Mrs. Jerome ז״ל Madans
My Jewish roots run deep. I was born in Malden, MA, and grew up in an Orthodox environment. My father attended services six days a week, but not on Shabbat. He always joked that it was important to be in Shul for the daily Minyans but since plenty of people came on Shabbat, he wasn’t needed then.
I met my husband Jerome at a Jewish camp in New Hampshire when I was 13 years old. While I was attending Brandeis University, he promised to move me “south” if I would marry him. We were married in 1951 and lived in Lowell, MA, where our son Craig was born. Two years later we moved to Rockville Center, NY, where our daughter Maxine was born. Attending synagogue was always important to us. We finally moved south, to Charlotte, in 1959 and immediately became involved in the Jewish community.
We found that it was very important to be part of a synagogue and the Jewish community, whereas up north everyone we knew was Jewish. Jerome was very interested in all phases of Judaism, but was not as involved as I because he didn’t have as much available time. He greatly encouraged me and was the greatest influence in my life.
In 1971 we moved to Salisbury, NC, where Jerome’s business was located. We were both active in that Jewish community, each taking a turn as president of the Temple. I received my first Aliyah there and was honored as the first woman to receive one. Even though we lived in Salisbury for 15 years, we were still involved with the Charlotte Jewish community. As much as we enjoyed life in Salisbury, we wanted to live in a more vibrant Jewish community. We returned to Charlotte in 1986, where our lives continued to revolve around the Jewish community. Unfortunately, Jerome passed away on March 3, 1994, leaving me, our children, and three grandchildren: Alex, Ari, and Rachel.
The Charlotte Jewish community has been my home, my life and my refuge. I believe that by participating actively — physically, mentally and financially — in this vibrant Jewish community, my life has been enriched. I love the feeling of knowing that when I am gone, others will continue to benefit from what I am leaving to them. For these reasons, I am providing gifts to Temple Israel, Charlotte Chapter of Hadassah and BJH Foundation for Senior Services, which have meant so much to me.
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