Vol. LXXXVIII No. 34 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 88 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
Community to celebrate Israel’s 61st birthday and Tel Aviv’s centenntial by ANNE MUSKIN BBYO Director Yom Ha’atzmaut is the time to celebrate the creation of the state of Israel. It is a time for festivities, laughter, and thanksgiving for the homeland of the Jewish people and all that it stands for. This year, the communitywide celebration is Sunday, May 3 12:30 p.m., at the Jewish Community Center. From 12:30-4:30 p.m., there will be food, carnival games, unique Judaic art projects, a live drumming circle, an Israeli fashion show, and more. Lunch will be offered from 12:30-3:30 p.m. and will include tasty options from Frank’s Pizza, Bagel Bin, and El Hundreds of thousands of people crowded into Rabin Square in Tel Aviv April 4 to participate Basha. There will be a sta- in a free concert to celebrate the city’s 100th birthday. It was the most lavish event ever put on tion to sponsor Israeli in Tel Aviv and cost $16 million to stage. Apart from leading Israeli singers and bands, the show Defense Force care pack- was opened by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta. There were street ages, and wishes can be parties all over the city and also an impressive firework display. During the next months, many placed in Omaha’s ver- events are planned to commemorate the founding of Israel’s first city in modern times. Credit: ISRANET sion of the Western Wall. the art of caricature, attendees can move on to Star of This summer, participants of the Federation’s Young David magnets and a map of Israel mural. Jewish Omaha Mission are traveling to Israel, and will be This year’s Israeli Independence Day will also be host taking these prayers to the actual Western Wall. to the ninth annual B’nai B’rith Trivia Quiz at 1 p.m. in Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrants will have the opportunity the Community Room, and the announcement of the to take part in a variety of art projects, including making Elinor Whitman Book Award contest winners will take portraits based on the works of popular Israeli artist place at 2:30 p.m. in the Kripke Library. Hanoch Piven. An Israeli mixed media artist, Piven is Continued on page 2 best known for his celebrity caricatures. After mastering
Press to launch new independent website Newspaper wins awards from UNO, NPA a new website. by CAROL KATZMAN Editor of the Jewish Press One donor familiar to readers is former Omahan Though the Jewish Press Stan Lipsey. He not only has been posting front helped to fund the 2006 page articles and more to exhibit, but has continthe Federation’s website, ued his financial support at www.jewishomaha. of the Press throughout org for more than five the digitization process years now, this summer, and website development. the weekly newspaper will A former president of also launch a new, indethe Jewish Press, Lipsey pendent, interactive webwas the owner and pubsite, hosted by Waitt lisher of the Pulitzer Interactive. prize-winning Dundee The Press board of Sun. When he sold it to directors under the leadership of Howard K. Bobbi Leibowitz, right, President of the Press Board, congratulates Warren Buffett’s BerkMarcus, passed a motion Carol Katzman, Editor of the Jewish Press, on winning the Andy shire Hathaway Comnearly three years ago, Award, presented by Dr. Tom Goutierre at UNO last Friday. The pany, Lipsey was then when it set a goal of award is given to a member of the Nebraska media whose cover- asked to take the helm of developing a new website age enhances the international awareness of Nebraskans. It is the Buffalo News, another in time to celebrate the named in honor of Harold W. Andersen, former chairman and BH property. paper’s 90th anniversary. Chief Executive Officer of the Omaha World-Herald. Katzman is Last year, Lipsey made a five-figure gift to the After a series of grant donating the $1,000 prize to the Press’ website project. requests materialized for the 85th anniversary exhibit Jewish Press for digitizing its archives and launching a “Front Page: 85 Years of Jewish Press History”, new website. The gift, including Jeanne Lipsey fundraising continued to convert more than 80 years of Rosenblum of San Francisco, CA, Martin Blacker microfilm to digital images and for the development of Continued on page 2
Inside
This Week: Monthly Calendar for May: Pages 10-11
See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’ Opinion Page see page 12
‘Jerusalem Post’ Reporter speaks to Creighton audience: Page 6
16 Nisan, 5769
April 24, 2009
Riekes named Sokolof Fund’s outstanding teacher by MARY BORT Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Margo Riekes, a teacher at Beth El Synagogue Talmud Torah (BESTT) for the past 41 years, has been named the winner of the fourth annual Phil and Ruth Sokolof Outstanding Jewish Teacher Award. This $10,000 award goes to a Jewish teacher in the Omaha metropolitan area, preferably kindergarten through 12th grade, in recognition of outstanding contributions as a teacher and mentor to the education and overall achievements of his/her students. Beth El’s Education Director, Judy Rubin, described Riekes as a “beloved teacher” who motivates students to Margo Riekes want to learn. “Mrs. Riekes is responsible for the innovation of several programs at BESTT and in the Omaha Jewish community,” noted Rubin. “For example, in the Mock Jewish Wedding, students learn about Jewish wedding customs in her Jewish Life Cycle class. Then they simulate a wedding with a bride and groom, rabbi and all the other participants in the ceremony.” Riekes is known for utilizing an experiential approach in her teaching. “When she has taught about tzedakah, her students have taken up a collection and then personally delivered the collected goods to a shelter or halfway house such as the Stephen Center,” said Rubin. Ygal Schuller, a high school senior who was in her sixth grade Israel class, received help from her when he wrote his Bar Mitzvah speech. He was also her teacher’s aid during his sophomore and junior years. He feels that her award is well-deserved. “She was my first teacher when I moved to Omaha, and she welcomed me with open arms. She’s not only a very knowledgeable teacher, but she also works well with her kids to make sure that they are learning the material in a fun interactive way,” he said. Rubin indicated that many students choose Riekes as their mentor. “For many years, Margo has volunteered to help students understand their Torah and Haftarah portions and helps them apply the knowledge gained to their own lives.” Dayna Cohen, current teacher’s assistant, said that it is a wonderful experience to help. The high school junior noted, “I can tell she really wants to make sure the children are learning something. It is evident that she wants them to leave her class with something important to better their Jewish identities. I can really tell that she loves what she is doing, and I truly think it's an honor to be working with her.” Another of Riekes’ former students, high school senior Claire Schlessinger, said that Riekes is a devoted teacher. “When I was a Bat Mitzvah, she helped me interpret my parasha and write my speech, spending hours of her own time volunteering to help any student prepare his or her address to the congregation.” When learning about the mezuzah, Riekes had her students create their own mezuzot to hang in their homes. “I still have the mezuzah hanging on my doorpost,” Claire said. “All of her art projects made us so much more interested in what we were learning because she showed us how it all fit into our everyday lives.” According to Riekes, who is now teaching children of her former students, she is very proud of having students go on to be rabbis, Jewish educators and cantors. In fact, Annalisse Ocanto, who is receiving the Karen Sokolof Javitch Music Scholarship, is in cantorial studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. Continued on page 7
Coming Next Week: Mother’s Day Gift Guide Tel Aviv at 100: History, what to see, where to go: Pages 8-9
Shiputznick 2009 makes a difference: Page 16
Page 2
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
April 24, 2009
Press to launch new independent website
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Continued from page 1 of Houston and Barbara Kamesar of La Jolla, CA, was made in memory of David Blacker, publisher of the Jewish Press from 1927-1950. “My 10-plus year relationship with the Jewish Press remains one of the best of my volunteer career,” added Joanie Jacobson, chairman from 2003-06. “The Press is not only an excellent, award-winning newspaper, but most important, it’s the only vehicle that connects everyone in the Jewish community. Now, thanks to the vision, resourcefulness and persistence of its editor, it looks like we’re going to stay connected. A website will keep the Press and Jewish news alive here.” At last weekend’s annual conference of the Nebraska Press Association, the Jewish Press received three awards: Managing Editor Richard Busse was recognized with a Second Place for Single Retail Advertising Idea/Color for his creation of the James Skinner Baking Company promotion of its new product, Dulce de Leche reloude, and a third place for Newspaper Promotion for his BOGO ad (Buy One, Get One). In addition, freelance writer Leo Adam Biga, won a third place award for his Feature Series about Henry Monsky and Father Flanagan: “Two men shared path to social justice and interfaith harmony.” Results of the annual Rockower Awards will be announced in late June at the annual conference of the American Jewish Press Association in Evanston, IL. Jacobson added, “Newspapers, particularly Jewish newspapers, are disappearing. The need for the Press to be on the web has become far more urgent in the last two years; I’m thrilled that the Federation voted to move us all into the 21st century. We’ll be looking ahead while preserving our past ... wow!” In her presentations to the Federation’s executive committee and board of directors last week, Bobbi Leibowitz, current president of the Press board of directors, explained that its members were not surprised by the effect of the internet on newspapers. “We’ve spent the last three years researching local and national website developers, as well as picking the brains of our talented board and other helpful members of the Jewish community.” However, Leibowitz added, there will be a transition that includes both print and website. “We’re not stopping publication of the print edition and going to an exclusive web-based format,” she said. There may be many years ahead for both. “All multimedia options are on the table,” she added, noting that for the time being, “readers can be reassured that the printed paper will still arrive in their mailboxes!” Components of the new website will not only include
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Funding for the digitization project was obtained from Stan Lipsey of Buffalo, the Herbert Goldsten Trust, the Special Donor-advised Fund and the Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, the Hugo Kahn Foundation of New Orleans, and the Friedel Family Foundation of Austin, TX. Individual donors include: Victoria Baker, Ben Kutler of Overland Park, KS, Rose Katzman, Joanie Jacobson, Miriam Simon of Palm Coast, FL, John Anderson of Houston, Lynne Saltzman, Mark Bernstien of Dallas, Mel Epstein, James Lipsey and Richard Weill of Tucson, Roland Lewis of Leesberg, FL, Stephen Newman of Aventura, FL, Vivi Rosen of Rockville, MD, Nancy Goldstein of Cincinnati, and Ferne Katelman of New York. Also donating were Maxine Kirshenbaum, Ron Cooper, Linda Gepford of Stillwell, KS, Roger Kaye of Turner, OR, Sidney Heisler of West Bloomfield, MI, Rita and Bob Yaffe of Glenview, IL, Steve Riekes, Yale Trustin of San Antonio, Marian Gelfand of Denver, Barbara Nelson of Champaign, IL, David Duitch of Dallas, David Gross of Vail, CO, David Bear of Des Moines, Rachel Slosburg of Dallas, Joseph Greenberg of Sherman Oaks, CA, Brian Bogdanoff, and Rabbi Debbie Stiel of Overland Park, KS.
the social announcements (births, marriages, obituaries, and the like) now currently published at www.jewishomaha.org, but more local, national and international news, additional photos, and some new features. In addition to an eNewsletter reminding viewers to click on the Press’ website each week, viewers will be able to participate in business listings, post recipes and ideas for art projects for Shabbat and Jewish holidays, and download podcasts from lectures by visiting scholars or regular classes given by the Center for Jewish Education or local synagogues. In addition, the $1000 check presented by Dr. Tom Goutierre to this writer at a luncheon last Friday for the Andy Award, will be donated to the Jewish Press for website development. The award is given by UNO’s Department of International Studies to a member of the Nebraska media whose coverage enhances the international awareness of Nebraskans, and is named in honor of Harold W. Andersen, former chairman and CEO of the Omaha World-Herald. Former winners include David Kotok, Steve Jordan, Charles Reinken, all of the World-Herald, and a number of reporters from the Lincoln Journal Star, UNO TV, KETV, and KFAB radio. In her nomination, Leibowitz wrote, “Editor since July of 1996, Carol Katzman understands that for many readers, the Jewish Press may be their only source of national and international news of Jewish interest. While the weekly newspaper of the Jewish community since 1920 focuses on local news, Katzman has made it a priority to tell the larger stories that may take place in Moscow, Poland, Argentina or Israel -- but may have an impact on the local Jewish community. “She has traveled to Israel a half dozen times since becoming editor, obtaining interviews with former Omahan, Ambassador Richard H. Jones, and the emergency medical team at the Western Galilee Hospital, as well as with the developers of Agrilogic, a company purchased by one of Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiaries immediately after BH bought Iscar. “Katzman also traveled to Poland during the 18th anniversary of the March of the Living with a group that included survivors. The Press won a third place award from the Nebraska Press Association for its coverage. “Locally, she profiled one of the few Muslims interred in Auschwitz. She’s interviewed Jews from the former Soviet Union, Holocaust survivors, and a Palestinian living in Mississippi who made a large donation to UNO’s new Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies. “Omaha is no longer isolated and Katzman has used her position to make sure that readers know that. Omaha’s Jewish community is part of the world -thanks to her insistence that the Press reflect worldwide events and people that have an effect on its readers,” Leibowitz concluded.
Donors to website development Funds for website development have been granted by Stan Lipsey, the Herbert Goldsten Trust, the Special Donoradvised Fund and the Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, the Iris and Martin Ricks Fund, and the Michael and Carolyn Kulakofsky Fund. Additional donations have been made by John Anderson of Houston, Rita and Bob Yaffe, Hubert Ban of San Francisco, Nancy Rips, Stephen Newman, Ben Kutler, Steve Kenny, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Burstein of St. Louis, Jeri Falk of Ruxton, MD, Jeanne Lipsey of San Francisco, Howard Kooper, Joanie Jacobson, Murray Kitner of Hallandale, FL, Susan Katzman of St. Louis, Katherine Kirshenbaum of Newton, MA, Linda Gepford, Lainey Nacron of Miami, Miriam Simon, John Rosenberg of Chanhassen, MN, Mark Zalkin of Englewood, CO, David Duitch, Cheryl Cooper, David Gross, Vivi Rosen, Deborah Fellman of Los Angeles, and Jim Malashock of Sacramento, CA.
