Vol. LXXXVI No. 35 Omaha, NE
Celebrating 86 Years of Service to Nebraska and Western Iowa
23 Iyyar, 5767 May 11, 2007
Local efforts urge end of genocide in Darfur In Britain, Darfur genocide begins to mobilize community by JONNY PAUL LONDON (JTA) -- Long after Darfur became a cause celebre for American Jews, Jewish communities in the United Kingdom are beginning to mobilize against the genocide. Under the banner “No more excuses, protect the people of Darfur,” British Jews demonstrated outside the Prime Minister’s Residence on April 29 as part of a worldwide effort to build momentum to stop the genocide unfolding in Sudan. Protesters in more than 35 capitals on the Global Day of Action called on the international community to protect the people of Darfur and impose sanctions on the Sudanese regime. Governmentbacked Arab militias have killed 200,000 to 400,000 people in Darfur and sparked massive refugee and humanitarian crises. The Union of Jewish Students and the U.K.-based Pears Foundation were instrumental in bringing Jewish voices to the Sunday rally. The demonstration, and a new Pears Foundation booklet, Darfur: A Jewish Response, are elements of an initiative to mobilize British Jews on the issue. Other events have been organized at a number of London synagogues, and seminars on the conflict have been held for leaders of Jewish youth groups. The Pears Foundation’s booklet provides European Jewish communities with background information on the conflict and tools for lobbying. The publication
was launched last week at a fundraising dinner for the Board of Deputies of British Jews and will be available from local synagogues, youth movements and communal organizations. The booklet was put together following research the foundation did on social justice efforts in the British Jewish community. The research showed that many in the community were concerned by the lack of engagement on Darfur among British Jews at a time when Jews were leading the Darfur effort in the United States. Board of Deputies President Henry Grunwald wrote the foreword. “The Jewish communities of Europe know all too well how genocide can occur and what its effects can be,” he told JTA. “As Jews we have a duty, not only to our fellow Jews but also to the wider world. And make no mistake, each one of us can and must make a difference.” The Union of Jewish Students has taken up the issue, and many of the Darfur campaign groups on university campuses are led by Jews. Events are being planned for Jewish students at Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leeds and Bristol universities, and Darfur-awareness sessions will be held at a UJS activists’ conference. At the April 29th rally, Jewish students held banners saying “Never Again,” a reference to the world’s passivity in the face of the Holocaust. Jews joined other protesters Continued on page 2
by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator More than 100 people, some sitting on blankets with their children, on the north lawn of Temple Israel on the last Sunday in April brought the genocidal crisis occurring in the Darfur area of the African country of Sudan to the attention of everyone driving on Cass Street between 72nd and 69th Streets. But their real goal was to join forces with other groups and organizations throughout the country observing Global Days for Darfur III and to focus pressure on United States policy makers, the United Nations, the government of Sudan, and
Teens Sharon Folkerts, left, Jesse Estrada, Maria Estrada, and Amy Durmaskin hold up a banner at the rally at Temple Israel alerting passers-by of the genocide in Africa’s Darfur region. The multi-faith crowd on the lawn was drawn from several groups representing Omaha and Lincoln.
Iscar CEO shares “life after Berkshire” with major donors by CAROL KATZMAN Editor of the Jewish Press More than 120 members of the Jewish community were treated to a personal visit Sunday with Eitan Wertheimer, the Chairman of the Board of Iscar, manufacturer of precision tools in Israel’s Tefen Industrial Park. In addition to his association with Omaha through Berkshire Hathaway, which made a major purchase of Iscar just prior to last year’s Berkshire meeting here, Wertheimer’s company is located in the Western Galilee, Omaha’s Partnership with Israel region. In Omaha for the annual Berkshire meeting, Wertheimer told the crowd, “Warren made a powerful statement to the world a year ago and proved that Continued on page 3
Inside Opinion Page see page 8
Joel Alperson, center, outgoing UJC National Campaign Chairman, discusses the latest news out of Israel with Eitan Wertheimer, CEO of Iscar, a member of the Berkshire Hathway family of companies, and Jan Goldstein, executive director of the Jewish Federation, at a major donor event Sunday. Wertheimer was in town for the annual Berkshire meeting.
This Week: Blumkin construction continues on basement: Page 3 See Front Page Stories & More at: www.jewishomaha.org, click on ‘Jewish Press’
the international community to fully implement a peacekeeping force. Do not stand idly by as the blood of your fellow man is spilled, urged Rabbi Aryeh Azriel of Temple Israel. The people of the Holocaust, he emphasized, “must connect to what’s happening today. We need to pay attention. We need to be there for Darfur to break the silence!” Mimi Silverman, chairman of Temple’s Save Darfur Task Force, acknowledged that it’s hard to fathom that a genocide is taking place. “It’s happening so far away. Many people have asked me, ‘What can I Continued on page 2
From the desk of the Federation President: Page 5
Beth Israel awarded innovation grant by MARY BORT for Beth Israel Synagogue To “innovate” is to make changes or do something in a new way. To effect such change to an entire community can be a complicated task. However, once underway, the process can mean it is an exciting time for that community. Beth Israel is about to begin a process of innovation, thanks in large part to a $22,000 grant recently awarded by the Legacy Heritage Innovation Project, an affiliate of the Legacy Heritage Fund. The grant will be used to fund the synagogue’s new program, “Lev Banim al Avotam: Hearts of Children upon their Parents.” As delineated on their website, The Legacy Heritage Innovation Project “... is a non-denominational initiative which provides funding and training to support synagogues pioneering family-based educational innovations generating systemic congregational change.” For the 2007-08 year, grants were awarded “... to synagogues which on a regular basis are integrating adult, family, and children’s education into home and/or communal Shabbat and holiday practice on a systemic basis, developing models and ‘best practices’ which might be replicated or adapted for use by other congregations.” “The focus of our new program is exactly what Legacy Heritage was looking for,” noted Beth Cohen, Executive Director. “The idea behind ‘Hearts of Children’ consists of two main objectives. First, to engage and empower Continued on page 4
Coming Next Week: Senior Living Issue
Beth El salutes dedicated congregants: Page 7
Operation Promise funds programs for Ethiopian youth: Page 12
Page 2
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
May 11, 2007
In Britain, Darfur genocide begins to mobilize community
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Continued from page 1 asylum seekers in London or putting pressure on the in calling on the British government to work with the government to act. United Nations and African Union to secure Sudan's “I think it’s at the heart of a Jewish life to care and save consent for the deployment of an effective peacekeeping a life,” she said, “and not to live in your little bubble.” force in the region. The Pears Foundation, a major supporter of charitable Joel Braunold attended with a group from Bristol causes across the United Kingdom and the world, is the University, where the Jewish Society is behind the initia- largest private funder of Holocaust education in the tive led by the Pears Foundation in cooperation with the United Kingdom. It also funds genocide-education proAegis Trust, the U.K.’s main genocide-prevention NGO. grams in Rwanda, the “Protect Darfur” campaign and “It’s good to see Jews of development-assistance all types at the rally -- stuwork in Congo and Ghana. dents and youth and synaWorld Jewish Relief, one of gogue movements,” the Jewish community’s Braunold said. “The Jewish major overseas aid organizapresence is recognizable.” tions, launched an emerClaire Berliner, program gency appeal last week callofficer at the Jewish Cultural ing on the community to Center for London, said she raise funds for the Darfuri was struck by the communipeople. ty's wide representation at The appeal is seeking to the rally. provide life-saving nutrition, “It does show that we Darfuris and a Jewish student wear t-shirts provided by the medicine and shelter to the have the communication Union of Jewish Students at a Save Darfur rally April 29, in elderly, women and chilCredit: Shlomit Sattler dren. The initiative has supnetworks in place to really London. mobilize the community, even at short notice, to sup- port across the community, including from the Assembly port such a vital cause,” she said. “I hope that awareness of Masorti Synagogues, B’nai B’rith U.K., the Board of in the community continues to grow so we can start to Deputies, the Federation of Synagogues, Liberal make a real and effective contribution to the Darfur Judaism, Reform Judaism, the Spanish and Portuguese campaign.” Jews’ Congregation, Tzedek, the Union of Jewish Jonathan Sacks, Britain’s Orthodox chief rabbi, told Students and United Synagogue. JTA that British Jews had included the Darfur crisis in “We have already seen what can happen when the their national Holocaust Memorial Day service this year. world stands by, reluctant to become involved in the Theater director Rachel Grunwald recalled a sermon affairs of other countries,” World Jewish Relief her rabbi gave on Rosh Hashanah about the Jewish peo- Chairman Nigel Layton said. “Six million Jews paid that ple’s obligation to protect and save lives. price, almost one million Rwandans paid that price, “It struck a chord with me because I was fed up going 200,000 Bosnians paid that price and so far it seems that to Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations where 400,000 Darfuris have paid that price, too. Jews were saying ‘never again,’ yet felt there wasn’t “We know what it is to see our communities and our enough outrage about Darfur within our community, families murdered in cold blood while others do nothwhich is a comfortable community," she said. “I think we ing. We know how that feels, and that gives us a moral forget the terrible things people around the world suffer.” obligation to never let it happen again. ‘Never again’ is Grunwald said she is organizing a May event to help quickly becoming ‘yet again,’ and we cannot be a part of young Jews effect change, whether by helping Darfuri that.”
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Local efforts urge end of genocide in Darfur FRIDAY, MAY 11 Tot Shabbat & Dinner, 6 p.m. at Beth El Yachad Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel Dr. David Gradwohl, 7:30 p.m. at B’nai Israel SATURDAY, MAY 12 Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15 a.m. at Temple Israel Minyannaire’s Shabbat, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El BBYO Rush Program, 7 p.m.
