Page 2-THE NEWS-May, 1988
Editorial
Focus on Federation
By Rita C. Mond
Part II
How Important is Judaism to You?
Some say that it won’t be too long before Judaism
will cease to exist. Not today, nor tomorrow, but within
the late 21st or early 22nd centuries. The reason; the
assimilation of the Jews and a rapidly increasing rate
of intermarriage. The cause: lack of a Jewish education,
primarily the result of an increased apathy.
Charlotte, though having a relatively small Jewish
community, is blessed with a unique complex, Shalom
Park, which has become a gathering place for most of
the Jewish population as well as people from the general
community. Many of our citizens recognize it as only
the Jewish Community Center, where one can enjoy
beautiful pools, a gynmasium and health club with all
kinds of equipment, tennis and racquet ball courts, arts
and crafts classes, bridge lessons, game room, etc. But
how many people know that Shalom Park is also an
educational facility? In it is housed the Speizman Art
Galleries and Jewish Library, the religious schools of
Temples Israel and Beth El V’Shalom, the Consolidated
Jewish High School and the Temple Israel Preschool.
Most importantly, the Charlotte Jewish Day School
(K-6) is located there.
The Charlotte Jewish Day School, formerly known
as The N.C. Hebrew Academy, was founded in 1971.
It has been one of the finest Judaic and academic
schools of its kind. The only other school like it in North
Carolina is in Greensboro.
The student-teacher ratio is small, enabling the stu
dent to get more individual attention. Each year the
students score academically much Iiigher on their SATs
than the Charlotte/Mecklenburg school system’s
average. The teachers, highly qualified both in Judaica
and core subjects, are carefully screened and are car*
ing and dedicated.
Each child after the 6th grade has no difficulty ac
climating socially or academically to his/her new school.
In most instances, they continue as excellent students
and achievers. Many of the alumni have gone on to some
of the finest universities in the country.
However, the enrollment at the school has been
gradually diminishing. Why we ask is this the case?
When the students were crowded in a delapidated small
house, the school was growing. At one time enrollment
exceeded 50 children and no room was available for
more. When Shalom Park became available, the school
had everything it had hoped for — new and weU-
equipped classrooms, use of the J’s gymnasium, out
door playgrounds, Gorelick Hall where they could put
on performances, etc. One would think that any Jewish-
minded parent would avail themselves of this oppor
tunity to give their children a good Jewish and general
education.
It is true that Hebrew and Judaica can be learned at
the Temples’ religious schools, but only to a degree.
Most of the Hebrew learned there is solely to get them
through their Bar/Bat Mitzvah. And how many of our
children are not even achieving that? By the time they
attend regular school and peirticipate in various ex
tracurricular activities, they do not have the attention
span for more classes and the Sunday school classes
are too short to leam much at all.
I hear parents complain when their children associate
only with non-Jews and eventually marry a non-Jew.
How many of these offspring had a good Jewish educa
tion and had Jewish friends when they were growing
up? As long as we, as parents, do not avail ourselves
of what is available for our children’s education, how
can we say that we did what was necessary to keep
Judaism alive?
Our children should be enrolled in the Charlotte
Jewish Day School. Start them off in kindergarten. Let
them and the school continue to grow from strength
to strength. Without your children, the school will cease
to exist and what a loss that will be to all of us.
I remember a great man with a great dream...the late
Mr. I.D. Blumenthal. It was his hope that the school
would go through 8th grade and its graduates and those
from the Greensboro school might continue at a Jewish
High School. At the time it was envisioned to be built
in Clemmons, NC having a campus near the Blumen
thal Jewish Home. I.D., there are many who shared
your dream. Maybe it is still not too late!
—Rita Mond
This is the second part of a multi-series of articles to better
understand the importance and functions of The Charlotte
Jewish Federation.
One of the primary func
tions of Federation is to raise
funds for its extensive list of
local, national and interna
tional recipients. How the
funds are allocated and to
whom will be discussed in
future articles. Each year the
needs increase; 1988’s Cam
paign passed $1 million. These
funds were secured from mem
bers of our Jewish community
through the tireless efforts of
our Campaign Cabinets. You
will note that it states Cabi
nets — Men’s Cabinet and
Women’s Cabinet. The Wo
men’s Division is comparative
ly new and has had a dynamic
impact in the raising of funds.
