Size: 4 MB 2010 January - The Charlotte Jewish News

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Vol. 32, No. 1
January 2010
Tevet-Shevat 5770
An Affiliate of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Federation’s Main Event Features Rabbi Daniel Brenner
Charlotte Native is Executive Director of Birthright Israel NEXT
and pleased that Rabbi Daniel
Brenner accepted our invitation to
be our guest speaker. Having
Daniel, who is our contemporary,
return to his hometown to address
our community is a tribute to the
strong Jewish upbringing and values instilled in him by his parents,
the Hebrew Academy and Temple
Israel. From my days at the
Hebrew Academy and Temple
Israel, I remember Daniel as an
energetic, talkative, and boisterous
kid. He has come a long way
from throwing magnolia seed
‘grenades’ during carpool line. His
views and stories will entertain
and inspire us all,” remarked
Kevin Levine.
The Main Event will be held at
Temple Israel at 7:30 PM and a
sumptuous dessert reception will
follow the program. Event tickets
are $25 per person and can be purchased online at www.jewishcharlotte.org or by calling the
Federation office at 704-9446757.
In the Spring of 2007, Daniel
Brenner was hired by the
Birthright Israel Foundation to
launch a wide-reaching effort to
engage the over 200,000 North
American program participants
and their peers in Jewish communal life. Birthright Israel NEXT,
the project has grown into a
national organization with professionals working in twelve cities,
peer-driven programs that are
attracting over 50,000 participants, and a robust training program for emerging leaders. It is
now the largest effort to foster
5007 Providence Road, Suite #112
Charlotte, NC 28226
Change Service Requested
The Jewish Federation’s 2010
Annual Campaign will officially
kick-off on Sunday, February 21,
during The Main Event featuring
special guest speaker Rabbi
Daniel
Brenner,
Executive
Director of Birthright Israel
NEXT, who was recently named
by Newsweek Magazine as one of
the 50 most influential rabbis in
America.
Brenner’s speech entitled
“Going Retro? The Next
Generation’s Search for Jewish
Authenticity” will be both eye
opening and inspirational. His
remarks will address the future of
Jewish life in America, what the
next generation will bring to the
table and how we as a Jewish
community can connect and
engage them. Rabbi Brenner will
surely leave us looking at ourselves and our community in a
new light.
The Federation is especially
pleased to be bringing Rabbi
Brenner to our community
because he was born and raised in
Charlotte and was educated at the
Hebrew Academy before attending Charlotte Latin and graduating
from Myers Park High School.
Daniel is the son of Dr. Saul and
Martha Brenner, long time members of Temple Israel.
The highly popular Federation
annual event is chaired by Kevin
Levine and Louis Sinkoe, who
have assembled a fantastic
Steering Committee of community
leaders to help promote the event.
“Louis and I are honored to chair
the Main Event and are excited
Jewish cultural, intellectual, civic,
spiritual, and philanthropic life for
young adults ages 22-32.
Brenner’s rabbinic path has
focused on working across boundaries. Prior to working for
Birthright Israel, Brenner worked
outside the Jewish world, directing an educational center at
Auburn Theological Seminary, a
historic Protestant institution on
Manhattan’s Upper West Side. In
this capacity, Brenner launched
America’s first doctoral level program for clergy that work in the
context of religious diversity, created an educational curriculum for
Face to Face/Faith to Faith,
Auburn’s international youth leadership program. He also developed Evolution, DNA and the
Soul, a popular program of science education for religious leaders with Columbia University. At
Auburn, Brenner was at the epicenter of the successful effort to
stop anti-Israel divestment in the
Presbyterian Church and his
efforts in this debate garnered him
a Simon Rockower Award for
Excellence in Jewish Journalism.
Before his work at Auburn,
Brenner served for five years on
the faculty of CLAL: The National
Jewish Center for Learning and
Leadership in New York City
where he pioneered programs that
forged bonds between leaders of
different Jewish denominations
and co-authored (with help from
Joseph J. Fins, M.D., Chief of
Medical Ethics at Cornell’s New
York-Presbyterian Medical Center
and Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard)
Embracing Life and Facing
Death: A Jewish Guide to
Palliative Care. In his preface to
the book, Senator Joseph
Lieberman praised the work as a
“transcendent contribution” to
Jewish life.
Brenner is also a prolific playwright - his fifth professionally
produced play premiered at New
York City’s Vital Theater. Brenner
holds a B.A. in philosophy from
the University of Wisconsin and
both M.A. and rabbinic degrees
from
the
Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College. He lives with
his wife Lisa and their three children in Montclair, New Jersey.
According to 2008 Main Event
speaker Rabbi Joseph Telushkin,
“Daniel Brenner is a wide-ranging
scholar whose intellect has traversed so many fields, and whose
heart encompasses the whole
Jewish world, and the non-Jewish
world as well. How wonderful it is
Rabbi Daniel Brenner
for the community of Charlotte
that he is a native son, and that he
is returning to share with you his
hard-earned wisdom.”
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, planning and community
building, the Federation’s mission
ensures that Jewish values, goals,
traditions and connections are
preserved for current and future
generations. Y
Local, Global, Eternal
ISreel: Cinematic Views of Israel
Sunday, January 24 at 7:30 PM in the Sam
Lerner Center for Cultural Arts
Join the Charlotte Jewish Film
Society as it continues its cinematic journey to the land of Israel.
Our upcoming presentation is of
the fascinating film “Children of
the Sun” by Ran Tal, which documents the experience of growing
up on kibbutzim in the 1920s and
30s.
“Not everyone’s home movies
chart the rise and fall of a bona
fide social movement, but not
everyone grew up on a kibbutz. In
the early 20th century, these cooperatives sprang up throughout
what is today Israel to foster a
utopian society based on absolute
equality. Children born on the kibbutz were charged with no less
than delivering redemption to
mankind. Hand-in-hand with the
new social order came the abolition of the nuclear family. No
mommy and daddy,
only nannies. No private bathrooms, only
communal coed showers. Children were
raised not as individuals but as a group.
There was no I, only we. In his
moving and unconventional documentary, director Ran Tal collects
more than a dozen of these firstgeneration kibbutzniks and pairs
their reminiscences with the splendidly preserved home movies that
track their unique upbringing.
Sometimes with warmth, sometimes with rancor—but always
with wit and candor—Tal and his
subjects reflect on a fundamentally different way of life, while also
hitting on something at the core of
human identity.”
The screening of this film will
be followed by a discussion with community
members, who themselves grew up in a
Kibbutz and will share
their personnel experiences with us.
This event is free and open to
the public. For more information
please contact Tair Giudice,
Program Director, at 704-9446763. Y
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CHARLOTTE, NC
The Charlotte Jewish News - January 2010 - Page 2
JEWISH FEDERATION NEWS
January/February Events at the Jewish Federation
JANUARY 18
National Day of Service
Volunteer Project for MLK Jr.
Day
10 AM–12 noon, Birthday
Blessings, 200 Clanton Road
(between South Blvd and
South Tryon streets, in the
LifeSpan Building)
Join Shalom Baby and
YAD for a morning of volunteering in honor of Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day. Families
are welcome. We’ll be assembling birthday party goody
bags for homeless children.
Review the wish list, confirm
what you’ll be bringing, and
RSVP by going to www.jewishcharlotte.org.
JANUARY 20
Women’s Professional Network
… forging relationships, building community
6-7:30 PM, Sam Lerner Center
at the Levine JCC
The program “Have Fun and
Be Fit” will spotlight three mini
group activities: Salsa Fit, Kick
Boxing and Yoga! The January
program is co-sponsored by the
Jewish Federation and the
Levine JCC. Healthy snacks
will be served.
The Women’s Professional
Network offers women the
opportunity to engage socially
and connect with a cause. The
Network meets five times each
year and is open to all professional women whether or not
they are actively engaged in
careers outside the home.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24
Newcomer Schmooze
11 AM– 12 noon, Weinberg
Center
Learn about the Charlotte
Jewish Community while meeting new friends.
Newcomer Schmoozes are
co-sponsored by the Jewish
Federation and the Levine JCC.
Complimentary bagels, coffee
and juice are served. All ages are
welcome. For information, contact the Federation office at 704944-6757.
WEDNESDAY,
FEBRUARY 3
Uptowners: Nosh and Network
11:45 AM–1 PM, The Light
Factory
Guest Speaker: David
Warshaw, Lieutenant Colonel,
United States Army
Topic: Serving and Praying in
Overseas Contingency
Operations: A View from the
Front?
Uptowners:
Nosh
and
Network is the Federation’s outreach initiative for the Charlotte
business and professional community. Register online at
www.jewishcharlotte.org by
January 29 if purchasing lunch
($10). Free and drop-ins welcome if no lunch is purchased.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21
The Main Event of the 2010
Annual Campaign
7:30 PM, Temple Israel
Tickets are $25 per person and
can be purchased at the
Federation, online at www.jewishcharlotte.org or by mail
(5007 Providence Rd, Ste 101,
Charlotte, NC 28226)
Event chairs: Kevin Levine and
Louis Sinkoe
Special Guest Speaker: Rabbi
Daniel Brenner, Executive
Director of Birthright Israel
NEXT. Named by Newsweek as
one of the 50 most influential
rabbis in America, Rabbi
Brenner’s topic is: “Going
Retro? The Next Generation’s
Search for Jewish Authenticity.”
For more information, please
contact the Federation office at
704-944-6757 or log on to
www.jewishcharlotte.org. Y
For more information about all of Federation’s Outreach initiatives, please contact the Federation office at 704.944.6757 or [email protected].
Ben-Gurion Society Chair Jen
Algire and Bernstein Leader
Stephanie Townsend participate in
the Butterfly Project at the BGS
Brunch with Butterflies on
December 6. The brunch was an
outreach event open to the Young
Adult Division. BGS is Federation’s
new donor recognition program for
young leaders 25-45 contributing
$1,000 or more per household to
the Annual Campaign. For more
information, please contact Tair
Giudice, at 704-944-6759 or
[email protected].
Tributes to the 2010
Annual Campaign
The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte thanks and acknowledges the following tributes which have been made to the 2010
Annual Campaign from November 7–December 7.
In memory of Paul Krause, Linda Seigel’s
stepfather by Sue and Mike Littauer, Jill and
Ed Newman, Susan Stafford and Kim, Sue,
Reid and Kyle Worrel
If you would like to make a Tribute to the Jewish Federation, please
contact the Federation office at 704-944-6761.
SHABBAT CANDLE LIGHTING
FOR JANUARY 2010
Friday, January 1, 5:04 PM
CONTENTS
Federation News .....................................pp. 2, 3, 6, 7
Synagogues and Congregations..................pp. 16-19
Schools..............................................................pp. 4, 5
Jewish Family Services...............................pp. 19, 20
The Charlotte Jewish News
Community News...........................................pp. 8-12
Jewish Traveler.....................................................p. 21
Youth.....................................................................p. 13
Tu B’Shevat.................................................pp . 22-25
5007 Providence Road, Suite 112
Charlotte, NC 28226
Project Noah Special Section......................pp. 14, 15
Dining Out ...................................................pp. 24, 25
Women’s Page......................................................p. 16
Jewish Community Center ........................pp. 26, 27
Phone
(voice mail after office hours)
Office 704-944-6765
FAX 704-365-4507
email:
[email protected]
An Affiliate of the
Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Amy Krakovitz - Editor
Advertising Sales Reps:
Jodi Valenstein, 704-841-4040 & Rita Mond, 704-366-6632
CJN Editorial Board
Chair - Bob Davis
Members: Bob Abel, Evelyn Berger, Jeff Epstein,
Ann Langman, Linda Levy
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
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JEWISH FEDERATION NEWS
Acharai (Follow Me) and Inspire
Others to Join Us
On December 1, the Jewish
Federation honored its Lions of
Judah during a special program
at Zebra Restaurant. Tracy
Brown, co-chair of the 2010
Lion of Judah campaign with
Amy Gould and Alison Lerner,
welcomed the Lions and their
guests and thanked them for
their generosity and commitment to the Jewish Federation
and the Annual Campaign.
Amy Gould continued by
saying, “In Charlotte our Lions
of Judah are a dynamic group of
47 philanthropic women whose
gifts to the 2009 Annual
Campaign totaled $691,400.
This represented 85% of the
total Women’s Campaign and
24% of the total 2009 Annual
Campaign. Tracy, Alison and I
are each proud to wear our Lion
of Judah pin, a symbol which
defines us and our values much
more accurately than any other
piece of jewelry. Giving our
Lion of Judah gift is a reflection
of who we are. Wearing the pin
is a proud way of saying
‘Acharai’ (follow me) to inspire
others to join us.”
Alison Lerner introduced the
guest speaker by saying,
“Sophie Ambrose was born and
raised in the Ozark Mountains
of Arkansas with no electricity
or running water. Although her
mother was Jewish, Sophie was
raised with no other connections
to Judaism or the Jewish people.