Community to celebrate Israel’s 61st Continued from page 1 Entertainment will include a special guest musician, Michael Mozes, who will bring the old rhythm of the drums of Israel, creating a festive drumming energy all day long. In the theater, from 3:30-4:30 p.m., students from Friedel Jewish Academy will help close out the afternoon, by singing Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah -The Hope”, followed by the presentation of the Jewish Federation’s annual Elly and Bob Gordman Teen Leadership Awards, as well as scholarship awards from the Phil and Ruth Sokolof Merit Scholarship Fund, and
the Sokolof Javitch Music Fund, both managed by the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation An Israeli fashion show, tracing Israel’s history through fashion, and performed by the “teen models” of BBYO will follow. Not to be outdone, Michael Mozes will end the day with an encore performance. Yom Ha’atzmaut 2009 promises to be an exceptional day, filled with meaning and of course fun! For more information about activities for Israeli Independence Day, contact me at 402.334.6404 or amuskin@jccomaha.org.
April 24, 2009
Beth El’s middle school students to be treated to memorable Kadima Shabbaton by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Combining camaraderie, fun, spirituality and study, Beth El’s annual Kadima Shabbaton is always special for the synagogue’s sixth-to-eighth graders, and this year’s retreat promises another memorable weekend. Planned for FridaySunday, May 1-3, this year’s Shabbaton will once again take place at the 4-H campsite in Gretna; this year’s theme,
Director Robert Mosenkis, Andy Greenberg, Glen Fineman, Tamar HaLevy, Mark Kelln, and an enthusiastic group of high school assistants. Other activities will include canoeing, low-ropes courses and ‘geocaching,’ using GPS units to find hidden items around the camp. On May 1, parents are asked to drop off their children at the synagogue at 3:45 p.m.; then on Sunday, May 3, chil-
At last year’s Kadima Shabbaton, Rabbi Levin served as a facilitator during discussion groups for the middle-school participants. “’D’s’* Are Good for You!” (*deci- dren will be taken to the JCC at 11:30 sions).” The weekend will be filled with a.m., in time for Yom Ha’Atzmaut festivdiscussion groups, games, singing, a spe- ities. Cost is $75; reservations will be cial Shabbat celebration, and other sur- accepted until April 27. To register or for more information, contact Robert prises for all participants. A relaxed Friday night Shabbat service Moseknis in the synagogue office, or at and brief Saturday morning service will youthdir@bethel-omaha.org or Judy prepare the way for a Shabbat afternoon Rubin, at 498.0904, or eddir@bethelhighlighted by learning and activity ses- omaha.org. Kadima Shabbaton is made possible, in sions led by Beth El’s Rabbi Mordechai Levin, Cantor Beth Schlossberg, part, by a donation from the Herbert Education Director Judy Rubin, Youth Goldsten Trust.
Put your game face on! for Beth El Synagogue’s
Texas Hold ’em and Mah Jongg Tournament A fundraiser jointly sponsored by Beth El Synagogue’s Men’s Club and Sisterhood
Sunday, May 17 4 pm ’til 8 pm 4 - 4:30 registration - 5 pm start time
EARLY BIRD PRICING $25 per ticket or $45 per couple for both tournaments The day of the event, price goes up to $30 per ticket or $55 per couple
PRIZES will be awarded to the top finishers! BABYSITTING is available at a cost of $5 per child. Deal me in! Enclosed is $ _______ @ ____ $25 per ticket or ____ $45 per couple (check one) Name ______________________________________________ Phone ______________________ Email _______________________________________________ I need babysitting for ______ children ____ I’m playing POKER ____ I’m playing Mah Jongg Return this form with your check payable to “Beth El Men’s Club” to Beth El Synagogue, 14506 California St., Omaha, NE 68154. Check must be received before May 17 to qualify for reduced pricing.
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 3
Everything on sale at Temple Gift Shop
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN moving to the United States in 1989, he Temple Israel Communications Coordinator founded Danco Gallery in Greenwich Do you need a latke platter, a hanukki- Village in New York City. For three years, ah, gift items, jewelry? They’re available he designed and hand crafted one-of-aat the Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) kind museum reproductions for cusGift Shop at Temple Israel, and every- tomers such as H. Stern Jewelers and the thing is on sale for at least 25 percent off. Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 1994, The sale will be on Sundays, April 26 and May 10, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. “Everything inside the shop will be 25 percent off,” said Sandy Nogg, manager of the Gift Shop for nearly 18 years. Just outside the Gift Shop, merchandise will be for sale at a 35 percent to 50 percent discount at the sidewalk sale. “While trying to find beautiful and unique items for the Jewish home” to stock the Gift Shop, said Nogg, a past WRJ president. “I’ve always tried to keep in mind that the WRJ Gift Shop is a service to our congregants as well as a fund raiser.” As she orders from suppliers around the country, she attempts to select merchandise that is These items will all be on sale at the Temple Gift Shop on April affordable for the majori- 26 and May 10. ty of shoppers. his jewelry began showing up at Neiman “I have some beautiful new things by Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Michael Bromberg,” who is a jewelry other galleries and boutiques in Europe, designer originally from Odessa. After Japan, and the United States.
Page 4
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
April 24, 2009
Denying the deniers: Q & A with Deborah Lipstadt
LOS ANGELES (JTA) -- This month marks nine years since Holocaust denier David Irving lost his libel suit against historian and scholar Deborah Lipstadt, who chronicled her battle against him in the book, History On Trial: My Day in Court with David Irving (Harper Collins, 2005). Lipstadt, the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Emory University, has just unveiled on www. hdot.org the translations of the popular “Myths & Facts” sheets, which help refute deniers with historical evidence, in Arabic, Farsi, Turkish and Russian. On this Holocaust Remembrance Day -- 70 years since the start of World War II -- Lipstadt discusses the changing face of Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism, how the next generation of Jews relate to the Holocaust and the role it should play in forging Jewish identity, and why Hollywood loves her story. JTA: What has happened to you and the field of Holocaust denial since the end of the trial and when your book came out? LIPSTADT: After the lawsuit I didn’t change in any way, what I have to say didn’t change in any way, but people give me more credence and listen more carefully to what I have to say. I went head-to-head with the world’s leading Holocaust denier, and thanks to terrific lawyers and a terrific research team and the support of lots of people, we were able to expose the lies and distortions in which he engages and, by extension all Holocaust deniers, either makes up the lies or repeats the lies. Have we solved the problems of Holocaust denial? Of course not. We did provide precise explanations by following their footnotes. By tracking their sources we proved that what they said are lies and inventions. We didn’t prove what happened, we proved that what they say happened did not happen. JTA: What’s the difference? LIPSTADT: There’s a difference. I wasn’t proving how many people were murdered at Auschwitz. But when they say only 68,000 people were killed -- it didn’t happen. We weren’t proving how many people were killed -- we were showing that their contentions are based on lies, distortions and inventions and there’s nothing to what they say. JTA: Is that how you advise people to deal with Holocaust deniers? LIPSTADT: The first way is to see if the facts prove the case -- but you might have to be more of a specialist to do this: If they say “At this meeting Hitler said X, Y and Z,” you can go and check if they changed the date
or a fact -- and suddenly their point is not a point. The second way is by citing the facts: If they say, “How do we know there were gas chambers?” you can say, “Let me show you the German plans for gas chambers.” The third way is deductive reasoning or logic. Deniers will say that the very fact that there are so many survivors proves that the Holocaust never happened, because the Germans Deborah Lipstadt were so powerful and so efficient that if they wanted to photo credit Jillian Edelstein kill the Jews, they would have killed the Jews. How do you counter that? [You say], “The Germans wanted to win the war, the Germans wanted to defeat Moscow” but they didn’t -- this claim that the Germans were so allpowerful, we know this is not true, it makes no sense. But I don’t bother to answer deniers. Just the people who might be influenced by them. JTA: Why don’t you fight deniers? LIPSTADT: It’s like trying to convince a committed anti-Semite that not all Jews are rich or conniving. It all starts from an illogical premise. Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism -- which anti-Semitism is -- is prejudice. Think about the etymology: pre-judge. Don’t confuse me with the facts, I’ve made up my mind. So if you try to argue with a person who is committed to a completely illogical premise, then you’re lost to begin with -you’re already sucked into their world of fantasy. JTA: How has Holocaust denial changed since your trial and book? LIPSTADT: I see the evolution of Holocaust denial - there is what I call “soft-core denial.” Hard-core denial is David Irving or Bishop [Richard] Williamson. Softcore is more slippery. It’s “Why do we have to hear so much about the Holocaust?” or saying “the genocide of the Palestinians.” Soft-core denial is not denying the facts, but either inverting it so the victims become the perpetrators -- “Why did the Germans hate the Jews? Because the Jews were rich and conniving,” -- as if to say they deserved it. It’s justifying it. Soft-core denial is also making a false comparison, and that dilutes what the Holocaust was. It’s a much more slippery kind of manifestation, but it’s very much there. JTA: How do you fight it? LIPSTADT: It’s much harder. You have to go back
and zero in on what it is -- you can say, “Look, you might disagree with Israel’s policy vis a vis the Palestinians or that they should not have gone into Gaza, but to call this a genocide is to deny what a genocide is.” They are not denying the Holocaust but they are making a false comparison which elevates by a factor of a zillion any wrongdoings Israel might have done, and lessens by a factor of a zillion what the Germans did. And that’s not to defend everything Israel does, but you can’t call it a Holocaust unless you want to distort what the Holocaust is. When you begin to use the Nazi term and you begin to compare Israeli soldiers -- who are not angels and sometimes do awful things for which they should be criticized and punished -- that’s different than genocide. The Holocaust was state-sponsored. It came from Berlin and Berlin worked to make sure that every Jew on which it could lay its hands would be killed. In no way can you compare what’s going on in the Middle East to that. Even if you have the extreme belief that there should be no state of Israel, to make the argument that Israel is committing a genocide is a complete fabrication and a worm of soft-core denial. JTA: Is Holocaust denial on the rise? LIPSTADT: Holocaust denial is rising. I’m not going to yell “The sky is falling.” It is increasing. In part because of the rise of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel [feelings], like you’ve seen “Sharon=Nazi,” “Bush=Nazi.” And because of anti-globalization forces, and because Israel is so close to America. Accusing of Jews of atrocities is a very convenient way of engaging in antiSemitism. It becomes a vehicle for anti-Semitism. JTA: Is anti-Semitism rising too? LIPSTADT: I just gave a seminar to the executive staff of the Holocaust museum on this subject. In the last few years, since Durban [the 2001 U.N. conference against racism], it has escalated, although it began long before that. There is a level of attacks that hasn’t been seen before. I am more concerned now than I have been in a long time, but I am not yelling “gevalt” or yelling “head for the barricades” or “the sky is falling.” JTA: Why have you decided to translate “Myths & Facts” into Arabic, Farsi, Turkish and Russian? LIPSTADT: After my trial, Emory University felt there should be a digitized Internet access archive of the trial -- it had the judgment, the appeal and everything. Over the course of time, we felt it was being used by a lot of lawyers, students, international agencies bringing cases against Holocaust deniers -- but it was not easily Continued on page 5
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April 24, 2009
Q & A with Deborah Lipstadt
Continued from page 4 accessible to a person on the street who has to respond to a Holocaust denier. It’s putting content in the hands of people who don’t know how to respond to Holocaust denier material -- particularly sophisticated material. And then we realized in places like Arabicspeaking countries like Iran, Russia and Turkey, there was an absence of a narrative to counter the charges. In America, there are a thousand sources you can use to answer a denier. But if you hear it in Egypt, that’s what you think is the truth because there’s no basic books on the Holocaust in the Arab- and Russian-speaking world. Eventually, we want to publish in Spanish -there’s a lot of denial in South America and Latin America. JTA: How has the Internet changed the conversation about the Holocaust? LIPSTADT: What the Internet has done is put a lot of unfiltered information out there, and by so doing it makes it harder for people to differentiate what is legitimate information and what is not; what is fact and what is fiction. The Internet is a wonderful thing -- it allows us to spread information in a way we never did before. But it puts out a lot of lies and it’s easy access for people. Someone wrote to me that his son Googled “Jews, Soap and the Holocaust” and the first four sites were Holocaust denial sites. This is a myth. Jews were not made into soap. It never happened -- there might have been experiments. Deniers say, “This is another lie that Jews made up.” That’s why I’m such a stickler and I get so upset and worried when you have people making up Holocaust memoirs like “Angel at the Fence.” It’s fodder for the deniers. The deniers then say, “Here’s another example of a Jew being a denier. How can you believe ‘Night’ [by Elie Wiesel] or ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ -- it’s all lies.” JTA: Do Jews of younger generations view the Holocaust differently from older generations? LIPSTADT: We grew up knowing survivors. We took it for granted. But they’re getting older and they may have passed away. Those who were in the camps are few and far between. When I first started teaching my course on the Holocaust, I could choose between the survivors. Now it’s getting harder and harder. JTA: Does the younger generation relate to the Holocaust differently? LIPSTADT: When I hear someone say, “I studied the Holocaust in the fourth grade,” I get nervous. It’s too young to understand! That’s a mistake. The Holocaust is much more de rigueur today. When we were growing up, no one studied it. There’s a Hebrew phrase [that means] “You tried to grab too much, you didn’t grab anything at all.” We make too easy reference and too easy comparison to the Holocaust. I get very disturbed when people say, “Isn’t what’s going on right now like 1939 in Europe?” and I say no, that’s ridiculous. But people often will make that statement.
