The Charlotte Jewish News March 2023

NEWS JEWISH

Shevat-Nisan, 5783 March

Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte’s (JFGC) Annual Campaign is well underway after a very successful Main Event. Since the campaign kick-off, the campaign team has been busy contacting donors to explain that this year’s campaign has new goals in mind: strengthening Jewish pride in the face of growing antisemitism by raising funds to support the work of our beneficiary agencies and securing additional funding for new community initiatives that are vital for our community. This year, with a theme of “Federation Rocks,” Super Sunday is on March 12. Approximately 100 volunteers will gather in the Sam Lerner Center for Cultural Arts to place hundreds of calls.

This year’s returning cochairs for Super Sunday are Eli-

za Carney, Rebekah Rubenstein, and Kara Culp. They continue to be the perfect choice to rally our volunteers to deliver Federation’s message. Kara expressed her enthusiasm about co-chairing this year’s event. “I am so proud to once again co-chair Super Sunday with Eliza and Rebekah! There is an air of enthusiasm with JFGC’s additional funding opportunities for donors to make truly impactful decisions about where their increased donation dollars will go. Super Sunday gets me particularly excited as it provides one of the vehicles for our community to come together and raise dollars that help create a thriving Jewish community for years to come. And it doesn’t hurt that we have a lot of fun while doing it!”

Eliza commented: “It’s an honor to be co-chairing this year’s Super Sunday event again with this dream team. Federation continues to be at the core of my meaningful Jewish experiences and we have an incredible community here in Charlotte. I’m thrilled to play even just a small

part in helping to mobilize others to support an organization that means so much to my family and me and the many people in our community.”

lives of my family and strengthened our Jewish connection and identity. From preschool to religious school to adult education, Federation has been there for us. I am elated to co-chair Super Sunday again this year with

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Super Sunday co-chairs, Rebekah Rubenstein, Kara Culp, and Eliza Carney

By Lisa Garfinkle, JFGC Operations

and Projects

Manager

March is National Women’s History Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the countless contributions of women throughout history. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” and those hoping to participate in the celebration need look no further than the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library and Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte’s Center for Jewish Education (CJE) at Shalom Park. For centuries, women were largely overlooked and excluded from the narrative of history, their contributions and accomplishments were unnoticed and unrecognized. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a grassroots movement to address this omis-

sion resulted in local celebrations of Women’s History Week in schools and communities across the United States. In 1987, at the

urging of the National Women’s History Alliance, Congress officially designated March as Wom-

Levine Jewish Community Center Welcomes New CEO

The Shalom Park community is excited to announce that Annie Keith is joining the Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center (LJCC) as its new chief executive officer. Annie will join the team beginning Monday, February 6. The Board of Directors selected Annie based on her more than 15 years of senior management experience that makes her a proven leader and community partner.

“This is a special moment in my life, and hopefully in the life of the Levine JCC, because I’ve been given the amazing opportunity to become one of the leaders here, and I’m very grateful for that,” said Keith.

Annie is originally from New York, but her passion for soccer brought her to North Carolina for college. Early on, Annie gained experience working in director-level positions in YMCAs in

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Annie Keith, LJCC CEO

Annual Jewish Book Festival Marks National Women’s History Month

Authors Shaunna Edwards and Alyson Richman speak in Charlotte as part of JFGC Center for Jewish Education Jewish Book Festival

(Continued on page 3)

From the Editor

Edit Your Story

came before us. Women’s stories, and the larger human story, expand our understanding and strengthen our connections with each other.”

March is Women’s History Month. This year’s theme is, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” The National Women’s History Alliance explains that, “In 2023, the NWHA will encourage recognition of women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, and more.”

It continues, “These include authors, songwriters, scholars, playwrights, performers, and grandmothers throughout time. Women have long been instrumental in passing on our heritage in word and in print to communicate the lessons of those who

Female storytellers are everywhere, from the most wellknown like Maya Angelou and Barbara Walters to our own mothers, sisters, and daughters. Our own Center for Jewish Education is bringing many fabulous women storytellers to Charlotte in March for the Jewish Book Festival. Lisa Garfinkle’s article on the front page highlights two of these authors, who have collaborated on one of my favorite books, “The Thread Collectors,” set in the time of the Civil War and focused on the stories of two women: one black and one Jewish. It’s a time rarely explored in literature about Jewish women — a story not often told. And isn’t that really one of the gifts of storytelling – to bring to light that which otherwise goes unseen and unrecognized?

Hearing the stories of others allows us to safely step out of our own skin to view the world from another’s perspective, nurturing understanding and even empathy.

Shabbat Candle Lighting Times

March 3 — 6:02 p.m.

March 10 — 6:09 p.m.

March 17 — 7:14 p.m.

March 24 — 7:20 p.m.

March 31 — 7:26 p.m.

e Charlotte NEWS JEWISH

THE CHARLOTTE JEWISH NEWS

Shira Firestone, Editor Julie Dalli, Proofreader

5007 Providence Road, Suite 112 Charlotte, NC 28226 (704) 944-6765 www.charlottejewishnews.org charlottejewishnews@shalomcharlotte.org

The CJN does not assume responsibility for the quality of kasruth of any product or service advertised. Publishing of a paid political advertisement does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate, political party or position by this newspaper, the Federation, or any of its employees.

Published monthly except July

An affiliate of Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte

Conversely, telling our own stories is a way to invite others to do the same with us – to see us, to hear us, to know us, and ideally to understand and empathize. But telling our stories is also the way we try to understand ourselves. Our own stories are the vehicle we use to make sense of our own experiences and determine what meaning we will give to them. The stories we already hold and tell are the foundation we use for the next chapters as our story continues to unfold.

If you don’t think of yourself as a storyteller, think about how you answered the last time someone asked you how you were. What you told them, if you said something other than “fine,” is the part of the story you want them to know. The way you want to be seen.

Or what about those awkward open-ended questions we dread on dates and job interviews, “So … tell me about yourself.” Panic sets in as you try to decide where you will set the story and how you will introduce your (presumably) protagonist. Where

to begin? Will you begin at the beginning and offer a chronological diary? Which pieces of yourself do you reveal? Will you talk about yourself in relation to others? Your roles as father, mother, brother, sister, employer, employee? Will you explain your hobbies and interests? Although difficult to decide what your listener wants to hear and what you want to tell, at least the assignment is somewhat clear – “Tell me your story.”

But as the tellers of our own stories, we are remarkably unreliable narrators. Our stories, as we tell them, are works of historical fiction at best. We take the outline of actual events and fill out the rest with our own projections, giving meaning of our own making to experiences. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the meaning we give to them rarely serves us well. But we take our permanent marker and record the story as fact.

But I don’t believe in using permanent ink for anything.

As a writer and editor, stories have a special place in my heart. The idea of “writing your own story” is hardly my own. It’s a popular idea that often is understood as making choices and becoming empowered to choose how your reality will look moving forward and that we have some responsibility for how our futures will unfold. As both a writer and a life-long spiritual seeker, I love that concept.

But I’ve always said I’m a much better editor than I am a writer. And that means I’m deeply conscious of the fact that what is originally written can, and usually should, be edited. I love the possibility that we can go back and edit the story we’ve already

written.

I’m currently in the process of reviewing some events of my past, especially those places where I still hold resentments. Not for the sake of wallowing or reinforcing my victimhood — quite the opposite. Resentments are the thief of joy, and I’m interested in editing my understanding of those experiences and revising the stories I’ve identified myself with as a result. As part of this process, I’m challenged to consider a different angle to the story and ask how I might have actually contributed to the situation, where I might have been partly to blame. Or I may look at other characters in the story and try to fill in details from their point of view. And just like that, I can take my eraser and not change the past, but expand my own understanding of it. Modify my connection to it and question the story that I created from it. Having the courage to question what we’ve come to consider immutable facts can open the door to incredible freedom. As storytellers, we are powerful beyond belief. If we are empowered to author the story we are stepping into, let us also be empowered, and have the courage, to edit the story we’re already in the middle of and the one from which it was written.

Telling our stories is not only important, but it is inevitable. The question is which stories we want to preserve as they are, which ones we want to edit, and which stories we want to write. Because the choice is ours to make.

Levine Jewish Community Center

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the south, including several years as senior membership and marketing director of the Harris Y. Fast forward a few years, Annie and her husband Steve enrolled their two children, Patrick and Allie, in preschool at a JCC in Hartford, Connecticut. They fell in love with the Jewish community and, as Annie puts it, from that point forward, “the Keiths were a JCC family.”

Annie has spent the past 15 years as the chief operating officer of the Mandell JCC in Hartford, Connecticut. We couldn’t be more thrilled that she has made the decision to return to Charlotte and take the reins of our LJCC.

Raizel Kahn, chair of the Executive Search Committee, states, “When we started the search process, the search com-

“As JCC’s around the country connect, engage and support one another, I come to the Levine JCC with a renewed desire be a part of a national movement to create meaningful Jewish experiences in a place that is welcoming to all.”

Annie Keith, LJCC CEO

mittee spent a lot of time thinking about what we wanted in our next leader. We decided we wouldn’t end the search until we found the exact right person. I am so excited to welcome Annie, who we think is the perfect fit.”

Annie will work with the board, staff, members, and community to help lead the Levine JCC into a new era of communi-

ty building and Jewish life. With Annie’s guidance and leadership, the Levine JCC will continue to grow and achieve its mission of enriching lives and building relationships through quality Jewish experiences.

Please join us in giving Annie a warm welcome to Shalom Park as we move forward into this next chapter for the Levine JCC.

Shira Firestone, Editor CJN

Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte Book Festival

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en’s History Month in perpetuity, and a Presidential proclamation is issued each year honoring women’s exceptional accomplishments.

With the theme of “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” this year’s Women’s History Month will focus on celebrating women, past and present, who have enriched American culture and preserved American history through storytelling. According to the National Women’s History Alliance, the theme “honors women in every community who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art, pursuing truth, and reflecting the human condition decade after decade.”

The Levine-Sklut Judaic Library and Center for Jewish Education (CJE) recognize Jewish storytellers and tellers of Jewish stories year-round. CJE will bring a number of renowned women authors to Charlotte from March 19-26 as part of the second annual Jewish Book Festival. Dara Horn, Lynda Loigman, and Meg Waite Clayton have all done their part to chronicle the Jewish experience, and they will share their work with Charlotte audiences at various events during the festival.

The Book Festival’s closing event on Sunday, March 26 will feature Shaunna Edwards and Alyson Richman, whose collaborative novel “The Thread Collectors” tells the Civil War-

era story of two women — one black and one Jewish, the men they love, and the circumstances that bring their lives together. Much Jewish historical fiction centers, understandably, on the Holocaust and the World War II era. By focusing in part on the largely unknown story of Jews during the Civil War, “The Thread Collectors,” is intriguing from the outset.

Based loosely on the Civil War experiences of the author’s own ancestors, this work of historical fiction reveals the experiences of Union soldiers from two marginalized groups and the vital role played by the women who support them. Stella, a multiracial enslaved woman helps enslaved men, including her true love, William, escape to join the Union forces by stitching maps that guide them to freedom. Lily, the wife of Jewish soldier Jacob, is a strong abolitionist who supports her husband and the Union army by stitching quilts for soldiers to comfort and inspire them. Both women show incredible courage in the face of danger as they pursue justice while also working to keep their loved ones safe.

The Jewish Book Festival event with Edwards and Richman will feature a Southern high tea and the opportunity to

Super Sunday

hear more from the authors about the story behind their writing of “The Thread Collectors.” Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the authors, who will be signing copies of the book which will be available for purchase at the event.

In addition, be sure to stop by the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library in March, to see a display of the works of women who tell our Jewish stories. From Alice Hoffman (“The Dovekeepers,” “The Marriage of Opposites”) to Anita Diamant (“The Red Tent”), from Letty Pogrebin (“Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy”) to Rachel Kadish (“The Weight of Ink”), the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library’s more than 14,000 titles include many by and about Jewish women.

Celebrating the storytellers during National Women’s History Month allows us to recognize the women who have played an integral role in preserving our history and influencing our outlook on the world. In the words of author Sue Monk Kidd, “Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can’t remember who we are or why we’re here.” This month, join the Center for Jewish Education and the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library in honoring the women who help us remember.

(Continued from front page)

two of my closest friends, who I had the pleasure to connect with through one of the Federation programs, Bernstein Leadership Group.”

The impact Federation continues to make on Jewish life is more critical than ever. And our additional funding opportunities will ensure our future. It will take everyone’s help. Donors like you will be counted on to step up during this important time in our Jewish lives.

So, when you receive a call on March 12 from a number you don’t recognize, don’t hesitate to pick up! If you have not donated in the past and are not on our call list, this is an important

Buying, Selling

Andrew is an awardwinning agent ready to assist in your real estate journey. Named in the Top 1% of All Real Estate Agents in 2021 by Real Trends.

In addition, Andrew is an involved member and leader in our Charlotte Jewish community.

year for you to join our donors who participate each year, and whether this is your first time or you have donated in the past, you don’t have to wait for March 12. You can pledge online at jewishcharlotte.org, text “Pledge” to (704) 327-0354, or call the Federation office at (704) 944-6757.

Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte

Community-Wide Celebration of Israel’s 75th Anniversary of Statehood

By Tair Guidice, JFGC Chief Impact Officer

A few minutes after sundown following Yom Ha’Zikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day), the Israeli flag on Mount Herzl is raised from half-staff (in memory of the fallen soldiers and victims of terror) to the top of the pole,

and Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) begins. Celebrated on the fifth day of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar, this is the anniversary of the day (corresponding to the Gregorian date of May 14, 1948) on which David Ben-Gurion publicly read the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

Across Israel, families celebrate the holiday with picnics, barbecues, and hikes. Israeli flags are everywhere, and IDF camps are open for visits by civilians. At the end of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, the “Israel Prize” is awarded to individuals and organizations for their unique contributions to Israel’s culture and science, the arts, and the humanities.

This year, Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte is honored to present this special Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebration on behalf of our community as we mark Israel’s 75th birthday with live music, children’s activities, and authentic Israeli food. This year’s celebration will feature Aveva Dese, an Ethiopian-Israeli singer-songwriter. Aveva is part

“Beta Israel” or “Israelites,” the community was first established in Ethiopia during the fourth century A.D. Aveva’s parents were among thousands of refugees living in Sudanese refugee camps in the early 1980s, escaping the civil war in Ethiopia. In a joint effort between the governments of Israel and the United States, dubbed “Operation Moses,” the Sudanese government allowed them to leave and many resettled in Israel.

As a first-generation immigrant from Ethiopia, Aveva

brings a fascinating life story into her music, and singing, about society, freedom, and love. She brings her own cultural flare to the table with her “Afro-Soul” style: a mix of powerful texts (in both English and Amharic) and traditional Ethiopian sounds. With a kicking beat and Aveva’s beautiful voice and charm, audiences are lifted to their feet in dance.

Originally discovered on the Israeli version of “The Voice,” Aveva has displayed her universal appeal on tours with Idan

Raichel and with her original music at festivals across Israel, Europe, and North America, including a special show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Israel turns 75 only once! We hope you will join us on April 26 at Shalom Park for this unique opportunity to hear Aveva in concert, enjoy delicious Kosher, Israeli food, and celebrate Israel’s 75th birthday! Festivities begin at 5 p.m. and music begins at 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.jewishcharlotte.org.

Federation Plans Community Mission for Israel’s 75th Anniversary

By Tair Guidice, JFGC Chief Impact Officer

An unyielding commitment

versary, members of the Greater Charlotte community will have the opportunity to travel togeth-

take place November 5-13, 2023, bringing along members of the Charlotte community for an unparalleled journey to celebrate a historic achievement.

Over the course of nine days, participants will explore the country through highly curated activities as they visit Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and the Jewish Federation’s partnership region of Hadera-Eiron. The mission will kick off in Jerusalem, with a special cocktail reception. From there, participants will enjoy a wide variety of activities, including a special experience based on hit Israeli TV show “Fauda,” participation in a joyous Shabbat gathering on Tel Aviv beach with a home hospitality Shabbat dinner, and the opportunity to learn about the important work of Federation in Israel.

In addition to group programming, there will be two customized tracks to provide a personalized experience of the vibrant country: Geopolitical track and Arts, Culture, Food, and Wine track. Whether touring the northern vineyards, visiting the site of Israel’s complex security surveillance in the Old City, or participating in special culinary workshops, these tracks offer unique and exciting opportunities for first-time as well as repeated travelers to Israel.

Ready to sign up for the Israel 75 Mission? Learn more and register at jewishcharlotte.org or contact Tair Giudice, chief impact officer, at tair.giudice@ jewishcharlotte.org or (704) 9446759.

Sue’s Bookshelf

time with the author during an earlier trip to Charlotte. I enjoyed listening to his stories about how difficult it was to get his first book, “Once We Were Brothers,” published and about the people he met during his travels, eventually writing their stories as action-packed tales of terrorism and love. If you haven’t read these books, you are in for a treat! Ron Balson will be the guest speaker for the Jewish Book Festival on Tuesday, March 21 at 7 p.m.