While in graduate school Sophie
learned about birthright israel
during a Google search, and participated in birthright and the
March of the Living in 20032004. She went on the trip not
sure if Judaism meant anything
to her and came back as a proud
Lion of Judah co-chairs, Amy Gould, Alison Lerner, guest speaker Sophie
Ambrose, and Lion of Judah co-chair, Tracy Brown.
Jew - ready to integrate Judaism
within her life.” Sophie’s story
captivated and warmed the
hearts of the 45 women attending the luncheon as she thanked
them for changing her life
through their financial support
of the Jewish Federation and the
Lion of Judah campaign.
After lunch, Tracy Brown
called upon Marcelle Peck to
sign the beautiful LOJE (Lion of
Judah Endowment) ketubah,
which has been signed by
eleven other women who have
made a lasting commitment to
the continuation of Jewish life
after their lifetime. Other
women who have established
Lion of Judah Endowments are
Barbara
Bernstein,
Lee
Blumenthal, Tracy Brown,
Aleen Epstein, Meg Goldstein,
Stacy Gorelick, Florence Jaffa,
Sandra Levine, Jill Newman,
Nicki Ostrow and Linda Seigel.
The crowning moment of the
wonderful afternoon occurred
when two women stepped forward to become new Lions of
Judah bringing the total number
Brian and Glenda Bernhardt, Chris and Tair
Giudice, Federation’s new Young Adult Coordinator,
at the YAD Wine & Cheese reception prior to Dr.
Daniel Gordis’s remarks on November 17.
Marcelle Peck signs the Lion of
Judah Ketubah.
of Lions in Charlotte to 49.
If you would like to learn
more about how to become a
Lion of Judah, please contact
the Federation office at 704944-6757. Y
SAVE THE DATE
Jewish Community Annual Purim Carnival
Purim in the 60s
☺ Shake Your Groove Thing along with your Gragger
Deadline for the
February 2010 issue of
is January 11.
Happy New Year!
LUCK DOESN’T BUY & SELL HOMES...
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE DOES!
Ann Langman
Buying... Selling... Relocating...
Connecting people to the Jewish Community for over 25 years
704-367-7240
1-888-364-6401 ext. 240
[email protected]
website: www.allentate.com/annlangman
☺ Put on your tie-dyed three-cornered hat.
☺ Peace out with Mordechai,
Esther and the gang.
Sunday, February 28
12:00 - 3:00 pm
Levine JCC
w Life Insurance w Health Insurance w Dental & Vision Insurance
w Disability & Long Term Care Coverage w Annuities w HSA’s
7 0 4 - 37 6 - 74 3 4
www.greenspon.com
Schools
Hebrew Language Program Shows
Progress at CJDS
By Mariashi Groner, director,
CJDS
I received the following e-mail
from a parent in our school and I
began to reflect on the journey we
have taken to bring the Hebrew
language to the students in our
school.
“Last week, my daughter
Mackenzie had her friend Emily
over to play. From a distance I
could see them deep in conversation, full of smiles and having
such fun together. I couldn’t quite
make out what was producing
these ear-to-ear grins so I nonchalantly made my way over closer to
them ... close enough to hear them
talking and singing in Hebrew.
Well, you can imagine the smile
that came across my face when I
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-"Yediot Aharo
"An electrifying spectacle"-Fest Magazine
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2010
2:00 PM MATINEE
New KNIGHT THEATER
Blumenthal Center for Performing Arts
TICKETS ON SALE NOW:
Special Jewish Federation Group Rate
$51.85 rear orchestra/$33.85 front mezzanine
www.blumenthalcenter.org/groups
Click on the “Access Your Go Account” button
Login & Password: ALUM
Questions? 704.379.1380
accomplished what we set out to
do.
On the second day of school,
the principal of Elizabeth Lane
Elementary School called Karen
Silver, Michael’s mother, to tell
her of Michael’s great assistance.
The principal said, “I had to call
you to tell you what a help your
son was today. We have a little boy
in our first grade who just moved
to Charlotte from Israel. He did
not understand or speak any
English. We couldn’t communicate with him and it was clearly
upsetting him. Out of desperation
MacKenzie
overheard this ... these two firstgraders so comfortably communicating (and having fun doing it!)
in Hebrew. It was a poignant
moment ... watching these girls
carry their lessons outside the
classroom so confidently.
“Now if I could only understand what they were saying!”
As I reflect on progress we have
made in Hebrew language instruction, I can’t help but remember
some of the strategic goals we set
ten or 15 years ago. We dreamed
that the Hebrew teachers would be
able to speak only Hebrew in class
and to expect a reasonable amount
of ability to converse with students in Hebrew. It seemed like an
impossible expectation, since the
time allotted to Hebrew studies —
including prayer, holidays, history,
Hebrew reading, Hebrew writing
and language — is only two hours
in grades 1-5. In addition, many of
our families cannot reinforce what
is taught during the day.
A whole-language program was
developed for the Hebrew language for only first grade. We
were one of the first schools to get
on board because we were thirsty
for a child-centered curriculum for
the study of Hebrew and Judaism
for our students. It took ten more
years for the second- to fifth-grade
pieces to be published.
It has now been two years that
all of CJDS is experiencing a daily
dose of music, art, conversation,
holidays, Torah stories all in
Hebrew for two hours a day, ten
hours a week. You can actually
walk into a classroom and hear
only Hebrew. The children are following instructions all in Hebrew.
When sharing news each day, they
are not hesitant to use their
Hebrew skills to express a complex thought, emotion or opinion.
As a day school graduate, I
remember taking Hebrew my
whole life and the only sentences I
was willing to try were simple
ones. I couldn’t believe my ears
when I walked in on the fourthgrade class discussing the political
differences between Elizabeth
Dole and Kay Hagan. Wow!
Although I had videos of classes and written work that demonstrated proficiency, the story of
Michael Silver, a fifth-grader who
transitioned to his neighborhood
public school this year, hammered
home the realization that we have
Emily
I went into the fifth-grade class,
the oldest class in the school, and
asked if anyone spoke Hebrew.
Your son’s hand shot up and I
asked him if he could help me
communicate with this child.
Your son helped me throughout
the day and was able to give us
some guidance and comfort to this
child.”
Michael Silver
How thrilling that our students
have the ability to learn the language that is a part of their heritage and can actually use it in
a modern day setting, to help
another. What more could we ask
for? Y
Paparim Go Green at The Charlotte
Jewish Preschool
By Lori Seidman
This year one of our threes
classes Paparim (Butterflies) started off the year with a valuable lesson on keeping the earth clean and
safe. Preschool teacher Kim
Maguire thought that she would
introduce recycling to her students
and to their parents by providing
them each with reusable storage
containers at their parent orientation to be used in the classroom.
The reusable containers have
three compartments to hold lunch
and snacks. The idea is to empty
as much of the contents into the
compartments without the need
for any additional wrappers. No
extra ziploc baggies to keep things
fresh. Not only do these containers
provide a way to limit unnecessary
waste but they are also promoting
some other lessons. These containers are teaching independence.
They are allowing the children to
be a part of their lunch preperation. The containers are easily
opened and so the children feel
very proud of themselves since
they do not require as much assistance at lunch and clean up is a
“snap”. Some of the mom’s have
even taken this environmental
awareness to another level and
sent in reusable cups for the childrens drinks.
So far, Ms. Kim’s “going
green” efforts have been a huge
success in her classroom. The kids
Please visit
www.charlottejewishnews.org
for the latest national and news
from Israel.
Click on our scrolling JTA newswire!
Grant Kiel
v KITCHENS
v BATHS
v ADDITIONS
v OUTDOOR
SPACES
Isabella Seidman
feel great about themselves, the
teachers loves the ease of getting
through lunch and the parents
breeze through packing the food
up for the day. Most of all the success of Paparim is raising environ-
mental conciousness at The
Charlotte Jewish Preschool. Miss
Kim’s efforts have set an example
for the entire school and may
become a school-wide program. Y
11220 Elm Ln. Suite 205-A
Charlotte, NC 28277
704.541.0000
www.stonecraftbuildersllc.com
Don’t miss this exciting event at actor’s theatre...
My First Time
...a play by Ken Davenport
and people just like you
Opening Jan 6, 2010!
If you did it, you probably remember it. And, now you can hear about everyone else’s! This off
offBroadway HIT comedy shares real people’s first sexual experiences, as shared on the website
myfirsttime.com. Each night audience members are asked to complete an anonymous survey card
about their “first time”...maybe yours will be shared on stage!
Presented by THEATRE650, the twisted little sibling of Actor’s Theatre!
Recommended for ages 18 and older.
More info & Tix: 704.342.2251 or actorstheatrecharlotte.org
Supported through the
generous contributions of
these organizations:
WORK WITH A LEADER IN
CHARLOTTE REAL ESTATE
EXECUTIVE REALTY
704-926-2544 office
704-975-8500 cell
www.LepowRealtors.com
2010 BENEFICIARY AGENCIES
2009 Annual Giving Revenue -- $2,847,544
Anti-Defamation League -- $500
Historic organization stressing civil rights issues
birthright israel -- $5,000
Young adults traveling to Israel
B’nai B’rith Youth Organization -- $12,000
Youth-led, worldwide organization, promoting Jewish identity and personal
growth
Charlotte Community Agencies -- $5,817
Crisis Assistance Ministries, Mecklenburg Ministries, Loaves and Fishes,
Hospice Charlotte
Charlotte Jewish Day School -- $150,000
Quality day school serving students from Junior Kindergarten through 6th
grade school
Charlotte Jewish Preschool -- $30,000
Quality preschool educational program and full day childcare facility
Consolidated High School of Jewish Studies -- $10,000
An enriched academic program for Charlotte-area youth
Foundation of Shalom Park -- $282,588
Provides rent subsidies for Jewish agencies in Shalom Park
Hebrew Cemetery -- $12,000
Provides funding for upkeep and operation of cemetery
Israel and Overseas -- $854,719
Meets the needs of Jews in Israel and world-wide through United Jewish
Communities. As a community, Charlotte is able to designate $266,430 of our
overseas allocation. With these dollars, we are supporting:
Y Aharai-Givat Olga
Y Gidon Association/Maksam
Y Chabad Soup Kitchen
Y Partnership 2000 - Hadera
Y Community Shaliach
Y Technoda
Y Ethiopian National Project
Y Yemin Orde — Talpiot
Y Former Soviet Union Welfare and Hunger Relief
Jewish Experience Fund -- $9,000
Subsidies for summer camps and other Jewish experience opportunities
Jewish Family Services -- $220,000
Professional counseling, family education programs, and social services
Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte -- $679,212
Federation’s campaign, operational, outreach, and community relations
expenses
Jewish Preschool on Sardis -- $20,000
Quality preschool educational program
Jewish Council of Lake Norman -- $5,000
Community programming to enrich and strengthen Jewish life in the Lake
Norman area
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library and Resource Center -- $62,000
One stop center for Jewish education
North Carolina Hillel -- $25,000
Promotes Jewish life on college campuses across North Carolina
North Carolina Council on the Holocaust -- $8,000
Holocaust Educational workshops for public school teachers
Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center -- $437,000
Enriches Jewish lives through cultural, educational, and athletic programming
Special Distributions -- $14,707
Bernstein Leadership, Main Event, Community Outreach Initiatives, Teen Israel
Experience, Women’s Division Sponsors
Tikva Charlotte -- $5,000
Jewish education for children with special needs
TOTAL 2010 ALLOCATIONS
$2,847,544
LOCAL, GLOBAL, ETERNAL
Open Letter to the Community
January, 2010
Dear Friends,
Last year at this time, our country and our community were experiencing the greatest economic downturn in decades. We were
scared and anxious, facing an uncertain future.
Last January we wrote about the steps Federation was taking to address the unexpected financial shock: belt tightening, enhanced
stewardship and intensified communication with our beneficiary agencies. This year we can look back with pride in our community’s
response, and we can look forward with strength and confidence to a bright future, despite the genuine challenges remaining in our
path.
2009 Annual Campaign
s 2009 Total Annual Giving fell 10.5% from the prior year. But…
s In the face of unprecedented financial distress, we fared far better than most Jewish and secular non-profits, both locally
and nationally.
s In fact, our community’s generosity was extraordinary. For every donor retrenching, nearly three donors increased their
gifts, and…
s Nearly 110 more donors contributed this year than in 2008.
s New fundraising initiatives made a real difference. The Ben Gurion Society and Women’s Professional Network, in
particular, engaged a growing number of donors, many of them new, and attracted meaningfully increased giving.
s And, over 146 tireless, committed volunteers deserve our thanks for a job incredibly well done.
2010 Allocations
Through prudent financial management, deferrals and one-time cuts, Federation maximized the distribution of campaign funds to
our beneficiary agencies. Overall local distributions shrank by only 5.7%, an extremely modest decrease especially relative to the
draconian cuts many non-profit agencies experienced last year.