What’s going on now is bad. But it’s not a Holocaust, it’s not 1939. Jews in most places are living quite securely, but there are enough developments on the scene that there’s a cause for concern. I’m not saying things are good, but let’s think strategically instead of overreacting and not thinking smart. JTA: How does the Holocaust and anti-Semitism play a part in Jewish identity? LIPSTADT: I think we have to be very careful not to build Jewish identity on oys but on joys. We can’t build Jewish identity by saying, “Everyone hates the Jews” -that’s a lousy reason to motivate Jewish identity. That’s why when you say to people, “Israel is under attack so you should support it,” it’s a very negative way to build a connection to Judaism. Support Israel because it’s a Jewish homeland, because it’s an amazing country. And it needs your support because it’s under attack. JTA: So how should younger Jews be educated about the Holocaust? LIPSTADT: I would teach about the Holocaust. I would never say, “Be strong in your Jewish identity because of the Holocaust,” that’s a terrible message to teach a younger person. Be strong in your culture because of the amazing things that Jewish culture and heritage and tradition represent. And because it’s yours -- not because everyone wanted to destroy us. Because it has given so much to the world, it has so much to teach, it has so much value to it. That’s why you should identify -- not because of, but despite. I remember many years ago someone once said to me, “It’s so important that we have a Holocaust museum just to show deniers.” Wrong. It’s important to have a Holocaust museum not because of the Holocaust deniers, but to teach about the event. JTA: Your book about the trial with David Irving has been optioned as a film? LIPSTADT: Producers at Sony Pictures were taken by the story of this trial. They think it’s important historically and [telling] the story of standing up against what they see as a struggle against an effort to twist history and spread hatred. JTA: What’s next for you? LIPSTADT: I’m writing a series for Nextbook on the impact of the Eichmann trial 50 years later [1961] and I’m also doing another book on Holocaust denial in the 21st century. In my first book [Denying the Holocaust: the Growing Assault on Truth and Memory, (Plume, 1994)] there was no Internet to address, we didn’t have the rise of Holocaust denial in the ArabMuslim world. We didn’t have all these Holocaust denier trials. We didn’t have soft-core denial. If you had told me way back when I wrote my first book that I would have been writing a second book, I would have said, “These people are like flat-earthers.” I would have said, “they’re not important.” I’ve come to see that they’re not important, but they can do significant damage.
ORGANIZATIONS
WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going to the Ameristar Casino on Thursday, please meet at the JCC by 8:45 a.m. For information, call Maggie Conti at 334.6521.
LOMIR REDN YIDDISH Yiddish brings us closer to our roots! Come join us every Thursday, 1-3 p.m., at the JCC. For information, call Anne Skolkin at 343.1638.
VISIONS Reminder: Luncheon meeting is Friday, April 24, 12:30 p.m., at the Venice Inn. Join Rivkah Sass, Director of the Omaha Public Libraries who was voted “2006 Librarian of the Year” by the Library Journal. For questions, call Harry Alloy at 697.8709. Wicked is showing at the Orpheum Theater on Sunday, May 24, 2 p.m. The cost of $86 includes
admission and transportation. Dinner is on your own at Cascio’s Steak House. Depart from the JCC at 1 p.m. to return by approximately 7 p.m. Send reservations to Rose Pitlor, 827 Dillon Dr., Omaha, NE 68132. For information, call Rose at 558.5144. For transportation, to the JCC call Florence Hauss at 571.4583. Make checks payable to Visions. B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Rabbi Yaacov Weiss, eight months into his year-long residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is its first Jewish chaplain. He’ll talk about his successes and challenges on Wednesday, April 29, noon, at Regency Lodge. All men and women in the community are invited. The program is free. An optional buffet lunch is $13; beverage service only is $3. For more information or to get on the email list, contact Iris at 334.6443 or bnaibrith@jewishomaha.org.
BIRTHS Rabbi Daniel and Melissa Fellman announce the Feb. 26 birth of their son, Jacob David. His Hebrew name is Yakov David, named for his paternal great-grandmother, Dina Bloom. He has a brother, Zachary Charles. Grandparents are Bev and Dick Fellman, Carol Ellstein and Joe Wildberg of Wolverine, MI, and the late Charles Ellstein.
Great-grandmother is Eleanore Ellstein of Detroit. Andrea and Richard Nevitt of Thousand Oaks, CA, announce the March 23 birth of their son, Trevor Owen. He has a brother, Kenny, age three. Grandparents are Marty and Iris Ricks, and Nancy Nevitt, Nev Nevitt and Debbie and Lee Waitz, all of California.
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 5
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Page 6
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
April 24, 2009
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‘Jerusalem Post’ reporter talks politics in Creighton University presentation by GARY JAVITCH The chief political correspondent and analyst for the Jerusalem Post is not a man who sits around. On the Monday during Passover, during a visit to family in America, Gil Hoffman started his day in New Jersey, caught a plane to Omaha and within 20 minutes, he was standing in front of a Creighton University podium for an hourlong presentation entitled “Blue State, Red State, Jewish State.” The reporter answered questions for a half-hour more and within 150 minutes of his arrival, he took off in a rental car headed to Kansas City with a kosher-forPassover meal in hand to prepare for an early morning speech at the KC Jewish Community Center the Gil Hoffman next day. In between, the Chicago-born native and magna cum laude graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Journalism spoke to a group of students, faculty, and members of the Omaha Jewish community on the Creighton campus, in a program sponsored by the Jewish National Fund, the Klutznick Chair in Jewish Civilization, B’nai B’rith, the ADL, and CU Jews, the campus Jewish organization. Hoffman provided humor, insight, observation and optimism about Iran and Israel, the Palestinians and the peace process. He launched his talk with light-hearted humor about the foibles and follies of the recent American political campaign and the Israeli elections. Gil began with jokes about all the major political players in America and Israel. “I will offend [be critical of] everyone,” he promised. And he did. Among his many gentle stings, most notable was his knock on Obama supporters who thought when the candidate visited Israel for the first time, Obama actually stopped at his real birthplace: Bethlehem. He also lightly smacked the former Israeli prime minister, commenting that given all the legal challenges Ehud Olmert faced in Israel, the PM might feel comfortable putting in a bid for office in Chicago. Hoffman concluded his opening remarks by saying, “In the end, all politicians today seem to be like my kids -- they are always fighting and someone has to go around and clean up after them.” The February Israeli elections On a more serious note, Hoffman talked about the recent month-long December-January Gaza war. “Israel made a mistake by not allowing the press in to observe and report it as it happened,” he declared. But as far as the elections were concerned, “It was politically incorrect for candidates for the Knesset and prime minister to campaign during the combat period.” As a result, after the brief war ended, the 32 competing parties had just three weeks to run a campaign for the Feb. 10 elections. With so little time to organize, Hoffman opined that the campaigns the candidates ran were not issued-focused, but propelled by empty slogans. And while the Kadima party won, Likud built the government and Labor got all the best the portfolios. The Palestinians, the Israelis, and the future Still, many ironies abound after the elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the new leader of his Likud-dominated government, has never publicly or explicitly come out in favor of the “two state-solution,” while on the other side, the disputed head of the FatahPalestinian faction in the West Bank, Abu Mazen, says he does believe in two states, but he is too weak politically to get his people there. Hoffman pointed out that Netanyahu does maintain that if there is a Palestinian state, it cannot threaten the existence of a Jewish state. And further, that state must be demilitarized. To further complicate issues, Hamas, the Palestinian terror organization that controls Gaza doesn’t even accept Israel’s right to exist. With the ever-present threat of a Hamas military coup in the West Bank, Israel’s army is maintaining stability there. Since Israel’s more active involvement in the West Bank, unemployment has dropped from 32% to 16%. Outside investments are coming in, Hoffman told the audience. Hoffman believes that Netanyahu wants to improve the life of Palestinians. He wants to build up their infrastructure in the West Bank. The reporter reminded us that when Netanyahu presided over the government in an earlier period, he did implement a freeze on the con-
troversial settlements. Yet, big questions still exist. Can Netanyahu get along with Obama? That remains to be seen, Hoffman felt. Many Israelis think that if Obama is weak, Netanyahu can be complimentarily strong. Neither leader has announced their ultimate plans. Both are in a listening mode and doing policy reviews. Hoffman went on to discuss Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the far right party, and now the foreign minister in Netanyahu’s government. Hoffman offered that “Lieberman is not the super hawk that he has been made out to be. Rather, he just has a big mouth and now that he is the foreign minister of the Netanyahu government, he does support the Road Map and a two-state solution, which is the official Israeli policy.” Hoffman also expects Lieberman to be indicted on criminal charges and be thrown out of the government very soon. If Lieberman is forced to step down, Hoffman thinks that his deputy, Daniel Ayalon, would take his place. Ayalon, readers may remember, served as Israel’s Ambassador to the United States from 2002 until 2007. There have been some improvements in the relationships between Palestinians and Israelis and the number of checkpoints has decreased tremendously Hoffman affirmed. Nevertheless, there are still terrorists who attempt to execute suicide bombings in Israel by sneaking in through those crossings he warned. Hoffman predicts that a final agreement would have no Jews in Arab lands, but in the Jewish territories, there would be both Arabs and Jews.
Gil Hoffman addresses students and others at Creighton.
Future security problems Not surprisingly, Hoffman anticipates future threats from Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and other internal Palestinian rifts. He urged the audience to watch the upcoming dates: in Iran in 2010 is when the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Iran will be ready with a bomb. Also he suggested to the audience that they be aware of the January to February 2010 period, when the new Palestinian Authority government elections will take place. The last time period of concern to be discussed concerns the soon-to-be-held Iranian general elections. “The current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is facing a less outspoken opponent. Ahmadinejad is continuing to mobilize his people around his policies; he is being tested now,” Hoffman added. “The president of Iran does have a big mouth and no power. The real power lies with the mullahs.” He added, “Still, despite all the differences among the Israeli electorate, Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, unites all the warring factions in Israeli politics.” Israel desires the Persian people to elect a “Pro-Iran” leader: “that is a person who cares more about feeding Iran than killing Jews,” Hoffman elaborated, referring to Iran’s current 30% unemployment rate and the 30% inflation rate. Israelis believe that President Obama has opened doors in the peace process. The Israelis on the street are open to giving the new American president four to five months in his overtures to Iran to get them to halt a nuclear enrichment process that would enable the Persians to develop a weapon of mass destruction. The biggest fear Israelis have is that the nuclear negotiating process -- the talking -- will take too long and while it is being played out, the Iranians will have developed a bomb. Optimism In the question period, Hoffman gave some background on his life and experiences. “Israeli Television has called me the most optimistic man in Israel,” Hoffman said, adding that he believes he is the only Chicago Cubs fan in Israel. With that hopeful background, he maintains a positive outlook and reports on young Israelis in particular: “It’s going to be okay.” Continued on page 7
April 24, 2009
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 7
Families get close to nature at Temple Shabbaton at Fontenelle Forest
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator “I’m not in favor of ‘dry cleaning’ Jewish education,� said Dr. Ron Wolfson, Temple Israel’s scholar-in-residence for the weekend of April 24-26. “Don’t just drop the kids off. It’s so much better if you come in with them to learn, play, and eat together.� They might not get cleaned, but at a family Shabbaton at Bellevue’s Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, spread across 1,400 acres of wetlands and marshlands with 17 miles of walking and hiking trails, the kids will celebrate Shabbat amidst wildlife and panoramic views of the Missouri River. “This is an opportunity for families, including grandparents and children between the ages of one and 12 to
be Jewish together,� said Elyce Azriel, religious education director at Temple Israel. “There will be programs for adults and children together, for adults to study and learn with each other, and for kids to play and discover.� Some of the activities include crafts, nature hikes, study, and worship services. Sponsored by Temple’s Religious School, the Shabbaton begins with a bagel breakfast from 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. followed by options of yoga meditation with Judy Vann, service preparation with Rabbi Eric Linder, or “swinging and swaying� with Dr. Wolfson. Rabbi Linder will then lead Shabbat worship services. Adult study sessions with Dr. Wolfson from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. precede a potluck Shabbat lunch. Free time and organized sports, an additional adult study session
Riekes named Sokolof outstanding teacher
Continued from page 1 Riekes fondly recalled when Annelisse, the bride in the fourth grade class wedding, forgot her costume. She said, “I just pulled my lace tablecloth off the reception table and fashioned a veil with an exceedingly long train!� In addition to teaching at BESTT, Margo has been very active in the Jewish community. During her tenure as President of the Jewish Community Center, she created the very successful Artza teen trip to Israel; prior to that, she was the founder and first chairman of the JCC’s dance department She also was one of the founders of the Jewish Day School (now known as Friedel Jewish Academy) and
served twice as Chairman of its board of directors. She also was Chairman of the Bureau of Jewish Education (now known as the Center for Jewish Education). In 1984, she was a recipient of the Lois Jeanne Schrager Young Leadership Award and received the Spirit of Federation Award in 2007. She and her husband, Steve, have two children and three grandchildren. All winners of the Sokolof awards, including the high school, health and music scholarship winners will be honored at during the Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration at the JCC on Sunday, May 3, 3:30 p.m. The community is invited to attend.
