The Charlotte Jewish News - May 2000 - Page 11
ORT Celebrates 120 Years Hadassah Happenings in May
WOMEN’S AMERICAN
@RT
Few organizations make it to
120 — a number of special signif
icance in the Jewish tradition.
When ORT celebrated its 120th
birthday on April 10, it made it to
a very short list of organizations
that have not only aged gracefully
but are as relevant today as when
they were just a gleam in their
founders’ eyes. Since its birth,
ORT has been the Jewish world’s
leader in technology education.
Looking at longevity elsewhere
in the non-profit world, the United
Jewish Appeal was founded in
1939, after Kristallnacht. The
American Red Cross was estab
lished in 1881.
ORT was founded in St.
Petersburg on April 10, 1880, to
provide basic agricultural and
industrial skills to the impover
ished Jews of Czarist Russia.
“ORT’ is an acronym from the
Russian for “The Association for
Spreading of Work.” Over the
decades, ORT has kept to its orig
inal mission: providing individu
als with skills for meaningful and
satisfying work.
“ORT is the Jewish people’s
gift to the world,” the President of
American ORT, Robert L. Sill of
Cleveland, said. “After 120 years,
ORT can still claim that it is has
stayed tnie to its founding princi
ples and legacy. In the dawn of the
21st century, ORT remains vital,
active, and its educational training
programs are even more necessary
and in demand today.”
After World War II, ORT was in
the Displaced Persons (DP) camps
training Jews in job skills for new
lives in Israel and the U.S. Since
the creation of Israel, ORT has
been part of the country, training
the workforce and helping shape
the Jewish State. Ousted from
Russia by the Communists, ORT
is back in the former Soviet Union
with technology centers and
schools that provide top academic
education along with reconnecting
Jews to their religion and heritage.
As the industrial revolution was
replaced by the technological rev
olution, ORT has focused on the
high-tech job market. Both Jewish
and non-Jewish students get high-
tech job training at Bramson ORT
College in Forest Hills, N.Y., and
Los Angeles ORT Technical
Institute (LAOTI). In Chicago,
Zarem/Golde ORT Technical
Institute emphasizes training a
new generation of immigrants in
English as a Second Language and
computer-related office skills.
Accounting for ORT’s success
for over a century, the President of
Women’s American ORT, Pepi
Dunay of Boca Raton, FL, said,
“We’ve always involved the com
munity. We were in touch with the
businesses, the companies, the
factories that would benefit. We
have truly trained our students for
careers that were in demand. And
we weren’t satisfied with what
was. We’ve always been looking
ahead to what was coming and felt
the responsibility to teach nothing
but the best to our students.”
At the age of 120, ORT is the
world’s largest non-governmental
education and training organiza
tion, with programs in 60 coun
tries including India, South Africa,
France, Great Britain and
Argentina. Major funding for ORT
programs worldwide comes from
American ORT and Women’s
American ORT. For additional
information, contact Women’s
American ORT at (212) 505-77(X),
ext. 238, or American ORT at
(212)353-5800. Or check their
Web sites, www.waort.org and
www.aort.org. Locally, call Shari
Naman at 841-1674.
On Wednesday, May 3, we will
honor our donors with a fun-filled
evening including a presentation
by Ellen Fliegel of Doncaster. For
more information, call Shari
Naman at 841-1674. «>
Like Esther in the story
of Purim, strong women
have worked to protect,
save and improve lives of
people throughout history.
The women of Hadassah
are no different.
Now, like many other
times in the history of our
organization, we have an
opportunity to take action to save
lives — this time from the danger
of gun violence in America.
Hadassah has joined with many
other like-minded organizations to
participate in a march against gun
violence, the Million Mom March,
being held in Washington, D.C.,
on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May
14, 2000. Like Hadassah, the
Million Mom March was started
by women who felt they needed to
make a difference in our society.
The goals of the march are:
• Passage of effective gun control
laws — including safety locks
for handguns and mandatory
waiting periods and background
checks for people wishing to
purchase firearms;
• The strict enforcement of cur-
HA
DAS
SAH
rent gun laws; and
•Ending the marketing of
gun use to children and
criminals.
We urge the Jewish
Community to write your
congressmen and senators
to stop gun violence and
let our elected officials
know your feelings, par
ticularly in light of the NRA con
vention here in Charlotte on May
20-21.
On another note, Hadassah will
be running a voter challenge dur
ing the L’Chaim Festival 2000.
We will have voter registration
materials available and informa
tion on “Early Voting,” a new
option for Mecklenberg voters this
year. We look forward to seeing
you at the festival.
For membership information,
please call Amalia Warshenbrot at
365-3313. »>
Retired CNA Caregiver
needs night work or
sleepover. 16 years
experience. 394-3404
Your
Connection
To The Jewish
Community...
WHETHER CROSS TOWN OR ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, assisting families to buy
and sell real estate since 1985.
Matti Ordan
888-364-6401 - Toll Free
704-367-7250 - Direct
704-365-1093 - Home
704-904-7250 - Mobile
^ Cautign!
'Bie Contents
Of This Ad Could
Make You Go
Crazy.
Crazy Jane’s, Charlotte’s premiere home furnishings store, is the place to
go for those with discerning taste and style. Our sophisticated, eclectic and
contemporary designs offer many exclusive lines that can only be found
at Crazy Jane’s.
• Residential and commercial design * Heupholstery
• Custom bedding
Unique accessories
Custom upholstered furniture with
lOOO’s of fabrics to choose from
Case goods - entertainment centers,
occasional and dining tables
exclusive lighting fixtures and
mirrors
Custom window treatments and
hardware
Rugs ■ wool, hook, needle|X)int,
seagrass. sisal and jute
Custom artwork by local artists
Charlotte Foust, Dianne Howell,
Rod Wimer and James Busby
fa Hwbb
AN€’S
704 332-5454
1235-f €ast Boulevard, Charlotte Visit us also at Blackhon. Pir>eville
Hours: 10:30 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.
Monday Through Saturday. Or By Appointnr,enl
Gift • Major Credit Cards Welcome