The
Charlotte
Jewish
NEWS
Addnas Oomction
Non-Profit dhrganieation
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U.S. Pt>Btdge PAID
Charlotte, N. C.
Vol. 3 No. 5
Charlotte, North Carolina
May 1981
Hebrew Academy Dinner to Reunite
Begin Minister and Charlotte Friends
Bob Abel New JCC Prexy
by Martha Brenner
As an ardent organizer and
polemicist for Revisionist
Zionism, Zvi Harry Hurwitz
wanted to emigrate to Israel
from South Africa many times
in his life.
But Menachem Begin
wouldn’t have it.
“For years Begin told Hurwitz
that it was far more important
to the Revisionist movement, as
a whole, for him to stay in South
Africa,”, recalls Kenneth Gross
of Charlotte, a long-time friend
of Hurwitz. The Israeli-based
Revisionists (Herut), led by
Begin, were heavily dependent
on the funds Hurwitz, Gross and
others raised from South
African Jews.
According to Gross, Begin did
promise Hurwitz that “when the
time comes for you to come to
Israel, I’ll call you.”
In 1977, Prime Minister Begin
took office. The call came. And
Hurwitz, at last made aliya.
Shortly after, he was appointed
Minister of Information.
Sunday,May 3, Kenneth
Gross and his wife, Gladys, will
,;^avp ghance^lto catch up on ,
^h'Mif^energetic^ friend*s career "
when Hurwitz comes to
Charlotte to speak at the
Hebrew Academy’s Annual
Patrons* Dinner. lucent arriv
als in Charlotte themselves, the
Grosses moved here four
months ago from Johannes
burg. They are the grand
parents of Academy student
Marc Gross, son of Annette and
Richard Gross.
Although Hurwitz’s topic has
not yet been announced, Gross
is confident the Academy
patrons will be impressed. The
Zvi Harry Hurwitz
minister’s speaking style makes
such a strong and direct case for
Revisionism that Gladys Gross
believes Hurwitz could have
been a leading barrister or ad
vocate “if his parents had had
money (to send him to law
school).”
“He’s an.exciting, speaker,”
-says GrO/Bfli-.^'^etir^-; 9c;oun
tant, businessman'^arici fonner’'
national treasurer of the
Progressive Federal Party, an
anti-apartheid opposition party.
“Harry is an economical
speaker; he^idoesn’t pad with a
lot of verbiage. He’s different
from Abba Eljan.”
Zvi Harry Hurwitz, 55, came
to South Africa at the age of 10
from libau, Latvia. The son of a
less-than-prosperous grocer,
Hurwitz read the works of
Vladimir Jabotinsky, founder of
Revisionism, and was deeply
impressed.
(Revisionism, which fostered
the Irgun Zvai Leumi resistance
group in Palestine, is committed
to a Jewish state on both sides of
the Jordan, coinciding with
historic Israel.)
Hurwitz joined Betar, the
Revisionist yoiith group, and
rapidly rose through its ranks.
Kenneth Gross, too, was in
fluenced by Jabotinsky.
“I was a young socialist stu
dent at Witwatersrand Uni
versity when I heard
Jabotinsky speak in 1936,”
Gross told this reporter over
coffee on the patio of his south
Charlotte condominium.
“Jabotinsky was the greatest
orator. He opened a whole new
field for us.”
After serving in the South
African army in eastern Africa
during World War II, Gross
re^me4- home to ;^\Johannes-
bur^^ in ii945^.td'i;^d *.that‘' Marvin. Bienstock. director
Ben Jaffa, Jr., outfoing Preatdent, eongrattalating Bob
Abel. Pictured to the left of Ben is Mark Bernstein, previous
past president, and Paula Musler, recording secretary, to
Bob’s right.
photo/Lee Keene
At the annual meeting of the
Charlotte JCC on April 12, the
new slate of officers and board
was unanimously elected. Ben
Jaffa, Jr., past president, and
board. Ben received a plaque in
recognition of his presidency.
ing star of Zionist youth.”
In 1946, Hurwitz, at 20, was a
delegate to the World Zionist
CJonference in Switzerland. The
following year he gave up plans
(Continued on Page 11)
mgs that the past t^o years
were very pleasant and reward
ing. Marvin stated that the ef
forts of the previous presidents,
Sol Shapiro and Mark Bern-,
stein, helped to make things run
much easier for Ben and the
■ Bob Abel, the newly elected
premdent, is looking forward to
^ successful yeah He known that
are highly,capable and will do
their jobs well. All are anticipat
ing a productive future for the
JCC and. can’t wait until the
i Center will some day move into
their new home bn Providence
^ad.
