Vol. LXXXV No. 26 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 85 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
10 Adar, 5766 March 10, 2006
Stacey Rockman Shares her Vision of Partnership with Israel
ADL’s Wolfson Takes New Position in NY; 18-Year Veteran to Leave This Summer
by LISA LIEB Federation Communications Specialist Partnership with Israel has a mission…to forge people-to-people relationships between our Jewish community and Israel. In Omaha, Stacey Rockman, Partnership Chairman, is the driving force behind this mission. Jan Goldstein, Federation Executive Director, has found Stacey to be a wonderful choice to chair this program. She is thrilled with Stacey’s passion and leadership. “Stacey Rockman has been a lifeblood to Partnership with Israel, essential in bringing it down to the local level. She understands that Partnership is as good for us as it is for our partners in Israel, and she has been able to articulate her vision and create an action plan. What Stacey is doing is so important because Partnership is redefining how Omaha Jews relate to Israel.” What is Rockman’s vision? For Partnership with Israel to be the vehicle which brings us all together. “We now have the vehicle to give everyone the opportunity to get involved. With commitment from each of our agencies and synagogues, the entire Omaha Jewish community is now able to do so,” she explains. “Partnership isn’t just for those who are able to visit Israel. It’s about making connections any way we can.” Continued on page 2
terrorism and terrorist by CAROL KATZMAN groups. Though many of his Editor of the Jewish Press conversations are behind He’s a fixture in the community: consultclosed doors, the results ing on hate groups, leading weekly discushave led to a better undersions on Israel, and creating projects and standing of these threats. programs that have left a lasting impact. Among his many accomNow Bob Wolfson is leaving Omaha to plishments, Wolfson shepbecome become the Associate National herded the growth of the Director/Director of the Regional Elimination “Prejudice Operations for the Anti-Defamation League Workshop,” bringing hunin New York City. He will continue to dreds of high school stureturn to Omaha, however, and what was dents throughout Omaha originally planned as an 18th anniversary together annually. celebration on Aug. 17, will now become an Hundreds more young official farewell as well. people have visited the “Bob Wolfson has been an exceptional United States Holocaust leader in his region and among his colMemorial Museum on leagues in the trenches,” said Abe Foxman, ADL’s annual Youth National Director of the ADL. “He brings Leadership to Washington unparalleled field experience and a deep and, under his leadership, understanding of the challenges and opporI. Robert Wolfson the nationally-renowned “A tunities our communities face every day to World of Difference” program was introduced. our national office.” The Institute for Holocaust Education, which Wolfson Wolfson has served as regional director in ADL’s Plains States office in Omaha since May of 1988. founded with grant funding, has become a premier Motivated by childhood experiences as a target of big- resource in the Midwest. Under Wolfson’s tutelage, otry and by his dedication to tikkun olam--the Jewish Institute Director Beth Seldin Dotan has trained and commandment to repair the world--Wolfson served as touched countless numbers of students, teachers and an administrative law judge and commissioner for the civic groups by using the lens and lessons of the Nebraska Equal Opportunities Commission. He is a Holocaust to teach about the consequences to society graduate of Columbia University in New York, attended when hate goes unchecked. Last May, the Institute organized a group of 14-the Jewish Theological Seminary and earned a JD from including a Lincoln history teacher--to participate in the Creighton University School of Law. Since joining the ADL as Plains States Regional 18th anniversary of the March of the Living in Poland. A few months later, ADL partnered with the Director 18 years ago, Wolfson’s work has impacted Archdiocese of Omaha to host the nationally acclaimed every segment of the community. Working closely with the law enforcement communi- Holocaust education program, “Bearing Witness.” ty, he has trained officials on all levels and been instru- Through the Catholic Schools Office, 21 educators mental in monitoring and exposing racial and religious from Omaha and one from Denver came here to learn extremists throughout the region. He has been a leading techniques that bring Catholics and Jews into a safe voice in the passage and enforcement of hate crimes leg- environment for open and honest dialog, noted Dotan. And the ADL’s annual essay contest on heroism, islation earning him the respect of elected officials in which began in 2001 with the “Tribute to the Danes” three states and in Washington. Following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, local law project, attracted nearly 700 submissions this year-enforcement looked to Wolfson for information about Continued on page 2
Partnership with Israel Chairman in Omaha, Stacey Rockman welcomes Ethiopians to their new home in Israel.
THE NEXT GENERATION IN BUSINESS
A Straight Shooter by JOAN K. MARCUS Special to the Jewish Press (Editor’s note: This profile of native Omahan Jon Meyers opens a new series in the Jewish Press: “The Next Generation in Business.” Covering a range of businesses and industries, future stories will look at why Omahans have returned to run their family’s business or start new enterprises. Some of those profiled are still in their 20s, having returned after college; others spent some time out of town, perfecting their skills to use in Omaha. As Meyers’ buiness-Nebraska Warehouses--which he runs with his cousin, Bruce Meyers, offers storage to local homeowners and businesses, it seemed appropriate to open this new series in our Home & Garden issue! Future profiles will appear as space permits.) Jon Meyers never thought of living anywhere but the Midwest. Even as a college student, he wanted to live in Omaha--or
Inside Opinion Page see page 16
maybe Kansas City. One thing he never dreamed about was being President of Temple Israel. Some might even say, he was a most unlikely candidate. Born in Omaha in 1958 to Sue and Dave Meyers, he is a product of the District 66 school system; his best buddy was Bob Cassman. “We played football, played in the ditches, played baseball, rode our bikes and got into mischief,” he said, noting that the pair egged and TPed houses and “just did kid stuff.” The Waldbaums lived four houses from the Meyers’ and the families spent a lot of time together. “Jon Waldbaum and I hung out, too,” he said. “We went to Sunday school at Temple together, but my recollections from my teenage years were more of ‘how to NOT show up there.’” The two are still close today. Meyers’ recollections of his bar mitzvah convinced him that he wasn’t “Jewishly oriented.” However, he says his parents
Omaha native Jon Meyers relaxes in his office at Nebraska Warehouses.
This Week: Home & Garden Special Issue Starts on Page 11 Film Watermarks Coming to Omaha Jewish Film Festival: Page 3
Part III of Falsh Mura’s Fate and Story of Life in Ethiopian Hills: Pages 6-7
taught him Jewish values. “Our family has always been very philanthropic and giving. We were taught to give of our time to Jewish organizations and our money when we can. We were told there were Jewish values in everything we did-even if we didn’t go to the synagogue every week.” He grew up watching his parents set examples. They encouraged him to be a good student at Westside High School. Even as a youngster, his work ethic showed. When he was 12-years-old, he saved enough money to buy a lawnmower so he could go into business for himself. Although his parents never denied him spending money, Meyers said, “If I went out and earned my own money, I could spend it the way I wanted. My mother couldn’t tell me how or where or when.” Although he describes himself as “happy-go-lucky,” Meyers has memories Continued on page 12
Next Month: Passover Issue on April 7 Crossword Puzzle Israel ‘s Winter Turns to Spring: Page 14
Building Israel and Being Built By It: Page 20
Page 2
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 10, 2006
Partnership with Israel
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS FRIDAY, MARCH 10 CDC Purim Parade in the JCC Gym, 9 a.m. Temple Israel Shabbat Comes to You, 4 p.m. SATURDAY, MARCH 11 Adult B’nai Mitzvah Ceremony, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El BBYO Chaim Weizmann Sweetheart Dance, 7 p.m. C SUNDAY, MARCH 12 L I Nashir Choir, 10 a.m. at Beth El P Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El USY Purim Carnival, 11:30 a.m. at Beth El & Purim Carnival, noon at Temple Israel Adult Education, 3 p.m. at Temple Israel S ARTZA Kickoff, 5 p.m. at JCC
C L I P &
A MONDAY, MARCH 13 V E Purim Megillah Reading, 6 p.m. at Chabad House Yachad, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel for Purim Purim Family Dinner & Service, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel Megillah Reading & Dinner, 6 p.m. at Beth Israel Megillah Reading, 7 p.m. at Beth El Derech Torah Class, 7:30 p.m.
S A V E
TUESDAY, MARCH 14 Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m. at Chabad Cirque De Purim, 5 p.m. at Chabad House Purim Seudah & Dinner, 5:30 p.m. at Beth Israel BBYO Night, 6 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15 C PATTER, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El L Rabbis and Presidents Meeting, 11:30 a.m. I Bad Boys of the Bible, 7 p.m. P THURSDAY, MARCH 16 & Walk-in Drop-in, 10 a.m. Adult Education, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel S Rabbi Levin Study Class, noon at Beth El A Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. V Book Discussion Group, 1 p.m. at Kripke Library E Executive Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m. at Friedel Board of Directors Meeting, 7 p.m. at Friedel All events held at the JCC unless otherwise indicated. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of events. To keep calendar accurate or for questions, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437. FOR A COMPLETE LISTING, VISIT THE FEDERATION’S WEBSITE: www.JewishOmaha.org (click on calendar)
C L I P & S A V E
Continued from page 1 the twinning program. “Ultimately it’s about building a There are several different partnership programs world in which the students and teachers view each other between the United States and Israel. The Omaha with respect and tolerance, and about building a culture of Jewish community is part of a 14-city central area con- peace between Israel and the United States,” she says. sortium with Israel’s Western Galilee. Partnership proOne project involves Ariot, the social studies stuffed grams are designed to build Jewish identity in the lion. Ariot travels around the U.S. and Israel with the United States and Israel, and to strengthen ties and con- children, taking pictures and keeping a journal. Ariot has nections. The different programming tiers of already visited Haifa and other places in Israel, with Partnership include education, community, arts, medical hopes of visiting a Kibbutz on a future trip. The children and regional development. have also exchanged pictures and autobiographies and The benefits to the people of the Western Galilee can send e-mails to each other. Region are immeasurable. Katskee plans to continue and expand the twinning For example, Hafouch al Hafouch are information and program. “We hope our students will form lifelong concounseling centers funded entirely by Partnership. These nections, so when they have the opportunity to go to centers provide a warm and safe setting for youth in dis- Israel, they’ll be able to visit people they know. We want tress, where kids can talk with peers, professionals and them to know Jews can be found the world over and to volunteers. In the past few years, these centers have pro- feel a strong connection with Israel.” vided counseling and assistance for well over 100,000 Peled came to visit Omaha recently, to continue his teenage boys and girls. efforts on both the higher education and twinning proPartnership’s regional development efforts have gone grams. He feels very strongly about the importance of towards developing the marketplace in the Old City of these programs. “Internal assimilation is very problemAkko, in addition to creating atic in Israel,” he said. “Our new tourist niches to generate young are moving away, to tourism and growth in the where it is easier, safer. region. This continued develWe’ve gotten ourselves a opment effort is essential. country, but now we’re letGoldstein states it simply. ting it slip away.” “We need to settle people in While he’s been on several this region. We can’t hold the productive trips to Omaha land if the Jews aren’t there, over the past few years, this and economic development is trip has been special to a vital component.” Yehuda due to Rockman’s Partnership greatly beneleadership. Peled recognizes fits communities here as well Omaha as one of the as in Israel. The Emergency Yehuda Peled, Partnership with Israel’s Education stronger partnership cities. Response Group (ERG) Coordinator, visits with students from Friedel Academy. “The Federation now has a sends medical personnel to Israel, where they train in clear vision about what they can gain from Partnership. emergency and mass casualty management at the This helps us all talk in the same voice. We must have Western Galilee Hospital. A contingent of Omaha med- strong lay people with a vision because they are the heart ical professionals will attend an ERG in November. and soul of the community,” he added. “We have that Educational programs provide enhanced learning here, and the Partnership can really thrive.” opportunities on both sides of the ocean. The higher When asked what inspired her to take on the leadereducation task force makes academic connections ship role for Partnership with Israel, Rockman speaks of between The Western Galilee College and schools like her Israel trips. Her first visit to Israel was in 2004, and UNO. According to Yehuda Peled, Education she immediately felt a deep kinship. Her participation in Coordinator for Partnership, UNO is a great school to the 2005 Israel mission gave her a chance to see firstwork with because they are already so tuned in to the hand how our Partnership with Israel is helping to reviFederation, thanks in large part to the efforts of Guy talize the Western Galilee. Matalon, Executive Director of the Center for Jewish Her passion and commitment to making Partnership Education. The schools work together on joint research flourish is easy to see. “It’s so vital that American Jews projects, in addition to student and faculty exchanges. think of Israel not just as a country hundreds of miles Twinning programs connect students in Omaha with away. Partnership provides a bridge between the two students in Israel. Friedel Jewish Academy has been twin- largest Jewish communities in the world.” ning with the Ma’ayanot school for the past two years. Stacey Rockman is clearly doing her part to make that Cookie Katskee, Friedel principal, is a big supporter of bridge stronger.
