The Charlotte Jewish News - January 2012 - Page 6
JLI: New Course on Jewish Business Ethics - Money Matters
The recent failures in the finan
cial industry have changed the
way we think about business. In
Judaism we believe that business
should be a force for good. Our
newest Jewish Learning Institute
course, Money Matters, chal
lenges you to question your
assumptions about business at a
deep level, to understand what
your values are, what you stand
for, and how you are going to con
tribute to society and the world.
Join us for this informative JLI
six week course in Charlotte
beginning on Tuesday, January 24,
7:30 PM for the evening classes
and Wednesday, January 25, 11
AM for the day classes. All ses
sions will be held at the Lubavitch
Education Center on Sardis Road.
Money Matters will present
Judaism’s approach to practical
economic dilemmas and monetary
quandaries that we face daily in
both our personal and professional
lives.
The goal of this course is to
provide a sensitive, fair, and
unshakable economic paradigm
grounded in 3,000 years of tradi
tion and practical experience —
an ancient yet fresh spin on how
we view ethics of money. Students
will emerge from this course with
an understanding that only a
divine economic system can
ensure unequivocal justice while
recognizing the virtue in each
stakeholder’s position. Money
Matters will show how the Torah’s
sharply discerning yet holistic rul
ings inspire us with the confidence
to confront any ethical economic
dilemma.
There is good news for attor
neys in North Carolina as this
course is CLE accredited by the
North Carolina State Bar. Lawyers
who need credits for the CLE’s
can join the class and accomplish
learning Torah and receiving their
CLE’s at the same time.
In the recent economic down
turn, much fury has arisen from
reports that CEOs of Americas
biggest companies take grand
bonuses and huge salaries. Is it
morally wrong to seek extrava
gance? Are those who criticize
their good fortune just jealous, or
is their disgust valid? This lesson
will discuss some of the moral
problems related to CEO compen
sation, including some conflicts of
interest.
While a lucky few go home
with millions, many more return
home in poverty. What is the best
way to solve the problem of the
“working poor”? Should employ
ers be obligated to pay their
employees the minimum hourly
income necessary for a worker to
meet basic needs? This lesson will
explore this hotly debated issue
from both the angle of Jewish law,
as well as from the perspective of
“going beyond the letter of the
law” — a central pillar of Jewish
business ethics.
The controversy over union
rights is recurrently strewn across
U.S. headlines. What does Jewish
law have to say about whether
workers should have the right to
unionize and bargain collectively?
And does it matter whether they
are public or private sector
employees?
Should the right to strike be
granted, despite the harm it can
cause to society? Does the type of
industry make a difference? This
lesson will present the Talmud’s
enlightening spin on unionization,
collective bargaining, and strikes.
In times of old, when a debtor
was not able to repay his debts, he
was sold as a slave or thrown into
prison. Today, we have bankrupt
cy laws that protect individuals
from this fate. But is it ethical to
borrow without repaying? If
someone earns the money later in
life, should they be obligated to
repay their settled debts? This les
son explores the Jewish legal per
spective on bankruptcy, emphasiz
ing how we can incorporate secu
lar local laws and customs into
Jewish law.
lEWISH LEARJs'lNG INSTITUTE
Information is a valuable com
modity — this fact has been made
clear by recent stories of high pro
file prosecutions on insider trad
ing charges. But is it fair to require
companies to make information
readily available to people who
did not expend the time, effort,
and money to attain it? Can steal
ing or misusing information be
likened to property theft?
How do we set up markets
which ensure that risk is appor
tioned fairly? In this lesson, we
will compare and contrast what
American law and Jewish law
have to say on the subject.
For more information on
this course please visit
www.myjli.com. Or call our office
at 704-366-3984.^
Tu B’Shevat Shabbaton on
Friday, February 3
Temple Beth El’s Martin Luther King
Shabbat Part of Larger Exchange
Congregation Ohr HaTorah
invites everyone in the Charlotte
Jewish community to an uplifting
Friday night dinner honoring Tu
b’Shevat - New Year for trees
together with family and friends.
Join friends and family for an
inspirational evening with deli
cious Shabbat cuisine, featuring
an array of delightful Israeli wines
as we explore the spiritual mean
ing of the Tu b’Shevat holiday.
Discover the meaning and rituals
of this exciting holiday and why
we humans celebrate the New
Year for trees.
The Shabbaton will be held on
Friday, February 3. Services and
candle lighting will begin at 5:30
PM. Shabbat Dinner at 6:45 PM.
