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THE NEWS—June/July 1981-Pagc2 THE CHARLOTTE JEWISH NEWS Published monthly by: Charlotte Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Center Marvin Bienstock, Director Charlotte Hebrew Academy Editors Ann Longman & Rita Mond Copy deadline the 6th of each month P.O. Box ^220188, Charlotte, N.C. 28222 Editorials Let Your Voice Be Heard The deal to sell Saudi Arabia the AW AC planes and offen sive air weapons is still being discussed in Washington. We deem these to be threats to Israel’s security and to the well be ing of the United States. If you agree, please write — now — to: Senator Jesse Helms, Senate Office Building, Wash ington, D.C. 20510 Senator John East, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 Representative James Martin, House of Representatives Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 President Ronald Reagan, The White House, Washington, D.C. 20500 We do have a voice in what our elected officials vote on, whether it is international affairs, our economy, abortion laws, ERA, etc., but we must write and let them know what we feel is right or what we feel is wrong. There is also a special rate for telegrams being sent to air our views. Noth ing can be accomplished if we sit back and. do nothing. Apathy The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, standing at a podium surround- ed by more than 10,000 people assembled in front of Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York, for Birchat HaChama, the special prayer said over the sun once in 28 years, as it returns to the spot it was at when created. The Rebbe said that the occasion reminds us that the existence of the sun and its role is not a ‘‘natural” phenomenon, but part of the constant and continuous Act of Creation. How soon we forget! Will our children ever remember? We talk about all the anti-Semitism that has existed in this world and is still existing, in fact rearing its ugly head even more dramatically in very recent years with the resurgence of the neo-Nazi party and the prevalence once again of the KKK. But is it only talk? Do we really care? If there were any one time that we could have expressed our concern about all of this, it would have been on May 3 when our community observed Yom Hashoa, the Day of Remem brance. It was a beautiful day weatherwise (in previous years the crowd got drenched) and the opportunity afterwards of participating in the Tour of Understanding should have brought the entire Jewish community to Holocaust Square. ITie thirty-minute service to commemorate the ravages of the Nazis against our people in World War II was attended by ap proximately 100. Where were you, where were your children? Six million of your brothers and sisters died because of anti-Semitism, one and a half million of them were children; five million other “innocents” died also. This was the worst blight in our entire history and should never be forgotten; it is a lesson that should be taught over and over so genocide will not occur again. We cannot afford to have apathy concerning this if we are to survive. Vacation Time Is Here This issue of The Charlotte Jewish News, as you will note, is for June/July and for that reason arrived in your hands a little late this month. Projecting one month in advance is dif ficult enough for us, but doing two months is almost impossi ble. When this paper first began it started out barely making eight pages and now has blossomed into a minimum of twelve and even sixteen. It used to require about two weeks of writing, editing, proofreading, etc.; now we find that we are no sooner finished with one edition than we have begun the next. Primarily this combined issue is done so that we may get a little well deserved vacation. The next issue will be the August one; deadline for articles is July 5th. Please note that we have emphasized the welcoming of the “newcomers” to town and our high school and college graduates. We wish them all our heartiest good luck wishes. We have been adding quite a few new advertisers and it is due to their support that we have been able to increase the news that appears in this paper. Please patronize them and let them know that you read their ads in The Charlotte Jewish News. We wish you, our readers, a very nice summer. Thoughts From The Lubavitcher Rebbe The Eklitors welcome comments and letters express ing all points of view and reserve the right to edit. by Rabbi Yossi Groner On the 11th of Nissan 5741 (April 15, 1981), world Jewry celebrated the 79th birthday of its revered leader. Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson Shlita (the Lubavitcher Rebbe). At Lubavitch central head quarters in Brooklyn, New York, the Rebbe addressed an audience of more than 10,000, comprising all segments of the community, who had come to mark this event. Hundreds of thousands more viewed the proceedings on cable television via satellite. An important part of the Rebbe’s address, which lasted for four hours with short pauses, was devoted to the mission of the office and responsibilities of the Presidency, and of the Presi dent in particular. ITie following is a free trans lation and adaptation of parts of that address: “To all those who have sent their best wishes on this occa sion I extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation. I es pecially thank the President of the United States of America, who, notwithstanding his state of health, has written to convey his congratulations and best wishes. I am deeply grateful for his kind thoughts and sen timents, and send my blessings for a full and speedy recovery. May he use the powers invested in him as the elected leader of the U.S.A. for the good of America and all Americans. The ‘trust in G-d’ who gives the abilities and strength to fulfill this mission will undoubtedly help him to a full recovery, and to achieve the immense tasks and goals that lie ahead. “The attempt, which, thank G-d, failed, gives us food for thought. The assailant came from a wealthy family, and no excuses of poverty or hardship can be offered; the cause must be sought elsewhere. The fault lies in the education he received. And this applies not just in his case, but to many, many children. The failure to instill in children an awareness of G-d causes the egocentric, self- centered life style of a great ma jority of today’s youth — the ‘me’ generation. Unfortunately, many parents today do not or cannot provide such an educa tion; the responsibility to do so must devolve on the public school system, I have stressed this on many occasions, and in deed, a special Education Day has been enacted to emphasize the importance of education — an education that provides not just knowledge, but that trains the children to be decent and productive citizens, “llie best way to begin such a program is the institution of a simple, non-denominational declaration by children at the beginning of each day, affirm ing their belief and trust in G-d, This in no way contradicts the notion of separation of religion and state, for the intention of the founding fathers in institut ing this principle was solely the elimination of religious persecu tion such as they had suffered, A simple non-denominational prayer can in no way be con strued as religious intolerance, “The U,S. Government should also assist families who wish to provide their children with a parochial school education. Just as a non-denominational prayer does not violate the concept of separation of church and state, nor does this type of aid, “The responsibility of the United States to ensure useful and decent lives is not just to its own citizens, but to all humani ty. This country is a super power, the foremost in the world, with tremendous oppor tunities to influence other coun tries for the good. Yet there is a disturbing trend towards an isolationist policy, G-d, however, did certainly give this country its wealth and power to be used fully and efficiently. The United States has the privilege, a very great privilege, a global one, to use its influence to the utmost to correct the alarming state of instability, chaos, and growing violence present today in the world, and ensure true and lasting peace, “The U.S,A, has been able to become the dominant country it is because it has been blessed with great natural resources. But to remain powerful and in dependent, it must remove its dependency on other countries for energy sources, particularly oil. This crippling dependency has sometimes prevented the United States from following policies that are in accord with its ideals of justice. But it need not, it must not be so. In itself, this country with G-d’s help can be self-sufficient in energy, lliere are sufficient sources such as coal, etc., to provide not only the U,S, with all its energy needs, but other countries as well. Solar energy alone, if the proper effort is made, can in a very short time provide for all this country’s wants. With proper determination the Unit ed States can provide for itself and also utilize its G-d-given assets to influence peoples around the world to be produc tive, G-d fearing citizens. “In conclusion, may I once again express my appreciation for the President’s thoughtful wishes on this occasion, and ex tend my blessings for his full and speedy recoverv.”
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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June 1, 1981, edition 1
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