The Charlotte Jewish News - November 2018 - Page 4
Innovation.
Jewish Federation m innovation.
OF GREATER CHARLOTTE
Sue^
Sue Aittauen.
mmm
During World War II, Nazi
Germany led a systematic cam
paign to loot and plunder art from
Jews and others in the occupied
countries. Much of the stolen art
was recovered by the Allies in
the immediate aftermath of the
war; however, thousands of valu
able art pieces were not returned
to their rightful owners or were
never relocated. In the decades
following the Holocaust, a con
certed international effort was
undertaken to identity Nazi plun
der that still remains unaccount
ed for with the aim of ultimately
returning the items to the rightful
owners or their families. (Jewish
virtual library)
“Holocaust Restitution: Re
covering Stolen Art” is an import
ant theme of both Stolen Beauty
by Laurie Lico Albanese and Me
mento Park by Mark Sarvas. Sto
len Beauty tells the story of Adele
Bloch-Bauer (better known as the
“Lady in Gold” in the paintings by
Gustav Klimt), and her beloved
niece Maria Altmann. At first this
glamorous, delicious novel which
tells the story of Adele, is set in
Vienna in the early 1900s; but
continues in the voice of Maria
during dark pre- and post-World
War 11. Those familiar with the
movie Woman in Gold starring
Helen Mirren will appreciate the
rich history behind the famous
painting, which was the center of
a Supreme Court battle to return
the painting to its rightful owners.
Memento Park, a contem
porary novel set in the United
States, delves into the unsettling
relationship between Matt San
tos, a Hollywood actor, and his
father, a Holocaust survivor liv
ing in New York. When Matt
receives a call from the Austra
lian consulate about a painting
allegedly looted by Nazis from
his father’s family in 1944 Bu
dapest, his world is turned upside
down. The discovery sends Matt
on a journey of exploration of his
previous unknown family history.
the meaning of art, Judaism, and
his relationships with the women
in his life. What intrigues and in
flames Matt is the burning ques
tion “Why does his opportunist
father want nothing to do with the
return of this very valuable paint
ing?” Memento Park, a well-writ-
ten novel, is best appreciated for
the psychological study of the
complicated father and son rela
tionship.
The search for rightful own
ership of art stolen by the Nazis
continues today. The painting
“Deux Femmes Dans Un Jardin”
painted in 1919 by Renoir was
stolen by the Nazis in 1941 from
the bank vault of Alfred Wein
berger, a prominent art collector
in pre-war Paris. On Wednesday,
September 12, 2018, it was re
turned to Weinberger’s last re
maining heir, his granddaughter
Sylvie Sultizer, at a ceremony at
the Museum of Jewish Heritage
in New York.
CJE Book Club News:
Stolen Beauty was the October
selection for the CJE Book Club
which meets the third Wednesday
of each month from 10:3 0 AM-12
noon. Please note; however, that
the book club will meet on the
second Wednesday of Novem
ber when we will discuss Faith
ful by Alice Hoffman. The Book
of Separation by Tova Mirvis is
the selection for our meeting on
December 19. All are welcome
to attend. For more information,
please contact sueb.httauer@jew-
ishcharlotte.org. ^
CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE CJE: NOVEMBER 2018
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
The Center for Jewish Education (CJE) enhances community engagement,
promotes lifelong Jewish learning, and creates pathways to Jewish identity.
LiBRARY HOURS: Monday - Thursday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm;
Friday, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm; and Sunday, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
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PJ Library Baby Storytime
11:00 AM
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library
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Once Upon a Storytime
1:15 PM
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library
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PJ Library Baby Storytime
11:00 AM
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library
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Global Day of Jewish
Learning
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Once Upon a Storytime
1:15 PM
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library
CJE Book Club
10:30 am -12:00 pm
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PJ Library Baby Storytime
11:00 AM
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library
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No Storytime Today!
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Library
Closed
Today!
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Library Closed
Today!
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PJ Library Baby Storytime
11:00 AM
Levine-Sklut Judaic Library
SPECIAL EVENT!
Calling all families with children ages 2-8
JOIN US FOR A MORNING OF FUN!
• Mr. Ed from "Dakota and Friends" will
bring his large, walking dinosaur puppets.
Witness a baby T-Rex hatch from his egg!
• Storym\k: Dinosaur Goes to Israel
• Snack
Sunday, November 11
10:45-11:30am
Poliakoff Pavilion
at Camp Mindy at Shalom Park
FREE - Limited Space
Registration Required:\N\N\N.le\N\s[\c[\ar\otte.org/gdl\