The Charlotte Jewish News - May 2010 - Page 20
Jewish Topics, Kosher
Meals, Blue Ridge
Mountains, August 16-19
By Maxine Ershler Carr
Wildacres Retreat, an annual
B’nai B’rith Institute of Judaism,
now in its 63rd year, features
kosher meals, three speakers, live
music, patio discussions, and
fresh mountain air. The dates are
August 16-19, and the place is
Wildacres Conference Center,
heart of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, in Little Switzerland,
NC. Guest rooms are two bedded
with private baths, housed in twin
modem lodges, both with rocking
chair porches overlooking spec
tacular mountain views.
Wildacres speaker Jodi
Magness frequently appears on
Discovery Channel archaeology
programs. TV viewers have also
seen her on the series, “Secrets of
Herod’s Reign,” and on “Power of
Ideas: Jodi Magness.” Prof
Magness is the UNC Kenan
Distinguished Professor for
Teaching Excellence in Early
Judaism, the author of four books,
and the co-director of excavations
at Masada as well as at two other
sites in Israel. Her topics for
Wildacres include Masada,
Ancient Jewish Tombs, and
Qumran.
Other speakers are Chicago
Professor Emeritus Stephen Z.
Cohen and Jonina Duker, a
founder of Kulanu, an organiza
tion reaching out to dispersed
Jewish communities. Dr. Cohen’s
topics explore and analyze Jewish
humor. Jonina Duker’s topics
include Lost and Dispersed
Jewish Communities, Jewish
Exotica, and today’s alternate
forms of rabbinic ordination.
But intellectual stimulation
does not preclude fun at
Wildacres. Live music is provided
by North Carolina Bandana
Klezmer at evening socials on the
bluestone patio, with dancing,
singing, and refreshments under
the stars. Nature trails, a library,
horseshoes, ping-pong, free tennis
lessons, cards, and mahjong add
to the frin. For many, Wildacres’
jewel in the crown is schmoozing
in a rocking chair while enjoying
spectacular views ofMt. Mitchell.
The all-inclusive cost is $340
per person for two in a room and
$475 for a single. Discounts of
$10 per person are offered when
paid registrations are received by
June 15; these should be sent to
Nina Hammer, 2724 Cottage
Circle, Raleigh, NC 27613.
Golf cart fransportation to and
from the dining hall is available
and meals to accommodate spe
cial needs are available by pre
arrangement.
If paid registration is received
by June 15, rates are discounted
by $10 per person.
For more information and reg
istration forms, go to
www.wildacres.org, or contact
Bill Carr at bcarr@ipass.net, or
919-781-4207. ^
I
The lodge at Wildacres Retreat.
to find ili(
/jjp
at tfc vafue.
We BUY Gold and Diamonds
Synagogue^
Congregations
Temple Beth El Service of Confirmation
on Shavuot
You are invited...
It is with great pleasure that the
parents and confirmation class of
Temple Beth El request the honor
of your presence at the service of
confirmation on Shavuot.
Tuesday, the 17th of May at
7:00 in the evening in the Sam
Lemer Center
Elliot Bear, Nicholas Berman,
Brian Blanco, Jason Blanco,
Jillian Bockenek, Jordan Cassell,
Ashley Chesler, Deena Cronson,
Benjamin Davis, Max DePietro,
Abigail Ditesheim, Sarah
Garfinkle, Nicole Hamilton,
Sarah Kaplan, Eli Kronovet,
Steven Kufert, Jake Laxer, Noah
Lieberman, Max Malter, Andrew
Marx, Ari Menaker Madison
Sadinsky, Jeremy Samarel, Ben
Schine, Jennifer Shapiro, Laurel
Tobias, Alex Weiner, Benjamin
Weinrib, Daniel Wicker, Kyle
Worrel
Each year, Beth El confirms
impressive numbers of
students. This year is no different.
What motivates so many of our
Beth El students to continue on to
Confirmation? The great experi
ences they have in becoming a
Bar/Bat Mitzvah, the great feel
ings they have as madrichim
(teaching assistants) in our
Religious School and in our B’nei
Mitzvah program, the amazing
social circles they build through
out the years, the fun times they
have in LIBERTY (our Senior
Youth Group), the desire to learn
more about their Judaism in
Hebrew High and to explore what
Judaism has to say about issues
relevant to their lives, and finally,
to learn about themselves and
their own faith as they visit the
temples, churches and mosques of
other fraditions.
The Prophet Joel taught: “The
old shall dream dreams and the
youth shall see visions.” Come
and be inspired by the visions of
our 10th graders as they lead us in
Shavuot and Confirmation
Services that will lift your spirit,
move your soul, make you proud
and give you faith in the future of
Judaism. ^
Temple Beth El Mitzvah Day 2010
Your Passion
Pick
Come join Temple Beth El and
make a difference in our Jewish,
local and global communities. On
May 16, families will participate in
our annual Mitzvah Day of social
action, healing the sick, caring for
the Earth, honoring the elderly,
caring for the stranger, teaching
our children, loving Israel and ful
filling many other mitzvot that will
elevate the lives of others as well
as our own.
The opening event will begin at
9 AM at Camp Mindy. There are
projects on the Shalom Park site
and many other community loca
tions and many ways to help. Get
involved in projects that support
the Alexander Children Center,
Battered Women’s Shelter, Darfur,
U.S. Troops, Sterling Elementary
School, Sunrise Assisted Living,
Family Practice and many other
organizations and causes in need
of assistance.
If you have elecfronics that need
to be recycled, there will also be a
truck in the Shalom Park parking
lot that will take all of your outdat
ed and broken electronic equip
ment.
Check out our website
www.beth-el.com/mitzvah-
day2010.html to register or donate,
or for more information. ^
I
Temple Beth El Honors the
Graduating Class of 2010
Temple Beth El will be honor
ing the class of 2010 at the May 14
8 PM service.
Please join us as we welcome
all our graduating seniors into our
service with the singing of
Shecheyianu as they are robed in
an array of colorful caps and
gowns from area high schools. We
look forward to this opportunity to
launch our graduates into the next
step on their journey, with bless
ings from the clergy and congrega
tion. A special Oneg Shabbat
Schmooze for graduating seniors
will follow the evening service.
Graduates, please RSVP to Sara
Bryan: sbryan@beth-el.com. Note
to all: Please arrive on time for the
8 PM May 14 service so you won’t
miss our graduates. ^
TEmPLE BETH EL
The next meeting of the
Temple Beth-EI/St. Peter’s
Catholic Church Dialogue
will be on May 2 at the
Clubhouse of the Essex
Condos, 4900 Sardis Rd.,
Charlotte. The topic will
be Pentecost/Shavuot.
Please bring your own
beverage and a snack to
share. All are welcome.
For info/directions
call 704-362-2724 or
704-365-3313.
Free Course at Temple Beth El - “Taste
of Judaism”
Taste of Judaism
Dates: Saturdays, June 5, 12
and 19
Time: 9-10:30 AM
Three classes exploring the
foundations of Jewish fraditions
for those who may want to recon
nect or who may be searching for
an enfree into Jewish life. The
course covers the Jewish perspec
tive on spirituality, values and
community. Our clergy will use
traditional and modem Jewish
texts to discuss the ways that
Judaism addresses issues in our
personal and professional lives.
There is no cost for these classes,
but registration is required by
contacting Shari Hackman,
Membership and Outreach
Director, at 704-749-3051.^