Project
Box Score
With the Wishday lists now
completed it is time for the
Building Committee of the
Foundation to go to work.
This committee consists of
representatives from each of
the participating in
stitutions, Harry Swimmer
on behalf of the Foundation
and Susan Bruck represent
ing all the organizations.
Chairperson is William
Gorelick.
It will be the task of this
committee, meeting with the
architect, to reconcile the in
dividual wishlists into a
cohesive proposal. '^Fhis is no
small task and will require
the patience of Job, the
wisdom of Solomon and the
diplomacy of Grolda Meir.
What will make the work
easier is the pervasively
increasing sense of communi
ty excitement and coopera
tion. llie recent cosponsored
events are witness to this feel
ing. They include the Purim
Carnivals and “The World of
Sholom Aleichem.”
As the final proposed list of
facilities is determined it will
be printed ifi this newspaper
in order to keep you aware of
the results of your efforts and
wishes.
by Marilyn Shapiro
‘‘Let Me Go” became the
favorite song of Victor Ger-
onimus as he and his wife sur
reptitiously studied English for
a month prior to their departure
from Russia. The song became
more than a song — it sym
bolized his deepest desire — to
leave Russia for life in the Unit
ed States.
Victor and Sophia Ger-
onimus, along with their eight-
year-old son, Denny, arrived in
Charlotte April 9, fulfilling a
dream that, after much difficul
ty, became a reality. ITiey speak
some English, English that was
learned stealthily and with
danger. ITiey had been able to
obtain a book on conversational
English, but their primary
source of learning came from a
private tutor, but definitely not
one approved of by the govern
ment. Some of the people
emigrating to America met with
this tutor, but always at a
different apartment or meeting
place, because discovery by the
govemment of these classes
would have meant trouble.
Classes like this, and also with
the same risk involved, are also
taught in Hebrew for those hop
ing to emigrate to Israel.
Victor (ieronimus began his
career in the Soviet Union as an
architect, but changed to that of
a graphic designer. His work
included doing the designs for
book covers, illustrations in
books, and posters. Sophia, also
an artist, started working at the
age of fifteen with her father,
one of the original and leading
They Sought A Life Of Freedom
Victor, E>enny and Sophia Geronimus. Picture on wall is
their art work and translated means “Dream.” Perhaps,
symbolic, of a dream realized.
photo/Lee Keene
artists and graphic designers in
Russia. She also did book il
lustrations, although her
preference lies in designing
print. She was the recipient of
awards for outstanding work in
her field.
Why, then, would these peo
ple, with apparently good jobs
and a seemingly good life,
choose to leave their homeland
for a new country where they
would have to start all over
career-wise? Their answer is
simple and can be described in
one word — freedom.
Even in the field of art, the
Soviet Union does not allow an
opportunity for initiative or
fulfillment. Even art is govern
ed by Party functionaries, not
by professional artists. For ex
ample, if Sophia or Victor
designed the cover of a book on
the subject of agriculture, the
Agricultural Department would
check the designs and ib
lustrations, and if even a line or
a form were interpreted by them
as being in an American style or
anti-Socialist, then that line or
form had to be changed. There;
was even stronger supervision
applied to designs and il--
lustrations for children’s books.
In their own words, the Russian
government is literally
paranoid regarding anjrthing
that could even remotely be con
sidered pro-Westem or anti-
Communistic. “We couldn’t take
it any more,” says Sophia.
The decision to leave was still
a most difficult one. Sophia left
behind pii^nts and a brother,
Victor, a mother and a sister.
They fear possible reprisals by
the government and are also
concemed for their families
because of the general living
conditions in Russia today.
Their decision to leave was
made not just for themselves,
but primarily for their son, Den>
There was a synagogue near
their home in Moscow, but they
never attended because it could
have caused them to lose their
jobs. They wanted to take Den
ny there, particularly on
holidays, but fear prevented
that also.
When I^nny reached the age
of seven, the starting age for
Russian school children, he was
taken to' the doctor for the re-
(Continued on Page 9)
In The News
Academy News...
Bar & Bat
. p.
9
Mitzvahs
. p.
11
Candlelighting ...
. p.
2
ClassiHed Ads
. p.
12
Calendar
• P*
11
Editorials
. p.
2
For the Record ...
. p.
3
JCC News
..p.
6-7.
Ijubavitch Rebbe .
Random
• p.
3
Thoughts
This ’n That
• p.
3
• p.
8
World Beat
. p.
4