The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2009 - Page 2
TEWISH FEDERATION NEWS
^Federation Funding IViales Jewish Education Available to All
^ By Lisa Blau, Board President,
^ Charlotte Jewish Preschool
^ I am a mother, a wife, a sister
and a daughter. I am a board
^ president, a vice president, a
^ consultant and a banker. I am a
^ Jew by choice, a reformist and a
^ proud member of the Jewish
Federation of Greater Charlotte.
^ Like most young people, it
r takes a major life event to get
^ involved. For me, it was the
birth of my first child,
Benjamin. My husband and I
^ knew we were going to raise our
^ family in a solely Jewish envi-
^ ronment, and once Ben arrived,
^ my resolve for providing that
Jewish education and experi-
^ ence was undeterred.
^ Ben entered school at two at
^ the Charlotte Jewish Preschool.
^ The school was a wonderful
experience for our family, and I
knew that I had the desire and
^ drive to be more involved. I
^ became a member of the Board
^ of Directors of the Preschool,
^ joined a committee at Temple
^ Beth El and became a daily fix-
^ ture at the LJCC. The experi-
^ ences we were having in the
^ community made our family
^ complete, and I wanted to give
^ more.
It was my first meeting with
^ Sue Littauer - Development
^ Director at the Federation - that
hooked me. Since that fateful
lunch, I have felt embraced by
^ the Federation and have seen
^ first-hand the wonderful, self-
^ less support it provides
community.
Lisa Blau
to the
Shabbat Candle Lighting for
March 2009
Friday, March 6, 6:04 PM
Friday, March 13, 7:10 PM
Friday, March 20, 7:16 PM
Friday, March 27, 7:22 PM
The Charlotte Jewish News
5007 Providence Road, Suite 112
CKiarlotte, NC 28226
JEWISH^
FEDE^RAT10N5
OF GREATER CHARLOTTE
Phone
(voice mail after office hours)
Office 704-944-6765
FAX 704-365-4507
email: amontoni@shalomchar-
lotte.org
An Affiliate of the
Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Amy Krakovitz - Editor
Advertising Sales Reps: Pam Grossman, 704-841-1544;
Jodi Valenstein, 704-841-4040; Rita Mond, 704-366-6632;
Gene Goldberg, 704-366-4602
CJN Editorial Board
Chair - Bob Davis
Members: Bob Abel, Alan Becker, Evelyn Berger, Jeff Epstein,
Ann Langman, Linda Levy
The CJN does not assume responsibility for the quality or kasruth of any product or
service advertised. Publishing of a paid political advertisement does not constitute an
endorsement of any candidate, political party or position by this newspaper, the
Federation or any employees.
Published monthly except July
banking industry. We don’t
know what the future holds for
us in these uncertain times, but
we have become members of the
Ben Gurion Society with a
major increase in our 2009
pledge to the Jewish Federation
Annual Campaign. The
Federation has supported our
children’s preschool, which we
love; it has supported the LJCC
and the programs from which
my entire family benefits; and it
has supported our brothers and
sisters in Israel who we hope to
visit again. I hope you, too, will
find it within your own means to
support the Federation in what
some could argue is one of the
most important years in recent
times.
Thank you for being a part of
the Jewish Federation and for
living generously.
For more information about
the Jewish Federation or to
make your pledge to the 2009
Annual Campaign, please visit
our website at www.jewishchar-
lotte.org or call 704-944-6757.
To leam more about the Ben
Gurion Society, a campaign
initiative for young adults ages
25 - 45 who contribute a mini
mum of $1,000 per household,
please contact Jodi Greenwald,
Young Adult Coordinator, at
jodi.greenwald@jewishchar-
lotte.org or 704-944-6759. ^
the
Currently serving as
board president at CJP, I see
even more the critical support
the Federation provides to all
agencies. This past semester
CJP has seen its applications
for scholarships double, and
the dollars requested for
have increased substantially.