With more constrained resources to meet expanding needs, our Allocations Committee tackled the task of determining priorities
effectively, compassionately and responsibly. Armed with ethical guidance from our community Rabbis, the committee weighed
difficult decisions in the context of Jewish values.
In many ways, the Allocations Committee’s evaluations are also a financial and operational health checkup for each of our
beneficiary agencies. And in that respect, we are pleased to report good news. For now, our agencies are generally in good health.
Thanks to adjustments in operations, programming, staffing—and tapping into financial reserves where available—all of our
community agencies are viable and focused on their missions.
What’s Next?
We survived 2009’s many challenges largely through significant cuts in agency operating budgets. These cuts are not sustainable:
Restoring last year’s cuts is essential for many agencies to meet critical needs. The development and growth of our community
has long been a source of pride, as has our ability to meet the needs of a diverse and growing population. Never before have we
questioned that ability.
In times of crisis, Federation’s Annual Campaign fills a gap as our community’s needs expand and our needy grow in number. From
school and camp scholarships to senior programming, from aid to the unemployed to social services for the most vulnerable, the
Federation Campaign changes lives.
The challenges ahead are many, but we are prepared to meet them head on – with your help. Our community and Jews in need
worldwide are counting on you this year. When called to give, please give generously.
Thank you. Your commitment to our community is the cornerstone of our success.
B’Shalom,
Todd Gorelick
President
Sue Worrel
Executive Director
704-944-6757
W W W. J E W I S H C H A R L O T T E . O R G
Preschoolers Should Make Resolutions Too
By Jen Lahn, M.S.W., director of
the Jewish Preschool on Sardis
It’s that time of year again
….time for making those New
Year’s resolutions. But setting
goals shouldn’t just be for adults.
Encouraging your preschooler to
reach for some specific accomplishments is a great way to help
them on their journey toward independence.
Even though preschoolers
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might not be able to read or write,
you can jot down the goals and
add pictures next to the words so
your child can “read” along with
you as you review them. Be sure
to have fun and let your child
know that reaching these goals is
all part of becoming a “big kid.”
You can even add some adult
goals as you go along. Here are a
few goals to try:
Goal #1: Toddler: I will clean
up my toys after I play.
Parent: I will enable my child
to participate in the clean-up
process.
Toddlers are very quick and
quite adept at taking out their
toys—and leaving them scattered
all over the playroom. As parents,
we often “give in” when it comes
to cleaning up because it’s easier
and faster to it ourselves. That
may be true now, but what about
years down the road when you
have an older child who never
developed their “cleaning up
trait”? You want to set the habit
now. Take part in the clean up
process with your child. Make a
game out of it and work on some
developmental skills at the same
time. For instance, practice color
recognition and following multistep directions by putting away all
of the orange toys first, then blue
and so on. You can sort by finding
all of the square blocks, rectangles, triangles, etc.
Goal #2: Toddler: I will learn
to get myself dressed.
Parent: I will give my child
opportunities to practice his self
help skills and independence.
Preschoolers are able to put on
their underwear, and pull on their
shirts and pants. Many are able to
pull on socks and slip on their
shoes. By allowing them to do
this, you foster independence and
are “telling” them that you support
them and believe they are capable.
Be sure to leave enough time and
to involve them in the clothing
selection process. You may even
want to make the selection the
night before to help the morning
go more smoothly.
Goal #3: Toddler: I will be
nice to my friends and animals.
Parent: I will be more specific
when redirecting my children.
Being a good friend and playing nicely are lifelong skills that
children need to cement. When
parents spot “unfriendly” behaviors, they should keep explanations simple. Toddlers can usually
understand statements, like,
“Hands are for gentle touches,”
and “When we hit, it hurts.” Point
out natural consequences, such as,
“If we hit our friends, they will not
want to play with us.” When kids
can understand why certain limits
are important, they will be able to
follow them more successfully.
You may even try to ask your
child: “What do you think would
happen if you didn’t share your
blocks with your friend?” This
will help them understand the
natural consequences for their
action. In the end, we want to
guide them toward positive
actions, which result in positive
consequences.
Modeling correct behaviors and
offering your child opportunities
to practice being a friend are
also important in supporting
a preschooler’s development.
Playdates, role-playing different
interactions (can I play with you,
can I have the car, etc), and praising your kids when you see good
friendship skills will help your
child ace this goal.
These are just a few goals that
you and your preschooler can
make together—and ones that we
work on at the Jewish Preschool
on Sardis. As I know and many of
the teachers can attest to, some
goals are harder to achieve than
others. But watching our students
eventually fulfill these goals is so
gratifying and as a parent, you’ll
get the same pleasure seeing your
child achieve his or her accomplishments. Y
Community News
2010 Film Festival Has Asian, Sports
Connections
We have all heard the old saying “What do Jews do on
Christmas? Chinese food and a
movie.” The 6th Annual Charlotte
Jewish Film Festival returns
March 4-14, 2010, and this
Festival has somewhat of an Asian
flavor. Three of the terrific films to
be screened, A Matter of Size,
Noodle and In Hana’s Suitcase,
have an Eastern influence. A
Matter of Size, sponsored by the
Charlotte Chapter of Hadassah,
will kick off the Festival on
Opening Night. This heartwarming comedy tells the tale of four
overweight guys who decide to
stop fighting the battle of the
bulge and start embracing it. What
better way to utilize their size than
to train to become sumo wrestlers?
More than just a crowd-pleasing
comedy, this is a sweet and touching story of self-acceptance and
determination.
There also seems to be a sports
theme running through the
Festival. The old cliché that Jews
don’t play sports is certainly
debunked with the documentary
films The First Basket and Holy
Land Hardball. Did you know it
was a Jew, Ossie Schectman, who
made the first ever basket in an
NBA game back in 1946? The
First Basket is an enthralling documentary that traces the profound
influence that Jewish pioneers had
on the evolution of basketball as it
grew from a game played with
ash-cans on tenement steps to one
of the most popular sports in the
world. In Holy Land Hardball, a
group of avid baseball fans try to
bring the American pastime to
Israel by setting up the Israel
Baseball League. The question is
whether Israelis are ready to
embrace a sport they have gone
over 5000 years without. This is
an entertaining film that transcends sports and speaks to the
power of pursuing a pipedream
despite impossible odds.
The 6th Annual Charlotte
Jewish Film Festival is certain to
Scene from “A Matter of Size”
have something for everyone. The
award winning films from around
the world run the gamut from psychological thriller to heartwarming comedies to engaging documentaries. Be sure to check the
February Charlotte Jewish News
for an insert with the whole lineup of fantastic films coming your
way. Also, visit our website,
www.charlottejewishfilm.com, for
updates and to purchase tickets in
late January.
Charlotte Jewish Film Festival
is brought to you by the Levine
JCC and the Charlotte Chapter of
Hadassah, and is made possible, in
part, with funding by the Arts &
Science Council and the North
Carolina Arts Council, an agency
of the Department of Cultural
Resources, and the National
Endowment for the Arts, which
believes that a great nation
deserves great art. Y
Do You Know …
By Phil Warshauer, Executive
Director, Foundation for the
Charlotte Jewish Community
The
period
between
Thanksgiving and New Years is
often a great time to catch up on
my reading. Call it a pre-New
Years resolution. Each year I tackle that pile of clippings, magazines
and interesting articles that I’ve
cast aside to be read.
Among my findings was a 2009
study by the Stelter Company
given to me by a member of our
Jewish community. Between July
19 and July 22, 2009 Stelter inter-
viewed 800 adults aged 30 and
older about charitable giving to
nonprofits. They wanted to know
three things: how had the economy altered their giving? What was
their awareness of the term
“planned giving”? And, how
acceptant are potential heirs of
charitable giving?
The study confirmed that the
past year has been a difficult one
for nonprofits and their donors. It
also acknowledged that while
many are familiar with planned
giving, there is room for a little
education to help people under-
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stand the many options they have
to give. We’ve attempted to do this
in our Jewish community and will
continue to do so. It was the third
area that really grabbed my attention.
Do you know that Planned
Giving is often the most efficient
and effective way to make a charitable gift? A planned gift can be a
gift of cash, securities, property or
any other tangible item that has a
dollar value. A planned gift is not
defined by an amount but rather
the method used to make a charitable gift. Planned gifts can be made
now, later in your lifetime or
deferred until after your death. A
planned gift can provide income
to you and your spouse during
your lifetime and help to reduce
taxes.
Do you know that most people
never consider making a planned
gift because they are never asked
to do so? Let this be my personal
invitation to you. If you would
like information about planned
giving please give me a call at
704-973-4544 or send me an
email at [email protected]. A little
information goes a long way.
Do you know that 84% of those
interviewed between the ages of
30 and 39 have never been
approached about making a
planned gift? Not so surprising,
but what interested me was that
almost 60 percent of those interviewed in that same age group say
they probably would or might
leverage at least one of the six gift
vehicles mentioned in the study.
Wow, even more reason to give
me a call me at 704-973-4544 or
e-mail at [email protected].
Do you know that 40% of
respondents ages 40 to 49 say the
main reason they have not already
made a planned gift is that they
just haven’t thought about it
before? Well, what better time
than the present to start thinking
about it. The study seems to indicate that this age group is often
overlooked in the planned giving
conversation. When asked, more
than 57% indicate they might consider a planned gift. In fact, more
than 83% say that they think a 510% planned gift is reasonable in
an estate in which they are named
as heirs. My kind of people! They
are interested in not only making a
gift themselves but also forgoing a
percentage of what is left to them
from others. We need to get them
to talk to their elders.
Do you know that more than
93% of respondents over the age
of 60 say a major reason they have
not and likely will not include a
nonprofit in their plans is because
they prefer to leave their assets to
friends and family? Now I’m confused. More than 72% of heirs
(those expecting to receive an
inheritance and regardless of age)
responded that they think it is reasonable for that plan to designate
five to ten percent to charitable
organizations.
The
largest
response was from those identified
in the middle income bracket with
household
income
between
$50,000 and $100,000. Perhaps a
little communication is in order.
If you’re still in need of additional information you can always
contact me at 704-973-4544 or
email at [email protected]. Happy New
Year! Y
2010 JCC Maccabi Games Informational
Meeting Set
There will be an informational
meeting for those families interested in learning about the 2010 JCC
Maccabi Games on Thursday,
January 14 at 7 PM in Gorelick
Hall at the Levine JCC.
Our delegation from Charlotte
will be attending the JCC Maccabi
Games in Richmond, VA next
summer with 30 nationally allotted
spots. The dates are August 1-6,
2010. Approximately 1300 Jewish
teens from 35 different United
States /Canadian cities and three
foreign countries (Australia, Israel
and Venezuela) are expected to
attend the Richmond Games.
The JCC Maccabi Games are
for Jewish teens between the ages
of 13-16 years (birthdates of July
31 as deadline dates), with priority
registration given to current
Levine JCC members. The Games
comprise the largest gathering of
Jewish teens worldwide when
combined with the numerous Host
Cities (there are four Host cities
for 2010 with expected total participation numbers to be in the 4500
range).
Various sports being offered in
Richmond include:
Baseball,
Basketball, 7 v. 7 Soccer, Bowling,
Swimming, Table Tennis and
Tennis. Depending on interest levels, tryouts may need to occur to
fill the designated team sport allotments.
For further information about
the JCC Maccabi Games, please
contact Barry Schumer, Levine
JCC Assistant Executive Director,
at 704-944-6744. Y
Menaker Family Endowment
Fund of Jewish Programs
In honor of Scott Menaker’s
birthday and Steven Menaker’s
birthday from Cary Bernstein and
Alan Kronovet
Mindy Ellen Levine Day Camp
Endowment Fund
Wishing Lori and Eric Sklut a
happy Chanukah from Julie and
Howard Levine
JCC Tributes
LJCC Program Endowment
Fund
In memory of Harry Meyers,
father of Eugene Meyers from
Renee and Steve Rosenau, Ann
and Robert Tuteur
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Musler Memorial Fund for
Children’s Programming
Wishing Sol Levine a happy
birthday from Margi Goldstein
Paul Spil Memorial Softball
Endowment Fund
In memory of Frank Rosen’s
mother and in memory of Marcia
Stern’s mother from Linda and
Morris Spil
Stuart Ostrow Memorial Fund
In honor of the marriage of
Steven and Lisa Ostrow from
Lynn and Paul Edelstein Y
Hebrew Cemetery Association
By Lorris Klemons, publicity
Who can believe that the secular New Year is upon us? Golly,
most of us haven’t even given
thought to the resolutions we
made for 2009, and here it is,
2010.
2009 has been a year of change
for many families. Lost jobs, lost
homes, sickness, disability and for
some families, the devastating loss
of loved ones.
What is it that keeps the spirit
intact in the face of such adversity
and challenge? What is it that
allows us to continue breathing in
the face of such life shattering
crises? What is it that give us the
humility to accept the help of others while at the same time, our
humanity stretches out to help others in need? Where does the spirit
get this strength?
