4 • TTw M0WS • Jtnuary f 995
Jewish Family Services
TU^\p^PiUt^ JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES
By Adrienne Rosenbeig
/FS Director
“My child began reading at
age 4.” “My son just finished
law school at Yale.” “I have 5
grandchildren, all better looking
and smarter than the next.” “My
daughter is engaged to a doctor.”
“My son just sold his business
for $6,000,000.
The stereotypical Jewish
parent brags about their children
and grandchildren, often based
on their accomplishments. But
what happens when this is not
possible? What happens when
our children’s behavior is not
mainstream," or when our chil
dren do not excel, or even when
we find ourselves disappointed-
in their behavior? Should we
then reject our children because
of our disappointment? Should
we put pressure on them to be
something they say they are not?
After all, how should we mea
sure their success and what
should we brag about? Are
wealth, good looks, and profes
sional status the measure of bur
success as parents? Could it be
that success is not a measure of
wealth or, status but can be
viewed in terms of happiness
and self-esteem?
I went through public
school with a fellow student
named Gerald. He had been
bom with cerebral palsy and an
enlarged head. He never was
able to keep his head straight; it
was always moving because the
neck muscles had no control.
His father had been killed in
World War II, so Gerald grew
up with his mother and grand
mother. When he was bom, the
doctor’s advice wa» to put
Gerald in an institution because
he never could do much ; he
would probably die before age
7. But his mother did not listen.
Although Gerald never
played sports at recess or gym
time, he was our score keeper.
He did learn to walk, ride a bi
cycle, and to maneuver many of
the same things the rest of us
did—even if he did it at a much
later time than the rest of us. I
also remember that when we
were in the 7th grade and it was
“normal” to take dance and eti
quette classes (remember I grew
up in the South during the 50’s
and early 60’s), Gerald was also
in the class.
At our high school gradua
tion, we choose Gerald to be one
of our speakers even though his
slurred speech may have made
it difiRcult for those who did not
know and accept him. I donit
think there was a dry eye in the
house, especially on the part of
his mother and grandmother.
I have not seen Gerald since
our tenth high school reunion.
But I do know that he graduated
college and obtained a master’s
degree in science. The last I
heard, he was working in a lab
for a company. I do not know if
he ever married or had children,
but I now firmly believe that the
acceptance and support Gerald
received from his family and
friends helped him to feel good
about himself and to feel suc
cessful.
The point is that success
may be as simple as believing
in our children even when they
are written off by others as los
ers. It means supporting our
children and bragging about
them for who they are and help
ing them to feel good about
themselves even if others have
doubts.
MEN
TAILOR
WOMEN
MADE TO MEASURE
CLOTHING
LOMAX
OVER 20 YRS EXP
401 S. Sharon Amity Road
(across from Cotswokj Mall)
365-9S63
FRIENDS CAMPAIGN IS A HUGE SUCCESS
by Milton Tager, Campaign Chairman
Many thanks to each of the more than 500 donors who contributed to our Friends Campaign. The total,
as of early December, is over $40,000 which represents an increase-of approximately 25% over last yeai.
Your generosity will enable us to continue the vital services we offer to the Charlotte Jewish Community.
However, if you have forgotten to send your donation, please mail your check today.
We are also pleased to recognize the following corporate donors:
David Perlman of ACTION
GRAPHICS
Jack Karro of AMERIMEX
COMPANY
Phyllis Schultz of BEN &
JERRY’S ICE CREAM
Ben and Margie Liebstein of
BENNETT ALLEN & ASSOCI
ATES
SANDRA L. BESNOY, CPA
DANIEL BIBER, PH.D., PA.
Gerald Allweiss of
BLACKWELDER TEXTILE
COMPANY, INC.
Karl Boxer of KARL BOXER
TEXTILE MACHINERY
COMPANY, INC. Harold Rousso
of BROWNLEE JEWELERS
Solomon Shapiro and Jeff
Shapiro of CAROLINA MARK
ING DEVICES
Phillip Widis of DIXIE
WHOLESALE CO., INC.
Dr. Henry Goldman, Dr. Gary
Levinson, and Dr. Morris Sheffer
of EYE CARE CLINIC
Abe Luski of 54 INVESTMENT
Ciba WINTERHELD APTS.
Stuart Fligel of FLIGEL’S
UNIFORM COMPANY
Robert Isser of SIDNEY GIL
BERT & COMPANY, INC.
