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The Charlotte Jewish News - April, 1996 - Page 4 JFS1995 Friends Campaign Begins April 15 J by Lynne Cojac Board Member ewish Family Services launches its annual Friends Campaign on April 15th. This year’s Friends Cam paign theme is “JFS Friends and Family: It’s not just about sur vival, it*s about quality of life *’ Jewish Family Services helps Charlotte Jews whose lives are in transition due to such things as marital problems, an aging parent, or the loss of a job. Most need only temporary help during a trying time. Services are provided accord ing to a sliding fee scale. No one is denied counseling services because of the inability to pay. Approximately 60%, of Jew ish Family Service’s budget is funded by the Federation’s gener ous support. This support, however, is not sufficient to meet the current demand for services in Charlotte’s Jewish community. Funds raised through the Friends Campaign make it possible for JFS to serve as a safety net for every Jewish family in Charlotte. The JFS annual Friends Cam paign is a cash campaign and is not based on pledges. Monies raised through the JFS Friends Campaign will he used locally. fiariattc are ^etvices^JL Caring is our ONLY Business Personal Care For Those You Love Infants to Elderly Pets and Plants too. When You Need It H(xne • Traveling Hospital The Way You Want It "Caring for others with com passion, understanding, honesty and dependability is the purpose of Charlotte Care Sen/ices.” —Jonnie Shelton, President (704) 335-0501 Berrybrook Farm Natural Food Pantry COMPLETE LINE OF NATURAL FOODS & VITAMINS Juice Bar - Sandwiches, Salads & Soup Made Fresh Daiy To Go 11-4 • Organicafly Grown Produce Nutritional Books • Birkenstock Sandak Crudty Free Natural Cosnietics Champion Juicers Vitamv & Senior Cteens Discounts Personalized Service 1257 East Boulevard 334-6528 M Sat 9:30^ Jewish Family Services Jewish Hungry Of Charlotte by Gail Green t’s Passover. Days have .been spent lovingly prepar ing the symbolic foods for this holi day. Our mouths water in anticipa tion of the delicious Seder meal. The Hagadah begins, “All who are hungry—let them come and eat,” immediately and wisely reminding us of those who cannot provide a Seder for themselves, and that it is our Mitzvot to feed them. This is a situation that Jewish Family Ser vices deals with, not only during the holidays, but everyday... .the Jewish hungry of Charlotte. Laurie Gordon Harris, In terim Director of JFS, emphasizes that it is not Just the elderly but also people in transition—couples, indi viduals and families—experiencing lifestyle changes because of job loss or illness, who cannot provide ba sic nutritional needs for themselves. Their situation may be intermittent or ongoing, and they turn to JFS for help. For long-term needs, JFS re fers clients to community resources such as food stamps or food banks. But these sources can take several weeks to become eligible to use, or their access may be very limited. For example the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry can only be accessed every 60 days. For more immedi ate situations, the JFS Food Pantry or grocery store certificates provide sustenance. The JFS Food Pantry, located within their offices at Shalom Park, is stocked with convenient, easy- to-prepare shelf foods donated by individuals and organizations in the Jewish community. Social workers can provide these items as supplements to cli ents who cannot grocery shop or are in circumstances that deny them other forms of assistance. Laurie cites an elderly gentleman, living on a very-limited income who must choose between paying for his medications or paying for food. The JFS Food Pantry enables him to maintain minimum nutritional needs. Food Lion grocery certifi cates are available in limited amounts from Jewish Family Ser vices. In the first two months of this year, over $1,000 in grocery certifi cates have been distributed to fami lies, individuals and couples in the Jewish community! Mitzvah Maker Volunteers for JFS assist by providing trans portation to grocery stores, or in some cases, grocery shopping for those who cannot shop for them selves. Randy DeFilipp became involved with a foster family adopted by B’nai B’rith Women, and has continued, on her own, to provide monthly grocery supplies to that family. In the highest traditions of Tzedakah, she does not know the identity of her family, only that they are an elderly, indigent Jewish couple. Why? Randy explains, “When the B’nai B’rith project ended, I knew that things were never going to get any better for this family. I felt a responsibility to them. It was sobering." Prior to purchasing their groceries, Randy consults with Laurie Gordon Har ris, and includes “treats” such as gefilte fish and coffee, as well as basic staples. Randy has also been pivotal in organizing the preparation of holiday baskets that are distributed at Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah and Purim. Other Jewish organizations and schools also participate. How ever, Laurie Gordon Harris empha sizes that food items are needed throughout the year, not just at holiday times, and urges individu als and organizations to continue to make frequent donations to the food pantry. Cereal, pasta, rice, packaged milk, tuna, canned fruit and vegetables, soups and beans are always needed. As Randy DeFillip