Centuries Old Dresden Choir page 7-THENEws-February 1992 Performs in Canadian Synagogue Artist Brings Unique Vision to Charlotte Showing TORONTO (JTA) — One of Germany’s best-known choirs, the Dresdner Kreuzchor, recent ly marked an artistic milestone on the road to German-Jewish rapproachement when it per formed Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio “Elijah” here at Holy Blossom Temple. For the eternally youthful choir, composed of 150 Luther an boys between the ages of 10 and 18 — of whom 88 were in Toronto — the Canadian debut was more than just another destination on the choir’s 140- concert-a-year schedule. It was the first performance in a Jewish house of worship in the nearly eight centuries of the Dresden Church of the Cross Choir’s musical history. Impresario Claus Kirchhof of Elbe Star Inc, invested three years of planning and consider able personal financial risk in the ecumenical spectacle — which featured the Reform shul’s can tor, Benjamin Maissner, and soloists from the Berlin State Opera, the Dresden State Opera and the Leipzig Opera. For Kirchhof, a 54-year-old native of Dresden, the perfor mance was the culmination of a liftime identity crisis rooted in his childhood status as an “eighth-degree mischling.” Under the arcane rules of Nazi racial pseudoscience as set out by theorists Hans Gunther and Alfred Rosenberg, those who, like Kirchhof, had one Jewish great-grandparent, were consid ered Aryan. But for many in that situation, that trace of Jewish ness was a cause for racial stigma and social ambiguity. Seeking to escape his pro longed trauma, Kirchhof moved to Canada in 1956. Today he operates a pharmaceutical sup ply company in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga — and works to heal the wounds of World War II by promoting German-Jewish dialogue. Kirchhof originally planned For Those Who Appreciate The Difference We respect the needs of finely tailored clothing. Lapels are softly rolled, ties are expertly finished to prevent rippling and shirts are done to perfection for a sculptured look. Custom fitting in our alteration department. S5%wn AD Diy OMOInt iMi«lUKMHin^ Call for pickup I and delivefv 342-4700 1039 ProMdtnct Roai • Mytn Paifc Ctftm 334-0157 an ambitious eight-city North American tour that would serve as a “gesture of reconciliation between Germans and Jews,” but limited sponsorship forced the cancellation of planned appearances in Boston, Cam bridge, Providence and New Haven, and grand finales at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Phi ladelphia’s Academy of Music. His son, also named Arsenius, converted to Christianity and reached the status of senator in the Byzantine capital Constan tinople. Nevertheless, he re tained contacts with his family and his hometown, and was even involved in the construction of the city wall. Silvanus was killed by a Chris tian mob in 529, during a Sa maritan revolt against the Chris tians. The Christians claimed that Silvanus used his important status to work against their community. Dutch Aid Ethiopian Absorption AMSTERDAM (JTA) — The Dutch government has given Israel emergency assis tance in the amount of $500,000 to help resettle immigrants from Ethiopia, subject to one condi tion. The grant, by the Ministry of Development, will be strictly supervised by the Netherlands Embassy in Israel to make sure that the immigrants are not housed or settled in the admin istered territories. German Church to Purge Offensive Texts BONN (JTA) — The Protes tant church in Germany has acknowledged that anti-Jewish passages still exist in its texts and is determined to purge them, the church’s central organization, EKD concluded that all texts Beth Ames Swartz is a sea soned artist who believes artists can lead the way toward a transformation of our culture. She demonstrates this profound belief in her new show, “Of Earth And Spirit,” which opens Feb ruary 5 in Artefino Gallery, 119 East 7th Street. “Creative people have before them the opportunity to think cont’d from page 4 must be screened anew for anti- Jewish bias. An effort undertaken in 1975 apparently fell short of its goal, the study found. The population of united Germany is more than 50 percent Protestant, In the former West Germany, it was evenly divided between Protest ants and Roman Catholics, Israeli, Arab Scientists Cooperating TEL AVIV (JTA) — There is an unusual secret collaboration in animal husbandry between Israeli and Arab scientists from Persian Gulf states. Scientists from Saudi Arabia and Dubai, one of the United Arab Emirates, have visited Israel on several occasions, although most of the meetings between Israeli researchers and their Arab colleagues have been held in Europe. But Arab scientists came to Israel in the context of cooper ation with a research group at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheba, which is studying how to improve species of ostriches, camels, sheep and goats. The emirate of Abu Dhabi has also requested Israel’s assist ance in breeding a species of racing camels. Volunteers Needed to Help Our New Americans Call 364-6594 of themselves as leaders of a new cultural paradigm rather than reflecting an old one,” says Swartz, who divides her time between studios in Arizona and New York. “My art, as well as my life, is devoted to creating images that are not only uplift ing but invite the viewer to become a positive change agent in the service of sustaining life on the planet.” This philosophy is aptly re flected in “Of Earth And Spirit,” which contains selected works from 1982 through 1992. Includ ed are paintings from the series, “Healing Our Sacred Wounds,” which deals with transforming psychological wounds that are projected out toward the planet and reconnecting with the earth as a living organism. Also in the exhibit are pieces from “Israel Revisited,” a histor ical and visual statement that arose from the artist’s study of the Kabbalah, a system of Jew ish mysticism. The pieces are mixed media on layered paper and collage on canvas. “Beth Ames Swartz already has been recognized as a truly groundbreaking pioneer who has committed her life to estab lishing the artist as a positive catalyst for change,” explains Santiago Leon, owner of Arte- fmo Gallery. “She combines an inspiring presence with powerful works of art that deserve con templation and study,” A professional artist for over 35 years, the 55-year-old Swartz to bfti ovex Beth Ames Swartz, exhibitions and three traveling museum exhibits. Her work is featured in many prominent collections including the Jewish Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum and the Na tional Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, A book documenting her career. Connecting by Mary Carroll Nelson, was published in 1984 and, most recently, she was documented in the 1991 The Reenchantment of Art by Suzi Gablik. In a 1988 essay, John Per reault, art critic and past pres ident of the American Section, International Association of Art Critics, identified Swartz as a pioneer. He called for a new world “that is not doctrinaire but forward looking and respectful of others and our environment... Eventually Beth Ames Swartz will be identified as one of the artists who initiated this trans- CotoiatiQa^” V. ENCORE 0\(^ar[y miv designer & name Srand fasfiicmsfor the discriminating woman. • ON CONSIGNMENT • 4 Lorraine G. Oudin Sheryl R. Auerbach 332-3365 [store] IZSlKcnihvorth Ave 372-0860 [home] Charlotte, NC 28203 CAROLINA MARKING DEVICES, INC. 3405 S, TRYON ST., CHARLOTTE, NC 28217 (704) 525-7600 ONE STOP SOURCE FOR ALL YOUR MARKING NEEDS RUBBER STAMPS NOTARY SEALS ENGRAVED SIGNS PRE INKED STAMPS CORPORATE SEALS ' NAME TAGS ADDRESS STAMPS UBRARY SEALS BRANDING IRONS LAUNDRY MARKERS EMBOSSERS STENOL SUPPUES and oCh«r related itenis •‘SINCE 1958" OF C A DTLJ t/AI\ I ri AND SPIRIT SELECTED WORKS 1982-1 992 BETH AMES SWARTZ OPENING FEBRUARY 7 CONTtMPORARY AND MODt RN AR \ LATIN AMERICAN ART - ARTEFINO GALLERIES I I 9 EAST 7TH STREET CHARLOTTE. NC 28202 TELEPHONE 704 372 3903 FAX 704,375 8621 World Beat