Frank & Wendy Rosen
To us, Judaism is something you live. That is what we saw in our grandparents and parents and that is what our son has seen in us. When you come to our home, you notice that it is unmistakably Jewish.
We both grew up in families where we each watched our grandparents and parents in leadership positions in our respective Jewish communities, both philanthropically and as volunteers. In Charlotte, the Jaffa family was known for their activities with Temple Israel, Temple Israel Sisterhood, B’nai B’rith Men and Women, and the Jewish community at large. In Asheville the Rosen family was also known for their involvement in Congregation Beth Israel, the Hebrew Cemetery and the Chevra Kadisha.
For us, following in these footsteps was important. We met when we were advisors in B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, which was the first step in our community involvement in our own cities. After living in Asheville for the first few years of our marriage, we remained as the BBYO advisors. When we moved back to Charlotte in 1982 with our son, Josh, we remained involved with BBYO. That was the beginning of our involvement in Charlotte, as we added B’nai B’rith Men and B’nai B’rith Women (later becoming Jewish Women International), the Federation, the JCC and Temple Israel. This includes a fifteen-year period when Wendy was a teacher in Temple Israel’s religious school. Frank followed the footsteps of the Jaffa family when he was installed as president of Temple Israel. We both remain involved in Temple Israel today.
Our lives within the Temple Israel family have been very important to us, especially with Josh growing up in the preschool and religious school as Wendy did. We were very proud when our family became a third generation of Bar/Bat Mitzvot in Temple Israel.
For all of these reasons and more we have chosen to include Temple Israel in our estate. It is important for Temple Israel and the Jewish community to continue growing and prospering so that future generations will have the same opportunities as we have had in living Judaism through its traditions and values.
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