannation to global economic power-house.
The Schloss Summer Lecturewas established by Marc and Mat-tye Silverman in memory ofMarc’s uncle, Simeon Archibald“Happy” Schloss, Jr., who was afounder of Temple Beth El. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News -June-July 2015 - Page 8
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Tenth Annual Schloss Summer Lecture at Temple Beth ElIsrael’s Channel 10’s Gil Tamary
Gil Tamary of Israel’s Channel 10.
By Heidi Yalowitz-Lasser, TempleOr Olam
I never knew she wasn’t Jew-ish. All I saw was a lovely womanin her twenties who radiated herinner Torah. It mattered little whather actual pedigree might be.
A call. “It’s M,” the tentativevoice begins. “The Beit Din ismeeting on Thursday night.” Ap-parently the arrangements fell to-gether rather quickly, and she,with her fiancé, planned on com-pleting the process with a mikvehthat same night. The plan was touse an undisclosed location in anearby lake at about 10 PM. Myreputation as an early riser is well-established, but I accepted the op-portunity to be her witness withinseconds. “I’ll drink extra coffeethat day,” I said, to reassure usboth.
I hung up the phone and re-joiced. I felt a maternal connect-edness. She had given me achance to feel like a mother - pro-tective and proud. I worried aboutthe cleanliness of the lake. I wor-ried about the cold, the need for animmediate shower, and stoppedjust short of getting her a Neti pot.I kept most of my opinions to my-self and when Thursday came, Itossed an extra blanket in the car.
One by one we arrived at theparking lot of a fellow congre-gant’s home. Then, we waited, asthough we were a secret societypreparing for an initiation. Otherthan the homeowners, I was theoldest present, but I am welcomedinto the circle of twenty-some-things. I am enlivened by their en-ergy and their stories inspire me tovow to develop my own course of
study when I retire. Our rabbi hassecured our future as Jews by en-gaging the young and encouragingthe rest of us to experience ritualsand concepts we never encoun-tered in partnership alongsidethem.
Eventually, the newly Jewish-ed couple arrive with our rabbiand her husband, like a collectiveShabbat Bride, fresh from the BeitDin. Without knowing every de-tail, we sense the life changing ex-perience for all involved.Ancestors from all tribes, invisibleto the mortal eye, made them-selves known through the sheerjoy in the room. My new Jewishdaughter and I made eye contactin preparation of what was tocome.
Our gracious homeowner di-rected them to an upstairs bed-room to change into bathing suits,easily removable in a dark lake.Concurrently, our rabbi rehearsedthe process with the teams of wit-nesses in the kitchen. Three dis-tinct prayers for each person. Incombination, they form an affir-mation that this couple will be-come part of the Jewish soul,officially.
Were they Jewish (in their ownway) before their beit dins? IsJewishness an ongoing processthat takes multiple forms for usall?
It was a cold and rainy night.Umbrellas were gathered to shieldthose of us who were to remainclothed and to keep the couple drybefore entering the water. Thegrass was wet and the groundmuddy. Several flashlights en-sured none of us tripped. We ar-
rived at the pier, and separated,men in one direction and womenin another.
“I want you to do it,” she saysto me in a sweet girlish way. Shegave me the honor of being thewoman who would hold a towelup in readiness of her ascent outof the water. In that instant, Iended my unconscious shame ofbeing childless by choice. I recog-nized that mothering has been partof my life for decades. I had beentrivializing that.
True to our rehearsal, we re-cited each prayer. When sheemerged, I wrapped my girl in thetowel as I would a babe in swad-dling clothes. Somehow she man-aged to get her bathing suit backon. As the group of us returned toour cars, I walked alongside herwishing to extend my bodywarmth to stop her shivering.Most importantly, I wanted her toknow she was loved.
“Mazel tov” falls short of ex-pressing the sense of being a spir-itual midwife. A sense of awe wasquietly shared between us, whileour individual souls proclaimedinto the night sky “Hineni: here Iam.” Y
Renewal at the Mikveh
Members of Temple Emanuel in Gastonia Enjoyed aFestive Passover Seder
Jewish Family Services hosteda wine tasting on April 18 to thankour major donors and LegacyFamily Circle members. JFSLegacy Family Circle memberand major donor David Goodmanspoke to the audience about theimportance of making an impactduring one’s life, and how leaving
a legacy allows them to continueto change the landscape even afterthey've gone. For the second yearin a row, Old Stone Winery pro-vided the wine from their 130 acreSalisbury estate which currentlyhas over 20 acres of Muscadinegrapes planted in the vineyard. Inaddition to the Muscadines, Old
Stone sources wine grapes as lo-cally as possible, with many com-ing out of Rowan County. Thewine tasting was also sponsoredby South State Bank, which hasbeen serving the financial needsof individuals and businessessince 1934, with offices in NorthCarolina, South Carolina, and
Georgia. Thank you to our spon-sors for this engaging event. Tofind out more about how you canbecome a member of the JFSLegacy Family Circle, please con-tact Beth Cupp.Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 9
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Jewish Family ServicesJFS Major Donors and Legacy Family Circle DonorsHonored at Private Wine Tasting
5th Annual JFS Friends Run Sets AllTime Records
The 5th annual Friends Run on Mother’s Day was a huge success, raising awareness of Jewish FamilyServices as well as raising nearly $20,000 for programming and services in our community. Thank you toall of our sponsors, participants and volunteers who came out to support JFS.Y
Thank you to the followingpeople who contributed their timeto Jewish Family Services inMarch and April.
