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The Charlotte Jewish News - May 2010 - Page 3
JEWISH FEDERATION NEWS
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Campaign Testimonial
Creating the Foundation for Jewish Life at the Lale
By Andy Nicholson
I remember well walking to
temple for the high holidays
with my grandfather as a young
child, sitting next to him and
holding the fringes of his talit in
my hand. Listening to him read
from the prayer book, I mar
veled at the ease with which he
said the prayers. He could read
the Hebrew so well, words I was
just beginning to understand in
Hebrew school. I liked the part
when everyone said Amen.
On our walk home I asked
him how he knew the prayers by
heart and could read so fast. He
said, “You will too, a little at a
time.” He explained it was like
building a house and creating a
good foundation. The founda
tion is Hebrew school; through
study and desire you build the
walls and roof Now many years
later with children of my
own, I found myself at Yom
Kippur services thinking of
my grandfather and wonder
ing if my children will grow
to know and love Judaism as
I have. Surrounding us I was
pleased to see other Jews in
the Lake Norman area also
pursuing a greater Jewish
community, giving monetar
ily and of their time to build
a foundation for their fami
lies. I asked our Rabbi
Michael Shields how I could
assist in supporting our growing
Jewish community. He guided
me towards a project being
organized through a grant from
the Jewish Federation of Greater
Charlotte called the Jewish
Council of Lake Norman. The
council would be comprised of
Jewish leaders from all areas of
The Nicholson family.
Lake Norman Jewish life who
would together bring in Jewish
programming, inspire Jewish
philanthropy, and strengthen
Lake Norman Jewish life. I
knew this was my chance to
make an impact.
The Council, of which I am a
part, is comprised of five local
Jewish organizations. The
Council facilitates events
such as: Israeli journalists
and author lectures,
Klezmer music in the
Mecklenburg School
System and an Annual
Festival at the Lake with
music, dancing, food, and
kid’s games. Events like
these bring the Jewish
communal spirit of Lake
Norman alive.
The Jewish Federation
of Greater Charlotte had
the insight to see that Jews at the
Lake wanted to experience
Jewish life in their immediate
surroundings, taking steps to put
the building blocks in place that
would create our own solid
foundation. It is my hope that as
our Jewish community grows,
we will be able to do more
through the work of the
Federation to help other Jewish
communities meet their needs.
As I look forward to next
Yom Kippur, my question has
been answered: my children will
have the opportunity to grow
with and love Judaism the way I
do in our community. ^
Save the Date: Jewish
Council of Lake Norman
Festival at the Lake, Sunday,
August 29, 12 noon - 5 PM,
Ramsey Creek Park
JEWISH^
FEDE^RATI0N5
OF grcater Charlotte
Local, Global, Eternal
Lead + Read = Succeed
Federation’s Young Adult Division
Brings Hope to Kids in Boston
The wide-eyed boy smiled as
he carefully wrote his first
name, Abdul, inside the cover of
his new book, “Amelia
Bedilia.” He and his first-grade
classmates at Boston’s Perkins
Elementary School then began
reading the donated books given
to each of them by the visitors.
The visitors wore green T-
shirts declaring, “Lead+Read=
Succeed” with the bold meno-
rah logo of The Jewish
Federations of North America.
It was all part of a book drive
service project during The
National Young Leadership
Conference in Boston this
March 14-16, which drew more
than 220 young Jewish profes
sionals from 50 communities
across the continent.
Representing Charlotte were
Tair Giudice, Young Adult
Coordinator, and Melissa
Klingberg, Federation’s Young
Adult Chair.
But the project was just one
part of an overall leadership-
building experience for Melissa
and Tair, who worked on devel
oping personal leadership and
community visions to put into
action upon their return to
Charlotte. “Getting to hear from
such inspiring speakers such as
Jeffrey Swartz, President and
CEO of Timberland and
Michael Brown, CEO and co
founder of City Year was an
amazing experience” says
Melissa, “it really inspired us to
become visionary leaders with
in our own community.”
If you are interested in get
ting involved with Federation’s
Young Adult Division please
contact Tair Giudice at 704-
944-6759 or tairgiudice@jew-
ishcharlotte.org. ^
gm,
Tair Giudice and Melissa Klingberg with their new friends at Boston’s
Perkins Elementary School.
The Jewish Community Relations Council met with area clergy
for a lunchtime meet and greet. The JCRC sponsors a periodic
Lunch at the Parl for local community leaders to meet members
and get familiar with Shalom Parl and the facilities and cama
raderie we have to offer.
Left to right back row: Butch Rosen, Executive Director, Foundation of Shalom Park; Rabbi
Murray Ezring, Temple Israel; Moira Quinn Klein, Jewish Community Relations Council; Sue
Worrel, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte; Monsgr. McSweeney - St.
Matthews Catholic Church. Left to right, front row: Zach Gerger, JCRC; Sarah Kaplan,
Community Relations and Israel Affairs Coordinator, JFGC; Rabbi Judy Schindler, Temple Beth
El; Dr. Lib McGregor Simmons - Davidson College Presbyterian Church; Bob Speizman, JCRC.
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