C L I P & S A V E
C L I P &
SUNDAY, MAY 13 The Living Torah, 9:30 a.m. at Chabad House Class with Rabbi Nadel, 9:45 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Education, 10 a.m.-noon at Beth El Beyt Shalom Religious School, 2 p.m. at JCC MONDAY, MAY 14 Women’s Book Group, 1 p.m. at Beth El Judaism with Dr. Leonard Greenspoon, 6 p.m. Israel Nearing 60, 7 p.m. NCJW Book Club, 7 p.m. Chabad Women of Worth Craft Shoppe, 7 p.m. TUESDAY, MAY 15 WOW Tehillim & More, 9 a.m. at Chabad Eye on Israel, noon at Kripke Library Ediar Rush Program, 5 p.m. at JCC Federation Executive Committee Meeting, 6 p.m. BBYO Night, 6 p.m. Annual Meeting and Dinner, 6:30 p.m. at Temple Israel Dance Recital, 7 p.m. at JCC BESTT Board Meeting, 7 p.m. at Beth El Made in America, 7 p.m. at Temple Israel Parshah Roundup, 7 p.m. at Chabad House Federation Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Spirits & Spirituality Group, 8 p.m. at Beth Israel WEDNESDAY, MAY 16 Abba, Eema and ME, 9:30 a.m. at Beth El Rabbis & Presidents Meeting, 11:30 a.m. NJHS Meeting, 4:30 p.m. JCC Dance Recital, 7 p.m. Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m. at Chabad House Educators’ Mission to Israel Meeting, 7 p.m. Foundation Grant Meeting, 7 p.m. THURSDAY, MAY 17 Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Israel Adult Study with the Clergy, 10 a.m. at Temple Israel Getting More Out of Prayer, noon at Beth El Jewish Thought, 12:45 p.m. at Chabad House Yiddish Group, 1 p.m. Tri-Faith Blood Drive, 2 p.m. at Temple Israel Hebrew Classes, 6 p.m. USY Elections, 6 p.m. at John & Cynthia Stern’s House NCJW Board Meeting, 7 p.m. Advanced Parshah Study, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Israel
S A V E All events held at the JCC unless otherwise indicated. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the accuracy of events. To keep calendar accurate or for questions, call Marlene Hert at 334-6437. FOR A COMPLETE LISTING, VISIT THE FEDERATION’S WEBSITE: www.JewishOmaha.org (click on calendar)
C L I P & S A V E
C L I P & S A V E
Continued from page 1 postcards, signed by their parents, on April 15 to do about it?’” she said. “Let our local government know Senator Hagel and Congressman Terry echoing the that it is of utmost importance to us. We will not sit idly request for immediate deployment of a United Nations by and let these atrocities take place. Make your voices peacekeeping force to Darfur where at least 200,000 heard!” she strongly suggested. people have been killed and two and a Other speakers included Bakheit half million driven from their homes. Shata, founder and executive director The postcards also ask for the African of the Darfur Community Union force already in Darfur to be Organization; Elizabeth Ajongo, who strengthened, a peace agreement to is from Darfur and is the acting chairbe implemented, and humanitarian person of the Sudan People’s aid to be increased. The postcards Liberation Movement; Shakil were distributed by the Temple Israel Ahmed, a leader in the Omaha Darfur Task Force. Islamic community; Sean Brooks, an Some of the children wrote messages on the postcards, such as: “Stop international associate with the Save Darfur Coalition; and Temple’s war…fight for freedom.” Rabbi Eric Linder. About 20 men, “Freedom is golden.” “People and animals are dying.” women, and children representing “Help us help Darfur.” the local Darfuri refugee community “Please help Darfur. Try to make attended the rally. Many held up signs Shalom.” protesting the violence in their home“Please help us give Darfur hope.” land. Merrilee Faubel, an immigration “The cries of oppression carry across specialist who works for U.S. Senator Children at Temple Israel’s Religious an ocean, across mountains, across the Chuck Hagel, also came to the rally. School responded to a lesson in social plains. Only support…even love will Amy Cotton, Temple’s youth group justice by sending postcards to end the crisis. Shalom.” advisor, read a letter from U.S. Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel and “The kids did a wonderful job,” said Silverman. Senator Ben Nelson, and Aaron Congressman Lee Terry. Elyce Azriel, director of Temple’s Religious School Neesman, a member of Temple’s Darfur Task Force, agreed. “Our kids really put their hearts into the postread a statement from Congressman Lee Terry. Temple Israel Religious School students decorated cards. We should all be proud.”
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May 11, 2007
Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
Page 3
Iscar CEO shares “life after Berkshire” Continued from page 1 when we do things in Israel, we have to do them ‘terribly’ well. So for us to do this deal with Berkshire was significant for Israel.” In discussing the economic future of the State of Israel, the Iscar CEO noted that “Israel has to be like Ireland, doubling the GNP.” But he reminded the major donors that Israel “doesn’t have neighbors like Switzerland,” another small country of which he spoke. Photos from top: Among donors who spoke personally to Improving the economy Eitan Wertheimer at Sunday’s event were: Henry Davis, top; “can solve a lot of probThama Lee and Willard Friedman; Hannah Schwalb, Fred lems” in Israel, he added, “ Simon and Rabbi Myer S. Kripke. Below right: Ron and Chris but not everything. “Arafat Blumkin discuss future travel plans to Israel with Assaf took the GNP of the Wertheimer, Eitan’s son, who heads a new internet start-up. Palestinian people down from $2000 annually to $600 last year,” he said. “When cle on page 12), a project to improve the educational and you have such a low income, you have nothing to lose. employment opportunities for young people from development towns, from among Orthodox “yeshiva But a higher income is something to lose.” Wertheimer spoke at length about philanthropy in bochers” and from the Arab community. More pictures and a full article will be in next week’s Israel, new programs in which Israelis are in volved in funding, and described Atitdim (see Jan Goldstein’s arti- Jewish Press.
Construction continues at Blumkin Home ... from the ground up by OZZIE NOGG Silverman, Rose Blumkin If you’ve wondered what Jewish Home/Jewish Senior the excavators, backhoe Services Executive Director. loaders and hard-hat con“Taking these two services struction crews are doing off the main level and repodown inside that massive sitioning them downstairs hole in front of the Rose allows us to maximize square Blumkin Jewish Home, footage on the main level for here’s the literal scoop. activity and dining spaces for All that machinery and residents.” manpower is digging the Silverman said two elevafoundation for the new tors will connect the baseRBJH basement, where the ment with the main floor of food service storage and Construction continues on the new basement at the Rose the Home. “These elevators Blumkin Jewish Home. will serve our laundry, food laundry will be relocated. “Currently, food service storage and laundry areas service and housekeeping departments as well as our occupy significant space on our main floor,” said Mike maintenance and nursing departments. Up to now,
bringing goods up from our present storage area has often been a struggle. When the new basement is finished, we’ll have ample storage plus a reasonable way to move items from one level to another.” Mike Purdy of Purdy and Slack, Architects for the Blumkin Home New Beginning added, “Right now, the transport of food and dirty dishes, soiled linens and supplies is done in full view of everyone -- often while the residents are eating meals or visiting with guests -- which is not very appealing. The new basement allows all the gritty work to go on behind the scenes. In addition to this esthetic improvement, the Blumkin Home’s new basement will provide services and support areas, storage for supplies, break rooms, space for mechanical and electrical, as well as staff offices for accounting and records.” He added, “Basements are not considered very interesting, but they’re very important to the facility.”
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
May 11, 2007
Beth Israel awarded innovation grant Beth El graduates and faculty Continued from page 1 the Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus, our children to learn and then teach their NJ, and an expert in Jewish education, will to be honored during Shabbat services parents and community. And second, to replicate on Shabbat the great successes we have with our holiday programming. ‘Hearts of Children’ will further develop both children’s and parent’s involvement, together, on Shabbat and in Jewish life. We’re thrilled to receive the grant which will enable us to do all the wonderful components of the program that we had hoped to do.” When asked what prompted Beth Israel to apply for the grant, Cohen answered, “We want to maintain our momentum. We’ve seen continued growth over the past three years, since moving to our new building and with the arrival of Rabbi Gross. Membership has grown and we’re seeing more and more families with children. Participation in celebrations and holiday services has been amazing. Now we want to take that momentum and apply it to Shabbat, making a systemic change that the grant encourages. Rather than doing a onetime program, we want to implement change to our ‘system’, to our community. Some of our children are more knowledgeable about Hebrew and Judaism than their parents, with the kids’ education serving as a gateway to learning for the parents. We want to take that energy and apply it, further improving our Shabbat programs for all ages, with involvement on a consistent basis. Ultimately, this can lead to enhancing the overall family educational experience.” Cohen also emphasized the involvement of past president, Bonnie Bloch. “Bonnie was the grant coordinator,” noted Cohen. “She found out about the grant opportunity and spent countless hours preparing materials that were submitted to Legacy Heritage.” Bloch was excited to help prepare the application. “After reading through the materials, it became apparent that what Beth Israel is striving to accomplish is what the Innovation Program is all about,” explained Bloch. “We want to continue our growth, and that takes more than simply holding a few programs. With the grant, we’ll be able to do so much more.” Beth Israel’s new program will begin with a training component. Rabbi Dr. John Krug, Dean of Student Life and Welfare at
come to Omaha to lay the groundwork for “Hearts of Children upon their Parents.” Krug holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and speech drama from Yeshiva College, a Master of Science in Jewish education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education, an MA in psychology, and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the Ferkauf Graduate School. He was ordained at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and serves as an adjunct instructor at two of YU’s graduate schools. Krug also maintains a private practice in clinical psychology. “We have worked with Rabbi Krug to develop the program we want to implement,” stated Cohen. “During his initial visit, he’ll work with other facilitators, youth, parents and staff to work on the acquisition of the skills necessary to accomplish the goals of “Hearts of Children upon Their Parents.’ We’ll also work on curriculum development. Rabbi Krug will have subsequent visits to help us further integrate the changes.” Cohen continued, “The grant also enables us to bring in Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt, the senior rabbi at the Riverdale Jewish Center in New York. He shared his expertise with us before, leading the successful ‘Jew and the Zoo’ Program in 2006. He was also here for the Rabbinic conference last fall. He knows our congregation and will do a terrific job leading workshops for both children and parents, helping them translate knowledge and experience into lessons that can be shared with others.” “The idea behind ‘Hearts of Children upon their Parents’ is one which reflects Beth Israel’s mission of Jewish learning and community building,” noted Bloch. “Thanks to the grant, we can create a cooperative learning environment that helps us move Beth Israel to a new, innovative level of community. Shabbat will be even more family-oriented and fun, while providing educational experiences for adults that parallels the education our children receive. Everyone in the congregation will benefit. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the process.” The year-long “Hearts of Children upon their Parents” program will begin this fall.