Judaism teaches us that we
have two inclinations. One, an animal inclination, acting on every
whim and impulse, wanting what
it wants when it wants it, regardless of the consequences.
The other, a Godly inclination,
that encompasses intellect, love,
spirit, integrity, morality, honesty,
kindness, sensitivity, humility,
gratitude, compassion, empathy,
and all the other positive traits that
are inherent in our being created in
the image of God. Our job as
humans is to always try and find
the Godly inclination in the people
that we interact with.
To help each person we meet
find their own humanity.
When I bring my nursing students into Long Term Care or
Skilled Nursing facilities for clinical learning experiences, they
often are assigned to care for individuals suffering from dementia.
More often than not, and with all
due respect, the behaviors of these
individuals are largely controlled
by their animal inclination,
through no fault of their own.
Regardless of the impaired
individual’s ability to remember,
to communicate, and in many
cases, to care for themselves, students are guided to dig down deep
to bring out the humanity, the
Godly soul, in each individual
they care for. It is amazing to
watch these students figure out
how to connect with these noncommunicative human beings,
When I kept silent, my
substance wasted
away,
As I roared all day
long.
So I acknowledge my
sin to You,
and to get them to connect to each
other. It is surely the most beautiful thing to witness.
So what does this have to do
with anything? In the spirit of the
New Year, let us each resolve to
look for the good in people. Let us
fight against man’s inhumanity to
man.
Let us spend an hour or two a
month with a lonely person, or a
person suffering from dementia.
Let us muster the strength in our
own times of misery, to help others who suffer. Let us participate
in burying our less fortunate
Jewish brethren here in Charlotte.
Let us constantly seek the
Godly soul in the people we deal
with on a regular and not-so-regular basis. Let us reach out to those
in need and never forget that we
are all brothers and sisters as we
face the precarious position of
being human in this crazy and
uncertain world. And let us never
forget that by virtue of our Godly
soul, each one of us holds the des-
tiny of humanity in our hands.
If you would like to make a
donation, send your check payable
to the Hebrew Cemetery
Association to 4229 Peggy Lane,
Charlotte, NC 28227. For more
information about membership
benefits, graves, prepaid funeral
costs, endowments, and/or including the cemetery in your estate
planning,
contact
contact
Executive
Director,
Sandra
Goldman at 704-576-1859 or 704944-6854 or [email protected]. Visit the cemetery
website at www.hebrewcemetery.org. Directions to the ceme-
tery: Providence Rd. north into
and through uptown; right onto
Graham St.; follow Graham for
about two miles; left at fork in
road onto Statesville Ave.; travel
about ½ mile, the cemetery
entrance will be on your left.
Wishing you and all your loved
ones a very happy and healthy
New Year. Y
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By Karen Brodsky
Teens have a universal language: Fun and laughter. The language was apparent in Karen
Majercsik’s tikkun olam (repairing
the world) classes in the
Consolidated Hebrew High
School on a recent Wednesday
night.
Three teen guests joined both
the first period ninth/tenth grade
and second period eighth grade
classes. They were treated to
snacks, games and the easy camaraderie enjoyed by teens throughout the world. No matter that the
guests come from a world away in
Asia—Bhutan,
Burma,
and
Vietnam.
HIAS NC was invited to present the refugee story to Mrs.
Majercsik’s classes in the beginning of the Hebrew High school
year. Charged with helping to
repair the world and embrace
community service projects, the
students collected personal care
items for refugees, made baby
blankets for Levine Children’s
Hospital, collected used cell
phones for a battered women’s
shelter, and created Halloween
costumes for children in the
Alexander Youth Network.
From HIAS NC, the students
learned that some refugees were
born in camps and their families
lived there for many years. They
heard about civil wars, persecution, and the dangerous routes
refugees have taken toward freedom from fear, the right to an education, and religious choice. They
learned about the challenges
refugees face when they come to
the United States via HIAS and
several agencies. They heard
about the plight of some of the 14
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Josh Listhaus (standing) looks on as Jason Fox (left) challenges
visitor Lal Hngak to a game of chess.
million refugees, who cannot go
home because they fear for their
lives, have no means to earn a living, and no rights.
The students welcomed three
refugee teens to their classes. Lal
Ram Hngak has been in the U.S.
seven years, the longest of the
three. He is 16 and a sophomore
student at East Mecklenburg High
School. Lal has never been in the
country of his parents’ birth,
Burma. He is fluent in his family’s
Chin language but was born in
lead English as a Second
Language (ESL) teacher with his
knowledge of English. Santosh
appears in the classroom whenever Ms. Dottie is there, seeking
books and extra knowledge. He
could not wait to start school at
East Mecklenburg High School.
Santosh’s family comes originally
from Bhutan. Located in Southern
Asia, the small country of Bhutan
has produced, in proportion to its
population, one of the largest
groups of refugees in the world. In
(From left) Winnie Cleary and Lauren Gleiberman teach refugees
Hannah Nie and Santosh Khadka an American card game.
India, where his family went
because they feared the Burmese
government was leading the country down a dangerous path. Lal’s
older brother was born in Burma.
Once resettled in New Bern, NC,
the family welcomed their first
American son, another child born
13 years after Lal. They later
moved to Charlotte, where Lal’s
father, Thanei Taithio is a caseworker for HIAS NC.
Hannah Nei, 18 years old, is a
senior at East Mecklenburg High
School. She is a petite
Montagnard from the Central
Highlands of Vietnam and has
been in Charlotte for three years.
She came to the U.S. from a
refugee camp in Cambodia with
her mother and two brothers. The
Central Highlands are home to
some of the most fertile land in
Vietnam. The Montagnards fought
with the Green Berets during the
Vietnam War. In addition, many
embraced Christianity, and have
been persona non grata since with
the governments of North and
South Vietnam. In many cases,
both Vietnams have fought a
covert
war
against
the
Montagnards, poisoning their
water, jailing residents to terrorize
villages, and seizing land.
When 15-year-old Santosh
Khadka came to the U.S. from a
refugee camp in Nepal less than
two months ago, he impressed
even Dottie Shattuck, HIAS NC’s
the early 1980s, the government of
Bhutan began cracking down on
the rights of ethnic minorities,
especially the rights of the
Lhothampas, a group originally
from Nepal. After languishing in
Nepali refugee camps for as many
as 20 years, refugees from Bhutan
began entering the U.S. in 2008.
HIAS NC has settled them in
Charlotte since May of 2008.
Many young Bhutanese were fortunate to learn English in schools
in or near the camps.
Raised a world away from the
conflict and fear known by their
three refugee guests, the students
at the Consolidated Hebrew High
School played cards and snacked
with their new friends. Hannah
played her first game of Yahtzee,
Lal lost a chess game to one of his
hosts, and Santosh taught a card
game he learned in Nepal. Loaded
with bags of soap, toothpaste and
toothbrushes for HIAS NC, the
three refugee teens bounded down
the stairs of Temple Israel’s school
building and asked, “Are we coming back next week?”
HIAS NC is always in need of
volunteers, furniture (which HIAS
will pick up), housewares and
donations of cash to help offset the
cost of resettling refugees. HIAS
resettled more refugees this year
than ever before. Call 704-5358803 or e-mail ellen.dubin@
hias.org to learn how you can
help. Y
Youth Visions
Friendship Circle Presents: Life Skills!
A major challenge to children
with disabilities is getting used to
the outside world—being comfortable and competent in uncontrolled, unpredictable environments. With our new Life Skills
program, children will be exposed
to ordinary-life basics such as
library-going, visiting the doctor,
or going shopping. With practice,
they can become as self-sufficient
and unassisted as possible. Each
activity will be supervised, and
each child will be paired with
his/her special buddy and teen volunteer.
Life Skills will encompass
three different programs. The first
will be a visit to the library and
will incorporate several behavioral
skills; the second will be an excursion to the supermarket to focus
on shopping skills; and the third
will be a trip to a movie theater.
The dates will be January 5,
February 1 and February 8.
For more information, email
[email protected] or
call Bentzion at 704-366-5983.
Friendship Circle Awards B’nai
Mitzvah Trainees as “Volunteer
Certified”
After six weeks of sensitivity
training, eight students have
become officially “volunteer certified.” Each week’s session
focused on a different disability,
its causes and challenges and what
the volunteers can do to help those
affected by that disability. Now
they will team up with veteran
Friendship Circle volunteers and
participate in actual programs for
children with special needs. Each
Hebrew Highlights
By Marci Goldberg
Hebrew High was both pleased
and proud to invite Scott Fried,
AIDS Educator/Motivational
Speaker, back to speak to our
Charlotte
community
on
November 18. Scott’s message is
one of responsibility, self-confidence, love, and self-respect. Scott
uses himself as Exhibit A. He
begins each lecture with his story
of how he got infected with HIV in
1987 at the age of 24, during his
first and only unsafe sexual
encounter.
His
unstoppable
approach to educating others can
be encapsulated into one thought:
one must understand the value of
one’s own life, and hold it sacred,
in order to refrain from dangerous
behaviors that could lead to HIV
infection and other crises.
Scott has spoken at over 500
institutions, including colleges
and universities, high schools and
middle schools, summer camps,
synagogues and churches. In addition, he has lectured widely at
youth retreats, juvenile detention
centers and prisons, alternative
schools, learning disabled populations, gay/straight alliances, PTO
meetings and teacher training
workshops. Topics include sexual
responsibility, abstinence, dating,
transmission of HIV, homosexuality, eating disorders, body image,
self-mutilation, suicide, alcohol
and drug misuse, dealing with
divorce and broken-heartedness,
After his presentation, Scott Fried met with several Hebrew
High students and answered their questions.
trainee received a certificate documenting his/her involvement in
the program. Disabilities covered
included autism, ADHD, cerebral
palsy, and Down syndrome. All
courses were taught by Mushka
Weiss.
Congratulations
to
Alex
Catenazzo, Noah Goldman, Aaron
Lipsitz, Sean Lerner, Julia Marx,
Niki Plaus, Zachary Rosen, and
Zack Rabinowitz for completing
Friendship Circle’s B’nai Mitzvah
Training Course.
For more information about
future B’nai Mitzvah training
courses, email [email protected].
The Friendship Circle is a project of Lubavitch of North
Carolina. Y
among others.
Scott’s ability to relate to teens
is an amazing thing to observe. As
soon as he starts talking, the room
quiets down and all eyes are on
him. He pulls the audience in and
his story becomes their story.
“Everyone has something that’s in
their closet,” Scott says. His message to teens is to respect yourself
and believe in yourself enough
and never put yourself in a situation where you are too afraid and
not strong enough to say “no” to
anything. By opening up his own
life to us, he lets us believe it can
happen to us….we can get hooked
on drugs if we try it once, we can
betray one’s trust if we don’t keep
our word, we can be infected with
a disease if we can’t say no. Y
Mushka Weiss leads the B’nai
Mitzvah class in discussing
children’s disabilities.
Friendship Circle members Sean Lerner and
Sam Lahn prepare their presentation for the
B’nai Mitzvah training class.
WOMEN’S NEWS
Do You Love to Play Mah Jongg?
Are you suffering from Mah
Jongg withdrawal?
Would you like to meet other
Mah Jongg players?
If you answered yes to any of
the above questions, then read
on.
Hadassah is partnering with
the LJCC to present Charlotte’s
fifth Mah Jongg Marathon on
Sunday, January 17, from 12
noon-5 PM.
This event will be held at
Gorelick Hall, Levine Jewish
Community Center, Shalom
Park, 5007 Providence Road.
This mah jongg event is open
to the community, and will have
separate groups for experienced
(timed rounds) and novice
(untimed play). The top winners
will receive cash prizes. Cost is
$20 for Hadassah members, and
$25 for non-members.
Snacks will be provided.
Your check (sent with the
coupon below) is your reservation and must be sent by Friday,
January 8 to Madeline Aron,
4940 Hardison Road, Charlotte
28226 or Shellie Barer, 5007
Providence Road, Charlotte, NC
28226. Please use the coupon
below and indicate if you can
bring a mah jongg set and/or a
card table. Since mah jongg is
number specific, we cannot
accommodate walk-ins.
2010 Mah Jongg cards available for sale at the event.
Any questions, please call
Sandy Hoagland, 704-5436338. Y
YES!
I want to play in the Mah Jongg Marathon on January 17, 2010
Name .........................................................................................................................
Phone.........................................................................................................................
E-Mail .......................................................................................................................
Level of Play:
Novice (untimed): _________
Experienced (timed): ________
Check Payable to Hadassah Enclosed:
_____$20 (Hadassah member) _____$25 (non-member)
_____I promise to bring my 2009 mah jongg card
(extras will NOT be available)
_____I will bring my mah jongg set labeled with my name
(you will stay at the table with your set)
_____I have 1___ 2___ 3___ card tables Hadassah can borrow.
I will label them with my name before Hadassah picks them up.
The Many Faces of Hadassah
Call us today for a
complimentary financial
and insurance review.
