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The Charlotte Jewish News -October 2008 - Page 11 Hebrew Cemetery Association By Lorrie Klemons, Publicity At the closing of the Yom Kippur Neilah service on October 9, the Book of Life will be sealed for yet another year. How many of us will be inscribed for another year of life? On what does God base that inscription? We Jews believe that our God is a merciful and forgiving God. We also know- many of us through first hand experience- that being a good person and having a good neshamah (Godly soul) does not necessarily guarantee another year of life. In fact, we know that bad things happen to good people. If being a good person and following in the image of God by praying, performing mitzvot, and studying Torah, does not guarantee us life year after year, than why the need for such prayer and supplication and self-deprivation (fasting) on Yom Kippur? The most learned rabbis caimot answer the question why bad things happen to good people? We can ask the rabbis and God, Himself, all the questions we want - and in Judaism we are required to ask those questions; however, for some questions there are just no sufficient answers. Judaism teaches us that prayer, the per formance of mitzvot and the study of Torah are the most important things a Jew can do. In performing mitzvot, we become almost God like. There is a midrash that tells us that when God created the universe He had a huge container to put all of the holiness into. But there was so much holiness that the container broke into a thousand pieces. It became our task as newly created men and women of the world to go around and retrieve God’s holiness. During the High Holidays, when we gather in prayer as one universal Jewish community, God smiles down on us for the holiness we portray. We gather in prayer. We gather in song. We gather in ritual. We gather in love. We gath er as one loud chaotic crowd and yet periodically we hush quietly to Hebrew Cemetery Association hear God’s small voice. That small voice... which looms in the chasms of our consciousness and subconsciousness. That small voice... which gives direction and meaningftilness to our lives. That small voice...which creates the faith that guides us to do God’s work here on earth. So yes, while bad things do happen to good people, holiness remains the essence of life. And though living a holy life may not guarantee your being inscribed in the Book of Life fi'om one year to another, it sure does make you a great and righteous person... and a person who will be memorialized by others for the holiness and goodness that made you so spe cial. May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life for yet another sweet year. L’Shanah Tovah. For more information about membership benefits, graves, pre paid funeral costs, donations, JCBC Special Wednesday Ni^ht Meeting Neil Swiacki, Competitive Edge Marketing, Wednesday, October 22 This is in place of our normal third Tuesday meeting. Meetings will be held at 6:30 PM in Luski Hall, which is room 207 of the Bernstein Building in Shalom Park. Neil Swiacki, Competitive Edge Marketing, will conduct a mini-class on “Brand Strategy 101.” Everyone works hard in their business, from sales, to prod uct development, to customer service. But if your product does n’t stand out in the crowd and no one can remember what you do, then all your efforts go to waste. Competitive Edge Marketing focuses on brand strategy and cus tomer retention projects. Brand strategy projects create differenti ation between competitive compa nies and competitive products. Customer retention projects help clients identify customers who are likely to leave or why customers have left, where they went and how to get them back. Project examples include “Leaky Buckef’ (customer loyalty/retention), and JeepThis Brand Strategy (maxi mizing differentiation with mini mal marketing). Neil C. Swiacki formed Competitive Edge Marketing in 2005 to assist businesses with brand strategy and customer reten The Providence High School varsity football team Jew crew; from left — Nathan Bernstein, Brian Roth, Alex Bear, and Matthew Pickett Also playing on varsity is Mitchell Kalik. On Junior Varsity the Jew crew includes: Elliot Bear, Jacob Greene, Jordan Abrams and Will Prystowsky. and/or including the cemetery in your estate planning, contact Association President, Kevin Levine at 704-333-5155 or Cemetery Director, Joe Kodsi at (H) 704-364-4112 or (M) 704- 576-1859. Visit the website of the Hebrew Cemetery Association of Charlotte at www.hebrewceme- tery.org. Directions to the cemetery: Providence Rd North into and through uptown; right onto Graham St.; follow Graham for about two miles; left at fork in road onto Statesville Ave.; travel about V2 mile, cemetery will be on your left. ^ Se^Fuo/ sewing parties for Porffes and iJ'Ore.,. ages 5 and up 163E South Trade Street Mattliews, NC 704-254-9111 www.sewfimparties.com tion. Their clients include a range of Fortune 100 companies to entrepreneurs. Competitive Edge Marketing serves many industries including sports entertainment, wealth management/banking, building materials, pharmacy, and medical software. We will continue our “mini talk” program, where JCBC mem bers give a quick five minute talk on their area of expertise. This is not a sales pitch on your company, but a way to share your knowledge on a topic of interest to the group. Please contact Don Rosenberg to get on the list of possible future speakers. 704-364-1784. 0 1 in 7 drivers is uninsured. Are you covered if one hits you? DONT HOPE SO.KNOW SO. Cal! me today for a fast, free Good Hands® Coverage Checkup, Just because you follow the laws doesn't mean everyone does, I can help you see if you have the coverage you need, in case you have an accident with someone who doesn't. I can also help you find ways to save. In fact, drivers who switched to Allstate saved an average of $353 a year*. Howard Epstein, MBA (704) 846-9700 10618-A Providence Rd. Charlotte howardepstein@alistate.com >lllstate. You're in good hands. •Average savings based cn mforniation reported nationaily ty new Allstate auto customers for policies written in 2007. Actual savings will vary. Allstate Insurance Company: Northbrook, IL. ©2008 Allstate Insurance Company “Enlightener, You open the eyes of the blind. Straightener, You lift up those who are bent down. Jtistice-Lover, You love the righteous. Provider, You watch over the stranger. You give courage to the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked you thwart.” — Psalm 146:8-9 24-Hour Support For Your Back Stress, tension and pain can ruin any part of your day from the time you get up in the morning to the time you go to bed at night. At Relax The Back® our zero-gravity r^iners, office chairs, fitness and sleep products help you feel good all day, every day. Therasage Healmg Pad RELAX THE BACK feel better, work better, live better PARK TOWNE VILLAGE 4435 PARK ROAD Between Montford & Woodiawn Near Starbucks 704-523-3377 relaxtheback.com
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