The Charlotte Jewish News- August 2026- Page 20
Learning to Serve Community
By Rabbi Shlomo Cohen
Whether you’ re planning a family vacation, traveling for business, visiting relatives, attending a simcha, or simply passing through the Queen City, one question often comes up for Jewish travelers: What will I do for kosher food, minyan, Shabbat, and Jewish community?
In Charlotte, the answer is remarkably simple. For more than four decades, Chabad of Charlotte has served as a welcoming hub for Jewish life, helping visitors and locals alike find everything they need – from daily prayer services and kosher dining to hospitality accommodations and community connections.
Conveniently centered around the Chabad campus on Sardis Road, many of the essential elements of Jewish life are available within minutes of one another, making Charlotte an increasingly attractive destination for Jewish travelers. Start with Kosher Food Charlotte’ s kosher dining scene has expanded significantly in recent years, giving visitors multiple options whether they are downtown, in the suburbs, or staying near the Chabad campus. Located right on the Chabad campus is HaPina Restaurant, Charlotte’ s only full-service kosher restaurant. Situated in the Chabad atrium lobby, HaPina offers a welcoming dining experience for visitors, business
Student Rabbi Jacob Friedman
By: Student Rabbi Jacob Friedman
Being a rabbinical student is a deeply gratifying experience. We spend our days immersed in text and Jewish thought, and devote an incredible amount of time to conversations about what it means to serve congregations. However, when confined to an academic setting, it can be difficult to imagine rabbinic life beyond the classroom walls. In other words, for myself and fellow rabbinical students, it isn’ t until you actually find yourself in a living, breathing community that you discover the rabbi you truly want to be.
Rav Yirmiah said,“ One who is engaged with the needs of the community is like one who is engaged with the words of Torah”( Jerusalem Talmud, Berakhot 5:1). For Rav Yirmiah, those who orient themselves to the service of their communities are engaged in sacred work. After a summer serving as the rabbinic intern at Temple Beth El here in Charlotte, I couldn’ t agree more.
At Temple Beth El( TBE), I had the opportunity to not only witness but participate in nearly every aspect of congregational life. There is no better crash course in what it means to be a congregational rabbi than teaching an adult education course,
Your Jewish Home Away from Home: A Guide to Chabad Hospitality in Charlotte
tending to a congregant’ s pastoral needs, meeting with a conversion student, preparing a Shabbat service, and sitting in on a committee meeting, all in a single day.
Yet for all the variety on any given day, my work had a consistent through-line. The core motivation behind all the work I did, and the work of Temple Beth El’ s incredible clergy team, was finding ways to build relationships with and between congregants, and in doing so, encourage the pursuit of rich Jewish life.
This mission came across most clearly in TBE’ s annual meeting, which took place just shy of halfway through my summer. At an event where it would have been perfectly appropriate to share mountains of data, and spend hours voting and giving dry speeches, the focus was on the people who make congregational life possible – the lay leaders, the teachers, the volunteers, the office staff, and the congregants with no official role or title, who attend because it feels good to be in community. The stories shared were deeply personal, the congratulations travelers, and residents alike. Open most Sundays through Thursdays, it has become a gathering place where community members and visitors often find themselves sharing a meal and a conversation.
For those looking for takeout, delivery, or meals to enjoy at home or in their hotel, Kosher Charlotte provides gourmet kosher meals available for pickup directly at Chabad or through delivery services. Whether you need lunch during a conference, dinner after a long day of travel, or meals for an entire family, Kosher Charlotte offers a convenient solution. Traveling for Shabbat? Kosher Charlotte also prepares Shabbat meals and catering, making it easy for visitors to enjoy a fully kosher Shabbat experience in Charlotte.
Another exciting addition to Charlotte’ s kosher landscape is Cakeable Cafe in Uptown Charlotte. Recently certified kosher under the supervision of Chabad of Charlotte, Cakeable combines quality kosher food with an inspiring mission of training and employing individuals with intellectual and developmental differences.