Volunteers: Rick Abrams, BenAizenman, Linda Babich, MarciaBorden, Ruth Brandt, Ilene Can-tor, Bill Cassell, Dan Coblenz,Jennifer Collman, Alicia Cooper,Andrea Cronson, Myra Diuguid,Dikla & Emily Frances, Mel &Caren Frank, Robert Friedman,Milton Goldstein, Gail Halverson,Becca Horner, Tara Hubara,Robert Jacobson, Brad Kirchen-baum, Karen Knoble, Pete &Rachel Levine, Annie Lord, MattLuftglass, David Miller, HeleneMoll, Frada Mozenter, MargaretMusa, Debbie Porter, Ed Pizer,Barbara Schippper, Lisa Shporer,Janice Shubin, Louis Sinkoe,Harry Sparks, Karen Spiegler,Justin Steinschriber, Jeff & StacyStrauch, Stephanie Townsend,Mike Weinberg, Jan Weiner, DoriWhiman
Hadassah Cooks: BarbaraAbrams, Susan Aizenman, PhyllisBerlin, Ellen Bottner, Ilene Can-tor, Sharon Cavanaugh, MillyCorday, Aleen Epstein, Sandy Fis-cher, Gail Green, Gloria Grifen-hagen, June Hirschmann, KarenKantrowitz, Fran & Roy Kaplan,Judy & Steve Kaufmann, PennyKrieger, Lois Mazer, Andy Mc-Cleary, Sharel Persin, Phyllis Ro-maine, Fran Schuler, Joyce Stoll,Nancy Tarbis
Sun City Hadassah Cooks:Ellie Bantit, Linda Brickman,Ellen Caron, Ami Felner, AnitaForeman, Margo Furst , LexiGreene, Joanne Gold DiMaria,Leslie Gumpert, Esther Givens,Barbara Langbert, Fay Lebowitz,Dale Lederer, Nikki Lord, Bev-erly Moseman, Evelyn Nameroff,Marsha Rosen, Debby Rosen-berger, Roberta Wilner, JoAnneSime
Food Pantry Donations: JCCSoccer families, JCC Tennis
teams, Kosher Mart Customers,Temple Israel & Temple Beth ElCongregants, Judy Kaufmann,Tseela Navon & Roi Genish, JudiLecker, CJDS 1st Grade class,Coblenz family, Torah on Tap,Moishe House, Hebrew High,Alysa Harrison, Terri Taras, CJPfamilies, Hannah Kaunitz, JessicaMazur, Jesse Mortimore, TempleIsrael Religious School, Tom &Linda Ashar, Preschool on Sardis,Volunteers-in-Training (Chabadat Ballantyne), Dawn Hubbs,Stephanie Kurtz Thompson, Jor-dan Sokolowicz, Marissa Karp,Marvin Barman, Karen Knoble,Larry & Dale Polsky, Susan Gun-dersheim
Special Recognition: KosherMart for assisting with our Pesachcollections, Moishe House fordecorating Pesach grocery bags
Simcha Centerpieces: In honorof Bat Mitzvah of Emma Lesackand Bar Mitzvah of JonathanYass Y
JFS Volunteers
The Charlotte Jewish News -June-July 2015 - Page 10
Donations to JFS in AprilHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Elyssa Gorelick from CarolGorelick
Jennifer Collman from Ilya andChantal Rubin
Nancy Coblenz on your 70thbirthday from Gary and MaxineSilverstein
Rick Willenzik on your 60thBirthday from Steven and SusanMeyerHAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO
Marshall and Barbara Rosen-feld from Ann LangmanMAZEL TOV ON
The birth of your great-grand-child to Abe and Rose Luski fromCarol Gorelick
The birth of your new grandbaby to Berta Straz from CarolGorelick
The engagement of RachelLuski to Abe and Rose Luski fromCarol Gorelick
The wedding of your daughterRachelto Marc and Cheri Title-baum from Barry and Laura Reich
Your granddaughter’s BatMitzvah to Sam and Ollie Polkfrom Ed and Jill NewmanIN MEMORY OF
Your beloved mother Joan toPeter Slade from Martin and RozHusney, Arnie and Helaine Stone
Elizabeth Hirsch to DavidHirsch from Abe and Bette Bober
Esther Kaufman to Michaeland Judie Van Glish from CarolGorelick, Ed and Jill Newman,Herb Pfeffer and Laura Milgrim,Marion and David Kronovet,Richard Weber, Jay and LisaWeiner
Fania Valinskaya to MarianaLeiberman from Herb Pfeffer andLaura Milgrim
Faye Berman to Alvin and He-lene Levine from Carol Gorelick
Janet Jaffa to Wendy Rosenfrom Monty Bennett
Libby Hirsch to David Hirschfrom Lynn Slutsky
Your father Herbert Cohn toNanci Granow from Michael andElaine DenenbergIN APPRECIATION OF
Mark Perlin for your assistancefrom David and Debra Van Glish
Michael Van Glish for your as-sistance from David and DebraVan Glish
Nancy Tarbis from David andKaren RansenbergHAPPY PASSOVER TO
Diane Rosenberg from Margie,Ben, Jackie, Cameron and HannaLiebstein
Elaine and Marty Schefflinfrom Margie, Ben, Jackie,Cameron and Hanna Liebstein Y
Community News
By Amy KrakovitzEach month, the Foundation for
the Charlotte Jewish Communitypublishes a “Legacy Story,” abeautiful tribute to a family or in-dividual that has written them-selves into the FCJC Book of Lifethrough the Create Your JewishLegacy program. Mark andLouise Bernstein (z”l) were onesuch family, and here is the pieceMark wrote for the FCJC. This isthe first time it is appearingin The Charlotte JewishNews:
“In the Babylonian Tal-mud, there is an interestingstory about a man whoplanted a carob tree. A carobtree is known to begin to bearfruit seventy years after thedate that it is planted. Whenchallenged by his neighborswhether he would ever eatthe fruit of the tree, the manreplied, ‘I am doing as myancestors did. Just as theyplanted a carob tree for theirchildren, so am I planting thetree for my children.’
“Our family has beendeeply involved in helping tonourish and replant the treesthat bear the fruits of our Ju-daic tradition. We are proudthat we have been a part of afaith that has endured 5,000years, inspired the creation ofsome of the world’s other great re-ligions and enriched the lives ofits adherents in so many meaning-ful ways. Our parents and grand-parents set the example byproviding financial support andleadership for Jewish institutionsthat served their communities.When it was first organized, Tem-ple Beth El held services in aroom above a grocery store untilits first sanctuary was built onProvidence Road. Our familypitched in to help the strugglingcongregation, providing food forcovered dish dinners and moneyto purchase a Torah.
“In the years that followed, wehave supported Temple Beth El,the Jewish Community Center, theCharlotte Jewish Federation, theFoundation of Shalom Park, andother community programs, in-cluding the planning of ShalomPark. We are very pleased that ourchildren, including their spousesand children, continue this tradi-tion by assuming positions ofleadership in the Jewish commu-nity and teaching in the religiousschools.
“When we were younger withfew resources to expend, we prac-ticed our tradition as volunteers.As our resources increased andour strength diminishes, we havecontinued this tradition by con-tributing to the communitythrough our lifetime gifts. To in-spire and support the generationsto come, we have made provisionsin our estate planning documentsto provide endowment support forthe Jewish institutions that havemeant so much to us during ourlives.
“We hope that, like the planterin the carob story, our gifts willboth inspire and assist future gen-
erations to continue to perpetuatethe great traditions of Judaismthroughout the community inwhich we have been privileged toserve.”Building Shalom Park
Much has been written and saidabout Mark Bernstein since hepassed away a few weeks ago. Hewas an exemplary professional athis law firm; he was the consum-mate family man; he was a clear-
eyed visionary; he was tirelesslydevoted to his community. Eachstory and eulogy touched on allhis service: to the Symphony, theBlumenthal Performing Arts Cen-ter, the Levine Center for the Arts,Shalom Park, Temple Beth El,The Jewish Federation of GreaterCharlotte, and more. Stunningly,none of this appears to be exag-geration or hyperbole. Bernsteinwas everything his friends andfamily professed him to be.