By Sue Littauer

In anticipation of the amazing authors coming to Charlotte for Center for Jewish Education’s (CJE) Charlotte Book Festival, which takes place March 16th26, I chose books by three of the participating authors for our 2023 CJE Book Club.

In January, we discussed “An Affair of Spies” by Ron Balson, his eighth novel of historical fiction. In six of the eight books, Liam Taggart, a private investigator, and Catherine Lockhart, an attorney, figure prominently. To Ron Balson’s dedicated readers, they’ve become old friends. I had the pleasure of spending

An author I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting is Lynda Cohen Loigman, whose books “The Two-Family House” and “The Wartime Sisters” are well-loved novels of historical fiction that recount conflicts among strong women. Her latest novel “The Matchmaker’s Gift” is definitely another gem!

Pamela Klinger-Horn, of Valley Bookseller, describes the novel by writing “A grandmother’ s library offers a young divorce attorney a surprising legacy in this superb new novel by Lynda Cohen Loigman. Filled with well-crafted characters, fascinating historical details, and a touch of magical realism, ‘The Matchmaker’s Gift’ is a perfect

match for book clubs and avid readers. Isn’t love always a little bit magic?”

The CJE Book Club discussed “A Matchmaker’s Gift” on February 8 and we look forward to meeting the author of this insightful book on Thursday, March 23 at 7 p.m.

On Sunday, March 26, at 11 a.m., bestselling author Alyson Richman will return to Charlotte. Her first visit as guest author for The Jewish Federation’s Lion-Pom Book Club was a delightful event, where she discussed her novel “The Lost Wife.”

In March, she will be joined by Shaunna Edwards, co-author of “The Thread Collectors,” a novel of historical fiction. The novel is a collaboration by longtime friends Edwards and Richman which draws on the authors’ Black and Jewish family histories to build an expressly uplifting Civil War story.

An interesting review of “The Thread Collectors” was written by Lynda Cohen Loigman: “‘The Thread Collectors’ is a gift — not only for lovers of historical fiction, but for readers everywhere who search for hidden truths behind the facts we think we know. Like the fearless, sensitive, and resourceful women they write about, Edwards and Richman have stitched together a glorious tapestry of resilience, survival, friendship, and love. This is a Civil War story unlike any other — a story readers will treasure from the very first page.”

“The Thread Collectors” is our CJE Book Club selection for Wednesday, March 8. I hope you will consider joining us at 10:30

a.m. in Room A110 on Main Street at Shalom Park.

For more information about the Jewish Book Festival, please visit the Jewish Federation website at www.jewishcharlotte.org

To learn more about the CJE Book Club, please contact sueb. littauer@jewishcharlotte.org.

Ron Balson

Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte

Miss Debby’s Best-Loved Children’s Books

Interview With Alan Silberberg

mother died and I turned to doodling and drawing as a coping mechanism.

I graduated from the College of Massachusetts with a combined degree of Cartooning-Communications and Education. I also have a master’s degree in Education from Harvard. I became a writer for children’s television shows including the head writer for Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club and several Nickelodeon shows.

By Debby Block

Alan Silberberg is a children’s author and illustrator. He has created three very popular Jewish books, which successfully blend the genres of a picture book with witty cartoons and, every child’s favorite, the graphic novel!

Center for Jewish Education’s Jewish Book Festival and PJ Library Charlotte are very proud to be bringing Alan Silberberg to Charlotte to meet you and your family! Here is my recent interview with Alan Silberberg.

Debby Block: Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

Alan Silberberg: I grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts (near Boston) and had a pretty typical childhood. When I was eight, my

I have lived in Los Angeles and the Berkshires. Currently, I live in Montreal, Canada with my wife.

DB: When did you realize that you wanted to be a writer?

AS: When I was in fourth grade, our class went on a field trip. Instead of looking at the museum displays, I went to the museum gift shop and bought a plastic toy alligator with my allowance money. The next day, the teacher asked us to write about our field trip experience and I wrote a fictional story about an alligator who came to life in the museum. My teacher praised my very first creative writing story. I was so excited that I continue to create stories to this very day!

DB: How many books have you written?

AS: I have three published middle-school books and three Jewish picture books including: “Meet the Latkes,” “Meet the Matzah,” and the newest in the series, “Meet the Hamantaschen.” I also have two board books that are coming out soon!

DB: Do you have a favorite?

AS: Of course, it is hard to pick a favorite, because they each mean something different to me. But “Milo” has a special place in my heart as it uses humor and grieving to honor the memory of my mom and the boy who lost her at such a young age.

DB: Your books use a lot of humor and puns. My favorite is the matzah character’s named “Alfie Koman!” Do young children understand the jokes in your books?

AS: I love to use humor and, in fact, I was part of an improvisational comedy troupe in college. Sometimes the humor in my picture books is aimed at the adult reading the book, but kids always seem to sense that something very funny is going on. I knew my humor hit the right balance was when a fourth grade boy took one of my pic-

ture books to read to his younger brother’s second grade class!

DB: What is one of the most surprising things you have learned in creating your books?

AS: I grew up Jewish, but more culturally Jewish than religiously Jewish, even though I did go to religious school and had a Bar Mitzvah. Writing Jewish children’s books has helped me reunite with my Judaism. I

am truly grateful and happy to be reconnected with my Jewish roots!

DB: What has it been like to be a part of PJ Library?

AS: Becoming a part of the PJ Library family has been an amazing experience both professionally and personally. Not only did PJ Library select and distribute many thousands of copies of my picture books worldwide, but also PJ Library sponsored a Jewish writers’ 10-day trip to Israel, which was a very positive experience! PJ Library has solidified for me the idea that writing Jewish books is cool!

DB: What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

AS: I love movies, bicycling, and spending time with my family. But doodling is still my favorite go-to for relaxation!

Meet the Author: Saturday, March 25 at 4 p.m. Alan Silberberg will share his book “Meet the Matzah” A Passover Story” and teach us how to draw cartoons. Space is limited, so regis-

Using the Purim Story to Talk to Kids About Antisemitism

The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte is committed to putting an end to antisemitism and anti-Israel hatred by educating, strengthening and uniting the local community through our Outshine Hate initiative. As families look for age appropriate ways to discuss antisemitism with their children, we have been granted permission for PJ Library to reprint this article.

It’s a rip-roaring tale. Beautiful princess saves her people! Palace intrigue! Failed assassination plots! The triumph of the underdog! So cinematic; so fun!

But the Purim story, as told in Megillat Esther (the Book of Esther) also provides a great opportunity to talk seriously about modern-day antisemitism.

Explain what antisemitism is, using Haman as your example.

Antisemitism is irrational hatred or stereotyping of Jews. In this story, Haman is the power-hungry, evil advisor to the king. (He is pretty much Scar in The Lion King .) Haman decides he wants to kill all the Jews because one Jew, Mordecai, has

refused to bow down to him.

(Needless to say, not OK. Would it be OK to kill all the people with blue eyes just because you felt that one person with blue eyes was rude to you?)

Haman tells King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain group of people, scattered all over your kingdom, whose laws are different from other people’s and who do not obey your laws. Your Majesty, let me destroy them.”

(Not-so-fun fact for grownups: This may be the earliest explicit discussion of antisemitism in an ancient text.) Today’s antisem-

ites also believe that Jews aren’t loyal to the countries we live in. They think that because we have our own traditions, we’re a threat to theirs.

But individuals have the power to fight antisemitism.

After the King divorces his first wife (sigh, long story), he holds a beauty pageant to find a new one. A Jew named Mordecai encourages his niece Hadassah to enter the contest. She’s scared, but she understands that if she wins, she’ll be in a good position to help other Jews. She changes her name from Hadassah to the less-Jewish-sounding Esther. She’s disguising her identity, which, hey, is why we wear costumes on Purim. When people want to hurt or harm you, hiding your identity can be a smart survival strategy. Esther wins the contest! But after she becomes queen, Mordecai learns about Haman’s evil plan and urges Esther to tell King Ahasuerus. Despite the risks, Esther reveals herself to be Jewish and reveals Haman’s dastardly plot. And the King believes her, and the Jews are saved! The moral: Mordecai and Esther were only two people,

but by being brave, they helped everyone. You, too, can be proud of your Jewishness and stand up for fellow Jews.

Remember, we are not alone.

People who protect and help others are called allies. In Megillat Esther , the King and the non-Jews of Persia are allies to the Jews. Today, too, there are lots of good people who stand with us against antisemites. It’s important for kids to hear that adults will do their utmost to protect them. Unfortunately, we can’t shield them from terrible news; the Purim story is a good way to discuss the fact that there are people out there who don’t like us. Bad things sometimes happen. Don’t lie about antisemitism; do provide reassurance.

We also have to be allies.

In an entirely separate murder plot, Mordecai overhears two guys from the king›s office staff, Bigtan and Teresh, scheming to assassinate the king. Mordecai reports them and saves the king. From this, we can learn that it’s important to defend other people as well as ourselves. It’s no coincidence that among the mitzvot of Purim are giving charity and

giving gifts of yummy snacks to friends and neighbors. Helping others is an important value in this holiday. And building bridges with other communities makes us all safer and happier. Even in a world that can be scary, joy and celebration are important!

After Haman’s evil plans are foiled, the Book of Esther tells us , “LaYehudim hayta orah v’simcha v’sasson v’yikar”; “for the Jews, there was light and gladness and happiness and honor.” What’s our takeaway here? Even though antisemitism exists, we shouldn’t live in fear. We need fun and friends and books and treats. Make some noise; eat some hamentashen!

Marjorie Ingall is the author of Mamaleh Knows Best and co-author of the forthcoming “ SORRY SORRY SORRY: The Case for Good Apologies.”

Alan Silberberg

Local School Recognizes International Holocaust Remembrance Day

By Douglas Greene, JFGC Government and Public Affairs Associate, JCRC

As the Government and Public Affairs Associate for the Jewish Federation of Greater (JFGC), making up part of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), I am often made aware of community events supporting Jewish identity, culture, and education. Through Federation’s Outshine Hate initiative, we strive to partner with individuals, organizations, and educational institutions to educate, strengthen, and unite the local community. Because of this important work, I was invited by Principal Brooklyn Hough at Rea Farms STEAM Academy to speak to the school about Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Walking back into a school after leaving the classroom from a sixteen-year career as a high school English and Holocaust Studies teacher was a strange, yet familiar, feeling. The invitation to speak on their morning news program came as the result of parents reaching out to Federation about what the school was doing to honor the six million Jews that were murdered during the Holocaust. After reaching out to Principal Hough to let her know of our interest in being involved, I was delighted to receive an invitation to speak to the entire school about Holocaust Remembrance Day. In my career as a teacher, I primarily taught

about the Holocaust to 11th and 12th grade students. This invitation presented a unique challenge: how does one properly and appropriately communicate the gravity and importance of the Holocaust to an audience of younger students, some as young as kindergarten?

I decided the answer was to keep it simple. I crafted my presentation on the importance of right and wrong, upstander behavior versus bystander behavior, and how memory shapes us and travels with us throughout our lives. Students at this age are able to understand the main characters in their lives: mothers, fathers, siblings, teachers, friends, etc., and students are able to know when the people they love hurt. I explained to students what the words “Never forget and never again” mean and why it is important to remember the memories of those who survived and those who perished in the Holocaust. I told the students that when we honor the survivors, many of whom were saved by acts of righteous individuals who risked their lives to save Jews and other victims from Nazi persecution, then we are remembering to stand up to hatred and persecution when it happens, rather than being a willing bystander.

I wanted students to know that even though they may at times feel they are too young or too little to make a difference,

Center for Jewish Education

Book Club

Schedule

January 11: An Affair of Spies Ron Balson

February 8: The Matchmaker s Gift Lynda Cohen Loigman

March 8: The Thread Collectors Alyson Richman

May 10: The Latecomer Jean Hanff Korelitz

June 14: He Gets That From Me Jacqueline Friedland

July 1: Our Darkest Night Jennifer Robson

August 9: Metropolis B A Shapiro

September 13: The German Wife Kelly Rimmer

October 11: The Last Rose of Shanghai Weina Del Randel

November 8: The Paris Daughter Kristen Harmel

December 13: The Most Likely Club Elyssa Friedland

they aren’t, because, in fact, it was the acts of ordinary people like students, teachers, parents, and friends, that helped to save countless survivors of the Holocaust. Ordinary people can be upstanders to evil, and can truly make a difference and create a spark of change in the world. To quote the author Eve Bunting; “Standing up for what you know is right is not always easy. Especially if the one you face is

bigger and stronger than you. It is easier to look the other way, but if you do, terrible things can happen.” This simple message helps students understand the principles of kindness and standing up for what is right. I challenged the students to share the stories they have learned, to enact small acts of kindness, and to remember that extraordinary things can come from ordinary people.

After speaking, a couple of students told me anecdotal stories of how they stood up to bullies, how they would comfort their friends when they were sad, and how happy they were to be in a school that offered so much to everyone.

Throughout the day, teachers posted purple flames on cutout white candles in their classroom windows and students were then invited to sign the candles as a pledge that they would stand up against hate. These seemingly small acts delivered by the extraordinary students and staff at Rea Farms STEAM Academy have helped to ignite a spark so that we can outshine hate. I am so thankful for the warm welcome and the hope that is rekindled in such a needed time by the students and staff at Rea Farms STEAM Academy.

Douglas Greene and students from Rea Farms STEAM Academy

Federation’s 2023 Annual Campaign continues to raise funds to support the vital work of our more than 70 beneficiary agencies, and secures additional funding for new initiatives, whose success is equally vital for our community.

The focus areas for additional funding are:

Outshine Hate

Combating antisemitism and anti-Israel bias by educating, strengthening, and uniting the local community through education, training, and community partnerships.

Jewish Identity

Strengthening Jewish identity and continuity by investing in, and ensuring affordable access to, proven high-impact, high-intensity, immersive Jewish experiences.

Safety & Security

Advancing the safety, security, and resiliency of our community with necessary training, tools, and resources required to safeguard our community.

CJE Capital Campaign

Modernizing our users’ experience in the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library with enhanced technology, community gathering spaces, and an updated Children’s Room that better reflects today’s hands-on learning styles.

Jewish Family Services Senior Connections Newsletter Named in Honor of Harry Berzack

By Richard Klein and Howard Olshansky

Thanks to the generous support of Stan Greenspon, Jewish Family Services will be naming their quarterly senior newsletter the Harry Berzack Senior Connections Newsletter while at the same time enhancing needed services in our community to our growing senior population. According to Greenspon, “Our senior community is growing, living longer, and facing increased isolation and loneliness along with the challenges of managing the increased cost of living in Charlotte on fixed incomes.”

Harry Berzack was a longtime cherished friend of Stan Greenspon. When he passed away, Greenspon wanted to do something that would honor his friend in a way that would also benefit the community.

Berzack was born in South Africa before immigrating to the U.S. in 1981. He died on October 30, 2021, after a long career in the needle trade/sewn products industry. He was also an avid collector of antique sewing machines.

Berzack was actively involved with Congregation Ohr HaTorah. The congregation’s senior rabbi, Yossi Groner, said, “It’s fair to say that Harry believed in the core Jewish values and fought valiantly to uphold them. In our meetings, he would philosophize about Judaism or relate historical facts about Jewish communities all over the world. Ultimately, the conversation would revert to how we can strengthen Jewish life in Charlotte.”

Stan Greenspon, reflecting on his tribute to Harry Berzack, said “There was instant chemistry with him even though he was from a different part of the world. I was drawn to his uniqueness and cordial personality. And he did so much for me … showing respect for my business and me personally. We had a tremendous relationship.”

Greenspon said he also admired how Harry Berzack dealt with his customers and his business staff. Berzack’s children, Kevin and Nicole Keylin, continue to operate the company their father founded.

According to Howard Olshansky, executive director of JFS, “the needs of our aging community are great and they hit all aspects of life- emotional, physical, financial, and social. Stan has always been a huge advocate and supporter

sure our seniors stay informed, entertained, and connected to our community. Greenspon said, “Harry Berzack was my inspiration. I’m thrilled to be able to honor him this way. And there are so many Jewish seniors who are lonely and isolated and are struggling emotionally. The services through JFS will make a huge differ-

ence in their quality of life. I hope my support motivates others to join in supporting the important work of JFS”.

For more information on services for seniors contact JFS at (704) 364-6594 or www. jfscharlotte.org.

of meeting the needs of our senior community. So, when he came to me wanting to honor his friend in a way that would make a difference, the answer was easy.” JFS is continually working to keep our senior community engaged. From services that enable seniors to age in place in their own homes, Jewish cultural programming for those in senior living facilities, to providing mental health counseling, “Every day our staff is challenged to keep up with the demand for senior programs and services.”

Stan Greenspon’s support will serve as a springboard towards JFS’s ability to grow its programs and services and ensure that Jewish seniors in our community have their needs met and most importantly stay connected to their Jewish culture and heritage.

The Harry Berzack Senior Connections Newsletter will be distributed to more than 300 seniors and is another way to en-

Harry Berzack

Stan Greenspon Center Commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day

By Mary Eshet

On January 26, the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, 10 Holocaust survivors from the Charlotte community gathered in the warm atmosphere of Withers Hall at Queens University for an intimate dinner that honored and embraced them. The Withers House, a family home built in 1904 in Uptown Charlotte and later relocated to Selwyn Avenue, was the perfect spot to reflect the 2023 theme of Home and Belonging.

