January 27, 2006 by Jewish Press

Vol. LXXXV No. 20 Omaha, NE

Celebrating 85 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa

Friedel Jewish Academy Celebrates 40 Years with Major Events in Spring anniversary in such a big by GARY JAVITCH way. We also want to A little-known jewel in communicate the joy of the Omaha Jewish combeing a child at Friedel.” munity crown is about to The third-year board get some well-deserved member talked about the recognition. That will school, noting, “Our happen over the next four principal is Cookie months in a series of artiKatskee, a former Omaha cles and activities that will Public School teacher, culminate in a communiprincipal and administraty-wide dinner celebrattor. She has brought great ing 40 years of the Jewish leadership to our school. Day School in Omaha on Her great contacts within Wednesday, May 31. the Omaha education Friedel Jewish Academy community have greatly board member, Yaffa benefited the students. Podbilewicz-Schuller, Schuller cited for who is chairing the comexample, Pam Cohn, a mittee that is overseeing current OPS principal, all the activities, spoke who has made expert proudly about a few of the school’s many accom- Longtime teacher Denise Bennett works with Samantha Wiener on contributions to Freidel’s curriculum guidelines. plishments. “We have a a project for the fourth-sixth-grade classroom at Friedel. spectacular record of Credit: David Radler Other community volunteers include Tuffy achievement,” she said. “Our kids are scoring very high on the nationwide tests, Epstein (band) and Julie Phillips (art). In addition, and at the same time, they are getting a great Jewish Katskee has developed a partnership program with UNO for library services and physical education instruceducation.” The kindergarten through sixth-grade students get tion, and with Creighton University and OPS for science more than that. “We use lots of high tech, especially training and support. “The professional faculty and staff is great, too,” she computers, and a great library. The kids also go swimming every week, participate in speech competitions and added. It consists of two full-time Judaic studies teachscience fairs, and get music, art, and band lessons,” she ers and three full-time general studies instructors. Moreover, the school is fully accredited by the state of stated. The school serves a hot kosher lunch everyday. “Our enrollment in recent years,” she added, “has Nebraska Department of Education. An administrative gone from 19 to 33 youngsters, and we have commit- assistant helps Katskee. The principal is well served by an ments from more than 40 new students over the next outstanding board, led by Lloyd Roitstein. “A vibrant four years. Because we operate on a smaller scale, we can Jewish Day School strengthens our community. And we provide incredible attention to the kids. Those are just a want the community to be rightfully proud that we have few of the reasons we want to celebrate this important Continued on page 3

27 Tevet, 5766 January 27, 2006

Omaha Steaks Scion Steve Simon Dies at 66 by CAROL KATZMAN Editor of the Jewish Press The youngest of the fourth-generation owners of Omaha Steaks, Stephen H. Simon, died Sunday at the age of 66. were held Services Tuesday at Temple Israel. Known for his wry sense of humor and his spontaneous generosity, Simon was most recently honored in November by Stephen H. Simon the Jewish Federation of Omaha. He and his older brothers, Alan and Fred, were named Humanitarians of the Year. It was, in fact, the Jewish Press staff and committee who submitted the nomination, stating, “the Simons don’t just write a check and walk away; they’re at your side, giving advice, coming up with new programs, and problem solving in their unique, inimitable style.” A week earlier, the three were inducted into Central High School’s Hall of Fame. The list of awards are almost too numerous to mention--among them recognition from the National Conference of Community and Justice in 1997, the Nebraska Arts Council in 1998, and the State of Nebraska in 2000 for “lifetime achievement” as Food Company of the Year. In 2004, the Nebraska National Guard honored Omaha Steaks for supporting its troops overseas. The Simon family has been generous with their personal service to the community as well as their contributions. Steve Simon has served as a member of the Federation’s Executive Board, as Chairman of the Pacesetter’s Division and then as Co-chairman with Paul Epstein of the overall Annual Federation Campaign. He has served on the board of the Jewish Press since 1998 and was Treasurer at the time of his death. A graduate of Indiana University, he held the position Continued on page 11

New Orleans Transplant Makes Omaha Her ‘Big Easy’ by RITA SHELLEY For Jewish Senior Services New Orleans’ citizens continue to struggle through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Facing their future with grim determination, many remain unsure whether to move on or re-build the lives they had before their neighborhoods and homes were washed away. Betty Arons also faces the future with determination, but she is anything but grim. Thanks to a combination of her adaptability, her family’s help, and the Omaha Jewish community’s ability to provide the support she needed when it was most critical, Arons is at home in a west Omaha condo. The condo was located by her niece and furnished comfortably by the landlady before Arons arrived, complete with clean sheets on the bed. The clean sheets were especially welcome after Arons’ odyssey-like journey from New Orleans. Nephew David Marshall had flown to New Orleans to assist his aunt, but by the time he arrived at the airport, no one was being allowed into the city. Leaving everything except photos she emptied from albums into a box and her two dogs, Betty asked a neighbor to drive her to the airport to retrieve Marshall.

Inside Opinion Page see page 8

“My neighbor had just been released from the hospital and didn’t have any way to evacuate. I invited him to drive my car to the airport,” Arons said. “So actually, I saved his life and he saved mine.” The 25-mile drive to the airport took six hours, but there were more adventures to follow. The first 55 miles of the three-day drive to Omaha took 10 hours. Because hotel rooms en route were full, Marshall, Arons, her two dogs and the neighbor drove day and night, stopping occasionally to nap in the car. Arons left behind the home she had shared for 40 years with her husband of 60 years. Mark Arons died six years ago. Somewhere in the flood debris are Mark’s stamp collections, the plants Betty lovingly tended, the Former New Orleans resident Betty Arons is finally beginning accumulations of rare to enjoy life again in her Omaha condo.

This Week: Monthly Calendar: Pages 6-7 Super Sunday Draws Repeat Volunteers Each Year: Page 2

Rabbi Emanuel Addresses Congregation at Annual Meeting: Page 3

seashells they had collected together, and all the thank you notes Mark received from grateful clients and students in his work as a much-loved counselor at the University of New Orleans. But Arons doesn’t look back. Compared to learning to live without the love of her life as a companion and as manager of their financial affairs, making a new life at 87 in a new town doesn’t seem so insurmountable, Arons said. Amazingly, Arons is even a bit relieved that the hurricane saved her from facing some difficult decisions. She’d had wanted for some time to move to Omaha to be near her family. But the prospect of deciding what to keep, what to sell, what to give away and what to throw away seemed daunting, even to Arons. “God just took a hand. This absolutely was meant to be,” she said. When she first arrived in Omaha, Arons got in touch with Jewish Family Services, which was able to connect her with a nationwide relief network that provided emergency funds to Jewish hurricane evacuees. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also provided cash assistance for rent and food until Arons could get a new bank account set up. Continued on page 12

Next Month: Simchas & Celebrations on Feb. 10 Op-ed on The Jewish Blogging Rage Page 8

Community-wide TuB’Shevat Celebration at Lautizen: Page 12

Page 2

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 27, 2006

New Volunteers Join Experienced Ones In Reaching Out on Super Sunday Harry Alloy – Volunteer Caller February 5, 2006

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by OZZIE NOGG A spirited group of Super Sunday Telethon volunteers --both neophyte and veteran--will man the outbound phone lines on Feb. 5 in an effort to secure additional pledges from Omaha Jewish households in support of the 2006 Omaha Federation Live Generously Campaign. “I’ve worked on Super Sunday for 30 years,” said Gary Javitch, a former co-chair of the event with Dodi Redler. “I enjoy making the phone contacts with friends. It’s nice talking to people who are new to the community, or to old-timers who still haven’t made their pledges, and letting them know about our great Federation and the activities it promotes. I’ve always been awestruck by the philanthropy, the leadership, the participation and generosity in time and effort, shown by Jewish Omaha. The cause is very important to me, and it’s a privilege to participate in the Campaign at any level.” According to Steven and Carrie Fingold, this year’s Super Sunday Co-Chairs, volunteers will work from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Omaha Steaks Call Center. Use of the facility was donated by the Simon family. “Coffee and bagels are provided during the morning,” said Terri Zacharia, a longtime Super Sunday volunteer. “The breakfast, plus goodie bags of candy and snacks, keep us going and make the morning fun. The leadership does a great job of providing an upbeat atmosphere for the volunteers.” In addition to the Fingolds, the Super Sunday planning committee includes Sharon Kirshenbaum, Lana Reichardt and Jill Simon, along with Jaime and Brian Nogg, Co-Chairmen of Super Sunday, 2007. “We’d like to wrap up this year’s Annual Campaign with a bang,” Nogg said. “Our main goal, of course, is to raise campaign dollars, and our success depends on the enthusiastic volunteers who work Super Sunday year after year. Another goal is to involve community members in the campaign process--to reach out, to communicate the ways their contributions are allocated--and encourage those who are new to Omaha or in the younger Jewish community to become part of a whole new generation of volunteers.” Steve Redler, Harry Alloy and Mace Jabenis are three experienced members of the Super Sunday cadre.