Berrybrook Farm
Natural Food Pantry
COMPLETE LINE OF NATURAL
FOODS & VITAMINS
Juice Bar - Sandwiches, Salads &
Soup Made Fresh Daily To Go 114
Organically Grown Produce
Nutritional Books • ^kenstock Sandals
Cruelty Free Natural Cosmetics
Champion Juicers
Vitamin & Senior Citizens Discounts
Personalized Service
1257 East Boulevard 334-6528
M-Sat 9:30^
WE CAN H3B1.P YOU SEE yOUR BEST
■ Modera,dMm>p|^qrcs|^«n^^ S CratactieDiies - AliKO^
pfofrm Ojnipithcn^ ey« ]« many 2ac$ yoti cwi wear them
of-tf»e»art equipment«) «n»we home frara yoiar flta vialt
a)NVBNiB^rrBOlllS AVEO, WMIl*
DOCTORS OF OPTOMETRY
NEXT TO LENSCRAFTERS
DR. JEFFREY I. MUSLER & ASSOCIATES
Eastland Mall
563-7611
Carolina Place Mall
541-8232
Southparic Mall
364-7982
Aaron Gleiberman of
GLEIBERMAN, SPEARS &
SHEPHERD, PA.
Robert Davis and Jonathan
Goldberg of GOLDBERG &
DAVIS, CPA’S
SCOTT GOODMAN, DDS
ALAN S. GORDON, RA
Ronald Liss of GREAT AMERI
CAN FASHION COMPANY
Stanley Greenspon and Keith
Greenspon of GREENSPON &
ASSOCIATES
HARRY & BRYANT COMPANY
Ed and Helene Ziegler of IMAGE:
IN PRINT
Buddy Simon of KARAT PATCH
JEWELRY
Bob Phillips of KARMIKEL
CORPORATION
John and Esther Kurti of K-
SQUARED, INC. Ciba
MAIL-BOXES, INC.
Lawrence Levy of LAWRENCE
KNITTING MILLS
Jeff Frushtick of LEONARD AU- '
TOMATICS, INC.
Jerome Levin, Rabbi Binyamin
Levin, Gary Levin and Mark Gold
smith ot LEBO’S, INC.
Sol Levine of LEVINE: & ,
LEVINE ATTORNEYS
Daniel Levine of LEVINE PROP
ERTIES
Walter Marx, Peter Marx, Robert
Marx, and Gerald Lieberman of B.
AND G. LIEBERMAN CO., INC
Lionel Feibus ofLSF.INC.
Bart Dunn, Lance Dunn, Larry
Dunn, and Steve Dunn of
MUTUAL INDUSTRIES
Jeff Turk of OMEGA SEARCH
Phil Levine of PHIL’S DELI
Shel Goldstein of PIEDMONT
ADJUSTMENT BUREAU, INC.
John Pransky of PIEDMONT
SEWING MACHINE & SUPPLY
COMPANY
Harry Lemer of SIGNAL HILL
INVESTORS, dba BROOKFIELD
MOBILE HOMES
SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON
Paul Edelstein and Eugene Marx of
SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON
Robert Speizman of SPEIZMAN
INDUSTRIES
David Swimmer and Harry Swim
mer of SWIMMER INSURANCE
AGENCY
Karen and Steven Kropp bf
TEXCOM, INC.
WAL-MART AT CAROLINA
PLACE
WHEAT FIRST BUTCHER
SINGER (WHEAT RRST SECU
RITIES, INC.
Peter Levinson of WHEAT FIRST
BUTCHER SINGER (WHEAT
HRST SECURITIES, INC.)
Charlotte Repertory Theatre And Charlotte Symphony
Orchestra Present Shakespeare’s Romantic Fantasy
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Charlotte Repertory Theatre and Charlotte Symphony
Orchestra have joined creative
forces to present Shakespeare’s
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
The play will run January 13
through January 15,1995, at the
Belk Theater of the North Carolina
Blumenthal Perfonning Arts Center.
Ticket may be purchased at the
Perfonning Arts Center Box Office, located on the second
floor of Founders Hall, NationsBank Corporate Center. For
further information call (704) 372-1000.
HOWARD M. COHEN
ATTORNEY AT LAW
335-8139
SUITE 608 CAMERON BROWN BUILD»N(3 CHARLOTTE NC 28204