5007 Providence Road
Charlotte. NC 28226
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Permit No. 1208
The Charlotte
JEWISH
Vol. 19 No. 2
Federation Set to Begin
Demograpliic Study
The Jewish Federation of
Greater Charlotte, in its con
tinuing effort to better serve
its constituency, is about to
embark on a major communi
ty demographic study. For
the first time ever, the
Federation will conduct a
survey of the Jewish commu
nity with a view toward
determining the size of the
population, the services it
needs and the levels of its
participation in, and aware
ness o^ Jewish life and insti
tutions. The study has the full
cooperation of all syna
gogues and Jewish agencies
in Charlotte.
Sara Schreibman, Chair of
the Federation Demographic
Study Committee, said the sur
vey will provide the Federation
with a clear profile of the geo
graphic, demographic, religious,
and philanthrq)ic characteristics
of the growing Charlotte Jewish
community.
The study will be conducted
by the University of Miami’s Dr.
Ira Sheskin, a nationally-recog
nized Jewish demographic
expert. Sheskin has conducted
Dr. Ira Sheskin
fourteen studies of Jewish com
munities. Sheskin has designed
a questionnaire based on input
firofn the committee and will
oversee the selection and train
ing of the interviewers. The
demographic survey will entail
400 telephone interviews con
ducted on a random digit-dial
basis in the greater Charlotte
area. Interviews will be con
ducted over a 2-3 week period
beginning on March 6, 1997.
The interviews will be done
anonymously, Sheskin said,
but he added that in order for
the survey to provide valid,
unbiased results, it is neces
sary for a high percentage of
the Jewish households
reached to answer the ques
tionnaire.
“That is why is so important
that the community be aware
of what we’re doing,”
Schreibman said. “If people
are aware of the study, they’ll
be more likely to partici
pate.”
In order to heighten aware
ness and to maximize partici
pation, Federation will mail
out more than 2,500 post
cards to everyone on its mail
ing list, and posters and flyers
will be placed in synagogues
and institutions around the com
munity.
‘This study will set the direc
tion and the tone for the
Federation as we move toward
the year 2000,” said Marvin
Goldberg, Federation Executive
Director. “It will enable us to get
a urue handle on the numbers
and needs of our growing
Jewish population.” O
Gerda Weissman Klein to Speak at
February 11 Campaign Event
Oscar award winner
Gerda Weissman Klein will
be in Charlotte on February
11 to share her story as a
Holocaust survivor and talk
about her writing on the sub
ject. Ms. Klein’s autobiogra
phy All But My Life has been
in print for 39 years and has
attained the status of a clas
sic. The book depicts the
years that she spent in cap
tivity in the concentration
camps and her liberation
from a death march by her
future husband.
Her story was made into
the HBO documentary “One
Survivor Remembers” and
has won an Emmy Award
and an Oscar from the
Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences.
Ms. Klein will speak on the
11th at 7:45 at Temple Beth El.
Women making a minimum con
tribution of $600 to the 1997
annual campaign are invited to
attend with a guest. Alison Lemer
and Donna Lemer have joined
forces again this year as chairs
for Women’s $600 division and
are working hard to insure a great
turn out for the evening. Tammy
Menaker is chairing the event.
“We are thrilled to have a
Shevat'Adar 15757
February 1997
speaker of such stature
come to Charlotte and we
hope to have terrific atten
dance for the lecture,” said
Ms. Lemer. “Our campaign
team is hard at work getting
the word out to encourage
men and women to take
advantage of this opportuni
ty to hear such a phenome
nal speaker.”
Ms. Klein will attend a pre
lecture dinner buffet at the
home of Shannon Crystal
which will be hosted by the
campaign’s Lions of Judah
for women contributing
$1800 to the campaign. “It
should be a wonderful
evening and I am looking
forward to meeting Ms.
Klein and her husband,"
said Ms. Crystal, who is working
with Lori Gordan and Mara
Huber on the event.
If you are interested in attend
ing please contact Cary Bernstein
in the Federation office at 366-
5007, ext.209. O
Blumenthals Will
Be Honored
On March 5, 1997, two of the Charlotte Jewish community’s most
prominent philanthropists, Herman and Anita Blumenthal, will be hon
ored at a gala celebration at the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing
Arts Center.
The evening, sponsored by the Board of Directors of Temple Beth El,
will mark the beginning of the fund raising efforts for the Temple Beth
El Permanent Endowment Fund Trust, which was initiated last year by
the Blumenthal's $1 million gift.
The black-tie evening will feature keynote speakers Governor James
Hunt and Rolfe Neill, editor of The Charlotte Observer. Other high
lights will include cocktails, dinner, and performances by the resident
companies of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.
There will be a special presentation of the Blumenthal Award, which
honors Herman and Anita Blumenthal and their generous $1 million
gift which was the first major contribution to the Temple Endowment
Fund. Herman and Anita Blumenthal were the inspiration for this award
and this special evening is an opportunity to celebrate their philan
thropy.
In addition to honoring the Blumenthals for their lifetime of giving,
the Board of Directors will also announce and recognize other major
gifts that have already been pledged to the Endowment Fund, and will
launch the next phase of the endowment drive which will continue as a
permanent pan of the Temple’s financial program.
For information regarding tickets to this gala event, please contact
Arthur Kramer at Temple Beth El, 366-1948. O
See Harman on page 3.
Super Sunday to be
Chaired by Debra and
David Van Glish
What Federation committee chairmanship requires that you oversee a day
of phone calling that reaches out to over 500 Federation donors? Super
Sunday, of course, and the Federation is fortunate to have David and Debra
Van Glish as chairs for the event.
“We are excited about working on this [voject,” said David. “It gives Debra
and me the opportunity to be involved by helping to raise a signficant amount
of money for the Federation while reaching out to several hundred donors
during the course of the day.”
The annual telethon is scheduled for Sunday, February 23 in Gorelick Hall.
Debra and David have been hard at work with their committee to plan what
should be an exciting schedule of events for the day with special guests, great
food and terrific door prizes.
‘This year we hope to spice the day up for both the solicitors and for any
one wanting to visit during the day. We are arranging visits from local celebri
ties and some exciting entertainment,” added Debra.
She continued, “We reach out to several hundred people during the course
of the day. It is a great opportunity to listen to our contributors and hear about
their concerns in addition to raising money for this important cause, but we
also want the day to be fun. We want to add some extras this year that will
help to build enthusiasm for the effort.”
Anyone interested in volunteering for the day (as solicitors or administra
tive support) should contact the Van Glishes or Cary Bernstein at the
Federation office. ^
Greenberg Will Speak
By Phil Benumke
Charleston Police Chief Reuben
Greenberg will speak at Temple
Israel on Thursday, March 6 at 8
PM. He has appeared on 60
Minutes, Larry King Live and the
Phil Donahue show. Greenberg
will discuss how Judaism has
influenced his career as Chief of
Police and new ways to deal with
crime and criminals.
Chief Greenberg has three
degrees from California universi
ties, including two graduate
degrees. He has taught at three
universities, including UNC-
Chapel Hill. He is a graduate of
the FBI National Academy and
belongs to numerous associations, including the National Assoaation of
Black Law Enforcement Executives.
Chief Greenberg has wnnen entensively for newspapers and is the
author of Let’s Take Back Our Streets Mark your calendm! Don’t miss
this event! O