Last Chance Class of 2007
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Seniors High School Seniors and Parents... We will be publishing our annual Graduation Teen Age on June 8, 2007. 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 18 to: The Jewish Press | 333 So. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154
iors will receive Jewish Wisdom and Jewish by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, plus Beth El Synagogue Talmud Torah stu- special, individualized gifts; they will also dents and faculty will be in the spotlight receive the Jewish Publication Society during Shabbat services on Friday, May Tanach from the family of Frances G. 18 and Saturday, May 19, as 7th and Fellman. All other graduating seniors in 12th graders celebrate their graduation the congregation will receive a gift from and BESTT teachers are applauded for their hard work and dedication during Teacher Appreciation Shabbat. At 6 p.m. on Friday night, all of the congregation’s seniors graduating from metro area high schools will be recognized and honored at a dessert reception, followed by 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat services. Many of the graduating The BESTT seventh grade graduates of 2007, front row: students will help to lead the Daniel Schlessinger, left, Hal Emas, Max Saferstein-Hansen, services on Saturday at 9:30 Ze’ev Lailari, Bradley Kutler; middle row: teacher Deborah a.m., and the festivities will Kronick, Kevin Adler, Ezra Potash, Adeev Potash and continue afterward at a spe- teacher Diane Malashock; back row: Education Director cial Kiddush celebration Judy Rubin and Rabbi Mordechai Levin. Not pictured: Lilly sponsored by the graduates’ Phillips and Sophie Cemaj. Photo courtesy of Ophir Palmon, families and BESTT faculty Artistic Vision members. The entire community is invit- the synagogue. The congregation’s mided for this special dual celebration. dle-school graduates will receive The All BESTT graduates will be given gifts Jewish Book of Why from the family of from the synagogue: from the A.B. and Frances G. Fellman. Freeda Gendler Fund, high school sen-
Tri-faith blood drive scheduled at Temple Israel hosts tri-faith blood drive by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Temple Israel, the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska, and the American Institute of Islamic Studies will co-sponsor a TriFaith Blood Drive on Thursday, May 17, 2-7 p.m., at Temple Israel. As the three co-sponsors explore the possibility of a tri-faith campus that would be home to all of them, they have already begun to undertake several projects together. Temple Blood Drive Chair Ron Budwig asked that donors try to coordinate their timing with Temple’s drive. Donations must be eight weeks apart.
Budwig also pointed out that donors don’t have to be members of any of the three co-sponsoring groups. To register on-line to donate blood, go to www.givebloodgivelife.org, click on Nebraska and then Donate Blood Now (upper right corner), go to Schedule a Donation (at left on the screen), click Search by Sponsor, enter 113 as the sponsor code, and schedule your appointment. You can also call the Temple office at 556.6536 or Budwig at 289.2601 Donors must be at least 17-years-old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good health.
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Behind the scenes on the Jewish community campus
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT by NORMAN H. SHELDON, President of the Jewish Federation of Omaha In order for the Federation and our Centers of Excellence to function efficiently and effectively, there’s a lot that must take place behind the scenes. Campus Operations is a critical area, encompassing all physical, financial, legal, insurance, technology and human resource needs. We take pride in our beautiful $12 million campus which is being expanded and enhanced at this very time with the much anticipated new beginning for the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home. One of my personal goals as Federation President, which is shared by the executive committee and board, is to insure that we adequately plan for the maintenance and continued development of our campus which is the heart of Jewish Omaha. We are therefore developing a fund invested in the Foundation, which will be substantial enough to ensure an endowment for future maintenance of the campus. The two major components of Campus Operations are Occupancy and Central Services, supervised by the JFO Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Aizenberg who reports to Federation Executive Director Jan Goldstein. Occupancy is the campus itself, managed by Campus Manager Mike Collier. The Building and Grounds committee, chaired by Todd Manvitz, oversees this area, which includes both utilities and structure.
We’ve all come to expect the best at the JCC, because this group of outstanding lay leaders and expert staff members ensure that everything is extremely well maintained. Because of them we are able to take for granted that the grass will be cut, the snow plowed and numerous details taken care of. They are able to maintain a place that is comfortable for everyone from the infants at the Child Development Center to the residents of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home -- a challenge they make look effortless. Central Services includes the financial, accounting, technology and human resource functions of the campus which functions under the JFO Controller, David Kampschneider. There is a committee of lay leaders that overseas each department within Central Services. The Financial Review and Audit Committee, chaired by Federation Treasurer, Mike Abramson, is responsible for all financial policies and the annual audit. The Personnel Practices Committee is chaired by Buzz Malashock, and handles all human resource issues. The Insurance Committee, chaired by Carl Riekes, manages health benefits and property liability. The Budget and Allocations Committee, chaired by Jay Gordman, is the avenue by which agency budgets are reviewed and campaign dollars allocated. This is the infrastructure that enables every Federation agency to function at peak efficiency and deliver vital services to our community. We’re all grateful to have such consummate professionals and lay leaders in place. I’ve seen first hand the tremendous job these people do day in and day out, and you can rest assured that your campaign dollars are in the right hands.
A busy week at Friedel The week ended with a bang as almost 100 students, by ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT for Friedel Academy teachers and family members gathered together at Students at Friedel Jewish Academy began a busy Chalco Hills. Since traditionally Lag B’Omer is celebratweek as they commemorated Yom Hazikaron last ed outside, a combination barbecue and stargazing month. Students observed a moment of silence in front activity seemed appropriate this time of year. Naava of the lowered Israeli flag to honor the IDF soldiers who Naslavski, mother of third grader Mika, and Ruti gave their lives. In the capable hands of teachers Na’ama Margalit, whose daughter Tal is a sixth grader, volunArtzi and Eadie Tsabari, students at Friedel gained teered to put this wonderful night together. awareness that Yom Hazikaron was established on the The evening started out with games and a cookout; eve of Israel’s Independence celebration, so that we may the food was provided by Bag ’n Save. Principal Cookie never forget who made the existence of the State of Katskee explained: “This is the largest outdoor event we Israel possible. have ever had. It is a first The following day, stutime for all of us, and we are dents and teachers transivery thankful that both tioned from the bitter to the Naava and Ruti are willing sweet when they celebrated to share their Israeli experiYom Ha’atzmaut. Together ences surrounding this holiwith honored guests Rabbi day.” Katskee also added Seth Nadel and Rabbi that her favorite part of the Jonathan Gross, they sang evening was that it allowed and danced around the the children to be outdoors. school. They played games, Unplugged from electronate traditional Israeli foods, ics, but connected to nature and enjoyed some crafts. and to their Jewish customs: Hebrew teacher Eadie “Today’s children don’t Tsabari commented that her Naomi Teetzel, left, Cookie Katskee, Hannah Stein, Destiny always have the chance to favorite part of the celebra- Wiseman carried by Mika Caplan and Ruti Margalit. The get out of the class room, tion is “the anticipation by boys in the background are Isaac Rogers and a volunteer and to experience nature the students before the big scout. first-hand,” she added. day arrives. They show such enthusiasm when they par- “Tonight they are given the opportunity to play in a creticipate in the festivities, and are truly proud to be part ative way, and get dirty. In addition to that, there is a of the bigger picture.” nice camaraderie, and being outside, we all experience The students at Friedel do not act as if Israel is a dis- the joy of Judaism in a completely different way.” tant land; being closely connected to its people and celeTo help out with the stargazing activity, several membrations is part of the Jewish values that Friedel teachers bers of the Omaha Astronomers’ Society volunteered strive to instill: “Community, family, and identity are their time, as well as their telescopes. Bob Dunn, one of some of the values taught to the students. Every holiday the volunteers, explained that they often visit schools, so belongs to each child. We build memories and an under- that “children gain an understanding and love for scistanding for our students, so they know who they are and ence. They have the chance to see for themselves what it why they are Jewish. To be Jewish is not an obligation, means to have no limits.” but a privilege,” according to Tsabari. When one It was a fitting end to the evening filled with good observes the joy with which Friedel students embrace this food, good company, and, of course, as Cookie Katskee privilege, the State of Israel doesn’t seem so far away. added: “What’s better than kosher s’mores?”
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Temple’s high school seniors to graduate and be confirmed at Shabbat service by CLAUDIA SHERMAN Temple Israel Communications Coordinator Fourteen high school seniors will graduate from Temple Israel’s Religious School and be confirmed at Shabbat worship services on Friday, May 18, 7:30 p.m. The service is an opportunity for the entire congregation to celebrate the learning experiences and accomplishments of the class of 2007, many of whom have been students at Temple since they were in kindergarten. Nimrod Ginsburg, 17, thinks attending 12 years of religious school “helps to gain a Jewish identity and to meet other Jews” his age. “Each year was different,” he said. “I’m glad I went.” Nimrod, whose family joined Temple when he was starting high school, is also graduating from Burke and plans to attend Indiana University in the fall. David Trubnikov, 18, has been a Temple student since his freshman year in high school. The past four years have “strengthened my view of my goal in the Jewish community,” he explained. “It’s my responsibility to teach younger students about Judaism.” He also believes that “you must be educated to have your voice heard,” and “it’s really important for young people’s voices to be heard.” David, who graduates this spring from Burke and will start college at Iowa Western Community College with a goal of studying marine biology, added, “Temple helped me understand that I should stay involved in the Jewish community.”