ADL’s Wolfson Takes New Position Continued from page 1 Plains States Region Board Chairman David Gilinsky said, “Appointing Bob to this distinguished position of national leadership within the ADL organization underscores our community’s good fortune in having Bob lead our regional ADL office for 18 years. He has made a tremendous contribution to our community by creating a dialogue on tolerance and diversity at all levels-including political, religious, education, law enforcement, and corporate arenas. “I couldn’t be happier for Bob. It’s a tremendous opportunity for him and I can think of no one more deserving,” Gilinsky added. Wolfson, who was honored in 2001, by the National Conference on Community and Justice, initiated an endowment fund for the Plains States ADL on his 10th anniversary in 1998. ADL board member Jim Wolf made a proposal then for the community to donate funds which he would match. Though the rancher from Albion, NE, died in 2002, his fund continues to match gifts from new donors. Under Wolfson’s direction, ADL in Omaha has
expanded to present such diverse programs as Manhigim, an ongoing leadership group for Jewish high school students, Scary Guy--a pierced and tattooed speaker who challenges teens on judging people with first impressions, and community forums on such wideranging topics as cults and missionaries, fetal tissue research, and the Defense of Marriage Act proposed by Nebraska legislators. “Bob Wolfson has been an incredible force in creating one of the most viable and dynamic agencies for Intermediate Cities throughout the country,” said Jan Goldstein, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. “He is testimony to the wealth of professionals and lay talent we see here in the Omaha Jewish community. Bob’s success is our success and although we are sad to see him go, we know we will benefit from his national work and continued love, dedication and involvement here in our own community.” A search committee has been formed and met last night, added Gilinsky, to ensure ADL’s next director will continue to provide the same high level of excellence this community has come to expect.
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Watermarks to be Shown at Omaha Jewish Film Festival by GARY KATZ The Omaha Jewish Film Festival will be showing the moving documentary “Watermarks” on March 25, 7 p.m. and March 26, 2 p.m. in the JCC Theater. Watermarks is the third of a series of films to be selected by the Omaha Jewish Film Festival. The story of the champion women swimmers of the legendary Jewish sports club, Hakoah Vienna. Hakoah (“the strength” in Hebrew) was founded in 1909 in response to the notorious Aryan Paragraph, which forbade Austrian sports clubs from accepting Jewish athletes. Its founders were eager to popularize sports among a community renowned for such great minds as Freud, Mahler and Zweig, but traditionally alien to physical recreation. Hakoah rapidly grew into one of Europe’s biggest athletic clubs, while achieving astonishing success in many diverse sports. In the 1930s, Hakoah’s best-known triumphs came from its women swimmers who dominated national competitions in Austria. After the Anschluss, the political unification of Nazi Germany and Austria in 1938, the Nazis shut down the club, but the swimmers managed to flee the country before the war broke out, thanks to an escape operation organized by Hakoah’s functionaries. Sixty-five years later, director Yaron Zilberman meets the members of the women’s swim team in their homes around the world, and arranges for them to have a reunion in their old swimming pool in Vienna, a journey that evokes memories of youth, femininity, and strengthens lifelong bonds.
Told by the swimmers, now in their eighties, Watermarks is about a group of young girls with a passion to be the best. It is the saga of seven outstanding athletes who still swim daily as they age with grace. Watermarks visits Trude (Platcek) Hirschler, the Israeli co-chairperson of Hakoah veterans’ organization; Elisheva (Schmidt) Susz, a renowned child psychotherapist from Tel-Aviv; Hanni (Deutsch) Lux who tells the story of her sister, Judith (Deutsch) Haspel, Austria’s greatest swimmer who paid dearly for her refusal to compete in the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Berlin; Greta (Wertheimer) Stanton, a professor of sociology from New-Jersey; the elegant Ann-Marie (Pick) Pisker from London; Anni (Wagner) Lampl from LA, who despite being visually impaired insisted on joining this reunion; and Nanne (Winter) Selinger, from New York, who was the only swimmer to return to live in Vienna; she left when Kurt Waldheim was elected president. Watermarks is third in the series of critical and popular films the Omaha Jewish Film Festival will be showing. The last movie is Turn Left at the End of the Universe on Saturday and Sunday, April 8 and 9. Tickets are $5 each. For tickets or information call the Kripke Jewish Federation Library at 334.6462. Watermarks is sponsored in part by Donald and Ann Goldstein. The Film Festival is also sponsored by the MillerLerman Foundation and The Center for Jewish Education.
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by BETH KATZ ADL Director of Interfaith Affairs and Community Education The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) successfully launched its first JewishChristian study circle last month, receiving a flurry of media coverage and community interest about the innovative program. The four-week program--“Within Context: A Jewish-Christian Study
Williams, Assistant Professor of Religion at University of Nebraska-Omaha. The ADL plans on holding another JewishChristian study circle this fall to accommodate the demand for the program. This event is the second of a three-part ADL Jewish-Christian interfaith series called “Common Roots: Examining the Shared Heritage of Jews and Christians.” The final program will be a JewishChristian Architecture Tour on Sunday, March 19, 15:30 pm. The tour will begin at Beth Synagogue (14506 El California St.) with a onehour panel discussion on how art and architecture influence and reflect the lives of Jewish and Christian faith communities in both contemporary and historical settings. The panel will be followed by a guided tour of the synagogue. Participants Temple Israel members John Dacey, left, and Howard and then will travel to St. Lee Needelman, center, share their views with other study Vincent De Paul Church circle participants on the materials presented during one of (14330 Eagle Run Dr.). the program's small-group activities. where they will take a guidCircle” was held on successive Sundays in ed tour of the building. This event is co-sponsored by the February and brought together more than 60 Jews and Christians to examine a Archdiocese of Omaha and the American significant passage from each tradition’s Institute of Architects (AIA), who will offer learning units to its members who sacred texts. The group was jointly facilitated by attend the tour. Cost is $5 per particiJewish, Catholic and Protestant clergy pant. To sign up for this tour or for more and scholars: Rabbi Craig Marantz of information on these or any other ADL Temple Israel; Reverend Dennis Hamm, interfaith programming, contact me at S.J., Ph.D., New Testament Professor at 402.333.1303 or e-mail bkatz@adl.org. Creighton University; and Dr. Paul
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An Evening of Classic
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 10, 2006
Yachad Prepares for Yom Ha’Atzmaut by DUANE J. PIEPER was a real sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. The members of the Yachad group came together last Members are looking forward to organizing their booth month to prepare items and being actively involved for their Yom in the Yom Ha’Atzmaut Ha’Atzmaut booth. celebration. They will be selling Yachad has been invited as hand-made soaps with guests of Temple Israel to Jewish motifs and Dead attend its March 13 Purim Celebration. Later in the Sea Bath Salts at Israel’s month, on March 26, birthday celebration on Sunday, May 7, at the Yachad will visit the Jewish Community Bellevue Little Theater to Center. watch and enjoy the Joseph It was a coordinated & The Amazing Technicolor enterprise as the group Dream Coat musical production. Please RSVP for consolidated their skills ticket reservations by calland efforts to produce and package items. At Nancy and Grace Isler focus on packaging Dead Sea Bath Salts ing Jewish Family Service, at 334.6491. the conclusion, there with encouragement from Dr. Fred Kader.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Omaha Performing Arts welcomes nationally acclaimed children’s performer Jim West to the Holland Center with his multi-media production Mozart, Monsters & Matisse on Sunday, March 19, 2:30 p.m. A master puppeteer with more than two decades of experience entertaining children, West delivers a fun, engaging and educational performance. The show mixes Mozart’s music with highly entertaining puppetry, shadow play, hilarious sound effects and colorful scenery. In one especially imaginative story, West leads audiences through a scene presented in the visual style of 20th century artist Henri Matisse. Tickets are $10-$15 and are available by calling 345.0202 or visiting www.omahaperformingarts.org. Eileen Ivers will change the way you think about the violin. Forget Mozart and Schubert, this ninetime All-Ireland Fiddle Champion delivers Celtic, Irish, rock and world music like no one else in music today. Called the “Jimi Hendrix of the violin” by The New York Times, Ivers brings her infectious sound to Omaha for an Irish celebration with the Omaha Symphony, March 10-12, at the Holland Performing Arts Center. For more information about Eileen Ivers, visit www.eileenivers.com. Tickets for Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul range from $20-$95 and are available at the Omaha Symphony Box Office, 1605 Howard Street, or by calling 402.342.3560 or visiting www.omahasymphony.org. The Omaha Community Playhouse is looking for individuals to fill the various roles in its upcoming production of Ragtime! The Musical. Auditions will be held Monday, March 13, 7 p.m. and Tuesday, March 14, 7 p.m., and are open to the public. Audition participants will be asked to bring sheet music and be prepared to sing 16 bars. A pianist will be provided. Requirements: 15 women (various ages and races); 19 men (various ages and races); three children. Auditions will take place at the Playhouse on 6915 Cass St. For more information, call 402.553.4890, ext. 110. Religion, philosophy, romantic love, and sensual desire all vie for the heart and mind of a smart, serious teenage girl in this skillfully balanced debut feature from writer-director Karin Albou, La Petite Jerusalem, at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center. Showtimes for the film--Friday, March 17-30, are available at www.TheRoss.org, or by calling 402.472.5353.
Travelin’ Toddlers Had “Mad Science” Fun at Beth Israel by MARY BORT for Beth Israel Synagogue Last month, Beth Israel’s Travelin’ Toddlers enjoyed an exciting experience with Mad Science. More than 45 youngsters participated in a variety of hands-on science activities. Following the program, the Travelin’ Toddlers were joined by their families and many other synagogue members for dinner.
Twins Robbie and Miriam Besser listen to their hearts with a stethoscope at the recent Mad Science program. Travelin’ Toddlers is for children under the age of five and their families. Older siblings are welcome to attend. The next event will be held Sunday, April 2. To get on the Travelin’ Toddlers mailing list, please contact Youth Director, Brooke Shrago, at 556.6288.
March 10, 2006
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 5
Register Now for Camp Gan Israel by JOAN K. MARCUS Culminating the session is a family Shabbat dinner For Chabad House where campers help cook and set-up for the Sabbath meal. It isn’t too early to begin thinking about what our chil- They return later to share dinner with their families. dren will be doing this summer. Yes--summer and plans Younger campers are taught to have a love for things are already in order for Camp Gan Israel, at Chabad having to do with Judaism. Jewish counselors from all House, 1866 So. 120 St. Registration begins next week over the world give campers a good feeling about being for the first session on Monday, July 10. Jewish. In some cases, the camp is the children’s first expeProspective campers--along with their parents and rience with other Jewish children. Since every child is diffriends, are invited to a special ferent and unique, activities are preview of the camp on Sunday, tailored so that all campers are March 26, 4-5:30 p.m., at comfortable. “It doesn’t matter Premier Gymnastics, just south what level of commitment famiof 108th and Fort. lies have,� adds Shani Katzman, Campers can enjoy themselves “we never make campers feel while parents ask questions. uncomfortable.� Reserva-tions for the event, Since Gan Israel Summer which includes healthy snacks Camp is in Omaha, it is a good and a raffle for a $50 gift certifiway for small children to make cate to Toys R Us, can be made the transition to an all-day camp, by calling 330.1800. Bring a or one further away from home. friend and receive an extra prize. Younger children attend from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. while the older Chabad House sponsors the group meets from 9 a.m. to 4 two-week camp and children p.m. Children older than 11 are from age three to 11 are invited to attend. According to Shani invited to join as counselors-inKatzman, camp director and her training. daughter, assistant director Esti Omaha parent Louri Sullivan Katzman, the campers are says, “Every time we drive by Chabad, the kids ask ‘When are focused on having fun. we going to go back to camp?’ Children are divided into age The kids come home from camp groups from three to five, and and say that they’ve had the best from five to 11. (Five year-olds hot kosher lunches they’ve ever have the option of either group.) had. They’re learning Judaism The only prerequisite is that and don’t even realize it. campers must be Jewish. Samantha, age 6, and Tommy, 4, According to Esti Katzman, are already excited about return“Campers are learning and they don’t even realize it. For exam- Top photo: Fire safety visits Camp Gan Israel, front ing this year.� ple, if the topic is kashrus, we will row: Counselor Megan Hinckley, left, Rebecca The campers are called by their go to the grocery store and iden- Novak, Yael Schuller, Tommy and Samantha Hebrew names and they learn tify kosher foods. Then, we’ll go Sullivan, Jonathan Bram, Harper Gordman, Zachary about things like tzedakah and to a petting zoo and identify Stein, Ruby Platt, Counselor Hadassah Katz; back being righteous, Sullivan adds. kosher animals. The games we row: Josie Platt, Adin Ailloni, Josh Polack, Maddie “The whole point is that children play that day will revolve around Simon, Sara Kutler, Gabby Simon and Jessica feel comfortable in a religious the same theme.� Shandell. Bottom photo: Sara Kutler, left, Sarah setting.� It’s a fun, learning thing, she Cohen, Ally Kavich, Samantha Sullivan and Chelsea Shani Katzman says, “The mesadded. “We want the children to Kavich visit the Durham Western Heritage Museum. sage we’re sending is that it’s cool and fun to be Jewish. We have a great time while learning. The main objective is for the children to be able to absorb offer a great variety of things the kids find engaging and exciting. And we do it with a Jewish twist that is meanthe information without even knowing it.� Some of the camp activities include sports, baking, ingful.� The charge is $118 for one week of the kiddie camp. swimming, martial arts, dancing, pottery, woodworking, basketball, soccer, kickball, football and roller-skating. Two weeks is $218. The older division is $140 for one Other activities include “dress up� days, trips to museums week and $260 for both weeks. Save 15% during early regand family fun centers, bowling, miniature golfing and istration that ends on March 31. For questions, or wish many other things. A real treat is Chabad’s signature activ- to register for camp, call 330.1800 or visit www.nebraskajudaism.com and click on “Gan Israel.� ity, the ever-popular challah baking.