“When I first met him,” saysBill Gorelick, “I thought he wasvery sophisticated. He impressedme as an outstanding gentleman.”And soon Gorelick would get toknow him as part of the commit-tee that developed Shalom Park.“Mark just felt that all the Jews inCharlotte should know each other,that their kids should play to-gether.”
It was certainly a huge task tounite Temple Israel, Temple BethEl, and the Jewish CommunityCenter on one piece of property.In Bernstein’s own words: “I wasconsidered a crackpot sometimes.… Nobody in his right mind hadever attempted anything like thatbefore.”
But as we all know, after yearsof negotiating, the Joint Venturewas conceived, written, and im-plemented and many credit Bern-stein with putting it all together.“Take it from me,” says Bob Abel,“without Mark Bernstein, theShalom Park concept would havebeen DOA. He had the patience ofa saint, was smart enough to wadethrough and understand the com-peting issues, and had the inter-personal skills to deal with amyriad of competing egos andpersonalities. I used to tell youngpeople to get involved in commu-nity organizations, if for no other
reason, than to be exposed to lead-ership skills like his that theyprobably won’t be privy to in theirown organizations.”
His skills at overcoming differ-ences in any board room were leg-endary. Michael Marsicano,President and CEO of The Foun-dation For The Carolinas, remem-bers, “I would marvel … watchinghim pull the threads of diverseideas expressed around the roomand weave them into a tapestry ofdirection everyone could support.It was artful.”
But Bernstein saw his ownstrengths in these meetings dif-ferently. Regarding the negoti-ating skills needed to make anagreement, he opined, “Thetheological differences [in theinstitutions] weren’t seriousenough. … Our shared her-itage made us compatible.”And though many have laudedhim for “vision” when itcomes to creation of ShalomPark, he laid the credit else-where. “The sum of the partswas greater than the whole,”he said, about uniting the or-ganizations. “The synergy ofthe combined institutionsbrought a greater energy” tothe Jewish community, he said.
Though Bernstein may havediscounted his own talents inseeing the creation of ShalomPark to its fruition, his col-league in both professional andcommunity circles, Sara
Schreibman, disagrees. “He was aquiet force,” she says. “At everymeeting, he was the one who hadall the right questions. He left nostone unturned.”
Beyond his efforts to establishShalom Park, Schreibman says,his interweavings of his Jewishpride and his community pridewere strong.
Larry Polsky remembers howinstrumental Bernstein was inhelping him bring Coltec to Char-lotte from New York. “We initiallyhad those typical views of a south-ern city, that there would be noJews or it would be anti-Semitic,”Polsky explains, but Bernsteinquickly assured them of the greatand growing Jewish community inCharlotte and of the welcomingnature of the city’s non-Jews. Butbeyond that, even after Coltecmoved its headquarters here,Bernstein “demonstrated his sin-cerity,” Polsky says, “by express-ing a continuing interest in thecompany and in my personal life.”The Bernsteins and the Polskysbecame dear personal friends as aresult of this encounter.
It’s just this kind of human de-cency that Skip Smart, a colleagueof Bernstein’s from Parker Poeoften witnessed. When Smart wasa first-year associate, Bernsteinwas his mentor and often invitedhim into meetings with clients. “Inone specific incident, I saw aclient come in, literally bent overwith the weight of his situationholding him down,” Smart re-members. “Mark would makeclear that he understood what theissue was, that his client’s prob-lem was his problem, and that hewas there to accompany him onhis journey. I literally saw this
More Than A LegacyA Tribute to Mark Bernstein, z”l
Photo of Louise and Mark Bernstein (z”l) cour-tesy of The Foundation for the Charlotte JewishCommunity
(Continued on page 22)
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By Amy LefkofWith 200 people in attendance,
Shalom Park Freedom School’s4th annual movie fundraiser, onApril 30 at the Sam Lerner Centerfor Cultural Arts, featured the doc-umentary Rosenwald, the remark-able story of Jewish philanthropistJulius Rosenwald, President andChairman of Sears from 1908-1932. Despite not having gradu-ated from high school or college,Rosenwald partnered with BookerT. Washington from the 1910s intothe early 1930s to build over5,000 schools in African-Ameri-can communities in the ruralSouth.
The documentary also showedRosenwalds’ other major philan-thropic accomplishments: thebuilding of black YMCAs, fund-ing upcoming African-Americanartists, painters and performers,
such as Ralph Ellison, LangstonHughes, and Marian Anderson,and funding future scientists anddoctors, such as African-Ameri-can Dr. Charles Drew whose re-search on the preservation ofblood plasma saved the lives ofthousands of GIs.
What drove Rosenwald to helpthe African American commu-nity? One factor was that he sawthe parallels in the fear of threatsand violence confronting bothJews and Blacks: the KKK andJim Crow threatened black peo-ple, and Russia was oppressingJews with pogroms and discrimi-natory laws. Another factor wasthat after an eye opening visit tothe Tuskegee Institute, Rosenwaldwas informed by Booker T. Wash-ington that what was needed mostin the rural south were schools forblack children, who were other-wise consigned to menial fieldwork. The Rosenwald schools be-came the rallying cry for educa-tion, the heart of thesecommunities.
Emily Zimmern, President ofthe Levine Museum of the NewSouth, introduced the Rosenwalddocumentary and made palpablethe link between Rosenwald’s phi-losophy of tikkun olam, andShalom Park Freedom School —where our Jewish community hasjoined with the communities ofHuntingtowne Elementary andSterling Elementary to preventsummer learning loss by provid-ing a six-week, literacy-basedsummer program for 80 economi-cally disadvantaged scholars forthe last five summers.
If the Shalom Park communitycan continue to provide an enrich-ing literacy-based summer pro-gram for low-income AfricanAmerican and Hispanic scholars,then perhaps these children willgrow up to become the next RalphEllison, Marian Anderson, or dis-coverer of a life-saving medicineor medical procedure. Thisthought was echoed by anotherspeaker that evening, Dr. MonicaRabinovich, Chemistry Professorat UNCC and member of TempleBeth El, who spoke about her ex-perience helping the young schol-ars create “slimy goop” during thesix-week summer program. Rabi-novich encouraged others in theaudience to donate their time ormake financial pledges to ShalomPark Freedom School.
At the fundraising event, theaudience was asked by ShalomPark Freedom School Co-ChairsLisa Garfinkle, Marcia Stern, andEileen Davis, to make a pledge insupport of Shalom Park FreedomSchool, since the wish of manypublic school children attendingSterling Elementary and Hunting-towne Farms Elementary is to at-tend a six-week literacy basedsummer program here at ShalomPark.