Completing 12 years of religious school is “very important not only for the religious aspect,” according to Taylor Workman, 18, who will also graduate from Elkhorn High School. She considers her Temple classmates to be “a constant group of people who are always in my life. I’ve known them almost all my life.” She thinks that finishing 12 years of religious school, “gives me a pretty good base” for her adult Jewish life. Without the high school years she spent at Temple, “I wouldn’t feel as connected to the Jewish community,” mentioned Taylor who plans to attend the University of NebraskaOmaha. This year’s graduates are Jessica Danon, daughter of Veronica Danon and Steve Danon; Nicholas Ferer, son of Mary and Whitney Ferer; Nimrod Ginsburg, son of Orly Gilat and Jacob Ginsburg; Allison Levinger, daughter of Bonnie and Steve Levinger; Jacquelyn Neesman, daughter of Maria and Steve Neesman; Aaron Parsow, son of Margo Parsow and the late Jay Parsow; Aaron Passer, son of Sandy and Jeff Passer; Anne Rips, daughter of Jane and Harlan Rips; Justin Slutzky, son of Lesley and Jeff Slutzky; Sarah Spooner, daughter of Gayle and Oliver Spooner; Brandon Thomas, son of Andie Gordman and Paul Thomas; David Trubnikov, son of Maya Wertheimer and Alexander Trubnikov; Taylor Workman, daughter of Keri and Tom Workman. Omaha Temple Youth Group officers for next year will be installed at the graduation Shabbat.
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the audience. From ketubah to the symbolic breaking of by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator the glass under the chuppah, Beth El’s Rabbi Mordechai Dresses, suits and ties are coming out of the closet, Levin will officiate at the joyful ceremony, pronouncing rehearsals galore are taking place, and the synagogue the bride and groom “friends until the end of the wedsanctuary will be brightly decorated, all in preparation ding.” In addition, each child will take a role in explaining for one of the most beloved and anticipated annual events for Beth El Talmud Torah students -- the BESTT Jewish wedding rituals to the audience. The festivities will carry over to the recepfourth-grade mock wedtion, which will offer ding. always delicious wedding Coordinated for the cake and dancing. 18th year by teacher This year’s fourth-grade Margo Riekes, the wedparticipants include: Alec ding will take place this Epstein, Max Weiner, Sarah Sunday, May 13, 11:20 Kutler, Elissa Wiener, a.m. in the sanctuary. This Benny Dietrich, Ethan unforgettable event has been repeatedly cited by Potash, Jessica Shandell, many former Beth El stuSammy Lieb, Andrew dents as their favorite Klein, Jacob Levy, Jennifer Hebrew school memory. Libov, Alexandra Pichik, Riekes and her students Teacher Margo Riekes, center, helped to organize students dur- Zachary Stein, Madison have worked diligently to ing a past fourth-grade wedding celebration at Beth El; this Weaver and Veronica prepare for this event since year’s festivities will take place this Sunday. Dubov. the beginning of the school year, when they began This event is an irresistible combination of solemn ritlearning about Jewish traditions, holidays and life-cycle uals and joyful merriment that will leave everyone smilevents. ing -- participants and attendees alike. The entire comDuring the ceremony, each student will assume a spe- munity is invited to this heart-warming ceremony, and is cial role, from bride and groom and parents of the “cou- advised to bring hankies, cameras and their heartiest ple” to attendants and ushers. In addition, each child ‘mazel tovs’ for all involved. will take a turn in explaining Jewish wedding rituals to
EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE The Jewish Press office will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, May 23-24, for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, and for Memorial Day on Monday, May 28. The 9 a.m. deadline for the May 25 issue is Wednesday, May 16, and for the June 1 issue, it is Tuesday, May 22. Questions? Call 402.334.6448.
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Beth El to salute dedicated congregants, daily service attendees during special Shabbat service by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator On May 12 during Shabbat services, Beth El will honor a variety of involved and committed congregants for their contributions to the synagogue. Beth El holds the distinction of offering religious services twice a day, every day of the year -- thanks to a dedicated group of congregants which attends daily services on a regular basis. Those loyal ‘minyannaires,’ who attended at least 24 times during the past year (and many attended more than 200 times), will be among those honored and thanked during the 9:30 a.m. service. The following people will be recognized: Solomon Schwartz, Frances Gottlieb, Harry Weiner, Merle Potash, Marcel Kahn, Stanley Widman, Dolores Goodman, Steven Riekes, Mikhail Ginsburg, Rodney Shkolnick, Peter Ginsburg, Colleen Kennealy, Rick Emas, Diane Baum, Ronald Epstein, Stanley Silverman, Stanley Edelstein, Benjamin Shapiro, Kathy Weiner, Carol Gendler, Rebecca Salkin, Samuel Cooper, Steven Levy, Stuart Simon, Joan Latchaw, Carol Schneider, Dorothy Rosenblum, Edward Schneider, Donald Nogg, Sara Klein, Caryn Rifkin, Gary Rifkin, Nancy Rips, Macklin Emas, Steve Pitlor, Leigh Emas, Andrew Greenberg, Stewart Tully, Howard Kaiman, Jack Epstein and Lea Grunkin. Frances Gottlieb said she began going to minyan about six years ago when she
began saying Kaddish for her husband. Although her intention was to fulfill the requisite 30 days of reciting the prayer for a spouse, “When 30 days passed, I didn’t feel it was enough, not for someone you lived with for 46 years. So, I continued to complete the year. “My husband was a regular minyannaire before he died,” she continued. “The men knew him and I felt comfortable being with people who knew my husband. Throughout the year, the minyannaires were comforting and made me feel welcome while I was there.” For Merle Potash, another longtime minyannaire, the sense of community – having the ability to help others to pray - is the instrumental motivator behind his service attendance. “I personally don’t think the davening is the important part,” he commented. “I could daven at home just as well. I began to attend because I wanted to help make a minyan so that people could say Kaddish.” A regular attendee for 15 years, Potash said that going to the 6:55 a.m. service has become part of his daily routine, and he encourages others to join the crowd. “It’s so important for people to remember their ancestors -their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles – it’s very important to remember those people and saying Kaddish is a meaningful way you can do it. Again, it’s not the davening – it’s remembering the people in the past.” Beth El’s Rabbi Mordechai Levin
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gregant who cannot attend on his own. “It is important to recognize Rod for these mitzvot which he performs; he does them simply because they’re the right thing to do,” Zipursky said. “He sets an example we all should follow; he is an exceptional role model who is very worthy of our gratitude.” Finally, the President’s Award, an honor bestowed upon a non-board member for exceptional volunteerism to the synagogue, will be given to Patty Nogg. Affectionately known as ‘Miss Patty’ by preschoolers throughout the Jewish community, Nogg has led the synagogue’s Tot Shabbat program and Shabbat Tunes & Tales for the past several years. Calling Nogg “a Pied Piper for preschoolers,” Zipursky noted that “She is ensuring that the love of Judaism is imparted to our kids starting at a young age. She always gets children excited to come to the synagogue and helps them to feel at home here. Patty is amazing, and I’m thrilled we are honoring her this year with the President’s Award.” In addition to the three awards given to adult congregants, the A.B. and Freeda Gendler Award will be given to an outstanding high school senior, whose name will be announced during the service. “We owe all of these dedicated congregants our appreciation,” Rabbi Levin said, “and we invite everyone to join us to help us honor their contribution to synagogue life.”
JSS group attends Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit
ORGANIZATIONS B’NAI B’RITH BREADBREAKERS Dr. Jeffrey Popp will speak at Breadbreakers on Wednesday, May 16, noon, at Regency Lodge, according to Gary Javitch, Chairman. Popp, A BoardCertified Reconstructive Facial Plastic Surgeon, will discuss how he has changed the lives of both accident victims and people who have chosen to enhance their looks! Cost is $12 for a complete lunch and $3 for beverage service only. WALK-IN, DROP-IN For those members going on the day
expressed his appreciation for the dedicated congregants who make up the minyannaires. “Our daily morning and evening services serve an important need in the local Jewish community,” he said. “They fulfill spiritual needs -- not only of our congregants but also the Jewish community at-large. And they also make it possible to recite Kaddish for loved ones, and allow those observing a yarzheit the opportunity to lead the service or accept an honor.” The Shabbat service will also be highlighted by presentations of three annual awards which recognize congregants for their exceptional commitment to Beth El. This year’s Earl Siegel Award, presented to an outstanding board member, will be given to Harry Weiner, whose volunteer involvement also involves serving on the cemetery committee and working with Men’s Club. “Harry is not only a dedicated board member; he is a volunteer extraordinaire!” remarked synagogue president Sally Zipursky. “It is clear how important Beth El is to Harry and his family. They attend services every week and participate in nearly every activity or program at the synagogue. Harry is more than deserving of this honor.” The Selwyn Roffman Award, given to a congregant who has shown religious growth, will be presented to Rodney Shkolnik, a frequent minyannaire who regularly escorts to services a fellow con-
Photo by ANDREA BARTMAN for JSS/RBJH About 30 people traveled to Kansas City’s Union Station last month to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. The group started their day with shopping and lunch on the Country Club Plaza. They attended the exhibit at Union Station which included a self-guided tour of artifacts from the
ancient city of Qumran on the Dead Sea in Israel. Notable items in the exhibit included coins, pottery, personal items
and of course the scrolls themselves!
