The Charlotte Jewish News - August, 1996 - Page 2
CJN Has New Editor
—Cynthia Chapman
Some of our readers, espe
cially those in other states, will
be surprised to learn that
Harvey Cohen is no longer the
editor of this newspaper. It was
with regret that the Executive
Board of The Charlotte Jewish
News accepted his resignation.
Mr. Cohen is now focusing his
attention on his advertising
business. Prime Communica
tions, and we wish him all the
best.
Harvey became editor two
years ago and helped the news
paper move irito the computer
age. As editor, he brought a
new focus on modem graphics
to the paper. He also fulfilled a
mandate from the Board and
the Federation; he cut produc
tion costs. We are grateful for
his contributions. He built on
the legacy left by Ann
Langman and Rita Mond who
began the paper as a labor of
love years ago.
Because The CJN has
always been seen as a commu
nication vehicle for the commu
nity, the cost of the paper is
underwritten by the Federation.
Revenue from advertisers is
essential as well. But as we all
know, the demands on commu
nity budgets and organizations
continue to grow and this news
paper is no exception. The
Executive Board of the paper
continues to struggle with pro
duction costs versus revenue.
Quality and content are con
cerns as well.
Permit me to introduce
myself as the new editor. My
name is Cynthia Chapman.
Some of you know me from my
associations here several years
ago with Temple Israel, a havu-
rah group, adult education
classes at the JCC and my poet
ry published in The American
Jewish Times Outlook. I return
from over two years in
Pennsylvania to the Jewish
community I love. I am grateful
to have the chance to be the edi
tor of the paper which has
always served as my own per
sonal link to this community.
As the editor, I need your help;
the paper needs your help.
The CJN needs your adver
tising support, your voluntary
subscriptions and your input to
be the community lifeline we
would like it to be. You need to
be my eyes and ears, I can’t
include any news in the next
issue if I don’t know about it or
I don’t get it in time. Thank you
to all who submit information,
especially those who are our
links with organizations
throughout our Jewish commu
nity. I can’t do it without you.
Please feel free to call or send
in information. I look forward
to hearing from you.
One Voice... Seguiah
Guidelines for Submissions to
The Charlotte Jewish News
— The CJN Executive Board
• All Jewish community organizations are invited and
encouraged to submit timely articles to The CJN monthly.
• The deadline for receipt of articles for The CJN is the 10th
of the month preceding the issue.
• Articles must be typewritten.
• Suggested length of articles is between 500 and 700 words.
• Editing of the articles is at the discretion of the editor.
• Photos are welcome, preferably black and white.
P(m OF VIEW COUJMN mu. RETURN NBCT MONTH!
Deadline for the
September Issue of
Charlotte Jewish News
August 9th!
The Charlotte Jewish News
5007 Providence Road - Charlotte, NC 28226
(704) 366-5007 Fax (704) 365-4507
A Publication of the
Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Marvin Goldt)erg-Executive Director
Cynthia Chapman-Editor
Advertising Coordinator:
Rita Mond, 366-6632
Advertising Representatives:
Larry Levy, 366-2104
Cheryl S^r>genthal, 364-5959
CJN Execulife Board
Members: Rosannd Taranto - Evelyn Berger - Suzanne Cannon
Ann Langman • Linda Levy - Dr. Selwyn Spangenthal
The CJN does no assume responsibitity for the quaWy o« kasrutti of any product or
service advertised Publishing c4 a paid poMicai advertisement does not constitule
an endorsement of any candidate, political paity or position by Ms newspaper, the
Federation or any employees.
PublislMd montMy exc«pt July
Copy dMdlin* to the 10th of the month preceding n>onth of issue
—Cynthia Chapman, Editor
I started studying Hebrew at
the JCC with Amalia on my way
toward conversion. I remember
struggling to see the differences
between the resh (r) and the dalet
(d). (I still have problems.) I also
remember the excitement I felt
when I learned something that
had resonance for me, such as
suddenly recognizing on the page
a word I knew the sound of
(because I had heard it in services
at temple).
One of my favorite things
was for Amalia to explain the
lines and translate them word for
word. Hebrew and American
English have a different structure
and syntax. Suddenly, things
would have more meaning and
clarity for me. One word, and her
translation of it, stuck with me
and that word is “seguiah.”
Amalia explained it means
“unique” although one most often
finds it translated as “chosen.”
We Jews are unique in our his
toric relationship with Torah,
with G-d, with the world at large,
and with each other. And for me,
a convert to Judaism, it seems that
no other word best describes my
own path or my role as editor of
The CJN.
I am, after all, the first Jew
by Choice to serve in this capaci
ty. I came to Jewish life through
intellectual and spiritual pursuit. I
gained a sense of community and
connection with history that I
never found anywhere else in the
world. I am different from many
of you in this regard. You who
were bom Jewish have different
experiences than I do. You who
converted because of marriage to
a Jew have a different experience
from me as well.
But, the reality of human
existence is that we are all unique,
all individuals. We live within the
larger community but none of us
is exactly like someone else. This
is true even of twins. How can we
human beings share so many
experiences and yet have such dif
ferent perspectives? As an old
joke says, if you have two Jews,
you can get three opinions.
