5007 Providence Road
Charfotte. NC 28226
Address Correction Requested
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Charlotte, NC
Permit No. 1208
The Charlotte
JE^VISH
Vol. 18 No.2
Shevet/Adar 5756 February 1996
Been There, Done That!
Editor's Note: Last month's Perspectives column related the story
of a Wilmington, Delaware family who opted for practical, useful Bimah
decorations for their son's Bar Mitzvah instead of flowers. The story
brought the following response from the Frank family of Charlotte:
My wife and I read with in
terest your January 19% Perspec
tives Editorial. You lauded the de
cision of a Wilmington, Delaware
family who wisely chose designer
food baskets instead of flowers as
Bimah decorations for their son’s
Bar Mitzvah ceremony. The well
made point of your editorial is Char
lotte youth should be inspired to
emulate this effort.
Let me share with you what
one Charlotte youth did this past
parents to his standards and re
quested “payment” for the savings
they realized.
The food, toiletries and other
items were then taken by the now
young man and his family to the
Women’s and Children’s Shelter in
Charlotte. The balloon decorations
were taken to a local senior citizens
home to brighten the residents’
days.
After his Bar Mitzvah cer
emony the young man continued to
Joel Frank pictured with his Bar Mitzvah Bimah
decorations at the Women's and Children's Center
spring and summer as part of his Bar
Mitzvah preparation: This boy cut
grass and performed odd jobs in his
neighborhood. He requested pay
ment in non-perishable foodstuffs,
toiletries, disposable diapers, etc.
He made his clients aware of his
“mission” and they were generous.
Some of the results of the boy’s ef
forts were put into baskets, deco
rated modestly and put on the
Bimah when he became a Bar
Mitzvah. Other smaller items and
toiletries were cleverly incorporated
into centerpieces fw the celebratory
events. The boy, of course, held his
do odd jobs, etc. but asked tiow to
be paid in cash for spending money.
He regularly and faithfully put a bit
of his earnings into a “pushke” and
recently donated the contents to
Jewish Family Services.
Our purpose for writing to
you is to tell you it is not necessary
to look hundreds of miles north to
learn about young people with char
acter, commitment and responsibil
ity. We know because we live
around the comer and we are tell
ing you about our son, Joel.
Mel and Caren Frank
A Skilled Peres Faces
Challenges and
Opportunities
By Dr. Kenneth W. Stein
When Yitzhak Rabin was as
sassinated two nfK>nths ago, Israel
was in the midst of normalizing its
internal and external condition as a
state. Shimon Peres assumes rule
over a bustling economy, a diver
gent people running at a frenetic
pace, and in the midst of making
peace with Arab neighbors. Israel
is tnveling into uncharted waters
without outsiders determining
whether and what Israel should be.
It is novel in Jewish history for Jews
to select choices without someone
else saying you can not.
Enormous challenge and un
limited (^portunity face Peres. He
must develop a renewed trust from
an Israeli public that already re-
sp^ts his distinguished record of
public service, blit has doubts about
Peres whether he can be tough
enough in negotiating acceptable
agreements with Syria and the PLO.
He needs to finalize those relations
See Peres, Page 3
Lion’s Luncheon Kicks Off 1996
Women’s Division Campaign
New Lion of Judah and ‘‘Lion Cubs” Inducted
The Lions Luncheon for the
Jewish Federation of Greater
Charlotte’s annual Women’s Cam
paign was held on January 4 at the
home of Harry and Gloria Lemer.
The Lions Division is chaired by
Bobbi Bernstein and co-chaired by
Lee Blumenthal.
“I am so pleased that the lun
cheon was held in the Lemer home
“This passage, written more
than 2000 years ago, seems as
timely to our recipient as if it were
written for her today. I know of few
women who can accurately be de
scribed as a woman of valor but
Mattye denK>nstrates all these out
standing qualities: courage, com
passion, generosity and commit-
iTient to the highest ideals of Juda
ism. This woman of valor, Mattye,
$5000 to the campaign) included a
special group of contributors with
minimum gifts of $1800.
‘Today is unique in the his
tory of Charlotte’s Women’s Divi
sion. We have started for the first
time, our “Lion Cub” Division. 1 am
pleased to report that we have 8 new
gifts of $ 1800 as of today and there
are 9 other women in the conmiu-
l-r) L^ee Blumenthal, Lion's Division Co-Chair, Betty Kane, National Chairman UJA-
Women's Division and Bobbi Bernstein, Lion's Division Chair
because Gloria and Hairy have both
played such vital leadership roles in
our community,” said Bobbi
Bernstein. During the luncheon she
also announced that the event was
being underwritten by Mr. and Mrs.
Lemer.
In other exciting news,
Mattye Silverman was welcomed as
a new Lion of Judah woman and
presented with a Lion of Judah pin.
Bobbi Bernstein welcomed Mattye
to the Lion of Judah family reciting
the following quote fiom the Book
of Proverbs, "A woman of valor,
who can find? For her price is far
above rubies. The heart of her hus
band doth safely trust in her cmd he
hath no lack of gain ”.
m
11) Jill Newman, Co-Chair *96 Campaign and Betty Kane
MattySltverman-NewUon
ofJudah
is praised because she 'feareth the
Lord.'
“She is prized because of her
service to others, m(»t particularly
to her husband, and she is seen as
an important and effective member
of her community, both needed and
af^?recijtfed.”
“This year the luncheon
(which is usually held for women
contributing a minimum gift of
nity who are already giving a mini
mum gift of $1800.”
Each woman at the lunchecm
in this division was preaented with
a special Lion Cub pin designed
here in Charlotte.
“We look forward to includ
ing other women in thit diviskm
during futine campaigBs.** said Jill
Newman, Campaign Co-chav and
new Lioa Cub member.