“I draw a great deal of satisfaction from contacting people,” Alloy said. “Sometimes, individuals just haven't given much thought to contributing to those in need, and the people I call often make it a point to thank me for reminding them to make a gift. I, in turn, come away with the feeling that I tried to do just a little extra for a good cause.” Jabenis agrees. “I feel it’s important to add this personal touch to the Campaign. It’s important to call and remind people who may not yet have responded by mail but who would, perhaps, increase their pledge after talking to a Super Sunday volunteer.” Super Sunday telethons are a vital part of Federation campaigns around the country. Phone calls typically emphasize the importance of each person’s individual contribution--each individual act of caring--and its impact on the quality of Jewish life locally, in Israel and internationally. In some cases, Super Sunday volunteers interact with prospective donors on a very personal level. “I’ve talked to people in great need,” Javitch explained. “Lonely people. People who don’t get the chance to talk with others very often, so I try to engage them in conversation. Super Sunday makes us remember to treat everyone we call with courtesy and respect and not take their support for granted. These interactions remind us that the Omaha Federation is a service organization that always needs to be aware of the importance of ‘customer service’ for our constituents.” For Zacharia, Super Sunday brings challenge and reward. “We call people who have been part of Campaign before and others who have never been approached. The challenge is to make everyone understand the ongoing needs, to appreciate the Campaign workers efforts so that others will make the effort to give. The reward comes when I help people see the benefits they receive from Campaign. And those first time pledges--little or big--are such a high. I encourage people to give what they can. I don’t push. We appreciate every dollar. What a great feeling it is for donors to give and for volunteers to receive the pledge. Now that I’m a part of this story, I’m even more deeply committed to the Super Sunday Telethon, so watch out. On Feb. 5, I may be calling you!” For more information on Super Sunday 2006, or to volunteer as a phone solicitor, please call the Federation office at 334.6485.

Beth El Welcomes Dr. Adolfo Roitman During Special Scholar-in-Residence Weekend by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator An exciting scholar-in-residence weekend is on tap next month at Beth El Synagogue, featuring Dr. Adolfo Roitman, curator of the Shrine of the Book, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Dr. Roitman will spend the weekend of Feb. 10 at Beth El, and the Dr. Adolfo Roitman entire community is invited to hear this renowned scholar and author. A senior lecturer at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, Dr. Roitman lectures widely on early Jewish literature, the history and significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls and biblical interpretation. In addition, he has served as a visiting scholar at universities across the United States and Central and South America. Among the numerous books he has authored about the Dead Sea Scrolls are The Sectarians from Qumran: Daily Life of the Essenes (Barcelona: Ediciones Martínez Roca, 2000, in Spanish) and A Day at Qumran: The Dead Sea Sect and Its Scrolls (Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, 1997). Dr. Roitman is curator of Envisioning the Temple Scrolls, Stones and Symbols, currently on display at the Israel Museum. The exhibit examines the place of the Temple in Judaism and features as its centerpiece the Temple Scroll, one of the longest of the Dead Sea Scrolls. He has also written Envisioning the Temple. Scrolls, Stones and Symbols (Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, 2003) which accompanies the exhibit. An ordained conservative rabbi, Dr. Roitman earned his Ph.D. in Ancient Jewish Thought at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1993. The Omaha community will have a variety of opportunities to hear this esteemed speaker during his stint at Beth El. At Shabbat dinner following services on Beth El

on Friday, Feb. 10, Dr. Roitman will discuss “Sects and Groups in Judaism Today and in Second Temple Period: Parallels and Differences;” during kiddush luncheon on Saturday, Feb. 11, he will address “Esther and Judith in Jewish Literature and Art, and Their Relevance for Modern Feminist Approaches,” and at breakfast on Sunday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m., he will explore “The Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for Judaism and Christianity.” Cost of the Friday night dinner is $12.50 for adults, $8.50 for children ages six to 12, and free for children five and younger. Saturday’s luncheon (sponsored by Beth El’s Sisterhood) and the Sunday brunch are free. For reservations, contact Margie Gutnik in the office, or via e-mail at programming@bethel-omaha.org.

Beth El is the Place for Tot Shabbat by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator The warmth of Beth El’s joyous Tot Shabbat celebrations is sure to take the chill out of February and March, so be sure to mark down these dates, grab your family and friends, and enjoy heart-warming services! The community is invited Friday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m., as we welcome Shabbat with service leader Patty Nogg, who will engage youngsters through storytelling, singing and prayers. After the service, share “that Shabbat feeling” during dinner just for Tot Shabbat families, hosted by congregants Lise and Aaron Sasson. The new Saturday morning Tot Shabbat services, led by Esther Katz, will take place on both Feb. 4 and March 4, 11 a.m., and will be followed by a luncheon with a kid-friendly menu. March will be capped off with a Friday night Tot Shabbat on the 24th, and will include dinner, hosted by Amy and Andrew Raffel. Cost for each dinner or luncheon is $5 for adults; children six and under are free. For reservations, contact Margie Gutnik in the Beth El office or at programming@bethel-omaha.org.

January 27, 2006

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 3

Friedel Celebrates 40 Years Rabbi Ilan Emanuel Addresses His First Annual Continued from page 1 Jewish Day School strengthens our community. And we want everyone to be rightfully proud we have Friedel.” The steering committee has planned a big event to commemorate the school’s four decades in Omaha. Besides Schuller as chairman, the committee consists of many well-known members of the Jewish community. They include Joanie Jacobson and Margo Riekes, who will create a program with a video production; Julee Katzman will plan the kosher sit-down dinner; Julie Phillips, who donates her time to the school as an art instructor, will prepare a silent auction. In addition, Debbie Denenberg, Aveva Shukert and Stacie Brodkey will work on the program, the mailing, and the invitations. A now-grown former student, Ariel Shukert, is designing the invitation. Others are collaborating as well, including Andy Greenberg, who is assisting with the development of a yearbook. On the evening of the dinner, guests, appropriately enough, will enter the building through Friedel where the first part of the program begins. That’s where a silent auction will be held for one-of-a-kind tzedekah boxes, created by notable artists especially for this occasion. They then will walk to the JCC auditorium through the gallery, where an exhibit of the children’s artwork will be displayed. The highlight will be a program to recognize the tremendous support received from scores of community members and parents whose students have attended Friedel--in particular three families for their long-term commitment, their exceptional vision and generous support of the school: Steve and Margo Riekes, Jerry and Linda Gordman and Phyllis and the late Leonard Friedel. “Another major initiative is to reconnect with our former students,” Schuller explained. “We are forming an Alumni Association and want to know the years the students attended and who their classmates were; we urge all past attendees to get in touch with us” by calling the Friedel office at 402.334.0517 and asking for Mary Jane Tweedy. Mary Jane can also arrange a tour or get answers about any aspect of the academy. “The success of Friedel is something we can be proud of. We want this to be an activity for which a large portion of the community turns out. It is rare that a small community like ours has such a fine Jewish day school. And we can be so proud of that, can’t we?” Schuller concluded.

Meeting at the South Street Temple impending introduction of the by DAVID FEINGOLD for Congregation B’nai Jeshurun new Reform Movement prayer books. He said it will be Addressing his first annual an opportunity for all memmeeting at his new congregabers to decide on “what we tion, Rabbi Ilan Emanuel want from our prayer experithanked the members of the ence” and can help “reinvigoSouth Street Temple for welrate and rethink” some of the coming his family to the capcongregation’s approaches to ital city’s Jewish community prayer and services. and to Nebraska, and for Board Vice-president helping them feel so quickly Sarah Kelen encouraged the connected to Lincoln. Rabbi Emanuel, who took Rabbi Emanuel, left, Dave Rosenbaum, Sarah Kelen, congregation to build on his pulpit late last summer Barbara Strauss, Margaret Gurewitz, Amy Zlotsky, John last year’s active connections to the wider Lincoln comafter completing his seminary Mosow, David Feingold prepare for the annual meeting. studies, told the congregation that for the year ahead, he munity, including the work of the social action commithoped that diverse voices and diverse spiritual paths will tee and participation in the Lincoln Jewish Federation be heard and respected. He encouraged members of B’nai and the Lincoln Interfaith Council. She pointed out that Jeshurun to welcome everyone to the Temple as warmly while the South Street Temple has a relatively small congregation, its members can take pride in their civic as he and his family have been embraced. Rabbi Emanuel said that he was “Astounded by the engagement and in high levels of participation in condepth of commitment to adult education. We have three gregation activities each week. Treasurer Dave Rosenbaum reported that the congreadult education classes. Especially for a congregation of our size, this is a large percentage of members taking gation’s budget remains healthy, but tight, and that the classes.” He also told the gathering that he was “honored endowment is sound. He said last year’s expenditures and excited to be part of the team that helped form the funded major improvements and upgrades to the hisnew Lincoln Jewish Community School” which was toric building and provided a high level of service to the formed by merging the religious schools of Tiffereth congregation. The Temple’s annual giving campaign is Israel and B’nai Jeshurun. Rabbi Emanuel said the new now under way. At the conclusion of the meeting, Robert Nefsky school and its joint school board were unprecedented achievements and reflect the Lincoln Jewish community’s received the annual Mitzvah Award, and the congregation elected new board members Lori Merliss and commitment to learning through all age groups. Rabbi Emanuel added that the Temple’s Pulpit Margaret Gurewitz, and chose Barbara Strauss as the Committee will consult with the congregation on the new President, replacing Barbara Barron.

