5007 Providence Road
Charlotte. NC 28226
Address Correction Requested
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Charlotte, NC
Pernfiit No. 1208
In an effort to address the
issue of religion in the schools,
the School Issues Ad Hoc
Committee has been formed as a
sub-committee of the Jewish
Community Relations Com
mittee. The committee is chaired
by Jackie Fishman and Tammy
Seigel.
The ad hoc committee began
its work by putting together a
survey about how Jewish
families perceive religion in the
schools. The survey was sent to
over 300 families in the Jewish
community. Over 90 surveys
were returned representing 36
schools. It was clear from the
majority of responses that there
are various concerns about the
role of religion in the schools.
Feedback from the surveys
indicated that the subcommittee
needed to divide its work into
three areas: Charlotte
Mecklenburg Administrative
Issues to address issues of
religious tolerance within the
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools,
Community Issues to build
coalitions with other religious
denominations and Parent Issues
to increase parental awareness
and involvement.
Members of the ad hoc
committee have already met
with representatives from the
Student Services Department of
the Charlotte Mecklenburg
Schools to discuss revisions to
the “Religion in the Schools”
policies for the public school
system. The policy has been
developed in order to avoid
infringement of individual rights
and to set forth a position
concerning certain religious
issues.
Once the policy revisions are
complete, the committee will
form a coalition with other
religious denominations to build
consensus for its passage by the
Charlotte Mecklenburg School
Board.
Additionally, a community
forum is being considered for
parents with representatives
from the school system to
explain the policy and its
implications.
A calendar of Jewish holidays
will also be sent to principals for
distribution to teachers in the
schools to heighten awareness
about major Jewish holidays.
Parents are encouraged to follow
up with their child’s teacher to
open dialogue on these issues.
If you are interested in
participating or want further
information, contact Cary
Bernstein, 3^5007, exL 209. O
The Charlotte
Religion in the Schools
Jewish Community Relations Committee
Forms School Issues Ad Hoc Committee
Vol. 19 No. 8
Av-Elul 5757
September, 1997
JCC To Honor Leon Levine
Leon Levine, distinguished
Jewish community visionary and
philanthropic pacesetter, will be
the guest of honor at the 1998
Jewish Community Center Gala.
The black-tie event, co-chaired
by Center Vice-President Jill
Newman and Lori Sklut, will be
held on Saturday evening,
February 14 at the Westin Hotel in
uptown Charlotte.
Veteran Charlotteans are
certainly familiar with Mr.
Levine, founder, chairman and
CEO of Family Dollar Stores, Inc.
and renowned civic leader.
Newcomers who delve into the
Charlotte Jewish community’s
history will quickly learn how
Leon’s sensitive recognition of
the need to create a unique place
where all Jews in Charlotte would
meet, socialize, learn, worship
and share their cultural heritage
helped to shape the conceptual
design and practical development
of Shalom Park. His gifted
analytical and planning skills,
coupled with his compassionate
humanity and deep “commitment
to helping others achieve their
dreams” served to motivate those
with some initial resistance to
Leon Levine
will be the
guest of honor
at the
1998 Jewish
Community
Center Gala,
Februaiy 14.
overcome their apprehension and
conceive the “shared dream” that
Shalom Park. In 1986, the
is
Jewish community recognized his
dynamic leadership and
exceptionally generous fmancial
contributions by naming the
Jewish Community Center
building after Leon and his
beloved wife, Sandra.
Leon’s gracious agreement to
allow the Jewish Community
Center to honor him at its 1998
Gala creates a unique opportunity
to raise significant funds for the
Jewish Community Center
Endowment Fund. TTie Endow
ment will provide substantial
income, on a yearly basis, to help
the Center fulfill its obligation to
provide a comprehensive set of
quality programs and services for
the community.
Leon’s good friend, Jill
Newman and his daughter, Lori
Sklut agree that, “The evening
will be a memorable one as we
celebrate Leon’s accomplish
ments as a preeminent leader in
the Jewish community and the
city of Charlotte. We urge
everyone to save the date and
reserve your seats early — it’s
going to be a fabulous party!” O
Finally, the First Chink in the Wall
Unexpectedly, the conversion battle has broken barriers between
Israel and the Diaspora
By Ephraim Sneh
For the last few weeks, all sides
in the battle over the conversion
bill have taken a time-out. It’s
possible that the internecine
cease-fire will allow a
government-sponsored
committee to reach a reasonable
agreement and head off a split in
the Jewish world over the
legislation, which would deny
state recognition to non-Orthodox
conversions performed in Israel.
In the meantime, surprising as it
seems, the struggle over the law
has already had a positive impact
— on Orthodox relations with
Reform and Conservative
Judaism, on Israeli understanding
of Diaspora pluralism, and on
Diaspora-lsrael relations.
First of all, the boycott of
Reform and Conservative
Judaism by the Orthodox,
particularly in Israel, has been
broken, and a religious dialogue
has begun in Judaism.
To show what a sudden, crucial
change that is; several months
ago, I met with the chief rabbis of
Israel, Yisrael Lau and Eliahu
Bakshi-Doron. I proposed a new
charter for the Jewish people,
intended to heal the rift between
the secular and the Orthodox. The
charter, I suggested, would have
four points:
• An agreement on the character
of Shabbat in the Jewish state that
would respect both religious and
secular lifestyles — for instance,
closing Orthodox neighborhoods
to traffic on Shabbat, while
allowing public transport in other
areas.
• Increased study of the Jewish
heritage in secular schools, along
with study of democracy in
religious schools.
• Establishment of a national
council to which any bills with
religious significance would be
sent for preparation in a spirit of
mutual consideration and
agreement.
• Creation of a forum of rabbis
from the three major
denominations that would discuss
issues of Jewish law and seek to
reach wide agreement within the
Jewish people.
The chief rabbis gave their
blessing to the first three points.
Inside this Issue...
Domestic
One of the Jewish community’s best kept secrets
Palestiiiiaii Authority most mend its wrongs.
Consul General Arye Mekel speaks out about the latest terrorism in Israel
Fore! — page 25
Do"'! b^ uji oui of th*- Ontt GoifTwurK
—page
-pi«e 3
Also inside...
Point of View
... page
2
Speizman Library
... page
10
Jewish Community Center ,...
... page
14
Temple Beth El
... page
16
Temple Israel
... page
17
Lubavitch of North Carolina ...
... page
18
Jewish Family Services
... page
19
The Jewish Thiveler
... page
22
CAJE
...page
23
Dining Out
.. .page
26-27
The fourth point they adamantly
rejected. I was surprised by the
emotional intensity of their
opposition to Reform and
Conservative Judaism, their
denial of those movements’
legitimacy.
Now look what’s happened:
One of the first results of the
battle over the conversion law is
the creation of a committee
including representatives of all
three denominations to seek an
agreed solution to the crisis. Even
the brief meeting of Reform and
Conservative representatives with
former chief rabbi Avraham
Shapiro had value as a precedent
— though Shapiro quickly broke
it up. I’ve learned from long
experience in a very different sort
of negotiations, with Arabs,
beginning years before the Oslo
Accords, to see the significance in
small breakthroughs, in the first
cracks in the walls of hostility.
Another impmant result is that
the controversy has increased
Israeli’s awareness of the
pluralism that exists in the
Diaspora, and especially among
North American Jews. Until
recently, 98 percent of Israelis had
no idea what the fiiss over the
conversion law was about. Today
there’s much greater awareness,
especially among decision
makers, of the non-Orthodox
movements’ existence and their
desire for equal status in Israel as
well.
The third result, in particular,
has long-range implications that
.(CtmtinMed on page 3)