The Charlotte Jewish News - December 2014 - Page 3
^Celebrating Hanukkah
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$
By Adi Rodavsky, Community
Shlicha
Whenever I tell teenagers
here that Israelis only really eat
doughnuts at Hanukkah, they’re
shoeked. In truth, we don’t re
ally have Dunkin Donuts or any
other doughnut shop beeause
those are so heavily linked with
Hanukkah and not with any
other day of the year. For some
of my Israeli students, dough
nuts are what Hanukkah is all
about.
However, it is important to
remember that while doughnuts
are great, they’re not what the
holiday is about. This month
we’re mentioning Hanukkah
not only beeause outside forees
have tried to harm the Jewish
people and failed, but also be
eause we seek to eelebrate the
power of brave individuals
fighting against a power seem
ingly mueh stronger than them
selves.
The theme of the few against
the many is always present in
the history of the Jewish people.
It is exaetly that aspeet whieh
makes our history so speeial -
time and time again, our people
were ealled to faee enemies
mueh stronger than themselves
and they have prevailed. Some
of the world’s most inspiring
stories feature this element,
from the battles of Lord of the
Rings to the ery for freedom in
Les Miserables.
For us, however, this is not a
story about a fantasy land, it is
not a made up plot in the bril
liant mind of a Freneh author.
The idea that few ean prevail
against the many, that faith and
unity ean overeome all obsta-
eles, is always with us, a hand
print on eaeh of our hearts. This
is what makes Hanukkah spe
eial. On this day, we remind
ourselves and our families that
few people ean aehieve great
things if they have faith and if
they are unified. We remind
m.i! m?
..,
ourselves that one little pot of
oil has lasted for eight days; we
remember that we must never
doubt the weaker and smaller as
they are just as able of great
ness. As an edueator, Hanukkah
reminds me to look at eaeh of
my pupils as my own little pot
of oil. They may not
seem like they’ll do
wonders on the first
day at elass, they may
not even believe that
they ean; but if I be
lieve, then wonders
would eertainly eome.
On this Hanukkah,
let us remember these
lessons, the strength of
our people and the im-
portanee of believing in our
own personal tiny pots of oil as
eaeh one of those has the poten
tial to make miraeles happen in
our lives.
I wish you and your families
a wonderful Hanukkah. ^
^ Faith, Love, & Hope: An Evening with Special Guest
^Speaker Jeannie Opdyke Smith
$ Thursday, January 15, 7:30 PM in the Sam Lerner Center at Shalom Park
t
$
y
Join the Jewish Federation of
Greater Charlotte’s Women’s
Philanthropy as we eelebrate
and honor the power of women.
Inspired and guided by our tra
dition of Tzedakah (justiee/ehar-
ity), Chesed (aets of loving
kindess), and Tikkun Olam (re
pairing the world), the Federa
tion seeks to empower women
as philanthropists and leaders.
Jeannie Opdyke Smith is the
daughter of the late Irene
Opdyke, a brave and inspiring
figure who reeeived interna
tional reeognition for her life
saving aetions during the
Holoeaust when working for a
high ranking German offieial.
Smith knows her late mother,
Irene Gut Opdyke, never eon-
sidered herself a hero. Gut
Opdyke elaimed that her work
of saving Jews during the Holo
eaust was love, not bravery. Yet,
she has reeeived international
reeognition — the Israel Medal
of Honor and the Commander’s
Cross, the Polish Medal of
Honor, are both tied to her
name. The Vatiean gave Opdyke
a eommendation and her story is
part of a permanent exhibit in
Jeannie Opdyke Smith
the United States Holoeaust Me
morial Museum in Washington,
DC.
Jeannie is part of a new group
of Holoeaust speakers ealled
Seeond Generation, who share
their parents’ first-hand stories.
Irene’s story, though filled with
the horrors and hate that the
Holoeaust holds, brings a mes
sage of faith, love, and hope:
that good ean triumph over evil.
Her tale of bravery proelaims
the eonvietion that one by one
we ean say no to hatred, perse-
eution, and prejudiee. Jeannie
has spoken to audienees around
the eountry telling her mother’s
inspiring story of how one
woman ean truly make an im-
paet on the world.
Irene’s autobiography, “In
My Hands: Memories of a
Holoeaust Reseuer,” relays the
detailed aeeount of her life dur
ing World War II. The book was
adapted into the nationally ae-
elaimed Broadway play,
“Irena’s Vow,” starring Tovah
Feldshuh.
The evening begins at 7:30
PM with a dessert reeeption and
book signing to follow.
This event is free and open to
the publie. To register visit:
www.jewisheharlotte.org.
Questions? Contaet Tair
Giudiee, Direetor of Outreaeh
and Engagement at 704-944-
6759 or tair.giudiee@jew-
isheharlotte.org.
Jeannie Opdyke Smith will
be the keynote speaker at Feder
ation’s Lion of Judah Luneheon
on Wednesday, January 14. For
more information about beeom-
ing a Lion of Judah, please eon-
taet Sue Littauer, Direetor of
Development, at 704-944-
6758.^
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JEWISH^
FEDE^RATION$
OF GREATER CHARLOTTE
THE STRENGTH OF A PEOPLE.
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY.
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Experience does!
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Join US on December 11 as we present our new look.
Tributes to the Jewish
Federation Annuai
Campaign
The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte thanks and acknowl
edges the following tributes made July 7 - November 7.
In honor of Holly Levinson
By: Gary and Janie Levinson
In honor of Linda Seigel being awarded the Kipnis-
Wilson/Friedland Award
By: Connie Kraus, Sandy and Elaine Melnick
In memory of Mildred Lyons
By: Aaron and Allison Neiss
In memory of Michael Smith, brother of Harvey Smith
By: Mike and Sue Littauer
If you would like to make a Tribute to the Jewish Federation,
please contact the Federation office at 704-944-6761.^