5CX)7 Providence Road
Charlotte, NC 28226
Change Service Requested
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Charlotte, NC
Permit No. 1208
The Charlotte
JEWISH
Vol. 22 No. 2
Shevat-Adar I 5760
February 2000
“Step into the Limelight” at Jewish
Federation Gala on February 12
The Jewish Federa
tion's second annual
community fundraiser
will be held on
Saturday, February
12th at the Marriott
City Center. “Step into
the Limelight” will be a
fun filled evening in a
nightclub setting with
comedy by Rita
Rudner, followed by
dancing with the band “Liquid
Pleasure.” The evening will begin
with a cocktail reception, followed
by a four-course dinner, open bar,
and lavish dessert reception.
Sara Schreibman, who chairs the
Gala Steering Committee, sees the
evening as an opportunity for the
community to gather to celebrate
the work of the Federation’s con
stituent agencies and as a way to
further spread the word about the
community campaign. “I am
thrilled to be working with a terrif
ic committee who are all hard at
woik to make this event a reality.
Meg Goldstein
Rita Rudner
Our goal is make this
evening a community
celebration. We want
everyone to have a
great time and feel
good about contribut
ing to the 2000 Annual
Campaign.”
Meg Goldstein, 2000
Annual Campaign
Chair will present the
“case for giving” again
this year. “I am looking forward to
the opportunity to further educate
the members of our community on
the impact our campaign dollars
have on Jews in need here in
Charlotte and around the world,”
said Ms. Goldstein. After Ms.
Goldstein’s remarks, guests will be
asked to sign a pledge card indicat
ing their commitment to the 2000
Annual Campaign.
This year the program will focus
on the stories of just these individ
uals. Each of Federation's recipient
agencies has been asked to share a
story of a person or family in their
organization who has been directly
affected by the Federation’s Annual
Campaign.
An example of one such story
centers around “EstelTe.” Estelle is
an older adult who, like so many in
her age group, moved firom her
own home to her own apartment to
an assisted living complex to her
daughter’s home to a secular nurs
ing home selected by her HMO.
After six months in the secular
home Estelle changed dramatically.
She had become withdrawn and
was barely eating. It was clear that
the nursing home experience was
Vocolot: An A Cappella Ensemble
Performing Original Music with Universal
Heart, Jewish Soul and Social Conscience
Vocolot: from the English word
“vocal” and the Hebrew word
“kolot” meaning voices.
Kolot Ha Na’shim: Voices
of Women is proud to present
Vocolot in concert at The Great
Aunt Stella Center.
Imagine Simon and
Garfunkel, Sweet
Honey and the Rock,
Manhattan Transfer,
and Peter, Paul and
Mary, blended togeth
er into a women’s a
capella ensemble, and
you’re imagining
Vocolot. Better yet, go
hear them for yourself
at The Great Aunt
Stella Center, March
ImHetkis issue...
Ghfc Peace a Chaece...^.....^.-
By Dr.
ARcciMMtni
Hmvmrat TJkvak
5, 2000 at 7:00 PM. Vocolot digs
deeply into the art of song in a
fusion of folk, jazz, classical and
cantorial vocal traditions.
Layering lush harmonies and
global rhythms, Vocolot creates
original music and poetry along
with fresh interpretaions of
ancient and contemporary texts.
Vocolot has released three critical
ly acclaimed recordings. Vocolot
is the 1998 winner of the Best
FoIkAVorld Music
Award for their album
Behold.
This event is co
sponsored with The
Great Aunt Stella
Center.
Tickets will be
available February J,
2000, through The
Great Aunt Stella
Center box office for
$10.00. O
Still Talking
Unique Lives and Experiences Brings
Joan Rivers to Chariotte Stage
Sara Schreibman
taking a toll on her both mentally
and physically. After assessing the
situation and deciding that it was
no longer tolerable, her family
decided to transfer her to the
Federation-supported Jewish nurs
ing home. The Jewish nursing
home restored Estelle’s spirit and
as a result her physical condition
improved. She connected with the
other Jewish residents and they
found a community for her whole
family.
Recruitment Chairs, Sue
Littauer and Mami Abramowitz are
pleased with the recruitment effort
for the evening. There are currently
forty-five couples and six singles
ma^g tables for the event. Ms.
Littauer emphasized that although
tables are being arranged, the
evening is open to anyone in the
conmiunity who wishes to attend.