Beth Israel Invites Community to Game Night by MARY BORT for Beth Israel Synagogue Bring your Pictionary, Taboo, Balderdash, Scrabble, and other board games--and come ready to play on Saturday, March 18, 8 p.m., when Beth Israel will host a Game Night. Snacks and pop will be provided during this casual, family-friendly event. “On New Year’s Eve, the impromptu ‘game night’
became the highlight of the evening,� said Executive Director Beth Cohen. “People played mah jongg, poker, Taboo and other games, and families had a fabulous time. Since the evening was so much fun, we decided to host an ‘official’ Game Night.� For information, please contact the office at 556.6288 or BethIsrael@Orthodox Omaha.org.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
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THE FALASH MURA’S FATE Jewish Presence Still Persists in Remote Highlands of Ethiopia by URIEL HEILMAN Israel, coming in secret Mossad operaADARO, Ethiopia (JTA)--The bus tions in the early 1980s, before bounces its way along the road from Operation Moses. They passed through Axum to Shire, generating a huge cloud Sudan on their way to Israel, sneaking of dust as it barrels through the brown, with forged documents onto Athensrocky highlands of Tigray. bound planes from Khartoum, moving Bombed-out tanks that were brought through Port Sudan onto clandestine to a standstill 20 years ago by Tigrean Israeli naval vessels, or getting airlifted rebels fighting Ethiopia’s Communist from the Sudanese desert on illicit flights. government still sit near the road in the Some Tigrean Jews had to wait for up places they were stopped, as much a part to two years in Sudan before being taken of the landscape today as the thatched- to Israel, and many died along the way. roofed tukuls, barren fields and dry riverbeds that comprise the territory of northwestern Ethiopia in summer. The bus comes to a sudden halt as the driver spots a funeral procession alongside the road, a sign of respect accorded to the dead here. The passengers fall silent while the mourning procession walks by -- first men carrying flags and rifles, then wailing women carrying parasols and trailing the body. A bit farther along the bus The site in Axum, Ethiopia where, many Ethiopians believe, slows again as it takes a hard, the Ark of the Covenant resides today. Only the high priest of cliffside curve; the passen- the group that runs the site is allowed to go inside. Credit: Uriel Heilman/JTA gers crane their necks to see an overturned truck that appears to have By 1984, approximately 6,000 Tigrean tumbled off the road just minutes before, Jews had come to Israel in small groups. its load of plastic crates spilled all over the Most of them went to live in Beersheba, hill. where Israel’s Tigrean population is still It takes about two hours to travel the concentrated. 35 or so miles from Axum to Shire, and Here and there, in bigger cities like then another hour of driving over dirt Axum and small villages like Aduhala, a roads and empty fields to reach Adigereb, few Jews remain in Tigray. a remote village populated exclusively by When everyone else left, they, or their Jews until 1980, when they all left for parents, remained. Some stayed behind Sudan. because they were afraid to leave their There have been rumors of some Jews homes for an unknown place. Others still left in Tigray, holdouts who opted were fighters with the Tigrean People’s not to join their co-religionists embark- Liberation Front, the rebel army fighting ing on the arduous and dangerous jour- the forces of Ethiopia’s central governney to Zion in the early 1980s. ment (the rebels won in 1991, and rebel “In the beginning, I didn’t want to go leader Meles Zenawi is now Ethiopia’s to Jerusalem because I was scared of the prime minister), and they were too journey,” confessed Shirva Goyto’om, caught up in the war when the Jews left. one of the lone Jews remaining in the A few were married to Ethiopian province. Shirva lives in a small town Christians and didn’t want to leave their about 30 miles west of the city of Shire, families behind. which itself has but one paved road. A Tigrean community leader in Israel “In recent years, we went to Addis--I estimates that there are as many as 2,000 was there--but because of the economic to 4,000 Jews left in this remote region. situation people stay in Addis for three to The governor of the region, who is from five years and then come back,” Shirva the historic city of Axum, where said. Ethiopians believe the Ark of the Like a few other Jews scattered about in Covenant resides, is Jewish. this region, Shirva married an Ethiopian But the Jews who remain here are no Christian and now has a sizeable family. easier to distinguish from the local He is a farmer, like his father was. His Christian population than the Falash mother lives in Israel. Mura whose ancestors converted to Shirva says he no longer keeps the Christianity from Judaism decades ago. Jewish traditions because they are impos- Unlike the thousands of Beta Israel who sible to maintain without the support of a lived here 25 years ago, the Jews that community. Also, without the ability to remain no longer maintain the Jewish immigrate to Israel--he tried but was practices that made them easily identifiunable to gain the ear of Israeli officials in able to outsiders as Jews. Addis Ababa, he says--he has lost interest As one official with the American in practicing Judaism. Jewish Joint Distribution Committee put All over Tigray, the locals have the same it, the Jews here are like the Jewish remresponse when asked about the Jews. The nant in other countries whose Jewish Beta Israel left years ago, they say, using populations experienced mass exodus: the Ethiopian appellation for members of Syria, Egypt, Yemen and Iraq. There will the Jewish caste. A few use the more always be a few who remain. pejorative term, Falasha, which means Before leaving for Israel, the Jews of stranger. Tigray were cut off from the outside But even when absent, the Jews are world, known to a few Jewish scholars remembered. The houses they once and advocates but largely ignored by and occupied are still called by the names of ignorant of the world beyond their fields, the Jewish families who used to live in villages and marketplaces. them. A lot has changed since they left. The Tigrean Jews were the first large Though camels, mules, cows and other group of Ethiopians to immigrate to Continued on page 7
March 10, 2006
Jewish Presence Still Persists Continued from page 6 livestock still roam the streets of Shire, they wander past the city’s internet cafe‚ and CD stores. Shire now has an airport, though the runway is unpaved, the terminal has no electricity, and an empty shipping container serves as the passenger waiting area. Perhaps most significantly, Tigray’s isolation has been tempered by a close relationship with its most prominent expatriate community: Tigreans in Israel. Israelis born in Tigray come back to visit, and the people of this region--even the farmers who live in places cars cannot reach and where electricity sheds no light --have grown used to seeing the occasional visitor from the outside world. Zeudei Adem, an old Ethiopian woman of indeterminate age, lets out a yelp when she suddenly realizes that the foreign visitor in her stone-and-straw home is the son of her old friend and neighbor, Workunesh. Her niece looks on with a wide smile as Zeudei embraces the visitor. “We knew you made it to Israel,” Zeudei says, rocking back and forth on the mud bench in her niece’s home. “Too bad you didn’t take us.” The Israelis often come bearing gifts-clothing for former neighbors, cash, badly needed medicine. One young Ethiopian man living near Adigereb said the area has suffered since the Jews left. The grasses in winter do not grow as tall as they used to, groves of trees have been cut down to make way for military installations, and the cows seem even thinner than before. Somehow, one Tigrean lamented, the Jews took their good fortune with them. Ethiopian Israelis returning here for
heritage visits are as amazed by the locals as the locals are by them. The Ethiopian villagers marvel at the Israelis’ attire, digital cameras, and money, and the Israelis marvel at how they ever lived in as primitive a country as this, where people live without running water or electricity and
Shirva Goyto’om, one of the few Falash Mura remaining in Tigray after most left for Israel, stands near his home on Jan. 17, 2006. Credit: Uriel Heilman/JTA little prospects for a future different than that of their great-grandfather. “As soon as we saw the way they live here, we said, ‘Thank God that we left this place,’” said Mazal Rada, who left Ethiopia with her family when she was three. She now works in security in Kiryat Gat, Israel. “I stayed at one ‘hotel’ in some town that was so bad it made me cry,” she said. “I want to go home.”
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Unique Bead Project Scheduled for Beth Israel’s Next “Make-It-and-Take-It” Class by MARY BORT for Beth Israel Synagogue Looking for something different to do? Cell phone looking a little bare? Then mark your calendar to attend the next Beth Israel Sisterhood’s “Make-ItAnd-Take-It” Class on Sunday, March 19, 10 a.m. to noon. During the class, you’ll decorate your cell phone or cell phone cover with Swavorski beads. The class will be led by Sisterhood member, Susan Polack, who said, “I decorated my cell phone, and it was relatively easy to do. You just have to be a bit meticulous in gluing a few crystals at time. It isn’t that difficult; it just takes time. You might not finish the project during the class, but you should be well on your way by the time you leave.” Polack also pointed out that class attendees aren’t required to decorate their cell phones. Participants are welcome to bring some other object to adorn, such as a t-
shirt or picture frame. Prior to the day of the class, participants need to purchase their project supplies at Beads by Elisa Ilana, 2221 No. 90 St. According to Adam Langdon, General Manager of the store, “We have every color of Swavorski crystal beads, in every size. Our staff will help you pick out matching Austrian crystal beads that coordinate with your taste and artistic design.” When you go there to buy your beads, ask for Langdon to assist you. In order to select the appropriate size and number of beads, bring the item you plan to decorate. In addition to the Swavorski bead project, participants will also “Make and Take” a Passover recipe “book.” Please bring your favorite Passover recipe to share with the group. Copies of each recipe will be made for everyone attending the class. For more information about the class on March 19, please call 556.6288 or e-mail BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org.
Let’s Write Together! by GARY KATZ Library Administrator Parents and kids will learn how to write together on Sunday, April 2, 3:30 p.m., at the Family Writes Workshop, in the Kripke Library. Peggy Epstein, a retired English teacher, and her son, Joel, a clinical psychologist and research professor at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health in St. Louis, will present a workshop based on their new book: Family Writes, Parenting with Pens, Pencils, and PCs. “We get parents and kids together,” said Epstein, a Central alum, Class of ’60, “tell
them to forget about handwriting, spelling, grammar, and invite them to participate in some activities to show how writing together can increase communication--and provide lots of fun.” Epstein said she has many fond memories of the old ‘J’ and is looking forward to the presentation at this JCC. Plan on an hour of writing; meanwhile, check out the Epsteins’ website at www.familywrites.com. This program is free and sponsored by the Kripke Library and Jewish Family Service. To RSVP, contact Maggie Gerber at 334.6462 or mgerber@jewishomaha.org.
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March 10, 2006
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Temple Scholar, Dr. Mark Washofsky, to Draw Upon Old Sources to Live Meaningful Jewish Lives by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Dr. Mark Washofsky, professor of rabbinics at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Cincinnati, Ohio, understands Reform Judaism as a modern development of two millennia of Jewish thinking. In so doing, he draws upon traditional Jewish texts and sources as well as on the Reform literature that has emerged as a response to that tradition. Dr. Washofsky will be Temple Israel’s scholar-in-residence Friday, March 31-Sunday, April 2, when he undertakes the topic, “The Talmud, the Halakhah, and Reform Judaism: Old Sources and New Problems.� Specializing in the literature of Jewish law (halakhah), Dr. Washofsky also concentrates on the application of legal theory to the understanding of the Jewish legal process. He will explore practical matters as he pres- Dr. Mark Washofsky ents a Reform roadmap to living a meaningful Jewish life in the modern secular world. This scholar-in-residency is one of the key elements of Temple Israel’s adult education theme of the year, “Reform Judaism in Transition.� More specifically, he’s planning to talk about “how a congregation should govern itself while respecting the dignity of its members and yet allowing the congregation to function as an organized community,� he explained. “Legal theory explores what law is, how it is made, and especially interesting to me, how judges go about making their decisions,� said Dr. Washofsky. “Much of what legal theory has to say about these things can teach us a great deal about how rabbis make their halakhic rul-
ings. Traditionally, Judaism speaks to all questions, or ‘problems,’ of action by means of the halakhah. That is: ‘What am I, as a faithful Jew, supposed to do in response to God’s demands upon me’ is always found in the halakhic literature.� Originally from New Orleans and Lafayette, Louisiana, Dr. Washofsky majored in broadcasting and film at the University of Alabama, graduating in 1974. He eventually went on to become a rabbi and was ordained in 1980 followed by a doctoral degree in 1987 in Talmud. From 1981 to 1985, he served as a congregational rabbi in Hamilton, Ohio. Since 1985, he has been at HUC and is an instructor in Talmud and halakhic literature. He speaks frequently on these topics across the United States, in Israel, and Canada. In addition to his position at HUC, he serves as chair of the Responsa Committee of the Central Conference of American Rabbis that issues advisory opinions on questions of Jewish practice. Dr. Washofsky’s publications deal with subjects such as the history of halakhah, the nature of rabbinical decision making, and issues of medical ethics in Jewish law. He is the author of Jewish Living: A Guide to Contemporary Reform Practice, a complete source on Reform Jewish practice that covers the full range of Jewish living, including worship, holidays, life-cycle events, tikkun olam, and everyday Jewish living. He also co-authored, with Gunther Plaut, Teshuvot for the Nineties, the latest printed collection of Reform responsa. Dr. Washofsky and his wife, Connie Hinitz, a Jewish community professional, have a daughter, Michal, 14. This scholar-in-residence is sponsored by the Hermene Zweiback Center for Lifelong Jewish Learning, Tom Belford, and John A. Gentleman Mortuaries.
