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The Charlotte Jewish News -June-July 2011 - Page 22 Margaret and Lou Schwartz Butterfly Garden Dedicated on Yom HaShoah Over 500 people from the Charlotte eommunity gathered outdoors at Shalom Park on Sunday, May 1 for the Yom HaShoah serviee and to dedieate the Children’s Holoeaust Memorial Seulpture. The seulp- ture is loeated in the Margaret and Lou Sehwartz Butterfly Garden, named for Holoeaust survivors and the parents of Levine JCC Board President, Larry Sehwartz. As part of the Yom Ha’Shoah serviee, twelve survivors and their families were present to light ean- dles in memory of the brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, aunts, uneles, and eousins who perished in the Holoeaust. The seulpture by Paul Rousso, renowned Charlotte artist, ineor- porates over 2,800 hand-painted eeramie butterflies, eaeh one eraft- ed in memory of a speeifie ehild who died in the Holoeaust. The seulpture was the result of The Butterfly Projeet, whieh was brought to the Levine Jewish Community Center from the San Diego Day Sehool by three very dedieated and talented Levine JCC volunteers, Wilma Asrael, Gwen Orland, and Barbara Ziegler. Over three years, these women led more than 60 Holoeaust eduea- tion workshops with area sehool ehildren, as well as with faith and eommunity groups. During the workshops, eeramie butterflies were painted and lessons on intol- eranee, diversity and aeeeptanee were taught as part of the Projeet’s Barbara Ziegler and Gwen Orland passing the flame, pictured with Hanna and Howard Adler of Statesville, NC and other Holocaust survivors. Judy August, past president of the Levine JCC, shares, "The interactive workshops - the education against bigotry and against indifference - will remain at the heart of the proj ect. ” ongoing eommitment to eduea- tion. Judy August, past Levine JCC Board President, and Jill Newman, eurrent Levine JCC Board Member, spearheaded the fundraising effort to bring the seulpture and garden to Shalom Park. Patty and Bill Goreliek, Sandra and Leon Levine, and Larry Sehwartz were prime donors to the projeet. Thanks to the plan ning, persistenee, and generous eontributions of many volunteers and eommunity leaders, what started as “a small dream for mak ing a few butterflies to adorn the Levine Jewish Community Center” beeame “like a butterfly ... spreading its wings and beeom- ing something very speeial.” Now the seulpture’s arehing expanse and eolorful mosaie instantly draw the eye as one enters the Park. However, the ded- ieation of this magnifieent seulp ture is not an end, but a beginning. The Levine Jewish Community Center and the Levine-Sklut Judaie Library are eollaborating to provide edueational workshops throughout the Charlotte eommu nity on the Holoeaust, religious toleranee, diversity and aeeept anee. This initiative will inelude the reeruitment and training of volunteers to lead these work shops and fielding inquiries and requests from area sehools, ehurehes, and other eommunity groups and ageneies. It is hoped that additional finan- eial and volunteer support will sustain these edueational work shops in perpetuity as The Butterfly Projeet enters this new phase of its development. The Margaret and Lou Sehwartz Butterfly Garden, the site for the workshops going forward, will be appreeiated not only for its beauty and artistie merit, but also as a haven for refieetion and diseus- sion. Dr. Raeelle Weiman, Direetor of The Center for Holoeaust and Humanity Edueation at Temple University, shared in her leeture following the eeremony the shoek- ing faet that only 7-8% of Jewish ehildren survived Nazi-oeeupied territory. Only 33% of Jewish adults survived. Thousands of non-Jewish persons who were sympathizers, disabled, homosex ual, or otherwise deemed undesir able were also eliminated. But out of our eolleetive mem ory of this tragie and horrible past, the seeds of hope and peaee ean germinate. One wonderful surprise that eame about through preparation for this year’s Yom HaShoah observanee was a play ereated by loeal teens, named “Who Will Tell Their Story? Passing on the Legaey.” It reeounts the early lives of Holoeaust survivors Suly Chenkin and Irving Bienstoek. The play’s exeeutive produeer, Wilma Asrael, said the proeess of ereating the play was moving and she greatly respeeted the “amazing teens who have all shown eontinu- ing eommitment to the work, understanding and a joy of life sel dom seen.” During this year’s Yom HaShoah serviee. Rabbi Judy Suly Chenkin pictured with the two young ladies who perform as older Suly (Margo Smith) and younger Suly (Maya Goldsmith) in the play about her harrowing childhood experiences. Sehindler refieeted, “As Jews, we are ealled to eontinually move for ward: from despair to embraeing life, from fear to faith, from ashes to hope.” Rabbi Yossi Groner of Congregation Ohr Ha Torah stat ed, “Today we look at this memo rial as a beaeon of hope and we resolve to raise our ehildren in a better world where evil no longer has a plaee. We edueate our ehil dren to be living Torah serolls where the words of God are writ ten in their minds and hearts.” Live butterflies were released at the elose of the serviee. As the but terflies tested their wings and broke free of their paper “ehrysalises,” the sun broke through the eloudy skies. If you are interested in making a donation, volunteering, or would like to get more information about the edueational workshops, please visit The Butterfly Projeet at www.eharlottejee.org or email Butter flyProj eet@eharlotte jee. org. ^ Dining Dui Catering & Hospitaiity Now Offering: CHALLAH Fresh from Scratch Kosher/Parve No Preservatives 100% Natural Make it Easy! 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