BBYO Council Kallah Returns by URI LEVIN The Omaha Cornbelt Council is hosting a “Kallah” weekend Feb. 3-4--“Israel is Real” and we will discuss and run programming about this little country stuck somewhere in the Middle-east, what’s so special about it, and why it should be a concern for Jewish teens in America. Kallah begins with Shabbat services, dinner and

an Oneg Shabbat activity, which will not only give teens a sense of the geography of Israel, but also will enhance Israeli and Judaic trivia skills. We will cook Israeli food and experience an advocacy workshop with ADL. Ccoordinated by Cornbelt Council Shlichim Samantha Long and David Trubnikov, information is available by contacting me at ulevin@jccomaha.org or 334.6403.

Terri Zacharia – Volunteer Caller February 5, 2006

Gary Kudym – Volunteer Caller February 5, 2006

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 27, 2006

ORGANIZATIONS THE YOUNG ENERGETIC SENIORS Join us this Monday at the JCC as we celebrate “Artspan: Art to Bridge the Generations” with the students from the CDC and Friedel Academy as the Amazing Arthur performs. Enjoy Arthur’s many talents as a comedy juggler, balloon artist, yo-yo guru and stilt walker. Lunch begins at noon in the auditorium. The cost is $6 per person. Try your luck with bingo with Eileen Remer at 10 a.m. Exercise will begin at 10:30 a.m. and the discussion group at 11 a.m. Call Dee Dee for transportation at 330.4272. WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going Thursday on the Bunch to Lunch day trip to the Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon, please meet at the JCC by 10:45 am. LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Come to the Yiddish meeting at the JCC on Thursdays, 1-3 p.m. Call Anne Skolkin at 343.1638. VISIONS Reminder: Board Meeting is Feb. 3, 9:30 a.m., at the Blumkin Home conference room. Join your fellow Visionaires for a fun day on Feb. 14, 11:45 a.m., at Hooters (12405 West Center Road) for lunch and then off to the movies at Westwood Cinema 8 (125th and Center) from 1-3 p.m. Send reservations to: Sissy Silber, 311 Oakridge Ct., Bellevue, NE 68005 by Feb. 7. For information call Doris Alloy at 697.8709, Rosalie Meiches at 556.5507 or Sissy at 292.8062. Bring your donationfor new adaptive computer equipment for the residents of the Blumkin Home to any Visions function or send to Betty Kolnick at 1031 Hillcrest Dr., Omaha, NE 68132. Visions membership dues of $7.50 are due. Please mail your check to Visions, c/o Beverly Gilinsky, 1406 No. 126 St., Omaha, NE 69154. Make all checks payable to Visions. BREADBREAKERS Alan Parsow will return to Breadbreakers on Wednesday, Feb. 1, noon, at Regency Lodge, for another stock martket update. Cost is $11 for lunch and $2 for beverage service only. Open to the community!

Be a Good Sport and Join the Fun During Community’s First Winter Decathlon by JILL BELMONT We’ve got game...how ‘bout you? We know that you do, so we’re sending out the call to limber up your body and your mind, and get ready to participate in the Omaha Jewish community’s first Winter Decathlon! In the spirit of competition and good fun, Beth El Synagogue, Beth Israel Synagogue and Temple Israel have pooled their resources to establish this exciting and entertaining series, giving adults throughout our community the opportunity to flex their muscles and mental skills--all in the name of fun. Decathlon festivities will be kicked off on Sunday, Jan. 29, 7-9 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, led by organizers Beth Cohen from Beth Israel, Scott Simon from Beth El, and Mike Silverman from Temple Israel. The evening will be highlighted by opening ceremonies and a sure-to-be exciting dodgeball game. Other events during February include bowling, backgammon, Mah Jongg, Pictionary, ping pong, pool, dodge ball, poker, a walk-a-thon and a spelling bee--what a great way to bring our Jewish community together and have some terrific family fun! A point system will determine the decathlon champs:

first place winners for each event will be awarded 50 points, second place, 30 points, and third place, 20 points. Captains will determine if scoring is credited to individuals or teams for each event. Closing ceremonies are being planned for the end of the month, and a trophy will be awarded to the synagogue with the most points. At press time, the following events and times had been scheduled: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 6:30 p.m.: Pictionary at the Blumkin Home; Wednesday, Feb. 15, 6:30 p.m.: Poker, at Temple Israel; Sunday, Feb. 19, 2 p.m.: Ping Pong and Billiards, at Fox and Hound Pub, 510 No. 120 St.; Thursday, Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m.: Mah Jongg at the JCC; Saturday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.: Backgammon, location to be announced; Sunday, Feb. 26, 6:30 p.m.:bowling, West Lanes Bowl, 151 No. 72 St.; Monday, March 6, 7 p.m.: Spelling Bee, at Temple Israel. Both the spelling bee and walk-a-thon will be open to adults and children; for more information about dates and times, please contact the team captains. It’s not too late to sign up for your favorite event: just call one of the chairmen: Cohen: 556.6288; Silverman, 334.6512; or Simon, at: 616.4089.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Ed Asner, Mike Farrell and Sharon Gless will perform the lead roles in the L.A. Theatre Works production of The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial, Feb. 3-4 at the Orpheum Theater. The star-studded lineup augments a sensational production from the country’s leading radio theater company, L.A. Theatre Works. Set in Dayton, TN, in 1925, the semi-staged radio play follows the sweltering, tension-filled courtroom battle of the “Scopes Monkey Trial,” during which famed attorneys William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow argued over the teaching of evolution in public schools. Tickets are $19-$35. For more information about Omaha Performing Arts, Holland Performing Arts

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January 27, 2006

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 5

“We want the [nuclear] fuel cycle. It is the right of all countries, including Iran.” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad September 18, 2005

NOW is the time to stop Iran The AIPAC Policy Conference March 5 –7, 2006 The Washington, D.C. Convention Center

For the last 20 years, Iran has hidden a secret nuclear weapons program from the world. The international community has been pressing Iran to end its work, but the words of Iran’s president make one thing clear: Iran is committed to developing a nuclear bomb. Now is the time to tell Iran that the world will not tolerate its pursuit of nuclear weapons. At AIPAC’s Policy Conference in Washington— we will. At the Conference, pro-Israel activists from around the country will take part in the largest grassroots effort to date in order to stop Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency—the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog organization—meets in Geneva on March 6th. If it once again fails to take appropriate steps against Iran, we will visit Capitol Hill on March 7th to call for the immediate referral of Iran to the U.N. Security Council. But that’s not all. We will also make the case for a far-reaching legislative package designed to stall Iran’s drive toward the bomb. This could be the most important Policy Conference you ever attend. We need you to be a part of it. To register for the AIPAC Policy Conference, please visit www.aipac.org/pc2006. To get involved locally, contact Melanie Pearlman at 303-864-9464 or mpearlman@aipac.org

Page 6

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 27, 2006

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All events held at the Jewish Community Center unless otherwise noted. This calendar does not include all community events. For a complete listing, visit the Federation’s website: www.jewishomaha.org (click on calendar). To keep calendar accurate, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of the below events.