That is why I decided to call
my column “One Voice...
Seguiah.” That is all it is, my
voice, unique in some ways, and
very similar in some ways to your
own voices. Now you know
something about me, nu? So, go
ahead, read the rest of the paper
already!
Religious Absentee Voting Bill Ratified
— Cynthia Chapman
An important piece of legis
lation has been approved by the
North Carolina General
Assembly. The law regarding
absentee voting has been amend
ed to permit people to vote on an
absentee ballot for religious rea
sons. Senator Leslie Winner is a
member of Temple Beth El and
was instrumental in bringing this
legislation before the General
Assembly. As Senator Winner
noted, it is a small step in favor of
religious pluralism.
The change made to General
Statute 163-226(a) permits an
absentee vote to be cast by the
voter who, because of the obser
vance of a religious holiday pur
suant to the tenets of the voter’s
religion, will be unable to cast a
ballot at the polling place on the
day of the election. This means
that if an election falls on a reli
gious holiday that people who
wish to do so may vote via absen
tee ballot.
This became an issue of com
munity concern when a Charlotte
City Council primary election fell
on the second day of Rosh
Hashannah. When it became clear
that absentee voting would not be
allowed for this election. Rabbi
Murray Ezring of Temple Israel
filed a lawsuit. Jews who did not
want to engage in secular activi
ties on the religious holiday need
ed the right to vote absentee. A
federal judge allowed the absen
tee voting for that primary and
Leslie Winner promised to follow
up by pursuing legislation to
change the situation.
This legal change is certainly
a significant step forward for all
people who understand the impor
tance of religious pluralism and
freedom. Senator Winner com
mented that the response of mem
bers of the legislature to the need
for change was “very heartening.”
Our community’s thanks go
to Senator Winner and those who
made the passage of the legisla
tion a reality.
- C3oithia Chapman
June was a big month in the
news for Jews. The Charlotte
Jewish News office mailbox was
stuffed with responses to the
Israeli election, the Southern
Baptist Convention and church
burnings in the South.
Jews and Christians alike
reacted to the resolution passed at
the Southern Baptist Convention
to redouble efforts to convert
Jews to Christianity. Abraham
Foxman, National Director of the
Anti-Defamation League,
angered by the Convention’s atti
tude, stated that, “Black churches
are burning while the Convention
fiddles with a resolution to con
vert Jews.” Reverend Billy
Graham responded. The letters to
The Charlotte Observer made for
lively reading.
One of my friends here in
Charlotte, a woman who has in-
depth knowledge of both Jewish
and Christian scripture, told me
her response to Christian mis
sionaries is clear. “Do you
believe G-d is a liar?” she asks.
Of course the missionary will
respond with a resounding no.
“Then there is no need for Jews
to convert. It says in the Bible
that G-d made an everlasting
covenant with the Jewish people.
Either G-d still upholds that
covenant or G-d is a liar,” she
continues. This has proven very
effective in ending the discus
sion.
Leaders of Orthodox,
Conservative and Reform Jews
around the U.S. united in their
condemnation of church burn
ings in the South. Funds are
being collected by each major
group to help rebuild churches.
The Foundation for Ethnic
Understanding in New York
established a fund, “From the
Ashes,” to help rebuild
Matthews-Murckland
Presbyterian Church in Charlotte
which was burned on June 6.
The burning of any religious
structure is offensive to people of
conscience. For Jews in particu
lar it evokes memories of The
Night of Broken Glass in
Germany, when synagogues were
burned as the Nazi regime flexed
its powerful muscles, and the
twice-destroyed Temple in
Jerusalem. So we wish for the
churches—may your houses of
worship be speedily rebuilt in our
days.
" Letters to the Editor --
Dear Editor:
Showtime in conjunction with Paramount
Pictures is producing a movie based on the life of
Dr Gisella Perl, a survivor of the Holocaust.
Originally from Sighet, Hungary, Dr. Perl aided
many of her fellow inmates while impritoned in
Auschwitz (1944-1945) and Bergen-Beben (just
prior to liberation). She lost nearly all of her fam
ily to the Nazi death camps.
Sponsored by the United Jewish Appeal and the
Joint Distribution Council, she came to America
where she helped to raise funds for her fellow
refugees. She was eventually granted permanent
citizenship by President Truman, through the help
of Rep. Sol Bloom (NY) among others. Dr. Perl set
up her private medical practice on Fifth Avenue in
NYC and always remained involved with many fel
low survivors - some of whom she knew during the
war. She was involved with Mt. Sinai Hospital in
NY and later, when she moved to Israel in the early
!980's, she worked with The Shaare Zedek Hospital
in Jerusalem. Dr. Peri passed away on Dectmber
16, 1988.
It is in the interest of doing justice to Dr. Perl’s
story that we ask for a response from any reader
who knew her. Contact us at: (818) 265 - 8404 or
E-mail at MMMAGUS@aol.com. Letters may be
sent to: 1549 Riverside Drive No. 4. Glerulale, CA
91201
In appreciation,
Marcia Magus
Showtime Entertainment Group