The Charlotte Jewish News - December 2016 - Page 2
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Shabbat Candle Lighting
FOR December 2016
Friday, December 2, 4:53 PM
Friday, December 9, 4:53 PM
Friday, December 16,4:55 PM
Friday, December 23,4:58 PM
Saturday, December 24,1st Chanukah candle, after
5:58 PM
Friday, December 30, 5:03 PM
(light Chanukah candles first)
Saturday, December 31, 8th
Chanukah candle, after 6:03 PM I
The Charlotte Jewish
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Published monthly except July
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The Jewish Federation
'5^5'
OF GREATER CHARLOTTE
Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Other
American Experiences
By Inbal Ozeri, Community
Shlicha
So as you all know, I’m in
my second year here, and last
year for the first time, I saw
all these Christian holidays as
part of another religion that I
shouldn’t be part of because I
am Jewish and Israeli and in
Israel we don’t celebrate
these holidays.
Throughout my first year
here though I realized that I
might have gotten it all
wrong, and that for most peo
ple it’s just fun and simply
represents nice American tra
ditions, that are actually not
even related to religion any
more. Even when I visited
Christmas Town in McA-
denville to see the lights last
December, I actually met
some Jews there. It’s just
beautiful and fun. No harm in
that. I went there because my
cousin came from Israel to
visit me and so I felt I had to
show her this, this is not for me -
so it’s okay. But after a while, I
thought hey, this is for me too and
I realized that’s okay.
There happened to be one truck
that was driving a lot of people
and they were screaming “Merry
Christmas” to everyone and my
cousin, without even hesitating
yelled back at them “Thank you.
Inbal enjoying her American experiences.
but I’m Jewish!” Luckily they
found it hilarious and so when
they passed by us again they
screamed “Merry Christmas! But
she’s Jewish!” and laughed with
us about it.
Back to my contradictory feel
ings about the differences of
American and Christian experi
ences, I asked a lot of people
about those traditions they
have, and most people that I
asked, didn’t even know
how why and when it all
started and how these are re
lated to Jesus and the New
Testament. I also realized
that next year I will be back
to my life in Israel where we
don’t have a majority of
Christians and I might not
have that opportunity ever
again to experience Hal
loween, Thanksgiving, or
see Christmas lights and
hear the festive music of the
holiday season.
So this year at Halloween,
I carved pumpkins for the
first time, I even put on a
costume and went trick-or-
treating with some families.
It was not only a lot of fun
but some people actually
thought I was a kid and I got
myself some candy. I want to
thank the Kosofsky family
for helping me to experience
all these American holidays these
past few months and for reassur
ing me that my feelings of having
an experience like that is just plain
old fun and not to be taken too
seriously.
With that being said. I’m
definitely looking forward to
Chanukah - how about you?
Happy Chanukah, everyone! ^
Jewish Federation
OF GREATER CHARLOTTE
CONTENTS
Synagogues/Cong pp.
11-14,19-23
Federation News
PP-1-4
Dining Out
p. 14
Schools
PP- 5, 6
Jewish Community Center....
pp. 16,17
Jewish Family Services
P- 7
Women’s News
p. 24
Community News
PP- 8, 9
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library.
p. 24
Youth Visions
....pp. 10,11
Chanukah
pp. 27-31
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