5007 Providence Road
Charlotte. NC 28226
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Non-Profit Organization
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Charlotte, NC
Permit No. 1208
The Charlotte
JEWISH
Vol. 20 No. 1 Tevet-Shevat, 5758 January, 1998
The Federation Campaign Profiles in Tzedaioh
That the flame will live on
By Susan Kramer
Bobbi and Don Bernstein
Some people give to charity
because they’ve been raised to be
generous. Some give oiit of a
sense of obligation to give back to
a community that has treated them
well. Some give so that their own
personal goals and ideals can
prosper. Bobbi and Don Bernstein
give for all those reasons — and
for the sheer pleasure of it. Just
talking about why they have, in
recent years, endowed gifts to the
Jewish Federation of Greater
Charlotte in excess of $700,000
makes Bobbi positively glow with
pleasure. “We love to see the good
our money can do,” she says.
“What’s the point of having it if
you don’t use it to help others?"
They admit that it is exciting —
even fiin — to be able to give gen
erously to favorite causes — so
much fun, in fact, that they recom
mend others try it.
Don, who serves as both
Chairman for the newly created
Foundation for the Charlotte
Jewish Community (FCJC) and
Co-chair (along with Jill
Newman) of this year’s
Federation Campaign says that
creating and funding endowments
is the most significant step one
could take for the future of the
community — a responsibility
that can’t be left to someone else.
In 1996, Bobbi created an
endowment at the FCJC to perpet
uate her Lion of Judah gift (the
premier level of giving in the
Federation’s Women’s Division.)
This year, Don also established an
endowment at FCJC. Their total
gift of $7CX),000 will, at their
death, provide the Federation with
at least $3S,(XX) (plus interest)
annually.
Bobbi points to the flame on the
Lion that she wears so proudly.
“See that flame?” she asks. “I got
that when I endowed my gift. Now
I know that the flame will live on
after me.”
Don and Bobbi have lived in
Charlotte for over twenty years,
and the Jewish community has
always been a large part of their
lives. Their resumes detailing the
various positions they have held in
our community read Hke a
Federation Directory. Together
they are either currently serving or
have seryed on the Boards of the
Jewish Federation of Greater
Charlotte, the Foundation of the
Charlotte Jewish Community; the
Jewish Community Center, and
Temple Beth El. One or both have
served at various times as
President of the Federation,
Campaign Co-Chair for the
Federation, Chair of Jewish
Family Services Board, and Chair
of the Foundation for the
Charlotte Jewish Community-and
that’s only a partial list of their
Jewish endeavors. Their commit
ments to the larger community.
the schools: parents speak out
Religion in
By Susan Kramer
Barry Ross had never felt like a
minority in New York. There, a
large Jewish population and some
very clear cut policies in the school
system regarding religious displays
on school property provided a com
fort level where religion was con
cerned. Then on December 4, the
Christmas tree was lit at Providence
High School where Barry teaches.
Suddenly, he was a minority.
Similar tales were heard frequent
ly at a meeting at Shalom Paik on
December S when Assistant
Superintendent Barbara Pellin met
with about 60 parents who wished
to air their concerns about religion
in the classroom. The meeting was
called by the School Issues
Committee, a subcommittee of the
Jewish Community Relations
Committee of the Jewish F^ration
of Greater Charlotte. The purpose of
the evening’s meeting, according to
Co-chairs Tammy Seigel and Jackie
Fishman, was to open a dialogue
with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg
School system. Seigel stated in her
opening remarks that their conunit-
tee had surveyed the Jewish com
munity last year to assess the areas
of concern and to look for solutions.
Since that time, the committee has
concentrated on three areas, includ
ing opening a dialogue with the
school administration, building a
community coalition with other reli
gious groups in the community that
share the same concerns, and
addressing specific issues of con
cern to the Jewish conununity.
In her remarks, Ms Pellin stressed
that the school system is committed
to listening to all parents concems-
both religious and secular. “We
can’t deal with concerns if we listen
only to ourselves.”
Ms Pellin stated that the current
policy regarding religion in the
.schools was last visited in 1985.
which emphasize their love of the
arts, is equally as impressive.
Catalysts for change
The Bernsteins see their gifts
and service as catalysts for
change. When Bobbi bi^ame a
Lion of Judah (requiring a $5,000
gift) in 1986, she was the first in
the Charlotte community to wear
the prestigious Lion. Now there
are 22 Lions of Judah in Charlotte,
and the annual combined gifts
from the Women’s Division has
grown from $25,000 to over
$300,000 this year.