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 28 Social Justice Shabbaton, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel SUNDAY, JANUARY 29 Living Hebrew Class and Bible Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Jewish Potpouri, 11 a.m. at Beth El Visions Dinner & Show at the Chanticleer, noon Kripke Library Sunday Story Time, 2 p.m. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30 JSS Senior Luncheon, 10 a.m. Advanced Conversational Hebrew Class, 7 p.m.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 31 BBYO Night, 6 p.m. A History of Israel, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1 PATTER, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El American Jewish Writers, 11 a.m. Beth Israel Business Ethics Lunch & Learn, noon at the Office of Joe Kirshenbaum JELS Adult Ed. Class “Bad Girls of the Bible,” 6:30 p.m. Adult Education, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2 “Thursday Story Time,” 10 a.m. at Kripke Library Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Rabbi Levin Study Class, noon at Beth El Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. OTYG Board Meeting, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel Lecture with Rabbi Gross, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5 JEWISH FEDERATION SUPER SUNDAY, 8:30 a.m. Men’s Club World Wide Wrap, 10 a.m. at Beth El Living Hebrew Class and Bible Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Hebrew Club with Uri Levin, 11 a.m. at Beth Israel Jewish Potpouri, 11 a.m. at Beth El “What’s Jewish About Winter,” noon at Beth El BESTT Chaverim Activity, 12:30 p.m. at Beth El Boy Scouts Meeting, 1:30 p.m. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6 JSS Senior Luncheon, 10 a.m. NCJW Book Club, 7 p.m. NCSY “Latte and Learning,” 7 p.m. at Scooters Derech Torah Class, 7:30 p.m. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7 Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. at Chabad The Guy & Bob Show, noon TuB’Shevat Seder & Dinner for Women, 6 p.m. at Chabad BBYO Night, 6 p.m. A History of Israel, 7 p.m. JCC Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8 PATTER, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El JELS Adult Ed. Class “Bad Girls of the Bible,” 6:30 p.m. Adult Education, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9 Beth El USY Winter Shabbaton Feb 9-12 Walk-in Drop-in, 10 a.m. Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Rabbi Levin Study Class, noon at Beth El Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. Temple Israel WRJ-O Poker Night, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 Beth El USY Winter Shabbaton Feb 9-12, 7 a.m. Scholar-in-Residence Weekend, 9 a.m. at Beth El Sisterhood Shabbat, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El “Kids Rule the Shul,” 4 p.m. at Beth Israel Beth Israel Jr. NCSY Movie, 7 p.m. at AMC Theatre SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12 Scholar-in-Residence Weekend at Beth El Living Hebrew Class and Bible Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Jewish Potpouri, 11 a.m. at Beth El Beth El TuB’Shevat Celebration, 1:30 p.m. at Lauritzen Family Dinner & Auction, 5 p.m. at Temple Israel Tu B’Shevat Seder, 5 p.m. at Beth Israel MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13 Tu B’Shavat JCC OPEN, 7 a.m. HOLD for “Live from the 92nd Street Y,” 7 p.m. Derech Torah Class, 7:30 p.m. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. at Chabad Visions Movie & Lunch, 11 a.m. at Westwood Plaza The Guy & Bob Show, noon BBYO Night, 6 p.m. A History of Israel, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15 Spice and Spirit Cooking Club, 9:30 a.m. at Chabad PATTER, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El Rabbis and Presidents Meeting, 11:30 a.m. Executive and Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m. at Friedel JELS Adult Ed. Class “Bad Girls of the Bible,” 6:30 p.m. Adult Education, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Walk-in Drop-in, 10 a.m. Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Rabbi Levin Study Class, noon at Beth El JWI Sweetheart Day, noon at the Blumkin Home Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. Book Discussion Group, 1 p.m. at Kripke Library SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18 BESTT Primary Grades Havdallah, 7 p.m. at Beth El SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19 Living Hebrew Class and Bible Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Jewish Potpouri, 11 a.m. at Beth El Community Lecture with David Kotok, 1:30 p.m. Basketball Awards Ceremony, 4 p.m. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 JSS Senior Luncheon, 10 a.m. Hadassah Board Meeting, 1 p.m. BEAM Meeting, 7 p.m. at Beth El Derech Torah Class, 7:30 p.m. JFS Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Youth Commission Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Beth El TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. at Chabad The Guy & Bob Show, noon BBYO Chapter Elections, 6 p.m. BESTT Board Meeting, 7 p.m. A History of Israel 7 p.m. Board of Trustees, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Jewish Film Festival, 7 p.m. Beth Israel Sr. NCSY Steak and a Movie, 8 p.m. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26 Living Hebrew Class and Bible Study, 10 a.m. at Beth El Fifth Grade Family Program, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Jewish Potpouri, 11 a.m. at Beth El Workshop for Children at Risk, 12:30 p.m. at Beth El Sunday Story Time, 2 p.m. at Kripke Library Jewish Literature Discussion, 2 p.m. at Temple Israel Mr. AZA, 3 p.m. Travelin’ Toddlers Mad Science, 4:30 p.m., at Beth Israel Spaghetti Dinner, 5:30 p.m. at Beth Israel Jewish Film Festival, 7 p.m. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Derech Torah Class, 7:30 p.m. Jewish Press Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 27, 2006

How Do YOU Want to Read the Jewish Press? In a survey conducted by the Circulation Verification Council of St. Louis, MO, last summer, a whopping 84% of the respondents said they relied exclusively or primarily on our Jewish Press for local Jewish news and information. That’s a statistic any newspaper loves to hear (as do advertisers!). We don’t plan to rest on our laurels, however. Our staff and committee are aware of the changes in newspaper reading habits of Americans, especially young Americans, many of whom aren’t reading them at all. Among the ones who are keeping abreast of the news, many read daily events online. And, while the Jewish Press, which is currently celebrating 85 years of con tinuous weekly publication, plans to continue that venerable tradition, we also hope to capture the hearts and minds of these online readers as well. For the past year, our staff has been posting three to four articles and many photos each week on our pages of the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s website; (see for yourself at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’). Online readers have taken advantage of submitting obituaries and other social announcements, from births to engagements. We’ve even picked up new subscribers from our website. All of this is well and good, but we’d really like to find out who among our current readers is reading the print edition and who’s reading the Press online. We’d also like to discover if our readers want more online, like

columns, editorials, op-ed pieces, obituaries and social announcements. In fact, we’re so interested in knowing what our readers think, we’re con ducting a survey. A print copy of the survey will be inserted into the Feb. 10 issue of the Press. An online survey will be conducted by a company that specializes in these kinds of surveys: surveymonkey.com--which collates the results and forwards them directly to the company (in this case, the Jewish Press). The survey--or actually, the link to the survey--should be posted on our page of the Federation’s website by next week. We urge you to take the online version-or fill out the insert in the Feb. 10 issue and mail it back to us. All the results will be confidential, however, if you do have comments and want to sign your name, we’d be more than happy to speak to you personally. What do we hope to learn from the results of this survey? First and foremost, we want to know if we’re serving our readers. How do you read the Press now? How do you want to in the future? What

kinds of stories, photos, op-eds, etc., do you want to read. Do you want an electronic newsleter to alert you each week to changing stories on our website? We can’t predict the outcome of this survey, nor can we promise that we’ll have the financial or human resources to accomodate every request, but we can’t begin to make changes until we have some hard data to back it up. One final note: the credit for the push for a Jewish Press website goes to our Treasurer, friend and supporter, the late Steve Simon, for whom no goal was ever impossible. His advice was invaluable and always given with a big grin. He will be sorely missed.

Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Committee, the Jewish Federation of Omaha or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment.

Sermonizing Mingles with Sex Talk as Jewish Surfers Pick Up Blogging

FOCUS ON ISSUES by RACHEL SILVERMAN PRINCETON, NJ, (JTA)--At times, the chatter between American Jews can seem hushed, even silent. While questions about assimilation, Israeli politics and Jewish identity swirl overhead, many American Jews maintain an arms-length complacency about it all. But a post, click and hyperlink away, the burgeoning blogosphere offers a forum for Jewish conversation. Jewish blogs, or Web diaries, run the gamut from kosher cooking to Israeli advocacy. They include leftist rants, dating melodramas, rabbinic ruminations and secular musings from all corners of the globe. Last year, the Pew Internet and American Life Project estimated that eight million American adults had created blogs. Though the number of specifically Jewish blogs is unconfirmed, those with knowledge of the blogosphere say the pool is substantial. “I’d estimate the number of active blogs at some several thousand,” says Steven Weiss, who currently blogs about religion (http://canonist.com/), food (http://kosherbachelor.com/) and the Jewish college experience (www.campusj.com/). “Among young, highly-affiliated Jews, Jblogs are very popular,” the 24 year-old New Yorker continues. “As you move up the age brackets, the popularity drops off somewhat, though many in the organizational and rabbinic establishment have started paying a lot of attention to them.” The Religious Action Committee of Reform Judaism, for instance, launched a blog of its own last year at http://rac.org/. “The amount of interest in blogging has just gone through the roof,” confirms Alexis Rice, the RAC’s communications director. “I think the Jewish community is more connected now than ever before. “A rabbi used to give a sermon and it was heard by 200 people in services Friday night,” Rice continues. “Now he puts the sermon on

a blog, and thousands of people access it.” What exactly are these Jewish bloggers seeking on the Web? Some, like 30-something New York blogging guru Esther Kustanowitz, say the blogosphere connects them to a larger, global Jewish community. “I started looking at other Jewish blogs to see if there were other people like me out there--single, Jewish and blogging,” she explains. Alternatively, some blog to seek community with or build bridges to ‘the other.’ Thanks to blogging, Rachel Barenblat, the theology student behind the Velveteen Rabbi blog (www.velveteenrabbi.com), has become close to a Buddhist nun in Korea and a Baptist minister in San Antonio.

