North Carolina Newspapers

Page 6-THE NEWS-June-July, 1984 Shalom Y*all Directory Temples TEMPLE BETH EL (REFORM) 366-1948 1727 Providence Rd. Rabbi Harold Krantzler 552-5063 Allen Gordon, President 366-0527 TEMPLE BETH SHALOM (REFORM) 366-5560 8600 Fairview Rd. Rabbi Robert Seigel 364-0570 Ted Holt, President 554-0203 TEMPLE ISRAEL (CONSERVATIVE) 376-2796 1014 Dilworth Rd. Educational Building 375-1098 Rabbi Richard Rocklin 364-5673 William Ashendorf, President 366-7720 Institutions CHARLOTTE JEWISH FEDERATION *366-5007 Meirvin Bienstock, Exec. Director Stan Greenspon, President 366-5797 FOUNDATION OF THE CHARLOTTE JEWISH COMMUNITY *366-5007 Marvin Bienstock, Exec. Director A1 Levine, President 366-1887 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER 366-0357 Marty Schneer, Director Dr. Harold Josephson, President 552-0209 JEWISH SOCIAL SERVICES **366-5007 THE CHARLOTTE JEWISH NEWS *366-5007 Rita Mond, Editor 366-6632 LUBAVITCH OF NORTH CAROLINA 366-3984 6500 Newhall Rd. Rabbi Yoseph Groner 364-0971 Torah Talks ! 365-1616 N.C. HEBREW ACADEMY 366-6390 1006 Sardis Lane Peggy Gartner, President 366-2100 BLUMENTHAL JEWISH HOME, 7870 Fair Oaks Dr., P.O. Box 38, Clemmons, NC 27012 A1 Mendlovitz, Exec. Director (919) 776-6401 Hugo Rosenberger 366-6616 Organizations B’NAI B’RITH LODGE Alan Hirsch, President 365-1194 CHARLOTTE CHAPTER B’NAI B’RITH WOMEN Reggie Wittlin, Adm. V.P 847-7090 HA LAILAH B’NAI B’RITH WOMEN Sarah Schreibman, President 542-6594 B’NAI B’RITH YOUTH ORGANIZATION (BBYO) Alan Hirsch, Advisor 365-1194 HADASSAH Barbfiu-a Levin, President 366-4534 ORT Marci Mehlman, President 542-2096 CHARLOTTE JEWISH SINGLES (l»-early SC’s only) Sharon Berzon, President 523-1996 * Before June 15 — 372-4688 ** Before June 15 — 375-7738 6664 Carmel Rd. Carm«l Commons 542-5642 Quality Color Photot In By 10 Out By 4 4360 Colwick Rd. bvhtnd HardMs at Cottwold 366-4044 Project Renewal— Project Renewal in Charlotte, commented: “It is wonderful to see the willingness to help and the understanding of the need. Here in Charlotte we are embarked on our own project for renewal of our Jewish life. We can take pride in the way the Board and others have extended themselves to pledge their support for renewing life in Nazareth Illit as well.” In February, Marvin Bienstock, Federation Executive Director, was in Nazareth Illit as part of a budget consultation for Project Renewal. His report provides an insight into the background of the people of the Shalom neighborhood and the work need ed and being done to help them achieve full participation as citizens of Israel. The following is the first of several monthly installments: Introduction On February 19 and 20 I par ticipated in a budget conference designed to determine program financing for the Shalom Neighborhood of Nazareth Illit for the coming year. It was my first intensive involvement with the realities of Project Renewal. I found myself deeply moved by both the intensity of the problems being addressed in this neighborhood and by the level of accomplishment already achieved. In this report I hope to detail both of these areas as well as to in dicate a number of specific recom mendations made by the members of the cluster of SE cities who are twinned with Nazareth Illit (abrev. NI). The Process Of Renewal And NI As Exception To The Rule We have long known that scat tered site housing or low income housing projects built in the U.S. quickly become “neuvo-slums.” To upgrade living conditions without altering the value systems of the occupants is futile. Our bureaucracy cannot seem to obtain the support necessary to focus on prevention as opposed to treatment. In Israel, where the future of the nation is dependent on the op timal functioning of each and every individual, prevention, in the form of Project Renewal, focuses on developing, in both adults and children, an active role in assessing their own needs and in developing programs and pro jects to meet these needs. This concept of resident participation is key to the success of Renewal. There are three groups who comprise the Renewal team for each neighborhood. The first is a committee of residents; the se cond a committee of professional workers in the fields of education and social services and govern ment. The third is the committee from the twinned city or cities in the U.S. It is characteristic of the pro blems found in NI that a viable residents’ committee has not been in existence until now. And, even at this time, the committee is embryonic. Moreover, the process of establishing twinned cities for NI was not accomplished until recently—almost three years after the inception of Renewal in NI. The assessment of the problems and the development of programs to meet them has come exclusive ly from the professionals working in NI. In my considered opinion, the professionals I saw have done an excellent job faced with having to perform alone (i.e. without residents or U.S. participation). In reality, NI is now, at the end of three