5007 Providence Road
Charlotte. NC 28226
Address Correction Requested
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Charlotte, NC
Permit No. 1208
The Charlotte
JEWISH
Vol. 18 No. 9
Tishri-Heshvan 5757
October 1996
UChaim Charlotte!
By Cary Bernstein
At long last, Charlotte final
ly has its own Jewish festival!
L’Chaim Charlotte *96—A
Celebration of Je^vish
Heritage, Culture & Faith is
planned for October 13 from
noon-5 p.m. as part of the 10th
anniversary celebration of the
Jewish Community Center and
Shalom Park,
Presented by the Jewish
Community Relations Committee
of the Jewish Federation of
Greater Charlotte, the inaugural
festival will be staged in the
lower parking lot in front of the
JCC’s main entrance. It will fea
ture Jewish food and music,
Israeli folk dancing, exhibits,
tours of Shalom Park facilities
and more.
“This is an ideal opportunity
for Jews and non-Jews alike to
come together and learn more
about the richness of Jewish cul
ture and heritage, and see what
has been accomplished at
Shalom Park,” said Adam
Bernstein, JCRC chair. “The
excitement has snowballed since
the festival idea first surfaced last
Spring. To be honest, we’ve been
amazed at how much interest and
support has been generated in
such a short period."
L’Chaim Charlotte will fea
ture booths and exhibits from
some twenty organizations. Pro
fessional and amateur entertain-
ment acts will perform on stage
throughout the afternoon, includ
ing klezmer bands, Israeli folk
dancing, children’s choirs,
Jewish folk music, and more.
Food vendors will serve a variety
of Jewish fare, including falafel,
bagels, kugels, knishes, and a
variety of baked goods such as
mandelbrot, rugelach, hamen-
tashen and challah (to name a
few). More than 100 volunteers
have signed on to help so far.
L’Chaim Charlotte was the
brainchild of JCRC member
Jerry Klein, local radio talk show
personality and long-time
Charlotte resident. It follows sev
eral earlier attempts by the com
munity over the years, most
recently in 1989, to establish a
local Jewish festival similar to
the Greek community’s annual
Yiassou festival.
L’Chaim will help kick off
the community wide festivities
for the JCC’s tenth anniversary,
which will culminate on October
19 with the JCC’s Annual Gala,
which this year celebrates the
10th Anniversary at Shalom
Park. It will feature a perfor
mance by The Capitol Steps, the
nationally famous political
satirist troupe. (For more infor
mation, contact Roni Fishkin at
366-5007, ext. 234.)
“Both events compliment
each other by giving everyone in
the community an opportunity to
participate in the festivities,”
Bernstein said.
L’Chaim will be promoted
with announcements on WBT-
AM, the media sponsor. There
will also be announcements at
both Temples, distribution of
informational fliers to 3,400
Jewish households and more than
700 students (and their families)
of area Jewish religious schools,
and outreach to local churches.
The Bank of Mecklenburg is
the lead corporate underwriter
for the festival. Presbyterian
Healthcare Services, Temple
Beth El, Temple Israel, the
Federation and the JCC have also
provided financial support.
For more information, con
tact Cary Bernstein, Federation
Development Director and pro
ject coordinator at 366-5007, ext.
209.
Tel Aviv
University to "
Get Synagogue
Tel Aviv University will
be home to a new synagogue
and cultural center, designed
by Swiss architect Mario Botta
and donated by Mr. Norbert
Cymbalista, a member of the
University’s Board of
Governors.
The building will be
named for Cymbalista and is
aimed at bridging the gap
between religious and secular
life in Israeli society. “The
Rabin assassination, like noth
ing else in Israeli history, has
shown the dangers of secular
and religious polarization and
of lack of communication in
this society. I hope this center
will help begin a process
which is a necessary part of
Israel’s identity and even its
existence,” said Mr.
Cymbalista.
The synagogue’s architect,
Mario Botta, is internationally
recognized as one of the best in
his field. His latest projects
include the San Francisco
Museum of Modem Art, the
Evry Cathedral in France, and
the Art Gallery in Tc^yo.
“Building is a fundamen
tally productive activity, it pn-
supposes a faith in man, in
one’s work, in the need to
express oneself and to bear
witness to one’s own time in
positive terms,” Botta has said.
This is the first time Botta
has designed a synagogue, and
will be his first time working
in Israel. The construction is
due to be completed in 2 years.
BIAS Tapes
Promote
Citizenship
An audio tape and a video
tape have been produced by
HIAS to promote citizenship
and prepare green card holders
for the naturalization inter
view. The tapes, which are
thirty minutes long and in
English, provide practice inter
views arid enhance the listen
er’s speaking and listening
skills. There is a workbook
provided in Russian which
accompanies the audio tape, so
listeners can follow along.
The audio tapes takes the
listener through a series of
questions with appropriate
pauses to allow time for prac
tice response. PerscMial hist(»y
as well as facts on U.S. histoiy
and government are asked. The
cost for the audiotape and
worklxx^ is $5.00. To order
tapes, send your check or
money order to: HIAS
Naturalization, 333 Seventh
Avenue, New Yoric, NY 10001.
JCC Gala
Th« Capttd Slaps
On October 19,19% at 7:30 p.m., the
finishing touches will be in place as The
Atrium at Two First Union Center is trans
formed into a star-studded stage filled
with patriotic color and sumptuous foods
to celebrate the Jewish Community
Center’s ICXh Year at Shalom Park.
The featured entertainment for this
festive event will be the nationally known
musical and political satirist group. The
Capitol Steps. The Steps are a troupe of
former Congressional staffers who travel
the country satirizing the very people and
places that once employed them. Thanks
to the trials and tribulations, scandals and
screw-ups of our elected and aspiring offi
cials during this political year, the Steps
are sure to bring the house down with
laughter.
Florence Jaffa, event co-chairperson,
says, “We are very excited about our per
formers and that Moira (^inn of WBT-
TV will be emceeing the evening’s tribute
to our past presidents.” Also adding to the
night’s excitement will be a silent auction
with oppwtunities to bid on fabulous mer
chandise , such as fine art from Skillbeck,
Wentworth, First Light and International
Galleries, exciting vacations from Mann
Travels, Corporate Travel and Old World
Travel, a Backsaver recliner from the
Relax The Back Store, jewelry from
David’s Ltd. arxl Brownlee Jewelers,
JEWISH
COMMUNITY
CENTER
or CHARLOTTE
Hornets and Panthers
tickets, weekend get
aways at The Westin,
Morehead Inn and at
Wild Dunes, and
many other wonder
ful treasures from Charlotte’s finest retail
establishments.
Although the cenual focus of the
Gala will be celebrating ten years at
Shalom Park and paying tribute to the ten
past presidents of the Jewish Community
Center—Sol Shapiro, Mark Bernstein,
Ben Jaffa, Bob Abel, Harold Josephson,
Miles Levine, Larry Gerber, Mike Van
Glish, Hal Levinson and Gene Daumit—
the occasion will also serve as a platform
for raising funds to support the Center’s
social service, education and scholarship
programs for children, families, adults and
the elderly.
The 19% Jewish Community Center
Gala is a perfect way to lighten up the
political year with humcN* of The Capitol
Steps, honor the (Center’s past presidents,
contribute to the continual creation of
YOUR Jewish Community Onter and
...to have a great time with all your
friends!
It’s not too late! Reserved seating
tickets at all levels are still available. Call
Roni Fishkin, Gala Coofdinator, at 366-
5007, today!