The blogosphere is not just a feel-good forum. In many instances, it’s a place for real debate and democratic engagement. “I’ve come to feel very much like these people are my friends,” says the Massachusetts resident, 30. “That we’re sitting around a virtual coffee table.” Tel Aviv resident Lisa Goldman began her site, On the Face (http://ontheface.blogware.com/), as a means of catharsis and consensus-building during the Palestinian intifada. “I try to go beyond the headlines and present people as individuals--not just the Palestinians and the Israelis,” says Goldman, 38. “Maybe my stories will help them to discover that the things we have in common outnumber the things that define our differences.” Blogging has provided solace to communities outside Israel as well. After suffering substantial damage during Hurricane Rita, the Baton Rouge-based Congregation Beth Shalom looked to the blogosphere for respite (http://rabbizamek.blogspot.com). “When the hurricanes hit, we felt the need to get information out regularly,” says the

(Founded in 1920) Joanie Jacobson Chairman Carol Katzman Editor Richard Busse Managing Editor Allan Handleman Advertising Manager Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Managing Editor Barbara Kirkpatrick Bookkeeper Jason Rich Sales & Marketing Intern Jewish Press Committee Howard K. Marcus, Vice-Chairman; Bobbi Leibowitz, Secretary; Scott Meyerson, Finance Chairman; Steve Simon, Treasurer; Fred Tichauer, Immediate Past-chairman; David Herzog; Jamie Meyerson; Stanley Mitchell; George Quittner; Linda Saltzman; Joe Shyken; Michael Siegal; Nancy Skid; Dorothy Spizman; and Melany Weinstine. The role of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to involve Jews in meeting Jewish communal needs locally, nationally and in Israel. Centers of Excellence of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Education, Jewish Family Service, and Jewish Senior Services. The Jewish Press is a constitutional committee of the Jewish Federation.

congregation’s rabbi, Stanton Zamek. “It was a way of not forgetting this history in motion.” In addition to helping his congregants stay connected during a difficult period, the blog attracted significant media buzz. “At first I was saying, ‘who’s going to read my musings about this or that?’” Zamek recalls, laughing. “But something caught the eye of the office of presidential speech writing, and I was invited to the White House Hanukkah party.” The blogosphere is not just a feel-good forum. In many instances, it’s a place for real debate and democratic engagement. “Blogging has saved the Web from its abysmal fate as just another corporate content delivery system,” says Jerusalem blogger Dan Sieradski, 26. “Blogs provide public spaces-and safe spaces at that--for people to discuss what matters most to them.” Sieradski’s Orthodox Anarchist site (www.orthodoxanarchist.com) illustrates his unconventional, off-the-cuff ideology. In one post, he explains that he’s a committed Jew but he strongly opposes authority, religious dogma and nationalism. “My life is exemplified by tensions and contradictions,” Sieradski says. “Orthodox Anarchist is an attempt to embrace those contradictions, and even to try to make sense of them.” In the blogosphere, this type of friction generates attention. The number one thread on Jewlicious (www.jewlicious.com), a group blog focusing on Judaism, Israel and pop culture, addresses premarital sex in the Orthodox community. It pulled in 676 comments. The No. 2 post, with 502 responses, tackles an equally contentious topic--the identity of Conservative Judaism. Oftentimes, noisemakers walk a fine line between healthy debate and mudslinging. “There are definitely blogs where the conversation tends to be acrimonious,” says Barenblat, who recently received anonymous hate mail. “People feel free to be obnoxious Continued on page 9

Editorial The Jewish Press is a Constitutional Committee of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, noon, eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org; send ads (in .TIF or .PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1-402-334-5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org.. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be singlespaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions, but should be printed as soon as possible to ensure timeliness. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For more information, contact Carol Katzman, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly on Friday for $31 per calendar year U.S.; $36 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or e-mail to: jpress@jewishomaha. org.

Nebraska Press Association

National Newspaper Association

January 27, 2006

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

Page 9

Israeli Arab Leaders More Radical than Supporters

BEHIND THE HEADLINES by A. M. GOLDSTEIN English Editor, Div. of External Relations at University of Haifa HAIFA--Israeli Arab leaders are much more radical than their supporters. One result is they remain in perpetual opposition to Israelâ€™s ruling government, unable to gain the support or understanding of the Jewish public, which they need to improve the status of the countryâ€™s Arab minority. These conclusions emerge from a survey of the Israeli Arab public conducted by Prof. Sammy Smooha of the University of Haifa. It is one of this sociologistâ€™s ongoing measures of Jewish-Arab relations. The lack of correspondence between the positions of Arab leaders not connected with the Jewish establishment and Arab voters for Arab parties is striking, Smooha said. For example, he found that whereas 60.2% of the voters for Arab parties agree that Arab citizens need to accept Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, only 18.2% of the non-establishment leaders do. Overwhelmingly these leaders define themselves as anti-

Jewish Surfers Pick Up Blogging Continued from page 8 because itâ€™s just through a computer screen.â€? Fiery language also peppers the Jewlicious site, with posts often descending into vitriolic exchanges. â€œItâ€™s a paradigm for disagreement,â€? Kustanowitz said. â€œI think because of the anonymity and lack of accountability, people tend to not think before they write.â€? One thingâ€™s for sure--this wrangling free-for-all is not the mainstream media. Thatâ€™s because blogs assume a vastly different tone and style than their journalistic counterparts, online communications expert Diane Schiano says. â€œThere is this loose, free-floating, casual, even intimate approach to writing blogs,â€? explains Schiano, an adjunct professor at Stanford University. â€œItâ€™s like teenage angst is being poured out.â€? Dan Gillmor, a Palo Alto-based activist, blogger (http://bayosphere.com/blog/dangillmor) and author on civic journalism, noted that the unregulated atmosphere emboldens the citizen-blogger. Take â€˜Aussie Dave,â€™ the moniker behind Israellycool (www.israellycool.com/blog). His blog acts as a symposium for issues of Israeli politics, pop culture and news. â€œWhen you have people reading you and listening to you, itâ€™s like you have your own little soapbox,â€? the 31-year-old Beit Shemesh resident says. â€œIt empowers the individual.â€? Some claim blogs still act like an insidersâ€™ club, however. â€œThe people who spend time to sit down and write on blogs have very strong opinions,â€? explains Paul Golin, associate executive director of the Jewish Outreach Institute. â€œYou might have unaffiliated lurking on these Web sites, but they donâ€™t feel confident enough to comment.â€? Schiano, for one, predicts a continuously evolving blogosphere. â€œI think there will always be this room for grassroots voices on the net,â€? she says.

Zionist (85.7%), but most of their voters do not (only 32% do). Asked whether Palestinian refugees should receive appropriate compensation and in return be allowed to return to a Palestinian state, only 22.4% of the leaders, versus 65.4% of the voters agreed to the proposition. The leadersâ€™ radicalism also manifests itself in attitudes toward illegal demonstrations. This means of struggle received the support of 34.7% of the leaders, but merely 7.3% of their supporters.

...these leaders define themselves as anti-Zionist (85.7%), but most of their voters do not (only 32% do). The general Arab community largely--82.1%--believes that with the settlement of the Palestinian question, all the claims of each side and the conflict will come to an end. Less than half the non-establishment Israeli Arab leadership believes this--44.9%. Apparently, Smooha commented, Israeli Arab leaders think that the Palestinians will be ill-satisfied with any agreement and there will be no end to the conflict. The survey was based on 700 face-to-face interviews with the Arab public, as well as with 85 Arab public fig-

ures, 49 of whom operate outside the Jewish establishment. â€œIf the positions of the non-establishment leadership are more radical than those of voters for Arab parties, they are all the more radical than the more moderate stands taken by Arab voters for Jewish parties,â€? Smooha claims. By not being partners to decision-making and management of the State, he continues, â€œtheir distancing from responsibility enables them to preserve ideological purity. They do not have to be flexible or compromise.â€? At the same, he notes, they â€œcannot give real solutions to their supporters and so are forced to make do with marketing ideas in order to gain public support.â€? The growing competition among Arab leaders for the Arab publicâ€™s support, Smooha believes, constitutes a lever for the escalation of positions. â€œAll they have to give their public is protest, criticism of the government, support of the Palestinian people, and demands for changes in policy and the regime. There are no appointments (to office), no budgets, no changes in policy or other resources.â€? The University of Haifa sociologist concludes that coopting Arabs into the government may contribute to a closing of the gap in positions between Israeli Arabs and Jews.