‘Jerusalem Post’ reporter talks politics Continued from page 6 “Reporters sell pessimism. But there is brand new leadership in Israel and the US. This should give us hope for the future,� he said. “The U.S. is in a battle against international fundamentalism which threatens the world and the democratic values of Israel and America in particular. But I believe freedom will ultimately prevail,� Hoffman stated. “During my campus visits, I’ve been heckled and hugged -- but not by the same people. That’s probably
Class of
2009
because I am a reporter not a government representative,� he added. “I believe the Israel government will do everything possible to promote peace for the Palestinians, too,� Hoffman concluded. “I want to end on a high note: It will be ‘easy’ to bring about a peace settlement. Jews must provide education for the Palestinians; they must be advocates for Israel; they must demonstrate solidarity and give Israel your prayers.�
DEADLINE NOTICE Please send all articles, photos and ads to the Press by Thursdays, 9 a.m., for all regular issues. Early deadlines will be announced in advance. Questions? Call 334.6448.
High
School Seniors
High School Seniors... We will be publishing our annual Graduation Teen Age on June 5, 2009. To be included, we need your graduation photo and the following information. Name ____________________________________ Parent(s)’ Name(s) ____________________________________ Current High School ____________________________________ College you plan to attend ____________________________________
Send by May 15 to: The Jewish Press | 333 So. 132 St. | Omaha, NE 68154
To send the information electronically, email us at jpress@jewishomaha.org with the above information and a .jpg head shot photo of 100k or larger.
You’ve waited 13 years for this!
with Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, and nature activities for children are planned for the afternoon which will conclude with Seudah Shlisheet (third meal of the day) and havdalah at 5 p.m. Cost to attend is $12 for adults. There is no charge for anyone 18 years old or younger. Sitter service is available throughout the day except for free time and during meals. Please bring a covered dish (kitchen facilities are not available at Fontenelle Forest.) Dr. Wolfson will also talk about: “Know Thyself: Know the Angel Within� at Shabbat services on Friday, April 24. On Sunday, April 26, 10:30 a.m., he will present “Blessings and Kisses: The Power of Family�. The community is welcome to attend.
Whitman book contest winners announced
by GARY KATZ Director, Kripke Library The Kripke Jewish Federation Library announced the winners for the 18th Annual Elinor A. Whitman Book Appreciation Contest. This year’s contest included a total of 61 entries with 15 winners. Contestants either wrote a review or designed a book jacket for a Jewish book. Children in kindergarten through sixth grade were eligible to compete. The award ceremony is Sunday May 3, 2:30 p.m., in the Kripke Library, during the community wide Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration. Winners for the book jacket are: kindergarteners Aidan Shnayder, first place. Laura Kirshenbaum, second place; Sydney Kully; third place; first grader Orion Shnayder, first place. For book reports, winners are: third grader Kathleen Kirshenbaum, first place; fourth graders Eliana Schuller, first place, and Sam Kricsfeld, second place; fifth graders Elias Ginsberg, first place; Michael Militzer and Abby Hack, tied for second place; and Jordan Saag and Jack Goldstein, tied for third place; sixth graders Elissa Wiener, first place; Sarah Kutler, second place; and Shaylie Hollst, third place. The Book Appreciation Contest memorializes Elinor Whitman who served for many years on the Library Board. She took a keen interest in promoting Jewish literature for young readers. The contest is sponsored by the Center for Jewish Education and the Elinor Whitman Endowment Fund.
There has never been a better time to join BBYO!!!
It’s finally time!
BBYO Rush Season Has Arrived New Member/ Parent Night: May 5th 6-7 pm
JCC Community Room
Rush #1:
Rush #2:
Drop off & pick up at the JCC
Drop off & pick up at the JCC
May 12th 6-8 pm
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All events are free to incoming freshman or new members!!
BBYO Membership: $75.00/year or $149.00/four years
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Pledge Night:
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Drop off & pick up at the JCC Pool Questions: amuskin@jccomaha.org 402-334-6404
All Jewish Teens 8th-12th grade are welcome! LRO KFSBOPFQV FP
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Page 8
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
April 24, 2009
TEL AVIV AT 100
Top 10 sites to see in Tel Aviv
by JTA STAFF TEL AVIV (JTA) -- In celebration of Tel Aviv’s centennial, JTA staff offers the top 10 places to visit in Tel Aviv. Neve Tzedek This picturesque, recently restored part of old Tel Aviv offers a quiet, intimate look at the city’s first neighborhood. Home to artists and writers before falling into disrepair as the new Tel Aviv raced northward and upward, Neve Tzedek was restored to its former grandeur earlier this decade, and the artists have returned -along with galleries, cafes, boutique hotels and beautifully restored homes. The neighborhood also includes the Suzanne Dellal Center, one of the city’s prime venues for performing arts. Nachalat Binyamin Just north of Neve Tzedek, craftsmen set up on the pedestrian mall of Nachalat Binyamin on Tuesdays and Fridays to sell their wares, ranging from pottery to jewelry. If you’re not in the mood to shop, street performers and clowns provide entertainment. Old and new mix on Lilienblum Street, which runs between Neve Tzedek and Nachalat Binyamin. Here, 90-year-old recently refurbished buildings share space with bars and restaurants that stay open late into the night, including the infamous Nanuchka, a Georgian restaurant where if you’ve called ahead to reserve a spot at the bar, you can drink under a portrait of Stalin and watch patrons dance on the bar. Beach & Tel Aviv Port Tel Aviv’s beach is the quintessential symbol of this Mediterranean city. Flanked by a row of hotels and the entire city behind it, the beach is the city’s main selling point for locals who ride its waves,
jog its shoreline or bask in its sun on a daily basis. Among the best beaches: Hof Frishman and Hof Gordon. North of the beaches and the city’s marina, the new boardwalk along Tel Aviv’s northern port has transformed a derelict area into a thriving neighborhood of restaurants, nightclubs and shops -- all within earshot of the Mediterranean’s waves. Fine for a stroll, the boardwalk is also an excellent place to see all the elements that define Tel Aviv’s character: the beach, the food, the shops and the people. Old Jaffa Walk south along Tel Aviv’s beach and you’ll find yourself in the ancient stone alleyways of Old Jaffa, where art galleries, mosques and even a synagogue are hidden among its narrow streets. From dining on freshly caught fish in restaurants where you’re liable to be sprayed by the Mediterranean surf to watching the sun set from atop the city’s stone walls, Jaffa provides a historic counterpoint to the ultra-modern skyscrapers of neighboring Tel Aviv. Museums Three must-sees are the Tel Aviv Museum of Modern Art, the Land of Israel Museum and the Diaspora Museum on the campus of Tel Aviv University. Together they encapsulate the different forces at work in the Jewish state. But don’t miss Tel Aviv’s smaller museums, from the Jabotinsky Museum on King George Street to Independence Hall on historic Rothschild Boulevard, where David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the independence of the new State of Israel on May 14, 1948. Yarkon Park and the Yarkon River This thousand-acre urban park is Tel
Aviv’s place of reaction and outdoor con- Rothschild Boulevard offers a slice of life certs. It includes sports facilities, botani- in the city. In the garden that divides the cal gardens, a small zoo and several artifi- avenue, yuppies walk their dogs, hipsters cial lakes. The last leg of the Yarkon River eat at tiny cafes and fruit stands, the eldruns through the park, attracting bikers erly sit on park benches, and strangers and joggers to the riverbank. The Luna strike up conversations with each other. Park amusement park is opposite the Azrieli Towers park. It’s not quite the Empire State Kikar Hamedina Building, but the view from the Azrieli The shops around this relatively spare observatory atop the Azrieli Towers public square is where Israel’s wealthiest (three and counting) offers a unique, set do their shopping. Lined with design- bird’s-eye view of this UNESCO World er stores, it’s a far cry from the city’s early Heritage city and the surrounding areas. days as an austere, socialist-minded city. The best time to visit is during the day; at night it empties out. Rabin Square Tel Aviv’s main publicsquare is a gathering place for rallies, protests and demonstrations, and the site where, on a November night in 1995, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated after addressing a massive peace rally. The site of Rabin’s killing has become a shrine to the Israel’s young people frequent Sheinkein Street. Credit: Avi Katzman slain prime minister, and an exhibition at the site shows exactly You’ll see at once how big Tel Aviv is and how he was shot. how small Israel is, with the Samarian hills Sheinkin Street and Rothschild visible in the distance. Azrieli also puts Boulevard you right in the heart of modern Tel Aviv, Sheinkin Street in central Tel Aviv is flanked by skyscrapers and Ramat Gan’s bustling with trendy cafes, boutique diamond exchange on one side and Tel clothing shops and an outdoor market, Aviv’s army base and Defense Ministry Souk HaCarmel, where you can buy headquarters on the other. At the bottom everything from used clothing to Turkish of the towers is a large shopping mall; the desserts. Not far away, tree-lined top features a good restaurant.
Congratulate Your Graduate!
The annual Graduation/Father’s Day Issue publishes June 5. Senior photos will run in that issue and we know you’ll want to highlight the achievements of your high school graduate! Congratulatory ads are available in two sizes.
A
2x3 $75
2 column by 3 inches
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3x4 Limit of 25 words. Add a photo for just $5 extra! $150
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(baby photo, awards night, prom or family photo)
Congratulate Your Graduate Order Form
Great idea!
Mazal Tov, Naomi!
We are so proud of your achievements– membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from the Band.
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Mazal Tov, Jason!
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April 24, 2009
TEL AVIV AT 100
From Hebrew city to international destination
by JTA STAFF TEL AVIV (JTA) -- When a few dozen families gathered April 11, 1909 on the sand dunes of the beach outside Jaffa to allocate land for a new settlement, they took the first critical step toward establishing what is today Israel’s commercial and cultural capital. These families -- Tel Aviv’s first -- couldn’t decide how to assign the plots, so they held a lottery. Akiva Arieh Weiss, chairman of the lottery committee, collected 60 gray seashells and 60 white seashells, writ-
Above: Hotels line the shores of the Mediterranean on Tel Credit: Carol Katzman Aviv’s beachfront promenade. Below: Dizengoff Center Wikimedia Commons
ing the names of the families on the white and land plot numbers on the gray. Pairing the shells, Weiss assigned each family a plot. Thus, Tel Aviv was born. As immigrants poured into the Holy Land in what became known as the Second Aliyah, the ancient Mediterranean port city of Jaffa became increasingly crowded. The newcomers included many Europeans of middle-class origin who sought to reconstruct in the Levant some of the world they had left behind. They turned from old Jaffa and began to build Tel Aviv. What began as a suburb of Jaffa emerged quickly from the sand dunes. By 1921, following severe clashes between Arabs and Jews in Jaffa, the British mandate government granted Tel Aviv formal self-governance. The local council named the new suburb Tel Aviv. At the time there were just a few streets surrounded by piles of deep sand and citrus groves, but the Tel Aviv population grew rapidly as Jews fleeing violent interethnic riots in nearby Jaffa looked for new digs, and immigrants from Poland and Russia arrived on the Mediterranean shores. The head of the local council, Meir Dizengoff, realized he needed a program for expanding Tel Aviv, so he hired the Scottish urban planner Sir Patrick Geddes, who presented his concept to the municipality in 1925.