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Continued from last week’s issue of the Press. MOCHA TRUFFLES by Linda Morel 8 oz box of semi-sweet baking chocolate squares 2/3 cup heavy cream 1/8 tsp. vanilla 3 tsp. coffee liqueur 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted onto a plate Fill the bottom of a double boiler with two inches of water. Place baking chocolate and cream in the top part and cover with the lid. Fit the top of the double boiler over its bottom part. Bring water to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. When chocolate melts completely, stir briskly until cream is fully incorporated. Remove top of double boiler from the bottom part. Immediately add vanilla and liqueur. Stir vigorously until well combined. Divide the mixture in half and put in separate bowls. Cover both bowls and refrigerate for three hours, or until firm to the touch. Take one bowl from the refrigerator and leave for 10 minutes. Cool your hands by running under cold water and drying well. Repeat periodically so hands don’t melt chocolate. With a round melon baller, cut out truffles. With fingertips, ease chocolate from melon baller. They should look roughly like half spheres, but don’t worry if the shape isn’t perfect. Roll spheres into cocoa, coating all around. Place on a platter, if serving soon, or in a shallow plastic container for later use. Continue making truffles until only the chocolate between the scooped-out areas remains. Scrape odd chocolate pieces together with melon baller. With cool fingertips, remove and form into roughly shaped half spheres. Continue until all chocolate is gone. Repeat process with second bowl of chocolate.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Yield: approximately 50 truffles. CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES by Linda Morel 1 pint of fresh strawberries with attractive crisp leaves 12 oz. chocolate: either semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or white chocolate--or for visual appeal and varied flavors, use 4 oz. of each. Place strawberries in a colander and rinse under cold water. Put two paper towels on a counter. Place strawberries on top. With a third towel, gently roll strawberries to dry them. Move them to two dry paper towels. Wait until strawberries dry completely. This may take onetwo hours, depending on humidity. Fill the bottom of a double boiler with two inches of water. Place chocolate in the top part and cover with the lid. Fit the top of the double boiler over its bottom part. (If using more than one kind of chocolate, you can rig an extra double boiler or two by placing a heatproof bowl over a saucepan and covering them with aluminum foil.) Bring water to a rolling boil. Stir chocolate every couple of minutes, until it melts completely. Turn off flame but keep top of double boiler over the hot water. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Twirl one strawberry at a time into melted chocolate, submerging about halfway. Let excess chocolate drip back into double boiler. Place strawberry on waxed paper and repeat until all strawberries are coated. Place cookie sheet in the refrigerator, making sure that it rests on an even surface. Cool for two hours, or until chocolate hardens completely. Gently peel each strawberry from waxed paper and place on an attractive platter. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. Yield: approximately 25 strawberries.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
IN THE NEWS
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Richard S. Levy, associate professor of history at the University of Illinois-Chicago and an internationally recognized expert on anti-Semitism, will present the talk “Anti-Semitism: New or Used?” Thursday, March 23, 7:30 p.m., at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., Hewit Place. The talk is free and open to the public. Levy will address whether current anti-Semitism, seen in riots in European cities, Holocaust denial and antiJewish stereotyping, and in some current media, is recycled hatred or a new and ominous trend. He will place
ORGANIZATIONS WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going on the Bunch to Lunch to the Hollywood Diner, please meet at the JCC Thursday, 10:45 a.m. or come early to watch the documentary, Paper Clips, at 10 a.m. This seemingly ordinary project, which resulted in a Holocaust memorial, takes on new meaning in this heartfelt film. For transportation, call Maggie Conti at 334.6521. 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: Visions Luncheon is March 17, 12:30 p.m., at the Venice Inn. Cost is $9.50 per person. Our guests are co-authors Bill Ramsey and Betty Schrier. Goin’ to Kansas City with Elite Tours on June 6-7. Cost is $180 double occupancy/per person or $210 Single. For reservations send with form and payment to Anne Skolkin, 1010 Regency Parkway #302, Omaha, NE 68114 by April 20. Make check payable to Visions. BREADBREAKERS Pete Ricketts will speak at Breadbreakers on Wednesday, March 15, noon, at the Regency Lodge, according to Gary Javitch, chairman. Ricketts is a candidate for U.S. Senate, running in May’s Republican primary election. Cost is $11 for a complete lunch and $3 for beverage service only. All men and women are invited to attend.
ENGAGEMENT SHUKERT/ABRAMOWITZ Rachel Pearl Shukert, daughter of Dr. Aveva and Martin Shukert and Benjamin Abramowitz, son of Kerry-Ann Abramowitz and Dr. Joseph Abramowitz announce their engagement. The bride-to-be graduated from the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. She is a playwright/journalist. She is the granddaugther of Doris and Nathan Shukert, and the late Pearl and Dave Hahn. Her fiancé graduated with honors from the Red and Yellow School, Capetown, South Africa. He works as an advertising copywriter. He is the grandson of Molly Michel and the late Tim Michel, and the late Donald and Lucia Abramowitz. A September 2006 wedding is planned in New York City.
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current anti-Semitism in a historical context, attempting to disentangle the new from the old forms of antiSemitism and to understand their disturbing power to move people to self-destructive, self-deluded action. He will also speak to the prospects for successfully combating what has been called “the longest hatred.” Levy has taught German history at the University of Massachusetts and since 1971 at the University of Illinois-Chicago. He is author of The Downfall of the Anti-semitic Political Parties in Imperial Germany, editor of Anti-Semitism in the Modern World, and editor, translator and annotator of author Benjamin Segel’s, A Lie and a Libel: The History of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Most recently, Levy edited the monumental two-volume work, Antisemitism: Historical Encyclopedia of Prejudice and Persecution. Levy’s talk is the Annual Henry and Gretl Wald Lecture, sponsored by the Henry and Gretl Wald Lecture Endowment and the Norman and Bernice Harris Center for Judaic Studies at UNL. Annual abstinence day on the hill was held last month, organized by Congressman Lee Terry. He was joined this year by Congressmen Joe Pitts (R-PA) and Ernest Istook (R-OK), and Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Rick Santorum (R-PA). Abstinence day was an opportunity for lawmakers to hear from 100 educators and students who told about the difference abstinence education programs are making in the lives of American youth. Invited by Rep. Terry to speak at the event, Rabbi Manis Friedman, author of Why Doesn’t Anyone Blush Anymore, called for a return to modesty for health, selfrespect and to protect the beauty and sacredness of a relationship. Rabbi Friedman noted this is not just for our teens, this applies to us all. Copies of Friedman’s book can be ordered from It’sGoodToKnow.org. For more information or to schedule Rabbi Friedman to speak, please contact Dinah Abrahamson 402.212.9772 or 831.454.0101.
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At its annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Milton S. & Corinne N. Livingston Foundation, Inc., the Trustees adopted a mission statement for the Foundation: “The primary interest of the Milton S. & Corinne N. Livingston Foundation, Inc. is to support Jewish institutions and projects. The Foundation has a secondary interest in supporting health, education, cultural and social services in the Omaha metropolitan area.” At the same meeting, the Trustees also adopted guidelines for all future grant applications. The guidelines include that grants will be limited to organizations within the Omaha metropolitan area and the State of Israel, and that no grants will be given for capital or endowment campaigns. The semi-annual meeting of the Livingston Board will be held on Tuesday, May 9. The deadline for grant requests is Friday, April 7. For an application contact: Myron J. Kaplan, Executive Director, 11605 Miracle Hills Dr., Suite 300, P.O. Box 542005, Omaha, NE 68154 or mkaplan@mcrlawyers.com.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 10, 2006
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by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Bored with your weekend routine? Looking for something different and fun to do on a Saturday night? Then put on those dancing shoes and chacha over to Beth El Synagogue on Saturday, March 18, 8-11 p.m., for Tropical Salsa Night, a festive evening of dancing and socializing for the 18-and-up crowd in the Jewish community! Beth El will be transformed into a Central American paradise as attendees learn the art of salsa, cha-cha, mambo, son and merengue dancing from co-hosts Cantor Gastón and Lena Bogomolni, and Philip and Esther Katz. Tropical
ers and desserts will be served, and DJ Robert Mosenkis will spin danceable discs from the ‘80s and ‘90s. “We took salsa classes to prepare us for our wedding a few years ago, since we had a Latin jazz band playing,” said Esther Katz, who danced professionally (ballet and modern) in Philadelphia; she also noted that her husband’s salsa-dancing background includes experience at a Milwaukee Salsa club. Saying she’s looking forward to the event on the 18th, Esther encouraged adults of all dancing abilities to come boogie at Beth El, adding, “Dancing is not something that people should be intimidated about; it’s going to be so much fun for everyone let loose and learn some salsa!” Tropical Salsa Night has been underwritten by Beth El’s Sisterhood. Cost is $10 per perEsther and Philip Katz enjoy a laugh as they son; reservations are needed by March 13 and practice their rhythm and moves for Beth may be made by contacting Program Director El’s Tropical Salsa Night, planned for March Margie Gutnik at 492.8550, or program18. The Katzes are co-hosting the event ming@bethel-omaha.org. along with Cantor Gastón and Lena Spend a delightful evening at Beth El showBogomolni. ing off your rhythm and moves, and dance the drinks plus delicious appetiz- night away with old friends and new acquaintances. Olé!
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by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Women of Temple Israel baked lots of hamantaschen last month in the Temple kitchen to get ready for the Purim box dinner on Monday, March 13. Dinner will follow the Purim spiel and megillah reading which begin at 6 p.m. Among the queens who helped were: Deb Marburg, left, Jill Idelman, Stephanie Grossman, Cheri Hannah Grossman, Ginsburg, Marta Fox, Allison Latenser, and Linda Saltzman.