Jewishness in America and Americanness in Israel

JOURNAL ENTRY FROM ISRAEL by TEDDY WEINBERGER America is still very much a country of immigrants. Indeed, 2004 Census statistics show that 12% of Americans are foreign born; this is a huge increase from 1970 (4.7% foreign born) and rivals the 1920 figure of 13.2%. But thereâ€™s nothing like actually being an immigrant yourself to make it clear to you that you are living in a country of immigrants. In Israel, I experience the ancient Jewish dream of the ingathering of the exiles most forcefully when I am in a situation where I am faced with a non-English speaking immigrant to Israel and our only common language is Hebrew. I play tennis with Zvi, an immigrant from Russia. Eva, my dental hygienist, emigrated from France. Tamarat, who takes my money at the parking lot at the shuk, comes from Ethiopia. Lily, my colleague Joelâ€™s wife, is a native of Argentina. Jacques, my barber, was born in Morocco. I like it that I am living in a country where my Jewishness is the core, as it is with most of my fellow immigrants, no matter where they are from, and it is my otherness as an American that makes me stand out. This is such a wonderful change for me from life in America, where it was my Jewishness that made me stand out. My Jewishness is a key part of who I am, and it felt inauthentic for me to live in a country where to be Jewish is to be â€œother.â€? When I connect with a fellow Israeli Jew, no matter where they were born or where their parents or grandparents are from, I am connecting through something basic to me. In America, Americanness did not seem like

much of a bind (religion, much more so; indeed, several of my close American friends are religious Christians). My Jewishness in America connected me of course with other American Jews, but the connection of Jewishness in the Jewish state is a much more powerful feeling for me. I experience it as being part of something so much bigger than me. It seems fair and logical that I stand out as an American, as Iâ€™ve written in many of my columns: I speak Hebrew with an accent; I eat breakfast (as opposed to the 10 a.m. meal); I coach baseball, and I have this crazy (according to my children) notion that you donâ€™t stay out late on a â€œschool night.â€? These things do mark me as American. Yet I am proud to come from America and so I donâ€™t find standing out as an American to be bothersome. I feel that my Americanisms can enhance this place and I hope my fellow immigrants do the same with customs and traits from their countries of origin. But hereâ€™s a key question: Why in Israel can I be proud of my â€œothernessâ€? as an American, but when I lived in America I was bothered by my otherness as a Jew? I think the reason lies with the fact that according to what I learned growing up, I really shouldnâ€™t have stood out as a Jew in America. My very sense of otherness in America felt un-American. Theoretically oneâ€™s religious beliefs and practices ought to having nothing to do with oneâ€™s experience of Americanness. Thereâ€™s no law, for example, that says that a person who keeps Shabbat and keeps kosher needs to feel strange in America, but I did. In Israel, I have the best of both worlds: I share my core identity with the majority of my countryâ€™s residents, and my particular immigrant identity is something of a status symbol. So Iâ€™m staying put. Teddy Weinberger and his wife, former Omahan Sara Ross, live in Givat Zeâ€™ev. He can be reached at weinross@netvision.net.il.

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Page 10

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 27, 2006

Candlelighting Friday, Jan. 27, 5:16 p.m.

Synagogue Listings

B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

B’nai Israel Synagogue

FRIDAY: Services followed by Oneg, 7:30 p.m.

618 Mynster St. Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com

Beth El Synagogue Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Omaha, NE 68154-1980 492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org

Beth Israel Synagogue Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific St. Omaha, NE. 68154 556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org

Beyt Shalom An Affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation 3012 S. 119 St. P.O. Box 390352 Omaha, NE 68139 660.2395 www.beytshalomomaha.org

Chabad House An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 S. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68144-1646 330.1800 nebraskajudaism.com email: chabad@aol.com

Congregation B’nai Jeshurun South Street Temple Union for Reform Judaism 2061 S. 20th St. Lincoln, NE 68502-2797 435.8004 southstreettemple.org

Offutt Air Force Base SAC Memorial Chapel 301 Lincoln Highway Offutt AFB, NE 68113 294.6244

Rose Blumkin Jewish Home 333 S. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154

Temple Israel Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556.6536 templeisrael-ne.org

The Neighborhood Minyan 1317 No. 57 St. Omaha, NE 68132 551.6609

Tifereth Israel Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 423.8569 www.tiferethlincoln.org

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Allan Handleman, 334.6451 or Terri Greenwood, 334.6559.

BETH EL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6 p.m. in the chapel; Tot Shabbat and Dinner, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; no junior congregation, but Katantan is 10:30 a.m.; kiddush is sponsored by Beth El; Evening Service, 5:20 p.m. SUNDAY: Bible Discussion Group, 10 a.m.; Living Hebrew, 10 a.m.; Adult B’nai Mitzvah class, 10 a.m.; Jewish Pot Pourri Class, 11 a.m.; and From Your Heart to God’s Ears, 11 a.m. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sunday, 9 a.m./5:30 p.m.; Weekdays, 6:55 a.m./5:30 p.m. PATTER: Wednesdays, 10:30 -11:45 a.m. led by Helen Epstein THURSDAY, noon: Discovering the Talmud: Lessons for Everyday Living, with Rabbi Levin. NASHIR CHOIR: On Sundays, 10-11 a.m. There will be no BESTT classes on Sunday, Jan. 29 for sixth and seventh graders due to this weekend’s shabbaton. WOMEN’S ROSH HODESH GROUP: Monday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m., at the home of Sylvia Wagner, 1349 So. 101 St., to discuss “What Makes a Good Jew?” Susan Paley will serve as cohost. To RSVP, contact Wagner at 392.0600, or via e-mail at sy@lady8.com. SATURDAY TOT SHABBAT & LUNCH: Feb. 4, 1111:45 a.m., led by Esther Katz. (See article on page 2.) THE BLESSING OF GOOD PARENTING: Based on the book, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, designed to help parents raise self-reliant Jewish children on Sundays, 10-11 a.m.: Feb. 5, 12, 26, and March 5, 19, 26. Cost is $18, plus $7 to purchase the book; reservations may be made by contacting the BESTT office at 498.0904, or at eddir@bethel-omaha.org. WHAT’S JEWISH ABOUT WINTER: On Sunday, Feb. 5,

noon-2 p.m., join Helen Epstein and find out “What’s Jewish About Winter?” a day of activities for parents and children ages 2-6 years old. Cost: $5 per person (includes lunch). WORLD WIDE WRAP: On Sunday, Feb. 5, 9 a.m. (See full article on this page.) SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE WEEKEND: Feb. 1012, Adolfo Roitman, curator of the Shrine of the Book. (See full article on page 2.)

BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Office Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fridays, 8:30 a.m-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 5 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Free Babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation, 10:30 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by Dani and Leon Shrago in honor of their new granddaughter, Ahuva Gitt, daughter of Shifra and Mordechai Gitt, and in congratulations to Ahuva’s big sister and big brother, Meira and Moshe; Mincha, 5 p.m.; Havdalah, 6:20 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m; Contact the office for Mincha/Ma’ariv time. THURSDAY: Lecture Series, 7:30 p.m. discussion on “What is Aggadah” led by Rabbi Gross.

MONDAY: Halacha, 7 p.m. TUESDAY: Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. WEDNESDAY: Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m. THURSDAY: Jewish Thought, 12:45 p.m.; Torah Tots (ages 35), 4:15 p.m. For information about programs or to register for classes, call the office or visit: www.nebraska-judaism.com.

CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Services conducted by Rabbi Ilan Emanuel. FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m., led by Rabbi Emanuel, with oneg provided by Nate Krug. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. all led by Rabbi Emanuel. SUNDAY: Grades 2-7 and Hallah High, 9:30 a.m.-noon, at Tifereth Israel; K-1 is 9:45 a.m.12:15 p.m. at B’nai Jeshurun; Purim Spiel Rehearsal, 1-3 p.m.; Winter Lecture Series, 7 p.m. at Unitarain Church, 6300 ‘A’ St.; the topic is “The WWII era in China” with Suping Lu. ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAYS, 7 p.m. Intro to Judaism, led by Rabbi Emanuel. WEDNESDAY: Hebrew class (grades 2-7), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel.

BEYT SHALOM FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 7:30 p.m.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.

CHABAD HOUSE

ROSE BLUMKIN Services conducted by Rabbi JEWISH HOME

Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Services, 7 a.m.; Ima & Me, 10–11:30 a.m. SATURDAY: Maamar class, 9 a.m.; Service, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush luncheon follows the service. SUNDAY: Services, 8:30 a.m.; Torah Studies, 10-11:30 a.m. The Exodus Series, a 10-week course exploring themes of leadership, liberty, law, and growth; Chabad Cheder and Aleph Champions (K-6), 10 a.m.-noon. WEEKDAYS: Minyan, 7 a.m.

