5007 Providence Road
Charlotte, NC 28226
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Permit No. 1208
The Charlotte
JEWISH
Vol. 16 No. 11
December 1994
For Ourselves,
For Our Children,
For Israel, Forever...
Federation/UJA Shabbat
Dr. Michael Bar-Zohar
n December 9-10, 1994,
a W the annual Federation/
UJA Shabbat will be held
with guest Dr. Michael Bar-Zohar.
Temple Beth El will host Shabbat
services Friday, December 9 at
^ r 8:00 p.m. and Temple Israel will
host Shabbat services Saturday,
December 10 at 9:00 a.m..
Bom in Sofia, Bulgaria, Dr.
Michael Bar-Zohar immigrated to
Israel in 1948. He served in the
Air Force Intelligence and Para
trooper units. Dr. Bar-Zohar has a
B.A. in Political Science from the
Hebrew University and M.A. and
Ph.D. in Political Science and In
ternational Relations from the University of Paris, France. A past jour
nalist for several Israeli newspapers. Dr. Bar-Zohar has written several
books, including the Suez Top Secret Brothers and is the official biogra
pher of David Ben-Gurion.
The History of the United Jewish
Appeal and Jewish Federations
Beginning over fifty years ago, the UJA joined with world Jewry to
support Jewish needs in Palestine and around the world. Following the
Holocaust, Jews realized desperate social service needs were not being
met. With the establishment of the State of Israel and the subsequent
“in-gathering of the exiles,” the needs became even more intense.
At the same time, the American Jewish community evolved with its
own social service agencies and the need for funds. Its institutions la
bored under the task of educating a new generation of American Jews.
In order to more efficiently raise and allocate funds both here and abroad,
Jewish agencies began “federating” to conduct one annual fund drive.
There are now more than two hundred Federations conducting appeals
in cities throughout North America.
The Development of the Jewish
Community in Charlotte
In Charlotte, the need for social services and education are tremen
dous. The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte supports services
through our local agenciesthat provide services such as Jewish educa
tion for all ages, community development, senior services, outreach to
newcomers, community relations, vocational counseling and services
to the needy.
The Charlotte Jewish community can be proud of its members who
have taken leadership roles in the current and past campaigns.
continued on page 4
Si
Who Is This Man?
See Page 4 - History
Inside the CJN
latematioiial News 2
The Temples 8
Ibra News 1$
Fcdcr^ioa 12
JCC U
Book and
Author
Evening
December 11,1994
by Amalia Warshenbrot - Librarian
Speizman Jewish Library
The community-at-large is in
vited to the eighth annual Book
and Author Evening with noted
author and essayist Julius Lester.
In the past eight years,
the Charlotte Chapter
of Hadassah,
Speizman Jew
ish Library
and the
Jewish
Commu
nity Center
offered the
community an
opportunity to meet
unique authors such as Sarah
Blacker Cohen, Stephen Birming
ham, Dennis Prager, Penina
Schram, Judith Magyar Isaacson,
Eli Evans and Susan Weidman
Schneider. The topics varied from
interfaith'marriage to Southern and
American Jewry and from humor
to storytelling. We also had an
evening with a Holocaust survivor
and another one with a radio show
host who left us with food for
thought.
The attendance grows each
year. Last year, additional chairs
were neede^ in the Gorelick Hall.
The Charlotte Chapter of Hadassah
concentrates on fundraising for the
“IVs certainly one of
the most wonderful
things I've done
for myself •
becoming a Jew”
event. The Jewish Community
Center helps with the administra
tive work and Speizman Jewish
Library makes the arrangement
with the author.
Chairperson of the event
Rosalind Taranto created a won
derful committee who will take
care of the speaker from the time
he arrives at the airport until he
leaves. All of those on the com
mittee are Hadassah members.
Hadassah will host the Patrons re
ception. sell tickets and serve
nneals to our guest speaker.
This year’s lecture by Dr.
Julius Lester promises to be a most
interesting and informative. When
we called previous areas where Dr.
Julius Lester
Lester had appeared, we were told
that he was charming insightful
and thought provoking. We found
his autobiographical account titled
“Lovesong" fascinating. “It’s cer
tainly one of the most
wonderful
things I’ve
done for my
self - becom
ing a Jew,”
reflects
Julius Lester
the celebrated
novelist, poet,
singer, folklorist
and since the death
of Sammy Davis Jr. arguably the
nations most famous African
American Jew by choice.
Dr. Lester is a professor at the
University of Massachusetts in
Amherst. He has been awarded all
three of the Universities most pres
tigious faculty awards. The dis
tinguished teacher’s award 1983/
84, The Faculty Fellowship for
Distinguished Research and Schol
arship (1985), Distinguished Fac
ulty Lecturer and recipient 4 of the
Chancellors Medal. The
University’s highest honor (1986-
87).
In 1986 the council for ad
vancement and support of educa
tion selected him as the
Massachusettes state professor of
the year. Dr. Lester’s biography
has appeared in Who’s Who in
America and Who's Who in the
East since 1970.
The lecture will take place in
Gorelick Hall Sunday. December
11th at 7:30 P.M. Tickets are avail
able at the JCC Front Desk; $5.00
Adults. $3.00 Seniors and Stu
dents.
The book “Lovesong- Becom
ing a Jew ” is available for $ 18.00
at the Speizman Jewish Library
and will be for sale on the evening
of the event. Dr. Lester will auto
graph the book that evening.
Patron’s reception will follow. We
thank all our patrons and the
Hadassah Committee fm* making
it possible to offer the community
this educational and inspiring pro
gram.
For more utformatioitt please
cmll Ammliu Warshtmbrot at
366-5007 Ext.: 258. It is mot too
laU to bocom* m patron.
The Female
A-Gender Is
Just For
You!
The Third Annual
Charlotte Jewish
Women’s Retreat
Ladies, what you’ve been
waiting for is here! And then, God
created women... because he
couldn’t be everywhere! That’s
right! Women of B’nai B’rith,
Hadassah, Sisterhood, synagogue
and CRT have been working ex
tremely long and hard to fulfill the
legacy bequeathed us by the Al
mighty. It’s time to be rewarded
for our blood, sweat and tears. It’s
time for us to take a break!
Leave the men, kids, stresses.
Heidi Rotberg(r) and Lorri Klemons
chores and cares behind and come
to the 3rd annual Charlotte Jewish
Women’s Retreat on January 21-22
at the fantastic Southpark Suites
Hotel.
The focus of this Female A-
Gender will be on you! There is
an extraordinary experience for ev
eryone who attends— plan on be
ing one of the lucky participants!
The program begins Saturday.
January 21 with a “picnic” dinner,
a Women’s Havdalah service, and
“Ladies, what
you've tyeen waiting
for Is here! And
then, God created
women... tyecause
he couldn't t)e
everywfierer
an Image Update Workshop with
Tessa Dunn.
Sunday, January 22 starts off
with a buffet breakfast followed by
a full day of fiin, educational and
continued on page 9