The Charlotte Jewish News - October, 1995 - Page 2 Federation Connection perspectives by Harvey Cohen Writers and Their Thouglits Plus a Guideline for You Editors note: My column this month is in two parts and, as the headline tells you, is about writers and writing. Part Two contains a message for all writers who con tribute to the CJN, whether for their organization or as an individual. Part One Given the choice, if you'd rather have a root canal done than write for publication, don't worry, there's nothing wrong with you. You've got lots of company. And with that thought in mind, I felt you might find some comfort in the words of other writers about writ ing. Writing is easy; all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of pa per until the drops of blood form on your forehead. - Gene Fowler I write to find out what I'm talking about. - Albert Albee It took me fifteen years to dis cover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn 7 give it up because by that time I was too famous. - Rob ert Benchley Remember, we writers have a rare power not given to anyone else; we can bore people long af ter we are dead. - Sinclair Lewis The first two quotations are more meaningful to me than the last two. I doubt that I will ever become famous for my writing. That being the case, my writings will not live beyond my own self. 1 do, however, sometimes put things down on pa per to be sure that what I'm trying to convey is clear. Now, as to the drops of blood, I haven't been quite there yet, but I have felt the pressure of trying to write something for this newspaper, or a script, for example, with the deadline upon me and the project far from completion. My stress level goes up along with my blood pres sure. For me, deadlines are a way of life and I learned how to live with them and conform to them years ago. Part Two deals with an impor tant topic - a CJN deadline. I know, it's like another root canal for you. Read it anyhow. THE CHARLOTTE JEWISH NEWS 5007 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28226 366-5007 Fax 365-4507 Published by: Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte Adrienne Rosenberg - Acting Director Jewish Community Center Alan Feldman, Director Editor Harvey Cohen Advertising Coordinator Rita Mond Advertising Rep : Larry Levy CJN Executive Board Co-Chairs - Bob Abel, Bob Davis, Rosalind Taranto Evelyn Berger, Leora Itzhaki, Ann Langman, Linda Levy, Dr. Selwyn Spangenthai PubUslMd monthly «xc«pt for July Copy dMdlin* th« 10th of Mch month preceding month of issue The C//V does mot ■—k reiwibaity for tW ^saJitv or kaakratli of aay prodact or acrvicc advcrtiMd. No articlco or advcrtiocMcata ■My Im rcpriatcd «vttbo«t editor’a aathotizatMMi. Pabliahiag of a paid |»olit>cal advcrtiacsMal do«* oot coaatitatc aa aadoraeaigat of aay raadidate, political party or political poaitioa by thaa oewapaper, tW Fcdaratioa or aay caiployeco. Part Two OK, all you writers who send material to the CJN for publication. Part Two is for you. You may have the job of resi dent writer for your organization, a job you really don't want, but being the good soul that you are, you do it anyhow. Or, you may just be sending a wedding announcement to the paper and don't write any thing on a regular basis. In either circumstance, you worry about spelling, about grammar and punc tuation. The last thing you may worry about is whether or not your material gets to the CJN office in time for publication. I realize that because you're busy or you've been out of town or ill, or something else, CJN may not be on the top of your mind. That, however, can't change the newspaper's deadline. Most people and organizations know and respect our deadline of the 10th of the month preceding publication and for that I thank you. One thing I've not done clearly in the past is spell out the deadline policy when the 10th of the month falls on a Saturday or Sunday. So, here is the policy to cover that situ ation. Regardless of which week end day the 10th falls on, your deadline is the Friday before at 5:00 p.m. If I receive material on the following Monday, it probably won't appear in the next issue. Enforcing these deadlines is important if the newspaper is to be produced and delivered on a timely basis. But there's another factor most people don't think about. As you might imagine, a great deal of planning goes into the preparation and production of this newspaper. Any