For more information on howto get involved or make a contri-bution in support of SPFS, pleasevisit the website at spfreedom-school.org. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 14
Rosenwald MovieFundraiser Supports theGrowth of Shalom ParkFreedom School
The Shalom Park FreedomSchool recently selected 27 teensfor its Teen Board, which willserve the 2015 summer literacy-based camp at Shalom Park. Teenboard members volunteer asschool assistants for at least twoweeks during the summer andwork with CMS 1st-5th graders toboost their literacy skills and en-rich their cultural experiences.They learn about how the Free-
dom School program helps toclose the academic achievementgap for low-income students, as-sist with and lead fun activities,and develop meaningful relation-ships with Freedom School schol-ars and staff. These rising10th-12th graders also help withfundraising for the school, plan-ning a book drive and raisingfunds for Challah for Scholars.
The Shalom Park Freedom
School will be held June 18-July29. The Shalom Park FreedomSchool has expanded to serve 80scholars this summer, up from 50.These scholars are selected fromHuntingtowne Farms and Ster-ling, the elementary schools infaith-based partnerships withTemple Israel and Temple BethEl.
The 2015 Teen Board mem-bers include:
* MacKenzie Albert * JackBaron* Ian Bodenheimer*
Kaylie Brooks* Sarah Choffin*Anna Ditesheim* Anna Doline*Tommy Ecker* Anna Farrell*
Kate Frankenberg* Sam Gordon* David Gordon* LanieHitt* Amanda Kurtz* Rachel
Musa* Victoria Newman* SamNeumann* Leah Porter*
Lindsay Rosenzweig* MaxRosewater* Max Schoenbrun*
Siena Serrano* Dana Sheinhaus* Alana Stilitano*M.E. Suris* Ramona Suris*
Marissa Uri Y
Twenty-Seven Teens Named to TeenBoard for Shalom Park Freedom School
Shalom ParkFreedomSchool TeenBoard Membersfor 2015.
In collaboration with one ofShalom Park’s vendors, AAA En-tertainment, the Foundation ofShalom Park is offering a freefour-hour DJ production that in-cludes four DJ/entertainers, apowerful sound system, dazzlinglight show, and customized enter-tainment to suit your needs. Onelucky family will win an incredi-bly fun and engaging DJ experi-ence that friends and family willremember for years to come. Thevalue of this production is $2,495.
One unique aspect of AAA En-tertainment’s approach to yourcelebration is using InteractiveCrowd Entertainers. These trainedprofessionals create an event thathas energy, excitement and fun.With decades of experience in thebusiness, AAA Entertainment cre-ates appropriate and crowd-pleas-ing entertainment for students(and they have accolades fromschool administrators to prove it).Moms and dads love the Mitzvahentertainment because of the funand tasteful delivery. With eachDJ production, AAA Entertain-ment offers not just one enter-tainer, but four.
To be eligible for this promo-tion, a four-hour (afternoon orevening) Bar/Bat Mitzvah partymust be booked with the Founda-tion, with contracts completed andsigned, and 50% rental deposit re-ceived between June 1 and August
31, 2015. The date booked for theparty must be between October 1,2015 and June 30, 2016. Thedrawing will be held on TuesdaySeptember 2, 2015. The drawingwinner will be notified by email.You can read the complete draw-ing rules in the advertisement onpage 18.
You, your friends, and familywill never forget how much funthey had at this Mitzvah celebra-
tion. Call the Foundation ofShalom Park anytime to discussyour upcoming celebration. Tobook a party, or for more informa-tion about this promotion, pleasecontact Jay Parton, OperationsManager at the Foundation ofShalom Park, at 704-944-6842 orjparton@shalomcharlotte.org.
In other news, the Foundationof Shalom Park is working on aninitiative to improve the commu-nity’s awareness of Shalom Park’swonderful meeting rooms and re-ception halls available to all. TheFoundation’s community facilityis ideal for all types social andbusiness events. As a part of thisinitiative, the Foundation is ex-cited to announce that they arenow on social media, with bothLinkedIn and Facebook companypages. Please visit their new com-pany page on LinkedIn at the fol-lowing link: www.linkedin.com/company/foundation-of-shalom-park
Please visit their new companypage on Facebook at: www.face-book.com/shalomcharlotte.
Please click on the “Follow”button on LinkedIn and the “Like”button on Facebook to receive fu-ture updates and posts about theFoundation and Shalom Parknews.
The Foundation of ShalomPark is continuously upgrading itsfacility to meet the needs of its
visitors and partners. Other recentimprovements to Shalom Park in-clude:
* Installed new cooking equip-ment in the Gorelick Kitchen
* Replaced a 300-gallon gaswater heater which will use one-third the amount of gas to heat thesame amount of water.
* Purchased new stainless steeltrash and recycling containers forall community meeting rooms.
* Shalom Park Secu-rity partnered with Athoc,the #1 Networked CrisisCommunication Com-pany in the UnitedStates. Athoc is a com-munity-wide crisis com-munication system thatwill alert all Shalom Parkinstitutions, staff and oth-ers during a crisis. Athocprovides this type of net-work crisis communica-tion technology forMicrosoft, the Depart-ment of Defense, andHomeland Security.
The mission of the
Foundation of Shalom Park, a501(c)(3) non-profit agency, is tomanage the facilities and re-sources of Shalom Park on behalfof the community. The Founda-tion team welcomes your inquiriesand values your support.
Have you thought about yourJewish legacy? Please considerdesignating the Foundation ofShalom Park as a beneficiary inyour estate planning to help assurethe safety and security of ShalomPark for generations to come.
Contact FSP Executive Director,Kevin Levine at hklevine@shalomcharlotte.org to talk aboutthe Foundation of Shalom Parkbeing a part of your estate plan-ning. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 15
· · ·Sandra Goldman, Director704.576.1859
hebrewcemetery.org
5007 Providence Road • Suite 105Charlotte NC 28226
Preplanning is a gift to your loved ones. Contact us today.
A BENEFICIARY AGENCY OF
Foundation of Shalom Park Offers Contest to Win a Free Bar/BatMitzvah DJ
Lerner Hall can be set up to accommodate up to250 guests. Photo by Jay Parton
Celebrate your simcha at Shalom Park. Photo by St. John Photog-raphy.
704-364-6543 www.davidsltd.com
A WATCH SO SMARTTHAT IT CAN TELL YOU THE TIME,
JUST BY LOOKING AT IT.The Runwell. It’s Just Smart Enough.TM
SHOP THE BEST SELECTION IN CHARLOTTEAT DAVID’S LTD JEWELERS
The Charlotte Jewish News -June-July 2015 - Page 16
Featured entertainers:Eleanor Reissa and Di Boyess,
Ali and Gene Kavadlo with Dr.Paul Nitsch
World class entertainment,workshops, Yiddishkeit, learning,
ruach, singing, dancing, hiking,and Kosher food at a magical lo-cation in the Blue Ridge Moun-tains. A meaningful experience foreveryone.
