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CHARLOTTE, NC
The Charlotte
JE^VISH
Vol. 22, No. 10
Cheshvan-Kislev 5761
November 2000
Charlotte’s 2nd Annual Jewish Community Cultural Arts Festival:
Dance, Music, Theatre, Film and More in November
The 2nd Annual Jewish
Community Culturai Arts Festival
opens November 5 with Israeli
cuauzAL fesrt
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k n
Family Fun Day, the Taste of
Israel Food Festival, “Postcards
from Israel” dance program, and
the Judaic Sales and Book Fair. In
the evening. Former US Air Force
Chaplain Rabbi Yisrael Haber will
spe^ at the Lubavitch Education
Center at 6619 Sardis Road.
On Monday evening,
November 6, at 7:30 PM Avraham
Infeld, president of Mehtz, will
speak at the Jewish Community
Center on fmding common ground
among Jews worldwide, that
despite our pluralistic lives we
share common understandings of
Judaism and the centrality of
Israel.
Yana’s Friend, a contemporary
Israeli film, will screen at the
Consolidated Theatres-Arboretum
on Tuesday, November 7 at 7:30
PM. Cost to view this film is
$5.00. Yana’s Friend is a romantic
comedy set against the backdrop
of the looming Gulf War and the
recent immigration of Russians to
Israel.
“Home on the Momin’ Train,”
a teen theatrical production pre
sented by the Jewish Community
Center and the Afro-American
Children’s Theatre will be pre
sented three times during the
Festival. Wednesday, November 8
at 7:30 PM, Saturday, November
11, at 7:30 PM and Sunday,
November 12 at 6:00 PM, the play
can be seen at the Jewish
Community Center. The produc
tion highlights the surprising par
allels between the Holocaust and
pre-Civil War American slavery,
Mark Lewis will speak about
his book, “Himmler’s Jewish
Tailor” on Thursday, Novemer 9
at 7:30 PM at the JCC. This pro
gram commemorates Kristallnacht.
Rockin*Rabbi Joe Black To Hold
Concert at Temple Beth El
One of the “hottest Jewish
musical acts,” according to the
Portland Jewish Review, comes to
Temple Beth El on Sunday,
November 12, when renowned
Rabbi and musician Joe Black will
offer his unique combination of
spirituality and song in a concert
for the whole family.
Rabbi Black, senior rabbi at
Congregation Albert in
Albuquerque, NM, is also one of
the leading artists in the United
States specializing in Jewish con
temporary music and Jewish chil
dren’s music. He has recorded
three albums (“Leave A Little Bit
Undone,” “Alpha-Bet Boogie”
and “Everybody’s Got A Little
Rabbi Joe Black
Music”) and a video (“Sing Me A
Story: Rabbi Joe Black in
Concert”), which was awarded the
Seal of Approval from Parent’s
Choice Magazine.
Nevertheless, Rabbi Black says
Avi Albrecht, playing at Temple Israel,
Sunday, November 19 at 7:30 PM.
he doesn’t “want to be known as
‘The Singing Rabbi.’” He consid
ers himself a rabbi first and a
musician second. On either count,
he says, he considers himself a
teacher.
Indeed, though the rabbi grew
up on rhythm and blues in
Chicago and fell in love with folk
and rock music, he has dedicated
his life to his rabbinical work,
passing along Jewish culture and
religion to his Albuquerque con
gregation. As a result, he performs
only a dozen or so concerts a year,
choosing venues where his cre
ative musical approach can coun
sel, guide, teach - and above all,
entertain. “We are tremendously
fortunate that Rabbi Black will
appear at our Festival,” says Tracy
Brown, Temple Beth El Board
Member and coordinator of the
event.
Although Rabbi Black had
early in his career put aside his
music to concentrate on his rab
binate, that decision lasted only a
year. “One of the ways God
speaks to me,” says Rabbi Black,
“is through my music.” And so,
after the brief hiatus, the rabbi
once again picked up his guitar
and began creating music that,
according to one review reflects
his personality - “energetic and
joyful, on a foundation of serious
intent.”