After dinner, the guests made their way across Selwyn Avenue to gather with 250 others in the Sandra Levine Theatre in the Sarah Gambrell Center for a powerful program featuring globally recognized speakers and extraordinary music.

Queens University President Dan Lugo welcomed the audience and spoke of how special the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center is to Queens University. He shared Queens University’s motto: “Not to be served but to serve,” and called the Greenspon Center one of the most significant bridge builders between

Queens and the world as they seek to make the world a better place.

As part of the program, the inaugural Upstander Award was presented by the center’s director, Rabbi Judy Schindler, to Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker of Temple Emanuel in Winston-Salem. In accepting the award, he spoke of antisemitism and how we must all be prepared, teach, and invest in relationships. He reflected on his experience being held hostage with congregants in the Colleyville, Texas, synagogue where he previously served as rabbi.

The Upstander Award comes with a stipend for Rabbi Cytron-Walker to expand his work and included an exquisite ceramic plate fashioned by Gwen Orland of Rocky Knob Pottery. On the plate is a quote from Czech-born Israeli history and Holocaust scholar Yehuda Bauer: “Thou shalt not be a victim, thou shalt not be a perpetrator, but, above all, thou shalt not be a bystander.”

Katie Cunningham of the Greenspon Center recognized the Holocaust survivors sitting in the front row by name and

Queens Hillel students delivered bouquets of sunflowers to each as Cunningham shared, “We honor our survivors this evening with sunflowers as symbols of positivity, peace, and hope … Perhaps they are special because they always turn their faces toward

the sun. Like our community survivors, they inspire us to do the same.”

Judy La Pietra, who joined the Greenspon Center as assistant director in August and led the effort to create the evening, introduced the keynote speaker, Dr. Stephen

Smith, executive director Emeritus of the USC Shoah Foundation Institute. As La Pietra described Smith’s background and accomplishments, it was clear he was the perfect speaker for the event

(Continued on page 11)

Create Your Jewish Legacy Efforts Result in 80 New Commitments

Foundation for the Charlotte Jewish Community (FCJC) proudly recognizes the 80 individual legacy commitments that were made by 22 generous donors during 2022 as part of our community’s Create Your Jewish Legacy initiative. During the year, legacy gifts were established or modified by the following individuals to include local organizations: Lillian (OBM) and Irving Bienstock, David and Aleen Epstein, Caren and Charles Gale, Meg Goldstein

and Matt Luftglass, Joel Horwich, Jake and Betsy House, Barry and Lorrie Klemons, Eric and Susan Lerner, David Lipsitz, Joy and Fred Miller, Eva Nove, Richard Osborne, and Morey and Lynne Sheffer.

These legacy commitments to 16 local Jewish agencies will perpetuate their annual giving and provide future support for their favorite programs. FCJC expresses its heartfelt thanks and appreciation to these legacy donors. We are honored to have as-

sisted many of these donors with their philanthropic planning. For more information on how to create your own legacy gift please contact Abby Kleber at (704) 973-4554 or akleber@ charlottejewishfoundation.org.

LEGACY DONORS

The following individuals/families are in the Book of Life Society and have granted us permission to share with you that Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte has been included as a beneficiary of their legacy gift.

Anonymous* (8)

Ann and Bob Abel

Judy and Stan August

Amy Augustine

Jill and Craig Balick

Gail and John Baron

Sanford and Lois Benjamin

Brian and Glenda Bernhardt

Andrew Bernstein

Bobbi and Don Bernstein

Cary Bernstein and Alan Kronovet

Nancy and Sam Bernstein

Martin Birnbaum

Peter Martin Blair

Barry and Lisa Blau

Jill Blumenthal

Lee and Alan Blumenthal

Philip Blumenthal

Michael and Lenora Borchardt

David and Bonnie Bornstein

Justin Bregman and Diana Warth Bregman

Tracy and Larry Brown

Suly and Richard (OBM) Chenkin

Steven and Olivia Cohen

Wendy Williams Cohen (OBM)

Andrea and George Cronson

Arlene and Gary (OBM) Davis

Jill and Michael Dinerman

Paul and Lynn Edelstein

David and Aleen Epstein

Barry and Mary Ellen Ezarsky

Caren and Charles Gale

Stephanie and David Gitlin

Milton and Arlene Goldstein

Jennifer Cohen Golynsky and Leon Golynsky

Barbara and David (OBM) Goodman

Michelle Goodman

Bill and Patty (OBM) Gorelick

Marcelle Gorelick

Todd Gorelick and Stacy Miller Gorelick

Fay (OBM) and Dan (OBM) Green

Keith E. Greenspon

Stan Greenspon

Jodi and Josh Greenwald

Bonnie Hart

Stephanie Haynes

Joel Horwich

Christy and Andy Horwitz

Jake and Betsy House

Jonathan M. Howard

Donald L. Jacobs and Susan Sachs Jacobs

Robert and Leola (OBM) Jacobson

Florence Kaufman Jaffa

Dana and Andrew Kapustin

Nancy and Robert Kipnis

Paula and Richard Klein

Lorrie and Barry Klemons and Family

Elise and Jaime Kosofsky

Sara and Jonathan Kulbersh

Alison and Mark Lerner

Eric and Susan Lerner

Gary and Donna Lerner

Harry and Gloria Lerner

Barbara and Jerry Levin

Ross C. Levin

Julie Lerner Levine

Leon and Sandra Levine

Ellis Levinson (OBM)

Holly and Hal Levinson

Lisa Strause Levinson

Sam and Linda Levy

Laura and Marc Lewin

Sue Littauer

Joshua and Adina Loewensteiner

Rose (OBM) and Abe (OBM) Luski

Audrey Madans (OBM)

Scott and Pamela Menaker

Laura Milgrim

Risa and David Miller

Edwin and Jill Newman

Rich Osborne

Marcelle and Allan Oxman

Lee and Wendy Pake

Brenda and Floyd Patten

Larry and Dale Polsky

Steven and Melissa Raphael

Andrew and Jennifer Rosen

Anita Rounds

Susan and Bernie Sandler

Marty and Elaine Schefflin

Mike (OBM) and Sara Schreibman

Larry Schwartz

Melvin Segal

Linda C. Seigel

Amy Jill Seitlin

Bobby and Stacey Selkin

Louis A. Sinkoe and H. Kevin Levine

Anne and Mike Sinsheimer

Lori and Eric Sklut

Ira and Stacey Slomka

Steve and Emily Snyder

Elizabeth Hope Star

Gary and Stephanie Starr

Robert and Maxine Stein

Joseph and Renee Steiner

Ken and Marcia Stern

Stephanie Townsend

Jeffrey and Karen Turk

Amy and Ross Udoff

David and Debra Van Glish

Judie and Michael Van Glish

Liz Wahls

Mark Weintraub

Kim (OBM) and Sue Worrel

Robert (OBM) and Anne Yudell

Marisa and Joe Zeibert

Emily and Samuel Zimmern

William and Angela Zimmern

Mildred Zuckerman (OBM)

*Donors who wish to remain anonymous

OBM - Of Blessed Memory

The Sysco Corporation Panel Discussion on the Holocaust

By Mitch Rifkin

As reported in the February edition of The Charlotte Jewish News, on January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the North Carolina Holocaust Foundation and The Sysco Corporation hosted a panel discussion for all Sysco’s employees on the values of inclusion, diversity, and antisemitism.

Dr. Zohara Boyd, a Holocaust survivor, was the keynote speaker. Dr. Boyd is a frequent speaker on the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust’s Speakers Bureau. Dr. Boyd spoke about her fight for survival during the Holocaust. She told the audience about life in the ghetto, how she and her parents escaped from the ghetto, and what it was like hiding in plain sight.

Also speaking on the panel was Albertia Burgess, a social studies and history high school teacher in Onslow County. She explained how the Holocaust motivated her to look beyond her humble beginnings to achieve great things.

Michael Abramson, chairman of the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust, spoke about the

current situation of racial and antisemitic events in the public schools.

There was a healthy exchange of questions and answers following the talks. Here are some highlighted questions and answers:

Why is it important for us to talk about the Holocaust when World War II ended almost 78 years ago?

Mike Abramson: The lessons from the Holocaust teach us the values of plurality, democracy, and inclusion. We must show students and the community that we are stronger together as a country, rather than if we fight among each other and ignore the resources of others.

What is the greatest challenge the Holocaust Foundation has in educating students?

Mitch Rifkin: We don’t have the resources in schools to teach our students. Our teachers need to learn the facts about the Holocaust. Unfortunately, our Foundation does not have the funds to always help our teachers. The passage of the Holocaust Education Act is an incredible accomplishment. This legislation

Greenspon Center

mandates that the Holocaust be taught in the public schools. This also presents us with our greatest challenge to date, which is to raise funds to supplement the grant from the North Carolina General Assembly to train the teachers on the historical timeline of the Holocaust and how to teach the Holocaust to their students.

Are teachers on-board in teaching the lessons learned from the Holocaust

Mike Abramson: Absolutely, but many of our teachers do not have the knowledge and facts about the Holocaust. We hope to host more workshops to bring teachers together to learn and discuss how to teach the lessons learned from the Holocaust. The teachers do not have the resources to teach the curriculum the Holocaust Council has created.

How can we change the climate of hate and segregation in country?

Dr. Boyd: We need honest journalism to publicize negative forces in our country that have hijacked our desire to build a better nation. We need to show the public how a united

community can produce positive results. We need to call out bigots and racists. We all must be accountable for our actions and to speak out when we encounter injustices. Be an Upstander and not a Bystander!

How did the study of the Holocaust change your life?

Albertia Burgess: I realized that others had survived ghettos and hatred to go on and achieve a better life. Holocaust survivors wanted the most out of life and went to school to study and then accomplished great things. I realized that I could do that, too. The North Carolina Holocaust Foundation gave me a free three-night/four-day trip to the Holocaust Museum and the African American Museum in Washington where I studied and learned. The North Carolina Council on the Holocaust sent me to workshops and webinars where I learned how to teach the Holocaust and the lessons from the Holocaust.

What is happening with the Holocaust Education Act?

Mitch Rifkin: The North Carolina Council on the Holocaust led the way to pass a le-

gal mandate for public schools in North Carolina to teach the Holocaust. This is monumental. Only 19 other states have such legislation. The Holocaust Council has completed writing the curriculum and will begin an intensive and comprehensive professional development campaign to teach teachers how to teach the Holocaust to their students. The Holocaust Council plans to implement the curriculum in every middle and high school in the state in the Fall Semester of 2023.

It is with gratitude and thanks to the Sysco Corporation for their friendship and financial support and for their employees to desire to learn more.

Feel free to contact Mitch Rifkin for any further discussion about the North Carolina Holocaust Foundation. His email address is rif121@carolina.rr.com.

hate … We have to be able to live side by side and appreciate our differences rather than hate.”

(Continued from page 10)

titled “Combatting Hate: One Voice at a Time.” Much of his life has been dedicated to preserving the voices that help generations remember the Holocaust.

Smith recounted his own trip to Poland, where he visited Auschwitz-Birkenau and then Belzec, and there realized there was no one left to remember. He set out to find, interview, and pre-

serve the stories of tens of thousands of survivors.

On a big screen in the auditorium, he showed videos of a few of the people he and his team interviewed, with stories both painful and inspiring. Then he turned to a smaller screen, about the size of a full-length mirror you would find in a dressing room. With a couple of clicks, Dr. Smith demonstrated groundbreaking holographic technology when a life-size and

lifelike image of an elderly Holocaust survivor appeared on the screen.

“What is your name?” asked Smith.

“My name is Ben Lesser,” the hologram of Ben Lesser answered.

“What can we learn from the Holocaust?”

“Stop the hatred. Hatred has to stop. The Holocaust didn’t start with the killing. It all started with

Smith reinforced this theme, noting that humans are 99.9% the same DNA, so we should celebrate the .1% that makes us different, but start focusing on what makes us the same.

The evening was punctuated with poignant musical pieces from Athena Strickland, the Queens Choral Union, and Can-

tor Shira Lissek of Temple Israel that conveyed both tragedy and beauty. In under two hours, the Greenspon Center delivered an event that brought to life a new way to remember, interact with, and learn about the Holocaust, antisemitism, and hate, while at the same time infusing a persistent flame of hope.

Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Educat ion Center

Dr. Stephen Smith modeling the use of holograms of Holocaust survivors in Holocaust education.

Dinner celebrating Charlotte Holocaust survivors. Top row left to right: Daisy Shapiro-Rieke, Leah Kosinovsky, Joseph Kosinovsky, Izabella Krivoruchko, Eduard Kozakov, Lyubov Sandler Bottom Row left to right:Irving Bienstock, Suly Chenkin, Frieda Schwartz, Sofya Kozakov

Hadassah: A Long History of “Women Who Do”

By Aileen Greenberg-Kriner

Which of the following statements are true?

- Hadassah is purely a social organization.

- Hadassah is only for women.

- Hadassah is for old ladies like my grandmother.

None. They are all FALSE!

From our monthly list of activities and events, you might think that we exist for social purposes, but let’s dig deeper. The events we hold are primarily to get to know new and potential members and/or to raise funds. The money we raise from events goes directly to support parts of the Hadassah organization — the Hadassah Medical Organization in Israel and its two hospitals, groundbreaking medical research, youth villages and programs, education, and advocacy work.

Yes, the majority of our 300,000 Hadassah members are female, but men are welcome as Hadassah Associates. There are nearly 33,000 Hadassah Associates and they are valued partners. Men have developed and supported initiatives that advance medical care, research, and education at our Jerusalem

hospitals.

Hadassah has members of all ages. Children are welcome at many of our events, like Purim bingo and Chanukah parties. Evolve Hadassah, a community of active, empowered young women, is the next generation of Hadassah leaders. Evolve Hadassah offers programming and leadership training for young leaders. Hadassah also has professional councils for attorneys and judges, nurses and allied health professionals, physicians, and educators.

Hadassah has a clear mission: Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is a volunteer organization that inspires a passion for and commitment to the land, the people, and the future of Israel. Through education, advocacy, and youth development, and its support of medical care and research at Hadassah Medical Organization, Hadassah enhances the health and lives of people in Israel, the United States and worldwide.

March is Women’s History

Month and Hadassah has a long, rich history. During a trip to prestate Israel in 1909, Henrietta Szold saw Jewish immigrants

living in camps without proper plumbing or sanitation. She was horrified by the starvation and disease, so she took action. When she returned to the U.S., Henrietta founded Hadassah, in New York City in February 1912. The group had 38 members and Henrietta was elected president. The group chose nursing as their first focus and raised funds to send two nurses to Palestine to provide pasteurized milk to infants and new mothers. This was the foundation for the Hadassah Medical Organization.

Today, Hadassah supports two world-class hospitals in Jerusalem, at Ein Kerem and Mt. Scopus. Hadassah’s hospitals treat 1 million people each year, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. Hadassah is also committed to building a better world through cutting-edge research in medicine and health care, primarily focusing on women’s heart health, breast cancer, and infertility.

In the 1930s, Henrietta Szold worked with her German colleague, Recha Freier. Freier was the founder of Youth Aliyah, a Jewish organization that rescued thousands of Jewish chil-

dren from the Nazis during the Third Reich. Children were sent to safety in Palestine, and it is said that Szold, who supervised the Youth Aliyah activities in Jerusalem, met every boat as it arrived. Youth Aliyah arranged for the refugee resettlement in kibbutzim and youth villages. About 5,000 teenagers were brought to Palestine before World War II. After the war an additional 15,000 followed, most of them Holocaust survivors.

The well-being of future generations is central to Hadassah’s mission. Today, Hadassah supports two Youth Aliyah villages, Meir Shfeyah and Neurim. Young immigrants and at-risk native Israelis receive food, shelter, counseling, education, and other support services they need to become productive members of Israeli society. More than 300,000 students from 80 countries have graduated from Youth Aliya since 1934.

Hadassah also raises funds for Young Judaea summer camps and Israel programs, and provides 300-400 scholarships each year, with the goal of ensuring Jewish continuity for future generations.

Every day, Hadassah members speak out. They send messages and meet face-to-face with elected officials, locally and in Washington, D.C. We are steadfast in our fight against antisemitism and hate and recently helped get the Never Again Education Act signed into law. Hadassah advocates put our Jewish values into action, supporting Jewish youth, fighting hate, antisemitism and BDS in the U.S., standing up for women’s health equity, taking a stand on political issues that impact Jews, women, and Israel’s security, and fighting for Holocaust education funding for schools.

The women of Hadassah, beginning with our founder Henrietta Szold, are people who see a need and get to work. Hadassah members truly live our motto — “The Power of Women Who Do.”

Spring Forward With Hadassah

By Aileen Greenberg-Kriner

In the Purim story, Haman, the evil advisor to King Ahasuerus of Persia, plots to kill all the Jews. Courageous Queen Esther (whose Hebrew name is Hadassah!), risks her life to tell the king about Haman’s intentions and saves the Jewish people from disaster. Purim is a joyful Jewish holiday that commemorates this victory. We celebrate with hamantaschen, costumes, noisemakers, and the reading of the Scroll of Esther (Megillah) on the 14th of Adar, which corresponds this year to Monday night and Tuesday, March 6 and 7.

