Page 3—THE NEWS—September 1080
Random Thoughts... byMuneiLevitt To Fulfill A Need
Hie difficulty of adapting to a
different dty can be a devastat-
ing experience when you
happen to be past the age of car
pooliB and P.T.A. Very young
parents with little children seem
to have a minimum of problems
adjusting to the trauma of a
long distance move. TTiey buy a
house, let their kids run loose,
and eventually the neighbor
hood responds.
But when you are forty or
over, the picture changes
somewhat. Most probably your
children have grown up and out.
The empty nest syndrome is bad
enough when you go through it
in &imiliar territory, but when
you find yourself in strange
surroundings it can be murder.
Having been transferred up and
down theeastem seaboud, I am
a self-appointed authority on
the above subject.
If you have never been a
Jewish joiner, you’d better learn
to be one now. Even though
organizations may not be your
favorite thing, it’s pay your dues
time. Fortunately for new
comers, Charlotte is farflaytzed
with Jewish affiliated groups
and you can take your pi±.
They all have lofty aims and
worthy purposes and you can
not go wrong no matter which
you choose. In fact, you might
even try joining several for op
timum results.
I. have found that Char-
lotteans are basically firiendly.
Tliis does not mean that you
should sit at home waiting for
the world to beat a path to your
door. Rather it means that after
you have attended meetings at
the “J” and services at a temple,
you chat with those people you
meet there and finding some
that you like, invite them to visit
you soon. Nine chances out of
ten they’ll accept and you’re on
your way to new friendships
and experiences.
Making firiends on a one-to-
one basis is not very difficult.
Charlotte is a lunchy town and
you will see ladies munching
away in all the favorite noon
time haunts. It’s a great way to
relax after a morning or before
an afternoon of shopping. So,
when you come across a kindred
soul, why not suggest a
luncheon date. You’ll get to
know each other and if you’re
both compatible, won’t it be
great'
You may find this hard to
believe but one of my favorite
places to meet people is in front
of supermarket shelves. I have
used this gambit in several
cities. Invariably ladies con
gregate before the food displays,
each one commenting audibly
on the insanely high prices. It
only takes a brief moment
before you are commiserating
with one another and presto —
you are exchanging names and
For the Record
^ Norman Olshansky
Regional Director
Anti*Defamation League
A tract put out by the
American Messianic
Fellowship for the purpose of
proselytizing Jews to
Christianity is headed “How A
Rabbi Found Peace.” The
narrative which follows is alleg
edly the personal testimony of
Dr. Max Wertheimer, identified
as the former Rabbi of Temple
Israel in Dayton, Ohio and a
graduate of Hebrew Union
College in Cincinnati. The firont
cover of the brochure shows a
yoimg man with short hair,
neatly cut beard, glasses ... in
skullcap and tal^. From read
ing the brochure, one would be
led to believe that a modern-day
Rabbi “foimd Jesus” and is now
encouraging other Jews to do
the same.
This is but one example of
misleading, unethical, prosely
tizing on ^e part of Messianic
Hebrews. In fact, a little back
ground on Dr. Max Wertheimer
might indicate how half-truths
are used to dramatize the mis
sion and witness of the
Messianic Hebrews.
Wertheimer indeed is a graduate
of Hebrew Union College and
was a Rabbi at B’nai Yeshurun
Synagogue in Dayton, Ohio
which is now Temple Israel. I
emphasize now because Dr.
Wo^eimer was a graduate of
Hebrew Union College in 1889
where upon he joined the Rab
binate.
FVom information I received
from the American Jewish
archives, Wertheimer suffered a
major tragedy in the death of his
wife and went through what
was described as a “mental
breakdown.” Wertheimer later
left the Rabbinate and because a
Baptist minister teaching Bible
in Ada, Ohio. Photographs
which I have received of
Wertheimer as a young adult
bear no resemblance to the
photograph of the young Rabbi
on the Messianic tract.
The right of religious groujM
to practice that part of their
reli^ous convictions which in
cludes proselytizing is not in
question. However when that
proselytizing is targeted
towards Jews, unethical and/or
deceptive, we must and will ob
ject. Such is the case wi^ the
American Messianic
Fellowship and their distortions
related to the ‘‘personal
testimony” of Dr. Max
Wertheimer.
For more information
concerning Messianic Hebrews,
proselytizing directed towards
Jews, and other issues of con
cern to the Jewish community,
contact your local Rabbi,
Jewish Community Leadership,
and/or the Anti-Defamation
T jwiflup at 3311 West Broad
Street, Richmond, Virginia
23230.
reenspon
”7& Assocetes# Inc.
725 PROVIDENCE ROAD, SUITE 221
CHARLOTTE. NORTH CAROLINA
704/376-7434
Uf« Insuranc* Planning
Group Insuranc*
STAN GREENSPON
DAN COBLENZ
PanakNi Plans
Buainaas Insuranca
SCOTT SWIMMER
DAVID SWIMMER
telephone numbers. I have met
some terrific women in exactly
this fashion. No wonder I keep a
watchful eye whenever I ap
proach the p3rramids of cans
and boxes.
If your husband is a golf or
tennis buff, you’d be amazed at
how many contacts he’s liable to
make at course or court.
Strangers who share common
interests quickly form more
than a casual bond. Repeated
playing dates often lead to
sociability between couples.
