^•fl»2-THE NEWS-Novmbef,1982
THE CHARLOTTE JEWISH NEWS
Published monthly by:
Jewish Commimity Center
Harold Coben, Director
Charlotte Jewish Federation
Foundation of Charlotte Jewish Community
Marvin Bienatock, Director
Charlotte Hebrew Academy
Eleanor Weinglaaa, Director
Editora Ann Langmmn & Rita Mond
Staff Monroe KataA Liaaa Milbnan
Copy deadline the 5th of each aaoath
P.O. Box220188, Charlotte, NC^S8222
Tbe app0VMnc0 of adv0rti$iag in Tkti/fewa dom mot comtitute a ksthrutb en-
doraemeat.
Spotlighting Federation
Editorial
Opening and Closing Doors
There were many reactions to last month’s editorial
concerning local newspaper coverage of the Middle
East. Some were concerned it would anger the Observer
and close doors which needed to remain open. A great
deal of time has been spent talking with Mr. Oppel this
month. The subjects have covered the range of Jewish
ideas and feelings from the religious to the political.
The key lesson to be learned is the right and the
obligation to speak out. There is no guarantee asked or
given that our editorial, his response and all the discus
sions will change either of our points of view. But there
is a clear recognition of our right to disagree publicly
and still maintain mutual respect.
When it comes to speaking out, both the Observer
and News have provided a forum for members of the
Jewish community. The letters have been frequent and
excellent. Some of the signatures are familiar, expected
and recurrent. Others are totally unexpected and ex
tremely welcome as well as erudite. In a lecture during
his scholar-in-residence in Charlotte this past month.
Dr. Louis Schmier described the history of two waves
of Jewish immigration to the small town of Valdosta,
Ga. The first wave quickly shed their Jewish “trapp
ings” and were accepted, at least marginally, into the
society of the town. The second wave clung proudly to
their “Jewishness” and were not only accepted but
respected.
To Richard Oppel’s list of Jewish names should be
added the names of those who write letters to the
editor. There is always room for one more name - how
about yours?
By Richard A. Klein
The time is approaching
when you’ll be asked again
to give to your Federation.
Some will be personally
solicited. Many will be asked
by phone on Super Sunday.
Perhaps even more will not
be asked at all.
Sheer numbers are against
us. We’re largely a volunteer
organization that is. at pre
sent, unable to reach out to
all we should be seeing. Our
volunteer campaign numbers
are expanding, but not fast
enough to make complete
contact.
Looking at it optomistical-
ly, we’re in a transition stage
from a relatively modest
campaign in a small
(Jewishly) city, to a more
ambitious campaign in a
growing city.
Here are some of the pro
blems we’ll encounter during
this transition that require
your cooperation, assistance
and understanding:
1. Remember that your
solicitor is a volunteer. He or
she is taking time away from
home or office to call or see
you about a cause that is ex
tremely important to our
community and Israel.
2. We can’t reach
everyone. We’re trying, but
it’s not possible now to per
sonally visit everyone. If
we’ve overlooked you on a
personal solicitation, please
SPOTRpMOVeR,
THE
Beiri/T
I
Across The Editors^ Desks
FYI
JCC Luau Revisited
I am writing this to share a
few thoughts and observa
tions about the recent JCC
Luau. Without a question, a
lot of planning and effort
went into this event, and the
results generally reflected
this. Overall, most of those
attending seemed to have
had a very enjoyable evening
in especially attractive sur
roundings. Unfortunately,
there was one very serious
flaw: there was not quite
enough food for the people
who attended and several
couples did not have com
plete table settings.
Obviously, we cannot cor
rect this unfortunate aspect
of the Luau. But if we
analyze why it happened, we
can assure ourselves against
the same errors being
repeated at future events.