To register or for more infor-mation please contact: cltyid-dishinst@aol.com. Y
Charlotte Yiddish InstituteAugust 13-16, Wildacres Retreat, Little Switzerland
Please enter reservations for _______Adults
Full payment is enclosed as follows:
$________($395 per adult)
$________($190 additional per person fee for private room)
$________($90 per adult round trip bus fee; teens ride free)
Names in English & Yiddish.............. Address & Zip .............................CELL Phone .........
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
Participant(s) Cell Number(s) (Required Info)
............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................
Emergency contact name:
Phone: .................................................................................................
............................................................................................................
Dietary Restrictions: ..........................................................................
............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................
E-mail address (Required Info):........................................................
Mail this form with check payable to:
Charlotte Yiddish Institute/JCC
Charlotte Jewish Institute c/o Mr. Irving Bienstock 5007 Providence Rd., #111, Charlotte, NC 28226
Questions Call: Baila Pransky at 704-366-5564 Don & Shevi Herbstman at 704-752-1910
Heshl & Adrienne Spindel at 336-293-6604 Irving Bienstock at 704-542-0094
Joyce & Bob Stoll at 704-365-4733
**In the event of an emergency, day of arrival, contact Berta (Batya) at 704-287-6451
37th Charlotte Yiddish Institute Reservation FormAugust 13-16, 2015
E-mail us: cltyiddishinst@aol.com
IMPORTANT: Make reservations for an early arrival in Charlotte on August 13. Bus will depart from
JCC/Shalom Park at 12 noon, then next departure will be from the Charlotte Intl. Airport
promptly at 12:45 PM, outside of Baggage Claim “Door D.” It will return to the Charlotte airport at
approximately 2:30 PM Sunday, August 16.
Arrival to Charlotte(Required Info):
Airline Name ...................................................................................
Arrival time:........................................ Flight #...............................
Departure Time: .................................. Flight #...............................
By Lisa Garfinkle“See to it that you do not spoil
and destroy My world; for if youdo, there will be no one else to re-pair it.” Midrash Ecclesiastes
Apple recently announcedplans to build its own solar plantto power much of its Californiaoperation. Tesla, manufacturer ofelectric cars, is also manufactur-ing batteries to allow solar andwind energy customers to storeexcess energy for times when thesun is not shining or the wind isnot blowing. The Department ofDefense, perceiving clean energyto be a national security issue, hasa target of 25% energy from re-newable sources by 2025. The de-velopment of clean energyalternatives, power sources that donot add greenhouse gases to theEarth’s atmosphere, is of growingimportance to government andbusiness alike.
But should the clean energyrevolution be of special interest tothe Jewish community?
Temple Israel’s Rabbi NoamRaucher says yes, noting that Jewshave an obligation to take care ofthis world “as stewards of Cre-ation, obligated to preserve theearth for future generations.”
And in fact, leadership organi-zations from every major branchof Judaism, from the Union forReform Judaism, to the UnitedSynagogue for Conservative Ju-daism, to the Rabbinical Councilof America, an organization of Or-thodox rabbis, have issued state-ments and resolutions recognizingthat the obligation to preserve theearth is deeply rooted in Torah andJewish tradition. The concept isoften tied to bal taschit, the com-mandment in the Torah to avoidwasteful consumption, which canbe interpreted to require energyconservation and reliance on en-ergy sources that minimize nega-tive environmental impacts.
Motivated by their Jewish val-ues and, in part, by the newShalom Park Environmental Ini-tiative, Rabbi Judy Schindler ofTemple Beth El and her husband,Chip Wallach, recently installedsolar panels on their home. SaysRabbi Schindler, “When I learnedabout the possibility of ShalomPark receiving a generous envi-ronmental grant from ClearPath toreduce our carbon footprint andexpand our conversations and ed-ucation on environmental issues, Ibegan to talk about it at home withmy family. Before I knew it, myhusband had met with a solarcompany and we decided to takethe leap. If you asked Chip whywe installed solar panels, he’d sayit was because ‘I got green.’ Whatan amazing gift.”
While solar panels will reducetheir energy bills by an estimatedaverage of $1109 per year, RabbiSchindler says the deciding factorfor her was the environmental im-pact. An app allows the family totrack their energy savings daily,and in the first month their systemgenerated enough energy to oper-ate a TV for 199 days or to operate5.28 computers for one year. Be-cause solar energy is “clean” en-ergy, over the 25-year life of thesystem, the Schindler-Wallachfamily expects to eliminate 171tons of carbon dioxide from their
carbon footprint, the equivalent of17,442 gallons of gasoline.
When asked if she has any tipsfor families considering solar,Rabbi Schindler says, “It is worththe call to a solar company to in-quire about the feasibility for yourhome. At the current time, for ahome like ours, it will take sevenyears to pay off if you can takefull advantage of the tax credits.”These tax credits include a 30%federal Solar Investment TaxCredit and 35% NC state taxcredit for the cost of residentialsolar installations. The credits areset to expire at the end of 2015(NC credit) and 2016 (federalcredit), absent action by the statelegislature and Congress.
Families for whom solar is notan option can still take action toreduce their household’s carbonfootprint. There are online re-sources that can help. Atclearpath.org, for example, fami-lies can calculate the savings indollars and greenhouse gases ofenergy-saving changes, many ofwhich can be implemented at little
or no cost. Terrapass.com allowshouseholds to calculate their car-bon footprints and purchase “car-bon offsets” to mitigate theirimpact on the environment.
The Shalom Park Environmen-tal Initiative will enable membersof the Shalom Park communityto explore the Jewish connectionto issues such as clean energyand sustainable living. RabbiSchindler expresses the hope thatit will “inspire other families, as itdid my family, not only to learnmore about the Jewish values ofprotecting our environment but tobring voice to those valuesthrough their words and actions.”For more information about theinitiative and how you can get in-volved, contact Lisa Garfinkle,Project Manager at environmen-tal@shalomcharlotte.org. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 17
704.973.4544charlottejewishfoundation.orgA supporting organization of Foundation For The Carolinas
The following individuals/families are in the Book of Life Society and have granted us permission to share with you that Jewish Family Services has been included as a beneficiary of their legacy gift.