delay in executing the plan forces an army of people you never see to be delayed. The company that prints the newspaper is on a timetable, therefore we're on a timetable based on their produc tion schedule. I'm writing about deadlines in this column sitnply because it's the best way to reach everyone at one time who contributes to the news paper I don't like deadlines any more than you, but they are a fact of life that can't be ignored. the Editor Dear Editor, We are writing to express our dismay at your choice of editorial cartoons for the September, 1995 issue of the Charlotte Jewish News, Mr. Jim Hunt’s choice of meta phors to express the concern of the Jewish community regarding the impact of interfaith marriage upon American Jewish lifeand faith is misguided at best. His depiction of a broken hourglass with the “sand of interfaith marriage running out, thus depleting the Jewish faith, re flects an unfortunate attitude. In fact, there are many interfaith fami lies who have chosen to include themselves within the Jewish com munity and to affirm the Jewish faith in their families. Temple Beth El, the Reform Jewish congregation in Charlotte, strongly takes issue with the posi tion of this cartoon. The interfaith families within our Jewish commu nity represent a rich and valuable resource to all of us. We can offer numerous examples of such fami lies who have contributed of their time, money and commitment to the Jewish faith and the Jewish com munity. If we devote our energy to welcoming all who wish to be a part of our Jewish community and who choose to include themselves in our midst, we may discover a rich re source as yet largely untapped. We invite the larger Jewish community to join with the Reform community in doing so, thus strengthening our entire community. As a partner in Shalom Park, Temple Beth El expects the Char lotte Jewish News to be represen tative of all elements of the Charlotte Jewish Community. Sincerely, James M. Bennett, Rabbi Temple Beth El Mitch Rifkin, President Temple Beth El At its August meeting, the Board of the Federation elected the following community leaders to two year terms on the Allocations Committee; Harriet Aliweiss, Anita Blumenthal, Bill Gorelick, Bob Haber, Nancy Kipnis, Marcia Simon and Mike Van Glish. Bobbi Bernstein was elected to fill the remaining year of a vacant two year term. They join Shel Goldstein, Stacy Gorelick, Rich Osborne Federation President Mark Lerner, Phyllis Schiffman, Eric Sklut and Milt Tager who are serving the second year of their two year terms. The Board is very pleased to have such a terrific group of community- minded leaders helping to decide how to allocate the funds raised in the 1995Annual Campaign. The Committee is chaired by Sara Schreibman and I serve as ex-officio Meanwhile, the 1996 Annual Campaign is moving toward launch with Federation/UJA Shabbat on December 8-9. Brn Gorelick and Jill Newman have recruited a great campaign cabinet, including Phyllis Schiffman, President, Women’s Division; Bob Speizman, chair of Major Gifts Division; Todd Gorelick and David Swimmer, Co chairs of Chazak Division ($3,600- $9,999); Alan and Ruth Goldberg, Nancy Kipnis and Jack Levinson, Co-chaii^ of Pacesetter Division; Jon Goldberg, Craig Katzman, Alison Lerner and Donna Lerner, Co-chairs of the $365-$l,249 Division; Andy Dinkin, Cindy Fox, Mark Lemer and Alison Levinson, Co-chairs of Telepledge; and Dan and Stacy Levinson, Co-chairs of Super Sun day. Should these or other cam paign workers call upon you to help with the 19% Annual Campaign, please try to respond. People give for perceived needs, but they give to other people. We need your help if we are to raise the moneys nec essary to fund the programs and services that our Jewish community should and mu§Hiave. Finally, a word about staffing: Federation staff is working hard to assure that staffing changes do not affect Federation programs. While we continue to search for a new full-time Executive Director, Adrienne Rosenberg, Director of JFS, has assumed the responsibil ity of Acting Executive Director Lou Wemick and Vicki Hopkins have joined the staff as part-time support for campaign and Federa tion services, respectively. We will miss Audrey Krakovitz and wish her well in her future endeavors and are very grateful to Adrienne and staff for their continued hard work under tough conditions. CJN November Deadline is October 10 CflNiPIWT|ON& om