Preschool education, as we and
so many believe, is the first step
in becoming a part of the Jewish
community. We want to provide
as much support as we can for
families in need. Every year for
the past five years the
Federation has funded our
request for scholarships at 100
percent. Without that support,
we would have to turn families
away who truly desire a Jewish
educational experience for their
children. These economic times
are tough, and we fully expect
that requests for future scholar
ship applications will continue
to rise.
Including being a mom and a
volunteer, I am also a profes
sional at Wachovia. My hus
band, as well, is involved in the
Celebrate Tel Aviv’s 100th Birthday
This Yom Ha’Atzmaut
By Hagar Shahak, Israeli
Shlicha
Tel Aviv was the first modem
all-Jewish city built in the land
of Israel. In 1909, Tel Aviv began
as a suburb of Jaffa, one of the
oldest cities in the world. Today
Tel Aviv is both the cultural and
financial center of Israel and its
second largest city.
Known for its sandy beaches,
exciting nightlife and great shop
ping, Tel Aviv is the center of
Israel’s cultural life, nicknamed
“the city that never stops.” But
for me, Tel Aviv holds much
more meaning.
Tel Aviv represents what it
means to be Israeli - who we are
and what we are.
Who we are - street names in
Tel Aviv tell the history of Israel
and the Jewish Nation. When
you walk along the street you
will pass Menachem Begin Road
(the sixth prime minister of
Israel and the first Israeli leader
to create peace with an Arab
country, Egypt); Dizengoff
Street (named after Tel Aviv’s
first mayor, Meir Dizengoff);
Herzl Street; Bialik Street
(Hayim Nahman Bialik pio
neered poetry in Israel and was
named the first poet laureate of
Israel); Balfour Street (Arthur
James Balfour was the British
Foreign Secretary who in 1917
wrote to Jewish leaders stating
his government’s support for
providing a homeland for the
Jews); and Ben Gurion
Boulevard. In addition to the
streets named after these modem
figures, you will find roads
named after our ancient ances
tors: King David Street,
Solomon Street and so on.
Also, in Tel Aviv the whole
spectrum of Israeli lifestyles is
represented. The intersection at
Sheikin Street, Allenby Street,
Nachalat Binyamin, and King
George is a wonderful example
of this. One side of the street is
home to the avant-garde fashion
culture, full of expensive design
er boutiques and hip coffee
shops. The other side holds the
Shuk Carmel, the inexpensive
market full of vendors with pro
duce, fish and dry goods. Along
this same road, ultra-orthodox
families live right next door to
secular hippies. In Tel Aviv, the
wealthy neighborhood is situated
right next to the old bus station, a
common place that many new
immigrants (many without much
money) come through. Tel Aviv
displays the multifaceted nature
of Israel.
Furthermore, Tel Aviv is
known for its exceptional archi
tecture. Superb examples of
Bauhaus through the current cut
ting edge styles line the avenues
of Tel Aviv.
This year, Tel Aviv celebrates
its century of existence. Yet, Tel
Aviv has done much more than
existed - it has thrived and blos
somed into a world-class cultural
center As I enjoy my time here
in Charlotte, the Queen City
unsurpassed in its manicured
beauty and southem charm, I still
miss the noisy rawness and
amazing color of Tel Aviv.
Mark your calendar for
Tuesday, April 28 (see page 16)
for our Charlotte celebration of
Yom Ha’atzmaut “Tel Aviv Style
Coffehouse.” Prior to Yom
Ha’atzmaut, the Charlotte Teen
Coalition will be hosting a Tel
Aviv Party for Teens on April 19.
More details to follow. For
more information, please contact
Hagar Shahak at 704-944-
6784. ^
JEWISH^
FEDERATION 5
, O T T e
OF 5neATen c y
Local, Global, Eternal
CONTENTS
Jewish Family Services
pp. 21, 25
Federation News
PP- 2-7
Jewish Community Center
pp. 22, 23
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library
PP- 9,10
Dining Out
p. 24
Community News
pp. 11-19
Women’s Page
p. 26
Youth
pp. 19, 20
Schools
pp. 27, 28
Mazel
p. 20
Synagogues and Congregations
pp. 28, 31
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