The Charlotte Jewish News - February 2015 - Page 14 Our Jewish Community’s Newest Legacy Gifts There are now 282 individuals/families throughout our Jewish eom- munity who have ineluded a loeal Jewish organization in their legaey plans ereating 553 unique legaeies. We thank the following individu als/families who have reeently informed our eommunity, through Foun dation for the Charlotte Jewish Community (FCJC) or one of the ten Create Your Jewish Legaey eommunity partners, that they have ereated a legaey gift to support the future of Charlotte’s Jewish eommunity. We weleome our newest donors into our eommunity’s Book of Life Soeiety: Anonymous (1) Bernie and Teri Ackerman Ira and Dedee Gould Cygler Nancy Glass Dana and Andrew Kapustin Gary and Janie Levinson Michael Littauer Larry and Carole Nicholson Brenda and Floyd Patten The David Rosenthal Family Harry and Laurie Sparks Herm and Barbara Ziegler Creaie^^_ llouijewisn d) "I have had the honor of working with Carolina Business Coach since 2012« Our success as a team has brought us to a new level of growth organizationally and financially. Jenesis Software would not be where it is today without Harvey Smith's wisdom and knowledge. — frfrfre Ftke, CiO, Software Hiwvey Smith BuiititfSi COzich Call For A Success Consult 704-604-1655 C ina li ii s i iicssC kxidi Help When You Need It The Most! Mike Littauer Principal 2013 FjVb star Homo &Aiita tnsufanca PfVfSSSiOfitt! 704496-2777 )ni)(e@litt3LienRsurance.coiiv Mavigaling today's insurance environmenlcan be confusing, time consuming, and InjsEtating, Thai's why otir clients comi$ lo us and stay with us. Our lewest Comparator Software afltuvs us to compare rales and coverage from six different companies at once. Our award winning service indudes claims anaiysis, processing, and follow-up. We take Ihe conitision. wasted time and frustration out of the process. Call us today and let us help! 5960 Fairview Rd Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28210 www.ciiartDUBinsLifancs5arurions.cain CHARLOTTE INSURANCE SOLUTIONS Auto' Home * Business - Life BLJSIHEU -AARP Jtuln Iniunrta ' Prof nm • ulii.Sl Legacy Profile I n * Y Lt*'’ A A ■Bill and Glori ul^j, rifenhagen EJ12 Gloria and Bill Grifenhagen are among the 282 individuals and families in our community who have created 553 unique legacy gifts to support its future. Please take the time to read their story and thank them for their generosity. It is our hope that you will be inspired and encouraged to think about how you can create your own Jewish legacy. By Gloria Grifenhagen Growing up in the Philippines, 80 miles from the eapital of Manila, I knew very little about Judaism. I was one of 12 ehildren in a religious Catholie family. I at tended Catholie sehools, and eventually graduated from Philip pine Normal University. When I met Bill in late 1967,1 was work ing as a teaeher and he was serv ing in the Peaee Corps, following his graduation from the University of North Carolina. Originally from Conneetieut, Bill and his parents moved to Charlotte when he was 14 years old. When he joined the Peaee Corps he had never been west of Alabama. I had never been east of Manila. Our original plan was to marry in the Philippines. However that ehanged and, after mueh diffi- eulty, I got a visa and arrived in Charlotte in April 1969. We ini tially lived with Bill’s parents. I slept in his bedroom, while he slept in the living room. His par ents were so weleoming and ae- eepting of me. Having eome from sueh a large family, I was not ae- eustomed to the attention they gave me. We were married on May 18, 1969 - the same day I eonverted to Judaism. Three years later, I beeame a United States eit- izen. Looking baek, it was not easy being Jewish in Charlotte then. It was even more ehallenging as an Asian Ameriean and one of Char lotte’s hrst Pilipinas. Bill’s family had always been aetive members of Temple Beth El, and we fol lowed their example. Beeause I had eonverted, I wanted to live my life as an aetive member of the Jewish eommunity. We lit eandles every Friday night, attended serv- iees, and observed the holidays as a family. Bill and I wanted to lead a Jewish life and ereate a Jewish home for our family. We’ve always felt that our three ehildren are doubly blessed to have been raised to understand, appreeiate and eelebrate their Jew ish and Filipino roots. My family followed me to this eountry, and has joined us as we ineorporated both eultures into our ehildren’s B’nai Mitzvah and wedding eele- brations. All three ehildren are aetive in their own Jewish eom- munities, and one of our daughters made Aliyah to Israel in 2005. We have been fortunate to be ineluded and aeeepted into Char lotte’s Jewish eommunity. It is our hope that our legaey gih will help promote Judaism throughout the eommunity and provide support to the next generation. This is espe- eially important to us as parents and grandparents. ^ Moishe House Events (Continued from page 10) evening of billiards. All skill lev els are weleome, ineluding begin ners to hotshot pool sharks. We will have reserved tables at Raek ‘Em Pub, and play team and indi vidual games. Please RSVP as soon as possible so we ean ensure that the proper amount of tables are reserved. Cue stieks will be provided. 3. Participant-Led Workshop #2 - Thursday, February 26 at 7:30 PM (Moishe House) Have a hidden talent or knowl edge you would like to share? In our seeond installment of the par- tt' tieipant-led workshop - our own partieipants will lead 20 minute segments on something they are passionate or experieneed. You will leave enlightened and im pressed. 4. Also this month, well have an “Afternoon of crafts with Jewish seniors” through our part nership with Jewish Family Serv- iees. We will make eards and drawings with the Jewish senior eitizens at Brighton Gardens. All supplies provided. Date and time to be determined. 5. Be sure to stay on the look out for more information about our evening at the Charlotte Jew ish Film festival, now in its eleventh year. We’ll go as a group to see one of this year’s exeiting films, either at the JCC or at the Regal Ballantyne Village. To learn more about Moishe House Charlotte, visit us at www.moi shehouseeharlotte .org/h ouses/eharlotte or eheek us out on faeebook: www.faeebook.eom/ MoisheHouseCharlotte. To eon- taet us, please e-mail mohoehar- lotte@gmail.eom. ^ The man whose good deeds exceed his wisdom is like a tree with few branches and many roots: all the raging winds 9t will not move him.’ - Ethics of the Fathers 3:17

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