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The Charlotte Jewish News - January 2015 - Page 23 Martin Luther King Shabbat Friday, January 16, 7-9 PM A Taste of Judaism ... Are You Curious? Temple Beth El will kiek off the MLK Weekend as we eele- brate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King and refleet on the ways in whieh we need to eontinue to work together to bring his vision to life for a more just soeiety. This year’s MLK exehange will be with dynamie and pas sionate preaeher and leader Pastor Donnie Garris of Antioeh Mis sionary Baptist Chureh in Grier Heights. Pastor Garris has been leading Antioeh sinee 1997. He is aetive in the eommunity serving on our CMS Interfaith Advisory eouneil, working on issues of af fordable housing, supporting R.A.I.N. (Regional AIDS Inter faith Network), and espeeially serving the needs of the Grier Heights Community. Pastor Garris reeeived a Baeh- elor of Arts degree from Shaw University, Raleigh, NC in 1988 and a Master of Divinity degree Judah Chureh Praise Team under the leadership of Pastor Sharon Riehardson, joined by our Temple Beth El adult ehoir, will lift up our serviee and prayers. Thirteen Lion of Judah Praise Team daneers will do a eandle light danee to “O Guide My Steps.” As part of the MLK annual ex ehange, Rabbi Judy Sehindler will be preaehing at Antioeh Mission ary Baptist on Sunday, January 25th at 10 AM. Both events are open to the eommunity. ^ Pastor Donnie Garris from Prineeton Theologieal Sem inary, Prineeton, NJ in 1991. He was ordained by the Zion Baptist Assoeiation of North Carolina in 1985. He is married to Regina L. Maek-Garris in 1990; and they have one son, Jonathan Christian. A highlight of our annual MLK serviee is the musie. The Lion of TEMPLE BETH EL Come join us to learn (or re learn) about eore Jewish prinei- ples and explore the Jewish perspeetive on living in today’s world. Everyone is weleome, Jewish or not. Temple Beth El will offer four 90 minute elasses, featuring an in- troduetion to: Jewish spirituality, Jewish values, Jewish history, and Jewish traditions. These free elasses will be held at the Temple on Wednesday evenings, January 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 7-8:30 PM. Rabbi Judith Sehindler, Rabbi Jonathan Freirieh, and Cantor Mary Thomas will lead the elasses. Don’t miss this great opportu nity to get to know the Temple Beth El elergy and learn the basies of Judaism in a relaxed setting. Seating is limited and registration is required. To register, please eontaet Candaee Naliboff at 704- 749-3068 or enaliboff@beth- el.eom.^ TEMPLE BETH EL The Mystery of the Hanukkiah By Rabbi Dr. Barbara Thiede Last week, I reeeived a eall from our Temple Administrator, Charlotte Miller. “Did you send me a hanukkiah?” she asked. “Nooo,” I said. “I have some thing else in mind.” “Well, someone did.” It had eome in the mail, she said, but without a eard. She had eheeked, but there was no ex planatory text message or email. We speeulated a while. Some one from the temple who appreei- ated her ineredible devotion to the welfare of the eommunity? A sib ling, perhaps? A friend? She deseribed the hanukkiah for me. Charlotte, usually so prag- matie and praetieal, was elearly delighted. The menorah was solid brass, she said, wonderfully heavy. It was formed in out- stretehed branehing arms to look like tree limbs. The mystery gift. “Crowned with light on Hanukkah,” I said. “Beautiful.” “Well,” Charlotte said, “Some one knows my taste.” She went off on a seouting trip, found the menorah on a website, and sent me a pieture. She ealled again. “This was not eheap,” she said. Still flummoxed, she added, “I think somebody made a booboo. This had to be meant for someone else.” I was not so sure. Expensive gifts usually end at their intended address. Charlotte has, of eourse, many wonderful non-Jewish friends who have watehed over her over these past years. It’s been a long journey, but she is almost home, now. She has garnered years of eongregational experienee at Temple Or Olam. She has devoted years of heartfelt learning to her studies. All that, eombined with her enthusiasm and devotion have demonstrated to everyone around her that she is ready. Charlotte will finally own her Jewish name and her Jewish life just about the time this artiele is published. Her eonversion elasses will be over. A new stage in her learning and growth as a member of the tribe will begin. Clearly, someone wanted to show Charlotte that her ehoiees had been fully aeeepted. Someone wanted to honor her for who she is and for who she is beeoming. Here’s what she wrote in her blog: “A eall to the shipper revealed the sender: my ehildren. My old est son, who is quiet but fiereely eonseious of other people and their needs, knew before I did that I would need something for my holiday of Hanukkah while the family’s Christ mas swirls around me. He found the hanukkiah on a website and asked the other ehildren to join in sup porting me. Their eelebration of my ehoiee is a true gift: that of their love for me as I am. “I am truly blessed in the friends, family, and eoworkers I have in my life. “I am fortunate to have my rabbi as my guide through these years of diseemment and study. She gifted me with my Jewish name, a perfeet fit that I don’t think we realized at the time. Gavriela: strength of God. “May that strength eontinue to uphold me and Temple Or Olam as I go out into the world as a proud but thoughtful member of the Jewish tribe.” o o L_ Keyn y’hi ration, Gavriela. And may the lights of your hanukkiah shine with joy and pride - this and all the Hanukkahs to eome.^ Self Care /hr W&menr ‘Soothing’ Stress Management Approaches: ♦ Restorative Yoga ♦ Reiki ♦ Supportive Breathing Teehniques ♦ Meditation with Ease ♦ Guided Imagery A woruierfid/gf;(tfbr ctrloved/oner Ellyn Kirsehner 704-533-2694 www.gmceinwellness. us COMPLEMENTARY PHONE CONSULTATION you deserve feel beautiful 704-542-8686 Ditesheim COSMETIC SURGERY youdeservebeauty.com
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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