Many of the needed and
appreciated supporters of
JCC functions do not honor
the deadlines for various
registrations. The JCC ex
pects this inappropriate
behavior, allows it. and,
therefore, reinforces it. The
JCC wants the members to
support its functions and
does not want to offend
anyone by turning them
away. This attitude has
created an unfortunate no-
win situation. Attendance
can not predicted. Quantities
of food to be ordered and
amounts of supplies to be
purchased become merely
guesswork. As a result, sup
porters do not always receive
what they are promised and
the JCC loses credibility. In
the case of the Luau, an addi
tional 20 percent attended
the function than were ex
pected by reservations. Peo
ple who had made reserva
tions weeks in advance were
penalized to accommodate
those who merely showed up
at the affair.
Rather clearly, then, the
solution to this problem re
quires two steps: the com
munity must be more timely
in responding to requests for
reservations and the JCC
must firmly commit itself to
maintaining it predetermin
ed deadlines for reservations
to its events.
It is time for the JCC to
reevaluate its stand and con
sider showing a commitment
to its own registration
deadlines. If the JCC takes a
firm stand, the community
will learn to respect it. Only
then will the JCC be in a
position to provide ade
quately for its functions. In
the end, we can all be win
ners.
—Margie Rolnick
HIAS, the Hebrew Im
migrant Aid Society, is seek
ing to locate Jews who lived
in or around the towns of
Rudensk, Kaidanov
(Koidanove), and Dukara,
Byelorussia (all in the vicini
ty of Minsk), during the
period 1941-1944. Such per
sons are sought as possible
witnesses in an ongoing
Department of Justice war
crimes prosecution.
Please call or write Joseph
Edelman at HIAS about this
matter. The address is 200
Park Avenue South, New
York, N.Y. 10003; the
telephone is (212) 674-6800.
The Editors
welcome comments
and letters express
ing all points of view
and reserve the right
to edit.
All letters should
be typed, double
spaced and signed
by the writer.
Please include ad*
dress and phone
number.
The Jewish
Calendar
CANDLELIGHTISG
Nov. 5-5:26 p.m.
Nov. 12 - 5:20 p.m.
Nov. 19 - 5:16 p.m.
Nov. 26 • 5:13 p.m.
call us at 366-0358 and a per
sonal solicitation will be ar
ranged.
3. We don’t know
ever3Tthing we should about
you. If we’ve misspelled
your name, tell us. If we’re
asking too little or too much
from you, tell us (we don’t
know what’s in your wallet).
If you have a particular in
terest in one Jewish service
or charity over another, we’d
like to know.
4. Maybe you’ve worked at
another Federation. There’s
a lot of talent in our com
munity going to waste, and
we recognize that sad fact.
Step forward! Let us know if
you’ve had UJA, Federation
or' campaign experience in
other places.
5. Maybe you want to
learn. Fantastic! You are not
too young, too old, too this or
that. We can use your help in
the general campaign and on
Super Sunday. You will not
go out on a solicitation alone
or without training.
6. We don’t have all the
answers — right away. But
we’ll get them for you. If you
question our allocations,
source of information on
data that’s supplied, that’s
fine. Give us the opportunity
to have your questions
answered. We will get back
to you.
7. Maybe you’re upset. We
don’t admit to being perfect.
But you’ve got to tell us
where we went wrong so we
can correct the problem.
Lots of people stew because
someone solicited them
“wrong. ’ ’ It happens, but the
Federation is bigger and
more important than one
“wrong” solicitation. The
cause and the issues are
“right.” Give us an op
portunity to hear what
bothers you and let’s discuss
how to do it correctly next
time.
Bear with us when we ask
you to consider a commit
ment of dollars. We may set
a number that we hope is in
the ballpark. More often
than not. we ask too little in
order to get a positive
response. Help us set the
right number toward a max
imum gift.
Understand why this year
is more important than last
year. Sure you hear that said
every year, but it remains
true. The needs of Israel, the
Blumenthal Home, our JCC,
Hebrew Academy, Hillel and
all the other services and
charities we support increas
ed dramatically. Together we
find the means to keep them
all afloat, and it is our
privilege to do that each
year, and in larger amounts.
Finally, please accept this
and future “thanks” from
your Federation as genuine.
Your continued support and
assistance is now and will
always be appreciated. Your
pledge is a vote of support
for the Jewish community
and Israel and reminds us
that We Are One.