Visitors can enjoy specialty coffee, fresh dairy meals, sandwiches, baked goods, and graband-go options in the heart of downtown. All dairy products are Cholov Yisroel and all sandwiches and baked goods are Pas Yisroel, making Cakeable a welcome option. Charlotte’ s Kosher Grocery
Resource
Just a short drive from the Chabad campus is Gleiberman’ s Kosher Grocery Store, the region’ s only fully kosher grocery store. Serving Charlotte and much of the surrounding Southeast, the store carries an extensive selection of kosher groceries, meats, baked goods, frozen foods, Judaica items, and specialty products that can be difficult to find elsewhere. Stay Near the Community One of the newest additions to Charlotte’ s Jewish infrastructure is the Chabad Hospitality Suites, a newly renovated hospitality home designed specifically for Jewish travelers. Located less than a mile from the Chabad Center, the spacious property offers an alternative to traditional hotels.
Daily Minyanim, Every Day of the Year
A hallmark of Chabad of Charlotte is its commitment to maintaining daily prayer services throughout the year. Morning, afternoon, and evening minyanim are held every day, providing visitors with the opportunity to pray with a community whether they are in town for a single day or an extended stay. For Women Visiting Charlotte
Charlotte is also home to Mikvah Mei Leah, a beautiful spa-like mikvah facility serving to community members were genuine, and there was a pervasive sense of ownership among the attendees. As an outsider looking in, it was clear that TBE has empowered everyone to say,“ This is my synagogue and I have a stake in what happens here.”
If I have taken one lesson about the kind of Rabbi I want to be from my time in Charlotte, though in truth, I have taken many, it is what I saw at that annual meeting. A clergyperson’ s role encompasses so many things, but I believe that at its heart, it is to endow every person in their congregation with a sense of ownership of their own Jewish identity.
There is no single answer to what this looks like. It could be creating space for congregants to take on leadership roles, giving families resources to build Jewish homes, or simply making sure everyone who walks in the doors of the synagogue feels welcome. But for rabbinical students preparing themselves for lives of service after ordination, it must also mean making future congregants a part of our education.
both local residents and visitors. Designed to provide a dignified and comfortable experience, the mikvah has become an important part of Jewish family life in the region and is available by appointment.
Details at a Glance:
• Chabad of Charlotte: 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC 28270
• HaPina Restaurant: Located in the Chabad atrium lobby
• Kosher Charlotte: Takeout, delivery, Shabbat meals and catering
• Cakeable Cafe: 401 N. Tryon Street, Uptown Charlotte. Fully kosher under Chabad supervision. Coffee, dairy meals, baked goods and grab-and-go options.
• Kosher Groceries: Gleiberman’ s Kosher Grocery
• Accommodations: Chabad Hospitality Suites located within walking distance of Chabad
• Jewish Life: Daily minyanim, Shabbat and holiday services, classes and community events
• Women’ s Mikvah: Mikvah Mei Leah, available by appointment
As Charlotte continues to grow as a business center and travel destination, its Jewish infrastructure has grown alongside it. Today, visitors can enjoy access to kosher dining, grocery shopping, hospitality accommodations, daily minyanim, Shabbat meals, a mikvah, and a vibrant Jewish community – all
Those future congregants should be the voices in our minds asking how ancient wisdom is relevant to life today. They should be the students we practice writing lesson plans for. They should be the people we think of when we simulate pastoral care. That way when we do finally leave the classroom as full-fledged clergy, the congregations we will come to join will have already shaped us as Jewish leaders.
Rav Yirmiah was spot-on when he said that serving one’ s community is like engaging in words of Torah. Community and Torah are both sources of knowledge, and can inform one’ s values. Community and Torah are both ongoing projects, constantly being reinterpreted and adapted to the needs of the day. And when someone is prepared to give themselves fully to their service, community and Torah are both deeply holy things.
centered around one welcoming campus.
Whether you’ re coming for a weekend, a conference, a family celebration, or simply passing through, Charlotte offers something increasingly rare in today’ s world: a city where Jewish travelers can feel both comfortable and connected.
Since 1980, Chabad of Charlotte has worked to create an environment where every Jew feels welcome, regardless of background, affiliation, or level of observance. Visitors regularly remark that what stands out most isn’ t the food, accommodation, or programming, but the warmth of the community itself. In Charlotte, you’ re not just visiting a community. You’ re coming home. For more information, please visit www. chabadnc. org