Today, National Women’s
Division raises approximately
$112 million.
The Men’s Cabinet is com
prised of chairmen of various
categories: Campaign chair;
Leadership Circle ($10,000
plus); Major Gifts ($3,000-
10,000); Conununity Division
(overall $500-3,000); $1,000-
2,900 division; $500-999 divi
sion; New Gifts; Super Sun-
day.
The Women’s Cabinet is
comprised of a Campaign chair
and the following divisions:
Lion of Judah ($5,000 plus);
Pacesetters ($1,250-4,999);
$365-1,249 division; $125-364
dvision; Super Sunday.
Both cabinets sponsor spe
cial events for the various
categories, which include
prominent speakers, musi
cians and members of the arts.
The men sponsor special din
ners and the women have spe-
cisd luncheons. All of which
not only help to secure the
needed funds but serve as an
educational tool.
Both the Men’s Division
and the Women’s Division
have the same common goal.
They provide an important
source of recognition for com
petence and leadership. They
are comprised of a group of
dedicated volunteers.
Many people have asked
why is it necessary to have
two divisions, since many of
the women are married and
their husbands contribute to
v/TA©
Graduates * Graduates * Graduates
Before we know it
graduation will be here
for our high school
seniors and college
students. As has been
the practice of the CJN
these many years we
“salute” them in our
June/July edition.
Please send in the
following information
(deadline is May 10):
name of student,
parents’ names, school
graduating from and
college to attend. For
college graduates, the
degree conferred and
future plans should
also be included. Please
mail this information,
typed and double
spaced, to “CJN,” P.O.
Box 13369, Charlotte,
NC 28211. If there are
any questions call
366-6632 or 366-5007.
Federation. The answer is two
fold. Although it is important
to keep in mind the amount of
money raised (and we do have
a number of “single” women
who will contribute only to
their own division), we need to
remember that American aid
to Israel is influenced not on
ly by the amount raised by
American Jews, but also by
the number of Jewish givers.
(A family gift counts as one
giver. Individual gifts from
both husband and wife count
as two givers.)
Women’s Division also looks
ahead. There is a new type of
woman getting involved in
volunteer work. She is a wo
man who gains a sense of pride
in her competence and in
dependence. She is a woman
with professional and finemcial
skills, who works full or part-
time, runs a family (sometimes
on her own) and has limited
time to volunteer. It has been
found that many women move
into and out of the labor force,
taking time off to have chil
dren. At that time, they may
do volunteer work on a part-
time basis before they return
to full-time employment in
their respective professions.
Women’s Division has a chal
lenge today to create oppor
tunities for the many talents
of a variety of women, what
ever their age or their respon
sibilities to their families
and/or jobs.
Women’s Division also
sponsors a unique committee,
Shalom Y’all. It is often
described as the Jewish
“welcome wagon” and the
Jewish “new neighbors
league.” In essence it is a
group of volunteers who wel
come the newcomers into our
community. Shalom Y’all
baskets are delivered to all
newly arrived Jewish resi
dents. Among the items in
them are wine, challah, candles
and a Hadassah director^' (our
Jewish telephone book.) Month
ly wine and cheese parties are
held to introduce them to one
another and to the repre
sentatives of the various
Jewish institutions and or
ganizations. Many a strong
friendship has begun at these
get-togethers and in fact,
many of the “newcomers”
eventually get on the Shalom
Y’all committee to welcome in
the constant stream of other
new people.
There are so many things
the Federation can do for you
and so many reasons why you
are asked to contribute to
Federation. These will appear
in next month’s article.
Deadline for
June/July
issue
is May 10th.
There will not
be a July paper.
THE CHARLOTTE JEWISH NEWS
Published monthly by:
Charlotte Jewish Federation Michael L. Minkin, Director
houndation of Chariotte Jewish Community &
J^sh Community Center Barry Hantman. Director
Charlotte Jwsh Day School Berta Straz, Principal
^bavitdi of N.C Rabbi Vossi Gronei, DIrecfor
Rita Mond
Advertising
deadline the 10th of each month
P-O* Box 13369. Chariotte. N.C. 28211