Feast and Frolic at Chabad’s Cirque du Purim by ESTI KATZMAN The circus is in town! Well, the Chabad Cirque du Purim circus that is. Arriving Tuesday, March 14, 5-7 p.m., at Chabad House, 1866 So. 120 St., Purim’s final meal will be celebrated with mishloach manot, a festive meal, tzedakah and a final reading of the Megillah. At last year’s Purim seudah were: Sarah Katzman of New York, Shani Katzman (holding daughter Feigie) and Gail Harrison; standing: Nancy Wolf, Bonnie Hines and Basya Tsed. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children ages three-12. Tickets at the door are $10. To reserve your spot, call 330.1800. w wwww.plantationgeraniums.com w. p l a n t a t i o n g e r a n i u m s . c o m
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 10, 2006
A Straight Shooter Continued from page 1 of running another business when he was 16. Along with a friend, he bought a truck and started painting and raking. “We helped with odd jobs and when people wanted to empty their basements. I worked at my dad’s warehouse unloading trucks when I was just six years old.” After high school graduation in 1976, Jon went to the University of Kansas, where he was a pre-med student. “I was good in math and science and I wanted to be the doctor in the family. However, I had a girlfriend back in Omaha and came back for my second year at UNL with her.” Back he went to KU after he broke up with the girlfriend. By that time, he switched to pharmacy and worked for Manny Goldberg and Jerry Passer in their drugstores. During his fourth year at KU, Jon became president of his fraternity--his first experience with leadership and the politics of being a volunteer. “I participated in all kinds of service projects and then came home for winter break in December of 1979.” That’s when his life changed. Dave Meyers had a heart attack and Jon never went back to college. “My dad had started the business in 1956,” Jon says. “His uncle had a business called Nebraska Burlap Bag and commuted between Omaha and Minneapolis. After my parents were married, they moved to Omaha and he didn’t know what to do with the building. So, they just began storing stuff there.” That’s how it became Nebraska Warehouses. Jon says it was a tough decision not to go back to school. “Knowing what I know now, I would have finished college first and then come back to work. But, I didn’t know if my dad would get better and it is a decision that I have never regretted.” After Dave’s recovery, the business expanded. In 1963, Jon’s uncle, Bernie joined them and in 1977, his son, Bruce became another Meyers’ family member to work there. (Bruce and Jon remain partners.) “My coming to work at Nebraska Warehouses was accelerated because of dad’s heart attack. Had I graduated, it might have been an even tougher decision. Being in Omaha has never been a problem because for Jon, because he’s able to travel. His friends and business
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are here and “this is home.” In the spring of 1982, Jon married Berta Ackerson, and adopted her son, James. Together they had daughters Tamara in 1983 and Shaina in 1985. Since Berta wasn’t Jewish at the time of their marriage, they were married in a civil ceremony and she converted later. “During Berta’s conversion process is when I really became Jewish,” Jon says. “I told Berta not to convert just because of me. ‘Do it because of yourself,’ I told her. But, once she was Jewish, we started celebrating Shabbat and other holidays. Most people who convert need to keep doing more to feel their Judaism. My dad couldn’t believe I had become more observant because I had married a woman who wasn’t born Jewish.” That’s when the couple became active in Temple Israel. They were part of the original Outreach program and Berta was a member of the first adult B’nai Mitzvah class. Jon became interested in having his say on committees and volunteering with Temple projects. Their kids got active, he says, and “that’s when the ‘Jewish side of me’ came out.” Although they remain good friends, Berta and Jon divorced in 1997. They vowed that they wouldn’t hate each other--as other divorced couples seemed to do--and promised to make life as normal as possible. Jon married Denise Swanger in 1998. She has two daughters, Sheila and Stacy, and two grandchildren, Keyshon, 8, and Alece, 5. Jon describes Denise as “one of the most caring, kind-hearted individuals anyone would ever want to meet.” Denise chairs Temple’s Caring Committee’s project aimed at the homebound and often attends services with Jon. And Berta, Denise, Berta’s husband, Jim Michalski, and Jon are friends. “My kids have four parents who love them. We get along, go on vacations together and the women meet for lunch. That’s the way that it should be.” Jon’s commitment to Temple Israel and Omaha has brought him to the position of President-elect. “All my work now is focused on Temple; I think it’s important. It takes all kinds of people to make a synagogue and I think everybody should give back. I see ‘takers’ and I don’t want to be one.” His plan for Temple is to continue the
Beth El Women to Participate in B’not Mitzvah Ceremony During Shabbat Services by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Following a year of hard work and dedication, 11 Beth El congregants will celebrate their B’not Mitzvah ceremony during Shabbat services, tomorrow--March 11, 9:30 a.m. This year’s class, taught by Cantor Gastón Bogomolni, includes Shirley Cemaj, Ann Goldstein, Carole Greenberg, Betty Kolnick, Gale Levitan, Mitzie Monovitz, Betty Perelman, Carol Schneider, Lourdes Secola, Sherry Shapiro and Sally Zipursky. Celebrants will sing prayers together and will individually chant Torah and Haftorah, according to Cantor Bogomolni. “This is an amazing group of women, and I would like to congratulate them all for their achievements,” said Rabbi Mordechai Levin. The B’nai Mitzvah class serves as an incentive for the students to learn more about Judaism, prayers and Torah, and inspire their future growth in Jewish knowledge and practice. He added that “Our adult B’nai Mitzvah program is a wonderful way for adults--who for one reason or another were not able to have a Bar/Bat mitzvah ceremony in the past--to celebrate this special day. We invite the entire community to join us tomorrow morning at services to wish all of our celebrants mazel tov on this significant accomplishment in their lives.”
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hard work of the people who have preceded him. And his childhood friend--Jon Waldbaum--is helping, as chairman of Temple’s Steering Committee for the new building, a process that will continue into Meyers’ presidency. “As President-elect,” he adds, “I’d also like to get the concept of planned giving off the ground” as a way of ensuring Temple’s future financial stability. “I want to be known as a person who loves Omaha,” Meyers said. “I’m just a guy who’s a straight shooter-someone who treats people with fairness and honesty.”
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Spring Organizing...Everything in Its Place Closet space is a lot like kitchen cabinets, no matter how much you have it never seems to be enough! Storing your off-season clothes is one of the easiest ways to free-up closet space. Many dry cleaning businesses offer clothing storage, however you can easily store your own clothing and shoes. Be sure to launder or have all clothing items cleaned before you put them away for the season. If you are storing shoes, you should use shoe trees or tissue paper to help maintain their shape during storage. Once your main closet has only this season’s things, organize them either by type (casual vs. business), by color, by item type (shirts, slacks, skirts, dresses) or whatever works. A terrific idea for organizing your shoes is to use your digital camera again, and photograph each pair, then tape the picture on the end of the shoebox so you can easily locate your shoes. If you rotate your clothing items as you wear them, those things that haven’t been worn will remain at the back of your closet. If you haven’t worn it for a year, it’s likely you won’t wear it again. Another excellent donation opportunity! If your rooms are cluttered, pick things up! Put magazines and newspapers in some type of rack and if you’ve read them, recyle. Pick up toys, clothing and shoes and put them where they belong. You’ll be surprised how much bigger your rooms seem when clutter is banished! Organization and decluttering will make your life easier and your home will look more attractive. If you are thinking about selling your home, it is very important to eliminate clutter and stay as organized as possible. This will make your house more attractive to potential buyers and will make the task of selling your home much easier on you and your family. For more real estate information or a Highest Price Analysis of your home, contact me at 402.880.1887 or Kimberly Kuklin at 402.214.5955.
Page 13
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by GARY KUKLIN Do you remember Grandma saying “a place for everything and everything in its place?” It was good advice then and great advice now. With our lives becoming more hectic, decluttering our living spaces is not only a good idea, it is almost mandatory. Even if you’re not the most organized, it is still easy to organize rooms, closets, cabinets and drawers. Who doesn’t need an easier life?! If things spring out your drawers when you open them, or you have to stuff things in before you can close them, that’s a bad sign. Flatware organizers can help not only with your eating utensils, but for your “miscellaneous” drawers in your kitchen, bathrooms and office as well. We all have at least one of those drawers in which we can find a multitude of items like paper clips, rubber bands, screwdriver, rulers. Drawer organizers also work well in bathrooms to help with toiletries and cosmetic items. Those zipper-type storage bags are terrific for organizing as well. No matter how many kitchen cabinets we have, it seems like there is just never enough room. If you have items that you use only once or twice a year, put them in storage. Be sure to label your boxes—better yet use your digital camera to photograph each item and tape the picture on the outside. You’ll be surprised how many of those items will never be used again, so why not donate them to an organization that can use them. Keep “premium” space available for everyday objects. If you’re tight on space, stack and nest, but make sure you can easily see what you have. Make a master list and tape it inside a cabinet for easy reference. Lists are especially useful for those spouses who “can’t quite remember” in which cabinet the spaghetti pot goes, for kids who may have been away at school for the semester, or for our elderly family members.
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Maybe You’d Like to Start a Wall of Family Photos by JEFF BOSILJEVAC What do you have that needs framing? Well, let’s see now...there’s that poster you bought on vacation, the pins, the photos. And while you were cleaning out a dresser drawer, you came across those army medals that your dad brought home from World War II (or was it the Korean war?). Your children came home with some really neat artwork they had created in school. Couldn’t they use a little encouragement to develop their artistic talents? Nothing does it better than framing. Wedding photos, Bar and Bar Mitzvah momentos, family photos...maybe you would like to start a family photo wall. How about framing those baby blankets--and the cute little booties from grandma--along with that adorable baby photo? You worked so hard for that diploma. Do you know where it is? Probably with the award certificate that you never got around to framing either.
Do you have keepsakes? You know, those sentimental things that mean a lot to you. They’re squirreled away and turn up now and then. The next time you’re admiring them, consider a shadow box display. Do you have an idea but you just can’t quite figure out the details? Chances are that we have some suggestions that will be worth considering. There are framed samples in our showroom that can help get those creative juices flowing. Of course we can frame your portraits, paintings, sports jerseys, needlework, newspaper articles, mirrors...the list is endless. Our framing abilities are only limited by our imagination. Ginger’s Hang--Up is located in the Galleria Collection Plaza, 14477 West Center Rd., on the south side of 145th and Center, and Frederick Plaza, 8495 Frederick St., three blocks south of 84th and Center; you can reach us at either: 402-334-5889 or 402-3916440.
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Your Leisure Is Our Business by DAN GOULD Outdoor kitchen of Omaha and Trouba’s Patio Shop of Lincoln have combined to become the state’s largest full time outdoor furniture and specialty BBQ grill store. Along with my wife, Mary, I purchased the Lincoln location from the Trouba’s five years ago. Located at 12th and Cornhusker for 35 years, the store has steadily increased the product offerings and diversity. Most recently, the purchase of Outdoor Kitchen of Omaha from the Kroeger’s, gave Gould the opportunity to continue to grow. By acquiring the Omaha store, Trouba’s has been able to add barbeque grills, parts, and some hearth products. Conversely, the Omaha store is in the process of expanding the mid to higher end grill offerings, and has added three
new furniture lines. Simple customer service oriented values have carried over from the previous owners, with a renewed emphasis on providing a greater selection of quality product. Outdoor living trends have changed considerably in the last few years. Keeping abreast of the latest colors and styles is a constant challenge. Partnering with quality manufactures that have good in season delivery times, makes it easier to stay current. With 20 plus years of sales management background, we will continue to focus on the customer and their needs. We are about as far from a big-box store as you can get, and we intend to stay that way. Call us at: 402.474.6208 in Lincoln or 402.333.2282 in Omaha.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 10, 2006
Israel’s Winter Turns to Spring by BERNARD MANN Legacy Crossword Puzzles Sponsored by CATEGORY ONE
Camp Ramah in California to Commence Innovative $1.3 Million Solar Energy Project by NIVA TAYLOR Camp Ramah in California has announced plans to embark on a major solar energy project, making it a leader amongst Jewish institutions for its environmental consciousness. The first such project for a Jewish overnight camp on the West Coast, it is estimated to lower energy costs for Ramah by $75,000 annually, and to reduce toxic emissions. The Ojai, California-based camp recently received a $500,000 gift from Ramah alumnus and parent David Braun to begin construction on the $1.3 million project. Camp Ramah expects reliance on solar power to insulate tuition against future energy cost spikes, thus keeping camp affordable for more families. According to Camp Ramah in California’s Executive Director Rabbi Daniel Greyber, “by both using and educating about solar energy during future encampments, we believe we will create generations of Jewish leaders who are
environmentally conscious and who will seek to move more and more Jewish and non-Jewish institutions to environmentally friendly energy options.” In addition to their environmental and educational benefits, solar energy gifts could serve as an appealing alternative to traditional endowments for non-profit organizations. According to Rabbi Greyber, this approach would vastly benefit the 135,000 non-profit organizations throughout California, including schools, churches, hospitals and universities. “California nonprofits alone represent a large potential market for solar energy installations, which would reduce oil dependence and lower operating costs for some of our most important and needy institutions,” Greyber remarked. For more information about Camp Ramah or the solar energy project, please call 310.476.8571.
