Page 8-THE NEWS-December, 1988
My Summer in Israel
By Michael Scott Lass
Hundreds Attend Kristallnacht Commemoration
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In the Negev, Michael Lass (R) with great new friends (L to R) Mark
Levin and Claude Grubair.
On June 22, 1988 I was ex
tremely fortunate to be able to
attend the Summer Session of
the Alexander Muss/High
School In Israel program. This
eight-week academic experi
ence allowed me to see first
hand a lot of the things that I
have only seen in books and
magazines or have heard
about in school.
Israel: the word can be ex
plained with so many adjec
tives. Before I left for Israel I
had no sense of my Jewish
background and pride. It is a
place where I do not have to
think before I express my
Judaism. Even though the
Constitution grants us the
right to “freedom of religion,”
in Israel I was not afraid of do
ing so. I felt for the first time
in my life that I was not a
minority due to my religion. I
was able to wear a “kipa” or
pray without being stared at.
I always thought that Juda
ism was just a religion, but it
is not just that. It is also a
culture and a nationality.
Israel allowed me to see that
it is also my home and that I
am always welcome. It is a
home for all of the Jewish peo
ple in the world.
The AM/HSI program was
uniquely designed to enhance
the students’ education in
Judaism and Israeli history.
Upon arrival in Israel, we
began our education. We
started with the Biblical
period and ended in the eighth
week with modern day Israel
and its conflicts. Inbetween
were countless hours of fun
and yes, studying. When we
would learn a lesson, we would
go on "tiyulim” (field trips) to
where that particular event in
history took place. We went on
approximately 3-4 tiyulim a
week. At these places we had
class and very intense dis
cussions. It was like no class
that I ever had. For the first
time in my life I was allowed
to freely express my beliefs to
any extent that I wanted to.
The program was very chal
lenging and rewarding. Whether
it was hiking in the Negev,
climbing Masada at three
o’clock in the morning, hiking
in the desert in summer heat
for five hours or crawling on
our stomach in unexcavated
caves, all sixty-five of us found
it very exciting and yes, fun.
We gained a sense of self-
satisfaction and achievement.
If one would ask any of us if
we would do it again, not one
would probably say “no.”
I gained so much knowledge
and maturity from this pro
gram. I am really glad I did
not experience Israel on a tour
from an organization or
through a travel agent,
because I probably would not
have learned anything. I
received credit at my high
school (South Mecklenburg)
and I was able to receive credit
at any college through Miami-
Dade Community College.
I can not express enough
how grateful I am to AM/HSI
for the experience. I made the
most fantastic friends from all
over the United States whom
I will never forget. We grew to
be one family and it was real
ly hard to say goodbye to
sixty-five of the closest friends
who lived together for two
months.
Lastly, I recommend this
program to any high school
Junior or Senior who wishes to
experience Israel in the best
way. I would like to thank the
Charlotte Jewish Federation
for awarding me the “Teen-
Israel Summer Scholarship”
for 1988. Without this scholar
ship I would not have been
able to obtain the most fan
tastic experience of my life.
“Bitiyuk, Toda Raba!”
Calling All Teens
It*s not too early to plan your wonderful
summer in Israel. We can help: Call the
Charlotte Jewish Federation Office,
366-5007, to see how you qualify.
Teen Israel Scholarship Committee
Charlotte Jewish Federation
By Rita Mond
More than 800 people, Jews
and Christians, gathered at
Holocaust Square on the even
ing of Nov. 9, in commemora
tion of the 50th anniversary of
Kristallnacht. Worshippers of
all ages held flickering candles
as they formed a silent proces
sion behind the men carrying
the seven Torahs. They then
filled the sanctuary of Temple
Israel to overflowing.
Rabbi Marc Wilson stated,
“These singular flames repre
sent the spirit of God that can
not be extinguished in the
human soul.” He then intro
duced five eyewitnesses to
Kristallnacht, all of whose
stories were pain-filled mem
ories of that night of Nazi vio
lence. Speaking were Irving
Bienstock (Dortmund, Ger
many), Henry Hirschmann
(Gross-Auheim am Main, Ger
many), Alice Sternberg (Es
sen, Germany) — her story
was read by Rabbi Wilson.
Robert Markmann, originally
from Vienna, Austria, had his
story read by his daughter,
Elaine Markmann Chemotsky,
and Henry Wasserman from
Nuremberg, Germsmy had his
memories read by his grand
daughter, Alana Cooper.
Rabbi Robert Seigel and
Steven Haas led a special
“Kaddish” (mourner’s prayer
of affirmation) which recog
nized the places of the mass
murders of six million Jews:
Maidanek, Mauthausen, Babi
Yar, Bergen-Belsen, Dachau,
Auschwitz, Lodz, Gurs, War
saw, Bogdanovka, Ravens-
bruck, Treblinka, Chelmno,
Vilna, Belzec, Buchenwald,
Sobibor.
Msgr. John McSweeney, Vi
car General, Romzm Catholic
Diocese of Charlotte, gave the
Hundreds gathered at Holocaost Square: silent candlelight vigil. Note
Torah processional on left
Crowd entering Teaple Israel.
Photos/Phil Joffe
prayer of rededication, the
prayer of St. Francis. The Rev.
Thomas Graves, senior minis
ter of St. John’s Baptist
Church, offered the emotional
benediction.
Mayor Sue My rick read the
proclamation dedicating the
week of Nov. 4-10 “to the
memory of those who suffered
and perished in the Holo
caust.”
A highlight of the evening
was the dedication of a Holo
caust Memorial Torah, written
in 1830, and rescued from a
desecrated temple in Breznice,
Czechoslovakia. This Torah
was given to Temple Israel in
honor of Celia Scher, a gift of
her family, students and
friends. Celia has disting
uished herself by decades of
commitment to perpetuating
the message of the Holocaust
by teaching Jews and non-
Jews, young and old, the les
sons of the Holocaust. She
serves as a member of the N.C.
Commission on the Holocaust
and has taught for 29 years
in Temple Israel’s religious
school.
The Kristallnacht Service
was sponsored by The Char
lotte Jewish Federation, The
Jewish Community Center,
Temple Beth El V’Shalom and
Temple Israel. Refreshments
after the service were provided
by both of the temples’ sister
hoods. A special thanks goes
to Fred Bergen for his dedi
cated efforts in procuring the
Holocaust Memorial Torah.
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