When Purim comes around each year, I know spring is on the way, which makes me very happy. While we celebrate our two new years, in the winter on January 1 and in the fall at Rosh Hashanah, for me it is spring when the year starts afresh. The flowers bloom, trees get new leaves (oh no -- pollen!), and I see neighbors who hibernated all winter. The world starts to bustle again and Hadassah women are busier than ever.

Our chapter has so many activities and events planned this spring. Keep up to date with our website, www.hadassahcltevents.org, which has details and registration links for our events. If you have questions, suggestions, or need a zoom link, email HadassahCLT@gmail.com or call our general phone number, (980) 553-1880. Your message will be forwarded promptly to the event contact person.

Hadassah’s Shabbat Zachor

On Friday, March 3, the Sabbath before Purim, we will celebrate Shabbat Zachor, the Sabbath of Remembrance. Hadassah’s Shabbat Zachor service will take place at 7 p.m. with Temple Kol Ami at Philadelphia United Methodist Church in Fort Mill. The service will combine inspirational readings with the traditional Friday night service. Contact us if you would like to participate.

Passover

Our monthly Hadassah Wine & Schmooze at Vintner Wine Market (in Arboretum Shopping Center) will be extra-special this month. Come learn about Passover wines and stock up on vino for your seder on Tuesday, March 7 at 7 p.m. Remember, when you make a purchase at Vintner’s, please let them know you are a Hadassah member. Vintner’s donates a portion of their sales to our Charlotte Metro chapter. Thank you, Vintner’s, for supporting Hadassah for so many years!

Now that you have your wine, get your seder plate ready! After a two-year COVID hiatus, we’re hosting a Passover Tasting Lunch & Recipe Swap on Sunday, March 19 from noon-2 p.m. Bring a homemade dairy or pareve/vegetarian Passover appetizer, main course, or dessert to share. Email your recipe in advance (by March 5). All recipes will be available electronically after the event. This is a great program for new or prospective members. Check our website for details.

Join us for our Passover Shop, Sip & Schmooze on Wednesday, March 22. Enjoy wine and cheese while you shop at the Temple Beth El gift shop from 5:30-9 p.m. Get 10% off your total bill. 10% of sales will be donated to Hadassah.

Hadassah Directories

We still have some Hadassah Directories available. Purchase them on our website or call us to order. If you have moved, don’t forget to update your contact information in the online directory. You can do that on our website as well.

March Book Clubs

The Short Story Discussion Group continues to read stories from the book “Scenes fromVillage Life” by Amos Oz. On March 10 we will discuss the story, “Singing,” on page 225. On April 14, we will read the story, “In a Faraway Place at Another Time,” on page 255. We meet on Zoom at 11:45 a.m. on the second Friday of each month.

Hadassah BookTalk is reading books by authors who are participating in the CJE Jewish Book Festival. Zoom with us on Tuesday, March 28 at 7 p.m. when we discuss “The Thread Collectors,” by Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman. For your planning, our April book is “In Five Years,” by Rebecca Serle.

Learn about Hadassah

The next Hadassah Charlotte Metro Board meeting is Monday, March 20 at 7 p.m.

Membership keeps Hadassah strong. Learn about our chapter. Contact us at HadassahCLT@ gmail.com, call (980) 553-1880, or come to one of our events. We would love to meet you!

Follow us on social media: Facebook (Hadassah CLT Metro), Instagram (Hadassah Charlotte Metro) and Twitter (@HadassahCLT).

Women of Courage

By Sara Oppenheim, Director of Women of Wisdom, Co-Director Charlotte Torah Center

If I asked you to name a Jewish hero and tell me why, what would your response be?

One of the things I love about Jewish Holidays is that so many of them are centered around women. Often it is the women in Jewish history who saved the day. One of these women was Queen Esther, from the Purim story — one of my personal heroes. What is it about Esther that makes her a hero?

What makes Queen Esther’s story a story of heroism is that it showcases the power of women. Esther showed great courage and bravery by risking her life to go to the king in an attempt to save her people. Here was a Jewish woman, an orphan who rose to power and wealth; she seemingly could have it all. Yet Esther had an impossible moment when she had to choose between comfort and courage. As Brene Brown says: “You can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you can’t choose both at the same time.”

Now imagine you are Esther. You didn’t want to become

queen, but now you are. You have fame, fortune, and comfort. Would you be willing to make a choice that might lead to you losing it all? Would you be willing to stand tall with pride and inner strength for your family and the Jewish people to save them, or would you say “Why can’t someone else do the job? Why does it have to be me?”

Queen Esther’s inner strength was revealed along with her identity. Esther transforms from a passive woman to a woman with confidence, guts, and grit. Behind her beauty lay her purpose “for such a time as this,” (Esther 4:14).

While few of us ever face that kind of challenge, we may well have been confronted with similar turning-point moments. What is it like when we face a moment that we have been born for when we must take the risk of a lifetime to save something or someone dear, precious, or even holy?

The most important moment in Megillat (scroll of) Esther that we will read on Purim is the conversation Mordechai has with Esther about her potential to stop the King’s edict to destroy

the Jewish people in ancient Persia. She knows she may fail and face dire consequences. Mordechai does not make her feel bad or guilty. He actually says to her, “Esther if you keep quiet during this crisis, don’t worry about the Jewish people. They will be saved one way or another.” But in not exercising the option to assist the Jews when in a position to do so, everyone loses out. Or, the way I like to think of it: Perhaps you were created for just this moment. This may be your moment. This may be why G-d placed you in the palace in the first place. It was precisely this moment in time where Esther was uniquely positioned to be the agent of change, by facing her personal fear, taking responsibility, and not deluding herself into believing she could sidestep it and still actualize her true potential. It is her “Mission Impossible” moment, and she finally accepts it, makes the request of the king, and — spoiler alert — saves the Jewish people. How does this relate to us?

We each have opportunities for Esther moments every day. They are not always public and splashy. They occur every time

we stand up for what is right whether it is standing up for our Judaism with courage and pride, standing up for the truth of Jewish wisdom and values when it is not popular, or defending Israel when so many are attacking it. Every time we keep silent in the face of an insult instead of “firing back,” every time we speak softly when we truly want to scream. Every time we behave lovingly when we are not “feeling it.” Every time we choose “right” over “easy.” It means understanding that being uncomfortable or frightened to do what is right does not give us license to refrain from it. As Ambrose Redmoon wrote, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”

The daily occurrences in our lives are not by chance, but rather divinely sent, to help bring out our strengths and to accomplish the tasks for which we were sent to this world. The magnitude of each moment must not be overlooked, because if we miss the opportunity we have not only missed the opportunity to reveal our inherent greatness, but we have lost the opportunity

of self-actualization. And if we find it difficult to internalize this concept, we have a role model to use for inspiration. Her name was Esther.

Many people have lived out Queen Esther’s story throughout history, and many are doing so today. They are inspired to stand up for what is right at great risk to themselves.

Sometimes in your life you may be called upon to step forward and do what is right. Will you be able to channel your inner Esther that we all have and step up? Have you ever had an Esther moment when you found the courage to do the right thing even when it was uncomfortable or frightening?

W.O.W.: What Would You Do If You Were Not Afraid?

By Sara Oppenheim, Director of Women of Wisdom, Co-Director Charlotte Torah Center

What would I do if I wasn’t afraid? It is an ongoing question for me, personally, and one that we spoke about at the W.O.W. January Book Club as we discussed the book “What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid” by Michelle Osman. The response was amazing. Women who had never been to W.O.W. events attended the discussion and there was a consensus to follow up with a full book study on the book. The feeling was that there is so much about the book to unpack that one night just wouldn’t be enough. I took pleasure and pride as I witnessed women being empowered to take leadership and offer to host and chair the three-session book study; it is exactly what W.O.W. is all about: empowering, connecting and inspiring Jewish Women and creating leadership opportunities of expansion.

I created W.O.W., an interde-

nominational Jewish Women’s group, when I saw the need and decided I was not afraid. In addition to W.O.W. , we started the W.O.W. Charlotte – Momentum (formerly JWRP) women’s trips to Israel. We are about to take our next trip on April 25 and will be in Israel to celebrate Israel Independence Day. Congratulations

to 10 lucky women who have been selected for an opportunity of a lifetime that will be transformational and will bring Jewish leadership, energy, and impact back to our Jewish community. I can already hear the buzz.

The challah making and baking that we had in February was completely sold out. We made

olive–rosemary challah, babkah challah and toasted onion challah. The Charlotte Torah Center kitchen and kitchens all over Charlotte smelled heavenly as the aroma of different flavored challah filled the air. Of course there was kibitzing and challah story sharing as the evening was hosted by master baker Fran Dordick and Sara Oppenheim who shared secrets of the chal-

lah.

At our Hamentashen Taste, we had some fun activities as well as a poetry slam and learned a bit about the meaning of Purim.

Thank you to Jerry and Barbara Levin, Helene Rosen, Malya & Lucas Druskin as well as to Michael Day for sponsoring the W.O.W. winter challah bake, Purim gift boxes and “Send a Mom to Israel Program.”

The book for our next bookclub on March 21 is “Chutzpah, Wisdom and Wine: The Journey of an Unstoppable Woman” by Jodi Samuel. For more information about the book club or any of our programs visit charlottewomenofwisdom.com.

Tu B’shvat Challah Bake

Tu B’shvat Challah Bake

Mental Health in the Workplace

By Howard Olshansky, JFS Executive Director

We’ve all heard about “The Great Resignation” that occurred as a result of the pandemic. People were leaving their jobs at skyrocketing rates, many without alternative employment. Some people left their jobs because they didn’t think their workplace protected them from getting sick from COVID, some realized the ease of working from home but many left because the pandemic heightened their awareness of their vulnerability. The realization of how tenuous our lives are, for many changed their priorities. So for those unhappy at work, quitting was a way to empower themselves to pursue opportunities which prioritized satisfaction in their lives.

What many don’t realize, however, is that “The Great Resignation” was also a reflection of the importance of work place mental health. Many of the people who left their jobs were in positions with a large amount of stress, overworked, underpaid and feeling unappreciated. The domino effect hit as those who stayed in their positions were expected to pick up the slack of vacant positions again with little compensation or recognition. Burnout results in stress, anxiety, depression which all results in decreased productivity.

According to an article in UpriseHealth, “4.4 million Americans left their jobs in one month. Do you know what’s causing the surge of resignation? Ongoing mental health struggles are near the top of the list. Many employees feel overworked, underpaid, and have heightened feelings of stress and anxiety. And they don’t feel like employers are paying attention. Unless employers find ways to expand access to mental health and well-

being support, the trend of losing employees will continue.”

Mental Health America identified some easy actions that employers can take to begin creating a mental health positive workplace environment:

- Positive emotions lead to positive attitudes and perceptions. Employers that take time to recognize and reward their employees, influence their employees’ attitudes and perceptions towards the workplace. Positive attitudes or perceptions can lead to greater levels of attachment. Consider your hobbies, social groups, or safe spaces. These are things, people, and places that nurture positive emotions, and therefore attachment. In the workplace, greater attachment means that employees are likely to remain with their organizations.

- It costs nothing to say, “great job”. Verbal recognition for a job well done can be in and of itself a reward. Not all employers can afford to offer rewards in the form of a pay raise or paid time off. Luckily,

giving positive feedback to employees is cost-free and has shown to improve performance and increase productivity. It supports positive emotions in the workplace, which doesn’t require a grand gesture.

- Unhappy employees breed unhealthy work environments. Employees in unhealthy workplaces were less likely to receive supervisorial support as well as reward and recognition. These were also workplaces where employees experienced higher levels of stress and lower levels of engagement. It only takes one unhappy employee to negatively impact workplace culture. Employees that are unhappy can alienate their co-workers and make it difficult for them to perform well. It is important employers to note that a sense of community and collaboration is good for business. Positive relationships between employees and their colleagues leads to an expansion of resources by allowing for the sharing of information and skills. These relationships are also a form of support for employees, which allows them to overcome work challenges.

In addition, Wrike offers the following suggestions to employers to prioritize workplace mental health:

- Offer benefits that support mental health

- Adequately train supervisors and managers-Provide mental health training to enable your managers to recognize mental health red flags

- Make mental health resources available to your entire team at your workplace site

- Remember work-life balance

- Have candid conversations-Model behaviors that de-stigmatize getting mental health support

- Mental health promotion strategies you can do remotely-For staff working from home establish practices that check in with employees and promote healthy work habits even at home.

- Creating policies for mental

health engagement at work-A documented mental health policy is helpful for demonstrating your commitment to employee well-being, while also giving everybody a single source of truth for the steps your company takes to address mental health.

While the rate of resignations may be declining, many of the conditions that contributed to “The Great Resignation” still effect workplace satisfaction and

productivity. A positive mental health workplace environment is good for both employee and employer.

Jewish Family Services Volunteers & Donors, January 2023

Volunteers: Jessica Alfandary, Marcia Arnholt, Mike Arnholt, Daniel Benjamin, Andrew Bernstein, Suzy Catenazzo, Dan Coblenz, Jonathan Collman, Andrea Cronson, Julie Dermack, Joni Deutsch, Sheryl Effren, Terri Fishman, Rachel Friedman, Meredith Gartner, Marty Gold, Richard Goldsmith, Jennifer Golynsky, Gail Halverson, Rebecca Hockfield, Oren Hubara, Tara Hubara, Dawn Hubbs, Bob Jacobson, Mike Kaplan, Jennifer Koss, Elliot and Stephanie Kreitman, Etti Krausse, Marcia Lampert, Eric Lerner, Kim Levy, Adina Loewensteiner, Matt Luftglass, Gene Marx, Frada Mozenter, Wendy Petricoff, Jill Pickett, Barbara Rein, Steven Rogelberg, Nina Rose, Marilyn Schuster, Janie Shubin, Louis Sinkoe, Lorin Stiefel, Steve Teich, Gail Vogel, Nancy Wielunski, Amanda Zaidman

Live Laugh Give Volunteers: Meredith Baumstein, Andrew Bernstein, Andrea Cronson , Rachel Friedman, Blair Goldsmith, Adina Loewensteiner, Jodi Michel, Karen Ransenberg, Karen Silver

Mitzvah Basket Donation: M.E. Hessberg in memory of Ted Hessberg

Hadassah Meal Preppies: Gladys Cherny, June Hirschmann, Johnson and Wales University, Judy Kaufmann, Penny Krieger, Andrea McCleary, Marcia Sternberg, Amy Strasser, Elissa Vining

Food Pantry Donations: Thank you for your donations to the food pantry. We continue to collect donations every other Wednesday at the portico entrance to the Blumenthal Center for Jewish Education Building at Shalom Park.