Cost of Shabbaton is $18 per per
son - $50 per family. To reserve,
visit the payment page at
www.chabadnc.org or mail a
check to 6619 Sardis Road,
Charlotte, NC 28270. For more
information, please call 704-366-
3984 or email: info@
chabadnc.org. ^
d.ongregat)on
orah
a project oj LuPavirch of North Carolina
Classical Reform Shabbat
with Guest Speaker Rabbi
Howard Berman
The Friday night of Martin
Luther King weekend starts off
Charlotte’s third annual Sermon
Exchange. Dozens of Charlotte
congregational leaders will
exchange pulpits in a program
sponsored by Crossroads Charlotte
and Mecklenburg Ministries.
Beth El’s MLK Shabbat on
Friday, January 13 at 7 PM will
highlight one preacher, one pastor,
one praise team, and two mean
ingful exchanges. The first
exchange is reflected in the
Shalom Park Freedom School.
Kevin Vandiver, who has been
serving the Children’s Defense
Fund for four consecutive sum
mers and was our Shalom Park
Freedom School Site Coordinator,
will be our featured speaker. A
gifted preacher and passionate
leader, Kevin earned his
Bachelor’s degree from Winthrop
University and is currently
enrolled at Duke University
Divinity School. He brings wis
dom, learning, a commitment to
social justice, and a familiarity
with the Jewish community.
The music of Beth El’s MLK
Shabbat service will be lifted by
the Praise Team of Briar Creek
Church. Pastor Dennis Hall will
lead a prayer for peace. Pastor
Hall is a strong servant leader who
feels a passion for Israel, for lift
ing up those in need in Haiti, and
most of all, for reaching out to
support Charlotte families in need.
As part of our second exchange,
Beth El will host a model Seder
for Briar Creek Church. (Details
forthcoming.)
Kevin Vandiver
Song. Food. Prayer. Passion for
lifting up the community in which
we live. Building connections that
will heal our city. These and more
will be at the heart of the Beth El
MLK experience this year. Please
join us. ^
On January 20 at 8 PM, Rabbi
Howard Berman from the Society
for Classical Reform Judaism will
join the TBE clergy in leading
Shabbat worship. The service will
explore some historic liturgy and
music of the Reform Movement
within the context of our contem
porary TBE service. Prepare to
have your spirits lifted through
the elevated song and prose of the
Reform tradition. ^
€
I TEMPLE
BETH EL
* February 7: Father Patrick
Earl, Saint Peter’s Catholic
* February 14: Ms. Marcy
Braverman Goldstein, PhD,
“Taste of Judaism” Winter
Session at Temple Beth El
Wednesdays, January 4, 11,18 and 25
7-8:30 PM
No charge. All are welcome.
Jewish or not, member or not.
Registration Required: Shari
Hackman or Janie Meyers, 704-
749-3051 or shackman@beth-
el.com or jmeyers@beth-el.com.
Are you curious? Join us to
explore and learn the Jewish per
spective on living in today’s
world. Discussions to include:
spirituality, values, community
and traditions. Seating is
limited. ^
€
TEMPLE
BETH EL
Temple Beth El Presents Its 15th Annual Comparative
Religion Series
“One God? Yours or Mine ... A
Provocative Look at the Concept of God”
Tuesday Evenings, January
10-February 21
Please join us at Temple Beth
El for our 15th Annual
Comparative Religion Series.
Sessions will run from 7-9 PM on
six successive Tuesday evenings,
starting January 10. (February 21
is reserved as a snow date.)
This year’s program has been
planned by the Temple Beth El
Comparative Religion Committee
and sponsored through partnership
with the Temple Beth El
Sisterhood. Rabbi Judy Schindler
will provide an illuminating intro
duction to the Series on January
10, which will deepen our under
standing of the course of study for
the remaining weeks.
The annual Comparative
Religion Series was established
fifteen years ago with the intent to
educate our community, promote
understanding and respect of all
faiths, and reveal the commonali
ties in our differences.
The 2012 schedule is as fol- Church - Catholic perspective
lows:
* January 10: Rabbi Judy
Schindler, Temple Beth El -
Welcome and Overview -
Jewish perspective
* January 17: Mr. John
Barringer, Counselor to
President Cheney of The
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints - Mormon
perspective
* January 24: Imam John
Ederer, Muslim American
Society of Charlotte - Islamic
perspective
Department of Religious
Studies, UNC Charlotte -
Hinduism, a scholar’s perspec
tive
* February 21: Snow date
For details, visit www.beth-
el.com or call Temple Beth El at
704-366-1948. ^
* January 31: Reverend James
Howell, Myers Park First
United Methodist Church -
Protestant perspective
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I TEMPLE
' BETH EL