Donna ז״ל & Norman Levin and Family

Donna and I were both raised in small towns located in an industrial part of Western Pennsylvania, where there were few Jewish families. At an early age, we were taught that among our responsibilities as Jews were support of our temple, the Jewish community and the greater needs of people worldwide. We learned these lessons by observing the actions of our parents and grandparents. They led by example as congregational presidents, serving on the board of The Jewish Home For the Aged, through their Federation involvement or by a deposit in the Pushki box. Their actions made a lasting impression on both of us.

We arrived in Charlotte in 1966 and quickly became members of both Temple Beth El and Temple Israel. At that time Charlotte’s Jewish community was very small but there was a warm and friendly atmosphere with the Amity Club and synagogues serving as the focal point of Jewish life. We were all very supportive of each others’ needs as Jews and worked together as individuals for advancement of the entire community.

While Donna and I focused our energies on Temple Beth El, we remained committed to support all the institutions that comprised our Jewish community. It is our belief that the soul of a Jewish community is the synagogues, and without the soul all the other institutions disappear. To stimulate future generations we have established the Sadie Levin Guest Speaker Endowment, which assists each year in bringing outstanding speakers to our community. It is our belief that this is the best way for us to “plant the seed” and secure the future of Temple Beth El as Charlotte’s Reform House of Worship.

It is also very important to us that in addition to our involvement with “everything Jewish” we also give back to Charlotte’s secular community. We were raised in households where giving was emphasized and both of us have attempted to assist a variety of causes throughout Charlotte.

Our service and involvement with Temple Beth El and Shalom Park has been a privilege and, at the same time, extremely rewarding for us both. Along the way, we have developed many special friendships and have worked to pass along our family values to our children and grandchildren.


ז״ל Of Blessed Memory



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