Thank You Legacy Donors
Anonymous* (3)
Benjamin and Susan Aizenman
Gail and John Baron
Michael and Meredith
Baumstein
Raymond Monty Bennett
Samuel and Nancy Bernstein
Lillian and Irving Bienstock
Barry Bobrow and Karen
Knoble
David and Bonnie Bornstein
Marian (OBM) and Walter
Brawer
Jennifer and Jonathan Collman
Andrea and George Cronson
Michael and Beth Cupp
Ellen and Dan (OBM) Dubin
Ellen and Steven Englehardt
David and Aleen Epstein
Ross C. Levin
Julie Lerner Levine
H. Kevin Levine and
Louise A. Sinkoe
Hal and Holly Levinson
Andrew and Gwendolyn Lindner
Annie and Harrison Lord
Meg Goldstein and Matt
Luftglass
Risa and David Miller
Staci and Darren Mond
Margaret Musa
Allan and Marcelle Oxman
Harriet and Mark Perlin
Wendy and Adam Petricoff
Debora and Ed Pizer
Debbie and Bill Porter
Michael Scharf
Marty and Elaine Schefflin
Alan and Ruth Goldberg
Mark and Linda Goldsmith
Shelton and Ellen Goldstein
Milton and Arlene Goldstein
Brett Goodman
Barbara and David Goodman
Julia and Russ Greenfield
Stan Greenspon
Jonathan M Howard
David Jacobson
Florence Kaufman Jaffa
Robert and Nancy Kipnis
Lorrie and Barry Klemons
and Family
Elise and Jaime Kosofsky
Harry Lerner
Eric Lerner
Gary and Donna Lerner
Barbara and Jerry Levin
Larry Schwartz
Jonathan and Stephanie Simon
Anne and Mike Sinsheimer
Lori and Eric Sklut
Harry and Laurie Sparks
Stephanie and Steven Starr
Joseph and Renee Steiner
Cheri and Marc Titlebaum
Natalie and Michael Tunney
Jeffrey and Karen Turk
Harold and Cynthia Turtletaub
Judie and Michael Van Glish
Janice and Ronald Weiner
Dr. Bob and Anne Yudell
*Donors who wish to remain anonymous
OBM - Of Blessed Memory
What’s Jewish About Clean Energy?
We thank the following individuals/families who have recently in-formed our community, through Foundation for the Charlotte JewishCommunity (FCJC) or one of the ten Create Your Jewish Legacy com-munity partners, that they have created a legacy gift to support the futureof Charlotte’s Jewish community or added an organization to theirlegacy plan. There are now 316 individuals/families throughout ourJewish community who have included a local Jewish organization intheir legacy plans creating 637 unique legacies Charlotte’s Jewish com-munity now has future gifts estimated exceeding $24 million.
We welcome our newest donors into our community’s Book of LifeSociety:
Anonymous (1)Mark and Linda Goldsmith
Margaret MusaRachel and Darren Pierce
Estelle and Murray (z”l) RosenNeil and Carol Sandler
Allen Sherman and Suzy Savod
Our Jewish Community’sNewest Legacy Gifts
By Brian Yesowitch, Board Presi-dent, Hebrew Cemetery Associa-tion
Between Passover andShavuot, Jews all over the worldreflect on the Exodus from Egyptand the presentation of the TenCommandments on Mount Sinai.While the Hebrews of the Biblicalage experienced horrible trials
both in slavery and wanderingthrough the desert, today we areaware that many of us, our fami-lies and neighbors, also are goingthrough difficult struggles. Ourmodern problems are often dis-missed as #FirstWorldProblems,but they are real. Issues like ex-tended illness, divorce, and acci-dents pull us out of our normal
sphere of experience – and canlead to long paths of recovery be-fore we, or our friends, families,and neighbors, become wholeonce again.
One situation many of us findourselves in is the loss of a parentor grandparent. Even if that lovedone lived a long and healthy life –like my 92 years old grandmother,
Henrietta Witzer, who died in2012 – the pain of the loss canlinger long beyond the date ofpassing. I feel that grief tends tobe intensified by love we feel to-ward the one we’ve lost. Grief isdiminished when it’s shared withloved ones. At the cemetery, dur-ing a funeral or unveiling, it’scommonplace to see cousins andother extended family exchangingtearful hugs and smiles with oneanother. Love is what creates fam-ily, and love creates the communi-ties that share their significant lifeevents at the cemetery. The Songof Solomon states in 8:7, “Manywaters cannot quench love; riverscannot wash it away.”
As the seasons have changedfrom winter to spring to our glori-ous summer, we’ve seen muchgrowth and activity at the ceme-tery. Last fall, the completed firststage of the Blumenthal MemorialGarden began to bring color andvariety to our cemetery. Our TuBiShvat tree planting ceremonybrought cemetery members, thegreater Jewish community, andfriends from area neighborhoodstogether to add 35 new trees to ourlandscape. Additionally, a muchneeded new roof, fresh paint, andbrick work brought new life to oursmall historic chapel. It is the old-est building in Charlotte still inservice to the Jewish community.We thank our members anddonors for their generosity andcontinued support, and extend aspecial thank you to NormanSteinberger, whose philanthropyknows no bounds for his role inthe historic chapel renovations.
Many of you are aware of ourongoing history project with theLevine Sklut Judaic Library. Eachmonth, we recognize one #Throw-backThursday on Facebook; alongwith LSJL, we profile an individ-
ual buried in our cemetery. In Jan-uary, we honored Martin LutherKing Day by highlighting an indi-vidual mentioned by name in thefamous “Letter from a Birming-ham Jail.” In February, for Presi-dent’s Day, we noted arelationship between GeorgeWashington, who once referred toCharlotte as “a trifling place,” andthe Jews of Charlotte. Marchbrought Women’s History Monthand the matriarch of TempleEmanuel in Gastonia. In April, wediscussed Jewish comedy andGroucho Marx’s connection to ourcommunity. In May, we cele-brated Israeli history and an ac-complished individual whoseartistic legacy endures today inPlaza Midwood. To follow theseposts, we welcome you to visitwww.facebook.com/Hebrew-Cemetery right away and like ourpage. We’re only getting startedsharing the many stories that canbe told “between the fences” atour Hebrew Cemetery.
One way stories are told isthrough Jewish books and Hebrewtexts. However, what do you dowith these books when they haveserved their purpose, helping chil-dren and adults to study and pray?They should be buried appropri-ately, in accordance with Jewishlaw. The location where thesebooks and texts are buried iscalled a Genizah. We have manyof them on our cemetery property.This spring, materials from thecommunities at Temple Israel,Temple Beth El, and the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library all madetheir way into Genizot at the He-brew Cemetery. Please check withyour clergy to learn when the nextone will be planned so you can ex-perience this once-in-a-lifetimemitzvah for yourself.