(704) 846 9700
HOWARD EPSTEIN, MBA
PROVIDENCE RD & I-485
CHARLOTTE
[email protected]
break. Choices need to be
By Bunny Bramson,
made with intelligence and
president, Charlotte
intellectual vigor – not out of
Chapter of
fear. Inherent in choice is
Hadassah
change, but positive change
As we begin the
where ability to recover from
new year of 2010, it
setbacks and recover swiftly is
is a good time to
inherent to the process. The
look at the many
key is resilience.
faces of Hadassah: a
We recognize that in order
movement and a phi- Bunny Bramson
to succeed, the first order of
losophy faced with
many of the same choices and the day is to educate and re-eduimplementation processes as any cate ourselves, our membership,
corporate or governmental institu- and those with whom we deal, not
the least those in Congress and
tion.
The chief strength needed for those in our state and municipal
organizational stability is flexibili- governments.
The thrust for us is integration,
ty; the ability to bend, but not to
not compartmentalization; anticipatory actions rather than reaction,
as well as a common long range
strategy.
To each and every one of you, a
good new year. Y
SYNAGOGUES
Serving the community for over 15 years.
Insurance subject to availability and qualifications. Allstate Insurance Company and Allstate Property and
Casualty Insurance Company, Northbrook, Illinois ©2009 Allstate Insurance Company
&
CONGREGATIONS
Temple Israel Book Club
A Pigeon and a Boy by Meir Shalev
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 7:30 PM, TEMPLE ISRAEL
…where teaching is valued and learning is celebrated
ADMISSIONS APPLICATIONS DUE:
Friday, January 15, 2010
9502 Providence Road
Charlotte, North Carolina 28277
Admissions: 704.846.7207
www.charlottelatin.org.
Financial assistance is available.
Please inquire about the Malone Scholarship for gifted students in th th grades.
Homing pigeons play a strong
role in this “mesmerizing novel of
two love stories, separated by half
a century but connected by one
enchanting act of devotion.” This
quote from the opening sentence
of the flyleaf certainly grips your
attention. Set in Israel in both a
pivotal battle of the 1948 War of
Independence and the present,
Meir Shalev’s A Pigeon and a Boy
rewards readers with its two tales
of love and adventure, set a generation apart and linked by carrier
pigeons. Perhaps it’s because
“there is great power in living
things that always return home to
security; or the fact that the novel
is “testimony to the redemptive
powers of love and community.”
Whatever the reason, readers have
given this moving novel a strong,
positive review.
Temple Israel’s January 25
book club discussion will be led
by Amalia Warshenbrot. The former Director of the Levine-Sklut
Judaic Library, Amalia is a graduate of Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, where she specialized
in Jewish literature and Judaic
studies. Amalia has read the novel
in both Hebrew and English, and
her discussion will include what’s
“lost in translation.”
A Pigeon and a Boy is available
at the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library,
the public library and at local book
stores or on-line for under $15.
Temple Israel Book Club meetings
are open to the entire community,
even those who haven’t read the
book in advance. For additional
information contact Linda Levy at
704-366-6362/[email protected]
or Sandra Hirschman at 704-8677051.Y
Dr. Ron Carter to Deliver Temple Beth
Music Plays a Starring Role
El’s Martin Luther King Shabbat Sermon at Temple Or Olam
Each January, Temple Beth El
partners with a local and vibrant
African American Church for a
celebration of the Shabbat preceding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
On January 15, Dr. Ron Carter of
Johnson C. Smith University will
offer the MLK sermon, challenging us to create healing in our city
not just on the days we celebrate
the life of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., but also throughout the year.
Dr. Ron Carter is a rising star
on the landscape of Charlotte’s
leadership. He received his BA
from Morehouse College and his
Master of Theology and PhD in
Philosophy of Religion from
Boston University. In 1981, he
became the youngest dean of students of Boston University. At
University of the Witwatersrand in
Johannesburg, South Africa, he
defied the status quo by becoming
the school’s dean of students —
and one of the first black administrators at the traditionally white
institution. Prior to coming here,
Dr. Carter served as provost and
dean of faculty at Coker College
in Hartsville, SC.
Lifting the words of the service
will be the joint music of two
choirs, East Stonewall’s AME
Zion Church and Temple Beth El’s
adult choir. Bill Ward, Co-Music
Director for East Stonewall AME
Zion and Temple Beth El’s organist, will work closely with Cantor
Bernard to orchestrate the moving
music of the MLK Shabbat experience.
This year’s event will also mark
the start of a new Johnson C.
Fundamentals of Judaism
Courses at Temple Beth El
Taste of Judaism, 7–9 PM, January
13, 20 and 27
A three-part course on the foundations of Jewish traditions for
those who want to reconnect or
find an entrée into Jewish life. Our
clergy will use traditional and
modern Jewish texts to cover the
Jewish perspective on spirituality,
values and community. Free, but
registration is required by calling
Shari Hackman, Membership and
Outreach Director, at 704-7493051.
Introduction to Judaism, 8–9
PM, February 3, 10, 17, 24; March
3, 10, 17 and 24. Cost: $65/person
or
$115/couple
(members),
$75/person or $125/couple (nonmembers).
An eight-week course designed
to give a basic understanding of
Judaism – its beliefs, values and
practices. You will explore fundamental Jewish beliefs, Jewish history, Jewish holidays, lifecycles,
liturgy and sacred texts, the
Commandments, Israel, philosophy and Judaism and Christianity.
Register at www.beth-el.com/rsvp
or 704-749-3070. Y
Friday Night Shabbaton on
January 29 in Honor of Tu
B’shevat at Ohr HaTorah
The last Shabbat in January of
2010 marks the festive day of Tu
B’shevat, also known as the New
Year for Trees. The theme of Tu
B’shevat is to celebrate God’s gift
to us with the splendid trees and
delicious fruits He has given to us,
especially in the Land of Israel.
There are many beautiful traditions associated with this special
day, including the tasting of the
five fruits that Israel was blessed
with in the Torah. They are the fig,
date, pomegranate, olive, and
wine grape.
On Friday night, January 29,
the eve of Shabbat Tu B’shevat,
Ohr HaTorah will host an exciting
Tu B’shevat family Shabbaton
open to the community. The
Shabbaton at Ohr HaTorah
will present fruits that are uniquely described in the Torah as being
associated with the Land of
Israel and will also feature an
extravagant wine tasting of some
of the greatest wines from Israel.
The celebration of the bounty
was a major event in ancient
Israel, and it involved all the people with many ceremonial obser-
vances and rituals as commanded
by the Torah. The trees have a special place in Judaism, as the Torah
says that we humans are likened to
the tree in the field. There are
many rules regarding how to treat
trees, care for them, and not cut
down fruit-producing trees.
Judaism learns many teachings
about Jewish life from how we
treat the trees.
The Sephardic community is
known to hold a special Tu
B’shevat Seder with four cups of
wine and a display of dazzling
exotic fruits in celebration of this
day. In Israel they plant new trees
on Tu B’shevat, although this year
they will be planting on Sunday in
respect for Shabbat.
The evening will begin with a
candle lighting ceremony at 5:30
PM, followed by a joyous Friday
night service. The holiday Shabbat
dinner will begin at 6:45
PM. There will be an array of Tu
B’shevat activities for adults and
children during the dinner. For
more information please visit our
website at ohrhatorahnc.org or call
our office at 704-366-3984. Y
Smith Spring Semester course
entitled “African AmericanJewish Relations.” Jewish leaders
will partner with Johnson C.
Smith and other area faculty to
reflect on the history of our two
peoples. On one hand, this history
has involved deep and painful
struggles, and on the other, it has
witnessed the deepest levels of
trust and true partnership. The
course will explore commonalities
and differences, from our interpretation of Biblical texts to our
respective experiences of slavery
and the Holocaust. It will also
highlight historical partnerships
from the founding of the NAACP
to fighting for civil rights. Guest
instructors will include Rabbi
Murray Ezring, Mariashi Groner
and other Jewish community clergy, scholars and leaders.
Dr. Ron Carter’s speaking at
Temple Beth El and Rabbi
Schindler’s subsequent lectures at
Johnson C. Smith University are
part of a citywide sermon
exchange created by Crossroads
Charlotte and Mecklenburg
Ministries. From January 15
though Black History Month in
February, religious leaders across
our city will be engaged in sermon
exchanges that bring them to congregations racially, and perhaps
religiously, different from their
own.
Temple Beth El’s MLK
Shabbat Service will be held
Friday, January 15, at 7 PM in the
Sam Lerner Center of Cultural
Arts. An overflow sanctuary with
video and sound connection will
be set up in Gorelick Hall. Y
At Temple Or Olam, the first
and only synagogue in Cabarrus
County, music is an integral part
of the Jewish experience. And the
music is as eclectic as the membership itself.
Where else would you find the
Rabbi leading the congregation in
melodies that come from Yemen,
Poland, Germany, Israel and
America, playing guitar and
singing, while her husband
accompanies her on such unusual
instruments as the udu and the darbouka, along with keyboards, tambourines and other percussion
devices?
For Rabbi Barbara Thiede, song
and prayer work together and are
critical components to the Shabbat
services, especially in a congregation that didn’t grow up with
Hebrew as its native language.
“The way that the music will
frame the emotional and spiritual
message of the text of the liturgy is
critical,” says Thiede. “Maybe
they only know the word ‘shalom’
and they know no other words in
‘Oseh Shalom,’ but if the melody
and music provides a setting for
that kind of expression of longing,
then the message of the liturgy
will come through.”
Rabbi Thiede provides a
diverse collection of songs and
melodies that reflect the worldliness of Jewish culture.
“How do I select music? I select
mostly by listening,” says Thiede.
“I try to have as much diversity as
I can find. Listen to Ashkenazi
music, but also listen to Sephardi
music and Mizrahi music. I think
another ingredient in all of this is
recognizing that whatever congregation you have, no matter what
size, Jews have been all over the
world. Even those who think
they’ve been straight Ashkenazi,
at one point or another there were
probably Spanish or Portuguese
Jews, Yemenite Jews, North
African Jews somewhere in the
mix, because there’s been so much
traveling around.”
All of that figures into the musical selections Thiede makes.
“What we’ve got is an attempt on
my part both to listen and then to
transmit the diversity of this experience through the music the people are hearing,” says Thiede.
And one of the real joys for
Thiede and the rest of the congregation is how music draws children into prayer. “There is nothing
as infectious as music for children,” says Thiede. “What you
want more than anything as a spiritual leader is for children to
delight in their expression of their
Jewishness. We have a wide range
of music that they can move to,
that they can clap to, that they can
play a little tambourine to.”
That only serves to reinforce
their faith.
“Their association with services
will be the association of joy and
enthusiasm,” says Thiede. “And
what are they really doing?
They’re experiencing thousands of
years later something like what
people must have experienced at
the time Levites made the music at
the Temple. We’ve been playing
music and singing at worship ever
since.”
To learn more about Temple Or
Olam, an independent and fully
egalitarian congregation, check
out our website at www.orolam.org. Y
Insurance & financial security should go
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With a variety of financial products, an Allstate
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You deserve an agent who does more than just insurance as usual.That’s Allstate’s Stand.
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Savings based on information reported by new Allstate customers.Actual savings will vary. Insurance subject to availability and qualifications. Auto insurance written by Allstate
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A Tu B’shevat Shabbaton Gives Havurat
Tikvah Two Reasons to Celebrate
This year’s arrival of Tu
B’shevat is cause for a double celebration at Havurat Tikvah. We’ll
celebrate the “New Year of the
Trees” with a Shabbaton on the
weekend of January 30. We’ll also
celebrate the return of Student
Rabbi Arlene Berger who will join
us for the holiday and help lead
our Shabbaton festivities. Arlene,
who is back from six months of
study in Israel, comes to us from
the Reconstructionist Rabbinical
College in Philadelphia and is in
her third year with Havurat
Tikvah.
Our celebrations begin with a
Community Shabbat Service on
Saturday, January 30. Services
start at 10 AM and conclude with
a vegetarian potluck lunch and
social hour. Our morning service
will be held at the Fellowship Hall
of St. Andrews Presbyterian
Church, 2201 Springdale Ave. (at
Magnolia) in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte.
Shabbaton events continue
throughout the weekend. On
Saturday evening, Student-Rabbi
Arlene plans an interactive adult
education program on Tu B’shevat
themes and how they relate to
today’s world. She’ll also help us
cap off the weekend with an intergenerational Tu B’shevat Seder on
Sunday morning (January 31).
We invite you to join us for any
or all of our Shabbaton events. To
learn more and for detailed infor-
mation about times and locations
of the Saturday evening and
Sunday morning events, see our
contact information below.
This month’s mitzvah and
tzedakah projects continue with
participation in The Dilworth
Soup Kitchen, founded by
Havurah member Allen B. Saxe.