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In his plan, Tel Aviv was to be a garden city, as envisioned by its founders. Geddes called for a clear separation between main streets, residential streets and leafy pedestrian boulevards. An important element, reflecting the social climate of the time, was the creation of shared public spaces in the form of parks and squares, as well as within residential blocks. Geddes placed small gardens filled with fruit trees and other trees in the center of each residential cluster to provide both a gathering spot and healthy fruit for Tel Aviv’s children. His vision persists today. Tel Aviv’s tree-lined boulevards bustle with activity at all hours, and the city is filled with hidden parks and playgrounds. Jews fleeing persecution in Europe began pouring into Tel Aviv en masse in the early 1930s, transforming a town of 42,000 in 1932 into a flourishing city of 130,000 by 1936. Tel Aviv officially became a city in 1934, with Dizengoff its first mayor. It was during the 1930s that Tel Aviv became the Holy Land’s true economic, cultural and social center. The city became known for its modern cafes, hotels, concert halls, nightclubs, boutiques and theaters. And in this new city, Hebrew was the lingua franca, making a language that had lain dormant for centuries the mother tongue of a new generation of Jews: the first Israelis. At the start of the 1948 War of Independence, Tel Aviv became the focal point of the war between Jews and Arabs. The fight over Jaffa’s future started immediately after the U.N. decision in favor of partitioning Palestine in 1947. As in other areas where Jewish and Arab forces clashed in close quarters, the civilian populations in Tel Aviv and Jaffa suffered, and many fled. When the fighting was over, some of Jaffa’s original Arab residents found themselves on the other side of the new border, and they became refugees. In 1949, Jaffa was formally merged with the Tel Aviv municipality, and the city of Tel Aviv-Jaffa was established. The next several decades were a time of growth and challenge for the builders of Tel Aviv. The city struggled with economic and social problems as it grew rapidly. Nearby suburbs cropped up, a university was founded and Tel Aviv became the anchor of an urban metropolis that by the city’s centennial was home to a majority of Israeli citizens. There was a time, however, when Tel Aviv’s ascent was not assured. Throughout the 1970s, a lack of affordable housing prompted young people to leave the city in great numbers, and Tel Aviv was left with an aging population. But by the 1980s Tel Aviv again had become the locus of young sophisticates, quickly solidifying its stature as Israel’s coolest city with a flurry of new development and renovation. Tel Aviv preserved the old and created the new, stretching northward with the establishment of new neighborhoods and suburbs along the Mediterranean and upward with the construction of new skyscrapers downtown. In 2003, Tel Aviv was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the Bauhaus-style architecture that had become a hallmark of the city. Today, Tel Aviv-Jaffa is both Israel’s commercial center and a seaside town. The ancient, cobblestone streets of Old Jaffa abut the artsy neighborhoods of south Tel Aviv. The city has skyscrapers and hummus joints, embassies and all-night bars. At 100, Israel’s first Hebrew city has become an international destination. This story is a collaboration with the Tel Aviv Centennial Authority.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
April 24, 2009
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SATURDAY, APRIL 25 OTYG/JYG Tri-faith Scavenger Hunt, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel SUNDAY, APRIL 26 Friedel Rummage Sale, 9 a.m. Reading the Rambam, 9:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El JCC Maccabi Games Meeting, 10 a.m. Talmud Torah Pre-Kindergarten, 10 a.m. at Beth El Teen Class with Rabbi Gross, 10 a.m. at Beth Israel Mishpacha Morning, 10:15 a.m. at Chabad Talmud Torah Nitzanim program, 10:30 a.m. at Beth El Four B’s, 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel Mishpacha University Graduation, 11 a.m. Chabad “Hana’s Suitcase” Performance, 3 p.m. MONDAY, APRIL 27 Nebraska Annual AIPAC Event, 10:30 a.m. Kabbalistic Insights for Women, noon at Chabad Yachad Meeting, 7 p.m. TUESDAY, APRIL 28 Friedel Yom Hazikaron Commemoration Parsha, Prayer and Prophets, 9 a.m. Chabad House JSS/RBJH Board Meeting, 11:30 a.m. Mishnah Club, 3:45 p.m. BESTT Yom HaAtzmaut actvities, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El BBYO Night, 6 p.m. Yom Hazikaron Commemoration, 7 p.m. Yom Hazikaron Service, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel Rabbi Mizrahi’s Class, 7:45 p.m. at Beth Israel WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 Friedel Jewish Academy Yom Ha’Atzmaut BESTT Yom HaAtzmaut actvities, 4:15 p.m. at Beth El JCC Maccabi Games Meeting, 5 p.m. Tough Jews, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel THURSDAY, APRIL 30 Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel School Directors’ Meeting, noon JCC Maccabi Games Meeting, noon Jewish Ideals and Ethics, noon at Beth El Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. Parsha Club for Kids, 3:40 p.m. at Chabad FRIDAY, MAY 1 Visions Board Meeting, 9 a.m. Beth El Kadima Shabbaton in Gretna, NE, 3:45 p.m. Tot Shabbat & Dinner, 6 p.m. at Beth El SUNDAY, MAY 3 Reading the Rambam, 9:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El No BESTT classes for grades 6 and 7, 10 a.m. at Beth El Teen Class with Rabbi Gross, 10 a.m. at Beth Israel AIPAC Policy Conference, noon Yom Ha’Atzmaut Celebration, 12:30 p.m.
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MONDAY, MAY 4 Kabbalistic Insights for Women, noon at Chabad Mission Trip to Israel Meeting, 7 p.m. Jewish Learning Institute, 7 p.m. at Chabad TUESDAY, MAY 5 Parsha, Prayer and Prophets, 9 a.m. at Chabad Mishnah Club, 3:45 p.m. Foundation Meeting, 4 p.m. Federation Meeting, 6 p.m. CJE Committee Meeting, 6 p.m. BBYO New Member & Parent Night, 6 p.m. Rabbi Mizrahi’s Class, 7:45 p.m. at Beth Israel
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 Hadassah Program & Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. Sisterhood Spring Lunch, noon at Beth Israel B’nai B’rith Sports Banquet, 5:45 p.m. Barbie and the Jewish Experience, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel THURSDAY, MAY 7 Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Friedel Jewish Academy Plant Sale, 10 a.m. JCC Maccabi Games Meeting, noon Jewish Ideals and Ethics, noon at Beth El Center for Jewish Education Board, noon Yiddish Group, noon Parsha Club for Kids, 3:40 p.m. at Chabad CJE Committee Mtg, 5 p.m. FRIDAY, MAY 8 Friedel Jewish Academy Plant Sale, 10 a.m. Honors Graduating Seniors, 6 p.m. at Beth El International Shabbat, 6 p.m. at Beth El SATURDAY, MAY 9 BBYO Rush, 6 p.m. SUNDAY, MAY 10 Reading the Rambam, 9:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Talmud Torah Pre-Kindergarten, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El Teen Class with Rabbi Gross, 10 a.m. at Beth Israel BESTT 4th Grade Wedding, 11:30 a.m. at Beth El Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing, 1 p.m. Bedtime Storytime, 6 p.m. at Chabad House MONDAY, MAY 11 Kabbalistic Insights for Women, noon at Chabad Jewish Learning Institute, 7 p.m. at Chabad Jewish Press Board Meeting, 7 p.m. TUESDAY, MAY 12 Lag Ba’Omer City of Omaha General Election, 8 a.m. Parsha, Prayer and Prophets, 9 a.m. at Chabad ADL/CRC Executive Committee Meeting, noon Mishnah Club, 3:45 p.m. Beth Israel’s Lag B’Omer Picnic, 5:30 p.m. at JCC Lag B’Omer BBQ, 6 p.m. at Chabad BBYO Rush, 6 p.m. Rabbi Mizrahi’s Class, 7:45 p.m. at Beth Israel WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 Rabbis & President’s Meeting, noon Green Room for the Concert, 3 p.m. BESTT High School Dinner, 6 p.m. at Beth El Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Beth Israel Final Day for High School classes, 7 p.m. at Beth El RBJH Community Concert “Kramer Sisters,” 7 p.m. NCJW Board Meeting, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, MAY 14 RBJH Project Construction Meeting, 9 a.m. Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel JCC Maccabi Games Meeting, noon Jewish Ideals and Ethics, noon at Beth El Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. Women’s Book Group, 1:15 p.m. Beth El Parsha Club for Kids, 3:40 p.m. Chabad House Executive Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m. Friedel Annual Board Meeting, 7 p.m. Friedel YJO Wine Tasting, 7:30 p.m. FRIDAY, MAY 15 CDC Graduation, 10 a.m. Tot Shabbat and Dinner, 6 p.m. at Temple Israel SATURDAY, MAY 16 BBG Beau Dance, 6 p.m.
SUNDAY, MAY 17 Friedel Family Lag BaO’mer Celebration Reading the Rambam, 9:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Talmud Torah Pre-Kindergarten, 10 a.m. at Beth El Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El Teen Class with Rabbi Gross, 10 a.m. at Beth Israel Religious School Steering Committee, 10:30 a.m. Temple Israel Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing, 1 p.m. Dance Recital Cast B, 2 p.m. Men’s Club/Sisterhood Texas Hold ’Em & Mahj Tournament, 4 p.m. at Beth El JCC Swim Team Parent Meeting, 6:30 p.m. MONDAY, MAY 18 YES Luncheon, 10 a.m. Jewish Book Club Meeting, 10:30 a.m. Kabbalistic Insights for Women, noon at Chabad JFO Executive Committee Meeting, 6 p.m. Jewish Learning Institute, 7 p.m. at Chabad JFO Board of Director’s Meeting, 7:30 p.m. TUESDAY, MAY 19 Parsha, Prayer and Prophets, 9 a.m. at Chabad Beth El Visit to Remington Heights, 10 a.m. Mishnah Club, 3:45 p.m. BBYO Rush, 6 p.m. BESTT Board Meeting, 7 p.m. Beth El Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m. Temple Israel Rabbi Mizrahi’s Class, 7:45 p.m. at Beth Israel WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 Nebraska Jewish Historical Society Board, 3:30 p.m. Dance Recital, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, MAY 21 NCSY Spring Convention Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel JCC Maccabi Games Meeting, noon Jewish Ideals and Ethics, noon at Beth El Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. Parsha Club for Kids, 3:40 p.m. at Chabad Yom Yerushalayim Service, 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Dance Recital, 7 p.m. FRIDAY, MAY 22 Beth El - Shabbat comes to the RBJH, 2:30 p.m. SUNDAY, MAY 24 Rosh Chodesh Sivan Reading the Rambam, 9:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Bible Study Group, 10 a.m. Beth El Visions Show and Dinner, 2 p.m. MONDAY, MAY 25 Memorial Day Holiday Kabbalistic Insights for Women, noon at Chabad Jewish Learning Institute, 7 p.m. at Chabad House TUESDAY, MAY 26 Parsha, Prayer and Prophets, 9 a.m. at Chabad JSS/RBJH Board Meeting, 11:30 a.m. Mishnah Club, 3:45 p.m. BBYO Pledge Night, 6 p.m. Beth El Women’s Rosh Hodesh Group, 7 p.m. Rabbi Mizrahi’s Class, 7:45 p.m. at Beth Israel WEDNESDAY, MAY 27 Friedel Graduation, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, MAY 28 Friedel Last Day of School Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Friedel Picnic, 11 a.m. JCC Maccabi Games Meeting, noon Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. Friedel Erev Shavuot Early Dismissal, 2:30 p.m. Graduation/OTYG Board Installations, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel FRIDAY, MAY 29 Shavuot: Federation and JCC closed SUNDAY, MAY 31 Reading the Rambam, 9:45 a.m., at Beth Israel Bible Study Group, 10 a.m., at Beth El BBYO Rush, 1 p.m. Artza 09 Parent/Teen Meeting, 5 p.m. Friedel Jewish Academy Tribute Dinner, 6 p.m. Annual Meeting, 7 p.m., at Temple Israel
All events held at the Jewish Community Center unless otherwise noted. This calendar does not include all community events. For a complete listing, visit the Federation’s website: www.jewishomaha.org (click on calendar). To keep calendar accurate, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of the below events.
April 24, 2009
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 11
IN THE NEWS Consumers searching for a quality physician in the eighth edition of Castle Connolly’s America’s Top Doctors book will find the names of 16 University of Nebraska Medical Center faculty members; among them is Kenneth Cowan, M.D., oncology. Criteria for making the list include education, board certification, reputation, experience and disciplinary history, as well as interpersonal skills such as empathy, being a good communicator, educator and someone who can instill trust and confidence. Physicians are nominated by their peers in a Castle Connolly survey process each year. Physicians then are screened by a Castle Connolly physician-led research team who rank among the best in their specialties and in their communities.
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The Marilyn White Gendler Memorial Scholarship Foundation recently announced its 2009 scholarship winners. Ronica Fairchild of Northwest High School was awarded a $2500 scholarship. Brittney BuderRencher of Marion, Anna Reed of Burke, and Anthony Marque-Williams of North were each awarded $500 scholarships. The foundation was established in 1988 in memory of Larry Gendler’s late wife, Marilyn White Gendler, who taught at Lothrop School. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded approximately $80,000 in scholarships to students who attended Lothrop School. Well-known locally and nationally for his advocacy for children with disabilities, J. Michael Leibowitz, Ph.D., will officially become the director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI) on May 1, pending approval of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents on April 24. An associate professor of pediatrics and section head in pediatrics for the rehabilitation medicine section, Dr. Leibowitz has been the interim director of MMI since Nov. 15, 2007. Prior to being named the interim director, Dr. Leibowitz served as deputy director of MMI for 10 years. He also is the director of the Nebraska Center for Disabilities at MMI. “Dr. Leibowitz has been at the institute since 1974 and is the ‘go-to’ guy for me at MMI,” said Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “He has a new vision for the institute that includes building a strong research program in focused areas of excellence. I am very pleased with this appointment and look forward to further development of the institute under his leadership.” Dr. Leibowitz said he is honored to be chosen as only the third director of MMI. “I am looking forward to exciting changes over the next few years as MMI enhances its ongoing mission of providing excellent interdisciplinary education and the provision of diagnostic and intervention services for children, youths and adults with disabilities, as well as expanding basic and translational research related to neurodevelopmental disabilities,” he said. The Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation is Nebraska’s federally designated university center of excellence for developmental disabilities. MMI opened in 1959 as a private therapy center to serve youth with polio. Over the past 50 years, the institute’s mission has broadened to serve individuals with genetic, developmental and other disabilities across the lifespan. As a part of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, MMI provides interdisciplinary clinical services, state-of-the-art research, advanced education for future professionals and technical assistance to programs across the state. MMI is charged with unlocking the potential of individuals, helping community programs to support persons with diverse disabilities and advocating for the needs of all people with disabilities. For more information, go to MMI’s Web site, www.unmc.edu/mmi. Stephen Rennard, M.D., Larson Professor of Internal Medicine, has received the University of Nebraska Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award (ORCA). The award recognizes individual faculty members for research and creative activity of international or national significance. “The university-wide awards recognize faculty whose research and teaching have made an impact on students, the university and the state,” said James B. Milliken, president of the University of Nebraska. “The strength
and reputation of any university depends on the quality of the faculty, and we have some of the best in the country on our four campuses.” Dr. Rennard is widely recognized as a leader in the study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) -- the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. His ground breaking research in the progression of lung disease has led to a better understanding of the disease and the development and testing of many new therapies. In 2006, he was selected as the first UNMC Scientist Laureate, the highest award given to a medical center scientist, in recognition of his research in COPD, smoking cessation, and lung tissue repair and remodeling. Dr. Rennard will receive the award at a luncheon on April 29 in Lincoln where other faculty members from the NU system will be honored for teaching, research and engagement.