says, “People can be a part of a sig nificant contribution if they can donate food from time to time. You know that your donation is going directly to someone.” Attention College Students & High School Seniors A' pplications for 1996- 1997 Jewish Education Loan Fund are now available from our office. Please call 364-6594 if you are interested in applying for this supplemental, interest-free loan. The application process in cludes a personal interview with one of our social workers and the sub mission of academic and financial documentation, all of which must be completed by April 12! “1996 National Guide to Scholarships, Fellowships and Fi nancial Support for Jewish Stu dents” is now available for your re view in our office. This easy-to-use guide provides a road map of na tional opportunities for Jewish stu dents that includes essay contests, internships, and both graduate and under-graduate opportunities. CAROUNA MARKING DEVICES, INC. P.O. BOX 32143 3405 S. TRYON STREET CHARLOTTE, NC 28232-2143 TEL. (704) 525-7600 FAX (800) 777-8619 Rubber Stamps, Notary and Corporate Seals, Laundry markers. Stenciling Supplies SAME DAY SERVICE Sol & Ada Shapiro Jeffrey Shapiro Laurie Gordon Harris, CCSW, MSW, Interim Director T write this article at Purim, JLa festival which brings to mind a celebration of sounds, col ors, and distribution of gifts. If anyone saw the preschool children’s Purim parade, it indeed brought a smile to one’s face. No matter what was occurring at that moment, there was a charge in the air marking this event as “spe cial.” Frequently, energy-filled moments like these occur at a time when we least expect it. Often, our lives may be too busy to even take notice of the special times. I was taken by surprise to notice that the Bradford pear trees were bloom ing. When did that happen? When family and friends gather during the holiday times, remembering becomes a signifi cant activity for many. The fol lowing is an excerpt of an article written after the death of a spouse identifying the combined sense of loss and awareness of his good fortune to have had her in his life; empty arms —grieving heart How do you cope, how do you go on living, when the wife you’ve loved for over 53 years suddenly dies? How do you shift the tenses and pronouns of your life? How do you reset your mind from “we” and “us” to the singu lar, changing the verbs about the person you love/loved for so long from present to past tense? Although the pain is unre lenting, the shock fresh and raw each time I think of her gone, I somehow feel comforted when I speak to her in my thoughts, in this written tribute, during my fre quent visits to her grave. I still hear her tell me every night at bedtime “I love you so much” and as natural as breathing I respond how much I love her. I thank G-d that he gave me time to thank her for all she has meant to me, done for me, shared with me, cared for me, while we brought up our children, creating a home where warmth and love grew. When people feel their most vulnerable is a time that we as a community can be of the greatest help. I learned of two very special events that involved our leaders of tomorrow which demonstrates different ways to make a difference and is deserv ing mention. Ellen Dubin’s Temple Israel Fifth Grade Class organized a bake sale whose pro ceeds where donated to our agency for a special restricted charitable use. The class chose tt) make hamentoshen, and sched uled the sale to coincide with the People Power Sunday Program. Where I grew up, these events were known as “cake sales” even though all that may have been sold were brownies, yet the Heh Class had a sound marketing plan as well as an appreciative audi ence which resulted in raising $ 105.00. Moreover, this class was so interested in generating a profit to give to charity that, if they wanted to sample a goodie, it was understood that they were to pur chase all “tastes.” The festivities of Purim were also utilized as a service learning opportunity by Rabbis Binyomin Weiss and Shlomo Cohen Jewish Day School’s Fourth Grade Class- The students made elaborate baskets to deliver to those who live alone in our community. Most of the baskets were delivered by the children in costume and they were able to spend time visiting and sharing. These personal visits have immea surable importance and are a gift in themselves to a very special population. The very fact that they brought baskets filled with an ar ray of delectables which include special dietary considerations as well as thoughtful treats only added to a rewarding exchange. All of these events speak to one of the basic tenets of our faith—loving kindness. The ar ticles that appear on this page re iterate and reinforce this theme. We as a community are strength ened by the efforts of those who contribute their energy and time as volunteers, advisors, teach ers, rabbis, parents, children, helpers, counselors, and friends. At some time we even might find ourselves being the one who is helped or the one who helps. And that’s the way a community takes care of itself. NEWSFLASH!!!!! JFS Has a Separate Fax Number 364-6596 The Above Number is No Longer a Phone Number To Call Our Office Pleae Call the Familiar 364-6594
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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April 1, 1996, edition 1
4
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