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
May 4, 2007
Mom in charge It seems that the men heading governments around the world are not very effective. President Bush’s rating is down to 28%, making him one of the least popular presidents of all time. Although the Dow Jones average of stocks is at an all time high, his handling of the War in Iraq is criticized even by members of his own party. In Israel, close to 200,000 protested against the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Tel Aviv last week, following the release of the Winograd Report, which slammed Olmert and his colleagues for mismanagment of the Lebanon War last summer. And Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palstinian Authority has let his people down as well. The Palestinian economy is in shambles, more than half of young Palestinians would leave if they could, and suicide martyrdom is being promoted in, of all places, television shows aimed at preschoolers. Maybe it’s time for women to take over! In the United States, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, ranks first in nearly every poll against both her Democratic rivals, as well as potential Republican candidates for President. In Israel, Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni, is being touted as a possible candidate to lead the Kadima Party, should Olmert resign. And in the PA ... okay, well there isn’t a woman in
F OCUS ON ISSUES by DINA KRAFT EREZ CROSSING, Israel (JTA) -- “Free Alan!” journalists chanted on both sides of the Gaza Strip border more than a month since BBC reporter Alan Johnston was kidnapped by gunmen on a Gaza street. He has not been heard from since. Since that time, most foreign reporters have refrained from entering Gaza, fearful of meeting a similar fate. As foreign correspondents stood protesting along the Israeli side of the sand-swept border in the name of their colleague, many lamented that the risks of reporting from Gaza were keeping them -- and the world -- from closely covering a major conflict zone. “We need to go to Gaza,” said Simon McGregor-Wood, ABC’s Jerusalem bureau chief. “We need to be able to cover this important story, to understand what’s going on and to tell its people’s stories. We need the kidnappings to stop. But first we must have Alan back, safe and sound, today.” At a recent meeting of the Foreign Press Association, the organization of locally based foreign correspondents that McGregor-Wood chairs, not one hand went up when members were asked if they were still traveling to Gaza. “It means we as foreign correspondents are no longer seeing for ourselves what is going on there,” McGregor-Wood said. The few journalists who still might venture in are reporting under Palestinian police protection. But most are relying on second-hand reports from Palestinian journalists who live in Gaza. Even as coverage drops, Gaza continues to slide into chaos. Its political landscape is increasingly fractured, with violent rivalries spreading not just between traditional adversaries but also within existing factions of the present and past ruling parties themselves, Hamas and Fatah. “The thing about Gaza is that whatever is going on there, you can see it,” said Ken Ellingwood, a Los Angeles Times reporter who has covered the region for three-and-ahalf years. “Whether it’s which factions are out there with their guns, they’re visible. You can feel the increase in militancy. When the government is collapsing or failing, you can see
sight, but two out of three ain’t bad! Of course, voters just turned down a bid for Segolene Royal to become the first female president of France but that may have had more to do with her position as head of France’s Socialist Party, which hasn’t won a presidential election in 12 years. So is the world ready for women leaders again? (Oh, where is the Iron Lady -Margaret Thatcher -- when we need her?) It wouldn’t be the first time for Israel; Golda Meir served as the State’s first female Prime Minister from 1969-74, when she resigned after criticsm over her handling of the 1973 Yom Kippur War (hint, hint, Mr. Olmert!). But it would be a first for the United States. Voters couldn’t accept a female vice-presidential candidate in Geraldine Ferarro when she ran with Walter Mondale in 1984, nor could they handle the idea of a Jewish vice president in 2000 either. And while the Jewish Press neither endorses candidates nor political parties, we are intrigued with the idea that
in 2008, it just may be time for “Mother Knows Best.” The moms we know run their households more efficiently than most CEOs run companies. They stick to a master schedule, know where every member of their family is at any given moment, and can recall conversations from years prior (hear that, CEOs in prison?). They manage money and staff, act as caregivers, chauffers, chefs, accountants, negotiators, tutors, team leaders and more. Maybe it is time to put moms in charge!
the trash piling up. “During times of Israeli incursions you could go and talk to people, go and watch it,” he said. “One of the terrible results of this now is that it is much more difficult to come and spend time doing the poking around that you need.” Ellingwood said the world misses out on having the situation in Gaza described through the trained eyes of journalists who know the area. “The Palestinians really lose out because they want their story to be told and often view as their best weapons the world’s attention to their problems -- and now the world cannot see as much,” he said. Johnston, 44, was the only foreign correspondent living full-time in Gaza, and was nearing the end of a three-year assignment there when he was kidnapped March 12. Contradictory rumors have circulated since, some claiming that he is fine and others that he has been killed. Who is holding Johnston and what their demands remain unclear. “Now Alan’s reporting voice has been silenced. Everyone suffers for that,” Jonathan Baker, deputy head of news gathering for BBC News, said during the demonstration. Like other media executives, Baker said no BBC staff was being sent into Gaza since Johnston’s kidnapping. In a statement to the media, Baker addressed Johnston’s captors, telling them to set him
free immediately. “His only offense was to expose himself to personal danger because of a strong desire to bring the story of Gaza to the outside world,” he said. More than a dozen foreign journalists and aid workers have been abducted in Gaza in the past year, but all were released unharmed, usually within hours or days. Kidnappers reportedly demanded jobs or money for releasing their captives. The journalists kept longest were a Fox News reporter and cameraman who were held for two weeks in August. Gaza, which is small and compact, can be especially treacherous terrain for foreign correspondents now that militant groups reportedly are on the lookout for foreign captives. There is only one road in and one road out, and foreigners frequent a mere handful of hotels. Add to that, word travels fast of a foreigner’s whereabouts. Tim Butcher, the Daily Telegraph’s Middle East correspondent, said that before the kidnapping he would come to Gaza about twice a month -- and sometimes more often, depending on the news. He has not returned since Johnston was captured. “The risks outweigh the benefits,” he said. “It’s sad how our coverage will be affected, but it makes more sense to be working and safe in Jerusalem than kidnapped and not able to work in Gaza.”
Where the Nazi “Big Lie” endures
BEHIND THE H EADLINES by DANIEL PIPES “If today’s Arab anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish propaganda strongly resembles that of the Third Reich, there is a good reason.” So writes Joel Fishman of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs in “The Big Lie and the Media War against Israel,” an insightful piece of historical research. Fishman begins by noting the topsy-turvy situation whereby Israel is perceived as a dangerous predator as it defends its citizens against terrorism, conventional warfare, and weapons of mass destruction. A 2003 survey, for instance, found Europeans seeing Israel as
“the greatest threat” to world peace. How did this insane inversion of reality -- the Middle East’s only fully free and democratic country seen as the leading global menace -- come to be? Fishman’s answer revisits World War I, which is not a surprise, as post-cold war analysts increasingly recognize the extent to which Europe lives still under the shadow of that disaster, whether in its renewed policy of appeasement or its attitudes towards its own culture. Back then, the British government first exploited advances in mass media and advertising to target both the enemy’s and its own civilian populations, hoping to shape their thinking. The Central Powers’ publics heard messages designed to undermine support for their governments, while Entente publics were fed Continued on page 9
(Founded in 1920) Howard K. Marcus Chairman Carol Katzman Editor Richard Busse Managing Editor Allan Handleman Advertising Manager Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Managing Editor Terri Greenwood Advertising Executive Barbara Kirkpatrick Bookkeeper Anne Muskin Editorial Intern Jewish Press Committee Bobbi Leibowitz, Vice-Chairman; Stan Mitchell, Secretary; Scott Meyerson, Treasurer; Michael Siegel, Finance Chairman; Joanie Jacobson, Immediate Past-chairman; David Herzog; Susan Lehr; Jamie Meyerson; George Quittner; Melissa Schop; Michael Sigmond; 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. Centers of Excellence of the Federation are: Community Relations, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Education, Jewish Family Service, and Jewish Senior Services. The Jewish Press is a constitutional committee of the Jewish Federation. Editorials express the view of the writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Committee, the Jewish Federation of Omaha or the Omaha Jewish community as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut of any product or establishment. Editorial The Jewish Press is a Constitutional Committee 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. Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: 1-402-334-5422 or via e-mail to the Editor at: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org.. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and must be singlespaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” The Editor may edit letters for content and space restrictions, but should be printed as soon as possible to ensure timeliness. Letters may be published without giving an opposing view. Information shall be verified before printing. All letters must be signed by the writer, but the name can be withheld at the writer’s request. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the professional staff supervised. For more information, contact Carol Katzman, Jewish Press Editor, 402.334.6450. Postal The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly on Friday for $33 per calendar year U.S.; $40 foreign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: 402.334.5422. Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or e-mail to: jpress@jewishomaha. org.
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Where the Nazi lie endures The consequences of failure: Continued from page 8 news reports about atrocities, some of them false. Notably, the British authorities claimed that Imperial Germany had a “Corpse Conversion Factory” (Kadaververwerkungsanstalt), that plundered enemy dead soldiers’ bodies to produce soap and other products. After the war’s conclusion, when the British learned the truth, these lies left a residue of what Fishman calls “skepticism, betrayal, and a mood of postwar nihilism.” This British disinformation campaign had two disastrous implications for World War II. First, it prompted the Allied public to be skeptical concerning German atrocities against Jews, which bore a close resemblance to the imaginary horrors the British had disseminated, so that reports from Nazi-occupied territories were regularly discounted. (This explains why Dwight D. Eisenhower arranged for visits to the concentration camps immediately upon their liberation, to witness and document their reality.) Second, Hitler admiringly noted the British precedent in his book, Mein Kampf (1925): “At first the claims of the [British] propaganda were so impudent that people thought it insane; later, it got on people’s nerves; and in the end, it was believed.” A decade later, this admiration translated into the Nazi “Big Lie” that turned reality on its head, making Jews into persecutors and Germans into victims. A vast propaganda machine then drummed these lies into the German-speakers’ psyche, with great success. The defeat of Germany temporarily discredited such methods of inverting reality. But some escaped Nazis carried their old antisemitic ambitions to countries now at war with Israel and attempting to murder its Jewish population. Thousands of Nazis found refuge in Egypt, with smaller numbers reaching other Arabic-speaking countries, notably Syria. Fishman examines particularly the case of Johann von Leers (1902-65), an early Nazi party member, a protégé of Goebbels, a lifelong associate of Himmler, and an overt advocate of genocidal policies against Jews. His 1942 article, “Judaism and Islam as Opposites,” lauded Muslims for their “eternal service” of keeping Jews “in a state of oppression and anxiety.” Von Leers escaped Germany after 1945 and a decade later turned up in Egypt, where he converted to Islam and became political adviser to Nasser’s Department of Information. There, Fishman recounts, he “sponsored the publication of an Arabic edition of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, revived the blood libel, organized anti-Semitic broadcasts in numerous languages, cultivated neo-Nazis throughout the world, and maintained a warm correspondence encouraging the first generation of Holocaust deniers.” Such groundwork proved its value after Israel’s historic victory in the Six Day War of 1967, a humiliating defeat for both the Soviet Union and its Arab allies. The subsequent Soviet-Arab propaganda campaign denied Israel the right to defend itself and inverted reality by relentlessly accusing it of aggression. Precisely as Hitler had analyzed in Mein Kampf, if these impudent claims were at first thought insane, in the end they were believed. Today’s political madness, in other words, is directly linked to yesterday’s. Might some of today’s antiZionists be ashamed to realize that their thinking is, however repackaged, but an elaboration of the genocidal deceptions espoused by Hitler, Goebbels, and Himmler? Might they then abandon these views? Daniel Pipes can be reached at: www.danielpipes.org.