The twice weekly noon-time
meals are served at 1200 East
Blvd. (First Christian Church)
where volunteers provide a restaurant atmosphere and a family-style
welcome to those in need of a
good, nourishing meal. We also
continue our ongoing commitment
to “Project Linus,” an organization
that gathers hand-made “security”
blankets for children who are seriously ill, traumatized,
or otherwise in need;
no knitting, crocheting, or sewing experience is necessary,
there’s a job for every-
wo
g
n
i
The inaugural mini-mester of
Temple Beth El University was a
huge success. We are happy to
report that Jewish Literacy is
alive, well and flourishing at TBE,
and we’re planning for our second
mini-mester to be even greater
than the first. Join us Wednesday
evenings, February 3, 10 and 17
for the following classes:
“Who, What, When, Where,
Why and How of Jewish Prayer”
with Cantor Andrew Bernard,
Rabbi Judy Schindler and Susan
Jacobs, Director of Education. If
the books kept us alive, the practice kept us Jews.
“Sex in the Texts” with Sara
Oppenheim of the Charlotte Torah
Center. Sara has more than 20
years of counseling experience
specializing in sexual counseling
and currently directs adult education and programming at the Torah
Center.
“The God Who Isn’t” with
Rabbi Micah Streiffer. Explore
Jewish views of God that are nontraditional, non-theistic and radical. If God isn’t the bearded guy in
the sky, then who/what is God?
Set the example for your own
children by spending your
Wednesday evenings engaged in
adult study. Don’t let your bar or
bat mitzvah be your only adult
educational experience as a Jew.
Visit www.beth-el.com and
look for the TBEU seal to enroll,
learn or give feedback. Open the
doors to Jewish Literacy and revel
in the richness and diversity of our
heritage.Y
For advertising rates,
call Jodi at 704-944-6730 or
Rita at 704-366-6632.
nder,
aracter & nurtur
h
c
ing
ng
i
t
laug
a
hter.
v
i
t
l
u
Fo
c
er
t
s
Arlene Berger
one. Interested in participating?
Call the number below for more
information. Call the number
below for more information.
Havurat Tikvah is an affiliate of
the Jewish Reconstructionist
Federation. We provide a comfortable, family atmosphere where all
Jews can feel welcome. We
encourage participation in the
community and in our services.
Our Sunday School, with its exciting new curriculum, and B’nai
Mitzvah preparation are available
for children. Feel free to visit, get
to know us, and become part of
our growing congregation of over
50 households.
For an updated calendar or
questions about Havurat Tikvah,
Sunday School, services, or community activities, please visit our
website at www.havurattikvah.org
or contact new member chair,
Brian Feinglass, at bcfein1@
gmail.com or at 1-877-2035848. Y
Sign Up Now for Beth El
University’s February
Mini-Mester
Half & Full Day Preschool Programs
Ages 1 to Pre-K
Flexible AM/PM care available
for Half Day Students
OPEN HOUSE
Friday, January 8
9:30-11:30am
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CFHJOTBUPVS0QFO)PVTF
XXXDKQLJETPSHrJOGP!DKQLJETPSH
704-944-6777
CJP is a collaboration of Temple Beth El,
Temple Israel and the Levine Jewish Community Center.
Jewish Learning Institute
Presents Portraits in
Leadership
New Course Explores Inspirational
Avenues to Emerge from Times of
Uncertainty; Timeless Tales for
Inspired Living
On February 2, the Jewish
Learning Institute (JLI) of
Charlotte will launch its winter
course, Portraits in Leadership:
Timeless Tales for Inspired
Living. Portraits in Leadership is a
study of the inspiring life story of
six figures whose courage and
determination helped Judaism
weather its darkest hours. In the
face of the first-century Roman
assault on Jerusalem, the fundamental institutions of the Jewish
people were utterly destroyed. But
with wisdom and verve, these
leaders took the radical steps that
managed to preserve the essence
of Judaism to this very day.
“This course is one part history,
one part biography—all parts
uplifting inspiration,” says Rabbi
Lazer Gurkow, course author. “It
is about decisions made two thousand years ago that continue to
shape the contours of contemporary Jewish life.”
“Students are constantly looking for tools to deal with day-today challenges,” says local JLI
instructor, Rabbi Yossi Groner.
“What better way to find guidance
than from the wise example of
others who encountered hardships
and used them as the impetus for
growth and change.”
The course will examine a
range of classic Jewish sources,
drawing extensively from the stories of the Talmud and modern
commentaries that point out their
personal significance to our lives.
Rabbi Groner and Rabbi
Shlomo Cohen of Ohr HaTorah
will be teaching this course at
Lubavitch Educational Center on
Sardis Road for six Tuesdays for
the evening class and six
Wednesdays for the morning class.
The evening classes will begin on
Tuesday, February 2 at 7:30 PM
and the morning classes on
Wednesday, February 3 at 11 AM.
(The week of February 7, the
evening class will be held on
Sunday night and the morning
class on Thursday morning,
February 11).
Portraits in Leadership, like all
JLI’s courses, is designed for people at all levels of Jewish knowledge. Participants without any
prior experience or background in
Jewish learning can attend and
enjoy this course. All JLI courses
are open to the entire community.
The Jewish Learning Institute
(JLI) is the adult education arm of
Chabad-Lubavitch. JLI’s classes
and programs are offered at various locations in more than 300
cities nationwide and internationally
(including
Australia,
Belgium,
Brazil,
Canada,
Colombia, Denmark, Finland, The
Netherlands,
South
Africa,
Sweden, the United Kingdom, and
Venezuela). Over 100,000 people
have attended JLI classes since its
founding in 1998. Every course
offered by JLI is taught concurrently in all locations. This unique
feature has helped create a truly
global learning community.
Please visit www.myJLI.com
for up-to-date information about
Portraits in Leadership.
JLI courses are presented in
Charlotte as a project of Lubavitch
of North Carolina. Y
Temple Israel News
Academy for Jewish Ethics
This month, Temple Israel’s
Academy for Jewish Ethics will
focus on the question: Does My
Body Belong to Me? The program
will look at such issues as; is tattooing permissible?; are we
allowed to change our body
through plastic surgery?; is it
kosher to smoke cigarettes (of any
kind)?; are there limits on sex and
sexuality?; how drunk is too
drunk?
The class is led by Rabbi
Murray Ezring will begin at 8 PM
on Tuesday evening, January 19 at
Temple Israel.
Room In The Inn Volunteers
and Donations Needed
As winter approaches, we must
think about how to help those who
have lost their homes and are living on the streets of Charlotte. On
Sunday, January 30, Temple Israel
will reach out to the homeless with
a night of warmth, good food, and
safety. We need donations of both
money and food to help us run this
program. We also need volunteers,
ages 12 and over, to assist in setting up beds, serving food, cooking, staying overnight, cleaning up
and breaking down in the morning. Only male volunteers will be
asked to stay overnight. Thanks to
your generosity, we were able to
provide all the food and other
items to our guests last year without having to ask the Temple for
funding. We hope you will assist
in this mitzvah again this year. If
you wish to participate in any way,
please call Hannah Kaunitz at
704-540-7538, or email her at
[email protected].
Men’s Club Shabbat, January 9
We will be celebrating the talents of the members of Temple
Israel’s Men’s Club, as they lead
the congregation in Shabbat
Services. Services will be followed by a Kiddush luncheon.
If you are interested in participating there are many parts in both
English and Hebrew. We also need
volunteers for non-speaking parts
such as opening the ark and ushering. To help offset the cost of this
special day, you can honor your
husband, son, brother, father,
grandfather, cousin, friend or
yourself in the program. Minimum
donation, $5; there is no maximum as to how much you can
donate. Contact Ben Aizenman at
704-541-9603 or baizenman@
aol.com.
Participate in Sisterhood
Shabbat, January 29 and 30
Join your sisters and participate
in Sisterhood Shabbat, Friday,
January 29 and Saturday, January
30. During Sisterhood Shabbat the
women of Temple Israel shine. We
are the leaders and readers for
both services. There is enormous
talent among our members. On
Friday night, Sisterhood will lead
the service and celebrate Shabbat
together at a congregational dinner. On Saturday, Sisterhood
woman will perform the entire
service.
As always, we are looking for
women who would like to participate in services Friday night or
Saturday morning. We have both
English and Hebrew parts. This
year Sisterhood is presenting an
opportunity to those who have
never participated. If you would
like to learn a part, you can join
“Peri’s Ensemble.” Peri Flohr will
be teaching prayers and songs
after each Kiddush on Saturdays
to those who are interested in
learning Hebrew parts in the
Friday or Saturday service.
For more information and to
have a part in Sisterhood Shabbat,
please contact Peri at [email protected].
Winter Weather Advisory
In case of inclement weather,
please check your local TV and
radio stations for information
regarding Temple Israel and
Temple Israel Religious School
Closings.
SAVE THE DATE!
World Wide Wrap on Super
Bowl Sunday
February 7, 8:45 AM at
Temple Israel
Join thousands of Jews around
the world in the mitzvah of
wrapping tefillin.
Dor Hadash PJ Havdalah
For ages Preschool to 2nd
grade, January 9, 6:30 PM at
Temple Israel.
Come dressed in your PJs. We
will have stories, songs, and bedtime snacks. Y
BUSINESS CARD
DIRECTORY
Organizing Solutions
For Your Home
- Customizing Your Space
Living spaces and closets
Attic, garage, laundry room
Home office and craft studio
Lauren Cantor
704-609-2143
organizedbylauren.com
- Downsizing or Moving a Loved One
Planning and assisting
Packing, unpacking & setting up
Member of NAPO - National Association of Professional Organizers
JEWISH FAMILY
SERVICES
Mitzvah Maker Cooks
For the Month of November
Lillian Bienstock, Suzy Catenazzo, Audrey
Denenberg Herman, Lynn Edelstein, Mary Gordan,
Linda Hindel, Sheila Kritzer, Allison Lerner, Phil
Levine, Eleanor Miller, Jo Minchew, Jill Newman,
Brenda Patten, Bernice Roberts, Carol Shafranek,
Faye Sinkoe, Lynda White
Special thanks to Hadassah who provided about
100 meals to JFS from August to October. New
faces are always welcome at their cooking groups
each month.
Those participating in this Mitzvah during that
time period include Susan Aizenman, Ellie Bantit,
Simona Ben Dov, Phyllis Berlin, Cathy Bogus, Ellen
Bottner, Milly Corday, Helene Cullen, Nancy Felder,
Zelma Fink, Dana Kapustin, Hadas Kasher, Judy
Kaufmann, Phyllis Korman, Etti Kraus, Penny
Krieger, Phyllis Romaine, Hagit Stav, Joyce Stoll and
Meira Tsur.
In November, Hadassah provided over 50 lovely
Thanksgiving meals to clients at Jewish Family
Services. Y
Thinking of Remodeling?
w Kitchens w Custom Cabinetry w Remodeling
w Additions and More
10920-A
Metromont Pkwy
Charlotte, NC 28269
www.Forte-Residential.com
Estimates & Design Consultations are FREE
Jewish Family Service Heals
2009 was one of the most
extraordinary years in the 29 year
history of Jewish Family Services.
JFS- with your support – responded to unprecedented challenges
arising from the worst economic
crisis in generations. Due to the
economic downturn, the needs of
our clientele changed dramatically. Individuals and families presented with more complex issues,
such as joblessness, financial loss,
family stress, evictions, emergency housing and health care
needs. As always, JFS responded
to the growing and changing needs
of our community with professional, effective, and compassionate programs and services. Here
are some examples highlighting
how JFS healed our community in
2009:
Project Noah – Led by JFS,
Project Noah is a collaborative initiative of the Charlotte Jewish
community providing supportive
services which assist and empower our Jewish neighbors affected
by the current economic downturn. Some Project Noah services
implemented include vocational
workshops, externship opportunities for job seekers, a job board
and links to resources on the JFS
website, pro bono volunteer services, and financial workshops.
With synagogues, organizations
ISN’T IT TIME FOR A CONVERSATION
ABOUT YOUR ESTATE?
Without an estate plan in place, federal and state laws dictate how property,
personal items and assets are divided. Family conflicts and legal problems
may result. Talk to Scott for expert guidance in estate analysis and a network
of specialists to help get you closer to all of your financial goals.
Fligel Financial Services
6235 Morrison Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28211
(704) 442-4472 • [email protected]
www.scottfligel.com
Scott Fligel, CLU,® ChFC®
Wealth Management Advisor
05-2648 ©2008 Northwestern Mutual. Northwestern Mutual Financial Network is a marketing name for the sales
and distribution arm of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM) and its subsidiaries
and affiliates, and "the quiet company" is a registered trademark. Scott Fligel is a Representative of Northwestern
Mutual Wealth Management Company®, Milwaukee,WI (WMC), a wholly-owned company of NM and limited purpose
federal savings bank. WMC is not a broker-dealer or insurance company. All WMC products and services are offered
only by properly credentialed Representatives who operate from agency offices of WMC. Representative is an
Insurance Agent of NM and a Registered Representative of Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, a whollyowned company of NM, broker-dealer and member FINRA and SIPC. Fligel Financial Services is a marketing name
for Scott Fligel and is not a broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, federal savings banks, subsidiary or other
corporate affiliate of NM. Fligel Financial Services or its members may represent insurance companies in addition to
NM or its affiliates. 8104-585
and community partners working
together, we are successfully actualizing tradition of Jews taking
care of each other.