Jewish Family Services Tributes, January 2023

Happy Birthday

Burt Greenspon

Donna Greenspon

Happy Birthday

David Jacobson

Kent and Anne Lee

Ben and Margie Liebstein

Allan and Marcelle Oxman

David and Debra Van Glish

Happy Birthday Lee Kritzer

Elise Menaker

Happy Birthday

Sandra Levine

Paul and Lynn Edelstein

Happy Birthday

Ben Liebstein

Diane Rosenberg

Happy Birthday

Malka Me-Zehav

Amalia Warshenbrot

In Memory of Gerson Asrael

Diane Rosenberg

In Memory of Stephen

August

Eric and Susan Lerner

In Memory of Bob Burack

Bob and Mary Rothkopf

In Memory of Jack Carson

Diane Rosenberg

In Memory of Jerry Cohen

Stan Greenspon

In Memory of Harry Cronson

Nancy Glass

In Memory of Robert Finkle

Abbe Greenfield

In Memory of

Bea Gibbs

Susan Victor

In Memory of Wendy Rose

Stan Greenspon

Steven and Sharon Hockfield

Eric and Susan Lerner

Gary Silverstein

Eric and Lori Sklut

Stanley Steinberger

In Memory of Robert Sparks

Ron and Janice Weiner

In Memory of Irene and Milton Steinberger

Gregg, Stanley, Rita, and Brett Steinberger

In Memory of Norman

Steinberger (on the one year anniversary of his passing)

Gregg, Stanley, Rita, and Brett Steinberger

In Memory of Stephen Steinberger

Gregg, Stanley, Rita, and Brett Steinberger

Donald Renaldo

Angela Rinaldi

Scot Rittenbaum

Dale & Stephanie Rivers

Scott & Julie Rizzo

Austin & Roberta Rodgers

Leonard Rogoff

Nancy Romanoff

Cantor Elias & Linda Roochvarg

Nina Rose

Sandy Rose

Sarah Rose

Butch & Shirley Rosen

Gerald & Nadine Rosen

Morrie & Phyllis Rosen

Morris Rosen

Alan & Sandy Rosenberg

Diane MarisaRosenberg Rosenfeld

David Rosenthal

Howard & Dianne Ross

Robert & Mary Rothkopf

Justin & Shannon Royster

Harry & Rebekah Rubenstein

Peter & Gail Rubenstein

Craig Rubin & Robin Husney

Leslie Rubin & Debra Rattet

Dan & Toby Ruda

Edwin & Leslie Rusgo

Emily Russell

Leon Rutman

Robby & Jessie Sachs

Megan Sadler

Jay & Amy Safir

Linda Safir

Salya Salamon

Molouk Saleh

Marc & Samantha Saltzman

Matt & Fran Samarel

Ken & Lynn Sass

Allen Saxe & Jessica Schorr Saxe

Gerald & Barbara Schapiro

Michael & Jackie Scharf

Sara Scheibner

George & Lois Schneider

Kenneth & Jane Schorr

Sara Schreibman

Fran Schuler

David & Beth Schulman

Eileen Schwartz

Fran Schwartz

Jeffrey & Marsi Schwartz

Linda Schwartz

Chickie Seide

Teri Seidman

Maury & Rachel Seldin

Robert

David Weinrib & Elizabeth Wahls

Alex & Gloria Weinstein

Michael Weinstein & Kathleen Curry

Sandra Weinstein

Barnet & Harriet Weinstock

Evan & Debby Weiss

Kevin & Jaclynn Weiss

Robert & Susan Weiss

Wells Fargo Community Support

John White & Emily Huling

Scott & Dori Whitman

Florence Widis

Howard Widis

Robert Widis

Nancy Wielunski

Andrew Wilen

Rochelle Wilensky

Peggy Wilkoff

Rick & Marci Willenzik

Carol Williams

Christopher & Marcie Williams

Winer Family Foundation

Stephen Wise

Erik Witten

Nora Wolf

Rabbi Michael & Heidi Wolk

Evan & Robyn Wolkofsky

Howard Wollner

Kathleen Wood Reid & Alex Worrel

Sue Worrel

Steve Yaffe

Ronnie Yancey

Luis & Andrea Yaquian

Lawrence & Jill Yass

Joe & Susan Young

Nancy Yudell

Steven & Janice Zacks

Jeffrey & Amanda Zaidman

Steven & Marsha Zaidman

Dalia Zatlin

Sandy & Naomi Zeskind

Herman & Barbara Ziegler

Carl & Catherine Zimmerman

Sam & Emily Zimmern

Michael & Suzan Zukerman

Purim 5783 at Chabad

By Rabbi Yossi Groner, Congregation Ohr HaTorah

Purim is a time of great Jewish joy and a time to reveal the depth and power of Jewish heritage and tradition. This year, the holiday falls on Monday evening and Tuesday, March 6 and 7.

The story of Purim includes a fascinating Midrash that speaks volumes about the strength and resilience of Jewish children.

The wicked Haman, right after obtaining the signature of the king for his evil plan to annihilate all Jewish men, women, and children, encountered the righteous Mordechai, gleefully mocking the Jews’ impending annihilation.

Mordechai turned to three young Jewish students who were walking home from school and asked them, “What were you studying today?” One replied, “I learned this verse: ‘Do not fear sudden terror, nor the destruction of the wicked when it comes.’”

The second quoted, “Contrive a scheme, but it will be foiled; conspire a plot, but it will not materialize, for G d is with us.”

The third boy held his ground and said, “To your old age I am [with you]; to your hoary years I will sustain you; I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.”

Mordechai smiled, seeing so clearly that even in the face of danger and vile hatred, the backbone of the Jewish people

remained strong. The children were fueled by faith in their creator and conviction and were spurred on by the strength of their Jewish education.

Indeed, the children were right. Haman’s evil plan failed because of the heroic actions of Queen Esther and her faithful uncle Mordechai.

For this reason, Purim is a crucial time to encourage our children to take part in Jewish traditions and to instill in them a love for their heritage. In fact, these three verses are so fundamental to who we are as Jews that they became incorporated into the conclusion of our daily prayers, called “Al Tirah.”

The four unique Purim mitzvot include listening to the Megillah reading, (March 6 at night and March 7 during the day), sending ready-to-eat food items to friends

(called “mishloach manot”), giving gifts to the poor, and celebrating with a special Purim feast before the end of the day. Chabad will be celebrating with a variety of events to fulfill these mitzvot and to provide an exciting and memorable Purim experience for all in the community.

The fast of Esther will be observed on Monday, March 6, concluding with a Megillah reading at 6:45 p.m., followed by a light break fast. The morning service on March 7 is at 6:30 a.m. and includes a Megillah reading.

The festivities at Chabad will reach their peak on Tuesday, March 7 with our annual dinner and celebration themed, “Passport to Purim — an International Masquerade.” It seems a fitting theme for the year of Hakhel (gathering) to have our entire community come dressed up in

“international” costumes, celebrating Judaism in all countries and cultures. The event begins at 5 p.m. with the reading of the Megillah and dinner begins at 5:45 p.m. Highlights for children include a magic show and a Purim Fun Zone in the brand-new Friendship Circle building! The menu will be a variety of foods from all over the world and include an international-themed bar. There will also be an interactive game show for adults.

All the events above are located at our center (6619 Sardis Rd.) and are open to all in the community. For more information, please visit our website at chabadnc.org/purim, or call us at (704) 366-3984.

Temple Solel Plans Multi-Denominational Purim Party With Guest Rabbi

By Russ Cobe, Ritual Officer, Temple Solel

As we transition out of winter, Temple Solel is looking forward to a wonderful March. To start the month, our service on Friday evening, March 10, will be a special celebration of Purim. We will start with a very abbreviated Shabbat service, followed by a modified Megillah reading for kids of all ages. Costumes are encouraged! In the past, this has been a combination of religious service, costume party, and reading of the Megillah. Since Grace Presbyterian Church wants to encourage their families to come and better understand the Story of Esther, we’ll be holding a large, multi-denominational Purim party. Instead of groggers, attendees will be bringing boxes of pasta to shake at the mention of Haman’s name. After the event, we will donate the pasta to the Fort Mill Food Bank. Every one of our events has a social action component. That’s one of the reasons Temple Solel is a spe-

cial place.

Later in the month, we will host a visit from Rabbi Caroline Sim, Director of Rabbinical Services for the Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). On Friday evening March 24, Rabbi Sim will lead a spiritual service and share a d’var. Because the last visit with Rabbi Sim was con-

ducted on Zoom, we are very much looking forward to hosting her in person. On Saturday morning March 25, Rabbi Sim will lead a Torah study on Nasso, the weekly parshah. During her last visit, she led us in a wonderful, in-depth study of Noach (Noah). That was, according to attendees, the “best Torah study” they had ever attended.

Rabbi Sim was ordained in 2020 from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, on the historic Cincinnati campus. Before beginning her rabbinical studies, she earned a graduate certificate in Judaic Studies from the University of Cincinnati and a bachelor’s degree in English literature, French, and European studies from The Ohio State University. Rabbi Sim feels a deep commitment to bringing access to Judaism to all Jews wherever they are located and whatever the size of their community. She has served as student rabbi for many congregations in varying regions.

She also served the wider Cincinnati Jewish community as an educator at Temple Sholom and a lecture organizer at the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati. When at home, Rabbi Sim enjoys pursuing her artistic interests including painting and drawing. She is in the process of becoming a soferet, a female Hebrew scribe.

Temple Solel offers the opportunity to Pray Together, Learn Together, and Do Together. We welcome the presence, enthusiasm, talents, and involvement of all members and guests. We grow with friendship, learning, doing good, and having fun.

Temple Solel is a Reform Jewish congregation that has eliminated the barrier of annual membership dues. While we gladly accept donations, active participation is much more important. We meet at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Friday of every month at the Grace Presbyterian Church at 2955 W. Highway 160 in Fort Mill. For more information about our services and other events, please visit https://templesolelsc. org or call (803) 610-1707. We’d love to meet you.

Purim fun with pasta groggers

Visiting Rabbi Caroline Sim

More Than Enough

By Cantor Mary Rebecca Thomas

This year, on March 18, we will read the Torah portion Vayakheil-P’kudei. In this parshah, men and women of special skill are called upon to craft objects for the Tabernacle. Those who weave or work with metals, among other skills, are entreated to use their talents to make magnificent the place in which God will dwell, the place where the people will worship. God singles out Bezalel and Oholiab, above all others, who God “endowed” with a “divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft,” to oversee the project.

I often think about this text in my work with lay leaders at Temple Beth El (TBE) and in our broader Charlotte Jewish community. Everything that we do as a synagogue happens because of the dedication of lay leaders: funding TBE through My Temple Commitment, welcoming constructive feedback, or volunteering countless hours to govern or to bring key programs and practices of the synagogue to fruition. Each one of us has special skills that we can bring to our synagogue, the greater Jewish community, and the other circles that matter in our lives: work, school, or play. We organize. We email. We run errands. We greet. We advise. We have the skills to do it all. This Torah portion reminds me that we don’t all have to be Bezalel and Oholiab — able to oversee the project — but we certainly have the ability to make a contribution to the work.

This particular Shabbat is also called Shabbat Hachodesh, and it is the Shabbat that either directly precedes or is the first Shabbat of the month of Nisan — the month of Passover.

The most amazing part of Passover for me for the last nine years has been working with an incredible team of lay leaders to host The Porch’s Second Night Seder for Families with Young Children. These families, moms, dads, and grandparents, and young adults who do not have kids, come together to create a dynamic and succinct telling of our story early enough in the evening that our littlest people can bear witness to our tale. Year after year, I have heard people in the community say that this seder is the single most impactful thing for our Families with Young Children community at TBE and I am incredibly grateful to the creative and dedicated people who make it happen.

And there are the other seders. There’s the SPICE Seder, the Women’s Chocolate Seder, the Men’s Seder, our Community

Second Night Seder, the Oasis Seder at the LJCC, the Charlotte Jewish Preschool seders, the seder in my house for which I actually have to cook. Each and every one of these seders is often packed to the gills, filled with people who want to share in the magic that is community built around food and history. Each one of these seders has a team of lay and professional leaders behind them, investing their special skills to make it meaningful and memorable to those who participate, not to mention to me. My cup truly overflows during Pesach here in Charlotte. We are very lucky to be a part of this special community.

At the end of the Torah portion, this incredible thing happens:

They took over from Moses all the gifts that the Israelites had brought, to carry out the tasks connected with the service of the sanctuary. But when these continued to bring freewill offerings to him morning after morning, all the artisans who were engaged in the tasks of the sanctuary came, each from the task upon which he was engaged, and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than is needed for the tasks entailed in the work that the LORD has commanded to be done.” Moses thereupon had this proclamation made throughout the camp: “Let no man or woman make further effort toward gifts for the sanctuary!” So, the people stopped bringing: their efforts had been more than enough for all the tasks to be done. - Exodus 36:3-7

The people: the ones with highly specialized skills and

talents, the ones who could lead, and the ones who prefer to follow — brought more than enough to build God’s Tabernacle. Moses had to turn them away. He had to return their gifts. The people had brought more than enough.

When we give and when we receive, what would it mean if we were cognizant of what is enough and what is more than enough? I do not mean more than enough in a positive way, but so much so that the gift should not be given.

This Torah portion instructs us to give freely, but not too much

- not too much that we burn out or sacrifice time needed in other areas of our lives - but enough that we have contributed as we are able.

Conversely, when we receive, what would it mean if we were not to take more than was necessary? We take what is appropriate for the occasion or for where we are in our own story.

As we approach this Passover season, when we sit with friends and family or among our synagogue communities at any of the seders, may the story of our people kindle within us a passion

to give and to receive throughout our lives. May we give and receive with abundance, but not take or give out of proportion to what is healthy for us. May we give and receive freely, but never more than enough.

Coins

templeisraelnc.org

Our House. Your Home.

5-5:30 p.m. – Torah Tots program

5:30-6:15 p.m. – Taco Dinner (Reservations Required)

Celebration

MONDAY, MARCH 6

Please join us at Temple Israel for a special Purim celebration!

2nd NIGHT TEMPLE ISRAEL CONGREGATIONAL SEDER

Thursday, April 6, 6 p.m.

Please join us this Passover for our annual 2nd Night Temple Israel Congregational Seder, led by Rabbi Wolk and Cantor Lissek.

The Seder will be musical, engaging, and fun for the entire family! Dinner (a 5-Course Meal, with wine) will be provided by Izzy’s Catering.

For details, visit the Upcoming Programs page at templeisraelnc.org

6:15-7:15 p.m.Megillah Reading and Purim Spiel, “We Don’t Talk About Haman: An Encanto Purim”

7:15-7:30 p.m. - Ma’ariv

7:30 p.m.- Adult Dessert & Beverage Reception

Temple Kol Ami to Host Holocaust Memorial Lecture at Winthrop University

By Shari Baum

It is now seventy-eight years since World War II officially came to an end in Europe. As the years pass, unfortunately so does the memory of the Holocaust. Recent studies have shown that two-thirds of American millennials do not know what Auschwitz is and twenty-two percent had never even heard of the Holocaust. Sadly, antisemitism is on the rise in the United States and worldwide. It is imperative that we keep the memory, stories, and lessons of the Shoah alive.

Temple Kol Ami is pleased to sponsor a Holocaust Remembrance Day lecture on April 18 featuring Irene Stern Frielich at Winthrop University. We are thrilled that the Winthrop University Department of Political Science, Philosophy, Religion and the Law, as well the International and Global Studies and the Peace, Justice and Conflict Resolution minor programs will be co-sponsors of this event.

Temple Kol Ami is thankful to Kristin Biese Kiblinger, Phd, Professor of Religious Studies, for her assistance in helping to

coordinate this program.

Irene Stern Frielich is the daughter of Walter Stern, a German Holocaust survivor, but her father’s ordeal wasn’t talked about too much in her family home. She set aside the unspoken emotions and secrets that permeated her childhood and focused on her education, career, and family. She founded and manages a training consulting business, volunteers with her synagogue, and has played flute in a concert band. She loves to cook, entertain, hear good music, enjoy coffee with friends, snowshoe, and kayak. But it took her until recently to return to the unspoken journey of her family.

When Irene saw hate pour out into the streets in 2016, she became obsessed with her father’s Holocaust survival story. She needed to know more about how he escaped Nazi Germany and how strangers risked their lives to save him. Most of what she learned was from her 2017 viewing of the video testimony her father made in 1993, just a few months before his death. In the video, he said, “I will never

go back.”

Irene researched anyway. She wondered if her father would feel betrayed by her visits to Germany. In her obsessive quest to touch her father’s childhood, and understand the father he’d become, she visited locations where eighteen strangers risked their own lives to help her family escape, survive, and hide.

Irene had transformational meetings with the descendant of the German man who obtained her family’s home and business and with the descendant of the Dutchman who hid her father in a barn attic for two and one-half years.

Irene will share her father’s story with her presentation entitled “Shattered Stars: My Father’s Journey Through Courage, Compassion, and Kindness.” Irene’s lecture has been presented to thousands of people and we are excited to have her in the Carolinas to bring this message to our community and the Winthrop University student body. We hope you will join us for this free event on April 18, 3 p.m. at the DiGiorgio Student

Center, Winthrop University, 2020 Alumni Drive in Rock Hill, South Carolina. There is free parking in the two lots adjacent to DiGiorgio and refreshments will be served. Please help us to honor the memory of those who perished and maintain the stories of those who survived this unbelievable genocide. As the survivors grow older and pass away, it is our responsibility to never forget!

Temple Kol Ami would like to extend special thanks to Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte whose support has made such a vital program possible.

If you live in York County or the Ballantyne area, Temple Kol Ami might be the place for you! We are a warm and inclusive congregation comprised of Jews from diverse backgrounds. There are so many wonderful advantages to being a member of TKA, not the least of which is being a part of the revitalization of the Jewish community in this area! We hope you will come play and pray with us sometime soon! For more information about Temple Kol Ami, check out our website at www.templekolamisc.org.

Irene Stern Frielich

What You Don’t See: A Look Behind the Scenes of The Shabbat Experience

By Peter Levinson

It looks so easy. Just get up in front of The Ruach community once a month for about an hour or so and provide modern Friday night services built on Jewish tradition. But just what does it take to do The Shabbat Experience? Here’s a glimpse of what goes on that you don’t see. Finding a venue — Since The Ruach community has no regular place to gather, we are always searching for suitable locations that are available on a Friday evening. Venues should be convenient and accessible, have room to accommodate all those who attend, plus The Ruach, and have ample parking.

Of course, it must be affordable. Finding these locations is problematic and takes time because there is competition to use them. Lots of research is done and many calls are made before a location is secured. Although the process is time-consuming, we have always been fortunate enough to find a place that works.

Building a service — At its heart, The Shabbat Experience is a Friday night service. It includes Kabbalat Shabbat (Receiving the Sabbath) combined with the evening (ma’ariv) service, which includes Mourner’s Kaddish and a prayer for healing. We begin with a theme for

The Experience that is based on an event or the weekly Torah parasha, or both. (In January, it was International Holocaust Remembrance Day). The Ruach then decides which songs to play that will best fit the service we are doing that month. These are modern songs written by new Jewish artists that are based upon liturgy and convey the essence of traditional prayers. There is one exception: instead of Adon Olam, we find a popular secular song that fits the theme of the evening to end the service. These have included “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding,” by Nick Lowe, “All You Need is Love,” by The Beatles, “Heroes,” by David Bowie, “Rise Up,” by Andra Day and “Times Like These,” by Foo Fighters. To tie the service together, we find meaningful poetry and readings that will enhance The Experience. Then, using the songs, readings, and a few traditional prayers, we construct the service based on the order of a traditional service.

