Page 2-THE NEWS-Fabruary. 1984
THE CHARLOTTE JEWISH NEWS
Published monthly by:
Charlotte Jewish Federation
Foundation of Charlotte Jewish Community Jewish Community Center
Marvin Bienstock, Director Martin Schneer, Director
Charlotte Hebrew Academy
Eleanor Weinglass, Director
Editors Ann Langmzin & Rita Mond
Assoc. Editor Kevin Schwartz
Advertising Blanche Yarus
Copy deadline the 10th of each month
P.O. Box 220188. Charlotte. N.C. 28222
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From TIi6 DesK of Marty Sclmeer
—JCC Executive Director
Editorial
Frank Case: Missed Opportunity
(Reprinted from Tlie Cliarlotte Obserrer, Jan. a, X9S4)
In refusing to reopen the case of Leo Frank, a
Jewish pencil merchant who was lynched near Atlan
ta in 1915, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles
has missed an important opportunity. The board
might have proved to the world that the South has
changed — that anti-Semitism and mob justice are
no longer acceptable behavior.
Mr. Frank was convicted and sentenced to death
for the murder of Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old worker
in his downtown Atlanta pencil factory. Before the
sentence could be carried out, a mob took him at gun
point from a Milledgeville prison to Miss Phagan*s
hometown of Marietta, some 90 miles away, where
they hanged him from an oak tree.
Recently an 84-year-old Atlantan ~ who had work
ed as a teenager at the factory — came forward to
say he had seen another worker (now deceased) car
rying Miss Phagan’s body.
Three Jewish organizations, including the Atlan
ta Jewish Federation, petitioned the board to grant
Mr. Frank a posthumous pardon. But the board turn
ed them down, saying there was “no new evidence"
to prove Mr. Frank was innocent.
That may be true, as far as it goes. But the board
could have investigated further, based on the new
testimony. That would have signified to Atlanta's
growing Jewish population — and to all those who
believe in equal justice — that the South’s often
bloody, bigoted past is truly behind it. Instead, the
board’s court response may leave some people
wondering.
Editors’ note — For more on this see article below and read “A Lit
tle Girl Is Dead” by Harry Golden.
Man Lynched in Atlanta
Associated Press
ATLANTA — Leo Frank, a
Jewish pencil merchant whose
lynching in 1915 helped spark
the resurgence of the Ku Klux
Klan, was denied a
posthumous pardon Thursday
for the slaying of a teenage
girl.
Three Jewish organizations
had petitioned the Georgia
Board of Pardons and Paroles
for the pardon, arguing that
new testimony indicated
Frank may not have been guil
ty of munlering 13-year-old
Mary Phagan in 1913.
In order for a pardon to be
granted, “the innocence of the
subject must be shown con-
dusivdy,” the board said. *‘In
the board's opinion, this was
not shown.”
Dr. Marvin Goldstein, presi
dent of the Atlanta Jewish
Federation, said his group was
‘‘shocked" and “taken aback.”
Frank was convicted and
sentenced to death for the
April 26, 1913, murder of
Phagan, who worked in his
downtown Atlanta pencil
factory.
In 1915, a mob took Frank
from a Milledgeville prison at
gunpoint. They drove him 90
miles and hanged him in an
oak tree near Phagan's home
in Marietta.
Alonzo Mann, who was a
14-year-old office boy working
the factory when Phagan was
slain, offeiW new testimony in
the case. Mann said he saw
Jim Conley, who swept floors
at the factory, carrying the
girl’s body. Conley di^ in
1962.
The board said the
testimony by Mann, 84, add
ed “no new evidence to the
case.”
Candlelighting
Feb. 3 • 5:35 p.m.
»• V
Feb. 10 • 5:42 p.m.
Feb. 17 • 5:49 p.m.
1 if ’
Feb. 24 * 5:56 p.m.
Mar. 2 • 6:02 p.m.
1984 promises to be the year
that the Jewish Community
Center pulls together to
fashion a vibrant active
organization that reflects com
mon hopes and dreams for our
time, and for generations of
Charlotte Jewry. It seems on
ly fitting at this point to con
ceptualize and assess our
plans for the future.
The life blood of our Center
of course is our programs. We
have begun to expand the
scope of these programs as
demonstrated by the winter
schedule of classes and events.
Together with a dedicated
staff and lay committee sup
port we have devoted
ourselves to several key areas.