Beth El Invites You to the Ultimate ‘Wrap’ Session by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Wrappers (tefillin, that is) unite! On Sunday, Feb. 5, 9 a.m., Beth El will participate in the annual World-Wide Wrap, sponsored by the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs. This event will bring Jews together from across the globe to learn about and wrap tefillin, offering men and women a wonderful opportunity to gain a new understanding about this important mitzvah. During the morning, Rabbi Mordechai Levin will make a presentation, explaining the history and significance of laying tefillin. The entire community is invited to participate in this symbolic and meaningful exercise, and for those who have never wrapped tefillin but would like to learn how, plenty of volunteers will be on hand to assist first-timers. For those needing their tefillin repaired or to buy tefillin, please contact Men’s Club President Harry Weiner at 397.8028, or hkmweiner@cox.net; or Ben Shapiro at 934.4341, or b.f.shapiro@cox.net. Wrap yourself in the words and spirit of holiness to experience the World-Wide Wrap!

SATURDAY: Shabbat Services, 9 a.m., led by Marty Shukert.

TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Grade Three Shabbat Service and Dinner, 6 p.m.; Rabbi Marantz, Cantor Shermet and Rita Paskowitz will officiate. SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15-10:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. Joshua Moran, son of Miriam and Don Moran, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah; Shabbaton for Justice, 9:15 a.m-3 p.m. at

Red Cross office on 80th and Center. Focus on Poverty with Jane Wishner, the chair of Social Action for the Union for Reform Judaism. SUNDAY: Religious School (K6), 10 a.m.-noon. TUESDAY, Jan 31: Family School and Dinner, 5:30 WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25: Religious School, 4-6, 4 p.m.; Middle/High School, 7-12, 6:30 p.m. ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAY, Jan. 29, 10 a.m.: Love and Logic, led by Karen Gustafson. To register, contact Rosie Zweiback at Temple or rzweiback@ templeisraelomaha.com; Beyond the Aleph Bet, 10:15 a.m., lead by Colleen Kennealy; at 2 p.m.: Lets Talk About It: A Mind of Her Own: Fathers and Daughters in a Changing World--Temple cosponsors a five-book series discussion with the Council Bluffs Public Library--the first features Tevye the Dairyman by Sholem Aleichem at the CB Library. Email lfriesner@cb-pl.lib.ia.us for more information. WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1, 7 p.m.: Bad Girls of the Bible with Guy Matalon. THURSDAY, Feb. 2: “Adult Study with the Clergy” with Cantor Shermet, 10-11:30 a.m.

NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN FRIDAY: Minyan, 5 p.m. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.

TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Rabbi Royi Shaffin. Minyan, MONDAY & THURSDAY, 7 a.m., followed by breakfast. FRIDAY: Services, 6:30 p.m. with a Shabbat dinner following. SATURDAY: Parashat Hashavu’a class, 8:30 a.m.; Morning service, 9:30 a.m. followed by Shabbat lunch and Talmud class. WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group will meet at the Knolls, at 12:30 p.m. Contact Yale Gotsdiner at 423.7066. WEDNESDAY: Hebrew class (grades 2-7), 4-6 p.m.

Jews and Scouting: Celebrating 90 Years in the Midlands by SANDY PASSER Co-chairman of the Jewish Committee on Scouting This year marks the 90th Anniversary of Mid-America Council, Boy Scouts of America. Currently 33,000 plus youth and 10,000 adult volunteers make up the Mid-America Council. Feb. 5-11 has been designated as Scout Anniversary week and all Scouts and volunteers are encouraged to wear their uniforms throughout the week and to their house of worship. Scout Sabbath is an important part of the Scouting program and will be celebrated at Beth El on Saturday, Feb. 4, 9:30 a.m. All Jewish Scouts and their families are invited to attend. Wear your Class ‘A’ uniforms; we’ll sit together at services. Other anniversary activities include “Faith Fest 2006” (formerly called Duty to God) honoring Scouts and adults for earning a religious award during the past year. There is no charge to attend the event at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 5419 No. 114 St., on Saturday, Feb. 11, 1 p.m. The “Ten Commandments Hike” will be held Saturday, Feb. 4, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., in Bellevue. More information may be found on the council website at www.macbsa.org or by calling the council office at 402.431.9BSA.

January 27, 2006

DEATHS STEPHEN H. SIMON Continued from page 1 of Vice-president and General Manager of Omaha Steaks. Originally called Table Supply, the company was started by the brothersâ€™ great-grandfather, J.J. Simon and his son, B.A. in 1917. When B.A.â€™s son, Lester, joined the company some years later, it began supplying the Union Pacific Railroadâ€™s dining and private cars travelling to the west coast. In an interview in the Passover issue of the Jewish Press in 2000, Steve Simon recalled that his older brother Alan would go down to the packing houses in South Omaha, while he and Fred drove the delivery truck to Omaha restaurants and hotels. When asked about working on the cutting line, he laughed and replied, â€œWhat cutting line? There were only 20 of us in the whole place!â€? By 1952, Steveâ€™s father, Lester (who was just inducted posthumously into the Omaha Chamber of Commerceâ€™s Business Hall of Fame) realized the potential of selling directly to the public. By 1961, when Steve joined the company after graduating college, Omaha Table Meat Supply was on the verge of expansion. It was still a local company until Frank Morrison, then Governor of Nebraska, sent the other state governors Table Supply steaks; he also sent some to President John F. Kennedy. After supplying meats to the American team at the Culinary Olympics, the companyâ€™s reputation became international and it began supplying the airlines, the White House, the Pentagon and other prestigious venues. That lead to the move to a new plant on South 96 St. and the name change to Omaha Steaks. More expansion followed, including computerization, retail outlets, telemarketing, e-mail and website marketing and the opening of their corporate offices, test kitchens, sales and marketing buildings on John Galt Boulevard. Their local 20-man company has grown today to the nationâ€™s largest direct-response purveyor of gourmet meats and employs close to 2000 people. As Press Chairman Joanie Jacobson said in the Oct. 14, 2005, Jewish Press announcing the Simon family as recipients of the Humanitarians of the Year Award, â€œThe Simons are creative businessmen who have put their business acumen to good use in the Jewish community and beyond.â€? She added, â€œWe will miss Steveâ€™s generosity--not just his financial generosity, but his generosity of spirit. He was a great friend to the Press, offering his advice and his creative ideas, all with his own sense of humor and inimitable style.â€? He is survived by his wife, Kathryn Simon; daughter and son-in-law, Leslie and Curt Myers of New York City; sons and daughters-in-law, Jim and Kim Simon, and Dan and Katherine Simon of Los Angeles; six grandchildren, Drew and Evan Myers of New York City, Gabbie, Maddie, Charlotte and David Simon; brothers

and sisters-in-law, Alan and Anne Simon and Fred and Eve Simon; and mother-in-law, Jean Weil. Memorials to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. LOIS BERNSTIEN Former Omahan Lois Wintroub Bernstien died Jan. 8 in Dallas, TX, from complications of Multiple Sclerosis. Services were held Jan. 10 at Beth El Cemetery. A longtime volunteer for Beth El and the Omaha Public Library, she moved to Dallas in 2000 after the death of her husband of 53 years, Gerald Bernstien. She is survived by sons and daughters-in-law, Dr. Mark and Lynne Bernstien and Bruce and Patti Bernstien; daughter and son-in-law, Paula and Norman Feldman; grandchildren, Aaron, Joel and Megan Bernstien, William and Natalie Bernstien, Hannah and Diane Feldman, all of Dallas; brother and sister-in-law, Leon and Sally Wintroub; sister, Estelle Wintroub Harris of Los Angeles, CA. Memorials to the Donna Epstein Fund at Beth El. SPENCER B. GILBERT Spencer B. Gilbert, MD, died Jan. 21 in Yorba Linda, CA, from acute leukemia. He was 64. Services were held at Mount Sinai in Simi Valley on Jan. 23. He graduated from Bradley University and the Chicago Medical School and served as a captain in the U.S. Army. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Donna Kaiman Gilbert, children, Dr. Sam and Michelle Gilbert of Kennesaw, GA, Dr. Jerry and Helen Gilbert of Austin, TX, Stacy and Todd Gilbert and Daniel and Marit Gilbert of Los Angeles, CA, Dr. Julie and Dr. Eli Ohayon and David and Melissa Gilbert of San Diego, CA; and nine grandchildren. Memorials to Ida and Sam Kaiman Endowment Fund at Temple Israel.

âœĄâœĄâœĄâœĄ To Submit an Obituary Notice: Send full name, age, date of death, location of service and burial site, as well as other pertinent information to the Jewish Press via e-mail: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org; fax, 402.4.5422; or mail, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68114. Obituaries--as well as engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies, and births--also can be submitted at the Jewish Federationâ€™s website. Just go to: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press and click on â€œSubmit Announcements.â€?