A weak government’s survival will impact the future of the U.S.-Israel alliance
BEHIND THE H EADLINES by JONATHAN S. TOBIN As a matter of principle, it is not the business of American friends of Israel to tell Israelis who should, or should not, be their prime minister. That is, unfortunately, a proposition that has been observed largely in the breach over the course of the last 30 years. American Jews, and American politicians, for that matter, have done their best -- or worst -- over the past three decades to try and tilt the outcome of Israeli politics and elections to suit their preferences. A left-leaning Diaspora Jewry often undermined rightwing Israeli prime ministers such as Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir and Benjamin Netanyahu. The right-wing minority tried, albeit with far less success, to give Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Ehud Barak, and then Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert the same treatment. American presidents have also done their best to help elect Israeli leaders that they thought were more sympathetic to their vision of the alliance and the peace process, and to block those of whom they disapproved. This pattern appeared to have come to an end in recent years during with two unlikely partners: George W. Bush and Ariel Sharon. Together, this unlikely pair forged the closest alliance between any Israeli and American governments. Bush gave Sharon the figurative “green light” to do whatever he thought needed to be done to squelch Palestinian terrorists. Sharon backed Bush’s endorsement of a theoretically democratic Palestinian state and unilaterally pulled out of the Gaza Strip. While the Gaza withdrawal did not prompt Palestinians to give up their obsession with Israel’s destruction, it was wildly popular in Washington. After Sharon fell victim to a stroke in January 2006, the Bush administration’s love was transferred to his successor, Ehud Olmert. As he sought power in his own right under the banner of the new “centrist” Kadima Party that Sharon had created, Olmert received the same sort of pre-election demonstrations of friendship (i.e., unofficial endorsement) that had been given to Sharon. When Olmert hastily decided to go to war against Hezbollah in Lebanon after cross-border terror attacks, Bush gave him the sort of wartime backing that previous Israeli governments could only have dreamed of. Far from seeking to limit Israel’s victory, Bush gave Olmert the same green light he gave Sharon. American diplomats stalled any talk of a cease-fire as the administration sat back and waited for the Israelis to roll up Hezbollah. The only problem was that the Israelis didn’t win. Due to indecisive and foolish decision-making by an inexperienced Olmert, his hopelessly overmatched Defense Minister Amir Peretz, and the airpower-besotted Israel Defense Force Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, the result was a bloody stalemate that left Hezbollah in place. This result was not only disheartening to Israelis; it appears to have shaken Bush’s confidence in Olmert. What followed since then is an American foreign policy that has started to drift back to the old pattern of searching for ways to artificially revive a moribund peace process via even more Israeli concessions. Now that the commission Olmert had hoped would allow his wartime failures to slide has come in with a damn-
ing verdict, the question of whether or not he stays in power becomes one in which overseas onlookers have a stake. Given the math of the current Knesset -- the majority of which belong to parties that are part of Olmert’s coalition, and thus unlikely to be as successful if new elections were held -- Olmert must have liked his chances of survival. But with his deputy, Tzipi Livni, poised to make her move and the rest of this coalition of opportunists thinking their only path to survival demands that Olmert be thrown under the bus, it may be that his end is nigh. All of which sets up a rerun of the old pattern of American butinskys trying to influence the Israelis. The Bush administration and Diaspora left-wingers will probably be rooting for Livni as the most accommodating of the possible successors since Labor (whose leadership may fall to Barak after Peretz loses their upcoming primary) is no position to head this coalition or win a new election. Right-wingers will be hoping that Likud’s Netanyahu, currently the most popular politician in Israel (which just goes to show how far the worm has turned in the eight years since his disastrous premiership came to an end) can somehow force early elections. But true friends of Israel will be not so much be concentrating on the fates of individual politicians as they will on the nature of any government that might follow Olmert. That’s because no matter where you stand on the issues, the thing to fear is a weak Israeli government -- no matter who it might be leading it. The danger of allowing a mortally wounded Olmert to linger in office for as long as another two years until the next elections is obvious. Weakened by dissension within his own ranks -- and the manifest lack of confidence in his ability on the part of Israelis -- Olmert would be particularly vulnerable to pressure and unlikely to take decisive action if it was needed. The same fears might apply to a Livni-led government if it turned out to be an equally precarious coalition of lame ducks. As his own administration winds down, we can expect that President Bush will be less likely to restrain the desires of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to flex her own feeble diplomatic muscles. Though Hamas may be plotting a rerun of the Hezbollah war in Gaza, the idea of a renewed push to create dialogue with them might be irresistible, even if the authors of these initiatives were the same Saudi scam-artists who conned Rice into believing that a Mecca summit might strengthen Palestinian “moderates,” instead of co-opting them to serve the agenda of Hamas. Even worse, the next two years may prove to be the moment when Israel will be forced to confront a nuclear Iran. While hope may still exist for some sort of solution to that lethal threat via sanctions and diplomacy, an ineffectual Israeli leader will be in no position to deal with this lifeand-death situation. A government that has lost the respect and confidence of Washington -- not to mention its own people -- is not the sort of partner that an American president will trust in such a dangerous endeavor. As much as non-Israelis have no business choosing the Jewish state’s leadership, the one message Israelis should be hearing from their friends abroad: Pick whomever you want, but don’t leave a weak government in place indefinitely. In this case, the cost of political stasis could be enormous. Jonathan S. Tobin is executive editor of the Jewish Exponent in Philadelphia. He can be reached via e-mail at: jtobin@jewishexponent.com.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
May 11, 2007
Candlelighting Friday, May 11, 8:14 p.m.
Synagogue Listings B’nai Israel Synagogue 618 Mynster St. Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 322.4705 email: CBsynagogue@hotmail.com
Beth El Synagogue Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Omaha, NE 68154-1980 492.8550 www.bethel-omaha.org
Beth Israel Synagogue Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific St. Omaha, NE. 68154 556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
Beyt Shalom An Affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation 3012 S. 119 St. P.O. Box 390352 Omaha, NE 68139 660.2395 www.beytshalomomaha.org
Chabad House An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 S. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68144-1646 330.1800 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 333 S. 132 St. Omaha, NE 68154
Temple Israel Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 7023 Cass Street Omaha, NE 68132-2651 556.6536 templeisrael-ne.org
The Neighborhood Minyan 1317 No. 57 St. Omaha, NE 68132 551.6609
Tifereth Israel Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 3219 Sheridan Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68502-5236 423.8569 www.tiferethisraellincoln.org
Tree of Life Center 2925 Prairie Road Lincoln, NE 68506 613.7443 email: treeoflife.rabbimichael @yahoo.com
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B’NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Services followed by Oneg, 7:30 p.m. with Dr. David Gradwohl, Professor Emeritus, Iowa State University will explore Intra-group Diversity in American Cemeteries, “The Grandee vs. Our Crowd.” The community is invited. Representatives from Iowa Public Broadcasting System (IPBS) television were at B’nai Israel recently to film Shabbat services as part of a documentary on small town Iowa places of worship. B’nai Israel was the only synagogue featured, chosen because of its historical significance. The documentary was aired in March and copies may still be purchased by contacting IPBS. B’nai Israel is included in the Bluffs Arts Council Tour and in its booklet, Behold the Beauty. The synagogue is a point of interest in the tour of houses of worship on June 3, 1-5 p.m. Community members will ride buses and stop at various churches and B’nai Israel in the Bluffs.
BETH EL SYNAGOGUE FRIDAY: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6 p.m.; Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m., led by "Miss Patty" Nogg. Dinner will follow. Cost is $5 for adults, free for children ages six and younger. Open to families in the community. To RSVP for dinner, contact Margie Gutnik at programming@beth el-omaha.org or call the office. SATURDAY: Morning services, 9:30 a.m. Join us as we honor daily ‘minyannaires’ and present awards to dedicated congregants (See full story on page 7.); Junior Congregation (3-7), 10 a.m.; K’tantan (K-2), 10:45 a.m.; Kiddush is sponsored by Beth El; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 8:25 p.m. W E E K D AY S E R V I C E S : Sundays, 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; weekdays 6:55 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Bible Discussion Group and Living Hebrew; and The Weekly Parasha: It’s All About Me, all at 10 a.m.; Torah Trope crash course, 11:15 a.m. THURSDAYS, noon: Rabbi Levin leads Getting More Out of Prayer: Insights into the Siddur. MEN’S CLUB: Will host a Mother’s Day brunch for BESTT faculty on Sunday, May 13. BESTT FOURTH-GRADE WEDDING: Sunday, May 13, 11:20 a.m., in the sanctuary. USY ELECTIONS: Thurs-
day, May 17, 6-8 p.m., at the home of John and Cynthia Stern. Eighth graders are also invited to attend. Dinner will be served. RSVP by May 15 by contacting Robert Mosenkis in the office or at youthdir@bethel-omaha.org. SHABBAT SERVICE HONORING GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOLERS: Beth El high school seniors who are graduating from area high schools will be honored at a special Shabbat service on May 18. (See full story on page 4.) A reception and class photos will be at 6 p.m., followed by Kabbalat Shabbat services at 6:30 p.m. BESTT GRADUATION/ TEACHER APPRECIATION SHABBAT: Saturday, May 19, during 9:30 a.m. services. WHAT'S JEWISH ABOUT BUGS? Fun-filled program for children ages 3-6 and their parents, on Monday, May 21, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (See full story on page 11.) SHAVUOT STUDY NIGHT: Tuesday, May 22. 5:30 p.m. Minha/Ma'ariv services will be followed by an optional 6 p.m. dairy dinner. Study sessions, beginning at 6:50 p.m., include “A Gender-Sensitive Scripture for Jews: A First Look at the Jewish Publication Society’s New Translation of the Torah,” led by Dr. Leonard Greenspoon; and “The Bible and Bioethics: What Judaism Can Teach -- and Learn From -Other Approaches to Bioethics,” led by Dr. Toby Schonfeld. At the end of the evening, all students in the synagogue’s adult-education classes will receive participation certificates. Open to the community, the dinner costs $8.50 for adults, $4 for college students; $6.50 for children ages 6-12; and free for children five and younger. Call the office by May 18 to RSVP.