Many a lasting friendship has
also evolved from a chance
meeting while waiting for play
to begin.
Another great way to become
acclimated to your new home is
to speak to everyone you meet.
My husband says that J have an
inborn ability to communicate
with anyone, anywhere, any
place. I do rather well with sales
people and grocery checkers, but
1 positively shine with waiters
and waitresses. If you come to a
strange town and want to know
anything at all about shopping,
theaters, restaurants, or places
of interest, just ask a waitress. I
don’t know why but your
average everyday waitress is a
positive fountain of information
about anything you want to
know. Service people are usually
helpful, concerned citizens who
will go out of their way to give a
stranger assistance.
Lastly, and certainly not the
least important, is joining a tem
ple. There are three Jewish
temples in Charlotte and you
won’t have to look for them,
they’ll look for you. According to
your choice and religious per
suasion, there is a - house of
worship to please everyone.
Attending services regularly is
an absolutely super way to meet
and greet local people while
enriching your life with the
rewarding experience of prayer.
Temple afhliated groups
abound and each would be
delighted to welcome a new
member. Joining and becoming
actively involved will practical
ly insure your acceptance into
the community.
From dty to dty, from state to
state, the same problems exist. I
have been there and I know.
Since moving to Charlotte I
have been blessed with many
acquaintances and several true,
dear friends. I have also been
fortunate enough to retain close
relationships with people from
every state in which we have liv
ed. My correspondence is
voluminous, my phone bill is
staggering, my cup runneUi
over!
By L. Louis Albert,
ACSW Director of
Social Services
Having recently arrived in
Charlotte, I have had the oppor
tunity to meet with many people
over the last few weeks. In-
veuriably, the second question
that I am asked is “What lands
of services will you be providing
to the Jewish community as the
Federation’s Director of Social
Services?”
I’d like to take this opportuni
ty to describe the various ser
vices that will initially be
offered. In general, program
areas will include services to the
elderly and services around
vocational problems.
One of the major goals of any
geriatric program is to help to
maintain the older adult at
home and connected with the
community. One way of
accomplishing this is to offer a
comprehensive evaluation of
the older person’s needs and
situation in sodal, emotional,
finandal, physical and legal
terms. Where unmet needs may
exist, assistance is offered in
connecting the person with the
best possible resources that are
available. Eventually, I look
forward to developing some of
these needed concrete supports,
such as transportation and
homemaker programs.
In addition, the elderly person
may be experiencing many
changes in his/her life: changes
in health or mobility, dianges in
relationships both with friends
and family, and losses through
death. In some instances
counseling may be indicated to
help deal with these changes
which could be causing ex
cessive stress for the person.
The aging of a parentis) is an
issue affecting the entire family.
Therefore, services. wiU 1m
available to help the whole fami
ly cope with, the stresses that
often occur during this period.
Family life education
programs will be presented to
the community on aging and
other related topics. These
programs are intended to be
both informative and preven
tative in nature. The format will
include a combination of lecture
and small group discussion
THANK YOU!
Sincere appreciation to
Anita Miller for her help as
typist for this issue. She
resides in Gastonia.
tuESPiivrmmiRHS
Mratseao
SpUIHPWt
NEfiOnMUftf
around issues that are raised.
Another area of need that has
been identified by the Federa
tion is vocational. In recent
years Charlotte has had a rapid
ly increasing number of new
comers relocating here. Many
people already in the communi
ty have been greatly affected by
Uie hard economic times and
have lost their jobs. These two
groups of people share at least
one ^ing in common. They are
dealing with a major change in
the stability of their lives which
may be causing a disruption.
These types of situational crises
will be addressed in two ways.
First, counseling services will be
available to families coping
with the pressures of moving to
a new community and lool^g
for work and to families who are
experiencing the effects of un
employment after losing a job.
Second, a job bank will be
developed to assist people who
are seeking employment. This
type of service, however, must
rely heavily on the cooperation
of the entire business conununi-
ty in noti^ng me of openings.
Tlie So^l Services Depart
ment is located in the Jewish
Community Center and I may
be contacted at 366-0357. I
would encourage anyone with
concerns in these areas to feel
free to call me. If you know of
someone who might benefit
from these services, please en
courage that person to call or
make a referral yourself.
The Jewish
Calendar
• » • # s' *m‘
CANDLEUGHTING
Sept. 5 — 7:38 p.m.
Sept. 10 — 7:31 p.m.
Sept. 12 — 7:29 p.m.
Sept. 19 — 7:19 p.m.
Sept. 24 — 7:12 p.m.
Sept. 26 — 7:09 p.m.
Oct. 1 — 7:03 p.m.
Oct. 2 — 7:02 p.m.
Oct. 3 — 7:00 p.m.
JEWISH HOUDA YS
Sept. 10 — Erev Rosh
Haahanah
Sept. 11 — Rosh Haahanah -
First Day
Sept. 12 — Rosh Hashanah -
Second Day
Sept. 19 —Erev YomKippur-
Kol Nidre
Sept. 20 — Yom Kippur
(Yiskor)
Sept. 24 — Erev Succoth
Sept. 25 — Succoth - First
Day
Sept. 26 — Succoth - Second
Day
Oct. 1 — Erev Shemini
Atzereth
Oct. 2 — Shemini Atzereth
(Yiskor)
Oct. 3 — Simchat Torah