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The Charlotte
JE^SH
Vol. 23, No. 5
lyar-Sivan 5761
May 2001
History of the Charlotte Jewish
Community
Have you ever wanted to know
more about the history of the
Charlotte Jewish community? On
Tuesday, May 15, the Jewish
Federation of Greater Charlotte
Women’s Division will enlighten
you on this very issue at
the History of the
Charlotte Jewish
Community event to be
held at the Charlotte
History Museum.
The evening will
begin with a wine and
cheese reception as we
view the Freedom Bell, a
project spearheaded by
Waiter Klein. The
American Freedom Bell
is a gift from the Belk Foundation
to the people of America. It sym
bolizes the patriotic heritage of the
people of Charlotte, Mecklenburg
County and two Carolinas, and
was created to honor the men,
women and children who gave
their blood, sweat, toil and tears to
the cause of American freedom.
Chairs Ruth Goldberg, Laura
Lewin and Stephanie Brodsky are
very excited about the upcoming
program. Ruth spearheaded the
idea back in December after the
Women’s Division program on
Charlotte politics.
Walter and Elizabeth Klein will
be our guest speakers for the
evening. Native Charlottean
Elizabeth Klein spent eight years
hosting eight exchange students
and Vietnamese refugees. She
headed the Temple Beth El sister
hood, Hadassah, Matthews PTA
and Girl Scouts’ PR. She has been
on the Board of the Charlotte
Exchange Student Program,
Hillel, B’nai B’rith Women,
YWCA and Biblical Garden. She
co-published “Jewish Tour of the
Carolinas” with her husband
Walter.
The Spiritual & Religious Heritage
OF THE Carolinas Piedmont
Walter Klein is creating three
mini-museums at Scottish Rite
Temple, Temple Beth El and the
new county courthouse, each
exhibiting treasures of Charlotte
Masonry, Reform Judaism and
Zeb Vance respectively. He con
ceived and built the Freedom Bell,
which is housed at the Charlotte
History Museum. He is a writer,
filmmaker, and genealogist.
During the program, you will
also have the opportunity to view
the video From 7th Street to
Shalom Park. This video features
a short walking tour of the Hebrew
Cemetery, clippings of Harry
Golden’s TV Program “The
Golden Touch,” as well as person
al interviews with Minnie Sutker
and Harvey Diamond. It is an
excellent piece of Charlotte histo
ry.
We will also have a private
showing of the new “Community
of Faiths” exhibit at the Charlotte
History Museum. The Community
of Faiths exhibit will be situated
throughout the entire Museum. By
adding entirely new artifact cases
to each of three chronological gal
leries, the Museum will focus on
the emergence of differ
ent religions and faiths in
our community; the
social and political influ
ence of faith-based orga
nizations; and ways in
which spiritual traditions
commemorate major life
passages, including birth,
initiation into adulthood,
marriage and death. Art,
photography and memo
rabilia of community
wide interest will fill the walls of
the Museum hallways and rotun
das. These special exhibits,
designed to enhance and enrich
core exhibits, will change season
ally during the 12-month run of
Community of Faiths.
Community of Faiths, while not
promoting any particular religion,
faith or spiritual tradition, strik
ingly demonstrates how these con
cepts and values, over centuries
and generations, have shaped and
nurtured the totality of our lives in
communities across the Carolinas
Piedmont.
Please join us at the Charlotte
History Museum (3500 Shamrock
Road) on Tuesday, May 15 at 7:00
PM as we relive the history of the
Charlotte Jewish community.
There will be a $6 fee to view the
Community of Faiths exhibit. For
more information, please call
Mamie Moskowitz at 704-944-
6764.
Calendar of Events
May 6 & 7: Southeast Region Women’s Conference
Unlock your spirituality with other Jewish women from
across the region. Surround yourself in southern hospitality,
Savannah, Georgia style.
Tuesday, May 15: “History of the Charlotte Jewish
Community”
7:00 PM at the Charlotte History Museum.
Thursday, May 31: JFGC Annual Meeting, 7:45 PM in
Gorelick Hall.
Women’s Division Shalom Y’all Newcomers
Committee Hosts
FAMILY POOL PARTY
Please join us for a Newcomer Family Pool Party
Sunday, June 24
11:30 AM
at the home of Liz & Brad Winer
5411 Mirabell Road
For more information, please call Mamie Moskowitz in the
Federation office at 704-944-6764.
South Carolina’s First Annual Jewish Film Festival
May 5-10, 2001
The Cultural Arts Series
Committee of the Columbia
Jewish Community Center and the
Nickelodeon Theatre of the
Columbia Film Society are
pleased to announce the First
Annual Columbia Jewish Film
Festival.
There are approximately 60
Jewish Film Festivals in North
America which illustrates that this
is a growing phenomenon in
Jewish cultural life in America.
The first annual Columbia
Jewish Film Festival will feature
five international films that are
important artistic and documen
tary filmworks. Included are films
from the U.S., Israel, Mali/France
and Argentina, with themes rang
ing from Jewish identity in
America to an examination of the
impact of ultra-Orthodoxy on
the lives of two Israeli women,
to an African interpretation of a
traditional Biblical story. To
enhance the educational value
of the festival, two audience
panels will take place-. -
The distinguished guest
speaker at the Festival will be
Dr. Benjamin Dunlap, President
of Wofford College. Dr. Dunlap
is a Rhodes Scholar who has
taught at Harvard. In addition to
his distinguished academic
career, he has written and pro
duced more than 200 programs for
PBS and SCETV. His program
Cinematic Eye was a national
Emmy Award nominee.
Tickets & General Information:
Festival Series Subscripton
(limit of 50) includes: Admission
to all films;
complimentary
patron’s brunch;
reserved seat at
patron’s screening of Jewish Soul,
American Beat with distinguished
guest speaker. Dr. Benjamin
Dunlap.
Single film tickets at regular
prices may be obtained on the day
of the show, as available.
The five films that will be
shown are:
Autumn Sun
An attractive, middle-
aged Jewish woman is
forced to feign a relationship
with a Jewish man to
appease her own family
members. When her chosen
one turns out to be a Gentile,
she initiates a crash course in
Judaism and, unintentional
ly, sets, in motion a surpris
ingly meaningful relation
ship. A humorous, and heart
felt film. Argentina, 1996, Spanish
with English subtitles, 103 min.
Jewish Soul, American Beat
Will Jews as a viable communi-
(Continued on page 8)
Of Greater Chaplotte
On Super Sunday,
April 22,
more than 100
volunteers participated
in the 2001 Federation
Annual Campaign
Phone-a-thon.
This is the largest number
of people volunteering in
Federation history! Watch
for a complete listing of our
volunteers and prize donors
in the next issue of the CJN.
Inside this issue.
Disdainful European Views of Israel...
By Ken Stein
Shavuot
The giving of the Ten Commandments
Lag B’Omer
Israeli Independence Day
Women’s Heritage Seder
Photos from the annual event
..p. 3
..pp. 16-18
..pp. 24-25
..p.32
Federation Page
4-6
Speizman Jewish Library
page
8
Jewish Traveler
9
Temple Beth El
page
10
Temple Israel
page
12
CAJE
13
Charlotte Jewish Day School . . .
page
14
Women’s Events
page
15
Lubavitch of North Carolina . ...
page
19
Jewish Community Center
... .pages
20-21
Youth Visions
... .page
22
Jewish Family Services
page
23
Mazel Tov
page
26
Dining Out page
27-29
w Connecting Families
>"* Sustaining Tradition
Campaign Surpasses
$25 Million Mark!
See Page 11
MAKE YOUR
PLEDGE TODAY!