Food Pantry – The JFS food
pantry experienced a 12% increase
in the number of people needing
food in 2009; this, on top of a
7.5% increase in 2008. Given
these increases, JFS realized the
need to restructure our food pantry
operation. New hours and guidelines were established. The transition has been a positive one that
has enabled JFS to do a much better job of distributing healthier
food and more adequate amounts
to individuals and families.
Thank you to our dedicated
Board of Directors, loyal volunteers, a professional and compassionate staff, and the strong community support that makes our
work possible. We are grateful to
our generous donors and partners,
especially the Jewish Federation
of Greater Charlotte, who invests
in us and sustains us year after
year.
For more information about
how JFS can help you or a friend
or loved one: visit www.jfscharlotte.org or place a confidential
call to JFS (704-364-6594).
“If it were not for JFS, I
would not have survived.
I would have fallen
through the cracks. I
have been the recipient of
every service that JFS
offers and this has saved
my life. JFS is not just
my support network; it is
my family and my salvation. I owe my life to
JFS.” – Ira, a JFS client
SCOTT JAGUAR
400 Tyvola Road • 704-527-7000 • www.scottjag.com
JFS at work with advice, information, counseling and aid
q JFS Therapists conducted
1,662 therapy sessions, a 44%
increase over 2008, including 94
new clients, a 32% increase over
last year
assistance through the Community
Tzedakah Fund and distributed
$14,044 in assistance, purchased
over $9,400 in food cards, and
$2,000 in food
q Case Management conducted 412 sessions and met with 51
new case management clients
q JFS increased the number of
programs and workshops offered
to the community and collaborated
with each Shalom Park agency
q JFS Senior Outreach program provided 485 sessions to
seniors in their homes and 1,523
in the community.
q JFS professional staff assisted 43 individuals and families
requesting emergency financial
Donations to Jewish Family
Services in November 2009
GENERAL DONATIONS
A donation has been made from
the Wednesday Lunch Bunch
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Claire Strochlic from Rebecca,
Moshe, Jake, Caleb and Charlie
Usadi
Betty Levy from Rebecca,
Moshe, Jake, Caleb and Charlie
Usadi
Jerry Levin for his special
birthday from Gloria Goldberg
Harry Swimmer — May you go
from strength to strength — from
Anita and Stan Grey, Alvin and
Rachel Goodman
Scott Menaker from Phil and
Marci Goldberg, Neal and Susan
Hennes, Wendy and Michael
Hennes
Steve Menaker from Phil and
Marci Goldberg, Neal and Susan
Hennes, Wendy and Michael
Hennes
Kevin Levine from Amy
Levine, Mindy and Alfred, David
and Ellen Framm,
Mary Gordan from George and
Lois Schneider, Fern Sanderson,
Richard and Paula Klein
Alan Kronovet from Wendy
and Michael Hennes
David Kronovet from Margi
Goldstein
Estelle Rosen from Wilma Saly
Marsha Smith from Wilma Saly
Trudy Packard from Wilma
Saly
Shelton Gorelick from Anita
and Stan Grey
IN MEMORY OF
Ruth Esa Gernstenfeld, Marcia
Stern’s mother, from Laura and
Barry Reich, Evelyn Berger,
Evelyn Rosen, mother of Frank
Rosen, from Ruth G. Brandt,
Evelyn Berger, Alan and Lee
Blumenthal and family, Mike Jaffa
and Debra Foster
Arnold Feinberg from Cynthia
and Harold Turtletaub
Carl Kaplan, father of Steve
Kaplan, from Maxine and Gary
Silverstein,
Fay Green from Leon and
Sandra Levine
The father of Kelly Gaines
from Jewish Family Services
The grandmother of Ellen
Engelhardt from Mike Jaffa, the
JFS Board of Directors
The grandmother of Marci
Willenzik from Phil and Marci
Goldberg
MAZEL TOV ON
Being honored by JFS to Bea
Gibbs from Roseline and Douglas
Mann
Your bar mitzvah to Ben
Schulman from The Asher family,
the Gilbert family, David and Judy
Miller, Joan and Robert Ruark and
family, Terri Lynn Newman and
Steven Bleiberg, the Usadi Family
HAPPY CHANUKAH TO
Bea Gibbs from Joel, Helen and
Cindy Josephs
IN HONOR OF
Bea Gibbs for all of her help
and guidance from Ruth G.
Brandt, Bernice and Nat Roberts,
Dr. Ellen Roberts, Michael and
Heidi Rotberg, Shevi and Don
Herbstman
Norman Steinberger receiving
the JFS Lamed Vovnik Award
from Bernice and Nat Roberts,
Roseline and Douglas Mann
Sam Strause from Bernice and
Nat Roberts
Stephanie Starr and the staff of
Jewish Family Services for their
work on the November programs
on domestic abuse from Marsha,
Lucy and Robert Stickler
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO
Steve and Barbie Weiner from
Jill and Ed Newman
Libby and Al Behar from Shevi
and Don Herbstman
THANK YOU TO
Ira Slomka for a great soccer
season from Reece Newman
Tracie Wilk for a great soccer
season from Reece Newman
WISHING A FULL AND
SPEEDY RECOVERY TO
Hilda Goldman from Dorothy
Schulman Y
The Jewish Traveler
By Maxine Silverstein
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, AGAIN!
I can’t get enough of New York
City. What a wonderful magical
place to visit and every time I’m
there I try to see some different
sights. This time of year is a wonderful season to be in New York.
Everything looks especially great
with all the holiday decorations in
place.
We had an opportunity to go to
New York City a few weeks ago to
see a new Carnival ship. The
Carnival Dream will be homeported in Port Canaveral, but had
just arrived in New York from
Europe. We were invited to the
naming of the ship and an
overnight
stay
onboard.
Afterward, we decided to stay in
New York for one night and enjoy
the city.
There are great things to see all
over New York City. It’s so easy to
get around this city either by walking (if the weather is good), subway system or taxis. We were so
lucky to have good weather and
could walk almost everywhere.
It’s the best way to really get the
“real flavor” of the city. We decided to visit one of our favorite
restaurants, the 2nd Ave Deli.
After a two year absence it’s back,
but in a new location. Located on
East 33rd Street near Third
Avenue this great place is among a
handful of old-timers (including
Katz’s and the Carnegie) devoted
to Jewish deli food, which isn’t
just about eating. The food is delicious. We had an incredible meal
here. Wonderful matzo ball soup,
pastrami, corned beef, chopped
chicken liver and, of course, great
pickles too. We even got to taste
gribenes (deep-fried chicken skin
and onions) – that was a totally
new experience for me. We finished our lunch with delicious
dairy-free egg creams. What a
great meal!
After lunch we decided to visit
The Jewish Museum located at
1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street
Maxine rediscovers The Jewish
Museum in New York City.
Happy New Year from the Staff
and Editorial Board of
♥♣♦ ♠♥♣♦ ♠♥♣♦ ♠♥♣♦ ♠
♣
♥
SAVE THE DATE
Maxine waits outside the 2nd Ave.
Deli.
on the Upper East Side of the city.
This beautiful museum is one of
the world’s largest and most
important institutions devoted to
exploring the remarkable scope
and diversity of Jewish culture.
Founded in 1904, it was housed
for more than four decades in the
library of The Jewish Theological
Seminary of America. In 1944 the
museum was moved to a mansion
on Fifth Avenue donated by the
widow of a prominent businessman and philanthropist. This area
is called New York’s Museum
Mile.
The Museum is known for its
fabulous exhibitions of fine art
and wonderful artifacts.
We found this place to be very
interesting and educational. We
loved the permanent exhibition
that tells the unfolding story of
Jewish culture and identity
through works of art, archaeology,
ceremonial objects, photographs,
video and interactive media. We
spent a couple of hours enjoying
this fabulous museum.
We did have a little time to
experience some incredible New
York restaurants. We dined at
Esca, a Southern Italian restaurant
celebrating the fruits of the sea.
Created by James Beard awardwinning chef David Pasternak, it’s
a culinary delight. For brunch the
next day we went to Cookshop in
Chelsea. This comfort food restaurant is a real happening with a fabulous menu. For dessert we
stopped at Billy’s Bakery for
incredible cupcakes.
Unfortunately, one night in
“The Big Apple” is not enough
time. Now we can’t wait to go
back again. Every time we visit we
try and see new and interesting
sights. I hope we’ll be back again
soon. Y
♦
♣
Roll the Dice for
♠ The Jewish Preschool ♦
on Sardis
♠
♥
Silent Auction and
♣
"Casino Night"
♥
January 28, 2010
♦
♣
Lerner Hall, JCC
♠
♦
Tickets
on sale now!
♠
♥
♣
♥
♦
♣
♠
♦
♥♣♦ ♠ ♥♣♦ ♠ ♥♣♦ ♠ ♥♣♦ ♠
Call JPS at 704-364-8395
$25 single, $45 couple
includes "funny money"
Drinks and Desserts
Please go to www.jpsonsardis.org for more information
NEW LOCATION
The Village at SouthPark in Charlotte
2 Doors Down from Crate & Barrel
704-364-6543 www.davidsltd.com
WRJ Book Club - New
Books for the New Year
Women of Reform Judaism/
Sisterhood of Temple Beth El is
pleased to invite all women and
men from the community to a discussion of a new book written by
our very own temple member and
award winning author Tamar
Myers.
Recently Tamar shared with
WRJ her life experiences of growing up in the Belgian Congo- her
tales sounded like a fiction book
that belongs in the adventure section.
Although her previous 30+
books are cozy mysteries, her
newest series draws from her
unbelievable childhood in Africa.
From all those books Tamar and
other WRJ readers recommend the
book The Witch Doctor’s Wife.
Publisher’s Weekly calls it a “dazzling novel full of authentic
African lore, a major brea\through
for Myers.”
The Jewish Wall of Fame
Author Tamar Myers
We are planning to meet three
different times so that all of you
will be able to attend the discussion. Tamar will do her best to join
us. There will be a Sunday afternoon meeting, a weekday morning
discussion, and an evening meeting.
The discussions on Tamar’s
book will take place in the big
Board Room across from the JCC
Front Desk on the following dates:
Sunday, January 24 at 3 PM
Monday, January 25 at 10 AM
Thursday, January 28 at 7 PM
On Sunday, April 25 at 3 PM,
we will discuss the book The
World to Come by Dara Horn
(weekday meeting TBA).
For more information please
call Amalia Warshenbrot 704-3653313 or email AmaliaIma
@ATT.net. Y
Jewish Sports Stars
The latest Jewish Wall of Fame exhibit, located in the Levine JCC outside Gorelick Hall, highlights six outstanding Jewish athletes in six sports. They are Amy Alcott, LPGA golfer and winner
of 29 tour tournaments; Larry Brown, renowned NBA coach currently leading the Charlotte
Bobcats; Sarah Hughes, upset winner of the women’s Figure Skating gold medal at the 2002
Olympics; Sandy Koufax, the dominant baseball pitcher of the 1960s; Mark Spitz, winner of seven
gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics; and Kerry Strug, Olympic gymnast who courageously
helped the U.S. team win its first gold medal in women’s gymnastics by vaulting on a severely
sprained ankle in 1996. The Jewish Wall of Fame committee thanks exhibit sponsors Bennett and
Mildred Lyons and Leonard and Judi Strause, and welcomes your comments and suggestions for
future exhibits. Y
Donations for upcoming diplays may be sent to the Foundation of Shalom
Park, (please note JWF in memo line), 5007 Providence Rd., Suite 102,
Charlotte, NC 28226. Please contact Jenny Stern at 704 578-3999 or
[email protected] with your comments or for more information.
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Backyard Bounty for a Tu B’Shevat Seder
By Edmon J. Rodman
Los Angeles (JTA) — Planning
a birthday party for your trees this
Tu B’Shevat? Celebrating this
year on February 9, what on earth
do you serve? Fruits, nuts and
wine are definitely on the menu.
But if shopping for boxes of
raisins or salted nuts doesn’t do
much for your spirituality, there is
a whole other way to go.
Tu B’Shvat (“tu,” the Hebrew
letters tet-vav, have the numerical
value of 15) is the holiday derived
from the Bible and Mishnah that
marks the Jewish new year for
trees. It is celebrated on the 15th
day of the month of Shevat in
homes, synagogues and centers
with a fruit, nut and berry, and
wine- or juice-filled Seder.
