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The Charlotte Jewish News- August 2025- Page 14 Religious Life
Fairway to Friendship: A Golf Tournament that Tees Up Support for Israel
By Rabbi Chanoch Oppenheim, Charlotte Torah Center
For many in our community, supporting Israel and fighting antisemitism are core values that shape our priorities, philanthropy, and conversations. We write letters, attend rallies, post online, and engage in learning. But there ' s one powerful front that is often overlooked: the world of sports.
Enter Athletes for Israel, a nonprofit that combines the universal language of athletics with the vital message of Jewish pride and Israel advocacy. Founded by Daniel Posner, former CEO of FAO Schwarz, the organization brings American college athletes, many of whom have never met a Jew or thought deeply about Israel, on immersive trips to the Holy Land. Their mission? Build bridges, break stereotypes, and create allies through firsthand experience. A Charlotte Connection Our own connection to Athletes for Israel began right here
Arthur Lavitt with Bruce Pearl, Head Coach of head basketball coach of the Auburn Tigers. in Charlotte. Through the efforts of the Charlotte Torah Center and our partners, we hosted a local event for the UNC Charlotte football team. We brought in the dynamic Dumisani Washington, founder and CEO of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel( IBSI), to speak to the team and coaching staff. With passion, clarity, and vision, he presented the case for Israel and the shared values between the African American and Jewish communities.
The room was energized. The head coach, Biff Pogi, was deeply moved. Players lingered long after the program ended to ask questions, share thoughts, and engage meaningfully. It was a special night— one that planted seeds of understanding in a space not often associated with Jewish education.
But this June, we saw the mission expand on a much larger scale.
Quaker Ridge and a National Platform
On a sunny June day, Athletes for Israel hosted a spectacular golf tournament at the breathtaking Quaker Ridge Golf
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Andy and Drew Dinkin with Nachum Segal, host of the NY-based radio show JM in the AM.
Club in Scarsdale, New York, one of the country’ s top-ranked courses. The event brought together donors, connectors, and change-makers from across the United States to raise awareness and support for the organization’ s growing impact.
The Charlotte delegation included community leaders Andy Dinkin and Arthur Lavitt, a former UNC-Chapel Hill athlete
who played and coached under Roy Williams on the JV basketball team, won a Maccabiah gold medal, and received his medal from Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Representing our city’ s Jewish pride and passion for sports, they joined a national network rallying behind the cause.
The food was as memorable
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18 th Annual Sam Strause Levine JCC Golf Tournament
September 15, 2025 Raintree Country Club
Golf Committee: David Belinkie • Jeff Goldsmith • Alec Johnson Josh Loewensteiner • Andrew Rosen • David Strause
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Title Sponsors
Frank & Amy
SCIBELLI
Eagle Sponsors
Birdie Sponsor: Main Street Insurance Pinnacle Financial Partners
Hole Sponsors: BlueDot Cares, Brookdale Carriage Club, Dex Imaging, Foundation for the Charlotte Jewish Community, Hendrick Lexus, Ivy Integrative Health, Levine Hearing, Marsh Properties, Mutual of America, Pivotal Weight Loss, Andrew Rosen- Compass Group, The Haven & The Laurels at Carolina Place, Universal Windows Direct / The Bath Authority
This event benefits the Levine JCC Oasis Program
Register at charlottejcc. org / golf Q? 704-944-6724 or annedouglas. miller @ charlottejcc. org