Rabbi Black’s musical range
includes swing, salsa, folk, rock,
rhythm and blues. To his conster
nation, perhaps, he has been com
pared with the children’s musician
Stephen Dubner
Raffi. (“Hey,” he says good-
naturedly, “whatever works with
the kids is OK with me.”) His
songs, generally about Jewish life
and culture, are sometimes sung in
Hebrew. Performing songs that are
both witty and poignant, he is
energetic, surprising and dynamic
among children, while adults
appreciate his superb musician
ship and sense of spiritual aware
ness that bring the head and heart
together.
Rabbi Black’s concert on
November 12, will take place at
1:30 PM at Temple Beth El.
Tickets are $10 fcH* adults and $5
for children, and copies of Rabbi
Black’s CDs will be on sale. Pizza
lunches (slice of pizza, coke and
cookie) will be available for $5
beginning at 12:00 noon.
Healthy Women, Healthy Lives
Edysse Kessler, a National
Vice-President of Hadassah and
National Chair of the Hadassah
(Continued on page 24)
United Jewish Communities’ Mission
to Israel
Rabbi Michael Melchior Joins in Conference Call to Federation Execs
By Amy Krakovitz
United Jewish Communities
and the Jewish Committee for
Public Affairs sent a delegation to
Israel in October. There the small
group of professionals and lay
people toured the area and met
with community leaders.
In the midst and violence and
terror, they took time out one
afternoon to make a conference
call to all Federation offices and
briefed each Jewish community
on their experiences.
Martin Raffel, Associate
Executive Vice Chairman of the
Jewish Committee for Public
Affairs, had much to say about the
atmosphere in Jerusalem during
the week of Sukkot. “There were
incredible contrasts,” he said. “At
I
ML
Ws
Rabbi Michael Melchior, Minister of Israeli Society and
the World Jewish Community.
the Kotel, people were dancing....
But the hotels are empty. ... Israel
feels cut off from the rest of the
world.” Raffel emphasized the
importance of maintaining Israeli
security’s control over the Temple
Mount.
He continued describing the
atmosphere in Jerusalem. “It’s like
(Continued on page 23)
Marvin Goldberg Bids
Farewell to Charlotte
Federation Executive Director Says
^^Shalom^^
By Amy Krakovitz
There seems to be a consensus
in the Charlotte Jewish communi
ty and around Shalom Park.
Marvin Goldberg, the executive
director of the Jewish Federation
of Greater Charlotte, is an enor
mously kind and generous person,
who truly cares about his staff and
the Jewish community.
But as of November 1,
Goldberg will leave his post at the
Federation to pursue other inter
ests and return with his wife,
Renee, to the rest of his family in
New England.
Goldberg came to Charlotte
four and half years ago with the
goals of increasing the campaign,
enhancing the reputation of the
Federation, and building up edu-
Marvin Goldberg, former Executive
Director of the Jewish Federation of
Greater Charlotte.
cational services in Charlotte.
“During Marvin’s tenure, we
have seen much growth and
change,” says Sara Schreibman,
President of the Jewish Federation
of Greater Charlotte. “He certainly
accomplished significant things
(Continued on page 4)
Inside this issue...
Middle East Issues for the Next President p. 3
By Ken Stein
Summer THps to Israel p. 5
Phillip Brodsky, Daniel Blocks Emily Rod>erg write about their summer
Brothers Reunite After 50 Years p. 20
Jan GoUfarb’s father and his brother Jind one another again
Thanksgiving p. 28-29
How to celebrate the htmday Jewishfy
Federation Page
... page
4
CAJE
... page
8
Women’s Events
page
9
Temple Israel
... page
10
Charlotte Jewish Preschool....
page
11
Temple Beth El
... page
12
Lubavitch of North Carolina ...
page
13
Jewish Family Services
...-page
14
Jewish Traveler
page
15
MazelTov
. . .page
16
Spei/nun Jewish Library
... page
17
Youth Vtsioos
page
18
Ch.irki«e Jewish Dsiv School ..
page
19
Jewish CofT.iMiinitj Cvnit r
:t>27
Dining Out page . .
...
20-31
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