Address Correction
Requested
Non-Profit Organizatioi
BULK RATE
U.S. Postage PAID
Charlotte, N.C.
Permit No. 1208
Congratulations!
Pages 10-11
The Charlotte JEWISH =NEWS
Vol. 7 No. 6
Charlotte, North Carolina
June/July, 1985
Project Progress Is Both
Visible and Hidden
Children in Joyce Stewart*s t-year-oid class at Temple Israel displaying their Tzedakah cans.
Pre*schoolers Link With Ethiopian Jews
“Can you stop by? Our
four-year-old class has
something they would like
to share with you and a
favor to ask.” The call was
from Lila Josephson, Direc
tor of Temple Israel’s Pre
school. The recipient was
Marvin Bienstock, Federa
tion Director, and the result
was, in his words, “one of
the most wonderful mo
ments I have ever been
privileged to enjoy.”
As he tells it, he arrived
at the school armed only
with the camera he had
been asked to bring. He was
ushered into Joyce Stew
art’s class of busy, bustling
four-year-olds. Joyce
brought the children toget
her, seated on the floor. She
then reached into a box and
began to hand out to each
and every one of the
children a brightly covered
can — obviously created as
a bank £ind, just as obvious
ly, well used.
She then explained that,
months before, when the
story of the Ethiopian Jews
and their attempts to reach
Israel had first appeared,
thv. se pre-schoolers learned
about the problems and
decided to help. Their way
of helping was to make
these banks and take them
home for three months.
Then, clinking and jangling,
they brought them back to
present to the Federation
and to ask that their
precious savings be used to
help Ethiopian Jews make
new lives for themselves in
Israel.
Bienstock admits that his
eyes were more than a little
misty as he tried to focus
his camera on the cluster of
outstretched hands, each
clutching a tiny, tinkling
treasure. But, his surprises
were not over, there were
two still to come. The first
occurred when he lifted the
box in which all the in
dividual banks had been
placed for him to carry. The
weight of the box was far
greater than he had ever
expected.
The last surprise came
when the banks were open
ed for counting at the
Federation office. Out spill
ed not just the copper of
pennies but the bright
silver of nickels, dimes and
even quarters. It all added
up to a grand total of
$31.13.
In individual letters of
thanks, the Federation has
expressed its gratitude to
each of the members of the
Temple Israel class. The
unique role of a Jewish Pre
school is to pass on the
values and teachings of
Jewish heritage. Temple
Israel, Lila Josephson,
Joyce Stewart and ‘the
other members of that fine
staff are fulfilling that role
in a marvelous way.
Miles Levine, who has serv
ed this past year as ad
ministrative vice president of
the Jewish Community Cen
ter, was elected president at
the Center’s annual meeting
on May 13. Miles has served
on the Center board for five
years and edong with outgoing
president, Harold Josephson,
played a key role on the Foun-
dation board and President’s
Council in developing the
Joint Venture Agreement
(which serves as a basis for the
community project).
Miles has practiced law
since his graduation from
UNC Law School in 1978. He
is now in practice with his
father, Sol Levine, who set the
standewd for Miles as a long
time leader in the Jewish com
munity. Miles’ wife, Nicki, is
also an attorney who this fall
gave birth to twin girls. Nicki
has held a number of leader
ship positions in the Ha Lailah
Chapter of B’nai B’rith
Women. In previous years
Miles has served on the
boards of Temple Israel and
the Charlotte B’nai B’rith
Lodge.
One of the highlights of the
annual meeting was the stir
ring address given by Harold
Josephson. Harold stressed
the importance and signifi
cance of the board’s role in
providing leadership during
this critical time in the history
of Charlotte’s Jewish
community. Having served as
president the past two years,
Harold was honored by the
board for his tireless and
dedicated service to the
Center.
The following were elected
to the Center’s executive com
mittee: Mike Scharf, ad
ministrative vp; Lynne Shef-
fer, program vp; Bill Gorelick,
financial vp; Larry Gerber,
treasurer; Sandra Gunn, cor
responding secretary; Hal
Levinson, recording secretary.
(cont’d on page 20)
Bob has been a regular
visitor to the Project site. On
Sundays he likes to drive with
his family to see how things
are progressing. Before the
gates went up at the road en
trances, he would drive right
up to the buildings, get out,
and explore. The gates have
restricted him so that, on a re
cent visit, he sat in the car and
looked from afar. For Bob, the
feelings of excitement have
mounted as the Fitness Center
portion of the facility has
risen. For weeks, he marked
progress by counting the rows
of bricks. Certainly he was
also impressed by the two
small 2-story buildings which
will house arts and crafts,
maintenance, Jr. Congrega
tion and the bathhouse for the
outdoor pool. Impressive, too,
were the huge slabs of con
crete on which will grow the
Education Center and the Ac
tivity Center. But, it was that
Fitness Center which was the
most spectacular.
Two weeks ago, the last
course of bricks was set on
that portion of the building.
So, when Bob came to look
each Sunday, he was in for a
disappointment.
“What have they ac
complished recently?” he ask
ed Marvin Bienstock, Founda
tion Executive Director.
Bienstock took a deep breath
and rattled off a three minutes
list including windows, elec
trical and plumbing work, in
terior walls and floors, tile
around the indoor pool, etc.
By the time this paper is in
your hands, Bob will have seen
the Education and Activity
Centers spring up like vast
erector sets. Unlike the
Fitness Center which needed
concrete blocks to support its
high walls, the remainder of
the building will be built
around a skeleton of structural
steel. Of course, the final look
Special equipment used to
bring cement from roadway to
bed of massive outdoor pools.
More pictures on p. 2i.
of brick will be the same over
the entire facility.
Then, when the walls are up.
Bob will have to have pa
tience. As the workers move
indoors to complete the
buildings, a great deal of time
will pass in which, to the
visitor looking from a dis
tance, progress will be hidden
and may seem to stand still. In
actuality, the buildings will be
(cont’d on p.8)
^ In The News v
Together We Are I
p. 24 I
Book Review IH
Bulletin Hoard 22
Calendar 23
Candlelighting 2
Classified 2‘^
Editorials 2
JCC 12-14
Lubavitcher Rebbe 21
Recipes 23
Social Services 3
This 'n That 8
I Women’s Division 6-7
Special Features
Shalom Y’all Directory 18
Missions-Part II lH-17
V /
Miles Levine Elected New JCC President
Harold Josephson (L) receiving plaque from Miles Levine.