Getting ready for The Experience — The band gets together once a week for several hours to rehearse. In addition to rehearsals, each band member is expected to know their part before coming to rehearsal. This means they must practice on their own during the week. We work on new music at each rehearsal and refine what we already know. At the last practice before each Experience, the band rehearses the service.

Load in and load out — On the day of The Shabbat Experience, band members must arrive at the venue by 4:30 p.m. to load

in and set up their equipment. Everyone is to be ready for sound check at 5 p.m. Sound check usually takes about an hour but can take longer since it is more difficult to balance the sound in some venues than others. Also, at the same time the band equipment is being set up, the live-streaming equipment is set up. After each Experience, it takes approximately an hour to break down the equipment and load it back into our cars. If a service ends at 8 p.m. members of The Ruach usually don’t leave until 9 p.m.

Other details — All of this would be for naught if there was no one at The Experiences. To keep people informed, an email communication is prepared and sent out at least once a week. In addition to the emails, updates about The Ruach and upcoming Experiences are put out on Facebook and Instagram. And to keep everyone feeling safe and secure, off-duty CMPD officers need to be hired for each Experience.

As you can see, a lot goes into each of The Shabbat Experiences. And it is all done

Advice for what matters most, when

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Congratulations to The L/A Wealth Management Group for being named to the Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” 2023 list, published on January 12, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.

The L/A Wealth Management Group

Peter A. Levinson, CPFA®, CRPS™

Senior Vice President

Senior Financial Advisor

Retirement Benefits Consultant

John J. Anderson, CFP ®

Senior Vice President

Wealth Management Advisor

Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” list, published on January 12, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team’s best practices, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Rankings and recognition from Forbes are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and team, and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”) makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp. Banking products are provided by Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value

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The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks Chartered Retirement Plans SpecialistSM CRPS®, and the CRPS® logo, and the certification marks Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist™, CRPS™, and the CRPS™ logo. CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. © 2023 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. MAP4960336 | AD-02-23-0030 | 472538PM-1022 | 02/2023

Shiva Etiquette: How to Comfort a Mourner

By Sandra Goldman, Hebrew Cemetery Executive Director

Recently a friend called me for some advice. She was going to attend her very first shiva call and inquired about what to say to the bereaved and what customs or traditions she should be aware of. The truth is that many people are not entirely sure of what is appropriate and helpful when trying to comfort a mourner who has just lost a loved one. Death is such a sensitive subject that it is easy, even with the best of intentions, to say or do something that is not supportive or may even offend. So how do we know just what to say and do?

Each mourner is different. Each grief circumstance is different. Each person finds comfort in different ways.

In Judaism, the first period of structured mourning is shiva. The word shiva has different meanings across different cultures. In Hebrew it means “seven.” Shiva, as it relates to Jewish mourning, is the seven-day mourning period for the immediate family of the deceased, which consists of spouse, child, parent or sibling. “Sitting shiva” is to create an environment of comfort and community for mourners. It helps guide friends and family

members through the loss of a loved one. Throughout the weeklong shiva period, the community comes together in one family’s home to offer their condolences and support.

Here are some basic shiva etiquette guidelines:

- Decide when to visit; options are usually immediately after the funeral or around the Minyanim when Kaddish is being said.

- Dress appropriately and simply walk into the house and do not ring the doorbell as it avoids the constant disruptive ringing of the bell.

- If you bring food, take it directly to the kitchen, identify ingredients as people could be allergic to certain foods.

- Look for the mourner(s). Tradition suggests being silent, allowing the bereaved to open the conversation.

- Do not spend too much time with the mourner as there are plenty others who want to pay their respect.

- Participate in a prayer service during your visit. If you do not know the prayers, just sit or stand respectfully.

- When you leave, say goodbye, and wish a long life and other blessings. It is custom to say,

“May you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem’”

Here are some helpful things you can say to the mourner:

- Would you like me to give you a hug? Not everybody wants to be touched by everyone. Be aware of personal space.

- May his/her memory be for a blessing. We remember and acknowledge his/her legacy.

- Can I get groceries for you, pick up your children from school or babysit? Offering specific assistance helps the mourner to have some personal time and doesn’t challenge them to think about their needs.

- I know it is not the same, but I have some experience with loss if you ever want to talk. Acknowledge their own unique encounter with loss but reach out to support.

- I remember a personal story about him/her. Would you like me to share it with you? Sharing a personal memory or fondness about the deceased can be very comforting.

Here are some things to avoid saying to the mourner:

- What a blessing s/he didn’t suffer for long. Don’t offer your

opinion about the nature of the death.

- S/he is now in a better place. Most mourners do not find comfort in that concept. Platitude is not helpful.

- Is there anything I can do?

You cannot return the loved one so don’t put the responsibility of answering the question on the bereaved.

- I know exactly what you are going through. This statement minimizes the mourner’s emotional state and don’t make the conversation about yourself.

- Everything will be ok. This statement diminishes the mourner’s feelings as the current situation is not ok.

- You will feel better as soon as you get rid of his/her things. Let the survivor decide when they are ready. This is not up to you.

- The service should have been longer, and he/she should have prepared a better eulogy. Don’t

badmouth anybody, all you do is create an awkward situation.

Of course, another option is to say nothing at all. Wait until s/ he starts to speak and listen to the mourner. Sitting quietly in a room next to someone who is grieving can send a powerful, wordless message of presence and support.

The passing of a loved one is a vulnerable time and there is much you can do to help the mourner as they grieve and begin their re-entry back into their new, altered, daily lives.

For more information about the Hebrew Cemetery visit www. hebrewcemetery.org or contact executive director, Sandra Goldman at director@hebrewcemetery.org.

The Hebrew Cemetery joins with the community in remembering the names of those who have been buried at the Hebrew Cemetery in the month of December.

Regina Resnik 2-29-1924 - 1-13-2023

Susan Brophy 8-31-1942 - 1-16-2023

March Crossword: Game Shows

Across

1. Geller of note

6. Some TV’s and VCR’s

10. NCAA part: Abbr.

14. Dodge or duck

15. Idina’s role in “Frozen”

16. 2002 Idan Raichel hit

17. Yaakov vs. Laban, e.g.

19. “Golden Fleece” ship

20. Kind of tree

21. Belonging to us

22. #1 overall pick in the 2018

NBA Draft Deandre

23. What 34-Across effectively said when trading his birthright

28. Baruch follower

29. Jar top

30. Shemer of note

33. Beverage brand named for the fruit it contains

34. See 23-Across

38. What Ephron said to Abraham when offered 400 Shekels for his land?

42. Lashon or Yetzer

43. “Hee ___”

44. Loosen bonds

45. Raptors, on scoreboards

46. Pasadena bowl game

48. Elisha to Elijah

54. Like many a Tishrei challah

55. Blood typing abbr.

56. “___ scale from...”

58. Italian coin

59. Eliab, to Jesse’s other sons

63. These may be martial

64. Stereotypical JNF purchase

65. Many bat mitzvahs have one

66. Jewish top that’s not a dreidle?

67. Attitude

68. Epic work by Rabbi Shneur

Zalman of Liadi

Down

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2. Prove helpful

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4. First name in Ugandan despotism

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7. Store worker

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9. Like Eicha

10. Talmudic great without a “Rav” title

11. Kind of

12. Dotted vowel

13. Bright gas

18. Tishrei-centered tractate

22. Plus

24. Brady’s town

25. Do some mixing

26. Race in an H.G. Wells story

27. Plans

30. High degree

31. “I got it!”

32. “ ___ the ramparts we...”

33. Synagogue seat

34. Esa follower

35. Mil. title in a Beatles song

36. Crosswords’ most common kosher fish

37. Beehive State native

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48. Historic Newport synagogue

49. Inflicts pain

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51. Goes berserk

52. “Hallelujah” writer Leonard

53. Nasser, to Israel

54. Raise children

57. Room size calculation

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Around the Table: Amy Waizman on Becoming Kosher

about their experiences and traditions. Meeting Maor gave her the opportunity to pursue this interest more seriously. When we discussed what drew her to Orthodox observance in particular, she said she knew that if she was going to convert, she would do it in the fullest way possible. “I’m a perfectionist,” she says, “and these rules make sense to me.”

By Charlotte Rouchouze

After last month’s talk with kosher supervisor Rabbi Weiss, this month I have another story for you about keeping kosher in Charlotte. I was happy to catch up with my friend Amy Waizman who I have known since I moved to Charlotte eight years ago. Amy grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and moved to Cornelius, North Carolina in 2006 after finishing a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Restaurant Management at Penn State. The sketchy plan was to go for a culinary degree and then work somewhere in the restaurant industry. But as it often does, life ended up taking a different turn for her when she met her future husband, Israeli-born Maor Waizman. The two of them ended up embarking on a journey that would include conversion to Judaism for her, increased observance for him, as well as their own business (a garage door repair company called On Trac), and four kids.

Amy had grown up Catholic but found herself drawn to Judaism as an adult. In college, she recalls meeting and getting to know many Jewish people and having the desire to learn more

Yet anyone familiar with Orthodox Jewish conversion knows that this is not a casual process, and only the most committed candidates make it to the end. Even some enthusiastic candidates fail to get the approval of a beit din, a religious court. One must accept to follow the laws of kashrut, Shabbat, and taharat hamishpachah (the laws relating to intimacy), as well as live within walking distance of a shul. When one did not grow up with these practices, it can be difficult to adapt to them as an adult. But as a young adult just starting out, Amy had plenty of time to redefine her future family life, which she did.

I met Amy around 2015 when my son Damien was in the same preschool class as her son David. We connected because we were both from the Pittsburgh area and both interested in cooking. When I took on the task of doing all the cooking for a Friendship Circle event in 2017, I called on Amy to help me pull it off. When we chatted for this article, I wanted to hear more about Amy’s journey to kosher observance as someone who had previously been interested in the food world and had even been on a path toward a culinary career.

It was when she moved to Charlotte from Cornelius around

2008 that she finally gave away her dishes and started anew with both a dairy and a meat set. She says it took about a year to complete the process of becoming kosher. Around this same time, she completed the conversion process and then she and Maor married in 2010. Both of their parents had their reservations about the path the couple were choosing, she said. Amy’s parents worried about not being able to go to restaurants with her, and Maor’s were concerned that Maor and Amy would no longer find his parents’ level of kosher observance acceptable. Over the years, however, they have found a balance, and both sets of parents slowly took comfort in the fact that “we were still the same people.” For her, keeping kosher just feels right.

Amy tells me that their recipe repertoire includes plenty of specialties from both sides of the family. Maor’s father was a chef, originally from Morocco, and many of Amy’s Shabbat dishes are Sephardic-style recipes that come straight from him. She learned from him how to make a variety of Israeli salatim as well as a classic Moroccan fish dish. From her side, she tells me that many of the dishes from her own family’s German and Polish heritage, once adapted for the kosher kitchen, actually resemble Ashkenazi dishes. She makes a stuffed cabbage from her mother and rolled filled cookies that are similar to rugelach.

There is no question that keeping a high level of kosher in a city like Charlotte means one thing most of all: a lot of cooking. I have learned this from my many friends and acquaintanc-

es in the Orthodox community. There is limited takeout, no prepared meals at the general grocery store, no fast casual, fine dining or anything in between. I wondered if it was still possible to enjoy cooking with this daily burden that cannot be lightened with even the occasional takeout. She admits that the load can feel heavy with a large family and very few fast options. “It has definitely made me appreciate the times when we can attend a kosher event or simcha and have dinner out.” For her four kids, this becomes a cause for excitement. Going out for a fresh donut, an ice cream cone, or a plate of hot fries, which to most of our kids is fun but not so out of the ordinary, creates a real buzz among them.

After some questioning about whether or not they would stay long term in such a small com-

munity, Amy tells me that they talked to their rabbi and finally decided they were meant to stay. Since then, they’ve never looked back. They are an integral part of the Ohr HaTorah community and Amy is now in her third year working at the Jewish Preschool on Sardis where she teaches Judaica to the babies and toddlers. When I asked Amy about a favorite quote or passage, she gave me this: “It’s not who you are that holds you back; it’s who you think you’re not.”

Here is Amy’s Moroccan fish that is a favorite at their house for Shabbat dinner. She explains that Moroccan fish is the Sephardi version of chicken soup in terms of its presence on the Shabbat table. Like chicken soup, every family has a recipe and every recipe is different. This recipe is very versatile. You can play around with different spices. You can play around with the veggies by adding a jalapeño pepper to make it spicier or adding canned, drained chickpeas. Go for it. You can’t go wrong, but be sure to serve with plenty of challah to sop up the sauce.

(Recipe on page 29)

Charlotte Rouchouze, PhD is a local French teacher, food blogger, and beaded jewelry designer. Her blog about food traditions from around the world can be found at www.thechildrenstable.com. Contact her at charlotte.rouchouze@yahoo.

Amy and Maor Waizman

Waizman Moroccan Fish Recipe:

Ingredients:

6 whole garlic cloves

1 carrot, sliced diagonally

1⁄2 red bell pepper, cut into strips

4 pieces of salmon fillets (doesn’t matter if skin on or not), salt and pepper to taste

About 1⁄2-1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon turmeric

1⁄2 teaspoon of pareve chicken soup flavoring

Pinch of cayenne

1⁄4-1⁄2 cup of olive oil

About 2 cups of water

*All amounts are an estimation. I got the recipe from my father-inlaw and most old school chefs don’t measure!

Put carrots, bell pepper and garlic cloves in the bottom of a small to medium size sauté pan. Add salmon fillets on top (if skin on place skin side down). Season with salt and pepper. Add cilantro on top. Place salt, paprika, turmeric, chicken soup flavor and cayenne in a small bowl. Add the oil to the spices to make it a paste or thick oil. Add water and stir to incorporate spices into the water. Pour over top of the fish, making sure the liquid comes about halfway up the fish pieces. Cover the sauté pan and bring the liquid mixture to a boil over medium high to high heat. Once the liquid boils, reduce heat to medium low and place the lid partially over the pan to allow the steam to escape and the liquid to reduce. Allow fish to cook like this for about 10 minutes until the sauce reduces by about half, while occasionally spooning sauce over the fish pieces. You can serve immediately or allow it to cool and reheat on plata/blech before Shabbat. When serving, place a piece of fish on the plate and spoon

Jewish Preschool on Sardis First-Ever Alumnae Shabbaton

By Tamara Fowls & Sarosh Wahla

For many years, the Jewish Preschool on Sardis (JPS) has honored its rising kindergarten students and their families with a Shabbaton evening. This is a very special event to reflect on all the joys, great and small, that JPS has brought into our lives and is the culmination of the Shabbat unit the students have worked on with their Judaica teacher. It is a unique mix of education, food, laughter, prayer, and an outpouring of Jewish pride.

For a few years, the PTO has been discussing the idea of reconnecting with families who have already graduated, whom we don’t get to see as often as we’d like. How fun would it be to invite them back for a Shabbaton? This year, we brought this idea into reality.

On January 28, we celebrated a particularly meaningful and memorable Shabbaton. The 2023 Alumnae Shabbaton was a chance to recognize JPS graduates from the past three years (classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022)! It was an evening to recognize all the challenges and opportunities that have brought us together. Each moment reflected

the student-first inclusion that is the soul of JPS. The evening began with some of our eldest alumni and their siblings proudly greeting faces new and old in their role as “ushers,” a reflection of just how much our children have grown and how much responsibility our educators have instilled in them. As the evening continued, our children had a variety of roles, ranging from challah helper to kippah concierge, to stage play actress! Each role

was a chance for every child to take center stage and showcase their unique personality. Our tables were adorned with poster collages - a beautiful snapshot of precious moments with our teachers, families, friends, and our entire community from the first day to graduation.

As our JPS alumni lit candles and participated in Shabbat traditions, no detail was left out of place. The candle display had been meticulously prepared for each family, with one candle for each family member in attendance. As the evening progressed, we all ate, laughed, and reflected on how much we had stayed together during this turbu-

lent time. As the meal progressed from challah to piña colada kugel (the most popular dessert item), our teachers once again took the chance to connect with the children in age-specific Shabbat activities.

Grown-up celebrants were not left out of the mix. They were treated to profound storytelling on faith and perseverance, a collaborative trivia game of Jewish culture and history, and testimonials from the parents of JPS alumni. Each parent reflected on how JPS had brought community into their homes and how much support and love we have all experienced. It is this foundation that has allowed our children and families to flourish at home and beyond. We were even treated to a surprise theatrical production featuring some ‘older’ JPS graduates - including some who have been supporting the school for multiple decades! As the evening ended with some tearful goodbyes, we ran unexpectedly into a family we had not seen in years. They had a baby girl on the way - set to join JPS in 2024 - A crucial reminder that the community of JPS remains vibrant and continues to grow,

one child at a time.

Note: all photos were taken before the onset of Shabbat.

