The Charlotte Jewish News - January 2009 - Page 4
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JFGC Celebrates Sister City Relationship with Hadera
Fifty people came
together at Nolia
Restaurant for an evening
of friendship, partnership,
and of course good Israeh
food. The group gathered
to talk about past and
future Partnership 2000
programs, and to share
with one another the
impact that these relation
ships make on our lives.
Gabe Kaunitz, a partic
ipant in the Partnership
and in this year’s Gorelick
Teens to Israel leadership
program, spoke fondly of
his experiences with
Partnership. Gabe spoke at great
length about the bonds that were
created with his friend Eliran
(see sidebar). Eliran, who
stayed with Gabe’s family for
two weeks in Charlotte, became
a part of the family. The close
ness and brotherhood achieved
through Eliran’s visit were felt
by everyone in the room as
Gabe spoke. Now participating
in the current Gorelick Teens to
Susan Jacobs speaks to the crowd at Nolia
about our relationship with Hadera..
the
Israel program, Gabe spent two
weeks over the summer with a
delegation of Israelis and
Americans working to leam
about themselves and about
their cultures and communities.
The group first spent a week and
a half knee-deep in volunteering
in Charlotte as well as exploring
Diaspora Jewry, team building,
and partnership. The group then
traveled to Washington, DC
together to study leadership in
America. The group will
now meet up again six months
later, this time for a two week
journey through Israel. There,
they will continue to volun
teer and to study leadership
and Judaism, this time from
an Israeli perspective.
The teen trip is just one
example of the many ways
in which the partnership
between Hadera and Charlotte
is an ever-growing, living
partnership. Other programs
that were spoken to include
the teacher exchanges and the
women’s mission to Poland
and Israel. The group focuses on
creating a living bridge, one that
allows for Charlotte to be
Hadera residents’ home away
from home, and for Hadera to
do the same for Charlotte.
For more information on the
Partnership 2000 program and
how you can get involved,
please contact Sarah Kaplan at
sarah.kaplan@j ewishchar-
lotte.org or 704-944-6751. ^
Gabe Kaunitz participated with teens from Hadera in an
exchange program. Here are his impressions, in his own words:
“Two summers ago was the first time I met my brother. He was about my
height, had comrows, and was speaking gibberish. His name was Eliran.
“Now Eliran isn’t actually my brother. He was on the delegation trip with
three other Israelis from Hadera in Israel when he lived with my family for about
two weeks. But we managed to pack so much into two weeks, at all hours of the
night and day, that the dark trails under my eyes were as black as the coffee.
“Eliran went to Camp Mindy every day and then in the afternoon he’d come
back home and I’d take him shopping someplace. You know, show him
Charlotte’s great tourist attractions. We’d have dinner with my Mom’s great
cooking, and afterward get together with the rest of the group and go bowling or
go to the movies, or just drive around, which is usually what we ended up doing.
“At the end of the two weeks, the four of them went back home. The house
was really quiet for the next couple weeks, but 1 counted myself lucky, because
1 had gained a brother and three sisters. And though 1 haven’t seen them since,
we still keep in touch, mostly thanks to Facebook.
“Six months later, during the gloom and doom of a huge thunderstorm, 1 was
driving home, when our former shlicha, Tair Zaeh, called me on my cell phone.
She told me about the opportunity to participate in a new program, different
from last year. It would bring Israeli teens to Charlotte, not to help out at Camp
Mindy, but to participate with American teens in programs ranging from tourism
to community service. And, my personal favorite, it would bring American teens
to Israel for two weeks to do the same types of programs. Naturally, 1 said I’d
love to be involved.
“The first half of this program happened this last summer, and it was awe
some. Five Israeli teens came to Charlotte and four of us were able to meet and
bond with them. We went to the white water center, the American Hebrew
Academy, and we participated in community service programs like gleaning, or
helping out at the Second Harvest Food Bank. In addition, we went to
Washington, DC and were able to tour America’s capital city.
“The American delegation spent two weeks in Israel over winter break.
“In my opinion, these programs are the glue that hold Charlotte and Hadera’s
Partnership together, and 1 am glad that 1 get to be a part of it.”
TICKETS on SOLE
The premiere showings of the documentary film, “Down Home: Jewish
Life in North Carolina” will be held in in Charlotte, NC on Sunday, Febraiy
22,2009. We invite you to reserve your tickets now for the first milestone
in this exciting multi-media project.
GALA TICKETS $125.00 per person
(Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Levine Museum of the New South)
Cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres prior to the film showing
Reserved seating at the film premiere screening
Champagne and dessert reception following the film
Mingle with key individuals Involved 1n the Down Home project
before and after the debut
GENERAL ADMISSION
$36.00 per person in advance • $50.00 per person at door
(Arrive at the ImaglnOn McColl theatre at 6:45 p.m. - film begins at 7:00)
Open seating at the film premiere screening
Champagne and dessert reception following the film
Mingle vflth key Individuals Involved in the Down Home project after the debut
Attendance is limited, so call today to reserve your tickets! Your attendance
will play a significant part in the continued success and ongoing funding for this
important historic initiative.
Film Premiere Gala Event:
Charlotte: Sunday, February 22, 2009
Reception at the Levine Museum of the Nev/ South (200 E.
Seventh St.) follow/ed by film screening and dessert reception
at the ImaginOn McColl Theatre (300 E. Seventh St.)
Note: Handicapped transport between venues will be provided.
Order tickets online at wv/w.jhfnc.org
For more information, contact Will Grossman, JHFNC Director of Operations:
(919) 668-5839 or wgrossman@jhfnc.org
Underwriters include:
State of North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Leon Levine Foundation: Sandra and Leon Levine
Calling All
Bernstein
Leadership
Group
Alumni
JEWISH^ P
FEDMION^^
Detach here and return mth your check to: JHFNC, P.O. Box 51245, Durhaw NC 27717-1245
p C I I would love to attend the premiere of the Down Home: Jewish Life in
I North Carolina documentarv film. P/eose reserve my tictefs;
Number of tickets: Gala
General Admission
Check enclosed, payable to JHFNC in the amount of .
Cocktail attire preferred. Tickets vrill be held at the door for each event.
Name(s) of attendees:
Please send confirmation of receipt of this order to me by:
Phone
Email
YES! I am interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities for the film
premiere(s). Please contact me with more information.
Name
Email
Phone
Best time to call.
GlaxoSmithKline 'V^CHOVIA
WWW.jhfnc.org
jh™c
Jewish Heritage^
Foundation of North Carolina
OF GREATER CHARLOTTE
Please join us as we cele
brate the kickoff of the sev
enth class of the Bernstein
Leadership Group. All BLG
alumni are invited to attend
Jonathan Adam Ross’s one-
man show “Walking in
Memphis: the Life of a
Southern Jew” at 7:30 PM in
Gorelick Hall at the Levine
JCC, followed by dessert.
Alumni will also have the
opportunity to share their
BLG experiences with the
new class during a Q&A ses
sion. We ask that they bring a
non-perishable food item,
which will be donated to
Jewish Family Service’s
Food Pantry.
To RSVP, please send an
email to events@jewishchar-
lotte.org or call 704-944-
6757. Alumni, please also let
us know if your contact infor
mation has changed in the
past few years. We want to
keep you informed about
future BLG alumni events.
The Bernstein Leadership
Group is the Federation’s
18-month Leadership
Development Program for
young adults 25-45. ^
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