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The Chaflotte
JEWISH
I Vol. 21 No.T
Nisan-lyar 5759
April 1999
“Kids on Broadway” Coming to Hyatt
Hotel on May 2
The third annual “Kids in
Vogue” Children’s Fashion Show
and luncheon sponsored by the
Jewish Federation of Greater
Charlotte is scheduled for
Sunday, May 2 at the
Hyatt Hotel. The annual
fashion show is one of
many social and educa
tional events enabling the
Federation to reach its $2
million goal for the 1999
Annual Campaign.
Tracy Brown and Dana
Ditesheim who chair this
year’s event are excited
about the upcoming pro
gram. *‘Our goal is to build
an the success of the past
two years,” said Brown.
“This is an event geared
toward new givers; we are
asking that each of our
table captains recruit at
least one new person to sit
with them at the show. It is
a great afternoon — guests
can socialize with their
friends, learn about the
work of the Federation and
watch our adorable chil-
walk down the run
way in wonderful spring
fashions.”
Amy Marx and Ellen Framm
will chair the recruitment effort
assisted by Dana Gorelick,
Shelley Bear and Lisa Goldberg.
The cost to attend the event is
$25 which pays for the cost of the
luncheon. In addition, guests will
be asked to make a $75 minimum
contribution the Federation’s 1999
Annual Campaign, (if you have
already made a pledge of $75 or
more to the campaign, you are not
required to make any additional
donation.) Monies raised from the
event will have a lasting impact on
the lives of Jewish children world
wide.
ON
BROAbWAy*
3RD ANNUAL “KiOS IN VOGUE" FASHION SHOW
The theme for the show is “Kids
on Broadway.” Decorations
Chairs, Lisa Meyerson and
Stefanie Reiner, are busy working
on table and room decor that will
reflect this theme.
Fashion for this year’s event
will be provided by Fitigues,
Sunday’s Child and Lions &
Tigers & Bears Children’s
Boutique. Fifty models ages 4-10
will be recruited to walk down the
runway. Mami Abramowitz and
Of GteATER Charlotib
Campaign Racing Towards
Goal
Roberta Rodgers are in charge of
the fashion and will work with the
stores to select the clothing that
will be used on the 2nd.
Jennifer Newman and
Linda Wasser will be work
ing behind the scenes to
make sure that the models
are having as much fun
backstage as the adults are
having during the luncheon.
Models will be given lunch
and a variety of entertain
ment will be presented to
keep them busy before their
time in the spotlight.
Gail Baron is working on
the educational presentation
and Roni Fishkin will serve
as “master of ceremonies”
for a second year. Andrea
Bimbaum is coordinating all
event publicity.
Again, this year the show
will feature “Gracious
Grandmas." Any grand
mother of a child who is
modeling may make a con
tribution to defray the costs
of the show. “Gracious
Grandmas” will be listed in
the event program and each
will receive a picture of her
grandchild as he or she
walks down the runway.
If you are interested in attend
ing, or having your child model,
call Cary Bernstein at the
Federation office 944-6762. O
The campaign barometers at
Shalom Park keep heading
towards $2,000,000, the goal for
the 1999 Federation Annual
Campaign.
“We are one of the nine federa
tions in the country to have sur
passed their 1998 campaign to
date,” stated Meg D. Goldstein,
Campaign Chair. “With more than
Distribution Committee to prepare
and fly immigrants to Israel and to
assist them in resettling.
The local economy continues to
be bullish, yet Jewish Family
Services (JF^) case load has
increased. In addition, the
Community Tzedakah Fund, an
emergency loan fund administered
by JFS, receives daily requests. So
1999 Federation Campaign
$1,934,000 pledged to date. I’m
optimistic about reaching our
goal.” This year the federation
decided to run its campaign for
only two months in an effort to
increase the pace and excitement.
The current campaign continues
to break all records for Charlotte;
and there will be many places and
areas where the increased funds
may go.
The economic crisis in the
Former Soviet Union continues to
overheat and Jews are being
blamed for the problems. The
Israeli Embassy in Moscow pre
dicts an unusual number of immi
gration requests for the rest of the
year. In addition, thousands of
Jews will be exiting the Ukraine.
Funds will be needed by the Joint
in the midst of plenty, there is a
sector of our community that does
not share in the boom. “We are
grateful to the Federation to have
increased the funds allocated to
the Tzedakah Fund,” stated Penny
Wagner-Schuster, JFS Executive
DirectOT. “Without the increase,
we would have to refuse assis
tance; something we do not want
to do. Thank goodness for an
increased campaign.”
“We are in the final push,” stat
ed Goldstein. “Our campaign
solicitors are doing a great job,
and we just need a little more to
ensure our goal.” A final total and
report will be announced to the
community at the Federation’s
Annual Meeting on April 26. O
Yo/n Ha’Shoah Feature
Charlotte’s Holocaust Survivors Share Their Experiences
By Jo Minchew
One word describes them more
than male or female, father or
mother, Republican or Democrat,
professor or businessman. One
word defines and unites them
more, even, than Jew.
Survivor.
These are people who’ve been
to Hell and back. People who not
only experienced the horrors of
the Holocaust but who lived to tell
the tale.
And tell it, they must.
“What I’ve been through has to
have the result of making sure that
it’s not forgotten and that it’s
remembered by as many young
sters as possible since they’ll be
here after we’re gone,” said Susan
Cemyak-Spatz who survived two
years in Auschwitz before she was
liberated in April 1945.
“Once the few of us are gone, it
won’t be living history any more,”
noted Henry Hirschmann, sur
vivor of five months in
Buchenwald at age 18. “A lot of
books have been written by
hearsay but personal experience is
so important, don’t you think?”
Spatz, Hirschmann and Irving
Mond, all of Charlotte, have made
it their mission to keep the memo
ry alive, lecturing in schools and
churches and telling their stories
again and again.
Spatz, professor emeritus in the
UNCC foreign language depart-
Henry Hirschmann’s hand holding a picture of his parents (left) his little
brother (center), and his younger brother (right).
Also inside...
Federation News
4
Jewish Family Services
P*«e
7
Temple Beth Ei
...page
8
Temple Israel
... pi«e
9
Lubavitch of Nor^ Carolina .
....pafc
10
Women’s Page
....fmgt
12
CAJE
....pafe
13
Spetzmas Jewidi Library ...
14
The Jewish IVavder
. ...pafe
15
Dining Out
....{Mge
24-26
Jewish QHnmunity Ceater ..
■■pm
30^31
ment, taught language and
Holocaust literature prior to her
retirement six years ago and still
teaches a course there. But
Hirschmann and Mond act as edu
cators too, often opening listeners'
minds to a terrible world they
never knew existed. The level of
feedback they’ve received from
children has surprised all three.
“I find most kids very interest
ed,” said Spatz. “Oh, you get
questions like, ‘What did you
eat?’ and ‘Where did you sleep?’
but, for the most part, the ques
tions are quite thoughtful.”
Hirschmann agrees. “At first, I
didn’t want to speak to kids in
fifth or sixth grade but I found out
I was wrong. Some ask good ques
tions!” Like both Spatz and Mond,
he collects letters from school
children moved, for instance, by
his account of what happened on
the night of November 8, 1938 —
Kristallnacht.
“I was working as an apprentice
(in Buchenwald) when I received
a call from my mother. She told
me to catch the train and go visit
relatives.” he said, “but I didn’t
listen.” Instead, he went home to
(Conhntted on page 21)