For 145 years, the HebrewCemetery has been a very real tes-tament to the sustained successesof our Charlotte Jewish commu-nity. I hope you will consideradding the Hebrew Cemetery As-sociation to your Create Your Jew-ish Legacy bequests. For moreinformation about membership($72/year), funeral preplanning,Memorial Wall plaques, legacyplanning or any of the programsdiscussed, please contact ourdirector, Sandra Goldman, atdirector@hebrewcemetery.org or704-576-1859. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 18
Celebrate the TaTas
Benefiting Research for Breast Cancer
For more information, please contact Talia Goldman at taliagoldman18@gmail.com
or Jonathan Berger at jbergertisa@gmail.com.
Also Painting Days will be at Shalom Park, Sept. 3rd & 10th by appointment.
Saturday, October 3, 2015 | McGlohan Theater, Spirit Square
SPONSORSHIP, ADVERTISING & ROW HOSTS
Featuring
Save
the
Date
The Hebrew Cemetery: A Place of Love and Community
Photo of cemetery by Brian Yesowitch.
Rabbi Ezring teaching the TempleIsrael Genizah participants the ap-propriate way to bury books at theHebrew Cemetery. Photo by SandraGoldman.
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 19
School
Photo credit: Barbara J Osborn is a CJP Preschool 4's Teacher, who is also been a professional photographer for the past seven years. Herwork can be viewed at BarbaraJOsbornPhotography.com.
Shavuot, the holiday that cele-brates the giving of the Torah waslast month and we are reminded ofthe Midrash which is truly thevery reason of the existence ofCJDS. In fact, it really should beour mission statement.
Rabbi Meir said: “When theJews stood before Sinai to receivethe Torah, God said to them: ‘Iswear, I will not give you theTorah unless you provide worthyguarantors who will assure thatyou will observe its laws.’
“The Jews responded, ‘Masterof the world, our forefathers willbe our guarantors!’
“‘Your guarantors themselvesrequire guarantors!’ was God’sreply.
“‘Master of the world,’ theJews exclaimed, ‘our prophetswill guarantee our observance ofthe Torah.’
“‘I have grievances againstthem, too. “The shepherds haverebelled against Me” (Jeremiah2:8),’ God replied. ‘Bring properguarantors and only then will Igive you the Torah.’
“As a last resort, the Jews de-
clared, ‘Our children will serve asour guarantors!’
“‘They truly are worthy guar-antors,’ God replied. ‘Because ofthem I will give the Torah.’”
Midrash Rabba, Song of Songs1:4
The white-bearded rabbis andthe prophets weren’t sufficient tosatisfy God’s “need” for a guaran-tor. Why? Who can better guaran-tee the transmission of the Lawthan the intellectuals and philoso-phers, who devote their lives todeveloping it and teaching its wis-dom to so many throughout theages? Why did God prefer theTorah study of the child whosemind is constantly distracted,moving on to far more importantsubjects, such as which game toplay during recess, the caliber ofthe snack which his motherpacked in his lunch bag, or hisplans for summer vacation?
Because there is a unique qual-ity exclusive to a child’s learning;and it is the most effective guar-antee for the future of the Torah, aquality which is appealing to God.
We at CJDS carry a great re-
sponsibility to educate our stu-dents so that they recognize theprivilege they have to treasure theTorah, its teachings and itsmitzvot. Through the experiences,lessons, stories, games and cele-brations, CJDS instills and imbuesa love and joy for God and theJewish heritage.
So, on Grandfriend’s Day of2015, we celebrated the guaran-tors that God requested in order togive the Jewish people his pre-cious Torah. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News -June-July 2015 - Page 20
Grandfriend’s Day 2015 at CJDS
New this year, CJDS wasable to livestream the
Grandfriend’s performance to familyand friends around the
world in over five countries, seven states,and fifty homes. Emails
are coming in expressinghow thankful they werethat they were able to
participate in this celebration with their
children, grandchildren,and friends. Working parents who cannot
break away from theirday were not left outfrom watching their
children perform in ourannual musical program.It is best expressed by
the emails we have received:
“BRILLIANT !!!!!!!!!!I had my parents andbrother also watching
this from Israel!”
“THANK YOU !!!Thank you so very much
for giving me the opportunity to watch the
Grandfriends Day performances on You
Tube. It was truly wonderfulto be a part of it even
though I was not able tobe there in person.
Thanks again.”
“Thank you for giving usa way to see our grand-children at Grandfriends
Celebration. I just finished watching and although I am sorry I
could not be with you,at least I got to see
Jacob on stage. Pleasethank the music teacher
as well.”
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 21
By Dedee Goldsmith, director,Jewish Preschool on Sardis
Summer is just beginning andschool is officially out at the Jew-ish Preschool on Sardis. Already,I’m feeling nostalgic for the mo-ments that made up that lastschool year. More learning, moreplaying, more friendships andmore caring. Our school is so for-tunate to have amazing, caring,supportive families. I would liketo take a moment to thank our in-credible village, for without yourhelp, we could not do what we do.Thank you to the JPS 2014-2015Advisory Board Members. With-out your support and guidance, wewould not be where we are today.Samantha Cole, JPS Board Pres-
identRosie David, PTO President
Amber Fink, Joined in Educa-tion/Fundraising Committee
Nancy Delfiner, Playground/Gar-den Committee
Emily Hoody, Annual FundKaren Barrett, Secretary
Julie Lerner Levine, CommunityBoard Member/ Garden Commit-
teeThank you to the JPS PTO
Members who make days flowsmoothly, events more lively andchildren prosper.
Rosie David,PTO PresidentBrodie Gold, Volunteer Chair
Anat Spiero, TreasurerZach Branson, Challah
CommitteeRandi Lan and Elinor Miller,
Kids on the Run/Family Fun Day
Yael Rosenberg, GraduationCommittee
Stacy Moskowitz, Purim ChairMelanie Bamert, Teacher
AppreciationThank you to the parent volun-
teers, who willingly pitch in tohelp with any event, project, mitz-vah we want to tackle. Your hoursand contributions are invaluable.
Thank you to the JPS Staff.These are the rock stars that makeour school so special.