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. FRIDAY: Kabbalat Shabbat, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m. Free babysitting, 9:30 a.m.; Children’s Classes, 9:45 a.m. with Torah Parade; Kiddush is sponsored in honor of Anna Kohll’s birthday by her mom and dad and brothers, Sam, Max, Jack and Leo; Mincha, 8 p.m. followed by Suedat Shlishit with Gemara class; Havdalah, 9:21 p.m.
SUNDAY: Shacharit, 9 a.m.; “Reading the Rambam” class, 9:45 a.m.; Mincha, 8:30 p.m. WEEKDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Mincha, 8:30 p.m. TUESDAY: Sisterhood Spirits and Spirituality, 8 p.m., at the home of Sara Gross. WEDNESDAY: Yom Yerushalaim celebration, 7:30 p.m. THURSDAY: Women of the Torah class, 9:30 a.m.; Advanced Parsha Study, 7:30 p.m.
BEYT SHALOM FRIDAY: Shabbat in the Home.
CHABAD HOUSE Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. FRIDAY: Service, 7 a.m. SATURDAY: Maamar class, 9 a.m.; Service, 9:30 a.m.; Kiddush luncheon follows the service. SUNDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m.; Living Torah, 9:30 a.m., 20minute video broadcast. WEEKDAYS: Services, 7 a.m. MONDAY: Maamar Kabbalistic Insights for Women, 12:15 p.m.; Halacha, 7 p.m.; W.O.W. Craft Shoppe features “Flower Power,” 7 p.m. TUESDAY: W.O.W. Prayer Circle Tehillim & More, 9 a.m.; Parshah Roundup: Weekly Torah Portion Class, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY: Kabbalah Circle, 7 p.m. All events and programs are open to the entire community.
CONGREGATION B’NAI JESHURUN Services conducted by Rabbi Ilan Emanuel. FRIDAY: Shabbat Evening Service, 7:45 p.m. led by Rabbi Emanuel, with Oneg provided by Randi Emanuel. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. all led by Rabbi Emanuel. SUNDAY: No LJCS Classes WEDNESDAY: Hebrew class (grades 2-7), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel (last class). ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAY, May 20, 7 p.m. The Book of Ruth (Part 1I) led by Rabbi Emanuel.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m.
ROSE BLUMKIN JEWISH HOME SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m., led by Andy Greenberg.
BAR MITZVAH
TEMPLE ISRAEL Oliver Rockman, son of Stacey and Jonathan Rockman, will become a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, May 19, at Temple Israel. Oliver is a seventh-grade Outstanding Scholar Honor Roll student at Westside Middle School.
His interests include sports, and skiing. For his mitzvah project, Oliver brought his Bernease Mountain dog Henry to the Blumkin Home and played bingo with residents. He has a sister, Caroline. His grandparents are Jack Rockman of London, England, and the late Corinne Rockman, and Jill and Mike Erman, and the late Eileen Erman.
FRIDAY: Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. honoring Yachad. Rabbi Azriel, Rabbi Linder, and Cantor Shermet will lead the service. SATURDAY: Sparks Beneath the Surface, 9:15-10:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.; Jacob Lehr, son of Sandy and John Lehr, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah. SUNDAY: Celebrate Mother’s Day and the last day of Religious
School. Teacher Learning Coffee, 9 a.m.; Bagels and More Brunch sponsored by Men’s Club and gift “shuk” (bazaar), 9:30 a.m.; Prayer Assembly, 10 a.m. with Rabbi Joe Black for grades K-6 and their families. TUESDAY: Adult B’nai Mitzvah, 6:30–8 p.m.; Made in America with Bette Evans, 7 p.m. Creighton Professor Bette Evans will address how the American experience affects the various religions practiced in this country. Fee: $18, non-members $25. THURSDAY: “Adult Study with the Clergy & Lunch” with Cantor Wendy Shermet, 1011:30 a.m. Tri-Faith Annual Blood Drive Thursday, May 17, 2-7 p.m. at Temple Israel. (See full story on page 4.) Friday, May 18, Confirmation/Graduation at Shabbat Worship Service, 7:30 p.m. (See full story on page 6.)
NEIGHBORHOOD MINYAN FRIDAY: Minyan, 7 p.m. SATURDAY: Services, 9 a.m.
TIFERETH ISRAEL Services conducted by Rabbi Royi Shaffin. Minyan, MONDAY and THURSDAY, 9 a.m. FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. followed by a light oneg. SATURDAY: Weekly Parashah class, 8:30 a.m.; Morning service, 9:30 a.m. followed by Shabbat lunch and Talmud class. SUNDAY: No LJCS Classes TUESDAY: The Ladies’ Lunch Bunch will meet at Olive Garden, noon. WEDNESDAY: Men’s Lunch Group meets at the Knolls, 12:30 p.m. Call Yale Gotsdiner at 423.7066; Hebrew class (grades 27), 4-6 p.m. at Tifereth Israel (last class). CONGREGATIONAL MEETING SUNDAY, May 20, 4 p.m.
TREE OF LIFE CENTER Services conducted by Rabbi Rabbi Michael Weisser. FRIDAYS: Sabbath Experience, 7:30 p.m. Havdalah: SATURDAYS: Rites of Separation, 6:30 p.m.; following Havdalah Drumming Meditation until 8 p.m.; following Drumming Social Time until 10 p.m. Sitting/Silent MONDAYS: Meditation, 6 p.m.; Teachings/ Discussion, 7:30 p.m. WEDNESDAYS: Sitting/ Silent Meditation, 6 p.m.; 8 Weeks to Mindfulness Class, 7:30 p.m.
EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE The Jewish Press will be closed for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot on Wednesday/Thursday, May 23-24. The deadline for the May 25 issue is 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 16, and for the June 1 issue, the deadline is Tuesday, May 22, 9 a.m. Questions? Call 402.334.6448
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May 11, 2007
DEATHS RUTH FORBES Former Omahan Ruth Forbes died on May 2 in Coral Springs, FL. Services were May 4 at Menorah Gardens there. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert R. Forbes. She is survived by sons and daughter-in-law, Harold and Carol of Arlington, MA, and Maynard and Gale of Monterey, MA; son, David of Los Angeles, CA; and daughter and son-in-law, Marilyn and Ted of Houston, TX; grandchildren, David and Sarah of Meridian, MI; Micah of Burbank CA, Kelly of Los Angeles, CA; Rose of Houston, TX; and Ben of Boston, MA; and two great-grandchildren. A resident of Omaha until 1991, Ruth Forbes was Chairman of the Sanitary Improvement District for 10 years, on the State Legislative Committee for AARP, member of the Mayor’s Committee on Retraining People displaced by automation, Chairman of the Recreation Committee for mentally retarded. She was VP of Encor, an organization for the betterment of the mentally retarded, and she helped promote legislation for the educable retarded which was passed in 1959. She was on the Girl Scouts board, chaired numerous United Way committees, and was President of the Opera Guild. After her move to Florida, she continued to be active as a member of the Character Education Ad Hoc Committee of the Broward County School Board, the Democratic Executive Committee and the Land and Preservation Committee. She received the Key to the Town of Davie in 1998 and was elected to the Broward Senior Hall of Fame. She was board member of the Older Women’s League, TRIAD, and the Florida Consumer Action Network, corresponding secretary for the Broward Coalition on Aging, member of the Planning Committee and chairman of Florida Council on Aging Conference. She was a peer counselor for Jewish Family Service, served as chairman of the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council, and Chairman of the State Legislative Committee of AARP in 2000-01. Memorials to Amyloid Research, Boston University School of Medicine, Amyloid Research Fund, 715 Albany St., K-503, Boston, MA 02118 or Herbert R. and Ruth L. Forbes Fund of the Federation Foundation. ELBERTA COHEN Elberta Cohen died May 6 at the age of 94. Services were held May 10 at Temple Israel. Born and raised in Nebraska City, she attended Northwestern University and the University of Nebraska. She was married to Harry B. Cohen, a promi-
Speakers series continues at B’nai Israel by ALLEN KURLAND Michael Levine spoke at B’nai Israel on last month. He spoke about current issues of ADL and Israel. As a member of the ADL Board, he was able to share his insights regarding the work of the Regional ADL. His presentation became a springboard for more discussion by congegants during the Oneg Shabbat. B’nai Israel’s Speaker Series continues tonight, 7:30 p.m. with Dr. David Gradwohl. He will speak on Intra-group Diversity in American Cemeteries, “The Grandee vs Our Crowd.” The Jewish community is welcome to attend. Services and the speaker are followed by an Oneg.
nent Omaha attorney who preceded her in death. She is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Marla Cohen; and four grandchildren, Josh, Zoe, Sara and Charlie Parker Cohen. Memorials to the Omaha Hearing School or the Nebraska Humane Society. RUBEN LIPPETT Ruben Lippett died at the age of 88. Graveside services were held May 8 at Golden Hill Cemetery. He is survived by wife of 58 years, Louise; a daughter, Sharon of New York; son, Mark; and nephews and their wives, Norman and Joan Kellner and Edward and Jeanie Wintroub. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, he served in the U.S. Army from 1940-46, rising to the rank of Captain. After being a self-employed grocery store owner, he owned Lippett’s Bottle Shop -- the largest liquor store in Nebraska, based on volume. He was then wine manager at Nebraska Wine and Liquor. Memorials to the Lippett Family Endowment at the Federation Foundation or to the Rose Blumkin Home. ALLEN S. COHN Former Omahan Allen S. Cohn died April 18 in Seattle, WA, of cancer complicated by kidney failure. He was 59. A 1965 graduate of Central High School, he won a scholarship to the University of Chicago and settled in Seattle in 1970. He worked for the Department of Social and Health Services for more than 25 years. He is survived by his wife, Ann Ballard, and his brother, Arnold Cohn, of San Francisco, CA. Memorials to the Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans, 2800 1st Ave., Room 262, Seattle, WA 98121.