Don recognized the challenge of
preparing the next generation of
Jewish leaders and stepped for
ward to underwrite a leadership
development program. The first
“class” of the Bernstein Leader
ship E>evelopment Program, with
43 participants, will culminate
their 18 month program with a trip
to Washington in March of 1998,
and a second group is now being
put together. (Contact Cary
Bernstein at the Federation if
you’re interested.) As Don points
out, there are many other worth
while programs that need funding
and “anyone who steps forward
will re{^> great personal satisfac
tion from doing it, as we have.”
“We try to recognize a need and
set a standard and example,” Don
explains. “If we can do these
things, most certainly others —
Noting that there are now 130
schools, 97,000 students and 12,000
employees, she acknowledged that
the needs of the student population
are now different and that some
changes need to t>e made.
Superintendent Eric Smith has
already t>egun that process of
review and change with his forma
tion of an Interfaith Advisory
Conunittee. Rabbi Jim Bennett of
Temple Beth El sits on that council.
Ms. Pellin stated, “Your avenue to
address these issues is through this
council.”
Additionally, she suggested that
parents who have concerns first go
to the chikl’s teacher. If the parent
teels that that approach is not satis
factory, then they should go the
princip^ of the school, then to the
Regional Superintendent. If all
other avenues fail, then concerns
can be addresses directly lo Ms.
Pellin’s office, and ultinutely to Dr.
both with more means than us, and
less than us, can do it also. By
going beyond talking about it and
doing it, we hope others will fol
low.”
The most significant role that
the Bernsteins have played in
building a better future for the
community has been their com
mitment to the Foundation of the
Charlotte Jewish Community. As
Don and Bobbi see it, the
Foundation, through an‘ annual
distribution of income, could pro
vide a substantial portion of the
annual community needs.
So strong is his belief that the
Foundation holds the key to finan
cial security fcH' our community’s
needs that next year, Don plans to
ask the Federation itself for an
allocation from the annual cam
paign. Even 5 to 10% of the annu
al campaign now could provide
30% of our annual funding
Smith. “We are not about promoting
any one faith. We arc about serving
all children. We need to understand
all faiths. When we serve all chil
dren, we serve their faiths.”
^yery sin^c day this moDth
[December] my daughter is
going to be remnided that she
is different’^
Genoally, the parents present for
the meeting gave teachers and prin
cipals high marks for making an
effort to respect their children’s reli
gion, whether it be through proper
coding of absences for religious hol
idays or sensitivity to Jewish chil
dren’s needs during the Christmas
season. Still, the nature of the com
requirements before long. “A sav
ings plan for the future” he calls it,
and though it won’t solve all the
needs, it will be a good start.
Don envisions the day that the
total endowment might total in
excess of $50 million. It’s a
dream, he readily admits, but
dreams beget reality. “Shalom
Park was a dream when it was first
envisioned,” he states. “It has
become an example for the entire
country. Our endowment can do
the same.”
And that, finally, is the ultimate
reason the Bernsteins give so gen
erously. Not just tradition, or
obligation, or even the pleasure
they derive, but because of their
dream that the flame that - they
have ignited today will live on in a
brighter future for the entire
Jewish community. O
ments indicated that there seems to
be little knowledge of other reli
gions and cultures in the schools.
Parents are frustrated with having to
revisit the same issues year and year
and in general agreed that there is
too much emphasis on Christmas in
December.
“Every single day this month, my
daughter is going to be reminded
that she is different,” stated one
mother of her middle school aged
daughter. Another urged Ms. Pellin
and Dr. Smith to “Go sec for your
self during the next two weeks what
is really going on in the schools.”
“We feel that this was a very pos
itive first step,” stated Ms. Seigel
after the meeting. ‘The lines of
communication have been opened,
and we feel that there is an increased
awareness on the part of the school
administration.” She adds that poli
cy updates will be communicate to
the School Issues Committee and
community at large through Ms.
Pellin’s office and through the
Interfaith Advisory Committee.
The School Issues Committee
will meet again in January to t>egin
to explore ways that the community
can help implement change in the
arert oi cultural sensitivity within
school system. If you have
quc'or comnsciils aboui these
issL ' -r \vruld !:ke to inv-«!ved
in ! • uf this 'Sire.
‘ * .r ' . M ,ii\ Bem-tfm inr
Fcder.ii;”!! "’t* p .it
Ulside this issue..,
Nine reasoru to mcke a pkdge
IVylat fargl*« to the itwHrm of pirfn
A won returns to the scene cf his parents hearti^ak
A Blotter tati*rity -
A look frvm the inside an imerfaith marriage
Also inside...
Point of View page 2
- Temple Beth El page 8
* Temple Israel page 9
Lubavitch of North Carolina page 10
pgge 7 CAJE page 13
Jewish Community Center page 16-17
The Jewish Traveler page 18
14 Tewish Family Services page 19
SpciTtnan Library .. page 20
DtningOut page 22-23