The Charlotte Jewish News - February 2002 - Page 6
4th Annual Women’s Division Spring
Lecture Set for Thursday, May 4
In a memoir as lyrical as a
novel, author Fern Schumer
Chapman tells the compelling
story of her mother, Edith
Westerfeld, who, at age 12 in
1938, was sent from Germany to
America by her parents. Although
intellectually Edith knew their
selfless act saved her froiVl the
Nazis, she never saw her parents
again and feels as though she had
been abandoned. As an adult, she
locked away her childhood memo
ries and her children always knew
they were not to ask about her
past.
In Motherland, Fern Chapman
shows how memories can build an
identity as well as set a life adrift.
Fern Schumer Chapman
Her visit in 1990 with her mother
to Stockstadt, the town from
which Edith was sent more than
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50 years earlier, is both a physical
and metaphorical journey, leading
to Edith’s reclamation of a sense
of memory and self; Fern's under
standing of her mother’s tragic,
hidden past, and the repair of their
seriously frayed relationship. Ms.
Chapman also reveals the sense of
responsibility felt by Edith's for
mer classmates, sometimes called
the “lucky late-born” because they
were not old enough to participate
in war crimes themselves (and all
of whom still lived in the village
when Edith returned with Fern).
Yet we see that “lucky” is a rela
tive term, because neither they,
nor Edith, nor Fern escaped the
ten ible legacy of war.
This is a book that resonates
with readers of all ages and back
grounds, and has garnered out
standing reviews across the coun
try. A finalist for the National
Jewish Book Awards in 2000,
Motherland also was featured on
the Oprah Winfrey Show, chosen
by Barnes and Noble as a
“Discover Great New Writers”
title, and has been optioned by
Hallmark Entertainment for a fea
ture-length film.
Please mark your calendar for
Thursday, May 2, when the Jewish
Federation of Greater Charlotte
Women’s Division brings Fern
Schumer Chapman to our
community. For more information
on this event, please call
Mamie Moskowitz at 704-944-
6764 or email her at mmoskowitz
@shalomcharlotle.org. 0
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Federation
Allocations
(Continued from page 3}
Personal Entrepreneurship for
Ethiopian Women
Before their rescue from
Ethiopia and arrival in Israel, the
Falash Mura (Ethiopian Jews)
lived in an extremely remote and
isolated area of Ethiopia. Many
still practiced Jewish traditions
from Biblical times, as they were
never exposed to Talmudic knowl
edge and inteipretations. Modem
conveniences were as foreign to
them as a Mars probe is to us.
But the unfortunate political sit
uation in Ethiopian necessitated
the quick and heroic transport of
thousands of Ethiopians to Israel
where they have been thrust into
modern society like a bullet from a
rifle.
The story from one Jewish
Agency for Israel (JAFI) worker
goes like this: The JAFI volunteer
took a woman and her, children to
their new apartment where he
showed them around. In the
kitchen, the volunteer made sure
to show the woman the gas stove
and how the burners turned on.
She practiced turning them on and
off a few times until the volunteer
was satisfied that she wouldn’t
blow the place up. “This is fantas
tic,” the woman said, referring to
her new gas stove, “but what is it
for?”
It is from these guileless begin
nings that the women of Ethiopia
are striving to build themselves a
prosperous future. Our community
has allocated $12,905 of our Israel
and Overseas funds for the JAFI
for a Personal Entrepreneurship
Program for Ethiopian Women.
Specifically, our funds will help
20 pre-selected women who have
moved from the isolation of
Ethiopia to the metropolis that is
Eretz Yisrael.
The needs of Jews in Charlotte
and around the world continue to
be foremost ini the minds and
hearts of their fellow Jews. Please
don't forget the Jewish Federation
of Greater Charlotte when you are
called on to make a pledge at one
of our events or by telephone on
Super Sunday. It is you who helps
improve li^e for Jews in Voronezh,
Hadrea-Eiron, and Charlotte,
North Carolina. ^
Charlotte Torah Center/
Congregation B’nai Shalom
Events for February 2002
The Charlotte Torah Center/
Congregation B’nai Shalom con
tinues its highly successful inter
active Jewish learning in late
February with the following activ
ities:
Thursday, February 21;
Rabbi Yosef Edelstein will be
speaking at the Morrison Branch
of the Public Library, at 7:00 PM,
on “The Puipose of Life in Less
Than an Hour.”
Friday, February 22: 12 noon.
Lunch and Learn — “Maimonidies
(the Rambam): His Life and
Greatest Hits.”
Saturday. February 23: 4:30
PM — Torah Suid\: “Holy
Threads: The Priestly Garments,
and What They Symbolize."
Saturday. February 23 at 7:00
PM: “Mysteries ofPurim; Human.
.Amalek and Adolf Hitler."
Sunday. February 24. 10:30
.AM: Great Jewish Texts; continu
ing learning in Luzzatio's “The
Wav of God.”
Rabbi Yosef Edelstein
Sunday, February 24. 7:00
PM: “Drunkenness and Purim: Is
There More To It Than Just Being
Wild and Crazy?”
All events will be led by Rabbi
Y'osef Edelstein and will be held at
135 Lutomma Circle (off 6800
block of Sardis. Just south of
Lansdowne). unless otherwise
indicated.'
Please call 704-367-9727 with
any questions you might have
about CTC events. ^
The art of performance I JAGUAR
Now Forming:
Jewish Genealogical Society
of the Carolinas
If you are interested in meeting to discuss the
possibility of such a society for the purpose of
collecting, preserving, and sharing knowlege
and information with respect to Jewish
genealogy please contact:
Valerie Bergin at 803-980-4161 or
email: mikebergin(gearthlink.net
In order to affiliate with the International
Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies
certain criteria must be established. We need a
minimum active membership of ten adults,
regular meetings, a newsletter, and a serious
undertaking of genealogical research projects.
This group will be open to all members of our
community regardless of affiliation. Please join
us and find out what is in YOUR name.