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The Charlotte Jewish News - March 2014 - Page 11 Mitzvah Making at the Cemetery By Kelly Reed Keeling The buds are bursting and the spring robins have begun their nesting in the numer ous trees at the Hebrew Cemetery. As the landseape greens around the head stones, we remember that life indeed springs eternal and that eaeh person buried at the eemetery lives on in the memories of the loved ones they left behind. Caring for the deeeased is both an obligation and a privilege, and the eemetery provides ways to fulfill this mitzvah through membership, volunteer ing, or making a gift. Several deeades ago, some eommunity leaders, sueh as Hilbert Fuerstman and Nat “Buddy” Roberts, took it upon themselves to improve the He brew Cemetery’s landseape and graveside serviees. In September 2013, both Fuerstman and Roberts were reeognized as Lifetime Members for over 40 years of serviee to the Hebrew Cemetery. Over the years, other leaders have followed in their footsteps, sueh as Mare Silverman, Bill Goreliek, Kevin Levine, and Brian Yesowiteh, who together with the Board, generous donors and the Jew ish eommunity, are implementing the eemetery’s long- range Master Plan. For anyone who has visited the Cemetery reeently, you are well aware that the Cemetery expansion is in full swing, with the outer eonstruetion eomplete for the Memorial Building (pietured here) and the final six aeres graded and surveyed. Over time, the beautifieation efforts have paid off, and today the Hebrew Cemetery is superbly maintained, both by professional staff and by the periodie efforts of volunteer groups. One sueh volunteer and He brew Cemetery member, Stefan Pienkny, reealls initially getting involved in the Cemetery’s work Nat “Buddy” Roberts (far right), pictured with his fam ily. Photo courtesy of Silver Stream Creative Group. through a Temple Beth El Broth erhood Mitzvah Day projeet baek in the late 90s. Pienkny and his wife, Gail, moved to Charlotte in 1987. He is an arehiteet and prin- eipal with Gantt Huberman Arehi- teets, his wife was an insuranee exeeutive. “At the time, the eeme tery was sorely negleeted. We eleaned headstones, eleared brush, and plaeed fresh sod,” reealls Pienkny. “Little did I imagine that we would require the eemetery’s serviees in just a few short years.” Gale died four years ago, and is buried at the eemetery. The new Memorial building. Photo courtesy of Silver Stream Creative Group. At this year’s Annual Memorial Serviee, Karen Knoble, attested to the simple reason why we must eare for the eemetery, namely that the eemetery is the eommunity’s saered ground. She shared that the Hebrew Cemetery is: * Saered beeause the remains of our loved ones are here. * Saered beeause we eome here as a eommunity to reeall our loved ones. * Saered beeause in the same way that God eomforted Isaae Save tfie 'Date 2014 yicCdRsfi Institute at l/VidCacres 'Retreat Jlugust 14-17, 2014 when Abraham died, we eomfort eaeh other in times of need and times of grief Furthermore, Ms. Knoble said that, in faet, she was eompelled to move from Judaie obser- vanee to Judaie eonver- sion upon the death of her beloved father-in- law, Shelly. Through his serviee and burial, she learned first-hand “how the Jewish traditions en- eourage us to express our feelings of loss while also strengthening us to earry on.” Ms. Knoble and her husband, Barry Bobrow, have made a legaey gift to the Hebrew Cemetery. In addition to legaey gifts, memberships help eover the on going eosts of operating the Cemetery. “Membership and ae- tive partieipation with eommittees help provide eare for these saered grounds,” says Alan Gottheim, Hebrew Cemetery Board Mem ber. “My parents, Donald and Franees Gottheim, moved down from Cherry Hill, NJ to be eloser to us. We were fortunate to have six good years with mom and seven and a half with dad here in Charlotte. Mom partieipated in Jewish Family Serviee’s Adult Bat Mitzvah the summer before she died. It was the highlight of her life. They are both buried at the Hebrew Cemetery here in Char lotte.” Membership is only $72 per year. The Hebrew Cemetery is a eommunity eemetery, not affili ated with any one temple, so it re lies on membership and eontributions to sustain it. The Cemetery reeeives halakhie guid- anee from Rabbis representing multiple Jewish traditions. All Jews, affiliated and unaffiliated, are weleome to be buried here. Membership benefits inelude dis- eounted rates on plots and serviee fees. We weleome you to eome visit the Cemetery at 1801 Statesville Ave, Charlotte, NC 28206 from 9 AM-4:30 PM, Monday to Friday, and 10 AM-4 PM on Sunday. To learn more about membership. legaey gifts (donations that do not impaet your eurrent finanees), donations, or volunteer work, or to arrange your pre-planning visit, please eontaet our warm and personable direetor, Sandra Gold man, at direetor@hebreweeme- tery.org or 704-576-1859. Her r (Hebrew Cemetery of Greater Charlotte ftoM.ov' * Cete-brct.te * -Emi>rci.oe offiee is loeated at Shalom Park, 5007 Providenee Road, Suite 105.^ >! Start 2014 with a Plan for Success! Private and Group Coaching: • Leadership • Sales • Strategic Planning • Career Transition • Career Management • Hiring, Managing and Motivating Talent • Communication Fora complimentary consultation, call us today! 704-604-1655 WWW. CarolinaBusiness Coach. com Meg D. 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The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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March 1, 2014, edition 1
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