Wahla family dressed in their Shabbat finest

Families gather to light Shabbat candles

Families gather to light Shabbat candles

Middle School at Charlotte Jewish Day School

By Lindsay Kennedy

The typical response I get when telling new people that I teach middle school is “Oh, G-d bless you” with a sympathetic look. I quickly tell them that middle school is my jam. I love middle school. Middle school is when adolescents discover who they are, what they like, and maybe even who they want to be. Middle school is the perfect dichotomy of unabashed self-confidence and the simultaneous feeling of being completely unsure of everything. It’s a time when kids are in that “in-between” stage where parents and teachers work together to prepare their future high schoolers for the “real world” by letting them make mistakes, make choices, and really start to grow up. As a career middle school teacher, I jumped at the chance to be a part of crafting the middle school at Charlotte Jewish Day School (CJDS). It was an opportunity to forge a path, be on the cutting edge and really build something with administrators, parents, and students from the ground up. So far, it has been an incredible experience.

Walking through CJDS, one gets an immediate sense of warmth, community, and connection. Each classroom is decorated expertly by teachers who think carefully about the experience they want their students to have in their classrooms. One hears staff members having compassionate, one-on-one conversations that are empathetic and uplifting. It is a place where teachers have high expectations while also wanting to make sure that each individual student feels supported, cared for, and appropriately challenged. It is a place where each adult cares about the well-being of the whole child. A

place where kids can be themselves, learn about their faith, and grow into productive members of the greater world community. And middle school is no different.

Helping shape the middle school has been an absolute joy — a word I often associate with CJDS. We have been able to provide a rigorous curriculum while also offering many opportunities for students to have fun and play. Our goal was for students’ voices to be heard and to feel a sense of ownership in their middle school experience. Last summer, students were able to rank a variety of electives to explore in the coming school year. From there, the administrators and I were able to develop a list of commonalities and search out partners within the CJDS community and beyond to create wonderful learning experiences for our students. This year, students have been able to partake in First Aid with instructors from the Red Cross, take Cooking Science with Morah Nadine, create a digital yearbook with Mrs. Gamlin, take an online financial literacy class for

teens called “MoneyTime,” and take an Improv/Public Speaking class with a certified teacher from Matthews Playhouse. And guess what? We are only halfway through the school year.

On top of all of this, students have been able to create a student lounge from start to finish — all their very own. They chose the decor, and the seating arrange-

ments, and even created a list of lounge rules —no wearing shoes on the carpet being rule number one. It’s been an opportunity to really see that sense of responsibility in action.

We’ve pulled out all the stops for the middle schoolers at CJDS, but we haven’t forgot-

(Continued on page 33)

The CJDS sixth grade completing soup for 30 meals for the JFS food pantry as part of their cooking elective

Lindsay Kennedy

Hebrew High Teens Learn About Jewish Pride from Ben Freeman at Federation Outshine Hate Event

By Megan Harkavy

On Wednesday, February 1, Hebrew High teens had the unique opportunity to hear from Ben Freeman, the founder of the modern Jewish Pride movement and author of “Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People” and “Reclaiming our Story: The Pursuit of Jewish Pride” at a presentation organized by Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte’s Jewish Community Relations Council. Moderated by Rabbi Lexi Erdheim, Ben Freeman went in depth about the history of antisemitism, how it changed into Jewish hatred, and how we can use Jewish pride to help combat antisemitism. Freeman emphasized that Jew-hatred is a non-Jewish problem and we, as Jews, cannot do this alone. Our work is all about Jewish pride; pride is the answer to Jewish hatred. He said, “Our Jewishness cannot be defined solely by what is done to us.”

I completely agree with his notion of Jewish pride being one

solution to combat antisemitism. I believe that we need to provide our teens with experiences and opportunities that make them proud to be Jewish and make them want to be Jewish. This is the reason why some of our goals at Hebrew High are to increase social time, deepen relationships with clergy, and create positive Jewish moments. All of these goals help to increase Jewish pride among our teens. At least once per trimester, we have allschool programs that are engaging and fun, and every Wednesday night begins with 30 minutes of dinner and social time.

Last year for Purim our students talked about their Jewish identity and the different ways they demonstrate their pride in Judaism. They watched the documentary “The Tribe” which shares the message about Jewish identity and what it means to be an American Jew in the 21st century. After their discussion about ways they show their Jewish pride, our teens created a

beautiful Jewish identity star that hangs in the hallway of Hebrew High that depicts their answers to the questions, “What does Judaism mean to you?” and “How do you share or express your Judaism out in the world?”

I spoke to a few teens about what they learned from Ben Freeman. Here is what they had to say:

“I thought Ben Freeman was wonderful and I specifically liked what he had to say about anti-Zionism being the equivalent of modern antisemitism. I also liked how Rabbi Erdheim talked about antisemitism in pop culture and how Mr. Freeman gave an example of how our Jewish leaders in pop culture, like Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen, do not represent the Jewish people in a positive way.”

(11th grade)

“Three quotes that Ben Freeman said that stuck with me were: ‘Jews define who Jews are, not non-Jews.’ ‘Jewishness

is a little flame inside you; don’t let people blow it out,’ and ‘It’s vitally important, and it’s ridiculous to change who we are as Jews because we’re already different from everyone else.’”(9th grade)

“Something that sticks with me was when he said that they {those who are spreading the antisemitism} shouldn’t be able to define what a Jew is; we should. This line goes with the idea that there is no right way to be Jewish

(Continued on page 33)

Frida Secrist, Daniel Shore, Maddie Friedlander and Jack Stein posing with Ben Freeman

Hebrew High

“Ben Freeman is an incredibly well-spoken individual whom I greatly respect. A lot of what Ben said stuck with me. There was a moment where he spoke about why Jewish people listen to what the non-Jewish world has to say about us and why we let that affect our behavior and interactions with others; that really stuck with me because I realize that often when I’m speaking

with someone who isn’t Jewish, and it comes up in conversation, I always feel the need to buffer or, for lack of a better word, partially-mask my Jewishness. After hearing Freeman speak, I plan on being more proud of my identity and lineage as a Jew.”

(11th grade)

Ben Freeman was not your typical antisemitism speaker.

He was much more positive and inspiring and someone that our teenagers could relate to. I hope he inspired our teens to wear their Jewish star necklaces proudly at school or simply to be proud to be Jewish. I am grateful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte for inviting our Hebrew High students to hear this important speaker.

(Continued from page 32)

CJDS

(Continued from page 31)

and you’re free to express your beliefs as you see fit.”

(8th grade)

“Some things that stuck with me were his views on the role of Jewish people in pop culture, saying they should be played by Jewish actors. I’ve been thinking about that and trying to figure out what side I would be on. Actors are able to take the role of anyone, Jewish or not, but if a Jewish actor was playing a Jewish character, they would be able to relate it back to themselves and use their personal knowledge and opinions to build the character.

I also really liked how he said that being Jewish isn’t just a religion and isn’t just about attending Shabbat services. Instead of it being just that, he explained that Jews represent a nation and there’s much more to the title of being Jewish than what meets the eye, which I really agree with. I also really love his strong love for the art of Jewish pride. It can be rare to find people who have so much love in their religion and once he started speaking, I could tell how passionate he was about Judaism and his work.”

(8th grade)

ten the importance of hard work and high expectations. In English Language Arts (ELA), students read Lexile-appropriate level novels; analyze literature; examine the author’s craft and purpose; learn Latin and Greek prefixes, word roots, and suffixes; and how to properly write informative, narrative, and argumentative essays. In Judaica, students learn conversational Ivrit from a native Israeli teacher all the way across the world. Also, they learn to think thoughtfully and

critically about the lessons and stories they learn from the Torah. In math, we use the University of Chicago’s “Everyday Mathematics” curriculum that aligns with state standards. In social studies, “HistoryAlive!” helps students make cross-curricular connections to the novels they are reading in ELA. In STEAM, students research invasive species, simulate natural disasters, and build robots, to name a few. And next year, a state-of-the-art STEAM lab will bring the middle school STEAM program to a

whole new level.

Ultimately, the middle school at CJDS has it all: a rigorous curriculum, innovative and unique learning opportunities, and a place where kids can really start to grow into who they are meant to be.

Rabbi Lexi Erdheim and Ben Freeman

Bal Tashchit and Beyond: Planting Oak Trees for Future Generations

By Liz Wahls

Did you know that oak trees support more life forms than any other type of native tree in North America? These large, long-lived trees provide food and shelter to everything from birds to bears and countless caterpillars, insects, and spiders. For these reasons, oak trees are considered a keystone species in the food web of life.

How is it that oak trees support so much biodiversity?

Doug Tallamy, an entomologist and longtime professor at the University of Delaware, researched the relative ecological effect of native and nonnative plants by counting how many caterpillar species were dependent on each. Why did he record caterpillar interactions? Because caterpillars fuel the food web. Dr. Tallamy calls them “repurposed leaves that can walk.” He found that oak trees support 897 caterpillar species — many more

than other native tree species.

The caterpillars and insects feeding on oak leaves attract insectivorous birds, reptiles, frogs, and mammals, forming the basis of a dynamic food web. Because oak trees attract such a wide variety of insects, they are considered to be one of the most important trees for woodland birds.

An oak can produce three million acorns in its lifetime — tons of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. These acorns provide food for many types of birds and mammals including blue jays, turkeys, wood ducks, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, voles, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, foxes, deer, and even bears. Animal populations tend to increase or decrease based on yearly acorn production, an indication of the importance of oak trees.

Oak trees are one of the most beneficial trees that support wildlife, not just by providing food for caterpillars and insects

in the form of leaves and food for birds and mammals in the form of acorns. Oaks also provide needed shelter through their branches, nooks and crannies, and hollow areas. Even the fallen leaves provide shelter. Under the tremendous leaf litter, insects and many beneficial organisms find a habitat. This is a reminder that when you rake leaves in your yard, try to leave as many in place in natural areas as possible to provide overwintering shelter for those insects. According to Dr. Tallamy, “The diversity and abundance of the little creatures that reside in the leaf litter that accumulates beneath an oak is astounding and easily exceeds counts in the millions.”

There is a Jewish midrash about a man named Honi who came upon an old man planting a carob tree. Honi asked the old man why he was planting a tree when he would not be alive

to see it come to maturity and bear fruit. The old man responded, “When I was born into this world, I found many beautiful carob trees planted by those who came before me. Just as my ancestors planted trees for me, I am planting trees for my children and grandchildren so they will have carob to eat.”

Just as the old man planted a carob tree for future generations, Shalom Green was inspired to pass along our own wisdom to future generations.

At the November 2022 meeting of Green Sprouts, young environmentalists learned about the ways that oak trees support biodiversity and our environment. During a scavenger hunt at Shalom Park, they collected and identified oak leaves from several different oak species and examined oak seedlings. Most importantly, they each planted acorns in a pot to take home so they can support biodiversity in their own community.

If you haven’t heard, Green Sprouts is a monthly meetup sponsored by Shalom Green featuring one hour of action for young environmentalists ages 6 through 11. Green Sprouts began as an idea shared by two 10-yearold pals to create an environmental club that would empower kids to make a difference. Green Sprouts is now Shalom Green’s most successful programming launch to date with over 200 attendees in 2022. Activities have ranged from a visit from a local beekeeper where the children had

the opportunity to view a demonstration hive, to a discussion of renewable energy sources where kids made s’mores with solar ovens! We welcome more families and young environmentalists to attend our 2023 programming to be inspired to make a difference! Register for upcoming Green Sprouts programs at www.shalomgreenCLT.org.

And just like our Green Sprouts, you too can plant an oak tree to support an abundance of wildlife and help fuel the food web necessary for life on our planet.

Jewish tradition teaches the importance of caring for the environment, for we must act as partners in preserving creation.

If you are interested in donating your time or dollars to Shalom Green, please visit our website at www.shalomgreenCLT.org and email us at info@shalomgreenCLT.org. Connect with us on Facebook at Shalom Green: Shalom Park Environmental Initiative and on Instagram and Twitter @shalomgreen_CLT.

Green Sprouts examining an oak tree seedling

Education and Youth

Shalom Park Freedom School Teen Board Accepting Applications

By Annie Lord

The Shalom Park Freedom School (SPFS) is accepting applications from rising 10th graders through rising 12th graders for this summer’s 2023 Teen Board at Shalom Park.

What is Freedom School?

Freedom School is a program designed to prevent summer learning loss. Summer reading loss contributes substantially to the achievement gap faced by under-resourced children. With generous donations from individual donors and the partners on Shalom Park, SPFS is a six-week literacy-based summer program for young scholars selected from Huntingtowne Farms and Sterling Elementary (our schools in faith-based partnerships with Temple Israel and Temple Beth El). What is the Teen Board?

Being a member of the Teen Board is a wonderful opportunity for a leadership role. This is a choice group of high schoolers selected to help reflect Sha-

lom Park and our values to the scholars and staff at Freedom School (while also being a great way to fulfill volunteer hours). This year’s program will run from June 20 through July 27. SPFS Teen Board members will be directly helping teachers in the classroom, interacting with scholars, and supervising field trips.

What is the commitment this year?

“I loved working with the kids! It was rewarding to be a role model for them, and to know that I was making a difference. It was really nice having a leadership role where you were helping others, while also having fun in the process.” - Andrew Lord, Teen Board 2022

Teen Board members should be motivated, enthusiastic, and enjoy working with children. Each Teen Board member will be required to:

- Attend a Freedom School Partners Teen Board training session on Saturday, May 27 (individual exceptions can be made for Shabbat observances)

- Commit fully to volunteering from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. during your assigned two-week sessions between June 20 and July 27* (weekdays only)

- Independently fundraise a minimum of $50 to help sponsor a Freedom School scholar.

*Potential candidates will in-

dicate on their applications which sessions they are available.

How do I apply?

The application is posted at http://spfreedomschool.org/ get-involved/

The deadline to apply is March 31, but we encourage you to apply as early as possible. Decisions will be released by April.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Annie Lord (AnnieHLord@gmail.com).

Friendship Circle Launches Inclusive Art Circle

On the heels of the opening of Friendship Circle’s Inclusive Fun Zone, we’re excited to launch an inclusive art program to support friendship and inclusion between children and teens with special needs and their typically-developing peers. We offer process-focused art, product-driven art, and art therapy all in an accepting and nonjudgmental environment.

The Art of Friendship Club fosters respect and appreciation for people whose differences often overshadow what truly makes them special: their authenticity, acceptance of others, loyalty, and many other wonderful traits.

Art is recognized as an important way for people with special needs to express themselves. Using a variety of materials and techniques for varying levels of complexity, this club encourages each participant to explore their interests and creative ability. This program allows for freeform, structured art, and art therapy all in a relaxed atmosphere.

Classes take place on Wednesdays throughout the academic year.

Where Families Come Together

All classes are held in Friendship Circle’s Inclusive Fun Zone at 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC 28270 and are overseen and supported by our art director, Blaire Traywick.

Art techniques we explore include drawing, jewelry making, painting, sewing, sculpting, upcycling, weaving, and woodworking.

To learn more visit FriendshipCircleNC.org/Art.

Friendship Circle is an affiliate of Chabad of Charlotte and a beneficiary agency of Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte.

w Featuring 124 beautifully decorated guest rooms and suites conveniently located in Phillips Place

w Complimentary amenities include: Hot breakfast, internet access, transportation to Shalom Park

w Hospitality Suite

w Great Room: Special rates available for Friday night dinner

For more information, contact: Pamela.Haythe@hilton.com

SouthPark at Phillips Place

Emily and Erin preparing their masterpiece

Teen Board members, Luke Zolotorofe and Andrew Lord, working with Shalom Park Freedom School

Harambe is an energizing way to start off each Freedom School day and it’s always a Teen Board favorite

NC Hillel Bolsters Jewish Identity and Combats Antisemitism Across the State

As Jewish students returned to in-person classes and programming this fall for the first time in almost three years, they faced an increasingly challenging climate on their campuses. The Anti-Defamation League reported that antisemitic hate crimes and bias incidents on college campuses more than tripled from 2012 through 2019, with more than 350 incidents reported nationwide during the 2021-22 academic year. NC Hillel strives to combat these disheartening statistics by supporting students throughout the UNC System by connecting with University administrators and local Jewish communities in an official capacity. NC Hillel addresses pressing issues relating to antisemitism, the young adult mental health crisis, and a sense of being connected to North Carolina’s synagogues, Federations, and local Jewish resources.

NC Hillel professionals are trained Jewish educators, providing critical support and guidance to students, and serving as trusted advisors, in order to empower them on their Jewish

journeys and ensure that UNC system schools are welcoming and inclusive spaces for Jewish students to thrive. They are the bridge to creating consistent, lasting relationships between students and the local Jewish community.

Last semester at Appalachian State, for example, Hillel worked with university faculty and staff to host a roundtable discussion focused on antisemitism, in commemoration of Kristallnacht. Due to strong partnerships like these, App State University officials established an annual Joy of Being Jewish Day that highlights Jewish students’ pride in their religion and culture.

In 2020, UNC-Chapel Hill Hillel was proud to be included in the pilot cohort of the Campus Climate Initiative (CCI), partnering with the UNC-Chapel Hill administration to ensure a positive environment in which Jewish and pro-Israel students — and all students — can express their identities and values, free of harassment, hostility, or marginalization.

