5007 Providence Road
Charlotte, NC 28226
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Non-Profit Organization
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Charlotte, NC
Permit No. 1208
The Charlotte
JEWISH
Vol. 18 No. 4
Adar/Nisan 5756
April 1996
Making Jewish
Memories
byElalne Markmann
Chernotsky
Ac
s any parent knows, one
Lday you look up and the
little girl who was once beside you
is becoming a teenager and on the
road to womanhood. Before we
knew it, there was talk of a Bat
Mitzvah - and plans and studies
were begun. But in the rush of ac
tivity, it was important to stop and
recognize this special time in her
life. Interpreting events and mak
ing them meaningful has always
been a priority in our family. We
marked our daughter Rena’s en
trance into the world with a Simchat
Habat - a celebration of a daughter.
Along with concerns for the loss of
self-esteem for pre-adolescent girls,
we wondered what could be done
to acknowledge this year before her
Bat Mitzvah; how could we add to
her Jewish memories?
create an Etz Chayim - a Tree of
Life. ”
We had an enthusiastic re
sponse. Rena was both excited and
curious - as were many of the par
ticipants. On a Sunday evening in
January, more than twenty women
came to our home and gathered in
the living room. As with all our
meetings, we began with lighting
candles. Drawing from Miriam’s
Well, I spoke of Shvat and how its
themes of growth related to women.
Several friends did readings on the
wonders of nature, and then I spoke
of the importance of ritual in our
lives. I then asked the participants
to do two things: to write their wise
thought on an index card and then
cut out a felt leaf. Inspired by my
mother, Ruth, who was so creative
and able to make every day a yontif.
Elaine (I) and Rena before the ceremony
Havurah Tikvah’s Rosh
Chodesh group proved to be the
perfect vehicle. Begun eight
months ago, the women of Havurah
Tikvah meet monthly to celebrate
the new moon. This draws on bib
lical tradition that saw Rosh
Chodesh as a semi-holiday for
women - a time to pause from vari
ous responsibilities and enjoy each
other’s company while studying and
sharing customs based on each new
month. When a volunteer was
sought to program our meeting for
Shvat, it seemed an ideal time to
celebrate both this new month and
Rena’s 12th birthday.
Invitations, printed in green,
were sent with the following in
scription:
“Havurah Tikvah Rosh
Chodesh invites you to welcome the
month of Shvat: a time for renewal
and creation. We will commemorate
Rena Markmann Chernotsky's year
before her Bat Mitzvah. Bring a
wise thought to launch her entrance
into womanhood. Together, we will
I designed a white felt banner with
leftover felt from a Chanukah ban
ner she once made. With help from
Ellen Chelmis, a beautiful brown
felt tree was designed awaiting its
leaves from those who were to
gather.
Everyone jumped into the
materials and the tasks were accom
plished.
Rena sat regally on the rock
ing chair as each woman ap
proached. First there were the
words of wisdom, followed by the
addition of a leaf to the tree banner.
Most presentations were completed
with hugs. It was an extraordinary
tinfie for everyone: Rena was sur
rounded by a roomful of women
giving her positive messages along
with wishes and affection. Our
group had the opportunity to nur
ture her - and I got to observe her
joy, while basking in my own. The
Continued on page 10
Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Women’s $365 Division Welcomes 17
New Contributors
Ol
^n February 13th the $365
Division of the Jewish
Federation’s Women’s Campaign
welcomed 1 7 new contributors to
the Division at a dessert reception
held at the home of Deborah Rivkin.
“Each year we !ry to reach out
to women in the community to in
clude them in the campaign” said
Allison Lerner, $365 Division
Chair. “We are pleased to welcome
so many new members to this cat
egory.”
Donna Lerner, $365 Co-
Chair continued “We were fortunate
to have a strong group of solicitors
working in the division this year.
These women were effective in con
veying the importance of Federated
giving to both new and old mem
bers of the community.”
The following are the new
members of the $365 Division: Lois
Benjamin, Ruth Cohen, Joan
Choper, Ellen Framm, Sandy
Hoagland, Vicki Hopkins, Anita
Kalver, Muriel Kane, Becky
Kaplan, Allie Lerner, Meredith
Levy, Elise Menaker, Florence
Perlin, Nancy Resnick, Beth
Rosenberg, Sandie Rousso, Susan
Ades Young.
The dessert reception fea
tured guest speaker Holly Callen.
Ms. Callen spoke about “Preserv
ing the Jewish Family in the 90’s.”
Tammy Menaker, $365 Event Co-
Chair found Ms. Callen’s remarks
to be informative and from the
heart. “I thought that the 10 Ways
to Enhance your Jewish Identity
was particularly interesting. Since
many of us in the division have
young families it is always helpful
to hear concrete ways to reinforce
positive Jewish identity.” said Ms.
Women*s $365
Menaker
Deborah Rivkin, also $365
Co-Chair, continued about the im
portance of women’s giving and her
decision as a newcomer to Charlotte
to become involved in the Women’s
Division campaign - “Women’s
Division offers women the oppor
tunity to unite to play a role in mak
ing a difference in the community.”
(l-r) Deborah Rivkin, $365 Event Co-Chair; Alison Lerner, $365
Division Chair; Anita Jacobs, Guest Speaker; Tammy
Menaker, $365 Event Co-Chair; Donna Lerner, $365 Division
Chair
Nations
Banl(
Exec To
Head
Financial
Division
Ri
1
ich Osborne, President of
The Jewish Federation of
Greater Charlotte, announced that
Richard Gross, NationsBank execu
tive, has accepted the chairmanship
of the newly formed Financial Di
vision of TTie Jewish Federation.
Gross said, “I am very much inter
ested in the establishment of a pro
fessional society within the param
eters of the financial division which
is comprised of the banking, stock
brokerage, accounting, real estate
and insurance industries. In addition
to adding to the support and
strengthening of Jewish life through
active Involvement with the Jewish
Federation, the society will offer a
unique opportunity for fellowship
and networking among Jewish fi
nancial professionals.” Rich
Osborne added, “The coordinated
flnancial division and its honor so
ciety will fulfill an unmet need for
the community. Financial profes
sionals will be involved not only in
their profession, but with colleagues
who promote the interests of the
Jewish people.”
Richard Gross is President of
NationsBank Capital Markets, Inc.
Mr. Gross joined NationsBank in
1976 as Vice President and Repre
sentative for South Africa and was
named Senior Vice President in
1980. After his unit was merged
with the Corporate Finance Group
to form the Investment Bank and
was charged with investment bank
ing activities, he was named Execu
tive Vice President in 1990. Gross
was educated at the University of
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg,
South Africa and did his graduate
work at Stanford University.
The
American
Jewish
Community
Responds to
the Recent
Acts of
Terrorism in
Israel
Following are responses
from the Conferences of
Presidents of Major American Jew
ish Organizations and a letter to
Prime Minister Peres from the part
nership of the United Israel Appeal,
the United Jewish Appeal, the Joint
DistrilHJtion Committee, the Coun
cil of Jewish Federations and the
Federation System.
Continued on page i
Make Your 1996 Campaign Pledge Now!
Call 366-5007