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The Charlotte Jewish News - April 2016 - Page 24 Celebrating Chai In Her Own Words: An Interview with Rabbi Judith Schindler In April 2016, Rabbi Judith Schindler will celebrate 18 years leading the clergy of Temple Beth El. We asked her to reflect upon her time at Temple Beth El. Here is what she said. What do you think makes Temple Beth El special? I am most proud that Temple Beth El is a community that lives the values of Jewish community. Our members understand the power of a minyan not just in prayer but in study, in celebrating sacred time, in healing each other, and in healing our world. For example, our S.RI.C.E. program captures our commit ment to creating vibrant commu nity. Our active retirees (and even those who are still working) flock to Temple two Mondays a month for learning and lunch. More than one hundred people regularly at tend. S.RI.C.E. has travelled to Is rael, engaged in annual courses of serious monthly study, provided support for Sterling Elementary School, and most of all, SRICE members have been family to one another. They have studied to gether, traveled together, social ized together, celebrated together, and grieved together as they mourned the deaths of those they loved. How have you seen Temple Beth El grow closer as a community? Our Chevra Kaddishah typifies our commitment to being there fully for one another. More than a decade ago, we created our own Temple Beth El Chevra Kad dishah. If we believe in the Re form principle of choice and support our congregants’ auton omy to make Jewish choices based on knowledge of the mitzvot and commitment to being Jewish in life then we need to sup port their decisions surrounding their deaths. The commitment of our congregants to be ready to change the course of their day to fulfill a commitment to Jewish community is also reflected in other Caring Community groups such as those that prepare meals for and visit those who are sick or who make bereavement phone calls to check in with those who have lost a loved one. How has Temple Beth El formed community outside the congrega tion? Temple Beth El has built a strong reputation in Charlotte and the region for its commitment to social justice and action. From being the lead organization to in spire the creation of a Shalom Bark Freedom School and Shalom Park environmental initiative (Shalom Green), to 19 years of Room in the Inn providing meals and shelter to our homeless neigh bors and 19 years of Mitzvah Day, Temple Beth El fully practices what our ancient Biblical Prophets preached. We use our hands to make meals at Urban Ministry, our minds to tutor at Sterling Ele mentary, and our voices to work for equality, equity and justice. I am proud of Temple Beth El’s civic engagement on issues of af fordable housing, LGBTQ rights, public school education, domestic abuse awareness, and issues sur rounding aging. What was one of your proudest moments? On Sunday, September 5, 2005, 523 Hurricane Katrina evacuees from New Orleans arrived at the Charlotte Coliseum. Some were rescued from attics and plucked from rooftops just hours before. They were dazed, disoriented, and asked for maps to see where Char lotte, North Carolina was located. On Monday, just one day later, our Sisterhood organized an undergar ment campaign for the evacuees and within hours, the office was covered with donations. We quickly partnered with Unity F el- lowship Church Charlotte and Grubb Properties and found eleven families places to call “home.” We set up an instanta neous free store for our adopted families to furnish their homes and clothe their bodies. In caring for these 25 individuals through the next year, we learned the power we had at Beth El to organ ize, collaborate, lift up, and save lives. What message would you like to give Shalom Park and greater Charlotte Jewish community? We are tied together. Each in stitution has great gifts to share. Visit and celebrate and care about them all. Consider multiple affili ation. That is a value my grandfa ther embraced in Germany (as he belonged to Orthodox and Reform synagogues in Munich) and passed down to me. ^ Havurat Tikvah Guest Professor James Walsh (Continued from page 23) children. We are a diverse group of families, singles, and Jewish and in terfaith couples who participate in projects that promote social justice. We value and depend upon mem ber participation and leadership for our religious services, spiritual growth and governance. Havurat Tikvah is an affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Com munities, in association with the Reconstmctionist Rabbinical Col lege. For more information on upcom ing services, programs, membership or other queries, call 980-225-5330, write to Havurat Tikvah, RO. Box 12684, Charlotte, NC 28220, email membership@havurattikvah.org or visit havurattikvah.org. Havurat Tik vah is also on Facebook at face- book.cotn/groups/ havurattikvah/.^ havuraiyhope Jewish Reconstmctionist Communities In Association with the Reconstmctionist Rabbinical College A WEEKEND TO HONOR RABBI JUDY April 8 - 9, 2016 FRIDAY, 7:00 PM - SHABBAT SERVICE Honor of Emerita Bestowed SATURDAY, 7:30 PM - CELEBRATION Mus/a Dancing, and Fun Hors d’oeuvres and Drinks Snappy Casual Attire Tickets $54/person RSVP required at www.templebethel.org Jn. TEMPLE WBETH EL www.templebethel.org | 704-366-1948 The entire Charlotte community is invited to join us.
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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