As part of CCI, UNC Hillel

and UNC administration first worked together to create education and written assessments of policies, procedures, and resources. Then in the second year, focus groups of students and

faculty were formed to find out more about Jewish and non-Jewish experiences on campus and how updated policies would improve their experiences. In this final year, the CCI cohort will

be surveying a larger number of students, faculty, and staff to find out the full campus climate and work on creating recommendations for university officials. After the 2022-2023 academic year concludes, CCI will continue to offer support and partnership to campus leaders as they implement recommendations.

The three cohorts are being invited to UNC in late April for a symposium on what has been accomplished thus far. During the conference, officials from all 43 colleges will discuss preliminary findings of the CCI such as intercultural interactions, antisemitism on campuses, reviews of current procedures, and actions administrations can take to increase inclusion on campus for all minority students.

NC Hillel develops interconnected Jewish communities through statewide initiatives like NC Hillel's twice-yearly Birthright trip

Elegant living is forever in style.

Embrace luxury retirement living at the crown jewel of the Queen City The Village on Morehead, located at 727 E. Morehead, is currently under construction and anticipated to open late Fall 2023. Surrounded by classic neighborhoods – Dilworth, Myers Park, and Eastover, and just minutes from the city’s finest cultural offerings, boutique shopping, fine restaurants, and Charlotte’s top hospitals and Physician offices. The Village will offer daily programs that will keep you engaged with always something new to learn or do. It is a place to connect with others, explore interests, grow spiritually, and nurture a healthy lifestyle.

At The Village on Morehead, you will find all the ingredients needed to live up to your full potential. From fitness classes to therapeutic programs and everyday activities that define a vibrant lifestyle and provide a sense of purpose. The Village offers maintenance-free living, with chef-prepared meals, weekly housekeeping, local transportation, 24 hr. concierge, valet parking, and a host of alluring living spaces designed to cater to a sophisticated lifestyle. The Village on Morehead also provides a personalized perspective on care and wellness. If you need extra assistance with daily living activities, a wellness coordinator will arrange care in the comfort of your home with a trusted home care and therapy provider. You’ll be able to continue living in your home with the assurance of care and access to all The Village’s amenities. As the new year begins, apartments are already being reserved with a $2,500 (fully refundable) deposit to join the priority waitlist and become a Charter Club member.

Charter Club members will receive the lowest introductory pricing, be the first to select their apartment home, enjoy private exclusive parties and receive $5,000 off the one-time membership fee (limited time offer). Reserve your future home today!

on Morehead

Looking Back: Year 2017

Jewish Federation Introduces New Women’s Philanthropy Initiative at 2017 Annual Spring Lecture

The Jewish Federation’s 19th Annual Spring Lecture, held on Thursday, April 27th was a huge success. More than 300 women attended the event featuring renowned novelist Alice Hoffman.

The event was co-chaired by Sara Kulbersh and Holly Levinson, who led a very talented and dedicated team of volunteers.

During the event, the Federation unveiled its new Women’s Philanthropy Initiative: The Power of Women, which will provide women with multiple opportunities to engage Jewishly, to connect with each other and to make a significant impact on our community. The vision behind this initiative is inspired by our Jewish tradition of tzedakah (charity) and tikkun olam (repairing the world).

As we look towards the future of women’s philanthropy in our community, we wanted to pay tribute to the past and the many years the Spring Lecture

was celebrated in our community. Though this was the last year for the Spring Lecture in its current form, we are excited to reveal our new offerings for the upcoming year. We will offer not one, but three meaningful opportunities for women to engage and connect Jewishly. Our new offerings are designed to educate women, inspire them and connect to each other. They are also designed to help all women act collectively to improve our world.

2017-2018 Women’s Philanthropy Programmatic Offerings Fall 2017 - Engage and Inspire.

Experience the extraordinary spirit of women and community in this special event. This event will offer women of all ages and backgrounds an opportunity to network, socialize, and get inspired - all while having a great time.

Winter 2017: Tikkun Olam and Social Action

Where does the idea of tikkun olam come from and why is it so central to Jewish life? We’ll look at the sources that inspire us to make a difference in the lives of others - then we’ll get ready to put these ideas into action. There are many matters of concern to our community, and we are dedicated to actively learning about these issues and finding ways to enact change. Our first service project will focus on literacy and the importance of reading proficiency in our school system.

Spring 2018: Celebrate Philanthropy

A recognition event for women who make a gift of $180 or more to the Jewish Federation’s Annual Campaign. Join us as we celebrate the power and generosity of these women and their commitment to our community.

Affinity Groups

In addition to the Lion of Judah and Pomegranate Society,

the Federation is proud to introduce a new women’s giving level, the Pearl Society, which recognizes women who make a gift of $180 or more to the Federation’s Annual Campaign.

Lion of Judah ($5,000 +)

Lion of Judah is an international recognition level for women who make an annual minimum gift of $5,000 or more to the Annual Campaign. The Lion of Judah pin, worn with pride by thousands of women worldwide, is one of the most recognized and distinguished symbols of shared commitment to the strength and vitality of the Jewish people.

Pomegranate Society ($1,800-$4,999)

Women who contribute at least $1,800 to the Annual Campaign sustain the Jewish people by helping fulfill the mitzvah of tikkun olam (repairing the world). Pomegranate Society members are identified by a sterling silver pomegranate

pin, designed so that a ruby, representing the red seed of the pomegranate, can be added from year to year as additional gifts are made.

Pearl Society ($180-$1,700)

Pearl society members are women who celebrate their commitment to philanthropy and our community by making a gift of $180 or more to the Annual Campaign. Pearl Society members are recognized with a unique pearl necklace. AS a woman’s gift continues and grows, her committment can be distinguished with the addition of colored pearl charms. If you would like to get involved or learn more about the Jewish Federation’s new Women’s Philanthropy Intiative, please contact Tair Giudice, Director of Educaton and Engagement at the Jewish Federation at 704-944-6759 or tair.giudice@ jewishcharlotte.org

The Real Story Behind Jewish Family Comedy “iMordecai” And Its Unusual Path to the Big Screen

By Stephen Silver, February 24, 2023 (JTA)

The real Mordecai Samel, at the time in his late 70s, really didn’t want an iPhone in 2015.

The Holocaust survivor who had been living in South Florida since 2004 didn’t see a need. His taped-together flip phone worked fine. But his son Marvin insisted.

One thing that helped convince Mordecai to give in: the ability to listen to the klezmer music of his youth that the iPhone provided.

“One day I got off a plane, and I called my dad, and all I could hear was static,” Marvin Samel said.

Soon Mordecai was going to iPhone lessons at a local store six times a week.

“It’s there that I see my father holding court, telling stories,” Marvin said about the lessons, “and I said, this is it. This is the vehicle to tell the story as a screenplay.”

Thus sprung an unusual comedy film that hits theaters Friday inspired directly

by first-time director Marvin Samel’s life, centered on a Jewish family that is split by a stark generational divi

In the film — as in the Samels’ real lives — Marvin (played by Sean Astin) attempts to sell his cigar company while his father’s antics continually get in the way and his mother (Carol Kane), who has Alzheimer’s Disease, sometimes wanders off.

“I had to tone him down for the movie, because no one would believe me if I actually printed the truth. He’s always getting himself into trouble,” Samel said of the real Mordecai, a retired plumber who is played onscreen by Tony and Emmy Award winner Judd Hirsch.

At the same time, Marvin’s wife, who has just given birth to twins, is upset with him about delays in the company sale and the family’s resulting cash crunch.

Mordecai agrees to take the iPhone lessons and befriends the instructor (Azia Dinea

Hale) who he calls “Einstein Nina,” someone with a surprising family backstory of her own.

Mordecai tells her some stories about his family’s escape from the Nazis when he was a child, showing her family pictures from before the war and noting that he can’t remember his mother’s face. These stories, Marvin Samel said, were inspired more by the stories told by Mordecai’s brother, who was older when the family fled,

than by his own. The family left Poland in 1939, when Mordecai was three and his older brother was six. They first went to the Soviet Union and eventually to Brooklyn.

Mordecai’s family was from Janów Podlaski, a small town in Poland at the center of the territory split by Hitler and Stalin in 1939. Some flashback sequences are presented in animation.

Marvin Samel sold his company, Drew Estate Cigars, back in 2014. The film

was mostly self-financed, in part from the proceeds of the cigar company’s sale, “all the way through distribution.” While Samel has always loved the movies, even seeing movies like “Taxi Driver” and “Hair” when he was much too young to do so — “my temple, growing up, was the movie theater,” he said — he had never before set foot on a movie set prior to the first day of filming of “iMordecai.”

Samel taught himself filmmaking, in part, by taking online courses through MasterClass from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard and Jodie Foster, and he also had a chance meeting at a dinner with retired basketball star Ray Allen, who had made a novice acting appearance in Spike Lee’s “He Got Game” when he was in his early 20s. Allen’s advice was to spend some time on movie sets to get a feel for things, but not much was filming in

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The Oldest Copy of the Hebrew Bible Is Headed to Auction This Spring

By Jackie Hajdenberg, February 15, 2023 (JTA)

The oldest complete copy of the Hebrew Bible as we know it today is about to go on sale — and it could well become the most expensive book or document ever sold.

Written by a single Jewish scribe on 400 pages of parchment about 1,100 years ago, the Codex Sassoon is estimated to fetch $30 million to $50 million when it is sold by Sotheby’s auction house this May.

Before then, the book is embarking on a worldwide tour that will include stops in London, Tel Aviv and more. Those who view it will lay eyes on one of only two known ancient manuscripts comprising almost the entire Hebrew Bible — along with the Aleppo Codex, which is incomplete after hundreds of pages went missing in the 20th century.

“Now that the Codex has

been definitively dated as the earliest, most complete text of its kind, it stands as a critical link from the ancient Hebrew oral tradition to the modern, accepted form of the Hebrew Bible that remains the standardized version used today,” said

Richard Austin, Sotheby’s global head of books and manuscripts.

The Codex Sassoon is named after the book collector David Solomon Sassoon, who acquired it in 1929 for 350 British pounds, the equivalent of about $28,000

today, when it resurfaced after 600 years.

Sassoon added his bookplate to the inside cover of the binding, extending a centuries-long string of inscriptions detailing the book’s Jewish ownership, much of it throughout what is present-day Syria. The record does not show what happened between when the synagogue where it had been housed was destroyed and Sassoon’s acquisition.

But for the last century, it has been in private collections, in contrast to the other books near its caliber which are owned by major museums and are on display. What remains of the Aleppo Codex can be viewed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, while a later but more complete copy is on disp

The book’s latest owner is Jacqui Safra, part of the storied Jewish banking family, who paid for carbon dat-

ing that put its age at about 1,100. The book was briefly displayed at the British Museum in 1982.

Its value won’t be determined until after the auction on May 16, but Sotheby’s officials said they believed that its final price could top the $43.2 million that the CEO of a hedge fund paid in 2021 for a first-edition copy of the U.S. Constitution sold by the auction house.

Its value, they say, goes far beyond the page.

“Codex Sassoon marks a critical turning point in how we perceive the history of the Divine word across thousands of years,” said Sharon Mintz, Sotheby’s senior Judaica specialist for books and manuscripts, “and is a transformative witness to how the Hebrew Bible has influenced the pillars of civilization – art, culture, law, politics — for centuries.

The Codex Sassoon, estimated to be about 1,000 years old, is going to auction at Sotheby's. (Courtesy of Sotheby's)

Judd Hirsch plays a Holocaust survivor in "iMordecai." (FeMor Productions)

Burt Bacharach, Sophisticated Jewish Hitmaker of the ’60s and ’70s, Dies at 94

By Andrew Silow-Carroll February 9, 2023 (JTA)

Songwriter Burt Bacharach, who with his longtime lyricist Hal David turned out a string of hits in the 1960s and ’70s — including “Alfie” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” — died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 94.

Bacharach and David, both Jewish New Yorkers, also wrote a host of songs that made Dionne Warwick a megastar, such as “Walk on By,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” and “I Say a Little Prayer.”

The duo came to fame while working in the Brill Building — a Midtown Manhattan mecca for music publishing that housed a slew of Jewish songwriters, including the teams of Carole King and Gerry Goffin and Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. But unlike their peers, who wrote for the burgeoning teen market, their songs were marked by a certain elegance and romance that drew more on the Great American Songbook and Broadway than rock ‘n’ roll.

Fittingly, the pair collaborated with Broadway producer David Merrick on the 1968 musical “Promises, Promises,” which yielded two hits, including the title tune and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.” That show too had a strong Jewish pedigree: The book by the legendary playwright Neil Simon was based on the 1960 film “The Apartment,” written by Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond.

Bacharach grew up in Forest Hills, Queens; his fa-

ther was a journalist and his mother an amateur musician. He recalled in his 2013 autobiography, “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” written with Robert Greenfield, that “no one in my family ever went to synagogue or paid much attention to being Jewish.”

And yet Jonathan Freedman, author of “Klezmer America: Jewishness, Ethnicity, Modernity,” told the New York Jewish Week in 2013 that what made Bacharach’s music Jewish was his “wild play with time signatures; he is to time signatures what [George] Gershwin is to chord changes.” He called Bacharach “really audacious and experimental,” an example of what he sees Jewish artists doing as they “enter popular forms and make them their own.”

Bacharach was also the

first composer to be featured in the experimental jazz musician John Zorn’s late1990s “Great Jewish Music” series; in the CD’s jacket notes, Zorn thanks him for not changing his name and points out that Bacharach is “one of the great geniuses of American popular music —

and he’s a

Jew.”

In the 1970s Bacharach split with David and Warwick and entered into a new collaboration – and third of four marriages – with lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, another Jewish New Yorker. Their best-known song was the AIDS fund-raising anthem

“That’s What Friends Are For.”

Bacharach remained busy nearly to the end of his life, with his later activity including collaborations with the rock star Elvis Costello. He won seven Grammy awards in all, the latest in 2006 for his pop instrumental album “At This Time.” In 1983, at the height of the British “New Wave” in rock, a synth-pop version of the then 20-year-old Bacharach-David song “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me” by Naked Eyes climbed into the Billboard Top Ten. Bacharach would eventually reunite with Warwick and with David. In 2012, 40 years after they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and shortly before David died at age 91, Bacharach and David received the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song — named for the Jewish composer to whom Bacharach had long been compared.

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South Florida at the time.

“iMordecai” was shot in 23 days in late 2019, meaning that Samel filmed a movie that starred Hirsch as a heavily-accented, old-world Jewish immigrant inspired by a relative of the filmmaker at least a year before Steven Spielberg did the same for “The Fabelmans.” Hirsch is nominated for an Oscar for his role in that movie, his first Academy Award nomination since “Ordinary People” more than 40 years earlier.

Samel’s film, which features the city of Miami extensively, has been a hit so far in Florida. It had its world premiere in January 2022 at the Miami Jewish Film Festival, where it won the audience award for best narrative film.

“I think that this film has the capacity to possibly impact and resonate with people of all ages,” said Igor

Shteyrenberg, executive director of the festival.

Samel is taking the film on a tour that criss-crossed the Sunshine State this month, including a run of 10 shows at The Villages, the world’s largest retirement community. That tour, in which the real Mordecai has been on stage at times, headed to New York’s Quad Cinemas this week, and a limited theatrical release — also heavy in Florida — starts Friday. Tour dates in such markets as Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago are next, prior to a return to Florida, Samel said.

Perhaps the success with the older Florida crowd has to do with the universality of the film’s subject matter. Even Warren Buffett, the famed investor, turned in his flip phone for an iPhone back in 2020, when he was nearly 90, even though he had bought many billions of dollars in Apple stock by that point.

Yvette Miro, a 99-yearold who lives in Tamarac, Florida, said it’s “hard to remember not having” an iPhone after getting one to replace her flip phone about 10 years ago. A Brooklyn native — she attended Eastern District High School at the same time as Mel Brooks, who was a couple of years younger — Miro has lived in Florida since 1999, and even at her age continues to host weekly Shabbat dinners with her family, including her nine grandchildren and more than 30 great-grandchildren.

But unlike Mordecai, rather than badgered into getting the iPhone, she got one herself.

“I heard about it, I wanted it. I’m old, but I had to keep up with the times,” she said. She now uses it for “everything… especially FaceTime, where I can see [the kids]. I use it even more than my regular phone.”

Burt Bacharach

“iMordecai”

Composer Burt Bacharach (left) and lyricist Hal David hold Oscars they won for "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," at the Academy Awards, April 7, 1970. (Bettmann/Getty Images)

Yom Ha'atzmaut

Community-Wi ide

Celebration

Wednesday, April 26th

Poliakoff Athletic Pavilion and the LJCC Soccer Fields.

Timeline of event:

5:00pm - Festivities begin

6:00pm - Aveva live musical performance

8:00pm - Event ends

Activities include:

Authentic Israeli barbeque

Lawn games

Live music by Israeli performer

Olde Meck Brewery

Kona Ice

Fire truck with foam bubbles

Giveaways

For more information visit jewishcharlotte.org