The Charlotte Jewish News ■ June-July, 1997 • Page 17
Charlotte Jewish
Historical Society Featured
in New Tourist Brochure
The Charlotte Jewish Historical
Society is one of seven local
history resources and nineteen
area historic museums and sites,
featured in a new tourist brochure
published by the Charlotte
Regional History Consortium.
The Charlotte Jewish Historical
Society, a project of the Carolina
Agency for Jewish Education, is a
founding member of the Regional
History Consortium whose
mission is to promote cooperation
among and interest in the region's
history organizations and
resources. Founded in 1994, the
Consortium's geographic region
covers 13 counties in the
metrolina area. The new
publication is funded by a grant
awarded to the Consortium by the
Charlotte Convention and Visitors
Bureau. Free copies of the
brochure are available in the
CAJE Resource Center at Shalom
Park, or at various racks and
stands around the area, at
welcome centers and other visitor
facilities, including the member
museums, resources and history
sites. O
Seeing Shavuot In A
New Light
By Leonard Felder, Ph.D.
Eleven years ago my wife
Linda Schorin and I got married.
In addition to the traditional
Ketubah (wedding contract), we
wrote our own vows about our
intentions to listen to each other
patiently, that we would help one
another grow spiritually and
emotionally, and that we
promised to set aside time each
week and each month to make
sure we relaxed and had fun
together. Fortunately, we've taken
a few moments each year on our
wedding anniversary to look at
these vows and see how we're
living up to them. We both realize
our promises to each other have to
be reviewed often — or else we'll
slip back into old habits or take
each other for granted.
I had never thought of Shavuot
as a wedding anniversary for the
marriage between God and God's
people until several years ago
when I was doing research for a
book about the deeper meanings
and daily applications of the Ten
Commandments. I found that in
several ancient and modern
rabbinic commentaries, and
especially in the mystical
Kabbalistic teachings, there are
numerous references to Shavuot
as the anniversary day on which
we reexamine our vows and
ground rules on how to be in a
loving partnership with the
Divine Presence. The 16th
Century Kabbalists of Safed
describ^ the all-night study of
Torah passages on the eve of
Shavuot as similar to a bride
preparing to enter into a great
wedding of souls the next day,
just like we entered into an
eternal partnership at Sinai
approximately 3,500 years ago.
What are the vows and useful
ideas we need to look at and study
each year in order to have a
healthy relationship with God and
to be God's loving partner in
repairing this broken world?
Clearly Jewish tradition says we
should review the Ten
Commandments each year on
Shavuot to see what will make our
connection to God meaningful
and strong.
When I was growing up in the
1950's and 1960's in E>etroit, I
didn't really understand tfie Ten
Commandments. All those harsh
Leonard Felder. Ph.D.
"Thou shalt nots" in the English
King James translation felt rigid
and antiquated. But when I was in
college a psychology professor
told me, "If you truly want to
understand what human beings
struggle with in their daily lives,
look at the Ten Commandments.
We all have difficulties with
honoring one or both of our
parents. Nearly every person has
feelings of jealousy and coveting,
where we compare our looks, our
kids, our creativity, or our income
and comforts to someone else's.
Most of us get tempted at some
point by someone who seems
more attractive, alive or
supportive than our own spouse.
Many of us struggle with the need
to experience a healing and
spiritually uplifting Shabbat each
week but we sometimes feel like
we can't quite let go of certain
chores or get our minds to stop
worrying, planning or thinking
about our jobs. In addition, a great
number of people are afflicted by
the idols and distractions of
modem life — too much TV, too
much drugs or alcohol, or a
problem with overeating. These
ten ideas on how to live
peacefully are not outdated relics
but the very issues that almost
everyone struggles with on a daily
basis."
That got me curious and for 23
years I've been studying with
numerous rabbis and scholars
how to appreciate the daily
usefulness of these ten
challenging vows on how to live a
(Continued on page 24)
CAJE
New
Videos in
the CAJE
Resource
Center
The new CAJE membership
year begins July 1. Join today and
get an extra month free to enjoy
the best and most complete Judaic
video library in the Carolinas.
(And the most complete Jewish
music collection, Jewish games,
posters and other media
materials!) Family memberships
begin at only $18 a year and
entitles the member to unlimited
borrowing privileges throughout
the school year, 1997-1998. Such
a bargain. Give the gift that
keeps on giving by presenting a
CAJE membership as a gift: the
gift of Jewish education in your
home for you and your children.
Acknowledgement cards are
promptly sent out announcing
your special present to the
recipient. All CAJE memberships
are tax deductible donations.
Special premium awards are
given to contributors at the $100
or more level. Call for the details,
366-5007, ext. 272.
The newest videos on the shelf,
ready for borrowing include:
For Kids
Alef Bet Blastoff Series (6
videos,!/2-hour each) for kids of
all ages (Lights of Freedom, One
Big Family, Fixing the World,
You've Come To The Right
Place, A Chanukah Mitzvah,
Whale of A New Year).
Shirim K'Tanim (#1, #7), music
from Israel for kids of all ages
performed by Uzi Chitman.
For Adults
Jewish American Patriots
(75 min.)
World of Sholom Aleichem
(75 min.) O
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Craig Katzman
Harry Swimmer
Bruce Kantor
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