The Phillip Schrager Collection of Contemporary Art announces its third annual public opportunity to view galleries devoted to this highly regarded collection of international contemporary painting and sculpture. For the first time, this event will take place over two days: Saturday-Sunday May 2-3, noon–4 p.m. at 4405 So. 96 St. (between I and J Streets) in the AmeriFirst Finance building. There is no admission charge. Since its inauguration in May of 2006, the galleries have been open by appointment to arts and academic groups. “While our focus is on encouraging access for educational purposes, the open house has proven to be a welcome occasion for individual art lovers in the community,” Schrager said. “There was such an overwhelming and gratifying response from last year’s visitors that we are expanding this year’s event to span the weekend.” Schrager’s collection is distinguished for its depth and exceptional quality, as well as for the monumental scale of many of its artworks. It is recognized as one of the finest private collections in the Midwest. The exhibition space provided by Schrager’s nine galleries rivals that offered for contemporary art by most museums in the region. Featured artists include Georg Baselitz, Jim Dine, Carroll Dunham, Antony Gormley, Mary Heilmann, Elizabeth Murray, Chris Ofili, Laura Owens, Neo Rauch, Julian Schnabel, Pat Steir and Terry Winters. The Schrager Collection galleries are a significant part of a corporate construction and renovation project undertaken in 2005 by AmeriFirst Home Improvement Finance and its parent company, Optimus Corporation, of which Schrager is a founder and chairman. Executive offices, also designed to accommodate a portion of the collection, will also be open.For more information, visit www.schragercollection.org.
Travis B. Lewis, an M.D./Ph.D student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has been awarded a National Research Service Award fellowship from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The grant, which is funded for up to four years, will cover Lewis’ tuition and expenses during the remainder of his studies. The title of Lewis’ project is: “Developing an Adenoviral Vector Platform for Selective Gene Delivery to Neurons.” He does research on Parkinson disease at the Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, as well as the Gene Therapy Center at UAB. He is a candidate for a Ph.D in the department of Cell Biology at the University. He is the son of Lisa and Denny Lewis.
Omaha sculptor, Matthew Placzek was recently awarded the 2009 Cultural Arts Award by Downtown Omaha, Incorporated. The award recognizes his achievement in the creation of the monumental sculptures “Illumina”, located at the Qwest Center Omaha, as well as “Labor”, which is located at Lewis and Clark Landing. The cultural arts award was presented by Joan Squires, president of Omaha Performing Arts. Downtown Omaha, Inc., established in 1973, celebrates the promotion and improvement of the downtown area.
To order a gift subscription to the Press at a discounted price for the rest of 2009: Send a check for just $30, made out to the Jewish Press, to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154. For more information on how to connect your out-of-town relatives and friends, call 334.6448.
Page 12
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
April 24, 2009
What is it about Jews and “isms”? Communism, socialism, Zionism, liberalism, feminism, and now environmentalism all bear the hallmarks of Jewish influence (yes, we DO run the world -- at least according to the anti-Semites!). We’re not suggesting that the above list is all bad (well, communism certainly is), but why is it that Jews seem to be first in line for every new “ism” to come along? Isn’t the other “ism” -- Judaism -- enough? For those readers old enough to remember the communist lectures in Central Park, you might recall some of these Jewish names: Trotsky (Leon Bronstein), head of the Soviet Red Army; Zinoviev (Grigory Apfelbaum), executive of the Soviet Secret Police), Jacob Sverdlov, first president of the Soviet Union, and Rose Kaganovich -- Stalin’s mistress. And of course, the founder of communism, Karl Marx, was born a Jew. In the United States, communist sympathizers include the late historian Herbert Aptheker, Columbia University professor Eric Foner, as well as Noam Chomsky (also known as anti-Israel) and an apologist for the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Now, of course, many in this bunch and their comrades also are positively glowing about meetings with Fidel Castro and the glorious history of the revolution in Cuba. Case in point: The film Che, Hollywood’s love affair with Che Guevera which the American public dismissively rejected after about 10 seconds in Like his fellow male members of the American counterpart, Students for a Democratic Society, Che was a misogynist and a narcissist. Women who showed up at SDS meetings -- or Che’s gatherings -- found themselves needed for only two things: getting food for the men in charge -- and sex. Oh, sure, it was before the feminist revolution (another “ism” in which Jews were overly rep-
resented: Gloria Steinem and Betty Freidan, to name just two). But the male leaders only spoke of equality -- they didn’t really mean it. And that’s the problem with all these “isms.” Their end goal is utopia, and that’s not a Jewish concept. Whether most Jews believe in a messianic age or not, the goal of Judaism has never been to create a perfect society -- that’s only for angels. Man (and woman), though fashioned in the image of Gd (b’tzelem Elokhim) can only pattern his or her behavior after the path that G-d has set before us. The best we can do is try to behave in a civilized, compassionate manner; G-d knows we won’t always be able to achieve it. But communists, and their ilk, think you can legislate behavior. We’ve seen what that creates: brutal totalitarian regimes where the only “truth” is the one that Pravda (or whatever the state newspaper) declares it is -- where speaking out against the injustice of the state is a crime (just ask anyone from the former Soviet Union) and where punishment can include anything from nine years in the gulag (a la Natan Sharansky) to death. Young people seem to have forgotten the dark side of communism, glossing over the 20 million killed by Stalin, the 2.5 million Jews who could not practice their Judaism, the “Russification” of Ukraine, Belorussia, Latvia, Estonia, and other states of the former USSR. Today, that total control seems to be creeping into what kind of car we’ll be allowed to buy, what food we can eat, and what form of energy we have to use to power our homes.
Maybe we should all read George Orwell again. Or maybe we should look into our own history, our Judaism, for the one “ism” that has meaning. Every synagogue in town offers classes to learn more, as does the Center for Jewish Education. So in the seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuot, which commemorates the receiving of the Ten Commandments, pick up the original “ism”: the Torah.
BEHIND THE HEADLINES by MICHAEL J. JORDAN
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (JTA) -Criticism is mounting that a U.N. probe of Israel’s attacks on its own facilities in Gaza is too limited and should be widened to investigate attacks on both Israeli and Palestinian civilians. The U.N. Board of Inquiry findings are expected any day, and pro-Israel advocates expect no surprises -- especially since the key witness is UNRWA, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees. Amnesty International, which pro-Israel advocates describe as no friend of the Jewish state, criticized the narrow mandate last month. “What is needed is a comprehensive international investigation that looks at all alleged violations of international law -- by Israel, by Hamas and by other Palestinian armed groups involved in the conflict,” said Irene Khan, the secretary general for Amnesty. In mid-March, 16 respected war-crimes investigators and judges sent an open letter to the U.N. Security Council and SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon further chastising the world body -- and added that a broadened investigation should recommend for prosecution “those responsible for gross violations.” “It is not only the U.N. personnel that deserve truth and justice, but Palestinians and Israelis themselves,” wrote one signatory, William Schabas, a former member of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Even if the investigation were expanded,
The United Nations established UNRWA in 1949 to care for 914,000 documented “Palestine refugees.” In the early 1950s, though, the world body expanded the refugee definition to include descendants, something never done for UNHCR, the U.N. agency that handles all the world’s other refugees. As JTA detailed in its 2006 series “Unmasking UNRWA,” the agency routinely oversteps its mandate, plays politics and blames Israel for the suffering while eliding Palestinian violence that helps spur it. Even an ex-UNRWA official has stepped forward to condemn its politicization. In January, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy published a report by James Lindsay, UNRWA’s former general counsel, in which he wrote that the agency should “halt
Jewish Press Board Michael Sigmond, Vice President; Stan Mitchell, Secretary; Michael Siegel, Treasurer; Howard K. Marcus, Immediate Past-chairman; Marc Brodkey; Andie Gordman; Michael Kaufman; Bette Kozlen; Susan Lehr; Jamie Meyerson; Andy Ruback; Jim Simon; Nancy Skid; and Dorothy Spizman. The role of the Jewish Federation of Omaha is to involve Jews in meeting Jewish communal needs locally, nationally and in Israel. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Education, Jewish Family Service/Jewish Senior Services, and the Jewish Press . Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stories and announcements, can be found online at: www jewishomaha.org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, 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. Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., 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.
UNRWA far from neutral Israel’s defenders would balk at the main witness: UNRWA. Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian activists have long recognized that the Middle East conflict is not just fought on the ground but in a court of public opinion that shapes how millions view the conflict. Beyond the Palestinian and Israeli perspectives, journalists, diplomats and human-rights watchdogs typically seek out a “neutral” third party to act as tie-breaker: “Who’s right, who’s wrong?” Who better to ask, they figure, than the United Nations: Its lofty charter calls for neutrality and impartiality in preserving peace and security, and comforting the globe’s greatest victims. Yet time and again, UNRWA has acted far from neutral and nonpartisan.
(Founded in 1920) Bobbi Leibowitz President Carol Katzman Editor Richard Busse Managing Editor Allan Handleman Advertising Manager Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Managing Editor Barbara Kirkpatrick Bookkeeper
its one-sided political statements and limit itself to comments on humanitarian issues.” During the recent war in Gaza, though, UNRWA issued context-free criticism of Israel, accusing the Jewish state of “violations of international law,” but was near silent about Palestinian rocket launchers who fired from among schools, playgrounds, mosques and homes -- using UNRWA’s own clients as human shields. As the Fourth Geneva Convention makes clear, “The presence of a protected person may not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations.” The United Nations has its own pronouncement on such matters, after then-SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan lamented a decade ago how fighters exploit the safe haven of refugee camps, spawning more violence. (Gaza has eight such camps, home to one-third of the entire Palestinian population there.) The result was U.N. Resolution 1208, on “separation of armed elements from refugee populations,” a document that carries the weight of international law and is to be applied “universally.” A review of UNRWA’s 60-year history helps explain why it keeps quiet on such statutes. The United Nations established UNRWA in 1949 to care for 914,000 documented “Palestine refugees.” In the early 1950s, though, the world body expanded the refugee definition to include descendants, something never done for UNHCR, the U.N. agency that handles all the world’s other refugees. Three generations later, UNRWA’s rolls number 4.6 million -- and growing. (In 2002, the agency cited 3.8 million; in 2006, it counted 4.3 million.) While UNRWA today provides critical Continued on page 13
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April 24, 2009
Synagogues must collaborate or perish
FOCUS ON ISSUES by HAYIM HERRING
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (JTA) -- Like most Jews involved in a synagogue or minyan, I believe that the ultimate quality and sustainability of the Jewish community will be determined by having a critical mass of people who care about God, Torah and Israel, however defined. Synagogues and their auxiliaries (e.g., youth, sisterhood, older adult groups), in addition to often being the local address for religiosity and spirituality, represent one of the most significant sources of social, educational and financial capital in the Jewish community. And synagogues are one of the last places where the potential for meaningful, multi-generational interaction is possible. Synagogues often are under-resourced in good times. Now, even with belt tightening, they are at risk. On rabbinical Listserv mailing lists, stories about broken contracts, salary freezes or cuts, layoffs and reduction by attrition for the next several years are legion. Newspapers, network broadcasting, publishing, manufacturing and entertainment -- all of these industries are experiencing tectonic shifts. Some will not survive, while those that do will look much different than today. Without sounding alarmist, the synagogue community is likely experiencing the same kind of fundamental transition. Some will close, others will emerge with a new design. Synagogues often are One key strategy for survival and long-term under-resourced in vitality is ramping up collaboration at the local good times. Now, even level. Synagogues and with belt tightening, other Jewish institutions they are at risk. in close proximity need to inventory their services and programs, eliminate duplication and add resources through collaboration to fill in the gaps. In these tough times, they need to make it easy for people to participate in synagogue life. They can do so not just by cutting costs, but by pooling resources for the benefit of the Jewish community. I am well aware of the two central objections to collaboration because I’ve heard them often when raising the issue: • We’re too competitive to collaborate; we’ll risk losing our members to another synagogue. • We’re too ideologically different to work together. My response to the first objection is, “Get over it already!” If your local percentage of synagogue affiliation is 17 percent to 40 percent, which it is in just about every significant Jewish population center in the United States, which is your real competition: the synagogue nearest yours or the consumerist culture that surrounds you? With regard to ideology, here’s a new acronym for our religious lexicon: TIRP-Troubled Ideology Relief Program. Denominational ideology matters to the professional and lay elite of each denomination and plays an
UNRWA far from neutral Continued on page 13 health, education, food and other welfare to a largely impoverished people, less known is the built-in non-neutrality. As its own Web site states, of 24,000-plus staff, “more than 99 percent are locally recruited Palestinians, almost all of them Palestine refugees.” UNRWA staffers must sign a code of conduct, a don’task-don’t-tell policy to steer clear of activities that “may adversely affect” their “integrity, independence and impartiality.” Yet ample evidence suggests many either sympathize with Hamas or are leery of speaking out against the extremists in their midst. Still, UNRWA Commissioner-General Karen AbuZayd went before the Security Council on Jan. 27 and disregarded Palestinian rockets that emanated from her camps or from among civilians. Instead, she described “what appears to have been systematic destruction to schools, universities, residential buildings, factories, shops and farms,” and a Palestinian “rage against attackers for often failing to distinguish between military targets and civilians.” Just last week, in a hint of what the U.N. Board of Inquiry itself may conclude, AbuZayd told a U.N. “Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People” in Cairo that Israel had damaged 57 UNRWA facilities, including “37 schools and various other premises.” Yet again, in a speech of 2,000 words, nothing was mentioned about Palestinian rocket launchers.