Take Back Your Space ACROSS 1. Add T at end, and you have a clue 4. Tavern paintings (2 words) 10. Grouchy crustacean 14. “Tsena, tsena, habanot u’r___,” goes the Israeli folk-song 15. Mining outfit’s testing facility 16. San Diego’s ___-space Museum 17. Nautical term 18. THEY MAKE ISRAEL'S SPRING BEAUTIFUL 20. Acting a rake, Hugh Saxon played the ___, _ One Splendid Hour (2 words) 22. How a mobile, coin, or cell device is spelled/sounded in Europe and Israel 23. Tiger Woods made news when, ending his amateur years, he ____ __ 26. Dental degree 27. What you might ride from Fairbanks to Nome 28. Wine science prefix (var.) 30. Earthquake center start 33. Very fat 36. Works the Zamboni again 39. EARLY BLOOMING TREE (not the fruiting kind, 2 words,) 43. Gretel’s brother 44. EARLY SPRING FLOWER, ISRAEL,HOLLAND 45. Times Architecture Critic Huxtable 46. Ten, in Timna or Tel Aviv 48. Villa d’____ 52. Computer design progr. 55. ORCHARD FOREMAN’S WORDS ON HOW FAR INTO THE TREE TO TRIM LIMBS (2 words)
58. Resident of ancient Caananite city-state with language, literature linked to Hebrew, Israel’s writings 61. WHITE POPLARS (GROWN IN ISRAEL SINCE THE ’50s) 62. TREE WITH RED FLOWERS, RED FRUIT USED AS ART MOTIF IN SOLOMON’S TEMPLE 65. Nym prefix 66. Single bills 67. “Those rates __ __ annum” 68. Map abbrev. denoting burial site 69. Fashionable modern Swedish furniture maker 70. Least, scantest 71. French 2nd person possessive DOWN 1. Celery and artichoke have them 2. “With four, Tim Duncan’s ____ trouble” (2 words) 3. TEVA, IN ENGLISH (source of Israel’s spring beauty) 4. Frontiersman or knife named after him 5. When you’ve finished eating your peeled orange, you’re left with ______ 6. Unc., cous., or neph. 7. Some U.S. and Brit. towns have a bd. of ___ 8. You need either a stout canoe or ____ a river with tough rapids (2 words) 9. Chrs. go with a ___ 10. Crow made this sound 11. EILAT CORAL RESEARCHERS ARE OUT AGAIN, TAKING A FRESH LOOK AT THE ____
__-SYSTEM 12. Gant starter makes haughty 13. Contraction for ship's mate (var.) 19. FIGS AND VINES FLOWER IN JERUSALEM’S ___ CITY 21. Grants or bequeaths sums to an institution’s permanent fund 24. Tive’s upbeat opener 25. Go back in 29. ___ Tradition 31. What is mightier than the sword 32. Acronym for some school districts 34. SHE POLLINATES 18, 39, AND 62 ACROSS, AND MANY OTHERS 35. Stanley Gardner 37. Samuel’s priestly mentor 38. Hold up progress 39. U.S. housing agency 40. Hausmann’s Shropshire ___ 41. VISIT A BEDOUIN CAMP AND YOU MIGHT RIDE __ _ ____ (3 words) 42. Master teacher 47. Shake49. Choose 50. Plains Indian domicile 51. Soaking salts 53. “You ____ Beautiful To Me,” Joe Cocker song 54. TO PLANT A TREE, YOU MUST ___ A HOLE 56. NBA greats Archibald, Thurmond 57. Chicago film critic 58. VINES MAY CLIMB ___ A WALL 59. “It’s all ___. No more.” 60. Trolley 63. Candle, in Hebrew 64.Simian
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Spring Has Sprung at the Rose Blumkin Home--Inside and Out by LISA LIEB While most of us have been waking up each morning wondering what season will greet us today, residents of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home need only visit their hallways to see spring is in the air. As winter drew to an end, a group of volunteers from Millard North Middle School stopped by to decorate the Home with colorful home-made butterflies. When asked about the inspiration for this project, Linda Brablec, Millard North teacher, explained its was a group effort. “Our art teacher came up with the idea of making butterflies. We came here today to beautify the Home and help make the residents happy.”
Volunteers from Millard North Middle School bring spring to the Rose Blumkin Home with their homemade butterflies. The enthusiastic students enjoy volunteer work and take a special interest in visiting retirement homes. Teacher Angela Ralph was pleased. “Retirement homes are great places to volunteer for this age level, and the students love interacting with the residents.” Activities Coordinator Loria Ennis observes, “The butterflies provide the perfect atmosphere, giving you that fresh feeling that spring has arrived. If you’re feeling down, they help lift your spirits. The residents have really noticed them and are enjoying them.” Loria is just the person to talk to about spring at the Blumkin Home. She started a vegetable garden here three years ago and it’s become something the residents look forward to. “I’m an avid gardener and we want to make our facility more home like. Many of our residents lived on farms or had gardens. The residents help plant the seeds and take care of the flowers and vegetables. Then we have a patio party when it’s time to pick the vegetables. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy the weather and play games, like guessing the weight of the first cucumber.” And for residents, the weeks ahead will feature several spring activities, such as a visit to Mahoney State Park, scenic drives to local parks, and a trip to Lauritzen Botanical Gardens. It’s easy to see why spring brings so many smiles to the residents of the Blumkin Home.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
JNF Plants Trees with Special Needs Children by JODI BODNER JNF Director of Communications Yamit, a 16-year-old girl from Jerusalem, picked different herbs from the garden and gave them to Rotem, a girl who cannot see, to smell. At one of the pita baking corners, smoke and wonderful aromas filled the air. Nachson, a young 11-year-old with Down’s Syndrome, could barely contain his excitement. “Where’s the salt?” he shouted. “Where’s the flour? Why can’t they get the fire started?” In Israel on Tu B’Shevat, nearly 30,000 trees were planted by children all across the country, but the excitement that accompanied the tree planting in Refaim Valley Forest southwest of Jerusalem, was the most palpable. There, 700 children who participate in Tzamid, an association for children with special needs supported by Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, took part in the special Tu B’Shevat program JNF-KKL had prepared for them. They came from all over the country, some from as far as three hours away, to participate, and the “amen” that followed the blessing for planting trees echoed throughout the entire valley. The day began in the nearby Ein Yael Living Museum, where small groups dotted the landscape, each with children divided up to participate in special activities suited to their abilities. The site is a restored spring and ancient village where children and adults can learn about ancient
farming, ceramics and pottery production, arts, and olive oil and wine production in their natural setting. Children, busy in every corner preparing special Tu B’Shevat fruit salads, making pictures by pasting leaves, drawing and baking pita bread, were joined by volunteers from the Bnei Akiva youth movement and the Magen David Adom Youth Division. Those activities concluded, specially-equipped vans and buses took the children and their volunteers down to the valley, where JNF-KKL personnel awaited them with young tree seedlings. Geva, a teenage volunteer, carried seven-year-old Amit up the hill and thoughtfully sat him down on the ground next to the small hole waiting for its tree. Amit had listened to the instructions carefully, “that the seedlings must be treated like babies, held tenderly, caressed and talked to so they will grow proud and strong.” Amit made sure the earth around his tree was packed tightly, and patted it lovingly. This was the fourth year JNF-KKL organized the event. “We used to have a policy of limiting the number of children plating tress according to the severity of their disability,” said Dudu Ashkenazi, of the Informal Education department, “but this year we decided to invite each and every child with special needs, and even some adults, to participate. I must say that all year long I work with youth movements and have been responsible for planting 20,000 trees in one week, but nothing can compare to this. When I see the effort these kids make and how serious they are, I get the strength to do just a little more.”
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 10, 2006
A Purim Schpiel for Nebraska Purim is a holiday of the absurd. Saving the Jews from death at the hands of Haman, an adviser to the King of ancient Persia, is a woman--Esther. She, a young single woman, lives with her uncle Mordechai in what appears to be a somewhat suspicious arrangement (some say they were husband and wife). And Esther wins a beauty contest, thereby earning the affections of King Ahasueras and putting her in a position to learn of Haman’s plot against the Jews. Continuing the bizarre story, Haman is reportedly a descendant of Amalek, another evil character who preyed on the elderly and the weak at the end of the long line of Israelite slaves who escaped from Egypt. Haman and his 10 sons are hanged at the end of the Scroll of Esther, when King Ahasueras learns of his goal to kill all the Jews. If that’s not enough, in celebration of a miracle (though G-d’s name is never mentioned in the Megillah), the rabbis tell us to drink so much that we cannot tell the difference between the good Mordechai and the bad Haman. Can’t get more bizarre...or can we? Let’s move the story centuries later to a small midwestern city. The Jewish population dates back to the 1870s and though it’s not huge, seems to be able to pull off feats larger Jewish communities cannot. Of course you’ve guessed it’s Omaha. And here are some of the “stranger” stories that raise eyebrows when told to outsiders: • Omaha is the only Jewish community its size to still publish a weekly newspaper. The Jewish Press is celebrating its 85th anniversary and will open a unique exhibit, in conjunction with the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, on Sunday, April 9, 3-5 p.m., entitled:
“Front Page: 85 Years of Jewish Press History.” • Speaking of the NJHS...it is celebrating its 22nd anniversary and has become one of the largest among Jewish historical organizations in North America, mounting important exhibits and publishing quarterly journals. • Omaha’s Federation raises more than $3.3 million annually, making it one of the highest per-capita campaigns in the country. • Omaha’s Foundation has reached nearly $70 million, making it one of the highest percapita foundation, second only to Cleveland, OH, a city with a Jewish population of 81,000--13 times the size of Omaha’s. • A number of national leaders have come from Omaha since the days of Henry Monsky and Sam Beber (two of the founders of B’nai B’rith’s AZA, youth group for boys more than 80 years ago right here). Our newest member of this exclusive club is 47-year-old Joel Alperson, who will take over the helm of the national chairmanship for the United Jewish Communities’ campaign (the parent group to which our own Federation belongs).
• Our JCC is one of the smallest to have hosted the 2002 annual JCC Maccabi Games, hosting nearly 1000 athletes. • Speaking of the ‘J’, this community raised nearly $12 million ( in addition to its annual Federation campaign) to expand and remodel the facility, making it the envy of JCC directors from all over the country. • Beth El and Beth Israel raised millions to build new synagogues; now Temple Israel has embarked on its own campaign to raise the necessary funds for its move. • And Jewish Senior Services launched its fundraising campaign to redesign and rebuild the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. Outsiders might read this list and think it, too, is a Purim Schpiel. But it’s not. It’s the real deal--Omaha, the best of Jewish communities.
was not enough. Dazzled by the examples of post-World War II Germany and Japan--whose transformations in retrospect increasingly appear to have been one-time achievements--he committed troops in the pursuit of creating a “free and democratic Iraq.” This noble aim was inspired by the best of America’s idealism. But nobility of purpose did not suffice for rehabilitating Iraq, as I predicted already in April 2003. Iraqis, a predominantly Muslim population newly liberated from its totalitarian dungeon, were disinclined to follow the American example; for their part, the American people lacked a deep interest in the welfare of Iraq. This combination of forces guarantees the coalition cannot impose its will on 26 million Iraqis.
creating a successful new Iraq. Fixing Iraq is neither the coalition’s responsibility nor its burden. The damage done by Saddam Hussein will take many years to repair. Americans, Britons, and others cannot be tasked with resolving Sunni-Shi’ite differences, an abiding Iraqi problem that only Iraqis themselves can address. The eruption of civil war in Iraq would have many implications for the West. It would likely: • Invite Syrian and Iranian participation, hastening the possibility of a U.S. confrontation with those two states, with which tensions are already high. • Terminate the dream of Iraq serving as a model for other Middle Eastern countries, thus delaying the push toward elections. This will have the effect of keeping Islamists from being legitimated by the popular vote, as Hamas was just six weeks ago. • Reduce coalition casualties in Iraq. As noted by the Philadelphia Inquirer, “Rather than killing American soldiers, the insurgents and foreign fighters are more focused on creating civil strife that could destabilize Iraq’s political process and possibly lead to outright ethnic and religious war.” • Reduce Western casualties outside Iraq. Vali Nasr, a professor at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School notes: “Just when it looked as if Muslims across the region were putting aside their differences to unite in protest against the Danish cartoons, the attack showed that Islamic sectarianism remains the greatest challenge to peace.” Put differently, when Sunni terrorists target Shi’ites and viceversa, non-Muslims are less likely to be hurt. Civil war in Iraq, in short, would be a humanitarian tragedy but not a strategic one. Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum and author of Miniatures (Transaction Publishers). He can be reached at: www.DanielPipes.org.
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.
Civil War in Iraq?
BEHIND THE H EADLINES by DANIEL PIPES The bombing on February 22 of the Askariya shrine in Samarra, Iraq, was a tragedy, but it was not an American or a coalition tragedy. The destruction of the Golden Dome, built in 1905 and one of the holiest shrines of Shi’ite Islam, represents an escalation of the Sunni assault on the Shi’ites, a purposeful outrage intended to provoke an emotional backlash. It signals not Sunni weakness but the determination of elements in Iraq’s long-ruling community to reassert its dominance. Iraq’s president, Jalal Talabani, has rightly warned that “The fire of sedition, when it breaks out, can burn everything in its path and spare no one.” One shudders at the possible carnage ahead. That said, Iraq’s plight is neither a coalition responsibility nor a particular danger to the West. When Washington and its allies toppled the hideous regime of Saddam Hussein, which endangered the outside world by beginning two wars of expansion, by building a WMD arsenal, and by aspiring to control the trade in oil and gas, they bestowed an historic benefit on Iraqis, a population that had been wantonly oppressed by the Stalinist dictator. Unsurprisingly, his regime quickly fell to outside attack, proving to be the “cakewalk” that many analysts, including myself, had expected. That six-week victory remains a glory of American foreign policy and of the coalition forces. It also represents a personal achievement for George W. Bush, who made the key decisions. But the president decided that this mission
...the time has come to acknowledge that the coalition’s achievement will be limited to destroying tyranny, not sponsoring its replacement. It also implies the need for a lowering of coalition goals. I cheer the goal of a “free and democratic Iraq,” but the time has come to acknowledge that the coalition’s achievement will be limited to destroying tyranny, not sponsoring its replacement. There is nothing ignoble about this limited achievement, which remains a landmark of international sanitation. It would be especially unfortunate if aiming too high spoils that attainment and thereby renders future interventions less likely. The benefits of eliminating Saddam Hussein’s rule must not be forgotten in the distress of not
(Founded in 1920) Joanie Jacobson Chairman Carol Katzman Editor Richard Busse Managing Editor Allan Handleman Advertising Manager Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Managing Editor Terri Greenwood Advertising Executive Barbara Kirkpatrick Bookkeeper Jewish Press Committee Howard K. Marcus, Vice-Chairman; Bobbi Leibowitz, Secretary; Scott Meyerson, Finance Chairman; 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.