This extraordinary event pro
vides a unique opportunity for the
community to show support for the
Federation’s constituent agencies
and to learn about how funds firom
the 2000 campaign help Jews in
need.
For reservation information con
tact Cary Bernstein at 944-6762 or
email her at cbemstein@shalom-
charlotte.org. »
On the evening of February 7,
expect the Blumenthal Performing
Arts Center to reverberate with
that signature question: “Can We
Talk?” But, of course we can.
Because Joan Rivers is still talk
ing.
Unique Lives and Experiences
is a one-of-a-kind lecture series
presented by Robert Benia, a
Philadelphia native and Orthodox
Jew, who has gathered
some of the most
prominent, interesting,
and exciting women of
the past century and is
bringing them to differ
ent cities to present their
stories.
Just last month, Mary
Tyler Moore was here in
Charlotte, and before
you know it, Joan
Rivers will be here with
her unique brand of
comedy and chit-chat.
And can she ever
talk! Joan Rivers has
more than just a deli
cious gift of the gab;
there is substance
bchin?Hfer chatty flam
boyance and self-depre-
cating wit. Having
experienced and survived personal
tragedies in the unwavering glare
of the public eye, she speaks with
equal parts honesty and humor
al^ut husband Edgar Rosenberg’s
suicide, her daughter Melissa’s
depression and alienation, and her
Tonight Show trials. Today, Joan
Rivers can say that she has worked
diligently to turn herself from a
financially clueless widow to a
commanding and effective busi
ness woman with a strong sense of
self and a terrific family dynamic.
Her enterprising and courageous
spirit has helped her triumph over
fear, doubt and tragedy. When
Joan Rivers turns the spotlight on
herself, you'll be surprised and
moved by the story behind the
comedy.
She began her career entertain
ing in closet-like clubs and
lounges (which often passed the
hat in lieu of paying her a salary).
In 1960, she graduated to
Greenwich Village cabarets and
colfee houses, and later honed her
comedic skills at Chicago’s
renowned “Second City.” Today,
she headlines the most prestigious
concert venues across the country.
Second only to her famous
“Can We Talk?” line is the fame
she brought to her “very best
friend” Heidi Abromowitz. Heidi
is a living metaphor for the trampy
girl in school we all loved to hate.
Observations from the Observant
Producer
Producer Robert Benia has
been bringing his interactive
Unique Lives and Experiences to
live theater since 1993. “Women
have an insatiable appetite to dis
cuss serious matter” - more so
than men, says Benia. “Women
ask questions; men make state
ments.”
Joan Rivers will appear at the Bhtmenthal
Performing Arts Center on February 7.
It’s no wonder, he contends,
that women have helped him build
such a strong series. “Look into
the Torah and you’ll see the role
each of our matriarchs” has
played.
And Benia makes sure that
whatever he tackles, it’s not done
at the expense of his religious
commitment. He says, “I never
produce anything on the week
ends. It’s never been a problem;
our office shuts down early for
Shabbat.”
Benia is a big believer in not
shutting out his heritage on a fiscal
level either, making major charita
ble contributions from his con
certs to such recipients as the
Jewish National Fund and the
Jewish Federation (to the local
offices in Toronto where he now
resides).
Yfhat to Expect at Unique Lives
and Experiences
Doors will be open at 6:30 PM
for pre-show activities and enter-
tainement in the lobby of the
Performing Arts Center.
Once inside the theater, the
audience will realize that an inte
gral part of the Unique Lives event
is the set design. This is the criti
cal point when Unique Lives goes
beyond the traditional lecture
experience of a podium and
microphone at center stage and
(Continued on page 11)
My Trip tm Europe
tm Ou third
amd txperUncts
p. 3
p* 5
4, 2»-21
Federation Page
page
4
CAJE
page
10
Women’s Events
.... page
II
Temple Israel ...'
page
12
Lubavitch of North Carolina . ...
.... page
13
Temple Beth El
page
14
Youth Visions
.... page
15
The Jewish Traveler
page
16
Speiznian Jewish Library
page
17
Jewish Communitv Center
pages
18-19
Maz£l Tov .
.... pages
22 23
Ch.irlottc Jewish Day Sch««ol . ..
page
24
Dining Out Page
pace>
28 29
Jewish I amiK SctmcC’
Piijiev
lit 31
ComMctkig FamUie«
Sustain^ IhMMon
Campaign Surpasses
$24 Million Mark!
See Pages 6 & 7
MAKE YOUR
PLEDGE TODAYl