important role in expanding spiritual approaches and engaging a multiplicity of individual religious temperaments. But pragmatic factors at the local level, including convenience, cost, educational quality, style of services and the perceived warmth of the synagogue, is what drives synagogue involvement. At most local levels, ideology does not energize community; it enervates it. So relieve yourself of the trouble about ideology and collaboration because it’s manageable on the local level. The extent to which national synagogue leadership is really aware of how deep in transition we are and what kind of collective thinking and planning is happening to ensure that synagogues remain viable is unclear. Our current environment creates significant management challenges. Each denomination is responsibly struggling with how to provide valuable services and programs to its member congregations. While very painful, it’s relatively easy to work on the management of resources during these difficult times because synagogues have limited options from which to choose. But what worries me is that we are not addressing the leadership challenges that are testing synagogues and that we do not have the structures or will to address them. Management is about working effectively within existing structures, while leadership is about envisioning new ones. And here is why there is a dire need for visionary spiritual leadership: • The small number of Jews who already describe themselves as religiously observant continue to drop and is now at 1.2 percent, or 2.7 million people, according to the recently released American Religious Identification Survey. (The drop is consistent with another survey reporting that traditional organized religions are playing less of a role in the lives of Americans.) • Because of the high cost of being Jewish, formative Jewish experience such as synagogue involvement are increasingly open only to the financially privileged. • Funding for Jewish causes across the board may shrink by as much as a third in proportion to financial losses in the Jewish community. How do financially demoralized synagogues remain spiritually viable? With most leaders looking after their own organizational self-interest, who is thinking and working on these broader issues? Volunteers and professionals at the local level need to take the destiny of their Jewish communities into their own hands. They are best poised to think imaginatively about ways to collaborate to strengthen their own institution while reaching out broadly beyond their own walls. Solutions cannot be imposed from the top down. However, denominational leaders can support this process by sending a clear message about the imperative of collaboration at the regional and local levels. Rabbi Hayim Herring is executive director of STAR (Synagogues: Transformation and Renewal). He is writing a book called Tools for Shuls: A Guide to Make Over Your Synagogue (http://www.toolsforshuls.com).
LETTER TO THE EDITOR To the Editor: I agree with Dr. Ran Kuttner’s view that real dialogue is preferable to presumed conflict and that one must first set the stage before real dialogue can occur. He writes about understanding the views of others “... in order to better understand not only ‘their’ view but also my own reality as a Jew and as an Israeli.” At the annual Brooks lecture Dr. Kuttner spoke “... about the need to cultivate a dialogic mindset in the Israeli society ...” and the need to “ ... learn how to transform their adversarial, polarizing mindset into a dialogic mindset...” It seems to me that this approach is one-sided. Kuttner appears to place the onus on Jews and Israelis to open their minds. What I see missing are voices on the “other” side advocating a similar approach -- giving speeches, writing articles, creating advocacy groups, being critical of their own in-group. Israel has often bent over backwards in negotiations, in returning territory, all in the name of “land for peace”. Unfortunately, Israel relinquishes the tangible for an elusive, non-measurable intangible ... and winds up with the short end of the stick. Israel and the Jewish community are asked to turn the other cheek and be more understanding. How many cheeks do we have and how many should it take? Stanley J. Mitchell
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
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It’s time for a change to synagogue dues
BEHIND THE HEADLINES by GLENN S. EASTON Washington Jewish Week
I have said it for many years: Synagogue membership dues are too high. In fact, the financing structure of synagogues is out of date, out of touch and unsustainable. This might sound odd coming from a synagogue executive whose own livelihood is dependent upon these generous, voluntary membership dues contributions. But in addition to being a shul professional, I am also a Jewish community consumer. I pay dues to two different congregations; I’ve paid Jewish day school tuition and Jewish summer camp fees; I contribute to two Jewish federations and numerous Jewish organizations, and even allocate a meaningful portion of my salary to our local kosher butchers (particularly during Pesach). It is, indeed, expensive to be Jewish, but I can only address synagogues. First, two interesting facts: The average cost of maintaining a synagogue is $2,400 per household regardless of number of members (the largest congregations average $2,700 per year). Approximately 80 percent of all Jews belong to a synagogue at some point in their lives, and 90 percent of households with children belong to a synagogue at some point. Instead of sending a family a Therefore, the financial synagogue invoice, we should problem with be sending thank you notes. synagogues is not recruitment, but retention. It should not cost thousands of dollars to call yourself an affiliated Jew. In fact, there should not be a set, expected membership dues level or annual dues bill to belong to a synagogue community. Synagogue membership is a voluntary act, and contributing to one’s synagogue community should be a voluntary amount. Instead of sending a family a synagogue invoice, we should be sending thank you notes. I don’t know about you, but I don’t contribute $2,400 to very many organizations, and if I did, they would consider and treat me like a “major” contributor. Not only do we not send thank you notes to our synagogue members, we send collection letters dunning the family for paying “only” $2,000 of its $2,400 annual dues bill. We also set membership dues levels incorrectly. Instead of giving a “discount” to a young, 40-year-old single attorney or a successful, retired senior, we should offer reductions to parents with kids in college or those paying for parents in assisted living facilities. Don’t you think that a synagogue member who no longer uses the synagogue schools or who is not a frequent attendee would retain his or her affiliation if dues were voluntary -- perhaps $500 instead of $2,400 per year? If this were a business model, congregations would “make it up on volume” rather than rely on the generosity of the few -- the 30 percent or so of Jewish households currently affiliated. Generous and capable members would continue to be generous (as they currently are) and those who leave over the high price tag, too embarrassed to ask for a dues reduction, could remain affiliated and connected to the community. As a synagogue professional, I deeply believe that the primary source of Jewish strength and continuity in North America is the synagogue. The community wants synagogues, clergy, religious schools, lifelong learning, life-cycle events, and communal support available when needed, but also needs to support our synagogues during the years in-between those needs. Two things must happen for this transformation to occur. First, one or more “mega-donors” must underwrite any shortfall during a synagogue’s experimental transition. For synagogues to be able to test the new model, it has to be revenue neutral. Second, synagogues must build up their endowment funds to supplement the rising costs and make synagogue affiliation more affordable. We are told in Pirke Avot, “Do not separate yourself from the community.” Let’s stop giving people a reason and excuse to separate from our wonderful, sacred Jewish community. Glenn S. Easton is executive director of Adas Israel Congregation, Washington, D.C. This op-ed first appeared in the Washington Jewish Week.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
April 24, 2009
Candlelighting Friday, April 24, 7:57 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
Chabad House An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 S. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68144-1646 330.1800 www.OChabad.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 323 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.tiferethisraellincoln.org
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B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Services followed by Oneg, 7:30 p.m.
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Mordechai Levin and Cantor Beth Schlossberg. FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Morning services, 9:30 a.m.; Junior Congregation (3-7), 10 a.m.; Kiddush is sponsored by Beth El; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 8:05 p.m. PJ PARTY AT CANTOR BETH’S: Saturday, April 25, 8:30 p.m., all third-seventh grade BESTT girls are invited to Cantor Schlossberg’s for a pajama party, beginning with havdalah. Thirdfourth graders are welcome to stay until 11 p.m.; older girls are invited to spend the night (bring sleeping bag and pillow). Cost is $3 for each child (and adults, who may stay until 11 p.m.). To RSVP, call Cantor Schlossberg in the office, or at cantor@bethelomaha.org. WEEKDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Bible Study Discussion Group; and Navigating our Services with Joy led by Susi Frydman-Levin, 10 a.m.; The Mitzvah Club led by FrydmanLevin; and Synagogue skills class led by Cantor Schlossberg, 11 a.m. BESTT: Family Yom Ha’Atzmaut Program for grades Pre-K 2nd, Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to noon. YOM HA’ATZMAUT CELEBRATION: Tuesday, April 28, 6:30 p.m., come for a satellite broadcast of an annual ceremony that takes place on Mount Herzl on the eve of Yom Ha’Atzmaut. Attendees will be treated to Israeli music and snacks; everyone is invited at no charge. TOT SHABBAT: Friday, May 1, 6 p.m., followed by 6:30 p.m. dinner, hosted by Sonia and Alan Tipp. For reservations made before Wednesday, April 29, cost is $5 per person; after that date, cost is $10. No charge for children six and younger. To RSVP, call Margie Gutnik in the office, or at programming@bethelomaha.org. HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES’ RECOGNITION: congregants who will be graduating from area high schools will be honored at a special Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday, May
8, 6 p.m. All students and their families are invited to attend. A reception will follow. INTERNATIONAL SHABBAT: Friday, May 8, 6 p.m., experience an international Kabbalat Shabbat service which will highlight the country of Uganda. Jewish Ugandan melodies -- as well as traditional liturgy -- will be performed, and snacks from that country will be served.
BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fri., 8:30 a.m-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Jonathan Gross and Rabbi Yitzchak Mizrahi. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m.; Women’s Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m., led by Ilana Weiss. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m. free babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Children’s Classes, 9:45 a.m. with Torah Parade; Kiddush sponsored by Sisterhood; “Guard Your Tongue”, “The Great Midrash” and “Advanced Parshah Study for Kids” (ages 10 and up) one hour prior to Mincha, 7:45 p.m., followed by Seudah Shlishit; Havdalah, 9 p.m. SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Reading the Rambam, 9:45 a.m.; Rabbi Gross’s Teen Class, 10 a.m.; Kids’ Crafts with Miss Andreea, 11 a.m.; Junior NCSY Pizza & A Movie night, 6:30 p.m.; Ma’ariv, 8:30 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha, 5:15 p.m. TUESDAY: Mishnah Club for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, 3:45 p.m. at the Blumkin Home; Yom Hazikaron Service, 7:30 p.m.; Rabbi Mizrahi’s Class will not meet this week. THURSDAY: Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m.; Rabbi Gross’s weekly class, 7:30 p.m.
CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Services, 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Maamar class, 9 a.m.; Service, 9:30 a.m.; Youth Minyan, 10:30 a.m. MiniMensch title will be awarded; Kiddush lunch follows; join Rabbi Katzman from 12-1 p.m. SUNDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m.; Mishpacha University Graduation, 11 a.m. For more information email Estie@ochabad.com. WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m. MONDAY: Kabbalistic Insights for Women, 12:15 p.m.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Services conducted by Rabbi Ilan Emanuel. FRIDAY: Federation Shabbat Service, 7:45 p.m. led by Rabbi Emanuel and Nancy Coren, with guest speaker Don Burris, an Omaha attorney, visiting scholar for the Harris Center for Judaic Studies. Oneg following hosted by the Jewish Federation of Lincoln. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. all led by Rabbi Emanuel. SUNDAY: LJCS Grades 3-7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Gam Simcha-Grade 2, 9:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at South Street Temple; Hallah High, 10 a.m.noon at Tifereth Israel; LJCS Teachers Meeting, 12:30 p.m. at South Street Temple. WEDNESDAY: Hebrew classes (grades 3-7), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. LPS YOM HASHOAH SPEAKER SERIES: The next speaker is Bea Karp on Thursday, April 30, 1:30 p.m. at Lincoln Northeast; followed a week later by Jen Marlowe on May 7, 1:30 p.m. at Lincoln Southwest.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to the Blumkin Home, 2:30 p.m. led by Temple Israel members. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.
TEMPLE ISRAEL FRIDAY: Gift of Time Volunteer Dinner, 6 p.m. The ‘Gift of Time’ dinner gives Temple an opportunity to salute our achievements; Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. Last Rosh Hashanah, Dr. Wolfson launched our new year’s social justice initiatives. His return initiates an evaluation of our to-do lists. SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath
the Surface, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Service, 10:30 a.m. Jonah Weinstine, son of Melany Fullenkamp and Marc Weinstein will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah; Family Shabbaton, 9:30 a.m.5:30 p.m. at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center (See full story on page 7.) SUNDAY: Teacher Meeting, 9 a.m.; Grades Pre-K-6, 10 a.m.; Prayer Assembly, 10 a.m.; Four B’s: Blessings and Kisses: The Power of Family, 10:30 a.m. with Dr. Choir Wolfson; Children’s Rehearsal, noon. Lunch is provided for choir members and younger siblings. WEDNESDAY: Grades 3-6, 46 p.m.; All School Dinner, 6 p.m.; Family School, 6 p.m.; Grades 712, 6 p.m.; Tough Jews, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY: “Adult Study with the Clergy” with Rabbi Linder, 10 a.m. OTYG Shabbat to Honor Temple’s Senior Adult, Friday, May 8, 6 p.m. Youth group members will invite senior members of Temple to join them in a service of prayer and song. An Oneg, sponsored by Temple’s Caring Committee follows. Valet parking will be available.
NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN FRIDAY: Minyan, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Nancy Coren, Lay Leader. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. MONDAY and THURSDAY: Minyan, 9 a.m. FRIDAY: Federation Shabbat Service, 7:45 p.m. at South Street Temple led by Rabbi Emanuel and Nancy Coren, with guest speaker Don Burris, an Omaha attorney, visiting scholar for the Harris Center for Judaic Studies. Oneg following hosted by the Jewish Federation of Lincoln. SATURDAY: Morning service, 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush lunch and Talmud study. SUNDAY: LJCS Grades 3-7, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Tifereth Israel; Gam Simcha-Grade 2, 9:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at South Street Temple; Hallah High, 10 a.m.noon at Tifereth Israel; LJCS Teachers Meeting, 12:30 p.m. at South Street Temple. WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group will meet at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. Contact Yale Gotsdiner at 423.7066; Hebrew classes (grades 3-7), 4-6 p.m.
Poles, Jews remember Warsaw uprising
BAT MITZVAH Rachel Perelman, daughter of Sharon and Dr. Michael Perelman, will become a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, May 2, at Congregation Beth Israel in San Diego, CA.
TUESDAY: W.O.W. Prayer, Prophets, and Prayer, 9:15 a.m. THURSDAY: Jewish Thought, 12:45 p.m.; The Parsha Club for Level I beginners, ages 5-6; and Level II for ages 7-9, 3:45 p.m. Please contact shevi@ochabad. com for a pass. All events and programs are open to the entire community.
Rachel is a seventh-grade student at Pacific Ridge School. She is a member of the volleyball and basketball teams. Her interests include mathematicss, reading, and spending time with her friends. She has an older sister, Abigail. Grandparents are Betty and Bob Perelman, Joan Carroll of Chicago, and the late Robert Carrol.
Wreaths were laid April 19 in Warsaw during the annual memorial ceremony honoring the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising against the Nazis. Credit: Moshe Milner/GPO/BPH Images
April 24, 2009
DEATHS ROSE KATZMAN Rose Shamberg Katzman died April 16 at the age of 100. Services were held April 19 at Golden Hill Cemetery. In celebration of her 100th birthday last month, she was honored by the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society for establishing the David and Rose Katzman Endowment Fund, which helps the NJHS in publishing its journals. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dave. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Paula and Larry Albert and Betty and Barry Segell; son and daughter-in-law, Howard and Sue Katzman of Salt Lake City, UT; grandchildren, Janet Segell of Charleston, SC, Mark and Leigh Segell of Athens, GA, Lori and Don Ruff, Jim and Lisa Albert of Dallas, Sue and Mark Greene, Steve and Linda Albert, all of Houston, Marge and Marc Cohen of Albany, NY, Marilyn Katzman and David Katzman of Salt Lake City; six great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Madeline Katzman. Memorials to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home or NJHS. LIBBY F. LINCOLN Libby F. Lincoln died April 17 at the age of 89. Services were held on April 21 at Beth El Cemetery. She was preceded in death by her husband, Irving. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Nancy Lincoln and Nick Harrison; son and daughter-in-law, Todd and Ketu Lincoln; grandchildren, Becky and Nick Harrison, Lily and Nyah Lincoln. Memorials to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, L.O.V.E., c/o the Blumkin Home,or the VNA Hospice. LILLIAN BAN Lillian Ban died at the age of 98. Services were held April 23 at Mt. Sinai Cemetery. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack J. Ban, and a grandson, Richard Goldstein. She is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Judi and David Goldstein; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Bonnie Ban of Los Angeles; grandchildren, Joe and Jill Goldstein, Rachel and Yanir Stein of Los Angeles; and three great-grandchildren. Memorials to the Blumkin Home or Temple Israel.
B’nai B’rith offers $250 for first prize in Trivia Quiz by GARY JAVITCH In the 1966 movie, this actor Cast a Giant Shadow as Col. David Marcus in the story of Israel’s struggle for statehood. He plays an American military officer who defied orders and led a faction of the Israeli Army in defense of its newly formed borders. Who was he? Even if you do not know that Kirk Douglas starred in that role, you can still have a lot of fun at the Ninth Annual B’nai B’rith Jewish Trivia Quiz. The 25-question contest covers such diverse topics as Jewish personalities, literature, popular culture, Israel, the movies, the Bible and more. What makes this event grow larger and larger each year, according to Steve Riekes, the founder of the competition, is that “you can compete individually or on a team of up to six (friends or family) members.” The fun event, sponsored by Henry Monsky Lodge #3306 has been held each year in conjunction with the Israel Independence Day celebrations at the JCC. The quiz will be held in the Community Room at the Jewish Community Center on Sunday, May 3, 1 p.m. Any member of the Jewish community age 13 or older can participate. The only restriction is that team members may not include members of the clergy or full time professional religious educators. To add excitement, there are prizes, also. The prize for first place is $250; second place, $100; third place prize is $50. Half of each prize will go to the team and the other half will go to a local Omaha Jewish charity or institution of the winning team’s choosing. Teens can compete in their own category and win a minimum prize of $50 if they are the top-scoring high school team. Others involved in coordinating the event and creating the questions are Leonard Greenspoon, and Marty Ricks. The program is open to the community without charge. Both participants and spectators are welcome. Advanced registration is encouraged. Entry forms are available at the synagogues or the JCC or you can just show up. For additional information, call Iris at the B’nai B’rith office: 334.6443
Facts and values
SPARKS FROM THE WORD by RABBI MYER S. KRIPKE Parashat Tazria/Metzora We ought not to be surprised when the Bible makes a distinction between male and female babies. We need not be surprised, for in the ancient world (and not very ancient at that!), the male was much more welcome than the female. Note how recently it was in American history that women were given the right to vote. In our Bible, probably written largely if not entirely by men, we are not to be surprised, then, to find a difference in the acceptance of the birth of a male vs. a female infant. Incidentally, note how long this prejudice has remained in the human species, even among Jews. We still find ourselves, generally, rejoicing in the birth of a son, rather than a daughter (especially in China!). In reading the Torah and even in the honors bestowed upon those called up for aliyot, it is only recently that only the non-Orthodox among us have recognized women as equals to men. Read our chapters this week understanding that it is not the last word on morality, but rather an ancient view that we have in our first Sidra, Tazria. Our second Sidra, Metzora, is concerned with disease, usually translated as “leprosy”. Note who are the medical officers! It is the priests -- the Cohanim -- who examine the patients and make decisions about treatment. All of this should help us understand that it is science that deals with facts and figures, with weights and measures. We certainly need that and the development of science has enabled us to understand our universe and our own small galaxy of planets, including this little bit of mud we call the Earth. It is ethics, however, that deals with values. Here it is good and bad, right and wrong, truth and falsehood, that command our attention. Values are not weighed on a scale, but recommend themselves to the intellect and the moral sense. It is therefor to science, to medical science particularly, to which we must turn when we deal with illness and disease. Modern medicine reserves the word “leprosy” for a disease that is not defined well by the problems in our Sidra. It is not a priest who is the medical officer, but one specifically trained in medical science. It is not to belittle the Bible that I say all of this, but to recognize that science, including medicine, has a domain reserved to itself. This does not leave the Bible empty; it only points out that the Bible’s domain, especially in the prophetic books, deals with morality and values, which science totally ignores. Read our two Sidrot, then, with understanding of how limited their science is. We turn to the Bible, not for scientific theory, but for the appeal to the intellect and emotion of man for justice and righteousness.
JEWISH PRESS CLOSINGS & EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE The Jewish Press will be closed Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day and Friday, May 29 for the first day of Shavuot. Questions? The deadline for all ads, synagogue schedules, articles and photos is 9 a.m. as follows: Issue Deadline May 29 Wednesday, May 20 Wednesday, May 27 June 5 Photos used in the PAssover issue may be picked up at the Press office during regular business hours. Questions? Call 402.334.6448.
To Submit Announcements to the Jewish Press: Announcements may be e-mailed to the Press with attached photos in .jpg or .tif files to jpress@jewishomaha.org; faxed to 402.334.5422, or mailed to 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154 (with photos we will scan and return). Forms are available through Omaha and Lincoln synagogues, by contacting The Jewish Press at 402.334.6448, or by e-mailing: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org. Readers can also submit other announcements -- births engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies or obituaries -- online at the Jewish Federation of Omaha website: www.jewishomaha.org. Click on “Jewish Press” and go to Submit Announcements. Deadlines are normally eight days prior to publication, on Thursdays, 9 a.m. Check the Jewish Press, however, for notices of early deadlines prior to secular and Jewish holidays.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
April 24, 2009
Shiputznick 2009 makes a difference
by ANNE MUSKIN Teen/BBYO director Forty-five teens, 15 volunteers, six service groups, but only one Shiputznick joined up earlier this month, for an incredible mitzvah day. Started in 2004, by Uri Levin, Shiputznick is a day of service geared towards Omaha’s Jewish teen population. Held in conjunction with J-Serve, a National Day of Jewish Youth Service, all Shiputznick volunteers participated in a national raffle giving a $100 for the volunteer and a $100 for a charity of your choice. J-Serve is sponsored by PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values and The Jewish Coalition for Service. A range of projects in the Omaha area are offered, and the day is spent serving our community, followed by a free dinner and reflection. This day has surely become a community tradition.
ter, partners with the community, families and individuals to overcome homelessness, addiction and poverty. They receive many donations of food, clothing and other supplies every year. As a non-profit organization, the group doesn’t always have the resources to sort and organize all its donations. This volunteer group helped straighten and tidy up their storage facility. The final group offered support to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, which proStaff for Shiputznick 2009 included: Robert Mosenkis, left, Jason Rich, Jeff Gates, Tyree vides quality services and Cook, Anne Muskin, Cari Green, Caryn Rifkin, Jan McCarthy, Mark Kazor; back row: Scott programs for seniors. The Tatelman, Mark Javitch, Scott Susman, Brian Friend, Tamar Halevy and Naama Artzi. volunteers helped to faciliThrough Jewish Family and Senior Services, an agency tate activities for the residents. Some highlights were of the Jewish Federation, two groups were coordinated bowling, games, and help during tea time. to clean the yards of local Jewish seniors. With flowers in In addition to the many teens that came out to share hand, the teens cleaned six different homes. their love of service, we were joined by several volunAnother group made dinner for residents at the teers; Caryn Rifkin, Cari Green, Jason Rich, Mark Carolyn Scott Rainbow House, which provides accom- Javitch, Robert Mosenkis, Naama Artzi, Scott Tatelman, modations to families and patients undergoing acute Scott Susman, Jeff Gates, Brian Friend, and Yachad long term treatment at the Children’s Hospital and adviser Jan McCarthy spent their Sunday working with Medical Center. A warm homemade meal was definitely Omaha’s teens. Shiputznick was sponsored by the JCC, a welcome treat. Temple Israel, Beth El and Beth Israel. The Stephen Center, a local emergency homeless shel-
Participating in Shiputznick 2009 are Marilyn Zevitz, left, Molly Helm and Jessica Levinger.
The fifth annual Teen Mitzvah Day was run by Community Shlicha, Tamar Halevy. “It’s amazing how much one can achieve and learn in such a short time,” she commented, “I mean, it’s only four hours out of your life, and it makes such a difference.” This year’s line up of service projects was useful and meaningful. A special focus was made this year on contributions to the Jewish community and the connection to Jewish values. Robert Mosenkis, Beth El youth director, lead the day’s kickoff with a relevant text study from Genesis to help frame the vision. From lessons of tzedakah, the day was positioned purposefully before departure! Group one was joined by the local YACHAD group, a program sponsored by Jewish Family Services that serves families and individuals with special needs. YACHAD provides social, cultural and religious activities plus advocacy, referral services and general support for Jews with developmental disabilities and their families. With a slight breeze, grabbers, trash bags, and stylish Keep Omaha Beautiful vests, teens and YACHAD members cleaned up Standing Bear Lake, and facilitated by Naama Artzi, played games in the gym.
Chef Mike serves up traditional Passover breakfast
Passover’s over and we’re on a roll. pring’s definitely in the air and pretty soon, that S head-spinning, meaty perfume that floats up off your grill will be, too. Particularly if what’s sizzling down there are our mouth-watering Golden West Glatt Premium Angus Lean or Extra Lean Ground Beef Patties.
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Take 96 wet matzahs; add 96 eggs -- and you get “matzah brei ala Mike. ”The final morning of Passover found Mike Silverman, Executive Director of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home, in the Blumkin kitchen with Laura Bair, RBJH Food Service and Catering Manager preparing matzah brei for the residents. The gargantuan batter was fried on the Blumkin Home’s four-foot long griddle, a surface Silverman admittedly found slightly intimidating. “I often make breakfast for my wife and two boys,” Silverman said, “but I’m not used to making breakfast for a platoon.” Why wait until the last day of Passover to whip up the traditional treat? “I figured if the residents liked it, I wouldn’t have to make it again until next year.”
Or our tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth Premium Angus Ribeye steaks, 21-Day Dry Aged rib steaks; minute steaks, shoulder steaks and skirt steaks (fajitas!). All blessed with the beautiful, even marbling that is the hallmark of Premium Angus Beef. All glatt kosher, naturally. And we do mean naturally.
Passover’s over, all right. But like it says. To every thing there is a season. And a time for every purpose. And now, if we may be so bold as to add, it’s time to grill.
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