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Statewide Classified CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING works! Place your 25 word ad into thousands of Nebraska homes for $195. Contact the Jewish Press at 334-6448 or call 1-800-3692850. ADOPTING YOUR newborn is a gift to treasure. Abundance of love, secure future, musical family awaits your baby. Legal/confidential. Dale Eileen, 1-888-822-0146, expenses paid. LOOKING FOR the classic car, truck or motorcycle of your dreams? Go to www.midwestclassiccars.com. It’s your midwest connection to classic vehicles for sale. Need to sell a classic vehicle? For only $25, your ad with photos will run until sold! Call this newspaper today for more information or call 1-800-369-2850. BANKRUPTCY: FAST relief from creditors. Statewide filing. Affordable rates. Call Steffens Law Office, 308-872-8327. www.steffenslaw.com. We are a debt relief agency, which helps people file bankruptcy under the bankruptcy code. COMSTOCK FESTIVAL-Experience the magic of Comstock Viaero Wireless music series; Windmillfestival.com June 7-10; Comstockrock.com July 19-22; Godstock.net August 3-4; 800-595-8712. DO YOU live in rural Nebraska and need a small business loan under $35,000? REAP can help! Call 402-656-3091 or visit www.cfra.org/reap.
To Submit an Obituary Notice: Send full name, age, date of death, location of service and burial site, as well as other pertinent information to the Jewish Press via e-mail: ckatzman@jewishomaha.org; fax, 402.334.5422; or mail, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68114. Obituaries--as well as engagements, marriages, commitment ceremonies, and births--also can be submitted at the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s website. Just go to: www.jewishomaha.org, click on Jewish Press and click on “Submit Announcements.” Guidelines are located on the Jewish Press home page.
Youngsters gather at Beth El to discover “What’s Jewish about bugs?” by JILL BELMONT Beth El Publicity Coordinator The next in Beth El Synagogue’s series of “What’s Jewish About ...” events hopes to drive little ones buggy -- literally! On Monday, May 21, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., all parents and their children ages three to six years old are invited for “What’s Jewish About Bugs?” This special program will be highlighted by a presentation by Kelly Jashinske, a pre-K program teacher at the Henry Doorly Zoo, who will entertain the children by exploring the world of creepy, crawly insects. The morning will be filled with bio-facts about bugs, story time, creative movement activities and arts and crafts, and all families in the Jewish community are invited to join in the fun. There is no charge to attend this program (which includes lunch), but reservations are requested and may be made by contacting Program Director Margie Gutnik, 492.8550, or programming@bethel-omaha. org.
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Jewish Press, Omaha, NE
May 11, 2007
Operation Promise funds education and enrichment for Ethiopian youth by JAN GOLDSTEIN Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Last spring the Omaha Jewish community raised nearly $400,000 for the Operation Promise campaign. During my most recent trip to Israel, Partnership’s Central Regional Consortium Chairman Zoë Riekes and I had the opportunity to visit Atidim, a very special program funded with Operation Promise dollars. Operation Promise is a United Jewish Communities (UJC) campaign which raised more than $70 million dollars nationally to help two of our most at-risk Jewish populations -- the elderly and young Jews of the former Soviet Union, and the Ethiopian Israeli community. It was truly amazing to be able to see the reality of how our dollars are being spent to confront the severe issues faced by the Ethiopian community. Approximately 120,000 Ethiopians live in Israel today. Many came to Israel through 1984’s Operation Moses and the 1991 Operation Solomon, two dramatic airlift and rescue operations in which North American Jewry joined with the Israel government to bring Ethiopian Jewry to Israel. We promised them a better life, a Jewish life full of hope in Eretz Israel. But issues like poverty, violence, unemployment, domestic violence, youth trauma and suicide are dramatically higher here than in any other part of the country. And today, years later, the challenge of integrating people who came from such a simple background into a high-tech, modern Israeli society has become overwhelming. Israel simply cannot do this alone. Operation Promise funding is all about us as Diaspora Jewry fulfilling our commitment to the Ethiopian community who are the next generation of Israel. We in Omaha are investing in a program called Atidim, which means Education and Enrichment for Equality and Excellence. The program’s title speaks volumes -- “Atid” is the Hebrew word for future. Atidim supports boys and girls, within two separate religious schools, located in this northern area. Unlike other programs that focus their efforts on those most at risk, Atidim is aimed at children who have the greatest potential and ability to study and learn at the highest levels, who come from families who lack the skills to help them advance their capabilities. Zoë and I visited Kefar Hanoar Hadati, a youth village founded in 1937 for children orphaned by the war. Here we met several Ethiopian boys, ages 12-18, who study through their matriculation (high school graduation). The village school has 462 children from throughout Israeli society -- Russian, Ethiopian and sabras, native Israelis. Twenty-nine boys participate in the Atidim program within this Youth Village. The crisis of the Ethiopian community is a family cri-
sis. The adults come to Israel with only the most basic skills -- primarily farming. Like most immigrants, the parents are slower to learn the language and to adapt than their children. The role reversal of parent to child results in very negative consequences for everyone. Many of the kids we met started in Atidim directly after last summer’s war. Their first introduction to Israel was the terror of rockets falling. They were quickly separated from their families when the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) brought kids from the North to Tel Aviv and central communities to ensure their safety as the war progressed. Weeks later, they returned to their families and then moved into this Youth Village for study. They live here during the week but most return home to be with their families for Shabbat.
During a recent trip to Israel, Federation Executive Director Jan Goldstein and Partnership Regional Consortium Chairman Zoë Riekes, back row right, visited the Atidim boys program in the Kefar Hanoar Hadati youth village. “It was so very hard on them,” says Rabbi Menahen Kabeda, head teacher for the boys, who emigrated years ago from Ethiopia as a child during Operation Solomon. “We knew they especially were in turmoil from the terrible events surrounding us.” They would say to us, ‘You Israelis are used to wars -- we are not.’” These boys were confused and didn’t understand what was happening. But children are resilient. The boys we talked with have thrived because of the one-on-one nurturing they receive at the school, through this special Atidim program. At Kefar Hanoar, seventh and eighth graders are given 10 additional hours of study each week in math, science and language, music and Torah study. English is what they want to learn most. According to school Director Rochel Sylvetsky, these children will have the opportunity to succeed because they have “absorbed the possibility that they do have a future.” When we asked the boys what they want to do when they get older we received answers like -- “computer programmer, doctor, commander in the Army, professional soccer player.” One boy in particular named Masgano Galau seemed
comfortable speaking with us. Masgano (pictured second from the right in the front row) arrived in Israel in 2004. His family lives several miles away from the school. He spoke to us in Hebrew, “From my village in Ethiopia we never had anything like this -- the studies and the many things we can do. We are busy all the time. We want to learn more. We are told it is because of you. I want to thank you -- we know you help us.” Because these children come from the poorest family situations in Israel, each week the school -- with help from JAFI -- provides them with pocket money and transportation to visit their families. They are sent home with food for their siblings and parents, where refrigerators are practically empty. They also bring home lessons of Torah, and Shabbat observances, which provide hope and learning for their brothers and sisters. That particular week, the boys were learning how to lead a Passover Seder which they would conduct for their family, in addition to bringing home food for the Seder meal. This means so much to these Ethiopian Jews, who have come to Israel because of generations of strong beliefs and traditions. What impressed us most was how the staff relates to these kids. It takes a delicate balance to instill the will to change their future without demeaning their past. Unlike Russian Olim, Ethiopian children see their parents as unskilled and hopeless, having little beyond menial labor opportunities for employment. They see their fathers unemployed or doing the most basic maintenance jobs while their mothers may find domestic work nearby. Rochele tells them, “That’s okay what your mothers and fathers are doing -- it’s good, honest work. But it’s not what you will be doing. You will have an education, and because of this, you will help your families and others in your community.” I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to see Atidim in action, and the young women I met when visiting the girls program were just as inspiring as the boys program participants. To learn more about these terrific young women, visit www.jewishomaha.org/partnership. Whether it’s due to the war or the dramatic chaos caused by the cultural gap, Operation Promise and Israel Emergency Campaign (IEC) programs that target the Ethiopian community must continue. With our Operation Promise and IEC dollars they will. Only through programs like Atidim is a bright future possible for these amazing kids. After getting to see Atidim in action, I am confidant that these youth will be ready to take their places within the next generation of Israeli society. Through Atidim, we in Omaha are keeping the promise of a better life for the Ethiopian Israeli community.
Congratulate Your Graduate! The annual Graduation/Father’s Day Issue publishes June 8. 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.
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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We are so proud of your achievements– membership in NHS, varsity letter in tennis and a Merit Award from B.E.S.T.T. Love, Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters and grandparents