of the five years, at the point where Renewal can actually tegin. There is recognition of this on the part of the residents with whom I spoke as well as by the profes sionals. Both groups have deep concerns about being able to financially support the programs beyond the two remaining years. The Problems Of NI And The Shalom Neighborhood Of the 6000 residents of the neighborhood, 2000 came in the mid 70’s from the section of Russia known as Georgia. They are characterized as being self enclosed, fiercely proud, prone toward violence, mistrustful of any outside authority and prone to set and operate only by their own values. The process of assimilating these “Gruzini” Jews into the Israeli society is the cen tral problem in NI. The remaining 3000 people in the neighborhood are a mixture ranging from Eastern European to Morrocan to a new group from Ethiopia. This half of the popula tion makes excellent use of the education, recreation and social services offered. While I am cer tain there are those who do not participate, I saw one of the two extremely active programs for the elderly as well as a small com munity center filled with pro grams. The participants included parents learning how to play with their children and senior men who volunteer their time working in pre-schools and kindergartens. The program charts in the office of the director of the JCC show hour by hoiu" packed schedules of activities. So much so, that many of the mission participants who spend an afternoon and evening at the center were envious of the level of programs and wanted similar ones in their own JCCs. But, with only an emerging handful of exceptions, the Gruzini do not participate. Those who do, often do so by requirement as in the case of the adjudicated deUn- quents assigned to a special work program for youth. In separate discussions held with the administrators, the pro fessionals and the newly formed residents’ committee, we asked each to specifically state the most severe problem - the one requiring the most attention. All three groups agreed on the issue of the Gruzini youth, ages 13-18. This group is characterized by almost everyone as male school dropouts who are active drug users, have criminal tendencies and include a small group of female prostitutes. The stated fear is that not even the com pulsory army service will be able to overcome the ingrained anti social patterns developed during these formative years. It may even be the case that many will rejected by the army and become total pariahs. The Patterns Of Gruzini Life With the exception of the few female prostitutes, the problem is entirely male. This is because the parents have developed in Israel or brought with them from Russia a practice of marrying off their daughters at age 12-14. The husbands are ages 19-23. Not on ly is early marriage the norm, but so is the practice of immediately having children. Being a 15-year- old mother of two children is com mon as is becoming a grand mother at age 30. The reason given for the early marriage is to protect the girls from the permissive Israeli socie ty. In point of fact, the marriages can oiUy take place with the con sent of the parents since the right to choose to marry is not permit ted by the government till a minimum age of 17. These mar riages are performed by a Gruzini rabbi. A few words need to be said about the pattern of Ufe among the adult Gruzini. There is relatively little unemployment in NI. If there is unemployment it is because an individual is seeking a job with higher pay and better change of advancement than the factory jobs which are available. Opportunities for better jobs are extremely limited because the Gruzini lack education and are un willing to leave the neighborhood and their extended families. The two major employers eu-e a munitions factory and the Elite candy factory. Both work around the clock with 3 eight-hour shifts. We visited the Elite factory where the work is a combination of ex treme noise euid mindless repeti tion. When not working, the Gruzini socialize among themselves. The older adults can be seen sitting on benches along the street or in front of their homes playing cards. They are often accompanied by knots of youth or adults standing and talking. The rate of pay is low. In the Elite factory it ranges from $140-200 a month. A recent government study listed a mon thly income of $500 as essential for a family of 5. Since adolescents cannot work and since early mar riage leads to early childbearing, a home may contain many more than five mouths to feed with on ly 2-3 employable adults. (Next Issue: Teenage mothers and dropout fathers.) It pays to Advertise in the "CJN" call Blanche Varus 366-9715 I BBYO Wanted Boys and Girls age 14 and olier to join with other Jewish Youth and have a rewarding experi ence in the B'nai B'rith Youth. For information and registration contact: Alan Hirsch 366-1194 TOP PRODUCER For 1983 at Mary Ryder Realty Judie Van Glish Office - 364-3300 Residence - 366-6619 Ci.