We are committed this sum
mer to providing a varied day
camp program of the highest
quality. Attracting mature
competent staff (that may in
clude an Israeli resource per
son) and furnishing state of
the art recreational equipment
and supplies will be a priority.
We have agreed that a greater
emphasis on sports and skills
development will help allure
older boys and girls to camp.
As previously mentioned,
providing family program
ming, induding both a family
life education series and
several other regularly
scheduled events, will be cen
tral to our goals for the year.
In the coming months we
hope to play a greater role in
coordinating and organizing
community-wide culture
events and holiday celebra
tions. Promoting and restruc
turing the Institute of Adult
Jewish Studies signals our
determination to enhance and
increase the level of “Jewish”
contents in all our programs.
Our adult social committee
will take on greater signifi
cance as we seek to incor
porate and welcome an influx
of new members to the Center.
The recent smashing success
of our New Year’s function
and a growing sense of our role
in bringing membership
together socially has en
couraged us to pursue plans
for future events.
Marty Schneer
Someor my best
friencfs areJem/s-
In addition, a new older
adult committee has recently
formed to raise the level and
sophistication of our programs
for seniors. Trips, specif pro
grams and other outings have
already been instituted to
diversify the group’s ex
perience. The issue of pro
viding transportation for the
recreational and basic needs
(doctor visits, shopping, etc.)
of senior adults continues to
be a problem which should be
addressed by all interested
parties this year.
Leadership development
and Board training have been
designated as priorities for the
incoming Board this Spring.
As we speak of developing
new programs and planning
for the new facilities, we must
simultaneously seek to make
our internal structure more ef
ficient and responsive to the
membership. Anticipating
astronomic£d increases in ex
penses, our Board has
dedicated itself to creatively
raise funds through spedal
events and instituting new
donor and patron membership
categories.
Finally at the end of the
year, after we’ve accomplished
everything we set out to do, it
will be time to launch a major
membership and public rela
tions campaign to recruit
members for the new facilities.
We look forward to your
joining us on this exciting
journey and as always we en
courage hearing your percep
tions on our agenda for 1984.
When Salami Was Z9C lb.
And Corned Beef Was 79C
OMAHA — A what it was
like in prices in the good old
days piece in The Jewish Press
here had kosher salami in 1940
at 29 cents a pound and corn
ed beef at 79 cents a pound.
WRITTEN BY Bert Lewis, a
staff writer for the paper, it
brought back memories to
those who did shopping thra.
Schmaltz herring could be
bought at two large ones for
27 cents, and chickens, kosher
ones, were 18 cents a pound,
while for those who made their
own gefilte fish — there was
no other way — could buy carp
at 8 cents a pound.
Continuing on other prices,
she wrote:
KEEPING YOURSELF look
ing nice cost less then too. You
cc^d get four garments clean
ed and pressed fcnr $1 (on
special) and at the beauty shqp
a shampoo and “finger wave”
was 50i. Brandeis Depart
ment Store would sdl a lady
new shoes for $8.75 per pair
and a man could buy an all
wool coat at Kilpat’s for $35.
A Stetson hat was $5.
After you were all farpootz-
ed, you might have taken a
trip, by train of course. 'The
Union Pacific Challenger to
Los Angeles cost $32.30 by
coach...that included two
meals the first day, calculated
at 65f, three meals the second
day at 90f, and breakfast on
the third day at a quarter.
That, with the $30.50 ticket
came to $32.30.
THE BURLINGTON line of
fered a round trip coach to
New York for $45.20, but of
course you have to include
that expensive food! (Notice
that an entire day’s meals
then would hardly buy one
drink on an airplane today.)
Yes, there were lots of
bargains back then, induding
a 53 piece set of Noiitake fine
china on sale for $13.95. And
a made to measure Venetian
blind for a window could run
as low as $2.95. But my
favorite of all the ads I read in
those Jewish Press pages was
this one: the Leavenworth Bar
and Liquor (proprietors Dan
and Ralph Cohen) advertising
what must have been some of
the earliest take out food. A
fried chicken dinner with
salad, french fries and
vegetable — 35f.
AND THAT’S how it was, 43
years ago.
Our Apologies
In last month’s issue the
adult representative for the
yHith groups’ brick project
at the Foundation ground
breaking was misidentified.
It was Lairy Sqi^ who spoke
and then presmted the check
to the Foundation.