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 or e-mail to: 68154-2198 jpress@jewishomaha. org.
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March 10, 2006
Riding the Bus
JOURNAL ENTRY FROM ISRAEL by TEDDY WEINBERGER In my life as an adult in the States I don’t believe that I ever rode on a public bus. Yet for over three years now, I’ve worked in downtown Jerusalem and take a bus to and from work most every day. Sarah works from home and also goes to meetings and it makes more sense for her to have the van. But even when Sarah spends the whole day at home, unless I have an errand that requires a car, I take the bus. It’s cost effective and also makes better use of my time, since I can read or write on the bus. There’s also a certain camaraderie that develops because of bus riding. You get to know the regulars. A Russian woman named Valery who works in a print shop near my office, gets off at my stop and together we walk the six or seven minutes to work. Coincidental with my job and my bus riding was the onset of a big wave of terrorist bombings, although this has never caused me to think twice before boarding the bus. All the passengers getting on the bus in Givat Ze’ev are typically known by face to the other passengers. There is one spot on the route, however, that gives me the creeps. It’s a spot right off the highway outside of Givat Ze’ev, a short walk from the cut-off for Navi Samuel (the purported tomb of the Prophet Samuel). There is also a big Arab village in the area. Usually, the stop is deserted and the bus whizzes by, but sometimes there is someone waiting for a bus. And sometimes the person waiting has a dark complexion, and I can’t help myself because when he boards all I can think is: “don’t blow me up, don’t blow me up, don’t blow me up.” If the bus driver is also suspicious he will say “how are you?” or ask the person where they are going, in an effort to elicit a verbal response from the person. [Arabs typically speak Hebrew with an identifiably Arabic accent, and this trick is widely used throughout Israel by security forces--I guess that terrorists don’t think about investing in accent reduction lessons.] One minute after we pass the “problematic” stop, we are at the border crossing into Jerusalem proper: the Green Line. If it is a higher-tension time, a solder will board and give everyone’s face the once over, making sure that there are no Arab-looking faces in the crowd.
Despite this, I don’t sense a lot of tension on the 171 bus. If anything, there is typically a lot of boisterous life on the bus, as it is the daily means of transportation for several hundred Givat Ze’ev students. The back of the 171 is often literally a school bus, with lots of joking, sometimes shoving, and much general hilarity. My daughter Rebecca is truly in her element back there, loud and rambunctious, her vibrancy is a magnet for everyone. I’m almost the only one on the bus who is reading or writing. Though Jews are supposed to be people of the Book, my fellow commuters just stare out the window or chat with their neighbor or on their mobile phones. Occasionally you will see people, especially women, saying Psalms on the bus, or praying, or studying a traditional text. On some of the public busses that service very religious neighborhoods, there’s a tacit agreement that men sit up front and women sit in the back. On the way home from Jerusalem, if I happen to meet one of my kids waiting at the bus stop, they will deign to acknowledge my existence and even to speak with me. Once on the bus, however, they will usually sit with their friends and I am under strict orders to avert my eyes from their presence. On the very rare occasions when one of them sits next to me, they know that I will scandalize them by offering them an apple and by encouraging them to do school work on the bus. They decline both offers. Bus drivers on the 171 are pretty laid back when it comes to picking up and dropping off passengers. In Givat Ze’ev, if you haven’t had the chance to walk to the nearest stop and you see the bus and hail it, the bus driver will almost certainly stop for you. Upon returning, if you ask nicely (and especially if you are a senior citizen) the driver will let you off in between stops if that is more convenient for you. In conclusion, if you are going from Givat Ze’ev into Jerusalem, the bus is an excellent way to go. You get to enjoy the view, you are helping conserve fossil fuels, and you are connecting with real life and the real world. Plus you can write a column about riding a bub. Oops, my hand slipped. Teddy Weinberger made aliyah to Israel with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Ross, and their five children. He lives in Givat Ze’ev and can be reached at: weinross@netvision.net.il.
I don’t sense a lot of tension on the 171 bus. If anything, there is typically a lot of boisterous life...
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 17
For AIPAC Delegates, Clear Goal on Iran, but Mixed Messages on P.A.
NEWS ANALYSIS byRON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON (JTA)--The lobbying assignment has never been clearer for the 5,000 or so activists at this year’s American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference: Stop Hamas and stop Iran. Yet when it comes to the details--particularly relating to the Palestinian Authority--the message gets murkier, and reveals differences between Washington’s pro-Israel lobby and the Bush administration. AIPAC has never been starker in presenting the threat it believes Israel faces. Howard Kohr, the group’s executive director, suggested the threat had never been as dire since the rise of Nazism. “The parallels of the geopolitical climate of March 5, 1933 and that of March 5, 2006 are stunning in their likeness, eerie in their implication,” Kohr said Sunday night, addressing the assembled delegates, including about 1,000 students. Hitler became Germany’s chancellor on March 5, 1933. “Evil men and their regimes must not be given time to grow and strengthen,” Kohr said, as huge images of Hitler and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, were displayed on video screens in the conference hall. “We must convince our leaders to take all the necessary actions to fundamentally affect the course of history while there is time.” The message--that Iran must be stopped before it acquires even more destructive capacity--was repeated by speaker after speaker at the conference. But a tug of war over presidential discretion between Congress and the Bush administration, together with Israel’s own uncertainties three weeks before its election, contributed to mixed messages as AIPAC activists headed to the Hill on Tuesday in the year’s most impressive lobbying effort. The activists are touting Senate and House of Representatives versions of the “Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act” that agree on the broad issue of isolating a Hamas-run Palestinian Authority but differ on key details, especially on whether the president can waive the legislation. In talking points AIPAC distributed to the delegates, it clearly favors the tougher House version. The Senate bill, introduced Monday by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the majority whip, and Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE), includes a presidential waiver on aid to the Palestinians that Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Tom Lantos (D-CA), the sponsors of the House version, had strongly resisted. It also drops
bans on representation by the Palestine Liberation Organization in the United States. The differences reflect an emerging White House strategy of sustaining aid to P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas, a relative moderate, while isolating Hamas in the wake of the terrorist group’s stunning victory in Jan. 25 Palestinian legislative elections. Abbas remains nominally in power as P.A. president, and is tussling with Hamas over his authority. He also retains control over the PLO, the organization that represents Palestinians throughout the world. The waiver in the Senate version allows President Bush to fund Abbas’ office at Bush’s discretion. The Senate bill leaves in a ban on P.A. representation in the United States, but removes the House version’s ban on PLO representation. That maintains the status quo, because only the PLO is represented in Washington and the United Nations. AIPAC talking points for delegates urge lobbyists to campaign against PLO representation on U.S. soil and for congressional restrictions on all U.S. aid to the Palestinians. That put delegates in the confusing position Tuesday of asking senators to vote for a bill, but against some of its key elements. AIPAC officials said any distinctions between a P.A. and a PLO office were spurious. “They should not have an embassy here in the United States,” David Gillette, AIPAC’s deputy director of policy and government affairs, said in a session on lobbying issues McConnell waited until the last minute --just hours before AIPAC’s lobbying blitz--to introduce the legislation, apparently because of last-minute consultations among his office, the White House and AIPAC. He noted another distinction from the House bill: The Senate legislation continues funding for democracy programs. “Both Senator Biden and I appreciate the need not to punish the Palestinian people for actions its future government may take,” he said. Traditionally, Senate legislation more closely reflects the will of the White House, but the fight is hardly over. Both bills radically restructure the relationship between the Palestinian Authority and the United States, setting tough markers for allowing the Palestinian Authority, no matter who’s running it, to reestablish ties with America. By contrast, AIPAC’s push to isolate Iran was a more straightforward sell, with much of the West now united in its determination to stem the Islamic Republic’s nuclear weapons program.
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Page 18
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
March 10, 2006
Candlelighting Friday, March 10, 6:07 p.m.
Synagogue Listings B’nai Israel Synagogue 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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to reserve space, call
Allan Handleman, 334.6451, or Terri Greenwood, 334.6559.
B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY, March 10, 7:30 p.m. : Purim Celebration with speaker Michael Sigmond, who will discuss Jewish Consumer Issues. Purim dairy dinner will follow. Call 323.8885 to let us know what you will bring. The community is invited.
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m., in the chapel. SATURDAY: Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation (3-7), 10 a.m.; K’tantan (K-2), 10:45 a.m.; Tot Shabbat, 10:4511:30 a.m.; Kiddush sponsored by B’not Mitzvah Class of 2006; Evening Service, 6:15 p.m., Jenna Gerber, daughter of Janelle and Todd Gerber, will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah. ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAY, 10 a.m.: Bible Discussion Group, Living Hebrew, Adult B’nai Mitzvah class, and The Blessing of Good Parenting, (babysitting is available); Nashir Choir, 10-11 a.m.; Jewish Pot Pourri Class 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. THURSDAYS, noon: Rabbi Levin leads Discovering the Talmud: Lessons for Everyday Living. PATTER: Wednesdays, 10:30 -11:45 a.m., for parents and toddlers, 18 months to age three. BAD BOYS OF THE BIBLE Mini-course on Wednesdays, March 8, 15, 22, 29, 7-8 p.m. at Beth El. Cost is $18; RSVP to Margie Gutnik in the office. PURIM CARNIVAL: Sunday, March 12, 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. PURIM SERVICES: Family service with short Megillah reading and Purim Shpiel, Monday, March 13, 6:30 p.m.; complete Megillah reading at 7:30 p.m. Shacharit service with full Megillah reading, Tuesday, March 14, 6:15 a.m. TROPICAL SALSA NIGHT Saturday, March 18, 8 p.m.11 p.m.; cost is $10 per person. RSVP by March 13 to Margie Gutnik. (See full story on page 10.) BESTT WORKSHOP Session addresses bullying and other types of child victimization, on March 26, 12:15 p.m. To register, contact Education Director Judy Rubin. HAZAK DELI NIGHT Sunday, March 26, 5:30-7:30
p.m. Orders must be placed by March 20. For menu and price information, contact Gloria Goodman at 333.3351.
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Hours: MondayOffice 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, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Free Babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Junior a.m.; Congregation, 10:30 Kiddush sponsored by Sisterhood; Mincha, 6 p.m.; Havdalah, 7:08 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Contact the office for Mincha/ Ma’ariv time. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m; Contact the office for Mincha/Ma’ariv time. MONDAY: Fast of Esther begins, 5:18 a.m.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 6 p.m.; Megillah reading, 6:30 p.m.; Babysitting service will be available. Following the Megillah reading, enjoy a dairy dinner, entertainment featuring the Amazing Arthur, and a costume parade. TUESDAY–Purim: Shacharit, Megillah reading, 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.; Megillah reading at 12610 Remington Heights, Dodge St., 11 a.m.; Children’s Megillah Reading, 5:15 p.m.; Late Megillah reading, 5:30 p.m.; Babysitting will be available. A Purim Seudah, with games for children and adults, will follow. THURSDAY: Advanced Parsha class, 9 p.m.
BEYT SHALOM FRIDAY: Shabbat in the Home.
CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi 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; Chabad Cheder and Aleph Champ, 10 a.m. WEEKDAYS: Minyan, 7 a.m. MONDAY: Break-the-fast and Megilla Reading, 6:30 p.m. TUESDAY: Women of Worth Prayer Circle, 9 a.m.; Cirque Du Purim Communitywide Purim Festival, 5 p.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 Stacie and Bob Bleicher. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. all led by Rabbi Emanuel. SUNDAY: Lincoln Jewish School Purim Community Celebration, 10 a.m. at Tifereth Israel; Community School Board meeting, 1 p.m.; Winter Lecture Series, 6 p.m. at Unitarain Church, 6300 ‘A’ St. with concluding dinner; Purim Spiel, The Megillah according to the Beatles, 7 p.m. with Hamentaschen reception following. WEDNESDAY: Hebrew class (grades 2-7), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. ADULT EDUCATION THURSDAY, 7 p.m. Music Education, led by Mark Miller, Holly Hefflebower, and Elaine Monnier (first and third Thursdays of the month).
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Shabbat Services, 9 a.m., led by Robert Mosenkis. MONDAY: Purim Celebration, 7 p.m. led by Beyt Shalom Congre-gation.
TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Shabbat 2 You, 4 p.m. at Remington Heights; Shabbat Service, 6 p.m.; Rabbi Craig Marantz and Cantor Wendy Shermet will officiate along with the fourth grade students and faculty. SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15-10:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m. Sam Monsky, son of Pam and Henry Monsky, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah. SUNDAY: Teacher Meeting, 9:30 a.m.; Religious School (K-6),
10 a.m.-noon.; Purim Carnival, noon-2 p.m. MONDAY-Erev Purim: Club 56 Costume Booth, 5:30 p.m.; Purim Spiel and Service, 6 p.m.; Dinner, 7 p.m. For reservations, call the office. Cost is $7 Adults, $4 for children, 12 and under. TUESDAY, March 14: No Family School. WEDNESDAY, March 15: No Religious School; No Middle/ High School. ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAY, March 12: Film Series with Moshe Gershovich in the Chapel: Memory, Image and Meanings: The Holocaust in Films, 3-4 p.m. THURSDAY, March 16: Adult Study with the Clergy with Rabbi Azriel, 10-11:30 a.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN FRIDAY: Minyan, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Rabbi Royi Shaffin. Minyan, MONDAY & THURSDAY, 9 a.m. FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY: Parashat Hashavu’a class, 8:30 a.m.; Morning service, 9:30 a.m., followed by Shabbat lunch and Talmud class. SUNDAY: Gan Simcha, grades 2-7, and Hallah High, 9:30 a.m.noon, at Tifereth Israel; grades K1, 9:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at B’nai Jeshurun. 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. ADULT EDUCATION Monday and Thursday evenings, 7-9 p.m, and Thursdays, noon-2 p.m ARTragious Evening of Art SATURDAY, March 11, 7:30 p.m. Invite your friends and relatives. Make reservations at $5 per person in advance by check made out to Tifereth Israel and mailed to Barbara Kenyon , 6229 Barbara Lane, 68512. Tickets at the door are $7. MONDAY, March 13, 7 p.m.: The Reading of the Megillah for Purim, and again on Tuesday, March 14, 9:30 a.m. Friday, March 31: The last Friday of the month we will have services at 6:30 p.m., with a Shabbat dinner following.
B’NAI MITZVAH Natalie and William Bernstien, daughter and son of Bruce and Patti Bernstien, became B’nai Mitzvah on Saturday, March 4, at Congregation Shearith Israel in Dallas, TX. Rabbi William Gershon officiated at the service. Natalie is a sixth-grade student at the Greenhill School and William is a seventh-grade student at the Episcopal School of Dallas.
For their mitzvah projects, Natalie and William participated in two volunteer activities. First, they spent part of their summer volunteering at the Arc of Texas which is committed to cre-
ating opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. The two volunteered at summer camp for those with special needs. Their second volunteer activity was for Collin Intervention to Youth, Inc.
(CITY) House. CITY House provides crisis intervention services to neglected, abused, runaways and troubled youth and their families. Natalie and William helped decorate CITY House for the winter holidays. Grandparents are Jeanette and Jack Cooper of Dallas, TX, and the late Lois and Gerald Bernstien.
March 10, 2006
Remember Amalek
Parashat Tetzave/Shabbat Zachor It should come as no surprise to the average reader that the story of Purim is probably fiction as it stands. It may come from some historical source, now hidden from us and irretrievable, where there was danger to a Jewish community somewhere, sometime, and safety came through the efforts of some brave Jewish woman who chanced to be in position to help. Perhaps we ought to mention the story of Judith in the Apocryhpha as a story that may indeed have historical background. It may have served as the basis of the story of Esther. We may note that both Esther and Mordechai are pagan names, Esther coming from Astarte--the Canaanite fertility goddess, and Mordechai related to Marduk, the chief Assyrian god. It is as though we were to name children Minerva and Zeus. That having been said, the story of Purim--danger and redemption--has occurred again and again in actual Jewish history.
All that aside, Purim has meant a joyful celebration in Jewish life, requiring no burdens of no-work days and long special Torah readings. The emphasis is not on religious observance, but rather on anything that will give us joy, sometimes unbridled joy. Indeed we are told that on Purim it is meritorious to imbibe enough wine so that we are confused between Mordechai and Haman. (Don’t try this at home!) All of the above, with all the celebrations around Purim, are occasioned by remembrance of the attack on Israel, young and untried, as it left Egypt. The attacker was the militant tribe of Amalek, who appear more than once in the future Israelite history. (Indeed Haman was considered an Amalekite descendant.) You may have noticed that the Etz Chayim Torah and Commentary used in the Conservative movement lists Shabbat Zachor among the four special Shabbatot before Passover. It omits from this list Shabbat HaGadol. When I was a youngster, the four included Shabbat HaGadol, but certainly not Shabbat Zachor, which was limited to Purim. Other oldsters in the community, like me, may remember the four special Sabbaths as I remember them, not as Etz Chayim enumerates them. You pays your money, they say, and takes your choice!
National Jewish Book Awards Include Father and Daughter
Beth El’s Hazak Group Makes Plans for Annual Deli Night
by DAVID J. SILVERMAN WASHINGTON (JTA)-- A father and his daughter are among the 19 winners of the 2005 National Jewish Book Awards. Rabbi David Ellenson, President of the Reform movement’s Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, grabbed the top award in the category of modern Jewish thought and experience for his work, After Emancipation, a documentation of how modernism revitalized Judaism. Ellenson’s daughter, Ruth Andrew Ellenson, earned the top honor in the category of women’s studies. Her work, The Modern Jewish Girls’ Guide to Guilt, is a collection of essays by prominent women on the existential issues that preoccupy them. Israeli writer Amos Oz won this year’s top prize, the Everett Family Foundation Jewish Book of the Year Award, for his memoir, A Tale of Love and Darkness. Deborah Lipstadt’s History on Trial: My Day in Court with David Irving won best Holocaust book, while Michael Chabon’s The Final Solution won recognition for best fiction book. Awards in other categories included: American Jewish History: Jerome Karabel, The Chosen: The Hidden History of Exclusion at Harvard, Yale and Princeton; Anthologies: Derek Rubin, Who We Are: On Being (and Not Being) A Jewish American Writer; Biography/Memoir: Masha Gessen, Ester and Ruzya; Children’s Literature: Pnina Moed Kass, Real Time; Contemporary Jewish Life and Practice: Scott-Martin Kosofsky, The Book of Customs; and Eastern European Studies: Yuri Slezkine, The Jewish Century.
by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Beth El Synagogue’s Hazak group is busy preparing for its annual “deli-icious” Deli Night, planned for Sunday, March 26, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the synagogue. Group members recently met in the synagogue’s kitchen to discuss the evening’s logistics. Whether dining in or taking out, everyone in the community can take advantage of the scrumptious sandwiches and side dishes offered during this feast.
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Natalie Rubin, left, and Gloria Goodman, program co-chairmen, Jim Wax, President, Phyllis Schwartz, Harriet Marcus, and Ilse Kahn meet to discuss Hazak’s deli menu. Reservations and orders are needed by March 20 and may be made by sending a check--payable to Hazak--to Natalie Rubin, 2004 So. 138 Ave. Cir., Omaha, NE 68144. For more information about the type of sandwiches and sides being offered--and prices for each item--call Gloria Goodman at 333.3351.
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. Super Saturday Sale, March 11, 10a.m. - 5 p.m. Final closeout pricing on all 2005 models, scratch/dent specials, demo models, other Super Saturday Bargains. Town Center Showcase, 2645 “O” Street, Lincoln, call 1-800-869-0406 for prices, or go to goodlifespa.com. 1967 DODGE 440 RT convertible to be auctioned at the 25th Annual Cox Collector Car Auction, Branson, Missouri, April 21-22-23. Consignment or bidding information: 800-335-3063, www.bransonauction.com. WOLFF TANNING beds. Buy direct and save! Full body units from $22 a month! Free color catalog. Call today! 1-800-842-1305, www.np.etstan.com. JOSEPHSCOLLEGE.COM, informational video. $1,000 scholarships available. Financial aid to those qualifying. 7 locations. Classes starting monthly. Joseph’s College of Beauty, 1-800-742-7827, free brochure/application. dcuva@alltel.net. AG SERVICE Technician for Case IH dealership in Imperial. Competitive wages, full benefits, small town living, great school. Fax resume 308-543-4943 or call Mark 1-800453-7512. AERIAL PHOTO company looking for contract sales agents to sell farm photos within 300 mile radius of home. Proven earnings of $1,500-$2,000 per week average. Must have own vehicle. Commission sales. 800-332-0085. HIRING FOR 2006: Average postal employee earns $57,000/year. Minimum starting pay $18/hour. Benefits/paid training & vacations. No experience needed. 1-800-5841775. Ref #P1011.
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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 Federation’s website. Just go to: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press and click on “Submit Announcements.”
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March 10, 2006
Building Israel and Being Built By It
PEOPLE OF THE
BYTE
by MARK MIETKIEWICZ When Israel was young, Jewish volunteers would come from around the world to help work its land, build its cities and drain its swamps. Nowadays Israel doesn’t need any more swamps drained but if you are looking for a different kind of adventure, new challenges are waiting. There are several intriguing programs designed for volunteers from abroad that will let you work among Israelis--and perhaps, even save a life. Israel’s Magen David Adom runs an ambulance program for volunteers 1825. After a weeklong first aid training course in English, participants spend two months giving first aid and emergency care. Volunteers must be conversant in Hebrew--so to help you brush up on medical terminology, you can download the MDA dictionary of common medical emergency expressions from its website. [www.magendavidadom.org/jafi.asp] In his online diary, MDA volunteer Anthony Herman says emergency calls have included car accidents, heart attacks, fevers, building collapses, shootings, bombings and a soccer riot. But his most memorable call was his last one. “Just before my shift ended, dispatch informed us that a mother was giving birth in her apartment. We arrived just in time to help with the delivery. It is something I shall never forget--for my final call I was able to participate in the miracle of birth. The last sound of my MDA service was not the wailing of the sirens, but the cries of a new born baby.” [http://tinyurl.com/7xfrs]
If riding an ambulance isn’t your speed, then how about a fire engine? Lehavot Firefighters for Israel is a new program that trains volunteers between the ages of 1835 and places them in fire stations across the country. Instruction is in English and a minimum stay of one month is required. [www.destinationisrael. com/lehavot.asp] Here’s how another volunteer site sells itself: “Why would anyone on vacation rise at 6 a.m., work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, endure Spartan accommodations and army food--and pay to do it? Join (Sar-El) Volunteers for Israel and you’ll understand.” [www.sar-el.org/] Volunteers in good health age from late teens to their seventies can work in hospitals and doing non-military work on army bases. John Nettleton of Springfield, Oregon describes his service this way. “During a 26-year career as a fighter pilot, I was generously provided the constant support of hundreds of people in logistics, maintenance etc. Now, for a few weeks at least, I could do some payback and, as a humble warehouseman, provide support for front-line fighters.” [www.vfi-usa.org/] Do you have professional expertise to share? Graduates or young professionals in other fields can take a look at Stagerim, the Professional Internship Program. In the past, interns have been placed in a wide range of fields including medicine, tourism, hi-tech, law, education, social service and communications. [www.israelprograms.org/Stagerim.ht m] Dental Volunteers for Israel offers licensed dentists the opportunity to volunteer to work in a Jerusalem clinic treating underprivileged children. Over 4,500
dentists from 13 countries have volunteered at DVI since 1980. [www.dental-dvi.co.il/] Otzma describes itself as “The Ultimate Real Life Experience”. Otzma is interesting because it has you working in three different settings over the course of the 10-month program. You start off by learning Hebrew while working in an Absorption Center followed by community service such as working with the elderly or in a center for children There were open mouths and incredulous looks by passersby in from problem families. Tel Aviv as a 24 meter three-section articulated bus threaded its You complete Otzma way through the streets of Tel Aviv for a three-day evaluation. working in a social agency The bus, which can hold up to 180 passengers, looks more like or Jewish communal serva train than a regular town bus. What is special about the vehiice organization. cle is that it is a state-of-the-art hybrid that runs most of the [www.otzma.org] time on a pollution-free electric engine. It only uses its gasoline Nesiya is a six-week propowered engine when necessary. The Israel Transportation gram that includes comMinistry, which is organizing the evaluation, will eventually use service in munity the bus on busy high demand routes that are not included in the Jerusalem, the Galil and route of the light rail system that is planned for the greater Tel at Bedouin development Aviv region. The bus is also now being tested and evaluated in town outside of Holland. Copyright: ISRANET Beersheba. [www.nesiya. org/] Also check out “Livnot students spend seven months in Negev U'Lehibanot - To Build (Israel) and Be town of Arad studying Hebrew as well as Built (by it)” which offers a community Israeli and Jewish courses. After the initial service component in addition to its edu- session, most students spend another five cational programs. [www.thelivnotexpe- months working or volunteering in their rience.com/] For more opportunities in fields of expertise elsewhere in the counIsrael, visit the Project 1000 Volunteers try. [www.wujs-arad.org/] I didn’t drain any swamps but I have page. [www.israelprograms.org/ volalways treasured my WUJS experience. unteer.htm] Mark Mietkiewicz is a Toronto-based The WUJS Institute was founded by the World Union of Jewish Students in Internet producer who writes, lectures 1968. Unlike many other programs that and teaches about the Jewish Internet. He are based in major population centers, can be reached at highway@rogers.com.