Devised by the kabbalists in
Safed in the 17th century, the
seder is ordered to represent four
different levels of existence that
the mystics perceived to make up
the world. At the Seder these levels are interpreted in a multitude
of ways, and are represented by a
multicolored and textured variety
of fruits, nuts and berries, especially those found in Israel.
Level 1 is Assiyah, making it in
the kabbalistic order of spiritual
worlds the form that needs the
most protection. It is represented
by fruits and nuts with inedible
shells such as pomegranates,
grapefruits, coconuts and bananas.
The second level, Yetzirah —
formation, a spiritual step up — is
represented by fruits with pits, a
symbol of growth found in dates,
avocadoes, cherries and peaches.
Level 3 is Briyah, creation. Its
fruits are soft with no protection or
pit, representing a complete and
perfected form like an idea or
memory. Briyah is represented by
figs, strawberries, kumquats,
raisins, seedless grapes, apples
and carob.
The fourth and highest level,
Atzilut, godliness, has no fruit. It
is its own nourishment and is represented by pure thoughts of loving kindness and beauty.
To fill the list, usually you go to
the market. Usually.
Living in sunny California,
where seemingly everyone has a
fruit tree, and having read too
many articles about shopping
locally or growing your own, I
decided to see if I could assemble
the makings of a Tu B’Shvat seder
by calling and e-mailing friends
and family for backyard fruit.
I wanted not only to gather the
needed consumables, but also to
see if through people’s stories
about their trees I could find some
connection to the mystics’ four
levels and connections as well to
my own roots.
In my own backyard I saw a
tree filled with kumquats, fat,
orange and shiny. Kumquats are
soft and entirely edible; I knew
right at the beginning that I had a
fruit representing Briyah. There
were hundreds of them, and I
could use them as a form of
exchange to trade for what I needed.
My first call was to my good
friend, Michael.
“Why don’t you just go to the
market?” he asked after hearing
about my quest for backyard fruit.
“And what if I don’t like
kumquats?”
Warming to the idea, Michael
revealed that he was the proud
owner of a tangerine tree and that
his mother’s backyard had an
orange tree. He offered the fruit of
both.
Many other trees had family
roots. One friend had a backyard
orchard planted by his father.
Another was the proud owner
of a fragrant orange tree given to
him as a gift at his father’s passing. A neighbor confessed that his
own feelings about trees stemmed
from his father’s love of them.
In my drives around town to
pick up fruit, a strange thing began
to happen: Cruising much-traveled streets, I suddenly became
The Charlotte Jewish
aware of trees, yards, sometimes
entire rows of houses, with yards
filled with before unnoticed fruit.
If Assiyah is a perceptual shell,
it now had vanished.
Adding to the familiar connection, I remembered that my inlaws had planted a grapefruit tree
in their backyard on the occasion
of our son’s pidyon ha’ben. He’s
now in college and the tree is old
enough to bear fruit. What I collected — round, yellow, handsized — was a symbol of growth,
Yetzira.
Another friend, Marty, left what
he said were “a few apples” from
his tree in a bag on his porch. I
looked into the bag then shook it.
Two small, thumb-shaped yellow
and red “apples” rolled to the center.
Yes, they were apples, but not
as I imagined. They were small
and long and weird, like something you might buy at a farmer’s
market. Even in this imperfect
form, with not even a hint of Eden,
the apple was still giving knowledge, altering my idea of it in a
way that supermarket fruit could
not. Perfect Briyah.
In my season of collecting, I
gathered 13 different fruits and
nuts from 15 “Tu” neighbor-farmers, with at least one item representing each kabbalistic level.
Lots of citrus, with a few surprises
like bananas found growing in the
parking lot where my wife,
News - January 2010- Page 23
Brenda, works, carob from a tree
growing on a city parkway, and
lovely green avocadoes from a
neighbor’s tree.
Only two more things were
needed to complete the stores
required for the Seder — wine and
something for a festival meal.
Stuart, a friend who has been
baking for years, supplied the
“meal.” It is customary to have
grain products at the Seder, and to
fulfill the requirement he provided
some very tasty home-baked
onion bialys.
As for wine, my friend Pini has
a sizable grape arbor in his yard. A
few years ago, after a bumper
crop, he decided to try his hand at
winemaking.
“Why plant grapes?” I asked.
“Every man shall sit under his
grapevine or fig tree with no one
to disturb him,” he replied, right
out of the prophet Micah, sharing
his own peaceful vision of Atzilut.
He presented his vintage for
tasting. Kind of a funky amber,
with more than a strong hint of
alcohol, I was at first reluctant to
take a taste.
“It’s homemade,” he said
proudly.
How could I resist? I took a
taste. It was sweet — and very
strong. I’d call it “handcrafted.”
I’ll have to go easy on it at the
Seder.Y
(Edmon J. Rodman is a Los
Angles writer and designer.)
Trash the Trash, Save the Planet
By Dave Chameides
Los Angeles (JTA) — My parents are dining at a Jewish federation event with some folks from
their community. As happens on
occasion when Jewish parents get
together, the subject turns to the
accomplishments of their children
(shocking, right?).
Mr. Cohen offers up that his son
is curing cancer. Mrs. Schwartz
mentions that her daughter is
working with Obama. Then my
mom proudly declares, “My son
didn’t throw anything away last
year, instead keeping all of his
garbage and recycling in his basement. And worms eat all of his
food scraps!”
The table falls quiet as forks
clink on gefilte fish plates and
looks are traded. Someone coughs.
A few moments pass and one
mother leans in to another.
“They always seemed like such
normal people,” she says. “Didn’t
David go to yeshiva?”
And then I wake up.
Yes, I did in fact attend a yeshiva in my formative years. Yes, I
did save all my trash and recycling
in my basement last year, feeding
food scraps and paper to my
10,000 worms. And yes, my mother is quite proud of my accomplishments, as is my dad.
It all began in October 2007 as
I was talking with a friend about
the idea of throwing things
“away.” It occurred to us that we
had no idea where “away” was
and that every time our trash magically disappeared, it didn’t seem
entirely responsible. We assumed
that we were doing the right thing
— environmentally, socially and
ethically — but also understood
what happens when you assume.
You know, you make an a— ...
well, never mind.
I realized that the only way to
really evaluate my waste footprint
was to stop. Stop throwing things
“away” and start looking at what I
was actually leaving behind. I figured recycling, while better than
trashing something, still uses
resources, energy and creates
waste, so I decided to stop recycling as well. Essentially I took a
pledge to keep all of my trash and
recycling for one solid year and
see what happened. And that’s just
what I did.
“And what
happened? My trash
output dwindled to a
mere half pound per
month -- 31.5 pounds in
total. ... And the more
than quarter-million
people who read my
story became aware of
a larger problem ...”
Now before you judge, hear me
out. I’m not insane — not in the
dictionary sense of the word anyway — and actually believe that
despite what many may see as
extreme, what I did made more
sense than just going with the
flow. My traditional upbringing,
Jewish day school education and
parental tutelage taught me to
question things that didn’t make
sense and fix the things that I
could — tikkun olam and all that.
Little did Rabbi Liff know when
he was teaching me Bava Kama
that he was actually preparing my
mind to hoard stuff in my basement.
Our people should be the most
ardent stewards of spaceship
earth. Why? I could give you a
thousand reasons, but need go no
further than the concept of shmitta. Every seven years we are told
to let the land rest and rejuvenate
itself. Hands off, as it were. Is
there a better indication that we
are mere sojourners here and not
owner-operators? As any renter
knows, you mess up your place
and you’re in trouble with the
landlord. Well, it seems to me that
we’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do
right about now and better start
cleaning up pretty darn quick.
Take the United States, for
instance. The average American
disposes of roughly 4.6 pounds of
trash every day — more on
Shabbat if you’re frum. That’s
roughly 480 billion pounds for the
entire country, give or take a billion. It’s insane, and I quickly recognized that I didn’t want to be
part of the problem anymore. But
before you can fix something, you
need to understand it, so down in
the basement everything went.
And what happened? My trash
output dwindled to a mere half
pound per month — 31.5 pounds
in total. I learned to make simple
choices and ended up not changing my lifestyle as much as my
buying habits. My children
learned that hand towels and
paper go to the worms and that
farmers are the people who make
and sell your produce and eggs.
My wife learned that she gets a
new blender when I use hers to
blend food scraps for the worms.
And the more than quarter-million
people who read my story became
aware of a larger problem, many
offering their own solutions as
well as their advice.
So how about helping me turn
the Chosen People back into the
environmental stewards that we
were intended to be. Stop drinking
bottled water, get yourself a
reusable coffee mug, drive
less, think before you buy.
There are a hundred different simple things we can all
do on a daily basis to help
ourselves, help the planet
and, who knows, maybe
even save a little time and
money while we’re at it.
And for those of you
who are having trouble
with kicking your plastic
bag habit, I’d ask you to
consider this perspective:
Circumcising your newborn son is
tough; remembering to bring a
shopping bag to Kosher Mart is
not. Y
(Dave Chameides is an environmental educator, Emmy Award-
winning director/cameraman, and
the director of sustainability at the
Shalhevet School in Los Angeles.
More tips on sustainable living
can be found at http://www.sustainabledave.org.)
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Cautionary Tale
By Judith D. Schwartz
Bennington, VT (JTA) — In
keeping with my son Brendan’s
bar mitzvah project on energy efficiency, I was committed to the idea
of making the event eco-friendly.
With a little research, I found
many ways to do this: a local
venue with sustainably designed
buildings and fueled largely by
solar; compostable plates and cutlery; even kipot made from recycled cardboard. The green choices
added little, if anything, to the cost.
As we headed into Brendan’s
big weekend, I was feeling quite
virtuous about it all, even rather
pleased with myself.
Glimpse ahead to two days after
the party: My husband, Tony, and I
are standing on our driveway,
which is radiating midsummer
heat, up to our elbows in trash
bags. We’re trying to tease out
what of the remains from a weekend’s worth of celebrating goes
into recycling vs. what can be
composted vs. just plain (and now
smelly) garbage.
I can assure you, I wasn’t feeling so smug now.
What happened? Simple: a classic case of “I thought you were
going to label the bins …”
Our hosts at Pompanuck Farm
Institute had done such a great job
of identifying what went where for
other events we had attended that I
assumed they’d do the same for
mine. They likely thought that
since the caterer was running the
show, she would arrange disposal.
The caterer, in turn, thought that
since we wanted the party to be
green, we would green it. (Only
later did friends say, “I knew you
wanted it green, but we didn’t
know where to throw things.”)
So in order to keep ourselves
honest about our minimal-impact
pledge, we had to get up close and
personal with the weekend’s
waste. While we were able to
streamline the amount destined for
the landfill down to three medium
trash bags, I could have done without the extra confrontation with the
swill.
The lesson: Making something
green involves not just good intentions and deft purchasing, but also
the more down-to-earth tasks of
planning, implementing and following through on how to get rid
of the garbage you generate —
inevitably a higher volume than
you’d ever guess.
The service, afternoon kiddush
and Saturday night party went off
beautifully. (I trust in this company
it’s OK to kvell that Brendan did a
fabulous job, chanting well despite
a weeklong head cold, delivering a
speech that revealed a depth of
thought about Judaism that surprised me, and performing his own
songs on his solar-fueled electric
guitar.) Sunday we said goodbye to
folk and in general recovered. And
on Monday, Tony headed over to
Pompanuck and met his nemesis: a
bunch of steaming mounds of
trash.
“Maybe we’ll just leave it and
let it go out with your regular pickup,” he said, wiping his brow, to
Pompanuck ‘s co-director, Scott
Carrino.
Scott shrugged.
“You can,” he said, “but around
here it all goes into an incinerator.”
Oh no! Our refuse — compostable, recyclable and otherwise
— wouldn’t just go quietly to the
landfill and benignly decompose.
It was to combust and become
fumes in the air. How “green” was
that? Tony called me and, resigned
to our fate, agreed: He’d haul it
back.
The Jewish life cycle and yearly
cycle are full of celebrations; that
is something we as Jews cherish.
God willing, minimizing the environmental impact of our celebrations will become second nature,
so that we’ll automatically think to
compost, reuse and recycle before
throwing things away just as many
of us are trying to buy local or
organic, switch to low-energy
lighting, cut back on driving.
But we’re now coming off
decades of institutionalized indifference to what happens to debris:
We throw a party, the trash goes
out and no one’s the wiser. I can
regard our post-bar mitzvah adventure not as a failure but as one
small arc on our collective learning
curve.
I can see that things already are
changing. There is now a Green
bar mitzvah Web site, www.greenbarmitzvahs.com, with ideas like
renting digital cameras rather than
supplying disposable ones. Where
was this resource six months ago
when I needed it? (Full disclosure:
Brendan’s bar mitzvah is noted on
the blog.)
Who knows? Maybe soon one
of the first questions people ask
about an upcoming bar/bat mitzvah — after “Where is the party?”
and “What’s the parshat?” —
will be “Where are you composting?” Y
(Judith D. Schwartz lives — and
composts — in Bennington, VT.)
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