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Yael. â€œBad Boys of the Bibleâ€? will center on learning more about Samson, Korah, Pinhas, David, and Jonah. Dr. Guy Matalon, facilitator for both courses, denotes their importance by saying â€œThe Bible contains stories that are quite complicated. The characters are not one dimensional and are much more complex personalities than we realize. We tend to judge the characters based on our moral assumptions as opposed to taking them at their face value. The point of these courses is to reevaluate our notions of bad, good, hero, villain. A fresh perspective of the foundational stories of our religious tradition forces us to examine our values and beliefs.â€? The first series will be held at Temple Israel Wednesday evenings in Feb., 7-8 p.m. The second series is at Beth El on Wednesday evenings in March, 7-8 p.m. The cost of each is $18 and registration is required. To register or if you have any questions, contact Mary Sue Grossman at 334.6445 or e-mail: mgrossman@jewishomaha.org. 7202552: ,6 7+( ),567 '$< 2) 7+( 5(67 2) <285 /,)( KRZ ZLOO \RX VSHQG LW"

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Statewide Classified ADVERTISE STATEWIDE for $195/25 word classified ad. Over 170 newspapers with circulation of more than 350,000. Contact the Jewish Press at 334-6448 or call 1-800369-2850. GUN SHOW Jan. 28-29. Modern & Muzzle loading Gun Show & Trade Fair. Ag Hall at State Fair Park, Lincoln, NE. Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-4. Admission $3.00. ATTEND THE Nebraska Agri-Business Exposition! February 1-2, 2006, Omaha Quest Center, Wed. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Thurs. 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Large agricultural trade show with: application equipment, fertilizers & ag-chemicals, grains, feeds & seeds, trailers, tanks & much more! Visit www.na-ba.com for more information. Register on-line, call 402-476-1528 for a registration packet, or register on site. BANKRUPTCY: FAST relief from creditors. Statewide filing. Affordable rates. Call Steffens Law Office, 308-872-8327. We are a debt relief agency, which helps people file bankruptcy under the bankruptcy code. ALL CASH candy route. Do you earn $800 in a day? Your own local candy route. Includes 30 machines and candy all for $9,995. 1-888-755-1356. HOT TUB buyers: Buy direct from manufacturer, save $1,500 to $2,000. 30 models $2,495 to $5,995, free video and price list. 1-800-869-0406. Good Life Spas, 2645 â€œOâ€? Street, Lincoln, NE 68510. USED POOL tables for sale. Over 200 tables starting at $495. 7â€™, 8â€™, 9â€™ pocket tables and 10â€™ snooker tables. Call today 402-326-1227. CABINETS/WINDOWS. Best prices on good quality cabinets - in stock or order and high quality Minnkota vinyl windows. Ram Cabinet Warehouse, 447 N. 66th Street, Lincoln. 402-464-1300. www.abramcabinets.com. 25 WISCONSIN Holstein calves, Holstein heifers, 1 week old, $270 each. 25 Holstein bulls, 1 week old, $160 each. Delivered to you on approval. Bill or Dan Nolan. 43 years in business. 715-758-8484, 715-858-8326. IRRIGATION TECHNICIAN: Zimmatic/Case IH dealership needs irrigation technician. Experience required. Competitive wages, great benefit package. Resume to: Fairbanks International, PO Box 571, Lexington, NE 68850. FRIESEN CHEVROLET in Sutton, Nebraska, seeks a Service Manager. Benefits are available. If interested, call 402-773-5538 and ask to speak with Jason. BECOME A mystery shopper! GAPbuster is currently recruiting mystery shoppers. Get paid to shop and improve customer service. Apply now at: www.gapbuster.com/xec. GROWING JOHN Deere, Bobcat dealership needs experienced service technicians. Hunting, fishing, skiing area, competitive salary, commission and benefits. Craig, CO. Call Tim 970-824-6163, fax 970-824-6344. DETENTION OFFICER: Phoenix, Arizona. Maricopa County Sheriffâ€™s Office. $14.99 per hour. Excellent benefits. No experience necessary. Contact 602-307-5245, 1-877352-6276 or www.mcso.org. 350+ vacancies, including civilian.

Bad Girls and Boys? Not in Our Bible! by ZACH PERELMAN for The Center for Jewish Education Growing up as Jewish children, attending Hebrew school, and frequenting services at synagogue, many of us had the opportunity to fancy ourselves with the stories and teachings found in the Tanakh. Enamored by parted seas, poetic prophets, and underdogs slaying giants, many of the rudimentary dramas of this ancient saga have taken on the quality of being lucid lessons framing clear-cut moral posterity. Captivated in a tale seemingly older than time itself, the figures of the Bible have often become static icons of good or evil, justice or travesty. Though in reality, very little in life is black and white, and in this truth, the Bible is hardly exempt. The Center for Jewish Education will sponsor an upcoming two-part series focusing on the more colorful --and very human--personalities in Jewish history. The first, â€œBad Girls of the Bibleâ€?, will focus on Eve, Rebecca, Shoshana from the Songs of Songs, Tamar and

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Page 12

Jewish Press, Omaha, NE

January 27, 2006

Beth El to Co-Sponsor CommunityWide Tu B’Shevat Celebration at Lauritzen Gardens brate the holiday which reminds us of our connection to earth,” said Beth El’s Rabbi Mordechai Levin. “In this era of global environmental threats, Tu B’Shevat reminds us how fragile and complex our ecosystem really is. Judaism sees nature as a product of the Divine. We are the custodians of the earth, and we are commanded to respect and care for our world.” Beth El’s Cantor Gastón Bogomolni will lead the afternoon’s festivities, which will include tours of four stations representing the four seasons. At each station, plants indigenous to Israel will be on display, a song will be sung, a poem will be read and fruits and nuts of that particular season will be tasted. In addition, Israeli dancing is scheduled in the great hall at 2:30 p.m., and free children’s craft activities will be available in the classrooms. Bringing the celebration of Tu B’Shevat to the general community carries great significance, said Cantor Bogomolni, who led a similar event several years ago in Valencia, Spain. “I believe that Tu B’Shevat carries a universal message Cantor Gastón Bogomolni shows off his green thumb as he about ecology,” he said. prepares for Beth El’s upcoming community-wide Tu “The fact that we celebrate B’Shevat celebration at Lauritzen Gardens. the birthday of the trees and Tu B’Shevat marks the beginning of honor the plants is definitely a global spring in Israel, and is also known as the message that affects everyone, and there New Year for Trees. This holiday, during should not be discrepancies of faith when which the gifts of nature are celebrated, is it comes to taking care of our green the perfect time to remember the impor- world. Admission during this special commutance of the preservation of nature, discuss questions of ecology and the spirit of nity-wide event is free, underwritten by a donor; all activities and crafts have been living in cooperation with the world. “This will be such a nice way to cele- underwritten by Beth El.

by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Beth El Synagogue and Lauritzen Gardens will co-sponsor a special community-wide Tu B’Shevat family celebration on Sunday, Feb. 12, 1:30-3 p.m. at the Gardens’ visitor and education center, located at 100 Bancroft St.

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activity the three weren’t able to enjoy in their New Orleans neighborhood, because tree roots disrupted sidewalks so that walking on them wasn’t entirely safe. Arons and her sister, Omaha resident Jean Marshall, attended a recent Young Energetic Seniors (Y.E.S.) luncheon at the Jewish Community Center. Once the weather improves, Arons hopes to learn to play mah jongg. She’s looking forward to growing plants again in the spring, although Nebraska’s arid climate will require a different approach than gardening in humid New Orleans. Recently, Arons received a settlement from FEMA for the value of her house and its contents. She’s gradually adding the touches to her condo that make a house a home and planning to pay back the agencies that provided cash assistance when she needed it, so the money will be available to others who need it. “This was meant to be and that is all there is to it,” says Arons. “I am so grateful for all that everyone has done for me.”

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New Orleans Transplant Continued from page 1 The Lifeline network that served Arons in New Orleans doesn’t have service available in Omaha, so Jewish Senior Services put her in touch with a local provider. Because the thought of shopping for groceries and preparing regular meals was overwhelming at first, Arons purchased Meals on Wheels through Jewish Senior Services for several weeks. But now she’s back into the routine of cooking for herself again. She’s made several new friends, whose occasional company she enjoys. She located her favorite former neighbors and friends by sending letters to their former addresses. The Post Office forwarded her letters, and Arons now corresponds with old friends at their new homes in Texas and Mississippi. She has a new doctor, a new veterinarian for Penny and Pierre, and the first heavy coat and boots she’s needed since her youth in upstate New York. In good weather, Arons takes Penny and Pierre for walks in their new neighborhood with its new sidewalks. It’s an

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