Virginia Gentile and Denora Edwards, Infant Teachers
Ellen Clark, Galia Lapidot-Boazand Judy Gay, Toddler Teachers
Jennifer Orsomarso and Jennifer Huberman, 2s Teachers
Wanda VandeLinde and KateBadger, 3s Teachers
Beverly Wakefield and ElizabethBoyce, 4s Teachers
Jayme Kreitman, JudaicaTeacher
Chaya Groner, Extended DayTeacher
Patty Torcellini, Music TeacherLisa Richman, Office ManagerKristen, Student Teacher with
CPCCJPS wishes you a memorable
and adventurous summer. If you are looking for full or
part day preschool options foryour six week to five year old andwould like a tour, please contactus at 704-364-8395.Y
End of Year Gratitude Youth Visions
It is hard to believe that anothergreat year of fun and learning isover at Hebrew High. Accordingto CHS tradition, the HebrewHigh Student Council, prepares ateacher appreciation presentationat the end of every school year.This year, the teens created agraduation ceremony for theirteachers, complete with diplomasand superlatives for each. The fol-lowing is their list:Cantor Bernard - Most likely tosing in a rainy environment.Andrew Bernstein - Most likely tobe traffic cop (our carpool guru).Roz Cooper – Most knowledge-able high school student. Jodi Cohen – Best Jewish mama!Donna DeGroot – Most likely tolive on two continents.Ariel DiDonato - Most likely to bein two places at the same time.Rabbi Ezring – Best high schoolphilosopher.Rabbi Jonathan - Fastest rabbi inCharlotte.Marci Goldberg – Most likely tomake something out of nothing.Nancy Good - Most likely to “rockout” in class.Reuven Green - Most likely to bethe cowboy with the biggest heart. Rochel Groner – Best dressed in along skirt.Jake Kalik – The tallest post-graduate student.
Amy Montoni - Most likely to de-fend Israel in all situations.Lisa Nagel - Most likely to be aprofessional chef.Rabbi Noam – Most likely to actlike a teen.Adi Rodavsky - Best dressed forall occasions.Rabbi Judy – Most likely to givethe best sermons in heels.Howard Seidler – Most likely tobecome a comedian. Rob Sisson – Most likely to be-come a famous Jewish athlete.Beth Warshauer – Most likely tohave one of her own kids in herclass.
The mutual love and respect forstudent and teacher is evident inthe above list and in the weeklyinteraction at Hebrew High. Don’tlet your teen miss out on the spe-cial opportunities that Hebrew
High has to offer. It is the placefor Jewish teens to be on Wednes-day nights. For more information,or to enroll your 8th through 12thgrader call Roz at 704-944-6782or email rcooper@shalomchar-lotte.org. Y
Hebrew High Students Salute TheirTeachers
Andrew Bernstein
Hebrew High student council.
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 22
Close to 200 people packedGorelick Hall on May 11 to cele-brate the incredible friendships ofthe Friendship Circle. GuestSpeaker, MI Supreme Court Jus-tice Richard Bernstein was allsmiles. Being the first blind jus-tice to ever be elected to the anysupreme court is just one of hismany accomplishments. Despitebeing blind, Justice Bernstein hascompleted 18 Marathons and acomplete ironman. During hisspeech, Justice Bernstein stressedthe importance or breaking barri-ers between the typically develop-ing community and the specialneeds community and how bring-
ing them together highlights theunique ability of every individual.
Friendship Circle’s TeenFriends starred in a powerful newmovie that illustrated the impor-tance of looking beyond externaldifferences and bring out the bestin each other.
Special thanks to the JewishFamily Services for partneringwith the Friendship Circle is cre-ating this event.
To learn more about theFriendship Circle, please visitwww.FriendshipCircleNC.org.
Friendship Circle is a benefici-ary agency of the Jewish Federa-tion of Greater Charlotte. Y
Justice Richard BernsteinVisits the Friendship Circle
Justice Bernstein addressesthe crowd
Friendship Circle’s new teen board dis-tributed glasses to the crowd to help us#SeeItDifferently
man straighten up as he realizedthat he didn’t have to face his cir-cumstances alone. This is the kindof trust that Mark engendered inhis clients.”Family Devotion
Smart’s memories of Bernsteinweren’t just about his professionaldemeanor. “For some people,” hesays, “there is hard distinction be-tween professional life and familylife. So many people think thatyou have to make a choice, youeither concentrate on one or theother; making time for both is aluxury. But not Mark. He alwaysgave his all to this practice and
100% to his family.”His son, Andrew, remembers it
very similarly. “He taught us thatyou go where you are mostneeded, that you adapt to the placewhere you can make the biggestdifference,” Andrew said at thememorial service. “Track as manyballs as you can for as long as youcan, until it’s time to concentrateon the most important one. Forhim, that was always family.”
“He was our toughest inquisi-tor,” his daughter Cary reminiscesabout Bernstein’s relationshipwith his six children, “our mosttrusted adviser and unquestion-
ably our biggest supporter.”The legacy he left for all six of
them are evident in the career andleadership paths they all took,from teaching at Yale (his lawschool alma mater), to leadingnon-profit organizations, to lead-ership roles in the Jewish commu-nity, to advocating for the arts andeducation. And another legacy isespecially evident when his son,Adam, hears, “You look just likeyour father!” “My stock answer,”he says, “has always been, ‘I’lltake that as a compliment.’ I can’tthink of a higher one.” Y
A Tribute to Mark Bernstein(Continued from page 10)
Queens College, NY, hasawarded Gene Kavadlo their an-nual Castellini Award. Thisaward, given to a distinguishedalumnus of the school of music,was presented on May 16 at theQueens College Choral Society’sspring concert. Gene’s photo andbio appeared in the program. Theaward comes with a cash honorar-ium; Gene and his wife, Ali, planto travel to New York to attend theconcert. Y
Gene KavadloReceivesAward fromQueens College of NY
How You’ll Spend YourSummer Vacation
If you and your family will be going out of town ths summer, con-sider visiting Jewish venues at your vaction locale. Any pictures andstories from Jewish destinations or buildings or destinations should besubmitted to the editor, charlottejewishnews@shalomcharlotte.org forconsideration for publication in the next year.
Stories that do not fit the page limiations of the print edition may bepublished on the website, charlottejewishnews.org.
Visit charlottejewishnews.org frequently between print issues to seeupdated information on upcoming events and announcement of eventsthat did not get published in the print edition. The website is updatedon a continuing basis. And items on our Facebook page can be sharedwith your friends and constituents.
For a full interactive issue, go to charlottejewishnewseedition.comor download a copy from charlottejewishnews.org. Y
The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2015 - Page 23
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Email _________________________________________
____ I have enclosed a matching gift form.____ I would like information about including Federation in my will.____ I would prefer not to have my name published.
Please make your check payable to the Jewish Federation and send to:Jewish Federation, 5007 Providence Road, Suite 101, Charlotte, North Carolina 28226Or you may charge by phone by calling 704.944.6757, or pledge online at www.jewishcharlotte.org.
JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER CHARLOTTE
As you plan for the summer, please remember your “to do” list for our Jewish community:
Can We Count on YOU?
Feed the hungrySupport the elderly
Provide scholarships for Jewish educationSend a child to Jewish summer camp
www.jewishcharlotte.org
By making a pledge to the 2015 Jewish Federation Annual Campaign, you can start the summer knowing you continue to make a difference in the lives of thousands by supporting the priorites above and much more.And special thanks to The Leon Levine Foundation, all
new and increased gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar! Sincerely,
Sue WorrelExecutive Director
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