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The Charlotte Jewish News - December 2016 - Page 9 The Game of Life in Ten Short Stories Local Charlotte Author Explores the Human Condition in New Anthology Noted philosopher Kierkegaard said, “Life must be lived forwards, but ean only be understood baek- wards.” Exploring the human eon- dition has long intrigued everyone from philosophers to authors - partieularly when refleeting baek on past experienees. In “Short, Short Tales,” author David Pliner uses ten short stories to delve into the array of human emotions and experienees that aeeompany everyday life. A mix of fietion and non-fie- tion, “Short, Short Tales” features a wide variety of eharaeters, in eluding: a eorrupt bookkeeper, an inquisitive dog named Duke, a bereft business owner, a young man at his Bar Mitzvah, and more. All the eharaeters in “Short, Short Tales” were based on people Pliner met throughout the eourse SHORT, SHORT TALES DAVID PLINER of his life. “Every story is inspired by a personal experienee,” said Pliner. “I’ve eneountered and observed so many people and emotions throughout my life, so my stories Ross C. Levin is among the 350 individuais and famiiies in our community who have cre ated 721 unique iegacy gifts to support its future. Piease take the time to read his story and thank him for his generosity. It is our hope that you wiii be in spired and encouraged to join Ross and others who have cre ated iegacy gifts to heip sus tain our Jewish community. By Ross C. Levin Growing up Jewish in Char lotte during the 60s and 70s, I was fortunate to have been a part of Jewish life that was not just a eommunity, but more like an ex tended family. At the time, there eertainly was no Shalom Park, and for a while there was no Jew ish Community Center. Temple Beth El was loeated on Provi- denee Road near Queens and Temple Israel was on Morehead near MeDowell Street. While the two eongregations were separated from one another by a greater dis- tanee than they are today, they were part of a smaller eommunity, so religious and soeial events drew those of one to the other. Es- peeially memorable was my gen eration’s Bar and Bat Mitzvah eelebrations that typieally in- eluded a post-serviee Oneg and an evening dinner danee with a mix of loeals and out of towners. The memories of these eelebrations and tradition, honoring the transi tion to adulthood, remain impor tant to me. The Amity Club (whieh would evolve into the eommunity’s first ICC) was loeated in the Cotswold area and was a wonderful gather- From left to right: Front row: Vera Mendel, Jack Mendel, Maxine Levine (OBM), Al Levine OBM), 2nd row: Marion Kronovet, Mike Scharf Leo Grosswald, Charlene Scharf, Stan Grey, 3rd row: David Kronovet, Donna Levin (OBM), 4th row Norman Levin, Alene Strause (OBM), Barbara Levin, Jerry Levin, 5th row: Arlene Karp, Sam Strause (OBM), Paula Musler, Back row: Ed Karp, Shelton Gorelick (OBM), Norman Musler (OBM) Community Mourns the Loss of Hilbert Fuerstman are inspired by themes like eor- mption, nostalgia, love, friend ship, and laughter - things every person eould experienee.” After an extensive eareer work ing with people in the real estate industry, Pliner sought to share some of his life’s most interesting experienees, whieh led to the ere- ation of “Short, Short Tales.” He is now eurrently working on his first full-length novel, whieh he antieipates will be a sequel to one of the stories in the anthology. “The stories may be short, but they were written to make you think,” said Pliner. The book ean purehased di- reetly from Pliner for 1/3 the priee of a direet purehase. He ean be eontaeted at dpliner@ earolina.rr.eom or 704-234- 0050.^ ing plaee for both the young and old. I loved the Amity Club and fondly remember the many sports sueh as swimming, tennis, and softball and playing with friends in the pool. I enjoyed many din ners there with my immediate and extended Jewish family. It was sueh a warm and weleoming envi ronment. As a result, I never real ized we were there beeause Jews were not aeeepted at other elubs. Perhaps this was a good thing. This eommunity “mishpaeha” ereated one large family that pro vided us with elose friends, great edueational opportunities, and eontinued aets of generosity and eharity for the health and growth of the Jewish eommunity. We had inspiring examples of how to live as Jews. These role models were my parents, Donna and Norman, as well as Aunt Max and Unele Al, Aunt Renee and Unele Shel ton, Aunt Marion and Unele David, Aunt Paula and Unele Nor man, Aunt Vera and Unele Jaek, Aunt Connie and Unele Paul, Aunt Barbara and Unele Jerry, Aunt Peggy and Unele Buddy, Aunt Charlene and Unele Mike, Aunt Alene and Unele Sammy, and so many, many more. It is this sense of Jewish family and eom munity that defines my Jewish life. For that reason, I have estab lished my Jewish Legaey with thanks in their honor. ^ Like the eharaeter Edward Bloom from the movie Big Fish, Hilbert Fuerstman had a lot of sto ries to tell. “You eouldn’t believe them, but they were true,” says Kevin Levine, exeeutive direetor of the Foundation of Shalom Park, who worked alongside Fuerstman in his (Levine’s) eapaeity as president of the Hebrew Cemetery Assoeiation. “Well,” Levine demures, “at least part of it was true.” Fuerstman indeed had a wealth of experienees. He was a eo- founder and one of the original members of Temple Beth El. In his eapaeity as a Jewish seholar and teaeher, he eolleeted thou sands of book whieh he donated to the Levine-Sklut Judaie Library. This great seholarship was evident in the stories he told. “He had in sights the he shared frequently, both solieited and unsolieited,” laughs Levine. Fuerstman was a prolifie tennis player and ereated a group to play in Dilworth at a time when Jews were not allowed to join eountry elubs. This group grew over many years and eventually a plaque was dedieated to the Hilbert Fuerst- man/Dilworth Tennis Courts at Latta Park. Fuerstman, though, is best known to most of the eommunity as the direetor of the Hebrew Cemetery. Any visitor there eould expeet a detailed tour of the fa mous and interesting graves. From the Civil War veterans, to the “peaeh pit” seulpture, to the rest ing plaee of Harry Golden, Fuer stman knew the eemetery well. “Dad was a eomerstone of our Jewish eommunity,” says his son, Leland. “He was a leader of men.” “Sometimes his lessons eome baek to me unbidden,” Levine says. “The deeper meaning of some of his stories relate to the many things that often happen to me. It was an honor to learn from his vast experienee in life.” ^ Start 2017 with a plan for success! Private and Group Coaching: • Leadership • Communication • Saies • Career Transition • Career Management • Hiring, Managing and Motivating Taient • Strategic Pianning For a complimentary consultation, call us today! 704-604-1655 WWW. Ci'olinaBusiness Coach com Meg D. Goldstein Attorney-At-Law Estate Planning, Estate and Trust Administration, Pre-Marital Agreements, Charitable Planning and Entities, General Corporate and Tax Eaw, Business Succession Planninc 5960 Fairview Road, Suite 400 Charlotte, North Carolina 28210 Tel: 704.523.2202 ♦ Fax: 704.496.2716 MGOLDSTEIN{a)MGOLDLAW.COM ♦ WWW.MGOLDLAW.GOM
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 1, 2016, edition 1
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